Record of Lodoss Wars

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Name:Record of Lodoss Wars
Contains:
un-checked Comedyun-checked Mechschecked Drama
checked Violenceun-checked Shoujo 
un-checked Hentaiun-checked Explicit Sexchecked Brief Nudity
Running Length:~55 min ea (6 vols) mins.
Description:

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Record of Lodoss Wars
If you like RPGs and the dynamics among lots of characters playing different roles in them, you will definitely like this early-90s classic. Record of Lodoss Wars is THE prototype of RPG-type anime series, never short on action, exciting plot, and in-depth character development that allows those characters to really grow on you by the end of the final episode.

Here's what I like about this OAV series:

Characters. Lots of strong, active, and unique characters are definitely what make this anime a classic. There have been many series trying to follow the footstep of Record of Lodoss Wars and mix in lots of different characters, but the ones that did it as elegantly and smoothly as this OAV series are few and far between. When you think about lots of characters, for example, you may think of Fushigi Yuugi. But while FY has its own handful of impressive characters such as Chichiri, Yui and Nuriko, way too much of the focus is given to the love story between Miaka and Tamahome (boring!!) and soon enough other characters are put aside to the backstage.

Record of Lodoss Wars does hint at a romantic relationship between two of the main characters in Parn and Deed, but they never let this dominate the entire series, as it was the case with FY. Instead, they focus on other characters as well, giving plenty of spotlight to Ghim's lonely battle to rescue Leylia, the old friendship/rivalry between Fahn and Beldo, and the mysterious prequel saga involving six heroes (Fahn, Beldo, Fleve, Wort, Neese, and the nameless one - Karla) slaying a dark lord resurrected somewhere in Lodoss. The end result is a well-balanced anime series that doesn't shove a one-dimensional love story down the viewer's throat.

Plot. This anime starts off with one of those nifty out-of-sequence tricks, with the first episode happening somewhere between the 5th and 6th episodes. This first episode is really the turning point of the entire plot, and I think it was a great idea to expose the viewers to that crucial part of the plot first, then go back to Parn's village to explain how everything got started.

In every well-written anime there is one character whose main job is to add a few additional wrinkles in the plot, and the Grey Witch Karla serves that role almost to perfection in this anime. You never understand her true motives until towards the end of the series when Parn and his comrades finally confront her. And it turns out that she isn't the ultimate enemy... It all adds to the flavor, making it a 13-episode roller coaster.

Action. There is plenty of action, and while animation in general may not be one of the best, they did a great job in making the fight scenes dynamic and explosive. And they enhanced the action without making the characters jump like flees either. Rather, they did subtle things right, like Slayn casting his spells very urgently in the middle of the battle. They also didn't overdo the BGM during the battle scenes, making it easier for us to concentrate on what's going on on the screen.

Voice acting. There is some great voice acting done in this OAV. Deedlit's girlish charm blossomed with the best voice acting in the career of Touma Yumi (Yui in Fushigi Yuugi, Uld in Ah! My Goddess, Sylphiel in Slayers) and Sakakibara Yoshiko was her usual greatness as the voice of the witch. Parn's reckless abandon was perfectly personified by the vulnerability of Kusao Takeshi, who also did the main character in Slam Dunk. Kamiya Akira, who later played the voice of two scientists in Tomoe Souichi (Sailor Moon S) and Natsume Kyusaku (Nuku Nuku) did the voice of a black knight this time, and you can also find the early work of some of the great natural voice talents like Nakata Joji (Folken in Escaflowne) and Wakamoto Norio (Vicious in Cowboy Bebop).

Likability factor. This is a very likable anime. It features one of the most revered females in the anime universe in Deedlit, some of the best fighting scenes that you'll ever find in any series, and the great, in-depth character development, particularly in Parn's case. His struggles and trials en route to becoming a heroic knight are very well portrayed (a la Van Fanel in Escaflowne), and by the end of the series you will feel strong bond to this character, because you've been through everything with this guy. And I think the ending was done very, very well, with Parn choosing the life of a free wanderer (and having a beautiful, attractive, elegant high elf as his companion -- hard to beat that!) rather than living in a castle while being worshipped as a hero.

All in all, this is a wonderful OAV series and a must-watch for any series anime followers. It's funny I'm giving an overall rating of 9, causing the average rating to drop a bit, but the only reason why I don't give it a 10 is because I reserve my 10's for some of those really special, once-in-a-lifetime masterpieces. I'm a Tough Rater, and getting a 9 from me means it's a damned good series. And Record of Lodoss Wars is definitely one.

Overall Rating: 9
Animation:9 Plot:10 Sound Track:9
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=136710

Record of Lodoss Wars
This a GREAT D&D type of anime and definitely ranks up there with the best Fantasy based flicks.

The only disappointment is the lead character who, as has been mentioned before, comes off as being pretty damn feeble..The other characters, however, are pretty well done, especially the villains.

Overall Rating: 10
Animation:7 Plot:9 Humor:8 Sound Track:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=55444

Record of Lodoss Wars
An unbelievable fantasy epic! Quality animation, well-designed plot, well-developed characters, and dramatic soundtrack combine to make Record an exciting, fast-paced action-adventure. At times gripping, humorous, chilling, and inspiring, Record follows a group of intrepid adventurers through their quest to save the world from evil. A story that has been told before, but not in this way, and not this well-done. One can see the characters growing as the story unwinds, becoming fully dimensional characters that you come to like and watch with rapt interest. I heartily recommend this picture to everyone, not just those die-hard fantasy enthusiasts.

Overall Rating: 9
Animation:8 Plot:9 Humor:7 Sound Track:8
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=175535

Record of Lodoss Wars
This would probably be my favourite of fantasy/ RPG-type anime. The first few episodes were a bit slow for me, but by the final five, I had become intrigued. The animation itself is quite inconsistent, with some parts being very well done amidst scenes of mostly pans, stills, and recycled footage. The characters were very cool. This was one of the few animes that really made me root for the 'bad guys' as well as the 'good guys.' I was moved by the classic scene when Pirotess died in the arms of Ashram. Very sad! Deelit, Kashue, Woodchuck, Slayn, and Karla are also very cool characters. The rest were just filling space. Unfortunately, this title also features the anime cliche of dumb soldiers standing around getting slashed instead of fighting back or fleeing. I mean, come on! Any smart person would turn around and start running when a monster is approaching them rather than just stand there and scream until they are killed. The main characters are the only ones who seem to fight back and kill the bad guys. Well, overall this is worth a rent. If the animation quality was a little bit better, I would've probably bought it.

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 4 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12302

Record of Lodoss Wars
Lodoss War, in my opinion deserves the best rating possible. True, the animation quality wasn't as good as, say, Gundam for example, but it wasn't as poor as Ronin Warriors or Sailor Moon.
A lot happens, too, and it seems to never stay on one place or topic for long, unlike, say, Dragon Ball, for example.
Plus it contains some rather moving scenes, even with the baddies (yes, we all remember the cave scene with Ashram). And the drama is compelling, but keeps out of soap opera range.
It also stays away from the shakepere norm that a drama cannot be a comedy at the same time. While building relationships and delving into the minds of troubled personages, it also can joke lightheartedly at them.
I reccomend this anime for anyone with a strong sense for adventure, magic, and romance.
And hey, that dark sword kicks!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12297

Record of Lodoss Wars
"Record of Lodoss War" is a very good anime fantasy OAV with nice plot, and great characters. The story holds up very nicely, there is never an overlooked part or dull moment, and all the characters are well developed. It has great action sequences, and a real epic feel to the whole plot. There is only one problem that keeps this from being a perfect 10, it's minor technological flaws creep into the OAV from time to time. Sometimes the animation is of a low-quality and doesn't hold up well with the ongoing story. however, this series does have some excellent things about it. One of which is the series brilliant musical score, and appealing characters. Although I felt this series should have been longer, the ending less abrupt, and had a better constructed storyline. Overall, a worthwhile OAV series that is well worth your time.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12267

Record of Lodoss Wars
My god. There would never be an anime of such superb drawings in a long, long time. And the music... It is simply superb.
However, storyline is not surprising. Good vs Evil. Just throw in subplots of love, maddness, ambitions etc. That's it. Different mix of character is good as it enhance the sense of togetherness of the six heores.
Not sad or funny, just breathtaking. It is worth watching just for watching sake.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12232

Record of Lodoss Wars
RoLW has some incredible characters, but the names are too lousy in almost all cases. Pirotess (here's a lousy name!), the female Dark Elf rules especially!! The first episode is the greatest, a real masterpiece. Unfortunately, the quality drops a bit after that. The animations are mostly great, though it's a shame Shooting Stars (the Red Dragon) isn't properly animated, just as the first dragon was, especially when you consider his role in the last episodes. The plot is incredible, too! The focus is put on Parn, but I have yet to discover why they made him such a dimwit. In general, if you like fantasy and RPG such as AD&D, you won't be disapointed! Certainly one of the best anime I've ever seen, and a classic in the fantasy genre.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12187

Record of Lodoss Wars
I love the animation, it's original, yet good and is recognizable as anime. The story line was good, it didn't center on one villan for too long or have that villan always be the center of the story. It had great characters because it was a good mix of personality, ranks and standards . There was also a tiny room for romance, as with the characters Parn and Deedlit. It was dramatic, as all mideval stories are because it focuses on thoughtful things that aren't too depressing nor too cheerful. It is a good mix of the two and an excellent example of anime at its best.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12186

Record of Lodoss Wars
DeedLit = cool
Parn = stupid

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=12307

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