Well, that was a lot quainter than I expected. Retro,even. Flatter colors, more limited animation, often inappropriate voice actors…this is definitely an old school anime. I was getting some serious synesthesia-style mixing up of memories while watching this. It reminded me of old school anime so much that I could even smell the kind of plastic they used to pack VHS tapes at the store where I was first introduced to likes of ESCAFLOWNE (however many years ago, now.)
Getting back to what I was saying about the quaintness… for a show whose title recalls that heavy metal and reigns of blood, there’s something disarmingly amiable about the plot and pacing of this. I can totally see how it hit all the clichés that annoy so many outsiders about anime, though. I feel like I’d actually be put off it by it if it were made more recently, so there’s something to be said about the soothing musk of nostalgia. As is, this was a nice, light and gentle goof on all the sword and sorcery tropes that RECORD OF LODOSS WAR seemed so hopelessly lacking in self-awareness for.
Weren’t a lot of you warning me about this being really lewd? I’m not seeing anything especially cheeky, here. The love interest dude even makes a running joke out of how the lead girl isn’t especially well-endowed (an insult she takes with an unrealistic amount of good humor, I’ll add.) This actually makes SACRED BLACKSMITH look positively burlesque by comparison.
While this hasn’t grabbed my imagination as well as other shows, it’s certainly still a contender for further watching - - especially if the old man with Cain’s hair-do and Gargumel’s voice.
Watch this episode "ANGRY? Lina Furious Dragon Slave" below and decide for yourself.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
Definitely a classic.
If you want to watch more good oldies, I'd strongly recommend "Kimagure Orange Road", "Touch" and "H2" - though it's worth noting that the last two are both based on "yakyu" mangas by Adachi Mitsuru and bear some resemblance to each other. If you could watch only one of the two, I'd go for "Touch" - even if just for the music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBu9LDKZIF4
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5qqfj_touch-kaze-no-message-tatsuya-s-the_music
Ahh, I really should rewatch it yet again.
We need to start a VHS revival.
@alucard_123 said:
We've got the makings of some song lyrics, here.
But.... but... but won't I miss crucial plot information?
Do me a favor and post those in the talkback for this thread, alright? http://www.animevice.com/news/pick-the-next-watch-learn/5168/
Just how lewd should I expect? Important question.
Let me guess... a little more Kandoken wouldn't have hurt, right?
Female chest comparisons and a few comments on a female's periodic cycle amongst other things. 'Sides, for me to try and mention any more would be spoiling a few things for you and other potential viewers of this excellent series.
@Tom_Pinchuk:
Yeah, I'm not sure those series would be suitable for W&L - for one, I don't know if they're available through any streaming sites. And second, they're pretty long...
Touch - 101 episodes
H2 - 41 episodes
Kimagure Orange Road - 48 episodes
But if you can get your hands on any of those and want to watch some good older anime (though I guess H2 was made in the 90s despite the look - the other two are from 80s), these would be my recommendations.
I just like to recommend these less watched series whenever I get a chance, since it's pretty likely that most of the younger crowd may not have heard of them. Touch especially is really famous anime and most people, of the right age group, will know of it in Japan, even if they don't consume manga/anime.
I actually enjoyed record of lodoss war (but then I still play D@D..and no I am not a virgin), this was only ok for me but if you continue it I'll watch it with you.