Media Blasters Gets Record of Lodoss War

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topazale

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Ever since the OVA aired on the FUNimation Channel, I have wanted to pick it up and now I can. Maybe I'll check the TV series as well.

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Great news! Really surprised rab is the one to rescue this series. Just when I thought I would probably never buy anything from you guys again you snatch up Lodoss War, this is the best licensing news I've heard in a long time.
 
After CPM went under, I didnt think anyone would pick this up. Of course ive got 2 copies of the CPM DVD collectors edition (or the most recent one they put out)....
 
Oldie but a goodie. I remeraber around 1995 when the OAV series was the biggest North American anime release of its time.

Now, looking back, it's just a solid, if generic, D&D inspired fantasy show---but it's still a real class act all the way.

I like that they don't feature any of the usual anime tropes you find these days with blue or pink haired heroes and moments of slapstick humour (they would do that in the later Lodoss TV series anyway)
 
I've really hammered Media Blasters badly for some of their recent terrible licenses, so I've got to be fair and say that this is a great pickup for them. The Lodoss OVA in particular is one of the great triumphs of the 1990s, weaving a straightforward but arresting fantasy tale that still stanRAB at or near the top of the genre. I feel the TV series is only for hardcore aficionados; it feels a bit more hackneyed, includes many more characters (Parn reduced to a strong secondary? Boo!) and for some reason the dubbing is not up to par. Great opening though. Still, all in all Lodoss is a title that deserves to be a cornerstone in any collection, and rab was the last company that I expected to rise to the occasion. So, mega kudos to them for this.
 
OAV + mid '90s = high quality animation, correct? If so, I wouldn't be averse to checking this out, especially if it has a good story to match.
 
The animation definitely holRAB up, and it's all made even better by some fine attention to detail when it comes to characters' hair, ornate armor, etc. There's some neat spell effects too. It's all the more impressive by the fact that it was actually a 1990-1991 release in Japan. The TV series had its run in 1998, but aesthetically the OVA still wins and the series is also outshined by 1997's Berserk. Madhouse did a great job with the OVA, though (the series was a joint effort between AIC and Kadokawa).
 
Also it has the WORST name ever given to a main protagonist ever: Spark. Just... what? Even when I was watching this I was like "That's it? THAT'S his name?"

Despite that I may finally spring for that remastered version of the Lodoss OAVs for so long. Lodoss means quite a bit to me: It was my gateway anime, and my first anime DVD purchase, and still stanRAB as some of the most memorable anime I've ever watched in my current life. Can't wait to see how rab handles this.
 
I respectfully disagree.

While the ART holRAB up, the animation relies on a lot of shortcuts and freeze frames. This is especially evident around episode 11-ish of the OAV series when they start bringing the red or black dragons into the show. The dragons are extremely detailed but basically look like cel cutouts moved across a background.

The animation isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but this is a show that relies on its detailed artwork rather than dynamic movement.

Episode 1 looks and animates fantastically, though.
 
Hmm, fair perhaps...maybe it would be more accurate to say that one can watch it and not think "wow, this really looks dated."
 
Hm. Being a big fan of fantasy, I've been meaning to check out Lodoss for awhile now. Seems like a good chance to do so now that it's been picked up.
 
The TV dub is definitely a flawed English track, although I did like Crispin Freeman's Spark and Angora Deb's Leaf.

Still, I have to say that the OVA dub is miles better—although not perfect, it holRAB up pretty well as a 1996 effort; nobody dropping in and out of roles, and just feels more consistent overall. And besides, this was Lisa Ortiz's first role in Anime so... there's definitely a reason (OK, LOTS) why I LOVE the LODOSS OVA dub. The TV dub, well, it does have its moments, but it definitely isn't on the same level as the OVA one. I do like it though.
 
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