RUIN EXPLORERS
Archaeology hasn’t been this much fun since “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Review by: Craig "Wordsworth was *good* fantasy" Norris
Length: 4 episode OAV
Genre: Fantasy
Watched: 1-4, subbed
With Slayers dominating the genre, I doubted whether or not this 4 episode series could move past it on the list of greatest fantasy animes ever. I was right (as usual), but it didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying this short OAV. While it lacks some of the energy of Slayers, it is a worthy addition to the genre, full of plenty of gags and action to keep just about everyone entertained.
Plot synopsis: Fam and Ihrie are a pair of adventurers who search across the land for artifacts of value. They hope to one day find the Ultimate Power; especially Ihrie, who has lived with a rather inconvenient curse ever since childhood, and hopes to break it. However, they are not the only ones who are after the Ultimate Power, and soon they become embroiled in a plot by the evil sorcerer Ruguduroll to take over the world.
Artwork: A bit dated, but not bad. This is one category where Ruin Explorers trumps Slayers hands-down. Still the artwork is certainly not spectacular, especially by today’s standards. The character designs are pretty standard for a fantasy series, with suits of armor and capes being the norm. Action sequences are okay, but the details are lacking. The animation is not something to be impressed about, but it suits the show very well.
Music: Typical background music and forgettable opening and ending theme. However, this is to be expected, as the soundtracks on short OAVs are normally not expansive. On the plus side the music isn’t notably bad, so even though it is not good your ears will not bleed. Always a plus.
Characters: The cast features a motley bunch of RPG-esque characters that typify the genre. Ihrie is the strong-willed “leader” of the group. She is very materialistic, and gets very upset when she is taken advantage of. She is able to use magic, but she often refrains from doing so because of her curse. Fam is almost the exact opposite; she is the picture of innocence and always thinks of the happiness of others before her own. She is a magic-user, but sometimes her spells don’t go quite as planned. Prince Lyle is the tragic hero of the group, having lost his kingdom and his fiancee at the hands of Ruguduroll. He is totally focused on getting his revenge, and because of Fam’s crush on him, she and Ihrie pledge their support. Rasha and Miguel are rival explorers who unite with Fam and Ihrie under Lyle’s goal. Rasha is haughty and manipulative, and also comes to fall for Lyle. Predictably, she and Fam get involved in some ugly confrontations. Miguel is a capable swordsman, but he’s not too bright, which is why he paired with the shrewd and crafty Rasha. Galuff is a shady merchant who is dragged along as penance for trying to rip everybody off. He is even more materialistic than Ihrie, and never misses an opportunity to make a buck. All of the characters exhibit traits that are common within the genre, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.
Plot: It’s the old “unlikely heroes have to save the world” routine again. But really, isn’t that what we want to see? How interesting would a fantasy anime be if there were no opportunities to use the really big spells? While the plot device is overused, what really matters is the execution, which this show does quite well. It certainly could have turned out a lot worse than it did, at any rate.
CHICKS!: Not many, but they’re decent. Ihrie often shows a tough exterior, but she is much more noble than she lets on. She’s the type who can’t sit still, so don’t expect her to want to settle down with anyone. She’s got a nice figure, though it’s hard to see underneath all that armor. Fam is part squirrel, but 100 percent adorable. She is sweet and caring, and wants nothing more than to see those around her be happy. Her figure is short and girlish, and her fuzzy ears and tail amplify her cuteness considerably. She is tremendously loyal to her friends and tries as hard as possible at everything. Rasha is a little on the conniving side, but as she demonstrated with her crush on Prince Lyle, she is not beyond sincerity. If you’re a fan of getting what you want at someone else’s expense, she’s the ideal match. For a relatively small cast, the chick quality is pretty high, but don’t expect a cornucopia of chicks.
Overall: As a diversion, this show is very entertaining. It’s close enough to Slayers to appeal to its fans, but different enough to hold interest for those who are sick of it. It takes the safe route by following convention, so it’s pretty much guaranteed to entertain on some level. If you’re not sure you want to sit through all 78 episodes of Slayers, watch Ruin Explorers for a satisfying introduction to the genre.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Subscribes to popular conventions
+ A fun fantasy story
- Average production values
- Can’t compete with Slayers
Rating: 7/10
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