SLAYERS MOVIES
Because the Dragon Slave was made for the big screen!
Review by: Craig "Real women need boobs like Naga" Norris
Length: 5 movies
Genre: Fantasy, comedy
Watched: All, subbed
Seeing as how these movies are so similar in terms of production values, I decided that it would be easier to review them all at once. Multiple reviews would become redundant and boring, and would waste valuable KB that M.H and I ration like water in a desert. After all the technical aspects are discussed, I’ll summarize and provide an overview for each movie individually. So enjoy our little 5-for-1 experiment.
Artwork: Being movies, the animation quality is definitely several steps up from the series. It’s nothing too impressive by today’s standards, but almost immediately the higher quality makes itself known through beautifully rendered backgrounds and detailed character designs. The best animation is in the fifth movie, Slayers Premium, which looks decidedly different from any of the others Slayers productions, but is also noticeably easier on the eyes. It’s a shame the series didn’t have such animation, or it would have become truly legendary.
Music: The soundtracks are much flatter than those in the series. There are no noticeable tracks during the movies, and are only saved by the few solid closing songs. For a franchise that drew much of its success from its soundtracks, I was surprised at the lack of effort that was put into the music. Still, with only an average of 60 minutes to work with per picture, I suppose its forgivable that the music is not very expansive. Just don’t expect the same audio success that fans of the series have become accustomed to.
Characters: The first four movies are prequels to the series, and follow the exploits of Lina Inverse and her partner/bitter rival, fellow sorceress Naga the White Serpent. Lina is still the same, proving that she was probably power-hungry and ill-mannered right from birth. She still has the same propensity for using her spells at a level that goes far beyond mere overkill. Despite being in constant competition with Lina, Naga is similar to her in many ways. She knows many of Lina’s spells, always expects a generous payoff for her services, and has the same volatile temperament. However, Naga thinks of herself as much more sophisticated and fashionable than Lina. Her irritating laugh is probably one of the most famous sounds in all of anime, sending chills down the spine (and pain in the ears) of everyone she meets. Slayers Premium reunites the core cast from the series, and relegates Naga to a mere cameo appearance. Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadiss haven’t changed much, although everyone, including Lina, seems to be a bit more open with their feelings.
Plot: Most of the plots consist of Lina and Naga getting involved in conflicts between townspeople, winding up on opposing sides, and causing much destruction between them. Not very complex or riveting, but Slayers has always had the most success with simple plots. The first movie, Slayers Perfect, has the most epic feel of all the movies, with Lina and Naga (mostly Lina) attempting to save a kingdom from a powerful evil demon. It’s the same basic plot of all three of the series scaled down to fit inside 70 minutes. Slayers Premium presents a rather off-the-wall plot involving a port town being cursed by a race of talking octopi. It follows the Slayers formula the closest, and winds up playing out like a filler episode of the series. The plots offer up nothing revolutionary, but for the most part they entertain.
CHICKS!: Well, there’s Lina, everyone’s favorite cranky sorceress. In the first four movies she’s supposed to be younger, though I don’t notice much difference between her appearance in the movies and her appearance in the series, aside from her outfits. In about as stark a physical contrast as I have ever seen between female co-stars, Naga is impossibly curvaceous, with long, slender legs, a well-toned stomach, and huge, almost perfectly spherical breasts that bounce and jiggle hypnotically with little to no applied force. Toss in the fact that her wardrobe is sparse enough to leave very little to the imagination, and we’ve got us a winner! Personality-wise, she’s similar to Lina, though neither would admit to that openly. As far as chick quality goes, Naga steals the show by a wide margin. Slayers Premium brings back Amelia, who has the same figure and personality she had in the series. But really, you’ll be too busy staring at Naga’s breasts to pay much attention to anybody else.
[Movies listed in chronological order]
SLAYERS PERFECT
Length: 70 minutes
Plot summary: After Lina toasts a few bandits with her usual aplomb, they return to get their revenge, having hired Lina’s rival, Naga the White Serpent. Of course, the bandits get toasted again, and Lina and Naga help themselves to a pair of tickets to the Mipross hot springs that they carried. Upon arriving, they find the island beset by criminals, and Lina begins having strange dreams about a romance ended by the destruction of a village of elves. Before long she discovers the old man responsible for her dreams, who beseeches her to rid the island of Joylock, a powerful demon from his past who was responsible for the death of the elves. It’s up to Lina and Naga to restore peace to the island and avenge the elven village that was destroyed long ago.
Overall: This is probably the most serious of all the Slayers movies, even though it has ample moments of comedy and general wackiness. The first appearance of Lina and Naga as a duo is more than successful, as a very entertaining dynamic develops between them. Unfortunately, some of the gags become stale quickly, even with Lina and Naga trying their hardest to make things as off-the-wall as possible. Even with some noticeable flaws in content, it is still an entertaining movie that is sure to please first-time and long-time Slayers fans alike.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Improved animation
+ Lina and Naga have great chemistry
+ Naga’s boobs
- Threadbare soundtrack
- Inconsistent comedy
Rating: 7/10
SLAYERS RETURN
Length: 60 minutes
Plot summary: In a village formerly inhabited by elves there is a rumor of a great treasure. The current villagers seek the aid of Lina and Naga to protect them from a secret organization that seeks the treasure, believed to be a powerful weapon. But when the weapon is finally unearthed, it goes out of control and sets its sights on Naga. And worst of all, it can’t be destroyed by even the most powerful spells! Has the most destructive duo in history met its match, or will they be able to defeat this powerful force and save Naga’s hide?
Overall: This is my favorite of all the Slayers movies. The first half is basically a long setup for senseless destruction and utter wackiness perpetrated beautifully by Lina and Naga. The action is fast-paced, and the comedy is mixed in liberally. Such Slayers staples as big explosions, inept villains, and snappy dialogue make their presence felt. If you only see one Slayers movie, make sure it’s this one. I personally guarantee that laughter will ensue.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Great comedy
+ Characters at their best
+ Good buildup to action
+ Naga’s boobs
- Threadbare soundtrack
Rating: 8.5/10
SLAYERS GREAT
Length: 60 minutes
Plot summary: After saving a young girl from a runaway bull golem, she informs Lina and Naga of the discord between her father and brother, both famous golem makers, stemming from their differing approaches to golem building. Because of a lack of inspiration, the father, Garia hasn’t built a golem in a long time. But, upon seeing Lina, he is instantly inspired, and offers to pay her to model for him. Not to be outdone, Naga seeks out the brother, Huey, who makes her the same offer. Garia and Huey decide to turn it into a tournament to see who can build the best golem. The two lords who sponsor the tournament, however, plan on using the winning golem to build an invincible army. However, they might not want to once they see Garia’s and Huey’s creations.
Overall: In terms of humor, this movie probably is the most successful. Unfortunately, what holds it back is its tendency to drag in spots. The big gag at the end, which in itself is side-splittingly hilarious, goes on for much longer than it should have. This is also the first movie where we get to see Lina and Naga really go at each other’s throats, which adds another dimension to their relationship, and is highly entertaining. If it were about fifteen minutes shorter, this movie might have been my favorite. But too much of a good thing is still too much.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Nutty comedy
+ Golem fight!
+ Naga’s boobs
- Threadbare soundtrack
- Drags along in spots
Rating: 8/10
SLAYERS GORGEOUS
Length: 60 minutes
Plot summary: At the same time everyday, the kingdom of Lord Calvert is besieged by a horde of dragons commanded by a young girl named Marlene. Unfortunately, this time these dragons run into Lina and Naga, and are soundly sent packing. Lord Calvert asks Lina to help rid the town of the dragons and stop the rampaging of Marlene, who turns out to be the lord’s daughter. Of course, Naga seeks a payday of her own (as well as a chance for a showdown with Lina) and offers her services to Marlene. As the father-daughter tiff is played out, a far more dangerous force is at work, and threatens to destroy the entire kingdom.
Overall: This movie is kind of a letdown from the previous three, being lighter on comedy and gags and all the funny stuff that makes Slayers so entertaining. Yeah, there are a few chuckles, but it’s not chock-full of laughs by any means. Lina and Naga are rivals again, and the way they try to one-up each other is always amusing. But the plot just seems weaker in this one, complete with a total shift in focus towards the end. It might be worth it to watch just to say you saw it, but don’t expect to be very impressed.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Lina vs. Naga
+ Naga’s boobs
- Threadbare soundtrack
- Sub-par plot and comedy
Rating: 6.5/10
SLAYERS PREMIUM
Length: 30 minutes
Plot summary: The series cast has returned! After helping a fishing village, Lina and Gourry are rewarded with a feast of seafood. A duel of appetites ensues, and Gourry wins the spoils: a fat, juicy octopus. However, they find out too late that a curse has been placed on the village, and that anyone who eats an octopus shall be made to speak the unintelligible octopus language forever. To restore the speech of Gourry and the villagers, Lina must confront the race of octopi who placed the curse on the village.
Overall: I guess four movies really took their toll on creativity, because this plot is too ridiculous, even for Slayers. The artwork is also much different from the usual Slayers style of drawing, but from a technical aspect it is an improvement over anything Slayers has given us before. The reuniting of the series cast was nice and all, but fans can get the same kind of gratification by rewatching the series. In the end, this “movie” seems little more than a substandard filler episode. It’s a pity that this franchise ended on such a down note. Like so many things, Slayers ended not with a bang, but with a whimper.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Series cast returns
+ Good artwork
- NO NAGA’S BOOBS?!
- Threadbare soundtrack (again)
- Ridiculous plot
- Not up to Slayers standards
Rating: 4.5/10
My god, that was long...