Slayers The Motion Picture

Slayers – The Motion Picture, also known as Slayers Perfect (or Slayers the Movie: Perfect Edition) and originally released in Japan simply as Slayers (スレイヤーズ), is a 1995 Japanese animated comic fantasy adventure film directed by Hiroshi Watanabe and written by Kazuo Yamazaki, based on the novels by Hajime Kanzaka. It was the first animated entry released in the Slayers media franchise and received positive reviews from critics. In the film, young sorceresses Lina Inverse and Naga the Serpent reunite to go on vacation to the magical island of Mipross, but they soon find that things there are not quite what they seem and a mighty evil force might be involved.

Plot

The powerful teenage sorceress Lina Inverse and her traveling companion and self-styled archrival Naga the Serpent, having been reunited after Naga was (once again) hired against Lina, obtain two discounted tickets for a tour to the fabled hot springs of Mipross Island. However, they discover almost immediately that those hot springs are fake and the island is controlled by a group of bandits. The two heroines clean up the island from them but learn they have been sent by someone called "the Great Master".

Meanwhile, Lina is repeatedly visited during sleep by an old insistent man that narrates about the love between a heroic boy Rowdy and a young elf girl Meliroon, tragically interrupted by the appearance of a mazoku (demon) named Joyrock that destroyed the city of elves and killed Meliroon. In another dream, between an event and another, Lina discovers that the old storyteller is the young hero himself and he gained the power of elves, with the ability of seeing the future, and that he was the owner of the legendary Sword of Light.

Release

The film was released in Japan on July 29, 1995, distributed by Toei Company. It premiered at Kadokawa Anime Festival 95, screened as a double feature together with Legend of Crystania: The Motion Picture. A 98-page companion guide book (released also in the low-budget "miniartbook" version[5]) was published by Fujimi Shobō in the Dragon Magazine Collection in 1996. The book is divided between a color part with illustrations about the film and its main characters, and the black-and-white part with about the making of the movie.[6] Bandai Visual's home version of the film was released on VHS and LaserDisc in February 1996,[7][8] and re-released on the DVD as part of the EMOTION the Best Slayers Movie Edition DVD-BOX (EMOTION the Best スレイヤーズ劇場版 DVD-BOX) collection of all Slayers films in 2010.[9] It was to be included in the collection of digitally remastered Slayers films and OAV series,[10] to be released on Blu-ray Disc in Japan on February 27, 2015,[11] but Bandai Visual briefly cancelled the project, citing production reasons.[12][13] It was eventually released on October 30, 2015.[14]

Slayers: The Motion Picture was released on VHS and LaserDisc in North America by A.D. Vision on November 11, 1998, followed by the DVD version on May 25, 1999. The VHS version was made available in either dubbed or subbed formats, and both the LaserDisc and DVD versions were bilingual. Another DVD release was compiled later by ADV Films on September 28, 2004 in a remastered disc individually in the "Essential Anime" collection, later released as part of a "Movie Box" set on September 20, 2005 and a "Movies & OVAs" collection box set on October 28, 2008. The film was presented in anamorphic widescreen for the re-releases and an audio commentary by Cynthia Martinez, Kelly Manison (Naga) and Matt Greenfield was also included on the DVDs as a special feature. All DVD releases are now out-of-print as ADV Films has gone out of business and their license has lapsed. The film was also broadcast in the English version by ADV's Anime Network, and was released in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, in France by Déclic Images, in Italy by Yamato Video (dubbed to Italian by DEA Digital Editing Audio), and in Germany by ACOG and OVA Films (dubbed to German by Circle of Arts).

Soundtrack

A soundtrack CD for Slayers: The Motion Picture features all the background music and songs from the movie. It was composed by Takayuki Hattori (primarily), Akira Odakura, Shō Goshima and Hidetoshi Satō, arranged by Hattori and Goshima, and directed by Katsuyoshi Kobayashi. The vocal tracks with the lyrics written by Fumie Nazakawa and Satomi Arimori were performed by Megumi Hayashibara and Maria Kawamura.[15] It was originally released in Japan by King Records on September 9, 1995 (KICA-254) and was released in North America by A.D. Vision (ADV Music) on July 1, 2003 (UPC: 702727036323).[16] ADV also released the soundtrack for Slayers Return. The North American ADV release comes with a 14-page insert guide, including a five-page essay "The Wonderful World of Takayuki Hattori's Music" about the film's music and the inspirations behind it (illustrated with SD style character pictures), four pages of character sketches, and a comic strip. Tiffani Nadeau of Mania.com gave it a perfect score of 5/5.[17]

Reception

Slayers The Motion Picture was met with mostly very positive critical reception, although sometimes with reservations regarding some of the film's aspects.[18] Dave Halverson gave the English language version that "should occupy a slot in any serious collection" a perfect A score in Gamers' Republic, opining it is "emanating everything that is refreshing about anime, from the opening scene to the amazing climax, this is one action/adventure/comedy that never stops delivering on all counts." Halverson wrote the film has "some of the most memorable characters to ever grace an animated feature" coupled with "fluid animation, a superb dub, and an overall flawless production," stating in the closing opinion: "StMP possesses the timeless quality that legends are made of. Do not miss it!"[19] The staff of Screen Junkies ranked it second best comedy anime movie in history, as it "strikes a balance between goofy comedy and magical adventure."[20] The localized version of the film won the 1998 Anime Expo Awards in the category "overall premiere".[21]

Polish fantasy writer Aleksandra Janusz, writing for the magazine Kawaii, hailed the film for its "splendid" animation and opined it was plotwise the best of all Slayers movies.[1] Chris Beveridge of Mania.com gave this "very recommended" film a near-perfect score of A−,[22] while Justin Emerson scored it a full A.[23] According to Sandra Dozier of DVD Verdict, the first film is "one of the more laugh-out-loud installments" of the Slayers anime series and "a great introduction" to it, that "definitely earns the 'Essential' label. It's very tongue-in-cheek and goofy, and if you are okay with that, you'll probably have a good time."[24] DVD Talk's Chris Tribbey "definitely recommended" this "great title from a well-loved franchise," adding: "When ADV gives one of its titles 'Essential Anime' status, they do it for a reason."[25] Adam Arnold from Animefringe rated it a B+, opining that "great characters and fun situations make for an unforgettable viewing experience;"[26] Megan Lavey of Mania.com too gave it a B+.[27] Mania.com's Luis Cruz offered a more moderate praise and a score of B, writing: "Slayers is certainly a franchise worthy of the 'Essential' moniker. The first motion picture provides a good introduction to the main character of the series and to the humor and action you will find in it."[28] The Anime Review too graded it a B.[29] Among some more critical reviews, Marc Marshall of AAW gave it three-and-half stars out of five, stating that "although the mix of weirdness and relatively serious fantasy isn't for everybody, it's quality entertainment if you're in the right mood."[30]

screenplay	Kazuo Yamazaki
based on	Slayers by Hajime Kanzaka Rui Araizumi
starring	Megumi Hayashibara Maria Kawamura
director	Hiroshi Watanabe
producer	Tōru Suzuki
music	Takayuki Hattori
studio	J.C.Staff
distributor	Toei Company
runtime	62 minutes
country	Japan
language	Japanese

Slayers The Motion Picture

Plot

Cast

Production

Release

Soundtrack

Reception

Sequels and prequel

External links

References