Record of Lodoss War: A thorough review of the charm of fantasy and profound story

Record of Lodoss War - The origins of the legend and its appeal

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

September 22, 1990 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei Classic Films

■Frequencies

50 min

■Original Story

Original story by Hitoshi Yasuda and Ryo Mizuno

■ Director

・General Director: Akinori Nagaoka ・Directors: Shigeto Makino, Akinori Nagaoka

■ Production

・Production cooperation: Madhouse

■Works

©Ryo Mizuno, Group SNE, Kadokawa Shoten, Marubeni, TBS

■ Story

In the cursed land of Lodoss Island, Emperor Beld of the dark island of Marmo is plotting to conquer the entire island of Lodoss. Meanwhile, in the north of the island, a young swordsman named Parn joins forces with Eto, Gim, Slaine, Deedlit, and Woodchuck and sets out on a journey to train as a warrior. Parn and his friends face many challenges during their adventure, but they also deepen their bonds with their companions and grow. Their journey will change the fate of Lodoss Island.

■Explanation

The film is based on the novel of the same name by Ryo Mizuno and tells the story of a young swordsman who dreams of becoming a hero on the cursed island of Lodoss. The first two episodes of the 13-episode original video animation were released in theaters. Record of Lodoss War is an epic tale set in a fantasy world, depicting friendship, courage, and growth through the adventures of the hero Pern and his companions. This work can be said to be a monumental work in fantasy anime, and its influence remains strong to this day.

■Cast

・Pahn/Tsuyoshi Kusao・Deedlit/Yumi Touma・Gim/Yoshimasa Sakaguchi・Eto/Kappei Yamaguchi・Slaine/Hideyuki Tanaka・Woodchuck/Norio Wakamoto・Carla/Yoshiko Sakakibara・King Fern/Osamu Saka・King Cashew/Shuichi Ikeda・Wart/Tamio Oki・Narrator/Ichiro Nagai

■ Main staff

・Original story/Yasuda Hitoshi, Mizuno Ryo ・General director/Nagaoka Akinori ・Series composition/Watanabe Mami ・Character original concept/Izubuchi Yutaka ・Character design/general animation director/Yuki Nobuyuki ・Sub-character design/Minowa Yutaka ・Art director/Kaneko Hidetoshi ・Director of photography/Ishikawa Kinichi ・Sound director/Honda Yasunori

■ Main Characters

Parn is a young swordsman who dreams of becoming a hero. He spent his early teenage years in Saxon Village, located in the northeast of Rhodes Island. Parn aspires to become a swordsman from an early age, and grows as he goes on adventures with his companions. His pure heart and courage save his companions many times.

Deedlit: A beautiful high elf girl from the Everlasting Forest. She is a spirit user who summons and controls spirits. Deedlit is one with nature, and her beauty and strength are important elements that support Parn and his friends on their journey.

・Gim An old dwarf warrior. He teaches his comrades swordsmanship. Gim has a wealth of experience and knowledge, and is a reliable presence for Parn and the others. He teaches them not only combat skills, but also life wisdom.

・Priest Faris, Etopan's childhood friend and best friend. Eto grew up with Pan and protects his friends with the help of God's power. His presence, which values ​​faith and friendship, is irreplaceable to Pan and his friends.

Slaine: His real name is Slaine Starseeker. While he is a magician, he also teaches children in the village. Slaine supports Parn and his friends with his knowledge and magical powers, and is able to make calm decisions even in difficult situations.

Woodchuck: A thief from Alania. Woodchuck helps Pan and his friends with his wit and skill. Although he appears frivolous on the surface, he is very considerate towards his friends.

■Subtitle

・Part 1 "Prologue to the Legend" (1990/09/22)
・Part 2 "Departure of the Flames" (1990/09/22)

■ Related works

・Record of Lodoss War (OVA)
・"Record of Lodoss War: Heroic Knight Legend" (TV anime)
・"Welcome to Rhodes Island!" (TV anime)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Ad èsso e Fortna ~Flame and Eternity~
Lyrics: Akino Arai; Composition: Akino Arai; Arrangement: Mitsuo Ogita; Singer: Sherry

・ED1
・Kaze no Fantasia・Lyrics by Kaoru Ito・Music by Kaoru Ito・Arrangement by Mitsuo Ogita・Singer by Sherry

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ The appeal of the story

Record of Lodoss War is an epic story set in a fantasy world, depicting friendship, courage, and growth through the adventures of the hero Parn and his companions. This work can be said to be a monumental work in fantasy anime, and its influence has not faded to this day. The story revolves around the adventures on the cursed land of Lodoss Island, and depicts Parn and his companions' journey to confront the ambitions of Emperor Beld of the dark island of Marmo. Parn and his companions face various challenges during their adventure, but they deepen their bonds with their companions and grow. And their journey will change the fate of Lodoss Island.

■Charm of the characters

Each character in Record of Lodoss War is unique and enriches the story. The protagonist, Parn, is a young swordsman who dreams of becoming a hero, and his pure heart and courage will move viewers. Deedlit is a beautiful high elf, and her power as a spirit user adds a mystical element to the story. Gim is an experienced old dwarven warrior, and a reliable presence who teaches his companions swordsmanship. Eto is Parn's childhood friend, and as a Faris priest, he values ​​his faith and friendship. Slaine is a knowledgeable magician who supports Parn and his friends with his calm judgment. Woodchuck is a resourceful thief, and his witty character adds humor to the story. The way these characters support each other and grow will deeply move viewers.

■ The appeal of video and music

The visuals of Record of Lodoss War beautifully depict the fantasy world. The character designs were created by Izubuchi Yutaka and Yuki Nobuteru, and each character's personality is clearly expressed. Art director Kaneko Hidetoshi's background art is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the fantasy world. Cinematographer Ishikawa Kinichi's camerawork also enhances the tension and beauty of the story. As for the music, the memorable theme songs "Ad èsso e Fortna ~Honoo to Eien~" and "Kaze no Fantasia" enrich the emotion of the story. The background music is also used effectively in line with the development of the story, playing a role in bringing out the emotions of the viewer.

■ Background and influences

Record of Lodoss War is based on the novel of the same name by Ryo Mizuno and was produced as an original video animation (OVA) in 1990. It was later released as a feature film and then developed into a TV anime. This work can be considered a milestone in fantasy anime, and its influence remains strong to this day. The production staff includes some of the industry's leading studios and companies, such as Madhouse and Toei Classic Films, and the work is highly regarded for its high quality. The success of this work is also due to the participation of many talented staff members, including character designer Yutaka Izubuchi and character designer Nobuteru Yuki.

■ Recommendation points

Record of Lodoss War is a masterpiece of fantasy anime, with a high level of story, characters, visuals, and music. In particular, the story of friendship, courage, and growth depicted through the adventures of the hero Parn and his companions will deeply move viewers. The beautiful visuals that depict the fantasy world and the music with Sherry's memorable singing voice also enhance the appeal of this work. This work is recommended not only for fans of fantasy anime, but also for those looking for a moving story. Furthermore, this work has been released in various forms such as OVA, movie version, and TV anime, making it a series that fans can enjoy for a long time.

■ Introduction of related works

There are many related works to Record of Lodoss War, including the OVA, the TV anime "Record of Lodoss War: Heroic Knight Legend," and the TV anime "Welcome to Lodoss Island!". These works delve deeper into the world of Record of Lodoss War and are must-sees for fans. In particular, "Record of Lodoss War: Heroic Knight Legend" is a sequel to Parn and his friends' adventures, adding new characters and storylines. "Welcome to Lodoss Island!" is a work that depicts the daily life of Lodoss Island, and will allow you to rediscover the charm of the fantasy world. By enjoying these related works, you will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the world of Record of Lodoss War.

Conclusion

Record of Lodoss War is a monumental work of fantasy anime, with a high level of story, characters, visuals, and music. The story of friendship, courage, and growth depicted through the adventures of the hero Parn and his companions will deeply move viewers. The beautiful visuals of the fantasy world and the music with Sherry's impressive singing voice also enhance the appeal of this work. This work is recommended not only for those who like fantasy anime, but also for those who are looking for a moving story. Furthermore, this work has been developed in various forms such as OVA, movie version, and TV anime, making it a series that fans can enjoy for a long time. I hope you will experience the world of Record of Lodoss War and feel its charm.