AKA: Slayers Perfect

Genre: Fantasy comedy

Length: Movie, 60 minutes

Distributor: VHS and R1 DVD from ADV Films

Content Rating: 13+ (violence, language)

Related Series: The Slayers, Slayers OAVs, Slayers (movies)

Also Recommended:

Notes: Based on the novels by Kanzaka Hajime.

Rating:

Slayers: The Motion Picture

Synopsis

Lina and her associate Naga find a pair of tickets to Mipross Island on a group of no-good bandits they've just trashed. Given Mipross Island's notoriety for its hot springs resorts, the two sorceresses are more than happy to cash in on their good fortune.

Upon arrival, Lina and Naga are quick to partake of the tourist delights to be had at Mipross, but it soon becomes apparent that their vacation will have to wait -- since before their arrival, Lina has been having a recurring dream involving Mipross Island, and more baddie attacks than normal indicate that something bigger is afoot.

It seems that Mipross Island has a past, and that our two heroines will have to join forces once more to put right what once went wrong. Of course, all this will involve the usual explosive spell-casting and hijinks to be expected from Lina, and the usual hilarity as well. Fireball--!

Review

At last, a Slayers movie! Of course, it's based on the OAV series and not the TV series, so there isn't any Gourry, Amelia, or Zelgadis to be found, but still... a Slayers movie! These were the thoughts that went through my mind as I eagerly put the tape into the VCR. And for once, my expectations were met -- Slayers: The Motion Picture offers all of the knee-slapping antics that the TV series had to offer, but with theatrical-quality art and animation.

The technical aspects of the movie are quite a departure from the TV series, which at best had simply average art and animation. While _still_ not nearly as good as other theatrical releases, it's quite a ways beyond anything we've seen before that featured Lina and company. The spells look even more spectacularly destructive, the scenery is even more picturesque, and Lina is even cuter than before. Visually, this is a real treat for the Slayers fan.

The story is done in typical Slayers fashion, with a decent fantasy story underlying the surface slapstick and humor. The plot is actually a bit sketchier than the TV series, but it's still a fairly interesting one, and an admirable attempt to bridge the OAV and TV series continuities (something all-too-often neglected in most OAV/TV dualities). Where the plot gets a little thin, the rapid-fire dialogue and interplay between Lina and Naga pick up the slack. I was a bit leary at first at how good the movie would be without the usual party of adventurers present to give Lina headaches, but I'll have to admit that Naga is almost as funny as good ol' Gourry and Amelia (although she still creeps me out a bit with that S&M bent of hers).

Bottom line -- if you're a Slayers fan (and who isn't?), this movie will give you everything you're expecting -- no more, no less. If you've never been introduced to The Slayers before, this movie is still fun, and you won't feel lost not having previously been exposed, either.

— Raphael See

Recommended Audience: Just about the same as the TV series. Lots of cartoon-style violence and a little bit of harsh language. Small kids may be scared by the big baddie or some of his lesser henchmen.