7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The original cast of Slayers is reunited for the first time in over a decade in Slayers Revolution - a totally new season full of the magical mayhem that can only happen when Lina Inverse and her crew pull into town. Lina's on the run from a government inspector who's ready to put her away for good. Her crime? Just being herself! The guy's hot on her tail, but a tiny creature that actually has a tail might be Lina's biggest problem. Pokota's a powerful little furball, and his path of destruction is getting pinned on Lina. With so much explosive magic between them, you know things will go boom when they face off. But there's more to Pokota than anyone knows, and if Lina's gang can get to the bottom of his habit of blowing stuff up, they could end up with an awesome new ally.
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Yasunori Matsumoto, Masami Suzuki, Hikaru Midorikawa, Yumiko KobayashiAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 94% |
Fantasy | 25% |
Comedy | 24% |
Action | 23% |
Adventure | 12% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p (upconverted)
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Most anime fans possess at least fringe knowledge of the Slayers universe, and the myriad of media crossovers the series has successfully leaped in the past two decades. Spanning over 45 volumes to date, Slayers began as a light novel series written by Hajime Kanzaka before becoming a three season (78 episodes) anime series produced between 1995 and 1997. The 13-episode set I’m evaluating today (Slayers: Revolution) is a continuation of that original run, though knowledge of prior events is rarely a prerequisite to an understanding of this specific story arch. Airing during 2008, the series is the first part of a two-season production by the same studio that completed the three initial seasons back in the 1990’s, with Slayers: Evolution rounding out the storyline. Stay tuned for a follow-up review of the subsequent Evolution release in the next couple days.
A wild-eyed Lina Inverse as she trash talks with pirate scum.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 21Mbps), Slayers: Revolution arrives on Blu-ray as a high-definition upconvert of non-native source material. As a result, the improvements over the prior DVD versions are subtle in comparison with an HD-produced series, making the appreciable gains minimal. Among the primary upgrades, fans will notice increased strength in the richness of the color spectrum, creating a bold, bright picture that rarely delves into murky territory. Black levels also acquire a reasonable boost in depth (though there are still a handful of shots that appear a bit washed out), and contrast differentiation is respectable through the lion's share of the production. Unfortunately, the area where perfection is destined to elude us is in the appearance of mild stairstepping on diagonal lines and an underlying lack of crisp texturing in the animation. Throw in the occasional appearance of edge enhancement and slight banding, and you begin to realize this won't be one of the visual highlights in your growing anime collection.
Regarding the animation itself, Slayers has always incorporated a simplistic formula that screams low-budget television anime. Several updates have been made over the years, but we're still talking about a production that pales in comparison with the growing attention to style and detail often found in modern anime. This works to Slayers advantage when we consider the nature of this upconverted release, since it's easier to forgive source related imperfections when they're not sticking out like a sore thumb. In the end, long-time fans won't find anything off-putting about the animation itself, but newcomers to the world of anime should recognize this is far from the pinnacle of artistic design.
On the audio front we have a lossless rendering of the Japanese stereo mix as well as a lossless surround (5.1) track for the English dub. Both versions offer little room for complaint when it comes to clarity and volume balance, but those hoping for an immersive experience should maintain tempered expectations. This is a given on the Japanese side of the coin, since the original source material is restricted to the primary 2 channels in the front sound stage. There's an effective use of separation between these two channels, but it's impossible not to feel a bit underwhelmed during several of the more robust action sequences. Switching to the English language track, you'll immediately notice a higher degree of open sound design that correlates with the 5.1 split, but unlike some of the more recent dub tracks on FUNimation series, we have an underlying reliance on front channel effects. This isn't as bothersome as it could be on a more impressive anime release (Eden of the East for example), so the presence of an average audio experience isn't likely to frustrate most fans.
The only extras included on the discs are textless opening/closing songs, and a collection of trailers for other releases from FUNimation.
Though I'm only halfway through the complete 26 episode story arch (continued with the Evolution release), I'm struggling to find enough value to justify a purchase recommendation. I'd have no problem supporting a one-time rental if you count yourself among those with an interest in Japanese comedy, but anyone new to anime would be advised to look elsewhere.
(Still not reliable for this title)
2009
2010
2009
1994-1995
ソウルイーター
2008-2009
2012-2013
S.A.V.E. Edition
2005
Classics
2003
Anime Classics
2008-2009
2010
2009
犬夜叉
2002-2003
Special Edition
1992
Tenchi the Movie 2: The Daughter of Darkness
1997
2000-2004
バケモノの子 / Bakemono no ko
2015
Limited Edition: The Complete Series
1992-1995
灼眼のシャナ / S.A.V.E.
2005-2006
1986-1989
2003-2004