One of the classics of the sword and sorcery genre, but has
lost some of its effectiveness over time. At one point, the lovely designs and
bittersweet story found in this OAV were rarities, but this is no longer the case.
With simplified characters that follow the standard cliches and a plot that tries
very hard to be grand and epic, everything ultimately feels rather empty and overblown.
The central heroic pair, Parn and Deedlit, hardly register as a couple, and can't
measure up to their villainous counterparts, Ashram and Pirotess. Secondaries
get varying levels of attention, but there are soon too many of them to really
give focus to any one individually. There are some nice twists to the story, particularly
one involving the witch, Karla, but too much is left unresolved by the ending
and little resolution is allowed for the characters.
Lodoss
looks its age, but the quality is still apparent in the animation and designs.
The opening and closing sequences are particularly lovely, with music to match.
Unfortunately, it's not enough to cover the flaws of the material. Everything
about the OAV is insistantly mediocre, retelling stories that we've already heard
before. Though it has its moments, there is nothing that sets the series apart
from its predecessors, or its imitators for that matter. There's no edge or originality
in the ideas, and everything is played much too safe. Thus, we have a fantasy
series that is well grounded and solid. It's just no fun to watch.
