# Serious Fantasy Anime (European Style)



## JoeGKushner (Jul 25, 2003)

So can anyone recommend any good fantasy anime?

I like Record of the Lodoss War, Berserk and Heroic Legend of Arslan. Escaflowne was prett good too if a little too 'romantic' for me.

While I love Ninja Scroll, I'm more interested in material based on knights as opposed to samurai. 

No 'funny' anime either please.


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## WayneLigon (Jul 26, 2003)

If you've seen those three... that's about it, without it being a comedy.


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## Anavel Gato (Jul 26, 2003)

You might want to try Aura Battler Dunbine--its similar to Escaflowne in that, the setting is medival yet there are mecha.  
There is one coming out soon called the Wasting Continent which has a fantasy theme to it.  Going along with Record of Lodoss War there is a Chronicles of Heroic Knights, unfortanetly, you can only get it as a boxed set which is expensive (over $100).  There isn't much else that as WayneLigon said "is comedy."  Eden's Bowey is supposed to be sword & sorcery, but comedy.  That's all I can think of right now.


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## Hopping Vampire (Jul 26, 2003)

u should also try Bastard!!!
i've been brainstorming a d20 version of this.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 27, 2003)

Hopping Vampire said:
			
		

> *u should also try Bastard!!!
> i've been brainstorming a d20 version of this. *




I forgot to mention Bastard and Berserk (of course!).

Nazca was interesting and not really western or asian. Very different.


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## The Blue Elf (Jul 30, 2003)

Revolutionary Girl Utena, but I don't know if thats Fantasy.


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## Tsyr (Jul 30, 2003)

The Blue Elf said:
			
		

> *Revolutionary Girl Utena, but I don't know if thats Fantasy. *




Uh, no... Ok, there is a magic sword, but I think most of the fantasy in there is of the "too much drugs" type, not the mystic type...

Orphen is semi-comedic, semi-serious...


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## Olive (Jul 30, 2003)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> *I like Record of the Lodoss War, Berserk and Heroic Legend of Arslan. Escaflowne was prett good too if a little too 'romantic' for me.*




Hows the voice acting in these? I'm interested in the idea, but even in what people say are the best anime (say Ghost in the Shell) the voices made me cringe.


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## Geoff Watson (Jul 31, 2003)

Magic Knight Rayearth is a good fantasy adventure anime. It has some comedy elements (occasional SD transformations, etc.), but not a lot, and the Magic Knights aren't knights in the tradional sense, more like Magical Girls with magic armour and magic swords.

Geoff.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 31, 2003)

*Re: Re: Serious Fantasy Anime (European Style)*



			
				Olive said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Hows the voice acting in these? I'm interested in the idea, but even in what people say are the best anime (say Ghost in the Shell) the voices made me cringe. *




I'm a very poor judge of voice acting.

I know that I enjoyed the series mentioned but never really thought about it from the voice acting side.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 31, 2003)

Geoff Watson said:
			
		

> *Magic Knight Rayearth is a good fantasy adventure anime. It has some comedy elements (occasional SD transformations, etc.), but not a lot, and the Magic Knights aren't knights in the tradional sense, more like Magical Girls with magic armour and magic swords.
> 
> Geoff. *




I bought the first one but hasn't gotten the second one (I'm talking the boxed sets). Good fun stuff, not too serious, not too hammy either.

How about Amon Saga? Didn't like that too much. There's another one that wasn't too bad about the different heroes with metal anmes like Bronze, Silver and Gold. Can't remember it's name though...

Did that Fire & Ice US carton ever make it to DVD? Frank Fazzata did the cover and I think some interiors for that. Great little short story.


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## Anavel Gato (Aug 2, 2003)

*Ys*

I really don't know much about this series other than it has 2 DVD's at suncoast.  It looks like a medieval theme.  Perhaps someone else knows more.  It is indeed called Ys.  

vol. 1:
http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/1381.php

vol 2:
http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/1830.php

and there appears to be a Ys II.  
http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/2077.php

I have been wondering about these titles myself.  So, I hope someone out there can supply a review.


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## Kilmore (Aug 4, 2003)

No comedy?  (twitch) That's all my favorite shows.   

Well, if you're willing to stretch the stock meaning of fantasy, there's a few of Miazaki's shows you might wanna look at, from the children's classics that adults can truly appreciate such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away to the fierce adventure of Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind.

Just saw a little of .hack//SIGN.  Seems to be an Everquest game gone horribly wrong.  Dude's stuck in a virtual fantasy game world.

(Flips through a several month old Newtype)
Something called Scrapped Princess.  Can't tell if it's a comedy or not.  Dark Dimension Zero?  What's that?

Ryo Mizuno, the guy who created Lodoss War, has just done Rune Soldier, but I hear that one went for the laffs.  I'll get to watch it tomorrow.


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## Tsyr (Aug 4, 2003)

For a fairly interesting and pretty serious fantasy, you might try Shamanic Princess... It's not "western" per say, but it's not eastern either... It's something all it's own.


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## ProfAnime (Aug 4, 2003)

Scrapped Princess is a pretty good show for a fantasy adventure, though it does have some sci-fi bits in it. Not available in the US yet, so will need to grab fansubs or raw.

Juuni Kokki (The Twelve Kingdoms) is a pretty good fantasy adventure, though it is more Chinese/Japanese than Western medieval fantasy.  First DVD for this series will be released in the next month or so IIRC

El-Hazard is also a pretty good fantasy series, though it does have some comedic elements and a bit of technology in it.  There are a few EH series, but I would recommend the original 7 ep OAV.


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 4, 2003)

Thanks for the post. I did notice Ys the other day but without some more info I'm a little leery.

How about Twilight Kingdoms? Twilight something or other where a band of adventurers is wandering through ruins trying to survive basically. Looked interesting but again....

As far as the no Comedey part, I don't mind a little comedy, but it gets boring after a while and interrupts the flow of the story for me.


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## Tsyr (Aug 5, 2003)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> *As far as the no Comedey part, I don't mind a little comedy, but it gets boring after a while and interrupts the flow of the story for me. *




I'd suggest Orphen, then... It has a pair of halflings that exist for nothing but comedy relief, but most of the other comedy is pretty good, low-key stuff... And it's got more than it's share of serious moments... It has it's share indeed.


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## WayneLigon (Aug 6, 2003)

Tsyr said:
			
		

> *I'd suggest Orphen, then...  *




Man, I can't beleive I forgot to mention Orphen. Yes, very good.

Right now, thanks to Netflix, I'm catching up on Berserk. Disc #4 should be in today. Mmm.


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## reapersaurus (Aug 9, 2003)

If I liked Record of Lodoss War and Ninja Scroll, would I like Berserk? [/total guess]


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## Tsyr (Aug 10, 2003)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *If I liked Record of Lodoss War and Ninja Scroll, would I like Berserk? [/total guess] *




Yes.


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## WayneLigon (Aug 10, 2003)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *If I liked Record of Lodoss War and Ninja Scroll, would I like Berserk? [/total guess] *




I think so, yes. Try www.animeondvd.com and look up the series; they have several good reviews.


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## Anavel Gato (Aug 10, 2003)

i started to watch weathered continent today the character designs reminded me of record of lodoss war
also the big, burly fighter has the same voice as the american dubbed Guts from berserk...
If i finish watching it I'll let you know if it should be considered...right now I am saying rent it...


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## Anavel Gato (Aug 16, 2003)

i finished watching weathering continent.  It was not really that good.  There is maybe two sword fights that you only see the end result of.   There is some magic used.  ANd the story is why too open...it is only an hour and it leaves you waiting for another episode to begin (which i don't believe there are any more)...
overall, i would say it is not what your looking for unless you want to see a total Guts rip off in the Boise character.  
I picked up Ys and it looks to be a lot like Lodoss war.  So once I watch it which will probably be this week sometime I'll let you know how that was...


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 17, 2003)

Thanks for the update.

The Weathered Continent was indeed the one I was thinking of buying as I've seen it in the stores several times but haven't picked it up.

Looking forward to hearing about your Ys comments.

On that note, someone once mentioned that there is an anime similiar to Escaflowne. While not real European, it had more in common with standard fantasy than say, Ninja Revenge or Devil Man. Anyone know what I'm thinking of?


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## WizarDru (Aug 18, 2003)

There are a couple, and one I wish was available, but isn't. 

The series in question has just started coming out on DVD, and that's Aura Battler Dunbine.  It's from 1982, so don't expect the same expensive look as more recent anime.  You may also be put off by some of the 'punnish' names, such as Shott Weapon.  Names aside, it's not a comedy series, and gets fairly dark towards the end.  Basically a fantasy land that's a parallel dimension to Earth, the residents of Byston Well have giant insect-like battlesuits powered by human auras (but only very powerful ones).  It contains a mixture of high tech and low tech...such as the clydesdale-unicorns drawing giant carts with the giant robots weapons, for example.  Story-wise, Escaflowne has a lot in common, with princes on the run, and that sort of thing.

Another series, with giant centaur and knight robots in a fantasy world was Panzer World Galient.  There you had ancient robot technology being dug up and used by the medieval level societies, and then marching whole armies of the things against each other.  Great stuff.  Also from the early 80s.


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## WayneLigon (Aug 18, 2003)

WizarDru said:
			
		

> * Aura Battler Dunbine. ... Byston Well...*




And that reminds me of another fantasy anime: Garzey's Wing. Apparently, it is a prequel to ABD, in some way. It uses the same world name, at least. It's all three OAV's in one DVD, usually for a pretty decent price (around $19.95). I liked it a great deal, particularly how the modern-day hero interacts with the sword-and-bow using natives of Byston Well.


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## Tsyr (Aug 18, 2003)

Gyeh! I couldn't STAND Garzey's Wing... It reigns as one of the few anime I have ever actualy just stopped watching halfway through.


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 22, 2003)

Thanks for the update on the two series.

I'll have to check out the first disk and see what I think of it.

Did Ragnarok ever get made into an anime? The Manga is pretty good so far.


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## Stormfalcon (Aug 22, 2003)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> *
> Did Ragnarok ever get made into an anime? The Manga is pretty good so far. *




Nope.  There is a series currently being shown in Japan with Ragnarok in the title, but it has nothing to do with the manga or the MMORPG that it spawned.  Just to warn you in case you run across it and get confused.


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## Anavel Gato (Aug 23, 2003)

*Ys, the story so far....*

Well, its not bad...

The story, a prophesied "Brave Soul" comes to save a monster ridden land known as Esteria.  It seems he must collect six books of the six priests to return Esteria to the former glory of Ys (yeeses).  The animation is not bad, a little old, say late eighties early ninties feel.  The menu simulates an old school nintendo RPG feel.  It seems to move a bit slow and elements of the greater story are just dropped on you, but it is good.  There is a lot of stuff you learn as Adol learns it which is I guess the way it shoulc be.  It is definitly a mediveal, dark ages, feel.  There are fighters, thieves, militia, wizards, seers, goblins, ents, and giant centipedes.  I still have episode four to watch, but I like it and will definitely pick up Book 2 and Ys II--castle in heaven???

If you have any questions let me know...


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## Anime Kidd (Sep 6, 2003)

There is also Ruin Explorers, Fire Emblem, and Crystania. Ruin Explorers but it might be more comedy than not, while Fire Emblem is more serious. Its been awhile since I've seen them and I don't really remember much of 'em. Then there is Crystania. It is based in the same world as Record of Lodoss War. Its good, but not as the original series.


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## JoeGKushner (Sep 6, 2003)

Is Ruin Explorers the one where the magic user turns into a mouse when she casts spells due to her curse? If so, no, it was't bad, especially the DVD as it has the whole series on one shot.

How's Slayers? I've never watched that one but see that they have a ton of stuff out for it. Serious or comedy?


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## hong (Sep 6, 2003)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> How's Slayers? I've never watched that one but see that they have a ton of stuff out for it. Serious or comedy?




Both.


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## Scarbonac (Sep 8, 2003)

Kilmore said:
			
		

> the fierce adventure of Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind.




Word; these are both brilliant, though I'm more partial to Nausicaa meself.


Jeeze, most of the stuff that I like has either been mentioned already, diverges from the "no samurai", "no comedy" or "strictly fantasy" themes, or has oodles of gratuitous sex and tentacles.


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## Scarbonac (Sep 8, 2003)

[Edit: _Stoopit_ double post.]


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## JoeGKushner (Sep 13, 2003)

Well, on the good news side, Record of the Heroic Knight, the remake OVA of Lodoss Wars, is coming out in a less expensive edition sometime soon and I believe that I've seen the Orphen DVD's now as a boxed set. Might be time to break down and pick 'em up.


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