Lodoss War - any good?

[wingsandsword]

Using the loosest and most interesting definitions of fantasy, I would suggest a number of anime from Hiyao Miazaki, including Princess Mononoke (possibly the easiset D&D fit using Oriental Adventures).

Ironically, I use Mononoke as an example of D&D that can be run in a Japanese setting without Oriental Adventures and just normal core D&D.

Ashitaka is pretty obviously a Ranger, or a Ranger/Fighter.
San is a pretty dead-on Ranger/Barbarian. (Although Totem Warrior (Wolf) from Arcana Evolved is the most perfect fit I've seen in published d20, it's almost exactly her)
Lady Eboshi could be a Samurai, but just as easily a Fighter/Aristocrat.
Jigo is pretty clearly a Rogue/Monk (mostly Rogue)

There are samurai, but mostly depicted as just rank & file soldiers, which could be Warriors.

When I saw Howl's Moving Castle my first thought was an Eberron game set during the Last War (I'm not much for Eberron, as I've made clear at times, but the pseudo WWI setting with wizards acting as warriors in a huge epic war raging across a semi-fantastic Europe seems a little like Eberron)

 

[wingsandsword]

On further consideration, Mononoke is probably the most popular and easily accessible non-gaming source for the Taint described by the Oriental Adventures/Unearthed Arcana Taint mechanic. Watching as Ashitaka is originally tainted, how Moro rejects him because of his taint, and how the angrier and more vengeful he gets, the stronger he gets but the more it consumes him.

Mononoke could easily be played out as a low-magic oriental-themed D&D game run with the core books and a few UA variants like Taint, non-spellcasting Rangers and probably WP/VP (like the critical hit Ashitaka takes when leaving Iron Town, straight to wound points).

 

[charlesatan]

When I saw Howl's Moving Castle my first thought was an Eberron game set during the Last War (I'm not much for Eberron, as I've made clear at times, but the pseudo WWI setting with wizards acting as warriors in a huge epic war raging across a semi-fantastic Europe seems a little like Eberron)

On a side note, I think it was based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Using the loosest and most interesting definitions of fantasy, I would suggest a number of anime from Hiyao Miazaki, including Princess Mononoke (possibly the easiset D&D fit using Oriental Adventures)

A couple of years ago Hong run an adventure based on Princess Mononoke for his Brittania D&D game.

Geoff.

 

[Mark CMG]

I'm thinking of getting Record of the Lodoss War on DVD. Is RotLW any good? I enjoy classic fantasy and I've heard that it's quite D&Dish. I'm not crazy about anime though.

What did you think of it?

It's sappy but anyone who plays D&D should take a copy home in their strong and powerful arms and watch it at least once.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

Its pretty good, as someone who used to watch every Anime i could get my hands on its one of the better shows. The Slayers (avoid the Movies at all costs!) is pretty good too, id even put it above Record of Lodoss War.

 

[Belen]

In the late 90's, a remake of the OAV was made, which is what the TV series is.

This is incorrect. The TV series is a remake of the second half of the OAV. It does not cover the first half.

Lodoss rocks! I love this series. If you want to find it as a good price, then try www.kcdvd.com

 

[ThirdWizard]

Its pretty good, as someone who used to watch every Anime i could get my hands on its one of the better shows. The Slayers (avoid the Movies at all costs!) is pretty good too, id even put it above Record of Lodoss War.

Even speaking as a Megumi Hayashibara fanboy (Lina Inverse's vioce, among many many others), I have to put Lodoss above the first Slayers series, if only barely. The second and third series though, were far and away some of the best fantasy anime I've seen. Next is simply amazing, and Try is almost as good.

And, there are actually five movies and two OAVs (plus the three series). None of the movies/OAVs are as good as the series unfortunately.

EDIT: Just did a count, and I think there are more movies/OAVs than that.

 

[Kilmore]

One probably cannot get into the Slayers movies and OVAs as much as the longer series simply because they are by definition simple yarns of less than two hours long. The series are much more complex and can support a number of somewhat complex supporting characters as opposed to being stuck with the relatively shallow Naga and whatever damsel or dude in distress they have to help out.

 

[argo]

Something I really enjoy about the TV series is "Welcome to Lodoss Island!", the 2-odd-minute short animated in "super-deformed mode" at the end of every episode, parodying the main story. I think that's something you either love or hate.

AK! Phbbt! "Welcome to Lodoss Island" is the bane of all mankind. Speak not its name lest it cast its wilting gaze upon you.

Chibi Parn haunts my dreams ....