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Slayers:
Medieval Mayhem
by Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi
Central Park Media manga review by
Matt McConnel
More
Info: Central
Park Media
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Slayers:
Medieval Mayhem is the first installment of the textual, although
not necessarily literary adventures of Lina Inverse and her
trust, albeit dim, body guard and business partner, Gourry
Gabriev. The manga serves as the basis for the anime and the
popular follow up manga/anime that precedes Slayers chronologically.
Confused? Don't be. Suffice it to say that one can jump in
to the Slayers series just about anywhere and be comfortable
because there really isn't much in the way of continuity,
at least not overtly.
Lina
Inverse is a wandering sorceress for hire. She travels with
Gourry Gabriev a swordsman who despite his good and gullible
nature is actually very good at what he does. While the two
are nominally friends, there is a significant amount of sexual
tension between them not only because they are both serious
horn dogs, but also because they actually do seem to care
for each other, though not necessarily in THAT way. Their
adventures are varied as they are numerous though certain
themes run throughout. Lina's breast size is a particular
favorite butt of jokes as well as Gourry's good looks. Mm,
come to think of it, just about all the jokes are sexual in
nature, but it is the repetition and timing that make them
amusing. The other fun part is the property destruction with
abandon that the duo engages in. Whether it is the scent of
a coup, werewolves, or trying to catch a super-thief Lina
and Gourry are sure to make a mess of it even if they do succeed.
Since
this was manga produced in 1995, and produced on a budget
to boot, the Medieval Mayhem collection lacks much of the
slickness of the franchise's more recent incarnations. This
does not detract from the story, but it can be a little jarring
to jump between the two. It is hard to criticize a series
for being juvenile and crude in its humor when it is so funny
and also does it so well. Nevertheless, Slayers is not a series
for someone expecting high fantasy action and drama. It is
a romp, and little else. There are stabs made at continuity,
but these are mostly in the anime additions to the whole,
and not here in the initial manga.
CPM
has done a great job in bringing the Slayers manga to the
states (finally). There can be no complaints about the binding
or quality of the trade though it is odd that the Medevial
Mayhem trade received a less posh cover and paper quality
than its companion Slayers Special. Also, the difference in
format is strange. Slayers Special is the Japanese smaller
size, while Medieval Mayhem is the American size. CPM publishes
in both these sizes, but this is the first time I have seen
them split a series so. Granted, they are not back to back
volumes, but it is still strange.
Look,
just go out and pick this one up ok? Slayers is one of those
that you will probably love unless you are one of the few
people who does not appreciate some base humor now and again.
Since the majority of anime and manga fans don't flinch at
base things, witness the sales of La Blue Girl and other naughty
tentacles, I doubt very much anyone associated with the genre
would have a problem with bust line jokes. This is not to
say that Slayers is gratuitous, as a matter of fact it is
rather tame visual-wise, but it is what it is, and that is
good enough.
Matt
McConnel is the site's anime guru, but he reads too. Praise
his diversity here.
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