スレイヤーズREVOLUTION Anime episode 05

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis: Lina, Gourry, Zelgadiss, and Amelia are chasing Pokota with Lina popping off spells here and there. Pokota loses his pursuers in the bushes of the forest for a moment until Zelgadiss detects him. He uses clumps of his wire-like hair to flush the critter out, only to discover that he has located the Mazoku priest Xellos, who’s holding Pokota in one hand and Zelgadiss’s thrown hair in the other. When Pokota flails around, Xellos shuts him up by making the metal hair of Zelgadiss burn to ash.

After getting Xellos’s standard “It is a secret” response to the question of why he is there, he points out the mist that has gathered to them. Pokota isn’t too happy about this as Amelia discovers they are at the edge of a ruined city. They enter and Xellos lets Pokota go, the latter fleeing to Amelia’s head. He demands to know who Xellos is, leading Lina to respond that Xellos is her useful item number 4. Xellos twitches at this remark as Lina quietly informs Pokota that none of them can handle Xellos.

Pokota reveals that the name of the town and country is Tagorashia. Neither Lina, Amelia, nor Zelgadiss are aware of this country though Gourry claims to know something, only he’s forgotten (which doesn’t sit well with Lina). Xellos explains that Tagorashia was founded ages ago by people from Sairaag (Seiraag). However, Tagorashia was struck with Durum Disease, which had no cure at the time. As such, no one wanted to help the people of Tagorashia and it was sealed off with a mist arriving from time-to-time to open a path to the hidden country.

Pokota states that not everything Xellos said was correct and leads them inside what was formerly an indoor cemetery. There, they discover the inhabitants of Tagorashia encased in crystal, looking very much like the work of Hellmaster Fibrizo (Phibrizzo), as pointed out by Xellos. Apparently, this was done by a powerful mage, whom the group learns is Aka Houshi (Red Priest) Rezo. Pokota is asked why the people are still encased when the cure for Durum Disease has been around for a while. Pokota explains that Rezo has to undue the spell. Since Lina killed Rezo (Ruby Eye Shabranigdu), his return might be problematic. Pokota points out that if Rezo were dead, the spell would have automatically come undone, therefore he can’t be dead.

Xellos does his normal vanishing act as Pokota leads the group to the Royal residence. There is an explosion, so Lina and Amelia cast the white magic spell Extball to put out the flames. They enter the palace and are greeted by the beast-man Duclis, the Ruvinagald Marquis Gioconda, and her maid Ozel. Duclis addresses Pokota as Prince Posel Corba Tagorashia. Apparently, they are the ones stealing mage-tanks and selling them. Lina talks with her party about this turn of events and Amelia, thinking Lina is concerned about the fact that there is royalty here, reminds them that she’s a princess. Not the point!

Pokota attacks Duclis and company, but he absorbs the spell easily. Pokota then casts the powerful fire spell Burst Flare, but it has no effect and causes Pokota to get burned (Lina chastising the Digimon for casting such a spell indoors). Lina wonders why Duclis survived such an attack and then notices the Tiger-man’s armor. Pokota confirms her fear — it is Zanaffar (Zanafar) Armor. After Pokota and Duclis (whom Pokota knows) exchange words, Duclis attacks with a mysterious beam attack. The group retreats to a nearby ledge before Pokota attempts to counter-attack with his Sword of Light. He manages to get a small amount of damage on Duclis’s armor.

Lina promises Duclis that she will take him down, but it is mostly a bluff. Pokota attempts to attack again, however in mid-flight, he’s stopped as Xellos reveals himself to be holding the critter. Xellos reveals that he is allied with Marquis Gioconda. She orders Xellos to kill Lina and company, but he proposes they back off as Duclis’s armor is damaged. Gioconda is not happy and angrily asks if Xellos is disobeying her. Xellos reminds her that he is her ally and does not have to obey her at all. With that, he tosses Pokota into a ruined wall and with a smile and motion at Lina, Xellos is gone again.

Back in Ruvinagald, Marquis Gioconda asks why Duclis’s Zanaffar Armor was damaged when it is supposedly invincible. He explains that the armor is far from complete and that he had miscalculated about the Sword of Light. Xellos arrives and produces a copy page from the Claire Bible regarding the making of Zanaffar Armor. After Duclis reads it and gains an understanding of what needs to be done, Xellos destroys the page, lest if fall into the wrong hands. He cautions his allies to be careful around Lina and company. Gioconda orders Ozel to summon the assassin Zuuma.

Review/Thoughts: For those who’ve asked, I’ve been using the KanzakaDex spellings more often than the CPM spellings for name of people, places, and spells. For whatever reason, even though the proper spellings of things would be all over (maps, whatever), CPM spelled things their own way half the time. Oh well.

Plot time! I didn’t recognize Duclis when he showed up in the OP sequence. However, he was a main player in the 5th Slayers novel. I hesitate to say more for those who’ve not read the 5th novel, but “Zanaffar” is the key word there. ^_~ Anyway, it is VERY cool to see he’s back (and it certainly goes a ways in explaining the faux Sword of Light). Also cool is next episodes arrival of Zuuma, who was also a big part of the novels but sadly was removed from the Slayers anime. Clearly, the production team going back and picking these guys up is pure fanservice of the good variety! Most freaking excellent!

Marquis Gioconda and Ozel are not names I’m familar with so they may be anime-only creations, as is Pokota. Ruvinagald is supposedly in the novels but I’m checking that. I didn’t see it on the map.

Xellos return is most excellent. I loved how Lina annoyed him by ranking him as her fourth most useful thing. However, Lina showed her true respect for Xellos in her warning to Pokota about how none of them could take on Xellos. She seems to know just how far she can push Xellos, which is why Lina is such a freaking cool sorceress. ^_^ Of course Gioconda does not seem to know how far to push Xellos, which lead to the “evil eye” (if you will) and the warning from Xellos to his ally. I liked how Xellos shows respect to Lina and company with his words of advice to Gioconda and company on being careful of Lina and company.

Ozel is a real mystery here. I can’t help but think she’ll end up being a Mazoku.

Also, Rezo. I think Rezo is dead, but maybe there was another Copy Rezo around. It will be interesting to see where that goes. Also, what the smeg is Xellos doing allied with Gioconda and company?

Zelgadiss has a new ability with his hair. I like it. ^_^

I think Wiser is going to show back up before this story arc is done.

Bottom line here is that we move into the plot phase of the anime without forgetting the humor or fun (they just take more of a back seat). This is a really good episode and I for one am glad to see that through five episodes, Slayers REVOLUTION is getting the positive treatment it deserves!