Search - Slayers TRY - Season Three Set on DVD

Slayers Tri

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 06/26/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yup, they're back -- hot-tempered sorceress Lina, sword-swinging dunce Gourry, stone-skinned chimera Zelgadis, and justice-obsessed princess Amelia.



And while it's not quite the brilliant ride that the previous seasons were, the third season "Slayers Try" is still a solid piece of work, filled with ancient feuds, otherworldly weapons, revenge, a tea-drinking dragon, and a devastating threat from another universe.



With the Monster race's barrier removed from the places we know, the gang reunites at a harbor where a coalition of kings -- led by Prince Phil -- are sending off an expedition into the Outer World. Lina and Gourry are there to meet Filia, a strange young woman who claims to have a mission for them. Then a Golden Dragon attacks, and Lina inadvertantly devastates the fleet and the harbor with her Dragonslave.



Set adrift on an abandoned ship, Lina and her pals end up floating to the Outer World, where they encounter Filia (who is the Golden Dragon) once again. Eventually Filia reveals why she has done all this -- a prophecy foretelling a terrible disaster that may destroy the world, which only Lina's sister (or, if she's not available, Lina) can stop. Unfortunately the gang also have a new enemy -- the vengeance-maddened Monster Valgaav, and a mysterious shadowy creature who wants Gourry's Sword of Light.



But after some nasty obstacles, Lina discovers the true intent of Valgaav's new master -- to destroy the Dark Lord Darkstar (yeah, silly name), using five weapons including the Sword of Light. When a clash with Valgaav goes horribly wrong, Lina and her friends end up scattered across the continent, with only a short time to stop the insane Dark Lord from invading their world. And finding the last of the weapons to kill Darkstar will take them deep into the bloody past of the Golden Dragons...



"Slayers Try" doesn't quite acquire the spectacular heights of the previous two seasons, just because the Big Bad Threat To The Universe is a bit cheesier. But otherwise it's a solid adventure for Lina and her little gang, with two overarcing storylines -- the first half is all about finding out Valgaav's plot and the reason his master wants the Sword of Light, while the second is about dealing with the horror that is trying to come into the Linaverse.



In the meantime, it has a complex and twisting storyline, full of odd quests for luminous weapons and some Romeo-and-Juliet sidetrips. But this season also has a heavy dose of tragedy, mostly centering on the bloody genocide of the extinct Ancient Dragons, and the horror Filia feels when she finds out what happened. Their trip takes them through sun-baked villages, magic libraries, ancient snow-covered citadels, a mountain that looks like a pile of something nasty, a pair of eternally warring cities, and a series of islands with very strange inhabitants.



And of course, there's humor. Lots of it. Aside from Xellos and Filia bickering like pros ("Ohhhh, I meant DRAGON, not person"), it has the usual bizarre scenarios and hilarious dialogue ("BIRD! ROAST CHICKEN!" a starving Lina shrieks as she tries to pluck a seagull). And in the middle of the season, we get a string of episodes that are pure hilarity -- haunted jars, a forbidden romance between a man and a fish, and Amelia and Gourry temporary becoming "Warriors of Justice" alongside some decayed old heroes in silly costumes.



The absolute highlight? A surreal Lewis-Carroll-style episode in which a befuddled Lina stumbles through a strange world of fiestas, hostile penguins ("Don't interrupt our funeral!"), marionettes and a smarmy talking pig.



The "Slayers" characters feel like a foursome of old, comfortable shoes -- Lina is short-tempered and inclined to Dragonslave whenever possible, but turns out to be deadly afraid of her sister (to the point of constructing a pyramid to hide inside). Gourry is a lovable clunkhead, but Amelia and Zelgaids have both loosened up a little -- he's mellowed and more friendly, and while Amelia still poses and talks about Justice, she's also willing to poke a little fun at it (the whole "warriors of Justice" episode).



And Xellos provides plenty of fun when he's bickering with Filia, even as he reminds us that he's an amoral Monster who wouldn't have a qualm about betraying Lina and Co. Filia herself is a likable character -- an anxiety-ridden priestess with a love of tea parties and antique jars, and a deep hatred of Monsters. But her character becomes much deeper when she discovers the terrible past actions of the Golden Dragons.



"Slayers Try" is a solid third season for the Slayers gang, with a slam-bang Threat To The Universe and plenty of outrageous comic relief. Not quite the brilliance of seasons past, but still excellent."

Great series

Jeffrey A. Hensley | Harrisonburg, VA | 06/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Deeper than the other series. This one really builds on a them of good vs. evil being more a point of view than an absolute.



Slayers NEXT (season 2) is my favorite and I personally find that ending more "conclusive", but this one still very good. All three are unique, much like the movies and OVAs.



Don't start watching Slayers at this season, make sure you start with the first season. But once you've made it through seasons 1 & 2, it's worth buying this one for more Slayers-goodness.



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