Which series next?

[stanky105]

Hey all,

With school winding down, I FINALLY found time to start finishing up the epps of el hazard. The mag world 1 is done, and I am halfway through the mag world 2. After that though, which one is next, wanderers or alternate?

From looking at the webpage, am I correct in thinking that the alternate world continues on the original storyline, and wanderers is an "parallel universe" type of thing? I have also heard that many fans of the original mag world do not like the alternate world, this true? Thanks for any input.

[Saucer]

From looking at the webpage, am I correct in thinking that the alternate world continues on the original storyline, and wanderers is an "parallel universe" type of thing? I have also heard that many fans of the original mag world do not like the alternate world, this true? Thanks for any input.

Yes, Alt World continues (sort of) the OVA continuity. Alot of fans have probs with Alt World because it's really quite a mish mash of various subplots. Few of which get resolved. It's pretty sloppy and disappointing if you were expecting "OVA3" or something to that effect.

You might as well watch it but look forward to Wanderers, which is much better. Or better yet, rewatch the magnificent first OVA!

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Right.  Wanderers is a seperate continuity in and of itself with no prequels or sequels (well, officially anyway.  )

The only credit I give to AW is that -supposedly- it was going to open a lot of questions to be answered in the next part after it, but that next part never came to be.

Really, though, MW needed no sequels.  Each step passed it did kinda get increasingly dissapointing.    And of all the El-Hazards, I dare say that an action-type vid game could be most easily made out of the Wanderers version since that one has a less serious and intense plot apparently more focused on the entertainment factor.

[stanky105]

Heh, so the alternate world can be likened to "tenchi in tokyo?" I guess the two series are made by the same company right? More similarities than just the art I guess, the Wanderers looks like it could be the equivelent of the tenchi universe TV series. Nothing can beat the OVAs, but the others can still be worth watching.... hopefully anyways.  

[Spanner]

Heh, so the alternate world can be likened to "tenchi in tokyo?" I guess the two series are made by the same company right? More similarities than just the art I guess, the Wanderers looks like it could be the equivelent of the tenchi universe TV series. Nothing can beat the OVAs, but the others can still be worth watching.... hopefully anyways.  

Well... To be fair, lousy or not, Alternative World IS a sequel to OAV1 and OAV2, whereas Tenchi in Tokyo is a whole new alternate version of the Tenchi storyline.

But yeah, I agree with what people have said, for the most part. OAV1 is hands-down the best. The Wanderers is pretty good, but doesn't measure up to OAV1, and it is not a sequel to OAV1. OAV2 IS a sequel to OAV1, but not a very good one. Alternative World is yet another sequel, and arguably even worse than OAV2.

Personally, I think that the casual El-Hazard fan should just stick with OAV1, and possibly The Wanderers. Only the die-hard El-Hazard fan who Must Have More should journey onward and watch OAV2 and Alternative World.

[rowan_a._seven]

Only the die-hard El-Hazard fan who Must Have More should journey onward and watch OAV2 and Alternative World

Ah, but how is the casual El-Hazard fan supposed to follow some of the finer discussions on this board with an incomplete knowledge of the series?    Besides, while "The Alternative World" may be somewhat easy to pass by (Does it even have a box set yet?), OAV2 is included with OAV1 in the DVD Magnificent World Box Set, and I know that in my case it seemed like the logical thing to do to put in the next DVD after finishing the first OAV series.

As for quality, my theory is that the caliber of any El-Hazard series set in the OAV timeline is proportional to how much time Makoto spends cross-dressing.  If he spends somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of the series dressed as a girl (like in OAV1), the series is excellent.  If he crossdresses for only a short period of time, the series is consistent and has its moments (i.e. OAV2).  If Makoto doesn't crossdress at all, you get "The Alternative World".  

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

"The Alternative World" may be somewhat easy to pass by (Does it even have a box set yet?)

I thought it did.  Unless I'm thinking of Hong Kong ripoffs.

[js_morris]

No, there is a boxed set for Alternative World. I see it every time I go over to Suncoast and search for volume 4 of "Last Exile".

JSM

[rowan_a._seven]

The Alternative World Limited Edition Box Set

Apparently its store price is $71.98, which seems rather...expensive to me.  Fortunately, "The Alternative World" is also available for around $15 on Ebay.    However, the Ebay version seems to be a different box set.

Also, while searching on Ebay, I came across an "El-Hazard Ultimate Collection" that includes every series and a "Wanderers" box set.  Does anybody know if these are genuine or Hong Kong ripoffs?

[Spanner]

The Alternative World Limited Edition Box Set

Apparently its store price is $71.98, which seems rather...expensive to me.  Fortunately, "The Alternative World" is also available for around $15 on Ebay.    However, the Ebay version seems to be a different box set.

Also, while searching on Ebay, I came across an "El-Hazard Ultimate Collection" that includes every series and a "Wanderers" box set.  Does anybody know if these are genuine or Hong Kong ripoffs?

I can tell without even looking that they're bootlegs. Ditto for the Alt. World "different" box set. There is only one legitimate Alt. World box set, and you ain't gonna find it for $15. (At least, unless you can find a fan who was so appalled by it that they're willing to unload it fer cheap just to get it out of the house. )

Here's a good rule-of-thumb to follow when looking for anime on e-bay: If it seems too good to be true, it is. If it's cheap, it's either bootleg or very used. There are exceptions, of course, but don't expect to find them often.

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Yup, Spanner nailed it.  Hong Kong is the place for pirates.  It's probably 90% of their GNP.  

[Kathy Guinea]

I am so close to hong Kong... I should take a shopping trip there someday and come back with all sorts of bootleg anime with bad Engrish subtitles. This is a dream of mine. I must make it so.

Actually on the last day of school, several of us teachers were talking about taking a few 3-day weekend trips together next year and Hong Kong was one of the places mentioned ^^ I must lobby for Hong Kong.

[daguru]

 

man! was i ever stupid!

When I got my Alt world, I got the DVDs as they were released in America. I was so excited to finally see them and eventually paid about $120 for them. And, yes, I was dissapointed with what I got.

wish i waited for the damned box set

[theravenisdead]

The box set is 115 canadian here, ditto for Wanderers. TMW box set is 185 (!!!) canadian here. Dammit