Conversation with Associate; OAV3, EHOL

[d.t.]

Number one way to mess it up?  Don't set it in El Hazard.

Seriously, it was the only Arabian themed anime out there, almost the only Arabian themed sci-fi... and they moved it to generic feudal European-place in AW.  That was the number one mistake in that series, taking away what made El Hazard stand out.

[kajishima_masaki]

I agree, for two reasons. One, I love this series, it's great, and two, I think they should continue this, just as they did with Tenchi Muyo! GXP and 3rd OVA, and now there's a new episode I read about with more characters.  Can't they make another El Hazard too?

[schlaghund]

Quote
Now, suppose he goes off and wakes up a Demon god (Hey..he may be a fine tactician, but after waking up Ifurita and having her turn on him.. you'd think that he'd learn not to stick keystaffs into strange female demon goddesses (But then again.. he's a guy, huh)
/quote

hmm  the only el hazard i didnt like was season 2 of actual el hazard  kalia just  duno dont like her character portrayed disposition

aw was ok and they tried not to reveal to much untill the end of the series when illujah was reveiled and his plans were said..  other then that dal had his reasons for being ignorant, knowing the power of the spring would destroy the world as it had before.

some of the farm scenes were cute to ...  relly wished rune had hooked up

[MrWhat]

I've said most of this before, but just to bump the topic.

I still think the El-Hazard franchise is dead.  From what I've gathered, it pretty much went down in flames with Alt World, and it doesn't seem to have the popularity of other franchises that are enjoying revivals (i.e., Tenchi Muyo! and Oh My Goddess!).  But I would love to be proven wrong.  And it's certainly encouraging to hear that a revival is even being spoken of.

I'm not too particular about the format of a revival, but my choice would be a post-Ifurita-rescue adventure as a theatrical movie.  I've been lucky enough to see the Floristica palace on a big-screen TV; just imagine it on a movie screen.

It'd also be fun if they would copy what they're doing with Tenchi Muyo!.  They could do another full TV series, set in the OVA El-Hazard world, with new lead characters and cameos of the old leads.  Or they could do a full TV series just on Shayla, Afura, and Kauru.  And then, a third OVA to wrap up some loose ends in the "main" story, and hopefully, to give Makoto's Ifurita a little more screen-time.

The gang shouldn't go to Earth, at least, not for an extended adventure.  There's still so much of El-Hazard that hasn't been explored.  And Creteria didn't work very well, so why would Earth be any better?  Ken Wolfe's continuation is a masterpiece, but I think it's the exception that proves the rule.

The whole franchise has a dark side that appeals to me.  I've learned to enjoy Alt World by ignoring the plot holes, and by concentrating on the characters' interactions and reactions to difficult situations.  If they could go further with those strong emotions, and at the same time, work out a real story and stuff, that could be brilliant.

I also wouldn't say no to a TV series with another new continuity.  But I'm one of roughly six people on the entire planet who enjoyed Tenchi In Tokyo, so that might not go over very well.

[kajishima_masaki]

on Nov 29th, 2004, 2:12amhttp:// MrWhat wrote

It'd also be fun if they would copy what they're doing with Tenchi Muyo!.  They could do another full TV series, set in the OVA El-Hazard world, with new lead characters and cameos of the old leads.  Or they could do a full TV series just on Shayla, Afura, and Kauru.  And then, a third OVA to wrap up some loose ends in the "main" story, and hopefully, to give Makoto's Ifurita a little more screen-time.

I believe that too, it would. If they were to put new characters that would be cool as long as they're not annoying or stereotypical, maybe deep characters with problems, and they end up in El Hazard. Different people(possibly high schoolers, Japanese, maybe one Western), and each has a dark past. And they start an adventure somewhere in El Hazard, and they too get differetn abilities as Makoto and the rest did. But I would like to see how Fujisawa and Meeze do, in their marriage. And maybe Makoto having troubles in finding Ifruita, while Nanami and Shayla, and maybe Kuaur try to get his attention like always.

The gang shouldn't go to Earth, at least, not for an extended adventure.  There's still so much of El-Hazard that hasn't been explored.  And Creteria didn't work very well, so why would Earth be any better?  Ken Wolfe's continuation is a masterpiece, but I think it's the exception that proves the rule.

Of course not. But maybe if they do put new lead characters, they could make a plot twist where one of them gets back to Earth. But if they do make one where they end up on Earth, maybe it should be like this. Makoto, Nanami, and the others end up back, but they think it is the Earth, but things get weird in it, and they discover it is a parallel world ala Dual!, Tenchi Forever, created by another Kalia, to have a normal life. Or they could make one where they make it to the real world, but in the past, like in the '80s, or '70s.

[Spanner]

I'm not gonna let myself get too excited about this news. Frankly, I don't think it's too likely it's gonna happen, and if it DOES happen they'll almost certainly make all kinds of the same old mistakes. Like feeling the need to add a "new girl" to attract fans, as they did with both Kalia and Qawool.

I get the distinct impression that the anime producers have no idea what El-Hazard fans really want. It's not the cute, bouncing girls or cool powers (though they're hardly unwelcome). It's the setting, the plot, the adventure, the romance - the CONTINUITY.

Then I speculate that, chances are, the anime producers are DEAD ON in what El-Hazard fans want. WE'RE the ones who are deluding ourselves: we hard-cores are such a tiny minority compared to the larger group of people who are solely interested in bouncing girls and cool powers. Why waste time developing "old news" characters like Afura, Shayla, and Miz, when we can throw in a cutesy new girl for the fans to ooh and aah over?

Meh. Just watch. They'll come up with a dazzling new storyline that fulfills the dream of every hard-core fan, AND add a cute new girl to the plotline who is actually interesting and enjoyable, just to spite my cynicism.

I probably wouldn't complain much if they did.

[d.t.]

It'd also be fun if they would copy what they're doing with Tenchi Muyo!.  

Except make it actually be good.  *Nods sagely.*  *Quietly stabs Noike and Seina.*

[js_morris]

Well, this is interesting, especially given the AIC interview/article in the latest Newtype mentions that Hayashi is working on a new series having to do with an alternate dimension. Now, that could mean a great deal of things, but admittedly the first thing that came to mind was "El-Hazard".

JSM

[trisse]

Great news, if true. Personally I think EH is over for good, and I don't really believe in 3rd OAV... though I remember distant days on RFFC when a similiar message heralded coming of 3rd Tenchi OAV... and hardly anyone believed it. General opinion was that as "Shin Tenchi" was BAD, and TMiL2 movie medicore at best, they aren't going to risk yet another series.
And now look what happened...

So, if "Shin Tenchi" series didin't kill the entire Tenchi concept, I can see no reason why  AW should prove deadly to EH. Surely it was bad, but not THAT bad.

[Lord God Jinnai]

Except make it actually be good.

ZING!  

[kajishima_masaki]

on Nov 30th, 2004, 12:25pmhttp://js_morris wrote

Well, this is interesting, especially given the AIC interview/article in the latest Newtype mentions that Hayashi is working on a new series having to do with an alternate dimension. Now, that could mean a great deal of things, but admittedly the first thing that came to mind was "El-Hazard".

I hope he does. Speaking of which, I heard the guy behind Tenchi Muyo! is planning on another series himself, I think it's called Seikishi Monogatari. It also takes place in an alternate universe, except it also is about giant robots powered by magic power reactors. That's all I know.

on Nov 29th, 2004, 3:12pm http://d.t. wrote:

Except make it actually be good.

Yes

*Nods sagely.*  *Quietly stabs Noike and Seina.*

Ooh Yeah!

[kajishima_masaki]

on Nov 29th, 2004, 10:21am ftp://Spanner
wrote:

I get the distinct impression that the anime producers have no idea what El-Hazard fans really want. It's not the cute, bouncing girls or cool powers (though they're hardly unwelcome). It's the setting, the plot, the adventure, the romance - the CONTINUITY.

Then I speculate that, chances are, the anime producers are DEAD ON in what El-Hazard fans want. WE'RE the ones who are deluding ourselves: we hard-cores are such a tiny minority compared to the larger group of people who are solely interested in bouncing girls and cool powers. Why waste time developing "old news" characters like Afura, Shayla, and Miz, when we can throw in a cutesy new girl for the fans to ooh and aah over?  

Uughh! I agree! They should just concentrate on what El-Hazard is really about! And about bouncing girls and cool powers, this is probably one of the reasons why people get tired of some shows, too much in-your face stuff, huh? Filled with cliches and stereotypes, that ain't right. And the bouncing girls, I guess that's why a few think of us fans as pervs, when we really don't want to see it. I had an English teacher who also mentions this stuff when he asks us about topics. He would say "talk about a topic wothrwhile, no more talk about porn or hentai." And also what one by the name of Pocketwatch, the once scourge of the internet, now retired once said: "People who mostly watch anime are nerds and pervs." Ya can't blame the poor guy. I can see why he said all those things long ago. That's what the producers should really focus on: the story, what's important about the show. No more sensationalizing the show, the more they do that the more it becomes something else. Though I did like the AW series, but still, that is what they should do.

Meh. Just watch. They'll come up with a dazzling new storyline that fulfills the dream of every hard-core fan, AND add a cute new girl to the plotline who is actually interesting and enjoyable, just to spite my cynicism.

I probably wouldn't complain much if they did.

Well, I hope they do. But, if they did add a cutre new girl, here's an idea they could do; they could make the new girl from the real world. She would be from a different school, and she would show up days after the disapperance of the four. She would meet them, and this is what she would say: You're here? I thought something else happened to you all. (To Fujisawa) I thought you wandered after getting drunk and suddenly vanished, they said in the news you might've gotten killed in a drunken state and your body is still missing. hehe or, They could make it a person related to Makoto, and she would be a mysterious, Ayanami-type character who would be disturbing. And they could make her have strange powers and make do creepy things. Maybe they could make her tell Makoto,"please, let's return home..." and then she enchants him. It's just what I think they oughta do.

[Saucer]

I still think the El-Hazard franchise is dead.  From what I've gathered, it pretty much went down in flames with Alt World, and it doesn't seem to have the popularity of other franchises that are enjoying revivals (i.e., Tenchi Muyo! and Oh My Goddess!).  But I would love to be proven wrong.  And it's certainly encouraging to hear that a revival is even being spoken of.

Well AIC tends to ressurect some pretty random and rather more obscure franchises, including Bubblegum Crisis, Sol Bianca and Dangaioh. I am, and always have been, rather optomistic that El Hazard will see a revival some day.

I also wouldn't say no to a TV series with another new continuity.  But I'm one of roughly six people on the entire planet who enjoyed Tenchi In Tokyo, so that might not go over very well.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shin Tenchi Muyo. I thought it was hilarious. I think the main problem is that people simply don't take the series for what it's worth. But, rather see it as a bad rehashing. How can you not crack up at the Space Police Policeman running gag (of course, i was having a bad couple of years when I first started watching it, so maybe I just needed all the laughs I could get)? It's not like the writing was even that bad (certainly better than Alternative World). I seriously find it difficult to extract from people exactly why both Shin TM and TMiL2 were so "bad?"

[rowan_a._seven]

I thoroughly enjoyed Shin Tenchi Muyo. I thought it was hilarious. I think the main problem is that people simply don't take the series for what it's worth. But, rather see it as a bad rehashing. How can you not crack up at the Space Police Policeman running gag (of course, i was having a bad couple of years when I first started watching it, so maybe I just needed all the laughs I could get)? It's not like the writing was even that bad (certainly better than Alternative World). I seriously find it difficult to extract from people exactly why both Shin TM and TMiL2 were so "bad?"

"Tenchi in Tokyo" was, to me, an exceedingly dichotomous series.  The first half felt like a bad rehash of Sailor Moon with the Tenchi cast, and, more often than not, the characters seemed more like caricatures than fresh takes on the original OAV individuals.  On the other hand, though, the second half had some utterly stunning character moments, particularly where Ryoko was concerned, and once the story became serious it was actually fairly good.  Yugi was a consistent bright spot and ranks up there with Pixy Misa as my favorite Tenchi 'villain' (Personally, I like to think that they're alternative versions of one another), and Tenchi's two friends were noteworthy additions to the cast.  Overall, though, I found the tedium of the first half of the series to be a big turn off, and, although I think the second half is much better, I was frustrated and disappointed that more wasn't done with the characters.  The creators spent an entire episode working to create chemistry of some sort between Ryoko and that blonde-haired guy that kind of looks like Kagato, but, instead of developing this, their relationship for the rest of the series seems to fall along the lines of "Hey, you're annoying".  More could have been done with Yugi's followers/servants, and Mihoshi and Kiyone definitely could've been written better.  

As for "Tenchi Forever", I actually quite liked that film.  I found it to be a pleasant change from the 'typical' Tenchi tale, and it was nice to see actual growth on the part of the main characters.  Then again, I'm also a Tenchi&Ryoko fan, so I'm probably not the best judge of quality when it comes to that movie.

[overmaster]

Regardless of if we like it or not, if AIC made remakes of Sol Bianca and Burn Up, then sooner or later they will do it with El Hazard, too.