Alternative World

[Neil Lafrenais]

I got the first volume of Alternative World today. I'll post my thoughts tomorrow, once I can get a spare minute without any homework.

Anyone else apart from me and Rob watched any of this? If so, what do you think of it?

[Neil Lafrenais]

Okay, being critical here.

El-Hazard: The Alternative World review

Episodes being reviewed: 1 - 4

The final sequel to the original El-Hazard series starts almost straight after El-Hazard 2. Qawoor (or is it Qawool?) Toweles gets lost on the way to Floristica, so she can take Miz's place as the water priestess. After two episodes of El-Hazard 2-esque humour, they are warped to the Altenative World by some strange old man who calls himself the Ruler of the Universe.

The remaining two episodes on the disc, Episodes 3 and 4, tell of the arrival of Makoto, Qawoor, Nanami and Ura (Episode 3) and Jinnai, Groucho (Katsuo) and Shayla (Episode 4) in the Alternative World.

Episode 3 is rather dull and basically introduces two new character who Rob assures me will play a bigger part in the series later. Episode 4, however, is excellent and has the first of many odd pairings (or so Rob tells me).

Animation: D. El-Hazard 2 quality. I seriously do not like the visuals on this, but they aren't the worst I've seen (Ugh. Tenchi in Tokyo etc).

Music: C. Lots of tracks borrowed from EH1 is an upside, but they don't mix well with the carefree tracks of EH2. The new opening theme is excellent, but the ending theme is something I really loathe.

Characters: B -. Purely for the wonderful Episode 4. Some of Jinnai's and Bob Marx's best bits in ages. Well worth watching.

Basically, the best parts are with Jinnai and Fatora (and any supporting characters on hand). The rest have very dull or useless parts.

Story: C -. The story hasn't gotten that deep yet, but they are standard opening episodes. Nothing too horrible.

Series overall: C. Satisfactory. Worth the money at times, but I wonder why I've bothered at others.

It would be probably have ranked a D, if it had not been for the excellent 4th episode and catchy opening song.

DVD overall: D +.  Passable. Upsides include a subtitle and credit free opening and closing (if you LIKE the closing. It just doesn't seem fast paced enough to be El-Hazard for me), and very little else. No art gallery and very few chapter stops. No easter eggs from what I've heard.

Another annoying niggle is that the DVD launches itself into the first episode from the start up, as opposed to letting you choose from the menu at first.

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Qawoor (or is it Qawool?)

Qawool unless you speak Engrish, my friend ;p  (English-speaking people have it slated and defined as "Qawool"; there are a few variations, mostly from people who misinterpret it from listening to the Japanese track.  (Y'know, the L and R sounds being mixed by native people who have trouble with them)

Music: ... the ending theme is something I really loathe.

I loathe it too.  Mostly it's the voice for me.  That girl just hits some really bad notes.  ;p

Basically, the best parts are with Jinnai and Fatora (and any supporting characters on hand). The rest have very dull or useless parts.

Actually, what it seems to me more then anything is that Alternative World is taking away on some fantasy and going for more serious to-the-point [El-Hazard] global occurances.  (In other words, making it more "real life" El-Hazard.)

(if you LIKE the closing. It just doesn't seem fast paced enough to be El-Hazard for me),

I just don't get the ending.  I think it's supposed to be Nanami lamenting over not getting Makoto when she could.  (Which makes it more all about her pondering it, which would probably explain the slowness)

No art gallery and very few chapter stops. No easter eggs from what I've heard.  

At least none that we know of.  The lack of art gallery IS disapointing.  The few chapter stops seems to be something that both this one and Wanderers suffers from.  I don't have a lot of TV cartoon DVD's, but perhaps this is how they're all wired?  (They only run about 20 minutes each, what can you do, wire one for every 5?)

Another annoying niggle is that the DVD launches itself into the first episode from the start up, as opposed to letting you choose from the menu at first.

Don't know for sure, but I'll bet you this is a technical glitch, and I blame the producers
At least on PowerDVD I can just push the menu button and it jumps to it.  (The aggrivating amount of simplicity to the menu is also true for Wanderers; all around, both El-Hazard TV series are in the same boat as far as production is concerned)

[Saucer]

I first saw it back when it came out on VHS. And I have to say that it's probably my least favorite EH anime. And why? No Ifurita! Hey, Ifurita is my favorite chara and I love her more than words can describe. So when they show her no less than three times during the opening credits but not at all during the series, I just have to go like this -___________-;

The series itself is OK, but it does have some problems. Most notably, the zillion sub-plots they introduce but never resolve. Other than that, it was OK. Kind of interesting, how they take the priestess' costume and items from both the OVA and Wanderers and kind of combine things. Shayla Shayla's ripcord thingy is still cooler though.  

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Actually, the change in uniform isn't a plot element, it's more...

A) the animators not paying attention/caring
B) A different team
C) Underfunded team seeking alternative representation for simpler animation

Or some combination of those.

(Sounds like a Wanderers Jinnai title "Operation Alternative Representation for Simpler Animation")


The only "official" El-Hazard is OAV1 and, to a lesser extent, OAV2.  Everything else was made by someone else on some other contract.
FYI, Ifurita DID make one short appearance in AW episode 1, and one short appearance way out at the end when Allujah was trying to get Makoto NOT to seal the Eye.  But yeah, she wasn't an active character.  But in all fairness, how could she be?  Unless you want cutscene "meanwhiles" that note Ifurita's progress...

[Saucer]

Actually, the change in uniform isn't a plot element, it's more...

A) the animators not paying attention/caring
B) A different team
C) Underfunded team seeking alternative representation for simpler animation

Or some combination of those.

(Sounds like a Wanderers Jinnai title "Operation Alternative Representation for Simpler Animation")


The only "official" El-Hazard is OAV1 and, to a lesser extent, OAV2.  Everything else was made by someone else on some other contract.

True dat. Tends to bring Tenchi Muyo: Manatsu no Eve (AKA Daughter of Darkness) to mind, doesn't it?

FYI, Ifurita DID make one short appearance in AW episode 1, and one short appearance way out at the end when Allujah was trying to get Makoto NOT to seal the Eye.  But yeah, she wasn't an active character.  But in all fairness, how could she be?  Unless you want cutscene "meanwhiles" that note Ifurita's progress...

Oh come on Rob, that doesn't count! Those scenes were just cruel teasers! At the time, I was really counting on Alternative World delievering all that was promised at the very end of OVA 1. And the opening animation in addition to spoilers on the El Hazard Mailing List didn't help matters in my poor, Ifurita-obsessed mind.  Alot of those "spoilers" though ended up being open speculation only (including the odd one about everyone dying at the end).

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Well, like I said, how in the world could she be included other than "Meanwhile"s? :p

[Saucer]

Well, like I said, how in the world could she be included other than "Meanwhile"s? :p

I know, I know. But you have to agree that the intro is misleading? And she dominates the cover of the first volume!

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

The best I can say is, it just lets you know she isn't forgotten... I guess.

[larewen_evenstar]

I havent posted anything here yet!!!!!!! NOOOO!!!!
And now i have.