Those Who Hunt Elves

Original Title: エルフを狩るモノたち
Romanized: Erufu wo Karu Mono-tachi
Literal:

Plot Synopsis

A freak magical accident has drawn three unwitting Japanese citizens into a magical land rife with monsters, elves, and magic. An even more freak accident has scattered the pieces of the spell that can send them home to the corners of the land, so now, aided by the high Elven Priestess (who's as desperate to get rid of them as they are to get home), they wander. They are: Those Who Hunt Elves.

Oh, and did I mention they have a possessed tank?

Quick Review

Rating: 2.5 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2006-07-28

How's this for a premise: An actor, a karate expert, and a schoolgirl from Japan are stuck in a fantasy world where they drive around in a tank trying to strip elves and put spots on their arrogant, magic-using dog. That, in a nutshell, is Those Who Hunt Elves.

Admittedly, there are perfectly good reasons for most of these things (if, by "perfectly good reasons", you mean "lame excuses"), but Those Who Hunt Elves distinguishes itself as having one of the most marvelously random concepts I've ever seen, and about as little explanation of it as you could reasonably get by with. The series starts out silly, nonsensical, and hilarious in a "that's just wrong" sort of way--bizarre situations piled upon bizarre situations in an intertwined jumble of mayhem. Sadly it doesn't maintain the madness as it continues, drifting a little too close to drama on several occasions and tempering the wacky with too much sentiment, but it's still a decent romp in the end.

Worth at the very least a look by any fan of wacky fantasy in the Slayers/Sorcerer Hunters/Rune Soldier Louie vein.

Notes and Trivia

Availability

Available in the US from ADV as part of a hybrid DVD thinpak complete set that includes both this series and its sequel. Was previously available on two individual hybrid DVD volumes. Originally released on six subtitled or dubbed VHS volumes, of course out of print.

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