Slayers: Explosion Array
"Mirror, Mirror"
Dubbed Version
Released: 1996
Version: Video (OAV)
Rated: <Unknown>
Length: Approx. 45 minutes
Main Cast: Megumi Hayashibara, Maria Kawamura
Another Slayer's flick, another review. There are plenty of Slayer's stuff to look at, but most of it is videos of the television show. I like the OAVs and the movie the best. However, I think this is probably the worst of the OAVs that I've seen so far.
It is about Lina and Nahga being bounty hunters. They must find the president (leader?) of the Professional Magic Society (PMS) because he, Lagar, has gone off to steal a powerful weapon known as The Shadow Reflector. It was made by a wizard genius named Rughandi (pronounced: roo-ghandi) and the device can make a "shadow" of one's enemies. Basically, that means it'll make a copy of the original, but with opposite personality traits.
Well, Lina and her associate must find Lagar before other bounty hunters find him to collect a 100 gold coin reward. So, they go running off and we have to endure a pointless Japanese song as they run around. The scenes are majestic, and pretty cool and the song sounds good. Maybe the translation is just bad. It seemed that the lyrics were kind of nonsensical to me.
Okay, so the song ends and we find Lina munching a sweet potato in her usual way in front of a campfire. (That means with lots of "ooh, this is good stuff" type phrases and grunts of pleasure) Nahga is asleep and this guy who looks bone-weary comes up and tries to get Lina's attention. Eventually, we learn that he is a lucky duck who escaped some locanthropoids (that's werewolves to you non-horror fans) that killed his comrades and he'd like help getting to the nearest town. Lina ignores him...and pretty soon, the fool admits he's a werewolf and wants to kill her. Well, Lina hates werewolves and quickly smashes this one with a giant boulder.
Phew! There's some more music and running around with scenes of Nahga and Lina zapping more werewolves. Finally, they catch up with Lagar and end up being guina pigs for The Shadow Reflector. We see some doubles made and find them to be fearful, peaceful "reflections" of the originals. This scares Lina and Nahga...
So, what happens next, you ask? Get the OAV if you want to know. I'm done ruining the story.
The Good Stuff:
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Funny scenes that are over-the-top |
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Dumb enemies. |
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Entertaining story...sort of |
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Decent dub, except for the swearing |
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Good animation. |
The Bad Stuff:
| There were 4 instances of swearing (I think) |
| With an additional 3 instances of "How in the nine hells?!" (Is that swearing or just weird Dante garbage? You decide!) |
| Yeah! Violence!!! |
| Look out! Nahga and her breasts/skimpy outfits always have strange close-ups. |
Dumb Stuff:
| Watch and try to figure out who attacks Lagar after he escapes Lina...they never show. Did he blow himself up??? |
I like Slayers. But you have to be aware of the Japanese culture and anime in general to understand some of the stuff in these things. Watch with caution if you have young-uns'.
Note: After the credits is a collection of concept art for Slayers.
STORY: 
VIOLENCE:
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SEXUAL CONTENT:
LANGUAGE:
(Bite your tongue, Lina!!!)
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