LogFAQs > #954290789

ParanoidObsessive posted...

The series is a bit confusing, because there were technically three different semi-related continuities.

Basically, there was an OVA limited series, then a different TV series based off the first half of the OVA but then taking the story in an entirely different direction with different characters, and then a third movie which is sort of a side-story/pseudo sequel to the TV story. That kind of insane conflict between different versions is pretty par for the course for anime/manga in general, though.

That being said, I liked the series (mostly the OVA). It was one of the first anime series I ever bought (on VHS, then later I bought it again on DVD). Showed it to my weeb nephew not that long ago and he liked it as well. If you go in knowing it's older anime and not modern-style, it's enjoyable.

The plot is basically "Some Japanese people played D&D in the 1980s. Then they wrote up their campaign as a series of novels. Then they turned the novels into anime."

I have the OVA and TV series. I can get out the booklet that explains it to check (b/c yes, they felt the need to include that to ease confusion, lol), but iirc the story was tweaked in the OVA to trim the length. So then, when they decided to make a tv series off of the adventuring party that happens years later, they felt the need to "correct" the OVA to match the source material, so that going forward things wouldn't be a mess. So the tv series is like 8 episodes or so covering the latter half of the OVA, but more true to source material, then it jumps ahead in time to the new group as the main characters.

Overall I prefered the OVA as well, though the greater focus on Orson was nice in the tv series.