Attn: Slayers fans.

[Scar]

The news has been out since February, but it's only now that I've managed to harvest a fair bit of information about it.

Slayers has thus far had three seasons--Slayers, Slayers Next, and Slayers Try.  An officially announced fourth season is on the way: Slayers Revolution. The official site can be found here, but most information is being kept mum.

Slayers Revolution will air this July in JP.  26 episodes are planned divided into two 13 episode back to back seasons. Reports (unsurprisingly) mention a new character.

Authors : Hajime Kanzaka & Rui Araizumi (courtesy of Fujimishobou, Fantasia Bunko)
Director = Takashi Watanabe
Scenario Writer = Jiro Takayama
Designer for the original images for the characters = Rui Araizumi
Designer for the animated characters = Naomi Miyata
Producing Company = J.C. Staff
Cast
Lina Inverse = Megumi Hayashibara
Gourry Gabriev = Yasunori Matsumoto
Zelgadiss Greywords = Hikaru Midorikawa
Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune = Masami Suzuki
Xelloss = Akira Ishida



The first reads: "This time, I'll be the star". Along with him, there are comments "Xelloss is the leading act, will Lina give it up?". The article didn't seem to tell anything more, such as the staff and the cast. Anyway, there is a notice in the article, "in the July issue, some important announcement will come!"


Slayers Revolution will feature the old cast; supposedly, Xelloss has a more formidable role and it has been hinted tongue-in-cheek that he may even qualify as being called the main character. It seems to mostly be a joke due to his pretty boy popularity status.

The story is an anime exclusive, like Try--but unlike Try, at least a few of their ideas will be drawn from the final plotarc from the novels.  That means any number of previously unseen big names could come around: Zelas Metallium, Deep Sea Dolphin, Dynast Grausherra, Sherra (seen on cover art), and Luke. As Gourry lost his sword at the End of Try (like he was supposed to in Next), odds are the story will involve Gourry's new Blast Sword from the novels.

It is confirmed that Megumi Hayashibara will not only return as Lina (with the rest of the old class), but will sing the opening and ending again, reputedly recorded April 15.


Screen Captures:
Zelgadis casting a spell (Flame Breath?)
Amelia
Gourry and Lina
Xelloss (my favorite)

Note the remarkably clearer animation.  They are retaining their director from the earlier seasons, but he seems to have taken light influence from the director of Slayers Premium (Director of Saber Marionette J), whilst still holding true to original character design.


Other images:
A Revolution poster with old screenshots from prior seasons
Covers
Zel, Gourry, Lina and Amelia


In conjunction, All 15 original novels will be reissued with new panoramic cover illustrations. If anyone is interested, contact me. This will probably be limited to JP, considering what a struggle I had just to get them to publish through the first plot arc in the US.  Jeremiah, the translator, however, deserves props for showing up at our meetings and listening to his fans.


It is tentatively said that Funimation is likely to purchase the dubbing license, considering they are still working on releasing Slayers Try and have redubbed the first two seasons already; considering the passing time, it's tentative to say the old english VAs will return, but we can pretty much count on Lina and Zel's voice actors to return.  Crispin Freeman has a habit of going out of his way to reprise his role as Zelgadis.

Personally, I hope some voices do leave; Sylphiel, Amelia, and most of all Xelloss could use some major work.

[Jason Baane]

Wrists do not work this way.

[Targan]

Wrists do not work this way.

They do if they are broken and pinned to your pants.

[Scar]

Yeah, I noticed that too.  I consider it a minimal flaw, though, if you compare this animation to the old animation. (Holy shit.)

[Joe]

Interesting...


I see no fucking lightsabers however.

Bring back Lost Universe! At least it's antagonists had decent voices - if you like whisky-sodden screechwhore machines, that is.

[Soja]

rooofl

I made a post almost exactly like this at FEFF. Opening it by saying that I've been sitting on the news since Feb. and all that.

Anyway.

I'm holding out judgment. Being the premier harbinger of Slayers in this community, I do dread that it will turn out to be a travesty of mediocrity like Try. But the fact that they are drawing on the more esoteric elements of the latter half of the original series of books does excite me. Overall, I'm optimistic.

Here's hoping for a popularity revival. *Joy*

As for Zelgadiss' spell (novel compels me to anglicize with double-s now), it could be any one of a number of the shamanic class of spells. Many of the invoke a fiery manifestation. Flame Breath's classification is not clear; certain websites say it is classified as "black magic." Clearly, extrapolating from Try, it is "divine magic." There are some serious flaws with the "official references" as that entry was taken and allegedly translated from "Slayers Encyclopedia."

[Joe]

rooofl

I made a post almost exactly like this at FEFF. Opening it by saying that I've been sitting on the news since Feb. and all that.

And you didn't tell me when we were chatting in MSN in Feb? ¬.¬:
I'm holding out judgment. Being the premier harbinger of Slayers in this community, I do dread that it will turn out to be a travesty of mediocrity like Try.
OI!
But the fact that they are drawing on the more esoteric elements of the latter half of the original series of books does excite me. Overall, I'm optimistic.

Could be a bad thing in itself, mate.

Here's hoping for a popularity revival. *Joy*

As for Zelgadiss' spell (novel compels me to anglicize with double-s now), it could be any one of a number of the shamanic class of spells. Many of the invoke a fiery manifestation. Flame Breath's classification is not clear; certain websites say it is classified as "black magic." Clearly, extrapolating from Try, it is "divine magic." There are some serious flaws with the "official references" as that entry was taken and allegedly translated from "Slayers Encyclopedia."

Zel is awesomeness incarnate.

[Soja]

weeeeeell

Rumors had long been persisting since the end of 2005ish. Some blurb appeared on Star Child's website that hinted at a renewal of a Slayers license. Renewing a license doesn't necessarily mean anything--it's basically "saving your spot." Something may come of it, something may not. Regardless, there was buzz. Then it died off slowly as nothing came out of it.

Three years later, roughly, this short film comes out in early February. Then the bomb hits.

I didn't make much of it because of how I was working and how jaded I'd become. It was more of a, "Oh, that's nice," occurrence to me. o_O

I obviously have high hopes for SR. Though, as I have said, the name sounds a bit tacky to me.

[CrystaJenn]

For some reason I don't feel too excited by this.

I think I've been over-Slayered, guys. You'll have to go on without meeee.

[Joe]

We grew up and out beyond, Crysta. IRL owns our lives.

[Soja]

We grew up and out beyond, Crysta. IRL owns our lives.

RL owns my life and that hasn't kept me from being a fan, though it has kept me from being as involved as I used to be.

[Joe]

Soja: I see your point. Unfortunatly it also had bad connotations in my mindscape.

Hope after hope though, I pay they do the 'Away' gamein the Vorfeed-Ceipheid game...yess...lost ships...


..Lina Inverse piloting a B-wing. Yes please.