Record of Lodoss War

Record of Lodoss War
Cover of the first volume of the novel series.
ロードス島戦記 (Rōdosu-tō Senki)
Genre	Action/Adventure Sword and sorcery Fantasy[1]
Novel series
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	NA Seven Seas Entertainment
Demographic	Male
Imprint	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
Original run	1988 – 1993
Volumes	7 + 2 side stories
Game
Record of Lodoss War, Record of Lodoss War 2, Record of Lodoss War, Record of Lodoss War, Lodoss War, Record of Lodoss War, Record of Lodoss War Online
Genre	RPG
Platform	(PC 98) (1988) (X68000) (1991 and 1992) (PC Engine) (1992 and 1994) (Mega-CD) (1994) (SFC/SNES) (1995) (Game Boy Color) (1998) (Dreamcast) (2000) (PC) (2016)
Released	1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2016
Original video animation
Directed by	Akinori Nagaoka
Written by	Mami Watanabe
Music by	Mitsuo Hagita
Studio	Madhouse
Licensed by	NA Funimation
Released	June 30, 1990 – November 20, 1991
Runtime	25-30 minutes
Episodes	13
Manga
The Lady of Pharis
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrated by	Akihiro Yamada
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	AUS Madman Entertainment NA CPM Manga
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	1991 – 2001
Volumes	2
Manga
The Grey Witch
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrated by	Yoshihiko Ochi
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	AUS Madman Entertainment
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	1994 – 1998
Volumes	3
Manga
Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrated by	Masato Natsumoto
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	AUS Madman Entertainment NA CPM Manga
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	1998 – 2000
Volumes	6
Manga
Welcome to Lodoss Island
Written by	Rei Hyakuyashiki
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	NA CPM Manga
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	December 1, 1995 – April 1, 1999
Volumes	3
Manga
Deedlit's Tale
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrated by	Setsuko Yoneyama
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	AUS Madman Entertainment NA CPM Manga
Demographic	Shōjo
Published	1998
Volumes	2
Anime television series
Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Directed by	Hitoyuki Matsui
Written by	Katsumi Hasegawa
Music by	Kaoru Wada
Studio	AIC
Licensed by	NA Funimation
Original network	TV Tokyo
English network	ZA Animax South Africa
Original run	April 1, 1998 – September 30, 1998
Episodes	27
Manga
The Grey Witch
Written by	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrated by	Tomomasa Takuma
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Comptiq
Original run	December 10, 2013 – April 10, 2015
Volumes	3
Other
Record of Lodoss War: Is That Delicious?

Record of Lodoss War (ロードス島戦記, Rōdosu-tō Senki, lit., "Lodoss Island War Chronicle") is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based on the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia as a rules-free setting for role-playing games (RPGs).^[2] There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English. The plots generally follow the conventions and structure of the RPG systems including Dungeons & Dragons and Sword World RPG, in which several characters of distinct types undertake a specific quest.

Origins

Record of Lodoss War was created in 1986 by Group SNE as a Dungeons & Dragons "replay" serialized in the Japanese magazine Comptiq from 1986 to 1988, though they also used the setting with other systems such as Tunnels & Trolls and RuneQuest.^[2] Replays are not novels, but transcripts of RPG sessions, meant to both hold the interest of readers and convey the events that took place. They have proven to be popular, even to those who do not play role-playing games but are fans of fiction (including fantasy fiction). Similar to light novels, many characters and parties in replays have become popular as characters of anime. An example of such a character is the female elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, who was played by science fiction novelist Hiroshi Yamamoto during the RPG sessions.

The popularity of the Record of Lodoss War replays was such that the Dungeon Master Ryo Mizuno started to adapt the story into some of the earliest Japanese-language domestic high fantasy novels in 1988.

When the replay series went on to become a trilogy, Group SNE had to abandon the Dungeons & Dragons rules and create their own game, dubbed Record of Lodoss War Companion and released in 1989. All three parts of the replay series were eventually published as paperbacks by Kadokawa Shoten from 1989 to 1991:

• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War I (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記Ⅰ, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosutō Senki Wan) (September 1989) — Parn's party, retake played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules and incorporating elements from the novelization
• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War II (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記Ⅱ, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosutō Senki Tū) (September 1990) — Orson's party, retake played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules and incorporating elements from the novelization
• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War III (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記Ⅲ, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosutō Senki Surī) (August 1991) — Spark's party, played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules

Mizuno's novelizations were published by Kadokawa Shoten between 1988 and 1993, and followed by two collections of short stories in 1995, with illustrations done by Yutaka Izubuchi:

• Record of Lodoss War 1: The Grey Witch (ロードス島戦記 灰色の魔女, Rōdosutō Senki Haiiro no Majo) (April 1988)
• Record of Lodoss War 2: Blazing Devil (ロードス島戦記2 炎の魔神, Rōdosutō Senki Ni: Honō no Majin) (February 1989)
• Record of Lodoss War 3: The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain (Part 1) (ロードス島戦記3 火竜山の魔竜(上), Rōdosutō Senki San: Karyū-zan no Maryū (Jō)) (May 1990)
• Record of Lodoss War 4: The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain (Part 2) (ロードス島戦記4 火竜山の魔竜(下), Rōdosutō Senki Yon: Karyū-zan no Maryū (Ge)) (July 1990)
• Record of Lodoss War 5: The Kings' Holy War (ロードス島戦記5 王たちの聖戦, Rōdosutō Senki Go: Ōtachi no Seisen) (February 1991)
• Record of Lodoss War 6: The Holy Knights of Lodoss (Part 1) (ロードス島戦記6 ロードスの聖騎士(上), Rōdosutō Senki Roku: Rōdosu no Seikishi (Jō)) (November 1991)
• Record of Lodoss War 7: The Holy Knights of Lodoss (Part 2) (ロードス島戦記7 ロードスの聖騎士(下), Rōdosutō Senki Shichi: Rōdosu no Seikishi (Ge)) (April 1993)
• High Elf Forest: Deedlit's Tale (ハイエルフの森 ディードリット物語, Hai Erufu no Mori Dīdoritto Monogatari) (March 1995)
• The Black Knight (黒衣の騎士, Kokui no Kishi) (July 1995)

The first volume forms the basis for the first eight episodes of the Record of Lodoss War OVA series, as well as the Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch manga series. The second was also adapted in manga form, and as a four-CD radio drama. The final five episodes of the OVA series are loosely based on the story told across the third and fourth novels and, having caught up with the ongoing novelization at that point, feature an original ending. The Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight TV series is a more faithful adaptation of volumes three to seven. The first collection of short stories was adapted into the Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit's Tale manga series.

Mizuno later went on to pen two other series of novels: a prequel titled Legend of Lodoss (ロードス島伝説, Rōdosu-tō Densetsu) (1994 to 2002) and a sequel titled Record of Lodoss War Next Generation (新ロードス島戦記, Shin Rōdosu-tō Senki) (1998 to 2006), the first of which forms the basis for the Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis manga series.

Characters

Record of Lodoss War recounts the adventures of a youth by the name of Parn, the son of a dishonored knight. Part of his motivation for adventuring is to find out what happened to his father, and to restore his family's honor. Despite his inexperience, Parn is considered the leader, who is accompanied by his childhood best friend Etoh, his friend and sometimes advisor Slayn (and later by Slayn's lover Leylia), and his newfound mentor Ghim. They are accompanied by Parn's romantic interest, the high elf Deedlit, who comes from the Forest of No Return seeking an answer to her people's isolationism and an end to what she sees as a slow march to extinction; and a thief named Woodchuck. Throughout the series, Parn comes into contact with friends and foes alike. His allies include King Kashue, King Fahn, Shiris, and Orson; his enemies include Emperor Beld, Ashram, and the evil necromancer Wagnard.

The manga adaption and its anime derivative Chronicles of the Heroic Knight continues the adventures of Parn for the first eight episodes, but then focuses on Spark and his adventures to complete a quest tasked onto him to protect Neese, the daughter of Slayn and Leylia. He is accompanied by his own cast of friends in the form of Leaf, Garrack, Greevus, Aldo, and Ryna. The television series shares similarities with the plot of the OVA, such as Wagnard seeking to kidnap Neese in order to use her as a reagent for the resurrection of Naneel, a priestess and the Avatar of Kardis who was slain by Leylia's mother, the high priestess Neese a short time after the battle with the demonic god. Leylia was the reincarnation of Naneel, but when she lost her virginity she was no longer capable of being the doorway or reagent needed to unseal Naneel.

The third series, Legend of Crystania, places the former villain Ashram into the seat of a would-be hero who is placed under a spell by a "god beast" of Crystania. The series then focuses on Pirotess, his dark elven lover, as she tries to find a way to free him from the clutches of the spell and to restore him back to his living self.

Other media

Reception

The novel series has sold over 10 million copies in Japan.^[8]

References

Further reading

• Divers, Allen (2 July 2003). "A New Beginning". Tankobon Tower (column). Anime News Network. Westmount, Quebec.

External links

• Official Kadokawa novel site (in Japanese)
• Record of Lodoss War (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Roodosu tou Senki - Akinori Nagaoka, 1990 (in Italian)
• 'Lodoss war Online game site' (in English)