The Slayers

The Slayers (スレイヤーズ, Sureiyāzu) is a Japanese anime series based on the manga series written by Hajime Kanzaka and illustrated by Rui Araizumi. The original series spans 3 Seasons, Slayers, Slayers Next and Slayers Try, each with 26 episodes creating a total 78 episodes, airing from 1995-1997.

From 2008-2009, a fourth and fifth series were created; The Slayers Revolution and The Slayers Evolution-R, bringing a total of 104 episodes. The original TV series dub cast were brought back for these.

Synopsis In a medieval sword and sorcery world, there is one mage who is notorious for her power and grace (at least that's how she likes to put it), Lina Inverse. In reality, she is a teenage mage with a penchant for collateral damage, obnoxiousness and gluttony. Along the way she joins the roving swordsman Gourry Gabriev in what's supposed to be a quick union of convenience. Instead, an artifact Lina "liberated" from a gang of thieves turns out to be the key to the resurrection of the demon lord Shabranigdo. Urged on by the mysterious Red Priest Rezo, the pair has no choice but to fight the dark lord and his servants, accumulating new allies and enemies along the way.

Dubbing History[]

The series was first licensed by Central Park Media under their Software Sculptors label in 1996, initially dubbing and releasing only the first 13 episodes in order to evaluate the series. When the tapes of the series sold well, CPM continued to dub the series in 1998. However, while most voice actors would return, certain others were recast. Voice actors Daniel Cronin and Joan Baker both moved on with their career in the interim, and CPM lost contact with them.

The commercial success of the first series led to Central Park Media dubbing the sequel series Slayers Next in 1999 and Slayers Try in 2000.

Slayers[]

Cast[]

Image	Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor
Main Characters
	Lina Inverse	Megumi Hayashibara	Lisa Ortiz
	Gourry Gabriev	Yasunori Matsumoto	Eric Stuart
	Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun	Masami Suzuki	Joan Baker (eps 11-13)
			Veronica Taylor (eps 14-26)
	Zelgadis Graywords	Hikaru Midorikawa	Daniel Cronin (eps 2-10)
			Crispin Freeman (eps 18-26)
	Sylphiel Nels Lahda	Yumi Tōma	Stacia Crawford
Antagonists
	Rezo	Takehito Koyasu	Peter Rofe
	Eris	Etsuko Ishikawa	Rachel Nanstad
	Shabranigdo	Daisuke Gōri	Michael Haigney
	Zangulus	Bin Shimada	Liam O'Malley (ep 13)
			Ted Lewis
	Vrumugun	Hiroshi Yanaka	James Carter Cathcart
	Dilgear	Hirohiko Kakegawa
Other Characters
	Prince Philionel	Masahiro Anzai	Matthew Black (eps. 11-13)
			James Carter Cathcart (eps. 25-26)
	Zolf	Masato Hirano	Stuart Zagnit
	Rodimus	Katsuhisa Hōki	Junior Ringenbach

Episodic Characters[]

Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor	Episode
Bandit Boss	Katsuhisa Hōki	J. Willet	1
Bandit	Kōzō Shioya
Waiter	Takumi Yamazaki	Gene Jonson
Saman	Eiji Maruyama	James Carter Cathcart
Noonsa	Kōzō Shioya	Junior Ringenbach	5
Zorom	Masaharu Satō	James Carter Cathcart	7
Randionell de Saillune "Randy"	Minoru Inaba	Jerry Lobozzo	11
Wizard	Kōji Ishii	James Carter Cathcart
Thief	Takehiro Murozono
Zaboga	Keisuke Yamashita		14
Hallas	Tetsuya Iwanaga	Crispin Freeman	15
Cally	Ai Satō	Rachael Lillis
Paula	Yumi Fumikazu
Mr. Rossberg	Tomomichi Nishimura	Ted Lewis	16
Actor	Katsuya Shiga	Crispin Freeman
Volun	Kōji Yusa	Cliff Lazenby	17
Eruk	Yukimasa Natori	Adam Sholder	18
Rahanimu	Daiki Nakamura	Michael Haigney	20
Tiiba	Kazumi Tanaka	Adam Sholder	22

Additional Voices[]

• Michael Haigney
• Jessica Lauren
• Ted Lewis
• Bill McClure
• David Moo
• Liam O'Malley
• Alissa Porta
• Eric Stuart
• Jesse Tarlauren

Notes[]

• In a 2001 interview, Lisa Ortiz mentions that she recalls recording alternate dialogue for an unaired family-friendly edit of the series that was slated to air on FoxKids. The changed dialogue was of anything involving innuendos or violent intent. One such repeated line "Crimson Blood that Flows" was changed to "Crimson River that Flows".

Slayers Next[]

Synopsis Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis, and Amelia coincidently meet up again and begin to search for the Clair Bible. During their search they run into a mysterious priest named Xellos who seems to know a thing or two about the passages they're looking for, but he tends to get them into more trouble instead of out of it. Furthermore, they discover that the Monster race has plans of their own, and as it turns out, Lina and Company just might be a big part of their evil intentions.

Cast[]

Image	Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor
	Lina Inverse	Megumi Hayashibara	Lisa Ortiz
	Gourry Gabriev	Yasunori Matsumoto	Eric Stuart
	Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun	Masami Suzuki	Veronica Taylor
	Zelgadis Graywords	Hikaru Midorikawa	Crispin Freeman
	Prince Philionel	Masahiro Anzai	James Carter Cathcart
	Xellos	Akira Ishida	David Moo
	Sylphiel Nels Lahda	Yumi Tōma	Stacia Crawford
	Martina Zoana Mel Navratilova	Tomoko Ishimura	Rachael Lillis
	Zangulus	Bin Shimada	Ted Lewis
	Gaav	Jōji Nakata	Dan Green
	Hellmaster Phibrizzo	Kazue Ikura	Wayne Grayson
	Seigram	Yōsuke Akimoto	Robert O'Gorman
	Christopher	Kazuo Oka	Stuart Zagnit
	Halcyform	Kazuhiro Nakata	Matthew Sussman
	Kira	Ikue Ōtani	Rachael Lillis
	Kanzel	Issei Futamata	Matthew Sussman
	Mazenda	Mako Hyōdō	Sharon Becker
	Prince Alfred	Hiro Yūki	Stuart Zagnit

Episodic Characters[]

Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor	Episode
King Moros Navratilova	Kōji Ishii	Matthew Sussman	1
		Anthony Salerno	26
Karuas	Yūichi Nagashima	Matthew Sussman	3
Rajara	Hirotaka Suzuoki	David Moo
Tarimu	Chafurin	Josh Mosby	3-4
Demia	Masato Hirano	James Carter Cathcart
Ashford	Kōzō Shioya	Matthew Sussman	7
Dragon Cuisine Master	Masaharu Satō	James Carter Cathcart
Chef	Takashi Nagasako
Waiter	Takehiro Murozono	Anthony Salerno
Restaurant Owner	Tomohisa Asō	Stuart Zagnit
Messenger Girl	¿?	Lisa Ortiz	9
Nene	Kaoru Fujino	Amanda Goodman	14
Mimi	Yumi Fukamizu
Borden	Chafurin	Zeke Zeigler
Joe	Nobuyuki Hiyama	Greg Abbey	15
Keith	Toshiyuki Morikawa		16
Rudo Balzac	Kōzō Shioya	Ted Lewis
Princess Miwan	Junko Noda	Sharon Becker	17
Evia	Masaharu Satō	David Moo
Auntie Aqua	Chikako Akimoto	Veronica Taylor	18-19
Milgasia	Masaaki Ōkura	Zeke Zeigler	20-21
Eruk	Yukimasa Natori	Chris Tsakis	24-26
Lord of Nightmare	Megumi Hayashibara	Lisa Ortiz	25-26

Additional Voices[]

• Sharon Becker
• James Carter Cathcart
• Rachael Lillis
• Jim Malone
• David Moo
• Josh Mosby
• Lisa Ortiz
• Anthony Salerno
• Matthew Sussman
• Veronica Taylor
• Zeke Zeigler

Slayers Try[]

Synopsis When Lina Inverse and her friends are sent on a journey to another island to save the world, they find a dragon priestess and their old ally/foe Xellos. They also come across a strange new set of threats including a bandit with high explosives, a half demon/half dragon and an alien named Almayce who wants to save his world. His world is plagued by a powerful force called the Darkstar that destroys everything in it's path. But Almayce may not be able to save his world without sacrificing Lina's. And how does Gourry's sword of light fit in to all of this?

Cast[]

Image	Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor
	Lina Inverse	Megumi Hayashibara	Lisa Ortiz
	Gourry Gabriev	Yasunori Matsumoto	Eric Stuart
	Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun	Masami Suzuki	Veronica Taylor
	Zelgadis Graywords	Hikaru Midorikawa	Crispin Freeman
	Xellos	Akira Ishida	David Moo
	Filia Ul Copt	Hōko Kuwashima	Tara Sands
	Prince Philionel	Minoru Inaba	James Carter Cathcart
	Valgaav	Wataru Takagi	Scottie Ray
	Jillas	Takumi Yamazaki	Maddie Blaustein
	Almayce	Chafurin	J. David Brimmer
	Erulogos	Yukitoshi Hori	Scottie Ray
	Gravos	Hisao Egawa	Matthew Sussman
	Sirius	Hiroshi Yanaka	Greg Abbey
	Supreme Elder	Ikuya Sawaki	Robert O'Gorman
	Gaav	Jōji Nakata	Dan Green

Episodic Characters[]

Character	Seiyū	Dub Actor	Episode
Princess Sera	Akemi Okamura	Rachael Lillis	9-10
Prince Marco	Makoto Tsumura	Frank Green
King of Alto	¿?	Josh Mosby
Queen of Baritone	Yurika Hino	Rachael Lillis
Pig	Daisuke Gōri	Anthony Salerno	15
Captain Jarlov	Keisuke Yamashita	Scottie Ray	16
Ralmus	Toshiyuki Morikawa	Dan Green
Lila	Megumi Hayashibara	Rachael Lillis	17
Honar	Kazuhiko Kishino	Scottie Ray
Kerel	Akira Ishida	Greg Abbey
Alarm	¿?	Maddie Blaustein	18
Ryo the Lion	Hironori Miyata	Anthony Salerno
Mei the Swan	Misa Nakanishi	Lisa Ortiz
Gen the Wolf	Yukimasa Kishino	¿?
Reika the Fighting Leopardess	Shoko Kanoki	Tara Sands
Bald Eagle Dai	Chafurin	Scottie Ray
Sailor	¿?	J. David Brimmer	19
Palou	Reiko Takagi	Wayne Grayson
Elena	Yuri Amano	Rachael Lillis
Anna	Kae Araki	Jill Seifers	20
Dragon	¿?	Anthony Salerno	22

Additional Voices[]

• Maddie Blaustein
• James Carter Cathcart
• Dan Green
• Scottie Ray
• Anthony Salerno
• Tara Sands
• Eric Stuart
• Matthew Sussman
• Veronica Taylor

Notes[]

• The rights to air the series on television in the United States were originally acquired by Fox Kids. Though they soon realized that the adult-oriented series would require too much editing for them to air it, so they decided against it and let their rights lapse.
• Despite the original soundtrack having stereophonic sound, the soundtrack for the English dub was in monaural sound.

Video Releases[]

Distributor	Year	Format	Contents	Region	Country
Central Park Media	1996-1998		The Slayers	NTSC	United States
			8 Volumes
	1999		Slayers Next
			8 Volumes
	2000		Slayers Try
			8 Volumes
			Slayers Next	1 NTSC
			4 Discs
	2001		Slayers Try
			4 Discs
	2002		The Slayers
			4 Discs
FUNimation Entertainment	2007-2008		The Slayers
			4 Discs
			Slayers Next
			4 Discs
			Slayers Try
			4 Discs
	2009		The Complete Series
			12 Discs

See Also[]

• List of Slayers Films & OVA's
• The Slayers Revolution
• The Slayers Evolution-R
• Lost Universe

External Links[]

• The Slayers at the Internet Movie Database
• The Slayers (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Slayers Next at the Internet Movie Database
• Slayers Next (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Slayers Try at the Internet Movie Database
• Slayers Try (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia