Record of Grancrest War

Episodes 1-3

Record of Lodoss War was neat when I was watched it on VHS 20 years ago, by which I mean it's fairly unwatchable by today's standards. So consider Record of Grancrest War its much-needed reboot. Both were conceived by the same creator, Ryo Mizuno, as both fantasy novels and a tabletop system. But where Lodoss was slow-paced and formulaic, Grancrest is lightning quick (and also formulaic). That's not a bad thing if you're amped to see the action and intrigue of a particularly speedy Dungeons & Dragons campaign come to life.

When it comes to the high-level chess of commanding and conquering, newbie mage Siluca is expertly competent and whip-smart. She's technically contracted to a lord already, but when she spies the idealistic Theo in a chance encounter, she makes her own destiny instead. Theo is so predictably noble and good that I keep wanting to call him Parn, the name of Mizuno's previous noble and good protagonist. “I've heard rumors that your lord is just a decoration while you're the real mastermind,” an advisor informs Siluca, and where's the lie? Though she never strays from Theo's ideals—they're the reason she was drawn to him in the first place—she's orchestrating everything behind the scenes.

Aside from Siluca, barely anyone gets regular screen time. In the third episode, we see only a glimpse of a priestess who I imagine is going to be a major party member. This show is truly rapid-fire, so I guess there's a lot to fit in here. And while our time with each character is short, they're all fleshed out enough to leave me wanting to know more about them—especially the feline Sir Balgary and Siluca's shifty-eyed senpai Moreno. Theo's rise to power happens fast, and so far there hasn't been anything to throw a wrench in their process of what I can only call leveling up. Theo ascends ranks and attains new privileges with each upgrade, plus an enlarged seal on his fist. Meanwhile, Siluca's machinations are especially fun to watch in a fight; the battle tactics remind me of the game Medieval Total War.

This rewarding but conventional plot is helped greatly by the guidance of series director Mamoru Hatakeyama. You may know him for his work on the theatrical Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Shots zoom in on Siluca's eyes or fidgeting hands to show us just what she's thinking or feeling. But the most dynamic visuals are reserved for action sequences that are always carefully arranged so the viewer knows exactly where their attention should be. With crisp visuals and a strong musical score, it's almost enough to lure in potential viewers who aren't into D&D.

Still, I have a feeling that this currently well-oiled process of getting stronger and gaining allies is about to get much more complicated. We've seen the barest hint of a villain who's all about “worshipping” women; let's see how much he likes a firebrand like Siluca. Then there's Lady Marrine, the former bride now dressed in foreboding black. She's attended by Siluca's adopted father, who seems like a tough man to please. Which one of these potential detractors is about to bring all of Siluca's plans to a screeching halt, and how will they go about it? Based on how much plot has been crammed into each of these episodes so far, we could get all that and more next week.

Rating: B

Record of Grancrest War is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist.