N41X

Ruin Explorers are just like the name states: Something you look at in hopes of finding a treasure but you need to first search it in order to see whether you´ll find a treasure or just piles dirt. So what does this 4 episode OVA hide inside ? Story: 7 The story takes us to a fantasy world where people called Ruin Explorers do their work in order to either stay alive by finding at least something valuable or they search for mythical treasures of immense power. In this world Ihrie and Fam are on a search for the “Ultimate Power” in order to fulfil their wishes.Along the way they meet a few other characters with the same idea on mind as them, a prince who wishes to avenge himself for the demise of his kingdom and you can pretty much guess how it all turns out. By now you may already think that there isn´t really much of originality in the story or the settings but the way the story is told and how it all unfolds is a rather refreshing return to the good old days when fantasy anime were still all about magic and monsters rather than fanservice and commerciality. But I would also lie if I said that this show is perfect. It has it´s minor setbacks and not all things are cleared or explained in the end but the ending is nice and satisfactory never the less. Characters: 7 The number of characters in this show is rather low but who´d need more in a 4 episode OVA, right ? The main duo Ihrie and Fam are done nicely, each having their own distinctive personality which only contributes to the old days of fantasy anime. Ihrie being the headstrong tomboy with mild temper and swords flying around while Fam is the gentle and innocent type that would never hurt a fly and is the main source of “accidents” which put a smile on your face. The rest of the supporting characters are pretty much as you´d expect them to be. You have the rivals, the greedy merchant, the arch-villain and a handsome prince looking for revenge. The downside (more or less) is that none of the characters is actually looked at deeply. Meaning that aside from a glimpse of Ihries´ and the princes´ background there isn´t almost any character development. Art: 7 The art is the same as the entire anime – old school. The character models, the backgrounds, the depth of the colours or the details. Everything is as it should be considering the age of this anime. It all smells of nostalgia and the good old days of anime like Slayers or Gokudou-kun Manyuuki. Of course, it´s no eye-candy like today's shows but it has it´s own ring to it and if you aren´t an addict to the modern looks of anime this will hardy be a distraction or a negative for you. Sound: 7 The OP and the ED are nice but you´ll probably skip them after the first time hearing them. They too are in the tone of the old ways but that doesn´t mean they´re bad, just that they aren´t that good either, but how can you judge until you hear it for yourself, no ? Enjoyment: 8 It was rather nice to once again see a fantasy anime that actually is a fantasy anime. Don´t get me wrong, I have nothing against modern fantasy anime but it´s just that the old ones seem to be a bit more true to the genre than the modern ones. All in all, the show was entertaining despite how short it was so I don´t see a reason why not give it a try. Overall: 7 Ruin Explorers is a nice yet short anime that isn´t that great and doesn´t really stand out that much yet it still manages to bee good enough to entertain you for the entire run of the 4 episodes. The story is nice (yet maybe not so original), the characters are likeable, the art is nothing to be afraid of and the sound is also nothing horrible. So, what are you still waiting for ? ^^ Re-watchability: 3/5 (5)- Anywhere, anytime, as many times as you like! (4)-Definitely worth seeing more than 3 times… (3)-Once for regular viewer, 2 (or even 3) times for a fan. (2)- Seeing once is more than enough. (1)- Impossible to even reach the end…

SgtSalamander

Listen to me. The fact an anime like this can exist in total obscurity is proof that there are priceless treasures lying in wait for anyone who dares to go looking. The overwhelming catalogue of anime is like a vast and teeming ocean, and as new seasons add yet more to this unfathomable magnitude, some treasures are bound to go unnoticed, and perhaps be lost forever. Ruin Explorers Fam & Ihrlie is one such treasure. Indeed, with a clumsy name and under 9,000 members on MAL, chances are that I probably would have never known of its existence, were itnot for finding it on an interest stack. It was short and seemed like fun, so I filed it away for when I had some time to kill. Then, from the very moment the intro ended, I was met with nothing short of a masterpiece. Over the course of these 4 episodes, I would be taken along for an epic journey that would give me chills. With every flawless scene, with every perfect note, I scoured for mistakes and waited for it to slip, but my prying efforts were met with quality upon quality upon quality. It left me speechless. It is imperative that I impress upon whoever reads this review the sheer excellence that awaits them. Beginning with the story, we are presented with a classic kind of tale, filled with magic and monsters and a lost kingdom, but it is what it does with this story that is so impressive. Namely, it manages to be both adventurously grand and shockingly efficient. It has an absolute command over its material, putting every minute to its proper use, cultivating a sense of potent immersion which doesn't let up for a second. When I finished it I was devastated to find the manga only has 2 volumes. Indeed, the only mark against this anime is that there isn't more of it. However, this legendary adventure would not be nearly as engrossing without my favorite aspect of this anime, the art. Every visual aspect of this show is lovingly crafted and eminently engaging. The world is colorful and detailed and alive, the background characters are fully realized and animated in their own right, the main cast boasts striking and visionary character designs, and the animation is smooth as butter, bringing epic fight scenes to life, while breathing a kind of deep, abiding tranquility to scenes of peace. Everything has this sense of presence and scale, it feels like you could go on forever in one direction or the other and then keep going. To reiterate my point about scale, nothing is beyond the reach of this anime. The minute detailing on coinage, the rivets and straps in a suit of armor, the wear and tear on leather and stone, all the way up to colossal architecture, vast ranges of natural beauty, threatening skies and raging oceans, nothing is too big or too small for this art direction to handle, and envelop it all in this unified sense of style. There's even this dedication to choreography which grabs the viewer. When someone is fighting off a group of dungeon constructs, or when an evil wizard glories in his wickedness, or even when friends talk around a campfire, it feels different, almost like they're moving more like real people. Exceedingly few anime manage to look this good outside of major movie releases, and even when compared to them this is one of the best looking anime I have ever seen. The sound is another contributing factor to this masterpiece, standing on its own as this operatic, theatrical score. Similar to the art, it has this same sense of presence and scale, and nothing is beyond it. From the quiet serenade of a nighttime scene, a jaunty theme of a voyage by sea, the pitched strings of a life-or-death struggle, and finally to the triumphant brass of a trial overcome with a mind for the next one in store. This isn't just an OST, this is a score. Masterfully composed down to the final note, you will get chills. Everything else about the sound design steps up to the plate as well, with impassioned voice acting and fully realized sounds of life that make the world feel real and lived-in. Then, of course, there are the characters. On their own, they meet the standards of quality for their day, mostly embodying skillful executions of well-worn archetypes, like the tomboy, catgirl, and the blustering B-list thief duo, but they deviate from these archetypes without you noticing, until the next thing you know they've grown as people. In my opinion, what really vivifies them and makes them special is how the story handles them. It weaves the lives of its characters together with an artistry and authenticity which is rare to see not just in anime, but any medium. It handles their human natures so carefully and plays them off each other at the perfect times, ensuring maximum impact, and ultimately, maximum investment. Overall, Ruin Explorers Fam & Ihrlie is one of the most underrated anime I have ever encountered, and as far as I'm concerned, you owe it to yourself to watch this, and then to keep looking through the decades of anime history for others like it.