Chronicles of the Heroic Knight

Review of The Record of the Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight

            The Japanese have really embraced western style high fantasy and put there own spin on it.  Through anime, manga and light novels there is a huge array of stories that can be an inspiration for any fantasy RPG Player or GM. One of the older ones now is The Record of the Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight is an anime that is both a continuation and somewhat of a retelling of the Record of Lodoss War OVA. The original work stood out highly as a great entry in the high fantasy genre. The sequel, which was released in 1998, consists of 27-episodes and is based on Ryo Mizuno’s fantasy novels, which were inspired by the author's tabletop gaming experiences. This practice of a tabletop experience being later written down as a story is not an uncommon progression in light novels, manga and anime. The series keeps its well crafted world and has a sense of epic events about it. On first viewing in 1999 I preferred it to the original. Having watched it again in 2024 I feel there were some narrative issues which may have adversely affected the structure and the overall experience. Ultimately, I do still consider it a show worth watching though.



The Good

The setting is one of the show's greatest strengths. Its inspirations are classic high fantasy and AD&D and there is a lot to unpack. Lodoss has a deep narrative filled with detailed kingdoms, ruins, ancient mysteries, mythical creatures, monsters, the supernatural and the idea of special heroes, much like an RPG character. These all contribute to an enjoyable story and make it recognizable to any fan of RPGs or high fantasy. Lodoss has been in a long standing conflict between good and evil, and even in times of peace the knowledge that conflict could reignite is a strong motivator for the heroes.


The inclusion of themes like destiny, honour, duty and sacrifice enhances the grand scale of the story. There is a lot of lore about the heroes, places and religions which helps to tie the overall setting and the characters together. There is a mix of magic, ritual, action, intrigue and mythology.

The new series reintroduces some returning characters as well as introducing some new ones. Parn, who was reckless, brave and headstrong in the original has now grown into a wiser and true knight. Deedlit is still with him and while her love is clear it is never really shown if Parn is fully aware of it. Original party members like Slayn, Etoh and Shris also play an important part.
Of the new Characters, Tayner, Leaf and Garrack are the most interesting and do help to elevate Spark's storyline. A big theme of the original series is personal growth, often through hardship and that is continued here.

The antagonists, particularly Ashram and Wagnard are well designed and provide powerful threats that challenge the heroes and which can not be ignored.
Unlike its more focused predecessor, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight does offer a much larger view of the setting, politics and conflicts. It also adds more to how individuals become kings or queens. It included larger story arcs which gave a broader feel to the scope of the setting.

The series’ soundtrack is composed by Kaoru Wada, and is surprisingly epic for an anime. The orchestral pieces have recurring themes, reminiscent of pieces that might feel more at home in live action movies. Everything from the opening song to its end credits speak volumes as to the quality and vision of the musical score. When considering when this was produced, it is well ahead of its time and still stands up very well today.



The not as good


Chronicles of the Heroic Knight is longer than the original, and while this does open the opportunity to show more involved stories it also creates some pacing issues. The series begins with a recap of the events from the original series. This is somewhat redundant, but oddly it also seems to forget some of the original characters' actions. The new series certainly does expand the story, but it often lacks the same level of focus and storytelling of the original. Some of the storylines are expanded unnecessarily, leading to periods where the plot fails to move and some episodes feel like they contain filler material.



Possibly the strangest decision was to shift the protagonist role from Parn to Spark about halfway through the series. This change feels somewhat abrupt as well, as it is a retelling of the original series. In that, Parn was a brash young warrior full of bravado but with little brain. He learned what it meant to be a knight, a leader and what his role in the world was. It was a good arc, but Spark's story is just a bit too close to the same thing. Spark has not been as popular a character, possibly because we have already seen his arc enacted by Parn.

While I can forgive this one, it is certainly true that the series’ art and animation is inconsistent. This could well be down to time and cost. Some of the character and setting designs are very simple and others are quite detailed. This is most obvious during action sequences during which animation will vary from full motion to static images. Sometimes the motion of characters or horses walking can be quite poor when seen at a distance. The backdrops can be excellent but at other times they can feel somewhat uninspired. This mix can make the series feel a bit old.

Like many anime series this one has an ensemble cast rather than a singular main character. The downside to this is that not all of them receive the treatment they deserve. There is also the shift of focus from one character to another. Parn was a big part of the original series and as this one started with him it did feel that it would continue his story now that he is a more mature and capable knight. Instead, it shifts to Spark's story which in many ways paralleled Parn's. While stories that remind a wiser character of where they started can be quite good, in this case it was ground already travelled.   Deedlit’s role is possibly the worst. It focuses on her relationship with Parn and doesn't include any compelling additions to her character. How will she deal with Parn aging and dying well before her? What unique elven qualities, both good and bad, could effect the relationship? None of these questions are explored.

The antagonists while intriguing, and having nice character designs, do lack complexity. The only one whose story does get a little more detail is Ashram, yet even then it's a bit hollow. The main villain is Wagnard and he just wants power and lots of it, making his character seem slightly one note.

While Chronicles of the Heroic Knight pays homage to classic fantasy tropes, it occasionally feels overly reliant on clichés. The narrative’s predictability and adherence to genre conventions may disappoint viewers seeking innovative storytelling. The series’ RPG-inspired structure, while charming, can feel formulaic, particularly for audiences familiar with similar works.

Despite its flaws, we can not ignore that the series came out in 1998. It is not a modern series, but it still has its strengths and the series is a gentle entry into Japanese fantasy for any interested in exploring the genre. It is not reliant on gore or sex to try and make it compelling and is also a straight up high fantasy series, no reincarnation from another world to be found here. While it certainly relies on many fantasy tropes and ideas, that does play into its strengths as a classic fantasy story. Anyone who has played a tabletop RPG might feel a positive familiarity, nostalgia for an adventure they may have taken part in themselves


It has helped to set the stage for many series that came after it and quite possibly influenced other creators to look at world building and music as key elements that should not be ignored.


While it does have some obvious flaws it is still a fun and entertaining series for anyone who loves high adventure.

Dead Goblins 7/10