Crystania no Densetsu

Created by: Mizuno Ryou/Group SNE
Production/Other companies involved: Marubeni Corporation, Victor Entertainment, Television Tokyo Channel 12 Ltd.
The show: The movie came out in 1995 on tape in 1996 the 3 OAVs were shortly afterward in 1996 and 1997.
Character Design: ???
Music: Opening theme music by Yoko Hagino, Arranged by Junko Tsuboi, performed by Hitomi Ninomya. Closing theme music by Mitsuhiro Shimoyama, arranged by Junko Tsuboi, Performed by Hitomi Ninomya. "Save My Love" lyrics by Yutaka Ikusawa, music by Miyuki Matsubara, arranged by Noriko Iwazu, performed by Noriko Shinada.

Voices in Movie and OAVs:
Raydon........................Hikaru Midorikawa
Adelisia......................Mitsuki Yoyoi
Narsei........................Toshihiko Seki
Kwairde.......................Fumikiko Tanchiki
Lifan.........................Chinami Nishimura
Orville.......................Kazuki Yao
Rio...........................Yumi Touma
Meria.........................Yumi Touma
Jenoba........................Emi Ogata
Boakes........................Yasunori Matsumoto
Muha..........................Seiji Satou
Garudi........................Kouji Ishii
Brasto........................Hino Egawa
Haven.........................Katafumi Gingo
Rome..........................Tonohisa Asao
Grib..........................Yasunori Masuya
Gashuh........................Yshiyuk Kouno
Matisse.......................Nobutoshi Hayobashi
Little Boy w/dog..............Makiko Owoto
The People of the Seal........Ichiro Nagata
The Sacred People.............Hideo Ishikawaw
Pirotess/Cher.................Sakiko Tanagawa
Barbas........................Kiyoshi Kobayoshi
Ashram........................Akira Kamiya
Irim (OAV)....................Hikiro Emori
Kirim (OAV)...................Yuko Sumitomo

Description:
Crystania was released as a sequel to the events in the Lodoss OAV. Lodoss was to continue with another series but the head of Kadokawa's anime arm was arrested on drug charges. The series never was produced. In the havoc that ensued we were given Crystania. You can tell from the opening of the movie that it is low production. The OAVs however, had a little more money and time spent on producing. The animation is much better. Many people will be confused with the story at first. This is one of those series that you need to see every episode to understand. A.D.V. has relased all the OAVs and movie both subbed and dubbed.

Story:
Some time after the events in the Lodoss OAVs Ashram and Pirotess are ressurected by Karla. Ashram is still king of his people and he promises to take to another land other than Lodoss. Ashram and his crew are nearly dead now as they search for another land. They come upon the walled Crystania and Ashram gives his body up to the god Barbas in exchange for letting his people into Crystania. Ashram is in an unconscious state as Barbas fights Ashrams unforgiving soul. Pirotess remains faithful for 300 years when Barbas awakens in Ashram's body. He quickly uses his new power to rule over crystania. How barbas became the god of gods after he takes Ashram's body is not explained in the movie. You see, Crystania is full of these animal gods. Each god with it's own animal, and Barbas' is the Tiger. So if a god assumes the body of a human they become all powerful or something like that. Here is the opening words of the OAV to explain.

"Long ago the God of darkness and the God of Light waged war. The God of darkness relesed hundreds of Kings of Dragons upon the world. These Kings of Dragons or Dragon Lords were demon beasts who feasted on the flesh of the Elder Gods. The Gods of the Dawn fled to escape in the south. They cast aside their God forms and semmed away their immortal spirits within those of animals, becoming God animals. The God animals erected the Barrier and, in time, cut all ties to the other world so as to build their own perfect realm. That closed-off land was named Crystania."

The story in the movie is about Raydon, a young man who has had is parents brutally murdered by the chancellor and has vowed for revenge, is summoned to Crystania by Barbas. Raydon and his party stumble upon Pirotess who has changed her name to Cher over the past 300 years. They go to free Ashram's body. I'm sure you can guess what happens. The OAVs are about the freeing of Ashram's soul. After they killed Ashram's body his soul is being worn down by Barbas. The place where Barbas is fighting Ashram's soul is in the Chaos world, and Pirotess/Cher must go into the Chaos world to free her king's soul. In the meantime, Raydon and his group set out to save Adelsia's spirit and revive her. I'm sure you can see where this is going. On a side note, Adelsia is a priestess of Reda. Reda is the god who continues the vicious cycle of the fall and rise of Crystania, sort of like Karla in Lodoss. She is a very dangerous god and no one likes her and anyone who worships her can assume awesome power that can destroy all of Crystania. Many people get confused with this whole Adelsia side story. In the movie they give no explanation as to what these monk guys want with her.

All in all it is a very interesting story that has to be watched completely to be fully appreciated, however, if you're not willing to spend $60 or $90 on the OAVs, at least get the movie and see for yourself.