Slayers Volumes 13-15 Collector's Edition, Vol. 5 by Hajime Kanzaka, rui Araizumi, Elizabeth Ellis
adventure
fantasy
magecraft
magic
swords and sorcery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
All good stories come to a turning point, which, if not possessing a proper ending, will surely contain moments therein that provide genuine delight. And so, SLAYERS Omnibus v5 pulls readers deeper into Lina and Gourry's demon-hunting mayhem.
This omnibus appears to wrap up the light novel series, and to that end, the results are horribly mixed. As the conclusion of the current story arc, SLAYERS Omnibus v5 is wildly entertaining; as the conclusion of the whole light novel series, SLAYERS Omnibus v5 is woefully anticlimactic and incomplete. However much the author felt it serviceable for readers to piece together their own extended tales of Lina and Gourry following the events of the current omnibus, so much goes left unsaid, untethered, and unaccounted for that it seems irrational, much less awkward, for the story to just . . . end.
Alas, Book 13, Presages of Incarnation gets things rolling with some very heavy, old-school spellcasting. Milgazia, the dragon elder, and Memphys Rhinesword, his young traveling companion, a prim elf, join up with Lina and Gourry when it becomes clear that a spate of regional demon spawnings might not be so accidental.
The end of the previous volume saw the heroes fighting off Sherra, General of the Dynast, out in Gyria City, the capital of the Kingdom of Dils. Sherra is dead, but if that's the case, why is Gyria City still the locus for mysterious weather patterns and assorted demon appearances? Sherra may be toast, but the Dynast's plot probably isn't.
"The way that Sherra had smiled in the moment of her defeat . . . Perhaps it was satisfaction knowing that she'd played her part perfectly" (Lina, page 105).
This installment produces a good bit of lore and old magegraft. Milgazia wields a bevy of fancy draconic magic that Lina's never seen before, while Mephy wields what she terms Ritual Armor, called Zanafa Armor (apparently produced by the knowledge of the Claire Bible and capable of establishing a connection to the astral plane). Both Milgazia and Mephy's skills are much-needed round these parts, since most of Lina and Gourry's foes are pure demons. If King Wells Xeno Gyria is so dangerous and corrupt that he must be taken down by tools of such a high caliber, then perhaps Gyria City is more doomed than the heroes realize.
Hatred in Selentia represents a substantial emotional shift. Lina searches for an old friend, treasure hunters Luke and Mileena return to the fold, and readers witness a major character death. Slayers has generally done well to keep pace with episodic villains whose danger largely do themselves in, but in this instance, someone finally falls.
Lina and Gourry find themselves in Selentia City, called the "city of temples" in the Kingdom of Ralteague. Apart from being a worship center of Flare Dragon Ceifeed, Selentia is home to numerous subordinate faiths, each of which is constantly feuding and vying for power. The problem? All that jockeying for position is leaving head priests dead. In terms of worldbuilding, this volume grants readers an incredible, incisive view into the political dynamics (balance) between regional clerical regimes and local sorcerers' councils. Lina's not above acknowledging any one of the two might be more rotten than the other, but she draws the line when outside forces corrupt them both to their individual benefit.
In the end, Selentia burns at the hands of a few sad, chaotic individuals. Lina and Gourry struggle to strike down a seemingly benign ally.
And when the battle turns grisly, a quiet moment in an abandoned chapel leaves one whispering for calmer times: "Just . . . Just one worthless little demon did all this…" (page 214).
Those strange weather patterns? Those recurring demon spawnings? Those unlucky towns prone to chaos sown at the hands of a few reckless demons? Volume 15, The Demon Slayers! pulls together a few intriguing threads, exposing for readers a horrible but very compelling "what if" scenarios concerning powerful spellcasters who might one day lose their way. Following a few rogue encounters with pure demons terrorizing random villages, Lina and Gourry find themselves on the road back to Sairaag ("the world's unluckiest town," page 251), in Empire of Lyzeille. Fortunately, they've reunited with Milgazia and Mephy, who could help in a pinch. And, wait, is that Xellos? For yet another highly questionable reason, the priest of Greater Beast Zellas Metallium briefly reappears (and apparently still owes Lina two coppers), pledging his trademarked non-involvement style of involvement.
The final volume checks all of the boxes in terms of producing excellent tag-team action, as Lina is thrown into a subdimension infused with magic (i.e., zero spellcasting lag) and Gourry can finally let loose the full power of The Blast Sword (i.e., no more power limiters). The result is bittersweet, though. On the one hand, the duo must confront an old ally, belay known weaknesses, and sacrifice something they hold dear. On the other hand, if the demons have succeeded in completing a "ritual" to locate the next host of the Dark Lord, then by all means, anything goes.
By the book's end, Lina shows remarkable maturity: she weeps for lost allies, she demands clarity from overpowered foes, and she refuses to be taken advantage of by those with too much time to spare (e.g., amazingly, backtalking Xellos never felt so good).
Similarly, Gourry steps up: he knows when to leap in to protect Lina and when to hold back and let her take the lead, and he never permits the darkness of humanity shade his hope and opportunism for what the future may bring (Gourry: "No matter how heavy the burdens we carry, being human means we have to keep moving forward," page 314).
SLAYERS Omnibus v5 produces some fine character development, some of which feels slightly overwrought in the moment but eventually plays well as the narrative unfolds. Lina learns (and casts) a handful of new spells, and doesn't hide her surprise when things go slightly awry (e.g., in a magical subdimension, she casts ra tilt for the first time). Importantly, she finds an epic use for those demon blood talismans she conned off of Xellos way back when. And who could shrug their shoulders at Gourry's level-up? Milgazia initially claims Gourry's new blade isn't good enough against pure demons, so the old-timer inscribes dragonic magic, in dragon's blood, on the blade (and that was before they realized it was the infamously sharp Blast Sword). Combined, Lina and Gourry's boost in maturity and battle presence make them a fearsome duo, particularly when combined with draconic magic and astral magic, as backup.
The omnibus's author notes articulate why Zelgadis and Amelia never reappear in the novel series, but one's heart breaks for the numerous opportunities that certainly would have been appropriate. Zel and Amelia, after all, specialize in shamanistic magic, which is highly affective against demons. Lina and Gourry face almost nothing but demonoids, demidemons, and pure demons for the series' final five volumes.
And while the story arc focusing Luke and Mileena reaches a fair conclusion, the open-ended ending, insofar as how Lina and Gourry move on from the emotional tumult of that encounter, feels a bit off. Not bad. Just off.
Did Lina and Gourry really stave off another Incarnation War? Did these two adventurers truly quell the rage of Dynast Graushera on the mortal plane? Could they really partner with the hunting parties, holy knights, and special forces of neighboring nations to slay demons writ large (including aiding Lina's sister, the so-called Knight of Ceifeed)? A lot has happened in the last two years "and change," according to Lina, but one feels this non-conclusion conclusion is a considerably rough landing. Even a brief cameo from Greater Beast Zellas Metallium and Deep Sea Dolphin, the final two of the Demon Lord's five lieutenants, can't quite clear up the sideways smile and heartwarming finale that sees Lina and Gourry off on a miniature vacation by the time the credits roll.
Finally! It turned out there was so much post‑processing involved, and I got stuck with them much longer than I’d planned 🫠
But the main thing is that the first half is done!
I wanted the Cups represent the Shinzoku and everyone somehow connected to them (even if very loosely). I wanted to reflect the full diversity of the Slayers characters in the Tarot, but in that case it’s impossibly hard to distribute them so that they fit the cards perfectly.
Notes:
I like Milgazia’s outfit from the novels much better 😁
I couldn’t find a colour image of Vaalwin (it might not even exist), so I decided he’d be green because of his palm‑tree pipe 🌴
Mega Brand Q&A with Hajime Kanzaka 1/2021 to 6/2021, translated
So if Naga and Amelia ran into each other and had their faces covered and fought, would they recognize each other by their fighting style?
06/2021
Q: How much weight can the spell of "levitation" levitate? It would be useful if we could float the bed of a wagon stuck in the mud. Can you lift the whole house and move?
KANZAKA: This will change depending on the person's affinity with the attribute and magical power, so I can't say it unconditionally, "Even if you are inexperienced, it is OK if you weigh up to about 100 kg including your own weight."
Naturally, people who are inexperienced and weigh more than 100 kg cannot be lifted by this technique. If you're a user, you can lift a small horse-drawn carriage, but it's impossible to lift a weight as heavy as a house. Even if it were possible, the pillars and walls of the house would not have structural connections.
Q: In the world of Slayers, there are dragons that act like animals and dragons that have intelligence like golden dragons. From the point of view of the golden dragon, is the former dragon something like a monkey to humans?
Or is it because they can't understand each other's language, so they just behave roughly when interacting with humans?
KANZAKA: "I wouldn't go so far as to call him a monkey, but if I had to say he'd be more like that. Rather than distinguishing between races, there is also a difference in intelligence between individuals, so dragons will not be discriminated against simply because of what color they are.”
Q: About Lina. How do you store valuables such as treasures and magic items? It seems difficult to move while in the cloak, but there were times when you couldn't get it back even if you put it in your luggage. What happened when you were being chased by the enemy in a situation where you couldn't exchange money?
KANZAKA: Of course, if I decide it's necessary, I'll throw it out and run away. Basically, I don't take unnecessary risks by sticking to such treasures.
05/2021
Q: Are the "spirit kings" and "tyrant kings" in the "powerful words" of spirit magic "named" high-ranking beings like the dragon kings and the five demonic lieutenants? I would appreciate it if you could answer my question. Thank you in advance.
KANZAKA: "The name is only an image. There is not a being named "Spirit King."
Q: I have a question about Gorun Nova. We are aware that Gorun Nova was brought into the world of Lina and her colleagues by someone and customized so that it can be handled by humans. Does that mean that someone can cross between different worlds? The Dark Lord sent Gorun Nova back to the original world, and the Demon Lord of the North summoned (created?) a talisman with the power of the Demon Lords of other worlds. Does this mean that such a thing is possible for some higher level of being? If that is the case, could it be that there are relics brought in from other worlds besides Gorun Nova? I am also curious as to how Gorun Nova first came into human hands. Was it taken half-heartedly by a demon that had some other purpose at the time, like when the talisman was given to Lina from Xellos, or was it given to humans to carry out its purpose? If that is the case, it seems strange that the Dark Lord does not seem to know how it happened, but perhaps he is simply not interested. I also fantasize about the possibility that there are ways to obtain otherworldly beings through human hands, but that it is a lost-technology kind of thing.
KANZAKA: "It is a situation where it was brought into the Slayers world half by accident and half by chance, rather than being brought in by someone with a clear intention. In that sense, it would not be surprising if something else came to that world. I'm not going to go into the details here, because I'll just say so and forget about it.
Q: The sword of light was returned to its original world by Fibrizo in volume 8. I think this is only the hilt, but what happened to the other parts (the temporary blade, sheath, and needle for dismantling)?
KANZAKA: "The temporary blades and needles were not brought from another world, so they are still in Gourry's possession.”
04/2021
Q: Can Blast Bomb, Dragon Slave Guard magic, and Enhanced Megabrands used by Copy Rezo be used by the original Rezo as well? Or is the above magic a benefit of magical synthesis and cannot be used even by original Rezo?
KANZAKA: "Not all magic, but there are some magic that only Copy Rezo can use. Even though the original Rezo was inhabited by the Demon King, it did not exceed the limits of human beings prior to its awakening. In contrast, there are some techniques that Copy Rezo can use by taking advantage of the increased magical power they have gained through body modification."
Q: Zel learned "healing" from Amelia, but did Zel ask Amelia to teach him this? Or did Amelia ask to teach him? If it was Zel who asked her, what was his reason for wanting to learn and why did he ask Amelia and not his old friend Lina? If Amelia approached him, why did she approach him and why did Zel respond?
KANZAKA: "Until then, Zel had almost never been in a situation where he himself was injured, but as long as he was working with Lina and her friends, he decided that it would be more convenient to be able to use recovery magic in case his friends were injured. He asked Amelia because she is the expert when it comes to recovery magic."
Q: Has Amelia gotten bigger since she was with Lina and the others? Is she going to get bigger from now on? I didn't feel much change in volume 16 because my nostalgic feelings took precedence, but even though she has changed somewhat, will she grow to rival Naga in terms of height, chest circumference, and human capacity?
KANZAKA: "I think she has grown somewhat taller. However, it is not as if she has grown visibly, since it is not as if a great deal of time has passed since she was created. I think she has been educated as royalty, so I hope she will become a person of large capacity in a different direction from Naga."
03/2021
Q: Left-handed people are in the minority in modern Japan, but what about in the world of Lina and her friends? Are any of the major characters left-handed?
KANZAKA: "Basically, left-handed people are a minority in that world as well. Furthermore, since items for left-handed people are not sold as they are today, most of them are forced to become right-handed when they are children. Some families, such as those of knights who can afford it, may be raised left-handed because it gives them an advantage in actual battle.
Gourry and Zel are at least trained to handle weapons with their left hand in case of emergency, but they are not necessarily left-handed."
Q: Dark Star, Chaotic Blue, and Death Fog are from other worlds that are glimpsed in the main story. Between the four demon kings and Shabranigdu is there any spiritual interaction or connection of any kind? Or do they have only enough in common to be mentioned in the book, and they don't interfere with each other and seem to be independent?
KANZAKA: "Basically, there is no mutual interference. If they wanted to, they could at least communicate with each other, but they don't have the will to do so. To use a human analogy, let's talk to a stranger on the first floor of the apartment complex in the next town! I don't have the desire to do that."
Q: Have Amelia and Naga ever met in a sibling rivalry or in the name of testing each other's abilities? If yes, (and I know they don't meet in each medium), have the two ever confronted each other under cover of their identities? Can they notice each other like Gourry as he noticed Luke and Lina as she noticed Zel?
KANZAKA: "There has never been a fight between sisters or hand-to-hand combat, etc. If they fight with their face shapes hidden, Naga will notice Amelia, but Amelia will probably not notice Naga. If anything, she might even hear Naga's high pitched laugh and not notice."
02/2021
Q: In Slayers Volume 8, Fibrizo reduced the bodily functions of Amelia and Zelgadis in order to alter their sense of time, but was this possible because they had Fibrizo inside their bodies? Or is it possible for demons to interfere that much from the outside if they are dealing with humans?
KANZAKA: "They had Fibrizo in their body, so it was through interference from there. But it is also possible to control it by causing a drop in external temperature or misinterpretation of visual information. I believe it was a synthesis of those means."
Q: Question about age. Who is older, Milgazia or Xellos? Also, I have the impression that the demons above Xellos are stronger in the order of their existence first, is that right? Is there an order, first son, second son, youngest son? If so, are they stronger in that order? Or did they exist at the same time? Are they equally powerful? What do you think?
KANZAKA: "Milgazia-san is slightly older than Xellos. The first born is not necessarily stronger, since the subordinates are different based on what concept they were created for."
Q: I heard that Lina is famous among the demons, but why didn't Xellos tell his friends what Lina looks like? Even without a picture, I think it would be a good idea to show Lina's appearance, since they can take on human form, so that information can be shared.
KANZAKA: "In the first place, there is no such thing as an all-demons' meeting among the demon tribe, nor do they have a social networking service or anything like that. It is solely hearsay in the form of rumors."
01/2021
Q: I have a question about the spell "Aqua Create" for slayers. Is the water that appears here moved from somewhere by the spirits? Or do you extract the moisture contained in the air at the location? If so, it could be used indoors as an alternative to dehumidification, what do you think?
KANZAKA: "Aqua Create is a spell to collect moisture in the atmosphere. Therefore, as you pointed out, it is a powerful dehumidification spell if used in an airtight room. Also, if it is used repeatedly in an airtight room, the amount of water collected will become smaller and smaller. However, the inhabitants of that world seem to be aware that the spirits bring the water from somewhere."
Q: I remember seeing somewhere that the reason why Slayers characters don't have a birthday is because the calendar is different from this world. So here is my question. Do you have any ideas for a calendar for the Slayers world? Since the concept of "age" seems to exist, it is assumed that the unit of "one year" exists...For example, I would like to know if there is a concept of a "month" that is shorter or longer than 365 days, and if so, how many days are in a month. I would also like to know how many hours are in a day.
KANZAKA: "Although different from this world, there is certainly a calendar in the Slayers world. However, if we set it up strictly, it would create various complications in terms of management, expression, etc. Therefore, we have not set up the details, nor do we intend to do so in the future."
Q: I understand that image training is required to use magic in addition to chanting, but does direct acquaintance with the target of the technique increase the power of the technique or speed up its activation? For example, is there any difference between before and after Lina fights the Shabranigdu?
KANZAKA: "Of course, it is true that it is more advantageous to know the subject well, since the power of the person in question's image is important. However, if we consider how much the act of directly fighting demons deepens the human understanding of demons, the effect is not so great."
Here's another Mermay pic continuing on that Seadragon theme, this time with Milgazia.
I won't lie and say I had a bit of difficulty with this one. Though I used my previous pic with Filia as a basis, I had to figure out how to do his tail (Went with the fin tip, otherwise it would've been like a snake). I also gave him scales around his shoulders. Make him look cooler.
