This is a story about a group of Earthlings from Shinonome High School who are zapped to a distant world called El-Hazard. Got that? Good. Let's continue.
Most of these imgages were copied from my laserdisc player. The Ifurita picture of less than perfect quality was copied from my DVD player. DVD freeze frame simply is no match for a good CAV laserdisc. Or even a CLV laserdisc for that matter. Sometimes technology is two steps forwards and one backwards.
Without further ado, here's scoop on the best anime series yet!
The Main Characters
Makoto Mizuhara
Makoto Mizuhara is the main character of the show. I rather like him mainly because he reminds my friend, Brad, of me. I can live with that! Makoto is one of those "do-it-all" people. He is always kind and concerned about others (Aw, geez! Now I'm blushing!). He is also a bit naive at times, but he is determined. So, you can see why I consider Brad's comparison quite a compliment. If Makoto had blue eyes and wore glasses, he would probably look like me too. For some odd reason, many Anime characters who are Japanese have brown hair. I wonder why that is. Of course, some have other, bizarre colors, but that is usually because they are from another planet, or they have dyed it. Makoto's hair seems to be natural.
Masamichi Fujisawa
Masamichi Fujisawa is Makoto's history teacher. Unfortunately, he would rather drink and smoke all day long than teach. In fact, he frequently does. However, upon being zapped to El-Hazard, Mr. Fujisawa discovers he has gained incredible super powers! However, he only has them when he is sober. He therefore usually doesn't have super powers. When he does have them...look out! He spends most of the series either drunk or beating the stuffing out of something. He is stronger than anything El-Hazard has ever seen...even perhaps the demon god herself! In case you are wondering, there are indeed teachers in Japan who are just like this guy just without the super powers part. In fact, there are rather a lot of them.They dress just like he does too!
The 3 Priestesses
Afura Mann
Afura Mann, the Priestess of Wind, is my favorite priestess. That's because she reminds me so much of my favorite professor at Georgetown College, Dr. Barbara Burch. Afura is sarcastic, intelligent, and sophisticated. Besides, she can sink a whole ship with one shot! Okay, so Dr. Burch CAN'T sink a ship. The analogy stands anyway. What can I say, Afura even LOOKS like Dr. Burch! Okay, so Dr. Burch isn't 18 years old. They still look alike...wait...I graduated! I'm not taking her classes anymore! Why am I saying these things? Oh! Perhaps she can change that "B" in Irish Literature to an "A." That's still allowed, isn't it?
Shayla Shayla
Shayla Shayla is the Priestess of Fire. She is also the most out-of-control priestess of the three. She, therefore ends up blowing up quite a bit of stuff. Finally, she seems to enjoy blowing up everything. This is fairly typical of red-heads in Anime. Any time you find a red-head in an Japanese animated cartoon, LOOK OUT! Believe me, it is no accident that the Priestess of Fire just so happens to be a red-head. Well, you can't have an Anime show without at least SOMEONE who is out of control. Shayla, along with Mr. Fujisawa, provide the destruction!
Miz Mishtal
Here is Miz Mishtal, the Priestess of Water. Poor Miz is 29 years old and in desperate search of a husband. When Mr. Fujisawa "saves" her from her hairy, green servant, she chooses him and immediately begins to plan the wedding. She also doesn't feel any need to let poor Mr. Fujisawa in on her little plan in the near future. She does, however, spend a great deal of time flirting with him.
Despite the distraction, she is a pretty good fighter. Her water attack is enough to vaporize just about anybody! She can also travel through water by making a protective bubble around her.
The Demon God
Ifurita
Here is Ifurita, the demon god. Cute? Yes. Mechanical? Yes. Unimaginably destructive? Double Yes. This is not the woman you want to meet during one of her "no heart" days. With her lovely staff, she is able to lay waste to an entire city with one shot. She's done it too, so don't piss her off! It's a good thing she's a robot. If she were a real person, imagine what would happen during "that time of the month." She could easily lay waste to the entire planet!
How do you turn an emotionless demon god into a force of good? Well, you can't. The only way to do that is to be Makoto Mizuhara. Since Makoto Mizuhara is an animated character, nobody could therefore actually be Makoto Mizuhara. Drat. Now what are we going to do if she actually shows up in real life?
In summation, Ifurita is proof positive that Toontown in Japan is a great deal different than Toontown in America. Imagine Ifurita vs. Elmer Fudd. Believe me, that would be a very short cartoon.
Elmer: Be veeewwwyy, veeewwwyy
quiet! I'm hunting demon gods! Heheheheheheheh!
Ifurita: What's up, stupid little man?
Elmer: It's demon god season! I'm gonna find a demon god and BWAST her! BANG BANG!!! Heheheheheheh!
Ifurita: IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO DIE NOW!!!
(BOOM!!!)