Source: Amazon

The third and final season of the slapstick fantasy Slayers comprises one continuous adventure, although the complicated storyline stumbles and falters, not unlike its heroine, red-haired sorceress Lina Inverse. In addition to her usual friends--dim, blond swordsman Gourry; chimera Zelgadis; and Amelia, the advocate of justice--Lina is joined by Filia, a golden dragon who looks like a human. Filia recruits Lina because she believes the sorceress is the figure in an ancient prophecy who can prevent the destruction of the world. The improbable quintet must keep a demon-lord from entering their dimension by gathering five ancient weapons, one of which is Gourry's Sword of Light. The plot halts about halfway through season, while the characters get involved in send-ups of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers." During the latter misadventure, Gourry comments with rare perception, "We're just getting further and further from the main plot, aren't we?" The rambling script allows for the requisite gags, enormous meals, powerful spells, and temper tantrums as characters appear, disappear, and reappear. Entrusting Lina and her pals with magical super-weapons feels a bit like giving Excalibur to the Three Stooges: the Supreme Elder of the Golden Dragons frets, "I still don't know if we should be entrusting the fate of the world to you people." But fans ofSlayersknow that Lina Inverse always comes through in the end, which is why the character appeared insix OVA's, and five features.(Rated TV PG: violence, risqué humor, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon