Lina Inverse
By
J.R. Waugh
Published Feb 15, 2026, 10:30 PM EST
An experienced Editor representing Canada via Screen Rant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
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The 1990s were loaded worldwide with animated productions intended to break down barriers and remind viewers its medium was more than cartoons for kids. While this certainly meant a boom in adult animation with Simpsons-mania, it also gave way to an impressive influx in incredible anime out of Japan. One series near and dear to discerning fans is Slayers.
Animated by E&G Films from 1995-1997, the first three seasons of Slayers, known by many viewers in the West as The Slayers, started in earnest as a plucky fantasy adventure-comedy romp with a largely episodic structure. Before even the time of J.C.Staff taking on the anime in 2008-2009, the series quickly evolved into a '90s staple dear to countless fans.
Sporting character designs and scenes as if straight out of a Sega CD/Saturn-era RPG (apt, as it got two Saturn games), Slayers adapts the first eight light novels by series writer Hajime Kanzaka and illustrator Rui Araizumi in its first two seasons. Its gradual development into a lore-dense, fascinating narrative is fondly remembered even now, and for good reason.
Slayers Was a Shining Example of Episodic and Serial '90s Anime
Slayers anime Lina escaping with Gourry
While season 1 carefully introduces viewers to the premise in which Lina Inverse, a boastful, yet remarkably powerful sorceress embarks on a journey to conquer monsters and hunt for treasure. As she meets more allies, first being Gourry Gabriev before meeting others like Zelgadis or Amelia, fans quickly get used to Lina's particularly clashy personality, creating discord and dysfunction early on.
Fans quickly get used to Lina's particularly clashy personality, creating discord and dysfunction early on.
This creates fun scenarios in which the anime introduces Lina to the various threats of its sword-and-sorcery world, from bandits, to dragons, to cosmic-scale powerful beings. Slayers introduces its lore gradually, and by the second season, Slayers Next, fans see an engrossing narrative which transitions from episodic to serialized as the world around her grows deeper with darker threats emerging.
This raises the stakes of what could otherwise have been a more formulaic approach, reflecting the evolving story of the novels it adapts. Lina is pushed into darker, more personal situations, with her knowing the destructive potential of her phenomenal powers. Still, pushed into a corner and forced to choose between Gourry and risking destroying the world, she'll choose Gourry.
The Slayers Anime Is Tough to Match and Tougher to Watch Legally
While there are certainly other dysfunctional fantasy anime parties out there, with a strong isekai counterpart in KonoSuba's Megumin to Slayers' Lina, there's nothing that has truly replaced its potent cocktail of comedy and adventure.
This is especially the case with '90s kids predominantly looking to Record of Lodoss War as the era's definitive high fantasy anime. Other silly, contemporary series to follow the Slayers debut, like Rune Soldier, are largely forgotten by comparison. What especially hurts is the lack of legal accessibility to the series, with its film DVDs being particularly lucrative collectors' items.
Screen Rant Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.With on-demand streaming essentially absent for English-language viewers wishing to see it dubbed or subbed, viewers have had to get creative in their searches to see this beloved series. Seasons 1 and 2, its best installments, are currently unavailable on Amazon Prime Video, but seasons 3-5 are at least available to purchase on the platform.
While perhaps not being as impactful in over 100 episodes as other '90s fantasy anime like Berserk, Slayers' presence is still felt today. Its character designs are a direct marker of its era in the best of ways, and it remains a hilarious and charming series for those seeking a lighter take on the genre, provide they have the means to watch.
Slayers
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-PG Action Adventure Anime Fantasy Release Date 1995 - 2009 Network TV Tokyo Directors Takashi Watanabe, Seiji Mizushima Writers Yasunori YamadaCast
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Megumi Hayashibara
Lina Inverse (voice)
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Yasunori Matsumoto
Gourry Gabriev (voice)
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Yumi Touma
Sylpheel Nels Lahda (voice)
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Jouji Nakata
Maryuo Gaav (voice)
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Slayers
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