Arc the Lad

Arc the Lad - The Complete Collection

Arc the Lad - Alliance (Vol. 4)

The first 11 episodes of Arc the Lad told a reasonably straightforward adventure story: Elk, a young bounty hunter, was seeking the sinister White House to avenge the abuse he endured years earlier in a program of biomedical experiments. When Elk reaches his goal with the aid of the title character and his court-in-exile in episode 12, the facility contains only three victims and is easily destroyed, despite its importance in the creation of the shape-shifting monsters called chimeras. Akemi Omode's screenplay grows more complicated in the following episodes. Instead of the Galuano, the chimera-mayor of Prodias City, Elk, Arc, and their friends are pitted against an evil trio of "Generals" and the oily, sinister Clive in a new round of battles. Arc the Lad is based on a popular video game, but the anime series is not for the weak of stomach. The imagery is often grotesque, especially when Arc discovers that his childhood friend Meril has been transformed into the human equivalent of a queen termite. "Contains animated violence and mature situations." Suitable for ages 13 and up: violence, minor profanity, grotesque visuals. --Charles Solomon

Seeking Whitehouse, Elk and Lieza find themselves lost in the desert, but being rescued may turn out to be an even worse fate! An unlikely ally comes to their aid and at long last Elk begins to learn the truth about the enigmatic Arc and the genesis of the chimeras. But truth can be a bitter pill and there's a horrifying revelation lying in store for our heroes. Get ready to learn the stomach-churning secret in the fourth shocking volume of Arc the Lad!

Arc the Lad - Oath of Vengeance (Vol. 5)

The defeat of Galuano was only the beginning of the battle. As Arc leads the Smerian forces against Andel's army, the sinister Clive masterminds a different assault on an unexpected target. As Shu battles Toshu and the barrier protecting the shrine is destroyed, a powerless Elk must face both his worst fears and his greatest challenge.

Arc the Lad - Wanted (Vol. 3)

In the third collection of this action-adventure series (which contains five episodes; the previous installments had only three apiece), the filmmakers hit their stride: the characters become more interesting, the story grows more compelling, and the revelations abound. Elk and Lieza leave the island of Dr. Vilmar after meeting an ancient robot, and return to the city, where they discover a bounty has been placed on Elk's head. They're aided in their escape by members of the Crusade Without a Name, a religious cult dedicated to the alleviation of suffering. In the ruins of Lieza's village, Elk encounters Gene, whom he knew as a child at the sinister White House. When Elk escaped, Gene remained behind; their friend Meril was recaptured. Gene, who has been transformed into a chimera, seeks revenge, then repents and reveals the secret location of White House. Elk and Lieza discover the evil purpose behind the seemingly benevolent Crusade Without a Name when Arc's forces attack. Poco the harp player explains the backstory and tells Elk that Arc did not destroy his childhood home. Arc the Lad seems like a straightforward anime adventure, but the theme of biomedical experimentation on children and prisoners adds an unsettling edge that makes it inappropriate for younger viewers. Parental guidance suggested; suitable for ages 13 and up: violence, minor profanity, mature themes. --Charles Solomon

Arc the Lad - Fireball (Vol. 2)

In this second collection of the series based on the video game, flashbacks reveal more about Elk's background. After seeing his father murdered while protecting a sacred statue, Elk was taken by soldiers to White House, the site of sinister human experiments. But Elk has enough in the present to keep him busy: Lieza is being followed by sinister men in dark suits, apparently on the orders of the Mayor of Prodias City and his oily assistant. When the Mayor unveils a huge statue of a Peace Goddess, Arc attacks in his air ship, the Silver Noah. Although Elk blames him for his past mistreatment, any anime fan can tell that the nobly taciturn Arc is no villain, and that the real explanation will be more complicated. After an aerial chase, Elk, Shu, and Lieza crash on the remote tropical island of Dr. Vilman. Lieza reveals an ability to heal wounds with her touch, but Shu vanishes without a word, setting the next adventure in motion. Arc the Lad sometimes threatens to degenerate into a formula action series, but the filmmakers maintain enough of an edge to keep it interesting: the images of Elk and Shu walking through an otherwise modern city in medieval costume are as engagingly incongruous as Prince Valiant strolling through Times Square in chain mail. Parental guidance suggested: suitable for ages 13 and up for violence and minor profanity. --Charles Solomon

Arc the Lad - Hunters and Monsters (Vol. 1)

Based on a popular video game, Arc the Lad is a curious amalgam of contemporary and medieval elements. Teenage Elk is a Hunter, a member of the guild of bounty hunters, who perform daring deeds for cash rewards. As a child, Elk saw his parents killed and his village burned; he believes Arc was responsible for those crimes--and for the experiments at "White House" that transform kids with special powers into grotesque, shape-shifting chimeras. (Elk has the power to summon fire to destroy his enemies.) When he rescues the passengers on a hijacked blimp, he meets Lieza, a sniveling girl who can communicate with the monster, Pandit. With the aid of his mentor, Shu, Elk protects Lieza, both from his cloddish fellow-bounty hunters and the grisly chimeras that stalk the city--perhaps at Arc's command. Although they wear costumes that recall the Middle Ages, Elk and Shu pass through the modern city of Prodias. The Mayor and his assistant Mr. Clive are plotting against Lieza, and their sinister henchmen are sure to provide Elk with adversaries in future episodes. The characters may be stock anime types, but Arc the Lad offers plenty of swashbuckling adventure. Parental guidance suggested: suitable for ages 13 and up for violence, grisly imagery, minor profanity, and nudity. --Charles Solomon

Arc the Lad - Day Of Reckoning (Vol. 6)

As the awesome power of the Chimeras is unleashed in waves of horror that engulf the planet, the Lords of Darkness launch a new offensive against the Champions of the Spirits. Now the crew of the Silver Noah must face their greatest challenge and fight against their ultimate fears. Will Elk be forced, out of necessity, to kill his beloved Lieza? Will Arc survive his final confrontation with the sinister Clive? The final volume of the exciting Arc the Lad series! Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.