Record of Lodoss War

Record of Lodoss War was created in 1986 by Group SNE as a Dungeons & Dragons "replay" serialized in the Japanese magazine Comptiq from September 1986 to July 1988 issues, though they also used the setting with other systems such as Tunnels & Trolls and RuneQuest.[2] Replays are not novels, but transcripts of RPG sessions, meant to both hold the interest of readers and convey the events that took place. They have proven to be popular, even to those who do not play role-playing games but are fans of fiction (including fantasy fiction). Similar to light novels, many characters and parties in replays have become popular as characters of anime. An example of such a character is the female elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, who was played by science fiction novelist Hiroshi Yamamoto during the RPG sessions.

The popularity of the Record of Lodoss War replays was such that the Dungeon Master Ryo Mizuno started to adapt the story into some of the earliest Japanese-language domestic high fantasy novels in 1988.

When the replay series went on to become a trilogy, Group SNE had to abandon the Dungeons & Dragons rules and create their own game, dubbed Record of Lodoss War Companion and released in 1989. All three parts of the replay series were eventually published as paperbacks by Kadokawa Shoten from 1989 to 1991:

• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War I (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記I, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Senki Wan) (November 1989) — Parn's party, retake played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules and incorporating elements from the novelization
• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War II (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記II, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Senki Tū) (September 1990) — Orson's party, retake played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules and incorporating elements from the novelization
• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War III (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島戦記III, Aru Pī Jī Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Senki Surī) (July 1991) — Spark's party, played according to the Record of Lodoss War Companion rules

Three prequel Legend of Lodoss replay volumes based on a draft by Ryo Mizuno, written by Hiroshi Takayama and Group SNE, with illustrations by Retsu Tateo and Tatsumi Minegishi were published. Before being published as light novels, the RPG replays were serialized in Comptiq under the title TRPG Magazine Live New Record of Lodoss War: Demon Wars (TRPG誌上ライブ 新ロードス島戦記 魔神戦争, TRPG Shijō Raibu Shin Rōdosu-tō Senki Majin Sensō).

• RPG Replay Legend of Lodoss 1: Invasion of the Demons (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島伝説１ 魔神襲来, RPG Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Densetsu 1 Majin Shūrai) (November 1994)
• RPG Replay Legend of Lodoss 2: Summoning of the Demons (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島伝説２ 魔神召喚, RPG Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Densetsu 2 Majin Shōkan) (October 1995)
• RPG Replay Legend of Lodoss 3: Subjugation of the Demons (ＲＰＧリプレイ ロードス島伝説３ 魔神討伐, RPG Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Densetsu 3 Majin Tōbatsu) (October 1996)

Two other replay volumes have been published later:

• RPG Replay Record of Lodoss War: Spark, the Heroic Knight (RPGリプレイ ロードス島戦記 英雄騎士スパーク, RPG Ripurei Rōdosu-tō Senki Eiyū Kishi Supāku) (April 1998)
• Record of Lodoss War RPG Replay: The Wandering Nobleman’s Endless Journey Home (ロードス島戦記RPGリプレイ 放浪貴公子のはてしない家路, Rōdosu-tō Senki RPG Ripurei Hōrō Kikōshi no Hate Shinai Ieji) (October 2020)

Mizuno's novelizations were published by Kadokawa Shoten between 1988 and 1993, and followed by two collections of short stories in 1995, High Elf Forest: Deedlit's Tale and The Black Knight, all with illustrations done by Yutaka Izubuchi. The Black Knight was re-released in 1998, with illustrations by Masato Natsumoto. The first volume of the novelizations, The Grey Witch, was published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment in 2018.

• Record of Lodoss War 1: The Grey Witch (ロードス島戦記 灰色の魔女, Rōdosu-tō Senki Haiiro no Majo) (April 1988 (Kadokawa Bunko) / August 1994 (Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko))
• Record of Lodoss War 2: Blazing Devil (ロードス島戦記2 炎の魔神, Rōdosu-tō Senki Ni: Honō no Majin) (February 1989)
• Record of Lodoss War 3: The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain (Part 1) (ロードス島戦記3 火竜山の魔竜(上), Rōdosu-tō Senki San: Karyū-zan no Maryū (Jō)) (January 1990)
• Record of Lodoss War 4: The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain (Part 2) (ロードス島戦記4 火竜山の魔竜(下), Rōdosu-tō Senki Yon: Karyū-zan no Maryū (Ge)) (June 1990)
• Record of Lodoss War 5: The Kings' Holy War (ロードス島戦記5 王たちの聖戦, Rōdosu-tō Senki Go: Ōtachi no Seisen) (February 1991)
• Record of Lodoss War 6: The Holy Knights of Lodoss (Part 1) (ロードス島戦記6 ロードスの聖騎士(上), Rōdosu-tō Senki Roku: Rōdosu no Seikishi (Jō)) (November 1991)
• Record of Lodoss War 7: The Holy Knights of Lodoss (Part 2) (ロードス島戦記7 ロードスの聖騎士(下), Rōdosu-tō Senki Shichi: Rōdosu no Seikishi (Ge)) (March 1993)
• High Elf Forest: Deedlit's Tale (ハイエルフの森 ディードリット物語, Hai Erufu no Mori Dīdoritto Monogatari) (February 1995)
• The Black Knight (黒衣の騎士, Kokui no Kishi) (July 1995 / September 1998)

The first volume forms the basis for the first eight episodes of the Record of Lodoss War OVA series, as well as both Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch manga series (by Yoshihiko Ochi and Tomomasa Takuma, respectively). The second was also adapted in manga form by Ayumi Saito, and as a four-CD audio drama. The final five episodes of the OVA series are loosely based on the story told across the third and fourth novels and, having caught up with the ongoing novelization at that point, feature an original ending. The Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight TV series and manga drawn by Masato Natsumoto are more faithful adaptations of volumes three to seven. The first collection of short stories was adapted into the Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit's Tale manga series by Setsuko Yoneyama.

Mizuno later went on to pen other series of novels: an adaptation of Legend of Lodoss (ロードス島伝説, Rōdosu-tō Densetsu) prequel replays (1994 to 2002, 5 volumes and an extra volume, illustrated by Akihiro Yamada) and sequel novels Crystania: Legend of the Drifters (漂流伝説クリスタニア, Hyōryū Densetsu Kurisutania) (1993 to 1996, 4 volumes, illustrated by Satoshi Urushihara, part of Legend of Crystania setting) and Record of Lodoss War Next Generation (新ロードス島戦記, Shin Rōdosu-tō Senki) (1998 to 2006, 6 volumes and a prelude volume, illustrated by Yutaka Izubuchi (first editions of the prelude and the first novel) and Haruhiko Mikimoto); Legend of Lodoss was also adapted into the Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis manga series by Akihiro Yamada and Legend of Crystania was adapted into a radio drama, a manga by Akira Himekawa, an anime film, and OVA series. In 2019, he began writing a novel sequel series Record of Lodoss War: The Crown of the Covenant (ロードス島戦記 誓約の宝冠, Rōdosu-tō Senki: Seiyaku no Hōkan).[3] The new series takes place 100 years after the events of the original series, with Deedlit as the lead protagonist. It is illustrated by Hidari and was adapted into a manga by Atsushi Suzumi.

Record of Lodoss War recounts the adventures of a youth by the name of Parn, the son of a dishonored knight. Part of his motivation for adventuring is to find out what happened to his father, and to restore his family's honor. Despite his inexperience, Parn is considered the leader, who is accompanied by his childhood best friend Etoh, his friend and sometimes advisor Slayn (and later by Slayn's lover Leylia), and his newfound mentor Ghim. They are accompanied by Parn's romantic interest, the high elf Deedlit, who comes from the Forest of No Return seeking an answer to her people's isolationism and an end to what she sees as a slow march to extinction; and a thief named Woodchuck. Throughout the series, Parn comes into contact with friends and foes alike. His allies include King Kashue, King Fahn, Shiris, and Orson; his enemies include Emperor Beld, Ashram, and the evil necromancer Wagnard.

The volumes three to seven, adapted into manga and anime Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, continue the adventures of Parn for the first eight episodes, but then focus on Spark and his adventures to complete a quest tasked onto him to protect Neese, the daughter of Slayn and Leylia. He is accompanied by his own cast of friends in the form of Leaf, Garrack, Greevus, Aldo, and Ryna. The television series shares similarities with the plot of the OVA, such as Wagnard seeking to kidnap Neese in order to use her as a reagent for the resurrection of Naneel, a priestess and the Avatar of Kardis who was slain by Leylia's mother, the high priestess Neese a short time after the battle with the demonic god. Leylia was the reincarnation of Naneel, but when she lost her virginity she was no longer capable of being the doorway or reagent needed to unseal Naneel.

The Legend of Crystania setting places the former villain Ashram into the seat of a would-be hero who is placed under a spell by an "animal god" of Crystania. One of the prominent characters is Pirotess, his dark elven lover, as she tries to find a way to free him from the clutches of the spell and to restore him back to his living self.

The novel series has sold over 10 million copies in Japan.[12]

Australian magazine Hyper reviewed Chronicles of the Heroic Knight in 1999. They rated it 8.5 out of 10.[13]

• Divers, Allen (2 July 2003). "A New Beginning". Tankobon Tower (column). Anime News Network. Westmount, Quebec.

• Official Kadokawa novel site (in Japanese)
• Roodosu tou Senki - Akinori Nagaoka, 1990 (in Italian)
• 'Lodoss war Online game site' (in English)
• Record of Lodoss War (novel) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia