Hikyou Tanken Fam & Ihrlie

This is an excellent OVA series that exists in almost total obscurity, for while it is short it is definitely sweet. For a type of person like myself who is looking for something very specific in terms of good fantasy anime with a style unlike that of the hackneyed DND wannabes, with good character dynamics and excellent design, this series is a must.

The story, while not exactly unique in it's themes (the search for the handwavy 'ultimate power' that possibly doesn't exist but possibly does.) is excecuted well, and the short series manages to get you invested even in it's fleeting duration, mainly due to ... the fact the characters are both interesting and likeable.

The setting itself is also compelling, with great ruins spanning huge portions of the mostly wild landscape. Deserts and grasslands, jungles and oceans, this setting has it all, and all of it s beautifully drawn.

It's some good 90s fun.
The english dub is serviceable, the animations are nice and I especially love the designs of the characters.
The artstyle is very reminiscent of the late 90s series like early Pokémon and especially Slayers given the fantasy setting.
The story is like a mash of every JRPG you've ever played so it's nothing unpredictable, although that isn't a bad thing, honestly it was a fun watch and the length of 4 episodes was the right choice.
I think it's a good show to put on when you don't want to pay too much attention and have a bit of light hearted fun.

Before the review: This show, like many older shows, contains flashing scenes which may trigger seizures in some people, and which many others will find distracting or annoying.

If you're looking for that special something that some 90's anime stories have that you can't find anymore look elsewhere because there is none of it here. With the exception of 2 or 3 quirks you've probably already seen, heard, or read this before. Whether or not it was clever for its time the writing has aged terribly.

The animation was surprisingly satisfying, not just from the innate charm that pre-digital art has, but also because this ... show is better about not using pan / zoom / still filler effects than most other anime of the time, at the very least they're not for very long. Only having 4 episodes and being released over a long period of time probably has something to do with that, even so the animators' efforts deserve recognition for making something that at least isn't jarring to watch nearly 30 years later.

Still not worth suffering through the plot. Not recommended.