OVA/First Night: Battlefield of Confusion

Japanese title: Shinpi no Sekai El-Hazard ("The Magnificent World of El-Hazard")
English title: El-Hazard: The Magnificent World
Episode 1 - "First Night: BATTLEFIELD OF CONFUSION"

UK Age Rating by the BBFC: 12 and up.

Contains: swearing ("shit", "bastard")

SYNPOSIS:

Ancient ruins are found at Shinanome High School in Japan. Makoto Mizuhara, a young student, who has recently been confronted by school president, Katsuhiko Jinnai, for finding out things that Jinnai would rather keep secret, unlocks the secrets of these ancient ruins. After unlocking the ruins, a young girl appears and whisks Makoto, Jinnai, Nanami Jinnai, the younger, spunky sister of Jinnai, and Mr. Fujisawa, the drunk history teacher, to El-Hazard: The Magnificent World.

Upon arriving, Makoto and Fujisawa are snapped up by the royal Princess Rune Venus, the leader of the Rostarian alliance. After wining and dining in the strange exotic palace of Floristica, Rune explains how her sister, Princess Fatora, is missing. She also asks Makoto, who incidentally looks exactly like Fatora, to dress up as Fatora, as so to fool the Alliance. After a night in the dungeon, Makoto is persuaded and hilarity ensues.

Meanwhile Jinnai has made Bugrom friends. Arriving at the Bugrom Hive, the evil Queen Diva decides he is the chosen one sent from God to lead the Bugrom to victory. Jinnai can't pass up a chance like this and becomes the new dictator of the Bugrom Army.

Whilst Nanami has a bad time with money, Makoto finds out that even in his bedroom, there is no escape from the demands of being the Princess Fatora...

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Bending the rules

(Jinnai grips a rope and grins.)
Makoto: Ahh! What do you want?!
Jinnai: I want you out of my hair, at least until tomorrow's student government meeting is over... In clause 23 of the school bylaws, if no evidence is brought against me, my presidency is secure.
Makoto: But you can't bend the law like that!
Jinnai: Oh yes I can. The law must serve my purposes.

"Ah shit! Someone else is out of alcohol!" - Fujisawa, after hearing a woman scream just having discovered that he has no more drink.

Makoto and Fujisawa discuss El-Hazard

Fujisawa: I wonder where we really are.
Makoto: Londs said this was "El-Hazard".
Fujisawa: (gasps in irritation) It might as well be "Never Never Land".
Makoto: I hope we won't be stuck here for long.
Fujisawa: I hope we get back before I run out of smokes.

"Well... Am I supposed to be impressed?" - Jinnai, after being brought back to the Bugrom Hive.

Fujisawa likes Makoto's new look

Fujisawa: Woooo! Hey baby, how about a little date?
Makoto: Don't you dare talk to me like that!

Makoto attempts to play along

Makoto(falsetto): Well, I'm glad to do whatever I can to help. I'll go see the old guys if you want.
Alliance Leader: The "old guys"?
Alliance Leader 2: I don't understand. I always thought the sages were priestesses.
Makoto(falsetto): Ah yeah, well, I forgot. Silly me. It's been such a long time between visits.
Alliance Leader: A long time?
Alliance Leader 2: Your Majesty, do you mean to say that you've already been to Mount Muldoon?
Makoto(falsetto): Uh, uh...

"I'll never dream about women again." - Makoto, after slumping on his bed.

THE STUFF YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Jinnai and Fujisawa mention a "Hayashi from the Science Fiction club". This is a reference to the director, Hiroki Hayashi.

The same production staff that created Tenchi Muyo! creates the character designs.

Apparently, Jinnai's election posters read "Vote for me or burn in hell!" in Japanese. [Source: Makoto's Music page.]

After taping over the ruin site, a girl gives Fujisawa the finger.