Ruin Explorers

It’s that same ol’ story back in the 90’s. You know when they do a show on fantasy and magic, sword and sorcery, it always has to be one that fights against a villain that is hell bent on taking over the world, right? Well, I won’t say it is the same for Ruin Explorers AKA Hikyou Tanken Fam & Ihrie but that kind of similar vibe is still there. A pair of explorers racing against time to find artefacts to get some ultimate power before it falls into the wrong hands. Yeah, what could go wrong? Yeah, it’s the 90’s. Back to more retro anime adventuring for me, that is.

Episode 1
As narrated, men was once at the peak of their civilization until war broke out over magic energy sources. After the war the destroyed the entire world, survivors slowly rebuilt their civilization. As there were countless magic and fortunes buried in ruins of the old civilization, hence adventurers called Ruin Explorers search for remnants of the bygone era. Ihrie and Fam are such adventurers as they are exploring a ruin. However thanks to Fam’s clumsiness, they get into a lot of traps. A LOT! They couldn’t get much artefact but hey, getting out alive in one piece is an achievement, no? Heading back to town, they try to trade their treasure for a night’s stay at the inn but the innkeeper views it as not enough. A travelling merchant named Galuff offers to pay for them if they are willing to sell those artefacts to him. As they sleep comfortably in their room, Ihrie has a dream whereby her master put a curse on her for being a mischief troublemaker. Next morning as they eat breakfast, Galuff once again talks to them. Although claiming he has no ulterior motives, he continues to tell of this Ultimate Power. Legend has it that 500 when Ludark was at its peak, King Orcus suddenly lost his wife, Lilliana. War then broke out but Orcus discovered some power that restored Ludark to its former prosperity. In order to control that power, Orcus practised a ceremony alone in some tower every day. But this drove him crazy and into despair and eventually sealing himself off with the power inside. Now, Galuff has the map of its interior and thought if someone could make good use of it. Ihrie seems interested and buys it with whatever money she has. Together with Fam they head there and as expected, get into more traps but survive! Blaming the map didn’t tell them about traps?!

Finally they enter a room where knight golems are protecting. They ask for a password but since Ihrie answered wrongly, attack! The duo soon find out they have been tricked as they were being used by Galuff to guide the way and ‘disable’ the traps. He has joined forces with another pair of adventurers, Rasha and Migel. They steal their idol and head into the main room while trapping the duo outside. When they place the idol on the altar, a projection of Lilliana pops up. However she claims she does not have Ultimate Power and was merely supporting her husband. As for the legend, that said power must be gained from 3 enchanted items: Sword of Sargus, Mirror of Truth and Proof of Royalty (this idol). Orcus called upon these for power and by placing 1 of those items here, under the pretence he came for it, was just here to visit her. The trio feel their efforts has been wasted but as they leave, Ihrie and Fam have got control of a golem and are hell bent on revenge. Although they put up a fight, they still lose. Outside, Rasha and Migel get duped by Galuff as he puts a sleeping spell on them as he runs off with the idol. Luckily Fam and Ihrie see the swindler running away as Fam uses her magic to bring him down. He tries to beg for mercy but Ihrie isn’t going to believe his lies. She takes back the idol and her money. Now the duo have a new mission to find the other artefacts as Fam is happy they can adventure more together.

Episode 2
As Fam is still not good in her magic, Ihrie trains her. Because she is so harsh that Fam is being slow, Fam decides to leave. Well, be my guest. Soon, Fam stumbles into a guy lost in the forest after being sold a fake map (I think we all know who), Lyle and ends up partying with him. In the next town, Ihrie sees Galuff trying to swindle others. She captures him and needs a favour. However she is hungry and with no money, is forced to work as a waitress in a bar. Guess who is in the table she is serving first? Why, it’s Rasha and Migel! Soon a fight breaks out. The owner tries to protect Ihrie but ends up in a fist fight with Migel. Rasha is hot on Ihrie’s tail. Ihrie is forced to use her magic. While this also breaks up the fist fight, we learn that each time Ihrie uses her magic, she turns into a mouse! Rasha gets scared and runs away. Ihrie then sees Galuff rummaging through her stuffs but luckily she turns back in time to catch him in the act. Trying to help reorganize, eh? Galuff seems to know where the next artefact is and it is in the underground city of Salehim. She has him guide there while Rasha and Migel are tailing them. Looks like Fam and Lyle are also inside Salehim. Fam is amazed this place has lots of spirits (which are essential for her to do magic). Lyle talks about this place how the people rebelled against the tyrant and in an attempt to settle everything quickly, Ultimate Power was used and hence Salehim was decimated in seconds. He laments the loss of this once prosperous city as he advises Fam to make amends with Ihrie. Suddenly they are attacked by monsters. Lyle knows they are puppets controlled by magic and knows the one behind this.

This time Rasha activates a trap and sends everyone crashing and reuniting. They fight the puppets but it seems their swords are useless as they can revive. Ihrie apologizes to Fam for being harsh on her magic training. But Fam is too late to use her magic as Rasha hogs the spotlight. Too bad she went overboard and cracks the ground, sending everyone crashing to the bottom. Don’t worry, they’re alive. But WTF Rasha and Fam trying to fight over Lyle? I know he is a handsome and nice guy but can we move on? They enter the room where the Sword of Sargus sits. Before them is the mastermind of it all. He is Rugudorull as he exposes Lyle as a prince. Lyle admits that and accuses him of killing his father the king and destroyed his nation of Rehbart. He then blames this archbishop for betraying everyone because he was supposed to mediate peace but got blinded by greed and ambition for conquest. Lyle fights him but is no match and gets injured. Rugudorull finds them amusing and will give this sword to them in hopes they can meet again next time. After he escapes, the rest try to do an Arthur and Excalibur and pull the sword out but it zaps them. It seems because they have temptation so they cannot draw it. Fam tries and suddenly she hears the spirit of the sword talking to her. It likes her because she is not greedy and will assist her. When Fam returns, the sword then becomes Lyle’s owner. This is because Fam asked it to assist him. Rasha trying to lap up to the prince now, huh? As they exit the ruins, everyone agrees to join force on a journey to get Ultimate Power.

Episode 3
The gang are hitching a ride on a sailor’s ship to an island where the Mirror of Truth is supposedly located. Galuff trying to bluff the sailors with his tales (not that they’re buying it) while Rasha and Fam quarrel over making dinner for their prince. In the meantime, Lyle talks to Ihrie and tells her about his nice kingdom. A place of peace. Everyone was happy and of course Lyle fell in love with a girl. But Lyle soon had to travel as part of his princely duties to expand his horizon. During that time, Rugudorull seized power and decimated the kingdom, even killing his loved one. By the time Lyle returned, his kingdom was in ashes. He then saw a subject of his alive. He is only so because Rugudorull let him live to tell what is happening. After that he perished. Hence it became Lyle’s mission to stop Rugudorull before he obtained Ultimate Power. However he isn’t sure why he wanted that power despite being a successful archbishop. Perhaps the magic drove him insane, the reason his father kept it sealed in the depths of the castle in the first place. Sorry to interrupt this storytelling as Fam and Rasha get jealous thinking Ihrie was trying to take Lyle from them under their noses since she is happily talking to him alone. Then they usher him for dinner. Looks marvellous but Galuff’s dog almost choked on its spiciness? Rasha soon realizes Fam tried to sabotage her perfect cooking. Don’t worry, nobody dies or gets food poisoning after that.

Next day, Ihrie pleads to Migel to teach her and Lyle swordsmanship to fight against Rugudorull. She also hopes Rasha can teach Fam some magic. Because Lyle also pleads the same, Rasha would gladly do that and forces uninterested Migel to participate. We can see Ihrie’s skill so lacking since she loses so easily. Migel has her fight the sailors instead but they’re uninterested in fighting a tomboy. She gets mad and starts swinging her sword. Galuff is forced to do other duties like cleaning and cooking. Can’t have this old geezer slacking off, right? Not sure after how long, Ihrie finally defeats Migel. Suddenly the sea freezes over. Yup, it’s Rugudorull and looks like he already got the Mirror of Truth. Too bad you slowpokes! He starts attacking them as our heroes try to counterattack. Migel thought he had cut through him but obviously he regenerates. Ihrie uses her magic that is similar to his to let Rugudorull have a taste of his own medicine. Yeah, he never felt such pain before so he is going to return the favour by inviting them to his castle where they will all die! He steals the sword and the idol and vanishes. Gee, why not just finish them off here now since they’re so weakened?! With Ihrie in mouse form, the truth is out. But the bigger issue is that Fam feels betrayed the sword went to Rugudorull and did not help Lyle. However Ihrie looks at it from another point of view. Rugudorull might have taken the sword but its spirit is still with them. In that sense, he has not truly become the sword’s owner. With that, everyone is motivated for the final showdown.

Episode 4
When the spirits won’t respond to Rugudorull, he gets upset. Even more so when they call him weak. Not sure how Ihrie and co arrive on land. Yeah, the ship was badly destroyed the last time. Oh well. Whatever. Lyle wakes up from a nightmare he failed to save Meria his fiancée. He regrets it and Fam feels sad for him. The gang then venture into a ruined church and see some stone that magicians embed their oath in it. Yes, allowing us to see Rugudorull’s past. When he was an archbishop, he visited the other parts of the land and found there were poverty and sick people all over. He became despair he couldn’t do anything. That’s why he sought that forbidden power to change everything but the power consumed him instead. Ihrie remembers this stone as she too had one when she was granted magic, the reason why her magic is similar to Rugudorull. But unfortunately for Rugudorull, despite his earnest wish to help the people, that pureness led to tragedy. Even so, Lyle cannot forgive the atrocities he had done to his people. He thinks this is his personal fight but I guess the rest too have a bone to pick with him. Yes, we’re already in this ride together so we’re going all the way. The gang storm into the dilapidated castle as Rugudorull sends his puppets to attack them. Galuff of course has no fighting skill so he does what he does best by sneaking around to find any treasures. An armoury chamber. Still treasure to him. Migel decides to become a hero as he stays back to fight the puppets so that others can go ahead to face the big boss. Well, it is proven his sword can do no damage to him. After a while, Migel thought he is going to die since his sword broke and the wave is relentless. Galuff throws him a lifeline since he raided the armoury and has some weapons to spare. For once he did something good.

Facing off with Rugudorull, he throws the artefacts back to them. He claims he just collected them for fun. Just like how he is going to fight them. Is he sore because they won’t respond to his wishes? Rasha gets taken out after trying to use her magic. Fam tries to go next but Ihrie has a plan. Using the same magic as Rugudorull, they let their giant familiars fight each other. During that, Lyle charges up and strikes him down. Rugudorull is still standing but it seems his mind is conflicted as he is caught between the desire to save the people or obtain greater power. Lyle is defeated since he cannot draw Sargus’ true power. Fam feels sad she cannot help him and that she cannot hear the spirits anymore. Don’t look now because the spirits are reacting to her. As Lyle struggles against Rugudorull, he pleads to Sargus for power but is told that doing so will drive him insane like Rugudorull. Meria’s spirit materializes before him. Fam claims the spirits are taking on the form of his memories to help him fight. But Lyle cuts her down! However this allows Sargus to give him the true power and a power so badass enough to disintegrate Rugudorull to bits! OMFG! This is so because Sargus explains about casting aside all your desires, anxieties, hatred and everything. Only so can the true power be drawn out. This is the path that lonely kings tread. Lyle says goodbye to Meria and everyone else survives the night. In the aftermath, Lyle believes Sargus didn’t respond to Rugudorull’s wish is because his heart wasn’t’ completely tainted with evil. Spirits are not concerned whether you are good or bad. As long as you are pure, they will respond to you. Since Rugudorull still had some desire to save the people, this is why in this sense he isn’t pure. Hence it is his own heart’s weakness that destroyed him. Lyle decides to rebuild his kingdom even if it takes a long time. That’s his duty as a prince. Oh, so Fam not joining him? Yeah, an emotional goodbye because I guess it’s better for her to be an adventurer as she returns to Ihrie. I wonder how Lyle is going to rebuild his kingdom since all his people got killed. Oh wait. Where those poverty stricken people pop out from?! Okay. These will do for a start.

Ruined Explorers But World Saviours
It is a shame that this didn’t get more episodes but I suppose it is best that this series is left like that. After all, this could be the entire story itself as this series was based on a very short manga of the same title. Yeah, it only had 2 volumes! Perhaps it was just some one shot or one off idea as the author tried to experiment with the story and characters. He probably didn’t have favourable views after that so he just ended it as it is. It’s a shame because it seemed like it had quite the potential and development. But alas it is only easy for us to say because you know how hard it is for an author to create and come up with concepts and all. So for better or worse, this is all we’ve got so be grateful for it.

So yeah, with only 4 episodes to boot, there is nothing much to flesh out and everything gets straight to the point. Whatever side stories or explanations were just something minor to help give some sort of disclosure. For instance, the magician’s stone oath is just to provide some flimsy explanation why Ihrie has the same magic with Rugudorull. That is all. Nothing else far beyond that. So if you are interested to learn more about the world’s setting and all, you’d be disappointed since everything here is just scratching the surface.

Hence we are told the setting right from the start about the job of a Ruin Explorer but then the story soon turns into one of that saving the world. Nothing to do with exploring ruins or going tomb raiding at all. Yeah, they tricked us with the title… Should this series take that route, I am predicting it will be like standalone episodes that are independent of each other. Fam and Ihrie getting into a lot of misadventures while they explore many ruins and barely escaping by the skin of their teeth. But instead we have a very old fashioned and straightforward and predictable plot of good versus evil. Fam and Ihrie turning into some sort of heroes and helping a prince get his revenge. In fact if you binge watch all the episodes in one sitting (like yours truly), it definitely feels like watching a 2 hour movie! Sheesh…

This means that it is also unfortunate that there isn’t much character development and especially the titular characters. It would have been interesting to see how the pair meet, why Fam sucks at magic or that curious flashback of how Ihrie got cursed by her master to become a mouse! And how does she turn back? Oh don’t worry. Some pill medicine. How or who made that? Dunno. Looks like she has not much left. Oh who cares, right? Yeah. That. But like I have said, they just tell us what is only needed for us to get along with the plot and nothing else. So you will have to draw your own conclusions and (dumb) theories about them if you’re really every so interested or have too much time on your hands.

So for our titular characters Fam and Ihrie, it is also unfortunate that I don’t really see them being close enough as a team. Because well, Fam is more like a clumsy girl and a bit of a retard since she is weak in her magic while Ihrie acts a lot like a tomboy. They get into a fight once in a while but being the straightforward series this is, they will eventually patch up. Oddly I have this feeling that the series is centred around Lyle but it is not surprising since the plot revolves around him too. Making this weird sentiment of thrusting Fam and Ihrie into secondary characters? Rasha and Migel being a livelier pair than Fam and Ihrie and I suppose this partly helped spice things up as Rasha is more bold and outspoken and while Migel seems disinterested in stuffs and is only being dragged into it because Rasha said so, not sure if it is his running joke because he likes to exaggerate how great he is by defeating hundreds of thousands of enemies but it’s all just a bluff. But still somehow a better swordsman than Ihrie. Yeah, I’m confused if Ihrie is a swordswoman or magician or both. I surmise she has to be a swordswoman because of her curse if she relies on magic.

They trying to troll us with Rasha and Fam trying to get his heart but this is only for comical effect than anything serious. Because in the end, is Rasha not interested to be his queen? Yeah, no fun building the kingdom. Probably she’ll just drop by and be his queen once everything is rebuilt! For now she continues to adventure with Migel. More fun this way. Good thing Lyle is loyal to Meria even though he made his peace with her but you can’t make the dead as your queen. Oh well, that’s another story for another time.

Then there is this shrewd character, Galuff. Ah, this opportunistic guy will not hesitate to backstab you if he can profit and get away from it. Fortunately, karma is a b*tch. You can call him a snake as he changes his face and tone whenever the tide is against him in a matter of seconds. Even trying to lap up to you. But that is not all that bad since this is his survival skill. Swindling might be bad but it’s your dumbass fault for believing in him, right?! Of course he isn’t totally bad and does some good. That of course is rare. The other amusing thing is his pet dog. I believe it is the series pet mascot (honestly, Ihrie in mouse form feels more pet mascot than this) but I see this uncanny resemblance of this duo as a discount version of Dastardly and Muttley! OMFG! Even a moment there I spotted the dog closely sniggering like Muttley’s trademark! Makes me wonder if they are based on this infamous classic cartoon duo.

Finally Goo Goo Doll Rugudorull feels forced as the main antagonist and was written so that the series would have some sort of reason to exist. AKA the plot. It boggles my mind that he is obviously way more powerful than all our heroes put together and yet he doesn’t kill them off and instead give them a chance. Maybe he is bored and wants some sort of entertainment, huh? Or maybe he just wants somebody to stop him seeing he still has remnants of good in him but it’s so miniscule it is negligible. Of course to prevent him from being 100% one dimensional evil character, hence that short flashback as the reason why he turned to the dark side. But still, that doesn’t clear him of his sins. This just gives us something to think about but not too deeply about it because this series is simple so don’t need more confusing twisted plot over plot for that. He is just a bad guy who had experienced some tragedy but wasn’t strong enough to overcome it and in the like all cliché scripts say, he dies. Period. That’s how it should be, right? Either you have such character as simple but cliché or deep but confusing. You can’t have both.

Art and animation reeks 90’s era style. Despite looking very dated, I would say compared to today’s standard of most animes, it is still quite good. The character designs are tell-tale signs that the series do indeed came from that era so don’t be too surprised to see shades of 90’s anime like Slayers, Outlaw Star and Mahou Senshi Louie in it. Though, Ihrie really looks androgynous and lives up to her tomboy character while in her mouse form, why does it remind me of those mice in Disney’s classic Cinderella? At first I thought this series was going to have some bare tits nudity fanservice. However the short scene of Ihrie bathing in an early scene of the first episode is the only such scene. Too bad if you want to see more because there is none of that ever again.

Voice acting, I only recognized Kikuko Inoue making her cameo as Lilliana. The rest not so although some veterans like Michiko Neya as Ihrie, Hekiru Shiina as Fam, Hikaru Midorikawa as Lyle, Rica Matsumoto as Rica and Kouichi Yamadera are still in the voice acting industry today while those like Iemasa Kyumi as Rugudorull and Chikao Otsuka as Galuff have long passed on. RIP you guys. The opening theme is Magical beat by Rica Matsumoto. Typical 90’s style lively anime pop. Sounds okay to me although I find her voice slightly not fitting in some parts of the song. Like as though she’s a bit out of tune. Dear Myself by Kumi Konno as the ending theme sounds a bit weird. Not sure how to explain it as there are some parts of this slow, relaxing and simple song sound weird (is it the tune of verses sound flatly the same?). Hear it and tell me.

Overall, this series had some potential but despite being far from perfect, this is still quite an enjoyable little retro OVA. If you love some old fashioned and simple fantasy genre anime, you can add this to your list. So am I a Ruin Explorer like them because I seem to have this habit of mine to once in a while to go dig and scour the internet for some hidden retro anime gems. Some are a miss and some totally worth it. In today’s world of anime where it doesn’t seem a lot more fun than before and with sequels and remakes everywhere, sometimes doing this kind of treasure hunting can be a lot more fun. The irony that such retro series bring a lot more joy than contemporary ones. Too bad they are finite and one day I will run out and have watched them all. Then will contemporary ones become the classics? Who knows? But I know I will have more fun unearthing and watching these hidden gems for now. Yeah, saving the anime world (and keeping my anime passion alive) by going back to watch the retro.