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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
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