As the title implies, the series is about Junpei et al's search for the elves that have the spell fragments imprinted on their skin. The only drawback is that in order to track down these elusive fragments, the trio must hunt down all the elves in the land and somehow get them all naked. Assisted by Celcia, who is stuck in the form of a dog until all five fragments are gathered, and some additions to the crew along the way, the three heroes quickly earn a bad reputation as "Those Who Hunt Elves." Although the viewer should probably sympathize with the poor elves being stripped all over the country, there's something funny to be said about elves floating down the river naked amongst boxes of curry, an image that shows up near the end of the first volume. As implied by the subject matter involved, Those Who Hunt Elves is a humorous series packed with action, slapstick, and a story line that is surprisingly more engaging than it sounds.

Containing the first six episodes of the series, the first DVD volume of Those Who Hunt Elves that is being released by ADV is an attractive bargain for people who want to see the series without buying it two episodes at a time, as on the VHS volumes. Included with the episodes is a gallery of character sketches, which is a great bonus for fans that are interested in the production art of the series. With line sketches of all the main characters, including some of the random objects and critters in the few episodes, the sketch gallery is definitely a great addition to the DVD. Another extra on the disc is the opening sequence devoid of credits, which allows one to view the intro in its original form without having to look at the English title in that odd font that ADV chose.

An interesting touch is the tri-lingual format of the disc, which includes the original Japanese track, as well as English and Spanish dubs. As for the English subtitles, ADV did a wonderful job with the series, nailing every nuance uttered by the characters to the word and second. The Japanese voice actors also did an excellent job, as is the expectation for their industry, portraying a wide range of emotions effectively. Alas, I don't know enough Spanish to order a taco, so I can't comment on the Spanish dub, but it's generous of ADV to give Spanish-speakers the opportunity to watch this series. Regarding the English dub, well, the actors did a splendid job. Although I'm not generally fond of dubs, this one was pretty good, with the actors expressing their characters' emotions with talent and flair. The script that they were reading off of, however, was definitely not something that I would recommend.

ADV seems to have a penchant for letting characters talk where there's silence on the Japanese track, which is something that I have trouble understanding. Also, the script was written in such a way that sometimes it completely changed the meaning of the original lines, often for the worse. Not only did this detract from some subtle plot foreshadowing and details, but it also dramatized certain scenes when all that was intended was light-hearted humor. On top of that, the writers felt the need to insert unnecessary cursing where there was none originally. Under no circumstances would the line "You b*tch!" be an adequate substitute for "Hey, where are you going?" During the worst instances, the characters would be uttering phrases that would completely contrast with the events that were going on around them. Not to mention, the timing was so off at times that a phrase would be uttered and the scene in which the action is illustrated wouldn't appear until seconds later. If the actors had been given a better script to work with, the English dub would have been infinitely better. As it is, stay as far away from it as possible.

On the positive side, two thumbs up for the accompanying music. The themes were jocular and perky, and I had a hard time restraining myself from dancing around the room. While the instrumentals aren't anything spectacular, they nevertheless carry the same light-hearted tone and match the mood of the series well. Although the music didn't quite inspire me to jump up and import the CD, it was still immensely enjoyable. It's a nice break for those who are tired of hearing the heavy, angst-driven ensembles that are becoming the trend for many modern series.

All in all, Those Who Hunt Elves is a fun DVD that's worth checking into. Whether you're in the mood for martial arts action, fantasy, or comedy, the first volume provides six episodes of good times that are sure to alleviate any problems you might be having. The content is hilarious in a O'Connoresque twisted way, and is guaranteed to at least make you smile. While it may not be the world's next masterpiece, or even a classic-in-waiting, Those Who Hunt Elves is a jaunty series that is hard not to enjoy. If you're looking for a provocative, dramatic series that gives insight into the plight of society or the human soul, this is definitely not the DVD for you. If you're looking for a fun way to pass the time, however, then by all means, pick it up. Stripping elves is funnier than it sounds.