[Anime Video Archive]

Release Info

Released in 1992. Animation by Anime-Aru.

Series Plot Summary

Several hundred years after Anthrasax destroyed modern civilization, a group of four lords plan to set this old god free once again. To prevent this from happening, a former ally of the four is released from his 15-year imprisonment. Dark Schneider, a sorcerer who once tried to conquer the world, now fights to save it.

My Thoughts on the Series

Bastard is a short but high-quality fantasy-themed anime series. The main character, Dark Schneider, is a douche anti-hero. But deep down, he has a big heart. The story shows that as he reconnects with his lost companions. Expect to see some incredible magic used throughout the series! Dark Schneider specializes in fire and lightning magic. Despite the series never being finished, it does have a satisfying climax and ending. If you love fantasy, I highly recommend Bastard.

Original vs. 2022 Remake

Many people are coming to this page thinking it's the new Bastard released in 2022 for Netflix. It's not. There are two Bastard animes: the 1992 version and the 2022 remake. The version on this site is the original 1992 version.

So which one is better? Hands down, the original version is better. It had far better animators and better writing behind it. The 2022 remake has 10 episodes, while the original has 6 episodes. So you would think the 2022 remake fleshes out the story more, but it doesn't.

I suppose the best way to explain what I mean is to compare the battle with the ninja master, Gara. In the original, the animation and production are far more detailed, dramatic, and just so awesome. Even Efreet pops out at one point to protect Dark Schneider. Gara has a flashback that explains his back story and how he met Dark Schneider. In the end, Dark Schneider “dies” - you can't get more dramatic than that!

In the 2022 remake, the battle with Gara is underwhelming in comparison. The battle itself is brief. It's not as dramatic. The animation of Dark Schneider's spells isn't elaborate. Gara doesn't show his flashback and tell his back story. Efreet doesn't make an appearance. Dark Schneider doesn't “die”. Even Dark Schneider's English voice actor doesn't sound like that much of a jerk. As a result, the battle in the 2022 remake felt so empty and unfulfilling compared to the original. And frankly, it was kind of boring. The production company cared more about meeting deadlines than pumping out a quality anime.

Side Note

The subtitled versions of these episodes begin with an opening sequence dubbed in English. Don't worry! The rest of the episodes are in Japanese with English subtitles. I don't know why they did that (it wasn't me).