I was looking into getting this but i'm confused as to the order the series goes in.
Any help?
El Hazard is like Tenchi, it is all kinds of f***ed up.
First are the "Magnificent World" Ova's 1 and 2. And in my opinion, these are the only ones you should buy. It is a beautiful and engaging anime. However, after the OVAs, things get ugly.
Continuity-wise, next comes the "Alternative World". This is actually the second TV series, however it picks up loosely where the Ova's left off. There are some inconsistencies in the storyline however. The Alternative World is pure crap. The storyline is lackluster and generally confusing. Some characters are completely forgotten about in mid-series.
Lastly you have "The Wanderers". This was the first TV series, and it retells the first OVA in a cleaner and more kid-friendly manner (no lesbians, cross dressing or pedophiles). Some people will argue that TV is the best of the three runs. However, if you do not mind the raciness of the OVA's, they are vastly superior.
Word of warning. The FX "Magnificent World" set is pretty grainy. If you have money to waste, I suggest shelling it out for grossly overpriced R1 set. It's a beautiful series, and the pixilation is quite bad on the FX set. However, if you do not have the cash, I suggest the FX set, because the OVA's are a anime must-own pixilation or not.
Thanks for the reply. I actually went ahead and went with Lain this time. I'll keep what you said in mind for the future tho.
Thanks.
ps. Is the mac version of el hazard any better the the fx version?