Deltora Quest: The Complete Series

Storybooks by Emily Rodda inspired this 2007-08 high-fantasy TV anime saga, which is Tolkien-esque in both its breadth and better moments, and Marvel Comics-like in its weaker ones (an Incredible Hulk imitation is pretty painful). The land of Deltora has been taken over by the demonic Shadow Lord, whose minions usurped a weak king and scattered the only relic capable of Shadow Lord-busting—namely, a metal belt fitted with seven gems, representing the land's seven principle human (and semi-human) tribes. Adolescent rebel Lief, accompanied by a stalwart member of the former royal guards, sets out to laboriously recover the gems, which are hidden in the realm's most dangerous places and guarded by monsters (who are 3D-CGI, as opposed to the flat animation style of the rest of the series). The adventures here pull from mythology and often weave in clever logic puzzles and problem-solving riddles, although at times the heroes seem amazingly oblivious and gullible. On balance, however, this is an ambitious entry that should appeal to ‘tweens. Presenting all 52 episodes in an English-dubbed set, suitable for 10-up, extras include a character sketch gallery. Recommended. (C. Cassady)