Those Who Hunt Elves (1996)
A comedic isekai anime about three Japanese strangers stranded in a fantasy world, hunting for spell fragments hidden on elves to find their way home.
Those Who Hunt Elves - Series Information
- Original Title: エルフを狩るモノたち
- First Air Year: 1996
- Last Air Year: 1997
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (25 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Number of Episodes: 24
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- First Air Date: October 4, 1996 (Australia - PG)
- Networks: TV Tokyo
- Alternative Titles: Elf wo Karu Mono-tachi (JP)
- Production Companies: AMUSE, Group TAC
- Production Countries: Japan
Those Who Hunt Elves - Plot
Martial Artist Junpei, actress Airi, and artillery-obsessed student Ritsuko all find themselves transported from Japan to a magical world. When the elven priestess Celcia casts the spell to send them home, she is interrupted, and the spell is broken into parts that scatter throughout the world. The spell fragments imprint themselves onto the bodies of various female elves so the trio must travel in search of them.
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Those Who Hunt Elves - Cast & Crew
Main Cast
- Tomoko Kawakami
- Motomu Kiyokawa
- Tomokazu Seki
- Michie Tomizawa
- Kotono Mitsuishi
- Yuko Miyamura
- Eriko Kawasaki
- Chafurin
- Takehito Koyasu
- Fujiko Takimoto
Writers
- Masaharu Amiya
- Yasunori Yamada
- Masashi Kubota
- Sumio Uetake
Those Who Hunt Elves - FAQs
What is Those Who Hunt Elves about?
Three modern Japanese strangers — a martial artist, an actress, and a gun-obsessed student — are transported to a magical fantasy world. After a spell meant to send them home is shattered, its fragments scatter onto the bodies of various female elves, sending the trio on a comedic and action-packed quest to retrieve them.
Is Those Who Hunt Elves based on a manga?
Yes, the anime adapts a manga series by Yû Yagami, originally serialized in Monthly Shōnen Gangan. The manga blends isekai fantasy with slapstick comedy, and the anime adaptation closely follows its irreverent tone, bringing the misadventures of Junpei, Airi, and Ritsuko to life across two seasons.
How many seasons and episodes does Those Who Hunt Elves have?
The series ran for two seasons, each containing 12 episodes, for a total of 24 episodes. Season 1 aired in 1996 and Season 2 followed in 1997, both broadcast on TV Tokyo. Each episode runs approximately 25 minutes, making it an easy binge for fans of classic 1990s anime.
Where can you watch Those Who Hunt Elves?
Streaming availability for Those Who Hunt Elves varies by region and may be limited given its age as a mid-1990s title. Check JustWatch for the most up-to-date viewing options in your country, including any streaming, rental, or purchase platforms currently carrying the series.
Who are the main voice actors in Those Who Hunt Elves?
The principal cast features Tomokazu Seki as the hot-headed martial artist Junpei, Michie Tomizawa as the composed actress Airi, and Yuko Miyamura as the artillery-obsessed Ritsuko. Kotono Mitsuishi voices the elven priestess Celsia, whose botched spell sets the entire adventure in motion.
What makes Those Who Hunt Elves unique among 1990s isekai anime?
Rather than the typical lone hero narrative, Those Who Hunt Elves drops three very different personalities into a fantasy world together — and arms them with a tank. The series leans hard into absurdist comedy, subverting isekai conventions with outrageous situations and a refreshingly self-aware sense of humor rare for its era.
What genre is Those Who Hunt Elves?
Those Who Hunt Elves blends animation, action, adventure, and fantasy genres with a strong comedic undercurrent. It belongs to the isekai subgenre — stories about characters transported to another world — and pairs that fantasy framework with slapstick humor and parody elements that keep the tone consistently lighthearted.
What anime series are similar to Those Who Hunt Elves?
Fans of Those Who Hunt Elves often enjoy Slayers (1995) and Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight (1998) for their fantasy adventure blend. The Twelve Kingdoms (2002) and InuYasha (2000) offer deeper world-building in a similar isekai vein, while Ranma ½ (1989) shares the same irreverent comedic spirit.
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