Fencer of Minerva DVD

Princess Diana of Doria has lived her whole life in the shadow of a secret: ten years ago she watched her father Randis murder King Baasen and seize the throne, and she watched Baasen's young son Sho fall from the mesa trying to escape. She assumed him dead. She was wrong. Diana flees an arranged marriage and is immediately captured by slave traders — stripped of her royal status and sold into bondage in a harsh fantasy world where such things are entirely legal and thoroughly enforced. Her new master turns out to be Sho himself, now grown and operating under an assumed identity, building a power base to reclaim what was taken from his family. He recognizes her. She recognizes him. The politics of their situation — enemy houses, stolen throne, mutual attraction sharpened by years of distance and the specific power dynamic of slave and master — form the emotional core of a story that travels through desert kingdoms, political conspiracies, assassination plots, and the slow, complicated question of what they mean to each other.

Fencer of Minerva is a five-episode OVA produced by BEAM Entertainment and animated by J.C. Staff, released in Japan in 1994–1995. The series draws consciously from John Norman's Gor novels in its world-building and themes — a sword-and-sorcery setting built around slavery, dominance, and political intrigue — and occupies the borderline category between mature fantasy adventure and adult content, released in North America under Central Park Media's Anime 18 adult label. The English dub was produced by Audioworks Producers Group in New York. Released in North America on two DVD volumes — The Emergence (eps 1–3) and The Tempest (eps 4–5) — originally by Central Park Media's Anime 18 label in 2001, then reissued by US Manga Corps on April 26, 2005.

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Osamu Sekita
Original Story: Dr. Pochi
Character Design: Takashi Wada
Studio: BEAM Entertainment / J.C. Staff (animation production)

Japanese Cast:
- Arisa And as Princess Diana
- Tadayoshi Kusaka as Sho
- Takahiro Okao as Imil
- Sukehiro Tomita as Hellman

English Dub Cast (Central Park Media / Audioworks Producers Group — New York):
- Tara Jayne as Princess Diana (Elf Princess Rane, Maze OVA, Night on the Galactic Railroad, Captain Tylor OVA, Ping Pong Club)
- Mark Percy as Sho
- Tristan Goddard as Dunan / Seneca (Descendants of Darkness, Maze OVA, Ping Pong Club)
- Debora Rabbai as Shierra (Maze OVA, Birdy the Mighty)
- George Trahanis as Imil
- David Logan Rankin as additional cast (DNA²)

DVD Features (2-Volume Set)

- Vol. 1 — The Emergence (Episodes 1–3): Art Gallery, Original Japanese Trailer, Meet the Characters, Interactive Menus
- Vol. 2 — The Tempest (Episodes 4–5): Art Gallery, Interactive Menus
- Central Park Media / US Manga Corps Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: ミネルバの剣士 (Minerva no Kenshi / Fencer of Minerva)
Runtime: ~225 Minutes (Complete OVA, 5 Episodes, 2 DVD Volumes)
Director: Osamu Sekita
DVD Release Year: 2001 (Anime 18 original release) / 2005 (US Manga Corps reissue, April 26)
Original Release Date (Japan): 1994–1995
Publisher: Central Park Media (Anime 18 / US Manga Corps)
Rating: 18+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Note: Released under Central Park Media's adult Anime 18 label. Contains nudity and adult situations. All depicted characters are aged 19 or older per publisher's advisory.
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Adult
Themes: Sword and Sorcery, Royal Slave, Political Intrigue, John Norman Gor Aesthetic, Enemy Houses Romance

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.