Shadow Skill

Shadow Skill (影技 SHADOW SKILL) is a manga series with anime adaptations, produced by Studio Deen and aired on Japanese Television in 1998 and has been released in the United States by ADV Films in 2005. The series is based on the manga by Megumu Okada. Shadow Skill is a shōnen series which features Styles of combat, such as martial arts. In addition to having a 26 episode television series  three separate OVAs were made which have been released in the United States by Manga Entertainment. The television series, which has a different storyline to that of the OVAs, is distributed by ADV Films.

Plot
Shadow Skill takes place in the warrior kingdom of Kuruda, where the main character Elle Regu has recently become the 59th Sevaar, a title awarded to their most elite warriors. She often leaves a trail of destruction when she fights and along with a drinking habit, Elle is constantly followed by debts. Elle travels along with her adopted younger brother Gau Ban, who is studying Elle's fighting skills so that one day he could become the greatest Sevaar in Kuruda. Also in Elle and Gau's life is Faurink Maya (Faury), a Sui Rame talisman sorceress, and Kyuo Lyu, a Septia beast-catcher and grandniece of Eva Stroll, the king of Kuruda.

Warriors in Kuruda fight using the Kuruda-style Kōsappō (交殺法, lit. "combining kill methods", ADV "Annihilation techniques") which has two general divisions: Hyōgi (表技, "open skills" or "bright skills"), which emphasize punches and throws, and Eigi (影技, "shadow skills"), which focus on kicks and the user's footwork.

Media
Shadow Skill manga was originally created 1992 by Megumu Okada. In 1995 it was adapted as a one-shot OVA series then in 1996 followed up by a three-episode OVA sequel. In 1998 the OVAs were remade as a 26-episode television series called Shadow Skill - Egi (影技～えいぎ).

Reception
Anime News Network praised the series' Japanese and English voice acting, saying they did a good job capturing the light-hearted tone of the series. However, they felt the series stuck to the conventions of the martial arts genre with the plot focusing on fight scenes and the elaborate named moves being shouted aloud as they "powered up". As such, they though that Shadow Skill appeals primarily to fans of the genre, but it was unlikely to appeal to viewers outside that fanbase. .