The show is about a young man, Jing, who apparently has extraordinary abilities in the stealing business. He roams a medieval time period full of dragons, magical creatures, and other assorted characters, with a weird bird sidekick, Kir, that not only talks but chases cute women as well. When Jing gets into a fight against powerful enemies, Kir turns into a weapon that shoots fireballs after he attaches to Jings' arm. Most of the time though, Jing is able to fend off the various challenges that come his way using his sharp wit and keen mind which is why he has earned the title "King of the Bandits".

Episode 1: The Capital Of Thieves:
Jing enters the city known as the capital of thieves in order to steal a priceless treasure known as the Double Mermaid. After years of trying, the local thieves have lost their loot to the Mayor, for when they attempt to steal the treasure, they are inevitably caught short and drained of all their valuables. Jing has a plan and after he deals with some local bumpkins, he'll show everyone exactly why he's the best there is in the stealing business. The thing is, what is the treasure, why does everyone want it, and what will happen when it's liberated from the Mayor's vault?

Episode 2: The Ghost Ship Of Blue Hawaii:
Jing and his pal Kir move onto another town, Blue Hawaii. This time, he's enlisted to solve what amounts to a mystery-a ghost ship is putting the townsfolk under a spell, much to the dismay of the locals. Can Jing figure out what's going on and stop the menace? If he does, will he get paid enough to cover his costs? Find out on your own.

Episode 3 & 4: The Adonis Capital of Time (part 1 & 2):
In these two episodes, Jing and Kir enter a city where time itself can be captured. Unfortunately, the ruler of the city has plans for the duo and they get caught up in a plan to break his hold on the city. Can all their power and cunning win out against a foe that can literally stop time and anticipate their every move?

Okay, this was a bit quirky but I liked it, a lot. It had humor along with the fantastic settings that allow the producers to essentially let Jing and Kir do anything they please without the limitations imposed by the usual boundaries of most series. Magic, science, and a sense of humor all combine to make this a series I'll be keeping an eye on. With the first 4 episodes looking pretty good and showing some potential, I'm rating this one as Recommended.

Picture: The picture was presented in 1.33:1 ratio full frame as originally produced in Japan. The colors were bright and vibrant and the anime style was reasonably complex (unlike some cheap shows that cut costs and really, really look it).

Sound: The sound was presented with an option of either Dolby Digital stereo in Japanese with English subtitles or 5.1 English with optional song subtitles. Both were very clear and crisp with no problems noticed.

Extras: The extras were limited to some trailers, a bit of original artwork, a clean open and close and a paper insert that lists the chapters.

Final Thoughts: It's good to see ADV taking some chances with series that aren't well known. In their quest to rule the world of anime, they have released a lot of great titles and this one will complement them quite nicely. High production values, a show that makes good use of characters, and something a bit more original than fighting robots, King Of Bandits Jing looks to be a winner.