Tales of the Abyss

NEWS

2005.12.15 RPG game Tales of the Abyss: To Know the Meaning of Birth was released for PS2.
2008.10.04 Anime Tales of the Abyss will start airing.

STORY

2000 years ago on planet Auldran, fighting over the seventh fonon (elementary particles) "The Memory of Star" which holds the memory of the planet from its beginning to its end, a war went on for generations. The longtime chaos brought by this war did not only throw the human world into disorder but also put the planet itself into desolation. From the enormous deformation of the earth's crust, the thin purple miasma spread.

Fortunately, following the prophecy read from the seventh fonon, the genius fonist Yulia Jue sealed the miasma and saved the planet. However, the tremendous achievement of Yulia turned to the beginning of prophecy worship. And people of all Auldran gradually fell into the reign of "Order of Lorelei", a holy order which read and publish prophecy.

Today, divided by the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and the empire of Malkuth, Auldran now sustains a fragile peace. But, lead by the planet prophecy which only known to the Order of Lorelei masters, Auldran would soon fall again to the danger of war.Into such a world, a red-hair baby boy was born in a royal family in Kimlasca kingdom.

He who inherited the power of Lorelei, he who named as the Light of the Sacred Flame, shall bring Kimlasca-Lanvaldear its new prosperity or else...

CHARACTERS

Luke fone Fabre (CV: Chihiro Suzuki / 鈴木千尋)
The hero of this anime. The son of duke Fabre and the younger sister of the king of Kimlasca kingdom. Seven years ago he was kidnapped and lost all his memories before that. He was then confined to the house for safety after been rescued. Generating a resonance of Fonon with the girl who came to attack his swordplay teacher Van, Luke was transferred into the land of Malkuth empire. And from there, the journey started.

Tear Grants (CV: Yukana / ゆかな)
The heroine of this anime. A rare Fonist who can use the seventh fonon. Planning to assassinate Van, she sneaked into Luke's home, generated a resonance of fonon with fonon and been transferred into Malkuth empire. After that, Tear join Luke's journey.

Jade Curtiss (CV: Takehito Koyasu / 子安武人)
The confidant and right-hand man of the Malkuth emperor, resourceful in science and politics. Being a top-ranking Fonist and spear master, his only flaw is said to be the disagreeable personality. Although always smile pleasantly, he treats all partners frankly and enjoys to puzzle them by willful jokes.

Anise Tatlin (CV: Haruko Momoi / 桃井はるこ)
Member of the Knighthood "Shield of Prophecy" under the Order of Lorelei. A cunning girl who likes elder people. Voluntarily joined the order's army three years ago, progressed rapidly as puppeteer, and became a guardian of the order's head fonon master Ion. Using a transformed huge rug puppet in battles.

Guy Cecil (CV: Yasunori Matsumoto / 松本保典 )
Servant of Duke Fabre, best and faithful friend of Luke. Often relied by others for his bright, generous and caring personality. Knowledgable in fonon science, interested in fonon mechanism.

Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear (CV: Michiko Neya / 根谷美智子 )
Princess of Kimlasca kingdom, fiancee of Luke. Always being the first to rescue the people of Kimlasca for her dignified, proud and conscientious personality. Bow master, tend to rely on force.

Mieu (CV: Miki Maruyama / 丸山美紀 )
A child of the Cheagle race which contracted with Yulia. Holding the Sorcerer's Ring, it can speak human language and spit fire. Party's mascot.

STAFF

Original: Bandai Namco Games
Director: Kenji Kodama / こだま兼嗣
Music: Eriko Kimura / 木村絵理子
Studio: Sunrise, Bandai Visual, Bandai Namco Games

LINKS

Official Website: http://www.tv-toa.jp/index.html
Trailer: Anime, Game


ANIME AYA

Another anime adopted from RPG game, and this time a world-saving one. Though never played this one, Aya should say the trailers of both game and anime looks nice. The background is a once humanly destroyed and then humanly rebuilt world, while the theme is to protect or broke the prophecy of the whole planet future. For storyline that's a good start and since the game sold 440,225 copies in its first year in Japan alone (note it's published in December), there should be a quite promising carry out.

The character design is also typical for Japanese fantasy games. Clothing combines royal dress and military fashion; weapons are of all kinds; plus a cute nonhuman mascot. Also for a adventure of teenagers, there is always a elder companion in the group. And since the planet Auldran was designed to have a double revolution time comparing to our world, their one year then approximately equals to our two years. So by this calculation, those characters are actually twice their age in our calendar. But fortunately, the game designers have also decided to give them a half our growing/aging rate and therefore saved this game/anime from leading by some middle-aged and a quite gray-headed. -_-|||

Guess there would be no need for introducing Sunrise and Bandai Visual, all big studios. For the work list of the director, there is "Detective Conan/Case Closed" and "City Hunter". As for the music director Eriko Kimura, she has also been in "Cluster Edge" and "Yaketate!! Japan". And they have Aya's favourite CV in the casting team!