The Tales Of series is celebrated for its compelling character development, rich world-building, and intricate narratives, making it a beloved franchise in the RPG genre. With its captivating stories and diverse cast of characters, it’s no wonder that the series has not only enjoyed immense popularity in the gaming world, but also inspired a number of anime adaptations.
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These anime series not only recount the events of the games but also provide additional depth, offering fans a chance to explore the backgrounds of characters and the lore of the worlds in even greater detail. Whether expanding on the plotlines or diving deeper into character arcs, these adaptations further solidify the Tales Of entries as an experience for fans of both gaming and anime.
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Tales Of Zestiria: Dawn Of The Shepherd
- Released: December 30, 2014
- Number of Episodes: 1
- Streaming: VHS, DVD
Tales of Zestiria: Dawn of the Shepherd was an animated special released as a promotional tie-in for Tales of Zestiria, providing fans with an early glimpse into the game’s story and characters. The special adapts the game’s opening events, following Sorey and Mikleo as they explore ancient ruins and uncover glimpses of the world beyond their secluded home in Elysia.
Through their journey, Sorey begins to realize the true state of the outside world, which is plagued by malevolence and in desperate need of a Shepherd.
As a teaser for the game, Dawn of the Shepherd ends on a cliffhanger, concluding just as Sorey and Mikleo take their first steps into the wider world.
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Tales Of Crestoria – The Wake Of Sin –
Tales of Crestoria was a mobile RPG that introduced a unique, standalone story to the Tales universe. Released on July 15, 2020, the game featured an original cast of characters while also including crossover appearances from past Tales protagonists. Unfortunately, the game was shut down on February 7, 2022, but its story remains a memorable entry in the series.
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To promote the game, Tales of Crestoria -The Wake of Sin- was released as a 15-minute animation special that summarizes the first chapter’s story. The animation follows Kanata Hjuger and Misella, two protagonists who become “sinners” and are forced to flee after being judged by their society. While the adaptation makes some changes to the original game’s events, it still presents a cohesive and emotionally impactful introduction to Tales of Crestoria.
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Tales Of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroad
- Aired: January 21, 2022
- Number of Episodes: 2
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
Also inspired by a Tales mobile game, Tales of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroad is a two-episode OVA that adapts the first chapter of Tales of Luminaria. The game, released in November 2021, featured a large ensemble cast of 21 playable characters and explored the clash between two factions:
- The Jerle Federation, which reveres the Primordial Beasts as sacred beings.
- The Gildllan Empire, which seeks to harness the Beasts’ mana as a source of power.
The OVA introduces several of the game’s key characters while establishing the overarching conflict between these two warring nations. Like The Wake of Sin, The Fateful Crossroad served as a promotional tie-in, offering a glimpse into the game’s world and themes.
Unfortunately, Tales of Luminaria was shut down less than a year after release, making the OVA one of the few remaining pieces of media that preserves its story.
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Tales Of Eternia: The Animation
- Released: January 8, 2001 – March 26, 2001
- Number of Episodes: 13
- Streaming: VHS, DVD
Tales of Eternia: The Animation loosely follows the storyline of the game (localized in the West as Tales of Destiny 2), centering on the adventures of Reid Hershel and his companions as they race against time to prevent the Grand Fall, a catastrophic event that threatens to destroy the world when the twin planets, Inferia and Celestia, collide. With only 13 episodes to adapt a game that spans around 41 hours of gameplay, the writers had to condense and alter significant portions of the original story to fit the shorter runtime.
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Despite these limitations, the anime successfully delivers a satisfying narrative that ties up most of its loose ends. While it may not delve into the same level of depth and detail as the original game, Tales of Eternia: The Animation told a fun story that, while not the same as the original, stayed true to the characters.
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Tales Of Phantasia: The Animation
- Released: November 24, 2004 – February 26, 2006
- Number of Episodes: 4
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video
Tales of Phantasia was adapted into a four-episode OVA, which aimed to capture the essence of the game’s story within a very limited runtime. Given the brevity of the series, the plot was streamlined to focus on the most critical milestones: the conflict between the party and the primary antagonist, Dhaos, and the mission to restore the Yggdrasil Tree.
Despite the short format, the OVA did a commendable job of ensuring that each character received their own development. Through careful pacing and thoughtful writing, the series created a smooth and organic evolution of the characters, allowing them to grow and change in a natural progression from beginning to end. While some aspects of the original game’s depth had to be sacrificed to fit the limited episode count, the adaptation still managed to capture the core themes of the story.
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Tales Of Symphonia: The Animation
- Aired: June 8, 2007 – December 21, 2007; March 25, 2010 – February 25, 2011; November 23, 2011 – October 23, 2012
- Number of Episodes: 11
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Apple TV
Tales of Symphonia is one of the most iconic titles in the Tales of series, and it played a pivotal role in shaping many of the RPG mechanics we recognize in modern games. The story follows Lloyd Irving, who embarks on a Journey of Regeneration alongside his childhood friend Colette Brunel to save their world. Along the way, they uncover a dark truth about the journey itself, one that threatens not only their lives but the fate of their entire world.
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The anime adaptation divides the game’s expansive narrative into three distinct arcs, with each arc receiving its own OVA run, resulting in a total of 11 episodes. Despite the relatively short episode count, the anime does a remarkable job of faithfully retelling the story, highlighting key events and emotional beats.
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Tales Of Vesperia: The First Strike
- Released: October 3, 2009
- Running Time: 110 minutes
- Streaming: DVD, Blu-Ray
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike is a unique entry among Tales of anime adaptations. Rather than summarizing or retelling the events of the game, it serves as a prequel film, exploring the early years of Yuri Lowell and Flynn Scifo as Imperial Knights. The movie delves into their friendship, their differing ideologies, and the events that ultimately lead Yuri to leave the Knights and forge his own path. As a delightful bonus, it also features an adorable, younger version of Repede as a puppy.
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike is the first Tales of theatrical release.
Despite its role as a prequel, The First Strike contradicts several established plot points from the game, leading many fans to view it as a non-canonical side story rather than an official part of Tales of Vesperia’s timeline. However, the film introduced two original characters, Chastel and Hisca Aiheap, who later made a cameo appearance in Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition, adding an interesting connection between the movie and the game.
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Tales Of The Abyss
- Aired: October 3, 2008-March 27, 2009
- Number of Episodes: 26
- Streaming: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Tales of the Abyss was released in 2005 to commemorate the Tales of series’ tenth anniversary. Three years later, in 2008, the game received an anime adaptation that stands as one of the most faithful among Tales of adaptations. Unlike other entries that were condensed into OVAs, Tales of the Abyss: The Animation was given a full 26-episode season, allowing it to properly adapt the game’s extensive 62-hour storyline.
While some elements of the game had to be streamlined, the anime succeeds in preserving the heart of the story, making it accessible to both longtime fans and newcomers. It effectively captures the emotional depth of its characters, particularly Luke fon Fabre, whose growth and struggles remain a central focus. The adaptation also retains the game’s philosophical themes, including identity, free will, and the consequences of one’s actions, making for a compelling and well-rounded narrative.
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Tales Of Zestiria The X
- Aired: July 3, 2016 – April 29, 2017
- Number of Episodes: 26
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Tales of Zestiria the X is special because it not only retells the story of Tales of Zestiria, but it also incorporates elements from its prequel game, Tales of Berseria. Zestiria the X expands upon the original game’s story with additional character development, action sequences, and new lore elements.
One of the most notable changes in Zestiria the X is the expanded role of Alisha Diphda, princess of Hyland and an early companion of Sorey. In the game, Alisha’s role is significantly reduced after the first portion of the story, with only occasional reappearances. However, the anime keeps her involved throughout the journey, allowing her to remain as Sorey’s Squire and even achieve Armatization, a major departure from the game’s plot.
Additionally, the anime introduces Velvet Crowe, the protagonist of Tales of Berseria, through a special prologue arc that gives insight into her story and the world’s past.
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