Tales of the Abyss

Visual Novel Community Anime/Otaku Discussions
#1

I’m not much of a Tales fanboy, although I like Fujishima’s art style.

Picked up Tales of the Abyss on a whim, because of the upcoming anime. Having finished it, I’m VERY impressed by everything. The ending was ultra heart touching, and despite my hate for such plot conclusions, I found myself happy it happened. It was Jade’s expression that really sold it on me.

Still kinda upset they took out all the voice acting in the character interactions… especially with the top grade English voice acting they had. Really takes out the fun in them.

#2

I enjoyed this title as well. The second play through is better though.
Some bonus stuff opens up and each characters ultimate attack gets a “boost”.

#3

It’s still too early to make sound judgment, but the anime adaption is pretty sharp so far.

Same VA’s as the game. High budget animation. Good pacing.

Will be interesting to see what they change and/or cut out.

Tear’s cute fetish is still intact… thus Tear is perfect. :wink:

#4

i’ve been debating over wheter to buy the game or not. Now, a anime series off it. For a used price of $29.99 yes Almost $30 at gamestop. and used. I really want to play this game, and watch the anime. :cry: I hate being broke. I think, almost $30 for a used game is kinda high, guess I’ll wait on the game. Is the anime out in english?

#5

Anime is Japan only. So far only 5 episodes have been aired. I’m not sure how long the series will run… I’m guessing 26 episodes at the current pacing. I’m certain an American company will pick up Tales of the Abyss for license, given the game itself was popular enough, but they’d probably wait until the series is nearing its end.

And I must stress how cute Tear is… that “hair covered eyes” is so sexy. And she’s not a cliche tsundere whatsoever - cause she’s not a tsundere to begin with: she just suppresses her feminine side (and isn’t all that successful all the time; which is even more cute). :mrgreen:

#6

Rather than make a new thread, I thought of using this one to talk about Tales of Symphonia: Dawn New World on the Wii.

Anyone else playing it? Seems that a lot of people dislike the main hero, because he’s a total wimp. Personally I don’t care one bit: he’s a wuss, but it makes a good story. Got to Chapter 4 so far… some of the plot is predictable (evil Loyd… seriously… they expect me to believe that): but I got caught off guard with the stuff surrounding Emil… didn’t notice some “hints” about his character until a bit later when they sorta throw it in your face.

Marta is scary yandere material… but hella cute. I love how she sees Emil, is totally different from reality - her Fantasy Mode so to speak.

#7

I still plan to get Tales of Symphonia: Dawn New World. I just loved Tales of Symphonia on my Gamecube.

#8

The original ToS cast members, make a lot of cameo appearances. They even join the party from time to time. :slight_smile:

However the real focus is Emil + Marta and the ever awesome Tenebrae!

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how to get the endings though: there’s more than one. If you want to know the trick (I’ll try not to spoil the story; but I gotta reveal certain parts just a little). I’d suggest beating the game first, get the ending you deserve, and get the ending you want with the New Game + option.

[spoiler]Bad End - Win the end game battle against the ally girl and boy. I actually liked this one best… most heart touching.

Good End - Lose the end game battle against the ally girl and boy.

Perfect End - Get all the centurion cores - except for the light and earth cores (you can’t get them first; its scripted that way) - before the rival does. Don’t get hit more than 14 times by lightning in the lightning temple. Lose the end game battle against the ally girl and boy.[/spoiler]

#9

Waiting to watch the next TotA anime episode… after that the last episode airs next week. Console game to anime conversions never go well, and Abyss is no exception. It naturally has it’s moments, but they can only squeeze so much into 24 episodes, so in the end it’s never as great.

Anyways… I think #23 is where Luke gets some noogie from Tear. I don’t know what’s more disturbing… that a grown man can be as angst and whinny as Luke, despite the things he’s experienced – or that a hottie with repressed emotions is all hot and heavy for that kind of guy. Good Lord their child would be screwed up: repressed whinny angst (see Squall from FF8). :stuck_out_tongue:

#10

I started watching this anime series a few days ago (I know I’m a little late :stuck_out_tongue: , but back when it started, I was watching some other stuff). Anyway, I wonder if I’m the only one thinking that there’s something really wrong with the behaviour of some of the characters.

I’m referring to the events in episode 8, just after Luke destroys the pillar and makes the city fall underground. I can’t really understand why everyone should discharge on him every responsability for what happened, including those that actually have a far greater responsabilty (Tear, for example, who knew about his brother’s plans and actually kept silent, or Ion, who happily goes around dissolving seals he should be protecting even at his own life cost). It’s worth noticing that Luke is a seven years old baby for anything except his body size. Sure, he his arrogant and doesn’t know about lots of stuff (and sure he has been irritating in the previous few episodes), but once again, it’s normal at his age. I’m not expecting some smartass like Jade to understand and help him, but Guy and Natalia should really have been more comprehensive with him, and explain him what was going on. And after the fall, they attack him because he was tricked by his sensei (not by anyone, by his trustworthy sensei) and start telling him how much he sucks, without any understanding of how crappy Luke himself should be feeling.
On top of that, a few instants later they’re all gentle and friendly with Asch, they guy they’ve been fighting against just a few hours before…are you kidding me?
I think that every “friend” of the main character in that show is an incredible son of a bitch (except possibly Guy, who came back to Luke because he was his friend), and it’s out of my understanding how Luke could possibly forgive them (once again, it’s probably because he’s seven years old).

On a final note, Tear really is incredibly cute :slight_smile: Probably the best thing in this show.

#11

Heh… yea… that’s the problem with console to anime conversions: they rush everything. In the game, Luke is a real jerk. More so than the anime portrays. The others hate him, because Luke is a genuine ass. But he over comes that as the story progresses further.

SPOILER

[spoiler]The big thing about everyone being buddy-buddy with Asch, is everyone has their own secret agenda. He has access to what they want (figuratively or metaphorically), and they’ll bend over backwards to get it. Luke is really a stumbling block to the ultimate prize at first.

As the story goes further, these selfish priorities begin to fall apart. Also Luke becomes a better a person. When witnessing that, the others begin to realize they’re just as much as jerk as Luke used to be. Indeed Luke matures faster than they did. Van is also an expert puppet master, and that knowledge begins to have everyone feel bad about how they treated Luke, because “asshole Luke” was something Van created to exploit ¬ñ it’s not the real Luke at all.[/spoiler]

MASSIVE SPOILER

[spoiler]Tear has a hidden attraction for Luke (I guess she likes spoiled brats and emotionally vulnerable guys), and she constantly puts her “tough side” against him, to keep everyone oblivious. Guy’s family was murdered by Luke’s family, so he has a repressed grudge against Luke. Anise is a double agent and plans to betray everyone. Jade is the creator of replica technology and magic, and feels terrible about Luke even being born. Natalia loves Asch, because he’s the real Luke she cares for.

In that light, it’s honestly not Luke they’re hating, but themselves. Luke just happens to be a convenient scapegoat for their problems.[/spoiler]

On a sidenote: This series looks like is going for 26 episodes… It’s going to slow to end on 24…

#12

Well the anime adaption is over now… exact same ending as the game, with a few minor adjustments.

Luke makes all the honeys cry. :stuck_out_tongue:

[spoiler]I know a lot of people are whining that Tear didn’t kiss or hug Luke at the end, and the ending sequence is just as ambiguous as the game’s. Actually if you look closely, when the camera pans out to show everyone approaching Luke, you can see Tear is crying on his shoulder. Also unlike the game, Luke is whispering his response directly to Tear in private (his voice is softer), unlike the game itself, where Luke is speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. Obviously the same ending and all, but the anime makes a strong attempt to say it’s the return of Luke, rather than the return of Asch.

Tear is probing to know “who” has just walked before her; and Luke responds in a better manner that reveals that it’s him (and not so much as Asch). And for Godsake, this is Tear we’re talking about. It be out of character for her to just suddenly jump up and kiss Luke on the lips. Her crying in the open is a HUGE emotional sign.[/spoiler]

I love how they show Tear’s right eye constantly in this episode, where previously it remained hidden a lot more in others. The subtle symbology is cool.

For anyone else who watched the show and played the game… what was the deal with Jade switching hands when he said goodbye? He extended his right, then retracted it and extended his left instead. I don’t get it… unless it was a subtle jab to say Luke is left handed (which I know has a big deal with the ending).

#13

Funy, I thought the game made it very clear who came back. If you look at the sword, its positioned to be accessible for a left handed person like Luke, Asch was right handed. Not to mention that Asch was actually “killed” before the mini big bang. The only thing I can see that support its asch is that when he came out, he had long hair but that could have been the passing of two years and his hair had regrow to its original length.

#14

[spoiler]Aye. Same here.

However Asch has a lot of fangirls out there, and they preferred the “tough tsundere asshole” over the “whinny spoiled wimp” character. Plus there’s the Natalia fanboys who want her to have a happy ending instead of Tear. When the firestorm about which Luke came back hit Namco, they officially said, “it’s whoever you want it to be” (and then kept their distance). Obviously that answer didn’t appease anyone.

It’s because of the promise line that Luke and Asch made in the game. Luke promised Tear. Asch promised Natalia. However as you pointed out, Asch actually died. Also just as important, Asch never intended to keep his promise to Natalia, and in the end accepted he would never see her again (despite him wanting to). Luke on the other hand, had resolved to NEVER break a promise: hence his sacrifice for Lorelei at the end. So when he promised Tear to return for her, he intended to keep it.

Which obviously, much to Tear’s delight, he ultimately did. 8)

I also agree with you on the hair deal and Luke’s more reserved mature personality since the time skip. He’s spent two years clawing his way back to Tear… who knows what he’s done during that time. Probably would make a good sequel in fact… (Luke’s journey back to the world). It’s pretty obvious he’s more badass.[/spoiler]

#15

And all the fangirls of long haired bisho cheered, for it was good. :stuck_out_tongue:

Details still sketchy on what the heck it’s supposed to be.

Maybe Namco’s own version of Dissidia: Final Fantasy or something…

Hopefully it will be packed full of Tear’s melons. :twisted:

#16

The other thing that really confuses me about the confusion that some people have about the ending of the game.

In the game at least, Tear tells Luke to “Come home” before the whole deal with releasing Lorilei happens. The “Red-Haired Hero” shows up again 2 years later in the same valley that Luke and Tear teleported to at the beginning of the game, the place where Luke begins his journey of self-discovery and world saving. It’s also the first place that is truly “his” and not something stolen/borrowed from Asch. This valley has no meaning to Asch whatsoever, and outside the whole dying with 3 swords through him, Asch has no business appearing there, and would have shown up most likely in Baticul, not halfway across the world. I always took the ending to show that Luke had come full circle, the place where everything truly began for him was what he considered his “home”, thus that’s why he chose to show up there. Course Tear being the central person there is also a big hint as well, if it were Asch, one would think that Natalia would have had the spotlight.

Not that I hate Asch, but seriously, it just doesn’t make any sense if you think about it.

#17

I prefer this argument the best: Luke is the main character, Asche is not, JRPG almost never let their MC die (Tidus, Cloud, Squall, Fyate, Edge Maverick, Fei Fong Wong, Lyner, Yuri, Caim, Capell, etc) the only one I can think of that died from the top of my head would be Arisato Minato from P3 but even he is technically not “dead” just his soul is stuck on a wall and the main character of Arc the Lad I I think died in II. So if anyone is going to comeback it must be the MC, convention dictates it to be so.