天下制覇

Forget what you think you know about the previous Tales OVAs, UFOTable is kicking ass and taking names. Not that I’m biased by being a whore for Symphonia or UFOTable or anything…

Impressions:

Man, UFOTable did a great job in sticking to the source and making sure that it was entertaining. Well animated, well choreographed, and that scene between Colette and Lloyd after the shrine business was absolutely adorable. Originally, I was expecting it to suck like the other two Tales series. Eternia was a random side-story about them being trapped on an amazon island, and Phantasia started about 20 hours into the game and then leaped another 10 hours of gameplay per episode. It looks like this will be following the Phantasia OVA modus operandi, but at least it has the sense to start at the start, instead of some random place in the middle.

We do miss out on seeing Marble and the whole human ranch bit, but that’s fine by me. It also looks like the whole ex-sphere drama will likely be confined to only Lloyd and his super special personal one. I’m a little surprised by how little this covered though. It did a great job of covering about the first hour of game in 30 minutes, but there’s another 35 hours of game to go and only like… 3 more OVAs episodes. I suppose we’ll see in… uh… August when the next episode comes out. If Sheena and Zelos don’t make it into the OVA though, I will start a one man riot.

Summary:

Colette is standing on a hilltop thinking to herself how much she loves the world and how she will protect it. Everything is important to her… the sky… the flowers… and… right on cue… here’s Lloyd with his birthday present to her.

Like a true putz, he trips as he runs over to her and lands on top of her. No hands ended up in inappropriate places though, so both laugh. Colette puts on her birthday present and thanks Lloyd for it while he blushes and she thinks about her journey to save the world.

Once the OP runs, we head over to Raine’s classroom (Refill for you Japanese Symphonia players). Genis is being quizzed about the Desians and world regeneration while Lloyd dozes off. Raine tags him in the forehead with chalk for not paying attention.

After class, Genis is scolding Lloyd for getting in trouble again, but Lloyd is mostly just feeling lonely because Colette’s not around.

At the shrine, Colette is undergoing her first rite to regenerate the world. The altar begins to glow and something starts to emerge. At the same time, Lloyd hand begins to hurt. Genis and Lloyd run out to head over to the shrine, and Raine stops them, but then relents and lets them go with her.

At the shrine, the angel Remiel has appeared and asks Colette if she is prepared to accept the journey. She says yes, and the necklace Lloyd gave her breaks. Remiel replaces it with a red jewel of his own and tells her that her journey to save to world has begun.

The altar sends light into the air, which Raine, Lloyd and Genis see. Lloyd breaks into a run to head to the shrine while Remiel continues to tell Colette that she is descended from angels and that the seals must be broken.

Now officially the Chosen One, the priests guarding Colette bow to her and entrust her with their future, but moments later the glass to the shrine breaks and a barrage of arrows come flying in. Colette ducks, but the priests have shielded her with their bodies. They fall, dead while the other guards are attacked and killed by the Desians.

Colette hides for a moment, then comes out to fight them. Before she can, Lloyd and crew arrive. Lloyd slides under between the Desians and grabs two swords, but before they can attack, the mercenary Kratos Aurion appears. The Desians rush to attack him, but he effortlessly cuts them all down.

One final Desian rushes to attack Lloyd and Colette. Lloyd blocks the attack and the bandage on his hand glows, only to reveal an ex-sphere on his glove. He kills the Desian immediately after, but another was watching from outside and runs off.

That night, Raine is preparing to leave with Kratos and Colette as her guardian. Genis isn’t happy about it at all. Meanwhile, Kratos is paying his respects to a grave outside Lloyd’s house. Inside, Lloyd’s adopted father, Dirk the dwarf is trying to beat some sense into him for using the forbidden ex-sphere he got from his dying mother in front of the Desians.

While Lloyd is lost in thought about his mother, Colette leaps in front of him. The two start talking about how much Lloyd hates the Desians. Colette shows Lloyd that she still has his present to her even though it broke because of Remiel’s necklace.

The next morning, Lloyd and Genis are ready for the journey, but Colette and crew have already left. Genis gives Lloyd a note Colette left for him, saying that it’s because of him that she can find the strength to go on the journey.

Later, Lloyd is moping at home while it rains. Genis comes rushing in. The village is under attack by Forcystus of the Desians in search of the ex-sphere held by Lloyd. Forcystus levels his weapon at the villagers, but Lloyd blasts a Desian away while Loyd and Dirk start fighting the soldiers.

Dirk sends them off to stop Forcystus while Dirk takes care of the small fry. Forcystus mocks them for being pathetic humans and the soldiers hold the villagers hostage. Lloyd rushes to attack, but he’s no match for Forcystus’ power and speed.

In short order, Lloyd is thrown against a house. This pisses him off enough to activate his ex-sphere and he rushes to attack, able to use techniques this time. Unfortunately, Forcystus effortlessly stops them and knocks him to the ground again.

Lloyd gets up and tells him that Colette’s quest to save the world will fail and he will kill her. He opens his weapon up to reveal a magical cannon and charges it to attack. It creates a huge explosion as Lloyd’s ex-sphere glows.

Lloyd then has a vision of himself floating and speaking to his mother. He snaps out of it with his ex-sphere glowing even brighter and a light leaps from it and attacks Forcystus. He tries to stand up but falls forward, knocked out. Lloyd is exhausted and drops his sword.

The next morning, the village is totally ruined. Lloyd says his good byes to his mother’s grave, and Dirk gives him a pair of swords that he made specifically for Lloyd. After this touching man-dwarf family scene, Genis comes running up saying that he won’t let Lloyd leave him behind.