Tales of the Abyss - Episode 14 Discussion / Poll

[xris]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Tales of the Abyss, Episode 14.

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[serenade_beta]

Tales of Abyss: (´・ω・｀) "Why am I always forgotten...?"
---

Fairly interesting episode, I guess.
The relationship between Van and Guy, Anise's mom, Guy's past... Good stuff.

...? *laugh* I don't see how Guy was hidden. That little hiding spot is obvious, and did the soldiers not search the room? How perfectly did Guy hide under a body?...
Stupid soldiers, here and there and everywhere...( ´,_ゝ｀)プッ

Arietta (I just realized what Anise called her...)... I almost wonder why you came?
Almost laughed when Anise's mom got hit... Thought she just died and just became a thrown-away character. Glad she's alive...

Laughed at Young Van for some reason...

I know it is to show Guy's evolution from gynophobe to lolicon, but that sure was some convenient/random butterfly and timed earthquake...
Anise, uzai~ Go and fall for real next time~ ( #｀Д´)

Oh, Tear is acting strange. She's evolving...? BBBBBBBBBBBBB

Preview: Back to that wonderful father...

[sikvod00]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Tales of Abyss: (´・ω・｀) "Why am I always forgotten...?"
Laughed at Young Van for some reason...

Yeah, that was pretty funny. But hey, I guess even villains like Hitler and Saddam Hussein were once cute little boys happily chasing after other cute little boys in a field.

[Sinestra]

Interesting stuff the Van and Guy back round was interesting and it came and went just as fast. But its nice to know now why Guy has a fear of females. Its not exactly a phobia its a reaction to the protection the maids and his sister gave him as they were slaughtered. Guy just gets more interesting the more you find out about him.

So our hero's are off on another adventure my main concern is what the hell happened to Tear and was it her that triggered the rings moving again so they could get a reading. Looks like there is more to Tear than meets the eye as well having more story invovling her is all good in my book she one of the best female characters if not the best but i also the Gun toting hottie from the God Generals as well who happened to be Tears guardian in the past. I dunno maybe I just have a thing for chicks with guns.

Speaking of abnormal it seem Asch went through some type of weird spell too. But he mentioned "is my time up"this is very interesting cause it makes think there is a time limit that he is bound by to accomplish his goals. Did creating a clone reduce his life line or is it something else van has done. IT could also be exactly what Luke said even though it made Natalia feel like she picking on him again for being a clone. Luke unexpected creation through the score off track there are two people now that can fulfill the events written in the score. However, neither of them died when the score said they should. Its actually getting a little confusing so some explanations are in order./

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Oh, Tear is acting strange. She's evolving...? BBBBBBBBBBBBB

What's funny is that Luke didn't even notice that she was glowing. Great time to make a silly joke like that.

[NoLongerSane]

I really enjoyed this episode. Liked how the animators handled Guy's past and how that the scene with Anise was added. Looks like next episode gives an answer for why Tear was glowing in this episode.

[Nabiki Asakura]

Let me ask...someone (I forgot who, an Anise fan) told me about

Spoiler:

how Anise's past was sad and all

but...they didn't showed it at all(maybe it's a little early >XD)
When I saw the preview I was waiting for Anie's history of life, but so...it will took more time after Anise's past episode come or it'll be soon? Because, who've played the game already know if they're close or not o3o

[NoLongerSane]

I think Anise's past will be coming up in the next few episodes. It should explain on why she is going after everyone with money. As for it being sad, it would depend on how a person looks at the situation.

[yolin.shana]

Anise's story comes much later.
But they've introduced a few elements in this episode.

[relentlessflame]

I haven't played the game, but this episode sort of feels like they must be rushing through some middling parts. Somehow this has somewhat awkward consequences for the anime, but it make sense if you think this is based on an RPG game.

Like how Ion could only figure out where to go next after they go to wherever the last place he told them to go was, even though they didn't show him gaining any information that would have told him that. So, he says "Let's go to A, then we can figure it out", and next cut, "We're at A" -- scene happens. Then, now that you're at A, it's like "Let's go to B", cut, "Here we are at B". And then again "I think we should go to C". Of course, what they didn't show is that there's a lot more random stuff that happens at each of those places that causes Ion to now have the insight to suggest it. They cut those out because they're probably not very interesting or relevant (even though they're relevant to the game player, because they need to know where to head on the World Map). But from an anime-only perspective, you'd almost want to ask "Why didn't you just say to go to C in the first place?!"

The other thing is, serenade_beta commented on how the butterfly sure was convenient. But again, this is totally obvious when you realize that that scene was meant to breakup the fact that you've probably just been walking on the worldmap for the last half-hour (or whatever) on the way to x. They're giving you a (in this case relevant) cut-scene to make sure you know you're heading the right way and are getting close. But in the anime, this comes across as "And they were walking along one day, and spotted a butterfly, and then an earthquake hit". Of course, the anime director couldn't just cut the scene out (because it was important for both Anise and Guy's characters, and as foreshadowing), but it definitely had a sort of random/convenient feel that would have been far less prelevant in the game, I suspect.

All in all, I thought this was a good connecting episode, but all I could think of while watching was "this would have made a lot more sense in the game". Not that I think the writer/director could have done much better, necessarily -- different media, different conventions. If anything, this anime sometime sticks a little bit too close to its game roots, and I can't help but think "and this would be the point where we'd be forced to wonder around and level for a few hours". Of course, if they're making you level, that means big things are coming.

[kujoe]

That can't be helped I suppose. The pace certainly feels faster when it skips the actual traveling portion, which would certainly prolong things further in a series with a set number of episodes.

My main gripe is with skipping certain scenes, that while quite minor in the face of the main plot, actually matters with regard to adding color to the characters. Luke and Tear come to mind especially, and we're already at the middle of the entire series. I wonder if things will even look more rushed as we reach the end.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by kujoe

My main gripe is with skipping certain scenes, that while quite minor in the face of the main plot, actually matters with regard to adding color to the characters. Luke and Tear come to mind especially, and we're already at the middle of the entire series. I wonder if things will even look more rushed as we reach the end.

Yes, I know what you mean. It seems like the director here is primarily concerned with being as faithful to the game as they can easily be (which is generally a good objective, because game fans get really mad when an adaptation takes too many liberties), and just trying to squeeze as much of the game experience as possible in the time allotted. But you're right -- one of the things that makes characters appealing in an RPG game is that you get to know them through countless little interactions and experiences, and those give more weight to the big scenes when they happen. I agree with you that this problem seems to be getting more apparent as we advance through the show -- they're doing a decent job at fleshing out the backstories of each of the characters, but they still feel a bit shallow in some senses. I'm still enjoying the anime (because it's been a long time since I've had the time to play through a full RPG game), but I can see in some cases where the game would just necessarily be a bit better in some areas.

[kujoe]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

I'm still enjoying the anime (because it's been a long time since I've had the time to play through a full RPG game), but I can see in some cases where the game would just necessarily be a bit better in some areas.

This is starting to become a case wherein other people go "the book is better..." when they watch the movie adaptations in the theaters. Just replace "the book" with "the game" for this context.

Ah well, let's see how it goes.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by kujoe

This is starting to become a case wherein other people go "the book is better..." when they watch the movie adaptations in the theaters. Just replace "the book" with "the game" for this context.

Ah well, let's see how it goes.

Well, I'm not necessarily saying "the book is better", considering I haven't even read "the book" (i.e. the game). It's more like... if you didn't remember this was based on a game, there are a few things in this anime that seem a bit odd. But if you're an experienced RPG player, I think it'll make sense. Of the RPG-game-based anime I've seen, I'd say this is probably one of the better ones.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are some anime that "transcend" the roots of their source material, and become truly something brilliant in their own regard. In other words, you forget that it's based on a book/game/whatever for a while because the anime totally feels like its own work. In this case, though, I'm constantly reminded that this is an RPG game, and that works for me because I like RPG games. But if you were the sort of person that didn't like RPG games, I'm not sure how pulled-in to the show you would be.

Anyway, main thing is, I'm looking forward to the next episode.

[kujoe]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Well, I'm not necessarily saying "the book is better", considering I haven't even read "the book" (i.e. the game). It's more like... if you didn't remember this was based on a game, there are a few things in this anime that seem a bit odd. But if you're an experienced RPG player, I think it'll make sense. Of the RPG-game-based anime I've seen, I'd say this is probably one of the better ones.

Well, that's true. But for someone like me who has read the book (so to speak) and love it, it can't be helped that some sort of comparison will be made against a standard that the original work has already been established.

As an anime adaptation, Tales of the Abyss is good and already quite faithful to the original—something you can't say for every series out there—but it's really the absence of certain little details which have made an impression on me that I miss. One can't really play the anime, and when that aspect of experience is gone it's these sorts of things that I'm mostly looking forward to along with the story.

[Deathkillz]

Finally got down to watching this ep

Some thoughts.

Stupid Luke -____-

[GreenLama]

I foud this episode to be okay, not as good as previous episodes but did what it needed to do and progressed the story. Look's as if Guy's fear of touching women or whatever his problem is has taken a backseat when he leaped to save Anise from falling off the ledge, and it looks as if Guy was once heavily connected to Van, this is interesting stuff. Hopefully episode 15 has a little more action to it and I hope we find out more between Asche and Luke.....