(L) Tales of Zestiria the Cross

[frubam]

Originally Posted by charles883

I wonder why Velvet in opening ?. I think she will make appearance

It's possible. The game(I talking about (ʳ ´º㉨º)ʳseria) releases in August, so japanese players would be able to play and beat the game, learning about Velvet and the connection between (ʳ ´º㉨º)ʳseria and Zestiria. Maybe its something that happens after the events of the game(no spoilers, but game players should know what I speak of).

[charles883]

Yeah I love studio expend story of Zestaria instead adapt only. I love to see Velvet interact with Zestiria cast

[Dist]

Why is this in upcoming series still?

As far as this episode goes .. Story wise I was pretty lost because I've played the game and watched the '' prologue '' movie to the game prior to that, and this didn't seem related at all. I'm guessing this is leading up to how Alisha ended up you know where in the game, though. I I didn't finish the game so I don't know the story fully, but I have no idea who or what that dragon is supposed to be seeing as the main villain in the game was someone else entirely.

Animation and music wise this gets a solid 11/10 though. Ufotable never ceases to amaze me .. The quality was movie-like - and more. I'm glad we finally have a studio animating a Tales series that knows how it's done right. I've been annoyed how the past adaptations of Tales games have been decent, but have had battle scenes ranging from '' meh '' to '' fucking terrible '' animation wise.

Originally Posted by Stark700

Decent start, the story feels kinda confusing but I like the amount of technical effort Ufotable put in for the animation and music. In the meantime, seems like Sorey hasn't been introduced just yet.

Alisha seems to be more of the main focus for now while tragedy strikes with some weird mist against Clemm and the others. I hope the story is explained better as it feels like there's a lot happening for now. Looking forward to more though.

... It's prologue. If my guess above is right this is how Alisha ends up where she meets Sorey. The focus will still be Sorey and his adventures as the Shepherd.

[refrain]

I wonder if that Dragon is Velvet...

[Sides]

OMG this series seems to be storywise better fleshed out than ToZ game already. So the rumours that Berseria and Zestiria are taking place in the same world are true afterall.

[Shinji103]

Wow, they're putting a lot of focus on Alisha here. I've been wondering for a while now, but this episode (and Alisha's increased presence in the OP seen on YouTube) makes me wonder even more; are they going to keep Alisha in the party in the anime? It feels like they're putting way too much focus on her here to have her just leave suddenly like in the game, and it would take very little changing of events from the game to have her stick with the group. They've already gone so far with making all-new material for her in the prologue.
It also feels like this is what they were originally planning with Lunal in the story, having a bigger presence in the story with Alisha as the target of his ferocity, and it definitely looks like what they were planning for the Alisha DLC storyline.
And the OP has plenty of Sorey/Mikuleo bromance. They even have a little Alisha/Rose sis(?)mance. It looks like there'll be plenty of Sorei/Mikuleo and Alisha/Rose friendship instead of romance.

Anyway, I'm definitely confused with Velvet's presence in the OP. Berseria is supposed to take place in Zestiria's distant(?) past.......so what's she doing here? Not that I would mind seeing hawt animated Velvet goodness before we get the game in August.

[AB079]

Hmmm yeah was a good start, nice animation and designs but the story seems a little fast paced and confusing at the same time with almost zero explanations of anything, yeah is the start of the story so I'll wait for the next episodes to have some answer.

Now based on the ED the main character is surrounded by a whole bunch of girls, that's so cliché and over used that is an instant weak spot, I hope the girls are at least good.

[Harry Dresden]

Wow was this dull

• Bad directing everywhere. Literally not a single scene holds any weight or has any atmosphere build up. Very static framing of characters and A LOT of scenes where you just see characters standing and talking. Action scenes look decent tho.
• Breakneck pacing that makes it hard to care for any sort of events or deaths.
• Most of story in the episode being pile up of the most obvious cliches and tropes possible. That child scene near the end takes the cake of the most obvious thing in the whole season so far. Its something you would expect from a parody movie or something.
• The villains make Kabaneri's main villain look like masterpiece writing.
• Visually the animation quality is TOP NOTCH. This might be best looking Ufotable production ever with beautiful backgrounds, fluid action scenes and consistent animation. Too bad that is under-used by awful directing, as most of beautiful backgrounds are spent upon having characters stand or walk in static camera angle. Or worse - on talking mouths scenes.
• There's quite a bit very dodgy CGI within the episode.

Overall the first episode of Zestiria made me feel VERY STRONG Kabaneri vibes. Which is...not a good thing.

Either way if Action keeps up being decent I might keep watching this. Just for the love of god, don't spend another 10 minutes on characters running around a storm or boring tries to make the viewer care about anything. I know the show has to spend an episode to try to make the viewers care about the protagonist, but this just did not work. Just spend most of episodes on fluid and well animated action scenes. PLEASE.

[charles883]

Well in the start of OP shows that Alisha will join main party. Also its prologue

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Sides

OMG this series seems to be storywise better fleshed out than ToZ game already.

It does look like they'll try to do a better job of explaining than the game, which was pretty confusing. Though even with extra materials, the timeline was a complete mess. If it was Discworld, I'd say the history monks did a pretty shoddy job.

Though even so, they may have introduced elements who won't make sense later.

[Sacredus]

Originally Posted by charles883

Well in the start of OP shows that Alisha will join main party. Also its prologue

For just few eps probably. But it's nice to see episode from her POV.

Originally Posted by Harry Dresden

Wow was this dull

• Bad directing everywhere. Literally not a single scene holds any weight or has any atmosphere build up. Very static framing of characters and A LOT of scenes where you just see characters standing and talking. Action scenes look decent tho.
• Breakneck pacing that makes it hard to care for any sort of events or deaths.
• Most of story in the episode being pile up of the most obvious cliches and tropes possible. That child scene near the end takes the cake of the most obvious thing in the whole season so far. Its something you would expect from a parody movie or something.
• The villains make Kabaneri's main villain look like masterpiece writing.
• Visually the animation quality is TOP NOTCH. This might be best looking Ufotable production ever with beautiful backgrounds, fluid action scenes and consistent animation. Too bad that is under-used by awful directing, as most of beautiful backgrounds are spent upon having characters stand or walk in static camera angle. Or worse - on talking mouths scenes.
• There's quite a bit very dodgy CGI within the episode.

Overall the first episode of Zestiria made me feel VERY STRONG Kabaneri vibes. Which is...not a good thing.

Either way if Action keeps up being decent I might keep watching this. Just for the love of god, don't spend another 10 minutes on characters running around a storm or boring tries to make the viewer care about anything. I know the show has to spend an episode to try to make the viewers care about the protagonist, but this just did not work. Just spend most of episodes on fluid and well animated action scenes. PLEASE.

She is not a protagonist, she just appeared in ToZ (sorry, I won't joke about that again)

Either they will go with original storyline and Alisha will be main heroine or it's just trap episode - they focus first episode on her, dump her just like in game and go with rose route later. Let's hope it's first one because if it's second option, this would end with "ToZ drama part 2".

[Kazu-kun]

Alisha's just a minor character. That's why it's pretty weird that they focused an entire episode on her.

[Harry Dresden]

I hope it is the first option because the second would make the first episode literally pointless

[Kazu-kun]

I doubt they will change the story though.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Alisha's just a minor character. That's why it's pretty weird that they focused an entire episode on her.

Are you trolling for a discussion on the "Alisha controversy"?

[Kazu-kun]

No. I'm just stating the truth.

[bakato]

I'm going into this series blind, but ufotable is awesome and its classic fantasy with dragons and forces of evil so I don't see myself losing out. If ufotable wasn't commissioned to do this show, I wonder what they would've done instead.

[Sacredus]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Alisha's just a minor character. That's why it's pretty weird that they focused an entire episode on her.

She was main heroine...

Ok, let's stop here before mods will raid this topic - remember that "Alisha/ToZ/rosewaifu controversy talks are banned here.

[Elestia]

Unlimited Budget Works strikes again. There were some jaw dropping CG put into the first episode.

Pacing was kind of chaotic since we kept jumping all over the place after every scene. They explain the general state of affairs, but there is way too much information being squeezed into one episode to keep track of.

Fight scenes were very beautiful too look at and choreography was solid, but the directing was similar to the pacing. Camera kept jumping all over the place making it quite a nauseating, if not tantalizing spectacle to watch.

Never played the game, but it's got me invested to keep watching.

[Seihai]

Originally Posted by refrain

I wonder if that Dragon is Velvet...

Actually it's more likely- wait, you're just baiting for spoilers now...

Originally Posted by Sides

OMG this series seems to be storywise better fleshed out than ToZ game already.

Just one episode in (and only the prologue, too) and you can say that? Eh... I don't see it.

So the rumours that Berseria and Zestiria are taking place in the same world are true afterall.

Those "rumours" were stated as truth/fact a while ago already.

Originally Posted by AB079

Now based on the ED the main character is surrounded by a whole bunch of girls, that's so cliché and over used that is an instant weak spot, I hope the girls are at least good.

The amount of females in a series are a cliche in itself? I never knew. But I think you ignored all of the males for that matter.

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

It does look like they'll try to do a better job of explaining than the game, which was pretty confusing. Though even with extra materials, the timeline was a complete mess. If it was Discworld, I'd say the history monks did a pretty shoddy job.

Really? I thought ToZ' story was actually really linear/simplistic which makes it perfect to be turned into an anime since it doesn't have to focus on too many different things, is what I personally thought anyway. But away with the game talk, I liked what I saw in the prologue so far and I hope it will only get better from here on.

Also I find it funny how people are still talking about that Alisha thing while fully aware it's not allowed.