Okay, the creators are NEVER going to finish this one in just four episodes. They haven’t even reached the Tower of Salvation yet, for goodness’ sake. Still, this gives me hope for some kind of second OVA, to cover the things that happen in Tethe’alla, so that some quality-time can be devoted to the case of Regal and Presea. The next episode will probably end with the death of Remiel.
That said, the creators did a good job with this episode. There were a few things I didn’t like, though. The hot tea, for example, was done better in the game. But then again, Collette was a real airhead there, so it was easy for Lloyd to fool her. Sheena’s performance in Luin also was disappointing, especially how Lloyd and the others turned up at the last possible moment to save the day. Furthermore, why didn’t Sheena use her final summon at that time? It would have been the perfect opportunity. The game did this a lot better when Lloyd basically arrived when she was mourning over the village. What also bugs me is how the creators didn’t even mention why the Desians attacked the village in the first place. The little girl was a nice touch, though.
Still, the creators thankfully did well on the parts that really mattered: Collette, losing everything and Lloyd, finding out that he’s been fighting with the thing that killed his mother. I would have liked a bit more emphasis on the Expheres and the monsters in the building up for it, but it can’t be helped, with the length of this series and all. I must say, Collette felt really annoying in the game, and Ufotable did a good job of making her relationship with Lloyd quite touching. The two of them are much closer together, and it works perfectly.
I seriously hope for a second series of OVA’s, though. Basically, the only characters that got any depth in the first half of the game were Lloyd and Collette, while the others got this with the second half. I just want to see Raine’s mother, and how the two got abandoned. I want to see Presea, and the horrible things that were done to both her and her sister. So far, the creators have been giving a few hints that the fourth episode won’t be the end of this: they showed glimpses of both Zelos, and the last two Desian Cardinals, neither of them had any big role in the first half.]]>
Tales of Symphonia – 03
I agree that it will be nearly impossible to wrap things up, and do a good job of it, with only one episode remaining. Maybe if that one episode is two hours long they could do it 😉 I, too, am thinking that they will probably do another four part OVA if the first one has good sales. Let’s hope so, anyway.
I also think that next episode will end at the Tower of Salvation. Anyway, the moment I watched the first episode, I was already sure that they would never be able to cover the whole game in 4 episodes.
What I enjoyed the most in this ep was the Lloyd-Kratos relationship. In the game, when Kratos left the party, Lloyd was more concerned with being betrayed than with the loss of a companion, because, unless you were going for a Kratos ending, getting all the map skits and trying to raise his affection rate, Lloyd had no reason to actually be friends with Kratos. The anime did a great job at developing all the character’s relationships.
But wtf was wrong with that Anna-turning-into-monster flashback thing? They basically yelled who was Lloyd’s father. I can’t believe one of the game’s biggest surprised was ruined like that.
and y did they ruin the games best surprise?