Tales Series
| Needs Less Canon: This article includes too much canon information for the amount of fannish content given. Please add fannish context or remove unneeded trivia. Although a brief overview of canon is welcome, the focus of every page should be about the fandom; canon details are important if they can be associated with a particular fannish activity, fanwork, or fannish event. See What Fanlore is not for more information. |
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Tales, Tales of |
| Abbreviation(s): | |
| Creator: | Wolf Team |
| Date(s): | 1995: Tales of Phantasia 1997: Tales of Destiny |
| Medium: | Video Games |
| Country of Origin: | Japan |
| External Links: | Tales Series |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Canon Overview
The Tales of Series began in 1995 with Tales of Phantasia, a JRPG developed by Wolf Team at Namco. There have been 17 mothership titles published in the Tales of Series. With the exception of direct sequels (Destiny and Destiny 2, Xillia and Xillia 2, and Zestiria and Berseria) each mothership title features a new world, a new characters, and a new story. The series is connected instead by common gameplay elements, reuse of names for abilities and minor characters, and recurrent story structures. All games also feature real time combat. Most mothership titles are also scored by the same composer, Motoi Sakuraba.
In addition to the mothership titles, the Tales of Series has spawned a number of spinoff games both on consoles and mobile, as well as official artbooks, novels, manga, drama CDs, and stage plays. Much of this additional material is officially available only in Japanese.
Tales of Phantasia Synopsis
Tales of Phantasia follows Cress Albane, a young swordsman descended from the heroes who defeated Dhaos 100 years ago. After his village is attacked by a minion of Dhaos, he embarks on a journey across time to defeat Dhaos once and for all, with the help of the cleric Mint, the elemental summoner, Klarth, the witch Arche, and his best friend Chester.
Tales of Destiny Synopsis
Tales of Eternia Synopsis
Tales of Eternia was released in the US as Tales of Destiny 2.
Tales of Destiny 2 Synopsis
Tales of Destiny 2 has not been released outside of Japan.
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia is one of the most well known and best selling of games in the Tales of Series. It received a sequel titles Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, which is not considered a mothership title.
Tales of Rebirth Synopsis
Tales of Legendia Synopsis
Tales of the Abyss Synopsis
Tales of the Abyss follows Luke fon Fabre, a noble teenager who was kidnapped seven years prior to the game by the opposing kingdom, resulting in him having no memory before that time and him being extremely sheltered since. When an assassin comes to attack his swordsmanship teacher, Luke accidentally teleports himself and the assassin halfway across the world and deep into the opposing kingdom’s territory. The assassin, Tear, promises to get Luke home, and they travel across contients, joining forces with a peace emissary, Fon Master Ion, from the church, accompanied by an opposing Colonel Jade Curtis and bodyguard Anise. Joined later by Luke’s servant Guy and Princess Natalia, the group works to maintain the fragile peace and stave off the disaster lurking underground.
Tales of Innocence Synopsis
The original game was released on Nintendo DS in Japan. A re-release of the game, Tales of Innocence R, was later released for PS Vita in Japan. It is one of three mothership titles that do not have official English versions, with the others being Destiny 2 and Rebirth.
Tales of Vesperia Synopsis
Tales of Vesperia starts with Yuri Lowell, knight drop-out who lives in the slums of the capital city. When a critical component of the slum’s water supply is stolen, Yuri’s attempt to catch the thief lands him in Jail, and as he escapes he helps a young noble lady Estellese, flee her chaperons to give a warning to a mutual friend of theirs, the Knight named Flynn. Fleeing the city with Yuri’s dog, Repede, the eventually join up with Guild-reject Karol, Scientist Rita, a Kritya named Judith, and occasionally Raven, a member of a prominent guild. Continually chased for the full first arc of the game, the character’s pursue their literal and figurative moving targets as they try to solve increasingly more complex problems between the Empire and the Guilds. Originally released on Xbox 360 in the West, a PS3 version was released in Japan which included two more party members and significant additional content, but was unable to be released elsewhere due to licensing agreements with Xbox. This version was eventually released worldwide as Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition across several platforms. There is also an hour long prequel movie, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike, which focuses on Yuri and Flynn’s time training to be knights.
Tales of Hearts Synopsis
The original game was not released outside of Japan, but a re-release of the game, Tales of Hearts R, was later released for PS Vita in both Japan and the US. It is one of the few games that was not dubbed in English for it’s US release, maintaining the Japanese Audio.
Tales of Graces Synopsis
Tales of Graces follows Asbell Lant, projected future Lord of Lant, his brother Hubert, childhood friend Cheria, Prince Richard, and Sophie, a girl they all meet when they are children who has amnesia. The first arc of the game is set in their childhood, and when that first meeting ends in tragedy, they are all separated. When they begin to come of age, the group together with Knight teacher Malik and scientist Pascal, work together to figure out exactly what happened in their childhoods, as well as why Sophie has not aged in the intervening years. An extended version of the game, titled Tales of Graces f, was released for ps3, including an additional story arc.
Tales of Xillia Synopsis
Tales of Xillia has two protagonists, medical student Jude Mathis, and supposed Lord of Spirits Milla Maxwell. The two of them discover a plot by an organization called Exodus, which involves using spirits and/or people as fuel for a massive cannon called the Lance of Kresnik. Aided in exscaping by mercinary Alvin, and later joined by Elise and Butler Rowan, the team tries to uncover Exodus’s end goal, and stop them before the consumption of spirits drives the world to ruin.
Tales of Xillia 2 Synopsis
Tales of Xillia 2 picks up a year or so after Tales of Xillia, the main cast of the previous game is joined by antagonists Gias and Myusei, as well as Ludger Kresnik, who wants to work at his brother’s company but instead ends up babysitting 10 year old Elle after a train accident that leaves him deep in medical debt. When the group discovers that the aforementioned company is actually working to prevent fractured dimensions from replacing their own, they join the fight while trying to find a way to stop the process permanently, while also looking for Elle’s father. Ludger is a silent protagonist, which is a rarity in the Tales series. The player controls Ludger’s responses at critical story points, and those choices determine his relationship to other characters as well as the ultimate conclusion of the game. The game also reuses many assets from the first game since they were both released on ps3 withing a short time frame, with only a handful of new locations.
Tales of Zestiria Synopsis
Tales of Zestiria follows Sorey, a boy raised by Malachim, which normal people can’t see. Because of his ability to see Malachim and his pure heart, Sorey is chosen to be the Shepard, Acommpanied by his childhood friend Mikleo, a water Malak, the trader-assassin Rose, wind Malak Dezel, earth Malak Edna, and fire Malak Lailla, they travel the world to travel the world and purify Malevilence. Tales of Zestiria received an anime series called Tales of Zestiria the X, which helps tie the story of Zestiria and Berseria together.
Tales of Berseria Synopsis
Tales of Berseria starts following Velvet, a teenager who works to take care of her family, consisting of her sickly younger brother and late-sister’s husband, Arthur. They had lived together peacefully since the disaster that took her older sister, and they all care about each other very much, so Velvet is understandably devastated when Arthur kills her younger brother in front of her and turns her into a monster. Years later, she escapes the prison Arthur trapped her in, and swears she will take her revenge on Arthur, who now leads the Abbey, which subjugates Malachim and defends people against demons. She is joined by others who have reason to hate the Abbey: first a Malak named Eizen and the Magician Magilou, and later the demon Rokugou and a freed Malak called Laficet. They are begrudingly accompanied by Elanor, who works for the Abbey, as they discover Arthur and the Abbey’s true plans. Berseria is a far flung prequel to Zestiria. So much time has passed the world maps are different, but the Malachim characters are very long lived. Eizen, Edna, and Zavied are present or mentioned significantly in both games.
Tales of Arise Synopsis
300 years ago, invaders from the planet Rena invaded their sister planet Dahna, subjugating all Dahna’s and forcing them to work and generate energy for their decade long crown contests to see who will be the next leader of Rena. Iron Mask, later Alphen, a Dhanan slave with an unremovable mask, an inability to feel pain and amnesia, meets a Renan deserter named Shionne who has stolen one of the magical items key to this contest, and they decide to bring down the five Renan Lords who rule over Dahna using the power of the flaming sword that the item lets them generate. They are joined by Law, son of a rebel leader, Rinwell, a Dahnan mage, and Lord Dohalim and his guard captain Kisara, with the goal of freeing Dhana.
Fandom Overview
Because there are so many games in the Tales of Series, most at least 30 hours long, it is incredibly common for fans to have played only one or two games in the series, or even only parts of a game, before they begin interacting with Fandom. As a result, fan content tends to be divided up by game, both as a courtesy and as a consequence of fan creators only having played a few games. More experienced fans tend to avoid sharing spoilers, especially for games they know a new fan hasn't played, and online content is just as likely to be labeled by game than it is as part of the whole series. It is not difficult to start a Tales game that's over a decade old while knowing nothing, even if interacting with the Tales Fandom. All mothership titles except Arise have couch co-op as a play option, so it is incredibly common that a new fan was introduced to the series by playing along.
Crossover fan content is fairly common, especially with games with direct sequels, but also between unrelated Tales games. Even if the content itself isn't crossover, fan events, such as ship weeks, conventions, or zines commonly involve multiple mothership titles.
The Tales of Series also has a significant following in Japan, though there is little communication between the Japanese and English sides of the fandom outside of some Fanart and translations of official content that isn't released in English.
In Japan, Namco Bandai runs an offical, region-locked popularity poll every year as part of the Tales of Festival. While popularity of specific characters varies between regions, it is notable that a Yuri from Tales of Vesperia and Leon from Tales of Destiny have been removed from the popularity poll due to winning over and over again.
Shipping
- Ristelle (Tales of Vesperia)
Fandom Jokes and Memes
- inside look at how bandai namco names Tales of games -- video by ProZD that pokes fun at the series's tendency to take a word that the game is supposed to be themed about and adding 'ia' to it to name the Tales games.
Recurring Tropes
The Traitor - Enough early Tales games featured either a party member or someone close to the main cast betraying the party during the game often enough that wondering who's gonna betray you when you start a new game became a joke.
Fan Communities
Conventions
There is a small but dedicated group of fans that run conventions specifically for fans of the Tales of Series. These events feature Cosplay Contests, Art Auctions, Artist Alleys, Photoshoots, and Panels that cover everything from lore deep dives, trivia contests, cosplay primers, and cafés. A large portion of the con-going group cosplays, with many people having multiple cosplays from different Tales games.
- Aselia Con - Occurring annually in Late March or Early April, Aselia Con was a fan run convention focused on the Tales of Series held in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex starting in 2012. It was was retired after the 2022 convention.
- Maple Gel Con - First held in 2015, Maple Gel Con is Canada's Tales of Series fan run convention.
- Rappig Crossing - Rappig Crossing started as a virtual convention in Fall 2021, as a response to and complement of Aselia Con's virtual convention that same year. Rappig Crossing's first in person convention is set for September 2022 in Indianapolis.
Fanweeks and Events
Tales of Festival is a yearly event in Japan that features skits, interviews with the voice actors, and limited edition merchandise. There is usually a theme (nautical, painters, etc.).
Online fandom
In Japanese fandom, fan days often coincide with dates that sound similar to the character or ship celebrated, such as Luke Day (6/9 can be read as ru-ku, which sounds like Luke) and Lloyd/Colette Day (6/15 can be read as ro-i-ko, which sounds like the ship name in Japanese).
Western fandom sometimes organizes fanweeks to coincide with these Japanese days, such as Colloyd Week running annually from June 9 to June 15.
As of 2023, there are weeks for various games and ships, most of which are tracked on the Tales of Highlights blog.
January
February
March: Abyss Week: March 8-14
April
May: Unsung Tales Week: Dedicated to obscure games and characters
June: Colloyd Week: June 9-15
July: Crestoria Week, Crestoria Fest
August
September: Xillia Week: September 1-8
October: Berseria Week: October 9-15
November
December: Tales of Secret Santa exchange
Example Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanworks that involve multiple Tales games belong here. Examples of Fanworks that focus on a specific Tales game should be moved to that game's fanlore page if it exists.
Fanfiction
On AO3, fanfiction for the Tales of Series can be found under the tag "Tales of Series," with each game also having it's own individual tag.
Fanart
Meta
Zines
- Tales of Fanzine- An unofficial fan anthology to celebrate 25 years for the Tales series
- Dark Wings Digest - Fan made magazine where all of the game characters are celebrities, with each issue spoofing a different magazine or tabloid.