If you’re an avid player of JRPGs and anime-inspired adventures, chances are you’ve heard of the Tales series.
From its beginnings on the Super Famicom in Tales of Phantasia to this week’s release of the stunning Tales of Arise for PlayStation, Xbox and PC, this long-spanning series has hit emotional beats, made waves and captured generations of fans.
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Of course, it’s also had its different entries adapted into anime! So in addition to some fantastic series for you to check out if you love the vibes and style of the Tales franchise, this list will also help you relive some key moments in the gaming franchise so far, even if they’re mostly self-contained stories.
Take a look below at five anime you should jump into while journeying through Tales of Arise!
Tales of the Abyss
An earlier entry in BANDAI NACMO’s Tales series, Tales of the Abyss received and anime adaptation in 2008. This series follows the story of Luke fon Fabre, a young boy who was kidnapped at a young age and loses his memories as a result of the traumatic event.
The story takes place on Auldrant, which is made up of elemental particles called Fonons. These Fonons consist of six elements: Shadow, Earth, Wind, Water, Fire and Light. A seventh one, Sound, was eventually discovered and it held the power to predict the future. With adventure and discovery ahead, Luke is thrust on a journey filled with political and religious struggle as he looks to save the world.
Tales of the Abyss is a lot like Tales of Arise, as they both incorporate the six elements of the series. Arise‘s protagonist Alphen must journey throughout Dahna to take down the lords that rule over the districts, each representing a certain element. Additionally, Tales of Arise has one of the strongest romantic subplots since Tales of the Abyss’s Luke and Tear.
Watch Tales of the Abyss on Funimation!
Tales of Zestiria the X
Another one of the Tales anime adaptations is Tales of Zestiria the X, produced by the incredible team at ufotable (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) in 2016.
This entry follows Sorey, known as a Shepherd, who travels around to purify monsters called hellions. For thousands of years, humans and magical beings called Seraphim have lived in harmony. However, humans have become overwhelmed with negative emotions over time, and have lost the ability to see Seraphim.
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These negative emotion byproducts, known as malevolence, are tainting the world. Throughout his journey, Sorey will make contracts with Seraphim and use their power to eliminate hellions. It’s up to Sorey to figure out what is causing the uptick of malevolence and save the world.
Watch Tales of Zestiria the X on Funimation!
FAIRY TAIL
FAIRY TAIL follows Natsu Dragneel and his band of adventurers in the Fairy Tail Guild. Natsu, with his dragon-like abilities, is on the search for his missing foster father, the dragon Igneel. He quickly meets Lucy Heartfilia and, along with Natsu’s cat-like pet, Happy, set off on a grand journey.
Throughout this expansive series, other guild members join up (much like adding to your squad in the Tales series), including an ice wizard named Gray Fullbuster, the magical knight Erza Scarlet and more as their quest takes them around the world.
RELATED: A Beginner’s Guide to Fairy Tail
Together, Natsu and the Fairy Tail Guild look to take down ancient demons known as Etherious and uncover the mystery behind the evil (and deadly) wizard Zeref.
Watch FAIRY TAIL on Funimation!
The Heroic Legend of Arslan
The Heroic Legend of Arslan follows the titular Arslan, the crown prince of Pars, after his father, King Andragoras III, is betrayed when Pars is invaded by Lusitania. Narrowly escaping and managing to pull a crew together, including servant Daryun and musician Gieve, they must find a way to free Pars from Lusitania.
The high fantasy setting of The Heroic Legend of Arslan is a lot like the one found in the Tales games. There’s also the theme of nations invading each other, just like how Rena did with Dahna in the setup for Tales of Arise.
Watch The Heroic Legend of Arslan on Funimation!
Black Clover
This show follows orphans Asta and Yuno on their quest to become the next Wizard King. The problem? Asta doesn’t have any magical abilities, and he’ll need to rely on physical strength and his mysterious five-leaf clover grimoire. Yuno, on the other hand, is a magic prodigy.
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Black Clover is packed with some explosive and flashy fights, much like what you’ll find in Tales of Arise. In fact, Asta and Yuno sport a similar dynamic to Alphen and Shionne in the game. Asta wields a gigantic sword and Yuno casts ranged spells, much like Alphen’s close-up fighting style and Shionne’s magical spells.
Adventure, magic and more await you in the wide world of Black Clover…and Tales of Arise!
Watch Black Clover on Funimation!
