Tales of Symphonia: Rodeo Ride Tour vol.2

テイルズ オブ シンフォニア 〜ロデオライド・ツアー〜  下巻

Company: Frontierworks
Based on: Game
Released: 2005.06.24



Rodeo Ride Tour is a story that takes place after the events of Tales of Symphonia, and centres on Sheena (CV: Okamura Akemi) and Zelos (CV: Onosaka Masaya). Due to Zelos his life possibly being in danger because he has become the taget of a terrorist organisation, the two of them travel around the world to avoid danger and possibly draw out the attackers.

Due to this story taking place after the events of Tales of Symphonia, it is of course best if you know the entire story before listening to this. There are also a few scenes from near the ending of the game (making me remember all of it and feel nostalgic).

This time the tracks are more related than in the first CD. The first track is about Zelos and Sheena saving a few girls that were about to be abducted and traded off (I forgot that Tales of isn't afraid of using themes like that) but the rest of the tracks are all related.

In the second and third track Zelos and Sheena visit Lloyd (CV: Konishi Katsuyuki) in Iselia. He is living there for a while with Colette (CV: Mizuki Nana) before they continue on their journey to collect exspheres, Colette is away for a few days though. The two spend the night at Lloyd his house, and Zelos teasingly reminds Sheena of the fact that she used to like Lloyd. When Sheena intends to stay a little longer however Zelos gets angry because they agreed to never stay longer than one night, and takes off on his own. Despite wanting to stay longer, Sheena does however follow him.

In the next three tracks Orochi tracks the two of them down to report thatthe terrorist organisation that was after Zelos his life has been dismantled and that there is no more need to travel around any more. Neither of them seems to be truly happy with the news though. However the story doesn't end there.

After Zelos has gone on ahead, Orochi tells Sheena that before being dismantled, a few members of the terrorist organisation escaped and kidnapped Seles, Zelos his younger sister. They threatened to kill her unless he would come alone to a specific place, and thus Zelos has gone after them. Zelos didn't want Sheena to know this, but now that she does know she of course goes after him.

The scenes with Lloyd were very interesting. It the game it is never explicitly said that Sheena likes Lloyd (though there are enough hints) so this was the first time that I really heard it confirmed. I liked the way they handled it though. It is clear that Sheena still likes Lloyd a bit but has already given up on the idea.

Zelos gets his moments in the spotlights when he goes to save Seles. Somehow he always gets a few good lines somewhere near the end. Although Sheena was the one to save the day. The end was very good as well, the final track starts exactly the same as when Zelos came to Mizuho in the first CD. However, this time when Sheena asks what he came to do he simply answers "I came to see you face". It looks like he became a little more honest ;)

The bonus track has Konishi-san hosting the radio show 'Tales Ring' one more time (they revived it for one more episode) with Onosaka-san and Okamura-san as guests. They tease him a bit about the fact that he wasn't in the first CD, to which he replies that 'he doesn't care because he got his part in the second half of the story'. They all together joke about Lloyd being mean because he is so nice to Sheena, not knowing how she felt xD


Conclusion:
Just like before this is a Sheena x Zelos festival, so only listen if you like/tolerate the pairing. I liked this CD a bit more than the first one, probably because the story was a bit more coherent. The scene with Sheena and Zelos in the rain from the first CD is still my favourite scene from this story though.

Tales of Symphonia: A Long Time Ago Vol.3

テイルズ オブ シンフォニア - A long time ago 第3巻

Company: Frontierworks
Based on: Game
Released: 2004.08.25


In total there are 3 volumes for A Long Time Ago, and each CD has two stories that deal with the past of a character.This final volumes is somewhat different however, in that it also brings together what everyone was doing in the present.

In fact, it mainly focuses on the story in the present, and Zelos and Kratos their past is stuffed somewhere in between.

The story begins with an announcer in Meltokio proclaiming that Zelos (CV: Onosaka Masaya) is dead. Lloyd (CV: Konishi Katsuyuki) and Collette (CV: Mizuki Nana) who happen to be there don't want to believe it. While drinking something in a pub later they meet a woman called Kyrie who was working together with Zelos. Apparently Zelos found evidence of some sort of conspiracy just before he was killed, however he already gave to evidence to "the person he trusts most". Wanting to avenge Zelos, the three of them set of to find the evidence.

Kratos is only present in the story through his conversations with Yuan. What they tell of his past is already explained in game; what happened when Anna her exsphere was removed. I don't think there were any more details than in already mentioned in the game.

This drama CD had a completely different set-up, and I'm not entirely sure I'm happy about that. Zelos and Kratos are my favorite characters, so I was looking forward to seeing (hearing?) them in the spotlight. Instead, I think Lloyd and Collete actually featured more. Zelos does get a bit of action and a really cool line near the end though.

The cast comment however, was a lot better this time! This time four of the seiyuu made a comment, and they also interacted with each other making it a lot more lively. Especially Onosaka Masaya is really fun to listen to.


Conclusion:
I'm a bit sad that it doesn't center on Zelos and Kratos, but hearing a little bit of the future, of the problems that arise after the end of the game was nice too. That all three CD's are tied together with this was a nice touch too. I'll just turn my hopes towards the Rodeo Ride Tour CDs for more Zelos~

ps: all three covers together form one large image:

Tales of Symphonia: A Long Time Ago Vol.2

テイルズ オブ シンフォニア - A long time ago 第2巻

Company: Frontierworks
Based on: Game
Released: 2004.08.25


In total there are 3 volumes for A Long Time Ago, and each CD has two stories that deal with the past of a character. The second CD has stories for Raine + Genis and Presea Combatir. The stories are told as flashbacks, so while the drama CD's are chronologically after the game, the stories themselves are from before the game starts. Am I still making sense?

This time I'll start with the one sentence summary:

This CD tells the story from Raine and Genis their travels before Iselia, and how Presea got her exsphere.

Like the first CD the prologue has nothing to do with the rest, but is a short scene with Lloyd (CV: Konishi Katsuyuki) and Collette (CV: Mizuki Nana) instead. Both of them wonder how everyone in Iselia is doing, and talk about going to visit sometime.

For Raine and Genis that first summary isn't entirely true though. Their story is both about their travels before Iselia and their living there. The story starts when Raine (CV: Touma Yumi) and Genis (CV: Orikasa Ai) take shelter from the rain underneath a large tree. Both of them remember that it was always raining whenever they traveled, and start a little reminiscence.

Presea (CV: Kuwashima Houko) is working as a representative of Lezareno Company (Regal his company). While working on destroying the exsphere mines she remembers how she got her own exsphere. We get to hear quite a bit of a Presea that we've never seen before in the games.

This time there is a lot more new background information. (The fact that Lloyd and Dike are living outside of the village because both Lloyd and Dike both hit the mayor during an argument was new to me at least). Both stories are kind of sad, but both stories end with a really positive mindset of the respective characters.

Especially Presea her story was really emotional for me. In the game her backstory is explained, and even then it was already a sad story. But if you actually hear it is even worse. Combined with the beautiful piano music it was enough to make me cry rivers.

The bonustrack still isn't very special though. The three main seiyuu give a short message and that's it. It is cute though.


Conclusion
I liked this one a lot better than the first, mostly because there is quite some new info. Presea has never been one of my favorite characters, but her story is simply beautiful. I.... I don't know anything else to say, I'm sorry (^-^;;)

Tales of Symphonia: A Long Time Ago Vol.1

テイルズ オブ シンフォニア - A long time ago 第1巻

Company: Frontierworks 
Based on: Game
Released: 2004.07.23


Tales of Symphonia is one of my favorite games of all time, and I've been meaning to listen to the drama CD's for ages now. And here it is! The review for the first vol!

In total there are 3 volumes for A Long Time Ago, and each CD has two stories that deal with the past of a character. The first CD has stories for Regal Bryan and Fujibayashi Sheena. The stories are told as flashbacks, so while the drama CD's are chronologically after the game, the stories themselves are from before the game starts. Am I still making sense?

Interestingly enough, the prologue has nothing to do with the two stories. In the prologue we hear how Lloyd (CV: Konishi Katsuyuki) and Collette (CV: Mizuki Nana), are traveling to find all remaining exspheres. While the entire party from the game may now be split up, everyone is working towards the same goal in their own way (due to spoiler reasons, I'll refrain from any details ;)

Switch to Regal his story. While riding a coach to somewhere Regal (Ootsuka Akio) remembers a scene from his childhood with his father. Regal his father is a rather cold-hearted man who thinks only of their family company. Unintended Regal follows in his footsteps. However all of this begins to change when one of the maids one day puts a single white flower on display in his room.

Interested in the flower Regal asks her what the name of is the day after, and so she begins to bring a new one everyday. Through this they slowly become acquainted, and Regal begins to act much less cold in every aspect of life. However his butler George sees the growing love between a Noble, not to mention the president of a large company and a simple maid as unfit, and tears the two apart...

The second story is about Sheena (CV: Okimura Akemi), who receives a job offer from Zelos (CV: Onosaka Masaya). Due to it being a job with many responsibilities she initially want to refuse it. Involuntarily, this makes her think of when she was still working at the Elemental Research Lab in Meltokio.

During her time there she one day meets a man made elemental spirit named Corrinne. Feeling sorry for Corrinne because it is used in all kinds of experiments, she decides to set it free. Corrinne however stays with Sheena, and becomes a sort of moral support to her.

In short, these are the stories of how Regal met Alicia and how Sheena met Corrinne. If you've played the game, there is no really new information in this drama CD. It just gives further details to a past that we already knew. That doesn't make it any less interesting though. Especially in Regal his case, because I always had the feeling that he just missed a lot of screentime in the actual game (because he is the last person to join your party).

(I just realized I could have written a summary of only one sentence, doh)

In the bonustrack both Ootsuka Akio and Okamura Akemi give a short comment about their story. Maybe due to being so short it felt rather... lacking though. I really hoped for a cast comment with everyone involved, but alas.


Conclusion:
Because these CDs technically take place after the game, and therefore assume you know about every spoiler there is, it is probably best to listen to this only if you've (almost) finished the game. For those who are interested in the backstories of the characters this drama CD  is the right thing. Even if it is just a more detailed version of a story we already know.