Falcom, Make a Trails in the Sky Anime

Despite having only become a fan of the Trails series fairly recently, I’ve come to consider the series to be one of my all-time favorites, especially when it comes to the JRPG genre. I find the series to be quintessential to the genre, and a shining example that other games should strive for. However, the games remain incredibly niche, even within the JRPG community. It’s not hard to see why, The games have all experienced some form of localization hell, and with a long-running plotline involving games that can run past sixty hours, it can be hard for new players to make that kind of commitment. There are a number of solutions for how this kind of situation can be resolved, but there’s one way that Nihon Falcom can sidestep a lot of these problems while also bringing a lot of attention to the franchise; making an anime adaptation of Trails in the Sky.

The Problem With Trails Games

There are currently twelve games in the Trails series, several of which are currently only available in Japan. Even if someone were to have access to all the games, they then have to make the commitment to play all twelve games to get the full story. Now, while it’s true that any Trails game can be played and enjoyed without playing the others, it’s also true that it won’t be as rewarding as it would be for those who have. Cold Steel III and IV exacerbate this situation even more, as it involves a massive Avengers-like crossover event that’s going to go over the heads of those who never played the older games.

Of course, even if fans swear up and down that new players can jump into any arc, it’s hard to dispel the reputation the franchise has for its long-running story. Even if new players are convinced to start with one of the newer games, they’ll always be wary that they’ll miss out on something vital, and that even the thought of having to play all these games eventually can be enough to turn off the more casual JRPG fans.

What an Anime Can Do for Trails

The Trails in the Sky games are a classic, and I think they’re must-play games for JRPG fans. However, even I can admit that they haven’t aged the best. The gameplay is fairly basic compared to later games, and while I find the 2.5D aesthetic charming, younger gamers might see the graphics as dated and unappealing.

Still, the events of the Sky trilogy are important, and I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on them. For these fans, it might be more appealing for them to watch an anime adaptation of the games instead. A Trails in the Sky anime could be a great way for fans to catch up on the story easily without having to commit to playing three very long games. It’s a shortcut, but the Trails series sort of needs shortcuts like these.

Marketing Is Gold

A Trails anime wouldn’t only be appealing for Trails fans who might balk at playing older games. It can also be a way to increase the franchise visibility outside of its initial niche. Anime is big, and while not everyone loves JRPGs, there’s bound to be people that will watch a Trails anime adaptation just because it’s there. A Trails in the Sky anime could get people that were never interested in the games to fall in love with the characters, story, and world of Zemuria.

The formula of anime driving interest in video games is not unproven; Persona and Danganronpa are two franchises who owe some of their fame to their anime adaptations. If a Trails anime can experience even a fraction of the success that those franchises experienced, then it can only benefit the franchise.

Conclusion

Ideally, I would rather everyone play through the Trails games, just because the experience is never going to translate perfectly to anime. However, I know that will never happen, and that some people just won’t be interested enough to take the plunge. Still, even adapting only the Sky trilogy will take a quarter of the series’ games out of “required reading”. There’s no need to adapt the entire series, but anime adaptations can make pulling newcomers in more painless and lower the barrier of entry. Trails can stand to be a lot more popular, and an anime adaptation could be the next big step.

Originally published at http://talesfromsquareone.wordpress.com on October 21, 2022.