Anima: Beyond Fantasy

Anima: Beyond Fantasy is a Spanish role-playing game developed by Carlos B. García Aparicio and Anima Project Studios. Anima's fantasy setting, called Gaïa, is significantly inspired by Japanese roleplaying video games such as Final Fantasy and Suikoden, and features manga-like art, Eastern concepts of honor codes, mysticism and martial arts. Additionally, the world of Anima combines those elements with traditional Western fantasy ones, such as magic and medieval arms.

Games

Anima: Beyond Fantasy (RPG)

Anima: Beyond Fantasy cover

The tabletop role-playing game that started the franchise was originally published by Edge Entertainment in 2005 in Spain.

Translations

A French translation was published in France in 2007 by UbIK, a French company that merged in 2008 with Edge Entertainment, Anima's Spanish editor. An English translation of Anima was released in October 2008 by the American company Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) and is still included in FFG's games catalog.[1] A German translation is planned.

Although the English translation was originally slated for an August 2006 release, multiple release dates came and went without the game being released. The publisher's website told of a September 2008 release. Gen-Con Indy saw the initial release, followed by a full release on October 2008.

The translation is not a second edition of the game (as widely believed) but rather a revised version. For a while it was believed that an electronic version of an English translation of the first edition existed. According to an email by Jeremy Stomberg of Fantasy Flight Games:

"There is no official translation of the Anima: Beyond Fantasy RPG in PDF. The only official English translation is in the computers at FFG. By the time the FFG translation was ready, Edge (the Spanish publisher) already had the 2nd Edition finished, so we decided to release the 2nd Edition so gamers would have the most up-to-date book. We expect it out this summer."

As of June 28, 2010, Fantasy Flight Games has published the core rules in PDF format on DriveThruRPG.

Supplements

Released in English
Not released in English

Anima: Tactics

Anima: Tactics is a 32mm miniature game set in the Anima universe, produced and distributed by the U.S. company Cipher Studios. The game is played with individual characters and advantage cards that are worth a certain amount of points.

Miniatures

All Anima: Tactics characters have a side (either Light, Dark, or Neutral) and a faction.

Limited Edition Miniatures

Anima: Tactics is not a collectible game, but some character are given a limited edition variant pose in addition to their standard re-printable pose. Cipher studios has so far released two Limited Edition variants: Celia and Khaine-D'Lacreu. The Limited Edition Celia since selling out has become highly collectible and has in the past fetch prices as higher than $100 USD on online auctions.

International Competition

Every year since 2008 there has been a US National Championship held at Gen Con Indianapolis. Since 2007 annual European and German Championships take place at Dreieich Con near Frankfurt, Germany.

As of 2015 the European Championships take place in Bonn, Germany.

Current European ranking:

2015 Benjamin Effer "Renjie" Andrej Plancak "Woo" Dennis Schlesinger "Grumel"
2014 Benjamin Effer "Renjie" Andrej Plancak "Woo" Marcin Marciniak "Martini"

Anima: The Card Game

The card games are non-collectible, and meant to be played with three to four (five with expansion), however two can play but gameplay is not as dynamic. The original English edition of Shadow of Omega was re-released with errata and a new card material to match future releases.

Expansions

Anima: Video Game

Downloadable WiiWare for Nintendo Wii game system. Anima: Ark of Sinners is an action game set in the lost city of Ark. You attack enemies and explore mysteries in the 3D rendered "Ark". The game features Celia member of Wissenschaft as protagonist.

A second title, Anima: Gate of Memories, is currently in development for the PC. It concerns a character named the Bearer of Calamities and was successfully funded through a Kickstarter project in 2013.

Novel

A novel is said to be in the works.

Factions

Groups and non-playable characters within the game.

Sacred Holy Empire of Abel

The most powerful faction on Gaïa for seven centuries, Abel's supremacy toppled with the death of the former Emperor and rise of the child empress Elisabetta Barbados. They seek the Lost Loggia and rally their forces to regain their former prestige.

Azur Alliance

Formerly allied with the Empire, Azur is now their chief rival in seeking the Lost Loggia.

The Church

The representation of faith on Gaïa, the Church seeks out supernatural forces that endanger the world with absolute devotion.

Samael

Hidden from the world for seven centuries, the Samael are the remnants of the world's supernatural creatures rallied by the Fallen Angels to rise up again.

Wissenschaft

A clandestine organization founded and controlled by prince Lucanor that operate in the shadows to enact their ruler's mysterious plans. Agents are implanted with technology infused with magic.

Black Sun

One of the most powerful corporations on Gaïa that seek out powerful, ancient artifacts. After acquiring the Book of the Dead, Black Sun began to raise the dead into monstrosities as part of a bid to control the global arms race.

Tol Rauko

Templars of the island Tol Rauko who preserve Gaïa's ancient civilizations, whose knowledge and power can topple entire countries or change the course of world events.

Sisters of Selene

An all female band of assassins regarded as the finest of their trade across Gaïa.

The Lost Ones

A small band of survivors of "The End of Fairy Tales" when the kingdom of Sylvania fell who follow the Emperor's son Nerelas Ul Del Sylvanus in his search for the ancient artifact The Eye of God in order to wipe out the human race.

Wanderers

A term for those without an affiliation.

References

  1. ↑ Anima: Beyond Fantasy as it appears in the Fantasy Flight Games website

External links