From the remastered game of the same name, Legend of Mana – The Teardrop Crystal traces the story of several adventurers. The first is Shiloh, who meets what seems to be a goddess who somewhat quotes scripture, saying “Seek me and you will find me” (Matthew 7:7), and sends him to a town called Domino. For 15 years, Shiloh lives among the townsfolk, which are peaceful creatures and even small monsters who harvest and enjoy a quiet life. Shiloh saves the village from two children who happen to be magicians and takes the two orphans into his home. Now a family, he introduces the children to the Trent (a giant talking tree) and soon falls into another adventure when encountering a restaurant employee, Rachel, being harassed by a cloaked man. A fight almost breaks out, but is broken up by one of the guards of Domino, and after this mysterious fellow explains he’s searching for a girl named Pearl, Shiloh decides to help him find her, leading to a quest to the Mekiv Caverns where, with Rachel’s help, they save Pearl before she’s attacked by dangerous monsters.
When the call went out to do this first impression on our staff Discord, I was surprised. I’m a big Mana fan, having played Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 3), and of course this one, Legend of Mana, but I didn’t know this series was coming out. But I’m glad to have seen it. The animation has callbacks to the colorful artwork of the game. This is a real bonus because although there’s action and also a slice-of-life story, I don’t remember Legend of Mana for its plot. Instead, I remember it for the design. I wouldn’t consider this one of the better anime of the season, but I will definitely be watching for the nostalgia factor, being a fan of the franchise. If you’re new to Mana though, this one might seem a little boring, moving a little too slow to keep your attention.
Legend of Mana -The Teardrop Crystal can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
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