Tales of Zestiria the X

About Tales of Zestiria the X

If you are hunting for a new action series, Tales of Zestiria the X (テイルズ オブ ゼスティリア ザ クロス) deserves a look (2016). The setup goes like this. In short: Sorey is a human youth who grew up among the seraphim, spiritual beings not visible to humans. Sorey believes in the folklore that says “long ago, every human was able to see the seraphim" and dreams of unraveling the long-lost mystery to make the world a place where people and seraphim can live together in peace.

Soon after, one day, Sorey visits the human capital for the very first time. He turns into embroiled in an incident during which he pulls out a holy sword embedded in a rock and ends up becoming a Shepherd, one who casts away calamity from the world. He kicks off to realize the gravity of his mission, and his dream of coexistence between mankind and the seraphim turns into more intense— And thus, the Shepherd embarks on an adventure with his companions.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Ryouhei Kimura as Sorey and Ryouta Oosaka as Mikleo. If you count yourself among viewers who like fast, high-impact fights, put it on your list. With 13 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with ufotable, which means the visual identity of Tales of Zestiria the X follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Its 6.9/10 score suggests opinions are split, so it suits viewers who already like the genre. On the casting side, Ryouhei Kimura voicing Sorey gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2016, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.