Anima (role-playing game)

Anima is a tabletop role-playing franchise developed by Spain-based company Anima Game Studio. The fantasy setting of Anima is called Gaïa. It draws significant inspiration from Japanese role-playing video games like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Suikoden. The game features manga-like art, Eastern concepts of honor codes, mysticism and martial arts. Additionally, the world of Anima combines these elements with traditional Western fantasy ones, such as medieval arms.

Anima: Beyond Fantasy
The tabletop role-playing game that started the franchise was originally published by Edge Entertainment in 2005, which is located in Spain.

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

The English version of a particular game was originally scheduled for release in August 2006. However, despite several announced release dates, the game was not made available to the public. According to the publisher's website, the expected release date has been postponed to September 2008. Finally, the game was launched at Gen-Con Indy, with a full release following in October 2008.

The translation is not a second edition of the game, but a revised version. For a while, it was believed that there was an electronic version of an English translation of the first edition. According to an email from 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 on 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. The publishing was discontinued on May 26, 2016.

Supplements

 * Released in English


 * Anima: Beyond Fantasy (August 2008, PDF format June 2010)
 * Game Master's Toolkit (August 2009)
 * Gaïa Volume 1: Beyond the Dreams! (June 2010)
 * Dominus Exxet: Dominion of Ki (July 2011)
 * Those Who Walked Among Us (16 September 2011)
 * Arcana Exxet: Secrets of the Supernatural (25 July 2012)
 * Prometheum Exxet (17 June 2013)
 * Character Folder
 * Character Diary (Male)
 * Character Diary (Female)
 * Core Exxet: (Second edition basic rules)
 * Gaïa Volume 2: Beyond the Mirror

Anima: Tactics
Anima: Tactics is a 32mm miniatures 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 worth a certain number of points.

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

Limited Edition Miniatures
Anima: Tactics is not a collectible game, but some characters will receive a limited edition variant in addition to their standard pose, which can be reprinted. Cipher Studios has released two limited edition variants so far, Celia and Khaine-D'Lacreu. The Limited Edition of Celia has been a sought-after collectible since it sold out and has fetched prices of up to $100 in online auctions in the past.

International Competition
Since 2008, a US National Championship has been held each year 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:

Anima: The Card Game
The card games are non-collectible and are intended for three to four (five with expansion) people. They can also be played with two people, but then the gameplay is less dynamic. The original English edition of Shadow of Omega has been reissued with errata and new card material to adapt it to future releases.

Expansions

 * Shadow of Omega
 * Shadow of Omega Revised
 * Beyond Good and Evil
 * The Twilight of the Gods

Anima: Ark of Sinners
Anima: Ark of Sinners is a platform video game developed and published by Anima Game Studio exclusively for Wii.

Reception
Anima: Ark of Sinners received "unfavorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Anima: Gate of Memories
Anima: Gate of Memories is an action role-playing video game developed by Anima Project and published by Badland Games for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in 2016. The game received "mixed" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Factions
List of factions within the game.

Sacred Holy Empire of Abel
The ruling faction of Gaïa for seven centuries, Abel's supremacy toppled with the death of the former Emperor and the rise of 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 Church seeks out supernatural forces that endanger the world.

Samael
The Samael are the remnants of the world's supernatural creatures rallied by the Fallen Angels.

Wissenschaft
A clandestine organization founded and controlled by Prince Lucanor. Agents are implanted with technology infused with magic.

Black Sun
A corporation that seeks out artifacts. After acquiring the Book of the Dead, Black Sun entered the arms race by raising the undead.

Tol Rauko
Templars of the island Tol Rauko preserve Gaïa's ancient civilizations.

Sisters of Selene
An all-female band of assassins led by Alaxa Ul Del Serendis.

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

Wanderers
A term for those without an affiliation.