Ok, so here’s my opinion. Been playing Anima: Beyond Fantasy for almost a year now religiously and I can honestly say most of the attempts here and elsewhere to pigeonhole the style and feel of the world and game style are wrong (no offence intended). The first impression is that of an Anime-style world converted into a table-top RPG but once you delve deeper into the setting you realize the complexity and completeness of the setting, if not it’s entire history. While there is a definitive Anime feel to everything I have run games with a White Wolf political feel using undead and supernatural organizations, I have run settings akin to the LOTR trilogy, and even a completely ingrained sci-fi game with plasma rifles and space travel isn’t outside of this setting’s scope. The only problem lies in that it’s designed for a certain amount of devotion or one hell of a keen mind coupled with a damn-near photographic memory (Here I state that even after a year of almost solid reading and memorizing there’re still aspect of the world that escape me.).
Larger-than-life action can be expected, but with a good GM such action is kept to a minimum because of the very nature of the world and the power of its organizations. There’re places on Gaia (the World of Anima) in which you can have your typical hack-and-slash dungeon crawl (Galgados), and then there are places where a horror/fantasy is more appropriate (Moth), and even places for those who prefer the typical kung-fu anime style of play (Shivat). Want traditional Japanese culture? Lanet’s your place. And for high politics and intrigue anywhere in the Coast of Commerce, the Holy Empire of Abel, or the Azure Alliance are for you.
Power levels in the game reach epic proportions, literally world-changing, with warriors capable of devastating entire armies in a single blow. This coupled with its vast feel placed into the hands of a traditionalist D&D player can only amount in chaos. Progression is meant to be slow and painful, with the idea that players are meant to earn their wings and that an adventure isn’t an adventure without risk. This isn’t to say that in a game where the players are set to destroy or re-create the face of Gaia that progression can’t be fast but that sort of thing’s better left to experienced GMs and players.
The System’s crunchy to say the least with a definitive rules-heave way about it. A key tool in GMing or playing anima is a Calculator unless you have a severely mathematical mind. Ascrap paper for notes and working out problems is also actually essential. With these, your Character Sheet, and a D% you’re set to play. The Combat system’s made for GMs who don’t mind doing most of the work. I’ve spoken to player’s who’s GMs have left them to do the maths and none of them really enjoyed the play experience.
While the system works with %Dice it’s not actually a %system. It just uses the numbers. Combat is Table orientated but once you have your head around the table you can do the working out all in your head. (Took me about a month and I’m not mathematically minded)
Character gen in the beginning could take a while, to be honest about a day per person, but this can be cut down by simply knowing what’s going on and experience to about 3 hours each. Character gen in Anima is meant to be in-depth so quick games are a practical impossibility with players inevitably becoming more attached to their characters due to the amount of work they’re expected to put into them.
The Core book is available for free download if you’re not lazy, and if you have the good fortune to be able to speak Spanish then a whole plethora of Book are available to you (It actually a Spanish game translated into English so the Translation’s actually a bit crappy but I’ve heard wonders about the Original Books, they’re almost poetry :-) )
If you’re having problem with ideas for feel, ask your players two vital questions: What’s your favourite Anime? What’s your favourite Fantasy series?
Combined the two and there you go.
This game is not for kids or once-off GMs who’ll both miss out on the complexity of everything in this world and who won’t get most of the subtlety of it. If you’re looking for a new game to start GMing but want something light and easy to work, This System Is NOT For You. IF you’re looking for a new game to start GMing and want something in-depth, interesting, and involved and takes you out of the kids pool and into deeper waters, This Game IS For You.
Oh, and the Art’s worth killing for…
So, to summarize, Anima is: Low Dice, Epic feel, high GM maintenance, All-encompassing, poorly translated but Uber-fun, Anime geared Table top game for Mature Players designed to get you hooked and keep you there.
There’s also a Card Game (Anima: Shadows of Omega) and a Table-top strategy (Anima: Tactics) (<-You can tell the Final Fantasy hint there)
