Eternal Filena
Encyclopedia
is a fantasy
light novel
series by Takeshi Shudō
(best known for writing the scripts for Magical Princess Minky Momo
and Pokémon
) which was serialized in Japan in Animage
, illustrated by Akemi Takada
. The series has been collected into nine volumes published by Tokuma Shoten
. An OVA series based on the novels was released from 1992 to 1993. The novel series was also adapted into an RPG released by Tokuma Shoten
for the Super Famicom
in 1995. It was only released commercially in Japan.
brought up as a boy in the ocean kingdom of Filosena, which is in the middle of a revival.The ruling empire offers gladiatorial games to keep the masses happy, however they use young boys to be trained as gladiators for the games, and force the girls into prostitution.
in Animage from 1985 until 1994. Interior illustrations as well as cover artwork for the collected volumes were done by Akemi Takada
, known for her work on series such as Kimagure Orange Road
and Creamy Mami. The series has been collected into nine volumes. The series was popular enough to place in Animage polls for readers' all-time-favorite series as late as 1999.
OVA series, with original character designs by Akemi Takada, was released by Tokuma Japan Communications
from December 1992 through February 1993 at a rate of two 30-minute episode per month. The OVA series was not well received.
A soundtrack for the anime series was released on October 23, 1992, two months prior to the OVA series. The soundtrack was performed by guitarist
Jinmo, with vocals for the opening theme song, Ocean, performed by Azumi Inoue
.
Sources:
Sources:
in 1995 exclusive to Japan. The game was developed and published by Tokuma Shoten
. Eternal Filena was released late into the Super Famicom
's life, but despite this it had somewhat dated graphics that were remniscent of Final Fantasy V
.
The game's story begins with Filena, a girl raised as a boy by her grandfather Zenna. Filena is raised as a boy because the Empire ruling the country forces girls into prostitution and turns boys into gladiators. After turning 16 Filena prepares to make her debut in the imperial coliseum, however before the battle she and her fellow gladiators are assigned concubine
s. Filena ignores her assigned bedmate, Lila, but Lila forces her way into Filena's room and learns the truth about her gender. Filena later fights through the gladiator ranks and discovers that their battles to the death are all scripted by behind-the-scenes writers. Filena then sets off with Lila on a quest to bring down an empire and reclaim her rightful place in a lost kingdom.
The gameplay is typical of console role-playing games of its time, using a turn-based battle system with random encounters with monsters to gain experience and level up.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
series by Takeshi Shudō
Takeshi Shudo
was a Japanese scriptwriter. He was best known as chief writer of the Pokémon anime for the Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto arcs and also wrote the first three films. He departed the series prior to the start of its rehaul as Advanced Generation...
(best known for writing the scripts for Magical Princess Minky Momo
Magical Princess Minky Momo
, also known as Magical Princess Gigi or Gigi or Benvenuta Gigi and Tanto tempo fa...Gigi in Italy, is the title of two different magical-girl anime. The first Momo, often called Sora Momo , aired from 1982...
and Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
) which was serialized in Japan in Animage
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Hayao Miyazaki's internationally renowned manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was serialized in Animage from 1982 through 1994...
, illustrated by Akemi Takada
Akemi Takada
is a Japanese manga artist born on March 31, 1955 in Tokyo, Japan. She is a popular anime character designer, noted for her long collaboration with director Mamoru Oshii. She graduated from Tama Art University, after which she worked for Tatsunoko Pro. She is currently a freelance manga artist with...
. The series has been collected into nine volumes published by Tokuma Shoten
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
. An OVA series based on the novels was released from 1992 to 1993. The novel series was also adapted into an RPG released by Tokuma Shoten
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1995. It was only released commercially in Japan.
Plot
Eternal Filena follows the adventures of Filena, a female slave and gladiatorGladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
brought up as a boy in the ocean kingdom of Filosena, which is in the middle of a revival.The ruling empire offers gladiatorial games to keep the masses happy, however they use young boys to be trained as gladiators for the games, and force the girls into prostitution.
Characters
- The main character of the series, she is a princess who was raised as a boy after her kingdom was conquered.
- A slave assigned to be Filena's bedmate before the gladiator fight, after Filena ignores her she forces her way into Filena's room and learns the truth about her gender.
Light novels
The light novel series was serializedSerialization
In computer science, in the context of data storage and transmission, serialization is the process of converting a data structure or object state into a format that can be stored and "resurrected" later in the same or another computer environment...
in Animage from 1985 until 1994. Interior illustrations as well as cover artwork for the collected volumes were done by Akemi Takada
Akemi Takada
is a Japanese manga artist born on March 31, 1955 in Tokyo, Japan. She is a popular anime character designer, noted for her long collaboration with director Mamoru Oshii. She graduated from Tama Art University, after which she worked for Tatsunoko Pro. She is currently a freelance manga artist with...
, known for her work on series such as Kimagure Orange Road
Kimagure Orange Road
, usually abbreviated as KOR, is a popular shōnen romantic comedy manga and anime series from the 1980s.Written by Izumi Matsumoto and serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, it was later adapted into an anime series broadcast on Nippon Television, animated by Studio Pierrot and directed by...
and Creamy Mami. The series has been collected into nine volumes. The series was popular enough to place in Animage polls for readers' all-time-favorite series as late as 1999.
Anime
A six-episode animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
OVA series, with original character designs by Akemi Takada, was released by Tokuma Japan Communications
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
from December 1992 through February 1993 at a rate of two 30-minute episode per month. The OVA series was not well received.
A soundtrack for the anime series was released on October 23, 1992, two months prior to the OVA series. The soundtrack was performed by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Jinmo, with vocals for the opening theme song, Ocean, performed by Azumi Inoue
Azumi Inoue
is a Japanese singer. She graduated from Yugakkan High School in Kanazawa. She is best known for singing the opening and ending theme songs for the Hayao Miyazaki film My Neighbor Totoro: "Sanpo" and "My Neighbor Totoro". She is known for having a clear, light voice.Inoue is managed by the talent...
.
Cast
- Filena: Arisa AndōArisa Andois a Japanese voice actor who works for 81 Produce. She is originally from Tokyo.-TV anime:* Anpanman * Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! * Highschool! Kimen-gumi * Hello Hedgehog...
- Lilla: Yūko MizutaniYuko Mizutaniis a Japanese voice actress working for Production Baobab.-Notable voice roles:*Alfimi, Katana & Byakuya in Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED*Andrea Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210*Anri in Bubblegum Crisis*Apple in Zillion...
- Zena: Yūsaku YaraYusaku Yarais a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is currently affiliated with Vi-Vo. His real name is ', and his former stage name was .He is best known for his roles in Chibi Maruko-chan as Hiroshi Sakura, Kiteretsu Daihyakka as Kiteretsu's Papa, the 1989 version of Sally, the Witch as Sally's...
- Baraba: Hideyuki HoriHideyuki Horiis a Japanese voice actor and younger brother of fellow voice actor Yukitoshi Hori and works at Aoni Production. He is most known for his roles in Saint Seiya , Sakigake!! Otokojuku , Kinnikuman , Mobile Fighter G Gundam , and the Dead or Alive series and Ninja Gaiden .-Career:Along...
- Nesuto: Ken'yū Horiuchi
- Sarah: Ai OrikasaAi Orikasais a popular Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She works for Production Baobab. Orikasa is also the Japanese dub voice for Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Her debut work was Shoukoushi Cedie in 1988...
Sources:
Staff
- Original work: Takeshi ShudōTakeshi Shudowas a Japanese scriptwriter. He was best known as chief writer of the Pokémon anime for the Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto arcs and also wrote the first three films. He departed the series prior to the start of its rehaul as Advanced Generation...
- Director: Yoshitaka Nitta
- Character Designer: Kenzō Koizumi
- Animation Director: Kenzō Koizumi
- Art Director: Geki Katsumata
- Audio Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
- Music: Jinmo
- Original character designs: Akemi TakadaAkemi Takadais a Japanese manga artist born on March 31, 1955 in Tokyo, Japan. She is a popular anime character designer, noted for her long collaboration with director Mamoru Oshii. She graduated from Tama Art University, after which she worked for Tatsunoko Pro. She is currently a freelance manga artist with...
- Animation: Studio PierrotStudio Pierrotis a Japanese animation/animation studio, founded in 1979 by former employees of Tatsunoko Production. Its headquarters is located in Mitaka, Tokyo.The company has a simple logo of the face of a clown...
Sources:
Video game
A console role-playing game video game based on the series was first released on the Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1995 exclusive to Japan. The game was developed and published by Tokuma Shoten
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
. Eternal Filena was released late into the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
's life, but despite this it had somewhat dated graphics that were remniscent of Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V
is a medieval-fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1992 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Famicom . It has been ported with minor differences to Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance...
.
The game's story begins with Filena, a girl raised as a boy by her grandfather Zenna. Filena is raised as a boy because the Empire ruling the country forces girls into prostitution and turns boys into gladiators. After turning 16 Filena prepares to make her debut in the imperial coliseum, however before the battle she and her fellow gladiators are assigned concubine
Concubinage
Concubinage is the state of a woman or man in an ongoing, usually matrimonially oriented, relationship with somebody to whom they cannot be married, often because of a difference in social status or economic condition.-Concubinage:...
s. Filena ignores her assigned bedmate, Lila, but Lila forces her way into Filena's room and learns the truth about her gender. Filena later fights through the gladiator ranks and discovers that their battles to the death are all scripted by behind-the-scenes writers. Filena then sets off with Lila on a quest to bring down an empire and reclaim her rightful place in a lost kingdom.
The gameplay is typical of console role-playing games of its time, using a turn-based battle system with random encounters with monsters to gain experience and level up.