A 45-minute anime appetizer that asks: what if being chosen kinda sucked?
The Seraphim, a mystical spirit race who act as a stabilizing force in the land, blessed a human boy known as Sorey with powers. Sorey's encounter with Alisha and Lunarre leads him to leave on a journey to becoming the Shepherd and saving the world.
Direction
Ufotable's signature fluid action sequences
Score
Go Sakabe's sweeping orchestral fantasy themes
Production
Gorgeous Seraphim realm environmental design
Director
Haruo Sotozaki
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This TV special adapts the game's prologue and was created to promote the Tales of Zestiria game release, with Ufotable animating both this and the later full series.
The 'Shepherd' archetype draws heavily from Japanese messianic hero tropes common in 90s RPGs, but Zestiria complicates it by making the role genuinely isolating rather than celebratory.
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