Ryza no Atelier: Tokoyami no Joou to Himitsu no Kakurega

From her hometown to her daily life on Kurken Island, everything surrounding Reisalin "Ryza" Stout is painfully ordinary. Despite being the daughter of a hardworking farmer, she would rather go on pretend adventures as she explores almost every corner of the island. However, the fact that it is against the local customs to venture off Kurken Island irritates her to no end.

One day, wishing for something interesting to finally happen in her life, Ryza escapes on a boat with her two good friends: the bookworm Tao Mongarten and the aspiring warrior Lent Marslink. Arriving at a nearby forest, the trio stumbles into Klaudia Valentz, the daughter of a visiting merchant who also wandered off into the woods.

As the naive and underprepared group ventures further, they run into dangerous monsters. Thankfully, they are rescued by the alchemist Empel Vollmer and his skilled bodyguard Lila Decyrus. This fateful encounter will lead Ryza to the key that will change her life forever—the creative and wonderful world of alchemy.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Stout, Reisalin Main

Noguchi, Yuri Japanese

Decyrus, Lila Main

Terui, Haruka Japanese

Valentz, Klaudia Main

Oowada, Hitomi Japanese

Vollmer, Empel Main

Nojima, Hirofumi Japanese

Marslink, Lent Main

Terashima, Takuma Japanese

Mongarten, Tao Main

Kondou, Yui Japanese

Brunnen, Bos Supporting

Azakami, Youhei Japanese

Vogel, Romy Supporting

Nagaku, Yuki Japanese

Jonna Supporting

Suwa, Ayaka Japanese

Marslink, Samuel Supporting

Matsuyama, Takashi Japanese

Oowada, Tomoyuki Producer

Sotokawa, Akihiro Producer

Sasaki, Takayuki Producer

Nara, Shunsuke Producer

Reviews

Sep 16, 2023

Marinate1016

Recommended

Let’s be real, you’re probably here because of Ryza’s thighs. I know I was. But, I stayed because Atelier Ryza is a genuinely fun and cute watch that properly captures the essence of a JRPG in a way few other anime adaptations have.

Japanese Role Playing Games can be hard to transfer to the animated medium. They usually consist of a lot of side quests and character dynamic/bonding moments that really help you connect with the characters and immerse yourself in the world. Most adaptations skip that, instead opting for the big action scenes and set pieces to get you to go out and buy the ... game. Acting as a highlight reel of sorts for the story. I really appreciate that LIDENFILMS recognised the significance of character interactions to the Atelier Ryza story and focused on the friendship between Ryza and her childhood friends. By the end of it, I really felt like I had gone on a journey with these kids and grew up a bit myself. You know the feeling when you do a side quest in a game and it sheds light on a character, making you more attached to them? Most of the episodes of this show are like that. So that should give you a little insight into the pacing and type of story here.

The anime is a slow burn, not a lot of action. But what it lacks in sakuga, it makes up for in emotional development between the characters. If you’re someone who needs a lot happening in a story to enjoy it, you’re not going to have fun with this one. Ryza is very much a slice of life fantasy show about small island kids trying to find their way in a world that’s much bigger than they could have ever imagined.

Like the game, there is a big emphasis on crafting and synthesizing in the anime. Over the course of the show, Ryza develops as an alchemist and it never feels overly convenient or contrived. There are trials and tribulations along the way. She stumbles, falls and thanks to her friends, is able to get up stronger than ever. The alchemy scenes are very well done and have a nice magical vibe to them. If you’ve played the games, they are very much true to the spirit of the game and seeing Ryza craft something never fails to satisfy.

I’ve talked about Ryza a lot since she’s the protagonist, but the other characters are great in this as well. No one is insignificant. They all play really important roles and Ryza would be lost without every single person in the cast. They all have satisfactory growth arcs where they get individual moments of brilliance, and I like how they all compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses. If you like good characters, this show’s got them in spades. The writing is not the best, in terms of overarching narratives, or villains, it’s much more self contained and more about adolescent development than taking down a big bad. But, again, it is a slice of life style story and a very well done one at that.

There’s a lot more to the Ryza anime and games than just thighs, and while it’s ok if that’s your initial entry into the series I think you’ll find a lot more here. This show is a no brainer for any JRPG fan or just slice of life enthusiast. I think it didn’t land that well with many people because well, JRPGS are still relatively niche outside of Japan. There’s a lot of dialogue, takes a while to get going etc etc., and the Ryza anime has a lot of that in it. It is a very fun watch, though.

Atelier Ryza gets 7 out of 10.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Sep 16, 2023

KANLen09

Mixed Feelings

The feeling of adventuristic fantasy: alchemy, mystery...and thighs, unapologetically THICC, everywhere.

Ask yourself this question: When was the last time that anime had rather good adaptations of video games? And no, I do not mean mobage games like Princess Connect or Uma Musume, I mean, ACTUAL video games like Danganronpa or even the Persona series. The general answer is going to be the majority option, though the lesser will appreciate them quite a fair bit. This then, brings us to the Gust Corporation's Atelier series, specifically Ryza no Atelier: Tokoyami no Joou to Himitsu no Kakurega a.k.a Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout.

Interestingly enough, ... Atelier Ryza is NOT the first anime adaptation of the series, that lowly award goes to Escha & Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi a.k.a Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky, which is the 2nd game of the Atelier Dusk series back in Spring 2014 almost a full decade before, that people didn't really fondly remember because of the haphazard decision to have an anime adaptation of a game that assumes that you have played the 1st game in the series. And that's probably for a very good reason why when Atelier Ryza had the anime adaptation announcement, it would start from the very beginning, that is this show, which is the 1st game in the Secret series.

Anyone whom has played or seen even an ounce of the Atelier series, would know that alchemy is front and center of the franchise since its inception in 1997 with Atelier Marie in the Salburg series, and that has remained the core focus of the now 20+ games (and still growing) of the franchise overall. And this is spoken true through its double-length premiere episode (which I thought was truly amazing for a start), which is essentially the main plot of the Atelier Ryza game, introducing the THICC thigh protagonist of Reisalin "Ryza" Stout. Together with her "Happy Three Friends" of Lent Marslink and Tao Mongarten on Kurken Island to explore out of their comfort zones, have a clutch with the forever beigning childhood friend of Bos Brunnen and his follower of Lumbar Dorn (that never seems to end), encounter the Valentz family of merchants with father Lubart and daughter Klaudia (which like Ryza and Co. will eventually branch out like them), and meet the capable alchemist Empel Vollmer and his bodyguard Lila Decyrus, to begin the ever-so-changing journey of a lifetime doing the things that they're interested and/or piqued on: Ryza on alchemy and Tao on his studies (taught by Empel) and Lent on his combat training (taught by Lila).

Obviously, like all other video game adaptations, Atelier Ryza is forced to be tied with the plot that series composer Yashichiro Takahashi had planned from the start, though he is the main person who wrote the 1st and 3rd games (Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key), along with this show's scenario. For the anime, Takahashi mentioned that "the arrangement of the main and sub-episodes was a matter of trial and error, but I do not feel that they are lacking in any way. However, due to the structure of the story, Bos in the anime is still in the early stages, so I was not able to include him in the daily life of Ryza and the other characters. If there is another opportunity, I would like to depict that as well." In regards to depicting the game in anime form, Takahashi decided to accurately reproduce the game's original story, but felt that "it would not work as an animation if we simply replayed scenes that had been seen in the game. Therefore, to create an atmosphere in which Ryza and her friends are living in those scenes, it was necessary to add various elements to flesh out the animation. I believe that these natural additions and depictions, which are not overly flashy, are the elements that are unique to anime and that will be enjoyed by the audience who is drawn into Ryza and her friends." And however take that as you will, because while anime cannot properly define the charateristics of a game, it should also not be taken as a pinch of salt, despite its shortcomings to fulfill some semblance of an original story with plot progression that only suits best for anime, which has been the ire for fans, no matter the games because of the difference in interaction.

That said, I must say that I really enjoyed the accompaniment of Ryza and her friends, watching them grow from their days of lazing, and making eponymous names for themselves once the going gets done. Ryza, Lent and Tao are not your typical characters who are the usual "know it all" snobs, thinking that their ways are absolute. They do have adults in the form of parents (and even looking out for them in their failings and insecurities, and friends earned along the way (Klaudia, Empel and Lila) that keep them in check of their progress. Even if they missed a beat whatsoever, they're sure to go back to the source of the issues and find solutions for them, working together like true friends who have your very back. And this being a journey, the Happy Three Friends are tested time and time again, ensuring the adage of the Chinese proverb "Failure is the mother of success", until they get the teachings and put them into full use. This IS character growth, albeit for both the best and worst as how the anime chooses to take liberties with the main character cast that makes sense sometimes and not. But the main points are there, and I'll gladly take this either way.

I'm surprised that Liden Films was chosen to produce the anime adaptation for Atelier Ryza, but also not, since in this season, both this show and the Rurouni Kenshin reboot are tied to Aniplex for their involvements in their respective productions. This is not the first instance as many other shows from before, like the anime adaptation of Aniplex's new mobage Build Divide last year, was literally a no-show for the Western audience. This time, the Atelier series have breached Western territory, so there is a level of expectation, and as much as the show looked inconsistent at times, generally, it delivered what it was supposed to do. I know, I know, Ryza's THICC thighs are always the main allure, and yes, it's has the feeling of being "plastered" in your face. Otherwise, the studio's production is decent at best, being bright, colourful and pleasant to the eyes.

The choice of OST is by far the most interesting aspect to me. The whimsicalities of adventure have their own stories to tell, and I think that the anime nails this succinctly, almost perfectly to the T. Sangatsu no Phantasia's OP song "Golden Ray", literally, is one of the best OP songs of the season for me, simply put that I really love how uplifting this song is, and that it encompasses that excitement you feel when you're about to explore a land unfamiliar. It's the same with Awkmiu's ED song "Arrow", which carries similar feelings of encouragement to reach for your dreams.

Despite having a rather bad record for game adaptations, Atelier Ryza can be a rather interesting experience to be had, be it the choice to try out the game for yourself or just give a heck care about it. I, for one, do have some qualms about the anime's judgments along the way, but generally, while this might not come close to what fans were expecting, as an anime-only, this is still a mixed-to-good decent showing of what the game is all about.

Maybe I should try out the game someday...

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Sep 16, 2023

Stark700

Not Recommended

Out of any JRPG franchise in this generation, the Atelier series has been a bit of a niche title aimed at specific audiences. Despite this, the Atelier Ryza trilogy became one of the most successful collection of games in their franchise history. And no doubt, this anime adaptation was not a matter of if but when. Yet, the anime wore its magic off quickly when we realize it's just a very loose adaptation, one that tries to appeal to the audience, but struggles every step along the way.

First, I want to get the big question out of the way. Do you need to play the ... games to enjoy the anime? The easy answer is no because it became painfully obvious upon the first few episodes that this is a very loose adaptation of the game. And I should also mention, it's focused on elements of the first game only because game mechanics from the second and third games are absent in this show. Even the new characters were omitted. What we do get is a focus on Ryza and her adventures with her friends.

With a full hour premiere, the show initially makes an impression at establishing the principal cast along with its world setting. For those who are unfamilar with the Atelier series, a major focus involves alchemy and how alchemists can make objects, remake them, and even enhance them to make them stronger. While the show introduces these concepts, it's only vaguely explained. Instead, the show takes on a hybrid of adventure, slice of life, and fantasy all stuffed up together. As mentioned before, the anime accepts the main mechanics from the first game but ultimately walks a path of its own. Starting with Ryza, she is an inspiring alchemist and adventurer with an immense curiousity about the world. In the show, she is protrayed as a friendly girl and mostly similar to her in-game character. Her best friend Klaudia makes an appearance and we do see some minor character connection between the duo. Unfortunately, the anime lacks the emotional appeal or moments from the game so it only scratches the surface of their relationship. Other important characters such as Lent and Tao also make appearances although I am rather disappointed by both of their roles. For instance, Lent serves mainly as the 'muscle' of the group but lacks any form of characterization or development. Because of the absence of character segments and stories, we only see what his fighting skills are capable of and barely any personality elements from him. On the other hand, Tao is protrayed as a weaker version compared to his in game character. The anime actually waters down on his combat abilities especially early on in the series. To add to the disappointment, his personality doesn't improve much either and is easily the most dull character in the show.

However, I do want to talk a bit more about Klaudia because there's some levels to her character. Her strict father has high expectations for her and in one of the later episodes, she's able to bring her colorful personality in display. It's one of the more pivotal moments in the show that gives us a better insight about herself. But beyond that, Klaudia suffers from a similar fate to the others: a watered down version of her in-game character. Comparing anime and game adaptations aren't always fair but in this case, the Atelier Ryza games series does a much better job at capturing the cast's personalities. In this adaptation, you're not getting that.

Speaking as someone that has experience with the games, the anime adaptation loosely focuses on its alchemy and synthesis elements. We get the most basic form of alchemy in the form of making bombs and weapons. The complex nature of the alchemy system is mainly thrown out the window and you'd probably get a better idea understanding it reading off of a wiki than this show. And finally, I do want to say that the plot can be a rather mixed reception. It has a slice of life tone that doesn't really have a direction. To call the anime slow paced would be an understatement. We don't get to see a "boss battle" until the final few episodes and even then, it's disappointing. Why? The game uses an action orders system while the anime just throws in some action moves and calls it a day. Ryza's potential is shown but it became clear the anime isn't about fighting in the first place. But at the end of the day, the show truly doesn't know what it's even about.

Liden Films put their work into the adaptation had by some standards, it's acceptable. The character models are consistent and if you've done some research around, you'd know about the 'thicc thighs' memes around the Internet. Here, the anime doesn't really give off fan service although we still get a beach style episode, something that was absent from the first game. On other hand, I do give praise on the studio for crafting the environments. It does stand out to make the anime look like a JRPG setting with that mixture of alchemy, fantasy, and slice of life. Beyond that, don't expect groundbreaking cinematics or next-gen animation quality. The Atelier series has never truly been about how great it looks.


Ulimately, the anime adaptation of Atelier Ryza serves more or less like a celebration of the trilogy. They achieved success through advertising and sales, and perhaps the show may draw in some new people to the franchise. However, this is still a niche show and unfortunately, the anime really didn't put enough effort to give us what we want.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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