Eiyuu Densetsu: Zero no Kiseki Pre-story - Shinpan no Yubiwa

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The Legend of Heroes (aka Trails) series is quite the beloved JRPG franchise that has stuck the classics hallmarks of the genre rather than lose itself in the "innovations" that seem to haunt it these days. As a result of a combination of strong writing and fun gameplay, side stories or media projects like this manga have a high bar of expectations set for them from the moment they're announced. Fortunately, this short story does its best to meet expectations and nails the landing.

The quality of the art is all right, but it's not the art that is the main draw, but the characters. This ... story features the couple of Estelle Bright and Joshua, the stars of the first three games (Trails in the Sky), which truly launched the entire franchise and set it on its path to being beloved. It's structured similarly to the guild requests from their series, in which they take on a story-relevant mission which has significantly more impact than meets the eye. The Brights are hunting for information regarding a certain missing person whom they cherish in the Erebonian Empire, and along the way end up in over their heads, as usual.

One thing this manga nails is the characterization, as Estelle's shining personality leaps off the pages. She's the beating heart of her part of the franchise, and as a result, she pursues things that are almost miracles because they are the right thing to do. Joshua as her other half continues his supporting role, protecting her and seeking to help her make those near-miracles come true. Toval, the third wheel, is a good guy who is doing his best to watch over his friend's kids.

Now, obviously this was made with fans of the franchise in mind, so it's more of a treat for fans. This also means it spoils a lot of things for those who haven't played the first three games in the series, so I warn readers *not* to touch this until after they've played it! If you're going to read it anyway, be aware that here, this something to remind you that the bad guys don't always win and that good people can accomplish great things.

This is a pretty short story that serves as a bridge between Trails in the Sky and Trails to Zero while introducing a few characters that appear in Trails from Cold Steel. It chronicles what Estelle and Joshua were doing after the Liberl incident that led them to come to Crossbell. Technically, I think that Trails in the Sky 3rd actually takes place right in the middle of this manga considering that the pair seem to know Renne's whereabouts in Sky3. But for all intents and purposes you might as well view it as in between Sky3 and Zero. And thus, it should be read ... in between playing those two. I should also note that you should read the in-game Carnelia novels before reading this, because they actually play a pretty important role.

The story is a solid enough tale of Estelle and Joshua taking on a Bracer job and doing an exceptionally good job thanks to Estelle's optimism and perseverance. It's something generic and nothing too special, but it's pretty enjoyable if you're already invested in the characters and enjoy seeing more of them just doing what they do. The art was pretty weak though.

tl;dr: A pretty good Trails short story.