Set in a fictitious land during a medieval-like era of magic and fantasy, Tears to Tiara unfolds with the Divine Empire’s rise to power as it conquers and rules lands far and wide. On the island of Erin, still ruled by the Ancient Kingdom, the Goidelic people are attempting to sacrifice priestess Riannon to revive protagonist and demon king Arawn to lead the resistance against the Empire. Although the ritual fails and Riannon survives, the seal imprisoning the demon king is broken and Arawn is resurrected. Armed with mysterious and devastating powers and a human’s demeanour, Arawn joins Riannon, her brother and battalion commander, Arthur, as well as their team of fighters comprising a swordsman, an archer and a quintet of magical pixies, in the epic struggle against the Divine Empire.
Written by stevodevo on November 16, 2012 at 9:39 AM
Overall Rating
Good
Story: 4
Dialogue: 4
Animation: 4
Entertainment: 4
My wife and I just finished watching Tears to Tiara last night and I think we both agreed it was 'good'... not great or excellent but it was a solid watch with a slow buildup that has a well rounded and satisfying ending.
What was most interesting to me was the amalgam of sources the writer/s used to piece together this fantasy adventure story. It borrowed heavily from the Chronicles of Prydain (Black Cauldron) novel series, as well as Lord of the Rings and it even had some Biblical references in there.
The story is fairly linear as with most fantasy adventures. The series focuses on telling a story and not particularly on letting you get to know the characters. Sure, you get some background and a little insight into motivation, etc. but this isn't a character driven series. Fortunately, the story is interesting, the characters are engaging and the world setting is fleshed out enough to make you want to know more. About the only thing we missed was the romance putting this series in the same camp as a Lord of the Rings where story is king and romance is hinted at but not a focal point.
Although it tends to plod along at points, there is enough action to satisfy, especially towards the end which as with any good story, goes out with a bang. Surprisingly, it was quite a violent series with more blood than I was expecting...
Overall Tears to Tiara has a story to tell and it tells it quite well. At times it feels like it's taking a while to get there but stick with it and you'll be rewarded in the end with a punchy finish that doesn't leave you with loose ends...
