Square Enix is celebrating 30 years of the classic role-playing game franchise, Mana, and to mark the anniversary, the company announced a trio of new Mana projects via a livestream on Sunday. There will be a new mobile game called Echoes of Mana, an anime series titled Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal, and a new untitled game for consoles.
Echoes of Mana will be a free-to-play action RPG coming to Android and iOS. The footage from the English trailer hints that the game will bring together characters from various Mana titles — possibly through in-game purchases. The footage shows characters from several Mana games like Adventures of Mana, Secret of Mana, and Trials of Mana. It is slated to come out in 2022.
The TV anime series, Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal, is currently being produced by Warner Bros. Japan and animated by Graphinica in collaboration with Yokohama Animation Lab. Masaru Oyamada, the series producer of Mana, said the animation project might have inspired the more recent HD remaster of the series.
“When the animation project was first pitched to me, the remastering of ‘Legend of Mana’ was not even in discussion,” Oyamada said in a statement on the anime’s official website. “I initially attended the meeting without deep thoughts, but when Mr. Yawata from Warner Bros. Japan passionately pitched the ‘Legend of Mana’ animation project (with so much love), I realized I need to created the game as soon as I can. So rumor has it, that’s how the HD remaster project began.
“Fans of the ‘Legend of Mana’, please be assured. The people involved in the project still have the love for the series just the same as back then.”
Square Enix did not announce a release date for Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal.
Those looking for a new Mana console game will have to wait a little longer. Oyamada confirmed during the anniversary live stream that there is a new Mana series game for console is in development, but that fans will have to wait for a full announcement.
