The Legend of Heroes

The Legend of Heroes, known in Japan as Eiyū Densetsu,[lower-alpha 1] is a series of role-playing video games developed by Nihon Falcom. First starting as a part of the Dragon Slayer series in the late 1980s, the series evolved into its own decade-spanning, interconnected series with fourteen entries, including several subseries. All main games in the franchise released since 2004 are part of the Trails subseries, known as Kiseki (軌跡) in Japan. The most recent entry, The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki, was released in 2021.

The Legend of Heroes
Genre(s)Role-playing video game
Developer(s)Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)MSX, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
First releaseDragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes
December 10, 1989
Latest releaseThe Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki
September 30, 2021
Spin-offsTrails

History

The first entry of the series was released in 1989 as Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes, and was part of Nihon Falcom's Dragon Slayer line of games. It was released for various computer platforms, as well as consoles such as the Mega Drive, Super Famicom, and the PC Engine. The PC Engine version would be the only version to be released in English, and the only Legend of Heroes title released in North America until 2005. Meanwhile, in Japan, the series continued with Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II, released in 1992 for a similar selection of platforms.

Subsequent games in the series dropped "Dragon Slayer" from the title. The Legend of Heroes III, The Legend of Heroes IV, and The Legend of Heroes V made up the "Gagharv trilogy", a series of connected games taking place in the same world.

After the conclusion of the Gagharv trilogy, Falcom introduced a completely new world and story with their next game in the series: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, which would later receive two sequels: Trails in the Sky SC (second chapter) and Trails in the Sky the 3rd. This trilogy of games makes up the first arc of a new subseries: the Trails series, known as Kiseki (軌跡) in Japan. This series would end up becoming a major success for Falcom, spanning multiple story arcs set in the same fictional continent of Zemuria.

Falcom switched to a duology for the next arc of the series, consisting of The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki in 2010 and The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki in 2011. These games were met with critical acclaim in Japan and Asia, winning multiple awards.[1][2] Following that, the company moved on to the Cold Steel subseries, releasing Trails of Cold Steel in 2013,[3] Trails of Cold Steel II in 2014, Trails of Cold Steel III in 2017, and Trails of Cold Steel IV in 2018.[4]

Main games
Sub-series English name English release Original name Original release Notes
Dragon Slayer Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes 1992 Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes 1989 The first game in The Legend of Heroes series, the sixth entry in the Dragon Slayer series.
Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II N/A Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II 1992 The second game in the Legend of Heroes series, the last to have the Dragon Slayer moniker, still unreleased in English.
Gagharv The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch 2006 The Legend of Heroes III: Shiroki Majo 1994 The third Legend of Heroes game and first of the Gagharv trilogy. It was renumbered as II for the English release.
The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion 2005 The Legend of Heroes IV: Akai Shizuku 1996 The fourth game in the Legend of Heroes series and second of the Gagharv trilogy. For its English release, all numbering was removed, making it appear to be the first game in the trilogy.
The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean 2007 The Legend of Heroes V: Umi no Oriuta 1999 The fifth game in the Legend of Heroes series and third and last of the Gagharv trilogy. It was renumbered as III for the English release.
Trails The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 2011 The Legend of Heroes VI: Sora no Kiseki 2004 The sixth game in the Legend of Heroes series, the first game of the Trails sub-series, and the first game of the Trails in the Sky trilogy. The game is known contemporarily as Sora no Kiseki FC, dropping the "VI" numeral.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC[5] 2015 The Legend of Heroes: Sora no Kiseki SC 2006 The second part of the Trails in the Sky trilogy
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd[5] 2017 The Legend of Heroes: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd 2007 The third and final part of the Trails in the Sky trilogy
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero 2022 The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki 2010 The first part of the Crossbell arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure 2023 The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki 2011 The second and final part of the Crossbell arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2015 The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki 2013 The first part of the Trails of Cold Steel arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II 2016 The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki II 2014 The second part of the Trails of Cold Steel arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III 2019 The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki III 2017 The third part of the Trails of Cold Steel arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV 2020 The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki IV -The End of Saga- 2018 The fourth and final part of the Trails of Cold Steel arc
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie 2023 The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki 2020 The epilogue to both the Crossbell and Trails of Cold Steel arcs
N/A N/A The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki 2021 The first part of the Calvard arc
N/A N/A The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II - Crimson Sin 2022 The second part of the Calvard arc

Spin-off games
English name English release Original name Original release Notes
N/A N/A Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga 2010 A fighting game crossover containing characters from the Ys and Trails series.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails 2023 Nayuta no Kiseki 2012 A standalone action RPG set in a different world from the main Trails series.
N/A N/A The Legend of Heroes: Akatsuki no Kiseki 2016 An online gacha game developed by UserJoy Technology under licence from Falcom. It takes place in Liberl, Crossbell, and Remiferia, and includes some characters from earlier Trails games.

Manga and anime

A Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes original video animation anime was released in 1992, the same year that Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II was released, loosely based on the story of the first game.[6] In 1997, it was dubbed into English by Urban Vision and was released onto VHS in North America. The English dub has yet to be released on DVD.

In 2009, three volumes of a Sora no Kiseki (Trails in the Sky) manga were published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten, followed the next year by a sequel Zero no Kiseki - Pre-Story - Shinpan no Yubiwa, published by ASCII Media Works. Two original video animation anime episodes of Sora no Kiseki were released on October 10, 2011 and January 28, 2012 respectively.[7] The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War, an anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production and following an original character named Lavie in North Ambria, is scheduled to begin airing in Japan in early 2023.[8]

Notes
  1. Japanese: 英雄伝説

References
  1. "Japan Game Awards 2011 > PRESS RELEASE".
  2. "｢PlayStation® Awards 2011｣受賞タイトル及び｢PlayStation® Awards コレクション｣購入キャンペーンのご案内～抽選で20名様に「PlayStation®Vita」（3G/Wi-Fiモデル初回限定版）をプレゼント～ | プレイステーション® オフィシャルサイト".
  3. Spencer (19 February 2013). "Meet The Characters In The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Flash". Siliconera. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  4. Romano, Sal (October 3, 2018). "Media Create Sales: 9/24/18 – 9/30/18".
  5. Spencer (December 27, 2011). "The Legend Of The Heroes: Trails In The Sky Series Soaring To Smartphones… In English!". Siliconera. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  6. Marshall, Marc (August 16, 2011). "Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes". Akemi's Anime World. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  7. "Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Anime #2 Teaser Posted". Anime News Network. December 12, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  8. Romano, Sal. "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War anime produced by Tatsunoku Production, delayed to early 2023". Gematsu. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
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