Valkyrie Profile (1999) (VG)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Directors:

Yoshiharu Gotanda
Kunihiko Ikuhara (co-director)

Writers:

Yumiko Awaya (writer)
Sukehiro Tomita (script)

Release Date:

29 August 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

On a tale based loosely on Norse Mythological tales. Ragnarok is about to begin in the holy world of...

Plot Keywords:

Valkyrie | Ragnarok | End Of The World | Mermaid | Deity

Cast

Megan Hollingshead	...	Lenneth Valkyrie / Lorenta / Platina / Hrist (voice: English version)
Veronica Taylor	...	Freya / Jayle / Aelia (voice: English version)
Tara Jayne	...	Llewelyn / Yumei / Shiho / Nanami (voice: English version)
Jimmy Zoppi	...	Kashell / Badrach (voice: English version)
Eric Stuart	...	Grey / Lucian (voice: English version)
Rachael Lillis	...	Jelanda / Lysaria / Mystina (voice: English version)
Scottie Ray	...	Janus / Jun (voice: English version)
Madeleine Blaustein	...	Arngrim / Lezard / Lawfer (voice: English version) (as Addie Blaustein)
Ed Paul	...	Gandar / Belenus / Loki / Suo / Gabriel Celeste (voice: English version) (as Ed Paul)
Ken Gates	...	Odin / Brahms (voice: English version) (voice: English version)
Kayzie Rogers	...	Iseria Queen / Frei (voice: English version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kae Araki	...	Jierad / Freija (Japanese version) (voice)
Hiroko Emori	...	Yumel / Selia (Japanese version) (voice)
Mitsuaki Hoshino	...	Badluck (Japanese version) (voice)
Shûichi Ikeda	...	Odin / Barbarossa (voice: Japanese version)
Kikuko Inoue	...	Asaka / Arlie / Lyseria (voice)
Tetsuya Iwanaga	...	Kashel (Japanese version) (voice)
Maria Kawamura	...	Frei (Japanese version)
Naoko Kouda	...	Rolenta / Leia / Old Laddy (voice)
Takehito Koyasu	...	Rezard Valis (Japanese version) (voice)
Mitsuaki Madono	...	Loki (Japanese version) (voice)
Rica Matsumoto	...	Rourly (voice)
Mugihito	...	Gannosa / Rolenta's husband / Jake's father (voice)
Atsushi Naitou	...	Lawfa (voice)
Kazuhiro Nakata	...	Belinas (voice: Japanese version)
Kei'ichi Noda	...	Grey / Gabriel Celeste (voice: Japanese version)
Kenji Nomura	...	Brams / Bloodbayne (Japanese version) (voice)
Masaya Onosaka	...	Jun (Japanese version) (voice)
Ai Orikasa	...	Aimee / Clair / Miria / J.D. Wallace (Japanese version)
Daisuke Sakaguchi	...	Rourry / Fuyuki (voice: Japanese version)
Nozomu Sasaki	...	Lucio (voice: Japanese version)
Yuri Shiratori	...	Shiho / Ai (voice)
Rei Takano	...	Jewel (Japanese version) (voice)
Akimitsu Takase	...	Sohou (Japanese version) (voice)
Yumi Tôma	...	Lenneth Valkyrie / Platina (Japanese version) (voice)
Hiroki Touchi	...	Aryuze (Japanese version) (voice)
Norio Wakamoto	...	Jake Linnias / Akhetamen / Ogre (Japanese version) (voice)
Wakana Yamazaki	...	Meltina (Japanese version) (voice)
Natsumi Yanase	...	Nanami / Lemia (Japanese version)

Also Known As:

Valkyrie Profile (International: English title) (literal title)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:T

Company:

Enix Co. Ltd.

Trivia:

The game features three different endings.

Quotes:

Arngrim: I grow tired of you. Finishing strike! Final Blast!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (2003) (VG)

Best RPG game on the Playstation.

Ah, finally, I get to see "valkyrie profile" on the movie site, so I just can't refuse!

I think Lenneth Valkyrie, the main heroine of this game, is a very good, empowering role model for girl gamers, much better than Lara Croft or Tifa Lockhart. Lenneth is smart, takes crap from no one and stands up for what she believes is right. Yes, she does sort of wear a dress outfit, but hey, at least her bust is not the center of attention (unlike most video game heroines, who are just there for looks). I wish more RPG heroines would be like her.

And for once, the plot is (loosely) based on Norse/Teutonic mythology and Japanese history. Sort of how Akira Kurosawa would write Norse myths.It's also rather amusing when you send your dead-souls to Asgard and see his/her reaction to different events that are happening there.

But the part that really shines is the extremely fun gameplay, which is a hybrid of RPG and Platformer games. The exploration of towns and dungeons are in the style of platform games, but the fighting style is RPG styled. You pick magic, combo up and better yet, fight together and do your special moves called "Purify Weird Soul" that will send your enemies off to Nifelheim.

Oh, did I forget to mention that there are three different endings and different change styles?

Overall, Valkyrie Profile is a fun-addicting RPG with a powerful plot and a dominating no-nonsense female lead character. Enix, Tri-Ace, I salut you.