Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation (2024)

Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation is an anime adaptation of 2012's free-to-play online RPG, Phantasy Star Online 2. The series premiered on Japanese television networks on January 7, 2016. The legal streaming website, Crunchyroll, acquired the rights to simulcast the episodes with subtitles to the North American audience one day later on January 8, 2016.

The series takes place approximately one year prior to the events of the video game's expansion, Phantasy Star Online 2 Episode 4: Reborn.

Story Synopsis[]

The year is 2027. In modern day Tokyo, people can freely enjoy use of the internet as a result of the widespread availability of the Ethernet across the world. In all aspects, this is considered a modern communication revolution.

The revolutionary cloud operating system, known as ESC-A, has spread wildly among Japan's youth along with the internet. The video game software that comes preinstalled on the OS is Phantasy Star Online 2, known colloquially as PSO2. Although a critical success and testament to the modern era's communication revolution, the game is currently under the review of Seiga Academy and is in danger of being banned for negatively affecting students' grades.

Rina Izumi, president of the academy's student council and "once in a decade stand out student," is on a mission to provide counter evidence to prove that PSO2 does not cause students to neglect their studies. She recruits Itsuki Tachibana, a typical student that makes average grades, as vice president in order to be her prime affirmation to this stance by having him write daily reports on his findings in PSO2, while also maintaining his grade point average, attendance, and fulfilling responsibilities that come with being a member of student council.

Characters[]

There are seventeen different characters in Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation. Although not all are pictured, the main characters are, starting from left to right:

• OrgaCats: An excitable female hunter that wields a double saber in combat. She ends her sentences with "nya." She is typically seen accompanying Master Nezumi.
• Master Nezumi: The relaxed partner to OrgaCats. Master Nezumi wields an Imperial Pick. She and OrgaCats are coworkers in the real world.
• Musashi/Yutaka Sasaki: Very shy and often overshadowed in the real world, Yutaka, known to Itsuki as Yu-Chan, has a hidden side to him that is seen as trollish to the people of Phantasy Star Online 2.
• Lilika/Mika Konoe: Mika is a member of student council. She has many opinions and and she is not afraid to speak them in order to win President Rina's undying approval. In the game, she plays in a pink Lilipan costume.
• SORO/Rina Izumi: The president of the student council and Seiga Academy's "once in a decade stand out student." Seemingly perfect in all aspects, she often plays PSO2 alone due to her lack of communication skills. This has earned her character the nickname, Mr. Aloof.
• Itsuki Tachibana: The main character of the series. He was formerly an average student until he became involved with the student council. This would lead him to play PSO2 for the first time. Although he is humble, he can sometimes be smug when his ego is raised.
• Aika Suzuki: A mysterious overseas transfer student, Aika is a very serious character that is often seen stalking Itsuki. She speaks professionally, almost militant-like, and her mannerisms are foreign. She did not know gender boundaries until she followed Itsuki into the men's bathroom in episode 2. Often seen accompanied by her rappy companion when in her battle attire.
• Koa/Kota Kayano: An athletic young man that excels at karate and friend to Itsuki. He becomes thrilled when his friend suddenly starts playing PSO2. When he is roleplaying as his character in-game, Kota becomes nonsensical with his almost poetry-like way of talking.
• Yumiko: Often seen paired with Last Samurai, Yumiko is a level-headed deuman that wields a bow.
• Last Samurai: A serious character garbed in samurai wear. He speech is very old-fashioned.
• Silva: A quiet RAcaseal that acts as the sniper of the group. In the real world, she is very much the opposite of her in-game persona.
• Kid: A giant, red HUcast with a hot-blooded attitude. He favors using knuckles in battle. In the real world, Kid is an elderly gentleman with a polite disposition.

Episode List[]

Development[]

In July of 2015, during an event in Okinawa, SEGA announced that its 2012 Free-To-Play online RPG Phantasy Star Online 2 would be getting a television anime adaption. The anime, Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation, would have a completely new storyline and take place on Earth in the near future. It was announced that the anime would premiere sometime in 2016.

Furthermore, during the same event, SEGA revealed that Phantasy Star Online 2 had garnered over 3.5 million registered users at that time.

Media[]

Japanese Releases[]

The original Japanese releases included item codes that were redeemable in the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Online 2 for unique in-game items. The first print run (pictured below) of the individually released volumes have special clean box art with the information printed on the side of the box.

North American Releases[]

The anime series received a western physical print run courtesy of Sentai Filmworks. The complete series was released on both DVD and Blue-Ray.

Gallery[]

Characters[]

Promotional[]

Videos[]

External Links[]

• Official site (Japanese)
• TBS anime page (Japanese)
• Crunchyroll's PSO2 The Animation page