A Giant Collaboration for the 30th Anniversary of the Tales of Series: 188 New Illustrations from ufotable and Production I.G!

Tales of, one of the most established series in the JRPG world, is preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a massive art project. According to the official announcement by Bandai Namco, two giant studios that have brought the series' animation scenes to life, ufotable and Production I.G, will produce a total of 188 new illustrations covering all the main games (mothership titles) in the series' history. Titled "ufotable × Production I.G ~RPG ga Tsumuida Kiseki" (The Miracle Woven by RPGs), this project will bring together both nostalgic and modern character designs.

The first fruits of the project will be exhibited at the Machi Asobi vol. 30 event, which will be held in Tokushima, Japan, on May 16-17, 2026. It has been stated that the first wave of drawings will focus on characters from the beginning of the series, Tales of Phantasia, and the 15th-anniversary game, Tales of Xillia. The drawings will be prepared in both standard sizes and the fan-favorite "chibi" (SD) style. Additionally, as part of the event, a special talk session will be held on May 17, along with a magnificent concert featuring names like Go Shiina and FLOW, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Tales of Zestiria the X anime.

The most important detail that makes this collaboration special is the names at the helm of the project. Behind the illustrations are Akira Matsushima (ufotable), known for Demon Slayer, and Tokuyuki Matsutake (Production I.G), whom we have known since the classic era of the series. While Production I.G handled the animations from the series' inception in 1995 up to Tales of Graces, ufotable became the visual architect of the modern era from Tales of Xillia to the current Tales of Arise. The meeting of these two studios on the same project is of great importance in honoring the entire legacy of the series.

For fans, this announcement is the icing on the cake following recent remaster news. As you may recall, Tales of Berseria Remastered was released last February, and it is known that a Tales of Xillia 2 Remastered version is also on the way. This adventure, which began on the Super Famicom platform on December 15, 1995, remains vibrant 30 years later. Following this giant illustration project, all eyes are now turned to the Tales of Festival 2026 event, which will take place on July 4-5, 2026. Who knows, perhaps these artistic celebrations are a harbinger of an entirely new game announcement!