Eternal Filena

Eternal Filena (永遠のフィレーナ) is a fantasy light novel series by Takeshi Shudō (best known for writing the scripts for Magical Princess Minky Momo and Pokémon) which was serialized in Japan in Animage, illustrated by Akemi Takada. The series has been collected into nine volumes published by Tokuma Shoten. An OVA series based on the novels was released from 1992 to 1993. The novel series was also adapted into an RPG released by Tokuma Shoten for the Super Famicom in 1995. It was only released commercially in Japan.

Plot
Eternal Filena follows the adventures of Filena, a female slave and gladiator brought up as a boy in the ocean kingdom of Filosena, which is in the middle of a revival. The ruling empire offers gladiatorial games to keep the masses happy, however they use young boys to be trained as gladiators for the games, and force the girls into prostitution.

Characters

 * Filena (フィレーナ)
 * The main character of the series, she is a princess who was raised as a boy after her kingdom was conquered.


 * Lila (リラ)
 * A slave assigned to be Filena's bedmate before the gladiator fight, after Filena ignores her she forces her way into Filena's room and learns the truth about her gender.

Light novels
The light novel series was serialized in Animage from 1985 until 1994. Interior illustrations as well as cover artwork for the collected volumes were done by Akemi Takada, known for her work on series such as Kimagure Orange Road and Creamy Mami. The series has been collected into nine volumes. The series was popular enough to place in Animage polls for readers' all-time-favorite series as late as 1999.

Anime
A six-episode anime OVA series, with original character designs by Akemi Takada, was released by Tokuma Japan Communications from December 1992 through February 1993 at a rate of two 30-minute episode per month. The OVA series was not well received.

A soundtrack for the anime series was released on October 23, 1992, two months prior to the OVA series. The soundtrack was performed by guitarist Jinmo, with vocals for the opening theme song, Ocean, performed by Azumi Inoue.

Cast

 * Filena: Arisa Andō
 * Lilla: Yūko Mizutani
 * Zena: Yūsaku Yara
 * Baraba: Hideyuki Hori
 * Nesuto: Ken'yū Horiuchi
 * Sarah: Ai Orikasa

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Staff

 * Original work: Takeshi Shudō
 * Director: Yoshitaka Nitta
 * Character Designer: Kenzō Koizumi
 * Animation Director: Kenzō Koizumi
 * Art Director: Geki Katsumata
 * Audio Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
 * Music: Jinmo
 * Original character designs: Akemi Takada
 * Animation: Studio Pierrot

Sources:

Video game
A console role-playing game video game based on the series was first released on the Super Famicom in 1995 exclusive to Japan. The game was developed and published by Tokuma Shoten. Eternal Filena was released late into the Super Famicom's life, but despite this it had somewhat dated graphics that were remniscent of Final Fantasy V.

The game's story begins with Filena, a girl raised as a boy by her grandfather Zenna. Filena is raised as a boy because the Empire ruling the country forces girls into prostitution and turns boys into gladiators. After turning 16 Filena prepares to make her debut in the imperial coliseum, however before the battle she and her fellow gladiators are assigned concubines. Filena ignores her assigned bedmate, Lila, but Lila forces her way into Filena's room and learns the truth about her gender. Filena later fights through the gladiator ranks and discovers that their battles to the death are all scripted by behind-the-scenes writers. Filena then sets off with Lila on a quest to bring down an empire and reclaim her rightful place in a lost kingdom.

The gameplay is typical of console role-playing games of its time, using a turn-based battle system with random encounter with monters to gain experience and level up.