Super Arts – The Mana Tree

From Secret of Mana up ’til Dawn of Mana this bizarre series is a head-scratcher for its fans. It started back in the day when one of the greatest games ever made, Secret of Mana, was released on the SNES. It had a soundtrack of the absolute highest calibre and a uniquely charming art style. Since then the art and soundtrack of each game have been brilliant but the games themselves have been treated so badly it’s impossible for even the staunchest of fans to give a crap any more.  Legend, Sword, Children and Dawn of Mana all released to disappointment from the fans and for me this let-down was deepened by the fact the art is so ruddy brilliant.  So I guess this is why I’m starting my Super Arts blog with the series I love to hate ‒ or love and hate ‒ the Mana series.

At the base of the gargantuan tree, three travellers are dwarfed as they stand in silent splendor.  There are many reasons this particular image is so effective  and engaging, the most important being that it’s intelligently composed.  The deep, mossy forest floor threatens to overwhelm the image with an over abundance of green but the tension is broken by the contrasting vermilion of the cranes and the light blue sky just sneaking through the foliage. While it seems incredibly lush and deep there is still space to breathe indicated by the cranes whose momentum lifts the image.  It’s a delicate balance but it works well and reinforces the feel and themes within the game; time and nature.  I think the artist was trying to convey the beauty of nature but also the importance of calmness; of stopping to take stock, relax and enjoy nature and personally I think this calm, serene and peaceful image mirrors the feel of the game incredibly well.

As time moved away from Secret of Mana the art moved in a more vibrant and lively direction. This image illustrates that well because the serenity and calm of the old SNES game is ditched in favour of a dynamic, cropped composition; the mossy sedate greens are traded for a saccharine rainbow scheme and the whole thing looks like a firework display in candy-land. I may sound condescending but I really like this style of art; it’s unashamedly optimistic and seems to revel in its own happiness — even the ionic cranes seem to be gliding carefree and joyful.  I adore colour and to be down on this because it’s not glum enough would be absurd especially due to the abundance of shooters with the colour palette of an ashtray which has been de rigueur for far too long.  This looks like a glorious game world to visit and explore and the optimism of this concept art really grabbed me and got me excited for the game, which turned out to be shit.

I love this image. Look at the individual pale green leaves framing the picture on the left and the super fine dots of earthy greens and oranges on the right; they are just beautiful and feel so textured and natural. The cyan of the sky is reflected in the water above which, resting contently against Rabite the series icon and the wistful girl enraptured by swallows, lifts her hand. Again it’s so optimistic but this time we get a feeling that these two characters are living, surrounded and are almost part of the forest.  I think the cranes are a mistake here as they don’t work but are no doubt included as fan service or as a series identifier but all in all the pastel palette and more earthy tones of the characters along with their pose suggested a long and mysterious journey through the world.  The quality of the art in the game is really brilliant, it is stunning and so well designed, but the actual game itself was incredibly weak and obvious.

I really wish the game and level designers approached the Mana games with the same respect, thought, quality, talent and vision that the artists have but sadly they didn’t. This beautiful art was done a massive disservice by tired, obvious and repetitive design and the potential for a game like the original Secret of Mana was lost time and time again.