Maple Story (メイプルストーリー Meipuru Sutōrī) is an anime based on the video game franchise by the same name.
It follows the adventure of a boy named Al, and his monster friends Nina (magic-user), Gallus (stone golem), and Barrow (a Master Archer). The story revolves around a legendary tree whose seeds have fallen in a battle years ago, causing a division between monsters and humans.
This anime provides examples of:
- The Anime of the Game: Although subject to a great deal of creative license, as in, the story is completely different.
- Brick Joke: Al steps in bunny feces in two different episodes, both when with Nina and talking about becoming a hero.
- Call to Adventure: Happens as late as the tenth episode. Before that, he was training to fit in with the monsters, but didn't actually receive any sort of specific quest.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: When we first meet her, Nina doesn't really care about anyone, including her pet pig, much less her villagers. She slowly warms up, becoming Tsundere instead.
- Disappeared Dad: Grande, Al's father. Much of the early story consists of flashbacks to his deeds.
- Dreadful Musician: Al. His music with a violin actually causes the animal monsters to cringe.
- For Your Own Good: Nina uses this as an excuse frequently. Usually, the reason is actually because she's bored and wanted to play a prank. Al believes this, and uses it to help his training.
- Gameplay and Story Segregation: In MapleStory Al would've been banned as a hacker or something, because he is dual-classed between warrior and ranger for awhile. To say nothing of Nina...
- In Name Only: There are very few similarities between this and the actual game. Including the fact that the thief class seems to be absent for much of the early story.
- Just the Way You Are: When Nina gets her soul snatched, rather than become unconscious (as normally is the case) she becomes an Extreme Doormat. Al likes her better before, as a rude, selfish witch who constantly plays tricks on him.
- Look Behind You: Anji uses this when cornered. Everyone falls for it.
- Luminescent Blush: Gallus, of all folk. He gets complimented by Nina (who isn't herself).
- Mayor of a Ghost Town: Nina is the village chief, because her magic is most powerful of the creatures living there. There's about ten creatures living there: a snake, a animate clock, and a few jesters.
- Meaningful Name: Grande, Al's father. His name means "great" and he was a legendary hero of the past.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Nina says this to Anji, in regards to Al (and being pranked).
- The Red Mage: Nina. She can use both fire and ice magic, which are two different disciplines in-game. Knowing her, she can probably also use healing, but her personality in a bit off.
- Rube Goldberg Device: An "alarm clock" Al has that gives no alarm, instead relying on refraction to beam light directly into his eyes when the sun rises.
- Tsundere: Nina, at certain times. She gradually goes from almost a Sugar-and-Ice Personality to this, and keeps getting warmer toward Al.
- Wooden Katanas Are Even Better: Al uses a training sword for quite awhile.
- Your Soul Is Mine!:
- Nina gets a ghost pass right through her.
- Al gets it too, in the same episode.