PoPoLoCrois Monogatari is a video game series I rarely see mentioned. It was initially released in Japan in 1995 (based on an earlier manga series, which I hear isn't very good), but was passed up for localisation in favour of Beyond the Beyond due to the latter's psuedo-3D battle engine, preferable over PoPoLoCrois' (albeit absolutely beautiful) 2D isometric sprite based play. It spawned numerous sequels, and the first two titles (as well as a specially made scenario) were eventually ported to the PSP and brought to the Western world. The two titles were heavily edited (over half the content was removed from the first game)due to Sony's completely illogical viewpoint of having 'shorter' 30-hour quests for their portable system (which I really cannot understand, at fucking all. Usually I'll see some logic in this kind of decision, but I really don't see any at all (yes, I'm extremely butthurt)). Despite being highly inferior to the original PS1 games, the PSP version is still a very good game for JRPG fans (if buggy and somewhat easy). Those who appreciate light-hearted children's fantasy are doubtless to fall in love with this game, as I have, as the games focus on the adventures of Pietro Pakapuka, Prince of PoPoLoCrois, as he attempts to save his mother's spirit from the ominous Ice Demon.

Two anime series were also created: PoPoLoCrois Monogatari which takes place between the first PoPoLoCrois Monogatari game and PPLCMII, and PoPoLoCrois, which adapts the PlayStation 2 games that chronicle the adventure's of Pietro's son, Pinon. Whilst both are very good (the latter including some surprisingly dark moment), I feel the former is the better series - hell, I think it's a fucking masterpiece!

PoPoLoCrois Monogatari tells the story of a mysterious girl named Hyuu who somehow appears on PoPoLoCrois. She soon befriend Pietro, and the majority of the series focuses on their relationship, how Hyuu copes with being in an unfamiliar world, and the mystery surrounded where she came from. The series starts out rather small-scale initially (despite a rather large opening, but grows to be almost an epic by its finale.

Despite being a children's series, PoPoLoCrois Monogatari places a massive emphasis on character development, deeply exploring the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. So much emphasis is placed that the plot effectively stops half way through and then shifts into a series of stories and encounters that have no real bearing to the main plot but greatly develop the main characters, and the story does not pick up again properly until the last three or four episodes. Character development is done in a way that shows that the protagonists are still children yet does not trivialise or tone down the drama.

The only real problem with the series is that the aforementioned plot-hiatus can make the show seem to drag out a little, but honestly I didn't find this detracting from the overall experience one bit.

The series has great animation with a very unique (and pretty) artstyle, and one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard in anime. It is not required to play the games to enjoy the series, but you'll understand certain characters' relationships more and recognise references/callbacks to the first game. I'd highly recommend watching this series, it's quite tragic that it's so obscure despite being so fantastic.