Tales of Arise is out, and many fans and newcomers of the series are wondering if the JRPG has a romance subplot in its story, in particular between Shionne and Alphen.

Note that this article will only touch upon details released by the Japanese promotional material of Tales of Arise. However, this could be considered spoilers, so proceed with caution.

• MORE - Remakes and remasters could be coming if Arise sells well

Is there romance between Shionne and Alphen in Tales of Arise?

There are several hints pointing toward a romance between Shionne and Alphen. The biggest hint is the Japanese-only commercial / trailer for Tales of Arise, which was published in August. It shows the two characters hugging each other.

The commercial was the introduction of Tales of Arise's grand theme song, which was teased in the past by producer Yusuke Tomizawa.

Moreover Shionne was described from the start as the Heroine of Tales of Arise. This is a particular term in the Japanese industry that basically refers to characters pivotal to the plot, and who are likely to get into a romantic relationship with the protagonist. The term is believed to be borrowed from early and genre-defining dating sim games like Tokimeki Memorial, where each of the girls you can go for is named a "Heroine".

It's also important to note that an Heroine type character isn't necessarily a female character. And there are series like Super Robot Wars which often has male or even non-human characters with the "Heroine" role of the story. You also have plenty of Japanese media with a Heroine character coupled with a female protagonist.

You can find the commercial below, with the theme song Blue Moon, sung by Ayaka.

Tales of Arise is available worldwide, on PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. You can always reach me on Twitter @A_iyane07 to discuss the Tales of series, anime, or Japanese stuff in general.