Fantasy Flight Games is preparing to release Anima, a role-playing game developed jointly by Japanese and European authors.  The setting for the game is completely original, but also clearly inspired by Japanese video role-playing games such as Final Fantasy or Suikoden -- in fact the full color Anima RPG core book (SRP $49.95) is illustrated by a number of highly talented Japanese artists including members of the Final Fantasy XII team.

The action in the Anima game takes place in GAIA, an apparently medieval setting, which also includes elements of advanced technology and an overlay of magic.  The game's character creation system is highly detailed and allows players considerable control over the multi-faceted character's skills and powers.  The game provides an extensive list of special abilities open to all players, who can combine them as they see fit.

Among the important features of the game are a grimoire of more than 500 magic spells, 8 different psychic disciplines, with dozens of different powers (telekinesis, pyrokinesis, etc.), a wide variety of supernatural races to choose from, and an elaborate system of Chi powers, which allow fighters to realize incredible feats and special attacks.