Ar tonelico (Series)

The Ar tonelico (アルトネリコ) Series is a series of console role-playing games produced by Gust Ltd. and Banpresto, with the latter being replaced by Namco-Bandai Games after Banpresto became a subsidiary of it. It is a niche series within the role-playing, though one that has a small yet very devoted fandom in Japan and in the rest of the world, and it is the first series set in the Universe of EXA_PICO. Aside of the games that form the main part of it, it also encompasses two manga series, an anime OVA, several books and novels, and even visual novels made in Flash.

The first installment of the series was released in Japan in January, 2006 for the Sony PlayStation 2, and the Ar tonelico games have been subsequently localized for the markets in North America, Europe and Australia. While it isn't as successful as Gust's long running Atelier series, it still has enjoyed a moderate success throughout the world.

The series is currently considered as complete and finished with three games forming part of it, though its universe and lore still continue living on through the Surge Concerto Series.