I agree with the Sakura Wars/Power Rangers reference... Aselia's story is more 'real' (I put that word in quotes, because it IS fantasy, after all). In particular, as you come to understand the circumstances under which the protagonist has been dragged into fighting, it's a bit horrifying for anyone with a scrap of empathy. Also, none of the endings feel like they are wasted... rather the reverse. Each heroine's ending has its own unique aspect to it, so you don't really feel it is tacked on, even though the paths split at the last second. On your second playthrough, even the extra characters take on a life of their own, adding new scenes to the ending, which is something I think more rpgs should do.
Rather than 'real' I should have said 'human' as what is going on at the beginning of the story - for all its mystical aspects - is all too human. Jrpgs usually tend to be either rather light or overly melodramatic (both tactics used to distance you from the 'reality' of what is going on) when it comes to the human drama, but Aselia manages to strike a perfect balance, being dark without being so melodramatic that it loses its emotional effect.












