With its release date looming, Nintendo released a 7 minute introduction trailer for Fire Emblem if, aimed to explain the game to fans and gamers alike.

While the introduction trailer is mostly a recap of things we learned in the Nintendo Directs and Famitsu coverage, there are a lot of new and hidden details.

Note: Because the trailer is over 7 minutes long and there is a lot of information to cover, I’ve split this analysis into two pages.

The trailer itself begins in a similar fashion to the initial reveal trailer, with a historical battle between the Hoshidan and Nohrian forces.

The scene then transitions to the Hoshidan royal siblings (Ryouma, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura) centred around their matriarch, Mikoto.

It’s difficult to tell from the angle, but on the floor might be the symbol of Hoshido–the two circles with four prongs, shaped like the sun.

Next is a very similar scene, presumably with the Nohrian royal siblings (Marx, Camilla, Leon and Elise) centred around their patriarch, Garon.

(I say “presumably” because this scene begins very close to Garon, so it’s hard to see who’s surrounding him.)

From Mikoto and Garon’s positions, it suggests they will both have a vital role in the story. Which is hardly a surprise since they are the rulers of the two key nations in the game.

Immediately afterwards, we’re presented with imagery of the four royal siblings together as groups. We know these eight characters will likely have a significant role in the game, being the Avatar’s siblings,

However, the higher placement and larger size of Ryouma and Marx compared to the other siblings is probably another subtle hint that these two older siblings have a larger role than the others.

Following these slightly other-worldly imagery, we observe the siblings as they act in the “real world”, beginning with Takumi leading a group of Hoshidan soldiers, possibly in Nohrian territory.

This particular scene seems to precede a scene shown in the April trailer where the then-unnamed Takumi pointed an arrow at the camera–perhaps to threaten the Avatar (who has sided with Nohr).

After Takumi is a brief sequence showing your Nohrian younger brother, Leon. In a similar manner, this scene appears to precede an earlier scene where Leon is in the middle of conjuring powerful magic.

The tensions increases a notch in the next scene, where Marx is standing alone in a chamber. Amusingly, his horse can be seen towards the left, which is a nice touch, although keeping horses indoors seems a tad odd.

Like the previous two scenes, this one seems to lead into a scene where Marx is testing your resolve, by striking you–the Avatar–with his mighty blade.

Not to be outdone by his Nohrian counterpart, Ryouma is in the scene afterwards, brandishing his Raijin Katana.

This scene too is connected to a scene briefly shown in the April Direct, although I’m not sure if it appears before or after. In one scene, he looks determined, while in the other he seems defeated.

Either way, this particular scene is implied to occur in the Nohrian campaign, so it could be showing Ryouma attempting to convince or appeal to the Avatar.

It’s not just these characters that are important to the story–we can’t forget the heroine, Aqua. Strangely, Aqua appears to be swimming or flying and around her are fragmented buildings and trees.

We’ve seen fragmented landscape before, in the initial trailer. Could Aqua be the “water” that ties these broken lands together?

From everything we’ve learned, she does seem to be an “outside influence” who acts independently of Hoshido and Nohr, like the Avatar.

Before moving on, later on the same trailer, we can see the Avatar swimming or flying just like Aqua. Even stranger: is there “something” beyond the “portal” at the far end? It almost looks like an ocean rotated 90 degrees…

After that little moment of craziness, we return to one of the key features of the game: the ability to select one of two wildly different campaigns, depending on whether you side with Hoshido or Nohr.

(Of course, since this is a Japanese trailer, most Japanese gamers will be making this choice before playing the game, depending on which version they purchase.)

The introductions to Hoshido and Nohr are similar to the April Direct, although there are additional scenes. The first one has Mikoto–the Avatar’s birth mother–astounded to see the Avatar again.

Earlier, I guessed the animated cutscene where she is introduced was when she first reunited with the Avatar, but this new scene would be a better candidate, because of Mikoto’s bigger emotions.

For Nohr, we now see the parts in-between Garon ordering the execution of Hoshido’s King Sumeragi and when he grabs out to who we assume is the infant Avatar.

Although nothing “new” is shown, this new footage further cements the fact that this is the moment when Garon takes in the infant (and unknowing) Avatar following Sumeragi’s death.

We then skip ahead to Garon ordering Kamui to kill Suzukaze, the Hoshidan Ninja. From the black 3DS bordering the game screen, we can tell this is from the Nohr campaign.

On the game’s official site, there is a possibly-related scene, where Kamui appears to be dragging Suzukaze towards his Nohrian siblings–that or Suzukaze is holding Kamui hostage (it’s too small to tell).

With the two nations introduced, the trailer goes on to the explain the key differences between the two campaigns.

Whichever campaign you pick, you will be able to create a customisable Avatar, who serves as “you” in the game’s story.

The game then follows the same path until the end of Chapter 5.

During this time, you will somehow separate from your Nohrian family, who raised you, and meet with your Hoshidan family, which you were born into.

After Chapter 5, the game splits into two different campaigns–Hoshido and Nohr.

In the above screenshot, Marx and Ryouma both try to convince you to join their side. This appears to occur around the same time we see the cutscene of the Hoshidan and Nohrian siblings standing on opposite sides.

Of course, no matter which side is picked, the other brother is going to be less than pleased (such as Ryouma above when you choose to fight for Nohr)…

Heaven knows what will happen if you pick the third option, where you side with neither…

Depending on the campaign, the battles, story and obtainable characters will be different. The most obvious difference will be the four royal siblings who accompany you.

In the Hoshidan campaign, you must work together with your Hoshidan siblings to repel Nohr’s invasion. In the scene above, Suzukaze reports to Ryouma that Nohr has launched an offensive on Hoshido’s borders.

Catching our breath for a moment, between Suzukaze and Ryouma’s dialogue, you can briefly see an unknown character to the left, wearing spectacles.

The next scene emphasises the Nohrian threat, as you and your Hoshidan allies find yourselves surrounded by the Nohrian invaders.

Briefly pausing for another moment, there are two notable things in this scene, although you’ll have to look before the Avatar and Sakura’s dialogue obscures the view.

Firstly, below the Avatar and Sakura is an unidentified character; their green palette suggests they’re a NPC (or unplayable ally). Could this character be a turncoat who leads the Nohr soldiers to the Avatar’s location?

Secondly, amongst the enemy units is a female Dark Mage (to the right of the Cavalier). This could be a sign that there are more female enemies, which is interesting and allows for gender-specific skills to be more useful.

The final Hoshidan scene simply has the Avatar rebuking a villain of some design. From everything we’ve gathered, in this campaign, things are mostly black and white and very straightforward.

The Nohrian campaign meanwhile is a darker experience, as you and your Nohrian siblings try to reform Nohr from the inside.

In the above image (which already appeared in an earlier Famitsu issue), Garon is ordering a minion to punish the Avatar for being a nuisance.

Besides dealing with Nohr’s internal conflicts, there looks to be a greater focus on the game’s mysterious monsters, such as the Nosferatu surrounding the Avatar above.

The final Nohrian scene shows the Avatar standing alone at the bridge map where the fated choice is made, possibly afterwards.

Although you might think choosing to side with Nohr means going along with their invasion of Hoshido, the Avatar is determined to see an end to the war still, but by using a different method.

To finish this part of the introduction, we’re greeted to the obligatory action scenes showing your siblings once more, including a really nice part where Ryouma is skilfully cutting a path through Nohrian soldiers.

Well, that took a bit longer than I expected… For the next part, please click here!