Shing Meteoryte (シング・メテオライトShingu Meteoraito) is the main character from Tales of Hearts. Shing lives with his grandfather Zeks in the town of Seeble. He inherits the ability to use Soma from his grandfather and mother, but he hides this fact from them. He is given the Soma Asteria (アステリア Asuteria) by his grandfather, passed down by their ancestors. His quest begins after finding Amber Hearts and her brother, Jadeite Hearts, on the shore.
Overview[]
Shing Meteoryte is a young boy who wants to either save the world, become a grown-up or help Kohaku, depending on his mood. He has a very powerful sense of empathy which allows him to connect with just about anyone, both literally (via Soma Link) and metaphorically. Despite this, he can be quite a clueless dork in some cases, such as Beryl's flirting.
He uses the Soma Asteria, a sword-and-shield combo, and his favored elements are Light and Thunder. He mainly uses sword techniques, and is one of two party members without inherent spells.
Personality[]
Shing is very outgoing, but he is quite dedicated to one his friends, especially Amber, is in need. Shing is also a determinated person, as it is proven by his action to retrieve Amber's Spirune, which were scattered all over the world. He is also a selfless person when it comes to others. He does not care what happens to him as long his friends are safe. Due to his curiosity and personal inexperience, he lacks delicacy in his speech and conduct. He notices his mistakes, and is able to properly reflect upon them.
Fighting Style[]
Shing's Soma is in the form of an extendable short sword, so he is a close-ranged fighter devoted to speed and combos. He is not a fragile character, but he does not have the same raw damage-dealing potential as Innes Lorenz or Kunzite. As a rarity for Tales male protagonists, Shing's artes are primarily of the Light element.
Other Appearances[]
Tales of VS.[]
Shing makes an appearance alongside fellow Hearts party member, Amber Hearts, as a playable character.
Trivia[]
- Developer statements on the Tales of Hearts development blog state that Shing's name derives from 心具 (shingu), composed of two kanji characters that refer to heart and tool.
- Shing is the only protagonist within Tales of Hearts whose name does not relate to a mineral stone. Rather, his last name refers to meteorites, which drop into the atmosphere from outer space.