J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle‑Earth Inspires Illustrated Book and JRPGs

A new bilingual illustrated volume, "Arda. Un viaje ilustrado por la Tierra Media y los Reinos de Tolkien," presents Tolkien’s geography as a central character. Compiled by Daniel Alejandro Penagos Betancur, the book combines artwork, maps, photographs and music to trace how Tolkien’s own travels through the Alps inspired locations such as Rivendel and Celebdil.

Tolkien’s fantasy world also underpins the development of Japanese role‑playing games. Early Western RPGs and Dungeons & Dragons, themselves shaped by Tolkien, were adapted by Japanese creators like Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi, leading to iconic series such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.