Hi.
I just found a website that posts the opening video for the game ‘Air’.
www.geocities.com/cycling_anime/video.html
It’s kinda big around 49 MB.
It took me around 3 hours to download it using normal connection.
However, it’s worthed as the CG and song was excellent.
I suggest using GetRight or GoZilla if you don’t have a high speed connection.
Anyway, what’s this game about anyway
“The Calling Of The Sky” and “Commitment To A Relationship”.
All I can say it deals with reincarnations.
Can spill out the entire story,but will not want to spoil it for Lamune here.
But I found it lacking when compared to Kanon and ONE.
Hey, I just read from Himeya website that Air is the year 2000 no.1 in adult bishojo game.
Is this true? Is it that great?
The CG is not bad but it’s not the best.
Anyone knows what it so popular?
It’s the story,not the CGs.
If you have played a lot of Japanese Bishoujo game,you will definitely get bored of all the sex and CGs after a while and the story of most game does not actually make you think.
But there seems to be any Scenarior writer quite like Jun Maeda.He actually takes a simple Boy meets Girl story,along with some mystic elements mix them in with question about their relationship and finally create a story that take you high for a while and makes makes you fall later on,like a roller coaster ride and leaves you thinking for a long time afterward.Sorry for those Japanese Illiterate,I dobut there’s isn’t anyone who will be able to translate Jun Maeda-San’s work in without spoiling the language,his work is best enjoyed in it’s purest form,raw Japanese.
For the AOK series (AIR,ONE,Kanon.),don’t bother looking for sex,the sexual scenes last only about 10 clicks at the most,and it’s over.And don’t bother to look for erotical languages,they describe how the male party feel in his heart and soul rather then Physical Feeling.
Music playes a great part too,they suits the theme of the game perfectly.Kanon is about Miracles and New Found Hope,so the BGM are those happy,bouncy tunes while AIR is sort of depressing and talks about commitment to a realationship,most of the tunes carries a slow,heavy beat.
Finally,don’t look for Gameplay in the AOK series,you will not be able to find any as all of them are a sort visual choose-your-own-adventure story. A lot of the action and main character’s thoughts must be read as text to understand what’s going on.To put it simply,you must be Japanese Literate to enjoy the AOK series,if you don’t,you will just find yourself clicking away without any goal.
Downside for the AOK series,KEY should add voices for their games.I mean,C’mon,KEY just release one game per year and if they can combine Jun Maeda’s Story with a few good Voice Actress,it will be the ultimate experience.
[This message has been edited by Orochi (edited 01-28-2001).]
I agree with Orochi and put story at 75% and CG at 25%. CG is nice and all, might be main reason we started playing these games in the first place. But with story behind a CG, it is so much richer and evoke more feeling when you see a certain CG.
When you guys(Peach Princess and others) put out some games that more English speaking people can play, maybe they will get this same feeling after a while.
P.S. Want me to put a link to here on my page? Although you guys might not like my type of advertising.
Hmmm…
It’strue how the American market does not appreciate good romantic drama.
That is why we never see non-adult bishojo anime or game.
Konami never port Tokimeki to the US game market
The title of bishojo always have an adult theme to attract customer.
I think an anime company should make a breakthrough and try to port non-adult bishojo game or anime to the US.
I’ll definitely go for it.
FOr me, I agree with most of you, story is the most important.
That is why one of my most favourite game title is “Season of Sakura”. This title doesn’t have much ecchi scene (only at the middle and the end!!!) but the story is soo excellent.
We know that this title is OLD but I can read Japanese T__T so my only hope of bishojo game is JastUSA and Peach Princess
Don’t let me down Peach Princess
Kumiko, are you teasing me?
I really can’t read or speak Japanese at all.
I really want to learn but don’t have the time.
Oh yes, I forgot about Himeya.
Gomen.
For those who still wonder about what’s so great about AIR…
I’ve spent about 15 min today grabbing screen shots and writing up a HTML file of a summary about one of the chara’s story.
You can view the file at
http://www.geocities.com/orochi_tetra/dream2.htm
Major spoiler though…
For those who wants to play AIR for themsleves,ignore this message…
PS :- Notice how Jun Maeda goes into examining the “Commitment To A Relationship” here,examples are being fillial and the commitment to sisterhood.No romance here though.
[This message has been edited by Orochi (edited 02-06-2001).]
neat webpage Orochi…gives people who would otherwise have very little knowledge about the game more insight on it. I’m already a bit depressed by the sound of how the story goes.
Some great webpages have gone done in the past but if it weren’t for them I would have never even found out about ‘bishoujo games’. I really enjoyed visiting Nickel’s page but it’s probably taken down by now, had english information on Sentimental Graffiti which was rare.
Alright,I’ve manage to convince myself today to sit down for an hour or 2 to do a site about AIR.
http://www.geocities.com/orochi_tetra/Airmain.htm
Still very few stuffs up though,a few summaries of stories here and there…
Read the note on the title page.
hmmm…orochi, where have I read that opening text before…hehehehehehe
Hi, everyone!
The link that originally Kaiser Fire posted, removed the Air opening (I never managed to download it, sigh), but uploaded Kakyuusei OVA intro. BTW, the file is about 34MB.
thanks for sharing the site with us Orochi…
after reading through the description of the game I was surprised at how ‘heavy’ the story was. It’s no wonder games like that are on the top 10. It’s not so much the graphics but the storyline.
Unfortunately I have a love-hate relationship with games similiar to that, the storyline pulls you in and all. But it seems as though once you finish it, it’s a depressing/bittersweet ending. But playing the game and enjoying it rather than avoiding it at all would obviously have been the better choice.
Hmm…it’s strange how it contrast with Western style fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after.
Actually, that is my kind of ending.
I don’t care what the reason or situation is, all my anime and game must be a “happy ending” type or it’s out of my list.
Anyone share my view?
hmmm…
KaiserFire-san, isn’t that kind of unrealistic? Are you the type that has to see a happy ending in the movies as well?
Personally, I cheer for the “bad guys” because they usually lose. FOr example, Fallen and Usual Suspects both had the villain win. I think it is a nice change.
quote:
Originally posted by Kaiser Fire:
Hmm...it's strange how it contrast with Western style fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after.Actually, that is my kind of ending.
I don't care what the reason or situation is, all my anime and game must be a "happy ending" type or it's out of my list.
Anyone share my view?
I'm afraid that I cannot share your views about happy endings. If the story is good I will overlook a unhapppy ending. Three of favorite anime TV series (Vampire Princess, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and Cowboy Bebop)end rather unhappily. An unhappy ending might anger me, but it won't change my view of the series as a whole.
One thing to understand about Japanese culture is that there was a time when it was believed emotion was a bad thing. Emotions, especially love, interfered with duty (either to family or one's lord). As a result, much of Japanese folklore involving feeling end tragically.
Hi.
Yes, it’s true that a happy ending is not always realistic or reasonable.
However, I felt that once I saw a sad ending I kept thinking on how the ending could be improved e.g. why did he or she must be separated or die.
When I watch a movie or play a game, it’s to relax me as it feels like I’m being transported into a whole new dimension.
Now, if it’s a sad ending then it won’t be relaxing anymore. I’ll get depressed over it.
In this world bad guys always win and happy ending rarely exists, if the anime or game has the same ending then what’s the difference.
Great anime like Escaflowne or Rayearth also has the same kinda sad ending (the main characters had to separate T__T).
So the top priority list in my judgement is happy ending what ever the circumstances are
By the way, this is just my personal opinion and preferences. Please don’t be offended in anyway
I partially agree with you Kaiser, after playing a dramatic game you can get pretty depressed depending on how it ended. With movies and anime it’s a bit more bearable as your watching a story unfold. With most asian games however you are part of the story and you are generally responsible for what happens. So a sad ending hits me pretty hard rather than watching a movie.
I think a wise choice would be to half alternate ‘happy’ endings in games that would include a ‘sad’ one, bittersweet one, etc. Like most F&C games, there are some pretty ‘interesting’ ways to end the game which aren’t necessarily bad endings.
quote:
Originally posted by Kaiser Fire:
Hi.Yes, it’s true that a happy ending is not always realistic or reasonable.
However, I felt that once I saw a sad ending I kept thinking on how the ending could be improved e.g. why did he or she must be separated or die.When I watch a movie or play a game, it’s to relax me as it feels like I’m being transported into a whole new dimension.
Now, if it’s a sad ending then it won’t be relaxing anymore. I’ll get depressed over it.
In this world bad guys always win and happy ending rarely exists, if the anime or game has the same ending then what’s the difference.Great anime like Escaflowne or Rayearth also has the same kinda sad ending (the main characters had to separate T__T).
So the top priority list in my judgement is happy ending what ever the circumstances are
By the way, this is just my personal opinion and preferences. Please don’t be offended in anyway
Updated the site with summary of Chapter AIR…
Those who want to complete their experience of AIR,proceed down…
There is the issue, though, of the appropriateness of the ending. Is the ending really suitable to end the story as it is? Case in point (which I’ve used many times before in previous arguments): Evangelion. Which should be the true ending for the story, the uplifting TV series ending or the brutally-depressing End of Evangelion movie? (Admittedly, this isn’t a good example since this means choosing between two different extremes, and either ending leaves a few loose ends, but it serves my purpose of demonstration.)