Some unique Japanese VNs you should know

[gill008]

Hi guys， I am new here. After my signing up, I have browsed the threads about those wonderful popular VNs. Still I would like to talk about some unique VNs that fans in the west seldom mention. Trust me they are really great VNs. Some of them may be among the top list,though they have never been translated into English.

1.かまいたちの夜  Kamaitachi no Yoru 

First released on 1994/11/25 for nintendo's SFC(later named SNES in US ),and later on playstation and gameboy. This is not a date sim game but  a thriller/mistery VN. At that time people call it a"sound novel".  Different version of this VN sold 1.25M copies in total in Japan.  Man! 1.25M for a VN! No VNs nowadays could do better than that.

Unlike VNs  featuring moe sexy animated girls, Kamaitachi no Yoru is famous for its ten scenarios,46 endings with overall 600.000 words  full of imagination,humor ,horror, fun and detective reasoning. I just can't describe how I love this VN. It is always on my top ten list.

Let's pray one day it could be translated into English.

 

2...It;s too late for me,so I will continue tomorrow...

[Funyarinpa]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

[Valmore]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

And this helps Android users how?

[Funyarinpa]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

And this helps Android users how?

OP obviously thinks that Kamaitachi no Yoru was never translated, but it is- I was just pointing that out, I'm still pissed that there's no Android version of Banshee's Last Cry.

[XReaper]

if you´re fine with a what feels heavily modernized cast aka all hail max & grace doing fluffy stuff in icebears wonderland + also dont give afuck about stories somehow fitting their setting, then go for it. otherwise do yourself a favour by deleting everything concerning banshee from the mind of yours and start enjoying the work as its been meant to be read, not even talking about the linguistic deficits...

edit. but yes, its been indeed translated already, though i´m baffled to what extend the ones who did it were seemingly offended by anything which could be suspected in reminding readers at its japanese origins

[Valmore]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

And this helps Android users how?

OP obviously thinks that Kamaitachi no Yoru was never translated, but it is- I was just pointing that out, I'm still pissed that there's no Android version of Banshee's Last Cry.

Damn, was hoping you'd say, "Oh, I completely forgot that it's on Android, too. Here's the link!" But I guess feeling put off along with me works, too.

[Funyarinpa]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

And this helps Android users how?

OP obviously thinks that Kamaitachi no Yoru was never translated, but it is- I was just pointing that out, I'm still pissed that there's no Android version of Banshee's Last Cry.

Damn, was hoping you'd say, "Oh, I completely forgot that it's on Android, too. Here's the link!" But I guess feeling put off along with me works, too.

If it is any consolation, last January they confirmed that the port was still in progress. (lol) 

Edited December 9, 2015 by Funyarinpa

[Pabloc]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

And this helps Android users how?

OP obviously thinks that Kamaitachi no Yoru was never translated, but it is- I was just pointing that out, I'm still pissed that there's no Android version of Banshee's Last Cry.

Well, technically speaking, it's not translated - it's localized. Or maybe I should say - heavily Americanized? Kinda like Phoenix Wright/Gyakuten Saiban series. In case of Phoenix Wright, while some things seem off occasionally, it's still kinda fun in it's totally altered version. As for Kamaitachi no Yoru... No idea - since it's heavily based on Japanese folklore, I didn't touch the butchered I mean - localized version, and decided to read the original instead... someday.

[gill008]

Ummm... you DO know that KnY is on iOS, fully localized, as Banshee's Last Cry, right?

I never know this! I am not very familiar with iOS, or Android port.  And the name....it seems to ruin the mysterious eastern flavor of the masterpiece.

KnY is just the beginning. Now I'd like to talk about KnY2 and Shin.KnY (I haven't read KnY3) before I continue to next VN series.

KnY 2 The children's folk rhymes on the Jail Island

First released for Playstation2 on 2002/7/18. Famitsu reviewed 36/40, which is fairly high. It is almost the same style(thriller/mistery, sometimes fun)with same characters from the first one. I have just finished it. I  prefer KnY 2 to the first one. The reason is its better graphic and sound quality, creating fantastic atmosphere. When reading this VN I just felt I were on the same island with the characters.

Though the scenarios were not as good as the first one, it was still quite good and intense. They use a lot of traditional Japanese folk(history) elements in the plot. KnY 2 sold 340,000,still unbelievable popular for a VN.

Shin KnY The Eleventh Visitor

The latest one in the series. Brand new characters and stories. Unfortunately, the golden time of  KnY has passed. It only sold around 74,000 copy. But still not bad yeah? The graphic and sound of course updated, and for the first time in the series, they've got voice acting. If you don't compare it with other two classical releases in the series,it is still a definite purchase for a VN fan.Famitsu reviewed 34/40

Have ever seen Banshee's Last Cry2 or 3? Don't hesitate, just take out your money!

 

[Funyarinpa]

Man I wish I could play them... Without the too-Murican localization. 

[gill008]

2、街 ～運命の交差点～Machi - Unmei no Kosaten Tokubetsu Hen  (street : crossing of destiny)

      

      

17years ago，this masterpiece was released on SegaSaturn. Now you can play it on PSP or PS Vita(download in JP region). It is a very important VN in the history, with  6000 photos of real-life scenes ，400 characters in it.  It stayed on the list of Famitsu's top ten game for over five years!! You will be very involved in this game, like you were in Japan yourself in 1990s

You share the destiny of  the characters when reading this VN, somehow decide their destiny and then think about your own destiny.

When someone asks which VN should be translated in your opinion, I will definately recommend this one.

[Tyr]

I kinda see a pattern in your recommendations, lol.

Sadly, none of the games you mentioned so far are hookable because Chunsoft liked to use custom character encoding in their sound novels. First one  without which works with text hookers was probably 428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~ which I read on PPSSPP.

Well, whatever. Speaking of Machi, the first time I heard of this game was when I did research for the Godly Kamige in Hyperdimension Neptunia V. NISA really butchered EVERY reference in their localization. You would never know the game just spoke about Machi if you didn't have profound knowledge in Japanese video game history AND were good at guessing. But who cares about game references in a game about games when we get Western memes, right?
Machi is by the way one of the best Godly Games in Nep V. Together with Final Fantasy and maybe Atelier. Haha.

[gill008]

I kinda see a pattern in your recommendations, lol.

Sadly, none of the games you mentioned so far are hookable because Chunsoft liked to use custom character encoding in their sound novels. First one  without which works with text hookers was probably 428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~ which I read on PPSSPP.

Well, whatever. Speaking of Machi, the first time I heard of this game was when I did research for the Godly Kamige in Hyperdimension Neptunia V. NISA really butchered EVERY reference in their localization. You would never know the game just spoke about Machi if you didn't have profound knowledge in Japanese video game history AND were good at guessing. But who cares about game references in a game about games when we get Western memes, right?
Machi is by the way one of the best Godly Games in Nep V. Together with Final Fantasy and maybe Atelier. Haha.

About text hook: I don't know why they are not hookable. As far as I know, Kamaitachi no Yoru and Machi(psone download version) have been translated in Chinese.So people there can enjoy them on PSP and of course PPSSPP too.I heard someone is also working on KnY2 in China.  Psp has been cracked for a long time,many wonderful exclusive VNs are waiting to be translated.

About 428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~: Another great Sound Novel, which inherited the spirit of Machi. It's good that you have read it.

About Machi in Hyperdimension Neptunia V: This is interesting ,Japanese is good at those little easter eggs making people supprising and laughing, of course, only people who understands their culture. 

[gill008]

3 風雨来記3 Fuuraiki 3

Bishojou and Scenery, Love and Travelling, photogragh and motor-cycling. That's the theme of  Fuuraiki3, The latest in the series. It is first released on PC and then on PS Vita this year.

This time you are a photographer who is in pusuit of "the greatest picture" to win a contest. So you are here in Hokkaido, the northest island of Japan, travelling on your motorcycle with your camera. You will enjoy the beautiful real-life scenery of the island famous for tourism, and have bittersweet memories with animated girls you will meet during the journey.

For a VN fan who dreams about touring in Japan, it is a must-have. I haven't entered any route of the heroines yet, I just travelled and travelled and took tons of phographs. For me, that's enough.(Who cares girls? Hokkaido itself is the reason we buy it!)

The PC version is possible for fan-translation?

 

[kingdomcome]

3 風雨来記3 Fuuraiki 3

This is an awesome idea.