Saekano VS Shokomeza, and a VN about making a VN

[InvertMouse]

Hey everyone ! So this anime season, I have been watching Shokomeza (Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu), and it of course brings back memories of Saekano (Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata), since both titles are about making visual novels. I produce games as well, so I am attracted to premises that I might be able to relate to. To be honest, yeah, I am locked in my bedroom alone when working, so maybe I am desperately hoping for some sort of fantasy escape where I get to work with people face to face. If they are a bunch of cute girls as well, then hey, you know .

I actually dropped Saekano a few episodes before it ended, though the lack of time was a major reason for that. Now that Shokomeza is here, I actually feel inspired to go back and finish off Saekano as well. See, perhaps Saekano is a bit less grown up to me. You know, some guy finds a pretty girl and then decides to make a game about her. For me, writing is real work and not quite that romantic. I do really like Kato, though. Got a thing for the normal girls . The show attempts to have some character development here and there, and in this case, I actually wished they focused more on making their game. It is a subjective balance, of course.

Now for Shokomeza. To tell the truth, if it were not for the visual novel making premise, I might have dropped it already. I do like how the crew, especially the main girl, seem more ambitious and a bit less naïve compared to Saekano's lead. She is someone I can get behind. I love how she seems like your typical cold girl, but she is actually pretty kind hearted without falling into the tsundere trope. Perhaps a bit dull for others, but she is like a normal person to me. She seems like a pretty all right boss to work with, too.

Then I found out they are actually making a visual novel out of Shokomeza:

http://www.minatosoft.com/koya/

And I am kind of excited! The art looks great, and I think they have retained the cast from the anime. I am going to check out the trial version later, and hey, I might even get the full game.

So yeah, just wanted to see if anyone else here has been following both series. I would love to hear some general thoughts about them. Thank you !

 

 

 

[solidbatman]

Isn't there already a VN about making VNs? EROGE! Sex and Games Make Sexy Games is apparently the closest thing to the VN creation experience you can get from reading a VN. 

[ittaku]

Saekano is amusing and fun to watch with its fascinating characters and I'm looking forward to the rest of it. Shokomeza feels like a "me-too" anime and most of the characters so far have been uninspiring and it's barely more than a yawn-fest.

[suikashoujo]

Agreed. Saekano had a lot more feeling to it, whereas ShoMeza just feels like a checklist of game making steps with some of the blandest characters imaginable. As cute as Yuki is, for example, nothing about her stands out. At all.

 

Meanwhile, Saekano actually had a fairly interesting "boring and quiet" heroine in Kato- I can't think of too many other characters with quite that same mix of dry wit and easygoing tendencies that she had. And everyone's motivations just felt so much more NATURAL than ShoMeza.

 

I mean. I'll still finish ShoMeza, but it's been a bit of a letdown so far.

[Veshurik]

I don't know but I rewatching Shokomeza already at 3rd time, and I like it so much.

 

Unfortunately in Saekano development of VN is just a background. There aren't much events about that, of course, no any details or deep practice cycles, etc. I don't know how to explain, but in Shokomeza I find out about full-price eroge, low-price, also budget issues, TOKUTEN privileges, and other really useful things. 

 

That's sad, Shokomeza VN didn't get any translation at all. I'd want to play heroine routes.

Also Saekano has VN adaptation, but only on PS Vita, ugh... But I want to play it too, because heroine routes, you know. Eh