In an era
where gamers are used to seeing their favorite Japanese titles arrive in the
West with the "scissors" of censorship or strange changes in
translation, someone decided to stand firm. Akihiro Ishihara, the
legendary director behind giant franchises like The Idolmaster and
part of the Umamusume team, has delivered a blow of authority.
When talking about his new project, Valkyrie Tune: Synthesis of Souls,
he made it very clear that he does not intend to "soften" a single
line of code to please international markets.
"The
charm is that it's Japanese"
Ishihara's
statement was music to the ears of purists. In a recent interview, the creative
explained that trying to adapt the game to make it "safe" or less
daring for global audiences would be a mistake. According to him, what fans are
looking for in a Bishojo Visual Novel (pretty girl game) is
precisely that aesthetic, anime tropes and emotional narrative that only Japan
knows how to do. So, with the help of Frontwing and Good
Smile Company, he promised that the game will arrive in the summer of 2026
as it was conceived: with all otaku culture intact.
The plot
of Valkyrie Tune sounds like an instant classic: you are Rei,
a faceless protagonist (so that you can project yourself at ease) who wakes up
after being frozen in a futuristic city under a dome. There you will live with
six girls from a combat team, mixing moments of romance, mystery
and science fiction. Ishihara believes that human emotions transcend borders
and that you don't have to change girls' clothes or tone down jokes for someone
in the United States or Europe to understand the story. It is a commitment to
authenticity instead of political correctness.
A
respite for the community
This move
is important because it breaks with the current trend of many companies that,
for fear of criticism on Western social networks, end up delivering
decaffeinated products. For a figure of Ishihara's caliber to say "this is
what it is and this is how it is enjoyed", could set a precedent for other
studios to stop being afraid of being 100% Japanese. The game will
arrive on Steam and Nintendo Switch, so the barrier to entry will be minimal to
enjoy this experience without filters.
Do you
prefer games to arrive intact or do you think that sometimes it is necessary to
adapt the content for other countries?
