/jp/ - Otaku Culture

So after 2048 the story just restarts in 2050? Why is it called Aqua route?

>>20913608
I'm not convinced of this argument that story-focused VNs don't sell, to be honest.
>Sorcery Jokers
It was well-received in Japan but in no shape or form was it a splash.
http://www.getchu.com/pc/salesranking2015.html 37th place. Not bad but not too good for an eroge. Certainly not a best-seller.
https://erogamescape.dyndns.org/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/game.php?game=21180#ad
A median of 81 is pretty good, but consider that the average (平均値) is 78. That's below 80, which is the minimum to be considered "well-regarded", with the blue tag on EGS. We can assume they also take this as a reference when rating.

>Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning
Liar-soft has always been, and still is an extremely niche company. The only WAB that can be said to have made a significant success is Inganock, which was translated by Ixrec a long time ago.
https://erogamescape.dyndns.org/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/brand.php?brand=307
As you can see here, Inganock is the most voted Liar-Soft of all WABs, with ~680 votes, versus Gahkthun with ~460 votes.
http://www.getchu.com/pc/salesranking2012.html
2012 was the year Gahkthun was released. It's not even in the top 50 of the sales rankings in Getchu.
Gahkthun was well-rated, I'll grant you that, with 81 votes, but how much of that was by previous fans of the WAB series? Well-regarded, sure, but it didn't sell neither in Japan, nor the west.

There may be an argument to be had concerning Himawari, but can we even say that it looks appealing from a marketing standpoint to a western audience? A girl surrounded by sunflowers? We all know how westerners love Fate/Zero and a lot of other Urobuchi shit. We know how Nintendo makes kirby look angry in western releases. I took a quick look at Himawari's trailer and I see no reason why a westerner wouldn't think it's one of those "weeb", "moe" visual novels. Sure, there's the moon segments and whatnot which give more of a sf vibe, but it really doesn't change much of the imagery associated with a cute loli surrounded by plants. it's just not a very marketable visual novel in the first place.
AND YET: http://www.getchu.com/pc/2007_g_ranking/2007_g_ranking_senario.html http://www.getchu.com/pc/2007_g_ranking/2007_g_ranking_all.html
It's not ranked anywhere in getchu's user awards for either scenario, or general title! I can't deny its success and the fact that it was a doujin game, but it's still an 85 in ratings. That could certainly qualify for a kamige, but I just don't see why westerners would find it appealing at any rate. They're too allergic to these "moe" tropes, and those who are not, have no reason to play himawari since they would rather gravitate to a full-fledged high school SoL with a bunch of heroines with rich amounts of ero.

With this I tentatively conclude that we can't quite claim that the west "hates plot-based visual novels". There are circumstances we can take into account that explain why some positively-rated titles in japan flopped in the west.

Compare them with F/SN, Little Busters or Clannad, MLA, Muramasa, Baldr Sky, Rance 10, Sharin no Kuni, Saya no Uta, etc. which all sold extremely well in Japan, and have ridiculously high ratings.
The ones with positive reception but mediocre-weak sales are Himawari, Gahkthun and Sorcery Jokers. I think eden* sold well both in Japan and the west, though it sits at a positive reception rating (80) so certainly most japanese readers don't think of it as kamige.

The only titles to be officially translated so far that have a parallel to what japanese players would definitely call "kamige", are Dies Irae and Subahibi.
I explained why I think Subahibi's sales were weak here >>20912844 >>20913021
Now Dies Irae? It sold a million copies all versions combined in Japan. I know there's a considerable female fanbase of the series. Amantes Amentes sits at 90 on EGS with >250 votes, and AEF at 85 with >1000 votes, so I think it's fair to say it can be considered a kamige by Japan standards. In Getchu's 2009 user rankings it got 10th best eroge of the year, and a whooping 2nd in the scenario category. It seems very fair to me to call it a "kamige". Why did it flop? Honestly, this is the one I don't know. It's packed with a lot of action and fighting, with spells and magical chants everywhere, lots of worldbuilding and a super elaborate setting, charismatic characters (basing this off of japanese players, not just personal opinion), good art and production values... I honestly don't know. Maybe the nazi stuff put off a lot of people? I know the kickstarter was a success in financial terms, but a catastrophe in its administration, and there's the whole issue with nazis and the current PC culture, though I don't know how much that plays a role in here. There's a thread on 4chan which is an indicative that there's a strong niche community. Ikabei is also getting translated, so there's interest from Light in the western market. If anyone can shed light to it I'd appreciate.

Anyone know how Himawari is for a beginner?

Visual Novel translation status


>Amagami - 1st day patch Released for PS2/PSP, "2021/2308 original edition scenario scripts translated (87.6%)"
>Aokana - 27% of the common route translated
>Apathy Midnight Collection - Overall 100% translated, Murder Club and Hashira no Kizu 100% edited, Okuri Inu 54% edited
AstralAir - 100% translated, release a long ways off
Ayakashi Gohan - ~86% Complete
Clover Day's - Common + 4 routes done, last route 348/711 KB translated
Daitoshokan - 100% translated and edited, images, engine work and QC remain
Haruka Na Sora - Sora 11.29% translated, Kozue 23.73% translated
Heart no Kuni no Alice - 70% translated, partial patch released
Irotoridori no Sekai - 9681/50663 (19%) lines translated
Junketsu Megami-Sama - partial patch released
Kanojo to Ore to Koibito to - 7303/26935 lines translated
Kimisora - Prologue translated
Kurukuru Fanatic - 100% translated, 9.4% edited
Lovely Cation- 43.7% of lines completed
>Lover Able - 34.71% translated
Majikoi A-2 - 73.52% translated
>Majo Koi Nikki - 61% (24354/40208) lines translated, prologue patch released
>Maki Fes - 60% (1702/2836) lines translated
Mahou Tsukai no Yoru - 3 semi-active projects, one project released ch 1-6
Monster girl quest paradox - "Playable patch" released, although some scripts still untranslated
Muv Luv Total Eclipse - 25% translated
Oreimo Tsuzuku - All scripts translated, 221/268 through TLC+Editing, 166/268 scripts finalized
Sayonara wo Oshiete - 103564/257431 (40.2%) characters translated
Shin Koihime Musou - Partial patch with first chapter of Shoku's route
>Sukimazakura to Uso no Machi - 12,304 / 30,513 Lines (40.3%) translated, 1 route translated, partial patch released
>Tsui Yuri - 100% translated and edited, 20% QC
Tsuki ni Yorisou Otome no Sahou - 10613/31248 (33%) translated
>Ushinawareta Mirai o Motomete - 30% (10686/35476) lines translated
Witch's Garden - 63% (42302/67197) lines translated, 4% (2153/67197) lines edited, prologue patch released
Yosuga no Sora - Translation status is Common route 100%, Sora route 100%, Nao 100%, Kazuha 100%, Akira 89.73%, Motoka 32.17%, Common and Kazuha fully edited



Official work

MangaGamer
>Himawari - Released
Rance 5D + Rance VI - December 23rd release
Higurashi Hou - Released ch 4
Umineko - Released chapters 1-4
Bokuten - Port in progress
>Negai no Kakera - Finished Beta
Da Capo 3 - In beta, early 2017 release
>Dal Segno - 100% translated and edited
>Princess Evangile W Happiness - 76% translated, 50% edited
Imouto Paradise 2 - 100% translated, 46% edited
>Fata morgana fan disc - 38% translated
>Sorcery Jokers - 62% translated, 50% edited
>Kuroinu - Being released as 3 seperate chapters, CH1 100% translated and edited
>Maggot Baits - 10% translated
>SukiSuki - About to enter Beta
>Hapymaher - 60% translated, 42% edited
>Bocchi Musume x Produce Keikaku - 44% translated and 43% edited
>Hadaka Shitsuji - 33% translated, 21% edited
Hadaka Shitsuji fandisc - Picked up
Shiei no Sona-Nyl - Picked up
Trinoline - Announced
>5 unannounced projects


JAST
Flowers - Vol 1 released, Vol 2 onwards still to come
Sumeragi Ryoko - Beta, in QA/coding
Katahane - "Translating new scenario, editing original scenario"
Eiyuu*Senki - Picked up
Princess X - 100% translated, in editing and coding
Princess X fandisc - Picked up
Trample on Schatten- Translation 100%, in editing
Django - Waiting on translation.
Sweet Home - 100% translated, debugging script
Sumaga- Fully translated, 70% edited