Topic: Figuring out AoS and DoS' precise location

[suomynona]

I think I have touched before, but I think it would be good to touch in with more depth.

the AoS' location, in-game, the clues I am given is:

• It is set in 'Hakuba Shrine' in Japan.
• The 2035 Total Solar Eclipse passes the area, while showing the max size of the eclipse
• The weather around the area is just a little bit cold that people wear trench coats, but the leaves are still green in early September.

The DoS' location, in-game, the clues I am given is:

• It's still set in Japan.
• It's in a big lake (it's not a oceanic location. The area is covered with spruce-looking trees)
• There are two landmasses in middle of the lake, big enough to support a Gothic castle and a tower each

I think the location for AoS; the location of Hakuba Shrine is this shrine in Hakuba-cho, Nagano prefecture.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Sokomiya+Hosonosuwa+Shrine/@36.6996958,137.8436032,9188m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5ff7ce0868e49719:0x6127f83ff68937b!8m2!3d36.701714!4d137.8403427

According to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuba,_Nagano, in September, the average temperature for Hakuba is Max. 23.4C, Min. 14.2C. Not that cold, but a reasonable weather to wear trench coats.

About the shrine itself, it is located in a bushy hill, which allows people to overlook the eclipse after walking on a stairway surrounded by trees. Also, it is a little local shrine, and there is better place for eclipse watching; a ski resort used for 1998 Winter Olympics, so it explains that there is only few people around at the time of eclipse.

The eclipse https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2035Sep02Tgoogle.html?zoom=1 (sorry for inconvenience, btw), passes the region with 100% obscuration and 1.007 magnitude. In another word, the eclipse can be seen very clearly around the region at the eclipse of Spetember 2nd, 2035.

DoS' location, I think is Lake Towada, located in Akita pref. and Aomori pref. it is a big lake, with two peninsula. One big peninsula with circular edge, and a small peninsula. The big peninsula will be the main castle and the small peninsula will be the tower. Nearby is a rural town. It would be the town area in-game.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/@40.4563321,140.8762678,13887m/data=!3m1!1e3

The lake is cited in rural area, perfect for a cult base. Also, according to wikipedia,

In 1953, in order to popularize the lake and the park, a sculpture of two women titled “The Maiden Statue” by Kōtarō Takamura was dedicated at the lakeshore as part of the park's 15th anniversary celebration. It was the last work by that noted sculptor.

Maybe this has to do with the plot. Notice 'a sculpture of two women'. How many female characters 'died' in the plot? (I'm putting apostrophe for a purpose)

The temperature http://www.accuweather.com/en/jp/towada-shi/216885/month/216885?monyr=9/01/2017, in September, ranges from 26C to 9C (althouch being 2017 estimation). Although not being that cold, it is considerably cold to wear winter clothing. About the snow, maybe Celia used a spell to make the area cold, thus the area is covered in snow since the precipitation of the area is quite high.

[zangetsu468]

AOS takes place inside Castlevania which is sealed inside the eclipse. The Hakuba shrine is the path that leads Soma (and presumably others) into the Castle. In the prologue Soma walks up the stairs to reach the Shrine, then the game starts and he awakens in the Castle.

[suomynona]

Yes, I know that. Of course AoS is set in the eclipse and would be a total stupidity to talk about its location in real world. I'm talking about the location of the shrine, the most comprehensible way to talk about AoS' location.

Also, why aren't you dying yet? You're my sacrifice. You should consider yourself very lucky to escape the 'feast'.

[zangetsu468]

Yes, I know that. Of course AoS is set in the eclipse and would be a total stupidity to talk about its location in real world. I'm talking about the location of the shrine, the most comprehensible way to talk about AoS' location.

Also, why aren't you dying yet? You're my sacrifice. You should consider yourself very lucky to escape the 'feast'.

Isn't it ironic that we're still talking about the eclipse?

[suomynona]

Isn't it ironic that we're still talking about the eclipse?

It IS.

"SOMAAAAA!" Julius Belmont, September 2nd 2035, yelling at Dracula, while looking at almost dead Alucard, whilst checking fatally injured Yoko's conditions.

[zangetsu468]

My theory:
The prologue of DOS (with scrolling text) shows a place in Japan. My guess was Kamakura town, but I'm not overly fussed where.

Where the gameplay prologue takes place (Soma defending Mina from Celia) could be anywhere but the architecture and vehicles appear European to me.

The actual Castle which plottwist has posted about is theorised to take place in Europe, given that the Lost City and the Castle's entrance have text and inferences which are not Japanese, but written in English. The DOS castle looks remarkably the same as LOI's Castle, with areas sharing similar characteristics. Given the LOI map exists in Yoko's Room in DOS, it's implied to be the same castle & location as LOI, which makes sense because it's had some kind of link to the underworld, with its creatures appearing there (which also explains why there were demons around in LOI, prior to Mathias become Demon King).

My theorised location of DOS' castle:
https://instagram.com/p/BUnpjzElJd2/

[suomynona]

Indeed. And I have no opposition to your theory.

My defence of theory is:

It would be true that a Japanese town would not look European in 1999, even for 2017. However, it is set in 2036. Already most Asian urban areas look similar to European. It wouldn't be much surprise if a Japanese town looked European, no, modern. Also, lots of European cars just casually roll around Japan even today.

It might be that Celia built the castle to imitate the Dracula's Castle. Remember, she follows Dracula. It would be a no surprise that she built the castle with same architecture to Dracula Castle in Europe. The reason for Celia to build the cult base in Japan; a place that has nothing to do with Dracula is probably linked with Hakuba Shrine's role in Julius' 1999 Dracula hunt and disappearance of Graham at AoS' eclipse. It might be either that Graham, the head of the Dracula-following cult after Dracula's ultimate death, found out about the Hakuba Shrine and based himself in Japan, or that Celia, thinking that Graham's disappearance has something to do with Dracula, moved into Japan. This would explain the English text because the town was built from scratch by Graham, Celia or whoever led the Dracula cult. This town, resided by Dracula-followers, which are from all around the world and not necessarily formed out of Japanese-speaking personnels(none of the characters revealed in the series are Japanese), used English, a most widespread language to communicate.