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The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: Solomon on October 03, 2013, 10:57:12 PM

Title: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Solomon on October 03, 2013, 10:57:12 PM

Topic. The Japanese setting always felt forced to me, whether or not that was intended to draw in Japanese players. Regardless, things kinda make more sense (or at least come off as much less forced) if you reimagine the game being set stateside:

-No need to make Soma a foreign exchange student. I know he never actually was to begin with, but US localization would've been saved the awkwardness.

-Alucard gets to be CIA with a Western cover name instead of stretching believability as Japanese intelligence with a Japanese cover name.

-While Mina would have to be rewritten as a Westerner (an actual Harker maybe?) and the Shrine of the White Horse would most likely be a church, it makes more sense to have Christians watching over the Demon Castle's seal than Shinto priests.

-Yoko wouldn't be Yoko.

Thoughts?

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: K.G. Morder on October 04, 2013, 01:05:02 AM

Would still feel somewhat forced.

But I suppose setting it in modern day Romania would have been too strange?

The Harker thing with Mina could have worked out I suppose. And with a name like Soma Cruz (isn't it, in japanese supposed to sound like cross?)

And given that the Morrises, the last folks to wield the whip were American it would have precedent.

Still. USA would have been just as forced as japan.

And TBH the japan setting doesnt bother me so much as the forced Shinto elements. Nothing against Shinto, but the series has been all about judeochristian warriors of the church who use holy powers to kill the undead, (basically the classic horror cliche) and suddenly

OH HI IM A SHINTO PRIEST AND I SEALED THE CASTLE IN AN ECLIPSE

it feels like fanfiction tier insertion...

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Nagumo on October 04, 2013, 01:35:56 AM

I don't know about Castlevania being purely about Judeo-Christianity. The series incorporates monsters from all over the world and combines them together. The reason why the Shinto elements never felt odd to me is the same reason why I don't blink when I fight Medusa, a mummy, or Kali.  :P   

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Shiroi Koumori on October 04, 2013, 02:32:04 AM

I really did not like making Soma an exchange student. They could have just kept the romanized version of his Japanese name (Kurusu Souma).

I don't know if it can work with the US setting, the Japanese have a different view of America and I am not so sure if it would work as well as their inclusion of Shinto.

Quote from: Flame on October 04, 2013, 01:05:02 AM

OH HI IM A SHINTO PRIEST AND I SEALED THE CASTLE IN AN ECLIPSE
it feels like fanfiction tier insertion...

I actually liked the Shinto inclusion. Hmm... thinking back on this, it looks like IGA's scriptwriting past from Tokimeki Memorial strikes again.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: chainsawmidget on October 04, 2013, 02:35:37 AM

Quote

I don't know if it can work with the US setting, the Japanese have a different view of America and I am not so sure if it would work as well as their inclusion of Shinto.

I'm really not sure how it could be worse. 

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Shiroi Koumori on October 04, 2013, 02:47:14 AM

Quote from: chainsawmidget on October 04, 2013, 02:35:37 AM

I'm really not sure how it could be worse. 

While I was searching google....
They can set in in the US with a shinto shrine! There are actual shrines in the US.

If Drac's castle appeared in the US, couldn't the Americans just nuke it?

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: GuyStarwind on October 04, 2013, 02:55:30 AM

I think the ideas in the first post were pretty good and I think could work. However, they should just leave it in Europe. Just my two cents

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Chernabogue on October 04, 2013, 03:12:25 AM

Soma would have been called Tom Cruz.  ;D

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: X on October 04, 2013, 10:10:09 AM

Quote

If Drac's castle appeared in the US, couldn't the Americans just nuke it?

America I do believe has a policy regarding non-use of nuclear weapons within it's own borders. But then tell that to all the times Area 51 had tested them in the Nevada desert  :P John Wayne died because of most of his movies were filmed  in that very region.

Quote

Soma would have been called Tom Cruz.  ;D

Yeah, and just to add insult to injury scientology would also have been mentioned. That would be very bad for Castlevania.

In terms of having AoS taking place within the US rather then Japan, I don't really know myself. I think if the game were to take place anywhere even Europe it would feel forced, one way or another. However if it did happen in the US then we'd all be spared Soma's fluffy-collared long coat  :P :P  It would look far better on a woman then a man. No man in the US would get away with wearing that without having the shit beaten out of him.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Lelygax on October 04, 2013, 04:04:06 PM

What if instead of Castlevania being sealed in a eclipse it was been sealed in Bermuda Triangle? xD

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Munchy on October 04, 2013, 04:47:04 PM

I think no matter where the game is set, there can always be wacky landmarks with questionable histories to fill with monsters. Winchester Mansion, anyone?

Dawn of Sorrow felt kind of empty plot-wise, and the idea of a high schooler being Dracula's reincarnation is still kind of dumb, but the post-Dracula setting has some promise still. Why not expand upon the cult? Why not make them an actual cult that does actual cult things, like kidnapping, brainwashing, and ritualistic sacrifice?

Also I want to see Soma being as old as Julius, possibly with a goatee.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Shiroi Koumori on October 05, 2013, 01:35:17 AM

Quote from: X on October 04, 2013, 10:10:09 AM

However if it did happen in the US then we'd all be spared Soma's fluffy-collared long coat  :P :P  It would look far better on a woman then a man. No man in the US would get away with wearing that without having the shit beaten out of him.

Oh... how about the drag queens?  ;)

Quote from: Munchy on October 04, 2013, 04:47:04 PM

Also I want to see Soma being as old as Julius, possibly with a goatee.

Someone should create a fan drawing of this.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: X on October 05, 2013, 10:52:40 AM

Quote

Oh... how about the drag queens?  ;)

That would just make things even worse and more unbearable to the Castlevania name. I was however thinking more along the lines of black gangsters selling pimps. They do wear those types of coats but only because they can get away with it. That's mainly because of the type of business their in, and 2) they have a whole crew armed with guns following them. However Soma isn't any of the above and I feel his look would definitely be out of place for his character in the US.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Intersection on October 05, 2013, 12:01:01 PM

Hmm... Soma as a drag queen? That's definitely out of the question.

Yet Soma always looked so elegant with his white fur coat. If this American localization will end up costing him his sense of style, then it is out of the question for me.

In the end, AoS will feel just as forced (if not even more so) if it is set in the US.
After all, it'd be so much more difficult to fit some of the game's most endearing characters -- Mina Hakuba, that sweet, charming young girl; and Genya Arikado, simply because I like his name... Of course, Hammer and Graham make little sense in Japan as it is -- but the characters themselves are so incongruous that realism isn't in the equation here.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: K.G. Morder on October 05, 2013, 02:19:04 PM

Soma's coat is a pimpcoat. That shit's fly, yo.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Dracula9 on October 05, 2013, 03:12:53 PM

Quote from: Chernabogue on October 04, 2013, 03:12:25 AM

Soma would have been called Tom Cruz.  ;D

POST OF THE FUCKING YEAR.

On a joking note, I'd imagine that it would be like any American-based monster movie. Troops get pumped in like hosewater, and those in power can't quite grasp that they can't actually just shoot it to death, and then at the last minute they let the one guy take care of everything.

On a more serious note, I think it would hurt the romanticized atmosphere to the game. Not even going into the wardrobe department (and on that note, X, I think you're being a little bit too pessimistic on this; because I've seen men wear far more extravagant things than a fur-collared coat and they didn't "get the shit beat out of them." That's a really uncool mindset, dude. Just sayin'. I would wear that coat, and would rock that look.), a lot of the themes going on in Aria would either feel forced or entirely nonsensical. For instance, the Hakuba Shrine and its (admittedly small) role. The US doesn't have shrines like Japan does (ours have price tags and food courts), so Mina's entire plot role would lose a lot, if not all, of its sensibility.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Solomon on October 05, 2013, 04:08:24 PM

Quote from: Flame on October 04, 2013, 01:05:02 AM

OH HI IM A SHINTO PRIEST AND I SEALED THE CASTLE IN AN ECLIPSE

it feels like fanfiction tier insertion...

This is exactly what made me think of a US setting to begin with. Modern-day Romania would indeed be too weird and (ironically)... I guess, not very interesting? Stateside felt like the better option to me.

Quote from: Chernabogue on October 04, 2013, 03:12:25 AM

Soma would have been called Tom Cruz.  ;D

Oh dammit.

Ba Dum Tss! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXDo4dL7SU#ws)

Quote from: Dracula9 on October 05, 2013, 03:12:53 PM

On a joking note, I'd imagine that it would be like any American-based monster movie. Troops get pumped in like hosewater, and those in power can't quite grasp that they can't actually just shoot it to death, and then at the last minute they let the one guy take care of everything.

On a more serious note, I think it would hurt the romanticized atmosphere to the game. Not even going into the wardrobe department (and on that note, X, I think you're being a little bit too pessimistic on this; because I've seen men wear far more extravagant things than a fur-collared coat and they didn't "get the shit beat out of them." That's a really uncool mindset, dude. Just sayin'. I would wear that coat, and would rock that look.), a lot of the themes going on in Aria would either feel forced or entirely nonsensical. For instance, the Hakuba Shrine and its (admittedly small) role. The US doesn't have shrines like Japan does (ours have price tags and food courts), so Mina's entire plot role would lose a lot, if not all, of its sensibility.

Joking note: and towards the climax, you discover:

(click to show/hide)

The US military actually sent Hammer to detonate a nuke inside the castle, in case it couldn't be neutralized in 24 hours. Hammer refuses to do it, having grown attached to Yoko, Mina, and the others, so the evuhl 'Murrican government sets off the countdown remotely. Cue a Metroid-esque escape sequence after you defeat Chaos, which ends with you jumping into an escape chopper as the castle goes up in a mushroom cloud.

This would also make one hell of a Michael Bay movie.

Serious note: mmm not really. I get what you're saying with a romanticized atmosphere, but a US setting could still very much retain it. Plus reimagining Mina as a minister's daughter or niece wouldn't affect her plot role at all.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Inccubus on October 05, 2013, 04:41:49 PM

Quote from: Munchy on October 04, 2013, 04:47:04 PM

I think no matter where the game is set, there can always be wacky landmarks with questionable histories to fill with monsters. Winchester Mansion, anyone?

Dawn of Sorrow felt kind of empty plot-wise, and the idea of a high schooler being Dracula's reincarnation is still kind of dumb, but the post-Dracula setting has some promise still. Why not expand upon the cult? Why not make them an actual cult that does actual cult things, like kidnapping, brainwashing, and ritualistic sacrifice?

Also I want to see Soma being as old as Julius, possibly with a goatee.

This.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: X on October 05, 2013, 07:02:35 PM

Quote

and on that note, X, I think you're being a little bit too pessimistic on this; because I've seen men wear far more extravagant things than a fur-collared coat and they didn't "get the shit beat out of them." That's a really uncool mindset, dude.

No mindset dude, just an opinion.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Lelygax on October 05, 2013, 11:27:32 PM

Hey, Hey! I had a idea about what could happen to a boss if it was set in US.

(http://i.imgur.com/1iYCVRz.png)

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: chainsawmidget on October 06, 2013, 09:42:31 AM

Quote from: Lelygax on October 05, 2013, 11:27:32 PM

Hey, Hey! I had a idea about what could happen to a boss if it was set in US.

(http://i.imgur.com/1iYCVRz.png)

... I'm not seeing this is a bad thing. 

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Jorge D. Fuentes on October 07, 2013, 09:16:25 AM

The first skeleton boss is basically a giant ape... skeleton.
Hell, some are called "Skeleton Ape" and hurl barrels.  heh heh...

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: K.G. Morder on October 07, 2013, 10:02:51 AM

Quote from: Munchy on October 04, 2013, 04:47:04 PM

I think no matter where the game is set, there can always be wacky landmarks with questionable histories to fill with monsters. Winchester Mansion, anyone?

Dawn of Sorrow felt kind of empty plot-wise, and the idea of a high schooler being Dracula's reincarnation is still kind of dumb, but the post-Dracula setting has some promise still. Why not expand upon the cult? Why not make them an actual cult that does actual cult things, like kidnapping, brainwashing, and ritualistic sacrifice?

Also I want to see Soma being as old as Julius, possibly with a goatee.

I would imagine older Soma looking kind of like SoTN Dracula.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: X on October 07, 2013, 10:08:45 AM

Quote

The first skeleton boss is basically a giant ape... skeleton.
Hell, some are called "Skeleton Ape" and hurl barrels.  heh heh...

Nothing wrong with a little homage to Donky Kong right? Like the one featured in this monster list?

http://www.inverteddungeon.com/ratzuo/monsters.php (http://www.inverteddungeon.com/ratzuo/monsters.php)

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Ahasverus on October 07, 2013, 12:00:39 PM

This thread:

Quote

(http://i.imgur.com/xi1Srbo.jpg)

No, Castlevania should never be set outside Europe. Unless the story calls for it. Dracula's Castle is in europe and Dracula's blood runs through Europe. 'Murica not thanks.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: chainsawmidget on October 07, 2013, 10:28:09 PM

Quote

No, Castlevania should never be set outside Europe. Unless the story calls for it. Dracula's Castle is in europe and Dracula's blood runs through Europe. 'Murica not thanks.

Maybe it's just me, but whenever I see anyone use the word 'Murica I always read it as "I am a complete and total idiot, please ignore me." 

Look, if you're going to try to insult somebody, try and use a word that doesn't make you look like a moron for saying it. 

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Ahasverus on October 08, 2013, 08:58:39 AM

Dracula, your castle doesn't have enough democracy.
And about the word, well, focus on the people who invented it, in your country, you know.

Ok you don't want Soma to be japanese, ok, why couldn't he be Argentinian? Mexican? Russian? Mongolian? Australian? Haitian? no, of course it HAS to be AMERICAN because AMERICA FUCK YEAH.

I have nothing against the us or the majority of their people, but one thing is really tiring and that is the reasoning that everything has to be about them even things that don't even tangentially are needed to. That's what really pisses me off.


Castlevania is fine where it is, thanks.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: chainsawmidget on October 08, 2013, 09:44:51 AM

Quote from: Ahasverus on October 08, 2013, 08:58:39 AM

Ok you don't want Soma to be japanese, ok, why couldn't he be Argentinian? Mexican? Russian? Mongolian? Australian? Haitian? no, of course it HAS to be AMERICAN because AMERICA FUCK YEAH.

I have nothing against the us or the majority of their people, but one thing is really tiring and that is the reasoning that everything has to be about them even things that don't even tangentially are needed to. That's what really pisses me off.

Castlevania is fine where it is, thanks.

It actually isn't fine where it is.  That's the whole point of the topic.  Castlevania is European and because everything has to be about Japan, even the things that have nothing to do with them they moved it here. 

The idea was brought up that moving things to Japan seemed heavily forced, so if you're going to move it for no real reason, why not America?  Frankly, I don't think it needs to leave Europe either, but hypothetically if you are going to move it, I see no problem with it on that basis.  Not because America just needs to be better than anyone else, but because it certain fits a hell of a lot better than  movie it to Japan does.  At least Europe and America speak the same language and have some strong historical ties to each other. 

But if you're going to move Dracula's castle out of Romania, then there are certainly quite a few places that would fit better than America, and a hell of a lot more places that would would work better than Japan.   

If your problem was with the idea being unnecessarily American centric, then you could have said so reasonably and explained yourself without going, "Duhh... Uhmuhrica suck, hyuk hyuk."

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Gunlord on October 08, 2013, 01:19:13 PM

To be fair, Chainsaw, Castlevania is a Japanese series, i.e conceived of and developed by Japanese people as opposed to game designers in Transylvania. Or Spain, in Cox's case. XD It's not *entirely* unreasonable for them to want to put their own game in their own homeland. If Wayforward or another American developer were doing a CV game, I wouldn't begrudge them too much for putting in America. :)

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: K.G. Morder on October 08, 2013, 10:40:08 PM

Morris was from Texas, so there's an American Connection there. Plus, Dracula failed to get himself settled into England in the novel, so why not try it on England's spawn across the waters?

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Lelygax on October 09, 2013, 02:39:43 AM

What if Circle of the Moon had been set in the Moon?

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Ahasverus on October 09, 2013, 08:05:29 AM

Quote from: Lelygax on October 09, 2013, 02:39:43 AM

What if Circle of the Moon had been set in the Moon?

Game of the Forever

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: KaZudra on October 09, 2013, 12:10:24 PM

Quote from: Lelygax on October 09, 2013, 02:39:43 AM

What if Circle of the Moon had been set in the Moon?

First thing I thought was a Castlevania majora's mask...

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: chainsawmidget on October 09, 2013, 07:00:58 PM

I'm trying to figure out how Soma could get his little coat over a spacesuit.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: K.G. Morder on October 09, 2013, 11:39:46 PM

soul magic

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Lelygax on October 11, 2013, 06:47:51 AM

Chimp Skeleton soul.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Shiroi Koumori on October 11, 2013, 06:53:55 AM

No need to get another soul. The coat is part of his own.

Quote from: Lelygax on September 09, 2013, 10:07:53 AM

Soma soul: Grants you a elegant fur coat     MP Use: 1/sec.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: Lelygax on October 11, 2013, 07:55:56 AM

Oh, I misread it as "how he could get a space suit", my bad xD

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: The Most Curious Thing on October 16, 2013, 11:53:49 AM

Quote from: Shiroi Koumori on October 04, 2013, 02:32:04 AM

I really did not like making Soma an exchange student. They could have just kept the romanized version of his Japanese name (Kurusu Souma).

Late on the reply, but I always thought it would be neat if Soma had been born in the US on 8/21/2017, right under the total eclipse that takes place exactly halfway between the 1999 Wallachia eclipse and the 2035 Japan eclipse. That would lend credence to Soma being "special" -- it would make more sense that he became the incarnation of Dracula.

Title: Re: What if Aria of Sorrow had been set in America?
Post by: kadosho on October 28, 2013, 12:55:53 PM

Interesting ideas, but I found myself laughing with COTM (on the moon!?) Metroidvania would erupt! Monster hunters vs space pirates! Ok but on Sorrow, I think it worked in a quirky way, could have been setup stateside, it would make for a completely different scenario.