Topic: The worst idea Castlevania's ever actually had?

[Nagumo]

Soma isn't all that bad in Aria. I did not notice the game was notably "more japanese oriented" than previous games in the series aside from the setting. The animu tendencies didn't start slipping in until DoS because the developers wanted to appeal to teenagers. It was a very short period though, it only lasted two-three games. It was already gone when Ecclesia came around.             

[Vrakanox]

Soma isn't all that bad in Aria. I did not notice the game was notably "more japanese oriented" than previous games in the series aside from the setting. The animu tendencies didn't start slipping in until DoS because the developers wanted to appeal to teenagers. It was a very short period though, it only lasted two-three games. It was already gone when Ecclesia came around.             

Yeah, and its not really so much the appealing to a more Japanese audience that bugs me. In fact I like how the series is kind of a Japanese take on old horror films. Its the more recent focus targeting a younger Japanese audience.

[Flame]

Aria Soma had a badass pimp coat and a pretty groovy look, (I mean just LOOK at those pants!)

Dawn fucked his design up something fierce by trying to "modernize" it and make it look "futuristic".

his hair got all weird looking too.

compare the badass mofo with the shitty mofo.

(click to show/hide)

I suppose Alucard never tells him who he is because it would be a hella awkward.

"So uh, im several hundreds of years old and you are like, 18, aaaand you are my father"

[Munchy]

stuff

Sorry, but QTEs do suck. Big time.

Curse of Darkness is a good nominee, as well as HoD, the epitome of what was wrong with the DS entries.

Also gotta agree with the uber-cutesy Japanese shit from PoR and DoS.

Just thought of giving a shout out to the asshole who changed that final level checkpoint in American CV3. FUUUUUUUUU

[Sumac]

I did not notice the game was notably "more Japanese oriented" than previous games in the series aside from the setting.

And one of the most leftfield stories in the series doesn't count?

Like Castle being sealed in solar eclipse, participation of Japanese priests for whatever reason, Dracula being reincarnated as Japanese guy, who (of course) have descendant of said Japanese priests as his girlfriend. I said that before - overall AOS plot sounds like a story for the generic anime. The only thing that missing - is that it doesn't happen in random Japanese school in which Zead and Alucard work as teachers.

DOS was worse, but only because it downgraded somewhat likeable characters from AOS into complete (anime) cliches and didn't have beautiful art to make it look more in vein of previous IGAvanias.

[Nagumo]

There is nothing generic about Aria's story, nor is it a typical anime plot. What I said about being more Japanese oriented was a poor choice of wording, but I was purely thinking of the animu stuff like how they were present in Portrait, Dawn etc. And while Aria's story might be something entirely new, the Japanese elements where not added without any rhyme or reason behind it. The Japanese aspects of the stories tie in with the solar eclipse part of the story. The reason for the Japanese setting was because of the various shrines that are devoted to the sun that are located there, such as the fictional Hakuba Shrine, which relates to the solar eclipse portion of the story that IGA already came up with. Soma being from Japan was a result of the previous decesion I suppose.               

[Flame]

I liked the Mina Harker thing going on with Mina "Hakuba".

One thing that i DO have to give Dawn credit for, is the idea of Soma succumbing to the Darkness when he thinks mina has been murdered by Celia, as a perfect mirror of the previous two times, Abandoning Humanity and defying God when Elizabetha died, and declaring war on Humanity after Lisa died.

[Charlotte-nyo:3]

The art style is definitely stereotypically 'anime', but that's Richter Bellmont dude!
He still breaks into Drac's home, murdalizes his friends, steals his food and then kills him with the aid of a minor.

Jonathan Morris also did that while looking very animu =3

I actually don't despise all 'anime' styles at all and am aware that the superb SotN art is very Japanese. I just like it to be quality like that. A lot of people can't really see the difference between classic and CG stuff, but it's quite a detailed topic and has changed ridiculously over the years.

Yeah but I wouldn't really consider the SotN style to be an anime style. Perhaps some would, and you can still call it a very Japanese style, but it's got huge divergences from what I'd call an "anime" art style.

[Sumac]

There is nothing generic about Aria's story, nor is it a typical anime plot.

Oh really? Like seriously?
Generic japanese schoolboy discover somehow that he is a reincarnation of the dark evil guy. He has super powers and could bring the end of the world. Also, his girlfriend is apparently descendant of the priests who dealt with the evil dude. And there is some misterious bishounen "who knows everything".
Sorry, but it is very generic premise. Almost a cliche in itself.

What I said about being more Japanese oriented was a poor choice of wording, but I was purely thinking of the animu stuff like how they were present in Portrait, Dawn etc. And while Aria's story might be something entirely new, the Japanese elements where not added without any rhyme or reason behind it. The Japanese aspects of the stories tie in with the solar eclipse part of the story. The reason for the Japanese setting was because of the various shrines that are devoted to the sun that are located there, such as the fictional Hakuba Shrine, which relates to the solar eclipse portion of the story that IGA already came up with. Soma being from Japan was a result of the previous decesion I suppose.   

     
Sounds like weak attempt to justify general out-of-the-bluiness of the story.

Yeah, so Castle was imprisoned in solar eclipse...somehow. Japanese priests randomly has something to do with it, because they worship sun or something. And Dracula reincanated as the japanese guy...for the very explained reasons. Really convincing and though out.
Looks like IGA tried to pander to the japanese gamers, transforimg Castlevania into generic animu. Happily it didn't stick for long, but done quite a damage to the series. In my iopinion much more damage, than LOS, since Lords is non-canon to the previous games in the series. And AOS is kind of an extended epilogue to the whole timeline. Very random and uncalled for epilogue, I must add.

[Nagumo]

Oh really? Like seriously?
Generic japanese schoolboy discover somehow that he is a reincarnation of the dark evil guy. He has super powers and could bring the end of the world. Also, his girlfriend is apparently descendant of the priests who dealt with the evil dude. And there is some misterious bishounen "who knows everything".
Sorry, but it is very generic premise. Almost a cliche in itself.

If the story is so generic, why don't you provide some examples of stories with the exact same premise as Aria?

[TheouAegis]

X/1999
Magic Knight Rayearth (not wholly the same but similar in a way)

Slayers

Half the anime released in the 80s and early 90s

[beingthehero]

LoS. Also basing its plot twist around the abandoned Anderson's failed Castlevania movie script. 

Also, it takes an incredible leap of imagination, plenty of alcohol, squinting of the eyes, and repeated blows of a hammer to the head to associate any of magic knight rayearth's plot with Aria's.

[Sumac]

If the story is so generic, why don't you provide some examples of stories with the exact same premise as Aria?

Practically every anime about magical girls for example.

[Nagumo]

Do you mean because Soma gets magical/special powers? I'm very certain that is not a cliche exclusive to anime unless you conveniently ignore superhero comics. 

Aria's storyline does not contain ideas or things that are exclusive to anime nor is it directly copied or similar to one. So calling the plot that of a generic anime is complete hogwash.             

[Sumac]

Do you mean because Soma gets magical/special powers? I'm very certain that is not a cliche exclusive to anime unless you conveniently ignore superhero comics. Aria's storyline does not contain ideas or things that are exclusive to anime nor is it directly copied or similar to one. So calling the plot that of a generic anime is complete hogwash.

I am calling this plot like of a generic anime about schoolgoers with magic powers, simply because there is a tonnes of similaritites with this genre. It's kind of obvious and you need to be pretty stubborm to not to see it. However you already admitted that Soma having "special powers" is a cliche. So that is something.
It could be argued that overall plot about random teenager having super powers, is not exclusive to the anime. However everything else, like backstory, characters, plot twists, general mood are more less follow conventions of the particular japanese genre.
I am already explained why and I don't feel like repeating myself.