Topic: How much of CV was planned for ahead of time?

[Inccubus]

I ask because I just noticed that the manual of Vampire Killer (MSX) mentions "the legendary hero, Christopher". It's interesting because at that point not even CV2 had been released yet.

[Nagumo]

The Japanese manual of CV1 mentions him, too. It's just a small story hook, I guess.

[A-Yty]

The earlier "Original Canon Castlevania" had the virtue of leaving things up for interpretation. For example, Dracula was mentioned as having had "different names over the centuries" and being a sorcerer who "sould his soul to the Devil" in SotN and DC, respectively. Whether this was taken into consideration during LoI's storywriting or not, I don't know. But in retrospect, it clicks into place.

Also, compare Sara Trantoul's soul sacrifice to create VK to the ghost lady who warns Simon in SQ. Hell, even the Poltergeist King can be interpreted as a spirit inhabiting the whip. I like to think that while different CV teams understandably started contradicting each other when the storyline started expanding a little from the "hero clan of vampire hunters kill a resurrected Dracula because he is a bad guy" setting, they did have the details of the earlier games in mind.

[Donvermicelli]

The earlier "Original Canon Castlevania" had the virtue of leaving things up for interpretation. For example, Dracula was mentioned as having had "different names over the centuries" and being a sorcerer who "sould his soul to the Devil" in SotN and DC, respectively. Whether this was taken into consideration during LoI's storywriting or not, I don't know. But in retrospect, it clicks into place.

Also, compare Sara Trantoul's soul sacrifice to create VK to the ghost lady who warns Simon in SQ. Hell, even the Poltergeist King can be interpreted as a spirit inhabiting the whip. I like to think that while different CV teams understandably started contradicting each other when the storyline started expanding a little from the "hero clan of vampire hunters kill a resurrected Dracula because he is a bad guy" setting, they did have the details of the earlier games in mind.

this.

[Lelygax]

I knew about that, but thanks for mentioning it. I think that they planned atleast a game with Christopher.

[Thomas Belmont]

I ask because I just noticed that the manual of Vampire Killer (MSX) mentions "the legendary hero, Christopher". It's interesting because at that point not even CV2 had been released yet.

Wow! I didn't know that! Do you have a link to that? I looked on the Vampire Killer page here on the Dungeon but saw no mention of Christopher.

[Koutei]

Akumajo Dracula (Famicom Disk System) September 26, 1986
http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cv1/game-media.htm
Translated Japanese Manual Story

Akumajo Dracula (MSX2) Oct 30, 1986
http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/vkill/game-media.htm
Translated Japanese Manual Story


Simon's father is still a mystery.

[A-Yty]

So is his supposed brother or other relative. I mean the young man mentioned in one of SQ's endings. Of course there is the very small possibility of the young man being his son. I assume he was around 29 during SQ and he might have fathered a child before CV. But even then the boy would hardly be a "young man". Still, logic dictates Belmont males would have to produce their offspring before they risk their lives and not after.

All this makes me wonder if there were any plans for a direct sequel.

[Inccubus]

Actually, there is no mention of the "young man" being any kind of relative at all in the original Japanese ending 2. It just mentions that with Simon dead that the people of Transylvania can only hope that someone like Simon will show up if another big-bad shows up.

[A-Yty]

I wonder what other series has gotten its story so mangled because of translation errors?

Just what is the canon ending? And I mean the very original Japanese one. Did Simon die?

[Nagumo]

I would say the one where Simon lives, but where Dracula apperently survives, despite Simon getting rid of the curse. But now that I think about it, it's possible that this may not be the case since they firmly ignored that cliff hanger for the last 20 years or so.

So maybe...?

Poor Simon. 

[darkwzrd4]

I would say the one where Simon lives, but where Dracula apperently survives, despite Simon getting rid of the curse. But now that I think about it, it's possible that this may not be the case since they firmly ignored that cliff hanger for the last 20 years or so.

So maybe...?

Poor Simon. 

But, that won't make sense. Remember, HoD takes place 50 years after SQ and Juste even mentions how his grandfather, Simon, gathered Dracula's remains and "destroyed" them. Simon would have had to survived to tell the tale to his family. And, if he survived, he must have succeeded in getting rid of the curse.
The cliffhanger could only mean that Dracula would be back after eventually.

[A-Yty]

He didn't necessarily have to survive for the story to be told.

[Thomas Belmont]

Akumajo Dracula (Famicom Disk System) September 26, 1986
http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cv1/game-media.htm
Translated Japanese Manual Story

Akumajo Dracula (MSX2) Oct 30, 1986
http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/vkill/game-media.htm
Translated Japanese Manual Story


Simon's father is still a mystery.

Thanks a lot for posting the links. If those translations are correct then that's pretty cool. I'm surprised Dracula's Curse didn't have Christopher as the main protagonist.

[Inccubus]

I'm surprised Dracula's Curse didn't have Christopher as the main protagonist.

I wonder how that happened, too. I would love to know how the decision to retcon the plot of CVA came about especially considering it only came out a year before. Maybe they had already planned on CV3 and a different team worked on CVA? Maybe they weren't satisfied with CVA as an origin game? Who knows?
Oh well, at least CVA-R took care of all that inconsistency.