Idea Factory International (IFI): In the upcoming release of DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia, we are introduced to a new character original to the game, Ren. What did you try to do differently with Ren's story arc vs. Rio's story arc? Were there any specific emotions you wanted fans to understand in Ren Dystopia vs. Rio Reincarnation?
Koushi Tachibana: Ren Dystopia is, as the name suggests, a story conceived as a counterpart to Rinne Utopia, which is included in Rio Reincarnation. The concepts for Ren are "villain" and "jester," as she clearly tries to deceive and beguile Shido and the Spirits. As you can see from the packaging, we focused on creating a dark atmosphere. We hope you enjoy the creeping evils of daily life and the various "wishes" of every character and their outcomes.
IFI: Ren and Mayuri are new additions to the visual novel game, DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia. Were there any specific directions you were given to show off the characters' personality? If so, what were those directions, and how did you implement those personalities into their outfits/looks/etc.?
Tsunako: The initial design concept for Ren was as a prisoner completely wrapped in bandages or chains, with the image of a villain. Later, elements like snakes and grapes from the angel Samael, whom she uses, and a jester-like costume based on her behavior and image were added. The package illustration also has a theatre-themed background, reflecting her character as someone who seems to be playing a role. She is in a semi-sealed state for a certain reason, and initially, both her eyes are sealed, making it difficult for other characters to see her face. As the story progresses, her appearance and inner mysteries gradually become clear.
Mayuri is the heroine of the theatrical anime, Mayuri Judgment. She makes a guest appearance as a fan service, but she has connections with some of the characters in the story, so fans familiar with the series should keep an eye out! Discussing the design specifications in detail here might spoil the movie… (laughs). She wears a pure white uniform with feather-like hair ornaments, designed with the image of an angel or a white bird. Key features include a mascot attached to her bag and glass bead earrings. In the anime, these reacted to spiritual power and displayed various colors. There might be some similarities with Mio's equipment from the 5th season… For those who have seen the movie, I hope you will also enjoy Mayuri in the game!
IFI: DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia is finally headed westward, and Western fans are excited for this title to finally be localized. Are you amazed with the western fans' excitement, and have you noticed any differences in what JP audiences enjoy (i.e. popular/favorite characters) vs. what western audiences enjoy?
Tachibana: I am very surprised and extremely pleased that DATE A LIVE is loved by so many people. I believe that the popularity of the characters and the story, at its core, is not significantly different between Japan and the West. It seems everyone loves the girl with the clock eye (laughs).
IFI: As fans of any popular series, DATE A LIVE fans are very vocal about the direction the series is taking. Whether it is the portrayal of certain characters or the plot of the story, fans often speak up about what they are hoping to see for the future of DATE A LIVE. Can you talk about how you process fan feedback? Did fan feedback ever influence your creative process or direction while working on DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia?
Tachibana: While I appreciate feedback, incorporating too many opinions can make the story incoherent, so I generally stick to my own ideas. However, for Ren Dystopia, although it does not reflect any specific opinions, we have prepared elements that will delight fans of Rio Reincarnation and the theatrical anime, Mayuri Judgment.
Tsunako: Mr. Tachibana always says that he decides the ending and core settings first before starting to write the series, so I think it's rare for the direction to change significantly midway. Therefore, the designs are also decided in line with the core elements of the original content.
However, when we receive feedback such as "I like this character" or "I like this drawing" through social media comments or e-mails, it gives us the confidence to continue drawing, and those accumulations are significant.
In 2017, when I participated in an American anime event (AX) with the IFI staff, I was really surprised to hear that there was a DATE A LIVE fan community even outside Asia, despite the original novels not being published in English at that time. I believe the influence of the anime is very significant. I am always grateful to those who tell us about their impressions!
Localization involves translating a vast amount of text, which requires a lot of effort to capture the fine nuances. I believe that being able to embark on localization resulted in us receiving a lot of support.
IFI: Ren Dystopia is an extension of the world you've built for the characters of DATE A LIVE. Can you talk about the steps you take to make sure the world still feels familiar to fans of the series who play the game?
Tachibana: The DATE A LIVE game series often features stories that occur within a closed space during a certain period of the main story. Each Spirit has their own original story and conclusion. In Ren Dystopia, the mysterious girl Ren fulfills the Spirits' wishes. This allowed us to create various new developments that were different from what's been done before.
Tsunako: Some people might only play the game, but I believe this work is largely a game for fans who have come to love the characters through the anime and novels. The game's original heroine, Ren, also brings out new aspects of the other characters.
Multiple designers cooperate on the in-game illustrations, but during supervision, our aim is to take the best aspects of the art style from the first to the latter parts of the original work, and aspects from the anime, and incorporate them.
The design elements I want you to pay attention to are the new outfits of each character! We collaborated with the designers from the development company Sting to come up with various outfits that would suit the characters. Some characters have their clothes and colors unified with past works, the original, and the theatrical versions, while others have a bit of a change in mood. Some of the outfits created for this work are also carried over to the 4th and 5th seasons of the anime.
IFI: DATE A LIVE characters like Tohka, Kurumi, and Origami are highly regarded for their character designs. DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia uses MotionPortrait. Can you talk about what it feels like seeing these characters living and breathing in the game?
Tsunako: The characters who have been around since the beginning are particularly memorable for me. If you like the designs, I am genuinely happy!
The first time I saw sprites swaying with morphing and breathing motions was in another company's title around 2007, and I was really shocked. Since around 2009, motion portraits and Live2D have been adopted in Trinity Universe and the Neptunia series that I worked on, so we gradually increased our knowledge.
Once you see characters moving vividly, it's strange how still images start to feel unsatisfactory. Seeing the characters on the game screen breathing and speaking makes it feel like life has been breathed into the illustrations.
However, it takes a lot of effort! The material must be drawn down to the hidden parts that are only visible when swaying, and the expression changes are made with 3D mesh, making it quite challenging to create mouth shapes that look like illustrations. If done well, they move very smoothly.
IFI: Some argue that DATE A LIVE explores themes of friendship, love, and destiny. Do you agree with this analysis? Is there a particular theme from the series you wish all fans could take away from DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia?
Tachibana: The theme of love is undeniable. DATE A LIVE is a story about embracing beings that cannot be defeated by power with love instead. Destiny, which likely ties into the plot of the latter half of the main story, is not something predetermined, but rather a result of Mio's choices, and at its root, there is love.
Friendship is interesting. The increase in Spirits may have highlighted that idea. I prefer to have characters getting along rather than being at odds, so I'm glad if that's how it's perceived. If Ren Dystopia has a theme, it would be "wishes." I hope you enjoy what the Spirits wish for and what happens as a result.
IFI: Many characteristics of the story of DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia transfer over faithfully into the video game medium, such as the designs of the characters and the choices typical of visual novels. Was there any part of working on DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia that might've been complicated by the working in the medium of video games?
Tsunako: Since 3D models are not used in a novel game format, compared to RPGs, the design can be created with almost no restrictions and with more freedom. I think it is the game format closest to the original light novel, which occasionally includes illustrations. One of the motifs of DATE A LIVE is "a gal game where you raise affection through choices." If it were a 3D action game, design elements like accessories that cross joints or a large amount of long cloth would all be scrapped, as they would hinder the motion (laughs). But I would like to see a 3D Spirit battle someday!
Tachibana: I can say this not just about Ren Dystopia, but about the entire DATE A LIVE game series that follows Rinne Utopia. Each time, it's challenging to figure out how to weave the plot into the existing main story. Additionally, providing individual routes for every character is a difficult task. As the main story progresses, more characters appear, and we can't use the same story beats as before, which makes it even more difficult. Ren Dystopia has the largest cast so far, which was quite challenging. The staff worked very hard. I hope you will clear it to the final route.
IFI: Any final message you'd like to leave all the fans out there?
Tachibana: It is a great honor to deliver Ren Dystopia to DATE A LIVE fans worldwide. Please enjoy the new stories of the characters and the conclusions that await you.
Tsunako: Thank you so much for always supporting the characters! It's been 4 years since Ren Dystopia was released in Japan, and I'm really happy to be able to bring the Steam version to you. At the time of development, many mysteries in the original novel were revealed, so there are scenes in this game that delve into the background of the original. I hope fans will especially enjoy it! Even those who think, "If I can play it on PC, maybe I'll give it a try," should definitely give it a go!