cafe chat - indie game creator Munin Nagisawa
· 3-minute read
today we're chatting with indie game creator Munin Nagisawa of Kuusou no Koubou about their games, both on steam & not!
(this interview has been translated from japanese to english.)
who's speaking?
Munin Nagisawa
npckc
introduction
While this is a virtual interview, the idea is for it to be casual, like a chat in a cafe, so let's decide what we want to drink before starting the interview. I'm going to go with a melon soda that's clear green like Aura 🍈
Then I will have a deep red rose tea... or so I'd have you think, but I will actually enjoy some orange juice the colour of the sky at dusk, just like a certain flower 🍊
That sounds delicious! Now, could you give a simple introduction, Munin Nagisawa of Kuusou no Koubou (空想の工房 - Imaginary Atelier)?
Hello, I'm Munin Nagisawa. I make games, novels and other things in a kojin circle called Kuusou no Koubou.
the games of kuusou no koubou
I'm a huge fan of Kuusou no Koubou's games, especially how you balance the cute picture-book-like art with cruel stories (that still have hope after the cruelty), but if I get started, I'll end up talking too much and not get around to asking any questions.
When I think of Kuusou no Koubou's games, they often have a frame around the art like you see in picture books, and even if there are branching paths, they lead you forward (as you read the story) towards the same "ending" as such, but what general image do your own works give you as the creator?
Just as you say, the stories are constructed like picture books, so progressing through the story equals flipping a page... I hope the games can feel like individual books in this way.
Many of your protagonists are what could be called "kawaisou" (pitiful, "you poor thing" kind of vibe - the term is often used for this specific type of a character), but why did you end up making stories featuring them? (I love how even when your protagonists are treated cruelly by humans, they continue to believe that not all humans are cruel, and that there must be good humans out there...)
Adversities that bring dark feelings like hurt, suffering, and sadness can sometimes cause unbearable pain to characters. But there is meaning to this pain, and even if it is unreasonable, I want to depict how the characters overcome these hurdles with their own two feet... That's how I feel. I want to make stories that don't just end in pity - they reach for the tiny light in the darkness. Pain can also resonate in our hearts as a seed that sprouts new viewpoints.
I can definitely see that in the games I've played. Currently, you can play ▼Slime Girl Wants to be Friends with Humans + and Drowning Song of the Stagnant Sea in English on Steam, but you have many other games on the circle's official site that aren't on Steam. Do you have a title you'd recommend for people who are unfamiliar with your works to start with?
The games are made so that you can start from any one, but perhaps Kikaijikake no Māseneria (機械仕掛けのマーセネリア - Mechanical Doll Marsenelia) or Mamagoto no Shōtika (ままごとのショーティカ - Playing House with Shortika) would be the easiest to start with. Though I personally would like people to play Kuroki Ryuu to Tasogare no Sho [Failed] (黒き竜と黄昏の書［Failed］ - The Black Dragon and the Book of Dusk [Failed]) the most!
As a KuroTaso stan I'd like for the whole world to play!
→ Munin Nagisawa's NovelGameCollection profile
making things other than games
Besides making games, you also make works like picture books and novels. How do you decide whether to make a story into a game or a novel?
It's difficult to say before actually making it... So I've actually made some things and changed my mind partway through. For example, Kuroki Ryuu to Tasogare no Sho [Failed] began as a novel. I scrapped multiple scripts before finishing it as a game so it took an incredible amount of time...
I didn't know that! Wow... This is a bit of a change in subject, but I want to ask about the anthology you made for a pairing in Kuroki Ryuu to Tasogare no Sho [Failed]. I think official anthologies and fanzines like this are quite common in Japan, but they aren't that well known overseas. Would you mind if I asked why you decided to put out an anthology like this for your own game?
Also, do you have any advice for somebody who might want to put out an anthology like this themselves?
I love my own works more than anything! And I love the pairings in my own works way too much! But nobody in this world knows these characters except me! Because I'm the one who made these works! So I have no choice but to make more love for my characters myself! I powered through on that willpower alone.The anthology that you also took part in, kc, is a family heirloom I can take to the grave. Releasing an anthology has higher hurdles than a doujinshi that you just make yourself, but I think it's still worth trying. Let's all make anthologies of our own pairings!
You are definitely inspiring me, as a fellow creator who loves their own pairings too much... 👀
→ anthology for Kuroki Ryuu to Tasogare no Sho
finally
Now, since this is an interview about games, I'm going to ask a bit of an odd question... If you were to be transported into a game, what kind of game would you want it to be, and what kind of character would you want to be?
I think I'd like to avoid being transported into a game at all, but if I could be transported into a game with a character I like, I'd like to become a stain on a wall to watch the character.
Also, I'm going to be translating this interview into English. Could you share a comment with your English-speaking players?
While not many of my circle's works have been translated into English, I'm always considering how to make it easier for English-speaking players to play my games, so I hope you'll continue to keep an eye out for me!
And finally, is there any news you'd like to share about your next release?
Currently, I'm developing a visual novel called MeMento*fragMent. It might be difficult for me to release it this year, but I plan on releasing it by spring of next year, so I'd be very happy if you'd check it out!
check out more of Munin Nagisawa's work on Steam and the official Kuusou no Koubou website!
you can wishlist MeMento*fragMent on steam now too! i'm very excited for it myself & can't wait for it to come out.