Re:CREATORS is not trying to be anything more than what its creators, Rei Hiroe and Ei Aoki, intended for it to be: unique. A classic doesn’t need to be a masterpiece to survive the tides of time. Just take a look to classic literature. Classic rock. Retro games. Does anyone really believe that the great American novels are also great books? Well, people do but they are not that good to be honest. Ask any musician if ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath is a masterpiece. It’s not. But in its simplicity and in its lyrics lies the recipe of immortality. Episode 15 came to reinforce that notion for Re:CREATORS. It’s not an anime masterpiece but when the cour is over it will be one of those titles that will survive the tides of seasons.
Japanese Title: さまよいの果て波は寄せる
Hikayu was the kind of character I least expected to join the group. Of course, if you really think of it, the erotic games/anime/manga are a huge part of the industry pie and it only makes sense that such a character will be ‘accepted’ by the audience. To be honest, I would have expected such a character to be the first to enter the world since we are all secretly filthy pervs who do everything for sex. I’m not kidding.
Last episode, I thought that Hikayu was out of a romantic school comedy or something but I was too quick to assume that she was a manga/anime character. The visual novel game industry is very popular in Japan with thousands of disks being distributed in indie festivals like Comiket. My first reaction was borderline to confusion. How is she going to fight, exactly? That was until Masaaki mentioned that her super power is ‘showing her panties and seducing men.’ If you believe in the power of proper foreshadowing, then I expect someone being seduced in the future. There is also that bit of giving her powers through a fan disk (if you don’t know what that is, jump to the Themes and Trivia section) but I don’t know what she could possibly do. Unless she is a replacement for Mamika and she will carry on her legacy as a Magical Girl. That would be interesting.
Her creator, on the other hand, is the embodiment of fandom. All creators are fans and all creators support their industry by consuming (other works are a primary source of inspiration) but some of them are a little more fanatic than the others. Just like Nishio Ohnishi, a hardcore fanboy who is a tad too obsessed with female characters. You need a pervert to make a game targeted to one. Nishio is eager to marry his creation or any creation that is, and his insistence makes for a very funny scene where he tries to get his hands on every potential bride.
We also know the new character for #TeamAltair. He is Sho Hakua and he is from the same world as Yuya. He has his own Astra Double, what Yuya referred to as a curse before it was stolen by Magane
Nishio Ohnishi: Seems like an obvious reference to manga writer and novelist Nisio Isin (often stylized as NisiOisiN). His most famous work outside Japan is probably his Monogatari series. Most of the books have been adapted into anime.
Fan Disk: Fan disks are something of an unofficial DLC in mostly physical form that have additional content that are usually not expanding on the game itself. For instance, a fan disk may have some mini games, new wallpapers, OST tracks, art galleries, etc. Sometimes they may also contain small extra chapters that build on the scenario but in a minor way. Also, ‘what if’ scenarios are popular fan disk content.
Hikayu is from a genre that frequently get fan disks. Visual novels, and especially those of the eroge type, rarely get proper sequel. There is no need to. Fan disks are a way to expand on the game and create more content, more the reason if the game is very popular.
Eroge: An eroge is a portmanteau of two words, ‘erotic’ and ‘game’. It’s a pornographic sub-branch of the popular visual novel games. They are also known as hentai games. The first eroge game was Night Life by Koei. It was released for the PC-8801 in 1982.
Many of my friends don’t believe me but I have never played an eroge game. I am interested in both Japan and 2D girls and even if many times I preach against unnecessary fan service, I don’t think that it’s weird these games are hugely popular. The problem is with me; I find visual novels incredibly boring. One of my favorite anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, was based on a visual novel. I tried to play it but the minimum interactivity it required was a major turn off. I went back to a second viewing of the anime because at least there the only clicks I need to make are from one episode to the next.
I am really curious to see how the wild card called Magane is going to influence the future events. She may a murdering psychopathic bitch but her scenes are some of the most philosophical of the series. If nothing else, she provides a depth to the series that is fueled by her invigorating indifference to anything but her own desires.
Did you like Episode 15 of Re:CREATORS? Let us know in the comments below by using either the forum or the Facebook tab! Join us in our new forum and let’s talk about our favorite series! Check out the rest of our new Summer 2017 reviews!
Official Website:http://recreators.tv/
Official Twitter:@recreators_tv
The first season of the new year is just one month away from its finale. It was a great start with many amazing titles that made these past months worth the extra hours we put in front of our sets. Now, it is time for the cold wind to give way to the pink hues of the sakura tree and for the Winter 2018 season to give the anime baton to Spring 2018.
