By: Nicole D’Andria
For the
second time ever, we’re showcasing a video game on “Kickstart the Week”! This
time we have the visual novel My
Girlfriend is a Mermaid!?, which the creators are bringing to the West for both
the PC and Nintendo Switch!
My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? is the heartwarming
visual novel about a protagonist living in the city who decides to return home
to his rural hometown. Once there, he finds out his childhood friend Ion (voiced
by Fuchigami
Mai of Girls
und Panzer)
has become a mermaid! He also meets Petakko (voiced by Suzaki Aya of
Assassination
Classroom),
another mermaid who has lost her memory. The third heroine the protagonist
meets is Rin (voiced by Kageyama Risa of Dead End 99%), a priestess who
looks after the mermaids but has a split personality. And so a summer vacation
full of mysterious mermaid legends begins! The player can make multiple
choices, which lead to a variety of endings.
This
visual novel is from the Korean developer TALESshop and the Japanese publisher COSEN. It previously came out on
GooglePlay and the AppStore, but was only available in Korean and Japanese.
Now, Sekai Project are translating the game into English, bringing it to the
West in a port to both the PC and Nintendo Switch!
The
Kickstarter for My Girlfriend is a
Mermaid!? has already reached its $12,000 goal and is currently pushing
past $15,000 with the end of the project closing in on June 24, 2018 at 2:57 PM
EDT. Rewards include a
digital download of the steam game ($10) plus a digital download of the
Nintendo Switch game ($15) and the digital soundtrack ($25). To see more
rewards, which include an artbook, T-shirt and hug pillow case, check out the
Kickstarter here.
I spoke
with Christopher Ling, the CEO at Sekai Project who worked on the licensing to
acquire My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!?
 |
| Christopher Ling |
Me: For people unfamiliar with Sekai Project, what
can you tell us about the company and your role in it?
Ling: Sekai Project is a game publishing company
based in Los Angeles, CA. We’ve been in the business for five years with a
focus on Japanese games, particularly visual novels. In that time, while a
great deal of our games come from Japan we also publish titles from all over
the world. While my role is CEO at Sekai Project, my primary task is licensing
work mainly with developers in Japan and Asia as well. I also work with my
counterparts at our Tokyo office on licensing acquisitions as well.
Me: Why did Sekai Project want to license My
Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? in particular?
Ling: We originally published another title from the
same developer, My Little Kitties, and they decided to
go to us again regarding another of their visual novel titles. There was much
to like about the designs and premise of My
Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? and thus we decided to pick it up as well.
Me: In what ways is the content on the PC and the
Nintendo Switch different?
Ling: In terms of the content in the PC and Nintendo
Switch versions of the game, the content is essentially the same. The
difference is that the Nintendo Switch version has some additional enhancements
such as a new vocal song for the opening and Live2D animation while the PC
version is closer to a direct port of the smartphone version of the game.
Me: If you had to pick, who is your favorite of the
three heroines in the game and why that character?
Ling: I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to
these things so I’d have to go with Ion. I love her character design and have a
special place in my heart for childhood friends. And truthfully, that she tends
to whack the protagonist with her fin is worth every moment.
Me: How did you decide on the perfect voice actors
for each character in the game?
Ling: This decision was actually already made by the
development studio when the smartphone version was developed. Nevertheless, I
think the voice actresses were a fine choice for each of their characters. I
already enjoy some of the work they’ve been a part of outside of My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? so I didn’t
have any doubts of their abilities.
Me: What are your three favorite things about
visual novel games that players will be able to enjoy in My Girlfriend is a
Mermaid!?
Ling: What fans look for in visual novels differs
from person to person but for those that like standard comedic romance tropes,
they will definitely enjoy this game. You have all the important food groups
such as the childhood friend, quirky side characters and a mystery, in this
case involving mermaids. Couple that with professional level voice acting,
there’s something for everyone.
Me: What is the number one reason you think people
should pledge money to your Kickstarter?
Ling: Honestly, if you are drawn in by the characters
in this game, that’s more than enough reason. The developers were worried that
there wouldn’t be a strong reception for this game but the fact that the
Kickstarter goal was met so quickly was a clear sign that there’s interest in
this game.
Me: What advice do you have for people aspiring to
make visual novel games?
Ling: With any project, always understand the
specific goals and what you want to achieve when it comes to making a visual
novel. It’s easy to get deep into the planning of a game and let the scope of
the work get blown out of proportion so always go in with a clear mind and
reasonable expectations.
Me: Thank you for telling us more about the world
of visual novels! If you’re reading this and interested in a mermaid
girlfriend, check out the game My
Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? here.
Do you
have a Kickstarter? Want to be interviewed about it and have the project
featured on "Kickstart the Week?" Let me know in the comments below
or message
me on my website.
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