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    Witch on the Holy Night Releasing in English Is Monumental

    Truly an incredible landmark, Mahoyo needs all the support it can get.

    Back in December when Mahoutsukai no Yoru, or Mahoyo, was announced to be coming to PS4 and Switch with updated visuals and full voice acting, I for one was not expecting Type-Moon to eventually confirm an English release months later. As we all know, however, they ended up doing so and with Aniplex’s showcase of the English version, titled Witch on the Holy Night, we now know that the game will release in America this Winter as well.

    From the outside, many are intrigued by the game. However, for the Type-Moon long-time fans, this is a monumental occasion. Never before have we seen a visual novel from the beloved developer released in English officially. Fan translation groups have been hard at work for years translating Type-Moon’s works, from Fate to Tsukihime. It has been a long time coming, but we are finally in a reality where a Type-Moon visual novel will be receiving an official English release.

    A Long Time Coming

    Type-Moon has been making visual novels for over 20 years. Beginning with Tsukihime, Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi crafted some of the most beloved visual novels over the past 20 years. Mostly unknown to the general public since there was never an English release, these games received heavy praise from overseas fans.

    Witch on the Holy Night was released in Japan on April 12, 2012. For its 10th anniversary, this HD version has been prepared by Type-Moon. This version adds long-awaited features, specifically fully voice-acted dialogue. The original game was only released on PC, as most Type-Moon visual novels did back then, however, this rerelease will release across both PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

    The game itself follows Aoko Aozaki, set in the late 1980s in Misaki Town. Players will meet characters such as Alice Kuonji and Soujyuro Shizuki, following the various encounters Aoko has after moving into a mansion. Mahoyo features stunning art and a beautiful soundtrack, both of which will be enhanced with this HD release. In addition, the voice-acting cast is absolutely stellar. Aoko is voiced by Haruka Tomatsu, Alice by Kana Hanazawa, and Soujyuro by Yusuke Kobayashi. All three of them are incredible voice actors with hundreds of roles throughout various video games and animes.

    Witch on the Holy Night

    With the release of its second trailer back in April, English and Chinese subtitles were confirmed. A dream come true for many fans, this announcement marked the beginning of what very well could be English support for Type-Moon games going forward. As to what made this happen, a lot of people would pin FGO, or Fate Grand Order, and the ridiculous amount of success it has had in the West. Others might cite the success of the anime adaptions of the various Fate Stay/Night routes, or even simply the vocal outcry over the years. Whatever the case may be, the united fan support, in general, made this happen.

    Tsukhime Remake, titled Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-, came and went without any English support at all, which made the reality of a Type-Moon visual novel ever coming West seem dim. This release now gives hope that with Tsukihime: The Other Side of Red Garden in development, the West could see the release of Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-.

    Support Witch on the Holy Night For More

    The easiest way for the West to receive more Type-Moon works is to support this one. If there is even a slight chance of Tsukhime Remake or Fate Stay/Night ever coming West, this will help determine that. More importantly, though, supporting this game would allow developers to see that there are fans overseas who care about their products. Some fans that might have even been waiting twenty years for a release like this. If Mahoyo interests you even in the slightest, I encourage you to give it a chance. The more support this release has, the better chances of a beloved developer continuing to release in English.

    More releases overseas are only a good thing, and it is titles like this that really matter. For a company like Type-Moon has held out for so long, this is the chance to prove the outcry for Western releases was not for nothing. For a more niche market in the United States, the more support the West can bring to visual novels, the better. So many games are released each and every year that never leave Japan and it’s a shame that is the case. Incredible stories and experiences can make their way over to the West with enough support from us.

    At the moment, Aniplex of America has yet to confirm whether we will be receiving a physical edition of the title. However, stay tuned to the official social channels and Final Weapon for when pre-orders go up. Witch on the Holy Night is scheduled to release this Winter in the West. The game will release on December 8th in Japan.

    Noah Hunter
    Noah Hunter
    Noah is Final Weapon’s Editor-in-Chief. He co-founded the website in June 2019 and has been writing for it ever since. In total, he has over five years of writing experience across many publications, including IGN Entertainment. His favorite series include Xeno and Final Fantasy.

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