Type-Moon is one of the most well-respected names in the visual novel space. Ever since creators Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi formed the company in 1998, fans from around the world have begged to see the company’s games released outside of Japan. Most titles never made it to the West over the years, outside releases like Fate/EXTELLA. That changed on New Year’s 2021 when a worldwide release of Witch on the Holy Night was announced. As the first Type-Moon visual novel ever to be translated into English and released in the West, it’s kickstarted a movement that will likely continue for all releases going forward.
Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- released in Japan in August 2021, with an English release seemingly completely out of the question. Almost three years later, Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is finally getting the spotlight it deserves with an English release on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch due out on June 27. With hundreds of gorgeous scenes and over 50 hours of story content, the first Tsukihime remake is a title you do not want to miss during this busy Summer.
A Legacy Reborn
Tsukihime was released by Type-Moon in 2000, exclusively in Japan. The visual novel was widely popular in Japan, spawning a fan disk, Kagetsu Tohya, and the popular fighting game series Melty Blood. Type-Moon announced a remake of the game in 2008, but it didn’t end up releasing until 2021 due to the development of Fate/Grand Order.
The remake itself is split into two parts, Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-, and Tsukihime -The other side of red garden-. The former covers the Near-Side routes of Arcueid Brunestud and Ciel, and the latter covers the Far-Side routes of Akiha Tohno, Kohaku, and Hisui. The other side of red garden will also feature a new route focused on Satsuki Yumizuka, which was scrapped in the original game.
Don’t be fooled by this first half of the remake “only” having two routes: each route contains over 20 hours of content, with multiple endings to be explored. Unlike Type-Moon’s Witch on the Holy Night, Tsukihime offers choices within the narrative that determine which route you end up walking down. Simply choosing to eat lunch alone or in the cafeteria can change the course of the game, which adds quite a lot of replayability for players who want to see it all.
Moon Princess (Arcueid’s route) and Midnight Rainbow (Ciel’s route) offer completely different scenarios. You’ll experience all kinds of new fights, character moments, and interactions. Additionally, Arcueid and Ciel’s routes have both received new additions in this remake, especially with Ciel’s. For returning players who have experienced the original title, there is so much to see here that wasn’t present in the original game.
Often, it’s not easy for modern remakes to provide new incentives for players who have played the original, but Tsukihime provides a fresh yet familiar experience that has something for everyone. If the new art, voice acting, and music weren’t enough, this new story content is a joy to experience. These choices available in the game assist in driving home its biggest selling point, the narrative.
The Lines We Face
Immediately from the prologue, it’s clear that Tsukihime deals with heavy themes. Ten-year-old Shiki Tohno awakes in a hospital bed, unable to recall what led him there. He soon discovers that in his bed, there are lines everywhere that only he can see. Despite asking the nurses and doctors, it’s clear that they think his brain was damaged during his accident. He questions why he is alive – what his purpose or will to live is.
However, that all changes once he takes a knife and discovers that these lines can be cut. Objects can instantly be broken, which terrifies those around him. Shunned, he runs outside the hospital, pushing his body through the pain. Outside, on a hill overflowing with green grass, he meets a mysterious woman who introduces herself as Aoko Aozaki. She comforts him and listens to him when no one else would. Through these talks with his ‘Master’, he’s able to come to terms with the fact that he has a place in this world and finds a purpose to keep on living.
Shiki Tohno is the only person in the world who can see the lines, which are described to him by Aoko as the lines of death – a visual representation of how an object will break when it meets its end. Every tree, person, and building has these lines, acting as a reminder that someday, everything will end. Whether a blessing or a curse, Shiki Tohno must learn to live with this power and accept that he is the only person able to see it.
The fragility of life and a will to keep moving forward despite knowing your time will end are two of the major themes explored within both routes in Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-. Many characters juggle thoughts regarding these themes, with some immortal characters struggling to learn what it means to live and other mortal characters unable to grasp the concept that their time is finite.
While I still have more endings to view and more conversations to see, I’m enamored with how Kinoko Nasu was able to beautifully convey such fragile topics throughout this story. Despite similar themes in his other works, Tsukihime stands out thanks to its characters and their motivations.
As for the narrative itself, it is fantastic. The game picks up after the prologue and sees Shiki called back to the Tohno residence by his sister, Akiha, after living with another family for seven years. As he lives his days in the mansion, mysteries surrounding his past begin to surface, and he comes face to face with many memorable characters. Like Type-Moon’s other works, this is a story that features bombastic battles, slice-of-life fun, and deep character writing.
Both routes offer unique experiences. Each revolves around the same ideas, but the events and focuses are completely different. The stories themselves are quite divergent, really. You experience different battles, motivations, and conversations between the characters. Even enemies in one route can be flipped to allies in another.
However, not everything is perfect. There’s certainly some dragging in certain areas that feel as if they overstay their welcome. None of these segments hurt my overall experience with the game, especially as I’m always overjoyed to experience more of Type-Moon’s worlds, but this is something worth pointing out if you’re expecting a visual novel that is perfectly paced from start to finish.
Additionally, there are multiple loose ends that were not tied up in either Near-Side route. This is largely due to the Far-Side routes being saved for Tsukihime -The other side of red garden-, so I’m looking forward to seeing how Kinoko Nasu and the team at Type-Moon tie up the threads left to be explored.
Unlimited Budget Works
If you’ve never played a Type-Moon visual novel before, Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- will rock your world. I was blown away in December 2022 when I witnessed the beauty of Witch on the Holy Night, but this is a major step up from even that. The art and presentation are simply unbelievable at times. Most of the fights look as if they’re straight out of an anime from ufotable. During my playthrough, I was kept on the edge of my seat as unexpected events were thrown my way left and right.
Overall, this is Takashi Takeuchi’s best work yet. Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is worth playing for the art alone. It’s out of this world, with vibrant colors, incredible character art, and gorgeous backgrounds. Even the smaller scenes, such as the classroom or the mansion, offer wonderful art that drew my eye with each and every scene.
I was also very impressed with the modernized character designs. Takeuchi designed the original characters for the 2000 release and returned to redesign each of them, which involved tweaking designs to his modern style. Characters like Arcueid and Satsuki have received amazing new redesigns that breathe new life into the game. Additionally, new characters like Noel and Vlov both offer welcomed fresh designs to the world of Tsukihime.
In typical Type-Moon fashion, some minor animation occurs throughout the narrative. A great example of this is in the first chapter of the game, where light passes by while Shiki rides the train. This tiny detail added a sense of realism to the game, coupled with the train sound effects as it passes across each track. These small animations especially shine in the fight scenes, which are as extravagant as you’d expect. If you’ve seen the blissful openings for the game’s two routes, that’s the kind of fight scenes you can expect to see. These openings feature songs from popular artist ReoNa, who recorded four songs for the game. An opening and ending song for both Ciel and Arcueid’s routes are in the game, and each is a fantastic listen.
The true star that brings everything together is the audio – both music and voice acting. A total of 96 tracks play throughout the visual novel, with the music composed by KATE and largely Hideyuki Fukasawa. Like Fukasawa’s prior works, even the quiet moments in Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- feature standout soundtracks that are a joy to listen to. Moreover, the action sequences feature tense music that perfectly fits each battle. This is a complete soundtrack that features both ends of the spectrum. I’m so excited to see what this duo creates for the Far-Side routes, especially with the first half of Tsukihime under their belts already.
Each of the scenes in the game is voice-acted, with an incredible cast of actors and actresses. Popular voice actors such as Kenjiro Tsuda, Makoto Furukawa, Ai Kayano, and Shino Shimoji all have prominent roles in Tsukihime, and every actor in the cast delivers an incredible performance. In particular, both Ikumi Hasegawa as Arcueid and Ai Kayano as Noel blew me away with their performances. While the writing and presentation of the game are superb, both the music and voice cast elevated my experience to further heights.
A Beautiful Story That Deserves All The Praise in The World
Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is one of the most beautiful visual novels I’ve ever played. I’m still in awe that this title exists, as the production quality is truly unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Type-Moon and Kinoko Nasu have elevated the original title to new heights with an astounding amount of effort, which is apparent from the very first scene. There is very little that I would change in either of the routes, as I truly enjoyed watching the growth of each Tsukihime character. Shiki has major moments of growth, and each of the characters he encounters is fascinating to watch and speak with.
While it may have taken 24 years for the West to receive an English version of Tsukihime, it was absolutely worth it. I can’t wait to get my Limited Edition physical copy in. The team at Aniplex has done an excellent job localizing the title for English audiences, and it’s up to us to show our support to continue seeing these releases. If future Type-Moon releases are anything near this one, I promise you that you will not want to miss out.
Type-Moon has crafted many of my favorite characters and stories ever, and Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is no exception. The themes and messages interwoven within the game are powerful. Powerful enough to make you sit back and think about how precious life really is. I’m going to be thinking about this story and these characters for a very long time, and I eagerly await another experience in this world with the release of Tsukihime -The other side of red garden-.
Aniplex provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 4 copy of Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- for review purposes.
