Gust: “Rorona is a Loli as We Couldn’t Stand Making Her 30+”
- Categories: Games, News
- Date: Jun 18, 2011 22:29 JST
- Tags: Atelier, Character Design, Gust, Kishida Mel, Loli, Moe, PS3, RPG
Gust, the developers of the Atelier moe-RPG series, have stated that their mysterious decision to turn the protagonist of the original Kishida Mel designed game into a loli in the upcoming Atelier Meruru was because they could not bear the prospect of having her appear in her thirties…
Their comments in a recent interview:
Who came up with the idea of Rorona ending up like that? Was there opposition?
All the development team were united in thinking “we don’t want to see Rorona in her thirties.” So, we were all in agreement there.
Having a thirty-something Rorona going “hawawa!” was something I think everyone can do without.
Sorry, saying anything more will be a personal attack so I’ll have to leave it at “no comment.”
In fairness, a 30-year-old woman finding herself transformed into a loli is probably a win-win situation for all parties concerned.
Expect the game to be banned throughout the west.
In other remarks Gust revealed that if they cannot keep making loli Atelier games they will in fact die:
Have you decided on making the next Atelier?
If Gust doesn’t keep making Atelier games we’ll die, so I think we’d better keep making them if we want to live on!
In yet other news, it appears the next Atelier game (although it seems this is a spin-off rather than a “mothership” title) will actually be a suitably gorgeously illustrated fujoshi-oriented bishonen-centric affair – behold Atelier Elkrone:
| 
Temptress Wives – “Older Women Are Better!”
“Is It Really Emi!?” – Amateur Selection Guide 07
Zero Time Dilemma Merrily Murderous
Maki Nishikino’s Birthday Widely Welcomed
Caligula Schools Viewers
Sailor Moon Exhibit Brimming With Nostalgia
Svelte Saber Alter Figure
Onizushi Web Anime & Smartphone Game Surfaces
Marshmallow Imouto Succubus Hits The Beach
Bishoujo Mangekyou Fan Translation Emerges
Samurai Rising – Square Enix: You Guessed it!
Mangaka Pay Tribute to Kyushu
Street Fighter V Enlists Guile
Chinese Death Simulator “Hopefully Won’t Explode”
Re:Zero “In The Nick Of Time!”
Muma Astacia Sultry Succubus Ero-Figure
Hundred Sloppy Kissing Anime
Greek Woman “Born Without A Vagina!”
Let It Die Trailer Unforgettably Fierce
Shinjuku Station Reveals “All Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Ever!”
Kashiwazaki Sena Ero-Cosplay An Immense Tease
Goddess of 2ch: “What A Cute Hole!”
Alice Margatroid Ero-Cosplay by Hiyo Nishizuku Full of Cheer
Sheryl Nome Bunny Girl Cosplay by Mike Super Scandalous
Marvelous Madoka Mizugi Cosplay by Mashiro Yuki
Marie Rose Cosplay by Mike Undeniably Sexy
Tasha Tracer Cosplay Truly Tantalizing
Witch Craft Works Cosplay by Kagune Intensely Seductive
Kaine Cosplay by Yuricha Flawless
Kasumigaoka Utaha Cosplay Pretty Pure
If they don't make that game they will die. Good incentive in my opinion.
Be warned, loli deficiency can be fatal...
Loli is life!
Come on, she's an alchemist. What do Alchemists do? Turn lead into gold and make eternal youth potions.
It's not like getting younger would be THAT weird in a world full of alchemists.
You telling me Gust is making a game that has lolis plus cute girls plus bishounen and has a bishounen game on the works?? MY GOD is like they saw into my head!!!
...minus tentacles of course.
I NEED THESE GAMES.
Minus tentacles hmmm would an octopus suffice?
Because he's on Rorona and Totori.
loved Atelier Rorona can't wait till NISa will translate second game!
Agreed I just hope they DO translate. Remember they even altered her age in the first one so yeah kinda doubtful we'll see it. Still here's hopin.
Totori was confirmed by NISA a couple of months ago for a 2011 release. Can't remember if they gave a specific date or not, but be prepared, Atelier Totori >>>>> Atelier Rorona
Meruru.. huh? Must be based on the popularity of Stardustwitch Meruru...
KIRA~★
Is she an Immortal or something? Reminds me of Mina of Dance in the Vampire Bund.
In all the Atelier games I played you get to make the philosopher's stone at high enough skill level. That's mythologically connected to the elixir. So for all intent and purposes reverse ageing is plausible in the lore. It is just very hard and need rare ingredients.
What a beautifully rendered game! The character designs and backgrounds are absolutely fantastic. I love the Atelier series anyways and can hardly wait.
I want this now!
Pretty decent game, although very basic gameplay-wise and it is based on item synthesis.
I'm kind of disappointed with this loli business though. Not because lolis are bad, but because they lost the chance to make an endearing 30 year old character. Look at stuff like Aria anime and they could probably portray a late 20's, early 30 year olds in graceful, beautiful ways.
And I just had a laugh at the bishounen version. They're really aiming their targets with these designs. Typical Gust.
I hadn't thought of it in that context but your right. Aria was a superb anime both visually and in it's ability to focus on the little pleasures in life through the eyes of girls like Akari all the way to "Grandma". A 30 year old heroine is definitely do-able.
Gust is probaly looking for the most return from their target buyers, hence loli's and bishounen! Maybe next time?
I have re-watch Aria again soon, thanks for reminding me!
[Having a thirty-something Rorona going “hawawa!” was something I think everyone can do without.]
But to some, isn't that a moe point? Regardless, it is doable.. I mean, you see Nanoha grow older too...
It's kind of a moot point. In her thirties, she wouldn't be going "Hawawa!" she'd be more like Sasami, which, as we all remember, is the bitch who made us all age-confused in the first place -_- Not our fault the only sensible woman in that whole damn series was underaged! All the others were batshit crazy! How can Sasami exist and these people still think every child has to act the same? Look at Ui for crying out loud, she became popular because of mature countenance. Even if she is in loli form though, I want to see her acting like Astrid. It'll be adorable. If she goes back to what she was in the first one, it'll just be a waste of a potential.
I'd like to believe they aren't idiotic enough to not recognize that older women can be voluptuous and beautiful with a grace that can't be seen from a younger woman. This is a hit on Kishida Mel for me, sadly... not being able to pull that off proves a lack of skill. And also the writers if they can't make her grow as a character through the series, but I'll hold my judgment on that. I still marvel at the atmosphere though, I'll enjoy it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.
@HouseLife "Not our fault the only sensible woman in that whole damn series was underaged! "
You forgot about Kiyone Makibi. She was damned sensible, too. She only ever showed an anger problem when Mihoshi did something stupid, and let's face it, we the audience were raging at that dumb bitch, too.
@ Zanosuke_Kurosaki
I was considering bringing up Kiyone, because I must admit, to this day, her English voice actress actually causes my spine to shiver. And when she voiced Tsunami... I think I became narcoleptic. Her voice was sooo... hot, and sweet, and gorgeous. I entered instant relaxation mode.
I left her out because she was only a Universe character, so I opted in to adhering to purist perspective ^^ Even though I wonder how many people here are actually old enough for Tenchi...
I feel sad now...
Milfs are usually supposed to be hot and sexy, lolis are cute and adorable. they are opposite. maybe they think a Milf that is cute is not possible.
I have no complaints XD
But then again
Endearing 30 year old character? Give me a break.... I cannot think of ONE that was endearing. Annoying, yes. Endearing, no.
Shizune from Naruto is rather endearing.
Nanako Amachi from Himitsu: Top Secret : The Revelation is as well.
Rin Asogi from Mnemosyne is as well. (And she's way older than 30 to boot).
Grandma Granitz from Fractale is also a nice old lady. (And again beyond the 30 mark.)
Hanabusa Seki from Nobari No Ou is pretty endearing as well, as the older sister/surrogate mom type. (And she's 40.)
And male examples would be:
Junichiro Izumida from Yakushiji Ryōko no Kaiki Jikenbo
As well as Captain Minase Daitetsu from Super Robot Wars (both season 1 and 2 and again, older than the 30 mark.)
And I've probably forgotten a ton of others. :P
"Having a thirty-something Rorona going “hawawa!” was something I think everyone can do without."
Hanyuu is a few hundred years old and I never get tired of her "Auauauaua"
Just use the same loop hole that Japan always employs for Loli characters. Despite their appearance they're old/immortal.
She looks about half the age she was in the first game, so she must be aging backwards if anything.
This makes me remember a film about someone what borned as old rag and died as a baby.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
god, that was an awful movie.
You'd be tired of it if Hanyuu actually looked a few hundred years old xP
Hence the lolification. Rorona's mental age doesn't seem to mature. Otherwise a Rorona in her 30s would be fine.
ohhh god... actually a lolified rorona does act as her age appearance which makes all too endearing in her moments.... GOD DAmN IT SHES JUSt toO MOE FOR My weak HEART to bear
Personally, I don't think Rorona would lose her 'personality' by not acting out the 'hwawawawawawa'. People grow old and move on.
Still, Gust knows its audience well. Instead of beating around the bush and hoping they get a wider fanbase, they keep their games exactly within their target demographic to further secure guaranteed sales and resulting merchandizing.
As a company, you can't stop them from doing what keeps them floating. A bit dissatisfactory when talking about game industry in general, but these guys don't look like they make games to impress; just to make a living.
LOLIS ARE FOREVER!
A 30-something Rorona could be fine too, just look at Meme from Denpa Onna.
A drunken Christmas Cake Rorona-sensei is fine too...
Seconded.
I having 27yo seeing my wife,her sister and many sorrounding women, i can easly say 30yo are still hot and desireable if they are cute/sexy.
Alas, long live the lolis!
MILF Rorona is the best Rorona.
That's because she doesn't 'act her age'.
which platform is this game on?
Most likely the PS3.
I'm sure the GameSpot critics are already honing the hatchets.
Assholes.
couldn't bear Rorona in in thirties?
works for me.
A group of really sick weirdos, but they have business vision... Which make them more sick weirdos.
I like the way they think.
don’t want to see Rorona in her thirties
Then some anti-loli anon or someone will bitch about it
So...legal loli?
I have a pressing urge to call these devs pedophiles.
It's not like they have to make Rorona's face look like any bitch from Duke Nukem or just about any typical mature female characters in Western comics(blocky face with swollen lips). Have they not ever heard of the term 'jukujo', 'maman' or 'hitozuma'??? Hell, the likes of Rie Tanaka and Yui Horie still look above average for being an 'old hag' by 2ch's standards.
Fuck you, Gust. You don't wanna say anymore to avoid making personal attacks? You have already made one with the way you treated Rorona!
FUCK YOU, LOLICON PEDOPHILES!!!!!
If they want to label any woman past the age of 25 a dried up old crone, that's their choice. However, they better not complain when a bunch of gaijin go over there looking for gorgeous 26 year old girlfriends, and find themselves neck deep in Japanese poontang.
Your instances of Japanese women don't count. The Atelier characters are all pseudo-European, and there is something about the facial structure of actual Europeans and East Asians that makes them appear to age at different rates.
What I really wanted to see, but won't, is a 40-something Astrid to return.
Epic, i live in Sweden and it will probably get banned here. But i already have it. Problem?
This is the point where it doesn't feel wrong to call Gust pedophiles...
I honestly wouldn't have a problem with a 30+ old Rorona, seeing as good-looking women in their 30's aren't THAT rare...
Fuck off...
You know that we have like ... a bazillion western games with 30+ characters ?
Actually there are no games with young characters from the west. Not even as more important side characters.
Elder Scrolls doesn't even use children. Skyrim won't have them either.
So it's very very nice to have something that balances those western games out.
And if Guts is full of lolicons ? Heck ... even better !
I'm not sure how you being a member of the pedo-squad is somehow a rebuttal that Gust is targeting hardcore otaku-fetish audiences.
They can do that. And you can like it. But let's not start up BS like 'they are just balancing out the lack of children in Western gaming!'.
Not bullshit at all.
The major RPGs of the West don't have children.
The Elder Scrolls Lore implies there are children, but they do not appear in the actual game.
Mass Effect has no children either.
The Dragon Age Series has only Connor in origins that is 'somewhat important'.
Fallout 3 has a few children as side characters that play some sort of role.
And then of course theres the Bioshock series.
But especialy RPGs don't feature young characters at all and theres a huge age gap between western and eastern characters.
It's so obvious that you cannot possibly deny it.
But what does that have to do with not allowing Rorona to age? This is just an easy money grab now, plain and simple.
Also no young characters from the west?
-Boy and his blob
-Psychonauts
-Fable
-Kameo: Elements of Power
-Costume Quest
It's like your not even trying... tell us again we don't have young characters in our games c'mon tell us.