Crimson Renaissance

We don't have a Castlevania subforum, and this is about Kojima anyway, so let's talk about it from a Kojima fan's point of view. I'm sure most of us know of her work because of Castlevania, since it's one of the few well-known things that she did that made its way outside of Japan. Now, we don't know when she's going to design the characters for another game, seeing that Masaki is doing Order of Ecclesia and Death Note person (I kepe forgetting his name) is doing Judgment. What is your opinion on her absence?

I am certainly sad. Masaki is really good for Castlevania, but I don't think DN guy is.. >.< I also think Masaki is up to Kojima's level, although his art is also very good. I miss seeing her work with all its details, since CV is also one of the few opportunities we get to have some of her official art. (Not that I make use of the opportunity. *coughpiracycountrycough*)

...she just did the last game.

We would all love to see Kojima doing every Castlevania game artwork. Too bad it didn`t work that way, when Iga (or Konami) decided to use generic anime crap for the first 2 DS games. That degraded the games to a very low point. I like DoS, but when seeing the artwork, I can throw up. And scream..why, oh why?!?

I am so happy that Ayami did the artwork for Draculy X Chronicles. I wouldn`t like the game that much if there was some junky art. It feels very special after she put hands on it.

For the new DS game, I was hoping it would be her, even doing only one picture. But they decided to try with a new artist, Masaki. He is not bad, I actually like his Shanoa, Albus and Dracula. But I still prefer Ayami and I expect to see more of her art in the future games.

She will be doing for sure the artwork for the new console game of 2009. She probably already drew it. As I don`t own any of the home consoles, I feel sad that I won`t be able to play this game. But who knows, maybe I even get something for Castlevania - which is my favorite game series.

In conlusion, I feel sad that Ayami isn`t making the art for ALL Castlevania games (except Judgment, I really don`t like the idea of this game). If she was able to make artwork in short time for Chronicles in 2001, both GBA games in 2002 and 2003, and also for Lament in the same year, 2003, then she is very skilled and time isn`t a factor. One of the reasons I was drawn to Castlevania and why I love it is Ayami. So bring her back and let her do everything!  :)

Btw, here is the timeline of her work on Castlevania games until today:

1997 Symphony of the Night (PS)
2001 Chronicles (PS)
2002 Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
2003 Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
2003 Lament of Innocence (PS2)
2005 Curse of Darkness (PS2)
2007 The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)

Uh huh.

She's not disappeared anywhere. I understand a lot of fans start wanting to see more of her work when **** like the previous DS games' art is shoved in their face repeatedly, but I won't stand for it when we get someone of Masaki's level to work on a new game, and still people outburst "this is not Kojima!!?!?!?!?". Let her work at her own pace.

I guess that's true. I put disappearance in quotes because of the fact that she hasn't actually disappeared.

No, we like Masaki well enough. Kojima's different, though, so we were wondering where she's been. o_O We don't get much info on Kojima, IGA, or Yamane for that matter, much do we....

I'm also a bit disappointed. What makes me more confused is Iga's explanation why she isn't working on OoE. "Her work does not best fit DS users." What the hell is that supposed to mean? Sure, we just had her for DXC, but before that, we hadn't seen her since CoD, which was a bit upsetting, yet good to see her work again. So, all I can say is why is Takashi Obata designing Judgment? Kojima would have done fine, and she wouldn't and given the characters complete makeovers, probably just slight, necessary variation. Maybe we'll see her again, after Judgment? Maybe she do the artwork for the "Dracula's Curse Chronicles" were all hoping for? After all, she did do the first two Chronicles games...

I think I can understand her not working on Judgment, maybe they wanted a completely different style for that game? ...For OoE, Masaki's pretty good for finishing the DS trilogy.. Still, we want to see her working on a future game. :) What is this "Dracula's Curse Chronicles" you're mentioning, CVfan13? Is it a rumor? Hope? Xbox360 game? >.<

Obata is hell of a lot better for Judgement than Kojima from a marketing standpoint. It's probably going to sell a lot more in Japan than the last few Castlevania games.

Kojima's art simply doesn't go well over with most kids, and that's the main demographic the DS games have been targeting all this time.

A remake of Dracula's Curse. At one point, in a interview about DXC, Iga said that he wanted to do some more remakes in the future, and since he loves Dracula's Curse so much, most of us have assumed he would remake CV3. Only speculation, but likely speculation.  :)

I would LOVE to see another remake (especially Dracula`s Curse) on PSP, with Ayami doing the artwork! As this is Iga`s favorite, I hope they make it. The artwork could be so awesome! And considering that CV3 is already a great game, they can`t screw up much, especially if they do it the way they did DXC. We would get another amazing remake, with gorgeous graphics, fantastic music and hopefully Ayami`s artwork that will make us faint  :)

About Judgment..I think it`s so much better that they have a different artist. Imagine if Ayami had to do like 20 new designs of all the characters. I can`t ever see something like that happening. It`s not something that she should do. She should be doing only the artwork for normal Castlevania games, because she gives them such an amazing and unique feeling. Judgment will be just a fighter game with no meaning, story or anything sane.

I've never heard this. Where did you read this?

At the Castlevania Dungeon, somewhere waaaaay back in the forums, in an interview, probably very dificult to track down now.

The forum before The Great Purpling, or the current one?

In the current one, I recall reading that too, so CVfan13's legit on his info! ^^


As for Kojima, there's a few things: She's a real artist. Masaki's good, Obata's okay (at best), but both of them seem like the kind that their artwork is decent enough to rush, but not to spend time on. I think that the short time they do use is the most they actually need.

Kojima, on the other hand, is professional painter and watercolor artist (those are her two main medias, since I myself replicated her techniques down to a tee in most cases), and that kind of work is tremendously time consuming, taking up far vaster amounts of time than most would expect. The layering, proper drying of the paint, the trial and error for getting the certain flow, and dynamic positionings.


I'm sure while many people here are fans, they really don't really WHAT exactly makes her art compelling without only saying "it's sexy, dark, gothic, yada yada". She is a master of contrasting variations of warm and cool colors, and also managed to perfect the most forbidden techniques in painting - using black. Also, she's a pro at her ability of perspective dynamics, sense of flow, and a very direct nod to her extreme study and knowledge of applying renaissance-style facial construction through matte medium blends on multilayered offtones that eventually combine into the outcome of her almost life-like faces!

Trust me, she's allowed her absence, due to how much effort her work takes, and how hard it is to do things in that style. Even her hyper quick work (about two/three hours a piece) such as the Aria of Sorrow watercolor art, can be consuming with balancing issues in clothing aesthetics, and overall color, as well as shape association that he has with her constant use of symbolisms in color and her trying to apply a game's mood and aesthetics into the characters themselves. 


 :D Sorry for my rambling, but I just have a lot to say when it comes to how much time her work takes. I've been tutoring myself in her style for well over half a decade, and am still fascinated by its difficulty.

Thanks. I'm not always right, but I was there.  ;)

I admire your point of view, Marto.

Yes, I admire it too. You're truly a Kojima fan, Marto, and thanks for that insight.. ...I don't know much about art, so I really did not know all that stuff. Taking that into consideration, I still hope she does more art in Castlevania games, even if not immediately. :)

Well, maybe she will do the artwork for the Next-Gen game so, we only have to wait...