2,427 backers pledged $188,176 to help bring this project to life.
Kickstarter link.
VNDB page.
Regarding the Vita port:
Kickstarter link.
VNDB page.
Regarding the Vita port:
I'll have to get back to you in a couple days about the developer for the port, as tomorrow's a holiday here in Japan, but I do know it's a company we've worked with before for domestic PSP and Vita ports. If the stretch goal is met, we've reached out to Limited Run Games to handle the publishing and production. Obviously nothing is set in stone, but that is what we're looking at currently.
Ready to be moved to tears and have your mind completely blown?
Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shojo (Wheel Country, Sunflower Girl) is a Japanese visual novel (choose-your-own-adventure styled game) that has touched the hearts and blown the minds of countless fans. With this official localization project, we’d like to faithfully share all of its wonder and feels with the English-speaking world.
This visual novel game was first released by AKABEi SOFT2 in 2005 (exclusively in Japan), and retains an enormous following to this day. This project will take the Consumer Version (Xbox 360, PSP, PS3) of the game and, based off it, create a full English, Deluxe Version for PC (Windows). Our official English localization will provide a faithful and natural translation of the original Japanese only possible with a deep understanding and appreciation of the game, its setting, and its story. It will lightly reference existing scripts with permission from TLWiki, and be significantly reworked and improved. In addition, newly added scenes in the all-ages edition will feature brand new translations from our team.
This project is a collaboration between AKABEi SOFT2 and Frontwing, two visual novel developers in Japan, with operations handled by Tokyo Otaku Mode, an online shopping, news, and art website which delivers Japanese pop culture content to the world.
There are still few instances of Japanese game developers successfully releasing visual novels overseas on their own. A quality localization requires a bilingual team with a deep understanding of the game’s story and setting, countless editing passes and discussions regarding translation choices, and a whole lot of creativity, imagination, patience, and hard work. For this ambitious undertaking, we ask for your support.
With this project, we hope to not only deliver an amazing title such as Sharin no Kuni (Wheel Country) to the world, but to raise recognition for Japanese visual novel developers, and pave the way for more great titles to reach people throughout the world.
As a token of our sincere gratitude, we are preparing an assortment of exciting rewards for our backers. From the game’s character artist, Alpha, we will have signed canvas prints, hand-drawn and signed autograph boards, and character art bed sheets featuring brand new illustrations just for you!
This project is an enormous undertaking, involving the combined teamwork of the various companies, teams, and talented individuals below.
Development: AKABEi SOFT2
Developer of visual novels since 2005. Under the company's numerous affiliate brands, AKABEi has released a wide variety of games, including flagship titles such as Sharin no Kuni and G-senjou no Maou (The Devil on G-String), which was localized and published by Sekai Project in 2015. These games are celebrated for their unpredictable plot twists and memorable characters.
In this project, AKABEi SOFT2 will be responsible for handling software development.
Character Art: Alpha
A popular illustrator known for the delicate touch she brings to her renditions of female characters. The most prominent examples of her work are Sharin no Kuni, and G Senjou no Maou. Her latest work is Boku no Hitori Sensou, which was released in 2015. Alongside her recent illustrations for light novels, Alpha's art is currently on display at the Eshi 100 Exhibit, a national event sponsored by Sankei Shimbun.
In addition to creating the art for this visual novel, Alpha is also contributing her artwork and hand-signed goods as rewards for backers of this project.
Story: Loose Boy
A writer whose stories have gained widespread appeal for their highly dramatic scenes and clever plot devices. Both Sharin no Kuni and Loose Boy's later work G-senjou no Maou were critically acclaimed, and retain a large Japanese fanbase even after so many years. His latest work is Boku no Hitori Sensou, which was released in 2015. Loose Boy is still very active on the scene, penning light novels as well as writing for games.
Localization and Publishing: Frontwing Co., Ltd.
A visual novel game developer since April 1999. Since the release of their first title Canary (Canaria: Kono Omoi o Uta ni Nosete) in August of 2000, they have published numerous titles in the visual novel genre. From school life love stories to hardcore adult games, as well as titles which utilize 3D computer graphics, their creations cover a diverse range of genres. Their games and characters have come to represent the world of bishojo games. Frontwing’s most well-known game series is the Grisaia trilogy, which received an anime adaptation in 2012. The first two installments, The Fruit of Grisaia and The Labyrinth of Grisaia, are available on Steam and have sold tens of thousands of copies combined.
In this project, Frontwing will take charge of localization, project planning, and publishing.
Localization: The Sharin no Kuni Translation Team
A fresh translation team formed specifically to localize Sharin no Kuni for the English-speaking market. Every member of the team is a native, or native-level, speaker of English. They are experienced in translating games, anime and manga, and have spent many years studying Japanese and Japanese-English translation. The localization will be overseen by the Frontwing in-house team, who have translated a number of works, including the Grisaia side story games and the Corona Blossom series.
Here are a few words from the translation team:
"Hi everyone, it's great to finally meet you all! As fans of the game ourselves, we are committed to creating a definitive version of Sharin that does justice to the original work. While we can't reply to questions and comments individually, we know how important it is to respect and listen to fans of the game. With little information about who we are, it's understandable that people may have some misgivings about us, but we hope we can begin to build trust with everyone from this point on."
Project Support & Reward Distribution: Tokyo Otaku Mode Inc.
The ultimate online destination for fans of Japanese pop culture. Centered on Japanese anime, manga, and games, Tokyo Otaku Mode (TOM) sells a wide variety of products, provides the latest Japanese pop-culture news, and exhibits the creations of talented artists to the world. With a mission to bring happiness to people around the world through otaku culture, Tokyo Otaku Mode has established a global media presence in over 200 countries worldwide.
In this project, Tokyo Otaku Mode will handle operations, including reward distribution, account handling, as well as assisting with promotion and customer support.
