#マツリカの炯 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sakura-otome · 2 months

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Matsurika no Kei -kEi - Tenmeiiniden

マツリカの炯 - kEi - 天命胤異伝

NO-SPOILER OVERVIEW OF SETTING AND CHARACTERS

SETTING

The game is marketed as Sino-fantasy and “Mature” romance. It takes place in this fictional country Gekka no Kuni (月下の国), quite simply the “country under the moon” and, the surrounding unnamed countries and small villages and peoples. It’s sort of like the greater Han Chinese culture plus the small ethnic groups like those in Mongolia, if we were to make real life comparisons. The vibe is very much an ancient society that is brutal and shit’s unfair, but that’s how it is. The caveat is that magic is real. Mystical Beasts are very real and known to exist, as well as people called Senkou (仙虹), or Sages, who are ordinary humans who, through many years of intense training and study, become very long-lived or immortal and gain essentially magical abilities.

The creation story plays a pretty big role in the story as a whole, with different individual components being highlighted in each of the routes (that I have done thus far). The creation story says that 999 years ago, the land was being terrorized by Shikyo (四凶), or the Four Calamity’s, which are Mystical Beasts. They were defeated by the Shiseijuu (四聖獣) or Four Holy Beasts, also Mystical Beasts, who worked hand in hand with a great sage Ko Unyou who went on to create the country.

Now, our MC, “Naya” is from a small and very mystical village “Matsurika”, which lies just outside of Gekka no Kuni in the mountains north of the capital city. This village is very unique, being hidden behind a strange mist deep in the mountains, only accessible to the villagers and a special merchant who has the official seal of a Flame Merchant. Anybody who doesn’t fit these requirements would simply get lost in the mountains if they walked past the line of Red Jasmine Flowers and into the mist. If you try to take the Jasmine that grows there out of the village, it turns to dust the moment you step past the line of Red Jasmine. It only grows in Matsurika village, and nowhere else.

In this village that is shut off from the rest of the world, they don’t worship the Shiseijuu. Instead they worship Keisei (蛍聲), who dislikes fire, which makes it so that it’s impossible to start a fire in the village. Due to this, they must purchase fire from the Flame Merchant every three months, as no matter what they do, the flame always dies out after three months. As they don’t have money, they barter with uncut gemstones referred to as Hougyoku no Genseki (宝玉の原石), which can only be differentiated from ordinary rocks with the use of the Keigan (炯眼), which are essentially magic eyes (think Naruto). The Keigan is an ability that only manifests in the girls of Matsurika village, and there is only ever one user at a given time. It is not genetic, and if the current holder dies, it will be passed on at random to any of the other girls of the village. It is our MC that has the Keigan.

THOUGHTS ON WORLD BUILDING

I think it’s very fantastical, and feels a lot like I’m reading the inner details of a mythological story. All of the characters feel very much “of the setting”. Naya, the MC, is raised in a very safe and sheltered village receiving a lot of love and care growing up, but the outside world is harsh and unforgiving. Gender roles are deeply embedded in the culture, and the importance of marriage and having and raising children is just a part of life. A small village like hers needs all the people they can get, and they all celebrate and raise children as a village.

On the other hand, Gekka is a very big country with many people and places within the country that suffer from the usual: poverty, illness, starvation, cruelty, discrimination, etc., and it isn’t uncommon for children to be abandoned or sold.

I really feel that they did a very good job of incorporating the reality of the kind of deeply held beliefs and prejudices that lead to awful treatment of people for unfair, but very human reasons. The people of Gekka regard tribes and people like the White Wolf Tribe and Matsurika Villagers who don’t worship the Shiseijuu as “Kizoku”, who are essentially heretics or “unbelievers.” Matsurika Village has a belief that “mixed blood” children – children born from a Matsurika woman and an outsider – bring calamity and curse the village. They are taught from childhood to never ever mingle with outsiders or leave the village. They chase both mother and child out of the village, should it happen, and they have a deep disgust and fear of this.

I will say, the overall tone is very serious which given the setting is understandable, but I kind of wish they incorporated a little more humor and lighthearted moments. There just aren’t very many mental breaks from the harshness of life.

CHARACTERS

PROTAGONIST

System Default Name: Naya

She is one of five young women in Matsurika Village to become 18 and reach the age of majority at the Keisei Festival. As the holder of the Keigan, her job is to assess the stones gathered for valuable gemstones, which is essential for Flame Trade. She has a lot of pride in this position, and a deep sense of responsibility, as her mother was the previous Keigan holder, before she passed away in childbirth and passed the Keigan on to her. This is noted to be very unusual, as the Keigan has never been passed directly from a mother to her child in this manner. She was raised by Agedo, the village leader alongside his children, one of which is the game’s LIs, Fei.

I think her design is very cute, and I love the aesthetic of her and Maturika Village’s tribal attire. I’m not generally into heterochromia, but it doesn’t look bad at all on her. She’s not particularly headstrong, but she’s a sweet and earnest girl that outside of her magic eye is honestly just an average village girl. She honestly deserves better, oml.

THE LOVE INTERESTS

Age: 21 VA: Okamoto Nobuhiko Route Restrictions: Must clear Ruwo, Seirin, Zebenera, and Enrai routes.

The main man. His route is locked behind the four other LIs, so you know it’s a big deal. He is the only son of the Village leader, and apparently harbors some secrets/fears regarding his duties as a man of the lead family that makes him hesitant to act on his feelings towards Naya.

Personally I find his design to be the most appealing, and it’s interesting to see Okamoto play a character that’s more ~ fresh ~ and youthful, rather than deep, threatening and smexy loll.

Name: Ruwo Age: 23 VA: Yamashita Seiichiro Route Restrictions: None

The Flame Merchant, and the only outsider permitted to enter the village on a consistent basis. He’s very friendly and flirty, but he keeps people at arms length and doesn’t want to let anyone close to him lest he lose his drive to accomplish his goal. As a player of Twisted Wonderland, I very much compare him to Ace because of them having the same VA, and they have the same easy going attitude. I like his design fine, but I’m not particularly struck by it. It’s ok.

Name: Zebenera Age: 25 VA: Hatano Wataru Route Restrictions: None

The King of the White Wolf Tribe, who live in the snowy mountains north of the mountain where Maturika village is. He bears the burden and responsibility of keeping his dying people alive. He’s generally a quiet guy who isn’t good at conversation, but you can see that his actions all have a deep underlying kindness. I generally love white haired characters, and I think his fit is cool, and while I feel his design is good, it’s nothing special.

Name: Ko Seirin Age: 17 VA: Tachibana Shinnosuke Route Restrictions: None

The one and only prince of Gekka no Kuni. He appears to be very sheltered and naive to the ways of the world, as Naya first meets him getting in trouble for having accidentally stolen food from a vendor because he didn’t know that he needed to pay for it. However, he has deep self awareness of what is expected of him and his place in the political landscape, and struggles with a deep sense of loneliness. I’ve never found the beautiful type characters immediately attractive, but I don’t dislike his design. It’s very ethereal, and the voice acting does a great job balancing that soft lightness and hints of darkness.

Name: Ku Enrai Age: 27 VA: Horie Shun. Route Restrictions: Must clear Ruwo, Seirin, and Zebenera routes.

The head of the Ku clan, which is a powerful family with the longstanding trust of the Imperial Ko family. He is the designated educator of the prince, Ko Seirin. He is a very intense guy with deep loyalty to Seirin, and wishes to see him become a great leader and King. His clan has an old, long standing desire that is very close to being realized. I wasn’t that into his design at first, but it grew on me pretty quickly. Also has major Sasazuka vibes, with him being an asshole and a manlet.

COMMON ROUTE

The story begins with the approach of the annual Keisei Festival, and the sudden inexplicable extinguishing of the flame just one day after it was purchased. Naya, having a map given to her by Ruwo, makes the decision to go to the capital of Gekka breaking the rules of her village, to buy another flame and come back before this incident is discovered by the rest of the villagers and in time for the Kesei Festival.

From there we begin to branch out into two major story flows, which further break down into the individual routes. One gets her involved with the Imperial Love Interests, and the other has her leading into the rest of the routes.

Without revealing too much, Naya ends up fucking really going through it. Like it’s super fucking depressing. The end of common route is just. Man. If you want to feel the full impact of it though, I suggest going through either Zebenera or Ruwo first. It still happens in the leadup to Seirin's route, but it just isn't as visceral and personal as it is in the lead up to either Zebenera or Ruwo routes.

#マツリカ #Maturika no kEi #otome

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