Hello there!
As watermelons start to taste sweeter and mosquitoes begin to show up,
the end of May brings both humid warmth and the occasional refreshing chill.
(At least here in Korea, where I live.)
I recently took out my fan and wiped off the dust.
How are your preparations for summer coming along?
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*This post includes information about Stage 2, which is currently in development.
**While I’ve done my best to avoid spoilers, please refrain from reading further if you wish to experience it all firsthand.
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<Reflections on Eroticism and Pornography>
“Is it eroticism or is it pornography?”
“Is it art or is it obscenity?”
These are long-standing, perhaps now overused, debates.
And yet, they are far from concluded.
They remain unresolved questions—questions that will likely never disappear.
Should sexually explicit material be unconditionally condemned?
Sexuality is a natural, inescapable part of human nature.
It is intimately tied to life and to vitality.
So no, not necessarily.
Then should sexual content be unconditionally affirmed?
That too demands caution.
There undeniably exist works of expression that amount to nothing more
than the discharge of distorted desires—
creations steeped in hatred, or driven by vengeance.
The ethical boundaries of expression are not fixed truths,
but shifting lines drawn and redrawn by the context of the times.
Even so-called “extreme expressions” may, in the hands of intent and awareness,
transform into genuine works of art.
To one person, even the most vulgar piece may serve
as fertile ground for a new and intriguing creative endeavor.
But if there were no such thing as taboo in our society at all,
then paradoxically, every attempt to challenge or transgress a boundary
would lose its very reason for being.
Perhaps this is the tragedy—and the beauty—
of a world where black and white can never be cleanly separated.
As someone who creates games centered around “bishoujo” and “bishounen” characters,
these are questions I occasionally contemplate in solitude.
After all, isn’t the act of calling someone “pretty” or “handsome”
already entangled—however subtly—with a judgment of sexual attractiveness?
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<Nana and Stage 2>
I’ve gone on for quite a while, haven’t I?
All of this was, in the end, a long-winded excuse for why I wanted to include something “sexual” in Stage 2.
Of course, that doesn’t mean KILL THE WITCH is turning into an adults-only game.
Nor is “sensual expression” the central theme of Stage 2.
Still, I wanted to walk that dangerous tightrope—
to balance on the edge of a subject often seen as taboo.
Because, simply put, that’s what makes it more fun!
And from that impulse, the concept of Stage 2’s boss character,
Miss Nana, was born—
a character who hones what she’s been given,
and wields it with fierce intention.
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*Please note that all images and footage below are from a work still in development.
<About Nana>
Just as the boss of Stage 1, “Yozoh,” takes his name from the protagonist of Osamu Dazai’s novel No Longer Human—
the boss of Stage 2, “Nana,” also borrows her name from literature:
Émile Zola’s Nana.
In KILL THE WITCH, Nana is a terrifying witch who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
She has resolved to make use of whatever power she possesses,
and so she wields her greatest “weapon” without hesitation.
Whether it's right or wrong? That’s of no concern to her whatsoever.
Even if bugs fall helplessly in love with her,
even if they flail and squander everything they have—
that’s not her problem.
It’s not like she ever forced them to, is it?
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<Stage 2>
After her battle with “Yozoh,” Yonah continues pushing forward—
until she enters an industrial zone filled with clanking, mechanical noise.
This “creepily adorable” love factory is the setting for Stage 2.
You’ll find digital billboards featuring Nana scattered throughout the plant,
and the stage is being built with various symbols and parodies in mind!
Of course, even if you don’t catch every symbol or reference,
the context will still be clear enough to enjoy without confusion.
Video Link
KILL THE WITCH - Stage 2 First Look (Work in Progress)
https://youtu.be/vHYHkOAkKYQ?si=W_5U5UVLyAyUdGsG
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<Closing Words>
Today’s update focused mainly on the stage itself.
In June, I’ll be sharing a glimpse of the boss battle!
As always, thank you so much :)
