Schwarzesmarken Localisation Petition

[Maypews]

Recently a petition was started with the goal of bringing over or at least attention to the untranslated visual novel Schwarzesmarken. For those who don't know, Schwarzesmarken is a spinoff of the Muv Luv series. It is highly acclaimed critically by Japanese readers but seems to have not done the best commercially, with it owning the dubious distinction of being the only major spinoff title not to have been translated.

Unfortunately age is not doing the best financially, but the petition did succeed in making a bit of noise. The series primary writer, Yoshimane Kouki, stated on Twitter that if it received 2000 signatures crowdfunding would "become a realistic possibility"



The petition would hit this goal and more, with it now sitting at over 3,000 signatures. Kouki responded to his goal being cleared with the following, admittedly coming across in tone a bit less optimistic than the earlier response, though he did state that there is hope.



The fact that there are age higherups interacting with it is very promising after so many years of radio silence. This may honestly be the only time I've ever seen a change.org petition actually seem to make somewhat of a difference, lol. Chief Producer Kazutoshi “Tororo” Matsumura also apparently followed some Western fans on Twitter who were vocal about their desires for a SM translation.

Speaking personally, the synopsis and concept of this game seems incredible and I really want to be able to read it some day. I was quite considering just caving and LunaTranslator to read it sometime within the year, but I think this news has me willing to wait a bit longer. Please consider signing it if you're interested, or even if you're not perhaps share it around so that it can receive more attention.

[Parzival]

I need to get into Muv-Luv

[Maypews]

I need to get into Muv-Luv

No better time than the present. It has a VERY slow start though, it really doesn't pick up until like 20% of the way through Alternative even, but once I got into the thick of things I would spend 5 hours at a time binging it. Shit absolutely hooks you. Also, has two downright killer OPs.

[Parzival]

No better time than the present. It has a VERY slow start though, it really doesn't pick up until like 20% of the way through Alternative even, but once I got into the thick of things I would spend 5 hours at a time binging it. Shit absolutely hooks you. Also, has two downright killer OPs.

Nerenar actually gifted me like, basically the entire series available on Steam lol so I should hop on them. Waging is killing me though

[Erin]

I started playing Schwarzesmarken recently. I went in knowing nothing about it other than the time period it takes place and that it is considered by many as the best muv luv game, outside of Alternative at least (though as with anything some consider Schwarz better).

Its pretty enjoyable so far, being about 1/3rd of the way in. I'd say the most interesting aspects are that its set in the 1980s in the DDR (East Germany, Communist), that it deals more with human conflict with the BETA (aliens) conflict as more of an ongoing existential threat, and though I'm one who normally doesn't care about graphics or animations in vns or games, the stuff here is stunning. Also the pacing is quite good. We also get jokes at the expense of the various nationalities such as the British, Chinese, and Italians.

Here's some footage of part of the first hour of the game roughly. I loaded a save of a section I'd already played, so ignore the skipping through lines as I recorded it to showcase the animations.


Another scene a bit later, non combat:



Sometimes there is cute little chibi "cgs" sometimes with animation as well:



There are parts sometimes even that have a lot more animation then the clips I shared even. While its not something I normally care about at all its quite neat as a sort of gimmick to have all this animation, adds a lot to the combat especially, where they often just show things instead of describing them. If more vns put this level of effort into animations it would be neat, I'd rather have this level or none rather than a lazy in between.

Main downsides so far have been that the plot/developments to me at least have been entirely predictable, and some characters feel 2 dimensional. Also the protagonist is ridiculously resentful towards everything to the point it actually just went around from somewhat edgy to comedic to me, in that he'll pretty much constantly be mentally monologuing about what a fool everyone around him his and how he would never do what they do and cursing them out. Also the OST is very serviceable but in my opinion not all too noteworthy, though I do like a couple songs so far like the battle theme that plays in the first video in this post. I'm biased though because I just finished a vn that has an amazing OST. Also not sure about whether there will actually be significant romance.

Overall very enjoyable so far. I wasn't sure what a muv luv game outside of the main two would look like as they have a unique setup, but honestly this is very enjoyable to the point where I might give the other muv luv games like TDA and Total Eclipse a shot at a later point.

Oh also, @capstasher the girl in the first video at 1:30 I kept swearing I could've seen somewhere before on this forum, I think I might've been mixing it up with your pfp.

[Maypews]

Great writeup @Erin! I had no idea the production quality was so high until you brought it up. Looks like a great read. As far as updates on this go, in the Muv Luv thread I mentioned that anchor was sold off to a different company that has it's hands in more gaming-related releases;

According to some Reddit guy who trudged through documents of Japanese companies, Anchor (and therefore the Muv Luv IP) has apparently changed hands from Avex to DMM. DMM worked with Anchor on Muv Luv Girls Garden which has evidently done decently well commerically even if I had never heard of it till now.

The previous owner, Avex, was apparently more of a music label than a proper gaming company. DMM meanwhile owns a gaming brand called Shiravune which has worked to bring several visual novels over to the West, most notably Utawarerumono. Shiravune's website in fact states the following -

"Shiravune is a Tokyo-based localization team dedicated to bringing Japanese games to fresh audiences in English and Chinese. We work with developers large and small to help them deliver their stories to players around the world."

Evidently true to their word, the final entry in the Utawarerumono is going to release worldwide on 05-27-2026, available in English from day 1. In short, this might be really good news for those of us who have been waiting with baited breaths for a Schwarzesmarken translation. Or it could just be nothing, but hey, still worth talking about I think.

The series main writer, Yoshimune Kouki, also once again acknowledged the petition on Twipo with the following messages;

"I believe that surpassing the number of backers of the Muv-Luv English-version crowdfunding campaign within just one month carries significance beyond merely making the market visible.

I, too, will continue to do everything I can and contribute my utmost efforts."

"I believe that the numbers achieved by our overseas Shubaken brothers in just one month will eventually lead to tangible results.

After all, they’ve made visible a market that is more than twice the size of the one demonstrated by the Muv-Luv English crowdfunding campaign.

Persistence is power."

[Erin]

I'm hoping now too that possibly someday the supposed sequel to Schwarz according to VNDB, Muv Luv Alternative in Eurofront DUTY LOST ARCADIA, might actually be developed. Maybe they can simultaneously release it in English after western fans have gotten the Schwarz English version?

There's supposed to be a couple other VNs that were planned and never released like Muv Luv Integrate and Resonative too. I'm sure they're coming right around when Steins;??? releases....