English Release of Tsukihime Visual Novel Remake Coming to the West

(Last Updated On: July 4, 2023)

During their “FGO 6th Anniversary x TYPE-MOON Projects Event” at Anime Expo, Aniplex and Type-Moon thrilled fans by revealing their plans to bring the highly anticipated remake of Type-Moon’s Tsukihime dōjin visual novel game to the Western market. Aptly titled Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-, this remake will be made available on both PlayStation 4 and Switch, complete with a fully localized English version.

The game made its debut in Japan on PlayStation 4 and Switch in August 2021, and by January of this year, it had already reached an impressive milestone of selling 300,000 units.

The game showcases an alternative voice cast compared to the 2003 Lunar Legend Tsukihime TV anime adaptation.

Kaede Hondo as Ciel
Ikumi Hasegawa as Arcueid Brunestud
Ryōsuke Kanemoto as Shiki Tohno
Kana Ichinose as Hisui
Yūki Kuwahara as Kohaku
Shino Shimoji as Akiha Tohno

The cast lineup introduces Ai Kayano as the spirited Noel and Ayane Sakura as the charismatic Mario Gallo Bestino, adding new and vibrant characters to the mix.

Kinoko Nasu has made a triumphant return as both the scenario writer and director for the remake, while Takashi Takeuchi has once again taken on the role of character designer. ReoNa, signed under the renowned label Sacra Music, delivers a captivating rendition of the game’s theme song titled “JUVENILE.” To add even more visual splendor, the opening sequence has been animated by the talented team at ufotable.

Type-Moon’s original doujin game made its debut at Winter Comic Market in 2000, instantly becoming the group’s breakout hit and their first visual novel. The narrative revolves around Shiki Tohno, a young boy who gains the extraordinary ability to see “lines” after a life-altering accident. These lines grant him the power to effortlessly destroy or eliminate anything. With the guidance of a mysterious wandering mage, Shiki learns to control this power and recovers from his ordeal. However, he returns to a desolate household where he resides with his sister and two maids. As Shiki gradually awakens to the extent of his powers, he becomes entangled in a convoluted plot involving the enigmatic vampire, Arcueid, his schoolmate Ciel with her hidden secrets, his own sister Akiha, and the two maids, Hisui and Kohaku.

In 2003, an anime adaptation consisting of 12 episodes premiered, and Geneon Entertainment subsequently released the series on DVD in North America.

Following the game’s success, Sasakishonen crafted a manga adaptation of Tsukihime in 2004. DrMaster published six out of the ten volumes of the series in English. Additionally, in 2006, Takeru Kirishima embarked on a manga adaptation based on the doujin fighting game, Melty Blood, which itself is derived from Tsukihime. The ninth and final compiled volume of this series was published by Kadokawa in 2010.

In December 2022, Aniplex made history by releasing the official English translation of Type-Moon’s Mahōtsukai no Yoru (Witch on the Holy Night) visual novel game for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in the West. This marked the first time a Type-Moon visual novel received an official English release. Witch on the Holy Night originated as a collaboration between Kinoko Nasu and artist Takashi Takeuchi in the mid-90s, predating their establishment of Type-Moon. Although initially conceived as a novel, Nasu and Takeuchi kept it among their close circle, refraining from an official release. Eventually, Type-Moon developed it into a visual novel, featuring captivating artwork by Hirokazu Koyama, which was published in April 2012. The game’s success paved the way for two planned sequels and even inspired an anime film by ufotable.