"The Entropic Man?"
Huh?
This was a brand-new version I had never seen before.
Aoki Haruhi searched through his memories; indeed, he did not recall Gen Urobuchi ever writing such a work in his previous life.
He had originally assumed it would be something like "Kikokugai" or "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," so he hadn't expected an unfamiliar title.
[The Entropic Man]
After opening it and taking a look, Aoki Haruhi was quickly drawn into the story.
The premise of the story was time reversal.
In 1991, time manipulation gimmicks weren't very common, and even if Gen Urobuchi's method of time reversal were put into 2023, it wouldn't be outdated.
This was because his method of time reversal was quite different from stories like "Groundhog Day" or "The End of the Kiss."
In the traditional sense, time reversal can basically be described as a "save rollback," jumping back to a certain day and then continuing life from there.
But [The Entropic Man]...
This was time reversal in the truest sense.
[While everyone else's time was moving forward, Yamashita-sei's life was like wading upstream against a river.]
[Today passed, and instead of tomorrow, it jumped back to yesterday.]
[My body, and everything I experienced, was as if a videotape were being played in reverse.]
It was hard to imagine what it would look like if observed from the perspective of other normal people, but fortunately, the content of the entire proposal was described from the primary perspectives of the male and female leads.
Unlike "The Mermaid's Heart," Gen Urobuchi incorporated the heroine's perspective in this work.
Delicate prose, a deeply moving plot, and excellent pacing.
Engrossing.
It's not very long, only about a hundred thousand words or so.
Just like his previous work, "The Mermaid's Heart," it's a pure love story between the male and female protagonists.
It features the usual Urobuchi imagination and sense of suspense, followed by a final twist and an emotional gut-punch.
After finishing, Aoki Haruhi closed the project proposal and let out a long sigh.
As expected of Old Xu.
Even his gut-punches are artistic.
The key is, you can't even get mad about being hurt by him; you even feel happy about the way he does it and want to cheer for it.
Damn it.
Is this really Gen Urobuchi?
Gen Urobuchi watched the changes in the president's expression, nervously rubbing his hands together.
Only after he finished reading the proposal did he anxiously ask, "President, what do you think?"
"Hmm... a modern urban setting, combined with a pure love story and a heartwarming ending. Overall, there's no room for combat, so it looks like it can only be made into a galgame," Aoki Haruhi said.
"Yes, that's right." Gen Urobuchi nodded earnestly.
"Then it can't be helped." Aoki Haruhi smiled knowingly, "The story is fantastic. We can greenlight the project."
"The Entropic Man" is a typical galgame. There are no difficult programming challenges or new development needs; we can just use the framework from "The Mermaid's Heart."
As long as we pull in one more artist, the project can get underway.
The next morning, Aoki Haruhi spoke to lead artist Sakata Taiji about it, and the "The Entropic Man" game project was quickly established.
There are 4 people in total, but that should be enough.
After taking charge of the new project, Old Xu seemed exceptionally pumped.
This guy is truly a wild horse; you have to let him run free, otherwise he won't be able to unleash his true potential.
Aoki Haruhi took note of his expression, only hoping that when the time comes, the players won't send the company razor blades.
July 21, 1991.
Gorotsu published its latest weekly issue, which featured a detailed report on Pokeni Corporation's new game, The Mermaid's Heart.
In addition to the exclusive behind-the-scenes production materials they had obtained earlier, Gorotsu offered a critique in their report that stood out from other magazines:
[ The Mermaid's Heart is not just a pure romance that transcends everything; by contrasting this pure, untainted love with certain ugly aspects of humanity, it also serves a strong educational and cautionary purpose. ]
[ Through the story, we learn that—
The protagonist, Hikaru Yamazaki, is a young man with somewhat "dead fish eyes," a feature that has led to him being bullied by his peers since childhood.
Such incidents are common in our country; investigations have even shown that at least thirty percent of people have had similar experiences.
Being discriminated against, insulted, bullied—sometimes for completely unreasonable motives.
But this is the reality happening all around us.
Reflected in the story, Yamazaki's plight is truly sympathetic.
In such a world, even though Yamazaki is human, he has long since lost his sense of belonging. ]
Even with human physical features, just like everyone else, encountering indifference and being ignored—such an existence can hardly be called a life.
Humans are such fractured creatures, deriving pleasure from riding on the backs of others. This is the naked reality that the work presents.
Under these circumstances, Yamazaki Hikaru meets Suzune. As the last mermaid in the world, even though she has an appearance and body distinct from humans, she is a pure-hearted girl who loves Yamazaki wholeheartedly.
These two people—they came together, gazing out from their shared loneliness, a sight both heartbreaking and moving.
In modern society, loneliness is the norm.
Aren't we all just like this? Unable to be understood, isolated, unable to communicate or connect with others.
In social surveys, over half of the elderly in Japan are left without care, dying alone—a phenomenon known as "kodokushi" (lonely death).
Everyone is an island; no one can truly understand another, and no one can truly enter another's heart.
In such a world, we have perhaps even lost the ability to escape our loneliness.
Reflected in the story, Yamazaki's experiences are truly sympathetic.
In this world, although Yamazaki is still human, he has long since lost any sense of belonging.
From this perspective, Yamazaki Hikaru meeting Suzune can be called a blessing.
Even if she isn't human, I wish them well.
[In this sense, Yamazaki Hikaru meeting Suzune can be called a kind of happiness.]
[Even though she isn't human, I am willing to bless them.]
[In a sense, humans are even crueler; they capture Suzune ultimately for the purpose of attaining eternal life.]
[For their own sake, they sacrifice others, pollute the environment, and overfish, causing Suzune, as a mermaid, and other marine life to lose the environment they rely on for survival.]
[By contrast, the love between Suzune and Yamazaki appears so pure, beautiful, and sacred.]
[Therefore, in Gorotsu's view, "The Mermaid's Heart" is not just a romance-themed galgame; it has a deeper level of meaning, reflects reality more profoundly, and can offer people insights.]
[This is something that is not present in other games.]
[I have to say, "The Mermaid's Heart" is truly a masterpiece.]
[Moreover, the emotions of the male and female protagonists in this galgame are very pure and singular, making it perfectly suitable for female players to experience.]
[This is something unimaginable in the history of galgames.]
[I look forward to seeing more similar games in the future.]
[Every person is an island; no one can truly understand another, and no one can walk into another's heart.]
[In this world, we have perhaps already lost the ability to escape our loneliness.]
After this journal was published, it caused a strong reaction, and the magazine's sales increased significantly.
Pokeni's game became a new hot topic because it sparked deep social reflection.
After this issue was published, it caused quite a stir, and the magazine's sales saw a significant boost.
Pokeni's game became a new hot topic for sparking deep social reflection.
"Yeah, aren't we all lonely in our own way?"
"Looking at it this way, The Mermaid's Heart really is a very profound work."
"It is. It's rare to find such a moving galgame, let alone one with such a thought-provoking theme."
"Huh? A galgame that girls can play too? For real?"
Some people were getting hung up on the strangest points.
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