With only 11 days to go, the Muv-Luv Kickstarter project is well on its way to its penultimate stretch goal. The Muv-Luv series was penned by Koki Yoshimune (Famous for Kimi ga Nozumu Eien) who released the first game in 2003. As it was made in Japan, it never saw entry into the western world. This Kickstarter campaign is funding for the localization of Muv-Luv Extra, Muv-Luv Unlimited and Muv-Luv Alternative. The trilogy is predicted for a 2016 release with Extra and Unlimited predicted for March 2016 and Alternative sometime in the Summer.
So what is Muv-Luv? Well it’s a visual novel game. So as you can imagine, the purpose for this campaign is justified. With over 2.7 million Japanese characters to translate and make sure the dialogue is succinct and still retains its cult-following worthy story. The series is based in a science fiction world with mecha robotics and aliens among other components of the genre. The emphasis that pulls this series apart from other visual novels is how it defines the ‘Nakige’ or ‘Utsuge‘ genre of adult visual novels.
While originally an adult game series, the series saw a 2006 re-release that removed the adult content within the game. The game still held up to fans. This version of the trilogy will follow up with that version with official English translations.
The basic premise of the story revolves around a boy named ‘Shirogane Takeru’ who is the typical run-of-the-mill high school student who is with his childhood friend Kagami Skumika. One morning he wakes up to see a strange girl called Mitsurugi Meiya asleep on his bed. ‘Thus begins the start of a high school love comedy where Takeru will have to choose between his childhood friend and the girl insisting they are bonded by fate.’ From there the story escalates into the science fiction genre that was mentioned earlier with mecha and aliens.
The Kickstarter campaign asked for $250,000 which was smashed earlier on in the campaign and so the campaign has been hitting its stretch goal strides. The campaign’s original promise was HD graphics, high quality localization, updated game engines for compatibility on the various versions of Windows and an updated UI and new features from the original games. The stretch goals hit currently enable the Muv-Luv team to improve voice acting, have additional OSTs and BGMs, additional Android and Vita ports and a digital codex containing lore of the world that’s free for those who pledge over $150. As it stands, the campaign is standing on an impressive $703, 920 USD and is nearing its next goal for an additional side story collection that was available on the PS3 version. The final goal at the $900,000 mark seeks to offer a physical codex alongside a figure of the character Sumika Figma with every Collector’s box.
You can read up for even more detail on the campaign here where it has a solid breakdown of where funding goes, details on an all expense trip to Japan for two giveaway and various other story details if you’re interested! The campaign will run for 11 more days so if you’re interested, give it a kick!