Ed Oscuro
11-01-2005, 03:24 PM
Apparently, he gets much of it wrong in the process. Cross-posting this from the CV Dungeon Forums (http://www.forumplanet.com/classicgaming/castlevania/topic.asp?fid=3691&tid=1774750):
I ran down to the game store today and picked up their last copy of the guide for the new Nintendo DS entry in the series - Dawn of Sorrow.
First off, though, congrats to the forumers who got their names in the books; Ashenian, Cecil-Kain, and one "Raphael" among them.
As some of you will remember, one forumer complained that many questions Iga was to field were "worthless," including the one regarding the release dates for the MSX2 and FDS releases of the original Akumajo Dracula. Apparently not, because the answer was unexpected:
Raphael: Can you end the age-old battle and tell us which was created first... Akumajo Dracula Famicom or Akumajo Dracula MSX2?
Iga: In Japan, MSX came first, but for US market, NES came out first. This is my understanding.
There are many clues to tell us that Igarashi is actually very much uncertain about the origins of the series, and we might be able to make some other (unflattering) assumptions about other comments he's made.
1.) Like it or not, we have actual release dates and prices for the original two games. If I recall correctly, the FDS version (note not simply "Famicom," the only cartridge version until the GBA re-rerelease was the 1993 release) was released 9/26 '86, while the MSX2 version was released in October.
2.) Earlier in the interview, he states that he doesn't know who created the series, because "that person no longer works at Konami!" Lacking even this basic knowledge, it is unlikely that Igarashi would have any insights into the production of the original Akumajo Dracula/Castlevania - seven years before he was credited in the "Special Thanks" section of Dracula X PC-Engine.
3.) Despite his lack of knowledge about who "created" the game, he claims to know that Vampire Hunter D was not an influence. How can you square that away when it's obvious he doesn't know who would've been influenced, much less talked to them about their inspirations? That said, it is likely Iga is making assumptions based off the game's feel and is simply pointing out that if anything, early American horror films are the obvious influences. Even so.
4.) To a lesser extent, we can speculate on his mention - in "merchandise" - that in the past "caps and jackets" were sold. We know that more was sold - there are strategy guides on VHS for Akumajo Dracula's arcade release (Haunted Castle), vinyl LPs of game music, and probably many other items. Perhaps it is his lack of space in the guide that led him do do that.
The interview is valuable, but unfortunately it raises disturbing questions instead of providing useful insight on the history of the series.
I ran down to the game store today and picked up their last copy of the guide for the new Nintendo DS entry in the series - Dawn of Sorrow.
First off, though, congrats to the forumers who got their names in the books; Ashenian, Cecil-Kain, and one "Raphael" among them.
As some of you will remember, one forumer complained that many questions Iga was to field were "worthless," including the one regarding the release dates for the MSX2 and FDS releases of the original Akumajo Dracula. Apparently not, because the answer was unexpected:
Raphael: Can you end the age-old battle and tell us which was created first... Akumajo Dracula Famicom or Akumajo Dracula MSX2?
Iga: In Japan, MSX came first, but for US market, NES came out first. This is my understanding.
There are many clues to tell us that Igarashi is actually very much uncertain about the origins of the series, and we might be able to make some other (unflattering) assumptions about other comments he's made.
1.) Like it or not, we have actual release dates and prices for the original two games. If I recall correctly, the FDS version (note not simply "Famicom," the only cartridge version until the GBA re-rerelease was the 1993 release) was released 9/26 '86, while the MSX2 version was released in October.
2.) Earlier in the interview, he states that he doesn't know who created the series, because "that person no longer works at Konami!" Lacking even this basic knowledge, it is unlikely that Igarashi would have any insights into the production of the original Akumajo Dracula/Castlevania - seven years before he was credited in the "Special Thanks" section of Dracula X PC-Engine.
3.) Despite his lack of knowledge about who "created" the game, he claims to know that Vampire Hunter D was not an influence. How can you square that away when it's obvious he doesn't know who would've been influenced, much less talked to them about their inspirations? That said, it is likely Iga is making assumptions based off the game's feel and is simply pointing out that if anything, early American horror films are the obvious influences. Even so.
4.) To a lesser extent, we can speculate on his mention - in "merchandise" - that in the past "caps and jackets" were sold. We know that more was sold - there are strategy guides on VHS for Akumajo Dracula's arcade release (Haunted Castle), vinyl LPs of game music, and probably many other items. Perhaps it is his lack of space in the guide that led him do do that.
The interview is valuable, but unfortunately it raises disturbing questions instead of providing useful insight on the history of the series.