Tengai Makyou
Encyclopedia
is a widely popular series of traditional console RPGs that are available in Japan
and Taiwan
.
Though originally intended to be only three games, it has grown to encompass a number of remakes, gaiden
s and genre spin-offs across a variety of platforms. Despite its relative popularity in Asian countries, the series is largely unknown in other territories, with only one game released overseas.
), each follows a descendant of the 'Fire Clan' and supporting cast in battles against a range of often comical villains. The stories of the games, though primarily of 'fantasy' fare, also attempt to provide commentary on common misconceptions about Japanese culture by Western societies.
The first game Tengai Makyo: Ziria, released for the PC Engine CD in 1989, was notable as the first RPG released on CD-ROM
and the first in the genre to feature animated cut scenes and voice acting. The game's plot was also unusual for its feudal Japan setting and its emphasis on humour
; the plot and characters were inspired by the Japanese folk tale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari
. The music for the game was also composed by noted musician Ryuichi Sakamoto
.
). Virtually all publishing tasks have been handled by Hudson Soft
(now a subsidiary of Konami
).
Most players will note that the series also makes reference to another 'creator', Paul Hieronymus Chada, who is presented as an 19th century Smithsonian sociologist/historian similar to that of Sigmund Freud
or Karl Marx
. The imagery however is part of a running joke in the series, as P.H. Chada does not exist. He is a fictional 'author' of the stories of the Tengai Makyō series, whose blatant exaggerations of 'Jipang' represent the misconceptions western societies have held with regard to Japan. 'P.H. Chada' is actually the anagram of 'Prince Hiroi Adachi'.
Other Games
Canceled Games
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Though originally intended to be only three games, it has grown to encompass a number of remakes, gaiden
Gaiden
is a Japanese-language word meaning "side story" or "tale", used to refer to an anecdote or supplementary biography of a person. This use of gaiden is commonly used in popular Japanese fiction to refer to a spin-off of a previously published work that is neither officially considered a sequel nor...
s and genre spin-offs across a variety of platforms. Despite its relative popularity in Asian countries, the series is largely unknown in other territories, with only one game released overseas.
Overview
The main series is composed of three separate games within the land of 'Jipang' (a fictional feudal Japan using the name given by Italian merchant Marco PoloMarco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
), each follows a descendant of the 'Fire Clan' and supporting cast in battles against a range of often comical villains. The stories of the games, though primarily of 'fantasy' fare, also attempt to provide commentary on common misconceptions about Japanese culture by Western societies.
The first game Tengai Makyo: Ziria, released for the PC Engine CD in 1989, was notable as the first RPG released on CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
and the first in the genre to feature animated cut scenes and voice acting. The game's plot was also unusual for its feudal Japan setting and its emphasis on humour
Humour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
; the plot and characters were inspired by the Japanese folk tale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari
Jiraiya
Jiraiya , the title character of the Japanese folktale Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari , is a ninja who uses shapeshifting magic to morph into a gigantic toad. The heir of a powerful clan in Kyūshū of the same name, Jiraiya fell in love with Tsunade, a beautiful young princess who masters snail magic...
. The music for the game was also composed by noted musician Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
.
Creators
The games are largely the creation of Hiroshi Adachi (under the nickname 'Ōji Hiroi') and Red Company (today Red EntertainmentRed Entertainment
is a video game developer based in Japan. Formerly known as since is foundation in 1976 , it was reorganized under its current moniker on December 4, 2000...
). Virtually all publishing tasks have been handled by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
(now a subsidiary of Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
).
Most players will note that the series also makes reference to another 'creator', Paul Hieronymus Chada, who is presented as an 19th century Smithsonian sociologist/historian similar to that of Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
or Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
. The imagery however is part of a running joke in the series, as P.H. Chada does not exist. He is a fictional 'author' of the stories of the Tengai Makyō series, whose blatant exaggerations of 'Jipang' represent the misconceptions western societies have held with regard to Japan. 'P.H. Chada' is actually the anagram of 'Prince Hiroi Adachi'.
Games in the Series
Core Games- Tengai Makyō: Ziria - (PC Engine CD - June 30, 1989)
- Tengai Makyō: Ziria (Remake, iPhone)
- Tengai Makyou Ziria: Haruka naru Jipang (remake) - (Xbox 360 - March 23, 2006)
- Tengai Makyō II: ManjimaruTengai Makyo II: Manjimaruis a role-playing video game and the second game in the Tengai Makyō series. It was first released in 1992 for the PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² by Hudson Soft and developed by Red Entertainment. It was remade in 2003 by Hudson for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2, and a later version was released...
- (PC Engine CD - March 26, 1992)- Tengai Makyō II: ManjimaruTengai Makyo II: Manjimaruis a role-playing video game and the second game in the Tengai Makyō series. It was first released in 1992 for the PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² by Hudson Soft and developed by Red Entertainment. It was remade in 2003 by Hudson for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2, and a later version was released...
(remake, PS2 - October 2, 2006) - Tengai Makyō II: ManjimaruTengai Makyo II: Manjimaruis a role-playing video game and the second game in the Tengai Makyō series. It was first released in 1992 for the PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² by Hudson Soft and developed by Red Entertainment. It was remade in 2003 by Hudson for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2, and a later version was released...
(remake, GameCube - Sept. 25, 2003) - Tengai Makyō II: ManjimaruTengai Makyo II: Manjimaruis a role-playing video game and the second game in the Tengai Makyō series. It was first released in 1992 for the PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² by Hudson Soft and developed by Red Entertainment. It was remade in 2003 by Hudson for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2, and a later version was released...
(remake, Nintendo DS - March 9, 2006)
- Tengai Makyō II: Manjimaru
- Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no MokushirokuTengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku, literally "Far East of Eden: The Fourth Apocalypse", is a 1997 role-playing video game developed and published by Hudson Soft and Red Company for the Sega Saturn. The game was released in Japan on January 14, 1997...
(trans: 'The 4th Apocalypse') - (Sega Saturn - January 14, 1997)- Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no MokushirokuTengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku, literally "Far East of Eden: The Fourth Apocalypse", is a 1997 role-playing video game developed and published by Hudson Soft and Red Company for the Sega Saturn. The game was released in Japan on January 14, 1997...
(remake, PSP - July 13, 2006)
- Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku
- Tengai Makyō III: Namida - (PS2 - April 14, 2005)
Other Games
- Tengai Makyō: Fuun Kabukiden - (PC Engine CD - July 10, 1993)
- Tengai Makyō Zero - (SNES - December 22, 1995)
- Tengai Makyō Shin DenKabuki Klashis a fighting game developed by Racdym and published by Hudson Soft for the arcades and Neo-Geo in 1995. It is based on the popular Japanese console RPG series Tengai Makyō.-Gameplay:...
- (ARCADE, NeoGeo - July 28, 1995 (NeoGeo), December 8, 1995 (NeoGeo CD)) - Tengai Makyō: Karakuri Kakutoden - (PC-FX - July 28, 1995)
- Tengai Makyō: Kabuki Ittou Ryoudan - (PC Engine CD - February 24, 1995)
- Oriental Blue: Ao no Tengai - (Game Boy Advance - October 24, 2003)
- Tengai Makyō Mobile - (iPhone)
Canceled Games
- Tengai Makyō: Jipang Seven (Browser based game)