Anime Aesthetic
Like before, during the PlayStation (PS) re-release, the Nintendo Dual Screen (NDS) rendition of Chrono Trigger left the anime aesthetic intact, only enhancing it with the inclusion of extra post-game content, which attempted to coalesce Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross more thoroughly. Akira Toriyama’s original artwork and Toei Animation’s cutscenes remained the same, along with the character sprites and environments present throughout the video game. On account of these faithful elements, Japanese anime culture was authentically rearticulated once more to North American gaming audiences.
In truth, the only discrepancy between these two iterations is the complete reversion back to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) branding strategy — which involved the usage of patterns featured within a “masculine-coded space” (see SNES Anime Aesthetic). In keeping true to the “original” SNES packaging, the same fighting scene was opted in for the sake of marketing the video game to potential gamers. However, these male-oriented messages impact the nature of Chrono Trigger in the North American region, causing it to appear more masculine in disposition. Meanwhile, in Japan, the same communal pose from the original Super Famicom release is utilized, and appears to market the game as more gender-neutral — showing a balance of three male and three female characters. The same cannot be said about the fighting scene depicted on the NDS cover art, which illustrates two “macho” male characters and one supportive female character.
In truth, the only discrepancy between these two iterations is the complete reversion back to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) branding strategy — which involved the usage of patterns featured within a “masculine-coded space” (see SNES Anime Aesthetic). In keeping true to the “original” SNES packaging, the same fighting scene was opted in for the sake of marketing the video game to potential gamers. However, these male-oriented messages impact the nature of Chrono Trigger in the North American region, causing it to appear more masculine in disposition. Meanwhile, in Japan, the same communal pose from the original Super Famicom release is utilized, and appears to market the game as more gender-neutral — showing a balance of three male and three female characters. The same cannot be said about the fighting scene depicted on the NDS cover art, which illustrates two “macho” male characters and one supportive female character.
Altogether, the following disparity between NDS localizations still evokes the same anime aesthetic characteristic of the Japanese and their strong, longstanding comic book culture. Without a doubt, the anime aesthetic was preserved — regardless of branding distinctions — and still serves as a successful example of Japan’s soft power or “persuasive approach to international relations,”1 in this case, through cultural influence. On behalf of this trend, Japanese culture continues to be expressed across the world and, as a result, has been articulated to North American gaming communities in the form of Chrono Trigger’s anime aesthetic.
Works Cited:
[1] soft power. Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 29 July 2015.
