Lunar Silver Star intro totally rips off Ys'

[nodtveidt]

thrush, the Playstation version is nothing like the original Sega CD version. It's like they took the base concept of the game and constructed an entirely new game on top of it... and unfortunately, it sucked.

As for the Lunar/Ys deliberate ripoff... it's blatantly obvious that almost everything in the Lunar intro was directly taken from Ys. Sure, all of it is "anime standard stuff", but the number of "similarities" is too great to be coincidence or "inspired". Hell, they even copied the fade style of the portrait sprites.

[spenoza]

Most of what was in the Ys intro was probably borrowed from something before it. As with any close-knit community of professionals, stealing is homage (to an extent).

[Arm]

It's true the opening shot with the monsters wasn't in the original Ys game, but I think it is clearly inspired by the turbo opening. (nothing wrong with that)

What I mean is that having worked for Falcom, Tomi took some elements as a reference or inspiration, or even wanted maybe to make a tribute.

I guess the intro was storyboarded by kubooka, but I guess we'll never know that for sure.

For Zillion, several scenes in Lunar are carbon copies of scenes of the Op (like the birds flying, the lightning, the 3 characters running together) I'm not criticizing, it's just an observation.


What inspired myriads of openings for anime or games (like Lunar) Conan the future boy Op (by Miyazaki in 1978)

[DragonmasterDan]

Just my 2 cents:

I played Lunar back in the day and loved it, but tried playing the PSX version a few years ago & found it less thrilling than my memories suggested.  Still enjoyable, but there were places where it felt like it could so easily have been so much more....  Maybe it was the update/port that wasn't quite up to snuff but I think some of what was impressive then just doesn't have the same effect now.  For example, regardless of lyrical content or quality simply having an opening vocal track was a big deal for a video game in the early '90s.

I do think it's a great game & well worth playing, just that it hasn't aged as well as some others.  (As a point of comparison, I think Phantasy Star 1 is much more enjoyable now than Final Fantasy 1, though I would have said the opposite in 1988.  And Ys, to my mind, is probably better than both.  ^_-)

The Playstation version of Lunar 1 is widely regarded as inferior to the Sega CD version by fans of the series.

[RR1980]

maybe a little out of topic but another video game and anime connection: The gun used in Zillion is the same gun used for the Sega Master System. Supposedly it was some kinda cross promotion planned bwteen Sega and the studio.

[spenoza]

Hey, if someone has the means to do a side-by-side or scene-by-scene comparison video I'd like to see it. I think this could be an interesting exercise, like Disney re-using their own old animation.

[Arkhan]

Yeah, but alot of this stuff is either standard Anime stuff, (kind of like how bitches and hoes are standard rap CONMENTES), and, there are only so many ways to do cool ass fades and shit on old systems.

It all ripped of Captain Harlock.  Thats what I say.

[thrush]

thrush, the Playstation version is nothing like the original Sega CD version. It's like they took the base concept of the game and constructed an entirely new game on top of it... and unfortunately, it sucked.

I guess it has been longer than I thought for me since those days!

[ParanoiaDragon]

Just my 2 cents:

I played Lunar back in the day and loved it, but tried playing the PSX version a few years ago & found it less thrilling than my memories suggested.  Still enjoyable, but there were places where it felt like it could so easily have been so much more....  Maybe it was the update/port that wasn't quite up to snuff but I think some of what was impressive then just doesn't have the same effect now.  For example, regardless of lyrical content or quality simply having an opening vocal track was a big deal for a video game in the early '90s.

I do think it's a great game & well worth playing, just that it hasn't aged as well as some others.  (As a point of comparison, I think Phantasy Star 1 is much more enjoyable now than Final Fantasy 1, though I would have said the opposite in 1988.  And Ys, to my mind, is probably better than both.  ^_-)

The Playstation version of Lunar 1 is widely regarded as inferior to the Sega CD version by fans of the series.

I'm one of those guys whose first Lunar was the PS1 version, & I love it to pieces compared to the Sega CD version, I'll assume it has more to do with what's been changed, rather then what is or isn't better perse.

[Black Tiger]

Hey, if someone has the means to do a side-by-side or scene-by-scene comparison video I'd like to see it. I think this could be an interesting exercise, like Disney re-using their own old animation.

Here ya go!

I'm one of those guys whose first Lunar was the PS1 version, & I love it to pieces compared to the Sega CD version, I'll assume it has more to do with what's been changed, rather then what is or isn't better perse.

I prefer the Saturn Lunar SSS' and the Sega/Mega-CD Lunar EB. To me, the combined games make up the overall story/experience. I didn't like the GBA Lunar though and haven't tried any new Lunars since.

[spenoza]

BT, thanks for the comparison! As a long-time watcher of anime, I am unconvinced by that comparison that Lunar rips off Ys. Those low-animation cinemas were in their early stages when Ys came out, but some techniques had already been tried on disk-based games on computer systems. The posing and juxtaposition are pretty stock styles in anime and manga in general, as well as the reduced animation tricks. That said, I think it's pretty clear that the Lunar intro does pay a certain respect to Ys. I certainly wouldn't call it a copy or a rip-off, though.

[nodtveidt]

Major differences between the Sega CD version and the PS1 version:

-Characters who fall in battle do not gain XP in the Sega CD version, but do in the PS1 version.... and for a very dumb reason which will be alluded to shortly.
-All bosses in the PS1 version are level-adjusted, eliminating one of the major reasons for level-grinding... gaining power. You suddenly become powerless no matter how strong you are because the boss stats are adjusted to your own. MAJOR STUPID MOVE and the reason for the "automatic revive" if a character falls in battle.
-The Sega CD version had a relatively simplistic story that was entertaining and whimsical. The PS1 version's story was contrived and stupid.
-Mia, who is the epitome of magical asskicking in the Sega CD version, is reduced to a two-bit cantrip-caster in the PS1 version. She's so pathetic that you just want to leave her at home.
-The Sega CD had a semblance of battle strategy... by fighting wisely, you could avoid damage a LOT. In the PS1 version, all potential strategy is gone, and you're healing after EVERY BATTLE no matter how pussified your enemies are.
-Character development, which was relatively weak in the Sega CD version, is completely overdone in the PS1 version. This contributes to said contrived and stupid story. It just comes off as campy and shallow... someone tried too hard to give some message and it ended up as the blatantly obvious.

There are many other differences but these are just the ones I'm awake enough to remember.

[Arm]

You can see similarities concerning the layout of certain scenes : the lightning in the beginning followed by the face of the character, the pink birds flying (cam close up) or the 3 characters running together.

Zillion Op

Lunar Op




It all ripped of Captain Harlock.  Thats what I say.

You mean Alex takes off and leaves earth aboard the Arcadia ?

[DragonmasterDan]

Major differences between the Sega CD version and the PS1 version:

-Characters who fall in battle do not gain XP in the Sega CD version, but do in the PS1 version.... and for a very dumb reason which will be alluded to shortly.
-All bosses in the PS1 version are level-adjusted, eliminating one of the major reasons for level-grinding... gaining power. You suddenly become powerless no matter how strong you are because the boss stats are adjusted to your own. MAJOR STUPID MOVE and the reason for the "automatic revive" if a character falls in battle.
-The Sega CD version had a relatively simplistic story that was entertaining and whimsical. The PS1 version's story was contrived and stupid.
-Mia, who is the epitome of magical asskicking in the Sega CD version, is reduced to a two-bit cantrip-caster in the PS1 version. She's so pathetic that you just want to leave her at home.
-The Sega CD had a semblance of battle strategy... by fighting wisely, you could avoid damage a LOT. In the PS1 version, all potential strategy is gone, and you're healing after EVERY BATTLE no matter how pussified your enemies are.
-Character development, which was relatively weak in the Sega CD version, is completely overdone in the PS1 version. This contributes to said contrived and stupid story. It just comes off as campy and shallow... someone tried too hard to give some message and it ended up as the blatantly obvious.

There are many other differences but these are just the ones I'm awake enough to remember.

I could go on a huge rant about story related changes, and plot holes that arise in the remakes due to changes to the story. But that would include too many spoilers.

[Arkhan]

-All bosses in the PS1 version are level-adjusted, eliminating one of the major reasons for level-grinding... gaining power. You suddenly become powerless no matter how strong you are because the boss stats are adjusted to your own. MAJOR STUPID MOVE and the reason for the "automatic revive" if a character falls in battle.

There is a point for each boss where you are either too weak due to the level adjusting, a point where its a moderate challenge, and a point where the boss is a frigging joke.  Eventually, your own level advancement overtakes the math involved with adjusting bosses.  I once grinded to 99 on everyone, and the magic emperor was a joke. 

-The Sega CD had a semblance of battle strategy... by fighting wisely, you could avoid damage a LOT. In the PS1 version, all potential strategy is gone, and you're healing after EVERY BATTLE no matter how pussified your enemies are.

? Wat