THE GOTHIC IN ANIMAMUNDI THE DARK ALCHEMIST

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide a structural and in-depth analyses of the Gothic visual novel “Animamundi the Dark Alchemist”. In order to fulfil my objective, I have divided my paper in three main focus points. The first chapter lays the bases of the analysis, as it presents the theory I have applied in the last part of the paper. It starts from outlining the conventions of the Gothic novel, as set in place by Horace Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto”, then it explains how the genre has changed over time, to suit the tastes of different audiences. The various locations, character tropes and motifs presented are a valuable aid when discussing the Gothic nature of a text or film. The second chapter incorporates a short history of the visual novel, from the very first format to the present. Understanding the concept of a visual novel and how it is constructed is an important step before analysing it. Despite its Japanese origins, the history behind the term shows the interconnectedness between the Western official commercial translations and fandom, whose influence on the market only grows more day by day. In addition, this chapter also explores the extent to which the company that had licenced “Animamundi” has contributed to this process, even if unintentionally. The third chapter starts with a short summary of the vastly intricate storyline of this visual novel. “Animamundi” is a game so inherently Gothic because most of its plot and motifs are typical to the genre. In addition, each character fits or breaks a Gothic trope, with twists and turns which never leave the game, as multiple characters have secret identities. Besides the main plotline, “Animamundi” has been attentively created by utilizing a cesspool of materials borrowed from different sources. Intertextuality, both at the level of the characters and at the level of the story, is widely present in this visual novel, its source of inspiration being incredibly diverse.