Mojib-Ribbon
Encyclopedia
is a music video game
created by Masaya Matsuura
as a pseudo-sequel to his earlier music game, Vib-Ribbon
(1999, PS1
). A direct sequel called Vib-Ripple
was released in 2004. The releases are comparable to the releases of the earlier PaRappa
series (also a Matsuura series) where the original was followed by a pseudo-sequel and then a direct sequel a few years later.
Whereas in Vib-Ribbon the gameplay centered around the player's interaction with the melody of the song being played, in Mojib-Ribbon the gameplay centers on the player's interaction with the lyrics. As such, the music employed in the game is heavily lyrics-oriented rap music. The game's art-style is centered on traditional sumi-e
and Japanese kana
calligraphy
. This has led to claims that the game is incomprehensible to non-Japanese audiences, however the simplicity of gameplay have allowed numerous import gamers
(typically also fans of Masaya Matsuura
's oeuvre) to enjoy the game as well, and guides exist online regarding menu navigation instructions for non-Japanese speakers.
style who wishes to become a famous rapper
(similar to PaRappa the Rapper) and to find the truest rap of them all. In each level, Mojibri walks around a circle of clouds as rap lyrics written in kana
pass underneath. The player must press up on the joystick to get Mojibri to dip his fude
in the suzuri and then down to get Mojibri to write the kana as he sings it. The songs are heavily rhythm-based raps, and the player must time the application of the fude to the washi
during lyrics and to the suzuri during breaks.
Later in the game Mojibri is joined by a female friend named and a huge robot called . These characters have individual calligraphy styles.
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
created by Masaya Matsuura
Masaya Matsuura
is a video game designer and musician based in Tokyo, Japan. He was born in Osaka on June 16, 1961, and majored in Industrial Society at Ritsumeikan University. He has worked extensively with music and images, and has been active with the J-Pop band,...
as a pseudo-sequel to his earlier music game, Vib-Ribbon
Vib-Ribbon
is a video game for Sony PlayStation. Developed by Masaya Matsuura and his NanaOn-Sha company, and released in Japan in 1999...
(1999, PS1
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
). A direct sequel called Vib-Ripple
Vib-Ripple
is a video game for the PlayStation 2 created by Masaya Matsuura and his studio NanaOn-Sha. It is the sequel to the 1999 PlayStation game Vib-Ribbon...
was released in 2004. The releases are comparable to the releases of the earlier PaRappa
PaRappa the Rapper
is a rhythm video game for the Sony PlayStation created by Masaya Matsuura and his NanaOn-Sha company....
series (also a Matsuura series) where the original was followed by a pseudo-sequel and then a direct sequel a few years later.
Whereas in Vib-Ribbon the gameplay centered around the player's interaction with the melody of the song being played, in Mojib-Ribbon the gameplay centers on the player's interaction with the lyrics. As such, the music employed in the game is heavily lyrics-oriented rap music. The game's art-style is centered on traditional sumi-e
Ink and wash painting
Ink and wash painting is an East Asian type of brush painting also known as ink wash painting. Only black ink — the same as used in East Asian calligraphy — is used, in various concentrations....
and Japanese kana
Kana
Kana are the syllabic Japanese scripts, as opposed to the logographic Chinese characters known in Japan as kanji and the Roman alphabet known as rōmaji...
calligraphy
Japanese calligraphy
is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. For a long time, the most esteemed calligrapher in Japan had been Wang Xizhi, a Chinese calligrapher in the 4th century but after the invention of Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese unique syllabaries, the distinctive...
. This has led to claims that the game is incomprehensible to non-Japanese audiences, however the simplicity of gameplay have allowed numerous import gamers
Import gamers
Import gamers are a subset of the video game player community that take part in the practice of playing video games from another region, usually from Japan where the majority of games for certain systems originate.- Reasons for importing :...
(typically also fans of Masaya Matsuura
Masaya Matsuura
is a video game designer and musician based in Tokyo, Japan. He was born in Osaka on June 16, 1961, and majored in Industrial Society at Ritsumeikan University. He has worked extensively with music and images, and has been active with the J-Pop band,...
's oeuvre) to enjoy the game as well, and guides exist online regarding menu navigation instructions for non-Japanese speakers.
Gameplay
In Mojib-Ribbon, the player plays the part of (a name similar to that of Vibri from Vib-Ribbon), a character drawn in the sumi-eInk and wash painting
Ink and wash painting is an East Asian type of brush painting also known as ink wash painting. Only black ink — the same as used in East Asian calligraphy — is used, in various concentrations....
style who wishes to become a famous rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
(similar to PaRappa the Rapper) and to find the truest rap of them all. In each level, Mojibri walks around a circle of clouds as rap lyrics written in kana
Kana
Kana are the syllabic Japanese scripts, as opposed to the logographic Chinese characters known in Japan as kanji and the Roman alphabet known as rōmaji...
pass underneath. The player must press up on the joystick to get Mojibri to dip his fude
Ink brush
Ink brushes are used in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and descendant brush painting styles. The ink brush was invented in China, believed to be around 300BCE...
in the suzuri and then down to get Mojibri to write the kana as he sings it. The songs are heavily rhythm-based raps, and the player must time the application of the fude to the washi
Washi
is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
during lyrics and to the suzuri during breaks.
Later in the game Mojibri is joined by a female friend named and a huge robot called . These characters have individual calligraphy styles.
See also
- Vib-RibbonVib-Ribbonis a video game for Sony PlayStation. Developed by Masaya Matsuura and his NanaOn-Sha company, and released in Japan in 1999...
- the prequel - Vib-RippleVib-Rippleis a video game for the PlayStation 2 created by Masaya Matsuura and his studio NanaOn-Sha. It is the sequel to the 1999 PlayStation game Vib-Ribbon...
- the sequel - PaRappa the RapperPaRappa the Rapperis a rhythm video game for the Sony PlayStation created by Masaya Matsuura and his NanaOn-Sha company....
- Matsuura's first rapping game - ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
- a 2006 CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
game done in the sumi-eInk and wash paintingInk and wash painting is an East Asian type of brush painting also known as ink wash painting. Only black ink — the same as used in East Asian calligraphy — is used, in various concentrations....
style