Production Column: Part 7

Since traditional gamebooks are physical books, the book itself doesn’t play music that captures the game’s world or produce sound effects. However, *Witch of the Dark Castle* features truly wonderful music. The composer is Mr. Hitoshi Sakimoto of Basiscape Co., Ltd. The first time I heard the beautiful melodies Mr. Sakimoto had woven together, tears streamed endlessly from my eyes.

I felt a grand, yet very gentle energy—like the wind or the earth itself. I still remember that day clearly. As I write this, tears are welling up again.

I love music. For as long as I can remember, I’ve listened to some kind of music while working (mainly when drawing). It’s fair to say that I draw using music as my source of energy. Perhaps I act as a converter, transforming music into art.

Over 20 years ago, my boss at the time said, “Music is my source of energy for painting.” I also had a colleague who said, “Cigarettes are my source of energy.”

I think all of you are also drawing on some kind of energy to carry out your activities.

Negative energy slows you down and sometimes even stops you in your tracks. Let’s try to surround ourselves with positive energy every day so we can stay healthy and energetic until the very end!

In addition to the music, “Witch of the Dark Castle” features realistic sound effects that really set the mood. You'll hear the sound of pages turning, dice rolling, coins being tossed, numbers being written with a pencil, and numbers being erased with an eraser!

If you move the cursor to the top of the play screen, you'll be taken to the menu screen where the old wizard is. If you turn off the background music there, you'll be able to hear the sound effects more clearly. This might make it feel even more like you’re playing a gamebook.

Also, certain characters’ lines are voiced. The voice actors delivered so many charming and truly compelling performances! I listened in remotely during the recording sessions, and I was moved and amazed by everyone’s incredible acting skills from start to finish. I think they’re truly amazing. I apologize for my limited vocabulary, but I want to study hard to become a poet so I can praise them for generations to come.

I think you can get a glimpse of this in the promotional video and demo version of this title. I would be thrilled if you could give them a listen!

Digitalis Publishing, Yoshio Nishimura