My final choice of topic to explore will be Monster Hunter and its transition into the mainstream culture in the West. The main reason I find this an interesting topic is due to Monster Hunter being extremely popular in Japan. It is not uncommon to see people playing Monster Hunter on the transit and there are various other factors that enhance that popularity. As a game made in Japan, there are a lot of Asian motifs and themes that are permeated through the series. Outside of Japan however, the series has not done so well comparatively, being considered a niche game series that people heard about but never really discussed. The latest installment however, Monster Hunter World, has given Monster Hunter a lot of attention and transitioned the series into mainstream in West. In making Monster Hunter a game series to be embraced outside of Japan lead to many shifts in the philosophy and presentation of the game. As a result, many Western elements were implemented that also reflect the differences in gaming culture between Japan and the West. The project will be a subsequent deep look at the foundations of Monster Hunter and how it has grown from a niche game in the West to a mainstream one.
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I think this is a great topic. There a lot of elements in that game that contain a hybrid of ideas, whether it be armor style, weapons, combat and even some of the game’s philosophies. I think an in depth look at the game can reveal a lot of cross cultural connections. I think another aspect to look into is the Hud layout and UI in the games prior to the latest installment. There tends to be quite a difference between mainstream western and Japanese games.
Interesting topic! This is something I am unfamiliar with, so I am excited to see what you do with this topic! Will your paper include a discussion of appropriation vs appreciation of Monster hunters?
I see that lots of people seem to be gravitating towards games in one sense or the other, but especially video games. I have never heard of this one, but to be fair I don’t play them myself. I am very excited to learn more and see how this and the other games students are researching compare.