Saya no Uta: The Song of Saya

Last updated
Saya no Uta
Saya no Uta cover.jpg
Developer(s) Nitroplus
Publisher(s)
Director(s) Gen Urobuchi
Producer(s) Digitarou
Artist(s) Higashiguchi Chuuou
Writer(s) Gen Urobuchi
Composer(s) Zizz Studio
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Android [1]
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • JP: December 26, 2003
  • WW: May 5, 2013
Android
  • JP: April 17, 2014
Blu-ray game
  • JP: February 28, 2013
Genre(s) Visual novel, eroge
Mode(s)Single player

Saya no Uta [2] is a horror eroge visual novel computer game. [3] It was developed by Nitroplus and was first released only in Japan in December 2003, it follows the story of a young student who suffers bizarre cognitive disorder-like symptoms that progress into constant horrific visual scenery that occurred after enduring a car accident that killed his entire family, sans himself. The original plot was written by Gen Urobuchi, who took inspiration from reading Lovecraft novels during a lonely time in his life. [4] [ failed verification ]

Contents

In 2009, an English fan translation patch was released. Later, in 2013, American company JAST USA officially published an English localization using a revised version of the fan translation and also re-released hardcopies on DVD-ROM in 2020 for outlets such as J-List with a more modern VN engine. A Chinese version was also released by Kagura Games in co-publishing with JAST for the game service Steam, which also takes use of a more-modernized engine in its code, though this version is heavily censored due to China's censorship regarding pornographic material. The game was released on GOG under the moniker of "Directors Cut", although no changes were made to the originally intended writing or visuals. [5]

A three-issue comic book based on Saya no Uta, called Song of Saya, has been produced by IDW Publishing. [6] [7] The monthly issues were released from February though April 2010. [8] This westernized take was panned by critics for being unfaithful to the source material at best, and for avoiding and sanitizing the heavy and unsettling plot points touched on in the VN and not showing understanding of the original work at worst. [9] [10]

A feature film adaptation was in development by Sav! The World Productions, although no news has been shared since 2017. [11]

Plot

Fuminori Sakisaka is a young medical student whose life changes when he and his parents are involved in a car accident, with Fuminori as the only survivor. Due to a side effect of a head injury he sustains in the accident, and life-saving brain surgery, Fuminori develops a bizarre condition that permanently affects the way he perceives his environment. People around him appear as hideous lumps of flesh and organs; spoken words sound like grunts and screeches, normal meals taste and smell awful, and his sense of touch is impaired. Over time, Fuminori's grotesque perception of the world affects his mental health, and he falls into severe depression. One day, as he contemplates suicide during a hospital stay, he meets Saya, whom he sees as a lovely young girl dressed in white. In reality, Saya is a monstrous and carnivorous creature whose hideousness drives the average onlooker to madness. Fuminori, desperate to make contact with anything that resembles humanity, and Saya, amazed by Fuminori's reaction to her, become lovers and move in together. Eventually they become deeply dependent on one another.

Fuminori grows increasingly cold and distant from his friends, notably expressing his disgust for Yoh after she confesses her romantic feelings for him. Yoh's friend, Omi, enraged, enters Fuminori's home to confront him for his abrasiveness, and ends up getting murdered and eaten by Saya. Saya then prepares some of Omi's corpse for Fuminori without his knowledge, and he finds the look and taste of human flesh delicious. As Koji, Fuminori's long-time friend and Omi's boyfriend, begins to investigate Fuminori's increasingly strange behavior, Saya visits Fuminori's neighbor, Yosuke, and changes his perception into the same as Fuminori's as an experiment. Yosuke, driven insane, kills his family and rapes Saya before being caught and killed by Fuminori.

From here, Saya offers to mend Fuminori's brain. If Fuminori accepts, his misperception disappears, but Saya leaves him, as she wishes for him not to see her true form. Fuminori is arrested and confined in a mental hospital. Saya goes to look for her missing "father," Professor Ogai, while Fuminori swears to wait forever for her return.

If Fuminori declines Saya's offer, he will learn that he has killed his neighbor and has eaten human flesh. Fuminori decides to take care of the suspicious Koji, driving him to Ogai's mountain cabin and attempting to murder him by pushing him into a well. Saya assaults Yoh before mutating her into the same being as Saya as part of a plan to give Fuminori a "family." This act puts Yoh through hours of torturous pain, and she is reduced to a sex slave for Fuminori's and Saya's desires.

Fuminori's neurologist, Doctor Ryoko Tanbo, saves Koji from the well, aware of Saya and already investigating Ogai. The two discover a secret chamber in the well and find Ogai's corpse and his research of Saya and her species. Next, Koji goes to Fuminori's home and discovers Omi's and the Suzumi family's flesh in his refrigerator. From here, Koji can either call Ryoko or Fuminori. If Koji calls Fuminori, the two confront each other at an abandoned sanctuary. Koji attempts to kill Fuminori but instead finds Yoh, who begs for him to kill her and end her pain. Koji, driven insane by her monstrous appearance, shoots her and beats her to death with a steel pipe before engaging with Fuminori. He overpowers Fuminori, but Saya intervenes and kills him. Saya then collapses and reveals that she is pregnant. She releases her flower petals as her "last gift" to Fuminori, who looks on in joy as the "petals" spread around the world, transforming humanity into the same beings as Saya. Ryoko, hiding in Ogai's mountain cabin, finishes transcribing the research, learning all she can about Saya and her race before resigning herself to her fate of mutation.

If Koji calls Ryoko, the two confront Fuminori. Koji still kills Yoh during the fight, but before Saya can kill him, Ryoko arrives and gives Koji liquid nitrogen, which he proceeds to throw on Saya, freezing her. Despite being mortally wounded by Fuminori, Ryoko still manages to shoot Saya with a shotgun and shatters her frozen body. Upon seeing Saya shatter, Fuminori commits suicide, after which the severely wounded Saya crawls over to die alongside him as Koji beats her to death. The bizarre incident leaves Koji, the sole survivor, with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Suffering from hallucinations and nightmares, he also wonders if other aberrations like Saya exist in the world's dark corners. He buys a single bullet for his revolver in the hopes of committing suicide and finding solace in death when he cannot carry on anymore.

Characters

Fuminori Sakisaka (匂坂 郁紀, Sakisaka Fuminori)
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (credited as Hikaru)
The protagonist of the game. A medical school student, he suffers a near-fatal traffic accident that kills his parents and leaves his perception of life permanently altered. As he wades through a "world gone berserk" of flesh and blood, he seeks the affection of the only thing he sees as normal—a mysterious girl named Saya, whom he falls madly in love with. Over time, due to Saya's influence, Fuminori views normal people with apathetic disdain and becomes willing to kill others without remorse with only Saya and, later, Yoh as exceptions. Unless he accepts Saya's offer of removing his agnosia, he gradually becomes a villain throughout the story: a ruthless killer, rapist, and cannibal, finding human flesh delicious through his twisted senses. In the American comic book release, he is known as Josh.
Saya (沙耶)
Voiced by: Naoko Takano (credited as Midori Kawamura)
Saya is a being from another dimension who materialized in this universe for the sole purpose of reproduction. She has no memories of where she came from and is guided only by her instincts. Due to Fuminori's condition, he perceives her as a beautiful young girl in a white dress. Still, in actuality, she is some sort of amorphous, tentacled, fleshy abomination that emits a putrid stench and produces slime. She preys on creatures of all sizes, from cats to human beings, typically killing them by snapping their necks or disembowelment through some unknown means, and then feasting on their internal organs. She is capable of projecting a strong acid, which she uses to digest her food before consuming it, and, in one case, to infiltrate a house by melting the glass of a window. Her true form is never fully revealed, as she immediately kills and consumes any third-party observers and notably because her visage is incomprehensible to humans, rendering them insane. The small amount of information regarding her original form is gleaned entirely from in-game descriptions, which themselves are somewhat vague and never go into detail.
Koji Tonoh (戸尾 耕司, Tonoo Kōji)
Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto (credited as Dajitoro Kataoka)
Fuminori's friend. After Fuminori's accident, he has been trying to help Fuminori's life get back to normal. However, after Koji is almost killed by Fuminori and learns the truth of Fuminori's new character, Koji directly confronts Fuminori's actions and attempts to kill him, with or without the help of Ryoko, depending on the choices made.
Omi Takahata (高畠 青海, Takahata Ōmi)
Voiced by: Hyo-sei (Credited as Erena Kaibara)
Kōji's girlfriend and Yoh's best friend. Since Fuminori's accident, she has become worried about Yoh's sake. After Fuminori blatantly rejects Yoh, Omi goes to Fuminori's house to confront him, and Saya kills her there. Her dismembered remains are stashed in the refrigerator as food for Saya and Fuminori.
Yoh Tsukuba (津久葉 瑤, Tsukuba Yō)
Voiced by: Mio Yasuda (credited as Izumi Yazawa)
A friend of Fuminori who has a crush on him. Since his accident, she has been worried and heartbroken at his sudden change of attitude towards the world. During the story, Yoh is kidnapped and assaulted by Saya before being mutated into the same being she is over hours of tortuous transformation. Fuminori was then able to view Yoh as he formerly did afterward. However, the change caused Yoh unbearable pain, and she begs Koji to kill her later in the story. Koji's mind snaps from the sight of her monstrous form, and he beats her to death with a steel pipe in his horror and confusion.
Ryoko Tanbo (丹保 凉子, Tanbo Ryōko)
Voiced by: Mitsuki Saiga (credited as Makoto Sato)
The physician in charge of Fuminori's condition. She becomes suspicious that Fuminori has been hiding something during his routine checkups after he recovers from his injuries. She is revealed to be a stubborn and paranoid woman searching for the truth behind Ogai's heinous actions and becomes obsessed with killing Saya, the monster of her nightmares. Depending on the ending, Ryoko either lives and figures out the truth of Saya before mutating or dies in battle but manages to take Saya with her.
Yosuke Suzumi (鈴見 洋祐, Suzumi Yōsuke)
Voiced by: Masayuki Onizawa
One of Fuminori's neighbors, a kindly yet somewhat judgemental man who likes to paint. He lives with his wife and daughter in a blissful lifestyle free of want. However, Yosuke's life is turned upside down when Saya changes his brain to the same as Fuminori's in an experiment. Yosuke then turns insane, kills his wife and daughter, who he now perceives as hideous monsters, before raping Saya. Fuminori kills him in revenge.
Masahiko Ogai (奥涯 雅彦, Ōgai Masahiko)
Former professor at the university hospital who disappeared after an incident at the hospital. Both Saya (who calls him "father") and Ryoko had tried to find him in the past, to no avail.

Soundtrack

Made by ZIZZ STUDIO.

  1. "Schizophrenia"
  2. "Sabbath"
  3. "Seek"
  4. "Spooky Scape"
  5. "Song of Saya I"
  6. "Song of Saya II"
  7. "Sin"
  8. "Sunset"
  9. "Shapeshift"
  10. "Scare Shadow"
  11. "Scream"
  12. "Savage"
  13. "Silent Sorrow"
  14. "Song of Saya" (沙耶の唄, Saya no Uta), sung by Kanako Itō
  15. "Shoes of Glass" (ガラスのくつ, Garasu no Kutsu), sung by Kanako Itō

Reception

Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku observed the game as being "known as one of the most messed-up games ever released", [12] but praises how the game makes the player sympathize with the villains—"But perhaps the most fascinating thing about The Song of Saya is that somehow, in the middle of all the horrors it presents, it manages to make the abominable, beautiful." [13]

Gen Urobuchi noted that the popularity of his later work Puella Magi Madoka Magica rekindled interest in Saya no Uta in 2011, so much so that Saya no Uta "made at least as much money as if it's a new game". [14]

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Kyoyama</span> Fictional character

    Anna Kyōyama is a fictional character created by manga author Hiroyuki Takei. She appears in Shaman King as a primary character, while an alternate character with the same name and similar appearance appears in Butsu Zone, and Itako no Anna, a one-shot chapter which focuses on Anna. Takei notes in an interview, that she is like his own personal mascot or good luck charm because Anna appears in so many of his works.

    Ryūkōka is a Japanese musical genre. The term originally denoted any kind of "popular music" in Japanese, and is the sinic reading of hayariuta, used for commercial music of Edo Period. Therefore, imayō, which was promoted by Emperor Go-Shirakawa in the Heian period, was a kind of ryūkōka. Today, however, ryūkōka refers specifically to Japanese popular music from the late 1920s through the early 1960s. Some of the roots of ryūkōka were developed from Western classical music. Ryūkōka ultimately split into two genres: enka and poppusu. Unlike enka, archetypal ryūkōka songs did not use the kobushi method of singing. Ryūkōka used legato. Bin Uehara and Yoshio Tabata are considered to be among the founders of the modern style of kobushi singing.

    Uta∽Kata is a 2004 anime television series. Written differently (泡沫), the title can refer to bubbles and is used as such in the ending theme.

    <i>No. 5</i> (Morning Musume album) 2003 studio album by Morning Musume

    No. 5 is the fifth album from the J-pop idol group Morning Musume, released on March 26, 2003.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Shinpei Nakayama</span>

    Shimpei Nakayama was a Japanese songwriter famous for his many children's songs and popular songs (ryūkōka) that have become deeply embedded in Japanese popular culture.

    <i>A Song to the Sun</i> 2006 film

    A Song to the Sun is a 2006 Japanese film directed by Norihiro Koizumi starring Yui.


    Ryoko Moriyama is a Japanese folk singer and actress. Her father is Hisashi Moriyama, a pioneer of Japanese jazz. Her son Naotarō Moriyama is a singer. Her first cousin Hiroshi Kamayatsu is also a musician.

    <i>Over Drive</i> (manga) Japanese manga series

    Over Drive is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Yasuda. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 2005 to May 2008, with its chapters collected in 17 tankōbon volumes. A 26-episode anime television series, produced by Xebec and directed by Takao Kato, was broadcast from April to September 2007. The story revolves around the first year high school student Mikoto Shinozaki and his goal to become the greatest cyclist in the world and winning the Tour de France.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanako Itō</span> Japanese singer

    Kanako Itō is a female Japanese singer from Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan. She has sung a large number of songs that have been used in a variety of video games, visual novels, and anime.

    <i>Chaos;Head</i> 2008 video game

    Chaos;Head is a 2008 science fiction visual novel video game developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus. It is the first game in the Science Adventure series. Following the original Windows release, the enhanced version Chaos;Head Noah was released for Xbox 360 in 2009, and has since been ported to multiple platforms. An English localization was released by Spike Chunsoft for Nintendo Switch and Windows in 2022. The game follows Takumi Nishijou, who gets involved in the "New Gen" serial murder case. He frequently experiences delusions and hallucinations, some of which the player can influence, which affects the progression of the story.

    <i>Naisho no Tsubomi</i> Japanese manga series

    Naisho no Tsubomi is a Japanese slice of life romance shōjo manga series authored by Yū Yabūchi, and published by Shogakukan. 8 volumes were released in Japan, the last on April 27, 2012. An OVA anime for the series was released on April 24, 2008. A second OVA episode was released in June, 2008. The series received the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for children's manga. It was published in French by Delcourt. Sentai Filmworks released the OVA in North America in January 2018.

    <i>Onidere</i> Japanese manga series

    Onidere (オニデレ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Crystal na Yōsuke. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from April 2008 to February 2011, with its chapters collected in 11 tankōbon volumes.

    <i>Journey Under the Midnight Sun</i> Book by Keigo Higashino

    Journey Under the Midnight Sun is a mystery novel written by Keigo Higashino, first serialized in the monthly novel magazine Subaru from Shueisha from January 1997 to January 1999. The entire volume was published in August 1999 and became a bestseller.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Nada Sōsō</span> 2001 single by Ryoko Moriyama

    "Nada Sōsō" is a song written by Japanese band Begin and singer Ryoko Moriyama. It was first released by Moriyama in 1998, but achieved popularity through the cover version by Rimi Natsukawa in 2001.

    <i>I Dont Like You at All, Big Brother!!</i> Japanese manga series

    I Don't Like You at All, Big Brother!! is a Japanese seinen manga series written and illustrated by Kouichi Kusano which was serialized on Futabasha's Web Comic High! service from August 2008 to September 2016. It has been licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. It has been adapted by Zexcs into an anime series which aired in Japan between January 9, 2011, and March 27, 2011. An additional original video animation (OVA) episode has also been released. A character song CD and a mini-CD soundtrack was adapted from the anime.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">19-sai no Uta</span> 2010 single by Mao Abe

    "19-sai no Uta" is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Mao Abe, released on November 3, 2010.

    <i>Ao Haru Ride</i> Japanese manga series

    Ao Haru Ride is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Io Sakisaka. It began serialization in the February 2011 issue of Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret and ended in February 2015.

    <i>Meiji Tokyo Renka</i> Japanese visual novel, game, and anime series

    Meiji Tokyo Renka is a Japanese visual novel series produced by Mages, with character design and art provided by Karu. The series follows Mei Ayazuki, a high school girl who is sent back in time to the Meiji period and explores her relationships with spirits and Japanese historical figures.

    Characters of the <i>Yakuza</i> series

    Japanese video game developer Sega's Yakuza media franchise, known as Ryū ga Gotoku in its native Japan and other Asian territories, features an extensive cast of characters. This article describes notable characters who appear in the Yakuza main series video games and associated remasters or remakes, with characters sorted by organizations or groups according to the original works. The English-language adaptation equivalents are mentioned when available.

    References

    1. "Android版『沙耶の唄』配信開始!" (in Japanese). Nitroplus. April 17, 2014. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
    2. 沙耶の唄, lit. "The Song of Saya
    3. "沙耶の唄 Nitro the Best! Vol.2 Windows 10対応版". ニトロプラス (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
    4. "沙耶の唄 STAFF COMMENT". www.nitroplus.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
    5. "Saya no Uta ~ The Song of Saya Director's Cut". GOG.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
    6. Manning, Shaun (March 4, 2010). "Liatowitsch & Ocvirk Sing a "Song of Saya"". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 7, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
    7. THEoDEAD (April 22, 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: Interview With 'Song Of Saya' Team Daniel Liatowitsch And Todd Ocvirk PLUS A 5 Page Look At Issue #1!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
    8. "February's Exciting New Books from IDW!". IDW Publishing. November 24, 2009. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
    9. "Song of Saya Has its Own American Comic Book (And It's Not Very Good)". Kotaku. 21 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
    10. Zavarise, Giada (2020-07-02). "How a comic tried to reimagine cult visual novel Song Of Saya". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
    11. "Interview avec Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, le créateur d'Oban !" [Interview with Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, the creator of Oban!] (in French). Otacrew. March 1, 2017. Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
    12. "Song of Saya Has its Own American Comic Book (And It's Not Very Good)". Kotaku. May 21, 2013. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
    13. "Saya no Uta — The Song of Saya: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. May 21, 2013. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
    14. Kajita, Mafia (June 17, 2011). 「鬼哭街」から「沙耶の唄」「魔法少女まどか☆マギカ」までミッチリ質問攻め! [Very hard barrage of questions from Kikoku street, Song of Saya to Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magika!] (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.