Ni No Kuni, The Anime, The Game and How They’re Related

Nothing is more exciting than your favorite film generated into an online game. If the digital world offered you the opportunity to play the character that you just once saw on screen, would you still hesitate? For sure, you would not. You will play the lead role. The character sets out to save his princess and battles all of the planet’s villains in order to save the world.

This is what Ni No Kuni will make you feel. You’ll undoubtedly be intrigued about what it’s like to be that character after watching the entire film. Kill that curiosity! Allow yourself to dive into that fictional universe. Let’s take a closer look at the anime itself, the game, and how they are related. 

The Anime

Ni No Kuni is an anime adaptation of an infamous video game series. It was first released on August 23, 2019, in Japan and was introduced on Netflix on the 16th of January 2020 by Studio Ghibli. It’s considered the first-ever feature-length work by Yoshiyuki Momose, who also contributed a lot both for the film and the video game series with the composer, Joe Hisaishi. 

Although the film’s narrative is not totally similar to the game’s plot, there are some elements that are flawlessly portrayed by the game itself. This includes racial diversity, visual graphics, names, and characters. Let’s take a closer peek at these main characters from the film. 

Main Characters

Oliver – The entire story revolves around this boy named Oliver. He’s described as a peaceful, kind-hearted, and polite person who resides at Motorville. What makes him distinct from other typical heroes is his good-natured appearance. He also has a strong sense of justice. Even though people are living in a flawed universe, Oliver believed that humanity is destined for the greater good. 

It is also clear from the film that Oliver treats everyone equally, including strangers. As a result, he becomes more likable and trustworthy. Oliver chooses to be kind and true to these folks, even though they have wronged him before.

Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum – Evan founded a new kingdom called Evermore. He was Ding Dong Dell’s young king and was known for his kind heart and determination. After the tragic death of Evan’s mother, Ding Dong Dell handmaiden Aranella was entrusted to watch after him. 

He was unable to make his kingsbond prior to the coup despite being a rightful ruler. This leaves him helpless to fight back. When he tried to recover his fallen kingdom, Oliver found a  new kingdom that made his people and Aranella safe from any violence.  

Roland Crane - Roland Crance is from Ichi no Kuni, but before he was magically transported to Ding Dong Dell, he was chosen to be President of an unknown country. He specializes in using swords and guns and became Evan’s Chief Consul and loyal companion. He was also in charge of Evermore’s politics and even drafted the Interdependence Treaty.

Being the chief consul, he always advises Evan on all political-related matters. However, in Chapter 7, Roland was assumed to be a traitor, but it was all part of a smart scheme to restore the Mark of Kings to Evan.

Chloe - Chloe is also a human being from Ichi no Kuni who believes that every part of Ni No Kuni is a huge part of the game entitled “Soul Divers.” She is described as an optimistic Soul Diver, but unpredictable. Aside from Cluu and Platypaws, she likes all the adorable things in the world. 

The Plot

Haru and his friends, Yuu and Kotona, are just enjoying the peaceful life of High School together. However, there was a day that they failed to avoid. Kotona was suddenly stabbed by a suspicious man. The two boys hastily carried Kotona to the hospital, but they were nearly hit by a truck. After the incident, they find themselves in a different world with a diverse group of people and creatures. 

In this fairytale-like world, Yuu, who has been confined in a wheelchair, could suddenly walk. However, they don’t have enough time to solve the puzzle because Kotona is gone. They set out to find their friend but were taken aback by what they discovered. She suddenly became the kingdom’s princess. 

The Game

Due to its appealing visual graphics, the game series hooked the attention of gamers worldwide. Studio Ghibli, the reason behind its popularity, has been creating thousands of masterpieces for almost four decades now. For those people who adore Ghibli films will surely love to play this well-known digital game. The creator perfectly combines the thrilling narrative, exciting characters, and stunning visuals in a single game. 

Ni No Kuni is quite an entertaining game. You will find yourself lost with its minion-based combats, collection of various creatures, and varying gameplays such as Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. 

Ni No Kuni has already created a huge space in the gaming community due to its distinct elements and stunning visuals. Though it hasn’t yet reached a massive appeal as RPG franchises, the game’s second installment for PC and PlayStation 4, Ni No Kuni II, had reached a million sales after it was launched. It also received an award as the Best of Gamescom trade fair in 2017 and as the Best RPG in the same year. Without a doubt, this should be on your top list. 

How Are They Related?

Ni no Kuni follows in the footsteps of its game forefathers in terms of visual aesthetics.  The film resembles a video game sequence in certain instances, with generated pixels on a more painted frame. 

The music, on the other hand, is excellent, carefully composed to complement the game’s visual graphics. You will surely love the entire soundtrack and might get a copy of it since it’s all based on Joe Hisaishi’s work on the first Ni no Kuni game on the Nintendo DS.

Ni no Kuni is a slightly above-average isekai story that stumbles on its own grounds. It has a decent narrative but could have been better if they could add more support and a more thrilling plot.

Same with Ocarina of Time (1998) and Xenogears (1998), most digital games are narrative-driven where the characters are the player’s avatar. Most modern Japanese role-playing games, including Ni no Kuni, fit within this category. Games that effortlessly mix gameplay and narrative alterations deserve a big spot on your gaming list. 

Most narrative-driven games spend the majority of their time in the second act. A normal two-hour film is broken into three acts: a half-hour first act, an hour second act, and another half-hour for the third act which may make up a more entertaining role-playing video game. 

The second act of Ni no Kuni is filled with adventure, cavens, missions, boat trips, dungeons, and eventually a dragon. You will be encouraged to experiment with various party combinations. If you also prefer Japanese role-playing features, you will surely appreciate its stunning fighting techniques as well as the equipment. 

Final Word

The connection between the two parallel universes is a key aspect of both Ni No Kuni game and the film. The primary protagonists in this film are from our world and have crossed over into an entirely different universe. The movie portrays various races including fairies with Welsh accents. It’s impossible for us to compare video games to movies. Both are total works of art with an appealing soundtrack and integrating visual graphics that offer the audience a one-of-a-kind experience.