Okami - Video Games as Art

2916 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effect of video games on those who play them

Over the past decade, there has been an ongoing debate over whether video games can be deemed as art. While most are in favor, there have been some detractors (most famously, the late Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times). Meanwhile, that hasn't stopped museums from taking on the challenge of making video game-focused exhibits - most notably, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC and the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY. During my summer holiday, I was able to see the Museum of the Moving Image's video games exhibit in action and came away very impressed at the selection of games that were there - ranging from arcade classics like Space Invaders to newer titles like Super Mario Galaxy 2. My point is that I believe video games to be an art form unlike any other - a truly interactive art form. For that reason, the game which I’ve chosen to analyze as a work of art is one that excels in many areas, including visual impact, conveyance of ideas to the player, and perhaps most importantly, proving the case for why video games should be recognized as art.

Ōkami is an action-adventure video game which was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and in 2008 for the Wii. Being a culmination of various aspects of Japanese folklore, the game stars Ōkami Amaterasu (the goddess of the sun) and is about her quest to save the land of Nippon (Japan) from the evils of Orochi, an evil presence that has brought chaos and darkness to the land. The game is well known for its striking visuals through its variety in art style, with Japanese watercolor, ukiyo-e (Japanese wood carving art) and sumi-e (ink and wash) all coming together to deliver a signature visual aesthetic that ties heavily into the game's source material. Around ...

... middle of paper ...

...Style." GameSpot. CBS Interactive, 7 Sept. 2006. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .

Mielke, James. "All the King's Men - Atsushi Inaba On Keeping Clover Studio At The Head Of The Pack." 1UP.com. IGN Entertainment, 16 Aug. 2006. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .

Shea, Cam. "Okami Interview AU." IGN. IGN Entertainment, 30 Jan. 2007. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .

"Gender in Okami - A Word from Capcom." The Official Okami Fan Page - Facebook. N.p., 28 Jan. 2011. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .

"Ōkami Wiki." Ōkami Wiki - the Wiki about Ōkami, Ōkamiden and More. Wikia, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .

Show More
Related

  • Izutsu or The Well-Cradle Lady

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hare, Thomas B. (1986). Zeami's Style: The Noh Plays of Zeami Motokiyo. Standford, California: Stanford University Press.

    Read More

  • The Fall of Man in Things Fall Apart and Frankenstein

    1349 Words  | 3 Pages

    Okonkwo and Frankenstein begin to experience hardships. When a boy named Ikemefuna is taken from another tribe, he is placed in Okonkwo’s household. He becomes like a son to Okonkwo, and is liked by all of his family. The clan decides that it is now time to kill Ikemefuna.

    Read More

  • Obasan and Poh-Poh

    1469 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Kogawa’s novel, the title character Obasan can be described as having a forceful personality. She is not forceful in the sense that she imposes her will upon others, but rather she stands at the center of the narrative, making it all possible. Obasan is undoubtedly a quiet woman, so it is her actions rather than her words which make her presence so prevalent; she is more of an attitude than a person and she personifies the strength that can be found in silence. As a young woman, she is quiet. As an elderly wom...

    Read More

  • Heiji Monogatari Emaki: Fusion of Onna-e and Otoko-e

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Yamato-e painting not only changed the way landscape painting were illustrated, but also influenced another genre of art called emakimono or emaki. Emakimono was influenced for the East Asian format for writing in which texts are written from right to left. The format of emaki are horizontal and opens from left to right, this provided a natural way to relate text and images . Emakimono are usually depicted in two style otoko-e (men’s picture) and onna-e (women’s pictures). Otoko-e stemmed from the monochrome paintings and paintings with light use of color. These otoko-e painting...

    Read More

  • What is the History and Appeal of Anime?

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Manga Fan Organizations and Conventions." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2007. Student Resources in Context. Web. 4 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • Witches, Witchcraft, and Wicca, Oh My!: American Horror Story Coven

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thakur, Ambika. "Entertainment & Stars News." Coven Season Three: 'American Horror Story' International Business Times AU, 6 Aug. 2013. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. .

    Read More

  • Okonkwo Moral

    2350 Words  | 5 Pages

    when Okonkwo came along and called him.. Okika, one of the six who had been

    Read More

  • Japanese History: The Edo Period

    1267 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Cambridge Companion to Modern Japanese Culture.” Cambridge University Press. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .

    Read More

  • Lara Croft, the Protagonist in You

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...n, regardless of gender. For the entirety of the game, players will find their courage within Lara rather than watching and admiring her triumphs from the sidelines. The interaction between heroine and gamer revolutionizes the standard at which video game heroes and heroines must live up to. Rather than an image of sophistication that ordinary people may have difficulty reaching, Lara’s newfound vulnerability humanizes her struggles into a culturally accessible archetype.

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart Book Report- 11 Pages Long. I Got An A

    2728 Words  | 6 Pages

    Obierika – He is a close and loyal friend to Okonkwo. He is always there for him, even when he is banished for seven years, Obierika still comes to visit Okonkwo and his family in the motherland. He also takes care of the yam distribution and it’s payment because Okonkwo is unable to do so.

    Read More

  • Okonkwo: The Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart

    470 Words  | 1 Pages

    Okonkwo’s fear of unmanliness is kindled by his father, who was a lazy, unaccomplished man. Okonkwo strives to have a high status from a young age and eventually achieves it. He has a large family, many yams and is well known throughout the village for his valor. He raises his family by his mentality of manliness and is ...

    Read More

  • Okonkwo In Umuofia

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    Or Obierika which is Okonkwo’s best friend. and is a well respected man like okonkwo in Umuofia. Also Ikemefuna is a fifteen year old boy from a nearby clan of Mbaino. who is given up to Umuofia for killing one of the women of Umuofia. Lastly this is just some of the many characters in okonkwo's life .

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart: Questions and Answers

    2705 Words  | 6 Pages

    Q1. Describe Okonkwo, the protagonist of Things Fall Apart. Consider him as an Igbo hero character: How does he achieve greatness and defined by his culture? How does he differ from Western heroes you are familiar with? What are Okwonko’s strengths and weaknesses?

    Read More

  • Analysis of Okonkwo inThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    An extreme contrast of his father, Okonkwo strives to appear as masculine as possible. Even though his traits were already considered very masculine, Okonkwo persistently tries to ensure he is not seen as his definition of weak, more so in the presence of his family then others, in an attempt for his sons to act masculine as well. However, not all agree with his interpretation of manliness, such as his son Nwoye and his friend Obierika, as both did not agree with Okonkwo’s actions when he killed the boy Ikemefuna, who viewed Okonkwo as a father, to not appear weak in front of others. Nevertheless, Okonkwo’s true masculinity is still shown throughout the book, such as when he far...

    Read More

More about Okami - Video Games as Art

Open Document