When gamers hear of Type-Moon, chances are they’d remember the Fate franchise - especially Fate/stay night where Masters and Servants fight to the death, all for the sake of one wish. Such was the acclaim of the Fate franchise that it spawned an entire universe of games, anime, manga, and other media that explored the world of Artoria Pendragon, her fellow Servants, and the Holy Grail War. However, fans of Type-Moon would be quick to tell other Fate fans that there’s more to the studio than just the Fate franchise.
If one were to look close enough, Type-Moon actually has a lot of other releases that fall outside the purview of the standard Fate story. Aside from other IPs in visual novels, Type-Moon also has other releases that explore unique stories. However, just what are the best games and releases from Type-Moon that aren’t a part of the Fate series?
10 Girls’ Work (TBA)
- Platforms: Anime
Originally announced as an all-ages visual novel back in 2008, Type-Moon announced that Girls’ Work would become an anime instead. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any definite release date for the anime since its inclusion in the Ufotable team’s 2013 lineup, but the team did say they haven’t forgotten about the project.
According to what fans know so far, Girls’ Work takes place in an alternate version of Shinjuku that merged with Paris, becoming “the city that dreams.” Starring in the anime is Shirube Asube, a symbol of the city’s freedom with the power to actually exert her influence over the city’s events. Accompanying her are her friends Jizeru, a yakuza assassin with secret powers, and the good-spirited and seemingly-ordinary Ariso. It’s thrilling enough that Girls’ Work is an all-ages work - something Type-Moon isn’t known to do - and its premise sparks intrigue as to what supernatural creatures lurk in Shinjuku during Shirube’s adventures.
9 Tsukihime (2000)
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Android, MacOS, ChromeOS
One could consider Tsukihime as the first visual novel under Type-Moon’s belt, and one that jump-started the team’s fame for extremely deep narratives. In the story, protagonist Shiki Tohno survives a fatal injury at a young age, and is now possessing the ability to see “death lines” that when pressed can break anything - living or otherwise. When he moves back to the town of Misaki in 1999, Shiki adjusts to life as a normal high school student. That is, until he meets supernatural creatures such as vampires that call themselves Dead Apostles, among others. He eventually meets Arcueid Brunestud, a girl with a mysterious past.
Set in its own timeline, Tsukihime showcased the potential of Type-Moon in creating deep universes with immersive lore. The setting’s unique take on the coexistence of vampires and other supernatural creatures, coupled with Shiki’s mysterious ability, makes for a great supernatural action drama even prior to its remakes. Being a VN, the game also features five routes across two scenarios, with players able to unlock a new epilogue after finishing all routes.
8 Tsukihime: A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon (2021)
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Players who want to experience a new take on the Tsukihime experience can also grab A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon, the half of a two-part remake of the series. In this version, players can replay the original Tsukihime story but with the choice of only two routes, that of Arcueid’s via “Moon Princess'' and Ciel’s via “Rainbow in the Night.” It’s notable that this version of the remake adapts the “Near Side of the Moon” scenario in the original VN that also stars the two heroines.
Aside from updated graphics and visuals, A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon also lacks the erotic aspects of the original VN, making this quite a safe for work experience. Considering the dated graphics and crude gameplay of the original release, the updated gameplay and visual options for A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon adds a modern and refreshing take on the reading experience.
7 Tsukihime: The Other Side Of Red Garden (TBA)
- Platforms: TBA
Players who played through A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon can unlock a secret ending that teases this other half of the Remake series. Called The Other Side Of Red Garden, th series adapts the “Far Side of the Moon” scenario of the original VN, this time with routes focusing on Shiki’s sister Akiha, as well as the Tohno family maids Hisui and Kohaku.
What perhaps makes The Other Side of Red Garden exciting for fans is its inclusion of a route for Satsuki Yumizuka, one of Shiki’s classmates. Fans can remember her route being scrapped for the original game, which makes its inclusion in The Other Side of Red Garden a means to truly “complete” the intended Tsukihime experience, at least based on the writer’s true vision.
6 Kagetsu Tohya (2001)
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows
Also translated as “Ten Nights Of The Verses And Moon,” Kagetsu Tohya serves as the sequel to the Tsukihime visual novel. At its core, the game is composed of a longer main arc known as “Twilight Glass Moon, Fairy Tale Princess” with multiple branches, but it also has a series of ten side stories known collectively as “Ten Nights of Dream.”
In Kagetsu Tohya, Shiki finds himself in an accident approximately a year after Tsukihime’s events. He eventually realizes that he’s been repeating the same day over and over, soon realizing that he has to find the dream’s creator, Len, if he wishes to escape. Unlike Tsukihime, Kagetsu Tohya has a lot more choices that radically affect the way facts are presented in the story. In one instance, Shiki choosing to accompany Akiha to school will have them go to the same school, but choosing not to accompany her will have them go to different schools.
5 Melty Blood: Type Lumina (2021)
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Fans who wanted characters in Type-Moon media would not have to look further as the original Melty Blood is exactly that, telling a story after the events of Satsuki Yumizuka’s nonexistent Tsukihime route and Kagetsu Tohya wherein Shiki has to investigate a string of serial murders. In Melty Blood: Type Lumina, its events take place ten days before the A Piece of Blue Glass Moon game, with each character having a separate Story Mode.
Unlike the 30+ character roster of the original Melty Blood, Type Lumina instead has a total of 18 characters, each with their fully-developed fighting styles and combo strings. Fighting game fans will be intrigued by new systems introduced in Type Lumina, such as auto-combos (Rapid Beat), power moves (Moon Skills), and power-ups (Moon Drive).
4 Kara No Kyoukai (1998)
- Platforms: Light Novel
Fans who want to deep dive into Type-Moon works might want to begin with Kara no Kyoukai, the light novel that served as the team’s debut. Set in its own universe separate from Fate, the story of Kara no Kyoukai stars Shiki Ryougi, a teenage girl who becomes a demon hunter after being gifted with the “Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.” Fans can recall these eyes as being the same eyes that Shiki Tohno possesses in Tsukihime, those that let its users see “death lines” that can break anything in existence.
In Tsukihime, readers can witness Shiki’s adventures as a demon hunter while her friend, Mikiya Kokutou, tries to get close to her. Their misadventures would lead them to become supernatural investigators for Garan no Dou, a detective agency for investigator Touko Aozaki. Despite the series’ rather “grounded” supernatural premise, a lot of concepts in Kara no Kyoukai would eventually make its way to Tsukihime and Fate, as this story did serve as a prototype for the two works.
3 World Conquest Zvezda Plot (2014)
- Platforms: Anime
One of the wackier takes of Type-Moon with regards to storytelling has to be World Conquest Zvezda Plot, with a story centering around the adventures of Lady Venera and her Zvezda organization. As she tries to proclaim every so often, the primary goal of Zvezda is World Conquest, and alongside Lady Venera are her agents, including a robot. Their lives change when Asuta Jimon, a middle-schooler runaway, ends up being roped into their schemes. With nothing to offer but his cooking skills, Asuta must defeat an organization named Light that is hell-bent on stopping their schemes.
Although more comedic compared to Type-Moon’s deeper works, the wacky world-building in World Conquest Zvezda Plot makes it a must-watch for any curious fan. This is especially the case for those who want a palate cleanser from Type-Moon’s more intense narratives.
2 DDD (2007)
- Platforms: Light Novel
One of the more mysterious novels in the Type-Moon slate is DDD or Decoration Disorder Disconnection. In its world, a mysterious disease known as the Abnormal Agonist Syndrome has become prevalent in Japan. Due to how it affects neurotransmitters, patients of the Agonist Syndrome may acquire new body parts and even supernatural abilities, although at the cost of forcing necrosis in their bodies The story of DDD officially begins when Arika Ishizue, a boy without his left arm, is introduced to Kaie Karyou, a boy with access to prosthetic limbs.
Despite its rather grounded sci-fi premise, DDD has no links to both Tsukihime and Fate universes. This makes its story quite standalone, making its lore deep enough for fans but not too intense that it becomes overwhelming.
1 Fire Girl (2012)
- Platforms: Light Novel
In Fire Girl, readers are introduced to Homura Hinooka, an average school girl who, unbeknownst to all the guys who have a crush on her, is a bit lazy and kind of a goofball. And while she’s adamant not to join any school clubs, a schoolmate named Takumi Touya invited her to join the Exploration Club as their “magician.” Not only that, Touya wants her to join him and two other classmates in their adventure exploring the uncharted planet known as Imaginary Earth: Nutella.
This level of craziness for a premise is what readers might expect from a Type-Moon work, and this isekai series is quite unlike what fans of Tsukihime and Fate would expect. With Homura being just as incredulous to what she’s seeing as readers would be, Fire Girl becomes quite an isekai adventure to relate to.
Melty Blood: Type Lumina was released on September 30, 2021 for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.