It seems that visual novels are not that popular outside of Japan. Or, at least, they are only appreciated in remote (and tiny) circles. Since the Western marked prefers to sink money into more “commercial” crap that is easier to understand, organizations that deal with visual novels are falling, one by one.

This is the recent case of Hirameki International, a publishing and translating company that “took care” of delightful gaming products like Ai Yori Aoshi (one of my all-time favourite), Tea Society of a Witch, and Phantom of Inferno. After their departments in Los Angeles were closed, due to huge financial loses, Hirameki announced that they will step down from the visual novel industry - and the sad thing happened on January 2nd.

Ah well, like they say... There is no BOOM in OOM. Sad, but true. If such companies are being eviscerated constantly due to the lack of interest, who the hell will translate them visual novels? Because I know that Japan won’t, they are a bunch of lazy ecchi people.

ANN scoop.