The customisation tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are enabling players to show off their creativity. One of the most impressive things I’ve seen is how Japan during the Showa era (1926-1989) is being brought to life in Animal Crossing.
When Japanese people use the word retro (レトロ) in discussing a building, a town, or fashion, they are typically referring to the Showa or even the earlier Taisho period. (As more time passes in the Reiwa period, the current imperial era, the previous Heisei era, which dates from 1989 to 2019, will increasingly fall under this retro definition.)
Tokyo, sixty years ago. https://t.co/v7p0FSU5eu pic.twitter.com/AqFcTQvuCt
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) April 22, 2020
Greg Girard’s amazing photos of Tokyo in the 1970s are available in his book TOKYO-YOKOSUKA: 1976-1983. Order here: https://t.co/4SDqXPftyU More photos on DesignBoom: https://t.co/soEY3tOnNK pic.twitter.com/M9PNvc7shF
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) June 10, 2019
Akihabara circa 1971. https://t.co/zqsRognk0r pic.twitter.com/P4bWnKljQZ
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) November 26, 2019
Japan in the 1970s. https://t.co/VUflv6R3Oa pic.twitter.com/gxtfh7RmHr
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) March 4, 2019
Twitter user MfsbT6210’s island is filled with Showa-period ads, such as Oronamin C.
商店と仕立て屋の間にがちゃがちゃした賑やかな商店街つくった〜〜！
さすがに物置きすぎたかな、、#あつまれどうぶつの森 #あつ森 pic.twitter.com/N0jHYQY1Zb— u (@MfsbT6210) April 21, 2020
The attention to detail is astounding, and the island evokes Showa Japan. This isn’t an isolated thing. Others are also doing this.
昭和をイメージしてみた#あつまれどうぶつの森 #あつ森 pic.twitter.com/uuo4f8rtOW
— はー (@f_o5c) March 26, 2020
昭和の街並み#どうぶつの森 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/145UED5uPt
— 湯川麦 (@yukawamugi) April 21, 2020
マイデザお借りして昭和風に#あつ森 #あつまれどうぶつの森 pic.twitter.com/KpmbwRSc2T
— まんぼ〜 (@MJNC__) April 19, 2020
昭和っぽい床を作ってみた！#あつ森#マイデザイン pic.twitter.com/btTugJnYM8
— KanaFett (@kanafett) April 16, 2020
Above is a Showa style floor.
「昭和レトロ」、マイデザイン配布中です。良かったら、使って下さい♪ #どうぶつの森 #あつ森 #マイデザイン pic.twitter.com/ZJ8wAyObNv
— さいちゃん (@saihousan) April 21, 2020
島の一部を昭和レトロっぽくしました????#あつ森 #どうぶつの森 #AnimalCrossingDesigns #ACNH #NintendoSwich #島クリエイター pic.twitter.com/uLhpPHsG3K
— おしゃけ@じじぃ猫♀ (@oshaneco) April 15, 2020
初めての投稿????
家具も集まってきてメイン部屋が完成した記念に????♡
昭和モダン風に仕上げました~????✨
お部屋には”しょうわけけかよう”を流していかにも昭和な雰囲気に…笑#あつ森 #あつまれどうぶつの森#マイデザイン #昭和モダン pic.twitter.com/67OF4bDQjx— ぷーこ (@Puuuuuko55) April 10, 2020
そういえば昭和ゾーンに家を増やした#あつ森 pic.twitter.com/XZ1enM4P1c
— まんぼ〜 (@MJNC__) April 22, 2020
Twitter user Bobomi also uploaded this pretty night footage of this retro Japanese island.
夜のまち。
ごちゃごちゃ感がたまらん～
#どうぶつの森 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/SJLUzRkCwe— ボボみ@あつ森 (@imotarez) April 23, 2020
Below is a Taisho era (1912-1226) interior with some Showa-style advertisements.
大正レトロな家に仕上がってきた#どうぶつの森 pic.twitter.com/qDIuWI6cJw
— HISHIMAN????あつ森 (@HISHIMAN1) April 13, 2020
The Showa era spans many decades, a world war, the difficult and ultimately prosperous years that followed.
During the Showa period, Japan rebuilt itself and, relevant for Kotaku readers, saw the rise of its manga, anime, and gaming industries. The word retro evokes those bygone days. And now, people can recreate them in Animal Crossing.
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