Trivia Thread
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #1:
A mid-boss was planned for the West Arena. As shown in this art, it seemed to be a large amorphous shadow with dark tendrils emerging from it. In a 2002 interview Fumito Ueda had with Nice Games Magazine, he mentions that this segment was impossible to make, due to time restrictions.
— November 19, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #2:
Placeholder data for a cut weapon, labelled as the Insect Net, remains in the game files. It's a bare wireframe that was never modeled or button mapped. While we know it was going to be a secret weapon in place of the Spiked Club, its intended use remains unclear.
— November 19, 2024 at 5:52 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #3:
As first uncovered by dark0ssx in a YouTube video now 15 years old: Activating the 'Skeleton' feature of e-koʊs Debug Menu reveals a developer in-joke. An invisible wireframe office fan was placed in each map to help display the direction and speed of the wind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf0vlvAhe_s&t=25s
— November 20, 2024 at 11:19 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #4:
Junichi Hosono, who has worked alongside Fumito Ueda for each of his projects, says that Ueda derived yorudas name from Hilda, a character from the 1968 Toei film, 太陽の王子 ホルスの大冒険 (The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun).
Image taken from Page 84 of the art book: 神話を紡ぐ
— November 21, 2024 at 9:25 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
While not stated, we can infer that 'yoruda' came about because Hilda, in Japanese, is pronounced ‘Hiruda’. 昼 (hiru) is a Japanese kanji character meaning ‘daytime’. Its opposite would be 夜 (yoru) meaning ‘night’. Thus, switching out the ‘hiru’ in Hiruda for its opposite gives us ‘Yoruda’.
— November 21, 2024 at 9:25 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #5:
In the final battle against The Shadows, the spirits emit a set of pained sounds when struck. In previous battles, they did not make a sound upon their defeat.
When you listen closely, the new sounds seem to be distorted copies of e-koʊs own pained grunts.
— November 26, 2024 at 12:45 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #6:
According to an IGN Preview, there was a point in development where: "[yoruda] has been placed under a powerful spell. She cannot see well, if at all, and she's incapable of finding her way out of the dungeon."
-Douglass C. Perry, June 14, 2000
https://web.archive.org/web/20010606032733/http://ps2.ign.com/previews/14833.html
— November 28, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Douglass would later clarify in a follow-up posted to the same page on May 25th, 2001:
"Back then, American Producer Darren Yager gave us as much information on the game that was comprehensible..."
So we can infer that this information about the spell on yoruda came from him.
— November 28, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
While not the most direct source, Darren Yager was presumably sharing info about the game that he gathered from Kenji Kaido and/or Fumito Ueda’s translators. What might’ve been lost in the game of Telephone, we can’t say. But an ounce of truth likely remains in this statement.
— November 28, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Addendum: Fritz Fraundorf from GIA corroborates this
"Your mission is not just to escape a castle, but to guide a captive princess out as well. The catch? The princess is blind, so your hero will have to carefully guide her through the many traps and hazards."
— December 2, 2024 at 6:33 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Addendum: Russian gaming magazine "Страна игр" corroborates this on Page 33 of Issue 72 (August 2000).
"Дело в том, что девушка находится под воздействием хитрого заклятья и в данный момент практически ни черта не видит."
— July 5, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #7:
In Co-op Mode, yoruda can throw pots, bombs, and barrels at enemies to deal very light damage to them. This can also hurt e-koʊ, prompting a unique hit animation. But surprisingly, he was also programmed to be capable of blocking the damage from these ranged attacks.
— November 30, 2024 at 8:14 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #8:
The Queen's Sword has a scabbard in the game's opening cutscene. But later, the scabbard is missing. As a result, an oft forgotten aspect of the blade's design is that the upturned end of the S-shaped crossguard is meant to connect to the scabbard, forming a cog-like handle.
— December 7, 2024 at 7:06 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #9:
Shadow Creatures disintegrate instantly when they make contact with most bodies of water. This is not easily noticed, because maps with water are where the Shadows tend to avoid ambushing players.
https://youtu.be/APfu3hUy0GU
(It's easy to tell this is my oldest video, isn't it?)
— December 10, 2024 at 10:33 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #10:
The voice of e-koʊ, Kazuhiro Shindō, was also the child voice actor for ‘Boku’ from the original ぼくのなつやすみ (Boku no Natsuyasumi PS1). But his biggest role was, undoubtedly, voicing Hogarth Hughes in the Japanese dub of The Iron Giant.
— December 13, 2024 at 10:33 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Ironically, Fumito Ueda once stated (in a 2005 interview with CONTINUE magazine) that he felt the English dub of The Iron Giant was more moving than the Japanese dub. Though to be specific, that was only because he couldn’t understand what was being said in English.
shmuplations.com/ueda/
— December 13, 2024 at 10:33 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #11:
According to the game's producer, Kenji Kaido:
今だから明かすけどICOのCMのプレイ動画は僕と上田さんと細野くんで撮ってるんです！プレイ係とカメラ操作係で手分けしてた！
https://x.com/kenji_kaido/status/1348168052517478402
So the lead director, producer, and planner of the game are responsible for all the footage seen here.
https://youtu.be/NZ5lPBzoJ_g
— December 16, 2024 at 7:37 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #12:
If yoruda is far away, tapping R1 will make e-koʊ call out for her. If you do this while moving, e-koʊ will run faster, in order to close the distance between himself and yoruda.
This was used in a speedrun for the first time on Nov. 21st, 2015. Run by カレクサ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCRdC7j-zac
— December 18, 2024 at 4:37 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #13:
The Japanese Manual refers to these horsemen as 神官 (shinkan). This translates to 'shinto priest', but Japanese Wikipedia clarifies:
"In fantasy media, the term is often used to refer to clergymen in the fictional religion depicted in the story"
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A5%9E%E5%AE%98
— December 19, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
This term is also reflected in the game’s files, where the models are labeled Shinkan A, B, and C. Strangely, these characters are never addressed in the credits. Consequently, their animators are unspecified and the voice actor of Shinkan A (who speaks two lines in the opening) is uncredited.
— December 19, 2024 at 6:01 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #14:
In one of yorudas idle animations, she inspects her arm. This has been a point of confusion for some players.
But, as briefly seen in GenDESIGN's 20th Anniversary YouTube Upload, and explained on Page 83 of the Official Japanese Guidebook:
「ヒロインの腕の模様に注目。ヒロインの肘を見る仕草はこの設定が名残になっている。」
— December 26, 2024 at 10:14 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #15:
The horses that the priests ride in the first opening cutscene have saddle blankets, each bearing the same visual design. This texture is not reused elsewhere, meaning it can only be spotted before the player reaches the main menu.
— January 1, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I’m wondering now if perhaps this was a play on the「陰麻の葉」pattern. According to its Japanese Wikipedia entry, the Asanoha pattern has been used for many purposes, but a notable one was as a shrine crest (神紋), which would be a fitting usage for these three priests.
https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BA%BB%E3%81%AE%E8%91%89%E6%96%87%E6%A7%98
— January 11, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #16:
In the US version, a stick is not required to solve the Chandelier puzzle, nor is it needed to light bombs. So players can get as far as the East Arena unarmed, only shoving shadows. But to do so, you have to execute a lot of combat skips and bear one long-fought battle on Trolley's roof.
— January 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #17:
In a build created just two weeks before the final NTSC-U disc was mastered, e-koʊ shouts yorudas name as they're separated. No caption appears for the line and e-koʊs face is turned away from the camera as it happens, allowing it to be easily cut.
— January 3, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
The detail of e-koʊ shouting yorudas name here was also in the unused script files extracted by einstein95 and translated by Glitterberri. Meaning this voice line did have a corresponding caption that simply didn’t appear in the prototype...
https://glitterberri.com/ico/unused-dialogue-and-retranslation/
— February 13, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
This also begs questions as to how many unused lines were actually voiced by the cast before the devs determined what should be cut...
— February 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Addendum: As seen above, Ico was meant to call out to her twice. I think we can actually hear his second 'Yorda!' in the background audio of this behind the scenes video (which was capturing footage from a very early preview build):
https://youtu.be/IDjTXLQDpAk?t=183
I never picked up on this before.— July 27, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Trivia #18:
In an early demo (found on the Jampack Summer 2001 demo disc) there's a unique wall texture in Dark Room. It features The Green Man, a long-lasting European architectural symbol.
This design is from Crowcombe's Church of the Holy Ghost.
[Content Warning: regurgitation / disgorging]
— August 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
The Green Man, sometimes also called The Foliate Head, remains a mysterious symbol. Many people in recent history have suggested it to be representative of rejuvenation and rebirth, however.
In all subsequent demos, the surface was replaced by a more generic texture.
— August 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
ICO Trivia #19:
On the cover of the Japanese Manual, the head of a ram is hidden among the foliage of the border, at center top and bottom.
With both instances cropped, you can only see the full image by editing them together. The PS3 manual further cropped the image, making it even harder to see.
— September 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Miscellaneous Informative Posts
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Something I forgot to mention in the 'Familiar Pattern' video. The sofas in e-koʊ also seem to include just the smallest portion of the Main Gate's design on them, in the very bottom right corner of the texture work. At least, it seems that way to me. The second image is edited for comparison.
— October 24, 2024 at 6:47 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Also, it's funny that (I think) the highest resolution image that we have of the Stone Sofa, seemingly taken directly from the original LightWave 3D model, comes from the fun little origami print sheet found on the old official website.
— August 19, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
It's almost impressive just how elusive footage of e-koʊ from E3 2000 and 2001 is. Most of the footage I've found online is from gamestore VHS tapes.
It was likely the recorder's job to capture a few minutes of every game so that the gamestore(s) could run footage for all the anticipated releases.
— January 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
But if that wasn't your job, e-koʊ was invisible. Magazine reviewers present at both events described it as 'hidden away'. Which baffles me, given how impressive it looked.
I'm not saying it should've been front and center, but evidently its positioning was so poor that few registered its presence.
— January 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
If you were in attendance at E3 2000 or E3 2001 and remember capturing footage of ICO, for even a second, please, do what you can to preserve and share that recording.
That would be incredible.
— January 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
In Game Informer Issue 100, they show a screenshot from a prototype of e-koʊ where the Queen's shadowy attire looks very different. Her headdress resembles feathers rather than twisting spikes. She seems to have very puffy sleeves of lattice-like shadow as well.
— January 30, 2025 at 10:05 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
懐かしい女王です。
女王の髪や服は福井智加（Chika Fukui）さんが作っていましたが（おそらく）上田さんからの指示で髪の毛や服の模様が動くようなエフェクトにして欲しいと言われたようです。
しかし彼女は高校を卒業して間もない女性でゲーム制作も初めてで、CGの技術にも詳しくなかったので大変困っていました。彼女は私にどうしたらいいか相談にやって来ました。そして私が代わりにエフェクトを作成しました。それはマスターアップにとても近い時期でした。
— January 31, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I've only seen this design once before, in a PlayStation Underground 'Making Of' video for the game. They apparently gathered a lot of footage from this prototype, so there are all kinds of weird effects and evident meddling (such as having The Queen's Sword early). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZHKam_H4H0
— January 30, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
An additional shot of this design, at a bit of a distance, from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, Issue 47 on page 120.
— January 31, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
The PAL manual claims that the priests come to take e-koʊ away on the morning of his 12th birthday and it specifically takes them 'many hours' of riding to reach the Castle...
But that's still on the same day. So according to that manual, the game consists of e-koʊ experiencing the worst birthday ever.
— February 14, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I don't know much about music theory, nor am I great at picking out notes, but I would like to draw attention to the leitmotif used primarily in Castle in the Mist, but found in various songs throughout e-koʊs OST: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kwH_OjCqlGlnulrypDLAbgH64HGvbqoJ0
Impression, Who are you?, Impression (Reprise), Collapse
— February 19, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I think it relates to yoruda in most of its appearances, which is why it's interesting that Impression (Reprise) is dedicated to the moment that e-koʊ rediscovers The Queen's Sword.— February 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
In Game Developer, Volume 16, Number 3 (March 2009), David Sirlin writes:
"I learned all this from Ueda’s 2004 presentation, but there was one more detail that stuck with me. He showed us a screenshot of one room in the castle and asked us what was wrong with it. I thought it looked pretty good.
— March 21, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
"Ueda then pointed out that there was a chair in the screenshot that didn’t look very good. He said when something like this happens, you have to decide whether you have the time and resources to fix it (make the chair more beautiful and believable) or cut it. In this case, he cut the chair."— March 21, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
If we never got NG+ translations of yorudas Runic Language from the developers, I swear, we would still be struggling with it. So many strange, minor choices and rules were applied, in addition to the backwards-romanized words and removed letters, that my head is spinning as I overlook it.
— April 17, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
This gets even more egregious with cut dialogue. Take this cut Queen line ききわけのない子だ ("Disobedient child") which was written in Runic as:
ONK WKQ ADPV
Reversed this becomes:
KNO QKW VPDA
We have to start in the middle here. Q=K so it's actually KiKiWa (ききわ) Then we go back to the start.
— April 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
KNO is KeNO (けの).
Then we jump to the end, with the baffling VPDA. In Japanese, the "v" sound is usually represented by the "b" sound.
So it's possible this is actually BPDA, but even if it were... how does it tie into "naikoda" (ない子だ)? The only part that matches is 'DA'.
ない子 = VP??? How exactly?
— April 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I've mentioned it before, although I have a new addendum to add:
The painting that e-koʊs Japanese cover is based on, "Tropique du Cancer", was painted by Ramsès Younan, who was taking clear inspiration from Giorgio de Chirico and other surrealist-esque painters of the era, such as Salvador Dalí.
— April 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Recently, a number of members in the Team e-koʊ fan community took notice of a picture featured in the Shadow of the Colossus art book, which showed a prototype cover of a game with Giorgio de Chirico's "Nostalgia of the Infinite" on it. (Page 203)
We can guess this was a prototype cover for e-koʊ.
— April 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
If that guess is correct, it might explain why Ueda has been confidently stating the Japanese cover art was based on 'Nostalgia of the Infinite' by Giorgio de Chirico. That concept was considered, but not used.
It's very possible that Ueda mixed up the title/artist between the two paintings.
— April 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Among the archives provided by @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social, I found a GDC 04 interview with Kenji Kaido and Fumito (sorry, "Fumita" according to the page) Ueda.
Apparently Masahiro Sakurai and Masaya Matsuura were asked the same questions. But it's unclear if they were interviewed in the same room.
— June 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/2d5208f9-e695-4289-a51c-65f5ba3a64b2
From the GDC 04 Program Guide, Page 19 and continued on Page 21. It's a really interesting read!
— June 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
(Regarding the コ Building video)
I completely forgot to talk about the pipes. 😩 I was working on this video for so long! How did that escape me?
In the shortest way I can put it: A potential hole in my timeline focusing on the Castle's construction are these large pipes connecting the イ and コ islands.🧵
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
[Disclaimer: I am speaking on the architecture within the world of the game. I am not critiquing or analyzing the game design aspects. I am very aware that the game designers may not have had these specific topics on their mind. I am interpreting the world as though it were a real place for fun.]
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I investigated the nature of these water pipes for some time, and near the end of the video I was going to fit a section in..... somewhere (the difficulty in finding a spot was probably why I forgot) where I would propose the idea that イ was functionally a water tower.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
As a refresher, the most basic function of a water tower is to utilize gravity to create water pressure, which is necessary for sinks, hoses, and various other water dispensing fixtures and appliances.
The water tower has to be much higher than any place it's directing water, to function properly.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
If it stood alone for a long time, as I suggest in the video, the イ building would have needed to supply its own running water. There are two pipes you can see in the Elevator stage that seem to lead elsewhere within the building. And I suggest these would provide that supply in the isolationist era
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Later, when the Castle expanded, they would build this larger pipe that e-koʊ enters the stage on. The pipe that turns the bend and extends all the way to コ.
コ doesn't have huge visible pipes running *vertically* like this, so I feel like this must be the water pressure source for most of the Castle.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
But this is all still conjecture. My best proof as to when this コ pipe was built, is to point out how poorly planned it looks when compared to its neighbors (again, within the world).
It could have gone in a straight line, but because a pipe was already built in that direction, it has to bend.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
And furthermore, where the first two pipes fit neatly into specially designed square ports in the wall. The pipe that e-koʊ enters on breaks through a clearly established brick wall and carves through the rest of the island, exposing bare earth (probably risking a cave-in) to reach its destination.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Even presenting this, I'm not confident this is 'definitive proof'. There are two other コ pipes that might be set up differently. But paired with my existing theory on why 2/3rds of Warehouse's windows are covered (see イ Building video), I feel like there's enough ground for the idea to stand on.
— June 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I stumbled on an interesting list within Weekly Famitsu Issue 1333. It reflects on various memorable video game taglines (sometimes referred to as 'Copy' [ コピー ] in Japan) each chosen by readers, and it includes comments from relevant PR managers and representatives about the chosen lines.
— July 6, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
ICO's Japanese tagline is, of course, very memorable:
「この人の手を離さない。僕の魂ごと離してしまう気がするから。」
"I can't let go of this person's hand. Because I feel like I'd be severing my soul."
We never saw this tagline in other parts of the world, but it was all over Japan's marketing, including some commercials.
— July 6, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
This was the commentary included on Page 131.
メーカーコメント
これはCMで使用するために、代理店のクリエイティブチームより提案されたものです。発売が迫った時期のCM制作決定だったため、コピーも短期間で決定しました。本作の重要なアクションである“手をつなぐ"ことが、少女への言葉にならない(少女は異国語を話します!)ピュアな想いを象徴する内容になりました。いまでも、このコピーを好きと言っていただくことがあります。ゲームとともに皆様の記憶に残っているのであれば、たいへん光栄です。
【SCEJA 宣伝担当(当時)】
— July 6, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I'm thinking once again about the little accessories on the light-bulbs in the Altar Room and The Queen's Room.
They're so close to being exact color inversions of each other, and I really like that strangely specific detail.
— August 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I've seen many of these earlier press materials pop up across multiple early 2000's gaming magazines, but now every example of them is on display!
https://archive.hitsave.org/ark:/78322/16599#lg=1&slide=0
— September 22, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Fumito Ueda: "This was before head-mounted displays were common, but I thought it’d be amazing to put on an HMD and enter the world of e-koʊ. For example, how amazing would it be to lie on the rooftop of e-koʊs tall castle, looking up at the sky through an HMD?...
https://www.designroom.site/shadow-of-the-colossus-oral-history/
— October 14, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
...Or having yoruda in the next room, with a thin gap in the wall so you could see her by turning your head vertically through the gap. I wanted to challenge myself with a VR game based on e-koʊ"
This last portion of Ueda's statement is actually based in an unused design for e-koʊs introductory stages.
— October 14, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
There was a room that connected with the 'Heroine's Chamber' ('Heroine' always referred to yoruda). And in it, there was a gap in the wall, just as Ueda describes in the interview.
It's labeled 'Heroine'. Presumably, e-koʊ would approach it and hear or see a glimpse of yoruda, trapped on the other side.
— October 14, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
With some adjustments to the emulated copy's internal memory (initially uncovered for the retail release by Wisi, and later adapted to the Jampack Summer 2001 Demo by @rossy2xunderscore.bsky.social), e-koʊs cutscenes can be paused while the free camera is active.
— October 19, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Using this, @jaikhay.bsky.social found another iteration of The Queen's design in that early demo (disc version dated June 8th, 2001).
The headdress here is far more elaborate than even the feathered one seen in Game Informer's screenshots. And this is our best look at her tattered cloak of shadow.
— October 19, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Fan-site Archive Thread
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I've just realized this platform is a good spot to, on the fly, share some of the old e-koʊ fan-sites I've stumbled across in my research. Below will be an ongoing thread of archived sites. Some may be entirely in Japanese. Some may have very few working images. But they're all fascinating to me.
— November 17, 2024 at 10:58 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
想空（そら）の彼方
This site has so many wonderful pictures of a pair of dolls designed to resemble e-koʊ and yoruda. There's so much passion here, in both the craft and the posing of the characters. It warms my heart to see these.
https://web.archive.org/web/20050908025746/http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Part/1228/
— November 17, 2024 at 11:06 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ room
I adore this site for many reasons. Chief among them is the link labelled「ＩＣＯってなぁに？」in which the author provides very cute character profiles. I'm also fascinated by the presence of a full fanfic novel. But I don't have the time to translate it myself.
http://web1.nazca.co.jp/hp/gennmai/ico/icotop.html
— November 17, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
ＩＣＯ攻略研究サイト
This one is some speedrunning history. Where Japanese fans detailed the tricks they were picking up and discussing on 2Channel. They even have an illustration for the jump you must make to skip climbing the pipe at Gondola.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160614151824/http://www50.tok2.com/home/icoico/ico.htm
— November 17, 2024 at 11:27 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
daruyo2000
All the credit in the world to this fan. daruyo was doing what I do long before I was capable of doing it. In-game experimentation, analysis, observations, it's all here! I'm not a fan of their「考察」page, but otherwise, it's a great site to browse.
https://web.archive.org/web/20050327184259fw_/http://www.geocities.jp/daruyo2000/index.html
— November 17, 2024 at 11:45 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ Search
Like I mentioned before, this thread is ongoing, but if you want to look around for yourself, this here is probably the best site to do it with. It functions as a massive keyring for so many Japanese fansites. Checking under 内容 will find you lots of stuff.
https://web.archive.org/web/20071227012603/http://titi.milkcafe.to/icosearch/
— November 17, 2024 at 11:54 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
You Were There
I can't believe I forgot to share this one at the initial setup of this thread! I just assumed I had already.
It's a well organized site with unique perspectives on the lore. It shares an objective with my own site, to inform and celebrate the narrative presented.
youwerethere.com
— December 15, 2024 at 10:32 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
ポルダーの画像保管庫
Not exclusive to e-koʊ fanart, but certainly a site worth sharing.
http://kantakuchi.blog56.fc2.com/?cat=1
I particularly adore this page, created in 2006, and dedicated to the many outfits of yoruda as shown in the NICO DVD's e-koʊ PS1 video.
http://kantakuchi.blog56.fc2.com/blog-entry-20.html
— December 28, 2024 at 5:47 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
剣と女王
A site well worth exploring. The fanart gallery is really impressive, and another section hosts an example of perhaps one of the earliest Runic Font recreation efforts by fans.
I also personally enjoyed reading through the 100 questions section.
https://web.archive.org/web/20030203222559/http://titi.milkcafe.to/ico/
— January 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
e-koʊ - e-koʊ - e-koʊ
Unfortunately, the MIDI files seemingly weren't preserved by the Wayback Machine, but the gallery is filled with wonderful sketches and art.
The 'takaramono' (宝物) section has art that other artists made for あおみら (aomira), the site admin.
https://web.archive.org/web/20021201094344/http://www.d4.dion.ne.jp/~tonkey/ICO/=TOP=.htm
— January 16, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
It may not be a fansite, but if you have an interest in the early fan community, this will be worth looking into: A page filled with Japanese user reviews of ICO, from Late 2001 to Early 2005.
https://web.archive.org/web/20050306175719/http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/it/game/etc/library/ps2/ii/20011206gamlib005010000c.html
— June 20, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Ecil@, a Japanese player of American McGee's Alice (known as "Alice in Nightmare" in Japan) created a yoruda skin to download and install in the PC version.
http://ftradio.ddo.jp/textstyle/illust_aliceskin02.htm
http://ftradio.ddo.jp/textstyle/illust_aliceskin02_2.htm
You can see a video of the skin in use here:
https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8301273
— July 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Public Comments and Info
I am not the only person sharing information about e-koʊ on Bluesky.
Zackmann is a former Team e-koʊ artist (primarily 3DCG and texture work) who has been kind enough to answer a few questions and reminisce about production.
ASapphicKitsune is a fellow researcher and fan of the Team e-koʊ series with a focus on technical aspects of development, especially the internal assets used in the PS2 titles.
These are a collection of their informational posts that pertain to e-koʊ.
If you reach out to any user below with questions, I ask that you show them nothing but respect for their time, their consideration, and their boundaries.
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
VGCartgraphyさんの作成されたICOの立体マップですが女王の部屋の位置や向きが違うので簡単に説明しておきます。
女王の部屋は螺旋階段のヨルダの檻のすぐ隣にあります。
#e-koʊ
— January 22, 2025 at 7:21 AM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
Oh I did not see this! I did notice the space for Yorda's cage in Queen's room, never did I put it together that the connection was that direct though.
Would I be correct in assuming at some point in development Yorda's stone form would be in the room during the fight then?
— January 27, 2025 at 12:28 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
Only Ueda-san knows the actual setting, so this is just my opinion, but I think Yorda was sometimes brought to that platform in front of the queen to undergo some kind of ritual or education as the next queen. During production, I added some bloodstain effects to that platform.
— January 27, 2025 at 1:07 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
--Japanese--
本当の設定は上田さんしか知らないので私の考えになりますが、ヨルダはときどき女王の前のあの台に連れてこられて何かの儀式や次期女王としての教育（？）を受けていたのではないかと思います。私は制作中にあの台には少し血痕のエフェクトを付けました。
— January 27, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I think I know the texture of the effect you're referring to, I've seen it in the files for the room. But if it was included in a release of the game, I haven't found it. I assume it was later removed for the implied violence?
— January 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
消してないです。台座に少しだけ黒いシミ（血痕）を残してあります。ほんの少しなのでほとんど見えませんし石の汚れに見えるかもしれません。
— January 28, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I guess I need to perform a more thorough investigation! Thank you for your answer.
— January 28, 2025 at 6:58 PM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
It's extremely subtle but a black material is called sekizo_ato is placed on the floor using these planes. Seems to be related to the idol statues in the room though.
— January 29, 2025 at 2:42 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
それですね。血などが石像の移動で引き伸ばされた跡になっている表現です。血の跡が線のようになっていることで石像は移動できることに気付いて欲しいと思っていたのですが女王とのラストバトルで石像を動かさない人が多いと聞いて残念でした(笑)
— January 29, 2025 at 2:59 AM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
問題は、戦闘前に像のチュートリアルがほとんど行われていないことだと思います。戦闘前に像を移動させるパズルがあれば、プレイヤーはもっと理解しやすくなるかもしれません。
— January 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
その通りですね。私の記憶だとあの石像を動かす仕様は急に追加された様な気がします。そのため床の形状のデザインを急いで変更しました。（石像を動かせる範囲を限定する必要があったので石の縁取りを追加したりしました）
— January 29, 2025 at 5:14 AM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
In relation to my post about the findings from that image a Team Ico dev posted a few years ago.
This will probably be of interest for the ICO fans that follow me. Looks like a production proposal for ICO from 1997 which is the earliest material I know of.
CD Case might contain PSX ICO, not sure.
— January 27, 2025 at 9:06 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
その写真は笹井一個として知られる大村奈々子さんがTwitterに投稿したものですね。
This is Nanako Ohmura, better known as "SASAI Ikko".
大村さんはICOやワンダと巨像のステージ制作、そして日本版のICOのパッケージも描いています。
— January 28, 2025 at 4:41 PM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
Contrast boosted ICO Production Proposal Document
Things I can personally read:
Name: ICO (?) [Probably temporary or pending]
Amount of players: 1 Person
Memory Card Game Save ???
?? Main Target ?? Rate User
Second Target ?? Rate User [Might be first rate and second rate users?]
— January 28, 2025 at 9:40 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
その企画書は私も持っていましたが今は無くしました（笑）
その画像から読み取れるのは以下のような文章です
タイトル：ICO（仮）
プレイ人数：1人
メモリーカード：ゲームセーブ有り（ブロック数 未定）
※PSのメモリーカードはセーブエリアが全16ブロックあって、
その内の何ブロックを使用するのかを決めなくてはいけない
— January 28, 2025 at 3:23 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
（続き）
対象（？）ユーザー：メインターゲット 男性ライトユーザー
セカンドターゲット 女性ライトユーザー
コアユーザー
※ライトユーザー（lite user）とはあまりゲームをしない人たちのこと。日本でよく使われる和製英語。カジュアルユーザーのこと。Heavy Userの反対の意味で使う
※コアユーザー：マニアやSonyの熱心なファン
— January 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
Was it customary for all proposed works at SCEJ to presented this way?
— January 28, 2025 at 5:47 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
SCEに限らずどのゲームメーカーも90年代以前は紙に企画書を書いて提出するのが通常だと思います。上田さんは初めてのゲームの企画書だったので特に丁寧に書いていたと思います。2000年以降はPowerPointによるプレゼンテーションや、社内のサーバーにデジタルの企画書をアップロードするなどしていました。
— January 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
ちなみに会社の呼び方は以下の通りです。
SCEI：SCE Inc.。SCEの管理業務、ハードの設計、開発など
SCEJ：SCE Japan。ゲームの販売、営業、商品企画（ゲームは作ってない）
SCE JapanStudio/SCEI JS：ゲーム制作
— January 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
Ah thank you for the correction!
— January 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
I have another question loosely related to the topic of game proposals. Have you ever read the American manual for the game? If you have, is it familiar to you? It has extra information that the Japanese manual removes, reads like a pitch meeting, and references cut interactions with The Queen.
— January 30, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
Since the manual has no credited author, I wonder if this text was lifted from a design document or proposal for the PS2 build of the game? If SCEA, distant from the production, was unaware the document had out of date information, then it’s a mistake I could see them making.
— January 30, 2025 at 7:02 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
US版のマニュアルは全く見たこと無いですし見たくないです。
US版は未完成だと思っています。嫌な思い出しかありません。無理矢理急いで発売しなくてはいけませんでした。パッケージのカバーデザインもあの酷さで、上田さんや色んな人が修正して欲しいといっても修正されずICOチームは全員泣いていました。SCEAが日本を無視して全て勝手に良くないことをいっぱいやっていると思います。
— January 30, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
That’s understandable. I assumed it was a difficult time for the staff, but I didn’t realize it’d remain a painful memory. I apologize for bringing it up and, as always, I appreciate your response.
— January 30, 2025 at 8:40 PM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
The "Y" in the ICO's runic language is present on the sarcophagi in the altar room.
It is possible the sarcophagus was the original use and the symbol got used in the script later.
— March 14, 2025 at 11:05 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
この「Y」の文字は私が考案しました。イコが閉じ込められていたカプセルの蓋のために作った文字で数字を表しています。元々は「23」だったような気がするのですが、カプセルの配置図を見ると25のようですね。（あるいは逆方向から数えると20の可能性がありますし制作中にカプセルのトータルの数が変わったかも？）
ゲームの制作中はカプセル全てに違う数字（1〜54の数字）のテクスチャを作ってカプセルに貼っていたのですが、テクスチャメモリーが足らなくなったことと作業の多さで1種類だけにしてしまいました。その後、文字担当の桑原さんから「その文字をYとして使っていいですか？」とお願いされたので許可しました。
— March 15, 2025 at 2:49 AM
ASapphicKitsune
@asapphickitsune.bsky.social
ヨルダの文字で書かれた「25」は、アルファベットの25番目の文字である「Y」に使われていて、なんて可愛いんでしょう。
— March 15, 2025 at 3:51 AM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
文字担当の桑原さんになぜ「Y」に使ったのか聞いたことがないですが、もしかすると「25番目」という意味だったのかもしれません。それが真実だとするととても良い理由だと思います。
— March 15, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Mystic_Ode
@icoshrine.neocities.org
2 と 5 を視覚的に分離することで、城の周囲に似た形の集合があることに気付くことができました。樽の上部からこの形を選んだのは、数字の 2 の形を非常に連想させるからです。両側の線は異なる数字を表しているのではないかと思います。これらはその数体系から来ているのでしょうか?
— March 15, 2025 at 6:05 PM
ざっくまん/Zackmann⭐趣味垢
@zackmannx.bsky.social
記憶に無いですがそれを作ったのは私ではないと思います。（私が作ったのは大きい樽）
私の文字を参考にアレンジしたように思います。（あまり意味のある文字ではないと思います）
制作の初期の頃はまだ文字が考案されていなかったのでデザイナーが仮の文字を自分で作っていました。多分作っていたのは私だけだと思いますが（笑）
例えばPS1バージョンの頃作った時計や箱のステッカーの文字は私が仮で作ったものです。（結局使いませんでしたが）
— March 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
