Impressionisme
A downloadable performance for Windows, macOS, and Linux
The Boshidun Ballet Company is putting on a production of Coppelia. What does that mean for the cast and crew?
For choreographer Madame Julie Huang, it's a return to the past. For assistant costume designer Lindy Tan, it's a chance to play again with her beloved friend.
For prima ballerina Merrill Harmon? It's complicated.
Originally created for the Mixed Media Queer VN Jam 2026, hosted by Fisher, Laplace Atelier, and Ppilotco.
Please be advised this game contains flashing images, and may not be suitable to people with photosensitivity. For additional content warnings, please see "content warnings.txt" in the "game" folder of the downloaded game. All non-original images, music, and sfx have been credited in "attributions.txt" in the game folder, as well as in the "about" page of the game itself.
Story, Art, and Programming were all done by Princess Astertiae with chief assistant Omelette and junior assistant Pigeon "assisting."
~12k words, or about 45 minutes of play time (with one intermission)
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Install instructions
Download and unzip the file that best suits your OS.
Comments
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This is just totally phenomenal. The paper doll animation at the start is so beautiful, your paper theatre reminds me of the PMMM segments animated by Gekidan Inu Curry; it's both stylish and very intelligent throughout. I can tell you know your stuff.
Coppelia happens to be the only ballet that I've seen, which was put on by my ballet instructor at the time, and that I saw with another student who had a waist the diameter of my thigh and was more talented than me. The teacher liked me more, so it was a weird thing. I ended up quitting that class after an injury and haven't gone back since I've shaved my head.
The way you integrated the plot of Coppelia into the metanarrative of Merill and their projection onto her was smart. It was a well wrapped up tragedy!
This is my favorite of your vns so far!! I love how well all the elements work together (kinda like a corps de ballet...). The impressionist paintings, frame, and classic music mesh well. The collage elements are so clearly made with love and care and the materials and elements chosen (sketches, embroidery, charms) feel nostalgic, which is fitting for a story about memories. The layered parallel narratives (Lindy and Merrill vs Julie and Sarah vs Coppelia) tie together really elegantly. Also small details but it's nice how all of Lindy's memories are embroidered and Julie's memories are on paper, it keeps their voices distinct even visually. GJ on this game!!!
chinese beams boston
CHINESE BEAMS BOSTON!!! Fun fact, when I posted this in my irl friend gc, one of them responded with "Boshidunians" LOL
AND AHHHH THANK YOU YOU ARE TOO KIND AMET <3 I'm so, so happy you liked this vn, it's definitely my most ambitious one yet, and I'm really glad that all the little choices I made with texture and narrative and how those all tie together worked and that you noticed them, yay yay yippee!!!!! <3 Thank you for playing and always supporting my games QAQ you're the best <3
this looks beautiful!
Thank you so much!!!