After The Storm

“New eras don’t come about because of swords, they’re created by the people who wield them.” - Nobuhiro Watsuki

This environment was inspired by the concept of the Meiji Restoration. During this era, Japan was forced to open its harbors to US trade, introducing Western ideas to the isolated land of The Rising Sun. This led to changes in Japanese society including inhibiting the traditional privileges of the Samurai class, such as the right to carry swords.

I have always been interested in the history of Samurai and the change in Japanese society which led to what Japan is today. My intention is to create an environment that tells the story of what happened after the Restoration.

This environment is an abandoned Japanese-style garden under a non-traditional Japanese circular architecture. It is designed to reflect how society was westernized by the invasion of the US. Katana swords are scattered amongst blood stains indicating the remains of the uprising against the feudal military government Tokugawa Shogunate, which they blamed for the transformations taking place.

The elegant wisteria tree is a symbol of patience and honor that stands as a depiction of Bushido, the principles of Samurai. It therefore must also be considered a symbol of long-life and immortality embodying the deep-rooted culture of Samurai.

Typically, the Japanese garden is located in an open space. However, I intend to show how Japan was under the control of the west. Therefore, an open ceiling on top of the garden is created to emphasize the situation, yet remain how the traditional garden looks like.

I am also responsible for all the assets created in this scene. Some can be seen in the images below: 

These are my sketches and reference images that I used as a guideline while creating the environment. 

This is a two-and-a-half month-long project for a game art class. Many things changed throughout the process as one of the challenges that I faced was the fact that my environment appeared more Chinese than Japanese-inspired due to certain architectural details such as the proportions of the high ceiling and thicker columns. I also struggled with the lighting as I improved my experience with Unreal Engine. I was able to overcome these challenges thanks to my professor and peers who always give me feedback on what and how I could improve.