hi all! I wanted to announce that the first ever Nikki game now has a wiki, hosted on Miraheze! ever since it was taken off the app stores, it made me sad that most people will never be able to play this game. about a month ago, my friend valaerys (a moderator at the Infinity Nikki wiki) and I (an admin at the Love Nikki wiki) took a look at the game and decided it would be a fun side project. so, our archival project began and now you can learn all about the game even past its EOS, even the things you never knew you wanted to know.
featuring all item descriptions (both chinese and english, since the english translation is extremely questionable at times), all scoring info, and all stages! this wiki is not 100% complete, as I still have a few minor things to add and character details to flesh out, but I wanted to put it out in the world for any feedback. also, this wiki is 100% focused on the first game only, SO, don't expect to see any denial that Momo is a cat, stuff about Miraland, or any Giftys. okay, I lied, there's one Gifty.
you CAN still play this game, if you have the apk, or if you already have it installed. the wiki doesn't host the apk, but if you do want to play, I hope it can help you in your journey!
note that Google has not really done a good job at indexing our pages yet, but I am hoping that posting about it (and linking to it from other sites) will help :) also, if you happen to notice anything wrong or missing, feel free to edit or just let me know! most of the spelling/grammar mistakes are on the localizers end, but right now we're missing most info about the Japanese version and would always appreciate more info about the game's development.
Just a disclaimer that I'm a casual Shining Nikki player, though I read the story and any Designer's Reflections that interest me. Do let me know if I get any information incorrect.
TL;DR: The Anni5 event, as well as the Ark Admins' UR Reflection, constantly contradict themselves with previous events and Reflections when it comes to the siblings' ability to remember their origins. Additionally, the age-switching mechanic was never properly foreshadowed and came completely out of left field, and the characterization of Aeon in the UR Reflection is completely different from his previous stories.
This is certainly a first post to make in the Shining Nikki community, especially about Anni5, an event the fanbase was overwhelmingly positive about. I don't hate its concepts in theory, but, in my opinion, they were integrated in a way that's largely inconsistent with previous depictions of the Ark Admins. The Designer's Reflection especially felt like a complete retcon.
To start off, here's what I did like about the event. First off, I loved the reveal that Aeon and Marina were amorphous until Leonid's heart granted them form. Leonid is, by far, my favorite part of their backstory. Additionally, Nikki's part in the event was enjoyable to read and a great blast from the past, although I'm not well-versed in the entirety of her story and cannot fully evaluate its quality.
Now, where to begin with my issues? The Anni5 story is about Marina overtaking Aeon's powers in an attempt to break her connection with the Ark. We find out that the siblings' power depends on their mental and physical (but not chronological) age in relation to the other's; as far as I know, this is all new information to the player, and has never been foreshadowed in any other event. This leads the player to believe that the Ark Admins have never switched ages before. However, their event Reflection reveals that not only have they switched ages before, but it has happened many times in the past. Clearly, if it's recorded in a Reflection, it must be a memory that they remember - this is supported by its story speedrunning through the entirety of the siblings' past, including parts we've witnessed in previous events and Reflections, such as Aeon and Marina first visiting Miraland together, where Marina references to their ability to switch ages. However, this ability has, as noted before, never been foreshadowed in previous events and Reflections. Are you telling me that the Admins would never think to so much as mention such important information if they're willing to record it elsewhere?
The Anni5 event and Reflection, in general, constantly contradicts itself. Previous stories lead to believe that Aeon and Marina switching ages is either a completely new occurrence or a memory they don't remember, but, as shown by the new Reflection, it has not only occurred before, but they fully remember it. The ending of the event implies the Admins still don't know their origins, but just before, the game speedran through their origins, and the characters had a conversation about it. Their UR Reflection, as well as Leonid's SSR Reflection, go into it in more detail. What more mystery is there to solve? Hell, if anything, the problem is that we aren't given much more information than what previous events and Reflections have stated - they've already explicitly stated that Aeon was born to maintain rationality, with Marina's contrasting role to maintain chaos heavily implied. The Admins have known their origins this whole time, rendering a major portion of their story, discovering their forgotten memories, null and void.
There are so many other contradictions Anni5 presents, such as "forcing" Aeon and Marina into their physical appearances when the former's Reflection Midnight-Sun Spirit implies that they can choose whichever one they'd like, and Leonid's reveal in Aeon's reflection Vaporwave Dream that "time will bring [them] the truth [about who they are], although the truth may not be pleasing" when clearly, the truth was pleasant enough that the Admins quickly digested it. However, if I went through every single one, I may lose the last bits of my sanity I have left.
Instead, let's talk about Aeon's characterization within Anni5, particularly his and Marina's UR Reflection. (I would discuss Marina's as well, but since I'm a huge Aeon fan, I'm much more familiar with his character.) In the Reflection, Aeon is purely a rational, logical figure with little ability to express emotion and no desire to leave the Ark. Marina is the one to fully empathize with and understand the people of Miraland, as well as the reason why Aeon is trying to figure out how to reach the continent. However, a quick read of any of his other Reflections shows that Aeon is more than a sensible Ark Admin - he greatly desires to visit Miraland, not just for Marina, but for himself. He wishes to recover his lost memories, he's passionate about rock music, and he often manifests sentimental thoughts.
"Even the most rational Ark Admin had unrealistic wishes." (Aeon: Oceanic Reverie)
"Heavy metal music is an expression of being free from shackles. Aeon seems to have resonated with this type of music." (Aeon: Vaporwave Dream)
"People all need to let their feelings out sometimes, and so do I." (Aeon: Midnight Sun-Spirit)
Yes, Aeon's instinct is to rely on rationality and reason, and he's a man of duty. Nevertheless, he too expresses emotion and dreams. He may act upon them differently compared to Marina, but they share many of the same thoughts. This is what makes him a compelling character and a good foil to his sister.
Now, the one-dimensional version of him in the Anni5 Reflection might make for an interesting character arc if it was relegated to pre-canon. Perhaps each Admin taught the other the trait they weren't born with, and this is why present Aeon from past stories is a more sentimental character. However, the Reflection never shows this to us; in fact, it directly contradicts this by maintaining his one-dimensional characterization all the way into the present. This essentially turns what could've been an intriguing inner journey about Aeon into a complete retconning of his personality, destroying what made him a good character in the first place.
Overall, Anni5 felt like a poorly thought-out origin story to the Ark Admins. I wouldn't be surprised if Papergames formulated the ideas years after the characters were established, because, as it stands, it seems the only real consequences of the event will be adult Marina/kid Aeon designs as well as Baby Nikki - just new ways to milk money out of the fanbase. To me, this is heartbreaking, because I strongly doubt the siblings will get another UR event of this scale again. Unfortunately, it looks like this convoluted mess is the most major lore and backstory we'll receive of the Ark Admins, which sucks considering they're some of the most interesting characters in the game.
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