Tōhō Kenbun Roku (lost uncensored build of adventure game for Famicom; 1988)

This article has been tagged as NSFL and NSFW due to its sexual, discriminatory, and disturbing subject matter.

Box art

Status: Lost

Tōhō Kenbun Roku (東方見文録) is an adventure game for Famicom released by Natsume on November 10, 1988, parodying The Travels of Marco Polo, a travelogue written by Rustichello da Pisa in Italy in the 13th century. The game featured a very crazy black comedy, and the final scene traumatized those who played it at the time.

Plot

The young man Tōhōken Bunroku was a fourth-year student in the Department of Travel Studies in the School of History and Engineering at Southeast Asian University, studying space-time travel by splitting subatomic particles on the Silk Road. Bunroku was born into a family of merchants for generations, and his dream is to run the best general store in Japan in Daikanyama.

Convinced from the description in The Travels of Marco Polo that Japan at that time was a golden country called Zipang, Bunroku packed a backpack full of cheap daily necessities bought in Akihabara and set off on a graduation trip to Venice in 1275 in a time machine he had developed. Bunroku arrives just before Marco's departure, and due to an accident that occurs at that time, Bunroku leaves with Marco.

Bunroku and Marco met with Deopart, the priest who would become pope, fought with the Old Man of the Mountains in Persia, fought over the Baras Ruby in Badakhshan, took revenge on Ahmat, the great nobleman who plotted to assassinate Hubilai Khan in the Land of Yuan and even tried to take the lives of Marco and the others in the Upper Capital, and so on. After a long journey, Marco and Bunroku finally had an audience with Hubilai Khan in the capital and arrived in Zipang aboard the great fleet of the Yuan military expedition (at this time, six years had passed since Bunroku and Marco's departure). However, Bunroku, wondering why the kamikaze that was supposed to happen in history did not occur, remotely triggered a time machine and artificially created a kamikaze before landing. However, what actually came from beyond time was a "Kamikaze" suicide squad with a different kamikaze, and its suicide attack quickly wiped out the Yuan army. And Marco also became collateral damage and lost his life.

Mourning the loss of his friend Marco, Bunroku lost consciousness and drifted away. The place where he woke up was a strange place that looked like Japan, but at the same time it was like Nara or Kyoto, and there was a mountain that looked like Mt. Fuji. It was a place called "Toki no Danchi" (Group land of Time), a place where people who intervened at times (time crime or time-space invasion, or "Time Violator" in the game). The story ends with Bunroku, unable to return to his original time and forced to spend the rest of his life there, going insane and continuing to call out for his mother.

Premise

The game was the subject of a rumor circulating on the Japanese Internet in the 2000s that a shocking unused graphic existed. The rumor was true, a graphic of Marco with his face exploding existed in the game's internal data, which was to be used in a scene featuring the Kamikaze suicide squad.

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  A graphic of Marco with his head exploding contained in the ROM internal data.

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  Prototype ROM

On September 11, 2021, Jironosuke, a collector of rare video games, revealed that he owned a prototype ROM that actually used its unused data. In addition to unused data, the dialogue in the game contained a lot of discriminatory, abusive, and adult language. At the time the games were marketed, the expression of the games for sale was independently reviewed by Nintendo, the licensor, until the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) was established in 2002. (Sega, NEC, Sony, etc. also conducted their own review.) However, it is unclear whether this game was ordered to be modified by Nintendo or whether the modifications were made at Natsume's own discretion during the development process.

Availability

A prototype is not currently surfacing and is not available online. There is no hope of it being available unless dumper gets the ROM from Jironosuke.

Differences

Below is a comparison of the differences in dialogue between the prototype owned by Jironosuke and the final version. Before being modified, the dialogue is discriminatory and abusive, as well as the names of real celebrities and product names.

Note: The translation of the dialogue is by the creator of the article and the meaning may differ slightly from the actual Japanese.

Final		Prototype
あのオンナはどうも・・・スネゲがこいようなきがしますが・・・　オンナはケショウをおとすわといってヤドヤらしきタテモノへきえていくのでし　ヤヤッあのオンナ　オトコでした。	That woman seems to have thick shin hair... The woman said she was going to remove her makeup and disappeared into a building that looked like an inn. Oh gosh, she was a man!	あのオンナはどうも・・・スネゲがこいようなきがしますが・・・　オンナはケショウをおとすわといってヤドヤらしきタテモノへきえていくのでした　ヤヤッあのオンナ　おかまでした。	That woman seems to have thick shin hair... The woman said she was going to remove her makeup and disappeared into a building that looked like an inn. Oh gosh, she was a Okama!
ヘンなカオがうつっています	I see a funny face.	ブサイクなカオがうつっています	I see a ugry face.
なんとカガミがくだけちり　ヤドヤのシュジンがあらわれました	To my surprise, the mirror shattered and the innkeeper appeared.	なんとカガミがくだけちり　オカマのシュジンがあらわれました	To my surprise, the mirror shattered and okama innkeeper appeared.
アーラヤーダばれちゃったみたいね　ワタシむこうで　アナタたちのことみてたの。ウッフーン　このカガミ　マジックミラーヨーン	Oh, my god, you've been found out. I've been watching you guys from here. Uh-huh. This mirror is a magic mirror (one-way mirror).	アーラヤーダばれちゃったみたいね　ワタシむこうで　アナタたちのことみてたの。ウッフーン　このカガミ　えっちミラーヨーン	Oh, my god, you've been found out. I've been watching you guys from here. Uh-huh. This mirror is a ecchi mirror.
キャー、ヒドイワ、ヒドイワ・・・といいつつドコかへいってしまいました	Oh my, it's terrible, it's terrible... He went away with saying.	キャー、ヒドイワ、ヒドイワ・・・といいつつオカマはどこかへいってしまいました	Oh my, it's terrible, it's terrible... Okama went away with saying.
アサです。おはようございます　ハマブラです	It's morning. Good morning, I'm Hamabura.	アサです。おはようございます　ハマムラです	It's morning. Good morning, I'm Hamamura.
マルコ、ナッナイ、オレのニモツがない　ヤツのところまでいってくるぜ　あのヤロウ	Marco, g-gone! My bagagge is gone! I'm going over to that guy. That bastard!	マルコ、ナッナイ、オレのニモツがない　ヤツのところまでいってくるぜ　あのオカマヤロウ	Marco, g-gone! My bagagge is gone! I'm going over to that guy. Son of a bitch!
ハンニンは、ちいさくてアシのおおきいやつにちがいないぞ	The thief must be a little and big feet guy.	ハンニンは、コオトコでアシのおおきいやつにちがいないぞ	The thief must be a small guy with big feet.
グッドモーニング、ラッキーデース、ワンポイント・レッスンデース・・・　コノホン　サシアゲマース　ハブ　ア　ナイス　デイ	Good Morning, I'm Lucky. This is One point lessen... I will give you this book. Have a nice day.	グッドモーニング、ヴィッキーデース、ワンポイント・レッスンデース・・・　コノホン　サシアゲマース　ハブ　ア　ナイス　デイ	Good Morning, I'm Vicky. This is One point lessen... I will give you this book. Have a nice day.
ウム・・・おおアシでちいさいじゃと？　ウルトラプーにでとったパグモンかの？	Umm... Big feet, little, huh? Is that the Pagmon from Ultra Poo?	ウム・・・おおアシのコオトコじゃと？　ウルトラキューにでとったピグモンかの？	Umm... Big feet, little guy, huh? Is that the Pigmon from Ultra Q?
まじめにこたえろ　コノヤロー	Answer seriously, you bastard.	まじめにこたえろ、クソジジイ	Answer seriously, you old fucker.
ヤロウ、ニモツをどこへやった　バシッ、ベシッ	Bastard! Where's my baggage? Slap, Smack!	クソジジイ、ニモツをどこへやった　バシッ、ベシッ	Old fucker! Where's my baggage? Slap, Smack!
トケイのうらにはメイドインジャパンと・・・	"Made in Japan" on the back of the watch...	トケイのうらにはメイドイン・タイワンとかかれていました。やはりオカマのアルジか・・・	"Made in Taiwan" on the back of the watch. I knew it was that okama innkeeper...
ヤドヤのアルジは、ブンロクのニモツにあったガイジン・マスクをかぶりミギてにコウモリガサ、ヒダリてにアイロンをもっています	The innkeeper wears a gaijin mask from Bunroku's baggage and holds an umbrella in his right hand and an iron in his left.	オカマのアルジは、ブンロクのニモツにあったレーガン・マスクをかぶりミギてにコウモリガサ、ヒダリてにアイロンをもっています	The okama innkeeper wears a Reagan mask from Bunroku's baggage and holds an umbrella in his right hand and an iron in his left.
すっかりアクマになりきったヤドヤのアルジは、コウモリガサをいきりたってたかくカカゲました。そのカサのセンタンが、キリストさまの・・・その・・いや・・・にあたってしまった。	The innkeeper, who had become the devil himself, raised his umbrella high in the air. The tip of the umbrella hit the...well..uh...of Christ.	すっかりアクマになりきったオカマのアルジは、コウモリガサをいきりたってたかくカカゲました。そのカサのセンタンが、キリストさまの・・・その・・いや・・・アソコにあたってしまった。	The okama innkeeper, who had become the devil himself, raised his umbrella high in the air. The tip of the umbrella hit the...well..uh...junk of Christ.
なんとキセキがおこったのです。"ライダー・キーック・・・"　アクマは、アタマにチメイテキなダメージをうけてしまいました。アワレー・・・テンバツです。	What a miracle! "Rider Kick!" The devil suffered a fatal blow to the head. It is pathetic... and a damnation.	なんとキセキがおこったのです。"ライダー・キーック・・・"　オカマのアクマは、アタマにチメイテキなダメージをうけてしまいました。アワレー・・・テンバツです。	What a miracle! "Rider Kick!" The okama devil suffered a fatal blow to the head. It is pathetic... and a damnation.
ところでホウオウさま、ヤマのロウジンについてごぞんじですか？	By the way, His Holiness. Do you know anything about the Old Man of the Mountain?	ところでホウオウさま、ヤマのボケロウジンについてごぞんじですか？	By the way, His Holiness. Do you know anything about the Old Stupid Man of the Mountain?
すみません。ヤマのロウジンってごぞんじでしょうか	Excuse Me. Do you know about the Old Man of the Mountain?	すみません。ヤマのボケロウジンってごぞんじでしょうか	Excuse Me. Do you know about the Old Stupid Man of the Mountain?
ソーあるヨ。ヤマのロウジンマズシイあるヨ。いいヒトあるヨ	Yes. The old man of the mountain is poor. He's a good man.	ソーあるヨ。ヤマのボケロウジンビンボウあるヨ。いいヒトあるヨ	Yes. The old stupid man of the mountain is poor. He's a good man.
おきろーコラッ	Get up! Hey!	おきろクソジジイ	Get up! Old stupid!
シビンのようなランプを3カイこするとマハラジャーンとランプのセイがあわられました	Rubbing the lamp like a vial of urine three times, and "Maharajahn!" The genie of the lamp appeared.	シビンのようなランプを3カイこするとミルクイロのエキタイとともにランプのセイがあわられました	Rubbing the lamp like a urine bottle three times revealed the genie of the lamp, along with a milk-colored liquid.
よくもワシのカワイイひとりムスメをコロしてくれたな	How dare you kill my lovely only daughter?	よくもワシのカワイイひとりムスメをヤッテくれたな	How dare you kill my lovely only daughter?
ワタシはこのクニのオオヒでごじゃりまする。オオは3ネンまえにゲンコクのショウニンにそそのかされショクチュウドクでしんだのでごじゃりまする	I am the queen of this country. The king was seduced by a merchant from the country of Yuan three years ago and died of food poisoning.	ワタシはこのクニのオオヒでごじゃりまする。オオは3ネンまえにゲンコクのショウニンにそそのかされアヘンチュウドクでしんだのでごじゃりまする	I am the queen of this country. The king was seduced by a merchant from the country of Yuan three years ago and died of opium addiction.
センドウさんはスタコラさっさとスガタをけすのでした。じつはオオさまにサシミをすすめたのはこのオトコだったのです	The boatman quickly disappeared. In fact, it was this man who recommended sashimi to the king.	センドウさんはスタコラさっさとスガタをけすのでした。じつはアヘンをオウさまにすすめたのはこのオトコだったのです	The boatman quickly disappeared. In fact, it was this man who recommended opium to the king.
ハラがへったじゃろう。サケもあるビジョもおるぞ。ゲッヘッヘ	Are you hungry? We have booze and beautiful girls. Hee-hee-hee.	ハラがへったじゃろう。サケもあるオンナもおるぞ。ゲッヘッヘ	Are you hungry? We have booze and beautiful girls. Hee-hee-hee.
ブンロクはサケとビジョによいしれるのでした。サケやタベモノにふくまれたクスリによって、センノウされてゆくのです	Bunroku was intoxicated by alcohol and girls. He is brainwashed by the drugs contained in the alcohol and food.	ブンロクはサケとオンナによいしれるのでした。サケやタベモノにふくまれたヤクによって、センノウされてゆくのです	Bunroku was intoxicated by alcohol and girls. He is brainwashed by the drugs contained in the alcohol and food.
サケー・・・、サケー・・・	Booze..., booze...	サケ・・・オンナ、ヤク・・・オンナ	Booze...Girl, Drug...Girl
オエーゲボゴボ！ブンロクはユウガイなドクブツをはきだしました	Whoops, cough! cough! Bunroku spit out toxic material.	オエーゲボゴボ！ブンロクはゲロといっしょにユウガイなドクブツをはきだしました	Whoops, cough! cough! Bunroku vomited up toxic material along with his vomit.
タマネギー！	Onion!	カンチョウー！スカトロ！	Kanchō! Scat!
ロウジンのイのなかで、アルコールとタマネギがコンゴウし、ロウジンははげしく・・・ナミダをドバー、ドバー、ドバー　ものすごいいきおいで、マルコとブンロクのリュックがトビだしました	The alcohol and onion mix in the old man's stomach, and the old man violently tears gush gush gush... With tremendous force, Marco and Bunroku's backpacks popped out.	ロウジンのイのなかで、アルコールとグリセリンがコンゴウし、ロウジンははげしいハキケを・・・ゲロゲロゲーロ　ものすごいいきおいで、マルコとブンロクのリュックがトビだしました	The alcohol and glycerin mix in the old man's stomach and the old man became violently nauseous, barf barf barf... With tremendous force, Marco and Bunroku's backpacks popped out.
ふたりはロウジンのナミダによってキュウデンのなかからふかいタニマをつたいホルムズのマチまでながされていきました。そうゆうわけで、マルコとブンロクはぶじリュックをとりかえすことができました。ヤマのロウジンは、そのごながいねんげつナミダをナガシつづけナンコウフラクのヨウサイを、そのナミダでうめつくしてしまいました。すべてはデンセツとなりコウセイにかたりつがれるのでした。ソレはさておきフタリはバタフジャンにむかってタビダツのでした・・・　パラスルビーのサンチだとか　ダイ2ショウこれにてカン	They were swept by the old man's tears from the palace down a deep valley to the city of Hormuz. That is why Marco and Bunroku were able to get their backpacks back safely. The old man of the mountain continued to shed tears for many years afterward, filling the impregnable fortress with them. The whole thing became a legend, to be passed down to future generations. But that aside, the two men set off for Badakhshan... I hear that's where the Balas ruby comes from. Chapter 2, this is the end.	ふたりはロウジンのゲロによってキュウデンのなかからふかいタニマをつたいホルムズのマチまでながされていきました。そうゆうわけで、マルコとブンロクはぶじリュックをとりかえすことができました。ヤマのロウジンは、そのごながいねんげつゲロをはきつづけナンコウフラクのヨウサイを、そのゲロでうめつくしてしまいました。すべてはデンセツとなりコウセイにかたりつがれるのでした。ソレはさておきフタリはゲロまみれのリュックをセオいバタフジャンにむかってタビダツのでした・・・　ダイ2ショウこれにてカン	They were swept out of the palace by the old man's vomit and down a deep ravine to the city of Hormuz. That is why Marco and Bunroku were able to get their backpacks back safely. The old man of the mountain continued to vomit for many years afterward, filling the impregnable fortress with his vomit. The whole thing became a legend, to be passed down to future generations. But that aside, the two men set off for Badakhshan with vomit-covered backpacks on their backs.... Chapter 2, this is the end.
ミイラか　アクマか　ようかいか？	A mummy, a devil, or a monster?	ゾンビか　アクマか　スガイキンか？	A zombie, a devil, or Kin Sugai?
アイドルみたいにかわいいカオをしています	She has a pretty face like an idol.	チアキ　ナオミみたいにいいオンナです	She is a nice woman like Naomi Chiaki.
ヘンなホンがかくしてありました	There was a funny book hidden away.	ガロのホンがかくしてありました	There was a Garo magazine hidden away.
なにをするのですブレイモノ。シケイですワ！	What are you doing, you rude man? You shall be put to death!	アアーン！もっともっと・・・なにをするのですブレイモノ。シケイですワ！	Ooohh! More, more...What are you doing, you rude man? You shall be put to death!
こわいヒトはブンロクのクチをこじあけペンチでキンバをぬきとりました　ブンロクがのたうちまわっているうちにこわいヒトはとんずらしました。	The terrible man pried Bunroku's mouth open and pulled out a gold tooth with pliers. While Bunroku was floundering, the terrible man ran away.	ヤクザはブンロクのクチをこじあけペンチでキンバをぬきとりました　ブンロクがのたうちまわっているうちにヤクザはとんずらしました。	The yakuza pried Bunroku's mouth open and pulled out a gold tooth with pliers. While Bunroku was floundering, the yakuza ran away.
こんどみつけたらトリのからあげにしてやるぞ	Next time I find you, I'll turn you into fried chicken.	こんどみつけたらケンタッキー・フライド・オウムにしてやるぞ	Next time I find you, I'll turn you into Kentucky Fried Parrot.
オトコはまるでギリシャちょうこくのようにキンニクがついています	The man is muscled like a Greek sculpture.	オトコはまるでモリスエシンジのようにキンニクがついています	The man is muscled like Shinji Morisue.
なんとこんどはオンナがうかびあがってきました。	What a surprise, a woman emerged next.	なんとこんどはハダカのオンナがうかびあがってきました。ラッキー！	What a surprise, a naked woman emerged next. Lucky!
ウヒョヒョー、びっくりしたぜ！	Wow, what a surprise!	オー　いいカラダしてるじゃねーか	Ohh, you have a nice body.
リュックからチェーンソーをとりだしキをきりはじめました。ヒメイをあげるふたり。	He took a chainsaw out of his backpack and began to cut the tree. And they screamed.	リュックからチェーンソーをとりだしキをきりはじめました。ヒメイをあげるふたり。まっかなジュエキがとびちっています	He took a chainsaw out of his backpack and began to cut the tree. And they screamed. Bright red sap splattered all over.
マルコのニモツからランプがころがりでてきました。よごれてたのでゴシゴシとこすと・・・	A lamp rolled out of Marco's baggage. It was dirty, so I scrubbed it and...	マルコのニモツからランプがころがりでてきました。よごれてたのでゴシゴシとこすと・・・ビクビクビクッ！	A lamp rolled out of Marco's baggage. It was dirty, so I scrubbed it and...twitchy, twitchy!
マハラジャーン！とインドじんがとびでてきました	"Maharajahn!", emerged the Indian.	ピュッピュッ！とインドじんがとびでてきました	"Splut splut!", emerged the Indian.
ヒロバいったいにしろいケムリがたちこめました	White smoke filled the entire plaza.	ヒロバいったいにバルサンのケムリがたちこめました	Varsan smoke filled the entire plaza.
オイ、パク！はやくたすけてくれー	Hey, Paku! Help me quickly!	オイ！そこのドブスのパク　たすけてくれー	Hey! You ugly Paku, Help me!
ヤヤ！おフロバのスミにニコラスがいるではありませんか。あのあくとくシンプめ	Oh my, there is Nicholas in the corner of the bathroom! That evil priest!	ヤヤ！オンナブロのスミにニコラスがいるではありませんか。あのあくとくシンプめ	Oh my, there is Nicholas in the corner of the woman's bathroom! That evil priest!
ゆぶねのなかからナゾのじんぶつがでてきました	A mysterious man came out of the bathtub.	ゆぶねのなかからナゾのじんぶつがでてきました。もぐってなにをしていたんでしょうか？	A mysterious man came out of the bathtub. What was he doing underwater?
おチビちゃんがでてきました	The cute little has appeared.	ドチビがでてきました	The little guy has appeared.
マルコは、ゼロセンタイのホウカのなか・・・。イキタレのみがカイチュウにさみしくただよっています。　マルコはショウシツしました・・・。	Marco is under fire from the Zero squadron. Only his remains are left in the sea. Marco has disappeared.	マルコのあたまは、ゼロセンタイのホウカのなかにくだけ、さけちるのでした。イキタレにはマルコのうでだけが、しっかりと・・・いやはやムザンでゲス	Marco's head was shattered and ripped apart by the Zero squadron's fire. Only Marco's arms were still firmly in place. It is so cruel.
ニッポンじゃねーのか。ニッポンだろ、ニッポンじんだろおまえらは、こんなのニッポンじゃないぜ　こんなのニッポンじゃないぜ。こんなのニッポンじゃない・・・・・	Not Japan? It's Japan. You're Japanese, aren't you? This is not Japan. This is not Japan. This is not Japan.....	ニッポンじゃねーのか。ニッポンだろ、ニッポンじんだろおまえらは、こんなのニッポンじゃないぜ　こんなのニッポンじゃないぜ。こんなのニッポンじゃない・・・・・	Not Japan? It's Japan. You're Japanese, aren't you? This is not Japan. This is not Japan. This is not Japan.....

Trivia

• "Okama" (おかま, オカマ) is a Japanese term for a man who wears heavy makeup and women's clothing and behaves in a female manner. Originally created as a derogatory term, it has become a common slang term.
• Insults such as "stupid" and "ugly" and words such as "drug", "opium" and "yakuza" that are not appropriate for children have been changed.
• The change of "コオトコ" and "ドチビ" in the prototype is a consideration for people with dwarfism.
• The prototype "Vicky" is a parody of Anton Wicky Ampalavanar, a Sri Lankan university professor who appeared in a then-airing morning show in Japan, the Zoom In!! Asa! (ズームイン!!朝!) segment Wicky-san's One-point English Conversation (ウィッキーさんのワンポイント英会話).
• Ultra Q (ウルトラQ) is a Tokusatsu television show that aired in 1966 and was the first in the Ultraman franchise. However, Pigmon is the name used from the later-aired Ultraman, and in Ultra Q the name is Garamon.
• The "Reagan mask" probably refers to Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States.
• For some reason, "Rider Kick", which seems to be a reference to Kamen Rider, was not changed.
• The words "milk-colored liquid" and the onomatopoeic words "splut, splut" in the scene where the lamp is rubbed are probably an allusion to semen.
• Kin Sugai (菅井きん, 1928-2015) is a Japanese actress who appeared in Ikiru (1952) and Godzilla (1955), etc.
• Naomi Chiaki (ちあきなおみ) is a former Japanese singer and actress who effectively retired from show business after the death of her husband in 1992.
• Garo (ガロ) was a Japanese manga magazine published from 1964 to 2002.
• Shinji Morisue (森末慎二) is a former Japanese gymnast who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
• Varsan (バルサン) is a brand of insecticide marketed by Chugai Pharmaceutical of Japan.
• In addition to Marco's exploding head, the prototype appears to include a graphic of a woman's exposed breast (The woman emerging from the tree, the women in the bathroom, the woman in the last scene), but unfortunately Jironosuke refrained from doing so, so it cannot be seen.
• In the scene where the old man's stomach is mixed with alcohol and glycerin, and in the scene where Marco and Bunroku are washed away by the old man's vomit, the prototype is missing one image because Jironosuke did not take some of the pictures. However, that part is probably the same as the final version.