This page details prerelease information and/or media for Madou Monogatari (Sega Saturn).

This article is a work in progress.
...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

To do:
Add some more details & descriptions to character comparisons, along with HQ versions of all the images.

As the last Puyo-related game on the Sega Saturn and as the last proper Madou game, Madou Monogatari seems to have had a troubled development. The project was abandoned during production, before work was resumed later on. Footage from pre-release builds reveal a different version of the game in presentation, gameplay, and somewhat in story.

Start of Development

"Madou Monogatari" Saturn begun life during a period where Compile, the original creators of the series, wanted to unify the timeline & push for more serious plots. 5 different plots were made for the game during pre-production, but were all rejected due to management problems & Compile's financial troubles at the time. The final story found in the game was used due to its smaller-scale plot.^[1]

"There are some very specific reasons why Saturn Madou Monogatari was stuck in development hell for as long as it was. A Production Lead, let's call them "M", left mid-development which led to discussions on whether to cancel or continue the project. After that, Kenji Oda became the new Production Lead and director, and completely reorganized the staff from the ground up. He wanted to change around the gameplay completely too, and after a staff meeting he adopted his own suggestion of changing the graphics to a 2.5 quarter-perspective.
Then, in March 1998, Compile applied to partake in the Peace Conference. The one who bailed us out back then was the newly incoming president of SEGA (they used to be the head of R&D at Honda and developed the Beat). That's how we could continue development among all the chaos and by some miracle release the game in May of that same year on the SEGA Saturn. We missed induction into the Famitsu Hall of Fame since we only scored a 7 overall in their review. But it was still a pretty good review."^[2]^[3]

(Source: Nenilein)

Proposed Storylines

Guardians - Proposed Story #1

This story would've had Arle meeting the rest of the jewel guardians from "Madou Monogatari: Hacha-Mecha Kimatsu Shiken", those being Flame Garnet, Lightning Zircon, Blizzard Aquamarine, and Storm Alexandria.

Fetid Magician Once Again - Proposed Story #2

This story would've had Arle's kindergarten teacher ask her to get rid of some monsters, running into the Rot Wizard, who attempted to kill her during her kindergarten graduation exam.

Treasure Hunt - Proposed Story #3

This story would've been a treasure hunt on a magical island.

Catastrophers - Proposed Story #4

This story would've revolved around the rumor of "The Ancient One", with Arle and friends going against a doomsday cult known as the "Catastrophers Seven". Another group called Triblade, made up of Schezo's transfem friend "Sword" (who he refers to as his "sibling from another father"), Rulue's father "Edge", the Arle's friend "Saber", would've also been introduced here, along with Saber's father, "Swordmaster". The story seems to have also had three acts for the prologue.

Fetid Magician Once More - Prologue Act 1

Currently unknown, but might be related to Proposed Story #2

Heartless Martial Art - Prologue Act 2

Would've been 19 year old Rulue being forced to battle her hometown

The Hero and the Sanctuary - Prologue Act 3

Would've been a flashback to 350 years ago during the Showdown between Lagnus & Runelord.

Duke Harmage's Cell - Proposed Story #5

This story features Satan encountering a mad scientist with the three treasured gems, Rubelcrack, Azorecrack, and Verjecrack. This story also features Duke Harmage, the Yogs, and Lagnus. This story would eventually be turned into "True Madou Monogatari", and was originally used in the 1997 build of the game before development was abandoned.

Concept and Production Art

A lot of the artwork here was sourced from Twitter, being posted regularly by Key Graphic Artist Takeshi Okamoto since December 2020. Originally put in charge of backgrounds and environments before doing character art after the project was picked up again.

Environments

A good amount of concept art has been found through old publications. Some of them have descriptions by Arle.

World Map

The map of the world at the time, which roughly translates to "Arein".

Arle's House

Concept art of Arle's house, both inside & out.

Satan's Tower

Concept art of Satan's Tower, both inside & out. The inside shot is actually used during the game's opening movie (which plays after waiting at the title screen.)

Mountain Pass Barrier

The Mountain Pass Barrier, which can be seen in the 1997 footage.

Village of Mice

A town concept art that roughly translates to "Village of Mice".

The Lost Forest

A forest that either translates to "The Lost Forest" or "Forest of Labyrinth".

Village of Giu

Concept art of a "Village of Giu". Arle says,

We have arrived at a village full of cows. The villagers told us about a mysterious bull, and we were very nervous...

Various pieces of environment concept art, featuring a house, a Water Palace, and Grandfather's(?) Factory. These were all shared on Twitter by Takeshi Okamoto.

Model Sheets

Arle Nadja

A turnaround/reference sheet for Arle, probably meant for the animation used in the 1997 preview footage.

Schezo Wegey

A turnaround/reference sheet for Schezo also exists. Again, also probably made for the animation used in the 1997 footage.

Lagnus Bishasi

A turnaround/reference sheet for both Lagnus & Young Lagnus. In Color!

Expressions

Arle

Expression sheets for Arle. The first has two closed-eyed ones that go unused. The second has an unused slightly-opened mouth one. and the fourth has the swirly eyes & crying with both eyes closed unused.

Banshee Trio

An Expression sheet for the Banshee Trio.

Carbuncle

An Expression sheet for Carbuncle.

Cloaked Figure

An Expression sheet for the Cloaked Figure.

Draco

An Expression sheet for Draco. All of these go used, except the bottom-right one had the tear removed in the final.

Harpy

An Expression sheet for Harpy.

Incubus

An Expression sheet for Incubus. The tear from the middle face was removed & the left face was changed from shocked to a sorta happy-shocked face.

Jarne

An Expression sheet for Jarne.

Kikimora

An Expression sheet for Kikimora.

Lagnus

Expression sheets for Young Lagnus.

Mandrake

An Expression sheet for Mandrake.

Minotauros

Expression sheets for Minotauros. The first one has an unused face at the top right& the second one has a face in the top-middle that goes unused.

Momomo

An Expression sheet for Momomo.

Panotty

An Expression sheet for Panotty.

Rulue

Expression Sheets for Rulue. The first one has top-left one unused, & the bottom-middle-left one is also unused. The fourth one has the bottom-middle-right one unused. and the sixth & seventh ones feature expressions for other characters.

Sasori Man

An Expression sheet for Sasori Man.

Satan

An Expression sheet for Satan.

Schezo

Expression sheets for Schezo, featuring circle-eyed Arle as well. The first one had the top-middle & top-right ones go unused.

Succubus

Expression sheets for Succubus. While all the expressions are used, her shirt is black & blue here instead of the red that's used in the final.

Suketoudara

An Expression sheet for Suketoudara.

Sukia Podes

An Expression sheet for Sukia Podes.

Witch

An expression sheet for Witch. The bottom left one had the tear removed & the eyes changed to face forwards instead of down.

Zoh

An Expression sheet for Zoh.

Various

Various Expression sheets featuring multiple different characters in each of them.

Linework & Shadow Designation

Linework & Shadow Designation art-pieces of the multiple Events in the game.

1997

Videos

Not For Resale Compilation

A "Not For Resale" VHS tape featuring an almost completely different version of the game than the final. The dialogue found in this trailer & the other trailer from 1997 matches up with the first book in "True Madou Monogatari", which was based on the fifth proposal of the game's story.

The tape starts with a full animated intro showcasing the characters. It's unknown if it was meant for the game, but it's possible seeing how Puyo Puyo Sun featured one.
The map overworld is different, you're able to walk around in all 8 directions. The final game uses a different overworld that only allows 4 directions diagonally.
- The prototype overworld seems to have been kept only in the prologue as Lagnus, but not for the rest of the game.
- Because of this, most, if not all the characters graphics here are unused.
- Some of the environments were reused for the Lagnus prologue, using a different pallet.
There are MULTIPLE cut scenes from the game that can be seen here.
- Carbuncle being saved by Arle from a falling boulder.
- Rulue punching Minotauros to the wall.
- Schezo muddling his words in front of Arle, saying "I want you."
- Satan admiring Carbuncle in his fortress.
- Skeleton T talking to Arle in a similar location as the previous scene.
- Arle finding Nasu Grave in a similar area to the last two scenes, Nasu Grave does not appear in the final game.
- Arle alone solving a Puyo Puzzle. In the final, she's accompanied by Rulue & Schezo.
- Arle looking up at the tower.
The HUD in the battles are also different
- The character icons used to feature a graphic of them, which was removed.
- The Background of the UI seems to be a lighter shade of blue.
- Names were originally centered, while the final has them towards the left.
- The attack text was the opposite, being towards the left instead of the center in the final.
- The bars for HP, MP, & SP originally had no outline.
- Characters graphics seemed to have been updated/redone., they look much skinnier/taller in the prerelease version.
A montage of Battles are shown here, with many differences.
- A battle is seen against Kikimora, Draco, & Witch. This never happens in the final, and Kikimora is the only you can battle in the final.
- When defeated, Witch doesn't have a defeat animation like Boss characters do in the final. This suggests that either the animation didn't exist or they weren't bosses.
- The attack Schezo does isn't in the final game.
- Rulue's attack is in the final game, but the animation is different.
- Purple Puyo & Garbage Puyo appear in Grass areas in the footage, but don't in the final.
- Harpy is fought in a different area.
- Witch is seen being fought solo, which seems to be taking place sometime after the trio encounter. Witch isn't an enemy or boss in the final game.
- A rocky battle-area can be seen, which was removed from the final game.
- Young Lagnus can be seen as a party member. In the final, his young form isn't playable.
- Arle & Young Lagnus seem to be fighting an unused enemy, which appears to be scratching as an attack.
- Rulue is seen leading the party with Minotauros. Arle is the only character able to lead the party in the final, with the exception of the Prologue.
- The Samurai Moles aren't seen in the grassy area in the final.
- Arle, Rulue, & Schezo fighting Nasu Grave. As mentioned previously, Nasu Grave does not make an appearance in the final game.
- Cockatrice doesn't appear in the grassy area in the final.
- Sukiya Podes don't appear in the forest in the final.
- The Living Dolls aren't seen in the grassy area in the final either.
- A very big, axe-wielding knight is shown off, which doesn't appear in the final game.

Unknown Footage

More footage from most likely a Compile Disc Station, featuring some new footage & a date of when it was created, 1997. Note that this shares footage from the previous video, meaning this is all probably B-roll footage.

The video starts off with a collection of Concept Art of areas & characters, like Young Lagnus, Minotauros, Witch, & Satan
It follows up with a section of the animation, potentially pointing towards it actually being meant for the game. Sections featuring the character's names are different, possibly meaning they were edited in for both.
The music used in this trailer is an earlier rendition of "Lagnus' Theme" from the final game.
The Map screen from Lagnus' prologue is also shown here, with Arle walking around in the daytime instead.
Arle's house is shown, with a different design than in the final. Her mother is also seen, who doesn't appear in the final.
Arle walking around in the forest, looking radically different than in the final.
Battle footage is shown as well.
- More footage of Young Lagnus in battle, using Light Slash in an unused area. Only regular Lagnus is playable in the final game.
- More battle footage of Arle, Rulue, & Schezo against the unused Axe Knight.
- Arle, Rulue, & Schezo fighting against an unused sand golem-like enemy in an unused area.