Vol.2 Release — Hundred Poems, Hundred Spirits (RPG Enemy Pack)

Design insight / archive-oriented devlog.
TL;DR: Vol.2 is out—100 enemy sprites inspired by the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Non-humanoid animal spirits with a subtle Japanese “wa” flavor, stronger FX layers this time, and a 40% soft shadow variant for clearer ground contact across RPG Maker UNITE / MZ / MV.

What’s new in Vol.2

Vol.2 follows a simple rule: one poem, one spirit—100 poems → 100 creatures. Each sprite interprets an image, season word, or emotional motion from its poem as a non-humanoid, animal-based fantasy spirit. Instead of robes or armor, the spirits speak through shape, light, and natural effects. You will meet cranes and turtles (longevity, time), deer and foxes (distance, calling, mischief), butterflies (ephemerality), waterfowl and seabirds (travel and parting), and more. The set leans “Japanese” at first glance, yet stays neutral enough to live in any fantasy world.

Art direction: animal spirits, stronger FX, subtle “wa”

We emphasize readable silhouettes (triangle, diamond, C-curve, and when motion calls for it, a guiding S-curve). To keep the spirit fantasy-forward, Vol.2 uses stronger effects than Vol.1: light trails, ember flecks, mist ribbons, and petal drift. Seasonal cues are part of the language:

• Sakura (cherry blossom): pale petal trails, soft bloom, and brief highlights that ride across wings or horns.

• Momiji (maple): pointed leaf shapes that echo spikes and feathers; warm reds and amber accents.

• Fallen leaves / autumn drift: slow angular particles that suggest time, travel, and quiet endings.

These FX are supporting details, not noise. They frame the animals and lead the eye without hiding anatomy.

Practical specs (drop-in friendly)

• Format: PNG with transparent background

• Variants: with shadow (40%) and shadowless

• Sizes / naming: AB / AL / AM / AS (same pipeline as Vol.1)

Why 40% shadow in Vol.2?

We increased ground shadow to ~40% opacity because the stronger FX needed a firmer anchor. On bright, saturated fields (MZ/MV) and lit 3D backdrops (UNITE), 40% gives a clearer contact under glowing particles and petal drift. The penumbra stays wide so heat, mist, or leaf motion do not contradict a super-crisp ellipse. If your project already renders blob shadows or dynamic receivers, use the shadowless variant.

Engine notes (UNITE / MZ / MV)

RPG Maker UNITE. Import AL as baseline. UNITE’s auto-scale handles Small/Large/Boss cleanly, and the negative spaces around legs, tails, and wings keep the read at distance.

RPG Maker MZ / MV. Use AM for common enemies, AS for adds/encounter icons, and AL for mini-bosses. With stronger FX, give yourself a few extra pixels of bottom padding so autumn leaves and foot glow never kiss the battle HUD.

Animation hooks. The designs include implied motion. A simple 6–8 frame loop with ear twitch / wing flex / tail noise / leaf drift sells life without redrawing the whole frame.

How the poems guided the set

• Season & place. Spring spirits lean softer—rounded edges, petal fields, and luminance shifts. Autumn spirits skew slimmer with diagonals and maple shards; winter adds breath vapor and rim frost; travel poems open negative space and push horizon lines.

• Feeling & voice. Longing and distance map to stretched S-curves and off-center balance. Oaths, dignity, or clarity map to diamond / pyramid silhouettes.

• Animals over people. Even when a poem implies a person, we keep the spirit non-humanoid and let nature carry the metaphor (crane for dignity, deer for calling, fox for thresholds, butterfly for fragility, waterfowl for parting, night creatures for secrecy).

Compatibility & workflow

• Works out of the box with RPG Maker UNITE / MZ / MV. Also easy to adopt in Unity 2D / Godot / GameMaker.

• Naming mirrors Vol.1 for painless upgrades and batch scripts.

• Preview images and dimensions match series standards so you can swap packs mid-project.

Closing

Vol.2 is about discipline plus atmosphere: clean shapes for gameplay; FX with sakura, momiji, and fallen leaves for tone. The result is a set that reads fast in combat, then rewards a closer look. If your project needs non-humanoid enemy variety with a quiet Japanese flavor and stronger effects, this volume is made for that slot.