Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo)

Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo)

Project Overview

Killer Konnect: New Blood is an urban fantasy black comedy romance centered around serial killers and occultism, set in an constructed setting known as Krāzyk. The plot concerns conspiracies and super-powered serial killers, combined with social commentary and meta-narrative elements.

It is planned to be a kinetic visual novel, which if you are unfamiliar is a term for a visual novel game with limited to no choice, branching paths or other forms of interactivity. It is simply an audio-visual storytelling experience laid out directly in linear fashion.

EDIT: Since originally drafting this pitch document, I’ve come to consider some limited interactivity in the form of optional GPS Map traversal dialogue (In the style of something like the Mappie system from Rewrite) and some other minor side-content involving the protagonist’s phone, such as an in-universe social media feed that provides additional worldbuilding or reactions to story events. These aren’t confirmed, but are something I’m considering.

In terms of structure, tone and influences, Killer Konnect aims to be more similar to a light novel series or seasonal anime presented in visual novel form. There are no routes or adjacent gameplay mechanics, it is intended to be a fast-paced entertaining and breezy read for fans of the relevant genres and subject matter.

It is also aiming to be a more authentic visual novel experience than many offerings in the OELVN space, which is largely dominated by self-aware parodies of visual novel tropes and conventions (usually restricted to dating sims) and/or psychological deconstructions of the typical format. And those things are perfectly fine, but I believe there is a gap in the scene for titles that are more straight-forward and genuine.

As a lifelong lover of anime, manga, visual novels and other Japanese games, I want to produce something that captures as much of that spirit as possible.

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The first draft of the script is fully finished. We are currently in the process of preparing a short pitch demo specifically to appeal to indie publishers for funding/support.

The game is made in Godot and we have most of our main systems in place. Our sprites and backgrounds are complete. Most of the music we'll need is finished with the rest on the way, as well as SFX.

Naturally the time has come to cast our two leads that appear in the demo, which covers the first script sequence, or chapter of the game. We expect it to be roughly 20ish minutes long, though we plan on adding some optional bonus scenes to demonstrate other factors and showcase the characters' range of personalities better.

We would like this pitch demo to be fully voice-acted to make the best first impression, though we expect given the length of the script for the full game to contain only partial voice-acting. Quips and grunts universally, full VO for significant scenes. Similar to how the Danganronpa games handle it.

Right now we are casting for this pitch demo specifically, but are definitely interested in hiring for the full game on either a revshare or full payment model depending on publisher negotiations and prospects. In short, we don't expect long-term commitment, but we do welcome it if we like your performance and enjoy working with you.

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Latest Updates

  • Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo) - Update #6

    The deadline has officially come and gone, and we did, ultimately manage to climb over 200 auditions. We just want to say how incredibly grateful we are that each and every one of you took the time out of your day to try out for this project.

    It is so encouraging to see that so many people looked at what we're doing and thought 'That looks cool, I wanna be a part of that'. It's been a big source of hope for me that my ideas have strong appeal and can resonate if given the chance. Let's hope someone out there with a comically large sack of money agrees.

    So what you're no doubt wondering is, what happens now?

    We're going to be taking the next few days to dive in and go through all the auditions again with fresh ears. From there, we're going to be selecting our top picks for both Kon and Kira, and reach out to those specific applicants for a second round of auditions, with a few more lines and some personalized feedback based on their first submissions.

    From that, we will make our final decision.

    I can't give an exact timeline, but what I can safely say is that if you don't receive a message from us within about a week, you can assume you were not selected for the second round.

    But that doesn't necessarily mean you're completely out of luck. While I can't promise anything as our plans are subject to change depending on negotiations with prospective publishers, it is likely we will be running another casting call in the future, with significantly more roles on offer.

    To stay in the loop regarding that, as well as any other updates on the project, please follow our official socials on either Twitter or Bluesky. And if you're really invested, consider subscribing to my youtube channel, where I sometimes post teasers and updates relating to the game.

    https://x.com/KillerKonnect

    https://bsky.app/profile/killerkonnect.bsky.social

    https://www.youtube.com/@ZekeFreek

    Again, we deeply appreciate your interest and hope you'll keep Killer Konnect in the back of your mind as we continue development. We truly want to create a game that enthralls people and hope you'll be there when our dream becomes a reality, :)

    So keep an eye on your inboxes, if you're among those selected for the second round, you should see a message from us in the coming days. And if you weren't, we still thank you for your interest. I still can't believe we received as many auditions as we did. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to comb through all of these...

    ~ZekeFreek
    ~Baka Gaijin Studio

  • Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo) - Update #5

    This is the final call! Friday is the last day to get your auditions in!

    If you have any intention of submitting, please do so soon!

    I had a whole Q&A here that I was writing but then my computer crashed and I lost it! I'm pretty annoyed about that and don't wanna do it again! It was probably better saved for the post-deadline update anyway, so I'll just wait until then.

    The main point is, the deadline is rapidly approaching! This is the last reminder!

  • Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo) - Update #4

    There is now just under a week left in our casting call!

    Once again, we have to express our surprise and gratitude that so many people saw our project and went "yeah that looks cool, i wanna be a part of that". That's super encouraging for us and the fact now hundreds of people know about Killer Konnect, if only in passing, is big.

    To reiterate for those who missed a prior update, our plan after the casting call closes is to contact our top picks and request a second private audition, this one with some additional lines and personalized feedback based on their first audition.

    If you do not receive contact from us within a few days after the deadline, it is safe to assume you weren't among those selected. We do hope you continue following the project however, as we are likely to have more casting opportunities in the future.

    From our second round candidates, we will ultimately make our final casting decisions for the pitch demo. Though we may hold the rest on a shortlist of reserve options in case our first picks don't work out for any reason, and as previously stated, we will likely be running another casting call with more roles sometimes in the future, so we hope to stay in contact with our most promising applicants. Networking! Yay!

    I'll probably repeat this info again later, but if you're interested in following the development of the project, the best ways are to follow our Twitter/Bluesky social handles and subscribe to my personal youtube channel, where I occasionally post updates and teasers relating to the project. There's already a few teaser tracks up if you want to hear what our composer has been cooking!

    Finally, at least at this time, I maintain beta scripts for public viewing on my Fictionpress account for both New Blood and the planned sequel, Duskheart Syndicate. These are first drafts and some minor details will be changed as development continues (there have already been several modifications between the posted draft and the vertical slice video), but the overall plot is set in stone. If you're really interested in the story of the project, you can technically already read it if you want to. Though these listings may be taken down in the future depending on how potential publishers feel about them.

    I'll drop links to everything I mentioned and just end with a reminder to please get your auditions in if you have any intention of doing so! There is less than a week remaining!

    https://x.com/KillerKonnect

    https://bsky.app/profile/killerkonnect.bsky.social

    https://www.youtube.com/@ZekeFreek

    https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3362300/1/Killer-Konnect-New-Blood

  • Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo) - Update #3

    Right now, the page says 99 but if we include the auditions I've received over Discord and Email, we're officially past 100 submissions. Incredible stuff, dare I dream we get to 200 before the deadline? Perhaps its unlikely, but this whole project started as a dream.

    In the interest of not just doing a generic bump post, I thought I'd give a little more background on this project, a little history lesson about where Killer Konnect came from. Warning; this may be long lol.

    The concept formed in my mind in late 2021 and I started writing it in January of 2022. It was sort of a huge mix of various inspirations and motivations, all coming together to make something that I think is truly unique.

    The real push was finishing a re-watch of Shakugan no Shana, an absolute classic and realizing that we don't really get earnest urban fantasy series like that anymore. Excessively chuunibyou stories that contrast secret worlds with modern life. I've always been drawn to that kind of thing, but the zeitgeist moved on to isekai and more D&D inspired fantasy.

    At the same time, I noticed a lot of OELVNs coming out were relying on wacky gimmicks and genre parodies. Which are fine enough, but I felt like there was a real gap in the market for something more authentic.

    Killer Konnect is a mixture of everything I love, from its conspiracy and occultism themed urban fantasy, to its morbid comedy and constant references, to meta-commentary and societal themes. All wrapped in the stylistic trimmings of the 2000s anime I grew up with and love, stark vivid colors, sharp contrasts and shadows, cuteness and coolness coalescing. Unabashed strangeness, an earnest mash-up of Shonen Jump-style action and 2000s Light Novel conventions.

    And of course, I would be remiss to not mention the massive influence of my personal hero, Kazutaka Kodaka's games. I'm not sure I would have pursued writing so seriously if he didn't constantly inspire me. I literally put my Danganronpa fanfics on hold to start working on my own game!

    Despite being so busy with it, I find time to write fanfic of his latest masterpiece, The Hundred Line, just because I love the worlds and characters he creates so much. That spirit is something I hope to tap into with Killer Konnect, and I think it will appeal to fellow fans of his and similar creators' works.

    I decided I needed to finish the first draft to be taken seriously, so I wrote the entire New Blood story before recruiting. In May of 2024, it was complete. My best friend and I got to work creating our vertical slice video to attract talent to the project, which was a huge undertaking and didn't see the light of day until March of 2025.

    Throughout 2025, we made great strides in putting together a team to create our pitch demo. We have a programmer who has been building our VN engine in Godot, I worked with the talented artist I had been commissioning designs from to make our sprites, we have an insanely skillful composer who totally gets the vibe we're going for, among other individuals we've collaborated with.

    And all the while, I have been refining the existing script, creating supplemental content, bonus scenes, Kodex entries, etc. And charging ahead and writing the sequel's script, which now has almost as high a word count as the first game's!

    I'm pouring all of my heart and soul into Killer Konnect! I want it to be something amazing that speaks to people. We're on track to finish our pitch demo and pitch deck in the coming months and begin contacting indie publishers for the funding and support we need to make it a reality.

    To anyone who took the time to read this, thank you. To anyone who has already auditioned, I appreciate your interest so much. There's still twelve days left in the casting call, so if you haven't submitted yet, please do so!

    ~Zeke Freek
    ~Baka Gaijin Studio

  • Killer Konnect: New Blood (Pitch Demo) - Update #2

    We've just passed over 75 auditions, which is frankly more attention than we figured we'd get.

    Once again, we'd like to thank everyone who shared this casting call with their friends, colleagues or even just retweeted it into the aether. The wider the net we cast, the better odds we have of finding the best voices for our characters.

    There's just about two weeks left in the casting call, and we're continuing to intently listen to each audition that comes in, sometimes even going back and forth to compare. If you're catching this project on the recently updated page and it looks interesting, don't hesitate to submit if you feel you'd be a good fit.

    As a head's up, our current plan when the deadline expires is to contact the applicants we feel the strongest about and privately ask them to give a second audition, this one with a few more lines and some personalized feedback and direction. And from there, we would determine our final selection.

    But, that's still a way's off. There's still two weeks left to submit.

    We will likely send out periodic reminders as we draw closer to the deadline, so nobody misses their window and also to give the project a little bump in the feed, as it were. As always, we'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, so drop a comment or shoot us an email if you feel so inclined.

    ~ZekeFreek

    ~Baka Gaijin Studio

Project Roles: Kon Katsuhira Kira
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Kon Katsuhira
open
Unpaid

Name: Kon Katsuhira

Age: 15

Gender: Male

Bio: Kon is a self-isolating runaway geek with a quick wit and a sharp tongue, deeply cynical about the world around him from a lifetime of bullying and neglect. Beneath his manic rants and seemingly endless references is a raw vulnerable soul who doesn’t know just how much he craves human connection. Lives in a perpetual cycle of self-sabotage fueled by low self-esteem, not that one could tell on the surface from his empty boasting.

Voice: Kon should have the voice of a sarcastic young man with the capacity to go on unhinged yet considered rants and tirades at a moment’s notice. But should also be capable of introspection and emotional vulnerability. The story takes Kon to some dark personal places, and his performance should reflect that.

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • male teen
  • false bravado
  • Sarcastic
  • conspiratorial
  • male young adult
  • Manic
  • Upbeat But Compensating For Trauma

  • “Despite my manic exterior, I’m actually quite introspective! It catches people off-guard, like finding out Turkish delights actually suck! Rosewater is an F-tier flavor and I’ll die on that hill! …Wait, who am I arguing with?” [Manic, Impassioned, At The End Confused]

  • “Don’t they ever consider how exhausting it is!? Having everyone always assume the worst about you? Never giving you the benefit of the doubt? How much it hurts to be treated like you’ve done something wrong just by existing!?” [Angry, Bitter, Depressed]

  • “I didn’t understand a damn thing… I acted just like all those people I hated so much… and the worst part was that I was proud of it! Trash begets more trash… I feel like the worst scum in the world…” [Deflated, Saddened, Guilty]

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 136 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Kira
open
Unpaid

Name: Kira ???

Age: 13

Gender: Female

Bio: A young serial killer following a mysterious mission. Kira has a cold abrasive front that covers up a surprisingly scatterbrained mind. Reserved but empathetic under the surface, at the start of the story, she is someone whose training and purpose has suppressed a burgeoning humanity looking for any outlet to spring forth. 

Voice: Kira needs to sound believably and effortlessly youthful, making the disconnect between her age and appearance and her standing as a killer more apparent. Her voice should function equally well in quiet moments as well as fierce battles, always on the razor’s edge between cute and cool. Capable of sounding icy cold as well as innocently warm. Deep down, she is like a marshmallow with a pair of knives.

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • light
  • female teen
  • youthful
  • Soft
  • Cool
  • Exciteable
  • cute

  • “You must not be scared enough if you’re making weird references. How much do I have to cut you to make you behave?” [Intimidating, Ruthless, Like A Cat Playing With Her Food]

  • “I was just curious if you really wore those goggles when you sleep… Aren’t they uncomfortable?” [Inquisitive, Casual]

  • “I’m gonna slice her face into sashimi!” [Focused, Taunting, Angry]

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 83 Submissions Apply / Audition
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