History VideoGame / GekiboGekishaBoy

''Gekibo: Gekisha Boy'' is an eccentric and unique [[GenreBusting rail shooter photography platformer]] developed by Tomcat System and published by Creator/{{Irem}} for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC-Engine]] in 1992. In the game, you play as a young man named David Goldman, a photography enthusiast who seeks to become the best in the world and enrolls at the Los Angeles Photography School. However, tragedy soon strikes when his parents die in a plane crash, [[DespairEventHorizon sending David into a deep depression]], causing his grades to fall and his dreams to crumble. The Dean, seeing David’s potential, steps in to make an offer to the distraught student; take eight special tests, and he’ll graduate.

In 2002, the game would be ported to the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PlayStation 1]] as Volume 94 of the ''Simple 1500'' series, under the name ''The Cameraman: Gekisha Boy Omakefu''. This port adds an extra stage, as well as an unlockable cooperative mode where a second player can come in as the [[DistaffCounterpart Gekisha Girl]]. A sequel would be produced in 2001 called ''Gekibo 2: Tokudane Taikoku Nippon''; this game has David, now a photographer for the newspaper Planet Times, traveling to Japan to take photos of wacky happenings to send back to his boss. ''Gekibo 2'' takes advantage of the new 3D environment, allowing players to zoom in to get shots of things farther in the background, as well as a limited number of flash bulbs to clear obstacles and reveal hidden secrets. The sequel was intended to be released as ''Polaroid Pete'' in other territories, but was canceled.

* AscendedExtra: The Gekisha Girl was just there to be controlled by player 2 in the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PlayStation 1]] port. In the sequel, she is revealed to be the Dean's daughter, and is also David's girlfriend, whom he intends to propose to. She will periodically show up in levels to provide David with power ups.

* BigBoosHaunt: Both games have a level takes place in a graveyard. In the first one, you'll be taking pictures of a lot of classic movie monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, while in the second, you'll be taking pictures of a ton of yokai.

The player takes control of David and he must take pictures of interesting sights to earn points, to complete a stage David must both have enough points to pass and have taken the assigned picture of the level. As he takes pictures, David must also avoid obstacles that will hurt him as well as stun him, which can result in missing a good picture. Taking pictures of certain sights can also grant David more film and upgrades like a bigger lens that will greaten the size of the reticle. The game is incredibly wacky and the various sights you can take pictures of include car crashes, cartoon slapstick, buildings suddenly taking off like rockets, alien abductions, people with especially weird looking faces, and numerous shout-outs to movies like a [[Film/KingKong a giant gorilla climbing a building]] and a [[Film/BackToTheFuture DeLorean flying off into the sky.]]

* AscendedExtra: The Gekisha Girl was just there to be controlled by player 2 in the Playstation 1 port. In the sequel, she is revealed to be the Dean's daughter and is also David's girlfriend, whom he intends to propose to. She will periodically show up in levels to provide David with power ups.

* BigBoosHaunt: Both games have a level takes place in a graveyard. In the first one you will be taking pictures of a lot of classic movie monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, while in the second you will be taking pictures of a ton of yokai.

* DownerBeginning: The first game begins on a surprisingly somber note with David's parents passing away and him being seriously affected, we even get to see their funeral with ''David tearfully crying over their coffins''. It is a good thing the Dean came in to give him some much needed help.
* GagNose: David has a big honker of a nose.

** In the second game the Dean is testing David to make sure he is worthy of marrying his daughter, once again you must take pictures of the Dean but now he will take pictures of David too if you miss him. To win David must have more pictures than the Dean.

* PaperPeople: The second game goes with this kind of art style inside levels, David and everyone else are 2D sprites animating on a 3D plane, even some buildings are 2D making the whole world look like a pop-up book. Averted with the in-between level cutscenes and ranking screen where David and the Dean are 3D models.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The Dean of the Los Angeles Photography School. He is shown to a stern but kind old man who sees David's potential and wants to make sure he meets it. He will also assist David during levels in the second game, if you get a picture of him he will throw you a power up.

An eccentric and unique [[GenreBusting rail shooter photography platformer]] made by Tomcat System and published by Creator/{{Irem}} for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC-Engine]] that never left Japan. In the game you play as a young man named David Goldman, the titular Gekisha Boy, who is an amateur photographer who wants to become the best in the world, so he goes to the Los Angeles Photography School to accomplish this. Tragically however, his parents suddenly die which sends [[DespairEventHorizon David into a deep depression,]] where he nearly gives up his dream as his grades fail. Fortunately, the [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Dean]] of the School sees David's potential and steps in to give David eight tests to graduate.

The game would be ported to the UsefulNotes/Playstation1 which added in another stage and a cooperative mode where a second player can come in as a [[DistaffCounterpart Gekisha Girl.]] A sequel would be made for the UsefulNotes/Playstation2 where David flies to Japan to once again undergo some tests for the Dean to prove himself as a full fledged professional photographer. Taking advantage of the new 3D environment, the sequel gives you the ability to zoom in to get pictures of things farther in the background. The sequel was intended to be released as ''Polaroid Pete'' in other territories, but was cancelled.

* PaperPeople: The second game goes with this kind of art style inside levels, David and everyone else are 2D sprites animating on a 3D plane, even some buildings are 2D making the whole world look like a pop-up book. Averted with the in-between level cutscenes where David and the Dean are 3D models.

* AscendedExtra: The Gekisha Girl was just there to be controlled by player 2 in the Playstation 1 port. In the sequel, she is not only shown to be the Dean's daughter but is now David's girlfriend, whom he intends to propose to. She will periodically show up in levels to provide David with power ups.

* LawyerFriendlyCameo: Both games utilize these, though the second game in particular favors them. One of the most amusing is a large [[Anime/MyNeighborTotoro a large furry multilegged legged bus]] that looks like a large... Dog.
* MetropolisLevel: Many levels in both games take place in chaotic urban environments.

* UnderTheSea: The fourth level of the first game has David suddenly don a diving suit to take underwater pictures. Some of the sights include otherwise normal undersea life like playing poker, mermaids, aquatic gods, and [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio a familiar long-nosed puppet stuck inside a whale.]]

* MetropolisLevel: Many levels in both games take place chaotic urban environments.
* PaperPeople: The second game goes this kind of art style inside levels, David and everyone else are 2D sprites animating on a 3D plane, even some buildings are 2D making the whole world look like a pop-up book. Averted with the in-between level cutscenes where David and the Dean are 3D models.

An eccentric and unique [[GenreBusting rail shooter photography platformer]] made by Tomcat System and published by Creator/{{Irem}} for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC-Engine]] that never left Japan. In the game you play as a young man named David Goldman, the titular Gekisha Boy, who is an amateur photographer who wants to become the best in the world, so he goes to the Los Angeles Photography School to accomplish this. Tragically however, his parents suddenly die which sends [[DespairEventHorizon David into a deep depression,]] where he nearly gives up his dream as his grades fail. Fortunately, the [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Dean]] of the School sees David's potential and steps in to give David eight tests to complete to make up and graduate.

The player takes control of David and he must take pictures of interesting sights to earn points, the complete a stage David must both have enough points to pass and have taken the assigned picture of the level. As he takes pictures, David must also avoid obstacles that will both hurt him and stun him which can result in missing a good picture. Taking pictures of certain sights can also grant David more film and upgrades like a bigger lens that will greaten the size of the reticle making it easier to take pictures. The game is incredibly wacky and the various sights you can take pictures of include car crashes, goofy slapstick, buildings suddenly taking off like rockets, alien abductions, people with especially weird looking faces, and numerous shout-outs to movies like a [[Film/KingKong a giant gorilla climbing a building]] and a [[Film/BackToTheFuture DeLorean flying off into the sky.]]

* AscendedExtra: The Gekisha Girl was just there to be controlled by player 2 in the Playstation 1 port. In the sequel, she is not only shown to be the Dean's daughter but is now David's girlfriend, whom he intends to propose to. She will periodically show up in levels to provide Dean with power ups.

* CameraFiend: David, even outside of gameplay he is almost always has his camera with him. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as he is trying to become a professional photographer.
* DownerBeginning: The first game begins on a surprisingly somber note with David's parents passing away and him being seriously affected, we even get to see their funeral with ''David tearfully leaning on their coffins''. It is a good thing the Dean came in to give him some much needed relief and help.
* GagNose: David has a really big honker of a nose.

* MetropolisLevel: Many levels in both games take place in a chaotic urban environment.

The game would be ported to the UsefulNotes/Playstation1 which added in another stage and a cooperative mode where a second player can come in as a [[DistaffCounterpart Gekisha Girl.]] A sequel would be made for the UsefulNotes/Playstation2 where David flies to Japan to once again undergo some tests for the Dean to prove himself as a full fledged professional photographer. Taking advantage of the new 3D environment, the sequel gives you the ability to zoom in to get pictures of things farther in the background The sequel was intended to be released as ''Polaroid Pete'' in other territories, but was cancelled.