Onomatopoeia in the Tokyo Debunker Game At the Prologue Section

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the use of onomatopoeia in the prologue of the game Tokyo Debunker, utilising Sperber and Wilson's relevance theory (1986) to understand the relationship between the onomatopoeia and the corresponding images on the panel. Meanwhile, the classification of onomatopoeic forms is made based on the theory of Wijana (2008) and the theory of Thomas and Clara (2004), which divides onomatopoeia into several categories, such as human voices, natural sounds, animal sounds, and various sound imitations. Using a descriptive qualitative research method, this study maps the types of onomatopoeia that appear in the prologue of the game and how these sounds contribute to the formation of the atmosphere and the character's interaction with the environment. The results show that most of the onomatopoeias used in Tokyo Debunker's prologue come from the categories of human voice and various sound imitations, which reflect various interactions with physical objects and human emotional expressions. Meanwhile, nature and animal sounds only appear in limited numbers but still play a role in creating a more lively atmosphere. This finding confirms that onomatopoeia serves as an important element in enhancing narrative and player experience, especially in the context of games that rely on audiovisual interaction. This article will further discuss the meaning and influence of onomatopoeia on the narrative structure in game prologues.