Event CG

Event CGs (often just referred to as CGs; sometimes event graphics or cutscene graphics) are full-screen images that represent a particular special moment in a visual novel scene. They are commonly used for intense moments such as first kisses, high-stakes action scenes, first encounters, and the like.

CGs may have multiple variations (ex: before kiss/during kiss, day/night, outfit A/outfit B; etc) or light animation (ex: blinking, hair moving, dust motes; etc) but are generally a single static image. Usually, CGs are reserved for special events, and are intended to highlight the importance of a moment.

Art style

Two images. The top shows a shadowy figure holding a staff with a skull on it. The background is monochromatic blue depicting an old building framed by black trees. The text box reads "We must learn about the guardian, once we have its name I can banish it." The second image on the bottom is drawn in heavy black lines and shows a young girl with dark skin wearing a red dress offering a pale blue mushroom to a skeleton wearing a black robe. The image is framed by a tangle of yellow roses and the background shows a shadowy graveyard in pale yellow and orange shades. — Necromance 2025. The top image shows the shadow puppet art style of the gameplay and the bottom image shows how a CG from the same game is made to look like a woodblock print.

CGs often feature a higher level of detail than the game play art. This is often used as a way to highlight important scenes or moments in the story depicted by the CG image. They almost always include a (frequently detailed) background.

CGs do not necessarily match the art style of the sprites and/or backgrounds exactly. Players expect that CGs may appear different and/or be drawn in a somewhat different art style, so long as they fit the overall aesthetic of the game and do not clash with other design elements.

In asset reduction

Main article: Asset reduction

Cut-ins

A screenshot from Our Life: Beginnings & Always showing a character calling out from another room, represented by a cut-in

Cut-ins are small graphic elements that are introduced onto the screen, usually overlaying what was already there (and "cutting in" to the scene). Examples: items that characters are looking at/picked up, an off-screen character's reaction shot, a close-up detail of a CG or background, an action-pose character sprite with custom frame or special effect.

Etymology

In English visual novel spaces, the term "CG" is largely used as a word on its own and not usually seen as a shortened version of a longer phrase. The prevailing theory as to its origin is that it originated from a Japanese shortening of "computer graphics" (コンピューターグラフィックス, hepburn: konpyuutaa gurafikkusu), which at the time was a generic term for any illustration created via digital-only means. Some English visual novel developers assert that it does, or could, stand for "character graphics" or "cutscene graphics" as well. In Japanese otome fan spaces, CGs are sometimes called "stills" (スチル, hepburn: suchiru).