Harukoi Otome
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese adult
visual novel
, developed by BaseSon and released on January 27, 2006. It is playable on a PC
as a DVD
.
The gameplay
's plot line offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the six female characters. Harukoi Otome is BaseSon's fourth title.
An anime adaptation entitled was released in 2008.
Kazuto Hongō (protagonist of BaseSon's fifth title, Koihime Musō: Doki Otome Darake no Sangokushi Engi
) is also a student at St. Francesca; it is also the setting for the Koihime Musō OVA episode.
and
.
Harukoi Otome was first released as a limited-edition version for the PC on January 27, 2006. A regular edition followed on December 14, 2007. The game was also adapted into mobile-phone games by Magicseed and Masys.
Mangagamer has also stated they will be releasing an english translation of the game in 2011.
(adult) material unsuitable for children. The first volume concerns Kisaya and Yuika; the second volume is about Riru and Umi.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese adult
Eroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
, developed by BaseSon and released on January 27, 2006. It is playable on a PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
as a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
's plot line offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the six female characters. Harukoi Otome is BaseSon's fourth title.
An anime adaptation entitled was released in 2008.
Story
Harukoi Otome revolves around protagonist Akihito Hayasaka, a male high-school sophomore. The high school he attends used to be an all-girls' school, and still has a high percentage of female students. Akihito's younger sister (Umi Hayasaka) and his childhood friend (Yuika Serizawa) are also students there. Akihito meets many girls there, and becomes friends with them.Kazuto Hongō (protagonist of BaseSon's fifth title, Koihime Musō: Doki Otome Darake no Sangokushi Engi
Koihime Muso
is a Japanese adult visual novel and strategy game based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It was developed by BaseSon, and was first released on January 26, 2007, for the PC as two DVD-ROMs, followed by a re-release on April 11, 2008, containing an extra CD-ROM...
) is also a student at St. Francesca; it is also the setting for the Koihime Musō OVA episode.
Main characters
- Voiced by Uta KijimaTakahiro Mizushimais a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with Production baobab. When voicing adult games, he is known as .-TV Anime:Lead roles in bold.* Adam * Amezo * Billy * Bob...
(OVA) - Akihito (the protagonist) used to attend another school, named , last year until it closed due to financial difficulties. He is only male student in his class. His class (2-5) is also called "Soleil".
- Voiced by Yui SakakibaraYui Sakakibara, is a female Japanese choreographer, dancer, singer, songwriter, and voice actress from Hyōgo, Japan. She appeared on Kōhaku Uta Gassen as back ground dancer behind Ami Suzuki in 1999 and 2000. She used to use the name and others in her previous voices...
(game/OVA) - Akihito's younger sister and a first-year student, she gets along very well with her brother. She is an excellent student, and was admitted to St. Francesca on a scholarship. She is pretty and a little innocent but despite this, she loves watching horror films. Her class (1-3) is also called "Lyon".
- Voiced by Maki TezukaHitomi Nabatameis a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...
(game/OVA) - Kisaya is a third-year student. She is student council president, captain of the kendoKendo, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
club and and is skilled in various other activities. Her father is the president of the Fuyurugi ZaibatsuZaibatsuis a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.-Terminology:...
(Fuyurugi Conglomorate). Her class (3-1) is also called "Rosa Eglanteria" or "Rosa Rubiginosa".
- Voiced by: Ran TōnoYuko Gotois a Japanese voice actress who works for Production Baobab. In direct contrast to her cute-and-vulnerable moé typecasting, Yūko in real life is a devotee of biker culture who dresses and acts as such when not working, right down to her motorcycle...
(game), Kōri NatsunoHiroko Taguchi, is a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa Prefecture who is attached to Haikyo. She sometimes goes by several pseudonyms, including , , and .-TV Animation:*ef: A Tale of Melodies. as Miyako Miyamura*ef: A Tale of Memories. as Miyako Miyamura...
(OVA) - Yuika is Akihito's childhood friend and classmate. She is a happy-go-lucky person, always smiling. She was Akihito's first love when they were both in junior high. She sits behind him in their classroom and belongs to the school's cooking club.
- Voiced by: Yura HinataYura Hinatais a Japanese voice actress.-Anime cast in:*Happiness! as Koyuki Takamine*Shuffle! as Kareha*Triangle Heart as Kanzaki Nami-External links:...
(game/OVA) - Sōnya is Umi's classmate and her best friend. Her mother is Italian and her father Japanese. When she was little her father died in an accident and her mother went back to ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, leaving Sōnya in Japan. Sōnya was adopted by a Japanese woman named Mai Kiryū. Sōnya is a ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and a novice nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
.
- Voiced by: Yukari Aoyama (game/OVA)
- Riru is Akihito's classmate. She is very strong-willed, and often quarrels with Akihito about little things. She sits next to him in class and belongs to the swim club. She also appears to harbor romantic feelings for Reika Matsuraba but they are unrequited. She ends up letting it go after a night with Akihito.
- Voiced by: Mina MotoyamaNami Kurokawais a female Japanese seiyū from Osaka, Japan. When voicing adult games, she is known as .-Anime cast in:*Koihime Musou as Kan'u Unchō/Aisha*Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan as Tamiya-san ; Yuuko-sensei *D.C.S.S...
(game/OVA) - Ayaka is a third-year student. She has heart trouble, and sometimes needs to go to the hospital. Her class (3-4) is also called "Rosa Moscharta". Unlike most of the other students she does not live in a student dormitory, but lives alone in an apartment outside the school. She belongs to the school's art club.
Supporting characters
- Voiced by: Ayumu NakazawaAyumu Nakazawais a male Japanese voice actor specializing in the voicing of characters from adult video games.-Voice roles:*Angel Type as Akira Shidara*Clover Heart's as Roberto=Ichimonji*EVE burst error as Susumu Nikaido...
(OVA) - Oikawa is a second-year student and Akihito's friend. He speaks the Kansai dialect (kansai ben).
and
- Voiced by: Mia NaruseMia Naruseis a female Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is also known as . On April 30, 2010, she announced that she will not be a seiyū anymore.-Anime cast in:*Demonbane as Ennea*Happiness! as Anri Hiiragi*H2O: Footprints in the Sand as Otoha...
(game) and Izumi MakiNatsumi Yanaseis a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She also goes by the name when voicing adult games.-Anime:*D.C. II: Da Capo II *Debutante Detective Corps *Ef: A Tale of Memories....
(game) - Natsuko and Fuyuko are girls in Akihito's class. They are interested in Akihito and Umi.
- Voiced by: Elena KaibaraHyo-seiis a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Ken Production. She was formerly credited as , her real name. Hyo-sei released her first album named on April 21, 2010.-Anime:*Digimon Frontier *Elemental Gelade...
(game/OVA) - Reika is Ayaka's friend and classmate. She is the captain of the swim club, and Riru looks up to her. She is a lesbian and is intimately involved with Yuki Arise
- Voiced by: Mia NaruseMia Naruseis a female Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is also known as . On April 30, 2010, she announced that she will not be a seiyū anymore.-Anime cast in:*Demonbane as Ennea*Happiness! as Anri Hiiragi*H2O: Footprints in the Sand as Otoha...
(game/OVA) - Yūki is in Akihito's class. She also belongs to the swim club, and looks up to Reika. She has a lesbian relationship with her also.
- Voiced by: Konami ŌnamiKanoko Hatamiyais a Japanese voice actress. She was born in Kanagawa, Japan. She is part of Atelier Peach.Kanoko is famous for her role in Tristia of the Deep Blue Sea as Reygurett Kutanie...
(game) - Satsuki, like Reika, is Ayaka's classmate and friend. She is their class representative and vice-president of the art club.
- Voiced by: Konami ŌnamiKanoko Hatamiyais a Japanese voice actress. She was born in Kanagawa, Japan. She is part of Atelier Peach.Kanoko is famous for her role in Tristia of the Deep Blue Sea as Reygurett Kutanie...
(game) - Ririka is in Umi's class. She is distantly related to Kisaya, and looks up to her.
- Voiced by: Mina MotoyamaNami Kurokawais a female Japanese seiyū from Osaka, Japan. When voicing adult games, she is known as .-Anime cast in:*Koihime Musou as Kan'u Unchō/Aisha*Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan as Tamiya-san ; Yuuko-sensei *D.C.S.S...
(game/OVA) - Chizuna is a server who works at , the school cafeteria. Umi and Sōnya work part-time there as servers, too.
- Voiced by: Minami HokutoHitomi (voice actress), is a Japanese voice actress from Osaka, Japan. She also has also done voice work, especially in eroge, under the name . As of July 2009, she has been in over 400 works...
(game) - Ōgami is Akihito's homeroom teacher; she is also in charge of Japanese literatureJapanese literatureEarly works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan...
lessons.
- Voiced by: Minami HokutoHitomi (voice actress), is a Japanese voice actress from Osaka, Japan. She also has also done voice work, especially in eroge, under the name . As of July 2009, she has been in over 400 works...
(game) - Mai is a nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
, who works at the school chapel. She is Sōnya's foster mother, and matron of the girls' dorm.
- Ryūzenji is St. Francesca Academy's doctor. He is short and boyish.
- Hirotsugu is Kisaya's fiancé, and a son of the distinguished Ennokōji family. He has a snobbish attitude, always looking down on others, and is not a St. Francesca Academy student.
Development and release
The characters were designed by Hinata Katagiri and Kishinisen. The scenario was written by Takuya Aoyama, K. Baggio, Shōta Onoue, and Hozumi Nakamoto. The music was composed by Loser Koshiwagi, Torapon, and Bjoern. Hinata Katagiri, K.Baggio, and Shōta Onoue also participated in the development of Koihime MusōKoihime Muso
is a Japanese adult visual novel and strategy game based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It was developed by BaseSon, and was first released on January 26, 2007, for the PC as two DVD-ROMs, followed by a re-release on April 11, 2008, containing an extra CD-ROM...
.
Harukoi Otome was first released as a limited-edition version for the PC on January 27, 2006. A regular edition followed on December 14, 2007. The game was also adapted into mobile-phone games by Magicseed and Masys.
Mangagamer has also stated they will be releasing an english translation of the game in 2011.
Music and audio CD
Harukoi Otomes opening theme is (sung by Rita), and the theme song is by H?m?. The game's original soundtrack was released by BaseSon on December 14, 2007, with 31 tracks. The soundtrack was also included in the regular edition of the game, released on the same day.Original video animation (OVA)
Harukoi Otome was adapted into an OVA series entitled . It was produced by animation studio Media Bank, and directed by Katsuma Kanazawa. The first volume was released on April 18, 2008; the second volume was released on July 18. The OVAs contain hentaiHentai
is a Japanese word that, in the West, is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation, particularly those of Japanese origin such as anime, manga, and computer games. The word hentai is a kanji compound of 変 and 態...
(adult) material unsuitable for children. The first volume concerns Kisaya and Yuika; the second volume is about Riru and Umi.