True Tears
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
visual novel
developed by La'cryma
, a collaboration between Broccoli
, Circus
, GameCrab
and Rei Izumi
, and was originally released on March 31, 2006 for the PC
as a DVD in Japan rated for everyone, followed by a Hong Kong and Taiwan
ese release on March 31, 2007. A PlayStation 2
version was first announced to be released on March 13, 2008, but was later delayed for an August 7, 2008 release. The gameplay in True Tears follows a linear plot line, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters.
True Tears has made several transitions to other media. A manga
adaptation illustrated by Japanese
artist
Asaki was first serialized in the Japanese magazine Comi Digi (later Comi Digi +
) between December 10, 2005 and August 21, 2006. A thirteen-episode anime
was created by P.A. Works
and aired in Japan between January 6, 2008 and March 30, 2008, but has little in common with the visual novel other than the name. Two Internet radio
shows, two drama CDs, and a live action drama adaptation have also been produced.
The gameplay
in True Tears requires little player interaction as much time is spent on reading the text that appears on the lower portion of the screen, representing either dialogue
between characters, or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Before the beginning of every week in the game's storyline, the player is given the option to plan a schedule, and is allowed to pick and view any three days of the given week. Different events occur depending on the days that the player chooses. Every so often, the player will come to a "decision point" where he or she is given the chance to choose from options that are displayed on the screen, typically two to three at a time. Depending on which choice the player makes, the "tear points" of the heroine associated with the events of the day would either increase, decrease, or remains the same. "Tear points" act as a system notifying the player how well he or she is treating a certain character. If a character's tear points exceed the maximum amount of eight, her ending is rendered inaccessible during that specific playthrough. There are multiple plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience. To view all of the plot lines, the player will need to replay the game multiple times and make different schedules and choices during decision points to progress the plot in an alternate direction.
The story of True Tears revolves around the protagonist , a third year high school student whose role the player assumes, and his interactions with his schoolmates during the second half of his final year attending , in which the main part of the story takes place. Tetsuya meets , a heroine and a childhood friend whom he nicknamed Yuzu one day on his way to school. Yuzuko actually has a crush on Tetsuya. To her advantage, she is skilled at cooking and homemaking, but has a timid personality. He later also meets at the pool after running errands for , his cousin who is also the school nurse. Rui is the main heroine in the story, who holds vast knowledge, and is very affectionate towards animals to the extent where her aim is to become a veterinarian. Despite her love toward animals, she has a severe fear of touching cats due to a past incident.
Tetsuya is later confronted by , another heroine. Katsura is the student council president of the school. She is intelligent, and often places herself at the top of academic rankings. Despite being a third year student like Tetsuya, she is actually one year older than he is, taking a year off due to her father's suicide in the past. Tetsuya later also meets , also an heroine who attends his class. Honoka shows great interest in literature but is really shy and timid. She is in fact a net idol
, and goes by the handle Asumi, named after Tetsuya's cousin Asumi, whom she admires. Tetsuya also meets , True Tears last main heroine, after breaking up a fight between her and her brother. Io is an energetic second year student who is actually a voice actress
. She often uses her acting skills, such as faking her tears, to tip the situation in her favor.
Other characters include , a friend of Yuzuko's, and , Io's fellow broadcasting club member who strives to be a comedian. The two often appears together as supporting characters, but in addition to Asumi Akiyama, the two are also side-heroines. is Io's stubborn elder brother. Despite usually arguing with his sister over her ideals, he is actually quite fond of her and sometimes gets overprotective, to her dismay. is a friend of Mizuno. He is often depicted as a comic relief character, but also accompanies the protagonist on events like the school's festival. is a girl whose childish appearance resembles a grade school student. She constantly mixes in onomatopoeia phrases in her speeches.
True Tears was first announced on May 4, 2005 at the Dream Party convention hosted at the Tokyo Big Sight
. It was announced as the first project by the visual novel studio La'cryma
, a collaboration among visual novel studios Broccoli
, Circus
, GameCrab
, and Japanese artist Rei Izumi
. The executive producers for the visual novel were Takaaki Kitani from Broccoli, and Tororo from Circus. While their respective companies also led the planning, the scenario is worked on by Nonoka Maihama and GameCrab. Art direction was headed by Rei Izumi, known for her work on Hibiki's Magic
and .hack//Legend of the Twilight
, who also provided character designs. Music from the game was composed entirely by Kometto Nekono, who had also provided music for the Da Capo series.
on March 31, 2006, as both a limited edition and a regular edition. The limited edition contained the game itself, a handkerchief, and a calendar; the regular edition did not contain the aforementioned extras. It was then followed by a Hong Kong and Taiwanese release on March 31, 2007 published by T-Time Technology. A PlayStation 2
version published by Sweets was announced to be released on March 13, 2008, but was later delayed for an August 7, 2008 release. The PS2 game contained the game itself, a drama CD and an illustration booklet.
shows based on True Tears. The first radio show was titled , and was hosted by Yui Itsuki
, Erina Nakayama
, and Yukari Fukui
. It began broadcasting on November 4, 2005 on Radio Kansai, followed by an online stream every Wednesday, and continued to broadcast every Friday until March 31, 2006. It was followed by a second radio show titled hosted by Yui Itsuki and Sakura Nogawa
. It was first streamed online on June 8, 2006, with a new episode streamed online on every second and fourth Sunday of the month. It was retitled on November 10, 2006, after the host was changed to Yūna Inamura
and Erina Nakayama, and continued to be streamed under that title until September 28, 2007.
adaptation by Japanese
artist
Asaki began serialization in the bi-monthly seinen
manga magazine Comi Digi published by Broccoli on December 10, 2005. It was later transferred to Comi Digi +
on April 21, 2006 after the magazine was renamed, and ended serialization on August 21, 2006, spanning a total of five chapters. It was collected into a single bound volume
, containing an extra chapter, and was released on December 21, 2006.
, wrote the opening and ending themes, "Tears in Snow", sung by Hiromi Satō
, and , sung by Yozuca*. Tororo, who had previously provided composition and lyrics for the Da Capo series, written the lyrics for the songs. Two singles
were released containing the two theme songs. The first, a maxi single
titled "Tears in Snow", was released on December 23, 2005, containing both the opening theme, and the opening theme used in the first radio show, titled "Melody". The second single, titled "Kimi to Ashita e", was released on April 26, 2006, containing the ending theme and remix
ed versions of the song.
Two drama CD
s based on True Tears was also produced. The first drama CD, titled X'mas Party, first available to the public on December 29, 2005, as part of a set of True Tears related products sold during Comiket
69. It was followed by a second drama CD, titled , released as an extra to those who have pre-ordered the original game. A third drama CD was included with the PlayStation 2 game, on August 7, 2008.
release. It was directed by Kazuya Hatazawa, and starred Azusa Takeda as Rui Nakane, Arisa Suzuki as Yuzuko Sanada, Makoto Kawahara as Katsura Yukishiro, Miki Tachibana as Honoka Uehara, and Hikari Kajiwara as Io Sakuragawa. Yūna Inamura
and Erina Nakayama
, who voiced Yuzuko Sanada and Honoka Uehara in the visual novel respectively, also appeared in the film.
also named True Tears aired on TV Kanagawa
between January 6, 2008 and March 29, 2008. Despite sharing the same title, the anime series otherwise shares no relation with the original game, using a different storyline featuring different characters. The anime series was produced by P.A. Works
and was directed by Junji Nishimura
, with screenplay written by Mari Okada, while La'cryma is still credited for creating the original work.
s based on amount sold in Japan during the last two weeks of March 2006, compared to D.C. II' s first place debut on the same chart two months later.
Japanese popular culture
Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present but also provides a link to the past. Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, manga, and music all developed from older artistic and literary traditions, and many of their themes and styles of presentation...
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 La'cryma
La'cryma
La'cryma is a Japanese based video game developer that specializes in the development of visual novels. La'cryma was at first created as a collaboration between visual novel studios Broccoli, Circus, GameCrab, and Japanese illustrator Rei Izumi to develop the visual novel title True Tears...
, a collaboration between Broccoli
Broccoli (company)
is a Japanese media company that publishes manga, anime, and video games through its various subsidiaries.- About :Broccoli is the parent company of Broccoli Music Publishing, Broccoli International USA, and Anime Gamers USA Inc...
, Circus
Circus (company)
Circus is a Japanese visual novel studio known for creating adult-oriented bishōjo games. In addition to the normal Circus brand name, there are other brand divisions including Circus Northern, Circus Fetish, Circus Metal, and Sanctuary...
, GameCrab
GameCrab
GameCrab is a Japanese based video game developer that specializes in the development of visual novels. GameCrab's first title was True Love Story 3, followed by True Love Story: Summer Days, and Yet.... Both titles were developed for the PlayStation 2, and published by Enterbrain...
and Rei Izumi
Rei Izumi
is a female Japanese manga artist. She is well-known for being the artist to the manga .hack//Legend of the Twilight, and Hibiki's Magic. She is also notable for being the character designer for the visual novel True Tears.-Works:Manga...
, and was originally released on March 31, 2006 for the 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 in Japan rated for everyone, followed by a Hong Kong and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese release on March 31, 2007. A PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
version was first announced to be released on March 13, 2008, but was later delayed for an August 7, 2008 release. The gameplay in True Tears follows a linear plot line, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters.
True Tears has made several transitions to other media. A manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation illustrated by Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
Asaki was first serialized in the Japanese magazine Comi Digi (later Comi Digi +
Comi Digi +
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine editied by Broccoli, published by Flex Comix, and sold through Soft Bank Creative. The magazine is sold bimonthly on even-numbered months on the twenty-first. The magazine was originally published in April 2003 under the title , after the series Di Gi Charat...
) between December 10, 2005 and August 21, 2006. A thirteen-episode anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
was created by P.A. Works
P.A. Works
is a Japanese animation studio established on November 10, 2000 and is located in Nanto, Toyama, Japan. The company's president and founder Kenji Horikawa once worked for Tatsunoko Production, Production I.G, and Bee Train before forming P.A. Works in 2000...
and aired in Japan between January 6, 2008 and March 30, 2008, but has little in common with the visual novel other than the name. Two Internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
shows, two drama CDs, and a live action drama adaptation have also been produced.
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...
in True Tears requires little player interaction as much time is spent on reading the text that appears on the lower portion of the screen, representing either dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
between characters, or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Before the beginning of every week in the game's storyline, the player is given the option to plan a schedule, and is allowed to pick and view any three days of the given week. Different events occur depending on the days that the player chooses. Every so often, the player will come to a "decision point" where he or she is given the chance to choose from options that are displayed on the screen, typically two to three at a time. Depending on which choice the player makes, the "tear points" of the heroine associated with the events of the day would either increase, decrease, or remains the same. "Tear points" act as a system notifying the player how well he or she is treating a certain character. If a character's tear points exceed the maximum amount of eight, her ending is rendered inaccessible during that specific playthrough. There are multiple plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience. To view all of the plot lines, the player will need to replay the game multiple times and make different schedules and choices during decision points to progress the plot in an alternate direction.
Plot and characters
Net idol
A Net Idol is a Japanese term that is someone who achieves celebrity status through the internet. Unlike an Internet celebrity, a net idol is more focused on Japanese pop culture.-History:...
, and goes by the handle Asumi, named after Tetsuya's cousin Asumi, whom she admires. Tetsuya also meets , True Tears last main heroine, after breaking up a fight between her and her brother. Io is an energetic second year student who is actually a voice actress
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
. She often uses her acting skills, such as faking her tears, to tip the situation in her favor.
Other characters include , a friend of Yuzuko's, and , Io's fellow broadcasting club member who strives to be a comedian. The two often appears together as supporting characters, but in addition to Asumi Akiyama, the two are also side-heroines. is Io's stubborn elder brother. Despite usually arguing with his sister over her ideals, he is actually quite fond of her and sometimes gets overprotective, to her dismay. is a friend of Mizuno. He is often depicted as a comic relief character, but also accompanies the protagonist on events like the school's festival. is a girl whose childish appearance resembles a grade school student. She constantly mixes in onomatopoeia phrases in her speeches.
Development
Tokyo Big Sight
is the popular nickname for the , a Japanese convention center that opened in April 1996. Located in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay, the center is one of the largest convention venues within the city, and its most iconic representation is the visually distinctive Conference Tower.-Construction:Contracted by the...
. It was announced as the first project by the visual novel studio La'cryma
La'cryma
La'cryma is a Japanese based video game developer that specializes in the development of visual novels. La'cryma was at first created as a collaboration between visual novel studios Broccoli, Circus, GameCrab, and Japanese illustrator Rei Izumi to develop the visual novel title True Tears...
, a collaboration among visual novel studios Broccoli
Broccoli (company)
is a Japanese media company that publishes manga, anime, and video games through its various subsidiaries.- About :Broccoli is the parent company of Broccoli Music Publishing, Broccoli International USA, and Anime Gamers USA Inc...
, Circus
Circus (company)
Circus is a Japanese visual novel studio known for creating adult-oriented bishōjo games. In addition to the normal Circus brand name, there are other brand divisions including Circus Northern, Circus Fetish, Circus Metal, and Sanctuary...
, GameCrab
GameCrab
GameCrab is a Japanese based video game developer that specializes in the development of visual novels. GameCrab's first title was True Love Story 3, followed by True Love Story: Summer Days, and Yet.... Both titles were developed for the PlayStation 2, and published by Enterbrain...
, and Japanese artist Rei Izumi
Rei Izumi
is a female Japanese manga artist. She is well-known for being the artist to the manga .hack//Legend of the Twilight, and Hibiki's Magic. She is also notable for being the character designer for the visual novel True Tears.-Works:Manga...
. The executive producers for the visual novel were Takaaki Kitani from Broccoli, and Tororo from Circus. While their respective companies also led the planning, the scenario is worked on by Nonoka Maihama and GameCrab. Art direction was headed by Rei Izumi, known for her work on Hibiki's Magic
Hibiki's Magic
, subtitled a continental chronicle in the original version, is a Japanese manga series written by Jun Maeda and illustrated by Rei Izumi. The story centers on a young girl named Hibiki who is the apprentice to a very skilled wizard named Shirotsuki. Hibiki does not have much skill with magic, and...
and .hack//Legend of the Twilight
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
is a science fiction manga series written by Tatsuya Hamazaki and drawn by Rei Izumi. The twenty-two chapters of .hack//Legend of the Twilight appeared as a serial in the Japanese magazine Comptiq, and published in three tankōbon by Kadokawa Shoten from July 2002 to April 2004...
, who also provided character designs. Music from the game was composed entirely by Kometto Nekono, who had also provided music for the Da Capo series.
Release history
True Tears was first released for the PCPersonal 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...
on March 31, 2006, as both a limited edition and a regular edition. The limited edition contained the game itself, a handkerchief, and a calendar; the regular edition did not contain the aforementioned extras. It was then followed by a Hong Kong and Taiwanese release on March 31, 2007 published by T-Time Technology. A PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
version published by Sweets was announced to be released on March 13, 2008, but was later delayed for an August 7, 2008 release. The PS2 game contained the game itself, a drama CD and an illustration booklet.
Internet radio shows
There were two Internet radioInternet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
shows based on True Tears. The first radio show was titled , and was hosted by Yui Itsuki
Yui Itsuki
is a Japanese voice actress who works for Holy Peak. As a musician, she is the lead singer behind the band Yōsei Teikoku , and speculated to be Karen of Denkishiki Karen Ongaku Shuudan.- TV anime :2003:...
, Erina Nakayama
Erina Nakayama
is a female Japanese voice actress from Aichi, Japan.-Voice roles:*Bokura ga Ita as Yuri Yamamoto*Canvas 2 ~Niji Iro no Sketch~ as Female student *Galaxy Angel Rune as Lily C Sherbet*Hametsu No Mars as Tomomi Nakahara...
, and Yukari Fukui
Yukari Fukui
is a Japanese voice actress known by the nickname in Japan.- Personal :Yukari was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan on 28 October 1982.Her career includes movie and TV drama roles, radio DJ, and gravure model. Yukari is currently employed by Versatile Entertainment.Yukari's voice actor roles are...
. It began broadcasting on November 4, 2005 on Radio Kansai, followed by an online stream every Wednesday, and continued to broadcast every Friday until March 31, 2006. It was followed by a second radio show titled hosted by Yui Itsuki and Sakura Nogawa
Sakura Nogawa
' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico...
. It was first streamed online on June 8, 2006, with a new episode streamed online on every second and fourth Sunday of the month. It was retitled on November 10, 2006, after the host was changed to Yūna Inamura
Yuna Inamura
' is a seiyū who is affiliated with Asai Production. She was born in Kagoshima Prefecture and grew up in Nakano, Tokyo.-Notable roles:*Akao Hiiragi in Jinki:EXTEND*Amano Sakogami in Happy Seven...
and Erina Nakayama, and continued to be streamed under that title until September 28, 2007.
Manga
A mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation by Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
Asaki began serialization in the bi-monthly seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
manga magazine Comi Digi published by Broccoli on December 10, 2005. It was later transferred to Comi Digi +
Comi Digi +
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine editied by Broccoli, published by Flex Comix, and sold through Soft Bank Creative. The magazine is sold bimonthly on even-numbered months on the twenty-first. The magazine was originally published in April 2003 under the title , after the series Di Gi Charat...
on April 21, 2006 after the magazine was renamed, and ended serialization on August 21, 2006, spanning a total of five chapters. It was collected into a single bound volume
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
, containing an extra chapter, and was released on December 21, 2006.
Audio CDs
Two pieces of theme music were used in the visual novel. Noriyatsu Agematsu, who has previously also provided composition for Galaxy AngelGalaxy Angel
In the video game universe, the Galaxy Angels are from the "Special Guardian Division" and they work closely with the "Imperial Special Guards" and the "Satellite Defense Teams". They are the guardians of the White Moon, the sacred planet of the Transbaal Empire, and the personal protectors of the...
, wrote the opening and ending themes, "Tears in Snow", sung by Hiromi Satō
Hiromi Sato
is a Japanese female singer-songwriter from Iwate Prefecture. She has performed for songs for games and anime, such as Mizuiro, Onegai Twins, Green Green, and the Galaxy Angel games. She has also written songs for other artists. Prior to December 10, 2005, her name was written as 佐藤裕美. She is...
, and , sung by Yozuca*. Tororo, who had previously provided composition and lyrics for the Da Capo series, written the lyrics for the songs. Two singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released containing the two theme songs. The first, a maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
titled "Tears in Snow", was released on December 23, 2005, containing both the opening theme, and the opening theme used in the first radio show, titled "Melody". The second single, titled "Kimi to Ashita e", was released on April 26, 2006, containing the ending theme and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed versions of the song.
Two drama CD
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
s based on True Tears was also produced. The first drama CD, titled X'mas Party, first available to the public on December 29, 2005, as part of a set of True Tears related products sold during Comiket
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
69. It was followed by a second drama CD, titled , released as an extra to those who have pre-ordered the original game. A third drama CD was included with the PlayStation 2 game, on August 7, 2008.
Live action movie
True Tears was also adapted into a 35-minute live action film entitled True Tears: Pure Album. The film was released on December 22, 2006 as a direct-to-videoDirect-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
release. It was directed by Kazuya Hatazawa, and starred Azusa Takeda as Rui Nakane, Arisa Suzuki as Yuzuko Sanada, Makoto Kawahara as Katsura Yukishiro, Miki Tachibana as Honoka Uehara, and Hikari Kajiwara as Io Sakuragawa. Yūna Inamura
Yuna Inamura
' is a seiyū who is affiliated with Asai Production. She was born in Kagoshima Prefecture and grew up in Nakano, Tokyo.-Notable roles:*Akao Hiiragi in Jinki:EXTEND*Amano Sakogami in Happy Seven...
and Erina Nakayama
Erina Nakayama
is a female Japanese voice actress from Aichi, Japan.-Voice roles:*Bokura ga Ita as Yuri Yamamoto*Canvas 2 ~Niji Iro no Sketch~ as Female student *Galaxy Angel Rune as Lily C Sherbet*Hametsu No Mars as Tomomi Nakahara...
, who voiced Yuzuko Sanada and Honoka Uehara in the visual novel respectively, also appeared in the film.
Anime
A thirteen-episode animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
also named True Tears aired on TV Kanagawa
Television Kanagawa
is an independent television station in Japan serving Kanagawa Prefecture and parts of the Greater Tokyo Area with favorable reception. The station was founded on April 20, 1971 and began broadcasting on April 1, 1972...
between January 6, 2008 and March 29, 2008. Despite sharing the same title, the anime series otherwise shares no relation with the original game, using a different storyline featuring different characters. The anime series was produced by P.A. Works
P.A. Works
is a Japanese animation studio established on November 10, 2000 and is located in Nanto, Toyama, Japan. The company's president and founder Kenji Horikawa once worked for Tatsunoko Production, Production I.G, and Bee Train before forming P.A. Works in 2000...
and was directed by Junji Nishimura
Junji Nishimura
is a male Japanese animation director and producer from Yobuko, Saga, Japan, though currently resides in Karatsu, Saga. After graduating from Meiji Gakuin University in 1980, Nishimura entered into the anime studio Nishiko Production...
, with screenplay written by Mari Okada, while La'cryma is still credited for creating the original work.
Reception and sales
Unlike Da Capo II, one of the two games that often appeared alongside True Tears in advertising campaigns, the game did not enjoy as high of a sales record, ranking forty-first out of fifty on the national ranking of bishōjo gameBishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
s based on amount sold in Japan during the last two weeks of March 2006, compared to D.C. II