JAST BLUE, Idea Factory, and more!
This last page will be focused on the publishers with nothing much to show at AX.
For the BL lovers, we got JAST BLUE — a BL branch of JAST USA. While there are only two announcements, one of them is promising!
For the otome players, Idea Factory announced two more announcements — one of them from a popular light novel and anime!
Sekai Project announced a new release and a new project. Meanwhile, Spike Chunsoft, talked about a certain upcoming localized title from the Science Adventure series…
Oh, and FAKKU! announced a new project — which just so happens to be on the Furry side!
JAST BLUE
JAST BLUE‘s panel happened on the second day of the event, July 2nd.
There were two project announcements — let’s get to them!
Masquerade: Hell Academy
Now this is a surprise! We got PIL/SLASH‘s debut — Masquerade: Hell Academy — announced as a new project! There is no release date announced for it as of yet, but we’ll keep you updated.
Story
Hiroshi is insulted sexually by Yoritake every day. Hiroshi doesn’t want it anymore but he can’t deny his call. One day, Hiroshi is ordered to sneak into a school building at night and he meets a man in police uniform there. He fires a gun and keeps a teacher, Yoritake and Hiroshi as hostage. The man orders them to….
VNDB
Screenshots
Paradise
Now here’s a title I’m personally excited for! Paradise is another PIL/SLASH work, originally released in 2017. It’s a BL mystery thriller story, with some amounts of gore and dark themes.
Story
Azuma’s days are unchanging — his monotonous life is shaken up when he wins a trip to a southern island resort in a lottery drawing.
“Who knows…maybe I’ll even meet some cute girls there or something.”
In high spirits over this uncommonly good luck, he eagerly looks forward to the day of departure… only to find nothing but men present at the tour group’s meeting point. Despite the huge disappointment, he becomes friendly the other members of the tour (except one) and is able to enjoy his time on the uninhabited island for what it is.
However, the life of freedom is short-lived; clouds of suspiscion gradually draw closer, finally transforming their supreme paradise into a closed off circle of evil and oppression.
VNDB
Screenshots
Are you excited? I sure am! For JAST BLUE to partner with PIL/SLASH for two projects, that might mean getting Shingakkou in English might not be hopeless after all.
Idea Factory
In commemoration of IFI’s 10th Anniversary, Idea Factory International have announced two new otome releases during their panel at Anime Expo 2023!
Sympathy Kiss
Sympathy Kiss (by Design Factory and Otomate) will arrive physically and digitally in North America and Europe for the first time in the West in Early 2024 for the Nintendo Switch™! For more details, you can explore this Twitter thread!
In addition, a Limited Edition for this game will be offered exclusively through the IFI NA and European Online Stores. The contents of the Limited Edition and the preorder date will be revealed at a later date. Those who purchase either the Standard Edition or Limited Edition at the IFI Online Stores will also receive an EXCLUSIVE trading card! You can wishlist the Standard or Limited Edition on the IFI NA Online Store later today!
Key Features
- POV: You Are A Modern-Day Office Worker in Japan – Explore your career opportunities and work with up to six love interests. See through the eyes of a Japanese career woman and experience full immersion in a contemporary workplace setting where the fantasy can be found in the breakroom.
- Call or text if you need me! – Increase productivity, or dabble in some friendly office banter by maintaining contact with romanceable characters using the RiNG system. Respond to text messages and take fully-voiced calls from your favorite love interests.
- Wear Your Emotions On Your Sleeve – Some decisions require you to express how you feel through the Emotion Select system. Pick from two of a total of five emotions: Happy, Angry, Troubled, Sad, and Indifferent. Your selected emotions can influence future conversations. Your love interests will always remember to consider your emotions.
- A Happy Worker Is A Productive Worker! – Use the Love/Work system when making decisions to balance your work life and social life. Increase your Work Points or Love Points with each decision by choosing whether you will prioritize your career or romance. This will influence the outcome of your route and the ending.
Story
About a year has passed since you started your new job as a designer at Estario, a mobile app company.
Just as you were finally getting used to your job and the routines that came along with it…You were suddenly asked to switch departments and join the product team for a failing app that’s slated to be discontinued.
Switching into this new role, you find yourself surrounded by some of the most highly qualified (and highly eccentric) men Estario employs.
To add to this new work challenge, you even have to pair up with one of them!You and your idiosyncratic partner will be working together to revamp the app and get it back on track. This is all so new to you, and things are moving so fast… Will you be able to handle it?
And who knows, maybe by the end of the project, you’ll find yourself with more than you could’ve ever imagined…
Official website
Screenshots
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! ~Pirates of the Disturbance~
Based on the popular light novel, manga, and anime series, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! – Pirates of the Disturbance – arrives physically and digitally in North America and Europe for the Nintendo Switch™ this Winter, featuring two new characters: Rozy Lind and Silva!
In addition, a limited edition for this game will be offered exclusively through the IFI NA and European Online Stores. The contents of the limited edition and the preorder date will be revealed at a later date. Those who purchase either the Standard Edition or Limited Edition at the IFI Online Stores will also receive an EXCLUSIVE trading card! You can wishlist the Standard or Limited Edition on the IFI NA Online Store later today!
Key Features:
- Uncharted Waters Ahead! –A new doom flag has risen in this all-new story set in the My Next Life as a Villainess universe! This original tale can be enjoyed by both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
- Rascals, Scoundrels, Villains, and Knaves –Catarina isn’t the only one who decided to take a cruise on the Vinculum. The full My Next Life as a Villainess crew is here. Featuring 6 romanceable shipmates, including 2 all-new characters!
- A Voyage Down Memory Lane –As you progress through the story and fulfill certain conditions, you’ll unlock special Memory Scenarios. These episodes will take place from the perspective of the other characters in the story. Experience events such as childhood memories and tales from academic life!
- Batten Down the Hatches! – Along your journey, you’ll sometimes face two paths before you. Time for a Strategy Meeting! Who better to ask for advice than… well, yourself! As seen in the light novel and anime, Catarina looks within to attend a meeting with five versions of herself—led by Chairman Catarina—to decide which route to take.
Story
Catarina Claes is a young woman born into a family of nobility who has a memory of her past life as a high school student. She was reincarnated as a Villainess in an otome game called Fortune Lover. Exile or death were all that awaited her in this new world.
However, she managed to evade these ends, and somehow made it through the year to spring break.As fate would have it, both Catarina and her adopted brother, Keith, were to board a state-of-the-art luxury liner called the Vinculum on its maiden voyage during their time away from the Academy. Once aboard the ship, she realized her friends were also in attendance on what was meant to be a luxurious journey at sea.
The tides changed quickly when they were attacked by pirates who took over the Vinculum and held all of its passengers hostage.
This turn of events all seemed familiar to Catarina, and she begins to recall this was the storyline to a Fortune Lover fanbook.
Could this mean she’s living in a resurrection of a canned doom ending?!
Will Catarina and her friends be able to return to Sorcier safely?The curtain rises for a new twist in this doom-flag-evading romantic comedy!
Official website
Screenshots
Sekai Project
Sekai didn’t have much to show, but there was something for the moege fans, especially the catgirls lovers! Also, we get a really interesting-looking announcement — with a release date, even!
Plus, Sekai Project made a recap post, explaining some facts abt them as well — check it out!
HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL
Published by 122px, HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL is a story with very evident religious themes. This is one I’m super eager to read! It looks cute but somewhat creepy… I hope it doesn’t disappoint. According to Sekai Project, the game is currently in editing and will release its demo in the third quarter of 2023; the full game will release at the end of 2023. Let’s hope they deliver!
Story
This is a story about a group of very ordinary girls.
Two thousand years ago, the Pestis Disaster swept through the land, corrupting all living things and making it to difficult to live on the land. For those that still wish to live on this dead land, a temple was established. It was known as Saint Sheol of the Underworld.
With the help of a distant relative, I moved to the capital that I had longed to live in, and began work as a trainee priest at Saint Sheol.
Every day I endured pain and suffering in this unfamiliar land. On one particular day, when I was in truly dire straits, an angel appeared before me in my dreams. “Don’t worry,” she gently whispered. It was truly a vision that seemed impossible. I knew the face of that angel.
Before the looming disaster stood 6 girls. Within the deepest corner of the temple was fear, miracles, love… and lust.
Having touched the darkest darkness the world has seen, one must now face the dazzling light.
Thus I pose this question.
VNDB
Whose wings did I see that day?
Screenshots
NEKO-NIN exHeart SPIN!
NEKO-NIN exHeart SPIN! is the latest work of the Neko-nin series from Whirlpool. Since it’s not out yet, we might get a simulrelease.
Story
Our hero, Makibishi Kikumaru, has spent his mostly plain days in the company of his tanuki-faced family members (younger sister and grandfather), but his grandfather’s sudden death causes a major shift in his daily life. A cat-earred woman in battle dress storms in on the funeral vigil and lets loose with a machine gun. His younger sister turns into a tanuki-earred ninja.
What the heck is going on? The one that comes to our hero’s rescue is a mysterious and beautiful cat-earred woman.
“My name is Touka. I am here to protect you, Lord Makibishi, no… Lord Saiga Kikumaru.”
These are the words that Touka speaks to a bewildered Kikumaru.1) There are people that exist in this country known as “demi-humans”, as well as people of other origins, unbeknownst to the rest of the population
2) These beings served as ninja during the Sengoku period, and still exist here and there across Japan today
3) You were born into the Saiga family, who act as intermediaries between this “underworld” and mainstream society.
4) And so you are already involved in the struggle. If you don’t get serious about it, you’ll end up dead. (This part is vital.)…So it seems.
Things seem to be a little on the serious (?) side this time, as the curtains rise again on a new NEKO-NIN chapter.
Official website
With our brand new outfits, we’re going meow meow our way into your heart.
NEKO-NIN exHeart
And finally, we get an update on the first title for the NEKO-NIN series by Whirlpool. This time, the game is coming to the Switch and has been announced to release in the fourth quarter of this year. According to Sekai Project, the rest of the series is to follow soon after!
Story
Japan. From time immemorial, there are those who possess superhuman abilities. These beings who looked like a cross between man and beast are called Demi-Humans. They acted as Ninja and served those in power.
And so time passes to present day——
“We have come from the Fuuma Village to fulfill an ancient contract. To serve you! Nin♪”
Yura and Tama. These ninja cats made their dynamic entrance. These cats approached our hero with their loving aura in full bloom. Their adorableness and will causes our hero to be taken by them. But how will he support them? How on earth do you use ninja in this day and age? As he ponders this question, the sense of being a master begins to sprout in our hero when he interacts with these lovely cats.
But who is spying on them from the shadows…? A heartfelt tale of cat ninja who won’t shut up about loyalty, with a bit of action thrown in the mix!
VNDB
Screenshots
Other than that, there was only a short, unfortunate update on Rewrite Harvest festa!. Instead of progress, they seem to have found more untranslated text they didn’t account for.
Spike Chunsoft
Spike Chunsoft didn’t announce anything new, however, it did talk more in detail about RAIN;CODE and ANONYMOUS;CODE. For more information on RAIN;CODE, we wrote an article on it!
There is a recording of this panel, in case you are interested! At the end of the panel, we have a special Q&A with Kodaka himself! Enjoy!
RAIN;CODE
Although it is not a visual novel, we make a little exception since it is made by the same person who created the Danganronpa series — Kodaka Kazutaka. Yes, it’s debatable to even consider them VNs either, but we can’t question how popular they are, especially as a gateway to VN readers. I speak from experience! (Besides, it is 50% text…)
It has been confirmed that the English voice for Yuma — our protagonist — will be done by Lucien Dodge and Shinigami will be voiced by Anjali Kunapaneni.
Story
A brand new dark fantasy detective action game from the minds behind the Danganronpa series!
Yuma, an amnesiac detective-in-training, and Shinigami, the spirit haunting him, tackle unsolved mysteries in a strange city caged by unending rain.
Official website
Screenshots
ANONYMOUS;CODE
Finally, the next Science Adventure title, in all its glory! ANONYMOUS;CODE was certainly a game everyone was waiting for. Well, we still, since it hasn’t been released yet.
It was translated by Andrew Hodgson (Steiner) and is coming this September 8th!
You can wishlist it on PlayStation 4 (NA | UK) and Steam. For Nintendo Switch™, there isn’t a wishlist option yet.
We algo got to know that there is a pre-order, limited edition called SteelBook Launch Edition. Pre-orders started yesterday, on July 5th.
The voices for the English VAs have been confirmed:
You can check the other VAs in more detail here.
This panel also featured a video message from producer Tatsuya Matsubara:
SteelBook Launch Edition
This special edition includes:
- Full Version of game
- Digital Art Book
- Digital Soundtrack
- 4 DLCs (the 1st one is Desuhiko’s, “Charisma Killed the Cat”; the others are unknown)
Story
“The fact that you’ve arrived here―rather, to this save point―at this moment in your life is nothing short of a miracle. It delights me to no end. Step through the stage’s curtain; rip off the mask of the wizard who pulls the strings. Close the loop. Hack into God.”
——February 6, 2036 – Time, 15:28:15
Every computer on Earth overflowed past the maximum limit of the 4,294,967,295 seconds granted within the Digital Standard Clock that had been ticking away since 1900, leading to the worst-case scenario: all Defense-Attack Systems throughout the world majorly malfunctioning. Military satellites roared like Hammers of God as they showered instant devastation upon the world’s major cities. New York, London, Shanghai, Moscow, and Shinjuku. This large-scale disaster came to be known as “Sad Morning.” Was this simply judgment being handed down onto mankind? If so, then who could that judge be? Or instead, could this merely be the preface to a far greater calamity…?
The curtains to the story of Anonymous;Code rise during an unsettling series of events set in Nakano, Tokyo – Year 2037.
VNDB
Screenshots
FAKKU!
FAKKU! presented us a new project, and that is a new furry game! It’s rare to find official localizations of furry games, so this is very interesting to see.
Two Beasts or not to Beast!!
Developed by tokinokogiri, Two Beasts or not to Beast!! is a full-on furry nukige.
Story
Official website (NSFW)
Screenshots
And that was it for this year’s Anime Expo! What did you think? Tell us in the comments! Personally, I feel like most announcements were a bit weak, but I don’t mind — I still have a lot in my backlog to get through. (sobs)
Thanks for the article! It was fun read. And no, I don’t think anouncements were weak at all maybe only for wholesome moege fans. For dark eroge fans it was real party )