AnimePlay

AnimePlay is a trademark used to refer to the visual novel games distributed by Hirameki International (a subsidiary of the Japanese ren ai publisher Hirameki) and a magazine profiling these games.

=AnimePlay DVD=

AnimePlay DVDs are the only English-language visual novels that are playable on plain DVD players; they can also be played on PCs with DVD-ROM drives or video game consoles which can play DVDs like the PlayStation 2 or Xbox. The restrictions of the DVD format mean that these games are missing many features present in most visual novels, however, such as separate volume controls for music and voices; controlling the speed at which text is played; and ability to save the game at any point.

These games are also notable for being the only commercially released visual novels available in English which do not contain sex scenes and thus are suitable for children.

The following games have been released in AnimePlay format:

Phantom of Inferno , a crime drama

Amusement Park (game) , a romantic drama

Day of Love , a high school romance

Tea Society of a Witch , a magical fantasy

Hourglass of Summer , a time travel romance

Hirameki International announced in 2003 that having released Phantom of Inferno earlier that year, they would be releasing fifteen more titles in AnimePlay format in the fourth quarter of 2003, and described all sixteen on their website; however, in summer of 2003 most of these titles were removed from the website. Phantom of Inferno , Amusement Park and Day of Love were the only games released in 2003. The full list of visual novels to which they acquired the rights is:

Phantom of Inferno : released in 2003

Day of Love : released in 2003

The Sixteenth Night Love Song , a love adventure game: status unknown

The Bride of Ergeners , a marriage adventure game: status unknown

Lying on Yoshia Heights , a fantasy adventure game: status unknown

Koimusubi (Lovers Knot) , a romance story: status unknown

Amusement Park : released in 2003

Snow Talk , a fantasy simulation game: status unknown

Separate Blue , a school love story: status unknown

Azrael , a ghost story: status unknown

Sweet Legacy , a cooking love story: status unknown

Five O One , an action story: status unknown

Canary , a school love story: status unknown

Hooligan , an action love comedy: status unknown

Tea Society of a Witch : released in summer 2004

Hourglass of Summer : released in summer 2004

=AnimePlay PC=

AnimePlay PC games are the visual novels released in the United States by Hirameki International. Currently, they include:

Ai Yori Aoshi, a port of the Playstation 2 game.

Ever 17, a suspense/romance.

Anima Mundi, a gothic horror game.

Piece of Wonder, a strategy game/romance.

=AnimePlay Magazine=

AnimePlay is also a quarterly magazine published by Hirameki International. It features a thin print edition, with the majority of its material on an interactive DVD. The magazine mostly reviews the above Hirameki International visual novels that are playable on DVD players. It does review anime and manga as well. The magazine published its first issue in July 2003.

See also : Animerica, Protoculture Addicts, Newtype USA.

=External links=

*http://www.animeplay-mag.com/ *http://www.hirameki-int.com/