ToHeart
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ToHeart (トゥハート) is a visual novel by Leaf/Aquaplus released in 1997 for the PC. It was later ported to the PlayStation and given voice acting. A second PC version, titled "ToHeart PSE" was released containing the PlayStation version as well as omake games. The new computer version and PlayStation version had the adult scenes removed.
It was also adapted into a 13-episode TV anime by KSS in 1999. A second anime, ToHeart: Remember My Memories began airing from October 2004. ToHeart is an influential dating sim with a large cult following; it has been the inspiration for a great deal of fan art in the dōjinshi community.
ToHeart is credited to helping launch Aquaplus/Leaf from obscurity and secure its success in the visual novel market.
ToHeart expended its cult following to non-visual novel players when the KSS anime and PlayStation version was released. Furthermore, the original anime was one of the first cases where an anime adaptation of a video game would prove to be successful among viewers who did not play the game. Although the KSS anime became a stepping stone for many famous voice actresses in regular anime, ~Remember my memories~ and the ToHeart2 anime did not receive as much praise as the original series.
A similarly titled Japanese drama, To Heart - I want to die loving (To Heart ～恋して死にたい～ To Heart ~ koishite shinitai?) has no actual relation to the game. However, the scenario writer acknowledged in a magazine interview that the popularity of the ToHeart series did influence the title and story, and he drew on elements of ToHeart when writing the drama of the same name.[1]
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[edit] History
- May 23, 1997 - ToHeart: Leaf Visual Novel Series No. 3 Released (18 up)
- March 25, 1999 - PlayStation version released (All ages)
- April 1, 1999 - Anime version begins airing
- June 24, 1999 - Anime ends
- October 27, 1999 - Drama CD "Piece of Heart" released
- August 23, 2000 - Piece of Heart re-released, after previous distribution ceased following some legal confusion
- June 19, 2003 - Original PC version repackaged and re-released
- June 27, 2003 - ToHeart PSE released (All ages)
- October 2, 2004 - ToHeart ~Remember my Memories~ starts airing
- December 28, 2004 - ToHeart2 and ToHeart are released on the PlayStation 2 as a special bundle
- March 27, 2007 - The American version of ToHeart DVD Volume 1 will be released
[edit] Significance
Before ToHeart, the visual novel genre was dominated by ELF Corporation. The company ultilized sci-fi and fantasy concepts, and stressed on the importance of story background. Visual novel players often concern themselves more about the overall story, rather than paying attention to the main character's personality and emotion. "ToHeart" was one of the first games that specifically allowed and encouraged the player to fall in love with normalcy, and started the trend of school related visual novels. Players symphathize with situations that leading characters are in, and concern themselves more with characters, instead of the overall story.
Main script writer Tatsuya Takahashi's idea of "visual novel" is widely adopted today by many Japanese games, regardless of the genre.
[edit] Game
ToHeart was originally released on the PC in 1997 as a hentai visual novel love adventure: the third in its series. Produced by Aquaplus/Leaf, it is credited to having helped to lift the company out of obscurity.
In 1999, two years after the original PC release, ToHeart was converted to the PlayStation and released. All adult scenes and themes were removed from this version, however full voice acting and omake games were added.
Four years after, the game was again rereleased on the PC, which was known as the PSE version. The version here used the PlayStation version as the basis for its conversion.
The game was also included in the special ToHeart2/ToHeart bundle, which was one of three packages that ToHeart2 was released in. The game was made for the PS2 and is not available individually.
[edit] Anime
Two anime series have been produced and released: ToHeart and ToHeart ~remember my memories~. The first was known for its watercolour like art, as well as slow and slice-of-life storytelling.
The second series was released five years later in order to generate interest in ToHeart2, and coincided with the marketing blitz that ToHeart2 was receiving. The anime's storyline continued from the original series and completed the actual story (deviating from the game). The future of Akari, Hiroyuki and Multi were also shown.
All voice actors and actresses for the game were also used for the anime.
[edit] Characters
- Hiroyuki Fujita (藤田浩之 Fujita Hiroyuki)
- Akari Kamigishi (神岸あかり Kamigishi Akari)
- Shiho Nagaoka (長岡志保 Nagaoka Shiho)
- Multi (マルチ) a.k.a. HMX-12
- Serio (セリオ) a.k.a. HMX-13
- Tomoko Hoshina (保科智子 Hoshina Tomoko
- Serika Kurusugawa (来栖川芹香 Kurusugawa Serika)
- Ayaka Kurusugawa (来栖川綾香 Kurusugawa Ayaka)
- Lemmy Miyauchi (宮内レミィ Miyauchi Remii)
- Aoi Matsubara (松原 葵 Matsubara Aoi)
- Kotone Himekawa (姫川琴音 Himekawa Kotone)
- Rio Hinayama (雛山理緒 Hinayama Rio)
- Masashi Sato (佐藤雅史 Satō Masashi)
[edit] Character design differences
There are several design differences between the game and the anime:
- The eyes of the characters are more slanted in the game. The eyes were made more rounded in the anime, but in ~remember my memories~ they reverted to the original game design; something that Hiroyuki remarked in the sixth omake episode of the first anime series.
- In ToHeart ~Remember My Memories~, some people's hair color has also changed. For example, Hiroyuki's hair has turned from a dark brown to a greenish blue)
[edit] Audio CDs
- ToHeart: Original Sound Track
- ToHeart: Animation Sound Track
- Feeling Heart: ToHeart Single
- ToHeart: Piece of Heart
- ToHeart: ~ Remember my Memories ~ Soundtrack & Image Song
- Daisukidayo ｢大好きだよ」 (Into Your Heart)
- Leaf Piano Collection Vol 1
[edit] Manga
There are several manga versions available in Japan and are all published by different companies. Most of them are one off stories written and illustrated by dojinshi authors, before being complied into volumes although the Daioh magazine offers a coherent story.
Two manga versions by Ukyou Takao is also available in Japan by Dengeki Comics 「電撃」. The first version published in 1999 was based on and roughly followed the original ToHeart story. It has since been complied into three books.
At present, there is also a manga running titled ToHeart ~Remember my memories~ based on the anime continuity of the same name. It is also authored by Ukyou Takao and is currently being serialised in Dengeki Daioh (where the ToHeart2 manga is also being serialised). The second ToHeart manga is still ongoing, and has been complied into one book as of 2006.
| Title | ISBN | Cost (excluding tax) | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ToHeart Vol. 1 | 4-07-309789-X | 550 yen | September 15, 1998 |
| ToHeart Vol. 2 | 4-8402-1221-X | 550 yen | June 6, 1999 |
| ToHeart Vol. 3 | 4-8402-1460-3 | 550 yen | February 15, 2000 |
It was also published in the US by ADV Manga.
[edit] Omakes
There were several games and fan made products that have used the ToHeart franchise.
- Leaf Fight
A card based game featuring the heroines from ToHeart, along with other characters in the Aquaplus/Leaf franchise.
- The Queen of Heart
A fan-made 2D fighting game made by Watanabe Seisakujo (later French-Bread), the same group that would later create Melty Blood. The original version featured ToHeart characters fighting against one another in a comical parody of the King of Fighters.
[edit] Books
[edit] Game Related
トゥハート公式ガイドブック―The essence of ToHeart
- 1,260 yen (excluding tax)
- 143 pages
- Size: 26 cm
- Publisher: エンターブレイン
- Published: Second Printing (2000/06)
- ISBN 4-7577-0106-3
This book contains a comprehensive walkthrough for the entire To Heart game. It also includes a gallery of all the obtainable CG, as well as stage-by-stage descriptions of all three omake games included in the PlayStation and PSE versions.
ToHeart ビジュアルファンブック (Visual Fun Book)
- 1,400 yen (excluding tax)
- ISBN 4-8402-1278-3
- Publisher: Mediaworks (メディアワークス)
Contains images from the PlayStation game.
[edit] Anime Related
KSS Perfect Collection Series: TV Animation ToHeart
Japanese name: ToHeart ケイエスエス パーフェクトコレクションシリーズ
- Consists of two books
- 1,700 yen (excluding tax)
- VOL.1:ISBN 4-87709-383-4
- VOL.2:ISBN 4-87709-384-2
- Publisher: KSS (ケイエスエス)
The first volume covers episodes 1 to 7 of the TV animation, while the second book covers episodes 8 to 13. The second book has interviews with staff, as well as a collection of all the colour images in Japanese magazines and posters printed to promote ToHeart during that period.
[edit] See also
| ToHeart series | |||
| General information
ToHeart - ToHeart2 |
Games | ||
| Anime | |||
| Characters | Audio CDs | ||
