Lamune (visual novel)

Lamune

Lamune DVD cover
ラムネ
(Ramune)
Genre Drama, Romance, Slice of life story
Game
Developer Neko Neko Soft
Publisher Neko Neko Soft (PC)
Interchannel (PS2)
Genre Visual novel
Rating 18+ (PC)
CERO: 12+ (PS2)
Platform PC, PlayStation 2
Released July 30, 2004 (PC)
August 25, 2005 (PS2)
TV anime
Directed by Jun Takada
Studio Trinet Entertainment
Picture Magic
Network Chiba TV, Kansai TV, Teletama, Tokai TV, tvk
Original run October 11, 2005 – December 27, 2005
Episodes 12
Anime and Manga Portal

Lamune (ラムネ Ramune?) is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Neko Neko Soft originally released on July 30, 2004 for the PC. It was followed by an all-ages version for the PlayStation 2, and was released on August 25, 2005. A twelve-episode anime series based on the visual novel, entitled Lamune: Garasu Bin ni Utsuru Umi (ラムネ 〜ガラスびんに映る海〜?, lit. Lamune: The Glass Jar that Reflects the Sea), was produced by Trinet Entertainment and Picture Magic and aired between October 11, 2005 and December 27, 2005.

Contents

Plot

Kenji Tomosaka moves to a coastal town as a child. The sea spread in front of him shines like ramune, reflecting the sunlight of the summer.

He meets Nanami Konoe, who lives next door. As time passes, their shared memories have accumulated. They think of their normal lives and relationship as precious things.

The sun begins to shine strongly, cicadas begin to buzz, and the sky clears up. For Kenji and Nanami, it is not just another ordinary summer.

Characters

Kenji Tomosaka (友坂 健次 Tomosaka Kenji?)
Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama (anime)
Kenji is the male leading character of the story. He is a 2nd year high school student. He is always hanging around with his childhood friend Nanami, spending their time going to school together and working at her family's vegetable field on the outskirts of town. He owns a vintage motorcycle model Triumph, passed down to him by his father. He has wanted that motorcycle ever since he was a child, and his father finally decided to give it to him, although it is always breaking down. Kenji really likes Nanami however is too shy to tell her his feelings. Therefore to hide his feelings he acts rude and obnoxious.
Nanami Konoe (近衛 七海 Konoe Nanami?)
Voiced by: Ran Tōno (PC)/Yūko Gotō(anime/PS2)
Nanami is the female leading character of the story. She has a long light purple hair. She is Kenji’s childhood friend, next door neighbor and classmate at school. She owns and tends her vegetable field on the outskirts of town. Since they are very close neighbors, they take turns waking each other up every morning.
Profile:
  • Birthdate: May 20
  • Favorite food: home-grown vegetable
  • Favorite drink: 100% fruit juice
Hikari Nakazato (仲里 ひかり Nakazato Hikari?)
Voiced by: Yukari Aoyama (PC)/Akane Tomonaga(anime/PS2)
Hikari is Kenji and Suzuka's older cousin. She is short and has a long, golden-brown hair done in twin tails. She is somewhat quick-tempered and is a tomboy. Hikari may be annoying but she really cares for her cousins and Nanami, and is willing to help them when they're in trouble. She is often pestered by Hatano, Kenji's friend and classmate, who is crazy about her every time she visits her cousins during summer. She secretly likes Hatano but is too stubborn to admit it. She loves to eat spicy food.
Profile:
Suzuka Tomosaka (友坂 鈴夏 Tomosaka Suzuka?)
Voiced by: Hina Kamimura (PC)/Mikako Satō(anime/PS2)
She is Kenji's younger blue-haired sister. Suzuka is a gentle, active and innocent character.
Profile:
Tae Isawa (石和 多恵 Isawa Tae?)
Voiced by: Izumi Maki (PC)/Natsumi Yanase(anime/PS2)
Tae is the Student Council President and Kenji’s senpai in school. She has a short dark purple hair and often seen wearing her jersey uniform. She is a very mature, good-tempered and responsible person. She has three younger siblings (two brothers and one sister) to take care of.
Profile:
  • Birthdate: February 2
  • Favorite food: Mitarashidango (a kind of dango)
  • Favorite drink: Hojicha
Hiromi Sakura (佐倉 裕美 Sakura Hiromi?)
Voiced by: Sakura Takatsuki (PC)/Hiroko Taguchi(anime/PS2)
Hiromi is a black-haired classmate of Suzuka in school. She is a soft-spoken and timid girl who is infatuated with Suzuka's older brother, Kenji, since childhood.
Profile:
Misora Ayukawa (鮎川 美空 Ayukawa Misora?)
Voiced by: Ryōko Shintani(anime/PS2)
Misora is a biker girl who happens to visit the town while touring in the countryside. She has pink hair with an ahoge and two short twin tails. She rides her favorite motorcycle model, a Honda CB400 SUPER BOL D'OR.
Profile:
Hatano (端野 Hatano?)
Voiced by: Shintaro Ōhata(anime/PS2)
Kenji’s friend and classmate. Hatano serves as the comic relief guy. He has a crush on Kenji's older cousin, Hikari, and tries to make a move on her but only ends up getting dumped. He would do anything for her to the point of becoming her slave.
Profile:
Kagami Konoe (近衛 各務 Konoe Kagami?)
Voiced by: Suzune Kusunoki(PC)/Erika Narumi(anime/PS2)
Kagami is the mother of Nanami who runs a kissaten or coffee shop right across the street from their house. She has a kind and gentle personality. Because of her youthful appearance, she is commonly mistaken as Nanami's elder sister.
Kenryū Tomosaka (友坂 健柳流 Tomosaka Kenryū?)
Voiced by: Takashi Nagasako(anime/PS2)
He is Kenji and Suzuka’s father. He is also a judo instructor in school where Suzuka is attending. He is very strict when teaching her and does not accept failure.

Episode list

# Episode Title Original Air Date
01 "The Hermit Crab and the Straw Hat"
"Yadokari to Mugiwara Boushi" (ヤドカリと麦わら帽子) 		 October 11, 2005
In the first episode the audience learns that Nanami and Kenji had first met at a beach when they were small kids. Later the young Kenji (who had just moved at the countryside with his family) meets his new neighbour: Nanami. In the present they are now friends, going to the same school together and waking each other up in the morning. Kenji helps Nanami harvest vegetables for her mother's shop. 
02 "The Summer Field and the Nanami Special"
"Natsu no Hatake to Nanami Supesharu" (夏の畑とななみすぺしゃる) 		 October 18, 2005
This episodes starts off with a young Kenji and Nanami playing on the beach, then later taking a bath together. Returning in the present, another normal day has started, with their friends teasing both Kenji and Nanami as an already recognized couple. After the class ended, Hiromi Sakura, a friend of Suzuka, makes a brief greeting and dialogue with Kenji, making him assume that she might confess her love to him, much to Nanami's dismay, and the two ended up quarreling. When Kenji decides not to go to the school trip, it is revealed that Nanami always sticks to Kenji and vice versa; neither one wants the other to be alone. They make up later when they went to water the vegetables in their field. 
03 "Little Cousin and Fireworks"
"Chicchana Itoko to Hanabi" (ちっちゃなイトコと花火) 		 October 25, 2005
 
04 "The School Council President and the Reward"
"Jichikaichou to Gohoubi" (自治会長とごほうび) 		 November 1, 2005
 
05 "The Starry Sky and a Telescope"
"Hoshizora to Bouenkyou" (星空と望遠鏡) 		 November 8, 2005
 
06 "Three People and Two Pearls"
"Sannin to Futatsu no Shinju" (三人と二つの真珠) 		 November 15, 2005
Hikari remembers when they were kids she found two pearls in clam by the beach. She feels the need to repay Kenji and Nanami for letting her keep those pearls. In that process she gets sick. 
07 "Biker Girl and Part-Time Job"
"Baiku Shōjo to Arubaito" (バイク少女とアルバイト) 		 November 22, 2005
 
08 "The Bond Between the Two and Swaying Feelings"
"Futari no Kizuna to Yureru Omoi" (ふたりの絆と揺れる想い) 		 November 29, 2005
 
09 "The Distance Between the Two and a Lamune Bottle"
"Futari no Kyori to Ramune no Bin" (ふたりの距離とラムネの瓶) 		 December 6, 2005
 
10 "The Folk Dance and Overlapping Hearts"
"Fōkudansu to Kasanaru Kokoro" (フォークダンスとかさなる心) 		 December 13, 2005
 
11 "The Typhoon Night and the End of Summer"
"Taifū no Yoru to Natsu no Owari" (台風の夜と夏の終わり) 		 December 20, 2005
 
12 "100 Loans and 100 Debts"
"Hyakko no Kashi to Hyakko no Kari" (100個の貸しと100個の借り) 		 December 27, 2005
 

Music(game)

Opening Theme
Ending Theme
Insert Theme(PC)
Insert Theme(PS2)

Music(anime)

Opening Theme
Ending Theme
Insert Theme

DVD

Six DVDs of anime series were released by Interchannel in Japan.

CD Albums

Opening and ending Single albums

Character image songs and drama albums

Six character image songs and drama albums were released by Interchannel in Japan.

Book

One game fanbook for the PS2 version was published by JIVE in Japan.

A novel mainly adapted between episode 07-08, was published by Megami Bunko(Gakken). Written by Takamitsu Kouno, and illustrated by Genichiro Kondo.

Manga

A manga illustrated by Rino Fujii was published in the Japanese manga magazine Comp Ace on Jan 26, 2006, published by Kadokawa Shoten.

Staff

External links