Shiny New Releases: Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino Supplement Book

On 2/15, HaccaWorks* is releasing the supplement guide to their game Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino.  It will contain a visual guide and include detailed information about the characters, setting, a capture guide, and an illustrated side-story.  It’s 200 pages long and includes some color illustrations.

It will be available for purchase on several websites, including Animate, Stellaworth, and Toranoana.  So international folks are likely to need a deputy/forwarding service at this point.  Mine is already ordered from Toranoana which will supposedly include an extra postcard.  I can’t wait~

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino to be Released This May!

The wait is nearly over.  According to  the Haccaworks* homepage, Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino has a May release.  There’s even an ordering page up.  THANK GOD.  I’m going to have to figure out my mode of attack soon.   I hope AkaAka + AGTH + translator aggregator works well on Windows 7.

Refer to my old preview for an introduction to the story and characters from the game.  Time will tell if I ever expand that beast.

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino not to be released in 2010

The radio silence was speaking volumes already, so it was no surprise that HaccaWorks* finally updated their website officially stating that Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino will not released at the upcoming Comiket event.

I’d say I’m crushed, but eh… knew it was coming and was getting more irritated by the fact they weren’t updating the website information to reflect it!  It’s certainly not the first time HaccaWorks* has delayed a release, but hey–they  aren’t a big professional company and will still give us a good product in the end.

Ze banner, it crushes our little hopes~

Hanakisou PSP Release Date and Information

Hanakisou was the first visual novel published by the doujin circle HaccaWorks*.  It’s a rare example of a fantasy adventure game aimed at a female audience that is neither a type of “dating game” or simulation, whether renai, otome, or BL flavored.  Hanakisou was first released in 2003 for the PC, followed by an add-on disc in 2005.  Hanakisou was ported to the PS2 in 2006  and is finally making its way to PSP.  After being pushed back a month, Hanakisou PSP is set for a 9/22/2010 release with a MSRP of 4830 yen.

The PSP version will be fully voiced and contain the entire game, including the extra material added to the PS2 version.  It will include “a sight of petals red,” a side story about Hanashiro’s past, and “Hanauta”, a story about Kuroto’s parents.  The two side stories are also given full voice treatment.

Prototype has also reported some technical details.  Hanakisou PSP will have the data install option to ensure less disc reading and smooth music.  You can capture and create custom PSP wallpapers from any of the in-game graphics (oh shit I’m so there).  To adapt the different aspect ratios between the PC/PS2 and PSP release, a cropped version of the CG is shown.  However, you can use the analog stick to scroll down and view the trimmed portion.

Scrolling with the analog stick is possible.

I preordered my copy a while back.  I haven’t played a visual novel on the PSP yet, so I’m not sure how well the graphics will look at that size, but I’m not too worried.  I’ve played less beautifully illustrated games on the small DS screens.  Here’s to waiting just a little longer!

Manga Snippets – 8/20/10

Random snippets from some recently read manga.  Feel free to chime in if you’ve read them!

• Ai ga Love Shite You Nanosa
• Konoyo Ibun (3), (4)
• Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino Preview Book
• Umi no Kishidan (17)

Ai ga Love Shite You Nanosa

Sagano Comic – From Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino Preview Book

It must be fate that the one character comic strip that I can scan without bending my AkaAka preview book is Sagano.  It’s too cute not to share and I threw in my very quick “translation” of the dialogue.  I’m no translator, but you get the idea!

Translation under the cut~

HaccaWorks* Goods

After taking its sweet time, my Celga package finally arrived, bringing me much joy.  The purpose of this order was to finally amass what HaccaWorks* materials I could and it was a raging success.  I own all the books!  HaccaWorks* is a self-publishing group best known for their visual novel Hanakisou and (hopefully soon) Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino.  Hanakisou was originally released on PC and later ported to PS2 with full voices.  It will be be re-released on PSP this September.  AkaAka missed the latest Comiket deadline, so here’s to hoping for a release next winter.

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino OP

A few people have recently posted the AkaAka opening on Youtube.  Here’s a link.  You can also download a copy of the opening on the HaccaWorks* homepage.  Very nice.  There’s some new CGs and even a couple minor characters that hadn’t been revealed yet.  HaccaWorks* already announced on their homepage that they have no new material for sale for the summer Comiket, so we’ll have to be satisfied with this.

#@$#  I want to play this game so badly and get an ending where Sagano strings up Yue and makes him into his new muffler…

…what? I have issues.

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino Preview

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino (あかやあかしやあやかしの)

A preview of HaccaWorks* supernatural visual adventure

Akaya Akashiya Ayakashino (also known as AkaAka) is a visual novel and the second game produced by HaccaWorks*.  AkaAka has a unspecified release date and two demos (in Japanese of course) available for download on their website (free and legal!).  There is very little information about AkaAka in English and this preview will fill some of that gap.  The following information was collected and distilled from the two demos by myself, so there’s some room for interpretation, but it’s a good look at what we know so far.  Hopefully this preview will introduce AkaAka to even more people, encourage or help those thinking about playing it, and most of all, find someone else to wildly fangirl with me about it when it’s released!