D.C. ~Da Capo~
Encyclopedia
is an adult
Japan
ese visual novel
developed by Circus
which was released as a limited edition on June 28, 2002 playable on the PC
as a CD-ROM
; a DVD-ROM
version followed on July 26, 2002. An English release was scheduled for December 25, 2008, and the game was available for a brief time on that date, but the title was pulled until January 20, 2009. Da Capo began as a series of prelude short scenarios in the Suika
fandisc Archimedes no Wasuremono, and since the initial release, there have been numerous different versions released for the PC and PlayStation 2
over the years with updated scenarios and characters. The gameplay
in Da Capo follows a plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the six female main characters.
Circus described Da Capo as a . A sequel
set fifty-three years after the end of Da Capo, Da Capo II, was released on May 26, 2006 and features a new cast of characters living two generations after the original. Da Capo is set on a fictional island in modern Japan, , where the sakura
trees are always in full blossom. Da Capo
is an Italian
musical term meaning "from the beginning", and the game was such named with parts of the storyline going into loop before approaching the "true" end.
There have been numerous adaptations into other media. Two manga
series were serialized between 2003 and 2006 in Kadokawa Shoten
's Comptiq
magazine illustrated by different manga artists
. Two anime
series, produced by different animation studios and directed by different directors, were produced in 2003 and 2005, each containing twenty-six episodes. Two radio shows, five novel adaptations, four drama CD
adaptations, and an original video animation
series have also been produced.
requires little interaction from the player, as it is a classic visual novel
: most of the duration of the game is spent simply reading the text that appears on the screen which represents either dialogue
between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Every so often, the player will come to a point where he or she is given the chance to choose from multiple options. The time between these points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. Gameplay pauses at these points and depending on which choice the player makes, the plot will progress in a specific direction. There are six main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story. To view all six plot lines, the player will have to replay the game multiple times and make different decisions to progress the plot in an alternate direction. Throughout gameplay, the player enables the viewing of sex scenes depicting the protagonist, Jun'ichi, and one of the six heroines having sex
.
tree and its powers.
. The game's production was headed by Tororo, president of Circus, who also worked on the game's music, and was directed by Mikage
and Hotaru Koizumi. The scenario in the game was divided between four people who worked on the different stories for the heroines. Mikage wrote Nemu's and Sakura's scenarios; Kure (short for Soratobuenban ni Kure ga Notta yo) wrote Kotori's and Yoriko's scenarios; Yoko Yoko wrote Moe's and Mako's scenarios; and Mari wrote Miharu's scenario. Character design and art direction was divided between three people. Naru Nanao
designed Nemu, Sakura, and Kotori; Igul designed Miharu, Moe, Mako, and others; and Kanon Ikutata designed the chibi characters, and others. The opening video was produced by Nitroplus
.
playable on a Microsoft Windows
PC
on June 28, 2002 as a CD-ROM
in limited and regular editions. A version as a DVD-ROM
followed on July 26, 2002 in limited and regular editions, and a package containing both CD- and DVD-ROM versions was released on September 26, 2003. A version of the original game was ported to the PlayStation 2
entitled on February 14, 2008. A limited and regular edition of an extended version with updated storylines and characters, but with the adult content removed, was released on the PlayStation 2 on October 30, 2003 entitled . A "best" version was released of D.C.P.S. on July 14, 2005. Circus released an adult version of D.C.P.S. on May 28, 2004 named as a limited edition playable as a CD- and DVD-ROM for the PC. The regular edition of the game followed on June 4, 2004. This game was again re-released on December 16, 2005 as a "gratitude pack", and again on June 29, 2007 updated for Windows Vista
.
A fandisc entitled was released for the PC on December 13, 2002 as a Christmas
limited edition; the regular edition followed on January 24, 2003 in CD- and DVD-ROM editions. A renewal package edition of White Season playable as a DVD was released on February 25, 2005. Another fandisc followed for the PC on August 27, 2004 as a limited edition entitled . The regular edition of Summer Vacation followed on September 3, 2004, and a CD-ROM version was released on August 5, 2005. Another version for the PlayStation 2 was released on December 15, 2005 in limited and regular editions called . A PC version of Four Seasons was released by Circus on June 27, 2008 with added adult content called .
An adult fandisc entitled was released by Circus for the PC as a limited edition DVD on December 22, 2006, and as a regular edition on January 1, 2007. Three DVD Players Game
versions were released in limited and regular editions separately covering the heroines Nemu, Sakura, and Kotori; the games were released between June 1, 2007 and September 28, 2007. An adult spin-off title called was released by Circus on February 29, 2008 as a limited edition DVD, and on March 28, 2008 as a regular edition. A sequel to Christmas Days for the PC entitled was released on July 25, 2008, and an otome game
spin-off
for the PC entitled was released on September 26, 2008, followed by the PSP version for 2010. An English adult version of the original visual novel available for download online by European-based company MangaGamer
was released on January 23, 2009.
between February 2005 and September 30, 2006. Two novels based on the manga adaptation Second Graduation were written by Miyuki Gotō and released in October 2005 and January 2006. A single novel based on Four Seasons and written by Circus, Chiruda Sasamiya, and Masashi Suzuki with illustrations by Cherish was published on March 25, 2006.
have been produced based on the original Da Capo visual novel and the anime adaptations. The first drama CD was released for the visual novel by Lantis on January 22, 2003 entitled . A drama CD entitled was released by Circus for the visual novel as a limited edition, and was not widely distributed. For the first anime season, six drama CDs with each covering a single heroine except for the sixth volume which covers two heroines; the CDs were released between July 22, 2004 and April 26, 2005. Three more drama CDs were released for the second anime season between January 25, 2006 and June 7, 2006.
adaptations of Da Capo. The first Da Capo manga was illustrated by Natsuki Tanihara and was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten
's Comptiq
magazine between February 10, 2003 and April 10, 2004. Two bound volumes
were released for the first manga. The second manga, entitled Da Capo: Second Graduation, was illustrated by Cherish and was serialized in Comptiq between August 10, 2004 and July 10, 2006. Three volumes were released for the second manga. Many manga anthologies
have also been produced over the years.
series and one original video animation
based on Da Capo. The first anime series was produced by the Japanese animation studio Zexcs
and was directed by Nagisa Miyazaki. It aired in Japan between July 11, 2003 and December 27, 2003, and spanned twenty-six episodes. The first seven episodes of the series aired with image song
s performed by the Japanese voice actresses who voiced main female characters, while episodes eight through fourteen and sixteen through twenty-one were aired with side episodes, with episode twenty-two onwards aired in full-length, lasting about twenty-four minutes. The second anime series, Da Capo: Second Season, was produced by the animation studio Feel and directed by Masanori Nayoshi. The series also spanned twenty-six episodes and aired in Japan between July 2, 2005 and December 24, 2005. A two-episode OVA series entitled Da Capo: If, produced by Zexcs and featuring Kotori Shirakawa as the main character was released with two DVD box-sets containing the first and second anime series. The first DVD box-set, containing the first anime series and the first OVA episode was released on December 25, 2008. The second DVD box-set, containing the second anime series and the second OVA episode was released on March 25, 2009. Another Da Capo anime series is reportedly in the works.
The first anime series had four pieces of theme music, one opening theme and three ending themes. The opening theme is sung by Yozuca*, although was used as the ending theme for the first, and last episodes. The first ending theme is by CooRie
which was used in episodes two through seven, nine through fourteen, and sixteen through twenty. The second ending theme is by Haruko Momoi
which was used in episodes eight and fifteen. The third ending theme is by CooRie and was used in episodes twenty-one through twenty-five, though was also used as the opening theme for the final episode.
The second anime series had three pieces of theme music, one opening theme and two ending themes. The opening theme is by Yozuca*, though the first episode's version does not use vocals. The first ending theme is by CooRie and was used in episodes one through twenty-three, and in the final episode. The second ending theme is by CooRie which was used in episodes twenty-four and twenty-five.
and TBS Radio
in Japan every Sunday late at night. The first radio show served to promote the first anime season and contained ninety-one broadcasts. Four CDs were released containing some of the broadcasts from the first radio show were released by Lantis between March 3, 2004 and June 22, 2005. The second show entitled , this time streamed online
, aired every Friday between July 8, 2005 and June 2, 2006, and was distributed by Lantis
and Animate
. The second radio show served to promote the second anime season and contained forty-seven broadcasts. Three CDs were released containing most of the broadcasts from the second radio show were released by Lantis between October 5, 2005 and May 24, 2005.
by Tororo and sung by Yozuca*. The first ending theme is "Dream: The ally of" written by Tororo, composed by Naoyuki Nagata, and sung by Rino
. The second ending theme is "Dream: The other side" written by Tororo, composed by Takayuki Azuma, and sung by Noriko Mitose
. A single
containing the opening and ending themes was released by Lantis
on August 22, 2002. The insert song is "Small Cherry: promised bell" written by Tororo, composed by Angel Note, and sung by Mami Nakayama from Angel Note.
The Da Capo Complete Original Soundtrack was released by Lantis on September 25, 2002 containing two discs with thirty-three tracks. An image song
album for Da Capo entitled Songs from Da Capo was released by Lantis on November 22, 2002 which also included some drama
tracks. Two image song albums were released for Plus Situation on April 7 and July 7, 2004 entitled D.C.P.S.C.S.1 and D.C.P.S.C.S.2, respectively. A vocal mini album for Four Seasons was released by Lantis on February 8, 2006.
The single containing the first anime season's opening and ending themes entitled was released by Lantis on July 24, 2003. Three image song albums were released by Lantis for the first anime season, each with two or three characters per album. The first volume, for Nemu and Yoriko, contained songs sung by Sakura Nogawa
and Miyu Matsuki
, and was released on August 27, 2003. The second image song album, for Sakura, Moe and Mako, contained songs sung by Yukari Tamura
, Yui Itsuki
and Yuki Matsuoka
, and was released on September 26, 2003. The third image song album, for Kotori and Miharu, contained songs sung by Yui Horie
and Akemi Kanda
, and was released on October 22, 2003. A vocal album containing songs sung by Yozuca* and Rino entitled Dolce was released by Lantis on December 26, 2003. Three more volumes of vocal albums were released by Lantis, each covering one character. The first named Ribbons&Candies for Nemu contained songs sung by Sakura Nogawa and was released on September 1, 2004. The second album named My Little Wish for Sakura contained songs sung by Yukari Tamura and was released on December 1, 2004. The third album entitled Happy Days for Yoriko contained songs sung by Miyu Matsuki and was released on July 6, 2005. A best of
album containing songs from the games and the anime seasons of Da Capo entitled was released by Lantis on November 21, 2007. Two original soundtracks were released for the first anime season, the first entitled Amoroso and the second named Brillante which were released by Lantis on November 27, 2003 and March 24, 2004, respectively.
The single containing the second anime seasons' opening theme entitled was released by Lantis on July 21, 2005. The single containing the second anime seasons' ending theme entitled was released by Lantis on August 24, 2005. An image song single for the character Aisia was released by Lantis on September 7, 2005. Two volumes of vocal albums were released by Lantis on October 26, 2005 and May 10, 2006 containing songs sung by voice actresses
from the anime. A follow-up of the previously released Dolce album entitled Dolce2 was released on December 21, 2005. Two original soundtracks were released for the second anime season which were released by Lantis on November 23, 2005 and January 25, 2006, respectively.
Eroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
developed by Circus
Circus (company)
Circus is a Japanese visual novel studio known for creating adult-oriented bishōjo games. In addition to the normal Circus brand name, there are other brand divisions including Circus Northern, Circus Fetish, Circus Metal, and Sanctuary...
which was released as a limited edition on June 28, 2002 playable on the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
as a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
; a DVD-ROM
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version followed on July 26, 2002. An English release was scheduled for December 25, 2008, and the game was available for a brief time on that date, but the title was pulled until January 20, 2009. Da Capo began as a series of prelude short scenarios in the Suika
Suika (visual novel)
is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Circus and was first released on July 27, 2001 for the PC as a CD-ROM, followed by a DVD-ROM release on August 31, 2001...
fandisc Archimedes no Wasuremono, and since the initial release, there have been numerous different versions released for the PC and PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
over the years with updated scenarios and characters. The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
in Da Capo follows a plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the six female main characters.
Circus described Da Capo as a . A sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
set fifty-three years after the end of Da Capo, Da Capo II, was released on May 26, 2006 and features a new cast of characters living two generations after the original. Da Capo is set on a fictional island in modern Japan, , where the sakura
Sakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
trees are always in full blossom. Da Capo
Da capo
Da Capo is a musical term in Italian, meaning from the beginning . It is often abbreviated D.C. It is a composer or publisher's directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space. In small pieces this might be the same thing as a repeat, but in larger works D.C...
is an Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
musical term meaning "from the beginning", and the game was such named with parts of the storyline going into loop before approaching the "true" end.
There have been numerous adaptations into other media. Two manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series were serialized between 2003 and 2006 in Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
's Comptiq
Comptiq
is a Japanese computer game magazine, first published in 1983, by Kadokawa Shoten. The name "Comptiq" came from combining the words "computer" and "boutique". Originally a PC magazine, its focus shifted from computers to computer games. As of September 2003, it has been known as a "MediaMix Game...
magazine illustrated by different manga artists
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
. Two anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, produced by different animation studios and directed by different directors, were produced in 2003 and 2005, each containing twenty-six episodes. Two radio shows, five novel adaptations, four drama CD
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
adaptations, and an original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
series have also been produced.
Gameplay
Da Capos gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
requires little interaction from the player, as it is a classic visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
: most of the duration of the game is spent simply reading the text that appears on the screen which represents either dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Every so often, the player will come to a point where he or she is given the chance to choose from multiple options. The time between these points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. Gameplay pauses at these points and depending on which choice the player makes, the plot will progress in a specific direction. There are six main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story. To view all six plot lines, the player will have to replay the game multiple times and make different decisions to progress the plot in an alternate direction. Throughout gameplay, the player enables the viewing of sex scenes depicting the protagonist, Jun'ichi, and one of the six heroines having sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
.
Plot
Da Capo centers around the period before Jun'ichi Asakura graduates from the affiliated section and enters the high school section of where Sakura Yoshino returns to the island after moving to America several years before. Most of the main stories revolve around the magical unwilting sakuraSakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
tree and its powers.
Development
Da Capo was Circus' sixth game, but was the fourth game developed by the development group Circus Northern who had also produced their second title SuikaSuika (visual novel)
is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Circus and was first released on July 27, 2001 for the PC as a CD-ROM, followed by a DVD-ROM release on August 31, 2001...
. The game's production was headed by Tororo, president of Circus, who also worked on the game's music, and was directed by Mikage
Mikage
is a Japanese screenwriter and light novelist from Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. Most of his work has been in adult games and drama CDs for such games. He has works primarily with Circus and Minori.-Works:Games*Archimedes no Wasuremono*D.C.: Da Capo...
and Hotaru Koizumi. The scenario in the game was divided between four people who worked on the different stories for the heroines. Mikage wrote Nemu's and Sakura's scenarios; Kure (short for Soratobuenban ni Kure ga Notta yo) wrote Kotori's and Yoriko's scenarios; Yoko Yoko wrote Moe's and Mako's scenarios; and Mari wrote Miharu's scenario. Character design and art direction was divided between three people. Naru Nanao
Naru Nanao
is a female Japanese artist from Okinawa, Japan. Nanao's choice of her pseudonym stems from the Circus' game Aries; one of the characters was named . She is a free illustrator and thus is not affiliated with one single company; she is primarily a character designer...
designed Nemu, Sakura, and Kotori; Igul designed Miharu, Moe, Mako, and others; and Kanon Ikutata designed the chibi characters, and others. The opening video was produced by Nitroplus
Nitroplus
Nitroplus Co., Ltd., stylized as nitro+, is a Japanese visual novel computer software company that has developed a number of visual novels, including eroge. They have also have been collaborating with TYPE-MOON to create the light novel series Fate/zero. Their works usually have dark themes such...
.
Release history
Da Capo was first released in Japan as an adult gameEroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
playable on a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
on June 28, 2002 as a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
in limited and regular editions. A version as a DVD-ROM
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
followed on July 26, 2002 in limited and regular editions, and a package containing both CD- and DVD-ROM versions was released on September 26, 2003. A version of the original game was ported to the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
entitled on February 14, 2008. A limited and regular edition of an extended version with updated storylines and characters, but with the adult content removed, was released on the PlayStation 2 on October 30, 2003 entitled . A "best" version was released of D.C.P.S. on July 14, 2005. Circus released an adult version of D.C.P.S. on May 28, 2004 named as a limited edition playable as a CD- and DVD-ROM for the PC. The regular edition of the game followed on June 4, 2004. This game was again re-released on December 16, 2005 as a "gratitude pack", and again on June 29, 2007 updated for Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
.
A fandisc entitled was released for the PC on December 13, 2002 as a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
limited edition; the regular edition followed on January 24, 2003 in CD- and DVD-ROM editions. A renewal package edition of White Season playable as a DVD was released on February 25, 2005. Another fandisc followed for the PC on August 27, 2004 as a limited edition entitled . The regular edition of Summer Vacation followed on September 3, 2004, and a CD-ROM version was released on August 5, 2005. Another version for the PlayStation 2 was released on December 15, 2005 in limited and regular editions called . A PC version of Four Seasons was released by Circus on June 27, 2008 with added adult content called .
An adult fandisc entitled was released by Circus for the PC as a limited edition DVD on December 22, 2006, and as a regular edition on January 1, 2007. Three DVD Players Game
DVD TV game
A DVD TV game is a standalone game that can be played on a set-top DVD player. The game takes advantage of technology built into the DVD format to create an interactive gaming environment compatible with most DVD players without requiring additional hardware...
versions were released in limited and regular editions separately covering the heroines Nemu, Sakura, and Kotori; the games were released between June 1, 2007 and September 28, 2007. An adult spin-off title called was released by Circus on February 29, 2008 as a limited edition DVD, and on March 28, 2008 as a regular edition. A sequel to Christmas Days for the PC entitled was released on July 25, 2008, and an otome game
Otome game
An is a video game that is targeted towards a female market, where one of the main goals, besides the plot goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player character and one of several male characters. This genre is most established in Japan. The label includes both visual...
spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
for the PC entitled was released on September 26, 2008, followed by the PSP version for 2010. An English adult version of the original visual novel available for download online by European-based company MangaGamer
MangaGamer
MangaGamer is a Netherlands-based company primary specializing in the English localization and distribution of Japanese visual novels.-History:...
was released on January 23, 2009.
Novels
Many novels have been written based on Da Capo and its updated versions. The first series of novels based on the original Da Capo game was a series of six novels written by Tasuku Saika between December 2002 and February 2004. Saika also wrote a series of six novels between October 2004 and May 2005 based on Plus Communication. Four more novels based on Plus Communication were written by Izumi Okazaki, illustrated by Mikeō, and were published by EnterbrainEnterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
between February 2005 and September 30, 2006. Two novels based on the manga adaptation Second Graduation were written by Miyuki Gotō and released in October 2005 and January 2006. A single novel based on Four Seasons and written by Circus, Chiruda Sasamiya, and Masashi Suzuki with illustrations by Cherish was published on March 25, 2006.
Drama CDs
Many drama CDsRadio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
have been produced based on the original Da Capo visual novel and the anime adaptations. The first drama CD was released for the visual novel by Lantis on January 22, 2003 entitled . A drama CD entitled was released by Circus for the visual novel as a limited edition, and was not widely distributed. For the first anime season, six drama CDs with each covering a single heroine except for the sixth volume which covers two heroines; the CDs were released between July 22, 2004 and April 26, 2005. Three more drama CDs were released for the second anime season between January 25, 2006 and June 7, 2006.
Manga
There have been two mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptations of Da Capo. The first Da Capo manga was illustrated by Natsuki Tanihara and was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
's Comptiq
Comptiq
is a Japanese computer game magazine, first published in 1983, by Kadokawa Shoten. The name "Comptiq" came from combining the words "computer" and "boutique". Originally a PC magazine, its focus shifted from computers to computer games. As of September 2003, it has been known as a "MediaMix Game...
magazine between February 10, 2003 and April 10, 2004. Two bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
were released for the first manga. The second manga, entitled Da Capo: Second Graduation, was illustrated by Cherish and was serialized in Comptiq between August 10, 2004 and July 10, 2006. Three volumes were released for the second manga. Many manga anthologies
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
have also been produced over the years.
Anime
There have been two animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series and one original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
based on Da Capo. The first anime series was produced by the Japanese animation studio Zexcs
Zexcs
is a Japanese animation studio located in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. It was established on January 23, 1998 and is known for doing the animation production of a number of series such as MY HiMe, Sister Princess, and Speed Grapher...
and was directed by Nagisa Miyazaki. It aired in Japan between July 11, 2003 and December 27, 2003, and spanned twenty-six episodes. The first seven episodes of the series aired with image song
Image song
An image song or character song is a song on a tie-in single or album for an anime, game or dorama that is usually sung by the seiyū or actor of a character, in character...
s performed by the Japanese voice actresses who voiced main female characters, while episodes eight through fourteen and sixteen through twenty-one were aired with side episodes, with episode twenty-two onwards aired in full-length, lasting about twenty-four minutes. The second anime series, Da Capo: Second Season, was produced by the animation studio Feel and directed by Masanori Nayoshi. The series also spanned twenty-six episodes and aired in Japan between July 2, 2005 and December 24, 2005. A two-episode OVA series entitled Da Capo: If, produced by Zexcs and featuring Kotori Shirakawa as the main character was released with two DVD box-sets containing the first and second anime series. The first DVD box-set, containing the first anime series and the first OVA episode was released on December 25, 2008. The second DVD box-set, containing the second anime series and the second OVA episode was released on March 25, 2009. Another Da Capo anime series is reportedly in the works.
The first anime series had four pieces of theme music, one opening theme and three ending themes. The opening theme is sung by Yozuca*, although was used as the ending theme for the first, and last episodes. The first ending theme is by CooRie
CooRie
CooRie is a self-produced Japanese music unit by singer-songwriter Rino that performs songs for anime and games. CooRie used to be a two-persons unit when it debuted in 2003, with Rino doing the lyrics and vocals and doing the music compositions and arrangements...
which was used in episodes two through seven, nine through fourteen, and sixteen through twenty. The second ending theme is by Haruko Momoi
Haruko Momoi
is a Japanese voice actress and singer/songwriter. She was born in Tokyo, Japan and is affectionately referred to as 'Halko' by her fans, a nickname she gave herself which is inspired by HAL 9000, the onboard computer of the Discovery in 2001: A Space Odyssey....
which was used in episodes eight and fifteen. The third ending theme is by CooRie and was used in episodes twenty-one through twenty-five, though was also used as the opening theme for the final episode.
The second anime series had three pieces of theme music, one opening theme and two ending themes. The opening theme is by Yozuca*, though the first episode's version does not use vocals. The first ending theme is by CooRie and was used in episodes one through twenty-three, and in the final episode. The second ending theme is by CooRie which was used in episodes twenty-four and twenty-five.
Radio shows
Two radios shows have been produced for the anime adaptations of Da Capo. The first show named aired between October 4, 2003 and June 25, 2005 on Radio OsakaOsaka Broadcasting Corporation
is an AM radio station of National Radio Network in Osaka, Japan, and it is known as "Radio Osaka ". It is also a company of Sankei Shimbun Group in Fujisankei Communications Group...
and TBS Radio
TBS Radio & Communications
is the flagship radio station of Japan Radio Network in Tokyo, Japan. The company was founded by Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. on March 21, 2000...
in Japan every Sunday late at night. The first radio show served to promote the first anime season and contained ninety-one broadcasts. Four CDs were released containing some of the broadcasts from the first radio show were released by Lantis between March 3, 2004 and June 22, 2005. The second show entitled , this time streamed online
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
, aired every Friday between July 8, 2005 and June 2, 2006, and was distributed by Lantis
Lantis (company)
is a Japanese company that specializes as a music publisher label for Japanese musicians, anime soundtracks and video game soundtracks. It was established on November 26, 1999, and in May 2006, it was bought by, and became a subsidiary of, Bandai Visual...
and Animate
Animate
is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, games, and manga in Japan. The first and headquarters store of Animate opened in 1983 and is located in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, there are 38 Animate stores in Japan, and two in Taipei, Taiwan...
. The second radio show served to promote the second anime season and contained forty-seven broadcasts. Three CDs were released containing most of the broadcasts from the second radio show were released by Lantis between October 5, 2005 and May 24, 2005.
Music
The original visual novel of Da Capo has four pieces of theme music, one opening theme, two ending themes, and one insert song. The opening theme is which is written and composedMusical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
by Tororo and sung by Yozuca*. The first ending theme is "Dream: The ally of" written by Tororo, composed by Naoyuki Nagata, and sung by Rino
CooRie
CooRie is a self-produced Japanese music unit by singer-songwriter Rino that performs songs for anime and games. CooRie used to be a two-persons unit when it debuted in 2003, with Rino doing the lyrics and vocals and doing the music compositions and arrangements...
. The second ending theme is "Dream: The other side" written by Tororo, composed by Takayuki Azuma, and sung by Noriko Mitose
Noriko Mitose
is a Japanese singer. She is the vocalist of the band Kirche, and as a solo singer, has performed many songs for games.- Biography :Noriko Mitose sang for church choir when she was young but did not get involved in the music scene until she and Toshihiko Inoue formed kirche in 1993...
. A single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
containing the opening and ending themes was released by Lantis
Lantis (company)
is a Japanese company that specializes as a music publisher label for Japanese musicians, anime soundtracks and video game soundtracks. It was established on November 26, 1999, and in May 2006, it was bought by, and became a subsidiary of, Bandai Visual...
on August 22, 2002. The insert song is "Small Cherry: promised bell" written by Tororo, composed by Angel Note, and sung by Mami Nakayama from Angel Note.
The Da Capo Complete Original Soundtrack was released by Lantis on September 25, 2002 containing two discs with thirty-three tracks. An image song
Image song
An image song or character song is a song on a tie-in single or album for an anime, game or dorama that is usually sung by the seiyū or actor of a character, in character...
album for Da Capo entitled Songs from Da Capo was released by Lantis on November 22, 2002 which also included some drama
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
tracks. Two image song albums were released for Plus Situation on April 7 and July 7, 2004 entitled D.C.P.S.C.S.1 and D.C.P.S.C.S.2, respectively. A vocal mini album for Four Seasons was released by Lantis on February 8, 2006.
The single containing the first anime season's opening and ending themes entitled was released by Lantis on July 24, 2003. Three image song albums were released by Lantis for the first anime season, each with two or three characters per album. The first volume, for Nemu and Yoriko, contained songs sung by Sakura Nogawa
Sakura Nogawa
' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico...
and Miyu Matsuki
Miyu Matsuki
is a Japanese voice actress. Her hometown is Hiroshima Japan.-Anime cast in:*Ayakashi as Hime Yakushiji*ARIA The NATURAL as Ayano *Binchō-tan as Pukashuu*Claymore as Flora*D.C. ~Da Capo~ as Yoriko Sagisawa*D.C.S.S...
, and was released on August 27, 2003. The second image song album, for Sakura, Moe and Mako, contained songs sung by Yukari Tamura
Yukari Tamura
, is a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress, affiliated with the talent agency I'm Enterprise. Affectionately called Yukarin by her fans, she is also known for her high-pitched voice and interest in Lolita fashion...
, Yui Itsuki
Yui Itsuki
is a Japanese voice actress who works for Holy Peak. As a musician, she is the lead singer behind the band Yōsei Teikoku , and speculated to be Karen of Denkishiki Karen Ongaku Shuudan.- TV anime :2003:...
and Yuki Matsuoka
Yuki Matsuoka
is a voice actress from the Hirano-ku ward of Osaka. She graduated from Otemae Women's University in Nishinomiya. She is affiliated with Production Baobab.- 2001 :*Mo~tto! Ojamajo Doremi *Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san...
, and was released on September 26, 2003. The third image song album, for Kotori and Miharu, contained songs sung by Yui Horie
Yui Horie
is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans.She hosts a radio show called and is the founding member of the singing group, Aice5. She is also a member of the band Kurobara Hozonkai, with the name YUIEL...
and Akemi Kanda
Akemi Kanda
is a Japanese voice actress who is affiliated with Aoni Production. She was formerly a member of the voice actor unit DROPS, which included fellow voice actors Ai Nonaka, Tomoko Kaneda, Mariko Kōda, and Ryōko Shiraishi, and of the voice actor unit Aice5 along with Yui Horie, Chiaki Takahashi,...
, and was released on October 22, 2003. A vocal album containing songs sung by Yozuca* and Rino entitled Dolce was released by Lantis on December 26, 2003. Three more volumes of vocal albums were released by Lantis, each covering one character. The first named Ribbons&Candies for Nemu contained songs sung by Sakura Nogawa and was released on September 1, 2004. The second album named My Little Wish for Sakura contained songs sung by Yukari Tamura and was released on December 1, 2004. The third album entitled Happy Days for Yoriko contained songs sung by Miyu Matsuki and was released on July 6, 2005. A best of
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album containing songs from the games and the anime seasons of Da Capo entitled was released by Lantis on November 21, 2007. Two original soundtracks were released for the first anime season, the first entitled Amoroso and the second named Brillante which were released by Lantis on November 27, 2003 and March 24, 2004, respectively.
The single containing the second anime seasons' opening theme entitled was released by Lantis on July 21, 2005. The single containing the second anime seasons' ending theme entitled was released by Lantis on August 24, 2005. An image song single for the character Aisia was released by Lantis on September 7, 2005. Two volumes of vocal albums were released by Lantis on October 26, 2005 and May 10, 2006 containing songs sung by voice actresses
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
from the anime. A follow-up of the previously released Dolce album entitled Dolce2 was released on December 21, 2005. Two original soundtracks were released for the second anime season which were released by Lantis on November 23, 2005 and January 25, 2006, respectively.