Shuffle!
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese visual novel
developed by Navel
. It was originally released as an adult game
for Microsoft Windows
on January 30, 2004. It was subsequently followed by an all-ages release for the PlayStation 2
(PS2) and an expanded adult release for Windows. The gameplay in Shuffle! follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction and focuses on the appeal of the female main characters. Shuffle! has been re-made into an expanded version called Shuffle! Essence+. It has expanded routes for the original five main heroines as well as new routes for six other characters. Shuffle! also has three spin-off
sequels: Tick! Tack!
, Really? Really!
and Shuffle! Love Rainbow
.
Shuffle! has made several transitions to other media. There have been two manga series based on the visual novel. The first was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten
's magazine Comptiq
between December 2003 and 2006. The second was a comic anthology published by Kadokawa Shoten between July 2004 and December 2005. Two anime
adaptations were produced by the animation studio Asread. The first anime was twenty-four episodes in length and was broadcast in Japan between December 2005 and January 2006. The second series was a twelve-episode readaptation and was broadcast between January and March 2007. Seven light novel
s, two fanbooks, nine drama CDs, and seven radio drama
CDs adaptations have also been produced.
The visual novel was well received whereas the first anime adaptation received mixed reviews. Across the national semi-monthly ranking of bishōjo games in amount sold in Japan, the limited edition of Shuffle! premiered in second place at the time of its release and remained in the top 50 for an additional three half-months. The normal edition premiered in ninth place at the time of its release and remained in the top 50 for an additional three half-months. Critics of the anime series were divided between whether or not the anime series set itself apart from other series in the harem genre and as to the quality of its audio and visual aspects.
The gameplay mostly consists of reading and listening to the conversations provided. Every now and then, a "Please Select Your Destiny" event will occur, giving the player multiple choices on how to respond. The choices selected determine who will be Rin's destined love; depending on which route the player takes, there will be between 8 and 12 multiple-choice questions. At a certain point in the visual novel, a translucent image of the destined character appears when the day changes indicating who Rin has fallen in love with after which the multiple-choice events become almost nonexistent. Near the end of the game, two sexual intercourse scenes
will occur with the second scenes all including fellatio
. After some more conversation the visual novel ends. After the visual novel has been completed at least once, players can view CG (computer graphics) artwork
they have observed, skip to scenes or endings for characters they have viewed, and listen to music they have heard in the game.
The PlayStation 2
version varies from the personal computer
(PC) version as all the sex scenes are removed. Instead, the PS2 version expands the storylines five heroines and the player may follow two new storylines: Mayumi Thyme's and Kareha's. Additionally, Kareha's younger sister Tsubomi makes her first appearance in the PS2 version during Kareha's path.
Shuffle! Essence+ allows the player to follow the storylines of seven heroines, including four new storylines: Tsubomi's, Sakura Yae's, Nadeshiko Benibara's and Daisy's. In Daisy's path, Erica Suzuran makes her first appearance as a secondary character and Ruri Matsuri appears as the second main heroine, but she does not have any sex scenes.
where humans live in harmony with gods, resembling humans with slightly pointed ears, and devils (demons in the English dub of the anime), who have more prominently pointed ears. Despite their respective positive and negative connotations, both races are equally kind and good-natured. Ten years prior to the story, the gateway between the worlds of the gods and devils were opened, and since then, people from all races have been immigrating between the worlds. The characters attend the multi-racial high school, in .
Shuffle! contains a leitmotif
of allusion
s to flowers. All of the characters' names are references to flowers in some way, mostly genera
of flowering plant
s. (See individual character articles for their meanings.) Additionally, in Japan, every day has a special flower associated with it, which in turn are associated with certain characteristics. This is called hanakotoba
, or "language of flowers
". All of the characters' birthdays and personalities correspond with the flowers of their respective days. For example, the high school that the series takes place in, National Verbena Academy, refers to the genus Verbena
, which has connotation
s of cooperation.
, a sequel to Shuffle!, that continues from Kaede's ending in Shuffle!. In middle school, the two meet and later befriend Asa Shigure, another heroine of Shuffle! who is in her third-year of high school. While she has a weak constitution, she makes up for it with her energetic tomboy
personality and is an excellent cook. She has a habit of slapping Rin on his back.
At the onset of the story, two girls who Rin had met once during his childhood come to his school as transfer students and began living as his next door neighbours. Lisianthus, a heroine of Shuffle!, is an energetic and enthusiastic person who is able to start a conversation with anyone. She comes to the human world as a possible marriage candidate for Rin and as the daughter of the Lord of Gods, thankful for his kindness to her in the past. Similarly, Nerine, who is also a heroine, is a reserved girl with a beautiful voice and a capable user of magic. She also comes to the human world to be a marriage candidate for Rin as the daughter of the Lord of Devils. Nerine appears again as a heroine in Navel's game, Tick! Tack!
, which continues from Nerine's ending. Soon after the two daughters come to his school, Rin meets Primula, a strange, soft-spoken girl who often carries a stuffed cat around.
There are two new storylines that are available in the PlayStation 2 version of the game. Mayumi Thyme is a heterochromia
-eyed girl who is half-devil and half-human. She is Rin's classmate and is always searching for news. She takes pride in her smallest bust size, a fact often made fun of by Rin and Itsuki, claiming them to be a rarity sought after by a select group of men. Kareha is of the god race and is Asa's friend and classmate who enjoys making sweets and taking on related part-time jobs. Whenever she sees something romantic or cute, she has a habit of saying "Ma Ma Maa!" and starts to daydream, losing awareness of her surroundings.
In Shuffle! Essence+, there are four new storylines available in the game. Tsubomi is Kareha's younger sister, and like Kareha, she has a tendency to space out when she see something romantic or cute. Her catchphrase is "Kya! Kya! Kya!". She's the same age as Primula, so they easily become friends. Sakura is Rin's and Kaede's childhood friend, they know each other since elementary school. That's why she knows about Rin's and Kaede's tragic past. Nadeshiko is Rin's homeroom teacher. She's quite self-confident, firmly stepping on the ground, single, attractive and is frequently the victim of pickup lines, including from the Lord of Devils and Itsuki. It appears she has some martial arts training (being able to slice a bottle with her bare hand). She has a habit of dealing out very strong punishments such as writing 100-page reports and dragging a tire around the track for minor offenses. However when it comes speak about romantic relationship or cuteness she can become shy, specially when someone speaks so about her. Daisy is Sia's cousin. When they were kids they used to play a lot together, but because of some circumstances between their fathers both of them stopped playing together. Daisy remember the precious for her time she spend with Lisianthus, but Sia seems to forgotten the old days, when they were together.
, and is the first title in the series. Shuffle! development team was largely composed of members involved with Basil's Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops
. The scenarios were written by Baria Ago, who had previously been in charge of writing the scenario for Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops and Long Cube. Art direction and character design was split between Aoi Nishimata
, who had previously illustrated Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops, and Hiro Suzuhira
. The music for the game was composed by Nachtmusik. The opening video was produced by Iris Motion Graphics.
The Limited Edition was released on January 30, 2004 and came with a special artbook featuring original drawings of the cast by twelve guest artists and a special edition box. The Normal Edition was released on February 27, 2004 on one DVD instead of three CDs and came with an original Shirotama & Kurotama keychain. The Standard Edition was released on December 17, 2004 on one DVD. An Anniversary Edition was released on November 22, 2007 and comes with a phone card of Sia and Kikyō. The PlayStation 2
version Shuffle! On the Stage was released in two versions on October 20, 2005: the regular version including the game and the DX version that included a 12 cm figure of Lisianthus, a Shuffle! On the Stage Mix soundtrack CD, and a cell phone cleaner. The development of a PC port of Shuffle! On the Stage titled Shuffle! Essence+ was announced on May 9, 2008 and released on October 31, 2009.
MangaGamer
released an uncensored, English translation of the visual novel on August 15, 2009. It is available for download only with no physical release, and as the servers are in Europe, the payment is listed in euro
s.
adaptation of Shuffle! titled Shuffle! Days in the Bloom was first serialized monthly in Comptiq
in December 2003, a month before the release of the visual novel, until its conclusion in December 2006. The twenty-six chapters were then compiled by Kadokawa Shoten
into six tankōbon
volumes, which were later released from August 8, 2004 to January 10, 2007. A second manga series, a comic anthology
titled written by Comptiq Editorial Department, was published across five tankōbon volumes by Kadokawa Shoten between July 8, 2004 and December 10, 2005. The cover illustrations were provided by Aoi Nishimata
and Hiro Suzuhira
.
for Shuffle! between 2004 and 2007. Five CDs were released monthly between May 26, 2004 and September 23, 2004, with each focused upon one of the five heroines of PC version of Shuffle!. Each drama CD contains between four to five tracks. For the PlayStation 2
version, an additional two CDs were released on February 22, 2006 and May 24, 2006, respectively, each focusing on Mayumi Thyme and Kareha, the two new heroines. For the second anime adaptation, Shuffle! Memories, two additional drama CDs were released on July 25, 2007 and October 24, 2007, focusing on Kaede Fuyou and Lisianthus, respectively. Three drama CDs appeared on the weekly Oricon
albums chart of which the drama CD released for Shuffle! On the Stage focused on Kareha ranked the highest, peaking at #216 and remaining on the chart for one week.
A radio drama
series titled Shuffle! Charadio: Verbena Academy Broadcasting Department began broadcasting weekly in September 2005, was hosted by Lisianthus and Nerine, and voiced by their respective voice actors
. It was later released monthly by Lantis on five CDs between October 5, 2005 and February 8, 2006. A shortened anthology of their tracks was then collected across a two-CD compilation titled Shuffle! Charadio: Verbena Academy Broadcasting Department Petit released by Lantis on April 5, 2006 and June 7, 2006. Two of these releases charted on the weekly Oricon
albums chart of which the compilation ranked the highest, peaking #130 and remaining on the chart for one week.
version. Each of the novels were written by Seishi Ogata and illisturated by Shiroi Kusaka with cover illustrations provided by Aoi Nishimata
and Hiro Suzuhira
.
A book titled (ISBN 978-4-7973-2649-9) was published by Softbank
on January 22, 2004 containing a series of illustrations, character introductions, and a CD containing wallpapers and various messages voiced by each of the five main heroines of Shuffle!. Enterbrain
published a fifty-eight-page book with a CD attachement titled in Tech Gian on June 9, 2004. It included detailed story explanations, seventy-eight illustrations for Shuffle!, a specially drawn A3 poster, and a interviews with the creators. Softbank also published another book titled (ISBN 978-4-7973-2716-8) on July 10, 2004 collecting the computer graphics used in the game, production sketches, and information on character and world secrets. A book titled (ISBN 978-4-04-707202-2) was released by Kadokawa Shoten on December 22, 2005. The book contained all the production sketches, concept art, and interviews with staff relating to the PS2 version of the visual novel compiled by Comptiq
. Kadokawa Shoten released an additional book on April 10, 2006 titled (ISBN 978-4-04-853956-2) providing an introduction to the production of the anime adaptation of the visual novel, a detailed plot overview, and interviews with staff involved in the anime.
adaptation of Shuffle! that was produced by Asread. A special prologue DVD was released on May 27, 2005. It was broadcasted in Japan on WOWOW
and aired between July 7, 2005 and January 5, 2006 spanning twenty-four episodes. The anime combines elements from all of the characters' paths from the game into one plot, although it differs from the game by adding some elements, such as the idol
clubs formed around Sia, Nerine, and Kaede, and removing others, such as the H-scenes. The anime's opening theme is "You" by Yuria
, and the ending theme is "Innocence" by Miyuki Hashimoto
. The series was released across twelve Region 2 DVD compilation volumes in Japan.
On January 1, 2007, Funimation Entertainment
announced licensing the anime adaptation of Shuffle! for English-language dubbed release. Funimation released the series across six Region 1 DVD compilation volumes between February 26, 2008 and September 9, 2008. The sixth DVD volume featured an artbox and Lisianthus' "god" panties. Funimation later released a DVD boxset on March 31, 2009 compiling all the six DVD volumes.
The novel was readapted by Asread into a twelve-episode anime series titled Shuffle! Memories directed by Naoto Hosoda and written by Masashi Suzuki. Broadcasted Chiba TV
and TV Saitama, it premiered on January 6, 2007 and aired weekly until its conclusion on March 25, 2007. It is a recap of the original Shuffle! anime, rearranging scenes from the original series into individual character specific episodes, and contains very little original content aside from the last episode. It features thirteen pieces of theme music
performed by Yuria, Miyuki Hashimoto, and the respective voice actors
for the five heroines of Shuffle!. It was released across seven Region 2 DVD compilation volumes in Japan.
and contained a book, clothed Figma figurines, drama CDs, and mousepad released for the visual novel, first anime adaptation, and manga adaptation for their respective characters.
. The PC version features "Mirage Lullaby" as its opening theme. The PS2 version version features "Original!" as the opening theme. Both versions of the visual novel feature "Scramble!" as the ending theme. Each song was performed by Yuria
. Both versions also feature "In the Sky" as the ending theme to the Nerine's path.
Several music albums for the novel and its adaptations have been released between 2004 and 2007 by Lantis
. The game's original soundtrack was released in February 2004 containing two-discs with track thirty-one total tracks consisting of background music
, the theme songs, and bonus remixes of the opening theme. Following a month after the release of the series of five drama CDs for the PC version of the game, Lantis released an album in October 2004 containing elven tracks of character image songs, some of which were featured in the drama CD series, each performed by their respective voice actor
. A remix album
titled Rainbowremix followed in June 2005 released by Lantis
containing eleven tracks of remixes of the opening theme for the PC version of the game by several artists. Two maxi singles containing the theme music used in the first anime adaptation titled "You" and "Innocence" were released in August 2005. In November 2005, a month after the initial release of the PS2 version of the game, was released its opening maxi single "Original!". A remix album titled Re-mix Album Composition Eleven containing eleven remixes by various artists followed in December 2005. An album titled Character Vocal Album was released in March 2006 containing thirteen new character image songs for the many of the characters of the PS2 version of the game. In April 2007, a month after the conclusion of the second anime adaptation of the game Shuffle! Memories, an album titled Shuffle! Memories Character Song Collection was released containing twelve tracks of character songs performed by their respective voice actors. The original soundtrack for the second adaptation of the game was released in May 2007.
Most of the singles and albums ranked on Oricon
charts with the highest ranking album being Shuffle! Memories Character Song Collection at 104th, and the highest ranking single being "Original!", the opening theme for Shuffle! On the Stage PS2 game, at 32nd.
and Aoi Nishimata
, the illustrators for Shuffle!. Shuffle! was released at around the same time as Fate/stay night
, a highly anticipated visual novel
by Type-Moon
. The limited edition of Shuffle! was the second highest-selling computer game for the last two weeks of January 2004 the top 50 best-selling Bishōjo games semi-monthly sales chart in Japan, behind Fate/stay night. It then ranked 18th and 50th in February before dropping off the chart in the first two weeks of March at 40th. The regular edition of the PC version of Shuffle! premiered at 9th in the chart in the last two weeks of February. It then ranked 5th and 40th in March, before its last appearance at 49th in the first half of April. Shuffle! On the Stage was released on October 20, 2005 and sold well (for a visual novel) during its first week, selling 29,732 copies by October 23.
Getchu.com hosts a yearly voting poll called the "Getchu.com Bishōjo Game Ranking" where game users vote online for the best games of the previous year in several different categories. For the 2004 ranking, the categories were: overall, scenario, theme songs, background music
, visuals, gameplay system, and heroines. Out of the seven, Shuffle! ranked in four. The game was voted 8th best overall, 11th best for its scenario, and 14th best for its gameplay system. Asa Shigure ranked as the 14th most popular heroine with Kaede Fuyou ranking 15th.
described the anime as although "genuinely enjoyable", often "alternating between brazen stupidity, lame jokes, and disgusting sweetness" criticizing it as being a typical harem anime that offered little new content. Helen Ellingwood of Active Anime disagreed stating that Shuffle! contained what she described as the most important ingredient, which sets it apart from other harem anime: "heart". Anime News Network's Carlos Santos agreed with Martin's assessment, agreeing with the show's lack of novelty and stating that the highlight of the anime is its comedy, but that its romance is "slowly running the series into the ground." However, D. F. Smith of IGN
stated that it actually does well against other harem anime as it "may be ridiculous, exploitative, a simultaneous affront to good sense and good taste, but at least it's good for a chuckle or two". Smith criticized the ending for lacking "intensity"; however, Ellingwood praised it for showing the consequences of avoiding which heroine the protagonist would choose to love, unlike harem anime she had prior.
Ellingwood praised the animation quality as "high quality" with "wonderfully lush and vibrant color schemes" used for the character designs. Smith agreed, describing the anime as "colorful" and "sharply-drawn", however in the last few episodes as having darkened the scenes a little excessively. However, Martin criticized the "mediocre" animation noting the "bland" appearance of characters as uncharacteristic of harem anime. Santos stated that the animation was "sloppy" for the secondary characters, however praised the high quality and detail of the artwork. Although Ellingwood described the score as "energetic and pleasing", Smith stated that the music "tends to stick to the background". Martin expressed a similar view stating that the soundtrack "does little to spruce up the production", although he described the opening theme "You" as "a strong, energetic J-rock number worth listening to independently" and as "unquestioningly" the highlight of the soundtrack. On the other hand, Santos described the theme music and at times the music selection as "show[ing] absolutely no originality" but the background music as "surprisingly listenable" and at times "so evocative that it conveys the scene better than the story and characters do."
virtual world
called Ai Sp@ce
was developed by the video game developer Headlock where users can interact with bishōjo game
heroines from Shuffle!, Clannad, and Da Capo II. Released in October 2008, the world recreates each game franchise on its own virtual island which are linked with a central Akihabara
Island where users can interact, bridging the gap between the separate franchises. Users are able to create a customizable avatar
to represent themselves in the game, along with choosing one game heroine to live with, which is referred to as a character doll, or chara-doll for short. The user and chara-doll reside together on one of the three in-game "islands" depending on which franchise the heroine is from, which includes a house with furniture and clothes that can be purchased. The chara-dolls can also be customizable in that they can develop a unique personality for each user.
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 Navel
Navel (company)
is a Japanese label of Omega Vision Inc. a publisher of bishōjo eroge visual novel video games. Its name is a reference to the navel orange.-Games produced:By Navel*Shuffle! *Soul Link...
. It was originally released as an adult game
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:...
for 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...
on January 30, 2004. It was subsequently followed by an all-ages release for 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...
(PS2) and an expanded adult release for Windows. The gameplay in Shuffle! follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction and focuses on the appeal of the female main characters. Shuffle! has been re-made into an expanded version called Shuffle! Essence+. It has expanded routes for the original five main heroines as well as new routes for six other characters. Shuffle! also has three 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...
sequels: Tick! Tack!
Tick! Tack!
Tick! Tack! is the second eroge visual novel in the Shuffle! series created by Navel for Microsoft Windows. The game is the first sequel to Navel's first game, Shuffle!, continuing Nerine's path....
, Really? Really!
Really? Really!
Really? Really! is the third eroge visual novel in the Shuffle! series created by Navel for Microsoft Windows. It is a continuation of Kaede's path from the first Shuffle! visual novel, and has a linear plot. The limited edition was released on November 24, 2006 at a retail price of ¥9,240...
and Shuffle! Love Rainbow
Shuffle! Love Rainbow
Shuffle! Love Rainbow is the fifth eroge visual novel in the Shuffle! series created by Navel for Microsoft Windows. In this sequel we can play continuation of Kaede's path from Really? Really! or Sia's path from Shuffle! Essence+, or Primula's path from Shuffle!...
.
Shuffle! has made several transitions to other media. There have been two manga series based on the visual novel. The first 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 magazine 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...
between December 2003 and 2006. The second was a comic anthology published by Kadokawa Shoten between July 2004 and December 2005. 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....
adaptations were produced by the animation studio Asread. The first anime was twenty-four episodes in length and was broadcast in Japan between December 2005 and January 2006. The second series was a twelve-episode readaptation and was broadcast between January and March 2007. Seven light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s, two fanbooks, nine drama CDs, and seven radio 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...
CDs adaptations have also been produced.
The visual novel was well received whereas the first anime adaptation received mixed reviews. Across the national semi-monthly ranking of bishōjo games in amount sold in Japan, the limited edition of Shuffle! premiered in second place at the time of its release and remained in the top 50 for an additional three half-months. The normal edition premiered in ninth place at the time of its release and remained in the top 50 for an additional three half-months. Critics of the anime series were divided between whether or not the anime series set itself apart from other series in the harem genre and as to the quality of its audio and visual aspects.
Gameplay
Hentai
is a Japanese word that, in the West, is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation, particularly those of Japanese origin such as anime, manga, and computer games. The word hentai is a kanji compound of 変 and 態...
will occur with the second scenes all including fellatio
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
. After some more conversation the visual novel ends. After the visual novel has been completed at least once, players can view CG (computer graphics) artwork
CG artwork
CG is a term most commonly known in the West for its use in Japanese webpages to denote digital artwork. In traditional Japanese, it is an abbreviation of the Japanese gairaigo , used to refer to any form of digital artwork, from digitally shaded dōjinshi to legitimate cinematic art...
they have observed, skip to scenes or endings for characters they have viewed, and listen to music they have heard in the game.
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...
version varies from the personal computer
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...
(PC) version as all the sex scenes are removed. Instead, the PS2 version expands the storylines five heroines and the player may follow two new storylines: Mayumi Thyme's and Kareha's. Additionally, Kareha's younger sister Tsubomi makes her first appearance in the PS2 version during Kareha's path.
Shuffle! Essence+ allows the player to follow the storylines of seven heroines, including four new storylines: Tsubomi's, Sakura Yae's, Nadeshiko Benibara's and Daisy's. In Daisy's path, Erica Suzuran makes her first appearance as a secondary character and Ruri Matsuri appears as the second main heroine, but she does not have any sex scenes.
Setting and themes
The story takes place in a fictional universeFictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
where humans live in harmony with gods, resembling humans with slightly pointed ears, and devils (demons in the English dub of the anime), who have more prominently pointed ears. Despite their respective positive and negative connotations, both races are equally kind and good-natured. Ten years prior to the story, the gateway between the worlds of the gods and devils were opened, and since then, people from all races have been immigrating between the worlds. The characters attend the multi-racial high school, in .
Shuffle! contains a leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
of allusion
Allusion
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
s to flowers. All of the characters' names are references to flowers in some way, mostly genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s. (See individual character articles for their meanings.) Additionally, in Japan, every day has a special flower associated with it, which in turn are associated with certain characteristics. This is called hanakotoba
Hanakotoba
Hanakotoba . In this practice plants were given codes and passwords. Physiological effects and action under the color of the flowers, put into words the impressions of nature and the presence of thorns with the height of tall plants, flowers and garlands of flowers through the various types...
, or "language of flowers
Language of flowers
The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken...
". All of the characters' birthdays and personalities correspond with the flowers of their respective days. For example, the high school that the series takes place in, National Verbena Academy, refers to the genus Verbena
Verbena
Verbena , verbenas or vervains, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old...
, which has connotation
Connotation
A connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation....
s of cooperation.
Main characters
The player assumes the role of Rin Tsuchimi, a normal seventeen-year-old second-year high school student and the male protagonist to the series. Since a young age, he has placed the well-being of others before his own and dislikes seeing people in sorrow. Since he lost his parents in his childhood, he has been living with Kaede Fuyou, a life envied by many of his classmates. One of the heroines of Shuffle!, Kaede believes it her duty in life is to take care of Rin, which she takes upon herself in order to atone for her treatment of him in the past and bears a one-sided love towards Rin. Kaede appears again as the heroine in Really? Really!Really? Really!
Really? Really! is the third eroge visual novel in the Shuffle! series created by Navel for Microsoft Windows. It is a continuation of Kaede's path from the first Shuffle! visual novel, and has a linear plot. The limited edition was released on November 24, 2006 at a retail price of ¥9,240...
, a sequel to Shuffle!, that continues from Kaede's ending in Shuffle!. In middle school, the two meet and later befriend Asa Shigure, another heroine of Shuffle! who is in her third-year of high school. While she has a weak constitution, she makes up for it with her energetic tomboy
Tomboy
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
personality and is an excellent cook. She has a habit of slapping Rin on his back.
Tick! Tack!
Tick! Tack! is the second eroge visual novel in the Shuffle! series created by Navel for Microsoft Windows. The game is the first sequel to Navel's first game, Shuffle!, continuing Nerine's path....
, which continues from Nerine's ending. Soon after the two daughters come to his school, Rin meets Primula, a strange, soft-spoken girl who often carries a stuffed cat around.
There are two new storylines that are available in the PlayStation 2 version of the game. Mayumi Thyme is a heterochromia
Heterochromia
In anatomy, heterochromia refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. Heterochromia is a result of the relative excess or lack of melanin...
-eyed girl who is half-devil and half-human. She is Rin's classmate and is always searching for news. She takes pride in her smallest bust size, a fact often made fun of by Rin and Itsuki, claiming them to be a rarity sought after by a select group of men. Kareha is of the god race and is Asa's friend and classmate who enjoys making sweets and taking on related part-time jobs. Whenever she sees something romantic or cute, she has a habit of saying "Ma Ma Maa!" and starts to daydream, losing awareness of her surroundings.
In Shuffle! Essence+, there are four new storylines available in the game. Tsubomi is Kareha's younger sister, and like Kareha, she has a tendency to space out when she see something romantic or cute. Her catchphrase is "Kya! Kya! Kya!". She's the same age as Primula, so they easily become friends. Sakura is Rin's and Kaede's childhood friend, they know each other since elementary school. That's why she knows about Rin's and Kaede's tragic past. Nadeshiko is Rin's homeroom teacher. She's quite self-confident, firmly stepping on the ground, single, attractive and is frequently the victim of pickup lines, including from the Lord of Devils and Itsuki. It appears she has some martial arts training (being able to slice a bottle with her bare hand). She has a habit of dealing out very strong punishments such as writing 100-page reports and dragging a tire around the track for minor offenses. However when it comes speak about romantic relationship or cuteness she can become shy, specially when someone speaks so about her. Daisy is Sia's cousin. When they were kids they used to play a lot together, but because of some circumstances between their fathers both of them stopped playing together. Daisy remember the precious for her time she spend with Lisianthus, but Sia seems to forgotten the old days, when they were together.
Story
The storyline of Shuffle! follows the life of Rin Tsuchimi, a normal seventeen-year-old second-year high school student who finds himself sought after by a variety of girls. Eight years prior to the onset of the story, he lost his parents in a car accident that also took the life of Kaede Fuyou's mother. From that point onwards, he began living with her. At around the same time he lost his parents, he met Lisianthus and Nerine at different times who each were accompanying their fathers on a diplomatic business in the human world. Each girl became lost after wandering through the human world. During that time, Rin befriended each girl after playing with them for a day. As a result of his kindness, Rin finds himself as the potential marriage candidate for both Lisianthus and Nerine, the daughters of the king of the gods and king of the demon worlds, who recently transfer to Rin's school at the onset of the story.Development
Shuffle! is the first project developed by the visual novel developer NavelNavel (company)
is a Japanese label of Omega Vision Inc. a publisher of bishōjo eroge visual novel video games. Its name is a reference to the navel orange.-Games produced:By Navel*Shuffle! *Soul Link...
, and is the first title in the series. Shuffle! development team was largely composed of members involved with Basil's Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops
Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops
is the third and last game developed by eroge maker BasiL before dissolving into what is now Navel. The characters were designed and drawn by Aoi Nishimata.-External links:* * - shows the different characters and such *...
. The scenarios were written by Baria Ago, who had previously been in charge of writing the scenario for Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops and Long Cube. Art direction and character design was split between Aoi Nishimata
Aoi Nishimata
is a female, Japanese visual novel character designer and illustrator who works for Navel.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2003, she joined Navel along with Hiro Suzuhira, illustrating Shuffle!...
, who had previously illustrated Cherry Petals Fall Like Teardrops, and Hiro Suzuhira
Hiro Suzuhira
is a female Japanese manga artist, character designer and illustrator.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2000, she joined BasiL and became the illustrator for Bless: Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind. After...
. The music for the game was composed by Nachtmusik. The opening video was produced by Iris Motion Graphics.
The Limited Edition was released on January 30, 2004 and came with a special artbook featuring original drawings of the cast by twelve guest artists and a special edition box. The Normal Edition was released on February 27, 2004 on one DVD instead of three CDs and came with an original Shirotama & Kurotama keychain. The Standard Edition was released on December 17, 2004 on one DVD. An Anniversary Edition was released on November 22, 2007 and comes with a phone card of Sia and Kikyō. 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...
version Shuffle! On the Stage was released in two versions on October 20, 2005: the regular version including the game and the DX version that included a 12 cm figure of Lisianthus, a Shuffle! On the Stage Mix soundtrack CD, and a cell phone cleaner. The development of a PC port of Shuffle! On the Stage titled Shuffle! Essence+ was announced on May 9, 2008 and released on October 31, 2009.
MangaGamer
MangaGamer
MangaGamer is a Netherlands-based company primary specializing in the English localization and distribution of Japanese visual novels.-History:...
released an uncensored, English translation of the visual novel on August 15, 2009. It is available for download only with no physical release, and as the servers are in Europe, the payment is listed in euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s.
Manga
Written by and illustrated by Shiroi Kusaka, a 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...
adaptation of Shuffle! titled Shuffle! Days in the Bloom was first serialized monthly in 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...
in December 2003, a month before the release of the visual novel, until its conclusion in December 2006. The twenty-six chapters were then compiled by 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...
into six tankōbon
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...
volumes, which were later released from August 8, 2004 to January 10, 2007. A second manga series, a comic anthology
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...
titled written by Comptiq Editorial Department, was published across five tankōbon volumes by Kadokawa Shoten between July 8, 2004 and December 10, 2005. The cover illustrations were provided by Aoi Nishimata
Aoi Nishimata
is a female, Japanese visual novel character designer and illustrator who works for Navel.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2003, she joined Navel along with Hiro Suzuhira, illustrating Shuffle!...
and Hiro Suzuhira
Hiro Suzuhira
is a female Japanese manga artist, character designer and illustrator.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2000, she joined BasiL and became the illustrator for Bless: Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind. After...
.
Audio dramas
A total of nine drama CD adaptations were released by LantisLantis (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...
for Shuffle! between 2004 and 2007. Five CDs were released monthly between May 26, 2004 and September 23, 2004, with each focused upon one of the five heroines of PC version of Shuffle!. Each drama CD contains between four to five tracks. For 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...
version, an additional two CDs were released on February 22, 2006 and May 24, 2006, respectively, each focusing on Mayumi Thyme and Kareha, the two new heroines. For the second anime adaptation, Shuffle! Memories, two additional drama CDs were released on July 25, 2007 and October 24, 2007, focusing on Kaede Fuyou and Lisianthus, respectively. Three drama CDs appeared on the weekly Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
albums chart of which the drama CD released for Shuffle! On the Stage focused on Kareha ranked the highest, peaking at #216 and remaining on the chart for one week.
A radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
series titled Shuffle! Charadio: Verbena Academy Broadcasting Department began broadcasting weekly in September 2005, was hosted by Lisianthus and Nerine, and voiced by their respective voice actors
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...
. It was later released monthly by Lantis on five CDs between October 5, 2005 and February 8, 2006. A shortened anthology of their tracks was then collected across a two-CD compilation titled Shuffle! Charadio: Verbena Academy Broadcasting Department Petit released by Lantis on April 5, 2006 and June 7, 2006. Two of these releases charted on the weekly Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
albums chart of which the compilation ranked the highest, peaking #130 and remaining on the chart for one week.
Books and publications
A series of seven character novels was published monthly by Kadokawa Shoten between June 8, 2004 and January 10, 2006 each focusing on each of seven heroines of Shuffle!, including the two introduced in the PlayStation 2PlayStation 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...
version. Each of the novels were written by Seishi Ogata and illisturated by Shiroi Kusaka with cover illustrations provided by Aoi Nishimata
Aoi Nishimata
is a female, Japanese visual novel character designer and illustrator who works for Navel.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2003, she joined Navel along with Hiro Suzuhira, illustrating Shuffle!...
and Hiro Suzuhira
Hiro Suzuhira
is a female Japanese manga artist, character designer and illustrator.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2000, she joined BasiL and became the illustrator for Bless: Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind. After...
.
A book titled (ISBN 978-4-7973-2649-9) was published by Softbank
SoftBank
is a Japanese telecommunications and internet corporation, with operations in broadband, fixed-line telecommunications, e-Commerce, Internet, broadmedia, technology services, finance, media and marketing, and other businesses....
on January 22, 2004 containing a series of illustrations, character introductions, and a CD containing wallpapers and various messages voiced by each of the five main heroines of Shuffle!. Enterbrain
Enterbrain
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...
published a fifty-eight-page book with a CD attachement titled in Tech Gian on June 9, 2004. It included detailed story explanations, seventy-eight illustrations for Shuffle!, a specially drawn A3 poster, and a interviews with the creators. Softbank also published another book titled (ISBN 978-4-7973-2716-8) on July 10, 2004 collecting the computer graphics used in the game, production sketches, and information on character and world secrets. A book titled (ISBN 978-4-04-707202-2) was released by Kadokawa Shoten on December 22, 2005. The book contained all the production sketches, concept art, and interviews with staff relating to the PS2 version of the visual novel compiled by 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...
. Kadokawa Shoten released an additional book on April 10, 2006 titled (ISBN 978-4-04-853956-2) providing an introduction to the production of the anime adaptation of the visual novel, a detailed plot overview, and interviews with staff involved in the anime.
Anime
Naoto Hosoda directed an 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....
adaptation of Shuffle! that was produced by Asread. A special prologue DVD was released on May 27, 2005. It was broadcasted in Japan on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
and aired between July 7, 2005 and January 5, 2006 spanning twenty-four episodes. The anime combines elements from all of the characters' paths from the game into one plot, although it differs from the game by adding some elements, such as the idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
clubs formed around Sia, Nerine, and Kaede, and removing others, such as the H-scenes. The anime's opening theme is "You" by Yuria
Yuria
YURIA is a Japanese singer from Osaka Prefecture who sings anime and adult games theme songs. She used to be in a band named Honey Bee, in which she is both the band's vocalist and guitarist...
, and the ending theme is "Innocence" by Miyuki Hashimoto
Miyuki Hashimoto
is a Japanese female singer from Saitama Prefecture. She is signed to Lantis, a label which contribute songs to anime and video games.- Singles :* Koko ni Iru kara... # Koko ni Iru kara.....
. The series was released across twelve Region 2 DVD compilation volumes in Japan.
On January 1, 2007, Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
announced licensing the anime adaptation of Shuffle! for English-language dubbed release. Funimation released the series across six Region 1 DVD compilation volumes between February 26, 2008 and September 9, 2008. The sixth DVD volume featured an artbox and Lisianthus' "god" panties. Funimation later released a DVD boxset on March 31, 2009 compiling all the six DVD volumes.
The novel was readapted by Asread into a twelve-episode anime series titled Shuffle! Memories directed by Naoto Hosoda and written by Masashi Suzuki. Broadcasted Chiba TV
Chiba TV
, doing business as , is a Japanese commercial terrestrial television broadcasting company headquartered at 11-25 Miyako-chō 1-chōme, Chūō-ku, Chiba serving Chiba Prefecture but spill-over is received in the neibouring prefectures. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Independent...
and TV Saitama, it premiered on January 6, 2007 and aired weekly until its conclusion on March 25, 2007. It is a recap of the original Shuffle! anime, rearranging scenes from the original series into individual character specific episodes, and contains very little original content aside from the last episode. It features thirteen pieces of theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
performed by Yuria, Miyuki Hashimoto, and the respective voice actors
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...
for the five heroines of Shuffle!. It was released across seven Region 2 DVD compilation volumes in Japan.
Merchandise
Kadokawa Shoten also released five boxsets, one for each of the five heroines of the PC version of Shuffle!, between September 10, 2005 and December 10, 2005. Each boxset was compiled by ComptiqComptiq
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...
and contained a book, clothed Figma figurines, drama CDs, and mousepad released for the visual novel, first anime adaptation, and manga adaptation for their respective characters.
Music
The visual novel features two pieces of theme musicTheme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
. The PC version features "Mirage Lullaby" as its opening theme. The PS2 version version features "Original!" as the opening theme. Both versions of the visual novel feature "Scramble!" as the ending theme. Each song was performed by Yuria
Yuria
YURIA is a Japanese singer from Osaka Prefecture who sings anime and adult games theme songs. She used to be in a band named Honey Bee, in which she is both the band's vocalist and guitarist...
. Both versions also feature "In the Sky" as the ending theme to the Nerine's path.
Several music albums for the novel and its adaptations have been released between 2004 and 2007 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...
. The game's original soundtrack was released in February 2004 containing two-discs with track thirty-one total tracks consisting of background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
, the theme songs, and bonus remixes of the opening theme. Following a month after the release of the series of five drama CDs for the PC version of the game, Lantis released an album in October 2004 containing elven tracks of character image songs, some of which were featured in the drama CD series, each performed by their respective voice actor
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...
. A remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
titled Rainbowremix followed in June 2005 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...
containing eleven tracks of remixes of the opening theme for the PC version of the game by several artists. Two maxi singles containing the theme music used in the first anime adaptation titled "You" and "Innocence" were released in August 2005. In November 2005, a month after the initial release of the PS2 version of the game, was released its opening maxi single "Original!". A remix album titled Re-mix Album Composition Eleven containing eleven remixes by various artists followed in December 2005. An album titled Character Vocal Album was released in March 2006 containing thirteen new character image songs for the many of the characters of the PS2 version of the game. In April 2007, a month after the conclusion of the second anime adaptation of the game Shuffle! Memories, an album titled Shuffle! Memories Character Song Collection was released containing twelve tracks of character songs performed by their respective voice actors. The original soundtrack for the second adaptation of the game was released in May 2007.
Most of the singles and albums ranked on Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts with the highest ranking album being Shuffle! Memories Character Song Collection at 104th, and the highest ranking single being "Original!", the opening theme for Shuffle! On the Stage PS2 game, at 32nd.
Reception
Shuffle! had much pre-sale hype as the development team was largely composed of former members of BasiL, including Hiro SuzuhiraHiro Suzuhira
is a female Japanese manga artist, character designer and illustrator.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2000, she joined BasiL and became the illustrator for Bless: Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind. After...
and Aoi Nishimata
Aoi Nishimata
is a female, Japanese visual novel character designer and illustrator who works for Navel.Hiro Suzuhira and Aoi Nishimata have known each other from high school; their first work, Ritual, was introduced in 1996. In 2003, she joined Navel along with Hiro Suzuhira, illustrating Shuffle!...
, the illustrators for Shuffle!. Shuffle! was released at around the same time as Fate/stay night
Fate/stay night
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
, a highly anticipated 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...
by Type-Moon
TYPE-MOON
is a Japanese game company, best known for their visual novels, co-founded by author Kinoko Nasu and illustrator Takashi Takeuchi. It is also known under the name for its publishing and corporate operations...
. The limited edition of Shuffle! was the second highest-selling computer game for the last two weeks of January 2004 the top 50 best-selling Bishōjo games semi-monthly sales chart in Japan, behind Fate/stay night. It then ranked 18th and 50th in February before dropping off the chart in the first two weeks of March at 40th. The regular edition of the PC version of Shuffle! premiered at 9th in the chart in the last two weeks of February. It then ranked 5th and 40th in March, before its last appearance at 49th in the first half of April. Shuffle! On the Stage was released on October 20, 2005 and sold well (for a visual novel) during its first week, selling 29,732 copies by October 23.
Getchu.com hosts a yearly voting poll called the "Getchu.com Bishōjo Game Ranking" where game users vote online for the best games of the previous year in several different categories. For the 2004 ranking, the categories were: overall, scenario, theme songs, background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
, visuals, gameplay system, and heroines. Out of the seven, Shuffle! ranked in four. The game was voted 8th best overall, 11th best for its scenario, and 14th best for its gameplay system. Asa Shigure ranked as the 14th most popular heroine with Kaede Fuyou ranking 15th.
Anime
Shuffle! the anime television series received mixed reviews from critics. Theron Martin of Anime News NetworkAnime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
described the anime as although "genuinely enjoyable", often "alternating between brazen stupidity, lame jokes, and disgusting sweetness" criticizing it as being a typical harem anime that offered little new content. Helen Ellingwood of Active Anime disagreed stating that Shuffle! contained what she described as the most important ingredient, which sets it apart from other harem anime: "heart". Anime News Network's Carlos Santos agreed with Martin's assessment, agreeing with the show's lack of novelty and stating that the highlight of the anime is its comedy, but that its romance is "slowly running the series into the ground." However, D. F. Smith of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
stated that it actually does well against other harem anime as it "may be ridiculous, exploitative, a simultaneous affront to good sense and good taste, but at least it's good for a chuckle or two". Smith criticized the ending for lacking "intensity"; however, Ellingwood praised it for showing the consequences of avoiding which heroine the protagonist would choose to love, unlike harem anime she had prior.
Ellingwood praised the animation quality as "high quality" with "wonderfully lush and vibrant color schemes" used for the character designs. Smith agreed, describing the anime as "colorful" and "sharply-drawn", however in the last few episodes as having darkened the scenes a little excessively. However, Martin criticized the "mediocre" animation noting the "bland" appearance of characters as uncharacteristic of harem anime. Santos stated that the animation was "sloppy" for the secondary characters, however praised the high quality and detail of the artwork. Although Ellingwood described the score as "energetic and pleasing", Smith stated that the music "tends to stick to the background". Martin expressed a similar view stating that the soundtrack "does little to spruce up the production", although he described the opening theme "You" as "a strong, energetic J-rock number worth listening to independently" and as "unquestioningly" the highlight of the soundtrack. On the other hand, Santos described the theme music and at times the music selection as "show[ing] absolutely no originality" but the background music as "surprisingly listenable" and at times "so evocative that it conveys the scene better than the story and characters do."
Legacy
A 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
virtual world
Virtual world
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of...
called Ai Sp@ce
Ai Sp@ce
Ai Sp@ce is a Japanese virtual 3D massively multiplayer online social game developed by several companies that form the Ai Sp@ce Production Committee which was launched on October 15, 2008, despite an earlier announcement of a summer 2008 release. Beta testing commenced between mid-September and...
was developed by the video game developer Headlock where users can interact with bishōjo game
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
heroines from Shuffle!, Clannad, and Da Capo II. Released in October 2008, the world recreates each game franchise on its own virtual island which are linked with a central Akihabara
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
Island where users can interact, bridging the gap between the separate franchises. Users are able to create a customizable avatar
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
to represent themselves in the game, along with choosing one game heroine to live with, which is referred to as a character doll, or chara-doll for short. The user and chara-doll reside together on one of the three in-game "islands" depending on which franchise the heroine is from, which includes a house with furniture and clothes that can be purchased. The chara-dolls can also be customizable in that they can develop a unique personality for each user.
External links
- Shuffle! visual novel at NavelNavel (company)is a Japanese label of Omega Vision Inc. a publisher of bishōjo eroge visual novel video games. Its name is a reference to the navel orange.-Games produced:By Navel*Shuffle! *Soul Link...
- Shuffle! anime official website
- Shuffle! Essence+ visual novel at NavelNavel (company)is a Japanese label of Omega Vision Inc. a publisher of bishōjo eroge visual novel video games. Its name is a reference to the navel orange.-Games produced:By Navel*Shuffle! *Soul Link...
- Shuffle visual novel at MangaGamer
- Shuffle! anime at Funimation EntertainmentFunimation EntertainmentFunimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...