Sister Princess
Encyclopedia
is a popular Japanese seinen
series written by Sakurako Kimino
and illustrated by Naoto Tenhiro. It began as a serialized light novel
series in 1999. In 2001, a manga
series and a bishōjo game
for the Sony
PlayStation were released. Sequels to the game were released for the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance
. Sister Princess was also adapted into a Japanese anime television series
.
. Originally, there were only nine sisters, not twelve. Readers were able to vote for their favorite sister and following the tremendous response from the fans, the magazine decided to serialize Sister Princess.
In March 2000, a decision was made to renew the series, this time by featuring the short letters that the girls wrote to their beloved brother. Three more sisters were added to the mix: Haruka, who came from Germany; Yotsuba, who came from England; and Aria, who came from France.
A year later, on March 8, 2001, the game version of Sister Princess — about the older brother spending a month with all twelve sisters, and featuring original artwork by Naoto Tenhiro—was released on the Sony PlayStation. Priced at 6800yen (9800yen for the limited edition), the game was the third best-selling title in Japan in its first week of release.
In July of the same year, a new series of stories began in Dengeki G's, right up till April 2002. While the magazine was preparing for yet another renewal of the Sister Princess stories for its May 2002 issue, a premium edition of the game (the original plus two other Christmas and Valentine side stories) was released for the Sega Dreamcast on Mar 28, 2002.
Sequels include Sister Princess 2 and Sister Princess RePure.
In September 2003, the series was retired as G's Magazine premier flagship title (replaced by another popular series, Futakoi
). Despite the urging of fans, no official story elements has been produced since then.
The portrayal of events in the first Sister Princess anime is not considered canon by MediaWorks or hardcore fans. It's more commonly accepted as an alternate universe setting. The Sister Princess RePure anime is more faithful to the original magazine stories than its predecessor, and was created to answer disappointed fans. In fact, the stories told in the "second half" of each episode are actually modified versions of the magazine stories or mini-novels. There is nothing in Sister Princess RePure that contradicts the games, magazine stories or mini-novels: thus it can be considered canon, despite not actually being so.
products.
Sister Princess is remarkable for its intensely cute and saccharine atmosphere, taking to an extreme a tendency in Japanese culture. With its focus of young girls, the series can be classified as moe but not technically lolicon
since it does not contain pornographic elements.
The game itself plays out like a dating sim
. Players have about a month to spend with the sisters with each day broken up into three segments: first is the free time period before noon, followed by the period after lunch and ending with another period of time before bed. During day time, the player can choose which of the girls he wishes to escort to school, if any. The period after lunch is similar to the one in the morning, with additional choices which allow the player to go to various places in town besides walking home with one of the girls. Every night before bed, the player will be allowed to check his e-mail and send replies. As the player continues to interact with the sisters, their reactions to their big brother will change accordingly until the ending.
According to one source, there are two different endings for each sister: the normal ending and the "non-blood relation" ending. As the name would suggest, the special ending reveals that the brother-character and sister aren't actually related by blood. In the case of some of the older sisters, this can lead to the protagonist and "sister" marrying one another.
For Sister Princess 2, the story begins on the final day of school before summer vacation. Then the player chooses a sister who he wants to start with for a close relationship. Therefore, Sister Princess 2 is about spending the player's time with either one sister or all sisters at the same time as they spend their summer together.
In Sister Princess 1, the player can see two different endings for each sister, but Sister Princess 2 has four endings for each sister. The first two were the non-sibling relation and siblings-together ending and, if the player chooses one sister in the beginning but ends up with another sister, either of the other two endings for the first sister who the player does not choose appear ("non-blood relation" ending and "still brother and sister forever" ending also) but with a different story.
Especially in Sister Princess 2, the player can spend the summer with all the sisters, not just one, in a special ending where the sisters invite their brother to a summer party where the brother and the sisters would swear to be together forever.
Sister Princess is one of the few popular dating game series that does not feature hentai
elements. Despite (or perhaps because of) this, a rival company known as GIGA decided to create the hentai knockoff Colorful Kiss. While this game features a different cast of characters (to avoid lawsuits), their setup and personalities are comparable. Colorful Kiss was popular enough to warrant the sequel Colorful Heart. It is important to note that these GIGA titles are ultimately incestuous.
Part of the series' charm is that each sister has a unique method of addressing her older brother. Each method is derived from either onii-san or ani, both of which mean "older brother."
There is never any sibling rivalry
among the sisters. Though they all are competing for their brother's attention, it appears that their unconditional love for him strengthens their bonds with one another. The sisters not only regularly hang out with one another (often to exchange tales of how wonderful a brother he is), but they also arrange to "share" him when he inadvertently neglects to or cannot regularly visit any of them.
The Japanese voice actresses for the sisters are the same in the game and the anime.
format for the PlayStation Portable
. Features in these UMDs include character designs and textless opening and ending sequences.
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
series written by Sakurako Kimino
Sakurako Kimino
is a female Japanese novelist. She is notable for the creation of Sister Princess and Strawberry Panic!, two very successful bishōjo series where almost all the characters in both series are young girls. She has had her work serialized in the Japanese bishōjo magazine Dengeki G's Magazine,...
and illustrated by Naoto Tenhiro. It began as a serialized 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...
series in 1999. In 2001, a 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 and a 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....
for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation were released. Sequels to the game were released for the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. Sister Princess was also adapted into a Japanese anime television series
Sister Princess (anime)
is an anime television series, based on the manga and video game series of the same name. The television series was aired from April 4 - September 26, 2001, ran for 26 episodes, and 6 volumes of videos were released on VHS and DVD. ADV Films licensed the show for its North American release...
.
History
The history of Sister Princess can be traced back to March 1999, when it first appeared in the monthly Dengeki G's MagazineDengeki G's Magazine
is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...
. Originally, there were only nine sisters, not twelve. Readers were able to vote for their favorite sister and following the tremendous response from the fans, the magazine decided to serialize Sister Princess.
In March 2000, a decision was made to renew the series, this time by featuring the short letters that the girls wrote to their beloved brother. Three more sisters were added to the mix: Haruka, who came from Germany; Yotsuba, who came from England; and Aria, who came from France.
A year later, on March 8, 2001, the game version of Sister Princess — about the older brother spending a month with all twelve sisters, and featuring original artwork by Naoto Tenhiro—was released on the Sony PlayStation. Priced at 6800yen (9800yen for the limited edition), the game was the third best-selling title in Japan in its first week of release.
In July of the same year, a new series of stories began in Dengeki G's, right up till April 2002. While the magazine was preparing for yet another renewal of the Sister Princess stories for its May 2002 issue, a premium edition of the game (the original plus two other Christmas and Valentine side stories) was released for the Sega Dreamcast on Mar 28, 2002.
Sequels include Sister Princess 2 and Sister Princess RePure.
In September 2003, the series was retired as G's Magazine premier flagship title (replaced by another popular series, Futakoi
Futakoi
is a light novel, visual novel and anime series created by Hina Futaba and Mutsumi Sasaki. The anime series aired in Japan in 2004. It replaced Sister Princess as Dengeki G's Magazine premier flagship title.-Story:...
). Despite the urging of fans, no official story elements has been produced since then.
The portrayal of events in the first Sister Princess anime is not considered canon by MediaWorks or hardcore fans. It's more commonly accepted as an alternate universe setting. The Sister Princess RePure anime is more faithful to the original magazine stories than its predecessor, and was created to answer disappointed fans. In fact, the stories told in the "second half" of each episode are actually modified versions of the magazine stories or mini-novels. There is nothing in Sister Princess RePure that contradicts the games, magazine stories or mini-novels: thus it can be considered canon, despite not actually being so.
The game
The premise behind Sister Princess is that an ordinary young man (the player) is made to live with twelve lovable little sisters, each with their own distinct quirks and personalities. Both the "little sister" characters and the plot of "being forced to live with beautiful girls" are very common and popular in bishōjoBishojo
is a Japanese term used to refer to young and pretty girls, usually below university age. Bishōjo is not listed as a word in the prominent Japanese dictionary Kōjien...
products.
Sister Princess is remarkable for its intensely cute and saccharine atmosphere, taking to an extreme a tendency in Japanese culture. With its focus of young girls, the series can be classified as moe but not technically lolicon
Lolicon
, also romanised as lolikon or rorikon, is a Japanese portmanteau of the phrase "Lolita complex". In Japan, the term describes an attraction to underage girls or an individual with such an attraction...
since it does not contain pornographic elements.
The game itself plays out like a dating sim
Dating sim
Dating sims are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neoromance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic...
. Players have about a month to spend with the sisters with each day broken up into three segments: first is the free time period before noon, followed by the period after lunch and ending with another period of time before bed. During day time, the player can choose which of the girls he wishes to escort to school, if any. The period after lunch is similar to the one in the morning, with additional choices which allow the player to go to various places in town besides walking home with one of the girls. Every night before bed, the player will be allowed to check his e-mail and send replies. As the player continues to interact with the sisters, their reactions to their big brother will change accordingly until the ending.
According to one source, there are two different endings for each sister: the normal ending and the "non-blood relation" ending. As the name would suggest, the special ending reveals that the brother-character and sister aren't actually related by blood. In the case of some of the older sisters, this can lead to the protagonist and "sister" marrying one another.
For Sister Princess 2, the story begins on the final day of school before summer vacation. Then the player chooses a sister who he wants to start with for a close relationship. Therefore, Sister Princess 2 is about spending the player's time with either one sister or all sisters at the same time as they spend their summer together.
In Sister Princess 1, the player can see two different endings for each sister, but Sister Princess 2 has four endings for each sister. The first two were the non-sibling relation and siblings-together ending and, if the player chooses one sister in the beginning but ends up with another sister, either of the other two endings for the first sister who the player does not choose appear ("non-blood relation" ending and "still brother and sister forever" ending also) but with a different story.
Especially in Sister Princess 2, the player can spend the summer with all the sisters, not just one, in a special ending where the sisters invite their brother to a summer party where the brother and the sisters would swear to be together forever.
Sister Princess is one of the few popular dating game series that does not feature hentai
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...
elements. Despite (or perhaps because of) this, a rival company known as GIGA decided to create the hentai knockoff Colorful Kiss. While this game features a different cast of characters (to avoid lawsuits), their setup and personalities are comparable. Colorful Kiss was popular enough to warrant the sequel Colorful Heart. It is important to note that these GIGA titles are ultimately incestuous.
The Twelve Sisters
Part of the series' charm is that each sister has a unique method of addressing her older brother. Each method is derived from either onii-san or ani, both of which mean "older brother."
There is never any sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
among the sisters. Though they all are competing for their brother's attention, it appears that their unconditional love for him strengthens their bonds with one another. The sisters not only regularly hang out with one another (often to exchange tales of how wonderful a brother he is), but they also arrange to "share" him when he inadvertently neglects to or cannot regularly visit any of them.
The Japanese voice actresses for the sisters are the same in the game and the anime.
- Hailing from France, Aria is a rather soft-spoken character who has a tendency to cry whenever there is trouble, uttering the phrase "kusu" (an onomatopoeia for sniffling) when doing so. She enjoys sweets, especially parfait, and can usually be found wearing very frilly dresses with plenty of lace and bows. She refers to herself in the third-person, which is considered childish in Japanese culture, and speaks slowly.
- In the first anime, Wataru comments that time seems to pass more slowly around Aria, especially to someone who is used to the high-paced life of the city. In the second anime, Aria comments that being in the brother's company relieves her of her 'sleepy feelings', energizing her.
- She addresses the brother as the most childish name for one's brother. In English, she calls him "Mon Frère". Her birthday is November 2, is a ScorpioScorpio (astrology)|Infobox align="right" style="border:3px solid white;"||style="text-align: center;"|Scorpio is the eighth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 210th and 239th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between 24 October and...
, and stands 139 cm (about 4' 7") tall.
- Mysterious, aloof, and occasionally gothicGoth subcultureThe goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
, Chikage is very much into spellcraft, the occult, and religion. She is an accomplished practitioner of dark magic, but prefers to utilize her sorcery in subtle methods, rather than brute power. Common images associated with her are the Christian crossChristian crossThe Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
and butterflies.
- In the anime, Chikage claims that she and the brother have been together in previous lives, possibly as brother and sister, perhaps as lovers. She expresses a desire to have him for herself somehow, but admits that he has refused the offer or simply slipped from her grasp several times throughout their incarnations. Out of all the sisters, she is the only one who entertains thoughts of somehow taking the brother away from the others, and almost executes plans to do so.
- She calls the brother as , the suffix -kun being an address to a boy who has a close relation or is about the same age as the addresser, giving the impression that her age is close to him. In English, she calls him "Brother Darling". Her birthday is March 6, is a Pisces, and stands 157 cm (about 5' 2") tall.
- Hailing from Germany, Haruka aspires to become a perfect Japanese lady (Yamato NadeshikoYamato Nadeshikois a Japanese term meaning "personification of an idealized Japanese woman", "ideal" in the historical context of the patriarchal, traditional culture of Japan...
). She is frequently seen wearing a kimono and can be found learning Japanese tea ceremony (sadoSado-People:*Prince Sado, a Joseon Korean crown prince who never acceded*Yutaka Sado, a Japanese conductor-Other:* Sado, Niigata, a city and an island of Niigata Prefecture, Japan...
) along with other cultural things. Haruka is an expert at handling the daikyuLongbowA longbow is a type of bow that is tall ; this will allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw....
and naginataNaginataThe naginata is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata were also used by ashigaru and sōhei .-Description:A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved...
. Interestingly, training in these weapons is akin to the training given to the brides of samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
; Haruka's training in these weapons may or may not have been inspired due to her desire to be a perfect Japanese bride for a person of high standing—like her brother.
- Haruka addresses the brother as , the honorific suffix -kimisama (a combinations of the honofirics kimi or kun and -sama) used to address a venerable person in the same bloodline. In English, she calls him "Beloved Brother". Her birthday is May 16, is a TaurusTaurus (astrology)Taurus is the second astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 30th and 59th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between April 21 to May 21 each year...
, and stands 156 cm (about 5' 1") tall.
- The youngest of the sisters, Hinako is very much a child and shows her affection accordingly. In the anime, Hinako frequently insists on her brother reading to her from picture books.
- Hinako refers to herself in the third-person as "Hina", dropping the "-ko". She addresses her brother as , a more childish version of Kaho's onii-chama. In English, she calls him "Bro-bro". Her birthday is August 15, is a LeoLeo (astrology)Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. In astrology, Leo is considered to be a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered a fire sign and is one of four fixed signs ruled by the Sun.Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are...
, and she is the shortest among the sisters at 132 cm (about 4' 4").
- Despite being a bit clumsy, Kaho is on her school's cheerleading team and loves to cheer her brother on. She is an accomplished gardener, and frequently grows flowers for and with her brother. She refers to herself in the third-person and addresses her brother as , a childish version of onii-sama. In English, she calls him "Brother". Her birthday is January 7, is a Capricorn and has a height of 143 cm (about 4' 8").
- Sweet and gentle, Karen's personality sometimes seems more suitable for an older (rather than younger) sister. She is a very skilled pianist. In the magazine stories and mini-novels, Karen owns a kitten named Vanilla (who, incidentally, has a thing for vanilla flavored sweets). Like several of the sisters, she refers to herself in the third-person and addresses her brother as , a way to call a brother by a younger sibling, usually a child. In English, she calls him "Big Brother". Her birthday is September 23, is a VirgoVirgo (astrology)Virgo is the sixth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 150th and 179th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between August 23 to September 22 each year...
and stands 148 cm (about 4' 10") tall.
- The athlete of the group, Mamoru is always trying to get her brother to play sports with her. She is sometimes mistaken for Rinrin due to their similar hairstyles and their penchant for donning their eyewear on their head. As she is a tomboy, Mamoru uses phrases and mannerisms that only boys are expected to. As proof of this, she addresses her brother as , a shorter address used by a male teenager. In English, she calls him "Big Bro". Her birthday is October 18, is a LibraLibra (astrology)Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Libra. In astrology, Libra is considered a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered an air sign and is one of four cardinal signs...
and stands 150 cm (about 4' 11") in height.
- Possessing a weak constitution, the bespectacled Marie has spent a lot of time in the hospital due to her illness. Her pet Michael, a Golden RetrieverGolden RetrieverThe Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
, acts as her guardian and friend when her brother isn't around. She addresses her brother as , the honorific -uesama (a combination of ue and -sama) being used within the royal family or as a sign of politeness. In English, she calls him "Brother Mine". Her birthday is April 4, is an AriesAries (astrology)Aries is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the zero degree and the 29th degree of celestial longitude. The Sun enters Aries when it reaches the northern vernal equinox, which is usually on March 21 each year, and remains in this sign until around April 20...
and stands 148 cm (about 4' 10") tall.
- Gifted in the fields of science and technology, Rinrin spends a lot of her time building things but constantly asks her brother for monetary donations to keep her projects going. Lately, she's been constructing a robot duplicate of herself, . She speaks with a strong Chinese accent and addresses her brother as , another way for a boy to address his brother. In English, she calls him "Bro". Her birthday is July 9, is a CancerCancer (astrology)Cancer is the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is considered a water sign and one of four cardinal signs. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are considered Cancerian individuals...
and measures 152 cm (about 5') in height.
- Sakuya behaves very much like a modern teenager and is fashion conscious. She would love for her brother to see her as woman and not just a sister.
- In both anime, Sakuya claims that she and the brother are connected by the "red string of fateRed string of fateThe red string of fate, also referred to as the red thread of destiny, red thread of fate, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend and is also used in Japanese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red string around the ankles of men and women...
" and expresses the desire that she might somehow marry her brother. She is quick to agree it would be impossible when in his presence. In the anime, Sakuya is arguably the most emotionally vulnerable of all the sisters where the brother is concerned, since she goes through extreme emotional reactions when they are separated—or when she anticipates separation. In the first anime, Sakuya frequently uses double entendres and innuendo when speaking to her brother, dismissing her words as jokes when he becomes really flustered.
- Sakuya addresses her brother as as her sign of admiration. In English, she calls him "Dear Brother". Her birthday is December 20, is a SagittarianSagittarius (astrology)Sagittarius is the ninth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 240th and 269th degree of celestial longitude...
, and is the tallest of the sisters at 159 cm (about 5' 3").
- Shirayuki loves to cook, especially for her brother, and is always trying out new recipes for him. She refers to herself in the third-person as , which translates to "princess". This might be because of her name's Western variant: Snow WhiteSnow White"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...
. She also frequently ends her sentences with the phrase "desu-no." She addresses her brother as , which is shorter than Sakuya's, but polite. In English, she calls him "Elder Brother". Her birthday is February 11, is an Aquarian, and stands 140 cm (about 4' 7") in height.
- Hailing from England (as evidenced by her occasional penchant for anything with a Union FlagUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
), Yotsuba fancies herself a detective à la Sherlock Holmes. She can often be found with either a digital camera or a magnifying glass in hand, trying to spy on her brother. In the magazine stories and mini-novels, Yotsuba owns an unnamed talking toucanToucanToucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
(not surprisingly, it can only say "checki" and "Ani-chama"). She refers to herself in the third-person and is fond of using the catchphrase, . In the first Sister Princess anime, Yotsuba does not have a pet, but owns a toy bird aptly named "Watson", who she keeps in a cage like a real bird.
- She addresses her brother as , which is a childish address similar to Kaho's, but laced with a British accent. In English, she calls him "Brother Dearest". She celebrates her birthday on June 21, is a GeminiGemini (astrology)Gemini is the third astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the Zodiac between the 60th and 89th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between May 21 to June 20 each year...
, and is 149 cm (about 4' 11") tall.
The Brother
- The brother whom all of the sisters adore. In their eyes, he can do no wrong. Until the final set of illustrated stories, the brother's face was always hidden or turned away from the readerUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
to keep his appearance hidden. This follows a tradition of most erogeErogeAn 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:...
protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s, so as to allow the character to be a 'blank slate' so that the player can place themselves in his metaphorically empty shoes. As the series came to its end, a slightly modified version of the character design from the anime was used.
- As the father of the siblings is never present, and the mothers of the sisters are regularly preoccupied by their upper-class careers, Wataru serves as much a parent figure as he does a brother. He devotes extraordinary time to teaching or guiding them through various life crises, no matter how trivial or difficult they may be. For this reason, the sisters attribute many of their personal accomplishments to him. Despite their unwavering testimonies, Wataru is not perfect, even in the magazine stories and mini-novels. He is unquestionably selfless however, and will do everything in his power to aid his siblings whenever humanly possible. Wataru also seems to possess an uncanny ability to show up exactly when a sister needs him most. Wataru has a habit of saying "It can't be true" in almost every episode.
- Understandably, the greatest fear the sisters share is someone or something taking Wataru away from them. For this reason, some of them entertain and dream of somehow becoming his wife or life partner. As pure as Wataru’s sisters are, they show signs of jealousy and concern when a non-family member "takes" their brother away from them, fearing he may forget or leave them.
- (The name Wataru Minakami was given to the brother character only for the first Sister Princess television series. In Sister Princess Re-Pure, he is simply referred to as 兄, Ani, or "Brother.")
Supporting
- Aria's lady's maidLady's maidA lady's maid is a female personal attendant who waits on the lady of the house. The position is very similar to a gentleman's valet. Traditionally, in eras past, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a lady's companion, who was a retainer rather than a servant, but the rewards included room...
, although it is strongly evident she holds the position of nannyNannyA nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
as well. She's actually a young woman in her early or mid twenties, but Aria calls her 'Jiiya', a Japanese nickname for a butler, like the English 'Jeeves'. The exact reason for this is uncertain, but most agree its Aria's way of being playful. In the second anime series, it is possibly implied that Aria is simply used to calling the person taking care of her 'Jii-ya', as she points at a picture of an old man in butler's clothing, then at her maid and calls them both 'Jii-ya'. Of all the non-sister characters in Sister Princess, only Jiiya has a personal affectionate name for the sister's brother. Combined with Jiiya’s coy nature around him, and her willingness to admit personal moments from her childhood, some fans of the maid wonder if she has personal feelings for him. If so, she keeps them well hidden from the others. She addresses the brother as , a more polite version of Aria's address.
- Note: Jiiya is also the name of the Wataru's butlerButlerA butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
in the anime.
- Featured only in Sister Princess 2, Kakinomoto is one of the handful of non-related girls allowed to be near the sisters' brother without causing any issues. She has been known to disagree with him, and played something of a devil's advocateDevil's advocateIn common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative...
role. A very close friend of Haruka. Has a preference to be called Pride, rather than her given name.
- The unnamed nurse who attends to Marie. Due to the nature of her duties and Marie's regular medical needs, she has constant contact with the sisters' brother (although not as frequent as Jiiya), and is one of the few non-sisters able to approach him without causing concern.
- Mecha Rinrin is a gynoidGynoidA gynoid is anything which resembles or pertains to the female human form. It is also used in American English medical terminology as a shortening of the term Gynecoid ....
designed to be an identical copy of its creator as an experiment in robotics. In the anime, her purpose is also to lend full support to the brother in the absence of any of his sisters. Mecha Rinrin differs from her creator in her eye color and the unexplained requirement of a ball-shaped sensorSensorA sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
on her head. Mecha Rinrin always overheats and inadvertently deactivates when the sisters' brother praises her; presumably from overwhelming joy. It appears Rinrin programmed her doppelgängerDoppelgängerIn fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
too well, as it shares an overwhelming love for him, although her delicate circuitry cannot handle the overload.
- In the first anime, Rinrin explains that she created her doppelgänger because she eventually intends to study in the United States. When that happens, she wants Mecha Rinrin to be there to do all the things for her brother that she herself won't be available for. Rinrin herself feels sad at the thought that she might actually have made herself redundant until she is reassured by Wataru. Also in the anime, her dopplegänger's immediate precursor is a much larger robot with a more robotic appearance, known as ProtoRobo or Pooh. While this robot looks less sophisticated, it is much more stable and capable of feats of strength and quite delicate manipulations. It also seems to care for its creator's well-being.
- Mecha Rinrin addresses the brother as , just like her creator.
- Marie's loyal and highly intelligent Golden RetrieverGolden RetrieverThe Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
. Despite the name, Michael (named after the archangelMichael (archangel)Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
) is a female, and eventually gives birth to a litter of puppies. Michael was a gift from her brother, to keep company and guard over her at the times when he could not. The pet also serves to give Marie inner strength, as having Michael depend on her proves she is stronger than others think.
- Featured only in Sister Princess 2. The local temple nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
who the brother visits to addresses many of Chikage's spiritual concerns. Due to the storywriter's lack of understanding of certain elements of Western culture, the nun strangely works in a Japanese temple, yet resolves matters with a Christian-like demeanor. Since Sister Princess utilizes CatholicismCatholicismCatholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
whenever it deals with the religious faith the sisters follow, it's arguable to say she is a Catholic nun trying to "fit" in a Japanese environment.
Games
- Sister Princess (PlayStation, 2001)
- Sister Princess -Pure Stories- (PlayStation, 2001)
- Sister Princess Premium Edition (Dreamcast, 2002)
- Sister Princess 2 (PlayStation, 2002)
- Bundled set of "Sister Princess" & "Sister Princess -Pure Stories-" (Dreamcast, 2003)
- Sister Princess -Re Pure- (Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, 2003) - Sister Princess 2 Premium Fan Disc (PlayStation, 2003)
Anime episodes
See list of Sister Princess episodes for the Sister Princess anime and its sequel, "Sister Princess Repure."U.S. DVD releases
- Sister Princess -Oh, Brother!- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2004) - Sister Princess -Sibling Revelry- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2004) - Sister Princess -Sisters and Sunshine- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2005) - Sister Princess -Brotherly Love- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2005) - Sister Princess -Gifts from the Heart- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2005) - Sister Princess -One Big Happy Family- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2005) - Sister Princess -Brother, Where Art Thou?- (DVDDVDA 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....
, 2005)
Japanese UMD releases (anime series)
The anime series was released in UMDUniversal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
format for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. Features in these UMDs include character designs and textless opening and ending sequences.
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure I (UMD, November 23, 2005)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure II (UMD, December 21, 2005)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure III (UMD, January 25, 2006)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure IV (UMD, February 22, 2006)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure V (UMD, March 26, 2006)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure VI (UMD, April 26, 2006)
- Sister Princess & Sister Princess Repure VII (UMD, May 26, 2006)