Серия игр «Kita e» и её адаптации

Japanese game series and its adaptations

Kita e (北へ。) is a Japanese game series, set in Hokkaidō. The series was developed by Red Company and published by Hudson Soft. An anime version and a manga adaptation have also been released.

The series began with Kita e: White Illumination (北へ。White Illumination), which was released on March 18, 1999 for the Dreamcast. A fan disc, Kita e: Photo Memories (北へ。Photo Memories), was released on August 5 that same year. On October 30, 2003, the series hit the PlayStation 2 platform as Kita e. ～Diamond Dust～ (北へ。～Diamond Dust～) was released. A sequel to Diamond Dust, Kita e: Diamond Dust + Kiss is Beginning came out October 28, 2004. An animated music video based on the visual novel entitled Kita e. ～Pure Session～ (北へ。～PURE SESSION～) was released on May 31, 2000. An anime series entitled Kita e. ～Diamond Dust Drops～ (北へ。～Diamond Dust Drops～) was adapted from the two Diamond Dust games. The anime was released in the United States by ADV Films under the title Diamond Daydreams in three volumes and later in a thinpack re release.

The game takes place in modern Japan and (unusually for a dating sim) uses actual photographs of Hokkaidō as background art, while the character sprites are illustrations. Game interaction is achieved through a menu of action options, such as sleeping, using your cell phone, waiting, saving, or going somewhere. When choosing to go somewhere, the player selects a location in Hokkaidō from the menu in order to travel there. Upon arrival in the chosen area, the game shows and describes the scene in visual novel format, with text layered on a graphical background. Visiting locations at different in game times yields different results; for example, a shop may be closed or a character may not be there if the player visits at an inopportune time. When a character is encountered, a conversation is initiated and the player can occasionally select dialogue options. As in other dating sims, the protagonist's relationships with the other characters can be affected positively or negatively by the chosen options.

The player, a second year high school student (17 years old), travels from Tokyo to Sapporo in Hokkaidō (hence the basic title of the game Kita E (To the North). There, he encounters eight different girls, including the lead character Kotori Haruno, whose family he stays with during his time up north. In the game, the player explores the island, plays video games, does karaoke, goes shopping—and most of all, tries to find that special someone to share his heart with. The main period of the game is set during summer vacation (August 1 to August 14), by which, at the end, the player returns to Tokyo. The conclusion of the game falls around December 28, when the player returns to Sapporo to witness the "White Illumination Countdown" on New Year's Eve (similar to the New Year's Eve Times Square celebrations). To win the game, the player must meet his chosen one at the Countdown on New Year's Eve, then kiss her at 12:00 midnight on New Year's Day.

The game was released on March 13, 1999 by Hudson Soft, exclusively for the Dreamcast system. The average price for the game at time of release was 5800 yen.

The story is about six different girls from different lifestyles living on Hokkaidō in Japan. They each live in a different city on the island. Each girl believes in a myth of snow turning into diamond dust, and if one makes a wish on the diamond dust, their wish is 100% guaranteed to come true. Another myth about diamond dust is that if a boy and girl meet under the dust, they're guaranteed happiness and marriage later in life. Each of the six girls have some stubborn moments and awkward stages in their lives, but looking into themselves and others will help them get back on their feet. When these six girls meet, their lives will change dramatically for the better as the snow begins to fall.

The games are illustrated by NOCCHI.

White Illumination sold 25 thousand copies in its first week. Zac Bertschy, also with ANN, called the anime unremarkable and "fairly banal", but did say that "It's really refreshing to watch a show based on a dating sim that doesn't make you wish you could reach through the screen and slap the characters around a little bit." Zac and Theron also praised ADV Films' English dubbing, saying that the English dialogue track "adds a lot to an already enjoyable little show",