Anime Expo 2024 took place this past weekend, and with it brought a ton of announcements, including from visual novel publishers. As such, we’ve decided to post our regular weekly visual novel updates in this article. Our regular anime and gaming news will follow separately.
MangaGamer
Starting off with MangaGamer, they announced The Alchemist & His Battle-Scarred Homunculus (Ningen Fushin no Renkinjutsushi to Moto Heishi no Homunculus) from Waffle. It’s a single-heroine visual novel, focusing on the slow life with a doting partner in a medieval fantasy world.
This heartwarming and dramatic tale follows Rakels, the young alchemist who helped create living homunculi to better the lives of mankind, only to have his partner betray him and turn their creations into tools of war. After years of exile for speaking out against their use as weapons during the war, Rakels discovers the battered form of Mel, a homunculus who was discarded by a slave trader. As the two begin to confront their traumatic pasts together, a new bond is formed that helps them heal and forge a loving future together. Sweet and tender moments abound as Rakels and Mel face their fears of society and intimacy to truly come together as a couple.
They also announced their acquisition of 07th Expansion’s Rose Guns Days. They’ve announced that this will be a HD-upscaled, multilingual release and will be coming to both MangaGamer and Steam. It will be release in four separate chapters
This action-suspense thriller takes place in an alternate history Japan where a natural disaster during World War 2 forced Japan to capitulate to Sino-American forces before the use of the bomb, resulting in a nation divided piecemeal between China and America as both force the native Japanese into the minority as they compete for political superiority in the occupied nation. When a war veteran and the proprietress of brothel find themselves at the center of multiple gang conflicts, the growing strife soon leads to the birth of a new mafia family aiming to gain power within City 23 to secure the future for their Japanese brethren. Blood, bullets, and tears will fly as mafia vie for control and clash with the occupation forces.
MangaGamer also announced that Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is coming to Steam, MangaGamer and Switch on November 27th.
Sekai Project/Denpasoft
Sekai Project announced that they will be releasing Amairo Chocolate 3 by Cabbage Soft on Steam. It is still in translation and is noted as coming in Q4 2024. The third instalment brings the entire cast back but focuses on Momose Mitsuki and newcomer, Kohana.
When Kaguya goes on her school field trip, our hero grows closer to her older sister, Momose Mitsuki, who is a master at making dango. In addition, Kohana, a self-proclaimed god and the one that apparently called our hero and Mikuri to Yunagicho, has been revived. She’s declared that she’ll conquer the town, so are our friends in a big pinch now!? With more unique friends in the mix, the already enjoyable days are going to be even livelier! Let’s do our best today, with both our familiar friends, and our new ones, too!
For the NEKOPARA 10th Anniversary, and after over 6 million units sold across the entire franchise, they’ve announced an upcoming remaster of the NEKOPARA series. Each remaster will feature updated character sprites and full HD support. The first remaster of NEKOPARA Vol. 1 will be releasing in Q4 2024 with the later volumes coming out in 2025.
They’ve also provided an update on NEKOPARA After – La Vraie Familie, which was announced back in Anime Expo 2022. The heroines of this title are Fraise a catgirl introduced in the fourth Nekopara and and Shigure the protagonist’s sister. While it was originally planned as a DLC for NEKOPARA Vol. 4, it has now been changed to a standalone release. The release date has now been pushed back to 2025 with a more solid release date to be announced in the coming months.
Plans have also been reveals for a new set of figures of Chocola and Vanilla. The illustration and sculpting of the figures will be done by NEKOPARA creator, Sayori. A crowdfunding campaign will be launched to fund the manufacturing of these, for which further details will be revealed later.
In other Sekai Project news, they revealed that Akaneiro Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka by feng is currently in programming and is expected to be a 2024 release.
JAST USA
JAST USA made several announcements at Anime Expo. Details posted publicly are minimal at this time, but we can confirm announcements of the following:
DeadΩAegis – Another Record by metalogiq- the fandisc of DeadΩAegis, a dark sci-fi story with magical girls.
Dreamlike Love with Seira (Goshujin-sama, Seira ni Yume Mitai na Icha Love Gohoushi Sasete Itadakemasu ka) by Rubi-sama o Agameru Kai- a healing visual novel with a maid heroine
Hanamaru 2 by Tinkerbell – a visual novel taking place in a city where students of different species are welcome
Critical Point Remaster by Sweet Basil – a remaster of the original Critical Point, a hardcore Sci-Fi story with over 20 endings, written by one of the creators of Macross, Bubblegum Crisis and Mobile Suit Gundam. While we can’t confirm if it will be the case here, previous remasters have been included when customers bought the original on JAST USA.
Cornelica (Muma no Machi Cornelica) by Dieselmine Mf – An RPG Maker style game where the protagonist is taken to a country of succubi. Notably, this was partially illustrated by Cool Kyoushinja, the artist of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid.
Daiteikoku by Alicesoft – Described as a grand strategy game that reimagines the events of world war 2 in a science fiction setting where you play as an Admiral of the Navy of Nippon and fight wars with other star systems based on countries.
Find the Thread of Announcements Here
Thanks go to superange128 and thelocalweeb1016 for streaming the JAST USA panel.
Aksys Games
Aksys games announced two otome visual novels.
Mistonia no Kibou -The Lost Delight (English title pending) will be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025.
A tale filled with love and fixation, woven together by those who carry the blood of the fairies. The story takes place in Grand Alvion, a kingdom thriving under the rule of the fairy queen, in an era where light and shadow coexist. On the outskirts of the capital city stands a noble residence belonging to a prestigious family, where a newly-hired maid is about to set foot onto the property: our heroine, Applause. Having lost everything eight years prior, she swore to take revenge on those responsible. Under a false identity, she begins her search for the truth as she works at the mansion belonging to a potential target for her vengeance. What secrets will she unearth upon her chance encounters with the distinguished noblemen who protect the kingdom? What path will she choose? And so begins the revenge tragedy of a girl bound by a hapless fate.
Find the Announcement Trailer Here
Utakata no Uchronia (English title pending) will also be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025.
Welcome to the renowned and prosperous utopia, the flying city of Itehari. Our protagonist is Hinagiku, a noble lady from a distinguished family who longs for the world beyond the floating city. One day, Hinagiku, having just turned 18 years old, encounters an amnesiac man named Yashiro. Their fortuitous meeting becomes the catalyst that drags her into a series of events involving the secrets and various truths hidden beneath the surface of this beautiful utopia.
Find the Announcement Trailer Here
Idea Factory
Idea Factory also announced two otome visual novels, along with a number of other titles.
Battlefield Waltz (Senjou no Waltz) will be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025, both physically and digitally.
Meet Lan, The Maiden of the Cursed Sword, as she trains in combat alongside elite warriors and compassionate lovers. Upon facing tragedy, Lan is both blessed and cursed by a new power–the power of the Cursed Sword. She shall now forge new bonds in search of a place to belong. With up to 6 romanceable characters, can love bloom on the battlefield for Lan?
Find the Announcement Trailer Here
Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights (Temirana Koku no Tsuiteru Hime to Tsuitenai Kishi Dan) will be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025, both physically and digitally.
Meet Cecilia Farias Temirana, the third princess of Temirana, as she navigates her reputation as part of the royal family alongside her newly recruited royal guard made up of the 5 Tragic Knights. With up to 5 romanceable characters, take part in a world where luck meets tragedy and curses become blessings.
Find the Announcement Trailer Here
Other Visual Novel News This Week
Outside of Anime Expo news, aNCHOR Inc. announced that Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative are coming to Nintendo Switch eShops outside of Japan on the 11th July, 2024. You can pre-order them via the eShop.
If you have a PC, buying it on PC is currently a significantly better deal. Both games and the spin-offs are currently in a bundle on Humble Bundle. Grabbing all 10 games in franchise via Humble Bundle is currently cheaper than just buying Muv-Luv Remastered alone on Nintendo Switch.
Grab the Bundle Here on Humble Bundle
More Visual Novel News
- Crystal Game Works has announced the otome visual novel, Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon and released a demo on Steam
- 9 R.I.P. reveals new promo trailer
- An English server for Heaven Burns Red, a mobile gacha RPG with visual novel elements and a story by Maeda Jun has been revealed
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
