KimiKiss

KimiKiss
Cover art of the PlayStation 2 game featuring Yūmi Hoshino, one of its heroines
キミキス (KimiKisu)
Genre	Drama, School Life, Romance
Game
Developer	Enterbrain
Publisher	Enterbrain
Genre	Dating sim
Rating	CERO: B (12+)
Platform	PlayStation 2
Released	May 25, 2006
Manga
Written by	Masashi Kokura
Published by	Enterbrain
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Famitsu PS2
Original run	June 30, 2006 – ongoing
Manga
KimiKiss: Lyrical contact
Written by	Mimei Kuroi
Published by	Square Enix
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Gangan Powered
Original run	June 2006 – February 2007
Volumes	1
Manga
KimiKiss: After days
Published by	Square Enix
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Gangan Powered
Original run	December 2007 – April 2008
Volumes	1
Manga
KimiKiss: Various heroines
Written by	Tarō Shinonome
Published by	Hakusensha
English publisher	Tokyopop
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Young Animal
Original run	August 25, 2006 – March 27, 2009
Volumes	5
Manga
KimiKiss: Sweet lips
Written by	Masahiro Itosugi
Published by	Akita Shoten
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Champion Red ichigo
Original run	December 2006 – ongoing
Volumes	1
Light novel
Written by	Chabō Higurashi
Illustrated by	Kisai Takayama Kamo
Published by	Enterbrain
Demographic	Male
Magazine	Famitsu Bunko
Original run	July 2006 – ongoing
TV anime
KimiKiss: Pure Rouge
Directed by	Kenichi Kasai
Studio	J.C. Staff
Licensed by	Sentai Filmworks
Original run	October 6, 2007 – March 24, 2008
Episodes	24 + special

KimiKiss (キミキス, KimiKisu) is a dating simulation game for the PS2. Released by Enterbrain in 2006, KimiKiss has become a media franchise, including manga, light novel, and has been made into an anime as of 2007-2008.

Story

Kouichi Sanada is a high school student who just came back from summer vacation. He has never been kissed and after returning to school he decides to develop a romantic relationship with a certain girl during 30 days.

Characters

Kouichi Sanada (相原 光一, Sanada Kouichi)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino

The main protagonist in the game and anime (his name can be changed by player) and also in Various Heroines manga. Student of class 2A and older brother of Nana. In the anime this character was split in two - Kouichi Sanada (he received Kouichi's looks) and Kazuki Aihara (he received Kouichi's soccer skills and Nana becomes his sister). In the anime, Kouichi's first love interest was initially Yuumi Hoshino. Until he gradually develops feelings for his childhood friend, Mao. In the end of the anime, the two become a couple.

Mao Mizusawa (水澤 摩央, Mizusawa Mao)

Voiced by: Haruna Ikezawa

Mao is very active, energetic, and cheerful student of older class 3A. In anime after moving back to Japan from Paris, she lived with Kouichi and his mom but moves due to her feelings for Kouichi, although the two go to the same school. Mao's first love interest in the anime was a quiet, tough looking boy named Eiji Kai. At first, the two disliked each other, but soon developed feelings as they both opened up. Not long after that, Mao and Eiji began to date. The relationship did not last long due to Mao realizing her feelings for Kouichi. She breaks up with Eiji later in the anime.

Yuumi Hoshino (星乃 結美, Hoshino Yūmi)

Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu

Kouichi's classmate, who works in school library. In anime she is Kouichi's love interest. She is always shy but from the help of Mao and the others, she began to speak up a little. She also has feelings for Kouichi and throughout the story they began to date, but began to realize Kouichi has feelings for Mao.

Asuka Sakino (咲野 明日夏, Sakino Asuka)

Voiced by: Ryou Hirohashi

A girl from parallel class 2С (in anime she is in Kouichi's and Kazuki's class 2A), who loves to play soccer. In anime she starts to have feelings for Kazuki after he had helped her. Sakino discovers that Eriko and Kazuki were conducting 'experiments' together which angered her, wanting to stop the experiments. She soon realizes that Kazuki was in love with Eriko, despite the fact she always pushed him away. Edging towards the end of the anime, Sakino confesses her feelings to Kazuki, but is turned down. She gives him a kiss as a goodbye to her feelings for him.

Eriko Futami (二見 瑛理子, Futami Eriko)

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka

An extremely introvert girl from parallel class 2С, who is always cold to others and has an IQ score of 190. She usually loiters in the science lab. In anime she starts performing experiments with Kazuki by doing romantic actions (such as kissing him) when he stumbled upon her to find out why people fall in love. Gradually she opens up to others and develops feelings for Kazuki. In the last episode, Eriko pronounces her love for Kazuki and the two kiss.

Mitsuki Shijyo (祇条 深月, Shijō Mitsuki)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto

A wealthy girl from parallel class 2С, who can play the piano. She has had an arranged engagement most of her life yet never met the man. In the anime she begins having feelings for Hiiragi.

Narumi Satonaka (里仲 なるみ, Satonaka Narumi)

Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi

Good friend and classmate of Nana. Expert at cooking udon and has a strong interest of creating new varieties of udon. Like Nana, she also carries an accessory depicting a frog called Juliet.

Nana Aihara (菜々, Nana)

Voiced by: Sakura Nogawa

She is the younger sister of Aihara (Kouichi in the game, Kazuki in the anime). She carries an accessory depicting a green frog called Iwao.

Akira Hiiragi (柊 明良, Hiiragi Akira)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama

President of the Movie Research Club. He always forces Kouichi and Kazuki into helping him with the movie films. He has a mental list of trivia about almost every girl in the school even though he is "dating" someone from another school, "Male Prudence" he calls it.

Megumi Kuryu (栗生 恵, Kuryū Megumi)

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara

Member of disciplinary group. She is high strung and the self-appointed head of the school morals enforcement agency. In anime her love interest is Hiiragi.

Tomoko Kawada (川田 知子, Kawada Tomoko)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi

School's teacher for modern Japanese language and adviser of swimming club. She is Mao Mizusawa's home room teacher.

Anime-only characters

Kouichi Sanada (真田 光一, Sanada Kōichi)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino

The main protagonist in the anime. He, Kazuki, and Mao are childhood friends. Initially, he has feelings for Yuumi Hoshino but began to realize his feelings for Mao.

Kazuki Aihara (相原 一輝, Aihara Kazuki)

Voiced by: Takahiro Mizushima

An anime only character and the second protagonist, he is Kouichi's classmate and good friend. Kazuki enjoys playing soccer and his love interest is Eriko. Kazuki met Eriko in a classroom and experienced his first kiss when she suddenly began an 'experiment' with him. Kazuki eventually found out that he had fallen for Eriko, and chased after her all throughout the anime. The two finally became a couple near the end of the anime.

Eiji Kai (甲斐 栄二, Kai Eiji)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

An anime only character. Mao's classmate, who plays the saxophone and works in a jazz bar. Initially, he did not want to get along with Mao but gradually opens up to her. He and Mao date for a while but she breaks up with him after she admits her feelings for Kouichi to him, although they remain friends.

Adaptations

Manga

Several manga adaptations have been made.

• KimiKiss: Lyrical contact (キミキス 〜lyrical contact〜, KimiKisu ~lyrical content~), in Gangan Powered, and tankōbon form, five volumes have been made so far, from 2006 to 2007. Focuses on Yuumi's route.
• KimiKiss: After days (キミキス after days, KimiKisu after days), in Gangan Powered, published from December 2007 to April 2008. Focuses on Eriko's route.
• KimiKiss: Various heroines (キミキス -various heroines-, KimiKisu -various heroines-), in Young Animal and tankōbon form (five volumes: #1 Mao Mizusawa, #2 Asuka Sakino, #3 Mitsuki Shijyo, #4 Eriko Futami, and #5 Yuumi Hoshino) Adapts all the heroines routes, one for each volume.
• KimiKiss: Sweet lips (キミキス 〜スウィートリップス〜, KimiKisu ~Suwitō Rippusu), in Champion RED Ichigo, and in tankōban form, volumes 1-8 from December 2006 to June 2008.

Light novel

A series of light novels have been published by Famitsu Bunko.

Anime

See also: List of KimiKiss: Pure Rouge episodes

The anime, titled Kimikiss: Pure Rouge, began airing in Japan on October 6, 2007. The series is produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Ken'ichi Kasai. The series focused more on the girls and their daily lives with a more romantic genre. North American anime distributor Section23 Films released Kimikiss Pure Rouge on DVD, October 5, 2010.

Story

Kouichi Sanada wakes from a dream where his younger self was crying. When he goes to answer the door, he finds a beautiful woman standing in front of him. She quickly enters while reacquainting herself with things in the house, and even enters the shower. A confused Kouichi tries to remember if he knew a girl like this in the past, while trying to remember his friend Kazuki Aihara comes in. A misunderstanding is caused when the girl comes out of the bathroom, but she suddenly realizes who Kazuki is. Kazuki also realizes who the girl is: his childhood friend Mao Mizusawa. Finally realizing this, Kouichi welcomes Mao back. When Kouichi’s mother begins talking to Mao about her living in France, Kouichi notices how much Mao has changed. The story then continues with them going to the same school. Many relationships are formed with different people during their school years but always thought to be a mistake as Mao realizes her true feelings toward Kouichi while Sakino and Futami develops feelings for Kazuki.

Opening Theme 

"Aozora loop" (青空loop, lit. Blue Sky loop) by Marble. Composed by Micco.

Ending Themes 

"Negaiboshi" (願い星, lit. Wishing Star) by Snow* (episodes 1 - 12)
"Wasurenaide" (忘れないで, lit. I won't forget) by Suara (episodes 13 - 24). Composed by Shilo.

External links

• (Japanese) Enterbrain's KimiKiss official website
• (Japanese) KimiKiss pure rouge official website
• KimiKiss at National Console Support
• KimiKiss pure rouge (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• KimiKiss manga official TOKYOPOP website