Angelique (video game series)
Angelique (アンジェリーク, Anjerīku) is Japanese otome game series, and a media franchise based on this game series. There are various OVAs, Drama CDs, Music CDs and Anime series, developed along wth the base game, or broadcast on TV channels, etc. The series has continued since 1994 till today. The latest version of the series is Angelique Luminarise released in 2021.[1]
The first game was released in 1994 on Super Famicom. This is the first otome game (dating sim for women) known in the world.[2] Angelique series is also the first otome game setries of the Neo Romance series by Ruby Party.[3] At this point, the game series are only in Japanese.
Plot
The basic lore of the series is built around a Queen who fairly and wisely rules a Universe. By balancing elemental forces with the help of nine Guardians, she keeps the various planets in her domain stable and her people content. However, the powers of the Queen and the Guardians fade over time, and successors must be appointed. In the first game and its various remakes, the protagonist is a 17-year-old girl named Angelique Limoges who has been chosen by the current Queen and her aide Dia as one of two candidates from the Royal Smallney Girls' Academy to become the next Queen. She is transported to the Flying City to begin her final examination.
Each of the candidates is given a land to populate. Whoever finishes populating their land first wins and becomes the next Queen. It is done with the help of nine Guardians who use their powers to make the people of the candidate's land happy, or to devastate their rival's lands. Along the way, the candidates become friends with the Guardians and can fall in love. If they choose love, they forfeit their chance to become Queen, but will live happily ever after.
The story expands in later titles, but most entries in the series feature girls named Angelique or its short form name (Enju or Ange) as the protagonist, with ever larger casts of characters. The roster of potential love interests swells to 19 characters in later titles (in Angelique Etoile).
Characters
The major characters appeared in the otome games: Angelique 1994, 1995 (Special),[4] Angelique Special 2 1995,[5] Angelique Trois 2000,[6] Angelique Etoile 2003,[7][8] and Angelique Luminarise (Anmina) 2021.[9]
Legend:
- "Etoile+" indicates: Both in game Angelique Etoile and anime Koisuru tenshi Angelique.
- "Etoile anim" indicates: In anime Koisuru tenshi Angelique.
- "Etoile" indicates: In game Angelique Etoile.
Name | Version | Position | Role | Universe | Age | Voiced by |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angelique Limoges (アンジェリーク・リモージュ) | Angelique | Protagonist | Candidate for 256th queen | Original | 17 | Yuri Shiratori |
Special 2 | - | 256th Queen of the universe | ||||
3rd Trois | - | |||||
4th Etoile+ | - | 256th Queen of the Shinchō | Shinchō | |||
Rosalia de Catargena (ロザリア・デ・カタルヘナ) | Angelique | Rival | Candidate for 256th queen | Original | 17 | Kotono Mitsuishi |
Special 2 | - | Aide of the queen Limoges | ||||
3rd Trois | - | |||||
4th Etoile+ | - | Shinchō | ||||
Julious (ジュリアス) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the light | Original | 25 | Shō Hayami |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Clavis (クラヴィス) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the darkness | Original | 25 | Kaneto Shiozawa |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Luva (ルヴァ) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the earth | Original | 26 | Toshihiko Seki |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Oscar (オスカー) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the fire | Original | 22 | Kenyū Horiuchi |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Lumiale (リュミエール) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the water | Original | 21 | Nobuo Tobita |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile | Shinchō | |||||
Olivie (オリヴィエ) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the dream | Original | 22 | Takehito Koyasu |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Randy (ランディ) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the wind | Original | 18 | Nobutoshi Canna |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Zephel (ゼフェル) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the steel | Original | 17 | Mitsuo Iwata |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Marcel (マルセル) | Angelique | Target | Guardian of the green | Original | 14 | Hiro Yūki |
Special 2 | ||||||
3rd Trois | ||||||
4th Etoile+ | Shinchō | |||||
Angelique (アンジェリーク) | Angelique | - | 255th Queen of the universe | Original | 21 | Masako Katsuki |
Dia (ディア) | Angelique | - | Aide of the queen Angelique | Original | 21 | Atsuko Tanaka |
Name | Version | Position | Role | Universe | Age | Voiced by |
Angelique Collet (アンジェリーク・コレット) | Special 2 | Protagonist | Candidate for new universe queen | Original | 17 | Yoko Asada |
3rd Trois | Protagonist | 1st Queen of new universe | ||||
4th Etoile+ | - | 1st Queen of the Seijū | Seijū | |||
Rachel Hart (レイチェル・ハート) | Special 2 | Rival | Candidate for new universe queen | Original | 16 | Miki Nagasawa |
3rd Trois | - | Aide of the queen Collet | ||||
4th Etoile+ | - | Seijū | ||||
Alfonsia (アルフォンシア) | Special 2 | - | The will of new universe | New universe | - | - |
3rd Trois | Mysterious Elda | |||||
Leonard (レオナード) | 4th Etoile+ | Target | Guardian of the light | Seijū | 27 | Rikiya Koyama |
Francis (フランシス) | 4th Etoile+ | Target | Guardian of the darkness | Seijū | 23 | Tomokazu Sugita |
Victor (ヴィクトール) | Special 2 | Target | Tutor of the spirit | Original | 31 | Fumihiko Tachiki |
3rd Trois | 34 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the earth | Seijū | 34 | |||
Charlie Won (チャーリー) | Special 2 | Target | Collaborator | Original | 23 | Mitsuaki Madono |
3rd Trois | 26 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the fire | Seijū | 26 | |||
Timka (ティムカ) | Special 2 | Target | Tutor of the dignity | Original | 13 | Atsushi Kisaichi |
3rd Trois | 16 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the water | Seijū | 16 | |||
Mel (メル) | Special 2 | Target | Collaborator | Original | 15 | Yumi Tōma |
3rd Trois | 18 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the dream | Seijū | 18? | |||
Heuye (ユーイ) | 4th Etoile+ | Target | Guardian of the wind | Seijū | 17 | Daisuke Namikawa |
Ernst (エルンスト) | Special 2 | Target | Collaborator | Original | 27 | Toshiyuki Morikawa |
3rd Trois | 30 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the steel | Seijū | 30 | |||
Sei-lan (セイラン) | Special 2 | Target | Tutor of the sensibility | Original | 19 | Tetsuya Iwanaga |
3rd Trois | 22 | |||||
4th Etoile+ | Guardian of the green | Seijū | 22 | |||
Arios (アリオス) | 3rd Trois | Target | Mysterious young man | Original | 28 | Ken Narita |
4th Etoile+ | Shadow of the queen (Collet) | Unknown | ||||
Name | Version | Position | Role | Universe | Age | Voiced by |
Ange (Enju) (エンジュ) | 4th Etoile | Protagonist | Legendary Etoile | Both universes | 17 | (no voice) |
Etoile_anim | Yōko Honna | |||||
Constantan (タンタン) | 4th Etoile+ | - | Spirit of the monolith | Both universes | ? | - |
Conrad (コンラッド) | 4th Etoile | - | Captain of space-ship | Seijū | - | - |
Sacrea no seirei (サクリアの精霊) | Etoile_anim | - | Spirit of the sacrea | Seijū | ? | Akimitsu Takase / Eri Ōno |
Moira (モイラ) | Etoile_anim | - | Cosmic mind of Ange | Seijū | ? | Yōko Honna |
Name | Version | Position | Role | Universe | Age | Voiced by |
Ange (アンジュ) | Anmina | Protagonist | Candidate for new queen | - | 25 | (no voice) |
Reina (レイナ) | Anmina | Rival | Candidate for new queen | - | 25 | Ryōko Shiraishi |
Yue (ユエ) | Anmina | Target | Guaridian of the light | - | 25 | Shimba Tsuchiya |
Noah (ノア) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the darkness | - | 22 | Hiroki Nanami |
Lorenzo (ロレンツォ) | Anmina | Target | Guaridian of the earth | - | 30 | Ryōta Takeuchi |
Shuri (シュリ) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the fire | - | 27 | Takuya Satō |
Kanata (カナタ) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the water | - | 18 | Takeo Ōtsuka |
Felix (フェリクス) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the dream | - | 25 | Yūto Uemura |
Vergil (ヴァージル) | Anmina | Target | GUardian of the wind | - | 27 | Yū Miyazaki |
Xeno (ゼノ) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the steel | - | 19 | Nobunaga Shimazaki |
Milan (ミラン) | Anmina | Target | Guardian of the green | - | 26 | Shōhei Komatsu |
Cyrus (サイラス) | Anmina | - | Butler | - | 28 | Yūki Ono |
Taira (タイラー) | Anmina | - | Chief of Royal Institute | - | 25 | Fumiya Imai |
- In Angelique Etoile, Original universe is called "the universe of Shinchō (神鳥, the Divine Bird)" and New universe is called "the universe of Seijū (聖獣, the Sacred Beast)". Alfonsia is the spirit of New universe. Alfonsia appears in the form of a small animal, thus it is called "seijū".[10]
Titles
Main series
- Angelique (アンジェリーク)
First installment in the series developed by Ruby Party. The game follows Angelique Limoges, an ordinary high school girl, is chosen as a queen candidate. With help from the power of the nine Guardians, she aims to be the next Queen. Angelique is generally considered to have popularized the otome game market. Angelique Voice Fantasy, Angelique Special, and Angelique Duet are all different versions of this game. The game was released on September 23, 1994 for Super Famicom.[11] A Game Boy Advance version was released on March 21, 2003. A full remake titled Angelique Retour (アンジェリーク ルトゥール) was released for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.
- Angelique Special is a revised version of the first game and features several new animated scenes, in addition to voice acting by several big-name voice actors. Among the new animated scenes were several love events that were not present in the original game. Others included the opening sequence and the endings. released on December 22, 1995 for PC-FX and published by NEC Home Electronics. The game was ported to PC, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation on March 29, 1996.[12]
- Angelique Voice Fantasy included a special Audio CD and an add-on called Voicer-kun, which allowed for the addition of voice acting. The game contents are otherwise identical to the original version. It was released on March 29, 1996 for Super Famicom.
- Angelique Duet was released on July 30, 1998 for Sega Saturn and PlayStation. The game was ported to the Nintendo DS on February 2006[13] This version allows the player to choose the usual heroine, Angelique Limoges, or her rival Rosalia de Catargena, as the main character. The DS version introduced a messaging feature.[13]
- Angelique Retour (アンジェリーク ルトゥール), a full remake with new artwork as well as two new characters, was released for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita on December 17, 2015.[14][15][16]
- Angelique Special 2 (アンジェリークSpecial2)
Second installment in the series. Angelique Collet, a girl who lives in the cosmos that the heroine of the first game now rules, is chosen as a queen candidate for a new cosmos. The count of male characters increases to include the nine Guardians, as well as three Tutors and three Collaborators. - Angelique Trois (アンジェリーク トロワ)
Third installment in the series. Angelique Collet, now queen of a new cosmos, is drawn into a pocket cosmos, Arcadia, with the rest of the Angelique Special 2 cast. She develops the wilderness of Arcadia in order to free Elda, a strange being she finds there. - Angelique Etoile (アンジェリーク エトワール)
Fourth installment in the series. The main character is a girl from the universe ruled by Angelique Limoges named Ange, who must save the new universe (the Seojū univerrse) as the "Legendary Etoile". Includes all of the major characters from previous Angelique titles, plus three new "Seijū Universe" Guardians. - Angelique Luminarise (アンジェリーク ルミナライズ)
The first Nintendo Switch installment of the series, scheduled for release on May 20, 2021. The main character is a 25-year-old single office worker.[1][17][18][19] It is the first new entry in the main Angelique series in 18 years.[20][21]
Spin-offs
- Angelique Tenkū no Requiem (アンジェリーク 天空の鎮魂歌)
- A traditional role-playing video game with dating sim events and multiple endings. Angelique Collet is the heroine. The cosmos which Angelique Limoges rules is under attack from a mysterious figure called the "emperor", and Angelique Collet must come to the rescue.
- Fushigi no Kuni no Angelique (ふしぎの国のアンジェリーク)
Angelique Limoges is the main character. The goal is to explore the Flying City to find the Guardian's tea party. Though a board game, it has dating sim events and multiple endings. - Sweet Ange (スウィートアンジェ)
Features the first two heroines, their rivals, the nine Guardians and the tutors and collaborators as students attending the same high school. The goal is to make dessert dishes and get rewards for them. Though a board game, it has dating sim events and multiple endings. - Angelique Maren no Roku Kishi (アンジェリーク 魔恋の六騎士) for PlayStation Portable
Games in non-Japanese language
At this poins (May 2022), the game series have been released only in Japanese except for Chinese PC version of the first game in 1994. KOEI does not deny to release the games in other language(s) than Japanese. But for the realization of release(s), the existence of enough demand shall be shown.
Related media
Software
- The first game series (Angelique 1994, Angelique Special 1995)
- Angelique Bijutsukan (Angelique Museum) (アンジェリーク美術館) : Released on July 21, 1995. Desktop accessories for Windows and Macintosh.
- Letter Kōbō Angelique Post Clip (Letter Workshop Angelique Post Clip) (レター工房アンジェリークポストクリップ) : Released in 1996. Multi-letter printing software for Windows 95.
- Angelique Screen Cocktail (アンジェリークスクリーンカクテル) : Released on January 31, 1997. Desktop accessories for Windows 95.
- Angelique Love Love Mail (アンジェリークラブラブメール) : Released on October 27, 2000. Email software for Windows95/98/Me and MacOS8.1/9.
OVA
- Angelique (Special, part 1, 2, 3) (アンジェリーク(スペシャル・上・中・下)) (Clavis: Hideyuki Tanaka)
Manga
- Angelique (Kairi Yura) Serialized in Monthly Asuka by Kadokawa Shoten in 1996. This manga series was published as ten books series.
- Guruguru Angelique (ぐるぐるアンジェリーク) (J.O. Oda)
- Angelique Retoure (アンジェリーク ルトゥール). two volumes tankobon.
Anime, OVA series
There are 4 OVA series:
- OVA 1- Angelique: Shiroi Tsubasa no Memoire (アンジェリーク 白い翼のメモワール) (2000; 2 ep)- sequel to game events
- OVA 2- Angelique: Seichi yori Ai o Komete (アンジェリーク 聖地より愛をこめて) (2001; 3 ep)
- OVA 3- Angelique Twin Collection (アンジェリークTWINコレクション) (2002; 8 ep)
- OVA 4- Angelique (オリジナルビデオアニメーション アンジェリーク) (2004; 3 ep)- based on video game; first series chronologically, prequel to Shiroi Tsubasa no Memoire
Angelique Limoges and Rosalia de Catargena have been chosen as candidates in a Queen Examination - a test to see who is better qualified to be the next Queen of the universe. For this special examination, both girls are given their own continent on a planet. The girls must raise the continents into thriving civilizations and environments. Nine Guardians (who control various spiritual elements, such as fire, wind, and water) have been chosen to help the girls raise their continents during the Queen Examination.
Anime, Television series spin-offs
There was a Koi Suru Tenshi Angelique series (25 episodes) from 2006 to 2007.
- Koi suru Tenshi Angelique: Kokoro no Mezameru Toki (恋する天使アンジェリーク 〜心のめざめる時〜) (13 eps) 2006 spinoff of the OVAs
- Koi suru Tenshi Angelique ~ Kagayaki no Ashita ~ (恋する天使アンジェリーク 〜かがやきの明日〜) (12 eps) 2007 sequel to 2006 series
CDs
Vocal and soundtrack CDs
- Angelique, Yasashī ai no melody (アンジェリーク 優しい愛のメロディ)
- Angelique, Fallin' love (アンジェリーク FALLIN’LOVE)
- Angelique, Soiree (アンジェリーク SOIREE)
- Angelique, Sing & Talk - Harmonia (アンジェリーク Sing&Talk~ハルモニア)
Drama CDs
- Angelique, Hikari to yami no sacrea (アンジェリーク 光と闇のサクリア) (Clavis: Bin Shimada)
- Angelique, Tokimeki no hōseki-bako (アンジェリーク ときめきの宝石箱) (Clavis: Bin Shimada)
- Angelique, Koi wa Push & Push! (アンジェリーク 恋はPUSH&PUSH!)
- Angelique, Anata no hitomi ni yume-tenshi (sweet angel) (アンジェリーク あなたの瞳に夢天使(スウィート・エンジェル))
- Angelique, Madowase naide sei-shōjo (innocent girl) (アンジェリーク 惑わせないで聖少女(イノセント・ガール))
- Angelique duet, Hikōtoshi monogatari (アンジェリークデュエット 飛空都市物語)
Gaiden Drama series
- Angelique Gaiden: Infinite Scale (アンジェリーク外伝 無限音階)
- Angelique Gaiden 2: Outline in Crimson (アンジェリーク外伝2 緋の輪郭)
- Angelique Gaiden 3: Mirrors of the Forbidden Land (アンジェリーク外伝3 禁域の鏡)'
- Angelique Gaiden 4: Rainbow Memories (アンジェリーク外伝4 虹の記憶)
Related game series
Neo Romance series
Neo Romance series is the otome game series developed by the women-based group Ruby Party in KOEI.[3]
- Angelique series (The otome game series in this article).
- Harukanaru Toki no Naka de - Second game series of the Neo Romance.
- Kiniro no Corda - Third game series of the Neo Romance.
- Neo Angelique - Fourth game. This is totally different game from the series Angelique. Neither sequel nor spin-off. According to Ruby Party, the world of the series Angelique is the distant past of the Neo Angelique.[22] Therefore, a bit similar gadgets appear, such that the stage of Neo Angelique is the continent Arcadia, which was the stage of Angelique Trois.
Notes and references
- (ja) "Angelique Luminarise (Anmina)".
- (ja) Famitsu-news 190914
- (ja) Official Neo Romance website: About (retrieved 25 March 2022).
- (ja) Angelique Special, Sweet guide pp.10-80.
- (ja) Angelique Special 2, Sweet guide pp.14-44.
- (ja) Angelique Trois, Sweet guide pp.10-46.
- (ja) Angelique Etoile, Official guide pp.3-48.
- (ja) Angelique Etoile, Handbook.
- (ja) Gamecity, Luminarise: Ange (retrieved 5 March 2022).
- (ja) Angelique Trois, Sweet guide, opening story.
- (ja) Famitsu-news 210923 (retrieved 2 March 2022)
- (ja) "ゲーム – アンジェリークSpecial" [Games – Angelique Special]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Japan: Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
- Gantayat, Anoop (18 November 2005). "Koei Brings Love to the DS". IGN. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- "New Angelique Retour Trailer Revealed". 12 November 2015.
- "Angelique Retour Adds a Pair of Dapper Twins to the Dating Sim". 23 June 2015.
- "Angelique Retour Arrives in Japan on December 17". 2 September 2015.
- (ja) famitsu-news-210520
- (ja) bs-log-210519
- (ja) famitsu-news-210420
- (ja) famitsu-news-190914
- The former game is Angelique Etoile 2003. After 18 years since 2003, the new game Luminarise has been releaesd.
- (ja) Neo Angelique, Memorial book, 2008, p.111, q3 ISBN 978-4-7758-0664-7.
- (ja) Naomi Tanizaki Angelique Special, Sweet guide, 1996, Koei ISBN 4-87719-349-9
- (ja) Naomi Tanizaki Angelique Special 2, Sweet guide, 1997, Koei ISBN 4-87719-446-0
- (ja) Ruby Party ed. Angelique Trois, Sweet guide, 2000, Koei ISBN 4-87719-848-2
- (ja) Ruby Party ed. Angelique Etoile, Official guide, 2003-1230, Koei ISBN 4-7758-0143-0
- (ja) Ruby Party ed. Angelique Etoile, Handbook, 2004-0129, Koei ISBN 4-7758-0155-4
- (ja) Ruby Party ed. Neo Angelique, Memorial book, Koei, 2008. ISBN 978-4-7758-0664-7