is a Japanese horror

adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story, driven by exploration and/or puzzle-solving. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based m ...

Success Corporation is a Japanese video game and online game developer and publisher, based in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and founded on 7 June 1978. They are best known for their ''Cotton (series), Cotton'' series of shooter games, ''Zoo Keeper (2003 video game), Zoo Kee ...

, released exclusively for the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

in Japan on October 21, 2004. A reduced price "popular edition", included in developer and publisher

SUCCESS Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of expectations. It may be viewed as the opposite of failure. The criteria for success depend on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One person mi ...

' ''SuperLite 2000 Series'', was released on October 27, 2005. The title refers to the mythical

red string of fate The red thread of fate (), also referred to as the red thread of marriage, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese mythology. It is commonly thought of as an invisible red cord around the finger of those that are des ...

. A remastered "HD" version for the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

and PC, along with its younger "sister-game" '' Aoi Shiro'', was released on May 24, 2023. It has English language option and was released outside Japan.

Story

After the death of her mother, orphaned high school student Kei Hatō heads for her late father's house in Hemizuka to settle issues with her inheritance. In the train on the way there, Kei has a mysterious dream of a huge tree and a woman who seems to be lost in sadness. In Hemizuka, Kei learns the secret concealed in her own blood through various meeting with an

Oni An ( ) is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains or in hell. Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like th ...

Slayer, a friend of her late mother, a young girl accompanied by a white fox, and even the mysterious girl from her dreams. Throughout the story Kei is antagonized by the twin oni Nozomi and Mikage. Akai Ito's story varies greatly based upon the player's decisions, which not only affect the flow of the story but also the ending the player receives (several of which suggest romantic feelings among the female characters).

Character

* (CV:

Miyu Matsuki , better known by her stage name , was a Japanese voice actress and singer from Kure, Hiroshima, best known for her work in anime. She was affiliated with 81 Produce at the time of her death. Death Matsuki announced on July 14, 2015, that she wa ...

) The main character of the story, Kei is a rather careless person, which is quite ironic considering her favorite phrase is "always be prepared". * (CV:

Yūko Minaguchi is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator from Bunkyō, Tokyo. She is affiliated with Aoni Production. In 2012, Minaguchi took a nineteen-month-long hiatus from acting in order to study abroad in the United States. This resulted in Sh ...

) The mysterious girl from Kei's dreams. * (CV:

Akeno Watanabe is a Japanese voice actress and narrator affiliated with Office Osawa. Some of her notable voice roles include Robin Sena in '' Witch Hunter Robin'', Chachamaru Karakuri in ''Negima! Magister Negi Magi'', Halle Lidner in ''Death Note'', Rit ...

) The Oni Slayer Kei meets at the train station, her sword is the bane of the oni. * (CV:

Rie Kugimiya is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is best known for her voice performances in anime, which include Alphonse Elric in the '' Fullmetal Alchemist'' series, Kagura in '' Gintama'', and Happy in '' Fairy Tail'' and '' Edens Zero'', and ...

) A girl half Kei's age, accompanied by a white fox. Kei meets her in her father's now abandoned house. * (CV:

Asami Sanada is a Japanese actress from Nagano Prefecture. She voiced the role of Vita in the '' Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha'' series, Jun Sakurada in the ''Rozen Maiden'' series, Kurumi Tokisaki in the ''Date A Live'' series, Sawako Yamanaka in the ''K-On! ...

) A friend of Kei's deceased mother. She goes by the nickname "West". * (CV: Megumi Kobayashi) Twin oni and the antagonists of the story. * (CV: Kazutaka Ishii) A mysterious male, later known as Kei's brother called Hakuka. * (CV: Nana Furuhara) * (CV:

Mamiko Noto is a Japanese actress and singer. Some of her prominent anime roles include Kotomi Ichinose in ''Clannad'', Rin in '' Inuyasha'', Kotori Monou in '' X'', Aoi Kannazuki in '' Kaitō Tenshi Twin Angel'', Durandal in '' Honkai Impact 3rd'', Ishm ...

) * (CV:

Miyuki Sawashiro is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. She has played voice roles in a number of Japanese anime/games including ''Beelzebub'', Bishamon in '' Noragami'', Petit Charat/Puchiko in '' Di Gi Charat'', Mint in '' Galaxy Angel'', Sinon in ...

)

Staff

* Character design / Original picture: HAL * Script: Tomoyuki Fumotogawa * Music: MANYO (Little Wing) * Background:

J.C.Staff is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986 by Tomoyuki Miyata, who previously worked at Tatsunoko Production. The studio's first release was '' Yōtōden'' in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as '' Aria ...

Music

* Opening theme song 『 ''Mawaru Sekai de'' (廻る世界で) 』 by

Haruka Shimotsuki is a Japanese singer and dōjin music composer known for her vocal themes in the '' Atelier Iris'' and '' Ar tonelico'' series. She also wrote the lyrics and sang the ending themes to the first two seasons of ''Rozen Maiden'' as well as the OVA ...

Riya Riya is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Riya, Japanese singer * Riya Bamniyal, Indian actress * Riya Deepsi, Indian actress and model *Riya Sen Riya Sen (born Riya Dev Varma; 24 January 1981) is an Indian actress and mo ...

* Ending theme song 『 ''Tabiji no Hate'' (旅路の果て) 』 by Haruka Shimotsuki / Riya

Adaptations

Manga

''Akai Ito'' has also received several manga adaptations: a one-shot by Muttri Moony published in the July 2004 issue of Yuri Shimai, by the name "Swear"; and a short manga published in the May and June 2007 issues of ''

Monthly Comic Rush was a Japanese shōnen manga magazine, published by Jive. The first issue was published on January 26, 2004, and the final issue on January 26, 2011. The magazine was sold monthly on the twenty-sixth. Afterwards it switched to an online-only ...

''. A special

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

was created for a limited edition, featuring various stories from different artists.

Web novel

A free web novel of ''Akai Ito'' was released on

Success Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of expectations. It may be viewed as the opposite of failure. The criteria for success depend on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One person mi ...

' official ''Akai Ito'' website,Akai Ito web novel
, Akai Ito's web novel. and follows one of the storylines accessible when playing the video game.

Drama CD

One

drama CD Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatised, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...

has been released. It was first released as a Limited Edition version in October 2005 and later a regular version was released on December 26, 2006.

Notes and references

External links

''Akai Ito'' official website

SUCCESS official site

ZoharContact's ''Akai Ito'' fan translation

''Aoi Shiro''/''Akai Ito'' HD official website
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