Key is a Japanese
visual novel
A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...
studio known for making dramatic and plot-oriented titles. It was formed on July 21, 1998, as a brand under the publisher
Visual Arts
The visual arts are Art#Forms, genres, media, and styles, art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as ...
, and is located in
Kita
Kita or KITA may refer to:
People
* Kita (surname)
* Kita Alexander (born 1996), Australian singer-songwriter
* João Leithardt Neto, Brazilian footballer nicknamed Kita
* Sampsa Astala, Finnish musician whose stage name is Kita
Places In Jap ...
,
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
.
Key's debut visual novel ''
Kanon
Kanon may refer to:
Buddhism
* Kanon, a Japanese name for Guanyin, a Buddhist spiritual figure
Media and literature
* ''Kanon'' (video game), a Japanese visual novel by Key, later adapted into anime series
* ''Kanon'' (manga), a manga by Chih ...
'' (1999) combined an elaborate
storyline, up-to-date
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
-style art, and a musical score which helped to set the mood for the game. Key's second game, ''
Air
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
'' (2000), had a similarly complex storyline to ''Kanon'' and a more thorough
gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...
. Both ''Kanon'' and ''Air''