Key (company)
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| Key | |
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| Type | Visual novel studio |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Osaka, Japan |
| Industry | Computer games |
| Products | Visual novels |
| Website | key.visualarts.gr.jp |
Key is a Japanese visual novel studio under Visual Art's, known for making dramatic and plot-oriented dating sims. Their debut release Kanon was hugely successful in Japan. It combined an elaborate and sentimental storyline, an up-to-date anime drawing style and a popular musical score. Their second game, Air, was similarly well received in Japan, having a similar if not more complex storyline. Both Kanon and Air sold over a million copies and also had non-erotic console ports released for the Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2.
Clannad is a dating sim similar to its previous games, but is entirely clean, without any adult content. Clannad suffered many delays before its release, leading to a great deal of anticipation from fans. The game finally released in 2004 and, although with more than two years of delay, was still popular. In 2004, Key released Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume. Planetarian, in contrast to Key's past games, is a linear visual novel that does not require the user to make a choice, but to sit back and enjoy the story; this is what Key referred to as a kinetic novel. Planetarian is the shortest of Key's games.
Key has their own music label named Key Sounds Label; every soundtrack that is released based from one of Key's titles is on this label. There are other albums on the label not directly related to the visual novels, such as two albums by Lia and one by eufonius. The albums on this label have music composed by members from Key.
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[edit] History
Before forming Key (a brand of Osaka-based Visual Art's), the founding members worked for another development company called Tactics. While employed there, they contributed to three games: Dōsei, Moon. and One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e. After the release of One, these developers transferred to Visual Art's, where they created their debut title Kanon.[1]
[edit] Main staff
- Itaru Hinoue - Art direction
- Leo Kashida - Screenplay
- Jun Maeda - Planning, screenplay, composer
- OdiakeS - Composer
- Shinji Orito - Composer
- Magome Togoshi - Composer
[edit] Games produced by Key
- Kanon (1999)
- Air (2001)
- Clannad (2004)
- Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume (2004)
- Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life -- the sequel to Clannad (2005)
- Little Busters! (2007)
[edit] References
- ^ AnimeSuki forums regarding pre-Key Tactics games. Retrieved on 2006-12-24.
[edit] External links
- Key official website (Japanese)
- Key fan club of mainland china (Chinese)
- Forum for English-speaking Key fans
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Key
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|---|---|
| Kanon | Anime episodes | Characters | Soundtracks |
| Air | Anime | Characters | Movie | Soundtracks |
| Clannad | Nagisa Furukawa | Soundtracks |
| Other games | Planetarian (Albums) | Tomoyo After (Soundtracks) | Little Busters! |
| Pre-Key games | Dōsei | Moon. | One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e |
| Related | Key Sounds Label | KineticNovel | Tactics | Visual Art's |
