Aoi Shiro (アオイシロ) is a Japanese horror adventure game by Japanese developer and publisher Success Corporation, released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on April 5, 2008, and was later ported to Microsoft Windows with extra content. A reduced price "popular edition," included in the SuperLite 2000 Series, was released on April 28, 2009. On September 14, 2022, a Remastered "HD" version of the game was announced for the Nintendo Switch and PC, alongside its older "sister-game" Akai Ito, at the Tokyo Game Show (東京ゲームショウ), with a release date planned for 2023. In addition, this new version would receive an official English language option for the first time, and be given a release outside Japan.

Plot

Aoi Shiro is an adventure game that sets stage in both the modern real world and a mythical world. Aoi Shiro is the second in a line of yuri visual novel-style PS2 games from game maker SUCCESS and takes place in the same universe as its predecessor, Akai Ito. The Seijou Girls Academy's Kendo Club is traveling to Shoushinji for summer training camp. Near there is an island, Urashima, where a demon extermination took place long ago. They arrive around the time of a festival which honors a god that is worshipped by the people of Urashima, it celebrates the onitaiji and ensure another year of health for the people. Around the time of the festival, the weather around Urashima worsens and storms will come. A few days into their training Osanai Syouko finds a girl washed up on the shores near the location of the training camp who can not speak and doesn't seem to know much about herself. Aoi Shiro'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.

Characters

Development and release

Success first announced the production of a new visual novel in August, 2006, two years after the release of its previous visual novel Akai Ito. The game was first released on the PlayStation 2 on April 5, 2008. Success announced in August 2008 that Aoi Shiro would be released for Microsoft Windows on November 21, 2008, a free game demo of Aoi Shiro for Windows became available for download at Success' official website on October 3, 2008. Aoi Shiro for Windows was the number two top seller in its first week of release in Japanese PC game sales. A reduced price "popular edition," included in developer and publisher Success' SuperLite 2000 Series, was released on April 28, 2009, for PlayStation 2.

Other media

Aoi Shiro has had two manga adaptations. Aoishiro - Waltz of the Blue Castle (アオイシロ-青い城の円舞曲) was written by Fumotogawa Tomoyuki and illustrated by Edoya Pochi it was first serialized in Comic Yuri Hime in 2008 and later release into one bound volume. The story takes place before the start of the game and focuses on the relationship between Momoko and Yasumi when they first become roommates at Seijou Girls Academy dormitory. A second manga, titled Aoishiro - Kaeishou (アオイシロ -花影抄), was serialized in Comic Rush which was also written by Fumotogawa Tomoyuki and illustrated by Katase Yu. Three bound volumes were released in Japan between January 7, 2008, and October 6, 2008, published by Jive, This adaptation follows the video game storyline focusing on Nami's route. A free Aoi Shiro web novel was released on the game's official website, and follows one of the storylines accessible when playing Yasumi route in the video game. The novel has been unofficially translated into English as of 2008. An Internet radio show that was used to promote the video game was broadcast from March 1, 2008, to October 12, 2008, on Galge Radio Station. The show, which aired bi-weekly, was hosted by Yamaguchi Rikako and Ookubo Aiko, who voice Yasumi and Momoko in the game, respectively.