Summer Pockets

Summer Pockets is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts. It was released on June 29, 2018 for Windows and is rated for all ages. Summer Pockets is Key's 13th game, along with other titles such as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. It has been ported to iOS and Android devices, and the Nintendo Switch. An English version for Windows was released by Visual Arts in 2020. An expanded version of the game titled Summer Pockets Reflection Blue was also released on June 26, 2020 in Japan. The story is set on a fictional island on the Seto Inland Sea and follows the life of Hairi Takahara, a young man who uses the recent death of his grandmother as an excuse to escape to the island after an unpleasant incident. Once there, he gets to know the townsfolk of Torishirojima and multiple girls who are the focus of the story.

Summer Pockets
Cover featuring heroines (from left to right) Kamome Kushima, Shiroha Naruse, Tsumugi Wenders and Ao Sorakado.
Developer(s)Key
Publisher(s)Visual Arts (Windows)
Prototype (Switch)
Director(s)Kai
Artist(s)
  • Na-Ga
  • Tsubasu Izumi
  • Yūnon Nagayama
  • Fumuyun
  • Engiyoshi
Writer(s)
Composer(s)
  • Jun Maeda
  • Shinji Orito
  • Donmaru
  • Tomohiro Takeshita
  • Ryō Mizutsuki
Platform(s)Windows, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseSummer Pockets
  • JP: June 29, 2018 (Windows)
  • JP: December 17, 2018 (iOS)
  • JP: December 21, 2018 (Android)
  • JP: June 20, 2019 (Switch)
  • WW: February 5, 2020 (Windows)

Reflection Blue
  • JP: June 26, 2020 (Windows)
Genre(s)Visual novel
Mode(s)Single-player

The game's concept is by Jun Maeda, who felt that the game needed to make readers cry. Kai was brought in to direct the project, as well as co-write the scenario with Hasama and Yū Niijima. Maeda decided not to write the scenario due to similarities in themes with Key's visual novel Air, which he primarily wrote. Although Air also features a rural, seaside setting during the summer, the development team aimed for Summer Pockets to have a different feeling to it. Nostalgia and the maternal bond are prominent themes in the game. Na-Ga is the chief artist and character designer, and additional character designs are provided by Tsubasu Izumi, Yūnon Nagayama and Fumuyun. The game's soundtrack was composed by Maeda, Shinji Orito, Donmaru, Tomohiro Takeshita and Ryō Mizutsuki.

Synopsis

Summer Pockets is set on an isolated, rural and peaceful island on the Seto Inland Sea called Torishirojima,[n 1] which has a population of about 2,000 people. The protagonist is Hairi Takahara,[n 2] a young man not native to the island. Hairi grew up in an urban setting, but after an unpleasant incident, he uses the recent death of his grandmother as an excuse to come to the island to take care of her estate sale. Once there, he gets to know four girls who are the focus of the story. They include Shiroha Naruse,[n 3] who forgot her summer vacation; Ao Sorakado,[n 4] who is pursuing the legends of the island; Kamome Kushima,[n 5] a high-class girl looking for a pirate ship; and Tsumugi Wenders,[n 6] a younger girl trying to find herself.[1][2]

Characters

Main
Hairi Takahara (鷹原 羽依里, Takahara Hairi)
Voiced by: Shōya Chiba in Reflection Blue
Shiroha Naruse (鳴瀬 しろは, Naruse Shiroha)
Voiced by: Konomi Kohara
Ao Sorakado (空門　蒼, Sorakado Ao)
Voiced by: Natsumi Takamori
Kamome Kushima (久島 鴎, Kushima Kamome)
Voiced by: Tomomi Mineuchi
Tsumugi Wenders (紬 ヴェンダース, Tsumugi Vendāsu)
Voiced by: Emiri Iwai
Miki Nomura (野村 美希, Nomura Miki)
Voiced by: Saku Ichimiya
Shizuku Mizuori (水織 静久, Mizuori Shizuku)
Voiced by: Sahomi Koyama
Umi Katō (加藤 うみ, Katō Umi)
Voiced by: Aimi Tanaka
Shiki Kamiyama (神山 識, Kamiyama Shiki)
Voiced by: Ai Fairouz
Nanami (七海)
Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa

Others
Ai Sorakado (空門 藍)
Voiced by: Natsumi Takamori
Ryōichi Mitani (三谷 良一, Mitani Ryōichi)
Voiced by: Kentarō Kumagai
Tenzen Kanō (加納 天善, Kanō Tenzen)
Voiced by: Yōhei Kamada
Kyōko Misaki (岬 鏡子, Misaki Kyōko)
Voiced by: Megumi Takamoto
Kobato Naruse (成瀬 小鳩, Naruse Kobato)
Voiced by: Minoru Shiraishi
Sagi Kushima (久島 鷺, Kushima Sagi)
Voiced by: Wakana Kowana
Inari (イナリ)
Voiced by: Konomi Suzuki

Development

Before the production of Summer Pockets began, Key was in the process of developing Angel Beats! 1st Beat (2015) and Harmonia (2016). At that time in early 2015, scenario writer Yūto Tonokawa was leading a new project for another visual novel, but this project was postponed to focus on Angel Beats! and Harmonia. Tonokawa later resigned from Key prior to the release of Angel Beats! 1st Beat in June 2015, and the project he was leading was subsequently abandoned. Following this, Kai was brought in to direct a new project, which would later become Summer Pockets. An in-house competition among Visual Arts employees was conducted to submit ideas for the new project as long as it was based around a concept involving an enjoyable, everyday life and a tearful story, but otherwise not being constrained by previous works by Key.[1]

When discussion began regarding Key's new work, Jun Maeda talked it over with Takahiro Baba, the president of Visual Arts, and Maeda was adamant that the new project needed to make readers cry. Maeda went on to say that if their next work could not achieve that, it would mean the end for Key. Among the ideas was one submitted by scenario writer Yū Niijima described as similar to Ghost in the Shell by Kai. Although there were many ideas submitted, it was felt that they were all somewhat lacking as something produced by Key. Maeda admitted that although there were interesting ideas submitted, none of them would make readers cry. Despite Maeda not originally planning to submit an idea himself, he offered one as an example, but he was surprised when his idea was instantly accepted as the basis for what would become Summer Pockets. Maeda decided not to write the scenario for the game due to similarities in themes with Key's visual novel Air (2000), which he primarily wrote.[1]

Kai began expanding on the concept with Maeda sitting in on production meetings, but Maeda was later hospitalized, leading Kai to request that more writers be brought on for the project.[1] Niijima had previously worked on visual novels for Saga Planets, another brand under Visual Arts, but he resigned from Saga Planets in 2012.[3] Baba had suggested on multiple occasions that they bring in Niijima for a new project, leading to him being brought in as a scenario writer. Another scenario writer, Hasama, was added following his contributions to the scenario of the ports of Key's visual novel Kud Wafter (2010).[1]

Although the game is set on a fictional island, it features locations based on real places; the development staff went to Naoshima, Megijima and Ogijima to aid in this process. The use of nostalgia as a theme was important for Kai who likened Maeda's concept to the Boku no Natsuyasumi video game series. In addressing concerns about its similarity to Air, which also features a rural, seaside setting during the summer, Kai noted that Summer Pockets will have a completely different feeling to it due in part to the relationships the heroines have among each other and also from several charming male characters being featured in the game, similar to that of Little Busters! (2007) and Angel Beats! (2010). However, Maeda pointed out that the theme of the maternal bond featured in Air is also included in Summer Pockets.[1]

Na-Ga is the chief artist and character designer for Summer Pockets, and three other artists were later brought in to produce additional character designs: Yūnon Nagayama, Tsubasu Izumi and Fumuyun. Nagayama had previously worked on the character design for Angel Beats! 1st Beat, and she was asked to join the staff for Summer Pockets due to her art being highly compatible with Na-Ga's illustrations. Kai was introduced to Izumi by Harumi Sakurai, the voice of Yuri Nakamura from Angel Beats!, and Kai had wanted to work with Izumi on a project for some time.[1] Fumuyun joined the staff to provide character designs for two supporting characters.[4] Super deformed characters are designed by Engiyoshi. The game's soundtrack is composed by Key's signature composers, Maeda and Shinji Orito, in addition to Donmaru, Tomohiro Takeshita and Ryō Mizutsuki.[5]

Marketing and release

A nine-episode Internet radio show called Samapoke Kikikomi Radio (サマポケききこみラジオ, Summer Pockets Information Radio) featuring Visual Arts president Takahiro Baba was streamed on YouTube from February 27 to March 26, 2018.[6][7] Leading up to the release of Summer Pockets, 53 artists drew illustrations of the game's characters and offered comments from March 1 to June 29, 2018 to promote the game.[8][9][10] A full-color introductory booklet called Summer Pockets Walker was distributed for free at anime and gaming stores across Japan starting on March 30, 2018.[11] To advertise Summer Pockets, J.I.O Create took a 2007 Honda Stream RSZ and made it into an itasha (a car featuring illustrations of anime-styled characters) with images of the game's heroines. The car was driven around and showcased throughout Japan between May 3 and June 8, 2018.[12][13] The car was put onto the Japanese Yahoo! Auction website on July 26, 2018 and sold for ¥1,411,000 .[14] Illustrator Engiyoshi drew 17 snippets featuring characters from Summer Pockets called Summer Pockets Theater (サマボケ劇場, Samapoke Gekijō) from May 14 to July 5, 2018.[15][16][17] A series of short stories began to be released on the game's website starting on October 31, 2018 written by the game's scenario writers: Kai, Hasama, and Yū Niijima.[18][19] The stories, subtitled Natsu no Mabushisa no Naka de (夏の眩しさの中で, In the Middle of a Dazzling Summer), each focus on a separate character and feature illustrations by Fumuyun, one of the game's artists.[19]

Key released a free game demo of Summer Pockets on April 24, 2018 on the game's official website.[20] Summer Pockets was released on June 29, 2018 as a limited edition version for Windows.[5][21] The limited edition came bundled with an official guide book titled Torishirojima Kankō Nisshi (鳥白島観光日誌, Torishirojima Sightseeing Journal), a remix album titled Swallow Tale, a rubber coaster, a microfiber cloth, a glow-in-the-dark sticker, and promotional cards from the Weiß Schwarz and Lycèe trading card games.[21] Over two dozen stores in Akihabara and online offered special promotional items if the limited edition version of the game was bought at their store. These items included telephone cards, tapestries, mousepads, posters, a smartphone stand, and four separate drama CDs.[21][22][23]

Summer Pockets was ported to iOS on December 17, 2018, and to Android on December 21, 2018.[24][25] Prototype released a version on the Nintendo Switch on June 20, 2019.[26] An English version for Windows was released by Visual Arts[27] on February 5, 2020.

Reflection Blue

An upgraded version of the game titled Summer Pockets Reflection Blue was released on June 26, 2020 for Windows.[28] Two separate editions were released: a limited edition, and a more expensive special edition that comes bundled with more content. Both editions came bundled with an official guide book titled Torishirojima Kankō Nisshi 2 (鳥白島観光日誌2, Torishirojima Sightseeing Journal 2), remix albums, and other promotional items totaling seven in all. The special edition was also bundled with an art book, an acrylic stand, a mini plush toy of Inari, a T-shirt, a necklace, a book jacket, and a Summer Pockets holographic card set.[29] Originally conceived as a fan disc, Key later decided to release it as a new version of the game with various additions, and it is made by the same staff as the original game. Reflection Blue has four additional heroine routes, three of which are for Miki Nomura, Shizuku Mizuori, and Umi Kato from Summer Pockets, in addition to the new heroine Shiki Kamiyama. There are also new everyday life scenarios featuring the characters interacting and having fun together, and this includes an upgrade to the ping pong minigame.[30]

Music

Summer Pockets has six pieces of theme music: one opening theme, two ending themes, and three insert songs played during gameplay. The opening theme is "Alkatale" (アルカテイル, Arukateiru) sung by Konomi Suzuki. The main ending theme is "Lasting Moment" sung by Suzuki, and the grand finale ending theme is "Pocket o Fukuramasete" (ポケットをふくらませて) sung by Rionos. The three insert songs include "Tsumugi no Natsuyasumi" (紬の夏休み) sung by Emiri Iwai, "Hane no Yurikago" (羽のゆりかご) sung by Runa Mizutani of the dōjin music group NanosizeMir, and "Yasōka" (夜奏花) sung by Yurika.[31]

The single for "Alkatale" was released on March 28, 2018.[31] The single contained "Alkatale" in original, short and instrumental versions, and two pieces of background music from the visual novel.[32] As with several of Key's previous works, a music album came bundled with the limited edition release of the game; the album, released on June 29, 2018, is titled Swallow Tale and contains remixes of eight tracks of the game's music.[21] The original soundtrack for Summer Pockets was released on September 26, 2018.[31] Each of the singles and albums released were on Key's record label Key Sounds Label.[33]

Reception

Summer Pockets premiered as the No. 1 game sold on Getchu.com, a major redistributor of visual novel and domestic anime products, during the month of its release,[34] and at No. 4 in July.[35]

Notes
  1. (Japanese: 鳥白島)
  2. Takahara Hairi (鷹原 羽依里)
  3. Naruse Shiroha (鳴瀬 しろは, voiced by: Konomi Kohara)
  4. Sorakado Ao (空門 蒼, voiced by: Natsumi Takamori)
  5. Kushima Kamome (久島 鴎, voiced by: Tomomi Mineuchi)
  6. Tsumugi Vendāsu (紬 ヴェンダース, voiced by: Emiri Iwai)

References
  1. "Key新作発表! ヒロイン公開＆制作陣に独占インタビュー!". Dengeki G's Magazine (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  2. "Visual Art's/Key Announces Jun Maeda's Summer Pockets PC Game". Anime News Network. December 10, 2016. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  3. Niijima, Yū (April 20, 2012). "卒業しても好きって言うよ". Saga Planets (in Japanese). Livedoor. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  4. "サマポケ開発日誌(ふむゆん)" (in Japanese). Key. March 14, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  5. "Summer Pockets -サマーポケッツ- (サマポケ) オフィシャルサイト | Spec" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  6. "#01『サマポケききこみラジオ』". Visual Arts (in Japanese). YouTube. February 27, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  7. "#09『サマポケききこみラジオ』". Visual Arts (in Japanese). YouTube. February 27, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  8. "「Summer Pockets」応援イラスト" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  9. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. March 1, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  10. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  11. "サマポケWalker 全国無料配布 開催決定!" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  12. "「Summer Pockets」夏の思い出を追いかけるツアー開催決定!" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  13. "所沢オタク車屋じおくり/日曜オフ会" (in Japanese). Twitter. April 30, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  14. "【Key】Summer Pockets公式痛車『サマポケ号』 (ホンダ ストリーム)" (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  15. "「サマボケ劇場」" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  16. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. May 14, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  17. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  18. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. October 31, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
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  20. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. April 24, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
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  22. "Summer Pockets 初回限定版" (in Japanese). Getchu. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
    "【特典対象】 Summer Pockets ソフマップLIMITED EDITION" (in Japanese). Sofmap. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
    "「Summer Pockets」特設サイト" (in Japanese). Gamers. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
    "【Win】Summer Pockets(サマーポケッツ) アニメイト限定セット" (in Japanese). Animate. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  23. "サマポケ開発日誌（ディレクターの方の魁）" (in Japanese). Key. August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  24. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  25. "Key開発室" (in Japanese). Twitter. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  26. "Nintendo Switch Summer Pockets" (in Japanese). Prototype. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  27. "Summer Pockets Visual Novel's English Version Delayed to Early 2020". Anime News Network. December 23, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  28. "Summer Pockets Reflection Blue ! Spec" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  29. "Summer Pockets Reflection Blue ! Shopping Guide" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  30. "Summer Pockets: Reflection Blue Adds Four Heroines And Everyday Life Scenarios". Siliconera. December 9, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  31. "Summer Pockets -サマーポケッツ- (サマポケ) オフィシャルサイト | Sound" (in Japanese). Key. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  32. "アルカテイル" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  33. "Key Sounds Label HomePage" (in Japanese). Key Sounds Label. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  34. "2018年・6月セールスランキング" (in Japanese). Getchu.com. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  35. "2018年・7月セールスランキング" (in Japanese). Getchu.com. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
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