Hey, Tama?
We have to leave soon! School is far away.
Wait up!
Sorry! Shore be sorry I's late!
What's wrong, Yumine?
That was awful! You've gotta do it over!
Tama, we're in high school now. Okay?
What's with that baggy uniform?
Gammy says I should get a big 'un so I can grow into it.
Also, drop the hick accent.
- Aw, no! - Yeah.
Okay, I'll talk "normal."
Well, our uniforms are pretty expensive.
Though I've been on the escalator- track there since Jr. High.
Since your Jr. High was in the podunk, this might be tough for you.
This here ain't no podunk!
- Hey! There's that high-accent again! - Sorry...
I'm Tamaki Honda. Today is the first day of high school.
It's Hoshinotsuji, a private middle and high school.
It's famous for its relaxed environment and lively after-school clubs.
Today after school, they're holding a "Club PR" event where you can tour the clubs.
My new school is in the city!
It's completely different from my Jr. High, so this will take some getting used to.
Look, Tama. We're here.
Starting Point
After the welcome ceremony and homeroom...
...the new students are free to visit all the clubs at the Club PR.
I've been looking forward to this day, because I want to join a wonderful club. But...
I still have no idea what my "passion" in life is...
So this's our first Club PR!
I wonder what kind of noobs we're gonna find?
Fujikawa, don't you have a shift at your Digital Music Club?
Yeah. But this is more important to me.
I hope we get a new illustrator!
Ooh! Or maybe a VA-hopeful? That'd be fun!
Don't hold your breath...
Hey, aren't you gonna wear this?
Only the club president can wear that.
Right... But also wrong. Starting today, the president is...
Oh. Right.
All done. We'd better hurry.
Good luck on your first day, President!
Tea Ceremony Club
This school sure has lots of clubs!
Tea Ceremony Club
I wanted to check out other places, but time just slipped away.
I can understand that! It's very easy to establish a new club here.
Wow! This matcha is really good!
Glad to hear it!
It really is great!
Heya, Tama!
Yumine!
- So, did you choose a club yet? - Not yet...
There are so many and I ended up chatting too much.
Oh dear... Well, I joined the Illustrating Club.
They even have that?
Do you have an idea of what kind of club you'd like?
Hmm... Not really.
I want it to be like, "I MUST join this club."
But I haven't found anything like that yet.
Don't stress. I'm sure you'll find something.
Even so...
We really do have a strange variety...
Aya... These young smiles are blinding me.
Shii, stay calm. I seriously regret making you stay up all night.
Um, what club is this?
Uh, er...
It's a club where we make our own games.
You can also play some games we've made.
Homemade games...
You make your own video games? That's awesome!
Homemade games?
It's actually pretty easy. Check out our promo-demo on this screen.
My PC is frozen!
Ahhh! I'm so sorry! I'll reboot!
Shii, here! Have some tea! Please, don't panic!
A puzzle game, eh?
Wow! What a cute drawing!
Can we play it?
Sure.
Agh, I'm so nervous! Maybe I should sneak off...
Let's see... Oh, "Choose Your Character." You can go first, Tama.
Thanks, Yumine!
Too cute!
I think I just received divine inspiration for my next story!
Aya, wipe off that creepy grin.
Wow! Fighting a boss already?
Oh! But it has explanations.
I hope my tutorial makes sense.
I also hope it doesn't crash.
Oh! Ah! I think there's a trick to using these balls!
Takes a lot of brain-power!
Did my story lure you cute kittens in?!
Uh, this's just a puzzle game.
Finally beat him!
I was so scared! But what a rush I got when he disappeared!
So cute... I love freshmen.
Shii... You sure changed your tune quickly.
But I agree. They're great.
We're out of time! I thought we'd pass the level for sure.
I think I pressed the wrong button...
Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to geek out like that!
It's OK. It makes the job rewarding.
That game was pretty complicated! I can't believe it was made by students.
Thank you.
I mean it! It was just like this game I had called "Hoyofuyo"!
I used to be so obsessed with it!
Did you use that game for inspiration?
It figures... Action Puzzle games all typically have the same base.
So of course it would seem familiar. I saw the similarities myself...
Shii! Stay calm!
D-did I say something weird?
So did you guys make that game?
Yes! We have two other staff members, though.
Here's the game case.
How did you make it?
We make images and music on the computer...
...then we program those into game-form.
The game-world is created by all of us, collaboratively.
It's lots of fun!
So you use computers...
I like to draw, but I haven't done much digitally...
That's okay! You can always learn how.
But it's hard.
Uh...
It's hard.
I'm sorry, but I don't think I can join your club.
I'm swamped with Illustration Club, too.
What about you, Tama? You used to doodle a lot.
Yeah, but only in grade school.
I don't know much about drawing on the computer.
And my art isn't good enough for games of this caliber...
Don't be so hard on yourself.
Her eyes...look so serious for some reason.
Well, we'll be on our way now.
Sure. Thanks for stopping by.
Those freshmen sure were cute!
Ah! The Club PR is all over.
Maybe I should join the Tea Ceremony Club. The president there is really nice.
Why don't you join the Illustrating Club?
I went there to observe, and it's really laid back.
That game sure was fun. It was all sparkly and cute.
And everyone there is so excited about making games! They have a "passion" that I lack...
Seriously...what do I want to do with my life?
Year 3 of Jr. High: Card Games
Got obsessed with card games; played against myself.
Year 3 of Jr. High: Card Games
Year 2 of Jr. High: Reading
Read used books by the river under the clouds.
Year 2 of Jr. High: Reading
Year 1 of Jr. High: Picture Copying
Attempted to recreate manga drawings
Year 1 of Jr. High: Picture Copying
Year 5 of Grade School: Manga
Hide in the closet; binge- read manga all night!
Year 5 of Grade School: Manga
Year 3 of Grade School: Doodling
See how many funny doodles I could fit in my textbooks!
Year 3 of Grade School: Doodling
Year 1 of Grade School: Bug Collecting
Collect bugs and "study" them!
Year 1 of Grade School: Bug Collecting
I have no direction in life! What am I even doing???
Hello?
Hey, Gammy, look at this!
So you made your very own Sugoroku puzzle?
You shore are good at comin' up with games, Tamaki.
When I go to school and make friends, I wanna make games for us to play!
I'm sure you'll make many friends and games, Tamaki. You're a really sweet girl.
That's right. That's how Yumine and I became friends...
I made a new game today!
Hello?
Earth to Tama?
Make up games...
Is that...
What's with you, girl?
- Sorry, Yumine! Go on home without me! - Tama?
It's still here!
Freshman?
Um...
I'm Fujikawa. This's my 2nd year here.
I did the music for the demo-game. Did you play it already?
Uh...the music...? I was so focused on the game I didn't even notice the music...
R-right... Background music isn't supposed to stand out. It figures.
Even though I slaved over that baseline, no one would pay attention...
I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be rude!
Ahh, I'm just kidding!
Being so engrossed in the game that you didn't hear the music means I succeeded.
So...why did you come back?
Um... Because I really liked the drawings.
And I also got kind of interested in making games.
I'm not sure I'll be any good at it, but if the person who illustrated that game taught me...
Then I'm sure I could probably get good someday.
Too bad. She's gone.
She created this club last year.
She recruited us and we made this puzzle game as our launch-product.
She did the art, planning, and management - she was amazing.
But she graduated.
So, we're left with only three club members. We have no artist and no leader.
We're kind of at a loss.
You have no artist?
So we were hoping we'd meet a talented freshman.
But no one joined our club.
It's still just the first day of school, guys!
I can...
I can do it! I'll join your club!
Oh, yes! Please do!
I'll learn how to use a computer.
Excellent! What a trooper! Thanks!
Have you drawn before? Like, illustrations?
I just impersonated manga drawings...
But if you're willing to put up with me, I'd love to try my hand at game-making.
It would be an honor!
Would you draw something for us?
So that's her style...
Was it strange?
Was the style off? I haven't drawn in a while.
Uh...I think it's pretty good.
Thank you so much!
I, Tamaki Honda, am going to make an honest go of drawing!
So Tama, did you wind up joining that game club?
Yeah! They didn't have an artist, so I stepped in to help.
You go, girl!
We're having our first meeting today.
I wonder what people do at a game-making meeting?
It all sounds pretty awesome.
Going to your Illustrating Club?
Yep. We're doing a meet-and-greet.
Showing other people your art really makes you nervous, huh!
It does, but...
The hot senior nearby accidentally drank the cute freshman's tea...
And his mannerisms were just so...hot...
Shii! At last the day has arrived! Our club's long awaited...
Dude, you don't waste time!
They were selling a new flavor.
If you mix two ordinary flavors together, you can enjoy their refreshing chaos.
Don't you think it's a simple stimulation for our mundane lives?
Sure... Just be sure you drink it.
Okay, Noob! Introduce yourself to the club.
O-okay!
I'm a freshman, Tamaki Honda.
I'm no good at making games or pictures, but I hope I serve you well!
Um, I brought this...
My grandmother says one must give a gift when one moves.
Do you like it?
It's good.
This's really good! Good stir-fried veggies. Very flavorful.
Sure, it's good...but is this what people do in school clubs?
But anyway, I'm glad you showed up. Next up, Madam President.
Shiina Murakami. Second year. Programmer.
Thanks for giving me a chance!
I feel like my joining was kind of random.
It's okay! Spontaneity is good in game creation!
When I saw how serious your eyes were, I decided I wanted to try working with you all.
Were my eyes serious?
When you first saw me...
...I was up late contemplating how to punish my story-writer who went bonkers.
She went bonkers?
She called me late in the night, saying she wants to put a secret boss into our demo game.
I thought that if some serious gamers showed up, our current version would be too weak...
She thought this would be easy for me since all I do is program the AI.
Meanwhile...the person in question was off playing some different game...
I wasn't messing around! Honest! I was just playing an old RPG for reference!
I guess I'd better stay on her good side...
- When did you finally fall asleep? - 5am.
S-so anyway! I write the stories for our games. I'm Ayane Seki, a second year!
I'm also a second year, Kayo Fujikawa. I cover BGM and SFX.
Nice to meet you both.
Same here.
What's wrong?
I was just thinking, you're all so talented!
In this club called, um...
Shinda sakana no me (some dead fish eyes) Nisshou busoku (Not enough sun) Shuttle run Club.
Our name is so deep it would take all night to explain.
Well then, let's talk about our future plans.
Last year, under our founder's leadership, we were able to finish one game.
But now that she is gone, we are amateurs again. We must start with a small project.
I thought up a new storyline just for today!
I suggest SNS's second leader shall be I!
Leader? You?
Try not to die, okay?
Wow...that's harsh.
Now I see. It's a side-story for our puzzle game.
E-exactly! I thought a simple novel-style game could fly!
Looks like I could remix some of my old BGM for this.
Ooh, that could work!
This is making me excited!
You will be doing the drawings, Honda.
W-will I?
I need to draw these...on the computer, right?
Yes. Well...if it's too much for you, we'll understand.
You will need to draw characters, between- frames, and also backgrounds.
You will cover all of those areas.
Since this is a group project, there's deadlines.
Murakami, don't freak her out, okay?
I don't want her to feel forced to help us. Making a game is no easy task.
Right... It must be very hard work.
I don't even know what style of art they want. I might not be any good.
But...
I don't want to lose any more time in finding my passion. I want to make games!
I...I'll do my best!
Good answer, Honda!
- We'll make it somehow! - Y-yes!
So I would like to go over our schedule again.
Sometimes there are events where homemade games are sold.
But our main goal is Natsucomi.
Natsucomi?
It's a huge homemade game and manga event held in the summer.
Completing a game and entering it in the competition is our main goal.
Yeah. Sounds good!
An over-packed schedule is just asking for failure.
Right! I'll let you have this.
This is the game you all made!
But you don't need to copy the artwork.
We want to incorporate your style into our next game.
My style...
Well! I guess I'll compose a tune tonight.
You can make music that quickly? Maybe I should...
Oh, don't stress! You'll only stress me out, too!
Shii...
You could've been easier on her.
Honda will get more and more drawing tasks in the future. If she overworks herself...
I...
I understand how you feel. But let's be optimistic.
I haven't seen you have this much fun in a while!
Really?
You might be right. I think I enjoyed being someone's mentor.
I'm sure we'll have failures and setbacks... but the four of us will make it happen!
I'll do my best, too. Okay? We've got this, Ms. President!
Thanks, Aya.
I feel a little better.
- Here's a little token... - I told you to drink it yourself!
Tamaki, you're up this late drawing?
Gammy...
Be sure to turn off the TV and go to bed.
I will. Goodnight.
What should I do now? I copied the style okay...
We want to incorporate your style into our next game.
Okay! Just one more!
I think I finally found my passion.
Behold! This rayon...
Not in front of her.
Could I draw this man?
We sure have it made...
You drew it, Tama. It's your art!
Creating is Fun