Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o

Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o (この青空に約束を―) is a Japanese adult visual novel produced by Giga, originally released on March 31, 2006. The game was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2007 and the PlayStation Portable in 2009 came with additional content although the adult content was removed. A TV anime adaptation was made in 2007 under the title Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o: Yōkoso Tsugumi Ryō e (この青空に約束を― ～ようこそつぐみ寮へ～).

Gameplay
Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o's gameplay requires minimal interaction on the player's part as much of the time that is spent on the game is for reading the text that is displayed at the bottom of the screen. The displayed text represents either the thoughts of the characters or the dialogue between the characters. As the story progresses, decision points will appear on the screen where the player can choose which heroine or heroines they wish to talk to. Depending on what choices the player makes, the plot will progress in a certain direction. There are six different routes in total. To view all six of these plot lines, the player will have to replay the game several times and make different choices in order to get the different endings.

The game is split into three, a prologue in the beginning and two other parts. The first part is split between two acts, spring and summer. Based on what a particular heroine feels for the protagonist, the game will proceed towards a heroine's particular route in the second part at the end of the summer.

Setting
Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o takes place in a fictional island called Minamisakōjima (南栄生島) located slightly south of Honshū in Japan.

Character

 * Wataru Hoshino (星野 航)
 * (anime)
 * The main character of the story. He is a childhood friend with Umi Hayama. He cares about everybody that is in Tsugumi Dormitory. He tries to help everybody that is depressed.
 * He used to live with his grandparents. During the early episodes, Wataru lied to his grandparents that he is living in the boys dorm at the Tsugumi dormitory, but Wataru was the only person that was in the boys dorm so the school revoked the boys dormitory last year. Now the girls dorm is where everyone can live (including guys) that is from Takamidsuka senior high school. His grandparents later on figure out that Wataru lies to them.


 * Rinna Sawaki (沢城 凛奈)
 * (PC), Kōrogi Satomi (anime/PS2)
 * A second year transfer student. Wataru Hoshino meets her at Takashi's bar while he's drunk.  They chat and then leave.  The next morning, Wataru awakes to find her asleep in his room wearing only bra and panties.  She wakes, he tells her he can't remember a thing from the night before, she slaps him and leaps from his second-story window.
 * She officially enters his school, joining his class and dorm the next day. She acts sullen and obstinate to both students and faculty.  She skips the welcome party that the other dorm residents arrange for her, telling them that she doesn't want to make friends and face the pain of parting with them in only a years' time.  Wataru shouts to her his vow to that he will force her to become friends with them.
 * Takashi informs Wataru that he and Rinna first met in his bar. Realizing that Rinna's general aloofness emanates from his having forgotten about her, he challenges her to compete with him in the upcoming school marathon to settle the matter.  If he wins, she will participate in dorm meals, and if she wins, he will leave the dorm.
 * Wataru arrives at the marathon exhausted due to a sabotage, but takes a shortcut during the run and arrives first at the finish line. Rinna welcomes the excuse to join the group and joins them in another welcome party that reboots her introduction.


 * Umi Hayama (羽山 海己)
 * (PC), Morisawa Fumi (anime/PS2)
 * A second years student just like Wataru. She is Wataru's childhood friend. She is good at cooking and is the one that cooks breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the people that lives in the Tsugumi Dormitory. She has a secret crush for Wataru ever since they were kids, but he seems not to notice.
 * When Umi was a child, she was very shy. She lost her mother when she was little. She doesn't like to be alone and she always sticks with Wataru when they were little. She goes almost everywhere with Wataru. Some people dislike Umi and her father for special reasons.


 * Naoko Asakura (浅倉 奈緒子)
 * (PC), Orikasa Ai (anime/PS2)


 * Miyaho Rokujō (六条 宮穂)
 * (PC), Nakata Junko (anime/PS2)


 * Shizu Fujimura (藤村 静)
 * (PC), Hitomi (anime/PS2)


 * Saeri Kirishima (桐島 沙衣里)
 * (PC), MARIO (anime/PS2)

Story
The people of Minami-sakōjima Island, isolated far from Honshū Japan, were worrying over how to deal with depopulation. The key industry of this island is the aerospace industry owned by the Demizugawa Heavy Industry. Nevertheless Demizugawa Heavy Industry decided to close down the factories and laboratories on Minami-sakōjima Island. Takamidsuka senior high school is the only high school on Minami-sakōjima Island. This school has a dormitory named "Tsugumi Dormitory", which was remodeled from a former schoolhouse.

There's a collusive relationship between the principal of Takamidsuka senior high school and a resort development company "Rinchu Real-estate". Together they contrive to demolish the Tsugumi Dormitory and build a huge resort hotel on the lot. The principal hopes to tie into Rinchu Real-estate's interests. As a result he decided to stand for the Mayoralty of Minami-sakōjima Town.

The principal declares that he will close down the Tsugumi Dormitory if the number of boarders falls below five. Currently there are five boarders in this dormitory: Umi, Naoko, Miyaho, Shizu and Wataru. Next spring, Naoko will enter a University far from the island. Umi, Rinna, Miyaho and Shizu (Their fathers are engineers in Demizugawa) will move from Minami-sakōjima Island as well. Therefore Tsugumi Dormitory will be closed down and the boarders of Tsugumi Dormitory are destined to separate from each other. Together they spend community life as the last boarders of Tsugumi Dormitory.

A transfer student Rinna enters the Tsugumi Dormitory. She behaves disobediently in the school and the dormitory. She hates other boarders welcoming her. Wataru continues trying to welcome Rinna to the Tsugumi Dormitory. One day, Wataru noticed that Rinna is an excellent long-distance runner.

Development
Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o's scenarios were written by Fumiaki Maruto and Kikakuya. The art was provided by Nekonyan.

Release history
Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o's limited edition was first released on March 31, 2006 while the regular edition followed on June 23, 2006. The limited edition came with a two-disc soundtrack while preorders of the game came with a special drama CD. The PlayStation 2 port, Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o: Melody of the Sun and Sea, was released on May 31, 2007. The PlayStation 2 port included additions and corrections by Kikakuya to the scenarios, changes to the CG and game system, and new short stories that are introduced after a particular route has been cleared. The PlayStation Portable port, Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o: Te no Hira no Rakuen (この青空に約束を てのひらのらくえん), was released on June 25, 2009.

Music
Melody of the Sun and Sea included two new theme songs. "Chīsa na Brilliant" (小さなブリリアント) was sung by Kaori and written by Chiyomaru Shikura and "Taiyō to Umi no Melody" (太陽と海のメロディ) was sung by Ayane and composed by Narucho. The anime adaptation's opening theme, "Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o" (この青空に約束を), was also sung by Kaori and the ending theme, "Aozora no Fantasia" (青空のファンタジア), was sung by Ayumi Murata.

Theme songs (Game)

 * Opening Theme:
 * "allegretto -Sora to Kimi-" by KOTOKO


 * Ending Theme:
 * "Sayonara no Kawari ni" by Tugumi Ryou Ryouseikai Gasshoudan


 * Insert Theme:
 * "Pieces" by Miwa Oosaki

Theme songs (Anime)

 * "Sayonara no Kawari ni" by Tugumi Ryou Ryouseikai Gasshoudan

Reception
Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o was awarded the Bishōjo Game Award gold prize in the scenario, theme song, romance, and user approval categories in addition to the grand prize in 2006.