Fortune Arterial

Fortune Arterial (フォーチュン アテリアル) is a Japanese adult visual novel, developed by August, released as a limited edition version on January 25, 2008 for a Microsoft Windows PC as a DVD. A PlayStation 3 version of the game called Fortune Arterial: Akai Yakusoku will be released by Kadokawa Shoten. Fortune Arterial is August's sixth game, preceded by other titles such as Tsuki wa Higashi ni Hi wa Nishi ni: Operation Sanctuary, and Yoake Mae yori Ruriiro na. A manga based on the story, drawn by Akane Sasaki, was serialized between the September 2007 and April 2008 issues of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine; the manga transferred to ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Festival! Comic in April 2008. A second manga started serialization in the November 2007 issue of Kadokawa Shoten's gaming magazine Comptiq, illustrated by Miki Kodama. An anime adaptation produced by Zexcs and Feel began airing in Japan in October 2010.

Gameplay
The gameplay requires little interaction from the player as a majority of the game is spent simply reading text that appears on the screen. This text represents either dialogue between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Every so often, the player will come to a "decision point" where they must choose from options that are displayed on the screen, typically two to three at a time. During these times, gameplay pauses until a choice is made that furthers the plot in a specific direction, depending on which choice the player makes. There are five main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story. In order to view the five plot lines to their entirety, the player will have to replay the game multiple times and choose different choices during the decision points in order to further the plot in an alternate direction.

Story
Fortune Arterial's story revolves around the male protagonist Kohei Hasekura, who transfers into a prestigious public school in the style of an English six-year school encompassing junior-high and high school students. The school, named Shuchikan Academy (修智館学院), is on an island named Tamatsu Island (珠津島) off-shore from mainland Japan, and the only way to get there is by boat. Soon after transferring, he discovers that one of the student in the class next door to his, Erika Sendo, is in fact a type of vampire.

Main characters

 * Kohei Hasekura (支倉 孝平)
 * (drama CD)
 * Kohei is the protagonist of the story, and is a fifth-year student. After always transferring to other schools, he makes his way to Shuchikan Academy where he plans to stay for a while.


 * Erika Sendo (千堂 瑛里華)
 * Erika is also a fifth-year student, as well as the student council vice-president. She is a vampire. She is strong in literature classes and martial arts, and is very attractive, making her popular in her school. She has an inquisitive personality, and likes to do things directly. Once she has her mind set on something, she becomes very pushy, and will take her time making plans to make sure she gets her way. Her older brother Iori is the student council president.
 * Erika is also a fifth-year student, as well as the student council vice-president. She is a vampire. She is strong in literature classes and martial arts, and is very attractive, making her popular in her school. She has an inquisitive personality, and likes to do things directly. Once she has her mind set on something, she becomes very pushy, and will take her time making plans to make sure she gets her way. Her older brother Iori is the student council president.


 * Shiro Togi (東儀 白)
 * Shiro is a fourth-year student who gives off a delicate image, and is very shy. She was introduced to the student council by her brother who was already on the council, and it was decided that Shiro would become the treasurer. However, she is often missing from student council meetings after school.
 * Shiro is a fourth-year student who gives off a delicate image, and is very shy. She was introduced to the student council by her brother who was already on the council, and it was decided that Shiro would become the treasurer. However, she is often missing from student council meetings after school.


 * Kiriha Kuze (紅瀬 桐葉)
 * Kiriha is Kohei's classmates. She is most often seen alone, and will not talk much, even when spoken to directly. She does not have many interests, and is in no clubs. She has been exceptional in math ever since she was young.
 * Kiriha is Kohei's classmates. She is most often seen alone, and will not talk much, even when spoken to directly. She does not have many interests, and is in no clubs. She has been exceptional in math ever since she was young.


 * Kanade Yuki (悠木 かなで)
 * Kanade is Kohei's childhood friend, and is the older sister of Haruna. She is constantly in high spirits, and likes to do things at her own pace. She loves her younger sister so much, that she says that if she had been born a man from another family, she would have definitely married Haruna eventually. She often calls her sister "Hina". She is the resident adviser in the Academy dormitory.
 * Kanade is Kohei's childhood friend, and is the older sister of Haruna. She is constantly in high spirits, and likes to do things at her own pace. She loves her younger sister so much, that she says that if she had been born a man from another family, she would have definitely married Haruna eventually. She often calls her sister "Hina". She is the resident adviser in the Academy dormitory.


 * Haruna Yuki (悠木 陽菜)
 * Haruna is in Kohei's class, and is also a childhood friend of his. She has a bright personality, and enjoys helping others.
 * Haruna is in Kohei's class, and is also a childhood friend of his. She has a bright personality, and enjoys helping others.

Secondary characters

 * Iori Sendo (千堂 伊織)
 * Iori is Erika's older brother, and is the student council president. Just like his sister, he too is a vampire. He gives off the air of a male model, and many girls in his school want to go out with him. He is generally popular with everyone in his school.
 * Iori is Erika's older brother, and is the student council president. Just like his sister, he too is a vampire. He gives off the air of a male model, and many girls in his school want to go out with him. He is generally popular with everyone in his school.


 * Seichiro Togi (東儀 征一郎)
 * Seiichirō is also the treasurer of the student council, along with his sister Shiro. He is very kind with his sister, and may have a sister complex. He used to be the president of the Japanese archery club.
 * Seiichirō is also the treasurer of the student council, along with his sister Shiro. He is very kind with his sister, and may have a sister complex. He used to be the president of the Japanese archery club.


 * Tsukasa Hachimandaira (八幡平 司)
 * Tsukasa is one of Kohei's classmates otherwise known as "Heiji". After Kohei transferred schools, he became a good friend of his. He may seem like a delinquent, but he is very friendly. He has a twin sister.
 * Tsukasa is one of Kohei's classmates otherwise known as "Heiji". After Kohei transferred schools, he became a good friend of his. He may seem like a delinquent, but he is very friendly. He has a twin sister.


 * Shizuko Amaike (天池 志津子)
 * Shizuko is the caretaker of a certain church on the island, as well as the one in-charge of the female side of the school dormitory. She is always wearing a sister outfit. Her Christian name is "Margarita", while most students address her as "Sister Amaike" instead. She is typically sister-like and a no-nonsense type of person most of the time, however she is also known to be very scary when she loses her temper. Kohei fears her as "The Person who cannot take jokes". Kanade calls her "Maru-chan" and Iori calls her "Shizuko-chan", which she doesn't seem too happy about.
 * Shizuko is the caretaker of a certain church on the island, as well as the one in-charge of the female side of the school dormitory. She is always wearing a sister outfit. Her Christian name is "Margarita", while most students address her as "Sister Amaike" instead. She is typically sister-like and a no-nonsense type of person most of the time, however she is also known to be very scary when she loses her temper. Kohei fears her as "The Person who cannot take jokes". Kanade calls her "Maru-chan" and Iori calls her "Shizuko-chan", which she doesn't seem too happy about.


 * Masanori Aoto (青砥 正則)
 * Masanori is the homeroom teacher of Kohei, Haruna, Kiriha and Tsukasa's class, as well as the one in-charge of the male side of the school dormitory. He teaches Chemistry. Has a mild personality. Kohei saw him riding a scooter without a license and thinks of him as "Someone who rides a stolen bike". Takes towards a independence and autonomy approach in education. He is usually known by the nickname "Aonori", while Kanade calls him "Noripii". Was known to be a troublemaker during his younger days.
 * Masanori is the homeroom teacher of Kohei, Haruna, Kiriha and Tsukasa's class, as well as the one in-charge of the male side of the school dormitory. He teaches Chemistry. Has a mild personality. Kohei saw him riding a scooter without a license and thinks of him as "Someone who rides a stolen bike". Takes towards a independence and autonomy approach in education. He is usually known by the nickname "Aonori", while Kanade calls him "Noripii". Was known to be a troublemaker during his younger days.


 * Art Club President (美術部部長)
 * Her name is unknown. She is a sixth-year student as well as the president of the Art Club. She is troubled over the declining in the number of members in the Art Club. Has a very straightforward personality. Tsukasa works part-time at the sushi bar which is owned by her family, as well as her residence. Kohei falls in love with her if you cannot end up with any of the five heroines, which is known as the Bad End Route.
 * Her name is unknown. She is a sixth-year student as well as the president of the Art Club. She is troubled over the declining in the number of members in the Art Club. Has a very straightforward personality. Tsukasa works part-time at the sushi bar which is owned by her family, as well as her residence. Kohei falls in love with her if you cannot end up with any of the five heroines, which is known as the Bad End Route.


 * Kaya Sendo (千堂 伽耶)
 * Kaya is Erika and Iori's mother. Estimated to be 251 years old and above, yet she looks like a child, giving people the image that she is Iori and Erika's younger sister instead. Erika looks like a splitting image of her, the only difference being Erika's more matured body and that Kaya's eyes are constantly red in color, which every vampire has when they have their vampiric impulses.
 * Kaya is Erika and Iori's mother. Estimated to be 251 years old and above, yet she looks like a child, giving people the image that she is Iori and Erika's younger sister instead. Erika looks like a splitting image of her, the only difference being Erika's more matured body and that Kaya's eyes are constantly red in color, which every vampire has when they have their vampiric impulses.

Release history
August first announced the production of a new visual novel at Comiket 71, and on February 21, 2007, they made the official announcement for Fortune Arterial on their official website. The game was first introduced to the public in Japan as a limited edition version on January 25, 2008 as a DVD playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. The regular edition followed on February 29, 2008. A PlayStation 3 port titled Fortune Arterial: Akai Yakusoku is planned for release by Kadokawa Shoten and features an original female character named Miya Togi.

Manga
The manga adaptation, under the title Fortune Arterial Character's Prelude, was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine between the September 2007 and April 2008 issues, illustrated by Akane Sasaki. The manga transferred to Dengeki G's Festival! Comic, a special edition version of Dengeki G's Magazine, starting with the second volume sold on April 26, 2008. The first bound volume was released on June 27, 2008 under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint. A second manga, called simply Fortune Arterial, started serialization in the November 2007 issue of Kadokawa Shoten's gaming magazine Comptiq, illustrated by Miki Kodama. The first volume for the second manga was released on July 26, 2008 under Kadokawa Shoten's Kadokawa Comics Ace imprint; the third volume was released on October 25, 2009. An original video animation episode will be bundled with the sixth volume of Fortune Arterial. Enterbrain published ten volumes of a manga anthology titled Magi-Cu 4-koma Fortune Arterial released between April 25, 2008 and February 25, 2010. Ichijinsha published three volumes of another anthology titled Fortune Arterial Comic Anthology between June 25 and October 25, 2008.

Books and publications
Harvest published a series of six erotic light novels, each focusing on a different heroine, between June 10, 2008 and June 1, 2009. Runa Okada wrote the novels and the game's original artist Bekkankō provided the illustrations. Prior to the game's release, Enterbrain published a fan book on November 21, 2007 titled Tech Gain Super Prelude: Fortune Arterial containing information on the development of the game and information on the game itself. ASCII Media Works published a fan book on June 20, 2008 titled Fortune Arterial Perfect Visual Book.

Audio dramas
Marine Entertainment released a series of five drama CDs titled Fortune Arterial: Through the Season between August 15 and December 28, 2008. Each of the CDs covered one of the heroines and featured the same voice cast as the game. An Internet radio show titled August Broadcasting Office: Shuchikan Academy Student Council Business Trip had a pre-broadcast on August 13, 2009 and started regular biweekly broadcasts on September 10, 2009. The show is produced by Marine Entertainment and hosted by Junichi Suwabe and Rie Kanda, the voices of Iori and Erika Sendo. The first volume of a CD compilation containing the first six broadcasts was released on December 29, 2009 by Marine Entertainment.

Anime
An anime TV series adaptation titled Fortune Arterial: Akai Yakusoku (FORTUNE ARTERIAL 赤い約束) produced by Zexcs and Feel and directed by Munenori Nawa began airing on TV Tokyo on October 9, 2010 in Japan. The opening theme is "Kizunairo" (絆-kizunairo-色) by Lia and the ending theme is "I Miss You" by Veil.

Music
The opening theme for the Fortune Arterial visual novel is "Tobira Hiraite, Futari Mirai e" (扉ひらいて、ふたり未来へ) sung by Mizuho. An insert song in the game is "Akai Yakusoku" (赤い約束) sung by Veil. A maxi single containing the opening theme and insert song was released on January 25, 2008. An image song for the game, "It's My Precious Time!", is also sung by Mizuho and a single containing the image song was released on October 25, 2007. August released the game's original soundtrack on May 30, 2008. A character song album titled Fortune Arterial Feeling Assort was released by Geneon on August 14, 2009. Shot Music released a remix album, Fortune Arterial -Omnibus Edit- P-O-P, with remixes of the game's background music and theme songs on January 29, 2010.