Windows April 28, 2006 (Episodes 1&2) May 25, 2007 (Episodes 3&4) PlayStation 2 April 26, 2007 (Episodes 1&2) December 27, 2007 (Episodes 3&4) April 10, 2008 (Episodes 0-4 Full Pack) PlayStation Portable June 26, 2008 (Episodes 0-4 Full Pack)
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica (神曲奏界ポリフォニカ), also known as simply Polyphonica, is a Japanese all-age visual novel created by Ocelot and first released for Windows on April 28, 2006. Aside from the game, multiple series of light novels have been created, and a manga adaptation started in March 2007. An anime adaptation that aired in Japan between April and June 2007. Another anime adaption aired from April to June 2009, and was a prequel of the events in the first anime.
The original game, the Crimson series, will start its second installment, covering the third and fourth story.[timeframe?] The Black and White Polyphonica series were adapted from a printed novel to visual novel media in spring 2007, respectively titled Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica THE BLACK and Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White.
In the continent of Polyphonica, spirits materialize in the world, surviving on the music that is played by humans, and live together with them. While the spirits do not appear often, some spirits have enough power to materialize in human or animal forms. Musicians called Dantists (神曲楽士, Shinkyoku Gakushi) play Divine Songs (神曲, Shinkyoku, also "Commandia") using special instruments called One-Man Orchestra (単身楽団, Tanshin Gakudan) which enable the spirits they have partnered with to manifest their true powers. The Crimson series follows the adventures of a Dantist named Tatara Phoron and his contract spirit Coathicarte Apa Lagranges (Coatie). In the video game, the player plays Phoron as a student at Torvas Divine Song Players Academy (トルバス神曲学院, Torubasu Shinkyoku Gakuin). In the first Polyphonica anime television series, he and his friends work together at Office Tsuge Divine Song Players Management Group (ツゲ神曲楽士派遣事務所, Tsuge Shinkyoku Gakushi Haken Jimusho).[1] The second television series, Polyphonica Crimson S, takes place when they are still in school.
Release history
There have been five Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonicavisual novels released, with three different series.
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica THE BLACK ~Episode 1&2 Box Edition~ – August 10, 2007
Polyphonica White series
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White ~First Emotion~ – June 29, 2007
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White ~Endless Aria~ – July 13, 2007
Adaptations
Light novels
After the game, the Polyphonica series expanded into a light novel series. The stories are loosely connected in a shared universe setting. The novels are published by GA Bunko, a division of Softbank Creative. Some of the series are identified with colors. The Black series happens in the same timeline as the Crimson series, which follows the main characters of the game. The White series appears to take place in the distant past.
Written by Ichiro Sakaki and illustrated by Tomo Hirokawa, a manga series adaptation entitled Cardinal Crimson (カーディナル・クリムゾン, Kādinaru Kurimuzon) began serialization as a web comic in March 2007 in FlexComix Blood[citation needed] and ended in 2012. It was collected in nine volumes. The series was picked up for an English release by CMX Manga, with the first volume released on June 29, 2010.[2] They did not release others. Tomo Hirokawa designed a New Year's nengajō for 2008.[3]
The Black series was adapted into a manga series illustrated by Yonemura Koichiro as a web comic and was serialized from December 2008 to 2011 in Flex Comix Next. It was compiled into three volumes.
The White series was adapted into a manga series illustrated by Yoko Fujioka and was serialized from April 2008 to 2011 in Monthly Princess. It was compiled into five volumes.
T.O Entertainment adapted Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica into a twelve episode anime series directed by Junichi Watanabe and Masami Shimoda and written by Ichiro Sakaki. On February 6, 2007, one month after the first manga adaptation was announced, the anime adaptation was announced.[4] Broadcast on TBS, the series premiered on April 3, 2007, and aired weekly until its conclusion on June 19, 2007.[5][6][7] The music was composed by Hikaru Nanase. Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime. "Apocrypha" is performed by eufonius as the opening theme. "Concordia" (コンコルディア, Konkorudia) is performed by kukui as the ending theme.
Diomedéa adapted the series into another season entitled Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Crimson S, directed by Toshimasa Suzuki and written by Ken'ichi Kanemaki, that is not a continuation of the first and will tie into Ichiro Sakaki and Noboru Kannatsuki's light novel adaptation of the same name.[8] The official website was launched on November 11, 2008, and began streaming a promotional video on March 23, 2009, featuring the anime's opening theme but contained no actual anime footage.[8][9] The series premiered on TVK and TV Saitama on March 4, 2009, and is currently broadcasting weekly.[citation needed] The series was also broadcast on AT-X, Gifu Broadcasting, MBS, and Mie TV.[10] The music is directed by Jin Aketagawa and composed by Magic Capsule. Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime. "Phosphorous" is performed by eufonius as the opening theme. Koi no Uta (こいのうた) is performed by Haruka Tomatsu as ending theme.
North American releases
The Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica anime series was licensed for distribution in North America by Sentai Filmworks. A DVD collection of all 12 episodes, in Japanese language with English subtitles, titled Polyphonica: Complete Collection, was released on November 17, 2009.[11] The second season prequel series Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Crimson S was licensed for distribution in North America by Maiden Japan. A complete DVD collection titled Polyphonica Crimson S, containing all 12 episodes, in Japanese language with English subtitles, was released on April 3, 2012.[12] Both seasons of the anime series have been posted on the Anime Network website for online streaming.
Role-playing game
A Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica RPG, published by GA Bunko, went on sale in Japan in August 2008. The game is designed by Takashi Osada and FarEast Amusement Research, and uses the Standard RPG System. The campaign setting is based mainly on Polyphonica Crimson series.
