To Heart (anime)

Infobox animanga/Header
name = ToHeart


caption =
ja_name = トゥハート
ja_name_trans = Tu Hāto
genre = Romance, School, Slice of life storyInfobox animanga/Anime
title =
director = Naohito Takahashi
studio = flagicon|Japan Oriental Light and Magic
licensor = flagicon|USA Nozomi Entertainment
network = TV Kanagawa
first = 1 April 1999
last = 24 June 1999
episodes = 13Infobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Ukyou Takao
publisher = flagicon|Japan MediaWorks
flagicon|USA ADV Manga
publisher_other =
demographic = Seinen
magazine = Dengeki Daioh
first = October 1997
last = December 1999
volumes = 3

Nihongo|"To Heart"|トゥハート|Tu Hāto is a Japanese anime adapted from the visual novel ToHeart. "To Heart" was an influential dating sim with a large cult following and it has been the inspiration for a great deal of fan art in the dōjinshi community.

The anime consisted of thirteen episodes which originally aired from 1 April1999 to 24 June1999. The anime can be described as laid back, and is based on normal situations that the characters encounter in their daily lives. It is episodic, with each one focusing on Hiroyuki Fujita's friendship with the other girls he meets at school. The overall story centers around Akari Kamigishi's blossoming relationship with Hiroyuki.

The animation itself has a very soft feel, and uses a significant amount of watercolour images for backgrounds, while characters were redesigned for the anime version - the most noticeable aspect being the eyes.

The original anime was one of the first cases where an animated adaptation of a video game would prove to be successful among viewers who didn't even play the game, although it is debatable if it could be considered one of the most popular animated series adaptation of a game. However, and to a lesser extent, the ToHeart2 anime didn't receive as much praise as the original series. The KSS anime became a stepping stone for many famous voice actresses in regular anime we see today.

Production details

*Presented by: KSS
*Director: Naohito Takahashi
*Animation Production: Oriental Light and Magic

Theme songs
*Opening: "Feeling Heart"
*: Vocals: Masami Nakatsukasa
*: Lyrics: Naoko Suya
*: Music and arrangement: Naoya Shimokawa

*Ending: "Yell"
*: Vocals: Ayako Kawasumi
*: Lyrics: Sumiyo Mutsumi
*: Music: Katsuki Maeda
*: Arrangement: Masayuki Sakamoto

*Ending: "Access"
*: Vocals: Spy
*: Lyrics: Kazuyo
*: Music: Masakazu Osabe
*: Arrangement: Hiro

(Different ending songs were used depending on the location of the broadcast. The DVD and VHS releases used Yell as the ending song).

Episodes

Omake

Six short "Special Broadcasts" (omake) were produced and aired after selected episodes. They lasted around five minutes and followed the general style of the main anime, although the characters are drawn super deformed.

DVD, Laserdisc and VHS Releases

A set of six DVDs, videotapes and laserdiscs were sold in Japan for the original ToHeart anime.

DVD

*ToHeart 「トゥハート」Number 1
*:Release Date: June 4 1999
*:Region 2 (Japan)
*:NTSC
*:ASIN： B00005FBF0

*ToHeart 「トゥハート」Number 2
*:Release Date: July 9 1999
*:Region 2 (Japan)
*:NTSC
*:ASIN： B00005FBF1
*:Cover art features Serika

VHS

*ToHeart 「トゥハート」Number 2
*:Release Date: June 25 1999
*:NTSC
*:JSDSS - ASIN： B00005FBAK
*:Cover art features Akari

North American releases

To Heart was licensed for North American release by The Right Stuf International who recently changed their name to Nozomi Entertainment. It was announced at Anime Expo 2004 on July 32004 along with Boys Be at their panel.cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2004-07-03/trsi-announces-two-acquisitions |title=TRSI announces two acquisitions |accessdate=2007-12-07|publisher=Anime News Network |language=English] Volume one was scheduled for late 2005, but the masters Right Stuf received from Japan were in bad shape delaying the release.cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2004-07-31/new-right-stuf-acquisitions |title=New Right Stuf Acquisitions |accessdate=2007-12-07|publisher=Anime News Network |language=English] cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-05-20/to-heart-update |title=To Heart Update |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=Anime News Network |language=English] Due to the fact that To Heart was animated in the process of cel animation, it was captured on film instead of digitally on a computer. With the real masters destroyed, Right Stuf was left with dusty and degrading film that were not aligned. Their only choice was to restore and digitally remaster the video.cite web |url=http://www.rightstuf.com/rssite/main/animeResources/2006/toHeart/ |title=To Heart |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=The Right Stuf International |language=English] All thirteen episodes and six extras was released on four DVD volumes from March 272007 to August 282007.cite web |url=http://www.rightstuf.com/rsstatic/nozomiEntertainment/pressReleases/nozomi2006/toheart_v1_marchdate.pdf |title=To Heart Vol. 1: New Feelings |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=The Right Stuf International |language=English] cite web |url=http://www.rightstuf.com/rssite/nozomiEntertainment/pressReleases/individual/?ForumThreadName=FT0000000188 |title=To Heart Vol. 4: Love and Truth |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=The Right Stuf International |language=English]

ee also

*List of television shows based on video games

References

External links

*ja icon [http://www.aquaplus.co.jp/th/ To Heart Official Site]
*en icon [http://to-heart.rightstuf.com/ Nozomi Entertainment's Offical Site]
*ann anime|id=1089