Girl Friend Beta Explained

Girl Friend Beta
Ja Kanji:ガールフレンド(仮)
Ja Romaji:Gāru Furendo Kakko Kari
Genre:Romance
Developer:CyberAgent
Publisher:Ameba
Genre:Dating simulation, online social, card game
Platforms:iOS, Android
Manga
Content:
  • Girl Friend (Kari): Shiina Kokomi-hen ~Koishite Madonna~
  • Girl Friend (Kari): Murakami Fumio-hen ~Secret Smile~
  • Girl Friend (Kari): Chloe Lemarie-hen ~Chole to Nihon to Mirai no Tobira~
  • Girl Friend (Kari): Sakurai Akane-hen ~Kokoro o Komete, Yūki no On Air!~
  • Girl Friend (Kari) ~Seiō Gakuen Girl's Diary~
Type:tv series
Director:Naotaka Hayashi
Producer:Nobuyuki Hosoya
Eiji Katou
Masakazu Nobuyama
Music:Kenji Kawai
Studio:Silver Link
Network:TX Network (TV Tokyo)
First:October 13, 2014
Last:December 29, 2014
Episodes:12
Girl Friend Beta: Summer Vacation Spent With You
Developer:CyberAgent
Publisher:Bandai Namco Entertainment
Kadokawa Games
Platforms:PlayStation Vita
Type:ONA
Girl Friend Note
Director:Daisuke Tsukushi
Studio:Encourage Films
First:October 14, 2016
Last:October 21, 2016
Runtime:10 minutes
Episodes:3

[1] is a 2012 Japanese smartphone game developed by CyberAgent for iOS and Android devices. As of June 2014, it had over 5.3 million users.[2] An anime television series produced by Silver Link aired in Japan between October and December 2014. There are also five manga adaptations based on the game, and a PlayStation Vita spin-off game was released in November 2015.

Gameplay

The game is a dating simulator which features over 100 different virtual girls, each with a unique voice actress. The player progresses their relationship with the virtual girlfriend by taking her on dates. The game is free-to-play, however the player pays real-world money to gain premium services.[3] The game features various events that occur, including battle events when bad guys appear. The player can engage in club activities and school class events to solicit romance and increase intimacy with female students. There is a card-based system within the game, where the player collects different cards of varying rarity; each card has different attributes, such as attack and defense costs. Cards can be enhanced by engaging in a part-time job.

Characters

Main characters

[4]
  • A second-year high school student belonging to the rhythmic gymnastics club. She has shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. She is said to be the ace of the club and is extremely popular.
    [5]
  • A second-year student in the school's broadcasting committee. She has red hair styled in a ponytail and brown eyes. She is a cheerful and kind girl. She has a rather close friendship with fellow club member Tomo Oshii.
    [6]
  • A third-year student in the book committee. She has silvery-blue hair that is partly braided.
    [7]
  • A third-year French exchange student in the Japanese Culture Research Society. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes.
    [8]
  • A third-year student in the photography club. She also has long blonde hair but wears purple bows, and has green eyes. She is best friends with Fumio Murakami.

    Other characters

    A third-year student and a member of the pottery club. Her grandfather runs a cake shop, where she becomes a part-time worker.[9]

    A first-year student belonging to the Lacrosse Club. She has impressive reflexes and is always in a lively, cheerful mood, often making noise when everyone is gathered around. However, in reality she is lonely. She is Momoko's childhood friend.[9]

    The president of the student council. She appears to be ditzy and sometimes unknowingly becomes a hindrance to other members, with her only known talent is serving tea. Due to her personality, her position as the president makes it questionable to other members.[9]

    A second-year student who is a member of the Flower Arrangement Club.[9]

    A third-year student who is a member of the Handicrafts Club.[9]

    A second-year student belonging to the Literature Club.[9]

    A third-year student belonging to the newspaper club.[9]

    A second-year student who belongs to the Tennis Club.[9]

    A second-year student belonging to the Light Music Club. She is the vocalist of the all-girls' band called "Neuron★Cream Soft", although she is also seen playing a guitar or composing music.[9]

    A Japanese teacher.[9]

    A second-year student and a member of the Robots Research Club. Unlike other students, she wears a rainbow-colored blazer. She also sparks an interest in Monochrome for being an android.[9]

    A second–year student in the broadcasting committee. However, she prefers to work mostly behind the scenes, unlike her other club members, which explains why she hardly does any kind of open broadcast.

    A first-year student belonging to the Art Club. Loves fruits so much that she draws them in her paintings, with a desire to taste every kind in the world except for Durian which she dislikes the most.

    A first-year student who is a member of the Handicrafts Club.

    A Russian exchange student.

    A second-year student belonging to the Go Home Club.

    A second-year student belonging to the Light Music Club. She is the bassist of the all-girls' band "Neuron ★ Cream Soft."

    An original character designed by Yui Horie herself.

    A member of the Movie Study Group. She wears a green scarf around her neck in a similar manner to the Kamen Rider and likes tokusatsu films.

    Related media

    Print media

    A manga adaptation illustrated by Tsukako Akina titled began serialization in the September 2014 issue of ASCII Media Works's Dengeki Maoh magazine,[10] released on July 26, 2014.[11]

    The first issue of the official Girl Friend Beta Magazine was released by ASCII Media Works on August 22, 2014, and four different manga series that cover specific characters began serialization in that issue.[11] [12] The first manga is illustrated by Takahiro Seguchi and is titled . The second manga is illustrated by Sawayoshi Azuma and is titled . The third manga is illustrated by Kakao and is titled . The fourth manga is illustrated by Na! and is titled .[13] [14]

    Anime

    An anime television series based on the original smartphone game was announced in June 2014, with an official announcement press conference taking place at the Akihabara UDX Theater.[15] [16] Produced by Silver Link, the series was directed by Naotaka Hayashi, with anime character designs by Noriko Tsutsumitani based on the original designs by QP:flapper, and story written by Michiko Yokote.[17] The series began airing in Japan on TX Network (TV Tokyo) from October 13 to December 29, 2014. It was simulcasted by Crunchyroll.[11] [18] The opening theme is by Neuron★Creamsoft (main vocalist Haruka Kazemachi (voiced by Saori Hayami)), and the ending theme is by Satomi Satō as Kokomi Shiina.

    An original net animation adaptation of Girl Friend Note, produced by Encourage Films, was released from October 14 to 21, 2016.[19] [20]

    Other

    is a spin-off adventure visual novel game developed by CyberAgent and published by Bandai Namco Games for the PlayStation Vita,[21] released on November 19, 2015.[22] The game involves the player romantically interacting with eight different characters from the original smartphone game.[23] Game features include Live2D character movements, binaural voices, touchscreen events and microphone voice communication, and involves an original story.[24]

    An Internet radio show began broadcasting weekly from October 8, 2013 onwards, hosted by voice actors involved in the game.[25] A similar smartphone game targeted at females, titled, was released by the same developers.[26] [27]

    is a spin-off rhythm game developed by R-Force Entertainment and published by CyberAgent for Android and iOS. Released on December 1, 2015,[28] the game underwent a two-week long maintenance due to unforeseen complications regarding various game systems. Maintenance ended on December 16, 2015 for Android and December 17, 2015 for iOS. It got a web anime adaptation in October 2016.[19]

    In July 2018, a stageshow will be held in Shinagawa Prince Hotel and the main cast is portrayed by the idol group

    Notes and References

    1. "Kari" (仮), alternatively pronounced as, is a permanent part of the actual title. Translating to roughly "provisional title" or "working title", it is often used to denote works-in-progress, however in this case it is used as a joke, since the player's "girlfriends" are not real. Despite the title Girl Friend Beta, the franchise is not actually undergoing beta testing.
    2. Web site: サイバーエージェント、Amebaスマホ「ガールフレンド(仮)」がテレビアニメ化. CNET Japan. June 27, 2014. June 27, 2014. ja.
    3. Web site: https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/797/797209/. ja:『ガールフレンド(仮)』の会員数が400万人を突破! 豪華アイテムがもらえる記念キャンペーン実施. Dengeki Online. ASCII Media Works. January 29, 2014. June 27, 2014. ja.
    4. Web site: 椎名心実 キャラクター 「ガールフレンド(仮)」アニメ公式サイト. CyberAgent. September 3, 2016. ja.
    5. Web site: 櫻井 明音 キャラクター 「ガールフレンド(仮)」アニメ公式サイト. CyberAgent. September 3, 2016. ja.
    6. Web site: 村上文緒 キャラクター 「ガールフレンド(仮)」アニメ公式サイト. CyberAgent. September 3, 2016. ja.
    7. Web site: クロエ・ルメール キャラクター 「ガールフレンド(仮)」アニメ公式サイト. CyberAgent. September 3, 2016. ja.
    8. Web site: 望月エレナ キャラクター 「ガールフレンド(仮)」アニメ公式サイト. CyberAgent. September 3, 2016. ja.
    9. Web site: ガールフレンド(仮)』Staff&Cast. June 27, 2014. June 27, 2016. ja. dead . 6 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006131511/https://girlfriend-kari-anime.jp/cast-and-staff.
    10. Web site: https://app.famitsu.com/20140627_401216/. ja:ガールフレンド(仮)』コミックの主人公は椎名心実に決定 作家は秋奈つかこ. Famitsu. June 27, 2014. June 27, 2014. ja.
    11. Web site: Satomi Satou to Lead Girl Friend BETA TV Anime's Cast. Anime News Network. July 19, 2014. July 19, 2014.
    12. Web site: 『ガールフレンド(仮)マガジン』が8月22日より刊行開始! 『ガールフレンド(仮)』のSRカード2枚が手に入るシリアルコードつき. ASCII Media Works. August 22, 2014. September 23, 2014. ja.
    13. Web site: http://gf-kari.dengeki.com/. ja:ガールフレンド(仮)マガジン. Girl Friend Beta Magazine. ASCII Media Works. September 23, 2014. ja.
    14. Web site: http://www.e-hon.ne.jp/bec/SA/DetailZasshi?refShinCode=0900000004910164661046&Action_id=101&Sza_id=RR. ja:ガールフレンド(仮)マガジン(1) 2014年10月号. Girl Friend Beta Magazine (1) October 2014 issue. Tohan Corporation. September 23, 2014. ja. September 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223916/http://www.e-hon.ne.jp/bec/SA/DetailZasshi?refShinCode=0900000004910164661046&Action_id=101&Sza_id=RR. dead.
    15. Web site: Girl Friend BETA Social Game Gets TV Anime. Anime News Network. June 25, 2014. June 27, 2014.
    16. Web site: ソシャゲ「ガールフレンド(仮)」がTVアニメ化決定 マンガ連載も. ITmedia. June 25, 2014. June 27, 2014. ja.
    17. Web site: Staff and Voice Cast for 2014 Fall TV Anime "Girl Friend BETA" Revealed. Crunchyroll. July 19, 2014. July 20, 2014.
    18. Web site: Crunchyroll to Stream Girl Friend BETA Anime. Anime News Network. October 11, 2014. October 13, 2014.
    19. Web site: Girl Friend Note Web Anime's 1st Episode Streamed. Anime News Network. October 23, 2016. July 17, 2022.
    20. Web site: https://lp.gf-music.amebagames.com/news/?device=pc. ja:10月より配信開始!『ガールフレンド(♪)』WEBアニメについてのお知らせ. lp.gf-music.amebagames.com. October 1, 2016. July 17, 2022. November 30, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161130013133/https://lp.gf-music.amebagames.com/news/?device=pc. dead.
    21. Web site: Girl Friend Beta PS Vita dated in Japan. April 25, 2015. Gematsu. April 29, 2015.
    22. Web site: Girl Friend Beta PS Vita delayed to November in Japan. June 1, 2015. Gematsu.
    23. Web site: First look at Girl Friend Beta for PS Vita. April 22, 2015. Gematsu. April 29, 2015.
    24. Web site: Girl Friend Beta PS Vita introduction trailer. August 27, 2015. Gematsu. August 27, 2015.
    25. Web site: Amebaスマホ「ガールフレンド(仮)」の会員数が300万人--ネットラジオでPR展開. CNET Japan. September 27, 2013. June 27, 2014. ja.
    26. Web site: http://news.ameba.jp/20140627-562/. ja:意外!? 「恋愛ゲーム」にハマる女子は腐女子じゃなかったと判明!. Ameba News. Ameba. June 27, 2014. June 27, 2014. ja. July 13, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140713135749/http://news.ameba.jp/20140627-562/. dead.
    27. Web site: VIDEO: New Smartphone Dating Sim for Girls "Boy Friend BETA" PVs. Crunchyroll. December 1, 2013. June 27, 2014.
    28. Web site: 熱気に包まれたアニメ紅白歌合戦vol.4、3Dリズムゲーム「ガールフレンド(♪)」も発表. AnimeAnime.jp. January 27, 2015. December 18, 2015. ja.