Lamune (ラムネ, Ramune) is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Neko Neko Soft originally released on July 30, 2004 for the PC. It was followed by an all-ages version for the PlayStation 2, and was released on August 25, 2005. A twelve-episode anime series based on the visual novel, entitled Lamune: Garasu Bin ni Utsuru Umi (ラムネ 〜ガラスびんに映る海〜, lit. Lamune: Sea Reflected in the Glass Bottle), was produced by Trinet Entertainment and Picture Magic and aired between October 11, 2005 and December 27, 2005. Light novels, drama CDs, and one volume of a manga adaption have also been produced.
Kenji Tomosaka moves to a coastal town as a child. The sea spread in front of him shines like ramune, reflecting the sunlight of the summer.
He meets Nanami Konoe, who lives next door. As time passes, their shared memories have accumulated. They think of their normal lives and relationship as precious things.
The sun begins to shine strongly, cicadas begin to buzz, and the sky clears up. For Kenji and Nanami, it is not just another ordinary summer.
Main characters
Kenji Tomosaka (友坂 健次, Tomosaka Kenji)Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama (
anime)Kenji is the male leading character of the story. He is a 2nd year high school student. He and his childhood friend, Nanami, are inseparable; they take turns waking each other, walk to and from school together and tend her family's vegetable field on the outskirts of town. He owns a vintage Triumph motorcycle, passed down to him by his
father. He had wanted that motorcycle ever since he was a child, and his father finally decided to give it to him, even though it is always breaking down. Kenji really likes Nanami, however he is too shy to confess his feelings and therefore teases her to hide them.
Nanami Konoe (近衛 七海, Konoe Nanami)Voiced by: Ran Tōno (PC)/Yūko Gotō(anime/PS2)Nanami is the female leading character of the story. She has a long lavender hair. She is Kenji’s childhood best friend, next door neighbor and classmate at school. Her family owns a vegetable field on the outskirts of town which she tends with Kenji's help. She and Kenji take turns waking each other up every morning.
Profile:Birth date: May 20Favorite food: Home-grown vegetablesFavorite drink: 100% fruit juiceSuzuka Tomosaka (友坂 鈴夏, Tomosaka Suzuka)Voiced by: Hina Kamimura (PC)/Mikako Satō(anime/PS2)She is Kenji's younger light blue-haired sister. Suzuka is a gentle, active and innocent character.
Profile:Birth date: August 22Favorite food: Spaghetti with tomato sauceFavorite drink: Lemon teaHikari Nakazato (仲里 ひかり, Nakazato Hikari)Voiced by: Yukari Aoyama (PC)/
Akane Tomonaga(anime/PS2)Hikari is Kenji and Suzuka's older
cousin. She is short and has a long, golden hair done in twin tails. She is somewhat quick-tempered and is a
tomboy. Hikari may be annoying at times but she really cares for her cousins and Nanami, and is willing to help them when they're in trouble. Hatano, Kenji's friend and classmate, is crazy about Hikari and pesters her when she visits her cousins during summer. She secretly likes Hatano but is too stubborn to admit it. She loves spicy food.
Profile:Birth date: March 20Favorite food: Tom yam kungFavorite drink: Milk or almost all of carbonated soft drinksTae Isawa (石和 多恵, Isawa Tae)Voiced by: Izumi Maki (PC)/
Natsumi Yanase(anime/PS2)Tae is the Student Council President and Kenji’s senpai in school. She has a short dark purple hair and is often seen wearing her jersey. She is a very mature, good-tempered and responsible person. She has three younger siblings (two brothers and one sister) to take care of.
Profile:Birth date: February 2Favorite food: Mitarashidango (a kind of dango)Favorite drink: HojichaHiromi Sakura (佐倉 裕美, Sakura Hiromi)Voiced by: Sakura Takatsuki (PC)/
Hiroko Taguchi(anime/PS2)Hiromi is Suzuka's black-haired classmate. She is a soft-spoken and timid girl who has been infatuated with Kenji since childhood. She confesses to him just before she has to move away.
Profile:Favorite food: Anmitsu, MitsumameFavorite drink: RamuneMisora Ayukawa (鮎川 美空, Ayukawa Misora)Voiced by: Ryōko Shintani(anime/PS2)Misora is a biker girl whose bike, a
Honda CB400 SUPER BOL D'OR, breaks down just outside town while she is touring in the countryside. She stays at Kenji's house until the required parts are delivered and works at Nanami's family's cafe to earn the money she needs for the repairs. She has pink hair with a cowlick and two short twin tails.
Profile:Favorite food: French toastFavorite drink: Sports drinkHatano (端野, Hatano)Voiced by: Shintaro Ōhata(anime/PS2)Kenji’s friend and classmate, Hatano serves as comic relief. He has a crush on Kenji's cousin, Hikari, and tries to make moves on her whenever she visits but is always turned down. He would do anything for her to the point of becoming her slave.
Kagami Konoe (近衛 各務, Konoe Kagami)Voiced by: Suzune Kusunoki(PC)/Erika Narumi(anime/PS2)Kagami is Nanami's
mother who runs a
kissaten or coffee shop right across the street from their house. She has a kind and gentle personality. Because of her youthful appearance, she is often mistaken for Nanami's elder sister.
Kenryū Tomosaka (友坂 健柳流, Tomosaka Kenryū)Voiced by: Takashi Nagasako(anime/PS2)Kenji and Suzuka’s father who is a judo instructor at Suzuka's school. He is very strict when teaching her and does not accept failure. He is also adamant that Kenji takes care of his motorcycle.
Opening Theme"Just Kidding 76's" (なんてね76's, Nantene 76's)Performed by: Hiromi SatouLyrics by: Tomo KataokaComposition and arrangement by: Hitoshi Fujima (Elements Garden)Ending Theme"Lamune" (ラムネ, Ramune)Performed by: DucaLyrics by: Tomo KataokaComposition by: Hijiri AnzeArrangement by: Katsumichi HaradaInsert Theme (PC)"Evening Calm" (夕凪, Yūnagi)Performed by: KAKOLyrics by: YanachīComposition by: Jan AmanoArrangement by: Takehiro KawabeInsert Theme (PS2)"Two(Lamune 79's)" (ふたり(ラムネ79's), Futari(Ramune79's))Performed by: KAKOLyrics by: Nachi KioComposition and arrangement by: Hitoshi Fujima (Elements Garden)Opening Theme"The Melody of Lemonade’s Color" (ラムネ色のメロディ, Ramune Iro no Merodi): Episodes 01 - 12Performed by: MayuLyrics by: TomuComposition by: RaitoArrangement by: Yougo KannoEnding Theme"Summer vacation": Episodes 01 - 11"Just Kidding 76's" (なんてね76's, Nantene 76's): Episode 12 insert ending theme.Performed by: Hiromi SatouLyrics by: Tomo KataokaComposition and arrangement by: Hitoshi Fujima (Elements Garden)Insert Theme"A Sea Bluer than Ever" (いつもより青い海, Itsumo Yori Aoi Umi): Episode 01Performed by: Tae Isawa (CV: Natsumi Yanase)Lyrics and composition by: Yuuko YamaguchiArrangement by: Kazuo Satou"The Meteor of Dreams" (夢いっぱいの箒星, Yume Ippai no Houkiboshi): Episodes 03 & 05Performed by: Suzuka Tomosaka (CV: Mikako Satou)Lyrics by: TomuComposition by: Nozomu NakamuraArrangement by: KANKE"Kira Kira": Episodes 06 & 10"Time Machine" (タイムマシーン, Taimu Mashīn): Episodes 07 & 09Performed by: Misora Ayukawa (CV: Ryouko Shintani)Lyrics and composition by: Ritsuko MiyajimaArrangement by: Fumikazu Takenaka"Lovely Season" (大好きなSeason, Daisuki na Season): Episode 07Performed by: Hikari Nakazato (CV: Akane Tomonaga)Lyrics and composition by: RieArrangement by: Yasufumi Yamashita"The Sky of Sometime" (いつかの空, Itsuka no Sora): Episode 09Performed by: Hiromi Sakura (CV: Hiroko Taguchi)Lyrics by: Himi IzutsuComposition by: YORIArrangement by: Yousuke Sugimoto"Eyes Sunshine" (瞳サンシャイン, Hitomi Sanshain): Episode 10Performed by: Tae Isawa (CV: Natsumi Yanase)Lyrics and composition by: Yuuko YamaguchiArrangement by: Kazuo SatouSix DVDs of anime series were released by Interchannel in Japan.
Lamune DVD Vol.1 (Eps. 01 - 02)Lamune DVD Vol.2 (Eps. 03 - 04)Lamune DVD Vol.3 (Eps. 05 - 06)Lamune DVD Vol.4 (Eps. 07 - 08)Lamune DVD Vol.5 (Eps. 09 - 10)Lamune DVD Vol.6 (Eps. 11 - 12)Opening and ending Single albums
Opening theme song Single: "The Melody of Lemonade’s Color" (ラムネ色のメロディ, Ramune Iro no Merodi) performed by Mayu.Ending theme song Single: "Summer vacation" (NECM-12104) performed by Ayumi Murata.Lamune Original Soundtrack Complete Edition composed by Yūko Fukushima.Character image songs and drama albums
Six character image songs and drama albums were released by Interchannel in Japan.
Lamune Characters Collection Vol.1 Nanami Konoe (CV: Yuko Gotō) "Kira Kira" (NECM-12113)Lamune Characters Collection Vol.2 Hikari Nakazato (CV: Akane Tomonaga) "Lovely Season" (大好きなSeason, Daisuki na Season, NECM-12115)Lamune Characters Collection Vol.3 Suzuka Tomosaka (CV: Mikako Satō) "The Meteor of Dreams" (夢いっぱいの箒星, Yume Ippai no Houkiboshi, NECM-12116)Lamune Characters Collection Vol.4 Tae Isawa (CV: Natsumi Yanase) "Eyes Sunshine" (瞳サンシャイン, Hitomi Sanshain, NECM-12118)Lamune Characters Collection Vol.5 Misora Ayukawa (CV: Ryōko Shintani) "Time Machine" (タイムマシーン, Taimu Mashīn)Lamune Characters Collection Vol.6 Hiromi Sakura (CV: Hiroko Taguchi) "The Sky of Sometime" (いつかの空, Itsuka no Sora)One game fanbook for the PS2 version was published by JIVE in Japan.
Lamune ~The Glass Jar that Reflects the Sea~ Visual Guide Book - ISBN 978-4-86176-242-0A light novel mainly adapted between episode 07-08, was published by Megami Bunko (Gakken). Written by Takamitsu Kouno, and illustrated by Genichiro Kondo.
Lamune - ISBN 4-05-903507-6Paradigm has published two 18 prohibited light novels based on the game, the first was published in early November 2004, the second was published in January 2005. both books were written by Okada Runa and illustrated by Ankoromochi. One focuses on Nanami's scenario, and the other focuses on Tae.
A manga illustrated by Rino Fujii was published in the Japanese manga magazine Comp Ace on Jan 26, 2006, published by Kadokawa Shoten.
A twelve-episode anime series was produced by Trinet Entertainment and Picture Magic. It is based on the visual novel and is entitled Lamune: Garasu Bin ni Utsuru Umi (ラムネ 〜ガラスびんに映る海〜, lit. Lamune: Sea Reflected in the Glass Bottle). The anime was directed by Jun Takada, and airs on the networks Chiba TV, Kansai TV, Teletama, Tokai TV, and tvk.
Original Work: Neko Neko SoftwareDirector: Jun TakadaProducer: Yoshihiro Ikeda, Saburo Ōmiya, Takashi NakanishiExecutive Producer: Masaki Kobayashi, Akira AkamatsuSeries Composition: Takamitsu KōnoScript: Daisuke Ishibashi, Takamitsu Kōno, Tsutomu KanekoStoryboard: Jun Takada, Tetsuya EndoEpisode Director: Jun Takada, Shintaro ItogaCharacter Draft: Yūki Osamu, Mochi AnkoroCharacter Design: Gen'ichiro KondoComposite Director: Atsushi NakayamaArt Supervision: Tadao KubotaColor Design: Maki TanakaSound Manager: Kaoru MachidaSound Producer: Kōichi IzukaSound Works: Trinet EntertainmentMusic: Yuuko FukushimaMusic Producer: Kazuo ŌnukiMusic Works: InterchannelAnimation Director: Chiyoko Sakamoto, Megumi Noda, Yuka HasegawaAnimation Producer: Toshirō Sakuma (Picture Magic), Takashi Nomura (Radix Ace Entertainment)Assistant Producer: Kōsaku Sakamoto (Trinet Entertainment)Animation Production: Trinet Entertainment, Inc., Picture MagicAnimation Production Assistant: Radix Ace Entertainment Co.,Ltd.