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French-Bread

Summary

Soft Circle French-Bread[5], also known simply as French-Bread, is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1995 as Watanabe Production (渡辺製作所, Watanabe Seisakujo), based in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan.[2] Originally a doujin circle, French-Bread became well known for their work in fighting games, particularly the Melty Blood series. In recent years, they worked on other licensed-based fighting games, such as Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax[6] and the company’s original game, Under Night In-Birth.[7] Most of its developed video games are commonly released for Microsoft Windows, Sega arcade systems, and PlayStation consoles.

Soft Circle French-Bread
Native name
フランスパン
Furansu Pan
FormerlyWatanabe Seisakujo (1995–2003)[1]
IndustryVideo games
Founded1995; 29 years ago (1995)
FounderNobuya Narita
Headquarters
Taitō
,
Japan
Key people
  • Nobuya Narita[2]
  • (Studio Manager)
  • Seichi Yoshihara
  • (Primary Sprite Artist)
  • Kamone Serizawa[2]
  • (Game Director)
  • Masaru Kuba (Raito)
  • (Sound and Music Composer)
  • Takehiko Wagatsuma
  • (Special Effect, UI and Layout Artist)
Products
Number of employees
14 (2021)[3][4]
Websitewww13.plala.or.jp/french/ (Old)
unknown-corp.co.jp (New)

History edit

 
The Queen of Heart '98 cover art

The studio was named after a friend of Nobuya Narita, with whom he often played video games after school. They initially developed desk accessories for Windows. Narita discovered dojin Windows action games and fighting games such as the Tokimeki Taisen (ときめき大戦) and Moon Lights 2 that were ported from the X68000 home computer. He subsequently decided to develop his own project for Windows. It was initially conceived as an original work, but creating unique character designs and graphics proved difficult. Narita was later introduced to the visual novel To Heart and decided to develop his game as a derivative work. Characters for his project were sourced from To Heart, while the system mechanics were based on Asuka 120%, a game that served as an influence for Narita and his team. The Queen of Heart '98 was released on December 30, 1998 to positive critical reception from dojin gamers.[8][9] The Queen of Heart series sold about 100,000 copies, and Watanabe Seisakujo became one of the most popular dōjin game developers.[10] This surfaced significant copyright concern.[11] Some hobbyists also uploaded M.U.G.E.N characters with data extracted from the game. Watanabe Seisakujo and Leaf received many inquiries about permission, although they had no relation to uploaders.[12] Narita didn't hope a derivative work disturbed its original work and developer. He decided to stop creating unlicensed games, and start fresh with French-Bread (フランスパン, Furansu Pan).[9] The circle name came from the dōjin circle to which Narita belonged to before Watanabe Seisakujo.

Since Melty Blood, French-Bread heavily uses a sprite drawing software known as EDGE2 to create character sprites for their future games.

Narita is also a close friend of Hiiragiboshi Takumi, the author of the Absolute Duo light novel series. They met over 15 years ago while both were still amateurs making doujins. Narita and the game developer's sprite artist Seichi Yoshihara has helped in designing battle suits for said novel series.[13]

The founder of freelance video game developer group Subtle Style and the creator of Akatsuki EN-Eins series, Subtle becomes reoccurring freelance sprite artist for later modern French-Bread games since Under Night In-Birth and exchange to allow French Bread to include the titular Akatsuki Blitzkampf protagonist guest appearing in French Bread's said first original game series.[14]

Games developed edit

As Watanabe Seisakujo edit

Title Year Platform(s) Notes
The Queen of Heart '98 1998 Microsoft Windows Features characters from To Heart. Its game system was influenced by Asuka 120%.[8]
The Queen of Heart '99 1999 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Leaf games[15]
The Queen of Heart '99 Second Edition 2000 Microsoft Windows
Ayu-chan Punch! (あゆちゃんパンチ!) 2000 Microsoft Windows
Demon Hunter Mai (魔物ハンター舞 -少女の檻-) 2000 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Kanon
The Queen of Heart '99 with Second Edition 2001 Microsoft Windows
Party's Breaker: The Queen of Heart 2001 2001 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Comic Party[16]
-AIR- Flight (えあふり 観鈴ちん危機一髪) 2001 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Air
Glove on Fight (GLOVE ON FIGHT ぐろ～ぶおんふぁいと) 2002 Microsoft Windows Features characters from various dating sims, anime, and dōjin games.
Melty Blood 2002 Microsoft Windows

As Soft Circle French-Bread edit

Arcade Games edit

Title Year Publisher(s) Hardware Notes
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza 2005 Ecole Software Sega NAOMI Updated to Version A in 2005, Version B in 2006, and Version B2 in 2007.
Melty Blood: Actress Again 2008 Ecole Software Sega NAOMI The first French Bread game to be featured at the international Evolution Championship Series tournament in 2010.
Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code 2010 Ecole Software Sega RingWide Updated to Ver.1.05 and Ver.1.07 in 2011.
Under Night In-Birth 2012 Ecole Software Sega RingEdge 2 Updated to EXE:Late in 2013.[17]
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax 2014 Sega and Dengeki Bunko Sega RingEdge 2
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Latest 2015 Arc System Works Sega RingEdge 2
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition 2015 Sega and Dengeki Bunko Sega RingEdge 2
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late cl-r 2021 Arc System Works Sega ALLS HX

Console & Computer Games edit

Title Year Platform(s) Notes
Drill Milky Punch 2003 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Âge games[18]
Bike Banditz 2003 Microsoft Windows Horizontally scrolling shooter, succeeding Wizards Star 2nd developed by the defunct dōjin circle NEXT.[19]
Melty Blood Re-ACT 2004 Microsoft Windows
Melty Blood Re-ACT Final Tuned 2005 Microsoft Windows
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza 2006 PlayStation 2
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza Ver. B 2007 Microsoft Windows
Ragnarok Battle Offline 2004 Microsoft Windows
Glove on Fight 2: Gleam of Force (小鳩ヶ丘高校女子ぐろー部 Gleam of Force)[20] 2008 Microsoft Windows
Lilian Fourhand 2009 Microsoft Windows Features characters from Maria-sama ga Miteru
Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code 2011 Microsoft Windows Published on Steam by Arc System Works in 2016.[21]
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late 2013 PlayStation 3[22]
Microsoft Windows		 Balancing update to Under Night In-Birth. Ported by Arc System Works. Updated to Exe:Late [st], then Exe:Late [cl-r]
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax 2014 PlayStation 3
PlayStation Vita
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late [st] 2015 PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Microsoft Windows[23]		 Balancing update to a console version of Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late. Ported by Arc System Works.
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition 2015 PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita		 Balancing update to Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. The first game to release downloadable characters.
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late [cl-r] 2020 PlayStation 4
Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Windows[24]		 Balancing update to Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]. Previous owners of PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows versions of Exe:Late[st] upgraded to this version automatically, although this version's new content remains as paid downloadable content. Ported by Arc System Works.
Melty Blood: Type Lumina 2021 PlayStation 4
Nintendo Switch
Xbox One
Microsoft Windows[25]

The first Melty Blood game depicts in remake timeline of Tsukihime series, and Melty Blood Act sub-series. Published by Aniplex subsidiary, Lasengle (formerly a game division of Delightworks in 2021).

Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes] 2024 PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Windows[26]		 A sequel to Exe:Late sub-series. Published by Arc System Works.

References edit

  1. ^ Official Website of Watanabe Seisakujo at Internet Archive
  2. ^ a b c Loreille, Thomas (2018-08-20). "The surprising story of the French Bread studio". Bas Gros Poing. Archived from the original on 2019-02-04. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  3. ^ "ふらぱん情報局 2018年04月27日放送 - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  4. ^ "会社概要COMPANY". Unknown Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  5. ^ Japanese: フランスパン, Hepburn: Furansu-pan
  6. ^ Romano, Sal (2013-11-10). "Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax developers revealed". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2019-02-04. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  7. ^ Toyad, Jonathan Leo (February 6, 2011). "Melty Blood creator gives birth to new 2D fighter". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "名作同人ゲーム Best 5 : Queen of Heart '99" [The 5 Best Dōjin Video Games : Queen of Heart '99]. 同人ゲームマニアックス [Dōjin Games Maniax]. Kill Time Communication. 2001. pp. 30–45. ISBN 4-906650-96-1.
  9. ^ a b "同人から商業にフィールドを移したフランスパンが，新作「アンダーナイト インヴァース」で目指したもの。代表・なりた氏に聞く，その思惑". 4Gamer.net. Aetas, Inc. 2012-11-03. Archived from the original on 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  10. ^ Hichibe, Nobushige (2013-09-30). "ゲーム産業成長の鍵としての自主制作文化". Tokyo Institute of Technology. p. 32. Archived from the original on 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  11. ^ キム (2003-02-05). "飛躍する同人業界 〜 同人ソフトサークル『渡辺製作所』にインタヴュー 〜". 探偵ファイル／探偵魂. Archived from the original on 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  12. ^ "このページに関する注意". 渡辺製作所. Archived from the original on 2001-12-03. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  13. ^ "2014-03-25". 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  14. ^ "「エヌアイン完全世界 Anastasis（仮）」，クラウドファンディングを本日開始". Archived from the original on 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  15. ^ "Games - The Queen of Heart '99 SE". Kitchen Discotheque. Archived from the original on 2019-02-16. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  16. ^ "Games - Party's Breaker". Kitchen Discotheque. Archived from the original on 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  17. ^ "Melty Blood Developer Upgrading Under Night In-Birth". 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  18. ^ Kitsumeda (2013-03-13). "Review: Drill Milky Punch". Rice Digital. Archived from the original on 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  19. ^ "Team HotPulse". French-Bread Online. 2003-12-28. Archived from the original on 2019-03-13. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  20. ^ "French-Bread Online". Archived from the original on 2009-05-02. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  21. ^ "Arc System Works Releasing 5 Titles on Steam by Summer 2016!" (Press release). Arc System Works. 2015-12-08. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  22. ^ "Under Night In-Birth coming to PS3 in Japan this July". 2014-04-22. Archived from the original on 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  23. ^ "UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[st] is Coming to Steam on 8/20! | Arc System Works". 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  24. ^ "UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r] ｜ アンダーナイト インヴァース エクセレイト クレア". Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  25. ^ "Melty Blood Type Lumina Announced for Consoles". Siliconera. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  26. ^ "UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II [Sys:Celes] ｜ アンダーナイト インヴァース II シスセレス". Archived from the original on 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2023-08-05.

External links edit

  • Official website (in Japanese) (Old)
  • Official website (in Japanese) (New, under the name "Unknown Co., Ltd.")