To Heart 2 (トゥハート２, Tu Hāto 2), stylized as ToHeart2, is a Japanese romance visual novel developed by Leaf and published by Aquaplus. It was first released for the PlayStation 2 on December 28, 2004 as an all-ages title, and was followed by an adult version playable on Microsoft Windows and subsequent all-ages versions for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. This deviated from the release history of the game's predecessor, To Heart, which was originally released with adult content prior to receiving versions with such content removed. The gameplay in To Heart 2 follows a branching plot line with multiple endings, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction based on the player's decisions. Its story centers on the male protagonist Takaaki Kouno, and focuses on the appeal of the female main characters.
The game was positively received in both sales and popularity. Its original PlayStation 2 release sold more than 82,000 copies in its first week of release in Japan, and it was voted as the third best bishōjo game by the readers of Dengeki G's Magazine in 2007. It has since received several spin-off titles, including a sequel entitled To Heart 2 Another Days, which was released on February 29, 2008 for Windows, and has also made transitions to other media. There have been six anime adaptations of To Heart 2: an anime television adaptation produced by OLM's Team Iguchi, which was first broadcast in Japan between October 3, 2005 and January 2, 2006; and five original video animation series produced by Aquaplus and Chaos Project. Four manga series, fifteen sets of manga anthologies, three Internet radio shows, two drama CDs, and six novel adaptations based on To Heart 2 have also been produced.
To Heart 2 is a romance "novel-type adventure game" in which the player assumes the role of Takaaki Kouno, who begins his second year of high school after reuniting with a childhood friend. Much of its gameplay is spent on reading the story's narrative and dialogue. The text in the game is accompanied by character sprites, which represent who Takaaki is talking to, appearing over background artwork. Throughout the game, the player encounters CG artwork at certain points in the story, which take the place of the background art and character sprites. A gallery of the viewed CGs and played background music is available on the game's title screen. To Heart 2 follows a branching plot line with multiple endings, and depending on the decisions that the player makes during the game, the plot will progress in a specific direction.
To Heart 2's story revolves around the male protagonist Takaaki Kouno, a high school student who has an aversion to most girls around him, and focuses on his interactions with his schoolmates. The story begins on March 1, 2004, when Takaaki's parents leave for an overseas business trip. That morning, Konomi Yuzuhara, Takaaki's childhood friend, comes to meet Takaaki for their commute to school. Konomi is a cheerful and innocent, but childish girl. She is one year younger than Takaaki, who often views her as a younger sister. The two are also friends with Yuuji Kousaka, who is in the same class as Takaaki. Despite being the son of a wealthy and prestigious family, Yuuji has a frivolous and carefree personality, and often flirts with the girls at school. Takaaki later reunites with Tamaki Kousaka, another childhood friend, who had promised to return before being enrolled into a boarding school. Tamaki has a strong and dominant personality, and tends to act as an elder sister figure to those around her. She later transfers into Takaaki's high school upon the beginning of the new school year.
Throughout the story, Takaaki meets several other heroines attending his school. The first is Manaka Komaki, a timid, clumsy, but accommodating girl who is the vice class representative of Takaaki's class. She often spends time in the school library's storage, and helps the library committee with general tasks. Similar to Takaaki, she is inarticulate around the opposite gender. Manaka is also close friends with Yuma Tonami, an aggressive girl who commutes to school by a mountain bike. Yuma sees Takaaki as a rival after she first met him at school, and often challenges him to various duels. She often laments her grandfather's insistence of having her take over the family business, and attempts to hide her family background from Takaaki. Karin Sasamori is a schoolmate of Takaaki's and the founder of the school's mystery club. Karin has a cheerful and energetic personality, and has an odd affection towards the occult and objects such as egg sandwiches. She first meets Takaaki early in the story, and later deceives him into joining the mystery club.
Sango Himeyuri is an underclassman who takes a liking to Takaaki. She is lively and innocent, but also intelligent. She is in particular proficient in computer-related subjects, and designed multiple humanoid maid robots as an engineer for Kurusugawa Electronics. Ruri Himeyuri is another underclassman of Takaaki and Sango's younger twin sister. In contrast to her older sister, Ruri has a bad-mouthed and hostile personality. She is very protective of Sango, and often regards Takaaki's interactions with her in bad faith. Lucy Maria Misora is a girl whom Takaaki meets one day on his way home. She has a calm personality and opens up to very few people except him. Lucy claims to be an alien, and speaks a unique language she calls the "Rū Language" (るー語, Rūgo). She later attends Takaaki's school under the name Rūko Kireinasora. Yūki Kusakabe is a gentle and well-mannered girl who often lingers in the school building at night. She was one of Takaaki's classmates in elementary school, but has since transferred away because of her parents' divorce.
Two heroines were subsequently added to To Heart 2's story in later versions of the game. Sasara Kusugawa becomes the student council president of Takaaki's school during his second year. She inherits her position from the previous president Ma-ryan, as she is the only remaining student council member after the latter's graduation. Sasara is very diligent, often completing all of the student council's tasks by herself. She is often feared by students for her strict attitude, but is actually disguising a shy and gentle personality. Mio Hanesaki is Takaaki's classmate. She remains largely unnoticed by other students, most of whom remain oblivious of her name. She originally ties her hair up and wears eyeglasses, but later wears contact lens and her hair untied as an attempt by Takaaki to change the impression she gives to others.
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