Bloody Call

Bloody Call is a Japanese otome visual novel set in the fictional city of Grazheim, where a secret war rages between humans and the Hanki, a race with supernatural powers. The story follows Futaba Hijiri, an ordinary girl whose life is upended when her home is ransacked and her mother goes missing. Rescued by twin brothers Reimei and Shirou, she learns of her father’s legacy—leading Fly Call, an organization opposing the sinister NEDE—and must navigate alliances, uncover truths, and decide who to trust in a world of shifting loyalties. Gameplay centers on character interactions and choices that shape relationships and endings, with a likability meter influencing outcomes.

Bloody Call: A Hidden Gem in the Otome Visual Novel Landscape

Introduction: The Allure of the Unseen War

In the vast and often overlooked realm of otome visual novels, Bloody Call (2009) stands as a fascinating anomaly—a game that blends the romantic intrigue of a dating sim with the gritty, supernatural tension of a urban fantasy thriller. Developed by the now-defunct studio icingCandy and published by Will Japan, Bloody Call is a narrative-driven experience that thrusts players into the shoes of Futaba Hijiri, an ordinary high school girl whose life is upended when she becomes entangled in a secret war between humans and the Hanki, a race of supernatural beings with tattoo-based weaponry.

At its core, Bloody Call is a game about trust, survival, and the blurred lines between ally and enemy. It is not merely a romance simulator but a political and emotional minefield, where every dialogue choice and affection meter shift could mean the difference between salvation and betrayal. While it may not have achieved the mainstream recognition of titles like Hakuoki or Code: Realize, Bloody Call carves its own niche with a richly detailed world, morally ambiguous characters, and a storyline that refuses to hold the player’s hand.

This review will dissect Bloody Call in exhaustive detail, exploring its development history, narrative depth, gameplay mechanics, artistic direction, and lasting legacy within the otome genre. By the end, we will determine whether this hidden gem deserves a place in the pantheon of great visual novels—or if it remains a fascinating but flawed relic of its time.

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Development History & Context: The Birth of a Dark Fairy Tale

The Studio Behind the Bloodshed: icingCandy’s Debut

Bloody Call was the debut title of icingCandy, a now-disbanded Japanese studio that specialized in otome games. Little is known about the studio’s internal workings, but their first project was ambitious—a full-voiced, anime-style visual novel with branching narratives, multiple endings, and a dark fantasy setting that diverged from the lighter, more whimsical tones of contemporary otome games.

The game’s director, Megumi Ai, and scenario writer, Nagano Izumi, crafted a world where beauty and brutality coexist. The art direction, led by Yamashita Nanao, embraced a gothic manga aesthetic, blending elegant character designs with gritty urban decay. The result was a visual identity that felt distinctly adult while still appealing to the otome audience.

Technological Constraints & the 2009 Gaming Landscape

Released on November 27, 2009, Bloody Call arrived at a time when visual novels were transitioning from niche obscurity to broader recognition. The late 2000s saw the rise of digital distribution, allowing smaller studios like icingCandy to reach audiences without relying solely on physical media. However, the game was still bound by the technical limitations of its era:

• Fixed/flip-screen visuals (no dynamic camera movement)
• Menu-driven interfaces (a holdover from classic adventure games)
• No real-time combat (unlike later hybrid otome/RPG titles)

Despite these constraints, Bloody Call made clever use of animated weapon sequences—a rare feature in visual novels at the time—to enhance immersion during key moments. The game also fully voiced all major characters (except the protagonist), a luxury that many otome games of the era could not afford.

The Otome Genre in 2009: A Market in Flux

When Bloody Call launched, the otome genre was still finding its footing outside of Japan. While titles like Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side and Angelique had laid the groundwork, Western audiences were only beginning to discover the appeal of female-oriented visual novels. The market was dominated by:

• Lighthearted, school-based romances (Hakuoki had not yet achieved global fame)
• Fantasy-themed dating sims (Harvest Moon-style farming sims with romance elements)
• Eroge (adult) visual novels (which often overshadowed all-ages otome games)

Bloody Call defied these trends by presenting a mature, action-driven narrative with minimal romantic fluff. This bold approach alienated some traditional otome fans but earned a cult following among players who craved depth and complexity in their visual novels.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: A War of Shadows and Secrets

Plot Overview: From Ordinary Girl to Reluctant Leader

The story begins in Grazheim, a fictional city where humans and Hanki—a race of supernatural beings with tattoo-based weaponry—uneasily coexist. The Hanki, once revered as divine messengers, are now feared as monsters due to their superior strength and ability to materialize weapons from their skin.

Futaba Hijiri, our protagonist, is a seemingly ordinary high school student living with her mother. Her life shatters when she returns home to find her house ransacked and her mother kidnapped. Before she can process the horror, she is ambushed by Hanki assassins—only to be saved by Reimei and Shirou, twin bodyguards who reveal that her father was the leader of Fly Call, an organization opposing the NEDE, a ruthless Hanki faction.

Futaba is thrust into a world of espionage, betrayal, and supernatural warfare, forced to take over Fly Call while searching for her mother. Along the way, she encounters:

• Cain, a charming but morally ambiguous NEDE executive
• Jin, the enigmatic human leader of NEDE
• Kyo Kugami, a mysterious teacher with a hidden agenda
• Wataru, a hotheaded young Hanki with a grudge against NEDE

Themes: Trust, Identity, and the Cost of Power

Bloody Call is not a simple romance story—it is a psychological and political thriller disguised as an otome game. Its central themes include:

1. The Illusion of Safety

   • Grazheim appears peaceful, but beneath the surface, a war rages.
   • Futaba’s naivety is stripped away as she learns that no one is truly innocent.

2. The Burden of Leadership

   • Futaba does not want power, but she is forced into it.
   • Her choices determine the fate of Fly Call—will she unify or destroy it?

3. The Nature of the Hanki

   • Are they monsters or victims of human persecution?
   • The game challenges the player’s morality—should Futaba side with humans or Hanki?

4. Love as a Weapon

   • Romance is not the focus, but it is a tool for manipulation.
   • Characters like Cain and Shirou use charm to control Futaba’s decisions.

Character Analysis: Heroes, Villains, and Everything In Between

Bloody Call’s cast is one of its strongest assets, with each character deeply flawed and morally ambiguous.

Character	Role	Key Traits	Thematic Significance
Futaba Hijiri	Protagonist	Naive, determined, reluctant leader	Represents the loss of innocence
Reimei	Twin bodyguard	Stoic, loyal, rigid	Duty vs. personal desire
Shirou	Twin bodyguard	Flirtatious, carefree, deceptive	The mask of charm hiding pain
Cain	NEDE executive	Sadistic, manipulative, charming	The allure of corruption
Jin	NEDE leader	Cold, calculating, human	The cost of vengeance
Kyo Kugami	Teacher/NEDE spy	Mysterious, intelligent, dual identity	The danger of secrets

Multiple Endings & Player Agency

Bloody Call features over seven endings, ranging from bittersweet to tragic. The player’s choices affect not just romance but the fate of Grazheim itself.

• Good Endings require high affection with a character and strategic decisions.
• Bad Endings often result in betrayal, death, or Futaba’s failure to save her mother.
• True Ending (Jin’s Route) reveals the full truth behind the war.

The lack of a “perfect” ending reinforces the game’s gritty realism—not everyone gets a happy ending.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: Choice, Consequence, and Affection

Core Gameplay Loop: A Visual Novel with Weight

Bloody Call is a classic visual novel with menu-driven interactions, but it elevates the formula with:

1. Affection System

   • A likability meter tracks Futaba’s relationships.
   • Choices in dialogue raise or lower affection.
   • High affection unlocks romantic scenes and better endings.

2. Branching Narrative

   • Key decisions (e.g., trusting a character, investigating a lead) alter the story’s direction.
   • Some routes lock until others are completed (e.g., Jin’s route requires finishing another character’s story first).

3. Weapon Activation Scenes

   • A rare animated feature where characters summon their Hanki weapons.
   • Adds cinematic flair to pivotal moments.

Combat & Progression: The Illusion of Agency

Unlike later otome/RPG hybrids (Code: Realize, Nightshade), Bloody Call has no direct combat mechanics. Instead, Futaba’s survival depends on her allies:

• Reimei and Shirou protect her in early scenes.
• Later, she must rely on NEDE members (Cain, Jin) for safety.
• Wataru’s route introduces limited combat training, but it is mostly narrative-driven.

This lack of player-controlled action may frustrate some, but it reinforces Futaba’s vulnerability—she is not a warrior, and her power lies in her choices, not her strength.

UI & Accessibility: A Product of Its Time

The game’s menu-based interface is functional but dated:

• No skip button for unread text (a common frustration in 2009 visual novels).
• Affection meters are hidden until checked manually.
• No quick-save feature (players must rely on manual saves).

Despite these flaws, the writing and voice acting carry the experience, making the clunky UI forgivable.

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World-Building, Art & Sound: A Gothic Fantasy Brought to Life

Setting: Grazheim, the City of Coexistence and Conflict

Grazheim is more than a backdrop—it is a character in its own right.

• Aesthetic: A gothic European city with modern Japanese influences (e.g., Futaba’s school, the Hotsuma Agency’s HQ).
• Atmosphere: Dark alleyways, opulent mansions, and decaying slums reflect the duality of the world.
• Lore: The Hanki’s history (once worshipped, now hunted) adds depth to the conflict.

Art Direction: Manga Meets Noir

Yamashita Nanao’s character designs are striking and expressive:

• Hanki characters have vertical pupils (like cats), a subtle but effective visual shorthand.
• Weapon tattoos are intrically detailed, reinforcing the supernatural aesthetic.
• Backgrounds are static but atmospheric, using dark colors and gothic architecture to set the mood.

Sound Design & Music: A Haunting Soundtrack

The game’s audio experience is understated but effective:

• Opening Theme (“Bleed” by BLACK VELVET) – A rock-infused anthem that sets the dark, urgent tone.
• Background Music – Orchestral and electronic tracks that shift between mysterious and intense.
• Voice Acting – Top-tier seiyū (e.g., Yuichi Nakamura, Satoshi Hino, Toshiyuki Morikawa) bring depth to the characters.

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Reception & Legacy: A Cult Classic’s Journey

Critical Reception: Praised for Depth, Criticized for Pacing

Bloody Call received mixed but generally positive reviews upon release:

✅ Strengths:
– Strong world-building and lore.
– Morally complex characters.
– Multiple endings with real consequences.

❌ Weaknesses:
– Overly long common route (players complained about slow pacing before branching paths).
– Romance takes a backseat (some otome fans were disappointed by the lack of traditional dating sim elements).
– Clunky UI (no modern QOL features).

The PSP Port: unENDing Bloody Call (2012)

In 2012, Bloody Call received a PSP port titled unENDing Bloody Call, which:

• Added new routes and side stories.
• Improved character interactions.
• Included animated cutscenes.
• Received a CERO C rating (mild violence, no sexual content).

Fans debate whether the PSP version is superior, but most agree that the additional content enhances the experience.

Legacy: Influence on Later Otome Games

Bloody Call paved the way for darker, more narrative-driven otome games, influencing titles like:

• Nightshade (2016) – Espionage and political intrigue.
• Collar x Malice (2016) – Urban crime and survival themes.
• Café Enchanté (2020) – Supernatural romance with moral ambiguity.

While it never achieved mainstream fame, Bloody Call remains a beloved cult classic among fans of mature, story-heavy visual novels.

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Conclusion: A Flawed Masterpiece Worth Discovering

Bloody Call is not a perfect game, but it is a bold, ambitious, and deeply engaging one. It defies otome conventions by prioritizing narrative depth, moral complexity, and political intrigue over romantic fluff. Its world-building is immersive, its characters are unforgettable, and its story is gripping—even if its pacing and UI show their age.

Final Verdict: 8.5/10 – A Must-Play for Otome Enthusiasts

Pros:
✔ Rich, dark fantasy setting.
✔ Morally ambiguous characters with depth.
✔ Multiple endings with real weight.
✔ Top-tier voice acting and art.

Cons:
✖ Slow pacing in the common route.
✖ Romance is secondary to the plot.
✖ Dated UI with no modern conveniences.

Bloody Call is a hidden gem that deserves more recognition. If you are a fan of visual novels with substance, political intrigue, and supernatural warfare, this game is a must-play. It may not be the most polished or accessible otome game, but it is one of the most memorable.

Final Thought:
“In a genre often dominated by lighthearted romance, Bloody Call dares to ask: What if love isn’t the answer? What if the real battle is for survival?”

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Would you risk everything to uncover the truth? Or would you choose the safer path—even if it means losing yourself?

Bloody Call forces players to confront these questions, making it far more than just a game—it’s an experience.

Play it. Remember it. And never trust a handsome stranger in a dark alley.