Introduction
Memories Off (メモリーズオフ, Memorīzu Ofu) is a Japanese visual novel developed by KID originally released in Japan on September 30, 1999, for the PlayStation, and was later released for the PC, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation Portable. Subsequent versions incorporated new content not found in the original version, such as a second part of the story, Memories Off: Pure, originally released as a separate game for the Neo Geo Pocket Color on April 27, 2000. The gameplay in Memories Off follows a linear plot line, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the six female main characters.
Memories Off has made several transitions to other media. A manga anthology was published in August 2000 by Enterbrain. It was followed by an original video animation series produced by E&G Films released on three DVDs and VHSs between November 11, 2001, and March 8, 2002. Three novels and a drama CD were also produced.
Story
The story of Memories Off revolves around the male protagonist Tomoya Mikami (三上 智也, Mikami Tomoya; Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa), a cynical seventeen-year-old student whose role the player assumes, and his interactions with his schoolmates during his second year attending the Sumisora Academy (澄空学園, Sumisora Gakuen), in which the main part of the story takes place. Tomoya meets Yue Imasaka (今坂唯笑, Imasaka Yue; Voiced by: Megumi Nasu), a childhood friend one day on a train en route to school. Yue is a lively and innocent, but clumsy girl. She is the main heroine of the story, and has a crush on Tomoya, but decided not to pursue him early on. Tomoya later also meets Kaoru Otowa (音羽かおる, Otowa Kaoru; Voiced by: Yukari Tamura), another heroine. Kaoru is a girl who transfers into Tomoya's class near the beginning of the story. She maintains a cheerful personality and articulate social skills, and excels in language subjects.
Tomoya later also encounters Shion Futami (双海詩音, Futami Shion; Voiced by: Yūko Kagata), Memories Off's third heroine. Shion is a girl who transferred into Tomoya's class in the past semester. She has a calm personality, and prefers to be isolated. Like Kaoru, Shion excels in language, and shows an interest in literature to the extent where she became a librarian. He also meets Koyomi Kirishima (霧島小夜美, Kirishima Koyomi; Voiced by: Ruri Asano), another heroine. Koyomi is actually a university student, but commutes to the school in order to substitute her mother as the cashier for the school for a week. She is kind and caring, but is also clumsy when collecting payments. She has two pet hamsters named Ggakdugi and Namul. Tomoya later also meets Minamo Ibuki (伊吹みなも, Ibuki Minamo; Voiced by: Kumi Tanaka), Memories Off's fifth heroine and an underclassman. Minamo has a lively personality, and also holds an interest in art. Due to her weak health, she has to constantly commute to hospitals.
Tomoya is constantly reminded of his previous romantic interest Ayaka Hizuki (桧月 彩花, Hizuki Ayaka; Voiced by: Maria Yamamoto), the main focus of the Pure story segment, as he continues his interactions with his many schoolmates. Ayaka is Tomoya and Yue's childhood friend and is Minamo's cousin. She maintains a kind and well-mannered, but timid personality. She passes away after being involved in a traffic accident towards the end of the Pure segment to Tomoya's dismay, leading him to constantly struggle to overcome with her death, and acts callously towards others.