About

Animamundi is a game that was brought out in Japan in 2005 by Karin Entertainment and released in the US in the spring/summer of 2006 by AnimePlay. In the US it was billed as an interactive visual novel and this is fairly acurate. The game mechanics play like the "Choose Your Own Adventure" novels where you follow along with the story for awhile then are given a choice on how to proceed. Depending on your choice the storyline changes.

Animamundi's religious aspects are borrowed heavily from "The Divine Comedy" written by Dante. The basic storyline follows Georik Zaberisk, a young doctor who is heavily in debt. In order to pay off the debt left by his deceased parents he chooses to take a position as royal doctor in Kamazene. Before he can do so, however, his younger sister, Lillith, is captured and beheaded as a witch. In an odd bit of benevolence, the devil Mephistophilis (and yes, his name is misspelled this way in the game) gives life back to Georik's now bodiless sister. Georik discovers that his father was studying alchemy before his death, which has been outlawed, and turns to it to try to make a new body for his sister. At the same time he must determine the identity behind his new employer, Bruno Glening, renew his friendships with Michael and St. Germant, and try to find off the constant attentions of Mephistophilis, who seems to want him for something.

In addition to the game, a fanbook, a drama cd (which was packaged with the fanbook), and a music cd were published to promote the game. At Otakon 2006 I observed wallscrolls made for the game but I have never seen them for sale and it was possible they were specially made by AnimePlay for their booth. Fans bearing the cover image of the game were given out by AnimePlay at Otakon 2006 as well.