After... (video game)
Japanese visual novel with multiple enhanced ports and adaptations.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
After... is an adult Japanese visual novel developed by Ciel, released on June 27, 2003, for Microsoft Windows PC as a CD or DVD. The game is notable for its minimal gameplay, focusing on reading text and making occasional choices.
- Developer
- Ciel
- Release Date
- June 27, 2003
- Platforms
- PC (CD/DVD), Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, DVD TV game, Blu-ray TV game
- Genre
- Adult visual novel
- Notable Ports
- After... ~Wasureemu Kizuna~ (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2)
- Fandisc
- After... Sweet Kiss (December 19, 2003)
Lore & Background
After... was first released in Japan on June 27, 2003, as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM for Windows PC. The early DVD version included a guide book and soundtrack CD, while the early CD version included a guide book and a mouse pad. Enhanced ports to the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2, titled After... ~Wasureemu Kizuna~, were released on February 26, 2004, with adult content removed and featuring exclusive characters and new scenarios. A version containing both the original game and its fandisc, After... -Story Edition-, was released on August 26, 2005. The game was also adapted as a hentai OVA by Milky Label Animation, released on two DVDs between August 25, 2007, and January 25, 2008, and later licensed by Media Blasters for release in the United States on September 28, 2021—though the release was subtitled only, with no new English dub.
Reader's Guide
After... holds significance as a representative adult visual novel from the early 2000s, showcasing the typical gameplay structure of the genre: minimal interaction, text-heavy storytelling, and branching narrative paths based on player choices. Its multiple ports and adaptations—including console versions with altered content, a fandisc, and an OVA—demonstrate the commercial viability and cross-media expansion common in the visual novel industry. The game's influence extended beyond its original release, as the band After cited it as the inspiration for their name in 2025, indicating a lasting cultural footprint. The OVA's English dub release in 2021 by Media Blasters also highlights ongoing interest in localizing adult anime content for Western audiences. Overall, After... serves as a case study in how niche Japanese games can achieve multi-platform presence and inspire later creative works.
Did You Know?
- The early DVD version of After... included a guide book and soundtrack CD, while the early CD version included a guide book and a mouse pad.
- The Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 ports, titled After... ~Wasureemu Kizuna~, removed adult content and added exclusive characters and scenarios.
- The OVA adaptation was released in the United States by Media Blasters on September 28, 2021, but the release did not include a new English dub—it was subtitled only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is After... (video game)?
After... is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Ciel, originally released on June 27, 2003, for Windows PC via CD or DVD. It is a text-heavy narrative experience with minimal interactive elements beyond occasional branching choices.
What platforms is After... available on?
The original PC version was later ported to Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 under the expanded title After... ~Wasureemu Kizuna~, and the story was also adapted into DVD and Blu-ray TV game formats.
How does gameplay work in After...?
Players primarily read through written story text and make a small number of choices that steer the narrative down different paths. There is no combat system, resource management, or other conventional game mechanics to navigate.
Is there any bonus or extra content for After...?
Ciel followed up the main release with a fandisc titled After... Sweet Kiss, which shipped on December 19, 2003, offering additional story content tied to the original cast.
Why is After... notable or memorable?
The game is remembered for its deliberately minimal, reading-focused design that set it apart from more mechanically complex visual novels, and it found a second life in pop culture when the 2025 band After borrowed its name.
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