Houston Texas anime convention Anime Matsuri has revealed that its 2019 event will include the United States debut of Otomate Store, a famous Tokyo shop that deals exclusively in Otome merchandise. The Tokyo store runs under game developer and publisher Idea Factory, which of course has several Otome games under its belt.
Otomate Store will run in the George R. Brown Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall. Said convention center is of course the overall location of Anime Matsuri 2019, which will be held on June 14 through 16, 2019. Otomate Store will be open for three days, and the merchandise will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.
This pop-up version of Otomate Store will house official (and exclusive) merchandise from Otome games such as Amnesia, Diabolik Lovers, and Collar x Malice. PlayStation-adjacent visual novel fans are certainly familiar with those games, and this is a rare chance to snag some official merch.
Otome games, for the unfamiliar, are visual novels that specifically lean towards an audience of young women, often featuring romantic storyline paths and rosters of extremely attractive, yet deeply flawed men to pursue. A prime example of the genre is the Hakuoki series, which arguably popularized Otome games in North America.
Anime Matsuri, which is approaching its 13th year of operation, is one of the biggest anime conventions in North America and has grown to over 36,000 attendees each year. Events at Anime Matsuri range in scale, from panels and workshops to higher concept events such as Japanese car and fashion shows.
[Source: Anime Matsuri]
The Bachelors of Amnesia: Memories
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Shin
A young man who abruptly gives a kiss to the heroine after she wakes up in a hospital bed. He is apparently her childhood friend and lover. Having had others distance themselves because his father had committed murder, Shin is colder than is normal for his age. It's rare for him to become emotional, but he shows a deep affection towards those he considers close.
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Ikki
A young man with an idol-like popularity, who is also the heroine's lover. Ikki has a unique condition that makes women fall in love with him when they look into his eyes. Having given up on having a true relationship, he lives life as a playboy college student, indulging himself in transient pleasures. His interest in the heroine is largely due to his "eyes" not working on her.
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Kent
The heroine's rather brusque boyfriend, a mathematics graduate student who always tries to take a bird's-eye view of matters. He has a tendency to take amusement in phenomena that can't be clearly explained by logic. The people around him, along with their emotions, are subjects of his observation. For Kent, even love is something that needs to be explained with logic.
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Toma
When the heroine wakes, she finds herself collapsed on an unfamiliar road. She sees Toma beside her as he whispers, "I will protect you." Toma has been steadily watching the Heroine from a close distance in an older brother-like fashion. His desire to protect and love the heroine are extremely strong, to the point that his mental state sometimes becomes unstable...
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Ukyo
A strange young man who unexpectedly appears everywhere. He gives the heroine mysterious warnings, then vanishes. Whether he wants to protect the heroine or harm her is unclear.
