Contents:
- New announcements & thoughts
- Thoughts on Sep 12 night show & Sep 13 night show (Sep 13 day show skipped). I watched via Pia/streaming
New Announcements
Official: https://www.otomate.jp/event/party/2026/newtitle/
1. OverRequiemz Live Stage Play in 2027
2. 9RIP sequel in person event (2026 Nov): Otomate Log Book page 2
3. Reselling limited edition of popular games: OverReq, 9RIP, Matsurika base
4. PSP Port: Genrou
This game was released in 2012 and takes place in the Genpei War where ourprotagonist has a special “heaven’s eye” and likely is sought after by the various factions with different motives.
Cast:
– Tsuda Kenjirou (yep that’s when I know I’m in the time machine when TsudaKen is still delivering in otome)
– Matsuoka Yoshitsugu
– Suzuki Yuuto
– Koyasu Takehito (another throwback)
– Miki Shunichirou
– Tachibana Shinnosuke
Thoughts: Tbh IDK if I will get it. The art is reaaaaally basic. I know the cast is amazing but if the story is also a typical 2012 bunch of men fighting for a maiden in distress I think I will end up passing. I think the play is to sit out and wait for people who get it for the reviews. I am kind of surprised with the decision to port this game when there are more popular & modern ones.
5. Otomate 20th anniversary: Switch 2 exclusive for Hakuoki (likely compilation pack)
Thoughts: Great, I guess..? I don’t think there’s any new content. Every year they gotta milk this cow somehow. I mean it is their most famous work and to put this out for the 20th anniversary is understandable. While it’s a SW2 exclusive I just don’t know how the sales will actually be except the die-hard franchise fans? I don’t think this is the way to test the waters with a work that many of us have on other consoles. Shouldn’t the way be release a new game as SW2 exclusive (backlash incoming)?
6. Winter’s Wish FD: 君は雪間に希う〜恋結び〜
This game will include afterstories of the happy ending. There is also a bit of new story hinting at a “new calamity” & a new character that we have not yet met with a romantic ending teased as well.
7. Charade Maniacs FD
This game includes the LIs prologues as well as afterstories of the happy endings. It also adds an extension to the truth end “the ending beyond the truth”.
Thoughts on the FDs: I haven’t played either but at least Winter’s Wish is in my backlog. I think I am kind of obligated to get CM base game at least to decide whether the FD is for me. Surprising choices for sure as we were probably all expecting OverReq or even Crazy Chain FD.
8. New game: Velvet Candy Kiss
This kiss, is dangerous!
A romcom featuring (what I 99% am sure) a succubus MC who has the power to “make men go crazy with her kiss”. The LIs are: a student host (yes the host in clubs); a novice priest (twin with the person before); and two exorcists who are buddies with each other.
Thoughts: I don’t tend to do well with this trope (because I’m such a negative nancy) because I just smell it being another CupiPara or Glass Heart Princess where logic goes all out of the window & it’s all comedic gags I can’t relax for. Another one that I’ll sit out and wait for reviews. However, I think it has potential if they write the MC as a “bad girl” who actually manipulates men a little instead of having all those sexy succubus abilities then is less experienced than the LIs and gets all blushy…
9. New game: Shinsou no Doppelt/深窓のドッペルト ～輝血香ル黒佐切ノ誣イ言～
Showa historical game featuring a sheltered ojousama in a mansion being wooed by four suitors but all of them have their own secrets. And who is to say the MC herself doesn’t?
Thoughts: This seems like a angsty version of Variable Barricade x that Voltage liar game x MiraMis – I actually searched the artist and confirmed they are not the same; the lines are different but stylistically those are very similar. The MC is also giving me MiraMis MC vibes. Probably will compare the two side by side? Will be getting this one.
10. Character & cast reveal for Ayashiki Tougenkyou no Arias
Slightly more is revealed. MC is a peasant girl who gets spirited away to an otherworldly utopia by the white-haired poster boy voiced by Ishikawa Kaito, who starts serving as the miko of the local shrine. Cast: Ishikawa Kaito, Eguchi Takuya, FuruMako, Toki Shunichi, Kobayashi Chiaki.
Thoughts: Definitely the most anticipated title for me in 2027 so far. Everything just hits right – the artist, the cast, and the scenario. I know my entire X timeline is dunking on KTGR being the scenario but I will always be her lawyer given she writes the best romance.
While it says 和風アリス I wonder if Ayashiki takes inspiration from the ancient Chinese work 桃花源记 (peach blossom spring) which describes an otherworldly utopia that is no longer accessible once the protagonist left and attempted to tell others. Also 桃源郷 which is a word derived directly from the Chinese work I referenced above, is pronounced tougenkyou aka exactly the same as 灯幻鏡 in the title.
The character names, the building styles, and even to some extent the music (but I believe the chords were minor which would be more JP than CN) had Chinese elements therefore, I believe there’s a certain degree of paying homage to 中華風. That being said, my intention is not to find which culture “claims” this work, but moreso to make an observation because I used to recite Tao Hua Yuan Ji from front to end in school & am genuinely pleasantly surprised to find elements of it in a game I’m looking forward to! 🥰
Overall announcement thoughts: Some solid/promising titles but not as good as last year. Not enough cast reveals. Where is Bunnies High? Where is Shinrei Shinjuu? The FD & port decisions also came as a surprise to many. Also didn’t they announce Dessert de Otomate last year at OtoPa? I don’t think an announcement came this year?
Show Segments Summary/Thoughts
I skipped Sep 13 day show because I don’t think I remember enough about Hakuoki/Collar Malice to enjoy the performances & that I hated Matsurika… I didn’t play Honey Vibes. The stream tickets were sold separately by show anyway.
Every show had a part where the seiyuu read out lines that fans wanted them to read to them as the characters they played.
Sep 12 Night Show
- Next year is 20y anniversary for Otomate as a company. However, this is the 17th year of holding Otomate Party
- This is Suzumura’s birthday so the staff wheeled him a cake which was eaten after the show
- Crazy Cha!n: Also Ura Kazuki’s first OtoPa!
While the title is called “the chains that bind our fearless holy maiden” the scenario really had nothing to do with it lmao. Sophia is fighting nagekumono out there with Flatnis & Lise while Rex, Vardis, and Cronoll are stranded behind in the city & imagining what the fight between the two for Sophia will be. Just three men shopping in the streets and chit-chatting about their favourite girl in general.
I’d say it is a good show but not great.
- Nil Ado: “Taisho boy-meets-girl? The path to being a modern boy!”
Tsubameno wants to be a “modern boy”, now everyone wants to be a “modern boy” for Kuze-san and start headcanoning their encounters of love with her – filled with a bunch of gags mostly involving Akira playing the bad guy – which helps Shizuru get out of his writer’s block for his next novel. There are also sprites of them wearing glasses and tophats to be “western” and “modern”. I just don’t think I’m allowed to share them here sorry lol
Nil Ado content in 2026 gets me emotional. Plus, it was actually super funny!
- Game segment: Describing objects with only shapes (e.g. you are shown a piece of cake but can only say things like triangle, circle, cannot talk about texture).
Sep 13 Night Show
- Not Ryohei getting excited (???) because there’s a “bar section” at the “hotel” LMFAO The theme of this event is “Hotel Otomate” so the stage was set up to look like a hotel, and someone put a bar section.
- OlySoi: Opening Day! The bread shop of love & curses for Olympia
This extra scenario is such a feels trip because it recounts some key events that Olympia and the crew went through, with Susanoo making an appearance (via waves). It also mentions Olympia is to be married but intentionally kept vague with whom. Finally, this segment should really be renamed “Tsukuyomi is a big tsundere and doesn’t wanna be friends with Akaza”. While we don’t know who the groom is, it is not Tsukuyomi and he actually “innocently” suggests to Himuka to bake some poisonous/cursed bread (with illustrations, but I can’t share) that are “limited for sale to the groom” and 4444 yen lmao.
- DiaLovers: Hotel Sakamaki
This was my favourite segment of the entire two nights oh my god. The fanservice, the amount of fanservice!! Kimura Ryohei really captivated me with his stage presence. I didn’t read the cast so when I heard “M neko chan” I started screaming. Basically, the four boys think about taking Yui to a hotel that is actually just Shu’s mansion. Of course there’s no workers (because Shu is just sleeping) they decided to RP as various workers: Kino as the valet (who tells Yui the checkin fee is 100 million yen or she can pay with herself :^) ), Shin as the server who gets a little handsy with Yui, KOU AS THE ROOM SERVICE BOY WITH THE BED IN THE BACKGROUND LMAOOOOO who tries to serve Yui a clearly drugged drink then acts all pouty and sad to gaslight her “if you don’t drink it I will be very sad”, finally Yui goes to the shower and finds Shu waiting there for her to punish her for souring his mood and rest. The scene ends as Reiji comes home & everyone runs away leaving Shu to clean up the mess and face Reiji’s wrath. 11/10
- Mistonia: Murder on Ro-An Street ~the truth is unknown~
They got the entire cast for this game except Lucas, because he’s found DEAD in his mansion by Edward! Or is he dead…?! because the corpse later disappeared. After an intense debate among the five with Ascot stirring the pot & John thinking that Aprose did it so tries to “cover up” for her including kicking “incriminating evidence” in the river, Lucas is revealed to not be dead but passed out from hunger, and just got up and left while everyone was pointing fingers.
- Game segment: We have a bunch of seiyuu but we got them to mime and for the rest to guess lmao. It was very entertaining.
And that’s a wrap on Otomate Party 2026 for me at least! Next year, if time permits (aka if they don’t randomly schedule it in July/August) would like to go just to experience for sure. I won’t even know how to navigate the merch battle. It will also depend on what works they feature next year. However, I think if they keep things light it will be a very fun time! Maybe I can meet some mutuals too.
otome hitorigoto 