Princess Minerva

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Princess Minerva
Princess Minerva cover.jpg
Developer(s)Riverhillsoft
Publisher(s)Riverhillsoft
Vic Tokai Corporation (SNES)
Director(s)Kōji Ikemoto
Producer(s)Rika Suzuki
Kazuhiro Okazaki
Designer(s)Junji Shigematsu
Artist(s)Ran Ishida
Fumio Matsumoto
Osamu Inoue
Writer(s)Kō Maisaka
Platform(s)NEC PC-9801, PC Engine, Super Famicom
Release98 1994
PCE March 25, 1994
SNES June 23, 1995
Genre(s)RPG

Princess Minerva (プリンセス・ミネルバ, Purinsesu Mineruba) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Riverhillsoft for the NEC PC-9801 in 1994 in Japan only. An original video animation by Group TAC was originally released by Toho in May 1995 in Japan; it was later released also in the United States. The extended franchise also includes a manga series, an illustrated serial novel, and other media.

Development[]

The video game developed by Riverhillsoft

and published by Riverhillsoft and Vic Tokai Corporation for the NEC PC-9801,[1] PC Engine[2] and Super Famicom.[3]

Story[]

In the game, the evil sorceress Dynastar (ダイナスター) (voiced by Yōko Matsuoka) challenges Princess Minerva (voiced by Miki Itou), threatening to kidnap all the girls in the world and turn them into monsters. Minerva leaves with her eight personal female bodyguards to defeat Dynastar and her six also female demon generals. The game starts when all their weapons, armor and money gets stolen.

Release[]

It was released for the PC Engine on March 25, 1994,[4] and the Super Famicom on June 23, 1995.[5]

A five-issue shounen manga series and a nine-volume illustrated serial novel were also released, written by the game's writer Maisaka Kou and published by ASCII comix and Shueisha, respectively, during the 1990s.[6][7][8][9] An original soundtrack / drama CD compilation was released by Futureland in 1995.[10] Other released included a regular original soundtrack[11] and a CD collection of graphics.[12]

In 2018, the Super Famicom version got a fan translation into the English language.[13]

Reception[]

On release, Famicom Tsūshin scored the PC Engine version a 21 out of 40 score,[4] and the Super Famicom version of the game a 23 out of 40.[14]

Anime[]

Princess Minerva
プリンセス・ミネルバ
(Purinsesu Mineruba)
Original video animation
Directed byYoshihiro Yamaguchi
Produced byMasako Fukuyo
Hiroshi Kanemasa
Written byHideki Sonoda
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioGroup TAC
Licensed by
ADV Films
ReleasedMay 1, 1995
Runtime43 min
Wikipe-tan face.svg Anime and manga portal

The original video animation Princess Minerva was produced by Group TAC was released by Toho in May 1995 in Japan.[15] It was released by A.D. Vision in the United States in September 1995 and then again in 1998.

The OAV serves as a prequel to the game, telling how Minerva assembled her team of the most beautiful and powerful women warriors, and how she first run into Dynastar who tried to kidnap her and her friends.[16]

Dave Halverson gave the anime version a rating of C.[17] Chris Beveridge of Mania.com gave it a B−.[18]

Cast[]

  • Princess Minerva. Voiced by: Miki Itou (Japanese); Jessica Calvello (English)
  • Blue Morris Rui Elmitage. Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue (Japanese); Kim Sevier (English)
  • Whisler. Voiced by: Akio Ohtsuka (Japanese); Guil Lunde (English)
  • Yurisis Cheloria. Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese); Marcy Rae (English)
  • Tua. Voiced by: Junko Iwao (Japanese); Junie Hoang (English)
  • Dynastar. Voiced by: Masako Katsuki (Japanese); Pam Rosenberger (English)
  • Precission. Voiced by: Miki Nagasawa (Japanese); Meredith Dahl (English)
  • Lakuroa Balbis. Voiced by: Rei Sakuma (Japanese); Toni Navarre (English)
  • Kessley. Voiced by: Rica Matsumoto (Japanese); Laura Chapman (English)
  • K-2. Voiced by: Rikako Aikawa (Japanese); Kurt Stoll (English)
  • Orlin. Voiced by: Rio Natsuki (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (English)
  • Linealter. Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu (Japanese); Steve Spurgat (English)
  • Hagan. Voiced by: Seizō Katō (Japanese); Rob Mungle (English)
  • Yamaha. Voiced by: Shinichiro Miki (Japanese); Bryan Bounds (English)

References[]

  1. ^ "RIVERHILL SOFT [リバーヒルソフト]". Retroblues.sakura.ne.jp. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  2. ^ p.ink. "Q['VRNV PCGW@[vCOQ['V". Gamedic.jpn.org. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  3. ^