French Bread (game developer)

French Bread is a video game developer founded in 1995 as Watanabe Production (渡辺製作所, Watanabe Seisakujo).[2] Originally a dōjin circle, French Bread became well known for their work in 2D fighting games, particularly the Melty Blood series. In recent years, they have also worked on other licensed-based fighting games such as Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax[3] and their own original IP, Under Night In-Birth.[4]

Soft Circle French-Bread
Native name
フランスパン
Furansu Pan
IndustryVideo games
PredecessorWatanabe Seisakujo[1]
Headquarters
Japan
Key people
  • Narita Nobuya[2]
  • (Studio Manager)
  • Kamone Serizawa[2]
  • (Game Director)
  • Masaru Kuba (Raito)
  • (Sound and Music Composer)
Products
Websitewww13.plala.or.jp/french/

History
The Queen of Heart '98 cover art

The studio was named Watanabe Seisakujo by a friend of Narita Nobuya, with whom he often played video games with after school. They initially developed desk accessories for Windows. Narita discovered dojin Windows action games and fighting games such as the Tokimeki Taisen (ときめき大戦) and Moon Lights 2 that were ported from the X68000 home computer. He subsequently decided to develop his own project for Windows. It was initially conceived as an original work, but creating unique character designs and graphics proved difficult. Narita was later introduced to the visual novel To Heart and decided to develop his game as a derivative work. Characters for his project were sourced from To Heart, while the system mechanics were based on Asuka 120%, a game that served as an influence for Narita and his team. The Queen of Heart '98 was released on December 30, 1998 to positive critical reception from dojin gamers.[5][6]

The Queen of Heart series sold about 100,000 copies, and Watanabe Seisakujo became one of the most popular dōjin game developer.[7] This surfaced significant copyright concern.[8] Some hobbyists also uploaded M.U.G.E.N characters whose data extracted from the game. Watanabe Seisakujo and Leaf received many inquiries about permission, although they had no relation to uploaders.[9] Narita didn't hope a derivative work disturbed its original work and developer. He decided to stop creating unlicensed games, and start fresh with French-Bread (フランスパン, Furansu Pan).[6] The circle name came from the dōjin circle which Narita belonged to before Watanabe Seisakujo.

Games developed

As Watanabe Seisakujo
TitleYearPlatform(s)Notes
The Queen of Heart '981998Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from To Heart. Its game system was influenced by Asuka 120%.[5]
The Queen of Heart '991999Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Leaf games[10]
The Queen of Heart '99 Second Edition2000Microsoft Windows
Ayu-chan Punch! (あゆちゃんパンチ!)2000Microsoft Windows
Demon Hunter Mai (魔物ハンター舞 -少女の檻-)2000Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Kanon
The Queen of Heart '99 with Second Edition2001Microsoft Windows
Party's Breaker: The Queen of Heart 20012001Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Comic Party[11]
-AIR- Flight (えあふり 観鈴ちん危機一髪)2001Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Air
Glove on Fight (GLOVE ON FIGHT ぐろ～ぶおんふぁいと)2002Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from various dating sims, anime, and dōjin games.
Melty Blood2002Microsoft Windows

As Soft Circle French-Bread

Arcade Games
GameYearPublisher(s)HardwareNotes
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza2005Ecole SoftwareSega NaomiUpdated to Version A in 2005, Version B in 2006, and Version B2 in 2007.
Melty Blood: Actress Again2008Ecole SoftwareSega NaomiThe first French Bread game to be featured at the international Evolution Championship Series tournament in 2010.
Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code2010Ecole SoftwareSega RingWideUpdated to Ver.1.05 and Ver.1.07 in 2011.
Under Night In-Birth2012Ecole SoftwareSega RingEdge 2Updated to EXE:Late in 2013.[12]
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax2014Sega and Dengeki BunkoSega RingEdge 2
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Latest2015Arc System WorksSega RingEdge 2
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition2015Sega and Dengeki BunkoSega RingEdge 2
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late cl-r2020Arc System WorksSega RingEdge 2

Console Games
TitleYearPlatform(s)Notes
Drill Milky Punch2003Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Âge games[13]
Bike Banditz2003Microsoft WindowsHorizontally scrolling shooter, succeeding Wizards Star 2nd developed by the defunct dōjin circle NEXT.[14]
Melty Blood Re-ACT2004Microsoft Windows
Melty Blood Re-ACT Final Tuned2005Microsoft Windows
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza2006PlayStation 2
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza Ver. B2007Microsoft Windows
Ragnarok Battle Offline2007Microsoft Windows
Glove on Fight 2: Gleam of Force (小鳩ヶ丘高校女子ぐろー部 Gleam of Force)[15]2008Microsoft Windows
Lilian Fourhand2009Microsoft WindowsFeatures characters from Maria-sama ga Miteru
Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code2011Microsoft WindowsPublished on Steam by Arc System Works in 2016.[16]
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Latest2013PlayStation 3[17]
Microsoft Windows		Balancing update to Under Night In-Birth. Ported by Arc System Works. Updated to Exe:Late [cl-r]
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax2014PlayStation 3
PlayStation Vita
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Latest2015PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Microsoft Windows[18]		Balancing update to a console version of Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late. Ported by Arc System Works.
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition2015PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita		Balancing update to Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. The first game to release downloadable characters.
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late cl-r2020PlayStation 4
Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Windows[19]		Balancing update to Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]. Owner of PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows versions of Exe:Late[st] will update straight to this game for FREE, except for this game's new contents remain as paid downloadable contents. Ported by Arc System Works.

References
  1. Official Website of Watanabe Seisakujo at Internet Archive
  2. Loreille, Thomas (2018-08-20). "The surprising story of the French Bread studio". Bas Gros Poing. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  3. Romano, Sal (2013-11-10). "Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax developers revealed". Gematsu. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  4. Toyad, Jonathan Leo (February 6, 2011). "Melty Blood creator gives birth to new 2D fighter". GameSpot. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  5. "名作同人ゲーム Best 5 : Queen of Heart '99" [The 5 Best Dōjin Video Games : Queen of Heart '99]. 同人ゲームマニアックス [Dōjin Games Maniax]. Kill Time Communication. 2001. pp. 30–45. ISBN 4-906650-96-1.
  6. "同人から商業にフィールドを移したフランスパンが，新作「アンダーナイト インヴァース」で目指したもの。代表・なりた氏に聞く，その思惑". 4Gamer.net. Aetas, Inc. 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  7. Hichibe, Nobushige (2013-09-30). "ゲーム産業成長の鍵としての自主制作文化". Tokyo Institute of Technology: 32. Retrieved 2019-02-10. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. キム (2003-02-05). "飛躍する同人業界 〜 同人ソフトサークル『渡辺製作所』にインタヴュー 〜". 探偵ファイル／探偵魂. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  9. "このページに関する注意". 渡辺製作所. Archived from the original on 2001-12-03. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  10. "Games - The Queen of Heart '99 SE". Kitchen Discotheque. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  11. "Games - Party's Breaker". Kitchen Discotheque. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  12. "Melty Blood Developer Upgrading Under Night In-Birth".
  13. Kitsumeda (2013-03-13). "Review: Drill Milky Punch". Rice Digital. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  14. "Team HotPulse". French-Bread Online. 2003-12-28. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-05-02. Retrieved 2012-01-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. "Arc System Works Releasing 5 Titles on Steam by Summer 2016!" (Press release). Arc System Works. 2015-12-08. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  17. "Under Night In-Birth coming to PS3 in Japan this July". 2014-04-22.
  18. "UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[st] is Coming to Steam on 8/20! | Arc System Works".
  19. "UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r] ｜ アンダーナイト インヴァース エクセレイト クレア".


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