Leaf is a Japanese

visual novel A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...

studio under the publisher

Aquaplus , formally and , is a Japanese company which specializes primarily in the publishing and distribution of visual novels, including both adult games under their brand Leaf and games for all ages under Aquaplus's own brand. Aquaplus has been involv ...

, and has offices in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, and Tokyo. It and its competitor

Key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

(to which it is often compared) are two of the most popular and successful dedicated visual novel studios operating today. It was launched out of obscurity by its early release ''

To Heart ''To Heart'' is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Leaf and released on May 23, 1997 for Windows. It was later ported to the PlayStation and given voice acting. A second PC version, titled ''To Heart PSE'' was released containin ...

''. Leaf used the

XviD Xvid (formerly "XviD") is a video codec library following the MPEG-4 video coding standard, specifically MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Simple Profile (ASP). It uses ASP features such as b-frames, global and quarter pixel motion compensation, lumi mas ...

video codec A video codec is software or hardware that compresses and decompresses digital video. In the context of video compression, ''codec'' is a portmanteau of ''encoder'' and ''decoder'', while a device that only compresses is typically called an '' ...

in several games: '' Aruru to Asobo!!'', ''

Tears to Tiara is a Japanese adult tactical role-playing game developed by Leaf. It was first released for Windows on April 28, 2005 in Japan. Then it was followed by a 12-years-old-and-up version called released for the PlayStation 3 platform on July 1 ...

'', ''

Kusari is an eroge visual novel by Leaf. It is a suspense adventure game dealing with psychological warfare as players are pitted against a cunning and powerful criminal while trapped in the open sea on a cruise ship. Although this game produced Leaf, ...

'', and '' ToHeart2 X Rated''. Since XviD is

free software Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...

, released under the

GPL The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the four freedoms to run, study, share, and modify the software. The license was the first copyleft for general u ...

, Leaf was obligated to release the

source code In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the wo ...

to those games under the same license. One still requires the game data to actually play the games with the source code. In addition, a free software

game engine A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...

, named xlvns, was developed soon after Leaf released its first three visual novels. Characters from ''

Utawarerumono is a Japanese adult tactical role-playing visual novel developed by Leaf, which released in April 2002 for Microsoft Windows. It was ported to the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. In relea ...

'', ''Tears to Tiara'', ''To Heart'', and ''

Kizuato is a Japanese adult horror visual novel released on July 26, 1996, by Leaf. Story Koichi Kashiwagi, a college student, goes to his cousins' for his father's funeral. After the ceremony, as he is on summer vacation, he stays with them. He expe ...

'' are playable in '' Aquapazza: Aquaplus Dream Match'', a fighting game developed by Aquaplus featuring characters from various Leaf games.

Titles

*'' DR2 Night Janki'' (1995) *'' Filsnown'' (1995) *Leaf

Visual Novel A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...

Series (LVNS) **'' Shizuku'' (1996) **''

'' (1996) **''

'' (1997) **'' Routes'' (2003) *''

White Album White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

'' (1998) *''

Comic Party , sometimes abbreviated to ComiPa, is a dating sim video game by the Japanese game studio Leaf (company), Leaf. It was first released on May 28, 1999 for Windows with Hentai, adult content, but re-released with it removed for the Dreamcast, ...

'' (1999) *'' Magical Antique'' (2000) *''Tasogare'' (2001) *''

'' (2002) *''

December When There Is No Angel is a Japanese adult visual novel developed and published by Leaf. The game was released in both CD-ROM and DVD formats on September 26, 2003. Characters * is the game's protagonist. Although he is an unfriendly and relatively volatile youn ...

'' (2003) *''

'' (2005) *''

'' (2005) *'' To Heart 2 XRATED'' (2005) *'' FullAni'' (2006) *'' To Heart 2: Another Days'' (2008) *'' Kimi ga Yobu, Megido no Oka de'' (2008) *'' White Album 2: Introductory Chapter'' (2010) *''

Hoshi no Ouji-kun is the Japanese word for "'' Star''", and the Japanese word for a Buddhist "''Priest''" &/or "''Monk''" ( 僧, 法師 and 比丘). Hoshi may also refer to: People with the surname * , Japanese badminton athlete * , Japanese professional w ...

'' (2011) *'' White Album 2: Closing Chapter'' (2011) *'' Tears to Tiara II: Haou no Matsuei'' (2013) *'' Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen'' (2015)

Leaf amusement softs

*'' Saorin to Issho!!'' (1996) *'' Hatsune no Naisho!!'' (1997) *'' Inagawa de Ikou!!'' (2000) *'' Aruru to Asobo!!'' (2004) *'' Manaka de Ikuno!!'' (2009)

References

External links

Leaf's official website

P/ECE's official Website
{{Authority control Hentai companies Mass media in Osaka