Reconsidering ‘Angelique’——A Reexamination of the Historical Significance of the ‘Angelique’ Project from the Perspective of Vocal Practice.

Abstract

This paper focuses on Angelique, the first-ever “romance simulation game for women,” and examines the CD series produced as part of its media mix strategy. The Angelique CD series utilized early practices from other CDs and games, while further developing the concept of auditory content specifically for a female audience. These Angelique CDs employed two approaches: one where the listener was positioned as the game’s protagonist, Angelique, and spoken to accordingly, and the other where the listener was addressed directly as themselves. The former approach made possible the experience of spoken to by characters in the game, using only auditory elements, while the latter enabled such experience without the need for an avatar. Both approaches marked a significant step in establishing the “situation CD aimed at women” genre, which later became a cornerstone of auditory content for women. Viewing Angelique not merely as a game but as a media mix project and analyzing its CD series offers valuable insights into the history of female-oriented auditory content performed by male anime voice actors—a domain in the closely surrounding areas of anime culture.