Kimi ga Nozomu Eien lit. The Eternity You Desire), abbreviated as Kimibou or Kiminozo, is a Japanese visual novel adventure game created by âge. It was first released in 2001 for the PC and was later ported to the Dreamcast (by Alchemist) and PlayStation 2 (by Princess Soft) under the title Rumbling Hearts[1] as all-age versions. A Windows Vista-optimized version of the game, known as Kimi ga Nozomu Eien Latest Edition, was released on March 28, 2008.
The game was adapted into a fourteen-episode anime television series, first airing between October 5, 2003 and January 4, 2004. The three DVD volumes of the series were released in the United States in December 2006, February 2007, and March 2007 respectively. The series was also licensed for release by Revelation Films in the United Kingdom and Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, under the title Rumbling Hearts - Kiminozo. It was one of the first anime shows to be officially made available for the iPod through the iTunes Store and is also available through Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace.
An anime OVA series called Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~Next Season began its release on December 21, 2007. The booklet that accompanied the first DVD release revealed that the OVA series will be four episodes long. Promotional videos for the new OVA were posted on December 4, 2007.[4] The OVA series follows an alternate ending that centers around Haruka.
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien's title , due to its length, is usually reduced to . This is officially read as "Kimibō", but many read it as "Kiminozo" instead. Both abbreviations are now considered to be acceptable, with "Kiminozo" being officially written as "instead (this is used in Kiminozo Radio). Early English-speaking fans of the series often shorten the title to "KGNE".
Takayuki Narumi Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama (Japanese), Kevin M. Connolly (English) As the protagonist, Takayuki Narumi meets Haruka a year before Mitsuki sets them up during their third year of high school. When he witnesses the still fresh pool of blood next to Haruka's bloodied hair ribbons lying among the shattered glass of the phone booth, he develops a posttraumatic stress disorder.[5] Later in the story, he works at a restaurant chain owned by the Sky Temple financial group called "The Family Restaurant", after having regressed in his studies due to the disorder resulting from the accident. In Haruka's absence, he gradually begins to develop a relationship with Mitsuki. In the game the player assumes this role and can choose to pursue and end up with most of the female characters.
Haruka Suzumiya iced by: Minami Kuribayashi (Japanese), Carrie Savage (English) Being a shy, timid girl, Haruka is set up with Takayuki by her friend, Mitsuki, while she is in high school. The two quickly become close, and develop an intimate relationship. She is involved in a serious car accident and ends up in a coma. The main thrust of the story begins when she awakens three years later. She is afflicted with anterograde amnesia, and because of her delicate psyche, her family and Takayuki conceal the truth that three years have passed, which forms much of the tension in the series. Mitsuki Hayase Voiced by: Chiaki Takahashi (credited as (Tomoko Ishibashi) (Japanese), Colleen Clinkenbeard (English) Mitsuki is friends with both Takayuki and Haruka, but secretly she has feelings for Takayuki. In high school she was a competitive swimmer, but shortly after Haruka's accident, she finds herself leaving swimming to tend to Takayuki. She finally reveals her feelings to Takayuki. Akane Suzumiya Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi (credited as (Tomomi Uehara) (Japanese), Leah Clark (English) Haruka's younger sister initially treats both Takayuki and Mitsuki as older siblings until she finds out they have been seeing each other behind the comatose Haruka's back. While Haruka is in hospital, she visits her every day. She, like Mitsuki, is a competitive swimmer, but feels as if she can never match Mitsuki, who she initially looks up to. Later, there are hints given that Akane feels something more for Takayuki, but these are not explored fully in the series. Shinji Taira Voiced by: Masaki Andō (Japanese), David Wilson-Brown (English) Although being friends with Takayuki, Haruka and Mitsuki in high school, he drifts off from the group after graduation. However, he becomes an important character towards the end of the series. He sometimes presents a counter-balance to the drama of the rest of the characters, as his relationship with his girlfriend (who remains off-screen) seems to be going well. Ayu Daikuuji Mayu Tamano Voiced by: Kiyomi Asai (Japanese), Luci Christian (English) (Ayu) Voiced by: Kozue Yoshizumi, credited as Kyōko Yoshida) (Japanese), Monica Rial (English) (Mayu) They are two waitresses who work at the same restaurant as Takayuki. Ayu is the surly daughter of the chief executive officer of the "Sky Temple" financial group, who owns and operates the restaurant chain. As such, she is permitted to work at the restaurant as part of a market study by the financial group on the condition she does not reveal her identity.[6] She works in order to experience society. Mayu is a soft-spoken but well-meaning klutz who has lost her parents and older brother. While serving as love interests in the game, they provide the only comic relief in the anime. After the credits of several episodes in the series, a 30-second short known as the "Ayu-Mayu Theater" shows them in a comical situation totally irrelevant to the main story with all characters super deformed. They are also known as AyuAyu and MayuMayu. Hotaru Amakawa Fumio Hoshino Fumie in the Funimation English version) Manami Homura Voiced by: Satoko Kubota (Japanese), Alison Viktorin (English) (Hotaru) Voiced by: Hitomi (credited as (Minami Hokuto) (Japanese), Jamie Marchi (English) (Fumio) Voiced by: Amako Mari (Japanese), Amy Rosenthal (English) (Manami) They are three nurses at the hospital. Hotaru and Fumio attended nursing school together and are very close friends. Hotaru Amakawa suffers from a terminal illness that stopped her physical development so that she looks like a very young girl. She is is often referred to as "Fumio's child", as Hotaru has a very child like stature whereas Fumio has a very curvy and maternal stature. The two are inseparable. Manami, the green-haired nurse, is a student nurse who attended the same high school as Takayuki. Manami has a very strong mothering instinct with a desire to take care of people, hence her chosen profession. In the game, Manami is introduced in the first chapter and also is in love with Takayuki, but is also too shy to express her feelings for him. All three nurses are potential love interests in the game. The original Manami ending was so disturbing that fans wrote to the company calling to change it. So in the DVD and PS2 versions of the game, a new ending was added for Manami. In the series, Manami's role is reduced to one line and several silent cameos including a spoof of Ringu in one "Ayu-Mayu Theater" segment where Manami comes out of the TV. Amakawa is given several short scenes in the hospital, where she drops many sexual innuendos into her conversations with Takayuki. Kouzuki Motoko Voiced by: Mariko Kobayashi She is the doctor in charge of Haruka.
