Japanese Game Developer Denies False Claims of Anime Adaptation Made by Staff Member

In a surprising turn of events, Japanese adult visual novel developer HULOTTE has publicly denied any plans for an anime adaptation of their game “Ore no Hitomi de Maruhadaka! Fukachi na Mirai to Misukasu Vision” (commonly known as Orefukachi), following a fabricated announcement by one of their own team members.

The controversy began on January 31 when Akane Ikegami, the character designer and CG illustrator for Orefukachi, posted on social media platform X claiming that an anime adaptation was in development. The announcement included celebratory artwork allegedly commissioned by an “anime production committee,” and even linked to what appeared to be an official promotional account for the supposed adaptation.

HULOTTE responded swiftly with an official statement just hours later, categorically denying any plans to produce an Orefukachi anime and clarifying that any such production would be unauthorized. The company expressed concern about the situation, advising all team members and affiliated creators to contact HULOTTE directly if they had been approached by the alleged production committee.

“At the time of writing, we have no plans to produce an Orefukachi anime,” HULOTTE stated in their release. The firm’s prompt and definitive response highlighted the seriousness with which they viewed the unauthorized announcement.

The situation took another dramatic turn on February 2 when Ikegami released a formal apology, revealing that the entire announcement had been fabricated. In the statement, Ikegami admitted to creating the false announcement without consulting HULOTTE or its parent company CUFFS, describing it as merely an expression of a personal “wish to make an anime adaptation come true.”

Perhaps most surprisingly, Ikegami also confessed to fabricating the claim about being contacted by a production committee and admitted to personally creating and operating the supposed official anime account on X that was linked in the original announcement.

This incident highlights the increasing challenges media companies face in controlling their intellectual property and communications in the digital age. Visual novels represent a significant segment of Japan’s gaming industry, with successful titles often expanding into anime adaptations that can substantially increase their market reach and profitability. An unauthorized announcement of this nature could potentially damage business relationships and confuse consumers.

The visual novel industry in Japan has seen several successful transitions to anime in recent years, making such announcements particularly credible to fans. Titles like “Steins;Gate,” “Clannad,” and “Fate/stay night” have all made the leap from visual novel to successful anime franchises, creating a precedent that made Ikegami’s fabrication seem plausible to many followers.

HULOTTE, founded in 2013, has built a reputation in the adult visual novel market with several successful releases. The company operates under parent company CUFFS, which oversees multiple visual novel brands in Japan.

This incident echoes broader industry concerns about communication and intellectual property rights in the anime and gaming sectors. Just last year, a similar controversy erupted when the creator of the indie game “Needy Streamer Overload” alleged being removed from an anime adaptation project without proper compensation.

Industry analysts suggest that clearer protocols for announcements and stricter internal communications policies might help companies avoid similar situations in the future. For now, fans of Orefukachi will have to continue enjoying the visual novel format, with no legitimate anime adaptation on the horizon.