Princess Maker is a series of Japanese life simulation bishojo games by the computer game and anime production company Gainax. Princess Maker was never released in the United States of America. Princess Maker 2 was translated by SoftEgg for a North American release, but this release was cancelled because publisher Intracorp went bankrupt. Princess Maker 3 was not released outside Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

The second game (the more popular) takes place in a fantastic, vaguely Medieval world. It is stated it takes place in 1210 AD, although the game makes no attempts at historical accuracy. Your character, a famous warrior who years ago defeated a demonic entity called Lucifon (an obvious reference to, or mistranslation of Lucifer), is now a revered hero and nobleman. One night, your character receives a communication from a god (the game loosely follows the Roman pantheon) telling him that he is being given the task of raising a 10 year old girl (the player can choose to name her, though the default name is 'Olive') until she is 18, at which point she will find out her final job, her parenting skill and alignment.

The plot has little to do with the actual gameplay aside from pointing out that the girl is NOT the biological daughter of your character.

There are 74 possible endings, ranging from mundane jobs such as a soldier or a mason, to prestigious jobs such as Archbishop or Prime Minister, to "dark side" jobs such as a prostitute or a crime lord. In addition, numerous factors decide whether or not Olive is successful at her job, whom she marries, and whether she has children of her own.

An anime loosely based on the third game was made, called Puchi Puri Yucie .

Characters (from Princess Maker 2)

The Swordsman He is technically the player character of the game, the adoptive father of the girl. He is never seen or heard (except as a shadowy figure when fighting Lucifon).

Olive A little girl with long wavy brunette hair. Depending on your uprbringing, her personality and qualities will evolve differently. She is the titular "princess".

Cube The loyal and gentle butler. He is a benevolent demon with catlike eyes. He serves as a tutorial guide for gameplay mechanics and story developments. If Olive develops a strong enough relationship with Cube, she can marry him at the end of the game. Cube is the recurrent character in the series and the anime.

Patricia Olive's rival in dancing contests and in high-ranking society. She is an arrogant blonde girl. She is also a qualified painter.

Anita Cassandra Olive's rival in fighting contests. She is a tall snooty dark-skinned girl. In her spare time, she works in a weapon shop.

Marthia Olive's rival in cooking and in low-ranking society. She is a shy blue-haired girl. In her spare time, she works in Chief Balbon's restaurant.

Wendy Olive's rival in magic. She is a short brunette girl with a green hat. In her spare time, she works in a pawnshop.

Lucifon The lord of the underworld. After his defeat under the swordsman, he returned to live in his lair, a cave in a treacherous desert. He will corrupt Olive if she ever meets him.

The Dragons A young dragon and his elderly father who live in the ruins of a castle in the desert. They can shapeshift to humanoid forms. The old dragon guards treasure and is quite lecherous. The young dragon is impetuous but can get very timid if defeated in battle.

Leftor The fencing instructor of the village. A harsh man, he has a big scar on his face that makes him half-blind. Still, he is one of the top fighters in contests.

Francoise More A pretty yet arrogant aristocratic French girl. She is qualified in fencing and dancing.

Controversy

The game is not pornographic, although there are some thematic elements that would be considered unsavory in the U.S. For example, once your "daughter" turned 15 years old it would be possible to put her to work as a waitress in a bar, and at 16 she could work at a "sleazy bar" where she could become a cocktail waitress or a burlesque dancer. In the latter example, it is possible for your daughter to become an older man's mistress.

Other, more unsettling themes of the game include incest (it is possible for Olive to marry the Swordsman, because "they are not really related") and pedophilia; a range of revealing outfits is available for Olive to wear, including bondage gear. There is also a "hidden" outfit only available by entering a code that renders Olive completely nude, regardless of her age.

External links

• A fan page
• Story of the failed translation
• Game guides and secrets