iPhone App: Noboseru Schedule ~Misasa~

A little while ago an android app appeared for the Anata ga Ofuro de Noboseru CD series. By now it has been ported to iOS as well so you can play around with it on your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. Moreover, they now also released apps for Noboribetsu and Misasa, and I got the Misasa (CV: Hirakawa Daisuke) one to review.

 If you start the app you are taken to your room, and Misasa (or whichever character you got the app for) will be standing there. The room slightly changes depending on what time of day it is. You can poke the character to get some reactions, although they are limited in the beginning. You'll have to use the app more often to raise affection and get more reactions. You can see the level of affection in the top left of the screen. By the way, the character will react no matter where you touch the screen.

The second option from the left is the calender. Everything that is in your normal iphone calender will show up here (and visa versa) which is a great bonus if you ask me. If you touch the little plus in the upper right you can add an event just like in your normal calender. If you link the app to your twitter you can also tweet about what you have in your calender. It also has a function where it automatically adds the release date of new CDs in the series to your calender.




The middle option is the alarm function. You can set different alarms. There are only 3 different voice options (wake up, reminder, and good night). No idea whether you unlock ore ones if you raise the affection, but it doesn't look like it. I currently have a wake up and good night alarm set.

To set an alarm, click one one of the alarm slots and you'll be taken to the screen on the left. There you can select on which days the alarm should be repeated (it starts with Sunday, and then the rest of the days of the week). Just tab the buttons to turn them on or off. Below that you can select which message should be played, and below that you can select the time using the two reels. Just remember that you won't be able to hear the alarm if your phone is on manner mode/ mute.





The fourth option is the help option, it explains the entire app. In Japanese of course. The final option are the settings. The top one just displays the name of the character, but there is nothing that you can select there. The second one is a voice on / off option. You can enter your birthday in the third one, so I'm guessing the character will do something special on that day. The forth one is the information on /off option. Turn it on and the app will automatically add release dates of the other CDs and other apps from the company to your calender.

Then fifth one gives some basic info on the app, the sixth one links you to the EM2 official site, the seventh one to the app official site, and with the final option you can submit a review. Judging from the app site, it looks like they will eventually release apps for the other CD's as well.



This is the first schedule app like this that I got that actually synchronises with my normal agenda, and to me that is a MAJOR bonus point. I use the Bisei Hisho (Okiayu Ryoutarou version) as well, but that doesn't synch with my normal calender (with synchs with my laptop) and I don't feel like adding everything twice so in the end I only use that one as an alarm clock (not that I have complaints about being woken by Okiayu Ryoutarou). But with this calender properly synching, I feel like I will actually be using the calender function.

I'm kind of sad that the alarm option only has three different voices, but I'm just spoiled by the Bisei Hisho app, which has a bazillion options. On a brighter side, all three of them are incredibly cute. As are the sounds that Misasa makes when you poke him (or the room behind him). I haven't been able to raise his affection yet, so I'm curious to what other reactions he has.

The app is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPad, and requires iOS 4.0 or later. It costs \350 / $3.99 / €2,99. Here are the links to the US and Jap iTunes stores, for other countries, search for 'noboseru' or the onsen name and you should find it:

Schedule Noboseru - Kusatsu [JAP]
Schedule Noboseru - Noboribetsu [JAP]
Schedule Noboseru - Misasa [JAP]



Conclusion:
I'm really happy that it synchs with my normal calender. The reactions when you poke the character are a bit limited though. On the other hand, you can have one of your favourite seiyuu wake you up in the morning and wish you good night. That is worth something.

(I now have both Okiayu Ryoutarou and Hirakawa Daisuke talking to me in the morning. I am one happy girl).