Tokyo Afterschool Summoners

Tokyo Afterschool Summoners, known also by the blend word Housamo (放サモ, derived from Tōkyō Hōkago Samonāzu), is an F2P role-playing video game for Android and iOS. It is developed by Lifewonders, LLC)Lifewonders, a mobile gaming company operated by the dōjin circle Yojouhan-teki Seikatsu)Yojouhan-teki Seikatsu. It is noted as one of the first commercially produced LGBT video games created in Japan, and one of the first commercially produced LGBT games to extensively utilize gay manga artwork.

Gameplay

Tokyo Afterschool Summoners is a free-to-play card-based role-playing video game with turn-based battles. Each character card has a weapon type, as well as an elemental attribute that determines its strengths and weaknesses against other cards in rock–paper–scissors-style match-ups. Cards gain levels and abilities by accruing experience through battles; once a card reaches its level cap, special items must be used to uncap the card so it can gain more experience. The game utilizes an affinity system wherein buffs are applied when the cards of characters who have a relationship ("love", "like", "dislike", and "rival") are used in battle together. Cards are obtained through quests, or through the game's gacha system.

Development

The game was released on the App Store for iOS on December 2, 2016, and on Google Play for Android on December 15, 2016. Partial support for the game in English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese was added in March 2018.

Several prominent gay manga artists, including RybiOK, GomTang, and naop, have designed characters for the game, making Tokyo Afterschool Summoners one of the first ever commercially produced video games to feature gay manga artwork.

Plot

The protagonist awakens in a version of Tokyo where "transients" – supernatural beings from fantasy and mythology – live among humans. In this world, both humans and transients utilize mysterious artifacts to fight in duels; duelists organize into guilds, which fight for control of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. The player controls the protagonist as they form a guild of their own, gather companions, and attempt to uncover how they have arrived in this world.

Characters

Main characters

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi / Naoko Matsui / Toshiyuki Hosaka / Fuji Aki / Toshimitsu Oda

The protagonist of the game. Their name, appearance, voice, and gender identity are chosen by the player and can be changed at any time.

A satyr who serves as the hero's familiar. Explains the mechanics of the game.

The protagonist and Shiro's classmate. Has a laid-back and jovial personality.

A childhood friend to Shiro, though their friendship has fractured due to Kengo's truancy.

Secondary characters

Tokyo Afterschool Summoners features an extensive supporting cast of over one hundred unlockable characters. A partial list of supporting characters who figure heavily into the game's plot, or who are voiced by notable seiyu, are listed below.

An anthropomorphic lion transient and oil wrestler who is the guardian of the Aoyama guild.

A member of the cooking club at the protagonist's school who wields the Apicius as his artifact.

An anthropomorphic Hokkaido wolf transient and member of the Ikebukuro Berserkers.

Merchandise and Community Engagement

Tokyo Afterschool Summoners has developed a notable presence beyond the game itself through official merchandise and fan-oriented goods. A variety of products related to the game are made available, including apparel such as T-shirts and bags, character badges, charms, figures, tapestries, document folders, stickers, and other collectibles. These official items are sold through licensed outlets and online shops, reflecting the game’s dedicated fanbase and its expansion into physical media and branded goods. Such merchandise contributes to the game’s visibility in the mobile gaming community and provides additional engagement opportunities for players outside the digital experience.