Akai Ito

is a Japanese horror adventure game by Success Corporation, released exclusively for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on October 21, 2004. A reduced price "popular edition," included in developer and publisher SUCCESS' SuperLite 2000 Series, was released on October 27, 2005. The title refers to the mythical red string of fate. On September 14, 2022, a Remastered "HD" version of the game was announced for the Nintendo Switch and PC, alongside its younger "sister-game" Aoi Shiro, at the , with a release date planned for 2023. This new version, which released on May 24, 2023, received an official English language option for the very first time, and was given a release outside Japan. Story To arrange the inheritance because of the loss of her mother, orphaned high school student Kei Hatō heads for her late father's house in Hemizuka. In the train on the way there, Kei has a mysterious dream of a huge tree and a woman who seems to be lost in sadness. In Hemizuka, Kei learns the secret concealed in her own blood through various meeting with an Oni Slayer, a friend of her late mother, a young girl accompanied by a white fox, and even the mysterious girl from her dreams. Throughout the story Kei is antagonized by the twin oni Nozomi and Mikage. Akai Ito's story varies greatly based upon the player's decisions, which not only affect the flow of the story but also the ending the player receives (several of which suggest romantic feelings among the female characters). Character [[Image:Akai ito light novel.jpg|thumb|Akai Ito'''s main characters, as depicted in the novel adaptation]] (CV: Miyu Matsuki) The main character of the story, Kei is a rather careless person, which is quite ironic considering her favorite phrase is "always be prepared". (CV: Yūko Minaguchi) The mysterious girl from Kei's dreams. (CV: Akeno Watanabe) The Oni Slayer Kei meets at the train station, her sword is the very bane of the oni. (CV: Rie Kugimiya) A girl half Kei's age, accompanied by a white fox. Kei meets her in her father's now abandoned house. (CV: Asami Sanada) A friend of Kei's deceased mother. She goes by the nickname "West". (CV: Megumi Kobayashi) Twin oni and the antagonists of the story. (CV: Kazutaka Ishii) A mysterious male, later known as Kei's brother called Hakuka. (CV: Nana Furuhara) (CV: Mamiko Noto) (CV: Miyuki Sawashiro)