The Caligula Effect
| Video game fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Caligula Effect |
| Abbreviation(s) | Caligula, TCE |
| Developer(s) | Furyu |
| Release date | 2016 (First Game), 2018 (Anime and Overdose), 2021 (Second Game) |
| External link(s) | Official Site for Overdose Official Site for 2 |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Caligula Effect (known as just Caligula in Japan) is a JRPG from former Persona scenario writer, Tadashi Satomi and Furyu. The game was initially released in 2016 for the vita, with an anime and definitive edition (Overdose) released in 2018, and then a sequel game released in 2021.
Canon Overview
The protagonist finds themselves in a virtual world, run by a vocaloid (here called "virtuadolls"), μ, whose only interest is to free everyone of their traumatic lives by trapping them in her own world. The protagonist then meets a second virtuadoll, Aria, who gives them the power to fight zombies, brainwashed by μ's music. The protagonist returns to their school and finds others that have become aware their world isn't real and have formed the Go-Home Club. Due to the current president's lack of interest in being president, the protagonist is voted to take his place. The Go-Home Club is informed that the best way to get to μ is through the musicians that write her songs. The musicians are also aware that they're living in a fake world but have their own reasons for wanting to stay.
The definitive edition, Overdose, introduced 4 new characters, a female protagonist, and the "Musician Route". The musician route allowed players to go behind the Go-Home Club's back to help the musicians and learn their secrets. It also meant players had 9 new character routes to play through and get a more in-depth understanding of what the musicians were going through and why they wanted to stay.
Every character was brought to the world due to mental illness or trauma they experienced, that μ set to free them of.
The second game follows a similar scenario and is a direct sequel. The new world is run by Regret and the protagonist's accompanying virtuadoll is χ. Regret is a new virtuadoll, with a stronger understanding of human emotions and χ is μ's "daughter", wanting to stop Regret from repeating her mother's mistakes.
In Regret's world, the people were selected because of something they regret in their life.
Caligula's musicians each have a dedicated vocaloid producer who worked on their music for the game.
Characters
| Go-Home Club (First) | Ostinato Musicians | Moebius Virtuadolls |
|---|---|---|
| Ritsu Shikishima/Protagonist - The player character | Lucid - Vocaloid composer Utsu-P | μ |
| Shogo Satake | Thorn - Vocaloid composer cosMo@Bousou-P | Aria |
| Izuru Minezawa | Ike-P - Vocaloid composer Asa | |
| Kotaro Tomoe | Shadow Knife - Vocaloid composer 164 | |
| Kotono Kashiwaba | Mirei - Vocaloid composer cyoucyo-P | |
| Naruko Morita | Wicked - Vocaloid composer YM | |
| Mifue Shinohara | Sweet-P - Vocaloid composer OSTER project | |
| Suzuna Kagura | Shonen-Doll - Vocaloid composer PolyphonicBranch | |
| Ayana Amamoto | Stork - Vocaloid composer DECO*27 | |
| Eiji Biwasaka | Kuchinashi - Vocaloid composer Pinocchio-P | |
| Kensuke Hibiki - Vocaloid composer 40mP |
| Go-Home Club (Second) | Obbligato Musicians | Regret Virtuadolls |
|---|---|---|
| Protagonist - The player character | Bluffman - Vocaloid composer cosMo@BousouP | χ |
| Gin Noto | MU-kun - Vocaloid composer Police Piccadilly | Regret |
| Shota Tsurumaki | Kranke - Vocaloid composer Neru | |
| Ryuto Tsukishima | Doktor - Vocaloid composer nulut | |
| Kobato Kazamatsuri | QP - Vocaloid composer Kairiki bear | |
| Kiriko Miyasako | Pandora - Vocaloid composer Ayase | |
| Sasara Amiki | Machina - Vocaloid composer kemu | |
| Niko Komamura | Kudan - Vocaloid composer TSUMIKI | |
| Marie Amabuki |
Fandom
While Caligula and Overdose only drew small fandoms in both Japan and English-speaking countries, The Caligula Effect 2 was noticeably more popular. Much of the complexity from Caligula and Overdose was toned down for the second game, and the cast was much more diverse and treated with more delicacy than the characters in the first game.
The Japanese fandom has an active doujin-works scene, creating for a variety of ships. Eiji Biwasaka remains one of the most popular characters among Japanese fans.
Pairings
- Moebius Go-Home Club President/Wicked - Most popular as an m/f pairing with Ritsu as presented in the anime, but can be taken with the female protagonist
- Moebius Go-Home Club President/Eiji Biwasaka - A common pairing, regardless of protagonist's gender
- Moebius Go-Home Club President/Ayana Amamoto - Common as an f/f pairing
- Moebius Go-Home Club President/Shogo Satake - More popular as a m/m pairing
- Izuru Minezawa/Ike-P - A comomon m/m pairing
- Kotaro Tomoe/Shadow Knife - A m/m pairing
- Eiji Biwasaka/Shogo Satake - A m/m pairing
- μ/Aria - A f/f pairing
- Regret Go-Home Club President/Gin - A popular pairing regardless of protagonist's gender
- Regret Go-Home Club President/Marie Amabuki - A m/f pairing
- Gin/MU-kun - A m/m pairing
- Kobato Kazamatsuri/Ryuto Tsukishima - a m/m pairing
- Regret/χ - A f/f pairing
Fanworks
Fanart
Doujinshi
| Doujinshi | Circle | Date | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| The journey between Koike and Minezawa | 透栖 | 2018.10.07-2019.10.13 | 18+ Izuru Minezawa/Ike-P |
| Alluring Sinner | CLOWN (BS.KENNEL) | 18+ Mob/Eiji Biwasaka | |
| Toganin no iibun | CLOWN (BS.KENNEL) | 2019.05.03 | 18+ Eiji Biwasaka/Shogo Satake |
| You are a Poisonous Flower | bigpig | 18+ Moebius Go-Home Club President/Eiji Biwasaka | |
| Hohoemu-kun to, kago no naka | bigpig | 18+ Moebius Go-Home Club President/Shogo Satake |
Cosplay
Meta
- The Caligula Effect FAQ/Information Guide - A primer
Archives and Collections
- The Caligula Effect on Ao3
Resources