The 20th Anniversary of "Fashionable Witches: Love and Berry" Teaches Us the Joy of Styling, According to TPO

Heisei's popular kids' card game "Fashionable Witches: Love and Berry (hereafter, Loveberry)" celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

In this commemorative milestone year, various projects such as collaboration cafes and exhibitions have been launched, creating significant excitement. What keeps Loveberry thrilling our hearts even today?

This time, we spoke with Toshiaki Konno from Sega Corporation, who was in charge of the development and direction of Loveberry, and Rihoko Katsura from the licensing promotion department, who is currently in charge of the 20th-anniversary developments.

Dress-up: A Journey that Mothers & Daughters Can Enjoy Together 

Loveberry, a representative of kids' card games for girls, is known as a pioneer in its genre. While it has been beloved by many across generations, how did this creation come to be?
 
"At that time, we were developing a boys' game called 'Mushiking' in our department, and the project started from the suggestion, 'Let's create a game for girls.'

"With 'Mushiking,' fathers and sons could bond over a common topic, 'insects.' So, we thought, what common topic would allow mothers and daughters to enjoy together? The answer we arrived at was 'dress-up.'

"Dress-up games were a staple enjoyed by today's parents when they were children. Crafting a game for girls based on this universal theme was the very beginning of everything," shared Konno.

In Loveberry, players draw a "Stylish Magic Card" each time they play. These glittering cards feature a variety of items such as shoes, dresses, and hairstyles.

Players choose either the main characters, Love or Berry, and use the "Fashionable Magic Card" to create their outfits.

However, it’s not just about thinking up stylish combinations. Players must consider the appropriate attire for each stage's dance, whether it be disco, street, or ball, keeping "TPO" in mind.

The evaluation criterion for "Fashion power" depends on the completeness of the overall coordination in addition to how well designated lucky colors are utilized. While coming up with a coordinated look that includes the lucky colors within a time limit seems easy, it is surprisingly challenging.

This mechanism reflects the development team's desire for players to "challenge new fashion and express various facets of themselves."

Although the "Fashionable Magic Card" has become a valuable collectible, interestingly, the development team wasn't particularly conscious of the card collection boom at the outset.

"We certainly didn't think that far ahead.

"Our primary step was to attract girls to the arcade, and we didn’t anticipate the developments stemming from that," explained Konno.

Before the arrival of Loveberry, girls mainly used arcades to take purikura (photo booth pictures). With the debut of this game, the gap between girls and arcades significantly narrowed.

The success of the game was underpinned by careful consideration of its placement. "We were mindful of parents' concerns about their small children entering arcades, so we aimed to install the game in accessible locations, such as game corners in shopping centers or near purikura corners," said Konno.

The warm memories many people associate with this game can largely be attributed to such thoughtful planning.

Fashion Designed Through the Same Process as Clothing Creation

At the core of Loveberry, the "Fashionable Magic Card" captivates with its beautifully detailed designs, sparking joy the moment they are held.

It encompasses a wide range of fashion tastes, including items popular among the junior generation, as well as slightly more sophisticated designs like gyaru styles.

"We conducted extensive research on fashion magazines ranging from teen publications to those for adults while predicting upcoming trends to shape our designs. We incorporated next year's trend colors and designs into the card designs," Konno reflected on the past.

Additionally, the hairstyles offered are diverse, ranging from trendy styles to 80s idol-inspired looks and even afros.

"Initially, we based our designs on a hair catalog, but in the later stages, we gathered the idea sketches of designers to make our decisions. For instance, the afro hairstyle was implemented to symbolize the disco style of the 1970s, coinciding with the addition of a disco stage," says Konno.

Since its launch in 2004, "Fashionable Magic Card" has developed collections each season, with the design increasing year by year. "The production involved up to 10 dress designers, CG designers, and card designers, and we determined the designs through two meetings a week.

"We aimed to release about 80 types of cards per collection, with the goal of creating new designs for around 20% of them" (Konno).

At the ongoing "Fashionable Witches: Love and Berry Exhibition ～Oshare Maho Museum～," visitors can see meticulously crafted setting materials from that time, detailing everything down to the materials used.

"If CG designers create based solely on imagination, the result may differ from the dress designer's intention. Therefore, similar to actual clothing production, we prepared setting materials that detailed the texture and patterns," explains Konno.

Even after 20 years since its inception, this work's visuals remain timeless. The fashion expressed through visuals is carefully crafted to portray textures and intricate details, boasting remarkable quality for its time.

"The attempt to CG-ize girls and fashion for a game was innovative at the time. The production began with idea generation by the whole team, followed by feedback from dress designers and adjustments by CG designers" (Konno).

With influencers like Nicole Fujita and Maika Matsuya, who played with "Loveberry" in their youth, many fans have been buzzing about this work this year. Enthusiasts of this work have a high interest in fashion and a strong presence on social media, creating a spontaneous movement.

Furthermore, the fashion design in this work includes the now-revalued Y2K aesthetic, radiating a timeless charm that transcends the confines of "Heisei culture."

These various factors have resulted in a continuous flow of collaboration requests from companies.

"Many fans from back then have grown up and are working at various companies, and we have received collaboration proposals. Since we wanted to celebrate our 20th anniversary, it's truly delightful to receive so many collaboration opportunities" (Katsura).

Including collaborations and exhibitions, "Loveberry" has consistently been the center of attention this year. It is frequently a topic of discussion on social media, and the enthusiasm of fans remains unyielding.

"Looking back like this, I deeply feel the incredible influence it had. Considering that some people became interested in fashion because of this work and now work in the fashion industry, or are thriving as influencers, I am reminded of its impact" (Katsura).

"I am genuinely grateful that it is still loved so much after 20 years. Seeing the passionate feelings of users expressed in new forms in today’s world is truly moving" (Konno).

The 20th-anniversary year is soon coming to an end. The various events and collaborations held throughout the year have been incredibly festive and flamboyant.

The future developments are still undecided, but the appeal of this work, which has been loved for many years, will continue to live on in the hearts of many fans. While hoping for a reunion in a new form, we eagerly anticipate the next developments.