softhouse-seal

softhouse-seal (ソフトハウスシール) is a Japanese adult video game brand operated by Unknockout Co., Ltd. (株式会社アンノックアウト). It began in 2004 as a development group for mobile-phone-exclusive bishoujo app games, and in 2006 it entered the PC adult game market with low-price titles. Reflecting its origins, the brand uses a logo designed to resemble a mobile phone. In 2010 it established the full-price brand softhouse-seal GRANDEE. The brand releases low-price titles both as packaged CD-ROMs and via download sales. Because of its history as a doujin circle before becoming a company, some digital doujin shops such as DLsite.com still register it as a circle rather than a company, except for GRANDEE full-price works, while DMM.R18's nijigen store lists it in both commercial and doujin categories. Some titles have also been ported by the company to Android and iPhone apps. The core brand softhouse-seal initially focused on hard content themed around rape and tentacle violation after moving from mobile apps to PC, but from the latter half of 2008 it shifted to a lighter touch, centering on titles with strong gag and comedy elements. Another major characteristic is its heavy use of parodies of other works in titles. This tendency is shared by the full-price brand GRANDEE, and all titles released under GRANDEE share some common element with seal's low-price titles in story or situation. The sub-brand Anime-seal was first used for "Omatase! Instando" and its site was split from the second work "Zenjido Nakadashi Room e Youkoso!" It is used for movie-collection-like titles in a digital novel format that eliminates choices (or keeps them simple, such as only selecting the heroine at the beginning). The sub-brand Devil-seal was first used for "Kogyaku no Kishi Mires" and its site was split from the second work "Kare no Tame ni Dekiru Koto." It is used for titles with strong kichiku/ryojoku themes or netorare themes. Re:verse was a sister brand active from 2007 to 2008, used for titles where the protagonist gains special abilities such as invisibility or time stop, or themes of family love. The 2012 pack release "seal Best collection 3" was titled "seal vs. Re:verse" and included two titles from the "Rapest" series out of Re:verse's total of five titles. In 2009 the doujin circle formally became Unknockout Co., Ltd. and the brand was established, with sub-brands Devil-seal and Anime-seal launched. In 2010 the full-price brand softhouse-seal GRANDEE was launched, and an internet radio show "Noraji" began on the official site. In 2011 the company started porting and developing Android apps. In 2013 a new full-price brand seal-QUALIA was launched. In 2015 sister brand SAMOYED SMILE and practicality-focused brand seal-tutu were launched. The brand remains active, with titles released under multiple labels and some works ported to mobile platforms.

softhouse-seal was formed in July 2004 as a development group for mobile-phone-exclusive bishoujo app games, providing its first title under the softhouse-seal name, "Kironokotonoha," as an ero-anime app. In September 2004 the official softhouse-seal website opened. In December 2004 the first paid app, "Moratorium," began distribution. In August 2006 the brand entered PC adult game development with a mobile app port titled "Seiryo Gakuen Rape Doukoukai." In 2007 the sister brand Re:verse was launched. In 2009 the doujin circle formally became Unknockout Co., Ltd. and the brand was established, with sub-brands Devil-seal and Anime-seal launched. In 2010 the full-price brand softhouse-seal GRANDEE was launched, and the internet radio show "Noraji" began on the official site. In 2011 the company started porting and developing Android apps. In 2013 a new full-price brand, seal-QUALIA, was launched. In 2015 the sister brand SAMOYED SMILE and the practicality-focused brand seal-tutu were launched. The brand has continued to release titles across its various labels, with some works ported to Android and iPhone. As of the Wikipedia article, the brand remains active.

• 2015

  Sister brand SAMOYED SMILE and practicality-focused brand seal-tutu launched.

• 2013

  New full-price brand seal-QUALIA launched.

• 2011

  Started porting and developing Android apps.

• 2010

  Full-price brand softhouse-seal GRANDEE launched; internet radio "Noraji" began.

• 2009

  Doujin circle formally became Unknockout Co., Ltd.; sub-brands Devil-seal and Anime-seal launched.

• 2007

  Sister brand Re:verse launched.

• 2006

  Entered PC adult game development with mobile app port "Seiryo Gakuen Rape Doukoukai."

• 2004

  Provided first title under softhouse-seal name, "Kironokotonoha," as an ero-anime app.

• 2004

  Official softhouse-seal website opened.

• 2004

  First paid app "Moratorium" began distribution.

Low-price adult PC games with comedic and parody elements, plus full-price titles under GRANDEE; also mobile app games.

• 2004

  Kironokotonoha

• 2004

  Moratorium

• 2006

  Seiryo Gakuen Rape Doukoukai

• Omatase! Instando

• Zenjido Nakadashi Room e Youkoso!

• Kogyaku no Kishi Mires

• Kare no Tame ni Dekiru Koto

• 2012

  seal Best collection 3

• 2021.12.22

  Reported2021.12.22

  Hiddenfjord wins 2021 SEAL Business Sustainability Award[3]Hiddenfjord荣获2021年SEAL商业可持续发展奖tass.com

  Hiddenfjord was recognized by SEAL in the Environmental Initiatives category for reducing transportation-related CO₂ emissions by 94% after switching from air freight to sea freight.

• 2020.08.31

  Reported2020.08.31

  Bluegrove acquires SEALAB[4]Bluegrove 收购 SEALABthefishsite.com

  Bluegrove and its subsidiary CageEye AS acquired SEALAB. The article says the acquisition aimed to enhance sensor technology capabilities and create an open platform for integrating with other suppliers.

• 2020.02.29

  Reported2020.02.29

  DocuSign announces planned acquisition of Seal[5]DocuSign宣布拟收购Sealfinance.sina.com.cn

  DocuSign announced that it would acquire Seal for $188 million. The article says the planned acquisition would integrate Seal's technology into DocuSign's agreement cloud and contract management solutions.

Read more

1. 1Wikidata: softhouse-sealwikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (Japanese): Softhouse-sealja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Hiddenfjord荣获2021年SEAL商业可持续发展奖tass.com
4. 4Bluegrove 收购 SEALABthefishsite.com
5. 5DocuSign宣布拟收购Sealfinance.sina.com.cn