In which we take a look at several dozen of the major and minor games packing Japan’s eroge release lineup in the second half of 2007, from the behemoths lurking just around the corner to those recently announced on the horizon. Warning: the [ERO] is strong with this one… Entries are organized by release date | maker name | game title | genre, with notes following.

July 13 – Wendybell’s Chikan Ganbou – dark

Shingo note: Designer Oda Norisuke‘s art is really hot, even better than the game designs themselves. I’ll be keeping an eye out for his future work.

July 20 – Egis’s Reversible – drama

Shingo note: The Erogamescape report is in: nice designs and animation, good ero, but short.

July 21 – Courreges A’s Shokushu Shoujo – dark, tentacles

Shingo note: The first ever eroge designed by Bosshi of circle Askray, his first eromanga tankoubon is coming out this month as well. Great news for fans of pettanko, futanari, and tentacles everywhere…

July 27 – Key’s Little Busters – renai

Shingo note: I’m not a Key fan, so for info on this title you’re better off hitting up the VisualNews Gemot.

July 27 – Nitro+’s Satsuriku no Jango – spaghetti Western

Shingo note: The only that could possibly make this game better would be if they’d watched Firefly before making it instead of a bunch of Italian faux-Westerns; as is, the killer combo of Niθ on visuals (he has a blog?!)and Urobuchi Gen on scenario duty virtually guarantee that this will be another smash hit in the vein of Demonbane and Jingai Makyou.

July 27 – Propeller’s Bullet Butlers – epic Victorian fantasy

Shingo note: I have yet to play Propeller’s earlier tour de force Ayakashibito, but coming from the same team I’m confident that my man crush on Rick Arrowsmith will not be betrayed – I’m expecting nothing but the kick-assest of protagonists and the gnarliest of industrial revolution fantasy plots. Will be doing my utmost to review this when cleared.

July 27 – Tinkerbell’s Kowaku no Toki – dark, dark, dark.

Shingo note: The new game from the award-winning team of artist Aojiru and scenario writer Aika. Their only previous game I’ve played was Inyouchuu, which didn’t sit too well with me, but I’m giving the team another chance. For science.

July 27 – Westvision’s Inkou Karen Doukoukai – ero-ero comedy

Shingo note: I’ve never been a huge fan of Serpent‘s art, but the promise of more maniac ero from Westvision proved too hard to ignore. They’ll be receiving my grudging yens come release tomorrow.

July 27 – Lilith’s Nuye (Kagami) artbook – dark, tentacles, ninjas, SF

Shingo note: Kagami is a superb artist and you should buy his book. Sources say that J-List will have it in stock.

July 27 – Lune Team Bitters’ Ore wa Kanojo wo Shinjiteru – drama

Shingo note: Mentioned here in support of more varied skin tones in eroge.

July 27 – Geesen 18’s Chou Kanojo – fishing sim, comedy

Shingo note: First reported on back in April, the infamous fishing sim / eroge finally hits shelves. WARNING: this site may break your internets.

August 03 – Xuse’s Seinarukana – epic fantasy RPG

Shingo note: This is likely to be the best ero RPG of 2007, unless Alice Soft can deliver on their stated promise of a new title by year’s end. Not sure if I’ll be able to afford it this month, though. ;_;

August 03 – Valkyria’s Princess Knight Catue – dark, dark fantasy

Shingo note: I wonder if this will sell over 10,000 copies on DLsite like their other game did…

August 03 – Noesis’ Houkago no Senpai – drama

Shingo note: Noted here purely for the nice designs.

August 17 – Parthenon’s Temptation Naked – dark, drama

Shingo note: A new Temptation release at Comiket 72, pity the art isn’t from Iizuki Tasuku.

August 17 – Soft Circle Courreges’ H 24/7 ~ Twenty Four/Seven – dark

Shingo note: Another Comiket release, looks to be typical Courreges fare.

August 24 – Black Cyc’s Gun Katana – dark supernatural horror mystery FPS

Shingo note: I really want to play a Black Cyc game some day but since they all seem to be connected and I don’t want to start with something really old I may never get in to them. ;_; Also, the FPS segment is looking hilarious.

August 24 – G.J?’s Anata no Shiranai Kangofu – dark, nurses, Sanochichi

Shingo note: Sano Toshihide has started updating his website again! A demo movie is up for the game, too.

August 24 – 13cm’s Shimai Tsuma 3 – drama

Shingo note: One of the unquestioned masters of the 2D MILF, Ishihara Souka is at it again. Wonder what he has in store for Comiket…

August 24 – Dualmage’s Shokushulien – dark, tentacles

Shingo note: This would be better if Ohta Takeshi was on solo art duty, as is it should still be a quality release.

August 24 – Light’s Shopan – love comedy

Shingo note: A nice-looking basketball themed budget title with an addictive flash game.

August 31 – Age’s Muv Luv Altered Fable – comedy, fan disc

Shingo note: An Age game where the characters aren’t crippled or killed in overwrought melodrama? I’m all for it!

August 31 – Shakunage’s Ninkyou Hanaotome – love comedy

Shingo note: Sometimes these are good too. :3

August 31 – Joker’s Renge – renai, with porn

Shingo note: Circus does an ero-ero game? Unpossible! posted for that, and yuri love.

August 31 – Teatime’s Love Desu 2

Shingo note: From playing the first “benchmark” this looks to have the potential of a viable polygon-based game with actual plot. It seems to be more sex based than is probably warranted, which won’t do anything to dispel the yaruge stigma surrounding such games, unfortunately.

August ?? – Black Lilith’s Uchuu Kaizoku (provisional title) – dark, space pirates

Shingo note: Seura Isago + Black Lilith = a match made in heaven. :3

September 14 – Black Package Try’s Koukai ~Makan no Kokuin~

Shingo note: The sequel to Seikoujo, only this one isn’t designed by Amano Ameno. I’m not one for the anal fixation games, but I do hope Amano gets back in action soon.

September 21 – Squeez’s Honoo no Haramase Doukyuusei

Shingo note: N/A

September 28 – Circus’s Eternal Fantasy

Shingo note: A mainline release from Circus that isn’t Da Capo! If anyone has a reading on the temperature in hell right now please do let me know…

September 28 – Selen’s Shin Ringetsu

Shingo note: Second verse, same as the first. This one’s bound to be about as pregnant as the last, for those into such things.

September 28 – Liquid’s Majou no Nie 2

Shingo note: From the guy who did Harem Party, only with more harem and less party. Or maybe it’s the other way around…

September 28 – Tailwind’s Tsurugi Otome Noah

Shingo note: Mentioned here for one of the more interesting applications of the noodly appendage I’ve seen in recent years.

September 28 – Light’s Dies Irae

Shingo note: This game is looking seriously awesome. I don’t know much about it yet. Will investigate further. Preliminary investigation reveals an astounding number of candidates for mai waifu. Art by G Yuusuke. He is good.

September 28 – Frill’s Chikan Senyou Sharyou

Shingo note: Great art from newcomer Koisen Amane. Scenario looks bleh. :(

September 28 – Terios’s Happy Princess

Shingo note: Yokota Mamoru banzai!! This game is essentially a remake of Ikinari Happy Bell, only with a less chesty Shiiko… Ah well.

October 05 – Trust’s Magical Arms Angel Nana – magical girl

Shingo note: Aoi Nagisa‘s art is beautiful. Enough said. :3

October 12 – Unisonshift’s Alice Parade – love comedy

Shingo note: Itou Noiji may be using a pen name for this game, but she can’t hide her distinctive style to save her life. That’s a good thing, in my opnion.

October 26 – Nomad’s Inraku no Miko – dark, miko

Shingo note: N/A

October 26 – Touchable’s Shinshoku 2 – dark, tentacles

Shingo note: I’m glad to see they’re doing another one of these, Mahou Shoujo Mana was a bit of a disappointment. Sumisumi banzai!

October 26 – Clockup team Anise’s Ryoujoku Gakuenchou – dark, dark, dark

Shingo note: A new Clockup subdivision brings a game that is unapologetically sadistic – the art in this month’s Tech Gian looks good, though gameplay probably won’t be too pleasant.

October 26 – Westvision’s Taiiku Soukou Monogatari – loli, loli, loli.

Shingo note: Loli.

Summer 2007 – Black Rainbow’s Saiminjutsu 2 – dark, hypnotism

Shingo note: It’s dark, it’s hypnotism. I’ll probably pick it up. Art from Yoshino Keiko.

Fall 2007 – Hadashi Shoujo’s Shiawase na Ohimesama

Shingo note: Three superb doujinka unite to produce a game that should rival the Ino-designed Oshioki Sweetie. Tanoshimi da wa~

December 2007 – Hamham Soft’s Imosuku – little sisters, school swimsuits.

Shingo note: Little sisters, school swimsuits.

Winter 2007 – Ja no Michi wa Hebi’s Chichi Ninja 2 – comedy, stupidity, ninjas

Shingo note: the T&A ninjas are back. in other news, in a dingy Tokyo office block the process of human evolution began to spontaneously reverse itself yesterday…

Winter 2007 – Pink Hatena’s Hime~Kami 1/2 dark, tentacles

Shingo note: They’re asking for help in writing the game’s scenario, so not much info on this one yet.

Unknown – Pulltop’s Te to Te Try On – love comedy

Shingo note: A new game from the team that brought you Princess Waltz!

Unknown – M no Violet’s Hell Guide – dark

Shingo note: Absolutely no info on this yet, but since it’s on Violet (and with a name like Hell Guide) it’s bound to be dark.

Unknown – Maika’s Nozokima 3 – dark

Shingo note: Mentioned here because it seems they’re finally learning how to color.

Unknown – Littlewitch’s Period – renai

Shingo note: I know there’s a Moetan quote involving a little witch, but I can’t quite place it…

There you have it – with a few exceptions most of the major players and a lot of the minor maniac ones that I’ve taken a particular interest in heading into the next few months. It’s going to be a busy gaming season! Given the Comic Market and Wonder Festival insanity ahead, the next comprehensive update of this nature probably won’t come until late August… will try to have some impressions up of games released in the interim before then, though.