The developer of some of the most well-known visual novels in the business, Mages, has filed for bankruptcy after declaring significant losses on its financial statements. Originally known as 5pb., Mages is most known for the Science Adventure series of visual novels, which includes titles such as Chaos; Head and Steins; Gate, as well as a half-dozen anime adaptations, comics, drama CDs, and more. The future of the Science Adventure series and other Mages initiatives may now be jeopardised.
Mages have a convoluted history that dates back 17 years. It is centred on Chiyomaru Shikura, the company’s founder and executive director. Shikura’s involvement in the firm is diverse, as he is a composer, writer, producer, and main planner for Mages’ games as well as associated anime and audio works. Shikura sold Mages to Colopl, a business renowned for mobile gacha games, in 2020, while Shikura and his initiatives were mostly unaffected.
