Welcome to Pia Carrot!! (Pia♥キャロットへようこそ!!, Pia Kyarotto e Yōkoso!!) is a Japanese visual novel series by Cocktail Soft (a part of F&C, later F&C FC02). Anime and manga have been based on the games.
The games are all set around restaurants in the fictional "Pia Carrot" chain, and most of the female characters are waitresses at these restaurants. The individual restaurants in the chain are called "1st", "2nd", etc. A maid café named "Pia Carrot" also opened in real life as a cosplay restaurant in Akihabara, Japan.
List of titles
Game titles
Animation titles
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! (1997–1998; 3 episode hentai OVA)
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2 (1998–1999; 3 episode hentai OVA)
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2 DX (1999–2000; 6 episode OVA)
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! -Sayaka no Koi-monogatari- (Sayaka's Love Story) (2002; movie)
Welcome to Pia Carrot
The first game in the series is called Welcome to Pia Carrot!! and was initially released in 1996 for MS-DOS on the NEC PC-9800 Series and for Windows 3.1. The game was later released for the PC-FX in 1997, and for the Sega Saturn in 1998 by KID.
There is also a hentai OVA with 3 episodes based on this title.
Characters
Yusuke Kinoshita
Voiced by: Kentaro Ito (Welcome to the Pia Carrot!!!), Masami Kikuchi (Welcome to the Pia Carrot 2)
Yusuke Kinoshita is the protagonist of the Welcome to Pia Carrot. In Welcome to the Pia Carrot 2, he is 2nd's chief, and 3rd's temporary chief in 2.2
Satomi Morihara
Voiced by: Izumi Mito
Shouko Inaba
Voiced by: Minami Nagasaki
Shouko Inaba is the childhood friend of Yusuke.
Reika Kokubo
Voiced by: Hina Hatono
Yukiko Kawai
Voiced by: Hotaru Natsuno
Shiho Kannaduki
Voiced by: Kaori
1st's manager in this title
Yukari Tachibana
Voiced by: Hina Tatono
Saori Imai
Voiced by: Satomi Kodama
Kiyomi Kitagawa
Voiced by: Mebu
Yusuke's cousin
Rumi Kinoshita
Voiced by: Minako Sango
Yusuke's younger sister
Yasuo Kinoshita
Yusuke's father and owner of the Pia Carrot restaurant chain
Kaori Tachibana
Yukari's mother
Saeko Imai
Saori's stepmother
Airi Kashikura
Additional character on Saturn version
Staff (Game)
Scenario: Jane Inamura (Ryuichi Inamura)
Original Picture: Tatsuki Amaduyu, CHARM, Nak-Mura (Takeshi Nakamura), Yukihiro Matsuo (additional character on Saturn version)
Music: Tomohiro Takatsuka (except Saturn), Juri Goto (Saturn only)
Opening for PC-FX Version: Ko Ku Ha Ku
:Lyrics: Yukie Sugawara
:Music: Yukie Sugawara
Insert on Saturn Version: Miracle Sunshine
:Lyrics: Juri Goto
:Music: Juri Goto
:Vocal: Megumi Miduki
:Voice Actors:Izumi Mito as Satomi Morihara, Minami Nagasaki as Shoko Inaba, Hina Hatono as Reika Kokubo/Yukari Tachibana, Hotaru Natsuno as Yukiko Kawai, Kaori as Shiho Kannazuki, Satomi Kodama as Saori Imai, Mebu as Kiyomi Kitagawa, Akane Yoshino as Airi Kashikura
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2/2.2/2.5
Welcome to Pia Carrot 2 is the first true sequel to "Pia Carrot", set four years later than the first game. The original version (released in 1997) was for Windows 95 and was later released for Sega Saturn (1998 by NEC Interchannel), Windows 2000 (2001 by F&C FC02; this version also runs on Windows 95, 98, 98SE and Me) and the Dreamcast (2003 by NEC Interchannel). The Dreamcast release is the same as the first disc of the previously released "Pia Carrot 2.5". It is well known for its theme song "Go! Go! Waitress".
Two OVAs based on this title were released, the first being an adult title with 3 episodes, and the second ("Welcome to Pia Carrot 2 DX") was an all-age series with 6 episodes. "Welcome to Pia Carrot 2 DX" was licensed by Sentai Filmworks.
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2.2 is a branch of "Pia Carrot 2" and is set 4 months after that game. It was released for the Game Boy Color by NEC Interchannel in 2000. Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2.5 is a combination set of "Pia Carrot 2" and "Pia Carrot 2.2" for the Dreamcast. This pack title contains 2 GD-ROMs.
Characters
Kouji Maeda
Voiced by: Showtaro Morikubo (Welcome to the Pia Carrot 2), Akira Ishida (Welcome to the Pia Carrot 3)
Protagonist of "Pia Carrot 2" and "Pia Carrot 2.2"
Azusa Hinomori
Voiced by: Ai Uchikawa
Mina Hinomori
Voiced by: Miwa Yanagihara
Azusa's younger sister
Tsukasa Enomoto
Completely transferred to 2nd in 2.2
Ryoko Futaba
Voiced by: Narumi Tsunoda
2nd's manager. Substitute chief because Yuusuke has gone to 3rd in 2.2
Aoi Minase
Voiced by: Miki Narahasji
Ryoko's friend. 3rd's chief waitress in 2.2
Sanae Enishi
Voiced by: Riko Sayama
Mikiko Shinohara
Harue Yamana
Voiced by: Minami Nagasaki
Jun Kagurazaka
Voiced by: Yōko Teppōzuka
Kaoru Yamana
Harue's daughter
Shinji Yano
Kouji's friend and Ryoko's cousin
Tomomi Aizawa
Additional character on the "consumer version" in 2 (Saturn and Dreamcast)
Yuki Kamizuka
Additional character on the "consumer version" in 2
Noriko Shima
Additional character on the "consumer version" in 2
Staff
2
Scenario: Ryuichi Inamura
Original Picture: Tatsuki Amaduyu, Misato Mitsumi, CHARM, Takashi Hashimoto (additional characters on consumer version)
Music: DOORS MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Opening: Go! Go! Waitress
Ending (consumer version): Iced Tea
:Lyrics: Hajime Kanasugi & Bun Yoshida
:Music: Bun Yoshida
:Vocal: Miyuki Kunitake
2.2
Scenario: Hideki Shirane
Character Design: Tatsuki Amaduyu, Misato Mitsumi, CHARM, Takashi Hashimoto
Original Picture: Junji Goto
Music: DOORS MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Welcome to Pia Carrot 3/3.3
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 3 is the second true sequel to "Pia Carrot", set one year later than "Pia Carrot 2", and was released for the PC by F&C FC02 in 2001. Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 versions were released by NEC Interchannel in 2003.
In 2002, the anime movie "Welcome to Pia Carrot -Sayaka no Koi-monogatari-" ("Welcome to Pia Carrot - Sayaka's Love Story") was released, being the first movie based on an eroge.
Welcome to Pia Carrot 3.3 is a branch of "Pia Carrot 3" that is set one year after "Pia Carrot 3". It was released for the Game Boy Advance by NEC Interchannel in 2004.
Characters
3
Akihiko Kannazuki
Voiced by: Atsushi Kisaichi
Protagonist of "Pia Carrot 3" and "Pia Carrot 3.3", and Shiho's younger brother
Sayaka Takai
Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu
Tomomi Aizawa
Voiced by: Miwa Kouzuki
Akemi Hasegawa
Voiced by: Junko Kusayanagi
4th's temporary chief. 4th's chief in 3.3 (formally inaugurated after "Pia Carrot 3")
Natsuki Iwakura
Voiced by: Michiko Neya
Akemi's friend and 4th's Manager
Miharu Fuyuki
Voiced by: Yuka Imai
Nana Kimishima
Voiced by: Hisayo Mochizuki
Takako Kinoshita
Voiced by: Akiko Kimura
Orie Amano
Voiced by: Yui Horie
Noboru Kinoshita
Takako's nephew
Seiji Motoki
Haruhiko Fuyuki
Miharu's younger brother
Shiho Kannazuki
Akihiko's sister, and now 3rd's chief
Satomi Kinoshita
1st's Manager. She is already married to Yusuke
Yuki Kamizuka
Noriko Shima
Kouji Maeda
Azusa Hinomori
3.3
Mina Hinomori
Tsukasa Enomoto
Chizuru Kinoshita
Shiori Kisaragi
Staff
3
Scenario: Ryuichi Inamura
Original Picture: Takashi Hashimoto, Hiroya Fujimiya, Elan Hasumi, Hiro Suzuhira
Music: Kennichi Okuma (TWO-FIVE)
Opening: Eien no story (The eternal story)
:Lyrics: Don Mccow
:Music: Kennichi Okuma
:Vocal: Miu
Ending: Koibito tachi no densetsu (The legend of lovers)
:Lyrics: Don Mccow
:Music: Kennichi Okuma
:Vocal: Miu
Ending (additional on consumer version): Happy-End kara hajimeyou
:Lyrics: Don Mccow
:Music: Kennichi Okuma
:Vocal: Miu
3.3
Scenario: Ryo Masaki
Character Design: Takashi Hashimoto, Elan Hasumi, Hiro Suzuhira, Kanata Minamino
Original Picture: Kanata Minamino, Elan Hasumi
Music: Kennichi Okuma (TWO-FIVE), DOORS MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Welcome to Pia Carrot 4
Welcome to Pia Carrot 4 is the third true sequel to "Pia Carrot", and was released for the PC by Cocktail Soft in 2009. An Xbox 360 port was released on February 24, 2011 and a PlayStation Portable version was released in 2012.
Characters
Alice Sakuraba
Ayaka Kamine
Misa Hasegawa
Sayuri Mashiba
Sora Kitagawa
Yoshimi Sakuraba
Yuna Takigawa
Reception
In a 2007 survey of Dengeki G's Magazine readers, Welcome to Pia Carrot G.O. ranked 38th in a list of "the most interesting bishōjo games"; a five-way tie with YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world, Tsukihime, Tokimeki Memorial 2, and Happiness!
References
External links
Games
Official F&C website
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! at The Visual Novel Database
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2 at The Visual Novel Database
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2.2 at The Visual Novel Database
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 3 at The Visual Novel Database
Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 3.3 at The Visual Novel Database
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 4 at The Visual Novel Database
Anime
Official Sentai website
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2 (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2 DX (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Welcome to Pia Carrot!! Sayaka's Love Story (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia