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Released a little less than two months ago, smartphone game Touken Ranbu, with a cast of characters made up of famous swords from history transformed into handsome young men, has proven itself to be a solid hit. It’s just the latest success story, though, in the established video game genre of “many attractive people who’re actually anthropomorphized [something].”

Still, samurai swords seem like a pretty good well to draw from in creating heroic video game characters. But can you replicate that kind of enthusiastic response with  household appliances and consumer electronics though? We’re about to find out, with the upcoming title Kaden Shojo, which has you saving the world with a the help of a toaster, washing machine, and refrigerator, all of whom, of course, take the form of cute anime girls.

To non-Japanese speakers, Kaden Shojo might have an exotic, even dramatic ring to it, but what’s it mean? Appliance Girls, and the game totally delivers on that promise.

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Developer Bancho Seisakusho is a wholly owned subsidiary of anime production company Aniplex, and Kaden Shojo’s character artwork fittingly represents the petite, prim and proper style of character design that’s currently so popular in Japanese animation. Set in the year 20XX, the game’s world is one in which next generation electronics chips have led to the development of Kaden Shojo, embodiments of electronics that look like young women.

According to the game’s website, the Kaden Shojo were created in order to use their superhuman powers to create a rich, convenient lifestyle for ordinary people. But before explaining just how, say, an oven becomes any more convenient by virtue of being shaped like a teenage girl, the story summary hits us with a plot twist: An evil organization has appeared, and they’re taking control of the Kaden Shojo to monopolize the use of their advanced computer chips, sending the world into chaos!

The government resolves to stop the evildoers, and rather than calling the police or military, they charge the player, an electronics factory manager, with assembling a team of Kaden Shojo with which to fight back. The final version of the free-to-play game promises over 100 characters, each with their own voice actress. Among those you’ll be able to recruit to your cause are:

▼ Ichika, a digital SLR camera-derived Kaden Shojo who’s concerned about her weight (a tongue-in-cheek reference to camera manufacturers touting their lightweight models)

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▼ Ramu, a drum-type washing machine with clothespins for hair clips

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▼ Timid Taho is a security camera used with a video intercom that lets nervous homeowners see who’s at the front door.

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▼ Like so many anime girls, Karina is always running so late in the morning that she has to eat her breakfast while sprinting to her destination, so it’s a good thing she’s actually a toaster.

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▼ Putting their names together is an easy way to tell that twins Su and Pika are a pair of stereo speakers.

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The official Kaden Shojo Twitter account also just revealed another character, this currently unnamed tower PC girl.

As for the game itself, it looks to be another entry in the “line up matching icons in a grid” genre popularized by titles such as Puzzle and Dragons and Line Pop. Chaining together combos will build up the power of your Kaden Shojo to help them defeat enemies, and the player can also activate special chips and skills to do extra damage. And, as is to be expected in games like this, forming a strong relationship with the characters will unlock side quests for them.

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Bancho Seisakusho is yet to announce an exact release date for Kaden Shojo, but says the iOS and Android title should be available this spring. Gamers who preregister here on the Kaden Shojo website will receive “25 Kaden Stones,” which we’re assuming do something good in the final version of the game.

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In the meantime, take good care of your vacuum and rice cooker. You never know when you’re going to need them to watch your back in a fight.

Related: Kaden Shojo official website, Twitter
Source: Inside Games
Images: Kaden Shojo official website