Everyone thinks that the principal thing to the tree is the fruit, but I’d say it’s the beans—the kind that fill your stomach with a single bite. - Ryo Miyahara FEATURES A cute visual novel with 20+ hours of story Four branching heroine routes Japanese voice acting STORY Kanon: “...Are you okay?” She peers down at me collapsed from hunger on the ground, then holds out her hand. As our fingers touch, her sweet, gentle aura feels almost palpable—so soft and fluffy, like a marshmallow... Kanon: “Welcome to our humble pâtisserie!” The next thing I know, we’re standing outside a cute cake shop called Marshmallow Tree where, as luck would have it, she’s the new owner... and is hiring me as a full-time, live-in employee! Ushio: “Great to have you on board. Let’s make this shop the best it can be.” And so begins my second lease on life—as a worker at a cake shop. Sure, business isn’t exactly booming here, but we’re dead set on fixing that, whatever it takes. Sasa: “Eeep... The cakes and teas you serve here are always such a treat...” Raiha: “I’m not so convinced this is the place for me yet, actually. Or something.” Slowly but surely, and with a whole lot of love and support from new neighbors and friends, more and more customers finally start flocking in. And yet... why does our growing success only lead to more awkwardness and averted gazes from my coworkers...? Ushio: “Check it out, I baked this new cake with you as the inspiration.” Sasa: “I’m so sorry for trying to spoon-feed you! I know I’m about as charming as yogurt on a yogurt lid... Eeep!” Raiha: “There’s a Japanese saying that a real man never turns down a good meal. Teehee!” Kanon: “Isn’t it amazing we get along so swimmingly? Keep up the fantastic work, guys! We’ll have this place full of smiles and laughter in no time!” Uhh, take a look around you, Boss! Are you sure that’s what’s going on here? Plus, with all these awkward moments day in and day out, what’ll happen to your beloved pâtisserie... and me?! ...Well, whatever happens, I guess this really does mark the start of a new, dare I say “marshmallowy” chapter in my life... Hmm, which sweet, fluffy flavor shall I choose? CHARACTERS Kanon Kasukabe (Voice: Maya Suzuya) Marshmallow-Sweet “Dreamer Girl” Kamiogi Academy second-year and the proud new owner of Marshmallow Tree. A perky idealist, her relentless positivity can also read as plain airheaded at times. While not the most naturally gifted at running a business, her smile and straightforward way of warming up to others never fail to win her new fans. Ever ready to lend a helping hand, lost cats and dogs are such a soft spot for her that she has a habit of bringing strays into the shop. In fact, she even “adopts” the protagonist after finding him collapsed and homeless in a nearby park... Ushio Asaka (Voice: Kiiro Tsukino) Dependable, Vertically Challenged “Big Sister” Kamiogi Academy third-year and Marshmallow Tree’s manager-slash-pastry chef. Easily underestimated because of her small stature, she’s actually a sensible “big sister” type, at times even bordering on maternalistic. She and Kanon are childhood friends, and she used to help out at Kanon’s parents’ cake shop growing up. Not-so-secretly harbors an inferiority complex about her height, for which she overcompensates by milking her “big sister” role for all it’s worth... Sasa Misuzu (Voice: Yuina) Pessimist Book Author and “Tortured Artiste” Kamiogi Academy first-year and acclaimed picture-book author/illustrator. Timid and chronically self-sabotaging, she’s quick to jump to negative conclusions and run with them to perplexingly imaginative extremes... While her talents as an artist have made her a household name practically overnight, the pressure she feels to complete her next big book has sunk her into a major creative slump. She’s also a huge fan of cakes and tea, and as such, is a frequent customer at Marshmallow Tree. Raiha Raikkonen (Voice: Wakana Seraki) World-Class Pâtissière and “Nordic Ice Queen” (?) Kamiogi Academy second-year and globally renowned pâtissière at Souvenir, a popular rival cake chain. Her public persona is that of a mysterious, unapproachable “ice queen”; in reality, she talks like a tired office worker with a bewilderingly hit-or-miss sense of humor. Half-Finnish and half-Japanese, she relocated to Japan only a few years ago, but seems to have already lost her passion for baking cakes...
