Atlach-Nacha

Atlach-Nacha is a visual novel initially released in 1997 by Alice Soft. Described as a "novel adventure" in the Romance and Horror genres, Atlach-Nacha tells the story of a spider girl named Hatsune Hirasaka, offering the player brutal choices that can mean life or death for the game's various characters. Initially released as part of Alice's Mansion 4/5/6, it exceeded expectations and its popularity led to its solo release three years later. The title is derived from Clark Ashton Smith's creation Atlach-Nacha, a spider god in the Cthulu Mythos, but does not take place in that universe.

Background
A long time ago, there lived a jorougumo named Hatsune who gathered enough celestial energy that she was able to take a human form.

One day, a mysterious monk came to Hatsune's nest and nearly annihilated her for taking a villager's life. Severely wounded, Hatsune went into hiding. To heal her wounds, she decided to make Yaesaka High School her new nest and absorb energy from the students attending there. By manipulating their memories, she is able to infiltrate the school and live there unnoticed, using a vacant classroom as her nest. Hatsune spends her days toying with the students, and absorbs energy by eating the flesh of (mostly male) students or through having sexual intercourse with them (preferably with females).

Characters

 * Hatsune Hirasaka: Takes the form of an old-fashioned schoolgirl with long black hair, but is actually a jorougumo who has lived for over 400 years. Although for the last hundred or so she has stayed hidden in a forest, due to being seriously injured when fighting with her old enemy Shirogane, who appeared in the world of humans. By raping or devouring men and women, she can obtain life energy and conserve power. Despite her composed exterior, she has a cruel personality and will often eat, murder, or rape humans with a calm, almost bored demeanor. However, after a century without human interaction, she can also sometimes be old-fashioned and almost naive in ordinary everyday interactions.


 * Kanako Miyama: A first-year student at Yaesaka High School and a daughter of a rich man. She became the victim of delinquent students, and was gang-raped in the back of a gymnastics building on the night when Hatsune first appeared. However, Hatsune saved her. In the process, she learned of Hatsune's true monstrous nature, but keeps her secret out of gratitude, and affectionately calls her "nee-sama".


 * Rin Yagami: A third-year student at Yaesaka, member of the archery club, and a miko at Yagami Shrine. She is short and does not look like an upperclassman at all. She feels an impurity in the school and her presence gets in the way of Hatsune's deception of the students.


 * Sachiho Takano: A second-year student at Yaesaka. Sickly by nature, with an introverted and gentle personality. She also treats Hatsune, who masquerades as an exchange student, with kindness. She is Takahiro's childhood friend, and rumor has it the two like each other.
 * Takahiro Watanabe: President of Yaesaka's student council, a second-year student who is also captain of the kendo club. Popular with the girls, he's Sachiho's childhood friend and apparently likes her. Owns a sword passed down from generation to generation, for self-defense. Distrustful of Hatsune.


 * Tsugumi Watanabe: A first-year student at Yaesaka, and Takahiro's younger sister. Belongs to a swimming club, in the same class as Kanako, and an active and spirited girl. She is the most popular girl among the staff.


 * Kazahisa Katsuragi: A second-year student who transferred from another school in Osaka to Yaesaka High. He's bright but lazy, and skips class too often. One wonders why he likes Kanako, whose character is the exact opposite of his.


 * Miyuki Hotta: A second-year student at Yaesaka and manager of the kendo club. Since she is charmed by Takahiro, she and Sachiho are connected.


 * Shirogane: Hatsune's old enemy, who has been crossing over and fighting her for a very long time. He was injured in the previous battle just like Hatsune, and has been conserving power.


 * Gousuke Iguchi: Gymnastics teacher at Yaesaka and the advisor of the swimming club. Has been stalking Tsugumi.


 * Keita Ayukawa: A first-year student at Yaesaka, and works as assistant treasurer on the student council. An easily amused person, just like Tsugumi.

Staff

 * Director: Fumya
 * CG/Character Design: Onigiri-kun
 * Writer: Fumya
 * Music: Shade