KiSS CEL

KiSS CEL is a raster image file format associated with Kisekae Set System, a game(?) that involves making computerized "paper" dolls. Much of the information about it is in Japanese.

Its name has many variations. "KiSS" may instead be "KIS" or "KiSS/GS" (GS is the name of the specification), "CEL" may instead be "cell", and the words may be capitalized in any conceivable way.

The original KiSS graphics format uses two files for each image: a .CEL file containing the bitmap, and a (possibly shared) .KCF file containing the color palette. KCF files are also known as KiSS color files.

A KiSS doll is composed of multiple CEL files and (if necessary) KCF files, along with at least one CNF "configuration" script, and possibly other files, usually archived in an LZH or ZIP file.

Format
The original KiSS CEL format supports 4- and 8-bit paletted images, with binary transparency. A newer version of it called Cherry KiSS (CKiSS) supports 32-bit RGBA images, and does not use a KCF file.

CEL and KCF files all begin with a 32-byte fixed header.

Identification
CEL and KCF files begin with a 4-byte ASCII signature: " ".

Following that:
 * 4-bit CEL files have bytes.
 * 8-bit CEL files have.
 * CKiSS files have  or.
 * KCF files have.

Specifications

 * English translation of KiSS/GS

Software

 * Konvertor
 * List of KiSS viewers
 * GIMP [Ed. note: We could not confirm that GIMP correctly writes CEL files.]
 * XnView (Apparently requires the KCF file to have the same base filename as the CEL file.)
 * abydos

Sample files

 * http://otakuworld.com/kiss/free.htm
 * http://www.followtheowl.com/dir/dl5.htm
 * https://telparia.com/fileFormatSamples/image/kissCel/

Links

 * Wikipedia: Kisekae Set System
 * The Big KiSS Page
 * What is KiSS
 * KiSS: Paper dolls for your computer