Miscellaneous

「かたわ少女」 (Katawa Shoujo)
“Disability Girls”

Can you tell me what you think?

Can you see what I see?

Can you face your fears?

Can you stand up for yourself?

Can you seize the day?

These questions from the official website summarizes the themes of the game concisely. The player explores these key questions not just for their answer, but also for whom these questions are directed towards. Is it the girl the protagonist befriends? Is it the protagonist? You? Katawa Shoujo may be a visual novel about disabled teenagers, but that is merely the springboard to see the characters that live facing these questions every single day.

Note, if you are aware of the history and synopsis, you may skip the next three paragraphs.

—–

Before expanding on what that statement means, a brief history and overview should first be mentioned. Katawa Shoujo is a visual novel developed independently by Four Leaf Studios, a group of people whose origins hailed from the /a/ board of 4chan. In 2007, after anon posted concept art from RAITA’s doujin Zettai Shoujo, instant support exploded on the board. This “big bang” eventually consolidated itself into a group called Four Leaf Studios, who, over the course of five years of development, recruited and laid off members, created and completely scrapped art directions, completely rewrote storylines, and overall struggled to keep production for their ultimate goal, the visual novel Katawa Shoujo.

In the end they did manage to succeed and released the full version, free of charge, this January. Aura, one of the writers, does a wonderful job of describing Four Leaf Studio’s journey through development of the game and I would heartily encourage you read through his/her blog posts if you have the time. It’s a gem of insight onto how to proceed on developing a project, not just a visual novel.

As for plot, here is a quick synopsis. The setting is in Japan’s Yamaku High School, a school for disabled (and not disabled) high schoolers. The player plays Hisao Nakai, who enters Yamaku for the first time after having spent months in a hospital after a heart attack. Although at first apprehensive of his new environment, the faculty and students at Yamaku try their best to help him adjust both to school, his own condition, and how to approach the conditions of others.

—–

Now that background is done, time to comment on the logistics. Graphically, although the still CG scenes and movies may not be as brilliantly drawn as commercial VNs, it definitely is a commendable effort coming from a group like 4LS. Certain scenes like Rin’s or Lily’s are beautifully drawn, whilst some, such as some of Shizune’s CG or the infamous Emi scene, are drawn a tad awkward. The movies, although well paced and storyboarded, are a bit simplistic in drawing. However, considering how ALL the movies were all done by ONE person in a year (that staff member joined late in production), it’s a fine job.

The OST is done well. It gets a tad repetitive if you’re playing through all five arcs, but for their respective stories the placement of music is tasteful. Particular tracks I enjoyed were the main theme, Parity, and Air Guitar (yes I’m a sucker for instrumental music). Although collectively the OST isn’t memorable, there are certain tracks I find myself playing in my head as I go about my day, even now.

However, where Katawa truly shines is its story. What is in the story that causes this visual novel to stand out amongst others? For starters, the premise is unique. Although having a disabled protagonist is not anything new (H2O: Footprints in the Sand) nor is having disabled characters (Kanon), to my knowledge, this is the first visual novel that approaches the disability factor honestly and in-depth. Although such themes may act as a huge turn-off, or possibly even offensive, it is in my opinion that is not the goal, nor the main focus, of the visual novel. I’ll make this clear now. It’s not a visual novel for those with a fetish. Granted, the ‘scenes’ are all there, but they’re not essential to the plot and can be omitted via the options panel (you’ll still see the characters semi-naked still, but the actual scenes are replaced by images of animals and food).

However, here’s the thing: in the end, the disabilities fade into the background and instead leave the player to face the actual issues that are at hand. Whilst in some arcs the disability lingers in the speech more, eventually every arc focuses on the questions posted above, which do not need the disabilities to be answered. Rather, it is the disabilities that help guide us to that answer, something this visual novel does well.

Take for instance the character Tezuka Rin, who hasn’t any arms to slam with. Although this is how we are introduced to her character, via her inability to pour paint or pull down her pants, all that soon fades into the background as players get lost in her random and non sequitur dialogue. The way that she handles her daily life just fine with only her feet accents her unorthodox way of living and thinking, rather than being a standalone driving force of her story.

Rarely, if ever do any of the characters mope and groan about their disability (minus Hisao), which all the more allows us to focus on the real problems they face. That perhaps is a big reason why I enjoyed this visual novel: the developers didn’t take the disability factor and stuff it in our faces. It’s a plot device that allows us to see the characters in different lights, yet doesn’t highlight itself enough to distract from the dialogue of the “questions”. Now of course we can’t completely ignore their disabilities,

However, that is all I can truly say about the story without spoiling it for you guys. That kind of in-depth analysis would require details about the characters, something that’s reserved for the future ^^. This post is meant to be a test dip into writing about visual novels, something neither I, nor this site, has ever tried before. However, do expect following posts (along with my anime coverage) on certain (or maybe all) of the characters and a discussion of their routes.

For those of you who have not played yet, I shall leave you to discover which questions fit which characters. That perhaps, is a small part of the enjoyment of playing this game, and it would be a tragedy to spoil it here ^^

Before I close this post though, I would like to share a small shoutout to the in-development visual novel Missing Stars. If you liked or will like Katawa Shoujo’s premise, then perhaps this visual novel’s take on mental disorders may be up your alley as well. Let’s give them our support as they bring this challenging concept into fruition! ^___^

Please leave suggestions for future visual novels to cover, as well as any comments about me covering visual novels, in the comments below!

Full-size images: 9, 19


122 Comments

  2. CRAP I HAVEN’T FINISHED ALL OF THE ROUTES YET. (Currently at 57%)

    I’ve finished Emi’s, Shizune’s and Kenji’s route so far. Of them, I’d have to say I like Shizune’s route for the characters, and Emi’s route for the story. Kenji’s was funny as hell, and should have been longer.

    LET’S GO ON MANLY PICNIC. JUST WHISKY AND PRETZELS.

    Da5id
    Reply

  5. “Granted, the ‘scenes’ are all there, but they’re not essential to the plot and can be omitted via the options panel (you’ll still see the characters semi-naked still, but the actual scenes are replaced by images of animals and food).”

    Up until now, I played the scenes as is, but now I’m tempted to play the rest with the adult off option just to see animals and food (TBH, most of the sex scenes felt very out of place).

    Phnx
    Reply

    2. Not really. The scenes in Katawa Shoujo actually never felt sexual at all for me, so it didn’t really disturb the flow of game for me.

      And to be honest, there must be at least some scenes that were essential to the story. The Hanako one (without reading the scene, the top scene wouldn’t come smooth) and Rin (the first, depressing scene is very essential to show Rin’s condition). The other scene such as Lilly, although a bit out of place (especially the former two), also good for enchanting the romance between Hisao and Lilly.

      I believe it’s the best to see Katawa Shoujo with turning on the scene if you’re old enough for that. It doesn’t made for any sexual objective, afterall. Changing it to fruit and food just chop the flow absurdly IMO.

      zeroyuki92
      Reply

      1. I believe the absurdity arose (as opposed to a more elegant omission) as a reaction to the clamor for an all-ages option. If I remember correctly, KS wasn’t originally supposed to have that option, but people were concerned that the adult content would limit the audience. Thus, the shenanigan was born last-minute.

        Zanibas
        Reply

  6. Nice write up. I really enjoy this visual novel. As for suggestions for possible future write ups for visual novels, how about visual novels that have an anime? For instance, the Da Capo visual novel or Shuffle!. You can even do the really well known visual novels that had really good anime adaptations like Clannad and Fate/Night Stay.

    darkkodiak
    Reply

  7. I was impressed with all of KS. The choice of character for the poll was hard because it was hard to separate the character from the story arc — each character/story is different, by being more fun, or romantic, or approachable than the others. I keep changing my mind.

    I’m not a big fan of VNs because I think they suffer too many constraints compared to other media. They are not as detailed as books, not as active as anime, not as artistic as graphic novels. With those kinds of boundaries, it’s a wonder you can tell any stories with a VN. Still, KS was better than pretty good. OK, it was awesome.

    Eadwacer
    Reply

    2. Clearly you’ve never read G-Senjou no Maou “The Devil on G-string” And no it’s not underwear.

      The thing about VNs is unlike books they can provide a visual and bgm to set the mood. It’s easier to incorporate dialogue because of the visuals yet it doesn’t seem out of place for a monologue like those in animes. Words can be just as suspenseful and epic to describe a sword fight as an anime showing it. Imagination is very powerful. VNs are the middle ground in media because of its hybrid nature. Unlike animes, VNs don’t have time constraints. It can be as long as the budget or plot allows unlike animes that have a time slot to fill. The usage of BGM is also a plus that you can’t get from normal books. Many VN stories do not cover a heavy action genre so the stillness is usually very tolerable.

      Also in VNs you can do this
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhpWi8Kv-M
      which cannot be pulled off in any other media.

      Suppa Tenko
      Reply

    3. So you were surprised by KS and you think it was awesome. Then you should play more VNs before stating a misinformed opinion like that because, actually, KS doesn’t even stand a chance against the most of the better visual novels out there. Just take a look at the upcoming game from Nitro+, Robotics;Notes (yes, this is a visual novel).

      I won’t try to convice you of anything, but you should take Suppa Tenko’s recommendation and play G-Senjou no Maou. It’s a very good entry-level VN. Try it and think again if VNs “suffer” from too many constraints.

      xRichard
      Reply

  8. Hmm… covering visual novels ehh?

    I approve :D!

    After playing Fate/Stay Night’s amazing visual novel (would you ever mind covering that?), I’ve been curious about trying out new 1’s. So long as the sex scenes (if there are any) are made for the story, not the other way around.

    Speaking of which, for all of you who have any apprehensions about trying out visual novels because they have sex involved in it, think of it this way. Movies, books, music all have sex related topics/scenes/lyrics as well. Lots of people tend to look at the stereotypes though which is why it’s looked down upon (IE tentacle rape etc).

    Pochiko
    Reply

  9. I liked Lilly’s route as it centers more on Hisao’s disability throughout that particular storyline. I did notice that there were a few drawing inconsistencies in which that could be due to new members over the course of 5 years touching with the art side of things. Storyline wise the routes are top-notch and elegantly done. There is a good amount of characterization, plot development, and sincerity for each of the routes. If you choose to have the CG eroge scenes turn on you will find the scenes are not of pure lust trying to calm eechi urges but a passion of love for one another.

    For someone like me who doesn’t really mess with VNs all that much I did found Katawa Shoujo was brilliantly done and with respect to anyone who does have a disability.

    SilentCid
    Reply

  10. The biggest tragedy is that most people will just see it as “that dating sim game about raping cripple girls that was made by 4chan”.

    A shame, they’ll never see this game’s brilliance.

    Anyway, I hope they do an expanded version with the two other girls from the April Fool’s day page.

    Da5id
    Reply

  11. Since RandomC has anime and manga reviews why not go for it and create a visual novel category too. Though considering the readers here, I think you should stick to reviewing translated visual novels.

    Still needs to finish Hanako route…

    Rakkyo
    Reply

  13. Wow I never expected this. Looking forward to more VN reviews in the future. It’s a really nice addition to the site and I hope it continues. Also would encourage me to pick up more VNs.

    Oh I heard about the idea for the mental disorder VN but didn’t think they’d actually follow through with it. Hopefully it’s done as tastefully as Katawa Shoujo.

    Saya
    Reply

  16. *sigh* I’ve finished Rin, Lilly, and Hanako. Sure the game has it’s flaws, but it gets ya thinking, and that’s what I’ve enjoyed, when I get lost in my thoughts because this game made me seriously consider something I never had before.

    Kumakaori
    Reply

  18. Wow! This is the first Visual Novel I have tried (I haven’t finished it yet) and I see the review on my favorite blog. Thanks and hope to see more Visual Novel reviews.

    Sinan Çevik
    Reply

  21. I’m just starting the Hanako route and I see from that pic above I have nice things to look forward to.

    I started with Shizune and was a bit disapointed with how few choices there were to make in that route,however that was soon forgoten when I went and did the Rin routes afterwards,lots more choices and lots of different ways to get to different endings.I’ve also done the Emi and Kenji routes.

    My only gripe is that I really have yet to really like any of these girls,for some reason Shizume’s “bossy” nature, Emi and Micha’s “genki” nature,Rin’s “ditzy” nature (not the word I’m looking for,I can’t find the words to describe rin,quite ironic really lol) all rub me in the wrong way.

    However I see Hanako and Lilly are the most popular so I’ll see how they turn out.

    One last thing:Kenji is BOSS,every scene with him never fails to entertain me.

    totoum
    Reply

  23. i’m still somehwat 40% thru the VN and i must say… somehow i went to the bad end with kenji and that totalley surprised me. anyway, back to the girls, thus far i’ve completred emi’s route

    i must say, initially i the spring legs caught my attention but along the way, i began to think more about how things’d turn out based on the choices that i make

    right now im on shizune’s arc… though i feel uneasy how it’ll turn out at the end. i just have this uneasy feeling with misha

    c2710
    Reply

  24. Just downloaded this actually. It’s quite encouraging to see how well received its been by the community.

    Now to the important question… Which girl should I go for first?

    SirMuffin
    Reply

  25. I could never get past my second playthough because Hanako’s route/good ending was so good that trying to do any other route after it was rendered nearly impossible for me and I barely got into Shizune’s route.

    Jason
    Reply

  26. It would be great to have VN coverage. I love them, some of the are among the best experiences I had in my general cultural life.

    It can be done. It could work out as long as we are careful with the games we choose to do and the format of the coverage.

    An overall approach would work the best with most of the (translated) games out there. The idea in this case would be to simply hook readers into trying out the games. Pointing out issues like: What makes the VN special, how it came to be, what is it about, and why we should care to play it. Similar to the style taken in many Episode 1 post when the anime season starts.

    But there’s the need to have played the game before to know what it is about beforehand. This Katawa Shoujo post is a good example of this kind of coverage.

    Another way would be a “Let’s Play” approach, but “RandomC style”. You slice the game in episodes/chapters/days/routes and cover those sections as if it was any other airing show. The idea is to “play along” RandomC readers, have fun and talk about the game writing impressions and whatnot, enjoying the ride. For example: It would be very interesting to do this with Fate/Stay Night. I’m not talking about doing a Complete Let’s Play, but something much more segmented. F/SN has 3 linear routes with 15 Days each, covering 3 Days per post will take 5 post per route, quite a balanced number.

    With the second approach you don’t need to have played the game before. The format of the post should be something along the one you use for manga coverage.

    Some ideas:

    * Fate/Stay Night – I think this is the most adequate and safest start. Also quite a relevant game right now with the hype around Fate/Zero.

    * MuvLuv: Extra and Alternative – 2 games, 3 stories. Read the sypnosis. Alternative is currently ranked #1 in VNDB.org by a wide margin over extremely popular stuff like F/SN, Clannad and Steins;Gate, and there’s a reason for that: It’s a f**ing masterpiece superior to all those games in almost every way (IMO).

    And if RandomC is up to it:

    * Swan Song – Apocalyptic, Survival, “Tokyo Magnitude 8.0: The VN”. Warning, this game will make you hate humanity.

    * Saya no Uta – Gen Urobuchi being Gen Urobuchi. But this may be just too much.

    ______________

    There’s no way I can edit this post. So, desde yá, sepan disculpar mi Inglés.

    xRichard
    Reply

    1. MUV-LUV Alternative is indeed one of the best I’ve played yet. It’s pretty dark and gruesome at times, but quite powerful emotionally and with a very mature storyline and themes (and I don’t mean nudity or gore).

      Definately worth a look.

      Zreon
      Reply

    2. I second the recommendation of Saya no Uta. Attention to all of VN newbie. The story is short, about 5-7 hours to get all endings, but the story is dark, depressing, and very messed up.

      Kusabi
      Reply

  27. Of all the girls, I like Shizune (I’m a sucker for student council president types), and Hanako (shrinking violet types) the most. I want to see an anime about Katawa Shoujo (with the intimate scenes animated like those in Yosuga no Sora). Imagine if they pulled the Amagami cast of seiyuu into voicing the Katawa Shoujo characters. XD

    I want Kenji as my wingman and bro. FEMINISTS!!! XD

    *Assumes the Misha Pose* Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

    The_Magus_Killer
    Reply

  29. What? a VN review in RC? Count me surprised :p

    Katawa Shoujo is a simple, realistic and good game, especially for those who just stepped into the Visual Novel world (boosted that it was done by non-Japanese and full-Indie). Actually, VN is a kind of underrated media of storytelling, and with a good care in Story and Characters, VN can be a very good media to tell a story, especially character-driven story with emotional force.

    http://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=tagspoil-1.lang-en;o=d;s=rating < VNDB should be a good start for those who are raving for more VN. I personally suggest G-Senjou no Maou and Sharin no Kuni as two of my favorites-already translated VN which didn't have any adaptations yet (and maybe never)…Or True Rememberance, Narcissu and Planetarian for those who only want short VN (KN).

    zeroyuki92
    Reply

    1. Just finished Narcissu a few weeks ago, very good story line. The plot / story line has a mature constant, anyone with a personal loss that they are still dealing with should stay away from this for awhile. Has about zero sexual content so if your thinking eroge VN’s. The author has released this VN to be distributed as free and wanted others to translated it to other languages.

      If you want a idea of whats it about, here is a one word hint on what it is dealing with:
      Show Spoiler ▼

      http://narcissu.insani.org/

      You will have to google where to download it from because most of the sites handle unauthorized translations of licensed materials. Narcissu itself was authorized by the author to be freely distributed.

      Boo
      Reply

  30. Does this mean someone will review Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas when it comes out? It would certainly be a shame to not see this trainwreck make a legitimate attempt at redeeming itself.

    Da5id
    Reply

  31. Wow great post~!
    I definitely enjoyed it. I wonder how the anime fans will take this post…
    Thanks for spreading the word about Katawa shoujo and visual novels~! I now know who my favorite writer is from the new writers 😛

    nasa
    Reply

  32. One of a few VN’s that I actually actively disliked a couple of the characters, rather than just tolerating them. I seriously couldn’t stand Rin and Shizune. I’m not sure what it was about them.

    Ascended1
    Reply

      1. lol at the new heart and star in your name.

        I liked Rin and all her weirdness but not Shizune. I think she’s the most unpopular route as well excluding Kenji’s. They should of had Misha as the heroine instead WAHAHAHA.

        Anon
        Reply

      2. Yeah the mods keep banning my IP so I figured I might as well act a little more flamboyant. but… I’ve never played this game, or any VN at all for that matter. They just seem so slow paced. I get bored.

        P.S. It’s always more fun posting on a banned site because you’re not suppose to be doing it.

        ♥Seven☆
        Reply

      3. So…you’re basically doing this be a troll and piss people off by coming and posting negative and sarcastic comments in posts regarding things you’ve never touched or watched…just because?

        Yeah…that sounds like you. Well, enjoy your time until they ban you again and you have to move to the next proxy, which will likely be an endless cycle of pointlessness with no end in site.

        Da5id
        Reply

  33. Preamble: This a reconciliation of the polarized opinions surrounding Katawa Shoujo. I followed the development of this game for about 2 years before it was actually released, and played it to 100% completion within 2 weeks afterwards.

    DISCLAIMER: My own opinion about Katawa Shoujo remains neutral; I recognize that this game has much merit (As should be evident by 100% completion), but at the same time I also recognize and agree with the criticisms of constructive detractors; this article serves to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory point of views.

    Actual article below in spoiler tags…

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Zen
    Reply

  35. I’m at 40% done with Shizune and Misha, finishing Emi. For a FREE game you can’t really make formal complains. Yes there are stuff that can be improved and worked on; but overall is a nice VN for what you paid. I’m a sucker for bromance so Kenji FTW !!!! He justcrack me up in his way of seeing how femela domination is going to take over the world. Remind me of Married with children and Al’s club NO MA’AM.
    As for VN coverage in RandomC it will be great as long as we steer away from walkthru and full detail game play, like some poster suggested already. Reviews are the heart of the site and this one stays within the feel of it.
    PD Still miss the light novels reviews we had way back. Great POST!

    Yes!@
    Reply

  39. Glad to see my favorite anime blog spreading more love for this awesome game. I wouldn’t be averse to seeing VN reviews in the future too as I think that VNs and anime have a lot in common. I was torn between Hanako and Lilly for my favorite Katawa Shoujo character, but in the end I just had to go with Lilly just because of that lovely Good End.

    Katawa Shoujo isn’t the first visual novel I’ve read though. That honor goes to the equally amazing and equally free True Remembrance. Man, now I feel like playing it again.

    gandalf8
    Reply

  41. Love Katawa Shoujo, and love the idea of covering VN’s on this site. Lilly was my favorite girl by far but since you made Kenji an option, I had to vote for him!

    It was like, “Behold, optic blast!”

    Beckett
    Reply

  46. I FC’d Katawa Shoujo long ago and I must say that it was thoroughly enjoyable. The truly surprising thing about it is that the project was an international collaboration among people with relatively no experience with projects like it. The quality was far above my expectations, and I am especially pleased with the music (which is also free to download).

    While the polls currently show that most people like Hanako (damn all you white knights out there), my girl will always be Emi because of her passion for life and how shamelessly upbeat she is. People like that always make me feel better because I’m the total opposite. Also, this face is so precious!

    Jimhawk
    Reply

  53. Damnit. . . after G-Senjou no Maou and Sharin no Kuni I thought I was over the shameful and dirty years of my life spent playing VNs til late into the night but then this has to drag me back in.

    SortedeVaras
    Reply

  55. All route’s complete, all CG’s captured, all flag’s triggered, 100% complete.

    Katawa Shoujo has become one of my favorite Visual Novels, and is one of the best I have ever played in terms of plot and character development- And that’s saying a lot, seeing as… Well, let’s compare it to some of my other favorites:

    Fate/stay night: $110.00

    Steins;Gate: $60.00

    Katawa Shoujo: $0.00

    Loved it. 10/10.

    Also, Kenji is a Bishounen, not a Bishoujo.

    PS: Thank you for writing this ^^ It would be nice to see further reviews for Visual Novels and perhaps Light Novels in the future, and I look forward to seeing you flesh out the various routes in KS. Also, I thank you for the link to Missing Stars- Right when I heard of KS’s premise, I had thought “wouldn’t it be great if the same thing was done on a Psychological level?”. Thank you =w=

    Anomalous
    Reply

      3. No problem! To be honest, I’d be surprised if the reception for this game was any different than it is on 4chan, which is pretty much a general consensus that is great from beginning to end.

        I’ve been meaning to watch ef’s anime, but maybe I’ll go for the VN first so I’m not spoiled.

        Da5id
        Reply

  61. Zanibas, you are my hero, thanks for this post. Katawa Shoujo needs some love, it’s being bashed a lot in Japan base on its title alone, which is supposedly a derogatory term, or a term that some find offensive. Irony aside, KS has been my gold standard for visual novels ever since I played it.

    Also, I saw that EXACT SAME POLL on Fakku. XD

    For newbies, I recommend this playing order to balance out the highs and lows of the game:
    Shizune -> Emi -> Hanako/Lilly -> Rin -> Lilly/Hanako.

    My list, from most favorite to least favorite:
    1. Lilly – Show Spoiler ▼

    2. Hanako – Show Spoiler ▼

    3. Rin – Show Spoiler ▼

    4. Emi – Show Spoiler ▼

    5. Shizune – Show Spoiler ▼

    DCLXVI
    Reply

  62. A VN on RC? *checks portal to hell* Nope it hasn’t froze over. So i guess this is legit.

    Anyway, kidding a side. I am a bit surprised to see a VN being reviewed on RC. Especially this one. Not saying this doesn’t deserve praise, just that it i wouldn’t have used this one to test the waters.

    Any who, KS. A game i had been following it’s development since 2009. Well technically i stopped following closely around the end of 2010/ beginning of 2011. Anyway, after a lot of hype it was finally released and…it had its good moments and not so good moments. Depending on who you ask, will determine what those were. Which will spoil the game for you in the process.

    -Not really a spoiler, just me rambling on-

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Also, for those who have been following the progressing on the forums. Yes, i am THAT Snicket. So yeah…that’s pretty much it.

    Snicket
    Reply

  63. Like a lot of posters, this is/was my first VN. I started playing it a month or so ago and have played through two of the arcs. A lot of love was clearly put into this project and it shows. I imagine the quality of a big studio VN would show, but aside from the backgrounds, nothing stood out to me as being a distraction in terms of quality.

    I’ve really enjoyed it so far and it is something I never really gave much thought to before. Hopefully when I have some time this summer I can finish the rest of it.

    foofiebeast
    Reply

  64. >:( No picture of Lily in her red dress! For shame!

    Anyways, here’s a question that’s been bugging me and was probably answered in some other site but why does Kenji look so much like Harry Potter? o.0 His scarf even follows the house color scheme!

    It’s not a visual novel for those with a fetish.

    Agreed!

    Loving the captions as usual.

    And, Kenji is right about the feminist movement!Show Spoiler ▼

    Beedle
    Reply

  65. Funny, I started playing this 3 days ago. It´s been years since my last VN so I carefully manage my save slots. I have yet to complete a route, I am doing Lilly´s first then Hanako (I saved the moment I can choose her route). Where is my beaver rape scene!?

    Lectro Volpi
    Reply

  66. All I can say is I enjoyed it. None of the stories were superficial or treated the girls like ‘freak show’ fetishes. I understand at least one or more of the writing team are medical professionals(?).

    Vexx
    Reply

    1. The reason you can’t go down her route is explained in Shizune’s:

      Show Spoiler ▼

      Da5id
      Reply

  69. Err, why Hatoful Boyfriend post dissapeared?

    Anyway, Zanibas, looking from number of comments of this post, why don’t you try to blog VN periodically, i.e. once per month? It’ll be a good intermezzo between anime posts.

    Kusabi
    Reply

    1. I am quite aware of Misha’s real name, but her nick was put on the poll as it is her more recognized name (as well as her dialogue label in-game). Thanks for the concern though :3.

      Zanibas
      Reply

  75. Got the game and working on 4th route right now – I felt something between amusement and depression when on first try using my intuitive choices I ended up Show Spoiler ▼

    😛 In real life I’d probably end up spending the night in my own room reading books, though. I am THAT hopeless. I’d possibly get Shanghaied into student council only too work silently until the end of each meeting and having none of the small-talk. Shizune would freak out having someone who took the council work more seriously than her, but without all the emotional drive…

    ewok40k
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