Katawa Shoujo
I got familiar with this visual novel very late: the summer of 2017! And it was only due to Justin Carmical's excellent review that I got curious.
Then it took two months of my life. I lived in a world of Katwa Shoujo for some fun weeks. I re-read and re-listened to the chapters of this interesting visual novel. It is one of the most gentle, heartwarming stories I’ve read for many years. I don’t repeat/rehash what is said about this visual novel; I believe Justin said much better than anybody.
One thing that made the experience more memorable was the narration by the VoicesFromTheDark. I re-listened VoicesFromTheDark YouTube files many times. Surprisingly, he is a great voice actor! He captured and refelected the novel very well and though he didn’t make a fuss out of it; he finished with different voices for the character and finally with an extra rap song! I have to thank him here. Thanks to him I listened to many chapters while I was commuting in Toronto. He is, in no way, an otaku, but he finished a project that many anime fans failed to complete (e.g., Katawa Seiyu).
What I like to do is to criticise Katwa Shoujo. I think it would be my closure with this captivating visual novel.
I believe very few professional criticism exist for Katawa Shoujo. The mainstream ignored Katawa Shoujo due to its origin: 4chan. And other reviews are very positive (and little sound like a fanboy) and are just so much in awe of the series to have any harsh criticism. I found the following good review by The Visualist's Veranda.
The Visualist's Veranda did a good job: he analysed several aspects of the story, and he didn’t fail in love with the series so much to not notice the shortcomings. He did several posts which should be appreciated. You should look at his reviews. Nonetheless, I'm not agreed with some of his views.
Emi's Route
Emi's route is aimed to be based on reality. As many people mentioned, it sounds like a real-life story and defiantly a mature one. The story understands the significance of a good pace and tries to give the whole nine yards of a relationship. By the end of chapter two, Hisao has a serious girlfriend and is in a real relationship. They were up and downs in this realistic relationship and the protagonist: Hisao had to learn and evolve. This is great. I think people who are not into too much of melodramatic stories will enjoy this story more than all other routes.
I don’t want to consider it as a weakness, but the story has a strong emphasis on physical fitness. Hisao was continuously training (even after the most prominent quarrels) and is not strange to hear diet talk here and there in the story. The nurse and teacher also commented on the importance of health issues regularly to Hisao, and he tries his best to have a healthy body. I wasn’t surprised when I read many people started to run again in the mornings after reading this route. It is about train hard, cold shower afterwards, has a career goal and watch what you eat and try to convince your girlfriend to open up while not acting like a white prince. People, root in reality, would enjoy this story.
Now, it is time for criticism.
The most important one is the design of the game that pushes you to, unintentionally, to have Emi as your first route. EVERY person that I am aware of had to play Emi for his/her the first route.
This is due to two facts: 1) the result of a critical decision could overwrite many previous decisions (unless you read the walkthroughs) 2) the talk nurse had with Hisao before an important decision. The nurse gives you a harsh and realistic comment about changing your habits to a healthy one and how much it is hard to change unhealthy routines and not come back to them. I think it was the most realistic and electric part of chapter one. After that conversation, you have a chance to be more active in training session with Emi which guess what will ignore nearly all of your previous decisions and pushes you to her route. It sounds like manipulation. Initially, I wasn’t interested in Emi, the gecko girl of the story for my first run. I was so excited about Hanako, and the library is my favourite location! But eventually, Emi turned out to be one of the strengths of Katawa Shoujo.
The second thing that bothered me a lot in the story was how Hisao didn’t figure out that Emi’s father died in the accident. It wasn’t hard, and many pieces of evidence existed. He could figure it out sooner.
It is hard to say anything wrong about Emi and her route. I think it was the most mature one and above fanboys quarrels. She was the healthiest choice for Hisao. That’s all I have to say.
Hanako's Route
Hanako was my second route. I would go with her first if it weren’t because of that dramatic training decision after an armour-piercing speech by the nurse. Hanako would be the first route because I love libraries. I spend a big amount of time in libraries, and if I have a chance to ask about something and go anywhere, I will go to the library. And she was the most mysterious character.
Hanako is one of the most popular characters in the story. She is indeed fasciniting person, and intially, all you want to do is help and support her in her journey . She is an intersting character to choose if you like reading, playing chess, eight-ball and enjoy the compnay of a thoughtful quiet person. I enjoyed her story a lot. I re-read all of the chapters and enjoyed listing to the VoicesFromTheDark narrations. I haven't listened to any route more than hers.
The problem, as many noted, is her unrealistic design. She didn’t demonstrate how people with high level of burn look like. One of my family members suffers from a very similar injury. Her burns is even more severe than Hanako's (without any face mark); therefore, I know for sure that her design isn't realistic. As it has been already pointed out; adding few ~ signs on a body only creates a delusion.
The second weakness was due to being after Emi route. It was hard after all the emphasis on healthy active life in her story to change to be passive and calm Hisao in Hanko’s storyline. It was a vast contrast.
The third weakness was the pacing. For instance, Emi's route clearly understood the importance of pacing: being in a relationship and the afterwards interactions. With Hanako, the start of the serious relationship was just the end of the story. I understand why people, in this respect, prefer Lily and Emi’s route more. It makes sense to me to see Hanako's fan fictions are most popular and detailed. It seems that a great majority of the best part is left for us to imagine.
Rin's Route
For the third route, I had the chance to experience Rin's route.
With Emi and Hanako, you got spoiled. With them, you were the dream boy who is passing through the first doubts; you were the person whom they (Hanako and Emi) wished acted faster (i.e., started the relationship sooner) or had more patience with them. With Emi, she was inviting you to start the relationship. With Hanako, she was jealous and protective of you. She initiated many significant steps in her relationship with Hisao. With Rin; everything was opposite.
Rin was interested in you as a case study (she collects people with exciting disabilities!) and then used you as a muse. She was headstrong when she works (no disruption!) and flat out tells you to stop talking about romance.
The first time Hisao confessed his feelings, Rin's reaction was so cold (and boxing your ears!) that I got upset! Later, I watched VoicesFromTheDark reaction: he leaves his chair screaming in anger! I noticed I wasn’t alone in my feeling. Rin really rejects you.
Note to the writer: when you write a story with Cerebus syndrome, you should be careful. It is hard to get back the audience. Even professional and great works such as “The Great Waldo Pepper” suffered from this issue. It is hard to get the audience again if you are not masterful.
I think the last chapter did everything to make up for that rejection earlier. Rin’s love confession to you is indeed a crucial and potentially healing moment in her story. You know it wasn’t out of the blue like Lilly or may just be healthy normal behaviour by Emi. It was indeed meant here. You passed all the barriers, and now you have the chance to be a truly unique person. VoicesFromTheDark started clapping and called it a 10/10 moment.
I think the Rin’s story isn't everybody’s taste. To be more specific, Rin’s story can fit the following demographic very well:
People who genuinely admire artists above all. People who like and spent time with hipster artists in urban neighbourhoods and genuinely adore their culture. The Katwa Shoujo showed few works by Rin. But I think it was even better to left her artistic abilities to the imagination. I think people who love artists and enjoy joining art clubs and societies will definitely have a field day with her character. On the other hand, it was a substantial mood change to read her story after other easygoing characters like Lilly (who confessed her feeling first), Emi (who consider it as the next natural level of relationship) and Hanako (the shy one who secretly want Hisao to confess). Rin, flatly, rejects you. She was busy. She prefers smoke cigarettes with you and talks about her work instead!
Rin is not an anime character in a game full of anime characters. She was representing The Little Prince instead instead of any anime stereotype. I think Hisao could substantially benefit from reading the Saint-Exupery's work; especially the interaction with the fox. At the end of the story, I was, somehow, waiting for Rin to levitate to her planet: She climbed a small hill instead.
With Rin, there wasn't any awe/heartwarming moment in comparison to Lilly, Hanako and Emi's.
As the last point with Rin's storyline; unlike business-oriented Shizune or easy-going Emi, or future English teachers like Lilly or even the computer techy Hanako, I was worried about Rin’s future and health after the third chapter. I like to mention this as the last point though may not essential but still very interesting for me. I was worried for Rin and not Hanako. Rin was kinda person who may use drugs to just abandon her old style of painting. She was kinda person who without proper support, may be lost or even die due to committing suicide. I could easily see her in a severe financial problem (based on her supervisor’s view) or die due to committing suicide (based on her first manager's comment) or to have no real connection with people (based on Hisao and Emi’s observations). Surprisingly, this is Rin and not Hanako who really needed help and attention. Hanako was the person who was OK on her own, reading her book in the library or drinking her tea with Lilly, but Rin wasn’t. While reading last two chapters, I noticed Emi doesn’t know anything at all about Rin, which was in contrast to all other duos in Katawa Shoujo (i.e., Hanako & Lilly, Emi & Nurse, and Shizune & Misha). Rin was the loneliest character in the whole Katwa Shoujo.
This section comes to this point: Rin was the best character, and her storyline was the most memorable.
Lilly's Route
Lilly was a compelling case. Her story gives you what you want from her, and that’s a significant advantage for her story.
While I was reading Katwa Shoujo for the first time, I really enjoyed Lilly story the most and liked the Rin least. That tells you something about the storyline.
Her storyline had an appropriate pace (in contrast to Rin and Hanako). In Lilly's route, you had the first date early on. Hisao, more noticeably, is very matured and considerate and knows how to handle any situation very well. She is sad, Hisao takes her to date. She feels down, Hisao gives her a gift and ... Hisao is there for her, and that’s a bit too mindful for a 17-18 years old boy.
On the other hand, Lilly is perfect in every way. God, she is perfect.
The only way, Hisao, could not win her over was lack of complete openness with her. You have a fatal disease, tell her everything. You got a letter from your ex, tell her everything. You know what, just tell her everything, and you win her over.
I don’t want to sound harsh on her route. She is very popular, and there are plenty good reasons for that. You can feel different emotions in her story, and she is matured. In comparison to people like Hanako and Rin, who don’t talk that much or just speak randomly respectively, she is concise and playful and lovable.
I think the story had one of the best manipulations in the whole Katwa Shoujo altogether at the end.
At near end of the story, you will learn, from Lilly's sister that they are moving to Scotland permanently; which was a well-prepared twist in my opinion. Lilly and her sister are, after all, half foreigners and departed from their parents. Therefore, it was understandable, and explainable why she was pushing her relationship with Hisao forward after her return from Scotland in mid story.
On the other hand, I got upset due to this twist. She knew her upcoming departure and didn’t mention anything to Hisao I think The Visualist's Veranda elaborated this issue very well in his review and I share the same feeling about it. She wanted to live her life in full extension and with no regret. Hisao didn’t have a chance.
She knew she would leave and still pursue a doomed relationship without telling him. I wouldn’t do the same thing. I think this was selfish and could show another aspect of her. But unfortunately, the story didn’t even consider such a thing. The storyline, prohibited anything less than perfection to her and any criticism of her is sacrilegious. Instead, Hisao had to look inside and see if he could be better. And then we have an airport chase. Finally, she stays, though seems like to be meant before, but, I believe, because she realised Hisao might remain alone and miserable.
I think even if I overthinking this flaw, this is balancing due to the fact that the story didn't consider it as a fault at all.
I think Lilly storyline, though very well written, is flawed in many aspects. I was listing to the VoicesFromTheDark narration and reactions; and noticed many of these shortcomings. In Lilly's storyline, you hear voicesfromthedark repetitive comments such as“this is exactly what I want from a relationship” all the time. In comparison to Hanako’s storyline which stops you to care too much for her instead of giving her credit, here, we have an opposite side. Lilly's storyline tries to convince you that her lack of openness to you is totally a-ok. Lilly, probably rightly, requires you to be 100% open and honest regarding your health, move to the school, your previous relationship and everything. But instead, when it it is her turn; she conceal a critical factor in her relationship with you. And that’s OK because she is an angel.
I remember there was a scene in the story that Lilly might be little rude or awkward towards Kenji (I know it sounds strange, but Kenji is actually a bearable friend in Lilly storyline). After the incident, I remember vividly that the VoicesFromTheDark was commenting to Hisao that he shouldn’t inquire anything from Lilly, he should just leave it. I thought this is an unusual situation: Lilly character is so dreamy that nobody even dares to question her.
She, clearly, pushed the relationship with Hisao forward in her route; mostly due to her upcoming departure without mentioning anything to Hisao. The author could demonstrate her selfish side and make her human. Living life to the fullest and pushing things forward and do not regret anything, should be done in the 100% openness to your partner or else you are flawed.
The decision for Lilly to stay while Hisao was still in hospital (he was connected to tubes), was little uncomfortable to me after the few re-reads. I was happy at the beginning that these two lovebirds are happily ever after all but later, I noticed maybe she stayed because Hisao would remain lonely and miserable otherwise. If you listen to VoicesFromTheDark reading after she left for the airport at the end of her storyline that “maybe it is not even a good thing to follow her “because she needs to fulfil her plans”.
I have to be clear again. I liked Lilly’s storyline much more than my Rin's during the first reading. It gave me exactly what I wanted from a dream girl. Instead of Cerebus syndrome with the Rin’ route.
But Lilly's route easily aged. I think the Rin’s route had the best intention but wasn’t presented well in comparison to Lilly’s route which was fundamentally flawed but had a good pace and beautiful moments.
Shizune's Route
Finally, Shizune storyline. Maybe her storyline was more based on reality even in comparison to Emi.
Girl and boy met each other in secondary school and loved each other. Deal with each other faults and became close friends. By the end of high school, wished each other best of luck and hoped to see each other later in life.
The brilliant part of the story was Misha and the interactions with her. Her thoughts and dreams behind that happy facade were really well hinted. I think the Katwa Shoujo improved dramatically due to Misha's addition to the story. Good job!
Shizune’s route sounds little incomplete which people may argue this is actually real relationship work in real life. As the VoicesFromTheDark mentioned, it was a different storyline in comparison to Lilly’s which even had an epilogue of some time later.
Shizune’s slice of life route is not everybody’s taste unless you find closeness to her character (her sharp, no-nonsense behaviour) and or just like Misha. There isn’t any particular or tough decision in Shizune’s storyline. Her route was entirely different in comparison to all other routes about ending. Her future career in mind, to be a CEO, can tell you a little about her route.
As the final note, I think Misha turned out to be the real angel of the story. Even more than the Lilly.
Soundtrack
I know that soundtrack is not a route, but I believe it deserves a different section. This visual novel suddenly changed all expectations by only the main menu music. You don't expect such a sophisticated and charming soundtrack. It helps the atmosphere for the visual novel. The soundtrack is substantially better developed and exerted more influence than the animation clips on the success of Katawa Shoujo, but you rarely can find any entry about its development story.
The music has a lasting impression on the players as VoiocesFromTheDark mentioned that he started to play the soundtrack by the piano.
Conclusion
In the middle of all these dark-themed and unfortunate-twits in our current media, reading the Katawa Shoujo was a blast. Like many before me, the Katawa Shoujo was my first and probably, until an unforeseen future, only visual novel. Katawa Shoujo surprised me initially and then let me to breath in its memorable world.
The whole concept was empowering: you are in charge of making decisions and the consequences, regardless of good or bad, are the sole results of your decisions. Not very similar to our everyday life which we are, in many major cases, absolutely powerless.
And a special thanks to VoicesFromTheDark. He made the Katawa Shoujo even a better experience due to his excellent voice acting. His reactions and narrations helped me to better analyse and enjoy Katawa Shoujo. It should be noted that VoicesFromTheDark didn't like the Rin and her path (even put a laugh track for one of the Rin's remark on the rooftop in Lilly's path).
I found it light-hearten that VoicesFromtTheDark tried, probably in naive way, to discourage his fans to avoid smoking and drinking in the Rin and Lilly paths respectfully.
And his sudden playing the Soviet Anthem in the middle of one of the Kenji dialog was surprising and hilarious.
Post-script
Post-Script
I watched VoicesFromTheDark's Let's Play in September 2017. By then, the attitude towards anime has been altered substantially in public and online community. This exotic genre and niche of a small group of people have been pointed out as something many people would avoid to be associated with. Many people who exclusively worked on Anime series changed their style entirely and switched to more dark-themed stories and series which have been the trend for some time.
In early 2019, VoicesFromTheDark has deleted all his Katawa Shoujo videos due to the scrutiny of people close to him. The Katawa Shoujo, though in my opinion was a great novel, belongs to the Anime genre with all of its shortcoming, stereotypes and explicit content.
A side note, when I finished listing to the VoicesFromTheDark Let's Play on Katwa Shoujo, I checked his channel to become his patreon.com supporter. Instead, I got familiar with a game, I've never heard before: Oblivion. I downloaded the game on my Stream and started playing it. Since then, I've played hundreds of hours elder scrolls game and the Morrowind has become one of the favourite games.
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)