This is the first and only visual novel I have ever played, until now.
Now, In order to close this chapter of my life experience I feel like sharing a very brief summary of my strongest impressions, as others have done around here. I admit that I have registered in the forum only for this.
SPOILER ALERT!
I met Katawa Shoujo in 2012(!!), and since then, over the years, I have tried to play it three or four times without progressing much beyond Act 1.
This time, however, I got serious about it. I have completed the visual novel (using a guide - I have a serious problem making decisions.
) reaching 100% confirmed reading. When I enjoy it I like to do it calmly and slowly. The "reading" lasted five months. The order I followed as I went through the different storylines was:
1. Lilly
2. Hanako
3. Shizune/Misha
4. Rin
5. Emi
From the very beginning Lilly was always the character I like the most. That's why I decided that her story arc would be the first one I would read.
Although I didn't find her story the best, the character herself didn't disappoint me. The sequence of the "chase" Yamaku/Hakamichi house/airport/hospital (in the good ending) seems to me the most vibrant/frenetic of Katawa Shoujo.
Hanako's panic attack in class seems very well narrated to me. Like Hisao, it took me a while to realize what was happening. I found it distressing. The final illustration of Hanako's good ending (Hanako's first romantic kiss, which happens to be very public) seems to me to be the best in the gallery by far. Its symbolism moved me.
The most disturbing moment in the visual novel occurs when Hisao agrees to comfort Misha. It's an extremely uncomfortable situation. Not so much because of "infidelity to Shizune" but because Misha is not in a position to give his consent given his emotional fragility. During the intimate relationship she becomes disoriented and oblivious to what is happening to her. We later discovered that Misha probably doesn't even like boys. The whole seriousness of the matter came as a bit of a shock to me considering that most of Katawa Shoujo is quite light. In any case, I liked it.
The Rin storyline (with a magnificent last name) seemed to me to be the best achieved. Not only is it the one with the most artistic visual elements, but it also seemed to me the best written one. I perceived an effort on the part of the author to imagine ingenious situations for Hisao and Rin. I also believe that her ending is the most accomplished (with her trying to embrace the world, without arms, while asking what is the word that describes when you feel that all things are right, which reminds us the Rin's leitmotiv of their struggles with language).
I felt that Emi's storyline makes the most astute use of turning points. For example, when it tempts the reader/player to make the same mistake as Emi (i.e. putting things away and making them less important). Also, Emi's appearance is misleading. She looked like a childish and innocent girl when in fact she is the one with the most experience and audacity. Another element to highlight is that the youthful and uninhibited sexual experimentation is more present in this storyline than in the others. And, as in real life, it is not always "works". It also offers, for me, the most "satisfactory" use of the Iwanako letter. The Iwanako letter has a special interest for me because it is a vortex: it is the only event common to all the storylines, and each storyline handles it differently.
The most important thing I want to say is that I say it now:
I've been wanting to see some rankings of visual novels on some websites and Katawa Shoujo is not very high. However, I will declare one thing:
I do not doubt there are visual novels that are superior to this one in terms of quality of art or writing or plot, and so... But I do doubt, i repeat, i do doubt that there is a visual novel with a better premise than Katawa Shoujo. I cannot conceive of one with a better premise. As good as that can be. More original, more ingenious, more imaginative perhaps. But better? I find it difficult to imagine. Honestly. And if there is one, tell me which one it is. And no, it is not a weird fetish or anything like that.
I think...My English is not too good to go into details, and I don't want to bore anyone, so I'll leave it at these very general and random impressions. Congratulations to the makers (writers, artists, developers...) and Katawa Shoujo community!
Abominable
