Favourite Ending?

[kapparomeo]

Well, I've hit 98% completion on Act 1, but before I go hunting around for that one final scene that I've missed, I've experienced all of the endings to the game (lovely little treat with that final post-credits CG, incidentally!) and it occured to me that this question doesn't seem to have been asked before. It's a little distinct from "who is your favourite girl" - while I suppose any ending is improved by severeal degrees by sheer dint of your favourite girl appearing in it, this is really asking what is the most-developed, best-composed, dramatic or romantic of the endings as a quality of the writing itself.

For me, it's a narrow contest between Shizune's and Rin's - although Kenji's gets an Honourable Mention for its sheer ballsiness (interesting parallel to Doctor Strangelove in the origins for Kenji's neuroses, too). I enjoyed the philosophical meanderings of Rin's ending which definitely spoke well of high-quality writing, but on the other hand Shizune's was more emotionally arresting with the flare-up of Hisao's condition, the fun interplay between Shizune and Misha, and the sweeping rooftop climax - although one fly in the ointment was how despite going to great lengths to keep all three characters bouncing off of each other throughout the scene, Misha falling asleep was a little convenient for Hisao to start talking to Shizune on the roof (although how else could they have had a private moment?). There's a guilty thought in the back of my head, though, whsipering that I'm just having my head turned by fancy CG frippery and being too quick to dismiss the more subtle charms of the other three more 'mundane' endings.

If it had to cleave to a decision, Shizune probably just edges out Rin a little - "Throwing Balls" was more affecting as I was playing it, and it's fixed in my head more prominently as well.

What do you think?

[Esa94]

What is this secret Rin end everyone seems to talk about?

[Notguest]

Does it actually exist?

[kapparomeo]

Ah, I just put that option there as a joke. The secret Rin ending was a well-done hoax that was doing the rounds a while back. It's Rin's period and she's having some trouble with that, but this time round she does think that your relationship is on a level where you can pull her knickers down in the toilet...

[Notguest]

I knew about the hoax, I just wasn't sure if you were referring to that or if there was a different secret.

[Kazuki]

Despite the fact that I don't like her, I thought Shizune's ending had the most heart to it.

[Esa94]

Rin is win.

[Burial_By_Fire]

Shizune's ending is my vote. For such a wordy game it was good just to see her and Hisao trying to communicate to each other wordlessly, the greatness of the moment, as you pull back to see all the exploding fireworks.

[Leotrak]

Close call between Rin's and Shizune's endings for me, but Rin wins

[blackrising]

Definitely Rin's ending...it was both hilarious and tender. And this was what made me see Rin as more than a bro. <3

Shizune's ending was also good, but I don't like her that much. It got kinda boring after Misha was asleep. Seriously, by then I REALLY just wanted a CG of Misha sleeping. That would have been so HNNNG-worthy.

I DEMAND MISHA ROU...- *gets kicked in the head*

Yeah, I know...I'll shut up.

[Escalator]

I'd say Shizune end, but two things bring it down a bit in my opinion:
1. I don't really like Shizune, for reasons which I won't bother posting about as they've already been explored by many other people.
2. It seemed like it was going too fast - I know it's justifiable and all, since the game IS about teenagers, but the fact that Hisao would fall in love with someone in less then a week just bothered me (he does state something like 'I think I'm falling in love' if I'm not mistaken)

So Rin end is my choice.

[Bringerof_D]

I like Hanako's just more of a calm simple ending. it was a tough choice between hers and Shizunes (which is clearly the main route) her's was just really epic, devs the other girls need the same amount of love

wow, i really like this forum. it helps you avoid ninjas

[EternalLurker]

I'm not sure this is really relevant to...anything at all. Again, path endings are not in any way path endings. They're path beginnings.

But I'll humor the OP for a bit.

ignoring general girl preferences, and also running on really old memories:

Rin's ending was just classic Rin, which was great.

Hanako's ending was probably nice for Hanako fans? I found it dreadfully dull, but I admit to generally disliking the character, so no real comment here.

Lilly's ending was unfortunately invaded by Hanako. You already had to deal with Hanako enough during Lilly's path so I figured I'd be free of her in the ending, at least. Well, I guess that's what the other Acts are for, and as usual it showed Lilly's personality through her interactions with the freakishly shy girl, but we'd already seen enough of that for me to want some one-on-one interaction with the girl. Hisao had only been alone with Lilly twice up to that point, and once for a pretty short time that mainly occurs offscreen; otherwise, Hanako/Akira/Rin/ugh-Shizune/lol-Kenji had always been involved.
Also, Hisao and especially Lilly taking forever to guess that Hanako is at the library is incredibly stupid.

Emi's ending was primarily marred by Hisao being dumb. 'Course, Rin's presence also made it a bit less Emi-centric, but as in Hanako's ending the splash of the secondary girl wasn't overdone, so no big deal there. It was just less necessary than Lilly's presence in Hanako's ending, since it's not as though either of these two girls really need each other during the day as is the case with Hanako's incredibly irritating dependence on Lilly.

Shizune's ending is basically terrible. I'm sure I've ranted about how ridiculous it is enough times already. "Oh, hey, I think I kinda like Shizune." -> "Oh, hey, I think I kinda like Misha." -> "Oh, hey, I can't decide which I like more." -> "Wait, Misha's asleep now? THAT SETTLES IT! I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, SHIZUNE!" stands out a little bit among the other utterly stupid insights into Hisao's irrational thought processes.

[kapparomeo]

I'm not sure this is really relevant to...anything at all. Again, path endings are not in any way path endings. They're path beginnings.

Kenji's might be a path ending, unless Hisao happens to land in a bush rather than smack the tarmac, and so survive his fall...

In any case, the poll question is "What is your favourite ending scene in Act One?", and even if they don't signify the end of the Hisao's adventure, each of the scenes here does represent the End Of Act One. [/pedant]

[SirMax]

I liked Shizune's ending even if I never liked the character, but it wasn't my favourite.

Emi's was pretty nice but slightly ruined by Hisao completely blowing everything out of proportion-"Oh no, I was going to have some fried food, I might as well just tear my heart out of my chest!" Rin's, I will not lie, bored me senseless. But that's more to do with the fact that because of my own problems, doing nothing for a long time is akin to torture.

Hanako's was pretty cute too, but I think I liked Lily's best because it feels like the first time in Lilly's path that Hisao is a little less passive but still considerate (he didn't try and stop her seeing Hanako or anything.) It also feels like it fits well into an on going narrative while still being a major event- Emi's seems anti-climactic, whereas Shizune's feels too climactic for being so early in the story.