What arc should i try next?

[Guest]

I was almost prouder of Hanako in Lily's path than I was in her own.

It's like she realized, once you started dating Lily, that "Holy shit, she's not going to be around for ever... I need to step up!"

And then she does.

And it's awesome.

[Snicket]

Take a few days/a week off from the game and see if you can play it again. I'm probably going to do the same thing, but for a different reason. I don't want to get burn out on this game. Or else i'll probably wont play it anymore. Galces over at small stack of video games* it's happened before.

[ardiel]

Don't pretend to be Hisao. You can do way better than him (I hope!)

Personally I'm looking at it as a collection of short stories - I don't see myself as Hisao, because it seems that quite often he says and does things I would never, ever, do, and I think that is only partly due to me being female. >.>

[Deltamon]

Don't pretend to be Hisao. You can do way better than him (I hope!)

Personally I'm looking at it as a collection of short stories - I don't see myself as Hisao, because it seems that quite often he says and does things I would never, ever, do, and I think that is only partly due to me being female. >.>

I'll just say: We males hardly ever really understand you females and vice versa. That's life.

From what I saw Hisao as a male perspective, he did do things like your average male would do.. Sometimes even better (like as a small example things like gift buying and so on are quite hard for males).. However, Hisao is just the protagonist of the story, he has his own ways of doing things and his own views of life.. Not to mention that he was quite badly scarred by the fact how his old life suddenly got ripped away from him, so I'm sure that has played huge part on what kind of person he became for the story.

And while I think that Hisao overall is great guy and very easily likable.. I know that I would've done plenty of things differently in Hakano's case myself, considering if I would've even conquered my shyness to go talk to him to begin with, wouldn't have been first time in my life where I see some girl that I'm really interested of but never find courage to go talk to her..

However, like I tried to make a point here.. Don't try to think how you would've done things, just accept how Hisao sees and does things since he has his own and very different kind of circumstances to begin with.
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As for the OP, It'll take few days to get over the story.. Since for example for me the Hanako will always be the dearest, no matter what.. But after couple days of talking and reading stuff here, I finally was able to overcome my obsession for her story and managed to play through Lilly's path yesterday and today most likely I'll want to see Rin's story, thanks to certain video on youtube, might I add D: . So what I'm saying is, that right after the story is finished it feels like you could never play the other paths.. But trust me, you will be able to enjoy those other great stories just as fine, some parts might feel odd and you might find yourself thinking about what happened at that same time in the other story, but other than that it feels just fine, just takes a little time to be able to do it.

[Snelx]

The first and only ending I got was Hanako's good ending, two days ago and since then I haven't tried any other route, even tough I liked Lilly and Emi, I can't play this game anymore.

I feel like if I did Lilly's route for example, I'd be cheating on Hanako, and just thinking about the fact that she would end up alone makes my heart shatter into a thousand pieces, It's like she was the main character and my "mission" was to be her boyfriend, the first time I saw her I felt something telling me "that girl is the perfect girl for you".

I have fallen in love with other characters in the past but with Hanako its different, its like real love , sometimes I forgot that I was playing as Hisao, it was as if I were there, face to face with Hanako, expressing my feelings to the girl I love.

I'm so glad that my first ending was Hanako's good ending, because I feel that the first ending is the "true" ending, I love shy girls and I hope someday I meet someone so lovely and wonderful as Hanako, no matter if she has a disability or not I will love her.

I know what u feel.
well to me the game is like complete once i finish on hanako.
u can treat it as completed too.

however, for me, maybe after a week or so, i will try Lily path, as based on feedback, there are still some of hanako's story in it.
and the rest, maybe do it when i'm free.

I't's kinda funny, I've played a bunch of VN's and for the first time I'm feeling apprehensive about going down another path. I'm thinking weird crap like how will Hanako ever be happy if someones not there for her....... If Hanako's writer reads this I want you to know that I thank you for giving me this wonderful treasure.

[deadering]

God, I wonder how many people feel this way? At first I thought I was over reacting, but apparently I am not the only one.

[Red_Machine]

I'm the same way. I'm not as into Shizune's path as I was for Hanako's. But then again, I think I would be turned on more by the other h-scenes, purely because my relationships with the other girls would be just about that: sex. I have no real emotional interest in any of them, except maybe Misha.

[Nightydreams]

I think that... The whole inability to move on to different paths after finishing a particular one, even after a period of time has passed is something that proves you are human, or atleast more human than you would like to think.

When I finished Lilly's path, I connected with her on a level far deeper than personal and the ups and downs in her life felt all the more real because of it. I say with no shame whatsoever that I laughed when she laughed and cried when she cried.

The beauty of this is only possible because of the amazing work by the developers, I am sure that if any less effort were given the GAME would still be good but the FEELING would be lost.

To hold something so close and so dear to yourself, even for the few short hours it is shared, means it is all the harder to eventually let go of. Perhaps this is also a moral of a story that is Katawa Shoujo. That attachment and love is attachment and love, connection is formed regardless of space, time or circumstance.

Thats probably why it is so hard to move onto or truly understand or feel in another's story, which is completely understandable and very respectable.

But it should also be thought of that should we not persue their stories, that if we askew Hanako for Emi, or Shizune for Rin, it would be a grave insult to ourselves and to them for thinking that there is only one path, or perhaps having only thoughts of betrayal on your mind.

Don't you think that maybe, Katawa Shoujo is proof of all our very own Disabilities, that Disablity being something along the lines of "Being Human" or "Capable Of Love" And like the stories in it perhaps Katawa Shoujo is showing us how our disablity does not hold us back, nor does it make us less than we are.

Perhaps our collective disablity is one of the most beautiful stories Katawa Shoujo has to offer, the last and most important one.

[AC]

Not so much that I "can't play the game anymore", but more that this game has touched me more than anything I can imagine, especially within the past few months, if not years.

I decided to play this game without a walkthrough, wanting to see where I would end up, instead of getting somewhere due to someone else's efforts. I ended up on Lilly's route, and I think I got her "bad end". I'm not even entirely sure. Pulling an all-nighter, and finishing in the early morning. I was so touched, upset... It was heart-wrenching. I felt such a deep sadness unlike anything before... It almost made me want to give up on life, for some reason. That's how much I was touched.

Thankfully, it passed... Keeping myself occupied makes (made) me feel better - at least, it kept my mind off of things. I'm trying to finish the rest of the game. The other routes are very good as well, but Lilly's is still my favourite. This game's got an amazing depth that I haven't experienced with anything else before. It's refreshing.

Basically, I don't think I've ever connected with anyone in quite the same way as I have with Lilly. I'll be going back to get other Lilly ending, but only after getting every other ending.

[Acidhedz]

I know what you mean. I played Rin first, and haven't been able to stop thinking about the whole thing.

Since I am a lot like Rin I was almost going through the whole thing from her point of view, which has actually affected me since it gave me insight into how dealing with me would be like for most people.

I don't think I will be so melodramatic to say I fell for her just like Hisao did, but I'm sure having difficulty bringing myself to try any other girl.

On the plus side I hit every single "right answer" for her path first time through.

[Rivan]

I'm the same way. I'm not as into Shizune's path as I was for Hanako's. But then again, I think I would be turned on more by the other h-scenes, purely because my relationships with the other girls would be just about that: sex. I have no real emotional interest in any of them, except maybe Misha.

Heartless bastard xD

Apparently, someone on these forums tried to complete Emi's path directly after Lilly's, and when he met Lilly in Emi's path and she said she "Thought he forgot all about her" he had to stop playing for a while.

Made me rethink which path should I take next (I considered Emi purely because hers was the first ending I got in Act 1 demo).

But, still, I think I need a big break or so. It is rare that I feel emotional connection to a character, or that I'm so very deeply touched by a game's story but I think KS manages just that, and, apparently, not only in the route I played.

It also doesn't help that Lilly seems so "perfect" for me after learning everything there was to learn (including her disability - while I don't wish a disability on anyone, blindness as opposed to other girls' disabilities has a gift inside the curse that physical appearance is somewhat less important, and you're less likely to get dumped just because someone much more visually attractive comes along).

I'm pretty sure that there will be one, two, perhaps three, or maybe even four other paths that can get me somewhat emotionally invested, but I do think it'd be both draining emotionally as well as inducing the feelings similar to those a person unfaithful in a relationship may feel if I were to start another path anytime soon. Sure, as an experienced gamer I have a save of Hanako's path at the start of act 2 and a save that can enable Emi's path, but I've done them while playing Lilly's path purely because of my gamer's train of thought


All in all, I think we're all doomed to feel emotionally drained and maybe even hurt in one path or the other. And gods, demons and whatever else Forbid I will intentionally try to go for Lilly's bad ending any time this year.

[Yuno]

I toughed myself out, but I agree. When I did Shizune's path, I had to skip the Rin scenes, because I felt so bad...
I went back and read them later, but still... ;_;

[KeWano]

Feels really good that other feels the same...

I finished Rin's first, and I got so emotionally attached to that particular path, story and character, that I kept thinking about the whole thing even during the day after. I cried a lot when playing Rin's path, basically because I could relate to her, and the fact that Rin was... Rin, I guess?

Today, I finished Hanako, and even though I cried there too, it didn't feel right... And I immediatly felt it the moment that you're going to Shang-Hai with Lilly and Hanako and watch the fireworks from there. At the same time you were with Rin by her mural painting and watched the fireworks, presumably leaving her alone or her walking off with Emi or something. From there I kept wondering what Rin was doing, what happens to Rin if Hisao isn't there... and then the other way around, what would happen to Hanako if Hisao never helped her? I do know that she ends up happy in Lilly's route, but that's because you become close to Lilly, which means getting close to Hanako, but know I'm talking if you never actually get to know Hanako.

It all feels so very strange... can't really put a word for it though.

I don't think my heart can take any more though, so I'll probably take a break from the game sometime, resuming later when I have at least been able to "swallow down" Rin's path. But I'll probably replay it later either way, just because I'm very attached to the route... Oh well.

[Kixiv]

I'm of a similar, yet distinctly different problem. In my case, I played through the Rin route first, because I thought it would resonate with me. I was correct, and it screwed me up a bit. Than I went and played the Hanako route because it seemed like a logical progression to me, again everything up to the ending screwed me up a bit. Now I'm half way into the Emi path, and I can't play anymore. I honestly almost had an mental breakdown just playing the routes. I sometimes get emotional playing visual novels, but never like this.

[Snelx]

Hmm, i not sure how to describe.

But KS makes me feel like i'm the one there instead of Hisao.
so it is like i'm feeling the others' pains and trying to comfort them -- that kind of feeling.

so in the end,
it feels that i've actually build a strong bond with one of the girl.
and has spend a long time with her.

Hence after completing that path, it just feels weird to 'restart' life and get another girl.