Venting about Shizune's Bad ending...

[Shiro]

Part of this is just...me kind of venting at the emotion that the bad ending gave me...so...bare with me...I could really use a hug right about now. :'(
Shizune's bad end was possibly the most heartbreaking thing I ever had to read in a visual novel.
And I've played Ever17, Edelweiss, Swan Song, and G-Senjou no maou!
Not to mention I've probably read, written, drawn, and played through HUNDREDS of heartbreaking scenes. But I think I figured out what makes Shizune's bad ending especially heart breaking.

What initially drew me in with Shizune was her personality. Her strength and determination to get Hisao to join the student council was inspiring. Before I knew it, I was actually feeling something for the character. Emotional attachment. Throughout the game, even though Hisao and Shizune were a couple, she maintained her strength and pride. It was hard to tell if they were even a couple, since the heartwarming scenes weren't as clear. Hell, some of the scenes between Hisao and Shizune looked like they were arguing, but if you read between the lines you could see this is just their playful banter. Before Shizune became Hisao's girlfriend, you wouldn't be able to see the various faces of Shizune and see her true personality. You feel attached to Shizune even if she's not the most romantic character amongst the heroines.

And then the bad ending hits.
Somewhere in your heart, you can sort of feel that 'oh no...this is the bad ending' but you keep clicking on thinking that maybe you can salvage this, maybe you can fix this and help Shizune. Kind of like what a lot of us do when our significant other has the 'we need to talk' conversation with you.
Or maybe you were like me...you decided to get the bad ending over with now so you don't have to back and leave a bad taste in your mouth when you decide to go for the Shizune ending. Maybe you thought that it wouldn't be so bad. You thought that; "I've faced down hundreds of sad scenes before, do your worst Shizune". And then...
It hits you. The bad ending just...it hits you where it really hurts.
It doesn't waste words, and it doesn't go for an overly dramatic scene that comes off as cheesy it just...it hurts you. Because you spent the entire Shizune route with this image of how strong and determined Shizune was, like nothing could ever get her down. And then...you see her sitting alone on those stairs. The cat plushie that Hisao gave to her. She sits there a broken woman, a shadow of her former self, the knowledge that it was all because of you that she ended up like this. She brought you into her world and you broke her spirit. Part of you wants to help her...hoping that each click holds some kind of hope for Shizune. And then...it's over. You're left with that sadness and the knowledge that...
"It's all my fault that things ended up this way".
The music, the image it...it blends so flawlessly together that it creates that kind of emotion.
Have you ever read a story where you have a nice girl with positive character traits, then comes along a bad guy she tries to reform. Only to have that girl end up losing her faith in humanity? I think that would be considered: "breaking the cutie", you feel hatred for that guy. But in the Shizune bad ending...you ARE that guy. You didn't intend for things to turn out that way. It just did. Nowhere to place your blame.

That...
In my opinion...is the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen. Watching everything you knew about Shizune just break away, I think one of the things that really seal the emotion is the cat plushie. You gave that to her and on that same day, Hisao feels his first sense of love for Shizune. And it's presence when it's all gone signifies something...but I can't quite place my finger on it. I want to say that cat plushie represents your feelings for Shizune, and the way she puts it in her bad and away from herself makes me wonder if it's supposed to symbolize how she no longer wants to be near people.
Not to mention the fact that the bad ending is left up to the imagination, and the emotion from the scene...it makes me scared that...Shizune's not coming back if you know what I mean...
I don't think I was the only one sitting at my computer screen going: "HISAO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GO BACK AND HELP HER! HISAO! DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON SHIZUNE! PLEASE, HELP SHIZUNE!!!"
But it never comes...you're just left there...with that sense of hopelessness.

Once more...
The Shizune bad ending is...so...heartbreaking that this is really the only way I can get my feelings across.
http://animenz.files.wordpress.com/2012 ... .png?w=640

So yeah...
I'm just gonna sit over here in this corner now.

[NoOne3]

Perspective!

Change it. You are too deep now. Their lives not gonna end there. Well, they didn't make it, because Hisao was a bigger ass than usual, so what? Give them both some time. It won't last long for an 18-years old to bounce back. Blah, blah, lots of fish and whatnot.

And still, there was something there, so there's always this slim chance they might find it again. With time.

[Shiro]

IT'S TOO LATE!
The damage has been done.
http://animenz.files.wordpress.com/2012 ... .png?w=640

I think what could help is if I play through the good ending...but right now. I think I'm just gonna sit around and let the impact of the bad end sort of, for lack of a better word, soften.
ALL HAIL LORD SHIZUNE! T-T

I...<3 this visual novel.

[txalolrn9]

Both Shizune endings are bad ends













because it means you were with Shizune ... WAHAHAHAHA~!

[Althamus]

/agree with OP. Shizune's bad ending hit me harder than any other bad ending, even though Shizune was my least favourite character. And that picture of her on the steps is so heartbreaking, it's making me cry now, a month on from when I read the story, just thinking of the picture.

Although to me, the cat signified something else. It was just a toy that you won and gave her, but she's kept it all this time, and it's in her bag which probably signifies she always carries it around with her, except to me it felt like one of the things she would take as a priority when she went away.
To me, that shows that she loves Hisao and cares about him, but doesn't think that she's good enough to be with him, that he doesn't deserve her. And that makes the tragedy even harsher.

[alien.marksman]

Yep.. I have to agree here.

Shizune's was the first bad ending I deliberately sought out to get.
I clicked through knowing it was to be the bad end, and then when it came with the credits roll in silence.
It was like getting a kick to the gut after some one told me my puppy died. I felt that bad.

Sure I felt bad with the bad endings for all characters, but the one for Shizune hit me the hardest.

[Megumeru]

IT'S TOO LATE!
The damage has been done.
http://animenz.files.wordpress.com/2012 ... .png?w=640

I think what could help is if I play through the good ending...but right now. I think I'm just gonna sit around and let the impact of the bad end sort of, for lack of a better word, soften.
ALL HAIL LORD SHIZUNE! T-T

I...<3 this visual novel.

NAYE! RINFIDELS!!!

lol...

...I'm a Rinfidel too...

SHII-HAEL! SHII-HAEL!

[Rivan]

Yep.. I have to agree here.

Shizune's was the first bad ending I deliberately sought out to get.
I clicked through knowing it was to be the bad end, and then when it came with the credits roll in silence.
It was like getting a kick to the gut after some one told me my puppy died. I felt that bad.

Sure I felt bad with the bad endings for all characters, but the one for Shizune hit me the hardest.

The reverse is true for me. It hit me the least of all the bad endings, perhaps because I went for the bad ending.

I was pretty sure the moment Misha kissed Hisao where any more interaction would lead, and I wondered what her motives were.
Also, Misha's hotter than Shizune, so being more disconnected emotionally from her than other girls, I decided to go ahead and try.

I was rather surprised when it turned out very little changed. Neither interaction with Mischa nor Shizune seemed strange for most of the rest of the route. Mischa acted herself, Shizune was still herself. She never found out. Never gave away a hint that she might suspect something.

Everything went on almost as if the choice had no meaning at all, until, all of a sudden, Shizune acts more distant, two or three scenes and BAM, breakup.

Shizune's actual reasoning for the scene didn't make me feel bad. It made me dislike her. Once again, after accussing Lilly so many times of not realizing how her actions affected others, Shizune does the exact same thing herself. First, she turned down Misha only to try to be friends with her, then, she accepted Hisao as a boyfriend only to continue treating him as a subordinate, because, apparently, she felt it could be awkward and more hurtful to Misha if they showed off their relationship.

And then, when things were looking slightly better, she decides to push them both away.
Well, maybe the pink-haired girl assuming she's bisexual and her best friend's ex-boyfriend can have a little healthier relationship without her, but it probably will hurt them both as hell.

Both Shizune endings are bad ends




because it means you were with Shizune ... WAHAHAHAHA~!

So cruel. I agree

[Shiro]

Bleh.
Even after sleeping, it still hurts to watch that scene.
I'll probably get the Shizune good ending a little later. For now...
IT'S TIME FOR A METRIC SHIT TON OF FAN ART AND DRINKING AWAY MY SADNESS!!!!! T-T

HAIL LORD SHIZUNE!!!!

[Tezzeret]

I know that feel bro.

Shizune's bad ending was the most heart wrenching there was.

[Otakumon]

so...bare with me

I beg your pardon! We've only just met!

[Titus]

Don't worry, Shizune had it coming anyway.

Re-doing her good ending would be the logical follow up.

[Mysterious Stranger]

The reverse is true for me. It hit me the least of all the bad endings, perhaps because I went for the bad ending.

I was pretty sure the moment Misha kissed Hisao where any more interaction would lead, and I wondered what her motives were.
Also, Misha's hotter than Shizune, so being more disconnected emotionally from her than other girls, I decided to go ahead and try.

I was rather surprised when it turned out very little changed. Neither interaction with Mischa nor Shizune seemed strange for most of the rest of the route. Mischa acted herself, Shizune was still herself. She never found out. Never gave away a hint that she might suspect something.

Everything went on almost as if the choice had no meaning at all, until, all of a sudden, Shizune acts more distant, two or three scenes and BAM, breakup.

Shizune's actual reasoning for the scene didn't make me feel bad. It made me dislike her. Once again, after accussing Lilly so many times of not realizing how her actions affected others, Shizune does the exact same thing herself. First, she turned down Misha only to try to be friends with her, then, she accepted Hisao as a boyfriend only to continue treating him as a subordinate, because, apparently, she felt it could be awkward and more hurtful to Misha if they showed off their relationship.

It's almost frightening how closely my reasoning correlates to your own. I went for Shizune's bad ending simply because I liked Misha more (i.e. both her character and her bust... WHY NO MISHA ROUTE QQ), but in the end I felt pretty much the same way you did. Although I might have been (and still be) a bit biased against Shizune for being such a bitch to Lilly all the time.

[RedMist]

Playing the whole useless Shizune Path is an Act of Masochism, Katawa Shojou had the potential to be so great if not for that waste of writing and coding that is Shizune Path.
So stop venting and go play the other girls and forget that the deaf bitch even exist.
She deserve you ceathing her with Misha ever and ever and ever.

[Synthus]

Playing the whole useless Shizune Path is an Act of Masochism, Katawa Shojou had the potential to be so great if not for that waste of writing and coding that is Shizune Path.
So stop venting and go play the other girls and forget that the deaf bitch even exist.
She deserve you ceathing her with Misha ever and ever and ever.

I assume that in this parallel universe version called 'Katawa Shojou', Shizune's path is written by a LSD-abusing Stephanie Meyer.

As it is though, it's damned good writing. It just requires someone who isn't burdened by the expectation of feels on a plate to enjoy it.