Happiest route *no spoilers please*

[DaMan65]

For the most memorable and touching route, Rin takes top prize by miles. Hsiao is by far the most useful in her route. She actually really needs him because he's really her only confidant in this mysterious world which she can't relate too. Even if the developers didn't intend it, theirs is probably the true love that you see in real life. Forgetting each other's shortcomings and just focusing on the goodness of each other..it helps us to remember when our own relationships are not going well, what was it that we loved about each other in the first place...and how to finally accept one another for he/she is. This is what makes Rin's route so amazing...I feel it actually teaches us something.

This is why I like Rin's ending the most, and also think its the happiest because Rin's path is full of struggle and after its over you feel like you've really earned that happy ending making it all the better.

[shangz]

This is why I like Rin's ending the most, and also think its the happiest because Rin's path is full of struggle and after its over you feel like you've really earned that happy ending making it all the better.

[/quote]

Hahaha you said it...especially if you get the "bad" ending in Act 4. You realise how much pain she actually is suffering..and I'm glad she finally managed to get Hsiao in the good ending.

[Crud Bonemeal]

I terms of general light-heartedness, I'd probably rank it Emi-Shizune-Lilly-Hanako-Rin. On the other hand, if we're asking about how dark the route gets at its worst points (from least to most dark, not counting Bad Ends), then it goes Hanako-Lilly-Emi-Shizune-Rin. I'm so glad I played Rin's story last, it was so emotionally draining that there's no way I could have appreciated the other routes, had I played them after hers.

[viduuskamen]

I have been hesitant to share my feelings on this game on the forums out of... general shyness I suppose, but I think this is a good thread to start so I registered to make this post.
While I agree with ukotaku's ranking (Hanako>Lilly>Emi>Rin>Shizune), I think happiness is completely subjective... especially in this game.

I am not sure what the general age of the posters are here, but I think I am finally comfortable enough to share a bit of my thoughts on the internet...the following is snippet (very condensed) of what I have written down in my own reflective writing...
The context here is that I have had at least 10 years to reflect back on the numerous events similar to the ones in this game. (Am I an old one?

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Hanako's good ending terrified me but because I got her neutral ending first... and while I knew something wasn't quite "right", I didn't recognize it until I reached and analyzed the good one more... (and I encourage everyone to do so)

Lilly's good ending was probably the most "happy" one in that not only do you receive a lot of closure on a lot of the other characters, but there are no negligence or hints of negativity on anyone else. You even get a picture of when she and Shizune worked together, hinting to more though.

Emi's endings felt most "normal," because I think her endings are the most common ones on games of this genre. Furthermore, based on my personal experiences, these are how they mostly turned out. (My good ones didn't last due to other reasons.)

Rin and Shizune's endings all confused me equally probably because of my own personality, so sadly to say, I didn't enjoy them. But I still understand that it shows you "reaching" them through a different type of understanding, and it is executed very well through the writing in the game. While I understood it on an intellectual level, I felt much harder to connect with them emotionally, or "artistically" for Rin... so perhaps someone with more understanding and patience will fare better than I do here.

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More banther below:
(The spoiler tags might not be actually be spoilers, but just in case)

For me, this game is not here to simply let you make random decisions and enjoy the scenes, but in fact, the writings are there to make you think. For the most part of my younger life, I've been some sort of a whiteknight. And even though I also already knew the notion was impossibly inane at the time, I did it anyway; out of stubbornness, maybe; out of sheer will? Sure.

Which is why Hanako's paths made the most impression on me.
Originally, reaching the neutral ending with her was enough satisfaction for me, by being able to be there for her regardless of Hisao's own well-being since it is how I've lived my life up to this point really. I was never self-destructive, yet I have never had a goal other than trying to "help" others. So when I tried to see what the good ending was like, it was jarring to see that despite having the education and finances to "provide care for", it still wasn't enough, and perhaps still wrong.
Which is why the "good" ending where you realize how badly that just being her friend (neutral ending) would have been for her psyche... was what totally mollified me. While the bad ending made it blatant and expected, the neutral ending made it clear that she -continued- to bottle it in... which meant the same result... this feeling of being a total failure disturbed me...

Lilly was the strongest character by far, and I believed that she would have been fine either way. Which is also why I think this made the happiest ending. I believe this is also why her neutral (no bad) ending was only a tiny bit shorter than the good one, and with a different conclusion - it's really whether if you can make it that far to reach "true happiness."

Emi seemed like the most adjusted one at first. And even though everything goes well with her early on (much like some of my past relationships), the build up was sudden and almost too violent to diffuse for me. However, since I have experienced some of these before, I didn't consider much of it other than in terms of fond/not so fond memories. Some events and choices were simply beyond my abilities at the time.

Rin was in a world of her own, and try as I might, I could not understand it/her. Even the most basic choices "I want to understand." didn't help me any, and it just left me [spoiler feeling helpless [/spoiler] with her still being utterly helpless in communicating with the world. The good ending didn't help me understand very much either , other than that I was able to be there for her, and she's opened up to the world and maybe that's enough.

Shizune was under the same rut. However, I had the least sympathy (if that's the right choice of word) for her. Or interest, even when she later explains she is aware that she has issues communicating with others, not just via language but also understanding. but doesn't know how to deal with it. As much as her character is fleshed out, I think this is the only character I have felt callous to. I feel the intelligence aspect was misplaced, even though the writers do dote on that while she knows she's intelligent, she can't apply it to people... I feel this was disappointing, because this is one of the "disabilities" she never overcomes.

I didn't feel the H scenes were needed in the game, but I suppose they were there to demonstrate intimacy (and Rin walking on Emi gave me a chuckle) and perhaps a sense of relief.

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I really thank the Devs for this game, and for stirring up emotions and memories that I have stashed away for at least a decade.
And to everyone who read my... jumbled thoughts. Thanks.

[Xevo]

I believe Lilly's, it had a sad moment at the end, followed by pure happiness.

[Inkster]

I'd say Emi's path is the "warmest" if that makes sense. Its dramatic but not in the sense that it made me sad.

Maybe because it was the first path I played, but I was crying at the end of Lilly's route, even though I got the good end. Maybe it was was just that happy out of something really sad.

Rin's ending was good, and Shizune's was good, but they weren't as elating as the other two.

Last one up for me is Hanako, but there seems to be positive indications from the comments.

[anarki]

Wow, so much great feedback. I'm on Rin's act 3 but I think I'll let hers for the final route. Since everyone seeems to agree that her route ends with a good twist after hardship, I'd say that's what I'm looking for, kinda like the Yume Miru Kusuri girls.

[CowPrint]

Rin's is really emotional and kind of sweet and sad. If that makes sense.

[Nekken]

I've played four of the routes thus far: not Rin's, but given people's assessments I think it's safe to say that playing hers is probably not going to change my opinions.

But for happiest path, I'd say Lilly's. Certainly it's the most unambiguously happy of the paths: Emi's has its ups and downs, depending on how you play it, and frankly some of the bad choices make for a more satisfying story (assuming you can still pull off the good end). But then, I'm a total sucker for old-fashioned romances, and Lilly's path is nothing if not old-fashioned romantic.

[Carnificus]

So far I've played Hanako, Emi and Rin, and I've gotta say Rin's is my favorite by quite a bit. I felt like it was consistently just great and it's ending was awesome. I felt like Hanako's ending was perfect but at the same time it just kind of all hits you at once. Given after you show her your scar the last hour or so of her story is amazing, but I felt like it was lacking compared to other stories prior to that. Similarly I felt like Emi's was really good throughout but it lacked that great ending that Rin and Hanako had, maybe because her big reveal was that her father died, which was blatantly obvious throughout, so while it left me with a good feeling after she showed it to me I felt like I'd known the whole time and it lacked the impact of the other stories. Rin's on the other hand was a constant struggle, and her ending was equally as satisfying as Hanako's imo. I'm looking forward to Shizune and Lilly's routes as well, but I'm not sure they'll be able to top the happiness I felt upon completing Rin's route.

[Haseo]

For me happiest route in order are:
Emi-Lily-Hanako-Rin-Shizune

but in healthiest route Emi is first and Lily is last.

[Aust Kyzor]

So far I've finished Hanako, Rin, and Shizune, and, to me, I felt that Shizune's was the happiest route. It was certainly a high note, because, while the three will separate for a time (likely a VERY short time in Shizune and Hisao's case), they all know that they'll meet again some day, and that they will be close friends for the rest of their days (with Hisao fully accepting that he doesn't really have that many left).

[shin0bi272]

happiest and easiest to deal with story would have to be Emi... you just dont feel like its too tough for her most of the time due to her attitude.

Happiest ending for me had to be Hanako. Emi's ending is sweet but Hanako really changes the way you look at her even if its like pulling teeth to get there. Delayed gratification I guess you could say. LOL

I noticed that a lot of people are saying that Emi's ending was expected or some such reasoning and that hanako's was too quick... I think the Devs went to great pains to team up the girls by disability (Emi and Rin, Shizune and Misha, Lilly and Hanako) so that they compliment each other... I think that they also went to great pains to make the stories compliment each other. One ending you can see coming a mile away and just have to help the girl get through it while another one hits you like a truck all at once. Balance and form, yin and yang that sort of thing.

[bp22601]

happiest route for me has to be Hanako at the end when she ends up breaking the "wall" between herself and Hisao and ends up kissing him in public... shed some happy mainly tears.

[rydiafan]

I don't know if there is a true happy route ( IMO ) .... Every girl seemed to have to give up something important to stay happy with Hisao Lilly gave up her family to stay with Hisao in the end there are happy moments but there really isn't a true happy route ( mind u i never finished Rin's route yet )