Althamus wrote:KS isn't magical, obviously. You don't read the story, and then find that suddenly, you're massively more positive, dedicated to your life, stronger, braver, can fly and wish Emi was your waifu.
What it does do incredibly well is help you to relate to the characters, flesh them out so they feel real, get you emotionally involved with them (not necessarily such that you want them as your waifu, but that you care about them and care what happens to them certainly in the story), and it makes them almost paragons of good characteristics; such that you know the character, you know their personality, you know what good characteristics they like, and when you do something bad, you know they will disapprove.
I'm not ashamed to step out and say that KS has improved my life for the better. It's not a big improvement by any stretch of the imagination. But one of my characteristics in life is that when I am going through hard times, I am prone to letting them push me down, rather than keep trying to stand up. As such, Emi really made an impression on me, and I admire the fictional character's refusal to give up, even against all odds (see sig), and I try harder not to get pushed down, and when I am I try harder to stand again.
It's an almost insignificant difference, but KS is a book. I'm not expecting myself to instantly become a millionairre. And I know Emi is fictional, and don't have a consciousness, and wouldn't care about my actions one way or the other. BUT, if it inspires me to make my life better in any way, shape or form, even if I am inspired by something that isn't true, IMHO it's a good thing.
I think the biggest thing I'd say to you is don't think of KS as a game. I too am a gamer, I've played games for 10 years or so, and I've never come anywhere near as close to relating to a character as I have to -any- of the main characters in KS. It's a visual novel, because it focuses on the storyline almost exclusively, rather than the storyline playing second fiddle to the game mechanics (whatever they are).
cause real life will still kick the shit outta you if you feel good about being a white night to hanako or not
The difference is how you react to it. Life kicks you to your knees every now and then, the difference is how long it takes you to stand back up again and try again. I'd argue that since reading the VN, for the next little while until I get bored of it/fades from my memory etc, I'll stand up just that tiny bit faster than I would otherwise.
) and I decided to pick up a new hobby, something artistic or creative, I am still trying to decide on what it will do.