Katawa Shoujo Forums

You know, I just had a fridge moment.

Keiko is a second-year, yet she has a car?

Did she get held back a year or two? Because Japan's driving age is 18.

Did she get held back a year or two?

Why not? Emi was held back because of her injury. IIrc we're never told what Keiko's disability is, and even if it isn't related to her being held back, people are held back all the time.
I thought of mentioning this when I was editing the chapter, but decided it wasn't implausible.

Mirage_GSM wrote:

Did she get held back a year or two?

Why not? Emi was held back because of her injury. IIrc we're never told what Keiko's disability is, and even if it isn't related to her being held back, people are held back all the time.
I thought of mentioning this when I was editing the chapter, but decided it wasn't implausible.

Actually...

Japanese schools make a point of giving every student the EXACT same amount of education. It's meant to be a principle of equality (nobody gets special treatment, so everyone's equal) and community spirit (the entire class passes into the next grade together as a group), though this has unfortunate consequences for students sticking out from the rest. Extremely intelligent students aren't allowed to skip grades, so they end up being trapped in a curiculum that offers them no challenge. Struggling students aren't held back, but are dragged along without really being able to repeat material that they're having difficulty with.

Emi was probably either an extremely rare exception or a case of TheHivemind simply not being aware of this particular tidbit. Hanako was probably never held back, though she probably had more pressing matters on her mind than catching up with the rest of the class.

How much does Japan regulate private schools, though?

Is it possible for a private school to break those rules? Especially in cases of disability?

Guest Poster wrote:Emi was probably either an extremely rare exception or a case of TheHivemind simply not being aware of this particular tidbit.

Remember, though, Emi wasn't held back, she just took a full year off for her rehab. One would expect, under that circumstance, that she'd pick up where she left off.

Hmm, strange. I remember several Anime where characters where in danger of being held back. "School Rumble" is one example... In "Clannad" Narisa is actually held back, so it can't be unheard of altogether.
Anyway who's to say Keiko didn't take a year of for rehab as well?

I believe there are SOME high schools that hold back students whose grades are too low to get their diploma, although others will simply make students drop out.

Anyway, it's not so much that the Japanese aren't familiar with the principle of "being held back". They also know what "skipping grades" means as shown in the Azumanga Daioh series, where one ridiculously intelligent character is allowed to skip several grades. It's just that, in real life as opposed to anime, it seems to be extremely rare...much rarer than in several western countries.

I honestly don't notice much of a difference in the writing here from the actual VN. The bits about Misha's disability are well written, and I can't help but think that it's unpredictability is going to become significant later on.

Mirage_GSM wrote:Hmm, strange. I remember several Anime where characters where in danger of being held back. "School Rumble" is one example... In "Clannad" Narisa is actually held back, so it can't be unheard of altogether.
Anyway who's to say Keiko didn't take a year of for rehab as well?

Nagisa had to repeat her senior year twice (if I've remembered correctly, it was her attendance that was the reason for her having to repeat).

Emi would most likely have had to repeat a year if attendance is a factor for moving up a year or graduating.

demonix wrote:

Mirage_GSM wrote:Hmm, strange. I remember several Anime where characters where in danger of being held back. "School Rumble" is one example... In "Clannad" Narisa is actually held back, so it can't be unheard of altogether.
Anyway who's to say Keiko didn't take a year of for rehab as well?

Nagisa had to repeat her senior year twice (if I've remembered correctly, it was her attendance that was the reason for her having to repeat).

Emi would most likely have had to repeat a year if attendance is a factor for moving up a year or graduating.

She retakes it 3 times, if you count what happens in Clannad: Afterstory as well. (which i guess you technically should)

Created account just now, in order to attempt to lavish praise on the good author (praise is the coin of this realm, yes?)

I am reading (well, am caught up, but I will return and so will stick with "reading) and enjoying this story, and I have been consistently impressed at the perception the author displays for the characters in general and Meesha in particular. Without writing an essay of my own, I think a significant portion of the fanbase reduces Meesha (et al.) into, er, two-dimensional personalities and forgets many of the (delightfully well-written, and typically subtle so as not to make the story jarring) ways the authors made these potentially moe-cripple-blobs utterly human instead.

I have zero nits to pick.

I sincerely desire you to be marginally happier for knowing that you have made my lazy night pleasant (and long; the sun will come up soon and I still need to sleep), and that I think you're doing a very good job.
(including the fourth-wall jokes you've snuck in there; true to the flavor of KS and, well, I giggled.)

Editing for brevity. Know that I was more effusive and wandering.

(My praise is not because you're accidentally writing the story in accordance to my headcanon. My headcanon has always had Meesh' having mental disabilities (one of the typical cocktails of mental disabilities that included ADD and depression) and having (emphatically) zero physical irregularities at all.)

...I don't wanna go to bed.

Feylias wrote:Created account just now, in order to attempt to lavish praise on the good author (praise is the coin of this realm, yes?)

I am reading (well, am caught up, but I will return and so will stick with "reading) and enjoying this story, and I have been consistently impressed at the perception the author displays for the characters in general and Meesha in particular. Without writing an essay of my own, I think a significant portion of the fanbase reduces Meesha (et al.) into, er, two-dimensional personalities and forgets many of the (delightfully well-written, and typically subtle so as not to make the story jarring) ways the authors made these potentially moe-cripple-blobs utterly human instead.

I have zero nits to pick.

I sincerely desire you to be marginally happier for knowing that you have made my lazy night pleasant (and long; the sun will come up soon and I still need to sleep), and that I think you're doing a very good job.
(including the fourth-wall jokes you've snuck in there; true to the flavor of KS and, well, I giggled.)

Editing for brevity. Know that I was more effusive and wandering.

(My praise is not because you're accidentally writing the story in accordance to my headcanon. My headcanon has always had Meesh' having mental disabilities (one of the typical cocktails of mental disabilities that included ADD and depression) and having (emphatically) zero physical irregularities at all.)

...I don't wanna go to bed.

welcome newfriend, do enjoy staying in these forums, and have fun reading fics..

First Fic I've read that wasn't complete at the time of reading... oboy.

Well, I love it. Misha has always had a little bit of... emptiness that I wanted to delve into more.
She has an undeniable Moe side to her, but that's just her character. Like it or hate it, she's hard to not love.
Especially~ your rendition
So, sub'd for further reading, g'luck and keep on keeping on with the awesome writing~

So, it's been over three months since I've updated, and you all have been extremely patient, so I feel you all deserve some kind of update. (No, this isn't a lead-up to bad news. You can relax.)

As always, there are the various trivial meatspace considerations that get in the way of important stuff like writing cripple porn fanfiction. Those never go away. I will also admit that some of this delay comes from me allowing myself to get distracted (gotta catch em' all).

All the positive feedback has been extremely humbling and encouraging. It just goes to show that no matter how bad your writing, there's someone with worse taste who will enjoy it. (I kid.)

Anyway, current status:

The most recent chapter is enormous (25 pages/12350 words and counting - versus a total so far of 160 pages/76600 words) with a few major happenings, so going has been slow. I'd like to imagine that I'm almost ready to send it off to my editors, but not making any promises right now. I do want to get it done and posted nearly as much as you all want me to post it so you can read it, so I'm trying to not drag my feet.

On the subject of Keiko driving, grade retention in Japan isn't quite as simple as "Everyone advances. Period." Especially when disabilities are involved. It's actually kind of fascinating reading about Japanese school systems and their interaction with people with disabilities. Either way, I'd recommend you satisfy yourselves with Keiko's explanation of why she can drive.

Anyway, hope to post again soon with the same thing you're all hoping that I post.

ProfAllister wrote: The most recent chapter is enormous (25 pages/12350 words and counting - versus a total so far of 160 pages/76600 words) with a few major happenings, so going has been slow. I'd like to imagine that I'm almost ready to send it off to my editors, but not making any promises right now. I do want to get it done and posted nearly as much as you all want me to post it so you can read it, so I'm trying to not drag my feet.

That's a truly crazy chunk of writing. Are you going full Helbereth on us? I don't know if I can take that much wahaha at once, but dammit, I am willing to try.