Katawa Shoujo Forums

I'm surprised and kind of disappointed by Lilly's popularity. I came to believe that us Lilly fans were rare and special little snowflakes against an overwhelming tasteless majority who preferred the likes of Hanako or Rin (which was actuallly the case in older polls!).

So much for that theory, right?

I've completed all but emi's which is odd as I like upbeat girls and am a cross-country runner, lol.

Have to say Lilly's arc is the best as she actually had a pretty good personality and after they became official the way her and Hisao interacted seemed pretty genuine. Ending was a bit sketchy for me but the rest is so good I forgive it.

Hanako was good and actually had me caring what happened to her and worried when she went out away from Yamaku that drama might happen and cause her to lose her new found confidence. If it was longer it would probably be the best but the fact I feel it's only real issue is that its too short speaks volumes.

Rin I liked but felt some of the difficulties she had were a bit contrived though. I don't blame Rin for that as everything that Hisao did made me want to scream at the monitor "How stupid are you?", "Dude your just going to piss her off by acting like a twat?", "You can make your point without being a jackass!". The fact it even drew me in to those reactions says that it was quite enjoyable. However, getting through her arc was more difficult then the others because of this. I think given Rin's personality the convoluted choice structure was intentional and really helped give the whole arc that "WTF?" feel a lot of people have mentioned it has.

Shizune's was pretty bad to be honest. Shizune had almost no personality and Misha's entire existence pretty made it impossible for her to even have any noticeable difficulties with her disability .


TL:DR Liked the game because except for shizune they all had fairly real human personalities. Rin's ending would've been better if Hisao wasn't a complete dipshit in that arc.

Chiv wrote:I don't get why Lilly's path is so popular. She's definitely sweet and her path was very well plotted, almost like a hollywood movie, I felt like there were a lot of problems with the flow of it. I felt like a lot of the idea's and dialogue were almost non- sequiturs. He would be thinking of something, and then he would be talking or suddenly thinking about something else, and I would just be like "where did that come from?" Especially with some of the dialogue flow. It felt more like the characters were saying whatever the writer wanted them to say rather than them saying what the characters themselves would naturally say. There's no doubt I enjoyed the path still, but it felt to contrived which kept bringing me out of the story which kept it from being one of my favorites. I also had some issues with hanako, but I think those are more personal rather than objective, but I'm also really surprised that she's so popular. Rin's is great, but throught her entire path I was left in a mild state of depression, so I can't say it's my favorite. Shizune was my favorite girl, but her path left something to be desired, mainly conflict. In the end Emi ended up being my favorite path, Extremely well written and just a lot of fun.

in order its probably this.

Emi>Shizune>lilly>Rin>hanako

Are you me? I share basically all your opinions, and I appreciate what you said about the Lilly path because I knew there was a reason I didn't absolutely love it and I couldn't put my finger on it... seems like you've got it.

(Except on my list I'd switch Rin and Lilly because I don't care how depressing something is if I want to rank based on enjoyability.)

I would say that Rin's my favorite. I felt the writing was spectacular and she was the one I related to the most. The things she said about how nobody understands her and how she might be a person who only belongs to themselves is what sticks out in my mind. That and when Hisao was saying how you never really can truly understand someone, how we're all alone and the only way we feel connected to others is through brief exchanges of happiness. All of those really hit close to home. I felt that they were very true and that I could relate to them. I also enjoyed how emotionally moving it was. The part where she says that its unfair of Hisao to say something like that because he made her feel differently and Rin's good end left me bawling. I also enjoyed Rin's FMV the most.

Then I would say it's a tie between Emi and Hanako. Hanako because I can't stand the thought of her being left alone in the world and the joy of her good ending. Emi because she was strong even by herself which I found inspirational, and the way she cared for Hisao was also heartwrenching.

I can't say I was a huge fan of Lilly's path though. It felt a bit cliche to me. Especially the running to the airport to stop the girl you love part. It felt like a Hollywood movie. Her path just felt a bit unrealistic to me and too upbeat for the real world.

I can't comment on Shizune's path yet though, as I haven't finished it yet.

I ended up liking Lilly's the most, I just connected with her much much better.

Overall? Emi,but with the reservation that the whole thing reeks a bit too heavy of melodrama and somewhat too much social commentary-almost like it's written by a bunch of overly idealistic youngsters who dunno what life is really like yet.

But still good,I need to finish a few paths yet and not get stuck,but otherwise it's good and honestly impressive for being done by a bunch of free lancers.

Chase wrote:Shizune's was pretty bad to be honest. Shizune had almost no personality and Misha's entire existence pretty made it impossible for her to even have any noticeable difficulties with her disability .

What. Really? I would have said the opposite.

Guest wrote:I can't say I was a huge fan of Lilly's path though. It felt a bit cliche to me. Especially the running to the airport to stop the girl you love part. It felt like a Hollywood movie. Her path just felt a bit unrealistic to me and too upbeat for the real world.

I felt the same way. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Lilly's route, but it felt very conventional. That said, Lilly and Hisao acting as sort of surrogate parents for Hanako was one of the most touching parts of the entire game.

At the moment, I would vote Emi, probably. But I haven't done Hanako's route, so I'll hold off for now.

A ghost... wrote:Overall? Emi,but with the reservation that the whole thing reeks a bit too heavy of melodrama and somewhat too much social commentary-almost like it's written by a bunch of overly idealistic youngsters who dunno what life is really like yet.

Which makes perfect sense, since emi/hisao are both overly idealistic youngsters who dunno what life is really like yet, at least in that arc.

TBH every story arc was pretty melodramatic at moments, but that was kind of the point. Given the age of the characters (17-19) it makes perfect sense that most had the 'nobody has ever felt THIS before' vibe. Considering what a dumbass I/everyone was when we were teenagers, there wasn't a tiny bit of that melodrama that I didn't find believable.

Thrasher Thetic wrote:

A ghost... wrote:Overall? Emi,but with the reservation that the whole thing reeks a bit too heavy of melodrama and somewhat too much social commentary-almost like it's written by a bunch of overly idealistic youngsters who dunno what life is really like yet.

Which makes perfect sense, since emi/hisao are both overly idealistic youngsters who dunno what life is really like yet, at least in that arc.

TBH every story arc was pretty melodramatic at moments, but that was kind of the point. Given the age of the characters (17-19) it makes perfect sense that most had the 'nobody has ever felt THIS before' vibe. Considering what a dumbass I/everyone was when we were teenagers, there wasn't a tiny bit of that melodrama that I didn't find believable.

Look I'll be blunt here okay? how is it everybody that you interact with has some drama llama past? teh fukc? I didn't know that everybody who loses a limb,deaf,burned,blind or what has some tragedy attached.

Would have been nice to have a route where it's just fun and light hearted.

I guess I can buy you need that for a story but it also comes across as the creators have some high minded agenda or something,relax people not everybody watched mommy and daddy get shoved through a grinder when they were five.

Emi was best as she seemed the most alive and not some forced tragic character.

Just my two cents.

Lilly's route was my favorite by far. It's strange - I am usually diametrically opposed to cliches such as running after the girl at the last minute. I've seen it in countless movies, and it always ended in a predictable manner. Yet for some reason, it was executed in such a way that I was completely taken off guard by the events that followed... before being uplifted almost immediately after.

Funniest thing happened as well: I had come to what I immediately interpreted as the end of the Lilly path, with her saying "I promise." The credits came up, and I was at such a loss for words at the abruptness and ambiguity of the ending that I just minimized the window and did something else for about an hour. Lo' and behold, I bring up the window again and it turns out that THERE IS A FREAKING EPILOGUE. I raged for a moment, but found myself really happy after.

I also found that Lilly's path made the best use of Hisao's heart condition, so to speak.

I found that Emi's path was the best overall for me. I just really identified with what was going on in that path, and actually had a little bit of a mental breakdown as I realized I've been wrong about some stuff for a really long time now. It just really meant a lot to me.

Honorable mention would go to Hanako's route. I honestly didn't expect to like it very much. I was really not impressed with her in my first couple playthroughs. I decided to at least try her path out just because 'Hey, why not?' and the further I got into it the more I enjoyed it. In the scene at the end where everything really came together I realized that while Emi's route may be my favorite because of what it meant to me personally, but I really think that Hanako is my favorite character. She just was so much more interesting and had so much more depth than I was expecting. I really have to applaud the creators of this game.

It's neck and neck with Lilly and Emi for number 1. Just a tie, then.
Emi was the most lively girl. Her dialog was certainly the most organic, which is something I consider hugely important. A story could do without life long issues and dramatic twists if the dialog is good enough. I liked that her family was involved and wasn't rich or gone or both. She was so normal. Hisao was actually justifiably ticked when Emi yanked his chain too. I liked that he didn't role over.

Aesthetically, my favorite. Lilly was more fantasized. A beautiful rich girl with a bad case of the manners. I respect manners! People go about being polite and considerate, just 'cause they want to. Good people are great people. I didn't think her problem was so melodramatic. Her parents didn't give enough of a shit about her to keep her with them. I've heard plenty of that before. Difference is that Lilly's parents had the money and wherewithal to put her in school at least. Coulda' been poor and just moved away while she hold up with equally poor cousins without letting her know. They were gonna leave her with old granny and pappy but at least she knew. And good thing she had a sister that cared, big time. Some parents just aren't so nice.
Plus, being blind would be scary...

I don't know how to rank Rin and Hanako.
They both had good points. Fun writing in Rin's and plenty of good drama in Hanako's. The overall good stories only dipped occasionally into representativeness and melodrama respectively. Both Hisao's fault. He wants Rin to explain herself and he wants to protect Hanako...over and over. Of course that was his failing and he learned a lesson. I really felt good for Rin in her end when everything in her heart was all right. It's one of the best feelings in the world. Hanako's however seemed a little too cutesy in a little wrapped up package.
So maybe it is Rin second.

I have to agree that Shizune's path came off as boring at times. It just felt so long-winded in spots. Shizune's dad's tirades were funny enough. Hisao's responses weren't and he was fairly unfunny the whole route. Dad was a bit too over the top with his jerkatude. He wouldn't learn to communicate with his deaf daughter and he hates everything that isn't himself. I get it, we don't like him. Lilly's path managed to say that her parents sucked with far less.

Overall: Lilly=Emi>Rin>Hanako>Shizune

Shizune. I don't care what you people say about her and her route, because right now it's falling on deaf ears

SHII-HAEL! SHII-HAEL!

I really love both Hanako and Lilly's Route...I think that the develope of Lilly's route is a bit more good then others routes, but I just really love the character Hanako and how her story work out...I just can't decide from these 2...

I liked all of them. Each one for different reasons.

If I were to choose though, it would probably be Lilly's route. That route seemed to be the most complete to me.

I also really liked how the ending was handled:

Hisao ending up in a hospital like he did in the beginning of the story. I sort of have a thing for stories that come full circle. (Like Final Fantasy 9)