Katawa Shoujo Forums

metalangel wrote:At the end of it all I think they both built a very strong connection and learned a lot from each other. The ending was a bit too vague (though I take heart both from that connection and the fact that Hisao says he's going to 'keep chasing' her) but I think all three of them came out of it a lot better than if it had just been Shizune and Misha.

It was a very vague ending, indeed. But I feel that by putting Hisao's new life in perspective (as I examined in an earlier post - I'll reorganize the OP to better reflect my "defense" when I get around to it) it actually puts a really neat lense on things that is not only reflective of the characters' growth but of reality itself. The end of highschool feels like an ending to its students, but it's really the beginning of bigger and greater things, whether or not you end up sticking with your past friends. A bit sad to think about, but I think it holds true.

Also, if you're pining for a more concrete, happy ending I think you'll really like this epilogue: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/650003-k ... o/61603960

I just finished Shizune as my fourth route. I loved it, and I'm not really sure why so many people didn't. It's by far the funniest route. Misha is just a ball be around, and while Kenji, for me, slides back and forth on the annoying/amusing spectrum, I found him closer to the amusing end for most of this path. On top of being pretty funny, there's some really poignant writing on the subject of graduations and goodbyes. I don't want to rank Shizune compared to the other girls, but she is definitely a fascinating and well-written character.

If I could change one thing, it would be Jigoro. I just... I don't understand why he is part of the story. I assumed he would have some important effect on the story, but in the end, I feel like he adds nothing. I'll go as far as to say he's the only thing in the game, across the four routes I've played, that I actively disliked. Every time he showed up, I struggled with an urge to just quit the game then and there.

I don't particularly love it, and I do think it is... well not really bad, just the weakest arc out of the group... by far.

But I did like it. I wish they have more insight to her more is all. I can understand why many people dislike the route, but it is still a solid one, just not as much as the others, and enjoyable.

alabaster wrote:If I could change one thing, it would be Jigoro. I just... I don't understand why he is part of the story

Jigoro, along with Hideaki is part of the story's bloat as Atti in the other Shizune thread wrote:

Atti wrote:Overall, I'd say the biggest problem that Shizune's path had was bloat. It either should have been pruned down to half its actual length, or else an over-arching plot involving other characters needed to be woven in. It's very clear that Shizune, Misha, and Hisao have only two acts worth of material (tops) worth exploring. As it was, it just dragged on and on, while alluding to a bigger story arc that never happens. The vast majority of the story ends up as filler, despite much of it having great potential.

I think A22 was trying to fit into KS a story larger than the VN can accomodate.Most VN's are, in my opinion, less like novels and more like short story compilations. Short stories have just one strong theme and uses just a few characters to maintain the cohesiveness of that theme. Anything that weakens that cohesiveness is just bloat. Shizune's family problem is a bloat and even Misha's problem is a bloat since it is not well connected to what should've been the main them of the arc: the relationship of Hisao and Shizune.

It really makes me wonder just how much "cut" material there is in Shizune's path.

Meatbag wrote:Shizune's family problem is a bloat and even Misha's problem is a bloat since it is not well connected to what should've been the main them of the arc: the relationship of Hisao and Shizune.

The difference is that the Misha subplot is actually interesting and really heartbreaking. I disagree that there isn't enough content to fill all four acts; I think just cutting Jigoro/Hideaki and using that extra space to expand upon Misha and her problem would have worked out just fine.

It's a shame, really, because I think the Misha/Shizune/Hisao dynamic is one of my very favorite things in KS. I wish the writers had had more confidence in that to carry this route.

Pl4t0 wrote:It was a very vague ending, indeed. But I feel that by putting Hisao's new life in perspective (as I examined in an earlier post - I'll reorganize the OP to better reflect my "defense" when I get around to it) it actually puts a really neat lense on things that is not only reflective of the characters' growth but of reality itself. The end of highschool feels like an ending to its students, but it's really the beginning of bigger and greater things, whether or not you end up sticking with your past friends. A bit sad to think about, but I think it holds true.

Also, if you're pining for a more concrete, happy ending I think you'll really like this epilogue: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/650003-k ... o/61603960

High school very much is an ending in a way that college or university often aren't. I am in touch with exactly one person from high school 14 years after graduation. University quite a few more. I remember a number of girls at university unable to take being separated from boyfriends back home and having tearful breakups over the phone.

There also seems to come a time for many in their mid-twenties that careers and spouses make them move away from friends again.

On the flipside, I have a friend who has been with his now-wife since high school (he's my age) and there's plenty of people like that too, so for our happy couple I think the epilogue ending (I thanked the author over on GameFAQs for writing it) is entirely likely.

At the risk of sounding callous, both Shizune and Hisao have health issues which will make finding love among the non-disabled population a bit tricky. I think that they've connected and complement each other so well is something they both recognize as being rare and precious. Awwww!

metalangel wrote:

Pl4t0 wrote:It was a very vague ending, indeed. But I feel that by putting Hisao's new life in perspective (as I examined in an earlier post - I'll reorganize the OP to better reflect my "defense" when I get around to it) it actually puts a really neat lense on things that is not only reflective of the characters' growth but of reality itself. The end of highschool feels like an ending to its students, but it's really the beginning of bigger and greater things, whether or not you end up sticking with your past friends. A bit sad to think about, but I think it holds true.

Also, if you're pining for a more concrete, happy ending I think you'll really like this epilogue: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/650003-k ... o/61603960

High school very much is an ending in a way that college or university often aren't. I am in touch with exactly one person from high school 14 years after graduation. University quite a few more. I remember a number of girls at university unable to take being separated from boyfriends back home and having tearful breakups over the phone.

There also seems to come a time for many in their mid-twenties that careers and spouses make them move away from friends again.

On the flipside, I have a friend who has been with his now-wife since high school (he's my age) and there's plenty of people like that too, so for our happy couple I think the epilogue ending (I thanked the author over on GameFAQs for writing it) is entirely likely.

At the risk of sounding callous, both Shizune and Hisao have health issues which will make finding love among the non-disabled population a bit tricky. I think that they've connected and complement each other so well is something they both recognize as being rare and precious. Awwww!

Quoted for truth. I'm not in touch with anybody from my high school or my college - not even my first boyfriend. We've all moved onto different lives. Even after friending people on Facebook, it's like ... what do you say to them? You're both completely different people now.

However, that epilogue was beautiful and is just asking for fanart. It'll always be the true ending for Hisao and Shicchan for me - Misha is still good friends with the pair, Hisao seems to be in good health and is content with his life, and Shizune finally seems like she's found happiness.

I found the route itself pretty awesome, though I never liked the ending. Expected it to be... more emotional. Kinda hate these mysterious endings where you've got to imagine what happened after yourself.

Guest wrote:
However, that epilogue was beautiful and is just asking for fanart. It'll always be the true ending for Hisao and Shicchan for me - Misha is still good friends with the pair, Hisao seems to be in good health and is content with his life, and Shizune finally seems like she's found happiness.

Working on it!

metalangel wrote:

Guest wrote:
However, that epilogue was beautiful and is just asking for fanart. It'll always be the true ending for Hisao and Shicchan for me - Misha is still good friends with the pair, Hisao seems to be in good health and is content with his life, and Shizune finally seems like she's found happiness.

Working on it!

Rather than stopping on the fanart, someone should just petition or convince the devs to get a Katawa Shoujo~After Story~

No selections, just simple epilogue acts with fanarts....


Fuck id pay to see Hisao and Shizune's epilogue in an all-full official VN style complete with artwork, music, and sounds

Shizune's route had the best Kenji scenes and the most Misha.

Best route of the year.

I enjoyed it and thought that it's alright. I already heard that it's not a very dramatic route, though, which influenced my expectations. Also, I liked it mostly because of Misha and later parts in Act 4 seemed to drag quite a bit.

Contrary to my expectations, I don't actually dislike Jigoro. He is too silly and childish to be taken seriously. He seems more like comic relief character like Kenji than a serious one.

Just here to chime in and say that I immensely enjoyed Shizune's route as well. I'm a lazy guy so here's what I think about it.

Nyarly wrote:Contrary to my expectations, I don't actually dislike Jigoro. He is too silly and childish to be taken seriously. He seems more like comic relief character like Kenji than a serious one.

I feel like he should be a complete and total pain in the ass, but instead just find him hilarious. While I think the summer scenes, in which he was introduced, were very important (as I've said earlier), it's a shame that they couldn't be put to even more use and done more with Jigoro than they did.

Exterminator 2000 wrote:Just here to chime in and say that I immensely enjoyed Shizune's route as well.

Glad to hear it

Megumeru wrote:Rather than stopping on the fanart, someone should just petition or convince the devs to get a Katawa Shoujo~After Story~

I'd like nothing more than to see more 4LS Katawa Shoujo content, but petitioning them for anything at this point is way overstepping our bounds as fans - there's a fine line between appreciation and entitlement, and when the devs have said (after devoting 5 years of their busy lives to this project) that they don't have the drive to make anything else KS-related, that's that. Nevertheless, I'm pretty interested to see what Metalangel can make happen

I love Shizune itself, but the only one decision route... wow, that wasn't so cool.

Like, Shizune is by fas my favorite character of KS. At the same time, her path could be so much more... complete.