Katawa Shoujo Forums

I would like to go back on a dev blog from a while back: http://katawashoujo.blogspot.com/2010/04/fanatics.html Here it clearly states (in the part about hanako) that non-disabled kids can still attend yamaku.

Is Hanako's disability really one? Does she "belong" to Yamaku? While the burns of her severity do have lasting consequences, it's always good to remember that Yamaku is not a hospital. Even non-disabled kids can attend, and Hanako probably is better off in an environment where she's less likely to strike out in a crowd. Hanako, along with Shizune, is a character where I feel we "got it right", and the reader response has been exactly what we anticipated and hoped for.

So, as disappointing as it may be, it is highly likely that Misha does not have an illness. As for the reasoning behind her going there, there still are some good possibilities. For example: it might just be the only school in the area, her parents are very busy so it's would be easier for her to live on campus, or her parents are a bit over-protective and want to make sure nothing happens to her. It is also possible she just wanted to go there.

When the dev blog also talks about "missing the real hints" when it comes to Misha's illness, I played through the game (again) in an attempt to find these "hints". Here is what I've gathered:

So far we know of a few "symptoms" that could be hints on Misha's illness:
-inability to control her voice.
-hyper activeness (?)
-possible hearing loss (possible being the key word)
-dizziness walking upstairs
-possible ocd

Here is what I've gathered about these "symptoms":
-her loudness is obviously not because of an inability to control her voice, because in one scene I remember the teacher saying something to Misha about controlling her voice. I'm sure if she couldn't control it then the teacher would know and wouldn't mention it.
-Her hyperness more goes in the favor that she doesn't have an illness, wouldn't you think?
-I'm not to sure why people think of hearing loss, I think she hears just fine except for one time where hisao was speaking softly.
-The part where she mentioned that she got dizzy when walking upstairs is most likely just an excuse to not have to. Which seems very likely considering... well her in general.
-OCD just doesn't seem very apparent in her. If anything, she might just have very minor OCD. I have minor OCD and normally no-one notices it at all.

My conclusion is that it is highly possible that she just goes to the school, not for any particular reason. If you think about it, if it wasn't for Shizune being deaf and mute, Misha would not even exist in the story. The only reason that she is even a "main" character and not a minor is because of her relationship with Shizune and her being required to communicate with Shizune (or at least at this time). My guess is that she will either just be phased out somewhere in the storyline (transfer, fight with shizune, or maybe just Hisao learning sign language and not needing her), or all this could just prove to be BS and she does happen to have some terminal disease and she probably will die off (which seems pretty unlikely based on my research and would probably anger the Misha-maniacs O_o I already sense a disturbance just thinking about it...)

I apologize in advance for any information here that may have already been stated. I've only read the first 8 pages of this thread.

EDIT: Also don't take this to be 100% possible, feel free to speculate further because that's what makes this mystery so fun

EDIT: Fixed some things...

Raiden wrote: So far we know of a few "symptoms" that could be hints on Misha's illness:
-inability to control her voice.
-hyper activeness (?)
-possible hearing loss (possible being the key word)
-dizziness walking upstairs
-possible ocd

Ear problem, I say. Probably something minor that will eventually degrade her hearing and/or balance over time. So she could occasionally get dizzy by going up stairs, and ocd could be a small thing she has because sometimes she can't hear clearly. Her being hyper is just her.

Rohalmen509 wrote:

Raiden wrote: So far we know of a few "symptoms" that could be hints on Misha's illness:
-inability to control her voice.
-hyper activeness (?)
-possible hearing loss (possible being the key word)
-dizziness walking upstairs
-possible ocd

Ear problem, I say. Probably something minor that will eventually degrade her hearing and/or balance over time. So she could occasionally get dizzy by going up stairs, and ocd could be a small thing she has because sometimes she can't hear clearly. Her being hyper is just her.

Granted it is a good speculation and probably my favorite so far, I still stick with my theory. However if I do prove to be wrong, I'd bet that it would be something like that.

She probably has UpSyndrom

Fap Master wrote:She probably has UpSyndrom

I have to ask... wtf is that?

Making a pun about the Down's Syndrome?

I can't imagine what that would encompass, though.

Come on, guys...

"Up Syndrome? What's Up?"

G3n0c1de wrote:"Up Syndrome? What's Up?"

Nothing much. Gonna kill Mr. Incredible later today. What's up with you?

Grand Haberdasher wrote:Nothing much. Gonna kill Mr. Incredible later today. What's up with you?

Well played, I was actually watching that today.

Raiden wrote:it is highly likely that Misha does not have an illness.

I find that hard to believe. Yes, not everyone in the school has a physical disability, but I believe most students go there because they function better in a specialized facility such as Yamaku as opposed to a regular school. Like Hanako. Physically she's fine. But her emotional and psychological demons are the reason she is in Yamaku.

You could also think of it this way, there is room for only so many students in Yamaku. I think that students who don't absolutely need to be in a school like Yamaku are turned away, leaving more room for other students. You may yet be right, we won't know until the game is released. But I believe that there is something wrong with Misha.

But you did get it right that Misha only exists to communicate with Shizune. The devs have said so explicitly. But she'll also complete the group of three friends that will happen with the other girls. Like if you go after Emi, Rin will still have a healthy amount of lines, so to will Misha when you pursue Shziune. And I for one don't want Misha to 'go away.' Shicchan needs more friends...

After reading through most of the replies in this thread, I'm more and more convinced it will simply never be revealed, but will stay a secret (much like the contents of the briefcase in Pulp Fiction). Though I have to admit some theories are quite convincing.

Would be funny to see a scene during Shizune's route like this: Misha, Shizune and Hisao are talking about disabilities in general, Misha has to go out for a second and Hisao signs Shizune "What's her disability anyways?" in a joking manner. Shizune looking confused answers with "..." to which Hisao replies: "What do you mean you don't know?" The subject is dropped, never to be picked up again and we are left with our theories. Chose which you think fits best.

Or maybe Rin during her own route offhandedly reveals it "(...) you know, that pink haired girl with [insert condition that suddenly makes sense here]".

Mogami-kun wrote:Would be funny to see a scene during Shizune's route like this: Misha, Shizune and Hisao are talking about disabilities in general, Misha has to go out for a second and Hisao signs Shizune "What's her disability anyways?" in a joking manner. Shizune looking confused answers with "..." to which Hisao replies: "What do you mean you don't know?" The subject is dropped, never to be picked up again and we are left with our theories.

I think it's more likely that Hisao would say something like "Oh, I see," and leave us wondering.

trhvmn wrote:

Mogami-kun wrote:Would be funny to see a scene during Shizune's route like this: Misha, Shizune and Hisao are talking about disabilities in general, Misha has to go out for a second and Hisao signs Shizune "What's her disability anyways?" in a joking manner. Shizune looking confused answers with "..." to which Hisao replies: "What do you mean you don't know?" The subject is dropped, never to be picked up again and we are left with our theories.

I think it's more likely that Hisao would say something like "Oh, I see," and leave us wondering.

That would piss me off.

Her disability probably contains potential for a one-liner by horatio caine followed by a "YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

trhvmn wrote:

Mogami-kun wrote:Would be funny to see a scene during Shizune's route like this: Misha, Shizune and Hisao are talking about disabilities in general, Misha has to go out for a second and Hisao signs Shizune "What's her disability anyways?" in a joking manner. Shizune looking confused answers with "..." to which Hisao replies: "What do you mean you don't know?" The subject is dropped, never to be picked up again and we are left with our theories.

I think it's more likely that Hisao would say something like "Oh, I see," and leave us wondering.

I think this joke is still more expandable: Something like...
Hisao: "So why is Misha here? I can't imagine what disability she might have."
Shizune:"..."
Hisao:"Really?! I would've never imagined that she has something like this.
Shizune:"..."
Hisao:"Oh you're right. Now that I know it, it was really obvious all the time. How dumb of me that I never thought of that. And how does she deal with... er..what was it called again?"
Shizune:"..."
Hisao:"Sorry. So how does she handle it?"
Shizune:"..."
Hisao:"Oh, I see."

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That would feel though like a cheap way to get out of it for you're trying to get the player to really be in the mind/shoes of the POVC and it makes one feel as though they are hiding something from themselves.