Hanako's Broken Heart Club

A forum for general discussion of the game: Open to all punters


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Yoh_Komori
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Yoh_Komori »

Shadowstalk wrote:Hello everyone. I am quite new to this forum, as you can see, but I look forward to posting here and I feel I should introduce myself.

At a young age, my parents split up, which was no big deal to me. Life went on as my sister and I went back and forth from houses. No big deal. My father, who is incredibly kind though, had a problem. Drinking was his major flaw. He got arrested for DUIs several times and lost his license. I don't think he's getting it back for the rest of his life. Note, that I was very young, 7 or 8, when this happened. I just thought Daddy had friends from the taxi company that would drive me to school. This did not damage my life though, not as much as my mother who pounced on the opportunity at least.

My mother is a drunken bitch. I'll say it. I do not love her, nor do I want to see her. She drank herself to sleep every night. She also gained full custody over me for a time because she claimed my father was an unfit parent. She found a boyfriend that came off as nice to a young boy. He seemed nice, appealing and sweet to my mother. She was happy with him, so I was happy with him. He seemed to like me back. I wish I could say the same for my sister. They constantly got into spats whenever she was home from college, which was not much. My mother, who was still constantly drunk, took her boyfriend's side in every single argument. Her boyfriend was beginning to use her and split the family up. On Christmas a few years ago, he said "It's either me or her." My mother obviously sided with him, as usual. My sister fled to my father's house and lives there to this day.

Life without seeing her as much engulfed me. I couldn't possibly deal with it. My sister was more of a mother to me than my actual mother. I became depressed. When Halo Reach came out, I logged 240 hours in the first month due to the fact I was so lonely without her. I never thought of killing myself or anything of that sort, but I just felt so empty, like a robot. I had no purpose, no desire. Just a shell.

Eventually, I decided I needed to escape them. They wanted to have this magical life together. Who was I to "intrude"(even though my mother should be caring for me first over her disgusting boyfriend)? A few days after my birthday in April a few years ago, I left that house, never to come back.

I was constantly barraged with phone calls, asking for me to come back, but I never would. In school, my grades improved, despite the fact that they were already high. I pursued baseball and basketball more seriously. Hell, last year I pitched in the State tournament and gave up one run in 5 innings. My social life improved somewhat I guess. I was no longer lonely due to the fact that my mother and her boyfriend were drop dead drunk and I didn't have money for a taxi, like my father did. I gained friends and felt good.

I've came to playing Katawa Shoujo over the past month and its helped me realize a few important things. Most importantly, I'll always assist those who need help, follow my heart, and understand love and when it's needed. It's made me a better person and enlightened me almost. I want to help people and be that friend that some people desperately need. I'll constantly browse here and give advice to those in need.
Boy does it feel like I've walked a mile in your shoes. only real difference was I was the one taking care of younger siblings/ relatives and my dad found the girl and that caused further family division. besides that you and I seem to have walked similar paths in life. I feel for you, I'm betting that even if you feel okay with it now, were were some dark lonely times back then that definitely sucked. *brohug*

KS does seem to bring out the best in people who actually get into the game. I dont know of many who tried it and liked it that didn't feel better off or that they wanted to better others afterward. I hope you and your sister are still in touch, it's a shame to lose a sibling to something like that, let alone a parent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those of you who read my previous post about my friend Sonya, and her recent struggles I just want to give an update. She and I have talked it over, and despite me finding a place near to her and a job, she wants me to stay here and not come. She would have said yes if she didn't feel she could cope, and she knows I'm only a phone call and a day's trek away from being at her side should she need me, but for now she wants time to try and put herself back together on her own. She's promised me she'll let her mother watch the kids as often as she feels she needs and that she'll call me or one of her girlfriends if she just needs to vent. It's hard for me to be optimistic about this situation, considering how close it hits to home for me, but if anyone can bounce back from this, I trust she can.
Nooby
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Nooby »

Xanatos wrote:People don't have the right to feel a natural human emotion? Weird...

By the way, the word is "insulted". But insultated is more fun to say. :lol:
Good catch on both points :) (Not a native english speaker btw, edited ty)

Feel free to call my pov weird. But if it's natural doesn't mean it's right or wrong for that matter. My point is maybe we can be more conscious on how we deal with it and give it our best shot to stay positive. I do feel we have a certain control over emotions, to a certain extent ofcourse. (Thinking out loud here, feel free to disagree and point out why you feel this way)
Shadowstalk wrote:I've came to playing Katawa Shoujo over the past month and its helped me realize a few important things. Most importantly, I'll always assist those who need help, follow my heart, and understand love and when it's needed. It's made me a better person and enlightened me almost. I want to help people and be that friend that some people desperately need. I'll constantly browse here and give advice to those in need.
That's awesome Shadowstalk. I do share this experience with you :)
(Also thank you and to the others for sharing)
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Selim Bradley
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Selim Bradley »

I posted this as it's own thread, but it seems to deserve being placed here too:

I am writing this post to express my gratitude to all those involved in creating Katawa Shoujo, in particular those behind the Hanako Ikezawa Route. This is difficult for me to talk about, so I apologize if parts seem rushed over and left vague.

When I was 8, my parents too died in a house fire which left me severely burned. I spent the next year in the hospital recovering from the burns that now scarred approximately 50% of my body, from the right side of my face all the way down to my feet. Being the child of two only-child parents whom all their parents had already passed away for various reasons, I became a ward of the state. Even before the incident, I was never really socially accepted due to having Asperger's Syndrome, but afterwords I was either ignored completely or bullied severely, both mentally and physically. The orphanage I was in realized this and, wanting my best interests, sent me to a private school similar to the one you present, though it is not as impressive as Yamaku. While this helped, I still felt exactly as Hanako did for the same reasons. My therapist reccomended I try using electronic socialization because that way nobody knows who I am and therefore won't judge me due to my condition. It was through this I learned about Katawa Shoujo, and decided to play just out of curiosity's sake. Then I found Hanako's Route, and it was a godsend. It not only portrayed exactly how I was through Hanako, but also gave me the exact words I needed to hear through Hisao.

This has helped me greatly in accepting what happened and while I'm nowhere near fixed, my therapist has said I've shown more progress in the few months since playing Katawa Shoujo than the few years beforehand. And for that, I wish to offer my heartfelt thanks for everyone at Four Leaf Studios.
Last edited by Selim Bradley on Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
I am the male version of Hanako Ikezawa.
YZQ
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by YZQ »

A RL Hanako? (I assume that you're a lady.) Well, I guess I have seen stranger stuff. Wishing you good fortune in your days ahead.
"Nothing is beneath man. Everything is permitted."

"...since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. However, it is important above all to avoid being hated."
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Selim Bradley
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Selim Bradley »

YZQ wrote:A RL Hanako? (I assume that you're a lady.) Well, I guess I have seen stranger stuff. Wishing you good fortune in your days ahead.
I am a guy. One of the few things Hanako and I have different. Thank you for the kind words.
Last edited by Selim Bradley on Wed Feb 06, 2013 7:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I am the male version of Hanako Ikezawa.
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Shadowstalk
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Shadowstalk »

YZQ wrote:
SemisoftCheese wrote:
Shadowstalk wrote: I want to help people and be that friend that some people desperately need. I'll constantly browse here and give advice to those in need.
Word up, Shadowstalk. Good to hear you're owning your life and willing to expand to help others. No better way to live.
To love others, you must first love yourself. Hate to see parents like that, but yeah, it's good to cut loose in such situations.
Thank you to both of you for your support! I think that helping others will help me help myself! As one of my favorite lyrics in a song goes "You can not love someone else until you learn to accept yourself." I think these experiences have helped me grow though, as bad as they sound. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Yoh_Komori wrote:
Boy does it feel like I've walked a mile in your shoes. only real difference was I was the one taking care of younger siblings/ relatives and my dad found the girl and that caused further family division. besides that you and I seem to have walked similar paths in life. I feel for you, I'm betting that even if you feel okay with it now, were were some dark lonely times back then that definitely sucked. *brohug*

KS does seem to bring out the best in people who actually get into the game. I dont know of many who tried it and liked it that didn't feel better off or that they wanted to better others afterward. I hope you and your sister are still in touch, it's a shame to lose a sibling to something like that, let alone a parent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those of you who read my previous post about my friend Sonya, and her recent struggles I just want to give an update. She and I have talked it over, and despite me finding a place near to her and a job, she wants me to stay here and not come. She would have said yes if she didn't feel she could cope, and she knows I'm only a phone call and a day's trek away from being at her side should she need me, but for now she wants time to try and put herself back together on her own. She's promised me she'll let her mother watch the kids as often as she feels she needs and that she'll call me or one of her girlfriends if she just needs to vent. It's hard for me to be optimistic about this situation, considering how close it hits to home for me, but if anyone can bounce back from this, I trust she can.[/quote]

*Brohugs back* Thanks man! It's always nice knowing that someones there to cope with ya! You or anyone else ever needs me, just send me a PM or something! KS does that because it brings out true emotion, therefore bringing out true character. At least that's what I think. And my sister and I see each other whenever possible! When she gets home from college, she comes home to my father's house, where I currently reside. She might be going to Ohio State next year though, opposed to UMASS which is only a 2 hour drive away from my house, so we might see each other less. But nevertheless, I'm happy for her getting in! I also hope Sonya can bounce back! What that guy did to her was unjust and wrong. If she doesn't seem to be improving though, I advise you to take matters in your own hands and help her, despite what she says.
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YZQ
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by YZQ »

Seek professional help, and have the will to change. With these two, the world is your oyster.
"Nothing is beneath man. Everything is permitted."

"...since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. However, it is important above all to avoid being hated."
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pandaphil
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by pandaphil »

Selim Bradley wrote:I posted this as it's own thread, but it seems to deserve being placed here too:

I am writing this post to express my gratitude to all those involved in creating Katawa Shoujo, in particular those behind the Hanako Ikezawa Route. This is difficult for me to talk about, so I apologize if parts seem rushed over and left vague.
Best wishes to you my friend, and my sympathies for all you've had to go through. but I'm so glad you discovered KS, and that its helped you even a little. I really hope things continue to go well.

Your comments do raise a question though. I wonder if KS could have any use as a therapeutic tool of some kind. For people with emotional, or physical problems of their own.
"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things. But vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant." ~ The Doctor.
Xanatos
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Xanatos »

pandaphil wrote:I wonder if KS could have any use as a therapeutic tool of some kind. For people with emotional, or physical problems of their own.
Well, just look at this thread... :lol:
<KeiichiO>: "I wonder what Misha's WAHAHA's sound like with a cock stuffed down her throat..."
<Ascension>: "I laughed, cried, vomited in my mouth a little, and even had time for marshmallows afterwards. Well played, Xanatos. Well played."
<KeiichiO>: "That's a beautiful response to chocolate."
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pandaphil
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by pandaphil »

Xanatos wrote:
pandaphil wrote:I wonder if KS could have any use as a therapeutic tool of some kind. For people with emotional, or physical problems of their own.
Well, just look at this thread... :lol:
My point. I'm thinking with real doctors and shrinks though.
"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things. But vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant." ~ The Doctor.
Xanatos
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Xanatos »

pandaphil wrote:
Xanatos wrote:
pandaphil wrote:I wonder if KS could have any use as a therapeutic tool of some kind. For people with emotional, or physical problems of their own.
Well, just look at this thread... :lol:
My point. I'm thinking with real doctors and shrinks though.
Well, if it works without 'em, it'd probably work with them.
<KeiichiO>: "I wonder what Misha's WAHAHA's sound like with a cock stuffed down her throat..."
<Ascension>: "I laughed, cried, vomited in my mouth a little, and even had time for marshmallows afterwards. Well played, Xanatos. Well played."
<KeiichiO>: "That's a beautiful response to chocolate."
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pandaphil
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by pandaphil »

Makes me wish I was still seeing a doctor for depression. I'd tell him about it.
"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things. But vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant." ~ The Doctor.
DownRUpLYBStart
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by DownRUpLYBStart »

I just played a game called Actual Sunlight at http://www.actualsunlight.com/. It was featured on Kotaku and being the curious one I am, I decided to play it through. I read that it paints a very deep view on depression on a 30 something in Toronto. I thought I could handle it, but it left me shaken. The situations, the feelings, the thoughts, the fucking excuses... I guess it affected me the most than the others I know who played it. The fact it hits me very well at home made me re-evaluate my life. So I'll post this and go outside for a couple hours... Iam definitely not in a dangerous state of mind, just need to get away for this damn computer...

pandaphil: A doctor definitely sounds good at the moment
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Selim Bradley
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by Selim Bradley »

pandaphil wrote:
Selim Bradley wrote:I posted this as it's own thread, but it seems to deserve being placed here too:

I am writing this post to express my gratitude to all those involved in creating Katawa Shoujo, in particular those behind the Hanako Ikezawa Route. This is difficult for me to talk about, so I apologize if parts seem rushed over and left vague.
Best wishes to you my friend, and my sympathies for all you've had to go through. but I'm so glad you discovered KS, and that its helped you even a little. I really hope things continue to go well.

Your comments do raise a question though. I wonder if KS could have any use as a therapeutic tool of some kind. For people with emotional, or physical problems of their own.
Thank you for those kind words. As for using it for theraputic reasons, it does seem to have helped a lot of people from what I've read on this forum.
I am the male version of Hanako Ikezawa.
YZQ
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Re: Hanako's Broken Heart Club

Post by YZQ »

KS helps jolt people out of their comfort zone. For the fortunate crowd, it forces them to evaluate certain assumptions. For the not-so-fortunate, it tells them that they are not alone (as Selim has seen for himself).
"Nothing is beneath man. Everything is permitted."

"...since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. However, it is important above all to avoid being hated."
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