Katawa Shoujo Forums

It's sort of a 3 part question, to be honest. It's merely out of curiosity and general nosiness as well.

Browsing around the forums, I've noticed that KS has inspired most of it's players to take control of their lives and change it around for the better. I see pictures of Hanako, Lilly, Emi etc with the slogan 'Do it for her'. I also saw the picture which claimed that the idea of 'Doing it for her' was wrong in that the girls were nothing more than templates for our own insecurities, our own flaws. Now let me ask you guys, how do YOU use KS to motivate yourself? Do you do it for the girl of your dreams? Or do you do it for yourself? Or a combination of both?

I'd also love to know how each of you guys constantly remind yourself about KS. How do you guys keep the feels? How do you guys remind yourself to keep going onwards?

One last question, does replaying KS dull the feelings? Like how repitition brings about boredom, does repeating KS dull the FEELS?

Hello, Keneshiro.

I just found KS a few days ago, how I don't even recall XD. But I can recognize the feeling of 'doing it for her!' A month and a half ago, after I started working out to turn my life around, starting with my body, I found doujinpress.com and ordered a few random doujins, all related to anime I never heard of. When I finally got them in the mail, I learned of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Now, I am embarking on learning how to draw so that I can make doujins based on other's works I love and I want to contribute to the fandom, beyond just buying the easily accessible commercial crap (namely, Final Fantasy (XIII and VI in particular) and PMMM materials). Hell, I ran a fairly successful (by my standards) FFXIIII RPG before I gave up (story of my life, I am struggling just to draw, and that raises the questions of if I am passionate about ANYTHING AT ALL?! which I want to be, including I want to be passionate about Katawa Shoujo and the tears I have shed experiencing it).

XD oh well. I haven't been involved long enough to know how I keep the feels, but from past experience I can say it is this: Regret. And if not regret, it is a strange permutations of it. Like, I wish I knew a girl who was burned to near death by a fire, that I want to learn about myself from her, because what am I if not for my relationships to all things, human or inanimate? I desire her, I desire what she represents to me, and then curiosity strikes me, what does she represent to herself? What do I have that she does not and yet desires? Confidence>? or easy Falsitude? What keeps me going, you ask? That after I finish the story, I will play Hanako's path again! XD My intended order is Hanako > Emi > Shizune > Rin > Lilly > (Hanako again!) and to play again as my heart desires.

I, too, have had social Panic Attacks, and seeing how Hisao acted versus what I have experienced, I wish I could step in and offer the proper guidance to the situation. Especially when you are being made fun of in such a crucial moment. And not a soul there is on your side, let alone more than a mere acquaintance who is having fun making such judgements of your character or expressions?

I am currently playing through my third route of of KS. Hanako first (wow, her situations strike me at the heart, yet Hisao has been his most alien to me so far in her arc), Emi 2nd, and now I am thoroughly enjoying Shizune's story (at the ***spoilers!!!!!! go away! fishing trip. You didn't read it, did you? resume thanks!**) I have watched PMMM at least 6 times, and only now has the feelings it illicits dulled. I expect KS to make me cry for a long time, since a single route is near the length of watching that entire anime again!


I hope have answered your questions satisfactorily, Keneshiro. As a nosy person, I appreciate your nose-E-ness. XD

Keneshiro wrote:Now let me ask you guys, how do YOU use KS to motivate yourself? Do you do it for the girl of your dreams? Or do you do it for yourself? Or a combination of both?

A combination, I think. For me the *click* moment came after a few days going through most of the paths. I idly thought that it would be neat to meet some of these characters, but then I wondered what would they make of me? These folks have the deck stacked against them but have made something of themselves. I don't have a heart condition or lack legs, but I don't get proper exercise or take care of my health. I've got hands, but take them for granted and don't put them to much use beyond typing. And so on. This is really what got my avatar quote stuck in my head: "Doing things you can't do, just because you can."

Usually if I get wistful like that about some fiction I just get over it, but this time I decided instead to try and use it for inspiration. I realized I'd probably be a more fulfilled and happier person if I tried to at least do some things I'm not doing. I also realized that while I may no longer be in school where adding an elective or joining a club to learn a new skill is an easy option, thanks to the Internet this is the best time in known history for a person to be able to find the resources they need for self-study. So while I'm trying not to overload myself, I've been starting a few vectors of self-improvement over the last few weeks.

Promised myself I will run again. I was in kick boxing pretty involved. Still I stoped cuz my trainer pushed me too hard.
He wanted me to start practicing K1. And I was really in kickboxing cuz of long arms and legs. So I quit..and didn't exercise for a year!
Soo I strated again after I finished Emis story..I ran just yesterday..and I prolly will get a friend to run with me also..Sooo thats progress

Katawa Shoujo motivates me much in the same way Silent Hill 2 and Killer7 motivate me. Silent Hill 2 reminds me that despite the constant onslaught of bullshit modern warfare quicktime event riddled shooters, gaming is still worth studying and defending. Katawa Shoujo reminds me that despite the stupid fap material and shit like Clannad, visual novels are still worth the benefit of a doubt. And Hanako reminds me that despite the constant cloning of Lara Croft and Princess Peach, fictional females are still worth an extra glance. Good items continue to motivate me to write about the unique cultures of escapism this stupid species i belong to invented, and remind me that they are worth writing about even writing so much about them puts me at the risk of losing my ability to jerk off to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Oh yeah, it also motivates me to avoid real people since you never know where another Kenji will crop up.

i really dont think KS has motivated me to do anything.

im trying to do the Couch to 5k thing but i always wanted to get in shape anyways. doing it more for myself, cause since freshman year in college ive gained weight

i have a pretty good memory of things i really like. in fact ive nearly memorized a few flash animations and videos ive watched before. i remind myself mainly by going to the forums. oh and playing the game as well.

and well not as much for me. it definitely doesnt have the same effect though cause you know what to expect. (but man seeing Rin cry is the worst feeling in the world.)

Keneshiro wrote:Now let me ask you guys, how do YOU use KS to motivate yourself? Do you do it for the girl of your dreams? Or do you do it for yourself? Or a combination of both?

How do you guys keep the feels? How do you guys remind yourself to keep going onwards?

One last question, does replaying KS dull the feelings? Like how repetition brings about boredom, does repeating KS dull the FEELS?

1) Both. I do it for them which in turn serves to improve my mood.

2) They just don't go away, pure and simple.

3) Not a bit. It dulls the suspense though.

In the end, KS really didn't do much to motivate me. I think its a good VN that everyone should play. But the whole idea of "feels" is stupid to me. Its been a good 6 months since I played KS and just like everyone else it made them all mopey and sad for a while. Like many others I wanted to change after it etc etc. But after a while you realize its all kinda silly. After all, its a story that was made to give you emotions. You get over it after a while, any member here longer than 3-4 months should probably know that. That's why the KS devs always say they weren't expecting this kind of reception. I'd be surprised too! People come out of movies all the time feeling the same way and yet this one garnered so much attention for it for some reason. I'm pretty sure people just weren't expecting it so it seemed like a much bigger deal when you realized what you were playing.

And no offense to anyone who have changed their lives after a playing KS, but I think you're giving it too much credit. It was YOU who changed you, not some VN you found on the internet.

And that's all I gotta say about that.

Camoufrage wrote:And no offense to anyone who have changed their lives after a playing KS, but I think you're giving it too much credit. It was YOU who changed you, not some VN you found on the internet.

And that's all I gotta say about that.

I am actually kind of offended!

It's been a long time since I first read through KS and even now I have the same feeling, I want to be a better person. KS hasnt done this alone sure but its been a big big part of it. It's been a long time since such a strong feeling was injected into me and I needed it. It's not an instant change but you work long and hard enough you will achieve, at least thats what I choose to believe.

It's why I want a little Hanako to take everywhere with me, to serve as a reminder and an appreciation.

Camoufrage wrote:In the end, KS really didn't do much to motivate me. I think its a good VN that everyone should play. But the whole idea of "feels" is stupid to me. Its been a good 6 months since I played KS and just like everyone else it made them all mopey and sad for a while. Like many others I wanted to change after it etc etc. But after a while you realize its all kinda silly. After all, its a story that was made to give you emotions. You get over it after a while, any member here longer than 3-4 months should probably know that. That's why the KS devs always say they weren't expecting this kind of reception. I'd be surprised too! People come out of movies all the time feeling the same way and yet this one garnered so much attention for it for some reason. I'm pretty sure people just weren't expecting it so it seemed like a much bigger deal when you realized what you were playing.

And no offense to anyone who have changed their lives after a playing KS, but I think you're giving it too much credit. It was YOU who changed you, not some VN you found on the internet.

And that's all I gotta say about that.

Well, maybe not to the extent of changing their lives, perhaps, but maybe as a jump start? How about that?

Keneshiro wrote:

Camoufrage wrote:In the end, KS really didn't do much to motivate me. I think its a good VN that everyone should play. But the whole idea of "feels" is stupid to me. Its been a good 6 months since I played KS and just like everyone else it made them all mopey and sad for a while. Like many others I wanted to change after it etc etc. But after a while you realize its all kinda silly. After all, its a story that was made to give you emotions. You get over it after a while, any member here longer than 3-4 months should probably know that. That's why the KS devs always say they weren't expecting this kind of reception. I'd be surprised too! People come out of movies all the time feeling the same way and yet this one garnered so much attention for it for some reason. I'm pretty sure people just weren't expecting it so it seemed like a much bigger deal when you realized what you were playing.

And no offense to anyone who have changed their lives after a playing KS, but I think you're giving it too much credit. It was YOU who changed you, not some VN you found on the internet.

And that's all I gotta say about that.

Well, maybe not to the extent of changing their lives, perhaps, but maybe as a jump start? How about that?

Of course that's legitimate. I just think people give it too much credit for changing them.

I do it for the arbitrary points that Fitocracy give me after each workout.
Can't live without those points, man. Oh and also the community I guess. Knowing that a lot of people are doing this as well makes it easier to try it yourself, and I do sometimes at least think "I gotta do it so I don't fail in front of people"

Enemy | wrote:I do it for the arbitrary points that Fitocracy give me after each workout.
Can't live without those points, man. Oh and also the community I guess. Knowing that a lot of people are doing this as well makes it easier to try it yourself, and I do sometimes at least think "I gotta do it so I don't fail in front of people"

Can you buy stuff with the points?

Nope, but you level up.
...Which gives you more pointless numbers.

Enemy | wrote:Nope, but you level up.
...Which gives you more pointless numbers.

So it's basically Farmville or an MMO.