Katawa Shoujo Review

Now for a more serious review, cause this game (well...visual novel) deserves it in my opinion.

Now I came about this game after seeing it appear on the Escapist website's front page, specifically this article. Of course, my first reaction, probably similar to a lot of people's, was WHAT THE FUCK.

I have, erm, experience with visual novel games, so it came as a bit of a shock.

If you are not familiar with the visual novel sub-genre of games, here is a brief rundown of it: Visual novel has limited interactivity with it then almost every other game genre, usually only at certain points in the game can you choose an option that may or may not change the storyline.

It's actually more like digital choose your own adventure game. Traditionally, visual novels will contain sex-scenes, though it is not compulsory. However, if the visual novel in question is a dating-sim, then expect adult scenes aplenty in them.

Which was why 4Leaf Studio's Katawa Shoujo piqued my interest, when reaction towards it is universally positive. In fact, most players actually posted in various forums saying they were motivated to make themselves better, and some even cried. And interestingly enough, it's not made in Japan, but by a international group of programmers, artists, writers etc etc. It has a rather interesting production story.

So, to satisfy my curiosity, I went to their website, and downloaded the game. It's available for free.

So the storyline starts off with you, playing as Hisao Nakai, who has a heart attack from a slumbered heart defect known as Arrhythmia (Fucking hell, that's a mouthful). And it happened during a confession from his crush, which should have been a beautiful moment with all the pretty white snow and acoustic music.

That's harsh dude.

So, in order to cater for his heart condition, he has to move to Yamaku High School, a school that specializes in taking care of disabled students, as long as they are not mentally-disabled in some way. Thrown into a completely different environment, cut off from his friends and his crush, and carrying a life-threatening condition that could kill him if his heart so much as fluttered, Hisao certainly has had a hard time.

But, with the help of new found friends, Hisao gets his shit together, and, depending on your choices, may even find love.

Following anime stereotypes, there are a lot of cute girls in the school.

Now, before any of you assholes out there call me a bastard pervert with a disability fetish (although, granted that if you managed to read this far into the post, you're a very understanding asshole), this game does not really make an issue of the disabilities. Yes, they have emotional baggage, and it is partly YOUR job to help them get over it. But their problems are only mildly related to their disabilities.

In fact, the disabilities portrayal in Katawa Shoujo is very well handled. Basically, it comes down to this: They are people too. Look past their physical limits. They are not defined completely by their deformities. Of course, there are certain difficulties and complications because of it, but the point is, just like anyone else, they are defined by their personalities.

To be defined by their disabilities is a slap to their face, as if the rest of person does not matter.

As a thought, no one is perfect after all. We are all flawed in more ways than one, especially mentally.

And, before you ask, yes, there are sex scenes in the game, though there's an option in the menu to skip them. But they are not there for the purpose of eroticism nor fetish and those scenes are not like the primal love-making stamina olympics like in pornographic movies.

Those scenes, in my opinion, add to the story and the personality of the girl, placing the couple in their most tender, loving moments (most of the time), which gives a little more insight into the mind of the girl in question.

So,in total there are 5 girls to pursue (took these off a forum):







My personal favorites are Hanako and Lily, Emi comes in close.

Lily's route however does not have much character development on the girl's part, but more towards Hisao and Hanako's development. This relationship is probably the most normal (relatively) and has the least emotional conflict out of the five, so this route is akin to a childhood love story, but set in high school. Also helps that Lily is an exotic mix of Japanese-Scottish and is really, really beautiful. It's probably her motherly conduct that appeals to me the most.

Hanako on the other hand, well...I'm surprised that I like her. She's very reclusive and I never thought that those kind of girls would appeal to me. The way her route plays out surprised me as well, it made me think properly on how even the best of intentions and actions, can be harmful. Goodwill and intentions mean NOTHING, if you do not understand the person. It was an emotional roller coaster for me, but by the end of it, I was shedding tears alongside Hanako and Hisao (if you get the good ending).

But no matter which girl you eventually pursue, for whatever reasons, the writing in this game is extremely good. You can actually feel the people changing, for better or for worst: when you pull through to the girl, and get her to smile, it's a huge satisfaction; when it goes horribly wrong, despair and a bit of misery sets in.

With just sprites and a paragraph of words, the writers at 4Leaf Studios can tug at your heartstrings, make you laugh out loud and sometimes just smile.

Kenji Setou: The legally-blind Japanese Harry Potter feminist conspiracist nutcase.
And I LOL-ed everytime he appears.

Certain scenes, when the girls or Hisao are at their most vulnerable, as they spill out their emotions, or their past, the writing really shines.

I shit you not. I cried.

Yes. I cried.

I'm not afraid to admit it.

Oh no, don't remind me of this scene again...
FuckfuckFUCKKKK...
I need a box of tissue T__T

Especially Hanako's route for me. I cried like...3-4 times I think. And yet I soldiered on with the rest of her story.

For the most part, the story is solid, though I feel Shizune's part is rather bland: lack of choices and I did not feel satisfied with the ending, but that is just me perhaps. Some of the choices feel forced too, there are some given choices which I knew would lead to something bad, but you have no choice but to pick it anyways.

But beyond that, there really isn't much to complain about. The graphics are beautiful too, every special scene and animated cutscene is lovingly drawn and well...as they say...pictures speak a thousand words.

And yet...I can't find a single word to even describe
how beautiful and touching this simple hug is.

And the soundtrack...God...it is beautiful.

It is first class composition and their timing is perfect. The game does not have any voice acting (due to their refusal to take in funds and status as a volunteer-based project obviously), it is up to the music to do the job of setting the mood and the characters, and it does a fantastic job of it.

My particular favorite is this tune, aptly named: "Innocence", very prominent during Hanako's route.

And listening to that...ah dammit...

I'm fine.

I have something in my eye.

Now I have something in my other eye.

Now I have something in my heart...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


So, to summarize Katawa Shoujo:

• Extremely good writing
• Excellent character development and story (most of the time I guess)
• Beautiful soundtrack
• Great art
• It's free!!

They said never to judge a book by its cover. And I'm glad I did not, and took the chance to try out this game.

It's too bad that 4Leaf Studios have no plans to make any other visual novels or games after this one, and will probably disband. I feel like they have the potential to make more heartwarming stories.

The bottom-line is: it's about humanity.

It will make you cry.

It will make you think.

It will make you smile.

We need more of these kind of stories that reflect on the subject of humanity.

What are you waiting for? It's available for free anyways. >>Download<<

I think this short poster by the developers said it best. Go be a better person.