I decided to go with Katawa Shoujo as my first proper dive into the world of visual novels. And after the experience I think it works as a nice introduction to the genre.
I started this with no knowledge of this game or its characters, and only basic knowledge of how visual novels work. It took me a while to warm up to some of these characters, but in the end, I did end up liking them all. On the technical level, the game is a bit outdated and inconsistent in its art-style here and there. Despite that though, it still manages to produce feelings of artistic consistency anyway, at least for me. Besides, it is a visual novel, so you don't need cutting edge features or graphics anyway. Seeing that the game itself is set in what I would guess to be mid-to-late 2000s, the 4:3 resolution and other quirks help give it its vibe anyway. I like to think of it as a small period piece.
The writing was pretty good overall, but you can tell it differs in quality slightly per route. Though, no surprise there. I already knew that each route was written by different people. If I were to complain about certain aspects of the writing, then the main takeaway would be that sometimes it feels there is too much descriptive fluff, and it starts to feel like filler. It depends on situation, but it is something noticeable. Some moments were simply just a bit too much.
The writing of the main protagonist, Hisao, is good and believable for the majority of the game, but sometimes, it frustrated me. Especially in Emi's route. But other than that, it was great. The best pieces of the writing were unsurprisingly at the ends of each route. I particularly enjoyed Rin's and Shizune's routes. I found the message they had the most emotionally hitting for me. Part of the reason may be the fact that they were the first and last routes I've played, respectively. However, I still think that their progression and development were the best. At the end of the day however, I have enjoyed all of them.
Shizune 9/10:
What I liked about Shizune's route is, ironically, the fact is that it isn't just about her. It isn't just about romance either, but you also get to see the mutual friendship between Hisao, Misha and Shizune, which is as important as it is charming. There was a bit of that growth and friendship in other routes, but here it felt like an integral part. Compared to some other routes, I felt like you really interacted with a much bigger repertoire of characters, which was a nice change of pace. I like that it felt more slow-burn, but still with stakes. Apparently many people consider it dragging, but I didn't have that problem. Nor did I feel like it needed more drama. I personally found her to be an interesting character to observe and interact with, but others' mileage may vary. I do somewhat understand some disdain she gets based on her introduction, which does make her look inconsiderate. But even though the story, I admit, can feel more mundane than others', I still see it as a route that covers much more than just romance, with multiple characters with a satisfying development and depth, including even backstory for others. Not for everyone, but I found it great.
Hanako 6/10:
I mean, I think I do relate to and understand Hanako. That being said, I found her route to be quite frustrating. In a way, most likely because of this exact reason. I don't think I find dealing with a person who represents my most disliked qualities to be that charming. It's just exhausting. At the same time, I do recognize what she needs, but it seemed the protagonist does not, which just annoys me in this case. I just couldn't bring myself to care for her that much. Nobody will love them all, and this is such a case. However, I do actually really respect the message the route is trying to say.
Rin 10/10:
I really enjoyed this one. She was the first route I got to and maybe for that reason I may be biased. In my eyes, this one is one of those pieces of media, which is able to combine all the elements of relatability, humor, charm and sadness. Compared to Hanako, I didn't just relate to Rin, I also found her to be a deeply intriguing character. I get that some people might think she's too cryptic or too meandering. And yes, the route can feel "meandering". Be that either a positive or negative, depending on your tastes. I think Emi is also a good contrastive foil to Rin, as they are really just so different, and in my eyes works better as a side character anyway. Ultimately, it was Rin's route, which made me feel happy that I gave this game all this time and was the most emotional for me.
Emi 6/10:
The thing about Emi is that, I was never going to enjoy her to the fullest potential. I don't find her character to be relatable or funny, nor do I find her cheery, extroverted personality to be interesting or appealing. I mean, I really enjoyed how Misha's cheery personality was used in Shizune's route, but here I just couldn't bring myself to care for Emi. I think I get why others like her so much, since the message isn't bad at all, but it just didn't hit emotionally. And Hisao? His writing in this route felt really dense regarding a certain topic. I mean, I get he is a teenager and that he's his own character, but this was just frustrating.
Lily 7/10:
This one is fine. Lily is nice and likable, but I just miss something that would make me feel like I need to learn about her. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than good. I know the time span of this route is longer than Hanako's, but it is interesting, and kind of funny, to see Hanako get more character development than in her own route, but it did kind of make sense, so I think it was sweet to see that. My problem was that Lily as a person just felt too good, too nice, too calm and collected to be somewhat interesting. I know, I know, not everything has to be filled with conflicts and drama, sometimes the simple pleasure of warmth and comfort is nice, but this didn't work for me here. Especially the ending was just a bit too much melodramatic and saccharine for me. I mean, if I were to be mean, I would say that it feels like it was ripped from some B-tier romantic movie or soap-opera. I mean, a desperate run to the airport to confess your love to your girlfriend before she leaves the country for good isn't exactly the most subtle or unique way to approach this. Does that not sound fitting of such a description? Am I too mean? Now, it is not that bad in the context I think, but it still feels rooted in clichés. Lily's good, but not for me.
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