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It's not that long. The main story itsef is about 80 hours, first playthrough took me 2 months. There's an Extra Chapter I haven’t played yet, and I’ve heard it’s almost as long as the main story. I kept putting it off, though, because I loved the main story too much that I ended up replaying it twice more instead.

The longest game I've played is probably still Rance X. I never played any modern soshage, nor have I been the slightest bit interested. I used to play MMORPGs a lot back in high school, but I stopped once every game started adding gacha mechanics. So, unlike most people, the game I've spent the most time on is definitely not an online one.


I haven't really watched any "new" anime since I hit 1000 four years ago. Everything I've seen since then has been a sequel/spin-off to something I had already seen. The only ones I really enjoyed were Love Live Superstar and Bang Dream MyGO, but even those were followed by disappointing sequels.

I still have the save files from years ago so maybe I will revisit Ai's route. I can just read it at work since it's not 18+.

I've been jumping between a bunch of things lately, and managed to finish absolutely nothing—or a few things if you count some random furige no one cares about. Last year was different though, Sakutoki was the only truly great eroge I played, but even then, it didn't make the top 5 games I enjoyed that year. Obviously none of them were visual novels, but if you asked me what the most memorable read last year was, it's definitely this https://corn3soup.web.fc2.com/abyss/Home_Page.html . I haven't given any game a perfect score since MUSICUS!, but this one comes really close.

I forgot to mention but you probably already know by now. The vanilla PC version of Oretsuba didn't feature Ai's route, it's only available on PS3/Vita (I played on Vita). It actually is one of my favorite parts of the game. Shame that not many Oretsuba fans have read it.

Idk I never really put much thought into it, but it’s funny that both my top two anime and eroge are all centered around music—guess it’s just a coincidence.

Yeah I know exactly what to expect from Niijima. Kamome's route and the True route in Koikake are among the best things I've read in the medium. Honestly, I’d rate both way higher if the side writers hadn’t ruined parts of the experience for me.

Speaking of which, the Samapoke anime is coming out in April, and I have really high hopes for it. The game’s atmosphere and music are as good as it gets for a natsuge, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how they capture that feeling in the anime.

Oh, I intentionally left out MUSICUS and WA2 because I can never not be biased when it comes to those two. They'd dominate half the list. Just wanted to keep it a little fair and have different winner.
Anyway, I don't listen to music from games that I haven't played. I quite like KOTOKO's songs, but you're right—out of the 5-6 songs of hers I know, my favorite is the opening of Parfait, I just don't enjoy high-energy, chaotic music that much. The reason #1 and #2 are above Sakura no Uta is simply because they are more guitarable. If I could play the piano maybe I'd put it higher. Also, Koikake was the first eroge read in jp, and that song has accompanied me through my sleepless study. It has kind of become the theme song of my jp journey. Hard to beat that.

I'll get to Hatsusaku once I clear out my 'reading list'. The problem is, that list has barely changed in the past 5 years. I don't keep it updated on vndb, but there are at least 20 titles where I've read one route and just never went back to finish them, one of which is MajoNikki.

I always play moege blind until I reach at least 2 or 3 endings, and Oretsuba was no different. Yes I still consider it a moege despite the fact that the game has 5 different writing styles.

By the way, it's midnight here and I just spent an hour making a video on my phone on a whim https://youtu.be/yijocddd6NM?si=vYNlFcaUPMlC9-LD Will probably delete it tomorrow xD

Nah, I usually only read when I'm fresh. But moege are surprisingly good for curing insomnia so there were times I read them at 1 am. I literally waited a whole year to get to Sakutoki. When I know I'm about to read something good, I'll make sure my mind and body are in the best condition (which unfortunately doesn't happen as often as I'd like because of work and family). When I know I'll only last an hour in front of the screen, I'll just boot up my playstation or watch youtube, or play with my cats instead.

I think what's 癒し varies from person to person. When it comes to reading, I believe the writer plays a huge part. For instance, just like I find Tsumetai Ozon oddly comforting, I felt the same way while reading Musicus and Shitai Dorobou—though maybe 心地がいい is a better word to describe it. So if you're a fan of C†C, my best advice is to just read more Tanaka. I don't have much experience with his work either, but I've heard Jintai is considered his best. You probably should save that for last.

As for the little question, IMO, Oretsuba is funny—hilarious even. Asairo... not so much. The verbal jokes are funny, I guess. But most of the time the transition from serious to funny feels jarring, especially when it switches to chibi humor. That's all I've got to say about it.

I didn't read many vn last year—maybe just 5 including Sakutoki. The rest were short moege I read on my hacked console bcause I was bored. Unlike you, I feel like I have nothing to read, but it's not really about a lack of options. My priorities have simply shifted. These days I'd rather play Tekken 8 with my friends cuz it's easy to jump in and have fun without needing to invest too much time and emotional energy.

Luckily I had a long weekend in April last year, which gave me enough time and energy to finally read Toki. I skipped the first two chapters since I had already read the demo. Honestly wasn't really impressed by anything in ch3, except maybe the Nei/Misuzu art battle. Part of me hoped that it would build on ch2 even after the Sakurako confession rejection, but in the end, ch2 was just a common route to a game that doesn't exist.
I'm not a fan of either route. Misuzu's has semi-forced romance, and as for Makoto's… well, I gave up on her since the previous game. If I had to choose one to reread though, it'd definitely be Misuzu. On its own, it's pretty weak, but after reading IV and seeing how much of it was foreshadowed there, I can appreciate it a bit more.

I agree about IV and V being the best parts of the game, but if you ask me which chapter resonates with me the most, it's the first one. I believe it's the only chapter fully written before the rise of covid and AI, and as such, the writing feels more genuine than the rest of the game. It reminds me of the quality in Uta IV. While characters like Housai and Saki are great, I can't help but feel that, at times, when they talk about certain topics, it feels less like the characters speaking and more like the writer himself. I just appreciate ch1 more for being a side story gets straight to the point while still expressing the concept of being fake/real in a very intimate way.


Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you got something out of C†C. Yeah, the writing is the main reason it's regarded as a classic. Tanaka conveys a lot with just a few words, and often, you might think that he's writing a line figuratively when in fact he isn't. His prose has a distinct rhythm and style/structure that it feels like you're reading a poetry. Definitely something you need to adjust to in order to read comfortably. I remember reading C†C as my first Tanaka right after reading my first Sakurai, and I think that contrast helped me appreciate it more. Both have distinct writing style with very different approaches. Sakurai's prose feels overly minimalist and theatrical with heavy repetition. It's a kind of poetic writing that I personally don't enjoy. Tanaka's, on the other hand, is also minimalist but way more engaging; he effectively leverages nuances of the Japanese language using context to elevate even simple phrases into something more profound. Even if I don't always align with his philosophy and humor, that craft of his is undeniable.
Honestly I've forgotten a lot about the vn bcause it hardly evoked anything in me aside from a constant feeling that I wasn't its audience. I guess, there was one message that stood out to me: 人間関係と利害を一緒にするからおかしくなる。ただ好きであればいい。見返りを求めた瞬間、それは取引になる。but that's like, a principle I've lived by for much of my life, so it wasn't new to me and didn't impress me in the context of the story. Also, I just hate time-loop narratives in general, so even if that fits perfectly to enhance the theme of 人間関係, I just couldn't care less about anything that happens in it.

I'm obviously more into writers like Setoguchi, who likes to pose questions rather than telling what's right or wrong. His books are generally darker so it's a bit of a challenge, but reading Tsumetai Ozon was strangely comforting to me. Both protags histories were so immersive, and as always, Setoguchi avoids simplifying concepts like happiness/sadness, good/evil, hope/despair. He strives to portray reality as it is, and that attitude makes reading his work incredibly rewarding. Reading Setoguchi made me realize that being verbose isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it keeps me reflecting and entertained at the same time. If you remember, a few pages before Hanae brings up that 竹 analogy, she talks about a 心境 that she calls 軍隊・スーパーマーケット観 which is even dumber but kinda makes sense and actually made me think and chuckle. I'd say Tsumetai Ozon is one of Setoguchi's stronger works, even though the third person writing is indeed weird, especially if you're used to reading eroge.


I haven't watched ユリイカ, sorry 🥲

My apologies!! I talk too much!! And ironically I'm a VERY introvert person irl!! I got carried away talking too much, so you didn’t expect that. Fun moment, I guess, lol. Don’t worry about it, and take your time. Well, actually, isn’t there a better place for us to talk? MyAnimeList is kinda mid, ngl, but if you mind this place, I can still reply to you here. It’s just that, as you could see, I’m like a storm that appears every blood moon and then disappears after the sun is up.

You don't have to answer everything, feel free

I’ve read many things during the time I wasn’t here.

One of the things that might interest you most and activate the neurotransmitter is that I’ve incredibly read VNs this year (although it really feels like goodbye this time), like Subahibi and Aokana EXTRA 2. Well, I don't know if you consider Rance a VN, but if you do, then you can say I consumed 3 VNs this year. It’s just that Rance has many JRPG elements, but in the end, it’s an eroge at its core for obvious reasons. I’ve read and am currently reading Rance; I’m on Rance X right now.

About Subahibi, I wrote a review with more than 30k characters. It was a very special story, and I didn’t imagine I would like it so much. If you’re interested, you can read it here.

https://backloggd.com/u/Utawarerumono/review/1684409/

It's not the best version of my review because it was initially done with images and in my native language, but it has everything I had to say.

Aokana EXTRA 2 definitely surprised me, I was very excited reading it, it was extremely fun and well done. Some very well written scenes, even though they are short, prove how well everything is created.

Rance is a fantastic work but I admit that I'm already getting tired of typing because I just replied to a brother there that cost me my fingers, they're already hurting goddamnit
Reading Subahibi, I notice that I have problems not only with Sakuuta, but actually with Sca-di, and luckily, knowing these problems, I was able to appreciate Subahibi to the fullest, as I was already prepared for the Sca-di-like- problems.

Many ideas in my head, so I'll try to respond dynamically by saying more about Sca-di. He is very good at conveying messages to the reader, but storytelling is not really his strong suit. He is not good with revelations even though kinda good at mystery, and also not good at all on how he sells his stories. In Sakura no Uta, I wanted him to make the supernatural really present in the story and to blend it with art. However, something I noticed in Subahibi (and I was well-prepared for this) was that his stories are purely down-to-earth, portraying real life almost completely, without fantasy. What seems like fantasy is actually just the minds of the characters, or something that is anything but mystical. The only time Sca-di's mysticism really ventured into fantasy was in Himanatsu, with Yomi's route.

This comment mixed my criticism for Sca-di at the same time as my personal opinion. In the past, he confused me a lot with Sakuuta because I didn't know what he wanted, whether it was fantasy or reality, but finally from chapter IV of Sakuuta we understand that it was reality. Yes, in this category, I believe Sca-di is top-notch. I made a point of saying this in my Subahibi review. I don't know what his religion is, but I've never seen anyone characterize God as well as he does.First one is cinema. It was for years my favorite title screen ever

My comment is being too huge already but just wanna say that I liked your comments about NHK, Seto and Imouto Sae lol

Yeah, when you say it like that, it's actually fair to like this series.
Did you watch it?


And wow, how ironic that comment of mine about Kaguya-sama. You know what, I'll never make those type of comments (my lack of vocabulary is insane how many times did I type "comment" in this reply) again. I said to myself years ago I'd never play Rance, and now I'm here. I said I would not finish Kaguya... then proceeds to finish it and say it's the best romance man ever read.
Well, I loved the ending of Kaguya-sama, it was pretty, and it left me messages that I will keep for life.

I'm looking at your VNDB and... Chad. 4/10 for Grisaia no Kajitsu. Chad. You get it. And that pink haired girl is probably the worst route I've ever read in the entire medium. It was a huge disappointment because I liked the anime when I watched it in 2016

I've felt the same way for a long time, which is why I filtered a lot of things. I stopped watching or reading what seemed just OK, and I was always looking for the best. I'm still doing it.
And look, I liked how you used the word "quest" in your comments (again the C-word bro I swear next time I'll search for synonyms I'm just in a hurry rn so... wait!! This doesn't mean I'm replying you without caring!! Kanchigai shinai de yo ne This was so cringe I swear I'll leave now), lol, as a JRPG fan I loved it

So you think!

Denial is the first stage!

Oh, that's what you think. Never say never, as they always say. If there's a will, there's a way ;)

Oh my, someone's showing their tsun side. No need to be so shy. It's alright to feel nervous at first!

I'm considering sucking you!

You like girls *for now*. But once I'm done with you...

*lick* *lick* chuu...