Katawa Shoujo/YMMV: Difference between revisions

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* [[Alternative Character Interpretation]]:

** Kenji: ~~While~~ on the surface he looks like a [[Straw Misogynist]] [[He-Man Woman Hater]], there is a fairly good case for his being [[Armored Closet Gay]] and hiding behind his hatred of women and belief in conspiracies involving them to avoid acknowledging that he's attracted to men. More than a few [[Real Life]] [[Armored Closet Gay]] men have ostensibly had such views.

** Kenji: while on the surface he looks like a [[Straw Misogynist]] [[He-Man Woman Hater]], there is a fairly good case for his being [[Armored Closet Gay]] and hiding behind his hatred of women and belief in conspiracies involving them to avoid acknowledging that he's attracted to men. More than a few [[Real Life]] [[Armored Closet Gay]] men have ostensibly had such views.

** Another one for Kenji: is he the [[Conspiracy Theorist]] simply as a joke or a facade for his homosexuality, or is he a true believer in his hateful theories about women, which would imply either [[The Schizophrenia Conspiracy|paranoid schizophrenia]] or [[Drugs Are Bad|the use of certain paranoia-inducing drugs]]?

** [http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/post/list/yandere/1 Fan art] frequently casts Hanako as a [[~~:Category:Yandere|~~Yandere]].

** [http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/post/list/yandere/1 Fan art] frequently casts Hanako as a [[Yandere]].

** Hanako as a [[Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl]]. Occasionally [http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/post/view/1289 parodied] in [http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/post/view/1267 fanart.]

** Non-canon art casts Akira as being in [[The Mafia]] or the [[Yakuza]]. It helps that she appears to be a [[Badass in a Nice Suit]].

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** Now that it's finally out, its board of origin has gone completely ballistic, even spawning a minor CMOH from [[Image Boards|the last place on earth you'd expect]]:

** Another meta one - the Soundtrack is now free to download.

** Another meta one: the Soundtrack is now free to download.

* [[Anvilicious]]: It's a dating sim. And you're a boy with a ''[[Stealth Pun|heart problem]]''!

* [[Audience-Alienating Premise]]: It's a [[Disabled Love Interest|cripple]] [[Squick|porn]] [[Visual Novel]] ''from [[Image Boards|4chan]]''! Despite this (or [[No Such Thing as Bad Publicity|because of it]]), it has become a [[Gateway Series]] for the [[Visual Novel]] genre.

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* [[Better Than Canon]]: There is an entire category of fanfiction devoted to building upon Shizune's route in order to make the ''very'' subtle emotional element of their relationship more apparent to readers. ''Shizune's Epilogue'' and ''Weekend at Hisao's'' are the best known examples and are considered by many to be some of the best Katawa Shoujo fanfics out there.

* [[Broken Base]]: Which girl has the best route? Was it worth the wait? Is it even worth playing? The [[Hype Backlash]] ''does not help'', and there are Two routes in particular that get this reaction:

*** Shizune's route is either a terribly written route lacking in romantic relations with an [[The Scrappy|unlikable character]], or a route with a more subdued, [[Slice of Life]] romance justified by the Hisao's and Shizune's characterization and trust in each other. [[Word of God]] states that many parts of her route, {{spoiler|including what happened to the characters in its Good Ending}}, were deliberately left vague so that they would be open to interpretation by the players. Apparently, more than a few players didn't appreciate this.

*** Shizune's route is either a terribly written route lacking in romantic relations with an [[The Scrappy|unlikable character]], or a route with a more subdued, [[Slice of Life]] romance justified by the Hisao's and Shizune's characterization and trust in each other. [[Word of God]] states that many parts of her route, {{spoiler|including what happened to the characters in its [[Good Ending]]}}, were deliberately left vague so that they would be open to interpretation by the players. Apparently, more than a few players didn't appreciate this.

*** Rin's route is either [[True Art Is Angsty|overly pretentious]] and [[Melodrama]]tic as well as [[True Art Is Incomprehensible|hard to understand]] due to [[Wall of Text|Walls of Text]] and [[Purple Prose]], or an awe-inspiring piece of literature that reaches huge [[Character Development]] for both of them and can be played easily if you pay a little more attention.

* [[Crossing the Line Twice]]: Averted. Since the original concept was quite possibly intended as [[Refuge in Audacity|edgy satire]], one might expect the game to take this form. Instead, it'a a reasonably nuanced and respectful take on the subject.

* [[Cult Classic]]: Odd, off-putting premise? Check. Enthusiastic (if small) fanbase? Check. Ignored or panned by mainstream reviewers? Check. Though it was a better example of this trope before the full version came out.

* [[Die for Our Ship]]:

** Poor Shizune seems to have suffered the misfourtune of being ~~pratically~~ set up of this. First, her route is very much an aquired taste, relying more on intellectual nuance, [[Foreshadowing]] and subtext than the "[[Catharsis|feels]]" that are common in other routes. Meaning that [[Rewatch Bonus|you need to play it a few times in order to truly get it]]. (~~The~~ fact that it is the most linear route, {{spoiler|with only one choice}}, doesn't help matters.) Second, she is a [[Spirited Competitor]] to a degree that [[Base Breaker|one either finds charming and endearing or obnoxious and annoying]]; she can also can be rather blunt (justified in part because she is deaf-mute). Thirdly she is [[The Rival]] to [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Lilly]] who is by far one of the most adored charecters in the game and whose route is seen as much smoother and sweeter {{spoiler|except for the end, but that one also ends up well}}. Lastly, her best friend Misha is an [[Ensemble Darkhorse]] who doesn't have a route of her own {{spoiler|and is, in fact, in unrequited love with Shizune herself - which is what triggers THE single choice in the Shizune route. Not to mention that readers prefer the other stories because they give them "the feels," and Misha, due to the sad nature of her emotional turmoil, is much more of a [[Woobie]] than Shizune, causing the readers attention to be directed towards Misha and Shizune to be left in the dust.}}. [[Hate Dumb|You'd think people would not be able to pour so much hate at an eighteen year old deaf girl]]. Interestingly enough, in Lilly's route, Shizune {{spoiler|reconciles with Lilly, and initiates the process}}. And instead of competing with the other girls over Hisao, Shizune, along with Misha, is a [[Shipper on Deck]] in others's routes.

** Poor Shizune seems to have suffered the misfourtune of being practically set up of this. First, her route is very much an aquired taste, relying more on intellectual nuance, [[Foreshadowing]] and subtext than the "[[Catharsis|feels]]" that are common in other routes. Meaning that [[Rewatch Bonus|you need to play it a few times in order to truly get it]] (the fact that it is the most linear route, {{spoiler|with only one choice}}, doesn't help matters). Second, she is a [[Spirited Competitor]] to a degree that [[Base Breaker|one either finds charming and endearing or obnoxious and annoying]]; she can also can be rather blunt (justified in part because she is deaf-mute). Thirdly, she is [[The Rival]] to [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Lilly]] who is by far one of the most adored charecters in the game and whose route is seen as much smoother and sweeter {{spoiler|except for the end, but that one also ends up well}}. Lastly, her best friend Misha is an [[Ensemble Darkhorse]] who doesn't have a route of her own {{spoiler|and is, in fact, in unrequited love with Shizune herself... which is what triggers THE single choice in the Shizune route. Not to mention that readers prefer the other stories because they give them "the feels", and Misha, due to the sad nature of her emotional turmoil, is much more of a [[Woobie]] than Shizune, causing the readers attention to be directed towards Misha and Shizune to be left in the dust}}. [[Hate Dumb|You'd think people would not be able to pour so much hate at an eighteen year old deaf girl]]. Interestingly enough, in Lilly's route, Shizune {{spoiler|reconciles with Lilly, and initiates the process}}. And instead of competing with the other girls over Hisao, Shizune, along with Misha, is a [[Shipper on Deck]] in others's routes.

** Also, {{spoiler|between her [[Abusive Dad]] and the extreme loneliness she feels stemming in part from the difficulties she has communicating with others due to her deafness. She is as much a [[Woobie]] as any of the other heroines are.}}

** Also, {{spoiler|between her [[Abusive Dad]] and the extreme loneliness she feels stemming in part from the difficulties she has communicating with others due to her deafness. She is as much a [[Woobie]] as any of the other heroines are}}.

*** The problem with this, however, {{spoiler|is that a lot of people find Shizune's dad, Jigoro, to be so over the top and unbelievable [[Narm|that he eventually becomes comedic]].}} The player's feelings on Shizune's problems with communication and loneliness depend entirely on whether they found her [[Spirited Competitor]] character traits to be endearing or annoying.]]

*** The problem with this, however, {{spoiler|is that a lot of people find Shizune's dad Jigoro to be so over the top and unbelievable [[Narm|that he eventually becomes comedic]]}}. The player's feelings on Shizune's problems with communication and loneliness depend entirely on whether they found her [[Spirited Competitor]] character traits to be endearing or annoying]].

** Now that a few months have past since release, Lilly is also starting to get some of her share as well. Due in large part to her being so popular that fans of the other girls are starting to resent her a little bit.

* [[Ear Worm]]: A good portion, if not all, of the music from the soundtrack.

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** The heroines themselves are more or less the [[Ensemble Darkhorse]]s of the doujinshi that spawned the idea, considering they were features in an extra in the book.

** Yuuko's got a sizable fanbase, with many people finding her [[Cute Clumsy Girl]] personality rather endearing.

* [[Epileptic Trees]]: Misha's disability (or lack thereof) and the reason for her not having her own route is the source of much [[Wild Mass Guessing]] among fans. [http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1386 Observe.]

* [[Epileptic Trees]]: Misha's disability (or lack thereof) and the reason for her not having her own route is the source of much [[Wild Mass Guessing]] among fans. [http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1386 Observe].

* [[Fan-Preferred Couple]]: Miki and Suzu. Suriko (writer of Lilly's route and co-writer of Hanako's) went as far as to write an unofficial pseudo route for Miki wherein she gets the choice of Hisao or Suzu, partly in response to them being the most popular of the characters of no importance to the plot and fan art pairing the two up for years previously.

* [[Fandom Rivalry]]: Has a bit of this with ''[[Hatoful Boyfriend]]''.

* [[Fan Dumb]]: There seems to be a fairly large proportion of the fanbase who feel the need to take a game about living life to the fullest and finding happiness despite your imperfections, and using it as an excuse to wallow in self-pity because they'll "never find a girl as perfect as X".

* [[Fan Dumb]]: There seems to be a fairly large proportion of the fanbase who feel the need to take a game about living life to the fullest and finding happiness despite your imperfections, and using it as an excuse to wallow in self-pity because they'll "never find a girl as perfect as X."

** The large number of players unable to play another route after finishing one they particularly liked because they'd feel "like I'm cheating on X" edges between amusing and just sad.

* [[Fan Hater]]s: Every girl seems to have some, saying that you like Shizune or Rin is a good way to get yourself branded as pretentious and elitist, (with Shizune fans also getting the "pleasure" of being called spineless bottoms that get off on being dominated by bitchy women), Hanako fans are often accused of wanting a "dream girl" who is totally dependent on them, (which is [[~~Completly~~ Missing ~~The~~ Point]] of her route, [[Insane Troll Logic|but when has that every stopped anyone]].) If you are a Lilly fan, than you are a [[Follow the Leader|bandwagonner that lets the Internet do his thinking for him]], going after the [[Mary Sue]] because she appeals to the [[Lowest Common Denominator]]. Like Misha, expect some smartass [[Captian Obvious]] to point that she doesn't have a route. Emi is the only that seems to be spared this

* [[Fan Hater]]s: Every girl seems to have some, saying that you like Shizune or Rin is a good way to get yourself branded as pretentious and elitist, (with Shizune fans also getting the "pleasure" of being called spineless bottoms that get off on being dominated by bitchy women), Hanako fans are often accused of wanting a "dream girl" who is totally dependent on them (which is [[Completely Missing the Point]] of her route, [[Insane Troll Logic|but when has that every stopped anyone]]). If you are a Lilly fan, than you are a [[Follow the Leader|bandwagonner that lets the Internet do his thinking for him]], going after the [[Mary Sue]] because she appeals to the [[Lowest Common Denominator]]. Like Misha, expect some smartass [[Captian Obvious]] to point that she doesn't have a route. Emi is the only that seems to be spared this

* [[Fan Wank]]: Yuuko is speculated to have had a [[Pair the Spares|past relationship with Kenji]]. {{spoiler|Implied in the game, but never outright stated; the two each talk of having a breakup in the past, and Kenji mentions that his girlfriend was older.}}

* [[Fan Wank]]: Yuuko is speculated to have had a [[Pair the Spares|past relationship with Kenji]]. {{spoiler|Implied in the game, but never outright stated: the two each talk of having a breakup in the past, and Kenji mentions that his girlfriend was older}}.

* [[Funny Aneurysm Moment]]:

** In Emi's route, she jokingly questions why Misha would hang out with someone as bossy as Shizune. In Shizune's route, you find out the real reason; {{spoiler|Misha is in love with Shizune, but it is not requited and causes her a great deal of pain}}.

** In Emi's route, she jokingly questions why Misha would hang out with someone as bossy as Shizune. In Shizune's route, you find out the real reason: {{spoiler|Misha is in love with Shizune, but it is not requited and causes her a great deal of pain}}.

** Lilly often teases Akira about her cooking skills. {{spoiler|Later on, it's revealed that Akira had to raise Lilly by herself after their parents left, and believes that she didn't do a very good job. Her inability to cook likely comes off to her as more part of a personal failing than a minor shortcoming}}.

* [[Gateway Series]]:

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** About a week after its creation, the reddit group /r/katawashoujo had more readers than /r/visualnovels.

* [[Genius Bonus]]: "Akira". For a Scottish name, it means "anchor". No doubt, the Satous hoped that their firstborn would have such an effect on the family and their marriage.

* [[Harsher ~~in Hindsight|Heartbreaking~~ in Hindsight]]:

* [[Harsher in Hindsight]]:

** {{spoiler|Rin's "I've got no arms to hug you with."}}

** The girls you didn't choose's brief appearances on other routes can be this if you've played their routes before, especially when you consider their psychological problems, which are not likely to be addressed.

{{quote|'''Lilly:''' "My, is that you, Hisao? I've not heard from you in some time. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about me." (during Emi's route)}}

* [[Hate Dumb]]: Let's just say that there are [[Visual Novel]] fans who bash this game for trying to be realistic and evoke empathy and insult the fans for falling for this "trick". Not to mention all the people who bash this on the sole basis that this is a "cripple porn game" and troll the people who play it. Then there's the backlash on video game sites claiming that [[Visual Novels]] are not "video games."

* [[Hate Dumb]]: Let's just say that there are [[Visual Novel]] fans who bash this game for trying to be realistic and evoke empathy and insult the fans for falling for this "trick". Not to mention all the people who bash this on the sole basis that this is a "cripple porn game" and troll the people who play it. Then there's the backlash on video game sites claiming that [[Visual Novels]] are not "video games".

** There's also people who, unwilling to admit their first impression was wrong, go on nitpicking or mirror-climbing to say the game is bad regardless of its respect for the theme.

** Also, while not many people may care for Shizune's route, and while even her fans admit that her attitude can be abrasive at times, the refusal of some to even ''consider'' the idea that she might have ''any'' redeeming qualities, or that ''any'' of her actions could possibly be interpretated in a positive light, borders on [[Ron the Death Eater]] levels.

** Some people who dislike the game seem entirely unfamiliar with the concept of a visual novel, expecting something more akin to a game.

** A common criticism of Lilly from haters is that she is an obvious [[Mary Sue]] and as such is a bad character due to it, when the whole point of her route is to show that she is not as perfect and infallible as she appears on the surface, and that she needs just as much help and support as the other girls, if not more. Even the other routes go out of their way to [[Deconstruction|deconstruct]] the concept or avert it completely, with minimal presence in both Emi's and Rin's routes {{spoiler|and secretly being critisized by her best friend Hanako for always being so protective of her.}}

** A common criticism of Lilly from haters is that she is an obvious [[Mary Sue]] and as such is a bad character due to it, when the whole point of her route is to show that she is not as perfect and infallible as she appears on the surface, and that she needs just as much help and support as the other girls, if not more. Even the other routes go out of their way to [[Deconstruction|deconstruct]] the concept or avert it completely, with minimal presence in both Emi's and Rin's routes {{spoiler|and secretly being critisized by her best friend Hanako for always being so protective of her}}.

* [[Heartwarming in Hindsight]]:

** Late in Lilly's route, {{spoiler|as she is preparing to go to Scotland permanently}}, she tells Hanako about how they became friends. Lilly says she did not befriend Hanako out of pity, but out of a desire to know more about her, and she considers her a strong person at heart who will be able to take charge of her own life {{spoiler|even after Lilly is gone}}. Lilly's statement becomes even more powerful when you consider that in Hanako's route, Hanako believes that Lilly and Hisao pity her.

** Also on Lilly's route, Hisao openly refers to Shizune as his friend on two occasions, once to Lilly, no less. Once you play Shizune's route and see how desperately she has tried to make friends, you can see that this comment has more weight.

* [[Hell Is That Noise]]: Hisao's loud heartbeats whenever he gets a heart flutter or {{spoiler|the two times}} he gets a full-blown heart attack.

** The sickening crunch in Act 1's [[Bad Ending]] when {{spoiler|a drunken Hisao falls off the school roof to his death.}}

** The sickening crunch in Act 1's [[Bad Ending]] when {{spoiler|a drunken Hisao falls off the school roof to his death}}.

* [[Hilarious in Hindsight]]:

** In Rin's route, Hisao remarks on {{spoiler|how embarrasing it would be to have a heart attack in the middle of sex.}} In Lilly's route {{spoiler|Hisao ends up having a bit of a fit when taking the lead, and ends up on the floor clutching his heart in pain.}}

** In Rin's route, Hisao remarks on {{spoiler|how embarrasing it would be to have a heart attack in the middle of sex}}. In Lilly's route, {{spoiler|Hisao ends up having a bit of a fit when taking the lead, and ends up on the floor clutching his heart in pain}}.

** The "Who's there? ... No answer, must be that deaf bitch." meme regarding Lilly's rivalry with Shizune. {{spoiler|Toward the end of her route, there's a scene in which Lilly thanks Misha for retrieving a folder for her, only to realize Shizune did it instead when she gets no response, and the two reconcile}}.

** The "Who's there?... No answer, must be that deaf bitch." meme regarding Lilly's rivalry with Shizune. {{spoiler|Toward the end of her route, there's a scene in which Lilly thanks Misha for retrieving a folder for her, only to realize Shizune did it instead when she gets no response, and the two reconcile}}.

* [[Ho Yay]]: Kenji. See [[Alternate Character Interpretation]] above.

* [[Hype Backlash]]: Some fans were a bit disappointed that the game didn't live up to their expectations. However, this was probably unavoidable since the game had been continually building up hype for at least five years.

* [[Inverted Trope]]: Rin gets a scholarship to attend an art school in Tokyo {{spoiler|in her Bad Ending. [[It Makes Sense in Context]], as she's going down a path in which she is not being true to herself, and in the worst case scenario, might kill herself like Sae's husband did.}}

* [[Internet Backdraft]]:

** Which is the best path/who is the best girl? Was it worth the wait? Is it even worth playing? Is it a respecful portrayal of disabled people, or badly-disguised "cripple porn"?