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encrypted12345



Joined: 25 Jan 2012
Posts: 715
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:49 am Reply with quote
gatotsu911 wrote:
Katawa Shoujo sounds like it could be just the sort of warped black comedy I'd enjoy. Sadly I have a feeling it's a lot more earnest than that.


That it is. Many people have been brought to tears by how earnest it is.

Try it. It's free, so you have nothing to lose.
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Cecilthedarkknight_234



Joined: 02 Apr 2011
Posts: 3819
Location: Louisville, KY
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:16 am Reply with quote
Quote:
That it is. Many people have been brought to tears by how earnest it is.

Try it. It's free, so you have nothing to lose.


Damn right i mean these guys worked 4 years on something they could make profit off of on the ios or android market or even go in partnership with jastusa to sell hard-copies for 20 dollars each. That aside Hanako is freaking amazing.
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Gvaz



Joined: 19 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:28 am Reply with quote
Katawa shoujo is [expletive] amazing

FF13 was the worst RPG I've ever played. Xenoblade was the best one of 2011 and imo once american audiences have it, it will be the best one too.
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AiddonValentine



Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 2200
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:17 am Reply with quote
Beatdigga wrote:
BTW, I love how Fps fans are considered the scum of the Earth. Maybe there's more fun to be had in a game like Call Of Duty than some inanely pretenoius piece of prattle that ended up being FF 13's plot.

Obviously FF 13-2 is not for me. It's also probably the jumping off point for a lot of RPG fans. When the JRPG is a game and not a glorified OVA, then I'll come back.


Like I said, I blame most of its poor design on Toriyama who is by far Square's worst designer/director/writer. He can't write human beings and his pathetic, self-indulgent attempts to defend himself come off as something a fanfiction writer does when they get a scathing (but ultimately true) review. Maybe the linearity wouldn't have been so bad if combat wasn't a bore and the story was well-told or interesting, but instead we get nothing but a TEDIOUS grind through dull environments and terrible writing coupled with story-telling sins. All RPGs (and games in general) are, to an extent linear. However, disguising the linearity is what matter and FFXIII catastrophically failed to do that. It's a game that hated its audience, practically screeching "why are YOU getting in the way of my AWESOME story!?"
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Elves



Joined: 23 Mar 2005
Posts: 269
Location: USA
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:34 am Reply with quote
I'm excited to get my hands on Tokitowa (hopefully it'll be released stateside...hopefully). The visual style is really interesting, especially since the screens make the game look like an anime and not just character sprites that imitate. Hope to see the game pop up in the column again as a release date grows nearer. I'll keep it on my radar for sure. Very Happy
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Ojamajo LimePie



Joined: 09 Nov 2007
Posts: 761
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:25 am Reply with quote
If Katawa Shoujo has piqued your interest in VNs, I'd recommend trying Aselia the Eternal. It's a VN/RPG hybrid for the PC and it doesn't have any sex scenes. RightStuf has it on sale for $24.
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Son-kun



Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 345
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:33 am Reply with quote
*reads the forum topic* Fandom is fun.
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SayuriUliana



Joined: 25 Jan 2012
Posts: 33
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:20 am Reply with quote
Eternal September wrote:

That might be a reason why it quickly spread in some gaming circles, where it was seen as a new thing, but among visual novel fans, it's not particularly exceptional. Eg.: ef has a half-blind girl with anterograde amnesia, several stories like Clannad or Kira Kira, play the "ill girl" trope almost like a disability, etc. VNDB.org lists dozens of Visual novels witht he "disabled heroine" tag as well.

It was just hyped as the first large-scale, high quality original english language VN. It's kinda like naional pride, but for weeaboos.

As in "YES! We proved it! Our boys can also make a Visual Novel around the level of Clannad, Little Sister Kana, Fate/Stay Night, and Ever 17!


The thing is though, this praise for the game spreads even among people who have not heard anything Katawa Shoujo until they saw the hype/reviews and then played it out of curiosity. I was one such player who didn't even have any expectations out of the game when I got it on release day, and yet it has proven to be quite the touching and emotional ride.

"National pride" is certainly part of why the initial wave of players love the game, but among those who weren't part of the movement, it seems Katawa Shoujo is proving itself as a product that is more than just tailored for the internet otaku population, but a story that everyone can enjoy if one looks past the surface.

The fact that it's free helps of course, but if they wanted to sell Katawa Shoujo, I would gladly pay for it.
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encrypted12345



Joined: 25 Jan 2012
Posts: 715
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:37 pm Reply with quote
SayuriUliana wrote:
Eternal September wrote:

That might be a reason why it quickly spread in some gaming circles, where it was seen as a new thing, but among visual novel fans, it's not particularly exceptional. Eg.: ef has a half-blind girl with anterograde amnesia, several stories like Clannad or Kira Kira, play the "ill girl" trope almost like a disability, etc. VNDB.org lists dozens of Visual novels witht he "disabled heroine" tag as well.

It was just hyped as the first large-scale, high quality original english language VN. It's kinda like naional pride, but for weeaboos.

As in "YES! We proved it! Our boys can also make a Visual Novel around the level of Clannad, Little Sister Kana, Fate/Stay Night, and Ever 17!


The thing is though, this praise for the game spreads even among people who have not heard anything Katawa Shoujo until they saw the hype/reviews and then played it out of curiosity. I was one such player who didn't even have any expectations out of the game when I got it on release day, and yet it has proven to be quite the touching and emotional ride.

"National pride" is certainly part of why the initial wave of players love the game, but among those who weren't part of the movement, it seems Katawa Shoujo is proving itself as a product that is more than just tailored for the internet otaku population, but a story that everyone can enjoy if one looks past the surface.

The fact that it's free helps of course, but if they wanted to sell Katawa Shoujo, I would gladly pay for it.


Yeah, it's amazing how many people have been introduced to Visual Novels thanks to Katawa Shoujo. When I played the demo a few months before, I felt that there was something ... different from the other VNs I've played. I never expected it to be this popular though.
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Veers



Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Posts: 1197
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:28 pm Reply with quote
Er, well... looks like I won't need to be copypastaing anything I've already written about this game since Animerican14 beat me to it Surprised

But yeah, just gonna reiterate what's been said: this is one "book" you shouldn't judge by its "cover."

Eternal September wrote:
That might be a reason why it quickly spread in some gaming circles, where it was seen as a new thing, but among visual novel fans, it's not particularly exceptional. Eg.: ef has a half-blind girl with anterograde amnesia, several stories like Clannad or Kira Kira, play the "ill girl" trope almost like a disability, etc. VNDB.org lists dozens of Visual novels witht he "disabled heroine" tag as well.
Maybe it wasn't your intention, but please don't compare Katawa Shoujo to things like KEY works, where the pitiful state of the girls is supposed to be part of the appeal. In KS, it's nothing like that (except maybe in how Hanako's route is written, sort of). KS is not about a bunch of sad, pitiful girls with infantile emotional stability.

SolidKing wrote:
If I can voice a mild complaint with the portion of the article regarding Katawa Shoujo, I find the evaluation offered to be not fair at all.

To the visual novel players? Possibly, but I wouldn't care enough to post this if that was all. Rather, you're unfair to actual disabled people.

Are disabled people not allowed to live a life and fall in love because some might have disturbing fetishes? Calling this a fetish game is a greater insult to everyone who still lives fulfilling lives with disabilities than it is to anyone who actually played the Vn.

You're almost insinuating that someone cannot fall in love with a disabled person without in some way enjoying their disabilities. I doubt it's intentional on your part, though it is somewhat present.

I end this post by echoing what has already been said: give Katawa Shoujo a shot. You'll probably find your 'fetish fears', if you will, are mistaken.
This. So much this.
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toddc



Joined: 23 Jul 2007
Posts: 164
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:11 pm Reply with quote
SolidKing wrote:
To the visual novel players? Possibly, but I wouldn't care enough to post this if that was all. Rather, you're unfair to actual disabled people.

Are disabled people not allowed to live a life and fall in love because some might have disturbing fetishes? Calling this a fetish game is a greater insult to everyone who still lives fulfilling lives with disabilities than it is to anyone who actually played the Vn.


That comparison doesn't apply, because the characters in Katawa Shoujo are not real people. They exist within a game that presents them as love interests for the protagonist, and as such they're designed to appeal to players in some romantic or sympathetic way.

The cliches of visual novels and dating sims often correspond to popular otaku fixations (girls with glasses, clumsy girls, sick girls, etc.), so it's no stretch to think that the cast of Katawa Shoujo serves the same purpose.

That's what the game LOOKS like, at least. Perhaps I'll end up playing it after all, just to find out for certain.
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encrypted12345



Joined: 25 Jan 2012
Posts: 715
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:26 pm Reply with quote
toddc wrote:


That comparison doesn't apply, because the characters in Katawa Shoujo are not real people. They exist within a game that presents them as love interests for the protagonist, and as such they're designed to appeal to players in some romantic or sympathetic way.

The cliches of visual novels and dating sims often correspond to popular otaku fixations (girls with glasses, clumsy girls, sick girls, etc.), so it's no stretch to think that the cast of Katawa Shoujo serves the same purpose.

That's what the game LOOKS like, at least. Perhaps I'll end up playing it after all, just to find out for certain.


That's all one can ask for. Let me put it this way. This visual novel wouldn't have been so popular if it didn't have some merit beyond what you mentioned. If you've played visual novels before like I have, I'm sure you'll find something unique about this Visual novel. I'm sure of it.
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gerbilx



Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 138
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:07 pm Reply with quote
Katawa Shoujo is the greatest thing I'd read since Flaubert's masterpiece Madame Bovary was assigned to me in high school English. It is overwhelmingly beautiful, and has inspired a lot of people to change their lives.

Does the game fetishize the girls? Only if you think being disabled invalidates your right to romance and sex, which I find to be an extremely disturbing sentiment.

Play the "poor little burn girl path," and enjoy having your usual white knighting tropes deconstructed. A bunch of people, for no pay, spent 5 years of their lives on this game. If you don't want to call it a game, that's fine. If it just doesn't interest you, that's cool too. But if you really think that that much effort was put into 'fetishizing' some girls from a 10 year old drawing, then why do I even bother reading your article every week? That's right, it's because you're smarter than that.

EDIT:

Also,

"The cliches of visual novels and dating sims often correspond to popular otaku fixations (girls with glasses, clumsy girls, sick girls, etc.), so it's no stretch to think that the cast of Katawa Shoujo serves the same purpose. "

That logic doesn't apply on quite the same level to a totally non commercial product.
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Paul Soth



Joined: 06 Jul 2010
Posts: 140
Location: Columbus, Oh
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:36 pm Reply with quote
The devs' put a lot of effort into avoiding such cliches and making the girl's disabilities into fetish pandering. It's rather well done and you're only going to be offended if you go in with the cynical intent to find even the slightest thing to be offended by.

The main characters do have depth beyond simple archetypes and the causes of their behavior are explored in detail. It's rather impressive, the amount of thought put into all of it.

If you do play, just pace yourself. Out of habit to avoid running into spoilers, I pushed myself through all the paths rather quickly after release. Kinda left me a bit morose after a few days.
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Veers



Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Posts: 1197
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:43 pm Reply with quote
toddc wrote:
The cliches of visual novels and dating sims often correspond to popular otaku fixations (girls with glasses, clumsy girls, sick girls, etc.), so it's no stretch to think that the cast of Katawa Shoujo serves the same purpose.

That's what the game LOOKS like, at least. Perhaps I'll end up playing it after all, just to find out for certain.
No, you are absolutely right that it is what the game looks like, and people thinking the concept sounds repulsive are, in a way, making a quite fair, though ignorant, snap-judgement. That's all fine and dandy as long as people are aware that spoiler[the are wrong :p]it is an ignorant judgement and that an overwhelming number of people (including me) are saying their own such expectations were proved wrong.

As encrypted12345 said, do you really think this game would be getting this kind of reaction if it actually was the tasteless trash that it can easily (and fairly) be mistaken for? Of course, it's still a VN with sex in it, so if that's what's keeping someone back (that's what kept me away from VNs for so many years), then I wouldn't press the issue... but if you can get past that yet somehow can't get past the disability thing to give the game a fair shake, well, your own choice, but know that it's one made in ignorance.


Last edited by Veers on Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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