History VisualNovel / WhiteAlbum2

---> '''Haruki''': ''The girl that I love most in the world is the Setsuna that sings''.

* DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: ''Todokanai Koi'', the VN and the anime's opening theme song, is performed by Setsuna, Kazusa, and Haruki at the end of episode 13 (chronologically during their [[FestivalEpisode school festival's]] concert at the end of their performance). The theme song in question and its lyrics hold significant plot relevance as it is an original song made by the three of them for the school festival. Haruki is the canonical writer of said song and Kazusa the canonical composer. Though initially meant as a song to show the love between the two of them, Setsuna would also end up falling in love with Haruki, thus endangering Haruki and Kazusa’s future together as she would later reveal in Closing Chapter - “After all... I knew what was going on from the beginning, and I still fell in love with him regardless.”

''White Album 2'' (ホワイトアルバム2) is a Japanese VisualNovel produced by [[Creator/{{Aquaplus}} Leaf]]. Although it shares the same name as ''VisualNovel/WhiteAlbum'' as well being set in the same world, albeit almost two decades later, it bears little connection to the first game[=/=]anime aside from the songs that it reuses from the former: the titular ''White Album'', sung by Yuki Morikawa, and ''Sound of Destiny'' sung by Rina Ogata.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_album_2_tv_tropes_7081.jpg]]
[-[[caption-width-right:350:Happiness is a transient thing, like the falling snow...]]-]

* ShipperOnDeck: Takeya and Io, for Setsuna. The huge bulk of ''Concluding Chapter'' has the two of them trick, connive, and do everything humanly possible to get Haruki and Setsuna together. [[spoiler:It's why the two are positively devastated when Haruki breaks up with Setsuna in Kazusa's True End, which literally ends their friendship with Haruki then and there.]]

* WhatTheHellHero: Done by both Io and Takeya to Haruki [[spoiler:when the latter decides to break up with Setsuna, despite being already engaged ''and'' being in a physically intimate relationship with her for almost five years, all just to get back together with Kazusa]]. This is followed soon after by the same, except done by ''Setsuna's whole family''. Ironically Setsuna herself doesn't call Haruki out on this; instead she avoids and ignores him for as long as humanly possible.

* {{Foil}}: Kazusa and Setsuna to each other. One is a [[AloofDarkHairedGirl cold, stoic, dark-haired, friendless beauty]] who almost always carries a sullen expression on her face and hides what she truly feels inside of her from others, while the other is a cheerful, popular, NiceGirl SchoolIdol who isn't afraid to outwardly express herself in front of others though at least part of her personality is a facade to hide the loneliness that's always inside of her.

* SecretRelationship: While hints of this already appeared in the anime, Setsuna's True End confirms that [[spoiler:Takeya and Io seem to have been dating the entire time]].

** To You, My Sworn Enemy, which follows one of the worst outcomes of the original game. [[spoiler:Though each of the trio eventually arrive at a much better spot by the end of the After Story, the trope arguably fits Kazusa best, as she goes through the most difficulties and growth. She has to deal with giving up the only man she loves and grappling with her mother's potential impending death while having (seemingly) no support and being ill-equipped to handle the myriad of challenges thrown her way. By the end, Kazusa's determination and perseverance (as well as finding closure with Setsuna) see her moving on from the events of Coda, catapulting her career to even greater heights, bringing her mother back to health and spirit and growing into a more independent and capable person outside of her musical abilities.]]

* TheLoinsSleepTonight: Played for drama rather than comedy as usually is the case. [[spoiler:Despite the promise Kazusa drops on him -- see ThePromise entry for details -- Haruki ''still'' tries to sleep with Kazusa anyway during Kazusa's True End. It doesn't work, as before he could even start the guilt from what he and Kazusa are about to do to everyone they know and love stops his libido cold.]]

*** Brought somewhat up by the extra episode, [[spoiler:which seems to end on a cordial note after a meeting with Setsuna's family. They watch a banner for Kazusa while holding hands in the last scene.]]

* {{Deuteragonist}}: Easily, ''Setsuna Ogiso''. Maybe Kazusa is always on step foward on getting Haruki's heart, but Setsuna is the one who objectively matters in the whole story.

** She is the only heroine who appears all the routes.
** She is the central conflict of the game in every single route, even in ''Kazusa True'' in Coda, where her role is downplayed and she is still the final obsacle that Haruki must overcome.
** Due her importance in every route, she is the heroine with most screentime and the character with most POV scenes besides Haruki.

** Out of all the endings you can get, ''Kazusa True End'' is the longest and most developed. However, Setsuna is the heroine with most routes in her favor, ''Setsuna Route'' in the Closing Chapter and ''Setsuna True'' [[spoiler:also ''Kazusa Normal'' and the '''Extra Episode'']]. The other heroines only have just one ending.

* NoEnding: Introductory chapter, despite published on its own, has no ending. The White Album 2 series as a whole does have an ending though.

* ThirdWheel: Despite her best efforts, Setsuna quickly realizes that she's become this to Haruki and Kazusa. It leads to a whole lot of awkward situations.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: [[spoiler: Pretty much the ending of Introductory chapter and the whole point of Concluding Chapter with Haruki, Setsuna, and Kazusa.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: To reach [[spoiler:the true endings of the game]], the player (and thus, Haruki) must not tell lies in the choices given to the player. ''Not a single one''. [[spoiler: That said he will always end up with a girl in any of the game endings, no matter how much he's cheated or lied]]
* EasilyForgiven: Haruki, to a ridiculous degree. No matter what he does, or how much he's been a jerk to her , Setsuna will always welcome him back, no questions asked. [[spoiler:Even if he ignores her for years or cheats on her with another woman, as in Kazusa's Good end]], she'll still take him back. Indeed, in Kazusa's True End, Setsuna gets angry instead ''at her own family'' for ganging up on Haruki, instead of Haruki himself. [[spoiler:In Introductory Chapter when Haruki told her he had cheated on her not only does she forgive him immediately but also add she can be the replacement. In Coda when she discovers her boyfriend Haruki has been sleeping with Kazusa she still wants to be with him and fights for that purpose.]] She's either a '''saint''' or, [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation in the opinion of the less charitable players, insane]].

* MultipleEndings: Par for course, due to the visual novel format. There are three endings for the sub-heroines in ''Concluding Chapter'', as well as a good and "true" end for Setsuna. [[spoiler:Finishing the latter opens the way to Coda, which adds three more: Setsuna True, Kazusa Good aka the Cheating Chapter, and Kazusa True]]. However, due to the nature of the story and the ''characters'', '''none''' of these ends can be truly considered a "happy" end. See the BittersweetEnding entry for specifics.

* StoryBranchFavoritism: Ironically, {{Word of God}} stated that the idea of the game is to let the final choice to the player,yet you can see favoritism towards Kazusa and Setsuna's True endings because only those got the after story in 2014 (with Kazusa getting a extra one in 2016) and even Kazusa cheating (because of the extra episode of 2013).

* {{Tsundere}}: Kazusa. Deconstructed in that had she confessed and had been completely honest over her feelings for Haruki sooner, a lot of the pain and heartbreak that happens during the course of ''Introductory Chapter'' could have been averted as early as possible.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: During the Closing Chapter, each heroine other than Setsuna and Kazusa try in their own way to help Haruki mend things with either of those two women, despite themselves being romantically interested in [[ChickMagnet Kazusa]]. Mari gives him the opportunity to and urges him to see Kazusa again. Izumi quietly prays for him to mend things with Setsuna. Koharu helps his friends set up a date with Setsuna so the two can fix their relationship. [[spoiler:Tragically, at least in the immediate future, none of this works out.]]

* OnlyFriend: Putting her love for Haruki aside, Setsuna is this to Kazusa, as she is, and always will be, the very first person Kazusa could truly call her first and best friend, being the only person Kazusa has ever opened up to willingly after much optimistic prodding from Setsuna. [[spoiler: Kazusa has always been afraid to show her feelings for Haruki, having loved him in secret long before Setsuna even met him, but never having the guts to confess her love to him. The fact that he became Setsuna’s boyfriend would make her decide to go to Europe, the reason being that she had been thrown away by the man he loved as Kazusa’s mother would point out to her. She eventually starts crying when Haruki was supposed to be at Setsuna’s birthday party, leading to Haruki finding out her true feelings and him telling her that even though he also loves Setsuna, he had fallen in love with Kazusa first. Her dream of being with him, however, would not come to pass. Though Kazusa later tells Haruki and Setsuna she will be living in Vienna starting next month, Haruki doesn’t break up with Setsuna the following weeks until Kazusa’s departure and instead just sleeps with her the night before she leaves while still in a relationship with Setsuna. This adds fuel to the fire, making Kazusa also feel guilty for sleeping with her friend’s boyfriend.]]

* {{Stripperiffic}}: Downplayed, but Kazusa's outfit during episode 7's concert is this, showing off BareYourMidriff and a StockingFiller with ZettaiRyouiki, something [[ReluctantFanserviceGirl she herself isn't at all too happy to wear]]. Interestingly, ''Setsuna'' chose that outfit for her in her absence.

Produced by Creator/{{Satelight}}, an anime of the same name aired during Fall2013Anime Season, and adapts the first part of the series, ''Introductory Chapter''.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: Downplayed, but Kazusa's outfit during episode 7's concert is this, showing off a decent amount of skin in [[AbsoluteCleavage certain]] [[BareYourMidriff places]] [[StockingFiller you]] [[ZettaiRyouiki can think of]], something she herself isn't at all too happy to wear. Interestingly, ''Setsuna'' chose that outfit for her in her absence.

** Kazusa foists one on Haruki as a condition before they set out on what they need to do in her True End: [[spoiler:they will ''not'' have sex while they are in Japan. They can go at it like bunnies after they leave, but until then, it will serve as a sign of the seriousness of their resolve. This is a '''big deal''', especially since, as ''Concluding Chapter'' had shown, physical intimacy was one of the ways Haruki used to blow off his frustration and anger]].

** [[http://imgur.com/UZht5vJ Two female background characters]] who comment on Setsuna's performance of ''White Album'' in episode 7 look exactly like Kirika and Shirabe from ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear''. Given that both White Album 2 and Symphogear were produced by the same [[Creator/{{Satelight}} studio]], it may have been an intentional ShoutOut.

* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Kazusa

* ThemeTuneCameo: ''Todokanai Koi'', the VN and the anime's opening theme song, is performed by Setsuna, Kazusa, and Haruki at the end of episode 13 (chronologically during their [[FestivalEpisode school festival's]] concert at the end of their performance). The theme song in question and its lyrics hold significant plot relevance as it is an original song made by the three of them for the school festival. Haruki is the canonical writer of said song and Kazusa the canonical composer. Though initially meant as a song to show the love between the two of them, Setsuna would also end up falling in love with Haruki, thus endangering Haruki and Kazusa’s future together as she would later reveal in Closing Chapter - “After all... I knew what was going on from the beginning, and I still fell in love with him regardless.”
** While unconnected to ''White Album 2'' itself, the anime also surprisingly cameos ''Free and Dream'', the theme song to ''VisualNovel/TearsToTiara'', another visual novel title under Creator/{{Aquaplus}}, sung by none other than White Album 2's OP and ED singer, Rena Uehara.

* ZettaiRyouiki: Setsuna and Kazusa's outfits during episode 7's festival concert.

* YourCheatingHeart: In full force during [[spoiler:Kazusa's Good End route. Haruki sleeps with Setsuna as normal, but ''also'' sleeps with Kazusa almost nightly, and even runs off with her for a secret trip north with just the two of them]].

* TwelveEpisodeAnime: Supposed to be twelve episodes with episode 13 supposed to be an unaired special, which is why it surprised many when it aired on TV anyway. The final episode adds context to some scenes in the previous episode, like the aftermath of the confession, which led to [[spoiler:Haruki and Kazusa spending the whole night before her flight making love]], and makes a clearer bridge to the next part of the story, ''Concluding Chapter'', if and when it gets adapted.

Produced by Creator/{{Satelight}}, an anime of the same name aired during Fall2013Anime Season, and adapts the first part of the series, ''Introductory Chapter''. As of yet, there is no news of whether the second part, ''Concluding Chapter'' will be adapted as well.

* StoryBranchFavoritism: Ironically, {{Word of God}} stated that the idea of the game is to let the final choice to the player.But you can see favoritism towards Kazusa and Setsuna's True endings because only those got the after story in 2014 (with Kazusa getting a extra one in 2016)
** Some people seem to favor Kazusa's True End not only because it's the longest but because of it's incredibly cathartic and dramatic nature, what makes Kazusa's scenario more fitting to the rest of the story according to some players, also together with being the longest she was the only heroine to get a new year Drama cd in 2016 (it continues her story after the after story that was released in 2014)
** Some players prefer Setsuna's True End because it's more happy,conclusive and rewarding than the other two, with some people even refering to it as the ''大団円'' (Finale).