Line #89 VisualNovel/Messiah


1	''Messiah'' is a {{Yaoi}} VisualNovel game developed in 2006 by [=CORE-DUSK=] with artwork done by Carnelian (''No Surface Moon'', ''VisualNovel/ToukaGettan'', ''VisualNovel/YamiToBoushiToHonNoTabibito''). The story follows a young musician named Takuto Katsuragi, a BrokenBird traumatized by a history of sexual abuse, leaving him reluctant of engaging in romantic relationships, disgusted with the idea of homosexuality, and [[ScarsAreForever a strange scar on his back]]. His only fond memory of his childhood is befriending a man over a shared fascination of flowers.
2
3	Takuto's band Dizziness is given the chance to debut under a major record label if he agrees to live at his boss' mansion as his escort. However, one night, he encounters Koh Haishima, a mysterious, wealthy man, and is immediately fascinated by him. Meanwhile, Takuto's roommate and junior from high school, [[NiceGuy Ryouta]] [[HotBlooded Sasamori]], secretly pines for him, confining him in a LoveTriangle [[UnwantedHarem he doesn't want]]. All emotions break loose once Takuto and Ryouta become trapped in Koh's mansion during a courtesy visit, where Koh, who turns out to be not only be a vampire, but also the same man Takuto met as a child, intends to keep him as his lover. On the other hand, Ryouta is determined to help Takuto flee the building. Aside from deciding who to choose, Takuto is also forced to face the dark secrets of his past when they begin to resurface.
4
5	In addition to the main game, an AliceAllusion spin-off titled ''Messiah: Paranoia Paradox'' was also released, giving Takuto two more {{Love Interest}}s to choose from, and three drama [=CDs=], ''Another Menu'', that play out post-scenarios of particular endings of the game. Like the drama [=CDs=], four {{Light Novel}}s with post-scenarios were released. A visual fanbook titled ''Trinity Messiah'' and several light novels were also released. Bonus materials can only be exclusively ordered from [=CORE-DUSK=]'s official website by members of [=CORE-DUSK=]'s fanclub.
6
7	Not to be confused with the main trope AllLovingHero (fomerly known as "The Messiah"), or any of its related tropes, MessianicArchetype, or MessiahCreep. For the manga by by Suu Minazuki, see ''Manga/WatashiNoMessiahSama''. For the first person hack-and-slash game developed by Arkane Studios, see ''VideoGame/DarkMessiah''.
8
9	----
10
11	!! Tropes present in ''Messiah'' include:
12
13	* ADayInTheLimelight: Koh narrates the ''Taste Spicy (Angel Face)'' [=CD=], as opposed to Takuto, the main {{Narrator}} in the series.
14	%%* AbusiveParents: Takuto's adoptive father.
15	%%* AliceAllusion: The ''Paranoia Paradox'' game.
16	* AllJustADream: The MindScrew premise of ''Paranoia Paradox'' is that Alice puts Takuto into a weird dreamland where he's supposed to solve his issues with Koh/Ryouta. Getting the bad endings will immediately wake him up.
17	** In Ryouta's good endings, [[spoiler:Ryouta questions if all the events in the mansion were just a dream]].
18	* AmnesiacDissonance: Just how did Takuto get that scar? And what really happened to [[spoiler:his adoptive father]]? Well...
19	* AttemptedRape: [[spoiler:Takuto's foster father]] tries to pull this on him. [[spoiler:Didn't end well.]]
20	* AudioPlay: Three in total:
21	** ''Taste Sweet'': Audio adaptation of the Christmas-themed LightNovel ''Sweet Order'', with a Koh story titled "Between the Sheets" and a Ryouta story titled "Eggnog."
22	** ''Taste Spicy (Stinger)'': Audio adaptation of the Ryouta story in the LightNovel ''Spicy Order''. [[note]]Takes place after the Silent Cage ending, Ryouta's good ending. The pairing is noted as Takuto × Ryouta.[[/note]]
23	** ''Taste Spicy (Angel Face)'': Audio adaptation of the Koh story in the LightNovel ''Spicy Order''. [[note]]Takes place after the Slave to the Dark ending, Ryouta's bad ending. The pairing is noted as Master × Takuto.[[/note]]
24	* BerserkButton: Takuto will open a can of whoop-ass if you call him a girl or gay.
25	%%* BigFancyHouse: Koh's mansion.
26	* BrokenBird: Due to his DarkAndTroubledPast, Takuto pretty much has a jaded view of romance.
27	* ButNotTooForeign: Takuto was raised in England and is implied to have at least some British blood in him, as he's also described as looking pretty [[DudeLooksLikeALady feminine]].
28	* CrazyJealousGuy: Ryouta progressively becomes this during his stay in the mansion.
29	* ChainedByFashion: Takuto and Ryouta have to wear chains when they stay at the mansion. For Takuto, the chains are used for something other than imprisonment...
30	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Takuto was sexually abused by his adoptive father [[spoiler:and several other men growing up, as he reveals to Ryouta later on.]]
31	* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler:Chiharu]] was killed by [[spoiler:Koh (in Ryouta's route) or a random rapist (in Koh's route)]] a year ago and resurrected as an angry spirit bent on {{Revenge}}.
32	* DealWithTheDevil: In ''Paranoia Paradox'', a secret scene reveals that all along [[spoiler:Tsukasa was involved with the events of Takuto's dream as part of a deal with Alice, who promised to put him in any dream scenario he wants if he helps Takuto.]]
33	* DeathEqualsRedemption: The only way that [[spoiler:Takuto can leave the mansion]] is [[spoiler:if he kills Koh, since the mansion is his MentalWorld]].
34	* DeadpanSnarker: Takuto comes off as very sarcastic sometimes in his narration.
35	* DepravedBisexual: [[spoiler:Takuto]] in the Solitude ending, where he [[spoiler:sleeps with anyone and threatens to kill them if they betray him]].
36	* DoWellButNotPerfect: In ''Paranoia Paradox'', after racking up so many points against Syusei in the card game, you have to lose to him in the next round in order to unlock his scene.
37	* DudeLooksLikeALady: Takuto, and he hates it because it's gotten him into some unfortunate incidents in the past.
38	* EarnYourHappyEnding: In classic VisualNovel fashion, there are plenty of MultipleEndings. There are a number of three bad endings, three good endings, one normal ending, and one "true" ending in the original game.
39	** [[DumpThemAll Solitude]] (Ryouta's worst ending): If Takuto distances himself from Ryouta on day 4, [[spoiler:this leads Ryouta becoming an increasingly CrazyJealousGuy about his relationship with Koh, and as a result, their friendship falls apart. Once Ryouta confesses that he's jealous of Koh for being intimate with Takuto, Takuto takes it the wrong way and becomes convinced that he can't trust or love anyone, since everyone else around him never did. He becomes AxCrazy and kills Ryouta, Koh, and Shibamata. A TimeSkip shows him having some IntimateHealing with one of his bandmates, Syusei, hinting he may kill him later should he "betray" him.]]
40	** [[DownerEnding Slave to the Dark]] (Ryouta's bad ending): If Takuto [[spoiler:begins to succumb to his vampire side]] on day 10, he will start to see Koh to discuss privately [[spoiler:to save Ryouta. This doesn't sit well with Ryouta, and at one point, he goes into the {{Mad Love}}r, FetishizedAbuser territory that he rapes Takuto. Koh discovers, rapes, and kills Ryouta with a KissOfTheVampire. Takuto, completely broken by betrayal and subsequent loss, loses his will to kill Koh, and in order to save Takuto from dying, Koh [[{{Brainwashed}} Brainwashes]] [[MadeASlave him to be his mindless]] SexSlave forever]].
41	** [[HappyEnding Over the Rainbow]] (Ryouta's best ending): If Takuto apologizes to Ryouta for ignoring his feelings on day 15 and also tells Alice that he is determined to leave, [[spoiler:Takuto and Ryouta will grow closer to each other and depend on each other more. Takuto accepts his past and Ryouta unconditionally accepts Takuto's flaws. When Takuto starts dying because of his vampiric state, Koh refuses to help him, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness as he believes Ryouta has tainted him beyond assistance]], and Ryouta will try to shoot Koh. He fails and Koh severely injures his hand, causing Takuto to shoot him instead. The two flee the mansion and continue on with their lives as equals and lovers. Ryouta has to quit the band since he can't play the guitar anymore, but decides to join the police force.]]
42	** [[AmbiguousEnding The Silent Cage]] (Ryouta's good ending): If Takuto doesn't apologize to Ryouta for ignoring his feelings on day 15, [[spoiler:it's implied that they grow closer based on their insecurities, and Takuto doesn't grow out of his jaded personality. Similar to Over the Rainbow, Koh refuses to help a dying Takuto because he thinks he's been corrupted by Ryouta. Ryouta shoots Koh, setting himself and Takuto free, but he feels guilty over killing him. Though both of them are emotionally damaged, they continue their lives as normal, as if all the events were AllJustADream, and later get together]]. The main reason why this ending is ambiguous [[spoiler:is because of Takuto's subsequent behavior, as he becomes a LoveHungry, FetishizedAbuser {{Seme}} to Ryouta; the red flashes he gets every now and then still come back, hinting that he hasn't gotten over his past]]. A good number of people initially believed this was another bad ending until the [[AllThereInTheManual fanbook]] listed it as a good ending.
43	** Behind (Koh's worst ending): If Takuto makes little attempt to help Koh, [[spoiler:Koh will remain jaded. Ryouta, upset that Takuto doesn't love him, [[TheHeroDies strangles him to death]].]]
44	** [[AliceAllusion Alice in Forbiddenland]] (Koh's bad ending): [[spoiler:If Takuto doesn't agree to kill Koh, Alice will stab him since she doesn't want to see Koh fall in love and get inevitably rejected.]]
45	** [[BittersweetEnding Missing]] (normal ending): [[spoiler:Takuto falls in love with Koh, and decides to stay in the mansion while Ryouta leaves. Since Takuto doesn't want to kill Koh, Koh uses his MindControl powers to force him to shoot despite his protests.]]
46	** Endless Snow (Koh's good ending): [[spoiler:Takuto and Koh both [[IChooseToStay come to love each other]], but Takuto agrees to kill Koh.]]
47	** [[GoldenEnding Eternal Moon]] (true ending, stems off of Missing): [[spoiler:Takuto becomes inaugurated as a vampire and lives with Koh and Alice as Ryouta continues the band without him. When Ryouta realizes Takuto left flowers for him at the concert, he makes a RaceForYourLove, only to find that Takuto has left without saying goodbye.]]
48	* EvilTwin: [[spoiler:Takuto]] has one in the ''Paranoia Paradox'' game.
49	* FetishizedAbuser:
50	** Koh. From trapping his love interest Takuto and said love interest's suitor in his mansion to raping either or both of them, depending on the route.
51	** [[spoiler:Takuto]] becomes one in the Silent Cage ending, especially in the ''Another Menu: Taste Spicy (Stinger)'' drama [=CD=]. Sure, he's conflicted about it but still behaves pretty shittily.
52	* FlowerMotifs: Takuto is represented by white roses (pascali), which mean "purity." Koh is represented by blood-red roses, which are expressions of bold love and mystery. Ryouta's favorite flower is the sunflower, which represents his bright, energetic, and outgoing personality.
53	* FriendsWithBenefits: Syusei ''really'' wants to be this with Takuto, as it's pretty clear he's lusting after him instead of loving him.
54	* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler:Koh is the product of a human woman and an incubus.]]
55	* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Alice, one of the servants at the mansion, is blonde and is on good terms with both Koh and Takuto. She's genuinely nice to everyone, too.
56	* HopelessSuitor: This is what Ryouta appears to be unless you choose his good endings. In ''Another Menu: Taste Sweet'', both [[spoiler:Tsukasa and Syusei]] feel this way, as they are attracted to Takuto too.
57	* ICannotSelfTerminate: Koh is immortal. Because of this, [[spoiler:he hates his HalfHumanHybrid origin and decides to become the embodiment of Takuto's sins so he can die peacefully. In Ryouta's route, he specifically targets Takuto and kills everyone around him, from his parents to his female acquaintances, just to nurture his [[ThePowerOfHate hatred]] so he's able to use a special gun to put him to rest.]]
58	* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Koh to Takuto, since he deliberately traps him in his mansion and makes sexual advances on him routinely.
59	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In all of [[spoiler:Ryouta's]] good endings, [[spoiler:Chiharu]] gives up pursuing him. Also, in ''Paranoia Paradox'', if you get all the scenes in the game and play through it again, there's a secret dream sequence where [[spoiler:you meet Tsukasa, who is [[HeIsAllGrownUp all grown up]] and wants a date with Takuto before completely giving up on him.]]
60	* ImmodestOrgasm: The {{Uke}} (Takuto, [[spoiler:and sometimes Ryouta, especially in the Silent Cage ending]]) tend to get this while the {{Seme}} (Koh) tend to get the more stifled GruntingOrgasm.
61	%%* InnocentFlowerGirl: The owner of the flower shop that Takuo works at, Ayako.
62	* InterspeciesRomance: Between Koh (a vampire) and Takuto (a human).
63	%%* {{Keet}}: Ryouta, and possibly Tsukasa.
64	* TheKillerInMe: [[spoiler:The person who killed Takuto's adoptive father is actually Takuto himself, who instinctively defended himself during an AttemptedRape.]]
65	* KissOfTheVampire: Takuto gets his neck bitten several times by Koh, sometimes during intercourse.
66	* JadeColoredGlasses: Takuto UsedToBeASweetKid up until [[spoiler:his parents died]]. It really shows in his TroubledButCute appearance.
67	* JustFriends: Takuto pretends to be ObliviousToLove when it comes to Ryouta, because he'd rather they keep their relationship like this.
68	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Takuto can't remember the details of [[spoiler:his foster father's death]] very well [[spoiler:because Koh sealed his memory]].
69	* LightNovel: Four in total:
70	** ''Sweet Order'': Christmas-themed compilation with a Koh story titled ''Beneath the Sheets'' and a Ryouta story titled ''Eggnog''.
71	** ''Spicy Order'': Compilation with a Ryouta story [[note]]Takes place after the Silent Cage ending, Ryouta's good ending.[[/note]] and a Koh story. [[note]]Takes place after the Slave to the Dark ending, Ryouta's bad ending. The pairing is noted as Master × Takuto.[[/note]]
72	** ''Stray Order'': A Syusei story. [[note]]Takes place after the Solitude ending, Ryouta's worst ending.[[/note]]
73	** ''Sacred Order'': A compilation with a Koh story and a Ryouta story.
74	%%* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Syusei, by spades.
75	* LoveAtFirstSight: In Ryouta's best ending (Over the Rainbow), Takuto claims that he fell in love with Ryouta the moment he saw him.
76	* LoveHungry: [[spoiler:Takuto]] becomes this [[spoiler:in the Silent Cage ending, where he becomes completely obsessed with making Ryouta depend on him, as he craves his attention and wants to corrupt his "goodness" with his darkness.]] This is especially evident throughout his monologues in the ''Taste Spicy (Stinger)'' [=CD=] and how he subjects him through so much humiliation just so he can hear a LoveConfession.
77	* LoveMakesYouCrazy: In the Slave to the Dark ending, [[spoiler:Ryouta cracks under the pressure of seeing Takuto deal with Koh that he becomes {{Yandere}}]].
78	* LoveMakesYouEvil: AxCrazy [[spoiler:Chiharu]] wants to kill [[spoiler:Ryouta]] because [[spoiler:he used her as a substitute for his lust for Takuto]].
79	* LoveRedeems: A non-villian example, but the Over the Rainbow ending, Takuto believes his heart has healed because of Ryouta's unconditional love for him.
80	* LoveTriangle: The main triangle consists of Koh/Takuto/Ryouta. Also becomes a LoveDodecahedron if you consider the other two {{Love Interest}}s that Takuto could be paired up with in the spin-off ''Paranoia Paradox'': [[TallDarkAndHandsome Syusei]] and [[TokenMiniMoe Tsukasa]], both members of Dizziness. In ''Another Menu: Taste Sweet'', Tsukasa and Syusei both admit they like Takuto. [[spoiler:Chiharu]] is also in love with [[spoiler:Ryouta]]. The wrong choices you can make can ultimately turn into a PsychoticLoveTriangle, as both Koh and Ryouta start becoming more possessive of Takuto without caring for his mental well-being.
81	* MacGuffin: Plenty of items are found in the game to serve as plot devices. In Ryouta's route, Takuto finds an earring that belongs to [[spoiler:Chiharu Makita, a mutual friend of theirs, which introduces her into the story]]. Takuto also finds a fruit knife [[spoiler:which reminds him of how his adoptive father died]] and is given a gun at the beginning of the game, [[spoiler:which is the only way to kill Koh and escape the mansion]].
82	* MayDecemberRomance: Koh is significantly older than Takuto since he already had the appearance of a fully grown male when he first met him as a child.
83	* MementoMacGuffin: Ryouta treasures Takuto's class ring and keeps it attached to his cell phone.
84	* MentalWorld: [[spoiler:Koh's entire mansion and servants are built straight from his mind, explaining why Takuto and Ryouta can't leave the mansion and are cut off from the rest of the world. The only way to leave is to kill him with a special gun that runs on UnstoppableRage.]]
85	* MercyKill: In Ryouta's endings, [[spoiler:Takuto admits to considering killing Ryouta so he won't have to suffer]].
86	* MetaphysicalFuel: Early in the game, Takuto receives a [[InstantDeathBullet loaded gun]] that can only be used if the user strongly wishes to kill.
87	* MindControl: Koh is capable of doing this to Takuto. [[spoiler:Goes into full [[{{Brainwashed}} Brainwashing]] in the Slave in the Dark ending.]]
88	* MoralityPet: Alice is one to both Koh and Takuto. Since she's the only servant who is genuinely kind to Takuto, this makes him conflicted over [[spoiler:killing Koh to flee the mansion, since killing him would kill her as well]].
89	* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler:Chiharu]] tries to kill [[spoiler:Ryouta]] so they can be TogetherInDeath.
90	%%* MrFanservice: All the male leads, especially Takuto and Ryouta.
91	* NoOneGetsLeftBehind: Even though Ryouta is most likely allowed to leave the mansion at any time, he refuses to go without Takuto.
92	* NotGrowingUpSucks: Ryouta complains about this because he thinks his height and immaturity makes him incapable of being worthy of Takuto. [[spoiler:It becomes a huge part of their argument in the fandisk game, and his avatar, the Prince of Red Heart, manifests himself in Takuto's dream as someone who thinks GrowingUpSucks]].
93	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: The traditional rules of being a vampire are set, but Koh states that vampires refuse to drink blood from people who are dead or [[NatureAdoresAVirgin have had sex with others]], reason being that the first harms vampires while the second may kill the person.
94	* ParentalAbandonment: [[spoiler:Takuto's parents were killed, presumably by Koh, when he was a child.]]
95	* RapeAsDrama: Takuto was sexually abused growing up and this is fundamental to his backstory, [[spoiler:though all of them are actually AttemptedRape, since he was fine upon getting his blood taken by Koh. However, he does get raped by Koh in the beginning of the game, and Ryouta in some of the bad endings.]]
96	%%* RavenHairIvorySkin: Veronica, the more taciturn maid at the mansion.
97	* RedEyesTakeWarning: Koh's eyes flash red when he wants to pull his MindControl tricks.
98	* ReplacementGoldfish: [[spoiler:Veronica was intentionally created to resemble Koh's mother.]]
99	* ShowerOfAngst: Takuto takes several of them throughout the course of the visual novel. [[spoiler:One of them turns into a ShowerOfLove with Ryouta.]]
100	* SmokingIsCool: Takuto smokes, but Ryouta doesn't. In ''Taste Spicy (Stinger)'' [[spoiler:and the fandisk game]] he tries to because he thinks it makes him look more mature.
101	* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Takuto hates the way he looks because everyone sees him as a sex object.
102	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The fanbook romanizes Syusei and Ryouta as "Syusei" and "Ryouta", but ''Paranoia Paradox'' writes them as "Shusei" and "Ryota."
103	* SpinOff: ''Paranoia Paradox'' is a spin-off game taking place in a wacky AliceAllusion world and gives Takuto the option of having two additional love interests. There are also three bonus drama [=CDs=], ''Another Menu'', released that occur after the original game and follow specific endings: in particular, ''Another Menu: Taste Sweet'', is an audio adaptation of two stories from the LightNovel ''Messiah: Sweet Order'', with Ryouta/Takuto for "Eggnog" and Koh/Takuto for "Between the Sheets." ''Another Menu: Taste Spicy (Angel Face)'', the Koh/Takuto [=CD=] takes place after the Slave in the Dark ending, while ''Another Menu: Taste Spicy (Stinger)'', the Takuto/Ryouta [=CD=], takes place after the Silent Cage ending.
104	%%* SugarAndIcePersonality: Takuto, with emphasis on "ice."
105	%%* TallDarkAndHandsome: Syusei, who is also TallDarkAndSnarky.
106	%%* VampiresAreSexGods
107	* ViralTransformation: [[spoiler:Takuto is slowly transforming into a vampire during his stay at Koh's mansion, and deals with BloodLust and a strange HealingFactor. These stages become more intense as he involuntarily submits to ceremonial intercourse with Koh]].
108	* WeHardlyKnewYe: Near the end of the introduction stage, [[spoiler:Takuto's classmate Kanako Fujisaki is introduced as a girl who's dating Koh, and shortly after her second appearance, she falls off the stairs and dies.]]
109	%%* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Pretty much [[spoiler:Koh's]] backstory.
110	%%* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Koh, if you choose the bad endings.
111	%%* {{Yandere}}: Chiharu most definitely, especially considering her motives in the ''Paranoia Paradox'' game.

Context VisualNovel / Messiah