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Fanfic Recs / Katawa Shoujo

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Proof that the remaining 10% is worth suffering a heart attack for here.

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Katawa Shoujo fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.

You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.


Authors, Archives, and Websites
FluffandCrunch
  • Recommended by: Kintatsu, Omicronus
  • Comments: FluffandCrunch has many high-quality fics, both standalone and as part of a series (found here), including the beloved Confession and Class of 2017.
  • Pairings: Mostly Hisao/Lilly, with background Shizune/Misha. In the Confession series, Hisao/Lilly becomes Hisao/Lilly/Hanako.

Quietly Something

  • Recommended by: sloth4
  • Comments: Quietly Something has several well-written fics, dealing with numerous different KS girls - such as "Hindsight" and "People-Watching."
  • Pairings: Various

Individual Fics
The Adventures of Sherlock Hisao! by Rocket Royal
  • Recommended by: Crinias
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Sherlock Hisao and his bumbling companion Kenji investigate a murder in Katawa City. Hilarity Ensues.
  • Comments: A hilarious and witty fic - absurd at times, and with a very post-modernist feel. Has a very polished feel to it, but at the same time one feels that the author made everything up on the spot.
  • Pairing(s): None
  • Tags: Comedy, Satire, AU.

After The Dream by Brythain

  • Recommended by: RPRPsych, Omicronus
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A series of interweaving story cycles that carries Lilly's Bittersweet Ending into the far future. There is a separate series for each of the five girls, and there are also arcs for Misha, Kenji, Mutou, Akira - and a few others!
  • Comments: Told in a non-linear fashion, this story picks up where Lilly's "bad" ending left off. Stories are told from all the characters' points of view, except Hisao's - instead, we get to see how his life and death affects the entire Katawa Shoujo universe. Truly epic in scope, with the numerous voices adding to the depth and tragedy of the stories being told. Kenji, Miki and Mutou's stories are a huge added bonus and deserve attention on their own merits. We get to meet many of the characters' parents. Hideaki takes a level in badass. And you will tear up at least once.
  • Pairing: It's complicated. We have an unrequited Hisao/Lilly romance, a platonic Hisao/Hanako pairing, and finally Hisao/Emi. But really, almost every girl has feelings of some sort for Hisao. We also get Hanako/Hideaki, Kenji/Yuuko, Shizune/Misha and Rin/Miki.
  • Tags: Continuation Fic, Romance, Drama, Heartwarming, Science Fiction. No, really!

Akira Pseudo-Route by Thanatos 02

  • Recommended by: Jbstormburst, Omicronus, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: "Can you keep moving forward?" The day after the school festival, Hisao finds that he has isolated himself from the rest of the student body and is stuck in his depression about his disease. In an attempt to overcome his situation, he accepts Mutou's invitation to join him for a symposium. However, he needs a suit...
  • Comments: As the most comprehensive (and likely only) written pseudo-route for Akira that is well known, it could have likely been called good even if it was only decent. However, as someone who has read extreme amounts of fanfiction (likely ~8 million words lifetime, if low balling), there is a reason why I feel that this is one of the few stories that does justice to Akira Satou, especially considering I find her personality one of the most engaging in the series. What I found to be one of the more egregious issues of the VN, the Satou sisters' lack of true ire at their father's request to move to Scotland, is more than handily addressed here in spades.
    • It's a very compelling in-depth look at the Satou family from a different angle. This troper was very much impressed with it, and recommends it wholeheartedly.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Akira
  • Tags: Drama, Romance, Friendship, Nudity, Original Flavour, Sexual Situations, Complete

Braving the Storm by Doomish

  • Recommended by: Omicronus, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Misha hates the rain. Everything from a torrential downpour to the slightest drizzle paralyzes her. Shizune eventually learns why.
  • Comments: A surprisingly poignant tale about Misha. Doomish's writing is powerful and excellent. It's well worth the read. Warning: contains mature content. Unfortunately, Doomish has decided to remove the fic from the link provided, however it can still be accessed from a .rar file via Media Fire (provided in the link above).
  • Pairing: Eventual Misha/Shizune
  • Tags: Drama, Romance, Finished, Slight Yuri

Class of 2017 by FluffAndCrunch

  • Recommended by: Breakerde Godot, Omicronus, Trivun, The Unremarkable Man, Lilienne Suzumiya, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Ten years after the end of the game Hisao is invited to a class reunion. From that simple beginning, just about every character from the game is given an appearance.
  • Comments: I was a bit skeptical about some of the pairings used (Hisao, Lilly, and Hanako have an open marriage), but the plot goes into some incredibly unexpected directions. Major and minor characters from the game make appearances and both hilarity and heartbreak ensue. The link only includes chapter one, but the other chapters can be found of FluffAndCrunch's Pastebin page. This story is part of a larger series of post-Lilly Good End fics that can all be found on the author's Pastebin page, including the above-mentioned "Confession". Not everything on that page is part of the story; a timeline for fics belonging to the continuity is here.
  • Pairing: Lilly/Hisao/Hanako, Kenji/Yuuko, one-sided Kenji/Hanako
  • Tags: Romance, Drama, Finished, Yuri, Supernatural, Continuation Fic

Confession by FluffAndCrunch

  • Recommended by: Omicronus, The Unremarkable Man
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Taking off from Hisao's run from the taxi at the airport in Lilly's Good End, Hisao and Lilly take the time to confess to each other that they both have made mistakes in their relationship. On top of that, Lilly unexpectedly meets Hisao's parents for the first time.
  • Comments: The author has done quite well in addressing the issues in Lilly's story and has done a very good job trying to set some of those issues to rest. Hisao's parents are very endearing and well-portrayed. The link above is only to Chapter One, but the other chapters can be found on his Pastebin page. The end of the final installment has a Prologue chapter for the following story in this continuity.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Lilly
  • Tags: Drama, Romance, Humor, Finished

Developments by dewelar Link

  • Recommended by: griffon8, brythain, TakeAWildGuess, Omicronus, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A continuation of the neutral Lilly end, slightly overlapping the VN and with changing POV. Covers what's next for Hisao in living his life, now that Lilly is leaving Yamaku.
  • Comments: Already considered among the top stories on the forums. Now has a tropes page.
    • To say that this is an emotional roller coaster is an understatement. It's painful in some parts, agonizing in others, but it's a ride worth taking.
  • Pairings: Hisao/Lilly, no Hisao/Hanako, wait, maybe Hisao/Emi?
  • Tags: Continuation Fic, complete

For Want of a Nail by Prof Allister

  • Recommended by: Beta Ray, Black Sun Nocturne, brythain
  • Status: Dead (unfinished, last update July 2019)
  • Synopsis: A fanmade Misha route
  • Comments: A well-written attempt at making a route for everyone's favorite interpreter.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Misha
  • Tags: Romance, AU

Fractures by Sadako 1966

  • Recommended by: CyanideSpikedTea, brythain
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Six years after Hisao's bad ending, the former students of Yamaku Academy are in danger, and have to repair their fractured friendships to save themselves and each other.
  • Comments: I didn't realise how much I wanted a story that didn't centre on Hisao and who he would decide to sleep with until I read this. A great mystery with everyone in character (Rin is written particularly well). Mostly a Gen Fic, with strong hints that Mischa and Shizune begin dating.
  • Tags: Continuation Fic, Heartwarming

From Shizune's Perspective by Goldilurks (Link)

  • Recommended by: RedSavant, The Unremarkable Man, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A (presumable) continuation of events after Act 1, from Shizune's perspective.
  • Comments: With a lot of good character development and exploration for Shizune, particularly in how it feels and what it means to be deaf/mute among classmates who can speak, this is one of the best KS fics out there, in my opinion. It was written before the full game was released, so some details may not mesh with canon (such as Shizune and Misha's sexuality). These instances do not detract from the story, although they do result in occasional Oo C moments.
  • Pairing(s): Hisao/Misha, Shizune/Emi
  • Tags: Yuri.

Hanako's Story by Trivun

  • Recommended by: Darkwing, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: It's Hanako's route, from Hanako's point of view. The author explores just what Hanako was thinking during the various scenes, and has some new ones that delve into her character. A good look into an alternate view of one of the routes.
  • Comments: Hanako's self-depreciation almost takes a backseat to a surprisingly bitter internal monologue. While this helps put many scenes into perspective, it can be odd reading the normally shy and skittish Hanako as a jaded cynic.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako
  • Tags: Drama, Romance, Stations of the Canon

Hanako Extra: The Fireman by Mehkanik

  • Recommended by: bloodhawk268, Omicronus, henry42
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Firefighter Ryuichi Hamada saves a little girl from a violent housefire, and his life is changed forever.
  • Comments: Sheds some light on Hanako's rescuer. The fic manages to be both heartwarming and TearJerking, showing just how much rescuing Hanako managed to affect Ryuichi, and even though he can't adopt her, his actions show just how important she is to him.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako, though only in the epilogue.
  • Tags: Drama, Finished, Family

Hindsight by Quietly Something

  • Recommended by: Hayden_Jay
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Follows the good ending of each route. One night, recounted five different ways, ten years after the events of Katawa Shoujo. A night of thinking about the past forces Hisao to consider what his relationships mean to him, and what he is getting out of them.
  • Comments: A fic equal parts heartwarming and hilarious and with good characterization for all. Kenji might seem like he's changed but just wait until Hisao talks to him in Lilly's route...
  • Pairing(s): All Pairings used as alternate possibilities of the same night
  • Tags: Romance, humor, drama, slice-of-life

People-Watching by Quietly Something

  • Recommended by: sloth4
  • Status: Dead; last updated August 2017, put on hiatus by author
  • Synopsis: A pseudo-route for one of KS's many background characters, Naomi Inoue. At the last minute, Hisao is recruited into the newspaper club out from under Shizune's nose, only to quickly find himself in over his head.
  • Comments: A terrific pseudo-route for one of the background characters that rarely gets the love she should. Currently on hiatus, but well worth the read.
  • Pairing(s): Hisao/Naomi
  • Tags: Romance

Hisao and Kenji- Master Detectives! by Hoitash (Link)

  • Recommended by: Tormound, Trivun
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: The adventures of the daring duo Hisao and Kenji as they solve case after case to stop secret societies around the world.
  • Comments: Very good read with plenty of action scenes along with some humor.
    • Defiitely worth a look is the spin-off of sorts, Hisao and Akira: Terror In The Night! It's a slightly silly tale set in the same universe as Master Detectives when Kenji's away and the extended Nakai-Ikezawa-Satou clan are on vacation. Again, good action, good humour, good writing all around!
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako
  • Tags: Comedy, Action Adventure, Conspiracy, Finished.

Katawa Shoujo Blooper Reel by Cyberchao X

  • Recommended by: SpiriTsunami, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Exactly what it sounds like. Apparently a lot of the characters are quite similar off-camera...but not exactly the same.
  • Comments: To elaborate on that too-short synopsis by the author, it's a series of vignettes that start out pulling directly from the game's script before going awry in various ways, Hilarious Outtakes-style, under the conceit of Animated Actors.
  • Pairings: Mainly a type 11 with Hisao at A, Rin at B, and Emi at C, though there are hints of a possible type 10 with Kenji at A, Hanako at B, and Hisao at C.
  • Tags: Comedy, Finished.

Katawa Superpowers(Part 1) Enemy Within(Part 2) The Man in the Mirror(Part 3) by Chrono 180

  • Recommended by: Tormound, Wertsir
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Ever wonder what would happen if Hisao the Master of Romance, the 5 heroines, and Misha gained superpowers and were in the same multiverse as the Marvel universe? If you ever had the surprisingly specific question, here's your answer.
  • Comments: Written quite well and I find it humorous and dramatic.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Lilly(not the main focus of story)
  • Tags: Action, Superpowers, Drama, Finished.

Learning to Fly — A Saki Pseudo-Route by Eurobeatjester

  • Recommended by: MrBubbles, brythain, Omicronus, sloth4, YoritomoDaishogun
  • Status: Ongoing (last update March 2022)
  • Synopsis: A fan-made route for Saki Enomoto, one of the April Fool's characters, written the same style as canon. Act 3 has just finished.
  • Comments: It manages to be both well-written and consistent with her character description. Includes some great fan art as well. With Saki's condition, painful Tearjerkers seem inevitable.
  • Now has its very own Tvtrope page.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Saki
  • Tags: Original Flavor, Romance, Drama

Lilly Epilogue: Family Matters by Anonymous (Link)

  • Recommended by: Eamil, Omicronus, Darkwing, The Unremarkable Man
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A year after Lilly's good end, Hisao makes good on his promise to take her out on Tanabata. The next day Lilly gets a call from Akira: Their parents are coming to Japan to visit.
  • Comments: Awkwardness (and some drama) ensues, but it's not a downer story at all, and it ends on a good note.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Lilly
  • Tags: Continuation Fic

Mean Time to Breakdown by Leaty (Link)

One Wish Link by Da Garver

  • Recommended by: Omicronus
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Taking place after Hanako's neutral end, Hisao and Hanako reunite at Lilly's funeral. There, Hisao finds out something unexpected about Hanako and they reconcile.
  • Comments: It's heart-wrenching from start finish, but the story in its entirety is a giant Heartwarming Moment
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako
  • Tags: Character Death

A Pseudo-Pseudo Suzu Route by Scissorlips (Link)

  • Recommended by: Miyam, Omicronus, PunxsatownyPhil, DittoSMS, Black Sun Nocturne, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A pseudo route for Suzu Suzuki, a girl from the front row of Hisao's class. She suffers from narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder. A typical romantic route, but from Suzu's perspective
  • Comments: Of all of the pseudo routes, this is the most fleshed out and interesting. It manages both surprisingly snarky comedy from the main character and some well thought out and executed dramatic scenes. A remarkably enjoyable romantic route.
    • If Sisterhood is my favorite epilogue-based KS fanfic, then this is my favorite pseudo route-based KS fanfic. It's very well written and the chemistry between the main duo are entertaining to read. It even comes complete with Bad and Neutral Ends which really hit you in the gut if you make the wrong choices.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Suzu
  • Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Late Story Nudity

Reconciliation by Robnonymous (Link)

  • Recommended by: Linhasxoc, Omicronus, henry42, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Eight years after Hanako's bad ending, Hanako has become a successful novelist, but still regrets lashing out at Hisao that fateful day, which has cost her her friendship with both Hisao and Lilly.
  • Comments: A very nice and well-written story that not only lets us see Hanako's bad ending from her perspective but also lets us see how everyone else reacted to the fallout. Many Tear Jerkers to be had.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Lilly, Hanako/Original Character.
  • Tags: Continuation Fic

Rika Story by Rikabro

  • Recommended by: FelicitySprings, Omicronus, Darkwing, Lilienne Suzumiya, Black Sun Nocturne, henry42, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: "Can you open your heart?" A branch for one of the April Fools' characters, Rika Katayama, written in the same style as those from canon. Includes a few "dialogue options," complete with Bad Ends.
  • Comments: This fic is probably the closest anybody will ever come to a fully-realized Rika path, and it's done incredibly well. Rika has a unique personality, consistent with the description the KS team gave her and with a compelling characterization that manages not to step on the toes of any of the canon love interests. The author uses Rika's condition to explore Hisao's character in a way that was never really attempted in the canon material. It also has an incredibly haunting and beautifully written Bad End that gives those from canon a definite run for their money.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Rika
  • Tags: Original Flavor, Stations of the Canon, Romance, Finished

Second Beats by Another Duck

  • Recommended by: githyan
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A fix fic of sorts for Hanako's bad end.
  • Comments: Hisao has a minor heart attack right after Hanako's Bad End, and over the next week they reconcile.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako
  • Tags: Romance, Drama, Continuation Fic, Fix Fic.

Shizune Epilogue by Anonymous

  • Recommended by: Encrypted12345, Omicronus, Darkwing, githyan
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Years after the events of Shizune's Good end, he obtains a job as a science teacher at Yamaku where he meets...
  • Comments: It's just one big Moment of Heartwarming from beginning to end. If you thought Shizune's good end was a Maybe Ever After, this takes the maybe out. You might want to read Weekend at Hisao's first.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Shizune
  • Tags: Heartwarming, Continuation Fic

Shower Scenes by Oddball

  • Recommended by: The Hero Hartmut, Omicronus, Trivun, The Unremarkable Man, DittoSMS, Nitpickeryandsuch, Black Sun Nocturne, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: Hisao offers Lilly and Hanako the use of the shower in his floor of the boys' dorm after a problem with the plumbing in the girls' dorms renders their own facilities unusable. Hilarity soon follows.
  • Comments: A very funny read, written in a style that very neatly matches up with that of the canon material.
  • Tags: Comedy, Nudity, Multiple Endings

Sisterhood by Guest Poster (Link)

  • Recommended by: WragnaroqRMaggeddon, Tormound, Omicronus, Trivun, Darkwing, Linhasxoc, PunxsatownyPhil, DittoSMS, The Blank Mage, Black Sun Nocturne, dewelar, sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A continuation of Hanako's route, starting after the end of Hanako's original route. Recommended for people who thought Hanako's route ended rather abruptly. As of 9-19-2014, this story has been massively expanded, continuing the story where the original 18 chapters left off.
  • Comments: This is literally the single greatest piece of Katawa Shoujo fanfic this troper has ever read. I can't describe it properly. Really, I can't. Just read it.
    • He's not exaggerating; this epilogue may have more moments of heartwarming and character development than the entirety of the original route, and writing quality rarely seen in fan fictions.
    • As someone who has read a lot of fan fiction, this is definitely one of the best I have read in general. And may even be the best epilogue-based KS fanfic I've read. It's very well written to the point that I feel that it even overshadows the original source material.
    • This troper read the original, enjoyed it, learned recently about the remake, and power-read through that. It is a masterpiece. It is a rollercoaster of emotions and amazing character development, enough to make him cry at the end with such warmth. He could go on, but he would need a separate page to gush about it.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Hanako
  • Tags: Original Flavor, Stations of the Canon, Romance, Finished.

Tomorrow's Doom by Helbereth (Link)

  • Recommended by: Kyler Thatch, Black Sun Nocturne, dewelar, brythain, Omicronus
  • Status: Dead; last updated February 2014
  • Synopsis: starring Aiko Kurai, the class representative of 3-1. She drags an initially unenthusiastic Hisao to the festival, and their relationship eventually blossoms into romance.
  • Comments: One of the best-written OC fics on the Katawa Shoujo forums, bar none (well... in this troper's opinion anyway)
  • Pairing(s): Hisao/OC
  • Tags: Original Character, Alternate PoV, Romance

Weekend at Hisao's by themocaw (Link)

  • Recommended by: bradpara, Omicronus, Darkwing, githyan, Lilienne Suzumiya, The Blank Mage, Black Sun Nocturne, henry42
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A few months after Shizune's Good Ending, Hisao and Shizune meet again in Hisao's hometown to meet his parents.
  • Comments: A very well done story detailing how Hisao and Shizune's relationship developed Post-Good Ending. Also has a nice moment where they meet up with Hisao's old friends and Iwanako giving Hisao a chance to finally confront his remaining demons regarding that fateful day in the snow. With a massive Heartwarming Moment when Hisao proposes to Shizune A good series to put in between the Good Ending and Shizune's Epilogue. If you didn't really enjoy Shizune's route, this can make up for it. 'Note: Contains mature content of a sexual nature'
  • Pairing: Hisao/Shizune
  • Tags: Continuation Fic

Teach Me To Dance - A Natsume Ooe Pseudo-Route by In Saiyan

  • Recommended by: sloth4
  • Status: Dead (last updated April 2017)
  • Synopsis: A pseudo-route for everyone's favorite arthritic, Natsume Ooe.
  • Comments: Pretty much the only Natsume pseudo-route worth mentioning. Well-written and enjoyable.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Natsume
  • Tags: Romance

Blame by pip25

  • Recommended by: sloth4
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: A Misha "route" after Shizune's bad ending. Expelled from the Student Council, Hisao and Misha find themselves drawn to each other despite personal misgivings. They have a bumpy road ahead of them, however, as Hisao struggles with his conflicting emotions and his inability to properly face his previous failings.
  • Comments: A unique and engaging take on the Misha-route theme, complete with good and bad endings.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Misha
  • Tags: Romance, Complete

Summer's Clover by Suriko and programmed into a VN by Nijidoggo

  • Recommended by: YoritomoDaishogun
  • Status: Complete
  • Synopsis: In this non-canon Katawa Shoujo scenario Miki Miura meets new transfer student Hisao Nakai. Miki is a strong-willed high school student with a troubled past that is still adjusting to life without her left hand. The meeting of a transfer student provides an opportunity for a fresh start unburdened by her past. This outside perspective prompts Miki to re-evaluate of her current approach to life and what the future will bring. Will she get closer to newcomer Hisao Nakai or her narcoleptic best friend Suzu Suzuki?
  • Comments: A pseudo official story written by the author of Lilly's route. A very good slice of life story narrated from the point of view of Miki instead of Hisao. Was converted into a visual novel, which makes it much easier to read and enjoy rather than the plain script originally provided by Suriko. The only thing the reader/player must be prepared is for some sprites of secondary characters that doesn't fit the overall style of the original game, due to the programmer of the VN not being an artist.
  • Pairing: Hisao/Miki, Miki/Suzu
  • Tags: Complete, Romance, Original Flavor, Sexual Situations, Drama, Slice of Life

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