Minamo is a pure and romantic girl who can be quite clumsy at times, and she's in love with the handsome Satoru, a boy in her class. While working at her part-time job, Minamo spies Ryo and his girlfriend Mio as they eat together, their love for each other clearly visible in their eyes. She wishes she could sit like that with Satoru, but she knows she's too shy to ever come out and confess her feelings to him.
Soon after, Minamo is killed in an accident. Filled with remorse at not seizing her chance for love while she was alive, she visits Ryo and asks for his help. If he'll lend her his own life force, she'll be able to tell her feelings to Satoru. Ryo doesn't know until it's too late that lending Minamo his life energy will turn him into a lifeless spirit!
And so the wheels of fate turn, winding the destinies of everyone together: dead Minamo and her reluctant helper Ryo; the pure Mio and her carefree twin sister Mao; the competitive Kokoro, who won't give up Satoru without a fight; the lonely spirit Izumi; and the perplexing Soul Collector, affectionately named Miss Death by Ryo. What twists and turns await this cast of characters before the final act is played?
Figures of Happiness (Japanese title: Shiawase no Katachi) is a Visual Novel-style eroge from the now-defunct studio Angel Smile, which also created Private Nurse. As such, it is heavy on the plot and the sex scenes take a backseat to the story, which blends elements of Rom Com, Utsuge, and the supernatural.
This visual novel contains examples of:
- Astral Projection: Izumi is revealed to be able to do this, leading Ryo to mistake her for dead at first.
- Bittersweet Ending: Minamo's endings minus her Golden Ending. Miss Death's could also be considered one, as Ryo leaves behind his loved ones but finds a new purpose and new companionship.
- Body Surf: Ryo, who surfs between his own body and Satoru's. Much to his annoyance, he finds out that this happens rather frequently and is triggered by physical trauma, such as a hard fall or hit. Eventually he becomes too weak to continue swapping bodies and is forced to choose one - or he can choose to die.
- But Thou Must!: The story cannot proceed without you agreeing to lend your life force to Minamo.
- Cerebus Syndrome: The game starts out as a fairly light-hearted Slice of Life visual novel, even with Minamo's death and the subsequent loss of your body. After Satoru dies and Ryo possesses his body, the plot veers more towards Utsuge.
- Dude, He's Like, in a Coma!: Mao, who secretly loves Ryo, kisses his comatose body. Unfortunately, Mio chooses this time to walk back into Ryo's hospital room.
- Easily Forgiven: In some routes, Wataru tries to force himself on Mio when it appears Ryo won't wake up. Ryo does slug him when he catches Wataru in the act but seems to quickly forget about it afterwards.
- Empty Shell: Without his soul, Ryo's body lapses into a coma.
- Expy: Narumi, of Whoopi Goldberg's character in Ghost (1990).
- Gainax Ending: The True Ending, where the game turns metaphysical. Minamo becomes a spirit inside of Ryo and upon answering three questions correctly, they are reincarnated into a different dimension. While it's incredibly sweet, it's also incredibly confusing.
- Grand Theft Me: The entire premise of the game.
- The Grim Reaper: Miss Death, though the Japanese version (a Shinigami).
- I Will Find You: Ryo and Minamo vow this in her "Good" ending, as they become separated after both dying.
- Knew It All Along: In most routes, Minamo finds out that "Satoru" is not really Satoru relatively early during the second half of the game (although it isn't revealed until the endgame), but keeps up the façade as she falls in love with Ryo-as-Satoru (or according to her, she was always actually in love with Ryo). How early she finds this out depends on the route.
- Love Epiphany: In her "Good" ending, Minamo says that she's always actually loved Ryo instead of Satoru.
- Parting-Words Regret: After their huge argument a few days earlier, Mio comes over to apologize to Ryo...who can't hear her, because his body has slipped into a coma after lending his life force to Minamo. Naturally, she feels terribly guilty about this.
- Plot-Triggering Death: Minamo's death comes within the first ten minutes of the game. Satoru's death (and his body's subsequent possession by Ryo) starts the second half of the story.
- Porn with Plot: HEAVY on the plot. The sex scenes are entirely incidental to the plot.
- Psychic Powers: Narumi.
- Reincarnation: In Minamo's best ending, she reincarnates into a different timeline to be with Ryo.
- Sharing a Body: Ryo finds out that he can temporarily possess Satoru. This discovery is what kicks off the second half of the plot, when Ryo possesses Satoru's body right after the latter dies and he constantly jumps between the two bodies.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Minamo and Ryo. In the True Ending, however, Love Transcends Spacetime, in probably the biggest heartwarming moment of the game.Minamo: I finally found you...Ryo.
