Katawa Shoujo: HNNNGGGGGGG!!!

Same here. So Kenji Hanako it will be. I've even replayed her whole Act 1 route (from the very beginning of the game, without skipping dialogue) just in preparation for the full game.

While we're on the subject, how would you rate the characters? Let me start.

Hisao: 7/10. A bit generic in personality, if not in appearence (but hey, at least he's bishonen so it's believable if girls go after him), but other than that he's actually a pretty good protagonist. He's got a few interests of his own (reading and soccer, given how he still keeps his old uniform) and he's still got enough personality not to look like the player is toying him around with his choices, which is what I care about the most in a VN. Even his less-than-nice possible answers in Act 1 are justified since they were either about his heart condition, which is hitting a nerve, or girls trying to make him forcefully join the student council. He also has a fair amount of Character Development regarding his outlook on the life of handicapped people (and thus his own); I'm definitely looking forward to more of it in the full game. If the writers keep him improving, then my final rating for him will also be higher.

Shizune: 8/10. A really interesting spin on the Tsundere character archetype. She takes everything as a competition, but doesn't let it dominate how she relates to others; well, except to Lilly, but maybe their rivarly goes deeper than what we've seen so far? I was under that impression. Deafness doesn't seem to be too much of a problem to overcome, should you take her route. Hisao can just learn sign language, and then it will be like your usual VN (that assuming Misha doesn't have anything to say in the matter, which isn't too likely now that I think about it). Appearence-wise, aside from some cute expressions, nothing about her really piques my interests.

Lilly: 9/10. My, my... Such a high score. I really like her character type, classy yet level-headed; you can see she has troubles making ends meet for her class's festival project, but she keeps doing her best about it despite opposition from Shizune and she makes it in the end. She reminds me of a friend of mine (more on that later). Her disability, blindness, is probably the hardest to overcome, but it could lead to some very sweet scenes. I usually don't like blondies, but in this case blond hair just suit her.

Hanako: 10/10. HNNNGGGGGGG!!! *faints*

... *gets up* Book-lover, Shrinking Violet and needing someone else to talk other than her best friend? I was sold from the very beginning. She's really adorable and while her disability itself is mostly an excuse (heck, her right eye still works!), story-wise it makes for some compelling potential Character Development. Her Act 1 ending, where she finally does an activity with someone without Lilly also being there, was already a very heartwarming scene. I hope the writers will expand on that. I'm a fan of dark-hairs (no, not those ones), as well. I'm kinda half-hoping the final game will have a Valentine's Day event where we find out she really doesn't like chocolate.

Emi: 7/10. Well, it's not that I don't like her, but she doesn't really appeal that much to me visually. Also, her disability doesn't seem to be that much of a problem and I don't really know how they could expand on it in the final game (but I'm still confident they'll come up with some interesting events). And come on, Hisao will have a heart attack just trying to keep up with her. It has already happened! Twice, almost! Given her athletic personality, I'm thinking her route will focus more on Hisao himself trying to push the limits his LQTS imposed on him. Which seems pretty good on its own, to be honest.

Rin: 8/10. What a weird girl, always lost in her own world... But that's her appeal, I guess. I love her perpetually sleepy expression, and while she often loses her train of thought, I gotta give it to the KS devs they manage to make it funny every time in a surreal way (even more with Hisao's Lampshade Hanging). Her disability is pretty harsh... She won't even be able to hug Hisao! And no, she's NOT hugging him here!◊ She's got no arms to hug him with! D-':◊ My main problem with her is that she's not someone I'd personally choose as a girlfriend. I'd see her more as the slightly hard-to-understand artistic genius friend. Let's see if the full version makes me change my mind.

Sooo... Did I say I would talk a bit more about Lilly? Oh, that's right. In a little bout of Fridge Horror (or Fridge Awesome, depending on how you look at it), I've just realized she really heavily reminds me of a friend of mine, who also has blond hair, a similar personality and is class representative of her class (actually head of the student council, but that's besides the point cause she's got nothing else in common with Shizune). And her best friend, with whom she's absolutely inseparable, is quite a bit like Hanako. And I like her. My favorite girl in the game is Hanako because she embodies my ideal relationship with the girl I like. Damn.

Too long, didn't proof-read. Your turn now!

edited 14th Jan '11 4:38:19 AM by DOmen

You forgot Kenji, man! He's the most important character!!!

Personally, I'm going for Shizzy-chan all the way. Oh wait, using that nickname makes me sound like Izaya, never mind.

edited 14th Jan '11 9:08:42 PM by Sporkaganza

Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.

I like Hanako the most. Emi/Rin are kind of a tie for me. Lily after that. For some reason, I'm not as interested in Shizune. This is puzzling for me, because I do actually like Tsundere types, or at least forceful personalities.

Overall though, I think I'm going to go for Hanako first because she's my one true love and then go for the other girls, in possibly random orders, but probably Emi and Rin in second.

And for myself, the first playthrough seems like the real one, too.

Shine

Odd. For me, each playthrough seems equally real.

Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.

I think how much I enjoy each route probably plays into it, too, because when I played FSN I didn't want to consider Fate the "true" route.

But I think I will enjoy Hanako's the most. :3 Especially when Hisao's eventual confession will get the kind of result that was illustrated in the doujin artwork. moe moe moe! ^3^

Shine

I find the true route to be the one that has the most hints from outside the route itself. For example, the main heroine gets the most screentime or scenes when you're not on a route yet. Or the story itself builds up to that route, which may not be that different in tone or anything.  ^*

Ahem. That said, I'll probably start with anyone but Hanako, because I think she looks the most interesting at the moment. Probably go for someone that's not the most annoying, but seems about average first. Save the good stuff for later when I'm maybe getting tired of it. Plus it leaves a good impression of the work as a whole when you're done!

edited 14th Jan '11 10:00:36 PM by Arha

I've been waiting for a female fan to say this! Truly, Even the Girls Want Her.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

Another Hanako fangirl here. :3

Also one of Emi and Rin (oh Rin X3).

A fellow Sonohana fan also into Katawa Shoujo? COMRADE!

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

Are you my twin? I like those three the best :3

Shine

Can somebody explain Rin's appeal to me? She's just a little weird and kinda there.

Rin's an awesome character because she has an interesting, philosophical, thought process. She's entertaining, plus the relationship between her and Hisao that's building up feels very different then a usual VN romance.

@Radical Taoist: -high-fives-

@Nika-senpai: :3

@Alkthash: Basically what Pata Hikari said. She's quite bizarre, but in an endearing way, and that's why I like her.

edited 15th Jan '11 7:42:26 PM by CompassionateSadist

*brofists*

I don't know if there's a meaningful distinction between Hanako fans and non-Hanako fans, since I suspect the latter group are entirely hypothetical.

edited 15th Jan '11 7:49:24 PM by RadicalTaoist

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

I'm basically a fan of Hanako based solely on her visual design since I know almost nothing about her. Therefore it probably wouldn't be difficult to make me an antifan.

Rin is hilarious which is what makes her adorable. Somehow, unlike some of the traditional moe traits, Rin seems more real in what makes her endearing. I want to hug her, even if she has no arms to hug me with.

AND SHE PAINTS! Is there a trope that describes how being artistic makes you automatically attractive?

Shine

Let's check. Hot Artist.

A casual search says no!

edited 15th Jan '11 7:55:39 PM by Arha

Arha, the more you get to know Hanako, the more she will make your organs (both internal and external) melt in inevitable adoration. She's just too moe. He'll, she's not even my favourite character and I suspect I'll end up replaying her more often anyways.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

More like her conversations read like logs of a person talking to a chat-bot.

On the other hand, that may mean I end up hating her. I'm pretty neutral on moe, but when I feel it's done poorly I absolutely hate the character.

Hanako is quite sweet. As long as she gets some more likable traits than that in the following chapters, everything's good. I mean, you can't build an entire relationship on "aww she looks so sad and I want to comfort her". Or a character for that matter.

Rin is awesome because she's easy to talk to.

She said so herself!

No, but seriously, she's the kinda guy who'd make me feel like I can just talk about whatever and she wouldn't bat an eyelash. A little complicated to be with sometimes, probably, but she's fun and I think I could really trust her, which are basically the traits I need in a friend. And she's quite a pretty girl in addition, which makes it just about all the traits I need in a girlfriend.

edited 16th Jan '11 1:49:29 AM by Fawriel

After reading the recent conversation in the A&M forum, I decided to play this game again. I've only played it once and didn't get on anyone's route, which meant I got the bad ending.

This time I'm aiming for Shizune. I think my favourite thing so far is the rivalry between her and Lilly. We don't see enough non-romance related rivalry between girls in these things, especially with at least one of them being a manipulative bastard.

Kenji is also incredibly funny. So many things he's said have been a crowning moment of funny.

I'm having high hopes for more Kenji scenes in the full game. Especially him bothering Hisao for his interest in any of the girls.

Act 1's been pretty good at fleshing out the characters' personalities. If you look into it, there was basically no talking about love at all, with most of the focus being on the school, the disabilities and each character's interests. That's the way to go.

(double posting 'cause I feel editing the previous post would be out of place, given I'm going to talk about something completely different)

So, you know how Katawa Shoujo's characters and concept are based on a page by Raita Honjo, right? I just found out he's also the character designer for Valkyria Chronicles. Then people on Gamefaqs started talking about how the third game seems to be drawn in a more Visual Novel-like style than the previous ones (I linked this trailer specifically 'cause it shows characters from VC1 and 2 in the new style). What do you think about it? Personally, I love it and I think it would be really awesome if the KS devs tried to get Raita to draw a special KS illustration after the full game comes out.

edited 23rd Jan '11 3:48:15 PM by DOmen

This... how did I not know about this game before? Needs More Love, seriously.

(I'm a Shizune fan. Sorry, Hanako-fans/non-Hanako-fans warriors.) Though Rin is definitely intriguing; I'll definitely have to play her route when the full game gets released.

Aargh, I'm torn. On one hand, I want to play through everyone's Act 1, but I also don't want to have to be bored playing through Act 1 again  ^*

when the full release comes out.

Ah, one quick question. I saw on a flowchart at the official forums that it's possible to eat lunch with Shizune after her fight with Lilly, but the chart didn't make it quite clear how to get to the scene before that (it involved Emi branches, I think). This is why I don't generally play galge... too many ways things can go wrong, too many ways to sink hours into a Bad End. o.o

It's been fun.