History VisualNovel / YuminaTheEthereal

* MoreThanMeetsTheEye: As revealed in Kirara's route, [[spoiler:Tilscied, the VirtualReality training world is not virtual reality at all - it is a real world in an AlternateUniverse.]]

Originally released in 2009 in Japan, and localized and released by JAST USA in August 2013. The fandisc ''Yumina the Ethereal -Forever Dreams-'' was released in Japan a year later containing Nayuta's route.

* TheAgeless: [[spoiler: Kirara and Rishane]] both due to traveling through dimensions.
* AssimilationPlot: [[spoiler: Rishane is trying to forcefully unite every living being in the galaxy in the [[HumongousMecha Ether Frame.]]]]

** [[spoiler: Kirara, though her]] methods and reasons vary in different routes.
** [[spoiler: Rishane as well, as lampshaded by Ayumu in Ai's Route. ''"It's as if this entire war... As if it was a game to Karales and Rishane, using humans and the Extra-Dimensionals as pawns on a board."'']]

* CovertGroupWithMundaneFront: Jinbu Academy and the Student Council War [[spoiler: is a front for the Galactic Federation to find the strongest Ethereals on Earth and bring them to space to fight the Extra-Dimensionals.]]

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Using Veridadia's sword form causes a massive drain of life force from her wielder, unless they're the one perfectly suited for her.]] However, she's capable of destroying ''anything'' in [[OneHitKill a single strike.]]

* DiscOneFinalBoss: [[spoiler: Kurakawa, commander-in-chief of the Terran Army.]]
* EveryoneIsRelated: Although not connected by blood the main characters are related to each other in some form or fashion; Kirara fought with Yumina's mom before the story and had a very close relationship with her, [[spoiler: Ayumu and Ai are both from Algoda and Rishane attempted to use them in his AssimilationPlot, Ai's father is Karales and Ayumu and Yumina are siblings due to Ayumu being adopted, though Yumina doesn't realize that even after learning who her father is until Naoto points it out in the conclusion.]]
* EvilPlan: Two different ones that vary by route. [[spoiler: Karales]], in Yumina and Kirara's route, plans to merge with the Thought Crystal in order to transcend consciousness and gain ultimate power, and [[spoiler: Rishane]], in Yumina and Ai's route, plans to use the [[spoiler: Ether Frame to rule the universe and uses an AssimilationPlot to become AGodAmI.]]

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: At first, it seems as though the debate battles are just a way to implement an RPG aspect to the game, even calling the two attack types "Logic" and "Spirit". But it turns out that [[spoiler: Ethereal battles really happen this way, minus the chibiness, from flaming swords to translucent barriers. And it makes sense too, since Ethereal Power is governed by the user's will, which comes from conviction of spirit or logic, or even both.]] Naturally, both the characters in-story as well as the player would be surprised, especially with the [[spoiler: sudden change in genre from high school comedy to ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative'' levels of war drama.]]

* GovernmentAgencyOfFiction: The Japanese government is superseded by the [[spoiler: Terran government]], which is superseded by the [[spoiler: [[TheFederation Galactic Federation.]]]]
* HeroicSacrifice: Several in Kirara's route - [[spoiler: Zieda, the other ''Zelerm'' soldiers, Galeorn, and Captain Izel.]]

** In Ai's route, Kirara mentions that Ethereals are typically from underdeveloped worlds that aren't in direct contact with [[spoiler: the Galactic Federation.]] Late in the story, the party gets to Algoda (where most Ethereals are from), and sees how the [[{{Mordor}} the place actually is]], in contrast to what they had been led to believe.
** Also in Ai's route, Rishane says, "Humans are strongest when they are united together." [[spoiler: This has an obvious double meaning when the player finds out about his AssimilationPlot.]]

* MoreThanMeetsTheEye: As revealed in Kirara's route, [[spoiler: Tilscied, the VirtualReality training world is not virtual reality at all - it is a real world in an AlternateUniverse.]]

* ShiningCity: Only superior Ethereals are allowed to live in Celestial City, though it's revealed in Ai's route that the Celestial City [[spoiler: is more of a CrapsaccharineWorld.]]

''Yumina the Ethereal'' (original Japanese title: ''輝光翼戦記 天空のユミナ'') is a hybrid RPG / VisualNovel developed by Eternal, a company made up of former employees of Xuse, the makers of ''VisualNovel/EienNoAselia'', and thus shares some similar elements. It's also an [[HGame eroge]], though some of the H-scenes are optional.

* ACupAngst: After days of investigation, and backed up by Rei's suspicions about Nayuta's body build, Ayumu finds out that Nayuta actually has a complex for her small breasts. Cue the Debate Club taking advantage of it and weaponizing her weakness as "Absolute Horizon" to be used by Ayumu in the final election against her.

* BattleCouple
* BigEater: Ai, to the point that in Forever Dreams she eats the student council into a [[UpToEleven 9 million yen debt.]]

* TheChessmaster: [[spoiler: Kirara, though her]] methods and reasons vary in different routes.
** [[spoiler: Rishane as well as lampshaded by Ayumu in Ai's Route. ''"It's as if this entire war... As if it was a game to Karales and Rishane, using humans and the Extra-Dimensionals as pawns on a board."'']]
* [[spoiler:CerebusSyndrome]]

* IdiotHero: Yumina, full stop.

* MyNameIsInigoMontoya: [[spoiler:Kirara,]] in her route.

* SunkCostFallacy: One of Ayumu's arguments for the first debate is this.

* TwinThreesomeFantasy: The Sakaue twins' h-scene.

* WholePlotReference: A light-hearted school romance with significant foreshadowing and a few serious bits that ends up becoming a serious sci-fi story about mechs fighting aliens in space? Are we talking about this game or ''VisualNovel/MuvLuv''?

* RaisedByNatives: An interesting variation in Yumina's route. [[spoiler: It's revealed that Ayumu was originally an inhabitant of Algoda who was brought to Earth by Yumina's father, a non-human, and raised as a human.]]

* SuicideAttack / TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: In Kirara's route, Galeorn uses the Federation's flagship to ram the Extra-Dimensional Command Unit, creating an opening for Ayumu and the party to attack.]]

* UrbanSegregation: Rishane and his Ethereals live in the Celestial City, whereas the rest of the Algodan population lives in something similar to a dilapidated shantytown and wear little better than rags for clothes.

* {{Shiritori}}: Suggested as a game by Yumina in a dungeon towards Kirara. Kirara doesn't respond, likely because Yumina is a known huge idiot.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: At first, it seems as though the debate battles are just a way to implement an RPG aspect to the game, even calling the two attack types "Logic" and "Spirit". But it turns out that [[spoiler: Ethereal battles really happen this way, minus the chibiness, from flaming swords to translucent barriers. And it makes sense too, since Ethereal Power is governed by the user's will, which comes from conviction of spirit or logic, or even both.]] Naturally, both the characters in-story as well as the player would be surprised, especially with the [[spoiler: sudden change in genre from high school comedy to MuvLuvAlternative levels of war drama.]]

''Yumina the Ethereal'' (original Japanese title: ''輝光翼戦記 天空のユミナ'') is a hybrid RPG / VisualNovel developed by Eternal, a company made up of former employees of Xuse, the makers of ''EienNoAselia'', and thus shares some similar elements. It's also an [[HGame eroge]], though some of the H-scenes are optional.

* MidSeasonUpgrade: More like an [[EleventhHourSuperpower Eleventh Hour]] upgrade, but Ayumu's [[spoiler:Radiant Frame]] gets a power-up near the end of Kirara's route.

* TemptingFate: [[spoiler:Zieda]] does this every single time [[spoiler:he goes on a Radiant Frame. Ultimately, he does end up getting killed in Kirara's route.]] This is endlessly lampshaded by Ayumu.

** Also in Ai's route, [[spoiler: Rishane]] says, "Humans are strongest when they are united together." This has an obvious double meaning when the player finds out about his [[spoiler: AssimilationPlot.]]

* LeftHanging: Of a sorts in Ai's route. When the party gets to Algoda, it is implied that Ayumu is [[RepressedMemories more familiar with the place than he realizes]]. However, this is never brought up again. Yumina's route explicitly states it, but due to the extreme StoryBranching in each girl's route, it is left ambiguous in Ai's.

* AdvancedAncientAcropolis: [[spoiler: The Celestial City on Algoda.]]

* CrapsackWorld: [[spoiler: Algoda]], with the exception of the Celestial City.

* LeftHanging: Of a sorts in Ai's route. When the party gets to [[spoiler: Algoda]], it is implied that Ayumu is [[RepressedMemories more familiar with the place than he realizes]]. However, this is never brought up again. Yumina's route explicitly states it, but due to the extreme StoryBranching in each girl's route, it is left ambiguous in Ai's.

** In Ai's route, Kirara mentions that Ethereals are typically from [[spoiler: underdeveloped worlds]] that aren't in direct contact with [[spoiler: the Galactic Federation.]] Late in the story, the party gets to [[spoiler: Algoda (where most Ethereals are from)]], and sees how the [[{{Mordor}} the place actually is]], in contrast to what they had been led to believe.

* {{Mordor}}: The party is lead to believe [[spoiler: Algoda]] is [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas a place of incredible technological advancement]] - but in reality, this is what it more closely resembles.

* UrbanSegregation: Rishane and his Ethereals live in the Celestial City, whereas [[spoiler: the rest of the Algodan population]] lives in something similar to a dilapidated shantytown and wear little better than rags for clothes.

* BadassCrew: [[spoiler: The ''Zelerm's'' crew, in the literal sense.]] The main party could also be considered this.

* CoolStarship: [[spoiler: The ''Zelerm'']].

* EvolvingCredits: The title screen changes to a picture of [[spoiler: the ''Zelerm'' and Ayumu's Radiant Frame]] once the party gets to [[spoiler: space]]. The title song changes as well.
* TheFederation: Once the party makes it [[spoiler: to space]], they find that such an alliance exists.

* HumongousMecha: [[spoiler: The Radiant Frames aboard the Zelerm and the Ether Frame.]]

* MenAreTheExpendableGender: [[spoiler:Only men are seen using Radiant Frames, though it's implied some women do it. However, it's justified on the Zelerm, since the named female characters are either best at support Ethereal skills, far more useful as a sniper, or a member of the bridge.]]

* StoryBranching: The story for each girl's route remains relatively similar until Chapter 4; starting in Chapter 5, [[spoiler: when you get to space]], the paths differ dramatically, though some plot points remain the same.

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Using Veridadia's sword form causes a massive drain of life force from her wielder, unless they're the one perfectly suited for her. However, she's capable of destroying ''anything'' in [[OneHitKill a single strike.]]]]

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler:Using Veridadia's sword form causes a massive drain of life force from her wielder, unless they're the one perfectly suited for her. However, she's capable of destroying ''anything'' in [[OneHitKill a single strike].]]

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler:Using Veridadia's sword form causes a massive drain of life force from her wielder, unless they're the one perfectly suited for her. However, she's capable of destroying ''anything'' in a single strike.]]