Short Reflections on VNs I read in 2020

2020 was definitely an interesting year for me reading-wise. It’s been a wild ride, being able to experience all these different stories, some of which I’ve been waiting years to finally get the chance to read. I won’t cover everything that I read, rather I’ve selected some of the more notable ones I read this past year. By my count, I finished around 30 VNs of many different types this year, so it definitely was quite the year for me!

Gin'iro Haruka

I finished 1.5 routes before the start of 2020, but I was determined to finish GinHaru this year and so I did. I binged the rest of the 3.5 routes I had left and I can say with clear conscience that GinHaru is one of the best romance stories I have ever experienced.

There is nothing more satisfying than watching these characters grow up and mature, as they learn more about themselves and their place in the world. It’s a story of mutual persistence and it’s a truly gratifying experience.

Each heroine has their own respective arcs and seeing how they mold Yukito in different ways is one of the main charms of this VN. The characters are the centerpiece of the story, and how they interact and grow with each other over the years is something most other VNs rarely ever accomplish.

The main thematic linchpin of mutual persistence is executed perfectly in every scene, as it shows how the respective heroine and Yukito affect each other over the years.

GinHaru is one of these rare experiences that I’m not sure will be easily replicable elsewhere, but I’m very glad that I read it the whole way through.

Aonatsu Line

I really love clear cut high school stories, and Aonatsu Line definitely surprised as it delivered a satisfying experience in spades. The character’s struggles feel real as they deepen their bonds with each other and learn more about themselves.

It’s a classic growing up story, and while it might be tried and true, it is very much effective. It’s a grounded tale, and what makes it even better is that the characters feel real. Their relationships, ideals and struggles are very human, which makes this story resonate that much closer with the readers, and that’s especially what I felt.

Miki’s route is definitely the star of the show, as it delves into her past with the protagonist, and how their past formed who they are now. It’s very much a story about both of them coming to terms with what happened in the past and growing because of it.

Yukiiro Sign is coming out in March and I’m very much looking forward to it.

Konata yori Kanata made

KonaKana was definitely an interesting and thought provoking work. It went into details on terminal illnesses and reading the various monologues of the protagonist’s mental state was heart-wrenching, to say the least.

However, KonaKana really stumbles along because of the SoL and fantasy scenes. The SoL was really dry to read through, no such spark to make it interesting. Part of it is because the rest of the cast besides Chris and Kanata barely get any chance for any real development or growth. And when they do interact, it feels forced and unnatural, as if there were puppets for the story. The fantasy elements felt periphery to the main trajectory of the story and really did not belong at all.

It is a shame, since if KonaKana decided to spend more time developing the MC and his illness, it could have made for a much more complete and through provoking, but alas. Instead, it felt like a hodgepodge of ideas that felt sorely lacking by the end.

Pianissimo

Because I’m such an Innocent Grey fan, Pianissimo was something I’ve been clamouring to read for such a long time. I’m aware it’s not that popular, and maybe for a good reason, but I just had to read regardless. And it was a whirlwind.

The high moments were reminiscent of the Innocent Grey I know and love. Chapter 4 is probably one of the single best things I’ve read this past year. The budding relationship dynamic between Sousuke and Ayane finally takes off here , as they slowly open up to one another with the moonlight shining down on them. It’s those quiet, ephemeral moments where Pianissimo really shines, giving way to more heartfelt and subtle character moments.

However, it feels way too heavily inconsistent. There’s a lot of meandering around, which really makes Pianissimo feel a bit like wasted potential. This meandering removes any sense of urgency in the story and ultimately, the different scenes and events feel disconnected from each other. Yes, it had good moments, but it was not able to counter-balance it with the missteps and fumbles it had.

I had some fun reading this, but it’s clear to see that Innocent Grey was still ironing out the kinks with Pianissimo.

Einstein yori Ai wo Komete

Frankly, I was appalled by Einstein by the end. The trial put some expectations in me that were not met at all by the end. My thoughts had plummeted so much as I continued powering through, that I felt so apathetic when I reached the final credits.

Everything felt rushed and jarring when lined up with one another. It gave the characters and no story no room to breathe, so it felt like the story was just progressing because of the will of the author. With this, there isn’t any time or incentive to connect with the characters and the situations they are put through.

The sci-fi elements in this story were irrelevant in the grand scheme of things and lacking any impact at all. Their inclusion is suspect at best, especially since it is trying to be too many things at once and failing at every single one of them. If Einstein instead allowed time for the characters to breath and chose a singular path, it would have at least been tolerable.

Instead, it is a mish-mash of ideas thrown into at seemingly random and makes the story much weaker because of it. It really is a shame that Einstein turned out this way since the trial showed it had potential, but it was all for naught.

Hakuchuumu no Aojashin

I really had no expectations jumping into this VN, since I knew next to nothing about it. And oh boy, was I in for quite a ride.

Musei handled the rotating narratives wonderfully. Each story felt unique and refreshing, while still retaining that emotional spark that present from the first scene to its last. This VN is definitely centered around Kaito and Yonagi’s journey and it is very evident throughout what kind of story this will end up becoming.

Case 1 was my favorite out of the three cases. It felt more grounded and really captured the essence of longing that Musei was showcases throughout. Case 2 stumbled towards the end and Case 3 had a dry start, but otherwise they were solid stories in their own right as well.

Case 0 is where all the emotional buildup finally pays off. The first half is utterly amazing and blew me away with its quality. Slowly setting up Kaito and Yonagi’s relationship and revealing the stakes in place around them. There is one scene in particular where Kaito and Yonagi reaffirm their love for each in the ongoing turmoil that will stick with me for a long time.

That being said, the second half of Case 0 goes off the rails for me, as it deviates from its character-centered narrative to a more archaic sci-fi story with inflated stakes. The story feels like it was blown out of proportion and bited off way more than it could ever hope to chew.

Despite that, Musei was a very engaging read and I’m glad I decided to check it out on a whim.

Mirai Radio

I decided to check out Mirai Radio off the heels of Musei, and I definitely was not disappointed by what I received.

It’s definitely a step back from Musei, but still was able to pull off an interesting and emotional story the whole way through.

The characters are all endearing and have a dynamic with each other. It’s a joy seeing how the various characters bounce off each other in their various scenes. It’s a journey of self-discovery and each and every character goes through their journey as they learn more about themselves and their purpose in the world.

Sora and Kaguya have great chemistry together and seeing how they grow with the story is equal parts heart-warming and heart-wrenching, considering the circumstances they are thrown into and what happens to them throughout the story. While it would have improved the story by a lot if their romance was developed in a stronger sense, what was in the story already is pretty good.

The sci-fi and prose were my biggest issues, with the former being similar to my complaints I levied towards Musei. It feels too grand and inflated for it to work in a story like this. The prose also felt way too objective for an emotional experience like Mirai Radio.

Kara no Shoujo: The Last Episode

This is the big one.

I’ve been waiting years for the conclusion of the Kara no Shoujo series.

So when the release date was finally announced, I was so excited. Seeing how the story will come to a close was something that has been eating away at me since I read the Second Episode.

And for all that waiting, the conclusion was not really well worth the painstakingly torturous wait.

The whole narrative feels empty and arbitrary. It lacks any sort of build up like in KnS2 to make the narrative feel important and it lacks any sort of the emotional investment of KnS1 to invest myself in the scenario and characters. The narrative feels more like a buildup to the true end rather than standing on its own two legs. The core themes and ideas are very well executed, but nothing else in the story really lived up to that. Part of the reason I feel so disappointed is because relative to the rest of the series, it feels flat in comparison.

And the True End, the final conclusion to the series was an artistic explosion of beauty. Every aspect, whether it be the art, music, voice acting, writing, everything was nailed to a tea. They all culminate into a singular beautiful package. It ended in the most beautiful and thematically poignant way possible and finally completes the cycle that has been going on since the release of the first Kara no Shoujo.

While the true end was very well worth the wait, I feel like The Last Episode is too back heavy since everything else before it feels hollow and lacking any sort of emotional push. I ultimately feel pretty disappointed with how the Last Episode turned out, especially since it's riding off KnS1 and KnS2, which both feel vastly superior to the Last Episode in every way on a narrative level.