Here at J-List, there’s something for everyone when it comes to finding the right present for the holidays. We’ve already looked at anime products and sci-fi VNs. For the romantics out there, what about finding love with more “conventional” visual novels? We got that covered, too!
Romance VNs and dating sims have been a mainstay in Japanese gaming for decades. By that very same token, the sheer volume can make it difficult to choose one that’s worth your time. Though this is just scratching the surface, here are some classics for your collection.
Kana Okaeri
Kana Imouto (Kana Little Sister, 1999) is one of the most celebrated eroges ever made. It should come as little surprise, then, that developer D.O. released a remake of that classic in 2004, known as Kana Okaeri: Welcome Home Kana. Featuring the writing of Romeo Tanaka, renowned creator of Yume Miru Kusuri – A Drug That Makes You Dream, and updated visuals by Ayakaze Ryosho, it’s an overall improvement on the classic.
Taking place over the course of several years, the VN puts you in the shoes of Taka. His sister Kana, who’s two years younger, has been ill all her life and is spending more time in the hospital than at home. Though jealous of the special attention she’s received from their family as a child, over time he’s come to treasure her. Life, however, is never simple. Whether it’s his long and complex relationship with girlfriend Yumi or how, in his efforts to help his beloved sister, he’s increasingly grown to love her more intimately.
With the release of JAST USA’s English localization in 2015, this classic remake is more readily available than ever to foreign fans. (Source: YouTube)
While the plot can, on the surface, feel melodramatic and cliched, Kana Okaeri nails the execution perfectly. Rather than just fixating on the incest angle, its multiple branching paths do a good job of exploring the nature of love, family, and mortality. That the remake features full voice-acting, redone art, and animated sequences to go along with the bittersweet tale makes this worth experiencing all over again.
Crescendo
An example of lightning striking twice, D.O. lands home again with Crescendo: Eien Dato Omotte Ita Ano Koro. First released in 2001, it got a fully-voiced edition in 2003. While “high school drama” and the writing chops of Tomohiro Minakami of Amorous Professor Cherry fame aren’t what come to mind when thinking of the words “modern classic,” it’s not hard to be proven otherwise if you give this time.
Starting off five days before graduation, this dating sim follows high school delinquent Ryo Sasaki as he’s catching up with his classmates. Still, it’s a quiet time to sit and reflect on the past year and all that’s happened. Looking back, he remembers all his friends: Kaho, who dragged him into the literary arts club against his will. Her strange friend Kyoko, who’s secretly in love with him. The oddly cheerful Yuka, notorious for resorting to prostitution. Then, there’s stepsister Ayame, and school nurse Kaori, who always had a healing word for him. With each passing day, he had real experiences, and left real memories… days he thought would last forever.
Though seemingly straight out of a soap opera, Crescendo does a remarkably good job of making you feel for the characters, with a multi-layered story (including decisions made both in the past and present), intricately-woven arcs, and some pleasant visuals. It also excels in capturing that bittersweet sense of nostalgia for youth, first loves, and “what could have been” had things turned out different. This will certainly stick with you.
School Days HQ
When it comes to romantic VNs, it’s hard not to talk about them without bringing up the (in)famous School Days. Love or hate it, this franchise has come far from its humble, if ambitious, origins. Still, you’d be remiss not to experience the enhanced edition, School Days HQ. First released by 0verflow and Sekai Project in 2010, this remaster of the game that started it all goes for gold.
School Days HQ has you assume the role of Makoto Itou, a student at Sakakino Academy. Like any young man, he has eyes on the girls around school, with thoughts of more than just friendship. One day, classmate Sekai offers to introduce him to that cute girl he sees on the train every morning: the aloof yet gentle Kotonoha. She’s everything he could ask for in a girlfriend, and who’d say no to that? What ensues is one of the most infamous love triangles in anime and eroge history. Whether Makoto winds up with his love interests, and the other heroines encountered along the way, or winds up on the road (or boat) to perdition, is entirely up to you.
With crisply animated footage and uncensored scenes, School Days HQ succeeds in delivering an “interactive anime” experience. (Source: YouTube)
With 21 different endings, a unique “interactive anime” system that hasn’t really been emulated much elsewhere (thanks to being entirely comprised of animated and voiced cutscenes), and wildly varied paths, it’s little wonder that the original VN consistently ranked “Number One” in terms of sales, and spawned a strong franchise. School Days HQ takes all that and refines them to the point of being the definitive edition of this notorious saga.
Flowers -Le volume sur printemps-
If you’re in the mood for romance of the LGBT kind, you won’t go wrong with yuri classic Flowers -Le volume sur printemps-. Developed by studio Innocent Grey in 2014, and localized by JAST USA in 2016, this beautiful VN launched a popular series encompassing more than a few sequels, fanbooks, and audio dramas. As well-received as the franchise is, it’s still worth looking at how it all began.
Taking place around Saint Angraecum Academy, an all-girls school nestled away in the middle of a forest, the game chronicles the travails of Suoh Shirahane, a painfully shy girl with a mysterious past. As she begins her first year, our heroine navigates new friendships within the academy’s special “Amitiė” partner program and attempts to unravel mysteries ranging from the occult to the disappearance of fellow students, all while trying to pass her classes. As for those friendships, who knows? As spring turns to summer, those too could blossom into something much more.
Whether yuri’s your cup of tea or not, Flowers is bound to win you over with its elegant artwork, and a story that manages to combine an otherworldly flair with a remarkably grounded, realistic subtext not too unlike Maria-sama ga Miteru (2004). This isn’t to ignore the erotic scenes showing the same care and tasteful execution. It’s not hard to see why this took off.
Princess Waltz
Pulltop’s Princess Waltz from 2006 has gained a reputation for being one of the most text-heavy and graphically intensive VNs to make it across the Pacific. All those high-production values, however, are put to great use, as you’re treated to a tour-de-force that combines so many moving parts into a polished whole. With sword battles, badass princesses, and sex galore.
Alternating between modern Japan and the fantasy world of Eldelant, this eroge puts you in the boots of Fukamori Arata, an average teenager with an otherwise ordinary life. When rumors start circulating about new transfer students to his class, he initially doesn’t pay much attention. It becomes a whole other story, however, when he discovers that these students are not just royalty, but are all participating in the titular Princess Waltz — a dance of whirling blades held to find the princess worthy of becoming queen of Seven Central — and he’s caught in the middle.
With compelling characters, varied visuals, and well-integrated gameplay mechanics, this VN makes the most of its high budget. (Source: YouTube)
Princess Waltz has something for just about anyone. Whether it’s the VN’s innovative card battle system, a constantly-branching plot, or the compelling badass heroines, just about everything meshes together so well such that, like School Days HQ, it can feel like an “interactive anime.” This isn’t to mention the absurd number of eroge scenes and customization options for the characters, which are a cherry on top of a solid package.
These are just a handful of what’s in store for you over at J-List. With the holidays getting closer, now’s a great time to fall in love with some classic VNs!
