Title: 果てなき天のファタルシス
Author: 十文字 青
Label: 星海社FICTIONS

Written by Ao Jyumonji originally released in the Doujin magazine Black Past in 2012, rerelased by Seikaisha in 2013 with illustrations by Nekomegane. This book is very reminiscent from the early 00s Otaku sphere like Last Resort, Iriya, Bokurano and company; Jyumonji wanted to write a book focused on war so it has a lot more action and military elements into the mix too.

Title: Psyche
Author: 唐辺 葉介
Label: 星海社文庫

Debut novel of Setoguchi under the Karabe pen name. On his second year of highschool Nao is living alone in his family house after being the only survivor from a plane accident. He still can see all the members from his family hanging around the house as ghosts so he still lives his ordinary live going to school, practising his painting hobby, fighting his sister for the shower, etc. Everyone that has read some Setoguchi knows he has a very peculiar way of writing protagonists, they are more often than not somewhat lacking emotion, with a more analitical way of perceiving the world, they can’t connect with the rest of the world, almost reaching the point where it kind of “mocks” or critizes human stupidity in a nonchalantly way. Nao fits perfectly into that but let’s say he is not doing very well mentally.

Have you ever wished to be able tu summon eroge characters into real life? Realize Me is a story that focuses in exploring that concept. Kazuki is an aspiring scenario writer going into technical school, one day while playing eroge in his pc he manages to open a “gate” and summon Wakana, the main heroine from Yakou Tantei 2 (夜行探偵２) into his room. The summary makes it sound like it’s going to be some pervert nukige kind of game, and while Kazuki himself wishes that would be the case, the reality is that it is not going to be that easy.

Hateshinaku Aoi, Kono Sora no Shita de…(Hateao) was released originally in the year 2000 by Topcat, with a full voice version a few years later in 2009. It managed to raise some popularity thanks to its 伝奇 elements and the peculiar inaka atmosphere. What piqued my interest in this game was Fumino, one of the heroines; as for years I’ve seen quite a few praise as one of the best in eroge.

Picked this up after I randomly saw a couple of people comparing it to Akiyama… And the comparasion isn’t too far strechted actually. The text is in 3rd person actually reminiscent of iriya and the fact that it is a hardcore セカイ系 work also helps to make the connection.

Picked this up after getting it recommended when I was looking for more Iriya/Hantsuki kind of ボーイミーツガール relationship. This one is a bit different since when the novel starts both of them already know each other and they are in the middle of their 旅, but the atmosphere is very reminiscent of those 00s where the relationship between the two protagonists is very close and has this strong sense of intimacy.

First of all, I’d like to give props to Kemco for searching a new route and explore new ways to make VNs more relevant. Releasing huge games like Saiaku Naru Saiyaku Ningen ni Sasagu (sasasagu for friends) and Raging Loop for way cheaper than the usual game despite being way longer than most VNs released nowdays. It’s probably a considerable risk and it seems that it’s actually paying off, being cheaper, being on a multitude of consoles and of course being really fucking good have bring a lot of attention and positive comments, it makes me wonder if accessibility is the key to make VNs/eroge being popular and sell, in any case it feels kind of weird to go back to pay full price for a game after this two are only 3000 yen. Some slight setting and early game details ahead.

Do you remember back in your childhood days when your awareness started to grow and started to wonder simple things in life like what’s there behind those big mountains at the end of your town, if that is the “end” of the world, or dilemmas like what came first the chicken or the egg. Those years where your curiosity about life itself ramps up and your adventurous side is in full splendor. Our protagonist in this story, a 4th grader kid called Aoyama feels the need to fill that curiosity, he investigate the answers to some of these questions and so he spends his days learning and taking notes about everything he finds worthy of interest, with the idea he’ll become a capable, competent adult.