Damn You Shizune

[bradpara]

What Have I wrought

Now look at me I am now doing a run through of Shizune and Hanako's paths AT THE SAME TIME

Man It is going to be HELL for me when the full game comes out

[Wrench Wench]

Oh the things I would do to that busty Japanese midget. Well ok all the Japanese are midgets compared to me but this one? Oh the things I would do. Well seems I'm at least bi-curious now. Thank you KS devs.

Think of all the men on the forums you just gave a heart attack to.



I hope you're happy.

The worst part is I have a habit of saying aloud whatever I'm typing. He overheard me and is now no doubt looking for a deaf/mute Japanese schoolgirl.

[ElisaMasah]

The worst part is I have a habit of saying aloud whatever I'm typing. He overheard me and is now no doubt looking for a deaf/mute Japanese schoolgirl.

This is just ... so sweet and creepy that make My Head A Splode ...

[Deimos]

When I first started this game and I as made my through all of the other endings, I was a committed Hanako man.
But now after I finished Shizune's ending, which the last one on the list and the one I did more out of a desire to get them all. I find my resolve faltering. The Shicchan side of the force is calling to me. Her ending is probably the best of all of them.

Her ending is one of her strongest points, yet also a reason to be wary when it comes to any particular attraction one might feel. Please do not get me wrong, her ending is certainly compelling and among the best and densely concentrated pieces of narratives the demo has to offer, but it should not divert from the rest of her route which was fairly good but not really outstanding compared to the other girls. The ending makes her stand out and should thus be objected to scrutiny whether it was that magic moment that made Hisao, and by association - the player, fall in love with Shizune or if her popularity would still be equally high without it. It is furthermore a valid point to ask what would have happened if Shizune got sleepy on the roof and Misha were the one Hisao ends up sharing that moment with.
I mean to raise the question if it is because of this single moment in time that something as significant as falling in love is "decided", because it ought to be that such wonderful realization complements the tone, mood and setting of one scene, or if it is simply a climax of close encounters which already formed the soft strings of romantic attachment and finally makes the emotional entanglement apparent.

[Red_Machine]

That was very succinctly put, Gomez.

[Minister of Gloom]

The worst part is I have a habit of saying aloud whatever I'm typing. He overheard me and is now no doubt looking for a deaf/mute Japanese schoolgirl.

This is just ... so sweet and creepy that make My Head A Splode ...

Think about the potential for a threesome.
THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL.
If you find your deaf midget, please put it all on video. I... uh... know some... people. Who will appreciate it very much.

And now for something completely different: Shizune's ending is indeed by far the most powerful and most "invested"(How do you say it in English? An adjective which means "something into which a lot of effort was put") in the demo, or this is at least the feeling I got. I also think it's longer, but I have to admit I haven't really checked it. I heard someone suggesting that this is a "proof" that Shizune's path is the canon one, or at least the one you are "supposed" to pick.
From my (very limited) knowledge of the devs and the game, I assume that this is not true.
So, is it just a coincidence? Other girls get just as much attention in the other acts? Or is it something else?

[ElisaMasah]

I don't think there is a Canon Path or actually, I belive all Girls are Canon. The Devs are just trying to make Katawa Shoujo something different for the "usual" Viasual Novel and I think that the "Canon Payring" are something they are trying to avoid. All the Girls are Hisao True Love, of course there are different Hisao in any girls path (for example Hisao is more apathetic in Rin path than in the others) so in the end all rely to you player to chose wich girl and which Hisao is deserving to be the Right One.

I think all the girl have different time to ... warm up to Hisao, Shizune as the "brake for no one" girl we all know and love just move to it faster and since we don't have any Act 2 demo we can't really judge how the others Hisao will come to understand they love Rin/Hanako/Lilly/Emi/Misha/The Nurse.

Or you can simply go for Kenji and die, alone and unloved and since we live in a Crapsack World ... maybe Kenji End is the more canonically one.

[Mirage_GSM]

It is furthermore a valid point to ask what would have happened if Shizune got sleepy on the roof and Misha were the one Hisao ends up sharing that moment with.

Just give the cat to Misha to find out...

[bradpara]

Hmmmmmmmmm well Shizune also does have First Girl Wins going for her if you take her route

[Deimos]

Hmmmmmmmmm well Shizune also does have First Girl Wins going for her if you take her route

That may very well be a sufficient description of her route, yet it is not necessarily a positive argument for pursuing her. That is, unless one happens to suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder that compels her or him to always take the first choice when presented with a set of options.

It is furthermore a valid point to ask what would have happened if Shizune got sleepy on the roof and Misha were the one Hisao ends up sharing that moment with.

Just give the cat to Misha to find out...

So, apart from the rather fantastical elements, giving Misha the stuffed animal would cause for Hisao and Misha to become a couple and would additionally include Misha being affected by cancer? In case there really was such a decision in the game to give Misha the stuffed animal, I am not really sure if some people would opt for this course of actions for all the wrong reasons.

[bradpara]

Hmmmmmmmmm well Shizune also does have First Girl Wins going for her if you take her route

That may very well be a sufficient description of her route, yet it is not necessarily a positive argument for pursuing her. That is, unless one happens to suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder that compels her or him to always take the first choice when presented with a set of options.

Not making the Argument, just making a rather Genre Savvy Observation. (Guess which site I like to spend alot of my time at)

[G3n0c1de]

It is furthermore a valid point to ask what would have happened if Shizune got sleepy on the roof and Misha were the one Hisao ends up sharing that moment with.

There is a clearly defined dynamic between Shizune and Misha: Shizune leads, Misha follows. So far this has worked well for both parties. But Shizune seems like the kind of person to get what she wants. If Hisao had spent that moment with Misha as opposed to Shizune he may well have developed feelings for her. Throughout the rest of the path he stated he enjoyed the company of both, but much of the flirtation was between him and Shizune. Getting to my point, I think Shizune would not take Hisao ending up with Misha as well as Misha would had the situation end up like it does in the game. Shizune clearly shows interest in Hisao. For her to 'lose' to Misha, her subordinate, might sting, and potentially cause problems.

Of course, this is just one of many interpretations of Shizune's character. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that she might get over Hisao quick enough, and resume her quest for world domination. Or she could feel a certain loyalty to her friend, Misha, and give her blessing. This would show more maturity, that she is not only competitive.

[ElisaMasah]

[quote="Deimos]That may very well be a sufficient description of her route, yet it is not necessarily a positive argument for pursuing her.[/quote]

Well positive is a subjective matter, some think being a no brake for nothing commanding bitch ispiring lot of angry sex is a positive argument to like Shizune some think that social trauma and scar giving someone socially imparing shyness are moe enaugh to like Hanako ... Black and White Knight have different taste and different perception of good and evil.
You know someone must even think that having a healt obsessed eye pupping manipulating girlfriend could be a positive argument to like Emi.

[Deimos]

It is furthermore a valid point to ask what would have happened if Shizune got sleepy on the roof and Misha were the one Hisao ends up sharing that moment with.

There is a clearly defined dynamic between Shizune and Misha: Shizune leads, Misha follows. So far this has worked well for both parties. But Shizune seems like the kind of person to get what she wants. If Hisao had spent that moment with Misha as opposed to Shizune he may well have developed feelings for her. Throughout the rest of the path he stated he enjoyed the company of both, but much of the flirtation was between him and Shizune.
[...]

That is similar to what reasoning I envisioned. Whenever Shizune's ending for Act 1 is mentioned I fear that the buildup leading towards the fireworks scene gets neglected while it is most vital for developing sympathies in favour of Shizune. If the scene is cited as origin for establishing a preference for her, then the role of her personality, that should have served to draw the player closer to her, as well as the work the respective author put into it, gets diminished to a certain degree.

I am sure, many people would manage to like Shizune on her own merits without needing this scene that happens to get so much emphasis (and almost certainly much envy from people who favour other characters).

That may very well be a sufficient description of her route, yet it is not necessarily a positive argument for pursuing her.

Well positive is a subjective matter, some think being a no brake for nothing commanding bitch ispiring lot of angry sex is a positive argument to like Shizune some think that social trauma and scar giving someone socially imparing shyness are moe enaugh to like Hanako ... Black and White Knight have different taste and different perception of good and evil.
You know someone must even think that having a healt obsessed eye pupping manipulating girlfriend could be a positive argument to like Emi.

I agree that beauty has a somewhat subjective angle to it, but some parts of this comment sound suspiciously like moral relativism, although I think it would be inappropriate to discuss this here.

[Mirage_GSM]

Getting to my point, I think Shizune would not take Hisao ending up with Misha as well as Misha would had the situation end up like it does in the game.

Interesting that you should say this...