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Publisher ShiraVN and developer DMM Games will release an international edition of supernatural horror visual novel Iwaihime for PC via Steam and Johren on October 23. It will support English, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified and Chinese) language options. A demo is available now via Steam. Written by Ryukishi07, the creator of the When They Cry series, Iwaihime first launched for PC in January 2016 in Japan. An updated version, which was partially rewritten and contained additional scenario and CG images, was released as Iwaihime: Matsuri for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita in July 2017 in Japan. The international edition of Iwaihime includes the scenario adjustments and CG improvements Iwaihime: Matsuri. https://www.gematsu.com/2020/10/supernatural-horror-visual-novel-iwaihime-for-pc-coming-west-on-october-23

Alright I'm apparently 69% of the way done with 2017 YU-NO Switch ver. , so I'll do a midway thoughts review thing. I went Mitsuki -> Mio -> Ayumi -> currently gonna start Kanna's route ^----- 69% It's been pretty fun so far. A bit "grindy" via the time travel/jewel save point mechanic because you'll have to frequently backtrack to recollect items that are needed to progress through whatever branch you are pursuing, because certain items are once-you-use-them-then-you-lose-them, even if you return to the past where you did not use that item yet, and so you have to return to the point where you actually got the item (did that make sense LOL) and then return to that branching point in order to see the other branch. And then there's also the HUGE vulnerability where you forget to replace a save point (whenever you use a jewel it returns to your inventory AKA that checkpoint is removed from the map and you have to set the checkpoint again if you want to return to that point again but its soooo easy to forget when you're skip-grinding through the VN). AKA you set checkpoint A, load it, checkpoint A is now gone. If you continue the story without setting checkpoint A again, which is very easy to do, then you literally locked yourself out and if you want to go back to checkpoint A then you'll have to start the VN from the beginning and grind back to that point. Very annoying especially when you just want to see the other branch on a lategame decision. One thing I like regarding the flow of the events though is how, uh, consistent? all the heroine routes are with each other. In other VNs with branching paths/multiple heroines it's very easy for the writers to just give whoever's not the main focus the vanish treatment, where in the back of your mind you're always wondering like, "Ok I'm currently flirting with girl A so they're obviously the focus, but I wonder how and what girls B/C/D/E are doing right now"... Well, technically, the vanish treatment still happens, but since all 4 of YU-NO's heroine routes take place over a very, very meager 3 DAYS the writers have the luxury of allowing the reader to keep tabs on what the other heroines are up to, even if you aren't on their particular route. And the vanish treatment is a bit justified because even If you're off flirting with the hot teacher Mitsuki trying to find out what's the deal with Ryuuzoji, you'll still get glimpses of tsundere classmate Mio doing her Triangle Mountain investigations, you'll still see gentle stepmother Ayumi getting shrekt HARD by her Geo Technics controversies, and more often then not you'll bump into enigmatic student transfer Kanna mysteriously appearing and disappearing during pivotal moments as if watching over Takuya. That being said, even though it's just 4 heroines over 3 days you may fall victim to the Time Travelers' Omniscient Burden, where you're burdened with knowing things Takuya technically shouldn't know because his own memories are reset every time you start over, and you can become overwhelmed with keeping track of what's going on/has happened/will happen/only happens in another timeline yada yada yada if you're not taking notes on the side or something lol. The remastered soundtrack is 9/10, very good stuff, idk, most of the BGMs just clicked with me. Very catchy and memorable and I found myself playing them in my head more often than I did any other VN that I've read this year. The heroines all have distinguishing themes appropriately titled after their names. I can't even remember any heroine themes of any VNs I've read in the past... Ok wait I just thought of one. Rewrite's Kotori's piano flower theme. Ok YU-NO's heroine themes have nothing on that tbh lmao, but the main point is that they were distinct and memorable to me and would bring a smile to my face to see Ayumi or Mio pop up on the screen with their accompanying theme. Dialogue/writing/translation feels subpar, it's still readable but there are times where my very limited Japanese familiarity can call out the translation freestyling. One example being Takuya audibly saying he knows a girl's "three sizes" and yet the dialogue instead said he knew her height. I'm like dafuq, is that a result of censorship??. Also sometimes he/she pronoun is mixed up, very confusing when it happens. H-scenes are reduced to Takuya and the heroine professing their love for each other, making out, and then blacking out to post-coitus-cuddle dialogue. I actually prefer it that way, I was never into H-scenes to begin with and would always skip through them. ~~ Ok I'll be honest, I ended up wanting to write this post because I just finished Ayumi's route. Mitsuki and Mio were aight, nothing too special to note. But Ayumi, man oh man Ayumi, there was just something about her that drew me in so I was heavily invested into her. Dare I say it was the whole pretty, gentle, caring stepmother and forbidden love concept LOL. Overall her route wasn't too special either, more infuriating if anything due to the worst scumbag of the earth ever that is Toyotomi, but that bad ending though! Misc. Thoughts/Spoilers! (Ayumi route)

Hi all, Long time lurker over here. I've been around since 2014 but don't really post or comment (I'm kind of a shy guy hahaha). I may not be present in words but I'm still here. You can call me River or Alphy (I forgot who called me this but I got the nickname back when I was watching and commenting on Meph and Ren's Cocoro@Function stream a looong time ago. I think it might have been Zaka but not sure). I'm interested in all sort of Japanese media from the typical manga to anime to WNs, VNs and LNs. My first ever VN was One (from Tactics) but the VN closest to my heart is Key's Little Busters (I really resonate with the theme, the characters and I had followed it from the time translation started to when it finished). My favorite VNs are probably moeges and charages. I read some nukiges also but I tend to avoid ones with dark plotlines (with a few exceptions). Out of the VNs I've played recently (within the last year), I'd have to say AnoHare has got to be my favorite so far overall (I love rockets and space and I learnt a lot). My favorite VN heroine so far is Inamura Rio from Dracu-Riot. (she's my waifu :3). And my favorite protagonist is Ninomiya Hajime from IxShe Tell for being hilarious. My translation wishlist is Kurano-kunchi no Futago Jijou (where my profile pic comes from), Natsuyume Nagisa, Karumaruka Circle, Mashiroiro Symphony, Fortune Arterial, and Natsu no Ame. My favorite developers are Key (for general story) and Saga Planets (for general visuals). If you have any recommendations, feel free to leave it down below. I'll be around! Cheers! P.S. Zaka and littleshogun are 99.9% of the reason I'm even still lurking around (I read littleshogun's blog every week hahaha and kudos to Zaka for the VNTS). Please notice me Zaka-senpai and littleshogun-senpai >.< P.P.S. For anyone curious enough, I have a list of played VNs at VNDB under the same username (https://vndb.org/u116199/ulist?vnlist=1).

Hello everyone. My name is Jardic and I just thought of something that I got me thinking tonight. I was looking around the internet and I was reading Reddit and here on Fuwanovel and I was wondering what the deal is with people saying that they like a visual novel and it is always the same visual novels time and time again. I know people like the medium for different reasons, but when I look up a list of VNs people like, it is the same ones as another person I saw. I also know that it is a niche market for people to like these games but come on. If I was wanting to know what VN to play, chances are I already have that game on my hard drive. No one talks about the obscure visual novels and I was wondering why that was? It just bugs me to see the same the same VNs on someone’s list and I don’t see a person to give me a reason to purchase more visual novels. I know the previous paragraph was a little harsh, but it’s the truth with some of the things this genre of games gives me. I wish that there were more visual novels compared to video games so that people can recommend me a visual novel that can raise my interest a little more. I wish more people could be more interested in VNs so that there would be more games to offer. Sadly, I wish I could see that happening, but I know it will remain a niche market. I remember when I got into this medium of games three years ago and I thought it was a million times better than what I was playing at the time. Most of the games I played before visual novels were your typical action games like GTA or shooters like Call of Duty, but I digress. All I am saying is that I wished the visual novel community was more diverse in what they play. I’m not trying to say that everyone’s list is a bad list, I’m just saying that putting some games on a pedestal is not a good thing sometimes. I come to these communities to find out when some VNs are being released and to see if there is another visual novel to raise my interest. Sorry for saying stuff that might trigger some people, but I thought this blog would be a good idea to vent a little bit. Let me know what you think, and I will see you guys next time.

So I'm currently re-reading episode 1 (at a very slow pace since I only pick it up when I have the mental capacity to properly process it, wich sadly isn't that often at the moment) and it's even better than I remember. There are just so many clever details I completely missed the first time. Like how the narration switches from first person to third person in the scene where Maria reads the letter after dinner. Which is such a hilarious scene btw, with this deep female voice coming from Maria's happily smiling sprite and all the adults losing their minds not over how absurd this all is but over the prospect of losing their share of Kinzo's inheritance. Also so far the VN is stuffed with symbolism that went over my head the first time because I read it as a mystery novel, some of it rather obvious, like the wilting rose and the charm (especially as it's directly contrasted with the gold bar). It's pretty amazing how from the start the story is constructed in way that it can be read both as a murder mystery, as a fantasy story and as what Umineko calls "with love". To use the example of the charm Maria gives to Jessica who passes it on to her mother can be read either as a literal magic charm that protects Natsuhi, a gesture of sympathy (or love) from Jessica to her mother or as a clue for who the culprit is as One other random thought I had while reading: Could it be Maria is autistic, not in the internet insult sense, but going by actual diagnostic criteria? She displays quite a few typical symptoms. In the beginning it's mentioned how her she has rather minimal facial expressions. She has a rather monotonous way of speaking (not so much in the dub, but that wasn't part of the original release), using rather simple and stereotyped speach patterns and echolalia. She lives in her own world and is neither able to pick up irony, fit in with her classmates, nor is she able to adapt to different social contexts. She also displays some compulsive behavioural patterns, like when she obsesses over the wilting rose and even heavy rain cannot stop her from keeping up her search for it.

Looking from your list, I guess I can recommend Sakuramori and it's sequel although beware that the first part is have charage plot after the horror part in the common route ended. Other than that, you can try Summer Pockets, Iwaihime, and Chaos Child if you interested with it along with Baldr Sky duology. Lastly, I guess I can suggest you to try Utawarerumono and the sequels (Part 2 and 3). I hope my recommendations here can be helpful to you, although I don't really know if you already play those VNs or not.

Hi! Nice intro! I like your first VN too. It always seemed like most people would always say Katawa Shoujo or something, but yours is pretty unique and more classic. (Not that I can talk though, because my first was Saya no Uta :p)

That was such a good ending. Really enjoyed the anime overall. Felt like it did just about everything to resolve the main conflict in this arc and didn't leave me wanting for much. It was the kind of anime where I wouldn't mind more content, but I was happy with what I got. The characters and plot were interesting in this series, too. I'm also glad that the protagonist being overpowered made sense within the context of the plot and didn't diminish the weight of the main conflict.

My first Gundam was Wing... but my first mecha was Voltron.

Nice to meet you River. I like to see more longtime members around here. I hope you enjoy yourself here.

>no votes I can't even shit on your taste! smh anyway consider yourself noticed. I probably did nickname you, I nickname everyone

Added The Misfit of Demon King Academy.

this is exactly the message of Umineko! Glad that you reached it