Phantom

Hello there, I haven't posted in a long time so I wanted to ask some people what they thought about this topic as recently it has gotten to me like being hit by a truck. Just as a heads up, I've played a lot of different visual novels in the past including visual novels from Pulltop / latte, Yuzusoft, circus etc and only the English releases because I do not understand Japanese. Minor spoilers as I will be discussing a character in a visual novel and how it relates to my life. This is a bit of a personal discussion but I'd like to hear anyone's thoughts on it.
So I just finished playing a route from Sanoba Witch, specifically Meguru Inaba's route and I have to say I've never before liked a character from a game / visual novel before this much. This girl for me in my eyes is amazing in many ways. She is basically very similar to me but in girl form (I'm a guy), she is cute, fun to be around, funny, daring, dresses very nicely (especially during the Halloween party, and when she reveals her normal look at home), beautiful, adorable, sensitive and worries about what others thinks of her, likes to stick with people she is very close to and opens up to them, clingy (Yes for me this is a positive). She plays games, reads books, likes staying at home and generally a very nice, loving person who has a heart of gold. Now I'm really hoping I'm not looking crazy right now to some people over this because I can understand that this looks way too over analysed but these are my thoughts on the character after going through her route from start to finish including the after story.
After going through her route I was feeling so happy and having so much fun being in the shoes of the protagonist, I sometimes like to think I am the protagonist because I make the choices during the game and I was having such a blast because I was so in love with her character. I felt like if I were to meet this character in real life and we were to bond, I would fall for her instantly. And at this point, it hits me (you?). You are nearly the end of the route and you know the character's story is going to end. You will likely never have another game involving that character and you will never have another encounter with them. This is where I actually start to want to stop playing and in this case it is really hard for me as I've gotten so attached to a character I've been involved with because I want to stop the inevitable. The end of the story. I would stop playing the game for a bit to stop myself from finishing the story knowing that the story is still not over but I always felt really sad when I thought about never being with that character on a personal level ever again. It actually hurts. I feel sad. I feel unhappy. I feel upset. Because I know this character does not exist in real life. I think I know the reason I feel so strongly about Meguru and the reason is it's a person I've been longing for in my life. She's a good friend, a good listener, a good comforter and a good lover that will be there for you no matter what and in my opinion one of the strongest characters I've ever known. Her backstory was also quite sad and when I resolved her problem (without spoiling it) I felt really happy I could help someone I was interested in greatly. Another problem I've faced in other visual novels and especially this one now is the fact that the story has ended and it is time to move on to another character route. This greatly pains me. I'm no longer there to help her. I've lost that connection with her that I found so special.
Think of it this way. If you were to fall in love in real life with a girl and you go through a year together and one day, poof. You are back to where you started before you fell for that girl and you both lost all memories of the times you were together. The loop continues. This for me is just painfully sad. I normally get over it but this time I'm likely going to have to take a break from that visual novel because I felt such a connection with this character because of so many similar traits and traits I really liked. I will continue the other stories of the game at some point and I'm sure I will like the others girls too but even during the common route I knew she was the one I was going to really like. I'm actually unsure if I'm just really weird or this is something people normally feel (I am a sensitive person) who haven't had a strong connection like this. Do you think this is weird or not? I've love to hear your thoughts on it.
Lastly I just wanted to say, Meguru Inaba may not be real but she has had a real impact on me deep in my heart, I 100% fell for this girl and if I had a free wish to make her be real in my life I'd take it because it would make me so happy to be with a person like her. She is wonderful and I'm really happy to have met and enjoyed the character's company in this game and I hope to meet someone just like her in real life. Visual novels done right have amazing effects.
Thank you very much for reading, if you have any thoughts or would like to discussion please write it so I can reply.
Edit: I just remember I forgot to mention that personal feelings doesn't have to be romance related. It could be a personal connection, a good friend, any kind of attachment etc. My case is related to a romance connection but others may not be.
 

I been using Steam since 2013, and I still enjoy using it for both games and visual novels. I love having a library, how much time I played something, achievements, trading cards, and there are always sales. I always like getting giftcards and sometimes I would get a gifted game. So in other words Steam is my favorite vn store. 

I use steam because it's where I store all of my games and easily accessible anywhere. 

Hey Fuwanovel forums!
I was active on here years ago, and am back now after getting back into eroge after the release of Subahibi.
[deleted]

Steam page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/970570/CHAOSCHILD/

With that said, I figure I’ll take this opportunity to ask for some clarification!

I’ve been looking forward to reading Chaos;Child ever since Committee of Zero released their patch at the end of June last year, but I’ve been putting it off in order to read Chaos;Head Noah first, since Chaos;Child apparently spoils that.
I’m growing more and more restless, since it might take a long time for Noah to be translated and I’m really hyped for Chaos;Child, so I’m currently considering reading the original Chaos;Head instead.
What I’d like to know is: Are there any vital plot-related differences between Chaos;Head and Chaos;Head Noah, or is Noah just meant to bring some extra content for the fans of the original? I heard that Noah has a revamped True Ending and changes to the story, among other things.
If I read the original Chaos;Head and then Chaos;Child, will Child spoil anything from Noah that isn’t in the original (like the revamped True Ending, for example)?

Thank you very much to each and everyone of you that took the time to read and respond to my discussion (Over 1,000 people!). It's nice to have some people to relate to that plays visual novels because I don't really have anyone like that at the moment who I could talk to about it and I just had to get my feelings out there. I already said it but happy new year; I'll be on the forum regularly and will be posting again on topics or creating new ones, I'll cya soon! 

Sounds like missing sound file (pun intended! ), maybe redownload / install?

Thank you very much to each and everyone of you that took the time to read and respond to my discussion (Over 1,000 people!). It's nice to have some people to relate to that plays visual novels because I don't really have anyone like that at the moment who I could talk to about it and I just had to get my feelings out there. I already said it but happy new year; I'll be on the forum regularly and will be posting again on topics or creating new ones, I'll cya soon! 

As for my advice here, i would suggest that you can see the translation first. And if you find the translation is quite bad, then perhaps you better stay away from this. As for the patch itself, it's still incomplete because the Coda Chapter that was still unfinished, but I think the translation is serviceable enough. Oh and if you're the type that dislike love triangle with full of angst, then perhaps you better stay away from it because the main draw of WA 2 is the dramatic love triangle coupled with Haruki's (The MC) indecisiveness.

If you're playing the English one, i can't say much about it but from what I heard you should stay away from it. 
From my icon you can probably guess who my favorite character was. The game is absolutely phenomenal I cant stop reading it once I started it. It breaks your heart everytime but you can't stop because you want to know what's next. Don't expect to finish the game completely happy you're bound to have some holes in your heart by the end. As for me,  I stopped playing VN's for a while since I compared everything to WA2. Character depth is one of white album 2's best areas. If you want drama. this game is the apex of drama.

Has anyone played White Album 2? I'm interested in it, is it worth the pick up?

In my case I gravitated towards Erika because she was most in line with the way I thought and felt about things. Also yes, you were the only one that liked that ending, but don't worry Shou's winter will come at some point, be sure to check back in the next three years.
I go for a certain type of character I guess you can say, and if they are in whatever weird parameters I set for myself I'll probably always have intense thoughts and feelings associated with them. The characters I'm most interested in remind me of someone I'll probably always hold close to my heart. In the end I'm a bit sad when their story ends like I would after having finished a really good book.
I think it would be more interesting to think of taking over the mind of a protag and living out their ambitions rather than just bringing said waifu to your world. But for that it's less out of my intense love of a character but my intense hate or apathy for the dense and stupid protag. I just know I could do it better. Watch out which one you choose though cuz those dense fuckers have no idea what birth control is.

I've definitely had or in some ways still do I guess, the feeling of wanting a character/loving them even if they are fictional. If I could spend a day with them that would be cool, the rest of my life amazing, but yeah. Kurisu jumps to mind for that though at the same time I also wouldn't want to come between her and Okabe if he also existed. But, it also isn't mutually exclusive to the visual novel medium or 'love' interests in general. There are characters from all sorts of mediums I wish I could interact with, either in their story or outside of it. Victor Frankenstein from the original novel jumps to mind, Okabe in Steins;Gate jumps to mind, Micaiah and Sothe from Fire Emblem or Minato from Persona 3, Shepard from Mass Effect, Link and Zelda from any number of their incarnations, all jump to mind as well. All character who've impacted me growing up that I'd love to meet.

My favorite characters ? Hmm... i like the fighter, or underworld type that's generally feared and aggressive, but actually has quite a dere side to her (i guess Ai from Tsujidou-san Jun'Ai road falls right into this one). Another one i like is one with yandere vibes, but not over the top bat shit crazy like Nishi Mayuko i actually disliked her, more like Akane from Renai Bokun:
 
Other ones i'm really fond are characters like Margit, Tatsuko, Tsubame, Seiso (in her emperor mode) and Lin/Rin, all from the Majikoi series or girls like Nagamitsu Maya From Noble Works, she was my favorite in that VN. The ones that i really loved but don't fit into that bad/fighter girl type are Mayuzumi, from Majikoi, or Kotori and Nanaka from D.C.

Yes, I do, for pretty much every story I come to love. I feel sad when the story ends regardless of the type of ending, since I won't be able to keep experiencing it (that doesn't necessarily mean I'm not satisfied with the ending though!). I'm sad about not being able to keep those characters company probably forever, unless a sequel comes out. And yes of course, if the character in question is a tier A waifu the feelings only intensify 
Some would call having this sort of investment for fictional characters stupid, but I believe that as long as it's within what's reasonable and healthy, it just means you are enjoying those stories and characters to the fullest. I'm sure the authors would be really pleased

I have three types of fascination with characters.  One is partially intellectual and linked to my fondness for 'difference'.  Psychologically strange, twisted, and generally way out there people fall into this realm.  A few examples would be the near-sociopaths Hinaori Kagome (Comyu), Shigure Sora (Devils Devel concept), and Kamio Ami (Semiramis no Tenbin), as well as a few stranger examples such as the yanderes of Gun Knight Girl.  The second is character 'relations'.  This can be a friendship, a deep familial bond, or an intense love match.  A few examples of this include Eri from Hikoukigumo no Mukougawa, Suzu from Ayakashibito, and Shizuku from Evolimit (the order is reversed, incidentally).  
Last of all is admiration for a person who transcends the common ruck of humanity.  I don't restrict this admiration to rl people like Nelson Mandela or Mother Theresa, as an example of greatness is an example of greatness, regardless of fiction or non-fictional origin.  A few examples include Dmitri and Shou from my previous post, Shizumine Ryuuji from Inochi no Spare, and Tokiwa Itsuka of Houkago no Futekikakusha.  These people are individuals who fight through their agony for the sake of others, giving of themselves despite their own desperate straits, sometimes even giving up their very lives or something even more important to them.   Their reasons might be personal and rooted in their own personal darkness, but their willingness to break themselves in the service of others still rips my heart out of my chest every time. 

You knew about it?!
I didn't see that coming

Personally, I didn't mind the way she spoke at all. It gives a kind of special charm to her. I could tell that she was speaking in third person in the voice lines at times but the text didn't show this but it was never a problem for me. It's adorable, just like her! 

Hello there, I haven't posted in a long time so I wanted to ask some people what they thought about this topic as recently it has gotten to me like being hit by a truck. Just as a heads up, I've played a lot of different visual novels in the past including visual novels from Pulltop / latte, Yuzusoft, circus etc and only the English releases because I do not understand Japanese. Minor spoilers as I will be discussing a character in a visual novel and how it relates to my life. This is a bit of a personal discussion but I'd like to hear anyone's thoughts on it.
So I just finished playing a route from Sanoba Witch, specifically Meguru Inaba's route and I have to say I've never before liked a character from a game / visual novel before this much. This girl for me in my eyes is amazing in many ways. She is basically very similar to me but in girl form (I'm a guy), she is cute, fun to be around, funny, daring, dresses very nicely (especially during the Halloween party, and when she reveals her normal look at home), beautiful, adorable, sensitive and worries about what others thinks of her, likes to stick with people she is very close to and opens up to them, clingy (Yes for me this is a positive). She plays games, reads books, likes staying at home and generally a very nice, loving person who has a heart of gold. Now I'm really hoping I'm not looking crazy right now to some people over this because I can understand that this looks way too over analysed but these are my thoughts on the character after going through her route from start to finish including the after story.
After going through her route I was feeling so happy and having so much fun being in the shoes of the protagonist, I sometimes like to think I am the protagonist because I make the choices during the game and I was having such a blast because I was so in love with her character. I felt like if I were to meet this character in real life and we were to bond, I would fall for her instantly. And at this point, it hits me (you?). You are nearly the end of the route and you know the character's story is going to end. You will likely never have another game involving that character and you will never have another encounter with them. This is where I actually start to want to stop playing and in this case it is really hard for me as I've gotten so attached to a character I've been involved with because I want to stop the inevitable. The end of the story. I would stop playing the game for a bit to stop myself from finishing the story knowing that the story is still not over but I always felt really sad when I thought about never being with that character on a personal level ever again. It actually hurts. I feel sad. I feel unhappy. I feel upset. Because I know this character does not exist in real life. I think I know the reason I feel so strongly about Meguru and the reason is it's a person I've been longing for in my life. She's a good friend, a good listener, a good comforter and a good lover that will be there for you no matter what and in my opinion one of the strongest characters I've ever known. Her backstory was also quite sad and when I resolved her problem (without spoiling it) I felt really happy I could help someone I was interested in greatly. Another problem I've faced in other visual novels and especially this one now is the fact that the story has ended and it is time to move on to another character route. This greatly pains me. I'm no longer there to help her. I've lost that connection with her that I found so special.
Think of it this way. If you were to fall in love in real life with a girl and you go through a year together and one day, poof. You are back to where you started before you fell for that girl and you both lost all memories of the times you were together. The loop continues. This for me is just painfully sad. I normally get over it but this time I'm likely going to have to take a break from that visual novel because I felt such a connection with this character because of so many similar traits and traits I really liked. I will continue the other stories of the game at some point and I'm sure I will like the others girls too but even during the common route I knew she was the one I was going to really like. I'm actually unsure if I'm just really weird or this is something people normally feel (I am a sensitive person) who haven't had a strong connection like this. Do you think this is weird or not? I've love to hear your thoughts on it.
Lastly I just wanted to say, Meguru Inaba may not be real but she has had a real impact on me deep in my heart, I 100% fell for this girl and if I had a free wish to make her be real in my life I'd take it because it would make me so happy to be with a person like her. She is wonderful and I'm really happy to have met and enjoyed the character's company in this game and I hope to meet someone just like her in real life. Visual novels done right have amazing effects.
Thank you very much for reading, if you have any thoughts or would like to discussion please write it so I can reply.
Edit: I just remember I forgot to mention that personal feelings doesn't have to be romance related. It could be a personal connection, a good friend, any kind of attachment etc. My case is related to a romance connection but others may not be.
 

That is a nice way of thinking about it, I have no doubt that I'll be letting my mind wander too thinking about what could happen next in that story but I generally don't feel too satisfied if I ended up really being invested with a character I have lots in common with. It's like I had so much fun I don't want it to end. 

Yeah, I liked them all. I went with Tsumugi -> Meguru -> Touko -> Wakana -> Nene1 -> Nene2 order.
If you started with Meguru, I'd suggest going for Tsumugi next, and then Touko and Nene. Nene2 is "true route", and is a continuation of Nene1, that's why I think it's best to keep Nene's route for last. Tsumugi was good introductory route for the "magical" part of the story, and also, while still good, the weakest one for me, so it's good to do it near the beginning.
It's like - it was good route, but each next one was even better than the previous. (Wakana is a side route that can be played at any time, but AFAIK it unlocks after completing at least one main route).

I loved Yukino as a character but her route is considered by many the worst in the whole game. MC does some really facepalm-worthy shit there The ending is nice, but the route requires some endurance to get through
(for me it wasn't that hard, but I understand where do critics come from. Well, one of the first VNs I read was infamous Harukoi Otome - after I survived Yuika's route, where for maaaany days in a row the protagonist would just whine to himself and do nothing else, Hatsukoi 1/1 was nothing compared to that )

Well, some vn's force a heroine in your face in a way that makes you feel bad for her when choosing someone else. Most recent example is hoshiori with the childhood friend

Does empathy count as a personal feeling? It's necessary to enjoy any character focused story in the first place after all.
Aside from that when I played, watched or read something there weren't any deeper feelings involved (I think. I probably wouldn't notice even if it were the case).
Wishing a character would exist in RL or the feeling of wnating to swap roles with the Protagonist is in my opinion not necessarily connected to that though.

I use escapism to nurture my crippled mental state, so I obviously get really deep into those feelings. On the condition that the writing, atmosphere and/or characters made me care enough.