Kira*Kira Discussion

[Agent Francis York Morgan]

Recently I got around to making my way through Kira*Kira on iOS and was surprised by how much it drew me in and made me care for the characters and what eventually happens to one of them by the end of their route (Kiirari). While I really enjoyed my first read through (and to a certain extent Chie's route), I started to be really distracted by a lot of repeated scenes early on (as my iPod would crash if I fast forwarded for too long). Luckily the game has some really good music and (mostly) interesting end games for all of the routes. Considering this was my first VN I've (almost) made my way through, I was wondering what everybody else who has played a part of or heard about this game thought of it. I still need to make my way through the final true route, but I'm almost there.

PS - Does anybody perhaps have a save file/no where to get one/have a way to go through all the routes on PC before the True End? My savefiles for Kira*Kira on iOS died and I don't really feel like wading through such a long adventure again.

[InvertMouse]

I bought the game at a convention a while back but I've only played the first half hour of it so far~ Hm, now that I hear it's great, guess I should put that back up higher on my todo list .

[Ryechu]

Here's the review I'm shamelessly copy/pasting from C-W that I did a VERY long time ago.

Description:

From Wikipedia: The protagonists of Kirakira, Shikanosuke, Kirari, Sarina and Chie are the members of the second literary club at the Christian school Ohbi Gakuen. The club was set to be closed in next March so they try to set up a band they call the Second Literary Club Band to save the club. Their performance at the subsequent school festival succeeds with flying colors. That performance was put on the Internet where one of the live houses in Nagoya offered the band to put on a performance in Nagoya. They honestly want to disband after the performance at the school festival because they had to study for entrance exams or look for jobs, but they were convinced to go on a live tour by Yagihara, the vocalist of Star Generation. Shikanosuke's band d2b begins its live tour across Japan in an old van.

Before my review, a forewarning. You will be addicted to this story.

My Review:

Story (10/10):

The story is taken from the viewpoint of Shikanosuke Maejima, an average student at a Japanese Christian Academy. While he is not a religious person (nor is much of the Japanese), the school is nearby to his home, and it is a respected high school. After quitting the tennis club due to a health struggle, he joins the Second Literature Club as a "ghost member" (as in Japan it is required to be a member of a club), never attending meetings. As he is heading to his job at a local restaurant, he meets Kirari Shiino, a new employee. A week after Kirari starts her job, a fight breaks out in the restaurant between a popular indies band "STAR GENERATION" and some jealous men breaks out. As an apology for the fuss, the guitarist of the band, Kenta Tonoya, offers them free tickets to a live show.

Little did they know that this show would change their lives.

Later he learns that she is also in the club, and learns that the club will be merged with the First Literature Club at the end of the current school year. Saddened by this, the club decides that they might as well go out with a bang, and form a punk band to play at the Spring Festival. Insert the main character "Shikaku" (a cross-dressing Shikanosuke, but more on that later), bassist; the go-getter girl Kirari, lead vocals; the rich girl with a weak immune system Sarina Kashiwara, guitarist; and the childhood friend Chie Isurugi. Under the wise direction of Kenta and with the "help" of "punk music aficionado" Murakami, their first show is a massive success. A recording of the video ends up going viral, and an offer comes from Nagoya from a theater to play there. Without a second thought, the group borrows a van from Murakami and begins their "punk band journey" on the road.

Oh look, an actual plot.

This story has two flagged choices that force you to choose between one of the three girls. If enough "points" are gathered, you get that girl's best ending. If not, then a "mediocre" ending is awarded. There are also a few bad endings, including one involving a sex change. Not gonna say who.

One thing that brought a number of laughs to the story is the fact that Shikanosuke is forced to cross-dress during every performance, practice, EVERYTHING, because everybody on-line believes they are an all-girls band.

Kira Kira will make you laugh, and it will make you bawl. You will cry. You...will...cry.

...and that's what makes it so good.

Oh, a small spoiler.

Get all three girl's "best" endings, and then play Kirari's again to get her "perfect" ending.

Characters (9/10):

Kirari Shiino, back; (Left to right) Sarina Kashiwara, Shikanosuke "Shikako" Maejima, Chie Isurugi

The characters in Kira Kira are very formulaic, which is the best tried and true method. This VN is absolutely no exception. However, the author takes a lot of liberties, and this is where the characters get to shine. The characters are voiced well (and I wish Shikanosuke would have been voiced - listening to a Japanese voice actor speak in a falsetto would have been hilarious), but you won't be overly surprised. The girls are cute, and they are memorable.

Music (15/10):

That's right, 15/10. I don't care, I'm breaking the rules. The music in this VN is amazing. The songs that the Second Literature Club perform are fun and original, the background music is upbeat and fun, and the mood is filled perfectly with the music. I was impressed.

Visuals (9/10):

Have you ever seen a visual novel have cutscenes? They aren't too common at all. This one has quite a few of them, including ones to accompany the performances. The H-scenes are also well done, and aren't too overly done. They're pretty. The character designs are also well done.

One thing I had issues with was the text. The translator really enjoyed using the word "bitter" in regards to how people smile, so get used to seeing that. There aren't a large amount of typos, but there are enough for me to complain. Please let me get a hold of the script...

Interface (7/10):

The usual things are here, but you will have to get used to the mouse auto-choosing a choice while you might be mindlessly clicking along. That took a bit of getting used to.

The scenes are put together into a "scrapbook" type of organization, which was a neat idea. You can also choose to listen to the actual songs on the soundtrack, but not the Background Music. Odd choice.

Overall (10/10):

You will enjoy the story of the Second Literature Club

If you like music, you will like Kira Kira. If you don't, I don't care, you'll still enjoy Kira Kira. This needs to be in your collection. Buy it Here!

[Metaler]

I've tried it a few years ago, and I didn't feel like it pulled me in. Maybe if I was more into punk rock or something. Or maybe if this were about Metal instead. Hell, the Japanese fucking love Metal, how come we haven't seen a Metal-based VN yet?

[Blackbird]

Where is the save data?

[Silvachief]

I really enjoyed Kira Kira and I agree that it's soundtrack is amazing. I can still listen to some of the tracks and recall the feelings I experienced during the scenes there were playing in. While I felt that the story (or rather, the common route) was a little drawn out I still enjoyed reading it and plan to re-read it before the Deardrops crossover is released. The feels from that one route in particular still get to me >.<

 

If you're looking for another similar VN to read afterwards I would recommend Deardrops. It's done by the same developers and in a similar setting but the routes are all fresh and just as entertaining as Kira Kira's (if not more so).

 

Unfortunately I have no idea how to fix your save problem. You could try downloading it on PC; the fast-forwarding would probably take something like 30 minutes to get through. Failing that you could try watching a Let's Play on youtube, though I personally don't enjoy watching them.

[Naraku93]

Are you talking about Kira*Kira or Kira☆Kira?

I liked the first one, but I haven't read the latter .

[Stormwolf]

There is one thing i've found puzzling in multiple vn's. This vn for example has 3 girls and 1 guy, obviously. But when they head to sleep it's always explicitly stated how male is sleeping on his own as if to not make the readers misunderstand the situation. Is this some serious taboo thing they try to avoid at all costs, or perhaps self insert chivalry? I understand how girls might not want to sleep in the same room as a guy (although they sure didn't seem to mind in this vn), but it's the statement each time is what i find puzzling. Would be utterly cowardly to do this because of some silly taboo thing, as i value creative freedom pretty high.

 

But man, that was one hell of an inconclusive ending for Sarina. I really enjoyed the route though, but when they have routes that doesn't matter in the whole picture i'd wish for them to have a really conclusive ending. I thought it was going to be darker as i heard this VN was pretty dark in places, but for all i know, that's bad endings. I usually just skip those. An epilogue would be a nice touch i guess, since their future is pretty unstable.

This VN certainly doesn't want anyone to stay together. Chie route foreshadowing a breakup since chie asked how long they were going to stay together, as well since they were both so uncertain about their relationship.

Wish Mangagamer would have been a bit more serious with the translation of this VN. So many small errors and some sentences you had to reread a few times and hope you actually understood it. You don't always know what is thoughts or what is actually said, as dialogues sometimes lack quotation marks, so it can be a bit confusing. Especially when it's a long drivel of thoughts, so you don't know when he actually started talking.

Well, other than the protag being one of the biggest worrywarts i've seen in a while, this vn and route was pretty damn entertaining.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Stormwolf

[CeruleanGamer]

Are you talking about Kira*Kira or Kira☆Kira?

I liked the first one, but I haven't read the latter .

The sequel (Kira Kira Curtain Call) is trash compared to the original. 

[MercyZombie]

Are you talking about Kira*Kira or Kira☆Kira?

I liked the first one, but I haven't read the latter .

The sequel (Kira Kira Curtain Call) is trash compared to the original. 

I don't think he/she is going to see your post. Sweet necro. But yes, Curtain Call can't compare. The second half is not completely bad, at least in my opinion. Still not even close though.

[CeruleanGamer]

geezus I didnt even realize the date. why do people necropost? lol....

[Stormwolf]

geezus I didnt even realize the date. why do people necropost? lol....

It's a thread about kirakira in general. There is no place more fitting to discuss it. Or would you rather have a duplicate thread?

Anyway, best girl Aki doesn't have a route

Edit: How do i unlock Kira's good ending? Just did the normal ending, and following a walkthrough i was supposed to basically repeat the same process but i still get the normal/bad ending.

Edit 2: Found out it was the true ending i had to play. Well, it was an awesome read, but i guess more or less every ending were a bit open and unsatisfactory.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Stormwolf