Your first VN experience

[meru]

Am surprised your first VN is Kanon. Not many people read Kanon as their first VN. Glad to have found someone

 

What made you chose Kanon as your starting VN? 

 

I used to hang around on a lot of anime and RP forums, and I would often see CGs from Kanon posted or used as avatars. I always thought they were so pretty and wondered about the artist.. after looking around a bit I found they were from a game and I knew I just had to play it. I found my way into a couple of IRC rooms where I started downloading Japanese-language VN.

Actually the first time I 'played' Kanon I was just clicking through to get to the CGs as I couldn't understand Japanese XD Then when the 2006 anime came out I watched it and could finally understand the story.. and then eventually the English patch came out! Kanon will always have a special place in my heart

[Bokan]

Yume Miru Kusuri or Shuffle, not really sure which was my first, one of the two atleast.

[suikashoujo]

I actually started off with VNs in 2009 when I downloaded True Remembrance from insani on a whim, and since I had always liked both reading and anime, I ended up trying to find more. I played at least one other doujin title that year (Brass Restoration), but I really only messed around with some early Mangagamer trials up until about halfway through 2010, when I tried my hand at Clannad (partly because i liked the Air anime, but mainly because it was the only popular English VN I could find as a download that didn't come as an ISO file- it took me a while to figure out how to set these things up). 

 

And the rest is a blur. It's been an interesting 4 years, for sure.

[Hivelkir]

Okay, I'm feeling like the odd one out. While a good percent of the community probably started off with KS or FS/N, I started off with Sono Hanabira 1, then SHUFFLE! That was some 2 years ago, after which I continued on with CLANNAD (dropped it after finishing Kotomi's and Misae's routes) then FS/N. (dropped it after talking to the priest, the choice on whether you were going to fight or withdraw -ish) After that was Rin ga Utau, Mirai no Neiro, Planetarian, and Kanon. Everything's vague after that.

[CodeUltra]

i was 12,tried playing katawa shoujo,dropped cuz too boring,started playing again when my friend played other VNs lik Rewrite dracu riot and stuff

that got me really motivated ~

Now I'm charging at full throttle for every VN i read <3~

[zoom909]

Actually the first time I 'played' Kanon I was just clicking through to get to the CGs as I couldn't understand Japanese XD Then when the 2006 anime came out I watched it and could finally understand the story.. and then eventually the English patch came out! Kanon will always have a special place in my heart

 

Well if you count games you just click through without reading, then my first VN was "Jack" which I got from some random FTP site with Japanese games.  I didn't know what the heck it was but I remember the name, and sure enough it's there on VNDB http://vndb.org/v6387

To Heart, of course, wasn't invented yet, and nobody said the word "Moe" unless they were talking about the 3 stooges or Simpsons

[Vemocleus]

I was pointed to the Clannad VN by a fellow fan after thoroughly enjoying the show.  From there, I went to other Key games, and then pretty much whatever decent story-based stuff I could get my hands on.  I've considered therapy, but hey, I can stop whenever I want to.  I just don't feel like it.  Yea.

[ChaosWraith]

Katawa Shoujo was what got me started in VN's, I knew about VN's for quite some time having been watching anime for around 8 years now but I never took the plunge. I finally took the initiative thanks to the rather brief series Day[9] did called MetaDating.

 

And since KS seems to be the "common" response, I'll add my second and third:

 

Monster Girl Quest Part 1(I later came back to part 2 and finished part 3 yesterday ) and then Yume Miru Kusuri.

[Dragonson6145]

My first VN was School days as i love bad ends favourite character in katawa shoujo has to be rin because of her introduction but my favourite route is Hanako's as the bad end show's just how Terrifying a shy person can be =D

[WallflowerCowboy]

My first experience was also Katawa Shoujo. I don't know why it's so common that people start with it. It's sort of strange. Two of my friends had already played it and they both recommended it to me. Before then I didn't even know what a visual novel game was. Once they described it to me, though, I realized that it must be awesome to play. So that's basically how I got into it. Now I just have a list of like 20 right now that I love to play through whenever I have free time. Like today, a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

 

[WinkBlinkel]

I feel like a lot of people have played games with visual novel elements without even realizing it. I loved Phoenix Wright and 999 (Not technically VNs but kinda similar) but I never even knew what a visual novel was. So I guess my first real one was Katawa Shoujo. From there it was Ever17 and then Clannad. I think the one that really grabbed me was Ever17, since I prefer sci-fi settings. Plus it used the visual novel medium in such a clever manner, I couldn't help but love it. Basically, it's a story that would never work in any format other than VN and I thought that was incredible.

[Evolutionary]

It was either Fate/stay night or Shuffle!. I have a hard time remembering which one it was, since it's been so long. I've played some other games with visual-novel-like elements, but it's been a while for those, too. Do MUDs count?

After a string of similar titles, I read Bible Black -- and then after that my tastes drastically changed from Shuffle! to ... well ... Bible Black-Like VN's.

[Otakaiser]

For me my first real experience was with Cross Channel, everything before that was just nukige. Reading Cross Channel pretty much got me looking for other good stories as soon as I finished reading it, I ended up reading the Muv luv trilogy and was depressed for a few weeks afterwards. lol

[Tadayoshi]

 

"My visual novel virginity was given roughly to Emi in Katawa Shoujo (The fastest thing on no legs.)."

 

So I'm not the only one, though my demise was messing up on Hanako's ending, for that day a tear was shed at my failure to keep her...

[Alucard]

I think my first was 3 sisters story then maybe season of Sakura

[Scars Unseen]

My first VN experience depends on whether you consider Monster Girl Quest to be a shallow but funny visual novel with RPG elements or the world's most linear JRPG with a surprisingly well told story.  It could certainly be described as an "experience" either way.  If you can overlook the sex - and if you can't there isn't enough brain bleach in the world to erase the memories - then it's pretty enjoyable as a short little story with JRPG style battles that actually require strategic use of all your abilities(thanks to the utter lack of random battles to level up on).

 

My first visual novel that I knew was a visual novel going into it was Katawa Shoujo.  I played without a guide until the only one I had left was Rin.  Overall, I really liked it, with probably Hanako and Emi being my favorite routes overall and Shizune being my least favorite.  

[OriginalRen]

Ah this thread brings back memories...

 

My first VN, like many others in here, was Katawa Shoujo, but for me it wasn't due to my own accord. A buddy of mine introduced me to it, and he wouldn't have even known about it had it not hit the artist community by storm. Around the time this was released back in 2012, DeviantART was overflowing with KS artwork, and for about 3 months he kept asking himself what the heck it was. Eventually he tried the game and told me I needed to play it.

 

Interestingly enough, I remember sitting down and doing a little bit of Act I. My friend kept telling me you have to be a complete dumbass to not land at least 1 girl's route by the time it finished. I won't spoil the bad ending before Act I finishes for those who haven't played it, but let's just say I was pretty unfortunate. I think I should have given up on VNs at that point, but for some reason I started looking into them more.

 

The rest is history as they say.

[BrazilianBash]

Mine was also KS, oohay for the big surprise.
I do have mixed feelings,tough.

Good vibes: Truth be spoken here: I got familiar with VN's 'cause i found Katawa,simple as that. I fell in love with the whole concept 'cause i played this game. So i really have to thank this title for it.

Another rather important aspect: It's not easy doing what Katawa did. Dealing with disabled characters and just putting a plot together without being disrespectful is quite a hard task. There's a lot of positive messages all around,specially regarding how ungrateful we are for the health we have, and how dismissive a person can be with the limitations of a disabled person. Every route has a strong woman behind a endless path of challenges, and i really admire Katawa for it. Props to the game here.
Katawa also didn't treated women like nerdbaits here. They're strong,independent and brave. That's also a major positive factor.

Emi was alright. My favorite,all day. Strong,vivid,and just interessing from the beggining to the end. She does her best to not bother anyone with her issues,you have to push through all the time. She isn't a cry baby at all,and the relationship develops in a rather interessing natural,lovely way.
 

Hanako also really intrigued me. Such a well thought character overall, you know? The devs made it challenging to get your misconceptions away regarding her appearance,but delivered a heartwarming relationship that develops pretty naturally once you get past her uber-shyness.

Nurse is epic. Such a nice surprise. He is named nurse. He's a dude.  Doesn't care at all. Does his best to spy on every single person surrounding you to see if you're following his instructions closely. Genuinely cares for everybody. Trully a nice guy,easygoing all around.

Bad vibes: I just didn't clicked with the majority of the characters. I really mean it.

Hisao was a pain the entire game. He complains about his friends,parents,habits & even about a regular bus ride. (even mentioning the "clanking" that Emi was doing between the bumps with her prosthetic legs. What a dick.)
More than that,He is really disrespectful sometimes with his friends and family. A selfish,sad guy. And a bit of a wuss.

Emi infamous lube-in-a-hole scene was equally forced,unnatural and out of place.

Kenji IS SUCH A PAIN. MY GOD. I don't use caps that often,but this one deserves it.
Unfunny,unlikeable,unbearable. I just hope a hit squad of feminine extremists take care of him. Quickly.

The rest of the cast didn't clicked with me as well, but this post is big enough.

5/10 (i wish i could get the score higher,but when you don't click with the protagonist...it's just hard.)

[Scars Unseen]

 

Hisao was a pain the entire game. He complains about his friends,parents,habits & even about a regular bus ride. (even mentioning the "clanking" that Emi was doing between the bumps with her prosthetic legs. What a dick.)

More than that,He is really disrespectful sometimes with his friends and family. A selfish,sad guy. And a bit of a wuss.

 

To be fair, Hisao hasn't had time to come to terms with his situation like everyone else in the game has, so it would be somewhat unnatural if he was this lovable well adjusted guy to start.  I don't entirely disagree with your assessment of him, but some self-absorbed behavior is to be expected when your entire life has been ripped apart in an instant.  And really, in that respect, Hanako is actually worse; you just don't see it as much until the end because she isn't narrating.

[Hoshizora]

Like most people, my first VN was katawa shoujo and I know it was mostly hype that got me to read it but I really, really am glad I read it.Now, VNs control my life and pretty much influence everything I do...

[Rea_x_Chihiro]

I'm the kind of person who would you call "fps maniac".Slow pace game such as VN never interest me back then.It all started around last year when I was stalking on some random forum for some random anime for some random reason.I came across a somewhat cool cover of Danganronpa the animation.The anime hasn't started yet so I tried my luck in Mangafox hoping they got manga version.

Found it,read it,liked it,lust for it.Then, I found out the anime have a game version(vn).Without any doubt,I download the game and play.I found out it very fun despite being "fps maniac".And thus,here I am waiting for my next Vn. :"D

[Tom]

couldnt start with a better one than Hoshizora no Memoria, wonder if ill find something thats even more to my liking

but that one is rlly a 10 out of 10

[Kuky_nekoi]

The first novel that I've read by myself  it was LittleMyMaid.

Don't ask why.

After clearing all it's routes, I didn't read any novels in the next two years... It was just too much for me.

[Tom]

The first novel that I've read by myself  it was LittleMyMaid.

why?

[Kuky_nekoi]

My cousin gave me the PeachPrincess version of the game when I was 13. That's why. 

Before that (like 3 years ago before that), I played Kanon with his girlfirend, who happened to know Japanese... 

My very first novel was Kanon, but the first that I ever read by myself is LMM.

(After that, then Kanon's translation were released... well, you can guess what happened then)