Line #81 VisualNovel/MuvLuvUnlimited


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_unl_mainmenu.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''Muv-Luv Unlimited'']]
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4	-> ''[[ArcWords Even if your own life is what's most important to you, you can't protect it alone.]]''
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6	''Muv-Luv Unlimited'' is the second of the ''Muv-Luv'' VisualNovel trilogy and follows where ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvExtra'' left off. One day, Takeru wakes up to find that his entire home town is in ruins. In place of his neighbor's house is a crashed HumongousMecha. Naturally, Takeru begins to have spasms of nerdy joy at seeing real mecha. Since you can only appreciate a destroyed mecha for so long, eventually he begins wandering around the rubble and eventually decides to head up to the school, which looks a little ''different'' today. As in, it has become a military base with guards and a massive antenna. Lacking proper authorization or a reasonable excuse for what he is doing in this town, he is quickly arrested and thrown into the military prison until the head scientist comes to visit. Said head scientist is none other than Yuuko, the stranger of [[TwoTeacherSchool his two teachers]].
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8	However, all is not well quite so easily. Yuuko clearly does not have any idea who Takeru is, and after a brief conversation, it is established that Takeru is not in the world he knows any longer. Instead, he has been dropped into an apocalyptic warzone where over three-quarters of humanity has been wiped out by the mysterious aliens known only as the BETA. Lacking any other ways to get by or go home, Takeru is more or less conscripted and to his delight will be entering the training program to pilot the mechas. On top of that, he is given a strangely high access to the base's inner workings. As he joins his new training squad, he is shocked to see that they are all familiar faces. They are, in fact, all of his love interests from '"Extra'' as well as Mikoto, who is now definitely a girl. Just like Yuuko, they are alternate versions of the people he knows, and thus they do not recognize him. Strangely, though, Sumika is not there. In fact, no one there has even heard of her. Unfortunately, Takeru has little time to deal with this, as compared to actual soldiers he is dreadfully unprepared.
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10	''Unlimited'' is generally viewed as the point in the Visual Novel franchise when the series begins to get interesting. Not only does it show us how a typical harem protagonist fares in a warzone, it also shows what the other characters can be when placed into a different situation and how everyone is forced to mature. Plot threads are established for the most highly acclaimed part of the series ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative'' which, like similar threads from ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvExtra'' will take some time to bear fruit.
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12	Has a continuation of its timeline in the VisualNovel series ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvUnlimitedTheDayAfter''.
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14	On September 25th 2015, having gained domestic acclaim and a sizable international fanbase, âge, in collaboration with Degica (a Japan-based e-commerce company and video game publisher), officially launched a [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/muvluv/muv-luv-a-pretty-sweet-visual-novel-series Kickstarter campaign]] to fund an ''official English localization'' of ''Unlimited'', ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvExtra'' and ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative''. Within less than a day, âge achieved their funding goal of $US 250,000. The campaign concluded on November 4th, 2015, having exceeded the target amount by more than $US 1,000,000.
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17	!!This work contains examples of the following:
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19	* AceCustom: Meiya's purple Type-00R ''Takemikazuchi'', though she never uses it. However the concept of having [=TSF=]s reserved to individual pilots was ridiculed with the reasoning that pilots have to be able to use any [=TSF=] on hand during emergencies.
20	* ActionBomb: The Japanese TSF units (and them alone) are equipped with the S-11 Explosive which doubles as a self-destruct system, allowing pilots to go out on their own terms instead of a horrible death at the enemy's mouths.
21	%%* AfterTheEnd
22	%%* AlienInvasion
23	* AlternateHistory: While the Japan of the world of ''Unlimited[=/=]Alternative'' lost World War II, it was not nuked and instead the mainland had to be invaded, leading to an occupation that lasted until the BETA invaded.
24	* AlternateUniverse / AlternateTimeline: The opening scene establishes that the divergence takes place in the HotSpringsEpisode of Sumika and Meiya's routes, with Takeru warping into the BETA-verse right as they were about to reveal their feelings for him. However, it's later revealed that the Takeru in the ''Unlimited'' [[spoiler: is actually an amalgamation of multiple selves borne of the various routes you finished in ''Extra''.]]
25	* AnimeHair: Deliberately done by the creators; see UniversalAdaptorCast below. It is worth noting that the side-stories released subsequent to ''Alternative'' have curtailed the use of it, for the most part.
26	* ApocalypseHow: By the time of the events of ''Unlimited[=/=]Alternative'', Eurasia, except for several remote peninsulas have been laid bare and devoid of life, and it was only a matter of time before the rest fall as well (Continental[=/=]Total Extinction, quickly heading towards Planetary scale).
27	* ArcWords: ''"Even if your own life is what's most important to you, you can't protect it alone."''
28	* AscendedFanboy / IKnowMortalKombat: Takeru's skills at the mecha arcade game [[VideoGame/VirtualOn Valgern-On]] give him an advantage when piloting actual mecha.
29	* BattleHarem: As the midway point between ''Extra'' and ''Alternative'' this is fairly emphasized.
30	* BlandNameProduct: [[VideoGame/VirtualOn Valgern-On]], [[UsefulNotes/GameBoy Gameguy]], etc. Not to mention the defense companies named in side materials: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin Lockweed Mardin]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman Northrock Grunnan]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing Boening]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Heavy_Industries Mitsuhishi Heavy Industries]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda Onda]]...
31	* BrainInAJar: Takeru often sees Kasumi in a room with this. He gets used to it.
32	* BreatherEpisode: After the drama following the cast's first field operation, things dramatically slow down with superior officers at Yokohama Base suddenly being very busy and not issuing the cadets any orders or new training. To shake everyone out of their slump, Takeru convinces [[TrueCompanions Squadron 207]] to throw a Christmas party. [[spoiler: It's a success and Takeru gets to hook up with the player-selected love interest. However, the light-heartedness of the arc is dragged down by the behaviour of their immediate superiors, [[TwoTeacherSchool Marimo and Yuuko]]; whose ominous words herald [[DownerEnding the crushing events of the finale]]]].
33	* CrapsackWorld: After the BETA invasion, humanity is reduced from six billion to 1 billion, a substantial fraction (if not the majority) of the male population is dead from fighting an overwhelmingly-powerful enemy (to the point that the draft age had been lowered and military service for women had become compulsory), and the entirety of Eurasia is overrun by the BETA (with 24 of the 26 existing hives, including the first and biggest, within its confines). North America is (temporarily) safe, at the cost of half of Canada being turned into a nuclear wasteland. Australia, Africa and South America are still safe as well - for the time being.
34	* DeathFromAbove: In contrast to the UN and Japanese Army tactics of using orbital divers to break into and shut down hives, the US Army prefers [[NukeEm dropping G-Bombs, one after the other, on hives]]. Only after then are American [=TSF=]s sent in, to mop up whatever opposition remains. This ties into the [[{{Eagleland}} in-universe perception of Americans]] as having the "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality.
35	* DyingMomentOfAwesome[=/=]FaceDeathWithDignity: Invoked: All TSF pilots are trained to be prepared for death, so long as their deaths count for something or is something they could be proud of.
36	* {{Eagleland}}: The US, which was among the very few nations not invaded by BETA [[spoiler:due to their nuking of Canada when a hive landed there]], is seen by many Japanese as opportunistic.
37	* EnergyWeapon: The presence of the laser-class BETA (''Lux'' and ''Magnus Lux'') ended ''air superiority'' as a viable combat philosophy, and was the reason for the development of the [=TSF=]s. In contrast humanity only had conventional weapons. No BeamSpam for humanity here, folks.
38	* ExpendableAlternateUniverse: Averted. Takeru (and the reader) comes to care about his friends very much, no matter whose alternate dimension/universe selves they may be.
39	* {{Expy}}[=/=]CaptainErsatz: Yuuko is a [[{{Rule63}} genderbent]] [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Shuu Shirakawa]].
40	* EyeBeams: The signature weapons of the Laser-Class BETA ''Lux'' and the Heavy Laser-Class BETA ''Magnus Lux'', and, due to their nullification of the concept of "air superiority", the reason for the development of the Tactical Surface Fighter.
41	* FaintInShock: After Takeru truly realizes that there's a serious possibility of him dying in combat against the BETA, he faints in relief upon learning that the BETA are ''not'' going to attack the base he's stationed at. He takes it as further proof of his weakness in comparison to the rest of his squad, and beats himself up over it. However, none of the military cast holds it against him. His Sergeant is uncharacteristically kind and supportive, stating that breakdowns like that are a very common reaction among recruits and no one blames him for it.
42	* GenderIsNoObject: Takeru is the only man in a six-person unit. Justified in that the men were the first to go out and fight and die against the BETA, and as such, most soldiers are now female (also it doesn't actually make much difference for a {{mecha}} pilot).
43	* GenreShift: And how. Goes from harem comedy (with lots of mecha and sci-fi shout-outs) to hardcore mecha.
44	* HerHeartWillGoOn: [[spoiler:Takeru's girlfriend.]] The song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97qmMJQ5k78 Songs of Distant Earth]] is about this trope.
45	* HumongousMecha: The "Tactical Surface Fighters" in are {{Real Robot}}s.
46	* IChooseToStay: [[spoiler:Takeru has a chance at the end of ''Unlimited'' to join the colonists on the last shuttle. He says no. "I will protect this beautiful world."]]
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48	* IntimateHealing: [[spoiler:In order to keep Takeru warm after he's suffering from the after-effects of snake venom, though it turns out to just be a cold, Mikoto sleeps on top of Takeru naked. In the manga adaptation, the snake turned out to be poisonous.]]
49	* JustOneMoreLevel: When one of the girls discovers Takeru's [[BlandNameProduct GameGuy]], he passes it off as a training simulator, and lends it to the girl along with a different game. This leads to her getting addicted to the game for an entire week until the battery eventually dies.
50	* LateArrivalSpoiler: The setting of ''Unlimited'' (as well as the existence of ''Unlimited'' itself), which was a surprise and MoodWhiplash to those who played it for the first time when ''Franchise/MuvLuv'' came out. By the time of the official international release, not only does promotional material make no effort to hide ''Unlimited's'' premise, it is playable right from the beginning even without doing ''Extra'' first.
51	* LettingHerHairDown: [[spoiler:Chizuru and Meiya in their epilogues.]]
52	* MoodWhiplash: ''Unlimited'' is a good deal more serious than ''Extra'' though overall it's still fairly lighthearted. Still, when the first scene is Takeru waking up in the ruins of his home town it comes as quite the contrast to the silly harem antics from before.
53	* MultipleEndings: There's less divergence when compared to ''Extra'', but the endings change depending on who Takeru chooses to romance, and whether he convinces them to leave the plant, or stay and fight with him.
54	* NewGamePlus: ''Unlimited'' can only be unlocked by finishing the two possible endings of ''Extra'''s "main route". Averted in the official international release, however, wherein it's playable from the outset, though InUniverse Takeru still experiences ''Extra'' first.
55	* NotAMorningPerson: Takeru and Ayamine are terrible when it comes to waking up. Kasumi starts waking him up in the morning, reminding him eerily of Sumika despite the two having almost nothing in common.
56	* NowOrNeverKiss: [[spoiler:Takeru and Meiya nearly got into one after being trapped in his TSF which had been buried in a landslide. Cue [[MomentKiller the rest of the squad getting through the rubble and opening the cockpit]].]]
57	* NukeEm
58	** During the BETA invasion the Soviet government retreated all the way to the northeastern tip of Siberia while attempting a scorched-earth policy using tactical nuclear weapons; it didn't work, however as they acted too late.
59	** The United States, upon learning of a BETA hive landing in neighboring Canada did not waste any time and nuked the hive to oblivion, turning half of poor Canada into a wasteland.
60	** The later US standard tactic of dropping G-Bombs - experimental bombs made with an alien element recovered from BETA hives which are more powerful (and even less well-understood) than nukes - to destroy hives. [[spoiler:This strategy was implemented worldwide during Alternative V.]]
61	* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler: With the failure of Yuuko's plan, Alternative IV, Alternative V, Operation Babylon, is implemented: a small fraction of the remaining human population (possibly including Takeru's girlfriend, whom he can convince to live on) flees the planet, and [[TakingYouWithMe the rest go out with a bang]], [[ApocalypseHow nuking Eurasia with the entire G-Bomb arsenal]] in the hope that the BETA will be stopped from following the survivors. Takeru himself is shown to carry on the fight, refusing to give up, and if his love interest left the planet, she's shown to be safe and sound with her and Takeru's daughter.]]
62	* RedshirtArmy: The average survival time of a new pilot against the BETA is ''eight minutes''.
63	%%* ReferenceOverdosed - And how!
64	* {{Rewrite}}: TheReveal in ''Unlimited'' [[spoiler: about Meiya being a member of the Imperial family]] was changed to [[spoiler: being a member of the Shogun's family (the Shogunate still exists there)]] in ''Alternative''. This change was retained in the later all-ages release of ''Unlimited'' as well.
65	* SelfCensoredRelease: The all-ages versions of the trilogy censor the H-scenes.
66	* SemperFi: In sidestory/continuation ''The Day After'', the USMC make a number of appearances in supporting roles. They tend to be more effective than their Army counterparts.
67	* {{Shounen}}: The manga adaptation, unlike ''Extra'' and ''Alternative'', was released as a shounen series.
68	* ShoutOut: ''Muv-Luv'' has at least three general sources:
69	** '''Mecha and Tokusatsu Series.''' ''Muv-Luv'' and its prequel ''Akane Maniax'' has a ton of shout-outs to these. A partial list includes ''Anime/{{Tekkaman}}'', ''Series/{{Ultraman}}'', ''Manga/GetterRobo'', ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'', ''Anime/{{Raideen}}'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack'' (see ColonyDrop above), and ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory''.
70	** '''Science Fiction Literature.''' VN chapters are named after [[spoiler: plot-relevant]] sci-fi novels or short stories (most notably Arthur C. Clarke's ''The Songs of Distant Earth'', which gave its name to ''Unlimited'''s last chapter and ED).
71	** '''Video Games.''' From (among others) VideoGame/VirtualOn (Valgern-On), VideoGame/{{Tekken}} (Dokken), Franchise/FireEmblem (the strategy RPG Takeru lends to Chizuru; VideoGame/TacticsOgre in the official translation), and VideoGame/MetalGearSolid (the game Takeru lends to Ayamine, in addition to a line from Takeru where he says he's not a member of "SOCKSHOUND").
72	* ShowerOfLove: [[spoiler:Chizuru]]'s H-Scene.
73	* SilentScapegoat: [[spoiler:Ayamine's father, Lieutenant General Shuukaku Ayamine, who was arrested, disgraced and executed for prioritizing the evacuation of noncombatants during the Japanese-assisted withdrawal of UN and COSEAN forces from Korea, resulting in a massive toll of military casualties.]]
74	* SomeoneToRememberHimBy: [[spoiler:The "Leave" End of each heroine's route.]]
75	* SuckOutThePoison: Mikoto has to do this to Takeru when he gets bit by a poisonous snake during a combat exam. [[spoiler:In the game, it turns out the snake wasn't poisonous; in the manga adaptation, the snake was.]]
76	* SuperDeformed: In typical âge fashion, characters are drawn as such during moments of levity, as well as in Sumika's diary sketches (see the image on the [[YMMV/MuvLuv YMMV subpage]] for an example)
77	* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: It's "Instructor Jinguuji", Takeru, not "Marimo-chan".
78	* TogetherInDeath: Invoked by Takeru [[spoiler:in the "Stay" End of each main heroine.]]
79	* TotallyRadical: An interesting version - due to the alternate history taken by the ''Unlimited'' and ''Alternative'' worlds, much of the slang that Takeru uses in the ''Extra'' world doesn't exist, requiring him to often explain what said slang means to people in those worlds whenever he uses it.
80	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Ayamine's yakisoba bread, as can be seen in this page's picture.
81	%%* TrappedInAnotherWorld
82	%%* TrueCompanions: Squadron 207.
83	* UniversalAdaptorCast: Done on purpose by the creators. [[spoiler: Part of the experience of those who played ''Unlimited'' without knowing about its setting beforehand is the surprise at seeing {{Anime Hair}}ed girls seen in the typical romantic comedy suddenly thrust into a life-and-death war story.]]
84	* UnsettlingGenderReveal: Mikoto, who in this world is a girl. Played both for laughs and seriously, as Takeru's initial inability to see Mikoto as nothing but a boy causes him to avoid her, creating even more strife within the squadron against him.
85	* UnwantedHarem: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in ''Unlimited'', where Takeru is pretty much the only guy that his teammates know that is in the same age group as them.
86	* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: During the combat exam, it looks like the squad has finally made it to the target point, [[spoiler:when a gun battery suddenly attacks the helicopter supposed to pick them up, requiring the team to take a whole day just to get to the next point and disabling the battery.]]
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Context VisualNovel / MuvLuvUnlimited