The first paragraph of this review does not directly spoil Planetarian, but it does discuss common themes in Utsuge visual novels that will give some general information about the plot. Planetarian's plot is quite predictable by a genre savvy reader and is not dependent on plot twists, but be aware that the following paragraph may tell you more about Planetarian than you would like to know going into the work.
I haven't read as many visual novels as many people here on TV Tropes, but I know Key/Visual Arts has quite the reputation for making cute and sad pieces of content with a pretty standard formula: Introduce sympathetic, but somewhat unfeeling protagonist. Introduce cute and sweet girl/girls with some sort of vulnerability for the protagonist to help with. Have cute girl get attached to protagonist quickly. Protagonist initially resists girl, but for reasons of kindness, begins to help her. Bond forms between protagonist and girl and characterization occurs. Then, something bad happens to girl, creating tears and catharsis. Protagonist realizes how much he has changed and becomes much more open with his kindness/feelings for girl. Girl dies and protagonist deals with grief.
Romance visual novels have used this technique for years, but they use it because it works well. Planetarian follows the above format quite closely and uses it to great effect. It lacks the romance common in these stories and has a darker setting that most, but still feels quite close to the slice of life romances that seemed to get popular around the second half of the 2000s.
Planetarian is not a major investment in terms or time and effort. I read it in about 6 hours over the course of an evening and I went through many tissues after about the first half. If the length and multiple paths of visual novels like CLANNAD turn you off, Planetarian may be more to your liking.
I started reading Planetarian wanting a sweet story to make me cry. I was not disappointed.
VisualNovel Exactly What You Were Probably Expecting
The first paragraph of this review does not directly spoil Planetarian, but it does discuss common themes in Utsuge visual novels that will give some general information about the plot. Planetarian's plot is quite predictable by a genre savvy reader and is not dependent on plot twists, but be aware that the following paragraph may tell you more about Planetarian than you would like to know going into the work.
I haven't read as many visual novels as many people here on TV Tropes, but I know Key/Visual Arts has quite the reputation for making cute and sad pieces of content with a pretty standard formula: Introduce sympathetic, but somewhat unfeeling protagonist. Introduce cute and sweet girl/girls with some sort of vulnerability for the protagonist to help with. Have cute girl get attached to protagonist quickly. Protagonist initially resists girl, but for reasons of kindness, begins to help her. Bond forms between protagonist and girl and characterization occurs. Then, something bad happens to girl, creating tears and catharsis. Protagonist realizes how much he has changed and becomes much more open with his kindness/feelings for girl. Girl dies and protagonist deals with grief.
Romance visual novels have used this technique for years, but they use it because it works well. Planetarian follows the above format quite closely and uses it to great effect. It lacks the romance common in these stories and has a darker setting that most, but still feels quite close to the slice of life romances that seemed to get popular around the second half of the 2000s.
Planetarian is not a major investment in terms or time and effort. I read it in about 6 hours over the course of an evening and I went through many tissues after about the first half. If the length and multiple paths of visual novels like CLANNAD turn you off, Planetarian may be more to your liking.
I started reading Planetarian wanting a sweet story to make me cry. I was not disappointed.