Shuffle: The Visual Novel

I've almost finished Nerine's route, and during a couple of scenes ( specifically when Shinoh tells you about the homunculus project, and Nerine confesses about Lycoris), I turned down the BGM and played "Enclosure" from the MGS soundtrack over it, and found the scenes to be much more emotionally affecting that way...

I also think I envision a lot of use for the Ctrl key in future playthroughs...

It's supposed to be that way. Since I played Kaede's route first, it took me about 4 hours. Each subsequent route took half as long, except Sia's, where I forgot to save at the Dodge/Catch her choice deep into her route, so I had to redo that part.

BUMP

Finished it, Pretty much skipped the H-scenes. I especially did not want to see Primula's. Sorry, not into little girls.

You can probably see who my favourite character is already. I haven't watched the anime yet. Obtaining it through *cough* completely legal methods *cough*. I heard Kaede goes Yandere there 0_o.

YES ASA ROCKS.

neobowman, I keep running into you in threads I make/stuff I like here.

I also finished the game and got every single CG.

Asa is done by Miki Ito and Kaede by Yuko Goto. Rin is Tomokazu Sugita. Have fun seeing Kyon and Mikuru.

edited 29th Jan '10 3:23:41 AM by Mapi

Everyone loves Asa :p

Haha, <3 Mapi.

Sometimes, when I close my eyes while watching anime, it feels like I'm watching a different series. It's actually quite interesting =D.

I want that Mayumi route. Also, I don't think I actually finished this. I only did Asa and Nerine's routes then got a new computer.

Kaede had the best H-scenes, in terms of emotional integration with the story. For fap material, my gut feels says it's Nerine's route which has the best H-scenes.

Kinda obvious considering her assets.

It's typical "dick between boobs rubbing" but for some reason it's more decent than what I've seen of that hentai device in hentai OV As... Can't explain it though.

Ok, playing Shuffle again. This time I'll actually finish it, I guess.

Once again I am annoyed at Kareha and Mayumi not being heroines.

edited 15th Sep '10 7:08:48 AM by Arha

I didn't care much for Kareha, but never being able to get Mayumi was a huge kick in the balls. Seriously, she may not be the most pretty girl (depending on your tastes, I ranked her somewhere between 2 or 3), but she's certainly the most amusing one.

Anyway, I finished Nerine, Sia and Kaede route (though Kaede was on accident of sorts). Gonna finish Primula today. I'm not into lolicon, but I heard very good things about her story. Might finish Asa as well, if I feel like it.

I have a bit of a problem with the H-scenes, though. Namely that they look way to much like each other. Seriously, it feels like they wrote just two scenes, and just copy-pasted it into all the routes. I'm already not a huge fan of H-scenes, but if you gotta do it, do it right.

I skip h scenes anyway unless they have actual serious implications on the plot, or are so bad that it becomes funny.

Kareha isn't as awesome as Mayumi, but she's better than Nerine. And Kaede, but I'm probably in the minority on that.

Primula had one of the best routes in the game.

Done and done. Primula and Asa have been captured. Keima Katsuragi would be proud.

I was amused, but not impressed. The way Asa's story ended was just plain corny. Even the main character admitted that! And where did all that hair suddenly come from? Primula's was little better, but was mostly saved by a Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming for Itsuki. But most of all....Rin is my friend! Congratulations, Itsuki. You are now officially awesome.

That being said, these two routes were both better then any of the other routes. I guess that I'm just not that fond of this novel. Still, Maoh-sama and Shinoh-sama were some of the most awesome characters I've ever encountered. Almost every scene they entered that wasn't overly dramatic became a great laugh. If I were ever to write a somewhat humorous fantasy story, I'd be sure to include Expies of these two.

And an honorable mention goes to the song Afternoon Tea Party. Getting involved with Nerine was worth it just to hear that song.

In the end, there were good things about this novel, but I have absolutely no clue how it could have become this popular. At all.

EDIT:^^Just wanted to note that you are not the only one who preferred Kahera over Kaede. Kaede was my absolute least favorite character, and the realisation that my first playthrough was going according to her route was greeted with an honest 'goddamm' from me.

edited 17th Sep '10 5:10:51 AM by Kayeka

It's the anime and Kaede being turned into a Yandere. She's the most well known among the cast for that, although not at the level of Wolverine Publicity.

Guess I should watch the anime some day, then. Even I didn't see much Yandere-ness in Kaede during the game, it feels very appropriate for her to become one.

I believe the yandere thing was an anime-exclusive idea possibly to justify Shigure Asa being the winner at the end. It's like in Da Capo, where for both Sakura and Nemu, anyone else with Junichi is fine except the other person (Nemu for Sakura and Sakura for Nemu).

Yeah, I had most of the anime completely spoilered by now, so I know that the yandere bit is anime exclusive. Still, I think this is one of those few cases were such a change in the story would be a really good idea.

Oh, and one final note: The word 'rapture' has forever been ruined for me.

^ Ahahaha..... I remember when that happened for me....

And Asa's hair grows because of her sudden use of magic. Basically an excuse for the artists to draw her with long hair, which is actually ——ing awesome.

edited 17th Sep '10 6:40:29 AM by neobowman

You might want to spoiler that for people who haven't played her route/watched the anime.

Of extreme interest to me is the manga adaptation ''Shuffle: Days in the Bloom' where apparently, Lisianthus wins.

Unfortunately, only 12 chapters have been scanlated since 2006 I think.

Having read Shuffle Essence+ and Really? Really

I'm now officially both a Shuffle and a Kaede fan. (Not going to watch the anime that butcher's Kaede)

And unlike stated above Shuffle didn't become popular originally because of the anime. If Shuffle is only known for the anime in the forum it's because this forum is in English (ie Western).

Shuffle! if you go read ja.wiki (if you know Jap), was created on a basis of following the typical, ie tropified (tropes aren't bad), target girl, and away from a dark(er) story or plot that most VN take but more (a lot more) light-hearted dance and prancing. Personally I think that's what made it 3rd best selling VN of the year, behind FSN and Clannad, really any other year it would've took top spot. And this was Naval's first work.

I haven't read THAT much VN (more than most though, looking at how tonnes of VN pages in tvtropes use their anime a lot more often than their game). But IIRC VN are MUCH more popular in Japan than anime, just like manga is as well. (It's Japan). I also read more VN than I watch anime. And I personally was pleasantly surprised at the light-heartedness of Shuffle! compared to other stuff I read. The fact that there is not a single black spot sold me it.

As for Kaede. I know I have a personal bias for people who are selfless and sacrifices himself/herself for others, due probably to a combination of culture, upbringing, and bookwormness. Rin (in game) is my second favorite VN protagonist (first is Tomoya). He's strong, cool, funny, kind, sensitive(in some regards), and selfless. If I was a girl I'd love him too (especially if I was Kaede).

Kaede is Yamato Nadeshiko to Rin's outgoingness. Her selflessness is the same. Heck the entire cast is by nature pretty selfless, but Rin ranks #1 and I would say Kaede #2. And then I have another weakness for people who was up high then became Broken Bird and suffered and struggled really badly and finally was rewarded and found happiness, so Kaede speaks to me more than any of the other characters(especially after Really? Really.)

And then of course probably due to amae and cultural tendancies and other stuff I probably like Yamato Nadeshiko better, though Nerine didn't really speak to me. Sia did more (or rather Kikyou and her together).

Ah and I'm going to edit the page. It's implied in the game, though not IIRC outright stated, that the harem is not a coincidence but that Rin was sad and lonely after the "incident" and Kaede hating him, making him extra sensitive. He found a lost Lycoris and played with her and got her a stuffed animal cat from the crane game. Lycoris fell in love with Rin and went back, gave the stuffed animal to Primula (on Lycoris's deathbed?) and told both Primula and Sia all about human world and Rin. Sia then seized a chance the very next day to come and find Rin, got lost, but then Rin found her again and played with her and she fell in love with Rin from that. Lycoris "merged" with Nerine and her feelings transfered. Primula came to human world to look for Rin as her last connection to Lycoris and actually fell in love (actual love) with Rin in her rout due to event character development.

Oh yeah according to some reviews I read (in Jap) Essence+ is more polished than the original. I never read the original but I wouldn't know, but having now 12 routes compared with the original 5 (waaaaa). Though it did combine the OST of Shuffle, Tick Tack, and Really Really, so music wise is definitely better. Dunno about text. The quality of the new routs are very YMMV I think. I personally think they are good for VN, but they differ considerably from the original Shuffle quick-fun style and more down to earth VN style. Makes sense since the author is different.

And Shuffle!'s not a dating sim Goddamit! Dating Sim is upping stats and giving gifts. This is VISUAL NOVEL!

Anyone else want to rewrite the page with the VN as basis? Common on.

edited 21st Sep '10 12:26:42 PM by ParallelPain

It's a dating sim. I don't think I've seen serious stat upping like that in ages. It's a Visual Novel as well, but it's still a dating sim.

My own opinion of Kaede isn't negative, but she kind of bores me.

I wish the sequels were translated soooo badly.

Asa is awesome. Not so much of a Kaede fan honestly. I don't feel like posting a wall of text about the topic though.

By my experience it's faster to learn enough Jap to read VN (~2 years) than wait for translation (+4 years) Might as well put the university/college credit into that

Personally I felt Really Really to be a better game for Kaede than Shuffle! Just like I felt Tomoyo After is better than CLANNAD

Looking forward to Tick Tack! Can't wait for Princess Princess to come out

edited 21st Sep '10 2:02:16 PM by ParallelPain