UlasanAnime.com – Sometimes, a piece from Kotaku can resonate, and the points made in a particular article felt quite standard. However, the author noted they wouldn’t have framed it within the context of School Days, suggesting a personal immersion in visual novels that might cloud objective perspective. This “objective” view, the author clarifies, refers to those who play games like Mass Effect, Bioshock, or KOTOR 2 – essentially, “normal people,” which ironically highlights how deep into the visual novel genre the author feels they are.
The game Catherine serves as a more fitting example for the author’s argument. It revolves around a man, his long-term girlfriend, and his unfortunate encounter with an alluring woman who significantly challenges his beliefs and commitment. The girlfriend’s own actions, coupled with nightmarish *Qbert-like gameplay featuring a giant infant chasing the protagonist with a fork, add to the turmoil. Catherine is presented as a better illustration of making amoral choices because the temptation to cheat or “follow your instincts” is central, and the game’s choices are framed within this context. In contrast, School Days allows players to pursue normal or good endings without fully grasping what they might be missing. Yet, the true fascination of School Days lies in how amoral choices lead to a spiraling, flower-like descent, making it enjoyable even if the conclusion is catastrophic.
This fundamental concept, the author believes, needs to be understood before proceeding to the next point. The author then asks if the reader has grasped it.
Morals are presented as crucial, especially in how they are ethically conveyed without offending the audience. If offense is unavoidable, the author suggests making it a “troll” that makes the offended party feel foolish. The reality, according to the author, is that morals are rarely black and white. While there are clear-cut areas, like most things in nature, they change when examined at the edge cases. This complexity is a wellspring that narrative creators have drawn from since the dawn of civilization.
Therefore, when the Canvas 2 anime concludes with Elis instead of Kiri, the childhood friend of the same age, the author found it a brilliant way for the narrative to venture into amoral territory in an exciting and even satisfying manner. The story had sufficient time to develop and scrutinize the notions surrounding Elis’s status as a person and her relationship with Hiroki. Similarly, Kiri’s perspective offers a valuable lesson. To elaborate, the game provides routes involving Kiri and some of Hiroki’s students, pushing the player to cross at least one boundary in every route except Kiri’s. Elis is Hiroki’s biological cousin, though the exact degree of relation is unclear, representing a second boundary. Lastly, Elis has been under Hiroki’s care since her parents’ tragic accident years ago, and the game begins with Hiroki treating her as a younger sister, forming the third boundary.
The author also points out that Elis is the “primary” character in the franchise, which can be a “hard” sell for some.
The author feels it’s safe to say they thoroughly enjoyed that particular “choice” route, even though they had no actual choice in the matter. They admit to not even caring about the couple’s ultimate fate, but when Hiroki faced his moment of truth, it was, in the author’s mind, “all sorts of awesome.” While acknowledging its controversial nature, the author believes this approach allows a story to stand out where many others follow a predictable path. Credit is also given to the anime for framing these relationships in a way that made them feel tragic yet emotionally satisfying.
Interestingly, the author’s initial engagement with the franchise was through the anime, which meant they perceived Hiroki as a fully developed character rather than a mere player avatar. It was difficult for the author to champion any specific pairing because they all seemed somewhat “icky,” and Hiroki’s feelings towards Kiri didn’t appear romantic, despite their brief period of dating. The author humorously notes this as a “fourth boundary.”
Perhaps the author’s enjoyment of the Canvas 2 ending was amplified by not seeing themselves making Hiroki’s choice, a common occurrence when eroge adaptations invite a first-person perspective. It might have been the exploration of amoral decision-making possibilities that made the show more engaging, as previously explained. Whatever the reason, it took the author a considerable amount of time to articulate these thoughts.
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