I wanted to start a thread where we could talk about anime (or manga) that had a structure or theme that mimicked visual novels. Please note that I’m not talking about anime based on visual novels, which is a much broader category. Specifically, I’m thinking of series where the concept of branching choice or alternate endings were presented or formatted in a style akin to what you typically see in a visual novel.
A few to get the ball rolling:
My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering With My School Romantic Comedy
In Solitude, Where We are at Least Alone (Yosuga No Sora)
Yosuga No Sora holds the distinction of being both an anime directly based on a visual novel (of the same name) and also one that is set up like a visual novel in terms of its formatting. The first episode or two introduces the core story and the core characters, but from there, certain episodes follow branching routes/paths that lead to the male protagonist romancing different female leads.
The trouble that Media Blasters ran into when it was getting ready to localize this series in America was that the episode order is anything but neat, with certain routes bouncing across nonconsecutive episodes. It finally had them scratching their heads to the point where they turned to fans for guidance on FB. Anime reviewer Chris Beveridge provided a good explanation of how it ultimately works out:
Blu-ray Vol 1. Kazuha route : Ep 1,2,3,4
Blu-ray Vol 2. Akira Route : Ep 1,2,5,6
Blu-ray Vol 3. Nao Route : Ep 1,7,8,9
Blu-ray Vol 4. Sora Route : Ep 1,7,10,11,12
Ep 1 is All charecters common route
Ep 2 is Kazuha/Akira common route
Ep 7 is Nao/Sora common route
This product is currently in the process of shipping as I write this, but my understanding the last I heard was that Media Blasters intended to release it in a four-disc chronological story order by route rather than by broadcast release order, which makes sense to me. I have this one on pre-order and look forward to seeing how the anime turns out! I also mentioned the visual novel version in JAST Connect’s “Ne, ne, whatcha want” thread as one that I would enjoy having localized, but that area is so clogged with suggestions that I’m not holding my breath.
My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering With My School Romantic Comedy is an anime I’m currently about 3/4 done with and am LOVING thus far. I’d recommend it to anyone familiar with the structure of visual novels who relishes a good laugh.
The plot is that the protagonist, Kanade, has become afflicted with a horrific curse called “Absolute Choice” that basically turns his life into a god-awful visual novel. He’ll be going about his business doing normal daily things when two choices will pop up in front of him, menu-style. Unlike in most anime or visual novels, however, his life is being run by some bastard who doesn’t believe in good endings, and the choices are inevitably a choice between “bad” or “worse.” As an example, take what was presented to him upon discovering an adult magazine in a crowded public park:
Or this joyful pick of options that presented itself to him during the middle of class:
If he fails to make a choice, he’s afflicted with “so bad I want to die” migraines until he gets with the program. The same migraines strike if he tries to explain to others why he often suddenly acts like a maniac out of the blue, with the end result that he gets lumped in as a starring member of his high school’s “Reject Five.”
That’s the premise – the plot progresses (insomuch as it does) when a girl conveniently falls from the sky as a divine assistant to help him rid himself of “Absolute Choice” through completing a series of missions. She’s of questionable help, and his two female best friends from school (who are just as messed-up as he is, in their way) are also alternately helps or hindrances, but the whole thing is incredibly funny and well-executed from the humor standpoint. And as I said, it’s interesting to see how they incorporated the “visual novel gone awry” aspect into the storyline. Each episode also ends with a different ending that shows the viewer what would have been had Kanade chosen an alternate path, sometimes with surprising results. Provided you’re in it primarily for the laughs, very highly recommended!
