VNs hit a sweet spot for me packing everything I liked into one package.
I like narrative, but western stories are often quite reserved often following very safe and conventional plot lines and ways of thinking. Even the “controversial” reading material created in the west is almost formulaic
I like reading but I read slowly. Without other stimuli, like sound and nice art, I would often lose the will to grind through more brown and black pages to extra the story hidden within. Also I like some visual images with the story, so that enjoying a vivid scene is not all a test of one’s imaginative abilities. Typically if western media starts adding pictures to a medium that medium loses depth and maturity. VNs retain full novel depth and their mature content while providing beautiful art, and other stimuli while reading.
I like anime style art, so I was attached to Japanese RPG games, but I found that I don’t like repetitive girding, I like narrative, so these types of games were not for me. VNs on the other hand were exactly what I was really looking for.
The music with NVs can add depth, and simply having a sound track adds value
The themes provided in VNs paint the picture they want to paint without worrying too much about what people might think. Harems, perfectly crafted girls, taboo scenarios, strong human emotion and desires are painted without restraint. So many basic human desires and emotions look bad in the public eye, so they are simply avoided in other media, as not to offend anyone and gain mass appeal. VNs not only use these “awkward” themes but they have refined these desires and feelings into acute pieces of art.
Character stories are by far my favorite. I don’t much care for worldly events. I like when the world acts as a stage for a character’s story and conflict. In western media it’s often the other way around and the characters are a lot shallower and are almost more like props for a more global story. I don’t care about global stories, and like personal struggle, conflict, and development to be the story, rather than be part of a story.
Motivational messages and thoughts about life are often found in VNs. VNs novel toy with concepts about the human condition, how one should live life, how people almost need each other or how living certain ways can shape people. These philosophical concepts are great food for though. I’d go so far as to say that there is almost a subliminal message in Japanese media telling people that life is harsh and pushing forward regardless is worthwhile as there is a strange beauty in the darkness, confusion, and pain that is life. I like how these themes make me feel, and like the food for thought.
I like anime, but they often lack the depth you can get from a book. VNs provide that depth while still providing me with all the things I like about anime.
I like female characters, and cute things in my stories, and VNs deliver with prejudice
Even the visual novel industry is interesting. Companies work closely with fans and are rather transparent. We also might be on the verge of seeing more content official coming to the west.
Starting to read VNs I found myself acting like a kid again; staying up later than I should reading till all hours of the night simply because I was enjoy myself that much. I’ve not had that kind of experience with a game or any other type of media in quite a while. While I do enjoy other things, it’s not to the extent that I’d put off my chores and stay up till all hours of the night like some irresponsible youth. But then again, it’s great that I’ve once again found something in life I do enjoy that much.