Clephas

Kage no JItsuryokusha ni Naritakute is my gem for this season. Great mix of ridiculousness, melodrama, and story. Beast Tamer is a good harem fantasy. Shinmai Renkinjutsushi is cute but not so cute-focused that it makes me want to vomit, so it is actually watchable. Tensei Shitara Ken Deshita I also like, but my thing for catgirls probably has me liking it more than most would.

Amatsutsumi is a weird one... if it weren't for the ladder-style choice progression I would have liked it a lot more, but even with it, it is still a top-quality game. While it does gyp the heroines other than the 'true' one, it doesn't do so as much as some games *coughs* anything by August *coughs*.

2- Given how this one had several early attempts to fantranslate it, it isn't much of a surprise. However, in terms of quality, it isn't a 'classic' I would have bothered with. It is just famous because it got an anime, in any case. 3- One of a very small number of 'nearly pure comedy' VNs out there. This one is a pretty good choice. 5- Mmm... to be honest, I don't get why they decided to translate this one. It is not only niche but has extremely mixed reviews (from me, in particular). There are some fairly disgusting aspects to the story, and it is more than a little depressing. Moreover, there is a really awkward mystery system included in there that makes it annoying to play at times. For a small number of people, though, it seems to have hit the spot perfectly...

Something to keep in mind with replaying a VN is that 'normal' VNs really aren't suitable for being played repeatedly. In my experience, there are a few golden standards (though not absolute ones) that enhance the replayability of a VN. 1) Depth of the Setting- This is one of the two primary reasons why I'm most likely to replay a VN. If a setting is deep enough, there is very little chance you will catch everything on a first playthrough, so games with deep settings often take two or three replays to start to feel stale. 2) Emotionality/Catharsis- The degree to which a VN stimulates the emotions through presentation and story can often make a VN that is otherwise not all that special replayable. For this reason, nakige are some of the most commonly replayed VNs from my conversations over the years with other VN players. If it makes you cry, it is probably worth trying again, lol. 3) Presentation (dramatic, memorable)- In some cases, there is just something about the way the story is presented that makes replaying a VN easy. 4) Uniqueness- Though this became rarer and rarer as time went on, this quality is often enough to make me go back to a VN. Semiramis no Tenbin and Re:Birth Colony both fall into this type, for different reasons.

Naturally? Whenever I needed to cleanse my palate of the taste of kusoge, I went back and played something good.

Evolimit Tokyo Babel Dies Irae Draculius Amatsutsumi Mirai Nostalgia Aoi Tori Devils Devel Concept Soshite Hatsukoi wa Imouto ni Naru Minamijuujisei Renka Paradise Lost Kajiri Kamui Kagura Yurikago yori Tenshi Made Haru to Yuki Eden* Eien no Aselia Silverio Vendetta Silverio Trinity Zero Infinity Vermilion Bind of Blood Electro-Arms Muramasa Akatsuki no Goei trilogy Karenai Sekai to Owaru Hana Akeiro Kaikitan Nanairo Reincarnation Ikusa Megami Zero Bradyon Veda Bullet Butlers Kikan Bakumatsu Ibun Last Cavalier Ayakashibito Chrono Belt Cross Channel Tsukihime FSN Comyu Rui wa Tomo o Yobu and fandisc Hapymaher Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no Lovekami (original) Jingai Makyou Koisuru Otome to Shugo no Tate (both) Komorebi no Nostalgica Tiny Dungeon series Valkyrie Runabout Majikoi Ou no Mimi ni wa Todokanai Phantom of Inferno Otome ga Tsumugu Koi no Canvas Ryuukishi Bloody Saga Suzunone Seven Kamikaze Explorer Tenshi no Hane o Fumanaide Tsuisou no Augment (both) Yomegami Yami to Hikari no Sanctuary Suisei Ginka Hello, Lady (all versions) Konata yori Kanata made Houkago no Futekigousha Semiramis no Tenbin Baldr Skydive Baldr Sky Zero Ojousama no Hanbun wa Ren'ai de Dekiteimasu Ojousama wa Gokigen Naname Dracu-Riot Kin'iro Loveriche (and fandisc) Campus's Uso series Bloody Rondo Gensou no Idea Shinigami no Testament Natsuiro Recipe Venus Blood Hypno (known as Hollow in the West) Shuumatsu Shoujo Gensou Alicematic Tayutama (original) World Election Prism Recollection Haruru Minamo ni Duelist x Engage ExE PrimalXHearts Sakura, Sakimashita Abyss Homicide Club Amairo Islenauts Blade x Bullet Shirogane no Soleil Fake Azure Arcology Re:Birth Colony Lost Azurite Hyakka Ryouran Elixir Kanojo-Tachi no Ryuugi Kono Sekai no Mukou de Kouyoku no Soleil Primary Lunaris Filia HHG Sakura Iro Quartet Otomimi Infinity Reminiscence (for Aki's route) Toppara

The only one worth mentioning on this list that wasn't on the previous ones as an OVA is Legend of Crystania. Legend of Crystania is a far-distant sequel to The Record of Lodoss War, based in a land where Ashram went into exile with his closest followers after his defeat. This new continent, unlike the previous one, is one where gods interfere with the world more directly than by using clerics and champions, and the setting had a great deal of potential. However, it didn't live up to that potential, primarily because both the movie here and the ova later hurried things too much.

I have to majorly disagree with kivandopolus on which anime are the best for this particular season. Slayers- Slayers is one of those odd anime that, though the animation itself hasn't aged well, manages to maintain a certain level of attraction even today. It is one of the anime I most often use to introduce people to anime, for a few reasons. One of those reasons is that the english dub is actually one of the best from that period of time, thus making it an ideal entry-level anime. Another reason is that the humor is straightforward slapstick for the most part, meaning there is no need for the watcher to be familiar with Japanese humor to be able to enjoy it. While I won't say the story of this particular anime is great, it is more than enjoyable enough to be worth watching to the end. Best of all, it is a series that kids and adults (anime fan adults, anyway) can watch together without either side getting bored. Fushigi Yuugi- I have to say that Kivan's assessment of this anime is waaay off. While the otome-style format of this particular fantasy is mostly not done anymore in anime, at the time it was a moderately popular style, of which Fushigi Yuugi was one of the most famous at the time. If this one were to be remade today, it would probably achieve a reasonable level of popularity, in my opinion. Gundam Wing- of the Gundam series, this one is one of the top three (and considering there are like twenty Gundam series, that actually says a lot). Like all the Gundam series, it is a bit heavy-handed in using the odd dichotomy of being a series about war that is heavily anti-war (this peculiarity is only rarely mentioned by reviewers for some reason, though). However, the characters are excellent, and the series has aged very well. The only downside to it is that, three decades after the Soviet Union's fall, it is a bit hard to relate to some aspects of the setting for younger people. For younger people who want something they are more likely to be able to relate to, Gundam 00 is similar with a more modern set of references in the setting.

Blue Seed- Blue Seed is one of the early relatively long series I remember the most. Currently, I find it unwatchable (my tolerance for Victim A main characters in serious stories is virtually zero nowadays), but at the time it was quite enjoyable. Like a lot of the classics from this era, its setting was kind of iffy and poorly explained even within the story. That it was still enjoyable at the time was primarily due to the aesthetic and the male lead. Rayearth- My first experience with Magic Knight Rayearth was actually the Sega Saturn game, which had an excellent story and was one of the few early-era jrpgs to have voice-acting. The anime is also fairly good, even if it glosses over some details. The ending of the first season is pretty sad as the result of a particular plot twist. Darkside Blues- One of several movies from this decade I wish they had a sequel for. An enjoyable experience at the time, though sadly short.

http://mineallminenew.fc2web.com/ongoing/paradisecapture.htm I suggest you go ahead and copy this down into notepad, as it is likely to vanish any day now.

Paradise Lost is spoiled to some extent by KKK. I recommend playing PL first. Unless you plan to never play it at all.

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8490cj/ https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4499fl/ This series is the latest gem I came across. It isn't the only one I came across, but I've decided to only present ones that have gone over 200 chapters without getting boring, which is a very small proportion of the web novel population, lol. In this series, Earth's greatest bare-handed fighter, a master of qi and warfare unmatched on our planet, walks through a tunnel to an alternate version of Earth where magic exists and an ongoing war between monsters and humans is threatening to end humanoid civilization. Armed with his large variety of chuunibyou combat techniques (even he admits it), his iron-like body, and his inherent immunity to magic-based attacks, he cuts a swathe through monsters and evil cultists alike. Generally speaking, this story is one where the protagonist constantly flips people's conceptions over on their heads while consistently pursuing his own personal sense of honor and style of life. In a world where magical power is everything, he is the opposite, the most powerful mortal in existence while also not having a drop of magical power. The first story begins a bit slowly, with him faking it a bit to get a grasp on how his new world works. However, it quickly accelerates after the initial 'adventures' with the temporary party he meets after his initial arrival. It needs to be said that the protagonist is essentially a 'Goku' type of character combined with the archetype of the stoic and ruthless warrior monk. He is extremely harsh with his enemies and those who are hostile toward him, while being incredibly forgiving and easy on his friends and allies. He can also get along with a wide variety of types, including kind-hearted and clumsy catgirls and cold-hearted avengers. However, he is also very judgmental toward those who don't even make the effort to be better, and downright cold and brutal to those who don't understand honor or even simple straightforward social mores that are nearly universal. Overall, the series is immensely fun to read, though the second story is only coming out slowly, so it will be some time before it is complete.

At least Hatsumira got released earlier this year. It is one of their better non-Grisaia works.

Sakura Moyu is Favorite's greatest masterpiece. I recommend that anyone who can read Japanese well-enough to play VNs untranslated play it.

Keep in mind that Kamishino had over a decade to get translated, and yet it was only finished recently as a passion project. Moreover, though the initial translation was done some time ago, it was only recently that it was actually released. I imagine if a potential translator plays the translated version and wants the two remaining paths, it might be a possibility. However, keep in mind that most fan-translations fall apart for a reason, and those two paths are a prime candidate for manufacturing such a reason (they are unnecessarily long for the actual content contained within the path, as well as having a more H focus than the other four paths).

As an answer to the question above, I'm not interested in tlcing the remaining two paths. I more or less agree with Ittaku about those two paths, from personal experience. In addition, those two paths are ridiculously long despite the lack of any real content to them, so in this case it really isn't worth the effort. It is painful to read those paths, it would be even more painful to have to help translate them.

I played Tonoko's route first of the three the first time I played the game. Admittedly, the route is slower-paced than either Miyabi or Shino's routes, but it has its own charm. On my second playthrough I found Shino's route to be the best of the three, a route that got tastier on the second playthrough. Miyabi's is a good route no matter how many times you play it. Playing Tonoko's route the second time was not as good as the first, but it was still a good experience. The route that I had the most trouble playing the second time was Yuuna's, because all the shocking revelations were already over with. It's the kind of route that is godly the first time you play it, but has little to offer on a second playthrough, in my opinion.

Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no, is on a shortlist of kamige that I tend to recommend to newbies to VNs or those who missed it during their first rapid obsessive blasting through the 'classics'. For some reason, people are making excuses not to play the newly-fantranslated game. I'm going to first pick apart the reasons that have been given for not playing it, even if it falls into the realm of their tastes. Number one reason, the one that is hardest to speak against, is that the game itself is practically ancient and as a result the visuals seem dated. That isn't something I can entirely refute, but I can say this... Kamishino has some of the best visuals for its time, and its sprites and character designs are truly exceptional. While it does show its age, this isn't a truly good reason not to play it, in my mind. The second reason people give me is that 'only four of the six routes are translated'. I find this to be the silliest reason... since anyone who has played the game in Japanese can tell you that the two routes that aren't translated fall so far behind the other four in quality that the game is actually better off without them. Frankly, the 'main school' routes are simply more emotionally powerful than the other three routes, which is the point of a nakige (which this is). I'm going to go ahead and explain why you are better off without the two untranslated routes... for one thing, the routes are much shallower in terms of characterization and emotional depth. For another thing, the twin heroines are just... not really a good match compared to the other four heroines. A large part of the point of the story is how Tsukasa heals himself by healing the hearts of the girls, and there really isn't that much of that in those two paths. In fact, Tsukasa's issues are ignored for the most part, making those two routes feel like they aren't even part of the same game. The only translated 'branch school' route is good for a different reason than the other three translated routes. It strikes much more to the heart of how high society functions in general, with more of a focus on the heroine's ambition and Tsukasa being more of an accomplice than a savior/healer as he was in the other three translated routes. The third and last reason people give me is 'no one is really hyping it' or 'I'm waiting for reviews'... to be honest, this is a fairly silly reason. If you look for them, ancient reviews for this VN are all over the net. The reason it didn't get hyped that much is frankly because the translator (Ittaku) thought people would pick it up without the need for excessive hype. I felt the same way, since normally the community jumps on 'classics' when they get fantranslated or localized. This is probably more of a shift in how the VN community is now, as I've noted there is even more art bigotry in recent years than there was when the community was at its most passionate. Now the reasons to play it... the first reason, which is fairly obvious, is the sheer emotional depth of this story. The three 'main school' heroines (Miyabi, Tonoko, and Shino) all have incredibly emotional paths with a completely unique story progression and deep character development. This is, in fact, the main reason I replayed this game twice, despite it not being a chuunige or a straight-out plotge. The second reason is the setting. While a girls' school might seem like a common setting, it should be noted that this game's setting served as an inspiration for a number of later games that you have probably played or even just heard of. Two that stand out are Grisaia no Kajitsu and Koisuru Natsu no Resort. The situation for four of the heroines (the ones that are translated) is very similar to that of several of the heroines (specifically Makina and Yumiko) in Grisaia, and Koisuru Natsu no Resort essentially steals the game's theme and waters it down significantly. The main reason I say this is because the school setting in this case is, just like the previously-mentioned titles, one that is meant to essentially be an exile or holding pen for the heroines by those who sent them there. Last of all... I should note that the four translated routes are some of the most well-paced routes I've seen outside of works by Masada, Shumon Yuu, or Higashide (which it is unfair to compare to in the first place, lol). While this post is full of my personal opinions, I should note that this is one of a small number of VNs I use for my gold standard in VNs in general and have so for over a decade. Missing out on playing this VN means missing out on one of the best nakige in VN history.

I checked it out, but the lyrics were off. It looks like whoever it was that did it transcribed the lyrics in a hurry and missed a lot of it. I could probably use the sound alone to translate it, but I can't say I really liked the op, so I don't have much motivation. I absolutely loved the VN, though.

Possibly? It would take longer, because I wouldn't have access to the kanji and a lot of music lyrics ignore grammar, thus making guesswork inevitable.

Come into being, oh starlight written across the heavens... for we are a shining falling star. Oh how foolish, you blind and ignorant master of the throne! How could you believe that you could take from my heart hope for the future with a mere prison at the bottom of the sea and an endless labyrinth? Look within these two eyes. Know the fierce and undying flame within my gaze. I already fly far into the distant sky, seeking the solemn flame (the sun). Even though my wings burn and melt away, there is nothing for me to fear. Fly oh Icarus, that you might obliterate the sins. Rage, smash, and burn everything away! Let us bring down judgment upon all that is impure as we burn in the light of victory! Upon my fall, so shall the flames of creation arrive! For that reason, oh all that is evil. Submit and quietly die out. Metalnova-- MkBlaze Hyperion! Shine brightly in the heavens, oh my guardian star, that I might raise up the iron flame. You are so beautiful, oh treasure that stretches as far as I can see. The jewels I stole when I killed my father, the mount of gold wet with crimson... oh why do they shine as they grab hold of my heart and never let go? Now nothing is reflected in my eyes but what shines oh so brilliantly. I won't hand it over to anyone, for it is mine! The dragon relishes his joy as he breathes poison breath upon it. Oh steel sword that pierces and tears apart that joy. Oh death scream that resonates through my nest. The evil creature is slain, and the epic saga begins! Oh immortal hero who knows not fear. I acknowledge that you are true treasure of mankind, and the true form of the gold I desire! Before the solemn light, my overflowing desire brings life to my dead flesh! For that reason, I will devour you whole. For you are mine, I will hand you over to no other! To speak a prophecy of ruin and endings, I will thrust a sword into your back! Metalnova--- Sigurd's Bane, Dainsleif! (Demon dragon's war story, the hero-slaying sword of ruin)

... you chose something other than Yuyu Hakusho?

Fall from the heavens, oh my guardian star. Obliterate everything within the iron abyss. I have served at the side of Hades for many ages. I am the beastly and arrogant wolf who prays for the fall of all that is bright and noble while easing my hunger with the flesh and blood of the dead. Spit out curses, devour hope, grind the jaws of despair. The deadly poison that drips from my fangs desperately, oh how desperately desires the collapse of the heavens. Let the shining brilliance be corrupted, without exception. Go extinct, go extinct, let everything be reduced to garbage. The shrieks and tears have fallen into the abyss. The only thing I have left to cling to is the sound of the harp that plays within the darkness. For that reason, sleep for now within the depths of the dead sea at the side of your love's corpse, oh minstrel. Oh my grudging scream, reach the heavens. Howl out to the empty moon! Metalnova- Howling Kerberos (Shriek in madness, oh accursed silver wolf!)