What makes Grisaia no Kajitsu so great?

[Stormwolf]

Yumiko and Michiru's route were okay, I don't think they were as bad as most people make them out to be, but Yumiko's was certainly not as..exciting as the rest? And while Michiru's had some pretty bullshit moments logic-wise, I still think it was decent. Makina's and Sachi's routes were great imo, and Angelic Howl is borderline god tier. It's not just popular because it's one of the few TL'd VN's in the past few years, that's just silly  

I still think Yumiko is the best girl. I have a thing for Kuuderes.

 

unpopular opinion: the common route was too long and dragged out to the point of not being funny anymore.

I loved the common route, but I agree, it's too long and drags sometimes. Some scenes were still funny though.

I fully agree. Also that heartwarming ending! weirdly enough the bad ending was a good ending as well, while all the other bad endings were pretty fucked up.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Stormwolf

[Valmore]

I've started reading this one and thus far I've loved the sardonic humor of the protagonist.

[Shinobu Nyan]

unpopular opinion: the common route was too long and dragged out to the point of not being funny anymore.

but that's true of many VN's. (Look'n at you Sharin no Kuni) Grisaia's common route was better than Yumiko's and Michiru's by a long shot also.

Let's bury my girlfriend underground for three days and see if she lives. There's no way that can end badly for anyone!!

[VirginSmasher]

Yumiko and Michiru's route were okay, I don't think they were as bad as most people make them out to be, but Yumiko's was certainly not as..exciting as the rest? And while Michiru's had some pretty bullshit moments logic-wise, I still think it was decent. Makina's and Sachi's routes were great imo, and Angelic Howl is borderline god tier. It's not just popular because it's one of the few TL'd VN's in the past few years, that's just silly  

I still think Yumiko is the best girl. I have a thing for Kuuderes.

 

unpopular opinion: the common route was too long and dragged out to the point of not being funny anymore.

I loved the common route, but I agree, it's too long and drags sometimes. Some scenes were still funny though.

I fully agree. Also that heartwarming ending! weirdly enough the bad ending was a good ending as well, while all the other bad endings were pretty fucked up.

I never got the bad endings for the routes just because I didn't feel the need to get them. Maybe when I eventually play it again, I'll get the bad endings.

Common in Grisaia was nowhere near Majikoi for me... Damn I'll state it right here Maji's common route is the best I've ever read( I haven't read too many VNs tho) I was sad when Majikoi's common finished...

Majikoi's common route was awesome. I think it's a tie between Majikoi and Grisaia fr the best common route, for me anyways.

[Dergonu]

 

I never got the bad endings for the routes just because I didn't feel the need to get them. Maybe when I eventually play it again, I'll get the bad endings.

Whoa! You should play the bad endings. No need to re-play it, just go back to the last choice and choose the other option. The bad endings are rather short, and worth it. Amane´s route actually has plot that you dont get to see unless you play the bad ending. Yumiko´s has a … rather special case as well for the "bad" ending. 

Sachi, Michiru and Makina will just leave you emotionally damaged though. No real need to play those unless you want to be emotionally damaged I guess. 

[VirginSmasher]

 

I never got the bad endings for the routes just because I didn't feel the need to get them. Maybe when I eventually play it again, I'll get the bad endings.

Whoa! You should play the bad endings. No need to re-play it, just go back to the last choice and choose the other option. The bad endings are rather short, and worth it. Amane´s route actually has plot that you dont get to see unless you play the bad ending. Yumiko´s has a … rather special case as well for the "bad" ending. 

Sachi, Michiru and Makina will just leave you emotionally damaged though. No real need to play those unless you want to be emotionally damaged I guess. 

I like emotionally damaging myself so I'll probably go play those endings when I have time today.

[Kawasumi]

 

I never got the bad endings for the routes just because I didn't feel the need to get them. Maybe when I eventually play it again, I'll get the bad endings.

Whoa! You should play the bad endings. No need to re-play it, just go back to the last choice and choose the other option. The bad endings are rather short, and worth it. Amane´s route actually has plot that you dont get to see unless you play the bad ending. Yumiko´s has a … rather special case as well for the "bad" ending. 

Sachi, Michiru and Makina will just leave you emotionally damaged though. No real need to play those unless you want to be emotionally damaged I guess. 

I agree that he should go back and read the bad endings, but I have to disagree with you about them all being good.  Sachi's actually made me laugh with how bad and nonsensical it was (this is coming from a Sachifag), and Michiru's felt really abrupt and didn't make much sense to me, even though it was, admittedly, quite sad.  Yumiko's was meh, for the very reason it can be called "special".  Makina's and Amane's bad ends, though, were great and well worth the couple minutes it took to read through them.  Makina's was delightfully dark with a minor twist that left my jaw dropped, and Amane's made me tear up a bit.  That CG set and the lines of that scene are still pretty well ingrained in my memory.

oh god fuck no, not that ending, it was the most horrible ending I have ever seen, talk about lazy fucking writing. god.

[Kawasumi]

oh god fuck no, not that ending, it was the most horrible ending I have ever seen, talk about lazy fucking writing. god.

Which one are you talking about?  I mentioned all of them.  That's like answering "yes" to a two option question

oh, sorry . It was the Sachi bad ending of course.

[Dergonu]

 

I never got the bad endings for the routes just because I didn't feel the need to get them. Maybe when I eventually play it again, I'll get the bad endings.

Whoa! You should play the bad endings. No need to re-play it, just go back to the last choice and choose the other option. The bad endings are rather short, and worth it. Amane´s route actually has plot that you dont get to see unless you play the bad ending. Yumiko´s has a … rather special case as well for the "bad" ending. 

Sachi, Michiru and Makina will just leave you emotionally damaged though. No real need to play those unless you want to be emotionally damaged I guess. 

I agree that he should go back and read the bad endings, but I have to disagree with you about them all being good.  Sachi's actually made me laugh with how bad and nonsensical it was (this is coming from a Sachifag), and Michiru's felt really abrupt and didn't make much sense to me, even though it was, admittedly, quite sad.  Yumiko's was meh, for the very reason it can be called "special".  Makina's and Amane's bad ends, though, were great and well worth the couple minutes it took to read through them.  Makina's was delightfully dark with a minor twist that left my jaw dropped, and Amane's made me tear up a bit.  That CG set and the lines of that scene are still pretty well ingrained in my memory.

Yeah I didnt say they are all good. I personally think Yumiko's and Amane is the good ones, then the other 3, like I said, left me emotionally damaged. Cant say I enjoy that.

The sachi one was seriously just ... What the actual fu..?!

The Michiru one actually felt a litte more like it could have happened though, which in turn made it feel more "real". Cant say it was good, but it felt a lot more "scary" knowing that this actually could have happened knowing how michiru was at that point in the story.

Edited November 20, 2015 by Dergonu

[Stormwolf]

I couldn't help laughing at Sachi's bad ending. It was pretty horrible, and not horrible in a sad way, just a horribly stupid. 

Michuru was pretty screwed up and sad no matter how you look at it. 

Makina was pretty damn stupid as well, while also pretty screwed up.

And Yukino had a pretty good bad ending actually. 

And as my previously disliked opinion, Amane's bad ending is informative and sad at the same time. Actually i think the good ending was relatively bad as well. Includes some rambling so read at your own peril!

While the story was pretty damn awesome and engaging, the romance was shoddy at best. She remained depressed the whole time since the accident until she was thanked for living by her granddaughter after Yuuji had died, and that just makes it sound like she and Yuuji had a pretty coldish marriage where important things was left unsaid between them. The only good thing i really can see for the ending is that they remained by each others side until the end, and i guess after (but then Amane said she'd be a big sister to Yuuji even in the next life so....). I guess that's really my biggest gripe with the romance in the route. There is so much through this route and the epilogue that can contradict her love for a sense of deep responibility.

It's a shame though that they included the life story in this title though instead of the afterstory in the sequel, kind of makes you think that the sequel's afterstory for Amane just isn't that important anymore since you know the jist of what happens.

[Valmore]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

[kingdomcome]

It was good, but most of the routes sort of went into really ridiculous bullshit at times.

 

Hidden Content

 

Heck yeah, it went a bit stupid.

Burying Michiru was extreme too.

 

It was an above average VN, but not great. What was awesomely great..

Kazuki's story with Amane.

10/10

[VirginSmasher]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

I quite liked Amane's route despite everything you said. Hell, I'm probably blind to all the problems with this game except for the length of the common route (Way too fucking long). It's a great read and it's one of my favorite games.

[Valmore]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

I quite liked Amane's route despite everything you said. Hell, I'm probably blind to all the problems with this game except for the length of the common route (Way too fucking long). It's a great read and it's one of my favorite games.

The saving grace of the route was Amane and Kazuki's interaction during the ordeal. The problem being the ordeal was just too unbelievable for a modern-day story. I get I need to suspend some disbelief for fictional purposes, but I'm already doing that with the idea of the teenaged protagonist being a government killer. Adding a two-week lost campers scenario where the parents and government are just completely stupid at a proper search-and-rescue in the year 2005... sorry, I can't buy into that as well.

[VirginSmasher]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

Hidden Content

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I can already accept the teenager being an assassin because teenagers are the only people who can apparently do that in VNs and anime, but it sucks that you couldn't get into it like I did.

[Valmore]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

Hidden Content

Hidden Content

I can already accept the teenager being an assassin because teenagers are the only people who can apparently do that in VNs and anime, but it sucks that you couldn't get into it like I did.

Like I said, I can suspend disbelief for certain things, and usually the protagonist has some sort of extra thing about him to make him stand out, so I'm fine with Yuugi being what he is. But if we're taking that into account, as well as time factors and the world itself, it just feels like Amane's route is too hard to buy into totally.

But take heart, I'm only 1/5th through with it. There's still 4 other chances for me to love it.

[Funyarinpa]

I should go back and do the Makina route someday. 

[Valmore]

I should go back and do the Makina route someday. 

That one scares me, as I get the feeling to get it I have to accept the money she offers, which seems like a dick move no matter what intentions the writers put behind it.

[VirginSmasher]

I'm working into Michuru's route currently. Am I getting my hopes up? Because, logically, thus far it sort of makes sense (but it's still early) and I kind of feel it's a bit more realistic than the route I first read, which was Amane's, which I found thoroughly unbelievable. At the time of reading it feels gripping at times, but then I go back and think logically and the whole route is a complete farce, considering the circumstances and the fact the story takes place in 2005, not 1975. It has all the same problems I had with The Blair Witch Project, which is why I laugh at anyone who thinks that's a great movie.

Hidden Content

Hidden Content

I can already accept the teenager being an assassin because teenagers are the only people who can apparently do that in VNs and anime, but it sucks that you couldn't get into it like I did.

Like I said, I can suspend disbelief for certain things, and usually the protagonist has some sort of extra thing about him to make him stand out, so I'm fine with Yuugi being what he is. But if we're taking that into account, as well as time factors and the world itself, it just feels like Amane's route is too hard to buy into totally.

But take heart, I'm only 1/5th through with it. There's still 4 other chances for me to love it.

Sachi and Michiru's routes are great. I liked all the routes in Grisaia but those were my favorite.

[Bastian77]

I think Grisaia is rated so highly because it is a visual novel that does a lot of things right.

1. The main characters are very interesting. 

Each main character has their own particular traits that goes beyond the surface because the characters have a sense of depth that you get to explore as you play the routes. The most eye-catching character would have to be the protagonist because he is a tough and reliable individual that seems to demand your attention. He is cynical and crass at times but still has a gentle and compassionate side to him. 

2. The plot features some darker themes that contrast heavily to the comedic slice of life common route.

As you progress further into the routes, it deals with the dark parts of human nature and raises questions about extreme situations. It appeals to our fascination towards the wrong and vicariously guides us through extreme situations; in which we sympathize with the main characters. This brings out a greater sense of connection with the main characters that we got to know so well during the long common route.

3. Colorful and crisp artwork.

I think that the artwork is actually one of key factors why this is so well received. Whether consciously or unconsciously, the artwork does play a part in how you interpret a game because we are just naturally attracted to beautiful things and tend to view them more favorably. Even though it may not be the deciding factor, it really does make the visual novel a complete package. 

[Clowsama]

What I find pretty amusing about your experience is that Michiru's route seems to be pretty widely considered to be one of the worst routes in the entire VN, aside from Yumiko's, due to the bullshit pseudoscience involved, the erratic behavior of a few of the characters compared to the other routes, and the overall ridiculousness that's ever-present after the halfway point and the "big reveal".  The story of Michiru's route was actually retconned in Meikyuu, so I think that says something about the quality of the route itself, or at least the general Japanese fan reaction to it.  Amane and Sachi's routes are generally thought of as the best, with some people swapping out Sachi's for Makina's.  Would you mind explaining why you didn't like either of their routes?

i know i am in the minority regarding liking Michiru's route, i just really liked Michiru's personality, i know many people consider her to be annoying/boring but i admired the fact that she tried so hard to appear 'normal' (by using her tsundere acts etc), i also liked her back story a lot. like i said her route could have been better because:

Hidden Content

 So yeah, Michiru was easily my favorite character. Regarding Amane and Sachi's route, i liked Amane's personality in the common route but once her route started i was a bit disappointed, first of all i did not like the fact that most of the route was a flash back of her past, i thought it was boring and they should have done it like Michiru's route where a little bit about her past is revealed then the vn goes back tp present and so on, it felt like we didn't see Amane and Yuuji interact much, also regarding the angelic howl, oh boy..too much bs was happening and in my opinion i thought it was a bit stupid.

Hidden Content

well for Sachi's route

Hidden Content

Wait? What?

So you are okay with Yuuji burying Michiru alive at the risk that she never comes out, thus killing her, but blowing out a school is too much? Between bargaining with people's lives and destroying a mere building, I think blowing the school is the best and safer choice.

[Clowsama]

Here's a few quotes that makes Grisaia so great for me... cause I was laughing my ass off while reading them.

When students shut themselves up in their rooms, homework and masturbation are the only things that come to mind. - Yuuji
Suo Amane's a bitch in heat. Rolling around in a man's bedsheet. Good for you. Good for me. Hmm good. - Yuuji & Makina
Quit your bitching, Fishface. I'll stuck that phone so far up your ass you'll feel the ringtone in your colon. - Yuuji
I've seen grannies with shriveled ovaries put their holes to better use in the behalf of the nation! - Yuuji
What's this, maggots?! I've seen senile ol' men fuck harder than you move! Worthless buncha putrid-pussies! - Makina
Sa-Sachi! Oxygen! Bring me oxyge... - Michiru
(Is there more about the story of your pillow-raping friend?) Wasn't rape. He had the pillow's consent. - Yuuji
Who are you calling dried out anyway?! Am I some leftover rice stuck to your shirt? How dare you imply that I'm rice? Who are you calling the rice Goddess?! - Michiru
A conversation between men is a very efficient thing. Step one: Both sides communicate their business. No step two. - Yuuji
Well, my mouth might be gettin' worse but my other holes... are gettin' in better shapes, if ya know what I mean. - Makina
I'm an exemplary modern kid ya know. I believe everythin' I see on th' teevee! - Makina
You are a clown, Michiru. Makina will now amuse herself at your expense. All right, Makina, look at this girl and chortle heartily. - Yuuji
"That's right, yelp for me. Enjoying this aren't you? Squeal for your classmate like the dirty sow you are." "Haa... haa... that ice-cold tone... these firm smacks on the bum... yer gonna turn me into a naughty girl." - Sachi & Makina
Hey, Yuuji! Did you really volunteer to become our communal sex slave?! - Amane
My heart is throbbing with excitement at the prospect of witnessing you engage a shark in bloody mortal combat. - Sachi
I'm afraid my anxiety as the owner of a much-craved piece of man-meat hasn't diminished in the slightest. - Sachi
Yes... your manly words left my heart at peace... and my loins moistened. - Sachi
Never mind that! I'm pumped! There's a fire in my belly and a vacuum cleaner in my mouth!! - Amane
Truly powerful words. I could almost feel my heart trembling in my chest and my genitals moistening in my groin. I very nearly took out my cell phone and tweeted "The rain in Spain falls mainly on my lady jane #wet." - Sachi
The time has come... The moment to unleash your "dere!" - Sachi
Gotta stick some stuff in Chizuru's sewage pipe every once in a while or it'll get all blocked up, right? - Makina

[VirginSmasher]

Here's a few quotes that makes Grisaia so great for me... cause I was laughing my ass off while reading them.

Hidden Content

Grisaia has to be one of the most quotable visual novels out there. I was laughing my ass off every 5 minutes of the common route.

[MikeY91]

Wait? What?

Hidden Content

I do agree that was too much too, and it could have been done better.

I wouldn't say that what Yuuji did was the right thing with Michiru (if we wanna speak realistically) but he wanted her to decide whether she wanted to live or die for sure. yes it was extreme no doubt. In Sachi's case, he did not only involve Sachi, but he invloved the whole school with her, i think this is even more extreme, he blew up the whole school...and what made the situation more bizarre is how everyone was just fine with it, come on...at least make it a little bit more conniving, for me it made me feel like the vn just thinks i am a stupid reader who will accept anything. So i guess between Sachi and Michiru, Yuuji helped Michiru in a way that didn't harm anyone else, but in Sachi's case he involved basically everyone else in that vn.

In the end everyone interprets everything in their own way so i understand where you are coming from. 

Edited November 26, 2015 by MikeY91

[Nightmare799]

I should go back and do the Makina route someday. 

Hidden Content

Think of it like this: Yuuji accepts the money because he can make sure she does not misuse it/does not get coaxed out of it.