Lemma Soft Forums

I am a big fan of feudal pieces, and this was a really well told. It doesn't bother me that there isn't a lot of art for it, the side images are more than fine. The music fit and the gui was fine as well.

As for what I feel... I really liked all the characters. I think I can identify with Kouji. I understand walking a line and being conflicted about doing the right thing.

Tadashi... I am very sad that he died. He was a very long suffering individual. I wonder if he only spoke up because of what he learned about Kouji or if he really thought he could diffuse the situation with his words. I almost felt like it was pretty worthless for him to have spoken up.

Hitomi is a nice girl who just wanted to believe with her whole heart that everything was going to be fine, even if everything that happened said otherwise. I liked that she kept her faith even in this situation. Her strength is something to emulate. It would be too easy to give up.

I have a love/hate relationship with Yasahiro. I can understand his beliefs, but I couldn't put them into practice. He wanted to do what was right but it was a really bloody way to do it. But I can see where in this situation where words alone would have been useless. I don't think he should have flipped on Kouji, but I wonder if the situation would have been any different if he had told him earlier.

I really like all the thought and research you put into your work. And the ending and epilogue were very bittersweet. I like the call back in your short story in the extras, where Henry mentions the things Hitomi hopes she and Kouji would reincarnate into. I didn't expect them to be reincarnated as the opposite sex or for them to find themselves in a parallel situation to the main story. It was cute and funny at once.

I am really glad that you finished this piece, as it would have been a real shame to let this gather dust any longer.

I hadn't consciously thought of Tadashi that way, but looking back on everything, I have to agree with you about him being a "long suffering individual." He must have been pretty lonely, too. In a way, all four of them were lonely people, struggling with their doubts (Hitomi and Yasahiro about their father, in their own ways), guilt (Kouji), and other negative feelings (Tadashi, to some extent). There was a lot of "holding back" of feelings on all of their accounts. Thanks for catching onto that!

Maybe, if Kouji had told Yasahiro face-to-face earlier on, things would have turned out differently. There's a lot of things that could have happened differently. Thankfully, there are alternate endings that answer some "what-if" questions, like "what if Kouji had died in Tadashi's place?" and "what if Kouji had fought back and killed Yasahiro?" If you haven't played them yet, then I suggest giving them a try. They provide a little extra about the characters, too.

As the story unfolded, I couldn't help but give in to Kouji's world. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was drawn in once again-- I could feel the genuine emotion and all of the meaning behind the words. The shock of Kouji's death still had as much of as an effect, but the addition of Hitomi's final POV effectively closed the story.

And I loved every alternate ending! They answered every "what if" in the same style as the main story, and each worked on their own. Each one even fit the haiku, adding another dimension to its meaning. Well, except for the alien one, which made me laugh out loud in spite of myself. XD PHOENIX KOUJI IS VERY AWESOME.

The bonus story, I'd have to say, didn't have as much depth as the main story...which is all right, seeing as it didn't need that kind of tone. Haha. It was really interesting, though, and probably a better idea than writing a story about their lives as tree-incarnates.

I'm happy that Hitomi's epilogue was able to close the story. It left the story off on a more bittersweet note, rather than the depressing note that it had without her final scene. And you thought Phoenix Kouji was funny? Good, haha. I thought that alien ending was going to be something that only thestral31 (who actually edited the character art for me) and I liked.

And you're right, I'm not sure how a tree-incarnate story would have worked out. Henry and Kayla might not have been the same as Hitomi and Kouji, but I think they'll be alright with the rest of their lives.

I knew from the moment Kouji and Hitomi met that they were going to fall in love, but maaaaan it was just delicious watching Kouji squirm in his guilt. I really wanted that guy Kouji killed not to be Hitomi and Yasahiro's father, but at the same time that's what made it sooooooo good. All of their reactions to the confession were realistic too, none of that sappy "but I love you so I insta-forgive you." No, there was lots of conflicted feelings involved and it was just wonderful.

These are the type of characters who are going to stick with me. Kouji is the type of protagonist I really enjoy because I'd do the same in his place. If I could have potentially killed the father of the girl I liked, I would have kept quiet too. Hitomi, her actions were to be expected of her for the times, but she was still a strong and independent woman. Even if I don't like Yasahiro, he still had pure intentions. Revenge for father, even if it means killing my sister's lover! Heck, Tadashi was a wimp but he had principle. These characters actually felt real.

Let's spend our life in the flying saucer trolling other games with alien endings.