Visual/Porn Novels

Eroge sexpert Kastel reads porn novels.

Aiyoku no Eustia: The Better Angels of Our Nature

Kastel5 Comments

Nobody welcomes their birth in Novus Aether.

Separated by a cliff, most people live in the lowest strata of the floating city, nicknamed the gaol. Good-natured citizens fall into this ghetto from an unfortunate tragedy and turn into brutish beasts. What else can they do? It’s a dog-eat-dog world. The gaol is divided up by two gangs; a drug war ensues in the background. An unknown endemic has caused the mobilization of one so-called emergency squad. Prostitutes and beggars wander in confusion. Hopelessness permeates the strata, but the people there desire to survive. Despite all the flak, all the shit, and all the prejudices generated by the upper-class, they endure the excruciating pain and humiliation to see one more day. They challenge their destiny.

Nobody welcomes their birth in Novus Aether.

A girl was blinded during that tragedy and hugged her friend for warmth and assurance. She played the harp to soothe their fears. But then, she claimed she can hear the voices of the Maiden, the savior of this city. The girl is bestowed upon the title of Saint Irene and she is now a respectable messianic figure for. St. Irene however finds that her fate is locked as a puppet ever since the church brought her in. And she questions her role as this figure. Is she fit to ‘save’ people? And is her power even real?

Nobody welcomes their birth in Novus Aether.

A princess wonders why her father, the king of all of Novus Aether, has been ignoring her. She dresses up as a maid and wastes her time doing laundry for the nobles. The princess has no interest in politics, even though she knows that she will lead the country one day. She is more interested in romantic adventure stories, especially ones set in the gaol. The princess will do anything to get away from this stifling position.

You can probably tell Aiyoku no Eustia is not a moege.

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The “Definition” of a Visual Novel

Kastel15 Comments
http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28767003

You might have read a short interview by Kai to me (it’s the last one) and thought, “Wow, Kastel, is your definition of a visual novel that vague? Anything with text? Really? Go back to reporting Clannad Man, you noob.”

Well, I like to retract my previous stance on the definition of visual novels. Instead, I offer you this new one: Visual novels do not have a definition. #wittgenstein #tractatus #derrida #deconstruction #yolo

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A Tract on Why I Love Subarashiki Hibi

Kastel16 Comments


1. Subarashiki Hibi is the best work of art I’ve ever laid my hands upon.
1.1. This includes the books I’ve read, the films I’ve watched, the paintings I admired, the music I’ve listened to, the poetry I’ve recited, the plays I’ve loved, and everything else that can be seen as art.
1.11. Not to mention it has defeated works that have stayed in my top works of art lists for years (Muv-Luv Alternative, Jude the Obscure, If On a Winter’s Night to name a few)
1.111. SubaHibi is larger than any of those mentioned.
1.12. It may be years for SubaHibi to lose its seat (for me at least) as the #1 artwork of all time.
1.2. And there are many reasons — reasons that are best written in the form of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus.
1.21. However, it is not to be pretentious. It is to condense multitudes of thoughts (that, if written like an essay will be more than 3,000 words) into a readable, simple tract.
1.3. The whole sense of this review might be summed up the following words: Subarashiki Hibi is the kind of work that should be part of academic literature.

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