Review of Akai Ito
| Subject | Akai Ito Akai Ito HD REMASTER |
| By | Helpfulness: 1 Vote: 9Dunnodoncare on 2024-11-11 |
| Review | Akai Ito is a VN that needs a long and thorough review, so that a prospective reader is able to understand why it's so great, and why giving it a go is a smart decision. Unfortunately, that's not the goal coming here, so the essential notion you need to look up is: "Mono no Aware". That's what Akai Ito imparts upon the reader. The Japanese use literature to convey it, but other cultures did the same thing, sometimes through different means like music or philosophy. (Warranted) Pretension aside, try reading Akai Ito if you fancy yourself a sensitive individual (if you know more than "average" about Japan and its culture, that helps too), and if you can find some beauty in the phrase "Everything must change at some point", you are on the right track. Positive: - Different emotions - Things are valuable because they don't last forever. Life is ephemeral, death (change) is absolute, and yet being here right now, meaningless as it is, can feel like bliss when reaching understanding and acceptance. How all of that sounds to a more "cynic ear" is a good measure of compatibility. The characters in Akai Ito will never show any of this outright, it's all in the undertone, which makes it even better. - Writing style - It's great, but (absolutely) not for everyone. The convoluted explanations on supernatural, numerous sources of inspiration ("encyclopedia like"), and literary devices that test comprehension/patience (take long to deliver the reward), combined with endless japanese idiosyncrasies (it's not an exaggeration, you will need help keeping up with certain elements), lead to a spectacular outcome, and yet understanding this VN comes at a significant cost. - Characters - You would not guess it by looking at the effervescent protagonist talking to her bestie on the phone but yes, she (and everyone else) are very detailed: Character interactions, breaching archetypes, permanent ongoing development, lots of traits, relevant backgrounds, complex inner world, loads of individual circumstances tying to the lore. Top tier, in short. - Storytelling reaches outstanding levels (within the medium) - You will not see it coming, but the way loose threads, seemingly unimportant facts, and logical explanations on fantastical, came together in the last hours of the VN, was something else entirely. It's not just top tier this time, it's more than enough for best ever contender. Negative: - Let's erase from our minds, the English HD remaster (no idea what happened after release), it does matter, but it's outside the scope of the review. This is a VN with strings attached, and said strings come in the form of some mental preparation. Try reading this while practising forbearance, look things up if you have too, take notes if you are in the habit of doing so. It's not about being smart, it's about being patient. The reward will come, and it's awesome. Score: 9/10. One of the best VNs ever, and a (almost) perfect mix of intellect and emotion. It's not for everyone, but then again that means nothing when talking about entertainment. Recommended to patient, sensitive, and curious readers, reading this casually would be a waste. |
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