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Review of Kosaka-san.

SubjectKosaka-san.
Kosaka-san.
ByHelpfulness: 3
Vote: 7
intpdvo on 2020-09-06
ReviewKosaka-san is an extremely short story. If there were more VNs like it, I would categorize them as visual novellas instead of visual novels.

The VN's plot points and characters through their motives manage to inspire different lines of thought that run in everyday life. The VN explores concepts of perception as it relates to cognition and behavior. For instance, a major point relates the self-image and social image (our idea of how others perceive us) to motivation and behavior. As another example, it draws a question on the nature of reality as it relates to different individuals' perspectives. What drives agreement and disagreement on certain things external to you and to me? How can differences each of us holds about external things be resolved?

It also explores the question of agency in the motives that drive us in our thoughts and actions. It asks us to explore mortality by, for example, comparing the ideas of death and suicide. As another instance, the VN hints at the meaning of life in context of the inevitable: death.

The art style is comparable to a fairy tale storybook's in an endearing way. It adds a hue of surrealism to the characters and events and makes it seem like a magical dream.

The music collection is a little bigger than expected from a novella of this size. The menu theme, the ED, and the BGMs were all solid and quite relaxing. I do wish the music transitioned better, but this is a minor gripe.

The translation was very solid and flowed in English. The dialogue was natural and helped with the immersion. which is important as most important moments revolve around conversations rather than first person reflection. Native speakers and ESL readers can appreciate the clean syntax, diction, and appropriate count and use of idioms when seldom present.

In general, the VN had me thinking back to another VN "Subarashiki Hibi" as well as the anime adaptation and light novel "Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai" due to some thematic similarities. Just like these other titles, it left me in pensive thought wanting more (as expected of a highly condensed story).

If you want high returns for minimal time investment, I recommend Kosaka-san for its clear, complex, yet evocative experience.
3 points
#1 by HataVNI
2020-09-06 at 18:21
< report >Great review! Now we are partners in crime! *sips from waterbottle*
#2 by intpdvo
2020-09-08 at 11:54
< report >Upgraded to classy* partners in crime *sips from Thermos*