the visual novel database

Report an issue on this page.

Review of WHITE ALBUM2

SubjectWHITE ALBUM2
ByHelpfulness: 5
Vote: 8.7
onorub on 2020-10-27
Review(Considering Introductory and Closing Chapter entries as a total package)

I feel i had a very different experience with this VN because i felt that the White Album 2 trio is composed by some of the most despicable characters in VN history. It becomes more blatant as it goes on, but as early as Introductory Chapter you can see the flaws with those characters: Haruki is kind to the point of leading people on, Setsuna is willing to change the enviroment around her but not to face the consequences from it and Kasuza is lonely to the point of being too reliant towards the people around her without being reliable herself. Then we get to the worst trait that they all share, which is acknowledging those flaws but cowering behind a wall of self-deprecation instead of doing anything about them, which leads others to feel sorry for them and even endorse their behavior.

Haruki and Setsuna are absolutely insufferable in Closing Chapter when it comes to that, and Kasuza is not much better in Coda with her "my mother insisted" spiel. By the end of Coda's common route, i didn't even care about the love triangle anymore because i hated everyone in it. Then the Coda routes are filled with soap opera dialogue, characters being almost theatrical and no one truly figuring out what exactly was wrong with the trio.

Despite how much i hated those characters and their self-deprecation, i'm still considering White Album 2 a near-classic because even though those are horrible and toxic people, the story that was told with them was pretty fun to watch. I loved watching Setsuna trying to push Kazusa into a third-wheel role and finding nothing wrong with it. I loved Setsuna and Haruki constantly going "it's my fault. no, it's MY fault" and spinning in circles. I loved Haruki accidentally leading Kazusa on during the setup for their second interview and not picking up on anything she might be thinking. I just loved the ridiculously dumb things that those ridiculously dumb people were doing throught the whole story, and when a work makes me feel this much raw emotion, i have to give it praise.

Overall, if you want to see unlikeable characters that you still want to root for because of the quality of the writing... read Koshotengai no Hashihime. If you want to see soap opera antics being used to absolute mastery... read Chou no Doku Hana no Kusari. If you want to experience a range of emotions with characters you wouldn't even want to be acquainted with, read White Album 2.

Ranking down girls: Mari>Chiaki>Koharu>Kasuza>Setsuna.

Ranking down routes:
1) Kasuza True (very conclusive and tense but i can't help but feel that their child is gonna have a screwed up upbringing)
2) Kasuza Normal (really good ending despite the soap opera dialogue and Extra Episode has my favorite Kasuza/Setsuna confrontation)
3) Setsuna True (clearly used Kasuza True as a template but that near-brainwashing was my favorite part of the whole VN)
4) Chiaki (a bit too ridiculous but i loved Haruki getting the shock he deserved)
5) Koharu (did a great job at showing how toxic Haruki is despite the high-school antics being a bit meh)
6) Mari (also shows Haruki's toxicity but the lack of heroine confrontation was seriously disappointing)
5 points
#1 by funnerific
2020-10-27 at 21:27
< report >Very much agree with the first two paragraphs. As for the rest, I still found the VN somewhat entertaining, but can't say I don't regret reading it — only 6.5 from me. Couldn't stand Haruki.
#2 by onorub
2021-09-29 at 20:51
< report >Update after going through White Album 1: i feel like i was slightly harsh with White Album 2 because unlike White Album 1 where the cheating didn't feel like it happened for good reason, here you actually get to fully understand the mentality that lead to the cheating and the characters involved in the love triangle had to be unlikeable for that to fully work. I still think the side characters did a pretty poor job at showcasing how toxic the trio is, though.
#3 by holken
2022-01-02 at 16:37
< report >I agree, I was irritated 50% of the game. You are spot on with it being theatrical how nobody figured out what was wrong with the trio. Setsuna was always protected by people who didn't know anything about the situation and they didn't know how incredibly manipulative she was.

At least Kasuza and Haruki are just extremely flawed people. Setsuna is straight up manipulative and evil. She was also unrealistic as it was shown that she was incredibly calculating in IC, creating a masterplan to confess to Haruki because she knew he wouldn't be able to refuse. All because she didn't want to be left out (she didn't even have true love feelings at the time), ultimately leading to her ruining it for everyone. But after that she seems to be completely clueless about everything.Last modified on 2022-01-02 at 16:38
#4 by casualreader
2022-01-08 at 16:29
< report >I still don't understand how people like Setsuna and am relieved to see I'm not going crazy in my reading of the characters. Although I would like to know what is good of Setsuna and if I'm just not being biased.

It's not that the side characters did a bad job in showcasing the toxic relationship (mostly of Haruki-Setsuna) nor did they not know what was going on, it's more that they didn't want to. Since the entire story is narrated on Haruki's perspective, all the inner thoughts are extremely biased too.
Io noticed everything about the trio, which is why she denies things so awkwardly and tries to shift the blame to anyone but Setsuna when they were talking on the rooftop, after Kazusa declared she was going abroad. She was too worried protecting herself instead of worrying about Haruki and Setsuna. And Takeya got all the clues he needed from Chiaki, but he decided to turn a blind eye. He was too worried about getting together with Io while justifying that a relationship worth waiting would be eventually rewarded (hoping Haruki-Setsuna would prove that).

Any other side character just were denied into knowing more because Haruki and Setsuna would never open their hearts and Takeya and Io would deny anyone else to interrupt (a perfect example was what they were doing to Koharu).
#5 by nishsin
2022-01-09 at 03:50
< report >No clue where this idea that Haruki couldn't refuse the confession from Setsuna comes from...he was internally whining even before that about his feelings towards Kazusa but doesn't even make any attempts to determine how she feels or confess his feelings....and then just accepts Setsuna with no second thoughts at all...yet it is somehow her fault entirely...yeah not buying that.

She acknowledges herself that she is vindictive, jealous and many of character faults but peronally I feel a lot of that is exacerbated just by being with Haruki who is probably the most toxic MC in any game who even after Introductory Chapter still differed around for 3 years and had their screwed up relationship...would,of been a lot better for the bothe of them to have ended if definitvely after the Kazusa left.

And will forever find it funny that he can fly half way around the world to chase after Mari but not for Kazusa his 'soul mate' so clearly Mari > Kazusa...as frankly she is a complete upgrade anyway.