Review of Kami-sama no You na Kimi e
| Subject | Kami-sama no You na Kimi e Kami-sama no You na Kimi e - First Press Edition |
| By | Helpfulness: 0 Vote: 8kumiko1 on 2020-09-05 |
| Review | Kirika's route in Kamikimi is above all an ode to the glory of the human race. It is a brilliant depiction of the blurring between technology and nature, of social communities and the internet, of love and of despair. It is the shining light bringing hope to a new generation of lost souls, seeking meaning in a world that no longer needs them. It would not be an exaggeration to say it is the greatest work in recent years in not just the VN medium, but of the entirety of human literature as a whole. We begin by introducing the context behind this marvelous gem of a route. It is penned by the legendary writer Mikawa Ghost of LN fame, the genius behind such masterpieces as Risomusu, Jishou F-rank and Imouza, all of which held unparalleled cult worship in the Japanese LNsphere. It is thus no surprise, of course, that his raw talent holds unblemished when transitioning to the world of VNs in Cube's greatest work to date. Firstly, Kirika's route shines unparalleled in the raw depth and complexity of its characters. Behind their every line and action is a complex array of emotions and interpersonal relationships. It transcends the concept of fictional characters, limited in scope to the requirements of the story or focused on a few key themes - the depiction in Kirika's route is that of real human beings. And like any living, breathing human, they are inconsistent, fragile and emotional, but they are also filled with hope and love and dreams for a brighter tomorrow. The reader sees not just their stories but their lives, the context from their childhood and upbringing that made them the person they are today, their casual everyday conversations with their precious friends, the role society forces upon them like any young child facing the terror of growing up, but Mikawa Ghost also goes beyond reality, depicting a visceral, lifelike portrayal of their innermost thoughts and feelings and dreams, at a level of depth one could never hope to know about any real life human, except perhaps your closest, most beloved soulmates. But it is not just the level of emotion and heart poured into Kirika's route that makes it so special, it is the technical level of the writing that glows like a lone star in the clouded sky. Not for nothing is Mikawa Ghost renowned as one of the greatest masters of the Japanese language, his genius wordplay, his exquisite narrative prose, his perfect control of the tempo and flow of the story creates for a completely unique and invigorating experience. Every second, every moment reading this route is pure undiluted bliss, simply seeing the words roll off the screen and marveling at the level of wit and craft required to conceive such beauty alone makes it essential reading for anyone who respects written works of literature as a higher art form. In the end, however, what shines above all else is the brilliance of the themes. Kamikimi is a classic example of hard SF, a truly prophetic, scientific depiction of the future clearly based on technologies we see glimpses of in the world today. The central focus is of course on a world with fully sentient AI, but it also covers such themes as mass surveilance, neurological medicine, virtual reality, and so on and so forth, and it portrays the impact of advancements in technology on both society and on the individual as a human being, and potential dangers of unrestricted usage of such technology in a very vivid and surprisingly dark manner. Humanity stand on the brink of self-destruction, lost in our uncontrolled lust for growth and unbridled progress, with no heed for the lack of sustainability or safeguards or long-term future. But that does not make technology evil, it does not make progress our enemy, we must instead march onwards into tomorrow with clear, unwavering focus on what is truly important. Life. Hope. Love. Kirika's route highlights the fact that the sole and only thing capable of bringing forth a brighter future for our children and their children too is the strength of the human heart. AI exists not to control but to serve us, to bow before our wishes and to bring about our dreams, and we stand together united as one race and one people, who love each other and wish only the best for all of humanity. Nothing else, no one else, can deliver such a future, and technology free from the shackles of human emotion is a danger to us all. But science designed only to benefit us will liberate us from scarcity, will be the swan song heralding a new golden age of peace and prosperity, of laughter and cheer. What of the other routes, one may ask, well Airi's route is also superb as one would expect, but unfortunately the other writers do not live up to the level of Mikawa Ghost, and fail at providing a unique experience beyond that of other similar VNs. However, it goes without saying that Kamikimi is a VN worth reading, if only for Kirika's route alone. |
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