Since 2 years ago, when this project started, I've been watching new material arise around it pretty enthusiastically. Not very closely though, but every time I noticed something about it I made a mental note that it is moving. And now, after all that time, ther development team (called bluntly Four Leaf studios) released the first demo of the game.

Katawa Shoujo is a bishoujo visual novel with a unique setting. Just check their web for the detailed specification. But the most special thing about it is that it's produced by non-japanese fans from around the world, organised through the Internet. And how well did they do?

From my point of view, as a reader, but also as a maker now (thanks to Dream of the Blue Turtle project, more on that in english later), I can say that I'm impressed. Creating a visual novel is not an easy task at all, especially if you want to make it as long and complex as KS really is. Just the demo, which covers Act 1, has around 4-5 hours of play time (for me at least, I might be a bit slow). The plot, covering a very controversial subject of girls with 'disabilities' (a girl without legs, arms, blind girl, deaf girl and a girl with burned face and trauma), makes it interesting just from this fact. The character design is stunning, being highly above average for a doujin title. All of the characters' sprites are nicely done and help to get into the individual characters' personalities. Which are also nicely dividied, although maybe a bit generic - the genki loli, the ojou-sama, the cynical class rep, the shy girl and the weird girl. This is one thing I hope will be more developed in the final game, where we will enter the chosen girl's route - Act 1 ends as you start on one of the five main routes.

As for other technical aspects, I am pretty pleased, but I still have some notes here and there. Music is nice, but nothing groundbreaking (although the festival night main theme was very nice and touching). The backgrounds are made of photos, which I can't really criticize, while I know very well what takes (especially if you have as many backgrounds as they have). Engine is renpy, which disappointed me at first, but just for a second. When I saw the first scene, with snow falling, and then how fluid the transitions and movement of the sprites were, and finally Shizune's rooftop scene, I was convinced they made the right choice. Why reinvent the wheel, if the one that already exists can be used wonderfully like this (except when you're masochistic like me).

Overall, I'm satisfied. If they can keep this quality up, and finish each of the girls' routes well, with good drama and storytelling, this will be a breakthrough in western doujinshi. I especially hope for better use of the theme - in the demo, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that the disabilities are there only just because, and if I would remove them nothing would change. It is a very powerful plot device, and if used right, it could create a very good story.

http://katawa-shoujo.com/

http://katawashoujo.blogspot.com/