The Forgotten Game That Helped The Otome Genre Rise

[@purelysmetalnightcore]

It really is impressive that HnK was such a huge success given it was only Otomate's 4th game and 2nd completely original work. Their first and third games were based on existing shoujos.

[@LinLinLavender]

@@purelysmetalnightcore right?? Same for me! So interesting to see how they started out! Can't wait to play the otome game to Honey x Honey Drops 🤣 nostalgic manga

[@aoiberny]

I always hear about this game, but I'm not surprised this happens since Maiko Fujita sings it's songs. Her music for this game is utmost perfection, and I remember having interest on playing the game just because the music was a godsent. Thanks for your review! Your accent is really cute.

[@LinLinLavender]

@@aoiberny I also love love love the opening song! I didn't even know it's for a game! It's so beautiful! The music overall of the game is so beautiful! Thanks 🥰 I should try harder to improve my English though 😅

[@ebelinbuitrago2858]

Several years ago I saw the anime, Fujita maiko sings the two openings and they are both beautiful

[@LinLinLavender]

@@ebelinbuitrago2858 they are 🥺

[@emem-m4x]

Omg, I was very surprised and very glad to see someone talked about HnK in 2024. HnK, along with Wand of Fortune were the first otome games I'd played (12 years ago.) Even though at the time I can't read Japanese and only understand basic JP conversations, I still found joy in--flirting with the pretty boys---ahem in the games. Thinking about HnK now feels so nostalgic.

[@LinLinLavender]

@@emem-m4x that really is a long time ago! Did you enjoy the game back then? Have you ever thought about replaying it?

[@emem-m4x]

@@LinLinLavender Despite not understanding most of the plots or what happened, somehow I still enjoyed especially love scenes with the boys. lol. 🥰 Back then I thought I will replay when WoF/HnK has been localized. (At the time, I thought the games were very popular (in JP), so why would they not localize? Sadly...I was wrong.) Now tho...I want to get better at reading japanese first (I can read hira/kata not much of kanji and some basic grammars from learning Minna no Nihongo in highschool) before playing/replaying more (not localized) otome games in the future.

[@LinLinLavender]

@@emem-m4x sounds like a great plan! 😍 It sure will be a blast to go back to the games and understand more!

[@morganrowland377]

I love your top!! It’s adorable! This game looks like it has so much potential, but I’ve definitely been spoiled by newer otome so I don’t know if this is for me. Thanks so much for the review!

[@LinLinLavender]

Thank you! I tried to match it with the heroine's outfit LinLaugh do you mean it looks outdated? For me it's mainly that it was sooo plot driven, that I can't really recommend it to everyone... you're welcome! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, and of course all your support! 💕

[@morganrowland377]

@@LinLinLavender the art is fine! It’s just the repetitiveness and how plot heavy it is may not be for me! So many games have such a great plot with the romance healthily tied in!

[@LinLinLavender]

@@morganrowland377 absolutely! Too many great games with sweet love these days 😍

[@outcastedwitch]

Wow I'm surprised to see this title appear after over 10 years. 😮 I watched the anime of Hiiro no Kakera and played the game because I fell in love with Fujita Maiko's Hana to Chou from Chou no Doku, Hana no Kusari (not sure why I didn't play HnK game before that). Her songs are amazing! ❤ So happy to see many comments talking about her too.

[@undertakerevi6644]

Ever since I saw the anime OP as a teenager, I wanted to play the game it's based on :D

[@LinLinLavender]

@@undertakerevi6644 I didn't even know until a few years ago 🤣 are you still interested in the game?

[@Coffeebook98]

Hiiro no Kakera!! I couldn't believe it when I saw you made a video about it! I got into otome games 10 years ago with Hakuouki but I discovered Hiiro no Kakera straight after. I didn't realize it was such a milestone for otomate and otome games?? I love Fujika Maiko's songs, the melancholic autumn backgrounds and the game's soft art. I've always wanted to play it! Although, it's true that repetitive routes are tiresome... well, it is an old game... Thanks for your videos Lin! They're fun and inspiring. I recently bought myself Diabolik Lovers in Japanese because of you! I wanna learn Japanese, might as well do so with one of my favorite games~

[@ichi_san]

Thank you for this great review! I always wondered about Hiiro no Kakera. I had a friend who used to love the anime. Somehow though, I got into Hakuouki instead. Hope this game gets localised one day!

[@LinLinLavender]

@@ichi_san thank you as always for your comments 🥰 Haha, that's a cute story! I wonder if more people like Hakuouki better? Probably? As it was more successful? So you made the right choice 😁

[@ichi_san]

@@LinLinLavender Thank you for replying! Yeah, I guess so...

[@characharayong]

Really sad to hear that despite its popularity in Japan it didnt get an english translation :(

[@LinLinLavender]

@@characharayong with the ports the chances rise..but..we never know 😊

[@ThatCatWillStray]

I really liked the anime, especially the little teasers at the ends of the episodes, where a different LI would speak briefly to to the viewer in each one. It would be awesome to see the game get a 2024 update in English. *puts on fantasy wishlist*

[@LinLinLavender]

@@ThatCatWillStray with the ports the chances definitely rise 😊

[@amnal3983]

Your background looks lovely!! Great review as always! I’m not really interested in this game because the art isn’t my style but it’s interesting to hear about it

[@LinLinLavender]

@@amnal3983 thank you 🥰 Oh really? I like this old fashioned art style, but plot heavy games aren't for me at all 🤣

[@MeowMyselfandI]

Thanks for the review! Completely unrelatedly your shirt is so cute in this one! Looks really good on you❤

[@LinLinLavender]

@@MeowMyselfandI thanks and thanks 😍 was looking for something brown like the heroine 😂

[@cvivien3944]

wooooow hiiro no kakera was what got me into animes whn i was 12, i never knew it was an otome game originally.. now 10 years later hear i am obsessed with otomes. i guess it was written in the stars for me to be obsessed w 2D men😭 can’t say im complaining tho

[@LinLinLavender]

@@cvivien3944 magical 🤩 it was fate! Who did you like best back then?

[@Weeabaon]

I barely watched the anime, but HnK was the first otoge I played. I often played it while at school, and a classmate instantly saw one CG of Ryou and Tamaki as SA. Ah, memories. I was really into Fujita Maiko's songs for years because of this game, though.

[@LinLinLavender]

@@Weeabaon that sounds like really fond memories 💕 The opening song really is magical!

[@patrice6139]

As a fan of the Hakuoki franchise and buying their games 4 different times (the 3ds version, psp version, ps vita version & switch version), I would have purchased Hiiro No Kakera had they localized it during the Hakuoki hype. Now that there's so many localized otome games, and this game is so plot heavy and repetitive, I'd probably pass on it if it ever got localized. Thank you for another great review and saving me from further expanding my unlocalized otome collection. 😂

[@LinLinLavender]

@@patrice6139 that's dedication! True, the competition on the localised mark is strong! Happy to save your wallet 😁

[@clowntju]

This is so nice to know thank you 🌜🧡🦋 And what a sweet outfit you have today 🍒🦉🌸

[@LinLinLavender]

@@clowntju you're welcome and thank you 🥰 Have you watched the anime?

[@AnimeGirl4891]

Speaking of Hakuoki, I got the game that just came out on The Switch. But the problem is that I already played it on the Vita years ago. So, do you think I should continue playing? Or not?

[@gilliantoh4658]

If you finished playing it there's no need, but if you haven't it's purely up to you.

[@NovaNovamin]

The game sounds and looks so much like Hakuoki... Even though I loved Hakuoki, I'm somehow not interested in this game at all. Maybe because I watched the Hakuoki anime first and then played the game when I already knew the characters. I think you said you haven't played Hakuoki otome yet? After this review, I'm almost 100% sure you wouldn't like it because it's the same repetitive and plot-heavy focus in almost every route. 😅 I'm a fan of storylines, but even to me it felt drawn out and unnecessarily fictional at times. Anyway, thank you for the review! ❤ You're really quick to play through the games, I'm excited to see what you play next. May I ask what you are currently working/studying in real life? I've always wondered, but no problem if it's too private for you. ☺️

[@LinLinLavender]

@@NovaNovamin thanks for giving my mind some peace that I don't need to play Hakuouki! 🤣 Did you like Hakuouki? I'm just getting through my backlog of reviews that piled up in the past year when I wasn't super active in KZbin 😅 Feel free to dm me in the discord or write an email, but for the moment I'd rather not have anything too private on KZbin (if my face wasn't private enough 😂)

[@mippa]

Hiiro no Kakera is one of my favorite otome games..! I feel like they chose the dullest route for the anime. OTL

[@LinLinLavender]

@@mippa oh really? Which one did you like best? Takuma was my personal favourite ☺️

[@mippa]

@LinLinLavender it went TOTALLY against my usual type (I like megane-types like Sannan-san in Hakuouki best) but Mahiro completely grabbed me by the throat and never let go tbh!!

[@LinLinLavender]

@mippa is Mahiro the fan favourite? I could totally see why ☺️

[@mippa]

@LinLinLavender he definitely has a lot of fanart on Pixiv!

[@LinLinLavender]

@mippa nice 😁

[@mbuszka5295]

Waaait. How in freezed game frame You can *have Kutani Ryou* , yet for character REVIEW... You *DON'T HAVE Kutani Ryou* ? 😅 I always regretted, that it was not HIS route to do anime around. 😂

[@LinLinLavender]

@@mbuszka5295 he's kinda secret I suppose? And his route really is so short ..such a shame!

[@mbuszka5295]

@@LinLinLavender He is like much more cutted off Chikage in HAKUOKI. Through voice, of course...no comparition. 😅 But yeah. I liked him. Red head was somehow too tamed. And yet whiny for me. 🫣

[@LinLinLavender]

@@mbuszka5295 he also was my favourite, but his route was just too short 😭