Behind The Nihon Review

Title: Narcissu
Genre: Drama
Company: Stage-Nana
Platform: PC
Release Date: 2005

Synopsis: Not long after his 20th birthday, soon after receiving his driver’s license, a young man receives news that he has a terminal illness. He quickly finds himself in Section 7F of his hospital, a special section for patients with no hope. There he meets a girl, Setsumi, who has given up on her life and resigned herself to the fate that comes to all 7F patients: either dying at home or dying in 7F. This is, however, a fate that Setsumi secretly longs to avoid…

The Highlights
Music: Beautifully melancholic; fitting.
Art: Minimalist; simple, yet evocative.
Plot: Straightforward and predictable, yet properly detailed.
Ending: Powerful.

I can’t say I have a great amount of experience in the visual novel medium, but what I have played (excuse me, read) I have tended to like. Narcissu is another in the line of visual novels that aims for powerful emotional impact with a straightforward plot and minimalist style. What works for Narcissu is the fact that, even though one can get a fair idea where the story is going from its very early stages, so much detail is added, it allows the plot to maintain a subtle uniqueness. Every little event is examined with a magnifying glass, and the impact of each of these events on the characters is obvious, which adds colour to a story which, in the hands of a lesser storyteller, would be a reasonably black-and-white affair.

What an amazing soundtrack! It’s obvious that someone has put an incredible amount of thought into making a fittingly vibrant, yet melancholic soundtrack, which always manages to perfectly complement the events of the story. Music is part of the atmosphere, and atmosphere is undoubtedly of utmost importance in a story that aims to be emotionally gripping, which is why Narcissu‘s soundtrack deserves a great amount of praise… I’d almost argue it’s among the best game soundtracks I’ve heard. Additionally, the visuals are just right. Deceptively simple, the minimalist style, in which the art comprises only a thin strip across the center of the screen, suitably complements the mood of the story.

An interesting note about the art is that the only character to be visually depicted throughout the visual novel is Setsumi… and she only appears very rarely, generally when the mood is at its most evocative. At first I thought this was a negative, but as the story went on I realized it was done to aid the subdued tone of most of the story. Setsumi, as a character, isn’t overly complex, but the storytelling allows her to be sympathetic enough that a reader may care for her plight. Her seiyuu does an outstanding job of portraying a desolate character, clinging onto the final strands of a flittering hope. On the other hand, I’m not sure I liked the idea of an anonymous narrator as the main protagonist. While some of his actions are strong, having a strong, sympathetic character in the lead role, rather than asking the reader to self-insert themselves into the story, could have made for more dynamic interactions and a character to respect.

As a dramatic story should, Narcissu reaches its climax in its final chapter. One can see the ending coming from a fair way, and while a cynic may accuse the climax of being predictable and melodramatic, it avoids the pitfalls of other, similar stories because its storytelling is so good. As much as anything else, in my eyes, emotional impact requires good execution, and Narcissu‘s execution is very difficult to criticize. It’s visual novels like these that make me want to experience more from the medium.

The Rating: 8

Reviewed by: Sorrow-kun

—

You can download Narcissu here