[Ceral]

Originally Posted by Balzac

Yet again though,

Spoiler for Lucia:

I would like to ask what was good for you in that so-called "date scene". No matter how I look at it, it was very typical, following the formula set in stone by eroges through the years. I suppose for an emotionally affected person like you, it's good. I admit to have been too overloaded by many so-called "rabu~rabu~ scenes" similar to Lucia's that I didn't find it quite remarkable in itself.

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Spoiler for Lucia, Kanon:

I've read a lot of very romantic date scenes too. Probably the most important things are the character, how much enjoyment you get out of it, and how romantic you can make it.

Having the perfect character is really a judgement the reader makes. As far as the character is concerned, this one was just a little extra special to me because I felt like I was with the cutest and most unique and affectionate girl in the whole world. Having the perfect character is key to having the perfect date. This would really depend on the reader though on how much they liked the character. I think a lot of people will like Lucia's personality but that's subjective.

As far as the enjoyment goes, Lucia is the biggest "Hazukashii ya san" I have ever had the joy of encountering. I love hazukashii love, the VN Risa deserves a lot of praise for the date scene. Lucia's character is very generous with the amount of embarassing lines she is willing to say. At the same time when she is not saying an embarassing line, she seems cognitive and intelligent, it doesn't feel like I'm on a date with a stereotype. Every moment except when they briefly talked about Guardian and her powers was joy.

The part that is least subjective is how romantic this was. The most meaningful and best part of the date was the kiss and the confession. The setup was perfect. How many kisses & confessions have you seen looking over an entire city? Maybe a couple. At the same time that the date is occuring, Lucia is having her wish granted, one that she could only dream about because of her poison. She is having a dream granted the entire date. She has such a unique circumstance. And she acts like she wishes for it, she seems so grateful the whole date. (In fact she did wish for all of it). The VNs' execution and the music are perfect. There is so much amazing build up to it. And it's all fun and sweet. The only thing I can think of that's close is Makotos scene from Kanon which was also amazing but that was special in a dramatic way.(And that one was not enjoyable in a fun way) Considering their circumstances, that Koutaro is the only guy in the world who can withstand her poison, that Lucia was cursed to be alone forever, and that she was tortured by her past, and Koutaro helped her get over the past, that is quite an amazing setup. (It's like a miracle in itself that Lucia is able to have fun after all that) Because of these specific circumstances, Koutaro was able to make the confession extra special. Lucia and Koutaro's kokuhaku was extra special because their confession was like a promise to the future that they would be together forever, a love for eternity, until the end of the world and after.

In the placing of the storyline it was not a moment too soon or too late. None of it felt rushed. Everything was explained, every action had sentimental value in it. Lucia holding hands without gloves for the first time, the date being that her wish was granted, that she wanted dinner at a reservation only restaurant, that Lucia and the reader feels that they are in their own romantic world at the top looking over an entire city. The romance was perfect. The length of the date was perfect. I felt like it was explained in it's entirety too. Nothing was left to the imagination. The character was cute and lovable. It was like having my own fantasy granted, that why I loved the date scene.

Can you still say that you've read a lot of dates with that sort of setting, as romantic as that, (Forget whether the character is cute and lovable as that's subjective), a date that doesn't skip any parts and is explained in full detail? One that has a good length so that it isn't fleeting,

Spoiler for Lucia:

that has a perfect setup for a kiss and confession?

Let's hear some titles and characters if you can.
Anybody?

Spoiler for Another thought about the route without looking at it with emotion:

I reviewed the route again, without all the emotion I did in the past. I find if I separate my emotions from previous scenes, I can find some enjoyment in the later scenes. I think I wanted this route to be artistic in a flowery sort of way. I'm more accepting of her actions and just taking the route as it is instead of what it isn't. I wanted this really badly to be a sentimental masterpiece, it just isn't. They went for something cool. They tried to make this Kill Bill or something at the end, that confused the shit out of me.

PS. Now that I wrote about the date, I still can't believe they crapped all over it!!!