Can Western Visual Novels Compare to Japanese Visual Novels

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This is a conversation that also comes up when talking about manga. Could someone who’s not Japanese make manga? The answer is yes, I just believe a lot of American people who try to create manga don’t actually know what makes manga, manga. But that’s getting off topic, I’m here to talk about visual novels, and how they’ve been growing more and more in the west.

Visual novels are way larger of a medium in Japan than America, but recently, visual novels have been growing larger here in the west. With more English translation and indie games being released. I believe this is in part by Ren’Py and Patreon. Games like Katawa Shoujo and Doki Doki Literature Club, shows that us Americans have the ability to write and make good visual novels. But while we seemingly have a grasp of normal visual novels, how does it compare to NSFW focused visual novel?

Was suprise to learn that this was made by a bunch of 4chan users.

When it comes to that department, I feel like we still have a ways to go. Japanese H visual novels have crazy effort put into them from the art, voices, sound effects, animation, and even story! Some great ones are Starless and Taimanin Asagi. They really give the same respect they give normal games to porn games...maybe even more. But what would make people say, “this western visual novel is on par, if not better than Japanese visual novels.”? Is it the art, better stories, or just giving it that anime feel when playing it? I’m not sure, but as more and more western visual novels are being made, we get closer and closer to that answer.

What do you think about Japanese visual novels? Do you like western and Japanese visual novels better? Have western visual novels been getting better? Tell us in the comments.

Anon - Pit 5 years ago

played some “western“ hentai, problem is most of it is really shitty because it's mostly amateurish endeavours because porn is seen as something dirty. Also most of it have awful art that is like 90% of them 3D models from daz 3D and shit like that. Then there's the really bad and even misspelled 'stories'. Now there are some jewels in the pile, but they remain the exception.

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Anon - Pit 5 years ago

Western VNs also have the problem of a large number being just straight up patreon scams. Make of that what you will

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tanakaba 5 years ago

I hope we reach a future where voice actors and composers get equal respect for their work in H games and novels. I think artists are getting closer, but they aren't quite there yet either.

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Anti-Naruto 5 years ago

That's tricky to answer. Western Visual Novels aren't exactly explored, the ones that are tend to be made by the Ren'Py community. Western Visual Novels aren't bad, in fact its more accurate to say that they're clumsy. I believe the West can get to that level eventually, just right now the community is in it's infancy and needs to grow.

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kaishi10 5 years ago

I've always liked Japanese VNs. I'm also kinda picky with VNs in general, don't care if they're Western or Japanese made. (Or Korean; or Chinese.) Western 'Japanese style' VNs have slowly been getting better. But, let's be completely honest - what we call VNs are based on the Japanese model. If we go with the Western equivalent, we get what's called an Action Movie - or straight up Porn if NSFW.

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Anon - Some rando 5 years ago

Most western VNs are going to suck. Most Japanese VNs are going to suck. It's just that Japan gets more of them released so they have more good stuff in total and it's been a thing in Japan for a lot longer, so the lazy ripoff guys already know it won't sell there at all.

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Engima42 5 years ago

Played Katawa Shoujo and thought it was pretty good and a visual novel not from Japan that I liked was Everlasting summer Made in Russia as for an NSFW novel Snow Daze seem to do the job okay a good comedy one for me was Gender Bender DNA Twister Extreme and Max's Big Bust both made in Australia. These novels are coming from everywhere now and to find out if they are good is to play them.

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Anon - LeecherMan 3 years ago

Some Western games/novels are pretty good, but many quite shitty. They often use the same system so even shitty ones look (!) good. My favorites are "Sisterly Love", "Becoming a DIK", "Broken Dreamers", "Lust Epidemic". "Waifu Academy" too is good, but that one might be Japanese actually. Anyhow: try them out!

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ffthewinner 5 years ago (edited 5 years ago)

...Fruit of Grisaia and its series arent NSFW focused. not even close. they are about as focused on NSFW as early Key's games were. putting them in the same sentence as Starless/Taimanin makes no sense whatsoever.

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