Saving the elf daughter makes the adventure totally worth it. Also Lass needs to think up of less ridiculously long titles for their games.
Alright I’ll admit that Lass is one of those companies that I have a love/hate relationship with. I thoroughly enjoyed their “magnum opus,” 11eyes. It was a well-produced game with an exciting plotline, engaging characters, and spectacular battle scenes. Granted the character arcs sucked and the ero-scenes were shoehorned in for “power-up” purposes, but all in all it was decent read. this all changed with the fandisk, 11eyes Resona Forma. I was initially excited because the loli sub-heroine, Shiori, will get some much needed development and LUVIN. But quite frankly it was the most boring thing I’ve ever set my eyes on and I was tired of hearing church conspiracies and NO loli loving. For a game which prominently shows the freaking LOLI on the opening picture, there was almost NO LUVIN for the first hour or so. You could attach heavy weights onto my eyelids because that’s how it felt when I was reading a freaking FANDISK. I literally wanted to flip tables and I never looked at it again.
After all the milking with random side-stories and the questionable quality of ShoujoShinShoerrrwhatever, Lass released their latest title, Mayofurpaderp Mayosube. Normally I’d just completely ignore this but there’s a freaking elf loli featured on the front cover. Maybe Lass finally found their senses and gave the lolis some real justice. It’s been a long time and I figured I could give Lass titles another chance. It does have a kickass opening.
Plot:
Now that you are aware of my former skepticism, I can safely say that this game is actually decent. For one thing, I completed it without snoring to death. The sleep-inducing pacing brought by Resona Forma was abandoned and I found myself reading through the entire main plot with anticipation. Hallelujah for new writers yeah?
The story is essentially written in three parts: the school’s seven mysterious wonders, conflict with a major anti-hero/antagonist, and saving the universe via ultimate superpowers. In other words, it’s typical Lass fare. They always have a love affair with kids and superpowers and this game is really no different. Honestly, I think Lass is following almost too close to its predecessor. Not only the plot, but the cast of characters have some really close similarities to 11eyes that it cannot be called a coincidence. In the end, I can only believe that Mayosube is trying to mirror the success 11eyes had in a brand new packaging. This is a shame in my opinion because there are some original concepts that are very interesting but was never expanded upon like the origins of the high elves and the surrounding lore. While the pacing of the story is quick and did not drag down at any moment, it also glossed over several plot points I wanted to learn about especially when it reached to the specific character routes. I can tell you straight out that I thought the whole “exploring the school for the seven wonders” schtick was the most boring part of them all. Many of them were almost trivial and easily solved and felt like filler. I didn’t even know how having a chess match with Napoleon Bonaparte was included as a “wonder.” What the hell Lass?
The second part where the characters fight against the first major antagonist was fine. There was a nice twist and it brought some really good character development in a plot-focused narrative. The third part where the main route splits into specific character routes is where I think the game have suffered the most. Many of the heroines’ stories had issues with building up to a conflict and resolving it. It was only until I reached the true route where I believed there was some decent content development. I attest this to the writer’s skill but I’ll give some leeway due to him being a new guy. There were some good parts but many of the plot developments felt forced, particularly in the romance department. I know it’s not one of the game’s central themes, but sometimes I have no idea why these girls suddenly fall in love with the protagonist. I assume it’s because of his amazing balance with his alpha/beta attributes. How can chicks not dig a guy who can slay giant monsters AND sustain the adoration from his daughter? Dat sunuvagun! But even with all the flaws in the story, it is a decent read with some really heart-pulling moments and a satisfying conclusion.
Presentation:
If there’s one thing Lass is at least good at, it is putting out the production values. This game really throws down the gauntlet with its fancy-pants graphics. The level of attention to the background CG’s and the accompanying character portraits is incredible. The animations are stellar and with all the characters bouncing, head-tilting, and zipping around, it really makes the reading experience immersive. The battles are delivered in style with sound effects, battle poses, and special effects. The bangs and whistles are all there and Mayosube is bringing it all to town. The only major issue I have is that I have to replace my savedata so I can use the work-safe title CG for this review. Also the artist really loves to pour out the blood when people are hit by single sword strikes. I don’t know what his deal is but everyone in the game must have arteries the size of geysers like a Quentin Tarantino film. The music is exceptional and I particularly enjoyed the piano solos with the keyboard synths lulling in the background when the drama hits. The only problem I had is the disproportionate number of character CG’s and I’m really having trouble finding moar nekkid appropriate pictures for the ‘characters’ section.
Characters:
In my opinion, all the characters were likable. While I still think they are arguably carbon copies of their previous games, the artist did a great job in character design and all of them are attractive. My one issue is that most of their BREASTS are too BIG.
Yagami Kazuma is the central protagonist of the story and is the only one who can see Vier. While him and his circle of friends were exploring the school’s “seven wonders,” he saved Vier from slipping and falling with a spectacular dive catch which led to his passing out. After his recuperation, Kazuma explained he saw a petite girl but his friends told him they didn’t see anything. As a child, Kazuma got lost in the woods and meets a beautiful elf. Thanking her for saving him, he promises to look after her daughter. He’s cool and collected for the most part except when it comes to Vier’s protection. All in all, Kazuma is a capable protagonist but nothing extraordinary in his personality or traits in my opinion. I guess his superpower is the ability to see Vier and his sword-swinging skills.
Hasekura Otoha (CV: Ogura Yui) is Kazuma’s childhood friend and follows the kind and meek housewife stereotype. Her hobby is fortune-telling with tarot cards which ties in her superpower of using cards to summon Kazuma’s weapons. Personally, I think she’s not too bad of a character even though I’ve seen her personality archetype way too many times. Unsurprisingly, her chemistry with Vier and Kazuma are really good, thanks to her osananajimi factor. Otoha’s character route was not bad and it revolves around how she “broke” the rules with her fortune-telling, bringing a curse upon her. It ends up with a huge battle against some gigantic angel. Yeah, don’t ask me why man. Otoha was one of the few romances I thought that was not forced. She calls Kazuma onii-chan when she gets angry.
Saeki Touka (CV: Aoyama Yukari) is the newly transferred kuudere. It turns out she’s completely unaware of her “cold exterior” and is unfamiliar with social conventions. In actuality, she is a reliable and honest girl who can take things too literally at times. Her superpower is gotta go fast speed and is trained in swinging a giant….chain pole thing. I need someone to look up weapons for me cuz I don’t know shiet. Touka’s character route was about her overusing her power which ended in fighting a gigantic, tree-eating monster. Surprisingly, I thought this pairing went pretty well because Touka acknowledges her own naivety and pushes Kazuma to explain what makes her attractive for her personal understanding. It’s also very endearing when she makes her own attempts to woo him.
Yuuki Suzuran (CV: Kiritani Hana) is Kazuma’s long-time classmate and is always looking for the latest scoop for the school newspaper. She’s very popular with the students and she is skilled in communication which comes in handy during interviews. Suzuran has a crush on Kazuma but keeps it hidden out of concern for Otoha but that doesn’t stop her from playfully flirting with him on occasion. Unfortunately, her actions tend to cause misunderstandings among the group which will happen quite often. Her super power is…..growing flowers, but at least it comes into play during her character route no gigantic monsters this time. While I think Suzuran’s archetype and back-story is the most interesting out of the cast, the game shafted her route and she holds the least significance in the main story. Her ero-scenes are hot though cuz she’s a HORNY DEVIL!
Mizunomiya Nana (CV: Yuria) is the well-meaning but sharp-tongued kouhai. Under orders to capture the “invisible girl” she serves as the first obstacle for Kazuma and his ragtag gang of buddies. However she does not have a personal grudge against them and would banter with the group when they’re not fighting almost as if they were friends instead. Her weapon and partner is a talking scythe named Sharuru who is a key component to her powers (namely swinging the thing around). Nana’s character route was flat-out weird which involved ANOTHER curse but this time it affects Kazuma and displays her unwavering loyalty to the people she cares for. This route pissed me off because it actually had decent romance progression which was ruined by a ridiculous plot twist and a dark ero-scene. BOOOOOOOOO!
Hirohara Nayuta (CV: Haruka Sora) is the eccentric genius and ultimate occult fanatic. Cutting classes daily, she is considered a problem student but the teachers can’t do anything about it because she is the top of her class and also the headmaster’s daughter. Her granted powers is the ability to decipher and understand magical theory that only magicians can comprehend despite being a human. Nayuta is freaking crazy and has no qualms with human experimentation to advance scientific progress. But she has pride as a “scientist” and will follow through with her commitments to the very end. Unfortunately, her route was the lousiest one I’ve ever read. It touched upon a time skip and Vier’s conundrum as a high-elf. It’s a shame because I liked the exploration of her motivations as a character in the second arc.
Vier (CV: Uehara Aoi) is the elf loli YEAAAAAAHHHHH and is one of the seven wonders of the school as the “invisible girl.” Recalling his elven encounter when he was alone and scared, he conveyed the feelings of warmth and security, effectively gaining Vier’s trust and affection. Vier recognizes Kazuma as her savior and immediately becomes attached, calling him “papa.” However, a barrier prevents her from leaving the school and the key to Vier’s escape is by exploring the “wonders” of the school. But the rabbit hole goes deeper as outside forces have an interest in the “invisible girl” and her existence might be more important than anyone can realize. The game pointedly makes Vier as the pivotal heroine of the game and only by clearing every other heroine will the “true” route be unlocked. It’s also clear that her route will be given the most care and consistency and it shows in comparison to the other heroines especially in Vier and Kazuma’s relationship. Disregarding the fake ‘wincest’ possibility, the chemistry is phenomenal and their love for each other (platonic or romantic) makes the ‘tough decisions of reality’ carry more emotional weight. But loli is justice and I push for the lolis every time, even those that grow up.
Final Points:
Pros – Well-paced story with a decent structure, great world-building, excellent characterization and designs, high production values, true route, Vier.
Cons – Spotty plot/character development, unconvincing romance progression, weird conflict resolutions in the branch routes.
My favorite points other than the porn – Pretty much anything with Vier in it. I thought the scene with Kazuma, Vier, and Touka playing house was hilarious. By the way, Touka was the daughter.
I know I’ve been ragging on and making nonstop comparisons between Mayosube and 11eyes, but even with all its flaws it is a pretty decent game. Lass sticks with what it knows best and that is having superpowered kids saving the world with a dash of fantasy, science, and the occult. And this time around, the writing is not bogged down by long-winded exposition. While I still hold the opinion that 11eyes had a story with more depth, Mayosube is a much easier read and it actually has character routes. 11eyes’ “character routes” are basically tacked-on ero-scenes at the end. Thankfully, Lass rectified its mistakes and pulled out some “high-quality” content. BUT, there’s only ONE ero-scene with Vier. The rest are daughter-bathing scenes. Eeeehhhhh, whatever. I’m cool with that.
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