I felt like this game was so close to having incredible LGBT representation. Kanji is clearly gay until suddenly he goes through 'character development' and then later wants to date a tomboy instead. I do think it makes sense for him to like Naoto more than other girls but he really should've only been set up with a guy. Feels very homophobic that the game tries so hard to change him.
As for Naoto; I think a women trying to be successful in a typically man's career field is cool, but a few lines of her writing made it feel like the writers were unsure of the end result they wanted. Throughout the story they call themselves prince, wear male clothing, do not like their body (even after their 'character development' arc), etc. As the story progresses it's revealed that she only does this to fit in with coworkers. That makes sense and I think this would be good unique writing but the timing of a few lines did not sit well with me. One second before accepting herself as "just a women that wants to be a detective" she says something along the lines of "being a women doesn't fit the imagine I have of myself." That is supposedly, as the story implies, exactly how Naoto felt exactly as she 'accepted herself'. I think 1 of 2 things should've been different. Either A: if the writers REALLY wanted this line then make Naoto a trans man because that's what it implies or more realistically B: remove a few of these specific lines from moments where they don't make sense because they do not at all fit the narrative the writers seemingly wanted and keep everything else the same. I'm not saying Naoto needed or should've been trans, but if the end result was what they were truly going for, then some lines really should not have been in the game. Remove them then I think she'd be a very excellently written character.
Regardless, I do like the game. These are easily my two favorite characters even with what I think are poor writing decisions, the music is bussin, I liked the murder mystery storyline, I genuinely laughed at a scene, and I cried at a death.
As for Naoto; I think a women trying to be successful in a typically man's career field is cool, but a few lines of her writing made it feel like the writers were unsure of the end result they wanted. Throughout the story they call themselves prince, wear male clothing, do not like their body (even after their 'character development' arc), etc. As the story progresses it's revealed that she only does this to fit in with coworkers. That makes sense and I think this would be good unique writing but the timing of a few lines did not sit well with me. One second before accepting herself as "just a women that wants to be a detective" she says something along the lines of "being a women doesn't fit the imagine I have of myself." That is supposedly, as the story implies, exactly how Naoto felt exactly as she 'accepted herself'. I think 1 of 2 things should've been different. Either A: if the writers REALLY wanted this line then make Naoto a trans man because that's what it implies or more realistically B: remove a few of these specific lines from moments where they don't make sense because they do not at all fit the narrative the writers seemingly wanted and keep everything else the same. I'm not saying Naoto needed or should've been trans, but if the end result was what they were truly going for, then some lines really should not have been in the game. Remove them then I think she'd be a very excellently written character.
Regardless, I do like the game. These are easily my two favorite characters even with what I think are poor writing decisions, the music is bussin, I liked the murder mystery storyline, I genuinely laughed at a scene, and I cried at a death.
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I'm very happy you found a character you relate to and I'm sorry you went through that but doesn't mean some of the dialogue in the game (particularly the one I pointed out which bothered me the most) didn't heavily go against what the game was presenting her as. Writers should've either gone all in one direction or all in the other instead of 50:50ing it in the climax of her character development.
GuyFriday
1 year ago