Eroge that everybody should have played
This post is based on a list of eroge that was going around 2ch early last year that went “You should be ashamed of yourself if you haven’t read these “books” before you were 20″.
Somewhere along while writing this I realised that this list is meaningless to post in English because the only guys that can really respond to it at all are the people that understand Japanese anyway, but it was too late and I finished the post.
Fukazawa Yutaka (深沢豊):
2nd Love (2nd LOVE)
Shoin, arui wa ushinawareta yume no monogatari (書淫、或いは失われた夢の物語。)
Ou Jyakuson (王雀孫):
Sore wa maichiru sakura no youni (それは舞い散る桜のように)
foca (foca):
Rocket no natsu (ロケットの夏)
Yamada Hajime (山田一):
Kana (加奈)
Kazoku Keikaku (家族計画)
Fujisaki Ryuuta (藤崎竜太):
Yukiuta (ゆきうた)
Bandou Emishi (板東えみし):
Tsukikagerou (月陽炎)
Suganuma Kyouji (菅沼恭司):
Dorei shijou (奴隷市場)
Mongamae Tsukasa (門司):
Ame ni utau ballad (雨に歌う譚詩曲)
Kuzumi Takeyuki (屑美たけゆき):
Pure mail (ピュアメール)
Mitsumine Nao (三峰奈緒):
Mugen Yasoukyoku (夢幻夜想曲)
Kanan (カナン)
Kusakabe Matsuri (草壁祭):
Gore Screaming Show (ゴアスクリーミングショウ)
Muraji Yuuta (連悠太):
Rakuen (らくえん)
Fujiki Seki (藤木隻):
ELYSION (ELYSION)
Udou Mariya (烏童マリヤ):
Mozunonie (百舌鳥の贄)
Hashino Jirou (橋野次郎):
Niji wo mitsuketara oshiete (虹をみつけたら教えて)
Hayakari Takeshi (早狩武志):
Boku to, bokura no natsu (僕と、僕らの夏)
Gunjou no sora wo koete (群青の空を越えて)
Tashiro Hayato (タシロハヤト):
Rasen kairou (螺旋回廊)
Kimi ga nozomu eien (君が望む永遠)
Harada Udaru (原田宇陀児):
WHITE ALBUM (WHITE ALBUM)
Sugamune Mitsu (菅宗光):
BE-YOND (ビ・ヨンド)
Tori (とり):
DiaboLiQuE (DiaboLiQuE)
AmbivalenZ (AmbivalenZ)
Tanaka Romeo (田中ロミオ):
CROSS†CHANNEL (CROSS†CHANNEL)
Saihate no ima (最果てのイマ)
Setoguchi Renya (瀬戸口廉也):
CARNIVAL (CARNIVAL)
SWAN SONG (SWAN SONG)
Hoshizora Meteo (星空めてお):
Kusarihime (腐り姫)
Forest (Forest)
Akitsu Tamaki (秋津環):
Te no hira wo, taiyou ni (てのひらを、たいように)
Kataoka Tomo (片岡とも):
Giniro (銀色)
Kure Ichirou (呉一郎):
Suika (水夏)
Ashita deatta shoujo (あした出逢った少女)
TAMAMI (TAMAMI):
Suki suki daisuki! (好き好き大好き！)
SCA-ji (SCA-自):
Tsui no sora (終ノ空)
Nagaoka Kenzou (長岡建蔵):
Sayonara wo oshiete (さよならを教えて)
Yamada Orochi (山田おろち):
Jisatsu no tame no 101 no houhou (ジサツのための101の方法)
Maeda Jun (麻枝准):
ONE (ONE)
AIR (AIR)
Hasumi Saita (蓮海才太):
Aoiro rinne (蒼色輪廻)
Ootsuki Suzuki (大槻涼樹):
Kuro no danshou (黒の断章)
Shuumatsu no sugoshikata (終末の過ごし方)
Takahashi Tatsuya (高橋龍也):
Shizuku (雫)
Kizuato (痕)
Takatori Hyouma (鷹取兵馬):
Hateshinaku aoi, kono sora no shita de… (果てしなく青い、この空の下で…。)
Marutani Hideto (丸谷秀人):
Yunohana (ゆのはな)
Haruka ni aogi, uruwashi no (遥かに仰ぎ、麗しの)
Urobuchi Gen (虚淵玄):
Phantom (Phantom)
Saya no uta (沙耶の唄)
Miyake Shousuke (三宅章介):
Tenshi no inai jyuunigatsu (天使のいない12月)
Tonoike Daisuke (トノイケダイスケ):
Suigetsu (水月)
Hiruta Masato (蛭田昌人):
Doukyuusei 2 (同級生2)
Shuusaku (臭作)
Nonomura byouin no hitobito (野々村病院の人々)
Arishima Yuuya (有島悠也):
Yuuyake (夕焼け)
Suzu ga utau hi (鈴がうたう日)
Kanno Yukihiro (剣乃ゆきひろ):
EVE (EVE)
Kono yo no hate de koi wo utau shoujo YU-NO (この世の果てで恋を唄う少女YU-NO)
Takei Touka (竹井10日):
Kosumosu no sora ni (秋桜の空に)
Tsuzuki Maki (都築真紀):
Triangle Heart 2, 3 (とらいあんぐるハート2・3)
Fumya (ふみゃ):
ATLACH=NACHA (アトラク=ナクア)
Izumi Tokihiko (和泉時彦):
Pandora no Yume (パンドラの夢)
Minakami Tomohiro (水無神知宏):
Crescendo (Crescendo)
Inoue Keiji (井上啓二):
Ashita no yukinojou 1, 2 (あしたの雪之丞1・2)
Higashide Yuuichirou (東出祐一郎):
Ayakashibito (あやかしびと)
Iwai Nanao (岩井七生):
Kangatari (神語)
Sekai no subete (世界ノ全テ)
Seishoujo (聖少女):
Bible Black (Bible Black)
Looseboy (るーすぼーい):
Sharin no kuni, himawari no shoujo (車輪の国、向日葵の少女)
Honma Kaname (本間要):
Shitai wo arau (肢体を洗う)
Takehaya (健速):
Konata yori kanata made (こなたよりかなたまで)
Makura Nagare (枕流):
Negapoji (ねがぽじ)
Kitagawa Samui (北側寒囲):
Yukizakura (雪桜)
Motonaga Masaki (元長柾木):
Floreal (フロレアール)
Mirai ni kisu wo (未来にキスを)
Maruto Fumiaki (丸戸史明):
Kono aozora ni yakusoku wo (この青空に約束を―)
Hisaya Naoki (久弥直樹):
Kanon (Kanon)
Shumon Yuu (朱門優)：
Kuro to kuro to kuro no saidan (黒と黒と黒の祭壇)
Itsuka, todoku, ano sora ni. (いつか、届く、あの空に。)
Soragata Aguri (宙形安九里):
Yami to boushi to hon no tabibito (ヤミと帽子と本の旅人)
Yamada Hajime and Tanaka Romeo are the same person with a different pen name, but they’re listed as separate authors in the list. Also it lists Saihate no ima as the other must read for Tanaka Romeo, but it’s probably the #1 game that I can think of to never recommend to people that are new to eroge because it was so intelligent that even eroge veterans(?) could not keep up with it.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:50 am
that is a very long list to eroge one should play. where do i have to time to play and patience to learn jp.
thx for the list.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:19 am
Thanks, Zepy.
Did the author of the list mention the specific reasons why these particular games should be on there?
September 1st, 2009 at 11:31 am
Basically the list is a list of games that are good reading. The list was actually made to counter another list which was listing good books that people should read.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:38 am
At least we have 12 of those in english or WiP I think… long ways to go!
(English)
Kana (加奈)
Kazoku Keikaku (家族計画)
CROSS†CHANNEL (CROSS†CHANNEL)
Kanon (Kanon)
Crescendo (Crescendo)
Phantom (Phantom)
Saya no uta (沙耶の唄)
ONE (ONE)
Suika (水夏) (same as Suika A.S+ ? or not?)
Bible Black (Bible Black)
(WIP)
AIR (AIR)
Kimi ga nozomu eien (君が望む永遠)
(Probably to be picked up eventally?)
SWAN SONG (SWAN SONG)
Gore Screaming Show (ゴアスクリーミングショウ)
September 1st, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I’m not really surprised but more puzzled by the fact that the majority of those games are either concerning loli or teenagers characters.
You posted a while back the 2007 eroge charts and 100% of them were also loli / teenager materials.
Is there a reason to that? Do eroge with adult characters (like G.J? or Guilty+ ones) draw no interest in Japan?
I’m really curious ^^
September 1st, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Probably because those are all assault games or what not, with less emphasis on plots.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:20 pm
There is after all 2 types of visual novels, one type is strongly focusing on just ero and pretty much non excising story, Then there is those who is strongly focusing on story and not the ero part, for those they usually try to add as many different characters as possible to bind interest, hence why most of them you will find most types of common girls.
As for loli, it’s nothing rare at all in Japan, it’s in fact quite common, granted later years in eroge it’s been less common, but if you look back a few years, to like 2004 and you will find that over 10% of the titles was complete loli games.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
X-Calibar: We’re translating Sharin no Kuni over at TLWiki as well. Should be done this November.
Actually, that reminds me. Zepy, didn’t you like Sharin? It’d be cool if you could post an article about our translation when we finish it, like you did with CROSS CHANNEL and Saya no Uta.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Zepy, what game do you recommend out of this list?
September 1st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
No Rance? Shame on you, 2ch, SHAME ON YOU!
September 1st, 2009 at 5:37 pm
ample amounts of own in this list, and tons of older stuff too. nostalgic.
i was really surprised to see this in there:
>Tsukikagerou (月陽炎)
motherfuckers are sleeping on tsukikagerou big time.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:46 pm
fuck i cant believe i skimmed past this
>Hateshinaku aoi, kono sora no shita de… (果てしなく青い、この空の下で…。)
wake up people. besides the obvious masterpieces, i couldnt recommend any other two games more highly.
the music is a big deal to me as well. most of the time the bgm KINDA fits, but its something when each piece of music goes with each scene.
but, its not like anyone is going to go and PLAY any of these now. i mean, id like to actually play dousei and MOON, but who has the time?
September 1st, 2009 at 6:00 pm
>>it was so intelligent that even eroge veterans(?) could not keep up with it.
What does this mean exactly? Care to elaborate?
September 1st, 2009 at 6:14 pm
This must be a dangerous list if Kanon is on it. Well, although Japanese people seem to have no conception of life after high school (maybe then their protagonists would have to be competent instead of whiny Salinger figures), I’ll try to think the best of the rest of them…
September 1st, 2009 at 6:18 pm
When you’re in high school you still have a romantic view of life and things seem fresh and new. All a visual novel can do for us is summon nostalgia of that time.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:20 pm
X-Calibar:
You forgot Yukizakura. It’s in English too. But I don’t know why it’s on this list, it’s not that great.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:01 pm
> Somewhere along while writing this I realised that this list is meaningless to post in English
No offense, but most of your posts are like this.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
>Actually, that reminds me. Zepy, didn’t you like Sharin? It’d be cool
>if you could post an article about our translation when we finish it
Oh wow I would want to post about that when it’s done too, yeah
>Zepy, what game do you recommend out of this list?
I’m not sure, all the titles that I have personally played that are on the list are great, or rather, they’re good enough that it’ll probably come down to personal preference. I guess something with strong impact like Cross Channel or Sharin no kuni would be good.
>>it was so intelligent that even eroge veterans(?) could not keep
>>up with it.
>What does this mean exactly? Care to elaborate?
Saihate no ima explores stuff such as Quantum Mechanics, Molecular Biology, and some other more abstract subjects relating to networking and biology, it’s really tough for the average guy to appreciate such subjects, I know I had trouble keeping up too!
>> Somewhere along while writing this I realised that this list is
>> meaningless to post in English
>No offense, but most of your posts are like this.
:(
September 1st, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Zepy, I am quite surprised: Crescendo. I loved the game, and it was one of the best that was localized. Yeah, it was localized, along with Kazoku Keikaku.
Noting that 12 are either in english or going to be in English… it’s not so pintless. in fact, it’d give more incentive for translators to find this game.
And, again, Crescendo. I’m really pleasantly surprised.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:12 pm
I might also add that there is some belief that Tanaka Romeo (author of Yume Miru Kusuri, and, yes, Cross Channel) is the same person as Yamada Hajime (author of Kana and Kazouku Keikaku).
There’s no substantive proof of this, but it’s an interesting thing to consider.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:15 pm
@Phineas
That’s because Zepy already said they’re the same person you dumbfag.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Addendum: When I say ‘this’, I meant ‘these’.
Yeah: someday, all the games you see above will be translated, either officially, or by fans. It will happen.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:45 am
I loved Crescendo - it’s one of my favorite titles, and I remember replaying it quite a number of times. Yuka was one of my favorite characters in the game - her route was especially touching. ;_;
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 am
Thirding Crescendo. The actual localization was solid, too, which was pretty shocking. The down (?) side is that the extra route wasn’t included in the version we got, but the extra route just struck me as ridiculous and pandering when I went back and played it in Japanese anyway, so it kind of felt like an unintended net benefit.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:45 am
@Moogy - Oh, I’ve heard that was a good one, and it will probably be done this year!? Good news indeed.
@Asceai - Didn’t expect that one… Nice catch; that brings the total to 14!
>>Saihate no ima explores stuff such as Quantum Mechanics, Molecular
>>Biology, and some other more abstract subjects relating to networking
>>and biology
Ah, when voting for the next game on Amaterasu Translation’s poll, I only knew :
“This game tells the story of seven long-time friends. How they grew closer or further apart as they got older. Story is told from the perspective of one of these characters and all the dialogue is presented using a blog-like interface.” from vndb
Sounds a bit more interesting suddenly.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Kana, I loved Kana. A beatiful, sad, touching and powerful story.
I liked Crescendo too, but Kana is Kana.
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
>>> Somewhere along while writing this I realised that this list is
>>> meaningless to post in English
>>No offense, but most of your posts are like this.
>
>:(
Pay no attention to the nerd, Zepy. Your blog is a unique source of info for the english-speaking on the web, one of my favorite sites. I´m sure many others feel like this, too.
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
>>Quantum Mechanics, Molecular Biology
Oh, you mean it’s technical. I first thought you meant something like Joyce’s Ulysses. (Admittedly, whether Joyce is “intelligent” is up to debate)
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
>Your blog is a unique source of info for the english-speaking on the web, one of my favorite sites. I´m sure many others feel like this, too.
sometimes i feel like he is trying to cater to the people who wish they knew japanese.
dont they have that 3 sided faggotplex website for that?
the explanation-for-wannabe-kids style of reporting sucks. it seems like that lately, anyway. must be the increase in traffic?
the “assumption that the reader knows the deal already” style needs to come back.
if some noob doesnt get it, he prolly does not need to get it, and/or can get the information elsewhere. (prolly 3faggotplex after they rip this site off).
or maybe i just need to make a comeback
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I should feel ashamed for not having played “Gore Screaming Show”?
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 am
Very strange list.
September 3rd, 2009 at 5:22 am
>>N(ry
This isn’t PS3 vs Xbox, why does it seem like it’s CD vs 3faggotplex? I like both sites, Canned Dogs for the quieter form of subjective news, and 3faggotplex for tabloid-style troll baiting… and of course the usual dose of fapping material.
What I do not like though is the porting of 3faggotplex posting style to Zepy’s site. It’s one thing to troll and flame but offer good solid arguments, but it’s another thing to just be rude without contributing any useful info in one’s post other than just being rude. Even the resident troll NONEOFYOURFUCKINGBUSINESS (where oh where are you? Hiatus?) is an intelligent gentleman by comparison to the troll wannabes.
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:10 am
That is a lot of eroge to go through. Assuming it takes a month of on-and-off play to finish one, that’s… Quite some time. I’m not surprised about a lot of the entries though, and of the ones I’m not, I’ve never heard of.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:43 am
>>>> Somewhere along while writing this I realised that this list is
>> meaningless to post in English
>No offense, but most of your posts are like this.
>>>>:(
:(
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Booger,
He’s really close.
Like really, really close.
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Having played about 75% of the games on that list, I’m going to have to say that 2ch’s tastes are falling by the wayside. Too many games there that exist simply due to their ‘OMG setting/shocking event’ or simply because of the name of the people attached.
If these are the examples of literary merit, 2ch gamers need to revisit their literary classics.
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
>Even the resident troll NONEOFYOURFUCKINGBUSINESS (where oh where are you? Hiatus?) is an intelligent gentleman by comparison to the troll wannabes.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
this made my fucking day.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:18 pm
>X-Calibur
You also forgot Mugen Yasoukyoku.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Hmm, perhaps you could also make a list of h-anime recommendation list lol
September 4th, 2009 at 1:57 am
Boku to Pico? :x
September 4th, 2009 at 3:04 am
*Boku no Pico
A certified classic H-anime show that no anime fan should miss ~<3
September 4th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
H-anime are for wankers. Pure-hearted people play eroge only.
That’s also why H-anime adaptations of eroge suck. They only get a very limited number of episodes so they have to turn all heroines into horny bitches and the story into a mere fuckfest (that, or they make a ridiculous tentacle rape party out of it).
September 5th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
>or they make a delicious tentacle rape party out of it
fixed for posterity
September 5th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
>. Pure-hearted people play eroge only.
lol wait, what?
September 6th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I appreciate your news, Zepy. My Japanese is quite good enough to play games once I have decided I am interested in them. But browsing around news in Japanese, trying to figure out if it is something I should care about, is a bit of a pain. There is definitely a place for “English news for geeks who are good at Japanese”.
September 12th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
What? No Type-Moon?
September 16th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I’ve gotta say, I appreciate that this site makes it feel like you can come in off of Google or 4chan and understand what the heck the news posts are about.
Since, like, that’s kind of the whole idea behind reporting news.
Are there any summaries of the games recommended? Like, a two line or paragraph long thing? Or even more substantial reviews? I’m interested but I don’t want to waste six hours finding the translation to a lolicon game I’m just going to delete right away.