Category: To Heart 2

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m finished!!! Finally, after almost a month, I finished the Konomi scenario in To Heart 2! I never thought I would.

Anyway, my big hurdle was really the language barrier. Not being able to read the Japanese text, I rely and listen closely at what the voice overs are saying in their dialogue. Technically so many details may be wrong in the entirety of the feature, but as a whole all the things that happened in the scenario gives Konomi her necessary character development.

We see her as a fun, klutzy girl who seems always positive but has her share of down times too. She definitely loves her onee-san Tamaki. She is also somewhat superstitious, and likes to buy and give Takaki some charms and stuff like that. She’s definitely a girl, and seeing her cry after her junior school graduation develops her characteristics of vulnerability as a girl. And of course, her “eheee~” habit makes her as cute-sounding as she is cute-looking.

Of course, the other characters which had their share of character development in this scenario are the siblings Yuji and Tamaki. They are very comic siblings. How they punch each other with words or rather physically ups the comic humor a bit in the game. And Yuji serves as the crossover king, citing references to many of the other Leaf games including no less than the first To Heart.

Which brings me to this subject, a possible major flaw in the structure of To Heart 2. How come that all those girls do not remotely know each other? I know that Yuma and Manaka are friends, but that’s just about it. Other than that, no rapport is seen between the other girls. Why is that? I would have wanted some kind of love triangle plot, or some petty fight issues between the girls. I haven’t played the original To Heart game, but why do the To Heart girls know each other in [both->to-heart] [anime->to-heart-remember-my-memories] series? In fact, they know each other too well you’d think they’re friends already. Is this an anime-only thing? Will we see rapport among the To Heart 2 characters when the anime arrives? I’ll have to see about that. In any case, it is sad that the To Heart 2 girls have little or no relation to each other in this game.

That said, it really seems to be a straight-forward game. Follow one girl, discard the rest. But if you stray away from her scenario, you get the generic bad ending. Seemingly as simple as that. I guess what really matters here is the story rather than the gameplay. You could see yourself idling away with not pushing any buttons for a period of time, since the choices and place directions are few and far between. It isn’t too hard to stray away from a girl’s scenario either. Just pick the choices that attune to the character, and also go to places where you can possibly meet her. To Heart 2 is an easy game.

On to the technical aspects. For a visual novel or bishoujo game, the event CG is rather good. Only in rare instances did I see the character drawings to be inconsistent. If I’m right, there are a total of 227 event CGs in the game. Character and background CGs blend along well. There are a few special graphical effects seen though, like zooming in the characters, but there are lots of screen fading styles employed (if anyone is ever interested in those). The music is great too. Just recently I realized that many tracks in To Heart 2 are actually revivals or remixes of To Heart PSE tracks! This recreates even more the original To Heart feel, but unfortunately I have a “heard first” tendency, so I rather like the To Heart 2 versions more.

By the way, I am playing the Playstation 2 version of To Heart 2. Actually, there will be a PC port of the game soon, possibly featuring new characters and scenarios to the game. I’m thinking that I may update some parts of this project to include some new events in the PC Konomi scenario in the game, if they will exist (and if I get the game of course).

My many thanks to the people who supported this project. To the people to posted a comment, and also to the game players I (annoyed) asked to help me on this project. Thank you very much!

Well, until the anime or the PC version comes, I officially declare this project… COMPLETE!

Review Coverage: April 25 to 27, True and Alternate Ending

The end is here!

April 25
The entire Sunday has passed with Konomi still in the house. At night, she’s about to go home, but first she tries to confess to Takaki. Well not quite yet.

April 26
Konomi picks Takaki up again in his house in the morning. After class, they go home together again. She seems to have a problem with some sort of practice. Takaki volunteers to help her, so that made her happy. Along they way, she tries to confess again, but she fails again.

April 27
This is the final fateful day. After class, we see Takaki, Konomi, Tamaki and Yuji together. The boys react on how how the weather is. Konomi suggests that they eat ice cream. Everyone agrees and so they go to the cafe. While Tamaki and Konomi gets to buy everyone the ice cream, Konomi’s two friends arrive! It seems that they know about the sleepover events, and so they tease Takaki again about Konomi. On Konomi’s back, Takaki reacts rather badly, saying that she’s really just no more than a childhood friend, or a little sister. Actually, Konomi hears the conversation. She starts getting nervous, and was about to cry, and so she fled and went home. Takaki tries to follow her, but she first gets stopped by Tamaki. Tamaki now becomes his second conscience. So she tries to let Takaki realize his true feelings for Konomi. Is she just a childhood friend to him? Or a potential lover? Tamaki gave Takaki two choices:

I see her as a girl.

I see her as just a childhood friend.

The To Heart 2 game player now has a choice that leads to two different endings.

It’s better for you to go to the page instead of me summarizing the two endings, so anyway go to each ending to find out!

To Heart 2: True Ending

To Heart 2: Alternate Ending

I see her as a childhood friend.

Tamaki “How about it?”

After explaining that she’s really just a childhood friend…

Tamaki “I see…”

Tamaki “If that’s that, just sit back here. I said a while ago. Because of your kindness, Konomi was just hurt a bit.”

Tamaki “Don’t worry, I will go to where Konomi is, just leave it to me.”

I tried to reason out that it may be better that I’ll go instead.

I think she agreed.

So we ran everywhere, until we found Konomi in front of her house, tending Genjimaru.

Konomi “Hey, what’s wrong Genjimaru?”

Konomi “Hey stand up. Let’s go for a walk.”

Konomi sees me.

“Taka-kun…”

We go for a walk instead.

(Park)

Konomi “Sorry about earlier, when I went home suddenly.”

Konomi “Anyway, Genjimaru is cruel, even though I said to have a walk, he doesn’t want.”

Whatever I said made her a bit happy this time. Maybe I was explaining about the event at the cafe.

Konomi “Is what you said true?”

Konomi “Taka-kun, do you know…”

I may be telling her that I don’t like her as a girl right now. But I like her as a childhood friend and that’s a given.

Konomi “Maybe not now… it’s okay. But, someday I’ll be more beautiful, and I’ll make you like me.”

Konomi “I like you Taka-kun. More than anyone, I like you.”

Konomi “This feeling, I won’t lose to anyone.”

Konomi “But Taka-kun, you may see Tama-oneechan as more special.”

(Huh?)

Tamaki “Ara, I won’t intend to lose either…”

Konomi “Sorry, Tama-oneechan, we got lost a little bit.”

Tamaki “Well then, Konomi. Whomever Taka-kun picks, whether we win or lose, no regrets… ok?

Konomi “Ok. Even if you’re my opponent Tama-oneechan, I won’t lose.”

Tamaki “Yup, as I wanted.”

(Something tells me that Takaki is gathering his harem)

What the heck are you guys talking about?

Tamaki “You haven’t noticed?”

Tamaki “I like you too. I knew you won’t notice. Hah, that’s that.”

Anyway they put their arms around me, and we’re side-by-side close together.

Chie “Whoaaaaaah… Something’s big happening over here…”

Michiru “FBI vs. KGB… Aliens coming over in summer. Next Comipa theme is SF.”

Yuji “Ahh futile. I told you not to regret.”

Yuji “Huh? This is not supposed to be?”

Tamaki “This Golden Week, maybe we can go play somewhere… Taka-bou’s treat.”

Why me?

Konomi “Really? Then… is the amusement park ok?”

Tamaki “Ok, it’s fine. First, the amusement park, then maybe onsen is ok too.”

Konomi “Maybe Tama-oneechan wants to join my sleep over at your house too.”

Tamaki “Ara, it’s ok with you?”

Konomi “Yup… I wanna learn some cooking from you…”

I wanna get out of this mess.

Both “Refused.”

(It’s a nightmare! This is a harem To Heart 2 ending!!!)

(FINAL DAY!!)

(After class)

After a long while, I see Tamaki again.

Yuji “Hot~~~~”
We have our polo unbuttoned a bit because of the hot weather.

Tamaki says to button it up for a decent look and just survive the heat.

(Street)
Konomi suggests to eat ice cream.

Konomi “With this hot weather ice cream’s the best.”

Yuji “Ooh, Konomi said something nice!”

Tamaki “Right, my mouth seems to be dry too…”

Konomi “Decided?”

Konomi “Then, let’s hurry!”

(Cafe)

Tamaki says that she will buy and the rest of us wait at the bench. Tamaki asks what ice cream to buy for us.

Tamaki suggests something that Yuji seems to like.

Yuji “How did you know I like that?”

Tamaki “Am I not your elder sister to not know that?”

Yuji seems to have a bad feeling about that, so he tries to pick another flavor instead.

Tamaki “Konomi, what do you like?”

Konomi “I’ll go with you, it will be hard to carry all of it. Anyway, I also have a point card” (for discounts perhaps)

Tamaki “Thanks, that helps, Yuji, decided?”

Yuji seems undecided, so he’ll join to buy too.

Before buying, Tamaki talks to me.

Tamaki “Taka-bou… you and Konomi…”

Chie “Huh? Isn’t that sempai and the others?”

Chie and Michiru are back.

Chie “Anyway, is Konomi not with you?”

She is, she’s just inside buying.

Chie “Hey, are you already very close to Konomi?”

It’s not like that.

Chie “That again, you have been sharing a bed lately, saying that again is not very encouraging.”

She is talking about the sleepover events.

This may have been some conversation to force me to say how I feel about Konomi. Thinking that Konomi is still inside, I think I answer them along the lines of. “She is no more than a childhood friend to me, or just like a sister.” It is just a half-hearted reaction because I am talking to her friends, and I’m still trying to hide my true feelings towards Konomi.

“She is no more than just a sister to me!”

Unknown to me… Konomi overhears everything.

Konomi “Um… er… I bought it… here…. Taka-kun”

She’s feeling really nervous now.

She may have dropped my ice cream while giving it to me.

“Sorry Taka-kun…”

“If you want, you can take mine…”

“It’s okay, just eat it Taka-kun…”

“Ah! Charu, Yochie, you came!”

Chie “Eh… hi! Been a while…”

They are also nervous too.

Konomi is slowly breaking down.

Michiru “Konomi…”

Konomi “Um… sorry… I’ll go home ahead!”

I try to follow her, but Tamaki stops me.

Tamaki “What will you do when you follow her?”

“Because you said something like that, Konomi is hurt.”

I tell her that I’m afraid to break our current relationship as childhood friends.

“Are you that afraid?”

“Are you afraid to break what you are to each other right now?”

“But the truth is you already know, that girl, what you are to her.”

How would you know Konomi’s feelings?

“How many years do you think I’ve already treated Konomi like a sister?”

“Surely, Konomi is the same.”

“Even if she realizes her true feelings, she is scared to break the current relationship… and hides it.”

Flashback.

Konomi “I was really troubled whether you hate me or not…”
“I haven’t changed ok?”
“I, will stay as me (Konomi), I will not change anything…”

Tamaki “That’s why, Taka-bou, for her sake, answer her feelings.”

“This is my order… no… my request.”

“I will still be her sister. Whenever my sister is troubled, I will never let it past.”

“Let me hear properly. To you, who is Konomi?”

“Just a childhood friend?”

“Or…”

“Don’t think too much. It is after all obvious that you really care for Konomi.”

“The important thing is, Konomi, as a girl, will have all her questions answered.”

FINAL CHOICE:

I see her as a girl.

I see her as just a childhood friend.

(So then, which will Takaki choose? This final choice now leads to different endings, and so click on one of them to see the result of each choice.)

(Home)

Konomi picks me up again.

(After class)
We walk home together.

(Riverside)

She seems to be troubled with some kind of practice. (I’m not sure what it is about, possibly some studies, or a cultural festival performance, or something for Golden Week.)

I agree to help her practice.

“So, when are you free? Today? Tomorrow? Anytime is ok.”

“Taka-kun, you’re great!”

(Park)

“Taka-kun… you know…”
“Umm…”
“It’s nothing…” (confession trial #2)

(Home)

This entire Sunday has passed, with Konomi still in the house.

Konomi leaves at night. I walk her home.

“Taka-kun…”

What?

“Ah… um…”
“It’s nothing…” (confession trial #1)

“So then, goodnight.”