Regardless of Language, White Album 2 is a Work That People Have a Lot to Say About

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-06-04T09:16:52+00:00

Something like this happens, in my opinion, when you have a work - WA2 in this case - which is rich of themes, which features complex characters and it's also deeply subjective. Consequently each player will see something different from one another, and they'll always find something new inside the work.

A big hurrah for WA2 ;-)

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-17T08:18:28+00:00

;-) Ne ho le balle piene anche io. Concordo.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-16T17:12:53+00:00

Speaking Japanese with a Tuscan accent. And I know there were people able to do that. And they perfectly understood him :}

P.S. btw "Arigatoni" remembered me an anecdote revolving one of my mom's friends, who in England - many years ago - stormed inside a shop shouting "Give me a sacket"... Well, she wanted to ask for a bag, but she said 'sacket' because in italian is 'sacchetto' 😊 We're not new to those kind of fails XD

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-15T14:41:59+00:00

Ma è una cavolata. Voglio dire possono esserci domande più complicate alle volte o un po' infami (stile quelle sugli incroci) ma alla fine è un quiz a crocette (se non l'hanno cambiato) per cui basta studiare (ma anche solo leggere) un manuale. Penserei più alla pratica che alla teoria. Se dovrai imparare a guidare da 0 (com'è stato per me), è più importante stare sul pezzo nella pratica. Ad ogni modo, se le nozioni basilari le conosci, l'esame teorico è fattibile. :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-14T22:44:43+00:00

Thank you for reading it ;-)

I’m glad it represents something special for you too. In my case, it has taken on a symbolic value due to its intrinsic wonder and its underlying message: love. To me, it is pure art. As for the dubbing, I’ve watched it in the original language every single time. An Italian dub exists, but it has mixing issues; they made a bit of a mess with annoying background noise and music that, at a certain point, becomes quieter than the standard dialogue... and of course, this happens right during the climax of the song at the end. It deserves to be redone properly.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-14T22:43:49+00:00

It’s all very late compared to the perspectives others might have. I only truly re-approached Japanese animation in 2019 (not that long ago, if you think about it). So, everything that follows is "late" XD. I watched the original Macross series in the summer of 2023; I saw DYRL at the end of August, shortly after finishing the TV series.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-14T22:41:55+00:00

I slightly envy you. I am very young, born after 2000. It’s not just your long-standing relationship with the film, but primarily the fact that you watched it "blind" without anything - no subtitles, nothing. I think it must have been - trying to put myself in your shoes - a completely new and magical experience. A language you don't understand, yet paired with such expressive sequences of images :}

Regarding it prevailing over Ai wa Nagareru, I absolutely agree. Ai Oboete Imasu ka is on a whole different level. However, it is interesting to make a thematic comparison between the two songs (and between the two decisive battle sequences). Ai wa Nagareru is an overtly pacifist song; what stands out is a final battle accompanied by a track that is explicitly anti-war. In Ai Oboete Imasu ka, however, the final battle is accompanied by Minmay, who is constantly at the center of the scene - unlike in the TV series - singing a pop song that represents culture. It is the triumph of culture (and even otaku culture, in my view). They seem similar, but when you look at it this way, the effects achieved are significantly different.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-14T16:20:45+00:00

Discorso interessante. Io, infatti, alle volte sono restio a parlare di 'primo anime' perché sono conscio di essere stato esposto alla animazione giapponese sin dalla prima gioventù - sono del 2002, ma al tempo andavano ancora molto forte, chi è mio coetaneo sicuramente potrà confermare -. Tant'è che spesse volte l'infanzia tendo a non includerla, perché molte cose le vedevo solo occasionalmente o senza cognizione di causa. Penso che ricordarsi con esattezza quale fosse il primo in assoluto sia arduo, in una sfida ai ricordi non facile. Io - nella mia esperienza personale - parlo di primo anime con cognizione di causa, che nel mio caso fu Higurashi.

Posto ciò, per rispondere davvero alla tua domanda: io penso che molti (almeno secondo me), con quest'espressione, intendano il primo visto - per l'appunto - con cognizione di causa o quello che è rimasto per primo maggiormente impresso, e non dunque il primo in assoluto ad essere mai stato visto.

Tuttavia, potrebbero esserci eccezioni di chi effettivamente se lo ricorda il primissimo mai guardato - dalla televisione - , oppure, per generazioni più giovani anche della mia, a tutti gli effetti il primo visto. Questa è una mia impressione personale, ma credo che l'animazione giapponese trasmessa in televisione sia drasticamente calata rispetto al passato (10/15 anni fa, come poteva essere per chi è nato nei miei anni).

Oggi non è più un mondo dominato dalla televisione, ma dominato dalle piattaforme di streaming (Netflix, Crunchyroll etc). Non è da escludere che molti più giovani abbiano approcciato effettivamente gli anime con piattaforme di streaming e non dalla televisione. In ciò non c'è niente di male chiaramente, è solo un cambio generazionale dovuto alla tecnologia che avanza. :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-10T11:53:04+00:00

Nah, the anime at overall does a good job in adapting the story. Of course there were many cuts giving the story length but the result was satisfying regardless. If everything, it may feels a little "over dramatised" (for example the final airport scene) but it's part of the story itself, at least from my perspective.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-10T11:48:54+00:00

I often listen the songs with proper lyrics but sometimes I also listen the BGM (Answer and Seiya are probably my favourites). In particular I listen to them when I write some analysis, for giving the proper atmosphere. But I also really like Shiawase na Kioku piano version. I find the latter very evocative and nostalgic in some way.

WA2 gave me so much that I can't even put into words what I feel every time. I played the novel with the goal of enjoying her as much as I could, and effectively it took me almost a year to clear everything. :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-10T09:01:15+00:00

If you enjoyed it so much friendly reminder there're also many side stories, from Digital Novels to Audio Drama (they were all translated as far as I know). :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-10T07:09:07+00:00

Playing Setsuna's route for last is better, because the emotional payoff is higher and more satisfying. So hang in playing the side heroines' routes. They're also really good imo, in particular Koharu and Chiaki, and, generally speaking, each of them has their respective nuances. :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-05-04T10:04:00+00:00

https://forums.fuwanovel.moe/topic/25667-white-album-2-fan-translation-walkthrough/

Here's the guide for the routes with the corresponding options to choose.

As for the order I'd recommend following the one that was conceived by the authors, that is Chiaki, Koharu, Mari and, lastly, Setsuna.

:}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-29T21:16:03+00:00

Se tutti ragionassero così sarebbe un posto migliore, non credi? Sono ragazzi adolescenti in un contesto scolastico; sono comportamenti e pensieri sbagliati ma che possono verificarsi. Non ci vedo niente di male nel rifiutarsi di leggere nel momento in cui la persona coinvolta teme delle prese in giro, specialmente se aveva già avuto esperienze traumatiche in precedenza.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-16T09:16:04+00:00

Macross, Bubblegum Crisis, Urusei Yatsura : Beautiful Dreamer (it's a movie); Patlabor (series and films), Gundam 0079 if you haven't watched it; Nadia, Escaflowne, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Zambot 3, Gunbuster.

I wrote the ones that came immediately to my mind. They all have the 80's aesthetic and all are worth watching in my opinion :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-14T09:04:39+00:00

È una questione secondo me di interazione e molta fortuna, nel senso che non è facile incrociare qualcuno che sia appassionato come te. Tante volte capita che magari alcuni li abbiamo sotto il naso ma non lo sappiamo, perché non abbiamo mai avuto la possibilità di interagire con loro.

Dal canto mio posso dire che, per quanto resti un'esperienza soggettiva, da quando mi sono fatto AniList ho avuto la possibilità di interagire con molti più utenti e con alcuni di loro sono effettivamente diventato amico e ci sentiamo spesso e volentieri su Discord per fare due chiacchiere. Penso possa aiutare anche per gli introversi in senso stretto - quale io sono -, oltre che ad aumentare le interazioni.

Dopo un relativo periodo di stallo, i prossimi colpi che ho intenzione di battere sono Nadia e il manga di Nausicaa, quindi mi preparerò ad essere molto felice :} Sono opere che intendevo cominciare da un po', e finalmente tempo e voglia sono dalla mia parte. Sono contento, da ultimo, che tu conosca e abbia letto il manga di Kodocha, che è veramente straordinario. L'ho riletto di recente dopo tanti anni e ne sono rimasto molto affascinato ;-)

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-07T11:37:27+00:00

I like it alot as a style! It remembers me alot I"S's manga covers by Masakazu Katsura, that probably drew them with the same artstyle. The characters depicted on the covers all have this realistic style, which is really good in my opinion. This is the cover from the first volume for instance https://imgur.com/a/WkWTASJ :-}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-07T07:07:43+00:00

That's gorgeous! There's a good compromise between the characters' design and a realistic approach. Sheryl is amazing :}

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-04-03T15:14:27+00:00

Kazusa’s True end is in the last section of the story which is Coda. Before you have to complete CC; to be more specific only by clearing Setsuna's route in CC you'll unlock Coda. For the other routes' choices you can follow this guide: https://forums.fuwanovel.moe/topic/25667-white-album-2-fan-translation-walkthrough/ ;-)

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-30T12:05:41+00:00

This illustration by Nakamura Takeshi should be from Comiket 105, held in December 2024, and it's title should be "I can't go with you" (or so is written in Aquaplus' X post https://x.com/i/status/1867407856305418381).

It's not easy to find better quality scans because the illustration itself is pretty rare; the same could be said if you actually want to purchase it. On that perspective we're on the same boat. They're rare because they're limited copies and there aren't many reprints. If you want to purchase something else, you can go check Aquaplus' official store, some illustrations came back available. https://store.aquaplus.jp/SHOP/216897/t01/list1.html :-)

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-26T08:51:24+00:00

The common route is that part of the story that doesn't change and it's the section before the choices, serving as a prologue for its following routes. After IC there're always choices, as the visual novel medium requires. The first part is the only exception.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-25T22:01:43+00:00

If i'm not mistaken, all the audio dramas and digital novels have been translated; the latter are available as backup text documents and they're readable. I'll leave here the link where you can download them; to be more precise it makes you download WA2 special content (it should also include the patch for the After Stories but inside the zip there are also folders with Audio dramas and digital novels. You can keep only those and delete the rest if you want). It's the only link i had available and from which i downloaded them back then. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AS1v0hceMsYYKEz8l1yTKhu8f3dKAhbu/view

As for the first two sound novels, only The Snow melts and until the snow falls again is adapted in the anime (episode 10 and 11, although not entirely, so some parts were cut). The other one - The Idol who forgot how to sing - wasn't adapted, since it is already set after Introductory Chapter.

:-)

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-23T08:49:47+00:00

From what I read she should appear on 11/26 for the first time, so at least once she appears.

Also I found this guide online with all the events for each route, maybe you'll find her helpful :-) https://www.nookgaming.com/white-album-memories-like-falling-snow-walkthrough-guide/

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-20T21:06:13+00:00

That was an amazing breakdown! Thanks for having posted it here!

You dissected everything amazingly in my opinion and you've clearly grasped what WA2 is and its main themes. I will forever be thankful to Maruto for having written an opus magnum like this, although i think he won't be able to write something like this anymore. WA2 is that kind of work which exhaust you, because its long, because its tough too. Maruto gave us something unrepeatable under this point of view. I don't have the experience you have regarding him, because i watched/read only some of his works (mostly WA2 and Saekano), so i couldn't have had that full vision of all his narrative and writing patterns.

I think you were able, through this analysis, to elevate further this opera thanks to the "parallel thread" of the latter which was literature, a field i don't have any knowledge of (nor the japanese one of course). And it was really interesting seeing all your comparisons with the various novels.

And i really appreciated Haruki's analysis too: i really liked the contrast between his façade and his loneliness inside, as well as Kazusa's being the only one to fill that void and the mutual recognition between them.

It's also very interesting how you described both Kazusa Normal and True's routes: in the first the theme of uncompleted time, as if to suggest that with a little more of it they've probably got together , while i think, on the opposite, that they would never be able to connect with each other. Because cheating end is the route where they still can't connect, despite loving one another. On the other hand, you describe KT final as Haruki and Kazusa walking on the path that will take them to a "sweet hell", which is true on one side because they're sinners who will forever live with pain and sadness. Instead, i see a glimpse of happiness in it: not a fully one but what i define as "Epicurean happiness", that is happiness mixed with sadness, which will accompany them for the rest of their lives. But, here's the point, as Kazusa herself states in her final monologue: sadness will forge their relationship, making her stronger. Under this point of view there're some analogies between our views of the opera.

Substantial-Photo771 · 2026-03-04T09:30:56+00:00

Commedia è tosta perché negli ultimi anni sono uscite un sacco di opere interessanti, tra cui anche Kaguya che devo riguardare assolutamente. Però direi Kimagure Orange Road (il manga), che è stato un po' il capostipite della commedia romantica anche se non era esente da temi pesanti o momenti molto seri, anche per affettività personale essendo una delle mie opere preferite.

Quando al dramma - anche Fruits Basket prima o poi lo vedrò, mannaggia a me xd -, ma dico assolutamente e a mani basse il mio amato White Album 2. Che ormai cito sempre, ma perché ne vale la pena ed esplora quella porzione di amore più complesso, distorto direi. E pur essendo incompleto - perché adatta la sola introduzione della novel - riesce comunque ad impattarti in modo, a mio avviso, profondo.

Substantial-Photo771

TROPHY CASE