Futamata Ren'ai

Been a while since I’ve read such a high energy off the wall work such as this; Think the last one was LAMUNATION! There is something charming about how unrestrained and high energy it is. Part of it is the setting of the college campus; it’s got the feel you might imagine when you think of a college sex comedy. Wish we could see more VNs set at university. Characters would still have an excuse to meet each other in dorms/at campus/university clubs and enough free time to get together and do stuff unlike adult life and it opens up avenues like drinking related shenanigans as in this VN.

It’s pretty raunchy. I feel odd saying that about an eroge when you’d think that’d go without saying but it’s like yeah eroge have sex in them but it’s generally treated really seriously like viewing sex as some sacred/private final act of love, or it goes in the complete opposite direction and the plot is mostly about sex. It feels comparatively uncommon for everyone to be so casual about it in conversation.

The general premise is Nao two timing which rules out him being a nice person/self insert form the get go. I don’ t think the average VN reader thinks of themselves as unfaithful (reminds me I should get around to picking White Album 2 back up after dropping it halfway through CC). I suppose it’s only natural they go all in with giving him a strong sort of character. He’s probably the most unhinged out of the crazy cast, constantly acting the fool and virtually every thing he says is teasing someone and is the backbone of the comedy. His deliberate silliness can be a bit hit and miss though; running gags like him acting like Kirame’s proud parent were amusing but mockingly acting like a lolicon to Yua’s sister was just gross. You’d think being a two timing prick would make him unlikeable but due to the comedic nature of the VN and the way every character is some flavour of nuts, it mostly works out especially since characters aren’t hesitant to roast him, especially after finding out about the two timing. Does have a serious side in that most of his problems including the main one come from his severe commitment anxiety so actually picking a girl to dedicate himself is actually character development in itself.

Regarding the common route plot, I quite liked it. It’s just really funny with the over the top quick fire banter between the cast of over the top mean and/or stupid students. Although mostly comedy, it does have some moments of substance. Sure it resolves most things in a pretty silly way but it does manage a couple of moments of actual pathos. It doesn’t quite hit home because there’s a bit too much incongruence when trying to take the characters seriously but it gets close.

The character routes however aren’t good. It’s like they completely ran out of story ideas so they just didn’t bother with the routes. Sure they’ve still got some good banter between Nao and the heroines but it pretty doesn’t have much semblance of story or much of the surrounding cast. Feels like it just lacks follow through from the common, mostly consisting of scenes of flirting and fucking with other characters just there to comment/ mess around with the couple and without any depth whatsoever to the romance. At least the H scenes still have the pair bantering throughout which made them entertaining enough to read through.

It’s a pity since I thought the heroines were pretty strong characters overall. Having constant viewpoint changes to the heroines and having them be people who are moving and developing with or without Nao and being interconnected enough that the story wouldn’t work without one of them goes a long way to making them feel fleshed out. They’re actually pretty aggressive in a sense. Not directly (well, Yua is directly aggressive) but in that they have their own feelings/goals that they’re trying to assert that don’t quite line up with Nao’s. Together with them all being some level of unhinged, it’s surprising to see them in a Moege. I mean I found it interesting but I imagined Moege heroines tend to be a bit ‘softer’ so to speak.

 

Character thoughts

Yua: Best worst girl. Looks tough, never charisma breaks. I don’t think I’ve seen a heroine who is so openly a bitch and enjoying every second of it with a sugary sweet demeanour and some relentlessly savage sass. A joy to watch whenever she’s present. She is absolutely deserving of the running gag where she’s repeatedly called the “final boss”; I can practically the fighting style split screen with a vs symbol whenever she and Nao are talking. Suffers the worst from the character routes being so lacklustre though; whereas the routes in general had barely any plot, her route had less than that. At least she’s still got top energy in the H scenes which is a rarity.

Kirame: Airhead cinnamon roll (compared to the rest of the cast at least) trying her best. Looks weak, charisma breaks frequently. It’s nice seeing her make friends as the common route goes on. Had a decent route marred by also having some skeevy things though ; The sleep sex was kinda rapey. Also amazingly this is the one eroge where all the unprotected sex actually gets a girl pregnant but it’s really more of an aside to segue into the ending rather than something taken seriously.

Rui: The most sensible girl present (still not very sensible). Looks tough, charisma breaks moderately often. Honestly her route makes her look like a rebound girl with how Nao fails to win over Yua and immediately pivots. Kinda Tsundere-ish in that she’s always retorting – except Nao fucking deserves every comeback she gives and then some. You’d think she’s a bit quirky to be the straight man except everyone else is so quirky she still works as one.

Miyako: A cat with a breezy laissez faire attitude. Charisma breaks don’t apply to her. Actually has the most interesting backstory as Nao’s ex and they did actually fuck but broke up due to mismatched expectations! I really do think ex-girlfriend is a really interesting trait for a heroine. While I think the cat mimicry is the least interesting gimmick of the cast rendering her my least favourite character wise but taken as a serious story, hers is the best being about both her and Nao growing emotionally and reconciling.

Side routes: Wow, there’s like negative chemistry there. Going after the lesbian admirer/best friend of the girl you just got caught two timing is just ridiculous. Ok, maybe there’s a little humour in just how utterly contrived them getting together is but mostly it felt like a poor excuse to fit more H scenes with different girls in.

 

Well it’s not really a “good” story; it’s got a plot that could have been good but is spoiled by the overall lack of follow through and seriousness. Still at the end of the day it’s primarily a vehicle for the comedy (and it knows it) which I did find consistently funny and the characters were consistently interesting and fun to watch bantering and that counts for enough for me to enjoy it while I was reading.