Himawari no Kyoukai to Nagai Natsuyasumi

Beautiful. This was beautiful. One word that came to my mind once finishing this work while slowly trying to put my feelings into words. Coming from prior works released under the Makura brand I believe this title to be a lot more cohesive in a lot of ways while by chance reaching some of the highest heights thus far with one of its scenarios. Two other routes that might be weaker but by no means drag this game down. All blossoming towards another strong final close off.

My time with this title felt special and now remaining in the state of having played all of it... There lingers a feeling of nostalgia and one that doesn't want to let this time end. Not only did it grip my heart a lot with first experiencing Yomi's route and reached another heights with lastly traversing Hina's route, but Yomi might be one of the best KeroQ/Makura heroines thanks to which all this title marks another extremely strong, all the more memorable entry in their library of works. 

Across each route I strongly feel like Yomi's written by SCA-Ji persists as the most outstanding one and the one that managed to grip my heart the most. There's this sincere heartfelt touch to it and builds up its emotional impact ever so gently while making each moment with Yomi a blissful feeling all so engaging. From the beginning I felt drawn to her and came to the conclusion her story might remain the most consistent which hits the right notes even long after the credits rolled.

On that note I also loved the art and CGs featured throughout her route the most. The style they used and evolved from their previous titles is gorgeous, making it hard to keep one's eyes away from it. Both backgrounds and characters blend beautifully together and especially the night time illustrations remain consistantly stunning. There's something about the lighting and colors that works beautifully together, although it might be a bit hard to express into proper words.

Of course this is far from everything this title encompasses. Ruka's route at that written by Fujikura Ken'ichi, while not as strong, remains largely a treat as well, building up on another's past memories while keeping a tad bit more focus on comedy. Even if I feel like it misses a bit of the emotional climax as other routes (Yomi and Hina's), it regardless continues to be a rather worthwhile experience that takes aim at fleshing out the cast more deeply, growing their bonds in the process. Pretty much the same could be said about Daiya's route to which I wouldn't have much more of significance to add as opposed to the last remaining one.

To briefly address something else, I feel bad mainly having written about Yomi and SCA-Ji's contributions to this game when Fujikura Ken'ichi served as a main writer for several Makura games and most definitely deserves more recognition as well. After all H2O, even with some of its weaker parts, became a game I dearly enjoyed through its sense of youthful time in the countryside and now this title too, all the more, became something I genuinely loved. Thus I'd like to give out some appreciation to the other people who worked on it as well.

Last but not least unlocking after Yomi got her spotlight, Hina's whole route could be considered another highlight and I believe it comes close as the second strongest one that shifts up for making this title even more memorable. Not wanting to spoil anything it could be a bit hard to talk much more about it, yet when I'd try to put it into one sentence: Perhaps it could be seen as another side of Yomi's route while further encompassing this game's themes and weaving every tie into a complete picture.

If there's a way to describe what this game is about I'd say it's both about past promises and looking into the future. Both regret and reconciliation. No matter how much time passed, promises can be kept and these meetings were worthwhile. Not only worthwhile but shaped lives and made this time so beautiful in the first place. No matter how much time passed... It's not to late. It's never too late to express your true feelings... After all how are we supposed to understand each other if we don't convey the way we feel. 

Rather clumsily having written this, if anything I came to adore this game if only for Yomi and ended up enjoying a lot of its other parts very much as well. It's one more heartfilled KeroMakura game, one I feel like is more than worth experiencing. One I already look fondly back to with the side of my heart.

'Till this night sky shines and casts soothing moonshine onto the hopes and dreams of ours...

One more time I can just reiterate... I dearly love Yomi...

Thank you SCA-Ji and Makura staff. Thank you for bringing Yomi into this world. 

Ghonf