イハナシの魔女

Basically, it is a masterpiece in manipulating my emotions -- in a good way. It starts out like most slow burn romances but when it picks up the pace, it picks it up masterfully and in a way that keeps you in your seats. I was basically on the verge of tears by the end and I am for sure experiencing dopamine withdrawals from the fact that there is not more content after the ending. Sadly the post-post-credit pdf is RM21.75 and isn't translated so unless they translate that I'll be left with a Lilun and Nishime shaped hole in my heart. </3

Very good VN, it takes around 15-20hr to beat. The story mainly revolved around the five principle characters and these are the only ones who got character designs and voice acting. But it's a nice story, with more than a few emotional moments. I'm not really into the romantic genre, but I still enjoyed this quite a lot.
Positives are the story, voice acting and the music. Also the character designs are great, but there are only the five.
Negatives would be only the main cast have any visual representation, the back-grounds are real photos and the whole game takes place through the same three-four setting.

generally solid for what it is, easy recommend, especially on sale.

the art is surprisingly good, simple and coherent with a totally original style. it is easily my favourite aspect of this game. i would have greatly appreciated more than one pose/outfit per character, some situations really would have benefitted. the music is great too, fits well and is catchy.

the writing is hit or miss, it fluctuates between not taking itself seriously enough and being a bit too personal - that is to say that if the story is for you i think you will really like it, if not, it may be a struggle to trudge through some sections. some parts later on are genuinely quite sweet and well worth the slog.

i think the main story is overall a bit weak and overdone, and some of the character choices are odd or disappointing. higa quickly goes from perhaps the most interesting character to my least favourite in a matter of about 10 minutes, and kaneshiro is always forced and never fits into any scenes. (he should have just been cut out completely if you ask me. his voice is really annoying too) lilun, on the other hand, is always great, and gets better as you go. i haven't gone through for a second readthrough yet, but i imagine lilun would only get better on subsequent reads. akari is also very good, though she could have been utilised better. the side characters are generally okay, kiriko is great, yoshii? (i think is her name) is cute, and, uh.. that's about it. every other side character is kind of boring, but they are side characters, so who really cares.

overall there is enough novelty here for me to consider this visual novel worth reading for pretty much anybody. it is interesting enough and handled well for the most part, and, like i said above, i am certain that some people will truly love this story. its hard to explain without spoiling anything, so just read it yourself.


akari and kiriko are great character wise, but their stories lack any real consequences, literally, in the case of kiriko as she doesnt even stay bald. the first arc feels utterly meaningless until much much later on, and even then it still doesnt really matter. everything is just sort of swept under the rug and treated as if it didnt even happen, then akari's parents just wave her off as if its totally fine for her to go. i get what they were going for, but it just doesnt work. its the same with the stuff near the end of lilun's arc where the osatos are just seemingly okay with lilun destroying the world because.. they dont want to hurt her feelings by kidnapping her..? am i missing something? she is going to DESTROY THE WORLD is she not? anyway, akari never calls hikaru from tokyo and that is thoroughly disappointing.

like i mentioned above, higa is very cute at first, but her story unfolds in a really lame way. the idol stuff is silly and way too convenient and coincidental, and the fake grandma stuff being used to mask the real grandma stuff (why does it need to be masked anyway?) is just weird. there is just too much going on in higa's story, it could have used some editing. the part i really dislike is how higa is revealed to be a paladin (?????????why????) and then literally nothing comes of it. higa doesnt need to be from the other world, it doesnt add anything to the story, all it does is ruin her character.

lilun's story is where the best stuff is (thankfully, as it is the main route) but it is also the route where you have to slog through the most exposition, world building lore dumps, nobuko/shinji stuff, etc.. it can be a real drag just to have hikaru ♥♥♥♥ everything up once again. hikaru is a serious loser, by the way. can we stop it with the visual novels where the main guy is a loser? i like the blindness stuff, im fine with that, but the fact that he hides in the bathroom and stuff like that is just pathetic. i know that you're planning to reverse it by having him break the curse, yeah yeah, whatever.. there are other ways to write a story, you dont always have to have a garbage protagonist that FINALLY pulls through at the very end, then BOOM cut to credits. anyway, since i guess im ranting now, the magic system is also disappointing. it just isn't interesting, and it sucks that lilun just happens to have cleaning spells and stuff like that. again, things are so wishywashy that i cant tell if the writer is taking things seriously or is trying to add some levity. the end result is me rolling my eyes as lilun drycleans her clothes with magic and then goes to her 9-5 as a receptionist. again, same problem, why does lilun get a job? isnt she on a mission? i get that it gets clouded as she falls for hikaru, but her motivation early on feels empty. instead of hunting the demon she works in the sugarcane field or sits at a desk all day? i dont buy it. if i have to suspend my disbelief for simple things like this it takes away a lot of the potential magic of the story. it winds up feeling oddly mundane like hikaru is rooming with an international student or something, but the author doesnt lean into that side of things either so lilun just winds up completely sidelined for all of akari & higa's routes, it sucks. you have to wait until a good 60% through lilun's route until the author actually gives her some nice scenes with hikaru. thankfully they are in fact pretty good, its just such a slog man.. so disappointing. lilun just completely gives up on her family out of nowhere too! it makes no sense. why dont they try to find the cave again or something? there are so many threads that dont get a fulfilling end..

lilun: A (would be S if hikaru wasnt a ♥♥♥♥♥ and she was actually permitted to be cute)
akari: A
early higa: S
paladin higa: F
kiriko: B

willpower and love can get very far, even between worlds too
dont judge it with its island plot cause its even more than what it seen too
with every island story troupe done right and hits hard near the end too
i cant wait for more from this dev!
its nice

An average boy means a not-so average girl, and his life is changed forever.

The game starts out a bit slow-paced gradually introducing elements and characters that play a large part in the ending of the game. The characters are charming though I do wish some of them got more screen-time as the rest of the cast.

The game doesn't have the highest budget as, characters outside of the main cast are unvoiced.
The # of overall CGs, though few in number, are used great times and are all very beautiful.

The culmination of all the elements of the story come together extremely well and make for a very emotional game, particularly, in the last half of the game.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes on Fragaria's upcoming games, hopefully with an english translation.

A story of fantasy, magic, and love, with the belief in miracles ^^
Introduction
Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch is a fantasy, dramatic, kinetic Japanese visual novel developed by Fragaria and published by Fragaria, Seikei Production, and Mayflower Entertainment. You mostly take on the role of Hikaru Nishime, a teenager who's living with his aunt and her family in Tokyo. Suddenly, Hikaru's aunt tells him that he has to move out and live with his grandfather on Toyotoki Island, a remote Japanese island in the Okinawan region, due to the rest of the family moving to another country. However, after arriving on Toyotoki Island and finding his grandfather's house, Hikaru is in for some major surprises. It turns out that his grandfather is currently overseas himself, and Hikaru is left to fend for himself, not even having the option of attending the local school. All seems lost when he meets Lilun, a teenage girl who's a foreigner. Despite Lilun's quirks, the two of them get along, depending on each other to survive. How will their story unfold?
As for the gameplay, the story is linear, so no significant choices are presented. Instead, it consists of a prologue and three chapters, each one highlighting a specific character: Akari (a teenage girl and resident of Toyotoki Island who first greets Hikaru and wants to become a Japanese idol, against her parents' wishes), Tsumugi (a young adult woman who's clumsy and always seemingly fails to do simple jobs), and Lilun (the foreigner who turns out to have magic powers). After completing all of these stories, in the Extras section of the game, you can access the author's notes as well as additional mini-stories that are more of an investigative part of Lilun's chapter, narrated from Akari's perspective. Of course, there are plenty of CGs as well as Japanese voice acting for the main characters. At the time of this review, no Steam achievements are available although there are Steam trading cards and the game counts towards a user's global total.
Review
I remember hearing lots of praise about Tales from Toyotoki, and when I learned that an English translation version was finally available, I knew that I had to get around to playing it. The developer was very kind to send over a review key, so that I could have the chance to try out the game and give my thoughts. ^^
The beginning of the story starts off a bit on the slow side although it quickly picks up. As the main character, Hikaru comes off more as someone you can't help feeling sorry for. He's been a victim of bullying, both from fellow peers and his family. After his parents died when he was around 5 years old, Hikaru hasn't had anyone who's truly cared for him. When Hikaru first meets Lilun, that's when events start picking up. Lilun definitely sticks out, both in appearance and the way that she behaves. On the outside, she's a hardened survivor, knowing how to fend for herself. Even though she tries to push Hikaru away at first, Hikaru keeps persisting, both because he needs her help and he believes that she needs his help in return. Lilun eventually relents and thus, the two of them begin this relationship that starts off as cooperative partners to friends to lovers (although this last part comes very late in the story).
Of course, there are plenty of other characters to help balance this couple. They meet Akari, her cousin Kiriko, Tsumugi, and Kaneshiro (the teenage bully who initially is an obstacle to Hikaru and Lilun, who are helping Akari to accomplish her dream, but eventually becomes their friend). They have such differing personalities from enthusiastic to calm and collected to hot-headed. Also, they help to advance all the stories that are presented. While I won't go into details with all the stories, I will say that I enjoyed them all. Lilun's story is definitely my favorite since it goes into her past and how she came to possess magic. Also, there's lots of craziness but a very beautiful ending that awaits Lilun and Hikaru. Tsumugi's story touched my heart as well, but I'd still say that Lilun's is the best. The way that the writer brings these characters to life, giving them emotion, tugs at one's heartstrings, and I even found myself crying at one point with something that happens between Hikaru and Lilun. These two go through so much, and yet, they have to endure so much pain. As for the investigative mini-stories unlocked afterwards, I'll briefly say that I enjoyed reading them. They remind me of a very well-known Japanese horror visual novel series. I do love a good mystery and investigating the unknown. However, the main story is more about the characters, their emotions, and the trials and tribulations they have to go through.
On the writing, it's paced well. Although there are some slower, more slice-of-life parts, it's balanced well with the more dramatic, emotional parts as well some touches of fantasy and the supernatural. Before I forget, I should note that Tales from Toyotoki is an isekai story, which is especially obvious when you delve into Lilun's story. I noticed a few typos in the English translation, but the story is very readable and understandable. With the choices, I usually wouldn't like them in linear stories since you actually don't have a choice. However, with the choices in Akari's story, they're quite hilarious, especially if you pick ones that Akari doesn't like, that I was more than ok with them being present. Also, with later choices, you can choose to read side stories, but they are optional, so you can skip them entirely. I wish that there had been Steam achievements, but due to the limitations of the game's engine, it isn't possible to implement them.
As for the art, it is absolutely gorgeous. It makes me think of a combination of a style from a certain popular Japanese horror VN series and the style a very popular Japanese anime movie company. I only wish that I could have shown off screenshots, but like the issue with Steam achievements, the game's engine won't allow for Steam overlay to work. Thus, you'll have to look at the screenshots on the Steam store page to get an idea, but I really would have loved to show off my personal favorite CGs.
With the music, it is lovely to listen to the various tracks. There's a great variety and they evoke different moods, from the more light-hearted, comedical moments to the more somber, emotional ones. As for the Japanese voice acting, it's such a joy to listen to the voices. While Hikaru isn't voiced, the rest of the main cast have voices. Especially, I enjoyed listening to Lilun's voice acting, and it's very obvious that she's not from Japan. Tsumugi's voice acting is delightful to listen to as well, especially since she initially comes off as more ditzy but later, her demeanor changes at times due to a certain event.
Conclusion
Would I recommend Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch? If you're a fan of Japanese visual novels and you want a story that'll tug at your heart and make you believe in miracles (even in the face of impossibilities), then I'd definitely recommend this visual novel. It takes a while to get through all the stories, and I recommend reading them all, even the investigative mini-stories. The time spent is definitely worth it, though, and for the asking price, it's worth it as well, as it took me over 16 hours to complete all of the stories.
Finally, I'd like to take the time to thank Fragaria for the review copy. It definitely took me a while to get around to this visual novel, and although I wish I'd gotten around to it sooner, it was worth the wait to experience this beautiful, emotional story. ^^
For more detailed, fully complete, high quality reviews like this, please follow The Introverted Gamer, prioritizing heart and soul always. ^^

Short ans: If you like weathering with you, you will love this VN. For me, I like this VN and had a great time (I will buy the dlc to support the dev and get more toyotoki side stories) but I'm aware it has flaws, though keep in mind that it an indie developer and thus has limited time and budget.
The writing is engaging, the artstyle and characters are very cute and I still enjoy the clique despite how late and infrequent they hang.
Essentially, they did well in the comedic, light tone mystery in the first 3/4 of the story.
Did well in the complex mature themes, friendship bonding and the emotional stakes were engaging for the final 1/4.
The problem is the midpoint. They couldn't transition well from that 3/4 to 1/4 without abrupt changes to the character's relationship and personality. In other words, the VN needed more story length, writing & stories to gradually transition that lighthearted enjoyment to close comradery to past scars and losses to emotional struggles against life.
Objectively, Ill give it 7/10. It need more funding & time to flesh out the vn via more art and story. Despite that, what they have is great. Go read and have fun.
Hope the author draft another story, it's clear they are great at writing mildly subtle complex characters (E.g. MC having a cowardly personality consistently which is a major flaw he has to overcome, Princess being a gag rival, but also a straightman leader, childhood friend having dreams, desires and personality (and will probably be the fan fav), clumsy adult having emotional and mature intelligence. House Head being pragmatic and is willing to bear the burden of villain. Doctor being logical, yet making mature complex decision when faced with illogical occurance etc etc) The best scene was clearly the Typhoon Sleepover Arc.
They just need to add MORE content/write so that the audience can bond and empathise with the characters more and thus be more hooked during the climax.
They should also be confident in their world building and overarching plot, instead of hiding them in the Extra sections. These lore are crucial in world building & plot and could also tie back to the themes of unfair suffering and abandonment.
Vague spoilers:
It has a lot of flaws, all of them due to the short 10hr content and thus not having the time to flesh out or fix these plot holes:
It's not a slow burner romance, quite the opposite, it felt very fast paced. I would ideally like more chapters and more mysteries.
E.g. are the quick development from mc and fmc, esp when fmc barely appears or interacts in the 2 side character's chapters.
Memory recovery moment (iykyk) was very random n abrupt n was only there for lore exposition as the personality got reset back
Fmc backstory was revealed to side char but later on MC alr knew everything.
No foreshadowing of MC's illness. Quite the opposite, he stumbled into a lot of teen romance and lustful scenes yet never suffered. Tho it could be argued that his illness could only be affected by genuine infatuation to the girl and thus the previous moments were lust and little/no romantic interests
Side male jumping from enemy to bromance off screen, tho I can believe it considering their shared interest and his bury the hatchet attitude
^ same for princess who only starts being a friend during typhoon. Prior to that scene, her limited appearance meant she was more of childhood friend's frenemy than mc's friend
Wish the overall themes of abuse, abandonment, betrayal was hammered more. It never felt like an obstacle or meaningful learning point in the story, except that the harsh reality of how young abandoned kids need to grow up fast in an unfair adult world, but to never abandon the fantasy and romance (kinda Like Weathering with you)
Finally, limited art. It really does hurt when a few scenes are needed to visualize different moments in the story. There even limited facial expression and poses for the characters too.