UsoNatsu ~The Summer Romance Bloomed From A Lie~ review

Heartbreaks and Uwus

A myriad of visual novels chart the progression of relationships. LYCORIS’ UsoNatsu ~The Summer Romance Bloomed From A Lie~ begins with an unexpected event. The linear novel’s first chapter details a breakup between second-year student Tachibana Kaoru and her former middle-school teacher Shimotsuki Mirei. The pair had an unusual bond that couldn’t be pigeonholed as a traditional yuri romance. Instead, Mirei occasionally acted motherly toward the runaway, providing Kaoru with a bit of spending money.

The duo’s breakup was every bit as indefinite as their relationship. Mirei was persistently obtuse about their status. When things ended, she provided a dismissive rationale. Since this was Kaoru’s first crush, the separation was devastating. Sure, it was something she had long feared. But that long-held apprehension hardly diminished the emotional knock-back of Mirei’s aloofness. It was obvious that closure was going to be exceedingly difficult.

Rewriting the Past

Curiously, a classmate named Minagi Shiori never seems far when these kinds of events unfold. She was an onlooker when an oblivious young boy confessed his feelings for Kaoru, watching as the young lad was rejected. Later, she witnesses Mirei and Kaoru’s split. And after a bit of consolation, she extends an odd ultimatum. Wanting to build new memories over the hurtful ones, Shiori asks if Kaoru would like to try to overwrite key events- as if the mind was an old VHS player.

Like Kaoru, Shiori has her own woes. A seemingly perfect pupil and admired school leader, she’s persistently on the same path as her older brother. She desperately needs to forge her own identity but is prohibited by memories created with her sibling.

A Magical Memory Tour

Echoing the quandary of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the transformation of unwanted memories is an intriguing premise. Like many cerebral works, UsoNatsu might have you reflecting on your own hurtful memories and wondering if there’s a way to erase at least some of the pain. But as Michel Gondry reminded us, without memory, there’s no safeguard against making the same mistakes all over again.

For some, UsoNatsu’s fourteen remaining chapters might move at a glacial pace. But LYCORIS is uninterested in capturing a relationship in conventional broad brushstrokes or with titillating fan-service. Instead, the developers understand that a sense of realism can be nurtured by highlighting the nuances of a relationship. As the conversations between Kaoru and Shiori grow in number, each character divulges more about their lives. And of course, as the subtitle indicates, not everyone is truthful, adding another wrinkle to the work.

Heartbreakingly Beautiful Artwork

And that’s not the novel’s only ploy. Soon, Shiori earns the admiration of another young girl, infusing a bit of additional tension. Once this triangle is formed, witnessing the various reactions between the leads provides additional insight into UsoNatsu’s characters. Additionally, this interloper helps UsoNatsu eluding becoming melodramatic. Instead, the novel grows agile, shifting between serious and more comedic tones.

Akeo’s deft writing, which shrewdly foreshadows and provides context for key events (such as Kaoru’s reason for leaving her parents) isn’t Bloomed From A Lie’s only virtue. The novel’s artistry is richly detailed and frequently exquisite, capturing everything from the beauty of Yokohama at night to the anguish of a breakup on Kaoru’s face. CGs and Kouji Shio’s (Fatal Twelve) expressive character portraits are plentiful, with the latter animated by Live2D offering animated mouths, eyes, as well as hair and clothing that gently sways in outdoor settings. Likewise, the game’s voice acting is top notch with Koichi Makoto’s and Iwami Manaka’s performances faultlessly capturing nuances like vulnerability and feigned self-assuredness.

Conclusion

Sure, there’s a plethora of visual novels that survey the different phases of a relationship. But undoubtedly, UsoNatsu ~The Summer Romance Bloomed From A Lie~ is more meticulous than most, studying the subtleties of what pushes us apart and the little details of what can bring us together. Make this your next memory.