Note to self: Stop playing so many goddamn visual novels at once.

Along with Chaos;Head, Yumemiru Kusuri. Sengoku Rance (which Im partially replaying), this is the visual novel that I’ve been having the most trouble getting into. I haven’t actually gotten through half of it yet, but my feelings on it now are enough to garner interest.

Overview

Shunin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo (Country of the Wheel, The Girl of Sunflowers) is a drama-comedy visual novel taking place in a alternate reality.

Whilst I said that I’ve had trouble getting into it, I don’t really dislike it. I enjoy alternate reality settings, especially when the writers decide to only gradually reveal elements of the background.

The visual novel features a Battle Royal-type Japan, and by that I mean that it’s tyrannical yet relinquishes enough control to it’s citizens so that they don’t want to rebel.
In the world of Himawari no Shoujo, there are people who have to follow “Obligations” to account for their past crimes, Obligations are essentially restrictions that if broken result in being sent to a concentration camp, it doesn’t matter if your restriction is broken because of something someone else did. It’s entirely your fault.

It’s mentioned in the very beginning that prisons are apparently an odd idea. A fictional device used in novels and such. Clearly showing us that this world is not exactly the most normal.

The main character is bumbling goofball Suzumura Ken’ichi whose attempting to become one of the Special People who apparently is to monitor these “Obligated People” and make sure they do not break their restrictions, and if you hadn’t guessed already the heroines of this game each have obligations.

Characters

Suzumura Ken’ichi

The protagonist. I swear to god I don’t know whether I hate this guy or think he’s crazy awesome. He socially awkward person, though he doesn’t let that stop himself from making friends.

Mitsuhiro Sachi
Sachi fits the baka-genki character type, tomboy-ish and loud. Her obligation limits her to only being active 12 hours each day.
Of all the characters, I’d say Sachi is most bearable for me. I’m very certain that she’s putting up a front, and somehow her genki-ness hasn’t turned me off yet.

Oone Touka
The tsundere with enormous emphasis on tsun. Touka’s obligation requires her to bend to her mother’s authority, thus she is treated like child. I find Touka somewhat annoying due to her constant no-nonsense personality, which is nearly impossible to avoid because the main character is full of nonsense and ridiculousness. Despite this I am eager to see what her route holds.

Hinata Natsumi
The “ultra-shy, apologizes every five seconds, and won’t allow herself to be saved” character type. There are alot of implication she is Kenichi’s childhood friend, though her shy behavior has been hiding most of her character.

Uzuki Sepia
The typical “only other young male” character type. Like the main character, he is also socially awkward, almost more-so (if that was even possible). He shares Ken’ichi’s interest in fiction.

Hōzuki Masaomi
He’s voiced by WAKAAAAAAAMOTOOOOOO! Which is very awesome. A cold and (quite likely) heartless-man. Yeah, he’s the antagonist.

Secret Heroine
Don’t know her name, or her story yet. She better be more pleasing than everyone else in this game.

Graphics

The coloring is very nice, though I can’t be sure If I love the artwork itself. It is a very nice-looking game, but the I can’t help but feel the characters looks alittle off at times.

System

It’s a basic, nothing special, nothing bad.

Will I keep playing?

I WILL TRY. As you can see, I perceive this game as somewhat generic with nothing pulling me in. But I do want to finish it, though it may take a while.