Ah~
Pain.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…
Kawasaki Toshihiko clutched his chest, feeling short of breath.
His heart twitched in spasms, as if someone had brutally stabbed him multiple times.
Leaving him utterly ravaged.
In short, he felt incredibly regretful.
When he saw Nagisa die giving birth, he should have stopped.
No, to be precise, when he saw "The Story After" appear on the main screen, he shouldn't have clicked on it.
If he had stopped then, how beautiful everything would have been.
Think about it, at the end of the school arc, Okazaki Tomoya and Nagisa had just gotten together, becoming a couple. How sweet and wonderful, and the future was bright.
Why did I click on "The Story After"?
Recalling it carefully, all of this was actually a trap set by Producer Furuhara Tsubaki.
After all, "The Story After" was like a hidden level, placed on the main screen; it would be impossible not to click on it.
What's more, it was the continuation of Furukawa Nagisa's route, which Kawasaki Toshihiko himself really liked.
It's just…
Kawasaki Toshihiko himself had played too few galgames, especially those from Pokeni. Although a colleague had warned him before,
he still deeply regretted not listening.
In short, he felt incredibly regretful.
He was completely manipulated by Old Thief Furuhara.
And now there was no room for reversal.
Damn it!!
Kawasaki Toshihiko looked up, staring intently at the production staff list on the screen:
[Producer: Furuhara Tsubaki]
Furuhara Tsubaki, west!!!
[Animation Director: Hayao Miyazaki]
Hayao Miyazaki… never mind, he's just the animation Director after all.
[Scriptwriter: Maeda Jun]
Maeda Jun!
west!!!
Kawasaki Toshihiko was clear about his likes and dislikes, knowing who was primarily responsible for how this game turned out.
First and foremost was Producer Furuhara Tsubaki, and then the guy who wrote the script.
These two people are truly despicable!
Kishimetsu!
With an ending like this, how can anyone sleep at night?!
…
Soon after the game's release, players who had played it exploded.
"Ushio, ah, Ushio! My Ushio!"
"I didn't cry during the Fuko route, didn't cry during the Ichinose route, didn't cry during The Cat Returns… but I shed tears during Nagisa's part. I thought that was the absolute limit. I never expected that damn Old Thief Furuhara later on. I still overestimated him.
I originally thought that after he 'knifed' Nagisa, this insane murderer would at least have some bottom line and let Tomoya start a new life with his young daughter.
At least, that's how the story rhythm seemed at the time.
A man who picked himself up from the grief of losing his wife, regaining the courage and confidence to live for his family, for his daughter, for his father. Okazaki Tomoya was so diligent.
Such a story might not be perfect, but it was inspiring enough.
But I never expected that bastard Old Thief Furuhara, he's simply inhumane! He 'knifed' even the adorable Ushio!"
"What did Ushio do wrong? Her only mistake was appearing at Pokeni, and having Furuhara Tsubaki as her Producer.
If this character hadn't been at Pokeni, but at Elf Society or another galgame company, she wouldn't have met such a fate."
"Too despicable! Give me back my Ushio! Give me back my Nagisa!"
"Me too, I initially thought the old villain's 'knifing' would stop around Nagisa, but I never expected his daughter to be gone too.
Just imagine, how can a man who has endured the grief of losing his wife also bear a new round of grief from losing his daughter?
People say Nagisa and Ushio are tragic, but I think, can anyone be more tragic than the male protagonist?
Yes, Okazaki Tomoya is simply the unluckiest person in this game.
What's more terrifying is that we, as players, are playing the role of Tomoya.
Sure enough, Old Thief Furuhara has no conscience, and absolutely no bottom line.
The razor blades sent before were still too few."
"Too abusive! Old Thief Furuhara is still that old villain. He didn't lose his touch after his comeback. To describe it as his 'old blade is still sharp' is an understatement; I think the reason this guy chose to retire was probably to sharpen his blade.
Now this blade is truly fast and smooth.
And merciless.
The Old Thief Furuhara I knew before, while precise in his 'knifing,' would at least leave players a glimmer of hope.
This time, he truly leaves you no shred of hope."
"Damn it! Furuhara Tsubaki! west!"
…
…
Early the next morning, Toshio Suzuki went to Studio Ghibli. As soon as he went upstairs, he saw Hayao Miyazaki diligently drawing storyboards for "princess mononoke."
Huh?
Is this guy so diligent today?
Toshio Suzuki looked at the sky outside the window; the sun hadn't risen from the west.
It's not that Hayao Miyazaki shouldn't be diligent in animation production, but according to Toshio Suzuki's understanding of Miyazaki,
it was quite baffling that Miyazaki could remain so calm after Pokeni's new game, "CLANNAD," was released.
He was simply too calm.
However, Toshio Suzuki didn't bother him.
He sat down and started working.
He wondered how long Mr. Miyazaki could hold out. Logically, he would definitely pull Toshio Suzuki along, make him play CL, and then watch and direct him from the side, even mocking him for playing poorly.
After all, Hayao Miyazaki had done that before.
But…
Today was truly strange.
All the way until work ended in the evening, Hayao Miyazaki still didn't mention CL.
At this point, Toshio Suzuki couldn't help but ask:
"Mr. Miyazaki, you're very unusual today."
"Eh? Am I?" Hayao Miyazaki raised his hand to touch his cheek and beard. "Did something strange get on me?"
"No, not at all."
Toshio Suzuki smiled, "Aren't you interested in CL at all? This isn't the Miyazaki I know."
Last month, when the PV was released, you were so excited and enthusiastic.
Why are you completely silent now that the game has been released?
It doesn't make sense.
"Hehe." Miyazaki smiled happily, like an old child, with two big dimples on his face and his beard trembling.
"Suzuki-san, I think you're the one who wants to play CL, aren't you?"
"Go play, I didn't say you couldn't, but don't let it interfere with work, okay?"
Toshio Suzuki frowned deeply. How did this guy turn the tables on him?
But just then, a light bulb went off in his mind, and he understood everything.
Oh, right.
The game CL really wasn't suitable for experiencing in the presence of others.
Toshio Suzuki had read the script and knew how tear-jerking it was.
If two old men sat there, playing the game and crying their eyes out, that scene would be too comical.
Moreover, a large part of this game work came from Hayao Miyazaki's creation.
As one of the creators, Miyazaki was more eager to see how others felt when experiencing it.
Just like how he used to like going to movie theaters to see the audience's reactions to Ghibli animations.
Ah, ah~ Why didn't I think of that before?
As soon as he thought of this, Toshio Suzuki immediately felt relieved.
"Hmm," he nodded seriously, "Work comes first. Since Miyazaki, you don't want to play CL, then I don't need to spend time on it either."
"Eh?"
Hearing Suzuki's words, Hayao Miyazaki's mischievous smile suddenly froze on his face.
"Why, Suzuki-san? It's such a good game, do you really not want to experience it?"
"Well, it's not that I don't want to experience it; it's because I've already read the script, you know? Didn't you forget? When Pokeni signed the agreement with us before, you and I both got a copy of the script."
Suzuki said, feigning seriousness, "So, after knowing the plot, do I still need to experience it again?"
Hayao Miyazaki's expression was slightly flustered. "Then, of course! Even if you've seen the storyboards, you might not know the final product's effect. The coloring, voice acting, cinematography, post-production, BGM—only when these are perfectly integrated does it become the true product.
How can you say that just because you understand the storyboards, you won't go to the cinema to watch the movie?"
"But that's a movie, though." Toshio Suzuki suppressed a laugh.
"A game is also a completely new experience," Hayao Miyazaki tried to persuade him. "Really, Suzuki-san, you should really go and experience it, so you don't miss out on a good game."
Toshio Suzuki chuckled softly.
Mr. Miyazaki, this little trick of his is too easy to spot.
"Then why don't you join me?"
"Ah… this…"
Hayao Miyazaki scratched his head, truly not knowing what to say.
The real reason was that he was very afraid to play this game.
Because this game was practically a true reflection of him:
He didn't spend much time with his son due to work, and their relationship became distant. To this day, Hayao Miyazaki still regrets it.
When he wasn't so busy with work back then, he could draw for his son.
But when he truly became famous, and his child grew up, he didn't know how to communicate.
Playing such a game truly made him feel ashamed. He would cry.
When he read the script back then, Hayao Miyazaki felt that he was very similar to the male protagonist's father, Naoyuki Okazaki.
But could his child understand his painstaking efforts and original intentions like Okazaki Tomoya in the game?
Hahaha, seeing Miyazaki's embarrassed expression, Toshio Suzuki finally couldn't hold back his laughter.
…
September 15, 1994.
Tokyo.
Ginza.
Pokeni.
"President! Oh no, the forum is going to explode!"
Ayase Akane rushed into the President's office.
"Huh?!" Aoki Haruhi looked up at her, not quite understanding at first.
HR-chan's brain must not be very clear, right?
"Isn't it a good thing for it to explode?"
How long have we waited for this day? We opened the forum to players hoping it would grow, and become a very good official promotional channel in the future.
"No, it's… it's a good thing, I guess? But, I, I can't quite say. Anyway, President, you'll understand if you go see for yourself," Ayase Akane said anxiously.
"Nonsense."
Aoki Haruhi rolled his eyes, then sat down and opened his computer.
When he logged into the forum, he was startled.
Good heavens, the number of new forum posts yesterday actually reached over 10,000.
Is this still the deserted pokeni Community I knew?
These more than 10,000 posts were basically all under the new game CLANNAD section.
Seeing this, Aoki Haruhi couldn't help but smile.
What does this indicate?
It indicates that our new game is going to be a hit!
It must be that players were all moved after playing CL. Such a masterpiece of a galgame, it would be hard for it not to be popular.
Who was it before who was bearish on our game, saying the setting was too ordinary?
They even said Furuhara Tsubaki ruined Master Miyazaki Hayao. Now you know you were wrong, right?
Hmph hmph.
Those little haters from before, we're going to slap them hard.
Aoki Haruhi clicked on the section content and took a look. His smile froze on his face, and he didn't even have the courage to speak.
His mouth kept twitching.
[Crusade against Furuhara Tsubaki! (This is the title)
Furuhara Tsubaki, come out!
I want to duel you!
You killed my Soletti Nagisa, you 'knifed' my Ushio.
This enmity is irreconcilable!]
[I think Old Thief Furuhara is truly a person with an extremely twisted psyche.
In short, he's especially twisted.
Otherwise, a normal human being simply couldn't write such a plot.
Don't say the script is Maeda Jun's work.
As far as I know, the idea and script outline for this game all came from Furuhara Tsubaki. Maeda Jun is just a writing machine specifically used to fulfill Old Thief Furuhara's evil desires.
Damn it!
Old Thief Furuhara, is this guy even human? How could he 'knife' the adorable Nagisa?
And then 'knife' Ushio too?
I ask you, what kind of illness can cause a fever for several months?
When I saw this, I really, really wanted to kill Furuhara Tsubaki.]
[Furuhara Tsubaki! Not human!]
[Please change the ending, save the child!
Ushio is still so young, so sensible, so adorable.
She still has a long life ahead of her, and perhaps in the future, she too can meet a boy she likes, like Okazaki Tomoya, and then bravely overcome all difficulties like her mother Nagisa.
Perhaps…
She could have a happy life and start her own family.
But these 'perhapses,' all possibilities, have been erased by Furuhara Tsubaki.
Damn it!
Furuhara Tsubaki is simply a bastard!
If the ending isn't changed,
I will definitely send razor blades to Furuhara Tsubaki.]
[Furuhara Tsubaki, west!]
…
Aoki Haruhi froze for a moment, then silently used his mouse to delete the post "[Furuhara Tsubaki, west!]".
It wasn't for any other reason; it was mainly because the forum clearly stated: use polite language.
This was already considered abusive cyberbullying.
It was intolerable.
"Send razor blades, if you have the guts, send them!" Furuhara Tsubaki himself wasn't afraid.
"The razor blades have been delivered, President." HR-chan added fuel to the fire, "Just today, our company received three boxes of razor blades, much more than before."
Aoki Haruhi was slightly stunned at first, his eyes shifting.
Damn it!
"Is this about razor blades?"
"After the game is released, shouldn't we be receiving a wave of praise?
What kind of players are these?!"
…
But…
Aoki Haruhi narrowed his eyes. One thing struck him as very strange.
I clearly hid an Easter egg in the game.
Collect all 13 Light Orbs to unlock the good ending.
And you can also find "mermaid's tears" and characters from other Pokeni works in the hidden content. These are all benefits for the players.
Could it be that no player has discovered it yet?
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