Mini-Review: Osananajimi no Kare (Kuro/Shiro route)

WARNING - THE "DARK ROUTE IS VERY CREEPY, READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL!
(Contains 18+ / Adult material!)

There are already a few reviews out there for this 18+ (18 as in adult) Original Otome Drama CD, so I'm just kind of adding to the noise on this one but it is quite an interesting CD! (Well, more specifically, the Kuro Route is interesting, where as the Bright Route is more typical / sweet).

幼馴染の彼 ~ Osananajimi no Kare

Osananajimi's are something of a classic Japanese character type, they're your "Childhood Friend" - quite often this leads to hidden suppressed feelings of affection / love from one side to the other (sometimes both sides, but with an uncertainty about the others feelings).

In this Drama CD, it's your childhood friend who is (going to become) your boyfriend... the difference is what sort of boyfriend he's going to become; cute / sweet or jealous / scary?

And it all comes down to whether you answer your cell phone or not...

白ルート ~ Shiro Route

"Bright Route" is a fitting sub title, the scenario is cute and light-hearted. Your childhood friend encounters you on the way home (you're also neighbours). Your cell phone rings, but you choose to ignore it and after some conversation (and a few comical-sound-effect punches), you agree to go on a date together.

In this scenario your unnamed boyfriend is a typical laid back, teasing friend who jokes around with you and has a generally cheerful personality.

For your date, you make a bento (lunch box), which naturally makes your Osananajimi very happy~! Though, he can't help but tease you over the food (and get a few more comical punches) and later on he feeds you a strawberry (whilst doing the whole "Aaa~n" thing). After lunch, the two of you take a walk to a nostalgic place and your Osananajimi recalls something that happened there (involving a snake, I believe, and, of course, he can't help but pretend there's a snake and get another beating, I think this Osananajimi character likes getting beaten up... Masochist?)

After the date, that evening, your Osananajimi calls over to you from his window (you live next door and your homes are close enough to one another that he can step over to your room). Once again your Osananajimi recalls some past memories, then he enters your room through the window and talks about your pet cat, who has now died. He apologises as he didn't realise that your cat had died and bringing it up has made you cry.

At this point things get a bit more hushed and sentimental as he talks about how kind you are and how he always liked you in the past. He asks you if you like him or not, when you don't answer he presses the issue then becomes flustered as he realises that he was holding you too tightly - you then tell him you feel the same as him, which makes him happy (but surprised).

He then asks you if it's alright to kiss you, but you have to close your eyes~!

Then, he pushes you down (on to the bed, I assume) and says you're precious to him and that he won't let you go, ever.

At the start of the next track, your Osananajimi enters your room (お邪魔します~ / Ojamashimasu~) and then asks you if you're really okay with him staying over, and that he feels kind of nervous. Then he notices there's one bed, after getting flustered by this - he starts to comment that your room hasn't changed much.

The conversation moves to presents that you gave each other as kids, you show him that you kept all the ones he gave you - which he says is amazing. Then he talks about letters you used to write as children and specifically a proposal one asking you to be his wife. However, he can't help but tease you afterwards which results in some more punches, before the two of you fall over (another classic plot device).

Whilst you're tangled together, he kisses you and talks about how he feels lovestruck, embarrassed, but happy too. You laugh at him and he sulks a little and tells you not to laugh. To stop you, he kisses you again.

At this point, things become more heated and he starts to kiss you more deeply and frequently. The he says he can't restrain himself anymore, before kissing you again and again.

Although the sex scene that follows is faded out before you get to it - it's certainly heavily implied that it happens!

Afterwards he asks you if you're cold, and that you should come closer to him (to warm up). He talks to you for a little while, before asking what the time is and commenting that it's a good time to sleep - though, he can't help but kiss you a few more times before he lets you sleep~

The last track is the morning after, he gives you your first good morning kiss (or two, or three) then says how happy he is. Then, he says from last night onwards you're his girl (yup, his girl~) and that he'll always love you.

Of course, he can't help but kiss you again before the CD ends...

WARNING - DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE YANDERE!

黒ルート ~ Kuro Route

It's called Dark Route for a reason! That reason is Yandere! Your Osananajimi turns out to be a Yandere, if you decide to answer your cell phone (rather than ignoring it and giving him your attention)...

The beginning starts out the same way, you encounter your Osananajimi on the way home, at this point he is cheerful enough... He talks about how it's been a while (since the two of you met up) and continues to chat with you, until your cell phone rings...

This time, you answer your cell phone (well, he does say he doesn't mind~) and briefly speak to someone on the other end. Your Osananajimi starts to question you about this asking if it's your boyfriend - as he was sure he heard another boy's voice. You say no, so he starts to ask you more questions about this, it turns out this is a person from your circle of friends at college (he seems surprised that you're part of a circle at college and says he doesn't like circles, personally).

He teases you about this friend you were speaking to (and, of course, you punch him, just like the other CD!).

The conversation continues, until you mention that you're going to a BBQ with your circle and can't meet up with him on the day he suggested - he sounds a bit dejected but says it's okay... (OR IS IT!?)

The next track opens with you meeting up with your Osananajimi and him making some ice tea for the two of you. You talk for a little while, then he goes to get something to show you - it's a bunch of letters you wrote to him which he kept. However, you don't remember them. He reads a few of them out (naturally, the ones where you've said you like him and that you want to be lovers). Feeling embarrassed, you grab a few off him and you either crumple them up or rip them, which flusters him and makes him lunge for you - which results in the two of you falling over together.

He teases you a little, and you punch him (again). He talks about the letters from the past and how important they are. At this point, he leans in close and starts to murmur in your ear, only for your phone to ring - which ruins the mood.

You take the call, again he sounds annoyed by you asking to take the call (but says it's okay to take it). He asks you what happened to the phone strap he got you (he brings this up in the bright route too), you say you don't have it any more (where as in the bright route you'd kept it). Once again he sounds disappointed, and a little sulky.

At this point, you find some photographs... of you. He happily tells you that he took them of you. Then he starts talking about where he took them (the combini, at the school / college, when you were out shopping for a dress...). He then starts talking about the person you were talking to on the phone (I assume he's pointing out someone that's in one of the pictures he took).

At this point, things start to get awkwardly silent - then he tells you not to be mad about the photos.

He talks about having the photographs so that he can be near the girl he likes whenever he likes... This is also the point that he brings out his doll... of you. Which wears the same clothes as you... which he made based off your own clothes...

At this point, you go to move - but he stops you and says he won't let you leave. Once again he brings up 'that guy' and that he doesn't like it (the two of you). Then he says he wanted you to look at him, because he likes you. This is also when the Yandere-personality really starts to shine through as he becomes somewhat unhinged over how much he likes you.

Then you hit him and say you're going - as you leave he asks you to wait. Then, he says he's sorry for today (for what happened).

In the next track, it's raining heavily - your phone rings. You answer it and it's your Osananajimi, he says he's glad you answered. He apologises for what happened and asks you to forgive him.

You say you will forgive him, he thanks you and then comments on how it's raining. Then he starts talking about your short pants and that you're probably surprised - he then says that he's watching you right now. You open your curtain and he says 'hello~!' - you close your curtain and he comments how he's disappointed that he can't see you.

But he says it's okay, because in those moments that he can't see you, he has photos of you and you look so cute...

You hang up on him. Then, your phone starts ringing - but you ignore it. It falls silent, only to start ringing again, and again and again...

Eventually, when the ringing stops, you pick up the phone to take the messages that have been left. They're all from your Osananajimi, they gradually shift from fairly normal-sounding to very Yandere (pleading with you to forgive him and what not).

The final track opens with you returning home from grocery shopping. You enter your home, only to find that your Osananajimi is in your house (... at this point cue the Psycho music!!). Naturally, your Osananajimi starts out sounding perfectly reasonable and 'normal'.

He says that he came in through the window and asks where your parents are - you (foolishly) tell him that they're on holiday...

Your Osananajimi goes on talking, then he starts to apologise again - then he asks if it's okay to make some tea. You say it's okay and he goes off to make some tea for the two of you...

You have tea together, he comments on how delicious the tea is... however, while he's talking you start to feel tired... (OMG PANIC NOW!!!), at this point you fall asleep and a clock starts ticking...

From this point on, we enter the realm of 18+ Yandere...

The track re-opens to your Osananjimi uttering the word "Sugoi" (amazing~) then he comments that your skin is so pretty and how it's even better up close than he thought it would be... You struggle a little, but he says it's dangerous to do so as the ropes (that he's tied you up with) will cut in to your skin. He then talks about how he used 'medicine' on you and that he didn't expect to use it so soon... ( Σ(ﾟ□ﾟ; ) )

At this point you start to struggle more, he tells you to calm down...

Then, he talks about how pretty and pale your skin is and how no one (but him) can mark it, he sucks on your skin and tells you to look at the mark he made...

He kisses / sucks your skin more, before commenting on how it's different to the doll.

Then, he asks you if you like him. When you don't answer he starts to get upset and comments that you don't like him and that this means you won't die with him (he poses this as a question, as in you won't die with me?).

He apologises for making you suffer, he tells you that he's really sorry and asks you not to cry. Then he licks your tears and says how they taste salty...

THEN... he wonders what 'this place' tastes like.... (I think it's kind of obvious what THIS PLACE is....), he sucks on it and comments that it tastes different - but sweet.

Then he wonders if this is actually a dream, but then says that it isn't a dream because you're here with him. He comments on how warm your body feels and how he can hear your heart beating and that it calms him. He tells you (again) not to cry, then he kisses you again (and again).

He murmurs about how soft you feel, whilst kissing / sucking and that he can't hold back anymore and that he wants to kiss you more... He talks about the doll agian and how the dolls skin is not right (compared with yours).

At this point, he utters how cute you look, how cute your face is - before he starts to groan out (pretty much implied that he came).

He then apologises and comments that he defiled / raped you, but that he loves you and that he won't let you go. That the two of you will always be together - from now and forever more, before kissing you again...

Then, the CD ends...


~~~

┌ (ﾟロﾟ; )┛The Yandere route is pretty graphic and scary in terms of your Osananjimi being really unhinged (like the implied double-death bit in the middle of raping you! Not to mention the realistic doll of you and all the photos...)

... This CD, however, has made me realise that I find Yandere scenario's really dramatic! Even if I was cringing at times and curled up in a ball going "OMG!!! WTFBBQ!?" it was one of those compelling things that I just couldn't stop listening!!

The voice actor (who worked under a pseudonym due to the content) does such a good job of being really, really eerie!! I really think it takes a talented VA to take on that kind of role and give it such a compelling performance!

Overall, I did really enjoy the Drama CD, it set the scene quickly and did cause me to wince at times during the Dark / Yandere route... Definitely worth a listen if you're not adverse to 18+ content and, if you're going down the Dark Route, Yandere.


(^o^)/

~Ji