Memories of Summer (Teru VN) – Toki route

In any case, I’ve enjoyed the Saki route and thus, I’ve decided to play another one.  And since the very first fork on the visual novel is Toki, I’ve decided to pursue that… (that and its helping mitigate the regular break/waiting time that occurs when the main manga reaches the captain match)

To be honest, I’m also quite curious how the maker of the VN would manage to realistically portray TokixTeru, considering TokixRyuuka is probably one of the most iron clad OTP in the show.

Enclosed in the plus signs are the videos of my playthrough. But, to avoid boring myself and those who would like to watch the videos to death, I only put the scenes in which the Toki route is different  from the Saki route. So yey?

[su_spoiler title=”Part I of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gARA5snhc&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk&index=1″ width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part II of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2ja3PbM3H8&index=2&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part III of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L51q5rRZU-o&index=3&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part IV of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdBveF8UMns&index=4&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part V of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgVGgTInRE&index=5&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part VI of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7oTX4Oo2KA&index=6&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part VII of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kegx8iOuLis&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk&index=7″ width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part VIII of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI3G575hoiE&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk&index=8″ width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part IX of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luijCfW6psg&index=9&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk” width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Part X of Toki Route”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SnJuaGFdwg&list=PLSVJIHJhmR1ExChdNuH4HlBgtbBEK8yKk&index=10″ width=”300″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU7-A7trviQ[/su_youtube][/su_spoiler]

Scroll below for my comments which is spoilery towards the route.

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If I can give a rating to this route with the Saki route as the gold standard (5 all around.) . Then, this route would get:

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Characters: 4 out of 5 

While the character is coherent within the world of the VN.  I believe that VN! Toki and VN! Ryuuka are different characters from canon! Toki and canon! Ryuuka. Which I suppose cannot be helped, the maker of this story needs to sell TeruxToki to those reading this and that can’t happen with canon! Toki and canon! Ryuuka’s personalities.

In any case, why do I say that they are different?

For one thing, VN! Toki starts the plot as someone resigned to her fate of dying and just calmly counting the days until it happen. Canon! Toki who is defined by her aggressiveness, stubbornness  and her will to not give up to even though she has a weak body cannot be anymore different. If VN! Toki is  Snow White who vainly waits for the miracle that isn’t coming; Canon! Toki is someone who is trying to be the Prince Charming (or die trying).

Ryuuka  in the VN is also very passive  for someone that knows that Toki is going to die. Considering that in canon, Ryuuka is very very expressive regarding her care for Toki’s health. (Just look at Ryuuka’s reaction when Toki did her “triple”) Its another stark difference.

But, as I’ve said the changes are understandable considering the premise and the author did try to make it coherent. I’m just a bit disapointed, I guess,  considering I want to see how Teru would be able to break the Toki and Ryuuka pair apart given their canon personalities.

…. Which would probably need a lot more time and space than the VN would allow, I suppose.

As for the rest of the characters, Saki and Teru seems to be alright. And its good they reconciled even outside of Saki’s route. Nodoka is a  very good friend  to be honest and she’s quite instrumental in forcing the two sisters to talk to each other.

Though, its obvious that Saki and Teru still has some lingering affections for each other.

Seriously, my assessment from the Saki route stands. The only reason in the VN that the two aren’t a pair is because of a misunderstanding. And the only reason that the misunderstanding isn’t cleared was because none of the two have enough courage

Teru literally run away from Saki  in the first major decision regarding it and have already assumed that her feelings are unrequited and unworthy of a big sister.  As for Saki, while we could see her trying, she  is not the most courageous person in the world coupled with an unhealthy dash of selflessness. The moment that Saki knew that Teru has a significant other, you could see her doing the “I’ll be happy if you’re happy thing” and bowed out of the race, not telling Teru about her feelings.

I also feel that Teru falls a bit too fast for Toki. But, I have a feeling this is a stupid complaint and would be valid for a lot of routes that isn’t someone that Teru knew for a long time (Aka her teammates and Saki)  considering that the whole story happens in a span of days.

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Plot: 3 out of 5 

I would have given it higher but the story really jumped the shark at the end of the route.  Even Toki is dumbfounded and she began the revelation train with her father is the one who burned the hospital which killed Teru and Saki’s cousin.

It gets sillier from there when Teru reveals that it isn’t really Toki’s father but the ancient “Miyanaga curse” who just used Toki’s father as catalyst. (How does Teru even know about this? She just learned about Toki’s father and the burning earlier lol ). And oh! the kami that gave Toki’s power is really Saki and Teru’s cousin disembodied spirit who is really the reincarnation  of the first Miyanaga.

….  Somehow this VN’s theory is more plausible when I just read the Saki route. lol

Though, I would note that considering the Saki-verse, some elements of this wacky theory might be true if developed properly and not thrown at the end. To be fair again though,  I think the maker are just having fun now and giving a reason for Toki’s good end. ^^

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Enjoyment: 3 out of 5 

As you might have surmised compared to the Saki route, I didn’t enjoy this much. Even factoring my inherent bias, its probably because there is a prevalence of NTR? While Nodoka is a contender in the Saki route, we barely see her reaction to the growing closeness between Saki and Teru.

As for the Toki route, its very apparent that Teru and Toki are seeing each other behind Ryuuka’s back which is kinda irritating due to the dishonesty involved.

Conclusion: 

I think I’m thinking too much about this again lol. Still, a pretty nice route considering its fanmade though. I’m also pretty glad that while there are some deviations from canon, the two routes are still pretty coherent with one another.

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