In Eba’s route, the reason he wants to commit suicide is because he feels he has no hope in the future. He harbors a very intense inferiority complex where he constantly puts himself down, belittle himself believing he has no worth. He envies others to the point where he’s convinced that everyone around him is inherently better, basically feeding his self-loathing further.

When the heroine, Ringo gets curious about Eba’s situation she offers to help him accomplish whatever he needs to do before his last day, so she follows him home and is surprised to discover that he lives a comfortable, well-off life. His family is warm, loving, and is rather remarkably *ideal*. Eba has also repeatedly expressed how much he loves his parents, which is why he’s been working so hard to earn money because he wants to treat them to a theater show and buy the best seats possible.
From a spectator’s view, Eba’s life appears to be what many would consider “perfect.” He comes from a wealthy, caring household, and is surrounded by love and support. So why is he dead-set on offing himself? This is basically the question that his route explores to answer.

I found the journey of this route interesting cause even after Ringo repeatedly shows him how astounding of an artist he is, (basically all his art pieces or plushies were immediately sold out after he lists them on mercari lol, plus he got a flood of commission requests after), even when Ringo sincerely praises his skill, talent, and efficiency when it comes to his works, and has confided with him during the last seven days they were together, he still cannot reconcile any of it with his self-image. That’s when it struck me that perhaps his inferiority complex wasn’t mere insecurity anymore, but has rather festered into something deeply rooted and corrosive. By the time he admits to Ringo how long he’s been drowning in these *dark thoughts*, it became clear to me that he’s prob far gone in a way that simple reassurance can’t fix.😞 (It was honestly a good raw confession too, Eba’s monologue) I think Eba has trapped himself into an overwhelming despair; like he genuinely believed the world would be far better without him and my thought process immediately went: “Oh no, he’s not going to be saved in time, isn’t he?”

The (Bad) Ending “A Proper Goodbye”, actually suited his narrative better in my opinion. Because his monologue prior really gave me the impression that there was no saving him. Nonetheless, I did ended up also liking his Happy Ending, where he gives life another chance with Ringo by his side helping him slowly pull away from the darkness he’s been living in. Maybe that really is what he needed: a special someone who sees him, supports him, and reminds him he’s worthy of being loved. Someone whose presence makes him feel valued, cherished, and no longer invisible in his own life.
So did love save Eba by the end of his route? Honestly… I think it did. It didn’t magically “fix” him, but for better or worse it gave him a reason to stay alive. And to me, I think it was his first step to healing.

Lastly, I also can’t help but think that the routes might have been intentionally structured so that each character’s core motivation, personality, or the circumstances surrounding their final days reflects one of the seven deadly sins. Eba to me, was greed, basically from just how his route started off that he wants to earn lots of money. I first thought about placing him under envy, but I believe that sin aligns more naturally with Meiyo instead? (I will explain why in his section).

In Shiki’s route, the heroine Ringo agrees to be Shiki’s “real girlfried” so she spends her time with him during his last days doing couple-like things like going on cafe dates or hanging out at his place after school. During these moments together, Ringo discovers that Shiki is a literal fuckboy. He engages in no-strings-attached casual sex w/ multiple partners. The thing is, he doesnt really actively seek these encounters, but rather, he accepts the invitations of women who beseech his company. He doesn’t do this in pursuit of pleasure, but rather a way to numb himself and escape the pain of his deep-seated issues and trauma. So what is Shiki’s trauma? What drove him to act so callously carefree when it comes to sex?

First of all, I just have to say that Shiki’s route is written within a culture where casual sex is considered taboo. The heroine’s repulsed reaction to learning about Shiki’s fuckboi lifestyle reflects an environment in which having casual sexual partners is uncommon and socially frowned upon. Whereas in other cultures, these things are merely something that would earn you just an eyebrow raise. That said, I’m pretty sure, Shiki being hypersexual and having multiple past partners would already cost him several points in the otome community lol! 🤣

As for Shiki’s trauma, his story follows a very common trope in dark fiction where witnessing a family member (or loved one) commit suicide right before your eyes becomes the trigger for a collapse in a person’s worldview, and this *shock* basically drives a character towards being nihilistic. In fact, we see this theme recurrently in anime, visual novels and other ent. media. To name another otome title, Black Wolves Saga has the exact same scenario in one (ot two) of the characters’ backstory. So this is how I immediately understood Shiki’s arc and where his existential and moral nihilism is rooted. What I can also infer from this route is that Shiki seems to have unconsciously absorbed the belief that if no one pulls him out of his current despair, he will eventually end up like his mother. In other words, he may have internalized the idea that when life loses its meaning (for his mom, losing Shiki’s dad was her trigger), the only conclusion is to follow the same path she did. Was the mention of the rings (with the name of his mother and his), and him actually keeping it meant to symbolize this? Was that a hint that Shiki was unintentionally mirroring his mother’s fate?

I actually really liked Shiki’s Happy Ending (epilogue), esp. the part where he breaks down and displays his needyness and desperation. His panic when Ringo collapses with a fever shows his unmasked self as an emotionally fragile boy who has never fully recovered from losing the people who loved him for who he truly was. His fear of losing Ringo also shows that he is still in the process of healing, and realistically so, as moving on from trauma of this magnitude is never an easy feat.

Lastly, Shiki’s circumstances embody lust. I think the plot point of him using sex to numb and temporarily escape his internal struggles was a way to circle back to the seven deadly sins theme, (me thinks). Idk, I hadnt really thought about it too deeply… (how the sex part connects to his past trauma with his mom’s death), other than seeing it as his way of coping and dulling his pain.

Masaya’s route was actually one of the hardest for me to get through. Not because the route was bad (it isn’t). But because it hit uncomfortably close to home during moments when the story starts unpacking Masaya’s issues.

In this route, Ringo decides to help Masaya with a couple of charity works during his final days. It’s during this time that she not only discovers his unusually big appetite for delicious food but also realizes just how differently he sees the world compared to her. For example, she immediately comments on his pink hair and asks whether it makes him uncomfortable to stand out or look like a delinquent. From Ringo’s perspective, dyeing one’s hair w/ such bright colors invites negative attention. Masaya, on the other hand, explains that he dyes his hair pink simply because he likes the color (mentions that it’s the “color of heroes.”).🥺 This contrast in worldviews clearly shows how the two teenagers interpret a simple act, such as dyeing one’s hair, in completely different ways. Ringo’s pessimism immediately veers toward how others might judge someone, while Masaya’s view is rooted in purity and innocence. I really liked the parts where the heroine tries to understand Masaya’s train of thought while they spend time together.

Masaya’s reason for wanting to commit suicide is because he feels he cannot become a true hero. This may seem like an odd answer to an ordinary person or a bystander, but to be honest, I actually understood Masaya’s plight here. I think him, REPEATEDLY emphasizing on donating every organ in his body after he dies and making sure that “ALL his parts” are put to good use foreshadows his Messiah complex (or at least I think thats what the author intends to hint at).

Maybe this is a bit TMI, but I actually understood Masaya’s Saviour complex. Perhaps it’s because I’ve gone through something similar growing up, and it can take decades to break free from this mindset. This way of thinking isnt about helping others to feel good about yourself (its never that). But rather, the unconscious belief that if you don’t help people, no one else will. This kind of mindset basically makes you feel that it is YOUR responsibility to help. Thus, instilling a strong and almost unbearable sense of obligation to do certain selfless things when in reality it is NEVER your duty to begin with.

I actually want to throw up playing Masaya’s route ngl. I had to take a break from the game for a day or two because of how uncomfortable it made me feel.😅 It’s funny because I always pride myself on being able to separate real life from fiction, but oof reading about your personal triggers so vividly definitely is… something. I love this route because of that, though. I think it really does a decent job of dissecting Masaya’s complexities as a person. It feels kind of raw, and I can’t help but be curious if the author had a similar experience growing up as well, given how authentically they handled this topic.

The part where Shiki explains to Ringo that she doesn’t have to fully understand or see eye to eye with what Masaya is going through was really nicely put. Everyone is different, and not everyone thinks the same way. People can be sensitive to things that others aren’t, and vice versa. Just because you are able to handle something doesn’t mean others can, and just because you can approach certain issues in a healthy mindset doesn’t mean everyone is able to do the same.💔 This was a really nice food for thought.

Lastly, I think Masaya represents gluttony in the Seven Deadly Sins, which is evident from his surface personality of having an incredibly large appetite. In his route, he explains that he loves eating (to a point of overeating) because he wants to take in things that make him happy, and for him, that is food. This also ties back to his father, an excellent cook, who once told him when he was young, “You can’t save the world on an empty stomach.” Being pure-hearted that he is, Masaya may have internalized this advice, which may explain why he overeats and enjoys it so much because in his mind, it gives him the ammo he needed to help more people later.

Who knew Mitsuki is a Hakkencoser! 😩 lmao Ringo is so much better than me because I would’ve fainted immediately if I get to meet my fav coser in the flesh!😂

When you think about it, Mitsuki is actually the only character in the game who is confirmed to have been born and diagnosed with an actual mental disability. He has HSP-HSS, thereby making him severely ardent in seeking new thrills but also a highly sensitive person. This explains a lot of his behavior and attitude in the game. The dude is always hot-headed, always cursing, dropping f bombs in every direction, yet he is also extremely passionate about his hobbies. Like when he latches onto something new that interests him he gets fired up and always goes all out. He’s also highly sensitive and stubborn about his beliefs, which is why, despite having many followers and fans as a popular cosplayer, he also ends up with a lot of haters.

I think Mitsuki out of all the characters, was the easiest to unpack because of how he wears his heart on his sleeve. His reason for wanting to commit suicide is that he hates the idea of conforming to societal norms the way adults do. As someone who always sticks to his guns and fights for what he thinks is right, he can’t stand the idea of accepting society’s status quo; that the rich get to live in luxury while the poor are left to rot in the dirt, that people born into prejudice have to suffer, and that those with power get to rule. So before he ends up eventually becoming an adult who is forced to accept the world’s unfairness, Mitsuki would rather off himself than accept the unfair system everyone else seems resigned to. Of course, before doing that, he wants to take revenge or “beat someone to a pulp” before he actually goes to meet his maker.

In his route, Ringo discovers that Mitsuki is actually Parry, the cosplayer she idolizes, and eventually ends up spending time with Mitsuki’s family as a stand-in babysitter for his younger brothers. There, she gets to see Mitsuki’s family’s living conditions: seven siblings living in a small apartment. She also learns about Mitsuki’s background, that his mother is a prostitute, and that each of his siblings has a different father. Despite this, Mitsuki doesn’t harbor any resentment toward his family. In fact, he is a loving brother and a caring son who understands why his mother has to work so hard for them. He is neither ashamed of their poverty nor of his mother’s profession. I love this about Mitsuki, honestly. He is such a precious boy.🥺

While I love the “what goes around comes around” karma concept in this route, my main beef with it is that the author takes a very unrealistic approach to ACTUAL bullies. They crafted this convenient karma story where Mitsuki’s bully miraculously remembers they are being a terrible person previously. When the bully faced karma, they suddenly recalled all the shit they did to Mitsuki, and like ???? I just could not buy it. Because actual bullies in reality DO NOT DO THAT. In reality, bullies or those who pick on others to nurse their ego or make themselves feel good are much more likely to play the victim when they face karma and would go into their “woe is me” spiel. They will not remember their wrongdoings nor will they genuinely reflect on their actions in the past, and that is just the hard truth.

For a game that seems to lean heavily on realistic themes, this part really felt off to me. Perhaps the author has never experienced, observed, or truly understood how reprehensible bullies can be. People are actually rotten to the core, y’know! That’s just how the world is. But whatever, lol, I didn’t wanna dwell on this too much in this route.😅

Also, I actually think this route is romantic. Despite Mitsuki calling Ringo his BFF, I firmly believe he already has feelings for her. It’s just that, since both of them are virgins with zero experience in romance, Mistuki prob just didnt know how to label their relationship. Idk, thats just my take on it though! heh
Lastly, Mitsuki’s Seven Deadly Sin is wrath, based on his surface personality of being short-tempered and hot-headed.

I think out of everyone, it was Meiyo that I had the hardest time figuring out what his deal was at first. He expresses himself far too vaguely. I didn’t really understand what he meant about “being tainted” or why he envied the heroine for being pure.

In Meiyo’s route, Ringo agrees to help him find the perfect yuri story before he actually dies. This confused me initially, because what is he even planning to do once he finds it? What was even his purpose? It wasn’t until the last chapters of his route that I finally realized he was dealing with a severe case of identity confusion. Was he closeted? Maybe. Was he experiencing gender dysphoria? I don’t think so.

I think Meiyo’s identity confusion stems from his contempt for his emotionally abusive father. Because his father is a man, and Meiyo is also a man who inherits his father’s blood, his name, and even certain physical traits, he begins to absorb the fear that he is inevitably becoming the very person he loathes. Thus creating this distorted belief that he is destined to become the same kind of monster as his dad. His anxiety isn’t about sexuality or gender dysphoria, but about moral contamination (at least thats how I interpreted it).

This anxiety is what shaped his self-loathing, and I think its where his fixation on purity was born. He idealizes the purity of yuri relationships because they represent everything he believes he can never be. And over time, this assumption has festered to the point where he convinces himself that committing suicide might become his father’s “awakening.” He thinks that if his father sees his own son die in front of him, it might shock him into changing, that maybe it would finally stop him from berating and emotionally abusing the women in their family.
To be honest, this was a craaaaazy idea of a resolution, but as you can see, it shows just how dark Meiyo’s train of thought (and desperation) has become. Its such a twisted form of self-sacrifice, born from years of emotional damage, where Meiyo sees his life as a tool to provoke guilt, regret, or an awakening in the very person responsible for all his suffering.🤯

Meiyo’s relationship with his dad is also trauma-bonding at its finest btw and I wish the author could’ve went further with this topic. I feel like the ‘emotional abuse’ here barely scratches the surface of how actual emotional abuse often starts subtly, building up until it becomes part of your normal. In this route, his dad being the emotional abuser wasn’t really emphasized beyond that one scene where Meiyo confesses to Ringo about how his dad berates his mom and sister. Maybe some of this was lost in translation, but overall, I feel like the writing for this topic played it a bit safe. It mostly focused on the *result* which is Meiyo’s identity struggle. While the process itself was largely cut short.

Anyway, I looooooved the ending “The Light at the End of the Tunnel” (Ending 20), where he finally lets go of his inhibitions and embraces his new identity. He dresses however he wants, (wears a female school uniform, grew his hair), and freely does whatever he prefers. Honestly, I think this was my favorite ending in the entire game. Seeing him give his life another chance and be reborn into the identity he truly wants felt like a weight being lifted off his shoulder, and even as a player, & as spectator to all this, it is soooo satisfying to watch him embrace his new self.

As for my beef with this route… it kind of rubbed me the wrong way when Ringo said during one of her internal monologues that “having lots of tattoos is a person’s way of unconsciously self-harming.” Like, that is just not true. I’m not sure if it was intentionally meant to be an unserious side quip, but even Meiyo later confirms in a nonchalant way that “maybe he’s indeed self-harming by having lots of tattoos” LOL. As someone who also has a lot of tattoos, no, you’re not self-harming by getting lots of ink, lmao. It’s funny because Meiyo’s route seems to center on the theme of self-expression, so for them to say something contradictory is a bit ironic. Then again, maybe it was intentional.🤷‍♀️

Lastly, Meiyo’s deadly sin is either pride or envy. Pride due to the fact that he cannot fathom the thought of inheriting the flaws of his father as well as the obsessive need to distinguish himself from his dad. And Envy due to how he repeatedly tells the herione he envies her purity (at one point, he even says he hates her for it).

Whew! Finally! Last route! I’m not going to lie, by the time I reached Tsuzuri’s actual route I was already mentally checked out of the game. To me, the game ended when I unlocked the ending where everyone survived! So I’ll talk about that first.

The ending “Phantom of the Club” (Ending 22) was such a satisfying culmination of the game because, well… obviously, none of the fellas died or committed suicide. But what I enjoyed the most, though, was how Tsuzuri brought up the idea that the club members weren’t really seeking death; they were seeking to be saved. Tsuzuri then decided to “leave a mark” on one member (Mitsuki) by challenging his ideals as a way to liberate him from his burden. This set off a domino effect, gradually freeing the others as well. It was such a cathartic experience because, when you’re in a single guy’s route and Ringo gets to save him, there’s always that lingering thought that the others saw through their deaths after graduation. So having a path where everyone survives feels very much satisfying to me. (Albeit the execution might be kind of rushed but who cares really).

What’s also noteworthy here is that it wasn’t the heroine who saved them. It was the club members themselves, coming together to pull each other out of despair. Each of them had gone through their own darkness alone in their individual routes, so it was especially gratifying to see them band together to help out one another. Their shared wish to die was what brought them together in the first place, and in the end, it was their collective effort that managed to save everyone in the club.😭

I especially loved how Tsuzuri worded it that the real purpose of Club Suicide wasn’t to die together, but to save one another from their current state of misery. That was it! That was the best finale for me, the game should’ve ended there! PERIODT!!

But alas, I have to talk about Tsuzuri.😂 lol
Tbh, Tsuzuri’s route was also really interesting. He was easily the oddest character of the bunch. Fluffy, angelic hair and the split tongue barely scratch the surface of how eccentric he is, its really in the way his expressions and tone change randomly and how he just bursts into song all the freakin time.😂 He was such a fun character, and his VA really did the legwork as if his rent was due! I just wish I hadn’t been so mentally exhausted while playing his route, because his struggles were also very emotionally labored.

Anyway, Tsuzuri’s route gives you two options to choose from. You can either believe that he’s a demon or a manifestation created by Club Suicide that eventually came to life, basically a Tsukumogami (his name, I noticed, is kind of an amalgamation of the the word too). Or you can believe he’s actually human, someone who wished so deeply to be a monster that he became one in his own mind. I played both endings, and I personally side with the latter interpretation. To me, Tsuzuri is a deeply scarred human who was dealt the devil’s own luck in life. Unlike the other boys, he never truly had a choice, since his illness made death an unavoidable outcome. One way or another, he was destined to die. His final goal before that inevitable end was simply to try and live like a proper human being, and he was finally able to experience that through Ringo.

It’s also why I think his “Life After Death” ending (Ending 24) is the most fitting for his character, because I see him as someone who actually wishes to live. His resentment toward the other members in Club Suicide, calling them ‘fakers’, felt to me like his spiteful way of pointing out the difference between them. They had the choice to keep living, yet they were willing to throw their lives away. Meanwhile, he had NO CHOICE at all. Even though he desperately wanted to live, he was fundamentally destined to die.

Lastly, I’m not sure where to place Tsuzuri in my 7 Deadly Sins theory for this game lol. I’ll come back to this eventually. If I haven’t edited this after the review is posted, that probably means I forgot! Oops.