sincere | Liveplay: "Hatoful Boyfriend"

The default name of the protagonist is Hiyoko Tosaka, a name which is definitely at least partially a bird pun.

The game starts by explaining that it has a "powerful visualization module" that can allow "even the birdiest of birds" to appear human when you first meet them. I agree that they should definitely turn on the module that will give me a human face to look at before I agree to make out with a bird.

It's 4/8, and this is the start? of Hiyoko's second year? attending "St. Pigeonation's", the world's greatest institution for gifted birds. She is not a bird, but we're not going to get into explanations about that for now.

The first character we are introduced to is Ryouta Kawara, a rock dove she's been friends with since he was "barely hatched".

Rock doves have a lifespan of about six years.

Hiyoko is a hunter-gatherer, I guess? Ryouta offers to cook for her. He's a good childhood friend pigeon.

Edited 2020-06-14 23:02 (UTC)

Ryouta and Hiyoko are in the same homeroom again. Their professor is Kazuyaki and/or Kazuaki Nanaki, a quail, who is very pretty but seems like he is bad at his job, because he falls asleep while still introducing himself.

Pick a name spelling!!

Professor Kazuaki attempts to introduce a new student, but the new student is not interested in being introduced to mere peasants. The professor almost lets him get away with that, until Hiyoko astutely points out that if students are allowed to not perform self-introductions, society itself will collapse.

So we are introduced to Shirogane Sakuya, a very fancy fantail pigeon.

He is displeased to have been forced to say his name out loud in front of the unwashed masses. He seems great.

Hiyoko goes to return some books to the library, and she there meets an underclassman mourning dove named Nageki, a quiet creeper.

He demands to be left alone. He just wants her to return her books so he can take a look at them himself.

HIYOKO: I keep meeting depressing people today.

In the hallway, Hiyoko overhears a conversation between unfriendly fantail pigeon Shirogane Sakuya and friendly fantail pigeon Sakazaki Yuuya, an upperclassman who is popular and well-known.

Apparently, they are secretly brothers!!!! Sakuya is cold to Yuuya and stalks off, so Yuuya is the only one who notices Hiyoko.

YUUYA: You're... Hiyoko, right?
HIYOKO: How did you...?!
YUUYA: I know everybirdie here. Besides, you're the only human.

A fair and valid point. ...so like, are they all four inches tall, and she's like-- you know what, why even bother thinking about that.

After school, Hiyoko notices that Ryouta is missing, and the professor tells her that he went to the infirmary, so she goes to check up on him. Ryouta isn't there, but she does manage to meet a partridge who IMMEDIATELY says some creepy stuff to her, so I'm sure he's an upstanding citizen.

Shockingly, Hiyoko says he has a weird reputation. Dr. Shuu says that Ryouta has already left, so Hiyoko promptly runs for her life.

I have so many questions.

Hiyoko decides to check out the track club, since she did track in middle school, and anyway, it's fun to watch the birds "hop around". Can't say I wouldn't agree with her.

...??!??!??

What the hell is happening...

Uh... Okosan speaks only in coos, and he seems very upset about... some sort of pudding situation that Hiyoko doesn't understand either

It's 4/11! They're all talking about clubs today. Apparently Sakuya became student council president upon admission, I guess that's a thing that can happen.

I get my first choice here: Do I want to join track, student council, or the library staff?

I mean... based on the characters involved with those three respective institutions... I guess student council????

I'm not reading an FAQ as I play because lol, like it matters. In otome games I'm usually pretty good at getting noncommittal endings with nobody in particular unless I cheat, but........ this is a game about pigeons, so.

Sakuya called a student council meeting. He makes Hiyoko pick a student council position, since they are literally the only two people involved. Treasurer sounds like asking for trouble, and clerk is awfully sad if you can choose to be literally anything, so I pick vice president. Sakuya is happy about it. He thinks she's got guts.

HIYOKO: (I guess I got bonded with?)

lol, I like how it sounds like it happened without her participation.

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sincere - 2020-06-15 00:03 (UTC) - Expand

We went on a hike. I went to hang out with Sakuya, since apparently we're bonded now, and he threw a fit about being expected to walk places like a peasant.

Then it's May, which is time for our seasonally random sports festival! Sakuya refuses to run, so he decides to be a cheerleader, aka "a general".

I go to the first aid tent to see Yuuya. He's very flirty. The first aid tent is busy because the obstacle course is not designed to accommodate birds, so participants get injured a lot. Tragic. I forgot that Dr. Questionable would also be here, but he appears to be off to one side, taking notes on the performance of the students participating in the sporting events. How... questionable of him!

On the hike: Talking to Ryouta results in him skeptically eyeing Hiyoko's survival rations and instead sharing the lunch that he prepared for himself.

During the random sports festival, participating in the three-legged race with Ryouta results in coming in second place, even though in retrospect Hiyoko admits that maybe pairing up a "bird and a primate" in a three-legged race sounds like total goddamn nonsense.

I just have to note:

This girl lives in a cave

At the end of May, Hiyoko did well on her midterms. That's probably good, right? Is there another option? idk.

Beginning of June. Yuuya explains the legend of "Brian", the world's most famous pigeon, who began blogging back when "birds were barely intelligent". I see, I see. So this is a dystopian future. That makes sense. It also explains why the only human around seems to be a hunter-gatherer who lives in a cave???

Mid-June. Hiyoko arrives to find that Okosan and Sakuya are fighting, although she pauses to reflect on how they flipped a bunch of desks, and also Ryouta, and Ryouta looks weird upside-down.

Apparently, Sakuya was sneering at Okosan for being a "stupid mongrel who thinks only about imaginary pudding". Hiyoko is outraged!

HIYOKO: That's terrible!
HIYOKO: I mean, Okosan is a nutcase and I don't know what he's saying half the time, but he really does like pudding!

Again, an astute observation from Hiyoko.

I have her yell at both of them. She throws them out the window. Well... they are pigeons, so.

lololol I chose to go check out the school store in my spare time, and Yuuya catches Hiyoko looking at nesting materials and asks if she's thinking about "settling down"

HIYOKO: I'm a high school student!!
YUUYA: Yeah, but doves reach sexual maturity in just a year, so

omfg

If you go to the cafeteria instead, Ryouta and Okosan are quarreling because obviously Okosan is furious about the state of the cafeteria pudding, and Ryouta wants him to not flip out.

Hiyoko: Leave it to me!
HIYOKO: MY HUNTER-GATHERER BLOOD BOILS
HIYOKO: RAAAAAARGH--
Okosan: Coo!! (No! The beast-queen shows her true colors! Pull out! Pull out!)

Beast queen Hiyoko, that's my character.

It's early July, so it's Tanabata~~ I mean, obviously.

Some of the birds have left notes with their wishes. Ryouta wants his mom and himself to be healthy. Sakuya leaves a French proverb. Yuuya wishes someone well. Professor Kazuaki is very concerned about his sleep schedule.

Hiyoko also has some practical concerns.

Edited 2020-06-15 00:21 (UTC)

I chose the one that wasn't megalomaniacal, and Professor Kazuaki appeared to offer to escort her home.

KAZUAKI: Your house is very...... rustic, Tosaka.

It's a cave. He seems sad about something, but it's more home-related than cave-related.

Mid-July. Today's swimming class is with upperclassmen for some reason, and "all these damp, tight-clinging feathers are making my heart race..."

Yuuya is trying to be nice to his little brother, but Sakuya is not interested in nice, and they challenge each other to a swimming race. They demand that Hiyoko be the judge, but also want to know in advance who she thinks will win, so I say Yuuya. Sorry, Sakuya! I have the impression that he's an athletic bird for some reason!

HIYOKO: (They're both so fast! Even though their skeletal structure isn't designed for it at all!)

This fucking game

Summer break! Hiyoko goes to the student council room to help Sakuya clean up after the last class. He tries to order her to do all the week, and I reject that nonsense. Pick up a mop, noblebird.

Anyway, summer break isn't exactly a laidback time for a cavewoman like Hiyoko, so she has to keep in shape so that she can continue to hunt for berries and set traps for sabertooth tigers and whatnot. She decides to go for a jog

during which she passes a bunch of broken-down ruined skyscrapers

and then ends up in some Japanese manor house. Her "paleolithic instincts" are failing her and she has no idea where she is. Fortunately, she meets somebirdie!

An "intimidating sparrow" is bemused that this intruder on her property is a student at St. Pigeonation's, which is two hours from here. She offers Hiyoko a ride on her scooter!

HIYOKO: (It's a little small, but we should both fit... I think...?)

If there isn't art out there of a human girl huddled on the back of a tiny, bird-sized scooter with a bird in the driver's seat, this fandom is fucking failing. The sparrow's name is Azami, and she sells takoyaki, apparently.

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sincere - 2020-06-15 00:59 (UTC) - Expand

Let's get a summer job, why not! There's an opening at a cafe, owned by a dignified elderly parakeet named Kenzaburou. He wasn't expecting a human to apply, but she'll definitely be able to move boxes and stuff, so why not. Coincidentally, Ryouta also was going to apply to the job, but Kenzaburou can only hire one, so fuck off, bff!

Her first customer is a budgie named Rabu. She greets him with a weird comedy bit that doesn't make sense unless you are Japanese.

After a few days, she's headed home late one night after a night out on the town ("Alone, of course. Riding the waves of life on your own is what we humans are all about") when she is surrounded by some punkgeons.

What the fuck am I looking at.

They bully her for going to a fancy rich bird school and try to mug her. She's not sure she can fight three whole pigeons at once! But fortunately, Azami swoops in ("I'm a passing takoyaki lady!!") and beats the crap out of them ("Speak softly, and drive a Sherman tank!")

HIYOKO: (She's so cool! I think I'm in love...!)

Fair enough. Hiyoko offers to treat her to something at the cafe sometime as thanks, and goes home pondering how she wants to be just like Azami when she grows up.

Edited 2020-06-15 01:17 (UTC)

Early August, and it's festival time! Hiyoko decides to invite someone. I can choose from Ryouta, Sakuya, the weird library kid, the weird Okosan, or Professor Kazuaki. Yuuya and Dr. Questionable are not options.

Sakuya is indignant to be called out, because he doesn't know about the festival. She drags him along. He is horrified by the street food, and Hiyoko is pretty amused by it, which is excellent.

HIYOKO: When did you get that candy apple?
SAKUYA: They had an interesting color, so I thought I would buy one.
SAKUYA: I'm not going to eat it. I shall take it home and mount it in a case.

omfg

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sincere - 2020-06-15 01:26 (UTC) - Expand

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sincere - 2020-06-15 01:30 (UTC) - Expand

More jokes about Osaka in the cafe. Kenzaburou explains that Rabu works as a chauffeur at night, which surprises Hiyoko, since apparently she's familiar with budgie sleeping habits, but Kenzaburou assures her that some parrots can stay awake at night and Rabu is supposed to be a very reliable driver.

HIYOKO: (Hmm. Haven't I met another reliable driver recently?)

Weird that should pop into your head!

Anyway, it's soon time to go back to school, so Hiyoko is on her last day when Azami finally comes in to meet up with her "protege".

Rabu is astonished to see Azami! There is a tense moment before Azami tears into him for disappearing for six months without so much as a word!

Strap on your bike helmet because it's backstory time

Apparently, Rabu used to be a leader of a tough, but traffic-law-abiding, biker gang called Hell's Birdies! He was Hosokawa Blaster! Carve it into your soul!!!!

Now, on to the love story. Azami confessed her feelings to Rabu and then he disappeared. And now she thinks he's fat and lame and doesn't love him anymore. Hiyoko is like, "So why is his name still on your scooter...?"

Awkward. Anyway, Rabu insists that he realized back then that he wasn't the kind of man who could be a good partner or father, so he had to straighten out his life if he wanted to be with her. His plan was to save up some money and then go find her, but obviously this was a stupid plan, and here we are, so LET'S GET MARRIED!!! She agrees.

The end!

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sincere - 2020-06-15 01:54 (UTC) - Expand

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sincere - 2020-07-12 20:51 (UTC) - Expand

The end of August! Hiyoko realizes she overslept and races into school, only for Professor Kazuaki to remind her to check the date stamp in the corner of the screen. It's not the first day of class yet! But since she's here, she can either help him grade or go to the library and study instead of going back home. Let's hang out with Kazuaki.

Now it's the beginning of September! Hiyoko finds a student ID card on the ground and she doesn't know who the student is, so she takes the card to Professor Kazuaki. He's puzzled, because the student in question disappeared back in June. The ID is too clean to have been lying there the whole time, and somebirdie would've noticed it, right?

Is this game trying to have a plot??

It's molting season and there are feathers everywhere. A weird amount of feathers, actually. Hiyoko observes that Kazuaki smells like bleach, and he says that he dozed off and got stuck in the washing machine last night. Mystery........ solved.

It's the end of September, and obviously our class is doing a maid cafe. I assume every school in Japan has a maid cafe day. Hiyoko has the option to harass Sakuya into going to the neighboring class's haunted house, where he promptly freaks out and beats up everyone who comes near him.

But then at the end of the day, Hiyoko goes back to see Professor Kazuaki, and finds him with Dr. Shuu! They are having a somewhat terse conversation about statistical anomalies in student data. Dr. Shuu thinks he's found something; Professor Kazuaki doesn't see it. Weird.

Edited 2020-07-12 20:54 (UTC)

We straight-up skipped October. It's November now, and Professor Kazuaki has left his phone on his desk. Ryouta urges Hiyoko to go take it to him, but on her way, a photo falls out -- it's a photo of a bird, but someone has scribbled all over it so that it's unrecognizable. HMM.

I ask him about it when Hiyoko catches up to him, and he freely admits that it's his and he's the one who markered all over it. Anyway don't worry about it. Byeeeeeee

That's a little darker than we'd expected from him!

A few days later, Hiyoko loses her phone. She finds it in the lab where she spent lunch, but on her way out, runs into Dr. Shuu. He demands to know what she's doing here and if she saw anything. When she clearly doesn't know what he's talking about, he asks her to go get some files for him, and then locks her in.

She is shocked! Horrified! In despair! She realizes that she must've seen something she shouldn't have and this is his way of taking care of the situation. Oh no!! He'll probably be back with a cleaver!

...and then Professor Kazuaki is there, and he's like, why are you hanging out in the file room after school?? He scolds her, but she protests that Dr. Shuu told her to go in there, and Dr. Shuu appears to agree with her.

DR. SHUU: I completely forgot I'd asked her to get something, so I locked her in and walked off.
HIYOKO: (You locked the door as soon as I walked in here!! Who are you, Clive Wearing?!)

Who the fuck is Clive Wearing. I mean, I googled it, but is that a reference a lot of people know??

Anyway, cleaver murders have been avoided, for now. Hiyoko goes home, leaving Kazuaki and Shuu staring at each other, making veiled references about death.