Cross†Channel

“This is.. the Gunjo Broadcasting.. clu…” *Static*

“Is anyone…” *Static*

*Static* “See you next week…”

And the story begins…

Those words, although simple or even mundane, contained far more meaning (well, at least that’s what I felt after reading Cross†Channel).

Cross†Channel is a Japanese Visual Novel (What is a Visual Novel?) which I had the chance to come across and enjoy, thanks to the hard work of  the FlyingShine and the translation group Amaterasu.  

Depicting a not-so-normal summer at the Gunjo Gakuren (Blue Marine School), we get acquainted  with the different characters of the story, each having their own reason for enrolling into this ‘particular’ school…

The protagonist, Kurosu Taichi (which we are portraying) is a highly ‘different’ individual (Why different? Read the Visual Novel to find out!), but with his slightly perverted pranks and silly gags, I found him to be a pretty fun character. His name, Kurosu is a play on the words “Cross” which links to the concept of the story. Yes, crossing boundaries and understanding each other is never easy! Even although the world now is smaller due to technology, we can easily reach anyone on the other side of the world, and yet we humans are still a lonely existence…

I think that’s pretty much all I can say without giving away the story.

The soundtrack is surprising warm and soothing it complements the the visual novel well

The Way Home

The following section will contain my thoughts on the story itself, so for those who do not wish to be spoilt on the story do not click the hide/show link.

[+/-] show/hide spoiler

The story was fantastic! With it’s high and low magnificently weaved, the first week (here weeks represents the chapters) started out with the simple introduction of the setting and the characters, it was simple and all… The scenes were well joined together, it was until much later in the story I realized that there was indeed something wrong…

The human race had cease to exist! From the second week onwards, things started to change, at that point I didn’t thought that it was a loop but rather a reflection on what happened in the first week. Well, I was wrong. I got stuck at the second week for some time, until I found the option to go to the Hokora where the journals of the past versions Taichi had been stored (as a tranquil and peaceful place it was very fitting to have the effects of time not being affected there). With the awareness that the week was indeed looping, Taichi tried to change things, but failed one way or the other (Higurashi anyone?).

Kiri’s route was the only one where everyone was still in one piece, but they still got reset anyway (aww) it was also one of my favorite routes, mainly because it was there I got to see more into the random guy Yutaka that Taichi seems to keep recalling, it was a “so that was the reason” moment.

Miki’s route was a bit freaky as everyone died due to weird circumstances, I LOL-ed at the fact that reason behind it was just coincidental  (Give a typewriter to a monkey and within the immense nonsensical lines, a few words that make sense will appear ) Plus the twist to the story was Miki has been avoiding the reset by staying at the Hokora, but she forfeited her memories by staying with Taichi when the reset happened (Just because she loved the current Taichi ~Aww). The particular thing I remember about that week was Taichi talking on the broadcast channel with Tomoki’s corpse, for some insane reason I felt it was funny, maybe it was the way he phrased the words? (e.g. You’re a slient guy eh?, it’s your fault the antenna is so short now, etc...)

It started getting more emo-ish when Taichi decided to send the rest of the gang back to their real world. This provides even more insight and the possible happy endings. I really like the part where Taichi sends them back “I burn the image of ____ into my mind, so that the time we spend together will always be remembered”(can’t remember the actual lines) as he knows he should not return back to the real world because he is much too dangerous (sob). The song (Signal) that played in the background then did just the job, painting the emotions of farewell to a old friend that you will never see again…

Signal

Apologizing about being unable to change anything at all, as a week was simply too short to heal the wounds his friends, he hopes that what he had done will help them move on.

It was heartbreaking to see Taichi falling apart when he realized he was all alone in the world and there was no way for him to return, scrapping frantically in his mind for memories of his friends. Reality drifted away as he embraced madness… It was also then his memories of Nanaka surfaced, as he recalled that she was indeed his mother, that somehow kept him sane and made him realized he was much human like the rest of them…

With no way to return to the real world, he continues to build the antenna every week to broadcast his feelings, to his friends and anyone that is listening… Knowing that his feelings will be eventually be received by the listener.

Ending with that classic line: “See you next week…”

It’s been bothering me. What exactly was the last scene that I saw? Was Taichi just dreaming out the rest of the gang on the roof? Or perhaps it’s really them on the roof in the other world talking about Taichi? 

The happy days...

With this chapter closed. It’s time for me to move on.

*Stretch* It’s been a nice week… See you next week :D

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