Behind all the stories that we love and enjoy from Key, they have a human being working behind them, crafting these stories into the novels that we read. I thought I would make this topic to help raise awareness of the different scenario writers that have, in one way or another, been involved with Key.
It goes without saying that Jun Maeda is the most well-known one, having been involved in practically all of Key’s works, but we shouldn’t forget the rest of them. So yeah, discussion here, maybe some critique of specific writers and their styles.
Also, as a sub-topic of this topic, I am trying to figure out “who wrote what” in terms of Key works. Perhaps you guys can help me complete this list, as I only know of a few of them so far.
planetarian: Yuuichi Suzumoto
Tomoyo After: Leo Kashida & Jun Maeda
Little Busters!
Komari: Yuto Tonokawa
Haruka: Chika Shirokiri
Kud: Chika Shirokiri
Kurugaya: Yuto Tonokawa
Mio: Leo Kashida
Rin: Jun Maeda
Refrain: Jun Maeda
Sasami: Yuto Tonokawa
Kanata: Chika Shirokiri
Saya: Jun Maeda
Kud Wafter: Chika Shirokiri
Rewrite
Kotori: Tanaka Romeo
Chihaya: Yuto Tonokawa
Lucia: Ryukishi07
Shizuru: Yuto Tonokawa
Akane: Tanaka Romeo
Moon: Tanaka Romeo
Terra: Tanaka Romeo
Rewrite Harvest Festa: Same as Rewrite, with Tanaka Romeo for Kagari
Big thanks for this! I’m not even going to copy it into my first post because it’s all on the second post If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get that info? I’ve tried looking around and most of what I put on my first post is either from the Key website, or already somewhat common knowledge (especially Rewrite).
Okay, going into topic now. Despite being Key’s only regular writer now, I don’t really like Yuto Tonokawa’s works. They’re a fun read, sure, but they lack the emotional impact of other Key writers’ work.
I dislike every Tonokawa work on the list, apart from Yuiko’s route (which was still kinda bad, but looked good because it was surrounded by trash.)
They aren’t very memorable I think. They are okay going through them, but won’t stick around as long term memory~
I actually like it.
This in mind, Maeda has a team of people that he’s worked with more closely for Angel Beats. While halfsies isn’t that great- Them combined is a good thing.
Kagari’s HF scenario was Romeo. Couldn’t have really been anyone else.
I have no idea who wrote Rewrite Quest, but I was told that it reads like it was mostly Tonokawa who worked on it.
If anyone’s interested in who wrote the scenario for ONE, Maeda did Mizuka, Mayu, and Rumi’s routes, while Hisaya did Mio’s, Misaki’s, and Akane’s.
Going by this list, Jun Maeda is my favorite (how original), then Chika Shirokiri and Ryukisihi07 (and that’s excluding his other works!). After that, Kai and Leo Kashida.
But really, there’s quite a large gap between Maeda and the rest
After Story, Tomoyo After After and Refrain, plus their respective build-up scenarios, are just that good, and he is credited for all of them.
From what I see, it seems Maeda Jun isn’t too bad at this. He writes most of the common routes in stuff like Clannad and LB as well, right? There is some great humour in those.
It somehow feels a bit too obvious that there are so many writers involved though. Like the quality goes up and down so much…
I’ve been noticing Rewrite is quite polarising in that regard
It’s the Key VN that seems to be better regarded by people who aren’t much into the other Key VNs (some of them outright hate the other Key VNs) than the regular Key fans. Must be the writers involved
Slightly off-topic, but I think the thing about Rewrite and th people who like it is like a battle between thinkers and feelers.
Key fans are generally feelers in that, they wouldn’t care much if one part of the story didn’t make sense if the message and emotions were portrayed successfully.
Non-key VN fans are generally thinkers, in that they like mentally stimulating VNs, and will get angry at illogical nonsense.
Rewrite, Terra route especially, is a very thinking type of story. All the fantasy elements are explained really well andthe ending seems totally plausible. Other Key stories, well… Not so much
If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get that info? I’ve tried looking around and most of what I put on my first post is either from the Key website, or already somewhat common knowledge (especially Rewrite).