Key Scenario Writers discussion

Key Discussion
#1

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
  • Angel Beats! 1st beat
    • Yui: Kai (First Half) / Maeda (Second Half)
    • Iwasawa: Maeda
    • Matsushita: Kashida Leo
9 Likes
Key Birthdays!
#2

  • Kanon

  • Ayu: Naoki Hisaya

  • Makoto: Jun Maeda

  • Nayuki: Naoki Hisaya

  • Shiori: Naoki Hisaya

  • Mai: Jun Maeda

  • Sayuri: Jun Maeda

  • Air

  • Misuzu: Jun Maeda

  • Minagi: Jun Maeda (First Half); Kai (Second Half)

  • Kano: Takashi Ishikawa

  • Summer arc: Yuuichi Suzumoto

  • AIR arc: Jun Maeda

  • CLANNAD

  • Nagisa: Jun Maeda

  • Tomoyo: Jun Maeda

  • Kyou/Ryou: Kai

  • Kappei: Kai

  • Kotomi: Yuuichi Suzumoto

  • Fuuko: Jun Maeda

  • Sunohara siblings: Touya Okano

  • Yukine: Jun Maeda (First Half); Kai (Second Half)

  • Misae: Jun Maeda

  • Koumura: Jun Maeda

  • After Story: Jun Maeda

Edit: Found out more info about Clannad. Thanks @Bizkitdoh for asking

5 Likes
#3

Oh, cool! I didn’t know any breakdown of Clannad existed.
… Things are looking up for AB. * w *

Any word on Misae?

Edit: Misae was Maeda? Knew there was a reason I loved that route. lmao
The awesome character/route distribution is quite interesting. xP

#4

Naoki Hisaya best writer!

brick

2 Likes
#5

Big thanks for this! I’m not even going to copy it into my first post because it’s all on the second post :stuck_out_tongue: 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.

#6

Well that explains a loooot!

and it continues!

Don’t like this halfsies game they have going on.

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~

#7

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.

1 Like
#8

…who else is in the AB VN team, anyways?

#9

Google the Kanji versions of the names. Led me to Erogamescape. From there, it was a matter of visual recognition

1 Like
#10

Angel Beats’ writing team consists of Maeda, Kai and Leo Kashida~

#11

Ooh never knew they got Leo Kashida back to work on that. Nice!

#12

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.

2 Likes
#13

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 :stuck_out_tongue:
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.

2 Likes
#14

I’ll take your word for it, then!

Yuuichi Suzumoto seems to be really good, too. Planetarian was great, and Kotomi’s story was pretty solid as well.

Apparently, he is working for Aquaplus now

#15

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…

1 Like
#16

It’s kind of a big issue they have that doesn’t come to light too often- But Rewrite stood out pretty bad.

Angel Beats will save the day. <3

Also yeah, Maeda is the man.

#17

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

#18

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

Poll: Which of Key's works is the saddest?
Steam as a platform for Visual Novels
#19

Lucia route best route.

3 Likes
#20

Haha yeah, i gotta say, even if Kotarou was one dense motherfucker the whole route, but when it finally happened, I cried so hard T_T

Going back on topic, Ryukishi07 writes really good romance, surprisingly! Wouldn’t expect that after Higurashi and Umineko