Cough Kotori’s route cough
Yoshino was one of my favorite characters. He acted big and strong, but when something beyond him was going down he let Kotarou get on with it without questioning him. He knew when to be silly, or serious, or act as a leader… and best of all, he knew not to lie to himself. Yoshino is a character who understands his position, even if he doesn’t understand what is going on in the world.
Plus he is the root of one of my favorite plot twists from Refrain
Well the ending could have easily been replaced by someone else (but would have lost big emotional impact), and the big fight in the middle was actually optional so eeeeeh sorta
I don’t think it was any singular moment. He was great in the route in general, as far as I remember.
There was more than an ending scene and a big fight. Kotori!Yoshino was the first sign that Kotarou was more than just a class clown or reckless teenager. That Kotarou was once symbolic of everything that makes a member of the Martel group… depressed, self centered, and bored of the world.
When I got into Akane’s route I had flashbacks of the stuff Yoshino said about Kotarou
Sure, it’s not necessary, but it shows signs that you could possibly work out the plot twist before it happens, which is great writing as far as I care.
Well, yeah, but I think the scenes where all the characters (supernatural or not) are goofing off during the common route can act as a “normal life Kotarou want to return to” just as much. I just wish Yoshino had a tiny bit more of impact in the story. He doesn’t need to be a superhuman, a summoner or a main villain, just you know…do stuff. I actually thought that would happen during Lucia’s route, but it was again very brief.
Oh yeah, there was that too XD. Though as Pepe said, it could have been replaced. He did have that scene at the beggning of the route where he prompts Kotarou to take action.
Well, what would you expect him to do?
Kotori’s route was more than enough to explain the relationship between Yoshino and Kotarou (and Kotori). Kotarou changes depending on the route, but Yoshino always remains Yoshino (except in Akane route where his character was destroyed and disgraced). Their ideals wouldn’t necessarily clash in every route.
Having Yoshino and Kotarou repeat that classroom scene in slight variation in every route would be pointless. Getting Yoshino too far involved into the supernatural on every damn route would feel unnatural.
I’ll say it again: Yoshino represents the normal life, the normal people. Yoshino’s short appearances in the routes reflect how the “normal life” goes on, what normal people do and what Kotarou might be doing now if he hadn’t gotten involved into the conflict. as well as the importance of that normal life aspect to Kotarou.
In Shizuru’s route, Yoshino gets a part-time job at Gen-san’s menra stall. Kotarou can freely talk to him. (They can talk about the good old days)
In Akane’s route (early middle), Kotarou ignores Yoshino when he tries to talk to him on the school grounds. (They’re worlds apart and Kotarou doesn’t care much)
Then again, his character does kinda feel wasted by not getting much screentime in the more serious parts of the routes. I really wouldn’t mind some other character taking on Yoshino’s role of representing the normal and having Yoshino get more involved into supernatural stuff and do stuff as you called it.
Dude calm down. I like Yoshino’s character, I really do, I just wish he had more to do in the story besides being normal. Sure, this boils down to personal taste and opinions on a story, but I for one like when all the characters serve more of a purpose and interact more with the whole thing. [quote=“Naoki_Saten, post:26, topic:102”]
I’ll say it again: Yoshino represents the normal life, the normal people. Yoshino’s short appearances in the routes reflect how the “normal life” goes on, what normal people do and what Kotarou might be doing now if he hadn’t gotten involved into the conflict. as well as the importance of that normal life aspect to Kotarou.
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Now, this is your opinion on the matter, and it’s totally valid, but it’s not really the absolute truth. I for one just see it as wasted potential. And I’m saying that precisely because I liked his character, so I didn’t like that he was almost forgotten in most routes. I just don’t really connect with the “sole comic relief/normalcy character”. I tend to prefer stories where even the most secondary character can be more meaningful to the plot.
I’m not sure what you mean. It’s not like Rewrite felt “natural” even in it’s own terms (inconsistency on the plot and all). Yoshino being involved wouldn’t really hurt the experience, it would just make him more of a major character (being sprited and all). I would be totally fine with more of his appearences in the way it happened in Chihaya and Kotori’s route for example, where he doesn’t really know the whole picture but still does SOMETHING about the plot that is going on.
I think I appreciated Yoshino more because he had little role in the routes.
In Kotori’s route he appears and helps a fatally injured Kotarou.
I’m like “oh good. Still buddies~”
In Shizuru’s he is learning how to make a living like Kotarou.
“Awwn, they are growing at the same rate even when separated~”
In Chihaya’s he recklessly acts to save Kotarou from Fuego.
“Even when he’s powerless, he isn’t abandoning his friend~”
In Akane’s he and Kotarou are doing honest work and making best of what they have. He keeps a secret for Kotarou and helps him out a lot at the end.
“They have really matured… o.o”
In Moon… well, do I have to say anything? The one who stuck out the longest was a normal human who had nothing but people he had helped in the past. The first-name bro moment is up there in my top 3 moments of Rewrite.
“All the way through Yoshino has been left behind in the normal world… but he still thought about Kotarou~”
Yoshino is rarely around post-common route… but I think that’s great. Whenever we see Yoshino in a character route, you can guarantee that he is worried about Kotarou. It may not be a Litbus BFF friendship… but for two people like Kotarou and Yoshino, who struggle immensely in social environments, I think that their friendship is perfect.
Of course, in some routes this is totally one-sided as Kotarou is kinda ignorant to other people… >.> Kotori!Yoshino was right about that bit.
I’m here just to ask. Does he have a big brother? I think it was mentioned in the game, but I kind of forgot about it.
(And this Yoshino was interested in having a gig. Maybe it was an influence from his brother? Maybe that other Yoshino is this Yoshino big brother…?
Nah, JK. Their family names are written in different kanji.
Anyway, this Yoshino is a true bro. I was honestly impressed that he purposely doesn’t want to fake friendliness to Kotarou in Kotori’s route. Kotori’s route Yoshino is the best Yoshino ever.
I kind of faintly remember Yoshino saying that he still has a leather jacket his big brother used to own. But I can’t recall when or where he said it. I’m not even 100% sure it was Yoshino.
As far as influence goes, I think Yoshino simply has a chuunibyou-like obsession with the cool, wild delinquent style.
Yoshino probably made a surprising appearance in a certain route, namely Terra.
There was a scene where Kotarou saw some punks bothering a kid for money, so he went in and beat them up. That kid proceeded to ask him about… leather jackets and outlaw things and Kotarou, feeling funny, answered all questions in a fashion that made him look really uncool, so the kid ran away with a broken heart. You guessed it, I assume that this child was probably Yoshino. Incidentally, Kotori witnessed the whole thing, so she gave Kotarou a dirty look for using violence.
Yeah, I think the Terra one is pretty obvious. That’s why he’s actually looking up to Kotarou although he won’t admit it.
You’re forgetting everything outside of Kotori’s route. Yoshino looks up to Kotarou’s bravery, looks down upon how Kotarou treats people as entertainment, and both respects and trusts Kotarou in most cases.
Who tried to helplessly run into a fire to help Kotarou? Yoshino. Who risked his life to inform Kotarou of Asahi’s curse? Yoshino. Who supported Kotarou and Akane’s struggles in the new world? Yoshino. What is Yoshino’s biggest goal in life? To be who Kotarou is.
The only time they ever clash is in Kotori’s route, in which Kotarou abandons Kotori (his best friend) and tries to continue life as if nothing happened. Yoshino saw Kotarou as his companion. They both have their own groups, but at the end of the day Yoshino, Kotarou, and Kotori are the three lone wolves of Kazamatsuri, and there is a trusting bond that comes from that. You don’t abandon your pack… Kotarou did exactly that… But when Yoshino saw an injured Kotarou with Kotori at the end, he ran to their side to support them.
Buuut as a teenager living in England, the biggest sign of friendship is an insulting standoffish greeting… and then comedy.
Keep in mind though Kotarou in the new world was more mature, and a major point was that Yoshino befriended him and treated him as an equal because of that. You’re not wrong that I’m forgetting pretty much everything outside of Kotori, though. My memory is god awful.
He’s really bashful when it comes Kotori, but really looks out for her in his own way. Husbando material lol
Yoshino is the bro-est side-bro in all of KEY
(besides Masato)
I remember I brought this up in the chat before and everybody was against me when I said it, but I guess I will try saying it again 
I don’t consider Yoshino a “bro” the same way that Kyousuke, Masato, or, heck, even Sakuya is considered a “bro.” I consider Yoshino more of a lone wolf really.
Y’see, when I consider someone a “bro” then I see him as somebody that looks after another person in their own way. Like Masato playing dumb for Riki’s sake, or Kyousuke forcing Rin and Riki to become stronger for their own sake. Or Sakuya in pretty much every way he takes care of Chihaya. But not once did I see Yoshino showing any sort of concern for Kotarou. Sure he helped quite a lot in Kotori and Chihaya’s routes, but wouldn’t any decent human being do the same? I guess I take the “bro” term a bit more literally and consider it to be something akin to a brother.
…okay I guess he is a bro to the rest of the street thug members. That, I can accept.
I definitely believe Yoshino goes beyond any other person in helping Kotarou out. I mean, his anger toward him throughout most of the story is an expression of how much he cares about him and wants him to be better. All this culminates in the climax of Kotori where Yoshino snaps and tells Kotarou everything he feels.
Chihaya, he tries to help Kotarou when he’s in danger. And don’t forget how they treat each other in Akane! He admitted that he always thought there was something special about him, and was really glad to see him finally fighting for justice at the end. And of course, at the end they’re both supporting each other. He pretty much becomes his closest friend.
And there’s Moon, which speaks for itself. Yoshino is a bro. He may not be the warm supportive type seen in other Key games, but he’s always keeping an eye on Kotarou from the distance, and often interfering to try and make sure he doesn’t end up on the wrong path.
cough Chihaya route cough
Moon route never really happened with the real Yoshino, did it? Which is why I don’t consider it part of his persona. And even if we did, just because he helped Kotarou fight some baddies doesn’t make him a bro
Like I said, in Chihaya’s route, wouldn’t any decent human being do what Yoshino did?
I totally agree on this one that Yoshino is more of a really close friend to Kotarou. As aspi said earlier he is keeping his distance but that doesnt mean he hates him, imo he respects him and is one of the people that would help out when it gets serious.
But I have chaned my perspective on Yoshino after playing Akane. Suddenly I felt like he is one of the people Kotarou really can turst and just can hang out with in everyday life. It made me feel happy that they put up together :).
Uhh i hope this makes any sense to you guys lol
tl;dr I think Yoshino is a bro when it comes to serious things.
