

Proving that 4chan is good for something (however dubious) other than spawning repetitive memes, the 4chan developed eroge Katawa Shoujo (Cripple Girl, or Disability Girl as they rather misleadingly render it) has had a freely downloadable demo released, covering the initial act.
As the name and source suggests, the game revolves around dating various crippled or hideously disfigured girls.
You can see an introduction to the game, and more CG, in our previous article on the subject.




The official announcement is here, and the download page here.
Via the forums.
It does seem possible that this game may eventually see the light of day… Please feel free to leave your impressions in the comments.
As a supporter of the radical notion that women are people, I find this disturbing on many levels. :/
Your comment literally has nothing to do with this game. Unless you're somehow putting forth the notion that cripples aren't people?
Play the game, then criticize. Somehow I don't think you'd be saying that if you had.
And there we were thinking they were just JPGs...
WHAT?! YOU MEAN THEY ARE NOT?!?!
Oh, so you're saying that we shouldn't think about disabled girls in a sexual manner whatsoever? Isn't that treating them as nonpeople?
Or are you saying that you find the idea of people producing pornographic games disturbing? If that's true, do you find the romance novel genre equally disturbing?
I dunno...
I used to compete athletically with other disabled people from the ages of 12-21 (how long I competed), and a good proportion of the ladies were pretty hawt. especially the albino and deaf girls..... rrrowf!
I'd be surprised if none of them ever got married or don't have kids right now. :3
I'm not saying any of those. :/
Then please add a little more context to flippant remarks like that.
Not only are you putting down the game in question (which is very well done in my opinion), but you're putting down everyone else using this site by assuming that none of us "believe in the radical notion that women are people too".
I believe women are people; more often then not, extremely self-centered, illogical emotion-based creatures; But people none the less.
I'd have to ask, have you even tried to play the game yet? I'll have to admit that I was originally extremely sceptical about the game based on the premise, but thought that it might be worth a try. And on trying it out, I'm honestly very impressed by the quality of the writing and the characters portrayed, as well as the characterisation of the girls. The set up is reasonable and speaking as a person who has disabled relatives as well as who was close to several disabled athletes, one who is in the same situation as the girl in game, I found that it's written in such a way as to be realistic and not patronising towards the girls.
~ EXACTLY!
What's the pink hair girl's disability?
Straight from katawa-shoujo's IRC channel - it's a secret. You'll find out later in the game during Shizune's arc.
It seems she's just Shizune's interpreter, though she does have a weird behaviour. I haven't finished the demo yet but I think if she has a disability it won't be revealed unless you take her route.
If this is made by Koreans, it WILL be brain tumour,lol.
I don't get why the topic is "4chan releases". The devs have pretty much nothing to do with 4chan anymore.
Just played a few hours of it, I cant believe this is a 4chan creation.
Its really well made, I cant wait for the full version.
have been waiting for a long time. Now is a time to try it.
personally after having played many many bishoujo games i don't find this one disturbing at all. in a way it is reminicent of kana in that it seems story driven. and we have certainly seen weak main characters before in "i'm gonna serve you 4" and "private nurse". as for being offensive, bible black, discipline, tsuki, water closet, sensei 2 well the list of games that have been translated into english that are way more fetish orriented than this one is long i can only imagine how many exist in japan.
Ya I'm only up to the introduction to the class part but if what you say is true about story focused then this game should be pretty good. I mean what kind of heavy fetish is there for disabled people anyways? Plus I love the anime references in the art, that's all I'm saying.
Why do I the oddest feeling the the main character is gonna die at the end the game screwing one of these broads?
Wow, I had the exact same thought. I bet you anything there's going to be at least a few Dead Ends in this game haha.
There is one already in Act 1, except that it isn't a heart attack you die from...
It IS a Bad End, just the same. ><
oh the Humanity!! what a world what a world!....still I'd rather play that than watch that Obama press-photo-psuedo speech 'planned event' that pre-empted TV earlier this evening.
A girl who is 'Deaf' or 'Mute' or stutters is possibly cute (if she's physically cute!) - handi-caps and disfigurement is where I Draw the Line!- lol
This was soooo Horrid.
If you can’t look past a disability, then that just proves how shallow you are. Also, did you even play the game? Because I did not see anything that could be considered “horrid”.
>4chan releases
What, are the Sankaku folks stupid or just trolling?
Trolling is my guess. They say it like the 4chan site has anything to do with the project.
Who exactly IS the pink girl with the drills? Her name is apparently "Misha" from the screens in the previous article, but then her name doesn't appear in the list for the heroines...
She's not one of the main girls. She's just a classmate, and a signer for Shizune (the deaf-mute).
Played this and it's so great. Can't wait for the full thing to be released. Hinako ftw.
downloading now, and will look for the "promising quailty". I will try my best for become like them. And yes, i will be great like them.
I've tried this and I have to say I'm impressed. The story is quite good and the reason why the protagonist gets in a new school is a good change from the generic formula.
The girls have very interesting personalities and it shows very well in the dialogues. I don't know how generic they are since I don't play much eroge, but this is very good for a free product.
My favourite so far is Rin Tezuka, although all of them have their own charm.
I would play this even if there was no adult stuff.
As would I. I thoroughly enjoyed the demo.
Somewhat.. win.
*DLs the demo*
4chan has NOTHING to do with Katawa Shoujo.
They simply started publishing pictures and artwork on /a/ and it got sticked for a while, that's all. They got a separate website and everything, 4chan was used just for propaganda. Stop giving credits for people that didn't do anything.
Uh? It was initially brainstormed on /a/ while that sticky was up. Like it or not, 4channers did start the work on it. I don't know how many stayed on til now, but it still is partially 4chan work.
4channers helped the project? Bad joke, bro.
Attributing this project to 4chan is the same as saying they're releasing visual novel translation projects because the staff is posting how much is done there. 4chan haven't done shit, if some of their users cooperated with this the credit goes for them and not for the entire board. Don't be silly.
I will compromise on the title, but the 4chan connection is undeniable.
>4 Leaf Studios
>Logo a modified version of 4chan's logo
>Developer commentary on how it started on 4chan
Yeay! I almost forgot about this one, nice to see a demo released!
The blind girl looks cute, but the drill pink haired girl looks even cuter. I wonder what´s her trouble.
Anyways, downloading, downloading!
I played it for quite a part of the story and gotta say, its a really great game. The story is very catchy, the conversations and the way they react is very well done, the art is nice taking a little out about the background in my opinion. Seems promissing.
Btw, Igottagodosomethingnow
If it is really a 4chan's product, then it sucks.
If it is just a doujin game by non-Japanese people, I think it is cool, and hope they don't be pendantic enough to sell their (first) game after it is finished, instead of allowing free download (don't flame me, it's just common sense -- don't advertise all your product as coming from the "internets", being "one of us" and then act unnaccordingly). Only "puritans" or people who want contribute to the project (seeing an Western eroge) would buy it, but that's ridiculous. Just open a donation page, so people can donate directly out of their own free will.
Quoted from their web site:
"Katawa Shoujo is under development by an international team of amateur developers, and will be released free of charge under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND License."
I don't even see a donation button there, now that you mention it.
> If it is just a doujin game by non-Japanese people
This is -exactly- what it is. The development team has little if anything to do with 4chan anymore. The only relation it has to the project is that the project's idea started from a thread on 4chan.
Learn English, moron.
They would be stupid to try to sell it solely because no one would buy it. Even on the innernets the market is about as big as a kiddie pool, and especially in circles where "Buy? What is this 'b-u-y?'" is the general opinion. All you'd get is a lot of ticked off people.
This is the sort of thing that should be done for the love of it, and not the money.
Personally, I think they should've made a bishounen version for the ladies who like eroge too.
From what I know, supposedly there are no girls in the internets LOL.
I think it would be too much to ask an eroge making group to make a fujoshi version. Male otaku are usually very adverse to anything related to bishounen, BL or yaoi.
If a group of girls wants to try and make a reverse harem eroge that's fine though.
I just completed one run though of the demo. It is just wonderful. Its touching, its funny (Oh God, everything Kenji says makes me burst into laughter)and the characters are just so great, you will fall in love with them.
FEMINISTS ARE TAKING OVER! THERE ARE SLIGHTLY MORE WOMEN THEN MEN IN AMERICA, OBVIOUS PROOF OF CONSPIRACY!
lmao, Kenji is awesome.
and I was wondering what happened to this project
IS the full version will be free???
Nah of course, those guys need to be rewarded, by buying their work! If it's not too expensive!
I just finished it, and this has been the first bishoujo game that has kept my attention through all the routes. Even though i'm stuck at 98% missing one scene too.
The one after Homefield Advantage right? that's tricky, and needs some good balancing between the Shizune and Emi paths. I think there's only a single way to get it.
I had a ball trying to get that one scene. >< Missed a lot of sleep doing it.
After finishing 100% of the demo, I realized that the dialogue from that scene (not gonna put up any spoilers here) doesn't mesh well with what came after. Those of you who've done it will know what I mean.... (hint: Misha playing Twenty Questions. That's all I'll say...)
Great, thanks for implying it's possible to get that scene. Now I have to continue. I wanted to sleep but noooo.
I played through it and it's pretty solid. My favorite is Rin. Though i kinda wish the pink haired girl was an option because she's got a really cute demeanor. I'm surprised they past up her if it was made by the japanese which im sure it was. Not one hundred percent though lmao. I mean they coulda given her an internal problem like his and she coulda been one of the tragic routs. You know how the japanese love their bad endings and all.
Recently ran a test and so far so good. I'm actually hooked in the story as its my field of interest. If they turn this into a full release, I'm writing a review. I wonder what to expect of the full release though. :P
i c wut u did thar 4chan
errm..... how do you actually play the file after you download it?
Interesting, although I never thought I'd see the day something relatively elaborate and entertaining got out with the tag 'made by 4chan'.
I wonder if Raita (the ero-mangaka whose work inspired Katawa Shojo) has seen this yet?
I haven't finished the demo yet, but from what I'm hearing, I'm far enough in to get my impressions of whats to come straight.
I am loving this game, the art is amazingly professional in comparison to some other games, the code in Ren'Py is sharp and very well done, the music is original and very easy on the ears, and the story, don't get me started, the story is probably the biggest plus for me because it's so very well written, the characters are pretty rounded and the plot is rather easy to get sucked into, I am really, really looking forward to seeing the final product.
Also, Shizune is mai waifu.
Same here, Kageryu. It may not have been done by a so-called 'professional' studio, but it was still really well done. The interactions between characters is interesting enough too. Like the rivalries and bitter emnities (Shizune-Lily, for example) that I'll definitely pick the full version of this up. H or non-H, it's simply something you can put down, but with a measure of reluctance.
So far.... loving it.
and....
>>Also, Shizune is mai waifu.
Back of the line, you fence-jumper! :P
The writing is verbose and bloated.
Get an editor, faggots.
Hey I love Burn victims and amputees!
Amazing that something like this could come from 4Chan....
there is a fetish for everything...
Just finished the demo. This is really great. I can only assume that the lack of crossroads is due in part to this really being an intro, but eh. What can you do?
Regardless, I was really shocked by this. When I thought "4chan" and "disabled girls", all sorts of terrible visions danced through my head. However, despite my apprehension, I soon found myself absolutely enthralled with this game. It's tasteful, it's cute and you can't help but get attached to the characters.
I was so in to this game that I was actually saddened to see the demo end, especially considering that I really liked Emi and was looking forward to the next morning's exercise routine. I was even looking forward to more character development involving Hanako.
Regardless, this is a great game. Play the demo. I'll be over here, waiting eagerly for the full release.
This is the most interesting visual novel ive ever played
I can't wait for the full release...Imperfection is such a turn-on...
Actually beat the game just now (took almost 2h) and it's pretty decent. It had a good story and overall and actually made me laugh a couple of times since some parts felt really 4chan inspirated (Kenji). One negative aspect was the lack of crossroads. You didn't get many chances, to make your own choices in the game. Still a really great game that I hope will see a finished release later on. If I still got time then, I most cetainly will try out the full game!
Keep up the good work
Four Leaves!
"Cripple Girl"
What is wrong with you guys?
we can't nail anyone able bodied, they keep getting away.
Oh... the tragedy of slow nerds! How cruel God was to rob us of physical prowess, to give the girls a sporting chance.
@Toiski
\|  ̄Д ̄|/ = { Someone halp! The Internet isn't making any sense! (and I don't play Magic: The Gathering) }
Originality no longer can exist, so slight variations of other people's ideas are where it's at (and unsurprisingly, the whole intellectual copyrights system will be the last to realize this, no doubt going down in an epic battle of fire and brimstone).
Here it was:
http://www.cardkingdom.com/card_viewer.php?sid=847999240&pid=37244 [http://www.cardkingdom.com/card_viewer.php?sid=847999240&pid=37244]
and turns out it was the python, not the anaconda, though I have both.
LunarSD: Though I shamelessly ripped off the flavor text of a Magic: The Gathering card? It was some sort of snake, a fairly old card. Anaconda? One black, two any?
"How can you claim the gods were merciless when they robbed the snake of its limbs, to give the other animals a sporting chance?" or something.
Triple-hit combo of Greatness щ(゚o゚щ)
everything
Indeed.
Wait, this doesn't appeal to you Anon?
The real question is, what is wrong with you?
A bad game by elitistic kids. The development team sucks.
Say that to my face fucker not online and see what happens.
Say that to all people who makes those doujin games who don't get payed for their work.
All of them aren't "OH WE'RE THE PROFESSIONAL LOOK AT US WE'LL MAKE AN EPIC" you know.
i think the "professional" thing is not right, but sometime "we'll make an epic" is yes.
I do that to, even i'm sure that what i made is not epic at all.
How do you know? You talked with the development teams that work on doujin novels in Japan?
You seem more then a tad butthurt Anon.
I've been waiting for this for ages. Fuck yeah.
The Mac version doesn't work. It just boots up with with a black screen and music playing.
Maby you shouldn't have a Mac. Go make some music r play on photoshop then.
Maybe you can run the linux version in X11, I don't really know how Mac OS differs from Linux, in Linux all you need is Python and any libraries it complains about (typically pygame)
Downloaded it to try, frustratingly enough you can't rape anyone within 2 minutes of starting. Clearly they haven't been playing enough authentic eroge...
Isn't the blond girl in the first pic supposed to be blind? The way she stares at you (the player) looks rather unconvincing, blind people usually just blankly stare on empty spaces..
They can focus on where the sound comes from, though.
Yea, but having that blind girl with her pupils ogling at you seemed unnatural.
But blindness is all the damage inside the eye/link to the brain.
I'm not saying being blind makes someone unable to move their eyeballs, of course. It's just that they usually don't oggle their eyes around to find and focus on something they're talking/listening to, instead, they just keep their eyes (or even head) on fixed position and continue listening..
And if you ask me why i'm taking this too seriously, it's because girls with blank stares on their faces look MOE and really turns me on...
Lol, there was a documentation about the founding of Israel on German TV just now and I don't know what I find more disturbing, that or those crippled bishoujos. What a Nazi I am.