A flip side of this is, if two blood-related siblings who did not grow up together but meet each other as adults, they may find each other sexually attractive!

From the perspective of Westermarck Effect, the incestuous relationship between Kana and Taka is highly improbable, considering that Kana and Taka have been growing up together. This phenomenon should give away an easy hint that Kana-Taka relationship is a literary device (to make the story more dramatic), not reflective of real-life.

The No. 6 ending is sad at first but uplifting in that Yumi gradually understands what Taka and Kana have been going through and forgives him.

The No. 3 ‘Yumi Ending’ is perhaps the most frightening: This is the only one in which you get to see Taka’s darker side not available in other endings. On a brighter side, you get to see a different side of Yumi; she is much more than a mere nymphomaniac.

With regard to Kana: There is one ending in which you are not provided with a decision point to stop Taka from going over the line with Kana.

Now that I am thinking about him, a Yuta ending would be pretty interesting. But in order to pull that off, the number of decision points will have to go up from 30 to 40 (just taking a crude estimate), in order to make room for storylines in which Kana and Yuta develops feelings for each other. While at it, split Yuta’s ending like the rest (Best/Normal/Yumi vs. Intellectual endings). In other words, as Yuta’s storyline develops, he feels the kind of pressure that Taka has been going through. But because the storylines are driven by Taka’s decisions, Yuta’s storyline is more indirect. In effect, in Yuta’s storyline, Taka becomes a 3rd person narrator.

The explicit artwork in this game fits into the storylines, not the other way around. Games that tend to get too carried away with sex generally have very short shelf-life. But one with excellent storylines like Kana would be something that one would want to go through again and again.

I have yet to get all the story endings (2 out of 6, so far!), but so far, my impression is that I really get a sense of impact from whichever decisions I make. (Feeling uneasy or even nervous at times!) I have to think and feel through as I make each decision. Perhaps this is the strongest element in Kana. Furthermore, the overall theme of this visual novel involves life & death, which gives a rather philosophical undertone beneath apparent ‘crisis imminent mode’.

I do not think the incest aspect of the story a big deal. Less to do with what Taka finds out about Kana towards the end, but more to do with the fact that Kana’s life is barely hanging on a fragile tightrope and she has only so much opportunity to experience life before it snaps.

The triangular relationship among Taka, Kana, and Yumi greatly adds to the tension. Yeah … feels like a soap-opera, but this tension helps to impart human imperfections to Taka. Otherwise, Taka would be no different from a typical ‘heroic’ action figure.

sorry to spam!!! xD

Nothing Gold Can Stay (Robert Frost)

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

As with commenter #69, this game is incredibly sad and I also can’t finish the sad endings because you really feel the tangible loss. Also, to be honest, I am a caregiver to my aging grandmother and this game’s treatment of death and loss cuts so deep that it is hard to handle if you’re a little emotionally raw from RL stuff.

As other have put it so eloquently its about love, and how to cast aside what we as a society has accepted as normal behaviors and normal love. the character do indeed struggle with these emotions, and rules so much so it pains you.

The other thing that moved me so much even to this day was the music, I heard a blip of it on the internet awhile ago and became entranced by it. The music stirs the very soul, so much of it was so haunting I still remember it and find myself humming it every now and then.

don’t believe me? just youtube it and search for Kana: Little Sister. type in “The White Season” and listen to the clip of it. For any of you anime fans and music fans out there just try it. Listen to it and FEEL.

As a guy I never cried so much and I still get teary-eyed when I think about Kana, Taka and Yumi. Heck, just listening to the songs make me smile in a sad way.

I highly recommend playing this game even quickly zip through the H scenes if you find that disgusting.

Is so sad, I didn’t shred a tear but I spend 50% of the game almost have to. I felt like crying. Is true this game changes a person.

Play it !I recommanded for 12+ however due to hentai 18+

It would have been great, even with out the hentai.

And for those who are afraid of the incest parts of the game… Give it a try anyway. I don’t know if the sex scenes with Yumi are optional, but I know the one with Kana is.

Peace.

He knows shes going to die and she practically throws herself at him could you truly break her heart when it might be the last time you ever see each other coupled with the fact that birth deformity the principle no no of incest is no longer a factor ?

Yeah its not such an easy question is it ? peoples feelings don’t always follow societies socially acceptable rules i know i used to have some damn strange feelings for my younger sister when i was not long past puberty sure i never acted on them and ive long since outgrown them but fact is they were there all the same. And that wasn’t even love like this is that was pure lust. Would i ever tell my sister or any of my immidiate family? hell no it would only make things awkward for no reason and there are many good reasons not to persue relationships like that. Does it make me feel less of a human being ? not a chance in hell!

^
Well… yes. This IS a hentai game, after all. The whole PURPOSE is to skip to the nudie parts.

And while I can deal with the whole “heart-warming” and “tear-jerking” aspect… this is a story about incest and wanting to have sex with your little sister (“Adopted” or not — it’s still, as someone mentioned, psychological incest). Feeling sexual attraction for a family member is NOT okay. It’s a common theme in hentai, but that doesn’t make it normal. And it’s hard to overlook that no one seems to mind it..

Why not make this game a regular game, minus the hentai aspect? It would probably be an even bigger hit, especially since the focus seems to be on the story as opposed to the sex like with most games. I would have loved to play an Xbox version without the hentai (though I heard that plan was cancelled..)

Now, there are those of you who are disgusted at the fact that incest plays a crucial role in the development of the story, but you really have to consider it from the point of the characters, as well as the story as a whole.

It is a tragedy.

It’s tragic that these two individuals that care so much for one another are socially separated by the concept of brother and sister.

It’s tragic one of them is going to die in a few months

It’s tragic that they know the end is coming and can do relatively little to nothing to stop it.

The sibling element is an essential aspect of the tragedy of this story. Sure, it could have been removed, but the story is no longer as tragic, no longer has heart wrenching as before.

The main character himself initially has incredible guilt and is nearly overwhelmed by said feelings.

It isn’t the case of some beastial, basic level of lust that most of the individuals here seem to describe it as. It is the case of absolute and total love; the ability, the willingness to totally and completely give yourself up for another, nurtured by feelings of safety, companionship, understanding. Most siblings don’t carry this sort of strong bond, it’s only something seen in people who are madly in love.

Consider it from the point of the characters themselves.

Kana has had little contact with others, sheltered her entire life by her sickness. Taka is her only real contact with the world, the only person willing and able to spend whatever possible time with her as possible. He has sacrificed so much for her, and has nearly died protecting her on occasion.

Thus, when you consider it, is it really questionable where Kana and Taka’s feelings would end up?

While you are given the option of making love to Kana, its real use is to convey to us, the player, the depth of their attraction. This wasn’t an attraction that appeared overnight, but that’s been harbored for years, the other months.

I found Kana imouto so good I had my younger sister play it. She got the intellectual ending 2, and she reported to me how much she liked it. She could feel the pain and guilt that the characters shared, as well as the looming fear of death approaching. She could understand why they, as a pair of siblings were so heavily attracted. She wanted to play it again and get the Kana lives ending.

And finally, why would anyone write such a thing?

Because it’s a story worth telling. What are hailed as stories worth telling? These same tragedies, such as those written by Shakespere.

Thus, do not despise it upon its premise. Despise it for the lack of feeling it instills in you, as any good story will fill you with whatever emotion it is meant to convey. If you focus purely on a single aspect that you dislike, you miss out on the overall feeling it is meant to convey, and are instead left with a bad taste in your mouth.

The only failing in my opinion? There was a lack of a Yuta ending. It felt as if his character was added in only to hasten the development of the feelings of Taka, despite the fact that what has been hinted of him would have proved incredibly interesting had such a union formed.

Of course, I could simultaneously see such a pairing fail as well, considering the natures of Yuta and Kana and how they view each other…

It’s almost a shame that “Kana” has been labeled as a ‘hentai’ game, because apart from the very few sexual scenes, it’s really nothing of the sort. It’s an incredibly well-told, brilliant story which happens to include some emotional and romantic sexuality. None of the sex is really ‘meaningless’ or ‘gratuitous’. It all happens very late in the story, and is an extension of the feelings of the characters (which have been developing throughout the story) on the few occasions in which it happens.

What “Kana” is definitely NOT is just a ‘sex story’ which happens to have a good plot. It’s unfortunate that some people have been blinded by the few apparently ‘immoral’ themes (in their eyes, at least), because they can’t see the largest part of the story for what it is: an emotional and insightful look into the human spirit, and what life and death truly mean.

There’s just one thing that baffles me about this game, though. Why has nobody taken this story and made into a movie, with real people?! Seriously! Sure, the few explicit scenes would probably need to be cut, and the love theme between brother and sister may need to be toned down slightly (since this would have to appeal to the mainstream public). But I don’t think this would affect the emotional impact that the story has as a whole.

I would definitely pay to see a movie which managed to capture the spirit of this story, and I think that a large number of other people (in fact, anyone who has a heart) would do so too. So what’s keeping the movie makers? It’s a brilliant storyline – making a movie out of it would not only be potentially very profitable, it’d also be like a public service. Everyone should hear Kana’s story.

But I digress. Regardless of whether a movie ever comes about, PLAY THE GAME. I’d recommend it to anyone who isn’t so closed-minded that they can’t see past the sex and the apparent ‘immoral’ themes (which don’t even exist, in my opinion).

10/10.