Sukisho


Sukisho, released in Japan as Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shōganai!!, is a Japanese visual novel developed by UNiSONSHIFT and released on September 10, 1999. It has since been adapted into a light novel series and an anime television series animated by Zexcs and aired from January to March 2005. The best known of the versions is the visual novel, which features mild BL, and, in the original Windows release, hardcore BL. The story is owned by SOFTPAL and Platinum Label, and the illustrations to the novels and games is by Tsutae Yuzu.

Plot

High-school student Sora Hashiba was hospitalized after falling from the fourth floor of his school building. On his first night back in the dormitory, he wakes to find a strange boy addressing him by the name of "Yoru". The stranger identifies himself as "Ran" and says he's Sora's new roommate. The next day, Sora's childhood friend and dorm manager, Matsuri Honjou, informs Sora that the other boy, whom Matsuri identifies as Sunao Fujimori or "Nao-kun", is actually another childhood friend of Sora. Sora doesn't remember meeting Sunao before. In fact, Sora can't remember much of anything regarding his past, and the series follows his quest to regain his memory.
Sora soon learns why Sunao identified himself as "Ran" that first night: he and Sora have alternate personalities. Sora's is Yoru, a powerful protector and the lover of the more dependent, feminized Ran. The existence of these alternate personalities, and the relationship between them, has some mysterious connection with Sora's fall from the window and his forgotten past. The alternate personalities' passionate relationship is a far cry from the hostility and distrust between Sora and Sunao. Because Yoru and Ran possess them arbitrarily, Sora and Sunao frequently find themselves in embarrassing situations when they regain control of their minds.
Other comical situations arise from Matsuri's efforts to draw Sora and Sunao into his moneymaking schemes, known as the group "The School Do-It-Alls" and from such minor characters as a bishōnen ghost and three younger boys who resemble the trio. No parents are ever mentioned, and the only authority figures are school nurse Kai Nanami and math teacher Shin'ichirou Minato, but it is known that Sora and Sunao are both orphans. Both have some connection with Sora and Sunao's dark past, which also involves one of the older students at the school, Kai Nagase, and a mysterious doctor named Aizawa.

Characters

;Sora Hashiba
The main character of Sukisho. Sora can't remember his past and at first doesn't know he has an alternate personality named Yoru. Sora has spiky blue hair, blue eyes, and is usually easy going, and also loves to eat. As a dominant male, he has a complicated and occasionally hostile relationship with his roommate and former childhood friend Sunao Fujimori. Normally, he refers to Sunao by his last name, Fujimori. Sora also seems to be the character most often harmed in the anime.
;Yoru
Sora's alternate personality. Unlike Sora, Yoru is both shrewd and flirtatious. He is considered the seme of the couple. Yoru loves Ran, but he isn't above flirting with anyone. He loves Ran and will often show it when in bed with him. However, Yoru will protect Sora when he feels a need. In the game, he also likes to joke around with Sora by placing images of Sora's friends in odd positions. Yoru can be distinguished from Sora by his slightly darker hair, increased height, deeper voice and a glowing amber left eye. He is also usually seen with a long white piece of cloth tied to his right arm. In one of the drama CDs it is said that he tried to kill himself because he left Ran in the lab, and wears the white cloth as a memento.
;Sunao Fujimori
Sunao is Sora's childhood friend and current roommate. Sunao has long pink hair usually tied with a long piece of red ribbon and pink eyes, and an alternate personality named Ran. Easily angered, he isn't above punching anyone who makes him lose his temper, especially Sora, who he punches a few times in the beginning of the anime series. At first, he claims he hates Sora, but he becomes closer to Sora with each game/episode, eventually consummating his relationship with Sora. Just as Sora calls Sunao by his last name, Sunao refers to Sora as Hashiba; in some episodes, Sunao calls Sora by the childhood nickname of "Kuu-chan" instead.
;Ran
Just as Sora has Yoru, Sunao also has an alternate personality, named Ran, which is Japanese for orchid. Ran is dependent, demanding and in some cases more feminine than Sunao. Ran is the uke of the pairing, and loves Yoru to the point of an obsession. He will occasionally flirt with Sora only to bring out Yoru. Ran can be distinguished from Sunao by his slightly brighter pink hair color, higher voice, and red eyes; in the anime, the red eyes are the only feature the two personalities don't share. Unlike Yoru, Ran never harasses Sunao, though he will attempt to seduce anyone else. Note that Kappei Yamaguchi is the voice actor for Ran in the Drama CD and games, but the same voice actor plays both Sunao and Ran the anime.
;Matsuri Honjō
A close childhood friend of both Sora and Sunao, Matsuri has long blond hair and green eyes. The dorm manager and head of the Do-It-All Club, Matsuri always carries a camera, frequently taking fun snapshots. He's an upbeat person who likes to tease his friends, often inventing elaborate plans usually revolving around getting Sora and Sunao together, or making money. Sora and Sunao rarely like any of Matsuri's ideas, but the pair tends to go along with Matsuri despite that. Note that the Jack-of-All-Trades club that Matsuri establishes in the anime does not exist in the games. Also, he resembles Saotome Haruna from Mahou Sensei Negima in both image and Paru sama personality + Kazumi paparazzi.
;Kai Nanami
The school nurse. Nanami is possibly the most feminine character in Sukisho. The perfect housewife, Nanami cooks and cleans with a smile on his face. He lives with Shin-ichirou, whom he is in love with. He is very nice and easy to talk to, although he is constantly haunted with guilt because of his past where he worked with Aizawa conducting immoral experiments on humans in an effort to help Shin-ichiro with his own mental condition. There is hardly any difference between the games and the anime when concerning Nanami, but in the games he tends to be slightly more high strung. Nanami has brown shoulder length hair and blue eyes.
;Shin'ichirō Minato
The school math teacher. He loves Nanami and cares very much for Sora and Sunao. Usually, Shin-ichirou is very easy going and somewhat immature, though caring. He will often flirt with Nanami, but most of the time in a playful way. He is, however, very prone to jealousy and he also has another side of him often referred to as 'Minato' or 'Minato-sensei'. As Minato, he is very flirtatious and will attempt to force people into sex. Usually, Nanami just has to mess up Minato's hair or punch him to bring back Shin-ichirou. In White Flower, Minato acts more evil and becomes Aizawa's slave after being brainwashed. Shin-ichirou has black spiky hair and blue eyes. As Minato, his hair is a lot more tidy and sometimes his eyes are pitch black.
;Gaku Ichikawa
Sora's friend, he is a year younger than Sora. He has a crush on Nagase Kai, manager of the Chemistry labs. He seems to be always happy, and he tries to help his friend any way he can. A sincere boy of pure feelings, Sora says that "He expresses four times more his feelings than the majority of the people". In the game Mou Matte, Gaku is given the position of main character and must choose to either continue his relationship with Nagase or start a new one with Shiina.
;Kai Nagase
He is the chemistry lab manager. A quiet, serious and mysterious man, yet he is very intelligent and has gotten his thesis printed in numerous science magazines. Gaku is in love with him, admires him and is always praising him whenever he can. Nagase knows this, and takes advantage of this when needed. But finally, he changed because of Gaku's true love. He is the son of Professor Aizawa, the main antagonist.
;Sei, Ren Shiina, and Fuuta Kitamura
Three children who have become attached to Sora, Sunao, and the rest. It is unknown if Sei and Shiina have parents, but Kitamura has become Hano Yoshihiro's stepbrother. Sei resembles Sora while Shiina resembles a young Nanami. Kitamura does not really resemble anyone, but fans have said he somewhat resembles Sunao due to his hot pink hair. After episode 3, they are never seen apart and seem to act identical for most of the series. In the games, their personalities are a lot more diverse and they are very similar Sora, Sunao, and Matsuri when they were in school. Sei acts the most immature of three, Kitamura comes up with various plans and likes to joke around, and Shiina tends to be the more effeminate tsundere. They also live together in the same dorms. In the games and their teacher is Sora. Although not exactly related, Sei is sometimes seen as Sora and Sunao's child. In the games, Shiina also has a crush on Gaku and whether or not he ends up with Gaku depends on the player's choice. Kitamura can also end up with Gaku, but only in Mou Matte. In the game Sei is Sora's clone. He cannot speak first, but starts to trust Sunao and Sora after a while. After White Flower, the three of them are like a family. Ren or means 'lotus' or 'romance, love' in Japanese.
;Kano Kozuki
The adopted child of Ayano. He is really shy and unexpressive, seems to be a chibi-Gaku as Sei-kun to Sora. The first time he smiled was when Ayano used his favourite plushie to talk to him. Since then, Ayano always brings it with him. In the games and novels, Aizawa made Kano out of DNA from Gaku Ichikawa as he admired Gaku's cheerfulness.
;Sōshi Asaka
Occasionally appears in the game and makes brief appearances in the anime. Soushi is a lawyer who loves to flirt with Nanami. Most of the time, he playfully flirts with Nanami just to anger Shin-ichirou. Compared to most of the character, he acts a lot more refined, but he will occasionally get mad. In the games, there are scenes where he and Sora have sex. The PS2 game and the Drama CDs show that Soushi and Matsuri could become a couple. He is also the middle brother of Shin-ichirou Minato and Ryouya Kozuki.
;Ryōya Kozuki
Shin-ichirou's and Soushi's older brother. He has a psychiatric clinic and he does double-personalities-analysis to Sora and to Sunao. He brings always with him a pink rabbit and does ventriloquism with it to his adopted child, Kano-kun. Smiles often and loves children. In the games, he originally worked for Aizawa.
;Hiromu Sakura
A young boy who loves Sora. He gets into an accident that puts him into the hospital. He then becomes a wandering spirit, but what he does differs between the anime and the games. In the anime, Hiromu haunts the halls of the school to find Sora. In the games, he possesses Sunao and tries to spend time with Sora. Hiromu acts very innocent and playful. Eventually, his spirit returns to his body. In First Limit, Sora can end up with Hiromu if the players makes the right choices.
;Yoshihiro Hano
Gaku Ichikawa's classmate, and is also close to Fuuta Kitamura. He is cheerful and enjoys chemistry, just like Gaku, and is the step brother of Fuuta Kitamura. In the games and novels, he has an obsession with putting pink bows in his hair.
;Chris
A character appearing only in the games and the OVA, he is a young boy who works at a nearby church and has a very close relationship with Sora Hashiba. In Target Nights, he became friends with Sora, but ended almost killing Sora and Sunao because he said that Sora was possessed. Later, it is revealed that Aizawa manipulated his feelings to get revenge on Nanami to which Chris apologies. Chris also has a love interest in Nanami, the two where close friends when Nanami worked for Aizawa in the laboratory. On the next games, he became a recurring character and a real friend of Sora and his friends.
;Aizawa
Aizawa is the main antagonist in Sukisho. He is a professor at the university which Sunao attends after the games, and the chemistry department advisor. Aizawa is obsessed with studying medicine and cloning and even invented medicine that can control the mind and emotions of human beings. Aizawa grew up with and became friends with Shin-ichirou Minato and Kai Nanami. Aizawa struggled with psychological issues, unable to function properly in public, and had issues handling his emotions. Aizawa had begun falling in love with Shin-ichirou Minato but failed to cope with such emotions. As he entered high school, he switched schools and Kai Nanami wound up working and studying under him by college so he can help Shin-ichirou with his schizophrenia but left after Aizawa attacked him. Aizawa became obsessed with causing Nanami pain and shortly after, kidnapped Sora Hashiba and Sunao Fujimori and had performed grotesque experiments on them when they were children. Aizawa has three "sons" whom are all clones by the names Nagase Kai, Cano, and Ren Shiina. Aizawa cannot also feel pain physically. Despite Aizawa being cold and collective, he is usually hyper and fun around Gaku Ichikawa and Nagase Kai. Aizawa deeply cares about the people around him, but due to his emotional disability, has issues showing so. Shin-ichirou's brother Ayano winds up working for him, claiming Aizawa was very depressed and lonely. Most of Aizawa's hate towards Nanami is mostly due to jealousy. By the end of the games, Aizawa redeems himself and happily works as a professor again, leaving the main characters alone. It's implied him and Ayano become a couple.

Episodes

Opening Theme: "Just A Survivor", performed by Tatsuhisa Suzuki.

Ending Theme: "Daydreamin'", performed by Kishō Taniyama.
  1. Sukisho!
  2. The Campus Jack of All Trades Appears
  3. Mini Triangle
  4. A Bandit Appears
  5. Spirit Boy Hiromu
  6. Formation of Angel-chans
  7. Sunao's Suspicion
  8. Midnight Embrace
  9. Sora and Sunao
  10. Hatred
  11. Revenge
  12. Rescue!
  13. OVA - Let's Go to the Hot Springs!

    Games

Currently, there are four games and one spin-off in the Sukisho series. The games were originally point-and-click visual novels released for Windows, containing sexual content, though certain body parts are censored.
Three of the games have been released on the Sony PlayStation 2. The PS2 versions have been heavily edited and many new CG scenes have been added. In addition, they feature the voice acting from the Drama CD cast, which were absent in the Windows release. These games do not yet have an official English translation.

''First Limit''

The first game in the series. Sora Hashiba was put into the hospital for quite some time after falling from one of the school buildings. He didn't receive any major injuries, but he has lost some of his memories in the process. However, he continually sees a vision of him being carried through several dark corridors and the voice of someone calling out to him. After being released from the hospital, Sora heads back to the dorms to find that a new boy by the name of Sunao Fujimori, who will now be his roommate. He is told that Sunao is his childhood friend, but he cannot recall spending his childhood with Sunao. As he spends time with Sunao, he notices some strange things about him, including his transformation into his alternate personality Ran. On top of that, the spirit of a hospitalized schoolmate possesses Sunao and confesses his love for him. Depending on the player's decisions, Sora can either end up with Sunao, Hiromu, Ran, or Minato.

''Target Nights''

After spending some time in Shin-ichirou and Nanami's place, Sora and Sunao come across a mysterious cosplaying bandit known only by the number 416. He claims that he has come to take away something precious from Sora. Meanwhile, Sora and Sunao meet Chris, who works at the nearby church. While he seems harmless, he begins to spend more time with Sora. To top it all off, Sora begins to realize that there are times when he and Sunao are mysteriously in bed together. He already knows about Sunao's connection with his alternate personality Ran, but could that mean he has his own alternate personality as well? Depending on the choices of the player, Sora will either end up with Sunao, Chris, Ran, Matsuri, or Minato. Also, obtaining all the CGs rewards the player with a special ending involving bandits 416, 773, and most recently 848.

''Rain''

Possibly the turning point in the series. Sora and Sunao continue their life in school. All seems normal until Sora notices a child that looks very similar to himself. Also, some of his schoolmates are beginning to act a little strange. Even Sora begins to notice that something odd about his connection to Sunao and the relationship between their alternate personalities Yoru and Ran. Depending on the choices of the player, Sora may end up with Sunao, Matsuri, Soushi, or Minato. Collecting all the CGs allows the player to access secret endings that involve Sora, Sunao, Matsuri, Shin-ichirou, and Nanami banding together as cosplaying bandits 848, 370, 332, 416, and 773.
Sukisho cast's status prior to White Flower:
The final game in the series. Taking place a couple of years after Rain, many changes have been made to the school. Not only is it no longer an all-boys school, several of the former students are now working as teachers while others move onto other jobs. Sora, as one of the teachers, has been living a fairly normal life as he takes Minato's place as teacher. However, he realizes that it won't stay normal for long when he sees that Sunao, who he has not seen since the events in Rain, reappears in one of the halls. This game finally wraps up the story between Sora and Sunao and ends their conflict with Professor Aizawa. Depending on the player's choices, Sora can either end up with Sunao, Nanami, Hiromu, Matsuri, Soushi, or Minato. There are two hidden endings in this game. The Yoru/Ran ending is received when achieving the true ending, while the Kaito ending is obtained when all the CGs are collected.

''Mou Matte''

A spin off of the Sukisho games. Takes place some time in between Rain and White Flower. The player now controls Gaku Ichikawa, one of Sora's friends who worked in the Chemistry Lab. Gaku must now choose whether to continue his relationship with Kai Nagase or start a new one with Ren Shiina. Depending on the player's choice, Gaku may end up with Shiina, Nagase, or Kitamura. Most of the main cast from the previous Sukisho games are visibly absent, including Sora and Sunao. Of the original cast, only Gaku, Nagase, Shiina, Kitamura, Nanami, Nakahara, and Hano make appearances.