FLOWERS -Le volume sur printemps-（春篇) - Visual Novel Club

[暁のルナ]

We’re reading
FLOWERS with the Visual Novel Reading Club. Anybody can join!

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Read at your own pace. Discuss below. Post comments in detail tags or spoiler tags to prevent spoilers.

Details

Nomination post: Visual Novel Reading Club | Reading FLOWERS -Le volume sur printemps-（春篇) - #44 by bbo

• vndb: https://vndb.org/v14267
• Playtime (native): 18-26 hrs
• Difficulty: On the trickier side
• Voiced Audio: All dialogue is voiced, internal monologue is not
• playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_kbM42Ah_M2cTmU9drTltTY6_JfNHxMO (streamer doesn’t talk, and it’s only ~3 hrs of playtime)

Synopsis

Suou: “Is it wrong if I fall in love with a girl?”

Surrounded by immense walls in the middle of a forest, lies the prestigious all-girls school, Saint Angraecum Academy. It’s a school that prides itself on growing bright and cultured young women.

The school’s Amitié program is designed to help foster new friendships that will last a lifetime. This is why Suoh Shirahane, a painfully shy girl with a mysterious past, has enrolled. As her first year of high school begins, she is filled with hopes of a new life.

Follow her as she navigates her new friendships and attempts to unravel the many mysteries at the academy, including occult rituals and the mysterious disappearance of fellow students, all while trying to pass her classes.

As spring warms into summer, so does Suoh’s friendships until they too blossom into a love that is something more. More importantly, who will she choose?

Related Discussions or Guides

• Flowers Visual Novel Informal Club (Finished) - Book Clubs - WaniKani Community
  • Just the first game

Walkthrough

• 誠也の部屋【FLOWERS -Le volume sur printemps- （春篇） 攻略】 - NOTE: may contain NSFW ads if using with adblocker
  • Differences between 4 seasons and original version

Polls

Will you be reading with us?

• Yes
• Maybe
• I’m skipping this one
• Just following the discussion
• I came along later

[暁のルナ]

Sorry to get this up so late, But looking forward to playing/reading with everybody!

It looks like the playthrough I had found before has been taken down, sadly. And otherwise the only ones I found were Chines, English, or the demo version. I did link a 2 video playthrough, but it’s only covering 3 hrs of gameplay

So anyway, given the timing that means I’ll be grabbing the Switch version in the end

Let me know if there’s anything I should add to OP

[earwen]

I had read a bit of this a year or two ago in english, which turned out to be all of chapter 1. I read a bit more and I’m somewhere in chapter 2 now.

Difficulty: I don’t feel like it’s that hard? Even though it technically has more unknown words for me than Muv-Luv it’s easier to understand for me due to being straightforward rather than trying to understand jokes. Mostly tripped up by kanji forms of そこ and so on but I’ll get used to it. So far, each scene is pretty short, which also makes it easier.

Thoughts on the game: I read several hours of it yesterday, so I’m interested enough, but if you asked me what I liked about it, I’m not sure I have an answer. According to GSM, I read 13 percent of it.

Some negativity

I kind of dislike the main character so far, she is meant to be meek and socially anxious, but the more I read on, the more she comes across as rude and inconsiderate instead to me. She is barely ever paying attention to what people say, it’s frustrating. The more I read on the more I can see why she made that huge mistake with the bus earlier, girl sucks at paying attention to the most basic things spelled out to her. I guess, as a character flaw that is interesting but no one seems to particularly mind.

So far, I’m interested in Mayuri, and the twins. I think Mayuri is the canon route, and you can’t do the other one even if you want before beating the game once (spoilered in case people don’t want to know, but I wouldn’t really consider it a spoiler)

[earwen]

@暁のルナ

• voice: voiced besides the protag

this line should be removed protag is voiced as you note a bit above this

@暁のルナ

• Playtime (native): 18-26 hrs

where are you getting the number from for specifically native playtime?

[暁のルナ]

Thx, fixed the voicing info

@earwen

@暁のルナ

• Playtime (native): 18-26 hrs

where are you getting the number from for specifically native playtime?

Vndb says 18, @bbo 's nomination post said 26.

[暁のルナ]

@earwen

Difficulty: I don’t feel like it’s that hard? Even though it technically has more unknown words for me than Muv-Luv it’s easier to understand for me due to being straightforward rather than trying to understand jokes

Interesting… I find the sentences themselves mostly straightforward - less fancy than マリみて - but the lookups are plenty. I just got to the beginning of the classroom scene, and so far have added 60 cards to an Anki deck. Probly gonna start up the jpdb deck again, but will still add words along the way.

@earwen

tripped up by kanji forms of そこ and so on but I’ll get used to it. So far, each scene is pretty short, which also makes it easier.

Yeah there’s a lot of kanji for the sake of being fancy… Which I’m half rolling my eyes at, and half loving. I’m glad I have something to get me back into shape

@earwen

but if you asked me what I liked about it, I’m not sure I have an answer

For me it’s the overall 雰囲気 as well as like how direct everything is, that the cast has a variety of character types and that the characters all have defined, fleshed out relationships with each other iirc. Also the music is beautiful

I’ve watched at least through the dorm room scene before (I think further), but had a more favorable impression of the MC. I do recall some of what you’re saying in the classroom scene (when they’re filling out the forms for amitie selection or w/e that was, but I viewed it as a storytelling “let’s re-explain this system for the audience” thing

Curious what I’ll think this time around. I’m only up to the beginning of the classroom scene tho (6% acc to CGs)

@earwen

and you can’t do the other one even if you want before beating the game once

More specifically, you need to get the True Ending. I’m playing without a guide for once, so I wonder if I’ll manage that. Idk if I’ll care enough to go get other routes anyway… Guess I’ll see once I’m further in

[bbo]

There was a read of all four games on wanikani: Flowers 🌺 Visual Novel Informal Club (Finished) - Book Clubs - WaniKani Community It’s where I read it. The thread is open, by the way (it was reopened). The thread for the first game specifically is FLOWERS -Le volume sur printemps- 🌺 Visual Novel Informal Club - Book Clubs - WaniKani Community. You might want to link those in the threads top post.

But specifically the walktrough should be there:

I am using this guide. Warning that there can be NSFW ads if you don’t have an adblocker 誠也の部屋【FLOWERS -Le volume sur printemps- （春篇） 攻略】

The four seasons version of the game (compilation on consoles) has slight differences. For some reason the link is broken. It’s this: 誠也の部屋【FLOWERS 四季 PS4版 Switch版 攻略】

As with Steins;Gate, I found Flowers kind of requires the walktrough. You should at least go through the game again with a walktrough if you didn’t get the canonical true ending.

@暁のルナ

Vndb says 18, @bbo 's nomination post said 26.

That seems to be the average “slow” read according to vndb.

@earwen

So far, I’m interested in Mayuri, and the twins. I think is the canon route, and you can’t do the other one even if you want before beating the game once (spoilered in case people don’t want to know, but I wouldn’t really consider it a spoiler)

Structure of the game

90% of the story stays the same either way. You can kind of attempt the Rikka route first, but it will lead to a “bad” end.

I think the later games require finishing multiple routes before you can do the true end, but not the first game. I think the Rikka route is skippable (meaning, I don’t think you lose much). Though fast forwarding through the game again doesn’t take all that much time either.

[暁のルナ]

Thx for the links. I added them, and put the synopsis under details fold, cuz it’s kinda long

@bbo

As with Steins;Gate, I found Flowers kind of requires the walktrough. You should at least go through the game again with a walktrough if you didn’t get the canonical true ending.

Surprising, will keep in mind

Thx for confirming about the level of route similarity - that’s what I was assuming

[earwen]

I’m 25% according to GSM, I can’t open the gallery (locked until I finish the game I guess, maybe Luna plays a different version) so no gallery stats.
I’m … not exactly rushing it but I will have much less free time in february, so I would like to finish it this month.

Split my thoughts up.

All of Chapter 2

I find it hard to are about Suoh’s relationships so far, because they feel rather shallow. We barely got to see Rikka and Suoh’s conflict despite it being the main plot of chapter 2. After the tea party how was their relationship affected? We don’t see despite them being in the same class and roommates. Suoh feels awkward about it, but do they really not talk even once, is Rikka intentionally avoiding her? It’s strange. Then the conflict gets resolved and Rikka just says she wants to be better friends, fair enoguh.

I was frustrated, again, when she forgot her promise with Mayuri. I can’t believe this happened for a second time. At least this time it was more understandable. I wish she had more of a reaction than “oh if it wasn’t intentional that’s fine.”.

Idk, no one seemingly caring when Suoh messes up, makes it hard for me be invested, or care when she is anxious abotu something, because no one will care besides her anyway? People just seem to like her because she is pretty and looks mature.

As for the mystery… I found it a bit confusing and too far fetched. Idk if I missed something but I spoke to my friend who read it in english and she said all of the mystery elements in the game are a bit odd.

Erika seems interesting but I’m not sure I quite got her situation, she transferred mid-term so she was planning to just, hide it out until the term ends? Is that allowed??

Chapter 3 midway through

However as of chapter 3 most of my complaints are not that relevant anymore. After the ending of chapter 2 and Suoh getting closer to her friends, she has became less frustrating for me.

I also liked the interactions between the trio more, I like Mayuri teasing the others.

I find some of the side characters introduced more interesting so far though, such as Erika and Yuzuriha. I think they are the focus characters of other games in the series, so that’s good. From her looks, I’d never have expected Yuzuriha to be a bokuko, I thought she was going to be the cold onee-sama type. Erika we didn’t see much from but I liked her personality.

I stopped where Suoh gets triggered while playing piano (triggered in the real sense, I know this word has some baggage now but idk what else to call it). I get the impression that Yuzuriha stopped her because she sensed her discomfort, but the others didn’t so asked her to play more, which causes her to run away.

Yuzuriha seems like the marimite Sei type, messing around but wiser than she seems…

unspoilery version: Enjoying it more after chapter 2, I like the side characters introduced.

[暁のルナ]

@earwen

I’m … not exactly rushing it but I will have much less free time in february, so I would like to finish it this month

Inspired by how fast you’re going! I’ve only just gotten up to the Amitie selection form/test. Hopefully today I’ll be able to make some more substantial progress

I’m playing the JP Switch 4 seasons mode btw. To get to the gallery I had to go back to the main menu & go to Graphic. It says I’m at 8% now. What is this GSM you keep mentioning?

some scene impressions

Nice feeling:

I’d feel kinda weird if this was the first thing a classmate said to me:

“Old soul” energy, huh?

Cuuuuuuute:

Yay for some realism

Love the over sharing below! Also horror & zombies I wasn’t expecting. Reminds me of Maki from クラにか:

PE = ballet only seems weird:

This seems like a rather careless/overly simplistic way to go about this, iirc the test questions:

[earwen]

@暁のルナ

What is this GSM you keep mentioning?

Game sentence miner
It basically manages text hookers/ocrs and so on for you for mining & auto creates audio + image for mined anki cards.

It holds the lines you read for each game in history for stats and sentence searching. And it can also connect to Jiten and read stats from there, and can give you an estimate how much you have read

[javerend]

if anyone is using texthookers and wants to use those to estimate progress, here are my recorded ch lengths from my notes (only 1st route, skipped some bad ends but they are like, trivially short).

I used the agent script to texthook the windows version

Table Table Table

Chapter	Ending Character Count
1	28k
2	62k
3	92k
4	120k
5	163k
6	191k
7	226k
8 (end)	265k

Total playtime was 22.5 hours with this, so averaging ~12k/hr

[Belerith]

@暁のルナ

I’m playing without a guide for once

Doing this too for the first go through (regardless of whether I’ll actually do others) since it generally makes for a smoother experience for me.

Just finished the 1st chapter and am really liking the atmosphere, voice acting and music so far. The art really fits the vibes too!

Agree with what @earwen said about the protag though. I get that it’s a trope, but it’s not one I’m a huge fan of and also not one I expected in this setting. Socially awkward but mysteriously seems beautiful and mature to others for no discernible reason (except Mayuri, who seems to have her pretty much figured out).

It’s not bothering me too much so far since the others get so much screen time and you do have the option to make Suou open her mouth from time to time. And some of the resulting awkwardness is fun, so.

Also playing on switch and opted for the original mode for club purposes.

I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, but I’m curious how progression will carry over between seasons (and how it did in the original).

[bbo]

@Belerith

I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, but I’m curious how progression will carry over between seasons (and how it did in the original).

Not sure if it’s a question, or what you meant, but (not really a spoiler):

Each game has a true end. The next game follows that. In fact, I think in the four seasons version you need the true end to progress to the new game.

[暁のルナ]

Oh dear, I’m definitely following the walkthrough then. Making me wish I’d put it to original mode instead

@bbo

In fact, I think in the four seasons version you need the true end to progress to the new game.

Whelp I just switched to using the walkthrough Thankfully you can change the modes if you want. Tbh I’d rather be playing it guide-less, and probably would have started going the Rika route without knowing this (no particular reason, just the mood I was in when the relevant choice came up)… Idk maybe I should just put it back to original?

I’m not sure this is a spoiler, but acc to https://en.namu.wiki/w/FLOWERS%20시리즈 regarding the modes and endings: “As an aside, the system has been adjusted so that even the true ending, which was impossible to capture in the first playthrough in the original version, can be captured from the first playthrough in the Four Seasons”

[earwen]

From what I understand, the 2nd game is a direct follow up to the true end, so idk why you would want to avoid the true end (assuming you will want to play on).

[暁のルナ]

I really wasn’t thinking about any of that. Just an “in-the-moment this is what I’d do” sorta thing. Until @bbo 's comment rn, I hadn’t thought about there being any particular relation.

If I had to guess, unless my vocab is really improved by the time I get to the end of this, I’ll take a loooong break before going for game 2. Still not done with ch 1, and added 171 cards already

[earwen]

I basically decided to only add words if they are in a voiced line for this vn. There are a lot of words I don’t know but even if I added them their frequency is so high I probably wouldn’t see them this year

[暁のルナ]

Smart strategy. Funny enough I’m the least likely to add something in a voiced line (since it’s already being reinforced, and probly more common) for me the rare-frequency words are the more useful at this point.

Of course I’m also the “look everything including forgotten readings up, all the time” type. Definitely using this for one of my 2026 Bingo Reading Challenge ✅ slots after all this trouble assuming I make it to the end

[earwen]

General complaint: even though I set the voices up to the highest setting, and the bgm to the lowest, I feel like characters are still barely audible sometimes, especially Suoh.

end of chapter 3

Friends have complained to me about the mystery at the end of this chapter before, saying that the answer should be America, not Italy. I’ve seen similiar comments in the wanikani thread.
But even knowing this I got the bad end because I didn’t know that 17 was considered unlucky in Italy…
Anyway I feel like this mystery was a bit nonsensical, why would someone who grew up in japan during a japanese school event ask a question that requires you to assume the italian unlucky number. It’s hard to buy lol…well not a big deal.
In the bad ending, Mayuri is never found, which is pretty bleak.

chapter 4

What I am getting from this chapter is that Mayuri is a lesbian and paranoid that she will be found out. Which is interesting.

My main problem is that I can’t get invested in the characters. Right now, Mayuri is somewhat interesting. But the way the story is told in small vignettes really is not helping me care about anyone. This way of storytelling is not working well with my brain.

For example in the letter scene, where Suoh is convinced the twins are playing a prank on her, it is simply not addressed again between the characters Suoh just on her own realizes she was mistaken. It reminds me of how there never was a confrontation between Rikka and her in the earlier book drama, nor any scene where they have to deal with eachothers presence. These characters must still be spending time together, but however the problem is manifesting we are not privy to due to the story telling style. At least with the Mayuri issue, we see her being around but avoidant of the others (in the library scene).

Anyway this chapter…we saw more of the teacher, idk why, but I don’t trust her somehow. I guess, knowing the cast is mostly gay makes me distrustful of the religious authority figure.

There was a bit more of Erika, and she is one of the characters I’m more interested in so I appreciated that. I like her more mischievous personality.

non spoiler thoughts: Towards the end of this chapter, I started skimming a bit. Honestly just not invested in anything enough at this point. My opinions on everything range from “this is fine” to “mild dislike”. I ended up looking at spoilers and there is some stuff that sounds interesting, but not sure if I will keep reading on. By experience, I don’t remember being this far into something and not being invested, and then my opinion changing to the positive when going on (I am not a believer in “it gets good 10 hours in” in other words..)

That being said, because I am reading in Japanese it does not feel like a “waste” to put more hours into this either. I will start chapter 5 now since I still have some free time, but we’ll see. If I’m still not feeling it I might take a break and see if I feel like getting back to it or something.

I hate being the furthest ahead and being negative, I hope everyone else enjoys it more.

edit: ok read about half of chapter 5. It has a bit more of a mystery going on but I find myself still not caring, gonna put it down and see if I feel compelled/curious enough to get back to it after a while