Review: YU-NO (Elf, 1996) (NSFW) đź‘Ž

While my earlier praise of the eroticism of much of the artwork holds true, the constant lewdness results in a clumsy tone. It is more than sex scenes. There is no boundary between “erotic” content and otherwise non-sexual moments. The above scene my comments about Ayumi’s butt refer to has her on the phone talking about people dying and proposing the cancelation of the construction efforts. The “erotic” material is mostly filler but distracting filler crammed in to satisfy what feels like a mandatory sexual-content-per-hours-of-gameplay ratio. No matter the context, many, perhaps most, of the dozens of the CGs emphasize the women’s bodies.

While Eriko is confronting Ryuuzouji in the dramatic conclusion of the Mitsuki route, the shot includes her cleavage and nipples prominently poking through her latex dress.

When Mitsuki is sitting on a grassy hill giving Takuya advice, the artwork emphasizes her breasts and long, gorgeous legs. Perhaps this is conducive to intimacy with her.

When a screaming, crazed Mitsuki, after being rescued bleeding from a car accident, has fallen fully under Ryuuzouji’s Niarb power and attacks Takuya with a box cutter, her wrinkly white panties are on full display. Perhaps pantsu are conducive to terror. Wait, hold on, no they’re not.

The panties really elevate the scene! /s

I like women’s butts as much as the next guy—and probably more. Even so, during the dramatic protest scene that acts as a major impetus for her suicide, I would have directed the artist to put the focus on Ayumi’s face and not her ass.

Same for when Houjou points a gun at Kanna.

Just as often as the eroticism appeals, it instead suggests the creators are too immature to not let their perviness derail the story. Granted, some respected developers seem to share this problem.