I wouldn’t say they’re essential, but I encourage you to read them regardless because they are all interesting stories that serve as the blueprint for many of the Japanese novels, movies, and even manga that we know and love today.

As for book recommendations, I definitely recommend starting with the popular classics like ‘No Longer Human’ and ‘The Setting Sun’ by Osamu Dazai, ‘Kokoro’ by Natsume Soseki, and the short stories of Yukio Mishima, Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, and Edogawa Ranpo. I could never pass up an opportunity to recommend Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa either since it’s also a classic, and one of my favorite stories of all time. I wish you the best of luck on your reading journey! 🙏

I actually started out on Twitter having only played N+C and parade games, but Hashihime was recommended to me by a friend of mine! I went into the game completely blind with only the knowledge that it was a bl historical piece about time travel, but I was immediately invested from the moment I first began playing/reading. Despite “Book Town” being part of the title, I honestly wasn’t prepared for just how much literature was woven into the story. I’ve loved books, especially classic literature, for as long as I can remember, so it was very exciting, to say the least. I also wasn’t prepared for how much this game would have me questioning my own sanity, or how emotional the story would end up becoming. I was completely absorbed by the plot from the get-go, but it was when I reached the scene with Minakami’s letter that I realized this game was something truly unforgettable. I did enjoy playing the other routes (well, most of them…), but there’s just no beating Minakami’s in my eyes. His route alone was enough to cement this game as one of my all-time favorites.

It’s not weird at all! I feel very honored to hear that, and I’m always happy to share my thoughts and interpretations 😌 ~

You aren’t wrong about Minakami trying to distance himself from Tamamori, but I think it would be more accurate to say that it was an attempt to get Tamamori to give up on him. Since the beginning, Minakami had already been aware of the hashihime’s existence and the fact that Tamamori was the one currently possessed by it. When Tamamori tried warning Minakami about his impending death, Minakami likely realized that Tamamori must have already gone back in time after experiencing Minakami’s death once before. Minakami was… stubbornly intent on dying, to say the least, so he chose words that were purposefully cruel and that he knew would cut Tamamori deep in hopes that Tamamori would resent him enough to stop trying to prevent his death/suicide.