Finally, Voltage has decided to go back to their roots with Liar 8! After the rather tame lies of the last two (by all means disagree with me if you want), I was expecting something much more forgivable, but nope, the 8th Liar is a despicable dude (and I love it)! This time around there were three potential Liars to choose from, Sotaro Shiga, Itaru Yuikawa and Azusa Kurono; and I really, really, really did not see this one coming… If you want a spoiler free review click, HERE, if not keep reading! So without further ado, the 8th Liar, Azusa Kurono.
Play the Game: App Store | Google Play
Getting to Know the Liar…
Azusa Kurono is an easygoing young artist. Unlike the other guys the MC meets at the Matchmaking party, he doesn’t really have a set job title. Instead he mostly works as a freelancer creative talent, picking up random artistic jobs throughout the game. However, in the 8th Liar arc, Azusa reveals that he is actually the author of the wildly popular Meowington children’s book series under the pseudonym, Shigeyuki Minagawa.
On the surface, Azusa is one of the best guys in the game! He’s a sweet, fun loving dude who knows how to just go with the flow. While the other guys are busy planning elaborate dates for the MC, Azusa takes a more laid back approach. His personality can be a bit out there and some of his mannerisms can be a bit childish, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Azusa is a force of nature and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and fun that he exudes in just about everything he does. Oh and did I forget to mention that he cooks?! And, I don’t mean frozen dinners, dude can throw down in the kitchen! But, at the end of the day, despite all of his good points, I wouldn’t be talking about the guy if there wasn’t something seriously wrong with him!
Falling for the Lie…
Dear Voltage, I really need you guys to stop making Itaru look so suspicious all of the time… Pretty please!
-Sincerely a Concerned Itaru Fangirl
Dudes and dudettes for the longest, I thought Itaru was going to be the 8th Liar, he actually seemed good for it this time… But then, Azusa went and asked the MC for money, the minute the words had left his lips alarm bells started going off.
I may not be well versed on publishing protocol, but for an author to have to front the bill for a book that already has a publishing company attached to it sounds suspect as hell. But, I didn’t trust him even before that… The minute he said he was an author a little voice in my head started whispering “He’s the liar…”, because we already had a author, it was Kagami. Now, while Voltage has a habit of using the same character archetypes in each of their games, they aren’t known to double dip when it comes to stuff like this… so I immediately called BS and that’s when things started to unravel. You see, Azusa is a marriage scam artist. He actually has a nice racket going on too. First he sweeps them off of their feet with a marriage proposal and when they agree he comes up with some sob story to extort money from them… In this case he tries to scam the MC into giving him money to fund the publishing of his next children’s book.
But, the beauty of Azusa’s deception is that he never actually asks the women to give him money… they almost always offer. All Azusa has to do is tell a sad story and the women practically throw their money at him! I say give that man an Oscar, because Azusa is an S Rank Moocher, a leech of the highest caliber… *ahem* and a Grade A asshole!
Oh my gosh, after the MC calls him out as a liar, you can say goodbye to the sweet, fun loving Azusa; dude is a sexist pig! He literally spends the entire Accusation segment harping on how stupid and gullible women are, especially when he turns on his boyish charms… He even jokes that kind-hearted women are the easiest to scam because they eat sob stories like candy! He claims that he is playing on women’s deepest fantasies, because in his head all women are jonesing for a wedding ring… and all it takes are a few sweet nothings from him and the wallets fall at his feet. I’m sorry, but Azusa sounds like an escort… Oh, but wait, there’s more, Azusa actually blames his victims… yes, you read that right… Azusa blames his victims! He claims that their kindness is their own down fall and I know I’m probably going to get a little flack for this… but, I actually kind of agree with him to some degree. Now, I don’t condone his actions at all, Azusa is a lying jerk, but I have seen first hand the power of a strategically placed sob story and just know, pity is a powerful ally for a seasoned scammer…
The Endings…
So in Liar! Uncover the Truth eliminating one of the Liars unlocks five alternate endings (Bad End, Secret End, True End, Love End, and Scumbag End) that either continue the story after the MC kicks the Liar to the curb or explain the origins of each guy’s lie. In order to unlock all of the endings in one fell swoop, the player must achieve S rank by the end of the Liar arc. However, the Bad End is unlocked when the player fails to answer the final question correctly and usually depicts the MC’s unhappy marriage with her Liar.
*I didn’t think I had to clarify this, but a lot of you seem to be basing you opinions about the Liars on their Bad Endings and I want to caution against that… The Bad Ends and the Love Ends are more like AUs rather than canon endings, which is why I tend to overlook them when discussing my thoughts about the Liars… I have consistently been getting S Rank for each of the liars… I’ve played through all of the endings… I know how bad they are… kay! 🙂
In Azusa’s Bad End, its been six months since Azusa and the MC started dating. Azusa is now living with her as they plan out their “happy” future together at the MC’s expense of course! Azusa cleans her out….
In the “Heart of a Trickster” Secret End, we get some insight into Azusa’s thoughts during his climactic proposal scene… Apparently Azu caught feelings for the MC, prompting a bit of last minute regret.
In the “The Blame is on You” True End, we take a peek into the past events that lead to his money scam. Because of his parent’s debts, Azusa had to work his way through school just so he and his younger brother could make ends meet. So, after college he put his creative dreams on hold to pursue a more lucrative career swindling women out of their money….
In the “Your Shoulder to Lean On” Love End, after punching Azusa in the face and dumping his lying ass, the MC finds herself moping in the rain when none other than Azu himself appears. After justifying his actions, Azusa attempts to win the MC back with a sincere love confession…
Finally, in the “Never Gonna Give You Up” Scumbag End, after being exposed by the MC, Azusa tries to get over losing such a prize by playing a few games at the arcade. But, no matter how long he plays, he can’t stop thinking about the one that got away… LOL the title of this end is just too perfect, Azusa gets rickrolled so hard in this end!!
My Reaction…
This game has me questioning everything… Azusa’s lie was easy to pick apart, but in reality scam artists aren’t as easy to spot. They can be friends, family member, coworkers, hell they can be total strangers… So, before you start opening your hearts and wallets to people, do a little digging. Sometimes pity can be more harmful to a person than indifference… *end of lesson* Azusa is a piece of work and the MC is lucky she got out when she did, because that Bad End was horrifying…
In the end Azusa was a pig and he more than deserved that punch in the face, so +1 to the MC!
Side Note: I swear to God, that after all of this… if Mr. Right isn’t Itaru I am going cry and maybe write a rage filled letter to Voltage Inc (the English branch and the Japanese). I will be extremely hurt if it isn’t him! I want it to be him so bad!
Before reading this I had my very own ideas/headcanons about Azusa…but luckily that’s what AUs are for.XD But seriously, WTF dude?! (Finally, I’m not the only one believing Itaru should’ve been one of the liars as well. -don’t kill me pls, he’s my favorite, but way too good for his own good-)
Anyway, I heard Azu’s Lovers route will come out this month, are you going to buy it? And if could rank the guys from best to worst (1. Best; 2.Acceptable; 3.Neutral; 4.Bad; 5.WORST) what would be your rank?
-(And if your ever interested in sharing ideas and headcanons, feel free to give it a shot.XD:D)- I’m CartoonGirl, delighted to meet you.
LOL Itaru is my favorite guy right now, and I know I’ll be heartbroken if he isn’t Mr. Right at the end of all this… especially when Voltage keeps making him so dag on suspicious!
As for Azu’s Lovers Route… IDK, I’m still a little salty about that self righteous speech he gave during the Accusation segment… maybe as a last resort lol
Ah the ranking… I’m going to wait until I finish the game to rank them all, but right now Kunio is at the bottom of the list followed by Keima!
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting CartoonGirl, it was very nice to meet you too 😀
OMG you actually replied. (Stay calm, stay calm!)
“self righteous speech” …have we actually got a real Frollo in this game? LOL
Aww, no problem! And also thank you for writing all this reviews about Liar! For such a “Spoiler-hungry” girl like moi, this is a blessing!XD (It’s better to know everything before getting the game, believe me. XD)
PS.
My top 4 guys would be:
1.Itaru
2.Haruichi
3.Kazumi (a Pisces like me :3)
4.Azusa (I’m trash, I really am. Forgive me.)
Of course I did LOL! I really appreciate it when folks take the time to comment on my posts it really does make my day!! 😀 I’m really glad you like my Liar posts!! I feel you, I snoop out reviews all the time, especially when I’m dropping $$$ on a game! Gotta check out the merchandise LOL
Definitely check out my other game reviews too if you have the chance 🙂
LOL Azusa as Frollo would be hilarious!! I could just see him standing before a huge fireplace, robes flowing as he sings a passionate song about his sinful lust for cash…LMAO
YES, I definitely agree with your top two pics!! After what happened with Liar 2, Itaru can do no wrong… and as for Haruichi, megane are my bias!!!
LOL I won’t hold Azusa against you, I have to admit he charmed me too… 😛
Just curious is it actually possible to have a happy ending with all
Of them?
If you don’t count the love endings at the end of each liar route then,no.
Only the last 5 guys have Lovers Routes where you can actually date them. I hope that answers your question and thank you for taking the time to read my post and comment!😊
S.O.S
I can’t seem to find out what evidence I’m supposed to show Azusa bc after the bad ending it takes me back to the part where I’m supposed to show him evidence and its making me go in circles with him.
Otome Obsessed has a full guide for the game on her site. I can’t for the life of me remember what evidence I used with Azusa, but I remember the school picture and the fan blog screenshot was important.
Why isn’t the liar’s name under the continue reading? Clicked on blog page and have been spoiled /)_(\
lolol phya, why you go clicking on Liar stuff if you havent finished playing the game D: From the past Poke has always spread the word about the liar guys XD awwww poor phya~ but that’s like opening up a menu and not expecting to know what desserts they are serving 8D
I didn’t click or open the post. I only clicked the main blog page and it’s bolded.
Ah after making all the changes so the Liar’s pic didn’t show up in the Twitter and Tumblr notification posts, I didn’t really give much thought to the way it posts on my blog and I’m sorry you were spoiled.
However, the banner is the same for all of my Liar posts, so I figured that would be the best indication that there is a spoilery post on the horizon. I’ve also been writing these posts this way since the 3rd Liar and I check to see how my posts look on mobile devices (mobile phone and tablet) and laptop/desktop and I can say with some certainty that the title and banners are the first things you see when you open up my blog (save for the portrait view on tablet).
ahhhhhhhhhh i see what you mean! But i think ALL her posts have been like that! Mhm pretty sure ALL of them have been that way! XD I always read her stuff bc i never play the game so I wanna get spoiled! mwahhaha >: D! Well next time you know that you have to finish the liar and then come back~ >: D another day saved by moi~!
Haha, it’s like the writers spent too much time on Love Fraud.com! xD Azusa has the classic con artist mentality.
While I don’t think victims “deserve” it… I do understand where you’re coming from regarding Azusa’s comments about gullible people deserving to get tricked. NOTE: Obviously, this stance excludes those who genuinely can’t know or understand better, such as very old/young people, those with mental health issues or the intellectually disabled, etc.; groups that are often targeted by lowlives for this reason.
While it is a typical scammer “defence” (whether the scammer genuinely believes this or not), I can see why the non-criminally inclined would think like this. Of course, the vast majority of fault lies with the scammer in the first place, though I can’t help but get annoyed and frustrated by victims (or their supporters) that act like they 100% can’t be criticised for their (in)actions.
Gullibility is a trait that is frequently made fun of- but suddenly, the gullible become immune to having to acknowledge their mistakes in a situation as soon as they’re scammed? I don’t mean beating them down for getting tricked- that’s not helpful at all. I mean respectfully and constructively telling them why they were targeted and what (reasonable) steps they could take to prevent the same situation from occurring again. Whatever happened to learning from your mistakes to wisen up? How is wanting to help people gain a bit more common sense a bad thing?
So yeah… A bit long-winded, but I can see where you’re coming from and I hope you don’t get flack for your opinion.
Anyway, looking forward to the next Liar and of course… Finding out who’s Mr. Right! 😉
Yup, I totally agree with your entire comment! These situations aren’t 100% black and white, there is always a bit of grey in there. I just can’t help but feel like people should be a bit more discerning when it comes to relationships…
Now, I do think Azusa is a horrible person for scamming all of those women and I sincerely hope he gets his just deserts one of these days… but, I can’t help but wonder what happens to the women he tricks after he stops coming around…
LOL me too, but when you put something out there on the internet you kind of have to plan for any and every outcome. And as always I appreciate your comment! You always take the time to read my posts and offer critical insight to what I write and I really enjoy reading them! 😀
OH MAN, I can’t wait to see who Mr. Right is, my money is on Itaru but I’m starting to like the other guy a bit more too…
Yeah, I know what you mean. Honestly, I would be interested in seeing Azusa’s past cons. I also found it interesting how the writers didn’t make Azusa very sympathetic at all. It’s pretty common to find stories that paint psycho/sociopathic individuals in a sympathetic light these days and we all know how much Japanese otome games love to paste on Tragic Backstories that often worryingly come off slightly more like justifications rather than explanations.
That’s right. I mean, I clearly think the same considering how blunt I can be with my opinions. For better and for worse, the otome gaming community are mostly composed of polite and nice individuals, so direct critique of games aren’t as plentiful as you’d think even with the piles of money-wasters out there.
No worries! I’m happy that you enjoy reading my responses. Unless I honestly can’t think of anything to say (but still wanna show my support), it’s hard for me to just comment with stuff like “thanks, good luck”, LOL.
Keep up the good work! =D
Exactly, there were a few backstories that came awfully close to that, but thankfully Voltage has for the most part kept the Liars….scumbags. Though the 7th Liar was really not such a bad guy all things considered lol.
I’ve noticed that too, but if I pay for a game, whether it’s good or bad, you can be sure I’ll tell you all about it lol *cough* Kei Toyonaga’s route in FR: Dangerous Relationship *cough*
Of course, I make sure to read all of the comments that people leave on my posts! But, you’ve been commenting on these posts for awhile now so, whenever I post a new one I can’t help but look forward to your responses! 😀
Thanks for the review. I would not forgive this guy no matter what if i were the MC. Scamming from love is just sad. I have a feeling that Itaru is not the last man. Just saying. But i have to agree with you. Itaru does looks like a nice person? Also, thanks for replying my previous comments.
No, thank you for stopping by and reading my posts!! I really appreciate the support!!
LOL yeah, Azusa was a complete jerk and he deserves much worse than he got in the main route…
After Itaru saved the MC from Liar #2, he can do no wrong in my eyes! LOL he’s a prince!!
LOL, we’ll just have to wait and see who Mr. Right… I should be done with the game by Monday so we’ll see who it is then! XD
I can’t wait to read your reviews about liar number 9 and Mr. Right! Thank you soooo very much <3
Aww thank you for reading my reviews and for taking the time to leave a comment! Your kind words really mean a lot to me! 😀
The last two main story reviews should be up this week, but be sure to check out this week’s Last Week Today post for the exact date! 🙂
Aww, no biggie! I’ll make sure to check out the others too.XD
Azusa, WTF?! The MC is much better than cash, are you nuts?! Anyways, I know how you feel, the mafia is just to attracting~
But I must admit, Azusa’s and Kazumi’s Liar Routes definitely hit some spots. First, the subject of illness in the 7th Liar and ones of Naivety and Debs in the 8th. A bit sad, but nonetheless Liar! is one of the most interesting games ever created by Voltage! Simply delightful!:D
Lol yes! Azusa lost it at the end…
Yes and the fact that he doesn’t even look like a mob boss was even more appealing!
Oh I totally agree, Voltage did a great job with this game! They really know how to play up the drama!
Oh maaaan, how do you consistently get S-rank?? Do you buy tickets or are you really really good at managing them? Any advice?
I do the flirt time every 5 hours after the energy is restored also now that Voltage is giving away free daily bonus coins, you can also use those to buy cool points. But mostly I would just grind cool points.
As for the tickets I played everyday during the 15 day 10 ticket promotion period so that put me ahead a bit with the story progression. Also if you consistently get the early clear bonuses you’ll wind up with more than enough Savvy Points at the end of each liar arc. I hope that helps!😊
Azusa never asked for money! MC offered. I liked this game but it really pissed me off how lazy they were with the story, its constantly contradicting itself, sotoro asked mc to marry him on the first date yet when anybody else asks after date 4 or 5 she finds it suspicious, constantly saying things that didnt actually happen that way it makes it hard to follow or get immersed in the story. Not to mention sotoro was the most suspiscious one from the very first chapter yet he somehow makes it this far? Been trying to get rid of him every chance i get but somehow his sketchy ass always makes it through