Hiyoku no Tori is a joseimuke occult-mystery multimedia collaboration project between Sotsu, FrontierWorks, Ikure, and Plus81. The project was conceptualized as a series of Drama CDs and a PC visual novel. The series centers around the members of Kamotan, a detective agency who specialize in investigating strange and bizarre cases in Kyoto.
Both the drama CDs and the visual novel can be enjoyed as separately. But, consuming both will give you a better feel of the characters.
Game Details
- Genre: Mystery | Occult | Joseimuke
- Developer & Publisher: Sotsu, FrontierWorks, Ikure, and Plus81
- Where to Get the Game: Steam
Story
One day, a woman, victim of a stalker, rushed into Kamotan.
The detectives, including Tatsumi, considered accepting her request to track down the stalker,
but she confessed that the stalking had finished and there was no more danger.The female client told them that she had visited a shrine famous for breaking connections with people and prayed for her wish to come true.
After that, her stalker died. She was utterly upset by the thought that her wish caused his death. Is this what really happened?Kamotan members began their investigation to get to the bottom of the truth.
Official Synopsis
Hiyoku no Tori Review
In Hiyoku no Tori step into the shoes the freelance detective team, Kamotan (short for Kamoin Detective Office) as they investigate the mysterious and complex cases in Kyoto. From odd jobs like finding missing pets to catching cheating spouses in the act to the more unusual case involving evil spirits and ghosts.
As you investigate each case, get to know the eccentric members of Kamotan. Tatsumi Ohsato, a former police detective with a special ability that allows him to see the imprints of strong emotions as colors. Hyogo Ohtori, a proficient mentalist and the head of Kamotan. Kosaku Minobe, an infamous underworld hacker. Renji Kujiki, a fun loving and sociable guy who always knows what’s popular in the city.
I want to stress that while the game explores the intimate bonds between the male members of Kamotan, this isn’t a boys love game. I will admit that I thought it was at first, but Hiyoku no Tori is bromance at best. You could be forgiven for thinking Hiyoru no Tori is a boys love what with the intense flirting and belligerent sexual tension between Tatsumi and his boss Hyogo whenever the two are in the same room. But, alas nothing is ever confirmed, just heavily implied. Think Eiji and Ash from Banana Fish, everyone knows they’re a thing, but no one feels the need to make a big deal out of it.
So, your mileage may vary if you’re looking for anything concrete. They come really close, but they never take the plunge.
Hiyoku no Tori is on the short side, taking anywhere from five to eight hours to finish. The story is split into three self-contained cases, giving the overall story an episodic tone. While I liked the individual cases, the whole thing doesn’t really come together as a cohesive story. You kind of get dropped into the story mid stride and the writers never take the time to fully ease you into the world or the characters and their relationships.
This is a part of a multimedia project, so there is bound to be some overlap between Hiyoku no Tori media. But, this visual novel doesn’t feel like a standalone experience, rather as something to bridge the gap between the drama CDs. Which is a shame, because this is a really interesting concept that might have actually worked better as an anime series, instead of a visual novel.
Not that Hiyoku no Tori isn’t an enjoyable experience, I was really invested in the individual cases and the chemistry between the characters is amazing. But, it just kind of misses the mark delivering a satisfying “complete” experience. Overall, Hiyoku no Tori isn’t a bad buy for the price, great art, an interesting premise and fantastic vocal performances—and if anything it’ll get you interested in the Drama CDs.
