Kings of Paradise - Yosuke Sagara MS Review (Season 1)
Yo. All I have to say is what the hell... Like, in the best way possible. Yosuke is. Well. Wow. My sister played Yosuke’s route before I did, several months ago, and for some reason I thought she told me I wouldn’t like it. Therefore, I went in a little apprehensive, but I was completely blown away by this story. I don’t even know where to begin. I thought, honestly, like his personality would be similar to that of Ota Kisaki from Kissed by the Baddest Bidder (sorry, I know I keep comparing all of them to KBTBB characters, but they remind me a lot of KOP...).
Before I get too far into my own feelings, I would give this route a very generous 9/10. Eventually I’ll be through with characters from Kings of Paradise, and then I’ll move on to other titles. :) As I said, I was COMPLETELY blown away by this story. I was a little sad at first, considering Yosuke refers to MC as “merchandise” on more than a few occasions, and it’s a little sucky that he doesn’t start realizing her worth until clients of his start giving him little bonuses because they enjoyed her company so much. He’s got weird baggage, much like the rest of them, but he’s so clumsy about his emotions. It was so cute to watch him develop his feelings and struggle with things that were unfamiliar to him. I really loved it. The whole premise of Yosuke’s route is that MC is his “merchandise,” as in, someone he is going to train so they know how to act in higher society, in the business world, etc. I wrote down some notes while I was playing his route. I thought that he was a little misguided in the way he treated MC and viewed the world at large, but that he had genuine intentions of wanting to find her a man that would make her happier than anyone else. While I would say that he definitely views her as more of an object in the very beginning, he very quickly starts seeing her potential and the character that lies beneath her “boring” exterior and past. I know that the story needs a premise, but it really bothered me that he viewed her as property in the beginning, or an extra special bargaining chip to con the rich out of money. (Hence the 9/10.) However, I loved watching him try and change his tune, trying to make her happy, and just generally keep himself in her good graces because he cared what she thought of him.
He is weirdly detached, almost alien, in the beginning. (Side note: please play his POV. It’s wonderful.) In the first chapter, he starts his training by trying to see how she reacts in more sexual situations, and she is not having it.
There’s no better way to get a feel for the kind of guy she likes without making a move on her, other than, you know, maybe asking her what she looks for in a man. Maybe. But what do I know? I thought this part was hilarious, and I love MC in Yosuke’s route. She’s very feisty and outspoken for a Voltage MC. Yosuke is also very flippant. If you’re into anime, which you might not be, that's cool, his attitude reminds me of Kisuke Urahara from Bleach. Flippant, noncommittal, hiding a deeper seriousness and pain, that sort of thing.
I also wrote down that he’s awkward and doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but that he’s trying his best. (For instance, when he’s in a really good mood, he likes to give people extravagant gifts, including a rather pricey antique pearl necklace once he starts falling for her but doesn’t realize it yet, but also amazing gifts to the other Paradise members.) Throughout the majority of his story, he keeps trying to set MC up with rich, powerful men (who are all crazy about her), but all her feedback on them are things like “He was nice,” or “He was a gentleman.” It’s very funny because they’re giving Yosuke crazy approval and desire to actually date her seriously. All the while, Yosuke and MC are falling for each other and not realizing it because they both have very different things on their minds. Somehow, romance is on neither of their brains so they can’t see the brewing chemistry. I like that MC is the one to kind of kick-start his heart again. However, it’s very frustrating that he really doesn’t listen to her. She says repeatedly that she’s not ready to jump from one marriage to another, or that she’s not looking for love, but he refuses to hear it, more concerned with making money (in the beginning) than whether she’s ready for whatever he has in store for her. The one who has the most promise as her future partner is a Chinese billionaire by the name of Yanghua Lee. He’s very sweet, accommodating, genuine, and gentlemanly--but the more time she spends with Yosuke, of course, the less she cares about other men. Not that she really cared about them in the first place...
He just doesn’t get that she’s not interested, and that almost makes him more adorable. Frustrating, by god, but adorable nonetheless. It’s when he and MC make love on a “training” trip to the Maldives that he starts falling hard for her, and as I said earlier, you can see it in the way that he starts buying expensive presents (like that necklace) for her to try and show his appreciation (that he’s confusing with romantic feelings). I adored watching this love grow, and watching Yosuke slowly realize his own emotions. He is awkward, and he is clumsy, but I also said that his emotions and his intentions and feelings were genuine ones. I really feel that. He’s a bit...childish, but more in the way that he doesn’t know how to convey what he’s feeling in words, or without giving something extravagant. (Also, I just have to say that the sex he and MC have? Absolutely choice. He and Shun are on the same level, but express it differently. I’d say Shun’s is a pure, passionate loving, while Yosuke’s has those qualities, but it’s also a little more teasing.)
Final verdict, do I recommend? YES, MA’AM. I’m having a bit of a dilemma here, because I adore Shun, and he will always be my favorite in KOP because his kind of love is my absolute bias, but Yosuke. My dude. This route? The SEX? Phenomenal. I loved this story line. I loved Yosuke’s character development, especially because you could really see him struggling with his own emotions and predispositions. Taki is one of the ones who speaks to Yosuke about his spending habits when trying to genuinely give someone a gift because he cares about them, and it’s sweet as hell because Yosuke’s so bashful.
In the Bodies on Fire ending (I think?), he’s still so awkward with expressing what he wants and his feelings, but it’s very him. He’s really such a sweet man, and someone who needs practice expressing his love in words, but he’s a pleasure to read. Also, Yanghua is one of the best side characters Voltage has ever created--at least in the love rival department. He concedes loss to Yosuke amicably, expressing remorse that he couldn’t be the one to make MC happy (because he had developed real feelings for her), but that, ultimately, Yosuke was a good friend, and he wanted to see him and MC happy. I appreciated that more than I think Voltage would understand.
If you get the chance, and you feel so inclined, please read his story. It really is something I haven’t yet experienced in a Voltage game. (As another aside, I love that KOP is extremely mature for what Voltage usually puts out. I’ve been very impressed and enthralled with the content of these stories since I started the game.)
