The Witch of the Ihanashi

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The Witch of the Ihanashi is a single player action adventure game with fantasy, romance and comedy themes. It was developed by Fragaria and was released on August 19, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

A romantic visual novel with a touch of fantasy!

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Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 22 reviews

story11 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a heartfelt and emotional narrative that explores themes of loneliness, connection, and the quiet magic of everyday life.
Visually, the art style is soft and nostalgic, effectively capturing the atmosphere of the setting and enhancing the storytelling experience.
The character development and interactions, particularly between Hikaru and Lilun, are genuine and relatable, making the story deeply engaging.

The game is almost entirely linear with minimal choices, which may disappoint players looking for more interactive storytelling.
Some players may find the pacing too slow, especially in the early chapters where the story takes time to build up.
There are occasional writing inconsistencies and technical issues, such as limited character art and reliance on real-life photos, which detract from the visual novel experience.

story
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The story of "Tales from Toyotoki" is an intimate exploration of trust and companionship, focusing on the relationship between Hikaru Nishime and his magical companion, Lilun, as they navigate themes of belonging and vulnerability. Set against a backdrop of rural romanticism and infused with elements of Okinawan folklore, the narrative prioritizes emotional depth over action, creating a contemplative experience that resonates through quiet moments rather than dramatic twists. While some may find the pacing slow, the heartfelt character development and the gradual unfolding of their love story ultimately deliver a satisfying and poignant conclusion.
- “It is a work that embraces atmosphere and emotion over spectacle, crafting a story that feels both intimate and timeless.”
- “What follows is not an action-driven story of magic and conflict but a gradual exploration of trust and companionship between two lost souls, each trying to understand what it means to belong.”
- “A heartfelt story about hardship, Okinawan folklore, love, and magic, with characters that feel incredibly genuine.”
- “Some players may find the pacing overly slow or the early chapters too understated, especially when the story delays its key revelations until much later.”
- “As for the gameplay, the story is linear, so no significant choices are presented.”
- “The usage of real life photos without any context over several dozens of characters is unnerving; there's a lot of characters getting introduced without any drawings, so basically you'll only see an empty background while these two people progress the story.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch" is a deeply emotional visual novel that explores themes of connection and belonging through the relationship between Hikaru and Lilun. The narrative's strength lies in its subtlety, with supernatural elements enhancing rather than overshadowing the characters' heartfelt journeys. The combination of poignant voice acting, a moving soundtrack, and sincere storytelling creates a powerful emotional experience that resonates long after the game concludes.
- “As Hikaru and Lilun grow closer, their relationship becomes the emotional anchor of the narrative.”
- “It’s a story that feels human, even when magic is involved, and its emotional impact comes not from sudden revelations but from the accumulation of quiet moments.”
- “A heartfelt story about hardship, Okinawan folklore, love, and magic, with characters that feel incredibly genuine.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game features a blend of soft piano melodies, ambient strings, and folk-inspired themes that enhance the emotional experience without overpowering the narrative. While some players appreciate the beauty and harmony of the soundtrack, others criticize its limited variety, noting that it consists of only a few tracks, some of which may be stock music. Overall, the music is generally well-received, though opinions vary on its composition and originality.
- “The soundtrack moves fluidly between soft piano melodies, ambient strings, and quiet folk-inspired themes, each piece reinforcing the game’s emotional cadence.”
- “The music never overwhelms; it exists in harmony with the story, fading in and out like the tide.”
- “There are not many illustrations but they have a distinctive style and the music is beautiful and very well used.”
- “Also to note, there's not a lot of music, 4 songs, that's it.”
- “The music is badly composed, with no mind put into unnoticeable/natural looping.”
- “The music, I really don't have much to say on; it's stock music they bought, I think, but I'm unsure. The point I'm making is that regardless, it's still really good.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game feature a unique art style characterized by soft colors and delicate linework, creating a nostalgic and dreamlike atmosphere. While the character designs are praised for their originality, the overall visual presentation is limited by the small studio's resources, resulting in only a few hand-drawn key visuals and minimal character poses. Despite these limitations, the art style has captivated players, enhancing their engagement with the story.
- “The art style favors soft colors and delicate linework, creating an atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and dreamlike.”
- “The character art presents a really unique art style that I haven't seen in any other visual novel, so maybe the artist did work elsewhere.”
- “Unique high-quality Japanese anime artworks and voice.”
- “Though tales from Toyotoki’s emotional and aesthetic achievements are easy to appreciate, its design also reflects the limitations of a small studio production.”
- “If you want to experience a 'visual' novel with almost no art (except for 10 key visuals).”
- “Only 10 hand-drawn low-quality key visuals and 3-4 poses of each character.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere of "tales from toyotoki" is characterized by its intimate and timeless storytelling, enhanced by a soft color palette and delicate linework that evoke nostalgia and a dreamlike quality. This visual novel prioritizes emotional depth over spectacle, appealing to players who value introspective narratives and a sense of genuine connection.
- “It is a work that embraces atmosphere and emotion over spectacle, crafting a story that feels both intimate and timeless.”
- “The art style favors soft colors and delicate linework, creating an atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and dreamlike.”
- “For players who appreciate introspective storytelling and carefully crafted atmospheres, Tales from Toyotoki offers something rare: a visual novel that feels genuinely alive, its emotions grounded not in fantasy, but in the simple, universal desire to be understood.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to engage players fully.”
- “Despite the potential for a rich environment, the game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
- “The overall ambiance is underwhelming, making it difficult to immerse oneself in the game's world.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its expressive yet grounded designs, effectively conveying emotions through subtle gestures rather than relying on exaggerated animation. This approach enhances the depth and relatability of the characters.
- “The character designs by Muji are expressive yet grounded, conveying emotion through subtle gestures rather than exaggerated animation.”
- “The depth of character development in this game is remarkable, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character's unique story.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, facing challenges that truly shape their personalities and relationships.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is characterized by a linear story progression, offering little to no significant choices for players to make.
- “The gameplay is hindered by a linear story, offering no significant choices for players.”
- “The mechanics feel clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
- “There is a lack of variety in gameplay, leading to repetitive and monotonous tasks.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by awkward yet tender exchanges that highlight the characters' developing relationship. Players find the comedic elements particularly enjoyable when making choices that lead to humorous outcomes, especially those that provoke a negative reaction from Akari.
- “Their exchanges are awkward, tender, and occasionally humorous, reflecting the kind of tentative affection that comes from two people learning to navigate each other’s worlds.”
- “However, with the choices in Akari's story, they're quite hilarious, especially if you pick ones that Akari doesn't like; I was more than okay with them being present.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game received mixed feedback, with some users noting good performance in certain areas, but overall, it appears inconsistent and lacking in broader optimization.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Witch of the Ihanashi is a action adventure game with fantasy, romance and comedy themes.

The Witch of the Ihanashi is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

The Witch of the Ihanashi was released on August 19, 2022.

The Witch of the Ihanashi was developed by Fragaria.

The Witch of the Ihanashi has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its music.

The Witch of the Ihanashi is a single player game.

Similar games include A Tithe in Blood, Perfect Gold - Yuri Visual Novel, Kanon, Atri: My Dear Moments, Starlight Vega and others.

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Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch (The witch of the Ihanashi)

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch (The witch of the Ihanashi)