Before I get to the review/analysis, I'd like to say what a ride this VN was. If you're reading this right now and, for some reason, you haven't already-I implore you to stop whatever you're doing and give this VN a read.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
I doubt I will touch on everything, but I will attempt to touch on the things that stood out to me. I apologize in advance for my verbosity.
A play has a beginning and an end. And, like in tragedies, not all of the characters make it to the closing act, but all will fall behind the curtain as it descends.
Art and Music:
The art palette reminds me of a sunset, and the warm orange and red contrasted superbly with the black. Due to this, the artful touches of other colors later stand out. And I felt some Latin (character design) and Greek (for the hospital scene) inspiration vibes from the art, which was a pleasant touch. The emotion in the art for the chase scene was so thick it was palpable. The visual contrast of Momento looming over, staring down at a small helpless Mori, was a fantastic set piece. Not to mention how we are told a sliver of information in visual form alone at the start of the story- you have to love that. The music was sublime in heightening the ambiance of each scene and does so with gusto. The Starbound Waltz was an absolute pleasure to hear, one I know I will revisit. Needless to say, but I will anyway, the art and music work together in glorious tandem to bring about an incredibly emotional experience.
Writing:
Given what I've written so far, what I have to say shouldn't be surprising. The script was good, really good. There was never a feeling that the writing lingered on something for too long, nor was a scene cut short abruptly without good reason. I was momentarily taken out of the reading by the sudden transition from the chase scene, but after a moment of consideration, its curt nature made sense.
The writer's ability to say so much with so little is admirable and, perhaps, something I could learn a thing or two about. From philosophical discussion to the brutal reality of cancer patients to the impacts of divorce, there was always something to stop and ponder. I loved the references to mythology, among other things (like Mori's last name referring to the word 'katabasis' or 'catabasis'). I am yet an amateur in analysis, but I can't help but clasp my hands together in giddy anticipation at what will come next from the writer's deft hands.
Programming and GUI:
The unsung hero of any FVN, the programming was flawless (minus the one thing I mentioned to Arcadia). The experience at the end of the hospital scene was quite memorable. Excellent execution! The custom textbox was an eye-pleasing addition to gaze upon as I read; the overall polish put into the GUI work was incredible.
The Moonlit Waltz:
The play and its constituents are mirrors of the end of the story. Moreover, the theme of the play resonants throughout the story and acts as a through-line for one of the story's overall core messages: passion, life, and love, and how brief they can be, and despite that briefness, how genuine and captivating they are for that modicum time in which they exist. Romance can be short and bittersweet, as it was for the Star and the Man, but that doesn't dim its luster. Near the end of the story, we see a reenactment of that final scene of the play, but now Mori is the Star and Memento the Man: "A story about a romance that was never meant to be."
Stella:
As the name 'Stella' (Latin for Star) implies, she is the star of the show, and this is portrayed to us in Mori's descriptions of her when she performs- her movements are effortless as she moves across the stage. Backstage we see another side of her. She is distraught as her father, despite his promises, didn't come to watch her performance. Her parents are going through a divorce like Mori's parents did. Moreover, her father had said that these performances she was so enthused about were a waste of time. Now she wonders if he was right. Mori empathizes and reassures her here, going on a passionate tirade about how awful it is that her parents left her in the rubble of their issues and doubted her dreams. For Mori, this is a bit personal to him, so he reels himself back in and reassures her that she will be an amazing actress.
Mori mentions that even though other people he would perform with would eventually leave and drift apart, he and Stella had been a constant since the third grade. Even she fell away unexpectedly. Their passion for what they do pours out from both of them, so it is no wonder they were so close. When she visits him in the hospital- in both Mori's description of her and visually- there is a stark contrast between their states. The depiction of stars behind her is a nice touch to the state of affairs. One is being pulled toward stardom, while the other is chained to a slow death- by the uncaring and cruel nature of terminal cancer. In her excitement on her second visit upon getting a big part, she says something insensitive to Mori. In a rage, he tears into her, saying how great it is that she is living the life he wanted so badly and throwing it in his face. He goes on and on- and in doing so, ensures that he breaks the last connection he had left. The star exits the stage, and Mori is left alone to the death that awaits him.
Mori Catybassis:
What gives your life direction and purpose? Mori is one of the main facilitators for this question. When Momento asks him what 'joys' he could show him, it takes Mori a moment to think about it. Eventually, Mori does recall such a time. As they go on together to relive his memory, Mori tells Memento his prior dreams and aspirations: He wanted to act and one day be on Broadway. But, it was not to be. At his father's behest, he threw away his dreams for a four-year degree in CS. His father told him there was no money to be made in Theatre, so what was the point of it? But, he remarks, what use do the dead have for wealth?
He laments throwing away his dreams; wonders what he could have done with himself in those years of doing something Mori lacked true passion for, a longing he had for Theatre. Stella, in some ways, is the embodiment of what might've been, and as he relives these memories, he displays deep remorse for how he treated her. He uses this introspection that he gained at the hospital and from seeing his memories to tell Momento what he believed to be what sustains humans. Lovely as they are, it isn't flowers, sunsets, or belly rubs (allegedly). These simple joys are fleeting things, temporary gratifications. It is our ambitions and dreams that make life worth all the while.
So when Memento tells him he lied about what comes after- he breaks. In those four years of dealing with leukemia, Mori pushed everybody away. He never found somebody to love; he had suffered unimaginable pain, alone and isolated. Nobody came to mourn when he died. And now, after having dealt with all of it, he was offered a reprieve, eternal bliss, and it was all a lie? The stars dance along his hair as he flees. Having been told it is fruitless matters not, he sprints as if the sun is searing at his back. Eventually, though, there is no more running. The end draws neigh for Mori. But who else can say they danced on the world's- or perhaps out of this world- grandest stage with a reaper?
Memento:
Memento's name is apt, as he seems to be a memory receptacle for all of humanity, changing as they do (as do all reapers- I loved the worldbuilding for them). Memento has grown kind and chipper through his experiences with humans but can't grasp their emotions or humanity beyond a base level. He has spoken with them and heard of their stories but hasn't experienced their memories firsthand.
Upon meeting Mori, he tells him that he needn't worry about going into the Beyond, as he will experience eternal bliss. However, Memento is still confused about what makes humans have that spark in life- why are some of them happy to see him after they die?- and asks Mori to show him his- something he has asked no one else. As he said himself- he had always planned on asking the next time (I know the feeling, Memento) but never went about it and decided, by random chance, this person would be the one. Later, after experiencing firsthand Mori's memories, the good and the bad, he has an existential crisis, and he questions aloud the need for all the suffering, wondering what will even become of him in the coming years. After even humanity is gone, will he even be himself? A strange but beautiful thing to see a personification of death itself having such a crisis.
Back in the memory of the Lycoris Community Theater- when Mori explained why he didn't want to talk about why Stella was crying- he spoke of guilt to Memento. We see Memento almost immediately steer away from the conversation- a foreshadowing. Even before that, there were hints. Because of this and the emotions Mori has unlocked by sharing his experiences, we see Memento come forward with the truth- he doesn't know what comes after. He tells Mori that the spirit returns to the universe, and as for Mori's consciousness- while he is not certain, he believes it will be gone.
Before Mori, I'm sure he told them all the same lie because he thought it'd bring them comfort. He had no way to feel guilt- nor did he understand it- so why wouldn't he? Mori, of course, tries to run away, consumed by anger and fear with the unfairness of it all. He doesn't want to lose consciousness- his very being- as Mori proposes is the most likely outcome of going Beyond. Eventually, though, he cannot continue to run, for no one can escape death.
And as they approach the After, Memento breaks down, overcome with emotion, telling Mori how unfair his life was and that he doesn't want to forget him- or any of them. He doesn't want to forget any of it. He wants to remember. Now that he feels these complex emotions he had no way of feeling or truly understanding before- Memento is experiencing a paradigm shift in how he views his place as a Reaper.
However, Mori is tired, so very tired. He says as much as he prepares to march forward into proposed oblivion before Memento stops him. He asks that before Mori departs to show him how to dance. So, they dance as Memento brings them to a space full of, well, space. It is a beautiful scene, and he experiences the feeling of love as they dance among the stars. And as the stars bear witness to their great dance, for but a moment, Mori, while just a man, is a star too.
Toward the end, Memento asks if they couldn't just dance among the stars forever. Their roles have now switched from when Mori asked, "Why?". It is now Mori who reminds him that all things must come to an end. The waltz- like his life was- is temporary; as it comes to a stellar end, they walk hand in hand through the wall and into the Beyond.
The Beyond and Lycoris Flowers:
As Momento stated- he doesn't know what lies beyond. Lyrcoris flowers have many meanings, and the fact that they make up that barrier to the Beyond could be more significant than it first appears (IE, it could mean rebirth/resurrection). It would be hilarious if they walked through that, and then we immediately smash cut into a MY WOLF world. It's assuredly not the right VN for it tonally, but that would be a sidesplitting April Fools edit. It is a bit odd that I imagined such shenanigans occurring to the two of them not long after my first reading? Probably. Does it make sense? No, but the idea of them trying to navigate together in an unfamiliar world is burned into my mind.
I wanted Lyrcoris flowers to have an individual section. In said section, I would delve deeper into their cultural and symbolic meanings, but I told myself that I would stop writing this at the end of the jam. Alas, I deprive the world of more of my mad rantings- for now. For example, definitely a stretch, but I pondered whether the fact that they come from Memento's tail could represent that, in a way, he is in a semi-perpetual state of mental rebirth. That, of course, is pretty nonsensical, and there are about four, if not more, representations of what they could mean, and the tail could also mean nothing beyond a stylistic choice. Tangents aside, ultimately, what happens to the consciousness after the Beyond is left open to interpretation, as no one truly holds the answers, but it's still interesting to ponder.
And so, as I hear the curtain call and the sky falls, I ask- Mors, Memineris Mei.