Background
Watching Yosuga no Sora is, as most would agree, an experience, to say the least. The anime has controversial themes and a mature plot, involving romantic scenes between the protagonist, Haruka Kasugano, and the other four main characters. Some viewers have found the multi-arc storytelling format to be an interesting journey, where each character gets an episode to present their narrative. Other viewers have found the content to be a little too risqué for their tastes. Another bone of contention has been the portrayal of the relationship between Haruka Kasugano and his twin sister Sora Kasugano. Without revealing too much, we can safely say that the two are a lot "closer" than regular twins.
The Game
The idea of Yosuga no Sora first took shape in the form of a visual novel (or, a video game to the uninitiated). The game follows the Kasugano twins after they lose their parents in a tragic automobile accident. Orphaned and left alone, the two of them undertake in a journey to their grandparents who live in the distant mountain village of Okukozome-chou, home to some of their happiest childhood memories.
Haruka and Sora rebuild their lives in this serene environment, healing their wounds with the true beauty of their new residence. Haruka finds solace in Nao Yorihime (who is a childhood friend) and Kazuha Migiwa (who is his classmate).
The gameplay involves the player (you) playing the role of Haruka. As you move through the game, you interact with the female characters in a static environment by clicking on the text, graphics, and sound options. Like most visual novels, the decisions that you make in different interactions leads to the next stage. In this game, the decision of who will be your romantic partner takes you forward. There are four options available (including Sora, the twin sister) that adds an element of intrigue. Once you choose a specific character route, you then get to interact with the others as you play along.
Your mission is to balance the romantic relationship between Haruka and the many sexy ladies around him, while also taking care of his twin sister. It may sound easy on paper, but it does offer quite a challenge in the game.
The Anime
When you watch Yosuga no Sora after having played it, you realize that the anime tries keep to the game’s source material as often as possible. This includes the individual story arcs that play over the 12 episodes in the series. Another thing that the show manages to copy from the source material is the ability to portray the mood and atmosphere through its artwork, design, and ambient sound. When a show looks this good, it is hard to keep your eyes off it.
Conclusion
The content of Yosuga no Sora is constantly being criticized, which can absolutely be expected considering the adult themes that are explored throughout the series. However, although both the anime and the game have some steamy scenes, the message they portray is much more pure than you'd think (once you get past all that fan service).
