Katawa Shoujo/Awesome Music

Surprisingly, despite being a Freeware Visual Novel, Katawa Shoujo has an awesome sound track. Doing It for the Art, indeed.

• A few of the Leitmotifs
  • Lilly's "Concord".
  • Rin's"Parity".
  • Hanako's"Painful History."
    • One of the composers did a remix for this tune, and judging by the reception and his comments, an arrange album might just come out.
  • Nurse's "Ah Eh I Oh You"
• "Shadow of the Truth", in comparison to the lighter tone of the soundtrack, is haunting and powerful. Appropriate, as it's used whenever Hisao is confronted with the uncertainty of whether or not he has long to live. At other times, it acts as the first indication that you have completely screwed your chances with the girl you are pursuing. Prepare for a Downer Ending if you dare to continue.
  • Unfortunately, it also plays at the emotional breakdown of EVERY good ending. And Emi's turn with this song plays it regardless of whether you triggered her Good or Bad Ending, during the scene where the difference mattered. Guide Dang It.
• It's difficult to not feel happy while listening to "Afternoon". Naturally, it plays in scenes when the afternoon rolls around.
• "Innocence", a very softly understated song that both leads into Lilly's Love Confession, and plays during Hisao and Hanako confessing to each other, and realizing what missteps they've made along the way. It also plays in both versions of Emi's good ending, when Hisao manages to bridge the gap that has appeared between them and finally says that he loves her.
• "Jitter", the song that plays during the animation at the start of Hanako's route, is at first forlorn, then overwhelmingly hectic, and finally... serene and calm.
• "Breathlessly", a heartrendingly lonely piano piece reserved for some of the most tragic moments.
• "Comfort", the music that plays during some of the Heartwarming Moments.
• "To Become One", the H Scene music. It complements the tastefulness and emotion of them quite well.
  • Ditto with "Letting My Heart Speak," although not played in such scenes as often.
• "Wiosna", meaning 'Spring' in Polish. An uncomplicated song that plays in the main menu, comprised of a single piano, and some sort of guitar. What we get is a calming and subdued piece that is lonely and wistful, nostalgic and quaint; a piece that fills this troper's heart with melancholic satisfaction, especially after completing a route.
  • Actually, all of the songs work for this trope, as every single one is easily connected to the type of scene it corresponds to. Painful History, Shadow of the Truth, Caged Heart and "Stride" all have a somewhat sinister tone to them, denoting the seriousness of the scenes they appear in, while songs such as "Innocence" and "Romance in Andante II" are easily connected to the romantic scenes, especially Lilly's Crescendo sequence. Even the "Generic Happy Music" is awesome!
• "Friendship", which apart from Kenji's glasses removal scene, only plays during Lilly's endings and Emi's good ending. A soft song, bittersweet tune that really lampshades Lilly's farewell and, if you took the right choices, Hisao's determination to convince her to stay at near impossible odds. Meanwhile, it also gives the tune to when Emi finally lets Hisao close while finally being honest about her accident which also claimed her father.
• "Red Velvet", a beautiful slow jazz piece.
• "Moment of Decision", Solemn yet powerful with a feeling of definite resolution.
• It is imperative that we add Sarabande from BWV2010 here. It has managed quite the emotional reaction from players when it serves as a Theme Song Reveal in Lilly's good ending that Lilly came back for Hisao.
• "Aria de l'Etoile" is another one of those pieces that plays during the more beautiful scenes, including Rin and Hisao's first kiss in her bedroom, Rin's ending scene, falling asleep next to Hanako, and Lilly making the origami crane.