9 R.I.P. is a supernatural, horror otome game developed by Otomate and published in English by Idea Factory International for the Nintendo Switch. In the vein of 7’scarlet and Bad Apple Wars, dive into a fantastical adventure that blends horror, mystery, and romance. Fate has offered you a hand. Will you take the chance and step into the unknown?
Game Details
- Genre:Horror | Supernatural | Romance
- Get the Game:Nintendo Switch
- Rating:T (Teen)
- Developer & Publisher:Otomate & Idea Factory Intl
- Similar Games:Re:Birthday Song | 7’scarlet | Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly
About 9 R.I.P.
In this town, there is a long-standing rumor about people being spirited away…
They also say that people with lots of anxiety or those who are struggling are more likely to get spirited away.
You think you’ll be okay…?In the beginning of autumn, during her second year of high school,
that’s what Misa Isshiki, was told by her best friend, causing her heart to skip a beat.I’ll be fine, I don’t really believe in any of that stuff anyway.
That’s right… She doesn’t believe in that kind of thing…
It’s just… Her life had been filled with so much stress, all related to what her future would hold…That’s when an eerie voice reached out to her…
Why don’t we take a look and see what you should do with your life!
Let’s put you on the right path…And that’s when all the strange things around Misa began to happen…
Characters and Routes
The story of 9 R.I.P. is divided into four distinct paths with the eight love interests (and one hidden character) being assigned to each—School Ghost Stories path features Kureha and Hibiki’s route; Urban Legends path features Koyo and Sena’s routes; Other Realm path features Minami and Seiya; and the Spirit World path features Yukimaro, Koharu & the Hidden Character. Each path has varying degrees of horror and romance, but the breakdown is roughly this:
| School Ghost Stories | Urban Legends | Other Realm | Spirit World | |
| Horror | ★★★ | ★☆☆ | ★★☆ | ☆☆☆ |
| Romance | ★☆☆ | ★★☆ | ★★★ | ★★☆ |
Recommended order for the best story flow is: Kureha ➡ Hibiki ➡ Sena ➡ Koyo ➡ Seiya ➡ Minami ➡ Yukimaro ➡ Koharu ➡ Hidden Character
Kureha (School Ghost Stories) – VA. Toshiki Masuda
Rumor: The Bloodthirsty Killer Kara Kara
They say that when the walls of the school are stained the color of blood from the setting sun, he lurks… If, as you walk the halls, you hear the sound of iron being dragged on the ground behind you, don’t turn around, because if you do, Kara Kara will ask you a question. Give the wrong answer or stay silent, and you’ll be killed…
Kureha’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Graphic Discussions of Death, Murder (Discussed & Depicted), Beheading (mentioned), Death by blicky, Trauma, Memory Loss, Sacrifice, Jump Scares, Light Horror
Kureha Route Impressions
Contrary to the horrific Kara Kara rumors, Kureha is a big ol’ softie. He is such a loveable dork, and a bit of an airhead. I really wanted to like Kureha, but ultimately he was kind of boring. He gives sweet everyman vibes, but there’s just nothing about him that makes him stand out compared to the other love interests. Which is a shame, because he has such a cool looking design. Kureha is a character that gets overshadowed by his own route, I was more invested in the overall mystery of his route than his romance or anything about him.
Boring… I really wanted to like Kureha, but he just winds up being a little too safe. He’s sweet and a bit of a dork, which is cute. But in a horror romance, you need to be a bit more than just cute.
Hibiki (School Ghost Stories) – VA. Shunichi Toki
Rumor: Grasp of the Mirror
Between the first and second floors of the school’s central staircase, there’s a mirror hanging on the wall. Never touch that mirror. If you do, the ghost inside will drag you in and take you to another world.
Hibiki’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Graphic Discussions of Death, Murder (Discussed & Depicted), Suicide (Described), Torture, Kidnapping, Child Abuse/Neglect, Mental Instability, Obsessive Behavior, Confinement
Hibiki Route Impressions
In a game full of tragic love interests, Hibiki wins the award for the saddest of them all. A gloomy shut-in who lives in a lonely mirror world isolated from everyone else. Baby boy had it rough in life and in death and it seriously broke my heart. I just want to wrap him up in a blanket and feed him cookies, Hibiki seriously just needs some peace. But, you gotta be careful with the quiet ones, Hibiki is very emotionally unstable. He is harboring some serious anger over his death and it manifests in some unexpected (and lowkey satisfying) ways. He and Misa have a LOT in common, both tend to hide their true feelings so as not to burden others and I really loved how he comes into his own over the course of his story.
Hibiki’s route was wild. I mean, the boy is walking around with a noose around his neck, I knew this wasn’t going to be a happy story. But, I was surprised at how emotional I felt about it. But, I live for Hibiki giving into his demons… Hibiki is cray cray and the extra spice makes him more than just the usual sad otome boy.
Koyo (Urban Legend) – VA. Ryota Suzuki
Urban Legend: Merry Mary
The typical version of the “Mary” legend is one of a strange girl calling you on the phone multiple times, each time claiming to be closer to you, concluding with “Hello, this is Mary and I’m right behind you!” However, the Mary of Narimigahama is called “Merry Mary” because the phone calls from this legend are typically calls from loved ones who have passed away.
Koyo’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Graphic Discussions of Death, Murder (Discussed & Depicted), Stabbing (Described Text Only), Stalking, Obsessive Behavior, Manipulation, MC in Dangerous Situations
Koyo Route Impressions
This was my first route and the LI that I pulled being myself, so Koyo is probably the love interest I would be most compatible with IRL. Emotionally distant, snarky, with just a dash of tsundere, SAY LESS! He gives off the impression that he can’t be bothered, but Koyo is one of the most caring and considerate people you’ll meet. He isn’t super expressive with his feelings, but he shows he cares through his actions and when you point out his subtle kindness, he becomes a blushing, flustered mess. This leaves him open to light teasing from his bestie Sena and surprisingly Kureha and Seiya too. But, his chemistry with the MC is absolutely the best, their playful banter and teasing is just so natural and fun!
His route goes to some wild places thematically and it doesn’t always work narratively, but I loved Koyo’s character so much he CARRIED his route. Also, he has the best ends in the whole game.
I love him. Koyo is like a kitty, you have to work to get him to let down his guard and show affection, but once you do, he’s yours for life. Fun, teasing banter and chill vibes make Koyo one of my favorite routes in the game. I also love that Koyo has genuine relationships with the other LIs, so he feels more like a fully developed character all around.
Sena (Urban Legend) – VA. Tetsuya Kakihara
Urban Legend: The Boy Gazing at the Stars
Rumor has it that at the Beachfront Park in Narimigahama Beach, you can meet the ghost of SENA from the hit idol group S-CROWN! They say that’s where SENA was found dead, on the grassy plaza in the park, gazing up at the starry night sky…
Sena’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Discussions of Death, Terminal Illness, Hospitals, Tragic Death, Sacrifice
Sena Route Impressions
Sena is a former idol who died tragically before he could reach his dreams of worldwide success. Kind, sociable, and always upbeat, Sena is the embodiment of Prince Charming. While the other ghosts seemed to be weighed down by their past regrets, Sena is downright chipper about everything continuing on as if nothing has change. Which makes his situation all the more tragic and heartbreaking. Even among the other spirits, Sena is a unique case and I liked the idea of what they were going for with his route, but the execution just didn’t work as a standalone story. Honestly, I think the resolution to Sena’s storyline in Koyo’s route was so much better than whatever the hell happened in his own route. Which is a shame because there were some really sweet and cute moments between Sena and Misa that get overshadowed by bad writing.
Sweet, princely, and drop dead (no pun intended) gorgeous, Sena is a dream. I liked Sena so much more than I expected I would but the writers botched his individual route. He works better as a side character of Koyo’s route. Their relationship is so wholesome and sweet which made the Urban Legends common route one of my faves in the game.
Minami (Other Realm) – VA. Nobuhiko Okamoto
About Minami
Prone to intense emotions, he often acts impulsively, driven exclusively by emotion, and is known to trick others by playing off their emotions. His goal is to form a “pact” with the heroine so he can consume her soul. He deeply despises Seiya.
Minami’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Discussions of Death, Kidnapping(?), Manipulation, Somnophilia (Implied)
Minami Route Impressions
Minami is the true wild card of the game, an unpredictable demon who is out for Misa’s soul. He has been after her for a very long time and once she is sent to Hell he finally has his chance to get what he wants. As an incubus, Minami is driven by his own (often chaotic) desires, making him a bit of an antagonist at first… While his intentions are not the best, I hesitate to see this route as a true enemies to lovers trope, since he never really feels like an antagonist to anyone other than Seiya. With the MC he’s not outwardly malicious, more like he’s testing boundaries to see how far he can push Misa out of her comfort zone. The romance in this route felt the most natural, because Minami doesn’t fall head over heels for her at first sight. In fact he just wants her soul. It’s only through his attempts to steal her soul that he gets to know her and gradually falls for her and the same can be said for Misa. She gradually sees Minami as more than just a demon and starts to fall for who he is as a person.
You’ll either love or hate Minami, I loved him. He is cute with just enough chaotic energy to make for some fun romantic moments. He grew on me for sure. Also this is the only route in the whole story where the MC and one of the LIs smash… and that is always a win.
Seiya (Other Realm) – VA. Shinnosuke Tachibana
About Seiya
Polite and ever the gentleman, Seiya is also a hopeless romantic, prone to falling in love. In life he was a human, but after he passed away, he began working as a Grand Warder for the Hell Organization. He does his best to help the heroine and has a strong dislike of Minami.
Seiya’s route content warnings (Click to reveal minor spoilers)
Please be mindful of the following content warnings: Death, Discussions of Death, Suicide (Mentioned)
Seiya Route Impressions
Seiya was a surprise, I expected him to be one of those stoic brooding characters and that couldn’t be further from what we got. This man is ridiculous. Seiya is a hopeless romantic who isn’t afraid to gush about all the wonderful doki dokis in his heart. The man gets himself riled up, just going on and on about his feelings of love~ Bro is a mess and I kinda like seeing such a stoic looking guy getting flustered and blushing while he rambles about love, while flirting shamelessly with Misa. The man falls hard and fast and he isn’t afraid to share that love loudly and proudly at every opportunity.
He’s cute and I am always down for a serious looking guy who’s actually a blushing dork. Buuut, his route was just kind of okay. Not especially memorable or anything and his backstory didn’t deliver the emotional impact the writers thought it would.
Yukimaro (Spirit World) – VA. KENN
About Yukimaro
A guardian spirit in training. On the positive side, he’s lively and very bright. On the negative side, he can be very noisy and selfish. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and his sole purpose is to make the heroine happy. He and Koharu go way back.
Yukimaro Route Impressions
You honestly can’t not love Yukimaro. His childlike innocence and carefree energy make him an absolute joy! He is a walking ball of happiness. This route was full of all the tooth rotting sugary sweetness, not a drop of horror in sight. Just cute dates, sugary sweets, and anime. Yukimaro can be a bit childish and that can be a smidge too much at times, in fact he tends to butt heads with the more straight-laced Koharu the most. And sometimes his intentions have a way of going awry, but he means well and he’s a sweetie pie.
If you don’t come out of this route with a smile on your face, IDK what would make you happy. Yukimaro is a ball of happiness and fluff. A sugary sweet route to balance out some of the darker elements of the story.
Koharu (Spirit World) – VA. Yohei Azakami
About Koharu
From the Spirit Board clan. Despite his rough nature and way of speaking, he’s actually very kind-hearted. The heroine summoned him when she used the spirit board and took her hand off of the coin during the ritual. He and Yukimaro go way back.
Koharu Route Impressions
Intimidating and not one to mince words, Koharu doesn’t scream romantic lead, but he is my personal favorite route in the whole game. Koharu is such a sweetheart. He’s clumsy with his words and struggles to express his true feelings and if you point out how kind he is, he is quick to deny it. His time with the MC is limited and he doesn’t want to get close to someone he’s just going to have to say goodbye to in the end. He acts like other people’s problems annoy him but then goes out of his way to help them. He and Misa tend to butt heads, and I love their banter and teasing. Deep down he really cares for her, showing his kindness in subtle ways, like cooking tamogoyaki for Misa when she needs cheering up.
BEST FRICKEN BOY!! I absolutely love stubborn tsundere and Koharu is like a dream. Rough around the edges, but secretly super sweet, he is the otome gold standard! This route (like the rest of the Spirit World arcs) had more of a slice-of-life vibe to it, which I enjoyed.
Hidden Character
Click to reveal my thoughts on the Hidden Character route… spoilers, duh!
Click to reveal my thoughts on the Hidden Character route… spoilers, duh!
Toka (Spirit World) – VA. Kohei Amazaki
About Toka
A spirit from the Tengu clan whom the heroine met at the start of the Spirit Route. He claims to be some kind of god and says he’s here to offer protection to the heroine. He has a very childlike demeanor and way of speaking. He claims to have been watching over the heroine since she was very young, which makes him feel like a stalker at times.
Toka Route Impressions
Hidden character routes are a bit hit or miss. They’re usually pretty short, so you don’t get a fully fleshed out story, but they do tend to wrap up any lose ends left dangling after finishing the other routes. If you wanted to know who was behind all of the insane spirited away nonsense, it’s Toka. Misa’s #1 stalker put her through a lot of crap to teach her a lesson and help her decide what she wants to do with her future. Well meaning, but absolutely unhinged. Which considering he’s a god, that tracks, they tend to be a bit out of touch with reality. As a character, I love Toka. He’s sweet and kind, and while his actions tend to cause more problems than they solve, he genuinely cares for Misa and wants the best for her. I was a bit put off by the prospect of romancing a character with the appearance of a 12 year old, but they keep the romance pretty light until he gets his glow up.
Toka is cute and the finale was cute. It wastes no time explaining why Toka does what he does in the other routes and then moves on. This route had more of a cute slice-of-life vibe than I was expecting from the finale, but honestly, I didn’t hate it. I ALSO LOVE that he gives up his godhood to be with her! That’s true love right there!
Misa Isshiki (Heroine)
About Misa Isshiki
The heroine of this story and a second-year student at Narimigahama High School. She is bright and kind-hearted, but tends to be overly considerate. Since childhood, she’s been prone to misfortune, often considered by those around her to be terribly unlucky. Though she doesn’t want to go to the university her mother hopes she will attend, she hasn’t been able to tell her this. Then, one night, after hearing a strange voice, her life is turned upside-down…
I love Misa to bits! Usually I have a hard time relating to younger otome MCs because I am so far removed from my teens that their actions come off extremely ridiculous. But, I genuinely found myself relating to Misa. She’s hardworking and pragmatic, but like most people her age she’s still figuring out what she wants to do with her life. She doesn’t like to burden others with her problems, instead choosing to handle things on her own—even if she’s in way over her head. She is steadfast and bit stubborn, not backing down when facing challenges and she handles being spirited away much better than I ever could. I would probably losing my damn mind surrounded by a bunch of ghosts. Of course Misa’s not perfect, she does make some really questionable choices, but that usually is a reflection of her inherent selflessness than an actual fault.
Because Misa is 17—I remember being pretty emotional back then, every crush was a huge all consuming love affair—so she has a tendency to fall hard and fast for the LIs. Which leads to her attempting (and succeeding) to throw away everything to be with her latest ghostly boo, despite only really knowing the guys for about 9 days. Though, I will say, Misa isn’t afraid to speak her mind and challenge the love interests. So, despite the speed of the romance, you do feel like there is a genuine connection between her and each of the LIs.
9 R.I.P. Review
9 R.I.P. is one of the most hotly anticipated otome localizations of the year, so trust me when I say the bar was set pretty high for this game. Touted as a ghostly horror romance, I was expecting some genuine scares from this game. Heck, one of the story paths has the MC trapped in a nightmare realm version of her school surrounded by bloodthirsty ghosts. If that isn’t the most horror-esque premise, I don’t know what is. But, aside from that path and some “tense” moments here and there, the overall tone of the game leans more towards that of a slice-of-life coming of age story—that just happens to have hot ghost boys in it.
Which was such a let down! As a horror fan, I wanted to be terrified! I wanted a dark, edgy horror story with a dash of romance, but what I got was a cross between Twilight and Spirited Away. This is not Virche Evermore or Even if Tempest, so if that’s what you’re hoping for with 9 R.I.P. maybe temper your expectations. This is a Teen rated Otomate otome game.
The story follows Misa Isshiki, a high schooler struggling with her plans for the future. Her mother wants her to attend medical school and become a doctor like her father. Misa isn’t sold on the idea, but she doesn’t know what it is that she wants to do in the future. Weighed down by the expectations of her mother and her own uncertainty about her future, Misa finds herself desperate for time to sort out her feelings and figure out what it is she truly wants for herself. And, she gets her wish when a mysterious voice spirits her away to another another realm full of hot ghosts and spirits.
From there the story splits into four different story paths, each with their own unique premise and set of love interests Misa can pursue.
In the School Ghost Stories routes, Misa finds herself trapped in her school surrounded by the ghostly embodiments of the school’s Seven Wonders. In order to escape, she will need to help the ghosts resolve their lingering regrets and maybe solve a 70 year old mystery. This path has more of a horror vibe than the others and while I was invested in the overarching mystery the romance was kind of meh in comparison.
In the Urban Legends routes, Misa gets isekai’d by a car, right into the afterlife, waking up as a ghost. Confused and horrified to discover she is no longer among the living, she is saved by two of Narimigahama’s urban legends—Koyo, the ghost Merry Mary and Sena, the ghost of a recently deceased famous idol. In order to cross over she will need to come to terms with her lingering regrets and uncover the truth behind her untimely death… or risk giving into despair and wandering the Earth as a restless spirit.
In the Other Realm routes, Misa wakes up on a train to Hell, with no memory of how she got there. As if things couldn’t get any worse, she finds that she is being targeted by Minami, a demon out for her soul. She is saved by an unlikely ally, Seiya, Hell’s Grand Warder, who offers to help her return home. But, the dark seductions of Minami are enticing and she must decide if she wants to resist his temptations.
Finally, in the Spirit World routes, weird things begin happening around Misa, so she decides to visit the local shrine for help. The priest there performs an exorcism to banish the evil spirits possessing her, but it fails and she gains the ability to see spirits. Now she’s stuck being haunted by a group of chaotic spirits who want to help her discover her passion…
Each story path has a different scenario writer, which allows for some distinct storyline that explore different aspects of the supernatural world. From restless spirits and ghosts to demons to guardian spirits and gods. 9 R.I.P. has some interesting world building that borrows elements from Japanese horror and folklore in different degrees.
While I like the distinctive style of each path, I will admit that the inconsistent tone of each path creates a pretty disjointed transition between arcs. It’s almost as if each story path should have been four different games instead of a small piece of an overarching story. The connecting theme of each route is Misa’s struggle to decide what she wants to do with her future and in most routes that conflict pales in comparison to some of the other issues addressed in each route (or is completely forgotten altogether).
Sure, the events of each route are meant to test Misa, pushing her out of her comfort zone so that she can finally take control of her own life and face her future with her head held high. But, when half the LIs are coming to terms with the loss of their own futures due to their untimely deaths, Misa worrying about which college she wants to go to just feels kind of silly in comparison.
The Spirit World routes are the only ones where Misa’s conflict feels like a genuine obstacle, because she isn’t literally fighting for her life against killer ghosts, stalkers, or demons in some random nightmare world. In every other route, she is little more than an elevated extra in someone else’s (arguably) more interesting story. On top of that the romance in the game more often that not completely undermines Misa’s entire journey.
Unobtainable romantic standards are the norm in otome games. But, falling for a bunch of dead guys really takes the cake. I am here for a bittersweet tragic romance, I eat that kind of stuff up. But, what you’re not going to do is have the MC take this huge emotional journey where she learns to face her fears only to have her either choose to die to be with her undead beau or worse go home and bide her time until her life ends so she can be with him in the afterlife. Bruh, seriously? What is the point of the journey if sis is just going to choose haunted dick in the end?! Sis has one foot in the grave at all times.
Also, everybody in this game is falling head over heels in love within minutes of meeting each other. The worst offenders are Kureha and Yukimaro’s routes. Normally, I’d wave it off as otome logic and move on, but when the game is trying to sell me on a bittersweet tragic romance between a dead guy and a living breathing heroine—you really have to ease me into it if you really want me to feel anything genuine. Plus, it’s hard to be invested in a romance that is doomed to tragedy.
So full disclosure, I played 9 R.I.P. while dealing with a loss in my family so the themes of death, loss, and regret hit especially hard for me in some of the routes. The School Ghost Stories and Urban Legends routes were particularly rough to get through, delving into some pretty heavy backstories—Hibiki and Kureha’s pasts are very tragic. Though, that said most of the LIs met pretty grisly ends before they were able to fully realize their own dreams, leaving them to carry their burdens into the afterlife. While, the MC’s issues in comparison seem trivial I was genuinely emotionally invested in the individual characters’ stories.
Despite the fantastical setting and premise, 9 R.I.P. is a very human story, and while many of the situations are exaggerated to fit the theme at the core the conflicts at their core are ones many of us can relate to. Misa’s journey is especially relatable. Her uncertainty about her future and struggles to understand what drives her passions is a very real I had at that age and even though I am well into my 30’s I still struggle to find my path and live life on my terms. Even the ghosts have very relatable stories, strip away the more horrific aspects of their deaths, are all striving to resolve their regrets so that they can move past their trauma and heal. It just so happens that in their case their healing is the afterlife…
Is it a perfect depiction of the themes? No. But, at least where the LIs are concerned the writers weren’t afraid to hit you in the feels.
Gameplay and Features
9 R.I.P. gives us some fun features that make it a pretty robust story. Each of the common routes for each path are pretty lengthy, taking time to establish the setting, love interests, and their conflicts before branching off into the individual character routes. The individual routes are much shorter in comparison and while that could be a deal breaker to some, with eight love interests and one hidden character I appreciate that the routes don’t drag things out too long. But, it does lead to some routes feeling rushed.
The game is more about the vibes and they do a great job of pulling you into the story with the types of choices you can make throughout. In the common route in addition to the usual affection raising choices there are choices that raise insanity—which given the horrific things Misa experiences, makes sense her mental health would take a bit of a hit from time to time. However, be warned, raise Misa’s insanity too much and it can lead to some pretty bad outcomes. 9 R.I.P. has plenty of bad endings.
You can also get to know the LIs by interacting with them around town and chatting with them about specific topics; their likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. These in turn unlock special extra voiced content.
The art in 9 R.I.P. is gorgeous, but given that this is Yuuya’s art (Cupid Parasite and Cafe Enchante) would you expect anything less? The character designs are stunning, blending styles from modern to more traditional Japanese wear. There were also some fun accents and details that reflect the character’s backstories and manner of death that were kind of cool (in a morbid sort of way). But, what I really loved was the lighting and coloring of the scenes. The use of certain colors to highlight the otherworldly vibe of the world, shadow and light to add depth to a scene, and more.
The localization was pretty well done! The setting of the story is more modern, so they use more casual dialogue and phrases that better match the ages of the MC and some of the characters. I didn’t notice too many grammatical errors or glaring typos. Honestly, this is one of the best Iffy localizations.
Is 9 R.I.P. Worth Playing?
So, did 9 R.I.P. live up to the hype? Eh, yes and no. I fully expected this to be a darker, angstier horror romance story in the vein of Even if Tempest or even 7’scarlet and that’s just not the case. The writers trade in more traditional scares for a more bittersweet character driven stories that tug at the heartstrings. 9 R.I.P. does not shy away from the tragic themes, but it does balance out the darker stuff with plenty of sweet, funny, and lighthearted moments. The individual routes are pretty short, so they don’t linger on anything for too long, which is both a blessing and a curse. Some routes could have done with a bit more fleshing out, while others could have been cut or combined with others.
Overall, 9 R.I.P. is an interesting premise that ultimately is held back by its need to offer the usual otome romance narrative. It plays it safe, delivering a story that while emotional, always manages to temper some of its darker themes with it’s hopeful and lighthearted message.
Thank you to Idea Factory Intl for providing a copy of 9 R.I.P. for this review.
