Yuri Visual Novel Spotlight: "Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies"

Welcome to our “Yuri Spotlight” series! As part of our mission to spread the word about all things Yuri and help grow the Yuri community, we will be highlighting past and current Visual Novel releases. Check out "Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies"!

Tokyo-based game developer Frontwing and Bushiroad released "Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies" for Steam on July 25, 2024.

The sapphic visual game is described as a “heartwarming story of Lilja, a blind painter, and Natsuka, her energetic assistant, who unravel the mysteries behind their clients' requests”.

The single-player game features a kinetic story with no choices or branches. The story is available with Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese text options in both single and dual-language display modes. The planning and story was handled by Asou Ei with character design by Kippu.

“Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies” is a fully voiced in Japanese and stars Tomoyo Takayanagi as “Lilja Meri” and Yurie Igoma as “Utsugi Natsuka”.

Additional voice cast includes: Minami Tanaka, Takako Tanaka, Rumi Okubo, Aoi Koga, Nene Hieda, Sayuri Hara, Mika Kanda, Yoshino Aoyama, and Ikumi Hasegawa.

The game’s opening theme, “The Stories of Tomorrow” (below), is sung by yanaginagi. The ending song, "Colors of You", is performed by Hina Aoki.

Story Synopsis: The world is illuminated by your light, and the flowers you hold give it color.

There's a rumor spreading quietly across the internet: "An anonymous painter will paint anything you request."

They do not want money or fame. Capricious and eccentric, the painter only accepts requests that pique their interest. Those lucky enough to meet this mysterious criteria will be chosen to meet with Lilja—a beautiful girl with long, fairy-like silver hair and eyes that shine like gemstones. Even though she is blind and wheelchair-bound, this does not hinder her genius.

"From this day forward, I'm going to become your new eyes and legs!"

Natsuka is her energetic live-in assistant. She acts as Lilja's eyes and legs, using her instinct and intuition to find the inspiration and information beyond what's necessary that Lilja seeks.

"I don't know for sure, but I can feel it!"

Her words resound within Lilja and become the "light" that illuminates her world. The blue of reminiscence, the green of monsters, the red of martyrdom...

"My little dove has brought me an olive leaf! It's now my turn to take care of the rest."

The results far exceed the clients' wildest dreams. "The world seen through your eyes is much more beautiful than the world I used to see." Tortured by their pasts, two girls walk into a new future in this story of loss and rebirth.

“Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies” is available to purchase on Steam for $22.99.

Sources: Frontwing press release and Youtube. “Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies” website. Steam website.