While his description isn’t inaccurate by any means (at least for the games he describes), it doesn’t capture the whole picture. Visual novels aren’t a static object. They’ve changed a lot since their inception, so limiting them to just one definition risks overlooking important historical developments. In fact, when we examine visual novel history in greater detail, we see the genre operating on at least two distinct definitions. Where earlier visual novels told their stories primarily through manga-like composition, the modern visual novel (where character portraits tell the story through theatrical presentation) was a later development. Each type had their own unique origins, and each had a significant impact on how visual novels conveyed narrative.