Spoilers: route review series part 6: CoT

Hi all, this is 6th part of a series where I review all routes from least to most liked. I went through the 2 worst (Serial and BoB) and, then, started reviewing by genre. After going for 2 slice-of-life routes (have not finished comedy), last time I reviewed conspiracy, which has quite the bad reputation.

Today we have the infamous Cult of Takumi, a route written by Kodaka himself in less than two weeks cuz he was running out of time lol. To access the route you need to sacrifice Takemaru on the way to the truth-revealing route. Then, Takumi becomes very insecure after having to sacrifice a friend and..., Yugamu appears with a solution. A pill to have everyone be attracted to Takumi.

I love the concept of this route because it addresses Takumi's insecurities directly. However..., the whole cast falls so hard for Takumi the route becomes fan service-y. Sirei starts providing fighters who have contributed the most in a fight with a small date with Takumi. They start horny, but overall decent, and increasingly become more and more unhinged (Eva I am looking at you). Of course, things get even worse when Sirei is replaced by Eito who goes from hatred to adoration.

I am not a fan service person so the route did not do too much for me on that side. There is something inherently repulsive to me in the fact that those scenes are not happening out of free will. With that being said, the route is amazing in buidling suspense, since it is clear that Takumi will not get out of this one unscarred.

Nozomi, who is unaffected, becomes the voice of reason and, if Takumi ends up accepting removing the "spell", Eito will make everyone kill Nozomi and make Takumi an actual unmoving idol. Terrifying and fitting. I was glad this ending existed.

The ending where Takumi curses his existance and decides to finish it all (and by finishing I mean going to the Artificial Satellite and become the supreme leader) fills also fitting for the unwilling (but more and more willing) ego trip that this route is. I was impressed, but I prefer the moral outcome of the previous ending more than this one.

Overall, I cannot put this route higher since I do not care for fan service, but I liked the psychological horror behind this. What are your thoughts on this controversial route?