#But only one Kikai

[kitsuneinjapan]

What it feels like working the KIKAI at work:

When things keep flying around me (people rushing, boxes flying, towels being swung, water everywhere, rice, bread crumbs,...) and I'm walking my fixed distance of 2m, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, for who knows how many times.

It always feels like this.

It's loud too lol.

[jeidafei]

Hi, DGM fandom! I'm jeidafei. You may have seen me in Kougeki-scans' scanlation of D.Gray-Man.

I know Kougeki releases have been delayed for these past few chapters. And people have taken to releasing their own translations on Reddit and MangaDex as early as a few days after the Japanese release. We at Kougeki have asked people to wait if they could. People have told us to, basically, go d*e.

And of course, you are perfectly entitled to say so. You are perfectly entitled to release your own translations and not wait. After all, we at Kougeki are just fans of D.Gray-Man, similar to you. We have zero claim over the series.

I normally stay out of the fray when it comes to quarrels with these 'snipers' until now. When I saw the quality of the translations some of these people are putting out.

(Specifically, Chapter 250 on MangaDex)

Japanese is a difficult language. D.Gray-Man is a difficult manga to translate due to its ongoing status, complex nature and plot twists. I have made mistakes myself that others have pointed out. I have my own interpretations that might be different. I readily forgive mistakes I understand are due to the complex Japanese grammar, and the confusing mysteries of the D.Gray characters.

But these are not it. These are just blatant laziness and lack of basic knowledge of even the most recent developments in D.Gray-Man. Or even simple logic. These are the results of people dishing out sub-par work quickly just to get the most exposure possible.

So while we wait for Kougeki's version, I am going to point out these egregious mistakes. We need transparency so that going forward, you can make your own decisions on whether it is speed or accuracy you are looking for.

The original Japanese text says "7,000 years ago" (七千), not "17 years"（十七）. A difference any beginner Japanese learner would notice. Even most D.Gray-Man fans without Japanese knowledge would probably realize something is off based on what we know of the story so far.

The original text says "Do(es) the passion/sentiments run so deep, you must reincarnate into a human who resembles Nea?" (the word 'regret' is simply not there). I think 'passion' or 'sentiments' are more compatible here, considering earlier theories about Tyki, the Noah of Pleasure.

Jasdevi is saying they were at their limits anyway and wouldn't be able to keep restraining Apocryphos for long. When Wisely orders them to dispose of Apo, they scream "Oni!" (Demon) which is quite similar to "Onii-san" (Elder brother), but most people would probably know which one is more fitting in this scenario, even without Japanese knowledge.

When Desires asks Wisely if he is just going to set Apo free like that, Wisely explains that this way, Apocryphos (not Desires or Wisely as in the translation), can keep searching for the Heart for them. Again, basic story knowledge.

Wisely didn't say "Fine, enough already"; this bubble is a continuation of the earlier bubble, spoken by Desires. Together, he is saying "Wouldn't you just spit it out already!?"

In Japanese, many words sound the same and the meaning can only be determined by context or the Chinese characters (kanji) used. In this case, "kikai" can mean either "machine" (機械) or "opportunity" (機会) or "strange" (奇怪), among a dozen others.

Yes, it's difficult, I know. But, you see the kanji. You know the context. I'm sure you can take a guess.

There are a couple more minor mistakes (ones that don't impact your understanding of the story too much). But I'm just going to leave you with one more, the most conspicuous mistake:

The chapter is named "Curse's End" by this translator. Actually, it's the opposite in Japanese. "Owaranu" is a form of "Owaranai" which means "not ending", which fits the revelation of this chapter by Wisely that their 35-year curse has yet to come to an end.

So, there you have it.

As you can see, I'm not shaming people for not being as fluent in Japanese. Not everyone can dedicate almost two decades to learn a language. As I have pointed out, most of these mistakes are rookie-level, and should have been picked up in double-check if that someone is familiar with D. Gray-Man at all. With these nigh unforgivable mistakes, even Deepl and Google Translate are more accurate.

This is a matter of someone not giving enough of a sh*t, plain and simple.

I'm also not gatekeeping scanlation whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the mistakes and actual text because the fandom deserves to know. With the localization drama going on, it proves faithfulness to the actual text and accuracy matters.

Of course, anyone has the right to put out their translation. And I have the right to point out whether they can be trusted. I'm not passing judgment. I'm just providing evidence so the bystanders can decide for themselves.

Lastly, from the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone who has supported the work of Kougeki Scans and waited for our release. I apologize for the delays. We're working on the latest chapter and will release 249 and 250 very, very soon.

[mirai-e-jump]

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger: Zenryoku Zenkai Book Kiita Komagine x Ryo Sekoguchi Cross Talk (translations below)

Publication: April 15, 2022

-From, "What's with this guy?" to sworn enemies-

"Although Kaito and Stacey were enemies, it was a relationship where a type of friendship gradually developed, but how did you both feel about your roles?"

Sekoguchi: In the beginning, when it comes to Kaito, you feel like, "What with this guy?" He's a completely different person from Stacey, so he couldn't accept him. That's why I felt that he wasn't good around Kaito, and the more he met him, the more he felt against Kaito. If they both weren't interested in each other, they wouldn't have gotten involved with each other. However, they fought each other many times, and there were times where Stacey cared about Kaito, so even though they had different ways of living, I felt that they were attracted towards each other because they had similar cores. I think of them as a comedic version of the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke in "Naruto" (laughs).

Komagine: As Kaito, it wasn't like, "Because it's Stacey" or something like that, he wanted to be friends with everyone, including people and Kikainoids, so I played the role while genuinely wanting to get along with him. Every time they met, Kaito was rejected, but that didn't mean he gave up, and for a year I kept thinking that someday their feelings would reach each other. I didn't waver in that part, and I played the role without abandoning his desire to become friends with Stacey.

"For Kaito, he treats Stacey the same way he treats Juran and the others."

Komagine: That's true. Kaito doesn't really care about appearances or where someone comes from, he just sees them as human…..which not all of them are (laughs), but, he wants to get along with a guy named Stacey, and that's the one thing that never changes.

"He really never got discouraged, huh?"

Sekoguchi: He's really strong mentally (laughs).

"As for Stacey, he's annoyed by the fact that Kaito keeps approaching him, but isn't it more accurate to say that he's someone you can't help but face?"

Sekoguchi: Stacey isn't interested in other people to begin with. However, the first time he met a type of person like Kaito, he stuck with him somewhere in his heart. I don't think even Stacey himself understands how to express the feelings that were created by him. So, I think the reason he has to defeat Kaito is because there's a part of him that's worrisome to Stacey. There's also Zox and the others, but he only thinks of them as troublesome or an annoyance. However, he has to face Kaito, so the way he looks at him is completely different from the way he looks at the other members.

Komagine: This is going to be abit more focused on Kaito, but throughout the year, Kaito seems to have everything, but he doesn't have his parents, and Juran and the other Kikainoids also have lonely pasts because their families are missing. Because of these pasts, Kaito's trying to do his best, so I wonder if he felt the same thing as the Kikainoids, and reached out to Juran and the others. At first, I played the role with straightforward feelings, but Kaito's old friends don't really make an appearance, and there was a side of him that tried to force himself to do his best, which I thought was normal for a boy his age. That might also be why he decided to reach out to Stacey, who was all alone.

"Even though the tone is usually lighthearted, for episodes involving Kaito's parents, the heavy parts are hidden and revealed at crucial moments."

Komagine: This show has the perfect balance of funny and serious.

Sekoguchi: If you don't pay attention, it'll suddenly creep up on you.

Komagine: It's a funny seriousness, or so to say. Like even when Kaito found out his father's true identity (No. 35 Kai!), everyone was saying, "Dia! Dia!" (laughs).

-We learned about each other's personalities through switching places-

"We'd like to ask about each of your performances, but when it comes to the comical aspects, we were impressed by Stacey rushing into the tennis match in No. 29 Kai!."

Sekoguchi: I think that was the first time Stacey acted for someone else. He tried his best to camouflage himself, but it was obvious who he was (laughs).

"When filming scenes like that, do you have to think about how far you want to deviate from your usual character?"

Sekoguchi: I felt that Stacey's character would change once his costume changed, so I played him without changing his inner self at all. It feels like he acted for Yatsude's sake. I think his seriousness is what makes him interesting (laughs).

"Did you enjoy filming it?"

Sekoguchi: I enjoyed it!

Komagine: Since we always do something like that, we're always like, "Here comes the next one!" But in this episode, Ryo-kun was dressed up as Stacey in the form of a tennis player, which was even more refreshing and interesting than usual. Another one, is that he also became a teacher at the school! (No. 33 Kai!).

Sekoguchi: It was because of that World's power (laughs). I was also on the side of the viewers the whole time, so I was able to enjoy it. I felt like I was getting caught up in that position. In No. 32 Kai!, I can't help but think that the two of them swapping places due to Inverted World's power was comical, but also an important episode in the sense that the two of them confirmed things about their respective positions.

Komagine: Since Ryo-kun and I were switching roles, we had alot of discussions with Director (Kyohei) Yamaguchi while reading the script, which we hadn't done since the beginning of filming. We always see each other on set and in the finished footage, so we know each other, but when it comes to acting, it's a different story. Only Ryo-kun understands the details of Stacey, and only I understand the details of Kaito. I felt that there were alot of things that I learned for the first time because we switched roles.

"Like what specifically?"

Komagine: When I'm Kaito, my emotions go from 0 to 100 all at once. It feels like I unknowingly do things as Kaito that I normally wouldn't do. It's done completely unconsciously, so when I looked at Ryo-kun's Kaito, I realized, "So this is how he looks, huh!" We also studied standing posture together, and we learned alot from looking at it objectively.

"What does Sekoguchi-san think?"

Sekoguchi: I felt that Kaito's much more sensitive to various things happening in front of his eyes than we see in the footage or on the set. He looks simple but is complex, looking like a perfectly straight tree with fine branches growing from it. It was a great discovery to find out that our main character has a sensitive side to him that requires constant attention.

Komagine: Speaking of which, I also thought that Stacey would've been fine if he just spoke in a smooth voice and without hesitation, but he's totally different from me in terms of looks, and even when he did the movements that Ryo-kun did, he doesn't look like me, so I wondered what would be the best way to go about it. Kaito faces his opponents head on, but Stacey turns his head the other way. However, if someone's talking to you, you reflexively turn in that person's direction. Ryo-kun doesn't do that…..but, sometimes I wanted to turn, so it was very difficult to get the hang of it (laughs).

Sekoguchi: Also, there were our voices. We each did the actual voicing during the dubbing, but on set, the voices and movements had to be linked. The performance of Kaito, who raises his "voltage" all at once, was the complete opposite of Stacey's, so we had to rewatch past episodes multiple times while working on it.

"Saying that, was the dubbing also difficult?"

Komagine: It was difficult! We had to match the movements of the other's mouth, and I think Ryo-kun felt this way too, but there were parts of him that I couldn't quite match. Still, the viewers who watched it were satisfied, so I'm really happy about that.

Sekoguchi: I wasn't really sure what to say, but somehow the results turned out alright! (laughs).

Komagine: We cleared it with passing marks (laughs).

"Were you aware of any of the characteristics that the other said they discovered?"

Sekoguchi: I feel like I'm already doing things unconsciously. I've been doing this from the beginning, so by the time it was completely ingrained in my body, I was behaving as if it were normal.

Komagine: Maybe we were thinking about it in the beginning, but at this time we were already very familiar with it, so we weren't really conscious of it at that point.

"Listening to you talk about it, it seems like while the swap was fun, it was also a very difficult challenge."

Komagine: It's not just limited to that episode, but even if you think, "It made the cut, so I did a good job," isn't that just a self evaluation? We're doing this so that everyone can see something good, so we can only feel at ease after hearing everyone's reviews. We have to constantly check with all the viewers feedback. Even if I think I did good, if there's a discrepancy in the viewers comments, it's just a difference in my own judgment, so I have to adjust and correct it. I'm definitely nervous until the broadcast date. Especially since I also played the role of Stacey being swapped.

-Stacey welcomes change with friends-

"The development of working with Hakaizer is a turning point for Stacey, and in No. 34 Kai!, the sight of Kaito looking happy saying, "You're working with Hakaizer, right?!" was also memorable."

Komagine: Kaito originally thought that Stacey was all alone, but when he switched places with him, he found out that he was being oppressed at Tojitendo, which convinced Kaito that Stacey was completely alone. When Stacey brought along a comrade for the first time, it made Kaito really happy.

Sekoguchi: At first, Stacey wasn't interested in friends or anything like that, and he was a character who didn't trust people to begin with. However, when switching places, he realized how important human connections are and the things that can come from them. Then, in No. 34 Kai!, when he was told by Kaito, "Isn't it much better to win a whole lot by working together with some friends?," up until then, he couldn't accept it, but he decided to give it a try…..I think that's how he felt.

"Later, in No. 38 Kai! in which Bon World's ability brings him face to face with his mother, Lise, when he's attacked, he's shocked and thinks, "Is the same thing happening to Hakaizer and Goshikida Kaito?……" and we wonder if that was the catalyst for the change."

Sekoguchi: I don't think he would've been able to realize it on his own, but as he interacted with more and more people, he came to learn alot of things, and it may have been because he was attacked by his mother that helped him look at his own actions objectively. At first, he started out wanting to beat and surpass his father, but he came to realize how pathetic he was for acting the same way.

"What did you think of Stacey's development at that time?"

Komagine: Kaito wanted him to be happy, that goes without saying, but he also cared about him and wanted to save him. That's why he went to help him with Hakaizer at that time. Of course, Kaito wanted to become friends even towards the end, but I thought, "What should I do to make Stacey the happiest?"

"While having to win the battle against Tojitendo, Kaito also has to worry about his parents and Stacey, so he's quite busy."

Komagine: I feel that way too. However, he's not the type to try to figure out things. He acts on instinct and intuition, so he just does whatever he wants to do. In No. 5 Kai!, when he says, "Instead of mom and dad, I should've focused on saving everyone by taking down Sushi World," at that moment, Juran intervenes with, "Of course it's important to take care of your own business." Because of that episode, if we don't keep his stance of, "Always ready to go all out for anything!" Kaito's character will be lost. I didn't over think that part, and just went with what was written in the script.

-The difficulties of playing God-

"Towards the very end, there was a twist in which Stacey was possessed by God. As the climax approached, you had to make a big change in performance."

Sekoguchi: It was challenging. Until I read the script, I had no idea what Gege's purpose was, so when I finally found out I was like, "Really?!" (laughs). I felt that I had to break down or forget about Stacey once the mysterious guy entered him, and his character was completely different from my usual way of speaking and facial expressions.

"When your body was being taken over, "(Sweetly)" was written in the dialogue part of the script."

Sekoguchi: I was like, "What do they mean by (sweetly)"?! (laughs). So, I started thinking about whether God has a gender in the first place. I didn't want God to have a gender, so I was conscious of the neutrality of the image, where it's hard to tell whether they're male or female. In addition to God's composure…..I thought that it had to come from within, but that part of the performance was difficult.

"How was it working with Stacey, who was in a different state?"

Komagine: Hmmm…..He’s clearly different. He made me think, "Even if it's not me, you'll notice!" (laughs). But, it was really cool to see Kaito go to God and say, "Is Stacey even fine with this?!" I was like, "That's it!" it's just like Kaito to make a point like that.

Sekoguchi: He says the most straightforward things at any moment (laughs).

"We were surprised to hear him say lines, "I'll become your friend" while he was being controlled."

Sekoguchi: I didn't say it in the original state of Stacey, so it was beyond my own image. I'm alittle sad about it (laughs).

"God leaves Stacey's body after No. 46 Kai! Then, a series of exchanges with Kaito saying, "I mean, Stacey, you're really nice," and Stacey replying, "Stop that!" was also memorable."

Komagine: For the first time, Stacey complained to Kaito with, "I'm tired…." so my feelings when acting were, "I have to do something about this!" Still, I thought the viewers would be nervous to see Stacey leave, and as Kaito, I felt that Stacey's state of mind was wavering between the Zenkaigers and the position he held up until now. There was a feeling of suspense about what was going to happen in the next few episodes. I'm sure that even when he's with everyone else, Kaito is thinking about Stacey, and Stacey is thinking about Kaito. But, the parts that didn't work well together kept coming up, and I kept thinking, "What's going to happen in the end?!"

Sekoguchi: It started with the scene where he looks sad as he watches the Zenkaigers take back Hakaizer. Not only is his only comrade gone, he now has no place to return at Tojitendo. He had to meet Kaito in such a situation where he's lost everything, so at that time, Stacey was in a very weak state of mind. He was already past his limits.

"It was quite a painful development to watch."

Sekoguchi: If I'm allowed to say it, he's simply not good at living…..(laughs). Of course there are many things that make me feel sorry for Stacey as well, but it's definitely due to his own actions up until now. It's no one's fault but his own, and if he doesn't change, nothing will change. In No. 46 Kai!, he's on the verge of understanding his interactions with Kaito. Up until then, I think there was always a part of him that was blaming his surroundings or the people around him.

Komagine: Kaito wanted to help his father, and he achieved that goal, but the fact that he took Stacey's comrade away has always remained with him. In regards to that, when his father told him in No. 41 Kai!, "If you don't want to leave Stacey alone, you need to do something Kaito," I felt that his resolve to save Stacey was strengthened once again.

"Speaking of, when it comes to the Goshikida family, Yatsude is obviously an essential part of Stacey's life, isn't she?"

Sekoguchi: She really saved him. The scene at Colorful where Stacey confides everything to Yatsude was really great.

Komagine: I'm really glad that Yacchan is played by (Sakakibara) Ikue-san. In the scene where Stacey confides in her, there was a part where she stood tall and firm, so as Kaito, I was proud of Ikue-san for taking it seriously. The way she carried herself on the set was wonderful, and I thought I should learn many things from the way Ikue-san makes everyone on the set smile.

Sekoguchi: Stacey 's grateful to the Goshikida family because they gave him so many things. He received love from Yatsude, the father taught him camaraderie and bonds, the mother gave him her blood, and in the end, Kaito taught him friendship. Stacey receives everything that's important to him from the Goshikida family.

Komagine: Since he has the mother's blood in him, he and Kaito might actually be brothers (laughs).

-The two who have finally became friends-

"We were moved by the sight of him finally rushing over to Kaito after his admission to Yatsude in No. 47 Kai!."

Komagine: Up until then, if I grabbed him by the shoulder, he'd shake me off, but this time I was happy because we were able to say things like, "Let's go back together to Colorful," and "That's the plan." I felt like this was the first time someone accepted me, so it was like I was both myself and Kaito! It's hard to imagine Zox and Stacey teaming up to fight together (laughs). That's part was cool too, and I could see the passion these two have, so from No. 47 Kai! to Final Kai! it's really interesting!

"What was it like playing the role of Stacey, who was finally forgiven?"

Sekoguchi: Stacey wasn't thinking about anything in particular at that time, but he was able to become more honest, or rather, he regained his sense of identity. I had the scene with Yatsude-san before that, and based on that scene, he felt embarrassed, but I'm glad he was able to be honest with himself…..I played the role with that kind of nuance. He felt relieved when he saw Kaito, and couldn't help but laugh when Vroon said, "I'm also a former Tojitendo," and it was a moment where I could see the happiness of everyone fighting together.

Komagine: Then there's the final episode, where Kaito has to fight alone in the spirit world, but he realizes that he's not fighting alone, which gives him confidence. I think this also embodies the best part of Super Sentai, where they fight as a team, and the fact that it ends with rock paper scissors is typical of Zenkaiger (laughs). Since the ending seems like a continuation, I can also imagine how each of us will go on our own journeys and become happy, so I'm glad things didn't end with Sushi World! (laughs).

Sekoguchi: The real thrill of Super Sentai was felt towards the end. Each of them had their own problems and were born in different environments, but Stacey, for example, could achieve his goal of defeating Barashitara not alone, but with his friends and comrades. It made me think once again that Zenkaiger is a show filled with such qualities.

-Reflections on the days of our strange friendship-

"At first, where did you think the relationship between the two of them would end up?"

Sekoguchi: I was thinking of all kinds of possibilities, but I stopped thinking about them halfway through and just hoped that the story would progress well. And then God appeared! Whether they're defeated or become friends, each has its own merits.

Komagine: I truly thought that Stacey was going to be defeated. He helped Kaito when they were fighting Barashitara, and at the end, he fought with everyone else as Stacaesar, but they ended up fighting each other. It made it seem like he'd say," I wish I had joined you sooner…..please give my regards to Yatsude….." *whoosh* (disappears).

Sekoguchi: I predicted something like a good ending would happen for "the villain" (laughs).

"It's understood that you all sometimes predicted what was going to happen next."

Komagine: We all did it. I had suggested to the staff that Final Kai World should appear and that it ends with a bang, but they rejected it. "Today is the final episode of Zenkaiger, Final Kai!" and then it would abruptly end…..

Sekoguchi: Who would be satisfied with that?! (everyone laughs). Well, it definitely fits with Zenkaiger (laughs).

Komagine: But, after filming the final episode I thought, "I'm glad it didn't happen!"

"Has your impressions of each other changed up to this point?"

Sekoguchi: They've changed. At first, I heard that he was shy, but now I don't find that to be the case at all.

Komagine: Ryo-kun's appearance is very cute, so I imagined him to have a selfish personality. I thought he was aesthetically pleasing and very beautiful….However, his personality is that of an old mans! (laughs).

Sekoguchi: That's for sure (said straightforwardly).

Komagine: He's so carefree, that he'll even take his clothes off when eating! In a good way, I felt that he wasn't high class or too distant. So I felt that we didn't have to worry about things, and in that way, I felt close to him. It's completely different from my first impression of him when we first met, that's why Ryo-kun feels younger than me even though he's older than me, and I can talk to him freely.

"During filming, there was no particular reason for you not to speak to each other just because your roles were that of enemies."

Komagine: There were none at all (laughs). When the cameras are rolling, I think Zenkaiger is a show where everyone does whatever they want to do in an interesting way, so I usually interacted with Ryo-kun without thinking of him as an enemy or an ally.

"Moving away from the main story, we saw the third part of the Unmasked Warrior series at G Rosso. We thought the part during the play where Kaito encourages Stacey's competitive nature and dances, as well as the teasing relationship between the two of them was adorable."

Komagine: You won't see that in the main story (laughs).

Sekoguchi: Stacey was acting alittle different than usual, so it was difficult!

Komagine: Well, it had a nice feel to it, even if it deviated abit from the regular TV version.

"Was it difficult to perform on stage?"

Komagine: When Stacey says, "Next time we meet, we'll be enemies, so be prepared," and tries to leave, Kaito says, "Why don't we go home dancing?" and Stacey was like, "Why should I…?" But in that scene, they start dancing, and the line shows that Stacey took what Kaito said seriously and as a challenge. I was honestly just trying to say that we should dance (laughs). So when Stacey said, "Oh no!" I was like, "Eh? Eh?"

Sekoguchi: It was difficult to get the timing down for "Oh no!" It's because the lines were different every time.

"The third part is also available on DVD, so we hope everyone will take this opportunity to watch it again (laughs). Could you tell us about some highlights of the fourth part?"

Komagine: We're more involved in it than in the third part, and there's action scenes, so I feel like it's more Zenkaiger like. Some highlights include seeing the transformations of the 5 Zenkaigers, as well as the secret transformation of Flint. Also, Gaon, played by Tsuta (Tsutamune Masato-san), will also appear.

"Wouldn't it be better if it was already played by the actors themselves?"

Komagine: That's true. The person who had been playing Gaon up until then saw Tsuta-san during rehearsal and said, "Ah, the real guy…" and even though he's the same Suit Actor, I thought it was different. It's very reassuring to have Tsuta-san in the fourth part, and it's very easy to work with him. We'll be performing for a while, so I hope you'll enjoy watching it.

Sekoguchi: The overall atmosphere of the fourth part is "cute" (laughs).

Komagine: The relationships in the stage play change before and after the final episode, so I hope you'll enjoy that as well!

"How do you feel looking back at the relationship between the two of you?"

Sekoguchi: Rather than the bond between Kaito and Stacey being formed in the traditional Super Sentai style, they gradually became more aware of each other from a distance, and I thought it was wonderful that in the end, although we didn't express it in words, our hearts were firmly connected. I was thinking about this myself while playing Stacey, but I like the atmosphere that seems to exist between the lines of the story, which isn't captured on film, as their hearts move through the process of becoming friends.

Komagine: Looking back on Zenkaiger, I had alot of fun, and it was so fulfilling that I thought, "There's no better place to be on set than this, huh?" Ryo-kun joined us later, so I wonder if I could've supported him better since I was there from the beginning. But, I was really impressed by the way he played Stacey, to the point where he became a popular character. I'm glad that the actors I was able to work with this time were Acchan (Mashiko Atsuki), Hina-chan (Mori Hinami), and of course Ryo-kun. The popularity of Zenkaiger is largely due to Stacey, so I'm grateful for that as well! (laughs).

Sekoguchi: No, no, don't be ridiculous! It's all thanks to everyone's power in Zenkaiger that it's as popular as it is now!

Komagine: (laughs).

[eliasdrid]

you keep putting these tokusatsu shows on my dash for months and I have less than zero context what they're about. what's the cliffnotes version to get me interested in whatever these odd looking robots or perhaps creatures are doing?

Alright I'll try my best but it might get long.

To me, the most appealing thing about them is that the suits are very much suits, they often try to use practical effects where they can and there's a lot of neat choreographed fights. There's also often sci-fi elements (which I'm a fan of). Each season of each show seems to be made with love and passion for the genre* too and I've read/seen a few interviews which support this. There's also some very talented actors and it's amazing to watch them play pretend the colorful plastic weapons are real and can hurt you (they really sell it to you if you can suspend your disbelief a little and have some fun).

*edited - I wrote labor of love but forgot it is a specific thing and might not apply very well here?

Anyway. I'll give you the basics. The three big tokusatsu shows you may often see around are: Kamen Rider and Super Sentai (both from Toei) and Ultraman (from Tsuburaya).

Screenshots from: Kamen Rider OOO (2010), Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger (2021) and Ultraman Blazar (2023)

There's others! like Dogengers (screenshot below) - but I'll try to focus on those three.

In general these shows are aimed at young audiences so you have to watch with that in mind. Also, like any superhero show, they will want to sell you merch (figures, toys, plushies, etc).

Another important thing to know is that the seasons of these shows are usually self contained, and each have their own theme, so you can pick any season that catches your eye to check out with no previous knowledge. There are crossovers events (movies and especials) and anniversary seasons which will explore and/or showcase previous content too! I personally really enjoyed Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger (2021) which is a 45th Anniversary Sentai season and I had watched only two other sentais before it.

Now, some differences! so you can tell the shows apart and also know what you will potentially have in store if you decide to watch any. I'll put a read more because this is getting long 👍

Kamen Rider and Super Sentai air all year long, for this reason, seasons usually have 45-50 episodes. All the Ultraman shows I've watched have 25 episodes per season. Meanwhile Dogengers has kept a 12 episodes per season formula so far. Spin offs, specials and reboots have no defined number of episodes (to my knowledge).

I feel like I should mention that (especially in the case of 45-50 episodes shows) the episodes might feel a bit off sometimes? Be aware there's often release schedules with toylines involved* From what I've noticed this usually happens past the mid-season point the closer you get to finale territory. My guess is that, generally at that point, the writing team (or writer) was trying to do things they forgot to properly set up before, tie loose ends and/or finish arcs quickly. *Sometimes other things affect production, like COVID or an actor suddenly not being able to continue with their role.

All shows value The Power Of Love and Friendship and usually feature a team of heroes (or allies) fighting against an enemy faction. There's also, almost always, some sort of transformation device involved and in all these shows the heroes must collect some season-themed item to get power ups. The key difference between each show will be how they decide to play with these things.

Super Sentai is what Power Rangers is based on. If that tells you nothing: there's a team of heroes ("rangers"), color coded suits that are generally not too complex in design and one giant mech vs. giant monster fight per episode (on average). I've not seen too much Sentai so that's all I got for you.

Kamen Rider gives its heroes more complex suit designs and (usually) multiple forms (ascending in strength/skill). Kamen Rider's signature elements are probably: the drivers (belts), the henshins (transformation scenes) and the fact that they often have motorbikes (they gotta ride something).

Ultraman has more of a shared universe between seasons situation going on than the previous two so there's recurring lore. I won't explain that lore to keep this as short as possible. Either there's a host-alien situation (to varying degrees) or the protagonist has the ability to transform. In this show there's always an almost guaranteed Titular Ultraman vs. giant monster fight per episode.

More visuals that might help you tell them apart:

Screenshots from Ohsama Sentai King Ohger (2023)

Screenshots from Kamen Rider Ryuki (2002), Kamen Rider Den-O (2007), Kamen Rider OOO (2010), Kamen Rider Build (2017)

Screenshots from Ultraman Orb (2016), Ultraman Geed (2017) and Ultraman Blazar (2023)

I hope this was helpful! sorry it got long!

[demonprincesuteishi]

I heard yesterday that there's going to be a third season of A Man Who Defies the World of BL a.k.a. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko a.k.a. Zettai BL a.k.a. Absolute BL. That would have been exciting enough on its own. But then I saw that Sekoguchi Ryo is going to be in it this season.

In this promo image, the size of his photo is tied only with that of Yutaro, who plays Mob's younger brother Ayato, and second only to that of Mob/Inukai Atsuhiro himself. (For anyone not already familiar, he's in the middle of the bottom rows, has long hair, and is wearing a school uniform.) Hopefully this means a sizable role! Given the school uniform one would assume he probably goes to school with Ayato and his boyfriend Toujou. Guess we'll see.

Will they do an opening dance sequence again and if so will Sekoguchi Ryo be in it? Seems likely, and dang do I ever want this to be true. Will Sekoguchi Ryo kiss a boy on this show? We can only hope. But it seems like the larger his role is, the more likely that gets.

I actually got so overexcited about this casting that I just started this side blog (my main blog is @emotionallychargedtowel). I'm going to post one Stacey screenshot per day here until I run out of them.

For anyone who's not aware, Stacey is the character Sekoguchi Ryo played on Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger. He's the half-human son of an evil robot general and a contender for the most tsundere little meow meow in the multiverse.

[lirahisse]

List of child raising sim game

Released:

Princess maker serie

Prince Maker

Long live the Queen

A little Lily princess

Cute bite

Growing up

Lullaby days

Lair Land Story

Ciel fledge

Volcano princess

Chinese Parent

Little one

Memories: Remember Me

Pocket Princess

Brave knight

Spirited heart

The World According to Girl

Cute knight

Cute knight kingdom (sequel of Cute knight)

my child lebensborn

Kosodate Quiz: My Angel (only in japanese)

Dear My Sun!! Musuko Ikusei Capriccio (only in japanese)

Ikusei Nikki

I was a Teenage Exocolonist

Wonder Project J: Kikai no Shōnen Pīno

Wonder Project J2: Koruro no Mori no Josette

Can play it but still in development:

Sinathir

Not released and still in development:

Lair Land Story 2: Mist of Sea

Guardian’s Guide

Machine Child

[just-whump-and-suffering]

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger Whump list

Note: THIS IS NOT POWER RANGERS.

I did not include all the injuries that the characters get in battle, only the ones I feel contributes to the plot. Did not include whump from the movies as the list will be very long. It is already very long as it is.

No. of ep: 49

Goshikida Kaito/ Zenkaiser played by Komagine Kiita

Ep 01: 

Grabbed by the collar by Barashita and tossed away, falls into a pile of garbage

Ep 02: 

Poisoned by toxic spores. in pain 

Ep 04:

Punched in the face

Ep 05:

Tied (Stuck) to a bench and Juran

Ep 09:

Held at gunpoint and robbed

Tied up

Ep 21:

Arrested

Ep 26:

Attacked by Stacey

Desperately looking for his mother

Ep 31:

Crying over Secchan's "Death"

Ep 32: (in Stacey's body)

Punched in the face

Ep 33:

Hit by a Kendo training sword

Ep 35:

Emotional whump; finds out Hakaizer is his father

Ep 44:

Gets cursed with bad luck

Ep 48:

Is hit by Boccowaus's attack, gets dehenshined

Ep 49:

Has to fight a god alone

Juran/ZenkaiJuran voiced by Asanuma Shintaro

Ep 01:

Striked by Tojitendo soldier, falls into a pile of garbage

Ep 05:

Tied (Stuck) to a bench and Kaito

Ep 07:

Accidentally injured by Gaon

Ep 09:

Held at gunpoint and robbed

Tied up

Ep 12:

Trapped in a forcefield created by MoTW that slows everything down.

Ep 15:

Flashback: beaten up by Mooks

Ep 33:

Hit by a Kendo training sword

Ep 38:

Attacked by his ancestor

Ep 44:

Gets cursed with bad luck

Ep 48:

Is hit by Boccowaus's attack while shielding Kaito, gets dehenshined

Gaon/ZenkaiGaon voiced by Kaji Yuki

Ep 06:

Angst; from accidentally injuring his teammates

Ep 09:

Held at gunpoint and robbed

Tied up

Ep 13:

Shot by Vox while trying to stop him from shooting humans turned kuducks

Gets attacked and beaten up by same Kuducks

Ep 22:

Emotional whump; is scolded for the way he treats other Kikainoids. Realizes that he has been treating his comrades badly and feel bad about it.

Beaten up until de-henshin

Collapse from his injuries

Ep 23:

In pain while getting his injuries treated

Is bandaged and on crutches throughout the episode

Ep 44:

Gets cursed with bad luck

Ep 48:

Is hit by Boccowaus's attack, gets dehenshined

Magine/ZenkaiMagine voiced by Miyamoto Yume

Ep 07:

Accidentally injured by Gaon

Ep 09:

Held at gunpoint and robbed

Tied up

Ep 12:

Trapped in a forcefield created by MoTW that slows everything down.

Ep 20:

Gets abducted

Ep 44:

Gets cursed with bad luck

Collapse from getting beaten up

Ep 48:

Get caught in a tornado created by Boccowaus, gets dehenshined

Vroom/ZenkaiVroom voiced by Sato Takuya

Ep 01:

Zapped by Ijirude

Ep 04:

Attacked by the kudducks

Has a bounty place on him, on the run

Ep 06:

Collapse from exhaustion while fighting MOTW

Ep 07:

Accidentally injured by Gaon

Ep 09:

Held at gunpoint and robbed

Tied up

Ep 44:

Gets cursed with bad luck

Ep 48:

Shield the rest from Boccowaus blast, dehenshined

Vox Goldtweaker/ Twokaiser played by Mashiko Atsuki

Ep 12:

Trapped in a forcefield created by MoTW that slows everything down.

Beaten up by MoTW

Ep 18:

Slapped

Ep 28:

Angst as his brothers are kidnapped by the MOTW

Ep 33:

Hit by a Kendo training sword

Ep 36: 

Ambushed by MotW and unable to henshin because MotW’s power

Beaten up by Barashitara

Ep 44:

Revealed that his father died protecting him

Collapse from exhaustion

Ep 47:

Hit by Barashita's Missile

Stacey/ Stacaesar played by Sekoguchi Ryo

Ep 08:

Beaten up and defeated by Vox

Ep 14:

Injured and limping after his mecha is destroyed.

Ep 23:

Severely injured and unconscious after his mecha is destroyed (again)

Ep 26:

Emotional Whump

Ep 32: (in Kaito's Body)

Gets headbutted by Kaito (in Stacey's body)

Passes out, is found and brought back by the rest

Emotional whump: experiences being loved and appreciation for the first time. Wondering if he could just continue staying in Kaito's body

Ep 38:

Attacking with a knife by his beloved "mother", saved by Kaito

Emotional whump; shaken from being attacked by his "mother". Watches as his beloved "mother" disappear from existance. Wonder if he is no better than Barashitara

Ep 41:

Blamed for the defeat of Hakaiser’

Shoved to the ground

inadvertently revealed his role in Hakaiser’s defeat, electrocuted by Boccowaus 

Ep 42:

Locked in a cage, bloody and battered

Possessed/mind controlled by Gege/God

Ep 46:

Collapse as the God possessing him leaves

Emotional whump

Ep 47:

More emotional whump

Crying

Hit by Barashita's missiles

Ep 48:

Beaten up and stomped on

[loveloih]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS, STACEY SEVILLEJA OF #BINI_PH

Lindtsey Stacey Aubrey Sevilleja (born on July 13, 2003) Fifth member of BINI_PH, The one and only pink princess of BINI. Main rapper and Lead dancer, Fashionista girly of the group. She got Blackpink Jennie’s Look and also Voice! (Proof is watch their video on Bata, kaya mo collab with Coca Cola, you’ll understand me) The only kikay I approves. my hev aubrey, baby!

[emotionallychargedtowel]

The tokusatsu to BL pipeline strikes again! aand it definitely seems to be picking up steam. This is the promo image from the announcement of My Personal Weatherman, set to premiere in Japan on August 10th. (I haven’t seen any news about international streaming yet.)

In the past, we’ve had both leads in a BL be former Kamen Riders (first in Senpai, This Can’t Be Love, then Our Dining Table, which had the added distinction of starring two lead Kamen Riders). But this is the first time I’ve seen two leads who are both Super Sentai alums (both very recent ones, in this instance). It’ll likely be a bit hard for tokusatsu fans to spot these two at first glance if they’re only going by this image, as they’ve both got very different looks here than they did their Sentai series. But this is Higuchi Kohei and Mashiko Atsuki, the actors who played Momoi Tarou on Avataro Sentai Donbrothers…

and Zocks Goldtsuiker (or Zox Goldtweaker, depending on whose subtitles you use) on Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger.

There was even a crossover movie, Avataro Sentai Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, that they were both in.

I probably would have waited to check this one out until I’d heard some reports about its quality, but this casting makes me curious enough that I might check it out right away if it’s on a platform I have access to.

[demonitizedstuff]

My main three blorbi

Obligatory originally MHA OCS turned Epithet Erased

Also they are made physically using Picrews off the hot page abaabba

They are the OCS and some of them might be apart of one of my sister's projects?

(color who? Guarding who? 🤫🤔)

Aiko Hogo

Epithet: Mundie(?)

A highschooler who thinks she has an Epithet... At least we think? She can do stuff, but she's not sure.

Currently has a D in Math, somehow passing chemistry, which is 99% math???

Is currently stretching herself thin with like...20 different clubs, from Drama to Color Guard. She's ...not very popular.

She's a frequent customer to Blyndeff Toy Emporium, she apologizes frequently for getting in Molly's way (she never is), but she offers and hands over sweets and other baked goods (with notes that say "hands off, LINEBACKER!")

"It just takes a while! And many tries, the third doesn't always work. But you will get there!"

Ashton Kikai

Epithet: Machine

This Epithet allows for the user to extend machines from their body. Example being an Arm Cannon in the same vain as MegaMan or Samus. More examples could be some mech suits or powers like Generator Rex or Max Steel (niche I know but it's a good example)

Ashton is a member of Bliss Ocean, he despises Epithets as it makes things "too easy". He despises making complicated machines with his Epithet, only using basic tools and blasters to build better things and tear down things he despises.

(Originally in the OG universe I made him in, he's a hero lol, I'm trying to make this work REALLY hard)

"Why take years to build a machine to do something that some inscribed bozo can do automatically."

Pandora Kikai

Epithet: Conflagration

The user can expel flames that spread faster than normal, as if accelerated with kerosene or fuel. Strangely, the flames seem to do more damage to buildings than anything else. Brick, which normally stands in flame, brittles and crumbles.

Pandora was a former racer, an illegal street racer, along with strong strokes of underground fighting, who eventually decided her talents would be put to use in a better place, and with the help of Sweet Jazz PD Detective Reese Nakamura, goes through with the Police Academy, and becomes an officer and the main mechanic in the Sweet Jazz Police Department.

"I'm not a traitor, you're a traitor to yourself, you followed a path of crime and pain, I dug myself out of that path into the light."

AND THERE'S THE BIG THREE DONE!

YAAAAAAAAAAAA

[screentunes]

Hi! I've been interested in tokusatsu shows for a while now, but I don't know which to start with, or how to watch them.

Could you help me?

GRINS SO WIDE summarized quick answer: where to start: my go-to answer is kamen rider ryuki, it's my absolute favorite and you can find it for free on tubi :-) tubi is a streaming service only available in the us, so if you don't live there you'd have to use a vpn to use it (that's what i do!) how to watch: tubi has a few other titles from kamen rider, sentai and ultraman, so feel free to look around if any others interest you! tsuburaya also has an official youtube channel with a bunch of content, icnluding the currently airing season with subs in multiple languages and an english dub! there's a lot of shows with no official international releases, for which you'd have to use.. other means

if interested, there's a longer (very long... sorry), more detailed answer under the cut!

as for where to start, it's completely up to you! :-) look around and if a show catches your interest, go for it! in kamen rider and super sentai at least, the shows are self-contained and separate from each other so you can jump in with any show you want at all!

some reccs of mine for the big three are as follow:

kamen rider: my personal favorite so far of the big three :-) the seasons can vary a lot in tone and setting, pretty much the only consistent thing is that there's a guy with a bike. oftentimes the guy looks like a bug. sometimes there's even more than one (!!) guy with a bike

for kamen rider, i recommend:

kamen rider ryuki: my absolute favorite tokusatsu show, and one of my favorite shows period!!! it's the 2002 installment of kamen rider. in this series, a silly journalist guy happens to discover a mysterious card deck while investigating for a story. with this, he accidentally becomes involved in a conflict between kamen riders. as the series advances, the reasons for this conflict become more clear out of the shows i've watched, this is one of the heavier ones in tone. however, it's also really funny. the show jumps from grim conflict to looney toones sitcom situations and then back again and its so awesome this was actually the show i began with, and it kickstarted my interest in tokusatsu!! i don't want to say much so as to not give anything away, but there's compelling, unforgettable characters that are so so dear to me, a pulling story with unfolding mysteries, and beautiful suit design!

some other shows i can mention are kamen rider fourze (show from 2011, generally much lighter in tone, very funny and sweet, space-themed kamen rider show about a delinquent-esque highschooler who wants to become friends with everyone) and kamen rider w (i think this one is commonly recommended to beginners! it's very fun, it's about a pair of young detectives who investigate mysteries and fight monsters. the main trio from this show are so dear to me). there's also a bunch of other shows i loved like ooo and kuuga (my second favorite!) but if i started listing them all out we'd be here all day...! if you wanted to start from the currently airing season, gotchard is on episode 16 right now. it's been cute so far!

super sentai: this is the series power ranger adaptations are made out of! there's a team of color-color coded heroes fighting villains and they have a giant robot etc etc

for super sentai, i started with kikai sentai zenkaiger! very cute and silly show, made me laugh out loud multiple times :-) a guy and his robot buddies hang out and have sooooo much fun

another recommendation would be tokumei sentai gobusters! probably one of the most solid tokus i've watched. it's a techy-themed season which is a plus for me :-) i heart computers. this one has a smaller core team than the usual sentai show, composed of three members. the characters are great and the antagonists are unforgettable!

i also loved toqger and i've had a lot of fun with gokaiger so far :-)

ultraman: ... i know far less about this one SORRY. there's a giant alien guy who fights giant monsters. lots of creatures in this one. peace and love on earth and also the entire universe...!!! like i said, i'm less knowledgeable about this one but from what i've seen the special effects tend to be breathtaking! miniature sets the world...

so far, the only ultraman show i've watched is ultraman orb, it was very nice! with around 20 episodes, it's shorter than the other shows i've recommended, which average 50 episodes

the currently airing ultraman show is ultraman blazar, which... i've unfortunately fallen back on a little! i have no idea if it's still airing or if it finished HELP. anyway i've loved it so far! there's a nice, slow-pace feel to it, gorgeous effects, and very memorable episodes! it's available worldwide on youtube for free, with an english dub and subtitles in multiple languages!! getting to watch it live is suchhh a nice experience there's also plenty of shows outside of those three franchises, but i'm not knowledgeable about them and i don't have reccs for those! i definitely want to venture out at some point.. i hope this helped! again, these are just some general reccs of shows i've liked! look around and see if any show catches your interest :-) if you have a certain tone, setting, etc etc in mind and want more specific recommendations i can also help with that!! thank you for letting me ramble about toku for a while ^__^

[city-of-c0rpses]

Name: Yoko Ota

Age: 10

Ability: City of Corpses - allows her to kill people by touch or make them really sick (she doesn’t have the best control over it so she’s really scared of physical contact)

Likes: Soft things, sunlight, her friends and family

Dislikes: Labs and doctors, fire, herself, people who hurt her loved ones, being alone

Extra: Yoko is a lab experiment to learn how abilities manifest. The scientists saw her as less than human, more like an object than anything else, which led to her having severe burn scars from experimentation. She also suffers from severe insomnia and hallucinations

Rules:

* Yoko is a kid so no nsfw

* She/they/it for Yoko, they/them for mod

Other blogs under the cut (since there’s WAY too many at this point)

@tryingtoliveasahumanbeing (Mitsuyo)

@she-devil5252 (Kana)

@summerfireworksandmycorpse (Satsuki)

@fireflies-and-iris (Baby Yoko)

@hanginggardenofbliss (Baby Mitsuyo)

@death-poems-itsuki (Itsuki)

@real-world-grotesque (Natsuo)

@rasuo (Oso)

@likeyou-complex (Koko)

@blood-moon-crimson (Akatsuki)

@starshine-akari (Akari)

@obake-witness (Nana)

@thorns-like-flowers (Ume)

@mind-electric-labyrinth (Kiseki)

@copy-cat-mono (Miyuki)

@our-thoughts-are-mirrored (Kagami & Roru)

@faint-tune (Ina)

@only-somewhat-seen (Mita)

@idunno-idunno (Kieta)

@shadow-of-a-godsend (Ari)

@forced-obedience-to-life (Chikara)

@signs-from-the-other-side (Misaki)

@lotus-blossom-ren (Ren)

@bonfiresandcatplushes (Masako)

@eyes-fullof-cracks (Akui)

@hangingupsidedownonmonkeybars (Aka)

@shark-and-octopi-fanatic (Haruka)

@redandblack-plumblossom (Umeko)

@the-king-of-evil (Hokaku)

@totallynotathief (Leila Nyx)

@thetasteofbeautyandlove (Niku)

@hell-of-nightmares (Aimee)

@inpiecesscatteredcrossthefloor (Koraru)

@totallydidntstartanapocalypse (Mira)

@criss-crossapplesause (Kikai)

@livingasabeing (Mitsu)

@makingofachimera (5-7)

[ashitakaxsan]

From Sci-Fi to Reality: The Potential for Real-Life Mecha Inspired by Gundam!

I've watched mecha anime, the seriesVoltes V,Robotech, Video Senshi Laserion. In fact the great experience is watching Gundam anime.

In recent years, advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, and engineering have brought the idea of real-life mecha closer to reality. Inspired by iconic series like Gundam, researchers and engineers are exploring the possibilities of creating large, human-piloted robots. While we may not have fully functional Gundams yet, the progress made so far is promising. Let's delve into the current developments and the potential future of real mecha.

It happened during 2018

In Japan, engineer Masaaki Nagumo always dreamed of climbing into his very own Mobile Suit Gundam mecha. As an adult, he finally made that dream a reality.

Photos below:Sakakibara Kikai

He created the 28-foot-tall, 7-tonne-heavy LW-Mononofu robot as a project for his employer, industrial machinery maker Sakakibara Kikai, in Japan’s  Gunma Prefecture. The metal colossus took six years to finish, and is probably the world’s largest anime-inspired robot that you can actually ride in and control. It can move its arms and fingers, turn its upper body, and walk forward and backward at a snail-like speed of 1km/hour. As any respectable mecha, it also has a weapon – a metal gun that fires sponge balls at a speed of 87 mph.T

The LW Mononofu can be powered by both a 200-volt AC electricity source and a 24-volt DC battery. Its cockpit features levers, pedals and buttons that the rider can use to control the movements of the robot, as well as monitors showing live footage shot by  cameras installed at five points on its gigantic body.

its only con is that it can't leave the hangar it was built in, because it is higher than the large door. It has to be dismantled to be taken out…

Despit this the enthuthiasts are determined to make the Giant mecha a real.

Well, thanks to the japanese company called Tsubame Industry, that dream is nearly becoming reality. Well, if we can afford paying it, of course. The small Japanese startup recently showcased its newest product, dubbed ‘ARCHAX’, a pilotable robot inspired by Japanese mecha culture. Standing a whopping 4.5 meters tall and weighing around 3.5 tons, this real-life mecha is powered by a 300V battery and can switch from a standing mode to drivable mode, attaining a top speed of 10 kilometers per hour.

Nonetheless,if someone desires to undergo the thrilling journey with the ARCHAX, he has to pay an estimated 400 million yen ($2.75 million) for one.

It's name is inspired by that of the flying dinosaur Archeopteryx – was recently showcased in a series of videos posted by Tsubame Industry, and the Japanese startup announced that a working version will be presented at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 (formerly the  Tokyo Motor Show) in November. As for when the mecha will hit the market, a Tsubame spokesperson said that it is expected to be available in about a year. However, considering the high price tag, the company is targeting wealthy foreign billionaires as potential clients.

Being made of iron and aluminum alloy, while the outer shell consists mainly of FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic). Although the head appears to feature a large  camera, it is only for show. In reality, the pilot maneuvering the ARCHAX will have footage captured by 26 different  cameras mounted all over the mecha fed into a number of monitors inside the cockpit. The control panel is reportedly similar to that of construction machinery, consisting of two joysticks, a number of pedals, and a touchscreen. Interestingly, the ARCHAX can also be remote-operated.

This mecha can move at a speed of 2 km/h, and in drive mode that speed is increased to 10 km/h. It’s not exactly soaring through the air like in video games, but it’s better than just standing still. It can tilt forward a maximum of 20 degrees in stand-up mode and 30 degrees in drive mode, to ensure that it doesn’t fall over. If these values are exceeded, the system shuts down to prevent serious accidents. The mecha is subject to risk assessment in accordance with the safety regulations of construction machinery and robots.His mechanical arms have 5 movable fingers, and it can grab a variety of things, still the weight of them is limited to 15 kilograms, for safety reasons. Trying to lift something heavy could cause the mecha to topple, putting the pilot at risk and damaging it.

Conclusion

The journey from science fiction to reality is a challenging but exciting path. While we may not see fully operational Gundams patrolling our cities in the immediate future, the advancements in robotics, AI, and engineering are bringing us closer to realizing the dream of real-life mecha. The fusion of technology and imagination continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, making the future of mecha an exhilarating topic to watch.

[thiefbracket]

SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN COUNTED

Thanks again for everyone's submissions! some of you were very passionate and it was great to learn about all these characters, I received 92 characters over 119 submissions and from that there was only 4 that I couldn't justify as thieves so apologies to those who didn't get in, with some from me and friends we have a final roster of 96. And so without further ado here are your competitors!

Raphael/ Phantom R: Rhythm thief and the Emperors Treasure

Daroach: Kirby Squeak Squad

Bilbo Baggins: The Hobbit

The Hamburglar: McDonalds Cinematic Universe

Ron DeLite/Mask☆DeMasque: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations

Kaitou Kid: Detective Conan

Swiper: Dora the Explorer

Chilli Pepper Cookie: Cookie Run

Carmen Sandiego: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego

Vriska Serket: Homestuck

Sly Cooper: Sly Cooper

Garrett: Thief

The Phantom Thieves: Persona 5

Ms. Mows: Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door

Ms. Fortune: SKullgirls

Scipio Fortunato (Piscio): The Thief Lord

Therion: Octopath Traveller

Roguefort Cookie: Cookie Run

Kaz Brekker: Shadow and Bones/ Six of Crows

Catwoman: Batman

Gru: Despicable Me

Jeets Shimis: Dungeons & Dragons Online

Parker: Leverage

Artemis Fowl: Artemis Fowl

Nött the Brave/Veth Brenatto: Critical Role

The Beagle Boys: Ducktales

Rosé: Drawtectives

Dorapin: Doraemon

Wario: Super Mario Bros

Magalor: Kirby's Return to Dreamland

Loba Andrade: Apex Legends

Nami: One Piece

“Thief King” Bakura: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Sal Leon: Mask of Shadows

The Collector: Hollow Knight

Astotheles: Bug Fables

Gaius: Fire Emblem Awakening

Burglar: The Sims 

Kokichi Oma: Danganronpa V3 Killing Harmony

Lifty and Shifty: Happy Tree Friends

Long John Silver: Black Sails

The Brickster: Lego Island

Some Sneaky Sim: The Sims

Danny Ocean: Ocean’s 11

Indiana Jones: Indiana Jones

Magpie: Real Life

Dean Domino: Fall out New Vegas

Cassian Andor: rogue one

Luke Castellan: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Popple: Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga

Mulch Diggums: Artemis Fowl

RJ Racoon: Over The Hedge

Beni Gabor: The Mummy

Sonny Wortzik: Dog Day Afternoon

A.J. Raffles: A.J. Raffles Short Stories

Team Rocket: Pokémon

Locke Cole: Final Fantasy 6

Yuffie Kisaragi: Final Fantasy 7

Edmund "Ned" Kelly Fuckin' Danger Discretion Aloysius Superstar Butterfly Nimbly Ninja Pacifist Black Diamond Friendly Trustworthy Pissed Off [Redacted] Vamoose Su-Sussudio Middle Name Chicane Jr.: Taz Amnesty

The Beachcomber: Cultist Simulator

Erin: Thief

Delilah Bard: Shades of Magic Series

Herbert Percival Bear, Esquire: Club Penguin

Arsène Lupin: Arsène Lupin

Rouge The Bat: Sonic The Hedgehog

Grovyle: PMD Explorers of Time/Darknes/Sky

Camicazi: How to Train Your Dragon Books

Mick Rory/ Heatwave: The Flash/DC Legends of Tomorrow

Hermes: Greek Mythology

Zidane Tribal: Final Fantasy IX

Duster: Mother 3

Glendale: Centaurworld

Ada Wong: Resident Evil

Nickit: Pokemon Sword and Shield

Purrloin: Pokemon Black and White

Gokaigers: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger

Zox Goldtsuiker / Twokaiser: Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger

Kitty Softpaws: Puss in Boots

Deep Cut: Splatoon 3

Meenah Peixes: Homestuck

D.J. Octavio: Splatoon

Ratbeard: Pirate 101

Gen AKA Eugenides: The Queen's Thief

Lupinrangers (and Noel): Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger

Chester "Snake" Turley AKA Snake Jailbird AKA Albert Knickerbocker Aloysius Snake AKA Professor Jailbird AKA Detention Bird: The Simpsons

Cain: the Binding of Isaac

Robin hood: English Mythology

Erik: Dragon quest 11

The Artful Dodger: Oliver Twist

Kamen Rider Lupin: Kamen Rider Drive

Lupin III: Lupin The Third

Pumpkin and Honey Bunny: Pulp Fiction

Niles: Fire Emblem Fates

Daiki Kaito/ Kamen rider Diend: Kamen Rider Decade

Doug Judy (The Pontiac Bandit): Brooklyn 99

Prometheus: Greek Mythology

Seeding will begin tomorrow and the first part of round 1 will hopefully be posted in the next few days. Thanks again for all your patience!

[obstinaterixatrix]

what're, like, your sentai recs? i've mostly gotten recommended carranger, kiramager (or was it magiranger?), and eiher changeman or flashman, and the only series i've SEEN is Donbrothers. which. uh. help

I'm actually not as versed in sentai, which I am gradually changing but 50 ep series are very long. my absolutely top pick much watch shows are:

Ressha Sentai ToQger: REALLY LOVE THIS SERIES!!! SUPER FUN DYNAMIC OF CHILDHOOD FRIENDS!!!! THE 6TH RANGER IS MY FAVE OF ALL TIME!!!!!! GENUINELY COMPELLING OVERARCHING PLOT WITH VERY WELL-PACED DEVELOPMENTS!!!!! THE VILLAIN POLITICS ARE REALLY INTERESTING AND THERE ARE A LOT OF VIBES!!!!!!! THE AESTHETIC IS REALLY GOOD!!!!!!!! MADAME NOIR IS THERE!!!!!!!!! MISS KOBAYASHI WROTE IT!!!!!!!!!! genuinely while watching the show there's a lot of moments where I go. wow. I'm glad kids watched this, there's a very positive message that's delivered in a gentle, kind, and entertaining way.

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger: super fun. SUPER fun. all of the characters are lovable dumbasses in varying and overlapping flavors. everyone has super strong Just Some Guy energy and it's really interesting to have the majority of the sentai team be suit actors. I think one of the staff said something to the effect of the zenkaiger team being basically a team of losers and they are and it's very endearing. I also really like the writing here, not only is it REALLY funny, there's a lot of good drama with family stuff and one of the antagonists accidentally adopting himself to the main character's grandma, and the space pirates are also there being a nuisance. in general there's a really good variety of dynamics. Miss Komura is the lead writer if I remember right.

I'm in the middle of watching kaizoku sentai gokaiger right now, which is really entertaining. miss komura described the pirates in zenkai as 'pirates playing at being heroes' and the gokais as 'heroes playing at being pirates' and she's so right. the gokais are all like heh!!! we're pirates!!! we don't care about anyone but ourselves!!! and then they go and do stuff like pawn their jewelry so they can pay for meals at a restaurant

[theinternetisaweboflies]

Kaiju Flicks and Shrimp Chips by girlinstory

Saitama was expecting Godzilla.

He was expecting fuzzy science, epic kaiju, and a lot of municipal damage. He was expecting shrimp chips and Pocky. He was expecting a lighthearted movie night with his roommate.

He was not expecting Genos to cry his refuse-ducts dry on Saitama's seventh favorite hoodie.

Saitama sighed and started rummaging around in the pocket of his cargo shorts.

The kid sure cried a lot, but if anyone deserved to cry, it was probably Genos, so Saitama just started carrying hand towels instead of handkerchiefs. Today's towel was Doraemon.

He passed it to Genos, who started mopping up the oil that was streaming down his faceplates.

It looked a little like Genos was one of those girls in the TV Doramas Saitama surfed past sometimes, whose mascara had started to run because they were crying over their ex-girlfriend's twin's cousin's ghost or something. It looked a little pretty.

Saitama shook his head, as if it was an Etch A-Sketch and he could physically remove that thought.

"Is it 'cause they made Mechagodzilla a cyborg?" he asked.

Saitama had been surprised by that particular plot point as well. Mechagodzilla had been around since the Showa Era. When he was introduced in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, it was as a robotic superweapon created by simian aliens to aid in their conquest of planet earth.

The newer stuff was… different. For one thing, Mechagodzilla had been given a name. Kiryu, short for Kikai Ryu or metal dragon. He was created by the Japanese military, using the skeletal remains of the first Godzilla, all that was left behind after the Oxygen Destroyer's detonation in 1954.

There was a scene where Kiryu had a freaking flashback to his own death.

Genos had stiffened beside him, and the kid was usually pretty stiff in the first place.

He hadn't spoken though, so Saitama didn't mention it either. Genos didn't speak- or start crying (probably)- until the credits rolled on Tokyo SOS.

Saitama had been planning to save the second movie for another night, or forget it altogether, since it was probably bringing up some bad memories, but Genos had immediately switched it in and hit play.

Saitama thought about saying something then, but still, Genos was silent. Like, unusually silent. Maybe that meant he didn't want to talk. Saitama could understand that. Some things were better processed with kaiju flicks and shrimp chips.

Apparently not this though.

Genos nodded minutely into Doraemon.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Mechagodzilla was not a functional weapon," Genos hiccupped.

"I underst- Wait." Saitama cleaned out his ear with a pinky. "What?"

"Mechagodzilla was not a functional weapon."

So he had heard him right. "That's… what's bothering you?"

"He malfunctioned because he was too traumatized. He kept having flashbacks and either going on a rampage or committing suicide."

Saitama tried to ignore the squirm in his intestines at that last word. He'd wondered sometimes about how Genos could talk near constantly without once mentioning his future after killing the Mad Cyborg.

"Genos, what are y-"

"It reminded me of something Metal Knight told me once," said Genos, in a rare interruption.

"The other cyborg?" Saitama had been trying to remember the names of all the S Class heroes because apparently the short one didn't like to be called that.

Genos was the only one he got right with any regularity.

"No, sensei, Metal Drive is the other cyborg. Metal Knight is Dr. Bofoi, who provides a significant amount of the Hero Association's weaponry in addition to his S Class duties."

"Oh, the one with all the body armor?"

"Correct, sensei," said Genos.

"Well, what'd he say?"

"That cyborgs are an inherently flawed idea, because anyone damaged enough to require substantial body modification is too damaged to be trusted with it."

After the minute or two it took him to figure out what that meant, Saitama immediately developed a very strong urge to give Dr. Bofoi at least a semi-serious punch.

He also felt himself flush with anger, which would usually bother him, because it always made people look at the top of his head, but Genos was too busy crying again.

"Yeah, well you're not damaged enough to say something like that," said Saitama. "I bet Dr. Bofoi wasn't hugged enough as a child. That explains all the armor. Intimacy issues."

Genos gave an oily laugh.

"Or maybe it's just because he looks like if Colonel Sanders was actually in the military."

That earned him a snort. Saitama vaguely wondered if Genos had boogers, and if they were made of oil too, but he wasn't damaged enough to ask.

"Forget Dr. Buffoon," Saitama said, casually switching over to an old magical girl anime he'd caught Genos glancing up from his notebooks to watch on more than one occasion.

Genos had enough nightmares as it was for Saitama to suggest rolling out their futons despite the late hour.

"Like he has room to talk," he went on, opening another box of Pocky. "You're a way better hero than he is. You'll outclass him in no time if the HA has any idea what they're doing."

Genos was steaming slightly. "Th- That is not true, sensei! It is you, who will- I'm not even-"

It was Saitama's turn to snort. "It's pretty hypocritical of you to be this bad at taking a compliment, Genos."

Genos steamed even harder, but at least he wasn't leaking anymore.