#elise is a blend of many different sides and i love her for that :3

[emerald-amidst-gold]

*pokes head in through your door* Did someone request OC asks? :D

How did your Warden react to Zevran’s failed attempt on their life? Were they amused? Angry?

Did Alistair’s parentage surprise your Warden? How did your Warden’s feelings on the nobility affect their relationship with Alistair?

How did your Warden respond to Wynne’s comments if your Warden romanced someone? Did they tell her it was love or that the relationship was purely physical?

Did your Warden believe that Leliana was telling the truth about her vision from the Maker or were they skeptical?

How did your Warden speak to Sten? Did they fight with him often or were they more humorous in their responses?

How did your Warden react to Loghain’s fierce love for his daughter? Did they share a strong sense of loyalty to their own family?

*whips my head around smiles* That's meeeee! The OC asker in the flesh! Or well, digital. But, pah! 'Tis I! >:D

*rubs hands together* Let's do this! I've itching to share more of Elise, so thank you so much! X3

How did your Warden react to Zevran's failed attempt on their life? Were they amused? Angry?

Gonna be completely honest, Elise found it amusing. XD

At first.

She's lived her entire life in the Circle, a dismal cage with gilded bars. When she was conscripted, Elise looked at the world around her and went, 'I love it. I love it.' Tomes and stories that told of grand assassinations, trysts, and all manner of political intrigue were riveting to a mind that only knew stone walls and high, unreachable windows. So, when Elise found herself apart of an attempted assassination, a Crow assassination no less? Her heart sped up, her palms turned sweaty with excitement, and her magic sparked to life with more ease than she had ever thought herself capable of.

Obviously, when faced with Zevran after the fact, questions and answers holding dark shadows, Elise snapped out of her romanticizing. She saw that pretty bound books and an author's 'personal' representation of events they knew nothing about was merely fantasy; they weren't true, they weren't idyllic. They were cold. They were hard. They were just veneer to paint over the atrocity of war and power-mongering. People suffered for what she found so enthralling, and Zevran's attack, and later his past, makes her realize that she is truly naive of a world that she claims she loves.

Elise knew nothing about the outside world. Just like those authors knew nothing of the suffering of the people caught in the crossfire of war--those that had to do ungodly things just to survive.

Did Alistair’s parentage surprise your Warden? How did your Warden’s feelings on the nobility affect their relationship with Alistair?

Alistair's lineage did surprise Elise somewhat. However, in Ostagar, when she had met Cailan, and then went on to meet Alistair, something...stuck. There was a resemblance; Elise could see it in the faces of two seemingly different men. Cailan and Alistair don't look exactly alike, of course, but there are a few characteristics that made Elise pause while speaking to Alistair and go, 'Where have I seen the slope of his nose before?' or 'If his hair was just a shade lighter, he would be..' So, when Alistair finally shares the truth of his birthright, Elise takes it in relative stride, but it also makes her heart sink a bit.

By Redcliffe (in my play-through at least), Elise is beginning to development feelings for Alistair. She finds his presence comforting, his views refreshing, his resolve endearing, and his gentle awkwardness lovable. He's been with her since the beginning, when she was mildly frightened and unsure of a cage with no bars, but still a cage due to what she was; a mage. Alistair saw that, knew what she was, and still, he treated her like an equal--reaching out when nightmares took her, offering her a witty quip or a playful smile to try and lift her back up from the mud, and reassuring her she wasn't alone in this long and bloody task of their's.

Alistair treated Elise as a person, and Elise offers that same kindness when he reveals his connection to the throne. However, she can see the warmth in his eyes fade a little upon telling her, a crooked, wry smile replacing the jovial air of another, and Elise knows that Alistair knows.

She's a mage and he, a king. There is no happy ending in store for them, but love is as persistent as it is fleeting, and they fall into each other's orbit despite the pain it later brings them both.

How did your Warden respond to Wynne’s comments if your Warden romanced someone? Did they tell her it was love or that the relationship was purely physical?

Elise was kind of belligerent, not going to lie. It's actually the first time I envision that hardened side of her beginning to shine through.

When Wynne points out the fact that she and Alistair are both Wardens, and that he's the son of a king destined to follow in those heavy footsteps, it only succeeds in bringing those painful fears to the fore and reasserting to Elise that she can't be happy because of what she is. This conversation happens after the Broken Circle quest, so Elise is still haunted by those horrors of a home sundered, and most of all, Cullen and his words towards her. So, two sources have said to her, 'You can't have this because of what you are.', and that tears into Elise's slowly hardening heart. She knows her duty, she knows what she is and she's proud of it, and Elise believes that shouldn't bar her from what others are freely given.

"I am a mage. I am a Warden." Elise spat, fists clenching and unclenching sporadically as she glared into the elderly mage before her. "But, I'm also a woman--a person, Wynne. I have feelings, and I won't sweep those aside just because you think it's best, because the 'world' somehow suddenly demands it!" Magic tingled at her finger tips, sparks latching onto tiny energy nodes of the Fade as her hands began to shake. "I care for Alistair. I want to see him happy because this world hasn't let him be so! So...so, fuck your concern and wisdom! I have choices, Alistair has choices, and if that's irresponsible to you, then leave because my heart won't change. No matter what pain it could bring me!"

Did your Warden believe that Leliana was telling the truth about her vision from the Maker or were they skeptical?

Now, I think I've mentioned that Elise is somewhat religious. She believes in the Maker and Andraste, but like Dorian says in Inquisition, she doesn't believe in the Chantry's rhetoric.

In regards to Leliana's vision, the magically curious side of Elise comes out and she ponders if the vision was the work of it. She doesn't outright ask Leli that, knowing that it would probably be rebuffed or met with a, 'I'm...not sure.', but it lingers in the depths of her mind and Elise tries to do some research into similar occurrences, to no avail. All Elise knows is that Leliana finds strength and hope in what she saw, so she doesn't challenge it and spoil it with practical applications. After all, the nature of faith is shaped by the unknown, and Elise always did like a good mystery. So, even if she didn't completely believe it herself, Elise knows what it meant to Leliana to have that warmth long denied by a Chantry brazier.

How did your Warden speak to Sten? Did they fight with him often or were they more humorous in their responses?

Elise was fascinated by Sten. She had only read of the Qunari in the few meager tomes she could find--most struck from the records by the Chantry due to 'heresy'. So, when at camp, Elise took the time to learn from the stoic man. She asked questions, listened to his answers, sat, mouth agape at some of the more profound stories Sten would opt to share, and soaked it up like a sponge. Elise would challenge some viewpoints of Sten's, those concerning mages and the general people of Ferelden, but mainly because she wanted to hear his side. Elise was eager and undeterred by Sten's brusque, aloof, and outwardly annoyed demeanor. She just saw a person--a person who she could learn from. And I think Sten responded well to that curiosity and open-mindedness, even if he didn't show it all that well.

How did your Warden react to Loghain’s fierce love for his daughter? Did they share a strong sense of loyalty to their own family?

So, to start, Elise doesn't remember her family very well. She was taken to the Circle at young age, barely able to remember how she even came to the tower. But, her found family is everything to her and she would die, be tortured, and branded every manner of beast if it kept them safe.

And I'm not lying when I say that Loghain's love for Anora, and she for him, was what made Elise want to spare him.

In that moment, as the teyrn knelt upon the floor before her, sword limp, eyes downcast with all manner of emotion, and blood dribbling from wounds she had managed in a duel unnecessary, unfair, Elise didn't see a traitor, a murderer of Wardens and kings, or even a man whose sense of duty had been so warped that it led him astray.

No, she saw none of that. Instead, she saw a father--a father of both daughter and country.

Elise drew her lips tight, tasting the salt of her sweat and a hint of iron. Her hand shook upon the hilt of her sword, suddenly feeling too heavy, too much as she continued to keep it trained upon the defeated man. All eyes were upon her, their gazes like wildfire and bramble--burning, piercing, anticipating. Yet, she could not move. She could not do it.

She could not take a father from his child! She could not! Not when it wasn't necessary! Not when the Queen had asked, pleaded with tears in her blue eyes for a way out of this foolishness, for an end to the constant suffering! There was a way! There was!

"I--", Elise began, as shaky as her arm that brandished a sword instead of a staff. The tremors increased as the wildfire upon her back blazed, and her grip faltered, sword plummeting to the ground with a harsh clang. "I...won't kill you. I accept your surrender. I accept."

There were gasps and whispers of disbelief, but she blocked them out as tired eyes traveled from that abandoned weapon to her face, searching, seeking, and quietly suspicious. But, before any words could be uttered between them or explanations could be voiced, there was a shout--a familiar, but dreaded shout of anger, of disbelief, of betrayal most foul. One word. Just one, and it was sharper than her sword that lay upon the ground, coated with blood of thought up foes.

"What!?"

----

*drags hand down in front of my face in an elaborate fashion* And scene!

Thank you so much, friend! I hope you like the answers even if they are a tad long! :D

[thefirstcourtesan]

The Royal Recap: A Tale of Two Houses, Chapter 1

Hello all! It’s time for my thoughts and reactions to the first two chapters of The Royal Masquerade. Most weeks I will have this out earlier than Friday, but as many of you know, I was way from Friday to Wednesday and am playing catch up.

I loved The Crown and the Flame. Loved it so much. I do like the Royal Romance, but it was the TC&TF connection that has me so excited about this book, a return to teh world of teh Five Kingdoms and the first Choices characters I ever fell in love with. I play wth two devices so my recaps note that. I don’t search out other playthroughs though, this is just based on my own play and reaction. I will point out connections to other books and my random thoughts and so on. I also don’t necessarily go chronologically, if a point comes up twice, I will discuss it all at once.

So with that settled, let’s start!

The book tells us that our story is taking place in 1600 A.D in the Kingdom of Cordonia, so 400 years before modern events and a later comment about it being 300 years since humans had magic makes me think it is probably roughly 400 years since the events of TC&TF, putting us at the mid-point between the two lores. More on that later.

But first, we have to choose what we look like! 5 faces and 3 of them are from OH. Oh hello again, I think we are all sick of you. One is from ACOR and the 5th is new. I have to choose two, so I chose the ACOR face and the new one. We also have to choose a name and a house. Here are the choices for house:

I am a little salty that we couldn’t choose to be a Nevrakis 😂 as that was my number one hope for this book. Oh well. I guess I’ll choose from these three.

I chose House Rosario on one playthrough and House Everhart on the other. Meet my MCs, Lady Viola of House Rosario and Lady Livia of House Everhart:

Both names were chosen for a reason, one as a nod to one of my favorite Shakespeare plays (and a fitting one I think) and the other a reference to my own fanfic canon.

Now, to the story, we start while dancing with a mysterious stranger. The game asks us if we are interested in men, women, or both. We will see later that this choice impacts the gender of the LIs, which is a neat way of blending the sexuality choice of TE with the LI gender choice of Perfect Match/High School Story: Class Act/Platinum.

I chose interested in men on one device (Livia) and both on the other (Viola). Interesting note, I got blonde male Hunter as my dance partner in both, though he is obviously not identified yet. There is some flirting and they lean in for a kiss and then... We are rudely interrupted.

Turns out it was just a dream and we are brought to the present and the library where the MC works under the stern Head Librarian Kana. We learn that we were raised in a respected family, but given to the library. Given the nasty atttude of our aunts when we meet them, I am going to guess that happened when our parents died. But for now, back to the drudgery of writing up manuscripts on soil samples.

We are interrupted again, but this time not by Master Kana, instead it is a pretty noblewoman, who we quickly learn is our big sister Annalise. She quickly tells us that she is here to whisk us away from the library and sneak us into the Royal masquerade ball! Alright, sis, I already love you. I love her even more when she firmly puts Kana in his place before whisking us away.

She takes us home to the family estate and we reveal we have been away from some time. As soon as we get inside, we are introduce to our aunts Zya and Elise. Zya is terrible and sour and hates us, she is the one who reveals that the MC is an “adopted stray” and I am sure she is the one who gave the MC to the library. Elise doesn’t seem as bad.

Annalisa has no patience for Zya’s nonsense and also reminds her that she is the head of the family and that she wants the MC by her side. You rock Annalisa and I love you already! Zya backs down and Annalisa whisks is away to get ready for the ball.

Upstairs we meet Vasco, an older gentleman who seems to work for the family and is the last member of the household (at least for now) and we are presented with a magic mirror. Side note, I love this, becuase I have always had strong Snow White vibes from TRR and my MC Eleanor and the magic mirror just ads to that and I love it.

We learn that there are a few magical objects left in the world and that only the noble families posses them and that Queen Kendra has gifted this mirror to our house! We also learn the names of the other royal houses: Vescovi, Fierro, Beaumont, and Nevrakis. At some point I am going to sit down and figure out how they match up to the family’s of the Five Kingdoms and modern day Cordonia. So far the only consistent between the three Books is our beloved Nevrakis family.

So this magic item makes clothes appear out of nowhere (for diamonds of course), I guess this is what you do when you don’t have boutiques in every noble residence 😂. We get our first diamond dress option and it is the same one we were wearing in the dream at the beginning. TRR did this too, let us wear a dress in teh flashforward at the beginning of the book and then make us pay for it later. At least this time it is a dream. If we don’t like that dress, we are given a free black dress provided by Vasco.

The free dress is actually very nice. The diamond dress is too, but it is so close to Aster colours and that is the house I didn’t choose so that annoys me a little. But I do love the jewelled belt and I have always adored that shade of blue (it was the color of my bridesmaid dresses). Interesting, the free dress is very similar to Vasco’s outfit and I don’t think that is a coincidence. I ended up choosing the diamond dress for Livia and the free one for Viola.

After we choose our outfit, we talk a little bit with Annalisa and Vasco. Annalisa promises to free the MC from the drudgery of the library and we learn that our house is about to be announced as the newest noble house. Apparently our parents made lots of money and Annalisa has charmed the queen and the result is that we are being granted official status and the power and influence that goes with it.

We travel to the ball and then we are introduced to Queen Kendra, though we don’t realize that is who it is at first. Kendra is very friendly to the MC and they have a brief chat about art and then we are whisked inside because there are other nobles waiting to greet Kendra.

The MC eagerly eats some bread (because they are starving her at the library) and Annalisa generteases her about it, before departing to find a bed mate for the night. Between Annalisa and Hunter (as we will soon see), we get the impression that Cordonian court is very sexually liberal, which is awesome. I am putting PB on notice that I expect my MC to be able to indulge as well, no waiting a whole book for a kiss.

The MC heads to the food table (good plan) but is distracted by a gorgeous person in a sun mask who is being fawned over by noblewomen. However, despite their admirers, we are the one who catches their eye and we get the chance to choose their appearance (and gender, if you picked you are interested in both). I picked Asian male for Viola and white male for Livia. (Note- From this point on, I will be referring to them as male because both mine are).

This mysterious noble in the sun mask is the same one from our dream (we’ll potentially 😂) and he flirts with us, ignoring his fawning audience in favour of us and he asks us to dance, telling us to meet him on the dance floor at the beginning of the next song. But before we can, it is time to meet our next LI.

We have attracted the attention of a mysterious person in a moon mask, who seems to realize that we don’t belong. We get the chance to customize their appareance and I chose the black male for Viola and I chose the Hispanic/Mediterranean (I don’t know what race they are supposed to be) male for Livia. (note- Like with Hunter, from this point forward I will be referring to them as male).

He asks us for our invitation, but we deflect him and there is a chance for some flirting before he asks us to dance. We now choose who to dance with. Livia chooses to dance with the man in moon mask and Viola with the man in the sun mask.

Both men take being rejected well and then we begin dancing with our chosen partner. The conversation is similar but not the same. The man in the sun mask is smoother, more flirtatious while the man in the moon mask is a little more reserved, as if he is unaccustomed to this kind of thing. The man in the sun mask lifts the MC, while the man in the moon mask dips her.

I really like this scene and how it differs between the two men to accommodate their personalities, because it lets you get a feel for them. Both want to know who the MC is, but they approach it differently, with the man in the sun mask desperately curious and the man in the moon mask more suspicious/intrigued and more direct.

The dance ends and the man in the moon mask comments he still knows little about the MC, while their is a crowd ready to pounce on the man in the sun mask who is unwilling to let hte MC go just yet. Both men suggest that the MC join them on the balcony to continue their dance and we have our first diamond scene!

Again, the diamond scene is similar, but not identical. Again, the man in the sun mask is very comfortable and very charming, while the man in the moon mask is more reserved but very observant. In both cases, you dance and then the masked man tries to guess your identity. The man in the sun man guesses foreign noble (though if you tell him the truth, he is not surprised) while the man in the moon mask accurately guesses who you are. Then it is your chance to guess who he is, if you choose “noble from important house”, the man in the sun mask agrees and the man in the moon mask demurs, but both refuse to name their house, saying it changes how people see them.

The two of you admire the view from the balcony, his hand covering yours, and then it is time for you to remove your masks. Both men seem to be quite impressed by the MC’s appearance and in both cases, they are about to kiss her when they are interrupted by Vasco (who I am so suspicious of, dude is up to something).

Apparently, Annalissa is about to give the Queen the wrong invitation. So we say goodbye to our mystery man, though we do get a name. You can choose their name, though the defaults are Hunter and Kayden. I kept Hunter (becuase I am sure it is a nod to Dominic Hunter) but changed Kayden to Dante on both devices and will be referring to him as such.

We hurry to the throne room, but find two dead guards and get there just as an assassin plunges a knife into Queen Kendra! The Queen advises for us to flee with her dying breath and the assassin threatens us. The assassin reminds me of the shadows from TC&TF and that makes me wonder who sent them, a foreign power or someone within Cordonia? Right now, we have bigger worries, because our sweet sister is lying unconscious on the floor!

And end chapter one.

I thought this was a great start, it introduced the world and set the tone of one of glitz and glamour but also secrets and a darker side. I feel like that may be what this book is about, about everything that lurks Heath the glittering surface of court and I am here for it.

Also, visually this is such a beautiful book. The background, the characters, the gowns, everything is so beautiful. I love period pieces and I am already drawn into the world that they have built and I am so excited to be exploring this portion of Corodnian history!

[furederiko]

After a brief detour through Shanghai, London, and Berlin, it's time to land on Dai Teikoku Gekijou once again. The stage is set for our main cast to take the spotlight! Furthermore, these 5 songs (Track 7 to 11), are representative of each character's personality, traits, or even backstory (so... SPOILER alert?). Basically, the meat of this album. You'll likely hear these tunes in full once you've successfully secured their solo endings, right? And throughout, the BGM version usually accompanies them during the playthrough. Let the song show begins!

Otome Nandesu yo (I'm a Maiden) by. Sakura Amamiya (Ayane Sakura)

First on the lineup, is the leading lady herself, Sakura. And, I'm not sure how to put it, but from a purely subjective viewpoint, it's my LEAST favorite of this set. Elise left a big shoe to fill following her one-woman Opera. And Sakura just couldn't keep it together, that we had to step down into an idol-mode or some sort. Sorry, no offense to idol fans out there! Different people, different tastes, and my idol phase had gone over the rainbow. If I have to be honest, I only heard the short MV I posted above (first one released) only a few times, before forgetting about it completely. I can't really understand why. Perhaps, it sounded generic? Sakura Shinguuji's image songs weren't a stand out in "Sakura Taisen" and "Sakura Taisen 2" either. Nevertheless, I enjoyed both "Sakura" and "Haru ga Kuru". I have even recorded my own covers for those two songs! They told the tale of naivety and sincerity, of a country girl who went to the big city and burdened with the fate to be a hero. Comparing those to New Sakura's solo is unnecessarily unfair, but it also can't be helped. What is the message of this song? It's about a girl who reunites with her childhood friend (Captain Seijuurou, who else). But she's no longer fond of the idea of him seeing her as a younger sister figure. But she couldn't say it, because *drumrolls*, she's now a maiden. My memory is fuzzy, but I believe Kouhei Tanaka-sensei had already confirmed that this is, in fact, an "Imouto" song. Hence the reason why my interest is not that high. Fortunately, the song took a delightful tone the moment that harmonica came along (which was after the first chorus, on the 1:30 mark). I actually DID enjoy it more because of it. I also liked the bridge part, and how the final result sounded less like a pop song. But that final line? Why did it feel needy and/or desperate? *sigh* Oh well, at least Sakura already did wonders with "Shin GEKITEI". I admit Part 3 doesn't really start off on the right foot. But worry not! It definitely gets better...

Onna!! Matsuri no Kokoro Iki (Woman!! The Spirit of the Festival) by. Hatsuho Shinonome (Maaya Uchida)

Time to get fired up again! And seriously, I dare you not to shake your body or smile as soon as this song begins. Because you certainly would! On a glance, this sounded and showed the traces of being the Kanna Kirishima's style of the new generation. But with one obvious twist: It's... AWESOME!!! Kanna is a good character, but her solo numbers rarely appealed to my taste. Suffice to say, this song took the best parts of her numbers and blended it into one spot. I've always loved this song ever since the MV came out. And this full, almost-5-minutes, version with extra arrangements just sounded... MINDBLOWING. One would argue that a bulk of this song was instrumental, with Maaya Uchida as the Matsuri's (Festival) Miko shouting her commanding cues. That is undeniably true. But listen closely, and you'll get why I or anyone would dig this. If you have been keeping up with me, you'll know that traditional tunes from various countries fascinate me. So it should come natural that I'm a sucker to festival songs like this. Especially with that mix of heavy metal rock guitar building up towards the dynamic duo of the energizing Taiko beat and an iconic whistling of Shakuhachi that added the authenticity of things. Wagakki Band, anyone? Aaaaaahhhhh... and Kouhei-sensei just HAD to slip in that speedy CRAZY-sounding piano bit! *applause* Just like Lancelot's song, this made me feel like I was being transported to Tokyo or Kyoto, attending and witnessing an actual Summer celebration. Uchida, a good singer, didn't perform this in her smooth vocal style. But she shouldn't! This is something you sing at ease while plainly having fun. Being all out and letting loose is basically the key! For the first time in Sakura Taisen's music history, I've bumped into a song that I simply don't want to sing along. Instead, I would DIE for the chance to participate in that Taiko play. Oh my, I need to see this in a live performance. You TOTALLY need to hear this! And dance along if you will... PS: If there's any gripe about this, it's when Hatsuho and the background voices are yelling "Oisa!" (literally means "Hey!"?). It tends to sound "Oisa, Osa, Usa, USO, USO, USO!". "Uso" means "Lies", and ends up giving it a misogynist feel by accident. The message of this song is that a woman is the spirit of the festival. Girl power! Feminism! But then there's these choir of ALL MALE that seemingly shouts "Lies, Lies, Lies!". That's pretty contradictory, eh? I know I'm totally making too much of a big deal out of this, but it honestly bugs me out...

Ninja Azami (Azami the Ninja) by. Azami Mochizuki (Hibiku Yamamura)

We haven't left Japan, as indicated by another tune of Shakuhachi and Koto, preparing us for the next performer. It's a familiar tune that many have heard in "Naruto", "Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger", or other feudal Japan-themed series. And the title had already said it all. This is the biographical description of Azami, as Shin Hanagumi's resident ninja-in-training. But as soon as it entered the verse (as you could hear in the MV), the sensation changed pretty significantly. No longer a serious Shinobi song, it morphed into the franchise's usual playful little girl song. Yes, even though Azami is technically older than Iris Chateaubriand, Coquelicot or Rikaritta Aries! She mentioned her hobby on practicing the various ninja scrolls, and even her love to eat snacks like Manjuu during breaks. Yare yare... With just 3:28 minutes, this is the second shortest song after "Shin GEKITEI". Obviously, the tempo does play a role in that. Hibiku Yamamura is a Sakura Taisen fan, yet she had the shortest solo number in the album. Somewhat ironic, isn't it? Nonetheless, she did a fantastic job. In fact, her unique voice remains consistent throughout the album, and that's worthy to be praised. I liked the traditional Japanese feel in this, but it also had too many speaking lines for my taste. Still, I'll gladly take this bouncy and head-bopping fun tune over Sakura's anytime. PS: Both Yamamura and Ana's VA made guests appearances more than once during the monthly Teigeki Report, which apparently will still going next year (probably until the TV series airs?). So you can hear them sharing personal experiences and stories on those videos. It's insightful, that's for sure!

Kaereru Basho (A Place to Return to) by. Anastasia Palma (Ayaka Fukuhara)

Goodness! I've been itching to arrive to this song. A good song is one that tells a story. Just like the previous songs, this one does the same, but with a deeper meaning and values. Ana is most definitely the "sexy Onee-san" archetype of this game, complete with having a curvaceous figure (reminds me of Rangiku in "BLEACH", wait a sec...). But personality-wise, the Greek lady gave off this mysterious, unpredictable vibe. She's like a mix of mature Maria Tachibana, with a vibe of Glycine Bleumer and Soletta Orihime's European presence, but with a cloudy past of Hanabi Kitaouji, and the hidden sides of Reni Milchstrasse or Subaru Kujou. If I had to describe it in one word, she's puzzling. However, there's one trait that she's been constantly identified with: she's an actress. It thoroughly commanded the message of the lyrics. But I digress. Was the whole song really all about Ana's passion for acting? There seemed to be more than meet the eye. From what I gather, there's an underlying hint of a journey of sadness, past events or eras that had emerged and faded, beloved people that had come and gone. In short, she basically acted her way through the ups and downs of her life. A coping mechanism, perhaps? Laughing away loneliness, a facade of her true emotions. And what did she mean by "A Place to Return to"? Was it the stage, or acting, or just like many of previous Sakura Taisen's heroine: someone to go home to? Or someone who can finally discover and understand her real self? I need to either play the game or watch the TV series to confirm that. Now that I'm older (and wiser? Naaaah), this is my idea of a good song. It asks you to listen, pay attention, and also feel challenged to try to figure it out. This was the longest Shin Hanagumi and solo song of the album. You'll understand why it needed to be that long to be good. The moment that alluring piano intro kicked in, and the violin started to seep in, it's classy and elegant as hell. Ayaka Fukuhara stated that this was a challenge to sing, and indeed it is. It should be. Even though the vocal range wasn't as demanding as Elise's opera, the pitch work was exceptional! She gradually went from a lower tone to higher and higher. It sounded like the aura of the room changed every time another verse began (due to the modulation, as well as the flow of passion and emotions), seemingly depicting Ana's many masks. And those sharp notes? Oh my, oh my, OH MY!!! No wonder Subaru's VA, Mie Sonozaki (who is a prolific singer herself) congratulated Fukuhara on doing such a fine job. This is another highlight of the album for me and my favorite Shin Hanagumi character song by far. Now, where can I get the off-vocal version? Because I totally want to try singing this song... PS: Similar to Elise, voice-wise, Ana is one of my favorites due to her range and distinct pronunciation style. She can go mezzo-soprano and heavy, but also high and soprano. I strongly enjoyed that versatility is utilized wonderfully in this song.

Rondo (Round Dance) by. Clarissa Snowflake (Saori Hayami)

You're watching a European-based fairy tale romance. What happens at the end, when the one true love has been found and all evil that stands in the way has perished? They hold a gala, where everyone waltzes into a happily ever after... That is the core of this whole song, a composition that Kouhei-sensei described it as feeling "like a movie". As a character, Claris fancies herself reading books (nerd alert! Hahaha), and I think many of her scenes in the game takes place in the library. But she also writes stories and loves to fantasize about a paradise filled with mermaids and magical elements. Perhaps because she alone wields a magic book. And her dream is to dance with someone while surrounded by those things. Those are the essence of the simple but poetic lyrics. I admit, when I first heard it, I was taken aback by the decision to putting this track as the final Hanagumi song. But now it makes perfect sense. It easily serves as a calm and astonishingly perfect capper to a series of solo songs, a grand celebration to conclude a colorful parade. My knowledge of reed or woodwind instruments is poor, so I couldn't tell if it was an Ocarina or another type that played in the intro. I'm not sure if that's native to Luxembourg too. One thing for sure, the medieval melody would naturally pierce through your soul, until that graceful combo of Lute or acoustic guitar (again, sorry if I'm bad at names) and harp soothed you into a more familiar space. Then suddenly, the song changed tone halfway through and turned into full folk song mode. Yes, the Kouhei-sensei style I told you before. Someone on Youtube mentioned that this reminded him/her of Disney's "Tangled". Well, I can attest that the catchy interlude was very true to that notion. To think that this song arrived while "Frozen 2" is still playing. Such a great coincidence! Saori Hayami is a great singer, known for her gorgeous legato siren-like vocals. Just like Ana (oh hey, fellow non-Japanese Shin Hanagumi), I'm beyond happy that this song fully made use of her unique charm. Especially once it got into that royal ballroom dance chorus, reminiscent of Orihime's image song. It didn't take long for me to imagine Claris as the protagonist, dancing with her prince (or princess, if that's her thing. Right, Hallmark?) in a grand finale of her fictional story. Speaking of which, I'm still confused as to why Hayami's name is always placed at the end. Even though the promotions clearly showed that Claris is one of the first members of the team. Could it be that she's a "special cast member" type, like in Hollywood movies? That would make sense... Another highlight of the album, another personal favorite (that I've been humming and singing unconsciously on repeat), this clocked as the second-longest solo of the album. But just like the previous number, I doubt anyone would complain. You only need to close your eyes and just start swaying left to right, back, and front. Take your beloved person's hand, embrace him/her tightly, and just follow the musical flow. Dance the day or night away, with much joy and passion! PS: The official MV wrote the title as "RONDE". I still go with "RONDO" because pretty sure that's a typo, considering even the French (one of Luxembourg's official language) equivalent is "RONDEAU". Rondo itself is a musical form that refers to a theme that keeps coming back around. But in Japanese, the kanji can also be read as "RINBU" which means "Round Dance".

Next: the final part of the review, featuring voices old and new, and my overall impression...

Video is available on SEGA Official Youtube Channel. "Shin Sakura Taisen" is produced by SEGA, and RED Entertainment. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.