#i get why its an otome only a small group of us are interested in exploring the topics they touch on about them being actual vampires

[alstroemeriadissonance]

NXX Mystery Theater: Once Upon (Several) Midnights Dreary (Part 1)

I woke up from my after work nap to the most dreadful thing ever: for once, after 2 months since I started this blog, I found myself having writer's block. This, after 2 months of my writing diarrhea. It feels fucking horrible.

To the rescue comes my husband, who, I am totally amazed to find out, started rattling off story ideas that aren't random, because

as it turns out, HE HAS READ UP ON TEARS ON THEMIS LORE AFTER SEEING ME TOTALLY CONSUMED BY IT. My husband. READING UP ON OTOME BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE LOVE INTERESTS ARE WELL WRITTEN CHARACTERS. And he knows what the four dudes are about, which is why, folks, we have this fucking story right here.

Dedicated to my husband, who rightfully knows that Artem wouldn't be of use in this kind of situation as is Marius, and that Luke and Vyn are the only ones along with Rosa who can fucking save the day.

Premise: A lead brings the NXX Investigations Team to a small coastal island. Several nights, each bringing with it its own mystery.

Day 1: Daytime Phase (Introduction)

"This is the first and last time I'll endure a two-hour boat ride," mumbled Artem, a hand covering his mouth. His other hand, white-knuckled, gripped the rails by the speedboat's prow.

Indeed, he didn't look good--he was sweating bullets and his complexion was sickly pale. Still, he tried his hardest to compose himself and hide the immense discomfort that threatened his stomach to once again empty its contents where there is nothing left to vomit out.

The speedboat was moored by the small pier jutting off the side of the island and already stationary, but the waves lapping at the side of the island made the small craft gently sway side to side at an angle that made Artem's stomach twist even more.

"I did tell everyone to lay off the caffeine." Vyn handed Artem a bottle of cold mineral water, which was downed in a matter of seconds. "Drinking several cups before a boat trip is just asking for it."

Vyn patiently waited for Artem to collect himself--he was the group's doctor, after all--and threw a glance at Luke and Marius who went ahead of them and are now wading in the shallow ocean water.

Luke and Marius were setting up the ramp so the rest of the passengers, Artem, Vyn and Rosa can use it to disembark the small craft and cross over to the pier.

"You two, hurry up will you?" Vyn called out to them. "Our lawyer here will have to vomit his guts out next the longer he stays on the boat!"

"Then tell him to jump off the boat and join us!" Marius hollered back from the shore. With a grunt, he hefted the heavy wooden plank over his shoulders.

Luke quickly caught the other end of the plank and helped guide it to the side of the speedboat's prow, with Marius placing his end of the plank on the pier's timber bridge.

"There!" Marius wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve. "You guys can get off now!"

Rosa hurriedly hoisted up as much baggage as her arms can hold (to make up for Artem's inability to hold anything even the contents of his stomach) before nimbly crossing the plank, hopping off onto the rickety wooden pier.

"Careful now," Vyn grunted under his breath as he half-dragged, half-carried the clearly unwell Artem along the narrow plank. "Wouldn't want you to fall into the water and compromise the mission before it even starts..."

"Ugh," Artem wanted to deliver a retort but was literally physically unable to do so.

===

"All right, I think that's everything." Marius had double-checked the luggage and supplies sitting by their feet, the group still on the pier. Then he craned his neck around, checking if there were any other people within earshot.

His voice falls into a whisper audible only among their group. "We're still clear. This is the only time I'm glad the welcoming party is late. Let's run down the basics, one more time."

"Again, only Marius and I will go by our real names." Vyn reminded the group. "We would prefer going incognito, but we both stand out too much and the moment it is found out that our identities are falsified, our investigation will be for naught."

"Now, you three, state your names once again just to make sure we do not accidentally forget and call you by another name."

"Lily," said Rosa.

"Louis," said Luke.

Artem cleared his throat, and said in a rather weak voice "Anthony."

"And our cover story?" Vyn asked to check if everyone is on the same page, one more time before they are picked up from the pier.

"Marius has rented the private resort area of this island to celebrate his upcoming graduation. He invited you, his teacher, and us three, his friends," Luke said. "Simple, really."

"Good," Vyn nodded. "Though once we get out of earshot of other people, we shall do what Luke--Louis--has suggested and use our codenames. Are we clear?"

"Yeah."

"Yeap."

"Urp--yes."

"You don't have to speak out loud, man. Maybe just nod or something." Marius said wryly. "We don't want you throwing up all over yourself."

"Maybe if you were a better helmsman my condition could be avoided," muttered Artem, hand still over his mouth.

"I think that is our ride." Vyn noted the vehicle approaching them and, being the assigned teacher in their cover story, took it upon himself to play the role of the responsible guardian. He approached the Jeep-type automobile as it pulled over nearby.

The windshield by the driver's side rolled down. "Party of von Hagen?" called out the gruff-looking driver.

"Yes, that is us." Vyn held out his hand to the driver. "I am his professor. Dr. Vyn Richter."

"Pleasure," he caught Vyn's hand a gave it a brief shake. "Hop on in then," said the driver. "You are all just in time for lunch."

===

After a short fifteen minute drive to their lodgings conveniently located a short walking distance to the beach, the group were shown inside into a rather charming cottage-style building.

Each having handed their own keys, everyone stowed away their belongings in their own rooms located in the second floor of the building.

While almost everyone decided to take their lunch together downstairs, Artem chose to stay in his room for a bit to recover from his severe bout of seasickness, with much regret.

The group was told to convene in the communal dining area in the first floor, where they (sans Artem) took their seats around a large dining table. The staff has also given them the heads up that the owner of the property would be personally greeting them over lunch.

"This is a nice place," Rosa noted as her eyes took in the predominantly white decor liberally accented with latticework. "Exactly what I had in mind when I think of a vacation home."

"Rather simple and elegant, yes." Vyn hummed appreciatively. "Tell me, Lily, do you want this style for our future ho--"

"Vyn," Marius interjected. "For god's sake man. Stop shamelessly flirting with her."

"I was not flirting," Vyn grinned, his smile not entirely reaching his eyes. "I was merely confirming details with my...girlfriend." He then turned to Rosa, who kept silent as a deep blush bloomed across her face.

Luke was going to retort something when a couple of household staff entered the dining hall, the butler pushing a trolley with a maid closing following him.

After them, a well-dressed young blonde man in his twenties strode into the hall, a polite smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you, everyone," he said as he took his place by the head of the table, making a point to look at each of them before speaking further. "I'm not exactly the owner of this place, but I am the second son of the family. I am Laurent Leiseg, but you can call me Laurent."

"This is a nice place you got here, Laurent," Marius said, briefly standing up to offer his hand to the host. "Marius von Hagen."

"Yes, you are rather easy to identify," Laurent said with a jovial grin as he took Marius's hand and shook it firmly. "I am very, very honored that the PAX scion has graced us with his presence. Your group is our first ever guests as well, after we started opening part of this island as a resort."

The next hour was spent with pleasantries spent over good food.

"That...that really exceeded my expectations. I'm really full...say, Laurent, are there any recommended spots here where we can take a walk? Rosa inquired, polite smile on her face.

Rosa and her companions knew that it was already time to try and get out of their watch, so they could survey the area before it got too dark.

"The beach, of course. Also you can enjoy a bit of foliage even if you skirt the shoreline." Laurent stood up from his chair, giving everyone a polite nod. "I am afraid I have to go now--I still have work to do in our main estate."

On his way out, however, Laurent paused in his tracks to turn around and said "Oh right...before I forget, just keep to the shoreline when you take your walks." His face no longer has the jovial smile on it. "Do not ever wander inside the forest, at late hours especially."

Vyn made a show of being curious. "Oh? May I ask why we shouldn't go there?"

"Oh, just some groundless superstition," Laurent replied before resuming his way out of the building. "You know. Old wive's tales."

Day 1: Nighttime Phase (The Beginning)

NXX Group Chat

Marius: No sign of Artem yet?

Luke: None here.

Vyn: None as well in my vicinity.

Rosa: I'm really worried.

Marius: Shit. We totally messed up big time.

Vyn: I have spoken with Laurent. He is rather blasé about Artem's disappearance and has claimed that he probably took a walk somewhere out of boredom.

Luke: Did you even tell him that he is not the type to wander off like that? Also, he was too sick to even move by himself

Vyn: It would be pointless in doing so. I can only see any further questioning merely deflected. I would rather spend my time looking for our colleague.

Rosa: Same.

Vyn: Everyone. Please keep this in mind. After reading this specific message, reply with "okay" so I know you understand and have read this carefully; this is very important. Do not, I repeat, do not show that you are worried about Artem. Act as if you are enjoying your time here. We do not want to raise their suspicion. If you need to talk about Artem, or if you have discovered anything regarding Artem and his whereabouts, do so here in this chat. Keep your phones with you, and sufficiently charged at all times. Also, in the event that we suddenly lose our phone signal and cannot talk like this, meet me by our lodging's entrance. I will think of a way to communicate covertly. Are we clear?

Luke: Okay.

Rosa: Okay.

Marius: Damn Vyn, that is so fucking wordy but I have read each and every word--okay

Vyn: Good. Luke, have you checked if there are people in the perimeter around the forest?

Luke: Yes. I have yet to find a footpath that would allow us to sneak around undetected. If we don't want to be caught or raise their suspicion, there's no way we can sneak in there to continue our search.

Luke: The foliage is too thick too. If my suspicions are correct they may have laid out traps to detect if there's anyone trying to enter the forest.

Vyn: Then unfortunately we will need to wait until the sunrise before we can continue.

Marius: Shit, Vyn, why should we fucking wait? From right this moment til tomorrow sunrise anything could happen to Artem!

Vyn: Because of this one major detail. I suggest everyone sit down before I type this out.

Marius:...we're waiting Vyn

Vyn: Everyone now seated? Good.

Vyn: Our speedboat is missing. Someone or some people are clearly out waiting for us to slip.

Vyn set down his smartphone on his desk.

The writing desk is cluttered with unraveled candy wrappers taken from the large bag of candies he brought along for the trip. The hard candies were originally for his and Rosa's consumption, but now due to the dire situation they will need to be repurposed.

Carefully he grouped the wrappers according to flavor--he was doing so for the distinct color of each flavor--and with a pen started scribbling single words onto the underside of the wrappers. Once done, he re-wrapped the candies with the same papers.

Things are going south too fast for us to come up with contingency measures.

"I hope Artem is okay."

[ikeservant]

Hello hope you are doing well!!! Can I ask for hc for Kenshin, Ieyasu, and Hideyoshi (or anyone else you want) discovering that MC is a hardcore otaku who thirsts over anime/otome boys😂😂? Maybe Sasuke gotta help explain to the warlords what even anime/otome is XD Thank you all the time I love your stuff!!!

Ahh thank you so much!I love this prompt lol! I’m dummy weak thinking about a bunch of 1500s warlords finding out in the future that people write headcanons/fanfics/fanart of them dream about fictional dudes. I’m people 😂. Also put what genre/type of anime they’d be into if they were able to be introduced to anime and manga.

Kenshin: Probably thought that Sasuke and MC were siblings because of her using similar weird words and fangirling during the weirdest times. Sasuke would explain to him how from their time that stories and tales were widespread and had vivid illustrations that people would gather around and develop a fanbase. Would be very confused to see keychains and anime merch from MC’s bag from the future. When he asked why there were decorations of 2D men, MC excitedly explained how they were all “best boys” and tell their stories and tales, meanwhile Kenshin was glaring daggers at these fictional men that pose a threat. “Kenshin your yandere side is showing. You are the bestest boy and you’re the only one I want to wifey up.” He’ll have to ask Sasuke what half of that sentence meant, but he was pleased that he was the 3D man that she chose. If MC could bring back some manga/anime for Kenshin, he’d be in love with any war/gore and action based ones. Not necessarily for characters but how cool the action and fight scenes are and wants to try them out with Sasuke (run Sasuke).

Ieyasu: Was very confused when they first met and MC was very eager and pushy to get to know him better. “Why are you following me, you weakling?” “I know you’re a tsundere. You’re hard on the outside but gooey on the inside. I’ve played so many routes with tsunderes that I shall uncover you in no time. Just like the simulations!” *cue Ieyasu thinking MC is absolutely insane and going the complete opposite direction*. Eventually MC grew on him and he did end up softening up and falling in love (JUST LIKE THE SIMULATIONS! SCORE FOR MC). Would find a lot of the terminology MC uses weird but still made him want to learn what it meant.  Did not know what “I ship it” meant when MC chuckled that when he started complaining about Mitsunari, but rest assured will gag when he finds out. Startles MC when they’re laying in bed and he says “I.. ship us.” awkwardly trying to use her weeb terminology, earning a kiss for this cute tsundere 😉. If MC could bring back some manga/anime, he’d be very intrigued with complex characters and plots that have both dark and light elements and have an overall empowering message. Relates to characters that have a tragic backstory but endure and grow stronger and roots for them in the end. (Might imagine MC as the love interest but don’t tell MC that)

Hideyoshi: Now the first thing coming out of MC’s mouth when he decided to trust her and smile at MC while offering to be friends and help carry the vase she was carrying was “A-am I witnessing gap moe in real life?” with a look of utter awe. This confused the heck out of him, “M-my name’s Hideyoshi. Who’s Gap-Moe?” Eventually would get used to the random terminology, although very confused. When he saw the anime themed keychains and wallet in MC’s purse and asked about it, he should’ve prepared tea because that was a looong lecture that he understood nothing of but found it adorable how excited MC was talking about it. “Wait so what are fangirls?” “You know those girls in town that rush to you and gush over you? Those are fangirls. My fangirl group just goes after fictional guys.”, making him confused even more while also lowkey wishing MC was his fangirl and wondering if he is a fanboy for MC (spoiler alert: he IS. And he’s a fanboy for Nobunga). Made him realize how much MC made his kokoro go doki doki (this is the most otaku trash phrase I’ve ever said). If MC could bring manga/anime, he’d love anime where good trumps evil and heroes defeat villains because he loves imagining defeating injustice and having a happy ending for Japan while defeating the cruel enemies and rivals around Nobunga. Also loves emotional/heart wrenching love story manga and anime that make you cry and get hit hard in the feels with the characters b/c he’s such a romantic with a big heart. Would hug the hell out of MC after finishing of any of those types of series while saying that he will always love her‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

Bonuses b/c I thought they’d be fun:

Shingen: Literally finds anything about MC fascinating, and the fact that they’re passionate about fictional stories and are so emotionally touched by them made him love that MC had a big heart, even for fictional characters. Gets a lil jealous when MC starts fawning over specific fictional dudes. When MC and Shingen are a couple and she starts talking about one of her fictional baes he’d probably literally sweep her off her feet and say something cheesy like “But can he do this” and swoop in for dat kiss. Would probably find his own meaning in the terminology and use it. “This is my waifu, my goddess, I am her biggest fanboy.” is how he’d probably introduce MC as (swoon). If MC could bring manga/anime, he’d be a hardcore sucker for romance anime and would reenact many of the romantic scenes, even the confession scenes. “Shingen we’re married. This is the 45th time you’ve confessed to me.” “But not like from this anime (´•ω•̥`). Would also like detective/mystery series bc he likes unraveling mysteries and plays behind the scenes.

Yukimura: “Not another Sasuke-speaker.” Would be hanging out with MC and Sasuke and listening to the weird terminologies. Would also probably make fun of MC at first for her fantasizing about fictional men and having merch of them saying “Is that cuz you can’t get a real life man?” (cue the heated arguing). Would eventually be intrigued by some of the story plots MC tells him and would eventually fall for her nerdiness and everything. Would ask Sasuke for help on coming up how to confess to MC like in the anime and otome games she talks about (A for effort, my boy). Would be a blushy puddle but puff his chest out if MC fangirled over him. If MC could bring anime and manga, he’d freaking LOVE superhero anime bc he just wants to save everyone and do whats right and he just looks like the type of dude that loves superheroes and superpowers and gets pumped when the hero defeats the bad guy.

Mitsuhide: Would be curious about these strange, foreign words MC says, even though its just fangirl lingo from 500 years in the future. Would probably tease MC if they had any keychains or small merch of anime characters. “Why have a pocket-sized man to love if there’s a full sized one right here.” 😉. Would find it very creative that there’s so many diverse stories and characters. Loves when MC gets excited talking about story plots, gets a lil jealous and tries steering the topic away from thirsting over the dudes. Would probably confess his feelings by saying “Is there a real life story about a kitsune falling for a foolish mouse and they become lovers for eternity?” “Not that I know of.” “Want to make that story happen?”. Would love speaking modern slang and otaku terms with MC because its like their own little love language and it also pisses Hideyoshi off since he doesn’t understand wtf they’re saying. If MC brought manga/anime, would love psychological based horror, seeing how characters react to scary situations and what’s the mental breaking point to madness, or plots with mind games and outwitting opponents bc he’s all about that big brain and likes seeing characters creatively outsmart enemies. Likes characters that are morally gray/antihero that do good but do so in unorthodox ways bc he relates to them (and is secretly smug if MC says they need more love bc it feels like she’s saying that about him too). Likes stories w/ bittersweet endings because he likes seeing the beauty in things while acknowledging the harshness and cruelty of life as well.

[astro-break]

Quick first thoughts on the first ep of the Hypmic Anime. Spoilers beware (and im writing this as I watch so :p)

Otome’s speech is.... questionable from a persuasive point of view. Manga did a great job of introducing her (which you can read here) but they really cut out the more terrifying parts of her speech and how she uses force to show people that she's not to be messed with

Its cool seeing everyone in their respective environments though. thats cool. Though they could have added Sasara and Kuuko (shhh i know why they didn’t let me dream)

I love how poppy the typography is. Its amazing how the visuals just leap out at you. The OP does a great job of this. The first few seconds before the title really gives me Persona 4 OG OP vibes with the influx of information given. The rest is a clear concise and streamlined way that still gives character. Animation is sparse but still carries across a general idea of each character and shows off each character object. Rendering is really nice and pays a bit of homage to the posing artwork thats done for the MVs. They also do their division hand signals and thats cute

Love how the OP has blatant HifuDoppo and DRB matchup foreshadowing

so far I really like what theyre going for. BB is about brotherly familial bonds and they show the goods and the bads. Jiro and Saburo bickering right out the gate really cements the fact that they get along like cats and dogs but you can still see that they love each other, working together when the situation calls for it

Now the 3d models. Theyre... not great but usable if you don’t look too hard. They serve their purpose and don’t actively detract from the viewing experience.

Visual typography in the rap itself are fun and poppy but they dont.... speak to me? like theyre there yes and I appreciate them but the only ones that got me excited were from Ichiro’s rap

I take my words back the group portion was kickass and I apologize

I love how they interpret the Hypnosis Speakers though. Esp. Saburo’s organs. That was super creative and I love it! If there was one thing that I felt was missing from the franchise was a deeper exploration of the speakers but the anime puts a new and fresh spin on it! Love it, especially with their attack patterns!

If the production team ever feels inclined to, Id love to see those info sheets on Otome’s desk released. There seems to be very interesting info and stats written out about each member (like capabilities, personal status etc.) They all seem unique too so I really really really hope they release images of those sheets

OOOOOOOOKAY MTC. I have such a big biased for them so Im very torn to see what unfolds

Rio striking out on his own is interesting. Out of everyone in MTC hes the biggest team player yet here he trusts his teammates to go ahead. This either displays Rio’s willingness to trust his teammates or it becomes very OOC if the anime wants to set him up as a lone wolf like character

I love how they specify its a drug deal. It means that Jyuto surely will show up and it also shows that Samatoki knows Jyuto’s motives and willingly gives black market info that he knows aligns with Jyuto’s goal. Thats A+ detail writing there and a great establishing characteristic for both of them

OOohhhhhhhhhhhhh man Asunama-san’s voice acting is god tier his work as Samatoki is phenomenal. He pulls of Samatoki’s threatening voice so well with those almost calm words before his voice becomes loud and confrontational. Those rolling syllables in contrast to Komada-san’s almost lyrical and airy speech and Kamio-san’s strict and enunciated words is such a delight to hear. It just speaks to how amazing and great these Seiyuu’s are in order to pull of such amazing work

Im so biased but MTC has such a better rap than BB im so sorry. Just by watching Samatoki’s part, the imagery is amazing. Even the arrival of his Hypnosis Speaker was awesome and sent a shiver down my spine. using the lyrics to form blades and blood was such a great thing to do. Theres so much more variety that just him standing there and shots of his hypnosis speaker. The old fashioned vignette shots, the four panel spread, the nods to old Kurosawa era films are great and I love these small details. Even the typography looks better.

Again, the interpretations with the speakers is fresh and new. Its great and I love the different imagery and attack patterns. Each one is so unique but carries across each different style of rap.

The 3d modles aren’t any better tho lol

(Hi this is Astro who is reading over their assessment again and making a note. Yeah I’m a bit harsh on BB’s rap. I’m not going to change it since I still stand by it and this post is supposed to be a documentation of my first impressions. I think one of the reasons why I’m so harsh on BB is because of their dynamic as a trio of brothers. They Have to have a more uniform approach than the other divisions. Which in of itself isn’t a terrible thing, it just doesn’t catch my eye as much as MTC did. Thats all! I definitely don’t hate BB, they’re maybe my 3rd favorite division out of the current lineup [not including TDD era teams like Kujaku Posse, MCD, and Naughty Busters] its just that their rap was pretty meh)

Samatoki crouching like a real gangstar and the cigarette kiss killed me

sadjkhfjkasdghsadjkcsdjhsdfsjhf im dying i love these trio of dumbasses so uch oh y fod someone save me aaaaaaaa (Astro note here! yeah i died when the jyuto and samatoki’s stomach growled im weak please. Samatoki’s face is just so precious and funny I might set it as a profile pic somewhere)

But also my initial assessment of Rio possibly being characterized as a lone wolf is very much jossed and im very thankful for that. It seems that Rio was simply trusting his teammates to carry out their part of the plan while he carried out his own. I like that, it really shows how much of a team these three are and that they genuinely trust each other. He’s also comfortable enough around them to invite them to dinners after work casually and not just for special occasions.

I really love MTC guys

Oooh! we get Ramuda on his design process which is really cute. the inside of his studio is super cute and retro and i love it. the poppy old music you would hear in a cafe or 90′s resturaunt is also really cute (astro note: yeah i know that in ARB you see the interior of Ramuda’s office but its kinda different seeing it animated)

the translation i have has gentaro speaking in early modern english (Shakespearian english for those who aren’t english nerds like me) but from what I can hear, he doesn’t speak in a particularly old fashioned way? Its more formal than old? and hes speaking without any of his character persona lying thing that he likes to do (as he refers to himself as “Shousei” throughout the segment where hes in Ramuda’s office which is kind of his default pronoun of choice). so its kinda odd for the translation to go in that direction but im not complaining

Gendice banter is gold but it feels... flat? a little? it doesn’t have the same impact as in the drama cds or in the manga? i feel? Also Ramuda using gratuitous english is??? idk how to feel about that

kjshf thats against the rules Ramuda omgggg,,,,,,,, (astro note again: while watching i was under the assumption that using your hypmic for monetary gain such a as buskering [which is what FP is doing] is against the rules. May not be the case but whatever)

FP’s rap might be my favorite in terms of tune and lyrics though. It’s a nice laid back bop and really gives of chill vibes. the integration of 3d and 2d is really nice and i love how they play off each other in the rap. The wordplay is so fun with little nods here and there and the beat is poppy too so it really energizes me.

Ramuda’s rap concerns me slightly since he makes very subtle and small nods towards his past (being created in a laboratory, warfare, and his overall very unpleasant life experiences) but spins it into something cutesy. It could be a coping mechanism, it could be me overthinking it. But it does make me worry a bit. Gentaro and Dice’s rap really play off each other with Gentaro sticking to stories and Dice taking up the baton by carrying on that same imagery but putting his own spin on it.

the self awareness of how scattered they are as a team is interesting though. It doesn’t seem like something you’d speak about in a rap? but i guess since its not really a do or die situation they can afford to be looser on things like this.

Right off the bat, i don’t like how they handled Hifumi and Doppo in relation to Hifumi’s fear of women. Slug made a post once talking about this and I echo many of his sentiments. Hypmic has never been very tactful about tackling this particular issue and while I didn’t have high hopes that the anime would be any better it hurts to see Doppo take away the one thing that allows Hifumi to function within society.

Doppo’s breakdown mirrors a lot of my own mental state when I spiral though its shown a lot quicker than what happens to me oof. that hits close to home. though Jakurai’s advice is. Questionable. Its not the best advice to give to someone but we have no idea what kind of doctor Jakurai is so ill let it slide

Jakurai’s pose looks like hes going to do a mahou shoujou transformation lmao

I don’t have many thoughts about the rap though again. How they visualize the rap is interesting. the different imagery is quite interesting for each of them and the typography is nice a distinct but im still on the fence about the visuals here

The sound is in the same boat. The sound effects either drown out the rap or are too quet but some parts are nice at least. When they talk about Tokyo’s beating heart, the heartbeat sound is a but distracting especially since its only played once. But the imagery is at least nice

I wonder if for the eds they’re going to take a similar approach to what Enstars did and have a four different endings, one for each division. I love the blend of styles here and it really accentuates that although they’re different they mesh well together.

Ramuda’s silhouette though is hilarious. Love it.

:p and thats it. Uh not bad for a first episode. Established all 12 characters really nicely and their dynamics. I had some problems with it but then again nothing is perfect. I look forward to what they show us next week

[thesunnyshow]

Name: reya

Writing Blog URL(s): @chu-ni

Age: 19

Nationality: african-british

Languages: english, swahili, korean

Star Sign: libra

MBTI: enfp/entp (it always changes lol)

Favorite color: purple!

Favorite food: i really love chicken burgers

Favorite movie: princess and the frog

Favorite ice cream flavor: vanilla!!

Favorite animal: elephants

Go-to karaoke song: fancy - twice

Coffee or tea? What are you ordering? caramel frappe with whipped cream, in general i prefer tea though

Dream job (whether you have a job or not)? secretary general at the UN….or an author

If you could have one superpower, what would you choose? making anyone agree with me and do what i want them to do

If you could visit a historical era, which would you choose? ancient egypt!!

If you could restart your life, knowing what you do now, would you?.....no.

Would you rather fight 100 chicken-sized horses or one horse-sized chicken? neither if i could lmfao but i’d go for 100 chicken sized horses

If you were a trope in a teen high school movie, what would you have been? the nerd who’s actually really pretty after she gets a cool makeover 

Do you believe in aliens/supernatural creatures? im not sure about aliens, but i definitely believe in ghosts and spirits.

What are some small things that make your day better? when i can have moments to myself to enjoy my own company. or when someone asks me what i want to eat and they bring it for me 🥺

Fun fact about yourself that not everyone would know? uhm…...probably the fact that i write fanfiction lol..but outside of that! i sing in the shower. and i talk to myself a lot.

What fandom(s) do you write for? nct dream currently, but in the future i want to expand to other groups!

When did you post your first piece? 17th of June 2018.

Do you write fluff/angst/crack/general/smut, combo, etc? Why? i can never write just one genre. predominantly i write fluff with a dash of angst for spice simply because i love a story that has an issue and then having that issue be resolved for a happy ending. when i started my blog i was 17, and so i said i wouldn't write smut. now that i'm older im feeling more and more comfortable writing suggestive content at the very LEAST.. so maybe in the future i might write smut, who knows? i like writing fluff because i like making people feel good, but i like adding angst to it because i feel like the contrast between the two is very *chefs kiss* to me.

Do you write OCs, X Readers, Ships...etc? i only write x readers!

Why did you decide to write for Tumblr? i first got tumblr when i was 13 years old and i was a fresh kpop fan lmfao. i wanted somewhere that shared my interests. of course i discovered x reader fics on here and i was in awe, i guess of how much power writers had in contributing to fandom content and keeping readers satiated. i’d always loved to write and so i’d always wanted to start my own writing blog, and for 2 years i did write for other blogs! it wasnt until 2018 that i finally took the leap and decided to start my own, because i wanted to impact people's emotions and take them on a journey through my writing.

What inspires you to write? what inspires me….teen movies, music!! music is a big one for me, and also the books that i read. i also grew up playing otome games so the plots and writing from those influence my writing a lot.

What genres/AUs do you enjoy writing the most? i really enjoy writing royalty!aus as well as exes!aus. i love to do them cause they require me to build a world and with royalty aus specifically i love weaving together bits of political intrigue, or arranged marriages, etc. its so much fun!!

What do you hope your readers take away from your work? that if this world is too rough or too much, you can always escape from it. it might not be physical, but immersing yourself in a universe that's entirely different for a little while can help soothe you.

What do you do when you hit a rough spot creatively? usually i try and take breaks. the problem with that is that my breaks can go on for longer than i’d like and im trying to fix that. so my other solution is to read read read!! read as much as i can, or go back to books that i loved. ask myself what i liked about the writing, what are some parts that i thought were amazing examples of good writing - i note them down then see if i can apply that to my own work. another thing i do is take a break from writing my longer, fleshed out works and write blurbs! blurbs are a great way for me to write but not feel like its tedious because i don't have to spend as much time on them and it gets me into the groove of writing without feeling stressed out.

What is your favorite work and why? Your most successful? my favourite piece of work is miscommunication. it took me months to write that, even after i lost all the work halfway through, and its the longest piece of work i have written so far, so its kinda like my baby. my most successful is candy jar. its also the work i owe my blog exposure to - it was the first piece i published, and it was also the first piece of writing i did in around 4 years.

Who is your favorite person to write about? i don't have much out for them, but i really enjoy exploring mark’s and jeno’s characters. they're people, but in my work i enjoy analysing them and judging how they’d act in different contexts.

Do you think there’s a difference between writing fanfiction vs. completely original prose? the only difference for me is that fanfiction (depending on the fandom) has some of the stuff fleshed out for you already, such as the world its in. if youre the type to write AUs then the only thing you already have is the characters - the planning, the writing, the drafting, and everything else is still the writer's responsibility. therefore there isn't much of a difference between the two for me.

What do you think makes a good story?  a good story, to me, is one that takes me on a journey. it could be any genre, but i like to feel immersed and connected to the characters and the world in it. also aside from the obvious, like good grammar, a good story feels natural to read. i don't feel like skim reading half of it.

What is your writing process like? my writing process consists of me getting inspiration - usually from a song, or a film or a book ive read or a game ive played - i note down my idea and who i want the story to be about, and then bullet point the whole story, with some snippets of particular dialogue i want the reader or the other person to say at certain scenes. i then open another document ( i have a writing app on my phone, called werdsmith, so i use that!) and set a word count goal i want to hit so i can track my progress and start writing the fic, with fleshed out language and exposition. when im done (usually after a couple weeks up to a few months, depends on the length of the plan) i read through it to fix any mistakes, then i transfer it to docs so i can read it again and italicise any areas i feel need it.

Would you ever repurpose a fic into a completely original story? i...don't think so. mainly because the original fiction i read and would like to write for myself is predominantly fantasy, whereas the fanfic i write on my blog is usually non-idol, normal fics. 

What tropes do you love, and what tropes can’t you stand? im a SUCKER for enemies to lovers, royalty ofc, “and they were roommates”, and i think superhero aus are really cool but there isnt enough of them :( idol/you as member aus....not feeling her… also abo/werewolf/vampire aus….not feelin em

How much would you say audience feedback/engagement means to you? a LOT. a HUGE amount!! i said before how i like giving my readers somewhere where they can immerse themselves as an escape, even for a short while. hearing about how my work affected them, made them feel, makes me feel less insecure about what im writing and thus more confident to publish it.

What has been one of the biggest factors of your success (of any size)? i’d say reblogs. and also putting out more content. when i first uploaded candy jar i went to my one of my favourite writers (jaeminlore) and asked her if she'd be okay with reading it and giving feedback. to my surprise she loved it and her reblogging it to all her followers is literally what gave me a bunch of followers all of a sudden who loved what i’d written. to keep that momentum i created more and more content, and while i haven't uploaded as often as i've wanted to or written as much as i’d wanted to, i can say i have a good amount of work on my masterlist for people who are looking for more to read.

Do you think fanfic writers get unfairly judged? 100%. fanfic has an unfair reputation for just having bad writing and cringey fics (and i feel like this is because of the way society views the demographics who predominantly consume and create it), when in reality i feel like those who write fanfiction are extremely talented and selfless people. they're on the internet creating content for free for people to enjoy and like any other work of art they're putting time and effort into it. i think it should be respected. any form of art is going to have its good and bad sides.

Do you think art can be a medium for change? hmmm….yes. i feel it can be a way to reflect the thoughts of people and also be a way to inspire people to do more.

Do you ever feel there are times when you’re writing for others, rather than yourself? sometimes. sometimes i feel like i'm forcing myself to write because i feel like if i don't then people will forget about me or they’ll forget about my blog. while what i choose to write about is for me, i feel like the speed of my writing and what im writing isn't to the quality i want it to be cause i feel like i gotta get it out for people to read.

Do you ever feel like people have misunderstood you or your writing at times? i've never felt that way!

Do your offline friends/loved ones know you write for Tumblr? only 2 of my friends know, and i only told them like. a week ago!

What is one thing you wish you could tell your followers? i wish you guys would message me more! i'm quite a sociable person, and i’d love to have regular anons who talk to me 👉🏽👈🏽

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who might be too scared to put themselves out there? i think one common thing amongst all writers is that we write what we want to read. so don't feel like nobody's gonna read your work, cause somebody will. you gotta act like your work is top tier even if someone says it isn't - always write the best you can, and just do it! like don't even give yourself time to overthink it, write that fic, make it look pretty, upload it onto tumblr and do not be afraid to ask your favourite fic writers to read your work once its up!! i’d be happy to read and give feedback for any fic writers as well so don't feel afraid! 

Are there any times when you regret joining Tumblr? ive been on here for 7 years….i grew up on this site lmfao. but i don't think i regret joining tumblr once.

Do you have any mutuals who have been particularly formative/supportive in your Tumblr journey? shes not very active anymore and i miss her very much but user hyuck-s was so supportive and i love her!!

Pick a quote to end your interview with:

she believed she could, so she did.

BONUS ROUND: K-POP CONFIDENTIAL 

[recentanimenews]

Is STEINS;GATE ELITE Worth Risking the Timeline For?

  Growing up in Puerto Rico, learning English was something of a challenge for me when it inevitably reared its head; thanks to Pokémon Red, my reading skills improved dramatically thanks to an interest in video games and wanting to understand them as I played along. Fast forward many years after that fact, and I found myself deeply in love with visual novels and sound novels, playing titles like Higurashi and Umineko, those kinds of games (especially otome games!) becoming one of my favorite to play! Along that route, I first encountered STEINS;GATE. I've heard buzz building about the game, and then the release of the anime, which made me deeply interested in both playing and watching the series when I was able to get my hands on it. What I found was a deeply involved story of vibrant, unique characters, dramatic action, and a tense, smart Sci-Fi plot that revolved around time travel in a way that certainly tried to deal with the realistic consequences of choices and action. Ten years after its release, we’ve been presented with a new version: STEINS;GATE ELITE, a somewhat ambitious mixture of both the anime and visual novel adaptation!

    One of the first things I noticed about STEINS;GATE ELITE on the Switch was the fact that portability was a great benefit to the visual novel experience. Being able to take the game with me and play through the story over time at my leisure made it a far more relaxing time than having to portion out sections of my day to play the game uninterrupted; being able to pick up and play STEINS;GATE ELITE at any time really made the entire experience a lot more enjoyable and organic, making it fit my schedule more than anything else (although, in all honesty, I still ended up marathoning the game a lot). However, some of the new wrinkles presented in STEINS;GATE ELITE made this occasionally a bit awkward; still, if you have the choice, I highly recommend playing the game on the Switch in portable mode to experience the game on the go and when you can get the time. As a warning, I will say that while the game looks good in docked mode, it occasionally felt like the graphics were stretching or not quite meant to be transmitted from the Switch to a TV, meaning that it's best to play the Switch version in portable mode for both ease of use, and just for the best way to ‘view’ the game.

As I mentioned, there are a few wrinkles to this new version of STEINS;GATE that initially caught me off guard. The game is a mixture of the anime with the visual novel script, with Huke’s CGs replaced with scenes from the anime. This works pretty well overall, since the anime was a faithful adaptation that took few divergences, but it also means that the story plays out a little differently in terms of how scenes progress in the sense of time progression. Sometimes, reading through sections I’d already seen due to a bad ending, I noticed that the game isn’t really well equipped to deal with someone mashing through the dialogue at a faster pace than it is ready to go, causing character’s mouths to move when things aren’t being said, or almost as if the scene is playing on a certain timer that is somewhat independent from the text itself. This isn’t a huge deal or any sort of deal breaker, but it was a somewhat awkward situation when it did occur; depending on your speed of reading and how fast you want to get through the game, this issue may come up for you more or less than it did for me.  

  Those changes aside, I have to say that STEINS;GATE ELITE is probably one of the best, if not the best, version of the game that you can get. Whether you’ve never played the game before, or you’re revisiting the game after some time away, this version presents you with one of the nicest, most complete overall packages. All of the content of the original game are here, with all of the endings and choices included; there’s nothing missing from the original game for the sake of making the anime scenes fit. Instead, you sometimes just get some still frames or repeated animations while characters talk. Perhaps the biggest direct change has to do with the D-Mails and other choices; instead of having to hunt them down yourself when they might be available, STEINS;GATE ELITE simply pops up a menu and gives you your options immediately upon reaching a certain branch. While the freedom to stumble around is part of a charm in a visual novel, it can also be a bit hard to figure out for some people, and I can see why this change benefits the game overall by streamlining the whole experience. And, in many ways, that’s what makes STEINS;GATE ELITE unique: the combination of various STEINS;GATE versions into a streamlined, unique final package of the main storyline.

Content wise, everything is here that you can expect to find in the original: the humor, the drama, tragedy, action, and shocking moments are all present. I don’t want to say anything more in case this is your first time through, but if you’ve seen the anime, you will end up seeing some things you didn’t see the first time around, making the game a real treat for you to better explore the STEINS;GATE world. And if you’ve only played the game, seeing the anime counterpart designs in motion next to the script with all of the returning voices is pretty interesting; just playing through STEINS;GATE ELITE makes me want to watch the anime all over again! One of the best aspects of the VN is the various endings you can get, both good and bad. Finding your way to the true ending is worth the overall reward of playing through the game, so do yourself a favor and grab STEINS;GATE ELITE if you’ve never had a chance to play it before. If you have played the game previously, this version might be something to debate buying, as there’s nothing really new or different other than the visuals, so unless you want to play through STEINS;GATE again with different visuals, there’s not really a lot here that you haven’t read or seen before.

Depending on which version you buy (I played the Switch version) you'll get some extra content outside of the game. The PS4 version of the game comes with Linear Bounded Phenogram, which follows small short stories of the main cast in various circumstances. The Switch version comes with 8-BIT ADV STEINS;GATE, a unique throwback to NES era adventure games, complete with 8-bit renditions of STEINS;GATE music and sound effects (including Rintaro’s laugh). I have to say that 8-BIT ADV STEINS;GATE is a somewhat charming, if a little frustrating, additional game. While the Linear Bounded Phenogram stories provide some extra background and peeks into character’s thoughts and actions, 8-BIT ADV is essentially just the main game reduced down into a few hours of simple adventure game play. Basically, don’t play 8-BIT ADV until you’ve played the main game, or you might find yourself spoiled! My frustration for this little side game comes from the fact that you can’t save at all; while the game doesn’t really have a lot of choices, it does actually have a few abilities to reach a game over state, and doing so starts you all the way back at the beginning… with no ability to pick up where you left off. It's a bit too faithful to the NES era of adventure games, that's for sure! As a fan of visual novels, one of the big joys is making save files to see what happens, but in 8-BIT ADV your choices are rewarded with… doing everything all over. The game itself isn’t very long, but even at 2 hours, that’s a lot of time that you can spend only to have to redo everything again. The graphics and music, plus the retro adventure gameplay, are pretty fun. If I had to choose personally, I’d probably opt for the Linear Bounded Phenogram extra content.

Whether you’re a new visual novel player, curious to try out the game after watching the anime, or an experienced visual novel fan who just loves reading their favorite stories over and over again, STEINS;GATE ELITE is a great game either way. I really enjoyed seeing the Future Gadget Lab group’s antics all over again, and as I finish off my first Dr. Pepper in a long time, I remember how much I enjoyed the game and the experience the first time around! And, at the end of the day, I think that’s the best review I can give it: STEINS;GATE is great, and this version maintains that greatness. So don’t wait for John Titor to take you along on their time travel adventures to get your hands on the game, go grab STEINS;GATE ELITE now! (Also, Kurisu is best girl! <3)

REVIEW ROUNDUP

+ Fantastic story and characters with a unique world that sucks you in

+ Voice acting and visuals are amazing and the mixture of anime visuals with the visual novel script makes the game fluid

+/- the mixture of anime and visual novel script, though, might turn off visual novel purists or people who read faster than the game expects

- There’s really not much ‘new’ here, and 8-BIT ADV is a cute distraction, but not much else; if you played STEINS;GATE before, you won’t find much new to do here

  Did you pick up STEINS;GATE ELITE? Are you a fan of the VN or anime? Let us know what you think of the game in the comments!

----

Nicole is a features and a social video script writer for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[kimamanitranslatesnovels]

Destruction Flag Otome v4c2pt1

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T/N:

Tuesday, Wednesday, same difference, no? (◔◡◔✿)

Volume 4, Chapter 2: Where the Journey Takes Us

Part 1: Pages 85 - 105

The journey in search of Keith began.

We ride our carriage in the direction the ugly bear points as it follows Keith’s scent (well, to be precise, it’s following memories, but I can’t see it as doing anything but following a scent.)

For now, we do as the bear says – or rather, as the bear points. I don’t know whether this bear will be of any use, but right now our only lead is this bear, so it can’t be helped.

On a side note, we borrowed a rather large carriage (we did choose one that merchants or regular citizens would use just in case), so we’re not packed inside despite there being six of us.

Though well, Sora is driving the carriage for us so he isn’t sitting inside.

Inside the moving carriage, Lahna is passionately answering a small question about magic Maria had asked her. There’s no sign of her stopping talking any time soon.

Maria is listening to Lahna’s explanation intently, perhaps out of duty given that she was the one to ask the question or perhaps because of her diligent personality.

Jared, sitting in a seat up front, has been seeming rather downhearted since we left. He’s more well-behaved than usual – he simply gives one-word responses at appropriate points and smiles a fake smile.

I myself listened to Lahna’s explanation at first, but as her explanation grew in complexity, I became unable to keep up. So I started to feel drowsy and ended up dozing.

“Katarina, for the time being, we’ve reached the first town,” says Lahna, waking me up.

Looking through the window, I see a fairly large town.

It looks like we’ve reached our first town while I was napping.

At Lahna’s urging, I exit the carriage. I hear the bustle of the town.

Although it’s the first town on our journey, it’s close enough that we reached it in a half-day. However, I’ve never been here before – I’m a bit excited.

It’s been decided that we’ll start by asking around for information about Keith in this town.

“Well then, since the town is fairly large and we’ll stand out if we move around in a big group, let’s go looking for info in three groups – Katarina and I, Jared and Maria, and Sora,” Lahna suggests.

“If I can, I would prefer to be with Katarina,” Jared says, but Lahna rejects his request, saying that it’s already been decided.

Well, I don’t really care who I’m with. I just don’t want to be alone since there’s a chance that something troublesome will happen.

And so, it was decided that Lahna and I would work together.

After wandering around the town, we found that it wasn’t too different from our own town, perhaps because it wasn’t that far from it.

Still, I can’t help but nervously glance back and forth in a town I’ve never been in before.

“You’re like a country girl that came to town for the first time,” says Lahna with a wry smile, seeing my behaviour.

In this way, despite acting like country hicks, we asked around town about Keith as we walked. But we didn’t get any information.

To be honest, even putting aside my bias as his stepsister, Keith is a handsome guy who stands out. My thoughts had been lighthearted – I believed that we’d immediately find out where he was if we just asked a few people. It was a disappointment that we didn’t find out anything at all.

I feel downhearted.

“We’ve just started. It’s what happens from now on that matters. Don’t make a face like that,” Lahna comforts, “And Alexander is pointing to somewhere further ahead.”

She gestures at the bear riding on her shoulder. When I turn my gaze towards it, as expected, it looks at me condescendingly as if it’s snorting at me. It really makes me mad.

Noticing my sour expression, Lahna follows my gaze to the bear, but by the time her gaze reaches it, it’s already returned to its original expression. What an infuriating bear.

But my irritation disappears in an instant as we turn a corner. A store is there, seemingly delicious sweets displayed out front.

“Ooh… looks so good…”

Entranced by the sweets, I press against the storefront.

Ah, those are my favourite sweets. And other there, there’s sweets I’ve never seen before. I wonder how they taste?

As I stare at the sweets, my stomach lets out a loud gurgle – I’m feeling somewhat hungry. My body is so dedicated to its desires.

Right then, I hear laughter coming from behind me. Glancing back, I see Lahna laughing rather strangely.

It seems like my stomach’s loud gurgling was hilarious to her. She laughs for a while longer before continuing.

“We still have some time until we’re supposed to meet up, so do you want to buy some to eat?”

“Yes,” I naturally respond, cheerful.

I enter the sweets shop with Lahna and pick out my favourite sweets and the sweets I’ve never seen before for myself. Feeling bad grabbing sweets just for myself, I also bought snacks for everyone else.

Lahna said that she didn’t want any right now, but she did buy some featured sweets for later.

And then, we sit down on a bench and open our bags of sweets.

“Delicious…”

I throw the sweets I bought into my mouth, lost in their deliciousness. Lahna snickers again in a strange way.

“Is something the matter?”

Huh? My stomach isn’t growling anymore, right?

“No, I’m sorry. It’s just that your quickly shifting expressions are so fun to watch, I couldn’t help myself.”

“… I see.”

I can’t really tell if she’s complimenting me or what.

“It means that it’s really fun being with you, Katarina. Right now, I can understand how they feel. And why you’re someone they need in their lives as well.”

“… Who do you mean by ‘they’?” I ask, not understanding one whit of what she was saying.

Lahna just smiles meaningfully.

“What I mean to say is that I think it’s the same as how my magic is to me,” she says, not answering my question.

“How your magic is to you?”

“That’s right, for me, my magic is what gives the world colour,” says Lahna, her expression somehow calm and nostalgic, “In the past, when I was young I was bored with the world. Since I was talented, I could do most things easily. There wasn’t anything I found fun. I wasn’t a cute kid – I always was thinking that everything was boring.”

Her story was like something I heard before. About a person who was so perfect – too perfect – that they weren’t able to be interested in anything. Someone who seemed blessed, but was lonely in a way.

“But one day, someone I knew gifted me many collections of books relating to magic. My acquaintance was a little strange and gifted me mainly difficult books that even adults would have difficulty reading rather than children’s books.”

They gifted her difficult books on magic? If I had been her, I would’ve probably immediately pushed them into a corner on my bookshelf.

But Lahna apparently didn’t do that.

“I was addicted after reading just a bit. I felt that something was interesting for the first time ever – I devoured all the books I was given at once. I received quite a few books, but I finished reading them all in two, three days. And by the time I finished reading, I had become completely obsessed with this thing called magic. Fortunately, I had magic myself, so I was about to try out a lot of things, and so I got even more addicted.”

Ah I see, so that’s how Lahna became the magic geek she is today. I listen, making noises of understanding at times.

“Oh yes, you’re the second person to hear this whole story, Katarina,” Lahna says.

“What, is that so?”

I had automatically thought that it was something she told a lot of people.

“Well, it’s not really a story I want to tell just anyone. The only ones I’ve told are you and my partner, I guess?”

“Partner?”

“Yeah, my fiancé.”

“Your fiancé!?”

I was shocked. To think that Lahna, who seems to have zero interest in anything but magic, had a fiancé as well.

But no, Rafael did mention that Lahna was a noble of fairly high prestige, so well, it’s not as if it’s out of the question…

“W – what is he like?” I ask, curious.

“Eccentric,” Lahna responds shortly.

Ah, so her fiancé is that type of person…

I see. But I still kind of want to meet her fiancé at least once, just to see what kind of person he is.

Fiancé… oh, speaking of which.

“I just remembered!” I say suddenly.

“W – what did you remember!” asks Lahna, looking surprised.

“Ah, my apologies. I had been thinking that your story of your childhood sounded familiar, and I just remembered why it does.”

“Oh, and why is it familiar?”

“Ah, yes. It reminded me of Jared-sama. He told me before that he’s able to do anything and isn’t capable of being fascinated with anything.”

Well, in reality I didn’t hear it from the man himself. I just read it during the otome game’s storyline from my past life.

“I see, so Jared was the same. So he was able to safely find something that fascinates him as well.”

“…? No, I do not believe that Jared-sama has found such a thing yet?”

After all, he should’ve met Maria and fallen in love with her, thus becoming fascinated with her. But unfortunately their love didn’t bloom, so Jared shouldn’t have found anything to be fascinated with yet.

“… it’s awfully unrequited.”

“Hm?”

Lahna lets out a deep sigh for some reason.

“Well, still, it’s fortunate just that he found something that fascinated him. Just finding one such thing brightens your surroundings at once. You gradually find more and more things you find fun, after all. Just like I did,” says Lahna, laughing mischievously, “Alright, it’s time to meet back up. Should we get back to the carriage?”

And so, we returned to the carriage, each holding sweets in a hand.

When I return holding sweets, Jared says, “All you did was eat sweets, no?” so I erase his portion of the souvenir sweets.

I gave Jared’s portion to Maria, who happily exclaimed, “Wow, they look so good.”

Everyone else hadn’t been able to find any information on Keith either. So, in the carriage, we head even further out.

************

As we ate sweets inside the carriage, cheerfully talking together, we reached the next town.

We’ve gotten quite far from the academy – the town is much larger than the one we reached first.

“Woah, what a big town,” I exclaim at the scenery I can see from a carriage window.

“That’s true, it’s the biggest town in this area,” Lahna explains, “Mm. The sun has begun setting – should we rest in this town today?”

With Lahna’s statement, it was decided that we would stay in this town today.

When we leave the carriage and head out into town, it’s fairly bustling with activity, even if naturally it isn’t as much as the castle town.

There’s double the number of people compared to the last town, and plenty of stores.

Lahna and Sora have apparently visited this town before, but this is all new to everyone else.

I had never visited the town from before as well, but as it wasn’t that far from where we lived, I was mostly used to the scenery, the stores, and the goods being sold. But this town was very different.

The atmosphere was very different and the goods being sold are mostly items I’ve never seen before. I end up distracted by the variety of goods displayed by the stores.

And then I can’t help but stop when my eyes land on one such item.

“Woah, that’s cool. It’s nice… I want it…”

I’m in a cheerful mood – I feel like going around to sightsee.

“Katarina, we did not come here to have fun,” Jared interrupts.

“Ugh, you’re right.”

“But well, if there’s something that has caught your eye, shall I buy it for you? Which do you wish?”

“What, are you serious!?”

How generous, as expected from a prince.

Well, I am from a Duke’s House, but I’m the only one in the family not given much of an allowance because “we can’t have you waste money.”

And so, I need to carefully pick and choose what I want to buy, and most of it goes towards vegetable seeds, seedlings, and manure. So I’m actually pretty broke.

To make things worse, I spent quite a bit of money on sweets in the last town, so I need to save my money for the future.

Thus, I’ll accept his kind offer!

I pick up the item that had caught my eye and hold it up in front of Jared.

“It’s this!”

“What!? This is…”

I feel like I see Jared twitch a little. Then, after a little while…

“Um, what kind of tool is this?” he asks.

“I do not know. But doesn’t it seem super cool!?” I answer, somewhat excited.

The item I picked up after it caught my eye was a round tool that fit nicely in my hand. It seemed kind of like a mirror, but there was no mirror attached to it – instead, decorations adorn its rim in a circle.

I have no clue what it might be used for, but it looked like some kind of secret magical tool (much more than that ugly bear, honestly) and seemed super cool.

It looked kind of like you could summon beasts by shouting out “Come!” while holding it.

Its cool design re-awoke my otaku soul from my past life and made me want it.

At my insistences that I wanted it because it looked cool, Jared lets out a vague “I see,” then gives a realistic response: “For now, let’s ask the shopkeeper what it’s used for.”

“Oh, that’s just an ornament,” the elderly shopkeeper responds once we ask.

“Just an ornament? Is it made by someone famous?” Jared asks. The shopkeeper looks troubled.

“No, I don’t know who made it. It’s something that’s passed through a lot of different stores since no one wants to buy it. We were thinking of getting rid of it soon too – we’ve had it for quite a while but no one’s been interested in it.”

So to summarize it’s travelled all around the marketplace because no one buys it no matter where it is.

The shopkeeper says that they bought it off of it an acquaintance shopkeeper for a low price.

And so, we were able to buy it for a fairly low price. I was glad because although Jared generously offered to buy it for me, I wouldn’t have been able to ask him to buy something too expensive for me.

“Are you really happy with that?” Jared asks me a number of times.

“I’m fine with this,” I respond repeatedly.

And so he buys it for me.

“Jared-sama, thank you very much,” I thank him cheerfully, carefully putting the ornament in a pocket.

“Something so cheap... I would’ve bought you something more expensive,” he says.

“I wouldn’t accept, you’ve bought me so many vegetable seedlings and such. I would feel bad asking you for an expensive item.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. We’re engaged, aren’t we?”

“No, but…”

While it’s true that we’re engaged now, it’s just for the moment. If Jared finds someone he loves… huh, I feel like I’ve forgotten something important because all I can think about is how Keith ran away…

Jared smoothly reaches a hand and caresses my hair as I think deeply.

My heartbeat kind of rises.

“Hey, Katarina, it looks like you’ve forgotten because you can’t think about anything but Keith, but like I said before, I –”

“–Enough. So you were loitering in a place like this when I noticed that I couldn’t see you two,” says Sora, appearing suddenly and grabbing Jared’s hand.

The hand caressing my hair stops touching, and I can no longer remember the thing I was almost about to recall.

“… Sora, did you do that on purpose?” Jared asks, turning a threatening gaze to him.

It seems like Jared has suddenly gone into a bad mood even though he was all smiles a moment ago. Why in the world?

“Yes. I had been asked to, after all,” Sora responds.

“Asked to?” says Jared, raising an eyebrow in distrust.

“Yes. Lady Mary Hart submitted an official request through the Ministry of Magic to ‘ensure the safety of Katarina-sama’.”

“… Is getting in my way a part of that request?”

“Yes. Actually, that is the main goal of the request.”

“…”

Jared goes silent, his face grim.

I didn’t really understand some parts of the conversation, but the important thing was that Mary made a request to the Ministry of Magic to ensure my safety during this journey. Though this journey wasn’t really dangerous or anything, it made me happy that my friend cared about me.

What a kind friend I have.

“Well then, we’ve decided on an inn so we should head there. Lahna-sama and Maria-san are waiting there.”

That’s right, at Sora’s urging we head to today’s inn.

Jared was muttering things like “She got me,” and “To think she’d go this far.” Did something happen?

← Previous | Index | Next →

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Limited Edition

Just in case you are not up-to-date on this massively popular otome series, the plot of Hakuoki is: 

Chizuru Yukimura goes to Kyoto to attempt to find her father and, through a series of events, she ends up with the Shinsengumi. From there, and after revealing who she really is, she joins up with the men to help locate her father. And, at the same time, uncovers a dark secret the group are keeping as well as some secrets of her own.

Hakuoki is the grandpapa of otome internationally. Originally released in 2012 on the PSP, it help boost the otome landscape of what we have today. It’s a long game in its original form being 30~50 hours with six routes. It has spawn anime, stage plays, musicals, and many MANY versions of the game.

Are we all caught up? Good.

Once Kyoto Winds (the upgraded version of the original PSP) was announced, I spent December playing the original game on my stream to build hype for Kyoto Winds and we had a blast! After the stream, many people told me they were very excited for the new version of the game that was adding six love interests and expanding the shorter romance routes.

Then there is the merch.

When the Limited Edition was announced I was like a puppy who had seen its favorite toy. Bento Box? Sign me up! Furoshiki? I will be the most beautiful weeb-bushka! Artbook? OMG, are you trying to make me cry?! Soundtrack? I’m gonna take epic roadtrips! Reversible Cover Sleeve? When I get tired at looking at these handsomes, now I will look at these other handsomes!

So, when I was contacted by Idea Factory International to be sent a review copy of the Limited Edition, I was floored. Yes, a thousand times, yes.

First and foremost, I have a degree in graphic design. I love touching and holding things. I enjoy well made items. I don’t want flimsy items. If I’m going to spend money on something, I want to get my actual feels worth. And because of that, I hold physical items up to a pretty high standard. I also am a bit of a package design snob. How things fit in packaging, was the package actually designed or is it just a box with things thrown in it, ect.

Oh god. I’m so happy right now I might cry and I want to shake the package designer’s hand. They did a beautiful job.

Let’s start with the collector’s box itself.

(Pocky for scale)

This is a nice box. It’s not flimsy. It’s a thick board. If you bought the Amnesia collector’s edition, this is a big step up from that. At no point am I worried I’m going to put the box back together the wrong way and bend it. Just hold the sides and let the bottom slide out. Awww yeah...

I gasped at opening this. I think it’s important to note that the last handful of Limited Editions I bought consisted of “just throw it in the box!” I can tell that everything has a compartment and I’m floored. (Sorry sorry, designer coming out in me again.)

We’ll get to the game itself later but first...

The bento box is not fake wood. It is legit Bamboo and Chinese Fir that has then had a thin layer of latex added. Hand-wash only, not microwave safe. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable actually using it for its intended purpose because how nice it is.

Every Limited Edition needs its nick-nacky things, this and another thing in this box are those things. They are the body pillow and coasters from the Amnesia Box Set. In this set it’s this and the furoshiki, two items that I would be worried about ruining if I used them. OTL

Maybe I’ll hold charms in the bento instead, like suggested in the Unboxing video that IFI did a month back.

Soundtrack, the necessary item in a limited edition. If there is one small thing I am disappointed in here, it is the same thing that disappoints me about CDs and games these days. I remember in my day we had booklets that came with our CDs and games! You kids these days have no appreciation for a well designed booklet!

20 tracks. I jammed to it on my 10 minute drive to work this morning.

Peek-a-boo. It’s the furoshiki!

For those of you who don’t know the use of a furoshiki, you wrap things in them. Presents, bentos, ect are wrapped in them for easier transport. And now here is one with all 12 bachelors on it. Also, it’s massive (Vita box for scale).

It’s made of polyester so there is a nice feel to it. This is another thing I don’t think I would actually use, though the idea of wrapping my hair in it like some weeb-bushka is very tempting.

Maybe I’ll frame it just to get weird looks from the people I get my prints framed at. They’ve seen what I’ve brought in before, I don’t know why they would be surprised...

Here comes the other thing that made me gasp when I saw it.

It’s a hardcover art book! I opened it to hear the crack. Ohhhhhh I’m gonna curl up in a ball of happiness. That’s some good stuff right there. Nice glossy paper that still has some tooth to it. I held it close for a bit and thought about actually displaying it on my bookshelf instead of hiding it inside the box.

The information is really nicely laid out for the most part. You get a lot of stats info that can help you figure out the age of the characters when you meet them during the game.

Husbando likes tofu. I’m gonna get that MFer some tofu so he’ll love me.

Also, stop calling Toudou the shota of the game, he’s the same age as husbando! Which, going by MC’s age and her birthdate, puts them both at 19~20..........

*lies on the floor* Still gonna get husbando tofu...

It’s just a really nice 64 page art book... Oh and there were ~40 pages of CGs in the book. TAG YOUR CG SPOILERS, IFI!!!

And finally we make it to the game’s case.

I’ve looked at the three new husbandos long enough. Gonna flip the cover to the other husbandos.

Straight up: For me, the artbook alone makes it. Just some nice artbook. 10/10, would artbook again. That artbook is easily worth $30 on its own. The bento and the furoshiki are nice thing to have for display or maybe a purpose outside of their original ones. And if you want to use them, more power to you! It’s up to you. I do believe that items are best and their happiest when you are using them.

Also, there are chibis all along the sides. And who doesn’t love some cute chibis?

Quick Game Comments

The game Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is a wonderful upgrade too. The GUI (Game User Interface) has an amazing upgrade that almost made me cry when I saw it. Gone are the jagged edges and the yellow text box. Everything is crisp. Don’t want to press X? Just touch the screen now. The characters blink and their mouths move when they talk (I was surprised when it happened). Random characters, like one of the ronin in the beginning of the game, now have sprites, which adds to the game’s richness. Backgrounds are now added in where they weren’t in the original game. There are effects happening on screen, it’s now snowing in the game and there are animations when the MC moves.

Oh, and splatter effects. Bless splatter effects. lol

All in all a very nice upgrade from the original version.

Conclusion

I like it so much. I was thinking that I would have a few more gripes about it, but it’s a solid package with nice extras and the game itself has a beautiful upgrade.

Something I do feel the need to confirm with everyone is this game is in two parts. Due to the additional routes, upgrades, and extensions of existing routes, Idea Factory decided to release this game in two parts. The first part is Kyoto Winds (Kaze no Shou) and there is a second part, Hana no Shou. Think of it like an anime series that leaves you with a cliffhanger until the second season comes out. I have seen that most reviewers, who seem to not know what they are missing, feel satisfied with the game after playing it.

I’ll still be here ready for the second part. Additional releases could still be ahead for this series as well. If you look anywhere where fans are talking about this series, you will see wails for Hakuouki SSL ~Sweet School Life~ which is a High School AU game. Otome fans love their AUs...

If you want to get your hands on this, you need to make a decision FAST. The game isn’t even out yet and, on May 5th, Idea Factory Intl announced they are at 40% stock. It’s going and soon it might be gone!

Get those husbandos and enjoy your merch!

Thanks to Idea Factory International for sending me this to review. I’m still in shock when I hold it and feel I’m not worthy. Also, hearing I was the first person outside the company to receive this in no way made me super nervous. NOPE.

Release Date: May 6 (NA) May 9 (EU) Store links: NA - http://www.iffysonlinestore.com/HakuokiKyotoWindsLE EU - https://store.iffyseurope.com/products/hakuoki-kyoto-winds-limited-edition Official Site: http://ideafintl.com/hakuoki-kyoto

[archived--hell]

Ey yo fuckers

You remember how i said i’d make a list of good games n shit right? Well here the fuck it is scoob. PLEASE REBLOG THIS IT TOOK HOURS TO PUT TOGETHER OH MY GOD

Cute Demon Crashers! - Cute Demon Crashers! is a silly little short game that gives a lazy virgin college student a fun and safe space to explore her first sexual experience with a partner of her choice, if she so desires. Warnings: 18+

Desolate village - Desolate Village is a Adventure-horror game developed for the 2016 Pixel Horror Jam. The game deals with a the protagonist name Alex, as he wakes up in a village filled with talk animals villagers that all know who he is. But Alex does not remember who they are or how they got in the village.  Warnings: Gore

Lads in Distress - The whole of Lunar Kingdom is abuzz with excitement and curiosity - Princess Charming is throwing a royal ball to celebrate her 18th birthday, much to everyone's surprise. Invitations have been sent to nobles and royals from all neighboring nations, although Charming and her parents only really care about the princes. After all, everyone knows that the true purpose of the ball is for Charming to find a man suitable as her husband so she can form an advantageous political alliance, or even merge their nations together, to save her kingdom from poverty. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) for Charming, the princes may need to be rescued just as much as her kingdom does. Warnings: None

Love Is Strange - In Love is Strange, you play as Max Caulfield, an 18-year-old in her second year at the prestigious Blackwell Academy in the sleepy seaside town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Max, who aspires to become a famous photographer, finds herself challenged by the prospect of entering a photography contest hosted by her school. To be able to enter the contest, she has to pick a partner to work with. From there on out, what happens is up to you. Warnings: None (that i’m aware of, it didn’t interest me enough to finish it (not saying it’s bad!!! just not my cup of tea))

Out of sight - When Lina decided to go to the park to finish reading a book she couldn't have anticipated that misplacing her glasses could lead to paranormal encounters.  Warnings: Death

Pretty please - A short game about a lady who goes into a beauty clinic to "fix a few things". Warnings: blood, mildly unsettling imagery

Seduce me the otome - "It seemed like the start of something new. Something that would change." You are a senior in high school along with your two best friends, Naomi Patterson and Suzu Cappini. You are also the granddaughter of Harold Anderson, the CEO and founder of Anderson Toys, a toy company sworn to give children amazing products and give a large part of their profit to charity. One day, you get called home to attend your grandfather's funeral. After the funeral, you learn that you have inherited his large estate. Your father suggests you move in immediately, so the next day, you move out of your parents home and into your estate. When you enter your new home, however, you see five injured, yet very handsome men on the lobby floor. They eventually awaken and make it known that they were attacked by a group of dangerous 'misfits' and ran to find shelter, passing out as soon as they entered your home. You find out that they are incubi, 'demons who consume and use sexual energy of humans to survive'. With nowhere to go and a target on their backs, they ponder what what to do. Out of sympathy, you offer your home as refuge for a while in exchange for minor servitude (it is a big house, after all). They happily agree. What will happen as the incubi get comfy? Why exactly did they come the human world? Who are the 'misfits', and will they stop pursuing them so the incubi can leave? ...Will you WANT them to leave? (it has a sequel, among other things!! very good!!!!!)  Warnings: mentions of blood, guns & other weapons, optional sex scenes

The shadows that run along side our car - The road is long. Two strangers sit side by side as night falls over. The car speeds down the open highway. Without a soul around them, everything seems to slip away. On a journey to no one knows where, all they have is words and time. And that time is dwindling fast. The shadows are chasing. Warnings: mentions of suicide, violence, death, and mentions of zombies (im not sure if they actually show up, ill update this if i see any)

Solanaceae Another Time - After bumping into a strange witch, Sal is told he was once the witch's lover in a past life. Though doubtful, Sal takes a leap of faith and gets his fortune read by the witch. What he learns sends him on a month long journey of self discovery and magical encounters... Warnings: sex (but you can avoid this in the start of the game)

This, my soul - When your ship and fellow crew members are destroyed during a routine mission by space debris, you are rescued by the one laborer-class android who happened to be nearby... Now the two of you must spend an entire three-month journey alone with each other aboard the small, maintenance ship that is taking you back to civilization. Along the way, there is little on board to keep you occupied... save the android. He calls himself Silas. As the situation forces you to get to know one another, you quickly figure out that while he may not have emotions the way WE understand them, he IS a construct designed to learn, adapt, and serve... Warnings: suggestive content

Cinderella Phenomenon - Four years after the end of the Great War and the loss of her mother, Crown Princess Lucette of Angielle is still struggling to come to terms with her new life and step-family. Cold-hearted and bitter, Lucette fails to recognize the suffering of those around her as she is consumed by grief and resentment. But Lucette's life is once again turned upside down when she becomes a victim of the Fairytale Curse.Join Lucette as she goes from riches to rags and journeys to regain her life and break her curse. Warnings: none as of yet, but i’m still playing through

Unfinished games:

What's your sign quiz - In this teaser story, the 12 signs of the Zodiac need your help. But not before getting to know you a little first! This game is a personality quiz where they try to guess... What's Your Sign? With the option of a short or long quiz (12 or 24 questions), there's lots of replay ability with the various responses you'll get. Get to know all of your astrological faves before you begin your magical adventure together! Warnings: none

Date or Die - In this demo, you'll see the opening moments of the game, where you'll be introduced to the cast of characters, find your match, and get an overview of the stakes involved. In addition to containing a completely different script from the original demo, this prologue also features new sprites and artwork for all characters, introduces one or two faces you might not have seen before, and gives you a clearer idea of what to expect when you first open the full game! Warnings: mentions of killing, and treats toward a younger unseen party

Dr.Frank - After being kicked out of both his PhD program (plant science) as well as medical school (Pathology), Dr. Frank had pretty much resolved himself to a life of solitude and science. That is, until a handsome stranger knocked on his door and swept him off his feet. Dominik seemed to be the perfect boyfriend- attentive, caring, and interested in Dr. Frank's work. Maybe too interested. Three months into the rainbow-colored relationship, Dominik runs off with Dr. Frank's lifelong research on resurrection to present at the annual prestigious Hindenberg University Conference, under his own name. Livid, Dr. Frank decides the only course of action: Revenge. Not only is Dr. Frank going to one-up Dominik's presentation by presenting the world's first artificial life form, but Dr. Frank is going to make said life form the world's hottest, most beautiful boyfriend. EVER. Warnings: grave robbing, bad jokes

Paws and Effect My Dogs Are Human! - Charlie's got everything a quirky millennial could want: A new job, an upcoming party, and super-cute Pomeranians. Naturally, it all goes wrong. Charlie's birthday is in a few days and she's looking forward to a quiet, at-home party with a few friends. But a small (read: not small) problem arises when, due to inexplicable circumstances, her two Pomeranians transform into humans! Why did this happen? What can be done? Can dogs be trusted with fingers? With more questions than answers, Charlie finds herself embroiled in a nonsensical adventure with her once-canine companions. As her dogs' many personality quirks hound them in their human lives, how will Charlie cope with her new circumstances? Warnings: none as of yet

The Letter - In the outskirts of Luxbourne City stands a 17th-century English mansion, rumored to be haunted by vengeful spirits. After reading a letter discovered inside on the day of its open house, seven people find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of madness plaguing the Ermengarde Mansion for centuries. Will they be able to free themselves from it, or will they become another casualty? Warnings: death, disturbing imagery, blood, gore, jumpscares, general horror warnings

[nahret]

For Honor

This is where it all started. Before I discovered the gods from the stars, my first love in this newly discovered world of otome games were the brave men of the Shinsengumi, a group of samurai in 19th century Kyoto. It’s a funny thing how I got there. Apparently, my browser had realized that I had started to learn Japanese, and in a well-targeted add, it showed me the title picture of this particular set of stories. I have to say, I do love it when the algorithm gets stuff right. And here we are, one year and countless stories later, and yet I’ve never written about the Shinsengumi.

The truth is, I needed a break. After reading a few of the stories, I was desperate for something more frivolous, more light-hearted. The stories of the Shinsengumi are good. They are very good. But because of their very nature, they have a capacity for tragedy unmatched by titles set in the modern world, for example. Death is possible every time the men set foot outside the compound; and when they come back alive, there’s still no guarantee that they will be healthy in body and mind. If, like me, you get emotionally invested in characters, that really takes a toll.

But it’s been a year, and I thought I’d pay a visit to my favorite samurai (I know, they are technically ronin, themselves). Maybe with some light-hearted holiday fluff? But first, obviously, I owe you an introduction.

What’s the Story?

Kyoto, 1863.

After the untimely death of her father, a doctor, the MC takes over running his clinic. While not fully trained, she is able to make simple remedies, using her father’s notes and journals for guidance. One day, a young man she’s never seen before stops by the clinic to have a minor wound treated. Overhearing the patients in the waiting room talking about a band of ronin who are supposedly in town, the man advises the MC to be careful “around those wolves”, lest she be devoured. When she chides him, he apologizes for his thoughtless words and is on his way.

A stranger at the clinic…

A chance encounter in the streets…

Are we surrounded by wolves?

That very same evening, the MC comes across an errand boy being accosted by just such a ronin. Being who she is, she is ready to rush into the situation, even though the ronin is armed. Fortunately, a casually dressed stranger steps in and defeats the ronin. As he runs for his life, the ronin shouts something about wolves. Could this stranger be one of the wolves the young man at the clinic mentioned?

When the MC tells her friend Oryo what happened, and how she was saved by a “wolf”, Oryo is shocked. She tells the MC that, of all the ronin in the area, those wolves are the worst ones. They dress in pale blue coats with a jagged white pattern on their sleeves, and they apparently loot and pillage their way through town – or so she heard from a customer. Another man standing nearby, reassures the women: those wolves will soon be expunged from this world; peace will come once again.

That night, as the MC is poring over her father’s books, several ronin break into the clinic. They are looking for a place to hide, since they are being pursued. Despite blowing out the candles, it is not long before the men who are after them find them. They are all wearing sky blue coats with a white, jagged pattern on their sleeves… As the newcomers fight the ronin in the MC’s house, a fire breaks out. The MC, who had made it outside, runs back into the flames to save her father’s medical journals. As she loses consciousness, she feels that she is lifted from the ground.

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The MC comes to in an unfamiliar room. Beside her, a man is sitting, apparently watching over her. He gives her a change of clothes, and one of her father’s journals that he was able to save from the blaze. It is thus that she is formally introduced to the men in the blue coats: they are the Shinsengumi, an elite police squad under the patronage of the Aizu clan, come from distant Edo to provide protection to the shogunate, and root out the lawless ronin that have been terrorizing the city. Since her house was burnt to the ground by the ronin, Kondo, the commander of the Shinsengumi, asks the MC to stay with them. She has nowhere else to go, and they could use the assistance of a fledgling doctor. Also, the Chōshū – the ronin sowing terror in the city – know her face, so, it turns out, it is actually in her best interest to remain under the protection of the wolves…

Left to right, top to bottom: Hijikata Toshizo, Okita Soji, Harada Sanosuke, Saito Hajime, Kondo Isami, Takasugi Shinsaku

The Guys

Hijikata Toshizō, also known as “the Demon Deputy” is a harsh man. As Kondo’s second in command, he supervises the Shinsengumi with iron discipline. There is, however, a softer side to him, for he likes to gaze at the moon and write poetry.

Okita Sōji, renowned swordsman and a bit of an ass, is as fierce in battle as he is irreverent outside of it. He is charming and surprisingly good with children, who love hanging out with him. He generally gets on well with people. It’s a good thing they don’t know he comes home every night, drenched in blood.

Harada Sanosuke is a tall, forbidding, and taciturn young man. He wants nothing to do with weaklings, and by extension, with women, since they are weak. His opinion on the latter is, as we can imagine, subject to change. So much so, that he puts his life on the line to save the MC.

Saitō Hajime is one of the best swordsmen in existence, which is notable especially since he is left-handed. He is also a blank canvas, a man with no memory of who he was before he was found by the Shinsengumi. What we do know is that he cannot cook to save his life.

Kondō Isami, the commander of the Shinsengumi, is an honorable, benevolent, and warm person. Nothing is more important to him than the well-being of his men, and of the citizens of the capital who have been entrusted to him.

Takasugi Shinsaku is a traitor. That is to say, he is not one of the Shinsengumi, but of the opposing Chōshū. All I know is that he is a very handsome man, as is commented upon in almost every route, but he is also the enemy, and I never considered playing his story.

Why would I date you?

You mean, apart from the fact that they are samurai? There needs to be an additional reason? Have you no honor? Okay then, how about this: these characters are men that actually existed. Yes, indeed, the Shinsengumi were real.

History

Since European wars have a way of spilling all over the world, an incident between England and the Netherlands in which Japan was collateral damage, led the Tokugawa shogunate to double down on its policy of “Sakoku”, closed country, which prohibited foreigners from stepping foot on Japanese land. The strictest application, which also sought to expel foreigners from Japan, remained active until 1842.

Friction arose between factions of differing philosophy regarding the usefulness of employing technology and knowledge gained from the limited exposure to foreigners the Japanese had had so far. Some argued that only traditional Japanese methods should be employed to stave off increasing foreign influence, others felt it necessary to “control the barbarians with their own methods”. In the end, it was again the white people who forced Japan’s hand, this time in the person of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, who simply threatened the Japanese with violence if they did not open up to trade.

Japanese depiction of Perry’s ship. Looks benevolent.

The results were political and economic instability. The shogunate was weakened after having had to concede in the treaties with the Americans and the Russians, which came soon after. Since the exchange rate between gold and silver in Japan was “cheaper” than in the European-controlled world, foreigners bought gold in massive amounts in Japan, thus destroying the Japanese currency and its economy. As is also the norm, the foreigners brought a heretofore unknown disease with them. Cholera wiped out several hundred thousand people.

Finally, in 1863, an Imperial Order was issued to “expel barbarians”. And while the Emperor was the head of government, of sorts, his role was understood at the time as ceremonial, much as it is today. Therefore, an order issued by the Emperor that contradicted the policy of the shogunate was… difficult. The Chōshū clan, however, immediately began to carry out the order, in open defiance of the Tokugawa shogunate. After a failed attempt by the Chōshū to restore Imperial order over the shogunate, the Tokugawa, Aizu, and Satsuma clans expelled the Chōshū from the palace.

This is when the Tokugawa gathered an elite force to patrol the capital and protect the interests of the shogunate against the Chōshū incursions. After a predecessor of the group fell apart, the Shinsengumi were formed. They then also requested permission to patrol the streets of Kyoto from the Aizu, a request which was granted.

The real Hijikata Toshizō

The Serizawa faction of the Shinsengumi, however, was more disruptive than beneficial to the capital, which is why the Aizu ordered Kondo to eliminate Serizawa and his officers. Yamanami Keisuke and Hijikata Toshizo ordered one of Serizawa’s men to commit seppuku for breaking regulations. Serizawa himself was assasinated by a small force led by Hijikata. This left Kondo as the leader of the Shinsengumi.

The showdown in the main stories of our fictional Shinsengumi is the real-life Ikedaya Incident: there, the Shinsengumi killed a group of ronin in the employ of the Chōshū, who had apparently planned to kidnap the daimyo of the Aizu clan, and set fire to Kyoto.

Kondō Isami, born in 1834, was the youngest of four siblings. The son of a farmer, he was adopted by the third generation master of the Tennen Rishin-ryū, Kondō Shūsuke, who had seen him train in his dojo. He became the fourth generation master, and took over the running of the Shieikan (the main dojo). It is there that he first met Hijikata. Kondō was known to be an avid reader and scholar. He was apprehended by Imperial forces in April 1868, and was executed by beheading on May 17th, 1868. His head was publicly displayed on a pike.

The son of a well-to-do farmer, Hijikata Toshizō was born in 1835, the youngest of ten children. It is said that he was uncommonly tall compared to the average male at the time, and he was handsome. It seems that he was also a bit of a spoiled brat when he was young. He helped in the family business of selling their Ishida sanyaku, a herbal remedy for treating bruises and broken bones. Through his brother-in-law, he was introduced to Kondō and the Shieikan. He never fully mastered the Tennen Rishin-ryū, but instead developed the “Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu” fighting style. In the final battle of the Boshin War, Hijikata gave his page his katana, a photo of himself, a letter, a few strands of his hair, and a death poem, to be taken to his brother in Hino: “Though my body may decay on the island of Ezo, my spirit guards my lord in the East.” On June 20th, 1869, he died by a gunshot wound sustained while leading his men into battle.

Okita Sōji‘s older sister Mitsu was adopted by Kondō Shūsuke, so that she could marry the adopted son of the Okita family. This is, of course, the same man who had adopted Kondō Isami. Okita started training at the Shieikan at the age of nine. He was unusually gifted, and had mastered all the techniques by age 18. He was born in 1842 or 1844, which made him one of the youngest recruits of the Shinsengumi. He is described as charming and polite, but also as strict as an instructor of kenjutsu for his students. He was appointed by Kondō to become the fifth generation master of the Tennen Rishin-ryū. Okita developed a signature technique, called “Mumyo-ken”, which could attack the opponent’s neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder in one motion. Okita was hospitalized during the Boshin War, and when the shogunate forces retreated, he stayed behind in Edo in the care of his sister Mitsu. He died of tuberculosis on July 19th, 1868, at the supposed age of 25.

Nihonbashi bridge in Edo

Harada Sanosuke was born in 1840 into a family of chūgen: better than commoners, but less than samurai. He was trained in the  Hōzōin-ryū style, using a spear as a weapon, rather than a sword. Once, he was taunted by a higher-ranking retainer of the Matsuyama clan that, given his low social class, he didn’t even know how to properly commit seppuku. Upon which he immediately drew his sword and attempted to actually do it. The wound, however, was shallow, and Harada survived. After leaving the Matsuyama’s service, he went to Edo to train in Kondō’s Shieikan.Having left the Shinsengumi after the defeat in the Battle of Kōshū-Katsunuma, he returned to Edo, where he fought with the Shōgitai, who also sided with the Tokugawa shogunate, in the Battle of Ueno. He was severely wounded by enemy gunfire, and died two days later, on July 6th, 1868. There is, however, an interesting rumor, that Harada did not die, but was able to flee to China, where he then became the leader of a gang of bandits on horse-back. He is also rumored to be the mysterious old man who came to the aid of the Imperial Forces in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894/5…

Little is known about the early years of Saitō Hajime. His birthname was Yamaguchi Hajime, and his father was a foot soldier in the employ of a samurai in Edo. Saitō left Edo after accidentally killing a hatamoto (a ronin in the direct employ of the Tokugawa shogunate). He was of an age with Okita when he joined the Shinsengumi, making him one of the youngest in their ranks. Saitō Hajime was, even in real life, the dark, mysterious kind, in that he spoke sparingly. He was also known for his immaculate appearance and exemplary posture, typically sitting in the formal seiza position. Believed killed in the Battle of Nyorai-dō, Saitō managed to escape alive and rejoin the ranks of the Aizu. However, when Aizuwakamatsu Castle fell, he, along with other Aizu soldiers, was held as a prisoner of war. The surviving Aizu traveled to Tonami, the new domain of the Matsudaira clan of Aizu, and Saitō with them. In 1874, he returned to Edo, which in 1868 had been renamed “Tokyo”. There, he began working for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. In a twist of fate, he fought, in this capacity, on the side of the Imperial Army against the Satsuma Rebellion*, former allies of the Aizu. In 1875, he assisted in setting up a memorial for Kondō Isami and Hijikata Toshizō. Saitō Hajime died in 1915, at the age of 72 years, in his living room, while sitting in perfectly straight seiza posture.

Takasugi Shinsaku was born in 1839 in Chōshū Domain, present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture. He was a samurai and a brilliant military tactician. In 1862, Takasugi went on a reconnaissance mission to China, to observe the effect of western influence on the country. Shocked by what he saw, he returned to Japan determined to avoid the fate of colonization. He formed the revolutionary shotai, a militia comprised of not just samurai, but people of all classes. Apparently, everybody from farmers and merchants to sumo-wrestlers and priests could (and did) enlist. He also provided this new militia with western weapons and tactics, thus outwitting the traditional Tokugawa forces. In the end, his approach proved successful: the Tokugawa shogunate fell in 1868, and the Meiji Restoration restored (hence the name) the Emperor to power. Takasugi, however, did not live to see the day; he died in May 1867 of tuberculosis.

* The Satsuma Rebellion was the last stand of samurai Saigō Takamori. The movie “The Last Samurai”, featuring Ken Watanabe and Tom Cruise, tells his story.

What’s with the history lesson?

What? Like this isn’t interesting? I guess not everybody gets a kick out of history, huh. What I’m quite impressed with, though, is how some of the corner-stones of the real Shinsengumi’s peculiarities were worked into the stories here. I really appreciate that, because research has clearly been done, and the stories are better for it. No, that doesn’t mean they’re historically accurate. That wouldn’t be very… romantic. But the characters are recognizable from their templates.

I choose you!

I’ve read the main stories of Hijikata, Okita, Saito, and Harada. And yes, we call them by their family names. Kondo was too pure for my tastes, and indeed, my friend The Librarian found his story to be rather boring. Don’t get me wrong, he is a very good man, but the vibe is more “guardian” than “lover”, I guess. All the stories are really intense, as the threat of death constantly hangs over the men. Especially Saito practically seeks it out. If you’re looking for gut-wrenching, you’ve come to the right place.

A word on our MC: I like her. As opposed to her modern-day counterparts, this girl is actually a virgin, so all the blushing has a place. What she also is, though, is courageous, and capable. She learned medicine from her father, and continued his clinic on her own after his death. She is not squeamish around blood (it’s just that sometimes, there’s a bit much of it). Actually, she is not squeamish in general. After initially being intimidated, she finds her place among those “brutes”, as Kondo calls them.

This is still one of my favorite titles. Even if it’s a bit much for my poor heart…

Era of Samurai: Code of Love A historical drama about samurai who were actually people in real life. Includes a history lesson. You're welcome. For Honor This is where it all started. Before I discovered the gods from the stars…