#japanese manner needs to be added to game

[otomehonyaku]

DIABOLIK LOVERS アニメ公式ノベライズ Official Novelization ☽ Chapter 3 Translation

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It’s time for chapter 3! I will try adding more translation notes for particular words/phrases in footnotes from now on, which might be fun for people who are learning Japanese (although I don’t recommend calling anyone a 穀潰し in real life lol). I know I said last time that this book seemed a little light on the bite play but I actually take it back, this chapter was pretty steamy with both Ayato and Shuu… (〃ω〃) Have fun reading!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Originally written by Yukuzuki Hiroha 結来月ひろは Translated from the Japanese by @otomehonyaku

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

STORY Following her father’s job transfer, Komori Yui is sent to live with the Sakamaki brothers. However, these six brothers turn out to be sadistic, ill-tempered vampires. The men are after Yui’s sweet and incredibly rare blood, and go to great lengths toying with her body and soul to get it. Before long, Yui finds herself trapped in an alluringly dangerous love game(1)...

1. 吸血愛戯 (ラブゲーム): Stylised as ‘love game’ but written with the characters for bloodsucking (吸血), love (愛), and play (戯). The latter character also has a connotation of playfulness/mischief.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

DISCLAIMER This is an unofficial translation intended for those interested in reading the story of the Diabolik Lovers game/season in a slightly more literary format in English. I have no affiliation with Rejet or Frontier Works whatsoever. All rights belong to them, but PLEASE DO NOT POST THIS TRANSLATION ELSEWHERE OR TRANSLATE TO OTHER LANGUAGES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Episode 3

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

That night, the moon stood high in the sky, but the Sakamaki mansion was wrapped in fog.

In the dining room, Yui joined the brothers for dinner. It was a habit for the six of them to assemble in the dining room once a month for a banquet. As Yui sat at the large table, she wondered why she had to be included, but there had been little room for her to protest when they half-dragged her in here.

A variety of luxurious dishes reminiscent of a high-end restaurant were placed on the table in front of her, but even as she eyed the food, she couldn’t bring herself to eat.

Vampires don’t even need this kind of food, anyway, Yui thought cynically. Her eyes shifted to Ayato, who was sitting next to her. He ate his dinner using a knife and fork with surprising dexterity, behaving in a more refined manner than she had ever seen him. The same was true for Reiji and Subaru, who were sitting across from her.

The saying goes ‘dining together is happy together’ (1), but this family was worlds away from that. A heavy silence had fallen in the room. Shuu, who was sitting right opposite Yui, did not seem hungry either, and simply slumped in his chair with his eyes closed.

I don’t feel like eating. To the brothers, I’m no different from the food that’s on the table right now, anyway… Yui thought, and lost her appetite completely.

“You’re not eating much, Bitchlet,” Laito suddenly said from behind Yui, startling her. “You’ll get anaemia if you don’t eat well, you know? Would you like me to feed you?”

“Laito,” Reiji interjected sternly. “It is rude to get up during dinner.”

“Fiiine. Let’s continue this later, okay?” Laito murmured to Yui, and hummed quietly as he returned to his seat.

The dining room was only quiet for a moment before a loud sound made Yui jolt. It was Shuu, who had pushed back his chair and stood up.

“Shuu…?”

“I can’t be bothered,” the eldest muttered as he walked out of the room.

“That good-for-nothing (2)…” Reiji remarked, his voice tinged with resentment, when Shuu closed the door behind him.

Good-for-nothing? He’s saying that about his own brother?

“Oh, well. That’s what happens to people who’ve been spoiled since birth.”

The Sakamakis don’t seem to care about one another to begin with, but these two really seem to hate each other…

“Teddy, what would you like to eat next?”

Yui looked towards Kanato when she heard his voice. He sat with Teddy on his lap and was trying to feed him.

“Shall we try this banana snowball (3) first?” The purple-haired triplet said as he stabbed the snowball with his fork to pick it up, but it split in half.

Kanato frowned in frustration and began bringing down his fork onto the remnants of the snowball over and over, laughing maniacally. He didn’t stop even when the plate broke with a loud crack.

Reiji appeared fed up with his younger brother’s behaviour, and spoke up. “You all cannot keep yourselves together even at our one banquet of the month… Let us call it here for today.”

Everyone aside from Reiji stood up and left for their rooms immediately.

I should go back to my room, too. Albeit hesitantly, Yui put her hands on the table to push herself up when she was fairly certain she could leave.

“Wait.”

Reiji’s voice brought her to a halt.

“Have you no manners? To place your hands on the table like that… If I ever see you do that again, I will punish you thoroughly. Understood?”

“…Yes.”

His punishment must be pretty severe, judging from what Yui had seen of Reiji’s personality so far. Dejectedly, she returned to her room.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Ah…”

Yui sighed heavily when she sat down on the edge of her bed. She was glad to have a day off, but it seemed impossible to relax. Come to think of it, I usually helped out Dad on my days off…

Wanting to help her priest father with his work in whatever way she could, Yui usually kept the church clean on the days that she didn’t have school.

It hasn’t even been that long (4)…

Even though she had seen her father only days earlier, her life with him already felt like a thing from the past. Suddenly reminiscing about the days spent with her father, she opened the drawer in the nightstand by her bed and took out her father’s diary. However, the memories that her father had penned down were still nowhere to be found.

“So they really are gone…”

It felt like her own memories with her father had been erased with them. Yui felt herself getting teary-eyed. But why? When I first saw it, it was written right there.

Yui brings me so much joy. The fact that she is not my own child bears no meaning at all. She is truly a blessing, and I am nothing but grateful for every day I get to spend with her.

Her father’s familiar handwriting had spelled it out clearly for Yui to remember. But why had the writing disappeared from the page completely?

The only clue I have is this picture…

Yui quietly stared at the picture of her father and her infant self. The picture alone would not get her anywhere. Besides, I don’t even know what kind of cruel fate awaits me if I try to leave.

Yui sighed again.

Completely at a loss, she slid the picture back between the pages of her father’s diary and returned it to the drawer.

“Whatcha doing?”

Yui shrieked when she looked in the direction of the voice. Ayato was straddling her desk chair in reverse, his elbows propped up on the back of the chair and his chin resting on his hands as he watched her.

“W-why are you…”

“I can do as I please,” Ayato stated, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly. “Hurry up and give me your blood.”

Oh no… I have to hold him off.

“I-I was just about to take a bath.” Yui tried to slip past him, but to no avail. “Huh? Ah!”

Ayato stood up in a flash and threw his arms around her, embracing her from the front. Yui struggled against him when he ran his tongue over the nape of her neck, but his arms soon settled on her waist. It was impossible to run from him.

“Ayato… Please, I’ve been feeling anaemic lately…”

The stress from being in a new environment might have also played a part in it, but since Ayato had taken her blood yesterday, her physical condition had been worsening.

Ayato paid her worries no mind. “Shut up.”

He was clearly toying with her. His tongue found her skin again, licking her as he occasionally made low noises of pleasure. The wet sound of it echoed through the room.

Yui tried to endure it by squeezing her eyes shut, but it inadvertently only made her focus on Ayato more. A small sound escaped her lips at the anticipation of not knowing when his fangs would pierce her skin.

“Feels that good, huh?”

Yui tried to get back, but Ayato wouldn’t budge. “That’s not…”

Just when Yui thought his grip on her waist loosened a little, Ayato bent down to her chest and pressed his lips against her skin. He let out a low moan as he sucked hard. The pain made Yui’s voice slip again, and he finally looked up.

He didn’t… bite me?

Looking down at her chest, Yui did not see blood, but a red mark in the shape of a rose petal on her skin.

“That’s my mark of ownership.”

“N-no…” Yui pushed against his chest to get away, but he only gripped her tighter.

“Don’t move. I’ll give you more.”

Enjoying the feel of her skin, Ayato leisurely moved his tongue to the other side of her chest. He pulled down her sweater to expose her skin further, almost to her most sensitive parts, and began covering it in love bites.

“I want to hurt you more. More, and more…”

“Ah…”

Yui could barely move. She could only try and stand the pain.

When Ayato finally let her go, his red love bites fluttered across her chest like flower petals and clearly marked her as his.

“We’ll continue when you get out of the bath. You’ll only get more anaemic if I feed on you now and that’d just be a bother,” Ayato whispered in Yui’s ear as he embraced her tighter. “Just hurry up. You know what’ll happen if you make me wait too long.”

This time, Ayato let her go. He left the room.

For what felt like the umpteenth time today, Yui sighed heavily. What’s happening to me? Still, no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’ come to an answer.

“In any case, I should take a bath first.”

She knew it was part escapism, but Yui felt that she would lose her sanity completely if she could not do these kinds of normal, human things. Yui grabbed a fresh towel and a clean set of clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m using the bath here.

On the first night, when Yui had only just arrived at the mansion, she had lost consciousness and simply slept for a while, and the next day, she had used the shower room near the pool.

I know it’s foolish to think about, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of bath they have… Daydreaming about her impending bath time, Yui stepped into the bathroom.

It was lavish. Marble covered the floor of the large room in front of her, and a large, white clawfoot tub stood near the back wall. I’ve never been in such a luxurious bathroom before, Yui thought. Even the sink is made of marble. She put her fresh clothes on top of the sink, and her eyes drifted to her reflection in the mirror in front of her.

The marks on her chest were undeniably there. But why would Ayato do this?

Yui had no hopes of running away from the mansion to begin with—the brothers had told her so—and it seemed unnecessary to brand her as his for the world to see.

But still, the throbbing pain of the love bites made her thoughts drift to Ayato even when he wasn’t with her. When she thought of it like that, she realised that the marks must have served Ayato’s intended purpose.

Yui was startled by a sudden splashing sound and she spun around to look at the bathtub. What was that? Is someone there?

Gingerly, she made her way over to the bathtub and saw Shuu, eyes closed and lying fully-clothed in the water. Yui did not know why he was in there with his clothes still on, but he looked like he was trying to drown himself.

“Shuu?!”

Before Yui could reach out to him, Shuu’s languid voice sounded from under her.

“Damn it, don’t yell like that.”

“B-but if you stay in there with your clothes on…”

“Strip them off me, then.”

“What?” Not used to Shuu speaking that way to her, Yui was briefly at a loss for words.

“Didn’t you come in here to see me naked?” Shuu asked, trying to gauge her reaction.

“N-no!” Yui stammered. “Please don’t say such inappropriate things… I came in here to take a bath.”

Shuu’s clear blue eyes watched her face become red, and let out a low laugh as if he enjoyed seeing her flustered. “Would you like to join me?”

“T-there’s no way...”

“Your red cheeks suggest otherwise.”

Realising Shuu was making fun of her, Yui inadvertently shot him a glare, but he simply repositioned his head on the edge of the bathtub with a dissatisfied expression on his face.

“Boring.”

Clearly not intent on getting out of the tub, Shuu closed his eyes again.

Yui’s fear that he might drown dissipated, but even though she felt somewhat relieved, Shuu’s overly sluggish behaviour left her with a complicated feeling. All they’ve done since I came here is manipulate me…

Yui thought of the six brothers’ faces.

So Shuu is the eldest and Reiji is the second son, then the triplets Ayato, Kanato and Laito, and then Subaru is the youngest. But…

“You’re brothers, but why are you all so different?” Yui wondered aloud.

“We’ve got different mothers.”

“What?”

“…Reiji and I have the same mother, and the triplets have a different mother,” Shuu said in a detached voice, his eyes still closed.

“I… see.”

So that’s why they don’t look alike, Yui concluded, but suddenly realised that he had missed one brother.

“What about Subaru?”

“Also got a different mother,” Shuu said, before completely submerging himself in the tub.

“Wha—Shuu!”

In a state of panic, Yui reached out and grabbed both of Shuu’s arms. At the feeling of her hands on his body, his eyes flew open.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The blurry vision of a boy, slightly taller than him, plagued Shu’s mind. When Shuu was younger, the boy always reached out a hand towards him, took him to all sorts of places, and showed him things he had never seen before.

However, the next moment, Shuu’s sight was taken away by a cloud of burning ash. His memories with the boy faded into nothing. That day, Shuu could only stare, dumbfounded, at his friend’s village as it burned to the ground, black smoke rising from its buildings.

“Edgar…”

I couldn’t do anything… My only friend, and I couldn’t do anything to save him.

Everything you love can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye, and never even leave a trace. Just like that boy.

All Shuu was left with was a feeling of powerlessness. All was meaningless.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Shuu, it hurts…”

Shuu snapped back to attention at Yui’s voice. What did I just…

When he looked at Yui, her face was twisted in pain. Why is she making that face? And… she’s so warm, he thought, slightly confused. As he looked at his hands, he involuntarily reached out and grabbed Yui’s hands tightly. So this is… the body temperature of a human.

Shuu tugged hard at Yui’s arms and pulled her into the bathtub with him, causing her to shriek. Water splashed around them.

The human girl was now soaked to the skin. Her wet clothes made her look thinner (5) than she already did.

Shuu did not know why he did it. He found it difficult to think about anything but the feel of her warm body—the human warmth that he’d gone so long without.

“Let me drink your blood.”

Yui gasped. Fear washed over her face when she looked up at him.

“Hm? Are you scared?” Shuu traced a hand along her neck and pulled it towards him. Perhaps out of fear, Yui squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

Shuu gazed at the porcelain-coloured skin of her exposed neck. “You’re so pale. I wonder how your skin will look when I sink my teeth into you and stain it bright-red with your blood…”

As he spoke, his eyes trailed slowly downwards to her chest. When his gaze fell upon the red marks there, he couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“Ayato. What a control freak.”

“Shuu, I thought you were the only one…” Yui met his gaze even though she was shivering. “I thought you were the only one who’d be different… So why…”

The fatal flaw of humans—they tended to be much too trusting. Shuu felt himself becoming increasingly annoyed at her foolishness. “Let me be clear. I’m a vampire.”

This is too bothersome.

“I’ll show you a whole new world.”

The hand that had been trailing across Yui’s neck, Shuu now used to pull her roughly against him so he could sink his teeth into her shoulder. Yui bit down a shriek.

“Your blood is so warm… I feel like it might burn me.”

Desperately, Yui tried to block out his voice.

“Ah, you’re getting turned on… What a lewd woman you are, running so hot when I bite you.”

“I-It’s not…”

Eagerly gulping down Yui’s blood, Shuu came to a realisation. He raised his face to hers. “…I know now why you’re here. It’s your blood. It’s really something special.”

Blood from the wounds Shuu had inflicted on Yui dripped into the bath, almost as if her body was crying for her.

“Don’t offer your help to me again.”

Yui’s tears of blood quietly disappeared into the water.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A little while after Shuu had left, Yui came out of the bathroom and dragged herself to her room. Memories of what had just happened flashed through her mind.

Shuu actually wasn’t interested in her. That’s why she thought he wouldn’t hurt her, but Yui realised that had been a very naive assumption for her to make.

At the same time, she thought it strange that her blood was ‘something special,’ as Shuu had called it. I don’t think that means I have a rare blood type, Yui thought as she opened the door to her room. She sighed and closed the door behind her.

“You’re late, Pancake.”

Ayato was sitting on her bed.

“I’m thirsty. Hurry up and give me your blood.”

“Ayato, I’m…”

She’d already told him she was feeling anaemic earlier, but Shuu had only just fed from her as well. Yui was certain she would keel over if Ayato took her blood now, and yet the redhead jumped off the bed and stalked towards her.

“You have no right to refuse me.”

Ayato grabbed her from behind and snaked his arms around her waist.

“You’d be better off surrendering to my fangs,” he said as he bent down to her neck to bite her, but he suddenly froze. “Huh?”

On her neck, he found fresh bite marks.

“What’s this?”

“It hurts…” Yui hunched up her shoulders in pain when Ayato ran his fingers over the wounds.

“Reiji? No, Shuu. That motherfucker…”

Ayato grabbed Yui’s hand and forcefully dragged her out of the room.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The two ended up in the gaming room. It had a billiards table, and a rack with cue sticks and a dart board were placed against the wall. When Ayato spotted Shuu lying on the sofa, he strode over and started yelling at him.

“Shuu, you fucker! Are you picking a fight?”

Shuu didn’t respond and his eyes remained closed, which only angered his brother even more.

“Hey, listen to me!”

“Shut up.” Shuu muttered. He clearly did not feel like arguing with Ayato.

Ayato clicked his tongue in response to his brother’s sluggish behaviour. When he looked around the room in anger and his eyes spotted the dart board, he thought of something.

“Let’s play a round of darts!”

“…I can’t be bothered.”

“Like hell you are!”

What should I do? At this rate, they really are going to fight… Just as Yui hesitated whether she should step in to stop them, she suddenly heard someone clapping.

When Yui looked behind her, Laito was leaning against the billiards table, looking at the three of them in amusement.

“How lovely. Our little bitch will be the grand prize!” Laito’s smile deepened when he looked at Yui. “Hehe. This is the best!”

“Grand prize…?” How did it come to this? Yui had a hard time comprehending what was happening.

“You are being way too rowdy.” Having overheard his brothers’ bickering, Reiji now stood near the wall with an irritated look on his face. “Would you care to tell me what is going on?”

“Ayato and Shuu are going to play darts against each other. And what better way to spice things up than a grand prize on the line, right? So, we thought Bitchlet would be the perfect prize.” Laito motioned to Ayato and Shuu to signal that it was their competition.

”Again with the nonsense… If you must, then do it quietly.”

“Okay…”

Yui had hoped Reiji would step in and end the argument, but he hadn’t. Shuu opened his eyes to look at Yui.

“I don’t care about her… so just let me sleep in peace,” Shuu mumbled and closed his eyes again.

Reiji scoffed in response. “I already expected you to say that.”

Reiji? Yui watched as Reiji was staring daggers at his older brother even more than usual.

“You do not even have the guts to accept a challenge. The word ‘coward’ (6) must have truly been invented for this man right here.” Reiji paused for a second, but then continued his tirade. “What a good-for-nothing, useless man.”

Shuu slowly got up at this remark. His sluggish demeanour disappeared completely—his face briefly suggested that he was out for blood—before returning to his usual state. “I’ll do it, Ayato.”

“Well, I wasn’t gonna accept any other answer.”

And so Ayato and Shuu’s battle for Yui began.

The two brothers barely missed their targets when throwing the darts, but somehow, Shuu seemed to come out on top. When Shuu examined the darts he was using, Laito called out.

”Shuu’s next shot could decide the game! If he hits the right mark, our little bitch will become his… How exciting!” Laito sent a sidelong glance to Yui, who stood speechless next to him, as he laughed in amusement.

She quickly looked away. Would it be Shuu or Ayato? Whoever won, Yui had no choice in the matter.

“This is insane,” she muttered. I’m not an object! Yui tried to leave the gaming room, but Laito grabbed her by the shoulder before she could get near the door.

“Oh, my. Our grand prize suddenly started moving on its own!” Laito’s tone of voice was light-hearted, but his unrelenting grip on her shoulder suggested otherwise.

“Let go… It hurts…”

“Hehe.”

Yui glared at Laito even as her face twisted in pain, but he only returned her glare with a shameless grin.

“You’d better look. Shuu’s about to throw, you know.” Laito pointed to his brother, who had just assumed a throwing position and was holding the dart expertly in his hands.

Shuu…

Reiji and Ayato looked on, mildly displeased, as Shuu threw the dart towards the board. It soared through the air in a straight line, perfectly hitting the mark that Shuu had aimed for.

Ayato clicked his tongue in annoyance. Reiji just stared at the board, the winning dart sticking out of it. Shuu, however, sighed in relief that the game was finally over, and turned on his heels and immediately headed for the door.

Shuu? Yui stared after Shuu in confusion.

Laito noticed this, a glint of mischief appearing in his eyes. “And your prize is… Bitchlet!”

He gave Yui a strong push, sending her stumbling towards Shuu with a yelp. The force of it caused her to slam into Shuu’s back.

“I-I’m sorry.” Yui stammered an apology, but Shuu stayed silent, his back still to her. “Um… Shuu?”

He slowly turned around to face Yui, and leaned in to whisper.

“Humans are nothing but prey to me.”

Shuu’s low voice and dangerously glistening eyes as he looked down on her made Yui freeze in place. He grabbed her chin with a hand and tilted her face upward with a rough movement to expose her neck.

Yui flinched.

“You know that, right?” he said as he bent down to her neck. Yui was immobilised by fear. “Don’t bother me anymore.”

With these words, Shuu unceremoniously sank his teeth into her skin. The pain running through her neck sent her spiralling into darkness, and she soon lost consciousness.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

1. 食卓 (しょくたく) は団欒 (だんらん): A figure of speech in which 食卓 refers to a dining table, and 団欒 means a ‘happy place,’ or ‘sitting together in a happy circle/harmony,’ thus suggesting that dining together is supposed to be an enjoyable activity to bond with one another.

2. 穀潰 (ごくつぶ) し: Good-for-nothing; deadbeat; parasite; useless person. This is the nickname Reiji often uses for Shuu.

3. スノーボール: A snowball is a kind of chocolate, snowball-shaped and often filled with fresh cream.

4. 懐 (なつ) かしい: Adverb denoting a feeling of nostalgia; looking back fondly on something that happened long ago.

5. 貧相 (ひんそう): Thin (body); poor/seedy-looking. In Diabolik Lovers, the boys usually use this word to refer to Yui’s body as “not much to look at,” especially referring to her lacking in the chest area.

6. 腑抜 (ふぬ) け: Coward; spineless person. Literally someone whose ‘guts have slipped out.’

[rayspookyhistory]

𐙚 Hachishakusama 𐙚

Hachishakusama, also known as "Eight Feet Tall" (八尺様, Hachishakusama), is a compelling urban legend from Japan, known to haunt and terrify children.

Hachishakusama stands at a towering eight shaku, about 240 cm or 7 feet 10 inches. She is often depicted wearing a long, flowing white dress or burial kimono. Sometimes, she is described wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Her face is usually obscured, adding to her mysterious and ominous presence. She mainly resembles a lady.

She emits a deep, masculine voice that repeats the sound "Po... Po... Po..." in a slow, rhythmic manner. This sound is often the first sign of her presence.

Hachishakusama typically targets children, usually those around the ages of 8 to 13. The reasons for her preference for children are unclear, but it adds a layer of dread to the legend. Once she has chosen a victim, she begins to stalk them relentlessly. The child and those around them might notice her figure lurking in the distance, her voice growing closer over time. Children who have seen or heard her are marked for abduction. The legend states that once marked, the child has only a few days before Hachishakusama takes them away.

Origin of the Legend

The legend of Hachishakusama is a modern creation that has gained popularity through the internet, particularly on Japanese forums and horror websites. It is a part of the larger genre of urban legends and ghost stories that blend traditional Japanese folklore with contemporary fears.

Protective Measures and Rituals

Surrounding the child with bowls of salt and placing protective charms (omamori) around their living space can help ward off Hachishakusama. The salt is believed to purify and create a barrier against evil spirits.

The child may be confined in a room with religious symbols, such as Buddhist sutras or Shinto talismans. These symbols are believed to provide protection by creating a sacred space that evil spirits cannot penetrate.

Moving the child to a distant location, preferably outside of Japan, is considered one of the most effective ways to break the curse. The belief is that Hachishakusama's influence weakens with distance. However, the minute they step back into Japan, they are to be abducted.

Cultural Impact and Interpretations

Hachishakusama has appeared in various forms of media, including horror manga, video games, and creepypasta stories. Her story has been adapted and retold in numerous ways, cementing her place in contemporary folklore.

The legend taps into deep-seated fears, such as the fear of the unknown, the supernatural, and the vulnerability of children. It also reflects societal concerns about the safety of children and the ever-present threat of danger in a seemingly safe environment.

Hachishakusama shares similarities with other supernatural figures in folklore, such as the Slender Man from Western urban legends. Both are tall, mysterious figures that target the young and evoke a sense of pervasive dread.

Popular Story Example

A well-known version of the Hachishakusama story involves a young boy visiting his grandparents in a rural village. During his stay, he encounters Hachishakusama in the garden, hearing her eerie "Po... Po... Po..." sound. His grandparents, recognizing the signs, quickly take protective measures, isolating him in a room surrounded by salt and religious charms. Despite their efforts, the boy feels her presence growing stronger. Ultimately, he is sent away to live with relatives far from the village, breaking the curse. This story highlights the combination of traditional protective practices and the ultimate need for distance to escape her grasp.

BEWARE THE WRATH OF THE HACHISHAKUSAMA

and also look at my cute drawing i did of her during making this :3

[zaphiyy207]

Rambling

You know, I would like to try and get out of my comfort. I have been rambling a lot to my friend (bless her for dealing with me) so here's me making blog, rambling about Kirby just to deal with me brain rotting about this pink puff game and its characters (mostly the RTDL Squad). I have a lot of headcanons and ideas that perhaps sharing with the community for shits and giggles is somewhat of a decent idea I suppose. Maybe it could be your entertainment who knows.

I'm focusing on speech pattern, because there's a lot of possibility on how they talk and speak, and I like trying to differentiate them in writing or just daydreaming them to pass the time

[Note: I am focusing on the main four. The others will be added soon once I've played more Kirby games.]

I'm also comparing them with the anime as it's the only media that they talked in full sentences (aside from Kirby and Bandana).

— King Dedede

(before FL) would have talk a lot and have a gruffier voice. Somewhat a little rough as it's coming from the base of the throat type of rough.

(After FL) He would have a slightly raspy voice due to him yelling and roaring a lot forcefully which strained his voice. Compared to the anime, I would see him speaking a little quieter and don't talk as much as his counterpart (to heal his voice).

He uses informal words where the g is silent despite being royalty, and have interesting combination of words that sounded strange to an outsider and yet make sense in Dreamland. (Native slangs in Dreamland, I haven't think much of an example) Despite the impolite or somewhat a little rude manner speech, his tone is upbeat which made him more friendly than menacing (despite his large figure)

He would have a slight hint of southern/texan accent and talks fast paced. I do hc that Dreamlanders have Japanese accent rather than English, not sure how to word it out.

— Bandana Waddle Dee

His voice would sounds somewhat a young teen (considering both Kirby and BWD are youngsters) so he'll sound like 13 - 15 at most? Since waddle dees have high pitch voices in FL and RTDL DX, his sentence sometimes ended up in a higher note. Bandana would stutter in his speech sometimes due to anxiety spikes or due to his tongue just stumbled (twisted?) which confused him on what he was about to say. Otherwise, he speaks fairly well. He's also silent and wouldn't say much during serious situations as he always zoned out and focused very much in battles or some serious situations that needed him to strategise.

Considering he spent a lot of time with Kirby, he adopted some of Kirby's speech mannerism with occasional hum in between to think of specific words or just occasional one liners like a joke (You know, like quoting a vine or something but it's an inside joke between the friends).

He also adopted some of Dedede's and Meta Knight's speech mannerism and accents during serious moments. It is quite subtle between the three, but if he's around the waddle dees, it's fairly obvious how different his accent and speech mannerism compared to the other waddle dees.

Bandana has slight bit of southern/texan and spanish. Though it's mostly Japanese (native accent of Dreamland)

— Kirby

Now this is mostly centering around hc of mine of both Kirby and Meta Knight

He has a bubbly voice, following the game voice clips of Kirby. which made him sounds younger than his supposed age range. Compared to his anime counterpart, he has a little deeper voice and accented.

Due to him being energetic, he tends to cut people off which he knows it's bad but he just can't help it. He tried to curb that habit from his friends reminding him or forcing himself to stop and apologized.

Kirby's speech mannerism is a little funny imo. He misused complicated words with meanings he thinks it meant even though it's actually very far off. Meta Knight and Bandana always corrected him afterwards. (He's very embarrassed). He's actually quite nice and polite. It's just that he's very blunt which made him sounded rude and kind of a 'kind' insult even though it's supposed to be a compliment.

Kirby sometimes has a stroke and just said the most confusing abomination of a stroke sentence due to his brain mouth speaking faster than his brain could process, which the others looked at him after a few moments of silence like "what".

Kirby has Halcandra accent when he first came to Popstar and from influenced by Dream Friends, he now has mixed accents (like someone who learned English as their second language and has both UK and US accent). His accents also changed according to Dream Friends, like if he's with Taranza, he has more Florarian accent, if he's with the animal friends, he has more Japanese accent. His original accent comes out around Magolor and Meta Knight. Though his original accent also is slowly disappearing after living in Popstar for so long.

— Meta Knight

Compared to his anime counterpart (JP and ENG), he has deeper voice and slight spanish and Halcandra accent but more Japanese as he was on Popstar longer than Kirby. He also has change of speech mannerism between work mode and relax mode which isn't too noticeable.

Work mode has him talk in short and straight to the point. His tone is more apathetic and curt kind of way? Not with the intention of being rude but it's a way to get others to focus on their work and responsibilities. He has a lot of complicated and bigger words because all this time he reads the dictionary (/j). When he's under pressure, Halcandrian words slipped out and he just speak in full Halcandra which others just nodded along watching him rage for just a moment. This includes curse words. Meta Knight is also silent like BWD as he's also focusing on the fight which he zoned out sometimes.

Relax mode however has him talk more than usual which his tone is a little light, his body language is a little slack as well as his expression not narrowed or angry looking (Of course, it's not obvious because of the mask but the three noticed the difference right away). He still has the habit of brooding because he's workaholic.

He's also very blunt, a trait share with Kirby because of their origins (HC!!). Meta Knight served as Kirby's translator when the little Astral had a hard time explaining what words he wanted to say. He understood the struggle of learning a new language.

Meta Knight also has a stroke like Kirby which happened very rarely nowadays but it always happened when he woke up without a caffeine (hot choco) to kick start his brain or if he has little sleep due to overwork. It also includes Halcandrian slangs which Magolor cackled like a psychopath and Kirby just nodded along as he understood half of what he said.

And that's it, if you come this far consider me being very surprised because this is a way for me to just let out my brainrot moments. Will this turn into a series? Maybe, we'll see how it goes

What do you guys think? What is your view on how the four would speak?

[nothingrpgzone]

Staying Classy in the Stone Age 1

Last September my long time friend Ciara mentioned the idea of running a stone age fantasy game, and in a discord server I am in, someone started a thread about paleolithic hex crawling so I decided to revisit this idea.

Classes such as the fighter need no real adaptations, all that is needed is a change of equipment list and you have someone who is capable of fighting. A magic users would be only slightly more difficult, eschewing the spellbook for various artifacts of power but again very reasonable. After that there is the thief, most skills are broadly applicable such as a backstabing or a climbing sheer surface even in the stone age, however picking locks and reading languages are not skills someone needs at that time. 

There is also the cleric and despite interfacing with divinity being a very important part of the game the cleric as presented is more focused on presenting a very medieval christian understanding of what interfacing with the divine means. A major rework of the cleric would be needed for proper stone age play but that is a blog post for another day[1].

Below are rules for making thieves more appropriately stone age in osr style games by changing the skills they have access to. The following are the skills found in bx/ad&d, and what I would do to make them more befitting of the stone age, all probabilities remain the same.

Pick Pockets -> Delicate Work

Even without pockets, sleight of hand is still important, it’s just the same skill at the end of the day.

Open Locks -> Identify Plant

A thief is able to determine the uses of a plant by inexplicable instinct. An unsuccessful attempt means the thief is unable to retry until they reach a new level.

(If using these skills with DCC the thief additionally adds their Intelligence Modifier)

Find/Remove Traps -> Detect/Conceal Tracks

(If using these skills with DCC the thief additionally adds their Intelligence Modifier to Detect Tracks checks and their Dexterity to Conceal Tracks checks)

Move Silently: No change

Hear Noise: No change

Climb Walls No change

Read Language -> Commune With Animal

A thief gains the ability to speak to animals in a limited manner. Observations of the surrounding world, and general emotional states such as contention or fear can be communicated; however the human condition remains the domain of hominids. An unsuccessful attempt means the thief is unable to retry until they reach a new level.

(If using these skills with DCC the thief additionally adds their Personality Modifier)

[1] I often find myself thinking ah I just need a rewrite of the cleric class in a lot of my pondering of doing d&d in different settings, particularly in regards to people doing d&d but japanese as many people try and do. They are always like no the ninja should be a totally different class than the assassin for some reason. Like it’s really only the cleric that needs to be changed, being hit by a warrior with a maul is fundamentally not that different from being hit by a warrior with a kanabō.

Also I am not sure yet if my stone age cleric analog would have stuff related to undeath as I am not sure if elves were yet to create the curse of undeath in the stone age or if that was a copper age invention. Regardless, more elf research is needed in this regard.

[foreveralwaysanauthor]

Naomi's Basic Info

Name: Naomi Seika Sato

Now, I know Naomi has only appeared maybe three times in my writing (the winter stories from 2022), but I have plans on adding her to some of my future stories, so I figured I might as well make a board for her. Again, this was surprisingly easy, and the only one I had any difficulty finding was an actress from the 60s as there weren't a ton of well-known Asian actresses. Anyway, in the 60s, we have Irene Tsu (How To Stuff a Wild Bikini); the 80s, Cherie Chung (An Autumn's Tale); the 90s, Nicole Bilderback (Bring It On); and now, Momona Tamada (Avatar: The Last Airbender).

Nicknames: Mimi, NayNay (by very few people), and Koneko (a Japanese term of endearment that means "kitten". Only her grandparents call her that, and it's mostly her grandfather)

Age: 17

Date of Birth: September 29

Zodiac: Libra

Birthstone: Sapphire

Nationality: Asian-American

Sexuality: Asexual, but don't tell her grandmother that. The woman desperately wants grandbabies, and Naomi has no interest in ever giving her any. Her parents and grandfather know and don't care so long as she's happy, but they all know better than to tell her grandma.

Birthplace: St. John's Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, New York

Current Residence: Park Street, Rockland, Maine

Occupation: High school junior, professional figure skater, junior medical assistant at her parent’s office

Talents/Skills: Acting (mostly in high school or town productions), making flip books, animating short videos

Birth order: Only 

Parents: Kyoya Jin Sato and Hina Mai Suoh

Signature:

Height: 5’1”

Race: Japanese-American

Eye Color: Dark brown, almost black

Hair Color: Brown

Glasses or contact lenses: Glasses for reading, contacts for fun

Distinguishing features: A birthmark on her hip that looks almost like a cherry blossom, a scar on her inner right calf from a skating incident, and a single dimple on her left cheek

Mannerisms: Bopping her head to music, mumbling to herself while working on projects, and keeping the tip of her tongue between her lips when she’s deep in thought

Health: Chronic migraines, Type-1 Diabetes, and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

Hobbies: Gardening, baking, watching anime and Chinese historical dramas, playing cozy games, scrolling Pinterest, writing fanfictions, and cosplaying 

Greatest flaw (in their opinion): How everyone still sees her as a child/childish. As the only child/grandchild in her family, Naomi is often babied by her family members. Her father was an only child, and her mother was the only daughter of four kids and was the golden child, leading to Naomi feeling more like a toddler as anyone who came to visit would treat her like a little doll. She appreciates their love and care, but all she really wants is for her family to see her as the near-adult she is, not some naive little girl in need of shelter from the outside world. In a way, that was the reason she and Lexi became friends. She needed someone in her life who treated her like an actual person, not a child.

Best quality (in their opinion): Her determination to succeed in everything she does. While she doesn’t fear failure or disappointing her family, she strives to be the best version of herself she can be. Whether it’s working hard at her family’s practice, learning new skating skills, or trying out a new recipe, Naomi puts her whole heart into all she does. She is a very determined individual, but that doesn’t stop her from taking breaks now and then or spending time caring for herself. 

Biggest fear: Losing her sense of self for the sake of others. Naomi is fairly confident in who she is as a person - an intelligent, pink-loving, figure skater who wants nothing more than to help her parents run their practice. However, she fears that someday, if she were to find herself looking for a different job or maybe falling in love, those people would try to change who she is for the sake of professionalism and maturity. She has taken the time to grow into who she is and finally loves herself just as she is; the last thing she wants is for someone to try to change her to meet their needs. If they can’t love her for who she is, Naomi knows it isn’t worth it, but she knows she wants love sometime down the road, and the thought of giving up her style and personality for someone to see her as a mature human being is something that deeply terrifies her. Real life is nothing like the books or movies she loves so deeply, after all, and she knows this. That is why she keeps many potential friendships/relationships at a distance until she knows they won’t try to change her.

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Favorite ice cream: Strawberry mochi

Favorite color: Pastel pink

Favorite number: 2, as the number represents balance and harmony in Japanese culture

Favorite songs: ballad of a homeschooled girl by Olivia Rodrigo, ALICE by PEGGY, and Platonic Love Song #1 by Lauren Bird

A place they want to visit: Forbidden City, China, or Bunkyo City, Japan

[magpiejay1234]

I was wondering when the usual Toei saxophones were going to start, it is in the SLASH!! theme's instrumental version. Sounds pretty cool.

Anyway, so far, there are no notable differences between Dub, and Japanese original, besides the Cathode Tamer reference we mentioned before. I still prefer Japanese original, since it is the original, and canon one, but you really aren't missing much with Dub.

I suspect there will be more divergence once Devas come, but you can watch Tamers Dub, and get the story proper, whereas Adventure, and 02 both have some story elements that are explained slightly more clearly in Japanese original. The bigger problem, of course, most of Adventure's original lore is limited to novelization, and PSP game, so you have no choice but to track wikis, and read fan translations, unless you buy those yourself. This will be harder due to the reboot, of course.

That said, I can't really blame English Dub for not explaining Devas in detail, considering they originate from Chinese Buddhism, so you are need to be aware both their original basis from Chinese Buddhism, their reinterpretations in Japanese Zen Buddhism, and their Digimon canon specific lore, which wasn't fully explained during Tamers' original run. Then you would need to explain why these Chinese Devas are attacking the Japanese city of Tokyo to sniff out some Westernized Japanese kids (one of being half-Chinese), and two vagabond Digimon, in a manner that is inspired by Angels from NGE.

Then you would need to explain why these Devas are coordinating their attacks, despite being under different Sovereigns with wildly different ideologies, one of them being Qinglongmon (Azulongmon from Dub), the Big Good of 02, and the intentional Gandalf reference.

****

Anyway, for those wondering, the Devas are based off the Twelve Generals in Chinese Buddhism:

As for why they are associated with Sovereigns:

The Zodiac's popularity in Japan peaked during the Edo Era (1600-1868 AD), by which time each of the 12 animals were commonly associated with one of eight Buddhist patron protector deities (four guarding the four cardinal directions and four guarding the four semi-directions; the latter four are each associated with two animals, thus covering all 12 animals).

Since Sovereigns represent the four cardinal directions, this makes sense.

The Twelve Generals are also optional bosses in SMTII, unfortunately they haven't reappeared in any Megaten game since:

[neelgamesartanddesign]

Practice 1: Weekly Project

Places of Mind

Blog 2

The ongoing week's "Places of mind" task presented a fascinating an entryway to dive into the universe of Shocking Engine and make a serene Japanese safe-haven got comfortable the middle of a rich forest area. I embraced the test, restless to research the creative possible results and update how I could decipher areas of strength for this engine.

Creating a Haven: Estimated Witchcraft

To start off the advancement of the safe-haven, I chose the efficiency of specific assets. Blender served as my virtual studio, where I meticulously gathered pre-made components to frame the design's foundation. I had the option to focus on the plan and organization overall while keeping a predictable style with this technique.

Substance Painter: Adding Surface and Significance

At the point when the central plan was set up, the opportunity had arrived to resuscitate the safe-haven with rich surfaces and unusual nuances. Substance Painter became my tool, where I applied materials with care and dealt with impacts on every component. The regular mark of communication and enormous library of brushes allowed me to achieve a level of credibility that truly raised the scene. Wandering into Unfathomable Engine: Building the World Now that the sanctuary was exquisitely decorated, it was time to integrate it into the vast Stunning Motor universe. The scene awakened as I molded the enveloping scene, cautiously shaping completing slants and cutting peaceful ways. I had the option to shape the territory in the manner I needed thanks to Stunning's strong chiseling devices, which brought about a vivid and regular habitat. Painting the Material: Layering Surfaces and Foliage

Next came the endeavor of spreading out the scene with dynamic surfaces, changing the uncovered scene into a weaving of rich vegetation and good tones. I was able to flawlessly mix various materials and create a trustworthy and distinct scene thanks to Stunning's intuitive surface painting framework. Adding foliage was the last brushstroke in this imaginative endeavor. I definitively situated a variety of Megascans assets, their first rate nuances upgrading the scene with a sensation of credibility and typical heavenliness. I had the option to make the best woodland environment to supplement the quiet sanctuary because of the broad library of plants and trees, which furnished me with vast conceivable outcomes. A Trip of Examination and Learning

This a large number of weeks task turned out to be a huge learning experience. The incorporation of Megascans resources added an amazing layer of authenticity and detail to my task, which woke me up to the immense capability of this strong game motor.

As I continue to refine and clean my scene, I'm stacked up with a pride and energy. This errand has not quite recently allowed me to make a peaceful haven as a Japanese safe-haven, but it has similarly equipped me with critical capacities and data that I can apply to future creative endeavors.

I encourage you to set out on your own creative journey inside Unfathomable Engine. The growing experience is fulfilling and improving, and the potential outcomes are unfathomable. Share your own experiences and signs in the comments underneath, and we ought to continue to research the completely exhilarating universe of game headway together!

[elonasblog]

What is total quality?

Complete quality administration (TQM) is a standard administration practice wherein every representative inside an association constantly breaks down its creation cycles to further develop the assembling nature of items and administrations and improve consumer loyalty. It includes leading administration preparing and carrying out scientific techniques to distinguish and eliminate trouble spots in business tasks.

It is a fruitful administration approach regularly utilized in businesses, like assembling. As a component of the quality improvement arranging process, the leaders train the labor force from various divisions about the cycle norms and characterize business objectives. In addition to the fact that TQM helps an association meet client assumptions, however it likewise assists them with limiting working expenses by decreasing asset squander because of immaterial practices.

What is total quality?

The steadily developing and serious worldwide market make it hard for a business to rule the market. Likewise, the accessibility of similar sorts of items from various brands gives clients different choices. In this manner, shoppers depend on certain boundaries, including cost, brand prominence, after-administration, and so on, to conclude which item they ought to purchase. Of these, quality generally stays the game changer.

A quality item, to put it plainly, rises to client securing and maintenance. Since each association embraces a client centered approach, quality confirmation becomes fundamental in conveying the best item or administration.

American analyst Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who proposed testing based quality assessment through his Factual Quality Control hypothesis, first conceptualized the TQM technique. He likewise contributed toward presenting quality control in the quality administration proportions of the Japanese makers during the 1950s post-Universal Conflict Second. It became promoted as a complete quality administration idea in the later years.

You are allowed to utilize this picture on your site, layouts, and so forth, Kindly give us an attribution connect

TQM empowers associations to adjust their labor force to the assembling cycles to find and wipe out blunders to work on the general nature of their results. In doing as such, the top administration, center administration, and chiefs evaluate the final results from each viewpoint and devise quality creation designs appropriately. To forestall or dispose of blunders brought about by human slip-up or flawed framework, they go to different lengths, for example,

Distinguish the issue and keep it from happening. Give it to the worth added chain for additional quality assessment. Stop the creation assuming that the blunders repeat at any stage. Send the innovative help. Key Components of Absolute Quality Administration You are allowed to utilize this picture on your site, formats, and so forth, If it's not too much trouble, furnish us with an attribution connect

Beside that, TQM helps associations in smoothing out store network the board and checking for the legitimate consistence of the items fabricated. To put it plainly, they need to ensure that the eventual outcome depends available guidelines, legitimate prerequisites, and client assumptions.

Plasto Toys makes plastic toys for youngsters. The brand figured out how to gain a decent standing on the lookout, and guardians depended on it for quality items. Notwithstanding, the customary natural missions on plastic contamination impacted the offer of the toys generally, making the organization bring about colossal misfortunes.

As a reaction to this, the organization the board and chiefs consented to carry out the TQM approach for assembling toys utilizing biodegradable plastics. The showcasing office began publicizing and advancing how their toys are innocuous to the climate. In only two or three months, Plasto Toys recaptured its unique situation on the lookout.

This work discusses the "plan-do-check-act" cycle embraced by AtlantiCare, a medical services supplier in New Jersey. It assists one with grasping TQM at a more profound level.

With 5,000 workers spread across 25 areas, the firm executed the TQM approach. It included every person from each level to give crucial criticism about the medical services items fabricated. It prompted the through and through progress of the items as the concerned HR partook in the quality confirmation process. They noticed every item according to all viewpoints, including client care, individuals, process, working environment, and so forth.

When they executed the TQM system, the medical care unit started its direction and preparing program for the new workers. Likewise, it acquainted an intense training with guarantee that they comprehend the organization methodology to keeping up with quality norms.

This organized methodology helped the organization income , which rose from $280m to $650m. It further demonstrated the expanded degree of fulfillment among the patients.

[azteriot]

I lived, bitc-

If you know why I’ve returned here, you know.

It’s been years and this blog has been catching dusty since forever as I don’t actively use or navigate through this website at all. Aside from initially just using it for contacting someone, I was thinking to turn this into some kind of archives.

......But again when I actually think through about it, this site is hardly suitable for what I have in my mind.

For example, to celebrate my return, I’d like to publish one of my OC fic right here BUT THE FUCKING TEXT AND FONT FORMATION IS SO LIMITED OTL I specifically need the “furigana”-like function to work, so if only I could resize text and space, I will be able to deliver the long-awaiting scenario that has been stuck in my mind for years into its closer glorious form, in words.

Speaking about my OCs, I have been trying to wrap my head around ungendered words and whatnot in English and Japanese to express their nature more accurately as they’re technically not a human, they just absorbed some of civilizations and twisted it into their own understanding of self.

For no one’s surprised, I obviously have the most difficulty with English. Especially when I want to apply some sort of “keigo” in Japanese into it.

Also for the banter between Kather and Denas, no, Kather didn’t and will never disrespect Denas’ definition of “being a man” and his masculinely splendor just because he thinks the other being’s way of expressing himself both inwardly and outwardly isn’t quite a cut for the majority of “manliness“ he has observed from many civilizations and stars, it’s just Kather’s little nitpicking of all of the residents of Afterworld are always constantly aware that they’re not truly human and doesn’t belong to such concept. in shortly, denas’ presence pissed him so he pissed back

I’m still considering and planning how to establish the whole Afterworld: Dasein Constella story in chronological order, I have always been dreaming about writing something in Light-novel or visual novel format all by myself with my own illustration, just adding bilingual version for double fun and trilingual dialogues (yes I’m still a noob who can’t write the scenery expression in Japanese, ダメだね) ...........or maybe even as in interactive environment in rpg game-like manner.

For now, it will be randomly in form of unconnected chapters of writing and standalone illustrations which I dubbed it as “disjointed enscripts”

[mey-rin-is-fabulous]

For any new people to the fandom there are 4 bands from the original game that have not been added to Fes A Live and there is a severe lack of Labomunch(Clammbon) songs. Bands who haven't appeared in FAL yet Chammy Chaplets(kiki*,) Tekebakitsusou(usotsuki/ウソつき,) Shirorakurosuka(A Crow is White,) and Spectrenotes(BIGMAMMA)

Here is the old wiki's band page

Had to do this on mobile because desktop tumblr broke for me

[dialovers-translations]

Which DL character do you find the hardest and easiest to translate? One thing I love about the game is the variation of each characters speech manner which reflects their personality. I really enjoyed reading your translation notes about the slangs and figures of speech they used so thank you very much for adding those!

Level 1

・Kanato: Closest to 'textbook Japanese' you will find in DL. Uses proper grammar and very little to no slang.

・Laito: Not quite as polite as Kanato since he uses colloquial expressions (short forms of verbs/etc.) but he also does not use a lot of slang or anything.

・Azusa: Also uses colloquial/short forms of verbs but his sentence are usually very straight-forward and since he talks so slowly, I can basically just translate while he's speaking. :p

Level 2

・Shuu: Shuu doesn't use a lot of slang or anything, but he's lazy even when he talks, so he uses a lot of short sentences where you - as a reader - need to fill in the blanks. This can be tricky for beginner learners who aren't yet accustomed to the context-heavy structure of the Japanese language.

・Ruki: He speaks very clearly and does not use any kind of slang, but he does use more advanced vocabularly and also tends to...ramble, lol. His dialogue can really feel like it just keeps on dragging on forever, which can be very overwhelming for beginners.

・Kino: Generally Kino is quite easy to understand BUT if you are someone who is not very well-versed on video games/video game-related vocabularly, then some of the things he says may leave you puzzled. He likes to talk about everything as if it's a game after all. :p

Level 3

・Kou: Generally Kou is pretty easy to understand but every now and then he'll throw you for a loop and use very specific terms/slang words. (The kind of slang you'd expect from a Japanese teenager)

・Shin: He has a few quirks to his speech pattern and he also likes to use sarcasm/rethorical questions which aren't always easy to grasp when it's not your mother tongue.

・Reiji: Even though Reiji does use keigo (unlike Ruki), I do find him relatively easy to understand because he also talks in a very calm and clear manner. Keigo is usually something taught in textbooks as well so those who learnt Japanese in a class might actually struggle less with Reiji than they do with Ayato & Subaru.

・Ayato: Even though Ayato has a very crude way of speaking, he is also a big dumb dumb so his vocabularly is pretty limited. With this I mean that he uses the same words/structures/phrases over and over so once you learn those, it gets a lot easier to understand him.

・Subaru: Similar to Ayato. Uses a lot of slang and crude language, but he likes to repeat the same phrases too so once you get a grasp of that, you're good to go.

Level 4

・Yuma: I struggled SO MUCH with Yuma's dialogue when I first got into DL. :/ Whenever I had to translate a drama CD and it had Yuma in it, I instantly broke out in a sweat. This guy not only uses a lot of very specific slang, he also tends to mumble a lot and doesn't articulate the best. ^^;;

・Carla: Complete opposite case here. Carla does not use any 'slang', but his speech pattern is a mixture of modern and old/classical Japanese (kobun). Some of the words he uses (e.g. kisama) have changed meaning over time so this can be very confusing to those who are not aware of their original meaning. On top of that, he also uses a lot of very advanced vocabularly. > < It's especially tricky when translating a drama CD because Japanese is filled with homophones so trying to look up words based on sound alone is very difficult.

---

Gonna tag a few fellow (DL) translators below because I'd actually love to hear other opinions on this as well. :D

@kyouxa @raburabusama @tournesolia @knight-queen

[yourplayersaidwhat]

How Not to Negotiate with Demons

Context: We are playing a game called Witch: Fated Souls, where the player characters sell their souls to demons in exchange for power. PCs need to negotiate with their demon in order to become more powerful. The PCs have already successfully negotiated with two demons in a fairly straightforward process. The PC in this story (Crow) is an assassin with a history of mouthing off to the wrong people. Note that before this, the player poked fun of my ill-advised attempt at making his demon look and act like a Japanese daimyo. This particular demon type has control over anyone who eats and drinks anything in their domain, are obsessed with manners and etiquette, and can cause people to go mad by removing the mask they wear.

Player: Crow is waiting for the demon to drink his tea.

Me: He does so, then sets the cup aside.

Me: You should make an Intelligence + Wits roll before you drink.

Player: *rolls a 7* FUCK!

Me: The universe has decided to punish you for making fun of me earlier.

Me: You take a moment to inspect the tea and don’t notice anything suspicious about it.

Player: Crow drinks, not drinking wouldn’t be polite.

Me: As soon as you swallow the tea, you feel your limbs seize up.

[What follows is a tense exchange between Crow and the demon. Crow passes a check to maintain his composure when the demon reveals his true face, but fails a Charisma + Etiquette check to calm him down.]

Me: Okay, he’s going to attack you now. *rolls two attacks, for 16 and 18 damage respectively, enough damage that Crow now has +3 added to the difficulty for pretty much everything he does*

Player: Fuck it, he’s going to run. He changes into a crow and flies out of the room.

Me: You feel the magic take hold and you fly out of the house. The once picturesque scenery is rapidly changing into something more horrifying.

Player: Crow looks for a way out.

Me: Make an Intelligence + Wits roll.

Player: ……………Eight

Me: You’re trying to think but you’re flying around in a blind panic, trying to put as much distance between yourself and the demon as possible.

At this point, I remember that the demon has a teleport ability. The demon teleports instantly to Crow’s location and tries to grab him. He succeeds in evading him, but fails a succession of Perception + Spot checks to spot a way out. He finds a post to rest on and fails another Perception + Spot check to see that he’s perched on a torii gate, which is the way out of the demon’s realm. The demon has decided to start shooting him with arrows now. The first couple shots miss.

Me: A second arrow flies past you.

Player: Crow squawks and takes off again.

Me: Roll Perception + Spot

Player: 19!

Me: You notice that the post you are sitting on is a torii gate. The gate definitely wasn’t here before.

Player: Crow tries to fly through the gate.

Me: Okay, he’s going to take a couple more shots at you.

[I roll a hit for 5 damage, he’s still alive, but barely.]

Player: Okay, he’s still conscious. You said you were going to attack twice though.

Me: *rolls an 18 to hit* Eight damage (just enough to kill him).

So not only did this character mess up a simple negotiation, he died just as he was about to escape. To make matters worse, he sold his soul to the demon for the power to avenge his dead wife, and now the demon’s devoured his soul and they can’t even be together in the afterlife. This was my first PC death as a DM. I think the group was more upset by what his death implied than the actual fact that he died.

[lazzledazzler]

Lazzle's Rune Factory 5 Review

Alright so here are my thoughts and experiences with RF5! This is a big boy so buckle in earthmates...

Obviously this review will contain spoilers, read at your own risk.

Initial thoughts upon playing...

Great opening! I enjoyed the jazz music~ I did feel like it leaned a bit more towards the male player though. It definitely feels like a rune factory game. It's familiar, and controls are easy to get accustomed to for the most part. The mold is there and rf5 doesn't stray too far from its predecessors which is comforting for veterans. That being said, I'm not going to pull any punches and will critique this game harshly. Keep in mind as updates for the game are released not all things discussed in this review will be as relevant overtime!

Let's hear some thoughts on...

The story/plot. The plot is enjoyable overall. I'm not crazy about the whole Seed organization thing but it was a neat idea. They address the Sechs Territory and it is confirmed that the game takes place some decades after RF4. But by the end of it, I didn't feel like I really accomplished anything because it felt like I barely did anything really. Also they left a lot of stuff unanswered. I'm not even sure I understood the message they were sending, if they were trying to send a message at all. The main story is too short, and it doesn't involve enough of the townsfolk. You're basically doing everything yourself in secret the whole time and the townsfolk barely know what's actually going on. Out of the love interests, Lucas plays the largest part in the story, followed by Priscilla and Scarlett. The story feels targeted at male audiences--at least that's how I felt. You, the player, have a larger role in the game, much like in RF3 and I was glad to see this. As of right now there are only two arcs. Praying for DLC 3rd arc...!

Protagonists. The latest protagonists to join the crew of Earthmates are...decent. Their designs are nothing special unfortunately, though I appreciate Alice's more than Ares's. Appearance-wise they lack personality and creativity. Personality wise I am pleasantly surprised with how sociable they are. They're not exactly quick witted and sassy like Lest/Frey were in rf4, or as endearing as Micah in rf3, but they have a certain realness to them that makes their reactions to things believable. I'm certain Xseed will see to making them a bit more sarcastic in their localizing efforts, so let's all look forward to that. Overall though, while I appreciate their mannerisms, they don't really measure up to all the previous amnesiacs we've grown to love over the decades.

Characters. Overall I enjoy all the characters introduced in Rune Factory 5! I feel like there is someone for everyone in this game on some level. The voice acting was pretty good for every character. The designs are very much Rune factory. Like OG runefa, compared to rf4 ( 4 kind of strayed from their usual style) which I like. Characters still have their own signature quirks that you find endearing. Although I would have liked to see more variety? Like we've had mermaids, univir, half monsters, vampires, etc in previous titles but rf5 only gives us the usual (half) elf, dwarf, and then a succubus (physically she doesn't have unique features aside from the ears and heart eyes), and some were-people. I was hoping for something more unique to really give that classic runefa vibe.

Dungeons/Battles. I'm pretty split on this one. On the one hand, the dungeons have more depth due to the 3D aspects. They've included more contraptions that are very fun to see even if they aren't executed that well. So I'm grateful for that. On the other hand, the dungeons are insanely short imo. It doesn't take long at all to get to the boss. The puzzles are also pretty subpar and few compared to RF4. Fighting monsters is similar to the other games. You can lock on now but I only use it when I'm trying to use my Seed Circle. The lock on feature is actually counter-intuitive and makes it harder to dodge. Weapon mechanics have shifted a bit. There’s a feature that makes you invincible to damage if you time the R button dash correctly. Axes and Hammers are significantly slower than in older games? Like. I thought I was in slow motion it was so slow. Lances are also harder to use as well? I'm questioning my sanity here. I don't know if it's a bug or intentional either.

Farming. Not much has changed from previous games mechanics wise. They added new types of special crops which is neat. The camera view changes to overhead when you go near your fields though, and it can make you dizzy/uncomfortable. It actually makes it a bit difficult to see at times so I wish there was a way to adjust the angle. If you are tilling corn or dried weeds to improve the soil, you need to place them separately if you don't want to use the entire stack. Otherwise, it will till the entire stack on the land if you place them all down at once. The flower shop is unlocked late in the story. Weird thing to do considering you need flowers to make medicine. Not to mention the fact that you wont have access to the fertilizer that increases defense against typhoons? During typhoon season? Thinking emoji...

The town. I have to say Rigbarth's design is poor compared to Sharance, Selphia, etc. It's too big and it takes too long to get around. Everything is too spaced out and there aren't enough warp points to make it easier on players. I don't want to walk an entire mile up a hill to talk to one person and then walk all the way down to the beach to speak to another. It doesn’t really feel like a ‘town’.

OST/BGM. Music was good, though nothing really stood out to me where I'd go "damn this slaps" or something. I think they might've had some old soundtracks from rf2 or something because it felt really nostalgic at times.

We need an exterminator. (Bugs Bugs Bugs)

Marvelous, I don't know how to tell you this buuut...your customers are NOT your testers. When you release a game, you need to make sure it's not littered with glitches because customers don't enjoy dealing with them and will drop the game!

Here are some of the types of glitches I encountered:

Crashing. Game would randomly crash or freeze and close at any moment. Sooooo frustrating! Sometimes you get lucky with the autosave feature, but the autosave only activates every morning at 6am in your room and then when you warp to a dungeon level/floor. So when you're in the middle of your daily tasks in town and it crashes, you have to start all over. Marveloussss no one enjoys losing their progress in a game I promise you that much.

Lag. The dialogue bar is seriously slow, especially after loading your file. Crafting/Cooking screen lags. When you press the Y button to skip through dialogue it lags like hell. Pretty much after every time you load the game will lag, the audio will lag if you're in a battle, everything is just. so. slow.

Repeating dialogue. So if you close your game entirely (or if it crashes) naturally you'll reload your file to continue where you left off. There's a bug that will cause all NPCs to repeat the last dialogue that occurred from whatever plot related thing you did last. So for example, if the last thing you did in the story was unlock Ludmilla, everyone in town will naturally have some dialogue about her. But even after seeing all this dialogue and even saving, if the game is closed and reloaded you'll have to read all that dialogue again from townsfolk. It got really annoying after a while.

Monster taming. One time I tamed a monster but once I named it and hit 'ok' the monster never showed up in my barns? Just. gone. Okaaaay then...? Additionally, I expanded one of my monster barns but all of the monsters I tamed wouldn't appear in the added room. You get 4 monsters for each room but the monsters I tamed would show up in the original room. Meaning I had like 7 monsters in one room! I tried to bring them into the newly added room but they would just warp back to the other room. Sad.

Pond Glitch. I fished in the pond located in Sasayaki Forest and left the fish I caught but didn't want laying around the water's edge. If you leave fish around the pond's edge and go to sleep, the next morning you will be teleported to the pond and trigger the fairy dialogue as if you had thrown all of the fish into the pond??? So the dialogue of her telling you she wants 'X item, not this!' will trigger over and over for all of the fish you left at the water's edge. RIP.

Party member Bug. I had Martin in my party and I made him leave. Then when I went into my monster barns to get a monster pal to join me instead it showed me Martin's portrait???? Also I've encountered a bug where I can no longer ask anyone to join my party for some unknown reason. The R &L button prompt was just gone when I reloaded.

Errors. When cooking or crafting, the dialogue box shows up sometimes...

Typos. Random average typo here and there. Not a real biggie but there is one instance where the heroine will use the japanese male pronoun "boku" instead of "watashi" which really convinced me that this game was completely intended for men lol.

Let's talk about Pros

The good stuff. The stuff that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.

Plot Advancing. Now I'm gonna put this as a pro because I'm certain the average player will enjoy this even though I do not. There are now markers on the map to show you where to go to advance the plot. This is all well and dandy, but it also made the story less appealing for me because you don't need to go around town and speak to residents for clues or assistance to advance anything in the story.

3D Graphics The 3D models are all amazing. The interior designs of the houses/buildings are also incredibly detailed and realistic.

Collecting items. Now there's a feature that will allow you to collect items into your inventory just by walking over them. This is pretty neat and welcome for the most part. Once the item is sparkling, you can walk over it and it'll go into your rucksack automatically. This also makes lumbering and mining go much faster. Yay!

The miraculous L pocket. Now you can customize the categories that appear in your L pocket by going to the rucksack tab in the menu. This is a super neat feature that makes things easier on players who want to manage their items in a format that suits them.

Weapon/Tool Toggling. You can now toggle between your equipped weapon and tool by pressing the left or right buttons on the trackpad.

Collecting lumber/material stone. Oh lord this is probably the most welcome improvement moving forward from the previous game. You can now put all of the lumber and material stone from your inventory into its storage at once. This also applies to fodder for tamed monsters. Well done Hakama.

Autosave. This feature is a welcome addition to the series. The game will save your data every morning and every time you enter a dungeon. Autosave has really saved my ass a few times when I made a huge error in judgement so I'm incredibly grateful for this feature. And it doesn't save over your actual save file--there's a separate autosave file at the very top. So if you messed up something but already saved on your main file, you can still salvage your mistake by reloading the autosave! I just wish it activated a bit more often sometimes.

Warping. Now we can warp to each level in a dungeon as well as certain places on the map in town. It's pretty convenient for the most part.

Increased party members. Now you can have up to 3 members in your party! Hooray! Party members act more intelligently than in older games. Scarlett can use the Seed circle to assist you in fights. I think she also tosses healing potions at you occasionally. So far, no one has tossed a dish at me if I haven't eaten like Kiel and Clorica did in rf4. But I have been hit by a failed dish (from reinhardt?) and a healing potion (from scarlett). Scarlett, Priscilla, and Reinhardt are the most helpful when dungeon crawling in my experience. Some of them however, (looking at you Doug) don't shut the hell up with their one line of dialogue they have and repeat it constantly.

Seed Circle. This neat feature allows you to capture monsters. By charging it and releasing you can capture monsters for the bounty system or add them to your party temporarily. If you throw it without charging it, you can stun monsters in place momentarily or grab things from far away. When stunning monsters, it can also give you the monster's drop item occasionally. Unfortunately it uses a lot of RP so it can be difficult at times.

Combo attacks. This is a neat feature that I appreciate and use often for boss fights. They do some serious damage so it's good to save them for the bosses. The actual cutscenes aren't that impressive, and feel kind of subpar when you get down to it but I think it's a start in the right direction.

Farm Dragons. I'm listing this as a pro although I really just see it as a new feature. Farm dragons have fields on their backs that you can place monster barns on and farm on. Giving them certain crystals will give your fields boosts in certain criteria, like length of growth, soil quality, you get it. I personally don't use the crystals because I couldn't give a shit lmao I have men and women to woo here. But if you're into this kinda thing then it's a pro.

Storage. When opening your storage box, fridge, etc. you can actually hit the R & L buttons to switch between ALL of your other storages. Looooove thissss. Great addition. So much faster to put items away in their respective places.

Crafting/Forging. Now we can also use the R & L buttons to alternate between the different weapon types/accessory/gear types instead of having to exit the menu and going back in each time you want to make something different.

Cooking. More recipes have been added. Yay!

Days are longer now. More time to get shit doneeeee ayyyy

Fishing. They've added many more fish to the game! Now the player will shout something when you get a bite, making it easier for you to hit B at the right moment. Nice. Also if you fail or press B too early, the fish doesn't vanish most of the time. Also nice. There is now a feature to fish with another person's assistance. Once a day you can investigate the sign near the fishing station and someone might offer to lend you a hand. Press the B button at the right moments on the slider and you can get a rare fish that can't be caught normally.

Monsters. New types of monsters! Love the designs. Even the monsters that are the same but just have different skins are really neat. They look great in the 3D format too. You can even ride with up to two people on certain monsters! Some bosses had awesome designs while others...were bad.

New Types of Furniture. The carpenter store has a wide arrange of furniture you can buy for your home. It also has wallpapers and stuff which is really neat. Though unfortunately you can't even sit on some of the furniture so that's a shame.

Events. Now there is a system where events are triggered by approaching an icon on the map. This is probably an improvement to RF4's randomized system, though personally I found it annoying because it meant that I had to see the events before I could just enter a building normally. Sometimes I just wanted to get shit done and not have to read through walls of text for someone's love event when I just want to buy something.

Voiced Lines. The protagonist seems to have more voiced lines, as do other characters. Good!

Let's talk about Cons

Not including glitches. Oh boy. So many cons. Where do I start?

Dialogue. Probably the most notable con in the entire game. The dialogue is drastically minimal in comparison to previous games, especially rf4. There is probably a quarter of the amount of dialogue compared to rf4's insane amount of content if not less. Townsfolk repeat themselves. Often. Too often. Am I playing Harvest Moon? Originally I thought it was because the dialogue is randomized, but I think it's actually because more dialogue is unlocked as you raise townspeople's FP. Despite this, there's no linear build up where you start off as acquaintances and eventually become very close like in rf4 because of how sporadic the LP/FP is. Townsfolk don't even talk to each other. One of the greatest perks about runefa is the conversations townsfolk can have with one another. Residents randomly gathering in small groups to talk about anything. Previously you could add someone to your party and sometimes a dialogue will occur if you speak to the right person at the right time with that person in your party. This is nonexistent now. The only time they do this in rf5 is during the festivals. But, it will only trigger if you have unlocked all the characters in each marriageable lineup and they can't be in your party. The residents will talk about one another but that's pretty much it outside of town events. They got rid of all the minor dialogue that occurs too. Trying to sleep in someone's bed while they're right there? They wont comment. Inspecting objects in stores while the shopkeeper is present? Wont say anything. Take a character with you to a dungeon/boss fight? Their lips are sealed. Where's my sense of community? :(

FP/LP This ties into the dialogue issue. The rate at which LP/FP increases is sporadic as hell. You can go from 1FP/LP to 4FP/LP just by giving a gift sometimes. I wouldn't even speak to people and their affinity increased by like triple for no reason. Then it increases by like 2% for the longest time. Argh!!!

Graphics. I don't consider myself very picky when it comes to graphics. I don't really mind that the foliage and scenery are at the level of a ps2 game at best. I tried playing on my television initially, but the lag and camera operability was too much so I fully switched (haha puns) to handheld. One thing that sucked is that I literally cannot tell the difference between medicinal herbs, antidote grasses, and green grasses without the captions because the graphics are so indistinguishable. So when you're trying to pick up multiples of those items by holding the A button, you're just randomly walking over anything green in the hopes that you'll get the right ones...

Lack of Sound Effects. Something I noticed is they got rid of the sound effects that will play when you complete a puzzle or add someone to your party. When you try to brush a monster there's no sound for the '♪' they make when you successfully brush them. So it was hard for me to tell if I had actually brushed them or not. I was a bit saddened by the lack of cute sounds.

Too much free range. From the very beginning of the game, you're allowed to go pretty much wherever you want when leaving town. It was too easy to stumble into high enemy level territory without knowing, so when I was like level 5 so I got KO'd immediately.

Artwork. The portraits seem to be lower in quality somehow. Runefa has always had shitty portrait art imo but this time it's even worse. Many character's eyes looked fucked up. Though the 3D models are insanely good for mostly every character except Terry. Terry's 3D model looks Terryfying and I prefer his portrait.

Festivals. They've added some new festivals. Some I enjoy. Some not so much. They changed the format of the eating contest. It's horrible. Good luck with that one.

L pocket + R button? They got rid of the feature that lets you skip to the other end of your items when opening the L pocket by pressing R button. I really liked that feature because it made it faster to reach my items so I was bummed that they got rid of it.

Gotta go fast. Now when you speak to someone, it doesn't 'stop time' as you might say it did in previous games. So people are still moving about as you speak to someone, making it harder to catch up to people! Annoying!!!

Catch and release? Not in my farming simulator! Say goodbye to being able to toss a fish you caught back into the water. In fact, say goodbye to tossing anything you don't want anymore into the water. Now you just have an army of fish flopping on the ground around you. And with the auto pick up feature, they're probably going to end up in your inventory anyways once you try to move. There are still certain ponds with fairies that you can toss stuff into, but you'll have to deal with the fairy harping at you for giving her something she doesn't want.

Shop Hours. Oh god. The shop owners don't even open their stores at the correct hours? It says open at 9am. If you speak to them they won't open their store until like 9:07??? But Priscilla and Lucy will show up to work their part-time jobs at around 8:30am and you can buy stuff through them before 9am. So the actual shop owners (for the bread shop and general store) are pointless usually. Additionally, if the store is empty (but open) you can no longer add a shopkeeper into your party and then enter their store with them to buy things from them. Why. Just why. When you want to buy something that only a specific person sells (Only Hina sells fish, only Heinz sells misc items) you have to wait for them to finally decide to work in their own store. Wonderful.

Monster Item drops. Maybe I'm crazy but the monster drops are seriously a lot harder to get than in previous games. Especially boss drops. It's almost impossible to get the rare drops now. I don't even want to try anymore. And as far as I know, the only place to buy monster items is through Heinz, but his items are actually misc. items, not specifically monster drops. So you'll be lucky to check his store (whenever tf he decides to actually work) for any monster items you might want instead of farming for the drops. Sighs.

Difficulty. This game is too easy. There is little to no challenge whatsoever. I had to increase the difficulty setting to hard mode and it was still too easy. I beat it at level 139, never once did I need to grind or level. In fact, your character levels up way too quickly for the pace of the story. I had zero trouble with any of the bosses and even the final boss was a breeze. Quite sad. Though because I am not new to the franchise, it's likely that newcomers would have some trouble in the later parts of the story.

Fishing cons. Idk how you fck up fishing but they sure did. You have to stand further back now because the pole is so long that you'll miss the fish you're aiming for. In fact, it's seriously hard to aim period. You'll end up recasting more often than not. Fish come in the various sizes but they don't seem to have the darker or faded characteristics that can indicate whether it's a rare fish or not. The graphics make it hard to tell. The pros that i've already mentioned are welcomed but it doesn't negate the fact that I do not enjoy fishing like I did in previous games.

Mining/Lumbering Cons. You can no longer strike three times consecutively when mining/lumbering. This sucks lol. Even when you upgrade your axe or hammer, powering up the tool does nothing for getting wood and material stone--it only expands the area of your strike. So it takes longer to get wood/stone from stumps and rocks now since you have to strike the full 9 times but it's not too bad. It's also harder to aim now as well so that's also unfortunate.

Seasonal Fields? Kiss them goodbye! That's right, there are no seasonal fields in rf5 because devs are insane! You instead have the farm dragons that seem to look seasonal based on the fact that they are designed after elements like earth, water, and fire. But no, these dragons are simply extra fields for you to use. Here's a spoiler: you're not going to use those fields. You're just not. They're kinda useless unless you're obsessed with farming. Now you have to grow your crops out of season like the sad farmer that you are.

Farming cons. Seeds no longer tell you how long it takes to grow the crop. Why. As of June 29th, they fixed this with an update. But I still had to play the whole game without it so fuck you marvelous. The joystick is really sensitive? So when you're trying to use a fertilizer or something on your field you're likely to place it on the wrong 4x4 tile, wasting your fertilizer. So it’s best to hold down the R button when farming. Also the crops look uglie as hell.

Sleeping and warping cutscenes. Just like in rf4 there's a cutscene when you go to sleep that can be skipped easily by pressing A. In rf5, there's a cutscene to sleep and a cutscene when waking up. It takes a bit more than a second to skip these scenes so it gets annoying after a while. Warping is this new feature that replaces our beloved escape spell. Overall I appreciate the feature but I hate it for two reasons. One: there's an annoying ass cutscene for it each time you use it that could be much shorter. And Two: townsfolk now use warp even when inside the town. In previous games, someone exiting your party in town would just manually run to wherever they need to be. So you could easily chase after them if you need to talk to them or give them something. Now, party members use warp regardless of where you are at the time. So say you have someone at 7 hearts and you want to try confessing to them. You would have them join your party, save your game, and then have them leave your party and immediately speak to them and confess before they can run off. If it doesn't work you reload until it does. In RF5 this wouldn't work anymore because they will warp. Now you would have to save, run around town trying to find this person and hope they accept the confession. Otherwise you'll have to play hide and seek again because reloading your file will randomize the resident's locations (if they are not working in a shop)!!!! I often just waited until a festival day because then they will be at the plaza for most of the day and it has a warp point there.

Crafting/Forging/Cooking. They've removed the feature where you can press Y on the ingredients in the menu to add more of that particular item. I miss this feature :'(

Lacks incentive. There is no trophy room from my knowledge. The final dungeon that is meant to be like the sharance maze/rune prana isn't that hard to beat for skilled players and is only 20 floors. After you beat the main story and this dungeon there's not much else to do really.

Request Board. Unlike in rf4, you need to make sure you have accepted requests before you complete them or else it will not count. Previously, you could complete all sorts of tasks and Eliza would still recognize your work even if you accept their request after the fact. ie, shipping goods, harvesting crops, etc. So make sure you don't harvest your special crops before accepting the request it's for!

Return of the "Loli" Dragons... Yeah you read that right. We got more dragons in children's(???) bodies with skimpy clothes. I don't know anymore????¿¿¿

Can't marry the Milfs or Dilfs. Tragic.

Still no homo. Grow up Marvelous.

Reverse Proposal? Reverse Uno card-- Laid low by the patriarchy. You now have to buy the double bed and craft an engagement ring to propose to your man if you're playing as Alice. Marvelous this isn't what we meant when we said we wanted equal rightsssssss This can be seen as a pro if you're a softhearted babey who doesn't like rejecting bachelors' proposals because you feel bad :'( But this is a con for me because I don't want to spend money and materials on a double bed dammit!!!

Misc. Still can't stack dishes or fish. There's no green elemental fairy???All the other elemental ones are there except the green one? why??? Still can't tame the giant Wooly. Some bosses that have insanely awesome designs cannot be tamed and makes me wanna eat glass.

Let's talk about Love~

Relationships. We want them. And half of us only play these games for them. I've only played as the female heroine so far but I'll be updating this review as soon as I finish with the bachelorettes as the male hero.

Confessions

As usual, we must raise the love points of our beloved to 7 hearts before we can attempt to date them. However unlike in rf4, if you fail at a confession once, you will need to raise the LP up an entire level before you can try again with any chance of success. It's imperative you save before attempting a confession now.

Love Events

Each love interest has two love events that must be seen before you can date them. They're reminiscent of older game's style but I felt they could have been a biiiit more interactive or so? Or involved the town a bit more for some of them.

Dating

Once you get your honey to be your bf/gf, you get to choose the nicknames as usual. Then you can go on dates. The first three (non-festival) dates are actually events. You need to see all three events to get married.

Marriage Event

The final event you need to clear before you can marry your sweetie. In my honest opinion, so far for the boys, these events were rather disappointing. They lacked the drama and angst that sort of 'test' the love between the two when compared to rf4. Also this is a huge con for me personally and a minor spoiler but there are no special cutscenes at the end of the marriage event like in rf4. Instead, the cutscene takes place during your actual wedding. I was saddened by this because it took away the depth from the marriage events and the actual character? As it is just a cut and paste type of thing instead of an original cutscene for each person. They lack individualism this way. Also it kinda felt like a way for devs to avoid gay relationships and cut corners :^/....sus.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes...

Children!!!!!! This is actually one of the coolest additions in the game. Just like in rf3, you can have up to 3 children again! Your first child will resemble you, and you will have the option to choose its gender as well as its personality. There are 6 different children, (3 boys and 3 girls), all with different hairstyles, mannerisms, and seiyuus. Your answers will determine which child you get. A year after your first child is born, you will get the option to have a second child. You'll end up with twins, both resembling your partner. You won't get to choose the genders (it will be a boy and girl) but you will get to choose the personalities once more. The children all have canon names too and each kid is incredibly cute. And of course, you're still able to take your kid with you in your party~ ...Though you can only take one kid with you at a time.

So is RF5 good?

Yeah it's a fun game! My theory is that Marvelous forced the devs to release the game earlier than they were ready for, and that's why it's so lacking. But that doesn't mean it's not worth playing! I'd rate it 3.5/5 stars hehe. Not nearly as good as RF4 (full stop 5/5), or RF3 (4/5) but enjoyable nonetheless. I wouldn't recommend it as a first game to play from the series for newcomers though, I feel it's best for vets who can overlook all the cons thanks to loyalty and nostalgia. By the time it’s released in the West, the bugs should all be dealt with too.

So! Definitely buy this game! We want the series to continue and we want RF6 to be better than this--and hopefully Marvelous will make sure of that next time. If you're not a picky person I think you'll enjoy rf5 a lot. If you're like me and have high standards then, well, still pick it up and let it run its course. Then dust off rf4sp and cleanse your gaming palette >;^)

[shinonometrash]

Jasper Lane’s Main Story: English vs Japanese version, full summary, comparisons & thoughts. Part 1 of 3. (TW: rape, sexual assault, drugging)

So! Jasper’s route has finally been released in English as of August 31st, 2021. It seems that Voltage is following the same release order for consorts and events as how items were released in the Japanese version. I spent wayyy too much money to binge the entire route in a day...and get all the premium content...(honestly the hardest part about binging a route isn’t the love passes, it’s getting all the spirit points. Ugh.) I took note of a lot of different things in this and wanted to make a post going over all this information. Sorry this post took me so long to make, I had to go back and reread a lot of Jasper’s story in Japanese to refresh my memory as well as make sure I didn’t miss any big details since I had read it first back in May, and my Japanese has improved a lot (I think) since then. It was unfortunate and I didn’t really want to, lol. But! Now it’s his birthday (9/11)! I get to post this on his birthday! Happy birthday, asshole! This post is why you and your route suck! I’m probably only going to be able to post this first part today though, because honestly this post is taking much more time than I expected.

The biggest thing is going to be that 

Jasper’s English (Court of Darkness) route does NOT contain any major triggering content. You’ll probably still want to punch him, though.

So, if you’re looking to find out about that, there you go. Anyways.

I’ve broken this into four posts, three that contain summaries of each chapter, regardless of changes, and one that only contains the changes. 

(As of the date of posting, 9/11/2021, I have not completed all the posts yet. Please check back later and I will add the links to the rest of  them as they are posted.)

This post is part one including the summaries. Part two in currently progress. Part three in currently progress. Post with ONLY comparisons and thoughts currently in progress. 

Since I had contacted Voltage about the triggering content in Jasper’s route (and made a very lengthy Tumblr post about it) and they told me they prefer to remove potentially triggering content from stories in the localization process, rather than simply adding trigger warnings, I was more or less expecting this. Although...I didn’t really expect it to be to this extent, nor did I realize how I was actually going to feel about it...! Of course, the CoD did a fabulous job with the content they were given and what they were told to do, as always, and I completely understand why they changed what they did. Like. Seriously. They did the best they could do with the absolute mess of a route they were given. But, like, the route was an absolute mess to begin with. So there’s only so much that can be done to fix it...💀 Anyways, please know that any of my complaining is not directed at the CoD team because they’re wonderful!! Support them by buying in game content if you’re able to!! They recently released a special VIP pack that’s honestly an AMAZING deal. This is just a criticism of the route itself and my thoughts on it, not on the CoD team.

Now, onto the main point of the post...the English and Japanese versions of this route are very different. 

Warning: This post contains major spoilers about Jasper’s main story as well as potentially triggering content including but not limited to rape, sexual assault, and drugging.

In addition, I am not including any CGs in this post as I’m not trying to break Voltage’s policy.

Please click under the read more to continue.

Okay, so first off this is probably going to sound incredibly self centered of me, but I sort of get the feeling that my post about his Japanese route had some sort of influence on the changes in his route...? Not sure how big of tabs Voltage keeps on Tumblr...but it seems like nearly all of the main points I was specifically really mad about got changed--and I’m sure they must have definitely seen my post...? Also, this too probably sounds silly, but I was kinda happy reading some of the dialogue that was nearly the same as the way I had translated it. Part of me was still afraid that I had no idea what I was talking about and just looked stupid writing a long post with misinterpretations of lines💀

Pre-notes: 1. For those who named their cat something else, Robin = MC’s cat.  2. In the direct quotes, anytime you see “---” it’s just me cutting out a part in the dialogue that I deem unnecessary for comparison purposes. 3. I bolded whether there’s differences in the chapters or not in each chapter summary, in case you only want to read the summaries for the chapters with the differences. It’s pretty much going to be the same as reading my other post, then, but I explain more of the chapter here, usually.

Chapter 1-3

Literally so dull. Nothing really of note. Pretty much the same between the English and Japanese. Jasper asks about her hands and she’s like “omg he’s so nice he was worried about my hands!!”, she meets Sherry and they become friends, the headmaster tells her she has to learn magic if she wants a chance at going back home. They go to the runes and learn about the history of Saligia. Guy grabs her again, she escapes.

Chapter 4

It starts to get a little bit more interesting here. Overall, nothing seems too different between the two stories yet. Jasper invites her to the rooftop for a tea party. Jasper is desperately trying to get MC to interact (in a positive manner) with Guy, she asks Jasper to have tea with her instead. Sherry and Rio mention a ball. Toa and Guy get into a glaring match. Toa leaves. You know, the usual. Jasper whispers something in Guy’s ear and they leave, and everybody follows them because...you know. They discover that Guy’s room has been trashed. Toa walks in and asks what’s going on, and then falls silent when he sees Guy’s room. Guy is like “Toa, you left before me, did you not?” and Toa is like “What are you trying to imply?” then they glare at each other until Lynt is like “Are you trying to say that Toa is the culprit? He would never.” Fenn agrees. Roy says they should investigate, and Toa says he will also investigate, since he is the dorm prefect after all. Afterwards, Jasper asks Guy if he thinks Toa did it, Guy says “No, Qelsum isn’t that stupid.” Guy says they need information. He sends Jasper out to investigate, tells Jasper to be sure not to be seen. Fenn, Violet, and MC go out for food or something, and MC runs into Sirius, literally. Fenn is like “what are you doing?” and MC says she ran into somebody but turns around and there’s nobody there. I guess it’s trying to imply that Jasper is stealthy and can hide away into the night or something?? But then that’s it.

Chapter 5-6

No overall noticeable changes. It’s time for the ball! Sherry lends MC a dress and they head to the ball. She sees Jasper in the hallway closely inspecting wine, without Guy. She calls his name and he startles. He tells her he’s selecting a wine for Guy because Guy is very selective and will not consume anything that Jasper has not prepared. Jasper essentially says that Guy is his reason for living. Then they go into the dance hall. And Guy is all like “why did you come in together?” then they say they ran into each other by chance. Guy goes to take a sip of the wine, looks  startled, and then ends up spitting it out into a handkerchief. He claims he choked on the wine. She finds Jasper in the hallway again, looking at the wine, and calls out. Again, he startles. She wonders why. She tries to ask, but then he dodges the question by telling MC that the dress looks good on her. He invites her to dance and says he’ll teach her. They head back to the ballroom, she asks him some various questions and they all basically end with him saying that he serves Guy or whatever, and she’s thinking all like “work, again...?”. Jasper then tries to make her dance with Guy instead of himself, and when she says she’s going to leave he grabs her arm. There’s a few choices you can make, but one of them is “Please let go of me.” And then! And then! This man literally looks at her and asks “Why?” Yikes!! And she asks why he’s asking why, and he says he doesn’t want her to go, so she agrees to stay a little longer. (Mistake #1) Then he shoves her off onto Guy again. After dancing with Guy she goes out to the balcony and runs into Aquia, and Aquia pricks his finger and it starts bleeding. She tries to look at it and it somehow brushes her lips and at that moment Guy and Jasper come out and ask what’s going on. Aquia apologizes (he did nothing wrong!! >:(  ) They then discover that Aquia’s wound has magically healed somehow. Then here’s the scene with  Guy: “That girl, I want to know everything about her.” Jasper: “Oh my, have you fallen in love?” Guy: “Something like that” Jasper: “Congratulations! We must celebrate this wonderful occasion!” Guy: “That’s enough now. Investigate that woman’s power.”

Chapter 7

No major changes between versions. But...Ughhhhhhhh. We’re gonna meet Sirius in this chapter. But first some humor. They go to the S rank lounge, I believe after the ball. Jasper offers to make coffee. Literally ALL the valets suddenly RUSH to Jasper’s side to ask him to teach them how to brew coffee. So there sitting in the S rank lounge with Jasper brewing coffee while all the other valets are like 👀👀👀👀 lmaoooo. Aight and so the humorous part ends there, sorry! That’s it! Now we must move on.  Fenn says he wants to go out drinking and asks Jasper if he’d like to join, Jasper declines saying he has other matters to attend to. We learn that Hawke, Jasper, and Lance are all drinking buddies. MC is all like “oh thank god, that means he does get time off!” -_- So then Toa laughs and comments how close Jasper and MC are, and is like “wow imagine using your valet for something like that” and then tells her that she’ll be a tool for Avari if she sticks with them, and that it’s not too late to switch to Qelsum’s side instead. (She does not switch. Mistake #2. Arguably her biggest mistake in this entire route, if you ask me.) Guy interjects and tells Toa that MC is his, and Toa is like “lmaooo then why does she seem closer with your valet than you?” and then they glare at each other. MC gets annoyed and leaves. Jasper asks where she’s going. She says she’s going back to her room to see Robin. For some reason, Jasper seems disappointed about this? Afterwards, she goes to her room for a bit but then decides to go explore the town with Robin. Uh oh! Robin goes missing.

She starts looking for Robin and runs into this sketch looking dude. He asks her where’s she’s going, she says she’s looking for her cat. He’s like “oh that flying thing?” and she’s like “Yeah!” and then is like “could you just tell me which way he was headed? I can get there myself.” but the guy insists that she should follow him instead, because the streets are dangerous and she might run into dangerous men. The man is then like “I’m Sirius.” (which, when I first read the Japanese, I thought he was saying “I’m serious” lmaoo) and then he frickin grabs her hand and drags her off!!! Yikes! 

Chapter 8, 1st Interlude, and Chapter 9 

Okay so we’ve got the most significant changes in these chapters. Like. A LOT. This is what the majority of my previous post focused on: the drugging, sexual assault, and morning after.  They basically did their best to make this consensual. It went very similar to what I had predicted, although played up a bit more cringe-y than I had expected...or maybe I just hadn’t thought about how cringe-y it would be. There’s literally so many changes that it’d be a bit of a pain to summarize all of them between the versions, I’m just going to put the actual dialogue/stuff from the stories for a lot of this so you can see the differences more directly. (The Japanese will be roughly translated by me, of course.)

Chapter 8

So Sirius starts walking and walking and walking and she asks where they’re going but he keeps insisting it’ll only be just a little longer or that it’s a shortcut and stuff. Ughhhhh...Then she’s like. This man clearly has no idea what he’s doing, I’m going to run away after all. But then he suddenly tells her they’re going to take a “break”. He drags her into the bar before she can protest or try to run. She tries to say no to a drink, but then he asks if she does drink and she’s like “well I do, but...” and you start seeing the differences here. In English she makes a comment of “Ugh, if only he wasn’t so charming.” Sirius further insists only one drink, even though MC tries to say she needs to go find Robin. He then just straight up orders drinks for them, despite her protesting. She then agrees, and then mentally apologizes to Robin. (Mistake #3) And we start seeing the biggest differences about right here...

For this chapter, let’s play a guessing game on which one is the Japanese version and which one is the English version, shall we? :)

Away from the table, Sirius plants a palm on the counter. Two of the usual are set out before him, bubbles frothing over the top. Sirius glances back and finds MC staring at the patterns in the wood grain. Sirius: Much obliged. Tavern Keeper: Mm-hmm. Scooping up the fizzing, popping tumblers, he tosses a wink at the tavern keeper. Then, he strolls back to spend time with his new friend. - Away from the table, Sirius plants a palm on the counter. Immediately two of the usual shot glasses are set out in front of him. Just to make sure, he looks back at MC, who is staring at the table. Sirius: Ah, thanks. Tavern Keeper: Mhm. Sirius skillfully drops the tablet he had hidden between his fingers into the shot glass of the opposite hand. Then, feigning a nonchalant look, he returns back to the table.

Did you guess which one was which in this part? :) And yes, my friends. In the fucking CANON MAIN ROUTE, it deadass has a line saying that our love interest puts a drug in our drinks. And yet...the Japanese fans still love him! Ugh. Also, that “skillfully” bit really concerns me. That kinda implies that he’s done it multiple times before, does it not??? Honestly I’m not really sure why it says it was a shot glass in the Japanese, though. I thought they were drinking like cocktails, not taking a shot. Maybe that’s why they changed that bit...? Now the stories are the same again for a tiny bit. Some time has passed that they’ve been in the bar/tavern and MC chugs her drink and slams it down on the table. She seems drunk. She’s rambling about Guy and Jasper. Like “I’m not an object!!” “and he’s like “Yes, yes, you aren’t an object.” then like “Who goes around saying stuff like “you are mine” and “give me your power”?? Like seriously! Who says that sort of stuff! It’s so messed up!” and he just listens along, amused. He then says that it’s good to drink sometimes, and she agrees, and then he asks what she wants to do. She notes how she’s only had one drink, yet her head feels a bit fuzzy already, and how it made her very talkative. She says she wants to go home. She reveals that her family died, and that she has a hair clip in her hair from her mom that’s very important to her. She mentions how there are still good people in this world, though.  Sirius tries to order her another drink, and here’s where stuff deviates again.

Sirius: Another of the same, if you please. MC: What, no! I’m fine MC: So hey, you’ve been fantastic company but I really need to go find Robin. (Man I got way too into that conversation.) (Robin must be out there looking for me.) MC: Thanks for the drink, though. You’re a really good listener. And also...really, really pretty. MC: It’s been great meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime? MC: Like...when I’m not looking for my cat. That’d be...nice.” (I have no filter. No filter whatsoever.) MC: Right, so...Bye... He stands up right as I do. The rickety old table wobbles between us and I pitch into his arms. Sirius: Steady on. Sirius: I might almost think you’ve fallen for me. (Fallen for him? But I’ve only just met the man.) Sirius holds me steady as I smile up at him, feeling silly but bold. He’s even more handsome up close. MC: Like I said, very attractive but...gotta go. Sirius: Hold fast. MC: Haha. Did you just pick me up?! Sirius hefts me into his arms like I weigh nothing, and for a moment I feel like I’m being carried off into the sunset. An electrifying thrill runs through me as I sway against him, adn then I realize we’re moving. MC: Where are we going? Sirius: ... MC: The look he gives me then makes my eyebrows shoot up. I nod and let him carry on. (English version, Mistake #4) When I next open my eyes, I’m being placed down on something fluffy. (I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. I should leave well enough alone but there’s something about him...) I peer at the unfamiliar ceiling overhead while Sirius stares down in my eyes. Sirius: No need to hurry. Sirius: The night’s just begun, after all. (Wait a second, aren’t you...?) The seductive smile on his face comes closer. For a split second he reminds me of someone, but it must be my imagination. - Sirius: Bartender, another of the same. MC: Ah, no, I’m good! MC: I really need to go find Robin. (Yikes, I got totally absorbed in that conversation.) (Surely Robin is looking for me, too) MC: Thanks...for talking with me...and listening... MC: Thanks to that I’ll be sure to...remember this... MC: From now on, I’m going...to study...more seriously...for sure.... (Wha...I’m so dizzy...) MC: Sorry...I’m...leaving now... Sirius: Whoa, hold on. MC: Ah... Unsteady on my feet, Sirius picks me up and holds me in his arms. I feel swaying and I open my eyes slightly. I’m being carried somewhere. MC: Where...are we going...? Sirius: ... Strangely, it feels like the ceiling has gotten awfully high... The next thing I’m aware of when I open my eyes is being placed down on something fluffy. (Where am I...?) I gaze at the ceiling above me and Sirius looks into my eyes. Sirius: Let’s take it slowly. Sirius: The night has just begun, no? (Huh...?) Laughing mysteriously, the man’s face comes closer. For a second, I think he looks similar to someone. But it’s just my imagination, right...?

I’m sure you can guess which one is which. One is extremely alarming, the other is cringe. It’s clear they did the most they could to try and make it consensual between them, and ended up doing exactly what I thought with having her make several comments about how attractive he is and then add some playful flirting between them. 😖 Alright! Ready for the next part? 

1st Interlude

I just read the normal first interlude in Japanese before typing out this post and...god, I thought the premium interlude was bad. So, one more time, trigger warning for sexual assault. Damn I really don’t want to write this part, I’m so tired from writing the rest TT (I saved this for last, unfortunately.) I’m not translating all of these so I’ll do a mix of translating exact lines and summarization. In all the stories, first she calls out Jasper’s name at first, confused, and then Sirius looks shocked. And she’s like, how weird, why would I call him that...he’s clearly Sirius...and then they all start to deviate. ><

Normal Interlude

Japanese version (this is the worst one): MC: I’m sorry...I must’ve gotten drunk, sorry for the trouble... Sirius: So you’re apologizing in this situation. (This...situation...?) He kisses her. (Wha...I’m being...kissed...) I’m aware of it, but my body feels so heavy, I can’t resist it. With my arms pinned to the bed, I’m forced to accept the kiss. He says “what is this power?” and then she sees an aura flare up around him. She asks if it’s magic, and he says that it’s interesting, and then asks if it has to do with the length of time or the type of physical contact. -- Sirius: Is it only your lips, or...? His finger runs along my knee, tickling it. With his other hand, he skillfully slips his hand into my shirt. Sirius: No need to be alarmed. Sirius: I simply wish to confirm. (Confirm...?) Sirius: So soft and smooth, you feel nice to touch. Sirius: But, I don’t feel anything from just touching you... Sirius: Is it different depending on where I touch? The sensation of him stroking my skin falsely spreads through my whole body while his fingertips make their way down to my lower limbs. I move my shoulders to try to tell him “I don’t want you to touch me!”, but it doesn’t matter as his fingertips continue to try to uncover something. MC: St...stop it... Yelling out makes him stop--at least, that’s what I had thought. However,  the thing that stops him isn’t my voice. He removes his hand that was feeling around in my shirt and then starts to think about something. (Is he...searching for something...?) Sirius: ...so it can’t be transferred through the skin, hm. (W-what...?) It’s finally over--is what I thought, at least. This time, he drops kisses on my ears and collarbone. When he puts his hands on my thighs again, I want to run away immediately. (Why...? Why is this happening...?) MC: Is this...is this a dream...? Sirius: Yes. It’s a dream. So, goodnight. Sirius: You’re about to reach the limit, aren’t you? (Limit? What is he talking about?) Even if I wanted to think about it, my head is too fuzzy and I can’t think of anything. I don’t like it, but...what is it I don’t like? Surely it was something important, but I can’t remember. Before I could say “I’m sorry, I’m really sleepy” my consciousness blacks out. She passes out and Sirius says something about how interesting it is, and that he must report his findings to Guy.

English version: MC: Sorry, I can’t believe I called you by the wrong name. Sirius: Is this the time for apologies? (I guess not...?) He kisses her. (We’re kissing. I’m kissing Sirius...) He’s certainly attractive enough. I’m not attached to anyone here, and yet...Why is it that I keep thinking of Jasper? He says “what is this power?” and then she sees an aura flare up around him. She asks if it’s magic, and he says that it’s interesting, and then asks if it has to do with the length of time or the type of physical contact. -- Sirius: Is it only your lips, or...? His fingers walk along my knee, tickling me. I shiver and grin as he gives me a considering look, then slips his hand inside my shirt. -- Sirius: I only wish to see what you’re capable of. (Strangest bedroom talk ever.) Sirius: You’re exquisite. Soft, smooth, perfect to the touch... Sirius: But I seek other responses. Sirius: Tell me, is this where you want to be touched? He peers down at me expectantly, hands petting along my skin as if to encourage me to speak. I squeeze my thighs together, hoping he’ll continue without the need for words. He raises an eyebrow. MC: Sirius, I need... At first I think the sound of my voice has given him pause. Then I realize something else has happened. He tidies my open shirt a little and frowns thoughtfully. (What is he doing? What is it he’s looking for?) Sirius: Hm, no transfer from the skin. (Uh, what?) My mouth falls open. Has the moment been ruined somehow? If so, what’d I do? But then he plants tiny kisses over my ears, neck, and cheeks. His hands sweep over me once more, but far more soothingly. Still, I can’t get the image of Jasper out of my mind. (I can’t be doing this. It’s not fair to be thinking of one man when I’m with another. I need to sort my head out.) MC: Sirius, I can’t do this. I’m...I think I’m developing feelings for someone else, so it wouldn’t be fair to you to do this... Sirius: Well, well. There’s an unexpected turn. ...All right. We’ll think of this as nothing more than a passing dream. Sirius: This never happened then. Good night, MC. (Good night? But we’ve only just...) Suddenly I feel very drowsy. A second ago I wanted nothing more than a crazy, one-night romp with a man who has crystalline red eyes. Now I can’t think of anything but how comfortable this bed is. She passes out and Sirius says something about how interesting it is, and that he must report his findings to Guy. --

Yikes!!!!! I was so shocked when I read the normal interlude!! Especially the Japanese version!! Now for the other one...

Premium Interlude

Japanese version:

MC: I’m sorry...I must’ve gotten drunk, sorry for the trouble... Sirius: So you’re apologizing in this situation. (This...situation...?) His voice is close.  But besides that, I don’t understand the situation very well. Sirius: Is it hard to open your eyes? MC: Yes... Sirius: I’ll make you feel better right now. (Feel better...?) She sees him put in eyedrops. She tries to ask but her voice is really quiet and her throat is dry. MC: Excuse me, could...could I have some water?”  Sirius: I’ll give you some right now I felt something cold touch my lips and water poured down my throat. MC: ...nng (No...it’s something else. I’m...being kissed...) I understand that, but, but I feel too drowsy to be able to resist.  With my arms pinned to the bed, I’m forced to accept the kiss. He says “what is this power?” and then she sees an aura flare up around him. She asks if it’s magic, and he says that it’s interesting, and then asks if it has to do with the length of time or the type of physical contact. (What...this kiss...) It’s a kiss that makes me feel as if I’ll be swallowed by the torrent of pleasure. (I’ve never experienced something like this...) Sirius: Ha...ahh... MC: ...mm, Sirius... His lips pull away with a wet sound and I sigh. Sirius: It’s as I thought... MC: Stop...it...already... Sirius: Shhh... Sirius: Be quiet. I’m going to make you feel better. He wipes his finger along my wet lips and pushes it inside my mouth. My shoulders jump and I shiver and inhale sharply, feeling like I’m being bitten on the neck by Sirius. MC: Mnn... Sirius: Suck... He moves his finger around my mouth and I move my tongue as I’m told. Sirius: That’s it good girl... Sirius: ...so it can’t be transferred through the skin, hm. (What...is he talking about...?) Sirius: How about...here? He removes his finger from my mouth and strokes my knee. MC asks if it’s a dream, and the rest of the interlude ends the same way as the normal Japanese interlude ends.

English version:

MC: Sorry, I can’t believe I called you by the wrong name. Sirius: Is this the time for apologies? (I guess not...?) I can almost feel his voice vibrate against my skin. Shivering at the sensation, I let my head fall against the pillows. Sirius: Would you rather keep your eyes closed at the moment? MC: Mm. yeah. I like the sound of your voice. It...reminds me of someone... Sirius: Then keep them closed. Sirius tells her to hold on a minute and puts in eyedrops. MC says her throat is dry and asks for some water. He gives her water, but she realizes that it’s not a cup but rather him giving her water from his lips. -- They kiss. (Who taught him to kiss like this?) It’s like some dam has burst within me and a tide of pleasure is threatening to sweet me away. (I’ve never experienced anything like this. Is this magic, too, or just him?) Sirius: Mm..Yes... MC: Ah...Sirius... A wanton moan escapes me as he gives me space to breathe. The thing is, in my mind’s eye I keep seeing someone else. Sirius: Quite as I suspected. MC: That was incredible. What was-- Sirius: Shh. Hush now. I’ll fufill that yearning of yours. He rubs his thumb against my dampened bottom lip then slips it inside my mouth. My shoulders jump as he moves his lips and teeth over my neck. Sirius: Suck. I obediently swirl my tongue over his thumb, taking it in further. Sirius: Good girl. -- Then she says she can’t do it because of having feelings for someone else, just like in the normal English and the rest of the interlude continues the exact same way.

I can’t believe Voltage was really like “hey, pay us and we’ll make the content less rape-y for you! :)” Big yikes lol. I’d only read the premium at the time of my original post, and I thought that was bad enough to write a post about it. That normal interlude though? YIKES. Like...gahhh I know I already said this same thing like three times earlier but I’m just so grossed out!!

Also, a quick note. The CG for this has Sirius laying on top of her while she has her eyes closed. This is because she’s UNCONSCIOUS in the Japanese version. I was wondering how they were gonna get around it, but like not long before it came out I was like “oh they can just have him comment telling her to close her eyes or something” and I guess that’s more or less what they did...?

Chapter 9

Okay so I realize I did make a slight translation error in my original post about the ninth chapter. She does indeed say “I don’t have a headache” rather than what I had thought it said which was “My head hurts, but it can’t be a hangover.”  which is what they went with in the English. “My head doesn’t hurt, though, which suggests I don’t have a hangover.” The rest seems about right, though. Anyways, so this chapter starts the morning after the events of the first interlude with MC waking up in the strange bedroom. While not technically as big of change as in Chapter 8 and the first interlude, this is also one of the most changed chapters between versions. 

The Japanese version:

(Where am I?) I open my eyes and am unable to move at first. ---- (Robin and I got separated in town...so I was searching for him) (And then...ah, yeah, I met Sirius) (He was showing me the way...and then there was that bar on the dark street where I was only going to drink one drink, and then...) .... ....... .......... “Shit, I can’t remember anything...” I’m not sure how I got to this room or what happened after I blacked out. My head doesn’t hurt, so it’s not a hangover.  I only had one drink, that’s the one thing I CAN remember. “No way...” Nervously, I run my hands down my body.  The hem of my shirt was untucked, all the buttons completely undone, and my skirt was rolled up past my thighs.  (I want to think it’s just from how I slept...I really want to think that, but...)  Being drunk can make you roll around and do that. I can’t hide how anxious I am about this unexpected situation. My heart thumps painfully in my chest and my legs shake. ---- (Huh? A tattoo?) I see Sirius taking a shower in the other room, with a tattoo spread across his back. (That would mean Sirius and I...) Looking at the bed with disheveled sheets, I wrap my arms around my body and hug myself tightly. “Maybe...maybe we just slept, that’s all...” (It’s a pitiful excuse, I know.) (Oh my god!! I need to go find Robin!!) Remembering something very important, she runs out of the room. ---- Sirius: “Ha, she ran away.”

English version:

Where am I? I open my eyes and stay perfectly still for the first few minutes. ---- (I got separated from Robin in town and while I was looking for him I, ended up lost.) (And then...Oh right, I met Sirius. Man, he was attractive.) (He was showing me the way, then we paused for a drink, and then...) Then...Hmm. What did happen? I’m drawing a blank here. “What the? I have no memory of last night.” I have no idea where this is or the events that led to me waking up here. There are flashes of groans and sighs, but that’s all. My head doesn’t hurt, though, which suggests I don’t have a hangover. Not that I’d expect to have one over a single drink, but I remember that drink being similar to a potion. “Uh-oh. Did I hook up with someone?” I carefully pat myself down. My shirt’s untucked, the buttons are undone, and my skirt’s hiked up around my thighs. (Then again, I could’ve just slept weird. Here’s hoping.) I’ve definitely rolled around in my sleep while drunk before. Still, I never thought I’d have to do a walk of shame in another realm. My heart pounds as I look around, trying to figure out who I spent the night with. (Did I somehow manage to book a room for myself? With what coin?) (It’s like everything that happened since I got here caught up to me all at once. What did I do...?) ---- “What was that?” (A tattoo? It was a gorgeous one, if so.) (The question is, how acquainted did I become with that tattoo last night?) The rumbled bedding comes back into view as I put my head in my hands. “Maybe we just crashed here together after our drink.” “...” (Pitiful excuse, but I’ll take it for now.) (Wait, Robin! Oh god. I have to go find him.) I run out of the room as soon as I remember. Given how little of the situation I remember, it’s probably better if we put that night behind us. ---- Sirius: “Alas. She has absconded.”

Then after she leaves, it goes about the same in both versions. She finds Robin at the gates, is rushing to Toa’s class, gets stopped by Jasper. His voice reminds her of Sirius. He then teases her for being late and is like “You said you were going to go back to your room last night, but it seems like you went out and had fun instead.” and she snaps at him and says she didn’t. He acts surprised. She apologizes and walks off, embarrassed. He laughs.

So. Yeah. One of them, MC wakes up confused after being drugged and raped and is trying to process that and then remembers Robin, runs back to the dorms, and has to deal with Jasper teasing her saying she went out and had “fun” which triggers extremely fresh, bad memories. While the other one...MC is like. Did I hook up with someone?? Whoopsies! Hm, I wonder how I did that. Oh but that Sirius guy was SO hot. Oh shit! I have a cat that’s missing! Gotta go. And then Jasper teases her but she just gets upset because she feels embarrassed about hooking up with someone. Neat. Also, what is with Voltage and their obsession with using “abscond”???

----

Are you feeling uncomfortable right now? A little horrified that Voltage would write a story like that, and romanticize it? Awesome! Me too! Let’s take a break here before moving on. Thankfully, the next parts won’t contain anything near as triggering as the first interlude and chapter 9. 

(Next post currently in progress, will add link as soon as possible! This is taking much longer than I thought it would to write;;;)

[teawaffles]

Forbidden Games: Chapter 7

One day, three assassins had gathered for a gunfight.

The three of them had varying levels of skill with a gun. The first assassin had perfect aim. The second could land two shots in three. The last was only able to land one shot in three.

They were to take turns choosing one of the other two to shoot at. In order to compensate for their differences in skill level, they would start from the most inexperienced assassin, who could only land one shot in three.

Now if you were this person, what would you consider the most reasonable thing to do?

The right answer is—— to fire straight into the air, without aiming at either opponent.

Ordinarily, one would think to target the most dangerous assassin, who could land every shot. But if they were struck down, then on the next turn, you would find yourself in the sights of the remaining opponent, who could land two shots in three.

As such, if you were to avoid shooting either party, the next player would definitely target the most dangerous opponent. If they succeed, the subsequent turn would cycle back to you. Hence the best course of action is to shoot no one at the start.

An action that seems meaningless at first glance, may in truth be the most logical choice.

This was a paradox —— the gap between logic and intuition.

“While there are some slight differences, our game bears a striking resemblance to this story, which is why I chose to apply it today. Although, I admit I may have been a bit too dramatic when aiming the gun at myself.”

A contradiction for a contradiction. Saying that, a small smile rose on William’s face. It was the smile of a demon.

For a moment, the extent to which he’d misjudged William had made Alan break out in a cold sweat. But he quickly regained his composure.

“I get it — you’re smart enough to know what you’re doing. But now, what will you do? The chance that your gun will fire in this turn is two-in-five. As for me, with one bullet fired and two left, my chances are the same. We’re even now.”

“But that’s not true. I believe you know very well that on your next turn, your gun will fire,” William asserted.

“……What?”

William brushed his thumb over the revolver in his hand.

“It appears that the guns we were given have been rigged, such that the cylinders will stop at predetermined positions when they are spun. These positions have been marked with scratches. In other words, this game has been a lie from the very beginning.”

William looked at Alan, who was in a daze, as he continued.

“That’s why you were able to add two more bullets to your gun with no hesitation whatsoever. You knew that even if Mr Holmes were to face off with five rounds, the gun would never fire.”

He then struck his index finger against the table.

Alan had been thoroughly shocked when the secret behind the guns was revealed. But now, he retaliated in full force.

“That’s right. These guns are for cheats. Why wouldn’t I use them in this game? Counting from the chamber where the cylinder stops, my revolver has three consecutive chambers loaded. But only the last two chambers of your gun are filled. ——Do you get it? This means your gun will not fire this turn, and on my turn, mine will definitely fire. The game has already been decided.”

“I’ll throw that question back to you. Do you understand what it means for us to know about this trick?”

Somewhat stunned by his opponent’s lack of awareness, William proceeded to explain the situation with eloquence.

“In our previous match, I said something to Mr Holmes. ‘Allow me to advance a proposition. Two chambers— don’t fill them.’”

There was another meaning behind those awkward words. “What it meant was, ‘Advance by two chambers’. After that, Mr Holmes violently loaded the gun —— so much so, that he had scratched the cylinder too.”

Alan covered his mouth with his hand as he looked at his own gun.

“……No way—”

“Because the two of us were given new revolvers, and you chose to use the gun from our previous match, you are now holding a revolver with two chambers’ worth of scratch marks added. Although the previous scratches remained…… since it was Mr Holmes who made them, I trust that the new markings were able to fool your accomplices.”

With no need for any further explanation, William fell silent.

In a game of Russian roulette where the number of rounds loaded increases over time, Sherlock had unexpectedly done something rash.

Alan had taken his sudden change in attitude to be mere desperation. But in reality, Sherlock had received William’s message, and while maintaining his composure, he proceeded to act as if he had no regard for his own life. By doing so, his violence in loading the gun, as well as his choice to fill the cylinder to its upper limit, were all interpreted as the products of a meltdown — and they were able to avoid any suspicion that they had seen through his trick.

However, this method of using Alan’s own trick against him was not foolproof. Although they had added new scratches to the cylinder, the original marks still remained. On close inspection, it might be possible to distinguish them.

With that in mind, Alan turned to face his accomplices behind him. But they said nothing, perhaps out of confusion. They had no confidence that they’d loaded the bullets in the right chambers. A sense of unease began to swell within Alan.

If Sherlock’s trap had succeeded, the positions of the bullets in Alan’s gun would now be off.

His revolver had six chambers. Counting from where the cylinder would stop, the first three chambers were supposed to be filled. Now with the markings “shifted” two positions forward, it would be that the first, and last two chambers were filled instead.

Since one round had already been fired, only the other two bullets remained. He was essentially in the same situation as William. In that case, as William had the first move, he would be able to fire on Alan one turn earlier.

In short, in this perverse version of Russian roulette, Alan had employed rigged revolvers, his accomplices had mistaken the positions of the scratch marks, and William had elected to go first. With these three conditions in place, William’s victory had been secured.

“What kind of joke is this……”

From the start, the game’s outcome had been set in stone.

That had originally been Alan’s plan. But William took advantage of it and turned the tables on him.

Despite being in a position of absolute superiority, victory had escaped him a second time. Alan’s blood was boiling.

“A—Again! I will surely win if we play again!”

William put his revolver down, and shook his head in pity.

“Unfortunately, there will be no rematch. Both of us no longer have the time to humour someone like you,” he replied curtly.

Alan lost his patience and slammed the table.

“Do you look down on everyone, you brat?!”

“All you do is envy others, and that is why you have lost yourself,” William said, with the air of an educator.

Before Alan could make sense of that, the sound of a revolver’s hammer being cocked emanated from the floor.

“——Don’t move.”

Then, the fallen detective staggered to his feet. Even though he had been shot in the abdomen, his face betrayed no trace of pain, instead wearing the grin of a child whose mischief had succeeded. In his hand, was a fully-loaded revolver.

“Holmes, why you bastard—”

“I don’t feel like explaining myself right now. Anyway, all of you raise your hands like grown men,” Sherlock ordered sharply, amidst their confusion.

Perhaps they were caught completely off guard, but Alan’s accomplices put up no struggle as they timidly raised both hands. The young man who had been held hostage edged quietly away from them.

William rose from his seat in a leisurely manner.

“From the start, our goal was to create this exact scenario. You have no intention of giving up no matter how many times your opponent wins. In that case, we should overturn the entire stage. To that end, this game, which allowed Mr Holmes to be eliminated by faking his death, presented the perfect opportunity.”

Just as William had planned, his act of near-suicide right from the outset had thrown them off balance, such that no one paid any notice to the fallen Sherlock. Then Sherlock came back to life with perfect timing, providing the key to their counterattack.

With their plan a roaring success, William and Sherlock were brimming with satisfaction.

“You two……”

Alan glared at them with hateful eyes.

“Oh, you’re not going admit defeat at this stage, aren’t you? That might actually be a good idea. Since all of you outnumber us, if you all take your guns out right now, you could certainly kill us. But Mr Holmes is sure to take a few of you down with him too. Is anyone prepared to be one of those ‘few’?”

“Now this is a genuinely fair and exciting challenge. Come on, who wants to join the game?”

Against the two of them, who were proudly putting their lives on the line, not a single person made a move.

In the end, the ‘equality’ that Alan and his accomplices had put forward, was nothing more than a hollow notion bragged about from within their circle of safety.

Having truly fought for his life and come out standing, to these men, William directed a gentle smile.

“Since it seems no one wishes to participate, ——this is game over.”

T/N: You may have noticed that the explanations of the trick are somewhat awkward (haha). It wasn’t explained 100% clearly in the Japanese text — I took a while to get it myself — so I decided to drop more hints within the text, rather than do so in a footnote. I hope it made sense for you!

[thoughts-on-bangtan]

Hi! I hope you’ll answer this question bc it bothers me quite a lot.. https://www.quora.com/What-does-it-mean-now-that-BTS-are-partial-owners-of-Big-Hit-Entertainment do you think it is true what the second person (Christine Herman) said? After reading this, i started to wonder…what if BTS does really have only profit in mind while doing new projects these days? Maybe they don’t really care anymore about creative and meaningful lyrics and sound? With Butter and PTD…all this generic music sung in English. Of course they say “we wanted to make fans feel good”, “butter and ptd represent who we are” and all these things fans want to hear but.. do you really think it’s true? moreover, don’t get me wrong, i don’t find product placement in their reality shows as something terrible, i believe this is a normal thing, however, nowadays the members really film ads and do marketing a lot. so yeah, for some reason i began to question their integrity dhsjjss i hope you will understand from where my concerns come from and won’t find this ask stupid sjdjjdjd

After reading that persons answer I can immediately tell you that I basically don't agree with an overwhelming majority of what she said (even more so since a lot of it just makes her sound like a manti that hates the company and basically would want them to make music for free or something). Generally I don’t agree with most of the opinions this person holds, and also Quora really isn’t a good source for info or good opinions, most of it is written by mantis, haters, and toxic shippers with an agenda so most ARMY will tell you to stay as far away from that website as possible.

Anyway, her focus in that answer was on money, since BTS are shareholders (and how that’s a conflict of interest despite other artists doing the exact thing but no one really cares or ever thinks about it), but what she failed to consider and note was that Big Hit Music, so BTS' label, isn't part of HYBE in the sense that shareholding has no baring on it since BHM is private. So while BTS profit off of HYBE doing well, and have a small percentage of a voice as shareholders, that has nothing to do with BHM in the classical sense, even if BHM's earnings reflect well on HYBE numbers and the shareholder money. 

BHM was made private to ensure their artistry would remain untouched, that was the whole point of that.

Even if they weren't HYBE shareholders, take Namjoon as example. He has more than 170 KOMCA credits, is among the top 3 Korean artists with the most credits and is also the youngest of them all. It is said that his earnings from that alone can sustain his family for 3 generations over. Look at Hobi and Chicken Noodle Soup, that song was a hit and he paid the original creator of that song 2 million dollars upfront and earned a lot back due to how successful it was. Same goes for Hope World which, again, was and is still immensely successful. Look at Yoongi and his work both as prod. SUGA, featuring artist SUGA, and as Agust D, as well as the credits he holds for his work on BTS songs (giving him as well a total of over 100 KOMCA credits, just like Hobi). Bangtan have worked and continue to work extremely hard for their music, put their heart and souls into it, and it shows even if their style changed as they grew older and more mature.

Yes, money is a major motivator, but looking at the above paragraph, do you really peg the members as these corrupt money hungry sellouts with no music related integrity? Who would need to sign major deals and would throw away their passion to just release empty shells of music for the sole reason of money? Am I naive enough to believe that they don't care about money? Of course not, we live in a capitalist society and even if BTS wouldn't care about money anymore at this point, HYBE very much does, and yet still I can't find it in me to agree with any of what was said in that answer that person wrote.

More below the cut:

And that point about how Hyundai cars were sold out because of BTS, isn't that the point why literally any company ever hires celebrities to advertise and endorse their product? And sure, again, I'm certain they earned a lot on these deals, they aren't the first or last or only ones in the history of ever to do so. Besides, look at JK and what he's done for small companies, or Tae who wore a brooch made my a small creator at the airport which catapulted that creator into the eyes of millions of ARMYs enough so that they could move to a proper studio and earn money with their work. Or the modern hanboks JK wore which led to the brand being able to move into actual stores in malls because of their sudden new popularity and demand. Or him wearing a bracelet that helps whales with a percentage of the money from the sales of said bracelet. And for all of that JK and Tae didn't earn any money at all. JK himself said that he's more conscious of the brand he wears now because he wants to help smaller businesses in these trying times, not because they pay him to do so (especially since they would never be able to afford that), but because he's aware of the influence he has and how he can use it to help others. Sound very much like a capitalistic villain, right?

As for the product placement bit, have you been on YouTube recently? Have you noticed that many, if not most, YouTube videos by “bigger” creators (and by that I mean even people who are around the 100k subscriber mark) begin with them thanking whoever sponsored that particular video and give you a scripted minute to two minute long ad before getting into the actual topic of the video? And In The SOOP featuring Chilsung Cider, FILA clothes and the random mention of how good Samsung phones are isn’t much different from it, though really, if you’re not someone interested in fashion much, would you really notice or care that they wore FILA? It’s just...clothes? If it weren’t a BTS related show, would you even notice it much? And it’s not even like they mentioned those brands every five minutes or anything, just a few times, which sure sounded a bit out of place at times, but personally I thought it was easy to look past. That’s just how things work nowadays and it’s odd for people to behave like somehow BTS are the first and only ones to use product placements despite literally every movie and show doing it in subtle and less so manners.

The answer by that person you sent also mentioned the Hyundai song for their car IONIQ and, unsurprisingly, that person wrote it off as just some commercial jingle but I’d actually disagree with that. Not to sound like a Hyundai and Samsung stan, which I am neither of, but I actually think those two knew best how to utilize the artist they have spent millions on signing a deal with. Hyundai didn’t just write them off as pretty faces with a millions strong fan army behind them and that’s it, they remembered that they are musicians so they gave them a song and made a whole music video for it as well. And say what you will, it is a good song. Then, just a few days ago, Samsung stepped up their game and we were given Over The Horizon Prod by SUGA of BTS. For those who aren’t Samsung users, Over The Horizon is their signature ringtone and basically their company sound, and over the years different artists were asked to make their own version of it. And this time they reached out to Yoongi and asked if he’d like to do it as well. It’s kind of a big deal. Sure, Butter is used in one of their commercials much the way Dynamite was last year, but that’s beside the point. Would that person make the same claim about Imagine Dragons whose song Believer is also part of the ads for the new Samsung phones? I have my doubts.

Furthermore, and I don't want this to come across as mean toward you but, I think it is uncalled for to question their artistic integrity based on a total of 3 (three) English songs when last year alone we received 50+ songs, most of which were in Korean, among them the entirety of BE which was, according to the members, the album they were most involved in ever when it comes to both music and everything around it.

You can dislike their English songs, that’s more than fine, they have a very extensive discography you can listen to instead, but questioning their integrity based on them doing something that most, if not every, artist on their level does (as in sign ad deals with brands etc) is a bit much if you ask me. Does that mean indie artists whose songs get picked up for commercials (or for Netflix shows or movies) and thus it catapults them into the mainstream are also just money hungry people with no integrity and ones who don’t care about their music? Or is that, again, just a standard Bangtan is held to (as in that their integrity is questioned based on everything, even the most trivial/normal things) that only applies to them and no one else?

In the recent Weverse Magazine article about how Permission to Dance came to be there is a lot of talk about not only that song but also Butter and Dynamite, among the things being discussed and talked about they mentioned how the original lyrics for Butter were much more materialistic but that the members didn't like that so they asked for that to be changed. Likewise the original lyrics for Permission to Dance, as you'd expect from the penmanship of Ed Sheeran, were much more romantic, almost proposal like, which wasn't what the members wanted either so it was, again, adjusted in a way that would fit what they, as well as the A&R team, wanted. While you may not like these songs, they still had a say in them to a certain degree, could say yes or no and ask for adjustments. Why else would PTD take eight months?

While they might outsource their English songs, their main focus, so their Korean (as well as Japanese) discography is still centered around them, their lyrics, their songs, their sound. Of course you’ll also find outside producers and some lyricists on those as well, because that’s how music works these days, as in collaboratively, that doesn’t change anything at large. Their integrity is still very much there, their hearts are still in it, what other reason would any of them have to say that they want to continue for a long time, for Yoongi to say they want to figure out how to make their career last as long as possible, for JK to say that he wants to sing forever?

Admin 2 also wanted me to add that in their opinion, to a certain degree (though not fully of course), their English songs are like a way to laugh at and expose how shallow the English-centric music industry is. As in, while they made music in Korean with deep and meaningful lyrics, the US industry didn’t care but once they switched to easy to listen to sound with easy to understand English lyrics, they suddenly paid attention, are played on the radio, and even received a Grammy nomination which they wouldn’t have gotten for a Korean song ( A1: regardless how much Black Swan or Spring Day really would’ve deserved it...).