#nano (tnc)

[autopoiesei]

hi

[sy5t3merr0r]

@takeru911 I told you not to give me ideas

[togalnu]

Happy 18 years of irreversible brain damage

[kirakirakamryn]

Taku breaking good video lovers pls take my other fave thing I've made lmaoooo

[nanoshiki]

[nitrochiralfan]

Togainu no Chi ARTBOOK & Togainu no Chi Official Visual Fan Book Character Design Comments Translations

I don’t own the translation, All Credit to the translation belongs to sixclawsdragon a huge thanks to them for translating all this don’t repost without crediting them first.

Togainu no Chi Official Visual Fan Book

Akira

When wearing a jacket and wearing a t-shirt, the tags shine on his chest. The pride of war is carved into Akira.

Kabura Fuchii

We decided on Akira’s name right away. He’s apathetic to himself and others, but that doesn’t mean he has a sour way of talking, so it’s quite difficult to write. From when we started writing, until we were used to the characters, we rewrote lines many times over.

Kana Tatana

Akira is halfway between a boy and a man, and we paid attention to bringing out that unbalanced charm. We gave him a stiff appeal, so a clean impression was important to raise a feeling like guilty pleasure in players. I think we wanted to make a character that’s wholesome but suggests a secret appeal.

Keisuke

Keisuke’s trademark is the blue jumpsuit. His appearance, ravished by line with a weapon in hand, shows a fierce hatred and intent to kill.

Kabura Fuchii

We’re often asked “why did you make it a screwdriver?” and “why did you bring out the intestines?” but we thought it was natural at the time of writing, so I don’t know either (lol). There were also times where I thought “let’s make it a wrench.” Scary, isn’t it.

Kana Tatana

We tried to make Keisuke’s appearance plain, but that being the case, when we used him for broad topics, we came up with situations in story writing, so in a sense he was also a character who used his head. The appearance of his overalls was also designed in the beginning.

Rin

Rin’s clothes were designed to have details that show how well off he is, but when he grows up, he completely changes to a simple outfit.

Kabura Fuchii

We went with the concept of Rin not just being cute until the end. From the beginning, Rin’s settings and personality don’t change much. The tempo of conversation is good, and the tone is casual, so I relaxed and wrote without thinking too much.

Kana Tatana

Rin was, in all aspects, a character I drew without hesitation. Drawing a character with this kind of malice was my favorite, with things like a sharp face, I think I drew in high spirits. I was able to make his appearance five years later my personal hobby (lol).

Motomi

With ruffled hair and stubble, Motomi shows people a good smile. The sharpness of an information broker is hidden by his casual clothes.

Kabura Fuchii

Thinking of older man characters, I have this type as my personal standard. Normally he’s somewhat careless, but he becomes reliable when push comes to shove. It was fun to write lines in an old man style. Things like “oichan” and “omaesan.” (Two examples of an older man speaking style)

Kana Tatana

During the game’s creation, I always drew him with his sleeves rolled up. It was the most Motomi-like, and made his character type prominent. Out of all the characters, I think I was careful to draw him the most loyal by the Japanese system.

Shiki

With cape waving, Shiki’s appearance is full of the dignity befitting a leader. The sword in his hand further emphasizes his sharpened air.

Kabura Fuchii

The line “go wherever you want” on the subway was Shiki’s way of showing his love. Because he noticed that he had become an empty shell, he wanted to free Akira. For Shiki it’s fate, for Akira it’s destiny.

Kana Tatana

Anyway, he’s cool and beautiful! Thinking about it now, it seems like I gave some of my soul drawing him. When I think Shiki, I think lower eyelashes, but while he has the same build as any beautiful character, there’s an infinite sense of discomfort, like this person is above the balance of special, I think.

Nano

He is characteristically blank and expressionless, with his eyes hidden by that deep darkness. Nano is made with a vague, shady appearance.

Kabura Fuchii

The end of the ED was in my mind from the moment we thought of Nano, I wanted to do that kind of ending. I wanted words you couldn’t understand just by hearing them said once, so writing the dialogue took time.

Kana Tatana

I wanted to show emotion with human kindness with just Nano’s smile in the last scene, so I generally drew his sprites and event CGs without eye contact, and with a feeling of tiredness. There’s no extreme difference in color brightness, so I regret that things like publicity materials were difficult to handle.

Togainu no Chi ARTBOOK

Akira

Akira has become aware that he’s in between being a boy and a man. He has a clean impression, so I think it’s good to give off a special feeling of transparency.

Shiki

Shiki was almost done in one try. He changed very little from the first draft.

Keisuke

Keisuke was designed to be opposite to Akira in appearance and facial expressions. He was drawn a little more adult than Akira.

Rin

We paid attention to giving Rin a unisex charm that isn’t female or male. His expressions are like a young man, but he’s a character where we drew an adult side too.

Motomi

Motomi is a character who acts carelessly and feels young again. It was a little like I was flipping a switch when drawing him.

Nano

I put my heart into making Nano a character with a vague impression and sense of transparency, different from Akira.

Arbitro

Arbitro takes you on a cool and a little aesthetic route, or a colorful route, so he was a fairly troubling character. I wanted one character that was different, and the result was him becoming a colorful character. The truth is he’s the same age as Motomi. It’s a mystery of Japan.

Kiriwar

Somehow I can’t explain Kiriwar easily, but I feel like he’s a character pulled from a completely different place. I needed to flip a switch when drawing him. He seems like he’d have a lot of expressions, but he really doesn’t have many.

Gunji

Gunji’s exposed abs and tattoos were troublesome, so he was like a triple handicap character. I don’t know if my hard work paid off, but I’m happy that a lot of people are interested in him.

Emma

I thought of this when drawing Emma’s suit, but I wonder how she takes it off. It must be very difficult when she goes to the bathroom.

Gwen

At the start of development, Gwen was viewed as an attack target. If his sideburns kept lengthening like that, they’d connect with his mustache.

Takeru

The ends of Takeru’s eyebrows split into three strands.

Guide

According to Fuchii, it seems the guide’s name is Viz. An older man with a bare midriff is a Chiral tradition. This is the only thing I won’t give up.

Tomoyuki

The truth is, Tomoyuki has a connection to the Hondou Group.

[nitrokiraru]

finished nanos route and togainu no chi AAAAA

ok review post kind of. im gonna start w nano's route and then im gonna go over what i liked abt the whole vn and what i didnt

about nano's route...IDK HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT. i didnt. hate it? but i feel like they couldve done it a lot better especially bc its the true route but like it didnt really feel true route-like. ik it was n+c's first game so they were prolly just tryna figure the whole thing out but i think it shouldve been longer and i feel like we already knew too much stuff for it to feel like a payoff. bc true routes usually reveal info we didn't know abt the protag but since we been known about akira and nano's whole line antivirus connection thing it just kinda felt..like okay? IDK HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. i wouldve liked it if we had more time to learn abt the nano that doesn't speak in riddles LOOOL like i see what they were aiming for but it didnt exactly work.. i was interested in nano as a character but it felt like we didnt have much time to learn abt him for him to feel like a love interest

okayyy now abt the whole game! i really liked it! i loved the setting and the soundtrack (per usual) and the characters i think after playing the whole game i still rly like rin the most. he was rly cute and just silly

i lowkey wish they still used the akira igra plot though.. like i understand the whole thing was just to lure akira in toshima but like i feel like it wouldve been cool if he actually did fight il re!! the whole thing kinda just got put to the side in all the routes bc he didnt actually have to do it but idk i feel like it wouldve been cool </3

i think it was funny and lowkey sad how keisuke just gets fucked in every route that isnt his. like in his route its like ohhh im evil ok now im not <3 and then in every other route its just like yeah he fucking died. Anyways. like?!\!]€~*!}~ they be doing him dirty he cannot be happy in any other route 😭 i felt a lil bad

but overall i liked it i cant believe i finally finished all the n+c games </3 it’s bittersweet but i rly do love all of them so i’m glad i could finally play them all and live up to my @

[nodlefisch]

redraw of old nano

(drawn in 2021)

[heavencey]

Togainu no Chi

«Ореол Света» Фути Кабура

(Nitro+CHiRAL)

***

Прочитать перевод рассказа можно здесь

***

• Короткий рассказ, написанный сценаристкой визуальной новеллы «Togainu no Chi», был опубликован в официальном сборнике рассказов «Togainu no Chi Gaiden». Он являет собой некое послесловие, эпилог, повествующий нам о жизни Нано и Акиры после событий, описанных в игре.

• Первая публикация: 12 августа 2005 года, «Togainu no Chi Nitro+CHiRAL Offical Works Compilation».

• Автор оригинала: Кабура Фути

• Дисклеймер: Оригинальный текст принадлежит Nitro + CHiRAL.

Мне принадлежит лишь данный перевод для ознакомления.

• История содержит контент 18 +

• Поддержите создателей, приобретя книгу на: [Amazon JP]

• Перевод и вычитка с японского: MK

• Перевод и вычитка с английского: HeavenCEY

[baked-bread]

either i'm horrifically desensitized or some of y'all on this site are lying because i'm four routes into togainu no chi and it isn't that bad in terms of content? i went into shiki's route expecting it to be horrific based on some of the things i've read on the internet but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the keisuke screwdriver scene. i think the game's really good! my expectations of how fucked up it gets was just definitely way off the charts

[rewordthis]

His Pride, His Ruin

Just a little oneshot to get back in the groove…

450 words  Nano x Shiki NSFW (special warnings: biting, asphyxiation? But not really. Nano is just too strong, ok? Just think of him as a boa and you’ll get the point. lmao Sorry not sorry.)

＊More notes at the end.

Summary:

That day, Nano didn’t just let Shiki live. He decided to escape and take him with him…

“Because fear can wear many faces, let me undo all of yours.” — n

“You’ve already fallen in fear (love) with me—“ he had told him as he took him away from that battlefield, “I want to taste it…”

And he tasted and relished and marvelled in the man’s capacity to be stained but also to gradually be able to wash him with his own unique colour as well.

After all those years of fleeing that bloodied wasteland and staying together in a state of prolonged war, the running was now easy.

They dyed in each other’s colours countless times; solid black paving over eerie purple, watery red tinging diluted ink…

“Ah!”

Sickening pace dragging his insides and the feeling of his flesh tearing as sharp teeth sink into it—

He never knew how real fear (power) tasted. Until him.

He had wanted to be free to go back but he can’t go back anymore. He’s also a wanted man by this moment.

Trapped and held, all at the same time.

‘Because the dog that bites the hand that feeds it, is only good for putting down.’

He grasps desperately at the hands that still him like vices and whimpers at the bruising force his hips are met with the man’s.

He lifts his head as much as he can to look up at the man that runs him through every night without a care of his condition.

They look alike, just how it’s supposed to when two souls are being too tightly connected. Either by love, fear or hate.

Hearts as well as exteriors.

‘Staying under the radar had forced him to dye his hair black. His purple gaze ever chilling.’

He looked down on him; taking in the pale white skin that glistened with sweat and that ever piercing blood-red stare that never denied him— never let go.

When he’s sure that the attention is all his, he just says: “Kill it. It’s coming again—”

And the pick up is brutal so much that he nearly chokes on his breath. The searing heat that fills him can be felt deep and even his spine vibrates with the sheer speed he’s being impaled. The arms of a being that has taken hundreds of lives are coiling around his body in an asphyxiating degree, a hot mouth that draws harsh bites on his back...

He really feels as though he’s getting killed over and over until he finally passes out with an earth–shuttering cry.

This is their most revered and accursed moment; the instant when the seed of fear is planted in him again as his own release smears the sheets beneath him, thinning the lines of this reality.

It’s because the fear that grows within him, feeds both of them.

—forever unchanging.

———•———

A.N.: Hello hello! Long time no fic, huh? And to top it off I come bringing Togainu… lmao

Riiight~ I had another oneshot ready for some time now but it didn’t really fit into my ships so I thought I’d try making something out of it, but I just ended up writing a short for these two asses… Go figure. 🤗

I love Nano so much. He’s the best character in the series; and he’d have so much fun degrading Shiki— I just know it. These two are a great ship, ya know? Plus, I always said that Shikity doesn’t deserve to be a seme. He’s far too pretty for that! 😋

Poor Shiki, he really loves how Nano treats him but his pride just won’t let him accept it. But he knows it, though. Oooh, he knows it! That’s why he’s asking for the rough treatment EVERY TIME in the end. hahaha RIP Shiki’s ass, he won’t be walking straight for a week… Actually, he hasn’t been ever since Nano took him away… hohooo~ 🤭

[zizz-asdf-re-r-o-u]

Nitro+Chiral Characters Fighting Ranking ( & Game Stats?)

Big dumb brain moment. On the Dmmd discord, we suddenly had a conversation ranking the N+C characters based on their fighting skills. (Subject to change as we discuss more!)

Protagonists + their love interests:

Rhyme!Ren (Dramatical murder) > Nano (Togainu no Chi) > Clear (Dmmd) > Shiki (TnC)/Rai (Lamento)> Madarame (Slow damage) > Asato (L) > Bardo (L) >  Desire!Aoba (Dmmd) > demon!Koujaku (Dmmd) > Rei (SD) > Mink (Dmmd) > Konoe (L) > sane!Koujaku > drugged!Keisuke (TnC) > Akira (TnC) > Reason!Aoba (Dmmd) > Noiz (Dmmd)/Rin (TnC) > sober!Keisuke (TnC) > Fujieda (SD) > Towa (when not malnourished) > Taku (SD)/Motomi (TnC) > human!Ren (Dmmd) > Tetsuo (Sweet pool) > Zenya (SP) > Makoto (SP) >>>>>>>>>>>>> Youji (SP)

(Thanks @yukirayu & some other people that I can’t find on tumblr.)

And then some bonus headcanons for a Smash-style crossover fighting game w/ the characters + some other characters cause let’s be honest; don’t we wanna see Koujaku vs Shiki or smash-versions of Rhyme!Ren shooting cannonballs at Towa throwing beer bottles? Or Mink riding on a Tori-motorcycle, Minecraft Steve style xD

Ren: All-arounder or zone breaker. Obviously he’s just gonna be his Rhyme battle version with the same powers, which have long range attacks like the arm cannon which can also be good close range attacks when in blade/claw form, good defense, and i think in a rhyme battle he once regenerated his own HP? Plus he was Desire!Aoba’s champion Allmate for several years with Sly Blue.

Aoba: Rushdown. He’s agile, mostly known for kicks, but isn’t super defensive. However Desire!Aoba is able to come out as his ult move for some serious brain damage 1HKOs. Alternatively, Desire!Aoba is a separate glass canon fighter who has has Scrap as his ult?

Sei: His real body is weak but he could be a puppeteer for Usui who would do the actual battling.

Youji: Ok we had to get real creative with this because the cast of Sweet Pool are all high school weaklings xD Basically he’d be a zoner who summons meat monsters/shoot meat chunks for attacks, and then has the Pure breed do something for his ult.

Towa: Also got creative with this- along with close combat moves, he also attacks with beer bottles, molotov cocktails, art canvases, and then his ult is pouring oil paint or paint thinner on the ground and lighting everything on fire.

Mink: He’s a grappler and he can bring out the Tori-motorcycle to do some Smash Minecraft Steve-style cart riding. And also ride onstage himself.

Keisuke: He should have screwdrivers cause of... that scene. But otherwise a glass canon rushdown.

Makoto: More Sweet pool weakling creativeness. A box cutter would be his primary weapon, but he’d also have biting attacks cause of... that scene.

Clear: As cute as he is... I think he’d also be a zone breaker or dominator. Superhuman strength, (usually) immediate self healing, very fast/can jump hella high, high defense due to being a robot (he survived an acid attack man), and music powers.

Uuuuh more to come!

[togalnu]

hiii quick doodle because I haven’t posted in a while

[juntsuro]

Replayed Togainu no chi + watching the anime

First thing I want to say I played tnc first few years ago and I was absolutely obsessed with it to the point I couldn't think of anything else and at the time I considered it my favorite visual novel (spoiler: not anymore) and don't get me wrong I still love it a lot, I kept the 9/10 rating which is very very rare for me althought I have to admit it's probably more my nostalgia and overlooking some flaws than it being that good lol.

It really pains me to say a substantial part of the game I kept thinking how much this doesn't feel like it did the first time and I want to believe it's because I already knew everything that was going to happen. Especially Shiki's route, I like him but his route was soo boring hardly anything happend in it besides the h-scenes which I liked but they could've done so much more there plot wise. Nano's route was also meh but that much I expected considering what I rememberd and the fact that I haven't seen a single positive opinion about it.

It's not much of a review I just wanted to share some of my thoughts. At the end of the day I still really love tnc as a whole especially it's atmosphere that had me captivated instantly. and Rin omg Rin is so underappreciated he deserves everything.

Having gone back to my n+c hyperfixation I couldn't not brag about it to everyone I know and somehow that got my friend from school interested in watching the anime for it which means a lot since she's not even into anime (or so she claims because we watched a few together in the past year and she keeps wanting to watch more). I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much if I watched it alone but I have to say I like the pacing because somehow it's so fast the episodes feel like they're 10 minutes so at least it doesn't get boring. The way they merged scenes from separate routes works well in my opinion too as they don't feel off. Overall it's not bad but it is terrible as an adaptation, like most shows based on games. (Granted I have only seen it up to episode 7 as of writing this I might edit the post if I have anything more to say about the remaining half.)

[nitrochiralfan]

Thoughts on Nano.

There are not a lot of people who talk about Nano in the fandom even hes ones of the characters I find fascinating.I talked about Nano with someone and I wanted to talk about it here.

I have a lot of thoughts about the route regarding his character, When we finally got into his route all the other routes showed Nano’s actions but his route showed his thoughts.

Nano’s route is about nano reclaiming his emotions and humanity that was taken from him. Nano is considered an enigma with a tragic past who we know little of we know only until his route that we learn about him as a person.

  Why would it be akira? there was something in the way in how he empathizes nano with nano in the other routes Akira is one of the people who shows empathy towards his pain and suffering views him as a victim in the way the other characters couldn’t.

Nano is treated like a doll by almost by all the others around him not regarding his own personal anatomy,Nano and Emma cared about each other in the past, Nano overheard the talk with the two scientists about how emma is used to test his emotional compacity caused  Nano to realize the connection he thought he had with her was a lie and knowing he truly had no one he can truly trust and believe only serving to push Nano into despair. Though Emma loves Nano and wants to free him from his pain and suffering to settle a score her actions are exactly like the scientists who messed around with his body and emotions.

Shiki encountered him on the battle field saw his eyes full of madness caused Shiki to feel panic for the first time.Shiki only saw his strength and madness and wants to kill him to stop this fear that had been haunting him.

Motomi sees him as a emotionless machine created by the government and wants to kill him as a way to stop the experimentation done by the government completely neglecting that hes a victim of the experimentation as well. Motomi witnessing the change in nano caused Motomi to stop viewing him as a emotionless android.Nano is surrounded by others who wanted to exploit and lusted after his own blood.

Akira’s interaction with nano is what makes nano feel human, akira made him feel human not a doll.Akira is the only one who got to know Nano personally past their blood and experimentation. you could see most nanos personality is in his route shine because of akira’s presence.

Akiras childhood meeting with Nano and promise to meet again is a hope spot for nano.Akira is nano’s hope spot his meeting with him in the past he held on to his thought left it his hope Akira is nano's light his name can be translated directly to light in Japanese depending on the kanji used.akira being the light has a lot of emphasis in the game, where akiras presence in Toshima sheds light to his childhood and past events that shape the nation and akira himself. akira is nanos light at the end of the nanos route akira is the one here being his light guiding him through a dark tunnel the creators must of chosen this for this.

Hands are an important that is mentioned in the route, they are one of the basics things that symbolize touch and intimacy used for reaching out to help someone. Akira held nanos hand in the flashbacks that was the first warm human touch Nano had he barely if never had any physical contact this was different from the cold research faculty it was something that made him human something he expresses after he was an experiment. Nano strokes Akira’s cheeks numerous times in the route, that might be another symbol of conforming about what he saw the boy was really he was trying to feel that warmth again. the hands can also be symbols can serve as taking away agency nano was mercilessly exploited by others having people lust after his blood for selfish gain. as well as the numerous lives that he killed making his hands are stained of the blood of others. There was one scene where he licks akiras hand again ties into the hand thing in the route. the symbolism with the Hand thing plays importance especially to what Akira said "if i took his hand and ran i would've save him” it means he could save Nano.

the begging of the route shows Akira finding Nano sleeping on the tree, The meeting of nano sleeping on the tree is parallel to how both akira and nano met under the tree in the past

also the simple thing why its akira is that nano gave akira his knife but why is that small thing important?Akira owned the knife in the beginning of the game its an interesting detail thats a interesting call back to his past. Theres symbolism in the knife that a post elaborated on,nano handing over his knife to akira symbolizes him handing over his hopes and wishes to Akira the knife  nano gave the knife in hopes that they will meet again the knife is a symbol of that wish. Nano had was given to him by his father he barely knew one that he hid from the researchers, the knife is the last reminder of his humanity he knew he is going to lose himself so Nano is entrusting the last of  his hopes,wishes and humanity. someone pointed out that the runes engraved on his knife one of the runes are a sacrifice to the gods it was a sacrifice that would evoke a prayer.

There was also an interesting aspect in the post, which that nano said negai witch means wish in Japanese it can also mean prayer that you go to church to pray. Which would explain why Nano is in a church he is wishing for another persons happiness and that person is akira. he is wishing for akiras happiness

Nano recognizes akira as the same boy who approached him years ago the only thing he didn’t know was that akira was part of the anti Nichole project. that the reason why he helped akira in the other routes Nano knew Akira was the child back then.

There are a lot of similarities between Akira and Nano, i talked about akira and nano with someone and they elaborated on their similarities. akira and nano character design process further empathizes their similarities in that they are both designed with a sense of transparency

Akira is apathetic to himself and others but not cold or heartless He cold and distinct mostly due to the environment he lived in he feels aimless and empty in a setting where there nothing to gain hence why his blaster name is called lost to represent his mindset his memories of the past is foggy due to the experimentation done to him the knife and relationship with keisuke are the only connections to Akiras past.  Nano and Akira have the same attitude towards death, nanos question to akira’s grieving of keisuke is similar to how akiras interaction with takeru in the game in how they both didn’t understand others nano and akira and similar in that aspect.

Where Akira forgot his past as an experiment nano remembers what happened but cannot forget about it how much Nano suffered we never got into the context until we learned in yukihitos route the horrors the researchers tried to make him an unfeeling machine putting him through so much awful stuff.

There like a mirror of each other reflection of each other as someone stated they are like two side of the same coin there drawn to each other beyond there blood and experimentation the experiments tried to turn them into weapons yet they gave each other humanity everyone tried to rope them.  

[eclipsehotline]

the major arcana of toshima

this post reminded me i actually made a whole ass assignment lineup all the way back in september with explanations and all bc what's better than one obsession? two of them mashed together

the fool - akira protagonist syndrome overdrive! but it really is his journey after all. and despite his somewhat mature appearance he's oh so naive at the beginning of it, saying things like he's not afraid of death and wants to see it up close. and then he gets to toshima and understandably freaks out the moment he bears witness to true unadulterated violence. and grows in every way there is as a person along the way

the magician - motomi he's the miracle worker of the story! i'm still kinda in awe of his part in rin's route when he fuckin'. blew up arbitro's arena and led akira and rin away and forged papers for them in a span of a day. is there something this man cannot do? i don't think so

the high priestess - yukari her role in the story is a small yet important one, that of a passive yet powerful bearer of faith. she's the one who gave the rosary, symbol of purity and kindness, to takeru

the empress - motomi's wife am i really going to give a card to a character that has neither a name nor a design? absolutely. call that a motomi bias. but i feel like she used to be quite caring and nurturing, judging by what motomi's told akira of her

the emperor - shiki i mean, il re. the law of toshima. what else is there to say (sorry shiki fans but i am not too big on the guy. you've seen one edgy dark-haired swordsman, you've seen 'em all)

the hierophant - tomoyuki it's a bit of a stretch but one of the meanings of the hierophant card is community, and i feel like tomoyuki really strives towards that, with him being the leader a whole new gang of his own after pesikoshka fell apart

the lovers - keisuke (and akira) (duh) i mean. I MEAN. if there's anyone who's a hopeless loverboy in tnc it's keisuke but there's also so much more to the lovers card than what it says on the tin and everything about it fits keisuke like a glove. lovers are also about choice, a brave decision coming from the heart, and that's exactly what keisuke makes as he decides to follow akira into the dark

the chariot - rin i once read a very good point abt the dichotomy of hard control vs soft control in the chariot and strength and i feel like it really is a fun thing to point out in connection to tnc as well so, rin is hard control. he's energetic and brave and daring and, if anything, careless and rash. there's a storm inside of him, yet like hell he's gonna let anyone know of it. not until he is fully in charge, at any rate

strength - keisuke and keisuke, au contraire, is soft control. he may look (and be, most of the time) timid and clumsy, but he can and will put his foot down when it really matters. he's got a big and loving heart and and he's not afraid to show it

the hermit - nano ever the lonesome and elusive one, nano's had it up to here with society and is now the one to pick solitude over company (and run the society that's wronged him into the ground while we're at it but that's a story for another day)

the wheel of fortune - akira he's rolling with the punches, man. and he's at the wheel at the same time, making conscious choices to be with the people he decided he'd be staying with

justice - emma the judge, the jury and the executioner. she doesn't play fair by any means, but the rest of the meanings fits her well. she's stern and pragmatic and willing to set a course for the future

the hanged man - akira and the unlawfully sentenced. bound by circumstance, the only thing left to akira is holding on. he neither asked nor did anything to deserve this, and yet, he's there. and he accepts his fate because well, what else is there to do

death - gunji and kiriwar death in tarot is so much more than what it says on the tin (hell, i'd argue it's everything but) but these two sure fit the bill for the quote unquote grim reaper card

temperance - motomi another dichotomy time! with motomi being the angel to arbitro's devil and it fits him so well in more ways than one. he's been through a death arguably more painful than one's own - the death of his son and wife, and at his own hands (to some degree) at that, and yet he's found a way to make peace with that and live on and temperance is a card of wisdom and changing your way of thought, which is exactly what motomi comes to do whenever actually facing nano (and akira, who manages to lead him away from the path of revenge)

the devil - arbitro who's the lecherous, self-serving asshole of toshima? he is! there's actually so much more fun to the devil card (and i like it quite a lot), but not much more to arbitro, so let's just leave it at that

the tower - takeru poor takeru. he's climbed way too high up and is on his way to a painful downfall. he couldn't live with the things as they were a second longer and rushed towards change, yet ended up making a deal with the devil by taking rein and paying way too high of a price for that mistake and he may have died alone, but he's never going to be forgotten

the star - rin this card is such a perfect fit for rin at the end of his route. it stands for a distant, yet true promise of a better tomorrow, and that's how him overcoming shiki feels like. there's still such a long way to go, and yet he's starting to make peace with what he's lost. and whatever it takes, he's gonna fulfill his promise and find his way back to akira. not to mention his whole connection with the skies and the stars

the moon - keisuke here's to the one who's lost his way. who bought into the promise of strength out of insecurity and fear, who who strayed into the darkness of rein and needed a guiding light to find his way out and it was there. akira was there for him in the darkest night, holding his hand and leading him into the dawn

the sun - motomi remember that one illustration of motomi as a kid smiling from ear to ear in a field of sunflowers? yeah, that there's been everything in motomi's life, good and bad and terrible. and yet he's still here, wholeheartedly enjoying his new life with akira, full of thrill and free of revenge there's also such thing in tarot as reversed cards - when you get one, it means the original meaning of the card has been distorted in some way. some cards, however, are believed to retain their original meaning even in a reversed position, and the sun is one of them. and in my head it fits so well with motomi's role in the story and in akira's life. every other partner has hurt him in one way or another, but not motomi. even when they argued, motomi always showed him compassion and warmth. even with clouds of judgment on the horizon, he's never betrayed akira's trust. and i love him so much for that

judgment - shiki the penultimate card, the penultimate route. it's the last test of character in the major arcana, and fate tests shiki as well. will he succumb to his fear and drink nano's blood, or will he prove himself better than this? will it be a fresh start, or will he descend further into madness and drag the whole world along? (i'm no expert on shiki's character but i've heard that his drama cd implied he was supposed to bounce back eventually after the good end. maybe he'd be a half decent person after that whole experience)

the world - nano the true route of the story and the key to its questions, the one with whom everything's started and the one with whom everything ends. his life has been shit since god knows when, but now, with akira at his side, he's free to choose his own new color