#that’s the main thing Mankind is saying

[florilegia-or-what-you-will]

Randy Feltface is… Mankind

[lesbiten]

you know what. even though fiddleford referring to ford as "a visiting researcher" is heartbreaking. he DOES at least give him "i've helped him build a machine which he believed had the potential to benefit all mankind" which i just dont think is true

[luvyeni]

𐙚 : NCT DREAM WHEN THEY'RE ABOUT TO CUM (reactions) ֶָ֢ !

request: can you maybe do an nct dream ver of this?🧎🏻‍♀️

authors note. i hope you like it ,they are kinda short and im sorry about that 😭🩶!!!

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

𐙚 : MARK ֶָ֢ !

you and mark both know when he's about to cum when you give him head because he becomes noisy, his moans get louder; his words get dirtier; the only thing on both of your minds was him cumming inside your mouth. "fuck baby im gonna cum." he groaned. "fuck, gonna take all my cum down your pretty throat." he held your head down, cursing as he cum down your throat. "oh fuck you always make me cum so much."

𐙚 : RENJUN ֶָ֢ !

he's quite up until he's about to cum, that's when he gets mouthy , fucking into you. "fuck you feel so good, so fucking tight." his low moans, turn into whimpers as he feels his high reaching, his stomach turning as you clench around him. "fuck im gonna cum." he likes to hold your hand when he's about cum. "fuck, your hand baby, give me your hand." squeezing your hand as he cums, his body shaking a little. "fuck i love you so much."

𐙚 : JENO ֶָ֢ !

during sex, jeno can say the most filthiest shit know to mankind; but when he's about to cum he goes almost silent; only thing coming from him is a bunch of deep grunts and low growls. feeling your tight cunt squeezing around him makes his mind go blank. the only time he talks is to let you know he's about to cum. "fuck im gonna flood this tiny pussy." he lets out another growl as he fills your cunt with his warm seed.

𐙚 : HAECHAN ֶָ֢ !

loud motherfucker , like sometimes you want to choke him to shit him up, but you know and he knows that will probably make him moan louder and cum faster. "fuck baby im about to cum." he moans loudly. "fuck keep riding me im gonna cum." he whimpered out. "fuck im cumming." you have to cover his mouth as he cums, filling you up, you just know you'll get a noise compliant.

𐙚 : JAEMIN ֶָ֢ !

jaemin never focuses on himself, his main goal is for you to cum, but when he is about to cum he lets out a few moans, praising you as he thrusted in and out of you. "fuck pretty, you're gonna milk my cock like a good girl aren't you." he needs to look at you before he cums, eye contact is a must. "look at me baby -fuck- i need to see you pretty face." moaning out a curse word as he cums, kissing your face. "good girl."

𐙚 : CHENLE ֶָ֢ !

he gets real commanding when he's fucking you; especially when he's about to cum, holding you down on the bed as he roughly fucked into you. "stay still -fuck- you said you can take it, so fucking take it." when he's about to cum , he holds you down tighter. "fuck im gonna cum, m'gonna cum right inside you." he grunts, emptying his load inside you. "don't move, we're not finished until your begging me to pull out."

𐙚 : JISUNG ֶָ֢ !

tries not to moan too loud out of fear of being caught; but he can't help it with the way you're sucking him off, biting his lips hard , but it's not stopping the moans from coming out as he feels his high coming. "ba-baby fuck im gonna cum if you keep doing that." his big hands tangled up in your hair. "fuck gonna cum all over your face." he can get nastier but before he can he lets out a moan, pulling his cock from you mouth, cum spurting from his tip covering your face. "shit, that's so hot."

©️LUVYENI

[babyleostuff]

i love love love the clingy fic. do you think you’d be open to making one for all the members?

seventeen being clingy with their s/o | ot13

thank you so much for this request! I turned it into a headcanon, so I hope you won't mind it.

☾₊ ⊹ currently playing: blue hour by txt

side note: the length of each member's headcanon has nothing to do with who I like more or less

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ CHOI SEUNGCHEOL 

okay, we all know that Seungcheol is the president™ of clinginess 

hand holding, hugs, cuddles, kisses, head pats, you name it 

he would have no problem stopping whatever he was doing just to give you a hug 

btw, his hugs must be the best (silently crying in the corner)

they make you feel so safe and fluffy 

would sometimes tease you for your clinginess, but then you can just say “no cuddles tonight” and he’ll be apologizing on his knees

morning and goodnight kisses are mandatory, and there is a big chance he’ll get pouty and sulky if he doesn’t get one 

wouldn’t mind a clingy and affectionate significant other whatsoever 

and if you weren’t a person that liked physical touch, he would respect that 100%

nonetheless, would slowly but surely try to warm you up to the idea 

I think cuddling him would be one of the best ways to comfort him in any situation 

simply holding him tightly and stroking his hair 

he would love if you’d poke his dimples (it only makes him smile even wider) 

I think he’d love the idea of cuddling with you before sleep, but somehow would end up on the other side of the bed, in the weirdest position in the morning 

would also love when you’d fall asleep in his arms during a movie night, for example 

it makes him so so happy, and he thinks you’re the cutest thing in the world (because you are) 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ YOON JEONGHAN 

another very cuddly and affectionate member 

I think he is more low key than Cheol though

he loves the quiet and intimate aspects of physical touch

definitely holds your hand in public, especially when there are a lot of people 

loves laying and napping on your lap, while you play with his hair 

there is a 90% chance that he has his head on your shoulder whenever you are sitting next to each other 

plays a lot with you hands too (you’re basically his fidget toy) 

loves the quiet nights when there is only the two of you, when he can you full out with his clinginess 

if you’re in the kitchen doing whatever you can bet he’ll stick to you and follow you everywhere 

has the biggest heart eyes and a soft smile whenever looking at you 

will definitely tease you from time to time, but we all know he loves when you smother him with love 

maybe not the BIGGEST fan of PDA, but would definitely not shy away from showing his affection around the boys

if they have a problem they can leave = Jeonghan’s mindset 

strives for forehead kisses, they make him so soft and appreciated 

just give him all the love he deserves 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ HONG JOSHUA 

HUSBAND MATERIAL RIGHT HERE

so so so soft 

very low key with his affections, might not be all over you, but is always right by your side 

always has a hand around your waist when you’re at big gatherings and never lets you go in a big crowd of people 

the main hand holder in seventeen, and I’m going to stand by that 

sitting down? holding hands. waiting in a line? holding hands. going on a walk? holding hands. 

gives the softest, most reassuring hugs known to mankind 

generally, he’s very soft and his aura just radiates with love and reassurance, so there is not a single moment in your relationship where he lets you doubt yourself

head pats specialist - you can do the smallest, most insignificant thing and he’ll still pat your head lovingly with a soft smile 

even though he is not that into physical touch, he’ll never decline your hugs, kisses or cuddles 

I don’t think he would tease you that much, but sometimes might find it amusing how clingy you get (sometimes he jokingly avoids your kisses just to see you sulk until he doesn’t burst out laughing and give you tons of kisses in apologies) 

expresses his affection through actions, is always there for you

sometimes you don’t even have to ask him for help - he just knows and is there right by you in a second 

such a attentive listener, you could be rambling about the most random thing and he’ll still look at as if nothing else existed in the world 

everyone can see how in love he is, simply by the way he looks at you

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ WEN JUNHUI 

on the first glance may not seem like it, but he gets clingy more often than you’d think 

he loves giving back hugs, just clinging onto you, while you do your thing 

nuzzling his head in your neck has become a big habit for him (and overall, a BIG fan of neck kisses)

now he’s a menace, so beware, he will tease you 

but it is all out of love, he would never seriously decline your affection

sometimes, he’d just come up to you and stand there waiting for kisses 

will lay in your lap after a tiring day, and not get up, no matter how badly you need to go to the bathroom 

would hug you for the longest time if he’d see you’re upset or anxious 

is very gentle, but sometimes underestimates his own strength, which ends up with you laying on the floor 

once, he lost you in a big crowd, and since then he has always an arm wrapped around you or at least is holding your hand 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ KWON SOONYOUNG 

tiger who? more like a koala 

will cling to you 24/7 

ESPECIALLY when he’s drunk, he will hold onto you for dear life

comes up with the most random, weird and cliche nicknames for you, and will use it in the presence of other people 

sometimes his love can get a bit aggressive, especially if he’s full of energy (but would never do anything to hurt you) 

can get super cheesy, to the point where you have to shut him up 

sometimes he’s just too cute for you too handle, so you’d have no other choice then give him kisses all over his face

which he likes A LOT 

sometimes, to tease you, he’d act like he doesn’t notice your affection and clinginess, just to tackle you in a hug a second later 

this man WILL BLUSH, and you use that fact a lot to your own advantage (usually when you’re with the boys, just to mess with him)

expects a good morning kiss, because he swears he’s days are always better when you kiss him in the morning 

pouts if you let go of his hand, and he will in fact let you know, that he’s upset 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ JEON WONWOO

(this man is going to be the death of me)

at first very very shy with affection, but as he gets more and more comfortable you’ll get to see a whole another side of him 

definitely not the biggest on PDA, even in front of the boys 

but I can guarantee you, he’ll always be touching in some way when you’re in public 

whether it’ll be linked pinkies, holding hands, a strong arm around your waist or just simply standing very very close to you

he’ll never kiss you around the boys, but he will not shy away from pecking your forehead or giving quick cheek kisses 

look like he hates when you cuddle into him, but on the inside he’s freaking out from how cute and adorable you are 

also whenever you show him any type of affection it makes him feel so loved and appreciated (so please give him all the affection he deserves) 

sometimes will come up from behind, give you a quick hug, and leave as if nothing just happened 

loves loves loves to cuddle when you’re reading, it’s usually him initiating the affection in situations like these 

it’s just his silent way of showing you his love

okay, I know that this is so basic and cliche, BUT 

cuddling him while he’s gaming (can you just imagine sitting in his lap, watching him doing what he loves, giving him kisses and cheering whenever he wins) 

I can already see his shy smile after you press a sweet kiss on his lips after he wins a battle or something 

sometimes if you’re being too clingy, he’ll just send you a side eye and sigh, but not stop you at all 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ LEE JIHOON

now, we know that this man is not a fan of physical touch 

and he still isn’t, except when the affection comes from you 

he has came to terms with the fact that you’ll never stop hugging him, simply accepting his destiny 

definitely will let you know if it gets too much, but he tries to be more open minded when it comes to you 

over the time spend with you, he’d notice the small acts of yours, that he’d miss when you weren't around, like gently holding his hand 

he’d notice, that from time to time he’d feel like something’s missing 

and it’d turn out that he just misses you holding his hand

will link pinkies in public, but that’s the furthest he will go (he’d never leave your side though, he’s always there to keep an eye on you) 

if he’s really tired, he will come up to you without saying a word and lay in your lap

gets so happy if you play with his hair then (would never admit this to you) 

is so grateful to you that you respect his boundaries 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ XU MINGHAO 

*sigh*

when it comes to Hao, I think he’s a bit similar to Wonwoo, in the sense that in the beginning of you relationship he would be more closed off and shy 

but as the time goes, he’d open more and more up

his affection would come in waves - he’d have days where he’d need to be left alone (always tells you this, as not to cause any miscommunication) and on others he’d smother you with love 

he is very gentle with giving and showing affection, will always hold you in a delicate way 

big fan of hand holding and head pats, as well as just simply being next to you 

your presence in general is very comforting and calming to him, you know each other so well, that sometimes no words are needed to know how the other person is feeling 

he always checks up on you during any parties or gatherings, if your having fun or if no one is making you uncomfortable (will fight if someone is mean to you) 

loves whenever you put your head on his shoulder, his heart will probably beat a little faster 

also loves when you cling to him in search of comfort, he’s the happiest knowing that he can be a safe place for you

not the biggest fan of cuddling while sleeping (he needs his space), but will always cuddle before, catching up on what he’d missed from your day 

sometimes, you’re just so cute to him that he can’t contain his giggles 

then you’re like (•ิ_•ิ) what did I do? 

but then, I’m the biggest believer in a tired, clingy Minghao (u cannot tell me that this man wouldn't cling to you like a koala, while being already half asleep)

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ KIM MINGYU 

is there even a point of saying anything about this man? 

cuddles, kisses, hugs, hand holding, playing with each others’ hair, resting his arm on you, WITH THIS MAN YOU GET A WHOLE PACKAGE 

definitely one of the most clingy, cuddly and affectionate members (nothing knew) 

I mean, he would drop everything and run to cuddle with you 

never leaves your side, follows you around everywhere, and will DEFINITELY always be touching you in some way 

a hand holding yours, on your thigh, around your shoulder, around your waist, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS 

unsurprisingly his hugs would solve like 99 of your problems, it’s like they heave some kind of healing properties 

would confidently sulk and pout if you’d reject any of affections, acting like a five year old until you didn’t apologize with tons of kisses and at least an hour of cuddling him 

usually is the big spoon, loves the feeling of having you wrapped up in his strong arms

on occasions, especially when he’s having a hard time, he’ll want to be the little spoon and would not shy away from it 

sometimes you have to remind him that he’s like ten times bigger than you, so throwing himself at you is not a good idea

but, the thing with this menace is that he will tease you

there are times when you’re just so done with him and leave him alone on the couch (which is not that fun for him anymore) 

BACK HUGS !!!

would do it 24/7 if he could, also loves it when you back hug him as well 

(If I don’t get a Kim Mingyu, I don’t want him) 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ LEE SEOKMIN 

you become a giggly mess in each others’ presence 

sometimes, you’d do the annoying “couple stuff”, just to piss of others (insert: Seungkwan’s side eye)

He will return every affection that you give him - you kiss him? He kisses you back. You hug him? He hugs you back

you’re just going back and forth, never getting tired of each other 

when you’re out together, YOU’RE TOGETHER 

you two are connected by the hip, seeing you apart for more than five minutes is almost impossible 

likes to hold your hand, and sway it back and forth like a kid when you’re walking 

a fan of giving and receiving sweet kisses on the forehead (it makes him so smiley and warm inside, give him all the kisses) 

seeing you being so open with your affection towards him, makes him so happy - it’s a reassurance for him, that he’s being a good boyfriend 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ BOO SEUNGKWAN 

now this drama queen 

in the beginning of your relationship he would scoff at you whenever you initiated any physical contact, which made you think that he didn’t like it 

after some time, when he asked you why you’d stopped hugging and kissing him, you explained how he’d react in those situations 

was so angry and disappointed with himself and since then he would never complain about any of your affection 

it’s not that he disliked it, on the contrary - he loved it, he was just being a dramatic ass and trying to be funny 

as your relationship progresses the drama in him doesn't stop though - if you let go of his hand or refuse a kiss, he’ll throw a tantrum and make it appear as if it was one of the biggest problems in his life 

he could be arguing with Soonyoung and screaming his head off, but the second he heard your voice he’d turn into the biggest softie 

in general, he is the biggest baby when he’s with you 

loves loves hugs, could hug you all day if he could 

also kisses (cheek kisses especially), makes him so incredibly soft and mushy ♥‿♥

gets shy in public, but never lets go of your hand (I think he needs you more, than you need him) 

also, has the biggest heart eyes for you, and you only 

gets so happy when you comfort and reassure him through physical touch, there is nothing better than a cuddle or a hug from the person you love the most 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ CHWE VERNON 

(I’m so sorry, but the only thing I see when I think of Vernon is his NPC walk)

would just let you do whatever to him, and he wouldn’t even bat an eye 

although he is one of the least affectionate member, he wouldn’t mind your clinginess AT ALL 

it makes him so reassured that even though he’s not the best with expressing his love through physical touch, you don’t mind it at all 

the only time he’ll refuse your cuddles is when sleeping (WE ALL KNOW HOW HE SLEEPS, THERE IS NO WAY HE’D CUDDLE YOU) 

his way of showing you affection is calling you bro and dude 

sometimes you’re like (¬_¬) seriously? 

likes to be near you wherever you are - even if there is no more space on the couch, trust me, he’ll squeeze himself in there 

when he laughs, there is a big chance he’ll lean on you or even hide his face in your lap 

movie nights often ends up in cuddle sessions and since clingy Vernon is rare, those moments are even more special 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ LEE CHAN 

MY BABY 

the softest, most precious human being out there 

loves all the affection, whatever it is, he’ll accept it with open arms

kiss him, hug him, cuddle him PLEASE, he adores all of it 

would not tease you that much, scared that accidentally you’ll think that it annoys him and you’ll stop, which is like the last thing he’d like 

we all know that he’d baby you, and would not be ashamed to do so 

for once he wants to feel like the strong man that he is, so please let him open the jars for you

will protect you 24/7 (we stan a short, but confident king) 

so sweet and careful with you

not afraid to hold your hand in public, sometimes when feeling bold will even peck your forehead

speaking of, I think it would send Chan into a coma anytime you’d peck his forehead or cheek 

gets all smiley when you hug him, especially from behind (overall, he can never seem to stop smiling when he’s with you) 

kisses with him are so playful and sweet 

I’m also sure when you’re alone he’d be all over you, cuddles during movie nights are A MUST, otherwise you’ll end up with a pouty boyfriend 

[popponn]

boyfriend hcs | isagi yoichi.

notes: im done pretending to be sane. "things and hcs about isagi yoichi" post because world hard and cold isagi yoichi soft and warm. this time, really mean it when saying no brain just isagi big love. please don't look at this too closely, other than that: no warning.

the "natural rizz" type who is honestly not really good at being purposefully suave. if he tries, it will either go boyfailure route or cute babygirl route. if he doesn't, it's a full package bf who will get your whole family & friends' approval.

at first, he tries really hard, but the moment you get him to calm down and kick the nervousness away, you will get: casual affection, unconditional support, a cuddly & clingy bf on weekends, etc.

looks at matching keychains once and the metavision is telling him it will be cute if you two have that.

he seems like the type who is not obvious when he is in love. at first. the moment his friends accidentally stumble upon your dates and see his smile, his smile is fooling no one.

somehow could make the most mundane unromantic activity cute as long he does it with you. accidentally. somehow.

when he starts dating you, his clothes will reflect your taste because: 1) he will shop for those clothes with you and ask for your opinion; 2) if you are a sane human with a bare minimum level of taste you should know his fashion sense level is in minus already—please do a favor to mankind and get him away from that neon orange trousers and bright green jumper; 3) he just wants to see you happy; 4) despite his humble look and usual demeanor, he likes showing off that he has you and you have him.

doesn't mean he can pick your clothes. do yourself a favor and think thrice or ten times if he suggests clothing or god forbid a mix match. love makes people dumb but it has to have a limit. your man is not trustworthy in the style department.

getting his parents' approval should be the least of your worries. his blue lock fellows and noel fucking noa should be your concern. good luck, high chance you have to verbally fight people like michael kaiser and barou shohei.

your phone is guaranteed to have at least 5 country clocks in it because yoichi is an international sensation. and when he is not busy practicing, you barely leave his mind at all.

it ranges from "oh, they will like this as a gift" to longingly gazing at his phone because while he is an understanding & secure attachment-style boyfriend, it doesn't mean he can bear with you not contacting him for three days. call your man. text him.

his favorite songs will be that cm song and whatever you often listen to around him—"it just sticks". his favorite movie will be totoro and your favorite movie. attachment and fond memories are the main driving force for his favorite stuff.

is pretty independent and self-sufficient that is not clingy most of the time. unless when he is sleepy. he hugs his pillow when he sleeps, now that he has you get ready.

if your main love language are acts of service and words of affirmation, it will be an instant match. "i do this for you, you do this for me" without any talking needs to be done, just like second nature. and he likes to be praised.

in case of quality time and physical touch, it will take some time to get used to, most probably. while he clearly enjoys time with his closest ones, isagi also enjoys his alone time and thinking time too. and he used to be a shy boy who doesn't share touches with people much. but believe in his adaptability, as long as the parties involved are willing to figure this out it will get figured out.

made a whole post about this once like a besotted fool, but is a really good listener who likes listening to you. it's like you "giving him a piece of you"—especially if it is a part of you that you don't share much.

please do listen and try to figure him out though. moving on soon and focusing on the present's solution is good but in some cases, it really might lead to what people call "pent-up emotions". isagi doesn't enjoy looking or being "weak", but really understanding the emotions he doesn't say out loud will benefit both of you in the long run.

keep the balance in everything—because isagi as understanding and adaptable as he is, still sometimes has a lapse in judgment.

before this gets into angst territory let's stop here. moving on.

is canonly described as poetic in one of exhib dialogues—which means this man is scientifically proven to be cheesy as hell.

sheepish, boyish, cute, sometimes nervous, very boy next door yes. but when he is in the moment, aka the romance flow is kicking, get ready for the most heartfelt, the most sincere profession of love under the sunset. an "i'm glad you are in my life", an "i will happily choose you again", etc.

learn to kick a soccer ball if you can't. 1) good for self-defense; 2) he sometimes brings the ball to sleep and if you don't want it, really think of it as self-defense. (not kidding, check his PWC sprite and that one sleeping anime official art merch)

at first gets bashful at pet names, but if someone makes fun of him—especially during a match—that's just asking for it.

remember his habit of being unable to say "no"? In a very loving manner, it comes back in full force with you. he will spoil the hell out of you even when you don't ask him to. what you want, isagi will get.

you have to be his #1 supporter. because he is yours. sometimes he can give advice and help for you, sometimes he can't. but if anything, he will always be there.

has a soft spot for you smiling while hugging something. in other words, while his gallery is full of your photo with plushies, animals, etc—the number of mirror selfies with the two of you hugging each other is enough to make anyone blink in astonishment.

if someone badmouths you or tries to harrass you, oresagi aka on field persona comes out without any hesitation. and while isagi's appearance doesn't come in the most intimidating form—we have seen him. hold him back, please.

even after everything, is honestly a pretty simple guy who thinks a simple breakfast with you worth much more than expensive dinners. home dates with him is always the coziest thing on earth, no matter whether under a sunny sky or rainy clouds.

when he is dedicated to you, he is dedication itself. certainly still have to do pr and fanservice when he meets some fans in the street, but before he leaves he will always squeeze your hand like asking for permission and he always does it with such efficiency that some of his friends wonder if he is trained to return as quickly as possible to your side. (yeah. isagi values efficiency and like how he wants a goal, he wants to enjoy his date with you.)

comfort hcs tho, when you feel insecure or down in some ways talk to him. he might pick up the bad mood but he isn't the type to try and overstep when you don't want to tell him. and as said before, he is a really good listener who is always there for you, so it will really do you good.

sometimes protest but he loves it when you play with his hair one way or another. ruffle it, pat it, style it—do as you wish. bonus if you are in front of him, in his lap, in the comfort of your shared abode. clingy isagi coming out again.

he hugs in the same way he kisses. they are long and heartfelt. one could use "passionate" to describe them, if it isn't for a certain chaste-esque mannerism that is almost always there.

the only time it is not is when the two of you are in private but because this is a family account. not going there.

[mirai-e-jump]

King-Ohger VS Donbrothers VS Kyoryuger Movie Pamphlet ft. Main Cast & Staff Interviews (translations below, LONG POST)

Publication: April 26, 2024

🛑 This contains spoilers for both films.

"Gold End!" INTRODUCTION: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger and Avataro Sentai Donbrothers. Two Super Sentai that probably shouldn't have met have finally met. And of all places, it's in the Land of Death, Hakabaka. Even in death, they continue to fight. Is that the fate of Super Sentai? No, there's only one place for heroes to go!

Ohsama Sentai VS Avataro Sentai (Mysterious Group of Lame Cosplayers VS Mysterious Group of Cringe Weirdos)

STORY: For one reason or another, they're all dead. A confrontation begins without either side knowing who the other is. Is there an end to this battle? No, why did such a battle begin in the first place? Eventually, they'll reach the one profound truth…..!

"Royal Arms!" An alliance formed by the kings to transcend borders, eliminate interests, and defeat the enemies of Chikyu as one. Their alias is derived from the guardian god "King-Ohger".

Gira Husty (Sakai Taisei): The king of Shugoddam, the largest country in Chikyu, and the one where the guardian god resides. He arms himself with the KuwagataOhger royal armor. He grew up in an orphanage in Shugoddam's castle town, but it later turned out that he was the younger brother of the (then) king, Racules. However, his true identity is a life form created by the Uchu King Dagded. His ability to communicate with the Shugods and his immortal body were inherited from Dagded.

Yanma Gast (Watanabe Aoto): The king of N'kosopa, the country of technology. He arms himself with the TomboOhger royal armor. N'kosopa's national power, which was once a satellite state of Shugoddam, has been greatly enhanced by technological innovations. Although he himself is a top class engineer, he was originally born in a slum and is considered an "upstart" He's got a bad mouth and says "octomush" and "slack jawed tanuki" on a daily basis.

Hymeno Ran (Murakami Erica): The queen of Ishabana, the country of fine art and medicine. Having lost her parents in the "Wrath of God," she became king at a young age. She arms herself with the KamakiriOhger royal armor. She loves beautiful and cute things, and will always get what she likes by any means necessary. However, on the other hand, she's also a passionate doctor who has no hesitation in "saving someone's life."

Rita Kaniska (Hirakawa Yuzuki): The king of Gokkan, the country of ice and snow. They also serve as the Chief Judge of the International Court of Justice, which protects the neutrality of the world. Because of their position, not only do they always keep their facial expressions hidden, they rarely show emotion, but when they're at a loss, they sometimes makes strange noises. They're of few words, and never speak in public about anything unnecessary. The only thing they can make an exception for is their plushie of the animated character "Moffun." They arm themself with the PapillonOhger royal armor.

Kaguragi Dybowski (Kaku So): The lord of Toufu, the country of agriculture. He arms himself with the HachiOhger royal armor. He's always humble and polite in tone, but the theatrics of his words and actions tend to stick out, so he's what you'd call a "trickster." He's "two faced" and will lie with ease in order to achieve his goals, but he's also willing to take the initiative to sweat and dirty his hands by "tainting them pitch black" in order to protect the lives of his people.

Jeramie Brasieri (Ikeda Masashi): A man born between his father, the sixth hero that saved mankind 2,000 years ago, and his mother Nephila, a Bugnarak. His real name is Jeramie Idmonarak Ne Brasieri. He arms himself with the Spider Kumonos royal armor. As a "storyteller," he has long passed down the history of Chikyu, but finally realized his purpose when he showed up to stop the war between humans and Bugnarak.

GolDon KuwagataOhger: KuwagataOhger's powered up appearance when wearing the "DonOhger Crown"

"Avatar Change!" Earth's heroes who fight against Hitotsuki to protect people. The six members are Momoi Tarou, his four companions, and Momotani Jiro, known as "the person that replaced Tarou," and were later joined by Sonoi, Sononi and Sonoza, who were exiled by the Noto. Today, not including Sonoi, the group has eight members.

Momoi Tarou (Higuchi Kouhei): He's a descendant of the Don royal family and the leader of Donbrothers. He avatar changes into DonMomotaro. He usually works for the "White Rabbit Delivery Service." He has a condition where he dies if he tells a lie. When he went to deliver a package in Chikyu's Shugoddam, he remembered "Gii-chan the rhino beetle," his childhood friend……

Saruhara Shinichi (Beppu Yuuki): An unemployed man of "refined tastes" whose pastime is writing haiku. He avatar changes into SaruBrother.

Kitou Haruka (Shida Kohaku): She's a successful manga artist. Her best known work is "Avataro Sentai Donbrothers," which depicts her own battle days. She's still working on her creative work in collaboration with her strict editor, Sonoza. She avatar changes into OniSister.

Inuzuka Tsubasa (Totaro): A young man who continues to live an eternal life on the run with Sononi. He avatar changes into InuBrother.

Kijino Tsuyoshi (Suzuki Hirofumi): A young man who avatar changes into KijiBrother. He's a salary man who works for "Pheasant Consultant." He lives together with Natsumi, Tsubasa's ex girlfriend.

Momotani Jiro (Ishikawa Raizou): A young man who for a short period of time was the leader of Donbrothers as "the person that replaced Tarou." After Tarou finished resting, he returned to his former position. He avatar changes into DonDoragoku and DonTorabolt.

GolDon MomotaroOhger: Don Momotaro's powered up appearance when wearing the "DonOhger Crown"

Sononi (Miyazaki Amisa): A female Noto who continues to live an eternal life on the run with Inuzuka Tsubasa. She's also a member of Donbrothers. Her weapon of choice is the double bow Condor Arrow.

Sonoza (Takahashi Shinnosuke): A male Noto who was so moved by Haruka's manga, that he decided to make it his life's work to train her to become a top manga artist. He's also a member of Donbrothers. Haruka respectfully calls him "Chief Editor." His weapon of choice is the three blade Kage Spear.

Sonoi (Tominaga Yuya): In the Land of Death, Hakabaka, a young Noto opened an oden stand. It appears that he and Tarou haven't seen each other in a long time.

Gii-chan: Gii-chan was a rhino beetle that Tarou kept when he was a child and was his only friend. Even now, Tarou longs to see Gii-chan again.

(bottom left): "Inudouga" are wanted criminals in Chikyu who look exactly like Tsubasa and Sononi. It seems that "Tuvasa" and "Sonosono Ninnin" exist, so the two decide to continue running away.

Ono Minoru (Sakakibara Takashi): He's a middle aged man who has frequently been turned into a Hitotsuki, such as Shurikenki, Mahouki and GoGoki. He calls himself Momoi Tarou's sworn enemy, and has fought the Donbrothers multiple times as the Ohsamaki, but this time, he becomes the Ohsamaki again while facing the two Super Sentai.

Ohsamaki: Ono Minoru, the ninja oji-san, is reincarnated in another world due to the shock of being hit by a truck and becomes the strongest Hitotsuki. He went on a rampage in Ishabana, sending Hymeno and Rita, Haruka, and Sonosa to the Land of Death, Hakabaka. He's defeated by the special attack of GolDon KuwagataOhger and GolDon MomotaroOhger.

Zenkaizer Black (voice: Komagine Kiita): Goshikida Kaito, the master of Cafe Donbura, transforms into this form with the Zenkaizer Gear and Geartlinger. He suddenly appears in the Land of Death, Hakabaka.

DonOhger Crown: The DonOhger Crown is what Goshikida Kaito had sent to Gira in Chikyu.

Douga (Morioka Yutaka): Gira's retainer. He has a serious personality. He kicks out Momoi Tarou, who had suddenly appeared in the throne room to deliver a package.

Kuroda (voice: Toriumi Kosuke): Kaguragi's retainer. He's generally quiet, but when he speaks, he has a smooth voice. When Kaguragi and Jiro decided to have a sumo match, he was suddenly put in charge of officiating it.

Boone (Kiso Minato): A young boy who lived with Gira and Kogane in an orphanage in Shugoddam's Castle Town. He loves Gira. He's confused when Momoi Tarou, a deliveryman he's never met before, suddenly talks to him.

Goroge (Kotaro Yagi): An actor from Shugoddam. He was selected to play the role of Panpy, a cryptid hunter who's good friends with Moffun in the live action version of "Together with Moffun."

Shugoddam Knight/Asada Keisuke (Takada Masashi): A strong looking knight who chases after Inuzuka and Sononi, mistaking them for wanted criminals from Shugoddum. His appearance closely resembles that of Asada, the police officer who's been chasing the pair in their original world (Earth).

Racules Husty (Yano Masato): Former king of Shugoddam. Currently a criminal, he's serving his sentence in Gokkan's prison.

Suzume Dybowski (Kamura Mami): Wife of Racules. She's devoted to her incarcerated husband.

(middle right): The kibidango Gira was eating. Who would've thought that this would be what lead to such events……

Sakai Taisei (Gira)

-The Script's Been Sealed Away?!-

"King-Ohger and Donbrothers, Super Sentai who are, in a sense, two extremes, will be working together….."

Sakai: In a good way, Donbrothers is an unconventional show….this time, they'll be fusing with the world of King-Ohger, so I was sure it would be a big deal (laughs). I received the script just as we were filming the final chapter (episodes 48-50) of the TV series. So, at that point, I dared not to open the script (laughs). I wanted to read it, but I felt like I needed to focus on the final chapter at that time. As a result, I feel like I made the right decision not to read it after all (laughs).

"Suddenly, we start with the shocking scene of Gira."

Sakai: I had confidence in this scene (laughs). I realized that I could intentionally make my eyes bloodshot. It's a rare situation to have a kibidango stuck in your throat, so I decided to go all out. I think I was able to give a convincing performance.

"Momoi Tarou puts his hand into Gira's mouth and tries to take out the kibidango….."

Sakai: I had become good friends with Higuchi-kun before we shot the scene, and yet, it was still awkward. I also feel like I should apologize (laughs).

-Hakabaka's oden stand-

"Did you feel any discomfort in having the people from Donbrothers appear in the world of King-Ohger?"

Sakai: That didn't happen! Looking back, working with Nakamura Shido's Reiniol and Sakura Ayane's Devonica in "Adventure Heaven" left a strong impression on me. I feel that being able to work together with everyone in Donbrothers this time was an extension of that.

"As mentioned earlier, Gira has many scenes with Tarou."

Sakai: Higuchi-kun is very friendly, he eagerly attached himself to me right from the start, which was a big help for me as a shy person. In addition to the kibidango part, there's a scene where the two of us visit an oden stand….

"There's a familiar situation in Donbrothers."

Sakai: To begin with, it's an unlikely scene to have happen in King-Ohger (laughs). On set, there was a food stand set up in the middle of the full green screen. It was fun and unusual to act as Gira in a realistic setting like a food stand. This time, the other kings will also meet and interact with the members of Donbrothers, but there are many scenes that I haven't seen yet, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed film.

"Please tell us your thoughts after filming ended."

Sakai: Watching everyone in Donbrothers, I felt the depth of the bonds between them. We're a close team, but there were moments when I felt that the Donbrothers were more than just friends……they were more like family. I hope that we in King-Ohger can continue to have a good relationship like that for a long time to come.

Watanabe Aoto (Yanma)

-The Blue Warriors, Yanma and Saruhara-

"How was the experience of King-Ohger working together with Donbrothers?"

Watanabe: The Super Sentai series airs every year with different "tastes," but I felt that these two shows had a particularly large gap between them. That's why I was personally looking forward to seeing how we'd interact. What stuck out to me was that Director Kato seemed to be having alot of fun directing the film. I got the feeling that Donbrothers must've been a production that the Director was very attached to.

"Watanabe-san has been long time friends with Beppu Yuuki-san, who plays Saruhara Shinichi."

Watanabe: That's right. That's why I watched Donbrothers and was familiar with Saruhara, the character he plays. In my opinion, there's not that much of a difference between Beppu Yuuki and Saruhara. I think he's a perfect fit for the role. However, when we actually performed together this time, he acted alittle differently than I had expected. It's possible he intentionally betrayed me because I was his partner (laughs). Even with that in mind, it was fun working together. I wasn't screwing around or anything, but I felt like filming ended while I was still basking in the joy of being able to work together like this.

"What were your impressions of the Donbrothers team?"

Watanabe: They seemed like alot of fun. Their close friendships came naturally to me. For this production, they got together for the first time in awhile, so the impression I had of them is that they mess around all the time (laughs). However, since filming for King-Ohger is basically done with a green screen, everyone was at abit of a loss. If you think about it, I guess you could say that we're special (laughs). We didn't go on location that often. The King-Ohger cast is used to this kind of filming method, which is why they were surprised by it.

-The Greatest Highlight-

"Did you discover anything new through the filming?"

Watanabe: I usually wear a protector under my costume during action scenes to protect myself from injury, but Hirofumi-san, who plays Kijino, was rolling around in a flashy way during the rehearsal stage without any protection, possibly because he was wearing a (business) suit. I was surprised by that. It's not that he forgot about it or anything, but in his own way, he seemed to be perfectly fine with it.

"What scene in VS Donbrothers do you us to pay special attention to?"

Watanabe: In the very beginning, Gira chokes on a kibidango. Our lead actor's ridiculous expressions are shown close up on the big screen at the movie theater (laughs). And, it's pretty amazing. Something like that I guess you can't air on Sunday mornings. Sakai Taisei's passionate performance is, in my opinion, the best part of the film, even in "VS Kyoryuger." So, you especially can't miss that part (laughs).

Murakami Erica (Hymeno)

-Free Avataro-

"What were your impressions of everyone in the Donbrothers cast?"

Murakami: There's alot of interesting people, and there was constant laughter on set. When the cameras weren't rolling, I felt like I was in a never ending state of comedy (laughs). However, what I found amazing was that even in the short takes, their dialogue kept popping out in an improvised style. I'd immediately think, "If I were XX, I'd say something like this." Since we play the role of kings, the only time we were asked to adlib was when the kings are talking to each other, but when the time came, it was difficult to come up with the right idea. Even though they had been away from their roles for awhile, everyone in Donbrothers was very responsive. I felt that each one of them had completely made the role their own, which is why they were able to come up with so many ideas so freely.

"How about the scene where the two teams are facing off?"

Murakami: It was a strange sensation to see another group of heroes transform right in front of our eyes. When the Kyoryuger members appeared in the TV series, their transformations were separate. That's why it felt so fresh to me. It's a situation typical of a "VS" productions, and I think that's definitely the highlight of the film.

-What Hymeno Taught Me-

"Hymeno and Rita meet Haruka and Sonoza in Ishabana."

Murakami: What left an impression on me in that scene was Kohaku-chan's facial expressions. In any case, she's very amusing. She has alot of "patterns," even when it comes to strange faces. I really respect her. If it were me, I'd run out of material immediately.

"Towards the end, we thought that Gira would be saved by some kind of medical treatment, but it was interesting to see that Hymeno also had to rely on Boone's small hands."

Murakami: The scene in the beginning where Gira dies was surprising. I wondered if it was okay to show such a close up of the main hero's expression on screen (laughs). However, thanks to Gira's efforts, I think we were able to leave an impact that was as strong as Haruka's strange faces. During filming for the ending, Boone-chan (Kiso Minato) was also working hard with all his might.

"By the way, Hymeno's unwavering belief in the production of "Together with Moffun" is revealed in a line in the film."

Murakami: It's typical of Hymeno. What Hymeno calls "selfish" is not necessarily "self serving," but it always comes with "responsibility." I myself have learned alot from Hymeno over the past year. I can say "I like" to what I like, and "it's good" to what I think is good. I think it's important to live with strong values, and I'd be happy if the children who watched the TV series aspire to "be like Hymeno."

Hirakawa Yuzuki (Rita)

-Tears in Their Right Eye-

"What were your thoughts when you read the script?"

Hirakawa: I wondered how the characters from King-Ohger and Donbrother, who have different worldviews, would work together, and was surprised to see the word "Hakabaka" written in the script from the very beginning. Furthermore, it was also a shock to find out that we were all really dead! Then, I began to wonder why we died, but starting off with Gira's kibidango caused me to think, "Eh? Are you serious?" (laughs). So, it really felt like a spinoff.

"From the first day of filming, the main characters of the two shows were gathered in a scene."

Hirakawa: It was refreshing to see people dressed as normal humans in the world of King-Ohger. As for Raizou-kun's Jiro, I think he's just about as close to being from our world as you can get (laughs).

"What was it like being on set with everyone from the Donbrothers cast?"

Hirakawa: Since I had seen their show, it didn't feel like it was our first time working together. We had a fun time. The eight of them are a lively group, and everyone was cheerful and powerful. Not only are their roles distinctive, but the individuality of the cast also stands out in their own ways.

"There's a scene in the film where you and Hymeno are together watching a live action version of "Together with Moffun." Goroge plays the role of Panpy."

Hirakawa: The script for that scene said, "Rita cries uncontrollably," and just like that, tears really started flowing uncontrollably. However, tears only came out of my right eye, which is hidden…it was frustrating.

"Then, a woman (Haruka) who claims to be a "manga artist" and her Chief Editor (Sonoza) appear out of nowhere, and a discussion begins about how entertainment productions for children should be produced……"

Hirakawa: Because Kohaku-chan, who plays Haruka, was smaller than I expected, and since Rita wears heels, the scene where the two of them argue with each other gives off the impression of Rita putting pressure on her from above. Even still, Kohaku-chan wasn't intimidated by this and came at me as Haruka, which I think made the scene even more interesting. And, speaking of Haruka, her facial expressions have alot of variety. I thought they were already at the level of fine art.

-Playing Rita-

"We felt that Rita and Hymeno, and Haruka and Sonoza, all had a point, but that none of them had the correct answer."

Hirakawa: My friend's nephew is just an older kindergarten student, but I was very surprised that he understood more about the show than I could've imagined. He can also explain the Shugod's abilities in perfect words. Of course, there are differences among individuals, but it made me happy to know that he was that enthusiastic about the show. I hope that these children will revisit King-Ohger in a few years from now. I'm sure that they'll be able to understand it even more deeply. It'd make me happy if people could love King-Ohger like that for a long time.

Kaku So (Kaguragi)

-Creating Synergy-

"We were wondering how King-Ohger and Donbrothers would come together……"

Kaku: First, Takamina-sensei's book (script) was very interesting. In the film, it felt like the Donbrothers were entering the world of King-Ohger, but in terms of content, it was more like we were entering the world of Donbrothers. I think that Takamina-sensei himself also respects the work of Donbrothers and tried to draw from it. After reading the script, I was impressed by how well he utilized the qualities of both works. I feel that this created alot more synergy than I had anticipated. Things that would never happen in the world of King-Ohger are allowed in this time in VS Donbrothers (laughs).

"Kings who were so powerful died easily one after another, even just by simply tripping over a stone……"

Kaku: That area is completely in the world of Donbrothers. For our part, we hoped to have fun performing it.

"As is typical of VS films, there are interactions with individual members, but in the case of Kaguragi, it's more of a "muscle showdown" with Momotani Jiro (laughs)."

Kaku: Since I've played a sumo wrestler in other productions, I basically didn't take off my clothes for King-Ohger (laughs), but for some reason, in both "VS Donbrothers" and "VS Kyoryuger," there are scenes where Kaguragi sumo wrestles. I guess they thought it was something I had in common with Raizo-kun, but the connection to muscles was interesting. Raizo-kun and I talked about muscle training all the time between filming (laughs). He's also a model, so he's forced to limit his training because if he builds up his muscles beyond a certain point, it'll interfere with his work. I thought that was alittle saddening.

-Lovely Team-

"What was your impression of the Donbrothers team?"

Kaku: At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of eight people. I was alittle bit caught up in the atmosphere, so I had to tell myself, "Don't give in" (laughs). In the film, we eventually join forces, but in my mind, it's a "VS" in a good way. "Avatar Change!" is also cool. The situation in which everyone transforms at the same time wasn't in King-Ohger, so I felt it had a Super Sentai feel to it.

"6 and 8 becomes 14 people. What was memorable about the scene where everyone gathered?"

Kaku: The impression I got from everyone in Donbrothers is that they're lively and eager to make others laugh (laughs). A big reason might be the fact that two of them are from the Kansai region. I think it's Suzuki-san and Kouhei-kun. In any case, I remember that it was a fun to film. It's a good contrast to the other film, VS Kyoryuger, but I think they're both interesting and special works in their own right!

Ikeda Masashi (Jeramie)

-Phantom Desnarak VIII-

"What were your impressions of everyone in Donbrothers?"

Ikeda: They're very lively (laughs). I think it's been about a year since they had all been together for a film shoot like this, so perhaps their happiness was pouring out. They're all interesting people. I remember laughing all the way through filming on the day both teams came together. However, when they get serious, they're still cool. Even during "Avatar Change!," they were perfectly assembled. I was impressed by the Donbrothers transformation, as there were few opportunities for "same time transformations" in King-Ohger.

"Shida Kohaku-san, who plays Kitou Haruka, is from the same agency as you."

Ikeda: That's right. Furthermore, Haruka was the "storyteller" in Donbrothers, and in King-Ohger was Jeramie, so at the beginning, we both explain the situation. When I say explain, it's just, "Everyone's dead" (laughs). However, it was very emotional. I didn't expect it to start with two narratives. Kohaku-san was the first one to record.

"Did you know each other before?"

Ikeda: We did. And, in fact, Kohaku-san also participated in my audition for Jeramie.

"As a partner in the show?"

Ikeda: At first, for the video judging, I shot a video in which I played a scene from the show, and at that time, the voice of Desnarak VIII was done by Kohaku-san.

-Phantom "VS" Match?!-

"What were your thoughts after filming for VS Donbrothers ended?"

Ikeda: I think we, the Royal Sentai, are a team with strong personalities, but I got the impression that we've been drawn in by the Donbrothers personalities. Although the story takes place in Hakabaka of King-Ohger, I think that the content of the film has alot of the fun of Donbrothers. For us, it was a fresh new experience.

"Do you have any stories from filming?"

Ikeda: There's a scene where the King-Ohgers and Donbrothers face each other and transform. When we were doing test shots for that scene, when one team was shown, the other team's faces weren't shown, so we were both making funny faces and trying to make the other laugh. When I think about it, it was abit like a "VS" too.

"And then you'd get a NG or something, right?"

Ikeda: No, of course we didn't do it during the real take, only during the tests. However, I feel that a sense of camaraderie was created through exchanges like that. The shoot itself went by very quickly, but it was a great memory. The King-Ohgers and Donbrothers are two completely different Sentai with different vibes, but I hope everyone will enjoy the mysterious "flavor" created by their collaboration.

Higuchi Kouhei (Tarou)

-The Return of Momoi Tarou-

"What were your thoughts on the collaboration between King-Ohger and Donbrothers?"

Higuchi: Donbrothers and King-Ohger……more specifically, I believe that since "Zenkaiger" before us, the Super Sentai series has continued to experiment with new ideas. The character I play, Momoi Tarou, is a very unconventional protagonist. I was very excited to be filming with Gira, the main character in King-Ohger, who took over the baton from me. Personally, I don't know how much I was able to accomplish in the year of Donbrothers because it happened so fast. Sometimes, I think I could have done more. In any case, I had a strong desire to pass on the baton I got from Zenkaiger to the next. By playing Tarou for the first time in a year, I wanted to show the staff that I had grown, even if only alittle. It's been a long time since I last worked on set, and I was very happy to be able to feel the passion of all the cast members of King-Ohger, and was very inspired by them.

"Was it difficult for you to go back to being Tarou?"

Higuchi: No, not at all. I became Tarou right away just by talking to everyone when I entered the set. To be honest, there were some parts of this story that I didn't understand, such as when Tarou suddenly goes to deliver a package to Gira, but I thought that's what Donbrothers is all about (laughs), so I was able to play the role without feeling particularly confused.

"There's a part with Gii-chan the rhino beetle."

Higuchi: He may be an important part of Tarou's story, but it was abit surprising that it suddenly became a feature here. But, I guess you could say that this is also typical of Donbrothers. I thought this was foreshadowing, but it turns out it's not, on the other hand, things like "what is this!?" lead to connections later on (laughs).

-Reunited with Sonoi-

"What did you find "distant" about King-Ohger and Donbrothers?"

Higuchi: Roughly speaking, it's "Western (foreign)" VS "Japanese." King-Ohger has a western vibe, while we've got Momotaro, oni, inu, saru, and kiji……is how it seems. They're completely different, but I thought the best parts of both were shown in this film. What impressed me at the set was the way filming was conducted. It takes imagination to perform on a green screen. I thought it was amazing that they've been doing this for the past year. We were also filming on location, so we were often helped by the atmosphere on set.

"There's also a "reunion" with Sonoi"

Higuchi: The combination of Tarou and Sonoi have played a number of strong scenes together, so I was happy to be able to work with him again. However, filming for it went by so quickly (laughs). Whenever we filmed at an oden stand, we all enjoyed oden together afterwards, which seems to be unusual for King-Ohger, as Gira's Taisei-kun was surprised by it.

"Please tell us your ambitions for the future."

Higuchi: After filming finished, I thought that this is a set I'd like to return to someday. In order to achieve this goal, I must continue to work hard and do my best to make all the staff members who helped me grow my career want to "see me again."

Beppu Yuuki (Saruhara)

-Tightening power-

"What were your thoughts after filming for King-Ohger VS Donbrothers ended?"

Beppu: Director Kato, who's worked on both shows and is well versed in the appeal and point of view of each, was able to shoot the film, so we were able to participate without any worries. As for Saruhara Shinichi, who I played for the first time in awhile, I don't think he's "exactly the same" as he was back then. I've played other roles in the past six months or so, and I'm sure I've changed without knowing it. So, I rewatched some footage before we started filming. I couldn't immediately remember how Shinichi stands or how he said his lines. It was a strange thing though, as I remembered how to do things like move my hands. After all, it's just "tightening." Costumes are very powerful, and it helped me alot.

"What do you think of the filming techniques used in King-Ohger?"

Beppu: We also had experience performing in front of a green screen in Donbrothers. There's the scenes where we'd go to meet Momoi Jin, played by Wada Sohkoh-san. However, while I got used to it as we went along, in the case of King-Ohger, it was everywhere. It was difficult and confusing, but I did learn alot. There may be more productions using this method in the future, so I'm glad to have had this experience. With the exception of the first scene, I also appreciated the fact that there were no cold locations. The casts of both Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger met last year on the day of a big cold wave. Speaking of Donbrothers, Jiro, Sononi, and Shinichi are in the "lightly dressed" group (laughs), so I was wondering what to do if that happened again this time…..we were saved.

-Saru and Tombo-

"You're friends with Watanabe Aoto-san, who plays Yanma Gast, right?"

Beppu: A long time ago, we used to work at the same place part time, and would hang out in our private time. I thought it was an amazing coincidence that we both consecutively became the Blue members in Super Sentai. Aoto is a manly guy who values honor and taking care of people, so I thought that Yanma was a perfect role for him, and I was happy that he was chosen for this show. We occasionally met during filming of King-Ohger, when suddenly, he had blonde hair. I was shocked. I was worried about what was going on…….that maybe he'd stop showing up. Then, the story entered its second chapter, and that was the reason for his changed image (laughs). Of course, I wasn't told that because it would be a spoiler……but I was still relieved when I found out the reason.

"The feeling this time is that the Donbrothers are giving off the vibe that they can appear anytime and anywhere."

Beppu: I have a feeling……we'll be back again someday. Sonoi made an appearance this time, but I'm glad that they didn't try to bring him back to life so easily. It's possible Scriptwriter Takano-san, who wrote the script, thought that if it was going to be written, Inoue-san should do it. This is all just my guess though. However, the reunion of the nine Donbrothers could still be in development. Some fans may have wished that Sonoi came back to life, but I think it would be better if they thought, "I'm looking forward to watching a sequel." Going forward, I'd be happy if you could remember Donbrothers from time to time, since there's still room for our imaginations to grow.

Shida Kohaku (Haruka)

-Thoughts on "Haruka"-

"What was your impression of the King-Ohger team?"

Shida: They're cool, aren't they? I once said to the cast of Donbrothers, "Now this is Super Sentai" (laughs). Of course, Donbrothers is also Super Sentai, and I think we have many advantages over the King-Ohgers, but if we were to have a real "VS," I don't think the Donbrothers, aside from Tarou, would win (laughs).

"We think it's been a while since you played Haruka, how was it?"

Shida: I feel like I've come a long way without much preparation. After Donbrothers, I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take on a variety of roles, and I have fond memories for all of them, but Donbrothers was the first drama that I appeared in, and I played the role for more than a year, so it's still remained with me. I enjoy playing Haruka, and this time, I was excited just thinking that I could be Haruka again after such a long time.

"Haruka is sent to Ishabana with Sonoza, known as her Chief Editor."

Shida: In last year's Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, I had almost no opportunity to interact with the characters from Zenkaiger, so I was happy to have the opportunity to work with Hymeno-san and Rita-san in this production. Both of them have beautiful costumes, whereas I have casual clothes. Even though I was envious, I was determined not to let my feelings get the best of me. Rita-san's eyes are hidden except the their left one, so normally, they couldn't see the mark (tape placed on the floor to show where you stand), but when that happened, Hymeno-san naturally guided them, and I could see abit of the relationship that the two of them had built.

"When the four of them are together, Ono-san, also known as the ninja oji-san, appears as Ohsamaki……"

Shida: Everyone was defeated by Ohsamaki, but Director Kato said to me, "Haruka, I'm counting on you." They just took a close up of my dead face. It's been awhile, but when speaking of Haruka, she makes strange faces……(laughs).

"By the way, have you ever been asked to do something like that on other productions?"

Shida: I haven't (laughs). I try to do it as a suggestion, but it always seems to be "too much," and they tell me to "tone it down abit."

-From 17 to 20-

"We think it's been awhile since you did dub recording."

Shida: That's right. However, when I tried it, it was much harder than I expected, and I regretted that I didn't practice my vocalization alittle more beforehand. Afterward, my throat was alittle scratchy. A year ago, I was doing this all the time, but the gap in recording is alittle different from that in acting. I was happy to hear that Jeramie and Haruka would be narrating the story. Since we're from the same agency, I thought it would be interesting if that happened.

"By the way, it'll be your 20th birthday shortly after this film is released."

Shida: I started filming Donbrothers when I was 17, so three years have already passed. The past three years have gone by so quickly. I hope to continue to spend my days acting. I also hope that King-Ohger VS Donbrothers will be a hit as the last film to be released in my teens. Also……I'm attending driving school right now, and hope to get my license by the time I turn 20!

Totaro (Tsubasa)

-The End of Fleeing-

"What were your thoughts on the script for King-Ohger VS Donbrothers?"

Totaro: When I heard that Inoue-san wouldn't be in charge of the project, I was honestly alittle worried. I thought that the unique vibe of Donbrothers was something that only Inoue-san could create. However, when I read the script written by Takano-san, I found it to be very well paced and exciting. Even the cast members talked to each other and said, "It's interesting." Also, what made me happy was that in the case of Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, there was a special setup, so we weren't able to interact with the characters from Zenkaiger, but this time, we were able to. I thought that was the real thrill VS films, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the others performed in their screentime.

"Bluntly speaking, Inuzuka Tsubasa is personally out of the loop this time as well……"

Totaro: He's just been running away with Sononi for a long time (laughs). In the world of King-Ohger, there are wanted criminals just like Tsubasa and Sononi, so they took pictures for that as well. Director Kato is said to be good at directing things like this, so it was fun. I think it was in episode 17? There's a scene where Tsubasa dresses up as a devil, and the makeup I wore for the wanted photos is abit like that.

"We didn't expect to see "Black Devil" in the Reiwa era (laughs)."

Totaro: And, it's Takada-san who chases us in both worlds. In the world of Donbrothers, he's a police officer, and in King-Ohger, he's a knight. We've been running away for so long that I was sad when I thought, "Maybe this'll be the last time." On set I said, "Should we get caught already?" (laugh).

-Meeting the Kings-

"What were your impressions of everyone in King-Ohger?"

Totaro: It might've been because many of them were older than I am, but since they play the role of kings, I felt that they were all "carrying the country on their shoulders." The claim that "all of us are the strongest" isn't an exaggeration. Their costumes were cool, and I got the impression that each of them had a strong personality and was full of confidence. Also, it's amazing that they were able to act within that green screen for so long. It requires alot of imagination, and I think everyone has it locked down. What confused us alittle was that on location, we could run as far as we wanted, but in the green screen, the distance is limited. Towards the end, the two of us fall down for some reason, but when I watched the video during dubbing, I was surprised and thought, "We fell form such a high place!" (laughs).

"What were you thinking after playing Tsubasa for the first time in awhile?"

Totaro: It was alittle embarrassing. No, it was fun to talk with people in a normal way. However, then there was the moment when I became Tsubasa (laughs). Also, I remembered that when I played Tsubasa, I kept my voice low. At the time, I guess I did it unconsciously. After Tsubasa, I wanted to try my hand at some lighthearted roles, but since I kept playing similar roles, I had completely forgotten about it. I'd like to continue to challenge myself with various character roles. I want people to think, "This was the guy who played Tsubasa in Donbrothers!"

Suzuki Hirofumi (Kijino)

-To the Kings World-

"What were your thoughts after reading the script for King-Ohger Vs Donbrothers?"

Suzuki: I thought it showed Takamina-sensei's personality. He pulled elements from Donbrothers that Inoue-sensei probably wouldn't have been able to pull out, and created an interesting story. I also thought the characters selected to be paired up with each other from each show was wonderful.

"What is your impression of the production of King-Ohger?"

Suzuki: The heroes are cool and the story is wonderful. The setting in which everyone is a king is good, and the attention to visuals is amazing. Once again, it made me realize that Donbrothers was a unique show (laughs). Also, I thought about the filming technique when I entered the set. This time, we were filming with green screens, so to put it another way, it's an everyday situation for King-Ohger, but an extraordinary one for Donbrothers. In this situation, I wondered what kind of approach I should take, and decided to take on the challenge of a "big performance." For example, when leaving the prison Racules-san and Suzume-san are in, the setting is different from the real world, so I think it would work even if it I was abit flashy. Rather, I thought it would be more realistic for me to perform against this background. Racules's Yano-san and Suzume's Kamura-san each have long careers, and it was alot of fun to work with them.

-The Mysterious Donbros World-

"Tsuyoshi says he was traumatized by guardian god King-Ohger……"

Suzuki: It's just like Takamina-sensei to bring up a part like that. Although there's no detailed explanation in the film, we can assume that Tsuyoshi's relationship with Natsumi-san has settled down. So, I guess I don't have to worry about becoming a Hitotsuki for awhile. Tsuyoshi always became a Hitotsuki because of what happened with Miho-chan.

"There was a scene shot on location at the beginning, how did that go?"

Suzuki: I was alittle nervous. I wondered if I'd be able to recreate the atmosphere that I had when I was filming the TV series. But, when it was over, it was alot of fun. That's a great scene too. Almost instantly, most of Donbrothers main characters gather in one place as if they were meant to be together (laughs). It wasn't like we had any other plans to meet. Still, I was strangely convinced that that is what Donbrothers is all about.

"In the final scene, Tsuyoshi says a meta line."

Suzuki: That made me happy. If any member of Donbrothers were to be asked to say a line like that, I think it would be Haruka or Tsuyoshi. So, since Haruka is already extravagant, with her very existence being like the Joker, perhaps that's why the line was given to Tsuyoshi. I was honored to have the opportunity to say this line, as it connects the first and second films in this double feature.

"Please give a message to all the fans."

Suzuki: My life really changed when I encountered Donbrothers. The fact that so many people have become aware of our show made me reevaluate my approach to acting. I can't afford to show an improper performance to the people who support me, so I'll continue to work hard from now on!

Ishikawa Raizou (Jiro)

-Jiro's Position-

"Please tell us your honest thoughts on the collaboration between King-Ohger and Donbrothers."

Ishikawa: At first I thought, "How will we join up?," I couldn't imagine it. But in the end, when the "Donbros" element is added, "anything goes" (laughs). It was more like, "This is it," rather than, "This is how it turned out." Personally, however, I was worried about Jiro's position (laughs). Jiro is a "doer," especially when it comes to these kind of productions, right? During Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, he was the new leader, but this led to the risk of them breaking up, and in TTFC's "Donbrothers VS Donburies," he somehow ended up on the enemy side……

"He's definitely a "problem child" (laughs)."

Ishikawa: This time too, the script didn't clearly state what point in time the story would take place, so I consulted with Director Kato. Since Tarou had already returned, and since I was told that I could play the role in the neutral, former image of Jiro, it became much easier to perform. As long as I can decide on that, I can go back.

"How was it actually working together with everyone in King-Ohgers cast?"

Ishikawa: They have a good vibe. Our group is close, but I felt that they seemed to be close as well. However, ours is……Donbothers is very noisy (laughs). I guess it's because we hadn't gotten together in such a long time, but I still want to apologize for being so noisy all the time. This is my own impression, but if King-Ohger is a coed school, then Donbros is an all boys school……Once we start joking around, we can't stop. King-Ohger seems to have proper brakes. On the first day, we shot a scene with both teams in formation, and even though we're all apart of Super Sentai, their visuals were very different (laughs). I was jealous of King-Ohger's cool costumes. On our side, we're characterized by our lack of inconsistency, with types like Jiro and Sononi, ordinary office workers (Tsuyoshi), and the main character (Tarou) dressed as a delivery man all going to Hakabaka (laughs).

-Muscle talk-

"Jiro wanted to have a "muscle showdown" with Kaguragi."

Ishikawa: Kaku-san and I spent all of our free time talking about muscles (laughs). Things like, "How much can you bench press?" I also knew about the films in which Kaku-san played the role of a sumo wrestler, so I asked him about it. The match between Jiro and Kaguragi ends in a draw……or rather, it ends up as a kind of a tie, but no matter how you look at it, Kaku-san……Kaguragi seems to be stronger. I thought, "You're kidding, right?" (laughs).

"Please give a message to all the fans."

Ishikawa: No matter where they go, Donbrothers will always be Donbrothers (laughs). With this film, I'm once again convinced of this. So, Donbrothers fans can rest assured that they'll have a great time. From now on, I'd like to challenge myself more and more. I want to always cherish this feeling of approaching something for the first time with a sense of nervousness. From now on, thank you for your continued support!

Director Kato Hiroyuki

-Committed to Small Details-

"Kato-san was the only one who directed both Donbrothers and King-Ohger regularly throughout their years, right?"

Kato: I don't know if this had anything to do with it, but I heard rather early on that I was going to be asked to shoot a VS film. I think it was around September or October, when we were still in the middle of filming for the King-Ohger TV series. At that point, they had yet to discuss the specifics, and since I was concentrating on the TV series, I didn't dare to ask. The only thing I heard was that it was going to be set in Hakabaka. Also, I don't remember the order in which I was told, but this time there would be two films, "VS Donbrothers" and "VS Kyoryuger." So, I was told that it would be about half the length (run time) of the VS films of previous years. The script was written by Takano-san, the Scriptwriter of King-Ohger, and I heard that in spite of his busy schedule, he rewatched all episodes of Donbrothers. It seemed like it was going to be tough for him since he was a regular for the TV series, but his script for VS Donbrothers was also written with enthusiasm.

"What suggestions did the Director give you as you were working on the script?"

Kato: Since this is a story about going to Hakabaka, it's only natural that the majority of the story takes place in the world of King-Ohger. Besides, Hakabaka is the "Land of Death," so everyone has to die. Takano-san had worked out the general framework, including how they would die, and the involvement of Sonoi, Gii-chan the rhino beetle, and other characters. I also requested that if we were going to involve Sonoi, we would like to have an oden stand. I was conscious of the connection to the ending of last year's Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger. We also discussed who would be paired with who from King-Ohger and Donbrothers. I had heard that Yanma's Watanabe Aoto-kun and Saruhara's Beppu Yuuki-kun were friends, so I decided to pair them up. I wonder if the pairing of of Kaguragi and Jiro was decided first, and then Takano-san came up with the idea of a "muscle showdown." Takano-san wanted to bring out Ono, the ninja oji-san (laughs). If someone were to become a Hitotsuki, Tsuyoshi or Ono would be a good choice, but if Tsuyoshi becomes a Hitotsuki in VS, there'll be a bunch of complications. That's why I stopped thinking about it, but Takano-san was very good at properly intertwining the "fate" between Tsuyoshi and the guardian god King-Ohger. However, it was actually his first time to write about Ono. Ono has appeared many times, so no one around him thought it was his first time (laughs).

"You also filmed Keisuke Asada, the police officer who chases Tsubasa and Sononi, didn't you?"

Kato: That's right. Tsubasa and Sononi have been on the run for a long time, so even if they're sent to Chikyu, there's a knight there with the same face as Keisuke Asada, the one who chases them……I think I also came up with that idea (laughs). I also made the wanted sign in Chikyu by having new photos taken. I took advantage of the opportunity by trying to make Tsubasa's makeup look like the makeup he used when he played the "Black Devil" looking devil in the TV series.

-A Series of Studies-

"What was your impression of the Donbrothers cast, who you haven't directed in such a long time?"

Kato: They're already dignified. They're very reliable. I met with some of them who needed costume fittings before filming started, and when I said, "Any questions?" They all answered, "Nope." (laughs). Was Jiro the only one who spoke? In Jiro's case, he became the leader in Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger and was hated by the members……Raizo-kun seemed to be concerned about whether or not that would drag on. Regarding that, we talked about how maybe Tarou had come back and the relationship had returned to something close to how it was before. Therefore, Jiro is played in a similar image to that of the TV series.

"You mentioned earlier the combination of characters from the two shows, but which combination was particularly interesting?"

Kato: All of them (laughs). Everyone went above and beyond what I had imagined. Gira, for example, understood our intentions and showed us a great death scene. I also liked the part of Tsuyoshi with the married couple, Racules and Suzume. If I hadn't made some cuts to that scene, the film would probably have gone on forever. Everyone was having fun, but it was my job to keep them in check. It's a shame that the length is so short, but I think the highlights have been condensed into it.

"By the way, over the past two years, what was your most memorable experience in both Donbrothers and King-Ohger?"

Kato: Looking back on Donbrothers, I had the opportunity to film alot of scenes involving Tsubasa and Natsumi. Natsumi's ending was heavy for a drama, so I remember worrying about how to present it. For King-Ohger, I had to learn alot of new things, even more than the previous years, so it was hard just trying to study (laughs). As a Director, I could never say, "I don't know," so I was desperate to keep up with the younger staff members. In the case of King-Ohger, the main storyline was a vertical one that spanned the entire year, so I think there was alot of consideration given to that aspect.

"The way it's presented as a serial drama, huh?"

Kato: Yes, but everyone was very enthusiastic, so if the Director of the group in front of us did something like this, it made us want to "make it even more exciting." I think that's why the story continued to be as exciting as the final episode.

"While adopting new filming techniques, you were also improving the quality of the work right in front of our eyes….."

Kato: I've been working on Super Sentai series for more than 15 years now, and especially in the last few years, from Zenakiger to Donbrothers to King-Ohger, I had to learn alot. In this day and age, I think it's inevitable that this will continue to be the case going forward.

"Lastly, tell us your response to the end of filming."

Kato: I thought it would be an interesting film just to have the Donbrothers visit the world of King-Ohger, but the cast worked very hard to create a "chemical reaction" that exceeded my expectations. The film is both King-Ohger and Donbrothers, so please pay attention to the "blending" of the two.

King-Ohger VS Kyoryuger

INTRODUCTION: The two Super Sentai, King-Ohger, who fought to protect Chikyu from the Uchu King Dagded, and Kyoryuger, who defended Earth from Deboth's Army, have now transcend time and space to miraculously come together. What the Kings and Mighty Lizards join forces to face is……the new Uchu King, Gira?! The strongest warriors approach a desperate situation……!

STORY: Kiryu Daigo and Utsusemimaru set off in pursuit of the Uchu King Dagded, who has invaded Earth. However, Daigo was captured by Dagded and Utsusemimaru was sent to another timeline of Earth. It's 20 years after the invasion of Earth by Deboth's Army……Utsusemimaru is entrusted by Amy Yuuzuki with her and Daigo's son, Prince, and together they attempt to return to their original timeline. However, something is wrong with Prince?! If they don't rescue Daigo soon, Prince will never be born and will cease to exist. Utsusemimaru rushes to Chikyu where Dagded is, but further timeline alterations give birth to a new Uchu King, Gira. The fate of the other kings have also undergone dramatic changes……!

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger was sent to Earth, a different planet from Chikyu, and together with Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, they defeat the Deboth Army sent by the Uchu King Dagded. However, their destinies will overlap once more in an unexpected way. What in the world happened to the kings?

Gira Husty: The king of Shugoddam, the largest country in Chikyu, and the one where the guardian god resides. He's armed with the KuwagataOhger and King KuwagataOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, has he truly become an "Evil King"?!

Yanma Gast: The king of N'kosopa, country of technology. He's armed with the TomboOhger royal armor. N'kosopa's national power, which was once a satellite state of Shugoddam, has been greatly enhanced by technological innovations. However, in the altered timeline, he couldn't make a name for himself with his technology and his ventures failed. He lives a meager life running a scrapyard……

Hymeno Ran: The queen of Ishabana, the country of fine art and medicine. Having lost her parents in the "Wrath of God," she became king at a young age. She's armed with the KamakiriOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, she was banished from Flopital Castle due to her selfishness being at the government's expense. She becomes a flower beggar.

Rita Kaniska: The king of Gokkan, the country of ice and snow. They also serve as the Chief Judge of the International Court of Justice, which protects the neutrality of the world. They're armed with the PapillonOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, after retiring as the Presiding Judge due to a mental issue, they become active as a "top star" who can sing and dance.

Kaguragi Dybowski: The lord of Toufu, the country of agriculture. He's armed with the HachiOhger royal armor. He's always humble and polite in tone, but the theatrics of his words and actions tend to stick out, so he's what you'd call a "trickster." In the altered timeline, he's hated by many enemies for deceiving the other countries, and his castle and fields were taken away from him. He's being used by his sister, Suzume, as a sumo wrestler.

Jeramie Brasieri: A man born between his father, the sixth hero that saved mankind 2,000 years ago, and his mother Nephila, a Bugnarak. He's armed with the Spider Kumonos royal armor. In the altered timeline, he appears before Utsusemimaru and Prince, claiming to be Chikyu's guide, "Jeracchi."

Shiokara (Chiwata Yuhei): Yanma's retainer who has deep respect for him. Originally a criminal in an organization that circulated counterfeit money in N'kosopa, he was reformed after meeting Yanma. He took on a supportive position for Yanma, who believes that technology can change the future. However, in the altered timeline, he abuses Yanma.

Morphonia (Hasegawa Kasumi): Rita's retainer. She's a lazy person, and would rather not work if she can help it, but she does her job well. She's also the person who best understands the pain of loneliness that Rita carries. In the altered timeline, she's an obsessed fan of Rita, who had become a top star, and cheers for them in a high pitched voice.

Sebastian (Yoshimitsu Hiroto): Hymeno's retainer. He's actually 25 years old, but when he became Hymeno's butler, he was given special makeup to give him an older appearance, and his name was changed from his real name, Romane Dearborn. Originally, he was the heir to a ducal family that has existed in Ishabana for 1,000 years. In the altered timeline, he coldly rejects Hymeno, who has become a flower beggar.

Suzume: Kaguragi's younger sister whom he dotes on. She calls him "big brother." She was in poor health as a child. She lived in Shugoddam as a "hostage" for the reconstruction of Toufu, but when she realized Racules's "objective," she chose to live as his willing accomplice. In the altered timeline, she uses her older brother, Kaguragi, in fixed sumo matches.

Yasemitsu Hatchin (Jackie-chan): He's a wrestler of small stature who doesn't look like he's any match for Kaguragi, but since the match is fixed, he ends up beating Kaguragi.

KuwagataOhger Carnival: KuwagataOhgers appearance when he's powered up with the Gaburimix Shooter. He fights by arming both his arms with the Gabutyra Fang, KyoryuRed's weapon.

Gaburimix Shooter: Jeramie's Venomix Shooter has changed. With the power of this item, the King-Ohgers can now be armed with and fight with the Kyoryuger's weapons.

A Super Sentai formed by "Strong Lizard People" who overcome their battles along with their Zyudenryu. Each warrior has a Zyudenryu as a partner. 10 years have passed since the battle against Deboth's Army, and now the strongest Braves in history have miraculously assembled. You'll be surprised when you hear, look at us and cry!

Kiryu Daigo (Ryusei Ryo): A young man who changes into KyoryuRed. His nickname is "King." He's an adventurer who's been traveling around the world since he was a child. He set off from Earth in pursuit of the Uchu King Dagded, but ended up trapped in Dagded's amber.

Ian Yorkland (Saito Syuusuke): A young man who changes into KyoryuBlack. He's a researcher of super ancient civilizations, and is a flirtatious playboy.

Udo Nobuharu (Kinjo Yamato): A young man who changes into KyoryuBlue. He's a former trading company employee who now runs "Nandemoya Marufuku." He's set to marry to Candelilla.

Rippukan Souji (Shiono Akihisa): A young man who changes into KyoryuGreen. As the successor of the traditional "Rippukan Dojo," he's improving his swordsmanship skills every day. At Daigo's request, he trains Prince.

Amy Yuuzuki (Konno Ayuri): A woman who changes into KyoryuPink. She's the daughter of a large conglomerate. She's bright and caring, and is the emotional support of the Zyuden Sentai. She's married to Daigo and have a son, Kiryu Daigoro, known as Prince.

Utsusemimaru (Maruyama Atsushi): A swordsman who became a Kyoryuger during the Sengoku period. For about 400 years, his body was controlled by Dogold, but he was rescued by the modern day Kyoryugers and was set free. He and Daigo pursue Dagded, but in the future 20 years later, he finds his own grave……?!

Yayoi Ulshade (Iitoyo Marie): Doctor Ulshade's granddaughter. She becomes the second in line to inherit KyoryuViolet from her grandfather. Piloting Plezuon, she flew into space with Daigo and Utsusemimaru in pursuit of Dagded, but……

Kiryu Daigoro (Kawana Rintaro): A young man who changes into King KyoryuRed. His nickname is "Prince." He's the son of Daigo and Amy, and boasts the same high level of physical ability as his parents. In his father's absence on Earth, he fought bravely as a member of Kyoryuger, but was affected by the alteration of time and space, and is on the verge of vanishing.

(bottom right): Utsusemimaru arrives in the future world. 20 years have passed since the Earth was invaded by Deboth's Army. An aging Amy asks Utsusemimaru to take her son, Prince, back to 20 years ago. In order to stop the Deboth invasion……

Gabutyra KyoryuRed Anniversary Carnival: Daigo's new form changed by Minityra (miniature Gabutyra) using the changed Gaburivolver. He uses number 24 "Quetzalcoatlu Zyudenchi," and number 25 "Mosasarus Zyudenchi," and fights by donning the Zyuden Arms, "Quetzalcoatlu Bowgun Arm" and "Mosasarus Chainsaw Arm."

King Gaburucannon/Gabutyvolver: Combine King KyoryuRed's King Gaburicalibur and Gabutyra KyoryuRed's Gabutyvolver to release the Father and Son King Gaburucannon!

Wise God Torin (voice: Morikawa Toshiyuki): An entity that's been fighting against the Deboth Army for about 100 million years. He evolves Earth's dinosaurs into Zyudenryu. He transforms into KyoryuSilver. After defeating his brother, Hundred Faced High Priest Chaos, he left this world……

Candelilla (voice: Tomatsu Haruka) & Luckyuro (voice: Orikasa Ai): Formerly members of the Deboth Army, they now work for humans. Candelilla is set to marry Udo Nobuharu.

Kiryu Dantetsu (Yamashita Shinji): Daigo's father and an adventurer. He's Prince's (Daigoro) grandfather.

KyoryuGray (voice: Deai Masayuki), KyoryuSilver (voice: Morikawa Toshiyuki), KyoryuCyan (voice: Robert Baldwin): The Spirit Rangers (those who have lost their bodies but retain their immortal souls) also arrived from beyond time and space. Here, all the Kyoryugers have assembled!

Sanagim: Combat soldiers that possess the characteristics of pupa. Their exclusive weapon, the "Gun Shovel," can also be used as a rifle. They multiply infinitely.

Uchu King Gira: The appearance of Gira who defeated Dagded and became the new Uchu King after Utsusemimaru fed a large amount of Rainbow Jururira to Gira as a young child. He tries to publicly execute Yanma and the others.

Evil King (voice: Sakai Taisei): Uchu King Gira in his royal armor form. Even after Gira was restored to his original state, the evil spirits that had escaped from Gira's body combined into one and a new Evil King was born.

Dagded Dujardin (voice: Ishida Akira): The creator of all insect life forms. He has an invulnerable body that's immune to all attacks, and because of this, he always has time to speak and act in a way that belittles his opponents. For him, the destruction of other life forms is merely a form of "tidying up." He's being pursued from Earth by KyoryuRed, who he traps in amber.

Debo Senking: A king Deboth monster, who can absorb all emotions, was created to fully revive the power of Kabutobushin Deboth, who Dagded had summoned to Earth. Using his Freezing Staff, he continues to "Brave-cuein" human braves from all over the world and send them to Kabutobushin Deboth.

Uchu Five Jesters A group of aliens led by the Uchu King Dagded. Up until now, they've lead different species on numerous planets to conflict and destruction. The alteration of time and space also affects them, and they emerge as servants of the Evil King.

Hilbil Leech (voice: Sawashiro Miyuki): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Hilbill of Enticement." She brainwashed the king's retainers and citizens, turning the human race on Chikyu into mobs.

Grodie Leucodium (voice: Amano Kousei): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Grodie of Tranquility" He's the one responsible for causing the "Wrath of God." He tries to bring forth the "Wrath of God" again, but is stopped by the King-Ohgers.

Kamejim (voice: Miki Shinichiro): Although he was the Prime Minister who served Desnarak VIII, he was actually the mastermind behind the battle between humans and Bugnarak, and was "Kamejim of Vanity" of the Uchu Five Jesters, who infiltrated Chikyu under the orders of Dagded.

Goma Rosalia (voice: Yamaji Kazuhiro): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Goma of Suspicion." He possesses the characteristics of a longhorn beetle. He has the ability to swap any concept, from human minds to matter, and has swapped the bodies of the kings of six kingdoms.

Minongan Moth (voice: Seki Tomokazu): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Minongan of Concealment." Just as he looks, he's a "power fighter," with high offensive and defensive power.

Sakai Taisei

-The Commitment of the Uchu King Gira-

"In this film, for most scenes, you appeared as the Uchu King Gira."

Sakai: I've been saying I'm the "Evil King" for a long time, and now finally, I've really become one (laughs). When I played the role, I was conscious of "combining insanity and coolness" in my own way. How could I differentiate myself from the usual Gira? For facial expressions, I tried to keep my eyes wide open and slow my tone alittle bit…..but, it was pretty difficult. For example, my dialogue was fine when I was speaking on my own, but when I tried to keep up the pace in conversation, it sometimes didn't go well. It was difficult, but I learned alot, and I'd be happy if everyone could share their opinions after watching the film.

"The other cast members are also challenging themselves to perform in a different way from usual."

Sakai: I look forward to watching each "changed fate" parts of the film. Yanma's deviation is also extreme. I'm sure Aoto was able to play the "uncool Yanma" role very well.

"What about action scenes?"

Sakai: As the Uchu King Gira, I was thrilled to cross swords with the other kings. There was strong wind at the filming location, so it was very difficult (laughs). I haven't been in such a tough situation on location since N'kosopa in episode 2……when we were at the Saitama Super Arena. If I had to compare them, this one was the best (laughs). Conversely, the heat was unforgettable for the collaboration with Kyoryuger, with episodes 32 and 33 being filmed on location. Director Sakamoto's filming is fast paced, and the action is learned on the spot, so I was always frantic, but the atmosphere on set was cheerful and fun.

-Gira and Daigo-

"This'll be the second time you've worked together with the Kyoryuger members."

Sakai: I'm truly grateful to have been able to work with veteran members of the Super Sentai series in this way. I thought it was amazing that everyone hadn't changed at all from the appearance they had 10 years ago. We also saw the scene where all the members transform together, and in the case of the Kyoryugers, even though there's dancing involved, they're all perfectly in sync. I was surprised by that as well.

"What was it like for Gira and Daigo, fellow Reds, to meet?"

Sakai: Ryusei Ryo-san has the aura of a star, and I was thinking about what I would say to him when we meet, but he came off as Daigo when he said to me, "It's tough performing at G-Rosso, huh?" I've already become a big fan of him (laughs). He gives off the impression of a "dependable aniki" and is the very definition of a hero.

"What do you want Sakai Taisei to be like in 10 years?"

Sakai: Now that I'm beginning to understand how interesting my job as an actor is, I'd like to continue acting, but even if I were to take up something else, I'd be happy if I were still leading a fulfilling life. I want to pursue what I enjoy and what I believe in. I also hope that the Super Sentai series will continue into the future. It's an irreplaceable work for me personally, so I hope that the baton will be passed on to everyone who plays the hero for a long time to come.

Watanabe Aoto

-Shiokara's Revenge-

"Tell us about the planning for VS Kyoryuger."

Watanabe: More than anything, it's amazing to see all the main cast members together, even though it's already been 10 years. When the TV series started filming, Toei's Producer Omori gave us a speech in which he encouraged us to, "Please keep acting even after 10 years." Still, that's not always an easy thing to do. Recently, various 10th and 20th anniversary films for the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series have been made, and I think it's truly miraculous…..This film made me grateful to have witnessed such a miracle in front of my eyes, and it also served as a source of encouragement for me. 10 years later, everyone gathered at the same place on the same day and struck the same transformation pose as they did back then. It was a wonderful moment. I was also impressed that their style hadn't changed.

"Yanma is no longer king, having been affected by the alteration of time and space."

Watanabe: I was conscious of being cool as Yanma for a whole year, but then this kind of setting comes along……(laughs). I enjoyed performing. I mean, the one who was more lively than me was without a doubt Shiokara's Chiwata-san. Maybe he was aiming to use this opportunity to release all the resentment he's felt over the past year. The line, "Lick my shoes!" isn't written anywhere in the script (laughs).

-Thoughts on the Future-

"Unusual for a King-Ohger related production, there was alot of filming on location for this film."

Watanabe: Since it's a Director Sakamoto production, I expected from the beginning that we'd be able to do some action. There was action in episodes 32 and 33 of the TV series, and it was all shot on location. I'm glad we were able to do it again this time. However, when we were filming for TV, it was in the middle of a heat wave, while this time it was the other way around. It wasn't just us, I thought that the Director and staff must have gone through alot of hardships. I'm truly grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make the film as good as possible under such harsh conditions.

"By the time the VS double feature film is released, the Final Live Tour will be over, and you'll have reached the end of your activities as a King-Ohger cast member."

Watanabe: Now, I'm so excited to support everyone in "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger." A year ago, the cast of Donbrothers were promoting King-Ohger any chance they could, and I thought "They're so kind……", and when I was in the position to pass the baton to the next show, I naturally felt that way. It's no longer someone else's problem…….I hope they'll do their best to deliver an interesting show to the children during the year, while taking good care of themselves.

"Regarding where you'll be 10 years from now."

Watanabe: I think that children who were fans of Kyoryuger 10 years ago will definitely be pleased to see this film. Even after 10 years, everyone's still a "cool hero." No matter what kind of life I lead, I'd be happy if I could become a "cool adult" in the eyes of the children who are now supporting Yanma, and I'll make every effort to become such an adult.

Murakami Erica

-The Reborn Kings-

"In VS Kyoryuger, the depiction of the kings, whose situations have been changed by the altered timeline, was impressive."

Murakami: Everyone seemed to enjoy playing their parts. I hope the audience will enjoy it as well. In the scene with Hymeno, Sebastian's Yoshimitsu-san played the role in a coercive manner, so he was able to break away from his usual character. I like the styling of "Uchu King Gira," as he's really cool. I think it gives off the feeling of a dark hero. It's interesting to see that Yanma had fallen just as far as Hymeno. There's an honor student like quality to him, and the visuals of that Yanma is also appealing. Rita, who has become a star, is majestically cool. Kaguragi made the most of Kaku-san's "weapons," and Jeramie was the complete opposite of his usual style, which was nice.

"This was your second time collaborating with Kyoryuger."

Murakami: Everyone has alot of experience in acting, so they had alot to offer. It was a great learning experience to be able to work with them. I felt the weight of every line of dialogue. It's possible everyone else felt the same way. Even though we didn't really appear, on the day when all the Kyoryuger members assembled for their shoot, we gathered in front of the monitor and watched everyone's performance.

-Tackling the Action-

"The action scenes in episodes 32 and 33 of the TV series, as well as in this film, are the main highlights."

Murakami: When it was on TV, the setting was that the kings had gone to a different planet, so it was the first time we were completely on location. That in itself was a new experience for me, but I was also allowed to do alot of action, and I think I was able to show the coolness of a "fighting king." The action is really deep. On site, I was always looking for the best and coolest swordplay. The way I move, the way the camera moves with me, and the angles of the camera, all make a small difference in the impression you'll get. While filming, Hymeno looks beautiful and strong, thanks to the skillful guidance of the Action Department members who played the enemies. But, the amazing thing is that it didn't look like that……There were a number of professional techniques packed into short takes. However, the last day was pretty challenging (laughs). In the scene where we were being held captive, it was so cold and windy.

"It seems like the last day left a deep impression on everyone."

Murakami: This is a bit of a behind the scenes story, but there are some shots where the wind is blowing very hard, and in the same scene, other shots contain no wind at all……

"Do you have an ideal image of yourself 10 years from now?"

Murakami: Since this is my type of work, I think that the direction I take will be influenced by various encounters, but as a person, I want to be like my grandmother. She's a very playful and lovely woman. I don't think I'll be able to be like that in 10 years, but I'd like to keep aiming for it. Also, I'd be happy if 10 years from now, there'll be an outcry of people saying, "I want to see King-Ohger again." I hope that such a future will be possible.

Hirakawa Yuzuki

-Rita Sings and Dances Again-

"This was the first collaboration with Kyoryuger since the TV series."

Hirakawa: Episode 32 and 33 remain as fond memories for me. Everyone on the Kyoryuger team was really nice, and I learned alot from their on set behavior, and most importantly, I could feel how well they got along with each other. I also thought it'd be great if we could have a relationship like them forever. At the same time, this was the first time I realized that King-Ohger was coming to an end. When I realized that one day I'd have to say goodbye to everyone and my role as Rita, I felt sad. Looking back, time really flew by quickly in the second half. Specifically around the time we finished filming the Summer movie, it was like a brief moment for me. I feel like I've come this far all at once.

"In this film, the fate of the kings have changed, but to our surprise, Rita's living their life as a star."

Hirakawa: In the TV series, there was an idol episode (38), but this time it was a repeating pattern……To add some variety, I sung "Moffun no Uta" one octave lower. The choreography was also created for this shoot, and I memorized it and performed it on that day. Until filming finished, I was constantly worried, wondering what would happen (laughs).

-Wholeheartedly Thankful-

"In VS Kyoryuger, all the members have finally assembled."

Hirakawa: The atmosphere on set was even more lively and pleasant than in the TV series. Since there's dancing involved, I thought it'd be difficult to get everyone's transformations to match up perfectly, but it was truly amazing to see them all perfectly coordinated. Also, everyone was kind and friendly, and I felt like I wanted to be like them. It was also reassuring to have Shiono-san from the same agency there.

"There were also action scenes."

Hirakawa: On the last day of filming, it was incredibly windy……(laughs). During the captivity scene, I tried not to blink as much as possible, but then the tears started coming out. I'm not sure if you can see it on screen, but please be sure to check it out. The more times I tried the actions, the quicker I learned them. However, since Rita's right eye is hidden, it's very difficult for me to sense the distance between me and my opponent. I was grateful that the JAE staff told me, "It doesn't matter if we get hit, just come at us as hard as you can." This time, it was refreshing to see that even in the post transformation action, KyoryuViolet was the same color as PapillonOhger. I always feel that each warrior has their own unique fighting style, and it's wonderful that the Suit Actors were able to accurately express this. There are 11 people in Kyoryuger alone, so I think it's difficult just to differentiate them. I think it shows everyone's high level of professionalism.

"Where do you want to be in 10 years from now?"

Hirakawa: I'm still a "kid" right now, so of course I want to be able to walk on my own, but even 10 years from now, I want to be able to "get lost in something I'm passionate about," and live my life in constant excitement. In addition, little by little, I'd like to repay my parents who raised me.

Kako So

-Fighting the Weather-

"This was a collaboration with the Kyoryugers following the TV series, and this time, with the full lineup."

Kaku: It's amazing, isn't it? In any case, everyone in Kyoryuger is really close to each other, and their unity and teamwork are wonderful. I thought that they were very good at action and dancing. In the story, Utsusemimaru (KyoryuGold) is abit of a troublemaker who stirs things up, and because of that, we in the Royal Sentai end up becoming unusually strange (laughs). Everyone was able to play a different character than usual in this production. It was alot of fun. Things like Masashi's sketchy Jeramie I was enthusiastic about (laughs). There are some scenes that I haven't seen yet, but I'm really looking forward to seeing them, such as the scene between Yanma and Shiokara.

"Regarding the action scenes."

Kaku: This time, there's a situation where kings fight each other, and I think that's one of the highlights. The flow of the action was decided on the spot, and I memorized it and started filming right away. I was worried about whether we'd be able to do it right, but what was more troubling was the weather on location on the day of the shoot. As you can feel from the video, there was an incredible wind blowing at the site. I was okay with it, but I think it would've been very difficult for someone like Hymeno, who was wearing light clothing.

"To begin with, there weren't that many locations in King-Ohger."

Kaku: That's right. Unlike my seniors of previous generations, we finished filming until the final episode without knowing anything about the hardships of filming on location. And then, with VS Kyoryuger…….on the last day of filming, we did it all at once (laughs). The interesting thing is that, as you'll notice in the footage, in a series of scenes, there are times when the wind is blowing strongly and other times when it's not. I'll leave the reasoning to your imagination (laughs).

-A 10 Year Journey-

"Once again, please give us your thoughts on the collaboration with Kyoryuger."

Kaku: I'm a senior member of Super Sentai by 10 years, but with the exception of Kinjo-san and Maruyama-san, everyone is actually younger than me. Ryusei-san too. That was abit of a strange feeling. Also, when I thought about my future 10 years from now, I was worried about whether I'd be able to do Kakuragi at 43 years old……but, then I thought about it, and I realized that Amano Kousei-san, who plays the role of Grodie, one of the Uchu Five Jesters, will be 46 years old this year, and he's so cool, isn't he? He maintains such youthfulness, that it's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that he was performing in Kamen Rider, so I want to make that one of my goals. Not only Amano-san, but also his wife……Iroki's Hinagata-san has always been beautiful. I felt that I should do my best too. If we could get together again in 10 years……I'd be happy if we could work on the project while living fulfilling lives. And I'd like the Scriptwriter, Takamina-san, to write the script for it.

Ikeda Masashi

-Jeracchi and the Strange Kings-

"In VS Kyoryuger, Jeramie became Chikyu's charming guide, Jeracchi."

Ikeda: It was fun (laughs). Actually, this was the first time for me to wear a different costume as Jeramie. I didn't wear a yukata in the Summer festival episode (episode 24), and I didn't change into Earth clothes in the collaboration episode with Kyoryuger in the TV series (episodes 32 and 33). Personally, I was most impressed by the costumes. Although I was playing the role of Jeramie, it was a strange feeling to be in a completely different position. Everyone else also has different visuals. I think that's why I was able to play with more freedom. Yanma and Hymeno are in a tragic situation…..What was funny was Kaku-san's Kaguragi. His setting is about losing in a fixed sumo match, but because he has the aura of a strong man, he doesn't look weak (laughs).

"It's a different kind of comedy than what was in VS Donbrothers, huh?"

Ikeda: I think that you'll laugh at this film as well. I could sense that the Kyoryuger members were enjoying the Super Sentai set for the first time in a long time. What surprised me was that their youngest, Iitoyo-san, is only two years older than me. It was abit of a shock to know that she was 15 years old at the time of Kyoryuger.

-The Wind and Kings-

"Following the TV series, since the collaboration with Kyoryuger involves Sakamoto's team, there's some action as well."

Ikeda: We didn't have many opportunities to try our hand at acting during regular filming. That's why the Sakamoto team left an impression on me twice. This time in particular, there's the situation where Gira, who's become the Uchu King, and the other kings cross swords. I was very enthusiastic there. I'm sure everyone felt the same way. However, it was on the last day, and as you can clearly see from the footage, the wind was incredibly strong. It was on an almost unusual level, including how cold it was (laughs). We haven't been on location much during the past year, so this was our last taste of the "location hardships" at the very end. Now that I think about it, the Kyoryuger episodes for TV were also filmed entirely on location, but they were in the middle of Summer. I would've loved to go on location during the Spring or Fall (laughs). Because of this situation, everyone greeted each other in a brief way at the beginning of filming……but, that was also a good memory. Something like that is a rare experience.

"Ikeda-san, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?"

Ikeda: 10 years seems so far into the future that it's hard to imagine, but in terms of familiarity, Kaku-san is 9 years older than me. Kaku-san is always aware of what's going on around him, and he's always looking out for us. I want to grow up to be like that. I don't know if we'll be able to get together again like the Kyoryuger members 10 years from now, but I'd like to see the King-Ohgers active in even more advanced video technology.

Ryusei Ryo (Daigo)

-King's Return-

"You were recording just a few minutes ago, what are your thoughts?"

Ryusei: As expected, doing the dub as Kiryu Daigo is exhausting (laughs). I gave it my all. Daigo is a very passionate character, and Kyoryuger itself is a show like that. 10 years ago, we used to do recordings like this every week. The amount of work back then was almost certainly greater than what I recorded today, so I think I did a good job. At the time, I was between 19 and 20 years old, so I guess it was because I was young (laughs). This time, I had the opportunity to work with the cast of King-Ohger, and I felt the rush of energy that's typical of currently active heroes. They were filming the TV series just the other day, and they must've had a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment from having survived their long journey, as they all had good expressions on their faces. They were glowing. Compared to them, I may inevitably be called "old." Even now, I'm alittle nervous about it (laughs).

"What made you agree to appear in the film?"

Ryusei: It's my way of showing gratitude to all the fans and staff. I'm happy to have this opportunity to work on a production after 10 years with all of the main cast together. Including KyoryuRed's Osshi-san (Oshikawa Yoshifumi), to the full extent, the Suit Actors were the same as they were back then, and Director Sakamoto filmed it……It's almost a miracle. I thought this would be the last time I'd be able to do something like this, so I really wanted to do it. Daigo's line, "This is the final battle!" was added on set, but I put all my feelings into it in my own way.

-Brave Youth-

"What were you conscious of when playing the role of Daigo again?"

Ryusei: At first, there was an idea to have everyone appear in completely different costumes. However, I thought that fans would like to see the costumes as they were back in the day. I asked if they still had them……and to use them. Conversely, what also surprised me was the action. There was nothing specifically written in the script. When I arrived on set in the morning, preparations were already underway, and Director Sakamoto was like, "Of course (we're doing action)!" (laughs). I learned the flow on the spot, tried to match it quickly, did a test, and then immediately did the real thing. This is also a "given" in Kyoryuger. You can't find this on other sets. I also missed these kinds of things.

"What does Kyoryuger mean to Ryusei?"

Ryusei: It's youth. I was happy, but at the same time embarrassed to play the role of Kiryu Daigo for the first time in such a long time. For a whole year……no, including the Final Live Tour, I've been carrying the responsibility of one show as its main character for about a year and a half. Currently, I don't have the opportunity to work on the same production for that long. It's impossible not to become deeply attached to it. To be honest, there were times when it was tough and I thought, "I can't wait to work on a different show." However, I think that I was able to learn alot on that set, and experience many things that I could only have done 10 years ago. There are many fans who have continued to support me since that time, and I'm definitely very happy to have performed in this film.

Kawana Rintaro (Daigoro)

-Admiration of the Mighty Lizards-

"You made your appearance in King-Ohgers TV series, how did that happen?"

Kawana: My father's (Kawana Motoki) senior in the action industry is Director Sakamoto, and I've been invited to work with him several times. This time too, he asked me if I'd like to audition for the role of Prince.

"What did you do during the audition?"

Kawana: In addition to watching action, I also performed one scene from episode 32. From there, I was chosen and was able to perform.

"Originally, did you study action and acting?"

Kawana: I've been learning action from my father since I was a child. I've also been taking acting lessons since I was in elementary school.

"Did you know about Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger?"

Kawana: I've been watching the Super Sentai series since I was about 2 years old, and I believe Kyoryuger was the year I started elementary school. At the time, I felt that I had started a show that was right in the middle of my tastes. I liked dinosaurs, I liked the designs of the Kyoryugers suits, and the action was cool. Kyoryuger is what got me hooked the most.

"What was it like appearing in the TV series?"

Kawana: As expected, the actual film site was different from my lessons. The large number of staff members working so diligently and quickly made me realize once again how hard and fun it is to create video productions. I was painfully aware of my lack of experience, but I was also inspired. Everyone in King-Ohger was very friendly and talked to me about a bunch of things. Since our ages aren't that far apart, I was able to fit in quickly on set. Especially with Gira's Sakai Taisei, I became closer to him, and every time I appeared in the show, it became easier for me to perform. I've often heard that the atmosphere of the set is reflected in the footage, and I felt that this was the case.

"After your performance, what was the reaction from those around you?"

Kawana: I was happy that many of my friends at school seemed to have seen it (laughs). They said various things to me, like, "You've become a Kyoryuger?" and "That's Brave!" I think everyone remembered Kyoryuger because we're all the same age.

-The Inherited Brave-

"Prince is the son of Daigo (King), and this time they're finally working together."

Kawana: Ryusei Ryo-san was on a completely different level from me, as his appearance was very powerful. This time, there's a scene where I transformed with the Kyoryuger members, but for some reason, it felt like I was just a fan that had got mixed in……I always had this feeling of, "Is it okay for me to be here?" However, I'm grateful for this truly valuable experience. Director Sakamoto has continued to shoot many films, and I respect him for always putting his all into filming

"What are your future ambitions?"

Kawana: Being like Jackie Chan from the olden days has always been my number one goal. I saw a variety of his films and was impressed by how amazing he is……He's a star who always tries to thoroughly entertain his viewers, so I started thinking that I wanted to be like that too. I'd like to continue to take on action, and eventually, I'd like to work overseas.

Saito Syuusuke (Ian) x Kinjo Yamato (Nobuharu)

-Emotional Full Gathering-

"You two first appeared in the King-Ohger TV series."

Saito: To begin with, around the beginning of last year (2023), I thought, "Right, this year is the 10th anniversary……" But, at that time, I never imagined that we'd be collaborating with a currently active Super Sentai. I used to watch King-Ohger every week (laughs). Not only did we get to meet them, but we also got to perform with them as the Kyoryugers, it made me happy……

Kinjo: However, during the TV series, there were only four of us who appeared in the show. King (Daigo) and Ucchi (Utsusemimaru) performed through their voices. I wonder if we'll all get together……is what I thought, and this time it's a V-Cinext. King, Ucchi, and even Yayoi-chan make their appearance, and the four of us were allowed to appear again. Is this what you'd call "emotional"? Is that too old fashioned now? Will a new word be created in 10 years?

Saito: (laughs). Still, I'm grateful. The show is 10 years old, but recently, it's become possible to watch past series through streaming services. I often hear that people who didn't watch the show when it aired, or who weren't even born yet, become "hooked" after watching Kyoryuger.

Kinjo: Younger children may have never heard of Kyoryuger, and may have wondered, "Who are these guys?" when they saw the TV series guest episodes (episodes 32 and 33). Still, I never lost hope.

Saito: Yeah. Since we were appearing, I thought, "Let's go wild."

-With King Again-

"It's wonderful to see not only the cast assembled, but also the Suit Actors and even the Voice Actors."

Saito: That's right. KyoryuBlack is played by Takeuchi Yasuhiro-san, and Tsutamune Masato-kun, who plays KyoryuGold this time, played the role of KyoryuBlack in G-Rosso's show 10 years ago. For me, it was heart warming to have the three of us gathered on the same set.

Kinjo: For KyoryuBlue's Takada Masashi-kun, Kyoryuger was the first time he played a regular hero role. He plays Spider Kumonos in King-Ohger. I was happy to see that despite his busy schedule, he played KyoryuBlue with such energy in this film.

Saito: Even those who have left JAE came back, such as KyoryuRed's Osshi-san and KyoryuPink's Nogawa Mizuho-san.

Kinjo: By the way, Takeuchi-san is amazing. 10 years ago, he was sharp, but he's evolved even further. His list of techniques is also increasing. Is such a thing even possible? (laughs).

Saito: No, he's definitely amazing……

Kinjo: It was like a strong man becoming a "super strong man."

"The major difference between the TV series and this film is that Ryusei Ryo-san, know as King, has made his long awaited appearance."

Saito: For some reason, it felt strange. I've met him in our private time, but seeing him in front of me in that costume and hair style was like stepping back in time.

Kinjo: I instantly thought, "Ah! It's Daigo!"

Saito: On the day we all got together, we did some action. It's the Sakamoto team after all.

Kinjo: Yeah, yeah, we did, this old man's body took a beating (laughs).

Saito: Ian's main point of focus is his gunplay, but Nossan (Nobuharu) also has some acrobatic movements.

Kinjo: No matter what Nobuharu does, he's always got a story to tell.

Saito: Nossan's old man jokes (laughs). Didn't they already come up endlessly back then?

Kinjo: Every time, he always had something to say……However, after analyzing it in detail, I think he actually has a pattern of saying the same four or five things (laughs).

"You participated in the dub not that long ago, and we assume that you've seen some of the current footage, what are your thoughts?"

Saito: The lineup is really impressive, isn't it? It's amazing even at 8 people, but then Silver, Cyan, and Gray were added, and including King-Ohger, there's……17 members? That scene was, as expected, numbing.

Kinjo: During the dub, we got to watch a few scenes that we're not in. That's why I was like, "What's with this bearded Ucchi?!" (laughs). Even though I've read the script, there are many scenes where I don't know how they turned out, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed film.

Saito: Ucchi is the main focus. Ucchi stirs up the whole thing, and it becomes a big mess. Ucchi's our clumsy samurai (laughs).

Kinjo: He even influenced the world of King-Ohger.

Saito: But in the end, he brought us all together, or rather, he made it necessary for us to come together. It was thanks to Maruyama Atsushi. No, maybe it was Ucchi? (laughs).

-Everyone is Someone's Hero-

"What does the show Kyoryuger mean to the two of you?

Saito: I've always loved tokusatsu heroes, and it was truly a dream come true for me to become a hero myself. Even though he's an enemy, I was able to transform into a Kamen Rider as a guest in the show……

Kinjo: I was in Kamen Rider too. In my case though, I'm not sure if I'm considered a Rider or not……(laughs).

Saito: It's amazing to be able to appear in the same role again on the 10th anniversary. There was a great response on SNS, and I'll continue to live my life while always being aware that I was KyoryuBlack. In fact, I feel that the character of Ian still exists within me. From time to time, I end up saying, "Oh my" (Ian's favorite phrase) (laughs).

Kinjo: In recent years, I've been working as a Voice Actor, mainly dubbing American movies and foreign dramas, but my first experience with dubbing was for Kyoryuger. In that sense, my encounter with Kyoryuger was significant. Depending on the role I'm playing, I sometimes channel the voice I used when I was Nobuharu.

Saito: Heroes are wonderful. All I can say is that everyone is also a hero to someone who's standing beside them.

Kinjo: Now, I hope that the boys and girls who have admired heroes through King-Ohger will aim to become heroes for their loved ones going forward.

Saito: I'd be happy if you could feel that passionate message through this film.

Kinjo: Let's meet again someday!

Shiono Akihisa (Souji) x Konno Ayuri (Amy) x Maruyama Atsushi (Utsusemimaru)

-After Recording-

Maruyama: I'm Atsushi!

Konno: I'm Ayuri!

Shiono: I'm Akihisa!

All: We're the triple "A" of Kyoryuger!

Maruyama: Whether you use that or not, we did it because you've got these three specific people here. And now, I'll leave the rest up to you (laughs).

"Thank you very much! I guess it's because you were doing the dub a few minutes ago, but your good mood is really helpful (laughs)."

Maruyama: We've begun recording the dub! How was it for Hime (Konno)? You were in the TV version of King-Ohger and it was your first time recording in a long time, right?

Konno: Yeah. But, it didn't feel like it had been a long time at all. It was as if I had been doing it just recently (laughs).

Maruyama: That's amazing.

Shiono: I really didn't feel blank at all.

Konno: What about you? I myself didn't feel out of place, but…..

Maruyama: It's amazing that Hime was able to get back to the way she used to feel immediately after being away from the acting business for such a long time, let alone us. And then Akki's (Shiono) voice was powerful. It was definitely different compared to 10 years ago, wouldn't you say?

Shiono: I played a high school student, and was actually 18 years old. Since 10 years have passed since then, I wanted to express the growth of Souji. Not just in my voice, but also in acting and action. It's been my "theme" ever since I made the guest appearance in the TV series. Considering Souji was given the Feather Edge by Torin at the end of Kyoryuger, I was also deeply moved by the fact that Souji was the one who trained Prince

Konno: I think Souji seemed calm and even dependable this time.

Maruyama: That's right. That's our Akki, and that's our Souji. Every year, I'm becoming more and more unstable……

Shiono: Weren't you always like that?

Konno: Can it get any worse?

Maruyama: Hey! (everyone laughs).

Shiono: But, when I watched the footage, as expected, the action scenes after the transformation were very cool. The direction was typical of Director Sakamoto, including the introductions being linked to the offensive and defensive movements.

Maruyama: Is it okay if I say something about the dub? While KyoryuGreen and KamakiriOhger were fighting together, the Suit Actors on set created a few seconds of interaction between the two. And then, I wondered what kind of line Akki would put in there, but he just said one word, "……Yeah." He's left everything up to Murakami Erica-chan, who'll do her recording later.

Shiono: Don't say that (laughs). It was difficult for me to do it. Especially for Souji, who's not a very talkative person, so after thinking about it desperately, I was like, "……Yeah" (laughs).

"Speaking of the storyline development, Ucchi was difficult in this film."

Maruyama: I broke new ground (laughs).

Shiono: That's for sure. This is just Ucchi's story.

Konno: Ucchi is very active in this.

Maruyama: I wonder if it's "active"…….He causes nothing but trouble, and then gives an earnest apology to everyone at the very end.

Konno: He also has some cool parts!

Maruyama: Thanks (laughs). But, the cool parts are really an "also." Otherwise he's nothing but bad (laughs). 95% of him is bad, and only about 5% is cool. This time, however, Akki is 100% cool.

Shiono: Really?

Maruyama: To be more specific, the old Souji had a certain "cuteness" to him. Now, on the other hand, he's become an "adult" swordsman.

Shiono: That makes me happy!

Maruyama: I think the charm of "Souji becoming an adult" is shown. By the way, Hime wore elderly makeup this time, didn't she? How old do you think she is?

"Amy was 18-19 years old at the time of the battle with Deboth's Army, it's 10 years later, and then another 20 years after that, so we imagine her to be close to 50 years old."

Konno: At first, that makeup was much darker. It emphasized more of the fact that time had passed. But, I thought it might be alittle too thick, so I lightened it during the filming stage.

Maruyama: That scene was alot of fun. Compared to the usual Amy-dono, she spoke alittle slower. I already had an image of older Amy-dono, so I thought, "Ah, her rhythm's off," but you did that with the age setting in mind, right?

Konno: Yeah. The speed and tone of my voice is different from when I was younger.

Maruyama: What'd you think when creating this role?! The adjustments you made were perfect. Not too slow, but subtly different from the old Amy-dono. It'd be nice if you could return (to being an actress).

Konno: (laughs).

Maruyama: Don't you get approached in your daily life? Especially after things like the guest appearance on TV. They might've said, "Are you Amy?"……..

Konno: No, no…..but, I might see an "Ah" look on people's faces every once in a while.

Maruyama: That's it! I'm sure people think, "That person is KyoryuPink."

Konno: Are you sure? Wouldn't it be more like, "That person looks like someone I know…"

Maruyama: Well, I guess that's true (laughs).

Shiono: Getting back into it, the scene where Ucchi meets Amy and Prince 20 years in the future, from our perspective, shows Acchan's (Maruyama) own happiness. Of course, there's the joy of meeting Amy as Ucchi, but there was also the feelings of Acchan himself (laughs).

Maruyama: I didn't expect to see Amy again like this on set, let alone in our private lives……I was so happy to see her again. All at once, I was taken back to the way I felt back then.

"The "There there~" after learning that Prince is Daigo and Amy's son wasn't in the script."

Maruyama: That part was also fun. As Utsusemimaru, I think of myself as Prince's uncle.

Konno: We're supposed to be parent and child, but Prince's Kawana-kun isn't really that far off in age from me (laughs), but I still felt at ease when I was with him……The parent and child setting was a good fit for us. I think his character fit well with that part as well.

Maruyama: I agree. No, It truly overwhelms me with emotion. It truly overwhelms me with emotion.

Konno: Why'd you say it twice? (laughs).

Maruyama: As Utsusemimaru, Yayoi-dono……it was refreshing to have so many scenes with Marie. Even 10 years ago, I probably said the line, "Yayoi-dono!" many times. What was interesting was that there were no takes where we couldn't help but look at each other, even when we weren't meant to interact. I was glad to see that the unique spirit of Kyoryuger was still there in both of us.

-Super Sentai, Through the Ages-

"What were your impressions of the King-Ohger cast?"

Maruyama: They're what you'd expect of current heroes! They're sparkling.

Shiono: As expected, they were different from us (laughs).

Maruyama: They're shining.

Konno: They made me feel young.

Shiono: But, we're actually quite close in age to them.

Maruyama: That's true for you two. I'm different though (laughs).

Konno: If I could go back to those days, I would. Kyoryuger was about youth.

Maruyama: Me too. I'm already 30 years old.

Shiono: Everyone in the Kyoryuger cast has a deep love for our show. Of course, that can be said for any Super Sentai……

Maruyama: And among us, Ryusei Ryo is the one with the strongest love for it. Even at karaoke, when he's feeling it, he sings the theme song.

Shiono: That's true (laughs). And, he has an overwhelming sense of being the main character. This time, when he was wearing the costume he wore back then for the first time in such a long time, I thought, "It's King! King is here!" (laughs).

Maruyama: It was a combination of various miracles. Everyone participated, including those who only performed with their voices.

Konno: It's a full course.

Maruyama: It's a dream.

Shiono: It's a 40 minute film, but it's a condensed version of about two and a half hours worth of content. I guess most of the people who come to the movie theaters are King-Ohger fans, but I'd be happy if they took this opportunity to go back and watch Kyoryuger as well.

Maruyama: On the other hand, for those who were fans of Kyoryuger or have been away from the Super Sentai series for awhile but came to see this film, I hope they'll see the appeal of King-Ohger and become Super Sentai fans again.

Shiono: It's exactly because the series has continued that we've been invited back. I'm truly aware of how grateful I am. By the way, my friend's child is around the age where they're watching King-Ohger. Recently, they recognized me as Souji from Kyoryuger. That made me happy.

Konno: What a nice story!

Maruyama: Is it okay if I meet this kid too?

Shiono: Why? (everyone laughs).

-Reunion and the Future-

"The 10th anniversary of Kyoryuger, from the TV series to the V-Cinext, was a wonderful plan to celebrate."

Maruyama: That's right. When filming for the TV series……

Shiono: Acchan didn't appear (laughs). No, I didn't think it would happen this way either. Our predecessors were also doing new films for their 10th and 20th anniversaries. Every time I heard something like that, I was concerned. But realistically, I think it's quite difficult. Then, at that time, it was decided that Konno Ayuri would make a sincere comeback (laughs).

Konno: The sincere comeback was for a limited time (laughs). When I first heard about it, they were working on getting everyone together, but I wondered why I was the only one missing……So I said, "Let me in!" However, when it came time to decide, there were only four of us in the TV series, and I was unable to meet the others due to my filming schedule. It felt incomplete and I thought, "This story is wrong!"

Maruyama: That's when you grabbed Producer Omori by the collar and……

Konno: I didn't do that! (laughs).

Shiono: But, there was another version, this V-Cinext.

Konno: After all, if we were going to do it, we wanted to have everyone together, right? I was happy to see that finally happen. Furthermore, with Director Sakamoto and all the Suit Actors from that time, it was a great honor to be able to work with them.

Shiono: The day we all gathered together was like a dream.

Konno: Even with relatives for example, if you only see each other once a year, you get alittle nervous (laughs). But with the cast and crew of Kyoryuger, I don't feel that way at all. They're irreplaceable. I hope that we can continue to communicate with each other forever.

Shiono: Asai Kosuke-san, the Suit Actor for KyoryuGreen, was unable to make the schedule for the TV series, but he was able to come this time. He was as humble as ever, and we were alittle nervous when greeting each other. It was nostalgic. It's nice to hear that he's been able to play Red many times after Green.

Konno: I had heard that Nogawa-san was going to play the role of KyoryuPink, but I dared not to contact her until the day of filming for the TV series. I thought that would make it more moving when we were reunited on set (laughs). Nogawa-san came to the VS this time as well, and in addition to Pink, she stood in and did some of Amy's actions.

Maruyama: KyoryuGold was played by Tsutamune-kun, who played Black at G-Rosso 10 years ago. I was very grateful that he came.

Shiono: Everyone in the King-Ohger cast seemed to get along well.

Maruyama: The atmosphere when everyone was together was really good.

Shiono: Their visuals are cool too. They incorporate some good points from anime as well.

Konno: It has the flashiness typical of Super Sentai. Their costumes before transforming were also gorgeous. We mostly wear casual clothes (laughs).

Maruyama: Utsusemimaru is the only one who can compete with them……but I still think he'd lose (laughs).

Konno: But, I think it's great that Super Sentai continues to evolve in this way. I was on a train once and saw an excited child with a Sentai toy getting off at Suidobashi station with their parents. I think they'd probably be watching G-Rosso's show from then on. 10 years ago, I was performing at G-Rosso, so I thought to myself, "I hope you enjoy it!" as I saw them off. I hope that the Super Sentai series continues forever for the benefit of such children.

Iitoyo Marie (Yayoi)

-Resurrected Memories-

"Just now, you participated in the recording session, how was it?"

Iitoyo: I was shown a video from 10 years ago as reference, but the first thing I noticed was my baby face (laughs). I was 15 years old at the time……My voice sounded so young, that I felt as if it wasn't mine. I've done dubbing for anime productions over the past few years, but there's something special about tokusatsu dubs, so I was worried about doing it after such a long absence. But it was a strange thing, as when I started, my memories came back to me, as if I had been doing this only yesterday. When I turned around, I naturally said stuff like, "Hah!" I even surprised myself.

"How was it decided that you'd appear this time?"

Iitoyo: When the Kyoryugers were going to make a guest appearance in the King-Ohger TV series, there were rumors that I might appear as well (laughs). But at that time, I didn't get an offer. I myself was an additional warrior and semi regular, so I thought it was inevitable. However, after that, there was a dinner party for this film, and Kinjo-san contacted me and asked, "Will monkey be joining us?" Ah, back in the day, I was called monkey (laughs). So, I had a chance to attend that dinner party. At that point I thought, "They're just flattering me" and didn't take it seriously (laughs), but after awhile, I found out that I was actually going to be able to appear and thought, "Yay!" What's more, the script had Yayoi playing an important role, which made me really happy. Of course I was able to perform, but the fact that everyone would be together was unbelievable. I want to thank everyone involved from the bottom of my heart.

-Greatest Joy-

"There were also action scenes."

Iitoyo: Recently, I had the opportunity to work on the production "Love You as the World Ends," and I think my experience during Kyoryuger definitely helped me in my ability to see and learn the flow of the action and shoot it immediately. Of course, the reason it looks so good isn't because I'm good at it, but because of the help of the members in the Action Department. Also, it was refreshing to see that I have many interactions with Utsusemimaru-san this time. We have an important mission, but the two of us end up distorting space and time……Yayoi isn't in the wrong at all (laughs). The comedic exchanges were fun to perform.

"Iitoyo-san, what does Kyoryuger mean to you?"

Iitoyo: I'll never forget this precious show. For example, even if I wear glasses for a moment, fans will say, "You remind me of Yayoi." Also, I've had many opportunities to perform with cast members from other series, and they always talk about it like, "XX and KyoryuViolet are doing a dream collab together!" For me, it's the great pleasure just to be remembered for my performance, but to be invited to a commemorative film like this is the greatest joy. I'd be happy if movie theaters could be a place of "reunion" for all fans.

Director Sakamoto Koichi

-A Miraculous Gathering!-

"Kyoryuger was the show in which the Director, who had been working on "Power Rangers" for many years, was finally in charge of the main part of the original Japanese Super Sentai series.

Sakamoto: I've enjoyed working on all of the productions I've been involved with, but if I were asked which is the best, I'd say Kyoryuger since every day of filming was fun. I had been involved in Super Sentai for 15 years with "Power Rangers," but that was the first time I had been involved in a Super Sentai project in Japan from its very beginning, so I aimed to make the most of my knowledge and experience to create a show that would be enjoyable. Sanjo-san, the Scriptwriter, who also worked on "Kamen Rider W" and "Kamen Rider Fourze," wrote a wonderful script that effectively utilized the characters and items, the talented cast, and as Producer Omori's first show as Chief Director, it's a very energetic show that concentrates everyone's energy. With the support of many fans and strong sales of its related merch, I think this was a memorable show in the history of Super Sentai. That's why I'm really happy to be able to participate in the 10th anniversary festivities this time!

"The first thing that surprised us was that the story was connected to episodes 32 and 33 of the King-Ohger TV series, as well as other episodes."

Sakamoto: The plan was to show all four except Daigo and Ucchi on TV, and save the complete group for the VS. So, I started working on the script early, but I was uncertain until the very end whether the cast would be able to assemble according to their schedules. Everyone was busy, including Ryusei. In the end, everyone including Marie-chan was able to make adjustments, and the day of the shoot was a beautiful sunny day. It was truly a miracle that they came together. However, on the day we mainly shot the post transformation action, there was still snow from the previous day, and on the day we mainly shot the King-Ohger cast, there was strong wind, so overall, filming was quite hard (laughs).

"On the day the Kyoryuger cast gathered, individual action scenes were also prepared."

Sakamoto: I think they're some of the best members of Super Sentai who have done some of the best action of all time. Therefore, in this film too, we've prepared action for each of them, although we didn't have enough time to spare. Once you learn to ride a bicycle, your body remembers it even if you haven't ridden it in awhile, right? For them, it's the same with action and the Kyoryu dance, and they did it in a snap even though it's been 10 years (laughs). Usually, when we shoot action with the cast members, it takes more time than in the Action Department, as we have to test it many times and teach them the movements in detail. But the members of Kyoryuger learn the action quickly and are able to film the action at almost the same speed as the Action Club. Takes unique to Super Sentai, such as running in and lining up side by side, can be done in a single shot. I once again thought, "Sentai is amazing" (laughs).

"It was also impressive to see how everyone seemed to be having fun on set."

Sakamoto: They probably did, but so did we……the staff was very happy (laughs). They've grown up in their own ways, while still retaining some of the same characteristics as back then. Also, most of the Suit Actors from back then, including Osshi, were there, so it felt as if the atmosphere on set 10 years ago had been revived and unchanged.

-For the Future of the Action World-

"The story is about all kinds of trouble going on because of Utsusemimaru……behind the scenes, the main character is Utsusemimaru, who's very active."

Sakamoto: Maruyama was disappointed that he didn't get a part in the TV series, so I told him, "I'll prepare a good role for you in VS!" I also put pressure on him saying, "The success or failure of the film depends on Utsusemimaru" (laughs).

"On the King-Ohgers side, it turned out feeling pretty outrageous."

Sakamoto: While in the process of writing the script, the climax of the TV series was set and I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do with VS. Since it would be difficult to make the film more exciting than the final trilogy due to the length of the film, we aimed to create an enjoyable experience that included elements similar to the "Returns~" series that Toei Video had previously produced. I thought that by taking a different approach from the roles in the TV series, the audience watching and the actors performing would be able to enjoy the show. I had alot of fun filming them because of their confidence and growth after completing the 1 year series, and their openness to make suggestions about "wanting to act like this."

"Please tell us about Kawana Rintaro-san, who has participated in a series of collaborations since the TV series."

Sakamoto: When I was watching tokusatsu hero shows, there were actors like Ohba Kenji-san and Haruta Junichi-san, who could perform advanced action and stunt work even before transforming. In addition, JAC (now JAE) at that time had big stars such as Shihomi Etsuko-san and Sanada Hiroyuki-san, and many of us admired them and entered the world of action films. One of my goals was to develop action stars who can be "objects of admiration." Rintaro, who plays the role of Prince, is the son of Motoki Kawana-kun, my junior, and grew up with a gifted education in action from a young age. He's appeared in several of my own productions, and I wanted to give him something of a big "chance" when I offered him an audition for the role of Prince. I recommended him for the role, and he won. It seems that he was well received when he appeared in the TV series, so I'm really looking forward to the future. He's the same age as my own son, very pure and cute~. I hope he'll continue to absorb more and more on various sets in the future.

"And, as for Kyoryuger, Chiba Shigeru-san's screaming narration is always a must! This time as well, his excitement was strong."

Sakamoto: Chiba-san is amazing! It's truly amazing that he continues to be active at the forefront of the industry. I've felt my body deteriorate rapidly since turning 50, so I've recently started working out again (laughs). Holding workshops gives me exercise and allows me to meet new talents, so I try to be proactive about doing them these days. I'd like to continue to film, so I'll keep doing my best from now on!

[feralplantwife]

Erzsebet Bathory- Thematic Character Analysis

I've seen a lot of posts about Erzsebet Bathory, and the general sense is that while her design is cool, she's not very well-developed or impressive from a character standpoint. I agree... Somewhat.

I'm going to get into it below, but the TL;DR version is that from a characterization standpoint, she is weak, but from a thematic standpoint, she is Everything.

Disclaimer: I have not been fortunate enough to play any of the games, so this analysis will focus solely on the show. <3

First, what do vampires mean in storytelling?

A vampire can symbolize many things, but here are the big three: they're a representation of the Other, the unknown (kind of like Frankenstein's Monster), but they can also be a manifestation of carnal, sinful, or deviant desires (think Dorian Grey). The one I'm going to focus on here, as it's the most relevant, is the third main type: the Parasite. Vampires are bloodsucking, gluttonous, selfish starving monsters that consume and consume until there is nothing left (think Robert Baratheon).

This was a theme that was explored in the first series with the Church's opulence and their desire to sacrifice innumerable human lives for the sake of their image and power. Carmilla is the same, but in contention with the Church.

This theme is expanded upon beautifully in Nocturne, with the French Revolution bourgeoise and American colonization and slave trade building upon the themes of the first series. Olrex talks about his home being destroyed, his lover's people being exterminated but holding onto his identity even in undeath. Annette holds onto her Yoruban faith and her Creole heritage taught to her by her mother and fellows even after generations of cultural genocide at the hands of her masters- a combination of more than one old indigenous faith and newer conglomerations of the same. (In this way, one could say that Erzsebet Bathory and Annette are foils!)

How does Erzsebet Bathory fit into this thematically?

Let me explain it like this: Erzsebet Bathory is a white woman dripping in stylized opulence who swallowed an Egyptian god. The truest enemy in this series is colonialism: the consumption of everything and everyone that isn't white and Christian to expand white and Christian ideals and desires using God as a face for their misdeeds- the consumption of people, land, culture, religion, knowledge, kindness. What could not be consumed was destroyed.

In this way, Erzsebet Bathory is the manifestation of all the greatest evils people of color and minorities have ever faced, and continue to face today: that of homogenization, exploitation, and destruction.

The fact that this is expanded by her vampiric elitism builds upon this idea by including all human beings. It's open knowledge among many anthropological circles that colonization destroyed a lot of technology, culture, and knowledge, has held society back, and continues to lead to unnecessary and painful struggle among society (largely due to that fact that many developed nations' governments are still being run by vampires today- how are all my fellow Americans doing as we barrel toward a government shutdown for this very reason?).

Erzsebet Bathory signifies the consumption of the human spirit and the death of mankind, wrapped up in a beautifully terrifying amalgam of every single sin the colonizers ever committed. She's not the ultimate character of Nocturne by a long shot, but she is the ultimate monster.

[tossawary]

I'm thinking about "What if the main character did not have a secret, powerful family background and was just some random person?" AUs for different stories, because I personally find that situation more compelling most of the time and I think it introduces more interesting struggles. While thinking about a bunch of other stories, I ended up thinking about Aragorn in "Lord of the Rings".

Now, Aragorn is a special case because 1) I wouldn't really call him THE main character and the "noble" members of the Fellowship are well-contrasted by the hobbits. The hobbits may be mostly Shire gentry (except for Sam), but on the grand stage of Middle Earth, they're still unimpressive nobodies. Frodo is already our ordinary hero. 2) Aragorn's road to kingship comes with him struggling with his ancestor's failures and accepting the heavy burdens that come with being Isildur's heir. This is specifically an arc of a character struggling with their family history. I am absolutely not saying that Aragorn being royalty makes LOTR a bad story and that it would be better if he was just some random guy. I think this is a well-written character storyline that is a key feature of the overall story.

But I do think it would be really funny to write fanfiction where Aragorn wasn't Arathorn's son. (There is the issue of the heritage that makes Aragorn age slowly, but maybe you could wiggle that so that Aragorn has that kind of heritage from a different source?) Like, the line of Isildur has died out, and let's say that Aragorn's mother takes shelter in Rivendell with her son, and kid Aragorn ends up wandering around to the broken sword and picking up the handle. And either Aragorn's mother lies to Elrond about Aragorn being Arathorn's son or Elrond happens across kid Aragorn with the broken sword and thinks... "Hey, what if we just... lied about it?"

Now, this could end really badly! As I vaguely understand it, the Silmarillion (which I have not read) contains a bunch of examples where lying did not go well, so maybe this lie is how Middle Earth falls into chaos in this AU. Whoops.

But even though this breaks some plotlines, I'm a sucker for adoption storylines. I love adoption being treated as important. It's compelling to imagine Elrond and Aragorn's mother carefully explaining the situation with the sword to him, and then this child just... stubbornly deciding that he's going to become Isildur's heir. Maybe Aragorn's determination falters at some point, he gives up on the idea, and he later has to return to Elrond as an adult and persuade him that no, he means it this time, mankind isn't just about bloodlines, he's going to pick up this burden on behalf of all of humanity. I think that there's something powerful in a person deciding that no, I'm not of Isildur's blood, but I have his same potential for success and for failure, and I'm here. I'm fighting. I picked up the broken sword and that's good enough, isn't it? Who are you to say I'm not his heir? I'm HERE.

I think there's powerful magic in that too. (Also, Arathorn is dead and getting adopted as a father by some random kid. Sure. Okay. I think that's just funny.)

(Also, oh my, there is SO MUCH tragedy if Aragorn being Isildur's heir is a lie and Boromir died believing it. The GUILT. The GUILT that Aragorn would feel when Boromir says, "I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king." Like, oh man, now you HAVE TO make it true.)

Now, maybe Aragorn doesn't become King of Gondor in this AU or maybe he does. Maybe Faramir becomes king instead. Maybe it becomes well known by the end of the journey that Aragorn isn't a blood descendant of Isildur and maybe it's a secret known only to the Fellowship. I'd like to think that he still marries Arwen. I like the idea of Arwen happily and knowingly marrying some nobody lying about his heritage and Elrond internally being like, "This is kind of on me."

The most important thing here is that it would be so fucking funny if Aragorn (and Elrond and Gandalf and Galadriel) successfully lied to Sauron the Deceiver. Sauron's like, "Oh? A secret heir come out of hiding to fight against me? Sounds legit." And at some point near the end, just before some hobbits chuck a ring into a volcano behind his back, Sauron is looking at Aragorn like, "Wait a minute, what the fuck, you lying little SHIT."

(Or Sauron finds out via Pippin that Aragorn is lying and feels SO SMUG about how he's going to crush a false king, which just adds to Aragorn's whole "made you look!" distraction keeping Sauron from noticing the hobbits sneaking into Mount Doom.)

[xoxoamyas]

Christmas Surprise <3

rating : fluff, reader gets called petnames [ darling, love, dear ]

king!wilbur x royalty!gn!reader [ use of you/yours, no name mentioned ] [ married wilbur and reader ]

☆ . wilbur decides it's finally time to give you a surprise with a long-awaited gift. all the while, sweet shenanigans ensure between you two. <3

note : if i don't get this out now, i never will. consider it my christmas gift/special from me to you. i really wanted to do a royalty type thing, and this was made, i hope you enjoy it [ i may make more king!wilbur in the future, i've been brain rotting over him for a minute ]

masterlist [ ☆ ]

⋆˙⟡

“Oh, darling~,” the familiar voice calls for you, the door to the main bedroom opening. The man you loved to bits and pieces peaking around the door with a wide grin like a kid who just got handed candy.

“Oh no, what are you up to now?” You ask, closing the book you had propped open in your lap, gently setting it to the side.

“Nothing you need to worry about, love.” Wilbur moves with practised ease, hands behind his back as he steps to your side of the bed. Holding a hand out in offering to you, which you warily take.

He makes you laugh when he lightly pulls you up, carefully holding your hand up as his other arm moves to be around your waist and pull you closer. You use him mostly for stability, your free hand moving to his upper arm before his shoulder.

“What do you want, Wil?” You ask as he takes lead in a little dancing, lightly stepping you both in a circle.

“Am I not allowed to love you, my dear?” He's being extra cheesy, it seems, him twirling you around and moving to lightly hold both his arms around your waist. Pulling you close and giving you a chance to wrap your arms around his neck, which you take.

“You are, it's just very sudden.” You lightly laugh, moving to gently press your forehead against his own. Wilbur carefully swayed you both in the same spot for a long moment, content to remain like that for an eternity, even.

“I have something for you, my love.” Wilbur suddenly breaks the silence, quickly pressing a kiss to your nose before letting you go. Hands moving to hold your own with a grin once more. “You need to close your eyes, though. It's a surprise.”

“Wil..” There's a caution to your tone, Wilbur being fairly.. Well, while his surprises were usually sweet, they weren't always thought out. A guard had once nearly lost his hand, many maids had fallen over midst putting things in a room together, the list could go on.

“Don't look at me like that. I swear it's all been planned this time. No lives were lost, and egos were saved in the making of this surprise.” He's got a serious yet playful expression, a slight grin on his lips as he looks at you. ”Now, please, will you close your eyes and trust me?” He's quick to stick his lip out in a pout, instantaneously giving the puppy dog eyes to go with.

You eventually sigh, crumbling and giving in since you just can't find it in you to tell him no. “You're so dumb. But if this is another garden catastrophe, I'm sleeping in one of the guest rooms and taking all the pillows with me.” Wilbur immediately chimes, like a kid on Christmas who just got every candy and toy known to mankind.

“It won't be, just close your eyes, and I'll show you.” He says, wasting no time to press a peck to your forehead, making you smile.

You make sure both Wilbur's hands are on your own before finally closing your eyes and trusting him. He starts guiding you out of the room, being sure you don't walk into anything as he walks you through the halls with ease.

“You couldn't have just had me close my eyes after letting me follow you?” You ask in a teasing tone, realizing whatever the surprise was is a little bit away from your shared room.

“It would take away from the anticipation!” You can hear the grin in Wilbur's voice. “Alright, hold on and stand right here.” He finally stops the long awaited walk, carefully placing his hands along your arms and moving you just slightly so that you're facing a different direction. “I'm going to walk a bit away from you, but I'm still here.” He lightly expresses, pressing a kiss to your cheek before leaving you there.

You wait almost nervously, half tempted to just open your eyes without prompt. You were just about to when you heard Wilbur say to open them some odd feet in front of you, to which you do, blinking your eyes open a bit.

He had guided you towards the great hall, though it was more decorated than anything. Slowly stepping mind, you looked and paid more attention than you usually did. A real tree Wilbur likely paid someone to bring in was in the corner, decorated with garland, leafs, and what looked like golden tinsel. A few wrapped presents already beneath it, as well.

The fireplace was decorated up as well, some stockings hanging with mini winter decorations atop the mantel. The one in the centre being your favourite by far, it having been the little figures you used for yours and Wilbur's Wedding. It typically stayed on display in the entrance hall; A display of our love and bound fates, he had called it.

Other than that, there were random little things along the walls, likely placed up by the maids of the castle. A wreath that had yet to be hung up on an ottoman within the room.

When your eyes finally flickered to Wilbur, he stood there with a loving gaze, arms behind his back as he waited as patiently as possible. You had grown to know enough of his tells to recognize that he's nervous for your response. It just makes you give a soft smile.

“What's all this for?” You ask, finally stepping closer and standing more in front of him. “I mean- I love it, but why?” You can't help but ask, watching as Wilbur shifts on his feet and brings his arms around to his front, holding a small box in his hands.

“Well, I thought since Christmas was just around the corner, we should decorate.” He grins a bit more, clearly happy to know that you loved it. “I got this for you, too. Well, for us technically, but it's with you in mind, my love.” He's got that lovestruck expression on his face again as he carefully holds the small box out to you.

Your eyes flicker between Wilbur and the box, feeling nothing but warm as you gently take the box from him. Lightly opening it and giving a sound of awe, a pair of wedding bands placed within it.

“Oh, Wil.” Your eyes flicker to Wilbur, a look of adoration on your features before rushing forwards and wrapping your arms around his neck.

“I take it you like it?” He asks, breaking out into his own smile as his arms move to wrap around your waist. “I know that it's long overdue, and I have no excuse, but-”

“I don't care that I got it just now, I just love that you put the thought into it.” You didn't hesitate to cut him off, promptly pulling him into a kiss right after.

He smiled into it, quick to lean in and kiss you in return. Breaking it off after a moment of enjoying it, resting his forehead against your own with a grin on his face.

“We can stand here continuing to look like morons or we can go talk the caterers into making some cookies.” You suggest after a moment, hoping for the later.

Wilbur lightly chuckles, “At least we look like morons in love.” He presses a sweet kiss to your nose before moving to guide your arms away from his neck. “What if I told you I already convinced the caterers to make cookies and more?” He asks with a smile, gently taking the wedding band with one hand and your left hand with the other, gently sliding the band onto your ring finger before doing the same for himself with the other band.

“What are we doing standing here then? Let's go!” You grasp both his hands into your own with an excited smile of your own, pulling along.

“We're going, we're going-!” Wilbur laughed out, following after you happily.

[writterracoon]

Hades 2

Lately, I've been a bit obsessed about Hades 2, I've been watching people play the test run , listening to compilations of interactions and scouring theories.

While doing all of that, I noticed something of a pattern, a theme that often came back and I think I may have found out one of the MAIN theme and conflict of the game and I've seen nobody talk about it yet, so here we go.

More under if you're not against being possibly spoiled.

I think one of the major themes of Hades 2 is going to be about Humanity and its complex relationship with the Gods, the way the gods treat mortals and the way mortals treat the gods.

here are my evidences

The interactions

the first thing that put me on this path was this interaction between Melinoe and Nemesis.

In this conversation, Nemesis and Melinoe are talking about Retribution and Justice and how Nemesis believes that Kronos taking over the underworld and challenging the Olympians may be what they deserve. Notice how Nemesis specifically mentions mortals and the Golden Age.

For those who don't know, in greek mythology the Golden Age was the first Era of Humanity and when Chronos was the ruler of the heavens. It was a time of peace and harmony for humanity where there existed no plague or famine, there was no need to work as they could simply pick their food from nature itself. They lived long lives, remaining youthful and died peacefully in their sleep.

Nemesis is I think trying to hint to Melinoe that maybe the situation is not exactly as black and white as it first seems and that humanity may have a bigger role in this than first thought.

A second interaction i want to bring to mind is about Moros and his relationship with mortals.

Here Moros admits that sometimes he because of was simply bored he would knowingly bring doom and pain to Mortals ending their lives painfully.

Archnea's interactions are also the strongest contenders for that theory, as they bring back that theme of divine cruelty, the gods view of mankind and how they callously treat them.

She has been wronged by the gods for the simple reason that she was better than them at something and they naturally couldn't stand it so they cursed her to live as a spider. She is filled with resentment for them and even warns Mel not to trust them. Also, note how she admits she fears the gods more than she fears Chronos.

2. Dora

Now Dora is a bit particular because we don't know much about her, but I have seen a theory and some interaction with Moros seem to be pointing toward it, which is that she might be Pandora, the original sinner of Greek mythology.

the myth of Pandora goes a bit like this: During the Golden Age, after Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gifted it to humanity, the gods decided to punish Prometheus by punishing humanity. They built Pandora, a woman beautiful beyond compare, and gave her a box full of the evils of the world. They then send her to seduce Epimetheus Prometheus's brother, who despite his brother's warning is promptly seduced by Pandora's beauty and welcomes her into his home. She then opened the box and released the evil of the world upon mankind, thus ending the Golden Age. Only hope stays inside the box.

Again if this is indeed true, it would follow the theme of the gods inflicting pain and suffering upon mankind for petty reasons, uncaring about the consequences of those actions.

3. Hades I

During the first game, many interactions points toward the gods general uncaring attitudes about mortals. Demeter thinks it was a mortal who stole her daughter away, so she decides that she will punish them all by starving them with an eternal winter. The other gods make almost mention of it only to say how much it annoys them.

4. Speculation

This part is not so much about evidences and more about speculations about the story of Hades 2 based upon my theory that mankind is going to be central in this tale.

The reason how Chronos is so powerfull, powerfull enough to free himself from Tartarus and claim the Underworld for himself, is that mortal were tired of being the gods' playthings and prayed to him, they prayed for his return, for the return of the golden age, where pain and suffering were unknown to them and the gods weren't using them for their own amusement.

The gods are going to have to deal with the fact that their poor treatment of humanity has consequences and those consequences are the return of Chronos and a second titonomachy.

Melinoe will propably have to face the fact that Chronos is wrong in challenging the gods and that the current status quo cannot be sustained any longer. The Olympian gods will have to change how they treat mankind if they wish to even have a stand a chance against chronos.

(TLDR, The Olympian gods have treated mankind like shit for a long time and now they are dealing with the consequences of those actions when the mortals are praying to Chronos to come back and restore back the golden Age where their lives weren't even half as awful. Melinoe will have to deal with the fact that her family might very well deserve what is happening to them and if she wishes to save them, the gods will have to change.)

[kerubimcrepin]

Liveblog - Dofus, livre 1 : Julith [PART 23]

I think after this it's kinda natural that Joris will never ever put his trust into anyone that isn't Kerubim or Atcham ever again.

I am once again asking why Kerubim has these books and what was he doing at devil's sacrament.

He's never beating those necromancy allegations.

There's a canonical name for the evil-ass looking huppermages.

Once again, this is Them in Dofus 2 when they reveal to Joris that they framed Julith or something. (source: my beautiful mind)

The Dessous comic implies that Marline bought this stuff from Kerubim which is so funny. It's beautiful how little of a shit the man gives for the safety of others.

I may not like Khan in his present form, as a macho gobbowler, but I like the idea of him. Joris, and his little "ghnhnn I have to do what's right, I have sacrifice my happinesss for other people" complex needs someone like that in his life who will buy him alcohol and help him run away from home when he's 14-16.

I'm sure if given another movie, or a show, Ankama's plan would have been to make Khan more likeable. He seems like a ride-or-die friend.

A scene ago he was in Julith's arms. So, she found it important to get him into the arms of this dofus-powered doll. Personally, I like to think that he started thrashing and maybe even bit her.

What did she lie about though? Liking him? Not wanting the Dofus? Being a competent person and not a fuck-up? (I love Bakara and say all of this with affection)

Once again, I empathize, that Julith was gloating about this to Bakara. That she doesn't really care about Joris (and by extension, Joris's feelings.)

She is killing a thousand people, who did nothing to her. These are civilians who came to watch a sports match. How many mothers are here with their sons and daughters who just wanted to look at their idols? If Joris never had Grougalorasalar's soul, if he and Kerubim never learned of her plan, THEY would have been among these viewers.

Julith is a very interesting character because she's ruthless, she has no morals, absolutely no understanding or compassion for others, — even Bakara or her own son, — and yet she is driven by love almost entirely. And that's her one redeeming quality.

But also — does it really change things, when you're driven by love to kill a thousand innocent people? To ruin your son's life? Because it doesn't really change much, to me...

I think there's a tragedy in that. She does love the idea of Joris. She loves what she sees of him, his voice, his face, and eyes. If she learned more about him, she'd probably love the parts he didn't show too. She'd love to see how he grew up.

She'd love how committed he is to those he loves. She'd love his ruthless march towards what he thinks is right that will allow him to close his eyes as he does unforgivable things. The only thing she would dislike is his loyalty to Bonta.

But the reverse will never be true. Joris can become a warmonger, a dictator, and a war criminal, but he would loathe to place his needs above those of others. He wouldn't do horrible things if he didn't think it was for the greater good of mankind.

As a 600yo man, Joris has lived through two apocalypses, — and yet people like Nox and Julith will lose 1-4 loved ones and go insane, killing people. I doubt he feels much for her, except for disgust.

Their friendship is so important to me. But also, somewhere out there, Tatak is crying.

I think one of the great tragedies of Joris's character is that he is doomed to break his own moral code, slowly but surely.

One must imagine Joris Jurgen living happily with the blood of innocents on his hands, because the alternative is more haunting.

One of her main issues is that she projects the actions of a few onto literally everyone in Bonta. Which is a very crazy fucking reach.

But I understand how she arrived at this reach to begin with: I don't think she was ever happy, before Jahash, and when she finally was happy, for once in her entire life, they took even that away from her.

You wanna know who else in this scene is going to have only 2 people who give meaning to his life? Jo—— [I am forcefully restrained by the police]

I just really like pointing out the similarities between Joris and Julith, — and the way these similarities underline their differences.

Once again: she doesn't give a shit about anyone's opinion. She is betting everything onto a nebulous future where Joris and Jahash and Bakara forgive and forget everything she did, and they live as a happy Fambly (in Brakmar, because that's a GOOD city and they will LOVE to move there, after being no longer welcome in Bonta due to the 1000 dead people.)

(Guy whose very emotional and Julith and Joris voice) guys I think she's starting to realize that their familial relationship is going to be unfixable.

Joris and everyone present here are quite aware that stopping this will kill one of them.

They are also very aware that one dead person is better than a thousand.

[phantombanquet]

Main Story: Diasomnia Book Chapter 8 Episode 7-117: Preparation for Departure! (Translation)

Episode 7-117

⚠️ Major Diasomnia spoilers! Proceed with caution.

translation by: phantombanquet

Idia: MALLEUS-SHI, HUH~~~~! 

THIS GRUDGE… SHOULD I LEAVE IT UNSETTLED~~!! ¹

If that happens, that pretentious inexpressive² guy, who usually keeps up his strong chara moves up in his sleeves…..

I can't help but feel sorry for myself if I don't see his pathetic figure sobbing with a runny nose and begging for forgiveness!

Now, what should I do…… Heh… Ehehehehehe!

Ortho: W-What a malicious scheming face…

This… May have angered someone who shouldn't be angered~

Idia: Heheh…… I'll show you. The ultimate power of a lone wolf³ trained in the gloomy “underworld.”

Just you wait, Malleus Draconia……

I'LL GET REVENGE BY SEIZING YOUR SPECIAL WEAKNESS!!!

Ortho: ……That's all.

From the magical disaster caused by Malleus Draconia until the awakening of Idia Shroud. This concludes the progress report.

Grim: Oohh~~! While we were fightin’ over in Lilia's dream, that's what happened to you guys.

Silver: I see. So Idia-senpai and Ortho are outside of the magical realm. It means that there is support coming from the real world. 

Idia: Y-Yeah, t-that sort of thing…… Well, for now, we'll be playing a dummy video on the surveillance camera for a short while……

I can only do this much.

Sebek: So, even if you have woken up, Malleus-sama will fail to notice and the “darkness” will not attack you.

Ortho: Yes.. And like I said earlier, Malleus-san is currently……

Focused on putting Lilia Vanrouge-san to sleep. 

So, I expect that he has not traced down the whereabouts of Silver-san and the others.

Sebek: Hm. I honestly want to praise your skills, but it is quite complicated when you are outsmarting Malleus-sama……

Idia: Well, that other guy is a battleship-like⁴ cheater so… We're still far off from completely capturing him.

Silver: However… I had no idea that Malleus-sama continued to expand his magical realm beyond the island……

Sebek: Furthermore, if the area is forcibly destroyed from the  outside, there is a possibility that the trapped person's psyche could also become destroyed!?

Grim: Somehow it's a real mess for real.

[Choice 1] Yuu: Can we do something about this?

[Choice 2] Yuu: (If this continues on, Tsunotarou will become the enemy of mankind.) 

Ortho: Yes. That's why we need your power!

Silver: Our… Power?

Ortho: Currently, the S.T.Y.X. staff is working together to assign ID numbers to the dreams of those trapped in the magical realm. 

During that time, we captured your magical reaction as you “moved around on your own” in the dream.

Silver: Could it be that it was my “Meet in a Dream?”

It's my unique magic that allows me to cross between dreams……

Ortho: Yes! That one, that one!

When traces of someone moving from one human dream to another were discovered, the engineers at S.T.Y.X. were in a commotion.

So that was Silver-san's unique magic, after all. Magic is a really mysterious power, huh.

Silver: However, my magic is to reliably travel to the dream of the person I'm targeting after, like you guys. I can't call someone into my dream.

I don’t know what else to say; it's hard to explain… It's a very intuitive kind of magic……

That’s why I was really surprised when Ortho appeared in the Dream Corridor and led us here. 

Ortho: What are you saying?

S.T.Y.X. prides themselves on their super computers and experts in magical engineering and magical analysis. 

They tried their best to analyze magic and they finally found a way to travel from dream to dream. 

Moreover, it is difficult to say that the current method is 100% reproducible so they said: “it's still a beta version.”

The mere fact that you can do it intuitively is astonishing.

Sebek: Hm. So the “power” that you need is Silver's unique magic?

Ortho: That's a part of it, too, but…

Sebek Zigvolt-san, Grim-san, and Yuu-san, your cooperation is essential.

Grim: Hmph! You're just trying to make us do the messy work, aren't ya!

Ortho: Wow♡ Grim-san, you talk too fast. 

[Choice 1] Yuu: This pattern is similar to the headmage……

[Choice 2] Yuu: I don't see any other reason to  be called out……

Sebek: Hmph, I don't like this sluggishness. Get to the point!!

Idia: S-So, uhhh……. While you guys were chattering in Lilia-shi's dream..

I-I was trying to think of a way to escape from my dream world……

Or rather, I've been trying to come up with a strategy to deal with Malleus-shi.

[Choice 1] Yuu: Is your strategy to get him to cry and beg for forgiveness while his nose is runny?

[Choice 2] Yuu: Is it a strategy to take revenge by capturing their special weakness?

Idia: Y-Yeah. That… Hih, hihi.

Anyhow, I made a video to explain that strategy…… W-Would you like to watch it?

Grim, Silver, Sebek: Video?

Idia: Waah~♪ Only good things have been happening lately~ It's so fun every day~ It's just like a dream~♬ Well. It was, in fact, really just a dream. Welcome, all you carefree people who live in the world of empty dreams. I am Idia Shroud. So for today, a cheat trick to create a dream world using magic — — was used by The Most Evil☆Final Boss Mage. Let me explain the strategy used by Malleus-shi. The magical realm that Malleus-shi created is kinda like a server running a huge MMORPG. And each dream of someone sleeping is managed individually. Malleus-shi is using himself and his alter ego to keep an eye on this server. To give you an idea, Malleus-shi is a server admin. And his alter ego is cracking down on users to commit violations in the online game — like a gamemaster. Malleus-shi, with the authority to operate and manage over the entire server, is currently in the state of a demon king who has the world right under his thumb.

Under Malleus-shi's control, we have NO chance of succeeding…… BUT! Because of the super geek hacker group S.T.Y.X. and Ortho's attack, all of the server's source code (construction formulas of the magical realm) has been analyzed and is now completely visible!

So — I'm going to use that data from my dream to develop and build a cheat tool. And then get rid of that damned invulnerable status! It seems like a perfect strategy at first glance, but in fact, there’s actually a flaw in this cheat strategy……. If Malleus-shi (the server admin) discovers this during development— IT'S GAME OVER IN AN INSTANT. But hold your horses! Despite that his alter ego uses autonomous magic, with the total population of Sage Island, monitoring and managing the dreams of about 20,000 people is not an easy task — even for Malleus-shi. If a problem happens here and there in your dream, there's a high chance that you'll have to deal with it by yourself! Therefore — I’ll be developing a cheat tool. I want you guys to catch Malleus-shi's eye and gather party members so we can subdue the demon king.

When everyone wakes up, we'll hand out invite codes that will allow them to travel to my dream.

Then, when all the preparations are ready, Malleus-shi will be lured to my dream and that's when the cheat tool that I developed turns on!! As planned, Malleus-shi's invulnerability will be canceled. And by using the invite codes that were diligently handed out, everyone will gather in my dream! We're going to beat him up with our sheer numbers of forces!

If things go as expected, Malleus-shi will also lift the spell and free us—! How was it!? “A lone wolf magician engineering guy explains how to capture the demon king in three minutes video.” If you think this video was good, leave a like! And this was Idia Shroud.

Grim, Silver, Sebek: ............

Idia: Ummm, e-everyone… Thank you for your attention. ⁵

Th-that’s why……

I ask you guys to go on a journey to gather “the strongest party members who will take on the challenge of defeating the demon king!”

Grim, Silver, Sebek: EHHHHH~~~!?

TO BE CONTINUED...

translator notes:

¹ - 「この怨はらさでおくべきか」 is an old Kansai (Osaka) dialect phrase. This phrase, although it seems like one will forever hold a grudge, actually means something along the lines of: “Shall I leave this grudge unresolved? (No, I actually have to solve this),” due to how the phrase is structured (which would be too deep to delve into but it’s mainly because of the か and べき/べし in the phrase).

² - 「スカしま」 is a Japanese slang usually used as an insult

³ - 「陰キャ」 is yet another Japanese slang used to describe someone with a gloomy or reserved personality or introverts. I used a known English slang instead of translating literally to preserve the meaning of the word.

⁴ - 「弩級 (どきゅう)」 is the Japanese translation of “Dreadnought,” which is a type of battleship in the early 20th century. Idia was just being a nerd again by using game-like terms so I decided to stick with using “battleship” instead of the literal translation.

⁵ - I wanted to note that Idia addressed them as 「皆様」which is a polite way of addressing others due to the inclusion of 様 (sama). Also, the “thank you for your attention” line was written as 「ご清聴アリガトウゴザイマシタ」 in the text instead of the usual 「ご清聴ありがとうございました」 which I think it's just to note Idia's personality www.

personal notes: this wasn't jp proofread so there might be inaccuracies;;; additionally aniplex jp actually posted the "how to subjugate the demon king" video but it's only available in japan.. you can still access it by using a vpn though~

[sgiandubh]

From California to the New York island... - The 2023 edition

I will probably quickly learn not to post exceedingly allusive things when I am running out of time and yet have to jot down the lightbulb moment, lest it's gone forever.

This morning, I mentioned in my post some images that were still freshly baked and put out for consumption on the two main Mordorian news outlets. When people started to ask in droves during my coffee & lunch breaks, I knew I had to go further, despite my deep, jaded reluctance to revisit my own musings. So now, with laundry on the way (fi-nal-ly!) and a hot cocoa by my side, let's hit the road.

This time, we're going to do it with pictures. It's easier, including for the people from Pyongyang, ahem, Mordor. And the dang simplistic context allows for it: what is there to theorize when the strings are so conspicuous?

I was writing, this morning:

This is the image the Mordorian Pravdas didn't show you:

La Niña Vaquera, feeling maybe a bit shot to the curb, when clearly the whole party vibe is where (Red Dress?) Melanie, the MPC boys band and the Blonde Brigade are. Possibly in a chit-chat with somebody who is not S., classy red plastic cup in hand. I had to re-watch the snippet at least six times in a row to find her (a very taxing job, but hey, it's for the cause). Maybe talking to the somebody whose +1 she plausibly was?

FYI, S never looked at her, never touched her, never engaged with her. Not even when she took her artillery sightseeing, while they were cheering with rapture, shot glasses in hand:

Red arrow is BBC, aka La Niña Vaquera. S is offscreen, to the left, looking at who I think is Duncan Millership (blue arrow), who also was with S at the Sasnak City event, and introduced by him as his new manager. @rosfrank confirmed this morning, in one of the comment threads:

So, rather inconclusive, eh?

With KE/Cucumber Yoga Chick out of the building with a bang, we had to somehow be led further on the Breadcrumb Trail, so serviceable *urv obliged and posted the infamous Shutters Pic I also mentioned and described. If you want to see it, park your drones in her backyard: I am not going to post it, because she arrowed it and the least thing I want is to have Ye Auld Wraith (or anyone, for that matter) on my back stat.

To make it clear: would it be for the first time in the history of mankind when a groupie checks in at the same hotel? But hey, let's be pessimistic for once and suppose she's the new Calendar Girl (based on what, I wonder). She went there, took the pic, leaked it and au revoir, les enfants. Fair's fair, for the Banana Boat Day-oh experience.

And then, we have the 'Fan Pic' who bamboozled the tired, weary masses, courtesy of the other Mordorian, CNN-style, news outlet. This I can post: I stole it from @bat-cat-reader and she never minds.

Conveniently, the woman who posted this very clear latergram does not comment. You bet she doesn't. So, I draw some arrows: let's see where they take us.

The hair is not right, as compared to Banana Boat Day-oh:

What do we say? One inch? One inch and a half longer? Three days later? I should pray for the same to happen to my waistline, but the other way round, then.

And then, also: where is...

Yeah: where's the scar, Sir?

Do you see it? I almost broke my nose and I haven't.

Irrespective of what Mordorian media reported, that is not an MPC rucksack, in the picture.

This is an MPC black rucksack:

Featuring this very peculiar fastening system:

The bag in the picture above has a different one and no visible beige reinforcements:

Maybe the MPC bag line did not exist on the surface of this planet when the pic was taken? Maybe he used a different bag (but we know he travels with those, nowadays) ? At any rate, that is not an MPC one.

And because the third time is always a charm, the Water Bottle. Also suggested (less insistently, though) as belonging to the MPC line.

This is an MPC Peaker water bottle:

With this type of bore:

The one in the picture is, again, different, IMHO, even if the image is very blurry:

I wanted to round this up with a bang and identify the damn logo, because I think it might provide very useful clues. I tried, damn I did, but was unsuccessful. I leave this to better sleuths than I.

Until further evidence, I stand on a very reserved ground concerning BBC. There is still absolutely nothing to write home about. But sure, go ahead and make up your own mind. By all means and I mean it. And sorry for the length of it, of course.

[edited for the fourth arrow]

Fuck, I forgot The Vest.

Weather forecast for yesterday, in Santa Monica, Ca.:

Why the vest on the same man who wrote in Waypoints:

Flying somewhere, perhaps?

[crossdreamers]

Was Jesus transgender?

Jay Hulme has written a fascinating thread about how theologians have understood the gender of Jesus. Even though no one thinks of Jesus as transgender in the modern sense, it is pretty clear that Jesus has been seen as crossing the gender binary.

Jay Hulme is a transgender poet, performer and education and you can find his web site here! Jay is currently Poet-in-Residence at ‘The Poet’s Church’, St Giles-in-the-Fields in Central London.

Recently there was some drama where news outlets got angry at a sermon which supposedly claimed Jesus was trans. Obviously the sermon did not say Jesus was trans - but it did touch on some fascinating (and very old) theology surrounding Jesus and gender. So let's talk about that.

God is not male

First I've gotta explain the Trinity... which is way too complex for twitter Suffice to say that God is not male (despite what you may have heard) and is in fact all genders and none simultaneously Jesus is God made flesh, God embodied as human. As a human man, yes, but also...

If you've been on Trans Twitter you'll have seen the "Jesus is trans" jokes. Saying his chromosomes had to be XX because he couldn't have got a Y from his Father. The meme about his side would being from top surgery But people have been playing with Jesus' gender for centuries

And the reason that people have been playing with Jesus' gender in art and theology and all that for centuries, is that Jesus gives us REASON to. So, of course, as we expand our understanding of gender in the modern world, we expand that to trans stuff too.

For all mankind

So lets talk about how, historically, the "Masculinity" of Jesus has been seen and considered, shall we?

So the whole point of Jesus is that he comes for ALL of humankind. We are told that we are all capable of, and supposed to work towards, being "christlike" - after all, Jesus is the embodiment of a genderless (or genderfull) God. The point is not that Jesus is a man, but a HUMAN.

And Jesus is clear about the fact that he didn't come as "a man" but "a human". So clear that all of the Gospel writers agree on it. In fact, throughout the Gospels Jesus never uses the word "anēr" (male/masculine) to describe himself. He always uses "anthrōpos" (human).

Jesus is the human incarnation of a God who is all genders and none, all at the same time; a God that has created each of us in their own image - all of us, of every gender - and therefore Jesus is not simply "male", but "human", and theologians have long recognised this.

Jesus as mother

Understanding that Jesus isn't merely "male", theologians have often described Jesus as a "mother" - most famously Julian of Norwich, who wrote in the 1300's, said: "Jesus Christ therefore, who himself overcame evil with good, is our true Mother."

Julian of Norwich also stated "The mother can give her child to suck of her milk, but our precious Mother Jesus can feed us with himself, and does, most courteously and most tenderly, with the blessed sacrament, which is the precious food of true life"

This idea of the sacrament as breast milk was not unique to Julian - many theologians drew the connection between these life giving things - even reflecting Rabbinic understandings of the Manna from Heaven as breast milk to create a long thread of understanding.

But one of the most "contentious" parts of the sermon that started this furore and started this thread is a particular (and long held) understanding of Jesus' side wound. Obviously, Julian has thoughts on that, too...

Julian says: "The mother can lay her child tenderly to her breast, but our tender Mother Jesus can lead us easily into his blessed breast through his sweet open side, and show us there a part of the godhead and of the joys of heaven, with inner certainty of endless bliss."

Jesus side wound

Medieval Christians were OBSESSED with Jesus' side wound. It was the highlight of artistic depictions, the focus of sermons, the content of visions. And one of the main things they saw it as, was some kind of portal...

And by "portal", I do, of course, mean vagina. And that's what the oh so contentious sermon said - "look, medieval christian art saw Jesus' side wound as a vagina. Let's talk about that."

The idea is that Jesus gives life. Like a mother giving birth. Jesus raising Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus himself rising from the tomb, they both involve the miraculous drawing out of human life from a dark cave, along a tunnel, and into the light. Sounds a lot like childbirth.

We say that Christ died so that we could live. The Bible says it a lot. Many theologians, living in a time where death in childbirth was common, and childbirth itself could be horrifically painful drew the connection between Christ's physical death on the cross and childbirth.

Theologians saw Jesus' agony on the cross as a form of 'labour' as he 'birthed' new life for all of us. And so, when the soldier pieced his side, proving he was dead, and "blood and water" came out, they saw that as the moment of 'birth'. Like blood and water come in childbirth

With that in mind, when an opening in a body brings forth water and blood, and in the midst of that water and blood comes new life... it's fair to think of it as a vagina. So medieval artists, depicting that moment, depicted Jesus' side wound as such. It was a thing.

The femininity of Jesus

There's also all the theology that surrounded Jesus' actions: theologians living in times of strict gender roles obsessed over the "femininity" of Jesus feeding and serving others. Even speaking to women as if they were equal. Of him taking the "feminine role" in his interactions

But this thread is already very long...

In summary: If you think it's heresy to see Jesus as "feminine" or "mother" or anything other than a masculine macho manly man, you're wrong. And if you think it's "modern woke nonsense", then you've not been paying attention to centuries of theology, or the Gospels themselves.

One day I'll do a whole thread on how it actually is Big Trans Vibes for God to shrink down to a single "gender" and body to walk among us as Jesus, and how weird that must have been for Jesus to suddenly be "male" and not "the genderweird vibe of God" but that's for another time

Ppl have been going BUT WHAT ABOUT 'THE SON OF MAN' and my friends, the earliest Gospels we've got are Ancient Greek and Luke 9:22 says "υἱός τοῦ ἀνθρώπου" υἱός is often translated as "male child" but regularly applies to female children ἀνθρώπου means "human / humanity"

Full twitter thread here!

Photo from the Norwegian play Jesus, the Queen of Heaven, where the Norwegian transgender pioneer  Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad played Jesus. Photo by Fin Serck-Hanssen.

[asksythe]

Hi! I was looking into some stuff and came across a post talking about WWX’s arrogance. It was about WWX’s character and how the fandom insists that his arrogance was one of his main flaws when that’s not true and so on. Then I saw some people saying that arrogance is not inherently bad in Chinese novels and that I might have to do with the way the novel was translated.

I was just wondering if you had some insight on this. Thanks!

On some level, it can be considered a translation issue. But the real reason why WWX's characters, as well as countless other details in MDZS specifically (and Chinese novels broadly speaking), tend to be misunderstood on such a massive scale is... cross-cultural value mismatch.

Consider this:

1/ There is a tendency in the international fanbase to judge WWX (and other characters) on a modern Western moral standard. I don't have to tell you how illogical this is. Imagine if you come into the world of Game of Thrones and start spouting 21st-century judgment. You are likely to become human shishkebabs in less than five minutes. Most people who watch Game of Thrones or read the book understand that's not something you do unless you are a moron or looking to start shit. But for some reason, this is not the case for the MDZS fandom (and many other Chinese media fandoms out there). I'm not sure why this is the case. It might be because of the cultural distance making people not really realize they are coming into an entirely different world, and then they forget to check their modern expectations at the door. Like how tourists become obnoxious when they come to a foreign country, expecting the foreign country to cater to their whims.

I've once seen someone made an addition on TV Tropes saying WWX is a mass murderer that never got punished for his crime. I... I don't know what to say to that really. My expectation is that the person who wrote that is someone under 30, never left America, and never served in the military. For somebody who has never had this kind of experience, no amount of words will explain to them that for major parts of the world and for the vast majority of mankind's history, you have to be able to kill to survive. In fact, for most of our history, killers are our heroes. War is a reality that we live in. The ones who survive are the ones who win wars, the really accomplished killers.

2/ MDZS was not written for an international audience. That is to say, it's written with the expectation that it doesn't have to explain its intricacies and tropes to its intended readers. Because its readers already know. MDZS is xianxia danmei. Danmei has only had about 2 decades of modern history. But xianxia as a genre has stretched back millennia. Its tropes are very set. Chinese (and Sinosphere) readers don't need an explanation because we grow up consuming this kind of stories.

We don't need to be told in plain words to know WWX's only crime is to be possession of the Yin Tiger Tally, and the Jin's scheme is the real reason behind his tragedy. Because it's such a standard trope in our culture that there are millennia-old proverbs about it.

匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 - pǐ fū wú zuì，huái bì qí zuì. Lit. The commoner is innocent, but his possession of treasure is a sin.

We don't need to be told that it doesn't matter if WWX goes along with the cultivation world's ceaseless demands (keep Suibian with him, consult more with Jiang Cheng before he does things) to know that none of that matters. Because none of those are actual rules, just trivial bullshit made up and used to socially isolate WWX and manipulate the public opinion against him. WWX's true crime is that he is alone. He is an orphan. No one will stand up for him. And unlike his big mouth, he's a real softie. Because if he wasn't then all of them would be dead ten times over with the kind of martial power WWX possess. Only WWX's good heart holds him back from really using his ability. Therefore, you can spit on him, you can cut him, you can trample on him without fearing retaliations.

Nie Mingjue has no sword. Ain't nobody try to lip him about it. Yu Furen has no sword. She uses a whip. Ain't nobody lip her about it.

WWX's undead cultivation is also not really the problem. That kind of cultivation is vanilla as girl scout's cookies. It's only made out that way because it's a method of cultivation that is very easy to learn and does not require enormous resources (i.e. caste issue, not class, caste) to cultivate. Which means it's a method that can be practiced far and wide by poor commoners. Which means it's an infringement on the cultivator House's power and financial base. That's its real crime. Not all that justice bullshit.

For many international fans out there, MDZS is their introduction to danmei (and xianxia). So they come in not knowing these things. They don't see the caste issues, the tragedy, the difference of philosophies and choices between WWX and JC. Their conclusion is built on ignorance and misunderstanding.

It doesn't help that most know little to nothing about Chinese culture which is a high-context culture, the polar opposite of most Western cultures (low-context culture). Something that may seem small and insignificant for a Western reader base can be a really big deal for the Chinese reader base, because it's inbuilt in five thousand years of history and culture. Like why Jin Guangyao buried his mother's corpse in the Guanyin temple and why he needed to reclaim it and take it with him when he tried to flee to Japan.

So it's no surprise there is such a massive divide in fandom opinion.

[canmom]

The Flower That Bloomed Nowhere, 000-012

Or, what if that mural was the heart of a web serial.

I'm reading The Flower That Bloomed Nowhere, thanks largely to the enthusiasm of @azdoine and @lukore on my dash over the last few months.

This is absolutely not gonna be a liveblog in the level of detail of the great Umineko liveblog project. Rather I'm gonna be aiming at something like the comics comints series or those occasional posts on anime. Or indeed what I wrote about Worth The Candle last year. I must create a robot whose purpose is to watch to see if I start writing detailed plot summaries and hit me with a stick labelled 'remember you have a job now'.

That outta the way, let's talk flower!

No, not that flower!

I will start with an anecdote. When I was at university, I ended up attending a talk by court alchemist senescence researcher Aubrey de Grey, who at that time did not yet have a 'sexual harassment allegations' section on his Wikipedia page. The main thing that struck me at the time was his rather spectacularly long beard. But I did listen to his talk about ending aging.

de Grey's schtick is that he, like many people in the transhumanist milieu, believes that medical technology is on the cusp of being able to prevent aging sufficiently well to prolong human lifespans more or less indefinitely. He believes that the different processes of aging can be understood in terms of various forms of accumulating cellular 'damage', and that these will begin to be addressed within present human lifespans, buying time for further advancements - so that (paraphrasing from memory) 'the first immortals have already been born'. He has some pretty graphs to demonstrate this point.

At that talk, one of the audience members asked de Grey the (in my view) very obvious question about whether access to this technology would be distributed unevenly, creating in effect an immortal ruling class. de Grey scoffed at this, saying he always gets this question, and basically he didn't think it would be a big deal. I forget his exact words, but he seemed to assume the tech would trickle down sooner or later, and this was no reason not to pursue it.

I'm sure de Grey is just as tired of being reminded of how unbalanced access to medical technology is in our current world, or the differences in average life expectancy between countries.

So, I was very strongly reminded of de Grey as The Flower That Bloomed Nowhere laid out its major thematic concerns and characters. I was also put in mind of many online arguments in the transhumanist milieu about whether it would be a good thing, in principle, to end death.

In particular, of course, comes to mind transhumanist Nick Bostrom's short story The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant, in which death is likened to a huge dragon that demands to be fed trains full of humans every day. In the story, humanity's scientists secretly build a giant gun to kill the dragon. Naturally, despite all the doubters and naysayers who foolishly feel obliged to justify the existence of the dragon, the gun works. Bostrom's imagery is incredibly heavy-handed (particularly the trains à la Auschwitz), but just in case you didn't get it, he also spells out the moral explicit at the end: basically, every day not spent putting resources to abolishing death is adding up more and more bodies to the pile of people who don't get to be immortal.

So far, Flower seems to be shaping up to be a critical intervention into that milieu, with a much more grounded view of death and a much stronger model of society - admittedly not a high bar but it's going good so far!

At the time of writing this commentary, I have read the prologue and first two six-chapter arcs, namely Mankind's Shining Future (1-6) and Pilgrimage to the Deep (7-12).

the general shape of things

We are introduced - from the perspective of sardonic, introverted Su, who is going to be the protagonist of our time loop - to a group of brilliant young medical wizards, who have just been invited to visit the headquarters of a secret society whose mission is precisely to abolish death. Su's grandfather was some kind of controversial luminary who was expelled this organisation, and he also did something to her, which is giving her some kind of ulterior motive to find her way into this society.

We know pretty much from the outset that this is a time loop scenario: Su has been explicitly given the opportunity to replay the scenario in the hopes of find an alternative outcome, by some kind of presently mysterious parties. This first part is the 'control' loop, i.e. probably more or less how things went down 'originally'.

I believe Umineko is an explicit inspiration for this story, and the influence is pretty evident. But parallels with the Locked Tomb series, especially Gideon the Ninth, are also quite noticeable. @lukore spoke of it as the STEM to Locked Tomb's humanities, and I can already kinda see it, although we haven't got into the real meat of the scenario yet. This story began serialisation four years ago, making the two works roughly contemporary. The latest chapter was published in the last couple of weeks - no idea if I've arrived just in time for the ending!

Stylistically, it's generally pretty heavy on dialogue and long asides. The characters are a bunch of mega nerds who love to have big philosophical and political discussions, but their dynamics are well enough realised and their dynamics clear enough that it can double up as naturalistic characterisation. So far, the discussions have been interesting to read.

Below I'm going to make some notes and comments on various elements of the setting and story. In a followup post (because it got too long) I'm going to talk a lot about entropy. Perhaps you will find this interesting!

the world

The first few chapters are dedicated pretty hard to exposition. We find ourselves in a distant-future setting - one in which it seems reality has totally collapsed and then been rebuilt using magic, creating a somewhat oddball universe which lacks things like the element iron, and also electromagnetism. This seems like it would have pretty severe implications for just about everything!

However, the 'ironworkers' have, after producing a series of trial and error 'lower planes' that didn't quite get it right, landed on a fairly close approximation of how things used to be on the old world. Though by 'fairly close approximation' I mean like... it's a bowl-shaped world and the sun and stars are artificial lanterns. But still, there are humans, and they seem to work more or less like we're used to humans working, apart from the whole 'magic' thing.

So, an alt-physics setting. Praise Aealacreatrananda, I love that shit.

While electromagnetism might be out, the more abstract physical principles like thermodynamics still apply, and the humans of this universe have managed to find analogues to a number of things in our world. Instead of computers, they have 'logic engines' which run on magic. Horses seem to have made it in, so we get delightful blends of historical and futuristic concepts like a self-driving computer-controlled horse-drawn carriage taxi.

The biggest difference is of course that in this setting, magic - more on that in a bit - has solved most medical problems and humans routinely live to around 500. The setting is ostensibly a semi-post-scarcity one, although a form of money exists in 'luxury debt', which can be exchanged for things like taxi rides, café food and trips on the space elevator.

Politically, we are told that the world has enjoyed a few hundred years of general peace, broken in living memory by a revolution which put an end to a regime of magical secrecy. There are lots of countries, and an alliance overseeing them.

There's a few other oddities in this world. Something called a 'prosognostic event' can happen if you see someone who has the same face as you, and whatever this is, it's bad enough news that everyone is constantly reminded to veil their faces in public and there's some kind of infant 'distinction treatment' to mitigate the risk. Given that, in the regular world, nothing particularly bad would happen if you ran into a long-lost identical twin, it suggest there is probably something a little fucky about how humans work in this world!

There's evidently a fair bit of effort put into the worldbuilding of fictional countries and historical periods. The important elements seem to be roughly along the lines of:

our world is currently in what they call the 'old kingdoms' period, which is poorly remembered;

next up comes an 'imperial' period of high transhumanist shenanigans in which society was ruled by 'gerontocrats' who got exclusive access to the longevity treatment, but this all somehow led to a huge disaster which destroyed og earth;

the survivors built the Mimikos where humanity currently lives using magic and created some kind of huge iron spike that holds the universe together; there was subsequently a 'fundamentalist' period in which a strict cutoff point was put on human lifespans and a lot of the wackier magic was banned;

now we're onto a new era of openness following a small revolution, while the major political structures remain largely intact.

Writing a far-future setting is hard, because trying to deal with the weight of history without the story getting bogged down with worldbuilding details is a fiddly line to walk. The Dying Earth series of Jack Vance might be a relevant point of comparison. Vance leaves the historical details vague - there are endless old kingdoms and strange artefacts and micro-societies for Cugel and co. to stumble on. Far more important than the specifics of history is establishing the vibe of a world that's seen an unimaginable amount of events layered on top of each other and is honestly a bit tired.

Flower makes things a bit more concrete and generally manages to make this work decently well. I do appreciate the asides where Su talks about, for example, the different architectural styles that layer up to make a place, or the way a technique has been refined. It establishes both that Su is the kind of person to notice this sort of thing, and also helps the world feel lived-in.

the names

The story doesn't do a lot with language. The story is written in English, and the narration will occasionally make reference to how things are phrased (e.g. how divination predates the suffix -mancy). We can probably make the standard assumption that this is all translated from $future_language, with the notional translator making a suitable substitution of whatever linguistic forms exist in that language.

The characters are named in a variety of languages. Our main character's full name is Utsushikome of Fusai. We're told that this is "an old name from Kutuy, and means something like 'mysterious child'" - so Kutuyan is one of the languages spoken in this world. It's blatantly got the same phonotactics as Japanese, and indeed if I search up 'Utsushikome', I find an obscure historical figure called Utsushikome-no-Mikoto, wife of the Emperor Kōgen; she has no article on English Wikipedia, but she does have a brief one on Japanese wiki. Just as Su says about Kutuyan, 'Utsushikome' is written 欝色謎 in Japanese, but it relies on archaic readings of those characters and wouldn't read that way in modern Japanese. We could perhaps assume a good old translation convention is in effect where Kutuyan is replaced with Japanese.

A lot of characters have Greek names, as do various setting elements. One exception is Kamrusepa, or Kam, who is named for an ancient goddess of medicine worshipped by the Hittites and Luwians. I know basically fuck all about Hittites and Luwians but it's a cool little nod to mythology, and it won't be the only one!

I'll run down a list of characters and my comments about them in a bit. But many are named after gods or other mythological figures.

the magic

Most of the divergences come from magic existing. Certain humans are 'arcanists', who are able to use the 'Power', which is a magic system with a highly computational flavour. Thanks to Su's expositional asides, we know that an incantation is something like a short program written in cuneiform with the ability to gather information, perform maths, and manipulate particles. An example we are given is a spell called "entropy-denying", which is the following string of cuneiform:

"…(𒌍���𒀭)(𒌍𒁁𒀭)𒅥𒌈𒆜𒈣𒂠, 𒋢𒀀𒅆𒌫𒃶,𒈬𒊹."

We're told that spells always start with phrases ending in 𒀭, and end in 𒊹. Beyond that, I'm not sure how far the author has actually worked out the syntax of this magic system - probably not in too much detail! Seems like the kind of thing it's better to leave vague, but also she seems like kind of nerd who would (positive). It's conceptually a reasonable magic system for a world where more or less realistic physics applies.

The use of unusual scripts for a magic system isn't that unusual - the old European occultists who wrote the [Lesser] Key of Solomon loved to write on their magic circles in Hebrew, and in modern times we could mention Yoko Taro's signature use of the Celestial Alphabet for example - but the specific use of cuneiform here seems like it might be a little more significant, because a little later in the story the characters encounter a mural depicting The Epic of Gilgamesh, which of course was recorded on cuneiform tablets. Remains to be seen exactly what these allusions will mean!

The magic system is divided into various disciplines defined by the different ways they approach doing magic, with the disciplines breaking down broadly along the same lines as the modern scientific disciplines. For example, our protagonist is a thanatomancer ("necromancer" having become unfashionable), which is the discipline dealing with death; she's specifically an entropic thanatomancer, distinguished by their framework viewing death as the cessation of processes.

Magic relies on an energy that they refer to as 'eris' (unknown relation to the Greek goddess of strife and discord). We are told that eris must be carefully apportioned across the elements of a spell or shit blows up, that it can be stored, and it accumulates gradually enough that you don't want to be wasteful with it, but so far given little information about where it comes from.

Magic in this story generally seems to act as a kind of 'sufficiently advanced technology'. It's very rules-based, and used for a lot of mundane ends like operating computers or transport. Advancement in magic is something like a combination of basic research and software development. But the thing that makes it a magic system and not merely alt-physics is that it's at least a little bit personal: it must be invoked by an individual, and only certain people can operate the magic. We're told a little about how wizards are privileged in some societies, indoctrinated in social utility in others, and expected to be inconspicuous in the present setting. It's not clear yet if you need some kind of special innate capacity to do the magic, or if it's just a matter of skill issue.

With one exception, our main characters are a gaggle of wizards, and exceptionally skilled students at that. They're at an elite institution, carrying high expectations, even if they are themselves fairly dismissive of the pomp and ceremony. They have grandiose plans: Kamrusepa in particular is the main voice of the 'death should be abolished' current.

the cast

We're entering a cloistered environment with high political stakes hanging off of it. Even if I hadn't already heard it described as a murder mystery, it would feel like someone will probably be murdered at some point, so lets round up our future suspects.

Su (Utsushikome) is our protagonist and first-person POV. She's telling this story in the first past tense, with a style calling to mind verbal narration; she'll occasionally allude to future events so we know for sure narrator!Su knows more than present!Su. She's got a sardonic streak and she likes long depressing antijokes, especially if the punchline is suicide. She will happily tell us she's a liar - so maybe her narration isn't entirely reliable, huh.

Su is more than a little judgemental; she doesn't particularly like a lot of her classmates, or people in general, and generally the first thing she'll tell you about a character is how well she gets on with them. She introduces the theme of 'wow death sucks' in the first paragraph, but she is, at least at this point, pessimistic that anyone will manage to do anything about it for good.

Her magical specialisation is entropic thanatomancy, roughly making processes go again after they working coherently.

Her name is a reference to an obscure Japanese empress, as discussed above.

Ran is Su's bestie from the same home country. She is generally pretty on the level. She likes romance novels and she is pretty sharp at analysing them. She will cheerfully team up with Su to do a bit or bait someone else when an argument gets going.

Her magical specialisation is Divination, which is sort of a more fundamental layer of magic, about gathering information by any means. In medicine it's super advanced diagnostics.

Her name is too short to pin down to a specific allusion. Could be one of a couple of disciple of Confucius such as Ran Geng, or a Norse goddess of the sea.

Kam (Kamrusepa) is the de facto class prez and spotlight lover. She's hardcore ideological, the story's main voice of the de Grey/Bostrom death-abolishing concept so far - I think she straight up calls someone a 'deathist' at some point. She loves to tell everyone what she thinks about everything, and getting the last word.

Her magical specialisation is Chronomancy, so time magic. It's described as secretive and byzantine, but also it can do stuff like (locally?) rewind time for about five minutes. No doubt it has something to do with the time loop.

As mentioned above, she's named after a fairly obscure ancient deity of healing and magic.

Theo (Theodoros) is a fairly minor character. He's scatterbrained and easily flustered, he has a similar background to our protagonist, and he's not great with people. His name is shared with a number of ancient Greek figures, so it's hard to narrow it down to one allusion. I don't think his magic school has been mentioned.

Ptolema is a cheery outgoing one, someone who Su dismisses as an airhead. And she is at least easy to bait into saying something ill-considered. Her specialisation is applying magic to surgery. As a character, she tends to act as a bit of a foil to the others. Bit of a valley girl thing going on.

'Ptolema' is presumably a feminised version of the renowned Greek philosopher Ptolemy.

Seth is the jock to Ptolema's prep, and our goth protag Su doesn't particularly like him either. ...lol maybe that's too flippant, I may be misapplying these US high school stereotypes. To be a little more precise then, he's pretty casual in demeanour, flirty, likes to play the clown. He specialises in Assistive Biomancy, which revolves around accelerating natural healing processes.

Seth is named for either the Egyptian god (domain: deserts, violence and foreigners) or an Abrahamic figure, the third son of Adam and Eve granted by God after the whole Caim killing Abel thing.

Ophelia is someone Su describes as 'traditionally feminine' - soft-spoken, demure etc. (Gender in this world appears to be constructed along broadly similar lines to ours). Indeed we get a fairly extended description of her appearance. Her specialisation is Alienist Biomancy, which means introducing foreign elements to healing (not entirely sure how that differs from the Golemancy mentioned later).

Ophelia is of course a major character in Shakespeare's Hamlet, best known for going mad and dying in a river.

Fang is the only nonbinary member of the class, noted as the most academically successful. They're not on the expedition, but the characters discuss them a little in their absence, so maybe they'll show up later. It seems like they have a bit of a rebellious streak. Their magical specialisation is not mentioned.

Fang is a regular ol' English word, but I gave it a search all the same and found there's an ancient Chinese alchemist of that name. She is the oldest recorded woman to do an alchemy in China, said to know how to turn mercury into silver.

Lilith is the teenaged prodigy in computers logic engines, and Mehit is her mother who accompanies her on the trip. They've got a big Maria and Rosa (of Umineko) dynamic going on, with Mehit constantly scolding Lilith and trying to get her to obey social norms, though in contrast to Maria, Lilith is a lot more standoffish and condescending to the rest of the gang. Lilith specialises in 'Golemancy', which means basically medical robotics - prosthetic limbs and such. She spends most of her time fiddling with her phone logic engine, and will generally tell anyone who talks to her that they're an idiot. Sort of a zoomer stereotype.

Lilith is named for the Abrahamic figure, the disobedient first wife of Adam who was banished and, according to some Jewish traditions, subsequently became a demon who attacks women at night. There may be some connection between Lilith and the lioness-headed Mesopotamian chimeric monster Lamashtu, which I mention because Mehit is an Egyptian and Nubian lion goddess.

'Golemancy' is probably playing on the popular fantasy idea of a 'golem' as a kind of magic robot, but given the Jewish allusion in Lilith's name here, I do wonder a little bit if it's going to touch on the Jewish stories of the Golem which inspired it - a protective figure with a specific religious dimension.

There are some other characters but they're not part of the main party on their way to the function, so I won't say much about them just yet. Also it's entirely possible I went and forgot an entire classmate or something, big whoops if so.

the events

In true Umineko tradition, the beginning of the story narrates in great detail how the protagonists make their way to the place where the plot is going to happen.

To be fair, there's a lot of groundwork to be laid here, and the characters' discussions do a lot to lay out the concerns of the story and sketch out the setting, not to mention establish the major character relations. A murder mystery takes a certain amount of setup after all! There's plenty of sci-fi colour to be had in the 'aetherbridge', which is a kind of space elevator that lifts you up to a high altitude teleporter network. (It's technically not teleportation but 'transposition', since teleportation magic also exists in the story, with different restrictions! But close enough for government work.)

They go to a huge space citadel, which is kind of a transport hub; some cloak and dagger shit happens to hide the route they must take to the mysterious secret organisation. They find a strange room with a missing floor and a mural of the Epic of Gilgamesh, albeit modified to render it cyclic. What does it meeaaaan?

The idea of a secret society of rationalists is one that dates back to the dawn of ratfic, in HPMOR. It was kinda dumb then, but it works a lot better here, where we're approaching the wizard circle from outside. The phrase 'Great Work' has already been dropped. I love that kind of alchemical shit so I'm well into finding out what these wizards are plotting.

the dying

A lot of the discussions revolve around the mechanics of death. Essentially the big problem for living forever is information decay. Simple cancers can be thwarted fairly easily with the magic techniques available, but more subtle genetic slippages start to emerge after the first few hundred years; later, after roughly the 500 year mark, a form of dementia becomes inevitable. It's this dementia in particular that the characters set their sights on curing.

One thing that is interesting to me is that, contra a lot of fantasy that deals with necromancy (notably the Locked Tomb series), there appears to be no notion of a soul in this world whatsoever. The body is all that there is. Indeed, despite all the occult allusions in the character names, there is very little in the way of religion for that matter. Even the 'fundamentalism' is about an idea of human biological continuity that shouldn't be messed with too much.

Su distinguishes three schools of thought on death, namely 'traditional', 'transformative' and 'entropic'. The 'traditional' form attempts to restore limited function - classic skeleton shit. 'Transformative' sees death as a process and uses dead tissues together with living in healing. Su's 'entropic' school broadens this 'process' view to consider death as any kind of loss of order - a flame going out as much as an organism dying. At the outset of the story, Su has discovered a 'negentropic' means to restore life to an organism, which she considers promising, even if for now it only works for fifteen minutes.

This is an interesting perspective, but the devil is in the details. Because processes such as life or flames, necessarily, result in a continuous increase in the thermodynamic entropy of the universe. And yet this idea of death-as-loss-of-order does make a kind of sense, at a certain level of abstraction.

Elaborating on this got rather too long for this post, and I think it can stand alone, so I'm going to extract it to a followup post.

the comments

As is probably evident by the length of this post, I am very intrigued by The Flower That Bloomed Nowhere. The setting is compelling, and it seems like it's got the willingness to bite at the chewy questions it raises instead of acting like it has all the answers, which is I think one of the most crucial elements for this kind of scifi. I like how unabashed it is at having its characters straight-up debate shit.

Of course, this all depends where they go with it. There's so many ways it could be headed at this point. I hear where it's going is 'dark yuri' and 'Umineko-inspired murder mystery', so that should be really juicy fun, but I do end up wondering what space that will leave to address the core theme it's laid out in these first few chapters.

Overall, if this and Worth the Candle are what modern ratfic is like, the genre is honestly in pretty good shape! Of course, I am reading very selectively. But this is scratching the itch of 'the thing I want out of science fiction', so I'm excited to see where the next 133 chapters will take me.

Though all that said, I ended up writing this post all day instead of reading any other chapters or working, so I may need to rein it in a bit.