#the battle of derivative characters

[ersatz-faves-tournament]

Round 1: Nikolai Gogol (Bungou Stray Dogs) vs. Don Quixote (Limbus Company)

Nikolai Gogol participates as derivative of the Russian writer Nikolai Gogol (officially confirmed).

Don Quixote participates as derivative of Don Quixote from the eponymous novel by Miguel de Cervantes.

[revolutionary-thoy]

Re-Verse Alya and Nino / Ubiquity and Newsflash

I never really talked much about Alya and Nino's roles in my Re-Verse AU. The two of them are a duo of junior reporters. Alya is sort of like an April O'Neil character, while Nino is her cowardly bumbling assistant holding the camera. Alya dives head-first into dangerous situations to get a good scoop, while Nino is terrified of tresspassing lmao. The two of them were investigating the Supreme and met Betterfly/Hesperia during their investigation. The three of them formed the Resistence alongside Max, their tech guy.

Aside from serving as a multiverse portal, I gave Ubiquity more additional powers to make her more versatile, while still keeping her general concept in mind. She can duplicate herself, but can only control one copy at a time. Her cape can serve as a gateway to any other copy of her. During large-scale battles, she would place a bunch of Ubiquities around the city so the heroes can move around faster.

Nino's Kamiko form is called Newsflash! His power is derived from his wish to "reveal the truth". He can produce a camera flash that nullifies illusions and reveals weakpoints. It also generally stuns the enemy because it's, you know, a bright fucking light. He also has drones that serve as additional mobile "eyes". He can make as much of them as he wants and send them anywhere in the city. They're also able to deploy the flash.

Full Re-verse cast below!

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

1968 [Chapter 1: Ares, God Of War]

Series Summary: Aemond is embroiled in a fierce battle to secure the Democratic Party nomination and defeat his archnemesis, Richard Nixon, in the presidential election. You are his wife of two years and wholeheartedly indoctrinated into the Targaryen political dynasty. But you have an archnemesis of your own: Aemond’s chronically delinquent brother Aegon.

Series Warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, character deaths, New Jersey, age-gap relationships, drinking, smoking, drugs, pregnancy and childbirth, kids with weird Greek names, historical topics including war and discrimination, math.

Word Count: 5.7k

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Let’s begin with a definition.

Disaster is a noun derived from Ancient Greek: dus, a prefix meaning “bad,” and aster, or “star.” In the time when humans worshipped Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus and Aphrodite, it was believed that tragedies resulted from the inauspicious positioning of celestial bodies: a volcano erupts because of Jupiter, a returning comet brings with it a flood. There is a certain helplessness inherent in this mythology. There is predestined suffering that lies in wait until all the jewels of the sky have malignantly aligned.

Have you ever met someone who made you ache to change the stars?

~~~~~~~~~~

Gunshots explode through the lobby of the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida; you feel the wind of the bullets as they clip by, fragmented metallic rage. Aemond is on the marble floor, blood pouring down his face, blood all over the white shirt beneath his navy blue suit jacket when you rip it open, tearing a button loose. He’s reaching for you through the jostling and the screams, leaving crimson handprints on your mint green dress. And you think: He just won the Florida primary. He’s not supposed to die. He’s supposed to be the president.

“What happened?” Aemond murmurs, his right eye dazed and only half-open; the left has vanished beneath a cloudburst of gore. Perhaps ten yards away, people have caught the assailant and pinned him against one of the vast Venetian windows until the police arrive. They’re roaring at him in red-faced fury, their closed fists strike his ribs and his cheekbones, their knuckles paint him scarlet and indigo.

“You’re alright, you’re alright.” You brace both palms over the maroon stain spreading rapidly across Aemond’s chest and press down as hard as you can. Your fingers are drenched in seconds, warm fading life. He’s bleeding to death. You shriek through the turmoil: “Criston?!”

“Is he okay?” Aemond asks faintly. He means the baby; you’re six months pregnant with his first child, his greatest treasure, his Atlantis, his Holy Grail. Aemond has already decided that it’s a boy. Sometimes you fear what will happen if he’s wrong.

“Yes, honey, the baby’s fine, don’t worry. Criston!”

Aegon is here instead, sweating out rum and ruin like he always is, hair too long, veins full of pills, colliding with you and pawing at his dying brother with untrustworthy hands. “Aemond?!”

You shove Aegon away, splattering him with blood. “Get back, he needs air!”

“Where’s he shot?! Let me see—”

“I told you to get back!”

“Goddammit, you don’t own him! He’s mine too!”

Criston has battled his way to you and is yanking Aegon back by the collar of his frayed olive green army jacket, stolen from Daeron when he visited home after basic training, a uniform of embittered revolution worn by a man who’s never fought for anything. “Aegon, make sure someone’s called for an ambulance, then meet the paramedics at the door and help them find us.”

“But—”

“Go!” Criston yells, and Aegon scrambles to his feet and is lost within the crowd. You can hear Otto bellowing at journalists and hotel employees to make space for the fallen senator; there are flashes of cameras and prayers shouted aloud. Above your head are crystal chandeliers and a vaulted ceiling hand-painted by 75 Italian artists in the 1920s; swimming in your skull are visions of Jackie Kennedy in the pink suit filthy with her husband’s brains. It’s just before midnight on Tuesday, May 28th. Upstairs in their oceanfront Imperial Suites, nannies will be shaking awake the absent adults of the Targaryen dynasty, who retired with the children before Aemond made his victory speech in the hotel ballroom: Alicent, Helaena, Fosco, Mimi.

Criston’s hands—larger, stronger—replace yours over the gushing wound in Aemond’s chest. What did the bullet hit? His lung, his heart? He’s not speaking anymore, his right eye is closed. His bloodied hands rest open and empty on the floor. “Criston, he’s dying,” you sob.

“No he’s not. We’re not going to let him.”

“What’s the closest hospital?”

“Good Samaritan is just across the bridge on the mainland.” It’s Criston’s job to know these things, though he had been thinking of you when he plotted his meticulous notes in his day planner: in case you eat a bad cheeseburger, or trip on the stairs, or catch the flu and start burning up with fever. Aemond worries about the baby. Aegon has five children, Helaena has three, and Aemond will feel that he has been robbed of something if he does not swiftly procure a family of his own. He needs you on the campaign trail, but still, he worries.

Across the lobby, the police have arrived to arrest the aspiring assassin. He puts up a fight when they try to handcuff him and earns a nightstick to the gut, an elbow to the nose. He is choking on his own blood. Perhaps he is drowning in it. Good, you think.

“Don’t kill him!” Otto booms at the officers. “I want him alive for trial! I want him to ride the lighting up in Raiford, you keep that son of a bitch alive!”

“Aemond?” You thread your fingers through his blood-soaked hair. What happened to his left eye? Is it somewhere underneath all that carnage, or is it gone? “Please wake up. Please stay with me. We need you. The baby and I need you.”

“He’s going to live,” Criston promises, both hands still clamped over the bullet wound to slow the hemorrhaging.

“Aemond, please…” How can he be the president with only one eye?

An old woman in a yellow striped skirt suit is lumbering close with a homemade prayer rope clenched in her fist. “A komboskini for the senator!” For his last rites. For his soul.

“He doesn’t need it!” Criston says. “He’s not dying! No one is dying tonight!”

Still, you take the komboskini from the lady, each of the 100 knots a prayer unspoken. She is a devotee of Aemond, and you must show her gratitude. “Efcharistó, aderfí. O Theós na se evlogeí.” They are some of the few Greek words you’ve mastered; you’ve used them often since Aemond announced that he was running for president. Thank you, sister. God bless you.

The paramedics arrive, splitting the crowd like a laceration, white uniforms and a stretcher to ferry Aemond away. People are wailing, cursing, swearing vengeance. Aegon has returned and is peering down at Aemond with those large, glassy, muddled eyes, afraid to ask. “Is he…is he still…?”

“He has a pulse,” Criston replies. He helps the paramedics drag Aemond onto the stretcher and strap him to it. Your husband’s shirt is now drenched in red like garnet, like cinnabar, like the poppies that commemorate the boys butchered in World War I, like the wasted blood being spilled in Vietnam, men reduced to memory. “Good Samaritan?” Criston confirms with the paramedics.

“Yes sir,” the most senior one agrees. And then to you, with great deference, with compassion that transcends what somebody can harbor for strangers: “Ma’am, there’s a place for you if you want it.”

“I do,” you say, tear-streaked face, hands bathed in blood. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

The ambulance is idling outside the main entranceway of the hotel. Criston grasps your hand to steady you as you step up into the back, and you take a seat on the red leather bench beside the stretcher. The paramedics are placing IVs, holding an oxygen mask to Aemond’s face, muttering urgently into their radio, abbreviations and code words you can’t understand, a secret language of organic calamities. High above the stars are crystalline and radiant in a clear sky. In your own chest—unshredded by metal, unpierced by rage���your intact heart is pounding.

The lead paramedic turns to you again and says: “We can fit one more person.”

It’s your decision. You are the senator’s wife; you were supposed to be the next first lady of the United States. You look through the ambulance’s open doors. Aegon stares back expectantly, his hair falling in his face, his arms thrown wide, petulant, combative, useless, drunk. “Criston.”

“Bitch!” Aegon hisses at you as Criston climbs into the vehicle. The doors slam shut, the engine rumbles, the siren squeals as the ambulance races westbound on Breakers Row towards County Road, which connects with Flagler Memorial Bridge and the mainland.

Through the rear window you watch Aegon as he stands in the white-gold hotel luminescence, becoming smaller and smaller until he vanishes, and all you can see are streetlights, and all you can smell is blood.

~~~~~~~~~~

Every story needs its cast of characters. Here are the major players in the summer of 1968.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson is in the White House watching the clocks tick towards November 5th, when his successor will be ordained. He has chosen not to seek reelection. Since his ascension upon Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Johnson’s domestic focus has been unprecedented civil rights legislation and his War On Poverty, yet what has infected the media like blood poisoning is the war in Vietnam. On the television are napalm bombs incinerating Vietnamese peasants, caskets draped with American flags, riots being beaten down by police, college students torching draft cards and chanting “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?” Now the president is sick in body, in spirit, in heart, and this is not a metaphor: he suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest in 1955 and another shortly after John F. Kennedy was murdered in Dallas, Texas. He will die almost exactly four years after leaving office. Had he sought another term, he would have been unlikely to survive it. The public eye is something like a snake bite; it sinks its fangs in and you hope the venom burns clean before it can curse you with clots or hemorrhages or paralysis, before it can drown you in the dark waters of infamy.

In the void left by President Johnson’s surrender, four factions have emerged within the Democratic Party. The old guard—the same labor unions, congressmen, and local political machines who have steered the platform since the days of Franklin D. Roosvelt’s New Deal—has flocked to current Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Humphrey is competent yet uninspiring, a mid-fifties Midwesterner who flinches at the unpolished fury of antiwar protests and sedately lectures Black Power activists on the dangers of “reverse racism.” He is not a threat. He is a sheep in sheep’s clothing, and this is the time for wolves.

Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota is unapologetically opposed to the Vietnam War, a moral crusader, a reluctant warrior, a man who wears his lack of taste for the presidency like a badge of honor. He feels compelled to run, but he does not crave it. He thinks this makes him a saint; but Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and Saint Lawrence was roasted alive. Like Halloween candy plunked into a child’s neon orange plastic pumpkin, McCarthy has collected his own coalition, college students and posh urbanites who believe themselves to be the future of the Democratic Party. In 2016, people will conjure McCarthy’s ghost when drawing comparisons to a controversial left-wing senator from Vermont named Bernie Sanders.

If McCarthy is the future and Humphrey is the past, then former governor of Alabama George Wallace is downright archaic. He is the candidate of choice for Southern white supremacists, averse to Republicans since Lincoln and still reverent of Depression-era New Deal programs that kept them from starving to death. Wallace is best known for his promise of “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever,” and pledges to end the chaos that has besieged America through strict law and order. Provided he loses the Democratic primary, Wallace plans to run in the general election as an Independent, hoping to peel away enough support from the major party candidates to force the House of Representatives to declare the winner and then leverage his votes to negotiate an end to federal desegregation efforts in the South. His devoted wife Lurleen just died of uterine cancer, a diagnosis which Wallace kept hidden from her for years; doctors are in the habit of informing husbands of their wives’ ailments and giving them carte blanche control over the treatment plan, which unfortunately in Lurleen’s case was nothing. She was 41 years old.

In his short-lived castle of red corridors like the marrow rivers of bones, President Johnson hides from the hippies who jeer and spit; Humphrey frowns at them, McCarthy tries to appease them, Wallace says the only four-letter words they don’t know are “w-o-r-k” and “s-o-a-p.” But Aemond climbs down from podiums to meet them like old friends. He is young, only 36. He has a brother serving in the swamps of Vietnam. He is focused, determined, insatiable; he devours every scrap of news that is printed about him and writes his speeches by hand. As the self-admitted runt of the Targaryen family, Aemond knows what it is like to be underestimated. He wants a better America, and he wants to be the president, and he wants these things in equal, relentless measure, each fueling the other until these ambitions become inseparable. He has grown up hearing slurs against Greeks and consequently has no tolerance for discrimination, which he contends is antithetical to the American Dream. He attends civil rights marches in labyrinthian cities, antiwar protests on college campuses, union meetings in coal mining towns of West Virginia and Kentucky and Wyoming, music festivals crowded with long unwashed hair and braless women, fundraisers flush with the deep pockets of the Northeastern elite. Aemond’s coalition grows each day, bleeding away strength from his rivals like a Medieval surgeon. Their flesh turns cold and anemic, while Aemond’s heart pumps scalding torrents of blood.

If Aemond wins the Democratic primary at the convention in August, his opponent will almost certainly be the Republican frontrunner Richard Nixon of California. Nixon wants the White House just as badly, and he’s much smarter than he looks. He was Eisenhower’s vice president for eight years in the 1950s and lost to the ill-fated John F. Kennedy in 1960 by a whisker; some say he did not lose at all, but instead was cheated out of 100,000 votes by Kennedy’s mafia connections in Chicago. But with the Democrats divided and their incumbent president floundering, Nixon’s timing has never been better. He was once a poor boy with two dead brothers who earned a scholarship to Duke Law. Now he will become whoever he needs to be to win the presidency of the United States.

1968 is the year of wolves. The fangs are sharp, and the bellies ache with hunger.

~~~~~~~~~~

A local deli has opened early and sent sandwiches to Good Samaritan Medical Center for the family and friends of the senator from New Jersey: ham and Swiss, cucumber and cream cheese, tuna salad, egg salad, pimento cheese, BLTs, Cubans. The lobby is filling up with bouquets of flowers and handwritten notes. You pace and count the knots of the komboskini over and over again as you wait; Aemond has been in surgery for hours. The nurses periodically bring you Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate, scalding watered-down sweetness to distract you from the fact that some surgeon is currently rooting around inside your husband’s ribcage.

Alicent—a convert to the Greek Orthodox faith just as you are, though far more zealous, far more sincere if you dared to admit it—is pleading for God to save her son as she clasps her own prayer rope. Helaena is seated beside her, eerily calm. Helaena’s husband Fosco is wandering around boredly and inflicting small talk upon the nurses, ogling out the third-story windows, playing with his red Duncan yo-yo. Otto is making a series of calls using one of the phones at the nurses’ station. Criston is there too, leaning over the countertop and speaking with Otto in low conspiratorial whispers.

Aegon is sitting alone and glaring at you. He takes a rattling bottle of pills—prescriptions that doctors are too afraid not to write for him when he asks—out of a pocket on the front of his green army jacket, spotted like a leopard with your bloody handprints. He opens the amber-colored, cylindrical container and pours two, no, three tiny white tablets into his palm. He tosses them into his mouth and washes them down with a swallow of his own mediocre hot chocolate, still glaring. You ignore him.

“How could this have happened?” Mimi says again from where she’s slumped in her chair. Aegon’s wife has a Snow White sort of beauty, but with a perpetual ruddiness in her nose and cheeks from the gin she sips constantly. You suppose it would make anyone a drunk, being married to a man like that. Her maiden name was Marina Marceline Leroux, but everyone has always called her Mimi, even the press on the rare occasions when she makes an appearance. Her children—Orion, Spiro, Violeta, Thaddeus, and little Cosmo, only five years old—are all back at the Breakers Hotel with the nannies, the same as Helaena’s. Mimi blubbers to nobody in particular: “How…? Who…? Who would want to hurt Aemond…?”

Someone needs to sober her up. You fetch a BLT off the platter of sandwiches and offer it to her. “Here. Eat.”

“I’m not hungry. Who on earth could be hungry at a time like this? I’m absolutely nauseated, I’ll never want food again—”

“Mimi, eat the sandwich.”

“Fine, fine,” she slurs morosely, then takes an unenthusiastic bite. She listens to you, all the women do. They listen to you, and you listen to Aemond, and the circle is closed and complete.

Criston is walking over now. You turn to him, needing good news, bad news, any news. “It was a Wallace supporter,” Criston says. From his seat, Aegon is watching Criston with his slow drugged gaze, listening intently. “Some bell pepper farmer from up by Jacksonville.”

“He’s been taken to the local jail for holding?” you ask, and then add: “Alive?”

“Yeah, and he already has a record. Assault and battery. His brother-in-law is apparently a Grand Dragon in the Klan.”

“What the hell is a Grand Dragon?”

“Well, it’s higher than a Goblin, but not as illustrious as an Imperial Wizard, does that answer your question?”

“Perfectly.” You smile at Criston, a pained, wry smile. He returns it and places a palm over your belly. You are still wearing the mint green dress Aemond picked out for you this morning, before he won the Florida primary, before he was shot twice by the disciple of a political adversary and laid at death’s doorstep. You are still covered in your husband’s blood.

“You’re feeling alright?” Then Criston smirks, knowing how ridiculous he must sound. “You know. All things considered.”

“We’re both fine. The baby’s moving around, I can feel it.”

“You can feel him, you mean,” Criston teases, knowing Aemond’s preoccupation with his unborn son; but you can’t bring yourself to appreciate the joke.

Aegon says to you suddenly: “How the fuck did you let this happen?”

“What?” you answer, stunned.

Aegon stands and approaches, lurching, raging. “You always have to be right beside him, in the photographs, in the headlines, in the soundbites, but you let some psychopath run up and shoot him? Twice?!”

“I thought he just wanted to shake Aemond’s hand, or maybe get a quote for an article—”

“You didn’t notice the gun?!”

“Aegon, sit down,” Criston orders.

“It happened in seconds,” you say. “You think you would have done better? You and your Valium, and your Librium, and your Percodan? You think your reaction time would have been so superior to mine?”

“Please,” Alicent moans, mopping tears from her pink cheeks with a handkerchief. “Please, don’t fight, not now…”

“We are all friends here,” Fosco adds in his thick Italian accent, yo-yoing by a window.

“You want to be the first lady so bad but you can’t handle it!” Aegon shouts, his voice echoing through the lobby. “You’re not some prodigy, you don’t have all the answers, you’re just a girl who stitched yourself to Aemond and then you let him get shot, he’s being operated on right now, maybe he’s even dying, and you still act like you’re so fucking perfect—”

“You’re mad because you know that everybody here is thinking the same thing,” you tell Aegon, cold and cruel. “That if someone had to get killed tonight it should have been you.”

Aegon’s mouth drops open; he stares at you with that slippery, opaque, stoned woundedness, pathetic, infuriating, illogically childish. Everyone else pretends they haven’t heard you. Alicent sniffles into her handkerchief. Fosco begins humming I Want To Hold Your Hand. Mimi chews sluggishly on her BLT. From the nurses’ station, Otto says, holding the phone to his chest: “It’s George Wallace. He’s calling for Aemond’s wife.” Then he waits to see if you’ll agree to take it.

Of course you will. You have to. You are acting in your husband’s stead. You go to the nurses’ station and grab the handset when Otto passes it to you. “This is Mrs. Targaryen.”

“Ma’am, I just wanted to offer you my sincerest condolences.” He has a pronounced drawl, born and raised in what he has praised as the Great Anglo-Saxon Southland. You animal, you think. You braindead bigot. “I do hope the senator makes a hasty recovery. I sure would like to beat him at the ballot box, but I have no stomach for anarchy. An act like this is repugnant to me, as it should be to any red-blooded American.”

“It was one of yours, do you know that?” you say, dripping venom. “One of your hateful ghouls.”

“I have no such knowledge. But if the shooter does turn out to be a supporter of my campaign, I disavow him utterly. He deserves a nice long sit in Old Sparky and then to meet his maker.”

“You inspire men to commit violence, and then you renounce them when they spill blood. I’m still wearing my husband’s. It’s on my hands, it’s on my dress, and I will not absolve you of blame. You are a gardener of discord. You grow it like roses or wheat. You tend to it until it blooms.” Otto is studying you, bushy eyebrows raised. “If you’d truly like to repent, perhaps dropping out of the Democratic primary would be a good start. And then you could find something useful to do, like drowning yourself.”

From whatever office he’s currently lounging comfortably in, his shoes kicked up on the desk, Wallace chuckles. “Aemond is very fortunate to have as ardent a defender as you, my dear.”

“Yes, a devoted wife is such a treasure. It’s a shame you killed yours.”

“Ma’am, once again, I just wanted to express how terribly sorry I am for your family’s hardship. I would never wish for an incident like this—”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be emboldening white supremacists then!” You slam the phone as you hang up.

Otto looks at you. He says: “Did it go well?”

The heavy double doors leading to the operating theater swing open, and a surgeon steps through them, still drying his hands with a dark blue towel. He has changed his scrubs and washed his skin, but you notice a spot he missed: a fleck of half-dried blood up by his temple. That’s Aemond, you think. That’s a piece of him.

Everyone rushes to gather around the doctor, even Mimi; she lists like a ship taking on water as she walks, gnawing at all that remains of her BLT, just a sliver of white toast crust.

“The senator is alive,” the doctor says, and Alicent cries out in relief. Criston rests a palm on her shoulder. “But we could not save the eye.”

“He’s half-blind?” you ask. There’s never been a half-blind president. There’s never been a Greek one either. And the only reason this is stuck in your mind is because you know it will consume Aemond’s.

The doctor nods. “We had to remove it. The bullet that struck Senator Targaryen in the head, fortunately, was more of a graze. It ricocheted off his skull and didn’t cause any trauma to the brain, but his eye was…” He hesitates, trying to find a more polite word than shredded, macerated, pulverized. “Destroyed.”

“You stopped the bleeding?” Aegon says, astonished. “He’s okay? He’s really okay?”

“The second bullet pierced the thoracic cavity and was lodged less than an inch from his heart. He was very lucky. We repaired the damage to the best of our ability, and I am optimistic that the senator will make a full recovery. He’s resting comfortably now, but he should be awake soon.”

“Oh, thank God,” Alicent says, glistening dark eyes raised to heaven. The salient points gathered, Fosco wanders off again, his yo-yo dangling from its string.

Otto asks: “When can he resume campaigning?”

The doctor is caught off-guard; it takes him a moment to answer. “That will depend on the senator’s stamina as he regains his strength. If he chooses to stay in the race at all.”

Otto scoffs. “Of course he’ll stay in. This is what he lives for. You really can’t give me a ballpark figure?”

The doctor is determinately impassive. “I would estimate a month or two before he can withstand the rigors of the campaign trail again.”

“California is June 4th,” Otto recalls, counting off dates on his fingers. “Illinois is the 11th, New York is the 18th…”

“Look, there are people outside!” Fosco announces excitedly as he peers through one of the windows. “Hello! Hello everybody!”

“Fosco, you idiot, stop waving,” Otto snaps. “Go sit down.”

“But they are cheering.”

“Not for you.”

Fosco, somewhat deflated, grabs an egg salad sandwich off the platter and plops into a chair to eat it. He’s dressed in a green plaid sport coat and tight white trousers, very chic, very European. You’ve never been able to imagine Fosco and Helaena being passionately romantic with each other. They’re both a bit too doll-like for that, closer to Barbie and Ken than flesh and blood, blank stares and vague ambitions.

“Someone should talk to them,” Alicent says softly. She means the crowd that is forming in front of the hospital: journalists, cops, local politicians, mutilated veterans, college kids, farmers, fishermen, women and children, the future and the past. Everyone turns to look at you.

“I’ll do it,” you volunteer. You will, you must. Aemond could have chosen a hundred similarly suited women to be his wife, but he chose you, and when he did your vows became a blood oath.

Criston accompanies you downstairs to where the crowd has gathered just outside the front entrance of Good Samaritan Medical Center. The night air is warm and humid, the stars bright. You had thought of so many things to tell these people as you’d stood in the elevator as it descended, but now your mind is empty, fearful. There are photographers with blinding camera flashes and apostles waiting with famished eyes. From the depths of injustice and poverty and war, they have come to pay their respects to the man they believe is destined to save not just themselves but their world. What should I say? What would Aemond want me to say?

“I am very pleased to share with you all that Senator Targaryen is out of surgery and regaining his strength.”

There are cheers and applause and prayers; you are still clutching the komboskini that the old woman gave you in the lobby of the Breakers Hotel. You see more prayer ropes in this flock, and rosaries too, Bibles and dog tags, copies of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Joanne Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem.

“We would like to thank you for your heartfelt support. Aemond and I are so very grateful, and he is looking forward to being back on the campaign trail soon.”

More clapping and whistling, and then the crowd waits. You aren’t sure what they want to hear as you stand in the glow of the hospital luminance; your hands are trembling wildly, so you clasp them together as you hold the komboskini. Criston glances over at you, concerned. You settle on the truth.

“The man who tried to kill my husband tonight is a supporter of former Alabama governor George Wallace and an avowed white supremacist. Any ideology that advocates for violence and prejudice is a threat to our bodies, our nation, and our souls. We will not surrender to it, not even when our lives are in jeopardy. We will not concede that hope for a better world is lost. We will press ever onward with the knowledge that God is on our side, and that the future of this country is worth fighting for.”

You are bathed in flashbulb lightning; your ears ring with the thunder of the applause. You are shaking hands now, nodding, beaming, Criston following you like a shadow as you move through the congregation. You stop to listen to a middle-aged woman in a floral dress who wants to give you marriage advice: never get bossy, don’t become selfish, remember that you are his safe harbor in the storms of life. It is your job to gift her your momentary veneration. You have beauty, but she has wisdom; or at least, that is the bargain that has been struck, that is the presumption everyone agrees upon. She must have some advantage over you, otherwise the decades she has spent in service of her parents and husband and children have been wasted, she has carved away pieces of herself to feed hungry mouths until she vanished like the doomed nymph Echo. In return, she tries not to envy you too much, not to dismiss you as foolish or frivolous or lustful. Sometimes you think that women are filled with such vicious, relentless self-loathing that it feels good to direct it at someone else for a while, to pick apart another body, to tally up the deficits of her spirit.

“Aemond is so lucky to have you,” the woman says. You can barely hear her over the roar of the crowd.

And you smile as you dutifully reply: “I think it’s the other way around.”

~~~~~~~~~~

There is a television mounted on the wall in Aemond’s room. The news coverage, the volume turned way down low, oscillates between his own near-assassination and the stalled peace talks in Paris. Representatives of the United States and North Vietnam cannot agree, and so each day more body bags are flown home to return the bones of the nation’s sons and fathers to Missouri, Alabama, Idaho, Maine, Wisconsin, Maryland, Arizona, California, New Jersey, everywhere else. Someone has to end it. Aemond will end it.

“I dreamed I won Florida,” your husband mumbles, and that’s how you know he’s awake, here in a hospital bed and wearing IVs like strings of Christmas lights around a pine tree.

“You did,” you tell him, gently smoothing back his hair from his forehead. His left eye—where his left eye used to be—is bandaged; his words are soft and labored. “Humphrey was second. Wallace got third. But you won. And you’re going to be okay.”

“McCarthy?”

“It seems you’re devouring his coalition.”

Aemond’s lips slowly curl into a grin, triumphant. “It is God’s will.” And this is what he always says. It is God’s will that he survives, it is God’s will that he wins the presidency, it is God’s will that you give him sons.

“Yes,” you agree, lifting his right hand to kiss his knuckles. Then you press the komboskini you’re still carrying into his weak grasp. It means more to Aemond than it does to you. “Yes it is.”

Aemond sinks into unconsciousness again, morphine and dreams that blur with reality. There will be pain soon, and plenty of it, but he is free from that impending truth for now. You rise from your chair to tell the rest of the family that Aemond is beginning to wake up. Alicent and Criston will want to speak with him.

When you open the door, Aegon is standing there: an eavesdropper, a trespasser. He glares at you with his large wet ocean-blue eyes, hazy with pills, glinting with resentment. Reluctantly, you step aside to let him in. Aegon wobbles as he passes you and has to grab onto the doorframe to steady himself, scrabbling like a trapped animal.

“You’re a disaster,” you say, caustic like acid, biting, repulsed.

Aegon whirls and jabs his index finger against your chest, bloodstained mint green wool bouclé by Chanel. “You’re a vessel. You’re a cow. And one day he’ll be done with you.”

You feel something hitting you like a bullet, cracking ribs, piercing lungs, tearing muscles and ligaments. Your lips have parted, but you can’t fathom words. Aegon has said many things to you—bitter things, belittling things, things in mixed company, things when you’re alone—but never this. For the first time since you met him two years ago, he has won one of your sparring matches. He has the upper hand. He has wounded you.

Aegon can see this, certainly. But he doesn’t seem pleased with himself. He looks a little shellshocked, like he can’t quite believe he said the words, like maybe if given the chance again he wouldn’t take it. But the moment is over now, and you can’t get time back, it is a thread that unspools until every inch is gone, spent, tangled in a thousand webs.

Aegon staggers into the hospital room. You flee from it. Out in the lobby the phone at the nurses’ station is ringing again. They’ll all be calling now to give their requisite sympathies. Humphrey counsels prudence, McCarthy prays for peace, LBJ offers the empathy of someone who has felt the cold gaze of Death in his own doorway, Nixon praises Aemond’s resilience and quotes the ancient philosopher Seneca: “There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.”

[sasaranurude]

Okay. I've been playing Tokyo Debunker today, since the release happened to catch me on a day when all I'd planned to do was write fanfiction. I just finished reading the game story prologue (it was longer than expected!), so here's a review type post. If you're reading this post not having seen a single thing about this game: it's a story-based joseimuke gacha mobile game that just released globally today. It's about a girl who suddenly finds herself attending a magic school and mingling with elite, superhuman students known as ghouls. If you look in the tumblr tag for the game you'll see what appears to be a completely different game from 2019 or so: they retooled it completely midway through development, changing just about everything about it due to "escalating competition within the gaming industry."

I'll talk about how this looks like a blatant twst clone at the end.

Starting with the positive: The story is charming. I enjoyed it thoroughly the entire time and am excited to read more. The mix between visual novel segments and motion comics was really nice--it broke things up and added a lot of oomph to the action or atmospheric scenes that visual novels generally lack. I like the art in the comic parts a lot. the live2d in the visual novel parts is... passable. Tone-wise, I think the story was a little bit all over the place and would like to see more of the horror that it opened on, but I didn't mind the comedic direction it went in either. The translation is completely seamless. The characters so far all have unique voices and are just super fun and cute. Of the ones who've had larger roles in the story so far, there's not a single one I dislike. It's all fully voiced in Japanese and the acting is solid. (I don't recognize any voices, and can't seem to find any seiyuu credits, so it seems they're not big names, but they deliver nonetheless.) Kaito in particular I found I was laughing at his lines a ton, both the voicing and the writing.

He's looking for a girlfriend btw. Spreading the word.

The problem is like. The gameplay is the worst dark-pattern microtransaction-riddled bullshit I've ever seen. Hundred passive timers going at all times. Fifty different item-currencies. Trying to get you to spend absurd amounts of real world money at every turn. There's like five different indicators that take you to various real-money shop items that I don't know how to dismiss the indicator, I guess you just have to spend money, wtaf. Bajillion different interlocking systems mean you have zero sense of relative value of all the different item-currencies. I did over the course of the day get enough diamonds for one ten-pull, which I haven't used yet. Buying enough diamonds for a ten-pull costs a bit under $60 (presumably USD, but there's a chance the interface is automatically making that CAD for me--not gonna spend the money to check lmfao), with an SSR rate of 1%. BULLSHIIIIIT.

There's like a goddamn thousand-word essay explaining the dozen different types of character upgrades and equippables and equippables for the equippables!! Bad! Bad game design! That's just overcomplicating bullshit to trick people into thinking they're doing something other than clicking button to make number go up! That is not gameplay!

In terms of the actual gameplay, there is none. The battle system is full auto. There might be teambuilding, but from what I've seen so far, most of that consists of hoping you pull good cards from gacha and then clicking button to make number go up. There's occasional rhythm segments but there's no original music, it's just remixes of public domain classical music lmao. I'd describe the rhythm gameplay as "at least more engaging than twisted wonderland's," which is not a high bar

At least there's a cat in the rhythm bit.

And like, ok, I gotta remark on how derivative it is. Like I mentioned in my post earlier, this game is unabashedly aping twisted wonderland's setting and aesthetic. (That said, most of the stuff it steals from twst is magic school stuff that twst also basically stole from Harry Potter, so...?) However, it isn't exactly like twst: in this one, the characters say fuck a lot and bleed all over the place and do violence. Basically, the tone is a fair bit more adult than twst's kid-friendly vibe. (Not, like, adult adult, and I probably wouldn't even call it dark--it's still rated Teen lol. Just more adult than twst.)

Rather than just being students at magic school, the ghouls also go out into the mundane world to go on missions where they fight and investigate monsters and cryptids. Honestly, the magic school setting feels pretty tacked-on. The things that are enjoyable about this would've been just as enjoyable in about any other setting--you can tell this whole aspect was a late trend-chasing addition, lmao. So, yeah, it's blatantly copying twst to try to steal some players, but... Eh, I found myself not caring that much. Someone more (or less) into twst than me may find it grating.

Character-wise, eh, sure, yeah, they're a bit derivative in that aspect too, but it's a joseimuke game, the characters are always derivative. Thus far the writing & execution has been solid enough that I didn't care if they were tropey. If I were to compare it to something else, I'd say the relationship between the protagonist and the ghouls feels more like that of the sage and wizards in mahoyaku than anything from twst. There's some mystery in exactly what "ghouls" are and their place in this world that has me intrigued and wanting to know more about this setting and how each of the characters feels about it. I have a bad habit of getting my hopes up for stories that put big ideas on the table and then being disappointed when they don't follow through in a way that lives up to my expectations, though.

So, my final verdict: I kind of just hope someone uploads all the story segments right onto youtube so nobody has to deal with the dogshit predatory game to get the genuinely decent story lol. Give it a play just for the story if you have faith in your ability to resist dark patterns. Avoid at all costs if you know you're vulnerable to gacha, microtransactions, or timesinks.

[maeofthenoldor]

As Tolkien often observed; “names often generate a story” and always nearly contributed or suggested something of the nature or personality of the character, thing or place that has been named. Yet the most intriguing name he has created in my opinion, is the main protagonist of “The Hobbit” Bilbo Baggins who is the hero of the classic tale, and despite being seen as such, his name holds interesting and contradicting connotations. For Baggins suggests harmless, humble and well- contented characters (though with criminal undertones!) Yet the name Bilbo suggests an individual who is sharp, intelligent and even dangerous….

The family name of Bilbo is  “Baggins” which derives from a double source-the English Somerset surname Bagg, which means “moneybag” or “wealthy.” The term “Baggins" itself means “afternoon tea or snack between meals” and at first is appropriate in describing our well off  hobbit. Initially he is presented as a mildly comic, home-loving, upper middle class “gentle hobbit” who seems harmless and composed enough, if given to some annoyance. He is mostly concerned with his mothers dishes, doilies, domestic comforts and food. However, once recruited by Thorin and his Company, we see the respectable gentle hobbit reveal his true colours- he is an excellent and highly skilled burglar.

Tolkien has maintained that his tales are often inspired by names and words from the real world, and indeed, in the jargon of the nineteenth-and early twentieth century criminal underworld there were a cluster of names around the term “bag” and forms of theft. “To bag” means to capture, to acquire, or to steal. “A baggage man” is an outlaw who carries off the loot and a “bagman” is the man who collects and distributes gold on the behalf of others by dishonest means or purposes.

His surname not only characterises himself, but also plots out the narrative for the story. For in the hobbit we discover Baggins is hired by Dwarves to bag the Arkenstone. He then becomes the baggage man who carries off the loot. When he realises Thorin has fallen under the gold sickness, he becomes the bagman and is dishonest to the newly crowned king, distributing the Arkenstone to Thrandruil and Bard. After the Battle Of The Five Armies he hands out the treasure to those who are rightfully in need of it, and thus ends him being the bagman.

Another aspect of Bilbo Baggins character can be revealed by the analysis of his first name. The word “Bilbo” entered the English language in the late sixteenth century as a name for a short and deadly piercing sword of the kind once made in the Spanish port city of Bilbao where the name derives from. This is an excellent description of Bilbo's elvish sword (often called a letter opener) named “Sting.” Found in the troll hoard, Bilbo's “bilbo” can pierce through any animal hide that would break any other sword. In The Hobbit however, it is the hero's sharp wit rather than his sword that gives Bilbo his sharpness. Bilbo's well-honed wits allow him to survive the journey and to trick monsters, a dragon  and to get himself out of bad situations. 

When we put these two names together as Bilbo Baggins, we fully understand the two aspects of his character, showing someone who is dangerously witty, but ultimately good and humble to a fault. If we want to dig deeper into how these names also affected the events of the Lord Of The Rings, one has to look no further than Frodo Baggins.

 Along with the Baggins family name, further “baggage” is passed on to Bilbo's nephew and heir, Frodo Baggins who in the context of the one ring is a link to another underworld occupation; the bagger or the bag thief. This bagger or bag thief has nothing to do with baggage, but is derived from the French word bauge, meaning “ring.” A bagger then, is a thief who specialises in stealing rings by seizing a victim's hand and stripping off its rings. It had common usage in Britain's criminal underworld between 1890 to 1940. The Baggins name holds the idea and plot for both The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings. For Bilbo's skill as a burglar, one might say that in the perspective of outsiders, the Baggins baggers of Bag End, Bilbo and Frodo, are naturally born ring thieves.

[cozy-cinnamon-roll]

We Interrupt This Broadcast...

(Another two-part-er! Stay tuned for part 2 very shortly!)

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Pairing: Ler!Rosie, Ler!OC, Lee!Alastor (strictly platonic)

Content/Trigger Warnings: tickling, very brief blood mention, medical themes (non-graphic & painless). One comically graphic description of cannibalism (first paragraph). Also, this is set right after Alastor gets his ass handed to him by Adam, so you can expect a lil angst sprinkled in there (don't worry, he gets better).

If there are any trigger warnings you'd like me to add in the future (and/or to this fic), PLEASE let me know! I am always happy to oblige. 💕

This is a ticklefic! If that's not your cup of tea, kindly move along.

Ok... I'm gonna be honest folks, I have no idea if this fic is even coherent. This ain't my Best Work™ - this is literally the coping mechanism I've been relying on to put myself to sleep every night this week because HOLY SHIT my life is stressful at the moment. 😅

But anyway, I've decided I'm just gonna go ahead and post it, because 1) the world needs more lee!alastor, and 2) I'm not here to do my Best Work™, I'm here to write cute self-indulgent little stories about Alastor getting tickled to bits by his platonic wife. I'm here to decompress my hypervigilant ass at the end of long days by imagining my favorite endearingly creepy characters get wrecked by my other favorite endearingly creepy characters.

In summary, I'm here to have a good time, and I certainly did with this fic. So I hope you do too!

Featuring my new oc! (Rosie and Al still take center stage though, don't worry lol)

--------------------------------------------------------------

It's a little-known fact that cannibals make terrific doctors. When you spend every meal tearing the human body apart with your face, you end up with a pretty comprehensive intuition for demonic anatomy.

So Alastor supposed he should consider himself lucky to have Rosie and her loyal posse so close at hand after his battle with Adam.

He was certainly relieved when Rosie had stumbled upon him, barely conscious from blood loss on the floor of his wrecked radio tower - and especially a few hours later when, having been rushed back to Cannibal Town, he was whisked into a warm, familiar parlor and deposited on a comfy couch.

Within minutes Rosie had summoned a woman in a white coat who swooped in, produced a bottle of a strange, foul-smelling gel from her medicine bag, soaked a rag with it, and pressed it firmly against Alastor's wound. The searing pain evaporated almost on contact.

"What is that?" Alastor breathes, visibly relaxing against the arm of the couch he's propped against.

"Anesthetic." She begins preparing a needle and thread.

"Didn't know such a thing existed down here."

"Of course! We're demons, not barbarians," Rosie scoffs, watching from the sidelines.

Cannibals, as a rule, rarely last long enough to need a doctor, but Rosie is no ordinary cannibal. And Dr. Trudy Sawblade - a young surgical resident in life, and Rosie's personal physician in death - is the best of the best. While she hadn't quite completed her medical training before her untimely death, in Rosie's service she's gained more than enough experience to make up for her education cut short.

"That salve is derived from a distant cousin of the poison dart frog. Evidently most of the frogs are assholes, because hell has an downright enormous population of them." Trudy's voice is measured and matter-of-fact, with a soft lilt that is both soothing and vaguely unsettling. "Haven't been discovered on earth yet. Which is good, because one whiff of this would end a mortal life in a matter of seconds."

"Lucky you, you're already dead," Rosie chimes in cheerfully.

"Lucky me," Alastor murmurs, without conviction.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Truthfully, with the pain from his chest wound numbed, the weight of his recent defeat presses even more heavily on Alastor's heart. Someone - probably one of the cannibals who helped transport him from the rubble pile to Rosie's parlor - must have grabbed the broken microphone as they carried him out, because the fractured pieces are sitting on the side table at the other end of the couch. Under normal circumstances the awareness that someone had touched his staff without permission would spark a flash of rage from the Radio Demon, but now he can only stare dismally at what remains of his cane - aware that it's no longer capable of accomplishing much anyway.

It takes only a few minutes for Trudy to stitch Alastor back up and wrap his chest in a stretchy gauze. Meanwhile, Rosie quickly mends the worst of the tears in his clothes - if only to avoid having to watch her friend stare down the couch at his broken staff, with an uncharacteristic half-smile that damn near breaks her heart.

"Alright, sir, that should do it for now. It's a nasty gash, for sure, but the salve should keep it from getting infected."

"Thank you, my dear." He gives an appreciative nod to the surgeon, and Rosie too, as his fellow overlord hands him back his clothes.

"Can't have you going around with a big hole in your chest, can we?" Rosie steps back and scrutinizes her own patch job as he slowly dresses himself again. "It ain't perfect... especially for a classy fellow like you. But I'm sorry to report that I saw my tailor at a Sunday brunch just last week. Inconvenient, but I gotta admit, he made a wonderful casserole."

For the briefest of moments, this aside manages to tweak Alastor's smile into something vaguely genuine. "I'm sure he did."

"One more thing, Mr. Alastor, sir," Trudy jumps in as the radio demon pulls on his coat. "So sorry, I almost forgot. The angel also threw you against a wall, correct?"

At the recollection, Alastor's smile stiffens into something more closely resembling a grimace. His antlers rise between his ears. "Does it matter?"

"You may be at risk for internal injuries." If Trudy is at all fazed by inviting the most powerful overlord in hell's annoyance, it doesn't show. "I really ought to check, just to be safe."

Alastor looks away. As loathe as he is to even acknowledge his own fragility, he truly isn't sure of the extent of his own injuries - given that he's not used to receiving them in the first place. And he'd be damned (well, damned twice) if Adam had ruptured something vital, spelling the radio demon's second death a few hours after the fact.

He grits his teeth. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"Lovely. If you could just lie back, sir..." As he obliges, she kneels beside the couch. "I'm just going to feel for any swelling..." Her hands hover over him-

"Er, wait." Alastor abruptly sits up.

"It's alright, I won't touch your wound!" Trudy soothes. "I'll just be feeling down here..." She gestures to his midsection (which elicits a sharp flinch).

"No, I-" He hesitates. "I'm... not sure this is necessary."

"Oh, Alastor, stop worryin'!" Rosie reassures him with a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Trudy is quite picky about her meals. She'd never go for venison."

"That's... not what..."

Alastor pauses, and evidently decides against trying to explain what he meant. He reluctantly lies back against the cushions again.

"I'm going to place my hands under your shirt, sir. If you feel any pain, please alert me."

"Very well."

As Trudy lifts his shirt, he looks like he is going to say something more - but whatever it is dies on his tongue the moment her hands make contact with his stomach. He brings one knee up sharply.

"Tender there, sir?"

"No! No, your hands are cold." His words have gone uncharacteristically stiff.

Trudy methodically probes one side of his belly, then the other (which in turn causes his other knee to pop up). This time when Trudy asks if he's in pain, he merely shakes his head.

The surgeon furrows her brow, concentrating. Human-animal hybrids like Alastor already take a bit of poking around just to get a sense for each unique configuration of organs. It doesn't help that the man is bracing for every touch...

"Are you sure this doesn't hurt, sir?" she murmurs tentatively. "You're very tense."

"Yes." The word comes out like a hiss. She glances at the radio demon's face. He's wearing his typical showman's smile, but his eyes are fixed on the ceiling with a weird, wide, unwavering stare.

Finally the surgeon sits back. "Well, I don't feel anything concerning. But to be honest, sir, I can't feel much of anything." She turns apologetically to her employer. "His stomach is all clenched up..."

But Rosie is simply standing there pressing a huge grin into her glove. She's known Alastor for decades. She can read his expressions like a magazine.

"Alastor, darling," Rosie drawls casually. "Are you ticklish?"

From the radio demon's reaction, you'd think she'd asked if he was an Exorcist. He scrambles to sit up. "No! Why would-"

"You're ticklish. That's..." She catches herself just before the word precious.

"...What?!" There's an edge of defensiveness to his voice that Rosie very rarely hears from him.

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"I'm not emb- That's not- what-" Oh, she's giving him that look. "I'm just- I wasn't-"

As he speaks, Alastor's voice suddenly goes thin. His gaze turns inward. "I'm stuttering. I don't stutter! I've never stuttered!" He clutches his coat closer around himself. "I am the RADIO DEMON, for heaven's sake, I don't sta-AHH! Haha-!"

Evidently a scribble to the ribs is a very effective way to interrupt a panicking demon. Rosie runs her fingers from his hip up his side to his arm and back a couple times for good measure.

The amount of startled laughter she is able to draw from just this surprise touch delights her - the poor man is so ridiculously sensitive that a five-second one-handed tickle leaves him fully breathless.

"Okay! Okay, okahay! Keheh- Rosie!"

"Sorry dear, couldn't resist." She holds her hands up, still beaming like a stadium light. "I'll stop torturing you."

Alastor clears his throat. "You're not torturing me, dearest." He straightens his bowtie, clearly attempting to salvage his dignity. "You know what I always say, laughter is a powerful sign of-"

He cuts off with a sharp inhale and defensive flinch as Rosie perches on the edge of the sofa beside Trudy. She grins.

"You're right. That's certainly your specialty, isn't it?"

Alastor forces a nervous chuckle. "Never fully dressed without a smile, you know."

"Well don't worry, darling. I understand." She pats his knee. "Just because you've got the scariest evil cackle in hell doesn't mean you appreciate having it tickled out of you."

Rosie had expected this assurance to put him at ease, but if anything, he seems more troubled.

"Why would I mind a little, ah..." Tickling. Tick-ling. He can't bring himself to articulate two syllables. Is this all he's left with without his staff? "...Er, a little bit of levity? Can't let things get too serious, can we?" With another quick cough, the radio demon finally manages to get his voice to fall back into his familiar breezy cadence. He turns to Trudy. "Now, are we... quite finished with that examination?"

"Nothing seems amiss, from what I can feel." Trudy takes a step back. "Which is not much, but I think I've already made you uncomfortable enough..."

"Nonsense! I'm perfectly at ease!" He lies back again and smooths his coat. "Please, finish your little checkup. I insist."

Trudy regards him curiously for a moment. "Right." Her hands hover over his belly again. "But if you want me to stop, sir, just say the word-"

"I assure you that w-won't be necessahary..."

Trudy watches him seize up before her fingers even make contact. This time she presses a little deeper into his belly, trying to feel around his defensiveness.

"You are punching holes in my couch," Rosie remarks dryly, watching the poor demon's claws bury themselves in the cushions.

"I kn... ohow, I'm just-" He squeezes his eyes shut as Trudy hits a particularly bad spot. And then another. And another... hell, his torso one big bad spot.

"What do you think, Trudy?"

The young doctor just shakes her head.

"Alastor. Darling. You have GOT to relax."

"I am!" Alastor's composure is dangling by the thinnest of threads.

"Maybe it would help," Trudy says, with infinite caution, "to just go ahead and laugh, sir."

A beat. And then Rosie bursts into laughter.

"Giving new meaning to the 'deer in the headlights' expression, my friend." She scoots closer. "I thought you just said you don't mind a little 'levity'..."

"I don't!"

"In that case. Carry on, Trudy - Auntie Rosie is gonna help our patient out a bit while you work."

Too late, Alastor realizes what his fellow overlord has in mind. "Wait, wait! Ros-"

A delicate set of nails find the region just under his ribs - and it's all downhill from there.

"Ah! Fuhuck!" Alastor chokes on a curse before he can catch himself. He twists sideways, collapses into muffled giggles, and briefly manages to pull himself together - just barely - with a few hyperventilated breaths. "Rosie, really! This isn't- please- ack! I can't-" There's that damn stutter again. He hadn't even stuttered when Adam slashed him.

And now, Great Alastor the Radio Demon, undone by some scribbles? And a medical exam?!

Meanwhile, Trudy can feel even less now than she could before, her patient's belly now quaking with silent, suppressed mirth. But she takes one look at Rosie's delighted expression... and continues probing anyway, curling a subtle little smirk of her own.

It seems Rosie has picked up on a slightly less tangible injury than anything Trudy can address. But fortunately, they've just stumbled upon a promising potential treatment.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Part 2 is already pretty much finished - my brain is just too mushy at this point to contend with Tumblr's shitty text interface any longer, and this feels like a good stopping point.

Lemme get a good night sleep and another dose of Prozac and I'll have the rest out shortly 😅

💜 - Cozy

[fkapommel]

Etymology of TLT Character Names

Wanted to provide a fandom resource for analysis and theorizing. Since House names are explained in GTN, this list will just focus on first names. DM me for sources. Enjoy <3

Gideon

Biblical prophet, military leader, and judge, meaning "feeler," "hewer," or "one who cuts down." According to narrative, the Israelites had forgotten their god for 40 years and were punished by assaults from enemy tribes. After Israel turned back to God for aid, Gideon, an unnoteworthy Israelite, was delivered the message by an angel that he should lead Israel against its enemies. Gideon requested three miracles be done by God to prove his and God's ability to do this task, which God then performed. Gideon then completes God's tasks, including destroying an idol of Baal in the Israelite camp and displacing a much larger enemy encampment. Gideon delivered 40 years of peace for Israel during his lifetime and refused kinghood and dynasty when offered by his people. However, upon his death, the Israelites returned to worshipping Baal. A "Gideonic victory" can mean winning a battle against the odds.

Harrowhark

Harrowing - to use a piece of farming equipment to level soil, break rocks, and kill weeds to ready the dirt for seed growth. Also refers to the Harrowing of Hell, a non-Biblical, early to middle English traditional episode in which Jesus, upon death by crucifixtion, enters the Underworld to preach salvation to souls interned there before his birth, thus allowing them to enter Heaven. This tradition has been canonized by Catholic theology.

Hark - the first word of many ancient texts or announcements, meaning "listen." Biblical angelic speeches often begin with "hark."

Judith

The feminine of Judah, a Biblical Hebrew name meaning "praised," "woman of Judea/Jewess." The name Judith appears twice in the deuterocanonical Bible: once as one of Esau's wives and seperately as the titular character in the Book of Judith (a book not part of the canonized Bible). In the Book of Judith, Judith is described as a widow who uses her wit, charm, and skills of seduction to be invited to the private tent of Holofernes, the general of the enemy Assyrian army who had laid siege to her city. Judith is able to get Holofernes drunk and overpowers him, decapitates him, and steals his head to show to her city. She is of the few illustrations of the "ideal Jewish woman."

Marta

Derived from Aramaic, meaning "the daughter," "the lady," and "dedicated to Mars"

Isaac

Meaning "he laughs," referring to the father of the Biblical character's laugh of disbelief when God told him, Abraham, that his nonogenarian wife would conceive his child. Isaac is one of the three patriarchs of Israel, grandfather to the 12 tribes. When Isaac was a child, God commanded Abraham to take him up a mountain and sacrifice his child in His name. When Abraham proved his obedience, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac. Isaac went on to marry Rebekah; though they eventually believed her to be barren, after Isaac prayed to God, Rebekah concieved twin boys, Esau and Jacob, at an old age, just as his mother did. Rebekah grew to prefer Jacob. Later, due to Sarah and Jacob's scheming, Isaac gave Esau's birthright to his second-born son, Jacob. Jacob would live on to father the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jeannemary

This specific spelling seems to be an invention of Tazmuir, but the duel components of the name are significant. Firstly, "Jean-Marie" is a French masculine name. Jeanne is the feminine form of the English "John." "Jeanne"  can be traced to a Biblical Hebrew name, meaning "God is gracious." The most notable historical character of the same name is Jeanne d'Arc, a young female military leader who acted under divine guidance. Upon instruction of archangels and saints, Jeanne fought in pursuit of the coronation of Charless VII during the 100 Years War. Her leadership led to multiple military victories but was punctuated by multiple failures. The unsuccessful relief of a besieged city led to her capture and deliverance to the English, who tried her for blasphemy by wearing men's clothes and refusing submission to Church authority. Found guilty, Jeanne was burned at the stake at 19.

Mary is the most notable feminine name of the Christian Bible, referring predominately to Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, Mary Bethany, and Mary Magdalene, a female disciple of Jesus. Mary was born immaculately - without sin - so that she would be a pure vessel to carry Jesus, who she concieved as a virgin. Mary Bethany was a friend of Jesus and sister to Lazarus. She was deeply emotional about her brother's passing, which persuaded Jesus to resurrect her brother from the grave. Mary Magdalene was a probably wealthy Jewish woman who aided Jesus' teachings. As a loyal apostle, she was a witness at both His crucifixtion and resurrection.

Coronabeth

"Coronabeth," like "Jeannemary," is an obvious Tazmuir invention. "Corona" refers to both the part of the body that resembles a crown and to a colored circular frame around a stellar body, usually caused by its atmosphere.

"Beth" is derived from both "Elizabeth" ("God is my oath") and "Bethany" ("House of Figs"). The suffix -beth comes from Hebrew origins, meaning "house."

Ianthe

From the Ancient Greek, meaning "violet flower" or "she who delights." She was one of the 3,000 water-nymphs called Oceanides, daughters of the Titans. Ianthe and her sisters served as a companion to Persephone when she was in Hades. She is also a character in Ovid's Metamorphosis as the beautiful fiancé to Iphis, a character who has her/his gender changed by the goddess Isis.

Note on the Tridentarii: Coronabeth was almost called "Cainabeth" and Ianthe "Abella" after the two Biblical brother characters, Cain and Abel. In the narrative, God preferred Abel's divine sacrifices and loved him more than his brother. In a jealous rage, Cain killed Abel and hid from his crime, his family, and his God. When God asked him, "Where is your brother?" Cain returned, "I am not my brother's keeper." Angered, He cursed Cain with the Mark of Cain. Separately, the first fratricide cursed the Earth to never turn over its vegetation to Cain, the first murderer. His Mark symbolizes him as a wanderer, a person who belongs nowhere; however, it also protects him from the curses and abuse of others, returning scorned words and abuses back to the harasser seven-fold. Though Coronabeth and Ianthe received their names elsewhere, the lusty, jealous, murderous themes of Cain and Abel's narrative were present at the time of their creation and thus should not be dismissed.

Naberius

Though I can't find the meaning of the name, "Naberius" is rooted in Latin. It first appears in Johann Weyer's 1583 manuscript, "The Deceptions of Demons." Naberius, or "Cerberus" - relation to the same named three-headed dog of Ancient Greek theology unknown - is a Marquess of Hell, directing 19 legions of demons. He provides cunningness of the arts, sciences, and rhetoric in man through vocal instruction and can restore lost honors and dignities. His semblance is of a man with three dog heads or a raven.

Abigail

Biblical Hebrew name meaning "my father's joy," "my father is exalted." Abigail is a Biblical figure, being the third wife of King David and mother to one of his sons. She is a strong believer in the prophecy of David's ascension and his great dynasty. Abigail is considered to be one of the seven Jewish woman prophets and, in the Talmud, of the four women "surpassing beauty in this world." The word "Abigail" can refer nonspecifically to a waiting woman or handmaiden.

Palamedes

There are two notable historical fiction characters that share the name "Palamedes." Palamades was an ancient Grecian prince who joined the battle of Troy, according to the Aenid. After Paris had taken Helen to Troy, Palamedes was sent as envoy from Agamemnon to Odysseus because the latter man had previously vowed to defend Helen's marriage. Odysseus, however, did not want to attend the war, but Palamedes was successful in proving his fitness for war and ultimately delivering Odysseus to Troy. According to some traditions, Odysseus never forgave Palamedes for this and eventually killed him. In the Apology, Plato characterizes Socrates as looking forward to death in order to speak with Palamedes.

Secondly, Sir Palamedes is a knight of the round-table, a Saracen pagan (or probable Muslim) who converted to Christiantiy later in life. He is introduced dueling another knight, Sir Tristan, for a lady's hand, which he loses; these two fight several more times but with unclear victories, leading to a hate-love relationship deepened by their love for the same woman (the woman of their first duel). Many stories have Palamedes as the hunter of the Questing Beast, a fearsome animal the target of many a fruitless hunt. After years of pursuit, it is ultimately his freedom from wordly material granted by his Christian conversion that allows him to slaughter the beast. He remains loyal to Sir Lancelot after his affair with Queen Guinevere is revealed and follows Lancelot to France. Sir Palamedes is later killed by Sir Gawain. Except in matters concerning his love and Sir Tristan, where he often lost control of his anger, he was one of the most chivalrous and honorable knights.

Note: The story of Sir Palamedes, as a product of Arthurian legend, is nearly impossible to summarize properly due to its expansiveness and document fragmentation. If interested in the topic (such as the wink wink homo-erotic love-hate relationship he has with Sir Tristan,) i encourage futher research.

Camilla

"Camilla" is the feminine of "Camillus," a Latin term meaning acolyte, a helper of the Priest during religious processionals and ceremonies. In the Aeneid, Camilla is a queen gifted to the goddess Diana as a handmaiden who became a virginal Amazon warrior.

Dulcinea

"Dulcinea" is a name created by Don Quixote for his character, derivative of the Spanish word "dulce" meaning "sweetness." Princess Dulcinea was invented in the titular character's mind to be the most perfect, beautiful, and regal woman since he believes chivalry requires such a lady of him. To refer to a loved one as like Dulcinea is to express your idealistic devotion and love to her.

Protesilaus

"Protesilaus" may come from the Ancient Greek "protus" for "first." Protesilaus was a hero in the Iliad. According to an oracle, the first Greek to set foot on land after sailing to fight the Trojan War would die. Protesilaus was the first to dare step off ship; he sealed his fate then, later dying in combat. His widow was so devoted to his memory that she built a bronze statue with his likeness. She later self-emulated when the statue was burned and destroyed.

Silas

Latin in origin, "Silas" means "of the forest." Notable figures named "Silas" include first century St. Silas, who accompanied St. Paul on his second mission. He is credited as co-author of the two letters to Thessalonians and the Book of Hebrews; however, authoriship is disputed. St. Silas is sometimes depicted with broken chains due to an episode in which an earthquake freed him and St. Paul from imprisonment.

Colum

From the Gaelic word for "dove"

[cina-full-moon-xanadium]

With the franchise continuing to grow in popularity, I thought I'd give a rundown for new fans of the earliest fist-fighting, bike-riding lone hero Kamen Riders that they might not be too familiar with compared to the modern shows.

Kamen Rider #1

Made with specific intentions in mind about the nature of violence in humanity, the first Kamen Rider often struggled with a distancing of sorts from his humanity that his superpowers gave him; focusing most frequently on the terrible harm he was now able to visit upon his opponents. Conceptualized as the lone hero with these powers, the bug-themed #1 didn't have a 'secondary rider' of sorts to help him out; instead being assisted most frequently by a professional officer who also acted as his liaison with the police. Another well-liked supporting cast member was an older 'uncle' figure who let the main hero stay at his shop. At the conclusion of the series, Rider 1 decided to leave Japan to journey abroad. Kamen Rider #1's show was very popular with children to the degree that, while not intended, it naturally spawned an indirect sequel series and eventually a whole slew of shows that continues to this day.

Kamen Rider #2

While Kamen Rider #1 was not conceived as having any successors, events behind the scenes incited the production of a replacement hero in Kamen Rider #2 who would take over from #1 over the next year. Very similar in design and origins to his predecessor with the same bug design basis and often mixed up with him, this new Kamen Rider was a quirky jokester type of character compared to the typical 'hero' type kids could look up to that #1 was; and often confounded his supporting cast with all the strange things he'd say and do. Rather than dwell on his personal tragedy of what he'd lost, #2 as a character preferred to focus on his own personal hobbies and interests; only going out to battle the enemies when called. #2 notably marked the introduction of a teamup of multiple Kamen Riders at once, though he fought with derivations of #1's suit rather than the original. While not as well remembered as the original Kamen Rider, #2 still laid the groundwork for many elements that the franchise stays true to today.

Kamen Rider V3

As the first departure from #1 and #2's basic setting and storytelling with a very different design, Kamen Rider V3 obviously had some big shoes to fill -- but almost instantly he was a hit, easily becoming one of the most popular Kamen Rider series of his era. While previously glimpsed with #2's occasional scuffles, V3 notably was the first Kamen Rider series to have fellow Kamen Riders fighting with each other; not out of misunderstanding, but out of genuine moral conflict. While some of this would be resolved, multiple Kamen Riders end up dying in this season, and arguably this rivalry is what most influences the typical Main Rider/Secondary Rider relationships to this day.

Riderman

While many Riders feature their transformation belt magically appear out of nowhere, the fourth Kamen Rider notably had a more 'realistic' transformation that required the hero to physically put on his gear. Arguably weaker than many other Kamen Riders due to having a limited powerset derived from now-outdated science, Riderman in his series was characterized largely by a distrust of everyone around him due to his coloured past; naturally leading to many of the show's most memorable character conflicts and fights. This Kamen Rider has an interesting relationship with death, with the ending of the show and post-series media seemingly unable to decide if he's alive or not.

Kamen Rider X

Plagued by rewrites and completely different directions in the first and second half of the show, the first Kamen Rider to constantly carry his weapon with him has nonetheless remained quite popular with fans of the era; in no small part due to the tantalizing relationship he has with a black and red rival he makes early on. While the show would eventually move on from this element, X as a character is informed by the tragedy of losing his father and the hero complex this event forced upon him.

Kamen Rider Amazon

A very sharp change in direction from the more technological Riders that came before him, Amazon in many respects does not feel like part of the Kamen Rider series as much as it does an original series very much doing its own thing -- and one that has garnered its own small fanbase. Amazon featured multiple forested fights and pit the main hero against animalistic beasts rather than what you might expect from a usual Tokusatsu monster. Amazon is frequently followed around by a young boy fascinated by the new world of possibilities the hero has introduced him to, and the relationship between Amazon and this boy is one of the highlights of the series.

Kamen Rider Stronger

This red rhinoceros beetle Rider is a cult favourite among fans for its infectiously confident main hero who makes speeches about the heavens as he charms his way out of just about any situation. This series brought the classic theming back in a big way, with all the main heroes being based on a different type of bug. This series may surprise modern Kamen Rider fans for Stronger only having a single upgrade form, not even having a single other one between his base form and final. Unfortunately, this series failed to be the jab-in-the-arm of popularity the producers wanted it to be; with the Super Sentai series that same year arguably overshadowing it.

(inspired by this twitter thread)

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

Sukuna: Hedonism and Short-Lived Pleasure

I’m going to start this off by saying Sukuna, at least from what I’ve seen, is possibly one of the most misunderstood JJK characters, alongside Yuji. Because of how he’s treated narratively, and the position he holds within the story, it’s very easy to take everything he says as the truth and nothing more, even moreso when he’s commonly rewarded for his mindset, it being praised as the correct one to have.

He is the pinnacle of Jujutsu society in both body and in mind. At least, that’s what we’re made to think, up until 248 that is, where the cracks in his mind become apparent.

These cracks didn’t come out of nowhere either. Once you examine both his words and actions closely, especially in recent chapters, the weak points in Sukuna’s mentality are almost always on display. These weak points are most obvious within Sukuna’s fundamental ideology: Hedonism.

To give a brief summary, hedonism is a philosophical theory about human behaviour and our motivations, regarding the avoidance of pain and longing for pleasure as the most important factors in the decisions we make and how we choose to behave. Pleasure, in the concept of hedonism, is typically a broad term that encompasses any good experience that gives a person a sense of happiness or fulfilment - the opposite of pain.

There are a lot of different branches of the hedonistic theory, all with their own interpretations, but this is about the gist of it. Hedonism is a philosophy in which we live life based on the search for pleasure, whatever that means to each individual. Pleasure is a priority, and pain and displeasure is something to be avoided at all costs.

In Sukuna’s case, his hedonistic mentality is a highly self destructive one, baring similarities to the concept of folk hedonism - stereotypical hedonism - wherein the individual will seek pleasure at any cost, without regard for others. So long as pleasure is achieved, the means towards it don’t matter, and in such an extreme case like Sukuna, this has major flaws. Sukuna seems to always be chasing after a new high, a fact that becomes evident after the death of Gojo, as he tries to find someone, anyone, who can rival Gojo, and thus satisfy his need for pleasure. This falls into the Paradox of Hedonism, a counter-theory where the search for pleasure and defining happiness and pleasure as the same thing actually interferes with one’s pursuit of it, leading to dissatisfaction, and, in turn, pain.

Sukuna actively trying to derive some feeling from his battle with Higuruma, pressuring Higuruma to evolve in that moment, displays this flaw perfectly.

And then there’s this:

The way he talks about other people really places emphasis on the fact he relies on them for his source of satisfaction in life. If it entertains me, I’ll throw it a bone.’ ‘The perfect thing to slurp up to pass time until I die’. It’s interesting that he speaks of his main source of pleasure in this way, like they are dogs, or food, something lesser than him or something that won’t last as long as him, an acknowledgment of their fleeting nature, which he also directly acknowledges. In that sense, Sukuna is very self aware - to an extent. He’s a poet, a philosopher, an artist in every sense of the world. In 248, we see he’s capable of deconstructing his own behaviours and understanding them deeply, but he will always come to a biased conclusion due to his refusal to change.

If Sukuna is a seeker of pleasure, then Yuji is a seeker of pain, and if Sukuna is refusal to change, then Yuji is change.

Sukuna’s hedonistic mentality cannot survive because it relies upon remaining unchanged, and thus repeating the same journey to pleasure over and over, whether as Yuji, someone who often seeks pain - the opposite of hedonism - is able to get back up again and again, because he accepts change, accepts pain as a part of life, and grows from it, becoming unbreakable.

Sukuna’s pleasure is also not a long-lasting kind, which again links with the Paradox of Hedonism. You cannot equate a happy life with a pleasurable one. Sukuna will simply never be content with the life he has, always searching for something better than the last, something that will satiate him longer, and that is another reason as to why he will lose to Yuji, who once lived by similar principles, and tried to avoid pain, but was punished for it. If Yuji paralleling Sukuna in that way doesn’t say anything about Sukuna’s inevitable downfall, I don’t know what does.

That’s about all I have to say for now, but if you find this interesting, I’d recommend looking into the different theories of hedonism and the counterpoints to it. I have my own personal beliefs on it, but it’s always interesting to see other takes on philosophical theories!

[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!

[lemon-boy-stan]

May I request Childe, Kaeya, Diluc, and Thoma with a tsundere s/o who is trying to work up the courage to tell the guy that they love him for the first time?

Tsundere reader telling Genshin men "I love you" for the first time

Tsundere: Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with an initially harsh personality who gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side over time. The word is derived from the terms tsun tsun and dere dere.

Genre: fluff! Enemies to lovers. Warnings: none. A/N: anon asked for Thoma, but I haven't met him yet so I'll do my best!! Featuring: Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Thoma. Also, apologies, I didn't realise these would end up being so long. Hope you like it anon!

DILUC

Honestly, you both hated each other. Diluc was not the kind of person who got close to people. He didn't look fondly upon rule-breakers either, and you just seemed to bring trouble with you everywhere. His fondness for you, however, grew over time, in battle, where you'd come running to him for help.

Of course, despite your snarky remarks to him, Diluc never minded saving your butt. "Master Diluc, always such a show-off," you'd tsk loudly, making him grin and roll his eyes. "Of course, I'm only a show-off for you, my dear." Diluc would attempt to kiss your hand. You'd grab his wrist, flinging to the ground.

It didn't help. Diluc was helplessly in love with you. And what Diluc wanted, Diluc got.

You'd been feeling differently towards the man, but you didn't know what it was. He made you laugh, more than you wanted to, he made you extremely shy, he made your cheeks all red. It was only in battle did you realise what you felt.

A surge of panic shot through you as Diluc fell to the ground, sword clattering. You let out an elemental burst, defeating the remaining enemies, running to his side, lifting him up. "Master Diluc, no! You can't die now. You can't. You can't die, I love you." Tears falling onto his face.

Diluc stirred, smiling up at you. "I'm sorry, my love, say that again?" Smirking, making your ears go red. "I will throw you off this cliff if you ever do that again!" You shrieked at him, pulling him close and hugging him. He laughed softly, "I highly doubt you'd ever be able to throw me."

KAEYA

The Cavalry Captain. He was the most annoying, insufferable person you'd ever met. And he seemed to THRIVE when annoying you. He knew you could probably beat him up if you tried hard enough, but that didn't stop him from challenging you to duels and fights (much to your despair, you always lost in sword-fighting).

You thought Kaeya was just naturally competitve. You thought your persistence in trying to do better than him, impress him, was just because of his personality, not because you liked him. Soon, your friendship, or rivalry, turned into a relationship.

Most of the time with your friends when you'd bicker, it was always the two of you joking around. But this time, the argument blew up Angel's Share. "For the love of..." Diluc rolled his eyes, "can one of you just tell me what's going on so you stop causing a scene?"

You puffed your cheeks, eyes watery. Kaeya rolled his eyes too, "she's overreacting, as usual. It's perfectly fine. She thinks something will happen to me, but it won't, I always end up lucky." You crossed your arms, making a loud, defiant noise.

"I don't want him to go!" You shrieked, glaring at Diluc, "it's too dangerous and he'll get himself killed and I -" Diluc cocked his head, amused. "Yes, Traveller?" You bit your lower lip, not daring to look Kaeya in the eye. "And I love him," you whispered. Diluc's eyes widened. There was a loud crash next to you and you jumped. Diluc grinned, covering his mouth to hide his laughter, "I think my brother loves you too."

Kaeya had fallen off the stool, and was lying on the ground.

CHILDE

There was just something about him that made him punchable. Maybe it was his daring personality, his lack of care, his flare for rule-breaking. Or it may just be his face. Anyhow, whenever the two of you were together and whenever he let out a "hey, girlie" from his mouth, you'd put him in a headlock or kick him in his crotch.

This apparently did not stop him from being helplessly in love with you. Often Tartaglia found himself reciting ways to ask you out in the mirror. And, when he enacted on them, often you'd punch him.

And although you would never admit it to yourself or anyone, you'd grown a strong fondness for the boy, a crush even, and you finally had the courage to ask him out.

Pretty soon, your relationship was in full swing.

Childe went out of his way to spoil you, bringing you the best foods, taking you to the most expensive places on dates. It was on one of these dates, where he truly shocked you, presenting you with a gift that was so beautiful you cried.

"Archons, Childe!" You gasped loudly, for once at a loss for words. Tartaglia bit his lip, "why? What's wrong? Do you not like it? I can return it..." But you shook your head, letting out a defiant noise, putting it on. "No! I love it so much. I love you so much, Ajax." And Childe almost fell of his seat as he stuttered out the words, "I love you, too."

THOMA

It was obvious. A little too obvious. Anyone and everyone knew, even you. Thoma was, undeniabally head over heels for you. And you? You despised him. He was just trying too hard!

He was always coming with you on commissions, following you around since the day you met so much that your friends had called him your shadow. It was only when he saved you in battle did you finally feel something for him.

"You're so rash," he murmured, placing bandages on your arm. You giggled softly, feeling a bit drowsy and silly from the medicine. "You're so cute, Thoma!" You giggled, booping his nose. He scrunched his face and you giggled again.

"I love your hair," you sighed dreamily, "mm, love when you look after me all the time. Love when you save me, love... love you... Love Thoma soo much!" You squeaked, slapping your hand over your mouth at the last part. Thoma froze, shell-shocked. You giggled again, pulling him close. "Oops! I um, I didn't mean to say that!" Pressing your lips against his.

He chuckled, "mm, and I'm sure you didn't mean to do that either, honey."

GENSHIN IMPACT MASTERLIST

NAVIGATION

I'M SORRY THESE WERE SO BAD AND CRINGE 😭😭😭

[ersatz-faves-tournament]

Round 1: Gregory House (House, M.D.) vs. Francis York Morgan (Deadly Premonition)

Gregory House participates as derivative of Sherlock Holmes.

Francis York Morgan participates as derivative of Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks.

[pb-dot]

This latest Adventuring Party really drove home my favorite aspect of Brennan's DMing style. He genuinely loves seeing his players succeed, even against odds he considered to be nigh insurmountable.

Let's take the Last Stand as an example. Now, Brennan made no secret out of the Last Stand encounter being very hard, and for people who do not play D&D it may even seem like he overhyped it, but from a mechanics standpoint, the CR, functionally the difficulty rating of this battle royale was sky-high. Yeah, none of the Bad Kids went down, but that is entirely thanks to a combination of excellent strategic play from the Intrepid Heroes and some choice luck.

To mention some of the game changer moves, the Scatter spell really re-defined the battlefield more favorably for the Bad Kids, the disguise self was a value proposition because it split the flying monsters, which was the greatest threat to the proctor by far, in two, functionally halving the threat to the squishy normie, not to mention dealing with the mega-mosquitos in combo with Spirit Guardians. Those little flying bastards would have been such a pain in the ass if Fig didn't bug zapper them to kingdom come. And the bless. Dear god, the Bless saved so many asses in this encounter.

This isn't to say magic was the only thing that defined the battlefield. The single-target damage dealers did some truly astounding numbers and managed their attention and abilities shockingly well. Yeah, Gorgug crit like a madman, but he also tanked like three or four non-barb PCs worth of effective HP damage without going down even once. If he had failed his saves and gotten eaten by the Purple Worm things would have gotten nasty for him, but again, the touch of luck (and bless) saw him through.

So, this is all to say that this was an encounter meant to kick the players' ass. Not an unwinnable one, evidently, but this was supposed to be a considerably worse experience even without getting into the non dice-roll exam questions. And how does Brennan react when the Intrepid Heroes put their game face all the way on, get really smart with their level 1 spell slots, and dismantle the whole thing? He's overjoyed, he's cheering for his strange adventure children, and we're cheering with him because frankly it's rad as hell.

This illustrates one nuance I feel sometimes gets glossed over about the DM-player relationship. A lot of people have talked about how Junior Year is the "Revenge of Brennan" or what have you, and I feel that kind of misses the central appeal of DMing and Brennan's style in D20 in particular. Yes, Mr Mulligan enjoys playing the heel on occasion. It's good fun to play the personification of everything going wrong and the inherent shittiness of the world, but like the wrestler heels, all that wicked charisma is meant to do one thing, and that is build up the faces, or the players in this case.

Now, the ghost of Gary Gygax may come after me for this, but I firmly believe it's not the DMs job to kill the player characters, or even to inconvenience or torment them. A good DM's job is to make it seem like they're going to kill the player characters, as to provide an environment for the players to succeed, a challenge for them to overcome. It's all one big improv exercise (or kink scene if you prefer to view it that way), where the DM derives their (near)absolute authority over the world the PCs inhabit from the shared understanding that they're going to show the players a spectacular, if not on occasion harrowing, time.

This is Brennan's biggest strength as a DM I think. He genuinely wants to make a spectacular time for his friends, and he understands that to do that he must on occasion be the monster they oppose, and on occasion he must be their breathless cheerleader. On occasion, one imagines, he must also be both.

[fushiglow]

Gonna lose?! It’s Gojō Satoru!!

Karma and consequence in Jujutsu Kaisen

With the release of chapter 235 of Jujutsu Kaisen, the King of Curses has been defeated and Gojō Satoru has cemented his title as the 'Strongest’. The war isn’t over yet, but the battle is won, and I think the outcome of this fight is by far the most interesting for both characters.

Truthfully, at the start of the Shinjuku Showdown arc, I wasn’t particularly rooting for Gojō or Sukuna to win. However, as the fight developed (alongside the release of the anime adaptation of Hidden Inventory/Premature Death), I found myself becoming more and more invested in Gojō Satoru as a character and, consequently, theorising about what a ‘satisfying conclusion’ to his story might look like.

Shortly after the release of chapter 232, I saw an interesting post suggesting that ‘gain and loss’ is the theme of the Gojō vs Sukuna fight. Of course, ‘Gain and Loss’ is the title of chapter 221 when Gojō finally gets out of the Prison Realm only to learn that Sukuna has taken over Megumi’s body. I’d like to go a step further and suggest that ‘gain and loss’ — and by extension, karma and consequence — is actually a key theme of Gojō’s character (and maybe even Jujutsu Kaisen on the whole).

For full disclosure, I wrote about 90% of this before chapter 235 was released, operating on the belief that Gojō would eventually win this fight. It is a long post, so buckle up and let’s get into it!

Gain and loss in Jujutsu Kaisen

The idea of gain through loss was developed very early on in Jujutsu Kaisen with the introduction of binding vows. From Nanami’s ‘overtime’ to Sukuna's open barrier domain, a self-imposed binding vow offers a sorcerer an advantage in combat in return for an increased level of risk. In other words, sorcerers can ‘gain’ strength in exchange for a ‘loss’ of security. When it comes to binding vows, the bigger the risk the bigger the reward.

The idea of gain through loss was further developed through the introduction of Heavenly Restriction. Similar to a binding vow, a person with a Heavenly Restriction is ‘gifted’ with enhanced abilities in one area in exchange for limitations in another. However, unlike a binding vow, Heavenly Restriction exists from birth (although it remains unclear whether it occurs due to mere chance).

There are numerous powerful examples of both binding vows and Heavenly Restriction throughout the series. For Gege Akutami, they are key to maintaining a balanced power system where intelligence and tactical thinking can lead an underdog to prevail in the face of a more powerful opponent — think Yūta beating Getō or Toji beating Gojō. Through these mechanics, we can deduce that understanding gain and loss, give and take, risk and reward — however you want to put it — is crucial to mastery of jujutsu sorcery.

Naturally, if gain and loss are embedded in the laws of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe, it makes sense that the theme exerts a heavy influence over the narrative, too. Of course, consequences are an important way to create compelling characters in any story, but this rings especially true for Jujutsu Kaisen which draws deeply on Buddhist themes and traditions.

In Buddhism, karma is not a deterministic system of retribution, but the natural law of cause and effect. It is directly referenced in Jujutsu Kaisen when Fushiguro Megumi explains his personal ideology using ‘因果’, a Japanese Buddhist term meaning ‘karma’ or ‘fate’ which can be more literally translated as ‘cause and effect’. The second kanji means ‘fruit’, hinting at the underlying agricultural metaphor behind karma in Buddhism: plant a seed, later receive a harvest — or, to use a saying derived from another religion with an important role in Jujutsu Kaisen, ‘you reap what you sow’.

However, an important characteristic of karma which is commonly misunderstood is that the relationship between a cause and its effect is not necessarily linear, but rather part of an intricate network that spans past, present, and future. In other words, the ‘consequences’ of one’s actions might arrive much later.

This can lead to mistaking the effect of one cause for the effect of another, creating a reality where ‘bad’ things happen to ‘good’ people and vice versa. The resulting circumstances may make it easier to do ‘bad’ deeds but, importantly, the freedom always remains to choose the path of ‘good’.

Thus emerges a system where liberation from suffering (in Buddhism, the endless cycle of rebirth known as samsara) is not determined by the judgement of some higher power, but by an individual’s continued choice to do ‘good’. In other words, you can create your own destiny, but only if you understand karma.

The beginningless karmic cycle is rooted in actions performed in ignorance. Therefore, breaking free of it — enlightenment — can only be achieved through knowledge.

Gojō Satoru: the embodiment of enlightenment

As a character, Gojō Satoru is symbolically tied to these concepts. We’re told that his birth altered the balance of the world, causing curses to grow stronger in response to the sudden injection of power into the ecosystem. However, while Gojō’s birth might be the cause of the imbalance, his very existence is itself the effect of something else.

Supposedly, the Star Plasma Vessel, the Six Eyes, and Tengen are all connected by fate. However, the term that Tengen uses — ‘因果’ — is the same one that Megumi uses for ‘karma’, suggesting a cause and effect relationship. This is confirmed when Tengen implies that the Star Plasma Vessel and the Six Eyes always appear in response to the merger — the irrepressible effect to the merger’s cause.

Kenjaku cannot contend with the immense strength of the Six Eyes nor the universal law of cause and effect. However, Fushiguro Toji, who possesses no cursed energy due to his Heavenly Restriction, is not bound by fate and is thus able to interrupt a cycle of cause and effect which has existed for at least a thousand years.

Tengen actually suggests that karma (因果) and cursed energy are one and the same so — if we take Tengen’s words at face value — Toji is an anomaly who is free from its bindings.*

However, the characters whose lives he touches are not. Toji sets another chain of cause and effect into action when the events of Hidden Inventory lead to Gojō’s ascension to 'the Strongest'.

There is much debate in the fandom about whether Gojō’s moment of ‘enlightenment’ is legitimate, especially in light of his fight with Sukuna — the only other character associated with the phrase supposedly uttered by Buddha Shakyamuni at birth.

However, if enlightenment is understanding of reality that transcends conceptual thought, then Gojō Satoru is its physical embodiment in Jujutsu Kaisen.

His given name, Satoru (悟), is a verb meaning ‘to know’ or ‘to understand’, and the root of the Japanese Buddhist term for ‘enlightenment’. His innate domain — a representation of one’s innermost self — is a flood of infinite knowledge that constitutes the ‘truth’ of the universe. His Six Eyes are reminiscent of the all-seeing Eyes of Buddha or the Six Transcendental Powers or the Five Eyes — or perhaps all three!

Gojō is steeped in symbolism not only relating to Buddhist enlightenment, but to the founding Buddha himself, right down to his world-altering birth — the divine event which sets the modern-day story in motion.

Although he may have spoken Buddha Shakyamuni’s words in a moment of euphoria, the suggestion Gojō had reached a higher state of being was never intended to be called into doubt. The pertinent question, instead, is why the unimaginable strength that accompanies his ascension to almost godlike status seems to bring Gojō more loss than gain — especially when, in a twist of irony, he was only able to gain that strength through loss.

‘The Strongest’ : an allegory for enlightenment

As the two strongest sorcerers battled it out in Shinjuku, the question on everyone’s lips during the weekly chapter discussions was, ‘Who will win?’ However, Jujutsu Kaisen has already established that ‘winner’ is not necessarily always interchangeable with ‘strongest’. Perhaps that’s why, in the aftermath of the fight, the discussion has turned to arguments about which character is the strongest instead — from cursed technique to battle IQ.

Even now, we don’t know much about Sukuna’s abilities nor his character, so it’s always been difficult to accurately judge his strength against Gojō’s. However, a surprising number of people went into this fight believing that Sukuna would win without much trouble.

Some made the reasonable argument that ‘the strongest sorcerer in history’ using the Ten Shadows technique while inhabiting the body of his dearest student presented a no-win situation for Gojō. Others made the much less reasonable argument that Gojō’s claims about his strength were little more than arrogance born from a cushy life in an era of ‘weak’ sorcerers.

Indeed, Sukuna himself echoes that sentiment in chapter 230, going as far as to call Gojō ‘unenlightened’ (凡夫) — before being immediately humbled.

This isn’t the first time that Gege Akutami has directly challenged readers’ assumptions through his characters. However, Gojō in particular lends himself to reader speculation, because Akutami deliberately makes it difficult to know the character by maintaining a narrative distance from him that mirrors his Limitless technique.

This leads to a wonderful phenomenon where the reader falls into the same trap as the characters in the series by assuming that, while other sorcerers are struggling dreadfully, Gojō is having an easy time of things — because that’s what it looks like most of the time. Nanami might be right when he suggests that Gojō could take care of everything by himself. However, just because he could do it, does that mean he should?

The problem is, with Gojō kept at a distance, it’s easy to forget how he became 'the Strongest’ in the first place. It’s true that, even before he becomes a fully realised Six Eyes user, Gojō’s abilities dwarfed those of any other living sorcerer. For people like Getō and Megumi whose techniques require a very steep learning curve to master, I can imagine that it feels like Gojō’s unimaginable strength was handed to him on a silver platter at times.

However, both things can be true: Gojō was born with innate strength that most sorcerers can only dream of and Gojō is an exceptional talent in his own right.

We all saw the suffering and sacrifice that Gojō went through on his path to becoming a sorcerer strong enough to face the King of Curses. In a series where the primary power source is born from negative emotions, perhaps it makes sense that tragedy promotes strength. Yet, Getō — whose technique is the epitome of strength through negative emotions — experienced the same tragedy as Gojō. So why did they head in opposite directions after the events of Hidden Inventory?

If Gojō is the embodiment of enlightenment in Jujutsu Kaisen, then Getō is his opposite. Where Gojō achieves understanding, Getō is blinded by ignorance which shackles him to a cycle of suffering — the marathon game of jujutsu sorcery.

In blaming non-sorcerers’ inability to regulate cursed energy — rather than the negative emotions that generate cursed energy in the first place — Getō mistakes one cause for another. Following the natural law of cause and effect that is karma, the solution should lie in shedding negative emotions altogether — just like Gojō at the moment of enlightenment.

Sadly, in his quest to find liberation from suffering, Getō actually condemns himself to it. Where Gojō chooses to let go of hatred and anger, Getō chooses to cling to them. This is ultimately why 'the Strongest’ changes from plural to singular. However, all of this assumes that Gojō did things the ‘right’ way when it’s very possible that Gege Akutami actually seeks to criticise a religious doctrine that separates the ‘honoured’ ones from everyone else.

Getō’s response to the horrors he endured evokes sympathy because it feels fundamentally human. In contrast, enlightenment seems so unattainable to the average human being that it becomes almost inhuman — the reserve of gods.

Indeed, Gojō is often accused of having a ‘god complex’, and Gege Akutami’s continued references to the divine don’t do anything to help. However, the series more often paints its strongest characters as closer to weapons of mass destruction or natural disasters, making the reality of ‘the Strongest’ less like reverence and more like dehumanisation.

Although Gojō achieved ‘enlightenment’, he’s ultimately still a human being — something that’s easy to forget. In fact, one of my favourite things about Gojō’s character is how he exists on an almost metatextual level. Too often, characters and readers view Gojō Satoru as 'the Strongest’ first and a human being second — a notion embodied by this notorious panel.

Thus, rather than having a ‘god complex’, I interpret Gojō as a character who struggles with his place in the world. His strength is what keeps him at a distance from the people around him — from the literal distance maintained by his technique to the metaphorical distance that separates him from the ‘unenlightened’.

Even the blindfold he wears to avoid discomfort hides his eyes, shutting off the ‘window to the soul’ and making him a less approachable figure. Thus, the thing that makes Gojō more comfortable around other human beings is ironically the thing that makes others less comfortable around him.

With the power at his disposal, Gojō is frightening at times, and Gege Akutami goes to great pains to show us the brutal potential of such strength — for example, in Shibuya when he ruthlessly dismantles 1000 transfigured humans with the precision of a machine in less than five minutes.

However, this display of violence comes off the back of Gojō’s most compassionate moment in which he bends the laws of jujutsu sorcery to preserve as many human lives as possible. Each time the curses attempt to force his hand, he does the inconceivable, even going so far as to limit his own strength by fighting without his technique to avoid collateral damage to humans caught up in the chaos.

Importantly, he doesn’t agonise over his decisions like the curses expect. Instead, when presented with a choice between two options that fundamentally violate his ideals, he forces another path without thinking. This is Gojō’s ‘overwhelming sense of self’. His commitment to upholding the ‘meaning’ he inherited from Getō is so unshakeable that it’s instinctive; so engrained that it’s unconscious.

Despite his inhuman strength, Gojō’s actions in Shibuya exemplify his firm stance on the side of ordinary human beings. From his technique to his blindfold, he removes the physical barriers that separate him from the rest of humanity. The result is that, although his display of power in Shibuya is godlike, Gojō never seems more human.

Of course, it’s his humanity that ultimately makes him vulnerable to the Prison Realm, and many suggested that this ’weakness’ is why he would lose to Sukuna — a character who has wholly relinquished his humanity.

Humanity in opposition to strength

The unexpected appearance of his ‘best friend’ in Shibuya causes Gojō to falter for a heartbeat, but it’s long enough to make his brilliance look like foolishness in hindsight. His decision to save innocent people at B5F ultimately leads to the deaths of many thousands more over the course of October 31st and the following Culling Game. Among the casualties of the chaos are some of Gojō’s friends, colleagues, and students — as well as the Fushiguro siblings who were under Gojō’s personal care.

Of the Hidden Inventory arc, Nakamura Yūichi, Gojō’s voice actor said:

‘Even though Gojō had power, he failed his mission, he failed to protect Amanai, and he lost his best friend. He lost everything, and the only thing he succeeded at was awakening his abilities.’

So, it certainly seems true that Gojō’s choice to hold onto his humanity has brought him more losses than wins. In fact, at this point in the story, can we honestly say that Gojō has ever truly ‘won’?

Despite this, the characters in the series never stop thinking of Gojō as ‘the Strongest’. The narrative doesn’t ridicule him for his sentimentality in Shibuya, because it’s perfectly reasonable in the face of Kenjaku’s mind-boggling scheme. Even Sukuna recognises Gojō’s strength in the immediate aftermath of the event.

Aside from Kenjaku themselves — who has never suggested that Gojō is anything but immensely powerful — no one has ever criticised Gojō for his humanity. In fact, even prior to the Shinjuku Showdown arc, I’m not convinced that humanity is ever reliably situated in opposition to strength in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Many point to Uro Takako’s conversation with Okkotsu Yūta as evidence that tossing out one’s humanity is the only way to achieve ultimate strength. However, putting aside the fact that the translation warps Uro’s meaning somewhat, it’s unwise to assume that Sukuna’s is the only way to reach that level, simply because he’s the only example in history of a sorcerer with comparable strength to Gojō.

This is even more true when you take into consideration that everything about the context surrounding Uro’s assertion suggests otherwise. After all, this prideful, vicious sorcerer has just been beaten by a teenage boy who fights solely to protect the people he cares about.

‘Overwhelming sense of self’  — the more accurate translation of the above panel — is about having absolute conviction in who you are as a person. The quality of your ideals is irrelevant as long as your commitment to them surpasses all else, and this has never been Gojō’s issue.

To say that Gojō’s humanity makes him weak misses the point, because it’s never been a question of strength. There’s no need to invent a weakness in the form of his humanity, because we already know his weakness — he told us himself.

Perhaps this starts to get at the the truth of ’the Strongest’ and the solitude that comes with ultimate strength. In Gojō’s own words, ‘When granted everything, you can't do anything.’ Despite being strong, he simply cannot save everyone. So, if being ‘the Strongest’ doesn’t help Gojō towards his goals, then what’s the point in his strength?

Of course, this is why Getō’s parting words hit Gojō so hard. When the boy who taught him that ‘protecting the weak’ is important tells Gojō that he has the power to commit the biggest act of genocide in history, the title of 'the Strongest’ is transformed from a blessing into a curse. I can’t imagine that Gojō ever feels more powerless than when he realises that he’s trying to save people using a body that’s built to destroy — a contradiction that’s illustrated to us in our first introduction (chronologically) to Gojō as a character.

If that wasn’t enough to cause an existential crisis for Gojō, Getō’s follow-up question guarantees it. In challenging Gojō’s assertion that Getō’s goals are impossible to achieve, Getō simultaneously questions Gojō’s identity beyond ‘the Strongest’, unintentionally (or perhaps intentionally) dehumanising Gojō by reducing him to his strength. This is especially painful coming from Getō of all people.

By the end of the conversation, Gojō’s entire worldview has been called into question by the person he trusted most. Getō, who always impressed upon Gojō the importance of meaning, leaves Gojō searching for the meaning in his strength — and, over 200 chapters after Getō asked the question, the answer still isn’t clear. This, I believe, is where the Shinjuku Showdown arc comes into play.

A reason to fight

From a narrative point of view, Getō isn’t entirely wrong to insinuate that Gojō lacks an identity beyond ‘the Strongest’. His primary role in the story has always been to act as a power ceiling from which the reader can extrapolate information about Gege Akutami’s world and its mechanics. Even his absence from the story is meticulously set up to illustrate the anarchy that breaks out due to the power vacuum he leaves behind.

Prior to the Shibuya Incident, Gojō Satoru’s overwhelming strength presented an obstacle to other characters’ growth. In order to create a more balanced playing field and an opportunity to explore creative techniques and fights on a previously unseen scale, it’s understandable that Akutami needed to get Gojō out of the way — at least until Sukuna could join the story as a fixed member of the cast.

As expected, even the strongest sorcerers we encountered during the Culling Game pale in comparison to the prowess on display during the Shinjuku Showdown. It all serves to show that Gojō and Sukuna are on an entirely different level — to the point that, even after Gojō burns out the part of his brain responsible for his domain, his strength still doesn’t dip below that of Okkotsu Yūta and Hakari Kinji.

To paraphrase Megumi, I shouldn’t try to find logic in a powerscaler’s behavioural patterns, but I can’t deny it’s immensely frustrating that week after week fans get caught up in arguments about who is the better sorcerer when it’s the least interesting thing about this fight.

The only reason ’the Strongest’ even existed as a neatly defined category up until this point was because of the lack of any viable opponent for Gojō. Now that he’s fighting someone on his level, comparing these two behemoths of jujutsu sorcery is the same as any other powerscaling exercise: reductive, vulnerable to bias, and ultimately missing the point.

Gege Akutami has never written a fight simply for the fun of seeing two characters go at it. There’s been a greater purpose behind every carefully created match-up in the series, either in the form of high stakes or an important lesson for the characters involved — or sometimes both.

While Akutami clearly enjoyed writing this back and forth between two masters of their craft, carefully balancing the scales to ensure that neither gained the upper-hand for too long, there is a great deal of character development staked on the outcome of this fight.

There are parallels between Gojō and Sukuna as characters but, more than anything, the Shinjuku Showdown arc has exposed some fundamental differences between the two — namely, why they fight in the first place. While it’s true that Gojō is fighting Sukuna partly because there’s no one else who can, it’s also true that the stakes have never been higher for Gojō. He has a lot to gain and a whole lot more to lose, so his reason for fighting feels tangible to the reader.

Conversely, Sukuna’s reason for fighting is considerably less clear. While we don’t know the nature of Sukuna’s binding vow with Kenjaku — or anything about his motivations in general — it doesn’t seem like there’s much at stake for Sukuna except for, perhaps, his pride. Beyond advancing the plot, this poses a lot of interesting questions about what Sukuna would have to gain from winning this fight.

Since Gojō’s return, Sukuna has recalled Yorozu’s words about love multiple times. Their purpose — and Sukuna’s initial reaction to them — are still shrouded in mystery. However, through Gojō, we can learn something about ‘love’ and how it relates to the ‘the solitude of ultimate strength’.

Gojō never wanted to be ‘the Strongest’ alone. In fact, his entire motivation as a character is raising up ‘strong and intelligent allies’, constantly chasing the companionship he felt as one half of the strongest duo and trying to ensure that his students never feel the same isolation that’s plagued him and Getō before him. 

In the recent chapters of the manga, Gege Akutami has made it clear that Gojō isn’t really alone at all — Shōko reminiscing on their friendship in chapter 220; Gojō’s comrades rallying around him during the send off in chapter 222; the wonderful ‘my students are watching’ callback in chapter 230.

What’s more, for the first time in his adult life, we see Gojō — who’s famously in his element when he’s alone — start a fight with people at his side, leaning on three characters who we’ve previously been led to believe he looked down on.

The distance that’s always existed between Gojō and the people around him is closing. He has removed his mask and he is open to the world — the blindfold is gone; the shapeless, oversized jacket is gone; Gojō even removes his technique to let people in during his sendoff. Akutami makes it explicitly clear that Gojō’s allies have got his back, and he’s got theirs in turn — they’re his reason for fighting.

On the other hand, his opponent only has a single ally in all the world and, although Uraume is a devoted servant, there is no suggestion that they would tag in when the going gets tough. Sukuna has already told us that, for him, losing and dying are the same thing — a curious contrast to Gojō who does not put ‘winning’ and ‘dying’ in opposition, and this creates an interesting situation where both fighters could ‘win’ by their standards.

If Gojō saves the people he cares about (and the world at large) but dies in the process, he wins. Equally, if Sukuna is the sole survivor of the fight, he wins — but what would that actually mean for him?

One approach embodies overwhelming selfishness, the other embodies overwhelming selflessness, but only one of these approaches has been established as the most powerful form of binding vow in Jujutsu Kaisen. With all that said, many people believed that Gojō dying to win was the most likely conclusion to the fight — but that’s what a small fry would think!

In Jujutsu Kaisen, it has always come down to one question: how much are you willing to risk — not sacrifice — in order to win? This is the lesson that Gojō impresses upon Megumi, and it’s why I was always in the camp that believed Gojō would win and survive. I didn’t expect his victory to be quite so clear cut, but it seems obvious in hindsight — and it’s all thanks to the power of love and friendship.

In chapter 234, Kusakabe suggests that Sukuna is keeping something in reserve, because he knows that if Gojō loses, he’ll immediately have to fight a number of other powerful sorcerers. Gojō knows that there are strong allies ready to back him up if he fails, so he can go all out.

Meanwhile, Sukuna is truly alone — to the point that he has to create allies in the form of shikigami in order to contend with Gojō. In the end, the explanation for Gojō’s victory is simple. Where Gojō gave it his best, Sukuna didn’t — and that was a grave underestimation of his opponent for which he paid the price.

So, the Shinjuku Showdown arc has come to an end and Gojō has reaffirmed that he is, in fact, 'the Strongest'. However, his story isn’t over yet, so what would a satisfying conclusion to his character arc look like?

Are you Gojō Satoru because you’re the Strongest?

Although Itadori Yūji is the main character of the series, Gojō Satoru is foundational to the story — despite how much Gege Akutami jokes about hating him. Gojō’s story is the thread that ties the series together, so landing the ending is crucial for completing not only Gojō’s character arc, but also that of many other characters. For Gojō, everything consistently comes back to Getō Suguru and Fushiguro Toji, but there remain unanswered questions regarding both.

Toji’s presence during the clash of the strongest sorcerers is too large to ignore. Aside from the allusions to Toji himself, his son plays a pivotal role in Gojō’s story as the human representation of gain through loss — the blessing born from Gojō’s curse. Taking Megumi under his wing marked Gojō’s first step towards a brighter future after the tragedy brought on by the failed Star Plasma Vessel mission, but there’s one major plot thread left unresolved.

I wouldn’t have thought that Megumi learning the truth about his father was important after he dismisses Gojō’s attempt to tell him during the Hidden Inventory arc. However, the combination of Megumi’s interaction with Toji in Shibuya, his visible cluelessness when Tengen mentions Toji, and the numerous ways Gojō references Toji during the Shinjuku Showdown arc has convinced me that Akutami plans to follow this up at some point.

Right now, Megumi’s fate is still hanging in the balance. Although many people are waiting for something terrible to befall Gojō — losing his Six Eyes; burning out his technique permanently; dying — I’d like to believe that, if we look at Jujutsu Kaisen through a karmic lens, Gojō isn’t owed any more losses. At the very least, he certainly doesn’t have to die to progress the story as some people have suggested.

Our heroes, including Gojō himself, have been on a major losing streak for a long time now. Gojō being freed from the Prison Realm represented a shining beacon of hope at the lowest point in the series. To extinguish that light by killing Gojō almost immediately after he’s returned to the story would be another major blow to the characters and the readers.

I wouldn’t put it past Akutami to send some more pain our way before the end of the story, but if Gojō is going to die on December 24, I don’t think it’s before a number of other things happen.

If Gojō inherited Getō’s ideals in a symbolic ‘passing of the torch’, then his death before he has confirmed the safety of the people who depend on him is a depressing end to his best friend’s legacy. Additionally, up until now, Gojō has never had the opportunity to answer Getō’s question once and for all.

I would argue that Gojō has proven multiple times during the fight against Sukuna that he’s 'the Strongest' because he’s Gojō Satoru, but is he Gojō Satoru because he’s the strongest? He can’t discover that unless he experiences what it’s like not to be 'the Strongest' — either by losing his strength or by sharing the burden with the strong and intelligent allies he’s been raising for the entirety of his adult life.

Of course, there’s one more glaring thread to tie up, and it might be the most important of all when it comes to the completion of Gojō’s character arc. His first thought when he bursts out of the Prison Realm is a desire to lay Getō’s body to rest — a desire to rectify the mistake which threw the entire world into chaos.

As we’ve already discussed, despite his strength, Gojō has racked up a collection of costly failures. Thus, his entire character arc is about learning from the mistakes of his past. He’s taken every cruel loss that the universe has sent his way and, instead of lashing out with all that power at his disposal, he has grown from his experiences and chosen the path of ‘good’ time and time again.

If Gojō dies before retrieving Getō’s body from Kenjaku’s clutches, he has failed his best friend at the very last hurdle, and this would be a truly bleak way to end his story.

Concluding thoughts

At the conclusion of the Shinjuku Showdown arc, I’d like to see Gojō Satoru step back from the fight after inspiring hope in his students by delivering a final lesson in the form of his win. It is impossible to predict what Gege Akutami will do next, but I would like to see the reins handed back to the students for a while, as I feel Gojō has played his part against the King of Curses.

It is Sukuna, not Gojō, who presents the most interesting possibilities for character development after the conclusion of this fight. I am genuinely excited to see how he grapples with this loss that has the potential to challenge his entire view of himself and others. He disrespected Yorozu and treated his fight against her as a ‘test drive’, and thought he could get away with treating Gojō the same way. I think Ryōmen Sukuna might be about to learn some important lessons, and I would love to see him in conversation with Gojō before the latter bows out of the story.

Of course, we can always trust Gege Akutami to surprise us, and it’s entirely possible that the story will veer in a completely different direction than I expected. However, I have faith that he will deliver something profound, no matter what lies ahead. 

---

*This is a very interesting concept in and of itself, especially in relation to the goal of the Culling Game, Yuki and Kenjaku’s battle of ideals (i.e. ‘breaking free from’ versus ‘optimising’ cursed energy), Maki’s ‘enlightenment’ in the Sakurajima colony, and the understanding that true enlightenment lies in breaking free from all karma — both good and bad. After all, golden shackles are still shackles. Perhaps I’ll write about this another time.

[hayatheauthor]

Ink And Venom: A Writer’s Guide To Poisonous Prose

Within the realm of storytelling, poison holds a certain allure—a dark, mysterious substance that can both captivate and terrify readers. In this guide, I will delve into the world of writing with poison, exploring its various facets, techniques, and implications. Whether you seek to add a touch of danger, heighten suspense, or create memorable villains, this guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to master the art of poisonous prose.

When to Use Poison in Your Story

When should you use poison in your story? Poison can be a powerful tool for creating suspense and intrigue. By introducing poison into your narrative, you can build tension and keep readers on the edge of their seats. Consider incorporating poison in the following situations:

A Murder Mystery: Poison adds an element of mystery, as the true cause of death may not be immediately apparent. It allows you to create a web of suspects, each with their own motives and opportunities.

Political Intrigue: Poison has a rich history in political assassinations and power struggles. It can heighten the stakes and create an atmosphere of paranoia and treachery.

Betrayal and Revenge: Poison can be a weapon of choice for characters seeking revenge or harboring deep-seated grudges. It symbolizes a hidden threat, striking when least expected.

Psychological Thrillers: Poison can serve as a metaphorical representation of internal conflicts or toxic relationships, adding psychological depth to your characters and their journeys.

By strategically incorporating poison into your story, you can create unforgettable moments that will keep your readers engaged and guessing.

Types of Poisons for Writers to Consider

As a writer, it's important to familiarize yourself with the various types of poisons available to your storytelling arsenal. Here are some common types of poisons to consider when crafting your narrative:

Plant-Based Poisons: Derived from various plants, these poisons can range from deadly nightshade (belladonna) to oleander. Research the properties and effects of different botanical poisons to create realistic and intriguing scenarios. In Agatha Christie's "Five Little Pigs," the deadly poison coniine from hemlock plays a crucial role in the murder mystery.

Toxic Metals: Poisons such as arsenic, mercury, and lead fall under this category. Their presence in the story can be subtle or overt, depending on the desired effect. These poisons often have accumulative effects, making them useful for long-term poisoning plots. In Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo," the antagonist, Fernand Mondego, uses a slow-acting poison containing arsenic to bring about the demise of his enemies.

Chemical Compounds: This broad category encompasses a wide range of synthetic poisons, including cyanide, ricin, and strychnine. These substances can be potent, swift-acting, and offer opportunities for creative storytelling twists. In Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot," a poisoned powder containing the deadly plant toxin ricin plays a central role in Sherlock Holmes' investigation.

Venomous Creatures: Poisons derived from venomous creatures such as snakes, spiders, or exotic marine life introduce an element of danger and natural lethality into your narrative. Understanding the effects and characteristics of different venoms adds authenticity to your writing. In J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the venom of a basilisk becomes a crucial ingredient in creating antidotes and battling the Dark Arts.

Remember to research each poison thoroughly, ensuring accuracy in both their effects and potential antidotes, as this will lend credibility to your storytelling.

Common Side Effects and Symptoms of Poison

When writing about poison, it's important to understand the common side effects and symptoms associated with different toxins. This knowledge will help you craft realistic and believable scenarios. Here are some common side effects and symptoms of poisoning to consider:

Gastrointestinal Distress: Many poisons, especially those ingested orally, initially affect the digestive system. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and cramping.

Neurological Effects: Certain poisons can target the central nervous system, leading to a range of neurological symptoms. These may include dizziness, confusion, seizures, tremors, paralysis, or even loss of consciousness.

Cardiovascular Effects: Some poisons interfere with the heart and circulatory system, causing abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), increased or decreased heart rate, high blood pressure, or a sudden drop in blood pressure.

Respiratory Distress: Certain poisons can affect breathing and lung function. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing.

Organ Damage: Prolonged exposure to certain toxins can cause damage to specific organs such as the liver, kidneys, or lungs. This damage may manifest as organ failure, jaundice, or difficulty with normal bodily functions.

Skin and Eye Effects: Some poisons can have immediate effects on the skin or eyes upon contact. This may include irritation, redness, blistering, or even vision impairment.

Remember that the severity and timeline of symptoms can vary depending on the poison, dose, and individual characteristics. Conduct thorough research to ensure accuracy and realism in portraying the effects of poisoning in your writing.

Famous Poisons Through the Ages and How They Work

Throughout history, numerous poisons have gained infamy for their use in real-life incidents and their portrayal in literature. Understanding the famous poisons of the past can provide inspiration and context for your writing. Here are some notable examples:

Socrates' Hemlock: Hemlock, derived from the plant Conium maculatum, was famously used to execute the Greek philosopher Socrates. It acts as a neurotoxin, paralyzing the central nervous system and causing respiratory failure.

Arsenic: Arsenic, a toxic metalloid, has a dark history and was commonly used in poisoning cases. It was virtually tasteless and odourless, making it a popular choice for covert murders. Arsenic interferes with cellular respiration, leading to organ failure.

Curare: Curare is a plant-based poison used by indigenous peoples of South America for hunting. It works by blocking neuromuscular transmission, leading to muscle paralysis and respiratory arrest.

Cyanide: Cyanide compounds, such as potassium cyanide, are highly lethal and act rapidly. They disrupt cellular respiration by binding to enzymes crucial for energy production, causing cells to suffocate.

Ricin: Ricin is a potent toxin derived from castor beans. It inhibits protein synthesis within cells, leading to organ failure. It gained notoriety due to its use in real-life assassination attempts and its portrayal in literature.

Tetrodotoxin: Tetrodotoxin is a deadly poison found in certain marine creatures, such as pufferfish. It blocks sodium channels in nerve cells, leading to paralysis, respiratory failure, and potentially death.

By researching and understanding the mechanisms of these famous poisons, you can add authenticity and depth to your storytelling. Remember to weave their effects and characteristics into your narrative in a plausible and engaging manner.

How to Kill a Character with Poison

When it comes to killing a character with poison, careful planning and attention to detail are crucial. Here are some key considerations for crafting the perfect crime:

Motivation and Intent: Establish a compelling motive for the character administering the poison. This could be driven by revenge, jealousy, power, or other deep-seated emotions. The intent behind the act will shape the overall narrative and character development.

Research and Accuracy: Thoroughly research the chosen poison to understand its properties, effects, and dosages. Accuracy is essential for maintaining reader engagement and suspension of disbelief. Ensure that the chosen poison aligns with the character's access and knowledge.

Method of Administration: Determine how the poison will be administered. Common methods include lacing food or drink, injecting a solution, applying a poisonous substance to an object, or even using a poisoned weapon. Consider the character's opportunities, resources, and the desired level of subtlety or overt confrontation.

Timing and Dose: Consider the timing and dose of the poison. A well-timed dose can create suspense and unexpected twists. The dose should be lethal but plausible, taking into account factors such as body weight, individual tolerance, and potential mitigating factors (e.g., antidotes).

Covering Tracks: Craft a plan to cover the tracks of the poisoner. This may involve creating alibis, tampering with evidence, or diverting suspicion toward other characters. A well-executed cover-up adds layers of complexity and intrigue to the narrative.

Consequences and Repercussions: Explore the aftermath of the poisoning. How does the death impact other characters and the overall plot? Consider the emotional and psychological toll on those involved, as well as potential investigations or consequences faced by the poisoner.

Remember that portraying a realistic poisoning scenario requires a delicate balance between creativity and accuracy. Strive to captivate readers while maintaining plausibility within the world you have crafted.

Considering the Implications of Writing with Poison

While writing with poison can add intrigue and suspense to your story, it's essential to consider the ethical implications involved. Here are some key points to ponder:

Responsible Storytelling: As a writer, you have a responsibility to handle sensitive topics with care. Poisoning, especially when depicted in a realistic and detailed manner, can be distressing for some readers. Consider the potential impact on your audience and approach the subject matter responsibly.

Glorification vs. Realism: Strike a balance between creating an engaging narrative and avoiding the glorification of harmful acts. Portray the consequences and repercussions of poisonings to illustrate the gravity of such actions. Show the emotional toll on characters and explore the moral dilemmas they face.

Reader Sensibilities: Readers have varying thresholds for violence, graphic content, and triggering material. Be mindful of potential triggers related to poisoning, such as discussions of self-harm, suicide, or traumatic experiences. Offer appropriate content warnings or handle such themes with sensitivity.

Research and Accuracy: Thorough research is essential for accurate portrayal. Misinformation or sensationalized descriptions can perpetuate myths or misconceptions about poisons. Ensure that your writing is grounded in scientific understanding and consult reputable sources.

Character Empathy: Develop well-rounded characters with motivations that extend beyond their use of poison. By humanizing them and exploring their complexities, readers can empathize with their struggles, even if they engage in morally objectionable acts.

Raising Awareness and Education: Take the opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of real-life poisonings. Provide information on prevention, identification, and response to actual poisoning incidents. Offer resources or references for readers seeking more information.

By navigating the ethical dimensions of writing with poison, you can create a compelling narrative while remaining sensitive to your readership and the broader impact of your work.

End Note 

From understanding when to use poison in your story to explore the various types of poisons and their effects, you now possess the knowledge to craft gripping tales of intrigue and suspense. 

(Note: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and does not promote or condone harmful actions. Always prioritize the well-being and safety of others in your writing and real-life endeavours.)

I hope this blog on a writer’s guide to poisonous prose will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[polutrope]

The Third Kinslaying

A Silmarillion question that never ceases to trouble me, and for which I am not sure I will ever come up with an answer that satisfies me: What were Maedhros and Maglor’s justifications for taking Elrond and Elros after the sack of Sirion? 

I know many people are satisfied with emotion-based reasoning, but that alone just doesn’t work for me personally. I read Maedhros and Maglor at this point in the narrative as very tormented, yes, but still capable of weighing logic and emotion at the same time. I also don't think the tone of the text supports outright villainy and ruthlessness (though that's a valid hc, especially from a non-Feanorian pov).

I’m not going to dive into my interpretation (I’m writing a fic for that), but I wanted to share the evidence and highlight what I think is the (Doylist) explanation for why the question is such a tough one to crack: None of Tolkien’s drafts covering this event* took the character of Gil-galad (or Círdan, though he was a character and not ret con'd like G-g) into consideration. He was simply not a factor in any of the versions published in HoMe. 

If you’re like me and love the ‘textual archaeology’ of figuring out how the published text was derived (and since I bothered to type them all up) here are all the drafts of the third kinslaying alongside the published Silm. (There's good stuff in here for enjoyers of Elwing, Maedhros, and Maglor, too -- and haters of Amrod and Amras lol.)

*unless there are unpublished notes or notes that have evaded me somewhere

Book of Lost Tales (late 1910s/early 1920s)

In BoLT, the Havens are sacked by Melko. 

Sketch of the Mythology (1926-30)

The sons of Fëanor learning of the dwelling of Elwing and the Nauglafring [=Nauglamir] had come down on the people of Gondolin. In a battle all the sons of Fëanor save Maidros [footnote: > Maidros and Maglor] were slain, but the last folk of Gondolin destroyed or forced to go away and join the people of Maidros [footnote: Written in the margin: Maglor sat and sang by the sea in repentance]. Elwing cast the Nauglafring into the sea and leapt after it [footnote: My father first wrote Elwing cast herself into the sea with the Nauglafring, but changed it to Elwing cast the Nauglafring into the sea and leapt after it in the act of writing], but was changed into a white sea-bird by Ylmir [=Ulmo], and flew to seek Eärendel, seeking about the shores of the world. Their son (Elrond) who is half-mortal and half-elfin [footnote: This sentence was changed to read: Their son (Elrond) who is part mortal and part elfin and part of the race of the Valar], a child, was saved however by Maidros.”

The Quenta Noldorinwa (1930)

I

The dwelling of Elwing at Sirion’s mouth, where still she possessed the Nauglafring and the glorious SIlmaril, became known to the sons of Fëanor; and they gathered together from their wandering hunting-paths. But the folk of Sirion would not yield that jewel which Beren had won and Lúthien had worn, and for which fair Dior had been slain. And so befell the last and cruellest slaying of Elf by Elf, the third woe achieved by the accursed oath; for the sons of Fëanor came down upon the exiles of Gondolin and the remnant of Doriath, and though some of their folk stood aside and some few rebelled and were slain upon the other part aiding Elwing against their own lords, yet they won the day. Damrod [=Amrod] was slain and Díriel [=Amras], and Maidros and Maglor alone now remained of the Seven; but the last of the folk of Gondolin were destroyed or forced to depart and join them to the people of Maidros. And yet the sons of Fëanor gained not the Silmaril; for Elwing cast the Nauglafring into the sea, whence it shall not return until the End; and she leapt herself into the waves, and took the form of a white sea-bird, and flew away lamenting and seeking for Eärendel about all the shores of the world. But Maidros took pity upon her child Elrond, and took him with him, and harboured and nurtured him, for his heart was sick and weary with the burden of the dreadful oath.”

II

Upon the havens of Sirion new woe had fallen. The dwelling of Elwing there, where still she possessed the Nauglafring [footnote: > Nauglamir at both occurrences] and the glorious SIlmaril, became known to the remaining sons of Fëanor, Maidros and Maglor and Damrod and Díriel; and the gathered from their wandering hunting-paths, and messages of friendship and yet stern demand they sent unto Sirion. But Elwing and the folk of Sirion would not yield that jewel which Beren had won and Lúthien had worn, and for which Dior the Fair was slain; and least of all while Eärendel their lord was in the sea, for them seemed that in that jewel lay the gift of bliss and healing that had come upon their houses and their ships. And so came in the end to pass the last and cruellest of the slayings of Elf by Elf; and that was the third of the great wrongs achieved by the accursed oath. For the sons of Fëanor came down upon the exiles of Gondolin and the remnant of Doriath and destroyed them. Though some of their folk stood aside, and some few rebelled and were slain upon the other part aiding Elwing against their own lords (for such was the sorrow and confusion in the hearts of Elfinesse in those days), yet Maidros and Maglor won the day. Alone they now remained of the sons of Fëanor, for in that battle Damrod and Díriel were slain; but the folk of Sirion perished of fled away, or departed of need to join the people of Maidros, who claimed now the lordship of all the Elves of the Outer Lands. And yet Maidros gained not the Silmaril, for Elwing seeing that all was lost and her child Elrond [footnote: > her children Elros and Elrond] taken captive, eluded the host of Maidros, and with the Nauglafring upon her breast she cast herself into the sea, and perished as folk thought. [...] But great was the sorrow of Eärendel and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Sirion, and the captivity of their sons, for whom they feared death, and yet it was not so. For Maidros took pity upon Elrond, and he cherished him, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought; but Maidros’ heart was sick and weary [footnote: This passage was rewritten thus: But great was the sorrow of Eärendel and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Sirion, and the captivity of their sons; and they feared that they would be slain. But it was not so. For Maglor took pity upon Elros and Elrond, and he cherished them, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought; but Maglor’s heart was sick and weary &c.] with the burden of the dreadful oath.

Earliest Annals of Beleriand (AB 1) (1930-37, prior to AB 2)

AB I

225 Torment of Maidros and his brothers because of their oath. Damrod and Díriel resolve to win the Silmaril if Eärendel will not yield it up. [...] The folk of Sirion refused to give up the Silmaril in Eärendel’s absence, and they thought their joy and prosperity came of it. 229 Here Damrod and Díriel ravaged Sirion, and were slain. Maidros and Maglor gave reluctant aid. Sirion’s folk were slain or taken into the company of Maidros. Elrond was taken to nurture by Maglor. Elwing cast herself into the sea, but by Ulmo’s aid in the shape of a bird flew to Eärendel and found him returning.

AB II does not go this far.

The Later Annals of Beleriand (AB 2) (1930-37, after AB 1)

325 [525] Torment fell upon Maidros and his brethren, because of their unfulfilled oath. Damrod and Díriel resolved to win the Silmaril, if Eärendel would not give it up willingly. [...] The folk of Sirion refused to surrender the Silmaril, both because Eärendel was not there, and because they thought their bliss and prosperity came from the possession of the gem. 329 [529] Here Damrod and Díriel ravaged Sirion, and were slain. Maidros and Maglor were there, but they were sick at heart. This was the third kinslaying. The folk of Sirion were taken into the people of Maidros, such as yet remained; and Elrond was taken to nurture by Maglor. But Elwing cast herself with the Silmaril into the sea, and Ulmo bore her up, and in the shape of a bird she flew seeking Eärendel, and found him returning. 

Quenta Silmarillion (1937) and The Later Quenta Silmarillion (1950s). These drafts were left incomplete and do not cover the events of the third kinslaying.

The Tale of Years (1950s)

Texts A, B

529 Third and Last Kin-slaying

Text C

532 [> 534 > 538] The Third and Last Kinslaying. The Havens of Sirion destroyed and Elros and Elrond sons of Eärendel taken captive, but are fostered with care by Maidros. 

Text D2 (ends at 527)

512 Sons of Fëanor learn of the uprising of the New Havens, and that the Silmaril is there, but Maidros forswears his oath.  [...] 527 Torment fell upon Maidros and his brethren (Maglor, Damrod and Díriel) because of their unfulfilled oath. 

Letter 211 (1958)

Elrond, Elros. *rondō was a prim[itive] Elvish word for 'cavern'. Cf. Nargothrond (fortified cavern by the R. Narog), Aglarond, etc. *rossē meant 'dew, spray (of fall or fountain)'. Elrond and Elros, children of Eärendil (sea-lover) and Elwing (Elf-foam), were so called, because they were carried off by the sons of Fëanor, in the last act of the feud between the high-elven houses of the Noldorin princes concerning the Silmarils; the Silmaril rescued from Morgoth by Beren and Lúthien, and given to King Thingol Lúthien's father, had descended to Elwing dtr. of Dior, son of Lúthien. The infants were not slain, but left like 'babes in the wood', in a cave with a fall of water over the entrance. There they were found: Elrond within the cave, and Elros dabbling in the water. 

The Silmarillion

Now when first the tidings came to Maedhros that Elwing yet lived, and dwelt in possession of the Silmaril by the mouths of Sirion, he repenting of the deeds in Doriath withheld his hand. But in time the knowledge of their oath unfulfilled returned to torment him and his brothers, and gathering from their wandering hunting-paths they sent messages to the Havens of friendship and yet of stern demand. Then Elwing and the people of Sirion would not yield the jewel which Beren had won and Luthien had worn, and for which Dior the fair was slain; and least of all while Earendil their lord was on the sea, for it seemed to them that in the Silmaril lay the healing and the blessing that had come upon their houses and their ships. And so there came to pass the last and cruellest of the slayings of Elf by Elf; and that was the third of the great wrongs achieved by the accursed oath.  For the sons of Feanor that yet lived came down suddenly upon the exiles of Gondolin and the remnant of Doriath, and destroyed them. In that battle some of their people stood aside, and some few rebelled and were slain upon the other part aiding Elwing against their own lords (for such was the sorrow and confusion in the hearts of the Eldar in those days); but Maedhros and Maglor won the day, though they alone remained thereafter of the sons of Feanor, for both Amrod and Amras were slain. Too late the ships of Cirdan and Gil-galad the High King came hasting to the aid of the Elves of Sirion; and Elwing was gone, and her sons. Then such few of that people as did not perish in the assault joined themselves to Gil-galad, and went with him to Balar; and they told that Elros and Elrond were taken captive, but Elwing with the Silmaril upon her breast had cast herself into the sea.  Thus Maedhros and Maglor gained not the jewel; but it was not lost. For Ulmo bore up Elwing out of the waves, and he gave her the likeness of a great white bird, and upon her breast there shone as a star the Silmaril, as she flew over the water to seek Earendil her beloved. [...] Great was the sorrow of Earendil and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Sirion, and the captivity of their sons, and they feared that they would be slain; but it was not so. For Maglor took pity upon Elros and Elrond, and he cherished them, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought; but Maglor’s heart was sick and weary with the burden of the dreadful oath.