#ya know for someone who never played slbp I think she did a really good job with Saizo | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yoolee · 7 years

Text

About Lee

@cavern-of-bells made a FUN LIST OF THINGS so I answered them.

1. What kind of food can’t you stand?: I fervently avoid all food that squelches – like grapes and ‘gelatinous snow fungus’ (that is a google-translated name for a mushroom in a soup my roomie from China made me once – aside from that ingredient, it was interesting). I’ve never, not once in my life, eaten Jello.

2. If you could choose one minor inconvenience to never have to deal with again, what would you pick?: Smoke alarm chirping. I could also happily do without pharmaceutical ads, which I think should be illegal, and election campaign ads.

3. Have you got any useless talents?: AHAHAHA. I can sing the chipmunk Christmas song and say the alphabet backwards? I’m also hypermobile—did a stint in the local circus as a contortionist in high school. (non-animal circus – just acrobatic acts)

4. If you could be really really good at one thing, what would it be?: Making people smile.

5. Name a few people you think are extremely good-looking: Mila Kunis, Barbara Palvin, Wendell Lissimore, Chris Evans, Zendaya Coleman, Natalie Portma, Godfrey Gao

6. What was your favorite way to pass the time as a kid?: READING (/daydreaming about book worlds) but also figure skating while we could still afford it. It was as close to flying as I could get!

7. What is something you’re proud of?: When I was in my MBA program, my 59 classmates voted me ‘Most Likely to Change the World’. It’s framed next to my diplomas. Though, to be fair, it also sort of haunts me because I feel like I’m not living up to it.

8. What’s one character flaw in people that you just can’t tolerate?: I despise being patronized. Being ignorant and refusing to admit it in the face of facts.

9. Do you consider yourself to be more of a leader or a follower?: Leader - not a good one, but, I’m not a follower.

10. What kind of student are/were you?: A really lazy, procrastinating one who still got A’s/B’s. I was a really good test taker.

11. Butterfly effect question! Has there ever been a seemingly minor decision you’ve made (at the time) that ended up having a profound influence on your life?: Reading in class in 7th grade science. My teacher made a deal with me – if I could pass the pre-quiz at the start of every week, he’d let me read instead of pay attention, but he would get to pick the book. He introduced me to Michael Crichton and Anne McCaffery, which were my first forays into sci-fi, and my involvement in that has rippled through most of my major friend groups since. Alternately, attending a training at my first career job, which introduced me to the career I now have.

12. Name your most irrational fear/aversion: Ants. I hate ants. Where there’s one, there’s hundreds, and there’s nowhere I can go that they can’t get too, and they’re small enough to crawl in your nose and stuff. I sat in a fire ant hill as a kid, which was strike one. Strike two was moving into a house that had been abandoned for seven months when I was in third grade – turned on the tub water and it came out black there were so many ants in the pipes, and they just POURED into the tub and swarmed up the sides oh god it was like a horror movie. Other than that, most of my fears are pretty average – failure, my family being hurt, etc.

13. Are there any fictional characters you find especially relatable?: I am self-centered enough to find myself in most characters – there’s usually one or two aspects that line up. Unless they are Lawful Good then I’m like…uuuugh. Nope, nothing there.

14. If you drink, what kind of drunk are you? Alternatively, what sort of person are you at parties?: I am a giggly, ballet-dancing drunk. I get hyper paranoid about my spatial issues so I literally go into ballet-mode because the movements are naturally slower and more flowy. I am also pretty clingy drunk. I like to snuggle, which is funny because sober me is not big on touching or being touched. Not to overanalyze, but I think being drunk takes away the fear of that. At parties I am that awkward wall-hovering introvert who likes to find an extrovert and make them talk while I nod and wait to GTFO. I spent the entirety of my bro’s wedding reception babysitting a 4 and 5 year old because it was so much less stressful than making small talk (simultaneously playing Go Fish AND Who’s Who Monster Edition LIKE A CHAMP)

15. Do you fall in love easily? Or does it usually take a long time for you to trust someone?: AHAHAHAHA no. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever honestly been in love – just more fond of one person than most. Invariably, I find I prefer my own company to theirs after a time.

16. Would you rather have one close friend or 100 casual friends?: This is a really hard one. 100 casual friends means more people to do stuff with, but, I treasure my close friends. I don’t know. Pass!

17. Do you consider yourself to be more of a slob or a neat-freak?: I. AM. SUCH. A. SLOB. *sobs* My room should have a hazard sign.

18. Describe a place (imaginary or real) that you would find incredibly cozy: I am not feeling creative – a bedroom that cleans itself, with lots of soft, fuzzy blanket piles and pillows, with tea services (including scones!) and lots of bookshelves. A view of a duck pond would be appreciated too lololol.

19. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them someday?: I don’t have kids. I truly treasure spending time with the kids in my family, and I work part-time as a princess/elf/storyteller at the local zoo – I like kids, but, I am a really selfish and self-centered person, and I move on to new things—including people—with serious regularity. I don’t think I would be a good parent at all. I wish I could be, but, knowing my flaws, it would be really irresponsible to have kids.

20. What was your favorite book as a child? Elementary school – it was a book about a little black cat who went to boarding school, and there was a yellow spotted cat with a fire truck. Don’t remember the name. I also love the Wizard of Oz books (SO DARK). As a middle schooler – The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. I needed a Mary Sue at that point in my life. Also loved the Dragonsinger series by Anne McCaffery, and everything by Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce. In high school…The Things They Carried, I suppose. Now, probably Fuyumi Ono’s Twelve Kingdom’s series. It’s YA, but, the characters are so flawed, and so redeemed, I find it really interesting.

21. Name one thing you just don’t get what all the hype is about: Disney World

22. Name one thing that you think is tragically underrated: The Emperor’s New Groove is the best Disney movie ever. ALSO, Mary Sues. Middle School me needed Mary Sues. I think most do. Go easy on ‘em.

23. If you had to be glued to a person for a month, real or fictional (who you have never met), who would you choose?: UM. HM. Someone who doesn’t need to shower to smell clean? XD Lady Luck, maybe. It would be fascinating to watch – both good and bad luck – unfold all around.

24. What’s something you’d like the chance to do someday?: This feels super arrogant – but I’d like to be a good enough author to have a book published and do a book signing. With people who actually come to get the book signed!

25. Do you typically speak your mind when you have a controversial opinion? Or do generally prefer to not rock the boat?: I like to work behind the scenes. Usually I write like a multi-page rebuttal with linked references, but I rarely post it. Sometimes I do. I call my senators roughly weekly, for what that’s worth, but public discourse is not my thing.

26. What’s the dumbest fad you’ve been caught up in?: ….uuuum. Hmm. Butterfly clips, maybe? But then, it was the 90s and I was eleven, so.

27. What’s something you thought was cool as a kid/adolescent, but now cringe at yourself for?: I DON’T CRINGE AT MYSELF but Dragonball Z. XD I forgive my kid/adolescent self for a lot, okay.

28. What’s a trait you consider to be very admirable?: The willingness to publically, and politely, engage in debate in service of someone else. Genuine ability to interact with other people in a way that leaves them feeling better for having interacted with you.

29. Is there a particular kind of item people always tend to give you as gifts? (For instance, people always get you things with ducks on them because you like ducks, etc.): LITERALLY, DUCKS. I love ducks. People give me ceramic ducks all the time. Also socks, because my grandma collected fancy decorative perfume bottles and one Christmas my mom and I went to like 10 stores looking for one she didn’t have and I pitched a FIT saying when I was older I was going to collect socks because you always need more, and there’s no way people would run out of options for me. My family thought this was hilarious and took me up on it. My grandpa shipped me socks from the dollar store once a month while I was in college.

30. Do you speak multiple languages? Which ones?: I wish I did! I can cuss in quite a few, and I know some conversational Irish from studying abroad there and studying it.

31. Would you rather live in the big city or the countryside?: Having lived in both – the big city. It’s too easy to self-isolate in the countryside, and for me, personally, that’s fairly unhealthy. Countryside is definitely prettier and more peaceful, just, not for me.

32. Has there ever been something you were certain you’d hate, but ended up loving?: Literally all the time. Like, Mitsunari in SLBP for example!

33. Do you mind being the center of attention, or do you prefer the spotlight to be on someone else?: Ahahahaha give me all of the attention please /sigh

34. Favorite holiday?: Halloweeeeen. But I also really like Diwali even if I feel a little bit like I am trespassing/being a tourist. It’s just beautiful.

35. Are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person, or do you need to have things planned meticulously?: “PLANNED” AHAHAHA WHAT IS THAT WORD IDK. I am so last-minute and haphazard it’s absurd.

36. Is there something you loved so much you wish you could forget it and experience it all over again? (A tv show, book, series–anything.) : The pleasure of reading books in middle school. Those ‘first’ exposures, without expectation or standards. EVERYTHING was magical and exciting, and I devoured it all. Alternately, college.

37. What hobbies do you have?: UM. I dress up as a princess/superhero and visit kids in the hospital which is…weird, I know. I get paid to do it at the zoo, and some parents reached out to them and asked if we could visit and then it became a thing. Less so now that I’m in a new city. Martial arts (Hapkido, Judo, Taekwondo), ballet, baking with zucchini, photoshopping, reading, writing SLBP fanfiction, playing otome games…XD

38. If you could have a superpower, but it was only mildly useful, what ability would you want to have?: THE ABILITY TO FEEL WELL-RESTED AT ANY TIME. Or good luck, but I’d argue that would be more than mildly useful. Ability to find the right thing to say to cheer someone up!

39. Something people are always surprised to learn about you: Online folks are usually surprised to learn I’m old? Friends IRL are usually surprised I’m Chaotic Evil (I won’t say I’m two-faced, I’ll say I try really hard to be nice, and I act like it well, but it is an act – I don’t genuinely possess any empathy to speak of. I will listen to you, but I probably don’t actually care, I just want to – there is a difference) and work folks are usually pretty surprised at the Chemistry background. FOLLOWERS OF THIS BLOG won’t be surprised but, I friggen love Waffle House. That usually throws people for al oop.

40. Something that took you way too long to figure out: That I’m bi? I was on BC for so long I thought I was ace, so when I finally developed a drive in my late/mid-twenties it was sort of shocking to realize it’s only rarely set to hetero, and like, I still don’t know how to act on that. ALSO for years I had no idea there was a little arrow on your gas gauge to tell you which side the gas pump’s on – comes in super handy in rental cars.

41. Worst injury you’ve had? Physically? Fell out of a tree as a kid and snapped an arm bone in half – one half went on top of the other. Other things have happened that took longer to emotionally recover, but, physically that was the worst probably. Weirdly, I fell off of the roof with no injury, but…idk I’m weirdly durable.

42. Any morbid fascinations?: Snake venom. I could probably write a dissertation.

43. Describe your sense of humor: I LOVE PUNS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I like ‘smart’ humor (puns are clever) and nerdy humor, but I don’t like mean humor. I also laugh at gallows humor a lot.

44. If you had to be born in another era/place, which would you choose?: Okay this is really hard because I would be useless in most other eras and I would miss indoor plumbing and women’s rights and people not regularly dying around me. I am probably biased by being interested in times with the best myths/stories. Ancient Egypt? Viking Age? Basically any time period in China or Japan because my US-centric world history studies seriously failed me they are a bit of a fascinating mystery.

45. Something you are irredeemably bad at: LOL this would be a long list. (you said ‘thing’ singular, I am taking that as a friendly suggestion not a mandate) Push-ups (hypermobile elbows, okay). Cleaning. LOGISTICS AND PLANNING OH LORD. Editing my own work. SMALL TALK oh god I am the worst at small talk I even took a class on it trying to get better. Gracefully accepting compliments - how does one do that and not come off as obnoxious ;.;

46. Something that sucked but you’re glad you went through: Most recently, dumping a Really Good Guy. A past me would have just quietly let it fade into oblivion and that would have been worse. I think?

47. Would you rather have a really godawful ugly tattoo in a place that is only slightly inconvenient to conceal with clothing (upper arm, thigh, etc.), or the coolest, most beautiful tattoo ever in the middle of your face? (Neither tattoo can be removed or concealed with makeup, and the ugly tattoo will deeply offend anyone who sees it.): lololol oh my gosh. I don’t like offending people. So. I guess pretty one on my face.

48. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist?: Eeeeeeh.I guess optimist, but that’s mostly laziness.

49. What would be the most flattering compliment someone could give you?: That I have made their life better or brighter somehow.

50. Something you feel people often misunderstand about you: I am simultaneously incredibly confident about things and incredibly craven about people! And that’s hard for people to get sometimes. Like, my writing I am wholly confident of and proud of to the point of arrogance – as a thing. But the moment someone talks to me about it I get petrified because oh god what if I, as a person say or do something that turns them off to the point where they can’t enjoy the writing (the thing). It’s greatly exacerbated by the internet where I can’t read tone or facial expressions – but I’m still pretty bad about this offline too. Like, I hate even going to Chipotle or Qdoba where there isn’t a big line of people (if there’s a big line of people everything is hustling and bustling and moving along) – I greatly dislike social interactions that lack a script. But, put my project in front of a board of directors or the company president, and I will kick tush and take names. It’s a weird dichotomy, but that’s how I’m wired.

THIS WAS FUN. GOOD QUESTIONS

I TAG YOU, PERSON READING THIS.

#about yoolee

25 notes · View notes

flatsuke · 7 years

Text

Six Times Voltage Inc Tugged at my Heartstrings

I’ve been playing Voltage games for about four years now, and I have to say, there were moments in certain routes that made me Feel Things™. Generally, Voltage games aren’t really known for being cynical or overly emotional. Heck, their games, while having some mature content, mostly have an optimistic feel to them. However, there were some moments in particular that stood out to me—those scenes were written powerfully enough to shake me to the core.

I have to admit, it was difficult for me to select a few moments from hundreds of routes, but I tried my best to narrow it down as much as I could.

Disclaimer:

I limited it to one character per game to avoid repetition.

I haven’t played every Voltage game (or route for that matter). The moments I’ve chosen only come from the games I’ve played.

I didn’t include SLBP because I only started getting into it recently (plus I don’t know too much about the other lords to make solid conclusions about them lmao).

This is all my personal opinion, so that means you probably won’t share the same views as I do, which is cool (I’d actually appreciate it if you told me what your favorite moments were :D).

Anyhow, let’s begin! (long post below):

1. Leon about to destroy literally everything in the world to save MC (Leon, Season 1 Main Story, Star-Crossed Myth)

Context: Even with Leon’s mark of sin erased, he was still put on trial by Zyglavis and the Department of Punishments because he broke a law that all gods must never break—he fell in love with a human. Still, Leon couldn’t help but love MC; it was her who taught him what love meant, and he wasn’t ready to part with that feeling. Zyglavis offers him an ultimatum—to kill MC and remain a god, or to renounce his godhood and never see MC again. Leon decides that none of those options are ideal, so he does what he thinks is best—that is, to destroy the heavens and rewrite everything so that MC wouldn’t have to be hurt by the gods anymore.

Why I liked this scene: This scene got me shook. Both in the literal and figurative sense, MC has become Leon’s world, Leon’s everything.

Leon has always been lonely at the top. He may have been the most powerful god next to the King, but ultimately, no one understood him. He may have been a wish-granting god, but humans didn’t mean much to him—they were sad, helpless little creatures who were blinded by love. Then comes along MC, who teaches him that even though human life is ephemeral, people make the most out of it to be happy. She shows him what love is—it isn’t a catalyst for demise, but rather, a source of strength.

But to take her away from him after finally discovering these feelings? No, he wouldn’t allow that.

Like I said before, I’m in complete awe at how deep his devotion runs for her. He would literally rewrite the universe just for her to be happy, and damn son, if that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.

2. Issei allowing MC to carry out her revenge at the cost of his life (Issei Sezaki, Season 1 Main Story, Kiss of Revenge)

Context: MC and Issei have been dating for a while, but she’s conflicted between her growing love for him and her deep-rooted desire to avenge her mother’s death because of malpractice. For twelve long years, she’s worked her way into becoming a doctor at Ebisu General Hospital in order to carry out her revenge against the doctor that let her mother die—Issei. Of course, he’s known the whole time that MC’s been trying to plan her revenge, so he deliberately invites her over to his home, drugs himself with a strong sedative, leaves a knife on the kitchen counter, and basically allows her to kill him in hopes that she might find peace and that he may atone for his sins.

Why I liked this scene: Kiss of Revenge is probably the most depressing Voltage game I’ve ever played. Its writing is superb, and the characterization is just phenomenal. But this scene in particular stole the show.

Issei’s just so…resigned to his fate. Like, he doesn’t care what happens to him so long as MC can achieve the revenge she so wished for. His love for her, coupled with his deep-seated, excruciating guilt, makes him willing to give up everything for her and take the blame for it all. He knows how long she’s suffered because of him, and he all he wants is for her to be free from the pain, and wow my heart hurt reading his entire route. Two broken characters brought together by unfortunate circumstances, only to endure even more heartache…

3. Koichi’s confession in the rain (Koichi Natsukawa, Another Story, In Your Arms Tonight)

Context: So in Koichi’s Another Story, MC and Koichi have finished their collaborative exhibit, and they make plans to meet the next week for a date. At this point in time, the MC is slowly falling for him despite her initial bad impression of him. Fast forward, MC sees him with Ai, and MC is shocked because Koichi had said he already broke up with Ai. So yeah, misunderstanding ensues, and MC is hurt and doesn’t want to see him again. He tries to contact her many times, only for him to get turned down . Over time, she realizes that Koichi never lied to her; he did break up with Ai waaaaay back, and he even defended her at his workplace’s award ceremony when someone tried to harass her. She eventually decides to confess to him and thank him for everything, but she sees that he’s engaged to someone else. In the end, she doesn’t tell him her feelings and wishes him well with his fiancee. Of course, Koichi is in love with MC, so he goes all the way to her house, apologizes to her, and confesses how he really feels.

Why I liked this scene: I think I’ve mentioned a billion times before that IYAT is my favorite game and Koichi is my number one bias lmao.

Anyway, this is the scene that puts Koichi at the top of my bias list. He started out as a cold, cynical character who saw marriage as a means to an end. Throughout his route however, he spends more time with MC and learns that relating with people isn’t just transactional and utilitarian. She shows him what a partnership, and by extension, a relationship means—two people supporting each other unconditionally. Here, he lets go of all his past inhibitions and just decides to be honest with her. He knows he doesn’t deserve her, he knows he’s not the best person, but he still wants a chance to prove that he can make her happy because, above all, he loves her.

4. Eisuke’s birthday 2017 (Eisuke Ichinomiya, Happy Birthday Eisuke 2017, Kissed by the Baddest Bidder)

Context: MC and the other bidders throw a party for Eisuke’s birthday, and she tells him how grateful she is that he exists and that she’d be with him no matter what.

Why I liked this scene: It was difficult for me to pick one from KBTBB because honestly, there were a lot of moments I loved. Eventually, I had to choose this one because it summed up what I love the most about Eisuke and MC’s relationship—both of them fill in each other’s gaps and support each other unconditionally, albeit in different ways. She can see through him, his flaws, his fears, and she accepts all of him wholeheartedly. He, on the other hand, is in awe; no one has ever bothered to look beyond the surface except her, and for that, words can’t express how thankful he is that she came into his life.

He’s a bit more subtle in expressing his gratitude, but when he does, I just melt every damn time.

5. MC showing her resolve to Okita (Soji Okita, Act I Main Story, Era of Samurai: Code of Love)

Context: So after having a confrontation with the Choshu ronin and Maro at the Ikeda-ya, Okita and the Shinsengumi arrive in the nick of time to save her. After Okita kills Maro and the other ronin, he tries to distance himself from her once more, saying people like him aren’t meant to be with people like her. For the longest time, he’s been drenched in blood, and he doesn’t want her to live in a world like that. However, MC steels her resolve and tells him that none of that matters. To her, Okita is more than the murderer he paints himself to be, and that she won’t pry her eyes from the reality he has to live with.

Why I liked this scene: Now this is the definition of a strong, well-written protagonist. MC stole the fucking show, and I had to applaud at how real she was. She didn’t try to overlook his past, nor did she try to pretend that nothing was wrong. She simply accepted Okita’s role in the reality of the Shinsengumi and decided she would make the most out of it. She doesn’t try to change him either; all she does is highlight what strengths he already has and tells him how much she loves him for it.

6. Asahi and MC’s reunion (Asahi Kakyouin, Forbidden Route, My Wedding and 7 Rings)

Context: After exposing his father’s corporate crimes to everyone at Sanno Corporation’s alleged final board meeting, Asahi, after his family’s humiliation, disappears for a while to a remote town from his childhood. MC, for weeks, tries to track him down, which she eventually does with Kai’s help. She eventually finds him in a quaint town, working at the fishing docks, and all she can do in her unadulterated happiness is hug him; despite everything they’ve been through, the fact that they’re together again is all that matters.

Why I liked this scene: I never thought this guy, of all people, would manage to make it to the list lmao… but seriously, his Forbidden Route surprised me with how good it was.

He starts off as an arrogant, selfish egoist who doesn’t understand how his actions ultimately affect others. Over time though, he spends time with MC, lives with her for a while, and comes to discover what he had been missing all his life—the warmth of another person. He’s awkward at discovering his own feelings, but he resolutely decides to live by them. He sacrifices everything he once believed in (ruthlessness, cold efficiency) to uphold what he now believes is right (fairness, selflessness). When he sees MC again, he’s so humbled that she still wants to be with even after he threw everything away, and my heart couldn’t take how much he’s changed since the beginning.

In terms of character development, Asahi takes the cake.

661 notes · View notes