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mirai-e-jump · 9 months

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Weekly The Television, No. 47 (2002) "Super New Heroes, 7 Consecutive Shots" ft. Various Toku Alumni Short Interviews (translations below)

Publication: November 11, 2002 _

"Passion hidden within his cool gaze" Tetsuji Tamayama (GaoSilver)

"Whether it's TV dramas, movies, or photo books, Tetsuji Tamayama has become very popular. He is currently starring in "Bara no Jujika," playing the role of Kyosuke, a CM director who becomes popular after switching positions with his nephew, Togo. It's a difficult role for him, as he becomes troubled by his secret love for Sumiko, who is Togo's wife."

Tamayama: I'd like to express the depravity of humans when their position and situations change dramatically. I hope I can play out the relationship between Kyosuke and Togo in a way that men can sympathize with.

"In the film "Koi ni Utaeba," he plays the role of Satoru, the ex-boyfriend of Yumi, played by popular actress Yuka."

Tamayama: Everyone, including Takenaka Naoto-san, play such bizarre characters (laughs). I think I might be the only one playing a serious role. However, I wouldn't mind if I could act strangely too.

"Despite your smart appearance, your true colors are often showing."

Tamayama: I don't know if I'm impatient, or just not good at things. Like for example, traveling a long distance just to eat a meal. I'd rather go to a normal restaurant where everything is ready in 15 minutes, than to an Izakaya where the food comes out slowly. I don't want to spend time in places that I think are a wastes of time.

"He's also passionate about acting"

Tamayama: I want to be recognized as an actor. I'd like to challenge myself with a period drama if the opportunity ever arises. Like in Gaoranger, I'd like to experience that kind of world without any prior experience, like the Edo period or the Warring States period.

"A hot and reliable brotherly figure." Noboru Kaneko (GaoRed)

Kaneko: I try to add alot of variety to my performance, as to make sure I don't get bored.

"Noboru Kaneko-san said, describing the joys of acting in a lively manner. Since staring in Gaoranger, he has appeared in multiple dramas and variety shows. He's currently playing a detective in "You're Under Arrest."

Kaneko: I'm alittle worried if I have "the right look." At first, I wanted to portray my character as more of an obnoxious detective, but he's already become such a nice guy (laughs).

"With 7 years of experience as a tennis instructor, he's both athletic and versatile."

Kaneko: People always tell me that I "look like I work out," but I only do push ups at home, and only when I remember to. I'm not a member of any gym, but I sometimes go to my local ward's gym for 400 yen at a time (laughs).

"Fitness seems to be second nature to you."

Kaneko: When I play sports, the first thing I do is image training. I'll picture jumping over the vaulting box or hitting a ball successfully. Image training has also helped me with my acting.

"One of his strengths, is that he can apply his sense of sports into what he plays."

Kaneko: I want to be an actor with a unique style. I don't care if I don't play the leading role, I just want to be the one who will be the most "memorable" after the show ends.

"He's cute enough to want to keep to yourself" Taiyo Sugiura (Ultraman Cosmos)

"Taiyo Sugiura says his role as Musashi in Ultraman Cosmos was his starting point. Recently, he's been appearing on variety shows, including "Midnight Sentai Garinpero" where he serves as one of its MC's. He is active in a variety of works, and is scheduled to make his CD debut next month with his younger brother as a sibling unit."

Sugiura: At first, I didn't think variety was for me, but once you try it, it's alot of fun. I was so happy when I got together with Downtown for the first time on their show "Downtown DX" (laugh). Garinpero is a live show, so I think how it works is that the first person to speak up wins. When speaking live, I use Kansai dialect, because it's easier for me to speak normally than standard Japanese. After this program, I'd like to one day star in a drama with my co-hosts Toshiki Kashu-kun (Agito) and Shioya Shun-kun (HurricaneRed). And then there's the "Winter Special Event: Hot Springs Tour with Everyone" program. Maybe…it'd be alright to just enjoy by myself!?

"Next year, he'll try his hand with theater for the first time."

Sugiura: I came into this world aspiring to become an actor, so I think doing various works will lead me to becoming a successful one. In the future, I'd like to act in movies and play a variety of roles, including cool ones.

"A refreshingly beautiful man with pure eyes." Toshiki Kashu (Kamen Rider Agito)

"Toshiki Kashu-san is set to be an MC for the variety program "Midnight Sentai Garinpero." We can expect to see a different side of him compared to the heroic role he played in "Kamen Rider Agito," which was his breakthrough role."

Kashu: I can learn a lot of things that I have never experienced before, such as presenting in a studio and reporting on location. I used to stay away from anything that I didn't have any interest in. But things have started to change since I became an actor. It's a way of expanding my own world, so I'm looking forward to this program.

"As an actor, he says he is, "not the most distinctive."

Kashu: On the contrary, I've come to think it's probably better that way. I don't want to simply be, "Toshiki Kashyu playing any role," I want to be an actor who can be absorbed into the role. So for now, as I gain experience through various works, and depend on my own talents, one day I'd like to develop my own style. I want to become an actor who can wear any color, carrying around paints of various colors, while always remaining pure white.

"And with that, he showes his determination."

"An "active rider" with a beautiful figure that is a sight to behold!" Takamasa Suga (Kamen Rider Ryuki)

Suga: After being accepted for the role, I told my father, whose response was, "I won't be able to see your face when you become Ryuki!," it was an incredible misunderstanding (laughs).

"Takamasa Suga-kun said. Currently starring in Kamen Rider Ryuki, he looks back on the days when he passed the audition with a nostalgic feeling."

Suga: From the start of filming up until now, things have gone by quick. In the beginning, I would go to the production site, then go home, sleep, and repeat that process every day. I wouldn't even pay attention to what was going on in the world, so I sometimes felt like a recluse. Some have said that the production site of Ryuki is like an all boys school. So from now on, I'm saying, "Let's do training camps and drink for days!" (laughs).

"If we were to compare his co-star, Satoshi Matsuda-kun, to an animal, he says, "A fox! That guy, he's very sharp and smart in almost every way." Suga-kun is also a good looking young man who speaks politely, but what type of woman does he like?

Suga: I'm…actually a really sloppy guy. I get my meals from convenience stores, and my room is always a mess. That's why I'd like to find a firm but caring woman.

"He's also a Kabuki enthusiast."

Suga: I've always loved it, and recently, I've been taking out books to study it more. It's precisely because Kabuki is so difficult that I'm fascinated by it. I hope I can reflect the feeling of Kabuki into my acting.

"A handsome face and smooth voice." Matsuda Satoshi (Kamen Rider Knight)

Matsuda: I'm actually 100 times more cheerful than Ren. When I'm on set, I act like an idiot and am always saying nonsense.

"Satoshi Matsuda-kun said while laughing, he plays the cool Akiyama Ren in Kamen Rider Ryuki. Both his co-stars and he himself admits that he's a lively mood maker. Comparing himself to his co-star Takamasa Suga-kun, he said, "I think we're like cat and dog." He explains, "Sugacchi, who is a very sweet person that is often spoiled, is a dog. I'm a cat because I tend to do things at my own pace."

Matsuda: I like black bass fishing, and on good days, I'll swing about 1,000 casts. During the middle of Winter, I once fished with snow building up on my head. While I'm fishing, I usually call a friend when I have a random though. "What are you up to? Ah, sorry, you see I'm catching fish right now and…" and that's when they'll hang up (laughs).

"At what moment did you feel glad that you became an actor?"

Matsuda: During the filming of the scene where I die in the TV Special, me, Sugacchi, and the rest of the staff were so overwhelmed, that we all started crying. In that moment, I experienced a feeling of unity and joy that I don't think I could experience anywhere else. In the future, I hope to develop a masculine style and atmosphere like that of Takakura Ken-san (famous Showa era actor).

"A gentle, healing "man" full of kindness" Masashi Goda (OhBlue)

With a gentle smile, the charming Masashi Goda-san is currently starring in the drama "Bara no Jujika," passionately playing the role of Junya, a young man who is in love with Aki, a single mother.

Goda: Junya is ready to say to Aki, "I'll take care of you, along with your child," but he really struggles to say it, doesn't he? Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong if the person you love already has children.

"Goda-sans true colors, which seem to overlap with Junya's, is an image that would warmly embrace any woman. When on the set, he's always there to play with the child actors."

Goda: However, if I spoil them too much, they'll say the names of card games and other things I don't know of (laughs). In the past, when I was on location for Ohranger, there was usually a large gathering of children, and as a hero, I couldn't be seen as a bad guy (laughs). I love children, so I'm comfortable playing this role.

"Behind his soft gaze, he reveals his passion for acting."

Goda: Actually, it's not so much "I'd like to play this kind of role," it's more about how much I can expand the role I'm asked to play. That's what I'm more interested in.

"With that, we felt the charm of an adult man in the expression on his face, as he spoke of his sincere thoughts.

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trashexplorer · 2 months

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BLCD Review: Ikigami & Donor

Title: Ikigami to Donor (イキガミとドナー)

Author/Artist: Yamanaka Hiko

Shop: CD + Manga

Release Date: 2021/12/03

Cast:

Nakajima Yoshiki x Saitou Souma

Yamashita Seiichirou + Kawanishi Kengo

Kobayashi Chiaki

Yashiro Taku

Komada Wataru

Hayashi Miho

Shiozaki Tomohiro

Higa Ryosuke

Abe Ryouma

Torashima Takaaki

Oota Kensuke

Nakashima Takuya

Fujita Mami

Miyama Mari

Souya Kazuki

Synopsis:

"Your blood and flesh, all of it is mine." An ikigami and a healer, together their souls support each other, blooming into love...

In the distant future, ordinary teacher Yoshino learns that he is a "donor" for the strongest species, the "ikigami." These warriors are tasked with protecting the country. "The unique ability of a donor is to use their bodily fluids to heal ikigami." Yoshino learns this fact and is shocked. Thus, Yoshino is forced to live with Kidou... At first, he is like a beast, demanding Yoshino's bodily fluids, but slowly, the underlying loneliness begins to show...

"Someday, if I met a donor, could they come to love me? That thought is the only reason I survived..."

Review Proper

I can’t believe Yamanaka Hiko’s been terrorizing me for over twelve years now. OH MY GOD I’M SO OLD. And true to the Yamanaka Hiko brand, this turned out to be another fantasy masterpiece (read His 500 Years of Suffering Romance). This was definitely the type of thing that would do great even without the BL aspect of it. Now, I did have an issue with Kidou being an asshole (he's almost killed Yoshino more than once), so I’m not excusing it. But I do get how and why he turned out to be like that and I'm aware that it's important for his character development. The world-building was great, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely dubcon 2015. I would strongly advise you not to get into it if that's a deal breaker for you.

Anyway, onto the voice work.

Souma used a tone so close to Gucci's that I kept imagining Gucci being Yoshino. Yes, I didn't read the manga while listening to the BLCD. It was like after graduating Karasuno, Gucci went on to become a teacher, then a donor lmao. His Yoshino panics more like Honda-san, however, so my final verdict is that his Yoshino is half-Gucci, half-Honda-san.

This isn't Nakajiki and Souma's first rodeo, but I'm glad to say that their performance/dynamic here is different from Mikeneko and XL Size. I expected Kidou to be a mix of Amano and Anaconbayashi-kun 'cause the former was cocky and the latter was stoic, but Kidou was only 50% of that mix and 50% brooding, suffering, I'll-protect-you top. Am I even making any sense? Again, I listened to the BLCD first, but the sound direction they gave Nakajiki was very different from what I thought he'd sound like after I read the manga. It’s almost like what happened with OnoD’s expressive Hasebe-kun in the Kotonoha BLCD vs the more stoic Hasebe-kun in the manga.

The voice work of our two leads was 👌. This might just be my fave out of their pairings 'cause the sex isn't over-the-top like XL Size and Mikeneko. I will say that I wasn't completely sold on Yamashita Seiichirou as Shibata-san 'cause I feel like he speaks too slowly, but I'm sure it'll grow on me by the time I listen to their spin-off. KawaKen was fine. My heart broke for him every time Shibata-san rejected him, so it's safe to say he's got Taki-kun down already.

Oh. I did have a slight issue with the sfx too. Why was it so watery??? Lmao. Even r18 otome cds aren't that wet. But it's not so glaring that it'll turn you off.

The BLCD was almost perfectly accurate to the manga. I highly recommend this to those learning mid to higher levels of Japanese. Futekiya has licensed volumes 1 & 2, so please try to support the official release if you can. I'd be lying if I said that I agree with how they translated it so... literally?, but I think it's also important to see how things are translated that way if you're aiming to dip your toes into translation aside from studying the language. For example, they used "Living God" throughout the manga instead of "Ikigami." It's correctly translated, but I personally prefer retaining the original title. You know, like how Viz uses "Kaiju no. 8" instead of "Monster no. 8?"

God knows if I'll ever survive the spinoff that I wanted to work on. I avoided talking about it for a reason lmao. Anyway, if y'all liked this, then please give 500 Years (Ono Yuuki x Suzuki Tatsuhisa) and Shortcake no Ichigo Sawaranaide (Nojima Hirofumi x Takeuchi Ken). These two are android bls and Ikigami to Donor is more guide bl, but they both share a futuristic vibe.

#blcd reviews #blcd 2021 reviews #ikigami to donor #ginger records #yamanaka hiko #nakajima yoshiki #saitou souma #kobayashi chiaki #yashiro taku #komada wataru

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the-guy-shes-interested · 18 days

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The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All - The reason why Sumiko Arai's popular work spread from social media! [Interview with Shuko Yokoi! Manga ga Umareru Basho Volume 7]

April 7, 2024

Greetings, everyone! I'm excited to announce that I'll be translating Sumiko Arai's upcoming interviews starting from this one. Be sure to join the Discord Server of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All for every latest updates!

Shuko Yokoi, a manga writer, hosts a series exploring into "the start of the story" with fellow manga artists, the creators behind the works. In its 7th volume, she interviews Sumiko Arai, the author of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All.

Summary of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All: Aya Osawa, a high school student, finds herself captivated by a mysterious figure she refers to as "onii-san," who works at a CD shop. However, it's revealed that this "onii-san" is actually Mitsuki Koga, a quiet classmate whom Aya has never even spoken to. This narrative revolves around the "affection" shared between two women and gained considerable attention on social media.

[Interview starts from here! ── Original link]

I've long aimed to create a story that goes beyond just romantic love.

──How did the concept of "Mitsuki" and "Aya," two girls' story, originate?

I've always wanted to tell a story about girls. I'm drawn to stories where individuals from vastly different backgrounds connect despite their differences. This interest sparked the idea. Being passionate about drawing, I used to share short silent manga strips on social media. I believed that by omitting dialogue, it could easily resonate with international audiences, regardless of their language. One of these creations eventually inspired The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All.

──When The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All was announced on Twitter, it received an overwhelming response. Currently, Ms. Arai has over one million followers on Twitter. Was the ease of reaching overseas audiences, as you mentioned earlier, one of the reasons for sharing it on social media?

To be honest, I never anticipated such a response, so I didn't think too much about it (laughs). It was really thrilling to engage with people from around the world on social media. Having lived abroad myself, I believe that experiencing different environments has greatly influenced who I am today. Perhaps because there aren't as many stories globally about women connecting as there are about heterosexual or male-male relationships, it might have been well-suited for social media.

──What inspired you to portray the relationship between these two girls?

I believe the connections between women can be incredibly deep and intimate. That sense of closeness when you share everything… from matching outfits to the same music, spending hours in each other's company without necessarily saying much. It's a kind of affection distinct from romantic love. Personally, I tend to think that romantic relationships often end when they break up, you know? So, I wanted to illustrate something that goes beyond that. I sometimes wonder if being together without the confines of a formal relationship is what love truly is. Sorry if it's unclear.

──I can relate because I've always admired relationships that can't be named or are just between two people.

Everyone has those lonely and isolated moments, don't we? Especially in our youth, when we're all carrying various emotions. But if we could find someone who resonates with us at our most vulnerable, I imagine it would be something lifelong. That's what I'm trying to capture as I draw.

Confidence can be a lifesaver.

──How did you come up with Mitsuki's character, initially believed to be a mysterious "onii-san" but revealed as a cool girl?

It's completely my preference. I love women who have a masculine aura about them, so I created Mitsuki's character based on that. Like, what it would be like if a quiet girl actually had tattoos. Plus, I wanted to show her compassionate nature. Mitsuki is unconsciously innate, she naturally radiates warmth and care without even realizing it.

──She's handsome and gentle, isn't she? When it comes to showing sexuality, I feel a strong affirmation of her existence and femininity through the artwork, which is pretty exciting.

Thank you very much. I'm glad you notice the attention to detail, like Mitsuki's slender wrists, fingers, and the shape of her nails. Looking back at the art in the first volume, there are parts where I go, "Wow," but I put a lot of effort into showing Mitsuki's expression when she tells Aya, "I want to be friends."I made sure to focus on portraying expressions even in the rough drafts (laughs). I've been able to improve my drawing skills a bit, so these days, I often find myself liking what I draw more.

──That part when they become friends at school is quite memorable, isn't it?

I'm a huge fan of the American TV show "Glee," which is all about a high school choir made up of minorities. Growing up watching that show had a big impact on me. I was drawn to the stories where characters, despite seeming to have it all together, actually struggle with hidden emotions. So, I wanted to create something similar myself. Aya embodies some of those qualities. She may seem sparkly and put-together on the outside, but she actually carries a strong sense of determination, ready to confront any situation with a "huh?" kind of attitude. She's a spirited girl with a lot of backbone.

──In the second volume, their unique personalities shine through even more.

While Mitsuki tries to hide her true self at school, her efforts to conceal it make her even more fascinating. It's interesting to see how, through her interactions with Aya, her real self gradually emerges, even in the school setting.

──Isn't it amazing to feel completely yourself with someone you love?

Being true to yourself means having confidence in your identity. When you stop worrying about others' opinions, you naturally attract those who value you for who you are and what you stand for, just like how Mitsuki and Aya grew closer. The best part about being confident is that it's for your own sake. That's why I create manga, aiming to inspire others to embrace their authenticity and self-assurance.

──Music plays a vital role in this manga, adding a unique yellow-green and black color scheme that initially gave it a rock vibe.

Interestingly, I chose the yellow-green color just 15 minutes before posting the first chapter on social media (laughs). I didn't expect it to go viral, but I thought a rock-like feel with a slightly daring color would be fitting, so I went with it on impulse. Maybe that last-minute decision turned out well.

──As for the music in the story, aside from NIRVANA, there are many other tracks featured. What's your own musical journey like?

When I was young, BECK's album 'Guero' was my absolute favorite. I remember dancing to it in my father's workplace, and that's where my love for rock began. NIRVANA's music is exceptional, and I resonate with Kurt Cobain, the frontman, for pushing the boundaries of feminism and gender. Being an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, and having moved to places where I couldn't communicate well, I feel like music filled the silence and nurtured my imagination.

──In 'The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All,' music serves as a bridge between the vastly different worlds of Mitsuki and Aya, connecting them in unexpected ways.

Yes, that's right. The ending part in Volume 2 left a lasting impression on me. Aya attempts to prevent Mitsuki from leaving the pedestrian bridge, which can metaphorically be viewed as a stage. It signifies a moment of deep friendship and love. Additionally, there's a profound love for Mitsuki's music as well.

──I really liked the part where you added the line saying, 'The song connects the world!!' Do you have a specific way you show music in your work?

Honestly, I just put in music that I like. It's more of a personal choice. I don't think it's anything super profound, but I do think carefully about which songs match each scene. Sometimes, scenes are directly inspired by music, like the part in Volume 2 where Aya and Mitsuki hold hands, which came to me while listening to The Shins.

──I have a playlist I made officially, but I also enjoy listening to music while reading.

It might sound a bit silly because I pick the music myself (laughs), but I like it. I haven't told anyone this, but in my official playlist, I try to mix up the songs that Mitsuki and Aya would choose as much as I can. But of course, the flow of the music takes top priority.

That makes me even more excited to hear what happens next! I can't wait to see what's in store for them. Thanks a lot!

[Interview Ends Here. Thanks for reading! Be sure to join the Discord Server of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All for every latest updates!]

#the guy she was interested in wasn't a guy at all #ki ni natteru hito ga otoko janakatta #tgswiiwagaa #aya oosawa #mitsuaya #mitsuki koga #koga mitsuki #arai sumiko #girl love #girls love #yuri #gl manga #saphic #yuri manga #green manga #sumiko arai #gl

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kumoriyami-xiuzhen · 6 months

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Hakuoki Drama CD - Toudou Monologue Translation

sorry this is a tad late... but I ended up falling asleep for an hour longer than I anticipated. Now I gotta figure out what to do for next week...

Hakuoki Drama CD - Toudou Monologue Translation

Translation by KumoriYami

Toudou: Not worrying about the details, looking the other way when mistakes are made, and enjoying [being able to] fool around with the people you like. But, it's not strange that everyone insists that what white is white and what's black is black. In the end, I think that no one knows what is right, or who is right.

For example, the colour is forest is green. From a distance, the trees you see are all the same, but when you get closer, you'll find that there are all kinds of trees inside. There will be many types of trees, including including dead trees, young trees, thick trees, and trees so thin that they're likely to break. You naturally won't this until you look closer. Of course, sometimes being too far away to see, and sometimes being too close will make this truth difficult difficult to grasp.

In short, I only want to say that there is no one answer. I'm sure there will be as many correct answers to the questions that people have struggled with, and there will probably be equally as many mistakes made as well. I'm not trying to make excuses, but this is why I got so confused.

There were times when I wanted to quit after doing something. I was worried that I might have made mistakes. It's really not manly to regret something you have decided on. It's quite shameful, isn't it? Oh, are you trying to comfort me? Thank you.

However, among the paths I have chosen, there is only one path that I'm that I will never regret. Of course, that's, uh, me falling in love with you. As long as you're at my side, I'll be able to keep going/do my best. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't be where I am today. You've always been the person who has given me strength/You've always been the one who cheered me up.

Ah, but you can't live life just by following me. Walk together me. This way, it will be great if the two of us can live together like this. So, please continue to stay at my side. Please continue to support me.

---end---

#hakuoki #hakuouki #hakuoki drama cd #hakuoki drama translation #toudou heisuke

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dnangelic · 17 days

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ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ(ꜱ) ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ?

biting the bullet and saying why not! i usually avoid protagonist types because i get intimidated by the amount of detail and canon i feel like i have to memorize in order to properly do them justice, same with more 'popular' charas/muses giving me more personal pressure to be a portrayal worth.... something?? respect and validity?? attention and friendship from my mutuals lmao 😭 but considering dnangel was painfully niche (despite the way everybody and their mom at least recognizes it) and about half the series was only in japanese anyways, (let's see you try to find full-length dnangel LN translations that aren't mine) AND it's been like 30 years since the series started, i figured i'd have nothing to lose if my tried my best with daisuke. dai's always basically been my first magical girl (boy-) exposure and for that i'm very grateful. i still remember how beautiful sugisaki's art was to me even while being shook that dai was falling off a cliff in vol 2. my whole life might as well have led up to this point is basically what i'm saying-

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ?

nothing much beyond the obvious taboos/what's in my rules. although, i don't really like if it a muse relationship doesn't go anywhere and stagnates at something like making fun of dark or daisuke nonstop. yeah they can be your funny guys, but don't suddenly ditch me or go off in an ooc post rant if that funny stuff takes an actual serious turn. i try to incorporate a lot of facets into dark and daisuke both, so i get frustrated when people solely try to force them into shallow facades of themselves. humor's great, but there's a point where people have to take daisuke and dark's feelings seriously too, or else i won't feel reciprocated, and i'll start losing respect for portrayals and muses.

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ?

i just like writing in general really. if you write with me i really enjoy it. thank u so much💐✨. being able to take dark and daisuke out of their somewhat limited canon and put them through certain experiences or in front of certain personalities that i'd otherwise never ever get to see is very fulfilling for me, especially since the series probably won't get anymore updates in the future (holding out for an anime revival but for now i'll take the brand new 2024 drama cd.) if we're talking deepest indulgences... off the top of my head, i really like it when dark gets to be actually intimate with others without worrying over the curse or keeping any secrets for daisuke, which includes him being with even younger muses who just kind of marvel at him and look up to him be it as an older brother type figure or not. on daisuke's side of things, i'm just like sugisaki lmfao- i like it when he gets to do things and actually prove to muses that he's a) capable and unstoppable when he tries and b) actually kind of an impulsive hothead underneath all the anxiety dkjfkgjk.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ?

i wish i was the sort of person to spitball silly little headcanons out one after another but i'm not. most headcanons i have usually fulfill some kind of thematic or relate directly to canon; dark's skin being ice-cold and marble-smooth is all headcanon, him having fangs (sharp teeth) and claws is very very arguably headcanon, (as in, canon never comments on either or, but let it me known my dark absolutely does have these features,) all to better suit and exaggerate his role as 'the beast' and something inhuman, on the scarier and supernatural side of things. daisuke tumbling locks as a (quite telling to the perceptive) habit with his hands is headcanon, and so is his and dark's shared appreciation for fruits/sweets --- it's part of the fractured fairy-tale motif, but also the biblical, which both often have overlapping dealings and warnings in regards to sins, temptations, and pride, a la eating the apple / the gingerbread house. dark and dai are both the tempers and the ones tempted, but they're also thieves and possessive saviors; their eyes are kind but covet, their hands are cold but their smiles are warm, they clutch at and take anything that isn't theirs but often for the sole sake of keeping and protecting it. most of my headcanons end up revolving around that sort of thing.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ?

my surroundings are endlessly noisy so i usually have something playing. it's also why i write better at night during dead hours because it's quietest, but by then i'm usually worn out and just want to sleep 😂

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ?

i'm a winger. if i focus too long on quality for literally every single interaction i'd never get any replies out, but i do enjoy writing more complex/dramatic replies for mutuals whose styles better suit it. this is why my writing style shifts around between asks/responses/mutuals sometimes, although sometimes it's on purpose. dark's responses can seem far more complex and grandiose than daisuke's at times, but that's because mentally, daisuke's much younger and simpler and much more emotional/energetic. if i'm really inspired by a response but don't have the immediate time to sit and focus on a full length reply, sometimes i'll just jot down a sentence or two i want to use so i don't forget into my notes app, and it's usually smooth sailing from there.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ꜱʜɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ?

romantic? it's not my priority, especially since my standards are very strict. i refuse to get into a ship that feels empty because forcing something i don't actually feel for is the fastest way to kill off my muse. idc about kisses and i sure as hell don't do smut, my muse (both of them, dark included at least physically) is a minor, but if something happens naturally (which isn't at all impossible, this is daisuke i'm writing here,) then i'll roll with it and see where it goes. really it's not daisuke developing an attraction to another muse that i'm afraid of, just annoying muns or getting a negative reaction to potentially introducing any kind of narrative conflict. i like some drama. i like some figuring it out. i like depth touching depth. daisuke's entire life/series begins with him literally being rejected by his first crush on his birthday and he's part of a buy one boyfriend get one free package alongside dark; he's always got a lot to figure out. so i guess my advice is really don't ask me to ship unless you're fully prepared to understand what exactly that means with daisuke.

romance aside? i love daisuke having mentors. or rivals. or people he attaches to as a sibling or some kind, given he's a lonely single child already used to being immensely responsible. or i like seeing him being stuck in complicated situations and putting other people into complicated dilemmas because his alignments are all over the place. he works with criminal muses, law-enforcement related muses, magical-related muses, inter-dimensional related muses, art-related muses, older or younger, nobility, there's sm you can do with him, he can go just about anywhere. i enjoy this.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀʟɪᴀꜱ/ɴᴀᴍᴇ?

tsun

ᴀɢᴇ?

💀 im getting older....

ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ?

mar 20th

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ(ꜱ)?

black, red, hey wait a minute-

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢ(ꜱ)?

i'll talk about for dark and daisuke specifically - dark is always those moody, weepy sounding vkei or jrock (duh) songs while daisuke gets all the cutesy, lovey-dovey, high-energy jpop music. throw in the occasional mix of the two (like metal covers of high energy pop songs) and i've got all the vibes i need. go into my audio tag and maybe then you will Understand

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

half of sonic 2 (i didn't get to finish it because it was on a plane flight ---)

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

i haven't watched any shows in FOREVER 😭

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴏɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ?

halyosy's snowman (the rerec ver) (thank you project sekai)

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?

p...pizza....

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ?

fall right when it's riiiiiight before winter.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ?

mutuals that have stuck with me for yrs are all my best friends. mutuals that are nice to me now are also my best friends

tagged by @primordyalsoul ty sumin!!!!!!

#TAGMEME.#steal if u feel like rambling. im cooling my brain off from ln 3 work alwijaldkjlkj

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sacredechoes · 10 months

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Valentia Side Material and Translations: Resource Masterpost

This post is to organize links to side material for Gaiden/Shadows of Valentia, much of which Sacred Echoes has drawn upon for additional story and characterization details. In the case of translated material, I will link to the main translator's site; if you worked on these translations and have a Tumblr handle you'd like to be credited under as well, please message me and I'll update the post.

Art Book, Valentia Accordion

Includes concept art, full character biographies, and an official timeline. Information here is considered a primary source.

Character bios and concept art translations are hosted on Kantopia's translations blog. Additional translators assisted with individual pages and are credited therein by their Twitter handles.

Lyrics translations of the songs with vocals are available at the above link and were contributed by @mystletainn.

The official timeline was translated by @vincentasm on Serenes Forest.

Drama CD - "Foreign Skies, Daybreak Forest"

Taking place in Act 4 soon after the Deliverance crosses the Rigel border, this drama CD features Alm, Faye, Silque, Tobin, Kliff, Lukas, Forsyth, and Python, as well as three Rigelian characters not used elsewhere. Information here is considered a primary source, and this is the only quasi-official source of information about Alm's mother.

While Clive and Mathilda return to Zofia to quell dissent among the nobility in the wake of Desaix's defeat, the Deliverance are attacked by Rigelian child soldiers armed with cursed weapons. Alm's compassion and sense of justice lead him to try and reach out to these children rather than attack them with military force, and he discovers that they are orphans marginalized by brutal Rigelian customs and being used as pawns by the Duma Faithful. Alm reckons with the reality that Rigelians are not his enemies, but the systemic oppression they face from the empire and death-cult that rules over them, and through his compassion he meets some kindred spirits. Contains some really great characterizations of the Lukas/Python/Forsyth trio as well.

Text translation was done by @garmmy on their translations blog. A subtitled video playlist was created using garmmy's translations with the original audio by @fudgenomnomnom.

Valentia Comic Anthology

Includes over 100 4koma (4-panel, half-page) comics, as well as longer-form one-shots of 8 or more pages. Material here is more akin to fan comics and is thus considered a secondary source.

The 4koma have all been translated and hosted by Kantopia on their blog.

The one-shots are not all in the same place, and not all have been translated yet. Four have been done by @mystletainn a few years ago, while @hypergammaspaces is picking up the remaining chapters:

As Comrades, by Itagaki Hako - TL: mystletainn. Faye resolves to do whatever she can to help carry Alm's burdens, and brings the Ram boys along. Alm proves he loves his friends as much as they love him.

Sweet Delivery, by Watarizora Tsubamemaru - TL: mystletainn. Atlas fails to guard Mae and Leon's fresh-baked cookies, so he, Saber, and Jesse agree to gather the ingredients to replace them.

Fieldwork in Zofia, by Shiroishi Kotoni - TL: mystletainn. Taking place shortly before Act 3, Kliff ventures out to survey the lands north of Zofia Castle and encounters a certain masked knight who has more in common with him than either of them expect.

Only My Big Brother, by Kirai Yuu - TL: mystletainn. Tired of being ignored by Valbar, Leon ropes Kamui into helping him find the perfect boyfriend.

Know Your Enemy and Know Yourself, by Temo Uchida - TL: hypergammaspaces. Lukas and Forsyth try to encourage Kliff to take his combat duties seriously.

Future Wife, by Reku Hayase - TL: hypergammaspaces. Mathilda navigates her thoughts about her future with Clive as she reconciles Clair's expectations of her. Lukas is there too.

Let's Go To Ram Village, by Kazuomi Mochizuki - TL: hypergammaspaces. Translation is in-progress. Clair, having just met the Deliverance, asks to see what life in Ram Village is like, and Alm agrees to show her. Faye isn't too happy about this, but finds common ground with Clair by the end.

There are at least three more chapters yet untranslated which will be linked here as they are completed.

Rise of the Deliverance DLC

This was a set of four story maps set in the year-and-a-half or so before the events of Act 1. Focused around Clive, Fernand, Mathilda, Clair, Lukas, Forsyth, and Python, this added supports and memory prisms between these characters as well as story map dialogue. Scripts, memory prisms, and additional support transcriptions were found on a Serenes Forest forum post by user godzillahomer.

Gaiden manga

One-volume manga by Masaki Sano and Kyo Watanabe, published by Asuka Comics DX. Partial scans have been found on the Fire Emblem (Fandom) Wiki, but no complete scans or translations have been found as of this post. This is the one where Desaix stabs Kliff to death (hence Kliff joking about "maybe we can all get impaled on the same lance" in SoV). Many characters are entirely absent, while both Deen and Sonya appear in Celica's party.

Gaiden novelization

A light novel with a few illustrations throughout. Based heavily on the author's personal playthrough, Silque thus features prominently as she basically hard-carried Alm's party. Neither English FE wiki has a page about this adaptation. I have an acquaintance who owns it but I'm not aware of any full scans/translations available as of this post. This is the one where Kliff and Silque are half-siblings with the same father.

#fire emblem echoes #shadows of valentia #fe15 #fe echoes

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sleepless-translation · 2 years

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Phantom Troupe Drama CD English Translation-Track 09

CD : HUNTER×HUNTER～Next Episode Scene 3 幻影旅団 (Link) Track 09. 占いはいいことだけ信じよう “Only believe in the good news of fortune telling!” starts at 30.45

Disclaimer:

This is a fun bonus content from the 1999 anime that I decided to translate because I want others to enjoy it too (´꒳`)♡ Do note that some of the characters might act in an unusual comedic manner.

Summary:

With Chrollo's new stolen power from Neon, members of the troupe are asking to have their fortunes told, but they add a bunch of twists.

[Feitan] I dunno my birthday.

[Phinks] I don’t know what my blood type is.

[Nobunaga] What do we do, Boss?

[Chrollo] Right. Shal, try figuring out their birth date and blood type by their personalities.

[Shalnark] Yes, sir! Hmm…Got it! Phinks’s personality is like an aries and if you narrow it down, it is April 4th. Feitan, with the same method, is December 17th. Sounds about right.

[Chrollo] And the blood types..?

[Shalnark] B?!

[Chrollo] I see. Alright then. I’ll read your fortunes with those.

[Machi] Would that actually work?

[Chrollo] We won’t know unless we try.

[Shizuku] While you’re at it, could you please reread my fortune? I don’t want to die just yet.

[Shalnark] Mine too!

[Phinks] Hey, wait. Let’s see if ours could work first.

[Fortune] The calendar loses a precious component. The remaining months gather to mourn. Never again will you go down in defeat. As the eleventh moon is no more.

[Phinks] It’s a bit vague but I guess it worked?

[Chrollo] Looks like it. Uvo is dead, which means you're not going to lose in arm wrestling anymore.

[Pakunoda] That does appear to be the case.

[Shizuku] Now, since I want to be a Libra, I’ll have October 10th as my birthday

[Fortune] The calendar loses a precious component. The remaining months gather to mourn. You will run into your ex-boyfriend on the fifth. If you're able to retain your composure, you might be able to get back to being friends!

[Shizuku] Something's not right.

[Shalnark] Alright! I think I'll have my age lowered a bit.

[Chrollo] Another one? Can’t be helped.

[Fortune] How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Never read it too quickly or you’ll bite your tongue with all your might.

[Shalnark] *Inhales* How much wood woul- *bites* Ugh-

[Shizuku] Are you okay?

[Shalnark] Haha…That was spot on but it’s rather odd...?

[Machi] Weren’t those fortunes earlier outside of the troupe’s affair? Maybe I should try it too… Read my fortune for me, Boss. Use O as the blood type.

[Chrollo] Machi, you too?

[Fortune] The moon has come out! The moon has come out! For the sun and the fake fourth moon. Tonight is their rendezvous. Where they shine brighter than the sky full of stars.

[Machi] I'm not sure if this is fortune-telling anymore…

[Hisoka] No. I'm pretty sure that’s a prophecy for a date with me.

*Rips* [Hisoka] *Gasps* That was a convincing fortune!

[Machi] My blood type isn’t even O, so that’s not my fortune! There’s no way I’m going on a date with Hisoka!

[Hisoka] Still as cold as ever.

[Machi] Boss, do another one. This time it should make more sense, or else, I’ll wait until it does!

[Shizuku] That’s unfair. I want another one too then.

[Shalnark] I can’t back down like this either.

[Hisoka] Then me too.

[Nobunaga] Me too.

[Phinks] I’ll try one with a different birthday.

[Feitan] Me too.

[Franklin] Is this fun for you guys?

[Kortopi] Seems like we're not discussing prophecies anymore at this point.

[Franklin] It’s all made up.

…

[Chrollo] Give me a break already. Just how long do you think we've been doing this for?

[Shizuku] Absolutely not! I want mine to have a happy ending.

[Pakunoda] Hasn’t it only been 5 hours?

[Shalnark] Why can't I get a single decent reading?

[Machi] Why is mine only about a date with Hisoka?!

[Hisoka] (That's cause I kept rewriting them.) If you're wondering why, well, it's because it's our fate.

[Chrollo] I’m really tired…

[Fortune-telling club] What are you tired of?!

[Chrollo] E-Enough please.

════════ End of track ════════

TL Notes & Commentary:

NONE OF THESE BIRTHDAYS ARE CANON! JUST LIKE WHAT FRANKLIN SAID.

Shalnark’s fortune is a Japanese tongue twister about frogs hopping, but I changed it to a well known English one. Original one: かえるぴょこぴょこ

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yyh4ever · 1 year

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Welcoming a New Year of Harmony

"Yu Yu Hakusho 100% Maji Battle" New Year Event

This event was first held on New Year 2020, the Year of the Rat. Puu dressed up as a little rat is too cute.

Story: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, and Puu gather for the New Year?

Vídeo:

youtube

Also, enjoy the BGM in the video! It's a folk instrumental version of the anime opening theme "Hohoemi no Bakudan", played with traditional Japanese musical instruments.

Translation:

"Welcoming a New Year of Harmony"

Yusuke: Year's over! Happy New Year!

Puu: Puu, Puu!

Kuwabara: I wonder what kind of year it's gonna be, I'm so stoked!

Kurama: Happy New Year. Wearing a kimono is kind of uplifting.

Hiei: Hmph

Yusuke: Ouch, hot, hot! I wonder why New Year's zouni soup is so tasty!

T/N: Zouni is a Japanese soup containing mochi rice cakes. It is a tradition to eat zouni on New Year's Day.

Kuwabara: I know right! After we finish eating, let's start the kakizome!

Didn't you use to do that when you were a kid?

T/N: Kakizome is "the first calligraphy". It's when people write the New Year's resolution on a paper, usually on the 2nd of January.

Yusuke: I'll pass! After eating the zouni, I'll take a nap.

This is the New Year of staying home sleeping!

Kuwabara: Oi, oi, you'll get fat if you keep eating and sleeping!

Hiei: .....

Kurama: Hiei, what's wrong?

Hiei: What's that?

Kurama: Oh, that's called "mochi". It's a food of the Human World, often found lined up on New Year's dining tables.

It's delicious, would you like to try it?

T/N: Mochi is a Japanese rice cake, and a traditional food for the Japanese New Year.

Hiei: I don't want it.

Kurama: Is that so? ... But it's a New Year's staple.

Kurama: Huh, Kuwabara-kun...?

Puu: Puu...?

Hiei: ?

Kuwabara: *Stomach growling*!! My, my stomach hurts…

Yusuke: Dude, you were the one preaching people! Here, lie down.

Yusuke: That's what happens when you get carried away and eat too much.

Kuwabara: Ugh ... 10 mochis, I ate too much after all...

Hiei: Humpf, idiot.

Kuwabara: Whaat ... Hiei, you should try it too!

You dare say such a thing, cause you've no idea how delicious mochi is!

Yusuke: Ahhhh ... here we go again!

Yusuke: The New Year ain't gonna change anything! They will always be like that, right?

Kurama: Ha-ha-ha, what do you think?

Yusuke: Happy New Year for now!

Kurama: Yes, I also wish you a Happy New Year!

T/N: The New Year's greeting in Japanese - kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu - means something like "I look forward to working with you this year" or "I look forward to your help and support in this new time". I translated Yusuke and Kurama's lines simply as "Happy New Year", because that's the most common translation for this expression.

-The End-

The guys wearing beautiful kimonos, the big brushes for the first calligraphy of the year, the tradicional soundtrack ... everything is too beautiful! It's such a pity that Maji Battle is going to end. I hope they release an OST CD.

I wonder if Hiei tried the mochi, do you think he liked it? The answer will be in the event about the New Year 2021, which I'll post later🤭

Happy New Year! 2023 is The Year of the Water Rabbit. 🐇

#和みの迎春 #yusuke urameshi #kazuma kuwabara #kurama #hiei #Puu #Yu Yu Hakusho 100% Maji Battle #New Year #【信縁の一筆】浦飯幽助 #【闘黄の一筆】桑原和真 #【朱墨の一筆】蔵馬 #【漆黒の一筆】飛影 #【迎春の霊界獣】プー

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exrankluck · 14 days

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Dear Vocalist Momochi Translation — ＠ SHI・BU・YA!!

disclaimer: some things might be inaccurate or awkward.

this is a bonus drama that came with the original season 1 cd !

ディアヴォーカリストエントリーNo.2 モモチドラマCD ｢プライベート・ヴォーカリスト＠SHI・BU・YA!!｣【タワーレコード CD2巻購入特典】 [豊永利行]

Hey, did you find anything good?

You need to look properly. We came to Shibuya so you could help me choose some clothes.

Just pick something that catches your eye for now. Or else you'll be here forever trying to decide.

What is this? It's lame. Rejected. The color scheme is ridiculous and the design is childish.

I mean, isn't this the same store that A came to the other day? And he liked it a lot.

Uwah, he came here too. This is the absolute worst.

Ah, this store is no good. There's another place I go to a lot, we can look there. Let's go.

Tch, what are you doing? Didn't you hear me say let's go?

sigh Seriously, can you stop messing around?

Shut up. It's your fault for spacing out.

Come on, just be quiet and....

What's that?

Ah! This cologne!

This is the one I used to wear!

Eh? It was discontinued a while ago, but they're still selling it here...!

I'm surprised you noticed it. Did I tell you about it before?

Hmm, what is it? Did you really like it when I used to wear it?

Should I buy it then? But the one I'm using now is pretty good...

Hey, which one do you like more, the cologne I'm wearing now or that one~?

It's fine, I'll let you choose the one you like since we're on a date.

Come on, smell. Which one?

Hey, don't be shy. I can't tell if you like it if you react like that.

If you're not going to answer me, I'll just keep teasing you like this~

Hehe, you're blushing again.

...Hey, which one do you actually like?

Hmm, I see. Then I'll go ahead and get this one.

Ah, the staff at this store are known to be flirty, so you don't need to come with me.

[3:08]

Ugh, Shibuya is way too crowded, isn't it?

sigh I should have just made you decide at the first store.

There's no way I'd be okay with this. I hate this scramble crossing in front of Mark City the most because there's too many people!

And there's always pickup artists trying to hit on girls here. I mean, is this really the kind of place you like?

Hmm. Alright, let's just cross quickly then. A clueless girl like you could easily fall prey to those guys.

Come on, let's go. You're not allowed to leave my side.

Tch, don't be so slow. Pay attention -

- What happened? Of course, it had to be one of those pickup artists.

Sorry about that, it seems like my girlfriend accidentally bumped into you! ...Tch, he's ignoring me? I apologized, so what's his problem?

Huh? Why should I be worried about you? It's your own fault, right? For bumping into that guy.

Or maybe you were trying to get his attention and did it on purpose?

Don't say anything. I don't want to hear your excuses right now.

Come on, let's go before the light changes.

There's still too many people around here.

Come with me.

I told you to stop talking!

Just be quiet and follow me.

[5:13]

Ugh, you're so annoying! What's with you?

Didn't I tell you to be quiet?

It's a back alley....? So? Is there a problem with that?

Besides, isn't there something more important than shopping right now?

Hey, how much more do I need to hurt you for you to be satisfied?

I'm grabbing you tight like this so you can feel the pain in my heart.

Why are you trying to run away?

You're really stupid.

There's no way you can get away from me.

But I actually like that clueless side of you, you know~?

That's why I can't hate you even if you flirt with other guys.

Wait, you didn't even realize you were doing it, did you?

You made eye contact with him, that pickup artist.

Flirting with a guy like that? Are you kidding me?

Hah? You're saying it's my fault for pulling your hand?

But I was just trying to help you since you were walking so slowly?

And then you say something like that. Isn't that too much?

I won't stop. Because it seems like you don't understand anything.

Apologize. Say you're sorry. If you're really regretful, it's normal to apologize.

Huh? That's it?

Tell me what you think you did wrong.

.....Okay, I'll forgive you~

But in return, do that thing you always do.

I'm telling you to kiss me.

Heh, look around, there's no one here.

I mean, there's no way I'd make you kiss me in front of other people.

I brought you to a place no one would notice for a reason, right? Think about it.

Come on! Do it. You can, right?

Hey, is that all?

That's not nearly enough.

Come on, one more time - and do it properly this time.

Hey, don't be shy.

I want to kiss you.

Kiss me.

Quickly.

That's right, you should have just listened to me from the beginning. Understand?

I don't feel like going to any more stores. Let's just stay here and have some fun instead, ne~?

[8:50]

Nevermind. I thought about it, but it's impossible when I can still smell that man on you.

Hey, take it off. I won't touch you unless you do.

At least the cardigan for now.

Hmm, so you don't want to get close with me, huh?

sigh What's your problem, shaking your head no like that?!

It's finally my day off and we're on a date, so don't piss me off anymore!

...Oh, that's right.

I just bought the perfect thing.

Hehe, look, it's the cologne you said you liked.

If you put this on, the other smell should go away a little.

Come here, show me your neck. I'm going to soak you in my scent.

Hm, it tickles? Just endure it a little longer~

Mm... okay, that should be enough.

Hehe, now you smell like me. It's not bad.

See? How's that? It's good, right?

Well, it is the cologne you loved before.

You can keep breathing it in until you get tired of it.

In the meantime, I'll play with you.

Ah, I'm fin~ally back to having only my scent on you.

Hehe, you're making that face again.

You really do like being forced like this, don't you?

I like it too. I want to do more and more.

Hey, open your mouth a little more.

It's not enough yet.

Not until you and I become one.

Don't ever leave me.

#dear vocalist #momochi #drama cd translation #ヴォーカリスト #toyonaga toshiyuki #ディアヴォーカリストエントリ #dear vocalist translation #モモチ #i only used ai to help with transcribing and proofreading so that's why i changed the disclaimer :)

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kirkirk · 8 months

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Charade Maniacs Tokuten Translation - キミとの一日

Before you read: Second time translating for Charamani! I’m really in love with this game, FD now, please. Again, if you spot any mistakes, let me know right away and I’ll change it asap!!! I had a hard time with Ebana’s part because his rough Japanese can be hard on my little brain, if you have any notes for his part I'll be more than glad to fix it. This tokuten features Haiji, Ebana, and Dazai. They each have their own short scenario, but the three scenes happen chronologically on the same day. It’s up to you if you only want to get to your man or if you’re listening to the three of them. Enjoy!! This one is really really cute.

PART 1 // SPOILER WARNING

DAZAI: Oh, you’re here… I feel bad since you took the trouble to come, but… this CD is a tokuten for Charade Maniacs, you know?

EBANA: To cut to the case, that means there could be spoilers from the main story. If you haven’t finished it, play it and come back then.

DAZAI: Ebana, couldn’t you really phrase it more nicely?

EBANA: If they had played it, they would already know I’m always like this. There’s no problem, right?

HAIJI: Is that so…? I thought I heard earlier that this CD would be a little sof-…

EBANA: Shut up, you little-!!!! Don’t you dare say a single word more!

(Ebana running away SFX)

DAZAI: Ahh, and he’s gone. Well. To sum up, there could be spoilers ahead, so, if you haven’t done it, come back after finishing the main story.

HAIJI: We will be waiting for you right here. Finish the game and come see us, okay?

DAZAI: Then… Charade Maniacs store tokuten CD – The whole day with you. I hope you have fun.

PART 2 // TAKUMI HAIJI

(Moving bedsheets SFX)

Oh, good morning! You finally opened your eyes, didn’t you…

Sorry for entering without permission. I tried calling you a thousand times and I never got an answer. Don’t worry though! I only saw your sleeping face, so it’s okay.

Your expression while sleeping was very cute, I couldn’t take my eyes off… I don’t really know how to put it, but, for some reason, the fact that you were sleeping got my heart all excited.

Oh? Your face is red, are you okay?

(More bedsheet SFX)

Ah! You hid.

Are you still sleepy? Today’s breakfast was…errr, croque-madame! I thought it would be nice if we ate together, so that’s why I came wake you up.

The fried egg on top of the bread looked really tasty! Come on, if we don’t go quick, it will get cold…! So pleaaaase… wake up!

Aww, this is a problem… Eating breakfast alone is very boring! Hmmm…

Oh! I got it!! Then I can sleep with you! Huff…

(Haiji lies on the bed SFX)

It’s very soft… and warm! There’s also this amazing smell coming out…

If you are that sleepy, forget about breakfast and let’s laze around together all day long. I think that could be fun too. Also, since we are like this, I feel like I have you all for myself.

Aaaah… Hey, can I squeeze you as we are?

(Bed escaping SFX)

Huh? Did you finally wake up? What a shame, just when I was starting to get comfy…

Since you got up, that means you’re coming for breakfast, right?

If you have to get ready, can I help? I really want to do it, can’t I?

Really? Then I will comb your hair. Here. Sit!

It’s very pretty... So silky and soft! It feels great to the touch and smells really nice. So this was where the smell I felt in bed was coming from…

I kept wondering how it would feel if I touched your hair…, I’m very happy I finally know!

Hey, since this is a special occasion, can I try to go for a different style? What would be good…? I think you would look good with anything though.

I can do whatever I want? Ummm, then, how about something like this…?

Okay, it’s done! This is called ‘ponytail’, right? I read about it in a book before and wanted to see it for myself. I hope it came out good…

For real!? Your compliments make me happy…! You always wear your hair down and I like it, but I think having it tied up like this also suits you.

It’s reaaally cute… The cutest in the world.

Oh? Your face got even redder than before?

(Running and hiding in bed SFX)

Ha? You hid again…

Heeeey, come on out, quick!! Breakfast!!! You were going to eat it with me, weren’t you?

What happened? Ah, maybe…, did you want us to sleep together after all? Okay, I got it. Let’s do that then.

(Haiji gets into bed SFX)

I knew it! It’s so soft and warm…! I’m really happy that we’re together, let’s stay the whole day like this, okay...?

PART 3 // EBANA

(Cooking SFX)

What. It was you… What did you come here to do? Huhh?! You were ‘running away’? So now you play tag.

Playing in a situation like this… You sure have got some nerve. Whatever, it’s time for lunch and I’m already started with the preparations, so you should just-…

Hey, what’s with that? Your head… Ooh, so Haiji did it? Well, you have a different vibe than you usually do, maybe even a better one…

(More cooking SFX)

What? Can’t you tell just by looking? These are leftovers from yesterday’s spinaches, I’m mixing bacon in and cooking quiches. I made one before and it’s already baking in the oven, it won’t take much longer. After, I’ll get the plates and warm up some soup…

Anyways, there’s nothing else left to do. You’re free to please leave until it’s ready. You were late, to begin with.

What are you doing? Dessert? I haven’t done that yet, but… No, it’s not like you can’t… Are you really doing it?

What do you even pretend to cook? Milk gelatin? Well, I doubt you could fail at that.

Hey. If you are really doing it, use these strawberries. They’re leftovers so it’s alright. Also, those canned fruits aren’t bad either, just a little insipid.

Just so you know, I’m not doing this for your sake. I dislike wasting leftovers.

I should eat that too? If you ask like that, I can try to check how they taste, but I won’t show mercy if they are bad.

(Dishes SFX)

Hey! Mix that properly!! With that method it’s getting ruined. No, wrong! Not like that! Just give it to me for a second! You fix the pan in place like this and mix it thoroughly.

Huh?! You don’t have to worry about bubbles, later, we'll heat it up and they'll all disappear.

Anyways, you’ve already understood how to do it, right? WHAT?! I didn’t approach you with any intentions! I just thought you would understand it better if you saw me do it right in front of your eyes.

Ugh! It was nothing so keep moving your hand!! If you aren’t quick enough, it won’t solidify cleanly.

Yes, that’s alright… Then, next you need a mold. I recall there was one around here that would fit just right… there it is! Once you’ve placed the strawberries in here, pour over the pan’s content. If you let it cool in the refrigerator, it will be able to thicken.

(Music changes)

By the way. Why do I have to eat alone with you? I know there are some things left to do outside, but I can’t believe there’s NO ONE here. Especially, when I was thinking about letting them eat my freshly baked quiche.

It came out tasty, right? Baking pies is my forte, so that’s why. Well, if you want to eat it that much, I guess I could make it again… My repertoire isn’t over yet though…

Are you curious about the gelatin? If so, it shouldn’t take much time for it to harden. You can eat it too, as always, I left some for the others. You have a big appetite, so I worried ahead and made more.

Nevertheless, you look really satisfied while eating that… It always annoys me how you pretend to be a goody in front of everyone, but I can’t say I dislike th…

Huh?! No!! This is UNACEPTABLE. I HATE people like you. WHAT?! It’s not like I said I hated you?! Don’t be a fool! Shit. Your stupid smile and your stupid hairstyle are both getting on my nerves.

Aagh, enough! Eat it already and LEAVE!

PART 4 // MEI DAZAI

(Walking SFX)

What happened? Why are you here?

I couldn’t sleep so I came to get some water. I assume you can’t sleep either…, I see.

(Water SFX)

Well…, just if you are okay with it, we could talk here until you feel sleepy. Are you sure? Then, what do I pour you? Tea? Got it. I’ll have it done in a minute, wait for me.

There you go, it’s hot so be careful. I’m starting to get used to this… How do I put it…., it’s been a while since we got here, I think I’m getting used to this life.

Yes, that’s true. It’s not like we could get used to this situation that easily… If something happens, tell me right away. You might think I’m not very reliable, but if there is anything I can do to help, I will do it.

Instead of putting up a façade and pretending everything is okay, it would make me happier if you asked me for help.

By the way, what’s with your hairstyle? You always have your hair down… Ahh, you do have a different vibe to you, I think it suits you.

Actually, well…, I think it’s really cute. Oh, so Haiji did it for you… I’m a bit jealous, you know… No, nothing.

Hey, could I touch it too, just a little bit? Oh, no, I didn’t mean that. This, it’s only a hair clip, but I wondered if you could put it on. I thought you would like the design… Looks like I was right.

Before, I wondered if your fringe would get in the way while you were cooking. Today, I happened to see this in one of the stores of this world and it reminded me of that.

I didn’t know when the appropriate time would be to give it to you. When I talk to you, I completely forget, so I’m happy I managed to do it. It seems like I was sleepless because I was worrying too much about this. I’m really lucky. Because I found you here…

Hey, would it be okay if I put it on your hair? Okay, then…, I will touch your hair just for a sec.

As I thought, it does really fit you. I’m flattering you? No, I say it from the bottom of my heart. Your hairstyle before was good too, but… I think this is even cuter than your usual style.

Heh…, just teasing you…

Oh! Look at the time! We should return soon. Hah… You really look sleepy now, did talking with me help you relax? Since you couldn’t sleep before, this is a good thing, but… Agh, I’m conflicted.

I enjoy talking with you too, I want to keep going, but… You are definitely falling asleep on me. No, no, you WILL fall asleep, you should go to your room…

Hey! Don’t fall asleep there! Do not sleep on my shoulder, please! Oooh, hey. Anyways, please wake up now. I’m begging you.

She fell asleep.

Come on! If you don’t sleep in your bed, you will get a cold.

Poor thing, I’d feel bad waking her up. She’s sleeping with such a calm expression… What would I do if someone saw us like this…?

Okay… Since you are sleeping with such a face, I will carry you to bed… afterwards, but… just for a little while… It’s so warm…

It would be nice if we could stay like this forever…

end.

Personal comment: This CD is so cute!!!!!! Definitely one of my favorite tokutens from the game. They are all a great group, but their one-to-one scenarios with Hiyori have me on a chokehold. Their charasongs CDs come with two more of this kind of scenarios for every one of them, they are still around 5 minutes each. They really left me craving your typical hour-long drama CD. Also, being able to see them having a normal quite chaotic day for once is too wholesome for my poor heart. As always, I’ll be here lighting up candles for more Charade Maniacs content.

#charade maniacs translations #charade maniacs #takumi haiji #otome #keito ebana #mei dazai

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kudouusagi · 2 years

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Kyou Kara Maou! S images

So, they announced last year in January that MaruMA was getting a new manga series called "Kyou Kara Maou! S" that was supposed to come out last summer but it never did, I don't think they ever said why it just didn't happen? I haven't been playing enough attention to this series though. They've just published a few pictures on comicbushi and I swear I was looking at the past pictures a few days ago when they posted chapter 0 for Yuuri's birthday that I just translated but now they've taken them down so I had to search the internet to try to find backups of them... I think I found them all? lol

They might not be the best quality anymore but I didn't think about downloading them when they were still up a few days ago. Since I didn't see that they were going to expire and they had been up for months.

Maybe now that they've published chapter 0 they'll actually start publishing the series.

There's also a short story from Takabayashi that they published for new years that I've been meaning to translate up on the comicbushi website but I saved that months ago I just need to work on it lol.

I also have 2 drama cds that came out in 2018 and 2019 that I am planning on translating soon too.

So here's the translations for these images

The first one of Yuuri and Wolf was published in January 2021 when they announced they were making a new series and it says

"It's still a bit in the future but please look forward to it~! (Matsumoto Temari: artist)

I thought about what the "S" stands for. Going in order of sa, shi, su, se, so: Surprise! Hot water (Sapuraizu! Sayu), Short! Shishamo (Shoto! Shishamo), Setup! Alderfly (Settoappu! Sennpuri), Sword and Sheild! Soumen (Sodo and Shirudo! Soumen). Choose whichever you like! (Takabayashi Tomo: Writer) "

(TN: This doesn't make much more sense in Japanese that's as good as I got lol)

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

The second one was published for valentines day last year and it says

Yuuri: Japanese chocolate is good, isn't it? That white one has a strawberry in it and this place one has alcohol in it.

Conrad: I like black so if it has brandy in it that's even better

Gwendal: ......

Wolfram: Your retainers shouldn't eat black things, it's disrespectful! ......so I'll take the white one. Note near Wolf: Black is the color of nobility for Mazoku

Paper on Gunter: Banned from chocolate. (So he doesn't get his juices on them)

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

The third one was posted for white day and it says

Note: At the Shibuya Household

Shouri: Last month there was setsubun and national foundation day and this month is the vernal equinox. There's no time for whatever white thing you're talking about

Yuuri: Eh? But there baseball season opens this month, too

Murata: Like I said, this doesn't have anything to do with white day but I baked some cookies

(TN: I feel like there was a second part to this image but I can't find it online.... RIP second part. If you have it let me know lol)

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

The fourth picture doesn't say anything it's just for Yuuri's birthday last year.

#Kyou Kara Maou #MaruMA

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nickelstudy · 7 months

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My JLPT N1 Study Method (& Plan)

9/25/2023

As my introduction said, I'm trying to pass N1 by the next JLPT exam which is in this December! In this post, I will share how I study or prepare for N1

Books I Bought

Nihongo Sou Matome Vocabulary N1

TRY! 日本語能力試験Ｎ1

GO! JLPT N1 Grammar(Translated from Shin Kanzen Master i hate the renaming sm)

They are translated into Thai.

If you want to improve your Japanese understanding, people might recommend buying the Japanese version when you are at an intermediate level. But personally, I can completely understand it better when it's explained in my mother tongue, hence the reason why I bought them (plus I'm broke)

I bought them 2 months ago!

I start with TRY! and Sou Matome by reading the vocabs first from Sou Matome, then move on to TRY! doing their exercise as much as my brain can handle, usually not over a chapter.

Here's what my notebook looks like

As you can see, nothing fancy– just a pencil and a sticky note. I write words I don't or barely understand at the top of every page. As for the sticky note, it's for the words from the seventh day of Sou Matome that I can't remember their meanings. You might notice I didn't write their meanings. It's because I want to challenge myself to recall their meanings without relying on written translations.

I also READ the TRY! book in advance, so I'm always ahead of my actual exercise. Why you may ask? It came from when I read the N4 book. I always carried it everywhere because reading it was fun! So I'm trying to keep up this habit (despite taking more effort than before). When I read sample sentences, I try to translate them into Thai by myself before looking at the translations, because I want to practice my interpretation/translation skills too! (It'll definitely be useful in the future).

After finishing TRY! I will start reading GO! JLPT. Hopefully, I can finish this before the exam date.

OH! One thing I forgot to mention, I haven't done the listening exercises in TRY!. The reason is simple, it's a bit of a hassle to use a DVD player so I want to do them altogether when I am done reading GO! JLPT. I use Kanji Study (Play Store only) for studying Kanji. Right now, I'm studying secondary 3's kanjis. Believe it or not, it has been a year since I started learning secondary 3 and never managed to make progress.

Future Plans

There can be a rare case where I finish these books earlier than I expect so here's what I should do (by that, I mean you definitely should because god those books don't cover the skill adequately)

日本語能力試験　対策問題＆必点整理　読解Ｎ1 This book is incredible imo, because it explains the answers to every question which made me thoroughly understand it when I was studying for N2

Shin Kanzen Master 聴解Ｎ1

These will be the books I borrow from my university's library. They are in Japanese too that's why I love borrowing from here! I think the CD resource can be found online because that's what I did for N2.

Lastly, if there is still time I'll take a mock exam from the official JLPT handbook.

AAAA Thank you for reading again. I will try to use this blog for archiving my knowledge and stuff like this more. See you in the next post!

#JPlog #JP #log #i hate how Grammarly told me that there were so many errors but I DON'T CARE GET OUT

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carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich · 2 years

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This is something I've been asking myself, but can you tell me everything the brothers Carla and Shin did wrong throughout all the games in and out of their routes? I've been wondering about this recently, sorry if this is sudden to ask...

Hi anon, while I do know quite a lot of Carla and Shin's routes off the top of my head, I'm not quite as good with all of the other Dark Fate routes and there are still routes in CL I haven't played that I don't really want to spoil for myself if I can avoid it. In order to do what you're asking, I'd basically have to go through every single DF and CL route and double check their LE routes (which admittedly I know a little too well but I do generally like to double check things). To my memory Lunatic Parade doesn't contain them doing anything particularly bad aside from Shin picking on some of the guys but if you were to do a really thorough job it wouldn't hurt to check those too.

I'm afraid that is a monumental amount of work that I'm really not willing to commit to for the sake of a single ask, especially as what I qualify as bad enough to make the list might not necessarily be the same as you or someone else. If you genuinely want to know all of the things Carla and Shin have done, then honestly I would suggest you read their routes for yourself as all of the DF routes have been very kindly translated by @dialovers-translations (who has put an incredible amount of work into her blog over the years) and their LE routes have also been translated and you can find links to them on @vampirerosemary's incredibly useful masterlists.

Now if you're asking this because you're not particularly comfortable with dark content and want to know whether to avoid DF or not, I'm afraid I would honestly suggest just not engaging with any of the main games and instead focusing on the bonus drama CDs and Lunatic Parade which is much more fluffy. I know some will say you shouldn't ignore the darker aspects of the series but at the end of the day, it's just fiction and looking out for your own well-being matters more than berating yourself for not engaging with all of the content.

On the other hand, if you're asking this just to measure how "bad" Carla and Shin are compared to the other guys, I'll cut to the chase. Literally all of the diaboys are problematic in one way or another (and even Yui can be in some of the bad endings) so I honestly don't think trying to find a "least bad" is really all that meaningful, especially as you may consider certain actions to be far worse than someone else (for example I actually found Shuu's HDB route to be way more off-putting than Laito's, which as far as I can tell, is a very uncommon opinion).

I have said before that I think out of all of the boys, Azusa is the least malicious but even then he's hardly a saint.

However, I don't think there's any use in feeling guilty about fangirling over the diaboys even though they've all done bad things. I think if you're mature enough to properly engage with some of the themes that feature in DL, then you should be able to distinguish reality and fiction. As long as you understand that irl you should run for the hills from anyone who acts like the boys, there's nothing wrong with having fantasies with dark elements if that's what you enjoy.

Another thing I want to just say while I have the chance that I saw mentioned many years ago but seems to have been forgotten about is this idea of choice. So, in game, particularly the early games, Yui does not have a chance to consent to what the boys do to her, and if you look at it from that perspective, DL is pretty much entirely a horror story (it's one of the reasons why I don't particularly enjoy writing Yui x diaboy scenarios versus reader x diaboy material).

However, the thing you have to take into account is that you, either through listening to the CDs, or playing the games, or reading the translations are effectively giving your consent to keep the scenario going and see what happens. At any point, you have the ability to take out your headphones, or turn off your console or stop reading, make up some ending in your head and never think about the series again. At the end of the day, the person in charge isn't the boys, or Yui, or even Karl, it's you.

Now I know some people prefer to view the player as being completely passive (i.e. Yui is her own character and we're just helplessly watching her story), but the fact of the matter is that in the games, that straight up isn't true, our decisions control the ending. And like I said, if anything comes up that makes you uncomfortable, you can just stop playing, and I would recommend you do at that point, especially if you're not too clear on what your own limits are when it comes to consumption of dark material.

Anyway what I am trying to get at here? Basically, the reason why you can enjoy DL as a dark fantasy is because at any point, you can disengage from it. If you find yourself reading DL and just getting upset about bad things happening to Yui, it's not that those feelings aren't valid, but honestly you are far better off taking a step back, maybe writing her a happy ending yourself if you enjoy writing, and then leaving it be. Please do not read things that only upset you, life is too short to inflict misery on yourself.

Anyway I'm sorry this isn't what you asked for anon, but hopefully it has at least been some use to you.

#ask #I don't really want to discuss this any further because these are pretty much my whole feelings on the matter #anyway I'm not criticising anyone I'm more saying you should always look out for your own well-being #and like don't berate yourself for enjoying dark stuff you're talking to someone who likes Sukuna from JJK for pity's sake #he makes all of the boys look like saints

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z-cerulean · 1 year

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Shin Megami Tensei (1992) (but it's actually the 2001 PS1 version)

So I've played a probably above average amount of Megaten, but despite that I hadn't gone really far back into the series. I think the oldest game in the series I'd played before now was Soul Hackers 1, and even then that was it's 2013 3DS version. So after getting too deep into thinking about it, I was eventually swayed to go back to the start of the series' modern identity.

This is Shin Megami Tensei, the third game in the overall Megami Tensei franchise. The first game, Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, was an adaptation of a light novel series released in 1987 by the same name when ATLUS obtained the rights to an adaptation. In 1990, ATLUS used the namesake again for Megami Tensei II, a sequel with a lot of the series' modern aspects such as the post-apocalypic Tokyo setting, rather than following the plot of the second book in the series. For the next generation of consoles, with presumable intent to make a cleaner break from the book license, Shin Megami Tensei was released for the Super Famicom in 1992.

History lesson aside, this is the game from which the series' modern identity sprung forth and personally, I was curious. Coming in from the later games in the series, just how much was different from the series in its modern incarnations?

This will be an overview and my opinion of the game's 2001 PlayStation port, which received a translation patch midway through 2022. There are other versions of the game, which I'll give mention to later on. As far as main differences, the PS1 version renders dungeons in 3D, provides a CD quality version of the soundtrack and adds a couple button macros for accessing the map and such. While I'll try to avoid major spoilers, there may be some details you'd rather avoid if you're invested enough to play this game yourself, so fair warning.

Setting and Plot Overview/Summary

The game kicks off with you being dragged down a dream sequence which, I have to mention, because this game's atmosphere in this early stretch is absolutely phenomenal. It's completely surreal in a not quite describable way, and needs to be witnessed to be described. This dream sequence introduces you to the Law Hero and Chaos Hero, who can be named whatever you want, like your player character, The Hero. Later on in a second dream sequence, you also get introduced to the Heroine, who can also be named. For my run, I was streaming this game for some friends, and we took a Three Houses theme, with the player character Alois partnered with Law Hero Cyril, Chaos Hero Emile (Jertiza) and the Heroine F!Byleth. (yes, the 'F!' part was included, because comedy).

After the dream sequence, your mother wakes you up in Kichijoji, where you go to the shopping mall to get her coffee, see a guy get killed by a demon, take the knife he had and leave to go back to sleep. Average day. Also, a dude named Stephen e-mailed out a demon summoning program, which you download because viruses and malware just aren't considerations, I guess.

This culminates in meeting the Law Hero in a hospital you get kidnapped to, the Chaos Hero as he gets bullied in the shopping centre after breaking out of the hospital, and then find out a demon ate your mom. Average day.

The game then leads into you and your intrepid band of protagonists meeting with the Heroine, then speaking to the American military led by Ambassador Thorman (Gee, I wonder who he is) and General Gotou, in charge of the Japanese national army. This culminates in Thor(man) nuking Tokyo, sending you and the Law and Chaos Heroes to the afterlife, and then returning in a post-apocalypic Tokyo 30 years after the ICBMs fell.

The outcome of the game differs depending on your actions, whether you support the Messianic Church, of whom praying for the return of God, the Gaian Church, who praise the Demon Lord Lucifer, or forge a third, neutral path against both of them.

Characters

Character development in this game, regrettably, is very much an afterthought. The Heroine, while a leader of the neutral factions in the early stretches of the game, barely gets anything to do in the later parts besides be a non-demon party member. The other two do get scenes relevant to their characterisation, but they're not given any sort of weight whatsoever and it really means these scenes kinda fall flat.

Plus side, the character designs are pretty cool, and the PS1 version's redone art is pretty great to look at.

Gameplay - Dungeons

The dungeon crawler series, surprisingly, has dungeons. Overall I found these pretty much fine, though I would argue they're kinda lacking compared to the later first person games where the main distinction is what colour of wall you're looking at rather than any particular gimmicks, for the most part. They work by all means, but if you're not super invested in this game I could see someone maybe getting pretty tired of them.

You also fill out a map with each tile you stand on, which is cool, but in the earlier versions there's not enough buttons for it on a controller, apparently, so you have to go through like three menus to bring it up. The PS1 version just makes L2 a macro for bringing up the map, which probably helps my opinion there.

Gameplay - Battles

The battle system is pretty simple this game, enemies have weaknesses, resistances, maybe they null or repel certain attacks, the works, but there's not something like Press Turn backing it up. Overall it does the job. Your MC doesn't get magic access (so magic is a completely useless stat for them, don't invest in it), unlike the other three named characters, and each character will also get a melee weapon and a gun as choices of weapons.

The game has pretty sporadic availability of the other party members, and you can only have three demons summoned at once, until later in the game where you can get another upgrade from Stephen that lets you summon up to four.

There's also the series staple of demon negotiation which is simpler this game, you lead by being friendly or intimidating and then just pick which you think is better of two options to try to win them over. It's pretty up to chance as always, so expect some inconsistency.

Demons this game use Magnetite as a maintenance cost, like most games of this era, where it drains as you walk around with them summoned. I didn't much care for it in Soul Hackers but here I ended up with so much of it it wasn't really a factor by the end for me. Demons this game also don't get EXP or level up, and skill inheritance from the Cathedral of Shadows isn't real yet by this point in the series, so their base kit and stats matter a lot more than other games.

Though, my main complaints with all this are: 1) The game's encounter rate is up the ass. It's not uncommon to end a fight, take two steps, and then you're in another 7 map slap fight. 2) This game is really easy. The game is pretty notorious for Zio skills stunlocking the opponent, and Bufu skills can do the same with freezes. Later in the game you can get charm bullets for guns which, Charm turns your attacks against your own party, and is a pretty useful ailment to give the enemies, especially through just attacking. Once you have permanent access to the Heroine as well, she just has Zio skills, and you have complete control over all the player characters' stat allocations, so her speed is likely a complete non-issues. At the end of the game, I was regularly able to get through things with absolutely no issues, especially compared to something like Nocturne.

I was able to deal with it, but I could see people thinking this is just tedious and monotonous and putting the game down.

Also not quite combat related but I'm not sure where else to put this criticism, revival costs if something/someone does die are like, US health care level, you are going to be grinding cash to afford that and it ultra sucks if it's the MC because then you're locked out of demon summons and negotiation because the others don't have access to the COMP apparently.

Gameplay - Alignment

Naturally, the series' traditional Law and Chaos alignments come into play. In terms of gameplay, this mostly factors into your attitude going into certain tasks, usually who you choose to help out. For instance, saying you'll help Thorman deal with Gotou skews you towards Law, and certain questions throughout the game can skew you one way or another. Depending on how far you are down Law or Chaos, this can also affect certain interactions later, where more neutral aligned players will be given the choice to help out either side, strongly Law players might be obligated to the Messianic faction and refused time of day by the Gaians, and vice versa. Past a point, whichever alignment you are locks in and you're obligated to that ending of the game.

This is pretty much fine, it's likely that strong law/chaos players are probably aiming those endings anyway, though if you make one misstep it would suck to be too far down another route.

This game does also give you other ways to adjust a mismatched alignment, through a late-game minigame and healing at opposite alignment church for a marked up service fee. Not many other games do this, and it's nice to have the option, though you could argue it takes weight away from your decisions.

Soundtrack

This game's soundtrack is pretty solid overall, there's some tracks I could do without like the final dungeon theme, which is just a 10 second loop, but the battle theme and Castle of the Four Gods is pretty solid. The PS1 version redid the soundtrack, and I'm pretty mixed on tracks I prefer more in one version or the other, like I think the SFC battle theme is better, but the PS1 Castle of the Four Gods is above the SFC one.

Overall

While I can't say I didn't enjoy the game, it's an increasingly hard sell. If you're going to play any part of it, I recommend trying out the pre-ICBM section at the very least and seeing if it sticks with you, also because I do find the game's tone and atmosphere there completely unlike anything else I've seen, even within later series entries. Past that though, is going to depend on your tolerance for older games like this and some monotony. One of my friends I streamed this with mostly found it an uneventful thing to spectate and got tired of looking at doors in dungeons. My main pitch would just be for if you're already pretty deep into SMT and want to see how it started out, anyone getting into the series with this game probably wouldn't have an overly great impression.

If I was throwing this game on a tier list, I think it's something like a high C or low B. I definitely enjoyed it's atmosphere a bit more than a lot of the other games in the series, and I found it ok enough to play, it's definitely an acquired taste and I would hesitate to put it above anything more modern in the series (though fortunately I think it has aged a bit more gracefully than some other games from this era).

also didn't mention before now but I really like the Hero's design, the cobbled together outfit with the wired in COMP really does it for me.

Other Versions

As promised, besides the SFC original and the PS1 version I played, there's a few other ports of this game.

The game got a Sega CD port, which notably redid a lot of the game's art and added some voice acting, and is one of the more interesting iterations of the game for it. The PC Engine port of the game did similarly, though without the art adaptations.

The more relevant ports these days, however, is the Game Boy Advance port.

The GBA version made a few game balance changes to my knowledge, and added a few extra bits of content. The downside, however, is a soundtrack conversion that makes the GBA versions of Final Fantasy soundtracks seem masterful. This version does have a patch, anyway, so it's an option.

Though that would be because, in 2014, ATLUS officially localised this game... on the iOS store exclusively.

This version is effectively the GBA version, with a reduced encounter rate, with the PS1 version's soundtrack. This would be an ideal way to play the game... if it was still available, instead of updating it for modern iOS systems or porting it to Android or an actual system that doesn't have screen buttons to suffer through, ATLUS chose to delist the game. This is effectively lost media at this point, so hopefully ATLUS decide to port this to Steam or something at some point.

Thanks and some other stuff

Anyway, thanks for reading my hopefully comprehensible summary and review of SMT1. I have been meaning to do one of these for Engage, but I'm doing a second run with the DLC currently so I'll do it after I'm done with that most likely.

See you around.

#shin megami tensei #megami tensei #playstation #atlusfaithful #atlus

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