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suzuran777 · 1 year

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Nitro Chiral April Fools’, 2005 - 2021

Nitro Chiral recently announced that they will probably not create any new content for April Fools’ in the future. I remember really looking forward to this every year, so I was a bit sad to hear that...! They mentioned that they might change this decision again some day, so we will just have to wait and see... To remember all of the fun jokes they’ve created throughout the years I wanted to make a fun compilation of all their previous April Fools’ jokes (or at least the ones I remember and took screenshots of). Maybe someone already posted something similar, but I had a lot of fun looking at these old pictures again!

2005 Togainu no Chi 'Vischio Jack'. This was just one month after Togainu no Chi was released! Nitro Chiral’s website was filled with Arbitro’s hobbies. He announced that the next game will be called ‘Makeinu no Chi’ which means ‘blood of the losers’... The new main visual also shows all of them bleeding from their noses lol.

Some interesting new items... the Shiki body pillow?

2006 A year later Arbitro hijacked the official website once more and comments on each Lamento character. He seems to be a fan of Konoe but the others aren't his type... This blog describes it in greater detail (Japanese only). Second part of the website teases the Togainu no Chi fighting game (咎狗の血餓狗 Mark of the Dogs). I kind of wish they really made this game because the description of it sounds fun.

2007 Lamento Love Love Gakuen, which was later made into a real drama CD also started as an April Fools' joke! Asato is Konoe’s childhood friend in this, Rai the student council president and Bardo’s a health education teacher.

You can still listen to some of the audio clips from the original page here! The plot doesn’t seem much different than the real drama CD they ended up making later.

2009 Nitro Chiral mentioned they couldn’t do anything for April Fools’ 2008, but they were back in 2009 with..one of the weirder ones. They posted a teaser of their new game, ‘Sweet Potchari’ which literally means ‘sweet chubby’ and as the name suggests, they posted art of all of the sweet pool characters, but this time they’re chubby.

You could check the profile description of each character and Kunihito’s description mentions that he’s very charming and “both men and women love him” lol. I unfortunately don’t have any high quality versions of these wallpapers anymore. Someone also recorded the voice lines, though listen to it at your own risk.

2010 This time Nitro Chiral announces a new project called 'YO! Akira'. It’s Togainu no Chi except all of the characters are replaced by mannequins and they’re kinda terrifying. They made videos in which they re-created part of the opening and the game, which someone actually saved and uploaded, so you can still watch it here...! The whole thing is a parody of Japanese sketch comedy series 'Oh! Mikey!!' which focuses on an American family living in Japan, but all the characters are played by mannequins.

This blog has some more pictures of what the website looked like. The day after this Nitro Chiral made a blog post about maybe spending too much time creating these April Fools’ jokes, but it seems like they had fun! They also had no idea what to do with the mannequins after this.

2012 I think they skipped 2011 because I cannot find any information about it, so let’s move on to 2012! Arbitro took over the Nitro+Chiral website again and changed it to Bitro+Chiral...

You could play this short visual novel on the website in which Arbitro introduced his new product line-up. A hataki (feather duster) shaped like Konoe’s tail, a life-sized Akira statue made of chocolate, Onnushi-sama's curry, and blue butter which is supposed to decrease you appetite so you don't have to eat anymore. After looking at these last two pictures I think I don’t feel hungry anymore...

This is also the year DRAMAtical Murder was released, so they changed the website too! Now it’s DRAMAtical Mother, which is of course referencing the Mother series (Earthbound). You can find some more screenshots and information here.

Aoba got his own Twitter account too this year, which someone also archived here! The Twitter account actually still exists but I believe they locked it after April Fools’ ended.

2013 This year they focused on DRAMAtical Murder too! They transformed the website into Junkshop Heibon's webstore (the store Aoba works at in the game). It feels kind of nostalgic...

That same year they also released a radio show in which Aoba and Mizuki work for Midorijima Radio Station. They invite Koujaku, Noiz, Clear, and Mink as special guests. This has been uploaded and fan translated, so I definitely recommend checking it out here! They also ended up selling this as a CD later.

2014 This is one I remember very well because I remember playing the short game they released. It's called ‘Osu-Boys!! ~Ikemen Ryoujoku ☆ Paradise~’ and it's a short visual novel which features the four protagonists, except they're all really clumsy and end up in some really embarrassing situations... I am guessing the artstyle is supposed to be similar to KyoAni’s Free! anime.

I don’t think I can show the full pictures here because the CGs of this game are quite NSFW, but you can probably still find them somewhere online. Aoba worked at an adult goods shop in this game though, nice new job (?). Unlike the browser games, this one could be downloaded, so some people probably still have it.

2015 Arbitro once again returns and opens his own 'hentai' museum.... yeah. Someone uploaded the theme song they made for the website, you can find it here. I believe it’s supposed to be a parody of ‘Atami Hihokan’ (an adult museum).

The website shows a map of the museum and its facilities, some more pictures can be found here. I think the art of the mascots is pretty cute this time...

You could also play this minigame on the website which also featured the four protagonists. There’s still a video of someone playing through the game, so definitely check it out if you’re interested. The artstyle has a bit of a retro feel.

2016 This year the website turned into the 'Raira-ryuu honpo' official homepage, an art school that specializes in the traditional art of ...boys love. All of the characters are drawn like famous Ukiyo-e paintings.

All of the ones above are Tōshūsai Sharaku paintings, so it was pretty easy to find which ones they were referencing!

They also re-drew all of the game covers too and the descriptions of the games were pretty funny. Midorijima was transformed into a big red-light district and the people who lived there were kicked out and are now living in poverty. I hope you’re surviving, Aoba...

This time there was also a flash game which could be played on the website, a shunga (erotic painting) puzzle. You can find all of these pictures here. Like the previous year they are heavily censored and not really NSFW.

2017 This time the April Fools’ joke is a parody of 'The World of GOLDEN EGGS', a Japanese animation series set in an American-style fictional town, except this time it’s called ‘BOYs LOVE Nitro+CHiRAL’. I’m assuming most people who have been in the fandom for some time remember this one. They created a short YouTube video series and it had English subs. You can still find the videos if you look for them on YouTube so please watch them...! It’s all worth it for Konoe singing ‘I’m in Blue’ and the Rhyme fight.

Youji is always the victim of these awkward conversations... Some more pictures here! You can find the YouTube videos by just searching for the title of the series mentioned above.

2019 After 2017 they stopped updating their website on April Fools’, probably because they were busy working on Slow Damage, but in 2019 they did post some extra illustrations. Not the most happy kind of illustrations, featuring the protagonists and Naito-kun apologizing because they couldn’t do anything for April Fools’ that year...

2021 Unfortunately this is the last one! 2021 is the year Slow Damage was released, so it makes sense the final April Fools' joke focuses on them. It's called 'Warau Euphoria', which means ‘laughing euphoria’. It’s a reference to Japanese series 'The Laughing Salesman', so they're also drawn in a similar artstyle.

The website has a warning that you need to be over 35 years old to enter instead of the usual 18+ warning lol. They also got Towa’s voice actor to record a couple of new lines on the webpage, if you click here you can still listen to a recording of it.

I’m a bit sad they might not do any of this stuff anymore in the future, but I’m also glad many people recorded videos of the old websites and minigames so we can still enjoy them even now. I couldn’t include every single screenshot in this blog post, so I tried my best to link other pages with more information.

I had a lot of fun checking out their website every year and I really appreciate the effort they put into all of this. I might update this blog with some additional info later!

#nitro chiral #slow damage #lamento #lamento beyond the void #sweet pool #togainu no chi #chiral #nitroplus #april fools #dmmd #dramatical murder

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geezmarty · 1 month

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...devlog #1??? - mini BG3 VN

So I recently downloaded Renpy because I wanna learn how to code in my spare time and I figured I'd write about it here for both posterity & to record my process with it all!

The project I'm starting with will be quick and easy because 1) I really don't want to start with something huge 2) I have work & commissions to take care of and those will come first.

About the project:

If you've been following me you know I've gotten hugely into bg3 so I thought why not code a little scene where you get to meet my durge, Brigha! I'll put my goals and expectations under the cut. Here's my first renpy test ft. Wyll.

First of all, what the hell is Renpy? Very simply put, Renpy is a software that allows you to create visual novels. You can check it out (and even download it for free!) here.

The "mini VN" I'm working on will feature a scene in Act1 of how I imagine you'd meet and recruit (or not!) my durge if she were a companion in the game, featuring some neat little things and details that I will hopefully be able to implement.

This is what I want to put in:

Ability to input your character's name;

(royalty free) music playing in the bg;

Multiple dialogue choices with (very small) dialogue trees;

Perhaps some pop ups like perception checks or companion approval/disapproval;

Companion pop up comments, randomized in one instance towards the end;

Two endings.

It might seem like a lot and it probably is - I might cut a couple these to make sure I don't spend too much time getting the vn out there.

So far I have the first draft of the script ready and I'll probably leave it as is unless testers will point out inaccuracies or weird phrasing. Here is a little concept of how I imagine Brigha will be dressed when you meet her:

Sprite wise she'll probably be the only one to have a full body/expressions (to preserve my wrists) but I might also draw little simple headshots of the other companions for when they'll pop up to comment.

As for backgrounds I will spare myself and just grab screencaps from the game that I will blurry/apply effects to, just to make them look a bit more coeshive with the sprites.

This is all I have so far! The VN will be available to play for free on your browser once I'm done with it :) ETA undetermined since this is a free time project done for fun.

Wish me luck!

#devlog #bg3 mini vn

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thedensworld · 9 months

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Lover | Kim Mingyu

Officially Dated!

Lover Series🖤🌼

Pairing: Idol!Mingyu x Fashion Editor!Reader (ft. Joshua)

Genre: Romance, Angst, Humour, Series

________________________________________

A memory from last week continued to linger in Kim Mingyu's mind. Well, he might have forgotten some details after consuming three and a half bottles of soju, which was his limit. But the fact that he woke up in a hotel room that wasn't his own, shirtless, with you soundly asleep on his arm, was etched into his memory. There was a glimmer of hope when he woke up that morning, finding you beside him, though your baby blue shirt you still wore in your sleep had him slightly disappointed. He had wished for something significant to have happened, a step towards reconciling with you. However, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret that he had hoped for anything other than a genuine, sober reconnection – the kind he truly wanted.

But that was best forgotten for now.

Let's shift our focus to the pivotal moment when you finally mustered the courage to confess your feelings for him. That night stood out as a beacon of light in Mingyu's otherwise busy week. Amidst his hectic work schedule and mounting stress, your presence added a layer of complexity to his thoughts. He wouldn't necessarily say that you were the cause of his stress, but you certainly had him contemplating more than ever before. Since the day you two reconnected after all those years apart, he had found it nearly impossible to stop thinking about you and the emotions that had never truly ceased since their inception. The truth was, he hadn't dated anyone since he met you. And he struggled to pinpoint the reason behind it. Why had he become so irrevocably attached to you?

Your confession from that night continued to play on a loop in his mind. He could vividly recall the excitement that had surged through his veins upon hearing your words, "I also have that feeling, Mingyu. The one you feel.." In that moment, he felt as if he were soaring, carried away to the stars. He had been waiting for that very moment for what felt like an eternity – and it had taken merely three bottles of soju and a dose of honesty for you to reveal your feelings. Mingyu wondered why he had waited so long to hear those words.

In moments of introspection, he pondered this question. Lost in thought, he hardly noticed when his hairstylist posed a question to him. Tonight, he was set to meet you once again. An excitement brewed within him, fueled by the anticipation of encountering you. He knew you would be occupied with the fashion show, but your affirmative response to his text asking, "Are you attending the after party?" provided enough hope to keep his optimism alive throughout the event.

Y/n: Yeah, gotta gain all those blood, sweat, and tears that have already been spent...

He had chosen to wear one of Mrs. Gia's summer/spring collection from the previous year to the fashion show. His attire exuded a natural charm, and his confidence radiated effortlessly. As he entered the venue, the flashing of cameras and the attention from the media greeted him. Among the throng of unfamiliar faces, he was relieved to spot his friend Yugyeom from GOT7. At least, he had a companion to help him navigate his desire to see you.

Wandering his gaze around the venue wasn't a novel practice for Mingyu; he had been doing so since the moment he reconnected with you. Learning about the meticulous preparation that went into orchestrating a fashion show had made him appreciate the efforts of those working behind the scenes even more. While most people focused on the guests and models — besides the clothes, Mingyu had learned to notice the intricate web of creativity that interconnected various elements – concept, visuals, and production – to create a mesmerizing show.

Amidst this thought process, Kim Mingyu's attention was captivated by your presence at the front of the house. Clad in all black, a headset covering your ears, you seemed to effortlessly command the chaos. Your lips moved in sync with your directions, conveyed through the microphone of your headphones. A smile formed on Mingyu's lips as he watched you assume your position, poised and ready to guide the show he was about to witness.

Ironically, the show itself was a blur for Mingyu that night. He found himself captivated not by the runway, but by your charismatic presence as you orchestrated the entire event. Instead of the nervousness he had anticipated, he observed you relishing in your role, moving to the rhythm of the music while directing your team through the microphone. In the midst of all this, you radiated an ethereal glow that drew his gaze.

The after party was a lively affair, and it became even more enjoyable the moment you stepped into the venue, accompanied by your colleagues. Yugyeom playfully nudged Mingyu, having noticed his intent stare.

"Why the fixed gaze on Director Y/n?" Yugyeom's question caught Mingyu off guard, revealing that his friend was acquainted with you.

Yugyeom went on to explain that he had worked with you on several occasions during his time in Paris. By chance, his manager had been your college classmate. Mingyu inquired about your personality, and Yugyeom's response left him satisfied. You were described as intriguing and captivating, possessing a youthful maturity that had enabled you to ascend to such a significant position at a young age.

"Why the sudden interest, Kim Mingyu? Do you have a crush on her? Need a wingman?" Yugyeom's playful tone evoked laughter from Mingyu. Little did he know that Yugyeom's jest was closer to the truth than he realized.

If only Kim Mingyu could reveal to Yugyeom that you felt the same way about him.

"Congratulations!" Mingyu's simple words were met with a warm smile from you, acknowledging his sentiment. In a playful jest, you graciously nodded as if you had just single-handedly averted a war – the type of nod that subtly exuded your awesomeness. The clink of your liquor-filled glasses echoed the sentiment, a cheerful toast to the moment.

Seated on barstools next to each other, you and Mingyu turned your attention to the bustling crowd. With a mirrored movement, you both faced the scene. "Do you recognize anyone aside from Kim Yugyeom?" you inquired, gesturing towards the throng.

Mingyu nodded confidently. "Almost everyone," he replied, his gaze shifting to meet yours.

"Quite the network you've built," you remarked, acknowledging his impressive ability to connect with a wide array of people within the industry. Mingyu returned your compliment with an appreciative smile. Curious to hear your side, he posed the same question to you.

Your head shook slowly in response. "I recall having worked with a few of them, but I doubt they remember me. I'm not exactly memorable," you said with a light laugh.

Mingyu's lips curled playfully, and he nudged your side. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, his tone suggesting otherwise.

With a mockingly skeptical glance, you eyed him up and down before rolling your eyes, followed by a soft chuckle. "What I mean is, I tend to stay in the background. No one really pays us much attention – not that we're seeking it. I just believe that those working behind the scenes deserve more recognition than they get, although we do get paid," you added with a laugh.

As you spoke, the cadence of your words, the passion in your eyes as you shared your thoughts and opinions, succeeded in captivating Mingyu's attention. Your intelligence and charisma never failed to divert his gaze. Your conversation was engaging, your brilliance shining through, and he found himself distracted by your presence. Mingyu was aware that it wasn't the most opportune time for such thoughts, but he couldn't help but wish to hold you close, to kiss you in that very moment. Swiftly snapping out of his reverie, he redirected his focus to your words.

"Wanna leave this place?" Mingyu suddenly interjected, interrupting your conversation. The gentle touch of his hand landing on yours halted your words, your eyes locking onto his gaze. You took a moment to contemplate his proposal, your gaze momentarily flickering to your colleagues on the opposite side of the venue. Signaling him to wait, you quickly sent a text to your personal assistant before nodding and rising from the barstool.

Guiding your steps, Mingyu led you towards the exit. A signal to his manager, a halted taxi, and he gestured for you to get in first. An unusual sense of comfort and trust settled within you – a sense you rarely experienced with strangers, and certainly not this quickly. While your relationship had been progressing positively since last week, it wasn't typical for you to be so at ease and trusting with someone. Mingyu mentioned a location unfamiliar to you, leveraging your trust to lead you wherever he had in mind.

"Is it far?" you inquired as you settled into the cab, observing him. He nodded in response.

"I have my car with me," you noted nonchalantly, prompting a facepalm from Mingyu, who was stifling his laughter. Chuckling along with him, you wondered why you had opted for a cab when you had your own vehicle.

"It's fine. We were drinking anyway," Mingyu replied, attempting to rationalize your decision.

Silence settled between you two momentarily before he softly uttered, "You must be tired," while patting his shoulder, implying that you could lean on him for support. Shaking your head, you offered a smile, but he insisted, tapping his shoulder more firmly until you relented, leaning into the spot he indicated.

"Rest. I'll wake you when we arrive."

Unexpectedly, it was the depth of rest you experienced, and you were roused by a gentle tap on your arm. The motionless cab indicated that you had reached your destination. Blinking in confusion, you surveyed your surroundings, greeted by the sight of a beach, its entrance adorned with the words 'Blue's Sanpo.'

You and Mingyu had arrived in Sanpo, a location three hours away from where you had started. A mixture of confusion and amusement colored your expression, which elicited a shrug from Mingyu. Taking your hand in his, he guided you forward. It seemed that neither of you had anticipated the spontaneity of this moment. The attire you both wore was sufficient to shield you from the evening sea breeze. Mingyu kicked off his expensive shoes, and you followed suit, sprinting towards the water with the exuberance of a child. Mingyu's eyes gleamed with adoration as he watched you, his smile widening when your gaze met his, your expression is a testament to your approval of his choice.

Side by side on the sandy shore, you and Mingyu turned your attention to the local fishermen, immersed in their labor on the sea. The ethereal beauty of their boat's lights created a captivating spectacle, adorning the waters like jewels. The ambiance was picturesque, a canvas painted by the lights dancing on the waves, announcing the arrival of fall.

"Y/n," Mingyu's voice broke the gentle rhythm of the night.

You shifted your focus to him, responding to his beckon. This night was reminiscent of a movie scene, an intimate tableau of the two of you sitting in companionable silence on the beach. Words were unnecessary as you reveled in the tranquility of the moment, relishing each other's mere presence. Anticipation hung in the air, and you could feel the warmth of his breath in the small gap between you. Gradually, he inched closer, a silent question on his lips. "May I?" he whispered.

His inquiry caught your breath, leaving you in contemplation. After a beat, you nodded, giving him permission. Without delay, he bridged the gap between you two, closing the distance. The kiss that followed was deliberate and tender, an embrace of intimacy. The backdrop of crashing waves and the chirping of crickets contributed to the symphony of the night. Every touch of his hand against your skin, every sweep of his lips against yours, resonated deeply. The sea air, laden with a hint of chill, only heightened the sensory experience.

The kiss came to an end, both of you withdrawing as you took a deep, shared breath. Opening your eyes, you found Mingyu gazing at you, his eyes filled with depth and unspoken emotions. A chuckle bubbled forth from both of you, as though you were momentarily transported back to a different reality, where such intimate exchanges were a thing of whimsy. His arm extended towards your shoulder, urging you to draw closer, an unspoken need that your body instinctively answered. Leaning into him, you rested naturally against his side, your attention still focused on the captivating tableau before you.

And then, his voice, soft and tremulous, broke the silence. "Please, be my girlfriend," his words hung in the air, a question and a plea, simultaneously vulnerable and filled with earnest desire.

Pledis Entertainment's Announcement: Seventeen's Mingyu Reveals Non-Celebrity Girlfriend

On December 29th, Pledis Entertainment released an official statement disclosing that Kim Mingyu, a member of the global boy group Seventeen, is currently in a relationship with a non-celebrity. The news was met with a mix of surprise and support from fans. At the same time, Mingyu took to Weverse to share his sentiments with Carats, Seventeen's dedicated fanbase. Here is the message:

"Hello, Carats! This is Seventeen's Mingyu.

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your unwavering support and love throughout all our ups and downs.

Though I haven't had the chance to greet each and every one of you properly, please know that I always hold good thoughts for all of us.

I'm so thankful to Carat for loving and supporting both Seventeen and me.

Moving forward, I promise to work even harder on creating music and delivering great performances.

Thanks to your positive energy, I've been fortunate to encounter only good people.

I hope that Carat can experience the same positivity.

My wish is for us to continue sharing positivity and love only.

Always with love, Carat 💎"

#mingyu imagines #seventeen angst #seventeen imagines #seventeen fanfic #mingyu scenarios #kim mingyu #mingyu au #mingyu fluff #mingyu imagine #mingyu smut #mingyu x reader #mingyu recs #mingyu #mingyu ff

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maleyanderecafe · 1 year

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Tentador Leches (Visual Novel)

Created by: Karmic Punishment

Genre: Horror/Romance

If you've ever played Don't Toy with Me, this is the same creator! They're actually working on another game with a stalker in it, which I will have to look into in the future. In this game, we don't play as the yandere's lover, but rather as someone who is investigating the rumors of the milk man. It can be stupid at times, but also rather disturbing depending on which endings you choose. Personally, I find it very enjoyable to play, since it's fun trying to unravel the mystery of what Koolie is hiding. If you want to know more, check them out at @karmicpunishmentgames for more info.

The story starts out with the MC signing up for the milk man delivery in town. They talk about how the people there would often talk about rumors about him- such as how strange his hair color was, or why his attitude is so cheery, but what seems to be the thing people talk Koolie's wife, and how they never see her. There are four endings: Spoiled Milk, Peach Milk, Milk and Cookies and Rotten Milk.

Spoiled Milk is pretty simple: talk to Koolie about general things, and is the easiest to get. We learn some basic stuff about him like how he enjoys being the milk man, how much he likes his wife and some ideas he has about how milk deliveries can be. We do mention that the town has started to spread rumors about Koolie and that he is sleeping around with other people (something he denies very heavily, as he loves his wife) as well as that his hair went white a long time ago. We also learn that he and his wife ran away together and gave each other different names, with his Koolie and her's Venus and that the reason why we never see his wife is because she's always sick. However, at the end, Koolie will continuously avoid the MC and essentially never talk to them after the first encounter. This can be achieved in a lot of different ways, but is likely the easiest ending to get.

Peach Milk is pretty funny in that the MC will start to flirt with Koolie, who doesn't really seem to know what is going on. Jazz music plays and the MC goes about doing some dirty jokes and flirting to see if the rumors about him sleeping around are true. Koolie seems to let all of this flirting go over his head, and as he's loyal to his wife, the MC will eventually have to give up on it, to which that he will wish that the MC will find someone as special to him as he feels towards his wife.

Cookies and Milk probably is the cutest ending, in that he will mention about how he wants to give cookies to the people in town to make them smile. The route plays similarly to Spoiled Milk except at the end, the MC will be greeted by Koolie in the morning holding some Cookies along with the milk that they came to deliver.

Rotten Milk is the route that reveals the most information about Koolie but is also the most disturbing one. For this, the player must constantly press about information of Koolie's wife. When he talks about how he named his wife after Venus (like the god) and she named him after Koolie (like the dog), the MC will mention that Koolie doesn't have a good wife, or at least seems rude to him, as she criticizes his looks a lot. Koolie will deny this, stating how much he is lucky to be with her, as she used to be the one who everyone would be dazzled by while he is simply just a "shrimpy looking guy". He once again mentions that she's very sick and that he has to go take care of her before attempting to leave. The straw that breaks the camel's back is when the MC asks if she's dead, to which Koolie will suddenly rip out his hair. Koolie will defend his position, stating just how much he loves her and how heartless the MC is for thinking that. After his slight breakdown, he reverts back to normal and leaves for his deliveries. However, at night, the MC hears the door ring. Upon answering their door, they see Koolie with a special "milk" delivery. He hands us milk with pieces of his hair and blood mixed into it, pressuring us to drink it as it would help us understand him and so there would be "a part of him inside of us". Not wanting to deal with Koolie, the MC reluctantly drinks it before Koolie heads off for the rest of his deliveries.

Koolie is an interesting case because technically we don't know what the true situation with his wife is- whether he has one, if she's alive or not or if it was a delusion in his head. It is very heavily implied that she is dead considering his reactions to when the MC points this out, but when or how she died is still a mystery. From how the interaction goes, it does seem that Koolie was obsessed with his wife before they married, and the insults might have been something that he internalized when Koolie kidnapped her and possibly made her immobile. It's also possible that Koolie never actually did get married at all, with the girl he liked running away, insulting his hair and looks, possibly calling him Koolie as some sort of insult as well, which is something that plays into the delusions that he is indeed married to someone. If for some strange reason Koolie's wife isn't dead, then she could be kidnapped and forced to stay at home, possibly again, somehow immobile, thus leading to the weird relationship where we never see the wife and why she would insult him. Once again though, just based on the game itself, it's hard to see exactly what happened with the wife. However, I still would consider Koolie a yandere considering how devoted he is to her (as we can never really date him), how much it seems his wife affects his life and his general response to when we do ask if his wife is dead. I really do like Koolie's general personality though- he's pretty cheerful, with a kind of wry humor about him, while still being enduring. I kept on laughing at the flirting ending with him because it's honestly so over the top that I couldn't take it seriously. The spoiled milk ending is pretty nerve wracking as well, I honestly thought Koolie would kill the MC for exposing that his wife was dead, but the ending we got instead was far more disturbing. To be honest, I'm not really sure why he chose this method, either because it's some sort of scare tactic or he was generally trying to disturb us, but it did work, and thinking about it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Besides that, I really do like the game itself, it's rather charming in its own way, and it makes me more curious about Koolie himself. It has a good balance of humor and horror, which is something that I can always appreciate. I think the idea of having a milk man yandere is very cool (though surprisingly not the first game I've played a game with a milk man) as well as unique. It's not surprising considering this creator makes rather unique and memorable games. I would recommend playing it for the fun premise and characters.

#Tentador Leches #male yandere #yandere #yandere boy #recommendations #visual novel

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rachelsnotebook · 5 months

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Wishes wrapped in Red String

Intertwine by Crescence Studio

Two souls, and an eternity to endlessly intersect. Intertwine lovingly takes the player's hand and leads them through glimpses of these souls' many lives.

You'd be hard pressed to find another game that feels uniquely special from the second the title screen pops up! It wasn't long before I felt a strong wave of emotion wash over, as noted during my first playthrough:

And it was gentle. Van and the player character's stories were worth every minute I spent playing (and replaying, and replaying...). How could anyone not latch onto that hope of finding your soulmate?

Intertwine is broken up into four short sections. Each one gives the player a satisfying taste, but it will leave you feeling greedy for so much more!

I love this game exactly how it exists, but I'd be lying if I didn't selfishly wish there were several more tales. For now, I'll just happily leave things to my wild imagination.

Reasons to Love:

- The writing reads like your new favorite book. The stories you'll find are charming, hopeful, laugh out loud funny, and romantic.

- Van might be my soulmate trapped in a visual novel for this lifetime...

I swiftly fell for his charm, and felt like a clown when the game called me out on my own cheesiness.

- I can't praise the voice acting enough! The subtle differences to each lifetime's Van was always filled with personality. The performance brought him to life and transformed these stories into very real feeling conversations.

- The replay loop mechanic was exciting. Each time back at the title screen felt like a treat. Where would Van and the playable character meet next?

- I adored the visual design of Intertwine's title screen from the start. As I learned the flow of the game it became clear that it also held a fun secret. That mechanic was delightful and unexpected. And also incredibly fun!

- As Van once said... "Fuck, this is embarrassing."

So, I think every CG scene got a surprised gasp out of me. The artwork is so lovely to stare at. There wasn't a single moment where I wasn't impressed!

- I know I already pointed out how special the writing is, but I need to throw extra confetti praise over the banter. This is probably my personal favorite aspect of Intertwine. The banter is so well done!

There's a lifetime where the player and Van are coworkers who hate each other, and then briefly worm their way into each other's hearts. I adored this change, and the chance at being a bit mean. There's something thrilling about a love that bloomed from a seed planted in frustration.

I would share some of my favorite lines from that lifetime, but I'm afraid that I would end up with 80% of that section posted here. I took so many screenshots.

~~~

Intertwine came out swinging and hit a home run. Now I could be biased as a hopeless romantic, but this is my blog. It's safe to say that Intertwine leaves a lasting impression and going straight onto my Best Games of 2023 list!

This piece was originally posted on July 19th, 2023 at rachelsnotebook.wixsite.com

#Gaming Thoughts #Intertwine

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teecupangel · 11 months

Note

You know that one scene in TAWOG where Nicole shows Gumball about the subtext? What if only Desmond can see texts of what people actually mean when they talk so it's helped him a lot but it also gives him trust issues because he feels like everyone has a hidden agenda

I am obligated to do this first of all:

Desmond would loovveee to be transported to AC1 in this case because THERE are NO SUBTITLES there. Can’t check the subtext IF THERE’S NO TEXT.

Okay, so my eternal annoyance for AC1 not having subtitles out of the way, let’s talk about how this would play out.

For those unfamiliar with that scene, it’s the Fuss episode and this is the closest I could find (start at 3:30ish)

And, and, and, let’s make it much more complicated because we are talking about text in this case.

So there’s this visual novel (there’s an anime too but if you have to, please check the manga adaptation instead) called Umineko No Naku Koro Ni wherein there’s this whole ‘who dunnit’ mystery going on that the main character must solve. I’m not going to go on details but the important thing to note is that they use colored text in the series as part of the ‘game mechanics’. We’re only going to make use of one:

The Red Truth.

Anything said in red is the truth. It is the undeniable truth.

However, anything said in red may be open to interpretation.

Anything said in red is the truth but it does not mean it is the entire truth.

Making the subtext more about saying the truth would make him all the more paranoid.

Because Desmond would rely on the red truths.

And Desmond could mistake it for the full truth.

So, for example, Bill could be saying “It’s alright if you can’t do it. Just keep trying.”

And the red just behind Bill would say,

“William Miles expects Desmond Miles to be able to do this.”

Which is the truth but it leaves out the part that Bill is saying he expects Desmond would be able to attain this specific skill with time and training.

Desmond would assume it means that Bill is lying.

So this red truth? The subtext it is meant to show? It’s undeniable but it can be vague or can be misinterpreted.

Because it operates on fae truth rules.

Also, the entire setup with Lucy would make Project Siren hard to accomplish because Desmond had to live with the Red Truth his entire life so he knows that what he needs to look out for is what the Red Truth isn’t saying.

“I’m on your side, Desmond.” “Lucy Stillman is trying to help mankind.”

“Warren isn’t that bad.” “Lucy Stillman is indebted to Warren Vidic.”

“I’m an Assassin… like you.” “Lucy Stillman was born and raised to be an Assassin.”

…

Wanna make it all the more confusing? Like reaching half of Umineko level of confusion?

His ancestors can see the Red Truths as well.

But that's not all they can do. Not all Desmond could do.

Altaïr’s talks with Al Mualim are filled with Red Truths about how Al Mualim believes what he’s saying, how he’s doing what he believes is right.

Then Desmond hears Altaïr talk and…

“If humanity is meant to be guided then does that not go against our wish to protect humanity’s free will?”

It’s blue.

Desmond had never seen blue text before.

But Altaïr seemed to understand what it is. His synchronization with Altaïr tells him what it means.

It wasn’t directed at Al Mualim at all.

The Blue Truth is meant to be anything directly questioning or opposing the Red Truth.

And Desmond’s eyes widened as a new text appear even though Al Mualim did not say anything.

“Al Mualim’s desire is to control, not to guide. Do not let him know you know, Altaïr.”

It’s gold.

And Altaïr’s connection tells him what the Gold Text means.

It’s called the Gold Truth.

And it is a truth that is always directed at Altaïr.

So he tries it out once he's relatively safe (could escape easily if he wants to, already cased out the warehouse for every possible exit point), talks to Lucy who has been ringing red flags all over from the very beginning and he goes “Lucy, you said Vidic saved your life, right?”

“Yeah, when I was in Abstergo.” “Warren Vidic stopped Lucy Stillman from being executed.”

“He’s a Templar and he saved you…” Desmond focused on the red text as he said, “Doesn’t that make you compromised?”

All three of them stared at him and Lucy’s lips moved but she could only let out “I- Desmond, I’m not-”

Shaun and Rebecca immediately defend their friend but Desmond pays their Red Truths of “Shaun Hastings trust Lucy Stillman.” and “Rebecca Crane is trying to diffuse the situation but she is offended for her friend.” no mind focused on the Red Text of “Warren Vidic stopped Lucy Stillman from being executed.” as it changes to…

“Lucy Stillman is a Templar. She is using you to find Ezio's Apple, Desmond.”

Just to clarify, I am messing with what the Blue and Gold Truths are meant to represent in Umineko. It’s… more complicated than that in Umineko BUT, for this idea:

Red Truth: Truths pertaining to the world or the people around Desmond (and his ancestors)

Blue Truth: Possible truths that Desmond (and his ancestors) can only use to ask for clarification or to challenge the Red Truth being given to them.

Gold Truth: Truth that seemed to be directly talking to Desmond (and his ancestors). Can only appear if a Blue Truth is spoken.

And, yeah, the Gold Truth? It’s the Readers trying to push what he is allowed to do in the Gray.

(I wished the yellow font was less... painful to see. But hey, just assume it's meant to symbolize how bright it is. It's a feature)

#oooohhh #this post is colorful #shit here i am again with fae truths #hey teecup how would you like to be known?#for my whiplash multichaptered fics and my use of fae truths #apparently #oh and eloping #that’s apparently a thing #ask and answer #assassin's creed #desmond miles #altaïr ibn la'ahad #fic idea: assassin's creed #teecup writes/has a plot

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xxkylarthelonerxx · 4 months

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Do u have any favourite games or manga :?

this is going to be a long post... i don't even think anyone will care to read it, but whatever... i don't care.

games -

i've been getting into osu! recently again. maybe i'll post some of my scores here. i think i'm pretty good.

overwatch, fortnite, etc have been fun on and off, but i can never get that invested. i don't really like playing with people online anyway, it just reminds me how much everyone sucks in general.

i like rpgs and stuff because i can show off my achievements to my darling easily in those usually. final fantasy, persona, whatever. visual novels are fun too, but i've gotten more picky with those lately...

and i like to practice games that couples usually play, like minecraft and stardew valley, just so that i can impress my darling with my skills once they do come live with me!

also any h-game where u can customize the characters are great. for obvious reasons... who wouldn't want to get off to their darling instead of some randos?? i've had fun with ai shoujo and honeyselect, but even with how much customization there is in those two, it's not like the character ends up looking that much like them... but even a semblence of similarity is better than nothing, though!

i guess i would try any game once though. let me know if anyone has any suggestions of things to play.

manga -

listing all of my favorites would take a while. i've been into manga for a long time, it's basically all i read.

i mean, i've liked naruto since i was a kid, the characters are so cool. dattebayo!! i think i would be part of the uchiha clan if i isekai'd into that world.

death note is one of my favorites too! i tried making my own death note a while back but it didn't work (not sure why), so i just use it as a sketchbook now. maybe i'll try again later. what i wouldn't give for a real one though...

uhh... i love anything with male yanderes that i can relate to also, or at least stalkers/slashers. tonari no seki no hen na senpai is fun to space out to and imagine myself in the guy's place, just as long as i can imagine the protag as my love, of course. that could be us if we worked in an office together... though i don't really get why the protagonist was so scared of that guy? obviously that would be different in our case...

i'll also always pick up any random romance manga if it has a love interest or protag that looks like my darling. it's nice since i can just imagine myself as any black-haired anime protag. and then i can daydream about doing fun things with my love!!

kind of related too. my pfp is from killer in love, which i picked up just because i thought i could relate to this character after seeing him around, but for some reason he ended up being like an antagonist? that was a really random choice... i wish i could rewrite it to make him get with the protagonist, i really don't know why they made him out to be so weird... so i guess i don't recommend that one. but it's just an example.

... oh yeah, and tokyo ghoul is another long-term favorite of mine. so cool.

honestly i need to make a myanimelist account at some point so you all can see how much i've read/watched, cause i'm sure it's way more than most of you.

...but that's it for this post. bye.

#kylar.txt #about myself 🔪#manga rec #game rec #recs

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liliths-missing-pen · 1 year

Text

Idia With Yuu Who Wants To Learn How to Program Games

Not gonna lie this is a very self indulgent piece because my computer programming class is making me want to code but I also want to write 💀 This is my compromise here.

Notes/Warnings: Reader is Yuu, I am in the English server and wish to not know what happens in Book 6 till it comes out so artistic liberties will be taken. Also, Idia might seem a little ooc but when checking the wiki it says he gets excited and talkative when stuff he likes gets brought up so I took it and ran with it. Enjoy!

Masterlist

Before you came to Twisted Wonderland you already known how to code. Mostly just from camps that your family made you do or just out of general interest. Nonetheless you only knew the minimal to basic things, like HTML, CSS, a little bit of Javascript and Python as well C++. So to say the least there wasn’t that much you could do especially as a beginner. You’ve always seen video games or visual novels and wished you’d be able to do something like that one day but yet, you never got around to polishing skills or making yourself actually do anything to get yourself to that goal.

Jump skip to know that you are in Twisted Wonderland. You didn’t know much about this world at all, lots of things were different than your own world. The way things were done, school expectations, slang, magic. So to say, you just expected that anything you knew would be just thrown out the window one way or another. Once you met Idia though you felt more secure in your knowledge. Idia was someone who you can imagine to be the most normal in your world. He was one of those kids in your class at the back of the room, typically not speaking to anyone unless prompted. Now you may wonder, “How did the Ramshackle prefect become associated with the shut-in hermit?” Well like any other instance, Ortho.

Ortho was extremely persistent that once you expressed interest or made an off-handed comment that you knew some code and loved visual novel games, you should meet his brother. Honestly, the issue wasn’t to convince you, it was Idia that needed convincing.

Since it wasn't Idia who invited you to his dorm, he was flipping out when Ortho told him to expect you. He's heard about the notorious Ramshackle prefect who dealt with Overbolts even though they're magicless. He couldn't lie and say that he wasn't interested in you though. Not everyone was able to do that. He just wasn't sure if he could do this right now.

Once you did arrive, Ortho carried most of the conversation. Idia was trying his best to try to make conversation as well but he couldn't bring himself. It was hard to talk to a normie okay?!

Well, that's what he kept thinking after each of his failed attempts. Ortho knew what to do though, he knew his brother would have issues so he hacked into your Magicam account to learn more about you till he ran upon all the gaming and anime accounts you followed. He put to and to together and this was Ortho's plan to make you two talk normally. Once he mentioned a game he knew both you and Idia played it was the start of something great.

Idia's attitude towards you changed completely once you talked about video games and anything else he was into. Which dragged into how the game was coded and whatnot. Once you mentioned how you wanted to program your own game and your vision he was just like an over-excited child he ushered you over to his game, asking how much you knew about code and how fun it would be to create a game.

But basically, once he dragged you in it'll be very hard to leave. Your whole friendship with Idia from then on was built on the game y'all were creating together, anime and gaming. Not that you'd complain it was very to have Idia around. Just that you'd always have to start up the conversion since Idia will always second guess himself

Even once you two finish creating your game Idia would still keep you around. He'd even start being the one to invite you instead of just showing up! After helping you learn and sharpen your skills in programming by working on a game together, you'd start to help him out too! If you know anything about programming, especially C++ you know how picky it is with its writing. Whilst he's off typing quickly you start to point out to him certain things he's missing, like a semicolon on something that'll screw the whole code up.

Wholeheartedly once you make friends with Idiai from one of his special interests it's going to be hard to pull him away from you <3

#🐉 | lilith’s writing’s #idia shroud #twst idia #idia headcanons #idia x yuu #idia x y/n #idia fluff #twisted wonderland idia #idia x reader #idia hcs #idia drabble #idia #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland

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goodpapergames · 8 months

Text

Hey sweaties,

I'm Silk and this will be the official dev log for all projects currently under development by me. I am a single dev team with hopes to grow but for now I am the sole artist, writer and coder. I have a full time job and am new to writing so I'm slow going but I like doing it.

I'm developing a few visual novel games that are in various stages of pre-dev that I will be sharing on here and post updates on as they go.

I'm also here because my previous devlog was on Twitter and we all know where that's going.

Here's a few of my games currently in development!

Chimera is planned to be a bigger project broken up into different games. For now it is a point and click adventure game in the visual novel style.

The story follows a private detective, on a mission to find a missing person who's case had been dropped by the local authorities. The mission thrusts you into the range of the local organized crime underworld. While undercover as a housekeeper at a luxury hotel, you will have to navigate the other workers, the pompous guests, and this guy who's trying to break in that claims he's a vampire.

That's what I said, Vampire. Yeah, there's going to be monsters in this game. This concept spawned from my desire to date monsters but it evolved into a bigger project.

Once, in a Dream is planned to be a free to play game I devised while I practiced coding an in depth routes system in Ren'Py.

You play as the Ole Lukøje, aka the Sandman, whose purpose in life is to grant the children dreams while they sleep. Though you travel to many worlds, you can only exist in one of the mind. On your journey you meet 3 peculiar little girls; two who are trapped in an endless slumber and can forever dream, and another who dreams of never growing up, and somehow gets her wish...without you.

This last one is only one concept art deep but I like it enough to make real. Furry dating sim where you're the child of a newly elected politician and are thusly now involved in the intergalactic politics of everyone else. Will you keep the peace or pursue your own interests?

Working title is Star Furs, aka all the star fox fan fiction i never wrote down.

I'll be posting more about each project as it goes but if you like any of these, I hope you'll enjoy following my development of them. Feel free to ask me questions.

#visual novel #game development #game dev #indie game #dev blog #blog intro #pinned post #concept art #character design

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simemeoww · 6 months

Text

Bloody promise

Author's note: This is based from my character Mateo, who happens to be a yandere. I made a visual novel where he is one of the main characters. If you wanna play my game(to what i will be really happy) here is the link: https://simemeow.itch.io/love-stuck

“Mateo, do we have to do this?” - you were skeptical about his request, not quite understanding the meaning of what he wanted to do. He touched your shoulder, trying to calm you down, taking away all your doubts, but Mateo was actually showing his dominance and rightness with this gesture.

“Of course my love, it simply cannot be otherwise. You want to prove that you’re ready to do anything for me, don’t you?” - he easily made a worried expression on his face, which made you change your decision. After all, nothing will happen if you fulfill his wish, right?

“Okay, Mateo. If you want me to do it so bad, then so be it,” you replied. You stepped over yourself, all this seemed pointless to you, but if this makes Mateo feel better, then you decided to be cooperative.

Hearing a positive answer from you, Mateo took off his false mask of worriedness and a smile appeared on his face. It was not a grin showing all its sharp fangs, like a predator who was very soon going to taste the poor naive victim, that decided to open their neck, so he could enjoy you. No, it was something much simpler. His smile reminded you of the sly fox that he was. Without getting his hands dirty and leading an “altruistic” lifestyle, he could achieve what he wanted, without physical strength, instead using words, very well chosen ones, with the help of which he got everything he wanted.

Mateo stuck the needle into your finger. Blood began to ooze from it, and immediately he did the same with his hand. “Can you squeeze your finger for now so that more blood comes out of it?… Well done, you are so good” - his tone was too approving, something that every time made you fulfill all his demands without a second thought, so you could once again hear his praise. Seeing the small changes in your face from his pleasant words, he smiled to himself, making a note to praise you even more often. “I like it so much when you obey me, I just always want to reward you,” he continued.

After squeezing out his finger and getting enough of his own blood, he connected his hand to yours. This action gave you mixed feelings and made you feel a little uneasy. Your blood connected to each other, still not letting go of your hand, Mateo began to lick this bloody liquid from your hand, which began to slowly drip onto the floor.

"M-Mateo!?" - you looked at him. He had a dark blush on him, and his eyes were filled with something strange, something you had never bothered to see before. Lust.

“Tell me that we will be together. Say you belong to me. Tell me that you love me more than anything in the world” - his voice was languid, with all his behavior he expressed a hard-to-break desire. "I love you. Very much… I love you… I love you… I love you…”

Your hands were still in close contact, something that could be called a sacred act for Mateo. But there was still little sacred and pure here. Starting with the fact that the action itself was reproduced through the act of blood, ending with the fact that this ritual did not evoke easy and pleasant feelings in you, but quite the opposite, it drove you into something dirty, into the desire to possess each other.

And both of you are to blame here. Even though Mateo was the initiator, you fully or not agreed with him, so you are also complicit in this corrupting act.

“Now we belong to each other… You are mine, love” - there was a grin on his face.

#lovestuck #lovestuck mateo #lovestuck loren #male yandere #soft yandere #tw yandere #visual novel #yandere boyfriend #yandere male #yandere oc #yandere visual novel #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere headcanons #yandere

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hummingbird-games · 5 months

Text

Postmortem: #CrushedVN Edition

Okie doke y'all! It's been some time so I guess we're good to dissect this project!

(I almost didn't bother with writing this up, but at the end of the day I do the dev diaries and the random--game development related--posts for me to look back on and prove I'm learning. Getting better. Not regressing. So. Might as well move forward!)

Background/Inspiration

It's like if you took my late 2022 brain and threw it into a blender!! Most of these are self-explanatory (Boys Love media I adore with emphasis on early to late teen experiences.) Let me draw your attention to The Edge Of Seventeen: not sure how many times I've rewatched, but it makes me tear up every single time. Main character Nadine is awkward AF, still hasn't come to terms with the death of her father years prior, isn't on the best terms with her mom or her older brother, and even ends up on rocky terms with her best friend too!! Anyway, that feeling of being young, and a little angry and a little sad and not feeling quite right on the inside but eventually reaching a place where things fiiiiiinally start to work out...it's just a sliver of what I wanted to capture and infuse into Crushed.

Listen y'all, I just pulled and pulled and pulled from real life experiences. I was inspired by authors Julian Winters, Leah Johnson, and Jay Coles' works (all Young Adult authors LOL! Fitting since I seem to be creating things for the teens at this juncture in my life). This all provided the base for Corey and his inner world. Also, I've been wanting to create a bookworm character...no time like the present right???

As for deciding to specifically create a boys' love visual novel of all things?? First, y'all must understand that I fought the original idea and anything related to it. This was coming off the heels of me suddenly seeing (another) wave of players throwing fits about indie games forcing you to play as a femme character. First off, no one is forcing you to do anything. Secondly, we are still at a point in video games where the majority of characters you play as are male. Forgive some of us for wanting a little variety 😑Thirdly, for those looking for games where there's even more inclusivity (choosing pronouns, playing as nonbinary/trans, and etc) I really wish that players would seek out those games that ARE being made and support them so the developers don't lose steam and drop their projects. It's so disheartening to make something that's meant to be consumed and BOOM, silence.

Anyway, all of that to say that as a developer herself who's tired of watching girls' media be regulated as Less Than, made fun of, and just overall disrespected, I wasn't interested in making any games that didn't center a female character. But back to my main point!!!

I had Heartstopper, the webtoon, infecting my brain. I was so not immune to falling in love with Nick and Charlie like everybody else. But then I was hit for the 34573847th time that I was engaging with white queer media. And I knew that if Nick and Charlie were Black Brits, they wouldn't be getting half the attention they are now. Even less if the boys were girls and we had a sapphic relationship on our hands. (But that sapphic story from Hummingbird Games is still brewing, and Corey and Jacob's story was ready first.)

Also....the biphobia is real. It's insidious. I could write a whole book about how the straights and the gays need to get their shit together. I could then write a sequel about how the Black community can be some of the worst offenders when it comes to our Bi Fam and say some of the most ignorant and devastating things. But I had limited time on my hands and decided to write a short VN instead. Once I let Corey just be, exist as the person he is, everything fell into place.

Things That Went Right...

I took a very niche, very Specific To Me, very nestled in the space between my heart and my brain and wrote a script just so I could be a part of a game jam specifically highlighting and supporting the work of Black game developers.

And I submitted the bitch on time.

I'm always down for anxiety rep!!! As a fellow anxiety haver, I say the more visibility the better!!! At the same time, it's not a one size fits all, and there were some things I dealt with that I'd never seen depicted and I figured I might as well be true to my experiences. Maybe someone would take solace in Corey the way I've taken solace in other characters for reflecting my lived experiences.

I tried new things I was scared of or didn't have time for with HSD or didn't feel confident enough to sit and learn previously: partial voice acting (and holding auditions to incorporate more), a text message system (which wasn't my own but part of learning to code for me means being able to take what others have done and replicate and/or use it myself), and implementing music and sound effects with intention. I've done it with film, but games are a close cousin in a lot of ways. A LOT of ways. I should remember that.

I still didn't do too well in the marketing department but for this game, it didn't feel like a failure. I also didn't really try. Oops. I've got to do better. I went into Crushed knowing it wouldn't have half the audience HSD does, and yet the feedback I've received for Crushed has made me want to break down into tears of relief.

I launched the game around 10 something at night my time and proceeded to be sick with anxiety for about 3 days. For three whole days I legit felt like I was going to die. And then I wanted to laugh because didn't I just make a game to express a version of the human condition?

Things That Were Different...

HSD showed off my skills when it comes to intensive planning and sticking mostly to that plan. Crushed was a jam entry that became more extensive over time and found me flying off the seat of my pants.

I also had less (aha, zero???) budget this time around. Because again. Jam entry. It wasn't supposed to be a Big Affair. But now that it's over and out to you guys, I'm not mad. You could say that it all worked out.

If I Could Go Back, I Would...

For one, I would have smacked the voice in my head that said "let's add more voice acting now". I love the feature, but there's no reason why I couldn't have done auditions after release. I was impatient and restless waiting for art assets, and my idleness led me to take on more things just to not feel useless. I Have Learned My Lesson, thanks.

I Had The Pleasure of Learning...

There will always be an obstacle in the way of game development. (And sometimes your body will be your own worst enemy, yuck.)

I don't know who my audience is (yet) for HBG but I'm always a part of it. And that's not a bad thing. If I hadn't felt so strongly about Crushed or even HSD, neither project would have happened because I would have given up a long time ago.

To the Future...

Empasis on future, but the world of Crushed isn't exhausted. It lives in the bigger universe of HSD:JY but took on a life of its own. So it's no surprise that Corey and his friends became even more precious to me. Not that I know when I'll be able to work on it, but right after finishing and publishing the demo, I outlined a rough draft for a kinetic novel sequel told through Jacob's POV. In my head, Corey's story was always half of a whole, and busting out Jacob's outline so quickly confirmed that.

(What I didn't anticipate was how loved Oke and Keegan would be, or that there would be a want for their story outside of myself??? Between us and this postmortem, I hope to sort out their deal and get the satisfaction of seeing another type of love story/dynamic I can't get enough of and share it!)

Closing Thoughts

The comments I've gotten concerning Crushed and noting the appreciation for its slice-of-life/grounded-ness is reassuring! Maybe I'll branch out to other genres, but realism will be something I always come back to. Also, making Crushed wasn't too traumatic soooooo that means I'm still making games LOL! Can't get rid of me yet!

- Gemini 💛

(some links of other posts where I went on tangents concerning the creation of Crushed; these can also be found by searching the tag "crushed vn"!)

Music Inspo and Crushed

Memes Tag Game

Game Dev Commentary: Bonus Content

#game development #crushed vn #postmortem

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azuremist · 2 years

Text

BAD END THEATER and The Inherent Tragedy of Queer Existence: An In-Depth Analysis

BAD END THEATER is a puzzle-adventure visual novel game, developed and published by NomnomNami. Available on Steam, Itchio, and Google Play, this game's reviews tells of how well it is received by audiences, with a 10/10 average on Steam, 5/5 average on Itchio, and a 4.8/5 average on Google Play. Despite this, however, I have never seen anyone dive into the specifics of the themes of this game, when it is a game filled with them. So, that's what I aim to do today.

But, if you have not already, please consider buying the game, or even watching someone else on YouTube play it. It's only ten dollars if you wish to support its indie creator, and the well-known let's-player Markiplier himself even did an excellent video playing through it. I'm going to be discussing major spoilers for the game, and this is a game that's best experienced blind. Once you've done that, please come back to ruminate on what you have watched.

Now... This is BAD END THEATER, its themes, and the inherent tragedy of queer existence.

Conformation to Roles, Part 1: Humans and the Need to Conform

The theme of conforming to one's roles, and the consequences of refusing to do so, is incredibly prevelant throughout the story; mostly seen through The Maiden and The Hero.

The game writes of The Maiden: "You are in church, and you pray to your god, asking why you have been born into this role of a maiden. You respect the divine plan and all, but you're really just curious as to what the point of it is. ... Maybe you'd understand your role better if you were to just hurry up and get captured already!"

The Maiden is the catalyst for the story of BAD END THEATER; the story begins when she starts to wish to understand her role better, and, thus, goes to get captured by a demon, as everyone has said that she inevitably would be, as she grew up. When she learns that The Overlord had no plans to capture her, however, she thinks "maybe it's just that (she hasn't) been maiden-like enough." She doesn't believe that it could be true that maidens can just not be captured by demons. She doesn't want to believe she's been lied to her whole life. So, instead, she believes that, when The Overlord says that she didn't plan to capture her, that it is her own fault for not conforming to her role well enough.

The Hero, as well, has this theme in his story in spades; perhaps even more so than The Maiden, albiet, in more subtle ways. The Hero is revealed late into the game to only be a hero because he likes the gaudy costumes he gets to wear; he is only doing what he geniunely wants to do when he is creating clothes. Either The Maiden, the townsfolk, or his 'duty and legacy' decide what he does before him. He doesn't know what will get him accepted or lead to a successful outcome. He forces his future into misery and confusion because of other people's beliefs about how his fate should be, which have been drilled into and instilled in him so strongly that it's evident in almost every other line that he has. He has such good writing in this sense, and it's a more subtle tragedy than any of the other characters', but that doesn't mean it is not there.

Both human characters are obsessed with their roles and their legacies. But, on the other side of the coin, the two demon characters aren't. When The Maiden asks The Overlord what she can do to be a more suitable maiden for capture, The Overlord doesn't seem to understand, and instead replies, "Just go home and stop worrying about destiny so much." From The Maiden's point of view, she 'makes it sound so simple', and it is what draws The Maiden to her, what makes her want to stay to talk, and what sparks a romantic interest in her (which, trust me, we will get back to). The Overlord also stresses that she "won't let (the humans) bait her into being the evil overlord they expect," again showing her disregard to assigned roles, in stark contrast to The Hero and The Maiden. This worry about roles is a strictly human thing, born from human society; not natural to those outside of it.

And, when The Maiden says that it's nice to not constantly be told to watch out for demons while with The Overlord, she describes feeling...

Free.

Challenging Pre-Conceived Notions

This theme is mostly seen through the relationship between the demons and the humans.

At the start of the story, on the human's side, we have The Maiden, who was told demon overlords love capturing beautiful young girls like her, even though, as she notes extremely early on before even meeting any demons, she had never heard of that actually happening to anyone. And with The Hero, he assumes that The Maiden must have been captured by the demon overlord, despite there being no proof of that being the reason why she is gone from the village.

Furthermore, when The Hero encounters demons on the way to the castle, it's noted that "you can kill them to gain experience", but killing any demon underlings leads to The Hero getting attacked and/or killed later on. On the other hand, if he is a pacifist, he is able to get to The Maiden with no problem, even if, at first, avoiding fighting the demon underlings is painted by The Hero's inner monologue as cowardly (again showing how deeply his role has been ingrained into him, and how high his expectations are for himself).

Meanwhile, The Overlord, despite her name and her occasional harsh words, is actually a pretty good ruler. When The Underling gets lectured by her for leaving their post, despite being told not to, The Maiden "wonders what cruel punishment awaits them", but, to her surprise, The Overlord lets The Underling off easy before dismissing them. Even The Underling, who accidentally gets caught up in an assassination plot for The Overlord, doesn't hate her or their job; they have the option to tell the other demon underlings that they shouldn't overthrow her, and that she's actually a pretty good leader! After all, in their own words, "Life must be pretty dang good if the only thing you have to complain about is that you live so comfortably there's nothing to do."

When The Maiden and The Overlord meet is when this theme really begins to come into play. The Overlord shares many stories about demons with The Maiden and she realizes that they may not be the ruthless monsters she was raised to believe. It's revealed that The Overlord commanded her demons to avoid towns and villages, because she didn't want to risk giving the humans any excuse to send a hero out after them, which is why The Maiden had never heard of demons attacking her town. She notes, "You've always thought demons were violent and unreasonable creatures, but... It seems The Overlord could say the same of humans."

The Overlord also has these notions about humans challenged by The Maiden, noting, "This is the first time a human has looked at you without contempt." She's also surprised when The Maiden thanks her for ordering demons to steer clear of the village. She had always thought of humans as violent and unreasonable; after all, her servants are always being killed by them, despite her best efforts to make peace. However, this maiden... She was proving that all wrong.

Conformation to Roles, Part 2: The Inevitability of Tragedy

Something that you will quickly note of BAD END THEATER's titular bad ends is that the character's dying thoughts are often about how this only happened because of their lack of conformation to their roles.

This is most often seen in The Maiden's endings. When eaten by The Underling upon meeting them, she laments how she should have been more patient. She says that she isn't angry, "of course," instead thinking, "This is (her) punishment for questioning fate, (she) guess(es)." And when she rushes into the burning castle to try and save The Overlord... Well, I'll just give you the entirety of the ending narration, as it is very on the nose: "What were you thinking? This is all because you'd forgotten your role; only a hero could pull this kind of thing off. ... You can't help but laugh. What a joke! A maiden, saving The Overlord? If you'd just stayed true to your role, things wouldn't have ended like this. This is exactly the kind of punishment you deserve. You let the demon fire cleanse your rotten soul." And, again, when she is burned alive with everyone in the fire, she thinks about how she could have just pretended to not hear the underlings plotting The Overlord's murder, and if she could have just done as she was told, only The Overlord would have died. But she couldn't have done that. In the words of the game, "That path... Isn't an option for (her)." A line which not only breaks the fourth wall, but which also states that tragedy is inevitable.

The Underling, as well, when they are killed for not being deemed loyal enough to the cause of the rebellion, doesn't bother to struggle against the demons who go to kill them. They're outnumbered, and they "already know how things like this end."

There is a whole collection of endings which also reinforce this. In the endings where The Maiden returns to the village and tries to explain to everyone that the demons aren't evil, she is called a 'demon sympathizer'. In the endings when she does this without The Hero at her side, it's said that she couldn't have possibly returned without the help of a hero, and that she must, instead, be conspiring with the demons. When The Maiden breaks free of her role, her story about her doing so is not believed. Then, people call for a public execution. In these endings, The Maiden is burned at the stake; punished for trying to do something outside of her role in this world, punished for opening her mind, punished for sharing the truth: that the demons who do not believe in things like destiny are not inherently evil creatures. In these endings, her closing narration heartwrenchingly reads, "(Your friends and family) can only watch as you burn, and you can only cry for them. You are so, so sorry."

And, of course, the true end of the game is the one where everyone; the cowardly hero only in it for the costumes, the maiden who questioned god's plan, the traitorous underling and the demonic overlord; are burned alive for the sin of questioning their place in the world, instead of mindlessly doing as they are told.

The Relationship Between Creator and Consumer

Meanwhile, Tragedy, the creator and runner of the Bad End Theater, mocks the player for being disappointed by the true end, saying that they should have been aware of what would happen when they came. "It's a problem I've seen quite often," they lament. "At some point, you grew attached to my little cast. You started to relate to their flaws, their plights... You started wishing for their happiness." And it's true. Even things outright labeled as tragedies get people who become attached to the characters and the story. Even if the creator tries to prepare and warn the consumer of what is to come, when the writing is good enough, it still ends with the consumer emotionally gutted. And when you try to see if this is really the true ending for the characters by checking it from the other character's points of view, you are mocked by Tragedy for this as well. No matter the perspective, the true ending remains the same. That's what makes it true.

You (in the narration which describes what the player is doing) decide you want to save everyone. But there's nothing you can think of to save them. So, you decide, if there's nothing you can do by acting from within their story, you will simply take things into your own hands.

You're brought back to the character select screen. This time, with a fifth option: a plain character, devoid of any features, almost like a doll. This is your representation in-game. You boldly insert yourself into Tragedy's story, and you use your powers to warp everyone to safety. This could easily be seen as an in-game representation of 'fix-it fic'; a subgenre of fanfiction where the writer changes something that they weren't happy with in the original story, typically in regards to character death or in-universe tragedy. Even Tragedy; who, at this point, appears before you; mocks you for doing this. "I admit I've been encouraging you all along, but a self-insert story? How passe." They also add, "I can't abide you stealing the show without permission. It's quite disrespectful." Again, these can easily be read as a creator reacting negatively to fan creation; particularly fanfiction.

The final boss of the game is Tragedy, in an RPG-like sequence where you, the player, call upon each individual character to join you in battle. Each calling is prefaced with a sequence of you greeting the character, and realizing something about them. It is here that you find out that the hero only really took on the role of a hero because he likes to craft clothes; the costumes attracted him to the role, not anything about glory or such. You tell him that he can make a living as a tailor, rather than a hero. You realize that The Maiden only wanted to understand her role better because she wanted to reach a place where she felt like she belonged, and to find fulfillment. You offer to give her that fulfillment. You realize that The Underling's friends bullied them into an assassination plot, only to betray them; that perhaps if they kept better company, they wouldn't feel so restless at their job. You offer to make work fun for them. You realize that The Overlord is very lonely, only surrounded by soldiers and not friends, and you offer to bring her peace; the peace that she has wanted for demons and the humans for a long time.

It is the consumer who realizes these aspects of these characters, not the creator. From the outside looking in, the consumer is the one with these observations, these solutions. And the consumer is the one who wants to bring them to these happier endings.

Now, I'm sure you want to know about how this ends; want to know the final bad ending of BAD END THEATER. But, first, we must discuss something else. Something incredibly vital to this game's story; something that, perhaps, you've already picked up on in this game's themes. And that is...

Queerness

First of all, The Underling canonically uses they/them. This is not because they are a demon; The Overlord is a demon herself, and uses she/her. This is not a trait attributed to their nonhumanity; it is simply that they are a non-binary character. Their story is about them being thrust into the center of a murder plot by their 'friends', and then used as a scapegoat and killed when it goes badly. This could be some sort of commentary on the demonization (pun intended) of queer people; especially trans people. Even when The Underling gets to be the new overlord, in the multiple 'Lord Underling' endings, they're described as living the rest of their days in fear that their subjects will one day betray them, as they betrayed their overlord. Even when queer people are put into positions of power, they're still incredibly vulnerable; maybe even more vulnerable; to attacks and queerphobia. That's what happens when queer people are put at the center of a narrative or spotlight. A little good, sure. But ultimately, they live their life in fear that they will become targeted.

Of course, we have The Maiden and The Overlord; two women who both canonically grow a romantic interest in each other. The Maiden describes butterflies in her stomach while speaking to The Overlord, The Overlord is described as wondering if The Maiden is 'into' her, and she is later described as feeling lonely when The Maiden leaves. They often blush at each other, and their interactions are clearly (or should I say, queerly) romance-coded.

Of note in relation to this... The Maiden is religious. Her storylines start with her praying at a church. Now, you may remember the, "You let the demon fire cleanse your rotten soul," line. This demon fire is what burns these characters alive at the end. The 'true end' for these characters, in a queer narrative, almost all of which are canonically queer in some way (with the only exception being The Hero and, even still, it's incredibly easy to read his story as a metaphor for an unrealized queer person), is to be burned alive by flames compared to cleansing flames. No matter what path you choose for these characters, it ends in tragedy, but the true end is for them all to die in flames directly compared to the cleansing fires religion touts. And I don't think that I have to explain how that fits into a tragic queer narrative.

This game seems to argue that queerness always ends this way. Deviating from your role, being open-minded and, most of all, queerness, can only meet a tragic end.

Meanwhile... You find letters as you gather more bad endings; from Tragedy, to an unnamed lover with whom they seem to somehow have lost touch with. Someone who always listened to the very end of their stories. Someone who wrote happy endings to all of the tragedies they wrote. Someone who, Tragedy hopes, if the theater becomes famous, will hear of it... Wherever they are.

In the game's true ending, if you collect all the bad endings, Tragedy will tell you the story of them and their past lover. There is no name given to this past lover. However, for the sake of brevity, I will call them Serendipity; the opposite of Tragedy.

You remove Tragedy's mask before they recount their story to you, though. Revealing that it was The Maiden's face behind that mask. It's not The Maiden herself, however; Tragedy explains that The Maiden was based on herself. "I'm not her, but it's not like she isn't me, necessarily," Tragedy explains. "That's how it is with fiction."

Tragedy, like The Maiden, was once a young woman, in our real world without demons or heroes; eager to set off and find some sort of purpose. And, like The Maiden, she met another girl. Another girl who she fell in love with. And for a time, everything was perfect.

"But their families, the communities they came from..." Tragedy laments, "Neither could approve of their relationship. This is the reality for many. This pair was no different."

Again, it becomes relevant that The Maiden (who Tragedy based on herself) is explicitly religious, and comes from what seems to be a religious town. It's not explicitly stated, but it can easily be assumed that the 'communities that they came from' refers to religious communities; especially given the story that we are given about them not approving of their sapphic relationship.

Tragedy explains that, because of the homophobia that they faced, Tragedy lost Serendipity. And this is why Tragedy loves tragic endings. She says that she, indeed, used to love the type of stories where love conquered all... But she can't believe in those stories anymore. She loves tragic stories because she, herself, was a victim of one. All of these tragic endings were a way of coping with how her queerness and the world's refusal to accept her tore her and her lover apart.

Because queerness and queer love is doomed, in one way or another, to end in tragedy. No matter what path you take.

...

... Or is it?

Hopepunk

'Hopepunk' is a subgenre of fiction, defined as the opposite of grimdark. Traits of hopepunk include fighting tooth and nail for positive change, radical kindness, and love of all kinds conquering all challenges. Hopepunk is the opposite of tragedy. And, despite its narratives on the inherentness of tragedy taking place within queer people's lives... Hopepunk is overwhelmingly present within BAD END THEATER.

Even as early as the tutorial, if you choose to 'play nice' with both dolls, you can get a happy ending, with Tragedy even noting as such, saying, "I should've written out this possibility." Hinting that there is an ending where everyone can be happy, in spite of Tragedy's best efforts to only write bad endings.

Then, again, at the end, when The Maiden burns alive with everyone, she reiterates this: "You think that no matter what, you'll always strive for the path where everyone survives. It must exist, it simply must."

Finally, we can continue to the ending. You are able to summon each character in order to fight Tragedy in that RPG-like sequence which I mentioned earlier. When you choose to combine all of the characters' best attributes, you are able to, against all odds, reach a happy ending in this labyrinth of suffering. And you defeat Tragedy herself. With everyone's hearts united, you were able to take aim towards everyone's best possible futures.

After you defeat Tragedy, the credits show The Hero working as a tailor, The Underling as a model surrounded by supportive and kind people, The Maiden introducing The Overlord to the town, then the two of them looking over everyone in The Overlord's castle; heavily implied to be romantically together at this point. Finally, a happy ending.

... But something is still missing, isn't it? I've explained it all to you already, after all.

There is still one tragic ending we have yet to fix.

And, indeed, the options for what we say to Tragedy, after she explains her past with Serendipity, does say, "But this story does have a happy ending." The player character reveals she was Serendipity all along. This was a story told in the second person, with the 'you' who played the game and acted being Serendipity. She explains that, because she always wanted to fix Tragedy's bad endings, she was, of course, drawn to a place like this. Tragedy admits that this was her goal in creating the theater, but also admits that she didn't think it would ever actually work in reuniting them. The two of them embrace, so happy from their reunion that they are brought to tears.

"You knew I could never resist giving your stories a happy ending," Serendipity says. This also loops back around to the relation between consumer and creator; the painting of the act of giving characters you care for a happy ending, in spite of the source, as an act of love. Both for the characters, and the creator.

"Now, truly," the narration says, "Everyone can live happily ever after." 'Tragedy's End' is declared. Not only the end for the character named Tragedy, but the end of tragedy, the concept, for these characters, as well.

Because, as Serendipity puts it... Despite the tragedy that is undeniably present in queer existence...

"Sometimes, everything DOES turn out okay in the end."

#bad end theater #nomnomnami #bad end theatre #bad end theater game #media analysis #queer media #queer metaphor #azure does a thing #long post

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starfxkr · 29 days

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well! now i wanna know what's your t20 for books omg

and ugh yes virgin suicides was such a love for me to for similarish reason(s) - the lisbon sisters were very frozen in time/spiritually paralyzed to me. it acc reminds me sm of kirsten dunst in interview with a vampire n how paralyzed claudia felt by being unable to age

oh n i just googled jesus saves n it sounds up my alley i wanna read it sometime but how graphic would you say it is?

no i get it - like i do get the appeal of whiplash n there are parts of it i like (like the driving scene LOL)

but anyways pope rly is pretentious if perfect blue is his fav of the bunch omg i love him. now i feel like he'd make fun of me for preferring black swan over it n telling me it's just a perfect blue rip-off n accusing me of only liking it bc mila n natalie get freaky in it 😭

-🐰

okay top to books!!!! just to keep it simple lol my top 5 will be in order after that its just me throwing em in there.

sula - toni morrison. favorite book of all time I have multiple copies of it and it's the absolute best story of female friendship imo and as a midwestern black girl I really resonated in ways I don't always resonate with books about southern black culture. sula mae peace was a low down diabolical woman and I love her

jesus saves - darcey steinke. this book is pretty graphic esp the scenes with sandy and her kidnapper. the dual povs are great and its one of the bleakest novels ive ever had the pleasure of reading. I was sat in shock when I finished

little birds - anais nin. my fav erotica book I like this more than delta of venus and there's actually a picture I took of the book thats popular on Pinterest and goes viral on tumblr/twitter all the time LOL. a major comfort read during one of the worst years of my life.

the moth diaries - rachel klein. read it last year it was such a good introspective work that honestly the vampirism felt both secondary and integral to the narrators plight like you can see her sanity slip over time and yet tou sit there wishing either shes right so she can have at least one thing to grasp onto or wishing she was wrong so she can feel some peace.

chouette - claire oshetsky. MY FAVVVVV BOOK ON MOTHERHOOD its magical realism and you can read it as an allegory or read it as literal which is what I prefer to do. a quick read but its so touching in its strangeness.

lolita - vladimir nabokov. technically a top 5 but its a book thats so integral to me that I can't properly rank. the way he played with words and the depth of the book is just unparalleled. I reread it once a year and although I love the 97 film it cannot come close to the book. its filled with such lush visuals and such sensuous language I get into discourse about it all the time because people either hate it due to misconceptions or they love it but feel guilty so they have to virtue signal in the most obnoxious ways. im a separate third thing.

the discomfort of evening - marieke lucas rijneveld. this is what lapvona wanted to be…it was dark and uncomfortable at many times and you feel just as isolated as the characters in some ways it feels like if the vvitch happened in more modern times with how the family dealt with grief and death in a small religious community it was kinda gross at times tol.

earthlings - sayaka murata. another very gross book and I would go into this carefully bc its very explicitly about csa. the main character was a wonderful depiction of how parental neglect, sexual abuse and trauma can leave a person stunted and how they can end up in very unsavory circumstances. the ending was wild.

nausea - jean paul sarte. my first "philosophical" book and it really....hit kinda close but it became a comforting read. I was coming off my Hell Year and I was still dealing with a lot of depression and just emptiness and that book encapsulated a lot of my emotions.

the nun - denis diderot. one of the funniest books ever im not playing. its about a young girl who becomes a nun because shes a child of adultery in the 18th century and her life just gets worse and worse as random shit keeps happening to her. it has homoeroticism and blasphemy and was conceived as a prank where diderot wrote letters as the MC. once you get into the language its such a crazy ride.

pope is a satoshi kon stan down so he feels very strongly about his work being ripped off by aronofsky!!! he argues about black swan being a lesser film all the time but I would say paprika is his fav

#✨.txt #pope heyward prompt #🐰 anon

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