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#all of my geo characters (including geo traveler) are built
mintjeru · 3 years
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genshin week day 2: favorite element (vision)
steady as stone.
click for better quality // please don’t repost!! // ko-fi
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dourpeep · 3 years
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Hey do you have any tips for people who play genshin that are new? Like when It comes to Lvling characters and stuff?
OHOHOHO MY TIME HAS COME--
This is a little long because I get carried away and went over a lot, but!!
I think the overall most important thing is that...don't tire yourself out. But onto the good stuff-
Since you're new, when you're travelling around pick up whatever grabbable items you can get because it's better to have excess than panic later because you don't know where to get the stuff you need (guilty as charged, but now I hoard kdfaieh).
Make sure to mark down places on the map! I personally have all the crystal mining spots marked! I also mark down good hunting areas for meat and specific NPCs (namely, the four gliding minigame NPCs in Liyue). Sometimes I'll also keep tab on a specific mob that spawns somewhere (i.e. juvenile geovishaps) or specific character ascension material (like the sea ganoderma for Kazuha).
Run domains (weapon ascension/talent) + Ley Lines! While it's good to run bosses in the beginning, due to a lack of resources, it's important to make sure you give these attention as well! They're vital to leveling up your characters. If you're only working on a few peeps, Sundays are your best friend for domains because you can pick and choose what you want to do. But yeah, make sure to do those ley lines because you will run out of mora and character exp books fast.
Complete the story quests (optional, and a given lol) :D This is mainly because there's a few handy features that you can get from doing each area's reputation rank. For example, you can unlock the recipe for condensed resin once you get Liyue to rank 3, I believe? Don't worry about rushing through though! The quests are long and chock-full of story so enjoy them :DD
Artifacts! In the beginning, don't worry about running artifact domains as much, the ones that you get running around adventuring + from the adventure rank and journal are pretty good as is. Not to mention, it isn't until about rank 35 that you reliably get 4* and 5* artifacts...then it's suffering.
Don't be afraid to use foods. Something I've realized is that there's a lot of people who are against using the buffing foods (attack, defense, elemental res or dmg) just because it's not a flex?? But use what you can use, y'know? If you need to eat an adeptus temptation for that food buff, go right ahead! It's there for a reason and there's no need to limit yourself since playing is all about having fun
This one isn't as necessary, especially if you're going to be playing casually, but team comps are important too. While I personally do like making mine half-catering to my favorite characters, it doesn't hurt to make sure you have a few options when it comes to weapon or elemental types. Like Xinyan is a really great physical dps and she as a claymore user she's fantastic with breaking geo shields...but anything that has an elemental shield is incredibly difficult to knock out on her own. That's why I also have Qiqi who can apply cryo (though she's not the best cryo applicator) and Xiao who can swirl (used in tandem with Xinyan's pyro or Qiqi's cryo, I'm somewhat able to break most elemental shields down).
Don't be fooled by the meta/best in slot stuff. Yes, it's nice to have a character that is known to be incredible, but for the most part, I've noticed a lot of these stuff include limited banner 5* characters and weapons or p2p stuff. For the longest time, my team was made up of all 4* (and one Qiqi) and I was kicking ass! But for example, the 4* you get in the beginning make up a fantastic team.
Amber is great for her charge attack! She can easily hit 3k+ charge attack damage without really being built and takes down cryo shields like no other! She's also great against electro enemies because of that.
Kaeya is great because his skill and burst have short cooldowns and apply consistent cryo. I had him built as a support/dps in tandem with an electro character.
Lisa! I personally don't like using catalyst because I'm impatient, but hoooo boy does she pack a punch. Catalysts are fantastic because they always apply their element to enemies (very reliable dmg).
Traveler is also really good because they're pretty flexible. I prefer the anemo traveler because I love swirl reactions, but you can easily build them for their element damage or for physical damage. Also you get their character ascension stuff easily with adventure rank which doesn't hurt.
You can also get Barbara who's great for hydro application + healing for free in the beginning and you can get guaranteed Noelle from the starting banner. Noelle is particularly good because you can also build her to fill any niche. She has a shield, healing, and she hits hard because she's a claymore user!
Oh!! Going back to talents! Depending on what you're looking to build, you can only level up what's necessary. Like, for example, if you're building Kaeya for his cryo application, just focus on leveling up his skill and burst since talents are pretty costly! No need to build on auto attacks if you're just going to switch to him real fast, apply cryo, then switch back after all!
I think that's about it for now, but lemme know if there's anything else you'd like to know :DDD
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surprisebitch · 3 years
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I was using the traveller in my team too as geo but I swapped him out for zhongli so my team is Razor Zhongli, xiangling and chongyun (I know chongyun doesn't synergise well with razor but I like him alot)
For the overworld or content that is not Spiral Abyss, you can get away with using characters who you love despite having no synergy.
However, once your world level increases past AR40 and when you decide to do the Spiral Abyss, you will need comps that have synergy.
The bad news is Chongyun and Razor have anti-synergy because superconduct buffs physical attack. Chongyun's talents turn every attack by claymore and sword users into cryo, thus, Razor would be dealing cryo attacks instead of Physical which is a huge dps loss.
The good news is Chongyun can be used in your second team! Spiral Abyss requires having two well-built teams, so if you love Chongyun then you can certainly use him for your other team.
The staple National Team Comp comprises:
Bennett, Chongyun, Xiangling, and Xinqiu
It's all 4 star characters and it takes advantage of strong elemental reactions including Melt and Vaporise. So you can certainly run Chongyun in that comp if you happen to get the other 4 stars. Otherwise, check out Chongyun Mains on Discord to read more bout him.
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How did each character get their vision in your Genshin Impact AU?
YEAHHH BABEY LETS GOOOO!!!
Some key terms so everyone can be included even if they haven’t played Genshin!
Visions: “The one thing that is known for certain is that Visions are conduits for their associated elements. However, the means by which Visions allow their wielders to harness elemental energy, and what is exchanged for this power, is a mystery.... When a god has deemed a person worthy of a Vision, there are two ways they can receive it: A new Vision appears before them in the blink of an eye, or an old Vision from a now-deceased person can be reawakened by resonating with someone else. It is also suggested that an active Vision can be abandoned and taken up by another person, but how exactly that works is unknown.” -the Genshin Wiki
Mondstadt: modeled after Germany
Liyue: modeled after China
Knights of favonious: an organization of knights within Mondstat, they act as peacekeepers! Helpful people!!
Hilichurls and Ruin Guards: common enemies found in the wild
Abyss Order: an organization of evil, fuzzy mages
The Fatui: all you really need to know about them is that they’re also an evil organization but...humans not monsters
Cryo: ice, Anemo: air(I realize I forgot this in the last post oops!), Geo: rock, Pyro: fire, Electro: lightning, Hydro: water, Dendro: nature
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Arthur(Dendro): Arthur never thought he’d get a vision. His oldest brother, Alastair, got a Pyro vison when he was 10. And his youngest brother Peter got an Anemo vision when he was 7. Arthur waited and waited and was totally convinced that he’d be visionless. But that’s fine! Plenty of people don’t have visions. His own parents and uncles didn’t even have visions! When Arthur left home at 17 to go to Mondstat to study, his travels were extremely lonely. He had to walk the whole way there, living with just the clothes on his back and a rickity tent to sleep in. He lost motivation about halfway through his trip, breaking down crying beside a big, mossy rock. The Dendro Archon pitied him and slipped a vision into his hand while he rubbed his face. The moss from the rock settled around his shoulders to hug him...And he was just...overcome with joyful sobs. The fact that the Dendro Archon had so much faith in him??? Wow...That’s what kept him going all the way to Mondstat, trudging up the stone steps to collapse on the smooth stairs of the Knights of Favonious’s Headquarters. He’s worked for them since then, receiving tutoring and now working full time as a translator :) since he received his vision, he’s grown leaves out of his head and his freckles turned green. He was born with snake eyes :)
Alfred(Pyro): Alfred and Matthew got their visions the same day. The two were allowed to go adventuring by their parents. They could go anywhere they want as long as they got home bedore dinner time! Alfred, the more energetic of the two, would always run ahead and drag Matt around to new, interesting outside their city. They often went to play on nearby ancient ruins, digging up old artifacts and playing with broken swords they found in the dirt. But one day, they stumbled upon a ruin guard. The machine sat, covered in vines. They assumed it was no longer in service and Matt climbed on top of it to try to pry the head open but uhhh it came to life and literally tried to kill them. It threw the twins hard against a wall and it crumbled, falling on top of them. The gods saw what happened and froze time for a few seconds to place visions into their hands. Alfred woke up very scared but this new power...was reassuring. He realized the gods were on their side! That was the best day of his life. He still goes on adventures! That day inspired him to keep going and to help others :)
Matthew(Anemo): Matthew received his vision at the same time as Alfred. The two were in a great deal of danger and the gods really did take pity upon them. But the Pyro Archon did not think that Matthew would be a good candidate for a Pyro vision. So the Anemo Archon stepped in and bestowed an Anemo vision upon the older twin. Matt was quite literally blown away by his own newfound ability to wield the wind. Together, the twins were able to create a fire tornado which blew the ruin guard off its feet, giving them enough time to sprint away. The slow, rusty beast unable to follow. That day was pretty traumatic for Matt because....he almost died....But hes grown so much since then. The twins were only 12 when they got their visions. He still has no desire for hand to hand combat, that’s why he practices alchemy :)
Francis(Hydro): I find every excuse to bring Jeanne into my AUs just to give Francis some spicy trauma (that’s a joke please don’t come at me). Francis was visionless but Jeanne was gifted her Vision from the Hydro Archon when she was 10. Jeanne was noble, loyal, helpful and kind. The Hydro Archon thought she was worthy of their power! Jeanne got very sick when she was 12 and her condition worsened until she peacefully passed when she was 15. Francis was ruined by her death. Her parents have him her vison. It died with her but carrying it with him and hearing the little bell on the end jingle was comforting. The following year, on the anniversary of her death, he sat under the moonlight singing her favorite song. The Hydro Archon’s heart broke for him and as he sang, they deactivated the vision. Francis cradled it in his hands and cried, his tears dripping down his face to collect in a small floating pool over the ground. In her honor, he learned to artfully wield water, having it swirl around him and his crew while they performed. Even though he knows the Hydro Archon brought it back for him, he likes to believe that Jeanne is providing him with strength and support from beyond :’)
Ivan(Cryo): Ivan has been a nomad almost his entire life. He travels all around to study hilichurls and their way of life. He’s lived with tribes of hilichurls, learned to write and speak their language, learned their style of finger paintings and carvings, cooked with them...Hes participated in almost all aspects of hilichurl life and in return, he provides them with plenty of boar meat and protection. He lived with a tribe in Dragonspine, the coldest area in all of Mondstat, and despite frostbite nipping at his fingers, he’d still go out of his way to hunt for the tribe. While hunting, he saw a saw a dull blue blinking under the snow. He stuck his hand down there and found a woman who had frozen to death. Her ghost greeted him and assured him that she wouldn’t hurt him. She explained that she’d been missing for years and thanked him for finally finding her. She gave him her Cryo vision and he went down the mountain to get others to come back with him to retrieve her so she could be properly buried at the Church of Mondstat where she belonged. Now Ivan can shatter ice at his own will, the woman had been very weak with her vison but he built it up to be stronger and work with his own style of fighting and living. When he lives with tribes in warmer areas, he makes popsicles for the hilichurls so they can cool down :D
Yao(Dendro): Yao grew up waaaay outside of Liyue Harbor. He wasn’t rich but he wasn’t poor. His grandparents had a silk flower farm where they just grew tons of silk flowers, even making their own perfumes too. Yao’s parents inhereted the land when they got married and intended for Yao to carry on the legacy of the Wang family perfumery but the Fatui seized the land and kicked the Wang family off of it. His grandparents passed and his parents retired to Qingce Village to live out the rest of their years peacefully. They offered for Yao to come but he refused, wanting to return their name to its rightful glory! He worked in many shops as a delivery boy, cleaned the streets, took commissions for deliveries outside of Liyue Harbor. He worked HARD in order to buy a shop right in the center of the city. The Dendro Archon admired his perseverance despite him being so young! And while he slept, he reactivated Yao’s grandmother’s Dendro vision, leaving it on the pillow next to his head. Yao nearly passed out when he woke up and saw it!! It was the surprise of a lifetime! He ran as fast as he could until he was out of the city, standing on one of the rocky hills overlooking Liyue Harbor. He held his grandma’s jade polearm in his hands and slammed it into the rocks, screaming joyfully as they split and vines rose up around him, flying every which and cracking like whips! He’d learn to control the power passed down to him and make his grandparents proud :’)
Kiku(Electro): Kiku’s father is a badass. He lost his eye in battle and keeps his vision orb in his eye socket. So he has one, normal brown eye and one bright purple eye with the Electro symbol in it. If that isn’t intimidating....I don’t know what would be. Kiku always wanted to be like him, his father is his role model. He doesn’t have a mom so his dad raised him to be a badass but...a more subtle badass. Kiku’s family was apparently full of Electro vision wielders so he hoped he would get one too! His father told him about his uncles and grandparents having Electro visions and how they worked together as an unstoppable team! The way Kiku earned his vision...Was not what he had in mind. He worked as a patrol soldier when he was 18, making sure the border of his country was safe. He and 12 others were approached by Fatui guards and pretty much....slaughtered. Kiku’s close friend had gotten his Vision when he was 8 after inheriting it from his great grandmother. It was apparent that his friend wouldn’t make it. After a tearful goodbye, his friend passed his Vision onto him. Kiku wears his vision proudly, a symbol of eternal trust and friendship. Kiku now works with the Fatui, profiting of off their greed more than even they know. He hates them but by working with them, he’s keeping the locals safe.
Lovino(Pyro): Lovi’s story is kinda sad. Grandpa Roma’s vision was meant to be his because he’s the first born grandson but the vision rejected him. It never turned on. Lovino became so frustrated that he passed it over to Feli...And it came to life within a week. Lovino felt betrayed, angry and resentful towards his brother. It wasn’t fair!!! How could this happen? So instead, Lovi rejected the Hydro Archon and built a shrine for the Pyro Archon. He made offerings of flowers, stew, chili peppers, wine, anything he could get his hands on. He sat in saunas to develop a tolerance for heat and trained until he was almos passed out. He prayed and did everything he could to get the Pyro Archons attention but still, he didn’t get a vision. By now, Feli had his own vision for three years and was mastering archery. Lovino had enough. He gathered twigs and weeds, stomping out into a clearing “Hey! I know you can hear me! What do I have to do to prove myself to you? I’ve done everything I can! Are you too afraid to give it to me? Huh??? Pussy! Fucking let me-“ uh oh. Now the Pyro Archon was mad. They decided to give him a chance, they could always take it away or kill him if he failed. The vision appeared in his palm and the weeds in his hands burst into flames. He screamed in agony, his arms on fire now. He kept off of a nearby cliff down into the ocean to put out the flames....but he had it. A vision...He’s been ruthless since then. Owning a flower shop and kicking ruin guards asses when they stomp around in the flower fields
Feliciano(Hydro): Feli has always felt guilty about his vision. It was meant to be Lovino’s but it awakened for him instead. He trained when Lovi wasn’t around, everything he did was subtle and quiet because every glimpse of his vision angered his brother. Feli didn’t want that, he wanted them to be close again :( he got lonely when his brother was gone and sound talk to his Vision the way he used to talk to Grandpa Roma. He’s grateful that he received his grandpas vison though!! It was very powerful when it was with Roma but with Feli, it’s significantly weaker because he just doesn’t have the same battle experience. He doesn’t even want it anyway. He is a peaceful guy who enjoys archery and singing in the church choir :) he has no desire for violence the way his brother does.
Ludwig(Geo): Ludwig inherited his fathers vision. He’s still alive but after losing an arm while on knight duty, he retired and gave his vision to Ludwig. The vision easily accepted Lud as its new owner, glowing brightly every time he touched it. The Geo Archon likes strong, loyal and intelligent people and Lud perfectly fits those preferences. Lud was 18 when he got his father’s vision so by now he had already been a knight in training for the knights of favonious! After intense training and an obscene amount of testing, he became a full blown knight capable of fighting monsters when need be. He’s very respected by the civilians of Mondstat and truly makes his father proud.
Gilbert(Pyro): Gilbert has broken many laws in his time and breaking into a very dangerous ruin was probably the best thing he ever did. He found tons of crispy, burnt skeletons in there and lots of fire flowers who spat sparks at him as he walked by. In a bigger flower...He saw a glint and thought ‘Aw yeah!! There’s a gemstone in there! That’s gonna be worth so much money!!!’ So he stuck his hand right into the smoldering flower, getting 4th degree burns as he ripped an ancient vision out of it. The thing had to be centuries old. It’s gold casing was bent and covered in dried blood both Gil’s and whoever else had owned it before. When the vison came to life in his hand, he could feel tbe the energy within was very old... it was later determined that it was likely one of the first batch of visions gifted to the human race by the Archons! Historians tried to buy it from him. It for once, Gil set his greed aside and kept the vison for himself! The vision radiated happy energy at that so he assumed that it was happy he kept it
Please ignore the spelling errors or I will barf 🙂
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chibivesicle · 4 years
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Koito Otonoshin is from Kagoshima; what does the city and area reveal about his character.
While on holiday, I was very lucky to have a chance to visit Koito’s very own hometown of Kagoshima, in Kagoshima Prefecture on the southwestern part of Kyushu.  I’ve grown more attached to Koito’s character as the manga has developed and I’m more curious to try to figure out what he will do in the manga now that he has been “reunited” with Tsurumi.  So, I figured why not go visit his hometown in January when the weather will be lovely [it was]. I will admit that I tricked my Mom to go with me not knowing it was a Koito research trip, but at least told my brother.  He was fine with it since he had wanted to visit the nearby Miyazaki prefecture anyways.
This will be a little bit of a different meta post as I’ll present things I observed and try to place Koito in the context of them.  This is based on my opinion and how I interpreted and observed things around me. Please keep that in mind when reading!
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To get to Kagoshima, I took full advantage of the JR Rail pass for tourists and left from Kyoto to Kagoshima-chuo, the main train station with a transfer at Shin-Kobe.  I went down in early January and it was lovely to see the scenery become more green as I went further south.  Kyushu has a different feel than the island of Honshu, you see subtropical and tropical plants and it really feels different than other parts of Japan that I have visited e.g. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.  This was my first time visiting Kyushu and I really loved the southern part of the island.
If you are using a rail pass to get there, it will take you some time, it was about 5 hours or so in total from Kyoto.  If you go from Tokyo, it will take at least 7 hours and that is just from Kagoshima-chuo to Shinagawa (Tokyo area) station.  If you are unable to use a JR pass, like my brother who is currently working in Japan, or you have very limited time, the best option is to fly, say from Tokyo-Haneda to the Kagoshima airport (40 min bus ride from downtown Kagoshima).
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The most obvious thing about Kagoshima and the area, is how different it is than parts of Honshu.  The entire area has that tropical/subtropical feel.  It was January and the weather was quite pleasant, around 14-16 degrees C as the high during the day and lows around 7 or so.  It was sunny and there were flowers blooming everywhere in gardens and parks and you are right next to the bay!  It was so lovely.
I have somewhat limited travel experience in Japan only able to previously visit cities like Nagoya (for work), Gifu (for work but Oda Nobunaga!), Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokyo and Shizuoka (for maguro tuna) before this trip.  What I can say from the start is the feel and look of Kagoshima is different than these other cities.  There are more colorful buildings in Kagoshima, some were green, lime green, light pink, magenta and orange intermixed with the more standard, black, grey, white of the modern Japanese landscape.   The urban landscape was more varied and interesting than other cities I’ve been to in Japan.
There were many older western style buildings and street lights / lamp posts that looked like they were from 1880-1930. For example here is a public building that clearly looks like it is from 1900-1930 or so.  I tried to figure out what it was, but it simply said civic building and likely was now associated with the performing arts center right next to it from about the 1950s/1960s.  You can see lots of cycads(!) planted out in front of the building.  
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The city still runs streetcars that have old lamps as a part of the posts that hold up their electrical cables.  I forgot to take a picture of some of the streetcars; half of their cars were old, ~1940s-1950s at the newest as well as sleek modern streetcars.  I snapped this photo of the streetcar operator while riding in the city.  Yes, it is an old lever operated drive system!  It appeared to be made by Mitsubishi, and you can see the flowers blooming in the background.
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A great example of a more western style building was this large department store in the downtown part of the city.  It is the Yamakataya Department store, and after some quick online searching it appears to have been built around 1917 with other parts added on over time.  You can find more photos of it on TripAdvisor.
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I spotted other older Victorian and turn of the century buildings in the city which added to the unique vibe of the city.  While wondering around the local shopping arcades looking for a restaurant, we stumbled upon an interesting glass ceiling at one of the intersection of the arcades.  Four locations are shown on the map, Kagoshima, Malacca (Malaysia), Goa (India) and Basque (Spain).
This one shows Kagoshima and Malacca, with ships, churches and random people meeting missionaries, specifically Jesuit missionaries including Francis Xavier, who visited and converted people to Christianity in Kagoshima in 1550.
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The Basque region of Spain, where Francis Xavier is originally from, though he worked throughout Asia.  He was a pretty successful missionary all things considered.
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It highlights his time as a missionary in Goa, India
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And of course in Kyushu, including Nagasaki and other places as well as Kagoshima.  I find it quite curious they have the classic Greek constellations on the sky and not the Japanese ones.  It is quite clear that the Jesuit missionaries had an important influence on many people in Kyushu and they still have the highest number of Christians in Japan.  I would guess that local people commissioned this artwork since it clearly celebrates the life of Francis Xavier and connects Kagoshima to the other places he lived and worked.
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Kagoshima is uniquely situated as how far south it is from both Kyoto and Tokyo [Edo].  By road it is between 800-900 km to Kyoto and 1,300-1,400 km from Tokyo.  This implies that it would take a long time before modern technologies in transportation to go between the places of power pre-Edo period and during the Edo period.
I was able to visit Sengan-en an estate of the Shimazu family.  The Shimazu family held power in the region since around 1300 and were both powerful warlords, but also successful in international trade due to their location on  Kinko Bay.  As the Shimazu family were still under the power of the Tokugawa shogunate they were required to journey to Edo, but as a result of the distance, they had the longest overall travel time out of everyone in Japan.  I’m sure you can quickly realize that having such a distance from the central government also resulted in the Satsuma domain having more freedom than say a powerful samurai family in Shizuoka.
Even when the Tokugawa shogunate closed off most of the country, this region was still able to trade internationally by proxy through the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) and developed more international style cuisine as a result.  Sweet potatoes were introduced via Okinawa and the Satsuma sweet potatoes are everywhere.  I bought and tried some dried-ish sweet potatoes that looked like twizzlers, but were underwhelming (I think this was a tourist trap, oh look sweet potato things, I’ll try them!). At Sengan-en, we ate some of the baked sweet potatoes of the local variety which were incredibly delicious as just plain potatoes.  I’ve had baked sweet potatoes elsewhere in Japan and outside, but this was the best plain baked sweet potato I have every had!  I also got sweet potato candy which is delicious, a variant of the famous Bontan Ame (a citrus caramel candy), also invented in Kagoshima!  Bontan Ame is also a great candy, I love the subtle citrus flavor.
The sweet potato are the purple caramels on the right and the citrus Bontan Ame on the left.  quantivore’s Koito is excited with Tsukishima in between! (quantivore’s artwork can be found on instagram @quantivore ). 
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Bontan Ame are popular with high school girls . . . for some odd reason I think that Koito would like them too!
I was able to sample some local Kagoshima shouchu, which again, is not surprisingly made from their famous Satsuma sweet potatoes!  It tasted good and was pretty strong. I may have had more to drink than I should have with my yakiniku. There were soooo many varieties of shouchu to choose from in the area and they were sold at pretty much every gift shop!  I did not buy a bottle since I was afraid to haul it all around Japan and break it on accident.
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Recall that the manga highlighted that the Sakurajima daikon are cultivated in the area around the Sakurajima volcano and are the largest daikon in the world as introduced in chapter 197.
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I was unable to see a full daikon in the flesh, while visiting the Sakurajima Geo-Park, I did spot some growing in the ground and you could see large leaves!  I really wanted to see a Sakurajima daikon, in person.  The daikon was found on public city artwork and designs.  I had to settle with only seeing their leafy tops while on a bus, though I bought a small daikon charm and my brother found me a plushie at the airport.  I did eat some daikon (already cut to a much smaller size) with the regional black pork which was delicious.  The pork was richer than normal ground pork and the daikon melted in your mouth as you ate it cutting through the richness of the pork.
The daikon is important to Koito’s flashback as it helps to introduce his contrast to his older brother, who had a pale complexion like a Sakurajima daikon and tolerated Koito calling him that.
The last major regional produce of the area is citrus!  There is so much citrus in the area! The Satsuma oranges (as they are known in the UK) came from the Kagoshima region after they went to war with the British in 1863!  As a result of a naval battle between the Shimazu family and their fellow Satsuma retainers, this war only lasted a few days and resulted in great damage to the Kagoshima area.  The positive outcome of this was increased positive relations between the Satsuma region and the UK as opposed to the influence the French government had on the dying/declining Tokugawa shogunate in Edo.
Here is a Satsuma orange tree at Sengan-en.  It had an info plaque about how after the Anglo-Satsuma war they were popular for import to England.
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In addition to the Satsuma oranges (aka mikan), there is a distinct variety from the area known as komikan or small mikan.  These are grown both on the volcano, Sakurajima (桜島小みかん)  and around the Kinko Bay as well (小みかん).
Look at the tiny tiny tiny komikan!
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The regular mikan were quite easy to peel and delicious.  Throughout the southern part of Kyushu there were lots of different citrus species and cultivars grown.  In the neighboring Miyazaki prefecture, they had a yuzu x pomelo hybrid known as a hyuganatsu (also tasty in things!).  I digress, the point is Kagoshima as the former Satsuma domain is a place that was able to interact with western nations and it is in part represented by the movement of the citrus fruits from the area to places like the UK and the USA as well where the States actually imported and grew cultivars from the Kagoshima area.
This region was also much more forward thinking that the government in Edo.  The Shimazu family were the second largest book publishers in Japan for a very long time and they reprinted Western imported books that included science, technology and maps.  I was able to see some of their moveable type for their publishing with both Japanese kanji and kana and the Latin alphabet as well for printing foreign books (I did not spot any Cyrillic, but the museum display was small).
They were the birth of industrial manufacturing in Japan, first trying to build equipment via imported books and later sent students abroad against the rule of the government to study in the UK and the USA.  At the grounds of Sengan-en you can visit the first factory in Japan which gives a quick guide in Japanese and English about the development of industrial manufacturing.  Unfortunately, you were unable to take pictures in the museum, but they produced various goods including cannons and whatnot which helped in late Bakumatsu period and gave them a weapons advantage over the outdated technology of the Shogunate government forces.
When you get off the train at the main Kagoshima-chuo station and walk towards the bus and streetcar stops, there is a statue erected in honor of all of the young students who risked going abroad to help the growth and development of Kagoshima. 
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These students also attended a World Fair in Paris or some of them not quite sure if all of them attended it was after their trips abroad.  They also circumvented the travel restriction for Japanese by registering not as from Japan but representing the Satsuma domain as an independent delegation.  I may not be 100% accurate with all of this info, since I couldn’t take photos in the museums, yet it gives you a good idea of what the Satsuma domain was doing to improve and modernize.
There is also a strong connection between Satsuma and Hokkaido - many of the leaders during the Meiji era that pushed industrialization were from Satsuma and used Hokkaido as the source for raw materials to power the factories in the south.  Plus, many people from the region moved to Hokkaido to work either as the frontier soldiers or as laborers in the “frontier”.  This has been mentioned before in regards to GK as Noda’s own great-grandfather was a frontier soldier from Kyushu (whom I’ve wondered was also a practicing Catholic based on how Noda depicts Christian theology). I recall reading this in some interviews with him translated by GK Central, but I forget which ones right now.
Another industry that grew up in the mid 1800s was the development of Satsuma cut glass (kiriko) which become more industrialized during the late Edo early Meiji period.  Unfortunately, the technology was lost and in the 1980s, it was finally determined how to manufacture it again.  As a result production started again and it is only produced in Kagoshima.
On the grounds of Sengan-en they have a fully operational glass works.  You can watch the glass being blown, shaped, cooled, marked and cut.  It was pretty neat!  I thought about buying some; it was more expensive than I expected - small pieces started at about $200 USD and it only went up from there.  There were gorgeous sets of two glass that sold for about $500 and it was clear they were wedding presents.  It was really amazing and if I had more money, I’d be tempted to purchase some myself.  My Mom did purchase a small green and blue bowl after looking at it at the glass works, and then looking at it in a Satsuma local goods store two more times before deciding to actually purchase it.
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Since it was unique, the distribution of this from Satsuma helped with international relations and was considered neat by those in Europe who could purchase it.  I think the best way to look at the cut glass is that it was an excellent example of a Satsuma [Japanese] product that combined with a European product, illustrating how this region was changing to adapt to modern times outside of Japan.  There was also Satsuma porcelain that was made for the European market and it was very successful around the time of Golden Kamuy as an export.
To get an idea of the type of house that Koito likely grew up in, it would be something similar to, but obviously smaller than a place like Sengan-en.  The house was quite large and the gardens and other buildings around it made for a place that was large and significant looking.  It also had a mix of a Japanese and more Western style for some of the buildings as well as Chinese and Ryukyu influence. 
This is the main gate that leads into the area where the house is in a large courtyard.  It has a much more Chinese style with the bright red and slightly different roof shape.  The English info said it was Chinese style, but I wonder if it wasn’t more Ryukyu since they were the domain that was essentially “controlling” *ahem* them at the time.
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This was the inner courtyard of the house.  The house had been added onto over time from the 19th into the 20th century as well as some parts being removed like household secretary rooms and other stuff now outdated.
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The Shimazu family often hosted foreign dignitaries including Tsar Nicholas II (obviously before the Russo-Japanese war)!!!  There were two large vases that were gifted to the family from Nicholas II on display in one of the rooms with lots of historical information about how the family hosted many people from around the world.  Many of the people hosted here were from the UK and the Netherlands as well.  If I recall correctly, the highest number of foreigners were from the UK (again, that Sastuma orange link).
This is an example of how the table would have been set for dinners for hosting European guests.  The vast majority of the house was still completely Japanese in style in regards to the furniture, but this dining room and another (sitting? living) room had Western style furniture.  The table setting appears to have Dutch plates, Western cutlery and several types of glasses including the local Satsuma cut glass produced in the local glass works.  I believe my Dutch Canadian friend has the exact same plates that you can still buy today.
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I took tons of photos of the grounds which featured many tropical and subtropical plants like these cycads and palm tree.  You can see some of the buildings in the background and a Western style lamp post as well.
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I have no idea what this building originally was, but it was clearly based on a European inspired design and a part of the estate.  It is now a Starbucks and I didn’t investigate it any further.
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The style of this house makes me think of the house that Koito lived in when his family moved from Kagoshima to Hakodate.  There was also a “foreign engineer” house close by where English engineers lived and helped with the development of Kagoshima.  I was a moron and forgot to visit it . . . but I did see it from the road.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/documents/136169
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I would say it is a toss up if Koito lived in a modern Japanese style house/estate like Sengan-en in Kagoshima or in a more modern house like the white one on the Sengan-en estate or the “Hakodate” house above.
What you get from visiting a place like Sengan-en is what it would have been like to be an elite from the former Satsuma Domain/Kagoshima.  Including your personal doctor inspecting your poo everyday . . .  These [predominately] men in power were hosting and having dinners with foreigners and were very passionate about the modernization of Japan in the face of the world colonial powers getting closer to them.
This connects with the fact that Koito owns the motorbike.  Now it is unclear if this came from a Japanese individual in France or directly from a French person.  When I did my chapter meta, I assumed it came directly from a French person but upon reading it again, the translation is unclear what the nationality of the acquaintance is, just a person in France not actually French. What it does show is that Koito’s father is connected internationally as a member of the Meiji elite many of whom came from Satsuma due to their pro-Western technology slant so that the could expel the barbarians [and freely make use of their science and technology for Japan].  I would guess the fact that Koito Sr. served the Meiji government well, indicated he was more in favor of modernization and less about a more hyper samurai opinion to maintain the old ways during modernization (e.g. Saigo Takamori).
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Another thing is how the men in power from places like Satsuma linked themselves to the former shogunate through marriage and likely married women from the “losing” side to further integrate themselves into the power base in Tokyo.  You wouldn’t want to completely cut out the losing side completely. Instead, with those that likely switched sides sooner integrate with them as you had the “in” to the old government which would become key for the new government fit into for stability.  Completely cutting off members of the former government would lead to future issues since many of those individuals were still clearly wealthy and had more local connections in Tokyo than someone from Kyushu may have had.
Recall, when Hijikata fights Inodou, he mentions Enomoto Takeaki in chapter 135 as noted by EHS scans.  He was a member of the Shogunate government who was key in founding the Imperial Navy that Koito’s father is a member of.
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Another thing I learned at Sengan-en is that one of the Shimazu daughters married the last shogun in part to politically sway the shogun to transition and make way for the new Meiji government.  This again shows that those from places in the south were positioning individuals to allow them to create a new government as easily as possible.
Since Koito’s father is a tall, darker complexion Satsuma man, as Koito is, his flashback highlights how different his mother looks.  She’s very light in complexion and Koito mentions on his older brother looked like a Sakurajima daikon with very light skin tone.
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Koito and his brother got their eye brows from their mother, yet he did not get her lighter skin tone, so on top of his Satsuma accent, other characters can tell that he’s from Kagoshima (or at least someplace in Kyushu).
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I find it interesting that Koito’s mother is wearing a kimono in a house that is completely Western in decor and she almost looks uncomfortable in her surroundings.  I can’t help but think it would be more socially appropriate for Koito’s mother Yuki, to also adopt Western style dress to fit with her position and role as the wife of an important member of the military and modern society.  It is clear they are hosting foreigners in some fashion.  When I was visiting Sengan-en, there were many photos of women wearing Western style dress ~1900, so many of them also adopted their fashion like their male family and friends did.  Yet, instead, she seems out of place as though she didn’t grow up with this style (somewhere around Tokyo perhaps) and is unsure how to fit within it.  Koito in contrast since his introduction at 14, is shown wearing full Western style dress and he’s sporting a much more Western style hairstyle than any other character had as a kid.  Does he have an English style haircut? 
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I always get the feeling that Koito being raised in a more Western learning environment as a child in Kagoshima and being surrounded by a greater mix of people and seeing more differences he is just more comfortable in his role as a future military kid.  He may not even realize it, but compared to many of the other GK cast members he’s both sheltered and open to things with his education.  He has been spoiled and it shows in his dependence on Tsukishima, yet at the same time, he’s one of the most educated members of the group and has to be multilingual.
His bratty behavior which does not result in punishment from his father is also interesting as I sometimes wonder if his father was hoping he’d out grow things or come to his senses. It sounds like a more Western way to parent, but it is still the early 1900s so I could totally be off the mark here.  Plus, in Koito’s flashback he seems to imply his brother’s death resulted in his father detaching himself from Koito, perhaps out of fear that if he did what his older brother did, he too would die?  I think this makes sense with how Koito Sr. does rescue him and also when he tells Koito he’s glad he’s alright post-Karafuto-Sugimoto stabbing.
Some more general observations from walking around Kagoshima.  People there seemed more relaxed, I observed people jaywalking, crossing a street against a “no crossing” sign and cars honking at each other!  The feel is completely different than very stoic cities like Tokyo or Kyoto.  Not surprisingly, there were also people with complexions that were darker like Koito and his father as well in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, so he really is a character based in reality.  Not that I doubted Noda, but he really does try to make his characters as realistic as possible.  I’m sure with current beauty standards people are more aware of this and try not to tan as much as they would have in the past, but there were quite a few people who just had a different skin tone and it was January, so not a lot of long days of sunlight. 
The other aspect of Kagoshima is its relationship with the volcano, Sakurajima.  The daikon and komikan are both grown on the slopes of the volcano due to the soil and are important local products.  The volcano dominates the region as it is visible from pretty much anywhere in the city.  It is also a very active volcano, with ash coming out almost continuously and with multiple eruptions per day.  When you walk around the city there is ash everywhere on the ground, under bushes and in corners.  The city has active street cleaners/sweepers to remove the ash from the roads. 
Here is my first good view of the volcano taken around 5pm from the Dolphin Port area.  You can see a little bit of the ash coming out of the right side of the southern peak.
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Here is a view of Sakurajima from Sengan-en.  The ash is mixed with the light clouds but again it is moving to the left (a southern direction).  If you look closely you can see the electric rail line above the wall for the JR Kyushu local lines.
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This is the best scenic shot taken from Shiroyama, a view point in a public park again around 5pm. Unfortunately, the trees and bushes obscured part of my view to include the northern part of Kinko Bay (to the left).  Yes, that is ash from the volcano drifting off to the right.
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A similar shot from the manga is here in chapter 197. 
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Here is a bit more zoomed in photo showing how the city is right across from the volcano.
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I was able to take the ferry across to the volcano a quick 15 minute ride.  The volcano was a separate island until an eruption in 1914.  Hence the name of Sakurajima even though it really isn’t an island (-jima) anymore.   Interestingly, during Koito’s time (pre-1914), the volcano was dormant for most of the previous century but since they were growing the crops that thrived on the volcanic soil they were more than aware of the power of the volcano. 
Here is a picture of one of the four ferries in action.  These had space for regular passengers as well as cars for the lower decks.
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The entire bay and surrounding area are a large caldera.  I’m failing to explain this well, but the volcano really is a major presence in the area.  Kind of like how you feel when you see Mt. Fuji, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon etc but more personal.  This is from the lookout point on Sakurajima. The volcano rises up in the background.
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From the viewpoint you can look back across the bay towards Kagoshima.  It was cloudy and overcast the day I visited the volcano; this is looking towards where Sengan-en is.
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This is looking south towards the base of the bay eventually leading toward the ocean (it curves towards the left for the ocean).
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As we took the ferry back to Kagoshima port, the sunset highlighted the cloud and ash covered top of Sakurajima.
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What I’m really trying to highlight is how Sakurajima is a fundamental part of the Kagoshima area (it is part of the city) and it has influenced this area for a long time.
Unrelated, there are lots of stray cats on Sakurajima that are friendly and like to be petted.  About 50% of the population all have these stubby tails as I got this shot of an orange and black cat with the volcano in the background.  I did pet this cat.  My brother also petted some of the cats too.
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With all of the things that I learned in my visit to Kagoshima, I will use them to try to understand parts of Koito’s character and what may happen in the future for his character.
1.) Koito as a Satsuma elite -
It became very clear to me visiting museums and walking around the city that Kagoshima is a very European influenced city and prized including a Western education.  My Mom also remarked that it appeared much more diverse in architecture and more Western looking (and she had no idea that I was observing this for my meta). 
It is no surprise that Koito would have been a well educated young man and also interacting with foreign visitors on a regular basis.  Before his older brother died he sounds like he was energetic but likely much more well behaved than his 14-16 year old self.  Once he realized he wanted to go into the Army after his “rescue” by Tsurumi, he was an excellent student and excelled at his courses and passed his exams to enter the military college.
He trained in Jigen-ryu and based on his skill he has shown so far in his fight with Sugimoto on the airship and when he attacked the random Russian prisoner.  Even if he was a wild child, he must have kept up the practice as demonstrated when he encounters Tsurumi in Kagoshima.  He states that he’s the son of an important man, so he’s of course using that to his advantage and he’s upset.  (special thanks to @goldenkamuyhunting​ for letting me use the new volume 20 pages!).
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He then challenges Tsurumi with the old man’s cane instead of a sword.  Sure he loses for all sorts of reasons - using what appears to be a lightweight cane, letting himself get overly emotional . . . the fact it is Tsurumi.
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But after Tsurumi slaps him and leaves him in shock both failing to defeat him and using jigen-ryu, Tsurumi flatters him on his form.  I take this to imply even if he is rebelling, skipping school and whatnot, he’s still practicing his jigen-ryu.
Previously, many of us avid readers of the series wanted Sofia and Koito to meet in Karafuto as we wondered if he was fluent in French as required for a military officer.  However, after leaning that many people from Satsuma were aligned with the UK and also interacted with the USA around this time, I’m wondering if Koito can speak English instead.  Tsurumi purchased weapons from a foreign arms dealer, Mr. Thomas (chapter 31).  It is pretty damn obvious with the name of Thomas this man is an Anglophone.  Though he’s based on a Scottish man, so he’d have a unique accent.
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It is clear in this chapter that only Tsurumi and Tsukishima are meeting with Mr. Thomas in an isolated location.  Based on the fact that Tsukishima and Tsurumi are both speaking with him, I would assume that they are speaking Japanese.  This does not rule out that they also corresponded with him in English as well.  I wonder if Mr. Thomas will reappear in the manga again as an arms dealer.  Will the Anglo-Japanese relations of that time period come into play?
@goldenkamuyhunting​ has previous written about the fact that Mr. Thomas is likely based on Thomas Blake Glover a very successful merchant and business man in Japan who started out in Nagasaki.  He also was one of the allies of the Satsuma domain families and involved in sending the students abroad to the UK.
Since Glover was more than willing to work with those in the Satsuma and Choshu domains, eventually leading to the overthrow of the shogunate government, perhaps we are to read that he’d be okay with another rebel faction in Hokkaido?  Or since he became successful through relations in Kyushu does Koito Sr. know him?
2.) Koito is a citrus fruit.
This is a bit of an unusual angle, but I’m going to follow Noda’s lead here.  Koito refers to his older brother as a Sakurajima daikon.  It is clear that was his teasing nickname for his older brother, but it also something that he associates with his brother as a way to remember him now that he is gone.
If Koito Heinojyou is a large white daikon, than there are two options for Koito Otonoshin; sweet potato or mikan/satsuma orange.  Sweet potatoes are more of a commoner food (alternative to rice) so a mikan makes more sense.  I’m sure rich people still ate fancy sweet potato things, but likely in 1900 not all commoners could eat all the citrus grown in the area.  Fresh fruit is always expensive.
Citrus fruits are brightly colored and energetic.  All of the ones in Kyushu are various shades of orange and yellow.  The mikans are a rich orange and are sweet and tangy.  The aren’t a root vegetable like daikon or sweet potatoes, they grown on trees. Citrus need lots of care and attention to thrive.  Citrus can only grow in warm climates and until modern industrial agriculture are in coastal regions (we are not discussing the central valley in California for various reasons).  They also have fragrant flowers and are associated with people who are fresh, exciting, colorful and energetic.  When you eat any type of citrus; lemon, lime, grapefruit, pomelo, yuzu, mandarin, mikan, clementine . . . etc no one would describe the flavor as weak, dull, or subtle.  They are sweet, tangy, sour, bitter and aromatic as well.  There is a lot of emotion and depth in citrus.
He’s charming and canonically an attractive male character.  Sei Kobiyama has tweeted about this when the Vol 16 cover came out and the red eyeliner is linked to him be an attractive young man.
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He’s got upper class manners and enjoys his Russian tea time.
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Sei Kobiyama also noted that even when he tries to be angry and mean he doesn’t swear like the rest of the cast.
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His deadpan upon his realization that he set Sugimoto up with his sabre blade.
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The look of absolute horror that he may rip his skin off when trying to remove the cold hammer.  I feel sorry with the volume edit where it is clear Sugimoto chased after him and pissed on him . . .  why didn’t anyone suggest pouring some hot tea on his hand?
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All of these aspects of citrus apply to Koito.  His brother was a solid first son, well behaved and stable just like the large Sakurajima daikon.  He is a native of the area, but his mother’s background is reflected in him as well.  When Koito is rescued by his father and Tsurumi, we learn that Koito Heiji is also a much more dramatic and energetic man rushing in to save his son.  These are passionate men who when at their best radiate this energy and warmth.
Koito’s older brother is a boring old root vegetable while he and his father are clearly sassy citrus, needing their sunshine and pruning etc etc.  They may be capable men but face it, Koito Sr. spent too much time hiding his feelings and Koito is a very pampered guy who is very concerned about his appearance.  Sure, he wanted Tsukishima to get his hand mirror so they could locate Vasily . . . but . . .
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. . . but not without fixing his hair before looking!
And one of my absolute favorite jokes in the entire manga.  Yes, I think Noda watched the classic comedy/parody “Spaceballs” for inspiration as a Princess has a ton of luggage that she insists on taking with her to the annoyance of commoners who rescued her.
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I predict 50% of this contains personal care products for him.  He’s so far north he’ll need to moisturize, and his hairstyle likely requires all sorts of products to keep it in such tip top condition.  Okay, I’m jesting a bit, but I’m sure a lot of his stuff is for him to pamper himself.
Maybe as things change he’ll become a sweet potato?  His hair color is pretty much the same color as one of the local Satsuma varieties - I kind of want to send Noda a message if Koito’s hair color is sweet potato colored.  According to Sei Kobiyama he’s supposed have crow feather colored hair, which is considered very beautiful, but I see sweet potato.
3.) Koito comes from a region where people have recently questioned authority.
The most famous individual who helped shape Meiji era Japan and was from Kagoshima was Saigo Takamori.  Tsurumi (as Hasegawa) tells Wilk, Kiro and Sofia about the 3 main founders of modern Japan.  Sofia was compared to Saigo and he is from Kagoshima.  Despite the fact that he lead to the change in government, he found himself in disagreement with the Meiji government and eventually returned to Kyushu to lead dissatisfied samurai of the region in a rebellion against the government.
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It was clear visiting Kagoshima that he’s still a very famous and respected man, with many of the sites that you can visit are related to him.  There is a statue of him along the art & culture road and he’s found everywhere; in shops, on o-miyage, products.  If you see his statue in Tokyo’s Ueno Park, he’s portrayed in a less positive fashion (he’s got a bit of a beer gut as we’d say in English).
What is interesting is that Saigo worked in the Meiji government for some time.  He didn’t just immediately fight against those he should be serving.  Instead, he worked as a part of the government for some time and his somewhat both logical yet flawed ideas attempted to deal with the rapid social and societal change that the Meiji government was forcing upon everyone.  He however, seemed more focused on the military than industrializing which would be counter to what he would have ultimately wanted.  I’d say the soft power of the Shimazu family was much more forward thinking as they wanted to pursue industrialization.
Koito has spent a long time of his “focused” life trying to serve Tsurumi and prove to his father that he will be a good soldier.  With the flashback in chapters 197-200, and his confrontation with Tsukishima in 210, he almost had a nervous breakdown.
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He started to put things together and when Tsukishima threatened him and told him how Ogata killed Hanazawa he just was in complete shock.  He was screaming in a non-Satsuma accent as he just did his best to behave how Tsukishima would anticipate he would behave.
I think in part when he got stabbed by Sugimoto when Asirpa escapes is in part due to the fact that he was still in shock.  He lacked the usual energy and passion and overall “Koito-ness” that he’s shown in many other chase scenes.  I honestly felt Koito was going through the motions when pursuing Asirpa and Sugimoto.  Based on his mistake of approaching Sugimoto, I really think this adds to how he wasn’t quite with it during that chapter.  He didn’t know what to think or do so he just went with the flow and relied on his training to cover up the fact that he clearly was a mess inside learning about Tsurumi.  Even though he’s quite passionate and emotional at times he clearly does hold some of his emotions in and indicated by his distance/sulking post Ogata escape.
He stubbornly tries to get Tsukishima to keep pursuing Sugimoto as he weakly tries to waive him off.  He’s trying his best to be a tough Satsuma Hayato (which I think is what he thinks he should be doing/acting as), and he made a mistake fighting Sugimoto even though he did the best he could do.  He’s likely feeling very ashamed and still trying to determine what is going on with Tsurumi anyways.  I also agree with Sei Kobiyama here that even though he’s a Satsuma Hayato, he’s too “nice” to really be one.  I just keep coming back to him and Enonoka.
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When we finally learn about his health he tells his father that he’s pitiful.  Is he pitiful since he tried to stop Sugimoto?  That he realized he’s been used by Tsurumi since he was 14?  That Ogata gave him enough information that he sees what Tsurumi is doing isn’t for the benefit of the military and instead it is for Tsurumi’s own personal goals?  The good thing about Koito being injured is it will give him a lot of time to think and rest.  I really think him cornering Asirpa less than 12 hours after he learned part of the truth from Tsukishima was not a good thing for him.
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That pained look on his face as his father looks away before telling him that he’s glad that he’s okay . . . and thankfully when Inkarmat finally reappears, she’s giving him his daily fortune as well as Tsukishima.  His blush likely indicates he’s got some sort of crush on Inkarmat.  He’s an extroverted guy, so he’d likely get along with someone like her.  Even though he doesn’t interact with many females, I get the feeling that he relates to them better than men.  I just think of how he was so sweet and respectful of Enonoka and he clearly enjoys Inkarmat’s company.  I get the feeling that Inkarmat in canon is supposed to be a very attractive woman and we know she is both charismatic and independent.
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Koito has kept himself going by trying to follow the military order and establishment up to this point.  For him to question the system and go against Tsurumi, he will have to shatter his entire view of the military and how it operates.
I think Koito will want to seek out the truth as to what is really happening with Tsurumi. We know when he focuses on something he’s successful - just dealing with Tsurumi is going to be very difficult for him.
Thanks to @goldenkamuyhunting​, I was able to see this change to volume 20 chapter 200.  Koito is able to help himself up by himself from the blows that Ogata dealt to him.  Battered and bruised he is able to exit the small hospital and we see a determined yet rough looking Koito.  He gives the feeling of a man who wanted to catch Ogata to ask him more.  I think Koito is thinking “What do you mean about the Manchuria Railway Ogata?  What happened to Hanazawa?  Why do you know the word a Russian kidnapper told me?” . . .
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We later learn in chapter 210 that Ogata mentioned the Mantetsu (Manchuria Railway) so that Koito would link Hanazawa’s death to Tsurumi’s plans.  I think Koito wanted to know what Ogata was referring to.  He’s also likely had to rethink his opinion of Ogata based on chapters 200 and 210.  He is an officer in the military, he’s an educated elite and he’s putting together big picture concepts that Ogata is dropping him hints about.  I think he’s got the potential to be a clever character as well if he can gain confidence in himself.  In the revised flashback with Tsurumi when he was 14, he was confidence using his father’s name.  He needs to be 100% confident in himself.  I hope he can get there! 
Really the biggest determent to Koito’s character is how his bratty rich kid attitude prevents him from connecting with others.  Time and time again he is not nice to others since he can get away with it.  This is the aspect of Koito’s personality that I like the least.  The only time that I liked it, is the fact that he is the only character to call out Sugimoto’s bullying and to go head to head with him.  I think the rest of the characters may want to stand up to Sugimoto, but they can’t since they aren’t as privileged so they don’t know if they can.  Koito however, just uses his baseline sense that he can push back at Sugimoto since “How dare he?” treat him poorly.  His reasoning is a bit flawed but his response is what I would like to see others do as well.  He really is just like Ogata in that regard, both of them have personalities that developed as a result of their background that makes it hard for others to connect with them.  Ogata since he’s so distant refusing to connect with others and being too sarcastic for a lowly superior private and Koito since he’s just used to others obeying him as a result of his family and privilege.
So to stick with the local food analogy - I want Koito to go from being a citrus fruit to a sweet potato.  Still important but much more humble. 
Another Kagoshima analogy would be that Koito is like Sakurajima.  His true potential and skills are dormant, but like the volcano does in his future, 1914, he reaches his full potential and is an amazing leader and force within the country.
Well that is all for my Kagoshima-Koito post.  I hope you’ve enjoyed it.  I felt that visiting Koito’s hometown gave me a better perspective on him and where he came from.  This is something I wouldn’t have know if I hadn’t visited it!  I had a great time visiting and learning about Koito, so if you have a chance to visit do so!  If people are more interested, I could do a more detailed Koito tourism post in the future.
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emmalovesu · 3 years
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Destination Article : Japan
By Emma Angela Cayton
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Fasten your seatbelt, because for today using 1,500 words I am going to let you have a glimpse of how beautiful Japan is. I am not one of those kids who consider themselves as an otaku (An otaku is defined by Wikipedia as a Japanese term for people with consuming interests, particularly in anime and manga.) but I love some of them. In this destination article I will be presenting 10 reasons why I wanted to travel in Japan. But first let us know something about Japan. "Japan is an archipelago of almost 7,000 islands found between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan in East Asia." (Jean Folger, 2020). Now let us be mesmerized by the 10 reasons why I wanted to visit Japan.
The first reason why I wanted to travel in Japan is, I want to visit the places that was involved in the movie Your Name. I never really liked anime before because I think Kdramas are still the best but after watching Your Name my impression about anime changed. During one of our discussion. Our teacher told us to watch an anime movie named 'Your Name' or 'Kimi No Nawa'. Ofcourse I don't have any idea about this film. But I was astonished by how it was beautifully written. So going back, I would consider this as one of the reasons why I wanted to travel to Japan. As we all know, some places that was involved in the film was actually real. Just like the town Hida in Gifu. This town was actually the basis of some places in Itomori where Mitsuha (the main character) lives and ofcourse Tokyo where Taki lives.
Second, I wanted visit Japan because it was "considered to be the greenest, cleanest and most beautiful country in the world." (Phanthang, 2018). I have also seen alot of images of how clean their surroundings was. In Emma Taggart's article she presented that Japan's drainage canals have colorful Koi in it. "In the city of Shimabara on Japan’s Kyushu island, the street’s gutters are so clean they are home to hundreds of koi carp." Emma Tagart explained. Amazing right?
Third, I have been deeply inlove with felines. I even adopted 4 stray kittens (3 of them are actually siblings) because of my obsession with cats. During one of those moments when I just sat down and scroll through my feed, I have found out that Japan have a village where cats are outnumbered. It was Aoshima Island. It is an island in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. So for those people who are inlove with felines just like me. What are you waiting for let us all travel in Japan!
Fourth, I have been amused by the beauty of Mount Fuji, that is obviously found in Japan. Japan have a lot of beautiful places to go to. Although many people associate Japan to be highly modern because of its shopping malls and high end stores, there are still a bunch of reason why nature lovers would love this place. Aside from Mount Fuji, I am inlove with Mifuneyama Rakuen it is a park in Saga Prefecture and covers 150,000 squares meters. This is basically one of those places where you can actually have a really romantic (ofcourse it is just my preference) moment with the love of your life. It was also said that it was better to travel there during Spring where cherry blossoms and azaleas are in full bloom.
Fifth, one of the things that a foreigner must consider in traveling is ofcourse a country's traditions. One of the best ways to connect with Japan's traditions is visiting their shrines. Rhonda Krause (2020), have listed her 8 favorite shines to visit. I specifically picked 2 of them, that I loved the most. Meiji Shrine- Tokyo is the first shrine that I chose because it is one of the most famous shrines in Japan. Also Meiji Shrine in Tokyo was described by Rhonda Krause, to be where you "can witness age-old rituals and discover beliefs that are the foundation of many Japanese customs." Lastly, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto. It is also one of the most famous shrines in Japan. I picked this shrine because it was described by Rhonda Krause to have a "tunnel of torii gates that shade the 4 km path up Mount Inari."
Sixth, I am very interested in the food they serve in Japan. Here are the list of food that I wanted to try;
Tempura (Tempura are pieces or slices of meat, fish, and/or vegetables that have been covered in a special tempura batter and deep fried until they become crunchy and pale gold in colour.) Sushi (the word ‘sushi’ refers to any dish made with Japanese rice that has been seasoned with rice vinegar.) Donburi (is a Japanese "rice-bowl dish" consisting of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice.) and Sukiyaki hot pots. If I would be given a chance to go there I knew there are still alot of food that I would love to try. Do you have any suggestions?
Seventh, this reason really amused me. As a little girl, I have always wondered how a beautiful a castle could be. I have been a fan of disney princesses and all that classic fairytale. Well if you have been really interested in finding a real castle, then what are you waiting for! Let us all visit Japan! One of the best features in Japan is its best architecture. As what I've said in the previous reasons, you as a foreigner, you should also consider the country's culture. To be able to dig deeper unto Japanese culture you should try to visit their castles. One of the castles thay I know in Japan is Hikonejo castle. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs - Government of Japan, 'castle architecture of Japan was established in the mid-sixteenth century. Hikonejo belongs to the golden age of castle architecture of the early seventeenth century. It has retained well the entire form of the castle, including its defensive sections and the lord's residential area.' It was also described to be the 'highest designation for cultural properties in Japan'. Another castle that I knew was Himeji castle (was built in the year 1609). It was said that it was 'one of the most higly regarded castles in Japan'. It was also amusing that Himeji castle had survived natural disasters and wars.
Eighth, aside from cats, castles and anime I have been also into science. I have always loved this subject and Japan has actually a museum for geeks like me. The robotics exhibitions at Miraikan is one of the places that you need to consider in visiting Japan. 'Miraikan:National Museum of Emerging Science (日本科学未来館) is a museum created by Japan’s Science and Technology Agency, located in Odaiba area in Tokyo. The museum’s some of highlights include the demonstration of ASIMO, the Humanoid Robot created by Honda and the Geo-Cosmos, a giant globe-like display which shows the condition and movement of the earth in high resolution with 10,362 OLED panels.' (Naho, 2020) I know the 8 reasons that I presented already blew your mind. But wait there are still 2 more!
Let all welcome the ninth reason to visit Japan! Safety is a must in any circumstances. If you wanted to travel to a country who is considered to be 'safe' then let us all pack our things and visit Japan. 'Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, but you should never let your guard down. Japan is generally safe for visitors. The crime rate is low, but petty theft could happen at crowded tourist attractions. Common sense travel safety advice applies here, just like anywhere else. Any stares from people on the street or on public transport are of the curious kind, and the people are some of the friendliest you could meet. Although they might tell you to be quiet on the train if you're talking too loud' Pasqualina Perone, 2020 explained.
Lastly, I know some of us might consider in visiting a certain place is the Wi-Fi availability. Japan is defined by Marcus Loffredo as 'a nation who prides itself on being one of the most "tech-savvy" in the world, does indeed have a lot of free WiFi available.' This could be a really great help especially for those people who wanted to post all the pictures they have taken.
In conclusion, I am fascinated by the 10 reasons that I have presented and I know there are still more. Even Roman Coppola said that "it’s the travel experience that has moved me the most.” From the beautiful scenery, food, and even those things that I personally love (cats, Your Name and science) Japan is a really good place to visit. In this part I wanted to leave you a question, after reading this article do you consider visiting there or nah?
References
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku
https://steemit.com/environmental/@phanthang/japan-the-cleanest-country-in-the-world-and-their-sense-of-environmental-protection
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashirojima
https://www.travelyesplease.com/travel-blog-best-shrines-in-japan-to-visit/
https://mymodernmet.com/koi-fish-swim-in-drain-japan/
https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/hikone-travel-guide
https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/374/
https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/eastern-asia/japan/is-japan-safe
https://www.econnectjapan.com/blog/useful-free-wifi-apps-in-japan/amp/
https://cptlyne.com/inspiring-tokyo-quotes/
@queenlupitajones
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ladyherenya · 5 years
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Books read in April
Holidays are an ideal time to find oneself with a pile of library books to read. The downside to having gone away with a pile of books is having too many books to write about afterwards.
I also reviewed the short stories I listened to: “Intro to Prom” and “Semiramis” by Genevieve Valentine, “The Shipmaker” by Aliette de Bodard and “When We Were Starless” by Simone Heller.
Favourite cover: Stand in the Sky!
Reread: Once again, didn’t get to the book I’d planned to reread.
Still reading: Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee.
Next up: Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYa Anthology. A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II by Elizabeth Wein. Maybe Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear.
(Longer reviews and ratings are on LibraryThing. And also Dreamwidth.)
Pride by Ibi Zoboi (narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo): Seventeen year old Zuri Benitez is proud of her family, her Haitian-Dominican heritage and the community of her Brooklyn neighbourhood. She’s unimpressed by changes like gentrification or the wealthy Darcy family moving in across the street. This contemporary YA remix twists the events of P&P fit Zuri’s context, allowing the story explore cultural identity, class and dealing with change, and for Zuri’s relationship with Darius makes sense for 21st century teenagers. It’s a cute teen romance but most powerful as a love-letter to Zuri’s hood. The audiobook brought it to life even more vividly.
Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow: Achingly beautiful. It kept making me tear up because while it’s only sometimes sad -- while this is a hopeful and joyous story -- it captures twelve year old Aisulu’s emotions so intensely. When her older brother is taken to hospital, Aisulu is left behind with their herds and relatives and throws herself into raising an eaglet. A fascinating insight into nomadic Kazakhs living in Mongolia and into the challenges and the rewards of eagle-hunting. I love the prose, sense of place and characters; I love Aisulu’s relationships and the way this is her story -- her journey.
Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser: Caro has grown up on the river with her father, a wherryman and a smuggler. She’s offered her first job in exchange for her father’s freedom -- to deliver a crate, unopened, to Valonikos. But when she opens the crate, its occupant has other ideas about their destination. This YA fantasy shines the strongest in the skills and knowledge Caro has about sailing and about river life. I enjoyed the rest, but some things happened a bit too quickly for me to feel invested.
Undying by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner: I wasn’t very enthusiastic about Unearthed but this sequel was a lot of fun to read. High-stakes and satisfying. There’s escaping and travelling across Europe incognito and trying to save the world. And it got to build upon what had previously been established, so there’s more nuance and it all felt more believable. After reading these authors’ other books, I was confident that everything would turn out okay. I’d have liked the ending more if the authors had surprised me and there had been a higher cost -- but this is a YA novel and teenage-me certainly wouldn’t have wanted that.
Cobalt Squadron by Elizabeth Wein (narrated by Kelly Marie Tran): I didn’t find The Last Jedi very satisfying but I’m a fan of Elizabeth Wein, so I listened to this story about a mission that Rose, her sister Paige and the rest of Cobalt Squadron are involved with. Knowing that the Tico sisters survive lessened the tension somewhat, but I liked getting to know them better. (I also know that Wein is capable of writing more complex and harrowing stories but that’s not what this one is aiming for.) The audiobook includes Star Wars music and sound effects. I’d love to see music and sound effects used in more audiobooks.
A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro: Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson are attending an Oxford summer program before they start university. Charlotte is asked to investigate a mystery involving the drama society. It’s a quieter mystery than the preceding ones but I am not going to complain about that. I’m happy to read about mysteries at Oxford! Towards the end Charlotte makes a decision which I thought needed to be foreshadowed better and then the epilogue rushed over some things, and I wasn’t totally satisfied. I also found Charlotte’s references to things like “fall”, even though she’s living back in the UK, jarring. Minor-ish quibbles?
The True Queen by Zen Cho: The companion to Sorcerer to the Crown. This took a while to hook me, but once the story got underway, I enjoyed guessing where it was all headed. It is a delightfully diverse Regency fantasy, with some satisfying twists. If I have any quibbles, it’s that I wanted a better resolution for something -- and maybe also just more of the ending? I don’t quite know... I didn’t spend much time analysing my reaction and it was now over half a dozen books ago.
Scorch Dragons by Amie Kaufman: In the sequel to Ice Wolves, 12 year old Anders and his twin sister find themselves on different sides of the conflict between wolves and dragons, but they work together with their friends to prevent a second war. The riddle-solving and questing for a hidden objects reminded me of Deltora Quest, which I enjoyed when I was Anders’ age. A very satisfying sort of adventure.
European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss (narrated by Kate Reading): In the sequel to The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, Mary Jekyll and Justine Frankenstein set off for Europe to rescue Lucinda Van Helsing at the request of Mary’s former governess, Mina Murray, and receive help and hospitality from people like Irene Adler and Carmilla. I particularly enjoyed the Athena Club’s interjections and digressions in the narrative, and interactions with each other. They make a great team. Kate Reading does a great job with all the voices and accents, which made the story all the more engaging. Even at 1.5 speed (due to 20+ hours of audiobook to get through!) it was easy to keep track of who was speaking.
The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie: I liked it! It’s engaging, intriguing and doing some surprisingly-similar things to Ancillary Justice (which I loved), such as: a first-person narrator who neither human nor omnipotent but has greater awareness and abilities; an interesting use of pronouns -- Eolo’s actions are described in the second-person; and a story about the past eventually collides with the story about the present. I completely missed that this is ALSO themes and variations on Hamlet. That might explain why I found the ending incredibly satisfying for the first-person narrator but I was expecting something more from -- for? -- Eolo.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: I borrowed this because it has a delightful map by Kathleen Jennings, it’s a finalist for the Lodestar Award, and I liked the last book I read by Black. It’s an interesting exploration of what it means to love terrible things, with a clear-sighted awareness of their flaws, but I spent most of the story thinking “I hate faeries” and wishing Jude could escape them. Then the plot did its thing, and I had to admit that this is a successful piece of storytelling, if still not quite my thing.
The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker: Parker’s fourth romance about actors from the West End -- in which Freddy accepts the role of Lydia Bennet in The Austen Playbook, a televised, audience-interactive murder mystery theatre production -- is a lot of fun. Having an interesting setting and plot outside of the romance definitely enhances my enjoyment of the story. This had Jane Austen and Harry Potter references, rehearsal tensions, important family relationships, a mystery involving a (fictional) play, banter, and a lively actress and a grumpy theatre critic who are honest with each other.
The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta: This is about Jimmy Hailler (from Saving Francesca), now in his mid 20s. But it is equally about Rosie, who meets Jimmy in a Queensland town during a flood, Rosie’s stepmother Martha and the house built by Seb, Rosie’s late-father. It’s a powerfully moving story about grief, friendship and finding family. It’s shorter than Marchetta’s more-recent novels and I finished it feeling oddly disappointed, like it needed to be longer. Then I reread the book the following day, and reconsidered. I’d like more, certainly, but it is a satisfying story as it is.
From Clarkesworld Magazine, narrated by Kate Baker:
“Intro to Prom” by Genevieve Valentine (Issue 133): About four teenagers for whom prom is like a game they play, a way to pass the time. It is intriguing but bleak.
“Semiramis” by Genevieve Valentine (Issue 57): This is Valentine-ishly bleak and yet satisfyingly so? 
The worst thing about being a sleeper embedded somewhere long-term was that inevitably, eventually, you started to care. The worst thing about being embedded long-term as an administrator at the Svalbard Seed Vault was that when you inevitably started to care, you started to care about things like proper political geo-temperate arrangement of seeds, and there was just no one else in their right mind who was going to care about that with you.
“The Shipmaker” by Aliette de Bodard (Issue 124): Set in the same universe as The Tea Master and the Detective. It is intriguing but sad, and I wonder if I’d appreciate it more if I read more of de Bodard’s stories and understood the context better.
“When We Were Starless” by Simone Heller (Issue 145): This has been nominated for the Hugo for Best Novelette and I can see why! It’s a hopeful story about survival, questioning what society teaches and finding a way to a better future. There’s also an AI with feelings.
Once, I might have felt out of place, an unwelcome disturbance. But I had left my fear of ghosts behind like an old skin a long time ago, and what I had found instead was the unforeseen, and sometimes pure beauty.
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Coin Hunter - Blockchain Game App that Help You Earn Cryptocurrency
COIN HUNTER App was launched by Tyslin Foundation LLC, a blockchain technology company to develop the cross-blockchain ecosystem. Simple, Fun to use & Rewarding game app has been launched in March, 2019.
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Ability to promote coin project/launch a campaign/giveaway crypto currency for charity purposed/increase brand awareness worldwide
Coin Owner Admin portal
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coin-Hunter-389275481611130/
Youtube walk through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYkGnCYlb9I&feature=youtu.be
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dourpeep · 2 years
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So like, whose your favorite chars and ships and roles? *rolls all over your blog* I know you like albedo, as you should, but I feel like your big brain hides hidden potential of reasons
Ehe I have a lot to say and a lot of people to go through so...most will be under the cut. Like this is really just going to be me going on about what I like about a bunch of characters.
My works are a love letter to the characters nodnod y'know that quote--
Oh!! Okay okay uhhh here's a few of my faves and reasons:
Albedo:
There's a lot of similar interests-! Also being an alchemist/scientist is my dream.
His personality is very sweet and his interactions with others (like during the Golden Apple Archipelago) are hilarious and endearing. Like...the whole slipping away while Diluc and Kaeya were bickering? His little comment hinting that he had to yell at them while riding Dvalin due to the wind and their volume? Then every interaction with Klee (including his character trailer) are so wholesome uuuuu
Albedo, my beloved-
His outfit!! I want to get Albedo cosplay just for the jacket
Also his movements, attack wise, are very polished and clean-cut! It's pretty obvious that his style is similar to that of fencing, but then you also see that he often will condense his sword into pure geo or thrust it out in a burst of gold!! And his Q???? He snaps and then his burst just---bursts fourth out of the ground???
Man's skilled.
And then ehe...I just really am into the archetype of a smart, gentle, yet modest person and he fits that bill perfectly.
I can't wait to see more about him! We know such a small amount about him since his character story was intertwined w/ introducing Dragonspine and also more about him testing the Traveler--also we didn't get to play as him during it :<<
Xiao
He is a very gentle character who's been through so much and I admire his ambition and willingness and selflessness
I really like his attacks, too--the fluidity of his movements that ties in with his backstory and just his personality in general
I also want his outfit
There's just something about his character that is incredibly appealing--you see him at his worst with the Karmic Debt, the rawness of his personality due to his blunt way of speaking and the earnestness that he displays
Lots of quiet protection nodnod. You have to talk to one of the NPCs to find this out, but he helped a little girl get her doll back after it'd been taken by Hilichurls. He didn't have to do it because it's not something that people would consider important, but his duty extends beyond that. If he can help it, he will lend a hand
Also the interactions we have?? Like when he saves Traveler (the subtle shift of his grip on their hand, a little offer of stability) and then in Moonchase now?? *chef's kiss*
Xinyan
I LOVE HER
First off, she's a rockstar who's taken something and made it entirely her own?? Her guitar is of her own design too!! It's made to work with her pyro vision!!! Like how cool is that????
Her personality is strong, down to earth--ugh man she's so cool
I want to be friends with her so bad
She's absolutely strong-I personally built her as a phys dps so her shield doesn't really do much but man does she carry. If none of the boys can handle the job, I swap her in and she sweeps the field clean. Those mobs never stood a chance nodnod
Her aesthetic!! I also want her outfit. I want everyone's outfit.
While her en voice got a lot of questions/hate, I love it. I can't help but feel pumped up and ready when I use her skill and burst and she shouts out "Time to rock!!"
Her dedication to her music and unyielding determination to get her name out there is incredible, I can't help but admire her passion for music.
I just really love music, even if I'm trained more for classical + operatic ehe rock's actually my favorite genre so it's all the more better!
Xingqiu
Ah! The first time I saw him I immediately decided that I'd adopt him on the spot nodnod kinda like having a kid brother, y'know?? I think we'd get along well
Also the fact that he's a bookworm??? Again, I gravitate towards people who are considered smart--no matter what it's about! You could be incredibly knowledgeable about snails and only that and I will listen to you go on and on
He's a prankster! Poor Chongyun, being the butt of most of his jokes and all.
But like his character is really cute and I had a lot of fun listening to all his voicelines--there's a lot of funny stuff going on with him like his dislike for carrots, his handwriting-- but then he's also dedicated to his martial arts and helping others no matter the task! Very chivalrous indeed nodnod
A few of my other favorites are: Beidou, Kazuha, Scaramouche (it's a love hate)
Moving onnnn!!
I'll do roles first :DD
My favorite to play, hands down, are full on DPS and Support/DPS. Xiao, Kazuha, Albedo, Xinyan, Kaeya-- there's a lot but these are the peeps that I have, am currently, or would main.
I started off as a hybrid Kaeya main (some phys, some elemental), then Xiao's been my main DPS since!
Kazuha is incredible in tandem w/ Xiao because of his cc as well as his em buffs nodnod. Also Kazuha is just really fun to play in general.
Ngl, I think that getting and playing Xiao basically ruined all other characters for me because you can pry his attacks and burst plunging (very fun) out of my cold, dead hands (/j). The quickness of his attacks and playstyle--lots of poking w/ spear and then dodge + attack at the same time with his skill. 10/10 very fun, absolutely love.
As for support/DPS, this is more fun to do in co-op ehe. I usually end up playing Kazuha, Raiden (her skill gives all party members that passive extra electro dmg whenever you land a hit) or another elemental-based character--
That being said, elemental damage, when paired up to procc reactions is ugh sooo good.
Ships!!
I saved this for last because I know it's not everyone's cup of tea ehe. After all, I'm an x Reader blog!
But that being said--
I like the idea of XiaoVen, but I prefer KazuXiao because I feel like they'd work better together--this kinda goes over why. There'd be a lot of respect between the two.
Though, XiaoVen is really cute because they have complimenting personalities nodnod. Also froggie hat. And the idea of Venti being the one to play the flute that helped Xiao.
BeigGuang!!! Their dynamic is hilarious--not to mention that they do get along well but just so happen to butt heads often because their views are so wildly different-
YanTao! I feel that they'd be really cute together! Also Yanfei would probably make sure that Hu Tao stays out of trouble ehe...
XingYun! Very cute and wholesome--platonic or romantic, either way. The fact that they have matching friendship tassels?? Xingqiu seeking Chongyun out to read to him? OTL
I don't have any NOTPs, at least among the popular ships but I do get a little icky about AlbeRose because of some...unsavory experiences due to someone who overstepped. So ehe. We'll not talk about that.
But like Sucrose is really cute! I love her character and she's very sweet and the excitement that she shows with her research is something I relate to heavily! It's just--ahh the ship itself was ruined for me.
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