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emblematicemblazer · 1 month

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World building and theories of Engage

Pale Sands

Where is Pale Sands?

Pale Sands is described as a secluded realm based in Solm. Kagetsu and Pale Sands are a nod to Engage's writers homeland of Japan. If you take a look at the map of Elyso, Pale Sands is located next to Tullah Desert and is surrounded by a mountain range. The geographical barrier is why the nation is described as secluded and has managed to keep a unique culture. When you are exploring Tullah Desert after battle Kagetsu remarks that;

"We are, as it happens, quite close to where I am from. But I am afraid I cannot return there."

On the map Pale Sands has noticeably lighter sand than the rest of the queendom.

Kagetsu and his homeland.

Kagetsu is a royal heir to the throne of Pale Sands. He chose to abandon his title because he desires to see the rest of the continent. as the heir of a secluded kingdom he wouldn't have had the opportunity. The abandonment of his duty means that he cannot return home because he has brought shame upon his family. While learning about other cultures he is happy to share details of his homeland.

The conversation with Diamant - He challenges Diamant to a battle but rejects the duel because of his honour when he learns that Diamant has already undertaken a rigorous workout routine. After a thrilling battle Kagetsu remarks that the sword is a ‘reflection of the soul ‘. He then offers Diamant onigiri.

The Conversation with Alear - They discuss how Pale Sands has a unique and vibrant culture but is secluded. He mentions that he cannot return home because he has abandoned his responsibility.

The Conversation with Framme - Kagetsu writes a letter to his family but rather receiving no reply he fears that they have disowned him.

The Conversation with Boucheron - Kagetsu mentions that he must earn honours and glory so that his family would understand why he left. Kagetsu tell him about his homeland;

“My home has something we call “wa.” People are calm, wise. The fish and rice are delicious. “

“My royal father has great swordsmanship. My priestess mother has mysterious powers. “

The Conversation with Jade - Jade is willing to fight with him if he talks about himself.

“My clothing, for a start. It must seem different to your eye. Our architecture as well. You will not see finer woodworking anywhere. “

“We also worship differently. We do not revere Divine or Fell Dragons. We have other dragons. They are long and lithe. I have not seen them in other countries. “

The Conversation with Bunet - He agrees to teach Bunet about his nation's culinary traditions after they become friends.

Let me summarise what is learnt about Pale Sands through Kagetsu's support conversations:

Honour is very important. A fair fight is an honourable fight whereas a fight when an opponent is disadvantaged is dishonourable

To abandon one's homeland and responsibilities is dishonourable. It is possible to regain honour through glory and achievements.

The King is a great swordmaster and it seems sword skills are inherited

The Queen is a priestess with foresight powers.

Pale Sands has unique clothing, architecture and food.

The food is often based on rice and seafood. The

Swords reflect the soul of their user.

Dragons are worshipped in Pale Sands and they are described as long and lithe.

Pale Sands has a unique language.

The people are considered calm and wise.

Kagetsu gives Alear a hair hand made out of silk from Pale Sands as a symbol of love. I wonder if it is a hachimaki. A hachimaki is wore as a symbol of courage and to keep sweat off one's face.

Normally people from Solm are named after Italian desserts, a nod to the Sicily inspiration, Kagetsu is an exception. I believe his name is used to demonstrate how different is culture is from the rest of Solm.

Pale Sands name

Pale Sands is named after the pale white sands of beaches like Aharen and Sunayama where the sand glistened in the sun.

Isolation

The isolation of Pale Sands could be inspired by sakoku, or ‘locked country’ which was an isolationist foreign policy enacted by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. In this period trade was limited, foreigners were prohibited from entering the country and the Japanese people were prohibited from leaving.

Freedom?

Pale Sands is allowed to exist as a self governing nation with their unique language, culture and religion within the borders of Solm, this is a demonstration of the acceptance and freedom of the people of Solm. People and even nations are accepted as different and allowed to live as they please.

Kagetsu embodies the spirit of freedom of Solm. He has the freedom to roam where he pleases and discover Elyso through dining, combat and conversation.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe kagetsu

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toku-explained · 7 months

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Friendship or Study?

Blazar: Recent aerial phenomena have caused small damage, but now a plane has been doing, GGF dubbing the suspected kaiju Deltandal, Earth Garon is still being repaired, Emi has gone to HQ for intel, as GGF has been on guard since Gebalga. Emi has secretly hacked GGF servers, where they have categorised Deltandal as Third Wave, with Bazanga as First Wave and Gebalga as Second Wave, the basis being something to do with V99 as outlined by Dobashi Yu. Before she can search further, her intrusion is detected and she has to flee. Earth Garon pursues Deltandal, but it's flight is just for transport, not combat, and Deltandal evades attacks before escaping. Haruno dresses SKaRD, threatening them with disbandment. Emi questions Haruno about Space Systems Research Center Test Facility 66, run by Dobashi Yu, former GGF JP director, asking why the retired director was out in charge of a top secret facility. He warns her off, particularly from Dobashi, but she intends to what she must. Anri works out that Deltandal uses cumulonimbus clouds as cover to enter and leave the atmosphere. Emi continues looking through files, finding a report on an accident at Facility 66 three years prior, one in which Gento lead the evacuation, and that her father was among the missing, before her snooping is discovered. A shed skin from Deltandal is found at the site of a landslide, Earth Garon's analysis confirms it's terran. It's detected heading for Kooki, so Mod. 2 will intercept, Yasunobu controlling the guns from Mopy. Emi is brought to Dobashi, aware of her investigation. She asks if V99 is the force responsible for sending the Kaiju, he says she's in the right area and says to keep investigating, that he doesn't know that much, but acknowledges her father and tells her to pass his regards to Hirumo. Haruno calls Hirumo just to tell him to keep Emi in line. Earth Garon engages Deltandal, Hirumo exits Mopy on pretense of fixing the aerial, Blazar is clearly eager to join. Alongside Anti's wild shooting, Blazar uses a halo technique, then the Tilsonite Sword, using a beam from it to defeat the Kaiju. Emi explains about meeting Dobashi, on being asked Gento explains he was assigned to Dobashi's protection, during the accident after ensuring he was safe he went back to try and make sure everyone else was safe, and grants her permission to keep researching the incident. Emi goes to Facility 66 and is immediately caught by Haruno, warning her again to step back as she is furious her father's best friend told her nothing about his disappearance, and swears she'll ring the truth.

Gotchard: The students are seeking out MechaniChani, having located it's general area, with SmaPhone helping to track it, Ichinose manages to fish the Chemy, then for capturing, knowing MechaniChani is weak to light, decides to use SmaPhone with another new Chemy, PikaHotaru (other new additions are SpiCle and GanVhale), SmaHotaru subduing it so the capture can be done, the gang celebrate, not noticing a boy spot them. As everyone debates who technically caught the Chemy later, the boy, Sunayama Riku approaches with SaboNeedle, asking them to take care of it as his father told him to throw it out, but Ichinose can see Riku wants to say with SaboNeedle, but Renge opts to capture it now. After a discussion on Clotho's frustrations with her Malgam's failing, and Atropos planning to meet a friend, Lachesis, acting as a nun, goads and man into merging with GreaTonbo. Kudoh and Renge wind up helping Mrs. Ichinose with an errand, as Ichinose finds Riku, who refuses to admit he wants to stay with SaboNeedle, but starts allowing himself to have fun until the Malgam attacks, Gotchard trying to fight. Sabimaru tells Minato about Ichinose taking SaboNeedle back to Riku, Spanner appears to badmouth Ichinose and tell Minato he should have taken the Gotchardriver off him. When Ichinose calls Sabimaru about the Malgam, Spanner has to take over asking about characteristics. Renge drags Kudoh to a cafe, while Renge orders, Kudoh is approached by Atropos asking to play. After learning he's being attacked by GreaTonbo, Ichinose uses NeedleHawk to fight back, into for SaboNeedle to suddenly exit the GotcharDriver in mid-air, sending Ichinose falling out of the air.

Kingohger: Deboss isn't properly revived, so falls back to let the Bravery settle. Souji survived, injured, Himeno tending to him, as Gira and Rita start improving the mood, Yanma helps clear things, and Kaguragi decides to prepare a feast, assited by Yuko and Rika, who also provide less conspicuous clothing. Rita falls in love with Luckyuro's manga collection, including Love Touch, while Himeno helps Candelira make music for the kids. As Gira and Yanma argue over defeating Deboss or returning to Tikyu, Jeramie arrives to share his knowledge that the humans of their world came from this world after a conflict 2000 years ago, travelling on God Caucasus Kabuto, he knows the mural is legit because it's his father's own handiwork, the mural inside Caucasus Kabuto Castle being a continuation, as well as influencing Jeramie's own work. Prince is called by Amy about the Zyudenryu, then caught by Zorima, Prince rushes to save her, Gira following, and they save her and free the Zuudenryu, Prince barely not letting slip her relation to him. KyoryuRed mentally contacts Prince, acknowledging his Bravery and leaving Gabutyra in his hands, Gira getting the idea to try and reach Kuwagon the same way. On Tikyu, Kuwagon approaches Suzume, whose wedding band shines a light towards the OhgerLance. Taking this as a message from her late husband, Suzume uses it to trigger a change from Caucasus Kabuto Castle to God Caucasus Kabuto, which flies into space, other Shugods boarding it. Deboss sends out its armies to attack the resistance, and Kings and Braves fight them off, Yuko reveals Nossan and Candelira are getting married, and Luckyuro falls for Rita. Deboss attacks Gira, Amy and Prince. Learning that Earth's melody enabled them to defeat Deboss in the past, but they can't hear it, Himeno opts to kick-start the memory by playing off the score in the caves. With the Bravery reignited, and the Shugods arriving, 5 Kyoryugers and 6 Kings change. King KuwagataOhger fights alongside King KyoryuRed, KyoryuPink with PapillonOhger and KamakiriOhger, KyoryuGreen with Spider Kumonos, TonboOhger with KyoryuBlack, and HachiOhger with KyoryuBlue. Deboss is defeated but grows, but King-Ohger and Kyoryujin are there to fight. Deboss defeated, the Kings must return to Tikyu, and Prince explains his real name is Kiryu Daigoro, which is news to at least Ian and Nossan, but it's clear Amy already knew. I suppose a mother's going to know her own son.

#toku explained #ohsama sentai kingohger #ultraman blazar #kamen rider gotchard

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osharenippon · 7 months

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'70s Harajuku (Part 2)

The Harajuku district in Shibuya has gained international acclaim as a hub of Tokyo's youth culture and fashion scene. Its streets are lined with cafes, boutiques, and well-known fast fashion stores, drawing a constant stream of tourists, fashionistas, and teenagers. However, before the arrival of billionaire retailers, foreigners, and media attention, this area's early inhabitants were the ones who truly shaped its unique character.

'70s Harajuku (Part 1)

There's been a few books written about Harajuku and its culture in the '70s. Famed photographer Shinpei Asai wrote "Central Apartments Monogatari" (Central Apartments Tale), published in 2002. Futoshi Kimizuka interviewed some creative professionals who had offices in the building for 2004's "Central Apartments no asobi" (Walking through Central Apartments). Yasuko Takahashi, Japan's first stylist, wrote extensively about her experience working and playing in the neighborhood during that era in "Omotesando no Yakko-san" (Yakko-san from Omotesando, 2012) and "Toki no kakeru Yakko-san" (Yakko-san Who Leapt Through Time, 2015). In 2019, Non Nakamura, who started out as Yakko-san's assistant, compiled photographs and essays from influential figures of the time in "70s Harajuku Genfuukei."

This same Non Nakamura contributed what I consider to be some of the most insightful and readily available essays on this period through her "20th Century Girl" serialization in Mononcle. These essays are accessible for free on their website (in Japanese, though Google Translate provides a decent translation). Nakamura's series chronicles the culture of the 1970s in Harajuku and the broader oshare influences of that decade.

The first essay discusses how she owes her fateful meeting with Yakko-san to rock 'n' roll. Nakamura was a teen during the folk music era when rockstars had long hair, worn-out T-shirts, and bell-bottom denim. She wasn't particularly attracted to this type of fashion, so when she first saw glamorous-looking David Bowie in a magazine, she instantly fell in love with him. Her other passion was the band Carols. She passed by a poster of them, with their regent hairstyles, motorcycles, and leather jackets, on her way to her part-time job in Shinjuku and was remarkably attracted to them. After work, she ran to the record store and bought their then-just-released first single, "Louisiana." When she got home and dropped the needle on the record, the sound of rock 'n' roll took over her body, and she was utterly fascinated with the band. Soon after, she got a boyfriend who followed the regent hairstyle/leather jacket/motorcycle trend of the time.

Nakamura hated studying and wasn't interested in school clubs and activities. She'd fulfill her curiosity about the world by reading the dressmaking magazine Fukusou and admiring the avant-garde professionals that worked in it, such as the photographers (Saku Sawatari, Daitomo Yoshida, Osamu Nagahama), the illustrators (Ayumu Ohashi, Teruhiko Yumura, Yosuke Kawamura, Osamu Harada, Tamie Okumura), the models (Risa Akigawa, Brenda, Ichizo Koizumi), and the writers (Takeshi Matsuyama and Ken Sunayama).

One day, Yasuko Takahashi, aka Yakko-san, started a serialization in Fukusou. In her inaugural essay, she wrote that if she were a teen, she'd probably be chasing her rock 'n' roll dreams and dating a rocker dude her mom disapproved of. These words resonated deeply with Nakamura, who found school tiresome, yearned for an artsy and glamorous world, adored Carol and Bowie, and was dating a delinquent high school dropout who didn't earn her mother's favor. She felt seen and understood.

In her column, Yakko-san published plenty of photos of her daily life. To Nakamura's surprise, she was friends with the guys from Carol and also worked as a stylist for David Bowie. In the 17-year-old girl's eyes, she was the most incredible woman alive.

As she recounts in her second essay, her deep relationship with the Fukuso magazine team started a few months before Yakko-san's inaugural column in the October '73 issue. One day during the spring of her senior year, she felt compelled to write a letter to the magazine professing her love for it. She dreamed of being an illustrator, so she included a bunch of her doodles. To her surprise, the editorial team called her home a few months later and invited her to their office.

After school, she changed from her uniform to her favorite clothes (which included a shirt she bought from a London import shop in the basement of Central Apartments and a gingham skirt she made inspired by MiLK) and eagerly made her way to the meeting. The editors inquired about her clothing and life, and their comment, "I sensed something in you that was not Yojohan-ish," stuck with her.

To understand the context of this comment, we must go back in time to the folk music fever of the '70s, when yojohan (4 tatamis and a mat) folk was at its peak. Yojohan referred to small rooms where impoverished university students lived, often idealized in songs about young love and melancholy that dominated the charts. Nakamura was happy with the comment because, indeed, she didn't like the poor and humid vibe of said songs. She was drawn instead to dreamy pop and rock.

The teen girl left the magazine's office that day with an invite to publish a double-spread page in the June issue, full of her illustrations and thoughts. It was quite an achievement for her.

Encouraged by this experience, she didn't hesitate to write Yakklp-san a letter. And to her astonishment, Yakko-san replied! Before she knew it, they had become penpals and engaged in lengthy phone conversations. Thus began a profound friendship between a 17-year-old high school student and a 34-year-old stylist at the pinnacle of her career.

Funnily enough, Yakko-san feared meeting Nakamura and disappointing her. To the 17-year-old, it was amusing that a grown woman who organized Japan's top designer Kansai Yamamoto's show in London Fashion Week and had the initiative to collaborate with world-famous figures such as T-Rex and David Bowie would be intimidated by her.

But, as she recounts in her third essay, they finally met. First, a quick 10-minute meeting in a Shibuya coffee shop. And then a proper encounter at the renowned Leon, where she also met other cool people she used to see in the magazines. Soon after, she became a frequent visitor to Yakko-san's small apartment in Harajuku.

Initially, she was taken aback by the apartment's minimalist and compact layout, as well as Yakko's sparse possessions. Yet, within the broader context, it made sense that a trend-savvy individual in 1973 lived this way. It was the year of the Oil Shock, the first post-war recession and frugality was in vogue. Books like "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," an anti-materialism allegory, and Alicia Bay Laurel's "Back to the Earth" became bestsellers, reflecting the shift towards a more modest lifestyle.

Amid the growing popularity of the back-to-the-land movement in the United States, minimalism and healthy living gained global momentum. It was Yakko-san who first introduced Nakamura to these ideas.

Through Yakko, Nakamura also learned about "natural food," a relatively unfamiliar concept in Japan at the time. While a foreign concept to most, natural food was all the rage in the vibrant neighborhood of Harajuku, and locals bought it from the market in the basement of the luxury Co-Op Olympia condo. Additionally, a delivery service offered pesticide-free vegetables, spearheaded by a former Leon patron who had forsaken a successful creative career to explore his passion for sustainable farming. Through these encounters, young Nakamura began to comprehend that life presented various paths, and fashion encompassed not only clothing but also a holistic lifestyle, including food and living habits.

The fourth installment focuses on Sayoko Yamaguchi, one of Japan's top models of the '70s, who had worldwide success and shared a close relationship with Yakko-san. Nakamura observed that during that era, the most prominent models were of mixed heritage (haafus), characterized by big eyes, long eyelashes, and wavy hair. Notably, Lisa Akigawa was one of the most renowned among them. In contrast, Yamaguchi stood apart with her almond-shaped eyes and black bob haircut. Her unique style served as an inspiration for many Japanese girls, fostering their self-confidence. Her signature eyeliner makeup and haircut were emulated by numerous admirers. While Yamaguchi enjoyed global fame at international fashion weeks, she became a familiar face to the Japanese public through her Shiseido commercials. She was among the numerous icons in fashion and culture closely connected to Yakko-san.

During the 1970s, Sayoko Yamaguchi was one of the faces of Shiseido cosmetics.

Another notable figure in this circle was the director Juzo Itami, whose tight relationship with Yakko-san was evident in his introduction to her first book, "Aisatsu no Nai no Nagadenwa" (Long Phone Conversation with no Greeting), published in 1976. This title offered one of the first comprehensive examinations of the "stylist" profession, which was relatively obscure in Japan then.

In the fifth essay, Nakamura writes how she found out about the profession through an article at AnAn, which briefly described a stylist as "people who lease clothes for fashion shoots, run around Harajuku with large bags, line the soles of model's shoes with duct tape, coordinate clothes, and attend shoots."

As she discovered through her work with Yakko-san, stylists do way more than that. And that was also what Itami tried to convey in the introduction to Yakko's book:

"I want to introduce my friend, Yasuko Takahashi. She is a first-class stylist. When making fashion editorials or commercials, a stylist can materialize a suitable house, the right interior design, or a place just like the one you're looking for out of thin air. At the same time, they also find props that are suitable for the location and source costumes. Depending on the situation, they will interact with the models and even advise on hair and make-up, so they must be genuinely knowledgeable. Collaborating with Yakko is, without exaggeration, a heavenly experience for me. She is a consummate professional. Once upon a time, when she couldn't find a suitable location, she wandered through town all night, shedding tears of frustration until she eventually discovered one. I mean, she's persistent. Her tenacity isn't limited to her professional life; in her case, she's unwavering in allowing her creativity to roam freely."

Yakko and Itami first met after being introduced by famed photographer Shinpei Asai, who had his office at Harajuku Central Apartments. The three of them worked together on a serialization Itami had at Shūkan Bunshun magazine in the sixties, which had Asai in charge of the photography and Takahashi doing the styling.

Takahashi was impressed by Itami's sensitivity to trends on a global scale. When she went to New York, he told her to buy a Yellow Pages-sized book, "Whole Earth Catalog," which inspired his weekly column. As covered here, "Whole Earth Catalog" was highly influential among Japanese media and creative types in the late 60s and early 70s, molding much of Japan's fashion culture.

But back to Non Nakamura's column, stylist was a novel occupation. She notes that stylists became highly sought after in the 80s, with the effects of the D.C. brand boom and the bubble economy. A diverse range of stylist roles emerged, including magazine stylists, advertising stylists, men's fashion stylists, and even specialists in props and food styling, each requiring unique skills and expertise. But back then, when Yakko-san was one of the few professionals doing this job, a stylist was in charge of everything, from the models and shooting locations to the costumes, dishes, houseplants, furniture, or anything else the shoot may need.

One day, Yakko asked Non to work as her assistant on a Noriyaki Yokosuka shoot. She promptly accepted, even though she had no idea who the photographer was. However, when she mentioned him to the boys in her design school, they were impressed and told her that he was the one who photographed Sayoko Yamaguchi's Shiseido posters, as well as doing the Parco ads. Parco, the Shibuya fashion building, had the buzziest campaigns in the country under Eiko Ishioka's art direction.

When she got to the shoot, the photographer asked her to get some poppy flowers. Faced with challenges in finding these specific flowers, Non embarked on a frantic quest, purchasing as many as she could to meet the photographer's expectations. However, to her astonishment, the photographer didn't even glance at the flowers. That's when she realized that being a stylist was a tough job.

David Bowie was the theme of two installments of the column. Yakko-san introduced him to legendary Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto, who was behind some of his most legendary costumes, and they established a close working relationship in the 1970s. During her tenure as Yakko's assistant, Non had the opportunity to meet Bowie in a 1977 photoshoot in Harajuku. One of the photographs from that session, captured by Masayoshi Sukita, ultimately was used as the cover of Bowie's 12th studio album, "Heroes."

The cover of Bowie's 12th studio album, "Heroes," was shot in Harajuku. Yakko-san was the stylist.

She also dedicated a chapter to another one of her idols, Eikichi Yazawa, whom she met just a few weeks after Carol's farewell concert as he prepared to make his solo debut. She recounts that his charm so enchanted her that she realized she didn't actually love her boyfriend at the time, breaking up with him shortly after.

Nakamura watched Carol's final concert twice. Along with the rest of the country, she followed the telecast, aired a few days later. As she recounts, she and Yakko-san were working in Harajuku on a Saturday afternoon when the stylist took a look at her watch, said, "oh, it's starting soon," and rushed to a design office at Central Apartment that had a TV (minimalist Yakko-san didn't have one at her place).

But she also was one of the lucky few who actually were at the proper concert in Hibya Open Air, which she attended all dressed up in clothes from the trendy Creamy Soda boutique in Harajuku (the owner was notoriously close to Carol's members). Infected by the feral atmosphere, she ended up in the front row and even tried to invade the stage. She succeeded in getting her right foot in before being kicked out by the security guard. But here's a twist: the security was also a regular at Harajuku's Leon coffee shop.

In the 1970s, the hippiest motorcycling gang in Tokyo was The Cools. They were known for their cool styles, hung out with models and celebrities, and were always at Leon. Of course, like all of Japan's young bad boys, they were also big Carol fans. And they actually became close to the members. For their final show, the band wanted to mimic the Rolling Stones -- which had the Hell's Angels as security -- and they invited The Cools to escort them and guard the stage.

After Carols disbanded, the Cools were actually hired by a major record label and became a proper rock band.

In the 1970s, Harajuku remained a hidden gem, undiscovered by the masses. Yet, this small district nestled within bustling Shibuya played an integral role in the histories of the most extraordinary individuals. As the rest of the country caught on, they sought a taste of Harajuku's uniqueness, propelling it into the phenomenon it has become today.

#carol #the cools #70s japan #70s japanese music #harajuku #70s harajuku #non nakamura #sayoko yamaguchi #david bowie

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