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xntrova · 12 days ago

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Top 8 SEO Companies in Delhi

A result-oriented SEO company can boost your search engine rankings and expand your business beyond geographical boundaries. However, the question is - which SEO company is worth hiring in Delhi? Unfortunately, the list is never-ending, thus making decisions quite challenging for business owners.

Don’t panic, as we are here to help. This guide compiles a list of the top 8 SEO companies in Delhi that may offer you outstanding organic results at reasonable pricing. Keep scrolling and find out the options here.

Which are the Best SEO Agencies in Delhi? Top 8

Let’s outline the list of the top-notch SEO agencies in Delhi to narrow your choices. These companies are known for their exceptional results, high-end services, and 100% transparency. Scroll down and find the list here.

Xntrova Technologies

Xntrova Technologies is one of the leading SEO agencies in Delhi that offers exceptional services to grow your business. They implement result-oriented strategies that help businesses get more leads and produce better outcomes. It boasts a team of professionals who craft unique strategies for all businesses and help improve your search engine rankings.

Services

Keyword research

Link building

SEO Audit

Consultation

On-page SEO

E-commerce SEO

Technical SEO

GMB Listing

Local SEO

Location: A 107, 2nd floor, Sec 8 Dwarka, New Delhi

Website: www.xntrova.com

Red Dash Media

With over a decade of experience in this industry, Red Dash Media is fully committed to offering outstanding SEO services to its clients. It provides everything from website audit to URL optimization to drive more traffic, increase visibility, and enhance online presence.

Services

Website audit

Keyword Research and Analysis

Keyword and URL optimization

SEO content creation

Link building

Reporting & Analysis

On-page SEO

Technical SEO

Location: 5, Begumpur, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi

Website: www.reddashmedia.com

Techmagnate

Techmagnate is yet another leading SEO company in Delhi offering proven solutions to boost your business rankings. This award-winning agency has a team of professionals who implement result-driven strategies and help businesses establish successful online presence.

Services:

On-page SEO

Off-page SEO

Keyword Research

Business Analysis

SEO audit

Backlink Analysis

Link Building

Location: 101-Kudan Niwas, 2nd Floor, Hari Nagar Ashram, New Delhi

Website: www.techmagnate.com

Digital Daisy

Yet another leading SEO agency in Delhi you cannot overlook is Digital Daisy. It uses all digital marketing channels to achieve your business goals at reasonable pricing. The team at Digital Daisy is fully committed to offering growth-oriented strategies to boost your business growth.

Services:

On-page and off-page SEO

Local SEO

Keyword research

SEO audit

Link building

SEO consultation

GMB Listing Services

Location: 1105, 11th Floor, Ambadeep Building, 14 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Website: www.digitaldaisy.net

RepIndia

Boost your organic traffic and business growth with RepIndia. With years of experience and expertise, this company helps businesses dominate search engine rankings and boost their conversions. What makes RepIndia a worthy choice is its customized approach and affordable pricing structure.

Services

Basic and Advanced On-page SEO

Keyword research and analysis

Link building

Local SEO

Technical SEO

Location: Top Floor, JP House, Plot 172 Lane 2, Westend Marg, Saidulajab, New Delhi

Website: www.repindia.com

Folksy Digital

Folksy Digital is a result-driven SEO agency in Delhi, offering valuable insights and exceptional services to rank your website higher in the SERPs. Its customized SEO solutions deliver measurable results in terms of traffic and conversions. The agency has been operational since 2010, thus offering years of experience and expertise.

Services

Global and National SEO

E-commerce SEO

Keyword research

Online reputation management

Enterprise SEO

Local SEO

Content Marketing

Off-page SEO

Google Recovery Services

Guest Posting

Location: 544, Vikas Puri, New Delhi

Website: www.folksydigital.com

Webclick Digital

Looking for measurable SEO results? Hire the Webclick Digital and improve your online visibility on the internet. This company first understands your business requirements fully, and then crafts customized SEO solutions for professional results. The team at Webclick Digital offers 24/7 customizer support to address your queries.

Services

On-page SEO

Keyword Research

Link Building

Off-page optimization

Local SEO

E-commerce SEO

Location: 8A/2, Plot-1 A, 3rd Floor, Moti Nagar, DLF Industrial Area, New Delhi

Website: www.webclickindia.com

Digital Solutions King

Last but not least is the Digital Solutions King. It is an award-winning digital marketing and SEO agency in Delhi with a wide range of services. The company offers a unique approach for all businesses to improve their online presence and visibility at budget-friendly prices.

Services

Technical SEO

Keyword Research

Link Building

Off-page optimization

Local SEO

On-page SEO optimization

E-commerce SEO

Enterprise SEO

Location: Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi

Website: www.digitalsolutionsking.com

Summing Up

That’s all about the top 8 SEO agencies in Delhi. Choosing the right SEO company is crucial to establishing a successful online presence. These agencies are best known for offering customized solutions to improve your search engine rankings. Moreover, they are cost-effective and offer long-term SEO results to help you survive the competition. If you want to grow your business online at reasonable pricing, consider hiring Xntrova Technologies and take your business to new heights in the least possible time.

#seoagency #seo company #seo services #top seo companies

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asphodelical · 9 months ago

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The Great Anime Rewatch of 2024 - Part VI

Magic Knight Rayearth

First watched: circa 2006? Maybe? Rewatched: February 2024

Original rating: 5 New rating: 5

This is very ‘baby’s first anime.’ Far be it from CLAMP’s best work, it fits in perfectly with all the isekai shows currently drowning the market. Rayearth also is one of those stories that feels specifically intended to be enjoyed by a specific age group of a specific gender and little else. It at least hast he benefit of having magical girls and mechs, making it less generic than having a bland male wish fulfillment hero. I also like how the girls’s armor evolves. But Rayearth really is nothing special.

__________________________________

xxxHOLiC

First watched: circa 2007? Rewatched: February 2024

Original rating: 5 New rating: 4

The colors look so flat and washed out. I also forgot how much anime original material was here, too. Similar to like how I remembered, the only things I really liked about this adaptation are the music and the voice cast. Ah, the illustrious history of weird, botched CLAMP adaptations.

__________________________________

Tsubasa Chronicle 1 & 2

First watched: circa 2006? Rewatched: March 2024

Original rating: 4, 4 New rating: 2, 2

Bee Train, your art style is awful. Just like xxxHOLiC, the colors here look dull and flat. The animation is also abysmal, with consistently off model characters and abnormally slow blinking. It doesn’t help that the anime has a lot of closeups and long shots on faces that I’m sure someone thought were very dramatic. But it’s just awkward standing and staring—a clear effort to cut corners. Also, the pacing is terrible. Why did we spend four and a half episodes in kudan-land? It’s an absolutely botched adaptation that happens to have a fantastic soundtrack, courtesy of Kajiura Yuki. (That opening song I never liked is still bad, though.)

As for the second season, it wouldn’t have been so bad if the anime original episodes hadn’t been so uninspired. Whose idea was it to have everyone revisit previous worlds? Also that final episode always bothered me, even as a kid. This dumbass is made up of Sakura’s feathers, and she only absorbs one? Bro, what? If only Bee Train hadn’t gotten their grubby hands on Tsubasa, and they started the adaptation later in the manga's run. Production IG really saved us with Tokyo Revelations.

Also, for the record, an animated work can still not look the best and still have good visual direction or interesting imagery. (I.E. Jimmy Neutron, Revolutionary Girl Utena.)

__________________________________

Noir

First watched: circa 2006 Rewatched: March 2024

Original rating: 6 New rating: 4

This was one of the first anime I watched in Japanese. Since then, it’s mostly stayed with me in the form of its soundtrack. But how does the actual material hold up for me nearly twenty years later?

Not very well. The beginning has so many problems: episodes 2-4 have absolutely nothing of importance or of consequence. Even after that, we learn almost nothing about either Kirika or Mireille, and the episodes are terribly repetitive. As bitching as the music is, it feels like there are only five songs because they’re reused so often.

Revisiting Noir was a boring slog. I don’t think this story warranted a 26 episode TV series. It would’ve been more suited to an hour and a half long film.

__________________________________

Cowboy Bebop

First watched: 2009 Rewatched: March 2024

Original rating: 10 New rating: 10

The Great Anime Rewatch of 2024 is, frankly, not going very well. Let me revisit something I know I’m going to love. From my very first viewing, I knew Cowboy Bebop was a masterpiece. Since then I’ve rewatched it numerous times. I’ve always been bad about talking why I love this show. But it only resonates with me more as I get older.

Cowboy Bebop is about a spaceship of fools. Fools who fail constantly. And when they find success, there’s no victory in it. Yet this cynicism is wrapped in quiet confidence and unbridled commitment to style and atmosphere. And it’s accompanied by one of the greatest soundtracks in anime. Also, its sense of humor is incredible.

#anime

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goldenkamuyhunting · 4 years ago

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Ramblings and crazy theory time about GK chap 277 “Operation ‘Protect Yuusaku’s Virginity’”

Sorry, I’m obviously late with the ramblings but the scanlations were out late and, due to work, I didn’t have any free time once they were out. Anyway here’s there are the new ramblings and...

...yeah Kaeko’s attempt at stealing Sugimoto’s virginity gets a special place in the GK horror scenes... but let’s got with order.

We start with Tsurumi sitting on a chair in the Imperial Japanese Army 1st division Headquarters pretending he had no idea the Ainu gold ever existed in front of Lieutenant General Okuda Hidenobu, Commander of the 1st division. The latter wants Tsurumi to find the gold for the Central Government as Tsurumi’s information-gathering ability is highly regarded.

Just this should make Okuda realize Tsurumi is lying when he pretends not to know about the Ainu gold but whatever, Okuda is clearly not the sharpest pencil in the box.

Anyway Tsurumi asks Okuda if this means he should report to him instead than to his superiors. Okuda waves off his concerns saying Hanasawa is in his debt so of course he wouldn’t mind if Tsurumi were to report to an officer that’s not him… especially if he never discovers about it because I honestly doubt Okuda is planning to warn Hanazawa about this.

Whatever.

Okuda, who evidently has no idea that everything he’ll say to Tsurumi will be used against him and for Tsurumi’s advantage, better explains him the whole entity of the problem.

We learn that inside the Army people from Satsuma domain and people from Choushuu domain, are held in high esteem and considered the only true military men, likely due to them being the winners in the Boshin war and Meiji restoration. However, despite their past alliance, they basically can’t stand to each other and are always struggling one against the other.

Hanazawa is from Satsuma so, of course, he doesn’t want a scandal to befall to his family for fear of consequences from people from Choushuu.

He asked Okuda’s help because Okuda is from the Kokura domain and so he looked like an impartial and safe choice, proving Hanazawa’s understanding of men is quite terrible because Okuda fully plans to take advantage of what he knows about Hanazawa and, as we’ll learn later from Tsurumi, he’s likely on the Choushuu side. Really, Hanazawa can’t even pick up his allies. -_-

Okuda is no better.

He knows Tsurumi is from Niigata, from a highly-esteemed family of former samurai from the Echigo-Nagaoka Domain which had an awful time during the battle of Hokuetsu (one of the last battles of the Boshin war) against the imperial forces composed mostly by people of Satsuma and Choushuu so he thinks Tsurumi would be willing to help to put an end to the control those factions have over the army because he should have a grudge against them.

We see that Tsurumi’s face darkens, which might mean that yes, Tsurumi has no sympathy for them, but Tsurumi is the sort of man who doesn’t merely follow his feelings, but remains calm and plans the doom of his adversaries quietly. The Akō vendetta probably felt like an amateur work to Tsurumi.

In fact, instead than asking more about the Ainu gold he’s supposed to find, Tsurumi asks more about the scandal in which Hanazawa is involved, planning to use it as ammunition in his own personal plans.

Then, as he leaves the place with his men, he shows his true colours.

He didn’t buy at all Okuda’s words that he’s “impartial” believing he’s actually on Choushuu side and afraid if Hanazawa were to get the gold, it would strengthen the Satsuma position. Tsurumi, who’s much more intelligent than Okuda or Hanazawa, finds all this a pathetic face, admitting he’s sick of Central.

He also confesses that yes, he knew about the Ainu gold already from his time in Russia (it’s unsure if from his time in Russia as Hasegawa or from his time in Russia with Tsukishima), and that Okuda’s words merely corroborated the info Tsurumi had about it… which is interesting because it confirms Okuda learnt about the Ainu gold from a source that’s not Tsurumi.

Then Tsurumi informs his men they’ll pay a visit to Yuusaku and Kikuta because evidently Okuda had told him also who he had tasked with protecting Yuusaku’s virginity.

Meanwhile Kikuta informs Sugimoto Kaeko wants to meet Yuusaku again at the Imperial Hodel.

Sugimoto worries about what will happen should Kaeko find out he’s a fake.

Kikuta thinks he’s worrying for himself and tells him he’ll just have to return the uniform and go on his way… although as he says so we don’t see Kikuta’s face.

Sugimoto is actually worried about Kaeko as if she were to figure out, this would mean she would know something dirty about the Army (read= Hanazawa).

Kikuta gives him a sideway look, his face slightly shadowed as he tells him he has a plan B Sugimoto doesn’t need to know.

It’s interesting how Kikuta never asked Sugimoto his name. Of course the Doylistic explanation is that so he won’t recognize him when he’ll heard his surname from Tsurumi during the gold hunt but I wonder if the Watsonian explanation is this was to protect Sugimoto. Sugimoto too by now know things he would be better not knowing. If they were to tell Kikuta to kill him he could let him escape and then cover up for him by saying he didn’t even know his name so he can’t track him. Alternatively it can be to protect himself, as he might be trying not to get too close to Sugimoto.

Meanwhile at the Army Academy Mrs. Suzuki accidentally asking Yuusaku if Kikuta had relied to him the message, informs him that today was the day in which ‘the matter at the imperial hotel’ (帝国ホテルの件 Teikoku hotel no kudan) was scheduled. To make matter worse a man immediately scolds her as she wasn’t supposed to talk with Yuusaku about it. In the end they’ve to confess that they were told to pass all the letters and telegrams for Yuusaku to Kikuta which prompts Yuusaku to decide to go ask him directly.

A moment later Tsurumi drops at the place and he’s told that Yuusaku just left and the same guy who has scolded Mrs. Suzuki for informing Yuusaku about the meeting has no problems telling Tsuurmi about were Yuusaku went.

So we jump at the Imperial Hotel where Sugimoto expects to have another luxurious dinner with Kaeko and, instead Kaeko’s maid drops the beef stew all over him.

Using as excuse that Yuusaku has to absolutely change himself Kaeko pushes Sugimoto upstairs, claiming she booked a room there. As they walk they’re spotted by Tsukishima who informs Tsurumi while a worried Kikuta follows the action with his binoculars.

Once in the room a panting Kaeko urges ‘Yuusaku’ to rip off his clothes and strip naked in the bathroom.

While a naïve Sugimoto worries about how pretty the room is, Kaeko drags him in the bathroom and tells him to wash up.

Sugimoto finds a little odd how the bathtub is already filled but strips naked anyway.

Meanwhile big bad wolf Kaeko, with an expression that would make Jack Nicholson in “The Shining” proud, tries to get into the room. To Sugimoto’s credit he doesn’t scream like a banshee as Wendy Torrance did but tries to close her out of the bathroom.

Kaeko asks him to not bring her shame as a woman. Sugimoto weakly defends his own virginity by claiming she doesn’t know him well. Kaeko claims she doesn’t mind as he looks handsome and steals his clothes from under the door before threatening to let ‘Yuusaku’s’ situation be known to other people if he were to refuse her.

Sugimoto worries as he knows he has been called in as a stand in to avoid this kind of situation.

Meanwhile outside Tsurumi asks to Kaeko’s maid, Hamako, if she has seen a candidate officer. She denies it as she’s clearly there to stop everyone from interrupting but Tsurumi hears Kaeko calling Yuusaku.

Tsurumi says out loud to his men that Kikuta was ordered to break off the engagement so he doesn’t understand why Yuusaku and Kaeko are in a room by themselves.

I wonder if Tsurumi came there because he was hoping to be the one to save Yuusaku’s virginity so as to put Hanazawa in debt… or if he’s saying this out loud so as to let the maid know about Kikuta’s involvement. We’ll see.

Usami instead tells Ogata this will be the first time he’ll get to meet his little brother, a man worthy of waving the regimental flag.

Usami again calls Ogata just Hyakunosuke, as if the two of them were friends… or if he just were looking down on him taking confidence when he shouldn’t, as Ogata in past chapters always called Usami by surname.

Whatever, this means that Usami, and by default Tsukishima and Tsurumi, are informed of Ogata’s parentage. Does the whole 7th know? Maybe. If that’s the case I wonder who told them.

Back to Sugimoto he asks Kaeko if this is all because Yuusaku’s mother wants to keep him away from the army. Kaeko explains Yuusaku’s mother worked as a nurse at a special military hospital in Hiroshima during the Sino-Japanese war. This experience pushed her to decide her son shouldn’t take part to the war. Kaeko adds Yuusaku should show consideration for his mother’s feelings.

Sugimoto says this is something Yuusaku should decide by himself as it’s his own life, basically betraying the fact he’s not Yuusaku. Kaeko is confused while Sugimoto tells her to ask Yuusaku which he wants to chose before signalling to Kikuta there are problems.

In that same moment Tsurumi and his men barges in the room claiming they’re there to protect Yuusaklu’s virginity.

I wonder if Tsurumi is practising for when he’ll have to ‘rescue’ Koito.

As for Kaeko, she thinks Tsurumi is working for Hanazawa and tells him if he doesn’t get out she’ll tattle everything to the Army. At this Tsurumi threatens to kill her and Sugimoto, thinking killing Kaeko is Kikuta’s ‘plan B’, decides to barge out completely naked, threatening to kill them all.

Ogata, who has no idea the naked man with murdering intentions is not Yuusaku, grins, likely thinking ‘Yuusaku’ is rather far from pure.

Likely he believes Yuusaku’s state means he was about to sleep with Kaeko, and Sugimoto’s statement about murdering people might have caused Ogata to think the ‘oh so perfect’ Yuusaku, is actually not perfect at all.

I feel bad for him because, when he’ll discover Yuusaku isn’t the guy in front of him, he’ll be in for a disappointment.

Anyway this chapter ends here.

This chapter gives us some interesting info about the Army, Tsurumi and how Ogata’s status of bastard son was known to Tsurumi’s inner circle and, possibly, to the rest of the 7th. It fleshes more the Hanazawa family, although I’ve to say I noticed when Noda has to talk about Hanazawa or his wife he recycles always the same image.

Well, I guess that’s all. Sorry if it’s late and kind of jumbled but the whole timing and work didn’t help me at all.

#Golden Kamuy #Tsurumi Tokushirou #Okuda Hidenobu #Ogata Hyakunosuke #Usami Tokishige #Tsukishima Hajime #Golden Kamuy Ramblings and Theories #Hanazawa Yuusaku #Hanazawa Koujirou #Hanazawa Hiro #Kikuta Mokutarou #Sugimoto Saichi #Suzuki #Kaneko Kaeko #Yamamura Hamako

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crimsonsnippet · 3 years ago

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Please enlighten me if I’m being really dumb here because I’ve like never read any translations for the novels so I know next to nothing,

But maybe because Byakuya had won the game??

Or was he obsessed before that??

he was told by the kudan byakuya was going to be the winner and that’s where it starts

that is NOT where it stays

it gets really personal eventually. original it’s because he wanted to win but eventually he starts wearing the same things byakuya does (he has identical glasses to him too) and he starts trying to essentially like. become him? but it’s in a very twisted way where in the third novel it’s indistinguishable on wether he wants to become, kill, or keep him in a strange way.

he is by far one of the most fucked up danganronpa villains because he is plain crazy. there is no REAL rhyme or reason he does things because at heart, he will blame it on something else. he wholeheartedly believes he’s the hero. he believes that he doesn’t do wrong and he VEHEMENTLY denies he kills his siblings despite the fact it’s revealed towards the end he did. he deliberately manipulates the reader to think he’s good and seemingly doesn’t believe he’s done anything wrong himself.

#asks #kazuya togami #analysis

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yurimother · 5 years ago

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The Best Yuri of 2019

2019 was a challenging year for many, in and out of the anime community, which is still reeling from the horrific attack at Kyoto Animation’s first studio in July that killed 36 people. However, I want to take this moment, as we start a new decade, to reflect on some of the greatest achievements in Yuri.

2019 marked the genre’s 100th anniversary, 100 years since Nobuko Yoshiya released her landmark lesbian novel Yaneura no Nishojo that shaped and created Yuri as we know it. It was possible Yuri’s best years ever, as more incredible titles were released and localized, we experienced fantastic events and moments, and more. This article is part of my continuing celebration of all things Yuri!

Note that many of the works mentioned came out before 2019, but they either were first released in English during 2019 or hit particular high points during this year. Now then, here is the best of Yuri in 2019!

15: SukeraSparo

This Japanese Yuri visual novel developer is starting to reach new heights as they set their sights on releasing new and innovate Yuri titles. The English release of The Expression Amrilato, an educational Yuri visual novel that teaches the player Esperanto, was one of the most unique and creative works I have the pleasure of playing this year. But, they outdid themselves this year, releasing a sequel, Itsuka no Memorajxo, creating one of the most beautiful Yuri games in Folklore of Kudan, and founding a sister brand, SukeraSomero, “to fill the world with YURI!”

The Expression Amrilato is available in English for PC on Steam and Mangagamer

14: Mage & Demon Queen

This outrageous and vivacious webcomic hits its stride in Season 2. After setting a solid foundation, this masterpiece by Kuru “Color-LES” is finally able to explore some more interesting plot lines such as its characters’ pasts, conflicts between the demons and humans, and figuring out who’s gonna be the bottom (it’s Malori, it was always going to be Malori). It is chock full of modern humor and moments I can only describe as hilariously kinky, while rarely feeling gross of sleazy. I can only wait to see what is next for these star-crossed lovers.

Mage & Demon Queen: is available to read in English on Webtoon

13: Yuri Anthologies

In 2018, Yen Press gave us the first hint of some Yuri anthologies starting to squeak into the West with Éclair, but 2019 threw the floodgates open! New works are coming out in both Japan and the West, featuring multiple artists coming together to create works featuring workplace romance, isekai, first-time stories, and even MARRIAGE!! Additionally, creators released volumes collecting their various short stories, like Rouge Nagashiro’s Eve and Eve, and some series saw multiple artists contribute to an already established world such as in the Bloom Into You Anthologies.

12: SHWD

Sono’s science fiction Yuri doujinshi series, published in English by Lilyka, is everything I did not know I wanted in a Yuri series. It showcases pulse-pounding action as the women of the “Special Hazardous Waste Disposal” fight to take down the horrific Dynamis. It has musclebound beasts of women that exude strength, power, and femininity at all times. And it has a compelling story about overcoming personal conflicts and learning to rely on others.

SHWD is available digitally on Lilyka

11: If I Could Reach You

No other series this year delivered an emotional gut-punch like If I Could Reach You. This tragic and beautiful manga by tMnR follows a young girl as she attempts hopelessly to overcome her attraction to her brother’s wife. Everything from the artwork to the dialogue masterfully communicates the devastation and pain that the protagonist Uta feels. It is beautiful and devastating, and I carry every awesome moment on my mind continuously.

If I Could Reach You is available digitally and physically in English from Kodansha: https://amzn.to/36vsYPe

Honorable mention: SQ/Tamen de Gushi/Their Story

2019 was a little bit of a slow year for Tan Jiu’s webtoon, thanks to an extended hiatus, especially when compared to 2018’s triumphant and spectacular storyline. However, small moments of genius like Sun Jing’s father’s phenomenal visual monologue keep this work in peak form top and my heart. I hope that its recent Japanese serialization on Comic Walker help even more people enjoy it.

10: Still Sick

In my recent review, I called this workplace romance a “Yuri manga for Yurijin,” and there is no way I could come up with a more apt description. Still Sick surprised me with its self-awareness, knowledge, and commentary on the genre. It has an incredibly deep story about two complex and layered characters that ignite each other’s passion, in more ways than one.

Still Sick is available digitally and physically in English from Tokyopop: https://amzn.to/2rVRH07

9: Going Beyond Girl Meets Girl

Yuri stories tend to repeat the same story, two girls meet, they fall for each other, they get together, THE END! The past decade or so has finally seen more stories adding sexual elements, in contrast to earlier S works, and some even explored the dating life of two schoolgirls. However, we have recently seen something remarkable: works featuring couples “graduating” (literally or metaphorically) and enter the real world. Series like Citrus, Kase-san, and, briefly, Bloom Into You explore the relationships as they exit the honeymoon phase and get into the meat of lesbian livelihood.

Kase-san and Yamada is available for English preorder: https://amzn.to/2MXnp4w

8: Nagata Kabi

Over the past few years, Nagata Kabi has redefined what the Yuri genre can be. Her powerful autobiographical manga essays My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness, My Solo Exchange Diary, and Genjitsu Touhi Shitetara Boroboro ni Natta Hanashi communicate her experiences with queer identity, mental illness, and alcoholism. No work of fiction could ever hope to reach Nagata’s strength and crushing honesty. Nagata’s manga has and will continue to change readers and the genre for years to come.

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is available digitally and physically in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2MZ7DWJ

7: Bloom Into You

Nakatani Nio’s popular Yuri series Bloom Into You crushed it in 2019. It concluded serialization, ending on an incredibly high note, and dominating the market in both English and Japanese, selling over one million copies (well deserved). Additionally, Sentai Filmworks released an excellent collector’s edition of the 2018 television anime adaption that is now a must-have for Yuri collectors. But my favorite aspect of this series is the spin-off light novel series featuring one of its best characters, which have already begun English release.

Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka is available digitally and for physical preorder from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2SVPVHG

6: Heart of the Woods

When I heard that one of the co-creators of Highway Blossoms, one of the better English Yuri visual novels, was creating his own studio, I was pretty excited. But nothing could have prepared me for Studio Élan's first release, Heart of the Woods, which blew me away. The enchanting adventure full of exceptionally queer characters shattered every expectation I had. I am looking forward to its Switch port and voice acting patch, as well as more titles from Élan.

Heart of the Woods is available for PC on Steam. Switch edition coming later this year.

Honorable mention: Hayama-sensei to Terano-sensei wa Tsukiatte iru

Oui Pikachi’s manga about two teachers navigating a new relationship is one of my new favorites. Everyone is so supportive of the title characters as they stumble their way through an honest and mature love. However, I am only giving it an honorable mention this year, as I am sure it will be on this list next year after Seven Seas releases the first volume in English as The Gym Teacher and School Nurse are Dating!

The Gym Teacher and School Nurse are Dating! is available for preorder in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/39JhXMs

5. Sexiled

Ameko Kaeruda’s spectacularly feminist and outrageously funny light novel series Sexiled is could ever ask for and more. I feel in love with its compelling female characters and their riveting battle against the sexist conventions of their society, all of which painfully mirror reality. This work is cathartic, empowering, and so very, very gay.

Sexiled is available digitally in English from J-Novel Club. Physical edition coming later this year: https://amzn.to/35u6NaW

4: Yuri Life

I adore domestic Yuri. Granted, I love a good romance and fantasy, but so many of these stories exist that it feels overwhelming, and sometimes it is just good to sit down and read about two women who love each other living their everyday adult lives in bliss. Kurukuruhime’s Yuri Life, which I have enjoyed ever since it was first uploaded to Pixiv and am so proud to own in print, is precisely that. Nine couples being cute and living together in a variety of humorous, scandalous, and adorable situations. Yuri cohabitation has never been so good! Now, if I could only get some Yuri titles about women raising kids together…

Yuri Life is available digitally and physically in English from Yen Press: https://amzn.to/35stSLg

3: Children’s Cartoons

For the past several years, children’s cartoons and media have slowly begun to allow bits of queer representation onto the screen. While we are still a long way from having Elsa kiss a girl, the small and large victories on children’s television give me hope. Some of my personal favorites include an episode of Nickelodeon’s The Loud House about a lesbian date, a lesbian couple and agender character (using they/them pronouns) in Craig of the Creek, the female protagonist of Twelve Forever developing a crush on another girl, and of course the unbelievable amount of queerness that She-Ra and Steven Universe shove into every moment. I wish I had more series like these when I was young, and I am thrilled that my students get to grow up with them.

2: Our Dreams at Dusk (Shimanami Tasogare)

Yuhki Kamatani’s Our Dreams at Dusk is easily 2019’s best manga. The incredible story explores many real aspects of LGBTQ identities, gay, lesbian, trans, non-binary, and asexual included, in an emotional and resonating masterpiece. The artwork is stunning and more expressive than words could ever be. I stand by what I said in my review, that Our Dreams at Dusk is the greatest manga I have ever read and wholeheartedly believes that it was deserving of the only 10/10 score I gave in 2019.

Our Dreams at Dusk is available digitally and physically in English from Seven Seas: https://amzn.to/2s282AE

Honorable mention: ‘The Conditions of Paradise’ Licensed

One of the best moments of this year came out of Anime Expo when Seven Seas announced that they had licensed Morishima Akiko’s Rakuen no Jouken and would be releasing it as The Conditions of Paradise in 2020. Not only is The Conditions of Paradise a fantastic and mature work of Yuri literature, but it is also over a decade old, having been published originally in 2007. This license, more than anything else, helped me realize how far Yuri came this year. Not only is the hottest new series being adapted, but a historic and profound classic of the genre.

The Conditions of Paradise is available for preorder in English: https://amzn.to/2FjTE9M

1: Yuri Publishers

Not too long ago, it was rare for us to see more than a few Yuri manga releases in a year if any, but now we are at the point where a publisher can do an event announcing five Yuri licenses in a single day! As of this year, all the major publishers, and plenty of smaller ones, are actively licensing, adapting, and publishing amazing Yuri works: Yen Press, Viz, Kodansha, Seven Seas, Tokyopop, Renta, J-Novel Club, and more keep giving us incredible Yuri. I also have to mention the incredible work Lilyka Manga is doing, working directly with mangaka to adapt Yuri doujinshi titles into English, something I would have never dreamed of a few years ago.

As Yuri enters its second century, we are staring down the rest of 2020, a year that will no doubt go down in current Yuri history. The year will see a record number of Yuri manga releases both in Japan and from licensed series in the West. We are getting several promising anime series like Adachi to Shimamura, Magia Record, Oshi ga Budoukan Ittekuretara Shinu, a Princess Principal movie, and more. I cannot wait to see what this year will hold for YuriMother and the Yuri genre. I hope you all stick with me through it as we navigate the waters of a newer, gayer, and greater world of Yuri.

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valfeathers · 3 years ago

Note

What did happen to Blue Ink/Kudan actually at the end of the at by the way? I have read it so many times but can never get what precisely happens to her herself. I mean I know Byakuya takes an idiot pill and both sides agree to honour their agreements, but what actually happened to the Kudan?

that's the thing, i think they kind of left it up to interpretation? they did keep it vague

//spoilers

the wiki says she's dead which is Actually heartbreaking for me on like a personal level but as to the How, i couldnt say for sure

i think the vibe generally is that she just went and Died somewhere which on its own would be fine (i mean, it's danganronpa) but the memories of her were literally erased. completely, just erased

ergo, everybody that knew her simply forgot about her existence and she completely vanished which is existentially horrifying and again, breaks my heart

but i have no idea about the specific details

#danganronpa #asks #anon asks #dr:t #shinobu togami #drt asks

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completeoveranalysis · 3 years ago

Photo

[12]

If nothing else we will ALWAYS have canon Tornado-chan!

#Listen leave me here I will never get over this #Is it too late to nominate tornado-chan as Sakura's kudan?#Tsubasa Catch Up Chronicle #Catch Up T52 #Catch Up Something #Tsubasa #Tornado-chan #Whirlwind-san let me confess my undying love for you #You spin me #right round #like a record baby

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satoshi-mochida · 4 years ago

Link

Publisher FuRyu and developer Historia have fully launched the official website for The Caligula Effect 2, detailing the game’s idols, main characters, Obbligato Musicians, and systems.

Get the details below.

[Very long post below the cut]

■ Story

Redo, the World Without Regrets

The mysterious virtuadoll Regret. Those who hear her songs are one by one taken into another world. “Redo” is a virtual world created by Regret and manufactured by the mistakes of peoples’ past.

“If only I had done that at the time…”

Redo is a world that realizes the desire held by all to start over. A world where you can make the decisions you chose against in the past, Redo is a lukewarm world without regrets, where you can live out the “what ifs?” of life.

Another Diva and the Go-Home Club

χ is another virtuadoll who is attempting to destroy the fabricated world of Redo. She chooses the protagonist, who realizes that this world is not reality, as a partner and lends them her power. The Go-Home Club is formed by students who learn of reality’s existence after a certain event and aim to return to the real world. And thus begins the extremely difficult return home against the creator of the virtual world.

True Appearances of the Go-Home Club Members

However, the Go-Home Club members’ appearances in Redo are nothing more than a “what if?” that disregards reality and rewrites their past regrets. The true appearance they hide is a taboo that only the player can discover. Embark upon this journey at your own risk and make choices free from regret.

■ Virtuadoll

Regret (voiced by Arisa Kori)

A mysterious virtuadoll that suddenly appeared to the world. Her origin and details are unknown, but her mysteriousness proved effective as rose to fame and gained overwhelming popularity on video streaming websites with her mystical singing voice. With the power of that popularity, she created Redo, an ideal world without regrets, and has imprisoned those suffering in the real world in her virtual world.

χ (voiced by Mayu Mineda)

Another virtuadoll, who opposes Regret and is trying to destroy the fabricated world of Redo. Feeling she is unable to fight Regret with her power alone, she chooses the protagonst who awakened to reality as her partner and lends them her strength. It seems she cannot fully understand human values as she is a prototype virtuadoll that never officially launched in reality.

■ Go-Home Club Members

Protagonist (voiced by Tatsumaru Tachibana / You Taichi)

A second-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. Leader of the second generation Go-Home Club that aims to escape from the ideal world of Redo. The protagonist was chosen as a partner by the virtuadoll χ, who plans to destroy Redo, and gives her half of their body.

Gin Noto (voiced by Aoi Ichikawa)

A second-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school and the protagonist’s classmate. A modern high school student who wears the latest fashions, and is driven by excitement and emotion. He is also manly and a good friend. With a personality that allows him to read the room and be considerate, he has a number of friends both guys and girls.

Shota Tsurumaki (voiced by Kento Itou)

A third-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. A straight-laced and stubborn member of the discipline committee who values order above all else. He is just and upright, and has a strong sense of responsibility, but can also be unreliable and blindly follows others, such as by immediately proposing a majority vote to avoid making a final decision himself.

Ryuto Tsukishima (voiced by Kouki Uchiyama)

A third-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. He has wisdom and knowledge beyond his years, so much so that the other students make call him a boy genius. Since he is even-keeled and does things at his own pace, he tends to come off as cold at first glance, but is really not a bad person. He often clashes with others for saying things without sugarcoating, but they are often statements said considering the interests of the group.

Kobato Kazamatsuri (voiced by Yuuto Uemura)

A third-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. As his appearance suggests, he is a frivolous young man and school celebrity. He has an unshakable personality and will shamelessly say he does what he does for the sake of popularity, which earned him both consistent support from the guys and vigilance from the girls. He is proactive and inquisitive when it comes to his amusement, and refuses to do anything unpleasant. He is not very cooperative with the group.

Kiriko Miyasako (voiced by Yume Miyamoto)

A first-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. Her short blonde hair is her trademark. At first glance, people tend to fear her for her flashy appearance, class absences, and dry personality that does not pander to others, but she is the one with the most common sense in the Go-Home Club. She is highly capable and good for her improvisation, quick wit, and extraordinary courage, but dislikes being relied on and does not put herself out there as much as possible.

Sasara Amiki (voiced by Sumire Morohoshi)

A third-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. A beauty with a gentle personality who always has a grin on her face. She is treated as an airhead whose speech and conduct are often a beat behind those of everyone else. It is difficult to understand what she is thinking, but she has a strong love for the members of the Go-Home Club and shows exceptional dedication when it comes to putting herself at risk to protect her friends.

Niko Komamura (voiced by Hiyori Kono)

A first-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. A bright and simple-minded girl. The optimistic type with a glow in her eyes who will interact with anyone and everyone with the goal of having more and more friends. Despite her proactiveness, she is not very skillful or good at contemplating or theorizing difficult things, and often goes in circles.

Marie Amabuki (voiced by Mai Fuchigami)

A second-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school and the protagonist’s classmate. A kind-hearted and helpful beauty with good grades and a no-nonsense demeanor. She is a model honor student, relied upon by the other students to the point that she was selected to become the Tatefushi Academy Student Council President in her second year. She cares for the protagonist however possible.

■ Obbligato Musicians

Machina (voiced by Shun’ichi Toki)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician. An android who wished for a machine body from Regret. He is extremely loyal to Regret, and treats her orders as absolute. He never fails to patrol Redo to maintain public order.

Pandora (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician. A cool, calm, and collected woman who speaks very little. She is an artisinal musician who loves to spend her time surrounded by flowers, working silently to make music in the depths of her favorite garden. Her work room in the garden depths is an insular space sealed off from the outside world.

MU-kun (voiced by Taku Yashiro)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician. A boy with an eccentric appearance and flashy hair. With his sense for music and fashion, and unconventional and exorbiant conduct that make up his “space communication” character setting, he steals the hearts of young as the most popular musician.

#QP (voiced by Inori Minase)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician, second-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school, and the protagonist’s classmate. The fact that she is a Obbligato musician is a secret and she attends school everyday. She is a beauty that has a tendency to seek romance, and there is almost never a time that she does not have a man by her side. The reason she hides the fact that she is a musician is because she thinks the elaborate title is unattractive.

Doctor (voiced by Kazuki Kato)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician. He works as a doctor at the hospital on the outskirts of Okitama City, and is always pushing Kranke around in his wheelchair. He has a cool and blunt personality, but is devoted entirely to his contributions to Redo and actively works on musical activities. Other than Kranke, he prefers not to interact with the other musicians.

Kranke (voiced by Yuuki Takada)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician, and a third-year student at Tatefushi Academy senior high school. He is unable to walk due to a leg injury, and is pushed around in a wheelchair by Doctor. His thoughts are hard to grasp since he tends to act like his mind is not present, and he always has a faint smile on his face. Many are drawn to his music and the world it weaves, which is dark beyond his fragile impression.

Kudan (voiced by Mariya Ise)

Composer: ???

An Obbligato Musician. A promotion and agitation specialist. She lies like she breathes and toys with the hearts of others. She is in charge of persuasive propaganda and public relations on behalf of Regret, who does not talk much. She often quotes wise figures from history, manga, and anime.

Bluffman (voiced by Takehito Koyasu)

Composer: ???

The leader of the Obbligato Musicians. A man of many mysteries who hides his face behind a mask. He is always at Regret’s side and plays a managerial role, acting as the ringleader who assembles the musicians in her place. He is said to be such a senior composer that even the new generation Obbligato Musicians acknowledge his superiority. His principle of conduct is to make Regret an absolute being, and he always maintains that Regret is superior to the virtuadolls of the past.

■ System

Character Scenario

The Go-Home Club members’ appearance in “Redo” is no more than an alternate version of themselves written over their past regrets. The reality each Go-Home Home Club member faces is full of trauma and pain. However, it is up to the player to discover why these individuals still wish to go back to them. Embark upon this journey at your own risk and make choices free from regret.

Battle System: Imaginary Chain

A battle system in which you predict the future and chain combos. The basic in-game battle system is turn-based, but once the player selects an action, the outcome of that action is revealed. Collaborate with your friends to strategize and overcome disadvantageous situations.

■ Additional Screenshots

■ Special

Limited Edition (Japan)

The limited edition includes:

Special album CD Side.χ (nine tracks with vocals by χ)

Special art book (100 page)

Oguchi-illustrated image reproduction

The Caligula Effect 2 documentary movie DVD

Additional music downloadable content (three tracks) – “Orbit,” “Distorted † Happiness,” and “Suicide Prototype” from The Caligula Effect

Equipment item downloadable content (three items)

Special box with visual illustated by Oguchi

Pre-order Bonus (Japan)

Pre-order to receive the special album cd Side.Regret (nine tracks with vocals by Regret).

The Caligula Effect 2 is due out for PlayStation 4 and Switch on June 24 in Japan, and this fall in North America and Europe.

View the screenshots at the gallery.

#The Caligula Effect 2 #Caligula 2 #The Caligula Effect #Caligula Game #FuRyu #Gematsu #Bluffman -might- actually be Brahman.

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drmedicsgamesurgery · 4 years ago

Text

Danganronpa Togami Volume 3 Part 13 (Summary)

Thanks to @enoshima-pyon @shockersalvage @jinjojess @hopeymchope

This is the second last part everyone! Sorry for the wait! Part 14 will not take as long as this. Enjoy.

My brain broke. Having said that, this brain is actually not mine. Until today, I have always believed that it was "I". It seems in actuality that it never existed in this world. Then I can't even crash. A ghost, yes, I am a ghost, I don't exist in this world, so I am not qualified to collapse. I also have no way to think about it. However, I am thinking about things as a Togami. This makes me feel unnatural and I have the urge to vomit. I want to find myself back and get back to me as soon as possible. However, if I believe that the Imposter is telling the truth, then I am the ‘Kudan’. I am the "Secret of the Togami Family" and the "pitiful cattle". Despair High School and the WHO are looking for the monster that can do predictions in this world. So, am I not a person?

Shinobu tries to deny this. After all, it was Kazuya who met the Kudan, not her, yes? The Imposter retorts that they read the record of ‘The Biggest, Worst Incident in the History of the Togami Family.’ and that what she’s saying didn't happen. Just another machination by the K2K system. The Imposter applauds Byakuya for erasing the Kudan’s memory in order to protect her.

When Shinobu begins to wonder whether or not her personality is the one of Shinobu or the Kudan, the Imposter remarks that it's most likely the former. It’s like how one makes changes to a computer’s data file. The changes start out small, but eventually everything will become overwritten to the point even if the file title says ‘Kudan’, by that point, it is a completely different file in its contents. With all this in mind the Imposter asks Shinobu once again ‘who are you’?

My brain broke. Having said that, this brain is actually not mine. I am not a Togami, and the consciousness of the ‘Kudan’ has long since disappeared, and there are no signs of surface. So who am I, and how should I live next? Live as a Togami? Maybe this personality can be maintained, but I am just a fake Togami. To find the original personality? In that case, "I" will disappear. Live as an unnamed "I"? The mind is a fake Togami, the body is the Kudan, which is almost collapsing. I feel that self-awareness is gradually fading and in trying to keep this quoted "I", I began to feel that this behavior is stupid. I want to disappear, I want to disappear, because the existence of "I" is the closest to an imposter in this world…

“Don’t lose to the truth.”

Speaking this sentence was Byakuya who has been watching the situation.

He pushes up his glasses, putting Shinobu's mindbroken figure into his field of vision. Shinobu can't tell if he is looking at her with encouragement or it is her mind making it up.

"Byakuya-sama... Please answer me, are the things the Impostor is saying really true? Am I really the 'Kudan'?"

"Yes," Byakuya answered without hesitation. "In order to seal up the 'Kudan', I created your personality with the K2K system."

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

"You are the 'Kudan', this is the highest secret, even if you are the Kudan yourself, I couldn’t take the risk of you leaking it"

Byakuya listens to Shinobu’s short outburst about her feelings and then continues.

"No matter what the truth is, you don't have to pay attention to it. Even if everything is false, you have already got the power to make yourself self-established, don’t you? If so, when the truth is in front of you, you should stand up and face it."

"I can’t do it."

"You have to believe."

"Believe in Byakuya-sama?"

"Yes, you must trust me unconditionally, I believe in myself, you must believe me, I will guide you forward."

The Impostor tries to convince her that Byakuya deceived her, lied to her and used her. That her existence is worthless. Byakuya retorts that Shinobu did have worth. After all, she was valuable at one point when she was in the process of writing the ‘Journey Under the Midnight Sun’. The Imposter asks why he’s so cruel, but Byakuya responds that he doesn’t want to say something nice to get someone’s goodwill, and the guilt-tripping is not working on him. He just needs to guide mankind’s advancement and that will be more than enough. The Imposter remarks they’ll keep that in mind when they replace Byakuya. However...

"You’re noisy, shut up, fat pig! Even if my true identity is the 'Kudan', even if my true identity is not Shinobu, It’s still me, I’m still Shinobu. For me, Byakuya-sama is God. I observe him and write a biography for him. This is enough to make me feel happy. This is me, Shinobu Togami, this fact is unchanged. I always believe in Byakuya-sama, and this situation is no different. Your words are not heard by anyone. You are a lonely pig from birth to death."

“Are you kidding me?” the Imposter said, but Shinobu makes her stance clear.

“I will always believe in Byakuya-sama.”

"Oh, you’re finally back. This is my 'Blue Ink'."

Byakuya-sama’s expression looked like he was praising an obedient dog as he nodded with satisfaction. Much like a dog would, I stuck out my tongue obediently.

"Byakuya-sama... It turns out you really are a God after all."

"What?"

"Because I was created by Byakuya-sama."

Creating life is a great undertaking that only God can carry out, only the privilege that God can have.

Therefore, Byakuya-sama really is a God.

Byakuya and I once again turned to the imposter standing in front of the coffin. The Imposter shook and it was difficult to tell whether the expression on his face was angry or annoyed. He couldn't even destroy such a small existence like me. Has he fallen into despair himself?

"Imposter, you understand this, no matter what kind of truth, no matter what kind of options, we will spend time beautifully, and bounce off all the bullets you fired, and stake the Togami name on it. Well, this is the turn of us to destroy your fake book. State your purpose. Why did you and Despair High School pursue a stage like this?”

The Imposter agrees to tell what Despair High School is after. Basically, they’re after three objectives. The first? Get rid of the Kudan. They claim that the world rejects it and its prophecy ability. Not even Hope’s Peak has a ‘Super High School Level Prophet’. [1] There is no room for prophecy in this story. Just like how there is no blue rose in nature, it can’t exist. Why?

“Because prophecy is cheating. If the future is predictable, the game’s system will collapse and the rulebook will be torn. In order to carry on the ‘The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History', we must eliminate all the things that might hinder it."

They ask what it is, but he just repeats that it’s their ultimate goal. The Imposter also admits that the goal of world domination was false in order to stir confusion. Shinobu thinks that it’s a waste of time, since she didn’t even remember she was the Kudan. She also believes that, for example, nuclear weapons are far more dangerous than predicting the future but Byakuya doesn’t agree. Nuclear weapons just make human extinction possible, while predicting the future is far above the physical level. It makes it known ahead of time that the future is impossible to change. It really is like cheating. To have such a talent would only serve to help bring destruction to their world.

"So, Byakuya-sama, are you hiding the 'Kudan' to protect the world?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I just want to rely on my own talent to command the Togami family, that's all."

The second motivation, continues the Impostor, was to get rid of the Council of Global Controllers. Since there shouldn’t be a secret organization bigger than them, they decided to kill everyone in it. “An organization like that should only exist in the minds of conspiracy theorists.” Thanks to Sonia they were able to learn about their members and location and thus be able to easily kill them off. However...

"I am still alive," said Byakuya. "I, Byakuya Togami, am the biggest obstacle that hinders your ambitions. However, I still live very comfortably."

Needless to say, the Imposter finds Byakuya’s confidence quite disgusting, but can’t deny he really has been having it easy and remarks the Togami Family is quite inconvenient. Even when Byakuya has been doing nothing by himself, their work in the Despair High School has still been quite difficult. Byakuya states that as long as the name ‘Togami’ exists, it can destroy any hostile forces. This causes the Imposter to state how envious Byakuya’s position is to him. In a story full of fakes, he is the genuine article that has true control.

"Because I am the real deal. I won't lose, I won't die." Byakuya states confidently...but then the Imposter delivers his rebuttal.

"If I said that we deliberately let you go, what would you say?"

"It appears you still got quite the hard mouth.”

"It’s not from a hard mouth. It’s the truth. We never thought about killing you. We planned to let you live from the beginning. We let you escape from the Church of Bones. The reason why you could escape so many times in this battle, it Is because we deliberately let you go. Because this is our plan.”

“What kind of plan is that? Explain it.”

“I’m just acting according to the plan.”

“You aren’t… the Mastermind?”

The Imposter remarks that, no, they are indeed not. The true mastermind is enjoying campus life, and enjoying time with Byakuya. It is because the mastermind likes Byakuya, that they are not allowing him to die.

"The Mastermind is my classmate? Among the 78th batch?"

Even with Mukuro standing right in front of them, it was hard to believe that the Mastermind could have ever come from that class. Just how much has Despair High School infiltrated Hope’s Peak? The Impostor doesn’t answer and continues talking. He says that they were always watching Byakuya’s movements and relates the feeling to watching ants struggle as you smash their nest. You also feel like cheering them on. The reason why they made this entire incident was to deal with Byakuya and with his performance so far they feel despair from his excellence. They now regard Byakuya as their most dangerous enemy. Thus, leading into the third motivation.

“Third motivation: Get rid of Byakuya Togami.”

Shinobu points out, internally, the contradictory nature of getting rid of Byakuya when they said they had no intentions of killing him. As soon as he says that, the Super High School Level Soldier gets out from the confessional room and wraps her military knife around Shinobu’s neck. Shinobu remarks that her life has no value, but Mukuro tells her she can’t fool her.

"Then let us enter the part of judgement, heheh. However this time, the judgement isn’t over a fake book, but a canon one. My heart is beating so intensely now, probably from all those calories."

The Imposter spoke.

"Mr. Authentic, let's start the last activity. You have to make a choice."

"What's the matter, explain."

"I want you to make a choice: to conquer the world, or not to conquer the world.”

The Impostor explains the two choices. However, regardless of the choice, the story will end, even if it isn’t necessarily a happy ending. Still with no one able to control the spread of Despair Disease, his collusion with the Czech government, his refuge in Prague Castle and the fact the Imposter can’t kill him, everything is quite beneficial for Byakuya at the moment.

If he decides to conquer the world, it’s his win. The deadline is also in less than half an hour, if he fails to act the Imposter will continue on with it. During this time, the Imposter also shows off a pill. It can erase specific memories in people and the Imposter likens it to it being a K2K system of its own. It is the trump card of Despair High School. Byakuya doubts its authenticity, but the Imposter moves on. They will also kill the Kudan if he accepts to conquer the world. When Byakuya asks if he has to take the pill after accepting the choice to conquer the world, the Imposter says it’s the opposite.

If he decides to not conquer the world, then, obviously, Byakuya loses. As such, he will have to take the pill that erases his memory, plus it will also limit his talent to some extent in order to let the Despair High School operate more freely. In addition, his classmates who came to the Czech Republic will also have to take the drugs. When Byakuya says that they shouldn’t kill Shinobu, the Imposter responds that there isn’t a need for that. She has no memory of being the Kudan, and isn’t a Togami. However, that being said, they can’t allow her to continue to live her current life. She’ll have to get her memories erased and continue life with a new personality.

"Byakuya-sama!" I cried. "Please choose to conquer the world! My life is not important, and no matter what you choose, I will disappear anyway! Byakuya-sama, this kind of problem is one you don’t have to think about.."

"Yes, I don't even have to think about it," Byakuya nodded, "I’ve decided."

“Yes, decisively, you are the genuine gentleman. Then let us commence Byakuya Togami’s world domination with a small celebration..."

"Hmph, what are you talking about, I am not conquering the world."

> Conquer the World

> Do not conquer the World

10.

"Byakuya-sama?"

"Don't despair. This conquest of the world is a product made entirely in accordance with their plans. I don't intend to accept such things," Byakuya explained in a light tone as usual. "If I choose to conquer the world here, it can indeed stop their actions. However, this is a loss of justice, since it is only temporary. Since the mastermind is another person, it is meaningless to defeat the guy who pretends to be one.”

Shinobu refutes this and says that a world under Byakuya would be one full of hope, but Byauya said it would be the opposite. He wouldn’t be able to stop the Mastermind, but just a few pawns, like the Imposter. The Mastermind would just need to find new ones, and that would be troublesome since it would be hard for Byakuya to find them again. Instead, if he decides to not conquer the world, to keep Despair High School on a limited path and to help usher in hope. Especially, since he isn’t a God after all. Something, Shinobu, tearfully, can’t accept.

Shinobu doesn’t think it’s the right choice, she doesn’t want Byakuya to take the medicine which will limit his talent. That would be true despair for her. Byakuya re-assures her that there is hope and points out these same people working for Despair High School will be guaranteed to be the ones to help bring about the ‘Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History’, which should be in the progress of starting soon. When Shinobu asks for proof, Byakuya points out that Despair High School wasn’t worried about the other numerous people that know of Shinobu’s true identity and how willing they were to just wipe the memories of the other 78th class members in Prague. They'll be taking their next event soon. He turns to the Imposter to confirm it. The Imposter makes no response, but his silence says everything.

Byakuya makes an analogy concerning red tide. As a result of human activity, the nutrients given to plankton is too much thus resulting in abnormal proliferation. Thus, the sea turns red which has a negative impact on humanity. Shinobu wonders why he is going on an environmental lecture, but Byakuya states that it’s exactly what Despair High School is. And just like how plankton can be suppressed, so too can they suppress Despair’s proliferation by using hope. Even if Byakuya isn’t here to do so. Still, he believes that alongside his classmates, he will be able to beat the Mastermind. Course, when Shinobu brings up the fact the Mastermind is among his classmates, he is confident they’ll be able to weed them out, even if he won’t be at his full potential thanks to the medicine.

Shinobu doesn’t want that. She doesn’t want a world where Byakuya will be laughed at because of this. To this, Byakuya responds with:

"If they want to laugh, let them laugh. Even if I really become the four-eyed support character, I can also guide them forward. No matter what I become, I will guide them forward and I will stake the Togami name on it.”

"I don't understand, I don't understand anything..."

What the hell is he talking about ? He is not himself. Byakuya is still saying nothing. I can't understand his thoughts. I will disappear and I will end...is he not afraid?

"The most important thing is that if I don't choose to conquer the world, you can live on."

Shinobu doesn’t understand and says it doesn’t matter. His memories of her will be erased, and her entire memories will be wiped, effectively erasing her existence. The same as death. Byakuya informs her that she can face this. She overcame fiction. She can overcome the truth as well. She begs him not to do this, but he goes forward towards the Imposter, lamenting that he still had more things he wanted to tell her. He tells the Imposter to go ahead, earning his fake’s confusion. The world’s already near his grasp, why not take advantage of it. Byakuya says he was never hungry for world domination. He was satisfied as long as he was there and true to himself, something that the Imposter could never do.

"Because you are still a child," Byakuya smiled. "However, you can't always be a child. Someday you may need to guide others. At that time, you will understand my true intentions and be moved to tears."

"I don't feel like I can win ."

“Oh, you accidentally said that already when you said you really didn't plan to conquer the world from the beginning."

"........."

"Your plan was to force me to choose not to conquer the world. To torture me right? But unfortunately, things will not be as you wish. Byakuya Togami will never be so distressed as to scream and panic."

"...Eat the medicine. After a week, you may fall into a person who will be upset and scream and panic."

"Isn't that very cute? It is quite cute compared to the present, and that should be loved by others."

The Impostor says that it will take a few minutes to prepare the medicine, so he leaves them alone. But right before he leaves, the Imposter turns towards Byakuya.

“This time, the world really was conquered beautifully.”

Mukuro, in a panic, lets Shinobu go and follows him. Shinobu and Byakuya are now alone. They say their final goodbyes to each other. Shinobu, tearfully, says it will be hard imagining a world without Byakuya and that she is grateful that he created her. Under Byakuya’s permission, she continues to talk and asks if he feels afraid. He says no, but admits he does feel lonely and he can’t imagine how it'll be after Shinobu is gone. Shinobu smiles and merely says she’s just his predecessor, that is one of the few things she knows better than Byakuya. Byakuya comments he’s further away from ever being God (something Shinobu denies) and that he has done everything he’s can. He’s sure Despair High School will fall in the future and Shinobu laments she won’t be able to see the world he conquered. Byakuya says he has no regrets for himself so far, as for Shinobu? She only regrets being unable to finish ‘Journey Under the Midnight Sun’ but she won’t complain again in the future. Why?

“Because Byakuya-sama is my God, and I...am your sister."

"Hey, that expression is very good, Blue Ink. It seems that you have got what you wanted."

That sentence made me acquire the last truth.

It’s a simple story. One young man decided to try to take over the world. After many repeated extraordinary adventures, the young man got what he wanted and was able to return home safe and sound. And he lived happily ever after.

This "young man", this “youth” is Byakuya-sama and is also me.

Now...I have to go back. I have to go home, and know that the world will not be conquered before I go home. Having said that, it’s only after I’m reborn will I head back to my destination. What kind of adventure will I go through? Where to go? It feels like I forgot to take the travel brochure before starting a school trip but, surprisingly, this feeling is not as hellishly painful as expected.

Byakuya asks for a change of glasses, since the one he is wearing is a bit deformed. Shinobu takes the deformed glasses and hands him a new pair. This gives her an idea.

"Byakuya-sama...please accept this."

I handed him my pen.

Byakuya took the pen and put it in his coat’s chest pocket.

"Blue Ink."

"Yes."

"Working hard, you wrote ‘Journey Under the Midnight Sun’."

"Sorry, if the text is very poor. I wrote it with my best efforts."

The Imposter returns, annoying Shinobu since only three minutes have passed. The Imposter ignored it and handed Byakuya a mobile phone connected to all the loudspeakers over the world. “Use it to tell the truth to those fools.” says the Imposter. Byakuya accepts it without hesitation and speaks.

"It's me.

You looked at the boring 'Despair Novel' and enjoyed the taste of 'Despair Disease'. I want to tell you one thing now so let's make a long story short.

I gave up conquering the world.

So you give up, give up destroying the world, and then face the reality. To be moving forward in this world, the most effective thing is not destruction, but construction. Even you should know about that.

You've probably seen the 'Despair Novel', or maybe you were going to, but it doesn't actually trigger a 'Despair Disease'.

It's just an ordinary book.

It's just an ordinary story.

It's just an ordinary fictional work.

It doesn't have any effects whatsoever.

The ‘Despair Novel’ doesn't have the ability to make people crazy, and you know this very well. Although you know it in your heart, you just deceive yourself and think that you really are crazy. You want to destroy this unsatisfactory world and fall into a 'Despair Disease'. In the midst of your enthusiasm, you believe that this is an opportunity to escape the world and join this big riot.

Don't do stupid things again, return to your real self.

Go study, go to work, let people move forward, don't find about some boring excuses to escape, don't get bored with boring thoughts, don't talk about boring complaints, don't worry about it, don't find some boring companions in the status quo, don't yell ‘This is a boring world’ to give up.

The world will continue.

The world will not end.

As long as you can use your heart, your body, your own memory in the right way, live in the right place, the world is driven by you, and don't forget this fact.

Tomorrow is Monday, the beginning of a week. The opportunity to cheer you up is close at hand. Why would you want to escape this opportunity?

Do you really want to do that?

Goodnight." [2]

This is the truth.

Just looking at that book that can make people crazy, the system of slaughter in human DNA, and the unknown insects that control the human brain. Free-spirited plot developments like those do not exist in this world. A book is a book. A story is a story. Life is life. No more, no less.

I remembered what K said. I remembered that he said that the 'Despair Disease' may be the same type of lie as Borges. The ordinary people who did not install the K2K system, they lied to and completely deceived themselves as an excuse. They did not despair. In this world that advances according to one's own wishes, in order to escape the life that was difficult to move forward, they took the initiative to suffer from the fictional “Despair Disease", and only saw the reality that they wanted to see. One day they will be judged, just like myself. [3]

"Oh, we have long known that the 'Despair Novel' has no effect. Those guys just started to make trouble after reading an ordinary book. This is worthy of being the forerunner of 'The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History’'. I saw it. It was really despairing. They really are a bunch of hopeless fools. However, listen to this Mr. Authentic... this is humanity. Despair is like a virus. [4] Do you believe hope can really stop it?" The Imposter took out two vials. "These are common sleeping pills. To let you fall asleep, and then work after you fall asleep. Do not worry. I promise not to hurt you, because I am your admirer ......heh."

Silently, Byakuya took the vials. After grabbing them, he gave one of them to me. I ended up ingesting the medicine. Although I felt a little lonely, there was nothing to fear. Because I still had hope, so there was nothing to be afraid of. Byakuya and I drank the liquid in the bottle at the same time. I will be another me. Maybe one day I will meet with Byakuya. I hope that I can meet with him, with it being the two of us over the conquered world. I pray in my heart, as if this was a prophecy. With this, I am finished.

Ok, everyone, I wish you a good dream.

Good Night.

([Journey Under The Midnight Sun] The End)

//////////////////////////////////////////////

| This text was written and created by the K2K System ver 2.3 |

/////////////////////////////////////////////

Translation notes:

[1] Before you ask about Hagakure, his japanese title is more like “Shaman” than “Fortune-teller”, or “Clairvoyant”. Plus his success rate is only 30% not 100%.

[2] Weirdly relevant speech for 2020 IMO.

[3] TLDR: Both the Despair Novel and the Despair Disease were just part of Borges Unreality (basically). Interesting parallel to Junko’s speech in DR3.

[4] “Junko “They have become me, my poison proxy’s waiting to be unleashed, ready to spread despair like a virus, infecting everything.

Mukuro: A Virus?

Junko: It’s a very simple metaphor dumbass.

← cut unneeded dialogue →

Izuru: Despair in Memetic Waves?

Junko: Bingo, everything is a virus. Fashion trends, taste in movies, social media hashtags.

Izuru: Ideas, Philosophy, Art, Culture. They live and die by the Meme. An infection.”

Good to see that Yuya Sato is making use of the speech in a weird fake literal twist.

[Extra] Interesting to note this seems to be the end of a story that Borges was writing. What is fiction? What is the truth? Is the Kudan real, or was that also made up by Borges? (I’ll get back to that that next summary, yes there is still more left in this book)

To Be Continued.

https://drmedicsgamesurgery.tumblr.com/GameSurgeryDRTranslations

#DRT #DRT3 #Danganronpa Togami #Danganronpa: Togami #Danganronpa:Togami #Danganronpa #DRT3 Summary #Summary #part 13 #second last part!

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chiiwifruit · 5 years ago

Text

TCM Day 30: Favourite World

The city surrounding them was immediately recognizable. There was no mistaking the energy and vibrance of the Hanshin Republic, where both the people and the scenery were loud.

“Wow, this brings back memories,” Fai said with a sigh. Back to the beginning. The very first world on their journey. So much had changed since then. It was nostalgic, but melancholy too.

“I wonder if Sorata and Arashi would let us stay with them again?” Mokona asked, climbing up to perch on top of Fai’s head.

Even if they wouldn’t, it seemed rude to be in their world and not say hello. They still remembered where Sorata and Arashi’s apartment complex was, so they walked through the busy streets until they found it.

Syaoran knocked on the door, heart pounding. He wasn’t the Syaoran who had been here before. And yet he had all the memories of his previous self up until the events in Tokyo.

He was prepared to explain. He was not prepared for Sorata to beam at the sight of him and pull him into a tight hug.

“You’re back! How’s it going? Where’s Sakura-san?” he asked with enthusiasm. He pulled away in concern when Syaoran flinched.

“Well, a lot of stuff happened,” Fai said. He laid a gentle hand on Syaoran’s shoulder. “Is it okay for us to come in?”

“I see...” Sorata said. They were gathered in the small sitting area, grouped in a circle with mugs of tea. “I’m not sure I understand everything, but you’re a different Syaoran than the one we met before?”

“Yes.” Syaoran stared at his blurry reflection in his tea. If only the other Syaoran could be here. He would be delighted to see his old friends again.

Sorata rubbed his jaw, considering. “Well, I wouldn’t call it a happy ending.” He crossed his arms over his chest. He was sad to learn of the fates of the other Syaoran and the other Sakura, Syaoran could tell. “But you’ve survived such a perilous quest and saved your princess. You really did your best!”

Syaoran smiled, but he wasn’t convinced. He should have done better, should have found a way to save the other Syaoran and the other Sakura.

Well, he would keep looking. Someday he would find one. They weren’t dead, so they could be saved.

“That you’ve returned here to the Hanshin Republic is a cause for celebration,” Sorata was saying. “You won’t find cooking as good as my honey’s anywhere else. But you also can’t get okonomiyaki like in the Hanshin Republic anywhere else. It’s a tough decision.”

He did look troubled, so much so that Fai stifled a laugh. Kurogane caught Syaoran’s eye and rolled his toward the ceiling. Syaoran found himself smiling. Sorata was so optimistic and passionate. They were admirable qualities, even if they did make Sorata look silly at times.

Arashi, quiet up until now, spoke up. “Perhaps okonomiyaki would be best. That way we can invite other friends as well, like Shougo-san and Masayoshi-kun.” Her expression never changed, which was unnerving. But Syaoran knew that she was kind.

And despite her expression never wavering, she still managed to convey annoyance when Sorata flung his arms around her and gushed, “What a great idea! You hear that? My wife is the most lovely and brilliant. I’ll call the others right now!” And he darted off to the phone.

Arashi remained where she was with her hands folded in her lap. But her eyes sought Syaoran’s. “I hope you’re all right with that. The others will want to know what’s happened.”

Syaoran straightened his spine. “Of course. It will be good to see them.” He was aware that Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona were watching him. Their worry warmed his heart, but he would be okay. It would be so easy to pretend to be the other Syaoran to the friends that the other Syaoran made here to save himself the burden of bearing bad news. But it wouldn’t be right, and he couldn’t stand the thought of doing it. Clone or not, the other Syaoran was real. He existed. And Syaoran was the last person who would want him to be erased.

As parties went, this one was raucous but not quite as wild as the one in Piffle. Of course, that might be because of Touya keeping a stern eye on everyone to make sure they behaved while he fetched food and drinks.

Syaoran expected to be the one to tell the story, but the others took their turns as well. After all, he realized, it wasn’t his story alone. Fai sat next to Syaoran in the booth and kept his arm around Syaoran’s shoulders. Syaoran drew strength and comfort from the contact, and found that he was able to cry, laugh, and joke with the others. And there were tears.

Shougo was a good person for all that he was a troublemaker. He wiped tears from his eyes with his scarf, and after a brief silence of mourning for the other Syaoran, the first thing Shougo asked was whether he was as good in a fight as his counterpart. Syaoran was startled into laughter, but Primera was not impressed.

“Honestly, is fighting the only thing you think about?” she complained, leaning over the back of the other booth to pout at him.

“Hey, hey. No picking fights with our guests, even for fun,” Sorata scolded. “They only just got here. Let them settle in.”

More chastised by Sorata than by Primera, Shougo let the subject drop.

“What’s up?” he asked, noticing Syaoran looking around.

“It’s just that I haven’t seen Masayoshi-kun,” Syaoran said. Masayoshi had been the other Syaoran’s good friend, and he wanted to meet him.

Shougo twisted around in the booth. He had squished himself next to Kurogane. “He was here... maybe he’s being shy again. Oi! Masayoshi! Get over here!”

Sure enough, Masayoshi appeared through the crowd of Shougo’s friends and Primera’s fans. His faced was flushed and he grinned shyly when his eyes met Syaoran’s. “Hi, nice to meet you,” he said once he reached the table, and he bowed to Syaoran. “It’s good to see Fai-san and Kurogane-san again as well.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Syaoran said, smiling warmly at Masayoshi. “When I was watching through the other me, I thought that you seemed like a kind person. I’m glad that I got to meet you myself.”

Masayoshi blushed with embarrassed pleasure and wiped moisture from his eyes with his arm. “Thank you! I was looking forward to showing Syaoran-kun how much I’ve improved, but...”

Syaoran smiled. “I’d love to see it, if you don’t mind.”

Masayoshi’s face lit up. “Okay!”

It was in the early hours of the morning by the time they got back to the apartment complex and collapsed on their futons. As had become typical, Fai and Kurogane slept wrapped around each other. When Syaoran laid down, Mokona tucked herself next to him on the pillow. He fell asleep with her warm weight against his cheek and dreamed of fire.

The flames blazed around him and from its centre emerged a wolf with a horn protruding from its forehead. Syaoran recognized it. It was the kudan that had belonged to the other Syaoran. When it spoke to him, its voice was the crackle of flames.

“We have met before. And yet we have not.”

“That’s right,” Syaoran replied.

“I am the master of those who utilize flame. In the past, one that was like you made a contract with me. Your heart is as strong. Do you also wish to use my power?”

“If you will allow me.”

“Very well.” The wolf dissolved back into formless flames, which pushed into Syaoran’s chest.

Syaoran woke with his chest suffused with heat. The burning slowly faded into a more bearable warmth as he sat up and focused his breathing. Syaoran pressed a fist to his chest and smiled. It seemed he would be able to give Shougo the match he wanted after all.

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woolishlygrim · 5 years ago

Text

Winter Weebwatch #9

Taking advantage of Tumblr’s draft feature to write this into Tumblr in bits and bobs. Streamlining this whooole process.

Also, Pet didn’t air this week, so I presume it’ll be back next week.

Darwin’s Game.

★☆☆☆☆

Wow! A Darwin’s Game episode I actually remember! This is amazing!

But unfortunately it also had a really weird and uncomfortable scene involving Sui, and that’s … egh, I really considered just dropping the show this week because of it, and to be honest I still might, but I gave Plunderer enough proverbial rope to hang itself, so I may as well do the same here. Either way, I’m hacking off two stars for it.

Beyond that, this episode concludes the Hidden Treasure Game arc, with our protagonist (I still have no idea what his name is) finding the treasure and getting a few boons because of it: A ton of points, a conversation with the Game Master (in which he professes that he didn’t create the game, only the interface for it), and one favour of his choice. That favour turns out to be a month of training with the Boxing Gym Clan that the speedster from a few episodes ago is a part of, and the chance to offer an alliance between clans to said box-y punch-y clan.

All in all, this is an episode which caps off the arc in a predictable but engaging enough fashion. The protagonist’s ploy to distract Snakey Dude Man (I know none of these character’s names except Sui, and that’s only because she’s a hydrokinetic whose name means ‘water’) is so simplistic that it kind of falls flat as the show’s attempt to convince us that Protag Guy is some great strategic planner, but sure, fine, whatever.

We have our main antagonist now, at least.

In/Spectre.

★★★☆☆

Good news! Not a flashback episode. Bad news! Partly a flashback episode, partly just set-up for the next episode.

I have to admit, In/Spectre is growing on me, though. I don’t know what it is, it’s just sort of slowly worming its way into my good graces despite having not much about it that’s really that remarkable.

This episode sees us get some backstory on Rikka, mostly how she is both immortal (due to consuming the kudan and mermaid flesh, like Kuro did) and how she is sick (but unable to die, due to the aforementioned), and was discharged from hospital a year prior, living with Kotoko until she eventually vanished.

This actually sets up a really interesting state of play for the next episode, since now there’s another hitch in Kotoko’s plan: Kuro can change the future every time he dies, slowly steering events towards Kotoko’s desired outcome, but Rikka can do the same, steering events towards her own desired outcome, making the upcoming battle a case of ‘who can put themselves closest to their end goal while making the other person’s end goal less plausible and so requiring more steps to get to.’ That’s actually a really interesting set-up for a battle of wits.

ID: Invaded.

★★★☆☆

Well, ID: Invaded’s five star streak had to end eventually.

In fairness, this isn’t a bad episode by any stretch, it’s actually pretty good (if I could do half stars, I’d give it three-and-a-half for sure), it just doesn’t really manage to live up to the potential the previous episode set up.

As Narihisago continues living out his new life in the Well-within-a-Well, Kiki disappears in mysterious circumstances, with thirteen nurses falling asleep and Kiki mysteriously vanishing while they were unconscious, despite the fact that there’s no way she could have gone anywhere. With that mystery fresh in his mind and starting to believe that maybe this is real and his life before was the dream, Narihisago sets out to continue his serial-killing by tracking down the Perforator, only to come face to face with Hondomachi, who thoroughly disabuses him of any notions that he’s in real life.

As the Well-within-a-Well begins to collapse, Narihisago is dragged out, leaving Hondomachi behind to continue investigating John Walker, and lands back in Not!Momoki’s Well as Sakaido, only for Anaido/The Perforator to reveal that he can actually retain his memories in Wells. As Anaido informs Sakaido of his true identity, a storm whips up, revealing them to actually have been Narihisago’s Well all along, the game board having simply been covered by sand.

So, this episode feels rather rushed, and it basically just caps off and abandons the whole Well-within-a-Well idea as soon as it stops being useful as a stealth-flashback. On top of that, while the twist at the end is interesting, it also doesn’t make a lot of sense: Anaido says that he can keep his memories within Wells because of the hole in his head, but Hondomachi has the exact same hole, and we saw that she didn’t retain any memories while inside Wells.

There’s also just not a whole lot of questions answered this time around. In fact, no questions are really answered, bar ‘if the Well they’re in isn’t Momoki’s, then whose is it,’ and even that raises a question of ‘How can Narihisago have murdered the professor if he himself doesn’t remember doing it?’ Instead, it just raises a dozen more questions, like ‘How did Kiki disappear and what happened to those nurses?’

We only have three episodes left, sixty minutes total, and that’s just not a whole lot of time to answer those questions.

Infinite Dendrogram.

★★★☆☆

This episode is basically all fight scene, just five minutes of preamble that mostly serves to remind us that Shu is still a Superior, and then one fifteen-minute battle between Figaro and Xunyu (who is not, contrary to what I said last week, a Superior of Dryfe, but actually a Superior from Huang He, which we’ve never heard of before).

It’s fun, typical shonen anime fare, not tremendously deep but at least an enjoyable watch with some interesting turns, the main one being the reveal that Figaro’s Embryo amplifies his equipment’s stats equivalent to how many free equipment slots he has. That’s an … almost Dark Souls-y ability, to be honest, and it fits in nicely as an interesting but still very game-y ability for him.

Anyway, not much happens this week that’s actually plot relevant, save for Penguin-san showing up at the end (we actually do get his name this episode, he’s called Franklin) and the reveal that he was the one who killed the King of Alter. Still, fun episode.

#id invaded #darwins game #infinite dendrogram #in/spectre #anime

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ibelieveinahappilyeverafter · 6 years ago

Note

This is totally an AU but consider Mic as a real deal villain without his morals. I like to think he'd do a number à la "I'm the Bad Guy" from Wonder over Yonder. Equally parts badass, catchy and villainly and of course done with style!

So, I probably put more effort into this than I should have, but you discovered my secret love for that song more than anything else, and, well… Enjoy?

Summary: Aizawa Shouta learns just how much of a villain Present Mic can be - and why he had been so familiar over the last few weeks.

Inspired by Caleb Hyles cover of “I’m the Bad Guy” over here on youtube.

⍣ I have a Patreon! NOW UPDATED!!⍣ ☪ I have a tip jar! Buy me a Ko-Fi!☪

Heartless

Awareness filtered in slowly through cottoned thoughts and asluggish pulse, Aizawa Shouta trying to get his thoughts in order to figure outwhat was wrong - because something was wrong. He may have been underground, buthe was still a pro hero. There was no way to be a pro hero for over a decadeand not know when something was wrong.

The pieces came in slowly. The sound of breathing besides his ownand heavy bangs against what might have been reinforced steel or metal. Therewas the blurry sight of a dark room with low lighting that had him on edgebefore he could realize why, as well as a body tied up in a chair beside him.It was the feeling of handcuffs around his wrists that really had Shoutaforcing himself to full consciousness.

“If you have a useful quirk, guy, now would be a great time to useit,” the man beside him mumbled, looking to have a generic mutant quirk of anoxen or something in the same vein. Shouta supposed that was why the man wastied down with chains instead of rope like Shouta himself was. “Oi, c’mon, anydrugs he gave you should have worn off by now.”

It was the hissed mention of drugs that had Shouta truly snappingup, heart speeding up and shaking off the lingering effects of what had beendone to him because he realized he had been drugged. That couldn’t be,though. The last thing he remembered was being out on his first date in yearswith-

“Fuck.” Shouta looked around the room as best he could,feeling his panic increase when he saw it was just him and the stranger in theroom. “There should be someone else in here.”

“Yeah, the crazy son of a bitch who kidnapped us. C’mon, man,what’s your quirk?” The voice was unfamiliar, but the face had Shouta frowningwith some vague recognition. He didn’t know if that was good or bad, yet.

“Nothing that’ll help us get out of here,” Shouta finally said,straining at the ropes that were tying him down. He hadn’t had his capturescarf when he had been abducted, so there was little use in that helping. Hehadn’t been wearing his pro hero gear at all and he had made sure thatno one would follow them, so this was more than some villain getting lucky.This had to have been something that was planned.

“Fucking fuck.” An oxen mutant quirk. Shouta knew that wasfamiliar, but his thoughts were still too cloudy to figure out the precisereason. Fuck, he couldn’t worry about it. He needed to figure out a way out ofhere so he could find out what happened.

Pulling at the ropes for a moment more, Shouta leaned forward asfar as he could go, getting ready to fling himself back. If he was lucky theneither the chair would break, or he would be able to get a bit more room towork himself free of his restraints. Before he could go through with it,though, he heard a familiar voice.

“Oh, I wouldn’t bother with that, hero.” It was the Englishnickname crooned out with delight that told Shouta exactly who had kidnappedhim and this familiar stranger. “Don’t you like the company I gave you? Ithought you two might have a lot to talk about, seeing as his superiors wantyou dead.”

“Look, man, I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about! Okay,so yeah, I sell some Trigger on the side, but it’s technically the legal stuff,so you and whoever here can’t do shit about it!”

“Oh?” Present Mic… The man had started out as a bit of a joke, butShouta would be lying if he said he didn’t see how much of a threat the VoiceVillain had become. It wasn’t just his quirk, which was devastating, but thesharp wit and terrifying intelligence the man possessed, as well. “So, then,you aren’t the little errand boy from the League of Villains that’s beenattempting to recruit me for the past few months?”

Ah, that’s where Shouta had recognized him, then. Tanaka Kudan hadbeen a small-time drug dealer before he had joined up with the League of Villains.They had reason to suspect that he was one of many acting as a recruiter, butnow it seemed Shouta had proof if Tanaka was trying to get Present Mic to jointhe League.

“Oh, and as for you, Eraserhead, don’t bother trying to use yourquirk. Those cuffs are the same ones I had to wear last month, so they seem tobe pretty effective, don’t you think?” Fuck. That made things a lot moredifficult seeing as Shouta was tied up and Mic could use his quirklong-distance.

“What’d you do with the man that was with me?” There was silence inthe empty room, Shouta feeling his heart ready to pound its way out of hischest. When the silence wasn’t broken, Shouta knew to expect the worst. “Youbetter hope you’re not in this room when I get out of here.”

His words were forced out through a growl, Shouta straining at theropes again before stopping as he heard a soft, amused laugh that was so familiar.“Oh, Eraser.” No- No, that was Mic’s voice, but that laugh was… “No, I supposeI should say Shouta, now, shouldn’t I?”

The lights became a touch brighter as footsteps approached them,Shouta wishing more than anything that he could close his eyes and look away.He wasn’t allowed the choice before there was enough light to recognize who wasstanding in front of him.

“Always such the hero, Shouta.” Yamada Hizashi stood in front ofhim in the same outfit that he had been wearing when Shouta had picked him upat his apartment; an old and worn pair of black jeans, a soft and open sweatertucked around a light grey vest with a matching the sky-blue button upunderneath, and long golden hair tucked up into a half-bun. The only differencewas that he was wearing the sunglasses of Present Mic. “It’s cute, really.”

“Hizashi?” Shouta’s heart, which had been pounding in fear andworry, felt like it had suddenly stuttered to a halt. “You’re…” It had beenthat missed step. Every day more he spent around Hizashi he had been feelinglike there was a missed step and now… Now he knew why.

“A villain?” Hiz- Present Mic gave a wide grin, sharpcanines on full display and sunglasses slipping down to show vibrant, blood-redeyes. “Oh, Shouta. You really didn’t want to see what was right in front ofyou, did you?”

The same eyes, the same features, the same hair and mustache, thesame voice. All the signs had been there, but Yamada Hizashi had been sodifferent in personality. He had been shy and soft spoken and had grownembarrassed when he talked too much and had been so sweet when he hadasked Shouta if he was busy that night and fuck.

“You still look confused, Shouta, or maybe surprised is a betterword.” That smile showed that it was no one other than Present Mic, the villaingrand and dramatic as he laughed loudly and wildly, the sound echoing off themetal walls and forcing a shiver to crawl down Shouta’s spine. “Let me put thisway in a way you two will understand.”

There was the sound of a clicked button that seemed to echo in thesilence, Shouta not sure if he was horrified or amused as music startedplaying. It had to be some combination because while he had dealt with villainsbefore, he had never dealt with the villains found in cartoons and stories.

High key, unhinged people who found delight in carnage anddestruction and always pulled off plans and ideas that could kill dozens butmade it all into some sick game. A villain like that was one in a million, andShouta had managed to fall in love with him.

“I’m not the damsel in distress.” Hizashi (because this was Hizashithe man he had fallen for) started to sashay and move around theroom, voice powerful and strong and smooth as he sang the words like this allreally was some game. Beside him, Tanaka looked pale and scared. No doubt hesensed what Shouta knew. This man knew full well what it was to be a villain.

“I’m not your boyfriend or the frightened mess.” The wordswere sung straight to him, Shouta trying to jerk his head away when Hizashigrabbed him by the chin to hold him in place. Just as quick as he had him, hewas let go, Hizashi’s sharp smile turning to Tanaka. “I’m not a little birdwho needs your help to fly.” A message to the League, no doubt. ‘PresentMic’ had been complaining about their attempts to recruit him for weeks, now.

“Nope!” The word was cheerful and bubbly and so reminiscentof the laugh he had heard just a few hours ago that Shouta felt like rippinghis heart out himself. “I’m the bad guy.” The look Hizashi threw themwas a look that could never be called sane.

“All these former villains that you see!” Former villains…?Before Shouta could wonder too long, Hizashi kicked at a table and toppled itover, various pieces of equipment and gear scattering across the floor to land attheir feet. “Each of them with shaking knees has knelt before me!” Therewere pieces of equipment that were the markers of certain villains that Shoutaand other heroes had been tracking for months. Had Hizashi reallymanaged to defeat them all?

“So I’m not your teammate or your partner in crime!” No, hecertainly wasn’t. Hizashi would only ever join the League of Villains todestroy it from the inside out and he would do the same to heroes. “What amI, boys?!” Shouta thought that Hizashi expected them to answer before he was squinting as the lights flared intofull brightness.

The upbeat, poppy music was still playing as Shouta stared withwide eyes in terror as the lights highlighted the dozens of Nomu thatwere caged all around the room. The lights had some of them screechingand growling, Shouta swallowing and remembering USJ clearer than he had sincehis initial nightmares. Beside him, Tanaka sounded like he might have been dryheaving.

“Oh it’s magic to watch them all shrivel up and die!”Hizashi was still singing and almost dancing around the room, sweater slippedoff and tossed to the side, a pair of gloves slipped over his hands. Withoutthe sweater, he was looking a lot more like Mic and a lot less like Hizashi. “Ohit’s thrilling to be a villain.”

The man was back in front of Shouta and almost sitting in his lap,leather gloves cold against his cheeks as he sang the lyrics in whatever fuckedup song had caught his attention, “I destroy their hopes and then I watchthem cry… Cause I’m the Bad Guy.”

Shouta felt like he could have cried when he felt lips touch hisfor the briefest of moments before Hizashi was back and walking the room, musicshifting into something darker than even before, “Actually… I didn’t used tobe the Bad Guy, I was just a bit surprising.” Shouta took a breath, tryingto focus. Whatever had happened before, it didn’t matter now. He was a hero -and a pro, at that. If Nomu were involved, then Present Mic had become evenmore dangerous then before. He needed to be stopped.

“It’s not worth losing sleep, it’s not worth analyzing.”Maybe there was a hint as to what he was planning in his song? It would be justlike him to put all his plans in a song format and then sing them to thepeople he had captured. “There was a time not so long ago at all I was justlike you, did you hear my call?”

Hizashi was staring right at him and Shouta felt the words swirlaround his head, heart not only stopping, but breaking. There was alwayssome sort of truth to Mic’s songs, but this… Whatever soft moment had been leftwas now gone, Present Mic laughing as he petted the Nomu.

“Oh ain’t it fantastic?! I see something, I blast it! And let metell you why…” The Nomu were acting like pets. Did they respond toanyone if they were away from the League, or had Hizashi managed to controlthem in a different way? Shouta didn’t get to think about it long before Hizashiwas walking back towards him.

“I’ve always had a weakness for barrenness and bleakness.”Hizashi’s full attention was all on him and Shouta felt sick with himself whenhe realized he liked it. “I crush all your hopes and then I watch youcry…” A hand on the back of his neck had him going still for just enoughtime for Hizashi to press his lips against his, the kiss soft and warm andrelaxed as if they had an eternity to spend in that kiss alone. It waseverything Shouta had wanted earlier that night. What a sick joke.

“See I find this business rather fun!” Hizashi let him goand was grinning wild and vicious, looking between Tanaka and then him. “Idon’t want your assistance or your adulation! I’ll vaporize your fantasyand bid you bye-bye!”

Hizashi was back over at one of the cages, fingers tapping on a keypadbeside it. Shouta had a second to realize what was happening before he wasstruggling to get out of his binds. “Why?” The word was drawn out as hesang, Hizashi’s voice crazy and almost distorted as the cage began to open.“Come on- Guess!”

It felt like it happened in snapshots. One moment Shouta wasstruggling with his bonds, the next he was looking up, another he saw the Nomuin front of them and then the one that had almost killed him, and then he feltwarm blood on his cheek and heard the gurgles of life rapidly leaving a body,the stench of the Nomu right beside him overpowering everything else asTanaka… Shouta couldn’t see much with the way he was tied down and the bulk ofthe Nomu in the way, but there was more than enough blood to let him know theman’s state.

“Because I’m the Bad Guy…”

The first Erasermic kiss I write and it’s for this… I’m sorry?

#erasermic #bnha #villain mic #villain!mic #present mic #heartless #hello-casualbouquetcycle #my writing #minor character death

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