#I'm a silly little guy and the gacha game hates me

[planetarythorns]

I hate pjsk because I've been trying desperately to get all of my favorites lately on jp (wd3, wxs world link, Toya4) and instead the game has been telling me to kick rocks and has given me three Nene 4 stars I didn't want like. Did I use all my luck on Rui4 or something??? Is this punishment for hyperfixating until I got that full set??? BECAUSE I WENT ON MY BRAND NEW ACCOUNT ON MY OLD PHONE AND GOT TOYA'S NEWEST 4 STAR IN THREE 10 PULLS???

the gacha game gods hate my main account specifically and I've been robbing some Nene and Haruka fan for like 2 months now. Send help.

[ratlesshonret]

(This is a very long and disorganized rant. It may come off as very aggressive, but know that it is simply the way I speak when I want to ramble and not indicative of any true anger/malice)

Follow-up to my last post, it is kind of a pet peeve of mine when people almost brag about winning Limbus encounters with winrate.

Like... if you don't like the gameplay, just say that. If you want to just get to the story, that's fine. But sometimes I'll see a creator act like they're so amazing at Limbus, like "I'm so good I can win even with winrate"

But. That's not. Being good at the game? That's just letting gacha luck and the autowin button play the game for you while you take all the credit.

Idk, I kind of hate it, as someone who genuinely likes and appreciates the intricacies of Limbus gameplay. Esp when they whine and fucking complain about how a fight is "too hard" because they have to read two lines of text and then manually select a few skills instead of letting the win button carry them.

Even worse is when these people go play Ruina and complain that it's way too complicated because there isn't a single button that lets them win any fight. Hot take incoming everyone, but Ruina is really not that hard, literally 90% of the game is learning to read. And there's a difference between "ooh lmao i missed that one line when going over the passives, i can't read lol" and "i genuinely refuse to read the passives even when i am losing over and over again"

And that's the thing, some of these people literally REFUSE to read card/skill effects and passives. When they'd probably save more time reading them both by losing the fights less and becoming better at the game.

I feel like in the start, "Project Moon fans can't read" was just to describe a phenomenon of missing/misreading a line or two in the text and making a silly mistake because of it, but now it has gone to become a genuine phenomenon and almost an excuse for itself. Creators and redditors and many others literally refusing to read the text and then excusing it with "well limbus fans can't read it's fine"

And now it is seeping into the story discussion. People wanting to have the story neatly summarized for them by someone else, because they aren't willing to have their own thoughts and interpretations. I mean, what if I'm wrong guys?!?!?! What if I had an incorrect interpretation of the story that harmed nobody and only served to slightly confuse me for a short period?!?!?!

In some ways, the phenomenon of creators like ESGOO neatly summarizing IDs and their gameplay so that winrating Limbus streamers can know what to shard for to put as little effort into playing and enjoying the game as possible has seeped into every corner of the fandom. It's like: "Guys I've GOTTA know what my smart Limbus gameplay guy says about the new ID/EGO. I've GOTTA have Reddit summarize the story for me. I can't have my own thoughts about the gameplay or the mechanics or the story or anything, I need to have someone else package it for me"

I know that not everyone is a diehard fan. Some people are just casuals. It's okay to not enjoy the gameplay and want to get it over with, and to some degree it is helpful to have other people do stuff like explain what IDs/EGOs are good, and what to look out for in both your own and the enemy's skills so you can spend as little time as possible being bogged down with reading pages of text.

But when I see people complaining like "they should just put the source code in the ID skill text" or "omg this new ID is a fucking novel who wants this" it just makes me a little sad. Are we so averse to reading, what, like two paragraphs total of text, that we need to complain every time a new ID comes out that has more than two effects per skill?

And when I see people blatantly misunderstand the story, possibly now because they just skimmed the dialogue and had someone else explain what happened and then formed their opinions based on how they felt when the pretty colors were on screen, it makes me wonder what we're doing.

It almost feels like something Project Moon would tackle in their own works. A society so unwilling to think their own thoughts, so unwilling to take even the barest effort to understand the world around them, that they rely on a few select people they've just decided are smart to summarize and explain everything confusing that happens so that they can go back to mindlessly mashing buttons.

And this behavior being reinforced, through memes like "Project Moon fans don't read" and "me when I winrate the final boss" and "just spam fluid sac lmao," as well as through batshit insane plot theories and interpretations that seem like people are just saying whatever.

I don't really have a point other than that... maybe we need to encourage more actually reading? Instead of just having a semi-formed thought and going to the nearest 'expert' to ask "hey what do you think about X story thing" we actually encourage people to have their own thoughts and feelings and opinions instead of just listening to whatever the generic fandom hivemind says about the plot and mechanics.

[thatdeadaquarius]

Okay so-- i was reading some sagau posts and came across this one where the reader was an army vet and my brain just Did Its Thing--

So now I'm here to inflict this on to you--

Would guns be considered as catalysts. And would they only do Phys Damage.

Me reading this ask:

😶 😐 🤨 🧐 🧐 😰 🥲 😭😭😭 💀

STOP YOU'VE INFLICTED ME WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DMG FROM THIS ASK 😭

(Also srry took so long to respond, when i didnt realize how short this was/was just sitting over here 😓)

^ For the sake of gun imagery being a lot/maybe staff might hate me for it,

we'll put this gay shit instead (i almost mispelled to "gay shot" lmao)

☆

Sun: Army Veteran Reader, Gender neutral Reader (you/they/them)

Orbit: SHORT Headcanons

Stars: everybody bc i think itd be funny

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: gun stuff, mild violence, mild cursing & Trigger Warnings: Gun fun everywhere

THIS ASK HAS ME GIGGLING TO MYSELF LIKE A MANIAC

You're out here having a whole gun they let you take for off-base

And u ofc have a license so u can conceal carry

(idk how non-american gun laws work, but tbh ours are so fucked idk how they work here either, just that an army guy i knew once could have his gun when he got back home)

And ofc ur just paranoid enough (more like it just makes u feel safe)

That when u get yoinked into a portal to a silly little brightly colored gacha game fantasy world, the gun comes with 💀

Id like to add in my silly little "ur in a video game, so video game rules" AU version of genshin so:

The only other gun (ish) wielder (Mika) has unlimited bolts

Sooo I'd think your gun would be the same jfc lol

NO BC YOUD SCARE THE ACTUAL SHIT OUT OF EVERYONE IN UR VICINITY IN A BATTLE

BC GUNSHOTS ARE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LOUD

When u first stumble into abyss monsters/hostile creatures of the realm, u nearly scare off a Lawlachurl bc every shot's like thunder to these bitches😭

So not only the monsters but the vision holders think u fucking summoned lightning

OMG THE BULLETS ARE SO FAST THEYD PROBABLY NOT SEE IT

ESP BC DISTRACTED BY GUNSHOT LOUDNESS

SO U AIM THIS LITTLE BLACK CROSSBOW (???) AND THINGS JUST DIE (OR GET RIDDLED WITH HOLES) WITH NO CLEAR ARROW STICKING OUT

STOPP- you're becoming a witchy god or smth to all of Teyvat bc it just looks like hella high level magic atp to them LMAOOO

Rumors of you get out of hand and say u just point or snap ur fingers and things get wounded/just die on the spot 💀

Oh another difference between Teyvatians seeing ur gun vs. crossbow (what they know)

Is that guns are wayyyy more destructive

Like an arrow would get shot but it'd bounce off of things like rock or wood or metal, maybe dent a little depending on how close

But a bullet goes thru that shit so easy, and leaves a whole little explosion behind, once again depending on range

(I once saw a Mythbusters episode? of them proving bullets would definitely go thru car doors, like movies lied to u, this is why drive-bys acc work like for gangs)

Lmao, the image of you in like full armor with a Teyvat made automatic gun after showing it to blacksmiths

Makes u just more convincing as a god, esp bc military training

(Ppl like Gorou and Kokomi begging for military tactics/training ur world has done)

...

....Ok.

I'll address it.

But only so u dont think im stupid later.

Yes, the Fatui have guns.

No, this not the same as having a glock LMAO

End of story.

(Also, urs runs on bullets, whereas the Fatui rely on magic/delusions to power theirs, plus they dont seem as fast or destructive as urs, more "explosions aimed at you" than real bullets)

Which,,, u leave the managing of ppl copying ur gun to ppl like the Qixing or smth, but make sure to give them advice on good gun laws if teyvat accidentally revolutionizes bc of ur advanced gun that anybody can wield (non-vision users)

Thats the best ive got abt that

Oh, also enjoy being praised as a War god now.

:)

☆

... dammit i had smth i was gonna tell u guys-

Uh what tf was it, it was important

OH

Next post is the Eldritch God Oneshot! Look out for it :) !!

☆

Safe Travels Kid,

💀♒️

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

[eorzeanflowers]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 tags

Basic rules: choose 10 fandoms that you are part of/support, and choose a favorite character from each of those. Then, tag ten folks!

Tagged by: @miqojak Ty for the tag!!! Sorry it took a hot minute.

Tagging: Uhhhhh, @terminuspride, @fair-fae, @alannah-corvaine, @voidsentprinces, @healerstail, @ahollowgrave, @alicelufenia, @starrysnowdrop, @briar-ffxiv, @driftward

Now to the list! In no real particular order cause I really just drift from thing to thing.

Penny Polendina (RWBY)

I love my quirky little robot girl. She's the absolute best, a brilliant fighter and very emotionally intelligent. She is such a cheerful ideal, someone who tries to see the best in people. She knows when they've gone too far and isn't afraid to stand up for what she wants! Which is the whole core of her little arc. Being a weapon given a soul and all. It is a beautiful story of a little girl who cares so much and wishes to be able to just... be that cheerful little girl without the weight of the world. Its just so sweet.

Honorable mentions: Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Oscar, Neo

2. Kafka (Star Rail)

In all honesty she's the reason I'm even playing Star Rail. She is such a mysterious character, with a voice to die for. Yes, Hoyoverse characters tend to be rather shallow (that's a gacha game for ya), but Kafka just hits everything I love in a character. Her character short when she was fully released is... *chef's kiss* just amazing. I will admit, every time she does her ult in game I join her in saying "Boom." ^_^;

Honorable Mentions: March 7th, Stelle (Trailblazer F), Seele, Bronya, Jingliu

3. Lyse (FFXIV)

Shocker, the leading lady of Stormblood is still my favorite? Honestly, all three of the ladies from Stormblood are the trifecta of favorites. (Lyse, Fordola and Yotsuyu) The various storylines that cause them to interact is such a delight. I wasn't too bothered by the whole "Yda was my sister" thing, cause well, Yda was barely in the game post ARR... And like, it was always Yda and Papalymo. Never just one or the other. So when Lyse got the chance to shine and actually take center stage, I was smitten. She's tough, gentle, sassy, collected, brilliant, a bit silly, and more. Such a well written character. I'm still upset she left the scions tbh. Could've added a little hair color diversity by a little bit. :P

Honorable mentions: Aymeric, Hilda, Erenville, Zero, Y'shtola, Thancred, Ryne, Gaia, Minfillia

4. Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb)

Ok, seriously, this series grabbed me by the throat and would not let me go. Gideon is such a lovely first viewpoint (and I adore all the viewpoint characters). She takes no shit, talks a lotta shit, and can fight a whole heck more shit. The way she interacts with Harrow at first, then the other Necromancers and their Cavaliers is such a delight. Sure you hate Harrowhark so much Gideon, why are you obeying her command to not speak a single word to literally anyone else, hmmmmmmmmmmm?????? Also the gay panic that Gideon seems to have on the regular is just. Great. I don't want to speak too much more on Gideon, cause this series is just great and you should read it.

Honorable mentions: Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Nona, Camilla Hect, Ianthe Tridentarius, Coronabeth Tridentarius.

5. Raiden Ei (Genshin Impact)

Last time it was Eula, now it is Raiden Ei. It is always a toss up between them, if I'm being honest. Ei is just... such a sad puppy? XD Its the best way to describe her. So trapped in her own past and trying to do what would best preserve her sister's memory... She's just SAD guys. Yeah, she may not be the best governing force for her nation, and she indirectly killed a lotta people with her retreating away and leaving a puppet behind, but we the Traveler showed up and fixed things! Also she gets two amazing boss fights, I honestly wish I could do the story one again but I ain't working through Mondstat and Liyue again. >.>;

Honorable mentions: Eula, Alhaithem, Deya, Kamisato Ayaka, Zhongli, Nahida, Navia, the Wanderer, Wriothsley

6. Karlach (Baldur's Gate 3)

KARLACH IS THE BEST AND SHE IS SO SWEET AND LOVELY AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO BACK TO HELL OR DIE OR [redacted]. She is such a lovely goofball that even shows platonic love if you don't romance her and I really think that is great! Her arc tying into Gortash was delightful, bringing her much more into the story instead of just a bystander like a couple of them. (Like out of all the origin companions Astarion barely has any connection to any of the major players in the story, he's pretty self contained tbh.) Her sweetness, the way she says she's gonna eat dirt if you leave her camp, and her cheerful demeanor are just.... Amazing. I'm really running out of words for Karlach cause she is my favorite. I'm gonna have to start BG3 up again and actually play my romance run of her soon.

Honorable mentions: Shadowheart, Wyll, Astarion, Lae'zel, Dammon, Orin, Jaheira, Minthara, Isobel, Aylin

7. The Doctor (Doctor Who)

Ok, a bit of a cop out since, you know, they are the star of the show. BUT COME ON. The Doctor in their various iterations have been so enjoyable. My personal favorite is Tennet's 10, but Capaldi's 12 is a strong second. Its just a good show to binge at times. There are a lottta good episodes, a few really bad ones, but overall its a good time. The scene at the end of the special where they rescue Gallifrey is still one of my favorite scenes in the whole franchise. And hell, the Archeologist is based (loosely) on them, so how can I not include them?

Honorable mentions: DONNA NOBLE, Rose Tyler, Clara Oswald, Bill Potts, Me, Strax

8. Xion (Kingdom Hearts)

Have I mentioned I love tragic characters? Xion is literally the definition of tragedy, with all the problems with her just existing lol. Her presence in 358/2 Days really made the game for me. Roxas was kinda bland and having someone that was similar in age (like Sora, Riku and Kairi were) to interact with made it all that much better. AND SHE GETS THE HAPPY ENDING. Eventually. Boy is it a long road, but that's Kingdom Hearts for ya.

Honorable Mentions: Kairi, Namine, Riku, Sora, Aqua, Terra, Master Xehanort, Isa, Lea

8. Lucina (Fire Emblem)

I really wanna pick someone else in all honesty, but Fire Emblem has a worse problem than Hoyoverse games in their bit characters. :/ Lucina is a strong character that really delighted me when I played Awakening. She's such a surprise that it really helps make that Fire Emblem my favorite. She's got a good supporting cast too, with Robin and her dad Chrom, but Awakening was really her game. Chrom was kinda there just to be her dad lol

Honorable mentions: Robin, Chrom, Ike, Mist, Soren, Sumia, Erika, Marisa, Lyon, Elincia

9. Trevor Belmont (Castlevania)

Full disclosure, I have not played his game, in fact the only two castlevania's I have played both feature non Belmont's as the lead players (Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclasia). But the way Trevor is in the show, OH BOY. He is rough, he is blunt, he is smart, he is SOOOO dumb, he is loyal, he is a fighter, he never gives up, HE IS JUST GREAT. He's also one of my biggest Bi panics when he shows how much of a badass he is in episode, I think, 4 or 5 or later? Its been a hot minute since I watched that series. When he first uses the flail weapon that I forget the name of.

Honorable mentions: Shanoa, Jonathan Morris, Charlotte Aulin, Sypha Belnades, Alucard, Dracula

10. Aigis (Persona)

Aigis is a super cutie and I love her interactions with the female protagonist. I really wish P3 wasn't such a long game and Aigis actually showed up a little earlier. She's just a doll! I do need to try and find a copy (or emulate) FES to play the storyline with her as the lead singer. Its just so rough to get thru P3 I just lose motivation. T.T I've made it to the vacation part with the female lead, like, three times and no further cause my motivation tanks. WHICH IS WEIRD CAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU MEET AIGIS. Its just too long for me I guess. XD

Honorable mentions: Teddie, Female lead P3, Male lead P4, Yukari Takeba, Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Fuuka Yamagishi, Shinji Aragaki, Junpei Iori, Chidori Yoshino, Elizabeth, Theodore

Not gonna lie, kinda struggled to find a full 10 franchises to pull a character from. My mind just goes blank when asked my favorite character from X place. Names escape me and everything. XD But as you can see, I love robot girls, strong girls, mysterious girls, tragic girls, a fail man, and traveling weirdo.

[whitewarrior02]

White's After-Gaming Archive - Entry #3: Never Tell Me The Odds

I will defy them one way or another, for better or worse.

Currently Playing: Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact

Let me tell you about some of my friends.

I hold my friends very dearly to me, and I am not very superstitious, but I swear some of them have a passive aura. Two of them, a fellow that'll be referred to as Space and the previously-mentioned Red are ridiculously lucky, and Space seems to get his by vacuuming the luck from nearby surroundings. Including people. We tend to poke fun at him for it, especially when he plays the odd gacha game here and there and pulls powerful units. But like I said, he vacuums all the luck, all of it. Whenever he goes on a hot-streak, the rest of us tend to get dealt some doggie-doodoo results.

I'm beginning to think Red might also have a luck vacuum that I've simply never noticed. Either that or Zenless rates are very inconsistent. See, when Miyabi came out, he pulled and got her pretty easily. I had been saving for quite a while after an ill-fortuned attempt at getting Burnice, so I figured I would pull later than him. In that downtime, he got Miyabi C1. Not bad, surprised he had that many Polychromes. And then C2. Ahh... hm, wow, early pity, pretty lucky. Well, I guess I should do my pulls then, huh?

70 pity later, I was lucky enough to not lose the 50/50 chance of getting Miyabi or another S-Rank something or other. Cool. But Red had gotten his own hot-streak going, and whilst I was occupied with building other characters, somehow, despite being completely free-to-play, Red managed to not only get Miyabi's W-Engine, but also C6 Miyabi herself. "That's some wild luck," I thought, eerily reminded of Space at the moment. "Hope some of that comes my way."

Friends. *puts hand on shoulder*

It did not.

At the time of writing, I've just gotten off of Zenless after coming short of hard pity on the Hailstorm Shrine banner. I have hit the statistical minority and lost a 75/25 to The Restrained, Lycaon's W-Engine. I won't pretend I'm not a little miffed, BUT. I am at least glad that I have Lycaon as an agent available for deployment. So continues the bit of White somehow getting S-Rank W-Engines I don't have an immediate use for. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jumping from one Hoyo game to another, we return to Chiori's character story, where the fashion industry is more cutthroat than I could've expected. Turns out in the 24 hours since we were invited to model her new collection, not only has Kirara gotten a professional escort out of Fontaine...

...but Chiori's also been subjected to a hit piece in the Fontainian fashion tabloids. Well, "hit piece" might not be appropriate, it's more an "reputational assassination piece", claiming her sole clientele were criminals and societal rejects. Wow. Only thing they didn't do was throw bricks through her windows.

Brief tangent: I hate stuff like this. Not the quest, mind you, I think this is a fine plot and they're executing it well, but the concept of reputational subterfuge. It gets on my nerves when people will stew in their malice to find ways of tearing down others minding their own business, then parade around as the victim, the good guy, the exposer of lies and falsehoods. On your side.

Sorry, reminded of life experiences dealing with scum. Back to the silly gamba game.

Anyways, the article does its job well, with every supplier and most clients wanting to break ties with Chioriya Boutique as soon as possible. I do find her reaction to the sudden influx of returns and cancellations funny, however. No, Chiori, there isn't a second flood coming, just a deluge of inconvenience.

Thankfully, we have connections. Charlotte just so happens to be looking to debunk the article and goes out to gather interviews with still-loyal clients. Meanwhile, Chiori goes to clear her head and happens across a new idea; use starfish and coral as accessories to revolutionize her designs. Don't... know how sustainable that is, girly, but... ok. One return the boutique and a total wreckage of her catalogue later, and Navia finally shows up to first unintentionally threaten us, then offer her help. Apparently that won't be enough, so we leave them to go get Lyney and Lynette, which I can only assume means someone is going to be gravely injured when we go to raid the rival who started this fight... tomorrow. Once we've gotten the help, that completes the daily commissions for today. Unrelated but whoever decided to put reputation improving quests behind random dailies needs to be internally reviewed. Garcia's Paean more like Garcia's Pain, hahahahhahhaha... ugh.

I want my luck back, Red White

[shatcey]

Oh, dear, I wanted to answer almost all of your words, but I held back… a bit.

I'm also giggling & kicking my feet cause one of the tags is "Michelle asks" and be prepared to use that tag more often!

I'm looking forward to it!

Also, it's totally okay if you don't respond right away! If I were you I'd have needed at least 48 hours to order my thoughts and write them down😭 So really, even if you take a week to get to my answer I'll totally understand🫶🏻

Unfortunately, it's not that easy for me. I have… a lot of plans and ideas about what I would like to write. And… if I won't answer right away, it can easily be buried under this mountain. So… I start right away, but I usually leave drafts unfinished for a day or so to gather my thoughts and correct what I've already written. I'm making a lot of corrections… I'm the biggest critic of myself.

Okay brb I'm officially blocking Ally from this conversation so he won't find Gilbert🏃🏻‍♀️💨

Oh, don't worry. This is Gilly-bee. Ally will only find him if Gilly-bee lets him. But now I'm a little worried about what will happen if Ally finds this big cat… It's a cat! Oh, no, not that damn cat! I can't get this image out of my head… (about the guy who thinks he's a cat, that's what I was talking about)

OMG I remember being a huge Ellis fangirl when the bath gacha in JP was released and how HARD I was gaslighting myself into thinking I didn't like Victor more than Ellis in it😭

I get exactly what you mean. When the game came out on EN, I chose Ellis' card as the first one. But I couldn't find it for some time… I remember when Ally's card showed up, I looked at him for a couple of minutes, thinking how much I like this card... But… I was slightly interested in him at the time… I was so silly back then.

I get the sense it's somewhat of a slow-burn? Like, it takes a while before they even share a kiss or do something truly physical.

In this sense, it is literally torture. He's kind of a priest, so we should be grateful we got at least something. I wish I had an epilogue… But now I've found a walkthrough, maybe I'll get it… in a month.

even though I love Alfons purely platonic

It's terrible of me to say… I'm interested in Vivi not entirely platonically. He makes me think… about something completely non-platonic… You have no idea how jealous Ally is about this.

Spoken like an Ally girl and a protagonist!!🗣️

Oh, you flatter me! I've always considered myself the MC's friend who jokes the most but never gets a guy. It's a nice change.

THIS SOUNDS SO MUCH LIKE VICTOR

You're right, it is!!! But I was thinking about Alfons when I wrote this. You can't imagine how annoyed I was when I couldn't figure him out. I read his route twice in a row in Japanese without stopping. And I still felt frustrated because I couldn't figure him out. And it's doubly annoying to think that I really acted like a cat.

IDK WHAT TO THINK OF KEIJI.

I think this guy is perfect! Tall, strong, smart, creative, funny, supportive, openly showing affection and… ginger with golden eyes (not to mention he has long hair… at least longer than the others in this game). What else to dream about? I really hate myself for not loving him the way he deserves. And Mai thinks a little differently in this route. But… I won't spoil! You should read it yourself. I wonder what people don't like about his route… it's really good, and funny, and…..so much drama… And now I miss my ginger…

My biggest fear is that I'll discover a beloved route was less good than I originally thought it was😬

I liked Johann (Faust) before I read his route. But the more I read it, the more I dislike it (3 times). This route is definitely not for those who like to ask questions. Surprisingly. He's a scientist. But I understand what you mean. Everything is known by comparison. But… I don't have such a problem, I have a very bad memory. I don't remember the details, just the impressions and the most strong scenes. It's actually not that bad. There are so many surprises when I reread routes.

I've been thinking about posting a theory on why I think Mitsuki gets kidnapped a lot compared to the other MCs🤔

You've piqued my curiosity. I'd like to hear it. You should definitely post this.

I SO BADLY WANT TO READ THE IKEGEN ROUTES😭

Oh… got ready to read. I LOVE this game.

Genjiden is indeed more complex. I suppose the problem is that it contains a lot of terminology that no longer exists. My translation apps are constantly going crazy and telling me very strange things. In addition… All character's names have meaning, and apps recognize them not as "names", but simply as "words". So… It took me a while to remember that. That's why reading one chapter of Genjiden is the same for me as reading 2 or even 3 chapters of Villains. By time and brain activity.

But it's definitely worth it! The stories themselves are incredibly interesting and beautiful. The characters are presented in such a way that it is impossible not to fall for them. AND MC IS DIFFERENT! She is really different on every route. I hate her in Benkei's route, she inspire me in Kagetoki's route, I love her in Yoichi's route, and she shines so brightly in Yoshitsune's route.

I don't remember Shigehira's route very well. He's a typical tsundere, so it was fun. But mostly I was like… OMG, Yoichi! He's here! Why is he so damn good? That kind of reaction. (cough) So… The MCs really seem to be completely different people. And suddenly a stupid question "why do all the guys fall in love with the same girl?" just disappears. They are not the same, they are different.

The only problem is that the love rivals are the friends of the main boys. I… wrote about this… It's really stupid to think that friends have the same tastes. On the other hand… I like Vivi.....… I said nothing.

So... the translation...

But if you know at least a little Japanese, it will be much easier for you. At least I think it will be easier…

When I was just starting reading this game, I found the blog @.sakura-samsara. Unfortunately, they haven't finished translating the routes…. Yoichi and Shigehira. And the blog is currently on indefinite pause. But I really like it because they don't just translate, they give a little extra information at the end of some chapters. Like this.

This may be related to the translation, or to historical information, or to some interesting facts. It feels like this person is not just translating the text, they really loves the language, culture and history of Japan. I really like the way they convey their passion.

Even the few chapters that I read helped me see the logic in the rest of the story. So… I recommend this for a start. If you're really interested.

In addition, @.aishangotome has translated the routes of Yoshitsune and Yoritomo. And I think I saw that another translation of Yoshitsune's route was ongoing… wait a minute… yes, it is translated by @.cheshireliam (links to master lists). They also translated Yasuchika's route and the sequel of him and Akihiro (the sequel in this game is dedicated to a couple of characters, not what we are used to). But I don't recommend this as a starting point. On the first routes, these guys are a big mystery, so leave them for later.

Maybe there are more. But to be honest, I wasn't really looking…

I really like this game and I seriously don't understand why the players didn't recognize this jewel…

Thank you for a talk, it was a lot of fun. I really like to hear the impressions and experience of others. It's very interesting...

PS: Don't worry, I won't let myself get too close to Vivi. It's just a fantasy, nothing more. I really don't need anyone but my Ally.

Helloo!! I was inspired to ask after reading your thoughts on Azel's romantical ending. What are your favorite routes from the ikemen series and what type of routes do you seem to gravitate towards?

Hi, Michelle. I'm so happy! I'm always happy to talk to you! This is a very good question. And this is a really complex topic, at least for me. You know, I like to reflect… maybe too deep…

Sorry for not responding right away, I needed time to think, and then… OMG, how is it 3 a.m.? Time definitely flies by when you're doing what you like. This is going to be a very long post… so I'm going to hide it.

To begin with, the difference in impressions can be explained simply: was it a clean read (without spoilers or even teasers, without any events) or not? For example, when you start playing a game that has been around for many years, there are already many main routes maybe even sequels, and you can choose any one in any order. And there you can find spoilers for other routes if you choose something wrong.

It's easier to explain with examples.

I started playing Princes (my first Ikemen game) around the time Clavis's route came out. I remember how much I liked his design, he's so beautiful, but I mentally stopped myself… like… No, I have to start with something simpler first. Like… That's right… Chev… he is RECOMMENDED. That means he's simple (hysterical laughter).

But it was a clear reading. Without any prejudice. And the most memorable routes in that category are Licht and Silvio. If Licht awakens the maternal instinct in me at first, then something entirely different. How does this baby face do that? He… manipulating me like a doll. With Silvio, everything is not so clear. I already knew about him from the events. I didn't like him. At all. He annoyed me so much. I think I became interested in him on Rio's route. There was something that screamed how caring he really was. I don't remember where it was, but… it was obvious. And on his route… I begin to doubt his words from the very first chapter. Like, "honey, why are you asking me to kill you? Do you want to die or something?" And because of that, I never hated him, he never annoyed me (no, that's a lie, I was very annoyed by his "bitch". It's a bad word, I don't like it).

And the most difficult… totally spoiled Gilbert's route. I was very curious, extremely curious. So I downloaded JP game because of him and… read the translation. I can't say that the translation was bad, I still think that his line "little rabbit is hitting on me" is much better than "little rabbit is flirting with me", a completely different impression. But… perhaps the problem is not the translation, but the fact that I found a lot of spoilers here. And I didn't get the full effect of "NO WAY". So Gilly-bee haven't become my star, as he should have. I still like his route, it's nice (in the sense of interesting and understandable) and very beautiful (in the sense of narrative style and plot development). And this character somehow occupies a very small place in my head (Ally hasn't found him yet), so he sometimes appears in scenes or short stories. It means something.

You're probably already know about Villains. I fell in love with Ellis' voice, but gradually calmed down. And I also fell for Victor's looks. Damn... that smile… the hairs… and a birthmark (you remember that it all started with Clavis, right). And now this guy is occupying my brain for a completely different reason (tired exhail).

I've been falling in love with Ally very slowly since his events. Again… because I'm starting to doubt his words and actions. Why did he say that, why did he do that? I wanted to figure him out. Because if I can't figure something out, it's annoying as............… very annoying. And now I consider his route to be very balanced. But I'm biased.

So why I like routes

This is my personal opinion about how stories should look like. It doesn't have to be true, but that's how I see it.

The simplest thing is balance. A balance between fun and serious moments. It's simple. And there is no need for explanations. We shouldn't get too upset or distracted from the main couple. In addition the new information (about his past, about his beliefs, about his plans) should be provided at the right time in the right amount. I feel like a baby bird… I open my mouth and wait for food to be brought to me. And… not all the food I got I can chew, and not everything they give me is even edible. It's rare in Ikemen games, but… sometimes it happens.

I can relate something from my experience to the story. I'm not referring to specific scenes, dialogues, or (dear me) trauma. I mean the emotional connection. To feel connected to the situation. As if I can feel their pain, understand their motives. Sympathise and empathise. I like to feel connected to them, one way or another, if this is happening, then it's not some kind of fiction, it's already a real story. And I'm a part of it. Am I delusional? Most definetely am.

Minor characters. They are NOT background! I hate it when only the main couple is active, and everyone else is just for moral support or something. That's why I always ask what the hell the others are doing when the main couple talking? If you want only these two to talk, leave them alone. Otherwise, it's very odd. Side characters should have personality, they should influence the development of the plot. And if you already know these guys, they should be themselves, recognizable. I criticized Chev seq a lot for this very reason. Characters, like real people, change, I agree, but it doesn't happen overnight. If you want to show their changes, then you should do that in events and other main routes (if they have a fixed order). I've get distracted! About the minor characters. On Azel's route, all the side characters matter. They all shine here, they all move the plot in one way or another. And all the guys are pretty recognizable, they shown from a slightly different angle, and that's wonderful. They are layered. I love it.

The main theme. Every story has a beginning, a development, and an ending. And there must be some kind of theme in all this, something that connects all the characters, gives the story some additional meaning and connects everything together like glue. We have a very strong theme in every Villains main route. There is always the theme or love in the Princess. I'm not going to criticize, it has a theme, and it's big one. There are many different types of love so they can exploit it infinitely.

Story. If the story doesn't seem interesting enough, I will be very annoyed. I won't drop it, I'm too stubborn, but I will be very grumpy. Why I might not like the story? There are too many flashbacks, unnecessary flashbacks (for example, what happened a minute ago). Why not tell us right away? Why to use flashback? Unnecessary. Jumping around the plot, from side to side without any logic. Logic is important, without logic I get very annoyed. Or… the worst part… the narrative. I'm not a native English speaker, but even I can tell if the story is beautifully written or not.

Chemistry. Sorry… but I need it. I really need to feel that main couple attracts each other like a magnet. Not just because they are similar, or because of some logical conclusions that explain why they should be together. I love logic, but without chemistry, I won't believe it's love. There is a lot of this on some routes… For example, on a Azel. There's so much electricity that I wondered how they didn't light up like lamps. Really. Wow. Some don't. That doesn't mean they're bad, it's just that they weren't written for me.

Compatibility. I firmly believe in the concept that there are no perfect people, but there are people who are perfect for each other. I felt it on Silvio's route. They're just made for each other. I felt it on the routes of Ally or Willy. Mitsuhide is also a very good example. It is very difficult to explain why. It's just an impression. It's like they're destined to be together, and their every action just proves it. But maybe it's just my imagination.

And finally… mystery (smiling as the Cheshire cat). Who doesn't like it? So… A secret that will be like a word on the tip of your tongue or a memory that you are about to grasp… Something so close, but you still can't figure out what it is. It's like they're playing with us like a cat. Show us something and move it away a bit. It's really annoying, but… this arouses sporting interest. I want to catch it because… I think I can do it… That kind of effect. So, the characters-puzzles… which are not so easy to figure out, but at the same time not too dificult are my favorites. And I really like their stories.

But… if you like to hear a simple answer… like the list of my favourite

Princes: Silvio, Gilbert, Azel, Sariel's and Licht's sequels. But I still haven't read Clavis' and Nokto's sequels. So maybe I like them too.

Villains: William (his life philosophy combines everything so neatly, a very strong route), Ally (I'm biased) and maybe Ellis… but I don't remember it much, so I'm looking forward to spring.

Almost all the routes in Sengoku. Mitsuhide and Nobunaga made the strongest impression. It doesn't mean that I didn't like others. I was very angry at Keiji and Kicho's routes. I still think I would have hit those guys hard. Ginger, give me your stick! It doesn't matter that I have no idea how to use it, I'm already a big girl, and there's no stopping me!!! On Kenshin's route, I felt completely helpless. And I laughed a lot on all the routes. It's a wonderful game, and I really love it. But I haven't read the third endings and sequels yet, so maybe there will be more.

Vampires: Shuji (Dazai). It's so beautifully written, and this evasive man is just asking to be caught. And I really like his MC. This is a rare case of a good MC in this game. Or… I just feel connected to her.

And it's quite difficult to talk about Genjiden. I haven't read it in too long. But as far as I remember, I like almost all the routes I've read so far. I miss the guys. I need to get back to them as soon as possible.

To put it even more briefly.

I like good stories. Stories that make you think. Stories that you want to reread again. Stories that inspire hope or despair, but definitely leave a mark. I have very high standards… that's why I don't have many favorite routes. But I also cannot say many stories are poorly written. It's just that they were focused to topics that I'm not particularly interested in, or the main couple and I are simply incompatible for one reason or another.

I hope you are not tired of reading. And I hope I have answered your question. Thank you for your time.

dividers @.fanguro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

🔝 𝕊𝕋𝔸ℝ𝕋 ℙ𝔸����𝔼 🔝

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~