#The writing style (hiragana)

[topazadine]

How to Kick Ass at Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding. You either love it and spend all your time dreaming up rules rather than writing, or you hate it and try your best to avoid it despite writing fantasy or scifi.

Or you are in the middle, which is where you should be. You have a healthy appreciation for what makes worldbuilding so special, but you also don't obsess over it.

Worldbuilding does not need to be complicated to be effective, as I've harped on a few different times now. So how do you strike the right balance? Let's take a look.

As always, this is just my opinion based on my own efforts creating The Eirenic Verses. You can disagree and that is fine. However, I hope you'll consider thinking about what I offer here as you craft your own world.

A lot of what people focus on when worldbuilding is not what the audience cares about.

Very few people like to read a book littered with random terms they have to keep track of. We want to build a unique world, but we also don't want to throw such an extreme amount of lore at our readers that they tune out.

When worldbuilding, we want to consider the cognitive load on our audience. This is how much information the reader needs to remember throughout your story so that they can follow along.

Cognitive load includes things like:

Character names and appearances

Relationships between characters

Place names, such as cities and countries

Unique mythological creature or fauna

Backstory, including mythology and folklore

Language names

The general plot (who is the protag, who is the enemy, etc)

Magic usage (who has the power, how they acquire it, any conditions it comes with, etc)

Power dynamics between characters, countries, and so on

Political systems, if included

Even in the most barebones fantasy story, this is a lot to remember. As such, we need to consider what is most important for our readers to generally understand the plot and emphasize this, letting the rest serve as background information that is not quite as essential. The more emphasis we put on something, the more we direct a reader's attention.

At the same time, we want to create a world that feels lived-in and interesting so that readers want to know more. How do we do this?

Consider what you think about foreign countries in our world.

Most of us will have a general concept of a country but only will think about the specifics if it is currently relevant.

Let's take Japan for an example. (I'm a bit of a weeabo, okay?) Here is what I personally think about when I imagine Japan, in order of what I consider important.

Japanese cuisine (sushi, ramen, ochazuke, sake, lots of rice dishes, seafood)

What the people are like according to my own stereotypes/cultural perceptions (polite, quiet, respectful, hardworking, punctual)

Climate and geography (temperate, island country, volcanos, mountains, beaches)

Unique flora and fauna (cherry blossoms, flowers, Nara deer, giant salamanders, pretty birds)

General landmarks, but not necessarily specifics (castles, temples, busy cities, red bridges, torii gates)

Clothing styles (kimonos, school uniforms, business suits, kawaii fashion)

Cultural icons (samurai swords, samurai armor, Shinto shrines)

General overview of the history (samurai, daimyo, feudal system, bushido, Meiji restoration)

Language, but not necessarily specifics of the language (Japanese, kanji, hiragana)

Religion (Buddhism and Shintoism)

Folklore (ghosts, kami, tsukumogami, evil spirits)

Any festivals I might know of (cherry blossom festivals, moon viewings, Obon)

Your own list may have these in a slightly different order, but it's probably what you most think about.

Notice that you will likely not think about these things:

Political system

Specifics of the language

Interpersonal hierarchies

International relations

Specific landmarks

Specific historical events

Famous figures

So why do we think like this? Because in real life, we also have a cognitive load that we must balance with things that are more relevant to our everyday lives.

If I tried to memorize specific details of every country in the world, I would go insane. I have better things to do, so I create a general image of a country based on pictures I've seen, people I've met, food I've eaten, and so on. You do the same thing.

To be realistic, you do not need to be specific. You need to approach worldbuilding the same way people generate their world knowledge: basic concepts and visual imagery.

What to emphasize in worldbuilding

So let's break this down on what you want to think about when creating a world.

Food is one of the most accessible elements of a culture.

Food is how many people learn about different cultures for a simple reason: if you have the ingredients, you can cook food from anywhere. You don't need to be introduced to it by a native of that culture.

Plus, humans tend to like food. We kind of need it to exist.

Think about these things when considering national cuisines and eating habits of your fantasy world:

Do they have spicy food? Bland food? Heavy hearty dishes?

Is most food served hot or cold?

What kind of spices and vegetables do they use? Root vegetables, beans, cinnamon? Salt?

What type of meat do people eat (if any)? Seafood, poultry, beef, pork?

How is bread prepared? What is it made of? (Look, nearly every culture has some sort of bread, we love carbs)

What about pasta? Does that exist here?

Are desserts important? What are they made of?

What kinds of drinks do they have? Coffee, tea, milk, lemon water?

Is alcohol a thing? What kind of alcohol? How often do people drink? Are there bars?

How often do people eat, and when? Do they have the typical three square meals, or do people eat kinda whenever they feel like it?

Do people prepare food at home or are there restaurants?

Are communal dinners common?

Cultural stereotypes provide tension and can help craft your characters.

Are people in your culture known for their boldness? Their cunning? Their resilience? Their standoffishness? Their fiery tongues, or their passive-aggressive jabs?

You can play with a lot of this, either confirming or denying the assumptions through your characters.

Landscape gives us an idea of where we are and what to expect.

Landscapes are some of my favorite aspects of worldbuilding rather than intricate magic systems and political concepts. Readers get a good sense of environment when you focus in on landscape and how it impacts the characters. You can also build a culture off your landscape, such as how certain geographic features may influence peoples' attitudes and lifestyles.

For example, a coastal landscape will have beautiful views of the ocean, sparkling beaches, and maybe tall cliffs. Being a fisherman may be seen as an honorable but dangerous profession. People might cliff dive for fun.

Mountainous areas may produce cultural enclaves, especially in a fantasy setting where everyone is more isolated. One mountain town may have a completely different vibe than the town over.

Flat, wide-open plains mean people can spread out, but since moving from one place to another is easier, there may be a more cohesive culture.

An area with caves will have a sense of mystery and fear; there may be a lot of superstitions about the caves.

A swampy area can also be very mysterious as there are so many places to hide out and a lot of dangerous animals.

Climate influences how people behave.

Hot climates make people need to conserve energy, so they may take afternoon naps in the worst of the heat. They might value relaxation and calm over industry and productivity because bro, have you ever tried to even walk outside in the Florida heat? Shut up and get me air conditioning.

Cold climates make people need to stay active to stay warm, but they can also produce a sense of isolation. Think about how outdoorsy the Finnish are but how they looove their personal space.

Temperate climates are probably a bit more even-tempered, but as weather changes get more extreme, people will vary their behaviors based on the seasons: spending more time outdoors during summer but holing up during winter. The culture may emphasize hospitality because people need to rely on one another to survive, and they have time to meet their neighbors during the summer.

I am very partial to temperate climates, being from the American Midwest. We're known for being nice and hardy people. You should come visit.

Flora and fauna help the world feel real.

When I worldbuild, I often base my cultures on a real place and what kinds of animals or plants are there. For example, Breme is based on Mongolia so I have herbivores, big raptors, and a lot of grasses.

A warm climate will have lots of reptiles. Sea life will be important in a coastal area. Swamps might have big predators. Mountains will have hardy creatures that can climb. A savannah area will have huge herbivores and fast, hungry predators.

General cityscapes or villages are great for providing a sense of place.

Do people build low spread-out cities or tall rickety homes? What kinds of building materials do they use? Are there lots of markets, bars, apocetharies, temples or churches? What do homes look like here? What are any unique architectural features?

This gives a sense that we are in a different but specific world that has a rich culture.

Clothing tells us what people prioritize.

Cold places will have lots of layers. Hot places will have soft draping outfits or very skimpy outfits. Natural materials that are easily available will make up the majority of the clothing in a fantasy setting. You wouldn't have people wearing cotton in a place that doesn't grow cotton. If there are lots of sheep, people will wear wool. If there's lots of cattle, people will wear leather.

You can also think about adornment. Is jewelry common? What type? Why is it important? Is it a status symbol, a way to keep wealth, or perhaps ways to honor ancestors?

Cultural icons demonstrate what the society values.

A warlike culture will prioritize weaponry. A pacifist culture will think about art and music. A nomadic culture may have a rich oral tradition. An agrarian society will emphasize farming rituals.

Think of a few things that symbolize your society, whether that's musical instruments, weaponry, textiles, statues, or jewelry. Consider how those traditions could have come about and why.

Folklore and mythology offer an offbeat but important sense of history.

Folklore is often tied up with many other factors of a society, such as their religion, landscape, history, and overall values.

For example, the Japanese believe items survive for over a century gain a kami, or spiritual essence. This shows that the Japanese cherish their long history and their material culture, and it also infuses their Shinto belief into folklore.

You can also think about cryptids or ghost stories. Isolated and difficult terrain often makes people think of monsters lurking in the woods. Areas with lots of caves will have myths about what is down there. Coastal areas develop myths about ghost ships.

Idioms, turns of phrase, and gestural quirks tell us more about the culture without overwhelming readers.

This one can be more challenging (I haven't done much with it) but if you can manage it, you'll have a very rewarding story.

I'm not talking about making a whole new language here, but rather about idioms and turns of phrase. Think about all the fun idioms that English has, like "beating around the bush" or "break a leg." Without cultural context, you can't understand them, so you'll have to incorporate an explanation without actually stating it.

For example, you can have a character say "the horses are running fast" as they look out the window to see a sheet of rain. We can guess from this that the idiom is rain = horses, so lots of rain = fast horses. We'll understand from this that this culture probably loves horses; maybe they're a formerly nomadic race.

Gestures, like whether people give thumbs-up, point with their index, or bow with their hands to their chest all give us a feeling of the culture without being overwhelming.

What not to emphasize

Now that we've gone through some things to focus on, let's talk about what you don't need to make up for your world.

A whole-cloth language

Please, you don't need to create brand new words for things that exist in our world. You can reference a language, but do not make people memorize nouns they don't need.

Don't even make up the language at all. Say there's a language and then write the rest of it in English.

Made-up languages are irritating for readers because they want to focus on the characters and plot, not mysterious words they need to translate.

It's possible to make languages interesting without going into specifics. For example, the Bas-Lag trilogy by China Mieville has a species that communicates in clicks but the species can also learn human languages if necessary. There's a language called Salt that's basically the common tongue blended from everything else.

Do we need to know how Salt works? No. Doesn't matter. We're told someone is talking in Salt, or they're learning it, or they switch to it when meeting someone from a different culture. That's plenty.

Specifics of a magic system

You're not going to instantly summon up all the rules of magical realms when you visit a new country; you might not even know them. And your readers won't be too interested in them either.

For example, in The Eirenic Verses, I have High Poetry. Readers will come to know that this was a magical system where certain people given the power can recite a poem and whatever they speak comes true. Every poem can only be used once.

It was given by the goddess Poesy to a specific woman, Saint Luridalr. It was so successful that the goddess started giving it to more women and a whole religious system arose.

I don't need to explain exactly how it works because no one cares. Someone makes things happen by coming up with a poem: that's about it. We don't need to question whether certain rhyme schemes or meter or punctuation impacts anything. That's too technical.

If you've got pages and pages of notes on all the intricacies of the magical system, you have too much. Pare it down.

Political systems

Unless you're writing a fantasy where politics are absolutely critical to the plot, you can just reference the political system in passing and maybe elucidate a few key elements, like who the leader is, how power is transferred, etc. You don't need to go into all the specifics because most people are not going to care.

Hierarchies

Please don't lay out the entirety of an army's ranking system or how someone is promoted. Make up something consistent and stick with it, but don't go into exhaustive detail. People aren't going to sit and question whether a captain is above a lieutenant or how long it takes to become a general.

We'll know that a general is a big deal if the characters make it a big deal. We'll know who the head of the army is but we don't need to know how they got to that position.

Exact city layouts

You do not need to tell us where everything is in relation to one another. Tell us characters are moving from one landmark to another. You could say "this is across a bridge, this is up in the mountains, these buildings are right next to one another, these two buildings are in opposite ends of the city." That's plenty.

If somewhere is very far away, just show them travelling there and how long it takes. You don't need to measure it in miles or leagues or whatever. We will guess that if it takes them a week to walk there, it's pretty distant.

Economic systems

We just need the basics here: mercantile, capitalist, bartering, etc. We don't need to know if the coinage is pegged to a certain precious metal or if people invest their money or how people are paid. That's boring.

In my world, I have two currencies: quillim for Breme and barnals for Sina. What's the exchange rate? I don't know and don't care. How much is one quillim worth? One quillim is not a lot but 2,500 quillim is. How much is the average person paid? Doesn't matter. Do people keep lots of coins on them? No one is asking that. It's not important.

Transit systems

Tells us if the roads are cramped, spread out, nonexistent, poorly maintained. Tell us if there are road blocks or toll booths. Tell us if there are roving bandits. The more physical and sensory you can get, the more real it feels.

Few people care about the specifics of even their own transportation system. I know highways are fast, I know tollroads are expensive, I know parkways are pretty, I know some cities have weird turnabouts and dead ends. That's exactly what I need and what I care about.

That's what I've got for you today. If you liked this, maybe you'll consider checking out The Eirenic Verses series, which follows most of these principles.

I've been told that my fantasy writing is very approachable, even for those who don't usually like fantasy, specifically because I don't get too insane with my worldbuilding. So maybe you'll enjoy it too!

[bloodredyuki]

I'm sure nobody cares, but i just have to share this experience rn. I have the jshk volumes in japanese and wanted to check the writing style of brush-chan. But i got distracted by the start of volume 10...and started listening to the newest episode.

It's such a cool experience to listen to their voices and reading the manga at the same time. What they're saying is written out almost absolutely the same...and this scene just got even more beautiful.

I'm so happy that I'm able to read along.

Mostly only the hiragana and katakana but shhhh. It's still very cool!!

[ideas-on-paper]

Profiles of Jugdral's nations from Fire Emblem: Treasure

It's May 14th, which means it's international FE4 Day - so, happy anniversary to this wonderful game and all its fans! ^^

However, although Genealogy of the Holy War is already 29 years old now, the continent of Jugdral still holds some little-known secrets - some of those can be found hidden in the pages of a book named "Fire Emblem: Treasure" released in 1999, which, true to its name, is an absolute treasure trove of FE4 lore.

In this regard, the country profiles in the book are particularly interesting: Each country of Jugdral (save for Miletos) has a double page dedicated to it, detailing its economics, culture, and political organization.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a full English translation of these country profiles anywhere online - thus, in an effort to preserve these texts, I have decided to revisit my old translation of the country profiles I did during my work on the Inheritors of Jugdral fanzine (of which I was the writing mod) and publish it on Tumblr.

First, however, some notes and disclaimers about this translation:

My knowledge of Japanese is very, very basic - I know the hiragana and katakana syllabaries, I know what a kanji is, I know what a particle is, and I can make out the general structure of a Japanese sentence, but that’s about it. Thus, most of this translation was done with Google Translate and a good chunk of common sense, so I won’t claim it’s 100% accurate.

Nevertheless, I did my best to refine the first iteration of this translation; I won’t say it’s perfect, but it’s certainly a significant improvement over the first version. ^^’ Still, I’m open to feedback, so if any of you knows Japanese and has some suggestions for better phrasing, feel free to share them with me! (I can also provide Japanese transcripts upon request via DM.)

I also added some notes about certain passages and additionally translated the sections about the castles/locations (which I had left out in my first translation as there’s nothing really new in those); the pictures of the pages were taken by me.

Lastly, to avoid confusion among fans, I decided to go with the officially localized names from FE: Heroes. (Although I myself am less than enthusiastic about some of the localization choices.)

And now, with that out of the way, let’s dive right into the captivating world of Jugdral! :-)

The Kingdom of Grannvale

Main industry: Agriculture

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): House Belhalla (St. Heim)

Vertical text: A historic kingdom that reigns as the largest nation on the continent after a bloody dark age[1]

[Nation Overview]

The largest nation on the continent, boasting an ancient history

A powerful country with a rich history, located in the centre of the continent. It’s the birthplace of the nation Gran, and because it was blessed with fertile soil, civilization developed quickly. During the course of its history, the Loptr Cult seized control of it, with the country rising to become the most powerful on the continent.[1] Currently, the nation consists of seven principalities, being ruled by six dukedoms that are subordinate to the Belhalla Royal Family. Thanks to well-planned urban development, public facilities such as sewers have been constructed, and the main roads[2] connecting each city are well-developed. Furthermore, the stately and magnificent architectural style seen in buildings such as the royal residence is characteristic of this country[3] and serves as a model for other nations. Boasting a high progressiveness in politics, culture, and military, it is the center of the continent both literally and figuratively.

[1] In both cases, I’m actually not sure if the text is referring to the past history of Grannvale (the Loptrian Empire) or the Grannvale Empire (in second gen); judging by the text listing the current duchies (at the starting point of the game), I think the former is more likely.

[2] In the past version, I had translated this as “trunk lines” because I thought it was in some way connected to the sewers mentioned before (as in an elaborate sewer system connecting major cities), but after checking again, I think this was most likely a mistranslation.

[3] Another mistake I corrected: I erroneously translated this as Grannvale’s architecture being based on Germany’s in the first version. (Funnily enough though, Kaga stated that Germany was an inspiration for Grannvale. xD)

[The road to turmoil]

In the wake of civil war and expedition, a turbulent era begins

Since its founding, the Kingdom of Grannvale has been governed by six ducal families of holy blood: House Dozel, House Friege, House Velthomer, House Edda, House Yngvi and House Chalphy, with the state of Belhalla, ruled by the heirs to the blood of St. Heim, as their superior. Due to the advanced age of the current king Azmur, political affairs have been entrusted to Prince Kurth in recent years. However, dissatisfied with the princes’ heavy dependence on the trusted Lord Byron, Lord Reptor of House Friege conspired with Lord Lombard of House Dozel to form an anti-prince faction. It begins to reveal itself that the kingdom is not unified. Then, at that time, a clan from Isaach plundered Dahna, an allied city in the Aed Desert, massacring its inhabitants. Prince Kurth decided to send troops to slay the aggressors, and an expeditionary force led by Lord Byron of Chalphy was formed, consisting of many esteemed generals. The kingdom’s defense is left to Lord Arvis of Velthomer, the young commander of the royal guard.[4] However, this dispatch of troops, which seemed harmless at the first glance, would go on to become the catalyst that would significantly change the course of history of all countries on the continent.

[4] Previously, I had translated this as “commander of Velthomer’s royal guard”; however, since Arvis is explicitly stated to be in charge of the Belhalla’s royal guard (and Velthomer isn’t exactly a kingdom by itself), I think this is the likelier translation.

Overview of the Kingdom of Grannvale and its castles

Southwest of the royal capital, Belhalla Castle, Dozel Castle is located right in the center of the country, flanked by vast mountain ranges to the east and west. If you cross the mountains to the east, you will reach Edda Castle, and if you cross the mountains to the west, you will reach Friege Castle. If you head south from Dozel, you will reach Sigurd’s home castle, Chalphy. South of Yngvi Castle, the place where the unrest began, you will also find the adjacent Miletos District, where the four castles Peruluke, Chronos, Rados, and Miletos stand tall. Furthermore, the scorching hot Aed Desert east of Velthomer Castle is also part of the kingdom’s territory; the region has a diverse terrain that surrounds all its major cities, from Aed Castle, to the hot oasis town of Dahna Castle, all the way to Phinora Castle, the latter standing in the desert like a monolith.[5]

[5] The translation gave me a fair bit of trouble here, but I believe what the term “monolithic” in the Japanese text is meant to imply is that Phinora stands right in the middle of the desert - like a monolith.

The Dominion of Agustria

Main industry: Agriculture

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Agustria[6] (Höðr, the Black Knight)

[6] Interestingly, the profile lists Agustria as the royal house/ruling family, although the actual rulers of Agustria are House Agusti.

Vertical text: A lush country competing to be the continent’s main power, while avoiding conflict with Grannvale and bolstering its national strength

[Nation Overview]

The fertile and vast land forming the breadbasket

Located in the western part of the continent Jugdral, Agustria is a confederation consisting of five small nations. The nation’s main industries are agriculture and forestry, making use of its vast, fertile land, and various grains, primarily wheat, are a valuable source of foreign income. Furthermore, save for the undeveloped northern region which is infested with the Orgahil Pirates, development in the central and southern areas is still on-going, and vast fields and woodlands cover the land, forming a large breadbasket. Most of the population is engaged in agriculture and forestry, and their living standards are relatively high. In addition, quiet forests are scattered all across the country, and the calm coastline spreading in three directions is known as one of the most beautiful landscapes on the continent, attracting many travelers from all over Jugdral who come to visit each year. In recent years, the success of Agustria’s specific state-led agricultural policy has paved the way for extremely productive agriculture. As a result, the country’s national strength has continuously been rising, and in recent years, it has grown into a major power rivaling the Kingdom of Grannvale. Governmental affairs are handled by the royal family of Agusti, who are direct descendants of Höðr, with the Royal House of Nordion[7], House Heirhein, House Mackily and House Infini following their lead; same as in the neighboring country Grannvale, their relationship is based on a lord-vassal principle. Although the nation only has two neighboring countries, one of them is the Kingdom of Grannvale, the other major power vying for continental hegemony, so Agustria has maintained a particularly cautious stance in regard to diplomacy, with a truce being currently in effect. By signing non-aggression pacts with its neighboring countries, the peace in Agustria itself is kept.

[7] Indeed, the text does specify that Nordion is a “royal house/family”, as opposed to the other Agustrian houses. I suppose this is meant to imply that through marriage, House Nordion is related to the royal family of Agusti (which is also how they inherited Höðr’s holy blood).

[The road to turmoil]

Giving up pacifism, embracing imperialism

At present, Agustria is ruled by King Imca of Agusti, who is known for his intelligence and has maintained good relations with neighboring countries, including Grannvale, since his ascension to the throne. However, in recent years, some lords and nobles have become jealous of the mighty Kingdom of Grannvale, and some of them hold ambitions to expand their territory, with an atmosphere of uneasiness beginning to spread through the country. One person worried about this situation was the young king of House Nordion[8], Eldigan. Having inherited the blood of Höðr, the Black Knight, he is able to wield the legendary weapon Mystletainn; he was a fellow student of Lord Sigurd of House Chalphy from Grannvale and Prince Quan of Leonster at the military academy of Belhalla, and they vowed to each other that they would work together to build peace. If Agustria were to invade Grannvale, he would break his own vow. With many thoughts weighing on his heart, he spent his days training the continent’s finest knight order, the Cross Knights, and kept a close eye on the movements of each lord. One day, at almost the same time, two important news came: One was the sudden death of King Imca, and the other was Grannvale’s invasion of Verdane, both of them unexpected. These two pieces of news spread through the country like wildfire. King Chagall, who succeeded King Imca, finally prepared to battle Sigurd’s army.

[8] Going by the text, Eldigan actually holds the title “King of Nordion”, which would mean that while Nordion is a kingdom in its own right, they’re also a vassal state to the Agusti Royal Family. (A real-life example of this would be Richard the Lionheart, Eldigan’s namesake, who was King of England but also Duke of Normandy - and as Duke of Normandy, he was a vassal of the King of France.)

Overview of the Dominion of Agustria and its castles

The Agusti Royal Family that governs over Agustria holds possession of the royal capital, Agusti Castle, as well as Sylvale Castle and Madino Castle in the north. The castles of the other four houses are evenly distributed throughout the country to prevent disputes and maintain order. The island north of Madino Castle belongs to the national territory as well, and because the Bragi Tower is located there, it’s also known as a pilgrimage site; however, at present, the region has become a den for the pirates based at Orgahil Castle.

The Kingdom of Isaach

Main industry: Pastoralism

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Isaach Royal Family (Od, the Sword Saint)

Vertical text: A country of fierce barbarians[9] maintaining a unique lifestyle and culture in the noble spirit of independence

[9] I was struggling with myself here whether I should keep it like this, because from today’s standpoint, the term “barbarians” is rather… problematic when referring to foreign cultures. Still, it is what is said in the text, and the only other literal translation would be “savage tribes”. (Which I feel is even worse, as that would literally make them “noble savages”.) I get what Kaga is trying to say here (that Isaach’s culture does not abide by what’s considered orthodox in Jugdral), but I would personally use a different word for it; however, none really came to mind for me. (I’m open for suggestions, though!)

[Nation Overview]

The country of nomads shaping its own culture

A remote country located to the east of the Aed Desert, which lies in the center of the continent. The majority of the country is brown wasteland, with gentle hills stretching beyond the horizon. Black eagles soar in the sky, in the dry air that is typical for the highlands, and wild horses gallop across the plains… The Kingdom of Isaach is a country of nomads where such idyllic scenes unfold on a daily basis, and life there is free but also harsh. Its people have traditionally made their living by nomadism, breeding horses, goats, camels, and other livestock in the unforgiving environment. Once, there used to be no definitive state in this land, but after the foundation of the Kingdom of Grannvale, the Royal House of Isaach, descended from the Sword Saint Od, successfully unified the land, and finally, a national system was established. However, some warlike tribes continue to raid and plunder, and national authority has not reached every corner yet.

[The road to turmoil]

One incident of pillaging that changed the fate of a nation

The current king, Mananan, who is also known as the Wise King, has long been concerned with suppressing warlike tribes within the country, but one day, the Patriarch of Ribaut plundered the city of Dahna, which is on amicable terms with Grannvale. When Prince Kurth marched against them in retaliation, Mananan went out personally to apologize to him, but was caught in an internal conspiracy of Grannvale and killed without being heard. When he learned of this, Prince Mallicur decided to fight Grannvale to avenge his father. He entrusted his beloved child, Shannan, to his younger sister Ayra and left for battle, but suffered defeat in the face of the overwhelming difference in forces. At the same time, the legendary weapon Balmung also went missing amidst this war.

Overview of the Kingdom of Isaach and its castles

Close to the eastern sea lies the royal capital, Isaach Castle. From there, heading southwest will take you to Ribaut Castle, while heading north will take you to Ganeishire Castle. If you go further north from Ganeishire along the coast, you will arrive at the quiet village Tirnanog. Visiting Sofala Castle in the inland, on the other hand, will be quite a challenge, as it’s surrounded by mountain ranges.

The Kingdom of Thracia

Main industry: Fishing, Hunting, Mining

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Thracian Royal Family (Dáinn, the Dragon Knight)

Vertical text: A country of dragonriders that harbors the ideal of a united Thracian peninsula to escape their arduous life

[Nation Overview]

A barren land covered by steep mountains

A country occupying the southern part of the Thracian Peninsula, located in the southwest of the continent. It was founded by the Dragon Knight Dáinn, one of the Twelve Crusaders. Surrounding and running through the country is a mountain range known as “Jugdral’s Ceiling”, consisting of peaks several thousand meters high, so the habitable area is small. Originally, the region was one of the continent’s main volcanic belts, and over the years, it has been exposed to harsh weather, especially storms. As a result, the surface of the mountains has been carved into strange shapes, creating a landscape characteristic of this region. Furthermore, the numerous towering mountains that seem to pierce the sky also serve as a natural fortress to prevent invasions by other countries, being sometimes referred to as “islands on land”. Most people live in small settlements on the mountainsides or in the valleys, living quietly from the little grain they can harvest from the fields. In addition, iron is extracted from mines in exchange for foreign currency, but the amount isn’t large, and since the country doesn’t produce any special commodities, people’s lives are by no means wealthy. Moreover, it has become commonplace in recent years for the knights who should support the country to earn their living as mercenaries for various other nations, and the degree of poverty is only rising. Under these circumstances, the flying dragons that have inhabited the region since ancient times are treasured by the Thracian people as incarnations of deities, and have become a beacon of hope for those forced to live in poverty.

[The road to turmoil]

Taking the first step towards the ambition of unifying the peninsula

Although Travant of the Kingdom of Thracia had the right qualities to be a king and was very popular among his people, the state of his country was extremely poor. Despite various policies, the living standard of the people did not improve, and even the knights who should have been protecting their homeland were forced to make a living as mercenaries for foreign countries. In this situation, Travant repeatedly attempted to invade the wealthy northern Kingdom of Leonster, but each time, he was defeated due to the intervention of the Grannvale army. But he never gave up. More than anything else, the unification of the Thracian Peninsula was Travant’s greatest wish. He wanted to bring back the time when it thrived as a single, prosperous kingdom. Then, in 757, a war instigated by Isaach breaks out. This war brought two benefits for the Kingdom of Thracia: On one hand, a large amount of bounty can be earned by sending mercenaries to various countries. On the other, there was an increased likelihood of a successful attack on the Kingdom of Leonster in the midst of war. Naturally, Travant put even more effort into spying on the Kingdom of Leonster than ever, paying particular attention to their involvement with Sigurd’s army, which had rebelled against Grannvale’s army. One day, he receives news that “Prince Quan of Leonster is leading half of his troops north through the Aed Desert”. A golden opportunity! However, even the great general Travant did not realize that this battle in the desert would later beget tragedy.

Overview of the Kingdom of Thracia and its castles

A long mountain range runs through the center of the country, so to travel to the royal capital Thracia Castle in the south, one must take a long detour from Meath Castle. En route to the royal capital are three castles – Kapathogia, Luthecia, and Grutia – which serve as stopover points during the long journey.

The Kingdom of Leonster

Main industry: Agriculture, Crafts, Fishing

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Leonster Royal Family (Njörun, the Lance Knight)

Vertical text: A country of abundance maintaining a high living standard where various industries and cultures have developed, contrasting the toiling Kingdom of Thracia

[Nation Overview]

A scenic land blessed with a mild climate

A small country in the Munster District, the northern part of the Thracian Peninsula. Although located on the same peninsula, the country is blessed with a pleasant climate and a vast idyllic countryside, in stark contrast to the Kingdom of Thracia. People’s lives are relatively wealthy, with agriculture and livestock farming in rural areas, shipping and fishing at the coasts, and with small handicrafts, such as pottery woodwork items, being produced in urban areas; the various crafts made using advanced techniques are highly sought after in foreign countries. In terms of culture, influenced by the Kingdom of Grannvale to the west, the castle’s courtyard is opened to the public once a year, with concerts, plays, and other events being held, which is very popular among the people. The country also has strong military ties to Grannvale, and a military alliance has been formed as a countermeasure against Thracia in the south.

[The road to turmoil]

A prince who throws himself into war to save a friend in distress

The existence of the Kingdom of Thracia, located to the country’s south, has long been a cause of fear for the Kingdom of Leonster. The reason for this is that, despite being on the same peninsula, Leonster has been attacked by them many times.[10] With the support of the Kingdom of Grannvale, whom they have a military alliance with, the King of Leonster has defended his country against the repeated attacks. One day, news reach Prince Quan of Leonster that “Sigurd of Chalphy is raising an army”. Upon hearing this, Quan set out with his beloved wife Ethlyn and the knight Finn to join Sigurd’s army, intending to aid his wife’s older brother and his best friend from the times at the Belhalla Military Academy. Thus, the couple and their retainer threw themselves into the war that was beginning to spread across the continent.[10] Later, even after Sigurd’s forces were considered rebels against Grannvale, the King of Leonster believed in his son, becoming enemies with the Kingdom of Grannvale.

[10] In my first translation, I missed not one, but two lines in this section (the ones marked here). All the more, I’m glad that I’m revisiting it now. ^^’

Overview of the Munster District and its castles

In the west of the Munster District, where the four kingdoms of North Thracia are located, is Fort Melgen, which serves as a gateway to travelers coming from the Aed Desert; the central mainland is divided into east and west by a river, with Connacht Castle and Munster Castle on the eastern bank, Ulster Castle on the western bank, and Leonster Castle in the vast countryside, the latter being one of the four kingdoms.

The Kingdom of Verdane

Main industry: Fishing, Hunting

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Verdane Royal Family (none)

Vertical text: An independent, highly mysterious nation with many legends passed down since ancient times, surrounded by some of the greatest natural beauty on the continent of Jugdral

[Nation Overview]

A lush and barbarian[11] land harboring the largest lake on the continent

Located in the southwestern part of the continent is the Kingdom of Verdane, a land of barbarians[11] surrounded by dense woods. With the largest lake on the continent of Jugdral at its center, the country’s inhabitants live mainly by fishing and hunting. The cape jutting out from the western side of the lake and the surrounding area, known as the Spirit Forest, have been considered sacred ground since ancient times, and there are countless tales of mysterious events taking place there. Aside from this, there are many more myths and legends in the area, and it is said that once every few decades, the entire surface of the lake shines emerald green, which is the time when the giant lord of the lake appears.

[11] For my opinion on the term “barbarian”, see my note in Isaach’s profile above.

[The road to turmoil]

An evil priest leading a nation into war

The kingdom’s ancestor is said to have been either a pirate who was washed up on the shore long ago or a native brigand, but the truth is unknown. Batu, the current king, is a sincere and gentle person who united many clan chiefs; avoiding conflict with Agustria in the north and Grannvale in the east as much as possible, he has maintained peace in Verdane for a long time. He had three sons, but after he lost his eldest to an accident, Batu adopted the son of his eldest, Jamke, as his own. He then gave his second son, Munnir, and his third son, Cimbaeth, castles and land, while keeping Jamke by his side and naming him his successor in place of his eldest son. One day, a mysterious shaman named Sandima appeared, and the kind-hearted King Batu was unknowingly brainwashed by him. Meanwhile, the warlike Munnir and Cimbaeth invaded Grannvale, which was left vulnerable due to the Isaach campaign, committing the outrageous act of kidnapping Lady Edain of Yngvi. The peace that seemed to last forever came to an abrupt end due to the secret schemes of an evil priest.

Overview of the Kingdom of Verdane and its castles

The four castles of the Kingdom of Verdane are built around its central lake. The kingdom borders two major powers, Grannvale and Agustria, with Evans Castle and Verdane Castle, the royal capital, being located near the borders with the respective countries. The two castles in the other, southern half are Marpha - located near the Spirit Forest - and Genoa, overlooking the territory of the Free Cities of Miletos to the east.

The Kingdom of Silesse

Main industry: Fishing, Hunting

Royal family and lineage (holy blood): Silessian Royal Family (Ced, the Wind Messenger)

Vertical text: The country of pegasi that has flourished by following its own path free from foreign intervention, despite its harsh natural environment

[Nation Overview]

An independent nation in the freezing cold with a large glacier zone

A kingdom stretching across the Neumann Peninsula, located at the northernmost end of the continent of Jugdral. It was founded by the Holy Wind Warrior Ced, one of the Twelve Crusaders. Most of the country is covered by icebergs and deep snow, and the magnificent glacial region at the northernmost point has been known as a dwelling of spirits since ancient times. The Silessian Mountains running through the center of the country are a dormant volcanic zone that is no longer active, and combined with the desolate land, the peaks covered in perpetual snow create this country’s characteristic, harsh landscape. Starting with the royal capital of Silesse Castle, the country has five castles in total, the others being Sailane, Zaxon, Tófa, and Lubeck; all of them are built to be extremely robust, designed to withstand harsh snowstorms. People mainly earn their daily bread by small-scale hunting and fishing, in addition to the fur industry; due to the cool climate, agriculture is not practiced very extensively. Moreover, the pegasi endemic to this region, whose main food is a kind of moss that only grows in these mountainous areas, are adored by the people as precious animals, alongside green-eyed reindeer. In addition, during the short summer, one can also see the midnight sun unique to the far north, further enhancing the country’s mystical charm.

[The road to turmoil]

A country divided by struggle over succession to the throne

Since its founding, the country has been ruled by the Silessian Royal Family, who inherited the blood of the Crusader Ced and the wind magic tome “Forseti”. Under the watchful eye of the fearless pegasus knights and wind mages, the same royal family maintained neutrality and peace in the kingdom for a long time, but in the wake of the king’s death[12], a battle for succession to the throne suddenly broke out. In accordance with the late king’s will, Queen Lahna tried to place Prince Lewyn on the throne, but the king’s younger brothers, Duke Daccar and Duke Myos, were dissatisfied with this and began plotting rebellions in multiple locations. Disgusted by that situation, Lewyn left the country and set out on a journey of wandering. Witnessing this, each royal became even more rebellious, and the confusion about the issue of succession to the throne has only intensified.

[12] Google Translate likes to tell me that the king died from illness (which is how I had phrased it in my first translation), but looking at the text, I don’t think it’s explicitly stated? (It says that he died, but the cause is not mentioned.)

Overview of the Kingdom of Silesse and its castles

The Kingdom of Silesse is divided into a glacial region in the north and a grassland region in the south, with a long ridge of snow-capped mountains acting as a border between the two. The royal capital Silesse Castle is located in the south, while one will pass Zaxon Castle and Lubeck Castle on the way to the Aed Desert in the east. In the other, northern half lie the two castles Sailane and Tófa, with several towns and villages scattered in between. The most convenient way to travel between north and south is by making use of the abilities of a pegasus.

[key0-m0ve-al0ng]

Ah hello. Did you know in the T1 script book John Doe 009 VD, when 09 introduces himself, "Mikoto Kayano" personally introduces himself with the kanji spelling of his name but its alternative reading (furigana) is in katakana, not hiragana. He is the only prisoner that introduces himself in full with an alt spelling in katakana rather than Es imparting or calling a prisoner with their katakana code name in the beginning.

The speech style he has here also matches the speech style in Neoplasm where Boku was using gobi due to the usage of the particle 「さ」。(I've written a speech style analysis of 09 before but I'll have to find the notes again. I'll likely send a follow-up ask or something ^^')

This has me thinking about one of your previous posts which brought up the possibility that Mikoto "boku" Kayano, or, how others say, 🔵 and 🟢koto, don't realize that they're separate identities.

「ボクが僕を救ってあげましょう」 <- these bokus

There's also the possibility that when people have been referring to 🔵koto, they've actually been meaning 🟢koto this entire time. So are color code[name]s appropriate for 09 anymore? (/rhetorical)

What do you think? Any changes in how you perceive 09? I look forward to seeing more of your really cool analyses or thoughts on him.

Hello! Thanks so much for the ask! I did not know that; super interesting that it's unique from the other introductions. What you pointed out here is actually so intriguing, thank you for sharing your knowledge!

I have been wrestling with this for some time now because it's truly a case of "Schrodinger's Alter"; we have several instances that seem to indicate 2 "boku"s, but when they're speaking without the pronoun visually accompanying it, there's no gurantee of which one is fronting in any given interaction (let alone if a completely seperate alter is masking as "Mikoto," which is unlikely because writing that would get complicated, but not impossible).

Telling them apart is likely as difficult for them as it is for us given the amnesia; however, we don’t get insight into these things without the narrative explicitly stating such. This is interesting to me because this uncomfortable ambiguity is how systems operate in daily life, sometimes even amongst ourselves.

While color codenames have lost their usefulness to me personally, colloquially I find it helpful in discussing basic theories (and even tho it's gimmicky I've just personally liked the concept); that said, for all we the audience know, ボク ("Mido") and 僕 ("Miko") could be interchangable alters in the narrative; people may very well be referring to ボク as 僕 or vice-versa in any given interaction that John isn't around.

As far as changes in perception, it's dawning on me more and more how little we know about "Mikoto" (僕 or otherwise) as an individual in his system. He's high-masking as it is, but on top of that, we have no real way of guessing which alter "he" is at any given time unless they give an indicator. It's just simplest to assume 僕 in most cases. In the case of 俺, he's an easy guess only because he is made outwardly distinct by the narrative in both speech pattern and attitude. If there is a third, we may see glimpses of them in hindsight, but either way "Mikoto" (僕) as an individual alter is yet to be known as his own person beyond his passive, "professional" demeanor.

Tbh it's giving me insight into why a system host may be widely "liked" while remaining relatively or even completely unknown as an individual person. The demeanor shown by 僕 and his desire to be popular further shows that his sense of self is purely dependent on others' perceptions of him, which is as expected as it is tragic. I think if there is a third, we're gonna see a resigned, perhaps even apathetic tone from them; the system all tried so hard for seemingly nothing. I think the more 僕 tries to disappear, the more the other could realize their place alongside John in the system, if we explicitly see ボク at all.

It's all very ambiguous so I don't get really care how others label them, but I'm near certain that "僕" is not always who we think he is. (In John's case, I typically use his name rather than his pronoun bc even if he picks a more suitable name for himself later on, I feel strange using a first-person pronoun in place of a name when he has one; in the case of "僕" Mikoto, I do find it a necessary distinction from "ボク" given the ambiguity of it all, and it's more solid than color theory imo.)

This is all just my personal conjecture on how they are writing the system. It's definitely a kind of narrative I never thought I'd get to analyze, so I'm so happy to have others to discuss with! Thanks again for the ask. I'd love to see the follow up w the speech style analysis! I love yapping w you about the little guys 🙏

[bmpmp3]

and wait hold on do people know about this. hold on. FOR those who are intrigued by voicevox humming here's another cool thing!

Openutau support!!

like all of both openutau and voicevox its got its FOSS type funkiness here and there, but i think it's a fun thing to play around with for those who are more comfortable with OU's interface, or those who want a pitch-snappy flat base to tune in while still having the fun tone of speaking synths being made to sing, or even those who don't know japanese and are not quite ready to fully dive into an untranslated software BUT are at least ready to dip their toes in. also like i mentioned up there its free and opensource so u got nothing to lose LOL

I don't think I can explain setting up Voicevox 'cause I don't remember so you're on your own with that BUT check out this post with some troubleshooting advice AND i CAN explain (maybe kind of poorly) how to set up voicevox for openutau:

FIRST OF ALL. have voicevox installed and open it, keep it open in the background for the entire time you want to use it in openutau.

SECONDLY you should download "Voicevox_Singer.zip" from here, then open up OpenUtau, and drag and drop the zip file into OU and let it install. Then you should close and reopen OU and now in the singer select menu, you should have a voicevox submenu in the singer selection!

and that's about it for installation LOL All the names will be in Japanese, unfortunately you can't change them in their yaml files or anything without them breaking (at least in my test it didn't work) so if you're not familiar with some Japanese writing you'll have to cross reference it with translations from a vsynth wiki or something. Or you could just click them until you see the portrait of the character you want and favourite it for later. I'm only a beginner but katakana and hiragana gets you pretty far with vocal synth names, plus a group of these guys are colour names and those are some of the mere 20 kanji i know <3

Voicevox also only supports hiragana, including the small tsu っ as a glottal stop type situation, so keep that in mind. Luckily, OpenUtau makes it easy to write lyrics even if you don't have Japanese input on because of romaji to hiragana functions and the lyric finder in the input box.

Another important thing about Voicevox Humming, in the "song" section of Voicevox there's three "parameters" you can set to change how the voice sings your song: the emotion style, the range, and the volume.

On the left is showing that this is set to Zundamon's crying talk bank (namidame), her range is set to 6, and her volume is set to 4. The emotion modes depend on the character, some characters only have a default style, while some have many, and in the case of Ritsu (and I believe another upcoming voice, that utau Lit?) one style is actually made specifically for singing rather than just being talk bank data.

In OpenUtau, emotion styles are mapped to the voice colour function which isn't too difficult to grasp. Again the names are all in Japanese (and honestly they're very stylized and colloquial so most of them are beyond my abilities LOL) so listen to them on the website and look at the character portraits, maybe look at translations too to get a grasp on what they all are. I don't know what Kotarou's bieeeeeeen means but he looks and sounds scared as fuck so that's probably his scared emotion mode LOL

Here's a screenshot of Ryuusei's in the voice colour section in OU, from top to bottom is like, hotblooded, happy, kinda pissed off, normal, seductive?, and sad little man:

The other two parameters that matter for VV in OU are Volume and Tone Shift, which i've put above the voice color panel in the above screenshot. THESE... are tricky. I THINK. I think, that maybe MAYBE tone shift might be mapped to range? but I'm not sure the scaling or direction, it's default is -36 to 36 in OU though. Volume LIKELY maps to volume, again at a different scaling though, from 0-200 with 100 as default (compared to VV's default 0 that can go positive or negative, and I don't. think it has a cap? I love you FOSS)

In Voicevox Humming proper, it's pretty easy to figure out range - you just move it up and down until the autopitch fits the notes, maybe shift it gently to get a closer match, if you're insane like me and doing a song with a large range you can always do my method of rendering like 5-10 different versions of the same song in different ranges and then splicing the best takes in mother fuckinggg fruity loops babyyyyy

In OU it's a lot less predictable. Normally you'd have the deeper voices in the negative ranges and the higher voices in the positive, but in OU my best results have all been setting "tone shift" to positive values, often above 15. If I knew more Japanese and more about coding maybe I'd be able to figure some more things out, but for now my only advice is just press W and keep the waveform view on in OU and mess around until you find something you like!

Volume is easier at least, if it's closer to 0 it's quieter and whispery all the way to just like raw VV engine noise, and if it's above 100 to 200 it's a little more projected! Often I like to find a spot in "tone shift" where things are relatively volume steady, and then use the "volume" parameter to make it properly powerful or gentle depending on what I'm going for.

Here's some tests I did, I'll explain what settings below:

Zundamon test, three versions of the same small bit of singing:

actual Voicevox engine render for reference. She's on her normal talk emotion, her range is 6, and her volume is 7.

Voicevox for OU render, normal talk emotion, 0 tone shift, 100 volume. More metallic UTAU sound while still having the pronunciation charms of an AI based talk voicebank.

Voicevox for OU render, namidame (teary eye) talk emotion, 0 tone shift, 100 volume. Totally different mouth openness and lots of lisp, very expressive while still being a flat base!

Kotarou normal talk emotion test, three versions:

main voicevox engine render for reference, -10 range, 7 volume.

Voicevox for OU render, 0 tone shift, 100 volume. He's very quiet and a little shaky.

Voicevox for OU render, 20 tone shift, 100 volume. He's a little more stable.

Kotarou bieen (scared?) talk emotion test, two versions:

main Voicevox engine render for reference, -6 range, 7 volume. sobbing type sound lol

Voicevox for OU render, 16 tone shift, 160 volume. what was that breathy gasp sound at the end. it only happened in OU not the VV version. is finfin holding him at gunpoint.

Kotarou's singing an octave down from Zundamon, but they're both good examples of very goofy very mascot-y vocals LOL

Now have a Voicevox for OU render of Ryuusei as an example of a much deeper voice since he's the resident big blue baritone. Happy talk emotion, 22 tone shift, 130 volume. He's the trickiest to work with via OU that I've tested, it's hard to find his tone shift sweet spot. At least he's having a good time.

and here's a test of that big titty woman who can turn into a plush toy. or a plush toy that can turn into a big titty woman? human then plush then human then plushie talk emotions, 13 tone shift, 170 volume.

this is showing a fun little thing you can do, you can (kinda) mix emotion styles within the same track! only kind of though, there needs to be a space with no notes between the switch, otherwise it'll keep with the same emotion from the first note of a string of notes. If you want to shift in the middle of a sentence you'll have to do my splicing multiple renders in a DAW method as seen before LOL

all these tests of course are flat, no pitch drawings in the VV renders and no pitch or vibratos in the OU renders. for fun heres a very fast very lazy tune + mix with Tsumugi, since her V6 is coming out sometime soon

theres a lot of toys to play with! i personally prefer using the renders from the main software, but the sound of the OU support is pretty fun and I think it could be used in cool ways!

[maziijapanese]

Tips for Learning Japanese for Beginners

Learning Japanese can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and resources, it can also be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Whether you're interested in Japanese culture, planning a trip to Japan, or looking to expand your language skills, here are some tips to help you get started on your Japanese learning journey.

1. Start with Hiragana and Katakana

The Japanese writing system consists of three scripts: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. For beginners, mastering Hiragana and Katakana, the two phonetic alphabets, is essential. These scripts form the foundation of the Japanese language and are used in most basic texts. Practice writing and reading them daily until you become comfortable.

2. Learn Basic Phrases and Greetings

Begin with simple phrases and greetings to build your confidence and start communicating right away. Phrases like "こんにちは" (Konnichiwa - Hello), "ありがとう" (Arigatou - Thank you), and "さようなら" (Sayounara - Goodbye) are great starters. Use these phrases in context to help them stick in your memory.

3. Utilize Flashcards

Flashcards are a great tool for memorizing vocabulary and Kanji. Regularly reviewing flashcards will reinforce your memory and help you retain new words and characters. However, traditional flashcards can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Consider using electronic flashcards or spaced repetition software to make the process more efficient.

4. Immerse Yourself in Japanese Media

Surround yourself with the Japanese language as much as possible to improve your listening and speaking skills. Watch Japanese TV shows, movies, and anime, or listen to Japanese music and podcasts. Try to mimic the pronunciation and intonation of native speakers. Additionally, consider finding a language exchange partner or taking a conversation class to practice speaking.

5. Learn Kanji Gradually

Kanji can be one of the most challenging aspects of learning Japanese, but don't be discouraged. Start with the most common and basic Kanji characters, and learn them gradually. Practice writing and using them in sentences. Associating Kanji with their meanings and sounds can help you remember them more effectively.

6. Delve into Japanese Culture

Understanding Japanese culture can deepen your appreciation and comprehension of the language. Learn about Japanese customs, traditions, and history. Try cooking Japanese dishes, practicing calligraphy, or participating in cultural events. This cultural immersion will make your language learning journey more enjoyable and meaningful.

7. Embrace Patience and Consistency

Learning Japanese is a marathon, not a sprint. With dedication, practice, and the right strategies, you can make steady progress and achieve your language learning goals. Set realistic expectations, celebrate your achievements, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Remember, consistency is key to long-term success.

Additional Tips:

Find a learning method that suits you: There are many different ways to learn Japanese, so find one that fits your learning style and preferences. Consider taking a Japanese language course, using online resources, or hiring a tutor.

Set realistic goals: Set achievable goals for yourself and break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This will help you stay motivated and track your progress.

Make it fun: Learning a new language should be enjoyable. Find ways to make learning Japanese fun for you, such as watching Japanese movies or listening to Japanese music.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes: Everyone makes mistakes when they're learning a new language. Don't let this discourage you. Instead, view mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve.

Immerse yourself in the language: Surround yourself with Japanese as much as possible. This will help you to learn the language more naturally and quickly.

Learning Japanese can be a challenging but rewarding experience. With the right approach and dedication, you can achieve your goals and become fluent in Japanese.

[holespoles]

Satoshi Kako, fascinated by the art of drawing, collected more than 100,000 documents from all over the country over half a century and compiled them in his book 'Densyou Asobi-ko' (The idea of folklore play). A small selection is introduced in Satoshi Kako's Hello Storytelling, February Issue.

(Right page) The story of "hehe no moheji" When drawing pranks, we often play with the shapes shown below, which we have been writing for a long time. It is very interesting to make a human face using the shapes of the hiragana characters. As shown on this page, there are various ways to draw them. The way of chanting is not only "heno heno moheji" but also "hehe no no moheji". This is said to vary according to time period and region.

(page left) Also, as in the picture on this page, (1) "hehe nono moheno". (ii) "hehe nono moshito" (iii) "hehe nono moheto" (iv) "heno heno moheshishi" (v) "heshi heshi noheshi" (vi) "Hemo hemo noheshi" (vii) "hehehehe nononono momomo" There are also some other words. What kind of language and drawing styles do you use where you live? If you find out, please let us know.

絵描きあそびに魅了された加古は半世紀にわたり10万件以上の資料を全国から集めて『伝承遊び考』にまとめました。『かこさとし　お話こんにちは　2月の巻』には、ごく一部が紹介されています。

[mukuuji]

Don’t remember if I’ve sent this ask before but just want to say I practice hiragana and katakana reading with your comics :D also your art style is awesome

Ah I'm happy to hear that my Japanese helped you a lot!

わたしの にほんご が、やくにたったようで うれしいです！

I also practice reading and writing English with this site. So I want to say thank you, too!

[benkyoutobentou]

31 Days of Productivity Reading もう一回！: Day 10

Before: I don't have a proper before, since I didn't get to write anything before I started reading and I just needed to finish ポーの一族 today anyways. But I can still tell you about my day before I started reading! I usually run errands on Saturdays and thus don't usually read too much. In addition to my usual errands, I also went to the craft store to look at their Halloween decorations and get some yarn. My next door neighbor is pregnant and I'd like to crochet her a baby blanket as a present! And then for dinner I made myself some chickpea tikka masala that was delicious.

After: Now on to the good stuff. I finished the last 90 pages of ポーの一族 and it hit the spot tonight. I've been in my usual late summer Halloween mood lately and the aesthetic of ポーの一族 was perfect. It's not very gothic in story or plot line, but the aesthetic is wonderfully gothic and just feels perfect to read on a rainy October day. It was just what I needed! The language in this series so far isn't very difficult, but I do find myself getting lost in all the hiragana. Sometimes I have to really think to be able to parse the words and separate them from each other, whereas I wouldn't have an issue if it just used kanji. I also noticed this in BASARA, but it seems like older shoujo series don't use the 々 marking. So for example, 日々 was written as 日び. I think ベルサイユのばら did it too, I'll have to keep an eye out for it next time I read a volume. If anyone here is into older shounen manga, I would love to know if they do the same thing!

Now, you might be noticing that ninety pages does not fulfill my goal of reading 100 pages of manga per day. I didn't really want to start something new knowing that I wouldn't have the time to fully get into it, so I decided to just continue on with 憎らしい彼 (a novel) which is on my tbr for the month. Because I started it in March and still haven't finished it. Don't look at me. So here's my ridiculous math: if my goal was to read 100 pages of manga per day or 25 pages of a novel, then one page of a novel is worth four pages of a manga. Therefore, if I have ten manga pages left of my goal, then I could substitute that for 2.5 pages of a novel, in this case 憎らしい彼. So that's what I did. After a little brain break, though, because I don't usually like jumping immediately from one thing to the next.

In the end, I read 8 pages of 憎らしい彼 for a total of 98 pages across both manga and novels. I'd say that fulfills my goal nicely. I would have read more, but it's getting late and I really should be getting to bed. Also, I've noticed that Nagira Yuu's writing tends to be a bit harder for me to parse. It's never bothered me too much, given that certain authors have writing styles that are easier to read regardless of language and even in my native English, but I didn't really feel that with this little excerpt I read tonight. Hopefully this means good things for my Japanese and wasn't just a lucky break. I've been feeling pretty solid with my Japanese level during this challenge, I can't wait for a book to come along and prove me wrong this month.

[breabdoodles]

A self introduction here on tumblr! Heyo my name's Breab, I'm a multimedia student , and I want to show you guys some of my artworks here in Tumblr! I draw character illustrations, mostly my own characters but I also do fanarts, meme drawings, and doodles of other people's characters! I am also new in Tumblr so I'm kinda experimenting with it at the moment!

This is where I tried to practice my hiragana writing with some doodles.

I am interested in drawing robotic characters and I'm still learning how to do them properly, I like to experiment with different styles as well, I shift styles from time to time for fun. Sometimes I like to do some simple doodles to a rendered artwork. This are some of my own characters.

The purple guy is one of my friend's character! I like to draw em as well.

I aspire to be a professional concept artist, I really want to work my way towards the art industry. Someday I want my artwork to be featured in some production. In the future I hope to see myself creating some of the most unique character concepts for people to see.

With that said I like to share some of my artworks and talk about it. Here are some of my meme artworks this style is usually where I mess around and draw some funny or stupid moments when me and my friends are in voice chat doing something. This type of drawings is where I like to experiment on rendering, it's mostly where you focus on making it funny and having fun.

Moving on to a little bit more of some serious artworks, these are some of my experimenting and learning artworks, I usually sketch, paint, experiment, and learn when drawing these artworks.

This is where I tried going for an anime style, it was hard for me (Literally this took me like 2 weeks to finish) because I usually don't do anime style. It taught me a lot though, like line quality and patience :D

This drawing was fun to make, I tried going for a more of a moody scene. I like this one a lot because of how it is simple enough to convey a story.

This was is still a WIP (I might not get back to this lmao) but this is where I tried to create a more of a cinematic shot like in the movies, I like it a lot how the POV switches. BUT, I gotta say I need to learn and improve on making background before doing this.

Furries! I tried to draw furries as well and I gotta say it was fun and challenging like the different anatomy on some characters. I'm still new to furry artstyle and in the future I might experiment and go for a more realistic anthropomorphic characters. But for now I like the simple style of these guys.

That's all I want to share in this post, thanks for reading and have a great day/night!

[misaneeragoni]

Multiple languages writing challenge!

Writing challenge:

Write in each language you speak, even if only barely. Stop once you don’t know how to say the next part anymore and don't edit anything!

Japanese:

Trafalgar Law doko desu ka? Yasashi to kakoii isha desu. Watashi wa akai koto sorera desu. [STOP]

(I know some Hiragana but I have no idea where to get those letters!)

French:

Bien, c’est trop difficile. [STOP]

Spanish:

Ahora vamos a ensenarlo otra vez. Me gustaría muchísimo escribir alguna historia en Espanol pero no sé si alguna person va a entender lo que escribe. No es tan facil para mi pero me gusta mucho practicar, con mis amigos en los livestreams de Twitch también. Tal vez sería una buena idea escribir algo de los hermanos Donquixote en espanol con su proximidad a Espana con su reino de Dressrosa. Me gustaría mucho el toro en esos [STOP] (I don’t know how to say “colosseum fights” ^^ )

Italiano:

Io lavoro a un ufficio en Lugano. Vorrei andare a la Arena di Verona [STOP] (I was going to write “otra vez”… woops :D )

English:

Well, this feels somewhat redundant. Ain’t no way I’ll lack any words in my native language, right? Spewing big words right now just for me to fall on my face in a few sentences, I’m calling it. Either way this English is far too colloquial in comparison to my texts for the other languages. I should adopt a far more refined writing style and write a little more like a posh lady. Should I even keep going? Like if we look at the chapters to my fanfictions over on AO3 and my twitch livestreams I do think I have a talent for never shutting the fuck up. Then again I do study philosophy, so I guess I’m just well-suited to my own field of study. Oh yeah, I guess considering that this is written English and stuff I shouldn’t abbreviate apostrophes and stuff. Oh well, too bad. Deal with it! English really is the easiest for me to write in. I’m somewhat dreading having to do German next. I always feel like the German I write is [STOP]

( Hah! I couldn’t think of a suitable word for “influenced by” :D )

German:

Okay, dann versuche ich das doch mal. Ich habe bereits angefangen eine Geschichte in Deutsch zu schreiben, allerdings kann ich jetzt nicht wirklich sagen ob die besonders gut geworden ist oder nicht. Als ich versucht habe, sie meiner Familie zu schicken, kamen nur Rückmeldungen von wegen die Datei wäre ein Virus und dass sie das dann nicht lesen wollten. Auch toll. Da fühle ich mich seither auch irgendwie ein bisschen blöd. Ist ja nicht so dass sie es mutwillig nicht gelesen haben, aber irgendwie fühle ich mich damit ein wenig deprimiert und will ihnen die Geschichte jetzt gar nicht nochmal schicken. Kommt ja eh irgendwie immer negatives Feedback zurück, das brauche ich jetzt auch nicht wirklich. Wow, also irgendwie klappt das ja richtig gut im Deutschen! Gut, so Anglizismen wie „feedback“ kann ich jetzt nicht ganz vermeiden, aber das hört sich ja auch einfach blöd an wenn ich das jetzt auf Gedeih und Verderb ins Deutsche reinpresse. Benutzt man diese Redewendung so? Keine Idee. [STOP]

Well, „keine Idee“ is a literal translation of “no idea” so that’s definitely not German, stopping myself right there.

I look forward to continuing my language studies and revisiting this challenge in the future!

Anyone who wants to is encouraged to join this challenge, whether you’re a writer or not, that doesn’t matter at all.

This is all about practise and testing yourself! ^-^

[therentyoupay]

How many languages do you know?

💕 english is my first language but i speak both spanish and english at home! i've been studying spanish for 20+ years, i speak spanish exclusively with my husbands' family (they only speak spanish!), and am comfortable getting my point across on most everyday-life things. i read in spanish for fun/to study (i forced my husband to read la sociedad de la nieve with me when we both got obsessed with the movie on netflix, even though he's not a reader at all haha), and we have a house rule about always watching movies in the language in which they were created EXCEPT FOR SHREK, which we both agree is extremely well done and just as funny (if not even funnier) in spanish. we do a lot of code-switching for the most part, and whenever we have kids, we'll follow the One Parent One Language plan, except for when we're out at restaurants, because we always ONLY speak spanish while going out to eat, it's just habit at this point. 😂 i once tried to write fic in spanish back in the early 2010s while living in spain but i felt that i didn't have all the vocab that i needed to give my writing the same vibe as in my first language, so i haven't tried writing fic in spanish since... (maybe i should??) for now i content myself with reading larivera's (@laurakrivera) spanish fic!! however, my academic!professional!spanish is much more developed than my fic!spanish writing style, lol, so when i publish my non-fiction book in english, i will work on writing the spanish translations myself (and force my husband to help me lmao)

i learned japanese fundamentals (e.g., basic vocab/phrases, word order, hiragana, katakana, some core kanji) when i was 12 (like most inuyasha-obsessed kids, maybe?? 🤣) and i learned a LOT when i lived there for a year and a half as an adult! but i never took any formal classes, it was all self-taught and in the streets (LITERALLY lmao, shoutout to the people of tokyo). i wasn't allowed to speak japanese at all in my job, so i turned to apps like hellotalk to practice and make friends who really wanted to engage in language exchange. (duolingo didn't add japanese as a language option until after i came back! 🤣😭) so i was just out there in the wild, picking it all up as i went along. i understand a lot more than i can speak, but i could probably hold a pretty convincing conversation with someone for 2 minutes before it became clear that i'd exhausted my limited repertoire. 🤣 i'd get by with a lot of discourse markers and reaction expressions and いいね! and 本当に!? and そうですね 😊 before i fell off the track completely lol.

i did 3 months of german on duolingo to prepare for a conference i presented at in austria a few years ago! helped with everyday basics, but i'm not currently investing in this language right now since i don't have many opportunities to use it in daily life like i do my other languages.

also just started learning korean literally five days ago. still working on the vowels. 🤣 i'm learning for friends, for potential work opportunities, for K-POP joking joking or am i, and also i'm a big believer in the philosophy of keeping the mind fresh and getting excited about Being "Bad" at Something every once in a while, as i purposefully Try New Things to ward off complacency, keep my brain happy and sharp, and remind myself that i can Do Hard Things. (of course, once you start to learn so many languages, your metalinguistic and metacognitive pattern-seeking skills really kick in, so approaching korean is a lot different than how it was in my other language learning experiences, so far 🤣) stay tuned, i guess haha!!

i guess you can see why i'm so obsessed with the idea of elsa being a serial polyglot/multilingual queen in basically every universe i write her in, not only because it fits with her upbringing/education/oryal duties but also i feel like elsa would appreciate all instances in life in which she could exert control over her surroundings by finding patterns and "rules" in languages and finding beauty in expressing so many meanings through so many different avenues when she herself had so much trouble expressing herself at all for so long should i write a one-shot about elsa's multilingualism as it pertains to NO KRIS NO STOP YOU HAVE WORK NOW KRIS NO

[littleeyesofpallas]

KENTAUROS[ケンタウロス] as in the actual greek name for the centaur centaurus[Κένταυρος] with the hard c.

PHELIOS[フェリオス] after the sidescrolling shooter game famous for its kind of tantalizing damsel in distress and that also had a pegasus motif, which makes sense as the overlap between pixie's girlishness and centaur's horseness.

SNIPE[スナイプ] straight forward enough

SABATTO[サバット] like SAVATE the french kickboxing style? I don't know if that makes sense... SABAT like the old novel series? It's notably not the way you'd write Sabbath.

EASTER[イースター] as in Easter Island as in the Easter Island Moai stone heads

CHARIOT[チャリオット] straight forward enough thematically but if course award in that there is not actual chariot. Hard to be a charioteer without one

ANTARES[アンタレス] clever play on the centaur's association with the constellation saggitarius, Antares is the name of the brightest star in the constellation scorpio

SIRIUS[シリウス] the dog star aka seirios[Σείριος] the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major. For some reason later games rename the same mix breed to BLUE GALE[ブルーゲイル] which feels lame by comparison.

BAZOKU[バゾク] from the word bazoku[馬賊] lit. "horse rebel/robber"referring to the kind of mounted bandits that plagued north eastern China during the downfall of the Qing dynasty.

DEL PIERROT[デルピエロ] "of (the) clown" in Italian? (Maybe just Del Piero?) Joker is pretty consistently associated with either clowns or death in its mix breeds as part of the whole grim reaper and/or jester on playing cards shtick

PADDOCK[パドック] what you call the enclosure for horses where they wait to be let onto the race track. in some contexts it can refer to the track itself as well.

THUNDER-V[サンダーV] taken from the Thunder V series of Slot machines that debuted in the late 90s. For casino and slot machine enthusiasts it was a pretty notable technological development.

And then the DS games and subsequent mobile game add a few new basic mix breeds,

BLACK PIERCE[ブラックピアス] pretty straight forward, if a little grammatically clunky. (Centaur/Zan)

BASTET[バステト] the egyptian goddess with the black cat head. Riffing off the DS monster breed, Abyss, having an egyptian god motif. Kinda disappoint it just lifted the Anubis head off Abyss and didn't opt for a unique Bast cat head though.

Touryou[とうりょう] Hiragana instead of katakana for some reason?? from touryou[棟梁] which can literally mean "(central)pillar" but is a slang term for the boss of, like, a work site, usually physical labor based like a construction site, or a carpentry shop. Hence him having a hard hat and carrying a wood beam. So like a foreman, or may just a casually "boss." (Centaur/Baku)

KENJIROU[ケンジロウ] They called this "Junior" in English? I think they were trying to play off the fact that the second half of this name -jirou[二郎] means "2(nd) Son" making him "Cen(taur)2", but taken literally that makes him sound like Kentaros' little brother, not his son the way "junior" implies.

RHONGOMYNIAD[ロンゴミアント] the name of King Arthur's mythic spear in Welsh specific lore. For some reason it's named along his sword and dagger, but unlike them is never stated to possess any unique traits or magic powers. (I do not know what Centaur this refers to as I can only find mentions of its name, but no screenshots...)

And finally the new additions, courtesy of the current running mobile game.

DURANDAL[デュランダル] the legendary sword of the mythic hero Roland in La Chanson de Roland:"The Song of Roland"

ODIN[オーディーン] Chief amongst the Norse gods. Notable for his spear, Gungnir, and his one eye, both evoked here.

[markatoto]

Furigana (振（ふ）り仮名（がな）, Japanese pronunciation: [ɸɯɾigaꜜna] or [ɸɯɾigana]) is a Japanese reading aid consisting of smaller kana (syllabic characters) printed either above or next to kanji (logographic characters) or other characters to indicate their pronunciation. It is one type of ruby text. Furigana is also known as yomigana (読み仮名) and rubi (ルビ, [ɾɯꜜbi]) in Japanese. In modern Japanese, it is usually used to gloss rare kanji, to clarify rare, nonstandard or ambiguous kanji readings, or in children's or learners' materials. Before the post-World War II script reforms, it was more widespread.[1] Furigana may be added by character, in which case the furigana character(s) that correspond to a kanji are centered over that kanji; or by word or phrase, in which case the entire furigana text is centered over several kanji characters, even if the kanji do not represent equal shares of the kana needed to write them. The latter method is more common, especially since some words in Japanese have unique pronunciations (jukujikun) that are not related to readings of any of the characters the word is written with.

Furigana fonts are generally sized so that two kana characters fit naturally over one kanji; when more kana are required, this is resolved either by adjusting the furigana by using a condensed font (narrowing the kana), or by adjusting the kanji by intercharacter spacing (adding spaces around the kanji). In case an isolated kanji character has a long reading—for example 〜に携わる (where 携 reads たずさ, tazusa)—the furigana may instead spill over into the space next to the neighboring kana characters, without condensing or changing spacing. Three-kana readings are not uncommon, particularly due to yōon with a long vowel, such as ryō (りょう); five kana are required for kokorozashi (志、こころざし) and six for uketamawaru (承る、うけたまわる), the longest of any character in the Joyo kanji. Very long readings also occur for certain kanji or symbols which have a gairaigo (loan word) reading; the word "centimeter" is generally written as "cm" (with two half-width characters, so occupying one space) and has the seven-kana reading センチメートル (senchimētoru) (it can also be written as the kanji 糎, though this is very rare); another common example is "%" (the percent sign), which has the five kana reading パーセント (pāsento). These cause severe spacing problems due to length and these words being used as units (hence closely associated with the preceding figure).

When it is necessary to distinguish between native Japanese kun'yomi pronunciations and Chinese-derived on'yomi pronunciations, for example in kanji dictionaries, the kun'yomi pronunciations are written in hiragana, and the on'yomi pronunciations are written in katakana. However, this distinction is really only important in dictionaries and other reference works. In ordinary prose, the script chosen will usually be hiragana. The one general exception to this is modern Chinese place names, personal names, and (occasionally) food names—these will often be written with kanji, and katakana used for the furigana; in more casual writing these are simply written in katakana, as borrowed words. Occasionally this style is also used for loanwords from other languages (especially English). For example, the kanji 一角獣 (literally "one horn beast") might be glossed with katakana ユニコーン, yunikōn, to show the pronunciation of the loanword "unicorn", which is unrelated to the normal reading of the kanji. Generally, though, such loanwords are just written in straight katakana.

The distinction between regular kana and the smaller character forms (yōon and sokuon), which are used in regular orthography to mark such things as gemination and palatalization, is often not made in furigana: for example, the usual hiragana spelling of the word 却下 (kyakka) is きゃっか, but in furigana it might be written きやつか. This was especially common in old-fashioned movable type printing when smaller fonts were not available. Nowadays, with computer-based printing systems, this occurs less frequently.

[ros3ybabe]

Daily Check In September 15th and 16th, 2023 🎀

I was a bit stressed on Friday. And really tired. Like crying on the phone talking to my dad about how tired I was. I did not want to go to work, but I did and had a goodnight regardless. Everything worked itself out and I stopped stressing so hard. I was gonna rest before I had to go to work but my friend decided to talk my ear off for an hour about her family woes, even after I told her I wanted to rest my brain for a bit. I love helping my friends when I can but sometimes I just need a break from socializing.

there’s not much to update on but I’ll give an update regardless!

🩷 What I Ate Sept 15th -

Breakfast - bagel sandwich and a coffee

Lunch - bagel w whipped cream cheese and another coffee

Dinner - Alfredo pasta w spinach and chicken and a small salad w egg, cheese, and a little ranch dressing

Extra - morning coffee at home and not near enough water. Also some mini mint chocolate candies, like three

I was really feeling bagels. They were so good.

🩷 What I Ate Sept 16th -

Breakfast - Scrambled eggs on brioche style bread with slices of cheddar cheese

Dinner - Two bowls of spaghetti with marinara sauce and grated Parmesan cheese

Snack - macaroni cup, three cups of coffee

I just realized I didn’t take a break to eat lunch at work today. That is the first time I’ve ever forgotten to do that.

🩷 What I Accomplished Sept 15th & 16th -

Worked a total of 13.5 hours at my job

A lot of self compassion and rest

Morning skincare and night skincare routine (sept 16th)

Studied Japanese 10+ minutes each day

Reorganized my desk with my new desk supplies

I received some new acrylic desk organizers, stationery, and Japanese study books today! I bought two writing workbooks and I bought the Genki I and Genki II textbook + workbook + answer key bundle off of Amazon and I am so excited to start using them all soon! In my Japanese studying so far, I’ve memorized almost the entire hiragana chart and started keeping a physical list/anki flashcard set of hiragana vocabulary off of Duolingo and have been practicing my writing on Renshuu. Renshuu is surprisingly such a great tool for me right now, like it’s the complete reason I memorized the hiragana so fast. My plan is to start using Genki I right after I memorize (most of) the katakana. I’ve been listening to Japanese music a lot and talking out loud to myself on occasion. I’m just super excited about this language.

I think I’m quickly approaching the edge of burnout right now and I’m desperately trying to find a way to delay the burnout or stop myself from burning out altogether because I have too much on my plate to just lose myself now. Like I’m genuinely enjoying everything I do in a day but it’s tiring me out. I don’t sleep very well right now, I’m not working out, my nutrition isn’t the best, I over-consume caffeine and I’ve been neglecting my self care. I am working to regain balance because I don’t want to tire myself while trying to build the best life for myself. Todays first step was keeping my promise to do skincare and study Japanese. Tomorrow will be skincare, weekly planning, and completing my due assignments and notes. If I can rebuild trust with myself, I have a good feeling I can get back on track with my daily ideal routines. Just need to take it one step at a time.

I know my blog appears that everything is so great and girly and perfect for me but my life is not like that entirely. I do romanticize my life in the way I live it, I am the main character if my own story, but life is life and stuff happens. I don’t have the perfect body or health, I don’t have the best discipline or motivation sometimes, and yeah, my life isn’t perfect. However, I am still so grateful for the life I am currently living, a life that I never thought I’d be so content with. This blog has helped me determine the direction to go in and keeps me motivated often, and I am so at peace and proud of all that I’ve built and have had help creating for myself. Thank you to everyone who reads this. It is the little interactions, the daily notifications, the pride I get from my consistent updates that keeps me level. This is therapeutic for me in a way. Like an online diary. And I absolutely love the space it’s given me to be my true self, my most comfortable self. I am not perfect but i am happy. Happy with my progress and my journey and my community.

Sorry for the little joyful ramble. Again, I appreciate this community so much. I wouldn’t have driven my life in this path without this community.

🩷 Song of The Day - The Greatest by Sia

One of my all time favorite motivational songs. Just listen to the lyrics. Absolutely simple and amazingly powerful.

that’s all for these last two days! Will be getting more detailed in my daily accomplishments, and am working on a stationary review though I did order more so I might way until it gets here to complete the review post!

Til next time, lovelies 🩷🤍

[86stagram]

Hi! I'm HAM's servant. This post is about the world settings of the future Pripara that I saw at the "Large Pripara exhibition" and my feelings at that time. I've split the long text into several parts. This is the 3rd post in the series!

(However, I'm still tired from the trip and my work, so I might write in Japanese sometimes. It’s totally up to you whether you choose to read it or not)

And if you'd rather experience it on yourself, skip the"#Large PriPara Exhibition" posts.

Right, those are the "Large PriPara TimeLines" (大プリパラ年表).

As you might guess from those pictures interpolated here, they summarized historic events from PriPara anime. Ah the good old days >___<｡

It seems to me that they're using the word "近代" (modern) incorrectly, more like "現代" (modern) in 現代 Japanese society. In Japan, "近代" is typically mean to the period up until the end of WWⅡ, though interpretations vary. I'm sorry if this isn't a good writing style for you. Well, PriPara world may be different from ours, but. . . Ugh?

TBH, I'm a little disappointed because I wanted the history of PriPara arcade, 3DS software, and SwiPara to be written as well. However, I have a doujin-book of useful but a bit old resources written by a geek friend so I'm gonna read it at a later date. And of course I will quote it if I found unexpected discovery!

I got off track, didn't I? My eyes teared up a little when I saw those exhibits. That's because I found myself reminiscing about various anime episodes and my memories of that time one after another.

アニメで好きなのは2期だけどのめり込み始めたのは神アイドル弾、最もやりこんだのはタイム弾……　ハムはまだ我が家にいなかった。私の頭の中もアドパラ並みに時空が歪んでいるので、色々な思い出と照らし合わせる資料が欲しかった……😵

Ah Pleopatra, I completely forgot. There is an idol who calls herself "Pleopatra" in Adpara haha. For those who don't know, she's an OC in the game, not in the anime. I occasionally see her.

I'm later to know her setting but now understand she's a Hanken-MyChara (版権マイキャラ : It means "an OC designed to resemble an existing-character". For example you've probably seen idols who look like Laala, Falulu, Aloma and Mikan occasionally in Adpara). I used to see these Idols from 2014 to 2017 in Japan.

覚えている限り、おそ松さんや刀剣乱舞が人気だった。うちにも結構いた、っていうか厳密に言うとハムもそうだ。「のびはむ SKジャパン ぬいぐるみ」で検索すると仲間がいっぱい出てくると思う

And I feel nostalgic about the PriPass Idol Link , PriTicket official file bag (Laala ver.) and many more things!!😭 I used to love those. . . Sadly, those collapsed due to age related deterioration around 2022 woooooo. . . 🍃

Incidentally, my sweet HAM-chan was transferring her consciousness transferred into my smartphone that day. Sounds a bit PriPass, doesn't it? 📱(´Y｀)💨

BTW, babysitting isn't common in Japan. Traditional childcare here, where mothers quit their jobs to concentrate on raising their children, has started to fall out of use. But I have no idea what year and era the world PriPara Idols live in now, given the distortion of time in anime. What going on with it . . . ???🤔

The bottom-left corner graffiti was drawn by Laalulu!

I think, maybe the lack of change of Japanese characters and how to expression is a little surprising for Japanese. (BTW, I'm gonna write the next post about around that just like the foot of the snake (蛇足 : what I don't have to do), so read on if you're a person who is very curious.)

" ♡ プリパラミュージアムの世紀末大そうじで うっかり歴史のしりょうを すてちゃった！！ クマコンのご先祖さまのヤラカシ

♡ プリパラ1000周年てん かいさいのピンチ！！ らぁるる、がんばるる！！"

Chinese characters (漢字 : kanji) are known as ideograms. It's still difficult for children to memorise. They are in the process of learning things from their life. The minimum required Hiragana and katakana are necessary for conversation for Japanese children those are acquired at an early age. Afterwards they are taught their own name's kanji, next easy kanji and gradually learn more difficult ones.

(This time, kanji are distinguished by pink, hiragana by orange and katakana by light blue. プレビュー上は問題ないように色を変更しているのに、なぜか毎回ちょっとおかしい表示になってしまう。諦めていいか？　いいよ)

Maybe Laalulu isn't older than Laala. I think the fact that she writes in hiragana when she should be writing in kanji, reflects her infant age settings and still lack of academic ability. I'm gonna post a bit of information about the Laalulu attends school and photos of Laala's test papers later. Her disgraceful 黒歴史 (black history) displayed in the booth. . . What a poor Idol😥

Ah I want to know what Laalulu is all about. First, is she a human or a vocal doll like Falulu?? (Ah Um well, I'm gonna write this directly without fear of being misunderstood. And second. Possibly they mean to say, "she is descendand from LaaFalu" ???? TBH, it's the most interesting mystery of her setting for me! help me!!🤓←otaku emoji)

BTW, it's a bit of minority for people to have written in hiragana or katakana like PriPara characters in Japan. Because most parents want their children's names to present a orison, so they often want to include meaningful kanji.

( The text in the balloon following "プリパラ1000周年てん" I could not be read by me because the image low dpi. Umm I should have come a bit closer!!😭)

Now, it's huge impact for me! Look at this pic!? Oh my HAM!!

!? Woooo I didn't know there was a set procedure for "BAKIRU(バキる)"!! It seems a way of punching the person right next to you with the hand holding a PriTicket. What a savage and boisterous way. . . it could suit YamiPri (闇プリ) Idols perfectly (?) 実はアニメにそんな説明されたシーンがあったかどうか記憶がなくてちょっぴり恥ずかしい。 "Yami" has the meaning of "darkness". OK, it suits Aloma a little. . . (?) BTW, 病み(yami : sick) and 闇 are known as the homophone. Maybe "病みかわいい" (sickly cute) also famous in other countries so when you don't know difference, you might tilt their heads.

同じ最年少でも、そふぃは8歳、ショウゴは5歳でデビュー。あとやっぱりプリリズからずっと「女子よりも男子の方がレベルが高い」という設定は続いてるのかな？　実際のフィギュアスケートでもそうだったから不思議ではないけど。

Now, were the stage version of DunPri and more works available see to people living abroad? If my memory serves me correctly, I think the Blu-ray wasn't sold after all. I have watched the whole works online in Japan, but I do NOT have the Blu-ray😥 If you had known their stories, you would have loved them even more. BTW, HAM likes ASAHI next to HIBIKI.

There are sooo many foreigners who enjoy the PriPara and Pretty series, so I'm really glad ｡´___`｡ But I wonder why they don't expand internationally more. I'm not entirely sure, majide! (imitating Asahi's voice)

てか、アドパラ公式本当にもったいないよ。舞台やダンプリ単独を見てなかったらダークナイトメアの設定なんかほとんど身にしみてわからなくね？？？　私自身、何も知らなかったらアニメの感想も違ったと思う。舞台の配信とアドパラを一周程度では、まだ彼らのことを明確には好きになれていないのだ。ふわっと程度には好き。近いのは「彼らのことが気になる」だ。だからこそ、もっと好きになれそうなところがあるのか知りたい。温かいスマホがありがたい季節になったら配信されている分を見返すけど、2期は……　いつ

ちなみに我々は配信で観た。私もハムも元々リアイベ全般が苦手。「好きになれるチャンスがあるか試す」ためだけに挑戦するハードルは高かった。それらを塗り替えてくれたのが、コロナ禍で盛んだった配信文化だった！　プリ☆チャンのライブとの親和性も高く、「放送当時はあまり楽しめなかったけど再トライしたいかも」と感じ始めたのもこの頃。感謝の気持ちは大きい！　ありがとう。

I realized that the Fortune Party logo looks like knit or fluffy fabric. I felt the designer's attention to detail!!

The images I saw online had no texture because the image quality was too low. Maybe I don't think we will stare at the logo for very long. Honestly, we usually just take a quick look at it a little bit to get a a sense the brand of coords, don't we. . . ?

ドロシーやレオナに似合いそうな素材感、隠れた手作り感、もこもこかわいい～！　ブランドの印象をより強く伝えてもらった気がする。

Other logos have a smooth texture as if they painted on plastic or resin (OK, just as I imagined) ! They made fantastic designs of adding intricate details but I didn't focus on them long time. I was really grateful to be able to appreciate logo works, even if it may seem exaggerated *´ヮ｀*

Now, large Dorothy is looking at you

If I had held my hand close to Dorothy as if offer her TomoTicket at that time, maybe I could have fantasised that we were really trading it . . . Ugh🤤

I'm allowing myself to freely fantasise about the world settings of the future Pripara now. Give me time, there are so many things I want to talk about~~~

「何年も経ってからならようやく答え合わせできるかも？」なんてあんまりだわよ！　まだまだ解らないことだらけ、アドパラ……。それに、あんなアニメの終わり方じゃやっぱり物足りないよ。いや、たくさん待ったからこそ無闇に期待が上がっていたのかなぁ、なんて。 お気に入りの 10th Anniversary Edition の歌詞だって、いつかは真の意味で頷きたいものだ。今のままだって十分好きだけど。

人はなぜプリパラにしがみつくのか？ 稼働当時は（いくら人気でも！）これほど終わらせてもらえないコンテンツになるとは思わなかった。た、たすけて～～～～

FREEDOM . . .