#The story of Taro Urashima I

[madcat-world]

浦島太郎の物語I (1 of 2) - Sija Hong

[kinokoshoujoart]

please pray for my husband Rock, the first and only SOS character to experience rapid twink death and age faster than his extremely very biological parents

based on this meme

[thenukacolachallenge]

was there ever an explanation of where the Energy Steroids that Hody Jones and the New Fish-Man Pirates used actually originated from? like yes, i know they were in the Tamatebako, but like. who put them there. who made them. was that ever a thing that was explained?

[pukanavis]

Fuyume Hanamura Idol Story 1

ーThe Yumenosaki Academy library, two years since the establishment of ES.

Fuyume: Excuse me?

Are there any fairy tales here…?

Oh, the shelf over there is the section for picture books and stuff?

Thank you for your help.

~...♪

(Ah, she was right. Yume recognises a bunch of the books over here.)

(They’ve got a good selection to choose from but the categorising is a mess. They’re just randomly thrown onto the shelf without any care for alphabetical order or release date.)

(Oh well…apparently no one has any love for fairy tales…)

(‘The Little Mermaid, ‘Momotaro’, ‘Tale of The Bamboo-Cutter’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Urashima Taro’, ‘Cinderella’—)

(Oh! It might not be the one Yume was looking for but he’s in the mood to read Cinderella today.)

(This story is another one that Yume adores.)

(It’s a tale about love being rewarded.)

…♪

Fuyume: …? Hm? Oh, uhm, you’re that nice person from earlier—did you need something?

You were so kind to Yume earlier, so he’d be happy to give you some company.

Huh? The Yumenosaki Academy library is off-limits to anyone that doesn’t work for or attend the school?

How could you tell that Yume isn’t a student here?

Ooh, cause Yume isn’t wearing the uniform…?

That makes sense…no biggie, Yume will be sure to wear the school uniform next time.

Yume is really good at sewing, so it won’t be a problem…fufu ♪

Huh? That’s not the issue?

Yume doesn't like anything you’re saying right now.

Here he was thinking you were a nice person.

Fuyume: Huh? Yume’s name is Fuyume Hanamura.

And you are? …Anzu-san? You’re a graduate of Yumenosaki?

You’re here at your old school to do some producer work, huh? It made you feel nostalgic so you’ve been walking around the grounds…? 

Oh, is that the case? Hmm…♪

Then, aren’t you and Yume in the same boat? Yume goes to a middle school separate from Yumenosaki and you’ve already graduated…right?

It sounds like neither of us are allowed to be here.

Let's work together then, okay? If you pretend you never saw Yume, he won’t go around yelling, ‘There’s a trespasser in here!’ …♪

What do they call it? A contract, business, bargaining? Let’s do something like that…♪

If you’re willing to comply, Yume will leave you be. He isn't particularly interested in you anyway.

Yume is just here to read some fairy tales.

…♪

Fuyume: Huh? Did you need something else? You want to know what Yume is reading?

Ehehe, you’re interested in fairy tales? Sounds like we can get along.

Ehehehehehe. Yume is just reading a picture book about the massively popular princess, Cinderella. Though, he actually wanted to read something else. 

Maybe you’ve heard of it? For some reason, no one in Japan knows about it—it’s a fairy tale about an amethyst. 

Even if you don’t know the story, maybe you’ve heard this quote before?

—”The amethyst broke into pieces.”

Fufu. I guess you haven’t heard of it. Oh well.

Basically, it’s a story about an ordinary girl that comes across an amethyst that can grant any wish that she desires.

In fact, she actually fuses with the amethyst and becomes a crystalised-human of sorts.

It’s a curse put on her by an evil witch…ehehehehe ♪

The plot is kinda similar to ‘The Happy Prince’. Actually, something like ‘Arabian Nights’ or ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ might be a better match.

After transforming into the wish-granting amethyst, the girl wishes for her crush to pay attention to her, or to become better friends with people—

With each little wish she makes, the amethyst uses its power and gradually begins to crack—

Aah…♪ Eventually, her body becomes so fractured that it crumbles away and she loses all of the love and friends that she had been granted.

Her loved ones view her like a monster and chase her away in fear.

After everything, the final wish she makes is—

Fuyume: —Ah, wait, Yume thinks you should read it for yourself to find out what happens next. Spoilers are a crime!

Ehehe. If there’s one thing Yume can say, it’s that he empathises with the amethyst girl and even admires her.

At the end of it all, the final remaining piece of her—

Becomes a ring that showers the wedding between her best friend and the one she loved in joy.

After everything, her final wish is—wait, oops, Yume just realised how much he’s spoiling. He’s really really sorry.

You don’t mind? Really? You’re super kind, you know?

Ehehe. You see, Yume shares the same wish as the girl who became a ring.

—-“I wish for your life to be full of joy.”

During her final moments, the girl whose selfish asks led her to break apart used her last wish to bring someone else happiness. 

Ehehe. Yume doesn’t have the power to grant wishes but he’ll do everything he can to achieve that too.

For example, Esu goes to Yumenosaki so Yume snuck in to watch over him in secret.

Huh? Does Yume love Esu?

It depends how you define ‘love’ but yep, Yume loves Esu.

But it's sad, isn't it? The reality we live in isn’t a fairytale.

—The amethyst already shattered long ago.

[danieyells]

After Hotaburi's chapter i was very curious about Zenji voicelines! Can i ask for them, please?

@yuri-is-online YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OVERWHELMING ME although I appreciate the concern!! If I get overwhelmed or need a break I just put it aside until I'm ready or have the time and energy and attention span or ideas if necessary haha so no need to worry there 'u' (Also. . .good luck with those fics lolol)

ZENJI IS OUR LAST BOI. Until we get Ed and Lyca anyway. Which will honestly probably be in like. A week or two. Possibly less. I had my suspicions when I first read his that he was a ghost lol knowing he is. . .it gives them a little different feeling I guess haha.

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"Why, hello there, my dear. Suppose we kick off another swanky day here?"

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Come now, read those messages out, won't you? They're fan letters for me, aren't they? ...They're not?"

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"You want to know the meaning of my words? I see— I'll have to give you a lecture on romanticism."

"What's this? Well, it's a biwa, of course. It's a biwa just as you are yourself."

what does that mean tho. . .i mean i get what it means but also it feels like it must mean something. . . .

"Girls, be ambitious... Dream big, my dear."

proud women enjoyer zenji kotodama

"A man who's everywhere but can be found nowhere... That's what it means to be an inspired man of the quill."

i think that's just what it means to be a ghost bby. . . . . . . . . . .

"Heh. There's no doubt about it. Zenji Kotodama is once again the most styling man on campus. These glad rags are the cat's pajamas."

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"Come now, let's depart in search of something sensational."

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Oh, have you come to see me? This is troubling. I'm afraid I'm out of autographs."

where have you been distributing them. . .?

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"What am I doing here? ...I'm people-watching."

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Ordinarily I ask for write-ins for my advice salon on the World Wide Web...but tonight, I'm taking it out into the field."

i wonder if he's waiting to encounter people who'll be able to see and hear him or if he's just like. . .genuinely ignoring/forgetting/disregarding that he isn't seen or heard. . .or maybe he was ignored a lot in his lifetime too so he doesn't question that people don't respond. . . .

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"The moon is beautiful... I always look forward to passing the hours in conversation with you and Towa on nights like these."

i thought you didn't hang around jabberwock after dark because the dark was dangerous tho. . .maybe if the moon is big and bright he doesn't mind because it's not as dark lolol

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"My folktale videos? I filmed them at Haku's behest, but I can't imagine these old things will capture my fans' hearts..."

based on that the Urashima Taro video has his voice in it but his character story recording doesn't have him or his voice in it(and Haku deliberately tries to make the background interesting because he knows it'll only be the background and biwa sounds,) I think his voice can be recorded but if he's visibly in the recording it won't be captured? That or Haku has recording equipment that can capture ghost voices, but not images???

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"It truly is the age of YouTube. Can you fathom the romance of my artistry spreading to all four corners of the globe?"

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Every tool has its own knack you've got to acquire to use it properly. Behold— my mastery with a fishing pole!"

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"This doll here is special. The moment I met him I felt a destiny such that I knew we couldn't be strangers."

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Oh, I didn't mean to give you a fright... I ought to have expected this. A sudden brush with an inspired man of the quill would take anyone's breath away."

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"Have you got any siblings, my dear? Why no, I don't mean anything by it. Just a little morning conversation."

i can imagine him looking fondly at his doll as he says he doesn't mean anything by it. His sibling isn't one of the most important things in the world to him or anything. He's just making conversation. btw in Japanese he says "morning talk" which sounds an awful lot like "pillow talk" to me and idk how many people would be comfortable discussing their siblings after the deed--

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Are you going to Mortkranken, my dear? ...I see. No, I don't mean anything by it. Are you hurt? I hope you'll take care."

so while it makes sense for Zenji to ask this as he is noted in his profile to be a worrywart, not to mention he died on campus, but also. . .y'know, his brother lives there.

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Apparently my footsteps give the general students the heebie-jeebies..."

In Japanese it does clarify that he moves without the sound of footsteps at all because the general students freak out hearing his footsteps since they can't see him

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"A swanky morning calls for a swanky breakfast, and some swanky radio calisthenics."

apparently radio calisthenics are still pretty popular in japan. in any case man are you sure you died like a year ago you sound so old

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"Why, Subaru hasn't risen yet. Go ahead and wake him, won't you, my dear? I'll accompany your efforts from here with my biwa."

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"A burst of inspiration has taken hold of me... No. The ghost of artistry has possessed my soul!"

okay well be careful with ghosts taking over your soul you don't have a ton left if you lose that--

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"To be a Darkwick student is to greet danger as an old friend... But I hope that Haku and Subaru have a long life ahead of them."

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Zenji Kotodama is a wonderful name, don't you think? A sensational name befitting of my sensational sensibilities."

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Trouble sleeping? Then I'll read you a story. How about Urashima Taro?"

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"I was standing by your pillow last night? Horsefeathers, I'd never. I was there the night before last."

BABY I DON'T THINK THAT'S BETTER. YOU ARE STILL WATCHING THEM SLEEP. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WATCH THEM DO.

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Go ahead and eat. No, don't give me another thought—I'm on a diet, you see. Watching you is enough food for my soul."

you see why i suspected initially that he didn't know he was dead? can you eat at all buddy?? i don't think it's a diet if you've lost the ability to consume food. . . .

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Haku's busy today—film me in his stead, won't you?"

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I've got a little story about a hapless fool of a man... I'm sure it's hardly worth listening to. I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to share it with you?"

the true stories seem like the ones he wants to avoid. . .'a hapless fool of a man's story that isn't worth listening to but i'd still like to share' sounds an awful lot like it must be about him and his life. . . . In Japanese he says 「救いようのない、馬鹿な男の物語さ」 "it's the story of an irredeemable/hopeless, stupid man.". . .who did you hurt, Zenji?

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"To be able to look into your eyes and bid you good night... I'm the luckiest fella for miles around."

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"Maybe we did meet too late. But it's all right. I promise I'll find you in the next life."

but. . .but we have this life. . .although this is one of the few acknowledgements he really gives of his own ghostly nature. He wants to be able to live with you. To be tangibly there for you, to touch you and support you, to be able to show you off to others. . .but he can't be recognized. He can't be seen or heard but by a select few, it's only thanks to Haku that he can be seen or heard by you. It's too late for something 'real' now. So he can plan for the future. For the next life. He'll find you when you're both alive and then you can do everything you'd want to do with a real physical boyfriend. He promises.

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"In spring, the dawn... Red tinges the slowly paling mountain rim... Ah... These mountain fellas must've been goofy for some doll..."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"There is hope buried under the cherry trees... It means that spring is the season of chance encounters."

isn't the like. rumor that cherry blossoms are pink because they dye their petals with the blood of corpses buried beneath them or something? i swear i read that somewhere. apparently it comes from a poem. is hope a body buried under a sakura tree. is that where they buried you, Zenji?

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"The cherry blossoms of Hotarubi are ephemeral—they bloom only to be quickly washed away by the rain. But I am rather fond of that way of life."

Zenji simultaneously lives in Acceptance and Denial stages of grief it seems lol

(between 8pm and 5am)

"The beauty of the cherry blossoms under the night sky inspired me to pick up my pen... Oh, it has gotten easier to lift."

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"Have you seen him!? Who? Why, my doll, of course! This is very troubling. I've got to find him before the boogeymen stir!"

. . .somehow this reminds me of the Jiro dialogue where he's like "if Yuri asks where I am, tell him i went to bed, i'm going out" lol if the doll reminds him of Jiro, it seems to make sense that now and then it wanders off on its own. I wonder where it's going though?

(between 11am and 4pm)

"My ideal summer vacation? I wish to lay down my burdens in the springs of Yugawara and pursue my wordsmithery in peace, as so many greats have done before me."

Yugawara is a hot spring town in Japan! Apparently since the Meiji era people would go there for inspiration and such thanks to the atmosphere

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"This master wordsmith studied by the light of fireflies... I see. Haku! Turn out the lights!"

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I heard a frightful rumor... Apparently the ghost of a dead student has been spotted around Hotarubi..."

THAT'S YOU. YOU ARE THE SCARY GHOST OF A DEAD STUDENT. PEOPLE CAN SEE YOU MORE BECAUSE IT'S SUMMER.

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"Fall is the perfect season for a new book, and I have the perfect one for you... From inspired man of the quill Zenji Kotodama, the fruit of his sweat and blood... "Body.""

(between 11am and 4pm)

"A song for you in the season of the arts... From inspired lute priest Zenji Kotod— Wait, where are you going!?"

why is this the one time 'biwa' is translated to 'lute' lol. . .although 'lute priest' does sound way better than 'biwa priest'

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Gauging the literary significance of this video by something as insignificant as views... Horsefeathers, isn't it?"

yeah!!! don't judge your worth by views or follows, zenji!!!

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I've decided to make you the heroine of my next work... A beautiful princess who bites into a poisoned apple and falls into a deep slumber... and seven of you!"

a fascinating retelling of Snow White. . .Snow White And The Seven Snow Whites. . . .

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"Good morning, fellas! Time for my biwa recital to color the chill of this frigid sunrise! I call it "Six O'Clock in the Morning.""

zenji nO PEOPLE ARE TRYNA SLEEP

(between 11am and 4pm)

"There's a rumor going around that you can hear a biwa playing in the music room when no one's there... I go all the time though, and I've never heard it..."

again. . .that's because it's you. . . .

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"The setting sun... The sky dyed purple... Your beautiful profile, obscured... (gasp) I've been struck by inspiration!! My dear, I have to leave you here!"

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Are you cold? Then let me warm you up... My dear, why are you scooting away? I'll only make you colder...?"

it really seems like he forgets he's a ghost pretty often lmao

His birthday: (June 19th)

"Is this...a birthday present...? (hic) (sob) I'm the luckiest fella around...!"

people don't give him gifts often huh. . .or he's just very emotional. both could be true.

Your birthday:

"I've planned the perfect day to celebrate the miracle of your birth... We'll start with an ode to you, accompanied by my biwa."

he planned you a whole outing or maybe a party! with all day musical accompaniment!! What a sweetheart!!

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year, my dear. I'll be making the first shrine visit with Haku—care to join us?"

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"My dear...is this for me? (hic) (sob) I'll treasure it always...!"

well given he probably can't eat it. . .fair reaction

White Day: (March 14th)

"I'm sorry... I did try to explain that a biwa recital would make a better gift, but Haku insisted I present you with confections instead..."

thanks haku you a real one lmao although music wouldn't be bad just. . . .

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"No, I would never lie to you. An inspired man spins fiction with his quill, not his mouth, after all."

y'know, i love the honesty! you keep making stories and being open, zenji!

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Why, you gave me quite a fright in that getup! What a marvelously queer celebration this is! So this is the legacy of westernization..."

no the marvelously queer celebrations are in june. although halloween is also marvelously queer sometimes--

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Merry Christmas! I've completed a new fairy tale. May my wishes reach the hearts of children everywhere..."

not a gift for you, but for the children! can a ghoul ghost and a human have--

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"...And they lived happily ever after. How did you like my new story? I'd love to hear your— What? You weren't listening!?"

(13 affinity and above)

"Can you see me? Phew... You've been so quiet, you had me worried, my dear."

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"Ah, I'm so relieved you're all right, my dear. I wondered if something had happened on a mission... I'm glad my fears had no teeth."

THAT'S ALL OF EM. He's really. . .he is himself the whole way through huh lol. At the same time when he does acknowledge his ghostliness(and oftentimes he does the exact opposite, simply lacking in self-awareness) he seems a little lonely and regretful. . .I wonder if he was always such a worrywart or if he started worrying more after he died, realizing first hand just how dangerous things could be. I'm surprised how few acknowledgements his doll gets, although I don't think he carries it on the home screen?

I wonder how different his personality was when he was alive. Probably not very different tbh.

ANYWAY IT IS HALF PAST MIDNIGHT FOR ME. BEDTIME.

[worm-death]

Lupin Week 2024 Day #4

Legend of Rupanshima Taro (i hope this counts as mythology lol

Anyway, I took the story of Urashima Taro and included Lupin, since they kinda sorta did an episode based around it in part 2. Tried my best to incorporate a half ukiyo-e/lupin style in here

[showamagicalgirls]

The series that has been occupying my mind lately is Sing! Great Dragon Palace (うたう!大龍宮城) .

This is a late stage iteration of the Toei Mysterious Comedy Series (東映不思議コメディーシリーズ), a programming block that is best remembered by Magical Girl fans for for La Belle Fille Masquée Poitrine (美少女仮面ポワトリン).

It ran for most of 1992, which puts it slightly over the line into the early Heisei (平成) period of Japanese period, just slightly off the core topic of this blog.

But there are two things that make it interesting to me. The first is that it's a live-action musical, which is genuinely pretty unique.

The second is the way it connects back to Japanese literary history. It's heavily patterened after the Urashima Taro (浦島太郎) story, which goes all the way back to the Nihon Shoki (日本書紀), the second oldest book of Japanese history.

I have generally considered three Japanese folktales to be the most important predecessors for Magical Girls -- the story of Amaterasu (天照大御神), The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (竹取物語), and Urashima Taro (浦島 太郎).

[tlblitzle]

Blueberry seems upstanding enough. I’d like to think I would’ve heard SOMETHING about them doing research to get a position over there

I did not find any CONCERNING details ONLINE, when I had my own INTERNET CONNECTION. BLUEBERRY ACADEMY is a fairly NEW establishment, though. AETHER FOUNDATION managed to maintain a BENEVOLENT public image for LONGER.

Oh hush. Don’t ruin my job prospects!

i may be a high school dropout but at least i didnt go to fucking ORANGE GRAPE SCHOOL.

[wevelocityteampresents-blog]

Pokémon Pocket Monsters BW Volume 1 - Chapter 12

After stopping Team Plasma from another one of their vicious plots. a Tirtouga invites Red and the others to his home in the Abyssal Ruins.

After tackling the Nimbasa City gym, the next obvious destination would be... ...Undella Town. For some reason, Anakubo decided to let Red, Pikachu, and Clefairy take a break in an area far off from their travel route. If you didn't know, Undella Town is on the other side of the country.

I guess the real reason Anakubo picked Undella Town over Driftveil City is because of the Abyssal Ruins.

Instead of being an expansive ruin with various ancient writing on the walls and floor, it's depicted in the manga as an underwater palace. I guess the main inspiration for this version of the ruins would be Atlantis. A more ideal look for one of your main settings if you don't plan on having your characters scour the sea looking for ancient treasure.

Moving onto the characters, Team Plasma returns yet again. This time making it clearer that they aren't as supportive of Pokémon as they claim. Even though they don't stay that long during the adventure, this chapter does a good job at showing Team Plasma's true colors. After seeing them talk about their purpose in "I Want To Talk To Pokémon!", kidnapping Pikachu in "Detective Clefairy's Solo Explanation!", and bullying Tirtouga in this chapter, we've finally seen Team Plasma's true selves unfold in real-time.

As for Tirtouga, he's a bit different from other prehistoric Pokémon. Instead of being resurrected from a fossil or having been discovered sleeping beneath the earth for centuries, Tirtouga uses the ruins as his home and has lived there for the past one hundred million years. He seems like a kind old tortoise who treats nice people well.

But if Tirtouga's been living there since it was constructed, then does that mean he's been around actual human beings once in his life? And if he's been living underwater for this many years, then does the same thing apply to other members of his species? That's a question that probably won't be answered.

This chapter wasn't that bad. We got to see Team Plasma as the true villains they are, a unique twist was made on a mysterious area from the video games, and most of the jokes are pretty funny. A nice ending to an otherwise excellent beginning of the Black and White saga of the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga!

This concludes Pokémon Pocket Monsters BW. (For now at least...)

After all the series I've read through, the Black and White saga proves to be my absolute favorite. Certain story elements and plotlines are made clearer to readers who've never read any of the previous volumes, and the way newer characters and Pokémon were adapted into the Pokémon Pocket Monsters canon was done very well (most of the time, anyway...) and it's enjoyable to see them pair up with Red and Clefairy. On top of that, I've found myself appreciating the writing and dialogue between characters with the action scenes also being entertaining for how bizarre they get and the strategies Clefairy uses to win. Red also improves a bit as a Trainer and manages to defeat a multitude of Gym Leaders and Team Plasma members within a single volume. I'd say this is honestly the best Pokémon Pocket Monsters saga Anakubo has ever made.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. We may have seen this manga's iconic beginnings, its obscure present, and its apparent non-stop rise in quality. But pretty soon we'll reach the point where Pokémon Pocket Monsters began to lose its charm. The XY saga is upon us...

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES

In the third and fourth pages, Clefairy dresses up as Urashima Taro.

Urashima Taro is a character from a Japanese folktale of the same name. One of his most memorable moments is helping a bullied sea turtle who took him to an underwater palace as thanks. This is reflected in the chapter as Tirtouga invites Red, Clefairy, and Pikachu to his home in the Abyssal Ruins to show his gratitude to them.

On page 4, Clefairy tries to bargain with the Team Plasma grunts by sharing some kimi-dango with them.

As Red states in the same panel, Clefairy's referencing another Japanese folktale. This time it's Momotaro, the boy who was born from a peach. He also carries kimi-dango which has varying effects on the people he feeds it to. With the ones Clefairy carries around, they just set Team Plasma's mouths on fire.

Ouch...

[toujokaname]

Game master / Episode 15

Author: Akira

Characters: Aira, Kohaku, HiMERU, Hiiro

"—Is this... the smell of blood?"

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[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: Secluded Village

Several hours later. At the final checkpoint of the courage test, the mansion where the "hidden treasure" is said to be.

Aira: Ahh~... Finally made it... I'm exhausted.

Kohaku: Koh koh koh ♪ We've been goin' back and forth all over the place. Feelin' kinda worn out for nothin', huh?

HiMERU: There was something unnatural about the route... It felt like being made to walk in circles for no good reason.

It seems that we were essentially following the route taken by the staff of the paranormal program when they were subjected to the apparition.

Hiiro: Umu, that's what the notes say.

The staff of the paranormal program explored every nook and cranny of the village, and eventually reached the mansion we're facing now.

The notes describe it as an odd mansion in the secluded countryside, feeling like a mayoiga.

Aira: Mayoiga...? You're talking about Mayo-san?

Hiiro: It's a term from folklore studies. They say if you bring something back from a mansion that unnaturally exists in the mountains, you'll become wealthy—Well, it's just a fairy tale, though.

Aira: Like Urashima Taro? [1]

HiMERU: Wasn't that a story in which he became unhappy because he brought back the jeweled box?

Hiiro: I wonder. It might be up to interpretation.

It could be argued that by finally catching up with his family members who had left him behind—and dying of old age just like them, Urashima Taro was able to find happiness.

Aira: But then what's the point if they all died... I'll survive! I'll definitely escape from this backward village and go back home!

Hiiro: You don't need to be that frantic. When it's time, you can just take the bus home normally, you know?

Kohaku: —Odd.

Aira: W-What's wrong? Do you have something on your mind, Kohakucchi?

HiMERU: Speaking of which. It's hard to understand why Tatsumi and the others, who are supposed to be scarers, haven't shown themselves since Ayase told that ghost story.

Aira: Ah, now that you mention it, that's true. It's probably better if nothing scary happens, and if we're not intentionally being frightened, I was actually relieved...

But, isn't that neglecting their role as scarers? We're busting our butts over here!

Kohaku: I was just wanderin' aimlessly, y'know. Sure, that was bothering me too, but—

Hiiro-han, you've got a good nose, right? Can't you smell this scent?

Hiiro: *Sniff sniff...* Oh, now that you mention it, there is a strange smell.

—Is this... the smell of blood?

Aira: Alright, that's it! Player Aira's throwing in the towel!

It's scaryyy, I hate ittt! I can't take it anymore!

HiMERU: Oh, lost the will to fight, have you? If that's the case, wouldn't this face-off once again end in a victory for Crazy:B?

Aira: Fine by me! I don't care about who are the better idols between ALKALOID and Crazy:B!

We idol otaku aren't interested in that! It's not about comparing to other idols!

As long as my oshi's shining, that's all that matters! Just loving them fills me with happiness!

Aira: Winning or losing, who's better or who's worse, I don't caaaare! Waaaahhh!

Kohaku: Crap, Rabu-han's actually reached his limit.

Hiiro: There, there... I understand how you feel, but let's hang in there a little longer. You've been brave and endured this far despite being scared.

If we can just get our hands on the "hidden treasure" in this mansion, the test of courage will be done with.

If we hold on a bit more, all the scary stuff will be over, Aira.

Aira: That's why I'm saying I can't endure even a little more! Hiro-kun, you idiot! Clueless! Barbarian!

HiMERU: Hm. You're bordering on panic because of fear. This doesn't seem like something that should be shown on the screen; it's rather unsightly.

At the risk of being a mood killer, shall we contact the staff and request a brief break?

So that we can have a cup of tea and calm down before continuing to explore the mansion—

Kohaku: Yeah... I'm feelin' kinda weirdly tired too, I could use a break.

It'd probably feel better to rest after all the work's done, but with the way Rabu-han's goin', I doubt he'll hold out 'til the end.

Hiiro: Umu... Aira is very sensitive, so his fear must've been excessive compared to my dullness.

If anything, I apologize for not recognizing it until you reached this limit.

Aira: Aghh~! I'm sorryyy, I'm always like this!

Hiiro: It's okay. When I panicked because I couldn't understand Nii-san, you were the one who held me close and encouraged me.

Thanks to that, I managed to pull myself together. I'm grateful, so now it's my turn, Aira.

Aira: Uuu~! It's not fair you're only affectionate at times like this! What are you planning, making my heart flutter like that?!

Hiiro: What am I supposed to do...?

Kohaku: Hehe. Well then, let's call the staff and—

Kohaku: Wait, wha? The camera crew's been trailin' us from afar, but—

Huuuh? They ain't here?

Since when? That's weird, they were definitely tailin' us right up to the last checkpoint...?

Ack, reckon I was too worn out to notice. This whole thing's just—off somehow.

Hiiro: Heeey! Trouble's brewing! Is anyone around?

HiMERU: ...There's no response. As expected, there's not even a sign of presence from inside the mansion.

Aira: This is so weird! C-Could this really mean something paranormal's going on...?

Hiiro: C-Calm down, Aira. That was probably just a story made up by the scarers... We just felt it was realistic because of Mayoi-senpai's skillful storytelling.

Rather... I'm sure it's all part of the show's production, including the fact that we're scared like this.

Right? Because you like idols and know a lot about them, you know that this sort of thing is common in the industry, don't you?

Aira: B-But... would they really go this far for a prank...?!

[ ☆ ]

In Urashima Tarō's story, he rescues a turtle who turns out to be a princess and spends what feels like days with her under the sea, only to return to find that centuries have passed. Opening the box she forbid him from opening, he rapidly ages. Interestingly, this isn't the first time it's been brought up in an ALKALOID context, as Tatsumi compares himself to it in his first idol story.

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[basedkikuenjoyer]

Backup Drummer

Right off the bat, we follow up a note from last time. Kuma's upping the ante on being an unreliable narrator. Now we're doing it a second time. A nested flashback. Fun! I love this, same with the idea it's a pointless exercise. Tragic though it may be, the idea these letters never find Bonney is such a great narrative nugget. Type of thing where...well, I was gonna say you see a flash of static that was there intentionally to cover a key detail but we did that one didn't we?

Seeing this flashback start to fray and break down is interesting. We keep seeing it and now I definitely think we'll have shenanigans upon our return. That's not the only bit of narrative peculiarity though. There's another beat that caught my eye even more:

We've done the "static" effect. Covering up a detail with sound effect Kanji. This one feels more like...listening to the radio at the edge of the station's rage. When it starts to intermingle with another station on the same frequency. This is such a weird little blip. "A smart hawk hides its claws" is a great idiom for all this then we shift to a brief moment with Stussy going oddly philosophical. She went too quiet during the time between the cutaway and this flashback, don't forget her. If there's another "Rashomon" break from the main story she might be a good one. Especially with this weird little adjacent element of a potential relative for Kalifa. It is odd how we get Lucci, Kaku, and a replacement girl. Not to mention the three brothers. Sabo was in Vivi's story, Luffy Bonney's, and the OG Stussy has already been around Marco so Ace fitting in isn't that much of a stretch. Still think Rashomon & Riddles is one of my better ones.

Don't forget she gets tied up in the Tamataebako thread too. Bonney is sorta inherently tied up with Urashima Taro by default with that power while we're at it. Likewise with Vegapunk, but that'll be a little secret for later. Which means now we have to get to Bonney's grand escape. That was our deal. Bonney's really horning in as someone who can fill this open role we've identified. What does our story have to say here?

Distortion. Who does "becoming Nika" remind you of? Club, white hair, doggy form, tboy swag...it smacks of Yamato's Oden fixation. Credit where credit's due, I can argue Kiku threads the needle of these Egghead characters, but Bonney's a good mix of Carrot/Kiku/Yamato as well. Still, this plus the narration feel a certain way to me. Like they're really, really reasserting Bonney as a rival. Her own captain. Someone who could have taken Luffy's place if he wasn't here. Fair is fair, our main narrator being unreliable has happened too. With the redacted announcement of the Luffy v Kaido battle. But this makes me wonder how much we'll even focus on Bonney if this flashback continues. Remember she's the third Supernova this arc set up to end her saga.

We'll get to Luffy & Kuma tomorrow, but I have a last thought on Bonney. With all the Thriller Bark elements floating around, did she lose her crew to the buzzsaw of the New World? As in, end up like Moria? Interesting parallel on the table at least. I always thought Yamato was intriguing from the vantage point of like, being perfect if Luffy did blunder into the New World too early and meet the same fate. Yams is a great person to bail you out and start a new crew. Not like anyone wanted that outcome but you can't forget Moria's shadow hanging around. Potentially even literally given the Blackbeard ship could be stolen.

[doubleddenden]

Okay so Lockstin dropped his video about Teal Mask and the origins and inspirations behind it. And I was reading through various comments and I feel like I've hit the jackpot on Treasures of Area Zero as a whole

Time for DD'S Theory Corner

Okay so look at Ogerpon. As Lockstin pointed out, Oger is often used as an English translation of Oni- clearly it sort of represents the Oni from the story of Momotaro. Right?

But!!!

Remember this? Ogerpon wears a mask over what looks to be a very cute face. Pon, as Lockstin pointed out, can be a sillier version of Chan, and also the bonking sound of something hitting something soft.

Theory: Ogerpon is not the bad guy. In fact, he's probably bullied and wears the mask to scare people.

It could also combine with the original story of the red and blue Oni, instead scaring so the Momotaro trio can be praised as heroes. Their names do oddly sound "this is fine" and "a okay!" Or "all good!" In comparison to "Silly Oger," you know?

Okay, then I had another thought

Remember my theory about Indigo Disk maybe having some inspiration from The Tale of Urashima Taro? Short version is this:

A man named Taro saved a sea turtle that was being bullied by children, and in return the sea turtle brought him to an underwater kingdom called The Dragon Palace, where he was welcomed and well fed by the princess. She gave him a box when he felt homesick and told him to never open it. When he went back home he saw that a few days to him was 300 years at home. He thought the box might help but instead it made him old.

All of that is to say that we have a possible connecting theme.

Bullying.

The sea turtle was bullied by children. Scarlet and Violet's entire Star Fall plot revolved around the aftermath of Team Star being bullied. Ogerpon is also most like being bullied or AFRAID of bullying. Although what Terapagos could be bullied for, I'm unclear. Maybe being used to create things like the Tera crystals or something else entirely.

Anyway, big big theory is that we're getting more bullying allegories of some kind.

[godzilla-reads]

🌏 Tamamo the Fox Maiden and Other Asian Stories: A Cautionary Fables and Fairytales Book edited by Kel McDonald, C. Spike Trotman, and Kate Ashwin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A graphic novel collection of several fables and fairytales from Asian countries, including some famous and some lesser-known, while also including an array of countries!

When I got this book I was worried it’d only feature stories from Japan and China, but I was pleasantly surprised to find stories from Laos, Georgia, Iraq, and many others! Each story features an artist who has great talent in art and storytelling.

My favorite stories were “The Demon with Matted Hair” from India, “Urashima Taro” from Japan, and “The History of the Spectre Ship” from Iraq.

I highly recommend!

[eeby-beeby-saiki-k-fan-blog]

hey guys wanna see me try and brute force a saiki k undertale au

just a "which character would fit which role and why" type post,

spoilers for undertale

also be prepared for a really long post if/when you press keep reading, I might've had a bit too much to say about this

Kusuo could fit Frisk pretty nicely, there's this general vibe that Frisk's just being dragged through the story by the other characters. When they interact the narrator says something along the lines of "you tell [character] this" and that might be a pretty good interpretation of telepathy.

Akechi would be Chara, there's a popular theory that Chara is the narrator, Akechi played the part of narrator during the Urashima Taro play so there's that. They both speak pretty formally, Akechi also just straight up looks like Chara. That bug eyed stare and smile he usually has along with his hair cut makes him really remind me of them. Chara's very left up to interpretation so pretty much anyone could be Chara honestly.

Kusuke fits Flowey the best for sure, the whole "everything is a game" type mentality and everything. He could be warp instead of a flower, then maybe for the god of hyper death form he could be Mr K or something.

Teruhashi would either be Toriel or Mettaton. The whole having a massive fanbase thing could really easily make her Mettaton, her arrogant attitude is also pretty similar to Mettaton's. (btw this is not me hating on Teruhashi, that whole "girls are not allowed to like how they look or like attention" narrative people have is toxic) (just feel obligated to say that) I say Toriel because I'm really just not sure who else would be Toriel? Her savior complex could make it work.

I think Kuboyasu is gonna be Sans, has that general chill unless provoked type vibe you know?

Kaido would be Papyrus. This one's the most clear. Papyrus isn't delusional the same way Kaido is, but if Papyrus talked about dark reunion instead of joining the royal guard you'd have nearly the same character. Nendo as Sans would be pretty similar to how they interact in the anime, half a braincell between the two of them (it's Kaido's) Kaido and Kuboyasu being put together also just works, "sworn friends" and such.

Hairo would be Undyne, flaming passion and such.

Nendo would fit Monster Kid pretty well I think

I'd say the best fit for alphys would be Suzumiya Hii, since she acts the closest to alphys (BY THE WAY. I'm ignoring a lot of the relationships in Undertale. Alphys x Undyne is one of those, I mean Hairo x Suzumiya is a little weird.)

Yumehara is gonna be mettaton, this might seem a little out of left field but I'll explain my reasoning. A lot of this is just Mettaton's old diaries and his old house remind me of Yumehara, it's got that vibe y'know.

Mera would be Muffet, Muffet Mera. There was one post a while back that showed if you killed Muffet she dropped 0 gold. Also Mera definitely eats and hangs out with spiders just saying

Figuring out who Asgore would be is by far the hardest. I'm gonna say Matsuzaki, just the best idea I have. (btw this is one of those "ignore the relationships the role entails" things)

You know,,, I'm not sure how the monster/human dynamic would be translated here. One idea is psychics won the war against humans so like the humans are underground and the psychics fall into the mountain. This would make it so Aiura and Toritsuka could be the souls in this au (yeah only two souls). Considering that idea messes up the roles a bit though because of Kusuo Kusuke and Akechi, Kusuo and Kusuke are fine but Akechi isn't psychic I'm pretty sure.

An alternate idea for this dynamic: psychics underground humans on the surface. You could say that Kusuo was on the surface at first because he was "acting" as human. There's also that one theory that every Saiki k character is psychic, considering that makes this au a lot easier lmao

It's basically take your pick based on if you like the "everyone's psychic" theory or not

So the roles here are:

Frisk - Kusuo

Chara - Akechi

Asriel/Flowey - Kusuke

Toriel - Teruhashi

sans - Kuboyasu

PAPYRUS - Kaido

Jerry - Takahashi

Monster Kid - Nendo

Undyne - Hairo

Alphys - Suzumiya

Mettaton - Yumehara

Muffet - Mera

Asgore - Matsuzaki

I do have some alternate ideas though,

Kuboyasu as Undyne, Hairo as Asgore, Nendo as Sans, Kusuke and Makoto as Alphys and Mettaton respectively, I've had my fill for writing today though so that's it

anyways this au really doesn't work lmao

[aura-bug]

favorite yo-kai from each tribe?

Brave: Either Asura or Hovernyan, I fucking love Asura's designs/origins (<- nerd) and I am just VERY attached to hovernyan bc ykw2 is my favorite game

Tough: Toadal Dude. no contest. "surfer dude war general who is also a frog" is the funniest possible combination of character traits you could come up with. AND his name is TOADAL DUDE? thats peak. amazing. wonderful. Robonyan is very close in 2nd though

Mysterious: oughhhhh mysterious is one of those tribes where it's hard to pick a favorite bc there's so many I like 😭 if you held me to gunpoint and forced to me choose just one, though, I'd probably say Tengu. Neat design, I'm a folklore nerd, and he's just one of the guys I got weirdly attached to for no reason. idk. I liked his anime episode with Tenguriginal a lot omg

Charming: ouGGGGGHHHHHH another hard tribe,,,,, probably either Whirlweasel or Princess Pearl. Whirlweasel's anime episode was so fucking cute ??? like??? it had no right to be that adorable. what. also their design is just very gender

Princess Pearl bc I'm a sucker for all of ykw3's added legendaries asdfgh,, I like her little fish guy and the story of Otohime/Urashima Taro is just very iconic

Heartful: Predictabull. I can't explain this one. I just think he's a silly little guy. his folkloric origins are also very cool I like the kudan/other prophetic yokai a lot

Shady: Either Hidabat or Wobblewok. Hidabat's entire existence is just so insanely funny to me. Imagine allowing some loser recluse to live in your closet bc they're scared of the outdoors, then you slowly start finding out they're actually some sort of multi-millionaire that can just casually call up limousines and buy out entire houses and get in touch with extremely famous people n shit. headcanon: hidabat mines bitcoin

also wobblewok is just one of my favorite yo-kai in GENERAL. friend form AND boss form. people have died trying to confine this thing to the depths of hell and it looks like a big chocolate pudding cup with a dopey face. and its named WOBBLEWOK. thats a name that people were so afraid of that they DARED not to speak it out loud. WOBBLEWOK. its so silly I cant

I love its name I love its design I loved its goofy anime episode I love the way it goes "hiiiiii :)" when you fight it in blasters. everything abt wobblewok is perfect to me

Eerie: Arachnia!! Arachnia!!!!!!! also sort of Arachnus but I love Arachnia so goddamn much. I've talked at her before so I'll spare all the details but I want to *holds gently in hands* her. if you add a tsuchigumo/jorogumo character to your franchise they're basically guaranteed to be my favorite

Also Arachnus bc the donut war plot line is so fucking goofy I love it. It's one of the reasons why I'm biased towards 2. I was a bony spirits kid 💔

Slippery: OURGHHHHHHHHGHGH,,,,,,, dude this is the hardest,,,,,, there's so many slippery tribe yokai that I love to deathhhh 😭

Noko is so cute... I'm biased towards Venoct bc dragons...... I'm biased towards Draggie/Dragon Lord/Azure Dragon bc dragons.......... I'm biased towards Draaagin bc dragons................... I'm biased towards Mython bC DRAGONS.............................. I'M BIASED TOWARDS WHYVERN KING BC DRAGONS...................................... ARE YOU SENSING A PATTERN HERE

oh also whisper ig

If I HADDDDDD to choose, I guess I'd go with Whyvern King. Out of all the other dragons he has my favorite origins, being based on Nanda Ryuo, the most powerful of the 8 great dragon kings from folklore. and I was WAITING for SOMEONE to make that "nanda = why" pun eventually

Wicked: Unfairy, my favorite little piece of shit rat. their medallium entry literally calls them a pain in the ass. they're so goofy. sorry to all the unkeen fans out there ily all but UNFAIRY should've been the face of the wicked yokai. UNFAIRY shouldve been the main poster child for psychic specters. unfairy shouldve come in plushie form and I shouldve been able to bulk buy hundreds of them. I think it'd be funnier to have this little shit's face plastered on everything like some sort of parasite that'd be soooo funny

Enma: Lucas. "But aura, he's-" I don't care. Lucas.

[vibrantpuppeteer]

Wait. Wait just a gosh-darned second. Those three new Pokémon introduced in the part 1 DLC alongside Ogerpon are named Okidogi, Monkidori, and Fezandipiti. A dog, monkey, pheasant, and oni... IT'S THE STORY OF MOMOTARO!

Edit: So I was watching some YouTube discussions (as you do when something exciting is announced), and part two draws parallels to the tale of Urashima Taro. Terapagos is a turtle Pokémon. Urashima Taro saved a turtle from being bullied, which rewarded him by taking him to an undersea palace. Blueberry Academy? It's entirely underwater. I doubt we're going to be sent 100 years in the future and given a box that'll make us old if we open it, but if there's anything Pokémon loves is items tied to legendaries. What if instead of a box that ages our character, it ages Terapagos into the form teased in the books and back to its cute form by using it? Sorta like Hoopa and its lamp were.