#and today I curse you with a non relationship but the codependency of one

[amorimato]

megastars not my endgame for either they just need to have a horrible ex that’s not even their ex bc that’s like the worst thing I’d ever wish on my enemies

[aizenat]

So in honor of the Fruits Basket reboot who would you say are your fave Furuba characters and ships (canon) and why? Least fave Furuba characters and canon ships and why?

Oh hi nonny! This is fun! I meant to reply earlier, but I know this is going to get in depth so I wanted to be on my computer when I replied. Also, this is going to have major Furuba spoilers (duh). 

I’ll start with the least favorites to get the negatives out of the way. My least fave characters are hard because I tend to love more than hate characters in this series. However...

I didn’t really like Motoko or any of the Prince Yuki fanclub girls. I had a much better appreciation for her after that graduation scene; I’m glad she didn’t confess to Yuki and instead just thanked him for helping make her high school experience fun. When you think of that, how she had a group of friends who all shared this adoration for him, and how much fun she had, it is sweet. 

BUT the fucking fangirls really helped create a culture in their school where people couldn’t get close to Yuki even if they wanted to! And seeing how much that hurt Yuki, despite their intentions, it irks me. It was only once there were people like Manabe and Kimi who didn’t give a fuck about the fangirls (Kimi’s handling of the fangirls was just so wonderfully delicious for this very reason) that Yuki was finally able to have a fun high school experience and let loose a bit. It’s not all Motoko’s and the fangirls’ fault; Yuki had his own demons to fight through. But you can’t deny that if everyone knows that there is a legit fanclub with strict rules on how anyone, especially girls, are allowed to communicate with him, they’re not going to think they can joke around and goof off with him. 

Interestingly enough, I think her daughter makes up for her. Her daughter’s love of the Sohmas is so much funnier, non-obtrusive, and more respectful than Motoko’s was. 

This might be unpopular or surprising, but I really dislike Shigure. Aside from him being a disgusting lech (that scene with him going the high school talking about seeing high school girls is sick. And as someone who is 27 going on 28 my own damn self, I would protect high school girls from perverts like him until my dying breath), I just find his motivations and mindset fucked up. Like, he was fucked when he decided Akito was the love of his life, but the things he does just to get a reaction from her is annoying as BALLS. Idk if we ever got a definite number for how old Akito is, but she’s still much younger than Shigure. And doing shit like SLEEPING WITH HER MOTHER out of spite when you know Akito is just one wind blow away from losing her fucking shit is just so gross. He’s too grown to be doing dumb shit like that, and I have zero respect for him. 

Also, on a side note, I don’t really like Kureno either. Not like he did anything in particular (except get with Arisa, which I don’t like at all), but I find him boring as dirt. The only interesting thing about him is that he’s the first one who’s curse broke. Cool. So why are you here? He’s not much of a character; he’s just there to show that the curse IS breaking, and then to cause tension between Akito and Shigure. All while being dull and annoying. Boy, bye. 

Least favorite “ships” is funny because I actually dislike more couples than I like. But among my least favorite are: 

I think I lowkey read Arisa as a lesbian as a kid, and it was really annoying that Takaya-sensei decided to force her into a relationship. Especially because I just wasn’t sold on her and Kureno. Kureno is nothing like Tohru for her to be doing that “Oh, he’s like Tohru” thing. He did one thing she would do, boo hoo. I can’t imagine Tohru also doing what he did with Akito (ie, not leaving/not establishing boundaries), so there’s that. Also, the, like, 9 year or whatever age difference is a hard no. Arisa had so much potential and personality and whatnot than to become that fuckboy’s housewife. ALSO, that line when she says she wants to hit like 6 feet or something, and Kyo asks if she wants to be a model or something, I couldn’t help but think “oooh, she should be a model!” Imagine Arisa as a model! That’s what she should have been; not Kureno’s girlfriend. UGH! 

No matter how many times I read it, I can’t get over Katsuya and Kyoko’s age difference. I mean, at least Arisa is in high school and been through some shit to mature her where you can KINDA be okay with her and Kureno (except me, who hates it 100%). But Kyoko was IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. Like, how you a grown man falling for a MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT. The fuck? The hell? Jesus did not die on the cross for this. Even taking into consideration culture and the time period, it’s 10000000000% NOT okay. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. Even when I was the same age as Kyoko myself reading this (like 15ish), I had a HUGE issue when I learned about that age gap. It’s gross. It’s predatory. And when he’s even called out on it by Kyoko, he laughs it off. 

His personality was cute, but I don’t know why they couldn’t wait. Like, even if they did something where they met when she was in middle school, and then maybe ten years later, while Kyoko was reforming her delinquent ways, she finds Katsuya again and reconnects with him, fine. But really? 

I respect it only because they made Tohru and she’s a gem, and he died long before the story began, so it is what it is. But ew, hell no. 

The last couple I don’t really like, and this is really unpopular, is Haru and Rin. I know most people who read this love them, but I always found their relationship to be too codependent and unhealthy. Rin isn’t my favorite character, but considering her history, I can’t be too mad at her. Not to mention she reacts the way you would expect a high school girl going through what she did to behave. I was friends with angry girls like her in high school; I get it. I also saw those same girls get into unhealthy codependent relationships with guys and are still struggling today. I like Haru a lot, and I’m sure he and Rin could be sweet. I love how protective he is of her. But Haru just wasn’t right for Rin when they were going through the breakup and then getting back together thing. The things they said to each other were just off putting to me. Once things calmed down, they were fine, but I found it hard to root for them because of what a weird introduction we got to them as a couple. 

Now on to the positives. My favorite characters. This is going to be conventional, buuuuuut...

Tohru, obviously. Only losers who fell off Fruits Basket don’t love Tohru. She’s very awe inspiring honestly with her attitude. You read her reactions and think how you want to be that sort of person. You want the be the person someone looks at and thinks of as home. You want to be the sort of person who is encouraging and positive and happy. You want to be someone full of light. 

I do have critiques of her being a “perfect mother” character, and how she finds herself mothering a bunch of guys (like, literally taking care of three males cooking and cleaning for them. Gross). There is something to be said about whether Tohru would work as a character if she had real goals other than “get a job and support myself.” If she had goals like wanting to go away to college and get a career. Like, imagine Tohru as a therapist. She’d be able to help so many people. But no, her humble Japanese heart wouldn’t allow her to go for some sort of passion that grandiose. Like, we live in a modern day where it’s GOOD for girls to have passions, so it’s kinda off putting that her only passion is homemaking and nurturing those around her. 

BUT, she’s still so sweet and kind and makes you want to be a better person! lol. 

What’s funny about Flying Pot-kun is that when he was introduced, I remember thinking “he reminds me of someone.” And I was racking my brain of people I knew irl, wondering who he reminded me of. Then Yuki starts going “he reminds me of someone,” and I was like “What? Yuki too?” And when Yuki thought of his brother, I started DYING laughing! It’s ironic that Yuki’s best friend ends up being a younger version of his brother who irritates him. 

Manabe is really fun, but I really love his relationship with Yuki. I like when they fight, when they talk. But what really impressed me is the scene with Komaki, where she tells him off about what he said to Tohru at her mother’s wake. And how instead of getting defensive (”what? I was only looking out for you!”), he realized that he fucked up. I wish he would have apologized to Tohru earlier, even if she didn’t remember him until a while later, but he’s a guy so I don’t expect much from them (whoops, my misandry was showing). 

Still, Manabe reminds me of my guy friends from hs, and how fun and stupid and silly they were. I could see him hanging out with them, getting in trouble with them, so I like him lol. 

My #1 favorite character has to be Yuki. What’s hilarious is that when I first read Fruits Basket through (so, as a teen, reading all the volumes as they came out during the Tokyopop run), I HATED Yuki. I thought he was a dick to Kyo unnecessarily. There’s that one moment right after the “True Form Reveal” I believe where Kyo is visibly trying to not snap at Yuki the way he normally does. But then Yuki provokes him and causes Kyo to yell at him. As the oppressed older sister of a favored younger brother, I know first hand how it feels to be provoked to anger by someone who knows how to push your buttons. And so I likened Yuki to my brother and hated him for that. It felt like to me that every time Kyo wanted to move on, Yuki was there to put him down. 

Then I reread Fruits Basket when I was 19 and realized “Holy shit, Yuki is a male version of me.” Not 100% obviously, but his self loathing and the way he isolated himself even after no longer being under the direct control of his family was something I could relate to. I realized that I disliked Yuki because I saw in him all the flaws I disliked in myself: hating him was easy because I was hating these parts of myself. 

When I understood that, I related to his story more, and he’s always my favorite character now. I especially love once he becomes student body president. All of the scenes with him and the rest of his student council members are gold. Kimi and her stupid flirting, Manabe going off track, Chibi-suke’s play at maturity while everyone else goofs off, and Machi’s quiet and awkward energy leads to some amazing moments. Seeing Yuki interact with them in a way he never lets himself behave with his family is great; and we get to see a side of him you know his classmates rarely see too. You watch his confidence grow and it just makes my heart glow. I’m smiling while I’m typing this lol. 

Favorite couples? Tbqh, there’s only two I really love and respect, and they’re the obvious two. All others can fall apart tomorrow and I’d feel NOTHING. But these two were endgame and perfect. 

Tohru and Kyo. God, the first time I read this series, when I realized that it was setting those two up, I wanted to DIE from happiness. Kyo was my BOY first time around, and he could do no wrong. So to know he “won” over Yuki and got the girl made me so happy. Rereading it, I always find Tohru and Kyo so adorably compatible. Tohru is very good at reading his love language, and seeing his deeper meaning. I remember someone mentioned that Yuki, in the beginning, still kept a lid on his feelings, making it hard for Tohru to 100% connect to him. And that Kyo was always so explosive with his feelings; even if it’s awkward and not 100% how he feels, Kyo still expresses how he feels as he’s feeling them. 

I think that’s why when she confesses to him, she takes his rejection as REAL rejection. Because Kyo is always the honest one, the one she rarely has to question how he feels. Kyo is always honest. I thought that was a good assessment, and a good reason why they work. 

Not only is Tohru’s love for Kyo healing for him, but her love for Kyo is healing for Tohru. Being able to move forward and create a future with him allows her to move on from her past. Through loving Kyo, and working on breaking the curse so she can free him and be with him, can she move past her mother’s death. Imagine if she just graduated, got a job, and lived on her own after high school. She’d be alone. And left with remembering her mother all the time. It would have broken her. Loving Kyo meant she had to be willing to let her mother go a bit. Move on and live despite her mother not being around. And after Kyo stopped being a dumbass, that’s what his love was for her. It freed her. Not as a distraction, but as a way for her to heal from it. 

They were really made for each other. 

Despite my love for Tohru and Kyo, Yuki and Machi are just my absolutely FAVORITE. Their dynamic together is so interesting. Yuki is so used to people putting him on a pedestal that he’s intrigued by someone who’s like “he’s not a prince; he’s just an average guy.” And when he starts giving her attention, Machi, who is used to being ignored and overlooked, is flabbergasted. Not only that, but he UNDERSTANDS her without her having to say anything. And what’s funny is that that is how Yuki is. He doesn’t express his feelings the way Kyo does; he holds a lot in. His feelings might manifest in small ways, but it’s hard for others to read it.

Because it’s how he is, Yuki is able to read deeper into Machi’s actions. He hears a story from Manabe about her walking in the snow, just making footprints, and then sees that she destroys clean and organized rooms and spaces. He puts two and two together: she hates when things are “perfect” and orderly. So she has to “ruin” them. And just like that, he gets it. Like, imagine what they’re house has to be like with Yuki being bad at cleaning and Machi just HATING a messy home! And considering how their son almost brags about his messy habits in Fruits Basket: Another, jfc, it’s gotta be bad! 

I think that’s why Yuki and Machi are so cute to me: they also compliment each other. They can observe each other and see deeper than what others see. Machi didn’t just see his perfect persona at school: she saw beneath that. She remarks that he seems lonely, and he is. He sees her actions and realizes the truth. They think of each other and then do things based on that. Yuki sees her clutching a Mogeta when she meets his brother and realizes she must like him. Then sees another Mogeta while out and buys it for her just like that. Machi asks Yuki what he wants and when he says fertilizer like a dumbass not realizing her intent, she goes out to get it for him (carrying fertilizer by herself couldn’t have been easy). 

They see each other. And that’s what’s so beautiful. In a world where they both, for one reason or another, are so easily forgotten and overlooked, they see each other. They found each other. They get each other. FUCKING CHRIST IT’S TOO BEAUTIFUL TO THINK ABOUT. 

Also, some honorable mentions of couples I actually liked: Komaki and Manabe (I hope she beats his ass every time he calls her his meat angel lol), Ayame and Mine (I wish we saw more from them; then maybe I’d like them enough to wax poetry over them), and Hatori and the Great Mayu-chan-sensei (god, those two!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!). 

Thanks, nonny, this was fun! 

[httplovecraft1890]

Random Yandere Simulator Win Condition Speculation

So the latest update for YanSim came out today and Yandere Dev gave us this image briefly in it. If you haven’t seen it yet this is in the context of Yandere Dev talking about factors that will influence which of the multiple endings you’ll receive.

(Apologies if this is blurry as I had to screen cap it.) Since I haven’t done a lengthy post in a while, let’s do some speculation, shall we? Most of these are fairly self-explanatory but I’ll touch on the ones I think are significant enough. Also: apologies in advance. I’m going to reference things I’ve heard from Yandere Dev himself through various social media throughout that I don’t have links to anymore.

Collecting Tapes Using audio tapes is a fairly good way in games to get more of your story across. It lets the writer play around with characters who don’t have to be physically present in order to show plot information to players and has been used in many games in the industry, probably most famously in BioShock and its spiritual forefather System Shock (especially the sequel). So seeing things that will be about Ayano’s parents (Basement Tapes), Headmaster Shuyona (Headmaster Tapes), and Megami’s dad (CEO Tapes) isn’t suprising. What is an interesting omission here to me is that the Journalist Tapes do not count towards what ending we will receive, which strikes me as odd given that while he won’t encounter him during the course of the game, he will be in 1989 mode as a main character. This says to me that this will be the background information we will be ‘spoon fed’ in the game (i.e., it will be gradually given directly to us as we advance in the plot); all the other material is effectively supplementary and it will be our job to discover it.

What is Yandere-chan’s relationship with Info-chan?

Way back when development on the game started Ayano was going to have to ultimately fight Info-chan as the game’s final villain who had been using you the whole time to eliminate other rivals for Senpai’s affection. This was ultimately changed - and for the better, IMHO, as it’s incredibly cliche - and Yandere Dev has stated before we can complete the final game without using her services at all though I assume it will be quite difficult. One of the things I think we will have a little more leniency on in the final game, not that anything has been officially confirmed yet, is cleaning up after murdering our opponents or disposing of them in dishonest ways like expulsion. You won’t have to be 100% perfect at what you’re doing at first; it allows players a learning curve. However, the game will keep an invisible tally of what you’re doing and this will affect certain things such as increased security during Megami’s week or even the police keeping open tabs on you before her though they haven’t been implemented yet. Screw up enough and they’re going to crack down on you and I suspect Info-chan’s willingness to aid you in those situations can be affected as well. She’s only looking out for herself and I highly doubt she wouldn’t be willing to ratfuck Ayano if she knew it could save her own hide  (Just remember snitches get stitches, Info-chan.)

Did Yandere-chan learn the secret of the cherry tree?

In a surprise to absolutely no one we learn that there is, in fact, some significance to the enormous sakura tree behind the school. Obviously, it was given that Ayano is obsessed with it and there are urban legends behind it but every story has a beginning and it does make you wonder: how did it gain the reputation in the first place for two people destined to be together to confess to each other under it? The sakura is probably the most recognizable, physical representation of Japan you can find in media and it has ironic undertones in the story given that it symbolizes the fragility of life (’beautiful, but fleeting’ essentially). Though I don’t have much to back it up I suspect that it might be yet another way that the Aishi family could be connected to Akademi. It was stated at one point by Yandere Dev that the matriarch of the clan, Ayano’s great grandma, is alive and kicking in 201X (born in 1910) though what role she’ll play is unknown right now. I think that it would be rather fitting to have all the misfortune so many men (or women) have fallen under be the spot where the first Aishi woman had her confession accepted by her senpai.

Did Yandere-chan learn the truth about _____?/Did Yandere-chan discover the ____?

Though Yandere Dev recently confirmed that the demon summoning stuff in the occult club won’t factor into the story (it’s going to be non-canon, basically, unless you enter in codes at the start or something similar to unlock it) he has stood by implementing Phantom Girl into the narrative seemingly; she may or may not factor into a specific elimination method, even, probably Oka’s. While it might seem superfluous to discover something at first to include discovering Phantom Girl’s identity given that Ayano will find out her mother is just like her I believe there is a deeper meaning to it. Headmaster Shuyona has currently been kept under wraps in regards to what his character is like. The only thing we really know about him is that he was once idealistic early on as headmaster but came to be a misanthrope over the years. Considering that 1989 is mentioned as the year he lost his faith in people I suspect it will be that Phantom Girl was his daughter and that the apparently high profile media trial surrounding Ryoba Aishi and her subsequent evasion of justice caused his sour disposition.  Speaking of that trial... sort of weird that Ayano has never heard of it before, isn’t it? Especially since it was a big enough deal the whole country was reporting on it and more strange that the police aren’t fingering her as a suspect in the current crimes you can commit at school (disposition to insanity can be genetic, after all, and even while the whole thing has been made hush-hush to the public it seems rather weird the police wouldn’t have a tab on you).

Did Yandere-chan choose to delete the _____?

‘Delete’ implies that we will eventually encounter a file of some sort regarding ourselves or something. This could have one of two origins at the moment: 1) Info-chan. Though apparently a friend to Ayano I suspect that she probably has a back up data in case things start to go south as I previously mentioned to probably nail us as the criminal for our crimes in game. My guess would be is that the catch turns out to be a major plot detail that would give the player pause enough to decide if it would be worth it to continue existing as a threat over our heads or if whatever information it gives us isn’t worth the trouble having the possibility of being leaked to anyone in a position of authority. 2) Saikou Corp. This is the more likely option in my opinion given that in her first appearance to players in the builds Megami tells us over Not Skype that we’re not the only yandere that her father (and presumably grandfather before him) have kept tabs on. If this is the case then they must have the data stored somewhere at their corporate HQ. Given that they seem like they’re going to be big players in the finished plot it seems to me a similar situation where you have the choice to sabotage whatever they’ve been cooking up or allow them to continue going about their business.

Did Yandere-chan reject _____’s offer? If I’m correct about the above then I believe it will be Megami’s father who we have the option of siding with. He seems completely fascinated with what Ayano is and has been seemingly aiding you enough that you’ve been allowed to continue what you’ve been doing for 9 weeks unmolested before Megami shows up. In an unrelated theory to this I speculated that Ryoba probably works for Saikou Corp. and that it might have been them who sabotaged the trial from 1989 in Ryoba’s favor (probably on the condition that she come under their employ; it would definitely explain how she and Ayano’s dad can leave for 10 weeks to go to a foreign country with little to no explanation). I guess the moral quandary will be for us when we discover that information is something to the effect of. ‘Now you know your family’s been a slave to these guys, perhaps for quite a long time: do you continue that line of work or do you strike it out on your own?’

Did Yandere-chan decide to punish _____?

What’s so interesting about this is the word choice. ‘Decide to punish’ means that whatever this event is is entirely optional; it is completely ambiguous as to just how significant it is to the overarching narrative other than it allows us to role play the sort of person Ayano is a little more. Are you the straightforward sociopath who uses others to further her own goals but doesn’t have much of a dog in Akademi’s affairs otherwise or are you a complete monster in sheep’s clothing? Anyway, here’s a collection of the endings that have either been theorized about or confirmed/mentioned by Yandere Dev at some point. Sabotage all interactions with your rivals: Senpai becomes misogynistic. Do matchmaking for all your rivals: Senpai becomes codependent on others and fears he doesn’t deserve anyone’s love. SNAP: Senpai is confessed to by another girl or rejects Ayano with a reputation of -100 (both speculative). Ayano kills herself and Senpai probably after a short chase sequence - the original idea for the game’s ending, by the way. Kill all your rivals: Senpai believes that he’s cursed to bring others bad luck. People may speculate he’s a serial killer if your rivals die soon after they meet Senpai. Of note: there was an interesting suggestion by someone on the game’s subreddit about a unique game over where Ayano could be taken in by the police for her own ‘safety’ if things got bad enough. 

Kidnap all your rivals: Unknown, but mentioned that Ayano would probably kill them at some point after the story ends, they would just be left to starve to death, or even become her ‘pets.’

“I’ve seen some shit”: If Senpai sees more than 5 corpses, not necessarily Osana’s and/or Hanako’s, he’ll become a vegetable which Ayano won’t care about (as long as he doesn’t reject her confession everything is gravy). As of today, if he figures out somehow you had something to do personally with either Osana’s or Hanako’s death, it seems he’ll pull a reverse SNAP on us and off Ayano. Kill ‘Em All: Apparently a joke ending we get if every student but Senpai is eliminated.