#azumi translates things

[sandytree1]

Criticism of Blue Eyed Samurai

Well, I just watched Blue Eyed Samurai. Been spotting several positive clickbait thumbnails of it, so even though I didn't have high expectations based on the trailer, I gave it a go. And well, it was what I feared it was. I still enjoyed it though! And it's an engaging story, just not what I wish it was. Anyways, I wrote a comment on Reddit about it, which I thought I'd repost here.

Edit: I ended up going in and reordering some paragraphs under headings, as people on Reddit replied to by comment. Noticing people are nitpicking the historical accuracy of my commentary, which wasn't really what I was concerned about. It's more that certain cues in these stories make me expect certain things.

The main point of much of this text is to look into what makes Blue Eyed Samurai a noticeably American story, by comparing it to other jidaigeki stories with a similar setting made for and by Asian people, and stories set in Asia made by Americans (for Americans).

🚧 NB! I'm still working on the text. Text marked in cursive are just notes, so please ignore them for now! 🚧

Asian stories

So, this isn't the first time we've gotten an Asian story told by Americans (for Americans). And that in of itself doesn't necessarily make the show unwatchable. Beyond the cases of whitewashing and yellowface in Hollywood, we can also find a few love letters to Asian media.

For China, we have Kung Fu Panda, a love letter to Kung Fu movies with a Chinatown aesthetic. For Asian ethnicities overall, we have Avatar the Last Airbender. And for Japan, we have stories like the Ghost of Tsushima and Shogun.

As a period drama fan, what I expect coming into these shows are generally other pieces in the same genre, that is Asian stories told by Asians. Perhaps due to the lack of any relevant Asian American genre. In the case of Blue Eyed Samurai, I was expecting a jidaigeki more in the lines of Azumi, Oshin or Princess Kaguya. However, I felt that Blue Eyed Samurai fell short, even by the standard of other Asian stories told by Americans for Americans.

Overall, the story's theme is two fold: action and feminism.

Action and martial arts

While Blue Eyed Samurai throws around words like samurai and honor, it doesn't appear to actually understand what these entail. Instead, it feels like it only focuses on the superficial badassery of it. In contrast, Ghost of Tsushima did a great job with its Japanese localization. Although some parts was a little bit off still, they salvaged this by centering their themes around bushido culture and made references to terms used there, and the visuals references Japanese aesthetics of the transient seasons and impermanence, which is commonly used in haiku poetry. It features seasonal environments such as ginko leaves, reed, maple, and spider lilies to mention some. The same can be said for Shogun, which is more about the tension being lost in translation, and where especially Mariko recited actual Japanese poems at several occassions.

Meanwhile, Kung Fu Panda also has the tropes and artefacts of Chinese wuxia story, but it is ultimately based on Chinatown. A theme park-esque idea of China designed by and to cater to white people, as a Chinese American defense mechanism. Yet, it stands on its own as an American love letter to Chinese kung fu films.

In the west, many use Kung Fu Panda as an argument for successful orientalism. However, Accented Cinema points out, it may have more to do with China's own failure in representing themselves, and that Kung Fu Panda's lesson was just what China needed at that time: To stop doubting and to learn to love themselves. Even in the face of the traditional Chinese fantasy genre (wuxia and xianxia) losing foothold in Asia, they can still stay themselves as a new generation reinvents the genre. And the new stories coming out of China seems to have taken this classic hollywood message to heart.

I'll use this opportunity to shoutout some stories by China to come out of this new era: The Legend of Hei, the White Snake, The Untamed, Black Myth: Wukong, Genshin Impact, etc.

In contrast, Blue Eyed Samurai has the same attention to detail when it comes to the artifacts of a jidaigeki story. But it falls short, because it lacks in as meaningful a message as Kung Fu Panda had, and somehow lacks in the tropes (or whatever it's called?) that you'd expect to see in a jidaigeki. Instead, it focuses on superficial badassery and western feminism, and it feels like it clearly caters to white people's ideas and desires.

But overall, great choreography and compositing, engaging story and characters ... Blue Eyed Samurai is good, but does veer into the uncanny valley for me, which I know was an issue Asians had with ATLA. Guess I felt it a little bit more with Blue Eyed Samurai due how much (unrealistic) violence and (meaningless) sex is glorified, and made me question what exactly the overall moral message of the story was supposed to be beyond simply "revenge plots are cool but also destructive." As somebody else said, it's giving "guts and tits for the people."

I was hoping for something like Azumi

I do not mean that I wanted Blue Eyed Samurai (BES) to romanticize bushido and samurai. However, I did want it to explore these concept, because they made such a big deal out of it. The closest comparison I can make and what I was actually hoping for when going into BES, was something more like the manga Azumi.

The main character of both series, Mizu and Azumi, are similar in several aspects. Both are orphaned women who grew up to become fearsome assassins, whose sworsmanship is so incredible that they're able to fight off hordes of men singlehandedly. Additionally, both are mixed race, though where Azumi only has blue-ish eyes, Azumi has actual blue eyes. Additionally, both work as assassins during the sakoku policy, though while Azumi lives around the time of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 16th century, at the start of the policy, Mizu lives further along in the 17th century.

Azumi is a gritty look into (among other things) both shinobi and samurai that does not romanticize either, and has won an award for its exploration of these concepts in relation to buddhism. In fact, everyone in Azumi suffers. The only one who is perhaps glorified is Azumi, who many critics compare to a boddhisattva.

Throughout the story, Azumi works to not become too attached to earthly comforts, but still suffers because of her attachment to her companions. As Azumi completes her pruning missions for her boss (the Buddhist monk Tenkai), she accumulates a lot of bad karma in the form of endless waves of people pursuing her for either revenge, the bounty on her head, the thrill of defeating a master swordswoman, etc. Because of it, 90% of her closest companions SPOILER die, and many of her friends are raped or permanently maimed, and has to deal with the trauma and practical inconveniences of it. Often because they are caught in the crossfire between Azumi's targets or those who pursue her.

By the end of the story, Azumi still ends up making new companions like usual and her boss continues wanting to send her on pruning missions. But she decides to leave them all behind, so that those she cares about will not be affected by her bad karma again. She knows she will have to stay on the road indefinitely and will never really be able to enjoy the comforts of settling down, because of her pursuers. The series makes the buddhist argument that earthly attachment in general causes suffering, and Azumi is enlightened by abandoning those attachments and by facing her karma, although that does not mean she will not end up with a violent death. The story ends openly with Azumi wandering off into obscurity.

Mizu is not a samurai

We could argue that she is a ronin, but then she'd technically must've been serving a lord as a samurai in the past. She should be at least be a tiny bit concerned with chivalry; At least enough to discuss or talk about it, which we know isn't the case. Mizu is closer to being a shinobi/ninja, since her goal is to assassinate her 4 maybe fathers. Another thing Mizu shares with shinobi is that both are often criticised by samurai because of their penchant for ambushes and lack of concern for bushido / warriors code. Yet she breaks the mold of being a shinobi, since she doesn't really sneak around in (civilian) disguise and will openly brawl her way through a dojo and into a fort. In this aspect, Azumi is much more like a shinobi.

While Mizu's motivation is simply revenge for the injustice she and her mother suffered at the hands of the gaijin faction, in Azumi the motivation is to prune the country like a bonsai tree off individuals which may threathen a new age of peace, and prevent the country from slipping back into the civil war that marked the Sengoku period.

But where characters in Blue Eyed Samurai is heavily protected by plot armor, allowing Mizu to be an almost invincible pin cushion, no one is safe in Azumi and injured characters requires months to recover and heal from cuts.

While writing this, I recalled that in episode 5, they interjected a story about a samurai marrying and fathering a child with a woman who descended from an enemy clan. He kills both her and their son, which turns her into a onryō. Mizu being an Onryō works, but I am left questioning how this fits into the story beyond its symbolism, as there's been no explicit supernatural elements in the story. Mizu is bullied for being the (devil) spawn of a quote "white devil" in childhood, I think it would be more interesting if they called her a "white ghost," since onryos (which could represent Mizu) are a type of vengeful female ghost. Furthermore, Taigen often compares Mizu to a dog, esp. when she does not live up to the samurai standards he holds her to. Not sure where that fits in either..

Orientalism

So the statement about samurai criticising shinobi was called out as orientalist. This was my reply:

As for orientalism, I guess Blue Eye Samurai is being orientalist then, which I was kinda feeling while watching but didn't really put into words. It's pretty stereotypical to connect Japanese with honor and samurai after all, contributing to why I felt the show was very American.

In the sense of samurai simply meaning warrior, then we can consider Mizu a samurai. But Taigen (and Akemi) connects being a samurai with honor and complains about fair play. By making this connection, he invokes bushido/chivalry and excludes people who ambush others like assassins from the definition of being a samurai, and by extension criticises assassins like ninjas for not shying away from "dishonorable" ambushes. To restore his honor, Taigen wants to arrange a formal duel and even writes up a challenge letter (hatashijou), which makes sense in terms of the dojo trope. But well, the series does contradict itself a lot in favor of cool one liners, and what it means to be a samurai or knight has changed throughout history.

Time period

Some people began nitpicking the historical accuracy of my commentary, which wasn't really what I was concerned about. I am open to artistic liberty. However, with BES it was a little bit harder, since they made so many historical references and leaned into the jidaigeki genre, but then broke it in ways that came off as uncanny to me. Looking back, I guess this uncanny feeling was the orientalism letting itself be known, though I couldn't put it into words back then.

As jidaigeki is a subgenre of historical stories, certain cues does make me expect certain things. Like when I see an English-speaking gaijin as the antagonist, I would make the connection that this story is probably set sometime after the Americans forced Japan to open up for trade in the 1800s. Yet this expectation is then contradicted when I learn that no foreigners are allowed in Japan yet due to the Sakoku policy, which makes me wonder what this Irishman is doing here all alone centuries too early and how he even managed to climb to such a powerful position while being so isolated.

Gaijins as antagonists

Why an Irishman as the gaijin antagonist? It'd make more sense if it was a portuguese or dutch. If Blue Eyed Samurai is set in 17th century Edo Japan, it's a long time off when the Americans forced Japan to put down the sakoku policy, and even then, why Britain/London? If anything, Japan and Britain liked each other enough to form an alliance for their shared fear of Russia.

Why not other colonial powers who were actually active in Japan and Asia overall at the time (the Dutch) or the ones who caused Christianity to be banned during the sakoku (the Portuguese).

My first thought of a precedent goes to Konishi Shizune, the Christian revolutionary leader in Azumi who's also mixed race like Azumi, which is based on the historical Amakusa Shiro.

(Depictions of Gaijins: Americans during postwar Japan in Hajime no Ippo. Senator Armstrong in Metal Gear Solid)

Japanese in Europe

With Mizu heading to Europe, I came across people discussing the plot armor and how Mizu wouldn't stand a chance against the guns nor London police. It came off as kind of white supremacist, and the entire thread was locked because of unsolicited opinions from outsiders.

To be fair, Japan had guns too at the time. According to Netflix themselves, Blue Eye Samurai takes place in the 1600s. If that's the case, it means that the guns were mostly muskets, rifles and pistols which took time to load, so people did still use swords even in Europe. And only a century earlier in the 1500s, when Dreamwork's El Dorado is set, people would still use firearms and crossbows side by side, and Oda Nobunaga also used firearms in his own warfare during the sengoku period.

Also, the police didn't exist yet, since the UK police were created in the late 1700s. As for the London battalion or royal guards storming her, it'd either amount to when she was stormed by the hand claw guys. The plot armor in the first season was a lot imo even then though. But sneaking up on them depends on the terrain and context, so I can see it happening.

Furthermore, it's not unrealistic for Japanese people to travel to Europe, because there's historical precedence for this. In 1613, Hasekura Tsunenaga was sent on a diplomatic mission to negotiate with the pope and the king of Spain, and some of his men even stayed behind to form the Japon clan in Spain. The expedition took 7 years, and ironically enough, once he returned, christianity had already been banned in Japan. The people who still kept the Christian faith in spite of this came to be known as kakure kirishitan.

Debauchery means it's for adults ..

The way characters (esp. Mizu) will throw out badass oneliners as if on a treadmill, only to contradict exactly what she said as short as 5 seconds later does mess with my suspension of disbelief.

The story also goes into protitution and patriarchy, though it also felt superficial to me. If anything it feels like an excuse for fan service, similar to Game of Thrones in a sense. Like they know that sex sells, and that's what "the audience really wants." That said, again I enjoyed both GOT and Blue Eye Samurai, even though some may laconically break the former down to "dragons and tits" and the latter to "guts and tits".

Token representation

Mizu's apprentice was born without hands, which could have brought about an interesting exploration of disability. But instead, he's relegated to being a quirky sidekick and comedic relief..

BES is an American story

Blue Eyed Samurai has all the visual motifs of a Japanese samurai story (jidaigeki), but the tropes and logic is extremely American. It does get the artifacts and set dressing of a jidaigeki story right (surprisingly accurate at some points), which is why it triggered the uncanny valley for me sometimes. When certain artifacts and set ups appeared, I expected it to follow certain tropes I'm used to from jidaigeki, but it didn't really do that.

Patriarchy and gender roles

While I understand and appreciate your critique, I don't think the narrative is grounded in realism. It's more like expressing the need that women do have to see themselves in the shoes of a physically invincible protagonist. Also the motivation isn't simply revenge - what has happened to Mizu has convinced that her very existence is suffering. She's internalized the hate to an extent that it no longer matters whether she lives or dies. She will slowly change as a person and her motivations will also change, which I hope we get to see . All the characters are somewhere trying to rebel against their gender roles, and that I feel is the 'message'. Also as far as the right antagonist to show goes, Fowler seems an indictment of British colonialism a few centuries too soon, but his attitudes aren't unfamiliar. At all.

Blue Eyed Samurai doesn't explore the concepts it references or markets itself with, but seems to throw them around because samurai and honor sounds cool and is a stereotypically Japanese/Sinosphere thing. Instead it'd rather explore gender roles and patriarchy. And the character Blue Eyed Samurai primarily uses to explore these themes with isn't the titular protagonist, but rather Princess Akemi.

But Akemi's struggles with patriarchy, also comes off as more a Western suffragette story than a Sinosphere one.

The Princess as a Caged Bird

Other stories about gender roles and patriarchy in ancient Japan to which we can compare this to is probably Isao Takahata's Princess Kaguya, though this one is probably set long before BES in the Heian period.

Like in Kaguya, the ohaguro set is presented as a symbol of oppression for Akemi. However, instead of being explicitly oppressed by outside forces like Akemi, Kaguya is instead pressured by societies and her father's idea of what a princess should be to become happy. Throughout the film, Kaguya questions what it is all for and even counters against her governess that "a princess is not a human then!"

Princess Kaguya as a roadside flower. To be plucked in a moment of fancy, and neglected once savored and bored. Merely a trophy to be won and stowed away in a display cabinet.

The film explores what makes life worth living, by exploring the difference between humanity and moon people.

Filial piety. Fulfilling your own dreams through your offspring. Showing off achievements to relatives (accumulating merit).

Geisha and maiko in contrast to the Oiran of the red light district. Streetwalkers. Prostitution - the world's oldest profession.

Oda Nobunaga's younger sister in Nobunaga Concerto and Azumi.

Hypergamy. Tradition of men being adopted into the wife's household. The Fujiwara clan of the Heian period, who continuously married their women into the imperial family for generations. Attitudes around cheating and monogamy (Genji Monogatari).

The Fallacy of the Stereotypical Asian woman

Oshin - Resilience and endurance.

Asian women as firecrackers. There's a reason why the stereotype of Tiger Mom even came to be, because Asian women and people in general are not weak and strictly submissive, although they are often mistaken as doormats.

Honne and tatemae

Yamato Nadeshiko

While writing about this, I ended up going on a tangent about Asian women, which you can read here: The Fallacy of the Stereotypical Asian Woman.

Gender roles in Genderbender

Kaze Hikaru

Ryou

Torikaebaya Monogatari, where a brother and sister in the Heian period is gender mixed at birth, to fulfil gender roles they're more "suited" for according to societal expectations. Another Heian period text about a guy who crossdresses as a woman to get close to a woman he has a crush on.

Gender fluidity has been the norm throughout most of history.

A wolf in sheep's clothing

I guess the show is more concerned about gender roles and patriarchy. I'm actually not all that concerned with historical accuracy, but I couldn't help but be thrown off by how it felt like vastly different time periods (and thus different expectations in terms of jidaigeki tropes) were meshed together. I still stand by that the show is a very (overseas Asian/) (Asian) American narrative, which made it uncanny how accurate it still was in terms of getting the artefacts etc. of a jidaigeki right. Sort of like a "wolf in sheeps clothing," though that doesn't make it a bad thing. For example, Akemi feels more like a Western suffragette, rather than an Asian feminist. Yet the ohaguro set etc. may be a reference to Isao Takahata's Princess Kaguya, which is about feminism.

The story came off as stereotypical to me. Yet it does get the artifacts and set dressing of a jidaigeki story right (surprisingly accurate at some points). I did cringe at some points or feel the uncanny valley, but again overall the show was engaging and enjoyable.

I've enjoyed other orientalist stories before, such as Kung Fu Panda and Avatar the Last Airbender. I've also enjoyed occidentalist stories like mohuan and isekai. Yet something with Blue Eye Samurai made me cringe sometimes. Comparing it to the others I've mentioned, perhaps it's because it's set in a more non-fantastical setting as opposed to a jianghu of sorts idk. Blue Eye Samurai is still entertaining though, and may be the start of a new genre.

It's hard to explain what it feels like for people who don't have the same cultural references, so here's an example of occidentalism. I noticed that when Genshin Impact (a Chinese game) released the new Fontaine region where they decided to mix Britain, Italy, France etc., which people claimed is just plain weird haha. But Fontaine has still been well received regardless it seems. On the other hand, I still cringe every time I see Senator Armstrong in Metal Gear Solid.

Historical references

Random, but here's a list of different artifacts and set dressings that appeared in the show. The little theatre play about the ronin and his wife uses kurogo (black clad actors) to manipulate the dolls, which was novel to see. Previously I've mostly watched kurogo being used to manipulate perspective such as in this Matrix Ping Pong skit and the Tokyo 2020 pictogram opening ceremony. Traditionally, Kurogo is used in Kabuki to create special effects and are supposed to be invisible to the audience.

Mizu's husband uses a naginata, which is basically a spear. Although also used by warriors in general, it was often used by women.

[otomehoneyybearr]

Act 12

Episode 25: The What-If Future and The Certain Now: Banri

Working w/ Maybelle Lace, jujumin-translates, Fea

Note: As you read, you will see that some sentences highlighted in a different color, this is what they indicate.

Pink: Flashback

Blue: Characters are acting

𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍

Taichi: Aww, don't be like that, Banny! We gotta stick together!

Omi: You've come this far. Are you sure you want to throw all that progress away?

Sakyo: Suit yourself. Just don't even think about setting foot in this dorm again.

Juza: But I'll never let you win, not even if my passion for theater runs dry. And I sure as hell haven't let you win yet.

Sakyo: Let him go, Hyodo. Trying to reason with this piece of work is a waste of all of our time.

Banri: Well, bye.

Teacher: The deadline for submitting is Thursday. Don't forget it.

Banri: ...

Banri: (I don't know what to do for my career path...)

Azumi: "It looks like you'll be accepted into your first choice, T University."

Azumi: "...If you find something you really want to do before graduation you should go for it."

Banri: (Back in my second year, I thought that Mr. Azumi was just spoutin’ nonsense, but now, I can’t bring myself to write anything down, even as a joke.)

Banri: (I joined a theater company and tried acting, but I didn't really understand it. I got irritated with the uncertainty , and quit on impulse...)

Banri: (I had a hunch, but now I’m feeling certain, that my life might be a lot emptier than other people’s.)

Banri: (I was told not to act with a made-up story, but honestly, I never had any major regrets in my life.)

Banri: (I’ve never made a serious decision about anything that would lead to unforgettable regret over my choices.)

Banri: (But I guess it’s different for them...

Banri: (Compared to Hyodo, who I wanted to beat on the same stage, I’ve been living a shallow and empty life for the past 17 years.

Banri: (No, even Yuzo’s old ass and Izumi both said I was in last place.)

Banri: (Maybe my life is more shallow than anyone else's in the group, not just Hyodo’s.)

Banri: (When I thought that, I became afraid of facing that fact. I didn't want to admit it.)

Banri: (...But who cares, it doesn’t matter.)

Banri: (I quit before I knew the results, before I knew the lives of the Autumn Troupe guys. So it’s not like I lost.)

Banri: (The lives of other people don’t actually matter to me...)

Banri: (I think that, so why do I feel irritated?)

Teacher: This workshop is an introductory course on directing. Today, you’ll all be learning the basics of directing.

Banri: (This workshop might be more my speed than the one I went to with Izumi.

Banri: (But there's actually a lot of participants here. Is there really so many people my age wanting to try directing…?)

Teacher: Now, we're going to take a 20 minute break.

Banri: ——Hey.

Student A: ?

Banri: Why did you guys become interested in directing?

Student A: Huh? Oh, well, when you're an actor, you naturally get interested in things like directing.

Student A: I’m not sure which path I’ll take in the future, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to study both.

Student B: I originally wanted to work behind the scenes, so I thought I should learn about the stage comprehensively

Student C: I don't think I can rely solely on acting, so if I’m going to be involved in theater, I think it’d be crucial to study various aspects of it.

Student D: I originally wanted to direct. After I gain some experience as an actor, I plan to switch to directing and eventually have my own theater company

Banri: Hmm. I see. Everyone has various reasons...

Banri: (I mean, I never had this kind of interest in other people's lives before I started acting.)

Banri: (I used to think anyone other than myself didn’t matter.)

Banri: (The reason why I became interested in other people's lives—)

Banri: If that's all, then—

Izumi: Why don't you see for yourself if you've really beaten Juza, if you're that confident?

Banri: I think our rehearsals are proof enough of that.

Izumi: You haven't seen his portrait, though.

Banri: ...

Izumi: If you REALLY think you've won, then watch it. Then you should know

Banri: I don't need to watch it to know.

Izumi: You sure about that? Because it seems to me like this is all a convenient excuse to avoid having to compete with him in public.

Banri: ..

Banri: Fine, whatever. You want me to stick around and see? You're on.

Banri: Izumi, give it to me straight. How do I beat him?

Izumi: Banri..

Banri: C'mon. What's the trick?

Izumi: First, you have to get your head in the game. After that, all you have to do is want to do well. And something tells me you already meet at least one of those requirements.

Banri: ..

Banri: I dunno what it is, but somethin' about watchin' Hyodo's portrait got me all fired up. Haven't felt this worked up since the time he kicked my ass.

Banri: Oh, this ain't over. Not by a long shot

Banri: Hey, I got an idea. Let's do our portraits.

Izumi: Huh?

Banri: I'm the only one besides you that's seen everybody's portraits, right

Banri: The way I see it, we gotta share 'em with each other sometime, and no better time than right now

Banri: (Without a doubt, it was watching the captivating portraits of the Autumn Troupe that day that had sparked my interest and changed me.)

Banri: (And being part of Mankai Company exposed me to so many quirky lives of others...

Banri: (It’s because Mankai Company was a place full of all sorts of weirdos that I became interested in other people.

Banri: (My heart trembled when I stood in the center as the lead during the Full Bloom performance the other day.)

Banri: (I'm sure that's because deep down, I respect each and every member of that theater company.

Banri: (The reason why I stand on the Mankai Theater stage had already been decided.)

Banri: (...It's because of them that my heart trembles. It won’t work without them.)

Banri: (When I was living a boring life in high school, I never thought my heart would ever feel like this in my life until I died.

Banri: (I'm indebted to Izumi who kept me from leaving back then, and to the Autumn Troupe guys who accepted me once again.)

Banri: (I have to repay that kindness on the stage of that theater.)

Banri: (Until then, I can't stop even if I die.

Banri: Geez... you bought WAY too much. Seriously. We don’t need to buy dishes right now.

Banri's Sister: It's an outlet sale, so you can only buy them now

Banri's Sister: Besides, you’re too weak if you’re already wanting to take a break now.

Banri: The hell do you mean?! You've been dragging me around all day!

Banri's Sister: And as a thank you, I bought you some clothes that suit you didn’t I? And I’m treating you here too.

Banri: Haa.

Banri's Sister: Isn't this kind of place your style anyway? It's a nice and relaxing cafe. Someone told me about it

Banri: My social circle expanded since being in the troupe and art school.

Banri's Sister: That's right. Before, you had all the time in the world, so I took you around to carry my stuff anytime I wanted.

Banri's Sister: But nowadays, you’re always busy with game days, escape rooms, art school stuff, and your weekends are always full, which is super inconvenient.

Banri: Well. maybe you should stop spontaneously dragging me around.

Waitress: Sorry for the wait. Here are your two coffees.

Banri's Sister: ...Delicious.

Banri: Told ya.

Banri's Sister: It kind of pisses me off.

Banri: Why though?

Banri's Sister: Oh, by the way, I stopped by our parent’s house, and on the way out, I saw a postcard addressed to you, so I brought it with me.

Banri: A postcard?

Banri: Oh, it's from Sakuya

Sakuya: "I happened to meet someone on my trip that really surprised me. I'm sure Banri would be surprised as well, so I'll tell you about it when I get back."

Banri: (Someone I'd be surprised by... Who could it be?)

Sakuya: "I will definitely carry the baton that Banri passed to me to the goal. Let's make the full bloom performance a success together!"

Banri: (Of course we will.

Banri's Sister: ...You really have come to laugh with a kind face on, haven't you? It kind of pisses me off.

Banri: Really, what do you mean by that?!

𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍𑁍

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[everythingblreview]

Short Introductions to BL Games (Part 2)

Taishou Mebiusline (R18+)

Description:

In the year 1923, during the last days of the Taishou Period, Hiiragi Kyouichirou leaves his home in the countryside to attend the Imperial University. As soon as he arrives in Tokyo, though, he runs right into a conflict between the all-powerful Imperial Army and the mysterious Gohongatana Clan. The Imperial Army wants him for his ability to see the spirits of the dead now, and he’ll have to figure out where his loyalties lie. Is it to his country? To the Emperor? To his fellow man? Or is there an even greater cause?

Genre: Historical Japan (Taishou period), Action, Sword Fights, Japanese Mythology

Story 5/5

Characters 5/5

Romance 4/5

Artwork 5/5

Sadness level 1/5

Level of disturbing 2/5

Language: Japanese, English (Text document, only common route)

Comments: Animated CGs, Fandisk, non-con route

Kami-sama (Kari) (R18+)

Description:

You play, Azumi, a “useless” Kami who is given missions to complete and prove his worth to the Creator.

A Kami is a being created to control the fate of humans. Most Kami in the world possess empathetic wisdom and strict logical reason and are supposed to rule over the human world… however…

With an exception of one Kami in the Heaven realm. Azumi is just like the humans he is supposed to judge over. He is wishy-washy and has zero judgement sense. He makes decisions based on his emotions and inconveniences everyone around him. He doesn’t behave or can do anything that is expected of a Kami.

If he is unable to complete his missions and help the 6 people, he meets to achieve happiness, his own existence will be erased…

Genre: School life, Comedy, Slice of life

Story 2/5

Characters 3/5

Romance 2/5  

Artwork 4/5

Sadness level 1/5

Languages: Japanese

Comments: There are two games, in which you can play either as student/adult or adult/old man, teacher x student relatioships, reversible (MC can be top/bottom with everyone in every version), light-hearted, rather short

Omertà ~Chinmoku no Okite~ (R18+)

Description:

J.J is a most dangerous hitman in a city befitting of his profession, excelling at his job to such a degree that his nickname is ‘Death scythe’. Given a job with a lot riding on it by one of the city’s factions who are at war, when it’s time for him to go in for the kill his target isn’t in the room he was assigned to. Instead, a couple lie dead on the floor who’ve nothing at all to do with the job. As if things weren't getting suspicious enough, the son of the couple bursts into the room and assuming that J.J is the murderer of his parents, wants revenge and vows to kill him no matter how long it takes.

Five years later they’re living together and keeping a low profile, to avoid rousing suspicion over what happened then. J.J still takes assassination jobs, shady deals are still being made, and the factions Dragon Head and King Caesar are still at war. Eventually J.J manages to draw the attention of the two groups. In the end, whose side will he take?

Genre: Action, Mafia, Drama, Crime

Story 3/5

Characters 3/5

Romance 3/5

Artwork 3/5

Sadness level 1/5

Language: Japanese, English (party translated with Visual Novel Reader)

Comments: Reversible (MC can be top/bottom depending on the love interest), 8 main routes

[dojimakaichou]

SENT FROM @akiiyamashun​ ―             ( prompted / no longer accepting )

( guard ) : one muse protects the other from someone who wants to hurt them (Akiyama does the protecting, your verse of choosing!)

★. ―

Daigo shouldn't have let his guard down. He knew better ― but the stress of the last few days on Sole VI was starting to eat away at his focus. The logs the Federation posessed on this quadrant were out - of - date, and the crew of the Tojo was treading on almost entirely new ground as a result ( literally and metaphorically ). There were intelligent beings here, where their records indicated there shouldn't have been. Daigo suspected they were not natives but rather the members of another civilization that had become displaced ; regardless, he was more than prepared to handle negotiating with these curious entities.

With the help of the ship's linguist, of course, who almost effortlessly cracked the inhabitants' language and programmed it into their translators. Really, Daigo needed to tell her to struggle a little bit longer with trickier tongues. He reminded himself to do that later as his small landing party, equipped for the first round of their diplomatic ventures, stepped onto the transporter pads. The captain's eyes flicked over to his first mate while the world around them fell apart.

Sure, Daigo was the ranking officer, but Akiyama was a much smoother talker ( as his second career serving as Daigo's lawyer proved ). Though their wives grumbled about both of them going planetside, it was easy to see why that choice was made.

The captain didn't think much of the place where the members of Sole VI agreed to meet. His thoughts were too foggy from all of his recent overtime on the bridge. Otherwise, he would have noticed the member of the alien species that was fidgeting, for lack of a better word ; its eyes stared unblinking at the captain of the foreign ship whilst its tentacles wrapped anxiously around its slender body again and again. Luckily, there was someone else in the party who did take note of this behavior.

Fifteen minutes later, the entity made its move. It suddenly rocketed forward, something sharp wrapped in one of its limbs. Two of its fellows yelled out warnings to the captain of the Tojo. Akiyama, who had kept an eye on that particular inhabitant of Sole VI, reacted faster than the translators could deliver the warning in Japanese. He wordlessly shoved Daigo to the side, pushing the larger man off of his feet, and stepped in line to take the blow. There was no way to prevent the jagged metal implement from slipping into his torso. Akiyama yelped at the hot pain ( what the fuck was this ?? ) but collected himself enough to deliver a series of swift, sharp kicks to the core of the attacker. It fell back, stunned, and was quickly collected by the others.

The first officer sank to his knees, clawing at his middle. In the ensuing chaos, he was only aware of the arms that came to enlace him. Daigo was shouting orders near one of his ears, voice angered and . . . afraid ?? Under normal circumstances, Akiyama would have teased him for the subtle fear he heard. Coarse hands stopped him from pulling out the wicked thing buried in his gut. Though they held his own firmly, they were shaking. Akiyama's body sagged into Daigo's gratefully, and that was how they materialized in front of the waiting medical team.

Melissa couldn't help but notice that they looked so much like brothers ; it was as if Akiyama simply fell, skinned his knee, and required comfort from his older sibling. Daigo hurriedly lifted the other man up and laid him on the offered stretcher. A crowd whisked Akiyama away. The captain briefly saw a splash of blonde among the staff.

For a moment, Melissa and Daigo were alone. Kasek had the bridge. Under Daigo's frantic commands, Junichiro was securing the site of the negotiations.

"Azumi - chan . . . " Daigo said first.

Melissa placed a hand on his cheek and directed her husband to look at her. "She was there," the Inadian assured him gently. "We were both watching the feed with Kasek. I came for you ; she came for him."

The captain's eyes fluttered shut, and he instinctively turned his face to nuzzle into her palm. Melissa placed the pad of her thumb against his lips, a soothing murmur leaving her own. He would need to get up there in a few minutes, but until then ― . . . the Inadian placed her free fingers on his breast, temporarily hiding the gleaming symbols of his rank stitched into the fabric.

Eventually, Daigo's dark gaze reopened. He leaned in, pressing his mouth to her temple, and sighed. "I'll be alright," he said, albeit a bit hoarsely. "Go sit with her, Mel." The affection laced into the nickname was impossible to miss ( as was the unspoken plea for her to go watch over Akiyama when he couldn't ).

Melissa repositioned her hands to his broad shoulders and lifted herself up to kiss him properly. Daigo chuckled and pulled away from the counselor. His little, hollow smile stayed with Melissa for the rest of the day.

As the hours passed, the captain immersed himself in his work. He updated the computer, spoke with all of his officers, and buzzed around the ship feverishly. Daigo didn't stop moving unless Melissa called with news. Akiyama would be fine. Out of commission for now, certainly, but the attack was just going to become a scar near his hip.

After he was relieved from the bridge, Daigo spent a few hours with his wife and young son. Kazuya was such a sweet boy ; they really were lucky. He babbled in his father's arms while Melissa cooed over him. Daigo adored the way Kazuya lit up for her.

Once it was time to lay the baby down, Daigo kissed his wife goodbye once more. The Inadian made no effort to stop him, even if she wanted to. She could see the heavy emotion swirling in his beautiful black stare. Melissa knew that was something they would work on later.

Daigo entered the medical deck with dragging feet. Azumi had called him a little while ago to say that her husband was stable and that she was taking Niran back to their cabin to rest. The captain trusted her ( and the staff keeping close watch over his first officer ), but he still hated the idea that Akiyama would be alone. Daigo found the man with little trouble. He pulled a stool over to his bedside, scanned the suspended monitors around him, and grimaced. He was reminded of how often he found himself here. Akiyama's bandaged middle stood out in the gloom, as did the respirator clipped under his nose.

The captain leaned forward, arms crossed, in the negative space beside Akiyama's legs. His features were buried in his crossed limbs. If he was reading everything correctly, his first officer was indeed on the right path. Daigo sighed deeply, great shoulders sagged. It was easy for the handful of staff monitoring the beds during these late hours to work around ( and, frankly, ignore ) the Tojo's captain.

Daigo awoke to the feeling of someone weakly shaking him. A grumble escaped his tired head. Elsewhere, that same someone chuckled airily. There came a bit of movement on the bed itself, and one of Akiyama's knees, hidden beneath the cool sheets, bumped into the crown of Daigo's hair. At that, the captain finally stirred.

"Get out of here," Akiyama said groggily, giving his friend the best trademark grin he could muster. "You're gonna fall over and crush me . . . you giant idiot." Sentimental idiot, he should have said ( but even stuffed full of pain medicine, he knew better than to poke at Daigo's soft side ; Melissa would take his hide ).

The captain stood up abruptly, too fast ― his heel caught the stool and almost sent it flying. Daigo scrambled for the piece of furniture before turning back to Akiyama, eyes wide. Relief flooded his face, turning the haggard expression into one of genuine good.

"Why did you do it ?? " Daigo breathed.

Akiyama tried to laugh and winced. His twitching hand instinctively reached for his surgery site ; Daigo clasped it and pulled the covers up onto his chest instead. The first officer settled back, dark locks a mess over his pillow. He cleared his throat.

"Well, now you know how it feels," Akiyama retorted. "You and your . . . heroics all of these years."

Daigo narrowed his eyes angrily. "You have a son, Shun, you can't ― "

Akiyama turned his face slowly and arched an eyebrow. "Kazuya is five months old, right ?? or is it six ?? "

The captain of the Tojo opened his mouth to object, eventually inhaled, and then nodded. "Five," he muttered, lips twitching into a smile. "We're too old for this, Shun."

"Hm ?? "

" This. " Daigo gestured around them. His fingers smoothed Akiyama's blankets. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Yeah." Akiyama stiffly raised a hand and limply patted his friend's. "Me, too. ― but seriously . . . go away. You look like shit."

[yaotomejr]

Oberon’s Valentines Gift - Void Dust

"Everyone and their mother will be doing Oberon's, so I shouldn't even bother," I say, as I pull up my sleeves and get back to the translating groove after a whole year of not translating in favor of playing critically accl

Enjoy my version of Oberon's scene! :)

——————————————————————————————————

>Give me some time guys I’ll throw up some pics soon<

Artoria Caster: "Fwah!? You'd like to give Oberon chocolate? Mmh... I wonder... Oberon would at the very least come back with an 'I'm glad' for sure, but... My, you really go fast and hard no matter how tough it gets, huh. I mean, you just go straight ahead.

Mmm, you'll both take equal damage from the experience, so why not? But you've got to pick the right place to do it. Either where everyone is, or where no one else will be. I'll be cheering for you on the sidelines, wishing for all to be well! Waaah, I can't wait to see Oberon's reaction~!"

(The Master has a choice. Note: The choice you make here determines the outcome of this scene - the first choice gives you Oberon, the Fairy King; and the second choice... well.)

Choice 1: Where everyone is! Choice 2: Where no one else will be

——————————————————————————————————

Choice 1: Where everyone is!

(The Master finds him at the cafeteria.)

Oberon: "Oh. Good day to you, Master. You seem more lively than u... Er, I suppose there's different kinds of liveliness. One like the gleam of springtime, another like a storm in winter. I'd say you're the latter today. Isn't that a picture perfect smile of a child in mischief?"

(Male) Choice: Nah, it's not Halloween, but (Female) Choice: Ehehe, it's not Halloween, but

Oberon: "Aah, I knew it. I had a feeling when I saw your face. Thank you, Master, I'm glad. I'll take good care in storing it - it's a gift for Valentines, after all! Hm? But since it's handmade, you don't have much confidence in its taste, you say? Oh don't worry, I don't put much stock in the result. What's important is your feelings and timing ☆

Now then, this means it's my turn next. I'd love to give you an exceptional gift in return, but... As you know, I'm an emperor with new clothes... Ah, you don't? Then you can forget what I just said. I'm kind of, no, always very lacking in things on hand... Oh well, no use lambasting myself over my unreliability. I'll simply turn this around with my wisdom and quick wits.

Master. Do you have time after this? Good, you do. In that case, I'll have one more thing from you other than your chocolate. We may be on a tight budget, but we can still make happy memories. That's how I've lived my life.

Let's go see Caesar first. He's a man of bountiful resources; though his stinginess is a blot in his character. Did you know? In Pan-Human History, it seems my father was apparently Caesar. 'Father, I'd like my child support for this month, please!' I'll say that and it'll be over for him. After all, fathers are eternally weak to their children's pleadings.”

(You can imagine Caesar wincing to the side.)

Oberon: “Once we have our war funds, we'll employ ourselves a guard. How about Robin Hood? I'll definitely get along with him. Though I still haven't met him yet! As long as we have QP, we'll be able to toggle with the simulator as we see fit. Where would you like to go? An amusement park? Or a museum?"

Choice 1: Maybe the fairies' forest?

Oberon: "Terrific! An straightforward idea that just screams you. Forest bathing on Valentine's Day, isn't that wonderful!"

Choice 2: Maybe a queen's castle?

Oberon: "A ball, huh. Not a bad idea. But let's not do that this time. Valentine's is a lighthearted event, isn't it? A ball at a castle may be a little too ill an omen for the occasion."

(The day passes with Oberon. It goes from daytime to sunset, and the two are now together in a forest.)

Oberon: "Aah, it's already sunset. It's a shame, but let us put an end to our Valentine's Day here. Have you enjoyed yourself? Good, I'm glad. The memory of this day may fade eventually, but it'll be alright as long as a part of it remains in your heart. That is all that I can give back to you.

Now now, you must go back to your room, Master. This is it for good children and fairy tales alike. If, hereafter, there comes a time when you fall headlong to meet a hopeless end -- then, I shall receive your gift once again. Though I must say, I don't recommend it, you understand? Depending on your outlook, you may be happier leaving a story unfinished."

——————————————————————————————————

[WARNING: LOSTBELT 6 SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT]

——————————————————————————————————

Choice 2: Where no one else will be

(The Master finds him at... somewhere unpleasant.)

Oberon: "Wow, gross. How did you know where I was? Instinct?"

Choice 1: Artoria Caster taught me the way Choice 2: With Merlin Magecraft...

Oberon: "So it's her doing... Of all the times to wish mischief on my person. Merlin Magecraft, my ass. Ridiculous. I'd like to have a word with whoever taught her that sham of a magecraft."

Choice 1: Uh huh. Wonder who that was Choice 2: I've got a pocket mirror, wanna use it?

Oberon: "Ahahahaha. Excuse me, but can you shut up for a bit? ...Just great. To think I would get my just desserts. Living, breathing characters are so hard to manage, especially in a scenario without a proper outline. Fine, I give up. As a Master, I'm sure you're used to barging into your Servants' dreams. Even so, this is a bit much. Let's give this place a quick remodeling."

(/snap)

Choice 1: A dirty room! Choice 2: Gross!?

Oberon: "Yes, it does succinctly express how I'm feeling right now, doesn't it? And? What do you want from me? I can already guess, but I must insist you tell me yourself. So spit it out."

Choice 1: A thank-you gift for all you've done for me Choice 2: An alternative to bug spray

(The Master gives Oberon his Valentines gift. But instead of accepting it like the others, he throws it)

Oberon: "Wow, I knew it! Thank you, I'm so glad, you asshole!"

Choice: Oberon says, as he doesn't toss it on the ground

Oberon: "Well, duh. I wouldn't want to drop that on my floor. Besides... you know. I've heard things about chocolate. It's that, right? That monstrosity that moves around and turns into a boss, right? Luckily for me, I've only heard of the outcome of that mess."

Choice 1: That was an exception among exceptions

Oberon: "Ah. That's boring. Good thing yours doesn't weigh much then?"

Choice 2: I made mine exactly like that

Oberon: "Oh get out! You little, you've only gotten better at tormenting me, huh!?" (beat) "My apologies, I'm strictly forbidden from speaking crudely. Let's both agree that didn't happen."

Oberon: "Is that all you want, then? So can you leave now? I'm really busy, you see. I don't have the time to be concerned with people who have nothing to do. To begin with, our relationship is of a contractual nature. I'll begrudgingly tolerate hanging out at work, but can you not meddle with my private affairs?"

Choice: (..................)

(The Master thinks back to their conversation with Artoria Caster.)

Artoria Caster: "Here, I'll pave the way for you. Iiiiit's... like you're flying straight out of Avalon. Hm? But what if he genuinely hates it, you say? It'll be fine, no worries! That guy will hate anything you do!

Besides, being able to 'enter' his dream means 'he'll at least hear you out'. He's serious to a fault... or maybe I should say he's diligent. He's fair-minded, you see. Ah, but don't point that out to him. He gets angry easily, and I feel I may be caught in the crossfire."

(Back to Oberon.)

Choice: Huh

Oberon: "...That tomboy... I'm going to kick her ass later... Oops, you didn't hear me say that. And why are you still here? Aren't you a persistent one? Don't tell me, you'd like something in return? From me? You've become as greedy as the rest of 'em, haven't you. Or not, you've been obstinate right from the outset."

Choice 1: No, I didn't really---- Choice 2: ...I'd be lying if I said I didn't want anything...

Oberon: "It's fine. Here. Take it. I've actually prepared something for you. Valentine's Day is for you to... hm, what was it. Ah, yes, to express your feelings of gratitude? Then I've got a mountain full of those. All for Valentine's! It's a gift befitting both you and I. Thanks for foisting me into it, I'm glad!

Now that that's everything, goodbye, Master! If ever you lose every single one of those reliable allies you have, you may call on me with a sigh!"

(Oberon leaves. The Master, too, soon fades out of the dream. They awaken in their room.)

Choice 1: ------Wuh!? Choice 2: ------The gift, the gift...!

(The Master reaches for their gift from Oberon. It's a beautiful jar... of Void Dust.)

Choice: ..................

Choice: Oooobeeerooon!!

——————————————————————————————————

Void Dust

A present from the person pretending to be Oberon.

Inside this refreshingly colorful container, is a powder snow that scatters fleetingly in the wind when held in one's hand... ...which is not what this is. What this is, is a black dust similar to soot. No matter how you look at it, you have Void Dust now.

It tastes salty when you lick it. Now that's a salty response.

"The value of its contents may have expired long ago, but the radiance of the container may still be intact, right?"

[calywitsune]

Part 1 of Azumi's canon appearances in the Red Light District Arc!

{ Drum House, Recovery Training , and Mugen Train Arc }

{ Red Light District Acr (Here) }

Details under the cut!

Red Light District PT. 1:

Azumi is heavily involved in this arc. She arrives back to the headquarters from her last mission as Uzui is enlisting them onto his team. Still spry, Azumi offers her own service as well, seeing as she is an actual girl and would be useful with not having to disguise herself like the other three. She follows along with the main story; being brought up to speed on the mission, Uzui's wives, and the threat they will be facing

At the district, Azumi tags close by Inosuke as "Inoko" under the pretense that the two have been together since they were very young, never having been apart. To help make things easier, and to disguise Inosuke's lack of voice, she claims Inoko is mute but that she can understand and translate what she wants/is thinking. They both go to the Ogimoto House to investigate.

This arc is also the first time Azumi starts to realize her developing crush on Inosuke

[himetsuri]

A Man’s Fight

[Kagetora’s story from the first novel. This is a revision of my older translation, formerly titled ‘Fighting Man,’ which is still available here if you’d rather read that version instead for some reason. The Japanese title, 闘う俠 (Tatakau Otoko), uses different characters than usual for ‘fight’ and ‘man.’ The character for ‘fight’ refers more to a metaphorical battle, rather than a brawl where one wins or loses, such as how someone might ‘fight their instincts’ or ‘fight off a cold.’ The character for ‘man’ refers to a chivalrous and ideal man, as in the phrase ‘man among men.’ Kumichou is the title given to the head of the yakuza. I’ve decided to translate it as boss/head in the text, or nix it entirely so as to not disrupt the flow of reading with countless instances of “boss Miyoshi,” but keep it as kumichou when someone refers to Miyoshi in dialogue.]

Hyoudou Kagetora was bad with kids. It wasn't that he hated them. He was just bad with them. The reason why was quite simple–––he made them cry.

He was by no means the type of man to be senselessly violent. He would never lay a hand on a woman or child. He’d also never kicked a cat, dog, or any other small animal. He had kicked guys for kicking cats. They flew pretty far. In any case, he was a rough-and-tumble kinda guy, but he was no criminal. He was a high-minded man at heart, who valued duty and emotion. So, then: How did he make small children cry? –––His face scared them. His metal-framed sunglasses concealed a gaze as sharp and piercing as a tiger’s; the scars carved across his whole body were too numerous for his Italian-made suit and wine-red shirt to hide away. He was nothing like that “little bit bad” fad* that went around not too long ago. He was a “full course meal of bad with everything on it.” Noodles al dente. Low-fat. A baby had stared at him once, while he rode the train. Stared long and hard. So, he thought he’d do something in response. He dared to play “peekaboo” with it. The baby had a seizure. Some people had a reputation of being able to “scare a crying child into silence,” but a reputation of being able to “cause a child who isn’t crying to foam at the mouth” was, obviously, unheard of. That's why Kagetora tried to distance himself from kids. They’d be able to avoid being scarred for life. He’d be able to avoid feeling depressed for three days. That was the best option, he thought. That's how it should've been. "First question! Pie is pie, but what’s the one pie you’d never wanna eat?” "Uh? A moldy pie?" "Bzzzzt…the answer is a cowpie!" “Dat's…not fair." Kagetora was holding hands with a preschooler, answering the riddles she gave him. As for how things turned out this way––– The reason lie four days in the past. Miyoshi, the head of the Kantou Shuueikai, had summoned Kagetora. "I have a favor to ask of you." These words always preceded what was essentially his main occupation–––a trouble buster, who dealt with issues one couldn’t request aid for by lawful means. "I must apologize…I’ve called upon you so suddenly.” "Not at all…you gots nuthin’ ta apologize fer. What wouldja have me do?” “To be perfectly honest…there’s a certain lady I’d like you to protect.” "A…lady?” He owed so much to Miyoshi, for so many things. There was no way he could ever refuse a request from him. "Her name is Narumiya Azumi…will you…do this for me?" “Pops…please, what’s wit’ da formal act? Yous ask me ta do somethin', dere’s no way I could refuse. So where’s dis lady at?” “Ah, I've already called for her…hee~y!" At the sound of the boss’ voice, the sliding door opened silently to reveal a woman kneeling behind it. She was tall for a woman, her eyes crinkled in a way that made it appear as if she was always smiling. "It is a pleasure to meet you." With three fingers of each hand pressed to the floor, she lowered her head deeply. “Yous Narumiya-san?" "No, I am not." “Huh?” "I am Azumi-chan's nanny. You may call me Kurotaki…now, Azumi-chan? Come over here." The one who appeared certainly was a lady: a little preschool-age lady. “’Scuse me…Pops? By Azumi, ya mean…her?" "Indeed, she’s my granddaughter. Oi, Azumi? Say 'hello' to this ol’ guy." "Okay!" Her response was very proper. "Nice to meet you! My name's Narumiya Azumi!" "Uhh…uhhhh?" Kagetora froze. He was a man who could smile fearlessly into the muzzle of a gun, when surrounded on all sides by dozens of armed thugs. Right now, though, he was clearly thrown off his balance. "What's your name, old guy?" "Um…old g…I'm only in my twenties…uh, I mean…" "What’s your name?” "Ah…my name is Hyoudou Kagetora…" The average person, when faced with someone new, would tend to act and speak more politely. "Hyodotora?" She was young and couldn’t enunciate her words that well yet, causing his name to transform into a strange, truncated version. "No, umm…" "Hey, Azumi? If it's too hard to say, just call him 'Tora.' That's better for you, too, right?” "Y-Yeah…" He was sure it would've been some mistress of one of the higher-ups. Things had undeniably taken a turn for the strange. Kagetora was dumbfounded and had no idea what to say. “I’m counting on you, Tora.” As he struggled through his daze, his boss gripped his shoulders and looked him right in the eye as he relayed this request.

Narumiya Azumi–––five years old this year. She was the child of Miyoshi's daughter, the late Masumi. Her father's name was Narumiya Takeshi, a man ranked at the very bottom of the Shuueikai. He was a diligent and kind man, enough to make one wonder why he joined the yakuza, and he worked tirelessly to gain Miyoshi’s approval and blessings for the wedding. In the end, he was captured by a rival group, the “Dakugoukai,” and lost his life. Masumi, grieving the loss of the man she loved, blamed everything on the yakuza as a whole and left her father's side to give birth to and raise Azumi by herself. However, she passed away in an auto accident one year ago, and Azumi, left behind, was put under her grandfather’s–––Miyoshi's care. He’d given her the Narumiya surname in honor of his late daughter. The plan was to provide for her until she became of age, and he wanted nothing more than for her to live a proper, respectable life–––but fate had other plans in mind. The "Dakugoukai,” the ones behind her father’s death, reached out with a deal. "Drug trafficking”––-forbidden within the Shuueikai. Miyoshi had been steadfast in his refusal, but the "Dakugoukai" had the backing of the Chinese mafia and began applying pressure by targeting Azumi. He wanted to protect Azumi, no matter what. But he didn't want to board her up in the depths of the estate. He didn’t want anything to happen to her that would tear her chances of living a “normal life” asunder, all because of a yakuza-related conflict. If that were to happen, he’d never be able to face his late daughter. Letting Azumi live a normal life, while fending off assassins at the same time–––there was only one person he knew who could pull off such a ridiculous job. Hyoudou Kagetora.

"So that's how it is…would you do this for me…?” Miyoshi lowered his head deeply with a solemn expression. "Ah, err…" If duty and emotion were to be weighed, a man among men’s scale would always tip towards duty–––

"P-Please leave it ta me…" After hearing the whole story, there was no way he could say something like, "Actually, I'm bad with kids, so can I go home?" “Oh, terrific! I can’t thank you enough! Now, Azumi, isn’t there something you should say to Tora?” “Mmhm! Tora–––! Thank you very much!” "Y-Ye~ah…" Azumi aimed a beaming smile in his direction, oblivious to his feelings, and Kagetora already could only give an exhausted look in return.

And so, Hyoudou Kagetora's strange life as a bodyguard began. Usually, if someone had an assassin coming for their life, they'd hide themselves somewhere and avoid going out in public. Azumi, on the other hand, went to preschool every day and ran around "playing games" and "singing" and "exercising" as if asking to be killed. Kagetora had to be on high alert at all times, whether he was sending her off or picking her up or while she was in the middle of class. But–––all the supposed big bad "Dakugoukai" kept dispatching were masses of incompetent one-trick pony comedians, to the point he wondered if they really wanted Azumi dead or not. There was a sniper who used a M16 assault rifle, a gun unsuited for sniping, as well as a 190 centimeter tall gorilla who thought he could mosey on up after ‘disguising’ himself as an old granny. The worst was a guy who tried to throw some poisoned darts, who ended up stabbing his own finger and fell over in a writhing, convulsing mess. Kagetora really wanted to go home after that one. He stomped, kicked down, and sent all of them flying. Four days passed. Kagetora was holding hands with Azumi, heading home after preschool. "Nn…?" Farther down the road, a large truck was hurdling towards them at crazy speeds. “Dere’s no way…" In a residential area like this, it was clearly a reckless driver ignoring the speed limit. An assassin going after Azumi.** "Tch! Azumi, hide yerself–––Azumi?" "…!?" Azumi was trembling. She’d taken a liking to Kagetora without a hint of fear and was always wearing a huge smile, but now she was pale in the face and gripping Kagetora's sleeve so tightly that her nails dug through the fabric. "What's…wrong?" But Azumi didn't answer. She was shaking like mad, her body rigid. Seeing her in such a state stole Kagetora’s attention, delaying his movements slightly. The truck was already right before them, with no time to let Azumi escape or get away after picking her up. "Azumi! Don't hit yer head!" She was holding on as tightly as she could, but it was still only the grip of a child. Kagetora pried her off and pushed her into some bushes growing on the side of the road. And with that, time was up, and even Kagetora could no longer evade it, strong as he was. "N-No…Mama–––!" Azumi screamed. But––– “Hraaaaah!” If he couldn't dodge or escape, then he'd take it on head first! Kagetora widened his stance, drew his arm back to his hip, and launched his fist right down the middle with all his strength. Bang!! It was the fist of a man weighing no more than 80 kilograms versus an object weighing more than a ton. It was no contest by all laws of nature, but Kagetora's fist not only stopped the truck but left a circular-sized dent in the front of it as it screeched to a halt. “Wh…” "’Ey dere, asshole…” He smashed the front windshield and pulled out the stupefied, frozen assassin in the driver's seat and pummeled him into the ground. "Whew…give it a goddamn rest already, wouldja? Oi, Azumi? Sorry ‘bout all dat. Yous not hurt, right?” Azumi, who'd been tossed into the bushes, had on a blank expression at first, but then burst out crying as she clung onto Kagetora as if her life depended on it. "O-Oi…?" "You can't, Tora…you can't…you can't die…you can't…" Wiping her tears on Kagetora's suit, she continued crying out, "you can't." "Azumi…" "You ca…you can't…waaaah–––" Kagetora gently placed his hand on the bawling Azumi's head. “Don’t worry…I’m so strong, I ain’t dyin’ even if I do die. I ain’t called 'Immortal Kagetora' fer nuthin’!” "Im-mortal…?" "Yeah! Means I never die, got it? So no need ta cry. Look…yer nose is all runnin' now." As he said this, Kagetora pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face. "You won't die…? You'll never ever die?" “Never. An’ I never ever break my promises." "…Okay!" At long last, Azumi's usual smile returned to her face.

“Oh, my…that poor child said that…?” That night, Kagetora filled Kurotaki in on what had happened. Her expression was woeful and one of her hands covered her mouth. "What’s da story wit’ dat?" Azumi had scratched her cheek on one of the branches in the bushes but was otherwise unharmed. A simple bandage was all that was needed, and at the moment she was in bed, sleeping. "Her mother passed away after being run over by a car…she was shielding Azumi-chan…" Kurotaki was a housekeeper who looked after Azumi ever since her mother’s death. She'd been sent from an office that did business with less-than-upright places and the like, so even working at a yakuza’s mansion wasn’t enough to make her flinch. “Damn…” The event had revived the memory of that time and disoriented Azumi, and that’s why she had screamed out "Mama" when Kagetora tried to get her out of the way just as her mother had. "Perhaps she has realized it herself…that she is alive because of her mother's sacrifice." Maybe even Azumi’s perpetually chipper mood was due to her not wanting to let her mother's sacrifice go to waste. Children were much more clever than adults gave them credit for. “‘Ey, Kurotaki-san? What’s dat li’l tyke…what’s Azumi like ta eat?” “Well, she certainly adores sweets. Apple pie is her favorite. Um…might I ask why you are bringing this up again?" "Well…y'know. She's always smilin’, but she’s been through a lot an’ I think she's hidin’ a lotta stuff. So, y’know, I got ta thinkin' dat maybe it’d cheer ‘er up a bit if she could eat somethin’ she likes.” Kagetora couldn’t help but get flustered. Trying to please girls wasn’t really his thing. "Fufu…what a gentleman you are, Hyoudou-san. I understand. I shall prepare some delicious apple tea for her tomorrow.” Kurotaki placed a hand to her mouth and laughed.

The next day–––it was a Sunday, so there was no school. Kagetora left Azumi's protection to the other members inside the mansion and went to buy some apple pie. Despite his rough appearance, he loved sweet things. Especially Mont Blanc. So he'd walked over to a Western-style bakery that he could say with confidence had great apple pie. The moment he arrived back at the mansion’s front, he felt a sense of unease. He couldn't say exactly what was off, but if he had to put something down he'd say it was the air. The air was different. It was his sixth sense that allowed him to notice it, the sixth sense that only someone who’d clawed their way through Hell could acquire, or maybe it was just his primal instincts. He kept on his toes as he opened the gate, and as he entered the premises his suspicions turned into certainty. (It's da smell of blood…) He rushed inside the mansion, only to find a man collapsed in the foyer. It was one of the Shuueikai members he'd entrusted watching over Azumi to while he was out–––no longer breathing. He examined the body, without lowering his guard. One shot straight through the heart. (Azumi…!!) When he progressed further down the hallway, another gruesome sight spread out before him. Four victims in total, including the one lying in the foyer. All were killed in the same way: a single shot through the heart, with no signs of resistance whatsoever. It looked to be the work of a high caliber pistol…no, something was off. "–––Who's dere!?" Sensing a presence lurking in the shadows of the hallway, Kagetora shouted and readied for battle. "…Hyoudou-san…is that you?" The one who emerged was Kurotaki, her face white as a sheet. "You…yous okay? Whattabout Azumi? What da hell’s…?” "I-I do not know…someone appeared out of nowhere…I heard gunshots…I think they kidnapped Azumi-chan…I…I was unable to do anything…" "Don't worry ‘bout it…it's jus’ good ta see yous all right." As soon as the words left his tongue, a composed part of Kagetora’s brain whispered to him. (Somethin's not right–––) While it was true all the bodies appeared to have been shot by a gun, there was no lingering scent of gunpowder. It was a minute detail that the average person wouldn’t pick up on. But Kagetora's "nose" was able to sniff out that something was off. (–––!?) Bloodlust. Kagetora turned at once and leapt backwards, but something pierced straight through his body. "Urghh–––!?" He'd taken bullets before. This didn’t "feel" like a bullet. "Oh, dear…and here I thought this was the perfect opportunity…" The shooter–––Kurotaki. She had a hand at her mouth, and her always narrow eyes were even narrower as she smiled. "Y-You…what in…?" He’d escaped by the skin of his teeth. If he hadn't been on edge after taking notice of that slight abnormality, he would’ve been shot through the heart before he even turned around. But while it’d missed his vitals, blood was still overflowing from the bullethole. "You truly have gone through Hell and back, I see. Well, all you have accomplished is prolonging your death for a little longer." There was nothing in Kurotaki's hands. No pistol, no knife, no weapon at all. "Did you never consider that the enemy could be from the inside?” It wasn't like he hadn't suspected the possibility of an assassin infiltrating the Shuueikai. But it hadn't even been half a month since the failed deal between the "Dakugoukai" and "Shuueikai.” “Yous tellin’ me…you planned dis out an’ infiltrated us in jus’ one year…?" “Honestly…little amateurs who think themselves above the everyday hoodlum are quite the bother. Yes, the ‘Dakugoukai’ only made contact with the Shuueikai this month…however, we made our move far earlier…do you understand, Hyoudou-san? A true professional ‘finishes the job before it has even begun.’” "We”–––that one word made everything click into place. "I get it…yous no 'Dakugoukai.’ Yous wit’ da Chinese mafia…!?" “But of course. I am–––a member of 'the organization.'"

There were two kinds of groups in the underworld. The first contained those who boasted of the accomplishments made underneath the “group’s name.” The Japanese yakuza, the Western mafia, and even the thugs in the back alleys playing street gang and the bousouzoku all had the same aims, despite their differences in size. On the other hand, there were those who "didn't take on a name.” By doing so, they could keep their true identities and circumstances hidden and strike fear into their enemies as a perfect “unidentified group." They were a "dark organization" in the truest sense––– Kurotaki was a member of that "organization." “The organization" had anticipated that the deal between the "Dakugoukai" and the "Shuueikai" would fail from the very beginning. The "Dakugoukai" was, in the end, nothing more than a foothold for them, a stepping stone for them to advance into Japan.

"Our greatest impediment was the head of the Shuueikai, Miyoshi-kumichou, who carried tremendous influence in Shinjuku…after all, he displayed perhaps the highest abhorrence to drugs within the Japanese yakuza. However, wounding him directly was a rather complicated task in and of itself…”

Therefore, "the organization" spun a clever plan. They snuck Kurotaki in before the "Dakugoukai's" name, let alone "the organization's," had even come up. And not as a Shuueikai member but as an insider who was as close to being an ordinary person as could be: "Azumi's nanny." The deal with the “Dakugoukai” was supposed to fail, as according to their plan, because their true objective was to “take Azumi hostage to threaten Miyoshi and ultimately enter an affiliation with the Kantou Shuueikai." The third-rate assassins had also been part of the plot, meant to lower the Shuueikai’s guard and simultaneously make them keep their attention focused outward. “Dat's…a long-ass time ta wait…woulda been quicker ta snatch ‘er away right after sneakin' in…" "Oh my, you do not get it at all, do you? The point was to get Miyoshi-kumichou to defy 'the organization.' And the moment he did, one of his supporters would be revealed as his enemy–––should he taste such a betrayal even once…seeds of doubt would be planted within his heart, and he would no longer be able to differentiate ally from foe.” Placing a hand to her mouth, Kurotaki smiled mockingly. "And then, he would lose any will to resist. He would become our loyal pet dog and the story ends happily ever after. For a performance such as this, even an entire year is quite short. I know of those who concealed themselves for five years. The very foundation of our strategy is to strike when the enemy least expects it, when they believe that ‘it could not possibly happen.’” They didn’t cow their targets with brute force; they ruled over a person’s mind by planting the fear of, “What would happen if I disobeyed them?” That was how "the organization" worked. Say nothing of how much of a blow it would be to learn that the woman living under the same roof as you, who always greeted you with a smile, was truly a cold-blooded assassin. It was enough to make one never consider trying to rebel ever again. "…Thanks fer yer opinion…now, what da hell did you do wit’ Azumi…!?" "Do be at ease. My orders detail that I must not kill her, so she is simply taking a little nap. I shall be taking her with me, just as soon as I have taken care of you." Azumi was still alive! Then all he had to do was defeat Kurotaki here and now. "Ohhh!" Ignoring the searing pain from the hole in his stomach and the blood that poured out, Kagetora kicked off the floor and extended his arms to grab ahold of Kurotaki. The more certain of victory one was, the more they gabbed. The more they wanted to boast of their own triumph. Kagetora pulled himself together to take advantage of this opening and tried to attack once again. "Ya flap yer gums way too much! It leaves ya wide open!" But Kurotaki brushed it off easily with one hand. With one delicate, feminine hand. "No, no…I am feeling quite comfortable, thank you.” "Wha…!?" Kurotaki disappeared. No, she'd moved quickly into his blind spot and gotten behind him. "Nghh!?" With a single hand, Kurotaki lifted his body and hurled him into the wall. "Did you think yourself special? That there were no others like you? You are inherently strong, perhaps, but that is precisely why you are bereft of the basics." Kagetora had no idea what she was talking about. This display of power that ignored all laws of physics, that couldn't be explained away as a result of pure muscle, was the exact same as what he routinely exhibited. "Since times of old…there have been rare instances of humans being born with strange powers. 'Pyrokinesis,' 'telekinesis,' 'precognition,' teleportation’…what one might refer to as ‘superpowers.'" “Gh…ghrk…keh, I ain't got no interest in da occult…" At last, his lungs had begun to work again, after freezing up momentarily after being smashed against the wall. But as he’d only just gotten his breath back, it took all he had just to spit back a retort. "Do listen for a bit longer, would you? In those times of old, this power was referred to as ‘witchcraft’ or ‘magic,’ but the people of our land have spent 5000 years establishing it as one of our ‘arts.’” Thud! Once again, he kicked off the floor and closed the distance between them with one step. (She avoided me, parried my blow, meanin’ it’ll hurt ‘er bad if I get ‘er…here goes nuthin’!) He increased his speed and launched a mighty attack that couldn’t be deflected completely, even if one tried to dodge. But Kurotaki, as if she'd foreseen all of what he’d do, pointed her thumb towards him. "–––Just like this, you see." Bang! "Gahh–––!?" A ball of light shot forward from the tip of Kurotaki's thumb and pierced through Kagetora's shoulder. "This technique is called Finger Bomb. One charge reloads each of my fingers with one bullet, and the destructive capabilities are as you have just witnessed…a level of style far removed from your boorish reliance on brute strength, would you not agree?” An ordinary person would've lost consciousness or even died from shock from this amount of pain. "Azumi-chan will prove invaluable in aiding our negotiations to a smooth finish. Yet should Miyoshi-sama still fail to provide us with a candid response…we shall 'return the favor’ with our own personalized gift. Though I must admit, it would break my heart, terribly.” “’Da hell do you think you are…sayin' such crap…" "Do be quiet." Bang, bang! Bullets of light fired from her pointer and middle fingers, perforating both of his legs. “Struggle and writhe about as you die, just like the insect you are. Now then, good day." Bang! And then, her ring finger released a bullet of light that went right through his stomach. Kagetora crumbled on the spot.

~~~~~~ [Notes: *Choiwaru. In the early 2000s, “choiwaru oyaji” (old guys who are a little bad) was a trend that popped up in which older men started dressing more stylishly, like ‘bad boys.’ **Wordplay. The word for assassin used here is shikaku (刺客), which shares the same pronunciation as "blind spot.“ (死角)

Azumi is a throwback to Iwashiro’s first major work, Mieru Hito, which features a young ghost girl named Kibino Azumi. Unlike the Narumiya Azumi featured in this story, Kibino Azumi passed away with her mother after being shielded from an oncoming car. She looks like this:]

| Part 2 →

[yukiko-otomiya]

Translation notes revised

So my japanese teacher came back from her holidays and we talked about the translation.

She congratulated me from doing it and ecourage me to do more, she sees it as a nice practice.

Also teached me about 四字熟語 (yojijukugo), that Kuko used in one of the lyrics. They use 4 kanji and they all manteins their meanings. In UNITED EMCEEZ was 自問自答 (jimonjitou) literaly means myself ask myself answers. And gave me some other examples as 馬耳東風　(bajitoufuu), blow a horse´s ear and is used when you give advise to someone and seems like its listening but no, keeps doing the same.

It seems that yojijukugo is gives poetic feeling and told me to be aware because she can see that hypmic sure uses a ton. And I want to find some more.

I love how they play with kanji (hypmic and japanese), I think its clever and pretty. And it fires me up to keep studing the language.

I also asked about the "ohayosan" they use in the last drama track.

"Are they saying good morning to the sun?"

"I don´t thing so Azumi, they say it in differents moments"

"Ah, it can be that the ones saying it are from the south?"

"Yeah, the Nagoya and Oosaka divisions"

And then her eyes shined.

"Oh! We, the southerns love the ん sound! So we try to add it as much as possible. So we say Ohayosan to sound more pretty!"

She is from Oosaka and loves teaching me about the dialect, but not too much, just in case I mess in the noken test.

[utagoe]

A3!: Sorachika (ソラチカ) Lyrics

Kanji, romaji and English translation for Sorachika (Vow to the Sky) by Azami and Omi

(kanji source) パート分け：莇　臣

Woo ~Woo oh…

夕陽の下　伸びた影は 案外小さく見えたんだ 目を逸らして見上げた空に 星はまだなかった 才能とか運命とか そんなのガラじゃないからさ 選んだのか逃げているのか分かっている

自分殺してまで やるべきことなのか 憧れた姿は もっともっと輝いていた

まだ見ぬ空へと誓ったのは 心と向き合える強さ 情けない今日にサヨナラ 進む道のりは　ひとつじゃない それぞれの場所で 光りだした俺たちが 繋がっていて星座になれたら

Woo~ Woo oh……

目眩がした　夏の風は 世界を大きく包むんだ 手を伸ばして　届かないこと 恐れてる

人とぶつかってまで 頑なでいいのか やりたいことからは ちょっとずつ離れてった

まだ見ぬの空へと願ったのは 変われるきっかけを何か 果てしない明日を行くから みんなと一緒が　全てじゃない それぞれの場所へ 走り出した俺たちが 描く軌跡ここから始まる

Woo~ Woo oh……

こんなものかと思っていた 大人ぶって止まっていた 遥か 遠い 空は 決意の近くにある

まだ見ぬ空へと誓ったのは 心と向き合える強さ 情けない今日にサヨナラ 進む道のりはひとつじゃない それぞれの場所で 光りだした俺たちが 繋がっていて星座になれたら

Woo ~ Woo oh……

Romaji Colours: Azumi Omi

Woo ~Woo oh…

yuuhi no shita nobita kage wa angai chiisaku mietan da me wo sorashite miageta sora ni hoshi wa mada nakatta sainou toka unmei toka sonna no gara janai kara sa eranda no ka nigeteiru no ka wakatteiru

jibun koroshite made yarubeki koto na no ka akogareta sugata wa motto motto kagayaiteita

mada minu sora e to chikatta no wa kokoro to mukiaeru tsuyosa nasakenai kyou ni sayonara susumu michinori wa hitotsu janai sorezore no basho de hikari dashita oretachi ga tsunagatteite seiza ni naretara

Woo ~Woo oh……

memai ga shita natsu no kaze wa sekai wo ookiku tsutsumun da te wo nobashite todokanai koto osoreteru

hito to butsukatte made katakuna de ii no ka yaritai koto kara wa chotto zutsu hanaretetta

mada minu no sora e to negatta no wa kawareru kikkake wo nanika hate shinai asu wo yuku kara minna to issho ga subete janai sorezore no basho e hashiridashita oretachi ga egaku kiseki koko kara hajimaru

Woo ~Woo oh……

konna mono ka to omotteita otona butte tomatteita haruka tooi sora wa ketsui no chikaku ni aru

mada minu sora e to chikatta no wa kokoro to mukiaeru tsuyosa nasakenai kyou ni sayonara susumu michinori wa hitotsu janai sorezore no basho de hikari dashita oretachi ga tsunagatteite seiza ni naretara

Woo ~Woo oh……

English Colours: Azumi Omi

Woo ~Woo oh…

That shadow growing under the setting sun Seemed unexpectedly small I averted my eyes and looked up at the sky But there still weren't any stars Things like 'talent' and 'fate' Those are not my style I know if I've chosen this or if I'm just running away

Am I supposed to Even kill myself for this? That figured I admired Was shining brighter and brighter

What I've sworn to that yet-unseen sky Was the strength to face my heart Good-bye to this miserable today There isn't only one path we follow We started to shine Each at a different place If only we could be connected and become a constellation

Woo ~Woo oh…

The dizzy summer wind Wrapped up the entire world I'm afraid of holding out my hand And not reaching it

Can I really be so obstinate That I collide with people? Little by little, I went away From the things I wanted to do

What I've wished to that yet-unseen sky Was some chance for me to change I'll go towards an endless tomorrow Being with everyone isn't everything We started running Each towards their own spot The trajectory we'll draw will start from now on

Woo ~Woo oh…

I expected it to be like this I behaved like an adult and came to a halt That far Away Sky is Near my determination

What I've sworn to that yet-unseen sky Was the strength to face my heart Good-bye to this miserable today There isn't only one path we follow We started to shine Each at a different place If only we could be connected and become a constellation

Woo ~Woo oh…

Notes: “Sorachika” isn’t an actual word (it is the name of a subway card tho lol), but I’ve decided to translate it as “Vow to the Sky" because, judging by the context of the song, it’s the combination of Sky (sora) and Vow (chikai)... ‘cause you know, they’re talking about swearing to the sky that they’ll be strong and all that jazz.

[bthump]

1/2 Hi, first of all i love ur meta, great work ! I just wanted to ask you if you knew "Azumi" a seinen samurai manga by Yuu Koyama ? Because there's a character weirdly similar to Griff in many aspects. Long story short, Kiku is an assassin hired to kill the protagonist Azumi, Kiku was raised in order to suppress all "his" feelings to gain trust from those "he" must kill and kill them in cold blood. Kiku will be disturbed by Azumi's kindness and will not be able to kill her (mental breakdown)

2/2 A panel shows clearly the Griff-kiku parallel but i'll not be able to share this here (no link :( ) If you're interested just check chapter 105/106 of Azumi on mangakakalot (u can check this 2 chapters and easily understand parallels), lots of obvious parallel to griff, inner thoughts and feeling repression. Btw Kiku is the trans one x). Thx for reading this, i just thought you might be interested in it ^^ 

Ty, I’ve never heard of it tbh, but I did have a look at those 2 chapters and I see what you mean, I’m not sure which exact panel you’re talking about but the repression and the falling in love with someone which ruins your plans is there. The manga doesn’t really seem like my kind of thing overall but lol just based on those scenes I’d totally ship Azumi/Kiku, at least if Kiku is a trans woman? I’m not sure if you using “he” pronouns in quotes is misgendering the character (hopefully not) or a reflection of how the character’s gender is portrayed in the story or translation, maybe problematically, since I can’t really tell anything based only on those 2 chapters.

Also tw for... at the very least consent issues if someone else looks these chapters up, I’m not really sure what’s going on between Kiku and the assassin trainer dude but it seems pretty skeevy.

[popstrikers]

I’ve been a huge fan of @deadlycomics‘ work for years now, and am lucky enough to have him as a patron. I remember a few years back when his animation “Late to Work!” came out, I still love it to this day! So with #DrawThisInYourStyle being a thing right now, and DC’s main character from the animation also being a cute raccoon, I figured I’d recreate a shot from the animation and give Azumi someone to hang out with xD 1428 polys 512 x 512 texture If you’re like me and long for the low poly days of the PS2, consider supporting me over on Patreon and help bring blocky back!

Keep reading for more info on this project!

After the torrent of fanart I got for Azumi last week when dropping her into the #DrawThisInYourStyle hashtag, I knew I had to give back and enter the ring myself. I don’t think Deadly Comics ever put his character out there, but he’d been in my Patreon Discord and here on Tumblr giving me some words of encouragement throughout Azumi’s production, and I’ve always loved his work, so it seemed like as good a place as any to start.

You can see the tiny concept scribble in the top right that eventually became the finished render xD

Being a bipedal raccoon with chibi-esque proportions, Deadly Comics’ character is pretty similar to Azumi, so translating him to my style wasn’t all that difficult, these were the only three sketches I did before jumping into Blender. It was basically a male Azumi, with less defined hips, and wider forearms to reinforce a more male silhouette. The face was similar, but I made the eyes smaller than I did with Azumi to be closer to the original design. That’s the character’s defining feature, so I figured moving it too far from it’s starting point I’d lose the through-line to DC’s concept. All in all I think I struck a good balance!

Next was choosing a frame from the animation to recreate. Seeing as I basically already made my choice while doing the concept art, this was an easy choice. Though I also chose to use a different shot from the end of the animation for the turnaround.

The background is really simple, just a couple cubes really, with a simple low res texture.

Overall though I had a ton of fun making this. I’ll mostly likely do other artist’s characters in the future!

[cannonette]

Shiritsu Berubara Gakuen ~Berusaiyu no Bara Re*imagination~ [ Characters ]

**PLEASE DO NOT POST OR TAKE TRANSLATIONS ELSEWHERE!!**

Advising Teacher of the Theatrical Troupe Soleil

白鳥 由香里 / しらとり ゆかり / Shiratori Yukari CV: Hikasa Youko

“Winning could be a dream within a dream, I feel sorry for them... ... I pity them.”

The Adviser of the theatrical troupe Soleil.

She is very prideful and does not think much of the theatrical troupe Lumiere, which was established by Nozomi.

Advising Teacher of the Theatrical Troupe Lumiere

ピーエル 皇 / ぴえーる すめらぎ / Pieru Sumeragi CV: Morikubo Showtaro

“If it’s an Advising Teacher then, it’s he~re! Here, One Two Three, Four--!!”

The Advising Teacher of Lumiere, which was established by Nozomi.

It seems that he appeared in numerous famous performances during his earlier years.

His appearance is very showy.

The Heroine’s Mother

山田 のばら / やまだ のばら / Yamada Nobara CV: Inoue Kikuko

“Name? Why?” “Isn't it the most wonderful name in the World, Oscar-chan❤”

An active Actress who is also the Heroine’s Mother.

Currently, she is absent from work due to routine tests at the hospital.

She is a Big fan of [ Rose of Versaille ] and the very person who named the Heroine [ Osukaru (Oscar) ].

The Heroine’s Classmate

黒沢 潤子 / くろさわ じゅんこ / Kurosawa Junko CV: Maeda Rena

“I want to succeed as a Model one day and make it easy for my Parents and my siblings.”

The Heroine’s Classmate who aspires to be a Model.

Though she may look blank, she has a straightforward personality where she expresses what she thinks.

Mari and Yuu’s Bodyguard

清水 / ミツキ / しみず みつき / Shimizu Mitsuki CV: Namikawa Daisuke

“Because it is my duty to be near Yuu-sama and Mari-sama.”

A student who is by Mari and Yuu’s side as a schoolmate and chaperone.

He is a member of the theatrical troupe Soleil, and is wise. He is calm and interacts with honorifics towards anyone.

A friend who is a member of Soleil

姫宮 りか / ひめみや りか / Himemiya Rika CV: Waki Azumi

“And then, Rika, ah... ... again, I just said Rika towards the things related to me!”

She is an Art Student of Bellerose Academy and a 1st year Student who is a member of Soleil.

She is positively working on Plays so that she could also one day receive Princess roles like Mari.

[yyh-revival]

Doujinshi Credits Page

Hi guys, @yyhcuties did the amazing work of finding credits for many of the Doujinshi that had been floating around the internet. Links are dead to the guides and downloads that are posted under these sites, but here’s a list of at least a few of the groups who did the scans and translations back in the day. When I have time I’ll go back and add the credits to individual posts, but for now, to get this out quickly, here’s the list under the cut.

https://yuyu-doujin.livejournal.com/47726.html

 This file, copied from the YYH Manga Translation Project site, contains three documents which (1) will explain every japanese word/sfx & character used in the doujinshis, (2) provide a rating system and (3) a short review for each doujinshi they've done. I'll paste the short review for One-shots and rating according to it.  --------------------------- Author: Seono Shou Rating: PG to R (playful, kawaii, funny, sweet, spicy) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project (no website, group disbanded) Info: The continues story has been listed in order. The other stories can be read randomly after the main story although I listed them alphabetically. (1) Present (2) Hiei's Revenge (3) Welcome, Newlyweds! (4) Home Sweet Home (5) Love machine Chibi Days Hiei's Happiness Hobby King of the Party Kioku no Umi Kurama-kun's torment Let's look for Hiei-kun Let's name them Love Letter May Fly May Shower Moonless Night Morning Scene Snow walk Special Day Sweet Life --------------------------- Author:��Fuji Shinichi Rating: PG to R (playful, kawaii, funny, sweet, spicy) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: Most of them by YYH Manga Translation Project (no website, group disbanded) Info: A Match Girl Arrow Hiei-chan Cinderella Find Hiei-chan! Gogo - Ganbare, Hiei-kun! Hänsel and Gretel Hiei & Kurama's Love Coloring Book Hiei-chan and the Hole Hiei-chan at McDonalds Hiei-chan at the sentou Hiei-chan the Milk Thief Hiei-chan wanted it Hiei-chan's first errand Koori no sabaku (scanlated by Caith'ion of Translated Treasures) Kurama's summer diary Little Red Riding Hood Lively little Hiei-chan's book Sensui vs. Hiei-chan again Snow falling on water The Dimension Bazooka The mermaid princess The True Prospect The two chests arc Yuki Onna Short stories pack: Alla Put-on Bath and breakfast Body mechanism Cooking Kurama-kun Double sister Flower-making Kurama-kun Gags Hiei-chan's new shoes Hiei-chan's slip of the tongue 3 Kurama's secret 1 + 2 Life with mom 1 + 2 No title Pollen allert The chef Video party What class is Hiei-chan With Hiei Your eyes speak volumes Zeru-kun's insolent attitude --------------------------- Info: Small collection of one page stories by different mangaka. Mostly PG. It includes these titles: - Funny families by Nagareboshi Hirako - Let's name them! by Seono Shou - Let's play with youko by Tokuda Midori - Love letter by Seono Shou - Man of mystery by Touru Azumi - Thumbelina by Nankin Gureko

https://www.mangaupdates.com/releases.html?search=yu+yu+hakusho&act=archive&page=1&orderby=date&asc=asc

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Dream Crime

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - A Space Closed in Secrecy

1-2

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hiyaku 1 - Seperation

1

Aestheticism

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Paradise

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Costume Play

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Purification

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Date

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Snow Drop

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Romantic

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - White Memories

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - The Secret Minamino Fanclub

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hiei & Kurama's Love Coloring Book

Makai-Nights

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - It must be love

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - You Brute

a

Doujinshi Snow

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - You Brute

b-Jin vs Yuusuke

Doujinshi Snow

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Getting Used to It

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Argument

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - With me

1-With me

?

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - With me

2-Catch

?

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Crystal Nights - Snow is Made of Pure Things Only

Arigatomina

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Declaration of Youth

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Shuuichi-kun's Doctor

YYH Manga Translation Project

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Pigeon's Blood

Cathi'on

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Opium

Arigatomina & B-chan

Unknown

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Amatou

YYH Manga Translation Project

12/31/03

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hiyaku 2 - Conviction

2

Parts 1-4

Nakama

06/14/05

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Angel's Bite

Makai-Nights

03/12/06

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hourglass

Nakama

09/16/07

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hiyaku 3 - The Farthest Limits of Love

3

Parts 1-3 (end)

Nakama

12/22/07Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Lonely Butterfly1Arigatomina

12/30/07Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hana Ga SumiArigatomina

01/26/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Calling

1

Arigatomina

01/26/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - A Friend's Value

yuyu_doujin

01/29/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Inyoku

Arigatomina

01/29/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Jin x Toya Special

Arigatomina

01/29/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Toki no Hana

Arigatomina

02/10/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hisoka

Nakama

02/14/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - La Vie en Rose

Arigatomina

05/04/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - With me

3-Kingyo

Arigatomina

05/22/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Psycho

Arigatomina & Sir Psycho Sexy

08/18/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - La Vie en rose

3-Wednesday Moon

Arigatomina

08/28/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Sickness

Boxer and Rice & Arigatomina

12/25/08

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Alphard

Arigatomina

03/05/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - P0rn0graphy

Arigatomina & B-chan

Date

Title

Vol

Chp

Groups

 03/23/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Don't Touch This

Part A

Arigatomina

03/31/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Kiss Me, Kill Me

Part A

Sir Psycho Sexy & Kohaku Hoshi

03/31/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Kiss Me, Kill Me

Part B (end)

Sir Psycho Sexy & Kohaku Hoshi

05/09/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Howling

1-One Night Stand

Arigatomina

05/11/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Don't Touch This

Part B

Arigatomina

06/05/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Daydream

Doujinshi Snow

06/23/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - SM28

Part 1

Stier421 & Ayuki & Cicada

07/07/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Dune

Arigatomina & B-chan

08/15/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - San

1-2

Boxer and Rice & Arigatomina

09/06/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - SM28

Parts 2-3

Stier421 & Ayuki & Cicada

09/06/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hide and Seek

Stier421 & Ayuki & Cicada

11/07/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Fragrance of Innocence

Arigatomina & Sellie

11/27/09

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Goodbye Is the Beginning of the Future

Arigatomina

02/06/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Don't Touch This

1v2

Arigatomina

02/06/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Don't Touch This

2-6

Arigatomina

02/23/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Quest

1

Arigatomina & Amadriade

03/17/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Quest

2

Arigatomina & Amadriade

06/08/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Shogun

Sobdasha

09/02/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Ankoku Datenshi

Greynonentity & Sir Psycho Sexy

11/01/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - SM28

Part 4 (end)

Stier421 & Ayuki & Cicada

12/20/10

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Beryl

Arigatomina

02/13/11

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Suisou no Naka no Sakana

1

Arigatomina

06/30/11

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Humiliate Me More Darlin'

Blue! & Arigatomina

08/27/11

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Suisou no Naka no Sakana

2

Arigatomina

10/05/11

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Harenochi Pikan!

Arigatomina

11/04/11

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Suisou no Naka no Sakana

3

Arigatomina

08/12/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Forest of Solitude

Arigatomina

08/19/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Quest

4

Arigatomina

08/21/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Hiei's Revenge

8

Arigatomina

09/04/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Jealousy

Arigatomina

09/08/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - I Love You with a Tail

Arigatomina

09/20/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Phantom

Part 1

Arigatomina

09/26/12

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Me Tender

Arigatomina

10/15/13

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Nerves Dulled by the Cold Night

Arigatomina

12/22/13

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Love Phantom

Part 2

Arigatomina

01/01/14

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Joy

Arigatomina

02/14/14

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Flame and Aqua

Arigatomina

05/05/14

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Yumegatari

1

Arigatomina

05/31/14

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Yumegatari

2

Arigatomina

09/20/14

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Overture

Arigatomina

01/01/15

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - To the Girl in the Snow

Arigatomina

06/04/15

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Yuuwaku no Mirai

Arigatomina

07/26/15

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - NAIYB'SSONGS

SaHa

05/21/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Self Control

Arigatomina

07/04/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Rain Noise

Arigatomina

08/06/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Yuhaku + Boyfriend

Urameshi Yusuke

Arigatomina

11/04/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - La Vie en Rose

v2

Arigatomina

11/24/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Building Within a Dream

Arigatomina

12/04/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Soul Flight

Snow Walk 2

Arigatomina

12/10/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Spirits Dance

4

Snowy Night

Arigatomina

12/11/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Yuhaku + Boyfriend

Kuwabara Kazuma

Arigatomina

12/25/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Living Inside the Shell

Happy Happy Christmas

Arigatomina

12/25/16

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Living Inside the Shell

Cake War

Arigatomina

09/12/18

Yu Yu Hakusho dj - Psycho

Neptise Scans

https://yuyu-doujin.livejournal.com/48278.html

This file, copied from the YYH Manga Translation Project site, contains three documents which (1) will explain every japanese word/sfx & character used in the doujinshis, (2) provide a rating system and (3) a short review for each doujinshi they've done. I'll paste the short review for One-shots and rating according to it.  --------------------------- Author: A-PAA Rating: R Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: - Info: These scanse are raw and they're not complete. They were up at the site which was known as Yaoi Shrine but unfortunately went down due to some issues. The art looks similiar to Maya Kaoruko, A-PAA is probably her circle's name. Confession Egoiste One-Zero Samsara --------------------------- Author: Anayu Rating: PG (funny) Pairing: None Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: The legendary redheads face off. It's in Chinese but there's a translation included Kurama vs. Kenshin --------------------------- Author: Akemi Rating: PG Pairing: KarasuxKuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: - Info: It's in Portuguese so if anyone can translate it into English, I'd be forever grateful. Title unknown --------------------------- Author: Hashiba Shinobu Rating: PG (funny, playful) Pairing: KuramaxYuusuke in "Idiot parent" Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: - Ordinary people Idiot parent --------------------------- Author: Kido Wataru Rating: PG (playful) Pairing: KuwabaraxYuusuke Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: Kuwa and Yuusuke argue over sentimentality in this character piece. Tokyo Love Specialist --------------------------- Author: Kobayashi Sato Rating: R Pairing: YuusukexKurama Scans & Trans: ? Info: Supposedly part 2, I don't own part 1. Let me hear words of love 2 --------------------------- Author: Maririn Rating: PG (sweet, poetic) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: Kurama and Hiei are the only ones awake on a rainy night, and Kurama's in a mood to reminisce.  Rain --------------------------- Author: MIG21SP Rating: PG (funny) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Don't let Hiei leave the house --------------------------- Author: Mikoyan Nakajyo & Gurevich Kurihara Rating: PG Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: Fluff Fox and Bunny How to spend Christmas --------------------------- Author: Mizukane Ryo Rating: R Pairing: HieixKurama Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: - Silent Call --------------------------- Author: Moriyama Yumi Rating: R Pairing: KoenmaxKurama Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Shuuichi-kun's doctor --------------------------- Author: Narushima Yuri Rating: R Pairing: Younger ToguroxYuusuke in "Crazy cloud" & KuramaxYuusuke in "Pigeon's blood" Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project & Translated treasure Info: - Crazy cloud Masochism beast Pigeon's blood --------------------------- Author: Pepper Vivio Rating: R Pairing: HieixKurama Scans & Trans: - Info: This file is raw Title unknown --------------------------- Author: Sagawa Kano Rating: PG (playful) Pairing: KuramaxHieixBui Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: We knew it was a mistake for Hiei to leave Bui alive. Hiei vs. Bui --------------------------- Author: Saiha Midori Rating: PG (playful, funny) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Master of sex --------------------------- Author: Susumu Kizaki Rating: R (angsty, poetic, spicy) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: Kurama wants to bind Hiei forever--with love or hate. More dear than I can say --------------------------- Author: TIDE Rating: R Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Breathless --------------------------- Author: Toba Iori Rating: PG (funny) Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: - Kurokichi's family stories The jagan master's boredom --------------------------- Author: Tokugawa Ranko Rating: PG Pairing: KuramaxKoenma Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Cicada shell --------------------------- Author: Unknown Rating: R Pairing: KuwabaraxYuusuke Scans & Trans: ? Info: I'm not sure if the translation is correct or if it's just a re-interpretation of the story. It's kind of strange, read it and you'll know what I mean.  Tsuhatsugai --------------------------- Author: Yutaka Miyabi Rating: R Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: ? Info: - Lustful Heart What do you want --------------------------- Author: Unknown Rating: R Pairing: YuusukexKurama Scans & Trans:Translated treasure Info: - Muzukashi soko ni umi ga atta --------------------------- Author: Touru Azumi Rating: PG Pairing: Various Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project Info: I zipped all of Touru Azumi's works into one folder since they're all short stories. Touru Azumi collection

https://yuyu-doujin.livejournal.com/48117.html

 This file, copied from the YYH Manga Translation Project site, contains three documents which (1) will explain every japanese word/sfx & character used in the doujinshis, (2) provide a rating system and (3) a short review for each doujinshi they've done. I'll paste the short review for One-shots and rating according to it.  --------------------------- Author: Kame Rating: PG-13 (playful, funny, kawaii) & PG-15 (angsty & poetic) for "With Me" Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: YYH Manga Translation Project (no website, group disbanded) Info: - Kiss Let's go to the hot springs With me & sidestory Icha Icha Kame short stories: This zip contains the following titles: - Amatou - Argument - Boy - Getting used to it - Kudaranai --------------------------- Author: Maaya Kaoruko Rating: R to NC-18 Pairing: KuramaxHiei Scans & Trans: Got them off IRC but they can be found at Makai Nights Info: - Ashes and Diamonds Elements of the Night Frou Frou Frozen Beach Snow is made of pure things only Time to eat --------------------------- Author: Mizushima Yui Rating: PG to R (for language and implications) Pairing: KuramaxHiei & YuusukexKuwabara Scans & Trans: "Don't take off my sailor fuku" by YYH Manga Translation Project, the rest are at Makai Nights Info: - Don't take off my sailor fuku Life with the black dragon  Sex with the black dragon  The black dragon goes home  The crulety of adolesence  --------------------------- Author: Tsuta Hiroko Rating: PG to R (funny, spicy) Pairing: Scans & Trans: Some from YYH Manga Translation Project, some from Makai Nights Info: - (The) Little Mermaid Get biger Kiss! Let's rectify the inequalities of love  The best kind of spring is dawn

[englishvisualnovels]

Otakon 2017: MangaGamer Announces Room No. 9, A Kiss for the Petals: Maidens of Michael, and More

For this year’s conventions, MangaGamer made their last stop at Otakon where they announced an array of new titles!

English Visual Novels knows that we have many followers who are major fans of the BL and/or yuri genres. If you’re one of them, check out MangaGamer’s announcements because they include one BL title and four yuri titles that might be up your alley.

Note: Links in this post may contain content that is NSFW.

Localization Announcements

A Kiss for the Petals: Maidens of Michael (Yuri)

Developer: Yurin Yurin Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows, Mac, & Linux Age Rating: All-Ages & 18+

One of MangaGamer’s Otakon announcements is a treat for yuri fans. A Kiss for the Petals: Maidens of Michael will head west in the near future! This entry in the A Kiss for the Petals series reintroduces the five, original couples of the series and expands on their relationships.

A Kiss for the Petals: Maidens of Michael is 100% translated and 100% edited as of August 12th.

Relevant Link:

Official Site

Synopsis:

Today at Saint Michael Girls' School, the class representative for the first-year “Snow” Class, Azumi Risa, had once again been fighting with the class troublemaker, Ayase Miya. Risa, who is earnest and hard-nosed, and Miya, who hates to cooperate with others, couldn’t have been less right for each other, as they were always on the verge of tearing each other’s throats out.

At the time, the whole school was in a festive mood with Christmas just around the corner. As couples and spur-of-the-moment couples alike were flirtatiously carrying on, the whole school was abuzz with excitement over the “St. Michael’s Best Couple” poll being conducted by the student volunteers. Risa, who was single, figured it didn’t concern her…

So then how did she and Miya end up being chosen?!

Although Risa naturally denied that they shared that kind of relationship, the classmates who had selected them would just smile with the reasoning of tempered young ladies who had been raised in respectable families and say, “You always look like you’re having so much fun.” Resigning themselves, the two decided to go along with it, “Just for appearance’s sake,” and it seemed they would have to stick it out through the coming holidays of Christmas and Valentine’s Day along with four other couples as the committee members for various events.

And what’s more…

Those other four couples were practically the student council:

The president of the Campus Improvement Committee, Matsubara Yuuna, and her junior, Oda Nanami.

The renowned student model, Kitajima Sara, and her cousin, Kitajima Kaede.

The singing sensation of the culture festival, Kawamura Reo, and her girlfriend, Sawaguchi Mai.

And last, but not least, the girls of the Lily Platinum fan club, exchange student Shitogi Eris, and the school’s foremost scribe, the highly respected Kirishima Shizuku.

In other words, only the most preeminent couples on campus.

Will the big name couples be able to handle the events that follow? And will Risa be able to survive the lovers’ holidays of Christmas and Valentine’s with Miya?

Sengoku Rance (Bishoujo)

Developer: Alicesoft Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows Age Rating: 18+

Fans of the Rance series will be pleased to know that Sengoku Rance will receive a localization! This title is the seventh entry in the Rance series.

Sengoku Rance departs from the series’ traditional RPG gameplay style in favor of strategy battles with a greater focus on army battles, the conquest of territories, and management of the players’ forces.

MangaGamer will not base the localization on the fan translation. Instead, the localization for the official release will be done from scratch.

Relevant Links:

Official Site

Rance Series Official Site

Promotional Video

Synopsis:

In the far east nation of Nippon, a plethora of feudal lords are fighting for supremacy in the 4th Sengoku Era. After doing immeasurable damage on the Continent, the brute known as Rance traveled with his slave, Sill, to the island country.

For a hot spring vacation, you ask?

Wrong. While they'll go to some hot springs, Rance's goal is to bang all of Nippon's beautiful princesses, samurai, miko, ninjas, village girls, and more. In particular, he wants Kouhime of the prominent Oda Clan.

When Rance becomes the ruler of one of the feudal states, he charges head first toward uniting Nippon!

Rance Quest MAGNUM (Bishoujo)

Developer: Alicesoft Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows Age Rating: 18+

That’s not all! MangaGamer will also bring over Rance Quest MAGNUM in the near future. This is the eight entry in the Rance series and a sequel to Sengoku Rance.

Sengoku Rance and Rance Quest MAGNUM will be released separately.

Relevant Links:

Official Site

Rance Series Official Site

Promotional Video

Synopsis:

Returning from his grand adventure of unifying Nippon, Rance is back home and planning to take it easy for a while. Being Rance, though, he's barely into his vacation before he's getting into trouble and he's struck with a debilitating curse! Under the curse, Rance is unable to have sex with any woman under level 35, and if he goes without a woman for too long, he just might find himself turned off from them forever (if he can even hold out that long). Seems there's no time for a vacation after all! Rance sets off on another grand (though not always grave) adventure across the Continent: to find and fuck all the girls over level 35 he can get his hands on.

Chasing his (ig)noble goal, you will challenge hundreds of quests and recruit dozens of characters. There's a huge variety of adventures, dungeons, missions (both weighty and wacky), and sexy things all waiting for you! Meet new faces and return to old companions' beds while you do whatever and whoever it takes to break Rance's curse.

Room No. 9 (Boys’ Love)

Developer: parade Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows Age Rating: 18+

MangaGamer’s next announcement is a dark BL title: Room No. 9! This is the latest BL game from parade, the developers behind NO, THANK YOU!!!.

Room No. 9 contains options toggle on or off in-game visuals for body hair, glasses, guro, and scat.

Relevant Links:

Official Site

Synopsis:

Best friends Daichi and Seiji set out on an almost too-good-to-be-true summer vacation, but it quickly turns into a nightmare...

Instead of the island paradise they were expecting, they find themselves trapped in a strange room and forced to participate in an incomprehensible "experiment" demanding that they either harm Daichi physically or Seiji sexually. They'll have to play along to have any hope of escaping with their lives, but that means hurting each other and possibly destroying their friendship—and their minds—in the process.

While Daichi is quick to declare that he'd be just fine less one arm, and Seiji argues for the options that won't leave lasting physical scars, do they really understand the consequences? Can they survive the "experiment" and is survival alone enough?

The Spirit Master of Retarnia (Bishoujo)

Developer: Lunasoft Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows Age Rating: 18+

The last of MangaGamer’s localization announcements is The Spirit Master of Retarnia by Lunasoft, an indie developer.

Description:

Join the Spirit Master of Retarnia in saving the kingdom from the Demon World at the behest of your queen! Explore classic, 3D dungeons with a host of five heroines, each with their own special abilities! Power up with equipment uncovered in the dungeon, and customize your party’s skills as they level up to create the best builds for your style!

Original English Visual Novels

Dizzy Hearts (Yuri)

Developer: Lupiesoft Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows, Mac, & Linux Age Rating: All-Ages & 18+

MangaGamer will be partnering with Lupiesoft to help bring Dizzy Hearts through the MangaGamer store and Steam!

Dizzy Hearts was previously funded through Kickstarter.

Relevant Link:

Patreon Announcement

His Chuunibyou Can’t Be Cured! (Bishoujo)

Developer: Tamaya Kagiya Release Date: Fall 2017 Platform: Windows, Mac, & Linux Age Rating: All-Ages & 18+

MangaGamer will help bring over Tamaya Kagiya’s His Chuunibyou Can’t Be Cured!, a romantic comedy. The game was successfully funded on Kickstarter earlier this year.

His Chuunibyou Can’t Be Cured! will be available for sale on MangaGamer and Steam.

Relevant Links:

Official Site (Demo available)

Opening Video

Synopsis:

Play as Jun Mizushima, a gaming school student who suffers from "chuunibyou", or "eighth grade syndrome", a condition in which the afflicted genuinely believe that they posses superpowers. Aside from that, Jun is a charismatic young man, who is really determined to create a video game of his own. Join Jun and his eccentric, yet talented, group of friends to win the annual International Youth Game Development Competition!

The Stargazers: Remaster (Yuri)

Developer: Lupiesoft Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows, Mac, & Linux Age Rating: All-Ages & 18+

Lupiesoft will revamp their previously released The Stargazers with new chapters, new sprites, additional CGs, and the inclusion of voice acting!

Relevant Links:

Official Site

Synopsis:

What would it be like to explore deep space? To chart the unknown landscape of the outer rim, assessing new planets for their potential as colonies? What wonders and excitement might await?

Inspired by pulp sci-fi, The Stargazers follows Temperance as she joins the Shooting Star to explore and chart the galaxy with its crew. Join these girls as she discover new wonders of space, rescue lost ships, fight to survive against notorious villains, and more! Of course, sometimes the outer reaches of space might get lonely, but the girls have each other for that.

The Tower of Five Hearts (Yuri)

Developer: TsukiWare Release Date: Fall 2017 Platform: Windows, Mac, & Linux Age Rating: 18+

Next is TsukiWare’s second major title: The Tower of Five Hearts! This is a yuri tale featuring maids hoping to win the heart of their princess.

Tsukiware is an indie developer that previously produced Critical Hit.

Relevant Links:

Crowdfunding Campaign

Web Demo

Synopsis:

There are five continents of roughly-equal size; they’re side-by-side, and all of them meet to an approximate point in the middle. At this meeting of the borders, there is a tower.

The Tower of Five Hearts.

One Royal Family is in charge of upholding the peace for every continent, by marrying off their child to a prospective girl from one of the continents.

It’s more of a contest — five girls trying to be Maids, in the hope that their master (the Prince) will fall in love with them...

However this time, it’s a Princess.

Previously Announced Titles

Fashioning Little Miss Lonesome (Otome)

Developer: Kalmia8 Release Date: September 8, 2017 Platform: Windows Age Rating: All-Ages & 18+ Price: $24.95

In case you missed it, otome game Fashioning Little Miss Lonesome comes out this September 8th! This title will be coming to MangaGamer in its fully uncut adult version and an all-ages edition for Steam.

Pre-order from MangaGamer now and get the game for 20% off!

Relevant Links:

Where to Buy (Digital): MangaGamer (18+ ver.)

Official Site (Demo available)

Opening Video

Steam Page

Features, via MangaGamer:

Two eligible (?) bachelors to choose from (or choose both perhaps…?)

English text and menus (wow!)

Japanese voices (even Ema!)

You can rename the protagonist!

No mosaics! (…on the naughty bits in the adult version)

18+ content toggle (in the adult version)

Free 18+ content patch for Steam!

Achievements (Steam version only)

DRM free!

Synopsis:

Ema Tachibana is a tall, gloomy and unsociable girl with a bad case of resting bitch-face. With all that working against her, she’s never really had any friends. At school, everyone’s too scared to approach her.

But Ema herself is quite content with that state of affairs. In fact, she was all set to spend the rest of her time until graduation invisible as ever…

That is, until two men turned her life upside down!

“It’s you… I’ve finally found you! You are, without a doubt, MY MUSE!”

Miki Hiraizumi—recently returned to Japan from abroad, he’s loved making clothes ever since he was a little kid. He has a strong desire to help make charming, unusual women shine. (He’s also a bit of a masochist.)

“Listen up, twerp! You’re no good the way you are now. But even you have some potential to shine… I’ll just have to polish you up!”

And Saito Shinjou—he frequently finds himself bored because things have always come easy to him. He aspires to accomplish something so big, it’ll change the world. (He’s also a bit of a sadist.)

These two ambitious and attractive fellows decide to give Ema Tachibana a makeover!

But Ema has other ideas.

“Yeah, well… Who asked you?!”

Supipara - Alice the magical conductor. Chapter #02 (Bishoujo)

Developer: minori Release Date: TBA Platform: Windows Age Rating: All-Ages

The second chapter of Supipara - Alice the magical conductor. has been funded! According to MangaGamer, the translation is complete and will receive a release soon.

Fans can check the minori fundraising project page for more information on funding chapters 3 through 6 of Suipipara, which will be released English first.

Relevant Links:

Official Site

The minori Fundraising Project

Videos: Demo Movie 1, Demo Movie 2

Synopsis:

It's another round of Supipara, but something is different. Our story begins anew on Yukinari's first day in Kamakura... except that he magically has a new family member?! What other changes could this altered history bring about?

[airisuwatoson]

heya, thought i’d make an announcement roughly a week before dgs2 launches and i start screaming about this game

let’s talk about the usual: i’ll be playing the game at midnight JST the moment the game releases. my tag is #azumi plays dgs2, no spoilers will be tagged, unfollow / mute as you wish. i’ll also be making my own precautions to block out any sort of spoilers.

here’s the thing about the liveblog: i’m going with my family on a trip to europe (paris and then... london, funnily enough) that spans from the 10th to the end of the august. if i manage to finish the game in less than a week, that’s cool, but unlikely. so even if i fly to europe with dgs2 unfinished, i’ll refrain from playing the game when i don’t have access to tumblr, so don’t worry about my liveblog being disjointed or anything! i took like a month to finish dgs1 and managed to dodge all the spoilers it’s nbd

in the meantime, i’ll be doing dgs1 cleanup, which is basically artbook translations and... a special thing or two from the game itself, maybe? we’ll see if i have time.

until next week! ☆

[yaotomejr]

Santa Karna's Valentines Gift - Champion Trophy

Happy (early) Valentines, everyone! Here is Santa Karna’s Valentines scene. Translation in the CC subtitles, text format under the readmore - the usual fare. Please enjoy!

——————————————————————————————————

Santa Karna: "Master, are you ready? Wait... Today seems like a busy day for everyone around. If you're busy as well, we can reschedule for another day."

Choice 1: It's okay, I'm ready to head out! Choice 2: Don't worry about it, let's go!

Santa Karna: "Alright. From what I can see, you're using a 'Da Vinci'-brand bicycle for trainers. You seem psyched for this too. How promising."

[Karna puts on his hood.]

Santa Karna: "We'll never know when my powers as Santa will be called upon once more. I must keep up with my training before that day comes. Let's go, Master. ------The roadwork awaits!"

[Karna and the Master move out. They first head to a grassy plain. The Master rings the bicycle's bell.]

Santa Karna: "Pssht... pssht... Master, my body feels light today. In technical terms, you could say it's 'sharp’. My straights are as good as my jabs. Can you increase the pace a little?"

Choice: Understood!

[Next, a snowy field. The bell rings again.]

Santa Karna: "This route is perfect for Santa. The snow might be slippery, but it will improve my footwork. I must brace myself. I must, brace myself. ------Hm. This won't do. I'm thinking only about myself. Are you alright, Master? Tell me if your legs and hips are starting to ache."

Choice 1: This special training bicycle made by Da Vinci Choice 2: Actually has a snowplowing mode, so it's been super comfortable...

Santa Karna: "I see. I can see that it's excellently made, fitted with a megaphone, mitts, and a stopwatch. With this bicycle, you should be able to keep up with me in even the most rigorous roadwork. I'm counting on you."

[They reach the next location. The bell rings.]

Santa Karna: "Fh, hah... Was I always this prone to exhaustion? My sweat won't stop! But that's what good about it!"

[They reach a slope. The bell rings once more.]

Choice 1: I can ride my bike up the slope like I'm riding down it! Choice 2: This electrical assist function is amazing...

Santa Karna: "This slope... A good load to bear. A good, load to bear."

[The pair continue their roadwork. The bell rings once more.]

Santa Karna: "Alright. Let's start switching to the training menu for dashing. Trainer, your stopwatch. If I'm behind time even by a little, don't add it to the count."

[The pair now reach a beach.]

Santa Karna: "Next up is footwork training on the beach. Your bicycle should be able to transform into a pitching machine. Park it somewhere there, and don't let it stop pitching balls at me. Set it to the highest level. No problem. I'll dodge them all with my defensive techniques."

[Karna dodges all of them, as he says. The screen fades to black. We then see the sun set at the beach.]

Santa Karna: "Let's stop today's roadwork right here. I'm grateful for your cooperation, Master. You've been a big help."

Choice 1: For Karna, who worked hard to finish his training today Choice 2: I have something to give you

Santa Karna: "?"

Santa Karna: "Is this... chocolate?"

Choice: Would you have preferred protein?

Santa Karna: "------No, of course not. I see. So it was Valentines today. As I thought, I've been thinking only about myself... Sorry, I'm only taken aback because I didn't notice at all. I'll accept this with gratitude. But... now this means I'll have to accelerate my plans. The date of my title match was sooner than I thought, then."

Choice: ............?

[The screen fades. We return to Chaldea.]

Santa Karna: "Master. May I have a bit of your time? I've decided a long way back that I must gift you a certain something. The Valentines chocolate has only strengthened that sentiment. This is why, I am here to give it to you. A gift Santa grants is, namely, a Christmas present. Please, help yourself to this Valentines Christmas present."

Choice: A... champion trophy?

Santa Karna: "Yes. As a Trainer, you've accompanied me through my training and given me strength. That undertaking, and my gratitude towards that undertaking, is certainly champion-class. A champion. Or you could say, a 'king'. There is nothing that surpasses that level. At least that's what I think. That's why I thought, I should gift you a trophy matching that of a king someday.

Now, I should have given you a champion's belt as well, but... My apologies. I couldn't make it this time. Quetzalcoatl was too formidable an opponent. The belt will have to be saved for a later occasion. In any case, this trophy is unmistakable proof of a champion. Now, please raise it up in the air.

You are the one and only... Champion!"

[He takes a step towards the Master, and holds their hand up with the trophy in it.]

Choice 1: This is heftier than I expected Choice 2: It looks extravagant, but what is it made of...?

Santa Karna: "This is a trophy gifted to you, Master. I couldn't give you anything of inferior quality. However, I am neither a king who possesses many treasures, nor a Servant who invents. I could only forge the trophy from the weapons I already had with me, as I did in the past."

Choice: (I-It's a hefty gift in a different way...!)

Santa Karna: "Some may call it a hand-me-down, but I've put all of my feelings into it. In that sense, this gift is truly a satisfactory piece of work. I'd appreciate it if you accept this without concerning yourself over the ingredients."

Choice 1: Of course, I'd be delighted Choice 2: Thank you, I'll treasure it.

[Karna smiles.]

Santa Karna: "By the way, a champion is piggybacked around the ring by their trainer, trophy raised up high. I can offer my shoulders if you'd like to go on a parade around Chaldea."

Choice: Thanks, but no thanks...

Santa Karna: "......A shame. I thought it would be a good chance to show what a champion you are to everyone else. I suppose I'll have to reserve that for my farewell match. And that, would naturally be held after I stand at the top of the Santa Claus Championship Tournament."

——

Champion Trophy

The Valentines return gift from Santa Karna.

Modeled after a raised fist, the Champion Trophy shines gold. This trophy was not produced by some boxing association or organization, but, naturally, a product handmade by Karna, who was somehow successful in his endeavor to use parts of his golden armor. In short------

This man has done it again!

While this hunk of gold has no stand-out functions, due to the inherent nature of its material, it's said that this gift is just as valuable as a Noble Phantasm.

……Hey, was it really okay for him to be offering this as a gift? (Again?)

"Of course. This is a Champion Trophy. By being awarded and owned, its worth is in its symbol as the proof of one's victory. What's important isn't the worth of the trophy itself. It may be a hand-me-down of mine in terms of its material, but I hope you'll be able to bear with it for now."

No, that's not the issue here.

——

(1) For those who are curious, Karna has once again used his Noble Phantasm as a Valentines gift to the Master, something he did as a Lancer a few years ago. I've translated that scene here.