#but like… man I don’t wanna have to watch the cutscenes in English just to hear him :(

[woundedheartwithin]

Listen, I very much appreciate American characters who also speak Japanese having two voice actors in the Japanese version of this game. I really really do, even if the English acting is kinda shaky at times. And I wish they woulda used two actors with characters like Tomizawa too. But why the fuck did they not just use Danny Trejo’s voice lines from the dub for when Dwight speaks English????

[autumnslance]

Do you have any tips for getting into the headspace of a canon character? Because honestly you have some of the most on point characterizations I've seen

Thank you! I try, and when it came to fic writing it was definitely the thing that scared me most, “getting right” my depictions of the canon characters. For me it’s very much an exercise in Character Voice, as I feel it’s something I struggle with in my own OCs, making sure everyone thinks, feels, acts, sounds distinct.

This...gets long, cuz honestly, I don’t know how to explain it, as there’s no real conscious process for me; just things I do in general and as needed when coming up with scenes or longer fics. So mileage may vary, but I put ideas below the cut. I’ll use Thancred as an example, cuz Twelve know I’ve written too many words about that man and people seem to think they’re IC for him.

I think a lot about character motivations, how they’re shown in canon, and why/how they do things. How their history affects them and their decisions. How their relationships with others affect them. Keeping it as objective as I can while prodding with only the most basic of psychology and literary analysis.

I also tend to be a bit of a internal mimic, starting with voice and body language as I imagine scene and situations and how the character might look/sound/act as I pace or do chores or avoid work or whatever. Mimicking the game’s manner of using archaic terms and sentence structure when writing in general can help, too.

How we speak informs how we think. Eorzea has its own curses, slang, metaphors, turns of phrase, and ways of saying things. I researched thieves cant when writing “Rogue’s Prelude” which involved poking a bit into history and why such code developed in reality. There’s a lot of language and other references in game based loosely around real world history (the origin of the word “gun” for instance), so a little light research in related things helps verisimilitude.

Just all the info I can find on the character and the world they inhabit. Immerse in canon, try to keep fanon separate--though a few fanon theories or friends’ fics/art might also have some influence, if something resonates in particular with me and how I am reading what I see in canon. Talking things through with some other folks, bouncing ideas back and forth--even if we cordially disagree!--can also help see new perspectives or readings of the material. Keeping an open mind and willing to letting mine be changed when someone picks up on something I missed or interpreted differently.

Thancred has the benefit of having a lot of material in the story, being a main figure since 1.0 so I’ve looked up his entries in the lorebooks, the short stories where he’s shown up, and references to him in game/media--even cutscenes and info I can find from 1.0, especially the Ul’dah intros. This is in addition to rewatching cutscenes he features in (watching expressions and body language in addition to voice work), rereading quest text and dialogue he’s involved or even just mentioned in; how other characters see and talk about him is also important.

I also look at all the info I can for Limsa, particularly pre-Merlwyb’s reforms, as that’s where Thancred grew up and would have a strong influence on him. Run around and watch/listen to NPCs in that city; for example, many in Limsa are really casual about sex and talk about it a lot. So is it any surprise early Thancred is also casual about sex and acts a charmer as part of his cover? While also, as a Limsan trained rogue, quick to watch for and throw down on potential threats? Raised alone on the street, he was always watching his back, after all, and had some rough interacts, especially when a small kid--and all that left him wary, and cagey, and unable to express himself healthily emotionally, as we saw in ShB. His techniques were refined in Sharlayan, and his main motivation has become the protection of his Scion family.

I look into what I can for Sharlayan, as that’s where most of the core Scions are from, or at least educated, and since we don’t have much, overlay my own academic memories and knowledge on it (the idea of doing a thesis to get Archon rank makes sense to me and validates a lot of my headcanons about the city of knowledge and I wanna know if/what Thancred and Yda’s were now...).

This may seem like a lot, but really, it just sorta happens as I absorb info and take notes and screenshots for things that catch my attention for whatever reason, especially if I want to remember something specific. If I set a fic at a certain time or place, I go back and refresh myself on the dialogue/quests/etc around it.

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s not how I, Lyn, would react to a lot of things, nor how my OCs might react to things--because this is Thancred’s background, and his personality as we have seen in game over time. Separating myself and thinking about it from an outside, other person’s perspective, even if it’s not one I agree with or like. Trying to hear his dialogue in either Taliesin Jaffe or Peter Bramhill’s voices and the way they deliver Thancred’s lines (since I play and read in English).

And I have to consider when creating plot and how he would react to things depending on points in the canon. ARR Thancred is a bit different from HW Thancred is a bit different from ShB Thancred, after all. Sometimes I need refreshers on those parts of the story. And then how does interaction with my character(s) affect him, based on that backstory, that training, those ideas shown, how do I believably expand on that? How do I mimic him as I write, imagining the voice actors saying the lines and imagining the body language?

And the usual writing advice: just get the ideas down, and then go back, reread, edit and revise. Keep anything you cut as practice, to poke at later, maybe use in another idea.

Then yeet it into the void and hope it worked. I’m always pleased--and relieved!--when I get comments about how the characters feel and sound “right”.

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Comic buff with a thought, I notice the P5MM art and composition is more striking and closer to p5's art and style than the other manga, which is fine, but kinda... flat. (I find myself thinking there's something missing when I read it, then I look back at P5MM and I notice how there's more clever paneling, imagery, and stylistic choices akin to the games in it (like that one goro panel ya had a rant about) and I realize what's missing) That could be why P5MM is brought up more, just a guess. I dunno how you feel about all that though, I'm curious.

Under the cut cause it gets long cause of pictures:

I am very big on art style and visual presentation. I do actually judge a book by it's cover (manga, game, movie, show, yadda). If I find something pleasing to my eye I'll read it.....even if the contents are trash. Domestic Girlfriend is one, horrible manga (didn't finish, was holding out for Momo, aka best girl, and getting closure for her....then I bounced). Didn't watch the anime (didn't need to I was way ahead in the manga I think), but I know that opening is wasted on it. ldskfjaf Don't invest your time into it, it's not worth it, you would probably learn better morals from P5.......probably. But yeah I found the art style pleasing enough to try it out (I's not amazing by any means, but I like looking at it....or did.....that writing man....dat was bad ;w;).... *waves hands vaguely in air* yeah.

Fun fact, it's why I got into Persona. I happened across an ad for P4 on the PS2 in the Gameinformer magazine, it showed a screenshot from an animated cutscene plus one of the fully body art for the chars and I was like "Yes this is my jam!" (which only doubled down when I read what it was about, and it was a murder mystery and the article also talked up "the mystery of the glasses" which fakldjsalkfs yeah). So yeah it really clicked for me.

Tbh it's why I'm probably going to get back into freaking Bleach, and it's why I got into it and Naruto over One Piece (I don't think I'll ever read ON I'm sorry). Tite Kubo has sexy art what can I say? Can't trust a thing that man writes now but eh. It's also the reason I read a lot of Shojo (and now Yuri) manga, cause their art style is usually what I find very appealing (even if I've read the same gd shojo love story just by a different name for the 1000th time, give me the flowers and sparkly eyes! they are my life blood!)

And I've mentioned I really like Saito's art style. I've (attempted) to color some of his pieces on top of animate some manga frames (most of which I haven't actually published......I...I should....get around to finishing those up....haha...aha....haaaa). I really like his art, it's pleasant. But even with good art, I can still see past it and see what BS it's peddling and it can hamper my enjoyment of it. If I don't look at the context of the scene or the words on the page, I can be down with it. But when I'm reading.......I get annoyed. I balk at anything with Goro. I guffaw whenever Makoto's on screen (cause Saito nails her from P5, she acts useful but really she's useless but the narrative views her as useful it ironically makes her useless......it's the weirdest thing I've ever witnessed >.>). Like Saito really.....gets P5 it seems, down to it's flaws even (tho he can actually make the good parts of P5 shine, or at least parts that P5 failed to execute....execute in a way). But he also makes the flaws.....shine that much harder for me.

Now the Reg manga? it's nothing special art style wise, in fact it starts off VERY wonky, and while still wonky, has gotten a lot....better/cuter (esp Ryu). Not like shojo cute just.......I wanna squish their wittle faces cute (at times when it's not serious).

Like when it comes to Reg Manga these are the two pieces that have appeared in it that I feel kinda hit the P5 mark in terms of style:

(look at Mona, coming into this world like the pustule that he is 8U)

Which isn't much, but it's something. At least Reg's AOA is better looking than the anime. 8U

But I dunno, as the chapters go on, the Mangaka allows for more cuter expressions, and I just like their neat:

(btw I colored that page)

I dunno, it's not as overtly cutsey as Saito:

But they are still charming in a more simple way (without out having them go full chibi), it subtle but it gives it flavor. "Silly why are most, if not all those pics of Ryu and Anne?" I dunno guys maybe you should ask them how their backs are doing, cause they're the ones who are carrying the Reg manga when it comes to this! 8U

Tho I do think the first ch or two of Reg does a better job capturing P5's feel than the rest of the chapters, I think the mangaka is just.....bogged down by exposition and the game's BS that a lot of text on their pages so it almost reads like a novel:

ALots of text, not the most dynamic of framing with the panels. It's kinda eh. I haven't really read the manga past the 2nd dungeon tbh (I mean......as the residential #1 Makoto hater, I think that's fair.....that I'd start to zone out during my least fav dungeon....and then continue zoning out during my 2nd least fav dungeon askfdjaflk)

But during the first two dungeon arcs, I liked how.....bad the PT were at thieving, I liked how green they were. It was obviously a learning process. I also like some of the fight choreo (Saito did the best hand to hand one in the series in P4U's Yu vs Sho....which I actually animated....spoiler.....no I have no released that...my dumbass wants to tempt fate and see if I can redo it in color even tho it took me 4 days non stop to get that animated in just black and white.....but I am a fool so alas 8U). I mean it's not mind blowing, but it was simple and decently thought out, which is more than I feel like we usually get (esp with the anime shows....or at least P4/5's).

But I think what draws me in is....it's lack of P5 style. P5 style has them being still oh so cool despite being new at everything. It's tired me out. P5's how identity is style. It's....style over substance (gonna rile some feathers with that....Cvit(?) vid title). But P5 is overtly stylish, to the point it......weighs on me. Drags me down. Tires me out. I don't think they're cool, I'm bored with it. Ironically, Reg manga lacks that, which......def would make someone (and me usually) give it much of a passing glance. It's very basic I guess. But.....consider me, being in P5 hell, surrounded by all it's nausea inducing stylishness, sees a small break in the hellish hurricane to see.......normalcy. It kinda makes me connect better with the kids (kinda, it's still P5).

They feel like normal kids, trying to do their thing (sometimes trying to look/act cool and failing), and.....it's just the absolute antitheses to P5's brand......and I think that's why I like it. KLFJDSAFLKJA;

Anyway, who knows, maybe when I catch up on Reg in english and re-read MM with the official translation I might change my mind about a few things, or at least how I rank them. But for post length sake, and my sanity sake, I think I should keep the anime and mangas out of the "Which entry do you hate least" post......because I should just make another post where I go into both mangas as well as compare and contrast the anime! :D I'm just delaying some insanity for later haha....

Wait.........I just remember Day Breakers exists......and I liked it....still do....don't have much issue with it. Well shit, that is probably the one entry I hate the least. fklsdjfalkjdfkla;jsL;FJljsfdlskafaj *sobs* nO NO, I committed, and that's just a sad loophole. fdklsajflakfj *sobs* I still need to the game thing, cause let's be honest, the games are where it counts.

So right now my ranking for manga/anime is:

Daybreakers>Reg manga> MM>>>>>>>>>>TV Show Anime and it's OVAs (may the burn in the hell fire from which they spawned)

Oh, one last thing, forgot to put it in but I dunno where to put it now. I like how the manga tones down the pervyness some:

I mean Ryu is a fellow monkey. u_u .......but it's for the best I don't have to see his ape expression. ;w; (iirc the pyramid scene was a lot shorter/faster, but that's by the grace of reading and books rather than animation I suppose).