#drama cd release summary

[mostlymilkwood]

Their Story and The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All

Recently I've been thinking about the success of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All and how it feels like seeing where Tamen de Gushi could have ended up, had its publishing issues not lead too various hiatuses during its peak.

To give a quick summary of events; Tamen de Gushi (aka Their Story/SQ Begin W/Your Name!) is a manhua created and posted online by Tan Jiu. It was incredibly popular around 2015 to 2018, during which time it had big ad campaigns, cute merch, animated promos and a print volume of the manhua itself. Just the one though. Sadly a the start of 2018 Tan Jiu announced that volume 2 would be indefinitely postponed as their publisher had requested several scenes be removed, which they refused to do. People speculated the scenes were the romantic ones between the leads, particularly the Big Kiss that would have been in that volume, but it was never specified. Regardless, this had a pretty disastrous effect on the manhua, as without the revenue from volume 2 Tan Jiu understandably began working on other projects and updates basically stopped altogether outside of occasional illustrations and short comics detached from the main storyline.

Meanwhile The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All (lets go with the insane shorthand tgswiiwagaa from here on) is a manga created and posted online by Sumiko Arai. First starting in 2021 it has become incredibly popular, which has lead to big ad campaigns, popup shops and cafes, a drama CD and print volumes of the manga itself.

So there is some surface levels similarities between the two: both are released via the author's social media account, both feature a high school slice of life stories, both gained a huge followings outside of their original language due to scanlation efforts, and both were/are the the face of digitally published yuri.

I don't think we'd get tgswiiwagaa without Tamen de Gushi, or at least I don't think it would be as big as it is without the groundwork Tamen de Gushi lay within online spaces. I can't speak too much on Tamen de Gushi's domestic fandom, or even its Japanese one, (though it was clearly popular in both) but at least in English-speaking yuri circles it was the breakout hit that brought in a lot of new readers to the genre. (Which is crazy to think about since it was before Mangadex became the dominant host of scanlated works, so it was primarily released on Tumblr! with only some chapters showing up on Dynasty Reader later.)

And I don't wanna say it was the only game in town back then, as around 2015 was a real golden age of manhwa and manhua popping off with the likes of Her Tale of Shim Chong, What Does the Fox Say? and PULSE. They're all still popular recommendations when people ask for top yuri picks, deservedly so. But as I said, there's something about tgswiiwagaa that reminds me of Tamen de Gushi in particular.

That popularity which lead to fanart, edits and fancams in the English side of the fandom feels kind of important to totgswiiwagaa's future international success. Like it widen the net so when totgswiiwagaa came along with a story that had even more western pop culture touchstones than a manga reader might normally get it was able to scoop up way more fans than ever before.

I think when it comes down to it, It's just nice to see tgswiiwagaa go even further than Tamen de Gushi did. There's been plenty of talk about if tgswiiwagaa will get an anime and/or a live action adaptation, and honestly I hope it gets everything and more! Because just like Tamen de Gushi before it, I know tgswiiwagaa is laying the groundwork's from some other wildly popular yuri that will come to surpass it in the future. And I can't wait to read whatever new stories come out next!

[ririya-translates]

Jack Jeanne 3rd Anniversary News Summary

We got new news! I will add to this post with new info as it comes in but for now the rough notes are: -new novel -new drama cd

-live readings with the voice actors where fans can meet them

-THEY'RE WORKING ON A SEQUEL!!

Please see below the cut for further info as I'm able to add it. I will maybe add it in comments as well.

The novel title translates to "seven winds" and it has scenarios for each LI route + Kisa's route right before the final Univeil performance. It releases Summer 2024 along with the drama CD.

[tofueggnoodles]

Togainu no Chi ES Figure Tokuten Drama CD Series (Vischio Theatre of Love)

[Link to translations]

Track List: Summary and Release Dates

Surprise! Dangerous Tutor (2006/09/30)

High school student Akira gets a new tutor, who is supposed to help him with his English but seems more inclined to ‘discipline’ him. [Translation]

Round-the-Clock Dangerous Toshima (2006/09/30)

Having received an order from his boss to deliver a document to Executive Director Motomi, salaryman Akira hails a taxi. Little does he know that he is in for the ride of his life. [Translation]

The Transfer Student Saw It All! The School at Midnight (2008/03/25)

Reporter Akira goes undercover at Toshima’s Vischio Private Academy in order to investigate rumors of solids made with human meat. [Translation]

The Thrill of the Fascinating Student Council’s Office (2008/03/25)

High school student Akira forgets his lunch box and the regular school store is sold out of bread for the day. He tries his luck at at another school store, which supposedly sells only one piece of bread a day – Il Re’s bread. [Translation] [Youtube]

Fight on! Dangerous Tutor Part 2 (2008/03/25)

Tutor Akira meets his new student, who does not seem inclined to be tutored in any of the usual high school subjects but keeps insisting that Akira “show him everything he (Akira)’s got.” [Translation]

Brand New Salaryman Life (2008/03/25)

On his first day as a fresh recruit at the sales department of Vischio Company, Akira accompanies the department head, Arbitro, on a sales visit to the office of a potential client, who is known to be a bit, no, very hard to please. [Translation]

Download the Drama CD here. (pw: aarin888)

[precisemuseum]

Can I ask a quick question? What is the puyo puyo drama cd three cinderellas about? I can't understand japanese and i'm very curious.

Basically, the Madou Monogatari characters are putting on a play for the story Cinderella...for some reason.

Arle is playing the stepmother and she's trying to keep everyone on task, but Draco, Witch, and Rulue mess it up since they all want to play Cinderella, but two of them were supposed to play her evil stepsisters. They also are all really bad at the things Cinderella is supposed to be good at like cooking, cleaning, and gardening. Rulue creates a dish that is somehow alive, Draco burns everything up to 'clean' it, and Witch creates a living plant monster...

Schezo is playing the "fairy godmother" of the story, he's just called a magician so it's not actually a gendered role for the record. He's mostly annoyed about having to play a goody two shoes role and is just as confused as Arle is about there being three Cinderellas. Satan shows up briefly and Arle thought he was playing the prince, but Suketoudara is the one actually playing the prince. Once they get to the ball, all of the Cinderellas turn him down and beat him up.

This summary is really condensed and maybe missed some details, but we probably won't be able to get to subtitled audio drama releases for a while. I hope this helps you understand the story!

[doctorbunny]

Hi! I hope you don't mind the sudden question, but i got really into Milgram recently and was wondering: What reasoning did people give when they voted Haruka guilty in the second trial? Like, generally speaking, what did the consensus seem to be?

Haruka is a character i strongly relate to, so i have a lot of Thoughts about him.

Firstly: Wow the start of the second trial was that long ago, huh 😅

Secondly: I need to explain that Haruka's trial was a bit different than most Not sure how recently you joined but in a normal trial, the MV will upload the same day a CD releases, and stuff like the instrumental, DECO covers and most importantly the voice drama will be officially uploaded at the same time

But for Haruka, due to some unspecified CD issue, we were getting the MV as planned then wouldn't get the voice drama for another two weeks This will be very important to his voting

Thirdly: Going into his trial, things were uncertain, a lot of people really liked Haruka and were very worried for him due to his new relationship with Muu. Whom many saw as a potential bad influence or threat. I won't get into it too much, but before this trial it was definitely more common to have a.... soft image of Haruka as a harmless little guy who had gone through a lot, who just made some mistakes because he didn't know any better

Its worth remembering that without the context of AKAA, Weakness is a very dream-like MV and not many were sure which parts were real or imagined One of the biggest debates about weakness was about if the blue haired child was a younger bother or Haruka himself It all seems quite quaint from here Some people thought Haruka might not have even killed a person, just animals, I was even considering a theory suggesting Haruka was in milgram for his own suicide (in the words of Danganronpa 'killing the person who is most important to you: Yourself') The girl with the plait wasn't thought about much as other than a possible childhood friend due to her being shown running next to young Haruka.

Fourth: The premiere of AKAA was super emotional and intense, it was a beautiful MV But like Purge March later, it would contextualise parts of Weakness we didn't expect it to Mainly the animal murder and the girl's death.

But without the voice drama, many were unsure what verdict would be best for Haruka Despite the failure of T1 Amane, many still thought we could fix the prisoners through voting right Some people saw this vote as a chance to get Haruka to break up with Muu if we played our cards right Overall people were confused and conflicted and couldn't wait for the voice drama to come out I think the best summary of feelings is a comment from the top of the AKAA comments section

This was posted right after AKAA came out and reflected a common mood

This part of his voting period was very strange. Because of the uncertainty, people were pretty split People didn't think he deserved an innocent verdict, but they didn't want to punish him so harshly with a guilty one either And it turned into an interesting situation: What happens if a prisoner gets exactly 50%? It was an unlikely truce between two passionate sides but for about 2 weeks straight, 50-50 was sustained Or more accurately, it was a constant flux of 49.9-50.1, changing by the hour if not minute (I actually dreamt up a fic of this causing Haruka to get a migraine but like most of my fics it never materialised)

Then the voice drama released

At the time I was the mod of the second biggest milgram server (rip Fancult - unfortunately that place got nuked so I'll have to go off memories alone) so I got to watch as a lot of people gathered and listened to the VD at the same time We were still waiting on translations, but still people could appreciate the acting and pick out key words like the prisoners' names and... other common phrases

お母さん, "Okaasan" The Japanese word for 'mother' or 'mum'

By the time we got to here it was Harukover 😔

Then a second Okaasan hit the verdict

And this giant mess ended with the suicide threat that's been haunting us for the rest of the season...

Needless to say, people were not too pleased

The 50-50 pipe dream was immediately shot down and betrayed

This graph (by paiplushie on twt) shows it pretty clearly

One thing to keep in mind is that even before Muu's MV was out, people were certain she'd be voted guilty, there was a fervour for it (mostly because people saw her as having taken advantage of Haruka and having the wrong attitude towards her verdict)

For some reason, voting Muu innocent was never really considered an option

It was 'Haruka threatened to kill himself if we vote Muu guilty, how do we stop him doing that after we do' [personally I voted him innocent because I had a pipe dream that if both Haruka and Muu were inno then they'd be obnoxious about it but unharmed]

People justified voting guilty in different ways, some thought it'd make him break up with Muu and not want to die for her, some just didn't want to enable his action (threatening suicide is awfully manipulative) and some people genuinely believed that physical restraint was the most effective way to prevent him from attempting suicide... which all I'll say is I disagree with that logic

But yeah, once the VD was out it never really showed any signs of returning to inno

[sparklingmusicofstars]

Hamefura series summary :

To make it easier I made a summary with some of my posts. I hope it would be useful. If you don't mind i'll take you this idea maboroshi-no ><

Bonus stories :

LN1 : I received flowers

LN2 : Happy twilight (Acchan's POV) Be happy

LN3 : First prince and his fiancée Second prince and his fiancée What I wanted ~Geordo~ ~In a Slumber~

LN5 : Tom the gardener

LN6 : ~I had a terrifying dream~ Catarina

LN9 : POV of a shopkeeper's daughter

LN11 : Ronnie's POV and Bell's POV

LN12 : Catarina 18th birthday.

LN13 : A story at the orphanage

Movie : I want to see the caravan show again

Hamefura manga 5 : Raphael's disguises

French version :

Dans un sommeil Geordo LN3

Point de vue de la fille d'un commerçant LN9

Hamefura Theories :

Catarina's past life Theory 1

About the movie (before the release of the last trailer) Theory 2

Sora's background Theory 3

Catarina and Geordo's relationship Theory 4

Hamefura romantics progress Theory 5

Hamefura pirates : When did Rozy fall in love with Catarina ? Theory 6

What would everyone become if Catarina were to disappeared ? 7

Who's the reincarnated ? Theory 8

What will happen in LN 14 ? Theory 9

What are Catarina's dreams about FL2 ? Theory 10

Catarina's romantic tastes Theory 11

Sora's age Theory 12

FL!Sora and HF!Sora Theory 13

Hamefura polls :

An opinion about the ships

Hamefura characters' different versions :

Catarina

Sophia

Mary

Maria

Geordo

Keith

Alan

Nicol

Raphael

Sora (Rufus)

Pochi

Ian

Hamefura characters' introductions :

Catarina Sophia Mary Rozy Lind Silva

Musics of the movie : Here

Hamefura pirates drama CD recording : Here

Hamefura fanfic :

A troublesome popularity : Part 1

A twist of fate : Prologue

Chapter 1 : part 1 part 2 part 3

Hamefura illustrations : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Everyone as butlers Everyone as butlers chibi Some characters as idols The girl as fairies Switch gender Happy new year 2024 Extra pictures of the movie Cover bluray movie

Hamefura verge of doom illustrations :

Volume 3 Maria and Catarina Geordo's introduction Kai Geran's introduction Catarina's introduction Manga's introduction Cute chibis

All the best here

[sewmice]

Hai as a decently new utapri fan I wanted to ask your opinion on how new fans should get into utapri after finishing the anime. Should they play through the otomes games or maybe try listening to the Masterpiece shows instead?

Welcome to Utapri! I hope you're enjoying the ride so far! And as someone who has been here for 12 years, welcome to Utapri hell, this is your life now! (with love of course)

Since the Masterpiece shows are all alternate universes/acting, it doesn't technically matter? So the real question is, do you like the idol side or the romance side more? Idol side, go for the masterpiece shows. Romance go for the games. And honestly switch around as you please. Just get to SOME game knowledge at some point because that's where you really learn about the boys after all. Personally it's best to know at least a little from everything.

Also the next most important thing will be whether you know Japanese or not. Because currently the anime, movies, and Starish special are the only things available in English. So what you can enjoy is more limited. Shining Live was in English for it's lifespan, and has some archives out there. Live Emotion we can only hope will have an English version but we do not know currently.

Now my answer to assist gets real long so gonna put it under a cut for everyone's sanity.

If you know Japanese, absolutely go enjoy the otome games, all of which have updated ports on the Switch! The release order and thus suggested order would be Repeat, Amazing Aria and Sweet Serenade, Debut, All Star, and finally All Star After Secret. And one day we'll have Dolce Vita.

If you want Quartet Night, while you meet them in Debut, their routes start with All Star. Ringo and Ryuuya have routes in Sweet Serenade and All Star if you're looking for them. Mitsuo in Amazing Aria is well....you'll see.

If you don't know Japanese, I still suggest looking into the games, but your options are more limited. ShiningWonderland has a fantastic crew pushing out translations. They're working on Repeat for Starish and All Star for QN currently. Couple of the routes are finished for at least one ending and others seem to be nearing completion. But I can't speak for that team past that. They are all wonderful people though!

If you don't mind getting a shortened, not amazing experience. There are some old summaries floating around from Breadmasterlee. Those, plus some friends who could understand enough, were how I learned parts of the games back in the day. Not the preferred experience though.

You could also technically struggle your way through with like Google Lens translation? Definitely not recommended though.

As for the masterpiece shows, again if you know Japanese, just enjoy them. If you wanna know what order they released in, the sets were as follows: Masquerade Mirage, Tenka Muteki no Shinobimichi, and Joker Trap Bloody Shadows, Pirates of the Frontier, Every Buddy!, and Polaris Lost Alice, Trios, and The Forest of Lycoris Dreaming of OZ, Never Again Neverland, and Faust Last Cantata

I know that next to last set, the Shining Masterpiece Shows, have translations by Kanasmusings. You can also find translations for some other dramas there, and subtitles for a majority of the stage plays (you will need your own file or DVD/BD).

The most recent Dramatic Masterpiece Shows seem to be works in progress at the moment. I know utapri-translations-uuuu is working on Heavens! And the CDs can be found in my masterlist.

The older ones I don't know off the top of my head if translations exist at all.

There are also Discord servers amongst the community, some public and some private, with resources and amazing people. But I'm not sure on how appropriate it would be to post the public ones. They don't allow piracy so as much as I push buying legally, uh, understandably linking from my blog publicly feels wrong. You can very likely find said discords via the Twitter fandom. Or talk to me in DMs.

This is a lot of info I know. Trying to cover as many bases as I can off the top of my head! Enjoy Utapri!

[suzuran777]

Slow Damage: Clean Dishes Epilogue 2 Summary

It has been a while, but the Clean Dishes drama CD was finally released earlier this month! I really liked it, so I decided to play some more of the epilogues. This one focuses on the relationship between Ruu and Kimika. Be aware that it does spoil the game's good ending.

This story takes place after the Hare’s Nest incident in which Kimika kidnapped Shiro and tried to use a bomb to kill both of them, believing that death was the only answer. Baku saved Shiro and Kimika was arrested. Shortly after this arrest, Ruu had trouble believing that the culprit was Kimika, but somewhere deep in his heart he knew it was really him. Even though Kimika usually smiled brightly, a tremendous darkness was hidden behind that smile.

"I wish I had realized sooner..."

The epilogue then skips to a flashback. Back then, Ruu worked for a car repair shop. While working there, he often came into contact with a man he absolutely despised, who would purposely torment the weak for his own entertainment. Because of his connections, he was never punished for his actions. One day when he witnessed one of his coworkers being harassed in the bathrooms, Ruu couldn’t handle it anymore and punched this man in the face. The man was not seriously injured, but as a result of this Ruu lost his job. He didn't regret punching the man, but he couldn't accept that he got fired for defending his coworker.

"At that time, I came across a recruitment ad online, from Sara-ya.”

At first, Ruu was a bit confused what exactly they meant with 'cleaning a room a person died in'. The location of the company was also not ideal, Shinkoumi is a place notorious for being unsafe. Of course, he could have picked a different job, but for some reason he decided to send an email to them. The work at Sara-ya was exactly what he expected, and it took some time getting used to it. However, in terms of human relationships, everyone was friendly and comfortable with each other.

"After a long time, when I was no longer called a rookie, I decided to team up with Kimika."

"I don't mean this in a strange way, but as a work partner and a human being, I liked Kimika."

Kimika was a cheerful, fun-loving person, who also had a serious side when they were working together. They would often meet up before and after work too, to talk and to eat together. Kimika used to be a hairdresser before he joined Sara-ya and mentioned that he enjoyed making people beautiful, almost as if a person is 'reborn' after getting a new haircut. Kimika mentioned that he wished he could be reborn too, but back then Ruu did not really understand the meaning of these words. Looking back at it now, Ruu realizes that there were so many hints that something was not right...

Some time after this, Kimika called him in the middle of the night. At first, Ruu thought someone called the wrong number, but after listening closely he realized it was Kimika's voice, wishing for his own death. After this, Ruu learned that Kimika was taken to the hospital after overdosing on sleeping pills. Ruu realizes that Kimika probably called him as a final cry for help.

The story then switches to Kimika's perspective. A bright and cheerful person, that is how people would describe him, which was not wrong, because that is what he pretended to be. Of course, it was not all lies, Kimika truly wished he could be happy. He grew up with three older sisters who were all very beautiful and talented. Compared to them, Kimika was a very ordinary person. Because his sisters were always praised, they were never punished when they used Kimika as a slave or toy, even sexually assaulting him sometimes. Back then Kimika didn't know it was bad, he was just happy that they would spend any time with him.

When he was 11 years old, his oldest sister vanished. A month later, her body was found in the mountains. A suicide note was found near her body, apologizing for not being able to meet her parents' expectations. One year later, his second sister passed away after repeatedly overdosing on sleeping pills. Kimika's family stopped talking to each other, unable to deal with the situation. Shortly after this, the third sister also disappeared. The police eventually found her alive, however, she seemed like a completely different person after joining a religious group. She didn't talk to her parents and brother anymore and locked herself up in her room every day. One day, she texted Kimika to come to her room.

"When I entered the room, my sister was standing on a chair with a belt around her neck, tied to the curtain rod."

She smiled and asked Kimika to remove the chair, explaining that she wanted to die so she could be reborn. Kimika, unable to deny her wish, did what his sister wanted. Kimika started wondering what would happen after death and if they would really be reborn. His sisters were very talented and had no other reason to die, so he assumed it must be true.

"Just like the other two, I wonder if death isn't something they fear, but something they yearn for. If possible, I want to be reborn too."

After graduating high school, he studied to become a hairdresser and eventually moved to Shinkoumi, mostly because he wanted to get away from his parents' house. Shinkoumi was a place where nobody would come after him. Even though he tried to distance himself from his past, he always felt like he couldn't truly be happy. Being alone made him very uncomfortable, so he would often stay with (sex) friends or even strangers. One day one of his friends half-jokingly sent him the Sara-ya recruitment ad, but Kimika, still obsessed with the concept of people taking their own lives, became interested in the job. This is where he met Ruu, and later Shiro and Baku. He was a bit excited to meet someone like Shiro who also wanted to die. Kimika also wanted to openly talk about death like Shiro did, so he decided to create a social media account. Before he knew it, he made many friends online who all shared the same mindset as him, agreeing death is the only way to escape from suffering. This is when Hare's Nest was created.

Members of Hare’s Nest focused on overcoming their fear of death and would usually report their daily accomplishments. Kimika tried to do the same and was proud of his group members. Eventually, the first individuals in the group started taking their own lives. Until then, Hare's Nest was mostly a private group, but after the first two suicides it started attracting attention online. After that, the number of deaths gradually increased and the criticism from outside groups grew. At that time, Kimika thought death was the only way to end suffering and didn’t understand what he was doing wrong. He also realized that Shiro joined the group and was surprised when he openly shared these details with him. Kimika decided that it must be fate, finally he would be able to die together with someone.

After that it switches back to Ruu's perspective. Shortly after the Hare's Nest incident, Kimika was sentenced to two years in prison. The sentence was shorter than expected because there was no evidence of intimidation or a detailed planning of the attack. Another reason for this was probably because Kimika's lawyer worked for the Takasato-gumi. It was Eiji who introduced them to each other. Ruu frequently visited Kimika in prison, but during the first visits Kimika did not look him in the eye and barely spoke to him. He didn't understand why Ruu kept visiting him, after all he was a criminal who encouraged people to take their lives and who almost killed one of their friends. He also didn’t understand why Ruu still cared about him, they were only work partners after all. To Ruu however, Kimika was never just a work partner, but someone he genuinely considered a friend. Ruu regrets not noticing Kimika's loneliness and still wants to be with Kimika after he gets released from prison. Kimika still has a hard time trusting others because of his childhood, but somewhere deep in his heart he wants to trust him. Ruu hopes that some day, him and Kimika will be able to laugh together again, just like they used to.

_____________________________________________

Some extra notes

The name of the group is simply called Hare’s Nest because Kimika has a pet rabbit.

His username online is Himalaya, referring to the Himalayan rabbit, said to be the oldest rabbit breed. His own rabbit is also a Himalayan rabbit.

Members of Hare’s Nest calls themselves ‘leveret’, a term used to describe a young hare. If you’ve read the Clean Dishes manga you probably also know it’s the name of the manga…!

The drama CD is a continuation of this, so definitely listen to that if you can! Especially if you like Ruu and Kimima as a pairing. ;)

[polwigle]

hello and welcome to another episode of Shi Has Strong Opinions on Niche Canon with Citable Sources, this time focusing on something that technically isn't canon one way or the other — my preferred fan-transliterated name for Raven's hometown in Tales of Vesperia, which is never referred to by name in any officially translated material.

anyway it's spelled Pharihyde and in this essay I will die on this hill

Context

In case you clicked the read-more with no stake in this game just because you want to see me being pedantic, let me recap the relevant facts of the argument:

Raven's backstory is never fully explained in the base game, but it was elaborated on in official side materials. The same story, titled 虚空の仮面 (Kokuu no Kamen, commonly translated as Empty Mask), was released in multiple formats: light novel[1], manga[2], and drama CD[3]. None of these have ever been officially translated, but fans have made their own attempts at each over the years.

The town in question here does not appear in the original game, due to having been obliterated during the prequel events. It's also never mentioned by name in the drama CD, leaving only two sources for a name: the light novel and the manga.

Officially, it is named ファリハイド (Farihaido).

The first translation the English-speaking fandom ever saw of any Kokuu no Kamen material was when one fan (whose identity was regrettably lost to time) took a stab at summarizing the light novels, not long after they were first published back in 2010. This fan transliterated the town's name as Pharihyde.

Tumblr user dokidokimaster was commissioned to finally translate the manga in 2015. In this translation, the town was spelled Farryheid.

By the time the manga was being translated, the web page that hosted the light novel summary had tragically gone down. Luckily, I was active enough in the fandom at the time to have had the link to the light novel bookmarked, so I was able to find an archive via the blessed Wayback Machine, but I can't fault dokidokimaster for the inconsistencies.

tl;dr of section: OG town name is ファリハイド; LN calls it Pharihyde; manga calls it Farryheid. Rest of essay is about why me preferring the name that came first isn't just me being a cranky fandom elder I swear

It's About The World It's In

In the world of Terca Lumireis, on the continent of Ilyccia, somewhere far from the capital city, Zaphias, there was once a town called... Farryheid? No, Pharihyde. The latter fits better with the precedents set by the official names around it, and I will literally break it down letter by differing letter to prove it!

'Ph' vs 'F'

Among officially transliterated locations and other "made-up" names in Tales of Vesperia, there are 3 that include 'ph' to represent an 'f' sound (Zaphias, Zopheir, Phaeroh). Only a single name uses an actual 'f' for that sound (Ghasfarost), and it also still has an 'h' as the second letter in the word.

Single vs. Double 'R'

After a ctrl+F pass through the entire list of location names in this game[4], not a single one contains the substring 'rr'. Only one R at a time in Terca Lumireis!

Vowel Choice and Lexical Stress

So, English has this neat little feature where some syllables in a word get more emphasis than others! And that plays heavily into this section, because 'i' and 'y' can sound identical when using 'y' as a vowel, but the existing place names stress them differently.

Now, as the Drama CD doesn't give us a spoken example of ファリハイド to work from (and Japanese doesn't do stress the way English does anyway), where the stress goes in either "Pharihyde" or "Farryheid" is technically unconfirmed... But my default reading is with primary stress on the first syllable, and secondary stress on the last (FAR-ee-hide).

In the precedent-setting place names, based on the English dub of the 360 version*, a lone 'i' is seen unstressed in at least 16 distinct names, including the ones I referenced in my intro scene-setting sentence (ZA-phi-as, TER-ca LU-mi-reis). To my knowledge, lone 'i' is never pronounced with stress in dialogue (and potentially appears only once, in the plot-irrelevant Niffel Lake).

In contrast, whenever 'y' is used as any kind of vowel, it always gets at least secondary stress, as in Hypionia (high-pee-O-nee-ah) and Rhybgaro (RIB-ga-ro). Thus, "Pharihyde" using an 'i' for the middle vowel and a 'y' for the last one lines up with established precedent.

Also, the double vowel 'ei' is consistently and exclusively used to represent an 'ay' sound, as in "day", not as in "hide"! Deidon Hold, Keiv Moc, and again Zopheir and Terca Lumireis — none of these 'ei's sound the way "Farryheid" wants you to pronounce it!

Silent 'e'

I did say I'd break down every different letter between "Pharihyde" and "Farryheid", but this last one's not for flavour, it's just to get the 'y' to act as the right kind of vowel sound. Just a normal feature of English pronunciation rules here (though not entirely without precedent: Halure, Relewiese, Laulyse). Sorry to go out with a whimper ^^;;

Conclusion

The base content of Tales of Vesperia sets up some implied rules about how its made-up-for-the-game words function. "Farryheid" may be a perfectly reasonable transliteration of ファリハイド in a vacuum, but "Pharihyde" follows the rules of the setting, literally to the letter!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

*Footnote about the pronunciation thing: the new voice lines added in the Definitive Edition of the game pronounce some place names inconsistently. I can only assume that by the time they recorded the new lines, a decade after the original ones, they forgot how some pronunciations worked and didn't check their old work... :/

References

(bc it's not an essay without citations!)

[1] Light novel summary (archived): https://web.archive.org/web/20110806003312/http://www.fancomic.com:80/vesperia/resources/raven/emptymask.htm [2] Manga translation: https://dokidokimaster.tumblr.com/tagged/kokuu+no+kamen/chrono [3] Drama CD translation, for completion's sake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHEDJ_D4tyI [4] List of in-game place names: https://hyouta.com/vesperia/?version=pc&locale=eng&compare=2&section=locations

[solradguy]

Hello! Genuine question, because I don't know how and where to ask. I know there's Guilty Gear manga, but, uh... Is it long? And if there's more than one manga line/series, which one is better to start from? (Shamelessly asking for manga guide)

Don't worry about it haha Figuring out what order any of the GG stuff is supposed to be in and where to find it is like herding cats.

Short answer: It's Complicated™️

Long-ish answer: There are a bunch of manga but only 2.5 of them are in English and only about 60% of the ones solely in Japanese have been scanned. Here are the ones in English:

= The Digest comics - These are official recap summaries of the major story arcs throughout the entire series. They're on ASW's website and can be read in about one sitting. Start with this one. https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/story/

= Guilty Gear Xtra - I forget what this one is actually about because I don't like it and only read it once ages ago lol. The art's alright though. Spinoff story focused on a kid named Tyr with a Gear arm? Scanlated by the Justice Revival Project. IIRC it was only two volumes, so you could probably read this in about one sitting too. Not a single thing that happens in this story is so much as referenced in the actual games. https://mangadex.org/title/911025e8-ae47-499c-8eff-453d18b6459a/guilty-gear-xtra

= Guilty Gear (1998) Comic Anthology - A collection of one-shots released a few months after the first Guilty Gear game that are focused on different characters. Some of them are serious, some comedic, a few recap important character lore. I'm currently working on translating this one and am nearing the halfway point (!!). Also relatively short, even if it was finished (it's only one volume). https://mangadex.org/title/3dde0c8d-ed85-4e16-92c0-837434f0bb58/guilty-gear-comic-anthology

As for the Japanese scans: I have a list of all the volumes, scanned and unscanned, in the masterpost linked in my pinned. It's near the very bottom: https://solradguy.tumblr.com/post/701138089295364096/comprehensive-guide-to-unofficial-guilty-gear

There are also three light novels (novellas with illustrations): Lightning The Argent, The Butterfly & Her Gale, and Begin. Begin is in English and Volcanic Fighter (& Brainchoco) are currently working on Butterfly. I'm working on LtA now but.... I keep getting distracted.... Begin can be read here: https://archive.org/details/guilty-gear-begin-english-translation

A couple of the drama CDs have been transcribed and translated too. They're in the masterpost.

Have fun!! If you know anyone that can do JP>EN translations send them to the GG fandom because the situation's dire LOL

[fruit-of-infidelity]

✒︎ DiaLovers OC Contest Entry: Sakamaki Ryuuto.

Theme: New Moon.

　✒︎ Character Summary:

　Seemingly only a cousin to the Sakamaki’s, Ryuuto shares a mother with the triplets. He is the assertive type who isn’t afraid to dabble in a Master-Slave relationship with the heroine. He takes pleasure in riddling others with his cryptic remarks and emits an aura of mystery wherever he goes. 

　He always demands to be treated like a Prince, even when relentlessly teasing his prey and manipulating them until they spiral into helplessness. 

Race: Vampire School Year: 3rd Year Senior High School Student, Ryoutei Academy Age: 18 Height: 178cm Weight: 63kg Blood Type: O Favourite Food: Cinnamon Rolls Hobby: Oil Painting

　In-Depth Character Profile: Found Here.

　✒︎ His Purpose (The Plot):

　Cordelia's spite for Karlheinz's second wife, Beatrix, and the announcement of her pregnancy is what bore Ryuuto, from her affair with Richter. Isolated from Karlheinz, his children, and much of the world, Ryuuto was raised almost exclusively by Richter. However, Cordelia's manipulation over Ryuuto saw him become heavily dependant on her as his only female figure in life, using him for her own entertainment.

　After Cordelia's death, Ryuuto's immense distraught saw him swear to revive her, with his father's help. Realising his half-brothers were to blame, he vowed to get revenge, too. Appearing to Yui Komori* - who harbours Cordelia's heart - he intends to steal her away, and initiate the awakening to revive his mother. 

* Ryuuto's story begins during Haunted Dark Bridal, not unlike the other Sakamaki's, and continues on through to the current games.

　However, much like the other Sakamaki sons, Ryuuto is available to be romanced in a route of his own. If not selected, however, he will also appear as a minor antagonist in some of the other boy's routes (in their mini chapters, which are currently still being released).

　His Complete HDB Route: Found Here.

　✒︎ Ryuuto's Haunted Dark Bridal CGs:

* The limit for photos per post is, unfortunately, ten (10). However, there is a total of twenty-five (25) CGs available in Ryuuto’s route.

　✒︎ Drama CDs:

　In addition to his routes, Ryuuto also is featured in numerous Drama CDs - some of which feature full voice-acting. From the "nursing" series, to group drama, below is an example of one such CD: Character Song Vol.7: Sakamaki Ryuuto | Mini Drama: “Bloodstained Canvas”.

　Each Drama CD - in each scenario they present - replicates the canon material and themes through a fresh, unique character. These CDs aim to further incorporate Ryuuto into the DiaLover universe, and help establish better relationships, lore, and romance outside of the routes.

　Full Drama CD Mentioned: Found here.

Contest Hosts: @arleccine & @the-precious-sugar-chan ♥️

[maboroshi-no]

Thank you for uploading a Silva route video, you must have worked really hard. You are a wonderful person.

If you don’t mind me asking, what Hamefura video, cd drama, or manga chapter are you planning to upload next?

Hello anon!

Thank you and I am glad you appreciate my hard work.

I can't settle on one thing, so I work on multiple things at the same time, both Hamefura and non Hamefura content. I am not sure what I will finish next...

Regarding Hamefura's content, here is my current work in progress:

Hamefura manga: I am up-to-date with the latest chapter released in Japan, so I am waiting for next chapter at the end of the month

Hamefura pirates' videos: I try to work on videos of different routes in turn. Since I have released a Silva video, I think the next videos will be Alan's Ending Memory Scenarios, Nicol's happy ending, and the next Rozy's event in his route.

Hamefura Pirates' Route Summary: I am still stuck at the translation of Nicol's happy ending, I will write the summary once I finish the translation

Hamefura's LN Extra story: Still working on the translation of Alan's POV part.

Remake of Fortune Lover Game's video: I have started working on a better version of Keith's route

Hamefura BluRay's extra stories: I am not sure when I will work on them

Hamefura's drama CDs: I would love to start working on the drama CD of the Magical Girl's AU at some point. But I am still stuck on what visual to use in the video... The drama CDs of the Hamefura Pirates game are also very funny and I would love to work on them.

[elen-000]

Clannad: The 2007 Animated Film Adaptation

Regular edition DVD cover.

Clannad, the beloved visual novel by Key, made a memorable leap to the big screen with its 2007 animated film adaptation. Directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki, this reinterpretation of the Clannad story focuses on the heartfelt journey of Nagisa Furukawa. Announced by Toei Animation at the Tokyo Anime Fair on March 23, 2006, the film premiered on September 15, 2007, marking Dezaki's final directorial work before his passing in April 2011.

Promotional Blitz

The promotional campaign for Clannad was as vibrant as the film itself. On March 10, 2007, Akihabara saw a large black bus emblazoned with "Film Version Clannad" (劇場版CLANNAD) cruising through the streets. A group of enthusiastic young women, dressed in the high school uniforms from the film, distributed flyers and colorful thundersticks to passersby, creating buzz for the film's release.

Plot Summary

The story follows Tomoya Okazaki, a disenchanted third-year high school student who feels disconnected from his surroundings. His mundane life takes a turn when he meets Nagisa Furukawa, a determined girl who is repeating her final year due to health issues. Nagisa dreams of reviving the Drama Club, and despite facing opposition from the student council, she persuades Tomoya and his friend Youhei Sunohara to help her.

Nagisa's dedication to the club and her personal dream of performing a soliloquy from her childhood culminate in a touching performance at the school festival. It’s here that Tomoya realizes his and Nagisa's shared dream, and he confesses his love for her.

However, the joy is short-lived as Nagisa’s health deteriorates, leading to a bittersweet conclusion. After a brief period of living together, Nagisa becomes pregnant and, despite warnings, insists on giving birth. Tragically, she dies giving birth to their daughter, Ushio, plunging Tomoya into a deep depression.

The narrative takes a hopeful turn when Tomoya’s friends intervene, helping him reconnect with his daughter. The film concludes with Tomoya finding solace and a sense of continuity through his daughter, seeing his deceased wife Nagisa’s spirit under the Tree of Promises from his recurring dream.

Production Insights

The film adaptation was a collaboration of talented individuals. The original character designs by Itaru Hinoue were adapted by Megumi Kadonosono for the film. The screenplay, crafted by Makoto Nakamura, who had previously worked on adaptations of Key’s visual novels, and the direction by Osamu Dezaki brought the story to life with a touch of nostalgia and emotion.

Media Releases

Clannad was released on DVD in three editions: the Collector's Edition, the Special Edition, and the Regular Edition. The Collector's Edition came with a special illustrated jacket and a deluxe booklet, while the Special Edition included additional bonus content like a drama CD and a bonus DVD. The film was also available in English-subtitled and dubbed formats, thanks to Sentai Filmworks.

The film’s soundtrack, featuring the maxi single "Mag Mell (frequency⇒e Ver.)" and an image song single by Lia, was released in tandem with the film, adding a musical touch to its emotional depth.

Clannad remains a poignant and powerful adaptation of the beloved visual novel, capturing the essence of its story while offering a unique cinematic experience.

[tofueggnoodles]

Drama CD Saiyuki Memorial Pack Disk 2 – Track 2: Working for Nothing

Download from here (/Saiyuki Drama CDs/Saiyuki Misc/Drama_CD_-_Memorial_Packs.rar )

Summary: Having lost the credit card, the Ikkou worked at a restaurant to earn their keep. And yes, Gojyo told Sanzo he looked cute in waiter's apron.

--------

Gojyo: Ah, why are we so unlucky?

Sanzo: Shut up.

Gojyo: There were many things I thought we could do during this break from our journey. And now, of all things, we’re washing dishes in a restaurant....

Hakkai: It can’t be helped, Gojyo.

Gojyo: It could have been! It’s all because this stupid monkey lost Sanzo’s credit card in the first place!

Goku: Don’t call me a stupid monkey! I accidentally dropped the card somewhere, so it can’t be helped. But, I thought I returned the card to Sanzo....

Gojyo: ‘It can’t be helped, it can’t be helped.’ Stop parroting those words already! Sanzo, it’s because you handed over the card to such an idiot and made him go buy stuff that this disaster happened in the first place. If you haven’t–

Hakkai: Gojyo, that’s why we’re all now working to earn our keep. Besides, in just a few days, the procedure for reissuing the card will be completed. We only have to work here until today, okay?

Gojyo: Seriously!

Hakkai: By the way, Sanzo–

Sanzo: What is it?

Hakkai: What did you send Goku out to get?

Sanzo: Cigarettes.

Gojyo: Why, you. If it’s just cigarettes you wanted, you should’ve just bought them with small change, instead of sending Goku out with the credit card!

Sanzo: It’s my principle not to carry things heavier than a chopstick. [implying he has ‘servants’ to do the heavy carrying for him.]

Gojyo: You....

Hakkai: So Sanzo’s gun is lighter than a chopstick.

Restaurant owner: Hey, you guys!

Hakkai: Ah, master!

Restaurant owner: Are you doing your work properly? I’m going out for a bit, so I’ll entrust this place to you.

Hakkai: Er, that’d be a bit–

Restaurant owner: If you don’t perform your tasks to my satisfaction, I’ll have to extend your employment period beyond the ten days we agreed upon. (walks out)

Goku: What nationality is he?

--------

Gojyo: He said he’d entrust this place to us.

Hakkai: There’s no other choice but to do it.

Sanzo: What a bother.

Goku: Sanzo, I’ve somehow gotten hungry.

Sanzo: Like I care.

Goku: I’m hungry. I’m hungry!

(Sanzo hits him with the paper fan.)

Goku: That hurts!

Hakkai: At any rate, we’ll have to divide the work among us.

Gojyo: Yeah, that’s how it’ll have to go, I guess.

Hakkai: Yes. If we do our jobs well, the owner might release us earlier.

Sanzo: You made it sound as if we were prisoners!

Gojyo: Actually, we’re no different from prisoners.

Hakkai: Well then, let’s do it like this: I’ll be in charge of the kitchen–

Gojyo: Yep, you’re sure qualified for that.

Goku: Me too!

Gojyo: Aren’t you just planning to snatch some food when no-one’s looking? No way we’re leaving the kitchen to you! (hits Goku)

Goku: Aw!

Hakkai: As for the dining area, I’ll leave it to Sanzo and Gojyo.

Gojyo: Roger! 😉

Sanzo: Looks like you’re very much looking forward to it.

Gojyo: That’s because I’ll be taking on the female customers. You take care of the guys.

Sanzo: Hmmph. What a simple-minded fellow.

Goku: Hakkai, what about me?

Hakkai: Er, indeed, what about you.... That’s it: washing the dishes and cleaning the floor.

Goku: Eh?!

Gojyo: Just do it without complaining.

(The door creaks open.)

Hakkai: Everyone, the customers are arriving already.

--------

Gojyo (waits upon a group of young women): Welcome! What would be your order? Anything would be fine. Pot stickers, is it? Yes, got it. Boiled ones, right? Just wait for a moment. I’ll bring them here soon. (to himself) Oh, they’re all so cute.

Woman 1: I want a beer.

Gojyo: A beer for the lady, roger.

Woman 2: Soda for me.

Gojyo: Okay, soda. It’ll be here soon.

Woman 3: Chocolate cocktail. **

Gojyo: Ordering alcohol already this early in the day, how cute....

(He walks away from the table.)

Gojyo: Ah, it’s pretty fun waiting on the ladies.

Sanzo: Then you can remain here for the rest of your life if you wish.

Gojyo: Sanzo, you look cute in that apron too. ❤️

Sanzo: I see. You have a death wish.

(The door opens.)

Gojyo: There, Sanzo. A couple of guys just walked in.

Sanzo (clicks his tongue): You go and serve them.

Gojyo: We agreed on it just now, didn’t we?

Sanzo: Who agreed to it when?

Gojyo: Cut it out and just go! (pulls Sanzo along)

Sanzo: Stop that!

Gojyo: Welcome! A table for two, right? This guy will take your orders.

Sanzo: Gojyo, you–

Gojyo: I leave the rest to you.

Sanzo (sighs as the customers riffle through the menu): Are you done yet?

Man 1: Hah?

Sanzo: Your orders. Haven’t you decided on them yet?

Man 2: I’ll have fried rice and pot stickers with extra garlic. Also, a century egg platter and soup.

Man 1: I’ll have crab omelet rice, a roasted pork fillet platter and prawn buckwheat noodles with steamed meat dumplings.

Sanzo: Reduce them.

Man 1: Eh?

Sanzo: It’d be tiresome otherwise, so I’m telling you to reduce your orders.

Man 2: Hah? What are you going on about?

Sanzo: Just fried rice and pot stickers should be enough for you.

Man 1: Oi, is it your place to make such an unreasonable demand from a customer? Are you trying to pick a fight?

Sanzo: You’re annoying. Who do you think is going to carry those orders?

Man 2: You’re the one who’s annoying. We’re typical working men–

Man 1: We came here after doing manual labor, so naturally we feel like filling our stomachs with everything on the menu. Stop complaining and feed us now!

Sanzo: In that case, eat this! (shoves something into the men’s mouths) Hah! Tastes good, doesn’t it? (shoots twice)

Man 1 (coughs): You bastard!

Man 2 (spits out something): Screwing with us like that! Isn’t this just some sticky juice?

Sanzo: It’s pineapple.

Both men: You son of a bitch!

Gojyo (runs up to the table): What are you doing, Sanzo?

Sanzo: They told me they were pretty hungry, so I fed them some appetizers.

Gojyo: Oh, is that so, Sanzo? Looks like you had quite some fun coming to their aid– No, that’s not it! Not at all! It’s the customers you’re dealing with. Customers!

Goku: Wai!

Gojyo: Stupid monkey! Don’t wave the mop about like that!

Goku: I’m bored out of my mind cleaning the floor. Where are the bad guys, Gojyo?

Gojyo: There are no bad guys.

Sanzo: They’re over there, having just devoured their appetizers like a couple of hogs. **

Gojyo: Sanzo!

Man 1: You guys....

Man 2: You all are nothing but a bunch of idiots.

Gojyo: Sanzo’s not just an idiot.

Goku: He’s a baldy idiot. [hage(禿 ) can mean either baldy or idiot.]

Gojyo: That’s right.

Sanzo: You bastards.

(Several gunshots ring out.)

Man 1: You’re making fun of us!

Man 2: Now you've got it coming!

(A fight breaks out. Screams and more gunshots are heard.)

Hakkai: Yes, a plate of Provence-style white fish saute with pear sauce, coming up!

Gojyo: No-one ordered such a thing.

Hakkai: Eh? That’s strange. First-rate flounder topped with the sauce made from a well-ripened pear – a most exquisite dish made of top quality products. Ah, it brings to mind the fresh breeze of Hijuu. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiju_Dam?oldid=464979111]

Gojyo: When did you ever go to such a place?

(The door opens.)

Hakkai: Ah.

Gojyo: Eek!

Restaurant owner: What on earth are you guys doing?!

--------

Gojyo: In the end, with the additional ten days, we worked without pay for a total of twenty days.

Hakkai: It’s still much better than getting killed.

Sanzo: That should at least do you guys some good.

Gojyo: You...!

Goku: Hey, would you guys stop fighting? I get more and more hungry just listening to your quarrel.

Gojyo: Shut your trap, stupid monkey! If you hadn’t lost the credit card in the first place, we wouldn’t be subjected to nearly a month of servitude!

Goku: Aargh! Until when are you going to to hold this against me?

Hakkai: Gojyo! Goku! Please stop!

Goku: Let go, damn kappa!

Gojyo: Like I’m going to, you dumb monkey!

Sanzo: Be quiet! (hits them) You’re all good for nothing but being annoying!

(Something falls onto the ground.)

Goku: Ouch! Won’t you go a bit easier on us? Ah, you dropped something, Sanzo.

Hakkai: Ah!

Gojyo: Huh...? Ah!

Sanzo: Hmm?

Gojyo: Sanzo-san, what on earth is the thing that has fallen at your feet?

Sanzo: Oh.

Goku (reads out aloud): Celestial World Express Gold Card.

Hakkai: Sanzo, you forgot that Goku’s returned the credit card to you, didn’t you?

Gojyo: Hey, say something.

Sanzo: That’s how it is.

Gojyo: Don’t say it so calmly!

Sanzo: I’m not a man who dwells in the past.

Hakkai: So we’ve been left stranded for nothing.

Gojyo: Really. You’re a hopeless guy. Are you suffering from memory loss?

Goku: Memory loss?

Hakkai: It’s a predicament in which one becomes more and more forgetful as one turns elderly.

Goku: So Sanzo is already a geezer.

Gojyo: I sure don’t want to grow old that way, Hakkai!

Hakkai: He’ll hear you, Gojyo!

Gojyo: You think so? Nah, his hearing’s probably gone too.

Hakkai (laughs): That’s a nice way of putting it.

Gojyo: Ah, I want him to repay us for those tough, gloomy twenty days we went through.

Goku: Let’s have him treat us to some fancy meal for tonight’s dinner!

Hakkai: Maybe we’ll lose the card again then.

(The three of them laugh.)

Sanzo: You guys were saying whatever you pleased just because I was listening quietly! (shoots his gun a few times and hits them on the head with the paper fan)

Goku: Whoa! Sanzo’s getting angry!

Gojyo: How terrible! Lashing out like that despite being in the wrong!

Sanzo: I’ll kill anyone who goes against me! (shoots some more)

Hakkai: It’s dangerous! He’s getting violent!

(Sanzo gets ready to unleash a spell.)

Gojyo: Crap! Get away!

Sanzo: Makai Tenjo!

(The other three scream.)

--------

(Round brackets): actions and sound effects. [Square brackets]: translator’s notes. Double asterisks **: Stuff I am not sure with. Suggestions for improvements and corrections are more than welcome.

[dauriculaire]

September 2019 Release List

Now up on my official blog!

[one-blog]

“First track of the drama CD: “Saitama’s Story”, second track: “Genos’ Story”, third track: “Sonic’s Story”, fourth track (undisclosed), which is a parallel story set in a school, and I supervised the draft. Making different dialogue from the manga was difficult, but fun”