#its the gacha game writing i think as well

[masqueradeoftheguilty]

mmm. more penacony thoughts.

i like the main story idea and its had some good parts but. i feel like im just not seeing the peak writing others are. the pov jumping makes it all a bit messy, the long character backstory jumpcuts are frustrating, theres sO muCH standing around and talking and dont even get me started on the filler!

but on the other hand it has gotten me back into playing. i doubt itll stick but i have been wanting to actually get through the story (only to be reminded of it being a slog)

[maplefield]

honestly, that fact that they essentially found a pendrive and just plucked it into a supercomputer.......

[oathofkaslana]

i think about the hi3 queer rep a lot honestly.

benghuai 3 the depths of yuri hell you've dragged me through.

[not-too-many-eyes]

A Study on Mesmer Jr.

(Also Known As: Nott is obsessed with the bigot autistic girl from the time travel gacha game and its her birthday tommorow so lets talk about her.)

(CWs: Ableism, racism, child abuse) I Love Mesmer Jr. Which isn't a secret to any of my friends who have had to listen to me talk about her at length. I cannot get her out of my head. I think she's fantastically written, fun to read about, and just an all around interesting character.

As such, I want to take a moment to pull apart Mesmer Jr, and consider her place in this story. To contemplate why she acts the way she does, and to connect to the themes relating to her character. I hope you enjoy reading this.

A Curious Impression

Mesmer Jr makes an interesting impression when you first meet her. For one, she immediately causes alarm bells to rings when she talks to Sonneto, one of her earliest conversations, who she says she enjoys talking to because of their "shared values" she feels the need to say that she would have liked talking to her more if she were a "full-blooded human."

Which is something that you see a lot whenever she's complimenting an arcanist, or considering arcanists in any positive light. Even if it's inappropriate in the context, she feels the need to assert her beliefs, to say that:

Mesmer Jr, Praise: As an arcanist, your performance really amazes me. Wish you were a pure-blood human.

Of course, as we know, Mesmer Jr is an arcanist. She's a full-blooded arcanist. Being noted to be from a very Important family, and even being implied to be more talented than most of her family in their line of work: (The Fallacy of Idealism)

Nobody is more talented in this than Mesmer Jr. Her bloodline gives her outstanding ability and keen senses, which makes everything clear and intelligible to her.

She's also startlingly obedient. She has no noticeable outward negativity towards what Constantine has ordered her to do to Vertin, despite it seeming to cause pain or stress. Insisting that this is the normal treatment given to patients despite Madam Z's opinion, and we learn Much Later that her boss had an ulterior motive to all this.

She's even noted before we meet her to seem like a:

(Open Sandwich)

???: It is the other one- the one with indifferent outlines that makes her look like a refined machine.

Evoking images of perfectly programmed robots and droids that do what they are ordered to perfectly without question.

Of course, in the same part this line is from, the game is already nudging us to be open-minded when it comes to interacting with her. As the first thing we learn about her isn't her personality, isn't her appearance, isn't even her Voice.

It's her abuse.

Dirtied Hands

Open Sandwich is one of my favorite bits of writing in this game. It creates this incredible tension where you just waiting for the bad thing to happen, the line about how the child labor laws were turned into paper to wrap the sandwich is wonderful, and I love it.

But it's also the first time we ever actually hear about her. It depicts her having a Sensory Meltdown. Caused by her family's uh- blatant disregard for children's rights, and exposing her to a patient at age 12 because her skill was useful for the treatment. The trauma of the event marking the start of her "nightmare."

Of course this isn't the Only Thing she has gone through at the age of 12. The entire events of Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien happened during when she was 12. She might of had even more traumatic experience before that, considering she went to SPDM, a school that we know Very Well for their child abuse, and she Certainly had traumatic experiences afterwards.

She Is a 16 year old therapist taking care of The Foundation's most "unstable" patients, after all:

Mesmer Jr, Suitcase Climate: Those insane people screamed and rushed out of the guardroom. They kept meaninglessly and repeatedly roaring. Then, their blood shed on the snowy ground. I've seen that a lot.

The Rights of Children Don't Matter when there is Scarcity. Her needs are secondary to The Company's. Her welfare simply isn't important for the Foundation's Beautiful Future. Only the skills and infromation she can provide.

Constantine even manipulated Mesmer Jr into telling her the plan. Purposefully traumatizing her so that she would become scared and anxious. She Asked her to help them, trusting that Constantine, an adult she trusted, would be able to help. Constantine just lied, and made her continue to treat these people even when the experience mind numbingly traumatic for even fully-grown adults.

As a result, Mesmer Jr has developed multiple mental illnesses. Most notable OCD, but she seems to hallucinate in her Monologue.

She's not exactly a healthy person, which really compounds how much you Don't want her to be a therapist.

Of course, it's not like she would ever seek actual proper treatment for it.

For many reasons.

For one, Reverse 1999 is not exactly a kind world to the mentally ill, and she herself is a good example as to why.

Proper Treatment

Let's go back to the first thing I mentioned about Mesmer Jr. She's a bigot, she's a certified racist to every arcanist she ever talks to. She thinks humans are the superior race that will overtake arcanists.

She's also ableist. Just horrible ableist. These two bigotries are intertwined in Very important ways. Her hatred of arcanists is informed by her hatred of the mentally ill, and is further informed by what she has been taught about arcanists.

Reverse has established that the way arcanists and humans are generally viewed is that arcanists are the more emotional, unstable, immature ones and humans are the more logical, stable, and mature ones.

Now, this is a stereotype, one that has been proven wrong time and time again. There is nothing logical, stable, or mature about being so upset at a 12 year old you think killing her friends is a good idea.

And similarly, there is nothing actually inherently wrong about being a weirdo, or mentally ill. For one, uh, everyone is a bit of a freak sometimes, and two, Mesmer Jr treats it as if for the world to get better arcanists need to fully disappear and be replaced with human rationality, but Madam Hoffman says it best:

(Chapter 6 Part 15: With Hope Rekindled)

Hofmann: We have all heard it, humans are more rational and arcanists are more emotional. Hofmann: Their sensitive to the darkness of the world, so they can easily become absorbed in their own emotions and ignore reality Hofmann: But, if we put a human child in the position of an arcanist, who always takes on the world because of his uniqueness, who is never understood for his talents... Hoffmann: Maybe he too will become impulsive, sensitive immature and unstable Hoffmann: And that's why it sometimes dawns on me that if we put an arcanist child in the position of a human being who receives enough love, education, and positive feedback... Hoffmann: These 'instabilities' might be controllable. At least enough to keep them from hurting themselves or others.

But Mesmer Jr really does believe wholeheartedly that being a "freak" is bad, and that being an arcanist is to blame for why she is one.

Mesmer Jr, Hat and Hair: Thanks to it, we are all freaks now. Haven't you ever blamed your brain? Haven't you for once vomited due to the sound or whisper in your brain? How naive and ignorant.

That being an arcanist is something inherently wrong, and as a result of that inherent wrongness, that inherent "insanity," they need to be controlled by humanity.

Mesmer Jr, Chitchat II: I can only stand those arcanists from the Foundation and the Laplace. After all, their insanity is contained by humans.

She believes that humans are destined to overtake arcanists like it's natural selection. That it's only inevitable that arcanists will be overtaken by a species that in her eyes, is logical and understandable.

Mesmer Jr, To the Future: Just like Homo sapiens wiped out Neanderthals, arcanists will be eliminated as well. This is not a prediction, but a predestined fate.

This is, of course, due to the systemic part of Reverse's world constantly pushing this idea that arcanists are Inherently more immature and chaotic.

Constantine and her family deeply traumatized Mesmer Jr and then told her it wasn't actually their fault but this Other Group that She is also apart of but Don't Worry it can Be Controlled.

Mesmer Jr: It's not just about age. It was never going to be suitable for me. Mesmer Jr: Unless one day all the arcanists are gone. Pandora Wilson: Then you and I will be gone, too. Mesmer Jr: Exactly, along with the source of my pain

However, Mesmer Jr's own mental illnesses and susceptibility towards being overwhelmed by others emotions does really mean that she finds being around highly emotional people Taxing. She also finds that the unpredictable of life and other people Tiresome.

She was friends with Vertin in the rest when she was younger sure, but even then she did find arcanists overwhelming and "scary," even when she wasn't in the full thick of it, she saw them being treated and found it unpleasant and painful.

(Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien)

Mesmer Jr: But I'm not interested in arcanists. They are all mad people, and we had to treat them after all...They looked scary.

Now, usually, you grow out of this. She's not Born To Be Racist Forever.

In a better world she very much could have, I dunno-

Be able to actually internalize that arcanists aren't actually inherently a harmful thing, but that her needs sometimes conflict with the needs of others and grew up with the tools necessary to understand that this is a fixable problem that doesn't actually need a whole group of people including herself to die to be solved.

Or, something like that.

However, this isn't that world, this world thinks Mesmer Jr is a good therapist, and that her treatment is humane.

So she's seeks to create stability in the world as a result of that lack of support.

Mesmer Jr, Hobby: What you see is the alignment and tidiness. What I adore is this orderly state.

As much as she understands that it's a sign of her own "franticness" that she does this, it gives her comfort knowing that she has things that she Can Control. That her life isn't actually dictated fully by things out of her understanding. That she has the ability to direct her life in a small, maybe even insignificant way.

Cause, she really just doesn't have much control over her life.

Press the Button

Mesmer Jr, Clothing and Torso: ...Achieve the function.

A lot of Mesmer Jr's idolization of humanity comes from this idea of efficiency and simplicity. She talks so much about rationality and "tidiness," but as I've already established Reverse is full of so many instances of "human insanity" so it's plain ignorant to ascribe this trait to humans.

Which, well one she is ignorant, and also racism isn't rational and Mesmer Jr was taught human supremacy of course it's not going to be aligned with actual reality.

Which is true.

However, I do think it's interesting these traits that she idolizes are not from humans but from:

Mesmer Jr, Clothing and Torso: Humans are like machinery, simple and efficient. Arcanists are quite the opposite.

That's who she's actually idolizing here, isn't it? She's not really idolizing humans, that's just the framework she was given. She's idolizing machines and going "Wow humans are so cool."

Her Udimo is a machine.

Not just any machine, but a machine invented in part By Her Workplace, and even when she was 12 the narrator describes her as a "refined machine." Indifferent and rigid.

This is the beautiful controlled being that she is seeking! The beautiful tidy, orderly, calm being that just proceeds with whatever order is given to it. One that has...completely no control over it's life, and what to do with it.

Because, traditionally speaking, Machines do not have the ability to self-determine. They don't exist as people with conscious thought and emotion, but as Things and Tools that can Achieve Functions.

I noted way back in the start that Mesmer Jr is startlingly obedient. She does what she is told, and encourages others to do the same.

She's glad that Vertin:

Mesmer Jr, 100% Bond Conversation: ...Anyway, I'm glad you gave up on those insane plans.

Before saying that she doesn't want to be forced to Lobotomize Her, and that she doesn't actually want anyone to end up in Artificial Somnambulism.

But she doesn't say she won't do it. Just that she's happy Vertin did "give up" because it means that she probably won't have to. This seems to be her general approach. Even if she's not happy, she'll do it, her wants don't matter.

She assumes that she has no other option and that her only path forward is following orders from her boss. That the only path forward is the one set for her. There's no point in fighting it so she's just gonna continue on that path, and others should do the same or else they'll get Hurt. Learned Helplessness.

Sonetto is similar to her in this sense (Mesmer Jr says so herself,) and Sonetto is shown to hold quite a lot of repressed emotions, and to deviate from the rules or what is logical when she feels something is at stake.

After all: (Is ABA Really “Dog Training for Children”? A Professional Dog Trainer Weighs In.)

We all know that we can feel angry without expressing anger. That we can smile when inside we are crying. You can stop someone from expressing an emotion, but that doesn’t make the emotion go away. A dog who has been trained not to growl is considered by trainers to be a “time bomb dog.” When you read about a dog attack that came “out of nowhere” and “without warning,” it is because this sort of method was used to handle “problem behaviours.” Studies show that dogs trained with these sorts of methods actually have an increased rate of aggression, because punishing aggressive behaviour doesn’t deal with the underlying fear and anxiety that caused the aggression in the first place.

But Mesmer Jr, in contrast to Sonetto, who has an interest in poetry and curiosity in the outside world and has the aforementioned repressed emotions. Has no real distinct personal identity. She does not own anything that shows her interests, unlike her other coworkers who usually have at least Something on them. All of her items are stuff made by Laplace and exist unaltered. Even her cute little headband is a EM amplifier is part of the uniform.

She holds no control, no identity, no agency. She exists as a machine that someone can press the buttons of and achieve whatever function she needs to achieve at the given moment.

This is her current state of existence, and it's not something that's exactly sustainable. The cracks in this machine-living have been showing since she was 12. How many more do you think have been created now that she's 16?

The Foundation

Now, this is really depressing, but that's because Mesmer Jr is just a bit of a depressing character. She can't really get away from her job. For one, her parents are horrible, two The Storm means that the world is always on the verge of ending. Where else will she go?

But, as said previously:

A dog who has been trained not to growl is considered by trainers to be a “time bomb dog.”

Similarly, a girl trained to not develop any sort of identity will crack Someday.

I have no knowledge of what could happen next in her story, nor am I interested in theorizing about it. But I do find it interesting to think about.

[within-ur-intro-verse]

Favorite Ongoing/Unfinished Joongdok fics

Canon Universe

running up that hill by aevum; Multi-chapter, Unrated; Joonghyuk Role Swap AU

Echos of the Future and the Past by Akeara4; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; KDJ meets YJH pre-scenarios.

Hidden Scenario - [Dramatis Personae] by Anonymous; Multi-chapter, Rated: Mature; A reaction fic - KimCom reacts to the events of ORV from KDJ's POV.

unendurable, unendurable by aryelee; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; KimCom get caught in a sub scenario. No one sees it ending well.

A Former Regressor's Otome Struggles by fourthrisen; Multi-chapter, Rated: Gen; YJH gains a new (dating sim themed) skill.

so long to load by Frill; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Teen friends Joongdok started the scenarios one train cabin away from each other.

new game (+) by illusionedwhite; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Role Reversal AU where TWSA is an unpopular RPG game.

Say it Again by Moreta; Multi-chapter, Rated: Mature; YJH fails to resist regressing and starts his (alleged) 4th regression. He fears he will never meet KDJ again, but they meet again in the subway. But something is strange about this turn...

[Story, ‘Life and Death Companions’, is continuing with its storytelling.] by pythia (eireneo); Multi-chapter, Rated: Mature; Canon Re-write - YJH decides to stick a little closer to KDJ. Something about him is familiar.

Kim Dokja’s Epic Rewrite Extravaganza by Sasala; Multi-chapter, Unrated; KDJ takes a different route with 0th Regression YJH by saying screw it to the rules.

Eternity Soulmates by tsukithewolf; Series, Rated: Teen, Story 1 Complete (23,583 words)/Story 2 Ongoing; Soulmate AU - KDJ manifests as a ghost-like apparition while he's reading TWSA and becomes YJH's one constant companion throughout his 1863 previous regressions. They meet in the flesh for the first time in the 1864th regression. YJH remembers their time spent together, KDJ doesn't.

Fragments by tsukithewolf; Multi-chapter, Unrated; KDJ is still in a coma recovering. YJH learning he can use their shared story to enter Dokja's dreams.

One Half of a Whole by WindsOfTime; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Soulmate AU - How ORV would play out if TWSA had established soulmates in universe and KDJ was YJH's.

Alternate Universe

Second movement by aeber; Multi-chapter, Rated: Explicit; Modern AU - If the scenarios never existed, and they met on the train as how the 0th regression went.

a seven pointed star by Anonymous; Multi-chapter, Rated: Explicit; Modern AU - After getting cancelled for being homophobic, CEO of Supreme Games Yoo Joonghyuk meets his future husband

A Dreamer's Love by byami; Series - Story 1 (Complete - 8,405 words; Unrated), Story 2 (Complete - 26,756 words; Rated: Mature) & Story 3 (Ongoing; Rated: Gen); Fantasy AU - Prince YJH meets "mage" KDJ while hunting demons.

That's the Spirit! by cherryousama; Multi-chapter, Rated: Mature; High School/Supernatural AU - KDJ is an exorcist. YJH is a new transfer student who is a magnet for ghosts.

In other words, by dokjaless; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Modern AU - Ways to accidentally become a book editor to a progamer.

a streamer’s guide to gaining the favour of the gacha gods by erisky; Multi-chapter, Unrated; Modern AU -ORV is a gacha game. Steamer YJH is a simp for the character KDJ, based on the man of the same name.

I am NOT the Imperial General's Ex-Boyfriend by feriket; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Sci-Fi/ABO AU - Kim Dokja was busy working a boring office job and pointedly not thinking about a certain man that he ghosted, when the said man suddenly showed up at his workplace as if he was summoned by some higher beings who wanted to torture Kim Dokja for fun.

superstition and the wishing fountain by fourthrisen; Multi-chapter, Rated: Gen; Modern/High School AU - Even with the ability to read minds, KDJ still manages to entirely miss recognizing that YJH is crushing on him.

Pixelated Abyss by Frill; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Esper/Guide AU - YJH wants KDJ to be his personal Guide because no one else is compatible with him.

lights, camera, action by heliotrope; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Modern AU - Every single one of everyday cubicle worker KDJ's friends is a rich and influential public figure, and the only one in the dark about it is himself.

Imaginary Truths by Mythril (fantacination); Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Modern/Actor AU - KDJ is a talented actor that likes to fly under the radar and succeeds. Until YJH starts paying attention.

let the end credits play by NoteInABottle: Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Modern AU - TWSA is a game. KDJ is the game's programmer. It's Pro-Gamer YJH's favorite game.

How Pro Gamer Yoo Joonghyuk's Twitter Alt Became a Thirst Account by scintifeli; Multi-chapter, Rated: Explicit; Modern AU - YJH gets sponsored to play a game. He plays and on an unfortunate early encounter with a boss, somebody swoops in and saves him from death. YJH falls hard.

thrice is poison by sIackerlife; Multi-chapter, Rated: Gen; Modern AU - Streamer KDJ meets Pro Gamer YJH during a Valorant match while he's playing his sister's account.

My Neighbor is a Sleep Deprived DILF by SkylerSkyhigh; Multi-chapter, Unrated; Modern AU - Older KDJ/Younger YJH - College Gamer YJH becomes neighbors with DILF KDJ.

Guardian by smooth_jade; Multi-chapter, Rated: Explicit; Modrn AU - KDJ never pictured himself as someone who would ever be a father, but before he knows it, he is the adoptive father of a traumatized SYS.

Heels Over Head by timegoesby; Multi-chapter, Rated: Gen; Modern AU - Younger Pro-Gamer YJH and older CEO KDJ become new neighbors.

The Main Character Arrived Half-Dead at My Castle After Abandoning His Role and Now He Won't Leave by tsukithewolf; Multi-chapter, Unrated; Modern/Fantasy AU - Gamer!YJH is isekai'd into a fantasy game as the protagonist. KDJ is the main villain in this game.

and at the very least, the wall will change. by your__isgayrights; Multi-chapter, Rated: Teen; Modern/Soulmate AU - KDJ and YJH are soulmates that can write message to each other on their skin. The only thing KDJ wrote to YJH was goodbye. YJH keeps writing to KDJ, not knowing if he's alive or not. 15 years later YJH and KDJ meet for the first time.

[stelladess]

I find it odd when people frame lore revelations as being some sort of opposite to character development as they often are pretty heavily connected.

There are tons of examples like the mechanics of how the seaborne works being actively thematically important for multiple of the stories with them for example.

Kal´tsit being a synthetic being created by a now gone precursor civilization isn't just random lore fluff, it informs her character. Why she feels isolated and set apart from people and it makes her strong love for the people of Terra more meaningful because it would be easier for her to justify that she does not have to care about them because she is not one of them. But she does care about them! She considers herself part of Terra and responsible for helping people, something which clearly makes her feel very guilty for "failing".

spoilers for Babel event and chapter 14 below:

The doctor´s entire motives for betraying Theresa only make sense from their past and the goals of the precursor civilization. Those reveals do not undermine the character drama but enhance it, the contrast between the doctor wanting to be able to help people like Kal´tsit, Amiya or Theresa clashing with their mission to ensure originium absorbs everything. They know what they are doing is wrong but they feel like all choices are wrong and the one they have a duty to fulfill is the one that required betraying Theresa. I also think a nice detail is after the doctor made up their mind to betray Theresa they start referring to Kal´tsit as AMa-10 in their inner monologues and stop trying to think about Amiya at all. Pressumably sort of trying to dehumanise or ignore the people they know they will hurt because it makes it psychologically easier for them to go through with it, this is especially notable since the doctor gave Kal´tsit her name in the first place.

And when we get a bunch of weird reveals about originium and the past civilization in chapter 14... its mainly used to get some interesting character interactions between Kal´tsit and other characters and to facilitate the situation that allows for the confrontation with Theresa, also the stuff relating to the sarkaz souls stuck there is to explain why Theresa would willingly work with Theresis despite his uhm... evil aspirations, furthermore it is also to finally reveal a bit more about what Priestess was actually like as a character.

Heck back in Lone trail while the stronger character stuff was elsewhere (I especially love the Ifrit and Rosmontis focused stuff) the sarcophagi and Friston stuff is mostly to give some more insight into characters like Ho´oleyhak, Kal´tstit and doctor, introducing us to Mark Max and giving an actually believable reason for Kal´tsit having to burn her bridges with the Tin Man, causing Rhodes to be in pretty hot water with the Columbian government.

I find the idea that the story is deciding to "stop doing character focus to do lore" absurd quite frankly.

World building is important! What makes Arknights unique compared to a lot of other popular gacha games is in large part the world and history. Arknights characters are well written, but in particular they are well written in the sense that Arknights is good at showing how the world they live in shape people into who they are. Learning more about that world to explore it in greater depth is not contradictory to the goal of interesting character writing, it helps it.

[scorching-earth]

Limbus characters as Yuu’s

Spoilers for twisted wonderland, Spoilers for Limbus company. Please Limbus company is a free game. it may also be a gacha game, but it's a very free to play friendly game. 

I’ve only finished part 2 and a bit of part 3 of the game, and watched all the intro videos. so all of the Yuu’s are from canto 3 of the story. So only character development for Gregor and Rodion, a little of Sinclair as well. All of the characters use gender neutral pronouns and have the name Yuu. If anything is from the future canto, it is pure speculation on my part! And I will stress that each sinner is BASED off the office character. So each character may not be the same as the in-game sinners. That's intentional on my part so I can have more fun writing for them.

Trigger warnings: self deprecating thoughts, stalking, self harm, minor body horror, manipulation, family issues, the effects of war, swearing, mentions of criminal records, death.

Yi sang sinner #1:

“...” “I’m not quiet, I just have nothing to say.” “what?” “A mirror bright me here, I’ve finally passed through the window I’ve only watched.”

Yuu is a very quiet person. not because they don't want to talk, they just don't have anything to say. So Yuu mostly listens to what other people say instead. When they do talk it can come as a surprise considering how they talk when they do.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a dagger. The dagger is a weapon people use in secret. They hide the blade to quickly go in for the killing blow. It shows That Yuu doesn't want to stand out either with its small size. Yuu’s weapon is black in color and has no stand out features on it. Yuu’s weapon wasn't found out for a long time for how easy it was to conceal. 

Yuu’s poetics. When Yuu does talk you can hear them wax poetics, saying some of the most thought provoking sentences possible. Yuu will sometimes just say some flowery language relating to the subject of conversation. After they say something people tend to quiet down since it gets awkward after Yuu says something

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: the two drag Yuu around. Ace tried to pull Yuu into all sorts of trouble with him. All in attempts to get Yuu to do something other than sit around, and think the whole day. Deuce tried to keep Yuu out of the trouble Ace pulled them into. So it's a consistent tug of war situation with Yuu being in all sorts of trouble to them being in none. 

Favorite students: Ace, Deuce, Malleus. Ace and Deuce since Yuu does appreciate them being around Yuu. Malleus because it’s fun to listen to him talk about Gargoyles.

Least favorite students: You wax poetics ONCE to ONE person, and now you have a stalker. Yup Yuu’s least favorite student is one Rook hunt. Yuu can often find Rook quickly. When found out Rook will leave to go watch someone else, or the one Yuu hates more. Rook will jump down from his hiding spot, and try to chat up Yuu. Yuu HATES this, why can't Rook just take the hint that Yuu not interested in talking poetics.

Faust sinner #2:

“You're not very smart are you?” “don't worry, Yuu Knows everything.” “all as I predicted.” “I am Yuu and I am the smartest person in this world.” 

Yuu’s had an almost supernatural knowledge. Yuu claims to know all, and has yet to be disproved. Ace even asked Yuu what color his underwear was… Ace still hasn't recovered from the embarrassment of that moment. Yet Yuu’s intelligence is very ignored by everyone after that incident. Since no one else wants to face the same embarrassment if they ask the wrong question

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a Zweihander. A long two handed double edged sword. Yuu’s is special since it has two guards, one of the two is under there first hand and has a skull on it. The other is where you'd expect it under the blade and over the grip. This weapon shows off Yuu’s confidence in their own skills. Yuu also sometimes uses their weapon with one hand. Showing off how strong Yuu actually is. Yuu’s skills with their weapon are top notch, so Yuu isn't just a brain but has brawn to back them up. 

Yuu is very egotistical. Ofton stating that they are “the smartest.” Several students dislike this, counting Yuu as an arrogant prick. These students tend to not know how smart Yuu actually is. Yuu doesn't bother correcting them. Since Yuu is smart enough to know it’s not worth the effort. Still some of Yuu’s own friends do find it annoying sometimes how superior Yuu thinks of themself sometimes. 

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. Mother and their dumbass sons. Yuu pulls Ace and Deuce out of trouble and scolds them. It was humiliating at first, but the two ended up getting used to it. Yuu scolds Ace the most, since Ace gets into a lot of trouble. Deuce gets less scolding from Yuu, not to say he doesn't get any. Since Deuce gets into plenty of trouble by himself. Yet every time one of these two troublemakers get into trouble you know Yuu’s soon to follow.

Favorite students: it would be a shock to many saying Yuu’s favorit students are Sebek Zigvolt, and Lilia Vanrouge. The first of these two shocks are Sebek Zigvolt, why would Sebek associate himself with a Human who’s too full of themself. Well after challenging Yuu to a sword duel, and even with others trying to stop this from happening Yuu accepted. Sebek was confident he would win. Only to be shocked when Yuu had him on the floor after thirty seconds. After that Sebek demanded Yuu teach him. Yuu agreed to Sebek’s request, and the two became friends. Yuu came to value Sebek’s companion ship. As did Zigvolt with Yuu’s friendship

The second Lilia Vanrouge, yes that Lilia Vanrouge. So Yuu is strange, so strange in fact that Lilia had picked up on this all the way back in the entrance carmony. Lilia had kept an eye on Yuu after that, anytime Yuu passed him Lilia’s eyes would just linger on Yuu for a second longer than normal. Yuu knew this, after all Yuu knows all. So Yuu had confronted Lilia about this as early as book 2. Asking If Lilia had any questions for them. Lilia did, and got answers for every single one. All in detail, horrible detail, Lilia had chosen to make Yuu’s stay at Night Raven as enjoyable as possible from that moment onwards.

Least favorite students: Yuu diskles Floyd, he’s hard to be around since he’ll just roll his eyes as Yuu scolds him for any wrong doing he’s done, and will to Yuu’s face complain about how Yuu naggs him too much. That's not stating how he’s just unlikeable to be around. Yuu knows how self serving the students are, yet at least the others have tact. Floyed just throws a tantrum when things don't go his way. These things just make Yuu avoid the second Tweel since he’s just a hassle to deal with.

Don Quixote sinner #3:

“I Don Quixote am a just and noble…. Fixer!” “unjust? Worry not! I, Don Quixote will fix this!” “Someone broke a rule? Worry not, I'll punish them!” “... what do you mean I’m too violent?” 

Yuu wants to be a fixer. Not a knight, a FIXER F I X E R! A fixer is a noble profession (to Yuu). There are champions of justice who help the downtrodden (once more Yuu that's not true).I digress though, Yuu loves talking about fixers. The red mist, the purple drop, the black silence, and the red gaze. All the fixers! Not just the colored ones, the colored ones are the fixers Yuu talks about the most though. Students are sick of Yuu’s ramblings.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a lance. One that towers over Yuu, it’s a wonder how they hid it for so long. The size is actually nearly twice Yuu’s size. It shows just how strong Yuu really is. Yuu also swings it around with more finesse than expected. Some students wonder what would happen if they used a normal sized weapon. Sebek knows he demanded Yuu use a normal sword for there dule. Sebek’s ego still hasn't recovered. Yuu’s weapon shows confidence, fitness, as well as speed. A lance is a weapon normally used when horseback riding. Knights used it a lot as well.

Yuu’s sense of Justice is skewed. Yuu is a hero of justice for the downtrodden and powerless. Yet Yuu’s sense of right and wrong is all messed up. They Are willing to jump to violence very easily, if not that then straight up murder. Yuu’s “justice” can be manipulated as well. Ace does this a lot, pretending to be powerless sometimes to get Yuu on his side.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. Ace, as said previously. tends to manipulate Yuu in order to help himself. Ace does care about Yuu, yet recognizes that Yuu is very capable, and can stick up for both of them. Most of the first chapter is Ace realizing how easy it is to manipulate Yuu, and does take advantage of this. Ace will pull back when something he thinks Yuu can't handle whatever Ace got into. So it’s a “I’m the only one allowed to take advantage of Yuu.” situation. Deuce on the other hand pulls Yuu out of trouble. You see, Yuu makes plenty of trouble for themself even without Ace’s help. So the role of responsible one is taken up by Deuce, something totally new to Deuce. Yet this new experience shows him just how much his mother went through raising him, so Deuce is ok with this. It lets him relate a bit more with his mom.

Favorite students: Yuu likes Kalim, his parties are cool and he is super fun to be around. He’s also one of the few students who listen to Yuu talk about fixers without complaining. Making him one of the few students to know how COOL fixers actually are. The only other student who listens to Yuu talk about fixers is Idia! Yuu talks exclusively about Fixers, so Yuu’s world sounds like a shonen anime to Idia. also seeing Yuu fight, Idia is convince Yuu is form a shonen anime.

least favorite student: Riddle WAS the student Yuu hated the most in the beginning for using his power to lord over people, it’s changed after you know Riddle’s character development. Yet I’m sorry to say this, while the two are good friends. And Yuu knows their internal distaste is wrong. Malleus, you can't use your power when something doesn't go your way. Using your power to force what you want on other people is wrong. Malleus has no clue but if he were to use his power, once again (see chapter 7) to force his ideas on another less powerful person. Yuu would be the first to stand up to him.

Ryōshū sinner #4

“What is it now?” “*sigh* stop bothering me OIWKY.” “You're all pathetic to look at.” “geez you do you really need me to do everything for you?”

Yuu is an ungovernable person. You can't tell Yuu to not beat that guy up. It’s like asking a fish to start breathing air. It can't happen. The only reason why Yuu isn't sitting on a mountain of corpses is because they dont kill kids. It doesn't stop them from threatening it, when bothered too much. Crowley walks on a tightrope every time the two talk, and Crowley walks it like he’s in the circus. Ace and Deuce are the only two people who KNOW that Yuu isn't joking. After all they were there when Yuu killed the blot monster. 

Yuu’s weapon of choice is an ōdachi. It’s a long sword that was used by strong samurai. It can be a work of art in the hands of the right swordsman. Yuu is one such person who wields the ōdachi with such grace. It’s almost mesmerizing to watch. So Yuu’s weapon fits Yuu perfectly since it falls in line with what they think is art.

Yuu speaks in abbreviations. Something several other students do, except for Yuu it isn't something as silly as social media that started this… if you were to ask Yuu about it they would in all honesty tell you to screw off. they just do, and only a few students understand what they are saying. So better go ask them to translate for you then get your head cut off

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. Terrified children trying to keep Yuu from killing someone. Ace and deuce have to hold Yuu back. Ace wonders how Yuu become so murderous like how does someone see death as an artform in the first place? Deuce sees his time as a delinquent in a different light now. Because at least he wasn't KILLING PEOPLE. Deuce can look fondly at his past memories. See that he had friends and a community around him. since you know it took an actual murderer to show him that while he was flawed at least he was human, and not killing people.

Favorite student: Yuu thinks it nice to have Cater around, since Cater translates Yuu’s abbreviations for them. “Yuu please don't kill us sorry for bothering you!” Yuu loves messing with Cater. Sometimes killing his clones since there the closest thing Yuu can kill to human, Yuu makes sure to ask if a clone is a clone. Reminder Yuu doesn't want to kill the real Cater, but killing his clones is just fine. Cater is everything Yuu need in this soft mushy world to keep their skills sharp. Cater has taken up the practice of sword fighting as well, to try and define himself from Yuu. Yuu sees cater as the only positive in this school, and cater sees Yuu as a horror movie monster.

least favorite students: Yuu hates a lot of students. Rook is creepy and Vil is too self centerd for Yuu’s liking. Leona requires Yuu to threaten his life before doing anything for Yuu, since Leona is an adult he is on thin ice just like Crowley! Idia why don't you come out of your room? Is it because of the scary sword person? Well all they want is to get to know you, yet you turn them down every time they ask. Lillia is no fun, always serious and keeping an eye on Yuu. the look on his face when Yuu told him about how they’ve already died was priceless though.

Meursault sinner #5

“It's not mine.” “Do you have business with me?” “I have no orders to help you.” “I don't understand why you're so mad at me.”

Yuu is emotionally distant. Yuu doesn't express feelings well. They rarely ever talk about themself or talk to others. Yuu doesn't understand other people's feelings either. It makes Yuu a bit socially isolated since they don't talk unless spoken to. Ace and Deuce have to introduce Yuu everytime the two have started to make a game out of it. Whoever can give the better introduction will talk for yuu. Right Yuu doesn't talk unless they are told to talk. 

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a pair of gauntlets. Gauntlets show strength and confidence in one’s own ability to fight in hand to hand combat. Yuu themself is well built and is extremely strong. It also shows how Yuu is willing to take things into their own hands when ordered to. Being in the frontlines shows how Yuu is someone who is willing to protect people. 

Yuu doesn't do anything there not ordered to. Since Crowley had employed Yuu in the prologue. Crowley actually never stopped paying Yuu, since it means that Yuu is willing to do almost anything Crowley asks them. So for every book Yuu was very willing to do all the things Crowley asked him to. Meaning that book 4 almost never happened. If it wasn't for Jamil’s magic Yuu would have never even cooked with the students of scarabia dorm. This also means that Yuu doesn't engage with conversion unless told to by Crowly, and has to be dragged into conversation by Ace and Deuce. 

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. These two are single handedly carrying Yuu’s friendships and social image. The two even made a magicam account for Yuu in an attempt to bolster Yuu’s social reputation. Yuu have a small detected following form this. Ace is the one who comes up with most of the ideas in this duo. Though the magicam account was Cater’s idea. Everything else is made up by Ace. Deuce on the other hand is the support of these operations. Deuce makes Ace’s ideas happen. The two have been frustrated by Yuu’s apathy towards everything that isn't there orders. Sometimes it feels like teaching a brick wall how to feel. Other the two can look back and see how far Yuu has come.

Favorite students: after crowley order Yuu to tell him who his favorite student was Yuu told Crowley that it was Jamil. Him and Jamil have similar jobs in concept so Yuu thinks that he respect Jamil, Yuu just doesn't understand were his contempt towards Kailm comes from. Since Kailm is Jamil’s employer. Sebek had Yuu’s respect as well. Since Sebek works hard and does anything he’s asked to by Malleus and Lilia 

least favorite students: has to be Sliver and Ruggie. Sliver to Yuu is just not respected. He knows his sleeping habits aren't because sliver wants to, yet still Yuu can't overlook them. Yuu had found sliver sleeping in a hallway before. Yuu doesn't even try to wake him up since Yuu wasn't ordered to. Ruggie just isn't Yuu’s kind of person, Ruggle does what he’s told yet doesn't do it to his best ability. So Yuu doesn't respect Ruggie either. 

Hong Lu sinner #6

“Oh! Is this some sort of fashion statement?” “Help you, sure!” “hm that glass reminds me of one I used to use… what did i say something odd?”

Rich boy sindrom. Yuu doesn't understand half the things around them. Yuu can get dressed in the morning, unlike another rich boy we know. And he can do a lot of basic tasks other rich people struggle with. Yuu isn't helpless, it’s just Yuu doesn’t understand what it’s like to be poor. Sometimes Yuu makes insensitive remarks. Asking if holes in clothing is a fashion statement when someone doesn't have enough money to buy a new uniform. So Yuu has gained some ire from the less fortunate students.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a long guandao. The guandao is a polearm used in some chinese martial arts. This shows that Yuu has been trained in using this form of martial arts. It shows that Yuu has more finesse than the normal comabant. Yuu is a mid rage fighter, a guandao's shaft can be 3 to 5 feet in length. Showing that Yuu is normally a protected fighter.

Yuu is very adept at reading people. Yes I know how weird it sounds, but Yuu’s family look to stab each other in the back at any turn possible inorder to keep their wealth. Yuu merely learned how to keep themself safe from such family members. So Yuu knew Jamil had no good will towards Kalim the moment book four started. 

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. These two are a lot like how they are in the game, just two friends to admittedly a more air headed and oblivious Yuu. Yet Ace and Deuce are just Yuu good friends. The two sometimes have to talk down students who are about to hit Yuu for their insensitive remarks. Yet their friendship is mostly the same as before.

Favorite student: Kailm by a long shot. The two can relate to each other better. They can share their struggles. It’s unfortunate for Yuu that Kailm doesn't share Yuu’s struggles for power amidst their family, yet the two get along so well. And share so many more struggles. 

least favorite student: hm Yuu doesn't hate anyone too much, but Jamil and him just can't get along. Jamil’s backstabbing nature just doesn't sit well with Yuu, so while Yuu and Kalim are together Jamil receives several side eyes. Nothing outright, but Jamill knows about Yuu distrust towards him.

Heathcliff sinner #7

“The hell you want?” “you say shit like that again to me I’m going to crack your skull open.” “I’m fine just leave me alone!” “I will see you again.”

Yuu has anger issues. Like if you say even the slightest of snarky lines be prepared to brawl since Yuu will NOT take any of that. Most of their students hold their tongues when around Yuu. especially the overblot victims. Since those guys got to experience Yuu’s wrath themselves. Yet when someone slips uo Yuu is ready and waiting to get in a brawl. Yuu nearly killed another student.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a bat. A bat with the word revenge written in big white letters. The bat is normally used for baseball. A pass time that families use to get closer and build bonds. Something Yuu never got to do. If there was any indicator. So Yuu twisted this tool for sports into a weapon. Using it to enact their revenge. Using the blunt weapon to splatter brains across the floor.

Yuu isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. They struggle with even going to classes, often skipping. The other students try to help. Yet it just doesn't work. Yuu has resigned themself to being a dumbass. Not like they have anything else other than their anger. Their hatred burns bright and that's all that they need. They don't need to be smart if they can just smash all their problems. 

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. children trying to keep Yuu from killing another student. Except it's a bit different. Unlike sinner 4 this Yuu is a lot easier to stop. Since Yuu is more like a wild beast instead of a practiced killer. Ace has a hard time stopping Yuu. he was the first person to insult Yuu, and the first person to receive Yuu’s death glare. Deuce on the other hand, could stop Yuu single handedly. Deuce hates to admit it but he sees a bit of his past self in Yuu. Yuu talked to Deuce. Admitting that they know that they are not a good person. Knowing that their wrath has, and will continue to hurt people. Deuce tried to rebuke this. Saying that if Yuu just tried-. Yuu stopped him there. There was no use in trying, not after they lost the one person who saw good in them.

Favorite students: shocker here Vil. Yah Yuu will call Vil a pompous douche. Yet at the end of the day Vil has decided to at least try to help Yuu in Vil’s own way. Trying to take care and keep Yuu’s skin clean. It’s not lost on Yuu. Yuu hasn't had someone put this much time into them since- Yuu stopped that train of thought. Vil does complain about Yuu’s scars. Something that does get on Yuu’s nerves. You try living in the city for a day, scars are the least of Yuu’s worries. Also talking to Epel helps Yuu. Epel looks up to Yuu because Yuu just so freakin strong! Yuu has thought about telling Epel that it wasn't just training that makes him strong… It was body augmentation as well. Also Epel is shocked how complacent Yuu is with Vil’s torchouse routine.

least favorite students: leona and Yuu in a room is a recipe for disaster. Each one keeps fighting for the “top dog” spot. (yes I get the ironicism of that statement.) yet these two just CAN'T get along. Yuu hates that “above everyone else” attitude Leona has. Leona just hates Yuu for everything. So you lost something so what Leona has lost more. don't tell leona about Yuu’s ring. He’ll realize near immediately that Yuu did lose something way more important than anything leona’s lost. Ruggie isn't safe either. Ruggie is more rat than hyena to Yuu. That damm rat keeps taking Leona’s side in everything! Yuu has nearly beat Ruggie over this. 

Ishmal sinner #8

“How could two people be so dumb.” “hey hey hey! Don't go getting into trouble now!” “It's like herding fish in the sea.” “Let's not talk about my past please.”

Yuu is a very sensible person. Taking and following rules. Yet knows when rules need to be broken. Since this world has so many more rules then there old one. It is a wonder how they reel both Ace and deuce in. Riddle has half a mind to tell the two to act more like Yuu. Yet Riddle has seen some of the stuff that makes him question things about Yuu themself.

Yuu’s weapon is a mace and shield. The shield, a weapon for the defensive and closed off. A shield is more protection than a weapon, especially Yuu's. It's completely round so there's no sharp edges to stab people with. (yes this was how shields were intended to be used as both weapon and protection.) It's an extra layer of protection that yuu gets while in the front lines. Yuu does sometimes bash people with their shield though. Yuu’s second weapon is a Kalich mace. The Kalich mace is a very blunt weapon since there are no points to this mace. It shows how brutal Yuu can be, caving in a skull is very easy with a weapon like this. The mace is a close range weapon. Showing how Yuu’s shield mace combo is very effective in close combat.

Yuu is very secretive about their past. Withholding any and all details they can. There are only a handful of things the students have gathered. Yuu was out at sea for most of their life. Yuu clearly has some sort of trauma from back then since they never talk about their time out at sea freely. The last, and exclusive to Octavinelle Dorm. Yuu was a part of a crew, so not the captain. Searching for something called the white whale. Octavinelle has kept this information close to their chest. Since they know it's something only they have.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. Ah yes Yuu pulls Ace and Deuce out of all of their bs once more. Not much more to say other like hong lu their relationship is very similar to how it is in game. With the exception of sometimes other students think Yuu and Ace are siblings with them both being red heads.

Favorite students: Riddle after book 1 is Yuu’s favorite. The two get along just fine. Yuu is the more relaxed on rules since they are willing to break them if it’s for the greater good, opposed to Riddle’s stricter compliance to them. Yet they two can settle their differences and have tea together. Though Riddle dose wince when Yuu scolds someone. There's a lot of pent up anger that Yuu holds, and Riddle can see it since he was Like yuu once.

least favorite students: the Octavinelle three. Those three fish folk keep prying into Yuu’s past and life. Those there even used magic agenst Yuu in order to pry more information from their lips. You can't blame them! Yuu is like the closest Humans normally get to the sea. Just what is it like to be looking down seeing the merfolk? They only get informatoms that hurts their relationship with Yuu though. 

Rodion sinner #9

“Hm sure I’ll do it, as long as I get paid.” “Grim dear, you can't be serious, that was on the ground.” “hm need something there?” “I got paid, let's have a feast!”

Yuu will do a lot if paid. Like the only way Crowley was able to get them to do anything is to pay Yuu. even in book 3 when Crowley threatened Yuu with cutting their food budget Yuu just laughed. Since Yuu used to live in extreme poverty, neighbors would drop dead because of hunger everyday. Crowly could cut their budget all he’d like. Yuu knows exactly how to survive with little to no food. If money isn't involved Yuu can be described as lazy not putting effort into anything 

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a battle axe. A versatile weapon that can be used with one or two hands. You can throw axes, you can swing axes. Yuu weapons can even be used as a tool. Such a versatile weapon when in the right, and special hands can turn tides for battle. Unfortunately Yuu isn't special.

Yuu is a laid back person. Their laid back personality makes them very easy to get along with. Yuu tends to talk about food as well. When they do get paid by Crowley they tend to splurge on good food, inviting people over when they do. There's a secret to why Yuu is so laid back. Yuu doesn't care about others' opinions. In Yuu’s own words “I just think. I’m the absolute best and whatever other people think is shit!”

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. These two are best friends with Yuu! Though both get teased to absolute hell and back by Yuu. with Yuu calling them dear or darling (platonically) the two sometimes get embarrassed by this little habit. Like in completely normal conversation Yuu will just drop: “Ace dear that can't be healthy.” or “Deuce dear I don't think that will work.”. Yet the three are inseparable. Ace and Deuce actually don't want Yuu to go home. Wherever Yuu talks about there “home” it’s always full of misery and suffering.

Favorite students: other than Ace and Deuce. Ruggie is often seen around Yuu. Ruggie and Yuu know the pain of poverty. There are three people you’ll find at Yuu’s food parties and they are Ace, Deuce, and Ruggie. Ruggie is also on the bandwagon of Keep Yuu in twisted wonderland. Ruggie if he has extra leftovers, and is not going home anytime soon he will give them to Yuu. The two talk about their pasts, Ruggie was flabbergasted when Yuu told him that they killed the tax collector who was sapping their community of their money. Then they told him about how that wasn't the end and the story didn't have a good ending. Ruggie said he didn't want to hear more, so that Yuu can have a happy ending at least in his eyes. 

least favorite students: rich boys. Yes, any of the rich boys. Look Yuu doesn't have anything against rich people… ok they dont love rich people. But you know Yuu has worked with a rich boy. But these guys. They take everything for granted. Leona is the worst offender. All he does is complain. Who cares if you're second. Yuu was never in the running. Yuu never had a chance Yuu had to take their fate in their own hands and look where it got them! 

extra: Yuu’s gambling habit. Yuu has a habit of gambling the money they earn as well. Wherever is left after their dinner parties. So Yuu’s savings don’t last long. 

Sinclair sinner #10

“Uh don't say that please.” “why don't we all just calm down.” “Please stop fighting, it will get us nowhere!” “uh you stupid fuckin basterd, I should have let you die a long time ago!”

Yuu is incredibly shy and timid. Yuu can be extremely adverse to confrontation as well. They have a hard time standing up for themself as well. Many students take advantage of their timid nature. You can sometimes see Yuu getting drinks for a student who intimidated them. Crowley has Yuu worked to the bone as well. They just can't catch a break.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a halberd. A polearm so we have another mid rager. It's evidence of their timid nature. So it’s natural that Yuu is not in the front line. But don't let that fool you. Yuu has a lot of strength. So much so they have actually thrown bigger people with their weapon before. They’ve been underestimated one too many times.

Yuu when at their breaking point will spout the most foul words possible. The first time it happened shocked so many people, and We're not just talking about calling someone a swear word once. Yuu makes a whole string of them work perfectly together. You have to blink before realizing what you've been called. Yuu will also say it with the most pissed face if you get them to their breaking point.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship. These two have to stand up for Yuu. yet when the two ask why Yuu doesn't stand up for themself they just brush it off. “I just don't like the looks they give me.” or “it’s hard to say no.” yet after seeing Yuu after their breaking point. The two understand as to why. Yuu admits they cave to peer pressure too easily. So the two take it on themself to help Yuu. Deuce actually dips into his delinquent past to help Yuu. teaching Yuu how to look tougher and how to ignore others commnet. Ace helps with getting Yuu some thicker skin. You can't let words get to you. So Ace will be there to give backhanded comments. What do you mean it isn't helpful? Yah after a while Yuu kinda blew up at Ace. so Ace realized that Yuu didn't like his help very much. The two do truly care for Yuu though.

Favorite students: Idia and Yuu are too similar in some aspects. Both come from rich families that get money from technology. and lost family members…. Ok so Yuu lost their entire family but pont still stands Yuu and idia understand the pain of losing family. Both have guilt way down on them thinking that they were the reason that their families were dead. Idia sometimes think Yuu is a little too relatable sometimes. 

least favorite students: Sebek. Yuu generally doesn't get how someone can be so loud, dedicated to someone, And how annoying… Yuu could list off many reasons. Yuu has one of the shortest fuses with this guy around. He demands respect while not earning any. Ugh! Yuu has blown up at him more than once, and each time leaves Sebek stunned on how creative Yuu uses those swear words. The two just don't get along, leaving the two alone will start a fight between them for one reason or another.

Outis sinner #11

“Don't start slacking now!” “I have no respect for any of you, I only respect the executive manager.” “you all really can't do anything without me.” “scoring high on the test wasn't my goal, though it looks like I did well.”

Yuu has no respect for anyone, but who they call “executive manager Dante.”. Yuu almost acts as a drill sergeant when around other people yelling out their mistakes. When people do challenge Yuu. Yuu somehow miraculously is able to do the thing. Yet since this world has a lot of things Yuu can't do Yuu doesn't know how to do Yuu tends to miss some things themself. you can expect if you're doing something wrong, that can be feasibly done by a normal person Yuu will be watching over your shoulder. 

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a kopis. It's a less common weapon. It can be described as a curved blade. While being perfect for hacking and dismemberment Yuu uses the weapon to pearce. Yuu has the know-how, and skill to use it this way. Yuu’s movements are precise and have no openings. You could consider Yuu a true warrior watching them fight, but Yuu would only claim. “This is normal to live, you must know how to fight properly.

Yuu is a wealth of battle tactics. Ofton taking charge of combat and telling other students how to act. There was one barking out orders at the students. Several students hate this. All to make it worse they're fighting in the front. So they are in the most danger. Yuu has even died once because of others incompetence, how they came back is still a mystery to others.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: Ace and Deuce get yelled at by Yuu way too often. Yuu clearly has high standards. Yet Ace and Deuce were the first two people to see the cracks in Yuus persona. Deuce once made the mistake of asking about Yuu’s world. Deuce then informed Ace about it. The two  understood why Yuu’s always so serious. You see when Yuu died Ace and Deuce were in so much grief. Yuu should have had time to relax in this world, not die! Their world was so hard on them so why did they have to die here? The two hugged Yuu when they came back. 

Favorite students: Lilia, by a long shot Lilia. The former general is the only one who understands what Yuu acts the way they do. It took him taking care of silver to soften up, this “manger Dante” could be the key to making Yuu more friendly. So Lilia is patient with Yuu. even when he’s being yelled at for some slight error he nods and goes along with the scolding. After words he asks if you can show him how they do it. It's all about making Yuu feel comfortable. Yuu dying shook him. He was the first person to get to them. Yuu was never meant to die here. Yuu was meant to become a normal person, that's what Lilia was trying to accomplish. He saw too much of his past self in them. After they came back Lilia started to walk on eggshells around them, Yuu had to be on edge. Lilia’s past self would be. Yet when nothing seemingly changed it made Lilia think about why that would happen. Soon he learns about Yuu world, Lilia wants to keep helping Yuu.

least favorite students: Idia, oh boy Idia has been yelled at too many times to count. Yuu Yells at him in his nightmares. Normally he doesn't care much about nobodies, but Yuu is scary. They have skill, talent and came back from the dead! No one's meant to come back from the dead! So Idia cowers in his room locking doors the moment he gets any sign that Yuu is coming to his room.

Gregor sinner #12

“I know you're looking at my arm, just ask already.” “Rude, just because I'm different doesn't mean you can spout that shit off.” “Come on, why so serious all the time? Take it easy once in a while.”

Yuu is a unserious joker. they tend to brush things off that others would hold grudges for. Often cracking jokes here and there. they don't want others to have to worry so much about everything. After what happened to them these kids have a better future for themselves. So they're here to be a friend to talk to with troubles.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is their bug arm. Yuu’s weapon is a part of them. It wasn't even Yuu’s choice to have it. It was forced on them! Even so they have it don't they? Might as well use it. Whenever asked about it Yuu just says “one day my arm had changed”. Yuu is very proficient with it. Yet since it’s a part of their body Yuu has to fight in the front line, nothing new about any of it anyways.

Yuu gets a lot of hate for their arm. Look Yuu could only conceal it for so long. It would spread like wildfire since Yuu has a “creepy bug arm”. Yuu hates when anyone calls them a nickname relating to their arm. Well it's nothing new to them anyways. They will get hate wherever they go. So they won't let anyone get to them.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: These two try to keep everything light with Yuu. they know something is wrong with Yuu, and that Yuu doesn't touch on any of it. Yet there's a clear wrongness whenever Yuu is talking to one of them. Yuu stumbles with their words when caught off guard. Yuu is a horrible liar, while not uncommon Yuu tends to cover up anything about before they came to twisted wonderland. So Ace and Deuce are playing detective trying to uncover Yuu’s past

Favorite students: Trey and Yuu get along just fine. The two have their odd moments yet are clearly friends. Trey is the only one who knows about Yuu’s past. Trey will go to his grave with the knowledge of Yuu’s past. How could a mother experiment on their own son! Even worse, the reason why Yuu was experimented on was because of a war they was forced to participate in. one they was basically the poster child for! Something they didn't want either. Being forced into that position. Trey is a bit more sensitive around Yuu from learning about all that. Ace and Deuce asked on a number of occasions about if he knew Yuu’s past, the answer is always a simple no.

least favorite students: Rook. Having a bug arm fascinates Rook. it looks dangerous, how dose Yuu live normally? Yuu is in fact human Rook checked with the dark mirror. Si how did Yuu even get a bug arm? Yuu feels Rook’s eyes on him all the time. Rook freaks Yuu out!

Vergilius/The red gaze.

“You want to run that by me again?” “That sounds like the last of my patience burning out. One more misstep and I’ll have that person begging for death.” “rule one no bickering. Rule two If I hear fighting I will get involved, and trust me you don't Want me involved.” “What are you bothering me for now?”

Yuu is scary. Yuu is extremely menacing. The way Yuu hold them self, the way they look is scary, even how extremely calm they are in every situation. Even the beast men cower when under Yuu’s gaze for too long. Everything about Yuu horrifies the students. The fay even avoid Yuu. Nothing about Yuu seems right. Almost no one will approach Yuu. It took two students to nearly be expelled for anyone to even talk to them.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is a gladius. A short sword used by the romans. Yuu clearly has confidence in their close combat if they use something so short. Then when they had to fight the blot monster Ace and Deuce had realized it’s not just some short sword. Yuu’s gladius is heated. It will cut through nearly everything and cut through that blot monster like it was nothing. 

Yuu will not tolerate any rule breaking. Just the threat of Yuu being in the room makes even the worst delinquent a good student. Yuu tends to mostly use cleaning as a punishment, but when a bigger rule is about to be broken Yuu leans over the student and asks “are you sure you want to do this?” something so simple yet so ominous. Yuu is ok with lying, Yuu is ok with swearing, Yuus ok with you eating anywhere. Just don't break Yuu’s two personal rules. 

Rule 1 do not let me see or hear you fighting.

Rule 2 do not litter the floor with cigarettes.

No one has broken these and no one whats to know what happens when you do.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: these two can be seen walking and talking around Yuu. Yuu doesn't talk to them much but ace and deuce talk to Yuu plenty. Yuu doesn't tell them to leave so the consensus is the three are friends. Ace and Deuce were asked by Yuu why people have been avoiding them. Yuu genuinely didn't know. I mean Yuu is very aware they are scary, and look unnatural. Yet that has never been a problem before. Deuce caved and told Yuu that they are just a bit too scary. Yuu reflected on this for a few moments then asked if Ace and Deuce found them scary. Ace said they don't, like a liar. Yuu then asked if the two could talk to them more. So after that day the two could be seen around Yuu. Yuu isn't the kind to hate everyone, Yuu is a human like any other, so Yuu appreciates good company.

Favorite students: Riddle, Yuu likes riddle the most for following all the rules Yuu has. Riddle never even yells at Yuu even before the first book. While Yuu has absolutely no respect for the queen of hearts rules, like everyone else Riddle was afraid of Yuu. so when two first years from his dorm started to talk to Yuu. Riddle nearly had a heart attack, who would willingly talk to someone so horrifying.

least favorite students: there are very few repeat offenders of rule breaking, yet few doesn't mean none. Floyd is very aware of how terrifying Yuu is. So much so Floyed nickname for Yuu is abyss monster, because that's what it’s like to stare at Yuu’s glowing red eyes. Floyd has yet to break any big rules while around Yuu. he’s been given quite a bit of cleanup duty. Yet on one unfortunate day, Floyd just so happened to have littered while Yuu was pissed. Yuu remembers Floyed for being a repeat offender. That day Yuu touched floyds shoulder, and leaned down to whisper in his ear “are you sure you don't want to pick that up. I’m not having a good day.” Floyd b-lined it for the trash. Floyd never threw it out. Instead of throwing it out, it ended up in his hand for the rest of the day. So now there's a crushed paper cup on the desk in his room.

Yuu’s job: Yuu is not a teen so Yuu works as a member of the staff. What's his job? Good question. He’s really just a security guard who roams around the campus. Yet Crowley main reason for hiring Yuu was to scare students into following rules, it just gets too hard sometimes dealing with them. So Yuu’s terrifying presence is well appreciated.

Charon 

“Vroom Vroom.” “Mephi is working very well.” “permission to vroom vroom?” “Charon knows Mephi’s back, front, and north east.

Yuu is very childish, often talking as if objects are alive. Using nicknames when referring to people. Ignoring people when mad at them. Humming songs randomly. Yuu can only be described as childish when acting like this. Some students forget they are a member of staff. It also doesn't help that yuu is short. Some students have mistaken Yuu for a student wandering around campus.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is an oar, an odd choice at first glance. Since an ore is used for bots aren't they? Yet Yuu has proven it’s a very effective weapon, you’d be shocked by how quick Yuu is with their oar. Yet there is an issue with using an oar as a weapon. That is an oar was never meant to be used as a weapon, it has no sharp edges nor any proper way to weld it. Yet Yuu show how manages to kick ass anyways. Well you don't work with the red gaze without picking up on a few tricks.

Yuu has both the beast and worst sense of direction. You see Yuu can get to any place, and will get to it. It’s just Yuu has no sense of direction making turners when they aren't meant to or go past turns that others would normally go through. Yuu only knows the back, front, and north east of their bus. Hell Yuu doesn't even use a map. Yet in the end, against all odds. Yuu get everywhere exactly on time. So I guess that's the reason why Yuu hasn’t been fired.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: these two stick around Yuu like big brothers. Giving nasty glares to people who dare insult Yuu, or helping yuu when there's an obstacle they can't overcome. Like high shelfs. Ace and Deuce are always willing to lend a hand. The two were sent to get the mage stone Yuu was there to help them. Beating the blot monster was easter because Yuu had fight with them. Ace cant see Yuu as anything but a little sister. Ace has never had a sister. So being able to help and protect Yuu feels good. Sometimes Ace forgets Yuu is older than him. Yet at the end of the day the two are still friends. Deuce on the other hand looks up to Yuu. Yuu is so calm all the time, never getting mad. So Deuce often asks Yuu for advice. like how to pay attention better, or how to stay calm in stressful situations. Yuu’s advice isn't always the best, yet at the end of the day Deuce always takes it to heart.

Favorite students: Yuu likes Malleus, Malleus reminds Yuu of Vergilius. The two seem intimidating to other people and other people don't approach them often. Yet Yuu has always judged people on how they act, not how they look nor on how strong they are. Malleus was just happy when someone finally talked to him of their own volition. The fay was shocked to learn his friend wasn't a student but a member of staff. Even the staff somewhat avoided him. They wouldn't spare more than needed when talking to him. So at least Malleus had a friend on Yuu.

least favorite students: Yuu doesn't trust these two twins. The leech Twins are off putting to Yuu. Jade is creepy, always smiling and being too nice. Yuu can tell Jade is not being honest with Yuu. he often stares too much. Witch off puts Yuu even more. So Yuu tends to ignore or outwrite avoid him. Floyd on the other hand. He’s as much trouble as some of the sinners. So Yuu keeps an eye on him. Often reporting everything and all things to whomever they can. Yuu sometimes wishes that Vergilius was still with them, Floyed tries to get all sorts of rectons out of Yuu. only for you to try and ignore him. Yuu hit Floyd with their oar once. It stopped him for the rest of the day, but he just got more annoying after that.

Yuu’s job: Yuu is a lot older than they look so they aren't even a student. Yuu is unsurprisingly, a bus driver. Yah the mirror can get them anywhere, but where's the fun in that? So for the least Yuu brings students all around the island. Scarring a few in the process with their horrible driving. 

Dante

“...” “*clock sounds*”

Yuu cant talk normally they have no mouth, actually scratch that Yuu doesn’t even have a normal face. If you count a clock as a face in the first place that is. Yet Yuu is unforgivingly human, often getting mad when accused of not being human.. Grimm seems to understand Yuu just fine. As well as all of the main cast as well.

Yuu’s weapon of choice is to have others fight for them. I will tell you all that Limbus is very diegetic, so I’ll let that bleed in here as well. Yuu has made contracts with all of the main cast of twisted wonderland. All have the ability to come back from the dead with Yuu’s help. As long as Yuu is alive, so is all of the main cast. Not only that but Yuu has the ability to, with the help of the dark mirror. dip into parts of the main cast's life and pull out their true potential and power.

Yuu is a bit cowardly. Even submissive at times letting many people do as they please since Yuu is very easily intimidated. Yet Yuu isn't like Sincler in that they'll let people walk all over them. Yuu has proven time and time again that their cowardice has a limit and if other people are in any danger they have to do something to help. Yu claims that not helping people in dangerous situations would keep them up at night.

Ace and Deuce’s relationship: man… Yuu is basically exactly the same as they are in the game. Other then Ace and Deuce having to talk for Yuu occasionally nothing changed, at all.

Favorite students: the most shocking answer is! Ortho! Yes, that Ortho. The robot is the only one who even tries to help Yuu with their memory problems. The robot is also extremely interested in the world Yuu comes from since if people have made prosthetics for their head could there be full body prosthetics? When Yuu reveals that AI isn't actually allowed in their world because the rulers put a ban on making AI, Ortho was shocked. Yuu then explained that they don't have the same news but aren't smart enough or bold enough to even try making an AI

least favorite students: everyone except Ortho. Don't get Yuu wrong there friends, but god the sinners are easier to work with. There's always the “what does it have to do with me” or “what do I get out of it.” crap. The sinners worked for Yuu so at least they allowed orders yet the NRC students always want something out of the deal. They also constantly complain about having to fight for Yuu. IT WAS YOUR DEAL! You could have just gone “no” and had been done with it. But nooooo! You want to come back from the dead without the strings attached. You know how much PAIN it causes Yuu to bring you back! “It can't be that bad.” IT CAN AND IT IS!

[cerastes]

I've seen people before saying that, in terms of presentation, NIKKE delivers it better than Arknights in telling what they want to tell. And I still see this occasionally whenever people start comparing stories in gacha games. Looking at your post, seems like that wasn't a lie at all.

Right, this is an interesting topic for me, so let me give my two cents on this.

I would say that statement is generally true. Nikke's main strengths are its presentation and knowing how to leverage its strengths in general, but let's focus on presentation: It's story is nothing to write home to (note that I am up to Chapter 18), neither are its events (on this regard, take me lightly, I've only read three), but what Nikke wants to say, you will very clearly understand. It's good at telling its story. Sometimes the localization will have Localization Moments (Chatterbox is described as female in the first cutscene he is mentioned, male every time afterwards; there's a lot of clearly literally translated little expressions that make no sense in the flow of the conversations), but overall, even though you're looking at a story that in a lot of ways you've seen a lot of times, its particularities stand out because Nikke tells them properly, concisely, and clearly. Characterization is consistent, and there's a good amount of care clearly put into both consistency and overarching important parts of the narrative; a favorite example of mine is how, in the tutorial, if you pay close attention, you can actually see Marian's eyes glow red during her reload animation, foreshadowing something pretty important that happens with her later.

So even if the story beats are not particularly good or intriguing -- and sometimes, outright terrible, like in Chapter 18 oh god I hate Chapter 18 -- you at least can tell with clarity what's going on and why it's going on.

Arknights has the yang to the yin here, somewhat: The stories on Arknights tend to range from okay to great, and AK events have a habit of going pretty damn hard, either as a whole or at least parts of them. Sometimes, however, they have a weakness, and this weakness is that the actual story telling can be dense. Density is often attributed to good writing, but the truth is, sometimes, the text isn't advanced, it's simply clumsy, and the prose in Arknights is decidedly clumsy. But when you actually untangle the spaghetti of clumsy prose, you find some strong story telling, strong characterization, and topics you don't often find discussed in video games, less so in gacha. You kinda have to work for it, basically.

Something Nikke does good is also that it keeps its relevant cast at any given story beat low, giving it more cohesion, or rather, making it easy to stay cohesive, because Arknights can handle larger casts pretty well sometimes, but I'll be frank, the current main story has so many literal whos to keep track of that I'm supposed to be invested in that I don't really bother. I'm sorry, but I can't really feel a damn thing about Outcast when she showed up for a few scenes and then got nuked off by a contrivance while fighting some faceless nobodies we are told we should fear.

But on the other hand, Nikke narrative, again, despite its strong delivery, is still built on a feeble base for the most part. I only think of a few characters I care about in Nikke, because a lot of the cast is just fluff and Obligatory Archetypes (bunny girls, school girls, maids, etc), whereas in Arknights, I care about a whole damn lot of them, even those without events, because their files and modules paint a very integral and intriguing picture of them. Even smaller scenes in Arknights sometimes can have a big emotional impact, due to its extensive and well crafted worldbuilding and its clever use of its elements in every event, something Nikke cannot claim, because worldbuilding in Nikke is almost non existent.

They both have their strengths, basically, and it's fascinating to me, a writer, to take a deeper look at them.

[opiopal]

mc as faph from the interpretation of shadows? Has the ability to see if someone is telling the truth or not? Shadow hands from ears? crackhead?

Ooo I had to do some research for this one!!(which I LOVE doing btw) and honestly this would go so hard, I did take a few creative liberties with this, since I didn’t end up researching as much as I wanted to, but I wanted to hurry and write this out!

but yk who would HATE mc having this kind of ability? Luci, the liar of all liars,

like, imagine the first season just with mc struggling to bite their tongue every time he tells a lie, bc they value their life ofc! but as the days go on they realize slowly that... lucifer cant lay a hand on them. not unless he wants to get in trouble with his little boyfriend.

so they begin making comments. Little comments of just.. them “making sure” they heard him correctly, giving him a chance to tell the truth.. from the outside it just seems as if they didn’t hear him, yet the way they ask puts him off. The way that they bat their eyelashes to try and hide the knowing look in their eyes, the way they carefully cross their arms behind their back as they stare up at him. They know something, and he can tell. And he does NOT like it.

though.. while Luci develops more grey hairs to dye later, mc thinks it’s hilarious. Because most of the time they’ll catch him in the most harmless lie.. well, harmless to the world and embarrassing for him. he came home from a trip to the human world, he claims to have bought a record player but he doesn’t want to show his brothers and Mc because it’s “expensive” and he “doesn’t want them to somehow damage it.” .. in reality it’s covered in cute stickers from some little kid who’s parent owned the record player before hand, Luci thought it was beautiful and figured he’d buy it and clean it off… though he didn’t want anyone to know he bought such a thing.. it was covered in my little pony and rainbow stickers for diavolos sake! And it just always baffled mc! Why lie about it? It’s easy to explain! Sure his son and the youngest may giggle at him, but who cares? He does apparently.

though in the beginning mc immediately learns more then they should have.. it’s hard to keep their mouth shut about the attic or Lilith… but somehow they manage to let it come out on its own. Which internally they are relieved about, they don’t have to pretend to not know who painting is of, or act as if they didn’t know there was an attic in the first place.

and after all the pacts are made and mc becomes apart of the family, they mess with the HOL as often as they can . Casually speaking up and answering questions they saw someone ask in their head and scaring them, “yeah I’m hungry to” “HUH-“ or “you probably shouldn’t buy 10 lottery tickets mams..” “WH-“ or “levi don’t buy that Gacha game it’s a scam.” “W-WHAT😨” Solomon somehow figured out this little ability of theirs right off the bat and decided to help them and keep it hidden. So mc has a blast messing with everyone with some help from Solomon.

maybe s8n&belphie at some point make assumptions and BEG mc to read lucis mind so they can prank him, or mams tries to take mc to a casino to get them to help him win, or levi begs for them to figure out what one of his favorite streamers think about him, or asmo sweetly asking if they could see if that guy from across the room is into him(though the guy CLEARLY is, who wouldn’t be? Asmo is obviously adored by all!!) though mc always shrugs and acts as if they have no idea what they’re talking about! Mind reading?? Are you crazy??? They’re only just human after all! Yet they’ll always act as if they could “tell” what someone is thinking, as if it was written all over the persons face, or they’ll always catch one of the brothers in a lie, claiming it was obvious!

so mc probably has everyone convinced they’re just some mini Sherlock Holmes(which gets s8n all hyped, what a nerd). Until eventually Solomon or even barbatos outs them, either by “mistake” or on purpose. and then all of a sudden it’s the brothers turn to mess with them. Suddenly screaming in their head to spook mc whilst they’re having a rare moment of peace, or repeating the same word over and over again, or luci thinking about assignments they have due to remind them instead of it being verbal like a normal person. Which just causes mc to ramp up their OWN antics.

[gacha-incels]

the otome gacha “Love and Deepspace” made a shit ton of money last month and apparently it scared the guys on gachagaming so shitless their thoughts instantly went to “being replaced by sexbots” for some reason. Does this happen when any all female gacha or female banner would top the charts? No, I’ve never seen women immediately make paranoid posts about being replaced with sexbots when this happens or discussing “well it made money, BUT….” I’ve seen men think women will freak out en masse about the thought of being replaced by some “sexbot” but I’ve never seen it actually happen, at least not as much as men freak out and think it’s the end times when like…a gacha game with a male cast makes a lot of money. It’s very telling.

I posted this here for a few examples in english/more western SNS of what we’ve been seeing while looking at the specific incel groups in South Korea and to a lesser extent China recently. Some of the posters may even be from those communities, in which case it’s also worth it to note how these ideas may travel from community to community. A big one is “this doesn’t count because the money is actually not even from women to begin with it’s from (male in her life)” - in this way it doesn’t matter how much or how little the game makes, the financial success will always be due to the powerful finances of a man. they flatter themselves thinking they own the industry in this way, even the games that pander to women. Newer ones I’m seeing are “actually it only makes this much money because men can spend on different gachas/vtubers(?)/games and this is the only thing women can spend on,” and “women are really hard to market to that’s why no one does it” - the first one you can tell is coping. the second one is also ridiculous as the reply says, women spend on male character banners and merch like crazy and the data is, again, right in front of you. The panic of “I hope this doesn’t catch on globally 😰😰😰” from the OP in one of the replies is funny but reminiscent of the “(if there are) men don’t play (the game)” fear of “genshinification” of gacha where male characters pandering to female players will be increasingly be added to gacha games.

Finally (and I’ve mentioned this in previous posts)I added the last one because it’s something I’ve witnessed frequently in all of these “communities,” if there must be male characters in the game they need to be “manly” and “masculine” - these things meaning looking strong, buff, built “proper men.” they will describe Genshin/mihoyo male characters as “femboys” or “twinks”, on a related note I have no idea how that term has gotten so far away from its original meaning and community that these anime nerds throw it out left and right like it’s nothing. You are probably looking for the term “bishounen”. anyway this poster says “women want masculine men” and I’ve seen a lot of guys say this regarding these games though the data absolutely does not show it. this is just the type of male design that they want because the bishounen male that panders to women in “their” game makes them uncomfortable. Look at the male characters who are designed for women in these games. Project Sekai, Ensemble Stars, Genshin, etc. they’re typically lithe and beautiful, mischievous, cute looking. Look up the type of fanart women and girls from a big target market like China make on Lofter, they’re not making these guys in the western ideal of “proper masculine man.” But frequently I see guys pretending the majority of women hate these types of designs that they actually hate. I mean you can already tell what kind of guy this is when he writes “modern woman is not feminine” lol. But there is absolutely a consistent hatred shared between all these men from different communities on male characters that pander to women in this way, part of this is definitely hating the fact that this character has been made for the female audience who they don’t even want playing the game.

[canmom]

a big mercy in the world is that it's actually much harder to hijack someone's behaviour with some kinda visual stimulus than capital would like.

so despite the constant semiotic fusillades of advertisers trying to 'shit in your brain' as the ad hacking slogan goes, you still get better at shutting it out. the advertisers have to resort to more and more desperate means to try to get you to buy product. of course they sell this to their clients as subtle behavioral modifications that manifest without the target even realising. but despite the occasional breakout viral success, it's mostly just a zero sum desperate battle to remind you that they exist at all. most ad exposures are wasted on people who either were never going to buy the thing or were already going to buy the thing. advertisers mostly just copy other advertisers and follow fads but present themselves as the key to success like a court alchemist to a king. overall it's a cancer swallowing up more and more of its host.

this does not make it any less annoying.

anyway, ads are only one part of marketing, and since they kind of suck, the modern method to promote your shit is to try to get 'organic' promotion through word of mouth, positive user reviews on a storefront, etc. so of course many companies cultivate 'influencers', post shill reviews, buy fake metrics, and all that. since all these mechanisms then become immediately less trustworthy, an arms race develops of trying to camouflage the fake marketing speech as 'genuine', 'honest', 'unbiased' etc. the result of this on communication is bad, there's chaff everywhere, but once again the effort of the marketer trying to control you bounces off the wall that people hate it and will not go along with it if they can help it.

a more subtle approach is to just try and cultivate people assigning themselves the role of reviewer. this can create something a bit more symbiotic. the reviewer gets to build an identity out of consuming product and being a discerning connoisseur, and the stuff they like gets free marketing written about it. hence sites like goodreads and letterboxd. not only that but when the thing they like does well, the reviewer gets to feel proud that they acted as a kingmaker.

one weird upshot of all this is that a small company will get really worked up about a negative review on a platform from some rando and go out of their way to placate them. i feel like we're going to see more people exploiting this - ig the gacha mra shit in korea is in part a ripple of that, though those cunts went a lot further than just review bombing.

anyway I've participated in this machine. arguably all the writing about fiction i do on this blog is feeding into it. when i think about it, i think it stinks, but I'm not sure what else to do. there are authors i admire, and who are my friends, i want them to be read by people and have bread on the table.

obviously just because there are powerful actors whose primary concern is moving product doesn't reduce all the discussion of art to elaborate games around moving product. in some sense the 'product review' form is an invading force, best disregarded. but i feel like it would be unwise to ignore the ecological mechanisms underlying what gets made and how and what makes its way to my eyeballs... and how my own behaviours belong to that ecosystem. even if it's depressing to think in those terms.

[werlikestea]

Well i havent posted in a while well, mostly because, i forgor

BUT

wow pretty busy really said fuck you f2p players

I didnt complain untill now so i think i can get a little treat

So ok prepare cause this will be a prob long post or just very well mostly negative about my whole expierence with this game because well I AM PISSED

So I acually first played this game around the time of its release (of couse because of the Leviathan Bath card lmao) but didnt like how the game looked like that much so i quit pretty much as soon as i started

Then my friend got me into it again and well i fell in love with the characters and the plot LITERALLY DONT JUDGE THE BOOK BY ITS COVER

And why am i talking about it well its because it was around the time of christmas gabriel nightmare pass and i was new so i just kinda didnt care about it back then

But now back to the present

so the whole reason im writing this is in the first place is obvs the nightmare pass

Like gabriel one, ppyong one i could live i was like ok it sucks but what can i do i can still get all the 7 kings eventually so thats fine

AND THEN VICTORY LUCIFER NIGHTMARE PASS CAME OUT

AND OMG ok i was like ok im pissed but its probably just the victory cards that will be in the nightmare pass right ?

WELL NO NOW BATH BEEL NOT EVEN A FEW DAYS AFTER LUCIFER'S

both of my favourite characters in a row well how nice

Dont even get me started on how fucked the pricing of it is like i payed for battle passses in games before im not even a total f2p and i was acually considering doing the same here because i mean its a small company and i really like this game so i might as well support it well no. not with this price.

And not only are there no new stories, previous events are payed if u havent read them, oh and if u want to reread them well fuck you too

I honestly havent even read the belphie's event cause i just really dont feel motivated to do it

Maybe its just me but unlocking the character card stories is also a little hard because getting the BEGINNERS candies is just annoying even though it well should be the easiest out of all of them

And the story is what made me get into this game as much as i did

I think it was the first time a game was so perfect for me when it comes to story length, and amount (i tend to get very overwhelmed when theres a lot of content)(I acually quit playing genshin impact after 2 years because there was no skip button)

The 5 chapters, all the events, some of the character's stories i read were all so interesting and fun

and well now we get literally no new content

plus like thats very personal but i would have loved it if this game had some sort of a routine because i feel like everything is such a mess ?

like now we get 3 fucking nigtmare passes in a row, new characters and event are so random and the main story well it left to get milk

also when i say i play this game for the story i really mean it because the battle system is really not my cup of tea overall the game mechanics im just not that big of a fun of that

+just the fact that PB hates that we share content of payed cards with each other but also puts important lore in it just man be fucking for real

I log in everyday just to log in and get my 10 key pull from the pancake shop to feed my gambling addiction and maybe get that mammon or satan attacker cards cause they are the only ones i lack from the ones u can acually get from the standard gacha at the moment

oh and now they erased the free 10 pull from the store huh

well with how little red gems we are getting say goodbye to any gacha in a fucking gacha game

Oh and also i dont know if anyone noticed but now selling S tealeaves gives u 6 pancakes and L tealeaves gives you 9.

3 pancake diffrence. For an S character and L character.

oh and lower grades just dont give you anything really i have like around 14 milion gold and books so yea

and while i wont have that much of a problem cause i already have most cards,most artifact, almost maxxed out bloodshed beelzebub (not his skills)

But now imagine you are a new player trying to get into this game.

And you cant read events unless you pay, u can do the story but i mean u might finish it quickly or it might get hard if u cant get any characters because well doing any gacha at all just got 1000 times harder,you just see another nightmare pass thats just expensive af, oh and a new character comes out and you didnt get lucky with your one ten pull that u managed to get after weeks of working ? well u have to wait 3 months TO MAYBE get it in the standard gacha that well you might do once a week maybe

and so the low maintence game i loved in a span of a few days changed for much much worse

I will probably keep on loging in just to see if maybe anything changes but i dont have my hopes high

ngl with how it looks like rn i doubt even asmodeus for who i was waiting so much for will change my mind about this game

what i need them to do is honestly just bring back the whole previous pancake shop along with this new nightmare one i feel like for me at least selling tealeaves for the normal pancakes and then if i have a lot of it i can changee into nightmare pancakes and then maybe exchange it for some thing would be much cooler and honestly i just want my very easy ten pull back........

for the nightmare passes just make then like i dunno every 3 months even would be better and just make it so that its smth special not neccessary or just make it more affordable for players to acually afford

and i mean what im saying is just random stuff i havent even thought about it that much there might be better ideas for what to do but i honestly wish the best for this game and what is happening right now is just pretty much ruining it for not only me but most players i doubt only f2p, cause even if you pay for a game u need a reason to do it if the game doesnt provide then you might as well go to a diffrent one

Ok i think thats pretty much all there might be more i wanted to say but well i forgor and well im gonna get bubble tea as a treat prob......

[mdhwrites]

Why Didn't I Ask for Amphibia Asks?

I wanted asks for something I liked. That I would be positive about. I love Amphibia. I think the show is great with Marcy being its only real weak point. Why didn't I ask for Amphibia asks then? I know my audience. You guys like cartoons, not gacha games. So why HSR instead?

Because I would not have gotten Amphibia asks. I think in my entire time since finishing Amphibia, I have been sent ONE ask that even MENTIONS the amphibians and it was just to pick a favorite and talk about them. Or, well, I should say mentions them without becoming entirely unhinged about how "Why isn't our frog show about the literally only two characters that exist in it, Sasha and Marcy?"

I have stated before that the rabidity of the fandom about these two, how I have seen them genuinely slaughter some of the best cartoon writing I have literally ever seen just justify why these two shouldn't have gotten more time, has made me like them less. I got two asks, and thank you for the asks, for Amphibia just now... And both about Sasha and Marcy. One being about something I tried to litigate in the past where they argued "Like Celestia, Luna, and Discord, Marcy and Sasha are totes main characters," like that is even an accurate assessment... And the other asking me to ignore that I don't give a fuck about the show showing their relationship and to theorize on what Sasha and Marcy's relationship are. Not the end of that blog's statement where I mentioned that the Plantars actually have really deep ties to questions facing Amphibia and its themes but just Sasha and Marcy.

Always Sasha and Marcy. NEVER ANYTHING BUT SASHA AND MARCY.

I genuinely do not give a flying fuck about those two anymore. I love Sasha's arc. I think Marcy is a well done nerd, potentially better than any in TOH. I think there's a lot of good to say about them but I have no interest in anymore. Not when I'll just hear, "Yeah, and that's why the show committed war crimes by not giving them more episodes!"

So NO, I do not want Amphibia asks. I potentially never want to see another Amphibia ask in my life because at least with TOH, there is an interest in the show itself, instead of whatever warped perspective the Amphibia fandom has where the name was actually St. James. I would rather have people who's perspective I at least understand, who nominally actually still want the work they got, than people who would burn it all down just because their favorite characters didn't take up 90% of the run time.

THEY DON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT ANNE FOR GOD'S SAKE!

So yeah, I'd much rather have Star Rail asks while I'm trying to focus on analysis I like. Have a good day everyone, see you next tale, sorry for the aggression.

[jmtofp]

In response to this post:

I think it's because it has the best story progression and build up.

Everyone appreciates a story with rising action, climax, and resolution. You need the "lows" in order for the "highs" to stand out, and vice versa. A small problem some other chapters had was the use of too much "high", tense moments, which results in feeling like the player was just thrown into the climax of a story.

One thing Xkour also does with its "low"s is set up a growing sense of unease, teasing the player with mystery.

Xkour starts with a friendly tutorial into the game, the player feels welcomed as no imminent threat is found. However, that changes as the tutorial goes slightly haywire and with the newly learnt fact that dying actually has consequences. This unease steadily grows until the third quest where it reaches its peak. So, what does the summoner do? Flee this "peace" and "fun" to find out the dangerous truth behind it all. One exposition later, and we've reached the first climax and subsequent resolution. Beautiful.

But of course, the story isn't done. After the first resolution, we get another moment of "low"s getting "higher" as the guardian trials start, but similarly with that unease that something is wrong back at main and even here. This time, instead of reaching its peak when the exposition drops, the story suddenly goes into a relative "low" with the reveal that the threat, the creator, wasn't here all along. But of course, it almost immediately shifts back into a "high" once another similar truth is revealed. So then we have the big climax of the whole two chapters, and then the story somewhat manages with its resolution.

Another thing would be the story's relatability.

What I mean is that players can easily connect with the characters that appear since everyone is a player here. (Also, who doesn't like the idea of a VR parkour game?) So this connection makes the stakes hit harder.

The ultimate threat of this chapter is the imprisonment and brainwashing of the players. And I assume it's easier to understand the dread of being trapped forever as opposed to other fantastical threats.

The story also uses Cyto as a way to personalise the danger of being potentially stuck in a game forever. Something about feeling more for one person's story rather than a general populace's. Although that may be the case, the story kind of fails to deliver on his anguish and thus people, us, are going to rewrite that sh** because it's too good to give up on.

(Luna's emotional anguish with herself as a program rather than a real being was also a treat.)

Another neat thing about Xkour is that it's the only chapter to have a clear connection to Luni that isn't about the swords of corruption.

There are a plethora of other minor things about this story that compile up to make this my favourite two chapters in Gacha World, some of which may differ from individuals.

tldr:

The Xkour storyline applies story writing 101 (the hill) well enough and is quite relatable, allowing the player to easily get invested into the story.

Cyto is an underrated character with almost as much emotional baggage as DJ X, and that's something this small community likes to see.

(I say that with a straight face as I continue typing out my currently 2600 word count analysis on Vale in canon and her despair with being trapped under C!Kilios' rule.)

Goodness, I love Xkour.

[sabakos]

sometimes you read the first couple pages of a book and its like "wow, even THIS got published?" but I think part of it is that writing quality is not a criterion with a high predictive value for sales

it's kinda like that korean gacha game meme where the project goes belly up because they didnt make it clear soon enough that the player is the only male in the setting, I wouldn't be shocked if "romance subplot between the author's self insert and a girl it becomes increasingly obvious from the detailed description is based off of someone he knows in real life and is too chickenshit to talk to" is something publishers are actively encouraging in the sci-fi space. what i considered the bad parts of asimov may well have been the key to his success, it's dire.

[cerastes]

What are some of the greatest/most impressive feats of strength in Arknights’s story?

Taking the overall narrative and worldbuilding into account, I believe the most effective aspect of Arknights' narrative is that they managed to make Terra feel like a breathing, living world and setting instead of a vehicle for the point-of-view character to exist in and act upon. This is specially remarkable for a mobile gacha game, as settings in these tend to be exactly that sort of vehicle instead of world that give any hints of existing when outside the player's immediately vision. The way I like to think about it is, "if a tree fell somewhere in this setting while my intended point-of-view or self-insert character isn't there to see it, did it make a sound?”. In Arknights, Girls' Frontline and SIGH Epic Seven (credit where it's due), the answer feels like a yes to me, whereas in every other game of this kind, it feels like a no, if you know what I mean.

This is intrinsically tied to the cast of characters: It is an inevitability that games where a guiding principle is to release an immense number of characters throughout its lifetime will have characters that will never have any relevance whatsoever besides existing as a minor piece in the world, and Arknights is not immune to this. Even other works of a different base nature and with a much smaller casts will be victims to this: In Trails of Cold Steel, for example, you have a pretty big cast of playable characters, some of which are very well developed and have a lot of screentime and development, and others who are Gaius Worzel. However, this leads to two aspects of Arknights as a narrative and as a game telling a story and fleshing out a world that I appreciate:

The first is that those characters that do get used, are for the overwhelming majority fun and interesting to see and accompany throughout their narrative, and rarely for me, I include the usual point-of-view character in this, Doctor. I tend to have a pretty big dislike, if not disdain, for characters you're meant to self-insert into, I sincerely cannot stand them. Doctor definitely has a big of a self-insert nature to them, but there's also a lot of the Doctor that is actually pre-established, such as them being a weirdo, tending to be very effective but also causing troublesome aftermaths that others then have to clean up, and being particularly good at bonding with assassins and underworld types, among other things. More importantly, Doctor is not present in most side-stories. This is fantastic and leads to the second aspect I appreciate.

This second aspect is that the cast has legs to stand on without needing the protagonist or POV character. You'd think this is a problem mostly limited to gacha games due to their usually flimsy narratives and structures, right? Except, this is actually a huge problem in pretty much every corner of narrative art! I can think of countless comics, manga, cartoons, anime, light novels, novels, and much more, eastern and western, that just tend to have worlds and casts that center entirely around the protagonist, for the protagonist. Whether it be a US author writing out their post-apocalyptic hoarder fantasy or a Japanese author detailing the trials and tribulations of a relatable nobody that a myriad of girls want to have sex with, and even some other pieces of art perhaps not so comically easy to make fun of, it's a consistent aspect of them that the protagonist is the center of the universe, both in terms of events and what the rest of cast thinks about, talks about, and takes action upon. Obviously, this results, in my opinion, in weak worlds and weak casts that have no legs to stand on. I appreciate that even without Doctor around, Arknights does a good job of having protagonists of their own little stories in the side stories: Olivia Silence is a joy to follow when she takes the lead in a Rhine Lab story, Kroos has been one of my favorite characters to be able to experience events through with the Sui stories, Skadi and the Abyssal Hunters are exciting to watch in Abyssal Hunter stories, and the latest event as of the writing of this post filled me inspiration, seeing Reed star in a character piece that tells us more about someone so immensely reticent to open up. It's by having interesting world events occurring throughout Terra that don't have the input of Doctor, and thus lets us see more and more of this huge cast of characters taking the lead that I think is a fascinating experience for me as a reader that keeps things fresh. It's even allowed me to come to appreciate characters I initially didn't care about, such as Bagpipe and Magallan, and see, in most games of this nature, if I don't care about a character frame one, it's probably going to stay that way because, well, if I didn't care about what their limited assortment of pre-cooked lines had to sell me on, then I'm likely not going to care about that character likely not showing me a new aspect of themselves impactful enough to change my mind in an event they'll likely just be an accessory to.

It's upon this base that I think Arknights stays interesting and fresh: A solid foundation that I can agree with and that keeps things dynamic and interesting. Specific events and story beats that I think are interesting are a natural result of these baseline aspects, but it all traces back to the cradle, to these baseline aspects that facilitate those cool narratives in the first place.