#just as I had no issues with Mei in LOTW

[thisghosts-obsessions-again]

Lol okay, I don't want to reblog. However, that one post my mutual reblogged how if RC set a story in Africa and everyone would complain about it not having POCs is wild. It's base on reality? I'd be more than giddy to play as an African MC provided the character and the culture is handled with care and respect it deserves (side-eyeing that one book). Hell, I recently listened to a good short story on a podcast wherein Africa is the one in power and loved it! Mei having only Japanese options for appearance? It makes sense given the context and setting. But fantasy??? A genre you can toy with in terms of civilization and customs? The beauty of different races intermingling with one another both good and bad? Why shouldn't there be POCs elves? Why does it have to be limited to Western rules? What's stopping you from (again, with the respect and care it warrants) to borrow elements from other cultures? Wouldn't you rather immerse yourself in that kind of world building?

I guess what I really want to say is the world has been diverse since the dawn of times so why shouldn't fantasy not be?

[hell-chronicles]

In my coldness playthroughs 1 & 2, I played Mei as a lesbian (currently on passion path with Kazu to investigate a theory and also see what people like about him).

In playthrough 1 (coldness, pearl, bad ending), I had her sort of have some complex feelings for Kazu due to spending time together on the run, and him being kinder to her than any man she had met, but she never really explored them because she has attachment issues what with all the death and separation. Then she found Shino and she was like "*deep voice* Yes, very *blushes in homosexual*" every time Shino asked her if she thought she was pretty. Shino ended up being her calm in the storm.

In playthrough 2 (coldness, pearl, empress ending) she's a lot more confident so she did go for the kiss with Kazu. It was a nice kiss but... She didn't feel everything she expected to feel. No fireworks. She was flustered by the gifts and attention from Kazu and Masamune but didn't feel more than gratitude and embarrassment (hey, at least she was getting a good grade in Making Men Like Her, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve). Then later on Shino kissed her and she was like "wow 😳 okay 😳cool cool cool 😳 did not expect to feel like this". I think coldness Mei does kind of read like a repressed lesbian to me. And I got the "I cherish you" scene in this round, it felt slightly awkward because Mei is Bad At Feelings™ but it was sooo sweet.

I mean it's also arguably a trauma thing, since she was taught to please men from a young age. In my passion amber Kazu round, I'm learning that she really does, unconsciously or not, worry about how to please him. I assume it's similar with Takao. Not sure about Masamune tho because they've always had a touching and balanced friendship in my other routes.

But yeah, I do especially enjoy lesbian!Mei (I say this as a wlw). But to be completely fair, I tend to headcanon my avatars gay if it's a single love route romance game, because I can't make them bi and poly like the hoe that I am.

- Anon who strung kazu along

Ah okay I only Played Passion + Pearl + Empress ending and I did not persue any of the guys so it's interesting to read from that perspective

With me Mei was mostly just awkward around men. Obviously she knew how to act around them Thanks for her education but it was mostly just courtesy especially during season 1 and 2.

Ig for Mei the appeal of Shino was just that she's so unconventional and honest which does Match Passion Mei who is very honest with her emotions. And the "I cherish you" scene did make a lot of sense with Passion Mei who would immediately comfort Shino and yes it was very cute and lives rent free in my head 😤

But I heard a lot of good stuff about the other routes like kazu not pushing her at all and Putting his entire trust in her to not make her uncomfortable (Aka the knive sex scene). Pretty sure it's similar with the other routes since the LOTW lis all have strong followers ^^'

But yeah I do play most of my mcs as lesbians or at least queer so I do see Mei with that lesbian lense and interpret her as such at least for my own playthrough.

Also LOTW really isn't the book to be a hoe