#mao the unknown story

[raelyn-dreams]

Enstars Updated Ages (as of 12/2024)

(Plain Text and Info under the cut, as well as new HiMERU age spoilers)

31-33: Jin Sagami.

29-31: Akiomi Kunugi.

21-22: Rinne Amagi, Nice Arneb Thunder (Sanda Yoshihide).

20-21: Rei Sakuma.

19-20: Eichi Tenshouin, Wataru Hibiki, Chiaki Morisawa, Kanata Shinkai, Tatsumi Kazehaya, Nagisa Ran, Hiyori Tomoe, Shu Itsuki, Niki Shiina, Kaoru Hakaze, Nazuna Nito, Keito Hasumi, Kuro Kiryu, Leo Tsukinaga, Izumi Sena, Ritsu Sakuma, Tsumugi Aoba, Madara Mikejima.

18-19: Yuzuru Fushimi, Hokuto Hidaka, Subaru Akehoshi, Makoto Yuuki, Mao Isara, Mayoi Ayase, Ibara Saegusa, Jun Sazanami, Mika Kagehira, Koga Ogami, Adonis Otogari, Souma Kanzaki, Arashi Narukami, Natsume Sakasaki, Anzu, Kaname Tojo.

17-18: Tori Himemiya, Tetora Nagumo, Midori Takamine, Shinobu Sengoku, Hiiro Amagi, Hinata Aoi, Yuta Aoi, Tomoya Mashiro, Mitsuru Tenma, Hajime Shino, Tsukasa Suou, Sora Harukawa, Hitsugi Kurone/NEGI.

16-17: Aira Shiratori, Kohaku Oukawa, Esu Sagiri.

15-16: Ibuki Taki.

14-15: Fuyume Hanamura, Raika Hojo.

12-13: Kanna Natsu.

HiMERU Spoilers!!!: 19-20

Unknown: Seiya Hidaka, Gatekeeper.

Info / Explanations for the Curious

All ages are one year up from their currently listed age. The newly released ages for 4Piece are confirmed to be before their current year birthdays, meaning they will age up during the year.

While Jin and Akiomi's ages are currently listed in !!/ES1 Era as 31-32 and 29-30 on their profiles, respectively, these ages are not widely agreed upon, due to them not lining up with the Main Story's stated ages (which would be one year younger for each). Therefore, I used a wider range encompassing both of these possible ages.

Rinne and Niki never attended high school, and Niki therefore did not graduate with any of the ! Era third years, while Rinne would have been a third year during the War, had he attended.

Rei was held back due to his time abroad in his second year, making him one year older than the other ! Era Yumenosaki third-years, which he graduated with.

Tatsumi and Ritsu were both held back in their second years, due to Tatsumi's hospitalization and Ritsu's chronic absences due to his condition and lack of motivation, making them one year older than the other !!/ES1 Era third-years. Therefore, Ritsu recently graduated from Yumenosaki at the end of !!/ES1 Era March, while Tatsumi graduated from Reimei Academy around the same time.

Kaname was a first year alongside Jun during the Reimei Revolution (while Tatsumi was a second-year). Therefore, had he not been rendered comatose, he would have graduated Reimei Academy with Jun at the end of the !!/ES1 Era, making him the same age as the other !!/ES1 Era third years.

Hitsugi was admitted to the producer course during !!/ES1 Era as a second year, much like Anzu the year before, placing his age as the same as the other current !!!/ES2 third years. (While Hitsugi is 17-18 NEGI identifies as his older sister, likely putting her conscious around the age Hitsugi's original older sister died).

As of Ephemeral Festival, HiMERU is confirmed to be 19-20. This tracks with Akira's impossibly mature writing of children & babies (10-month-old Rei remembering specific details of Ritsu's birth, 3-year-old Hiiro speaking in full complex sentences about philosophy, etc), the possibility of Kaname being an affair baby (HiMERU ran away after his father's remarriage specifically; his father could have cheated on his mother before she died), the fact that HiMERU needs to be younger than Rinne (stated in internal monologue), and general Enstars timeline weirdness.

Seiya and Gatekeeper's ages are unknown, though they are typically estimated to be slightly older than Jin and Akiomi (mid-late 30s), with Gatekeeper seen as older, due to Gatekeeper's long history with Godfather (while Seiya is still an active idol with a late-teenage son).

[gimmiesophiebaek]

Season Four: What Do We Know

Returning: Luke Thompson (Benedict, lead), Claudia Jessie (Eloise), Hannah Dodd (Francesca), Will Tilston (Gregory), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth), Ruth Gemmell (Violet), Victor Alli (John), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Masali Baduza (Michaela), Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Hugh Sachs (Brimsley), Emma Naomi (Alice), Martins Imhangbe (Will), Daniel Francis (Marcus), Jonathan Bailey (Anthony), Simone Ashley (Kate), Luke Newton (Colin), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope), Polly Walker (Portia), Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley), Geraldine Alexander (Mrs. Wilson), Julie Andrews (voice of Lady Whistledown)

Status unknown: Chris Fulton (Phillip), Jessica Madsen (Cressida), Kathryn Drysdale (Genevieve)

Joining: Yerin Ha (Sophie, lead), Katie Leung (Araminta), Michelle Mao (Rosamund), Isabella Wei (Posy), Susan Brown (Mrs. Crabtree), Gracie McGonigal (maid), Summer Knox (debutant), Sachin K. Sharma (Louis), Pablo Diska (“Pretty boy”), David Anthony Barr (“Demimonde Man”)

Rumored/Unconfirmed: Elena Saurel (Miss O), Yoyo Chan (undetermined), Arthur Lee (Richard), Chloe Park (young Sophie), unnamed baby Edmund and unnamed baby Lord Featherington

Shonda Rimes: EP

Besty Beers: EP

Julie Ann Robinson: EP

Chris Van Dusen: Creator and EP emeritus

Jess Bronwell: Showrunner

Kris Bowers: Composer

Tom Verica: Director

Jaffar Mahmood: Director (rumored)

Possible flashbacks of Sophie’s childhood: There are two actors who follow each other on IG that could be playing the Penwood (Arthur Lee) and young Sophie (Chloe Park: please do not repost her social media). Rumored young Sophie also follows Shondaland and Bridgerton IGs.   

Sophie "Baek" background. Sophie has a Korean last name but we don't know if that's from her mother or something her dad made up. His last name was Gun (as far as I understand, also a Korean last name), but her stepsisters' last name is Chinese (Li).

Masquerade: Most likely in E1 because it's the season's first ball. It's the place where “attendees are encouraged to transform into whomever they choose”.

It seems that Benedict arrives late to the masquerade ball.

Benophie dance lesson is switched from the terrace to inside a gazebo. One of Sophie's gloves is *involved*. We still don't know how but probably as in the book (i.e. Cinderella's shoe). Sophie's dress is regency style. Benedict's costume is all black or dark brown.

Lake scene. Since both Yerin and Luke have already talked about this I think it's safe to say it will be the big talking point in the season's promo with the Masquerade.

There will be a Xiangqi game, a popular Chinese board game.

Benedict's bachelor place: Confirmed thanks to the designer's mood boards on Pinterest).

Kilmartin Estate in Scotland will also be featured (also from the designer's mood boards in Pinterest).

Both Li sisters will debut at the same time.

Rosamund is vain and Araminta's favorite. She tries to win Benedict, who is "the ton’s most eligible (if totally reluctant) bachelor".

Posy is kinder, chatty, overly friendly and socially embarrassing. According to Wei, Posy goes “on a nice journey” throughout the season. 

Leung: Araminta is fabulous, discerning, blunt and does "not respond well when anything -or anyone- threatens her standing in society". She is a "mother-slash-villain" and would “never call her evil because I adore her – I think she’s absolutely fabulous. She’s just heavily misunderstood”. She is also "feeling the pressure to get at least one of her girls married of" and “chemes to marry off one… to Benedict Bridgerton”.

Leung said Araminta’s costumes “are something else”.

Eloise, Francesca and John return to London, specifically to Bridgerton house.

According to Andoh, there is a garden party in E1 or E2. Not sure if Danbury is hosting that party.

The Demimonde is back. We have seen the Demimonde in Granville's parties in S1.

The story most likely begins in spring (social season's time) but there will be a time jump to autumn. There are leaked photos of the Bridgerton house with changing seasons. In an interview, Brownell mentioned how this will “open the Bridgerton world: this could mean the autumn, the countryside or the working class with a main character (or all three at the same time).”

Benedict will begin the season "aimless" and "loveless". Despite "his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, [he] is loathe to settle down"

Benedict’s fluidity will be explored.

Sophie doesn't know how to dance.

Ha: Sophie "craves and yearns for love despite all of her trauma and neglect". She is "a victim of tragic circumstances" and "has trouble trusting others". She has "been forced to work as a maid for one of the most demanding employers in the ton… [but] her resourcefulness helps her persevere".

Thompson: Benedict is "a man of many interests, and that’s great in some ways, and in some ways, though, can betray a sense of being lost or a little bit restless. And that goes quite deep… There is clearly something in him that’s not very comfortable, a bit scared or a bit worried about the idea of really committing to something. And that’s partly the struggle".

Sophie's decision to disguise herself in order to attend the masquerade will be "risky". This probably means they are following the part of the book where Araminta throws her out into the street after the ball.

We'll see a "shift" in Benedict when he meets a "mysterious lady in silver". He will "find himself on the hunt for Sophie".

Sophie is not "like the debutantes that usually populate Bridgerton". There is a "sincerity of her face".

Love at first sight trope confirmed: Sophie's decision also means that "both lives [hers and Benedicts] are forever changed" after the ball. Ha described it as "prismatic… when the light comes in and then it goes into a rainbow".

Ha: The season will be an "emotional tug of war, this kind of push and pull between what their hearts desire and what society desires for them".

Thompson: Also a "struggle between a proper old-school fairy tale -the romance of it- and the actual reality of the world… both are true. You have to hold both of them -the romance and the reality- in your hand. In its best version, 'true love' happens in the middle of that".

Sophie will struggle with her own mask because of the "battle of social status" or when she is "trying to hide her feelings from Benedict".

Upper and lower class trope: Confirmed. Ha: "It is the first time we really see the upper and lower class come together this season… My character is someone who constantly has her guard up. She… is always reminded of her place and doesn’t dream of more than her station as a maid. However, she is human after all, and craves that human-to-human love and connection. And it’s not until she meets Benedict that she slowly lets her guard down, bit by bit, and starts to create space to let love flow in for her."

Thank you to Mado_93 on Reddit for gathering all this info and allowing me to bring this over to Tumblr!

[purplealmonds]

How Mizue's costume design unlocks her tragic backstory in the original Bakeneko story arc

I believe that prior to being married into the Sakai family, Mizue was an oiran or perhaps even a taiyu. Recently, I learned that the hyogo hairstyle is exclusively for taiyu, the highest class of oiran.

Mizue has the same hairstyle, down to the last detail.

Oiran were not your average courtesan. They were well versed in music, conversation, poetry, and a plethora of other sophisticated activities which appealed to their aristocratic clientele. As such, they highly regarded as the "ideal woman" in Japanese society.

Unlike other yujyo (prostitutes) working in yukaku (the red light district) their high status grants them the privilege to reject customers they dislike. To become an oiran's patron, a prospective customer must not only spend exorbitant amounts of money, but also be a gentleman. They are afforded a level of dignity and power that most women of this era did not have.

But of course, with such manners there's always a darker side to this glamorous facade.

Mizue had to work her way up to be an oiran. As a lowly yujyo, she was likely sold to prostitution as punishment because her family owed a debt or committed a crime. The life expectancy for yujyo is abysmal - many die from disease or just terrible living conditions long before they can pay off their debt. What's more, if they become pregnant, they must go through horrific abortion practices.

At first glance, it seems like a foolish decision for Mizue to marry into the Sakai family. But let's examine the potential events that lead to that choice. It's entirely possible her first and only contact with the Sakai family is Yoshiaki. He's not particularly clever. He's also not particularly dangerous. Most importantly, he's filthy rich.

It was a common dream for those in her line of work to escape prostitution through marrying a patron. To Mizue, it would be laughably easy to manipulate this clueless man to propose. Then she's home free - access the Sakai's coffers and married to a man who admires but doesn't sexually desire her. Sadly, her ambition for higher status and freedom became her downfall.

In the Sakai clan, she is forced to face past traumas. In the original anime, is implied that Mao's father is Mizue's her father-in-law, Yoshiyuki.

This is more or less confirmed in the 2023 stageplay.

⚠️Be warned, stageplay spoilers abound beyond this point!⚠️

There is a scene where Mizue spurns her newly-wed husband, Yoshiake's, dimwitted advances. Yoshiyuki drags a screaming Mizue off stage. Shortly after, Sato, who isn't necessarily thriving in this hell as much as relishing her position as a lowly servant granting immunity to such torments, smugly congratulates Mizue for bearing a child for the Sakai family.

This surely gives Mizue flashbacks of her time as a yujyo before being promoted to an oiran, having to bed with whatever deplorable man who has enough coin to pay for her services.

This pregnancy granted her a twisted form of protection. In the stageplay, Mizue is suspicious of Sato delivering food to an unknown person. Sato deflects her inquiries, so she investigates for herself. She descends to that basement, and witnesses Yoshiyuki beating the imprisoned Tamaki.

Sato cooly reassures a horrified Mizue that she has immunity against this treatment. This is the difference between being a Sakai mistress and a Sakai childbearing wife.

Mizue knew that helping this wretched stranger would compromise her safety. She feels guilty, of course. But she didn't get as far as she did by choosing compassion. This lack of compassion was Mizue's time-tested survival mechanism. It is a sad irony that when she let her guard down to love Mao, it also made her vulnerable to the bakeneko's possession.

When Mao was born, perhaps Mizue a had brief reprieve. This was a child she did not have to abort. Perhaps this will be a daughter who will be free from the suffering she endured.

We don't get much characterization of Mao in the anime. But in the stageplay, she is portrayed as an innocent and carefree. Even the worst of the Sakai men seemed to humor her childish antics. Doted upon her, even. The risk of her innocence being shattered, however, is ever on the knife's edge.

When a young Mao scampers up to uncle Yoshikuni inquiring of grandpa Yoshiyuki's whereabouts, he easily divulges the information. Just then, Mizue and Yoshiyuki emerge together. Given the former's flustered reaction, it's highly implied the latter just finished violating her. Despite what just transpired, Yoshiyuki takes a grandfatherly (fatherly?) interest of the drawing Mao wanted to share with them.

In another scene, young Mao encounters and becomes enamored with a black cat. Yes - the very same black cat that escaped from Tamaki's basement some time ago. She procures a temari ball - one that grandpa Yoshiyuki gifted her - to play with her new feline friend. Yoshiyuki happens upon them. He balks and sends Mao away to do her studies. Yoshikuni watches on smugly, knowing full well why Yoshiyuki reacted the way he did. Then he draws his sword and begins his cat murdering spree.

Mizue is a perceptive woman. I fully believe she was aware of these happenings. But to act out would mean forfeiting her tenuous protection from becoming another Tamaki, now rotting away at the bottom of a sealed well.

What's more, acting out would also put Mao in danger. Tamaki was doted upon and showered with gifts too, once. One small act of defiance was all it took for the late mistress to fall from favor. There's no telling how Mao would react once she learns how horrible the men of this family actually were.

So Mizue plays nice and carves a place for herself within the Sakai family's power dynamics. Through her machinations (because Yoshiaki doesn't seem the type to power-grab), she usurps Yoshikuni's position as the head of household.

This new status grants Mizue and her beloved daughter an extra layer of protection. Unfortunately, with this new power, her husband's financially irresponsible tendencies are paired with unlimited access to the family's coffers.

When the family falls into debt (yet another trauma from her days as a yujyo), Mao was to be married off to the Shiono family. Perhaps Mizue, who's implied to handle Sakai family finances, proposed this idea.

I would like to think it was to give Mao a better life rather than for financial gain. Given her final words of advice to a living Mao, and her hysterical weeping over a dead Mao, it's clear Mizue cared deeply for her daughter.

Mizue was a women who was determined to rise above the unjust situations life threw at her. When her debt-ridden family sold her off to prostitution, she rose to become taiyu, the highest ranking courtesan amongst even the oiran. Her misstep of marrying into the Sakai family brought her low once more, but she used her wits to regain some of her lost power not protect only for herself, but her beloved daughter, Mao.

When she loses Mao to the bakeneko, it's no wonder she finally has a nervous breakdown. All her quiet suffering in the Sakai family to ensure a better future for her daughter was all for naught.

It's no wonder that the bakeneko latched onto her, a woman futilely fighting tooth and nail to regain her lost agency finally succumbing to that primal fury of the indignities that befell her from cruel men.

[mariacallous]

So, I'm not an expert in Chinese history, but I've read a lot of books on modern China (post-1949) and one interesting thing I notice is there's a fair number of western PhDs who rely on access to Chinese Government controlled documents to do their research and also just magically seem to also follow (generally) the CCP party line on Chinese history.

case in point, I'm working my way through David Shambaugh's "China's Leaders: From Mao to Now" I've gotten through the Mao and Deng chapters and while there were no glaring revisions, there were a lot of interesting things that leaned into the Party line of Mao being "70% good, 30% bad" for example the literally ONLY reference to Tibet was in the Mao chapter where he off handedly mentioned that while the PRC was founded in 1949 "Tibet and other provenances were not liberated till the 1950s" also following the party line that Mao before 1957 was good for China he stated without any source that Mao had Neurosyphilis which was effecting his mind during the Cultural Revolution. I've never heard this before having read Mao: The Unknown Story, Frank Dikötter's trilogy of China under Mao, and a number of other books that touched on Mao or his time.

also just now he rather boldly declared that the while people say the USSR "collapsed" "it was overthrown" and then moves on without clarifying what that means.

I've noticed as a generalize of these kinda of Sinophiles they lived or studied or visited regular China and are very strong believers in the idea of China as one continuous, largely unchanging nation/civilization for 3,000 years (Shambaugh using this figure in the opening chapter and Mao chapter) or 5,000 years (he switched to this number in the Deng chapter) while there are connections of course and cultural roots etc, one would not talk about European nations this way. Indeed Shambaugh at one point said Deng unleashed "the inherent entrepreneurial spirt, in the DNA of all Chinese" which could be a cute turn of phrase but again I've run into this idea of basically race science about the Chinese (but a good thing!) from professors like him before

I think it should be uncontroversial to say that while people have lived in China for 5,000 years and their history informs the society there now, its not different from the ways Rome informs Europe, and that the PRC does not represent a largely smooth continuation from the Empire but a clear break and building of a totally new nation for better (and mostly) worse. Also I can't stand anyone who lauds dictators, like giving Mao any "credit" for "building China" or acting like Tiananmen Square was the one regrettable stain on Deng's otherwise wonderful record.

that doesn't surprise me much, tbh - there's a similar phenomenon with "REES" or Russian and Eastern European Studies experts, who more often than not tend to be more R and less EE.

[cosmical-flowers]

Danganronpa: Violent Voices (Enstars x Danganronpa AU)

Prologue: Feathering Hope in a Burning Field

Part 1: Forgetting Something Important

A dull noise. That’s all that rang in Subaru’s head. It felt like TV static, or the mindless noise of a washing machine. Something forgetful over the loudness of daily life. The schedule of waking up, going to school, getting home, doing chores, having dinner and going to sleep had been monotonous for a while. Doing that for so long can get so lackluster after a while. You can only wish for something shiny and new to appear. And after so long, his wish came true.

An acceptance letter to the Ultimate Course at Yumenosaki academy. A prestigious school, known for guaranteed success. Finally, a change in his life. He would be going to the course as the ultimate … ultimate … What was he going there as?

Subaru then woke up in the gym of an unknown school. The last thing he remembered was entering Yumenosaki so that he could attend the opening ceremony. So where was he now? He looked around, a hit of confusion struck his face when he noticed other students there as well. Who were they? Why are they here? A million questions rushed through his head and he was determined to get answers. He noticed a boy with beaujolais hair, fidgeting with a camera in his hands. He seemed to keep his head low, like he also has questions. Subaru then decided that since he was the first person he spotted that he could talk to him. As he walked up to the boy, he tried to appear more confident and friendly, pretending like he knew why he was here.

“Hello! I just woke up here and I think I'm supposed to be at the entrance ceremony for Yumenosaki Academy. Is this the right building or…?” Subaru decided to ask him. As the boy thought of a response, Subaru wondered if he made the wrong choice.

“No, this is Yumenosaki Academy. I'm also meant to be part of the entrance ceremony as a new student.” The other student added on, tilting his head up more.

Subaru’s eyes lit up as he heard that. At least he wasn’t alone. “Me too! Seems like we’ll be classmates! I'm Subaru Akehoshi! What's your name?”

“Mao Isara, i'm the ultimate photographer. Do you have an ultimate as well?” Mao asked Subaru, wondering what his could be. His cheery and determined demeanor could make him an ultimate with something like public speaking. Maybe Ultimate Motivational Speaker?

“Oh, I don’t remember mine.”

“You don’t remember?”

“Nope! Not at all!”

“How did you forget something as important as that!?”

“It just happened, I can’t remember anything else as well. Just my name and knowing I'm meant to be here.”

“That's … really unfortunate.” Mao felt bad for his classmate. Forgetting everything, that must be a terrible feeling. Like a burning picture, or an empty film. Something was meant to be there, but it’s gone.

“It should be fine! I’ll remember sooner or later! It seems like a lot of other people are here as well. Should we go meet them too?”

As Mao hesitated to respond to him, Subaru looked ahead at the crowd of people. He smiled at him and began to notice everyone. Colorful hair colors, shiny outfits, an exciting environment, this is exactly what he needed. A breath taken away from something old and taking in a new world.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Students met: 2/???

Taglist: (N/A)

A/N: HELLO YAY FIRST PART WRITTEN!! The tag list is open right now, all you have to do is send me an ask to be added whenever the story updates! I do hope y’all enjoy it because this has lingered in my head for a while!

[darkspellmaster]

Have we been overlooking the Key to Snake's survival

Spoilers for Recent Chapters of Kuroshitsuji.

So for those who have been reading, I hope this makes sense as I think it's an important factor in this arc. While I know everyone is wondering what is going to happen to Snake, I've noticed that there isn't much discussion about a few players that usually show up when someone dies and the rules the manga has for telegraphing a death.

(I should note that this tends to pertain to important characters usually, and not one offs like Mina and her husband, as I don't recall seeing a Grim Reaper in that arc at all.

During the first arc of Black Butler we met Grelle, who was hanging out with Madam Red. As noted, she was dressed as a normal human butler rather than her usual amazing self.

It wasn't long after that we got her true reveal and Aunt Anne wasn't with us.

We then get the Reapers showing up, namely William, in the circus arc early on as Specs (If I recall correctly).

William hangs around as a hint that death will be coming since he practically tells Sebastian this. Thus we see him reviewing Joker's records at the top of the burning mansion. Signaling that he's collecting the other members as well at some point or did so already. (Since Reapers can be just about anywhere.)

During the Murder arc, we don't have any reaper (sans the former one in the form of Undertaker at the end) and since we know Sebastian is a demon, we can safely assume that the normal mortal way of killing him is out. So no reapers, no deaths for important or known characters.

In the Campania arc (Luxury Liner arc) Ronald runs up and we get him saying hello with his outfit given we're shown his eyes and his suit.

So, again, we know for sure that someone is going to die, or at least there's going to be deaths happening. We also get Grelle back, and Will at the end, it's important to note that the trio do play a big role in giving us lore in this case along with collecting the souls of the dead, more importantly one of the bigger players in the arc, Ryan Stoker. (As with Baron Kelvin, both men have ties to Ciel through their connections. Stoker via Undertaker, and Kelvin to his past within their circles.)

In the Public School arc (Weston) we don't have a reaper at all, (other than Undertaker) and, once again, no death of players occur (as with Mina, and the Banker, the Queen's nephew is a lesser character). So we see the pattern continuing.

Emerald witch sees William and Grelle in Germany with our two German Reapers (Ruger and Sasha), and we have the deaths of several important villains.

Following this we have the Blue Cult, and yet again, no Reaper to be found in the music hall aspect of the Arc. But Grelle and Othello show up following this portion of the arc, and what does Grelle say to Sebastian and Ciel when they meet after finding the dead nobles. She'll see them again soon.

Not long after, Agni dies.

There is no Reaper during the time Ciel is on the run and by Lau's, and there is none during Mei-Rin and Ran-Mao's arc. It's only when we get to Baldroy's arc that we get Ronald once again.

And that leaves us with a twist that Sebastian saves Baldroy's life, along with Lau giving him his blood to save him. Ronald and will then confine Layla/Al, and we're left to wonder what this means in regard to the other arcs.

What have we learned so far, that nearly every time a Reaper shows up some form of death happens. That when a death may occur for an important character a Reaper will show up. So far this has not been broken, save Baldroy's story.

Most are thinking, we'll she's going to twist it. Snake will die because even though we don't see a reaper, that's a really bad cut, and we're getting a flashback.

However I propose that Snake has more of a part to play in this story. He mentions that he and the snakes are from an unknown, far away place. We also have hints of him being in an orphanage. We know from Finny that there were children being experimented upon, and part of the whole arc seems to be showing how similar Snake and Finny are. So I don't believe he's going to die, and I suspect the reason why is due to how influenced this is by Promised Neverland.

In the story there is a character known as Sister Krone, who helps the children out, but for selfish reasons.

In the end, while she does somewhat help the children, she pretty much betrays them for her own safety, though it does her little good in the end.

However, I want to present a character that I think is a call back to Sister Krone, and she has no name as of yet for some reason.

Our Maid on the Right Lower corner has no name, yet is shown to be someone who plays a part in things. She's always around so we see her a lot even though, unlike Susan or (was it Jamie?) the other younger maid, she has no name. Why is that? Why be so prominent yet not have a name? It's an odd thing, and normally a character like her would have some name at this point, why is hers being kept secret it seems.

She's also been shown to be the most nervous about everything. Even in her first appearance she's being shown to be quiet and later when Doll insists, she has a more worried look about things.

She's the one that dropped the plate, and thus again given prominence above the other characters, and, to be blunt, she's one of the few POC characters shown in this place, and I think the only maid here.

What's got my suspicions up is that People keep saying "There's no Ada to save Snake" and yet, we see three maids go down to the lab. Three of them, meaning that all three know how that stuff works.

Susan, the one in the front, Jamie (the girl with the curly hair) and our last unknown maid, who, unlike the other two -who are all business, is looking upset, nervous, and other unknown emotions. She's clearly not a fan of this, and doesn't like this at all, as shown in their entry in Chapter 203.

Come Chapter 204 we get these two exchanges with her.

She questions things, and note her stance. While the other two are, again, all business like, she looks honestly unhappy and uneasy.

Body language reads as:

Upturned brows = can indicate anxiety or worry.

Down turned eyes = indicate feeling uncertain or Guilty.

Hands in the folded position = can indicate being less confident, unsure, insecure, and nervous.

All together it shows that this maid is questioning her role in this, and, as we see with her questions, her slight hesitation, it's clear that she's not sure about what they're doing, and, more than likely, feeling guilty over it.

We see the same reaction from her again when the other maid gives her the dress Ginny was wearing when she was fledged. So it becomes blatantly obvious that we're supposed to pay attention to this woman who is feeling guilty.

We don't see her leaving but we have to assume that she did due to the fact that she's not there during the confrontation.

Which brings us to the big point of who they're hearing.

The kids and Finny are running away from the sounds, but, more than likely the one that's going to run into them is going to be this maid.

So why do I think it's likely going to be this maid that the kids and Finny are hearing.

We Don't see her leaving, but we know she was there with Susan and the other dead maid.

We can assume since she went down with them that she knew about the tunnel and what was going on with Doll, since Susan mentioned bringing out the Radiance in front of her.

Since neither women came back, she's the most likely to go down to see what is going on.

Given that she knows what they are doing she knows how to work the machines, and would have to know how to help. It's also clear from earlier that she was close enough to Susan to go with her down to the area where they kept the children.

Which brings us back to the situation in promised Neverland. In the story Kone gave information to the children, but as I said, betrayed them. If Yana-sensei is using the idea, given all the implications with the story there's something there, from the early arc (Jailbreak I think?) of PN, then it's possible that, unlike the original story, this maid will actually help Snake and the kids.

Given her reactions and her expressions, she's harboring guilt. Finny wanted to stay and help but had to leave. More than likely it's not beyond belief that this maid will run into them on their way out, and, probably use Finnian's blood, or one of the kids blood to save Snake.

Now why would she do that over taking the kids away?

Simplest answer, Finny asks her too and her desire to save a life, over taking one, would probably lead her to do the right thing in this case.

Why Finny's blood?

According to Celtic Legends Finnian, the mythic character, was given the gift of healing from the salmon of Knowledge. When he gathered water into his hands, and one drank from this the person will be healed.

We know that Finny is an experiment, and, given that the scientist shot his siblings/fellow experiments in the head rather than the chest or other body parts to kill them, indicated that the experiments healed. We also see this in the fight with Jumbo that Finny survives Jumbo's hit, and it's good by the next day.

So my theory is that the maid will meet the kids, give aid to Snake, and then likely take the kids away.

To be honest, The one I think has the death mark on him is either Tanaka, or Real Ciel again. Yana did state that Ciel will not make it to his 14th birthday. But O!Ciel is NOT Ciel, and never was. So the Ciel she's probably talking about is R!Ciel.

I know this isn't perfect, but it seems the most likely over Snake being turned into a Bizarre Doll, or outright dying.

The other option is that there are some snakes that can heal their own wounds, or he could shed his skin and heal himself that way.

[gettothedancing]

Tagged by @walden-west

Last song: Introduction to the Snow (Miracle Musical)

Favorite color: Indigo

Currently Watching: MasterChef's latest season

Last movie: Double Indemnity

Currently reading: Mao: The Unknown Story (Jung Chang and Jon Hallliday)

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: Savory for the moment, can't handle much spice

Relationship status: In an exclusive relationship

Current Obsession(s): Learning how to use all the gym machines

Last thing I Googled: turkey breast roast

Currently working on: Getting all the cat hair off my rugs

Tagging: @speaking-impartially @deadbilly @frangipani-wanderlust @m00nxtal

[bapydemonprincess]

Picrew used: https://picrew.me/ja/image_maker/1657119

🌹💖Princess Mey Rin💖🌹

The fairest, sweetest princess known in the land, far and wide. Though a bit sheltered from the outside world due to her very poor eyesight and her Father's overall over protectiveness, she's sharp in other ways like knowing why her circumstances are the way they are and figuring out various means of escaping to go out into the woods beyond.

Every time, however, a devoted protector of hers is bound to find her.

One being the Kingdom's mysterious advisor and mage, Sebastian Michaelis, who seemed cold and uninterested in socializing with visitors of any kind from other kingdoms, trying to make trade deals or gambles; attempting to trick the King into making bad decisions. (there have been too many close calls where the fool almost agreed..), but the princess has warmed their heart when she will not give up on trying to socialize with them, asking questions and begging to be told more stories of the powerful mage's life before this.

Another being a brave, gallant, if a bit over the top bold and brash, dramatic and sometimes egotistic Grelle Sutcliff. A leader among her army and already solemnly sworn to protect the entire royal family, she's often found herself specifically rushing to scoop up the bumbling princess when she's attempted to blindly run off out of excitement into an unknown location or climb a tree in the woods out of wanting a little fun in her life.

Finally there's her very own tutor, a holy priestess and healer of the kingdom, Hannah Annafellows, who also patiently puts up with the billions of questions the princess asks, charmed by the young woman's endless open and honest curiosity.

And also noticing as the young woman grows braver a curious energy growing within her. Almost similar to the healing powers she herself has.. if a bit different in its own manner.

As the kingdom starts to fall into hard times as the King, Lau, does some not so smart deals with some shady neighboring kingdoms, his daughter secretly searches; begs and pleads with her sworn and loyal protectors to help her save her tiny family of only her Father and her younger sister, Ran Mao. (who unknowist to her is also trying to figure out how to protect her poor-sighted older sister in her own ways; learning to fight!)

Who would think, realizing she can see in the distance and wield a bow and arrow with ease, would help Mey Rin become one of the deadliest stealth archers in the land.

And help her secretly take out her Father's enemies with a single shot before anyone knows it.

[myanmardoesnotexist]

Get to know me tag

Thank you for @fall0utmind for tagging me in this!!

Last Song: The Driver by Måneskin (very sexy song, been a fan of theirs for years)

Fav Color: pink!

Currently Watching: Band of Brothers (for the second time, it’s soooooo good and I am in love with Spiers)

Last Movie: Hot Frosty (it’s one of those Netflix Hallmark-esque movies. Somehow terrible, scary, funny, and also amazing. Has some big actors too, surprisingly)

Currently Reading: Mao: The Unknown Story, it’s a slog but fun to learn something new!

Spicy/savory/sweet: Savory all the way

Last Thing I Googled: Marc Marquez Eyes. Had to figure out the exact shade haha

Current Obsession: F1, MotoGP, fanfic writing, bugging my family members to watch races with me

Currently Working On: Teacher’s Pet and two unnamed additions to Silence on a Racetrack universe

Oh and I’ll add on some of my own!

Favorite Food: Avocado toast with an egg on top. Peak meal, could eat all day everyday

Ick: Butt cracks. I don’t need to see all that, pull up your pants

Favorite Terrible Joke: Q- Why can’t dinosaurs play basketball? A- because they’re dead

Favorite Ao3 Tags: Enemies to lovers.

Tagging (if you want!): @calia23 (tagging you back bestie) @ray935sworld (we haven’t talked in a bit, so I hope this doesn’t bother you!)

[hungnitan]

Code Geass Lost Stories Main Story Summary (contain spoiler if anyone play this game)

I wrote this within mind everyone known Code Geass Lelouch of Rebellion stories

So far, main story split into three part, 13 chapter for R1, 4 chapter for chapter 1.5 and still unknown for R2. For R1 and most likely R2 too, it's basically same like anime with additional our MC PoV + their own problem so here I only talk about the difference happens in R1 :

Disel (MC family name) family are Japanese-Britanian worked for knightmare's energy filler division. As MC parents got killed, they adopted by Claris Garfield, Disel's assistant. In short, they want to revenge on Britania as they killed their parents. This one still speculations but there's indication that MC using a geass on themself to forget the past.

As MC studies at Ashford academy, she coindentally heard conversation Lelouch CC saying that he want to crush Britania then asked for join forces as they have same purpose. So she become Lelouch's backstage supporter but different than CC, they actively support Black Knight as their second ace and even become a Britania spy for providing information.

Funny enough, MC joining Britania at special division as Suzaku's coworker

Mao didn't get introduce since MC busy with their spy mission (lol)

Later story, it reveal that MC parents killed by their aunt named Kali, the reasons why Kali killed MC parents so far I know it's just yandere sisterly things (lol) and now she want to kill MC too. R1 ended with with MC vs Kali while Kali injuried badly. Of course they don't know the reasons her injuries since it's knightmare fight (at R2 Lelouch telling them) and they still not know that Kali killed their parents too.

After Black Rebellion, MC become a main devicer for special division since Suzaku appointed as Knight of Seven. After MC learn about Lelouch disapperance, they still doing their spy mission while wait for him to comeback.

Main story 1.5 started around one year blank R1 and R2 from different person PoV (sometimes MC sometimes not). It's basically just side story since every chapter just contains 10 chapter while R1 contains around 14-20 chapter. These sidestory explained many things missed at R2 like the reasons custom knightmare become so many at that time and many area under Britania rebelling after Black Rebellion.

Chapter 1 (MC PoV) : Story started from Suzaku mock battle to become Knight of Seven, introducing additional two new character for support devicer Schnee and Red, and some side battle at area 2 along with MC. That time MC got a new meele knightmare

This chapter explain some info like Schnizel fully support special division since he thought knightmare battle could change the course of war and that's the reason he send two new devicer to Lyord. In this side story there's indication Red send there to giving information to Kanon

Chapter 2 (Britanian and Black Knight PoV) : For black knight PoV story started from Urabe and Kallen go to India for searching Lakshata to repair Guren's right hand which is broken after Black Rebellion time. While Britania learn that information, they send a Glinda knights for clean up. Additionally from Britanian PoV story started from Schneizel start mass produce Lancelot test drive. It introduce a new Britannian family member Marybell along with her knight Oldrin plus Kimmel. If anyone remember, Kimmel is a should be Vincent user as he killed by Rolo at R2. As test drive success, some rebel group attacked that place then Suzaku save the day. Tbh I never read Oz the reflection so I don't know details around Oz and Glinda knights (lol)

This chapter came with small details like Schneizel came up with mass produce Lancelot for everyone no matter how good the devicer to use, that's the reason Kimmel came and become Vincent user at R2 since he's just an ordinary user (lol). There's Cornelia meets Oz for searching more geass information

Chapter 3 (Britanian and Black Knight PoV) : For britanian PoV story started from Suzaku along with Schnee Red MC gone to other country to repel the rebellion. This chapter explain Suzaku title as "white devil" since he basically swop the rebel alone (with geass live too of course lol). From black knight PoV, Kaguya Diethard Lakshata came to China for protection and prepare things if Zero cameback while Kallen Urabe gone to Yokohama as their team still on chase with Britania army and meets CC there. CC too still on run after geass special corps keep chasing her

This chapter introduce two original characters, Benio (Kallen's fangirl which she rescued at special administrative zone of Japan which later became Kallen underling) and Savitri (if I remember right, she's appear at Code Geass movie as Lakshata underling)

Some small info like Uni Europe rebel (Boukoku no Akito story) already done after general Smiley get killed so yeah it's just an afterstory, Anya Gino Bradley show their face to Suzaku for first time and Gino explain that even Rounds too still using a Glasgow custom at that time.

Chapter 4 (Black Knight & MC PoV) : This chapter started from Kallen Urabe CC invade Yokohama port to taking Black Knight knightmare which got themself into battle with Glinda knight. On MC PoV, they comeback to Ashford academy without knowing everyone changes after Charles put a geass on them and shocked especially after knowing Lelouch live normally alongside with his fake brother Rolo

So far R2 release around chapter 3 but I really like it's direction, some Oz the reflection and new characters element here makes additional info become entertaining to read

I gonna make R2 summary soon~

[sasaranurude]

Coly, the company behind Mahoyaku and Stand My Heroes, have announced a new game. Some friends and I realized that despite looking somewhat generic at first glance, it's got a handful of intriguing things going on with it! So here's a quick kind of long introduction to/my thoughts on Break My Case!

First: the website! The music on the site is really good! Go listen while you read this post!! There are 12 people listed as composers in the credits page, and it seems most every VA involved has at least a bit of experience with singing or music projects. The tone is a bit dark for a rhythm game (though I'm not ruling that out entirely), but otherwise it seems like there's gonna be a music focus. Cool! As far as other staff goes--the main scenario writer is also the writer of Stand My Heroes, and the character designer is Utako Yukihiro, who also did some work for B-Project.

The story concerns a cafe with a myriad of eccentric employees that runs an after-hours service where they solve problems. The exact nature of all this is left pretty vague.

And the draw for a game like this: The characters! Interestingly, they're divided into different departments at the cafe. What exactly those departments do isn't clear yet. As for the characters themselves--the more we looked at them, the more we liked them, lol. Quick summaries about what intrigued us about each guy. Note that these are not translations, none of us are fluent in Japanese (we all know just enough to get by with the google+jisho combo lol), and this should all be taken with a grain of salt.

The Main Office, consisting of Ai Kosaka, Yuzuru Kise, and Roka Suoh. (Names are listed in western given-family order because that's what the site uses for romanized names.) Roka is the one who owns the cafe, is the oldest character in the bunch at 36, and is that fun "mysterious guy with unknown backstory and an endless amount of weird acquaintances, who acts incompetent but might actually be hypercompetent" type of trope.

On account of the whole acting-incompetent thing, Ai and Yuzuru run the actual cafe business. And normally I won't be including fullbody character art in this post but I have to make an exception just this once.

Anyways.

Tumblr won't let me put four images in a row. Come on man. I wanna maintain the BMC's site style. Why are you mean to me. Anyways. The Simulation Department, consisting of Kou Ayato, Mao Ukyo, Akehoshi Hinomiya, and Yuragi Kanno. "Simulation" is its English name given on the site, but the Japanese given would probably read more like "relationship department".

Kou is a footloose playboy and Mao is a serious intellectual type, but apparently Kou will ask Mao to pretend to be his girlfriend so that he can avoid trouble with women. That's gay. I love that. (Mao is a guy [as far as we know], he just likes makeup--he's not the only one in that cast who does, either!) We all want Mao's outfit.

Akehoshi was a sleeper hit in the group chat, because his bio has a sentence about how he's the most normal-looking-yet-dangerous employee at the cafe, and also explicitly describes him as being like a dog, and naturally we all went crazy for the silly puppy as soon as we realized that he was in fact a silly puppy. Yuragi, on the other hand, likes cats. Such a classic for his character design trope, lmao.

The Administrative Department, consisting of Taiga Tsukimoto, Haruhi Ichikawa, and Sei Okiya. Taiga looks cool but if you look at his fullbody he's wearing awful sweatpants and apparently he cries while watching anime. I love this for him. Haruhi is a streamer because that's like an obligatory character trope now I guess. Sei was very popular in the group chat for being the single most suspicious character in the cast. What's his problem.

The Watchdog Department (or enforcement department, if you translate the jpn) consists of Shizuka Fushimi, Takeru Mikado, Soyogu Shinkai, and Shinobu Aizawa.

My friend described Shizuka as a "wet looking glasshole" and yeah. ok. unfortunately he does look like that. But it's ok he's allowed because his bio says he prefers quiet, orderly places with plants and no people and keeps to himself in common spaces but his own room is a complete mess. AKA he's an autism king. So I like him.

Takeru was obviously a hit because look at them. Takeru and Mao talk about makeup together, apparently. CUTE! Shinobu is the most fashionable guy in the cast and his bio says he has a few screws loose, which is amazing. Good for him. I have nothing to say about Soyogu I think I forgot he existed until I was putting this post together and I only looked at these all guys a few hours ago

The Negotiation Department, with Kiho Arima, Kyoya Shido, and Riku Tateshina. I described this group as "grandma, grandpa, and Columbo" and then the group chat couldn't call any of them anything else. And I do mean grandma. Because. ok. another fullbody. Because oh my god we have to look at Kiho.

GIRL. WHAT. IS. THAT. YOU'RE WEARING A CARPET. YOU'RE WEARING A COUCH. kiho is apparently a fortune teller and my friend acted as if this excused the outfit but i DONT agree i don't think anything excuses this. WHAT IS THAAAAAT

Kyoya is an artist and Riku is a psychologist so honestly this is a really fun bunch of jobs going on in this department. Riku is described as someone who falls in love easily, and he's most interested in Ai (from the Main Office, the very first guy in this post). We couldn't tell if the implication there is that he's in love with Ai, or if he falls in love with random people and yet his true attention always drifts back to Ai. Both of these options are gay.

The ST (special tasks) Department, with Yomose Onda, Yu Nina, Kamiya, and Urara Manami.

Yu had his life saved by Tomose and has now dedicated himself to him, to the point of being ready to die for him. YOU GOTTA LOVE THAT. INCREDIBLE TROPE. UNBEATABLE. GAY AS HELL. All we know from Tomose's side is that he's "fond" of Yu. That's fine I'm sure you can learn to love him. Or learn to hate him. Whatever's more entertaining.

Kamiya has no memory, hence the singular name. I'm sure whatever's going on there is weird and interesting. Urara is the youngest character, at 20. THAT'S RIGHT. THE YOUNGEST CHARACTER IS 20. THERE ARE ZERO TEENAGERS! THE AVERAGE CHARACTER AGE IS AROUND 26. THIS SHOULDN'T BE AS NOTABLE AS IT IS BUT THAT'S GACHA GAMES FOR YOU. Anyways I like Urara because I think he looks like an angry kitty.

Anyways, that's the gist of what we know about BMC--or BreMai, if you wanna go for something closer to the jpn abbreviation--right now. More info might drop at/around Animate Girls Fest, since they seem to be giving out game beta codes there. I don't know if I'm completely sold on it just yet--coly did just have a detective-themed gacha game fail a few months ago with &0. But we're not even completely sure it is a gacha yet, or what kind of gameplay it might have otherwise, so... there's a bit of hope. Maybe it'll be a weird cool dark rhythm game! Who knows!!!

[altairtalisman]

A-Mao's Bio

"Hey now, if ya wanna take a lookie at them bookies, ya gotta pay me a few tinnies first!"

More details on A-Mao is under the cut

Name: A-Mao

Age: 794

Height: 143 cm

Birthday: 7 Tivere 1228 (Teayim)

Orientation: Non-binary Aromantic Asexual

Pronouns: It/Its

Species: Kishuko

Country of Birth: Koho'e

Archive Deployment Branch: Ixsa'a

Likes: Seafood (especially eel), tea eggs, alcohol, money, jingle bells

Dislikes: Swimming, spicy food, fishbones not removed from meals

Hobbies: Napping, gambling, fishing, collecting coins

Personality: Cheeky, extroverted and whimsical, it allows beings to bypass the archive's red tape by telling it a good story... however what defines as a 'good story' to it changes every time. It has admitted that it's much easier to either bribe it or to just go through the red tape, which makes some wonder why does it even suggest the story option to begin with if not for its own amusement

Style: Wears a blue modified hoodie with the sleeves sewn in a way that resembles cat paws at the end and the hood has cat-shaped ears sewn on it. The sleeves also have talismans attached to it, though no one but it knows how they're attached without falling off. Underneath the hoodie is a simple short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts accompanied by a collar that has a jingle bell tied to it

Abilities: Able to influence the fortunes of anyone within a 300 metre radius, including itself. Also able to 'unseal' the tattoo-like markings at its wrists to reveal a large jingle bell weighing 888 kilograms each attached securely to ribbons that are of unknown length

Background: The beloved pet cat of a bookworm judge, it usually accompanied its owner to Ixsa'a Archive. In Durna 1226, it was announced that the archive will close down by the end of the year due to a lack of donations funding the service. Not wanting the archive to close down, A-Mao's owner decided to engage in corrupt practices by accepting bribes in order to raise sufficient funds by the end of 1226

While the judge was able to raise enough to support the archive's operations for another two months, she realised that it wasn't enough as the Kohoan government refused to fund them. As such, she continued to accept bribes from those who could pay. This resulted in pent-up resentment amongst the citizens as it became increasingly obvious that those who should've been convicted as guilty walked away scot-free. A-Mao, who didn't understand that what the judge did was wrong nor knew that she understood its implications, believed that bribery was acceptable as long as it helped someone. Which was why it was shocked when the citizens burnt down its owner's house with them in it

After what it thought was its death, A-Mao woke up in the same form as its owner except it had large bells hanging from ribbons that extended from its wrists as well as its previous cat-like features. Using the bells' weight, it tried to destroy any burning wreckage that fell on it as it searched for its owner. However, A-Mao was too late and she had died from smoke inhalation. With nothing else left to do, it could only bring the body out for burial as a sign of respect

While burying its owner, A-Mao encountered a strange individual with stark white hair and orange eyes. The individual then told it that it had the power to change fortunes, leaving it with a reminder to "keep the bells back in the wrists". Initially not understanding what the individual meant, it quickly forgot the conversation and did its best to become a judge in order to support the archive. However, as the archive was linked to corruption, there were calls for it to be demolished instead. As A-Mao wanted to save the archive at all cost, it decided to apply for the archivist position which was left unfilled given that all of the employees had left

It then tried to raise funds by asking the citizens to donate, but was instead met with threats to burn the soon-to-be demolished archive down. A-Mao then appealed to the government, but was informed that there weren't any plans to reverse the decision. Recalling the strange individual's words, A-Mao then wished for the government's popularity to plummet. Much to its surprise, the government's popularity indeed went down and its own popularity went up. A-Mao then used its newfound popularity to convince the citizens to reverse the decision and to donate to the archive, this time with great success

In 1228, the strange individual returned to seek A-Mao out, congratulating it on using its main ability for the first time. It was then reminded that its ability revolved around luck and didn't actually grant wishes, leaving it once more after informing A-Mao that its existence was now a kishuko. While perturbed by the individual's mysteriousness and knowledge, A-Mao decided to use its ability to influence the fortunes of others such that it would always tip in its favour... all to ensure that its beloved owner's wish would remain true

[non-sequitur-ocs]

I just got here from your Dangan blog, and what's the plot of your killing game?

Shook! I assume you're here for Umeshi so time for the plot of Danganronpa Rōnin

This story takes place an undetermined amount of time in the future, long enough for the killing game to fall into mostly myth, many doubt it even actually happened due to how hard preserving media would be during the tragedy meaning that actual copies of the kiling game are exceedingly rare and not usually in very good condition, still though Hope's Peak lives on, and so do the Ultimate's due to the rebuilding of Hope's Peak

The main protagonist is a girl named Risa Imai, she is the Ultimate Champion. Her talent means if she devotes herself to a cause, she's almost certain to win, gaining her title after managing to successfully defend a friend in court from just a few days of cramming law. However as a champion it is very hard for her to take up her own causes, instead taking up her friend's causes. This resulted in her basically being walked all over and used for her talent and eventually a nasty separation from her old friend group. She's tried to renounce her title, give up on being a champion so she can try and finally focus on herself. She doesn't trust others easily anymore, fearing they just see her talent. However, when dropped into a killing game, she knows she has to pick her burden back up again and fight for not just her survival, but for everyone's. Even if she thinks they're all kinda annoying

Her antagonist Vide (real name unknown) is the ultimate escape artist, they keep themselves in permanent shadow from their cloak. They seem very beaten down and almost hopeless towards the world, finding life only worth living because it is theirs and thus will not let someone steal it away from them. They developed their skills from bad luck of being in a lot of kidnapping scenarios and being taken hostage, and having to help other people in similar situations, making them a great lockpick and an expert and stealth. A loner by trade, they don't get along with anyone really and constantly work in the shadows to try and stop the game, often getting everyone else in some amount of trouble because they didn't TELL ANYONE they were about to CUT THE LIGHTS!!! If something random goes wrong with the building or something comes loose, it was probably Vide trying a new scheme to end the game.

They must figure out why they are here, what's with all this talk of prophecy and destiny and the end of the world, and creating a savior, and who of them is the mastermind

The rest of the cast are

Etsuko Ōshiro The Ultimate ASMR

Hiroko Ono The Ultimate Yoyo Master

Chiyoko Amano The Ultimate Tarot Reader

Takara Mutō The Ultimate Understudy

Jun Ueda The Ultimate Archivist

Yuhou Baba The Ultimate Roller Skater

Ayuto Shirai The Ultimate Matchmaker

Reiki Machida The Ultimate Lion Tamer

Suisuke Uchida The Ultimate Herpetologist

Umeshi Kaneko The Ultimate Folklorist

Mao Katoh The Ultimate Florist

Tokiho Taketa The Ultimate ''Parkourist''

Shiori Hayashi The Ultimate Archaeologist (she used to be in my other killing game but I swapped her because she fit better here)

Utamaru Shina The Ultimate Drummer

[with-a-martyr-complex]

With A Martyr Complex: Reading List 2023

Adapted from the annual list from @balioc​, a list of books (primarily audiobooks) consumed this year. This list excludes several podcasts, but includes dramatizations and college lecture series from The Great Courses, which I consume like a parrot emotionally dependent on access to lecturers.

The Birth of Tragedy Out Of The Spirit of Music byFriedrich Nietzsche (Translated by Ian Johnston)

Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (Translated by Michael Henry Heim, Introduction by Michael Cunningham)

Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets by Connel Fullenkamp, from The Great Courses

The Dispossessed: A Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin

License to Travel: A Cultural History of the Passport by Patrick Bixby

Making History: How Great Historians Interpret the Past by Allen C. Guelzo, from The Great Courses

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (Translated by Donald Keene)

Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass

Understanding Japan: A Cultural History by Mark J. Ravina, from The Great Courses

The Mountains of Mourning by Lois McMaster Bujold

What Has Passed Shall In Kinder Light Appear by Baoshu (Translated by Ken Liu)

The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World by Robert Garland from The Great Courses

The Just City by Jo Walton

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture by Andrew R. Wilson, from The Great Courses

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (Contains: Tower of Babylon, Understand, Division By Zero, Story of Your Life, Seventy-Two Letters, The Evolution of Human Science, Hell is the Absence of God, and Liking What You See.)

Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition by Grant Hardy, from The Great Courses

By The Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions by Richard Cohen

War in Japan: 1467-1615 by Stephen Turnbull

Yūrei: The Japanese Ghost by Zack Davisson

Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny

The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (Translated by Dennis Washburn)

Buddhism by Malcolm David Eckel, from The Great Courses

The Rise of Modern Japan by Mark Ravina, from The Great Courses

The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps: The Bloody Battles and Intrigues of the Shinsengumi by Romulus Hillsborough

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, (Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori)

Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima (Translated by Michael Gallagher)

Child of God by Cormac McCarthy

The Rise of Communism: From Marx to Lenin by Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, from The Great Courses

Communism in Power: From Stalin to Mao by Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, from The Great Courses

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo (Translated by Isabel F. Hapgood)

Cycles of American Political Thought by Joseph F. Kobylka, from The Great Courses

Docile by K. M. Szpara

Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques by James Hynes, from The Great Courses

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card

Real Service by Raven Kaldera and Joshua Tenpenny

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alhigieri (Translated by Clive James)

Dante's Divine Comedy by William R. Cook and Ronald B. Herzman from The Great Courses

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Secrets of The Occult by Richard B. Spence (From the Great Courses, possibly?)

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

American Monsters by Adam Jortner from The Great Courses

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard byGuy de la Bédoyère

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

Great World Religions: Hinduism by Mark W. Muesse, from The Great Courses

At The Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H. P. Lovecraft

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft

The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft

The Shadow Out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft

The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H. P. Lovecraft

The Whisperer in Darkness by H. P. Lovecraft

The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft by H. P. Lovecraft (Collected by The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, contains: The Alchemist, At the Mountains of Madness, Azathoth, The Best in the Cave, Beyond the Wall of Sleep, The Book, The Call of Cthulhu, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, The Cats of Ulthar, Celephais, The Colour out of Space, Cool Air, Dagon, The Descendent, Discarded Draft of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," The Doom that Came to Sarnath, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, The Dreams in the Witch House, The Dunwich Horror, The Evil Clergyman, Ex Oblivione, Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family, The Festival, From Beyond, The Haunter of the Dark, He, Herbert West-Reanimator, History of the Necronomicon, The Horror at Red Hook, TheHound, Hypnos, Ibid, In the Vault, The Little Glass Bottle, The Lurking Fear, Memory, The Moon-Bog, The Music of Erich Zann, The Mysterious Ship (Long and Short Versions), The Mystery of the Grave-Yard, The Nameless City, Nyarlathotep, Old Bugs, The Other Gods, The Outsider, Pickman's Model, The Picture in the House, Polaris, The Quest of Iranon, The Rats in the Walls, A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson, The Secret Cave, The Shadow out of Time, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Shunned House, The Silver Key, The Statement of Randolph Carter, The Strange High House in the Mist, The Street, Sweet Ermengarde, The Temple, The Terrible Old Man, The Thing on the Doorstep, Through the Gates of the Silver KeyThe Tomb, The Transition of Juan Romero, The Tree, Under the Pyramids, The Unnamable, The Very Old Folk, What the Moon Brings, The Whisperer in Darkness, The White Ship)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Patton: The Man Behind The Legend, 1885-1945 by Martin Blumenson

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger by Matt Yglesias

Red: A History of the Redhead by Jacky Colliss Harvey

The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo (Translated by Isabel Florence Hapgood)

The Rape of the Mind: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing by Joost A. M. Meerloo

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Legacies of Great Economists by Timothy Taylor from The Great Courses

Incomplete books: Trouble on Triton, Comparative Hell: Arts of Asian Underworlds, Dark Archives, The History of the World: Map by Maps, The Iliad (Emily Wilson Translation), Christina Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric, The Three Musketeers, The Only Plane in the Sky, Myth in Human History, The Dragon: Fear and Power

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Great Courses consumed: 17?

Non-Great Courses Nonfiction consumed: 13

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Works consumed by women: 13

Works consumed by men: 53

Works consumed by men and women: 0

Works that can plausibly be considered of real relevance to foreign policy (including appropriate histories): 7

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With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, fiction division: Convenience Store Woman

>>>> Honorable mention: Hart's Hope, Ancillary Justice, Child of God, No Longer Human, Piranesi, the first 1/3 of Cyteen, What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear

With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, nonfiction division: By The Sword

>>>> Honorable mention: The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps, Praetorian, The Birth of Tragedy most of the Great Courses stuff I got to this year

>>>> Great Courses Division: Buddhism

The Annual “An Essential Work of Surpassing Beauty that Isn’t Fair to Compare To Everything Else” Award: The Divine Comedy

>>>> Honorable mention: Julius Caesar, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, The Shadow Out of Time, Pride and Prejudice, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Man Who Laughs, The Dispossessed

The “Reading This Book Will Give You Great Insight Into The Way I See The World” Award: What Has Passed Shall In Kinder Light Appear

>>>> Honorable mention: Hell is the Absence of God (from Stories of Your Life and Others)

The "My Mind is Thoroughly Exhausted By Reading Through All This But It Was Worth It In The End" Award: The Tale of Genji

Book Most in Need of A Single Extra Chapter: The Man Who Laughs

Best Dude: Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

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This is the first year where I didn't struggle to reach my 52 book goal at all, only some of which is thanks to the Lovecraft marathon. I also read a ton of short sci-fi stories early in the year for an online class I took (which is also why there are so many sci-fi novels in the beginning of the year) and feel much more knowledgeable in the genre even though I'm still not very well read in it. I will be taking a fantasy course next year to what I assume will be similar effect.

It's still hard to read non-audiobooks, made worse this year by a promotion at work that means I have much less free time overall but still a fair deal of time for audiobooks while working with my hands. My (I don't post it) movie list suffered similarly, with this being the first year in a while I didn't hit my movie target. Not discussed: I read various comics this year! Standouts: Chainsaw Man Part 1, the first volume of Pluto, Fun Home, the fifth volume of Phoenix, Look Back

Goals for next year: more foreign policy reading, more literary fiction, write something of my own, ohgodthesearethesamegoalsaslastyearpleasetellmeI'mnotstagnating

[hmlegacy]

Bokumono/Story of Seasons If They Remade: Animal Parade

I thank one of the HM/SoS/Bokumono blogs for making the remake naming conventions clearer to me.

Basically, when localization was moved to XSeed, any character names that Natsume, the former localization team from when the series was known as "Harvest Moon", Romanized/Anglicized to something other than what was the Japanese version? They are not usable. The most current example is "Muffy" being "Molly" now because the character was "MuuMuu" in Japanese.

It will likely be a few years before the next remake (maybe) and it is unknown which game they will focus on...but woah boy, ANIMAL PARADE.

This will be devastating to those of you used to the English localized names of characters from Animal Parade. Pretty much NONE of the character's names resemble the Japanese version.

If this convention remains true? Here's a list of those that would be impacted (*means they MIGHT be able to swing using the existing name but not likely) :

Chase (Chihaya) Jin (Won) Julius (Juli) Owen (Ose) Toby (Tao) Anissa (Anise*) Candace (Kotomi) Luna (Roomi) Maya (Mai) Phoebe (Pat) Renee (Rina) Selena (Sheila)

Barbara (Blanc) Bo (Boan) Cain (Kapara) Colleen (Cole) Craig (Cresson) Dale (Dai) Irene (Inya) Hamilton (Herbal) Hayden (Harper) Mira (Miori) Ozzie (Ozu) Pascal (Ponpei) Paolo (Pao) Perry (Perin) Ramsey (Rakusha) Ruth (Rukora) Shelly (Seraph) Sue (Suo*) Taylor (Thyme) Yolanda (Yuba) Angie (Anje*) Dakota (Yui) Matt (Mao) It's actually kind of astounding how many characters they just...straight didn't use their name. Luckily I didn't deal with the non-marriageable characters enough to be like 'oh, I don't know who that is now' but dang, the marriageable? This would be fun to see.

[abwwia]

#JungChang is the internationally bestselling author of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China; Mao: The Unknown Story (with Jon Halliday); and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine who Launched Modern China. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies outside Mainland China, where they are banned. She was born in China in 1952, and came to Britain in 1978. She lives in London. Via books google

About the book: Meet the three women who helped shape the course of modern Chinese history; a gripping story of sisterhood and betrayal from the bestselling author of Wild Swans.

They were the most famous sisters in China. As the country battled seismic transformations these three women left an indelible mark on history.

Red Sister rose to be Mao's vice-chair.
Little Sister became first lady of pre-Communist Nationalist China.
Big Sister made herself one of the country's richest women.

Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister takes us on a sweeping journey from exiles' quarters in Japan and Berlin to secret meeting rooms in Moscow, and from the compounds of the Communist elite in Beijing to the corridors of power in democratic #Taiwan. By turns intimate and epic, Jung Chang reveals the lives of three extraordinary women who helped shape twentieth-century China.

#bookrecommendation #china #chinabeforemao #chinesewomen #womenofchina