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asarigg · 22 hours ago

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Inside the Character's Mind: Part 1

mentions of physical, psychological and sexual abuse towards both Koujaku and his mother

SELF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Let’s go back to the beginning. Or rather, what Koujaku tells us. He also talks about himself, of course, but usually when he talks about his past, most of the time he talks about his mother: because that’s what hurts him the most. He barely mentions the abuse towards him other than the tattoo and that one time his father punched him. But he always talks about all the hardships that his family put his mother through. And I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it is hard to believe that was it.

Koujaku’s father has proven to be an extremely violent piece of shit and a zero-empathetic person. I don’t doubt that Koujaku’s mother, because of her nature, was his favorite toy. What’s more, he did every cruel thing he could think of to her, his wife too, she had fresh wounds every day and she couldn’t even eat, and although it isn’t said nor implied I wouldn’t be surprised if Koujaku was a product of rape. I mean… most likely. We hardly know anything about his mother, not her appearance, not her name, not what she liked, not how the hell she ended up in that place, if there was any love involved in it or if it was something about debt, we only know that she was the perfect victim.

She was always saying sorry to her son, for everything Koujaku’s been witnessing, she feels guilty and responsible because he tries to stand up for her, and because she has brought him to a world where the one that decides for them is a criminal. She keeps a deep pain inside for everything that’s happening and she tries to hide it, especially from Koujaku, and seeing her son suffer doesn’t help. Smiling to him so he doesn’t worry, and saying sorry to try to comfort him. That’s why the last thing she repeats over and over to her son when she’s lethally wounded is “I’m sorry”, feeling sorry that it’s because of her that he has lived like this, because she wasn’t able to protect him, to give him a proper life.

Obviously all his father did was also psychological abuse towards Koujaku, even blackmailing him with hurting his mother. But I sincerely believe that his father would use physical abuse to teach the boy a lesson, nothing could stop him anyway, because Koujaku as a child complained and rebelled, he didn’t care if his father hit him, he would defend his mother regardless. This is why I sometimes give Koujaku more scars to his body, and besides defensive cuts I also give him cigarette burn marks. Lore expansion better known as adding trauma.

I think he just doesn’t talk about it that much because the abuse towards him isn’t what has hurt him the most. We ourselves often don’t give it much importance if someone tries to insult us, but maybe if it’s someone close to us, that does piss us off, some logic like that. Moreover, throughout the game Koujaku’s personality is just like that, always worrying about others and giving little importance to himself, to the point of being tremendously negative for him.

Don’t you think those scars would make him look more masculine, intimidating, as if he’s survived dozens of dangerous, tough fights? It seems the perfect image for an environment like organized crime.

Despite all of Koujaku’s feminine traits, the perception of him both in canon and in fandom (usually) is that of a stereotypically masculine, super straight man who fucks a different woman every night, always joking with “no homo, bro�� (which, mind you, I’m not saying I don’t like these jokes, I make them myself too). But in reality that couldn't be further from the truth.

With that image that we have of him, sometimes it would seem that he is someone with prejudices or that he really had a hard time accepting that he’s not straight, specially when in the scene where he confesses to Aoba he says the following:

The reasons he tries to hide his feelings is a mix between the fact that they are friends and he doesn’t want to ruin the friendship they already have, that he wants to hide his past and that he doesn’t want to be a burden on Aoba, so he keeps all those things to himself. (And he’s also been educated a certain way and has always seen things one way, never gave it much thought so when it crosses his mind, of course he’s confused)

When he first met Aoba he thought he was a girl because he had really long hair, and after all, when we’re kids we don’t have very developed features anyway, it’s a pretty androgynous state. When Aoba corrects him and tells him he’s a boy his behavior is exactly the same, nothing changes. He corrects himself and never treats him as a girl.

He is someone who has no problem showing his affection for Aoba, neither in private nor in public, he’s very comfortable with his bisexuality, the only one who is reluctant to do so, either out of shame or fear, is Aoba.

What I’m trying to get at with all this is that all that “gentleman” facade and the “always accepting women who want to have something with him” that makes him look so stereotypical in a first impression has a much darker origin, although underneath all that there’s a much more sentimental, vulnerable and open Koujaku about his true feelings, expressing them even if he feels embarrassed, as we see on some occasions (touching his hair nervously when he confesses, of when he explains why Aoba's hair is so important to him).

The relationship he has with his mother is the most direct connection, or course. Being the son of an abused woman has made him hyper-aware of his position as a man (so much that sexism in this game almost goes full circle like the Bourbon family tree, but this is NC’s problem and it happens everywhere, it’s so obvious it’s a writers problem and it’s a shame it affects Koujaku so much because he’s basically the only one who isn’t scared of a bad bitch). We’ll talk about this in particular some more later, but let’s focus on what concerns his father for now.

Being the family of criminals that they are, abusers and… almost slavers, the most logical thing to assume is that they are specially conservative. It could very well be that his father, once he decided to make him his heir, wanted the image of his kid to be as intimidating and masculine as possible. A criminal, a murderer who could run his business in a world like this.

We know that the tattoo is an experiment by Toue, and it wouldn’t be strange if his father knew what was behind it, because after all it would also be beneficial for him to have a way to control him, to mold him to his liking and to make him obedient, unlike he had been behaving, refusing to be his heir and trying to defend his mother. The image of an effeminate, soft, sissy man was not exactly ideal for the future leader. For me, Koujaku’s father either already intended to name him heir before agreeing to the tattoo being an experiment with Toue and Ryuuhou, or he ended up deciding to name him the heir precisely because they had already talked about the tattoo and its possibilities beforehand.

His father would want to break him, drive him to despair so that he would stop resisting, take away his will and, although this is mostly headcanon, “make him a man”. Be a man, be strong, tenacious, learn to fight and find a woman to continue the family with, etc. So it is not surprising that at first he didn’t even reconsider his sexuality and thought that the affection he had for Aoba was just friendship, which over time, with such strong feelings, he realized was not the case. I sincerely love that he is shown to be so nervous and that he confesses to be kinda confused about it and in a state of denial, without having any external reference and too busy hating his father and Ryuuhou to even think about it, it’s normal that it took him so long.

He was trained to be a gangster, while his father insulted him, hit him and threatened him using his mother, on whom he took it out. This training also implies not only fighting but also for doing business, how to talk to be well-received, how to negotiate, how to give the best impression of himself at any given situation. This pack of skills seem to resonate with those that he uses to flirt and run his own business, even if he does it on an unconscious level, he just knows what to say to strike the person he’s talking to in their weak spots. His father’s physical treatment would not only be a punishment, but also to teach him a lesson, to learn to endure the pain, just like he endured the pain of the tattoo. If he cried, it would be shameful, he would be punished. He had to hide his pain, his feelings, his thoughts, for the sake of his mother’s safety and his own. Practically becoming a puppet, thus evolving into the life he carries in Midorijima as an adult.

Him not wanting to open up to Aoba wouldn’t be just an “oh he’s going to hate me”. It’s also what he learned would be the best, having a charismatic appearance that everyone likes. After all wouldn’t it be logical to not want any confrontation with anyone after all that? A tough guy, with people around him who admire him, who never gets tired or cries, because nothing’s wrong. In a way it’s also a shield, a protection, a defense mechanism. To be a man.

Now, the way he behaves that almost everyone without exception associates with his mother. And this, for sure, is the intention, his desire to protect his mother and therefore take care of the women he meets. But it’s also him actively wanting to be the opposite of his father.

What kind of relationship does he have with women? The contact he has with them is mostly through all his female fans, who are crazy to say the least. We’re not going to get much into the subject of sexism but first of all it’s a huge mistake that his fans are only young women or the way they make them all act.

Koujaku spends all his time building a character that he considers perfect, someone gentle, who never says no to a woman and is always available to entertain them, it would never occur to him to deny anything to any of them, as his mother was denied so many things. Unlike that hard and tenacious masculinity that he was taught to have in order to take on his role as the heir or the bestiality of his tattoo, he presents a gentle and chivalrous masculinity on the outside. What he does is pamper them and give them everything they ask for (almost, because has never really had serious relationships. Which makes sense because he would be telling them pretty big lies, right? That wouldn’t fit with his own code). He doesn’t think very highly of himself, he has a low self-esteem as he thinks he is nothing better than a worthless monster that should have probably died a long time ago.

Sometimes people who are abused go through abuse again, in a cycle. I think saying that Koujaku is a playboy is incorrect. (He acts flirty and likes playing around, sure, but there’s something deeper). That perception of him is natural, of course, because the way he behaves and how he is presented to you, is the image they want to give of him after all, in a basic and cliche way, so artificial that it is unsettling. I could believe that it sounds artificial on purpose, referring to that shell of how a confident and strong man should talk, if it weren’t for the fact that they do this kind of cliche and artificial situations quite often with other characters as well, and it makes it kinda hard to remain immersed. I honestly think that the foreshadowing could have been done a little better, but it still serves the narrative. Also this is practically almost all you see of his character the two first interactions he has with Aoba. Considering the structure of the game and how rushed everything is, it’s not very positive, but for the sake of your mental health it's better not to think too much about it.

In short, Koujaku is a very accommodating and attentive person. He listens and encourages others with their problems but doesn’t let anyone worry about him with his own, taking on everything himself. He even ironically tells Aoba that if he’s worried about what happened with Mizuki, he can blame him, and that he can always count on him to tell him anything. It’s a very lonely way to live, even though he has so many people around him.

Knowing this, it’s more than reasonable to think that more than him flirting with women, it’s simply him agreeing to give what those women ask of him. They come looking for something and he gives it to them. He’s a toy. It’s often joked that he’s practically a prostitute, and pretty much that’s what it is. And it’s in the balcony scene where we see a more personal side of him, where we can observe that in reality all this burden tires him, it’s not natural. It’s not like his character isn’t extroverted and charismatic, but that’s not everything, and in public he doesn’t allow himself to be “less”, so in private and in confidence is when he can afford to relax, with Aoba or in his own house.

Somehow, even though he is no longer with his family, the way he interacts with other people, or how he lets himself be used, be it consciously or not, even if there is a different intention behind, is not that different from before, people still use him.

ERHM... SOMETHING

I’ve sometimes wondered if there was some sort of sexual abuse on Ryuuhou’s part towards Koujaku. Nothing is implied canonically, at least physically, but the erotic connotations of the story of the tattoo artist he’s based on, the sadism, and his constant references to love make me think of it happening on a symbolic level.

I think it’s obvious that Ryuuhou loves Koujaku, in his own way, as his creation, and he’s referencing love at first sight and Koujaku’s abuse of Aoba. In a metaphorical way that abuse certainly happened, ever since he was tattooed, his body did not belong to him anymore. There are people who can’t stand the idea of having sex, and others who often seek it out to ease the pain. Ryuuhou made sure to mark his body and mind so that he could never forget him. His tattoos are his shame, his filth and sin. When Aoba touches his tattoos Koujaku practically jumps at contact.

#again text in red is new info added after the document was posted to you can identify it if you've already read it all #dmmd #dramatical murder #koujaku dmmd #koujaku #essay #this one's long 🥴#I can't believe we finally ended the character design part 🤯

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stump-not-found · 3 days ago

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i <3 creepy hallway

creepy hallway number one <3

alright time for more home life stuff . the bedroom scene came up as a way of trying to reintegrate the gold statue from earlier, since i just really love trying to find old elements and tie them in as plot relevant as time goes on . not usually planned, but it comes through during the editing stage, which is a fun game of deciding what scenes to keep, and which to get rid of . i wasn't so certain about this one, but i loved the idea of baby ford interacting with mabel, who's slightly older... i need to draw art of it, honestly . they're cute

it's really gratifying seeing people pick up on what i've been setting up as part of ford and the statue, the fact i was able to effectively communicate something going on means the world to me . the rest of the story is gonna dig into it more so i won't lay it all out here, but it really is so much fun . makes the whole writing process feel so communicative when people share thoughts and interpretations . especially when the scenes are meant to be read into !

we also get the closet yay . sure that's not gonna be important at all

writing the kids big blow up fight was a trip and a half . the original vision was a pretty shallow "we're stressed out and out grunkles should stop being mean to each other :(", just as a way to try and push forward the dynamics between ford and stan . that still exists, it's just a lot more focus being put onto the kids themselves . they're tertiary characters for sure, but i like thinking about their home life, and how that impacts them

one of the challenges is trying to have the fight feel fairly balanced between the two of them . shoutouts to my brother and wife for the full ass socratic seminar we had about threading that needle . how do you get a conversation where a young trans boy is trying to discuss his fears about his life and his body, and keeps getting shut down ? how do you balance that with a little girl who feels like it's her job to be the sweet, happy, emotionally intellegent adult in the room ? i'm happy with the end result but boy was it stressful

bill also wasn't gonna be here but i wanted more bill so . he got to come back . i really liked tying in nick with the spit to the little chats their having in the paradox dimension . love the lil hand pinch that was just a treat for meeeee, i get to be indulgent in my fics as much as i want . i also like the fact that ford is under some indescribable pain that entire time . they got a dynamic in this story that makes me laugh .

you know whats funny is i didn't even realize ship of theseus was a paradox writing a lot of the stuff about paradoxes . for some reason i just stumbled into that one . very funny . or, no wait -- i totally knew the entire time my brain is the size of three (3) whole apples

oh man and the entire lab scene i just loved writing . i love including bathroom breaks . i love dipper's poor hygiene . i love the fact the kids traded gold for soda, they're such perfect lil con men in training . and again the whole talk about star trek was so indulgent and fun

the brothers grew up queer in the 60's/70's and that's a major part of their arc . i hope to get across the ways they both hurt each other both as kids and adults . they still got so much to work on, and i just don't know if they've got the time

anyways creepy hallway bill time

favorite part:

“Clark.” Ford stiffens, stops. Looks up. “What?” “That, uh, captain guy. The one with the, he had the big, you know–” Stan gestures over his chest, puffing his pecs out a bit more. “Always had em out, shirt cut off or whatever. Got all hot and sweaty. Great hair.” “...Kirk?” Ford turns in his seat, slightly, to get a better look at his brother. Stan clicks his tongue, points his index finger in recollection. “ Kirk .” He repeats, and the image of the guy blooms in Stan’s head. Ford had a magazine with him on the cover, about as disheveled and beat up as a guy could look, shirt torn open. That particular mag went ‘missing’ into Stan’s stash, and he laughs at that old memory getting drudged up. “I, uh. Was a fan , back then.”

i just love how neither one of them can say what they're talking about out loud lol

Stan and Ford have a conversation, Mabel and Dipper get a bit absurd, and something gold is given meaning.

If you don't look, you won't see it fading.

#gf theseus’ guide #stump talks

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danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 1 day ago

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Dangancember 2024 - Danganronpa Top 24 Class Trials - NUMBER 3🥉: Danganronpa 1 Case 2 {BEST CASE FROM DR1}

//Our Bronze Medalist for this ranking is the second trial from the first game. And that fact alone is kind of surprising.

//DR1 has by far the most simple of mysteries, largely thanks to the later games really going all out with the complexities and red herrings. So some of you might be wondering why this particular case, a relatively early one in its respective game, ranks so highly on my list.

//Well young boys and girls...let me tell you a tale. The tale of how Mod Creeper first discovered a visual novel series that permanently changed his life.

//Well, actually, I'm make it short. This was the very first Danganronpa case I ever experienced. Rather than starting with the beginning of the series, I initially watched a playthrough of the first game and skipped the opening case.

//Which turned out to be no skin off my nose after all.

//But yeah, the first mystery I truly immersed myself in was Game 1, Case 2, and it was a transformative moment. As soon as I finished watching it, I knew without a doubt that this was the series for me.

//And you know I mean that, because I wrote a WHOLE FANFIC CENTERED AROUND THE STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN THIS CASE.

//What makes this case particularly memorable is the compelling character dynamics it brings to the forefront. Much like the previous cases I've discussed, the interplay between the characters is one of its strongest aspects.

//Additionally, this case excels at keeping you on your toes, constantly making you second-guess your assumptions. It’s this combination of personal nostalgia and expertly crafted intrigue that solidifies its place on my list.

//Okay, so to start with, Chapter 2 is fine. It's just an okay chapter, but it's important because it's designed to keep you hooked and sets the tone for what’s to come.

//The motive Monokuma dangles in front of the students this time is as juicy as it is insidious: he threatens to reveal their most humiliating, deeply buried secrets to the entire class unless someone commits murder.

//Compared to the family-threat motive from Chapter 1, this doesn't SEEM as immediately threatening, but it does end up upping the ante by turning every interaction into a potential minefield. Who knows what horrors could be lurking in those envelopes? A secret love of pineapple on pizza? A forbidden fondness for poorly-written fanfiction? The stakes skyrocket.

//And it's what actually HAPPENS with this motive that I really like, but since it leads to the murder, we'll get to that.

//But that’s not all. This chapter also carries the weight of being the first post-trial chapter in the entire series, assuming you’re playing in chronological order. By now, you’ve endured your first taste of the ultimate despair buffet: someone you thought was your friend turned out to be an unreliable backstabber, and you watched an innocent-seeming baseball star get pulverized by an iron-fisted pinball machine.

//Suffice to say, the air is heavy, and for the first time, the game makes you sit with that weight. This isn’t just a wacky murder mystery anymore; it’s a psychological marathon, and the runners are already limping.

//On a more character-driven note, Chapter 2 marks a significant tonal shift for our cinnamon-roll protagonist, Makoto. With Sayaka out of the picture, Makoto loses that last little tether of hope she provided. Sure, she annoyed some players with her "walking embodiment of plot drama" energy, but she gave Makoto a reason to act brave when she couldn’t.

//Now, with her absence, Makoto is left fumbling to fill that void. The chapter is as much about the students attempting to "return to normal" as it is about Makoto trying to figure out what "normal" even means when your classmates keep dropping like flies. Spoiler alert: it’s not the kind of normal that includes a carefree lunch break.

//This setup works beautifully because it’s multifaceted. On top of the fear and Despair dangling over everyone's heads, the motive manipulates the social dynamic, forcing the students to confront their own vulnerabilities and question their trust in one another. Plus, the lingering despair from Chapter 1 makes it clear that the emotional stakes are here to stay. Combined with a protagonist trying to rebuild his own hope, the chapter lays the groundwork for the spiral of distrust and tension that defines the series.

//But sadly, the peace does not last, because someone does end up cracking under the pressure, and a murder is committed.

//One of the reasons this case stands out as excellent, at least to me, is how seamlessly every mystery, twist, and solution contributes to a memorable character moment. Moments that often ripple across the rest of the game in a big way. And right from the start, this case has a leg up simply because I adore both the victim and the killer.

//It’s rare to find a case where both roles are handled so compellingly, but this one nails it. And they are genuinely the complete reverse case to Kirumi and Ryoma for me, where they were BOTH INSANELY interesting to me.

//ESPECIALLY Chihiro.

//And goddammit if I wasn't so excited to get to this case JUST so I could talk about Chihiro.

//In case I haven't already made it blindingly obvious, Chihiro is far and away my favourite character from the orginal cast, and quite possibly my second favourite character in the entire series behind ONLY Kaede. He's a character whose very existence throws the audience for a loop, and I mean that in the best way possible.

//Many of the mysteries in this case stem directly from Chihiro as a character, and even in death, he remains one of the most impactful figures in the entire Danganronpa series. There’s just something so fascinating about how he subverts expectations, because on the surface, he seems shy, weak, and submissive; traits that might lead you to underestimate him. But dig deeper, and you’ll find one of the most quietly strong-hearted characters in the series.

//What really made me love Chihiro was how he reacted to Monokuma’s motive, because he does something that NO OTHER CHARACTER (Besides Kaito in V3-1 and his group, which only got interrupted by Rantaro and Tsumugi being cucks) has done before. Unlike most of the other characters, who either try to ignore the motive or contemplate murder to protect their secrets, Chihiro takes a third option. He chooses to face it head-on, not with violence, but with determination and self-improvement.

//While at this point in any Danganronpa game, others are spiraling into paranoia, Chihiro decides to do something about it. His secret, as revealed in this case as a part of the mystery to why he died in the place that he did, and it's a brilliant twist that turns the trial on its head.

//If no murder occurred, Monokuma would expose this secret, but instead of succumbing to despair or committing a crime to protect himself, Chihiro chooses a different path.

//He decides to work on himself, to build emotional and physical strength, so that he can one day share his truth on his own terms. It’s a clever, admirable response, especially coming from someone who can’t even bring himself to swat a mosquito.

//Of course, this brave decision leads to tragedy. Chihiro seeks help from the wrong person, the killer of this case, and his noble intentions are ultimately met with betrayal. It’s heartbreaking to see someone so full of potential and hope meet such an untimely end, and it makes the case all the more gut-wrenching.

//I do really wish that Chihiro had lived longer, but this case is so good, that I can forgive the decision to kill him off relatively early.

//(And no, Alter Ego is a different character than Chihiro. I have already explained that I feel this way. Despite being based on Chihiro, he is an entirely different personality, and plays a whole different role in the story, with different experiences.)

//But the beauty of this case lies in how it uses this tragedy. It doesn’t just stop at shocking revelations; it digs into the emotional fallout and how it affects the rest of the cast. Chihiro’s story, even in death, becomes a catalyst for some of the game’s most significant character growth and development. It’s not just a twist for the sake of a twist. it’s a deeply human story about vulnerability, courage, and the consequences of trust.

//And honestly, if you didn’t shed at least one tear for Chihiro, I might have to question whether Monokuma replaced your heart with a Monokuma Coin.

//But Chihiro’s death sets the stage for the investigation, which, if I’m being completely honest, is my least favorite part of this otherwise stellar case.

//Don’t get me wrong, the clues themselves are great, and piecing everything together during the trial is an absolute blast. I lost count of how many jaw-dropping moments this case delivered.

//But the journey to find those clues? Let’s just say it’s not exactly a highlight reel.

//The investigation is slow. Like, waiting in line at the DMV, slow. And the biggest drag? Spending the majority of it with Byakuya.

//Now, I get that Byakuya is supposed to be this insufferable know-it-all with a superiority complex, and he has a very important role to play in this trial, but during this segment, he takes it to a whole new level. It’s not just that he’s condescending; it’s that he doesn’t even treat you as a person.

//To Byakuya, Makoto is just some vaguely sentient tool he can use to exploit the Ultimate Lucky Student talent.

//And if you think that sounds unpleasant, trust me, it’s worse in practice. Byakuya doesn’t so much guide you through the investigation as he does lecture clues at you. Instead of letting you have the satisfaction of uncovering things on your own, he practically shoves the answers in your face while monologuing about how much smarter he is.

//Honestly, I would’ve been happier if he just handed me a checklist of locations and let me investigate solo. But no, we’re stuck with Mr. "I’m Rich and Therefore Better Than You" for the majority of this slog.

//Don’t get me wrong, Byakuya’s character is intentionally written to get under your skin, and in that sense, he’s wildly effective. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating to have him glued to your side during what’s supposed to be a pivotal, player-driven part of the game. It’s like trying to solve a murder mystery while your annoying cousin keeps pointing out the obvious and claiming they solved it first.

//That said, I can’t let this one annoying sequence sour my opinion of the case as a whole. The investigation may drag, but it’s worth it for the payoff in the trial, where all those clues come together in spectacular fashion. So, while I may have groaned every time Byakuya opened his mouth, I can’t deny the sheer brilliance of the twists and revelations that followed. Just, uh, maybe next time give me the option to leave him in the library where he belongs?

//Anyway, the investigation wraps up, and you have your clues. It's trial time!

//This trial starts off super well, because as I said, it is absolutely FILLED with plot twists, and not a single one of them is uninteresting, or drags the trial. But the most obvious one is covered IMMEDIATELY; and not even in a way that you have to figure it out, but it's instead told to you, and you have to help explain it.

//As I mentioned earlier, one of the reasons I’m such a fan of this trial is its clever use of a red herring. Now, red herrings are a tricky beast in storytelling, because how effective they are can vary wildly depending on who you’re talking to.

//For me, a good red herring is like a well-spiced meal: it adds intrigue, hides additional mysteries, and, when done right, leads to a surprising and satisfying twist. But there’s a fine line. Overdo it, and your audience will start rolling their eyes instead of gasping in delight.

//Thankfully, Danganronpa strikes a balance that works more often than not. The series has its fair share of red herrings, but they’re spaced out just enough to avoid becoming irritating. In my opinion, the two best examples are in V3-2, where Maki’s unexpected encounter with Ryoma flips everything we thought we knew, and, of course, the one in this case. Even if you can predict the twist, the journey to uncover it and the way it’s handled are what make it memorable.

//The red herring here revolves around a character who has only been vaguely hinted at so far but takes center stage in this chapter: Genocide Jack, the infamous serial killer who exclusively targets attractive men.

//Genocide Jack’s notoriety is built up brilliantly. This is someone who’s eluded law enforcement for ages, a near-mythical figure whose very name sends shivers down spines. So naturally, when Genocide Jack’s name pops up in connection with Chihiro’s murder, thanks to a familiar message carved in blood on the wall, everyone starts freaking out and pointing fingers. Could this be the mastermind? Is the infamous Ultimate Murderous Fiend behind the bloodshed?

//And then Byakuya, in his usual smug fashion, drops the mic:

//Now, as I already admitted, the reveal isn’t exactly the world’s most shocking twist. If you’ve been paying attention to Toko’s erratic behavior, you could probably piece it together.

//But the way it’s revealed is pure gold.

//Toko is revealed to have Dissociative Identity Disorder (not the same as Schizophrenia as I was led to believe for so long, so I apologize for being unable to make the distinction in the past), with her alternate personality being none other than Genocide Jack; or, as she prefers to be called, Genocide Jill (or Genocider Sho, if you’re rocking the Japanese version).

//And let me tell you, Genocide Jill is a RIOT. She’s like the unhinged cartoon villain you never knew you needed in your murder mystery.

//What makes Jill so fascinating is how she manages to be both a perfect foil AND a twisted mirror of Toko. On one hand, she’s loud, outgoing, and unapologetically chaotic, everything Toko isn’t. But on the other hand, she shares Toko’s unhealthy obsession with Byakuya, which manifests in wildly inappropriate, borderline absurd ways. It’s a fascinating dynamic, and it keeps you glued to the screen, not knowing what she’s going to do or say next.

//Despite being a literal serial killer, Genocide Jill is mostly played for laughs, and it works. Her maniacal cackling, over-the-top dialogue, and penchant for wild, inappropriate jokes add a bizarre layer of levity to an otherwise intense trial. She’ll pretend to drop a serious revelation, only to swerve into a punchline. It’s unhinged, but it fits the chaotic world of this franchise perfectly.

//And then there’s her self-proclaimed fujoshi tendencies, which take her over-the-top personality to new heights. Jill gleefully declares that she only kills cute boys who, and I quote, "turn her on, a detail so ludicrously specific that it’s hard not to laugh.

//Because how could anyone have guessed that Toko’s repressed, introverted personality would manifest in such an explosively cartoonish, sadomasochistic alter ego this way? You could have seen the half-serial killer twist coming, but NO WAY anyone thought it was gonna manifest like this.

//It’s the kind of twist that’s so outlandish it somehow works, and it gives this trial a unique flavor that no other case in the series quite matches.

//But then it gets MORE intense, because this leads into ANOTHER possibility.

//After Toko is outed to be GJ, the group quickly narrows their focus on her. Everyone becomes engrossed in debating whether Jill could be the culprit, citing her violent history and the eerie similarities between Chihiro’s murder and Jill’s MO.

//However, the evidence doesn't line up, and not only is Jill not the killer, but she eventually becomes one of the first game’s SURVIVORS!

//And this is where another key character in this case steps into the fray: Byakuya.

//I've been eluding to him a bit so far, but this is the case where Byakuya really comes front-and-center compared to the rest of the game, besides maybe Chapter 4. But while he's not exactly as compelling an antagonist as the future rivals in the series, the Affluant Progeny laid the groundwork for the type of character dynamic that Nagito and Kokichi would go on to take and run with.

//So far, Byakuya has been an arrogant thorn in everyone’s side, but it's here that he seizes an opportunity to step into the limelight. He was already a smug elitist, and the kind of guy you’d expect to demand five-star service during an apocalypse, but this case reveals a darker, more manipulative side.

//If Chapter 1 painted him as an insufferable know-it-all, Chapter 2 cements him as a grade-A sociopath. He pulls off actions so reprehensible that it’s a wonder he wasn’t voted off the proverbial island long before the game’s end.

//First of all, as I already said, Byakuya is the one who exposes Toko’s alter ego, Genocide Jill, to the rest of the group. And the only reason he knows the truth is because Toko TOLD him, and he actively and unashamedly goes against her wishes, and outs her.

//Does he do this out of concern for the group’s safety? Nope. Does he think it’ll help solve the murder? Not really. He does it purely to stroke his own ego, basking in the chaos that ensues.

//But wait, there’s more.

//When the group begins piecing together the crime scene, suspicion briefly turns toward Byakuya for a few reasons: the extension cord used to string up Chihiro’s body matched one seen in the library, a place Byakuya frequented, and the bloodstained message, "Blood Lust," mimicked Genocide Jill’s signature style, and Byakuya was the only one who read the Genocide Jack file, which described her specific methods.

At this point, you might think Byakuya is the killer...And that’s exactly what he wants you to think. The truth, however, is far worse.

//Byakuya isn’t the killer, but he did tamper with the crime scene in the most twisted way imaginable. After noticing the actual killer leaving the girl’s locker room, he discovered Chihiro’s body and decided to "spice things up." He staged the scene to implicate Genocide Jill, stringing up Chihiro’s body with the extension cord and scrawling Blood Lust on the wall in Chihiro’s blood.

//You might think what the hell he could possibly stand to gain by doing this, especially since one misstep means that EVERYONE dies, including Byakuya himself.

//Well, it turns out all of this was done not to protect himself or even to accuse someone else, but it was to make the killing game "more interesting" and to force Toko’s secret into the open. As well as to give him an idea of what kinds of minds he's up against.

//For context, earlier in this chapter, when everyone is trying to unite under one banner, Byakuya outright refuses, and practically BULLIES Chihiro for ever thinking that a sense of cameraderie could be found in the environment of a Killing Game. And throughout the game, before and after this, he is a cold, self-centered individual with a deeply reserved demeanor. His aloofness stems from an unshakable sense of superiority and an unyielding belief that most people are inherently beneath him.

//And while it's frustrating, this mindset complies PERFECTLY to what he talks about in his backstory during his Free Time Events. It really gives you the motivation to go out of your way to spend time with him, because it really goes into good detail at why Byakuya is so adamant to comply to the Killing Game the way it is meant to be played, at least until Chapter 4.

//Born into the prestigious Togami family, Byakuya was forced to compete against his siblings in a ruthless battle for succession. Only the most competent sibling would inherit the family name and fortune, while the rest were disowned and cut off financially, labeled as dead to the family.

//Growing up in this cutthroat environment shaped Byakuya into someone who views the world through a lens of "winners" and "losers." To him, life is a zero-sum game where cooperation is a weakness and emotional bonds are trivial distractions.

//Byakuya’s disdain for collaboration and his dismissal of others as insignificant are rooted in his belief that self-interest is the only true driving force behind human behavior. His upbringing not only honed his competitive edge but also left him with a deeply cynical view of relationships, which he regards as petty and unimportant. And he perfectly summarizes it in his own words:

"You're not about to claim she wouldn't kill a close friend, are you? You still don't get it, do you? The game we're playing here isn't so kind. Honeyed words like friendship don't matter here. What matters is outwitting the opponent, defeating them...Not a person alive would sacrifice themselves for another. In the end, we're all in it for ourselves."

//This mindset obviously comes back to bite him in Chapter 4, but we have already talked about that.

//What makes Byakuya so detestable here isn’t just the tampering itself, though that’s bad enough; it’s his cold, calculated reasoning and justification behind his actions.

//He doesn’t care about Chihiro’s dignity or the emotional toll on the group. To him, it’s all a game, a twisted experiment to see how far he can push his classmates before they break. He even admits he was aware that his meddling would make him a suspect, but he couldn’t resist the "fun" of stirring the pot.

//As interesting as he ends up being, and as much development as he goes through after this, this case solidifies Byakuya as one of the most despicable little fucks in the series. Not because he’s a killer, but because his actions reveal a complete lack of empathy. He doesn’t just view his classmates as beneath him; he treats them as pawns in his personal chess game, moving them around for his entertainment. It’s a chilling glimpse into this warped psyche he has, and a stark reminder of how dangerous unchecked arrogance can be.

//So while Nagito and Kokichi are more complex and arguably more compelling, Byakuya lays the groundwork for the unpredictable rival archetype. Love him or hate him, he makes this case unforgettable, and gives us plenty of reasons to hate him along the way.

//When the trial discussion begins to zero in on potential suspects, Byakuya’s overconfidence is momentarily disrupted, and Kyoko steps in to steer the investigation in a new direction. Her calm and incisive analysis introduces a revelation that not only reshapes the trial but also leaves an indelible mark on the game, and unlike Trial 1, REALLY defines how far this game is willing to go to catch you off guard.

//The build-up to this twist is handled with remarkable care, with every clue serving as a breadcrumb in a trail that keeps you engaged, guessing, and second-guessing. When the truth finally comes out, it’s both shocking and strangely fitting, a testament to the narrative’s ability to balance absurdity with depth.

//The lead-up to the twist begins with inconsistencies that don’t seem to add up, particularly regarding where the crime took place. Initially, it’s assumed the murder occurred in the girls’ locker room because that’s where Chihiro’s body was found. But as the discussion progresses, it’s revealed that the murder actually happened in the boys’ locker room, and the killer went to great lengths to swap the two rooms to obscure this fact.

//This revelation should theoretically narrow down the suspects, as only a boy could access the boys’ locker room due to the biometric security system that ensures nobody can enter the wrong room without being riddled with bullets. But then a new problem arises, because if Chihiro was a girl, as everyone believed, how could he have accessed the boys’ locker room?

//The contradiction hangs in the air, and tension builds as the trial teases out every angle. Then, in a moment that’s both jaw-dropping and comically over-the-top, the truth comes to light:

//Chihiro Fujisaki wasn’t a girl at all. He was a cross-dressing boy.

//And this revelation flips the entire trial, and everyone’s assumptions, on its head.

//This twist lands perfectly for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s not a sudden, out-of-nowhere bombshell, but it's not hinted at enough to be blatantly obvious. The game spends time setting up the groundwork with subtle hints, such as Chihiro’s soft-spoken nature and reluctance to use the locker rooms. These details, while easy to overlook on a first playthrough, become glaringly significant in hindsight. As ridiculous as the notion is, given how meek and feminine Chihiro always came across, it doesn’t feel forced or contrived because it’s woven into the fabric of the narrative from the beginning, making the reveal not just surprising but satisfying.

//What makes this moment even more impactful is its emotional depth. Chihiro’s decision to present as a girl wasn’t just a quirky personality trait or a superficial gimmick. It was rooted in years of pain and self-doubt.

//Monokuma reveals post-trial that as a child, Chihiro was relentlessly bullied for being weak and not living up to societal expectations of masculinity. Dressing as a girl was his way of escaping that ridicule, a shield against the harsh judgments of others.

//But this choice came with its own set of challenges, fostering a deep inferiority complex. Chihiro wanted to be seen as strong and capable, but he felt trapped, unable to reconcile his true self with the persona he had created to protect himself.

//This internal struggle adds a layer of tragedy to Chihiro’s story and elevates the twist from a mere plot device to a poignant exploration of identity and self-worth.

//It also contextualizes his actions leading up to his death. Instead of succumbing to Monokuma’s motive and resorting to murder, Chihiro chose a path of self-improvement. He began training in secret, both physically and mentally, determined to grow stronger and eventually share his truth with the world on his own terms. This decision, born of courage and hope, ultimately led him to confide in the killer, tragically sealing his fate.

//However, while the emotional resonance of this twist is undeniable, it’s not without its flaws. While the initial shock from the cast feels natural, their quick acceptance of Chihiro’s true identity comes across as a bit too tidy. Almost immediately, they begin referring to Chihiro as male, seamlessly integrating this revelation into their discussions as if it were a minor detail rather than a groundbreaking shift in their understanding of their classmate.

//While this efficiency keeps the trial moving at a brisk pace, it sacrifices some of the nuance and emotional complexity that such a revelation would realistically entail. Even for a group grappling with life-and-death stakes, this level of instant adjustment feels a bit implausible.

//The trope of cross-dressing characters is not uncommon in early 2000s anime, so this twist fits comfortably within the genre’s conventions. However, what sets it apart is the depth of emotion and thoughtfulness behind its execution.

//Chihiro’s struggles are treated with a surprising amount of sensitivity for a series known for its over-the-top antics. The twist isn’t just a shocking moment for the sake of drama, but it also ties directly into the themes of self-identity, resilience, and the impact of societal expectations.

//Moreover, it segues seamlessly into the motives and circumstances of the case, adding layers of complexity to both the mystery and the character dynamics.

//I feel like I say that a lot, but it's true.

//And then the conclusion of this trial comes about as a result of a neat little gambit from Kyoko, that finally nails down the killer, with all the facts on the table serving to place them under the guilty spotlight. The sequence is very dramatic, and very well structured.

//Kyoko skillfully draws the killer into a trap by zeroing in on a critical detail: Chihiro’s tracksuit. She highlights its specific color, implying that Chihiro had carefully chosen it for a planned training session with someone who would be wearing a matching outfit. This subtle nudge prompts everyone to recall their own tracksuit colors, and it’s here that Mondo Owada unknowingly seals his fate.

//In a clumsy attempt to prove his innocence, he eagerly states that his tracksuit was black, while Chihiro’s was blue, thinking this distinction would exonerate him. The problem? Celeste had testified earlier that she saw Chihiro carrying a tracksuit in a duffle bag but never mentioned its color.

//For Mondo to know Chihiro’s tracksuit was blue, he would’ve needed to see it firsthand at the time of the murder. Celeste confirms this detail, further tightening the noose around Mondo as she reiterates her sighting of the blue tracksuit. Taka, ever eager to contribute, recalls seeing the tracksuit and bag during the investigation, but Kyoko quickly corrects him, noting that both had been disposed of by then, leaving no chance for Mondo to craft a plausible alibi.

//Cornered, Mondo fumbles for an explanation, claiming that he happened to see Chihiro carrying the blue tracksuit as they crossed paths. But this excuse falls apart when Makoto recalls Celeste’s testimony: Chihiro had deliberately stuffed the tracksuit entirely into the duffle bag, ensuring it wasn’t visible. Mondo’s story, already thin, collapses under the weight of this contradiction, making it clear he’s lying.

//Adding to the suspicion, Kyoko astutely points out that Mondo referred to Chihiro as "dude" earlier in the trial, rather than "chick." This subtle slip indicated Mondo knew about Chihiro’s true gender, something only the killer could have known at this point. While this detail alone isn’t enough to definitively convict Mondo, it deepens Kyoko’s suspicions and primes the rest of the class for the final pieces of evidence.

//At this critical juncture, Hifumi unexpectedly steps in with a crucial revelation: he found a broken E-Handbook in the sauna. Since Chihiro’s E-Handbook was missing from the crime scene, it’s reasonable to suspect the broken one belonged to him.

//Here’s where things get interesting. Mondo had recently competed in a grueling sauna endurance contest with Taka, during which he unknowingly left his E-Handbook in his pocket. The intense heat damaged the device, inadvertently teaching Mondo about its weakness. Armed with this knowledge, Mondo destroyed Chihiro’s E-Handbook after the murder to cover his tracks. To avoid suspicion, he replaced his broken E-Handbook with Leon’s, knowing Leon couldn’t object due to being, well, dead.

//Makoto suggests a simple test to confirm this: everyone shows their E-Handbooks. But at this point, Mondo has no way out. Revealing his E-Handbook would expose the switch, proving he had Leon’s and confirming his role in the crime, so, realizing he’s cornered, Mondo finally breaks down and confesses to killing Chihiro. The students vote unanimously to convict him, sealing his fate.

//Now...Chihiro alone is already carrying this case with how brilliant a character he is. However, I would go the extra mile and say that Mondo is one of the most criminally underrated characters in the Danganronpa series, and if nothing else, definitely so amongst the killers of each game.

//What truly stands out about Mondo, and this case in particular, is his motive. Unlike many other killers in the series, Mondo didn’t kill to protect his secret or out of malicious intent. Instead, his actions stemmed from a complex mix of jealousy, frustration, emotional vulnerability, and above all, deep-rooted trauma.

//The full circumstances are as follows: Mondo grew up idolizing his older brother, Daiya, who played a pivotal role in shaping him into the person he would become. Raised with the values of strength and resilience, Mondo was introduced to the world of biking at a young age when Daiya invited him to join The Crazy Diamonds, their legendary biker gang. Inspired by his brother's example, Mondo dedicated himself to biking and helped solidify the gang’s reputation as one of the most feared and respected in Japan. Together, the siblings earned the moniker "The Diamond Brothers," becoming a household name in the underground biker community.

//Despite his growing skills and reputation, Mondo constantly lived in Daiya's shadow. Early in his riding career, he struggled to keep up, often finding himself at the back of the pack. On one such occasion, his inexperience led to an encounter with the police that caused chaos for the group. But Mondo refused to let his setbacks define him. Through perseverance and sheer determination, he rose through the ranks and eventually became a force to be reckoned with in his own right.

//Mondo’s defining moment came when Daiya decided it was time to retire and pass the leadership of The Crazy Diamonds to him. The gang members, however, doubted Mondo’s ability to fill his brother’s shoes, so Mondo issued a challenge to Daiya: a high-stakes race to prove he was worthy of the role.

//Tragically, the race ended in disaster. During the heated competition, Mondo recklessly drove into oncoming traffic. In a split-second act of selflessness, Daiya pushed Mondo’s motorcycle aside, saving his younger brother but sacrificing himself in a fatal collision with another vehicle.

//Devastated by his brother’s death, Mondo was consumed by guilt, but he honored Daiya’s dying wish. To lead The Crazy Diamonds and never blame himself for the accident. Unable to admit the truth, Mondo told the gang nothing of his involvement in Daiya’s death. Instead, he channeled his grief into maintaining The Crazy Diamonds as Japan’s most formidable biker gang, carrying on his brother’s legacy while hiding the burden of his secret.

//Fast forward to the killing game, where Monokuma introduced his second motive; revealing each participant’s darkest secret. Mondo’s envelope contained the devastating confession, that Mondo was the cause of death for his brother.

//This revelation terrified Mondo. The very foundation of his identity and leadership, the image of strength and reliability, was built on a lie. If the truth were exposed, not only would his reputation crumble, but it could also destroy The Crazy Diamonds, breaking the pact he’d made with Daiya to keep the gang intact.

//Meanwhile, Chihiro, faced with the same motive, reacted differently. Instead of succumbing to fear, Chihiro became determined to grow stronger and confront his own insecurities. Inspired by Mondo’s seemingly unshakable persona, Chihiro decided to confide his secret in him, believing Mondo could understand and provide guidance. Chihiro invited Mondo to train with him in the gym, hoping to take the first step toward self-improvement.

//In the boys’ locker room, Chihiro revealed his truth: that he was a boy who had been pretending to be a girl to avoid being bullied for his perceived weakness. He explained his desire to overcome his fears and grow stronger, no matter the challenges.

//However, Mondo, already under immense pressure from Monokuma’s threat, was blindsided by the revelation. Hearing Chihiro’s confession sparked a storm of emotions in Mondo. Jealousy, self-loathing, and anger surged as he grappled with the realization that Chihiro, someone he had viewed as weak, possessed a level of emotional strength and courage that Mondo lacked.

//Chihiro, a small and seemingly fragile boy who dressed as a girl to avoid ridicule, found the courage to confide his secret in Mondo. For someone like Mondo, built on a foundation of machismo, loyalty, and an obsession with appearing strong, this moment was earth-shattering.

//Mondo, who had spent his life cultivating an image of toughness, now felt exposed. The weight of his survivor’s guilt and the constant fear of his secret being uncovered made him feel weaker than ever. Chihiro’s bravery only magnified Mondo’s insecurities, leading to a boiling point where his envy turned into uncontrollable rage.

//In an impulsive and tragic act, Mondo struck Chihiro in the head with a dumbbell, killing him. Thus, what began as a moment of admiration and connection turned into one of the most devastating events of the killing game..a senseless murder fueled by jealousy, guilt, and the crushing weight of unspoken truths.

//Mondo’s actions are unforgivable, but what makes his character compelling is the sheer depth of his remorse over this. He doesn’t fit the mold of the cold-blooded killer or the manipulative mastermind.

//Instead, Mondo is consumed by guilt. His reaction throughout the trial is one of disbelief and self-loathing, as though he can’t come to terms with the fact that he’s capable of such a thing. And that regret alone sets him apart from every other killer in the series.

//In Danganronpa, murderers often fall into four broad categories: those who kill for selfish gain (like Celeste or Teruteru), cold-blooded killers who kill out of sociopathy (like Kiyo or Mikan), those manipulated into killing (like Gonta or Chiaki), and those with motives that, while tragic, are grounded in reason (like Gundham or Satsuki).

//Mondo, however, occupies a unique space. He is not an unwilling pawn, nor does he commit murder for a calculated purpose. Instead, his crime is an impulsive, emotionally charged act that he makes ABUNDANTLY CLEAR that he wishes to HIGH HEAVEN that he could undo.

//Mondo is the first killer in the series to express genuine guilt over his actions instead of trying and failing to justify them. But to this day, he's the only killer who you can truly tell he wants nothing more than to take it back, but tragically knows that he's already fucked himself over, and there's only one path left for him.

//Other killers in Danganronpa show remorse, but never outright condemn themselves for their actions, because a lot of them still stand by their actions, and that their ends justfied their means. Not Mondo.

//In fact, Mondo is the only killer in the first game who confesses to his crime before the vote. That moment, where he admits to the murder, is both a gut-punch and a testament to his character. It highlights the tragedy of the case. He didn’t want to be a killer, and yet he became one.

//This is highlighted by poor Taka's reaction, starting a trauma train for him before 1-3 completely wastes it. Taka, at this point in the game, is Mondo's arch-rival turned best friend and blood brother. He's the one who brings most of the heartache to the trial, because he's so adamant against the idea that Mondo could be the killer, and he's also directly tied to the piece of evidence that ultimately incriminates him. His breakdown reflects on the player, and it makes everything even more gutting.

//Adding yet nother layer of poignancy to Mondo’s character is Kyoko’s post-trial insight. She speculates that Mondo’s decision to switch the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms wasn’t solely about covering his tracks. Instead, it was a last-ditch effort to protect Chihiro’s secret for as long as possible. This act, though misguided, shows a glimmer of the kindness and respect Mondo had for Chihiro, even after what he’d done. It wasn’t enough to erase his guilt, but it underscores the depth of his regret and his desire to honor Chihiro in some way.

//What makes this situation even more heart-wrenching is the context, and reflecting on what you actually just went through after the trial. Mondo is not just a rough, gruff biker with a violent streak. Beneath his tough exterior, he has a heart of gold, as evidenced by his genuine friendship with Taka, the honor student. Their bond is one of the most endearing parts of the early game, built on mutual respect despite their vastly different personalities. To see someone like Mondo, who was capable of such strong friendships and who valued loyalty above all, commit this crime is a tragic twist.

//Meanwhile, Byakuya, who shamelessly tampered with the crime scene to boost his own ego, and Genocide Jill, a literal serial killer, serve as red herrings in this case, and survive not just past this trial, but both make it to the end of the game. The irony is almost painful: the person who seemed most trustworthy, someone who built a meaningful connection, ends up being the culprit.

//The emotional weight of this case easily rivals the infamous suicide case later in the game. Mondo’s crime wasn’t premeditated, nor was it born of pure malice. It was the result of a moment of vulnerability and insecurity, and that’s what makes it so impactful.

//You’re left not just grieving for Chihiro but also for Mondo, who is a victim of his own flawed sense of strength and masculinity. It’s a deeply human tragedy, and that’s what makes this case one of the most memorable in the series.

//And fuck me, I wish more people appreciated him.

//That's basically the majority of what I have to say on the trial, but I want to end this analysis by making a statement. Because this is heavily associated with this trial, and even though I really don't want to, I need to cover it, or else some people might come after me.

//This trial is fantastic. But in recent times, when I've been looking at other reviews for reference, I can't help but notice that some people really don't like this trial, and think that narratively, it's one of the worst in the series.

//And there's only one or two reasons for that, and they're all the same. And it pisses me the fuck off, because it reminds me that people are so quick to jump on this type of stuff, and it makes them miss what is actually genuinely amazing writing, mystery-solving, and everything the Danganronpa series stands for.

//Alright...here goes...

//This chapter, aptly named "Boys' Life of Despair," remains one of the most controversial in the series, largely due to its handling of Chihiro's gender identity and Genocide Jill’s characterization and how that reflects back on D.I.D. as a condition.

//While the case delves into deep themes such as guilt, weakness, and societal expectations, lots of people, from what I have seen, have criticized how these topics are presented. The controversy stems from whether the game misrepresents or trivializes sensitive issues such as transgender identity and mental health.

//Quite a significant number of people interpreted Chihiro's story as a poorly executed representation of transgender identity. Although the game never explicitly states that Chihiro identifies as transgender, the setup inadvertently evokes real-world experiences of gender dysphoria and societal pressures faced by transgender individuals.

//Critics argue that the game's framing treats Chihiro’s gender presentation as a plot twist rather than a nuanced exploration of identity. The reveal is pivotal to the case but comes across as reductive, reducing Chihiro’s complex internal struggles to a mere "shock factor" moment.

//Moreover, the resolution of Chihiro’s arc is problematic for some. Chihiro is framed as wanting to become “stronger” by embracing traditional masculinity, which implies that their perceived weakness is tied to their feminine appearance. Which comes across as dismissive of the broader spectrum of gender identity and expression, and for many, feels like the narrative missed an opportunity to explore Chihiro’s courage in defying societal norms rather than portraying their femininity as a flaw to be corrected.

//As for Jill, she's obviously a standout character in the series for a long time even after this trial, but her portrayal as a comic relief character often veers into caricature, with exaggerated behaviors and dialogue that reduce her mental health condition to a punchline. And that's ignoring the fact that she's a deranged psychopath.

//For many, this feels insensitive, as it reinforces harmful stereotypes about people with split-personalities being dangerous or unstable, and not as people who might genuinely need help, or suffering under a mental condition that is often born of traumatic incidents, and also that most people have no control over.

//The comedic tone surrounding Jill contrasts sharply with the serious nature of D.I.D, leaving many feeling that the game trivializes the disorder. This portrayal has sparked debates about whether the developers intended for Genocide Jill to be a satirical character or simply misunderstood the nuances of mental health representation. Regardless of intent, the character has been widely regarded as an inaccurate and harmful depiction of DID, leading to further scrutiny of the series' approach to complex psychological topics.

//Now...*sigh* personally, I do think these concerns are valid. Especially the one's with Jill. And people are free to debate the sexualities and gender identity of characters all they want; that's the entire fucking point of Fandom.

//And as your stereotypical cisgendered white man, who has no sway in these discussions as he cannot speak from a trans person perspective, please allow me to explain how I interpreted it, and what I genuinely believe was the intended effect, and hopefully, it will make a bit more sense.

//Danganronpa, as a series full of a variety of interesting characters, is basically BUILT on, and relies VERY HEAVILY on stereotypes. Particularly the first game's cast, because all of them are based on a well-known Japanese characterization stereotype.

//All of which have been used in anime and manga series before, quite a majority of them in one's with school settings.

//Barring Chihiro, here's the list:

Makoto is the "Everyman Protagonist." He represents the typical Japanese high school student with no standout qualities, that is most commonly seen in the position of the main character, as a means of making them more relateable to a general audience. His luck reflects the idea of fortune favoring the ordinary, a common theme in Japanese storytelling. Other examples for this archetype include Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Tsuna Sawada (Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)

Kyoko is the Kuudere, i.e. the cool, calm, and collected one. She embodies the quiet, mysterious type who slowly reveals a more emotional and caring side. This is a common archetype in Japanese fiction, particularly for female leads in romance or crime stories. Other examples include Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan), and C.C. (Code Geass).

Byakuya is the Elite Snob. He represents the privileged, highly educated upper class with a sense of superiority, and his arrogance reflects the stereotypical "rich heir" character in Japanese media. Other examples include Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!) and Gilgamesh (Fate series)

Toko, and by extension Jill, are the "Mojo Girl." This term came from モテない女 (motenai jo) meaning unpopular girl, shortened to モ女 (mojo). In short, Toko is the classic "weird girl" stereotype, socially awkward and self-deprecating. Her Genocide Jack persona exaggerates the duality often seen in overworked or mentally strained artists. Tomoko Kuroki (Watamote) is a prime example of this.

Hina is the Genki Girl, meaning she's the energetic, positive, upbeat female among the cast. Though she goes through a lot od ups and downs, she' generally has a cheerful and optimistic personality that aligns with the "genki girl" archetype, a common depiction of athletic and lively female characters in Japanese media. Yui Hirasawa (K-On!), Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion), and Misaka Mikoto (A Certain Scientific Railgun) are other examples.

Sakura is the Gentle Giant. Her intimidating appearance contrasts with her noble and compassionate personality, playing on themes of inner versus outer strength. A prominent example of this on other media is actually her Death Battle opponent, Jonathan Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure).

Celeste is, obviously, the Gothic Lolita, but she also subtly plays the role of the mysterious foreiner despite being fully Japanese, since she fakes having an accent, and has a very French fake name. Celeste represents the "exotic" and enigmatic character often portrayed in Japanese fiction, and her gothic fashion and affected mannerisms tie into the lolita subculture. Other examples include Kuroneko (Oreimo), Beatrice (Umineko), and Elizabeth (Black Butler).

Mondo is the Yankii, or the Delinquent. He embodies the stereotypical Japanese high-school thug, with a hot temper, loyalty to his friends, and a love for his motorbike. His pompadour hairstyle is a hallmark of the yankii style. Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill), and Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho) are other examples.

Hifumi is, quite obviously, the Otaku. Hifumi is a very blatant parody of the "hardcore geek" stereotype, obsessed with anime, manga, and fan culture. His exaggerated behavior and delusions about 2D characters highlight the comedic portrayal of this archetype. Daru (Steins;Gate) is another perfect example of this, almost exactly the same sterotype application as Hifumi.

Sayaka is the Popular Girl/School Idol, as well as representing the Japanese idol industry, with her cheerful demeanor and "pure" image masking the pressure and ruthlessness behind the scenes. Others in this role include Minori Kushieda (Toradora!), Yuna (Kakegurui), and a more recent example, Aira Shiratori (Dandadan).

Leon is the Lazy Jock character that reflects the stereotype of young athletes who excel in sports but secretly dream of pursuing a more "cool" career, like being a musician in his case. Ryoma from V3 also falls under this stereotype, though his story is a darker subversion of it.

Taka is the uptright Honor Student. He embodies the classic "serious student" archetype, obsessed with rules, discipline, and success. His personality mirrors the high-achieving but socially awkward individuals found in competitive academic environments, and he's none for being a stickler, and very loud in getting his points across. Tenya Iida (My Hero Academia) is an almost one-for-one identical representation of this.

Hiro is a caricature of the carefree, irresponsible fortune-teller/spiritualist, often seen as unreliable or comically inept in Japanese media. His archetype isn't as common, but Isshin Kurosaki (Bleach), as a comedic father figure with a flair for spiritualism, also falls under this umbrella.

Junko/Mukuro when she's disguised as Junko, evil antics aside, is the Gyaru, AKA, "Gal." They embody the stereotype of a trendy girl, usually one who dyes their hair blond, with a keen focus on fashion, appearances, and everything trendy. More famous examples are Marin Kitagawa (Dress-Up Darling), Minami Fuyuki (Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable), and Yukana Yame (My First Girlfriend is a Gal)

//Every Danganronpa character is some kind of trend/stereotype among these lines taken to the extreme, and in the case of Chihiro, he is a parody of "Otokonoko"

//Otokonoko, a Japanese term that translates roughly to "boy-girl" or "male girl," refers to a genre of crossdressing or gender expression where a male adopts traditionally feminine clothing, behaviors, and aesthetics. Often portrayed in manga, anime, and other forms of media, Otokonoko characters may appear as boys but present themselves in a way that emphasize femininity, sometimes to the point of resembling girls, though their gender identity typically remains male.

//In Otokonoko-themed works, the focus is usually on the character's appearance and performance of femininity, which can range from subtle to exaggerated. The genre can be used for comedic purposes, creating moments of confusion or surprise when others misperceive the character’s gender. While Otokonoko is sometimes used to depict male characters who are intentionally trying to deceive others about their gender, it can also highlight the character's internal struggles or desires to express themselves outside of traditional gender expectations.

//This ^^^

//THIS is what Chihiro is!

//He's not a statement on transgenderism, he is a PARODY of OTOKONOKO.

//A parody character in a game FULL of PARODY CHARACTERS.

//Chihiro’s decision to cross-dress and present as a girl stems not from a desire to transition or live as a woman, but from a deep-seated need to escape the societal pressures that define strength and masculinity. By a desire to hide his perceived weakness and to shield himself from the bullying he endured due to his fragile appearance and personality.

//His gender presentation is a coping mechanism, not an expression of gender identity.

//The experience of being transgender is rooted in a fundamental disconnect between one’s assigned gender at birth and their gender identity. For transgender individuals, transitioning is often a path to aligning their physical presentation with their internal sense of self, and it is a journey that involves a complex relationship with their gender, society, and body.

//For example, Four Kaiden was a boy at birth, and decided they wanted to be a girl instead. Kouji Ito was a girl at birth, and decided he wanted to be a boy instead.

//Chihiro Fujisaki was a boy and birth and decided he wanted to be a boy. But everyone around him kept telling him that he "wasn't very manly" so he PRETENDED he wasn't a boy so people would get off his case.

//And it's not something he ENJOYED doing.

//Chihiro’s arc doesn’t align with this process, as he’s not attempting to express a different gender identity but rather to adopt an appearance that matches the gender that he CURRENTLY identifies as.

//People are free to headcanon and portray Chihiro as trans all they want, I refuse to stop them, but CANONICALLY, Chihiro aims to be the boy that he was born as, and he himself IDENTIFIES as male, even though he pretends to be female. This is a key distinction.

//I do understand where the confusion and agitation comes from, though. Chihiro’s arc is still an interesting and powerful exploration of self-perception, insecurity, and societal pressures, particularly those related to gender.

//Chihiro's cross-dressing is a response to the unrealistic standards of strength and masculinity that are imposed upon him by both society and his own internalized beliefs. Chihiro believes that by dressing as a girl, he can escape being labeled as weak and fragile, two qualities that are traditionally deemed "unmanly" in his environment.

//What makes Chihiro’s arc compelling is not the twist about his gender, but the deeper emotional struggle he faces in coming to terms with his own self-worth. His internal conflict revolves around the desire to be strong, but not in a way that feels authentic to him. Rather than embrace traditional masculinity, he wants to cultivate his own strength, free from the narrow confines of gendered expectations.

//This isn't supposed to CONCIDE with the larger theme of toxic masculinity, it's supposed to highlight how the idea often forces individuals, particularly men, to suppress their vulnerabilities and present a facade of unyielding strength.

//If you think otherwise, I need to ask...Is Mondo just a NON-FACTOR in this equation to you?

//Mondo is LITERALLY THE MASCULINE CHARACTER. And in this case, his innate need to preserve that masculinity, and hide his weaknesses, makes him KILL SOMEONE!

//In what way was this trial framed to make you think you were supposed to APPROVE of that!?

//For me, when I'm looking back on it, the actual intent behind Chihiro’s character arc seems to be a narrative about self-improvement and the painful journey toward personal growth. Chihiro’s struggle with his self-image, and his eventual attempt to confide in Mondo, is about learning to face his fears and embrace his vulnerabilities rather than hide them behind a facade. His goal is not to fit into a specific gender role, but to find his own sense of strength and courage, free from the fear of judgment. In this way, his arc is less about gender identity and more about the universal struggle of reconciling one’s inner self with societal expectations.

//When Chihiro reveals his secret to Mondo, he is expressing a desire to be stronger, not by becoming someone he is not, but by confronting his fears and embracing who he truly is, even if that means appearing weak in others' eyes. This theme is supposed to resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with the weight of societal expectations, regardless of their gender identity, and Chihiro’s tragic end underscores the dangers of not being able to live authentically and the emotional toll that repression can take on a person.

//As someone who has seen Kazutaka Kodaka's ways on viewing things, I know for a fact that he is not transphobic, homophobic, or anything of that ilk. But it's not uncommon for him to present a deep idea in his work, and for it to come across in an absolutely implosive way that he didn't intend (V3-6).

/I personally think his intent in Chihiro’s arc seems to have been to portray the complexity of self-doubt and the journey toward personal growth. The twist about Chihiro’s gender serves as a plot device to challenge the assumptions of the other characters and to force them, and the player, to reconsider their preconceived notions about identity and strength.

//The issue at hand, therefire, is that the execution of this plot twist has been criticized for its clumsy handling of gender identity, especially in a modern world where transgender representation in media is often misrepresented or sensationalized.

//So all in all, rather than reflecting the experience of a transgender person, Chihiro’s arc is a story about confronting one’s weaknesses, internalized insecurities, and the difficulty of being true to oneself in a world that demands conformity. The twist regarding his gender is not meant to diminish the significance of gender identity but rather to highlight the emotional journey of someone who is grappling with their own concept of masculinity and strength. It’s about understanding that true strength comes not from hiding behind a facade but from embracing one’s vulnerabilities and learning to grow from them.

//It's just...important to keep in mind.

//As for Genocide Jill, she's...honestly a little harder to defend. But I'm gonna try.

//Genocide Jill is introduced as Toko Fukawa’s alternate personality, a violent and sadistic persona that emerges under specific conditions, such as extreme emotional distress or stress. Her dual personality is a key plot device that serves to explore the darker sides of Toko’s psyche, specifically her repressed desires and her history of abuse and trauma.

//Unlike a simplistic portrayal of DID, Danganronpa uses Genocide Jill to highlight the complexities of how trauma and emotional pain can manifest in different ways. Her violent persona is not something that Toko consciously chooses; it is a coping mechanism for dealing with her unresolved trauma and feelings of powerlessness.

//The reason why this is so hard to defend is that the concerns are extremely valid. Genocide Jill is not a clinical, nor is it an accurate, portrayal of D.I.D.

//But at the same time, it's not really trying to be. Not at all.

//Remember what I said about how the whole point of the Danganronpa characters is that they are comically exaggerated examples of typical Japanese stereotypes. Jill is a comically exaggerated example of D.I.D and mental fractures, in a way that rubs people the wrong way, but if you think about it, the basic premise, and how it comes about, is STILL THERE.

//Dissociative Identity Disorder is often seen as a response to trauma, particularly in cases of extreme abuse or neglect. In the case of Toko, Jill is a manifestation of the trauma she endured in her past thanks to the horrible childhood she had full of endless abuse and pain. The violent persona might represent an aspect of her psyche that is trying to reclaim power in a world where she otherwise feels completely weak and powerless.

//And people with D.I.D, while many are able to live with it, often struggle with different aspects of their personalities or identities that emerge in response to past trauma. Especially because they're not always in control of them.

//While Jill's violent outbursts and actions are extreme, her character adds complexity to the narrative by highlighting the ways in which trauma can affect someone’s behavior and their relationships with others. Her violent personality emerges in response to moments of vulnerability, and her relationship with Toko is crucial in showing how trauma can fracture an individual’s identity.

//Toko, who is initially ashamed and horrified by her other half, comes to accept that her alternate personality is part of who she is by the time Ultra Despair Girls comes around. This internal struggle and eventual acceptance reflect the ongoing process of reconciling with trauma and learning to navigate its effects on one’s sense of self.

//What’s significant is that, unlike many other characters who are defined by their extreme personalities, Toko's journey with Genocide Jill offers a more nuanced exploration of internal conflict.

//As the game/series progresses, Toko is never portrayed simply as "weak" or "messed up" because of her disorder; she is shown as a complex character who is learning to accept and integrate different aspects of herself. And even after Genocide Jack joins their group, as hard as it is to get used to her, nobody outright tries to keep themselves away from Toko because of her condition, as much as Toko believes they are.

//While Genocide Jill may have a sadistic personality, Toko is not solely defined by her violent alter ego; she is a multifaceted individual who struggles with vulnerability, fear, and self-worth. Making her more than just some mocking caricature.

//The criticism that Danganronpa makes a mockery of D.I.D comes primarily from the way Genocide Jill is portrayed as a comedic and exaggerated character, as well as ridiculous concept of a serial murderer.

//However, the key thing to note is that the game doesn’t try to provide a realistic depiction of DID. It’s using the condition as a plot device to further explore the darker and more humorous elements of the narrative.

//Obviously, that's not great, in and of itself, but Danganronpa is LITERALLY a Black Comedy game, a genre that very often involves absurd characters, exaggerated personalities, completely flippant portayals of mental unrest, and over-the-top situations.

//Jill’s larger-than-life nature fits into this tone, and her violent behavior is often played for laughs in the context of the absurd world of this game series.

//And that's really all I have to say about that. Again, believe what you want to believe, and think about it however you wish, but please, do not let these aspects take away from the sheer brilliance of this trial, because there are reasons for all of this.

//In conclusion, Game 1 Case 2 is a gripping and emotional rollercoaster that explores the complexities of identity, guilt, and trauma. While the portrayal of Chihiro's gender and Genocide Jill's DID may be controversial, these elements contribute to the larger narrative of fractured identities and the dark consequences of emotional struggles.

//Mondo's tragic motive, driven by a mix of jealousy and trauma, adds layers of depth to his character, turning him from a straightforward antagonist into one of the most remorseful killers in the series.

//And I love this case to death because of the way it stands out for its exploration of vulnerability, shame, and the high cost of secrets, making it a pivotal moment in the game's emotional journey.

//And with that, we have two more left...So what will be our runner up?

#danganronpa survivor #danganronpa #ranking #mod talks #danganronpa 1 #dr1 #chihiro fujisaki #mondo owada #genocide jill #toko fukawa #byakuya togami #kiyotaka ishimaru #dangancember 2024

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swagbonkoperaweasel · 3 days ago

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SONIC 3 POST CREDITS THOUGHTS

Spoilers obviously…

So as we now know, Metal and Amy are confirmed for Sonic 4. As an Amy fan, I am thrilled that we FINALLY get to have her in the movies, albeit rather late into the movie franchise. I wanted to talk a little bit about what we are seeing in this scene, as well as some of my hopes for Amy Rose’s movie portrayal.

As we can see, Amy’s combat seems like it will be different from her game self. Whereas game Amy uses her hammer and relies on her physical strength to defeat enemies, it seems like movie Amy will have some extra abilities with her hammer. In a way it seems to work like Thor’s hammer, where she can use it as a projectile against multiple enemies and summon it back.

Amy’s origin is that she uses her tarot cards and they basically tell her she will meet Sonic. This was something about her that had kind of been forgotten with Sega, up until recently. In Frontiers, Sonic make a few references to Amy and her fortune cards, and Amy actually uses them in the DLC. Some of her attacks also involve the cards.

It seems like in her portrayal, she will probably have some sort of magic, as we can see she appears to be able to float (or maybe she just jumped but it looks like floating to me). She very clearly has some combat experience and it’s interesting that the first time we see her, it’s a lot like Tails where it seems like she’s specifically trying to find Sonic. My prediction is that she will probably explain that she used her cards to find him, which is a nod to Sonic CD.

In terms of her seemingly having some sort of magical powers, I kind of have mixed feelings on that. I feel like part of what made Amy special is that she never really had special abilities the way others in the main cast do, but yet she’s still able to hold her own and be a hero in her own way. She’s also extroverted and kind hearted, which is why she’s able to so easily make friends and connect with others. I’m honestly scared that they’ll tone down those parts of her character just to make her more visibly “flashy.”

Her design is kind of perfect imo. At least, her face and hammer is. Im hoping she’ll have a similar outfit to her modern one under the cloak. It looks like they actually took a lot of Amy fans headcanons about her appearing in the cloak and decided to actually make that a reality. I’m sure the original fan who came up with that is gonna freak out when they see this.

As happy as I am for her appearance, I can’t help but feel very nervous for how her personality will be, especially when she has a reputation of being butchered. I really hope they don’t go the route of “girl character is stronger than the boy characters,” as that imo is actually more offensive than progressive. I am a woman btw so I think I’m allowed to have this opinion lol. A female character doesn’t have to be this overpowered character that is stronger than her male counterparts to be strong. I feel suggesting otherwise only implies that girls/women can only be alongside boys/men if they can prove to be better than them. That is simply not true. They can be equals. They can be strong in their own way. Amy does not have to prove anything to the Wachowski boys or to the audience. She is canonically strong and can fight. She is bubbly, she is kind, she is a romantic, she can be hotheaded, she is girly, and she is STRONG. All those things can and SHOULD coexist in her character. I don’t need her to be mellowed out into a stereotypical “I’m a girlboss who doesn’t need help from men” character. Amy’s crush on Sonic is important to her character because it shows that love is not a weakness, it can be a strength just as much as anything else.

My biggest ask for her character is to just LET AMY ROSE BE AMY ROSE.

#sonic movie 3 #sonic movie 3 spoilers #sonic the hedgehog #movie amy rose

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sly-s-n0nfusion · 2 days ago

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Irl world inspirations for Orsterra and Solistia 🗺 pt2

Link to part 1!

SPOILERS for some travelers' stories!!

Solistia

Toto'haha: I believe this region takes its inspiration from South East Asia/Polynesia. The house architecture seems to be the same. Ochette's story also leans heavily on beastlings/humans' relationships with the god-like entities of nature and earth, which are very important topics in Polynesian culture.

Polynesian islands

the Harborlands: Again, I suspect that the Harborlands might be inspired by Italy, but this time the opposite coast, Venice (in Veneto). Canalbrine is very much inspired by Venice because of the town's architecture and boat transportation, as well as the boats themselves being a clear reference to gondolas. Castti Florenz, however, is a traveler who gave me a headache while trying to figure out where she comes from. Given that the character herself is an amnesiac, so we know very little about her past as an apothecary of Eir, so I tried to figure it out with what I have. We know for sure that she isn't from the Harborlands as she only found herself in there at the beginning of her story. In her flashbacks we see her group operating in the Brightlands, so she might come from there. Now her name is pretty weird, has probably both Italian and French influences (her surname, Florenz, might be a version of "from Florence", which would hint at her having Italian origins, but in one banter with Partitio she jokingly says her full name is "Castti De François" which is a very French sounding surname. Also, her teammate Trousseau has a very French name. If we lean into the hypothesis that they all come from the Brightlands they might have French origins, since the region is probably inspired by France as we'll look into it next) Castti 🤝 Osvald : coming from who knows where

Venice, Italy

the Brightlands: Even though the name New Delsta might make one think of New York, I believe the inspiration for the Brightlands' biggest city is Paris. The european-style theatre and the buildings' architecture itself make it look like France's capital city. In the 18th century France was also a big centre of industrial developement (Clockbank). Throné Anguis might also have the frenchiest name among al the travelers so I'm pretty convinced the Brightlands might be France. We all know the big mess that is Throné's genealogical line so I won't dive into that lol. Lostseed’s gothic cathedral though reminds me of Notre Dame in Paris, too

Paris and Conques, France

the Winterlands: As I said in the previous post, cold regions were the ones I struggled the most with. Solistia's Winterlands could be Siberia/Northern Russia because of the super cold weather, and the infamous prisons and ice mines used during dictatorships (Frigit Isle). It also has the Sacred Guard headquarters and the stained glass in there make me think of some orthodox churches. I still haven't figured out where Osvald V. Vanstein comes from, though, because in-game he says that he lives in Conning Creek, in the Harborlands, but I suspect he might be native of some other place because of his very German-sounding name and last name. So he still remains a mystery to me to this day, I jokingly explain that as "he comes from Orsterra's Highlands"

Siberia

the Wildlands: Safe to say that this region is inspired by Texas/Southern US. The aesthetics of Oresrush and its mining industry is enough of a hint to the Gold Rush in the United states during the 18th century. Both Partitio Yellowil and Papp come from this region.

Virginia City, Nevada

the Leaflands: Perhaps my favorite Solistia region! It's very likely inspired by Southern Spain as both Timberain and Wellgroove have very big buildings/castles just like many historical Spanish towns. Agnea Bristarni herself is very much Spanish-coded (except her theme which is very celtic-sounding for some reason lol) both because of her name and her flamenco-inspired dress

Rupit and Coca Castle, Spain

the Crestlands: Another region I kinda struggled with. Excluding the omnipresent catholic church elements, the area seems to have very high hills/mountains as well as anglo-saxon inspired architecture. Some friends of mine pointed out that it might look like the Welsh countryside, but Crick Wellsley's very British surname is what convinced me. Temenos Mistral and Roi are also orphans and their names were perhaps given to them by the pontiff himself. Also for some reason the region seems to be in a perpetual autumn

Wales

Hinoeuma: Perhaps the most interesting culture mashup region of all! The references to Japanese culture such as local dishes and clothing is plain to see, but there are also elements of Chinese culture such as Hikari's gold crown and some buildings such as the Trial pagoda. Khu being in the middle of the desert is a clear reference to the Chinese town of Dunhuang. Hikari Ku has clear Japanese elements in his design.

Dunhuang, China

Thank you for reading!

#octopath traveler #octopath traveler 2 #sly rambles #this one was a challenge

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vespaer77 · 17 hours ago

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Aside from the fact that I think I might be the only person on the planet who could genuinely be interested in the Executors (I say "could" because my faith in good storytelling from BW is on shaky ground), I fully agree with this post.

And I say this as someone who wasn't sure that the Veil coming down was the right move. But whether someone thinks the Veil should come down or stay up is immaterial. The whole point is that no arguments for the validity of either claim were really ever truly examined. The only reasoning in the game that we get for the Veil remaining intact is that its collapse would "drown the world in demons." Which is... almost a fallacy on its own. Aside from naturally occurring malign spirits (that we learn about from the Mournwatch), demons exist as a direct result of the Veil simply existing.

Perhaps the danger is in not knowing what would happen to all of the mundane, unmagical folk when confronted with the full power of all the raw, unfiltered, chaotic magic of the Fade. But that's still thinking of magic within the confines of the Fade itself. We have no perspective, outside of Solas, on what magic really looks like when the Fade and the mundane world combine. Does it change? Is it still dangerous? Who does it endanger? Are we wrong? Are we right? Who knows? The whole point is that there's never an opportunity to ask those questions. And we have at least three characters fully immersed and available in the story who could provide concrete, first-person, lived and experienced answers.

But we never ask.

We have a spirit of Wisdom who loves answering questions.

And we never ask.

Hell, in addition, we have two dwarves that are connected, isatunolly, with the Titans, who were also there before the Veil.

And we don't get to really ask anything of great value. Even our characters are canonically frustrated with how little we get to ask.

I just think it's very interesting that this game was called Dreadwolf for so long, and then it wasn't. The game we got has very little to do with, and makes very little use of, the Dread Wolf at all. So the game is called The Veilguard. But at no point does the Veilguard really ever.... guard... the Veil. Or make any mention of guarding the Veil. Or have any discussion on why guarding the Veil is so super important or what it even means, especially considering that, in the first 20min of the game, the only real element threatening the Veil is neutralized until the last 10min.

The game, called The Veilguard, isn't about the Veil at all.

In my humble opinion? This game should have been given a title that had more to do with the Blight or the gods or something. Or, given how many times it gets said in game, it could've just been called, "Dragon Age: It's Just So Hard." Even on a meta level, that's a title I could've believed, lol.

All this without even mentioning that one mural memory. We all know the one. The one that falls somewhere between a shameful, textbook retcon and a blatant attempt at gaslighting.

Whoops. I mentioned it, didn't I? Maybe I'll make a longer post about that someday. That's the part of this game that really grinds my gears, the status of the Veil notwithstanding.

In short, I firmly believe that the vilification of Solas is purely based on a retcon (and one that makes no logical sense when properly examined) and it's a hill I'm prepared to die on.

Anyhoops, if someone told me that, even though this game had been in development for 10yrs, the final version of this game was produced from start to finish in 16mos or less, I'd honestly believe it. I also feel like they were 100% shooting for a game that would have DLC afterwards and were told late in their development cycle that there wouldn't be so they tried to gift wrap everything with the ribbons and bows that they had. Like... go to the Halls of Valor and tell me that this is a fully finished game that was intended to be complete from the very beginning.

Castles in the Fade, or What Was the Point of the Veil Anyway

Something that will now haunt me until the end of time is why was the concept of the Veil ever introduced into this series.

We’ve been hearing about it since the very first game. There’s a codex entry about tears in the Veil in Origins. Tamlen mentions a thin spot in the Veil if you play a Dalish elf. Sandal has a prophecy in Dragon Age 2: “One day the magic will come back—all of it. Everyone will be just like they were. The shadows will part and the skies will open wide. When he rises, everyone will see.” Admittedly, this is just one line said by a character who often says odd things, but it hinted to the fact they were planning to do something with the Veil from the very beginning. The state of the Veil is repeatedly brought up. It all had to mean something! Or so I thought.

When I saw “The Dread Wolf Rises” quest in Veilguard, I said, “Oh, here we go!” The Veil is coming down, magic is coming back, and it’s going to set up such an interesting story for the next game.

Alas, no.

I hadn’t really enjoyed my time playing Veilguard up until this point. It felt like the game was ducking and dodging every bit of world building and lore that could possibly bring nuance or complexity to the story. Every returning character or faction was a cardboard cutout of themself. They shoved Solas is a time-out box and gave him nothing to do. They refused to let him have any impact or influence on the story when he had been set up to be our main antagonist back in Trespasser. This game used to be called Dreadwolf! And while we learn about his past… we never talk to him about it. In the present, he’s in stasis.

Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain are our villains. And they are your typical evil for evil’s sake villains. They are mad, bad, and only as dangerous as the narrative will allow as to not give Rook and co too much trouble. They are surprisingly patient while Rook fixes all their companions’ problems… until Elgar’nan moves the moon to cause an eclipse. A vital component in making his own lyrium dagger. For some reason. This guy can move a satellite!? And he just let Rook walk away in previous encounters… twice. Ok. Sure.

The Evil Duo need their own dagger ostensibly to tear down the Veil, because they want to unleash the full force of the Blight onto the world. Because they are evil. And they were thwarted last time they tried to Blight the entire world. Why do they think Blighting the world is a good idea? What’s the point of ruling a world if everyone is dead? I guess they haven’t thought that through, because of the madness and the evilness.

Ok, I thought. Perhaps the gods will be the one to tear down the Veil. Or maybe we’ll have a choice to let Solas do it his way before they can, which will be less chaotic and less full of Blight. Because the Veil has to be coming down one way or another? Why introduce the concept of the Veil, especially a Veil that has been thinning and failing since the series began, if it’s just going to… stay.

There is a principle in storytelling called Chekov’s gun. If something is mentioned in a story, it must have a purpose. If you keeping mentioning that gun hanging on the wall over the fireplace, it’s because at some point in the story, someone is going to take it down and use it. The Veil felt like Chekov’s gun to me. Chekov’s Veil, if you will. It’s been here from the beginning of our tale, the spectre hanging over our protagonists’ heads for multiple games.

The Veil has been a character unto itself. It was the central focus of the third game, and its dissolution was set up to be the core conflict of the fourth game. We learn everything we thought we knew about the Veil was a lie. It was not created by the Maker to separate the Fade from this world because of jealous spirits, it was created by a guy named Solas to trap the elven gods and the Blight from destroying the world. Also, the elven gods were never gods, and they are also evil.

This reveal will surely throw the Andrastian religion into chaos! This puts the very existence of the Maker into question! The Evanuris are a lie; it’s only fair Catholicism—oh, I mean—the Chantry is a lie too. We briefly touch on that in Veilguard… then it is quietly discarded. Religious crisis averted.

But I digress.

When the title of the fourth game was changed from Dreadwolf to Veilguard, I started to see the writing on the wall. Still, I held out hope the Veil would have some greater purpose in the story. That its introduction as a concept was for a reason. That something in this world would change.

Instead, from the get-go, the question of the Veil is no question at all. We only get Solas and Varric making oblique or catastrophizing statements about it. Solas says little beyond he has a plan. If I ever wanted to hear a villain monologue about their plan, it was now! Varric, on the other hand, decries Solas’s plan. He warns that should the Veil fall, it will destroy the world and drown it in demons. And that’s that.

We never really learn why Solas wants to tear the Veil down, or why he thinks it will help anyone. “The Veil is a wound inflicted upon this world. It must be healed,” he says. And that’s basically all he says about it in Veilguard. In Inquisition and Trespasser, we learn it took the immortality from the elves. It cut most of magic off from the world. Spirits are trapped and are being corrupted into demons, and most of what we know about spirits and demons is wrong. There are ancient elves possibly asleep? That part is left vague, but ancient elves are still about. We meet some in Mythal’s temple. There seems to have been some merit in bringing it down, because elves were flocking to Solas’s cause at the end of Trespasser. He had agents working for him already. What do they know that we don’t know?

Apparently nothing, because by the time Veilguard rolls around, there are no mention of agents. He is working alone. His only motivation now seems to be he’s too deep in his sunk-cost fallacy. The Veil is unnatural, so it must be removed—consequences be damned. We are never given any reason to think Solas has a leg to stand on in his pursuit of tearing down the Veil. We never hear any kind of counter argument from anyone, not even Solas, as to why the Veil should come down. We are only told it will destroy the world. It will drown the world in demons. This is all Solas’s fault.

There is no nuance. No complexity. No moral quandary to mull over. The game gives us vague warnings with no explanation as to what exactly is so world-annihilating about the Veil coming down. We must take Varric’s word at face value. We’re the heroes; Solas is the villain. Stop him.

It makes me wonder why Solas was ever a companion in Inquisition, let alone a romance option. Solas was presented to us as a complicated character in Inquisition. We had the potential throughout the game to make him see the value of this world, to help him realize he was wrong about it. “We aren’t even people to you,” the Inquisitor says in Trespasser. Solas replies, “Not at first. You showed me that I was wrong...again.” He began the third game viewing the world as tranquil, seeing the people in it as nothing more than figments in a nightmare, just as we saw our companions in the In Hushed Whispers quest. He ends the game having made friends, having recognized he was mistaken. He might have even fallen in love. (Or he may still seen no merit in this world if the Inquisitor antagonized him the entirety of their time together.) But something makes him continue with his plan to tear down the Veil, despite recognizing this world is real. He must know something we don’t. Something we’ll learn about in the next game.

We’ve been hearing about the Veil for three games now. We’ve set up our complex antivillain for the next installment, and he’s going to tear the Veil down. We swear to stop him or save him. But it has to be more complex than that. It can’t be so straightforward. Uncomplicated. Simple. Boring. Right? Right?

Nope. He really is just the villain, mustache-twirling and all. He apparently had no greater motivation, no as of yet unrevealed knowledge that would put this whole Veil thing into a new context. It was really as simple as the Veil falling will destroy the world, so Solas must be stopped. There is no new information that is revealed which makes us question what we are doing. Solas is never given any nuance or complexity to his actions. Nuance and complexity have actively been taken away. Both him and the Veil are looking like they are the worst things to be in a story: pointless. Why introduce the Veil if it’s just going to remain unchanged? Why introduce a character like Solas, bother humanizing him (for lack of a better term), giving us his backstory, setting him up as a cunning antagonist, only to make him look stupid, then put him on a shelf until the last ten minutes of your game?

Solas was the trickster archetype of this tale. He was our version of Loki from Norse mythology. What is the role of the trickster archetype? To challenge the status quo. To bring about events of extreme change, like say, the tearing down of a Veil that holds back all of magic. Loki is a huge contributing factor in Ragnarök. Through his manipulation, he causes the death of the beloved god, Baldr. This ushers in a long winter, which signifies the beginning of the end. Loki is imprisoned for this crime. When the final battle between gods and giants begins, the sun and moon are swallowed, plunging the earth into darkness. The earth shakes and Loki is freed to fight on the side of the giants. The world burns in raw chaos, falls beneath the sea, and is reborn. The world is remade, and a new realm of the gods and a new, better earth is formed.

It really felt like this was the setup they were going for. Solas causes the death of Mythal, and this is his catalyst for creating the Veil, which ushers in a world without magic. This could be seen as equivalent to the long winter. Solas falls asleep, trapped in dreams. He wakes and sets in motion bringing about the apocalypse. It’s not a perfect one to one, but it’s there if you squint. We have a war against the gods in Veilguard. I was expecting a few remaining Titans to wake and join the fight. But we don’t get any of that. There is a final battle, but it does not end in the end of the world. Or a better world. It just ends, and everything is the same.

It seems our trickster god caused his apocalypse thousands of years before our story started, when he created the Veil. His role in this tale was over before ours began, and he really is just some relic from a long-past age. He has no role, no purpose in this story. He is here to be thwarted. He is no Loki at all.

If you can’t tell, I wanted the Veil to come down. Did I think the Veil coming down would be painless? Have no negative consequences? No. Of course not. But keeping it up has negative consequences too. And it made for an interesting story. Or at least it could have. But we never explore that. The game presents no counter argument to having the Veil stay up, which, again, begs the question: what was the point of introducing the concept of the Veil at all?

Did I think the Veil coming down was actually the best solution to help Thedas become a better place? I don’t know, and I never will, because the game never argues for it one way or another. It just tells you to want it in place and to stop asking questions. In real life, a catastrophic event is not the best way to solve any of the world’s problems. But this is the realm of fiction. We have gods and monsters, magic and myth. We have introduced the status quo of Thedas, recognized it needs to change, then our trickster god appears ready to fulfill his role in the narrative.

Instead, it all comes to nothing.

I got to the end of Veilguard… and everything was more or less the same as it was at the start of Origins. Veilguard actually tries its hardest to pretend any previously mentioned problems don’t exist, so of course the Veil coming down has no merit. There are no problems to solve in this world, apparently. Solas is just stuck in the past and can’t get with the times. Silly Solas.

The Veil isn’t even a permanent solution. It wasn’t to begin with. It was some duct tape wrapped around a broken pipe, and we’ve just slapped an extra piece of tape on it. It’s still leaking. It is still unnatural, and will fall eventually one way or another. Large amounts of bloodshed weaken it, so I guess Thedas better achieve world peace real quick to avoid any battles. There were seven super-powered mages holding it together… now there is just one. Ironically, the Veil was going to fall after two more Blights anyway. The Wardens were doing Solas’s work for him! It would also have released the full force of the Blight at that time… which Solas was trying to avoid, I presume.

It feels like keeping the Veil up just pushed a big problem onto Thedas’ future generations. We’ll keep slapping bandaids on it until it all falls apart. Someone else can deal with the fallout, but we’ll be dead by then, so who cares.

Primarily, I wanted the Veil to come down from a storytelling perspective. The Veil was an interesting concept and I wanted the story to do something interesting with it. Conflict is what makes stories stories and the Veil coming down could create so much compelling and complex conflict. And the Fade is weird, and I like weird. Stories are also about change, and I wanted to see Thedas change. Yet, Veilguard is over, and barely anything has changed. Instead of magic coming back being a conflict for the next game, they went with Fantasy Illuminati. Oh.

The Veil turned out to be a nothing-burger, and no problems in this world are even close to being solved. Slavery is still rampant in Tevinter. The elven people are still oppressed everywhere. Mages have no more rights in the South than they did in Origins. Spirits are still trapped and being corrupted. The Calling still exists, though might be different somehow now? They don’t really get into that. The Chantry’s validity is still not allowed to be questioned. The Blight still exists in some form, but again it’s vague. Oh, and we learn the dwarves have been gravely wronged, and the Titans are still tranquil. At least if you redeem Solas and a romanced Lavellan joins him, they can work together on healing the Blight and helping the Titans. Oh, good. One problem is being acknowledged and some action will be taken. Offscreen. Hurray? Solas doesn’t have a really great track record of fixing problems, so Lavellan is definitely going to need to be there to make sure he doesn’t fuck it up.

For some reason, this game seemed terrified of letting us think about anything for more than two seconds. It shied away from complexity or nuance at every turn. The game is called The Veilguard—ironically, that word is never uttered in the game—but we are given no real motive for guarding the Veil. We’re unquestionably the hero. The villains are uncomplicatedly evil. Save the world… never wonder what you are doing or why.

I wanted the game to make me question if the Veil staying up or coming down was the right choice. I needed to be given a real counter argument. Convince me the alternative would actually be better or worse, because as I mentioned… things suck quite a bit in Thedas already for a lot of people right now. Let the Veil’s fate be a difficult choice to make. If the conflict cannot be what to do about the Veil, it should be am I doing the right thing about the Veil. If the heart of your game is so thin on motive, everything else falls apart around it.

I hoped they were setting up a complex, Thedas-sized existential conflict for this game in Trespasser, but no. I wanted something to happen, but nothing did.

I want to feel challenged and changed by a story, not left feeling empty. I’m tired of superficial entertainment. I want to sink my teeth into a narrative that doesn’t paint the world in broad strokes of black and white, good and evil, heroes and villains.

Ultimately, I think my issue is why even introduce a concept like The Veil if you’re not going to do anything interesting with it. Or anything at all. What I thought was Chekov’s Veil turned out to just be a MacGuffin. And that’s disappointing.

#dragon age #veilguard #dragon age the veilguard #bioware critical #veilguard critical #I promise though that there were also things I really loved about the game too #I'll still play it a buhzillion times #I just feel like I know these people can do so much better #I've seen these same people craft amazing stories #I just wonder what happened #there's likely a lot of drama we're not privy to #that we'll never know

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obsessedwhyyes · 3 days ago

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Your OC's Personality

In a very happy coincidence, @cinnamontails-ff, @pinkberrytea and @yennefer-of-vengerbergs have blessed me with the chance to talk even more about my OC 😁 Thank you so much for thinking of me, my lovelies! Sorry this took so long - I was busy making a mood board 😂

Elysia Thorne, my OC from A Tale of Fools and Tricksters, and my current Tav!

Answers under the cut!

How would you describe their personality?

I went into this a little in my last OC post, so I'll just expand on the answer I gave there! Elysia is someone with a lot of almost motherly love to give, very nurturing and affectionate. She has a nasty habit of not extending this love to herself though! By keeping herself occupied being the caring figure to others, it means she doesn't need to think about herself and the circumstances she's in. Just keep busy and maybe then, you'll forget how sad you are! :)))

Otherwise, while she has a strong moral compass and is a very determined, almost stubborn person at times, she can also be quite naïve!

What brings your character joy?

Elysia is constantly surrounded by death. So what brings her joy is, ultimately, life. In Elysia's case, this manifested into a love of flowers! Flowers and plants represent life for her, so she finds a lot of joy tending to her herb gardens and being surrounded by things she's planted which she's given life to. Her favourite flowers are daffodils and chrysanthemums.

What does your character strongly dislike?

Strongly dislike specifically? It's a little gloomy, but being alone. As I mentioned, tending to others lets her forget herself. Being alone though? Then she actually has to be with her thoughts. It's not a fear, but she certainly dislikes it. She also dislikes pretense and manipulation, which is ironic, given her current situation and where she is!

Is your OC scared of anything?

There is one particular thing that Elysia's scared of that she hasn't admitted to herself yet, but I can't give you full details, lest I spoil something important in the story! Heheheh.

What is their alignment?

Neutral good, for sure! She wants the best for people, but she isn't afraid to break a few rules to bring that about.

No Pressure Tags: Everyone that answered my ask game (that I haven't seen tagged already)! @caffeinatedmunchkin (you did ask for more Elysia, after all 😁), @trying-to-do-good, @niye481, @tragedysorbet, @vividiana, @marlowethebard, @busy-baker, @khywren, @arach-tinilith, @hellethil

And honestly, if you see this and wanna gush about your own OC's, then consider yourself tagged!

#oc day #more like oc week at the moment #everyone's characters have been a joy to read about #elysia thorne #a tale of fools and tricksters #oc #oc ask game

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rosieuv · 22 hours ago

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Project: Eden's Garden chapter 1 is so fucking good oh my god

btw spoilers here

go watch the official playthrough

Please.

Okay so ever since I saw the announcement trailer I was like "Diana's going to die first, I can feel it". It was something with her design, and her personality that screamed "early target". So when all that trial stuff was targeted towards her, I assumed it meant this was when she died: still chapter 1 but a bit later.

Now I think she's gonna die in chapter 2 from all that heroic monologuing. I also feel like Wenona's gonna play some kind of big role due to the way she acts. Possibly an antagonist? I'm not sure.

The actual contents of the chapter are long, with the official playthrough's being about 11 hours combined (and you bet I watched them the day they came out this weekend) yet the pacing still feels fine. A lot happens within both daily life, deadly life and the trial and I can in vision a timeline based on what happened on each day/part of day. The tournament thing was cool and how despite the murder not being in the new rooms, the fact that it would be impossible without it made it feel like it actually had a purpose, which I was a bit concerned about when the corpse was in the boiler room.

I wouldn't have guessed Wolfgang was the victim though but it makes so much sense. And Eva being the murderer. That was a whole bag of plot twists and they work very well. The rooms are cool, the concept of the whole locks thing is cool, basically everything is cool and Tozu is more interesting than Monokuma and he's definitely some drama kid that get rejected from the lead role and so some organisation thing that Wolfgang's father made (I swear he's going to be important in the future) and he was basically like "yeah just act all dramatic and stuff and scare the kiddies". Why Wolfgang is in this game though...idk. I feel like his father has to be important though, especially with the message on the back that for some reason took Damon so long to figure out when I figured it out very quickly: Wolfgang's father is an asshole and he is too. His animal is literally a sheep how the hell did he not realise this. I mean, the conversation with Tozu was cool as he doesn't appear often, but like, has Damon ever heard the phrase "Wolf in sheep's clothing?".

Okay here's my nitpicks:

some of the furniture models are a bit low poly which doesn't mesh well with the 2D sprites

3D textures are weird in places (Wolfgang's chair is the worst offender of this)

the line width is a bit thin in some of the new sprites and it bugs me because the artstyle typically has quite thick lines

this book is never shaded

the Damon thing I mentioned earlier

this bug in the trial where it fades out to show some kind of floor plan, and Damon is talking, but when the UI fades back in, for a split second it shows the mugshot of whoever was speaking before the fade thing (I can't find where this happens in the official playthrough but I swear it's real)

nobody realising the "thin bit of metal" was a hairpin until it was brought up as a lockpick in the trial like i realised that immediately

does Eva have a game console or a tablet? Pre-trial and at the start of the trial it was called a game console but towards the end when it was relevant, it was called a tablet? I can't find an image of it as the wiki doesn't have a gallery page for her (idk why) but I remember it looked like a DS from it's lid

there's only like 4 minigame section things in the trial: non stop debate, rebuttal showdown, the choosy one and the ending one. where's the letter one? i know there's more and i know this is probably so the programmers don't shoot themselves in the head, but still.

when did they have lunch during the last day? there was the tournament, the blackout, the investigation and then the trial and that was all about 5 hours going based on gameplay so if the investigation was at 9:45 ish and the trial ended 5 hours later, then it should be 2:45 and these poor people are starving! Well, idk about them all but Damon certainly didn't stop investigating to make lunch.

there's little inconsistencies with the art style/quality of the image in the CGs. The ending one with Diana sticks out the most to me: the lineart and shading look a little different. It's like a different artist from the rest drew it.

Okay more praise:

grace pulling the middle finger in her objection sprite

wenona

the music made by mark having a danganronpa motif in

the dummy thing in the execution

the whole scene where eva's true talent is revealed and her "oh shit" sprite

all the voice acting

the maths equipment in the execution

the thing with the calendars and the horses joke at the beginning

eva's free time events (it was shown in the playthrough)

the scenes with Tozu at the beginning of each day

the tree animation is sick

the thing with the footsteps

the thing with the blackout

everyone screaming one by one when they see the body

the beginning

the middle

the end

all those biblical references

Tumblr is going to have a field day with this game.

#featured #danganronpa fangame #fanganronpa #project eden's garden #p:eg #p:eg chapter 1

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solradguy · 3 days ago

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What's your thoughts on Sol's other not-as-talked-about weapons, the sword with gears on it (kinda looks like a fang of some gear that he super-glued actual gears on to), the sword with squares on it (I used to think that this was only in one piece of artwork but I guess it's the same as one on the art for X Heavy Rock Tracks), the axe, the scythe, the hammer(???) he has on the painted artwork which also appears to be made from a gear fang, maaaybe whatever tf he has in Artworks of Guilty Gear X 2000-2007 cover, and uhhh let's throw in the guitar on Guilty Gear The Original Sound Collection + the bara art version. Btw in the image with the Ky and the horse and the jerky, what weapon do you think he is holding there? I think it's the scythe but it could be another weapon.

[cont]: Oh no!!!! I forgot the red hot sword he has when fighting that big gear in the city!! Tell me if I forgot any other not-talked-about Sol weapons.

I LOVE HIS WEIRD SWORDS SO MUCH. Idk if Daisuke's talked about what the deal with his weapons is in an interview somewhere, but since Toshimichi Mori handled Order Sol's gameplay in XX he might not have. Though, I don't know if Mori's actually drawn Order Sol outside of doing his animation roughs, I wasn't able to find a credits list for XX Slash. Shinnosuke Hino did the character artwork for the three Accent Cores though (the moodier HOS here):

This is important because it means that Mori may have been the one to design Order Sol's iconic slab. It doesn't appear in artwork until XX Slash, despite HOS being drawn quite a bit in the games before that. I like to imagine that HOS went through a bunch of weapons before settling on the slab because they kept breaking and the slab was the first one that actually held up for more than a few fights lol

This got long. Courtesy readmore. All of the following illustrations here can be seen in full over on the GG Wiki: https://guiltygear.wiki.gg/wiki/Order-Sol/Gallery

There is also the possibility that Sol used some kind of magic on the slab. At least two illustrations (by Daisuke) have it shown with "JUNKYARD DOG" carved into it, implying it's the missing Junkyard Dog Mk.I (Mk.II is in Vastedge and Mk.III in Xrd):

More about this on the GG Wiki

It seems like the sword with the weird square things on the pommel stuck around the longest before Daisuke started getting funky with it. The very first Order Sol illustration (from 1998) has it:

...and it shows up again about two years later for a GGX telephone card:

The sword on the Heavy Rock Tracks (2001) cover has the square hilt too, though its blade shape is different than the Missing Link HOS's weapon. I like his axe in this one. Maybe he stole it off one of the dead Gears around him? I'm pretty sure the flared version of this sword here returns in a completely unrelated illustration but I can't find it now...

I wonder if the strange translucent gears [literal] sword from GGXX was the direct descendent of the square pommel sword? It's hard to put exact dates on these to know for sure haha

This one is REALLY interesting because it gives a little glimpse into what the state of the Sol lore was like in 2002. He didn't have the Fireseal until after he left the Holy Order, but Ky is also in this painting. So it's during his Holy Order era. Retcon?! (joke) The giant tooth thing is hilarious too. Did he make that??

The last order Sol drawing I know of where he has a weird weapon before he's given the slab in XX Slash is the Artworks of GGX 2004 cover with the strange glowing weapon. This is one of my favorite Daisuke illustrations, it's so sad it didn't get recycled for future projects the same way a lot of his other work did. It seems like he didn't forget about it though, because the shapes on the sword here are incredibly reminiscent of what would later become the Junkyard Dog Mk.II and III.

Nainsoo was so real for redrawing the fucked up Original Sound Collection guitar for the vinyl release. His Sol is such a babe

I genuinely have no idea wtf he's got in the Artworks 2007 cover but the outfit here would be cleaned up and reused for Vastedge like 7 years later lol

#asks #order sol #He's just a silly guy #Thanks for asking about his swords because I will take any excuse to post HOS cropped images

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imkazz · 1 day ago

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finished saiki k and i am not coping well

yeahh i get why they said theres no development until the last 2 episodes. because i have thoughts. more than i had for season 2 or season 1.

@peapodsinspace ing because this isnt from discord and i was freaking out with you real time when i was watching loll

cannot believe this is only about three episodes. how is this just three???? im just going to go in chronological order and hope for the best and barely proofread loll

the future talks. ohhh i am ill about the future talks. saiki kusuo has more pressing matters than his future and it kills me every time. because he cant focus on himsef- there is an active volcano that he has always been rewinding time for. he cannot have the time to think about university or a future career until this is all over, which is so unlike me (a normal teenager) that it makes me ill because this is what a normal teenager should be thinking about, not the fucking country that you have to save by yourself. and at least i was so happy that they were crowding around kusuos desk until they started talking about the very future that he has to save, and then i was even happier to hear that kuboyasu and hairo want to become teachers because those types of characters always kill me (despite the fact that the anime also made fun on the fact that it is a trope too) and they are both really good picks from the gang to actually become them. i also enjoyed the quiz game they did to guess kusuos college- teruhashi was the only one to get a ‘hm good guess’ out of kusuo, and his chosen places are literally ‘economics’ ‘literature’ ‘literature’ and the fact that everyone said “thats so normal”in distaste implies that they believe that kusuo could do better. and then THIS.

and the fact kusuo thinks “maybe this could go on forever…” with a smile on his face???? like my dude you are wayy too attached to them noww..

ok so it seems i might even just. be doing a paragraph per episode. now.

the robot?? i agree with what i said my first watch: WHY IS THE SAIKI FAMILY SO DEPENDANT ON GENERATIVE AI AND ROBOTS. i wasnt sure which one it would do- if it would fool all his friends or if it would be too suspicious for them. but i was dead wrong- it says ‘yare yare’ too many times and it is obviously saiki kusuo in the flesh (get it?). i was growing more concerned (and out of breath from laughing) at all the shenanigans that happened along with how kusuo attempted to get rid of it, showing a bit more of his battle iq and intelligence along with his relationships with the other psychics, through his quick strategizing along with utilising his abilities to help in specific situations, along with the relationships he has cumulated with them in order to get them to trust him and follow his word when serious times arise. not only that, but kusuke gets additional information about all of that along with us the audience because he is also a part of the audience (my brain hurts from some of this stuff).

then for the battle. i am illllllll. so. for many many episodes, we have watched kusuo try and make plans to avoid his friends in all sorts of situations. but this bit? its golden. he finds a disadvantage from not knowing what toritsuka has been doing all week, and that temporarily weakens him until he comes up with a new plan on the given information he knows and has pieced together himself, and then used it to get his body back. then not only that, he begins to fight without his limiter. and we know its hard even with the limiter!! we watched him struggle to throw balls, and then practice to ensure that he could control his strength. amazing already, but then he begins to turn a bad situation into something favourable especially with toritsuka in the mix. because both saiki brothers are smart af. even if toritsuka isnt of use, kusuke reuses him as a hostage and then when that doesnt work, himself and the limiter (all things important to kusuo). kusuo is able to put together that the bomb was fake because kusuke spoke for too long and he remembered aiuras word and trusts her power.

and then the battle plan is so smart?? kusuo is able to use his disadvantages as advantages (teleportation doesnt need the 3 minute cooldown), and then purposefully drained his strength to be able to pick up the limiter and put it back into his head without breaking it. he could read toritsukas mind and realised that he didnt actually hate kusuo (i found how this was shown as really cool too? instead of the background it was soft shapes and colours implying friendliness as it showed both of them). he made enough of a friendship with toritsuka to get him not to hate him even after being brainwashed. kusuo dragged out the battle to try and gauge what the cat tank could do. AND HES SEVENTEEN. what shocked me further was the fact that he took out the limiter. which he thought would reveal his powers to the world. sure its an asshole thing of kusuke to say/do to kusuo but he at least disabled it a long time ago. but im more focused on kusuo. he took it out. he took it out. thats HUGE. he really thought he would be letting go of normalcy and never be able to go to school without being worshipped. and he did it on his own terms. i was so happy to see how he was smiling and happy thinking about his friends too.. like kusuo was happy with the time he spent with them as a normal kid. but then he was so ready to blast them with full power after both of their comments lolll. and i also found it interesting how kusuke took off his telepathy blocker when explaining why he disabled it so that his brother could know he was telling the truth. and the fact that they moved past the fact that kusuke made a limiter that completely erases kusuos powers?!??!?! and i was confused when toritsuka and kusuo moved past it so easily but. thank fuck they revisited that tidbit???? what made me sadder was the fact that kusuo wanted it so badly, and yet couldnt. because of the volcano. it was good foreshadowing when kusuo thought ‘move forwards.. theyre right. i should clean this up quickly’ in the first part of the episode and then to have this too.. the emotional turmoil is too much. on one hand he could get rid of powers he hates and yet he still has to save the world which he has been putting on hold because he needs more power. like yeah please kill me now, especially that last interaction between toritsuka and kusuo. like yeah hes fake mad at toritsuka at first but then he has to give his genuine thanks because there was no way kusuo would have won if it was just himself, as toritsuka was a key part of the battle from his new powers to his status as a hostage to the fact he broke past the brainwashing.

and when they finally start planning that trip (callback to the first segment of episode one!!) and they decide upon the place where an active volcano has tried to blow up for four years. absolute madlads. kusuo diverted them at first but its a comedy anime too- ofc they are going to oshimai.

and everyone asking why he cant go is hillarious too.. “what plans do you have?” “im sure its nothing important!” ‘im saving the world?!’ yeahhh he has to go, because he cares. he doesnt want them to cancel what they think is their last fun time together before third year. its not because his mom forced him. its because he loves them. the cumulation of four years with these losers has made kusuo soft for them.

when they actually get to oshimai, i would have loved to watch their shenanigans. im sure they are chaos incarnate while on a play date with each other, but i really liked how the anime showed the tension that kusuo had. even as the rest of them were having lighthearted conversations, there was always a pit in my stomach as kusuo continued to refer to the mountain and was generally downcast while the group did all of those activities i would have previously have laughed at if it was not for the huge threat right there and despite the fact that kusuo looks the same as always (silent, in the background, neutral face) i felt nervous because he had said so just barely a minute ago and hadnt mentioned again. its shown through the way he allowed teruhashi to do as she pleased, how he would look at the mountain constantly, not say anything mentally to the audience.. it was offputting and really set the vibes. his face reflected in the window, with owari yama right there too? perfect way to end the segment.

i found it clever how saiki used a previous part to help him: the robot. he now knows that nobody suspects anything if he just says ‘yare yare’ and he now uses this with his hypnosis (seen in many episodes, such as s1 ep 24) to mesh together a perfect stand in (according to his friends OOF). and then he uses the clones (from s2 ep22) to help with the eruption (s2 ep13). not only that, his plan is pretty good. he has already used toritsuka as a stand in (when kusuo turned kaido and nendo into stone) and then aiura has already helped him with a previous eruption which he had to turn back time on. it was also a callback to kusuo in the previous episode: no way kusuo would have asked kusuke for help on how to solve the volcano problem if they had not cleared some things up after the fight, and no way would he have if there was no power canceller, and no way if the limiter being pulled would still tell the world about his powers. this is a big climax towards things that the plot has been working towards, and it is a mix of everything: many specific instances, his training, previous lore, character development, his friends and family, kusuos priorities, his emotional stances. they all played some sort of part in his plan to enable time to move forwards.

i was concerned to see him beat up (because looookkk hes just two years older than mee and also pretty oppp) but i was so fuckin pumped that time was moving forwards and he was also pretty happy, given the smile. and the joy immediately left. because everyone showed up, and then to show that alternate universe where things were almost the same but slightly different?? and the fact that kusuo literally told all of them about his powers because he knew he could go back in time and erase all of that? its killing me because he did that because he knew he could experiment for a reaction and then erase it as if nothing actually happened. and it really seems like theres no getting out of it right. his friends saw him, they see the clones, they see toritsuka faking as kusuo, they see the real kusuo holding the ground and preventing the eruption. theres no lying to get out of it. but the same as i thought from the shipwrecked episodes, of course saiki kusuo gets out of it. kaido realises it too and he just wants the truth because he trusts kusuo so much. its been there since the beginning, how much kaido cares about saiki and wants him to be happy because kusuo has made kaido happy, and how much kaido values their friendship. he has always wanted kusuo to remain safe and happy and to be friends with each other.. we see how the rest of them just want kusuo to tell the truth, because they will love him no matter what. and it was shown through the alternate timeline, too, how they dont care about the powers, even if they dont understand, that they know kusuo and know that he has their best interests in mind because he is their friend. and somehow its nendo who is the reasonable one, we have seen him be kind and understanding towards both kusuo and others at so many instances but it is this one that touches kusuo because nendo has always been there for him, throughout all sorts of situations. sure he is dumb, but nendos strength is not athletics. it is his kindness.

then the fact that everyone agrees with him.. theres no way this is a comedy anime. this is a slice-of-life coming-of-age angst/horror anime which has comic relief. it was shown through the alternate timeline, too, how they dont care about kusuos powers, even if they dont understand, that they know kusuo and know that he has their best interests in mind because he is their friend. and he knows that even if it is a different timeline, that they would still remain the same in the stance. so he speaks. with his mouth. its huge!! his eyes are shiny because this is absolute confirmation that they would love him even if they knew that about him, because he has given them the same treatment- he has seen a huge part of them that they dont share, and he still loves them, so the opposite is also true. ..but he cant share it yet, not until his powers are gone of course. and it makes sense, of course. if i was one of his friends, i would prefer learning about that after his powers are gone- and this is a decision he is sure about. kusuos powers have caused him so much suffering. while he has many typical teenager traits, he is all in all, incredibly different due to his enlarged responsibilities over himself and the world. sure, his powers have helped him in many situations, but for kusuo, the bad outweigh the good and this has been his ultimate goal for a very long time. while removing his powers will not get rid of the weirdness surrounding him, it will get rid of a lot of the pain and stress. and i was so fucking excited when hairo said that kusuo called everyone over- because we the audience know what will be happening. and it would definitely be for the best, as kusuo really wants to apologise for many of the things that happened because of his powers.

and then the fucking window.

then this is why im very happy for the watch order to be posted. because this cliffhanger is too much without reawakened episode 6.

i find it so funny that while kusuo has lost his powers, that he still has the ability to break the fourth wall. when asked if his delusions are the same as kaido in middle schooler syndrome, he has to reply with an “absolutely not”. i love how he is feeling the effects of losing his powers. he has relied on his powers as another limb his entire life, and they are suddenly gone. even if they are overall bad, he still used them daily and isnt used to life without it because he was forced to live with it previously, meaning that he would find some use through the disadvantages. i also really liked how while kusuo could very blatantly feel the loss, he could also appreciate the beauties of normal life. actually be able to see his friends rather than just a skeleton, probably have a peaceful sleep, any of those powers he couldnt turn off have finally done so and he has a lot less weight as a result. it is really interesting to watch him try and get out of situations he would have previously avoided using his powers, as he has to rely on his own intuition and chance rather than himself and his abilities.

but it is an anime, and god hates him, so kusuo is stuck with teruhashi on their project. he sees the disadvantages everywhere- things that normal people are used to but he is not, and it seems like good representation for disability- having something and then suddenly having it gone, so you are only left with routines that are no longer possible because you are missing a key component. and not only that, there are hinders towards kusuos journey.

he gets a fucking bookshelf toppled over onto him. huhhhhhh???? would you really go so far as to kill a kid for accidentally becoming partners with a girl for one school project?? and i was also confused until i saw nendo- in all his glory. seriously, this guy is insanely good at protecting people without a single thought beforehand (he has to get it from his dad right). and not only that, we watch toritsuka and kuboyasu against the bullies- two people insanely good at beating people up. this is a great place to show some character development- nendo gives a speech to kusuo about how even the strongest can need protecting, and it is shown with how nendo instinctively went to protect him from the bookcase and toritsuka/kuboyasu went to beat up the ones who caused it.. finally kusuo himself can get protected by his friends. because he isnt used to it in the slightest. he desperately wanted to get rid of the powers without fully realising how much he relied on them for daily life. even in dangerous situations he would subconsciously rely on powers he doesnt have anymore, and he even realises it and doubts his decision. but nendo comes in and saves it and i find that very precious and important to kusuo to realise that he doesnt always have to be the overpowered one because there are people around him who still care regardless.

but it doesnt last. he cannot even get used to having no powers because they come back only two days later. the way it was presented was pretty cool, too, with how kusuos hand made an indent into the wall from where he slammed it, to the thought bubble from kusuke. and i also thought the way the dawning horror was shown was pretty cool. the purple and blue spirals towards a terrified kusuo without his limiters or glasses, at night, while kusuke continues talking and says that kusuo has evolved past being human in order to control his powers? yeah terrifying, i felt the horror in me too. because how long had he been evolving for? if hed gotten rid of the powers faster, would it have worked? if he hadnt spent so long on the volcano, could he be normal? was he ever actually normal? was it only recently since his body had changed to adapt? because with his body, kusuo relies on his powers. it could be compared to another heart, or a limb. his body needs powers because that is what they are used to. eyes that see through skin, a brain that can hear thoughts, muscles that are used to carrying boulders.. the list goes on and it shows that he has no choice but to use powers, as his mind has always been on fixing problems using parts of him that he has always had, his own biology has been on that. yeah psychological horror much.

the fact that it doesnt work. being told to live normally and peacefully without thinking about his powers doesnt work. because kusuo is far too used to them, he doesnt even think before using them for the little things in daily life such as opening the door or pushing in his seat. its like a papercut on your finger and only then do you realise how much you use that finger all the time- he doesnt realise it until its too late. and then he continues to remain ignorant until it actually happens, such as clairvoyance and new (useless) powers forming. he is already too used to it that he uses them without realising, because that was his normal. kusuo can also realise this with his dawning terror at each thing that happens with his power, with the foreboding patterns with dark colours and his horrified face. he is trying so hard to deny it because even if there are good things that come with his powers, ultimately, they cause him suffering. but it doesnt even fucking work.

its really sad to see him accidentally use powers, as they come back swiftly. kusuo is trying so hard to deny his symptoms but there is really no use: the illness is back. he teleported home, used clairvoyance, talked using telepathy, went invisible, used psycokinesis, saw through someone.. theres too many to deny that his powers are back. but kusuke asks valid questions: did anything good happen without them? and the answer is kusuo thinking about the bookshelf incident. because there are both good and bad things from it, he had to get protected and was weakened by the fact he couldnt see it coming, but it was good to know that so many people are willing to protect him. but then theres a fucking meteor. its also a manipulative thing for kusuke to do, asking that question and then thrusting a natural disaster upon his brother going through an existential crisis. because kusuo has a choice to make. he could try and suppress the powers even further and live a normal life until the end and let kusuke deal with it as that is the path that he chose. or kusuo could accept that the powers are a part of him and that people will still love him regardless, and make the choice to save the world and possibly never live normally again. and its a shitty situation all around. a seventeen year old should not have to make such a choice.

and yet he has to. because kusuo can hear his friends pleading for help, their fear, their reactions, confusion. kusuo knows he cannot have his father do something of this scale, or let his brother do something like that to their dad. he cant let the meteor hit earth because everyone he loves is there. kusuo was always one to complain verbally(mentally) about shit he gets wrapped up in, but from the context clues and his actions throughout the series, he has shown just how much he cares and tries to help even with how much he drags his feet and complains and insults. because all kusuo wants is for his friends to be happy, and to live normally. but those two things cannot coexist, at least not for long. and then he smiled. he chooses their happiness, because that is the kind of person kusuo is. he has said that he is a psychic in so many situations and for so many reasons, but at the start and end of the series, it is the same ten words.

“so my life of peace is over, but i feel that is not so bad after all.. perhaps i like to deal with hassles after all. yare yare. my name is saiki kusuo. and i am a psychic.”

#the disaster of psi kusuo saiki #saiki kusou no psi nan #saiki no psi nan #the disastrous life of saiki k #saiki kusuo #kusuo saiki #saiki #psychic kusuo #saiki k #saiki kusuo no psi nan #my brain cannot comprehend masterpieces #but i tried #i dumped this over 3 hours folks #i am in love if you cant tell #saiki kusuo deserves so many coffee jelly guys #my brain is mush

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