#the resident main cast interviews

[mirai-e-jump]

King-Ohger VS Donbrothers VS Kyoryuger Movie Pamphlet ft. Main Cast & Staff Interviews (translations below, LONG POST)

Publication: April 26, 2024

🛑 This contains spoilers for both films.

"Gold End!" INTRODUCTION: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger and Avataro Sentai Donbrothers. Two Super Sentai that probably shouldn't have met have finally met. And of all places, it's in the Land of Death, Hakabaka. Even in death, they continue to fight. Is that the fate of Super Sentai? No, there's only one place for heroes to go!

Ohsama Sentai VS Avataro Sentai (Mysterious Group of Lame Cosplayers VS Mysterious Group of Cringe Weirdos)

STORY: For one reason or another, they're all dead. A confrontation begins without either side knowing who the other is. Is there an end to this battle? No, why did such a battle begin in the first place? Eventually, they'll reach the one profound truth…..!

"Royal Arms!" An alliance formed by the kings to transcend borders, eliminate interests, and defeat the enemies of Chikyu as one. Their alias is derived from the guardian god "King-Ohger".

Gira Husty (Sakai Taisei): The king of Shugoddam, the largest country in Chikyu, and the one where the guardian god resides. He arms himself with the KuwagataOhger royal armor. He grew up in an orphanage in Shugoddam's castle town, but it later turned out that he was the younger brother of the (then) king, Racules. However, his true identity is a life form created by the Uchu King Dagded. His ability to communicate with the Shugods and his immortal body were inherited from Dagded.

Yanma Gast (Watanabe Aoto): The king of N'kosopa, the country of technology. He arms himself with the TomboOhger royal armor. N'kosopa's national power, which was once a satellite state of Shugoddam, has been greatly enhanced by technological innovations. Although he himself is a top class engineer, he was originally born in a slum and is considered an "upstart" He's got a bad mouth and says "octomush" and "slack jawed tanuki" on a daily basis.

Hymeno Ran (Murakami Erica): The queen of Ishabana, the country of fine art and medicine. Having lost her parents in the "Wrath of God," she became king at a young age. She arms herself with the KamakiriOhger royal armor. She loves beautiful and cute things, and will always get what she likes by any means necessary. However, on the other hand, she's also a passionate doctor who has no hesitation in "saving someone's life."

Rita Kaniska (Hirakawa Yuzuki): The king of Gokkan, the country of ice and snow. They also serve as the Chief Judge of the International Court of Justice, which protects the neutrality of the world. Because of their position, not only do they always keep their facial expressions hidden, they rarely show emotion, but when they're at a loss, they sometimes makes strange noises. They're of few words, and never speak in public about anything unnecessary. The only thing they can make an exception for is their plushie of the animated character "Moffun." They arm themself with the PapillonOhger royal armor.

Kaguragi Dybowski (Kaku So): The lord of Toufu, the country of agriculture. He arms himself with the HachiOhger royal armor. He's always humble and polite in tone, but the theatrics of his words and actions tend to stick out, so he's what you'd call a "trickster." He's "two faced" and will lie with ease in order to achieve his goals, but he's also willing to take the initiative to sweat and dirty his hands by "tainting them pitch black" in order to protect the lives of his people.

Jeramie Brasieri (Ikeda Masashi): A man born between his father, the sixth hero that saved mankind 2,000 years ago, and his mother Nephila, a Bugnarak. His real name is Jeramie Idmonarak Ne Brasieri. He arms himself with the Spider Kumonos royal armor. As a "storyteller," he has long passed down the history of Chikyu, but finally realized his purpose when he showed up to stop the war between humans and Bugnarak.

GolDon KuwagataOhger: KuwagataOhger's powered up appearance when wearing the "DonOhger Crown"

"Avatar Change!" Earth's heroes who fight against Hitotsuki to protect people. The six members are Momoi Tarou, his four companions, and Momotani Jiro, known as "the person that replaced Tarou," and were later joined by Sonoi, Sononi and Sonoza, who were exiled by the Noto. Today, not including Sonoi, the group has eight members.

Momoi Tarou (Higuchi Kouhei): He's a descendant of the Don royal family and the leader of Donbrothers. He avatar changes into DonMomotaro. He usually works for the "White Rabbit Delivery Service." He has a condition where he dies if he tells a lie. When he went to deliver a package in Chikyu's Shugoddam, he remembered "Gii-chan the rhino beetle," his childhood friend……

Saruhara Shinichi (Beppu Yuuki): An unemployed man of "refined tastes" whose pastime is writing haiku. He avatar changes into SaruBrother.

Kitou Haruka (Shida Kohaku): She's a successful manga artist. Her best known work is "Avataro Sentai Donbrothers," which depicts her own battle days. She's still working on her creative work in collaboration with her strict editor, Sonoza. She avatar changes into OniSister.

Inuzuka Tsubasa (Totaro): A young man who continues to live an eternal life on the run with Sononi. He avatar changes into InuBrother.

Kijino Tsuyoshi (Suzuki Hirofumi): A young man who avatar changes into KijiBrother. He's a salary man who works for "Pheasant Consultant." He lives together with Natsumi, Tsubasa's ex girlfriend.

Momotani Jiro (Ishikawa Raizou): A young man who for a short period of time was the leader of Donbrothers as "the person that replaced Tarou." After Tarou finished resting, he returned to his former position. He avatar changes into DonDoragoku and DonTorabolt.

GolDon MomotaroOhger: Don Momotaro's powered up appearance when wearing the "DonOhger Crown"

Sononi (Miyazaki Amisa): A female Noto who continues to live an eternal life on the run with Inuzuka Tsubasa. She's also a member of Donbrothers. Her weapon of choice is the double bow Condor Arrow.

Sonoza (Takahashi Shinnosuke): A male Noto who was so moved by Haruka's manga, that he decided to make it his life's work to train her to become a top manga artist. He's also a member of Donbrothers. Haruka respectfully calls him "Chief Editor." His weapon of choice is the three blade Kage Spear.

Sonoi (Tominaga Yuya): In the Land of Death, Hakabaka, a young Noto opened an oden stand. It appears that he and Tarou haven't seen each other in a long time.

Gii-chan: Gii-chan was a rhino beetle that Tarou kept when he was a child and was his only friend. Even now, Tarou longs to see Gii-chan again.

(bottom left): "Inudouga" are wanted criminals in Chikyu who look exactly like Tsubasa and Sononi. It seems that "Tuvasa" and "Sonosono Ninnin" exist, so the two decide to continue running away.

Ono Minoru (Sakakibara Takashi): He's a middle aged man who has frequently been turned into a Hitotsuki, such as Shurikenki, Mahouki and GoGoki. He calls himself Momoi Tarou's sworn enemy, and has fought the Donbrothers multiple times as the Ohsamaki, but this time, he becomes the Ohsamaki again while facing the two Super Sentai.

Ohsamaki: Ono Minoru, the ninja oji-san, is reincarnated in another world due to the shock of being hit by a truck and becomes the strongest Hitotsuki. He went on a rampage in Ishabana, sending Hymeno and Rita, Haruka, and Sonosa to the Land of Death, Hakabaka. He's defeated by the special attack of GolDon KuwagataOhger and GolDon MomotaroOhger.

Zenkaizer Black (voice: Komagine Kiita): Goshikida Kaito, the master of Cafe Donbura, transforms into this form with the Zenkaizer Gear and Geartlinger. He suddenly appears in the Land of Death, Hakabaka.

DonOhger Crown: The DonOhger Crown is what Goshikida Kaito had sent to Gira in Chikyu.

Douga (Morioka Yutaka): Gira's retainer. He has a serious personality. He kicks out Momoi Tarou, who had suddenly appeared in the throne room to deliver a package.

Kuroda (voice: Toriumi Kosuke): Kaguragi's retainer. He's generally quiet, but when he speaks, he has a smooth voice. When Kaguragi and Jiro decided to have a sumo match, he was suddenly put in charge of officiating it.

Boone (Kiso Minato): A young boy who lived with Gira and Kogane in an orphanage in Shugoddam's Castle Town. He loves Gira. He's confused when Momoi Tarou, a deliveryman he's never met before, suddenly talks to him.

Goroge (Kotaro Yagi): An actor from Shugoddam. He was selected to play the role of Panpy, a cryptid hunter who's good friends with Moffun in the live action version of "Together with Moffun."

Shugoddam Knight/Asada Keisuke (Takada Masashi): A strong looking knight who chases after Inuzuka and Sononi, mistaking them for wanted criminals from Shugoddum. His appearance closely resembles that of Asada, the police officer who's been chasing the pair in their original world (Earth).

Racules Husty (Yano Masato): Former king of Shugoddam. Currently a criminal, he's serving his sentence in Gokkan's prison.

Suzume Dybowski (Kamura Mami): Wife of Racules. She's devoted to her incarcerated husband.

(middle right): The kibidango Gira was eating. Who would've thought that this would be what lead to such events……

Sakai Taisei (Gira)

-The Script's Been Sealed Away?!-

"King-Ohger and Donbrothers, Super Sentai who are, in a sense, two extremes, will be working together….."

Sakai: In a good way, Donbrothers is an unconventional show….this time, they'll be fusing with the world of King-Ohger, so I was sure it would be a big deal (laughs). I received the script just as we were filming the final chapter (episodes 48-50) of the TV series. So, at that point, I dared not to open the script (laughs). I wanted to read it, but I felt like I needed to focus on the final chapter at that time. As a result, I feel like I made the right decision not to read it after all (laughs).

"Suddenly, we start with the shocking scene of Gira."

Sakai: I had confidence in this scene (laughs). I realized that I could intentionally make my eyes bloodshot. It's a rare situation to have a kibidango stuck in your throat, so I decided to go all out. I think I was able to give a convincing performance.

"Momoi Tarou puts his hand into Gira's mouth and tries to take out the kibidango….."

Sakai: I had become good friends with Higuchi-kun before we shot the scene, and yet, it was still awkward. I also feel like I should apologize (laughs).

-Hakabaka's oden stand-

"Did you feel any discomfort in having the people from Donbrothers appear in the world of King-Ohger?"

Sakai: That didn't happen! Looking back, working with Nakamura Shido's Reiniol and Sakura Ayane's Devonica in "Adventure Heaven" left a strong impression on me. I feel that being able to work together with everyone in Donbrothers this time was an extension of that.

"As mentioned earlier, Gira has many scenes with Tarou."

Sakai: Higuchi-kun is very friendly, he eagerly attached himself to me right from the start, which was a big help for me as a shy person. In addition to the kibidango part, there's a scene where the two of us visit an oden stand….

"There's a familiar situation in Donbrothers."

Sakai: To begin with, it's an unlikely scene to have happen in King-Ohger (laughs). On set, there was a food stand set up in the middle of the full green screen. It was fun and unusual to act as Gira in a realistic setting like a food stand. This time, the other kings will also meet and interact with the members of Donbrothers, but there are many scenes that I haven't seen yet, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed film.

"Please tell us your thoughts after filming ended."

Sakai: Watching everyone in Donbrothers, I felt the depth of the bonds between them. We're a close team, but there were moments when I felt that the Donbrothers were more than just friends……they were more like family. I hope that we in King-Ohger can continue to have a good relationship like that for a long time to come.

Watanabe Aoto (Yanma)

-The Blue Warriors, Yanma and Saruhara-

"How was the experience of King-Ohger working together with Donbrothers?"

Watanabe: The Super Sentai series airs every year with different "tastes," but I felt that these two shows had a particularly large gap between them. That's why I was personally looking forward to seeing how we'd interact. What stuck out to me was that Director Kato seemed to be having alot of fun directing the film. I got the feeling that Donbrothers must've been a production that the Director was very attached to.

"Watanabe-san has been long time friends with Beppu Yuuki-san, who plays Saruhara Shinichi."

Watanabe: That's right. That's why I watched Donbrothers and was familiar with Saruhara, the character he plays. In my opinion, there's not that much of a difference between Beppu Yuuki and Saruhara. I think he's a perfect fit for the role. However, when we actually performed together this time, he acted alittle differently than I had expected. It's possible he intentionally betrayed me because I was his partner (laughs). Even with that in mind, it was fun working together. I wasn't screwing around or anything, but I felt like filming ended while I was still basking in the joy of being able to work together like this.

"What were your impressions of the Donbrothers team?"

Watanabe: They seemed like alot of fun. Their close friendships came naturally to me. For this production, they got together for the first time in awhile, so the impression I had of them is that they mess around all the time (laughs). However, since filming for King-Ohger is basically done with a green screen, everyone was at abit of a loss. If you think about it, I guess you could say that we're special (laughs). We didn't go on location that often. The King-Ohger cast is used to this kind of filming method, which is why they were surprised by it.

-The Greatest Highlight-

"Did you discover anything new through the filming?"

Watanabe: I usually wear a protector under my costume during action scenes to protect myself from injury, but Hirofumi-san, who plays Kijino, was rolling around in a flashy way during the rehearsal stage without any protection, possibly because he was wearing a (business) suit. I was surprised by that. It's not that he forgot about it or anything, but in his own way, he seemed to be perfectly fine with it.

"What scene in VS Donbrothers do you us to pay special attention to?"

Watanabe: In the very beginning, Gira chokes on a kibidango. Our lead actor's ridiculous expressions are shown close up on the big screen at the movie theater (laughs). And, it's pretty amazing. Something like that I guess you can't air on Sunday mornings. Sakai Taisei's passionate performance is, in my opinion, the best part of the film, even in "VS Kyoryuger." So, you especially can't miss that part (laughs).

Murakami Erica (Hymeno)

-Free Avataro-

"What were your impressions of everyone in the Donbrothers cast?"

Murakami: There's alot of interesting people, and there was constant laughter on set. When the cameras weren't rolling, I felt like I was in a never ending state of comedy (laughs). However, what I found amazing was that even in the short takes, their dialogue kept popping out in an improvised style. I'd immediately think, "If I were XX, I'd say something like this." Since we play the role of kings, the only time we were asked to adlib was when the kings are talking to each other, but when the time came, it was difficult to come up with the right idea. Even though they had been away from their roles for awhile, everyone in Donbrothers was very responsive. I felt that each one of them had completely made the role their own, which is why they were able to come up with so many ideas so freely.

"How about the scene where the two teams are facing off?"

Murakami: It was a strange sensation to see another group of heroes transform right in front of our eyes. When the Kyoryuger members appeared in the TV series, their transformations were separate. That's why it felt so fresh to me. It's a situation typical of a "VS" productions, and I think that's definitely the highlight of the film.

-What Hymeno Taught Me-

"Hymeno and Rita meet Haruka and Sonoza in Ishabana."

Murakami: What left an impression on me in that scene was Kohaku-chan's facial expressions. In any case, she's very amusing. She has alot of "patterns," even when it comes to strange faces. I really respect her. If it were me, I'd run out of material immediately.

"Towards the end, we thought that Gira would be saved by some kind of medical treatment, but it was interesting to see that Hymeno also had to rely on Boone's small hands."

Murakami: The scene in the beginning where Gira dies was surprising. I wondered if it was okay to show such a close up of the main hero's expression on screen (laughs). However, thanks to Gira's efforts, I think we were able to leave an impact that was as strong as Haruka's strange faces. During filming for the ending, Boone-chan (Kiso Minato) was also working hard with all his might.

"By the way, Hymeno's unwavering belief in the production of "Together with Moffun" is revealed in a line in the film."

Murakami: It's typical of Hymeno. What Hymeno calls "selfish" is not necessarily "self serving," but it always comes with "responsibility." I myself have learned alot from Hymeno over the past year. I can say "I like" to what I like, and "it's good" to what I think is good. I think it's important to live with strong values, and I'd be happy if the children who watched the TV series aspire to "be like Hymeno."

Hirakawa Yuzuki (Rita)

-Tears in Their Right Eye-

"What were your thoughts when you read the script?"

Hirakawa: I wondered how the characters from King-Ohger and Donbrother, who have different worldviews, would work together, and was surprised to see the word "Hakabaka" written in the script from the very beginning. Furthermore, it was also a shock to find out that we were all really dead! Then, I began to wonder why we died, but starting off with Gira's kibidango caused me to think, "Eh? Are you serious?" (laughs). So, it really felt like a spinoff.

"From the first day of filming, the main characters of the two shows were gathered in a scene."

Hirakawa: It was refreshing to see people dressed as normal humans in the world of King-Ohger. As for Raizou-kun's Jiro, I think he's just about as close to being from our world as you can get (laughs).

"What was it like being on set with everyone from the Donbrothers cast?"

Hirakawa: Since I had seen their show, it didn't feel like it was our first time working together. We had a fun time. The eight of them are a lively group, and everyone was cheerful and powerful. Not only are their roles distinctive, but the individuality of the cast also stands out in their own ways.

"There's a scene in the film where you and Hymeno are together watching a live action version of "Together with Moffun." Goroge plays the role of Panpy."

Hirakawa: The script for that scene said, "Rita cries uncontrollably," and just like that, tears really started flowing uncontrollably. However, tears only came out of my right eye, which is hidden…it was frustrating.

"Then, a woman (Haruka) who claims to be a "manga artist" and her Chief Editor (Sonoza) appear out of nowhere, and a discussion begins about how entertainment productions for children should be produced……"

Hirakawa: Because Kohaku-chan, who plays Haruka, was smaller than I expected, and since Rita wears heels, the scene where the two of them argue with each other gives off the impression of Rita putting pressure on her from above. Even still, Kohaku-chan wasn't intimidated by this and came at me as Haruka, which I think made the scene even more interesting. And, speaking of Haruka, her facial expressions have alot of variety. I thought they were already at the level of fine art.

-Playing Rita-

"We felt that Rita and Hymeno, and Haruka and Sonoza, all had a point, but that none of them had the correct answer."

Hirakawa: My friend's nephew is just an older kindergarten student, but I was very surprised that he understood more about the show than I could've imagined. He can also explain the Shugod's abilities in perfect words. Of course, there are differences among individuals, but it made me happy to know that he was that enthusiastic about the show. I hope that these children will revisit King-Ohger in a few years from now. I'm sure that they'll be able to understand it even more deeply. It'd make me happy if people could love King-Ohger like that for a long time.

Kaku So (Kaguragi)

-Creating Synergy-

"We were wondering how King-Ohger and Donbrothers would come together……"

Kaku: First, Takamina-sensei's book (script) was very interesting. In the film, it felt like the Donbrothers were entering the world of King-Ohger, but in terms of content, it was more like we were entering the world of Donbrothers. I think that Takamina-sensei himself also respects the work of Donbrothers and tried to draw from it. After reading the script, I was impressed by how well he utilized the qualities of both works. I feel that this created alot more synergy than I had anticipated. Things that would never happen in the world of King-Ohger are allowed in this time in VS Donbrothers (laughs).

"Kings who were so powerful died easily one after another, even just by simply tripping over a stone……"

Kaku: That area is completely in the world of Donbrothers. For our part, we hoped to have fun performing it.

"As is typical of VS films, there are interactions with individual members, but in the case of Kaguragi, it's more of a "muscle showdown" with Momotani Jiro (laughs)."

Kaku: Since I've played a sumo wrestler in other productions, I basically didn't take off my clothes for King-Ohger (laughs), but for some reason, in both "VS Donbrothers" and "VS Kyoryuger," there are scenes where Kaguragi sumo wrestles. I guess they thought it was something I had in common with Raizo-kun, but the connection to muscles was interesting. Raizo-kun and I talked about muscle training all the time between filming (laughs). He's also a model, so he's forced to limit his training because if he builds up his muscles beyond a certain point, it'll interfere with his work. I thought that was alittle saddening.

-Lovely Team-

"What was your impression of the Donbrothers team?"

Kaku: At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of eight people. I was alittle bit caught up in the atmosphere, so I had to tell myself, "Don't give in" (laughs). In the film, we eventually join forces, but in my mind, it's a "VS" in a good way. "Avatar Change!" is also cool. The situation in which everyone transforms at the same time wasn't in King-Ohger, so I felt it had a Super Sentai feel to it.

"6 and 8 becomes 14 people. What was memorable about the scene where everyone gathered?"

Kaku: The impression I got from everyone in Donbrothers is that they're lively and eager to make others laugh (laughs). A big reason might be the fact that two of them are from the Kansai region. I think it's Suzuki-san and Kouhei-kun. In any case, I remember that it was a fun to film. It's a good contrast to the other film, VS Kyoryuger, but I think they're both interesting and special works in their own right!

Ikeda Masashi (Jeramie)

-Phantom Desnarak VIII-

"What were your impressions of everyone in Donbrothers?"

Ikeda: They're very lively (laughs). I think it's been about a year since they had all been together for a film shoot like this, so perhaps their happiness was pouring out. They're all interesting people. I remember laughing all the way through filming on the day both teams came together. However, when they get serious, they're still cool. Even during "Avatar Change!," they were perfectly assembled. I was impressed by the Donbrothers transformation, as there were few opportunities for "same time transformations" in King-Ohger.

"Shida Kohaku-san, who plays Kitou Haruka, is from the same agency as you."

Ikeda: That's right. Furthermore, Haruka was the "storyteller" in Donbrothers, and in King-Ohger was Jeramie, so at the beginning, we both explain the situation. When I say explain, it's just, "Everyone's dead" (laughs). However, it was very emotional. I didn't expect it to start with two narratives. Kohaku-san was the first one to record.

"Did you know each other before?"

Ikeda: We did. And, in fact, Kohaku-san also participated in my audition for Jeramie.

"As a partner in the show?"

Ikeda: At first, for the video judging, I shot a video in which I played a scene from the show, and at that time, the voice of Desnarak VIII was done by Kohaku-san.

-Phantom "VS" Match?!-

"What were your thoughts after filming for VS Donbrothers ended?"

Ikeda: I think we, the Royal Sentai, are a team with strong personalities, but I got the impression that we've been drawn in by the Donbrothers personalities. Although the story takes place in Hakabaka of King-Ohger, I think that the content of the film has alot of the fun of Donbrothers. For us, it was a fresh new experience.

"Do you have any stories from filming?"

Ikeda: There's a scene where the King-Ohgers and Donbrothers face each other and transform. When we were doing test shots for that scene, when one team was shown, the other team's faces weren't shown, so we were both making funny faces and trying to make the other laugh. When I think about it, it was abit like a "VS" too.

"And then you'd get a NG or something, right?"

Ikeda: No, of course we didn't do it during the real take, only during the tests. However, I feel that a sense of camaraderie was created through exchanges like that. The shoot itself went by very quickly, but it was a great memory. The King-Ohgers and Donbrothers are two completely different Sentai with different vibes, but I hope everyone will enjoy the mysterious "flavor" created by their collaboration.

Higuchi Kouhei (Tarou)

-The Return of Momoi Tarou-

"What were your thoughts on the collaboration between King-Ohger and Donbrothers?"

Higuchi: Donbrothers and King-Ohger……more specifically, I believe that since "Zenkaiger" before us, the Super Sentai series has continued to experiment with new ideas. The character I play, Momoi Tarou, is a very unconventional protagonist. I was very excited to be filming with Gira, the main character in King-Ohger, who took over the baton from me. Personally, I don't know how much I was able to accomplish in the year of Donbrothers because it happened so fast. Sometimes, I think I could have done more. In any case, I had a strong desire to pass on the baton I got from Zenkaiger to the next. By playing Tarou for the first time in a year, I wanted to show the staff that I had grown, even if only alittle. It's been a long time since I last worked on set, and I was very happy to be able to feel the passion of all the cast members of King-Ohger, and was very inspired by them.

"Was it difficult for you to go back to being Tarou?"

Higuchi: No, not at all. I became Tarou right away just by talking to everyone when I entered the set. To be honest, there were some parts of this story that I didn't understand, such as when Tarou suddenly goes to deliver a package to Gira, but I thought that's what Donbrothers is all about (laughs), so I was able to play the role without feeling particularly confused.

"There's a part with Gii-chan the rhino beetle."

Higuchi: He may be an important part of Tarou's story, but it was abit surprising that it suddenly became a feature here. But, I guess you could say that this is also typical of Donbrothers. I thought this was foreshadowing, but it turns out it's not, on the other hand, things like "what is this!?" lead to connections later on (laughs).

-Reunited with Sonoi-

"What did you find "distant" about King-Ohger and Donbrothers?"

Higuchi: Roughly speaking, it's "Western (foreign)" VS "Japanese." King-Ohger has a western vibe, while we've got Momotaro, oni, inu, saru, and kiji……is how it seems. They're completely different, but I thought the best parts of both were shown in this film. What impressed me at the set was the way filming was conducted. It takes imagination to perform on a green screen. I thought it was amazing that they've been doing this for the past year. We were also filming on location, so we were often helped by the atmosphere on set.

"There's also a "reunion" with Sonoi"

Higuchi: The combination of Tarou and Sonoi have played a number of strong scenes together, so I was happy to be able to work with him again. However, filming for it went by so quickly (laughs). Whenever we filmed at an oden stand, we all enjoyed oden together afterwards, which seems to be unusual for King-Ohger, as Gira's Taisei-kun was surprised by it.

"Please tell us your ambitions for the future."

Higuchi: After filming finished, I thought that this is a set I'd like to return to someday. In order to achieve this goal, I must continue to work hard and do my best to make all the staff members who helped me grow my career want to "see me again."

Beppu Yuuki (Saruhara)

-Tightening power-

"What were your thoughts after filming for King-Ohger VS Donbrothers ended?"

Beppu: Director Kato, who's worked on both shows and is well versed in the appeal and point of view of each, was able to shoot the film, so we were able to participate without any worries. As for Saruhara Shinichi, who I played for the first time in awhile, I don't think he's "exactly the same" as he was back then. I've played other roles in the past six months or so, and I'm sure I've changed without knowing it. So, I rewatched some footage before we started filming. I couldn't immediately remember how Shinichi stands or how he said his lines. It was a strange thing though, as I remembered how to do things like move my hands. After all, it's just "tightening." Costumes are very powerful, and it helped me alot.

"What do you think of the filming techniques used in King-Ohger?"

Beppu: We also had experience performing in front of a green screen in Donbrothers. There's the scenes where we'd go to meet Momoi Jin, played by Wada Sohkoh-san. However, while I got used to it as we went along, in the case of King-Ohger, it was everywhere. It was difficult and confusing, but I did learn alot. There may be more productions using this method in the future, so I'm glad to have had this experience. With the exception of the first scene, I also appreciated the fact that there were no cold locations. The casts of both Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger met last year on the day of a big cold wave. Speaking of Donbrothers, Jiro, Sononi, and Shinichi are in the "lightly dressed" group (laughs), so I was wondering what to do if that happened again this time…..we were saved.

-Saru and Tombo-

"You're friends with Watanabe Aoto-san, who plays Yanma Gast, right?"

Beppu: A long time ago, we used to work at the same place part time, and would hang out in our private time. I thought it was an amazing coincidence that we both consecutively became the Blue members in Super Sentai. Aoto is a manly guy who values honor and taking care of people, so I thought that Yanma was a perfect role for him, and I was happy that he was chosen for this show. We occasionally met during filming of King-Ohger, when suddenly, he had blonde hair. I was shocked. I was worried about what was going on…….that maybe he'd stop showing up. Then, the story entered its second chapter, and that was the reason for his changed image (laughs). Of course, I wasn't told that because it would be a spoiler……but I was still relieved when I found out the reason.

"The feeling this time is that the Donbrothers are giving off the vibe that they can appear anytime and anywhere."

Beppu: I have a feeling……we'll be back again someday. Sonoi made an appearance this time, but I'm glad that they didn't try to bring him back to life so easily. It's possible Scriptwriter Takano-san, who wrote the script, thought that if it was going to be written, Inoue-san should do it. This is all just my guess though. However, the reunion of the nine Donbrothers could still be in development. Some fans may have wished that Sonoi came back to life, but I think it would be better if they thought, "I'm looking forward to watching a sequel." Going forward, I'd be happy if you could remember Donbrothers from time to time, since there's still room for our imaginations to grow.

Shida Kohaku (Haruka)

-Thoughts on "Haruka"-

"What was your impression of the King-Ohger team?"

Shida: They're cool, aren't they? I once said to the cast of Donbrothers, "Now this is Super Sentai" (laughs). Of course, Donbrothers is also Super Sentai, and I think we have many advantages over the King-Ohgers, but if we were to have a real "VS," I don't think the Donbrothers, aside from Tarou, would win (laughs).

"We think it's been a while since you played Haruka, how was it?"

Shida: I feel like I've come a long way without much preparation. After Donbrothers, I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take on a variety of roles, and I have fond memories for all of them, but Donbrothers was the first drama that I appeared in, and I played the role for more than a year, so it's still remained with me. I enjoy playing Haruka, and this time, I was excited just thinking that I could be Haruka again after such a long time.

"Haruka is sent to Ishabana with Sonoza, known as her Chief Editor."

Shida: In last year's Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, I had almost no opportunity to interact with the characters from Zenkaiger, so I was happy to have the opportunity to work with Hymeno-san and Rita-san in this production. Both of them have beautiful costumes, whereas I have casual clothes. Even though I was envious, I was determined not to let my feelings get the best of me. Rita-san's eyes are hidden except the their left one, so normally, they couldn't see the mark (tape placed on the floor to show where you stand), but when that happened, Hymeno-san naturally guided them, and I could see abit of the relationship that the two of them had built.

"When the four of them are together, Ono-san, also known as the ninja oji-san, appears as Ohsamaki……"

Shida: Everyone was defeated by Ohsamaki, but Director Kato said to me, "Haruka, I'm counting on you." They just took a close up of my dead face. It's been awhile, but when speaking of Haruka, she makes strange faces……(laughs).

"By the way, have you ever been asked to do something like that on other productions?"

Shida: I haven't (laughs). I try to do it as a suggestion, but it always seems to be "too much," and they tell me to "tone it down abit."

-From 17 to 20-

"We think it's been awhile since you did dub recording."

Shida: That's right. However, when I tried it, it was much harder than I expected, and I regretted that I didn't practice my vocalization alittle more beforehand. Afterward, my throat was alittle scratchy. A year ago, I was doing this all the time, but the gap in recording is alittle different from that in acting. I was happy to hear that Jeramie and Haruka would be narrating the story. Since we're from the same agency, I thought it would be interesting if that happened.

"By the way, it'll be your 20th birthday shortly after this film is released."

Shida: I started filming Donbrothers when I was 17, so three years have already passed. The past three years have gone by so quickly. I hope to continue to spend my days acting. I also hope that King-Ohger VS Donbrothers will be a hit as the last film to be released in my teens. Also……I'm attending driving school right now, and hope to get my license by the time I turn 20!

Totaro (Tsubasa)

-The End of Fleeing-

"What were your thoughts on the script for King-Ohger VS Donbrothers?"

Totaro: When I heard that Inoue-san wouldn't be in charge of the project, I was honestly alittle worried. I thought that the unique vibe of Donbrothers was something that only Inoue-san could create. However, when I read the script written by Takano-san, I found it to be very well paced and exciting. Even the cast members talked to each other and said, "It's interesting." Also, what made me happy was that in the case of Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, there was a special setup, so we weren't able to interact with the characters from Zenkaiger, but this time, we were able to. I thought that was the real thrill VS films, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the others performed in their screentime.

"Bluntly speaking, Inuzuka Tsubasa is personally out of the loop this time as well……"

Totaro: He's just been running away with Sononi for a long time (laughs). In the world of King-Ohger, there are wanted criminals just like Tsubasa and Sononi, so they took pictures for that as well. Director Kato is said to be good at directing things like this, so it was fun. I think it was in episode 17? There's a scene where Tsubasa dresses up as a devil, and the makeup I wore for the wanted photos is abit like that.

"We didn't expect to see "Black Devil" in the Reiwa era (laughs)."

Totaro: And, it's Takada-san who chases us in both worlds. In the world of Donbrothers, he's a police officer, and in King-Ohger, he's a knight. We've been running away for so long that I was sad when I thought, "Maybe this'll be the last time." On set I said, "Should we get caught already?" (laugh).

-Meeting the Kings-

"What were your impressions of everyone in King-Ohger?"

Totaro: It might've been because many of them were older than I am, but since they play the role of kings, I felt that they were all "carrying the country on their shoulders." The claim that "all of us are the strongest" isn't an exaggeration. Their costumes were cool, and I got the impression that each of them had a strong personality and was full of confidence. Also, it's amazing that they were able to act within that green screen for so long. It requires alot of imagination, and I think everyone has it locked down. What confused us alittle was that on location, we could run as far as we wanted, but in the green screen, the distance is limited. Towards the end, the two of us fall down for some reason, but when I watched the video during dubbing, I was surprised and thought, "We fell form such a high place!" (laughs).

"What were you thinking after playing Tsubasa for the first time in awhile?"

Totaro: It was alittle embarrassing. No, it was fun to talk with people in a normal way. However, then there was the moment when I became Tsubasa (laughs). Also, I remembered that when I played Tsubasa, I kept my voice low. At the time, I guess I did it unconsciously. After Tsubasa, I wanted to try my hand at some lighthearted roles, but since I kept playing similar roles, I had completely forgotten about it. I'd like to continue to challenge myself with various character roles. I want people to think, "This was the guy who played Tsubasa in Donbrothers!"

Suzuki Hirofumi (Kijino)

-To the Kings World-

"What were your thoughts after reading the script for King-Ohger Vs Donbrothers?"

Suzuki: I thought it showed Takamina-sensei's personality. He pulled elements from Donbrothers that Inoue-sensei probably wouldn't have been able to pull out, and created an interesting story. I also thought the characters selected to be paired up with each other from each show was wonderful.

"What is your impression of the production of King-Ohger?"

Suzuki: The heroes are cool and the story is wonderful. The setting in which everyone is a king is good, and the attention to visuals is amazing. Once again, it made me realize that Donbrothers was a unique show (laughs). Also, I thought about the filming technique when I entered the set. This time, we were filming with green screens, so to put it another way, it's an everyday situation for King-Ohger, but an extraordinary one for Donbrothers. In this situation, I wondered what kind of approach I should take, and decided to take on the challenge of a "big performance." For example, when leaving the prison Racules-san and Suzume-san are in, the setting is different from the real world, so I think it would work even if it I was abit flashy. Rather, I thought it would be more realistic for me to perform against this background. Racules's Yano-san and Suzume's Kamura-san each have long careers, and it was alot of fun to work with them.

-The Mysterious Donbros World-

"Tsuyoshi says he was traumatized by guardian god King-Ohger……"

Suzuki: It's just like Takamina-sensei to bring up a part like that. Although there's no detailed explanation in the film, we can assume that Tsuyoshi's relationship with Natsumi-san has settled down. So, I guess I don't have to worry about becoming a Hitotsuki for awhile. Tsuyoshi always became a Hitotsuki because of what happened with Miho-chan.

"There was a scene shot on location at the beginning, how did that go?"

Suzuki: I was alittle nervous. I wondered if I'd be able to recreate the atmosphere that I had when I was filming the TV series. But, when it was over, it was alot of fun. That's a great scene too. Almost instantly, most of Donbrothers main characters gather in one place as if they were meant to be together (laughs). It wasn't like we had any other plans to meet. Still, I was strangely convinced that that is what Donbrothers is all about.

"In the final scene, Tsuyoshi says a meta line."

Suzuki: That made me happy. If any member of Donbrothers were to be asked to say a line like that, I think it would be Haruka or Tsuyoshi. So, since Haruka is already extravagant, with her very existence being like the Joker, perhaps that's why the line was given to Tsuyoshi. I was honored to have the opportunity to say this line, as it connects the first and second films in this double feature.

"Please give a message to all the fans."

Suzuki: My life really changed when I encountered Donbrothers. The fact that so many people have become aware of our show made me reevaluate my approach to acting. I can't afford to show an improper performance to the people who support me, so I'll continue to work hard from now on!

Ishikawa Raizou (Jiro)

-Jiro's Position-

"Please tell us your honest thoughts on the collaboration between King-Ohger and Donbrothers."

Ishikawa: At first I thought, "How will we join up?," I couldn't imagine it. But in the end, when the "Donbros" element is added, "anything goes" (laughs). It was more like, "This is it," rather than, "This is how it turned out." Personally, however, I was worried about Jiro's position (laughs). Jiro is a "doer," especially when it comes to these kind of productions, right? During Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger, he was the new leader, but this led to the risk of them breaking up, and in TTFC's "Donbrothers VS Donburies," he somehow ended up on the enemy side……

"He's definitely a "problem child" (laughs)."

Ishikawa: This time too, the script didn't clearly state what point in time the story would take place, so I consulted with Director Kato. Since Tarou had already returned, and since I was told that I could play the role in the neutral, former image of Jiro, it became much easier to perform. As long as I can decide on that, I can go back.

"How was it actually working together with everyone in King-Ohgers cast?"

Ishikawa: They have a good vibe. Our group is close, but I felt that they seemed to be close as well. However, ours is……Donbothers is very noisy (laughs). I guess it's because we hadn't gotten together in such a long time, but I still want to apologize for being so noisy all the time. This is my own impression, but if King-Ohger is a coed school, then Donbros is an all boys school……Once we start joking around, we can't stop. King-Ohger seems to have proper brakes. On the first day, we shot a scene with both teams in formation, and even though we're all apart of Super Sentai, their visuals were very different (laughs). I was jealous of King-Ohger's cool costumes. On our side, we're characterized by our lack of inconsistency, with types like Jiro and Sononi, ordinary office workers (Tsuyoshi), and the main character (Tarou) dressed as a delivery man all going to Hakabaka (laughs).

-Muscle talk-

"Jiro wanted to have a "muscle showdown" with Kaguragi."

Ishikawa: Kaku-san and I spent all of our free time talking about muscles (laughs). Things like, "How much can you bench press?" I also knew about the films in which Kaku-san played the role of a sumo wrestler, so I asked him about it. The match between Jiro and Kaguragi ends in a draw……or rather, it ends up as a kind of a tie, but no matter how you look at it, Kaku-san……Kaguragi seems to be stronger. I thought, "You're kidding, right?" (laughs).

"Please give a message to all the fans."

Ishikawa: No matter where they go, Donbrothers will always be Donbrothers (laughs). With this film, I'm once again convinced of this. So, Donbrothers fans can rest assured that they'll have a great time. From now on, I'd like to challenge myself more and more. I want to always cherish this feeling of approaching something for the first time with a sense of nervousness. From now on, thank you for your continued support!

Director Kato Hiroyuki

-Committed to Small Details-

"Kato-san was the only one who directed both Donbrothers and King-Ohger regularly throughout their years, right?"

Kato: I don't know if this had anything to do with it, but I heard rather early on that I was going to be asked to shoot a VS film. I think it was around September or October, when we were still in the middle of filming for the King-Ohger TV series. At that point, they had yet to discuss the specifics, and since I was concentrating on the TV series, I didn't dare to ask. The only thing I heard was that it was going to be set in Hakabaka. Also, I don't remember the order in which I was told, but this time there would be two films, "VS Donbrothers" and "VS Kyoryuger." So, I was told that it would be about half the length (run time) of the VS films of previous years. The script was written by Takano-san, the Scriptwriter of King-Ohger, and I heard that in spite of his busy schedule, he rewatched all episodes of Donbrothers. It seemed like it was going to be tough for him since he was a regular for the TV series, but his script for VS Donbrothers was also written with enthusiasm.

"What suggestions did the Director give you as you were working on the script?"

Kato: Since this is a story about going to Hakabaka, it's only natural that the majority of the story takes place in the world of King-Ohger. Besides, Hakabaka is the "Land of Death," so everyone has to die. Takano-san had worked out the general framework, including how they would die, and the involvement of Sonoi, Gii-chan the rhino beetle, and other characters. I also requested that if we were going to involve Sonoi, we would like to have an oden stand. I was conscious of the connection to the ending of last year's Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger. We also discussed who would be paired with who from King-Ohger and Donbrothers. I had heard that Yanma's Watanabe Aoto-kun and Saruhara's Beppu Yuuki-kun were friends, so I decided to pair them up. I wonder if the pairing of of Kaguragi and Jiro was decided first, and then Takano-san came up with the idea of a "muscle showdown." Takano-san wanted to bring out Ono, the ninja oji-san (laughs). If someone were to become a Hitotsuki, Tsuyoshi or Ono would be a good choice, but if Tsuyoshi becomes a Hitotsuki in VS, there'll be a bunch of complications. That's why I stopped thinking about it, but Takano-san was very good at properly intertwining the "fate" between Tsuyoshi and the guardian god King-Ohger. However, it was actually his first time to write about Ono. Ono has appeared many times, so no one around him thought it was his first time (laughs).

"You also filmed Keisuke Asada, the police officer who chases Tsubasa and Sononi, didn't you?"

Kato: That's right. Tsubasa and Sononi have been on the run for a long time, so even if they're sent to Chikyu, there's a knight there with the same face as Keisuke Asada, the one who chases them……I think I also came up with that idea (laughs). I also made the wanted sign in Chikyu by having new photos taken. I took advantage of the opportunity by trying to make Tsubasa's makeup look like the makeup he used when he played the "Black Devil" looking devil in the TV series.

-A Series of Studies-

"What was your impression of the Donbrothers cast, who you haven't directed in such a long time?"

Kato: They're already dignified. They're very reliable. I met with some of them who needed costume fittings before filming started, and when I said, "Any questions?" They all answered, "Nope." (laughs). Was Jiro the only one who spoke? In Jiro's case, he became the leader in Donbrothers VS Zenkaiger and was hated by the members……Raizo-kun seemed to be concerned about whether or not that would drag on. Regarding that, we talked about how maybe Tarou had come back and the relationship had returned to something close to how it was before. Therefore, Jiro is played in a similar image to that of the TV series.

"You mentioned earlier the combination of characters from the two shows, but which combination was particularly interesting?"

Kato: All of them (laughs). Everyone went above and beyond what I had imagined. Gira, for example, understood our intentions and showed us a great death scene. I also liked the part of Tsuyoshi with the married couple, Racules and Suzume. If I hadn't made some cuts to that scene, the film would probably have gone on forever. Everyone was having fun, but it was my job to keep them in check. It's a shame that the length is so short, but I think the highlights have been condensed into it.

"By the way, over the past two years, what was your most memorable experience in both Donbrothers and King-Ohger?"

Kato: Looking back on Donbrothers, I had the opportunity to film alot of scenes involving Tsubasa and Natsumi. Natsumi's ending was heavy for a drama, so I remember worrying about how to present it. For King-Ohger, I had to learn alot of new things, even more than the previous years, so it was hard just trying to study (laughs). As a Director, I could never say, "I don't know," so I was desperate to keep up with the younger staff members. In the case of King-Ohger, the main storyline was a vertical one that spanned the entire year, so I think there was alot of consideration given to that aspect.

"The way it's presented as a serial drama, huh?"

Kato: Yes, but everyone was very enthusiastic, so if the Director of the group in front of us did something like this, it made us want to "make it even more exciting." I think that's why the story continued to be as exciting as the final episode.

"While adopting new filming techniques, you were also improving the quality of the work right in front of our eyes….."

Kato: I've been working on Super Sentai series for more than 15 years now, and especially in the last few years, from Zenakiger to Donbrothers to King-Ohger, I had to learn alot. In this day and age, I think it's inevitable that this will continue to be the case going forward.

"Lastly, tell us your response to the end of filming."

Kato: I thought it would be an interesting film just to have the Donbrothers visit the world of King-Ohger, but the cast worked very hard to create a "chemical reaction" that exceeded my expectations. The film is both King-Ohger and Donbrothers, so please pay attention to the "blending" of the two.

King-Ohger VS Kyoryuger

INTRODUCTION: The two Super Sentai, King-Ohger, who fought to protect Chikyu from the Uchu King Dagded, and Kyoryuger, who defended Earth from Deboth's Army, have now transcend time and space to miraculously come together. What the Kings and Mighty Lizards join forces to face is……the new Uchu King, Gira?! The strongest warriors approach a desperate situation……!

STORY: Kiryu Daigo and Utsusemimaru set off in pursuit of the Uchu King Dagded, who has invaded Earth. However, Daigo was captured by Dagded and Utsusemimaru was sent to another timeline of Earth. It's 20 years after the invasion of Earth by Deboth's Army……Utsusemimaru is entrusted by Amy Yuuzuki with her and Daigo's son, Prince, and together they attempt to return to their original timeline. However, something is wrong with Prince?! If they don't rescue Daigo soon, Prince will never be born and will cease to exist. Utsusemimaru rushes to Chikyu where Dagded is, but further timeline alterations give birth to a new Uchu King, Gira. The fate of the other kings have also undergone dramatic changes……!

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger was sent to Earth, a different planet from Chikyu, and together with Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, they defeat the Deboth Army sent by the Uchu King Dagded. However, their destinies will overlap once more in an unexpected way. What in the world happened to the kings?

Gira Husty: The king of Shugoddam, the largest country in Chikyu, and the one where the guardian god resides. He's armed with the KuwagataOhger and King KuwagataOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, has he truly become an "Evil King"?!

Yanma Gast: The king of N'kosopa, country of technology. He's armed with the TomboOhger royal armor. N'kosopa's national power, which was once a satellite state of Shugoddam, has been greatly enhanced by technological innovations. However, in the altered timeline, he couldn't make a name for himself with his technology and his ventures failed. He lives a meager life running a scrapyard……

Hymeno Ran: The queen of Ishabana, the country of fine art and medicine. Having lost her parents in the "Wrath of God," she became king at a young age. She's armed with the KamakiriOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, she was banished from Flopital Castle due to her selfishness being at the government's expense. She becomes a flower beggar.

Rita Kaniska: The king of Gokkan, the country of ice and snow. They also serve as the Chief Judge of the International Court of Justice, which protects the neutrality of the world. They're armed with the PapillonOhger royal armor. In the altered timeline, after retiring as the Presiding Judge due to a mental issue, they become active as a "top star" who can sing and dance.

Kaguragi Dybowski: The lord of Toufu, the country of agriculture. He's armed with the HachiOhger royal armor. He's always humble and polite in tone, but the theatrics of his words and actions tend to stick out, so he's what you'd call a "trickster." In the altered timeline, he's hated by many enemies for deceiving the other countries, and his castle and fields were taken away from him. He's being used by his sister, Suzume, as a sumo wrestler.

Jeramie Brasieri: A man born between his father, the sixth hero that saved mankind 2,000 years ago, and his mother Nephila, a Bugnarak. He's armed with the Spider Kumonos royal armor. In the altered timeline, he appears before Utsusemimaru and Prince, claiming to be Chikyu's guide, "Jeracchi."

Shiokara (Chiwata Yuhei): Yanma's retainer who has deep respect for him. Originally a criminal in an organization that circulated counterfeit money in N'kosopa, he was reformed after meeting Yanma. He took on a supportive position for Yanma, who believes that technology can change the future. However, in the altered timeline, he abuses Yanma.

Morphonia (Hasegawa Kasumi): Rita's retainer. She's a lazy person, and would rather not work if she can help it, but she does her job well. She's also the person who best understands the pain of loneliness that Rita carries. In the altered timeline, she's an obsessed fan of Rita, who had become a top star, and cheers for them in a high pitched voice.

Sebastian (Yoshimitsu Hiroto): Hymeno's retainer. He's actually 25 years old, but when he became Hymeno's butler, he was given special makeup to give him an older appearance, and his name was changed from his real name, Romane Dearborn. Originally, he was the heir to a ducal family that has existed in Ishabana for 1,000 years. In the altered timeline, he coldly rejects Hymeno, who has become a flower beggar.

Suzume: Kaguragi's younger sister whom he dotes on. She calls him "big brother." She was in poor health as a child. She lived in Shugoddam as a "hostage" for the reconstruction of Toufu, but when she realized Racules's "objective," she chose to live as his willing accomplice. In the altered timeline, she uses her older brother, Kaguragi, in fixed sumo matches.

Yasemitsu Hatchin (Jackie-chan): He's a wrestler of small stature who doesn't look like he's any match for Kaguragi, but since the match is fixed, he ends up beating Kaguragi.

KuwagataOhger Carnival: KuwagataOhgers appearance when he's powered up with the Gaburimix Shooter. He fights by arming both his arms with the Gabutyra Fang, KyoryuRed's weapon.

Gaburimix Shooter: Jeramie's Venomix Shooter has changed. With the power of this item, the King-Ohgers can now be armed with and fight with the Kyoryuger's weapons.

A Super Sentai formed by "Strong Lizard People" who overcome their battles along with their Zyudenryu. Each warrior has a Zyudenryu as a partner. 10 years have passed since the battle against Deboth's Army, and now the strongest Braves in history have miraculously assembled. You'll be surprised when you hear, look at us and cry!

Kiryu Daigo (Ryusei Ryo): A young man who changes into KyoryuRed. His nickname is "King." He's an adventurer who's been traveling around the world since he was a child. He set off from Earth in pursuit of the Uchu King Dagded, but ended up trapped in Dagded's amber.

Ian Yorkland (Saito Syuusuke): A young man who changes into KyoryuBlack. He's a researcher of super ancient civilizations, and is a flirtatious playboy.

Udo Nobuharu (Kinjo Yamato): A young man who changes into KyoryuBlue. He's a former trading company employee who now runs "Nandemoya Marufuku." He's set to marry to Candelilla.

Rippukan Souji (Shiono Akihisa): A young man who changes into KyoryuGreen. As the successor of the traditional "Rippukan Dojo," he's improving his swordsmanship skills every day. At Daigo's request, he trains Prince.

Amy Yuuzuki (Konno Ayuri): A woman who changes into KyoryuPink. She's the daughter of a large conglomerate. She's bright and caring, and is the emotional support of the Zyuden Sentai. She's married to Daigo and have a son, Kiryu Daigoro, known as Prince.

Utsusemimaru (Maruyama Atsushi): A swordsman who became a Kyoryuger during the Sengoku period. For about 400 years, his body was controlled by Dogold, but he was rescued by the modern day Kyoryugers and was set free. He and Daigo pursue Dagded, but in the future 20 years later, he finds his own grave……?!

Yayoi Ulshade (Iitoyo Marie): Doctor Ulshade's granddaughter. She becomes the second in line to inherit KyoryuViolet from her grandfather. Piloting Plezuon, she flew into space with Daigo and Utsusemimaru in pursuit of Dagded, but……

Kiryu Daigoro (Kawana Rintaro): A young man who changes into King KyoryuRed. His nickname is "Prince." He's the son of Daigo and Amy, and boasts the same high level of physical ability as his parents. In his father's absence on Earth, he fought bravely as a member of Kyoryuger, but was affected by the alteration of time and space, and is on the verge of vanishing.

(bottom right): Utsusemimaru arrives in the future world. 20 years have passed since the Earth was invaded by Deboth's Army. An aging Amy asks Utsusemimaru to take her son, Prince, back to 20 years ago. In order to stop the Deboth invasion……

Gabutyra KyoryuRed Anniversary Carnival: Daigo's new form changed by Minityra (miniature Gabutyra) using the changed Gaburivolver. He uses number 24 "Quetzalcoatlu Zyudenchi," and number 25 "Mosasarus Zyudenchi," and fights by donning the Zyuden Arms, "Quetzalcoatlu Bowgun Arm" and "Mosasarus Chainsaw Arm."

King Gaburucannon/Gabutyvolver: Combine King KyoryuRed's King Gaburicalibur and Gabutyra KyoryuRed's Gabutyvolver to release the Father and Son King Gaburucannon!

Wise God Torin (voice: Morikawa Toshiyuki): An entity that's been fighting against the Deboth Army for about 100 million years. He evolves Earth's dinosaurs into Zyudenryu. He transforms into KyoryuSilver. After defeating his brother, Hundred Faced High Priest Chaos, he left this world……

Candelilla (voice: Tomatsu Haruka) & Luckyuro (voice: Orikasa Ai): Formerly members of the Deboth Army, they now work for humans. Candelilla is set to marry Udo Nobuharu.

Kiryu Dantetsu (Yamashita Shinji): Daigo's father and an adventurer. He's Prince's (Daigoro) grandfather.

KyoryuGray (voice: Deai Masayuki), KyoryuSilver (voice: Morikawa Toshiyuki), KyoryuCyan (voice: Robert Baldwin): The Spirit Rangers (those who have lost their bodies but retain their immortal souls) also arrived from beyond time and space. Here, all the Kyoryugers have assembled!

Sanagim: Combat soldiers that possess the characteristics of pupa. Their exclusive weapon, the "Gun Shovel," can also be used as a rifle. They multiply infinitely.

Uchu King Gira: The appearance of Gira who defeated Dagded and became the new Uchu King after Utsusemimaru fed a large amount of Rainbow Jururira to Gira as a young child. He tries to publicly execute Yanma and the others.

Evil King (voice: Sakai Taisei): Uchu King Gira in his royal armor form. Even after Gira was restored to his original state, the evil spirits that had escaped from Gira's body combined into one and a new Evil King was born.

Dagded Dujardin (voice: Ishida Akira): The creator of all insect life forms. He has an invulnerable body that's immune to all attacks, and because of this, he always has time to speak and act in a way that belittles his opponents. For him, the destruction of other life forms is merely a form of "tidying up." He's being pursued from Earth by KyoryuRed, who he traps in amber.

Debo Senking: A king Deboth monster, who can absorb all emotions, was created to fully revive the power of Kabutobushin Deboth, who Dagded had summoned to Earth. Using his Freezing Staff, he continues to "Brave-cuein" human braves from all over the world and send them to Kabutobushin Deboth.

Uchu Five Jesters A group of aliens led by the Uchu King Dagded. Up until now, they've lead different species on numerous planets to conflict and destruction. The alteration of time and space also affects them, and they emerge as servants of the Evil King.

Hilbil Leech (voice: Sawashiro Miyuki): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Hilbill of Enticement." She brainwashed the king's retainers and citizens, turning the human race on Chikyu into mobs.

Grodie Leucodium (voice: Amano Kousei): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Grodie of Tranquility" He's the one responsible for causing the "Wrath of God." He tries to bring forth the "Wrath of God" again, but is stopped by the King-Ohgers.

Kamejim (voice: Miki Shinichiro): Although he was the Prime Minister who served Desnarak VIII, he was actually the mastermind behind the battle between humans and Bugnarak, and was "Kamejim of Vanity" of the Uchu Five Jesters, who infiltrated Chikyu under the orders of Dagded.

Goma Rosalia (voice: Yamaji Kazuhiro): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Goma of Suspicion." He possesses the characteristics of a longhorn beetle. He has the ability to swap any concept, from human minds to matter, and has swapped the bodies of the kings of six kingdoms.

Minongan Moth (voice: Seki Tomokazu): One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Minongan of Concealment." Just as he looks, he's a "power fighter," with high offensive and defensive power.

Sakai Taisei

-The Commitment of the Uchu King Gira-

"In this film, for most scenes, you appeared as the Uchu King Gira."

Sakai: I've been saying I'm the "Evil King" for a long time, and now finally, I've really become one (laughs). When I played the role, I was conscious of "combining insanity and coolness" in my own way. How could I differentiate myself from the usual Gira? For facial expressions, I tried to keep my eyes wide open and slow my tone alittle bit…..but, it was pretty difficult. For example, my dialogue was fine when I was speaking on my own, but when I tried to keep up the pace in conversation, it sometimes didn't go well. It was difficult, but I learned alot, and I'd be happy if everyone could share their opinions after watching the film.

"The other cast members are also challenging themselves to perform in a different way from usual."

Sakai: I look forward to watching each "changed fate" parts of the film. Yanma's deviation is also extreme. I'm sure Aoto was able to play the "uncool Yanma" role very well.

"What about action scenes?"

Sakai: As the Uchu King Gira, I was thrilled to cross swords with the other kings. There was strong wind at the filming location, so it was very difficult (laughs). I haven't been in such a tough situation on location since N'kosopa in episode 2……when we were at the Saitama Super Arena. If I had to compare them, this one was the best (laughs). Conversely, the heat was unforgettable for the collaboration with Kyoryuger, with episodes 32 and 33 being filmed on location. Director Sakamoto's filming is fast paced, and the action is learned on the spot, so I was always frantic, but the atmosphere on set was cheerful and fun.

-Gira and Daigo-

"This'll be the second time you've worked together with the Kyoryuger members."

Sakai: I'm truly grateful to have been able to work with veteran members of the Super Sentai series in this way. I thought it was amazing that everyone hadn't changed at all from the appearance they had 10 years ago. We also saw the scene where all the members transform together, and in the case of the Kyoryugers, even though there's dancing involved, they're all perfectly in sync. I was surprised by that as well.

"What was it like for Gira and Daigo, fellow Reds, to meet?"

Sakai: Ryusei Ryo-san has the aura of a star, and I was thinking about what I would say to him when we meet, but he came off as Daigo when he said to me, "It's tough performing at G-Rosso, huh?" I've already become a big fan of him (laughs). He gives off the impression of a "dependable aniki" and is the very definition of a hero.

"What do you want Sakai Taisei to be like in 10 years?"

Sakai: Now that I'm beginning to understand how interesting my job as an actor is, I'd like to continue acting, but even if I were to take up something else, I'd be happy if I were still leading a fulfilling life. I want to pursue what I enjoy and what I believe in. I also hope that the Super Sentai series will continue into the future. It's an irreplaceable work for me personally, so I hope that the baton will be passed on to everyone who plays the hero for a long time to come.

Watanabe Aoto

-Shiokara's Revenge-

"Tell us about the planning for VS Kyoryuger."

Watanabe: More than anything, it's amazing to see all the main cast members together, even though it's already been 10 years. When the TV series started filming, Toei's Producer Omori gave us a speech in which he encouraged us to, "Please keep acting even after 10 years." Still, that's not always an easy thing to do. Recently, various 10th and 20th anniversary films for the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series have been made, and I think it's truly miraculous…..This film made me grateful to have witnessed such a miracle in front of my eyes, and it also served as a source of encouragement for me. 10 years later, everyone gathered at the same place on the same day and struck the same transformation pose as they did back then. It was a wonderful moment. I was also impressed that their style hadn't changed.

"Yanma is no longer king, having been affected by the alteration of time and space."

Watanabe: I was conscious of being cool as Yanma for a whole year, but then this kind of setting comes along……(laughs). I enjoyed performing. I mean, the one who was more lively than me was without a doubt Shiokara's Chiwata-san. Maybe he was aiming to use this opportunity to release all the resentment he's felt over the past year. The line, "Lick my shoes!" isn't written anywhere in the script (laughs).

-Thoughts on the Future-

"Unusual for a King-Ohger related production, there was alot of filming on location for this film."

Watanabe: Since it's a Director Sakamoto production, I expected from the beginning that we'd be able to do some action. There was action in episodes 32 and 33 of the TV series, and it was all shot on location. I'm glad we were able to do it again this time. However, when we were filming for TV, it was in the middle of a heat wave, while this time it was the other way around. It wasn't just us, I thought that the Director and staff must have gone through alot of hardships. I'm truly grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make the film as good as possible under such harsh conditions.

"By the time the VS double feature film is released, the Final Live Tour will be over, and you'll have reached the end of your activities as a King-Ohger cast member."

Watanabe: Now, I'm so excited to support everyone in "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger." A year ago, the cast of Donbrothers were promoting King-Ohger any chance they could, and I thought "They're so kind……", and when I was in the position to pass the baton to the next show, I naturally felt that way. It's no longer someone else's problem…….I hope they'll do their best to deliver an interesting show to the children during the year, while taking good care of themselves.

"Regarding where you'll be 10 years from now."

Watanabe: I think that children who were fans of Kyoryuger 10 years ago will definitely be pleased to see this film. Even after 10 years, everyone's still a "cool hero." No matter what kind of life I lead, I'd be happy if I could become a "cool adult" in the eyes of the children who are now supporting Yanma, and I'll make every effort to become such an adult.

Murakami Erica

-The Reborn Kings-

"In VS Kyoryuger, the depiction of the kings, whose situations have been changed by the altered timeline, was impressive."

Murakami: Everyone seemed to enjoy playing their parts. I hope the audience will enjoy it as well. In the scene with Hymeno, Sebastian's Yoshimitsu-san played the role in a coercive manner, so he was able to break away from his usual character. I like the styling of "Uchu King Gira," as he's really cool. I think it gives off the feeling of a dark hero. It's interesting to see that Yanma had fallen just as far as Hymeno. There's an honor student like quality to him, and the visuals of that Yanma is also appealing. Rita, who has become a star, is majestically cool. Kaguragi made the most of Kaku-san's "weapons," and Jeramie was the complete opposite of his usual style, which was nice.

"This was your second time collaborating with Kyoryuger."

Murakami: Everyone has alot of experience in acting, so they had alot to offer. It was a great learning experience to be able to work with them. I felt the weight of every line of dialogue. It's possible everyone else felt the same way. Even though we didn't really appear, on the day when all the Kyoryuger members assembled for their shoot, we gathered in front of the monitor and watched everyone's performance.

-Tackling the Action-

"The action scenes in episodes 32 and 33 of the TV series, as well as in this film, are the main highlights."

Murakami: When it was on TV, the setting was that the kings had gone to a different planet, so it was the first time we were completely on location. That in itself was a new experience for me, but I was also allowed to do alot of action, and I think I was able to show the coolness of a "fighting king." The action is really deep. On site, I was always looking for the best and coolest swordplay. The way I move, the way the camera moves with me, and the angles of the camera, all make a small difference in the impression you'll get. While filming, Hymeno looks beautiful and strong, thanks to the skillful guidance of the Action Department members who played the enemies. But, the amazing thing is that it didn't look like that……There were a number of professional techniques packed into short takes. However, the last day was pretty challenging (laughs). In the scene where we were being held captive, it was so cold and windy.

"It seems like the last day left a deep impression on everyone."

Murakami: This is a bit of a behind the scenes story, but there are some shots where the wind is blowing very hard, and in the same scene, other shots contain no wind at all……

"Do you have an ideal image of yourself 10 years from now?"

Murakami: Since this is my type of work, I think that the direction I take will be influenced by various encounters, but as a person, I want to be like my grandmother. She's a very playful and lovely woman. I don't think I'll be able to be like that in 10 years, but I'd like to keep aiming for it. Also, I'd be happy if 10 years from now, there'll be an outcry of people saying, "I want to see King-Ohger again." I hope that such a future will be possible.

Hirakawa Yuzuki

-Rita Sings and Dances Again-

"This was the first collaboration with Kyoryuger since the TV series."

Hirakawa: Episode 32 and 33 remain as fond memories for me. Everyone on the Kyoryuger team was really nice, and I learned alot from their on set behavior, and most importantly, I could feel how well they got along with each other. I also thought it'd be great if we could have a relationship like them forever. At the same time, this was the first time I realized that King-Ohger was coming to an end. When I realized that one day I'd have to say goodbye to everyone and my role as Rita, I felt sad. Looking back, time really flew by quickly in the second half. Specifically around the time we finished filming the Summer movie, it was like a brief moment for me. I feel like I've come this far all at once.

"In this film, the fate of the kings have changed, but to our surprise, Rita's living their life as a star."

Hirakawa: In the TV series, there was an idol episode (38), but this time it was a repeating pattern……To add some variety, I sung "Moffun no Uta" one octave lower. The choreography was also created for this shoot, and I memorized it and performed it on that day. Until filming finished, I was constantly worried, wondering what would happen (laughs).

-Wholeheartedly Thankful-

"In VS Kyoryuger, all the members have finally assembled."

Hirakawa: The atmosphere on set was even more lively and pleasant than in the TV series. Since there's dancing involved, I thought it'd be difficult to get everyone's transformations to match up perfectly, but it was truly amazing to see them all perfectly coordinated. Also, everyone was kind and friendly, and I felt like I wanted to be like them. It was also reassuring to have Shiono-san from the same agency there.

"There were also action scenes."

Hirakawa: On the last day of filming, it was incredibly windy……(laughs). During the captivity scene, I tried not to blink as much as possible, but then the tears started coming out. I'm not sure if you can see it on screen, but please be sure to check it out. The more times I tried the actions, the quicker I learned them. However, since Rita's right eye is hidden, it's very difficult for me to sense the distance between me and my opponent. I was grateful that the JAE staff told me, "It doesn't matter if we get hit, just come at us as hard as you can." This time, it was refreshing to see that even in the post transformation action, KyoryuViolet was the same color as PapillonOhger. I always feel that each warrior has their own unique fighting style, and it's wonderful that the Suit Actors were able to accurately express this. There are 11 people in Kyoryuger alone, so I think it's difficult just to differentiate them. I think it shows everyone's high level of professionalism.

"Where do you want to be in 10 years from now?"

Hirakawa: I'm still a "kid" right now, so of course I want to be able to walk on my own, but even 10 years from now, I want to be able to "get lost in something I'm passionate about," and live my life in constant excitement. In addition, little by little, I'd like to repay my parents who raised me.

Kako So

-Fighting the Weather-

"This was a collaboration with the Kyoryugers following the TV series, and this time, with the full lineup."

Kaku: It's amazing, isn't it? In any case, everyone in Kyoryuger is really close to each other, and their unity and teamwork are wonderful. I thought that they were very good at action and dancing. In the story, Utsusemimaru (KyoryuGold) is abit of a troublemaker who stirs things up, and because of that, we in the Royal Sentai end up becoming unusually strange (laughs). Everyone was able to play a different character than usual in this production. It was alot of fun. Things like Masashi's sketchy Jeramie I was enthusiastic about (laughs). There are some scenes that I haven't seen yet, but I'm really looking forward to seeing them, such as the scene between Yanma and Shiokara.

"Regarding the action scenes."

Kaku: This time, there's a situation where kings fight each other, and I think that's one of the highlights. The flow of the action was decided on the spot, and I memorized it and started filming right away. I was worried about whether we'd be able to do it right, but what was more troubling was the weather on location on the day of the shoot. As you can feel from the video, there was an incredible wind blowing at the site. I was okay with it, but I think it would've been very difficult for someone like Hymeno, who was wearing light clothing.

"To begin with, there weren't that many locations in King-Ohger."

Kaku: That's right. Unlike my seniors of previous generations, we finished filming until the final episode without knowing anything about the hardships of filming on location. And then, with VS Kyoryuger…….on the last day of filming, we did it all at once (laughs). The interesting thing is that, as you'll notice in the footage, in a series of scenes, there are times when the wind is blowing strongly and other times when it's not. I'll leave the reasoning to your imagination (laughs).

-A 10 Year Journey-

"Once again, please give us your thoughts on the collaboration with Kyoryuger."

Kaku: I'm a senior member of Super Sentai by 10 years, but with the exception of Kinjo-san and Maruyama-san, everyone is actually younger than me. Ryusei-san too. That was abit of a strange feeling. Also, when I thought about my future 10 years from now, I was worried about whether I'd be able to do Kakuragi at 43 years old……but, then I thought about it, and I realized that Amano Kousei-san, who plays the role of Grodie, one of the Uchu Five Jesters, will be 46 years old this year, and he's so cool, isn't he? He maintains such youthfulness, that it's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that he was performing in Kamen Rider, so I want to make that one of my goals. Not only Amano-san, but also his wife……Iroki's Hinagata-san has always been beautiful. I felt that I should do my best too. If we could get together again in 10 years……I'd be happy if we could work on the project while living fulfilling lives. And I'd like the Scriptwriter, Takamina-san, to write the script for it.

Ikeda Masashi

-Jeracchi and the Strange Kings-

"In VS Kyoryuger, Jeramie became Chikyu's charming guide, Jeracchi."

Ikeda: It was fun (laughs). Actually, this was the first time for me to wear a different costume as Jeramie. I didn't wear a yukata in the Summer festival episode (episode 24), and I didn't change into Earth clothes in the collaboration episode with Kyoryuger in the TV series (episodes 32 and 33). Personally, I was most impressed by the costumes. Although I was playing the role of Jeramie, it was a strange feeling to be in a completely different position. Everyone else also has different visuals. I think that's why I was able to play with more freedom. Yanma and Hymeno are in a tragic situation…..What was funny was Kaku-san's Kaguragi. His setting is about losing in a fixed sumo match, but because he has the aura of a strong man, he doesn't look weak (laughs).

"It's a different kind of comedy than what was in VS Donbrothers, huh?"

Ikeda: I think that you'll laugh at this film as well. I could sense that the Kyoryuger members were enjoying the Super Sentai set for the first time in a long time. What surprised me was that their youngest, Iitoyo-san, is only two years older than me. It was abit of a shock to know that she was 15 years old at the time of Kyoryuger.

-The Wind and Kings-

"Following the TV series, since the collaboration with Kyoryuger involves Sakamoto's team, there's some action as well."

Ikeda: We didn't have many opportunities to try our hand at acting during regular filming. That's why the Sakamoto team left an impression on me twice. This time in particular, there's the situation where Gira, who's become the Uchu King, and the other kings cross swords. I was very enthusiastic there. I'm sure everyone felt the same way. However, it was on the last day, and as you can clearly see from the footage, the wind was incredibly strong. It was on an almost unusual level, including how cold it was (laughs). We haven't been on location much during the past year, so this was our last taste of the "location hardships" at the very end. Now that I think about it, the Kyoryuger episodes for TV were also filmed entirely on location, but they were in the middle of Summer. I would've loved to go on location during the Spring or Fall (laughs). Because of this situation, everyone greeted each other in a brief way at the beginning of filming……but, that was also a good memory. Something like that is a rare experience.

"Ikeda-san, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?"

Ikeda: 10 years seems so far into the future that it's hard to imagine, but in terms of familiarity, Kaku-san is 9 years older than me. Kaku-san is always aware of what's going on around him, and he's always looking out for us. I want to grow up to be like that. I don't know if we'll be able to get together again like the Kyoryuger members 10 years from now, but I'd like to see the King-Ohgers active in even more advanced video technology.

Ryusei Ryo (Daigo)

-King's Return-

"You were recording just a few minutes ago, what are your thoughts?"

Ryusei: As expected, doing the dub as Kiryu Daigo is exhausting (laughs). I gave it my all. Daigo is a very passionate character, and Kyoryuger itself is a show like that. 10 years ago, we used to do recordings like this every week. The amount of work back then was almost certainly greater than what I recorded today, so I think I did a good job. At the time, I was between 19 and 20 years old, so I guess it was because I was young (laughs). This time, I had the opportunity to work with the cast of King-Ohger, and I felt the rush of energy that's typical of currently active heroes. They were filming the TV series just the other day, and they must've had a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment from having survived their long journey, as they all had good expressions on their faces. They were glowing. Compared to them, I may inevitably be called "old." Even now, I'm alittle nervous about it (laughs).

"What made you agree to appear in the film?"

Ryusei: It's my way of showing gratitude to all the fans and staff. I'm happy to have this opportunity to work on a production after 10 years with all of the main cast together. Including KyoryuRed's Osshi-san (Oshikawa Yoshifumi), to the full extent, the Suit Actors were the same as they were back then, and Director Sakamoto filmed it……It's almost a miracle. I thought this would be the last time I'd be able to do something like this, so I really wanted to do it. Daigo's line, "This is the final battle!" was added on set, but I put all my feelings into it in my own way.

-Brave Youth-

"What were you conscious of when playing the role of Daigo again?"

Ryusei: At first, there was an idea to have everyone appear in completely different costumes. However, I thought that fans would like to see the costumes as they were back in the day. I asked if they still had them……and to use them. Conversely, what also surprised me was the action. There was nothing specifically written in the script. When I arrived on set in the morning, preparations were already underway, and Director Sakamoto was like, "Of course (we're doing action)!" (laughs). I learned the flow on the spot, tried to match it quickly, did a test, and then immediately did the real thing. This is also a "given" in Kyoryuger. You can't find this on other sets. I also missed these kinds of things.

"What does Kyoryuger mean to Ryusei?"

Ryusei: It's youth. I was happy, but at the same time embarrassed to play the role of Kiryu Daigo for the first time in such a long time. For a whole year……no, including the Final Live Tour, I've been carrying the responsibility of one show as its main character for about a year and a half. Currently, I don't have the opportunity to work on the same production for that long. It's impossible not to become deeply attached to it. To be honest, there were times when it was tough and I thought, "I can't wait to work on a different show." However, I think that I was able to learn alot on that set, and experience many things that I could only have done 10 years ago. There are many fans who have continued to support me since that time, and I'm definitely very happy to have performed in this film.

Kawana Rintaro (Daigoro)

-Admiration of the Mighty Lizards-

"You made your appearance in King-Ohgers TV series, how did that happen?"

Kawana: My father's (Kawana Motoki) senior in the action industry is Director Sakamoto, and I've been invited to work with him several times. This time too, he asked me if I'd like to audition for the role of Prince.

"What did you do during the audition?"

Kawana: In addition to watching action, I also performed one scene from episode 32. From there, I was chosen and was able to perform.

"Originally, did you study action and acting?"

Kawana: I've been learning action from my father since I was a child. I've also been taking acting lessons since I was in elementary school.

"Did you know about Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger?"

Kawana: I've been watching the Super Sentai series since I was about 2 years old, and I believe Kyoryuger was the year I started elementary school. At the time, I felt that I had started a show that was right in the middle of my tastes. I liked dinosaurs, I liked the designs of the Kyoryugers suits, and the action was cool. Kyoryuger is what got me hooked the most.

"What was it like appearing in the TV series?"

Kawana: As expected, the actual film site was different from my lessons. The large number of staff members working so diligently and quickly made me realize once again how hard and fun it is to create video productions. I was painfully aware of my lack of experience, but I was also inspired. Everyone in King-Ohger was very friendly and talked to me about a bunch of things. Since our ages aren't that far apart, I was able to fit in quickly on set. Especially with Gira's Sakai Taisei, I became closer to him, and every time I appeared in the show, it became easier for me to perform. I've often heard that the atmosphere of the set is reflected in the footage, and I felt that this was the case.

"After your performance, what was the reaction from those around you?"

Kawana: I was happy that many of my friends at school seemed to have seen it (laughs). They said various things to me, like, "You've become a Kyoryuger?" and "That's Brave!" I think everyone remembered Kyoryuger because we're all the same age.

-The Inherited Brave-

"Prince is the son of Daigo (King), and this time they're finally working together."

Kawana: Ryusei Ryo-san was on a completely different level from me, as his appearance was very powerful. This time, there's a scene where I transformed with the Kyoryuger members, but for some reason, it felt like I was just a fan that had got mixed in……I always had this feeling of, "Is it okay for me to be here?" However, I'm grateful for this truly valuable experience. Director Sakamoto has continued to shoot many films, and I respect him for always putting his all into filming

"What are your future ambitions?"

Kawana: Being like Jackie Chan from the olden days has always been my number one goal. I saw a variety of his films and was impressed by how amazing he is……He's a star who always tries to thoroughly entertain his viewers, so I started thinking that I wanted to be like that too. I'd like to continue to take on action, and eventually, I'd like to work overseas.

Saito Syuusuke (Ian) x Kinjo Yamato (Nobuharu)

-Emotional Full Gathering-

"You two first appeared in the King-Ohger TV series."

Saito: To begin with, around the beginning of last year (2023), I thought, "Right, this year is the 10th anniversary……" But, at that time, I never imagined that we'd be collaborating with a currently active Super Sentai. I used to watch King-Ohger every week (laughs). Not only did we get to meet them, but we also got to perform with them as the Kyoryugers, it made me happy……

Kinjo: However, during the TV series, there were only four of us who appeared in the show. King (Daigo) and Ucchi (Utsusemimaru) performed through their voices. I wonder if we'll all get together……is what I thought, and this time it's a V-Cinext. King, Ucchi, and even Yayoi-chan make their appearance, and the four of us were allowed to appear again. Is this what you'd call "emotional"? Is that too old fashioned now? Will a new word be created in 10 years?

Saito: (laughs). Still, I'm grateful. The show is 10 years old, but recently, it's become possible to watch past series through streaming services. I often hear that people who didn't watch the show when it aired, or who weren't even born yet, become "hooked" after watching Kyoryuger.

Kinjo: Younger children may have never heard of Kyoryuger, and may have wondered, "Who are these guys?" when they saw the TV series guest episodes (episodes 32 and 33). Still, I never lost hope.

Saito: Yeah. Since we were appearing, I thought, "Let's go wild."

-With King Again-

"It's wonderful to see not only the cast assembled, but also the Suit Actors and even the Voice Actors."

Saito: That's right. KyoryuBlack is played by Takeuchi Yasuhiro-san, and Tsutamune Masato-kun, who plays KyoryuGold this time, played the role of KyoryuBlack in G-Rosso's show 10 years ago. For me, it was heart warming to have the three of us gathered on the same set.

Kinjo: For KyoryuBlue's Takada Masashi-kun, Kyoryuger was the first time he played a regular hero role. He plays Spider Kumonos in King-Ohger. I was happy to see that despite his busy schedule, he played KyoryuBlue with such energy in this film.

Saito: Even those who have left JAE came back, such as KyoryuRed's Osshi-san and KyoryuPink's Nogawa Mizuho-san.

Kinjo: By the way, Takeuchi-san is amazing. 10 years ago, he was sharp, but he's evolved even further. His list of techniques is also increasing. Is such a thing even possible? (laughs).

Saito: No, he's definitely amazing……

Kinjo: It was like a strong man becoming a "super strong man."

"The major difference between the TV series and this film is that Ryusei Ryo-san, know as King, has made his long awaited appearance."

Saito: For some reason, it felt strange. I've met him in our private time, but seeing him in front of me in that costume and hair style was like stepping back in time.

Kinjo: I instantly thought, "Ah! It's Daigo!"

Saito: On the day we all got together, we did some action. It's the Sakamoto team after all.

Kinjo: Yeah, yeah, we did, this old man's body took a beating (laughs).

Saito: Ian's main point of focus is his gunplay, but Nossan (Nobuharu) also has some acrobatic movements.

Kinjo: No matter what Nobuharu does, he's always got a story to tell.

Saito: Nossan's old man jokes (laughs). Didn't they already come up endlessly back then?

Kinjo: Every time, he always had something to say……However, after analyzing it in detail, I think he actually has a pattern of saying the same four or five things (laughs).

"You participated in the dub not that long ago, and we assume that you've seen some of the current footage, what are your thoughts?"

Saito: The lineup is really impressive, isn't it? It's amazing even at 8 people, but then Silver, Cyan, and Gray were added, and including King-Ohger, there's……17 members? That scene was, as expected, numbing.

Kinjo: During the dub, we got to watch a few scenes that we're not in. That's why I was like, "What's with this bearded Ucchi?!" (laughs). Even though I've read the script, there are many scenes where I don't know how they turned out, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed film.

Saito: Ucchi is the main focus. Ucchi stirs up the whole thing, and it becomes a big mess. Ucchi's our clumsy samurai (laughs).

Kinjo: He even influenced the world of King-Ohger.

Saito: But in the end, he brought us all together, or rather, he made it necessary for us to come together. It was thanks to Maruyama Atsushi. No, maybe it was Ucchi? (laughs).

-Everyone is Someone's Hero-

"What does the show Kyoryuger mean to the two of you?

Saito: I've always loved tokusatsu heroes, and it was truly a dream come true for me to become a hero myself. Even though he's an enemy, I was able to transform into a Kamen Rider as a guest in the show……

Kinjo: I was in Kamen Rider too. In my case though, I'm not sure if I'm considered a Rider or not……(laughs).

Saito: It's amazing to be able to appear in the same role again on the 10th anniversary. There was a great response on SNS, and I'll continue to live my life while always being aware that I was KyoryuBlack. In fact, I feel that the character of Ian still exists within me. From time to time, I end up saying, "Oh my" (Ian's favorite phrase) (laughs).

Kinjo: In recent years, I've been working as a Voice Actor, mainly dubbing American movies and foreign dramas, but my first experience with dubbing was for Kyoryuger. In that sense, my encounter with Kyoryuger was significant. Depending on the role I'm playing, I sometimes channel the voice I used when I was Nobuharu.

Saito: Heroes are wonderful. All I can say is that everyone is also a hero to someone who's standing beside them.

Kinjo: Now, I hope that the boys and girls who have admired heroes through King-Ohger will aim to become heroes for their loved ones going forward.

Saito: I'd be happy if you could feel that passionate message through this film.

Kinjo: Let's meet again someday!

Shiono Akihisa (Souji) x Konno Ayuri (Amy) x Maruyama Atsushi (Utsusemimaru)

-After Recording-

Maruyama: I'm Atsushi!

Konno: I'm Ayuri!

Shiono: I'm Akihisa!

All: We're the triple "A" of Kyoryuger!

Maruyama: Whether you use that or not, we did it because you've got these three specific people here. And now, I'll leave the rest up to you (laughs).

"Thank you very much! I guess it's because you were doing the dub a few minutes ago, but your good mood is really helpful (laughs)."

Maruyama: We've begun recording the dub! How was it for Hime (Konno)? You were in the TV version of King-Ohger and it was your first time recording in a long time, right?

Konno: Yeah. But, it didn't feel like it had been a long time at all. It was as if I had been doing it just recently (laughs).

Maruyama: That's amazing.

Shiono: I really didn't feel blank at all.

Konno: What about you? I myself didn't feel out of place, but…..

Maruyama: It's amazing that Hime was able to get back to the way she used to feel immediately after being away from the acting business for such a long time, let alone us. And then Akki's (Shiono) voice was powerful. It was definitely different compared to 10 years ago, wouldn't you say?

Shiono: I played a high school student, and was actually 18 years old. Since 10 years have passed since then, I wanted to express the growth of Souji. Not just in my voice, but also in acting and action. It's been my "theme" ever since I made the guest appearance in the TV series. Considering Souji was given the Feather Edge by Torin at the end of Kyoryuger, I was also deeply moved by the fact that Souji was the one who trained Prince

Konno: I think Souji seemed calm and even dependable this time.

Maruyama: That's right. That's our Akki, and that's our Souji. Every year, I'm becoming more and more unstable……

Shiono: Weren't you always like that?

Konno: Can it get any worse?

Maruyama: Hey! (everyone laughs).

Shiono: But, when I watched the footage, as expected, the action scenes after the transformation were very cool. The direction was typical of Director Sakamoto, including the introductions being linked to the offensive and defensive movements.

Maruyama: Is it okay if I say something about the dub? While KyoryuGreen and KamakiriOhger were fighting together, the Suit Actors on set created a few seconds of interaction between the two. And then, I wondered what kind of line Akki would put in there, but he just said one word, "……Yeah." He's left everything up to Murakami Erica-chan, who'll do her recording later.

Shiono: Don't say that (laughs). It was difficult for me to do it. Especially for Souji, who's not a very talkative person, so after thinking about it desperately, I was like, "……Yeah" (laughs).

"Speaking of the storyline development, Ucchi was difficult in this film."

Maruyama: I broke new ground (laughs).

Shiono: That's for sure. This is just Ucchi's story.

Konno: Ucchi is very active in this.

Maruyama: I wonder if it's "active"…….He causes nothing but trouble, and then gives an earnest apology to everyone at the very end.

Konno: He also has some cool parts!

Maruyama: Thanks (laughs). But, the cool parts are really an "also." Otherwise he's nothing but bad (laughs). 95% of him is bad, and only about 5% is cool. This time, however, Akki is 100% cool.

Shiono: Really?

Maruyama: To be more specific, the old Souji had a certain "cuteness" to him. Now, on the other hand, he's become an "adult" swordsman.

Shiono: That makes me happy!

Maruyama: I think the charm of "Souji becoming an adult" is shown. By the way, Hime wore elderly makeup this time, didn't she? How old do you think she is?

"Amy was 18-19 years old at the time of the battle with Deboth's Army, it's 10 years later, and then another 20 years after that, so we imagine her to be close to 50 years old."

Konno: At first, that makeup was much darker. It emphasized more of the fact that time had passed. But, I thought it might be alittle too thick, so I lightened it during the filming stage.

Maruyama: That scene was alot of fun. Compared to the usual Amy-dono, she spoke alittle slower. I already had an image of older Amy-dono, so I thought, "Ah, her rhythm's off," but you did that with the age setting in mind, right?

Konno: Yeah. The speed and tone of my voice is different from when I was younger.

Maruyama: What'd you think when creating this role?! The adjustments you made were perfect. Not too slow, but subtly different from the old Amy-dono. It'd be nice if you could return (to being an actress).

Konno: (laughs).

Maruyama: Don't you get approached in your daily life? Especially after things like the guest appearance on TV. They might've said, "Are you Amy?"……..

Konno: No, no…..but, I might see an "Ah" look on people's faces every once in a while.

Maruyama: That's it! I'm sure people think, "That person is KyoryuPink."

Konno: Are you sure? Wouldn't it be more like, "That person looks like someone I know…"

Maruyama: Well, I guess that's true (laughs).

Shiono: Getting back into it, the scene where Ucchi meets Amy and Prince 20 years in the future, from our perspective, shows Acchan's (Maruyama) own happiness. Of course, there's the joy of meeting Amy as Ucchi, but there was also the feelings of Acchan himself (laughs).

Maruyama: I didn't expect to see Amy again like this on set, let alone in our private lives……I was so happy to see her again. All at once, I was taken back to the way I felt back then.

"The "There there~" after learning that Prince is Daigo and Amy's son wasn't in the script."

Maruyama: That part was also fun. As Utsusemimaru, I think of myself as Prince's uncle.

Konno: We're supposed to be parent and child, but Prince's Kawana-kun isn't really that far off in age from me (laughs), but I still felt at ease when I was with him……The parent and child setting was a good fit for us. I think his character fit well with that part as well.

Maruyama: I agree. No, It truly overwhelms me with emotion. It truly overwhelms me with emotion.

Konno: Why'd you say it twice? (laughs).

Maruyama: As Utsusemimaru, Yayoi-dono……it was refreshing to have so many scenes with Marie. Even 10 years ago, I probably said the line, "Yayoi-dono!" many times. What was interesting was that there were no takes where we couldn't help but look at each other, even when we weren't meant to interact. I was glad to see that the unique spirit of Kyoryuger was still there in both of us.

-Super Sentai, Through the Ages-

"What were your impressions of the King-Ohger cast?"

Maruyama: They're what you'd expect of current heroes! They're sparkling.

Shiono: As expected, they were different from us (laughs).

Maruyama: They're shining.

Konno: They made me feel young.

Shiono: But, we're actually quite close in age to them.

Maruyama: That's true for you two. I'm different though (laughs).

Konno: If I could go back to those days, I would. Kyoryuger was about youth.

Maruyama: Me too. I'm already 30 years old.

Shiono: Everyone in the Kyoryuger cast has a deep love for our show. Of course, that can be said for any Super Sentai……

Maruyama: And among us, Ryusei Ryo is the one with the strongest love for it. Even at karaoke, when he's feeling it, he sings the theme song.

Shiono: That's true (laughs). And, he has an overwhelming sense of being the main character. This time, when he was wearing the costume he wore back then for the first time in such a long time, I thought, "It's King! King is here!" (laughs).

Maruyama: It was a combination of various miracles. Everyone participated, including those who only performed with their voices.

Konno: It's a full course.

Maruyama: It's a dream.

Shiono: It's a 40 minute film, but it's a condensed version of about two and a half hours worth of content. I guess most of the people who come to the movie theaters are King-Ohger fans, but I'd be happy if they took this opportunity to go back and watch Kyoryuger as well.

Maruyama: On the other hand, for those who were fans of Kyoryuger or have been away from the Super Sentai series for awhile but came to see this film, I hope they'll see the appeal of King-Ohger and become Super Sentai fans again.

Shiono: It's exactly because the series has continued that we've been invited back. I'm truly aware of how grateful I am. By the way, my friend's child is around the age where they're watching King-Ohger. Recently, they recognized me as Souji from Kyoryuger. That made me happy.

Konno: What a nice story!

Maruyama: Is it okay if I meet this kid too?

Shiono: Why? (everyone laughs).

-Reunion and the Future-

"The 10th anniversary of Kyoryuger, from the TV series to the V-Cinext, was a wonderful plan to celebrate."

Maruyama: That's right. When filming for the TV series……

Shiono: Acchan didn't appear (laughs). No, I didn't think it would happen this way either. Our predecessors were also doing new films for their 10th and 20th anniversaries. Every time I heard something like that, I was concerned. But realistically, I think it's quite difficult. Then, at that time, it was decided that Konno Ayuri would make a sincere comeback (laughs).

Konno: The sincere comeback was for a limited time (laughs). When I first heard about it, they were working on getting everyone together, but I wondered why I was the only one missing……So I said, "Let me in!" However, when it came time to decide, there were only four of us in the TV series, and I was unable to meet the others due to my filming schedule. It felt incomplete and I thought, "This story is wrong!"

Maruyama: That's when you grabbed Producer Omori by the collar and……

Konno: I didn't do that! (laughs).

Shiono: But, there was another version, this V-Cinext.

Konno: After all, if we were going to do it, we wanted to have everyone together, right? I was happy to see that finally happen. Furthermore, with Director Sakamoto and all the Suit Actors from that time, it was a great honor to be able to work with them.

Shiono: The day we all gathered together was like a dream.

Konno: Even with relatives for example, if you only see each other once a year, you get alittle nervous (laughs). But with the cast and crew of Kyoryuger, I don't feel that way at all. They're irreplaceable. I hope that we can continue to communicate with each other forever.

Shiono: Asai Kosuke-san, the Suit Actor for KyoryuGreen, was unable to make the schedule for the TV series, but he was able to come this time. He was as humble as ever, and we were alittle nervous when greeting each other. It was nostalgic. It's nice to hear that he's been able to play Red many times after Green.

Konno: I had heard that Nogawa-san was going to play the role of KyoryuPink, but I dared not to contact her until the day of filming for the TV series. I thought that would make it more moving when we were reunited on set (laughs). Nogawa-san came to the VS this time as well, and in addition to Pink, she stood in and did some of Amy's actions.

Maruyama: KyoryuGold was played by Tsutamune-kun, who played Black at G-Rosso 10 years ago. I was very grateful that he came.

Shiono: Everyone in the King-Ohger cast seemed to get along well.

Maruyama: The atmosphere when everyone was together was really good.

Shiono: Their visuals are cool too. They incorporate some good points from anime as well.

Konno: It has the flashiness typical of Super Sentai. Their costumes before transforming were also gorgeous. We mostly wear casual clothes (laughs).

Maruyama: Utsusemimaru is the only one who can compete with them……but I still think he'd lose (laughs).

Konno: But, I think it's great that Super Sentai continues to evolve in this way. I was on a train once and saw an excited child with a Sentai toy getting off at Suidobashi station with their parents. I think they'd probably be watching G-Rosso's show from then on. 10 years ago, I was performing at G-Rosso, so I thought to myself, "I hope you enjoy it!" as I saw them off. I hope that the Super Sentai series continues forever for the benefit of such children.

Iitoyo Marie (Yayoi)

-Resurrected Memories-

"Just now, you participated in the recording session, how was it?"

Iitoyo: I was shown a video from 10 years ago as reference, but the first thing I noticed was my baby face (laughs). I was 15 years old at the time……My voice sounded so young, that I felt as if it wasn't mine. I've done dubbing for anime productions over the past few years, but there's something special about tokusatsu dubs, so I was worried about doing it after such a long absence. But it was a strange thing, as when I started, my memories came back to me, as if I had been doing this only yesterday. When I turned around, I naturally said stuff like, "Hah!" I even surprised myself.

"How was it decided that you'd appear this time?"

Iitoyo: When the Kyoryugers were going to make a guest appearance in the King-Ohger TV series, there were rumors that I might appear as well (laughs). But at that time, I didn't get an offer. I myself was an additional warrior and semi regular, so I thought it was inevitable. However, after that, there was a dinner party for this film, and Kinjo-san contacted me and asked, "Will monkey be joining us?" Ah, back in the day, I was called monkey (laughs). So, I had a chance to attend that dinner party. At that point I thought, "They're just flattering me" and didn't take it seriously (laughs), but after awhile, I found out that I was actually going to be able to appear and thought, "Yay!" What's more, the script had Yayoi playing an important role, which made me really happy. Of course I was able to perform, but the fact that everyone would be together was unbelievable. I want to thank everyone involved from the bottom of my heart.

-Greatest Joy-

"There were also action scenes."

Iitoyo: Recently, I had the opportunity to work on the production "Love You as the World Ends," and I think my experience during Kyoryuger definitely helped me in my ability to see and learn the flow of the action and shoot it immediately. Of course, the reason it looks so good isn't because I'm good at it, but because of the help of the members in the Action Department. Also, it was refreshing to see that I have many interactions with Utsusemimaru-san this time. We have an important mission, but the two of us end up distorting space and time……Yayoi isn't in the wrong at all (laughs). The comedic exchanges were fun to perform.

"Iitoyo-san, what does Kyoryuger mean to you?"

Iitoyo: I'll never forget this precious show. For example, even if I wear glasses for a moment, fans will say, "You remind me of Yayoi." Also, I've had many opportunities to perform with cast members from other series, and they always talk about it like, "XX and KyoryuViolet are doing a dream collab together!" For me, it's the great pleasure just to be remembered for my performance, but to be invited to a commemorative film like this is the greatest joy. I'd be happy if movie theaters could be a place of "reunion" for all fans.

Director Sakamoto Koichi

-A Miraculous Gathering!-

"Kyoryuger was the show in which the Director, who had been working on "Power Rangers" for many years, was finally in charge of the main part of the original Japanese Super Sentai series.

Sakamoto: I've enjoyed working on all of the productions I've been involved with, but if I were asked which is the best, I'd say Kyoryuger since every day of filming was fun. I had been involved in Super Sentai for 15 years with "Power Rangers," but that was the first time I had been involved in a Super Sentai project in Japan from its very beginning, so I aimed to make the most of my knowledge and experience to create a show that would be enjoyable. Sanjo-san, the Scriptwriter, who also worked on "Kamen Rider W" and "Kamen Rider Fourze," wrote a wonderful script that effectively utilized the characters and items, the talented cast, and as Producer Omori's first show as Chief Director, it's a very energetic show that concentrates everyone's energy. With the support of many fans and strong sales of its related merch, I think this was a memorable show in the history of Super Sentai. That's why I'm really happy to be able to participate in the 10th anniversary festivities this time!

"The first thing that surprised us was that the story was connected to episodes 32 and 33 of the King-Ohger TV series, as well as other episodes."

Sakamoto: The plan was to show all four except Daigo and Ucchi on TV, and save the complete group for the VS. So, I started working on the script early, but I was uncertain until the very end whether the cast would be able to assemble according to their schedules. Everyone was busy, including Ryusei. In the end, everyone including Marie-chan was able to make adjustments, and the day of the shoot was a beautiful sunny day. It was truly a miracle that they came together. However, on the day we mainly shot the post transformation action, there was still snow from the previous day, and on the day we mainly shot the King-Ohger cast, there was strong wind, so overall, filming was quite hard (laughs).

"On the day the Kyoryuger cast gathered, individual action scenes were also prepared."

Sakamoto: I think they're some of the best members of Super Sentai who have done some of the best action of all time. Therefore, in this film too, we've prepared action for each of them, although we didn't have enough time to spare. Once you learn to ride a bicycle, your body remembers it even if you haven't ridden it in awhile, right? For them, it's the same with action and the Kyoryu dance, and they did it in a snap even though it's been 10 years (laughs). Usually, when we shoot action with the cast members, it takes more time than in the Action Department, as we have to test it many times and teach them the movements in detail. But the members of Kyoryuger learn the action quickly and are able to film the action at almost the same speed as the Action Club. Takes unique to Super Sentai, such as running in and lining up side by side, can be done in a single shot. I once again thought, "Sentai is amazing" (laughs).

"It was also impressive to see how everyone seemed to be having fun on set."

Sakamoto: They probably did, but so did we……the staff was very happy (laughs). They've grown up in their own ways, while still retaining some of the same characteristics as back then. Also, most of the Suit Actors from back then, including Osshi, were there, so it felt as if the atmosphere on set 10 years ago had been revived and unchanged.

-For the Future of the Action World-

"The story is about all kinds of trouble going on because of Utsusemimaru……behind the scenes, the main character is Utsusemimaru, who's very active."

Sakamoto: Maruyama was disappointed that he didn't get a part in the TV series, so I told him, "I'll prepare a good role for you in VS!" I also put pressure on him saying, "The success or failure of the film depends on Utsusemimaru" (laughs).

"On the King-Ohgers side, it turned out feeling pretty outrageous."

Sakamoto: While in the process of writing the script, the climax of the TV series was set and I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do with VS. Since it would be difficult to make the film more exciting than the final trilogy due to the length of the film, we aimed to create an enjoyable experience that included elements similar to the "Returns~" series that Toei Video had previously produced. I thought that by taking a different approach from the roles in the TV series, the audience watching and the actors performing would be able to enjoy the show. I had alot of fun filming them because of their confidence and growth after completing the 1 year series, and their openness to make suggestions about "wanting to act like this."

"Please tell us about Kawana Rintaro-san, who has participated in a series of collaborations since the TV series."

Sakamoto: When I was watching tokusatsu hero shows, there were actors like Ohba Kenji-san and Haruta Junichi-san, who could perform advanced action and stunt work even before transforming. In addition, JAC (now JAE) at that time had big stars such as Shihomi Etsuko-san and Sanada Hiroyuki-san, and many of us admired them and entered the world of action films. One of my goals was to develop action stars who can be "objects of admiration." Rintaro, who plays the role of Prince, is the son of Motoki Kawana-kun, my junior, and grew up with a gifted education in action from a young age. He's appeared in several of my own productions, and I wanted to give him something of a big "chance" when I offered him an audition for the role of Prince. I recommended him for the role, and he won. It seems that he was well received when he appeared in the TV series, so I'm really looking forward to the future. He's the same age as my own son, very pure and cute~. I hope he'll continue to absorb more and more on various sets in the future.

"And, as for Kyoryuger, Chiba Shigeru-san's screaming narration is always a must! This time as well, his excitement was strong."

Sakamoto: Chiba-san is amazing! It's truly amazing that he continues to be active at the forefront of the industry. I've felt my body deteriorate rapidly since turning 50, so I've recently started working out again (laughs). Holding workshops gives me exercise and allows me to meet new talents, so I try to be proactive about doing them these days. I'd like to continue to film, so I'll keep doing my best from now on!

[rosielav]

Rosie's Favorite (currently finished/caught up) Podcasts:

The Amelia Project - silly, quirky, morbid but almost always more jaunty and eccentric than completely dark. Great for anyone who loves 'narrator' or interview type podcasts. If I'm not mistaken, I've posted some of my thoughts on here using the pod's hashtag.

The Mistholme Museum of Mystery, Morbitity, and Mortality - another narrator type podcast, and probably my favorite of all time. The main voice you hear is perfect imo and keeps you engaged in all the right ways, bringing tension where it's needed, and levity where it's funny or odd. Absolutely consumed this podcast with a voraciousness I haven't felt for a bit. Keeps you guessing and always wanting more from every exhibit.

Victoriocity - excellent voice acting, interesting and unique premise and setting, and great plot. One of the podcasts I'm most looking forward to returning :) think steam punk but also it's the 1800s still in weird ways. If you love an old timey British accent, you'll love this haha.

The White Vault - probably my favorite specifically horror podcast, that makes you wait for answers in a craving sort of way, a longing to know what's going on, and not slogging through a bunch of filler to then get answers. It's great, gorey, geographically diverse fun. Interesting mashups of various cultures re: mythology, history, religion(?). Another on my list to watch out for the return of.

Midnight Burger: the quick pitch is - a time traveling diner that always services people in need, no matter what time, space, or dimension they may reside in. Excellent cast of characters, great development, wonderful implementation of a new character(s), and in general a very comfortable vibe to return to (speaking of, once I run out of recommendations I may relisten to this one). Highly recommend if you like sitcoms with time travel splashed with a bit of horror.

Edit: just finished up another one, so time to add it to the list!!

Monstrous Agonies: A radio show advice segment, about, by, and for the Creature Community. If you like WTNV, but find it a bit intense sometimes, or a bit too plot heavy/etc, you'll absolutely love this. Instead of the whole show, you just get the advice segment, but oh ho ho, is it so much more than that. If you're queer, BIMPOC, from a blended/mixed/broken/anything but 'typical' home... I think you'll like it. Very much what I would call 'easy listening', meaning you can just ease into an episode without having to remember a huge cast of characters, a plots b plots C plots meta plots... And it just feels *real*, in that strange and beautiful way WTNV does, but instead of a fictional town, the setting is the real world, with real problems, and real solutions. Sometimes you really do just need to howl or cry or chew on some slippers and that's OK. Highly recommend for ADHD havers or anyone with a short attention span who loves a soothing voice.

Edit: Another absolute banger to add to the list

Wooden Overcoats - how do I even properly describe the experience of this podcast. Let's start with the basics: It's the story of twins who run a funeral parlor on a small island, in a small village. Their family has been running said parlor for hundreds of years, as the only funeral directors on the island. Until one day... They aren't. A man arrives and sets up his own funeral parlor directly across the square, and boy, do things change for those twins. If you've listened to (and loved) Victoriocity, or The Amelia Project, I guarantee you'll enjoy this one. Strange, silly, and interesting things are always happening, except this one doesn't have quite as much drama (well...... Perhaps a different kind of drama. I'd call this an interpersonal dramedy, with emphasis on the comedy). An incredible listen, through and through. I thoroughly enjoyed every single episode, and the ending was quite safisfying :)

Another EXCELLENT addition to this ever increasing list of content!!! I'm not even finished with this one, I just love it so much that I can't help but add it to the list:

Mission Rejected - you know in those spy movies, where the spy gets a secret message from HQ and they say 'your mission, if you choose to accept it...' ok great. Now imagine if 007 said 'no'. This is the story about the backups, the team that takes the missions rejected by the Top Spy Guy. It's got diverse voice acting (in many senses of the word - you can tell the voices apart, it's not exclusively straight cis white dudes, etc etc), wonderful worldbuilding, great pacing, an excellent plot, I really could go on and on. I highly recommend this specific podcast to anyone who wants something light to get deeply invested in, that has a lot of comedy but also develops the characters outside of just their bits. 100/10 no notes

Edit: not sure which podcast/podcast enthusiast rb'ed this yesterday but I'm so glad more folks get to see this list!!! It makes me so happy that lots of folks enjoy this list, a d share their fave ones, and!!!! Aaaggghhhhhhhhh!!! I love podcasts and podcast enthusiasts!!!!!

Also I have another one for yall :3 if you're looking for another improv comedy to add to your list!!!

Hey Riddle Riddle - exactly what you think it is, but also so much more. Three friends/coworkers who also happen to be sensational improv comedians solve riddles and puzzles together, while also introducing bits and skits and reoccurring segments, so it never feels like 'just a Riddle podcast' (whatever that means). I have laughed every single episode, which is a big deal for me (some comedy podcasts only make me laugh every few episodes, and I require at LEAST one laugh per episode). I can genuinely say this is one of the funniest podcasts I've ever listened to, and the absolute best improv I've ever heard. I'm all for committing to the bit, and this one absolutely delivers on both the commitment part and the bit part haha. Seriously can't recommend this one enough if you maybe listen to a lot of drama/horror and need something easy to listen to (easy meaning there's not a plot you have to be intensely listening for, you can just enjoy it casually). 1000/10, please listen and also tell me YOUR favorite riddles :)

[liaromancewriter]

First Day

Premise: Sienna begins her residency at Edenbrook.

Book: Open Heart Characters: Sienna Trinh Rating/Category: General. Fluff. Words: 580

A/N: Submission for @siennatrinhappreciationweek Day 1. Also submitting to @choicesaugustchallenge prompt "sunshine"

This was it, and there it was!

Today was the day she had been working toward for years—the day she would finally begin her residency. It felt surreal, like a dream she was about to step into, filled with apprehension that the dream might vanish in a puff of smoke if she woke up too quickly.

Sienna Trinh barely held back an excited screech as she approached the modern hospital building with a sleek, glass-paneled façade and warm, earthy tones. The hospital’s green and blue logo was prominent above the main doors.

Nestled among the high rises and busy streets of Boston’s West End, Edenbrook’s entrance was an oasis of calm. She hiked down the pavement, noting the small circular fountain surrounded by well-maintained flower beds and lush green spaces dotted with picnic tables and benches.

Sienna could imagine escaping here during break time or having lunch outside when the weather was nice.

“You should go in through the front doors,” said Danny, the helpful nurse she’d met on the train. “The receptionist can tell you where to get your ID ahead of orientation.”

Sienna nodded, wordlessly thanking him as she stared at the bright, welcoming building before them.

“I’ll see you later.” He waved goodbye and detoured to the side where the staff entrance was located.

Clutching the strap of her bag, Sienna took a deep breath and walked through the sliding doors.

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows behind her, casting a warm, golden hue over the lobby, already bustling despite the early hour.

Her heart pounded with excitement and nervousness. She would spend the next three years here, learning the practical aspects of being a doctor.

Thinking of her grandfather, the man who had inspired her to go into medicine, Sienna snapped a picture on her phone and texted it to him. He texted back immediately with a heart emoji.

She laughed. Since discovering the various emojis in his new phone, Ông decided words were superfluous to communication.

Sienna had always imagined how she would walk through these halls, head held high, confident and ready to take on the world. But now, standing at the threshold of this new chapter, the weight of responsibility felt heavier than she had anticipated.

“First day jitters?” a voice asked from behind her.

Sienna turned to see a middle-aged man with short dark hair. He wore glasses, a white shirt, a sweater vest, and light-colored pants. His friendly smile and kind eyes exuded a calmness that immediately began to ease her nerves.

She recognized him from her residency interview panel—Dr. Naveen Banerji, the head of Edenbrook’s renowned diagnostics team.

“Just a bit,” Sienna admitted with a sheepish grin.

Dr. Banerji chuckled softly. “That’s a good sign. It means you care about what you’re doing. But don’t let it paralyze you. You’ve worked hard to get here—trust yourself.”

His words, though simple, were reassuring. Sienna nodded, feeling a surge of determination replace some of her apprehension. “Thank you, Doctor. I’m ready!”

His brown eyes twinkled, and his lips quirked, likely in amusement at the ferocity of her response.

“Welcome to Edenbrook, Doctor.” He tipped his head and walked toward the elevator.

Sienna glanced around the lobby once again. Natural light flooded the interior from the glass-domed atrium ceiling. She took a deep breath, letting the warm sunlight fill her with renewed confidence.

“Here we go,” she whispered to herself, ready for whatever lay ahead.

----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @justyourusualash

@lady-calypso @kyra75 @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect

@queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

@storyofmychoices

[roguelov]

Crimson Stained Petals

Summary: Set in the 1880s, rumors and mysteries swirled around a quaint town, mostly about a lord tucked far into the woods. Arriving in town, you could not deny your curiosities, but you were not here to stay. Or so you thought. Low on funds, and a job for a live-in servant advertised in the paper, you now found yourself in the home of Lord Morpheus - the source of all rumors. Passions and tensions will grow. Questions will be answered, but may come at a hefty price. And a promise may be broken. But, is Lord Morpheus, and those few residents, truly as scary as they seem?

Words Count: ~3.9k

Reader: Neutral (unspecified now, however fem leaning)

Warnings: Mostly establishing characters, minor pining, hints of bloodlust

Chapter 2 and future chapters to come!

A advertisement in the newspaper, and a purpose.

A live-in house servant wanted. Duties required as such including cleaning and maintaining cleanliness of said home, laundry - including washing, folding, and ironing linens, occasional shopping, and menial requests asked of the owner, however cooking skills are unnecessary. Contact at -

You tucked the clipped ad into your pocket. You leaned back, and lazily glanced out the dusty window. The carriage bounced over the dirt path, kicking up dust clouds. A forest, thick with little sunlight penetrating through the tall treetops, surrounded the carriage on both sides. One turn, one stray off the path, and you would be lost. A poor soul taken by the creatures and ghosts of the woods. A soul whose name would drift off into oblivion in a day.

You bent forward, trying to sneak another glance at the manor - at your new home.

“Please, follow me this way.”

You were led by a woman, with round glasses, and wore a well tailored suit. She held her head high, yet her eyes shone with an unbelievable kindness. Walking in, you tried to sneak a peek over the expansive, and expensive, home: the chandler in the center of the main foyer - a globe of dripping starlight, the crown molding etched with swirling elaborate designs, two staircases carved from a rich warm wood curved upward to the second floor, the wall were mostly in dark tones - each room a designated color from greens, reds, blacks to creams - and some covered in wallpaper mimicking a lace design, however the showstopper was the stained glass window above the front door which reached to the top of the two story home - it depicted a tree in a sea of roses, dare you say a version of Eden.

The home was draped in dark, ominous tones, but where light shone it shone brightly cutting back the dread.

If only the sunlight was out now. It was setting, casting shadows across the floors and onto the walls. And with the dense forest, night arrived much faster.

The woman directed you to a small, parlor room to the right of the entrance. Cozy, would be how you would describe the room. A place to talk with guests. There were two sets of couches and a few chairs with a table. Cream tones covered the room, breathing fresh life compared to the diming home. The fireplace, however, was unlit and the curtains were drawn closed for the night leaving a chill. It was a give and take.

“Please, sit.” The woman pointed to any of the seating options.

You nodded, and chose the couch directly across from the other, with the table adding a division. The woman smiled, and sat across from you.

“I’m not sure if I properly introduced myself initially, so apologies for such odd behavior. You may call me Lucienne,” the woman, Lucienne, spoke.

“Lucienne,” you greeted with a small bow of your head. “It is wonderful to now be formally acquainted. You may call me (Y/N).”

You were pleased to skip past such stiff formalities of sir, ma’am, mister, and misses.

Lucienne smiled, softly reaching her eyes. “Wonderful. Now, I am the one who will be conducting this interview for the job.”

You cocked your head, your confusion written plainly on your face. “The lord will not be joining us?”

“No, unfortunately, he is a busy man and has asked for me to do this in his stead. Is this okay?”

“Oh, yes, please continue.”

Lucienne nodded. “Okay, then let us start. I will begin with a simple question: why have you decided to apply?”

You fiddled with your hands, suddenly very nervous. “I’m new in town, and have been staying at the local inn. This job provides an opportunity for myself, and I cannot deny the pay piqued my interest.”

“Do you have any experience in housework?”

“Not professionally, however, I have cared after my uncle for years and have done most of the housework when living with him.” You looked out of the parlor back to the main grandiose foyer. “I will admit the size of the manor is quite daunting and intimidating, but I like a challenge. It will keep my mind and hands busy.”

Lucienne smiled, pleased with your response. However, her smile soon flickered. She straightened her posture, and cleared her throat. “Allow me to be less formal for a quick moment, I have a more personal question to ask. It’s more for my own curiosities.”

Your eyes locked back with hers. “Please, ask.”

She paused, struggling to find the correct wording. “Have you heard of the rumors surrounding the manor? Do … do they not frighten you?”

Ah.

“I have, but only a few. And I am not afraid, I am here for work and pay. As long as I can do what I can, and not stir any trouble for the lord then I will be content.”

Lucienne nodded, her smile returned. “I do believe we have found a new member of our manor.”

Your heart soared.

“However, allow me to discuss with my lord and to see if any other applicants apply. Please, you will hear from us by the end of the week.”

“Wonderful.”

The carriage pulled around the massive stone fountain - a simple three tier tower in which water gently spilled over the edges. Water lilies floated amongst the top as they were rock side to side by the small turbulence. You hopped out, taking in the manor once again.

A truly haunting, gothic visage.

It was built out of mute grey stones and harsh angles. Tall spires extended from the roof to the heavens. The stained glass window over the front door shone almost calling out to you like an exotic Venus flytrap - a beautiful front hiding a dark truth. All the tall thin windows had their curtains drawn forbidding anyone from peeking in.

Yet, life bloomed around it.

Willows trees hugged the manor, and its limbs danced in the wind beckoning all to seek shelter under them. Bushes with various flowers blossomed in front of the manor along the building’s edges. Around the side, a greenhouse stood proudly with countless vegetables and beside it, curving around the whole back side and unable to fully see from the front, was a maze formed out of lush full rose bushes. The brightest, and darkest, red roses you ever seen - the red of rising passions, the red of forbidden attractions, the red of blood spilled under the moonlight.

It truly was a serene place. A place of mystery and wonder.

“Your luggage.” You spun around, finding the coachman holding your two carryon bags. Your entire life packed neatly. He asked, “Do you -“

“Oh, no, I’ve got it. Thank you.” You took your bags.

The coachman stared, and squinted with a hint of uncertainty. His eyes flickered over your shoulder to the manor. “Okay,” he mumbled, then left.

He spun on his heel and hopped back into the carriage. With a flick of the reins, the horse whined and trotted off. May God have mercy on your soul, I will be praying for you. It all lingered on the man’s tongue, but didn’t speak aloud. For if he did, he believed whatever sick imaginations his twisted mind thought of would come to fruition. He was from an older generation, one who still believed in devils and creatures of the woods, one who warned all children of the dangers of leaving the house under the full moon. Heading down the dusty road, and once away from the manor’s sight, he finally mumbled a prayer for you.

You approached the manor - your new home for the unseeable future - with the setting sun tucked behind the foliage. You peered over your shoulder, watching as the carriage slipped out of sight. It was happening. It truly was happening.

Inhaling, you steadied yourself.

A new chapter.

You exhaled, calmly your anxious heart. You reached out, and pressed the ornate doorbell. A soft chime buzzed. Your anxiety, however, could not be quelled. You tightened your grip on your bags. Your body betrayed you, unable to settle, and your mind started to spiral into insanity.

You needed this job.

You needed to do this.

You have dealt with much worse, and yet you also wanted to tuck your tail and run. No. You vehemently shook away those fears. You will stay. You will do your job. You will start this new part of your life.

The door unlocked, and swung open with a high pitched creak. Your breath hitched, momentarily startled. You expected to see the familiar face of Lucienne, instead you were greeted with the lord of the manor.

Lord Morpheus.

He was a man of stature and wealth. He held himself with the utmost dignity with perfect posture - chin leveled with the floor, back straight, and his shoulders pushed back and downward. His chiseled features were carved out of marble, his pale skin had no blemishes. His short, cropped black hair swept back. And not a single hair was out of place, or dared to be. His eyes locked with yours. Instantly, you were small, you were a child again. A spike of fear crackled over your skin. His eyes were calm, a steady practiced calm. Yet, as he studied you, a twinkle shone in them - if it was a twinkle of interest, you could not say.

He certainly was attractive, exceptionally so.

His clothes neatly pressed. He draped himself in night’s cape: black. His midnight black vest was finely embroidered with a somewhat floral design - adding a softness to him. Two rows of silver buttons lined his vest, along with a silver chain tucked into a pocket. If it was attached to a watch or simply for design, you couldn’t tell by a quick scan. Under the vest, his dress shirt - a pale grey like a storm cloud rolling in - puffed out at the sleeves and tapered at the wrists. The cuff links were small, yet resembled starlight. With each catch of the light, they dazzled like a miniature universe - it must be an expensive jewel embedded into them. The collar, stiff and high, was wrapped in a silk black puff tie, smoothed nicely against his chest. A perfectly crafted ruby brooch was pinned to his tie. Scanning downward, his trousers were also black and tailored, and his shoes were polished as if dirt never touched them.

However, his eyes captivated you. It was the only other color on him: a pale, sparkling blue. They seemed to glow in the setting sunlight. They were swirling galaxies, they were diamonds forged in promises, they were oceans holding all its mysteries and mythology.

He seemed to be from another time, like an ode to the renaissance.

With your little time spent in town, you had still learned quite a lot about Lord Morpheus. He was a recluse who rarely left his manor, his crafted realm. And soon, whispers of witchcraft followed. Some of the townspeople still believed in folklore, and if anyone ventured off the beaten path they would be whisked away. Taken then killed. Rumors of animals gone missing, along with young adults, did little to ease their worries. Yet with no evidence, speculation stirred. So, why not point fingers at the man who hardly made an appearance with the town?

However, although he never made an appearance, his influence rippled throughout. His constant donations to the local school and businesses rebutted all such weary thoughts. He owned a local bookshop in town which was adored by most - with the expectation of those who believed the devil lurked between those shelves. He was also the CEO and founder of an editing and publishing company. He let stories into the world, and he encouraged creativity. He was the man to uplift the underdogs, but such kindness had a price. His editing, his notes on stories sent in, were cutting. Such harsh critiques were enough to discourage a few despite the reasonable payment for his services.

He was truly a man of absolute power.

“I’m sorry,” you bowed your head. “I was expecting Lucienne.”

“She is away most of the day to care for the bookshop,” he answered easily.

His voice was so surprisingly low that it rattled you to your core. He spoke at an even pace, lulling you. A voice truly perfect for telling any and all stories.

“Of course,” you said as if you knew such information.

“You must be our newest member, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” He continued.

“I am.”

“Lord Morpheus.” His outreached hand hovered between you. Quickly, you dropped your bag, and took up his hand. A chill ran through you at the contact of his skin. He bent forward, and kissed your hand. “Pleasure, and I hope your stay here is enjoyed.”

“Thank you for allowing me into your home,” you said with a nervous smile.

Morpheus eyed you for a moment, but moved on. He dropped your hand, and motioned into the manor. “Allow me to show you to your room.”

“Thank you.”

You moved to grab your bags, however, Morpheus was faster - like a viper striking. He had snatched up your bags, carrying them for you. “As the lord of this home, I do believe it falls under my duty to attend to the newest member of our quaint home.”

You wanted to retrieve your bags. “Please, sir, you don’t have to -“

He started to walk inside, ignoring your pleas. “You are under my roof and care, this is nothing.”

He was a nobility. He shouldn’t cave to such droll formalities, but he did. And oddly, your heart raced with your things in his care. You didn’t think he would sneak through your belongings, or withhold them. But, they were your livelihood.

He held your life in his hands.

However, you pushed down such feelings and strolled after him. “Thank you for showing such kindness.”

“Please, it is the least I can do.”

He briskly walked to the back, to the opened double doors in the middle of the two staircases. Walking past, your keen eye did note a door under one of the staircases - a query for another time. The double doors led to a massive dining hall with a long table to fit a dozen or more people. A spacious room had an assortment of plants in the corners and a beautiful rose bouquet in the center of the table. He turned, heading to the back right wing of the manor. Before, following after him, you also caught a vast room up ahead with an abundance of plants decorating the space - a sunroom. The first few stars of the night twinkled through the high arched glass.

“To the left is the kitchen where you are welcome to any food,” Morpheus explained as he walked. “As stated in the job description, you do not have to cook for me, but you must feed yourself. Lucienne usually takes care of the groceries on her way back from the bookshop, so if there is anything special you want just relay that to her.”

“Yes, sir.”

He moved through a swinging door, revealing a hallway veering left or right. “This is mainly the guest quarters, and where you will be staying. Just to inform you, Lucienne does sleep upstairs to help me with the bookshop and company business, so it will be you alone on this side of the manor.”

You nodded, understanding.

He peered over his shoulder to you. “Which room do you want?”

“I am given a choice?” You were slightly taken back.

“You are. This is your home now, and I want you to be as comfortable as possible.”

“Oh, well.” You looked left and right. Windows on either side of the hall revealed what you may see each morning. To the right, it showed the stone structure of the manor with bushes lined along its edges. Most of the light - sunlight or moonlight - would be blocked out. Looking left, you saw the first twinkles of starlight, and a massive forest. Rose hedges ahead glittered under the changing light. You gestured to the door on the far left. “The left one, I suppose.”

Morgues nodded, and turned left. “If you are ever dissatisfied with it at any point, please switch rooms if you so wish.”

He opened the door, quite easily despite the bags in his hands. He stepped back, allowing the space and opportunity to enter first. You thanked him and brushed past him.

It was a quaint room, and bigger than any other you had. It had a rather large bed for just a simple guest room, with plush pillows and soft sheets. There was a wardrobe and drawer for your things, a desk tucked into the corner to write letters or for any other reasons, and a window looking out the back to the forest and - now properly seeing it for the first time - the maze. Walking in, you were in awe at how cozy it all felt. Your fingers skimmed over all the furniture and strolled to the other door on the opposite side. Opening it, it was your own personal bathroom with everything you needed, and more importantly with a massive soaking tub.

“I hope it is to your liking.” You spun around. Morpheus had gently placed your things on the bed, and stayed there for a moment. He glanced around, “I apologize for any dust.”

You waved him off. “I have seen worse, and this is perfect. Thank you.”

He nodded, “Good.”

Silence blanketed over like a bated breath. Morpheus turned his head staring out the window to the flourishing rose maze. He cleared his throat, stepping away from your bed. “I should also inform you of another who lives on the premises: Mervyn. He lives in a small cabin closer to the forest. He tends to the greenhouse and the gardens, mostly a gardener, but if something does break inside the manor he has some knowledge on maintenance.”

You nodded. “Okay, maybe I will introduce myself tomorrow -“

“I would strongly suggest against doing so.”

You tilted your head as your brows furrowed. “Can I ask why?”

Morpheus sighed, bringing his arms behind his back. “He is weary of strangers, and enjoys his solitude. To respect his boundaries, I would advise against it. You may see him out and about, but do leave him in peace.”

“Oh, okay, I understand.” You peered out the window to all the lush flowers and to the willow tree brushing its branches against the window. “But, if he ever needs any assistance please inform him. I will be happy to aid him in any way I can.”

Morpheus eyed you. Not with animosity, but curiosity. You were certainly an oddity, and a breath of fresh air in this purgatory. “I will inform Mervyn if the need arises, but he is protective over his work so I do not expect he will accept it.”

“Understandable.”

“Is there anything else you need?”

“Oh, uh,” you thought for a quick moment, “I suppose hearing about Mervyn, it does raise one question: is there anyone else who lives here that I should know about?”

Yes. “No, it is only the three of us.”

You nodded.

“Excellent, and if that is all.” He turned around to leave.

You stepped forward. “Oh, Lord Morpheus, one more thing.”

“Yes?” He glanced over his shoulder.

“And what of my duties for tomorrow?” You asked. “Where shall I start? And is there anything specific you want done?”

You had his attention, you figured it was better to ask now instead of tomorrow.

He shook his head. “No, in fact, I say explore the manor. Familiarize yourself with it. If you wish to start cleaning you may do say, you are welcome to go into any room. But, I will suggest staying out of Lucienne’s room. She likes her privacy as well.”

You blinked, surprised by his response. But, you mumbled an ‘okay’.

He stepped once, but his foot hovered in the air. He paused, considering your question again. What other duties could he give you, besides cleaning this rotting corpse of a home. “I may call for some tea tomorrow afternoon,” he spoke softly.

You perked up, “Of course.”

He walked away. “Goodnight, and I wish you the best of dreams.”

A smile graced your lips for the first time. “Thank you. And you as well sir, goodnight.”

Morpheus snuck a glance, seeing your smile. He turned away and swiftly walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Taking a breath of peace, you began to unpack your things. You folded and hung up clothes from your bags. Toiletries and other personal items now found new homes. However, one bag remained. Reaching the bottom of almost empty luggage, you pulled out a small handbag. You breathed a sigh of relief and clutched it to your chest, holding it tightly.

This.

This was what frightened you when Morpheus carried your things. It was a small somewhat insignificant bag - only slightly bigger than your forearm, but stuffed to the brim. This worn down bag, with stitches and patches, carried your whole world.

Your two luggage bags carried your life - materialistic needs, and necessities. This bag carried your world - precious memories, irreplaceable items, and a promise. You closed your eyes, and said a small thanks that it was still in your possession. Taking this brief moment, you tucked the bag in the drawer under all your clothes completely hidden, and away from any prying eyes.

Now, you could rest.

You changed into your night clothes, did your nightly routine, then settled into your new bed. Laying down, you stared up at the ceiling.

You were truly here.

You were truly about to change your life.

You knew it.

And while you began to settle into bed, the lord battled with himself.

After leaving your room, he tried to keep a calm exterior. However, as soon as he walked away, he braced himself against the doorway between the main foyer and dining room. He breathed erratically, gulping for air. No. Not for air, for thirst. His throat clenched, begging for a drink, begging to be satiated by you. He gritted his teeth as sweat broke out over his forehead and back of his neck. He clawed at his tie, yanking it down. His clothes were too tight, suddenly very constricting.

“This may be more difficult than anticipated,” he mumbled to himself.

The smell of you consumed him. He was a dying man in a desert, and you his only salvation. And he truly hadn’t had a proper drink in a while.

He pushed himself off the frame, and scrambled over to the door under the grand staircase. Pressing his forehead against the door, thankfully for the coolness, he reached into his vest pocket, pulling out a plain, silver key. The key slipped through his fingers, but the chain easily caught it. He fumbled with the key for a second, constantly dropping it. He swore under his breath.

An outsider looking in would be alarmed.

This wasn’t a man any longer.

No, it was a frantic feral animal, this was a monster in disguise. His fingernails grew in length, sharpening to a point. A perfect weapon to slice into any flesh. His canines also elongated, easy to sink into veins and drink until his feast was complete. His hauntingly blue eyes glowed, eerily so. It was unnatural, and also hypnotizing.

He nearly wanted to rip the door off its hinges. An easy feat. But, he composed himself. Breathing in slowly, the disguise was pulled over once more - the wolf was a sheep again. He took up the key, unlocked the door and darted inside, locking it behind him.

The manor was silent again.

And when Lucienne returned, she would know where to find her lord.

[izumeno]

My V3 Talentswap AU!

HEYA!

Here's a lil talentswap AU. Its just for fun yet again and there won't be much made out of it. Here we go!

Male Cast:

Shuichi Saihara: Ultimate Crime Novelist

Appearance: Dark hoodie with some hitakana, bag with writing utensils and tools, also carries a notepad on him to take notes, for potential ideas. Lean built, yet firm.

Growing up mostly alone with his uncle, Shuichi spent most of his time reading case files, which gave him a fascination for crime novels in general, inspiring him to become a novelist himself. He published many crime novels, and he is beloved thanks to that. He does avoid interviews mostly and when he goes outside, he often goes outside disguised.

Kaito Momota: Ultimate Motivational Speaker

Appearance: Wears a dark pink sleeveless shirt that exposes his arms and is tight enough for his muscles to shine. His hair is a bit shorter and more well-kept. Very muscular and has facial hair

Kaito's whole life was rather normal, with no real personal tragedies. However, after losing his best friend to depression, he decided to become a motivational speaker, so the others can find the power within them to change and grow. He is very adamant and determined, if a little overbearing and too passionate.

In his freetime, he still does stargazing.

Ryoma Hoshi: Ultimate Assassin

Appearance: Complete Prison Uniform, dark purple, wears handcuffs. Hair is barely visible and he has baggy eyes. Muscular built

Like in the main story, Ryoma used to be a tennis player, who took out the mafia to take revenge against them, for killing his lover. But in this AU, Ryoma was never arrested and took the job as an Assassin, in order to keep the money afloat. He hates his job and a part of him wants to turn himself in and yet, some part of him wants to keep going. He was eventually arrested, but even so he managed to continue his business in his prison, often taking out prisoners who did the worst kind of possible crimes and sometimes helping prisoners escape, if they had been wrongly conflicted.

He loves the sea and animals. He is also a vegetarian.

Kokichi Oma: Ultimate Clown

Appearance: Light Purple and white jester suit, with clown makeup on it. Lean built and quite short.

Kokichi Oma always liked pranking people even as a child, yet after a meeting with someone special, he realised that making pranks to hurt people was wrong and instead began using his abilities, to make people laugh instead. Taking on the persona of "The Lying Clown" he often visits hospitals where kids reside, to put on a show and laugh. He makes sure to never curse or be mean in front of them, only doing so when they are not there.

In his freetime, he watches tons of social media posts and is quite a big k-pop fan.

Korekiyo Shinguji: Ultimate Ex-In

Appearance: Long black hair, wears a dark suit with a red tie, has no mask and he has no lipstick, like in canon. He is tall and lean, yet still toned in some areas.

Korekiyo Shinguji suffered his whole life, thanks to psychological abuse from his family, especially his sister. After a metal breakdown, in which he nearly murdered a young girl, he was sent to the psychiatry and after a year of therapy and recovery, he came out better than ever. Now he's an Ex-In, someone who's experienced with the inner workings of the psychiatry and helps other inmates to recover, by giving them advice on medication, thought progress and overall well being.

He's an avid reader, although he avoids anything that's too scary or horrifying.

Rantaro Amami: Ultimate Drag Queen

Appearance:

In costume: Dark blue undershirt, tons of makeup, especially green lipstick and medium length fake nails, along with fishnet stockings.

Out of costume: Dark blue shirt like in canon. But the lipstick remains and so does his extended eyelashes. He also wears a dark green coat over his shirt and has long baggy pants light blue pants. Piercings remain. His overall built is muscular, but still pretty lean and not bulky.

Rantaro Amami always had a thing for crossdressing. Whether it was because of him having a deep platonic relationship with his sisters or because of his general affinity for feminine clothing, he began to perform in drag on stage. This was something his father did not enjoy in the slightest and so, he was disowned and Rantaro performed on his own, secretly being in contact with his siblings for advice.

He listens to piano music in his freetime and likes to give make-up tips to others.

Gonta Gokuhara: Ultimate Botanist

Appearance: Dark Suit, well-kept long hair. pair of small glasses and a bag, to carry his notebook about various flowers he sees. Built like in canon and very well shaven.

The patriarch of the Gokuhara Family Clan, Gonta may look intimidating and strong, but is very sweet. He never went lost in the woods as a kid and therefore grew up, his parents grooming him as the next heir. But his good-hearted nature remains and so did his love for nature, allowing him to grow up to become interested in plants. He began to grow flowers and tons of other plants, for nature to thrive and for him to learn more of this world.

He still speaks in third person, but he is still highly intelligent, if a bit naive. He enjoys drinking tea.

Keebo: Ultimate Anthropologist

Appearance: Same body like in canon, but he wears a beautiful dark green kimono over his body and his ahoge is pointing behind him. Bulky

Keebo was built by his father, as an attempt to understand humanity more. For this purpose, to please his father, Keebo began to research humanity and about his tales. But witnessing the rather gruesome parts of humanity did leave him depressed, though he is trying his best to cover it up.

In his part-time, he tries stand-up comedy. Keyword being, "tries".

Female Cast:

Kaede Akamatsu: Ultimate Barrista

Appearance: Wears a white shirt with a big pink apron and some dark blue jeans. A rather chubby built.

Kaede Akamatsu's life was rather simple. Loving parents and a loving sister, her life was good without any more difficulties. That was, until her parents passed away and so, Kaede took over the Café. She left behind her piano passion, so she and her sister cam remain afloat. During that time, she became an expert at making any sorts of coffee, so much so that she has been dubbed "The Coffee Queen" by the local media, a title she is not that fond of. She is nice and hard-working, but also misses playing the piano.

She listens to classical music in her freetime and can speak fluent german.

Tsumugi Shirogane: Ultimate ???

Appearance: White blouse, a dark blue cravat and short blue hair with a pair of glasses. Has a chubby built.

Tsumugi Shirogane is rather secretive. Not much is known about her talent or where she came from. She is rather interested in manga and anime, yet she claims her real talent is not related to any of that.

In her freetime, she reads tons of novels and challenges herself with all sorts of puzzles.

Tenko Chabashira: Ultimate Drag King

Appearance:

In costume: Wears a dark blue suit and wears a fake mustache, along with baggy clothes.

Out of costume: Has long hair, wears turqouise shirt and a pair of light yellow shorts. Has a muscular built.

Tenko Chabashira doesn't like men. She loves exercising and protect women from evil men (at the cost of several restraining orders). Her becoming a drag king, was because she lost a bet with a friend, forcing her to perform on stage. Tenko at first hated it and then began to enjoy it, using her persona to mock overly hypermasculine and misogynistic men and also gives advice for men to improve themselves, in order to protect females. She is a bit stupid, but her heart is good.

She loves watching circus performances and loves bubble tea.

Maki Harukawa: Ultimate Chef

Appearance: Wears a big black apron and her hair is shorter, tied to a ponytail. She has kitchen tools around her belt. Has a tall yet firm and toned built.

Maki Harukawa grew up in an orphanage, like in canon. Surrounded by tons of kids, she eventually began to care for them and also took up cooking, to give her "siblings" (the other orphanages) some food. She is extremey skilled at cooking anything and she hates junk food of any kind, while also being an overly perfectionist. She does offer cooking lessons and she doesn't get, why no one wants to employ her services. (Everyone is scared of her.)

She enjoys arcade games, but nobody knows that. Except one.

Kirumi Tojo: Ultimate Prosecutor

Appearance: Dark purple suit, short grey hair, wears glasses and has a golden pocket watch in her pocket. Tall and lean strong built.

Kirumi Tojo is the most feared prosecutor in the country. She is very obsessed with justice, after witnessing her brother's killer escaping off-scott free, due to a faulty justice system. She became a prosecutor to change the system from the inside and yet, is often willing to pull dirty tactics to find the truth. Nothing of that is proven, though...as of now.

She enjoys playing video games and likes Facebook memes.

Angie Yonaga: Ultimate Influencer

Appearance: A white tanktop, long white hair ad baggy jeans. She has an athletic and fit built.

Angie Yonaga is an influencer, hailing from her island, to share more about her culture, life and Atua's teaches. She is beloved by many for her charming smile and bubbly personality. Angie does not like racist slurs in the slightest, especially the N-word and will get extremely PISSED, if anyone uses that word nearby, even as a joke.

She loves sketching in her free time and to visit the beach. She is fluent in many languages, including Bulgarian.

Himiko Yumeno: Ultimate Strongwoman

Appearance: Dark red top hat, sleeveless suit with a red cravat and some long stockings. Extremely tall, bulky.

Himiko Yumeno is known worldwide, to be the main attraction of the Nanami Circus. On stage, she is proud, witty and very confident. But in reality, this is a facade. In reality, Himiko is often depressed, tired and overworked. She hates her job and yet still keeps doing it, because it brings her money and makes her think that's the only thing she's good at.

She loves animals of all kinds and even if she is very strong, she actually would never hurt a soul.

Miu Iruma: Ultimate Mechanic

Appearance: White messy undershirt, dark pink overalls, tons of tools on her belt and wires wrapped around her arms. Has a strong fat built.

Miu spent most of her life in poverty and thanks to this, had to work her whole life in her friend's mechanical shop. Thanks to that, she began to learn more about machinery and get interested in it too. She is quite strong physically, yet her endurance is rather poor, due to a combination of poor nutrition and lack of sleep. She spends all night perfecting certain inventions, while taking care of clients during the day. As foul-mouthed as she is, this mechanic has a golden heart.

And she loves watching kids cartoons in her freetime and playing video games.

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That's it! Make sure to let me know your thoughts down below, okay? See ya! Questions, reposts and fanart/fics are appreciated, but necessary. Have a nice day!

[universitypenguin]

Chapter XIV

Summary: Lloyd sets his sights on orchestrating Holbrook’s downfall and uses skills from his former life to serve up his own brand of justice. Meanwhile, Princess interviews a witness who casts doubt on key information in the case. 

Masterlist

Word Count: 7,352

Warnings: Explicit discussion of murder and serial abductions. Mention of extortion, police corruption, drugs, and kidnapping. Spy/intelligence agency themes, general violence depiction of criminal behavior. Minor foul language. Only appropriate for 18+ readers. No minors. 

Chapter XIV

Lloyd scowled at the muddy road as he navigated around the section that had been washed out by last night’s thunderstorm. The damage to the ranch’s main road aggravated his simmering frustration. He would need to order a truckload of gravel first thing on Monday. 

He’d left the house at dawn and spent the day running around like a chicken with its head cut off, searching for Elliot. As light faded into the western sky, he had nothing to show for the effort. Every potential hiding spot he’d searched turned up empty. He’d spent the morning checking abandoned hunting cabins and old flop houses he remembered druggies frequenting. After lunch he expanded his search radius to the forest service cabins up in the Sawtooth mountains, then hunting blinds, and remote campgrounds. 

In the evening, he’d driven out to Redfish Lake, apprehension growing with each mile, and searched the boat shed. It was empty. The only residents he’d found were of the eight legged variety. After closing up the shed, he’d surveyed the lake’s perimeter, visiting the remote places with heavy foliage that could disguise the activity associated with disposing of a body. None of them appeared disturbed. Overall, the day had been a waste. 

The weight of failure settled over him as his eyes lit on an unfamiliar sight ahead. 

A strange pickup truck was parked in front of the ranch house. Lloyd’s gut tightened. He jerked the wheel and pulled off into the cover of a grove of trees. Holbrook wouldn’t drive the beat up ‘97 Ford parked in the yard if his life depended on it, but it would be just like him to send someone else to do his dirty work. Concealing his vehicle in the trees, Lloyd reached behind the seat for the PTR-91 rifle he’d stashed there and slung it over his shoulder. He secured it to his back and checked his ankle holster for Joe’s Sig Sauer. In the shoulder holster he wore a Glock17 - his weapon of choice in his previous life. 

The weight rested comfortably in his palm as he snuck through the trees and across the lawn. He kept his finger wrapped around the trigger guard, and the weapon hidden behind his thigh, as he climbed the steps to the porch. Every creak of the wood under his boots felt magnified as he approached the door. He scanned the shadows along the edge of the porch, searching for signs of movement. The front door was unlocked, and the knob turned easily. 

The scent of fresh coffee surprised him. Lloyd stepped inside, gun raised and took measured steps as he swept the living room. His guest hadn’t turned the lights on. He glanced around, seeking signs of the intruder, and spun to the kitchen. The brightness from the picture window stung his eyes, blurring his vision for a moment. When they refocused, his heart skipped a beat. 

Elliot Hansen sat at the kitchen table. He was slouched over a mug of coffee, which if the dark rings under his eyes were anything to go by, he desperately needed. 

“Lloyd. I’ve been waiting for you.” 

The tension drained away. He lowered the gun and studied his cousin for a moment before turning back to shut the front door. Lloyd laid the Glock on the table and sat down across from Elliot. A dozen questions filled his mind, but he hesitated to ask them. Elliot didn’t fill the silence. He just took a long drink from his coffee, looking ready to fall asleep at any moment. 

“Elliot?” Lloyd found his voice unexpectedly soft as relief shifted to concern. “What happened? Why did you come here?” 

“I need your help.” 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

You picked your way through the crowd of shoppers, scanning ahead. The entrance to Zach’s office was between a hand-rolled ice cream shop and a Kate Spade store. If you weren’t paying attention, the discreetly placed entry was easy to miss. It was painted the same color as the wall and served as access to the outlet mall’s second floor, which had been converted to office space during the Great Recession. You found the door and unlocked it with the code he’d sent. 

The curving marble stairs led to a wide corridor brightened by tasteful chandeliers and intermittent skylights that invited in the natural light. In sharp contrast to the busy mall, this level was quiet. At the end of the hall you reached his office, pressed the button, and waited for the chime that announced the door had been unlocked. 

Zach was in his office with his feet propped up on his desk. The soles of his moc-toe Carhartt boots were so worn that you could hardly make out the original tread pattern. The deep worry lines in his forehead and the dark circles under his eyes immediately caught your attention. Before you could ask, his expression shifted into a smirk. 

“Morning, Princess. What brings you in so early on this lovely Saturday?” 

“Ha ha. You called me.” 

“And was shocked when you picked up the phone. I was going to leave a voicemail.” 

“I got up early to meal prep, then remembered Lloyd’s fridge is fully stocked.”

Zach made a face. “Be careful in there, he eats weird stuff.” 

“I can’t take that warning seriously from a man who ate fried rattlesnake and liked it.” 

“A man has to draw the line somewhere and I draw mine at blood pudding.” 

“Do I want to know?”

“If it looks like sausage and it’s in his fridge, don’t touch it.” 

“I’ll take your word for it. Now, why am I here?”

“With Lloyd in Idaho, we don’t have a Mandarin translator, so I called in a favor from an ex-teammate. Roth has cleared him to work on the case.” 

“What are we doing that requires a translator?” 

“An interview. I got in touch with the archivist in Julia’s home town. He asked to meet after work, so you have an hour to prepare.” 

You took the overflowing file he extended. 

“When did you put all this together?”

“Yesterday and last night.” 

“Have you slept?”

“No, which is why you’re doing the interview. I’m heading home to crash once your translator gets here. He’s apparently running late.”

“It’s Saturday, no one’s late on Saturday,” you said. 

“I like the way you think.” 

A deep voice behind you made you jump. You dropped the file and whirled, catching your heel on the threshold, and falling with an undignified squeak. A pair of strong arms stopped you from hitting the ground and pulled you upright. Gasping, you braced a hand on your rescuer’s shoulder and turned ninety degrees to look at him. He had dark brown hair and a short, trim beard that emphasized his high cheekbones. His eyes, an unusual blend of blue and green, were crinkled with amusement. A full, expressive mouth was drawn into a crooked half smile at your expense. 

“Sorry, darlin’, I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

The newcomers’ accent was crisper than Zach’s drawl, but not as familiar. 

You noticed he dropped the ‘r’ in darling, turning it into ‘dah-ling.’ Immediately, your mind went to New England, but the way he rolled his vowels was distinctly Southern. The vestiges of a southern accent, perhaps? 

“I’m fine. I didn’t realize you were behind me.”

“How’d you get in?” Zach asked, his voice edged with annoyance. 

“I slipped in behind her.” 

You raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“To see if I could.” 

He flashed a Cheshire Cat grin, full of mischief. Your disapproval melted at his boyish enjoyment. Wasn’t it better to find a weakness now, than when it really counted?

“I’m having Jake update the alarm system first thing when he’s back. Y/N, this is Marco Lattimer. He and I served together on the teams. Besides being a first class troublemaker, he’s fluent in five languages.”

Marco smirked. “Fluent in five, but I speak seven.” 

“Wow. That’s… impressive.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Marco will be your translator. I’ve already briefed him on the case.” 

Zach turned to Marco, eyes sharpening. “Lattimer, don’t even think about flirting with my colleague.”

“What if she doesn’t mind?” Marco said, winking at you. 

“She’s Lloyd’s research assistant and you’ll have to deal with him regarding the ‘what if’ part, but I’d advise against finding out. Princess, you’ve still got that taser I gave you? Marco’s harmless, but if he gets on your nerves, you have my permission to zap him.” 

You grinned at Marco’s disgruntled expression. 

“I’m sure we’ll get along fabulously,” you said. “Go home Zach, I can handle this.” 

Ten minutes later you were in the conference room with Marco, waiting for the Zoom call to start. 

“So, how’d you end up working with Lloyd?” Marco asked. 

“I interned at his law firm. He stole me from the paralegal department for my research skills.” 

“Sorry to hear that. It must be miserable to be around him all the time. I swear, he’s the reason lawyers get a bad rap. He could teach classes on how to be insufferable.” 

This was a sentiment you’d heard many times before. 

“Lloyd and I get on fine.” 

“Do you have the patience of a saint, an addiction to benzos, or just do a lot of meditation?” 

“It depends on the day. Most of the time meditation works, but a stash of benzos is always a good back up plan.” 

By the time the computer lit up with the incoming call, you and Marco were on friendly terms. He was charming, funny, and definitely flirting with you. The flirting didn’t concern you because you sensed his pursuit was less about genuine interest and more about target practice. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and folded his arms in a way that showcased his biceps. You would’ve thought it was deliberate but his posture was too nonchalant to be premeditated. 

You relied on Marco to make sure Mr. Liu was comfortable and let him engage Liu in small talk for a few minutes. Working with a translator always provided a great excuse to sit back and observe your subject’s mannerisms before starting the interview. Mr. Liu appeared to be in his sixties, with horn-rimmed glasses and neatly combed hair. He wore casual office attire and judging by the fit of his light blue button down, he starched his shirts. He fit the role of village archivist like he’d been sent straight from central casting. After he was settled, you turned the discussion toward pressing matters. 

“Did you have any personal connection to Julia or her family?”

Mr. Liu spoke and Marco translated. 

“Yes, I knew her family. Her parents were lovely people. Unfortunately, they passed away some years ago.” 

“I'm sorry to hear that. Are you familiar with the circumstances of Julia's death?” 

“Yes, we were all horrified by the tragedy. It was a shocking incident that saddened the entire community. The pain it caused her family was immeasurable.” 

“The investigation into Julia's death has been reopened based on fresh evidence. DNA tests have revealed a connection between her and another woman who was murdered in a similar manner. They’re believed to be full siblings. Does Julia have an older sister?” 

Mr. Lui’s brow furrowed, and he paused for a long moment. 

“That's impossible. Julia's parents were not together for long before she was born. Her father had left the island to serve in the army and spent three years stationed in Vietnam prior to her birth. There is no chance of an older sibling.” 

His certainty piqued your attention. 

“So, her father was away during that time. Do you have any records that could shed light on Julia's family or explain the existence of an older sibling?”

The archivist’s voice was firm as he responded. Even without Marco’s translation you would’ve understood the statement as a denial. 

“I assure you, there was no other child. Julia's parents were committed to each other and their daughter. The entire village would have known if there was another pregnancy or a sibling. It's simply not possible.” 

You leaned closer, eager to see his reaction to your next words. 

“Mr. Liu, we have evidence suggesting otherwise. We need to uncover the truth about Julia's past, no matter how unsettling it might be. Can you think of any reason they kept this information hidden?”

His head lowered, shoulders rising in symmetry as he frowned. 

Liu stumbled over his words as he answered. Translating like you’d asked him to, Marco repeated his statement verbatim. 

“I… I can't imagine why or… how such information would have been concealed. Our village is tight-knit, and secrets are rare. Not rare to be kept, but rare not to be noticed and revealed. If there's something hidden, it must have been for a grave reason and Julia’s parents weren’t that sort of people.” 

“Thank you for speaking with us, Mr. Liu. We appreciate your time. If anything further comes to mind, please contact us, or the Virginia State Police, directly.” 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Lloyd sat down across from Elliot. He didn’t totally disarm himself but rested the rifle on his thighs under the table. 

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Joe had a stash of drugs. A big one, according to Holbrook. He thinks I know where it is.” 

“Why?”

Elliot rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’ve been taking care of the ranch. Joe paid me for it. He could have hired a cowboy, but you know Joe. He didn’t trust people he didn’t know. The work brought me up here at least a couple times each week for the past three years. What conclusion do you think Holbrook drew from that pattern?” 

“And? Was he right?” 

“No! Damn it, Lloyd! It took me years to get clean, I wasn’t moving his drugs!” 

Lloyd knew, given Elliot’s history, Joe wouldn’t have trusted him around the product. All the same, he had to ask, because one good look at his cousin tipped off Lloyd’s intuition that Elliot wasn’t as clean as he claimed to be. 

“I don’t know about a stash of drugs. Joe never told me anything about his business and I didn’t ask. We barely talked, except for emails and text messages about the ranch. He always paid me on time and I appreciated the side income. That was it. But the Sheriff won’t let this thing go.”

Twenty kilos of coke, thirty of heroin, either would be worth more than a million on the street and small enough to hide in a carry-on case. 

Lloyd sighed. “Holbrook has to go.” 

“He’s untouchable.”

“If I learned anything in the past twenty years, it’s that no one is untouchable.” 

“This isn’t London, or Berlin, or some fancy place you’ve been. It’s southeastern Idaho and Holbrook is the King.” 

Lloyd grunted. “To be clear, you’re sure this stash actually exists? It wasn’t sold off years ago?” 

“I can’t be sure, but Joe always preferred to have a backup plan.” 

That rang true. A stash of drugs would’ve served as insurance against stock market fluctuations, housing crises, or whatever rattled the economy next year. 

“Alright. Tell me about Holbrook. What’s his weak point?” 

Elliot stared. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly. Who has a grudge against him? Are there any deputies on his payroll?”

“Aside from me, I don’t know of any grudges, but his department has a suspiciously high turnover rate.” 

“Ex-associates? A disgruntled secretary? Jilted lover?” 

“Uh… would a former drug dealer count?” Elliot asked.

“Does this drug dealer have a name?” 

“Carl Shepherd. The Sheriff gave him carte blanche to deal locally, then the feds came sniffing around. Holbrook cut him loose and they’re not on good terms, but Shepherd says he has Holbrook in his pocket.” 

If the dealer had two brain cells to rub together, he’d have exhorted Holbrook for protection. Lloyd begrudgingly approved of the plan. 

“But he’s too scared of the Sheriff to flip on him.” 

“Why bite the hand that feeds you?” Lloyd murmured. 

His mind moved quickly, considering the various options available. Elliot grimaced. 

“I’m never going to get out of this mess.” 

“How do you feel about pulling a kidnapping? Say, tonight?”

“Uh… given how that worked out for you last time… lukewarm.”

“Oh, come on. I’ve turned over a new leaf. Carl Shepherd doesn’t have any ex-spooks overly invested in his well-being, though, right?”

“Not that I know of,” Elliot said.

“Great, then let’s get this show on the road.” 

After some persuasion, Elliot agreed to the plan. He was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs as he drove them into town in his rattle trap pickup. In contrast, Lloyd was bubbling with excitement, a feeling that intensified as they navigated the narrow lanes of the Oxiana Trailer Park. It was akin to the anticipation before a rollercoaster dropped into free fall - an exhilaration he’d missed from his old life but only realized now. Elliot parked in a shadowy spot about a hundred yards from Shepherd’s house. 

He pointed to a gray trailer with peeling paint. “That’s his place. He drives a ‘68 Camaro.” 

“Nice car.” 

“Uh-huh. What’s your plan, again? You weren’t exactly clear about the how.” 

“We’ll see how it plays out. Kidnappings never quite go according to plan.” 

“You’d know.” 

Lloyd snorted. “Shut up. I’ve seen your rap sheet, you’ve got no room to talk.” 

“I was high for that stuff.”

“Yeah? Same.”

Elliot turned, resting an elbow on the steering wheel as he studied Lloyd. “Are you kidding? You were the quarterback, the golden boy. You never touched that shit.” 

“I took Adderall to cope with test anxiety and smoked weed.”

“That’s your drug of choice? Adderall? Dude, that’s pathetic.”

“It started with light stuff. Weed, then Adderall. Senior year I started popping Xanax to cope with anxiety. At first it was just when I was struggling, then it became a daily habit.” 

Elliot considered him. “I knew you were into weed, but not the rest.”

“Things didn’t get serious until I was at Harvard. I got hooked on pain pills after a football injury and when the team doctor wouldn’t give me more Vicodin, I bought Percocet on the street. From there I got into Ketamine, Valium, and Prozac. The market for drugs was thriving on campus, so I bought extras and re-sold it to the partiers. It didn’t take long before I was taking my own product.” 

“Joe would’ve skinned you alive.” 

“Beaten me to death is more likely.”

“What’d you get hooked on the most? Percocet?”

“Cocaine. I had a taste for Ecstasy, too. My main addiction was Coke, with a little Xanax in the mix. When I graduated and had the money for it, I got back on Vicodin.”

“Damn. You know what really shocks me?” Elliot asked.

“What?”

“You went for the cheap stuff. Coke? Back in the day, I could get a bag of Coke for like sixty, seventy bucks. Meth was like six times that much.” 

Lloyd chuckled. “I’d seen what meth and heroin did to a person. Cocaine felt less risky and more… fun. Until I was in prison, I didn’t think I was addicted.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I kept a lot of secrets before. Now I try not to. Also, if you think I don’t get what it’s like to have your past catch up with you, I want you to know that I do.” 

Elliot ducked his head, looking away. 

Lloyd turned back to the road. They sat in silence for the next twenty minutes while the sun dipped behind the horizon. A car pulled around the corner with no headlights on and Lloyd squinted, trying to make out the model. 

“Is that him?”

Elliot straightened up. “Yeah. That’s him.” 

They watched as Carl turned into the driveway and parked, then walked around to the trunk to unload grocery bags.

“What now?” Elliot asked.

“Wait here for thirty seconds, then go up to him. Get his attention. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Elliot nodded and wiped his palms on his jeans. He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing. Lloyd slid out of the truck and shut the door quietly. Keeping one eye on Carl as he took in the first load of groceries, he snuck through the neighbor’s lawn and around their house. Maneuvering through a hole in the chain-link fence he crossed into Carl’s backyard and used the cover of the peeling gray trailer to mask his approach. He listened to footfalls on wooden steps, then pavement, and gauged the distance. A truck door slammed and a moment later, Elliot’s voice rang out, calling a greeting to the drug dealer.

Lloyd burst from his hiding place and ran, aiming at Carl’s back. Electricity crackled as the taser found its mark. The volts sizzled in the air as Carl convulsed, then dropped to the pavement, unconscious. 

Elliot jerked back, his face leaching of color.

“Holy shit! What voltage is that thing?!” 

Lloyd smirked. “What’s wrong? Can’t handle a little excitement? Help me get him in the trunk.” 

“You don’t mean…”

“Leaving his car here will arouse suspicion. If we take it, the neighbors will assume he’s out of town.” 

“Maybe we should stop adding to our rap sheets while we’re still ahead,” Elliot suggested.

“I usually agree with the principle of only committing one felony at a time, but we’re on the clock here. Grab his feet, would you?”

Elliot groaned, but obliged, taking Carl’s feet while Lloyd guided his upper body into the trunk. He slammed it shut and grinned at his cousin’s pale face.

“There. Felony number six, complete. Although technically, in this state kidnapping isn’t a felony until you’re a hundred feet away from the property on which the abduction occurred. So, to be precise, we’re still in the act of felony number six.” 

“You’re insane.”

Lloyd smirked. “Not according to my doctor. And given the circumstances, I think this was the most appropriate course of action we could’ve taken. Now, go on ahead of me and make sure everything is set up. I can’t speed with a body in the trunk.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

You sat next to Marco, looking at the murder board.

Zach had set it up in the corner of the conference room and after the interview you’d migrated over here naturally. Your chairs were adjacent, facing the bulletin board like students in a classroom. Marco had ordered coffee and a late brunch for the both of you while you explained the details of the case. 

“And they found the sister’s corpse right next to the first victim?” Marco said. 

“Yeah. It’s mind-boggling.”

He shook his head. “What’s weirder is that these two are sisters, but the rest of the girls on this board are as different as night and day. Different hair colors, ethnic backgrounds, different kinds of jobs.” 

You turned your attention to the victim’s pictures. They were organized by date of disappearance and below them was a horizontal timeline that stretched from left to right across the width of the board. There was a topographical map of the Fairfax area in the lower right corner, with colored pins making locations. 

“There’s a variety in the women, but what’s mostly consistent is the age range, the manner of disappearance, and their social status.”

Marco leaned back, hooking his left ankle over his right knee. 

“How do you investigate a case with so many missing variables?”

“You’re referring to the other six corpses?”

“The lack of them, specifically.” 

His comment tickled a thread you’d been playing with since Singapore. Rather than answering, you stood up and crossed to the bulletin board. First, you untacked the sketch on the far left of the timeline. It was of the unknown victim - Julia’s supposed sister - and then took down the photo underneath her, representing her daughter. Then from the far right of the timeline, you untacked Julia’s photo. 

You sat down next to Marco and faced the board again.

“What about now? Does that make more sense?” 

His mouth tilted in a half smile. “I’m not the investigator here. How would I know?”

“Technically, Lloyd and Zach are the investigators and I’m their errand girl. You’re a fresh set of eyes. I’ve been trying to figure out how removing the sisters and the little girl changes things.” 

“Do you see a pattern here?” Marco said. 

“Maybe. If Lloyd were here, I’d bounce this off of him, but look…” 

You laid the photos you’d removed on the table and returned to the board, pointing to the photo of the first woman to go missing.

“The first victim, Stacey Moore was twenty-six. She worked at an indie publishing house in D.C. and had just graduated from G.W with her master’s. She disappeared in June of 1999.” 

You pointed to the next photo. 

“Maya Sutton. Twenty-four. Tax associate at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, recently hired off an internship program, master’s degree in accounting from William & Mary. Disappeared in August of 1999.” 

Marco listened as you ran down the list of victims, and reported their ages, jobs, and degrees. He was nodding along by the time you reached the last photo.

“The women were close in age. Twenty-three to twenty-seven, born and raised in the U.S. and focused on their careers. They were successful despite being young, and except for Lucy Lund, they all came from upper middle class backgrounds.”

“They’re all born in eastern Virginia, too,” Marco said.

You checked the notes and sure enough, all the victims had been born along the Virginia coast. The pattern was even closer than you’d realized. 

“Good catch.” 

You rehung the photos of Julia, her sister, and the niece, off to the side, separate from the serial killer victims. 

“They found these victims. That doesn’t feel like an accident. If he made six women disappear without a trace, why leave three corpses in the same spot? And Julia’s body wasn’t even properly disposed of.”

“That deviates significantly from the pattern,” Marco said. 

“And with the timeline laid out like this, it looks like Julia’s abduction occurs too early in the year. He’d abducted someone during the last week of May before, but Julia disappeared in April, which is a month before he usually began taking victims. There’s also a stopping period between the 1999 victims and the 2000 cases. In 1999 the last victim disappeared on September 3rd. In 2000 the last victim was August 15th.” 

“Seasonal employees might be a good suspect pool to explore.”

“Removing the discovered bodies gives us a pattern. But when you add these three cases, it muddies the waters. I think we’re looking at two different crimes. A serial killer and… this mess with Julia, whatever it is.” 

Marco crossed his arms, studying the altered layout of the board.

“You’re right. Julia really doesn’t fit his victim type.”

“She was too tall, not from the United States - and not from Virginia. She didn’t have a college degree, let alone a graduate degree, and didn’t work outside the home. The serial killer’s victims were ambitious, professional women. They were all under five foot five and didn’t weigh more than a hundred and sixty pounds, but none of them were exceptionally thin. The abductor seemed to pursue women of average build.”

“Julia was five-nine and weighed about one-thirty,” Marco said. 

“Going off victim type, that made her not only too tall, but too thin.” 

“What’s hard to understand is that he’d suddenly screw up a body dump after getting it right so many times. For his first victim, sure. He’s inexperienced. But doing it again with Julia, several years later… the only way it makes sense is if he put the sisters together.” 

Goosebumps raised on your arms. If he put the sisters together…

What if the sisters’ deaths were connected? Maybe even to the serial killer, but not as victims who he’d hunted. Had they gotten in the way? Or was there something else, completely unrelated to the disappearances, going on at the same time? Was that possible in a town as small as Harmony?

“What are you thinking?” Marco asked.

“I think it’s two different cases. Everyone was waiting for the pattern from ‘99 and 2000 to re-emerge. They were mentally preparing for the next victim and Julia was the next woman to disappear. In a small town riddled with disappearing women, why wouldn’t they think she was part of the spree?”

“That’s logical, but the way you’ve explained it makes better sense. What about the sister and the niece? They’re an even bigger deviation from pattern than Julia. How can they be identified when there’s nothing to go on?” 

“I’ll figure out something,” you said. “Lloyd won’t be back until Tuesday, so I’ve got time.” 

 “Where is he?” Marco asked. 

You noted his demeanor changed when Lloyd’s name came up. His arms crossed, creating a subtle barrier between you, and the paper cup in his hand crumpled in his grip. His attention was riveted on you, belying the casual tone he’d spoken in. 

“He’s out west, taking care of family matters.”

“Huh. So, Lloyd didn’t hatch from an egg?”

“You worked with him before, you’d probably know more than me.”

The comment slipped out, not entirely by accident. Meeting people who’d known Lloyd in the past alway stirred your curiosity. Lloyd’s life had been a series of transformations: a gifted law student turned cold-blooded intelligence officer, then a disgraced ex-spy who’d become a ruthless mercenary and landed himself in prison. You’d only known Lloyd after his metamorphosis into a law-abiding citizen. Discovering the previous version that had existed before was a constant source of entertainment. Gruesome entertainment, perhaps, but you couldn’t check your impulse to fish for information whenever the chance presented itself. 

“Do you enjoy working with Lloyd?” 

Marco’s question took you off guard. 

“Yes. He was a bit of a pill at first, but then I discovered he could be charming when he wanted to be. After that, I made sure he had reasons to be charming.”

“What makes him want to be charming?”

“Rewards. Lloyd responds best to positive reinforcement. It works wonders.” 

“Really?” 

“He’s like a border collie. If you don’t keep him occupied and engaged, he’ll start chasing squirrels and digging up the yard.”

Marco chuckled. You pressed him harder.

“What was working with Lloyd like for you?”

He pursed his lips. “I knew him when he was on Zach’s team. They were doing God-knows-what in the same area where I was deployed. He was obnoxious.” 

His fingers tightened on the paper cup, crushing it nearly in half, unaware of the action. 

“Yeah. But Special Forces attracts a lot of obnoxious people.” 

His lips twitched, and he inclined his head in acknowledgment. 

“One day Lloyd showed up with extras. Tag-a-longs from Langley, I think. They assigned my team as their support crew. We were waiting at a checkpoint to help them exfiltrate, which should have been simple, but things went sideways and we had to extract them. Everyone was accounted for - except Lloyd’s extras.” 

You watched Marco’s lips compress. His shoulders bunched and you read anger in the lines of his body and the set of his jaw. He’d crumpled the coffee cup flat. Silence stretched. You waited, knowing he’d eventually fill the silence. 

Marco’s eyes flickered, shifting to internal focus. You could tell he was picking his words carefully. 

“The most dangerous predators wear the most charming masks. Lloyd… Lloyd is a viper in Gucci loafers. He takes pleasure in manipulating people, especially emotionally. Lloyd comes across brash, but underneath it he’s malicious, with a ruthless streak ten miles wide. I’ve seen it in action. Trust me, his blood runs cold.”

You were silent, thinking of Lloyd’s revelations in Qatar. He’d cultivated a certain image in the intelligence community, and clearly, Marco had experienced it. Silence hung over the room as he continued to weigh his words. 

“We were behind enemy lines at that point, but I offered to turn back and try to save the tag-a-longs. Lloyd laughed. Straight up laughed, and told me everything had gone according to plan. The agents had been on a one way trip from the start and he’d risked the whole team’s lives to dispose of them.” 

“What did you do?”

His eyes flashed. 

“I went back for them. One was alive. They’d slit the other’s throat. I reported the incident to command and got transferred to a different continent the next day. Later I found out the guy I’d saved died in the hospital because of a medication error.” 

You nodded, studying his reactions. They were full of anger and distaste. Marco’s story was authentic and his emotions genuine. Defending Lloyd, explaining that he’d changed, wouldn’t help Marco. He’d known a different person than you did. That version of Lloyd had done terrible things without remorse and he was still capable of it, when pushed. 

“Lloyd is charming, but be careful. He’s not trustworthy.” 

“I appreciate the warning, and I’m familiar with his background. He’s changed a lot since prison. There are still rough edges, and the ruthless streak is still there, but the malice isn’t.” 

Marco raised an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting conclusion.”

“If you want to say ‘bullshit,’ just say it. There’s no need to take that tone.” 

“Noted. Why don’t we find something more pleasant to talk about than Lloyd? Say, over coffee? Or better yet, dinner?” 

You wanted to accept, so you could find out more about Lloyd, but the invitation was clearly romantic. 

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m seeing someone right now. Maybe another time.”

His lips curled into a rueful smile. Before he could speak, there was a loud buzz. Your heads turned toward the front door in unison.

“Where’s the video feed?” Marco asked.

“I think there’s one at the front desk.”

The buzzer sounded again. Who would visit Zach’s office on a Saturday? Anyone who had business being here on the weekend would’ve had a key. With Marco on your heels, you headed for the lobby. Behind the receptionist’s desk, you found a monitor discreetly mounted into the wall, displaying the feed from the hall. A man in a shirt and tie, with a gun holstered on his right hip, stood outside. 

He looked into the camera and you recognized Detective Roth. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Carl Shepherd woke up with a headache. A second later, he realized someone had tied him to a chair with his hands cuffed behind him. There was duct tape securing the cuffs to prevent him from picking them. 

“What the fuck?!”

“Well, well, look who’s awake. Had a good nap, Sleeping Beauty?” 

His head swung, searching the darkness for the owner of the voice. A switch clicked and Carl hissed, whipping his head away from the 10,000 lumen work lamps that burned his eyes. His head throbbed in protest at the dazzling light and the quick movement. 

“Fuck! What are you doing? Are you trying to blind me?!” 

The beams from the industrial lamps were like looking at the sun. He squinted out of the corner of his right eye, trying to see his kidnapper. 

“You can’t do this! I’m untouchable, damn it! I make one call to Sheriff Holbrook and you’re running for the rest of your lives. What kind of psycho are you?!” 

“We’re the Canadians,” the voice said. “We’re here for a stockpile of drugs a former business associate of ours misplaced. Rumor has it you’d know something about it.”

He laughed. “Canadians? You don’t scare me.”

“I don’t need to scare you, but what should scare you is suffocation. Because guess where we are?”

Carl looked around, noticing the corrugated walls of the room.

“A shipping container.” 

“Bingo. We seal the vents and shut the door and you’re dead. It’s not the lack of oxygen that kills you, it’s the carbon dioxide poisoning from your own exhalations. First, you get a headache, then nausea sets in and your heart rate spikes. You pant for breath, but you can’t get any, so you start to feel dizzy. Then vomiting, seizures, and finally you pass out before officially suffocating to death.” 

Carl considered the threat. His kidnapper took this pause as defiance.

“I’ve run the numbers and given the volume of this container, the ratio of oxygen, the probable rate of consumption, and other variables, suffocation should take about 22 hours. Horrible way to go, trust me. I’ve seen it before.”

He could easily imagine the owner of the voice hovering in the shadows, wearing an oxygen mask as he watched his victim suffer. A long silence lingered as he waited for the kidnapper to continue.

“Alright, suffocation it is…” 

Clothing rustled and the lights illuminated the outline of a man as he stood from a chair on the other side of the work lamps.

“Hey! Wait, don’t!”

“You want to talk?” the kidnapper asked.

“I can’t give you the drugs. You’re looking for Joe Hansen’s stash, right? I don’t have them, it was Deputy Russell who took them!”  

- - - - - 

Elliot leaned against the Camaro, staring straight ahead. 

“We’re screwed. We’re totally screwed.”

Lloyd resisted the urge to point out that Elliot was screwed, not him. If push came to shove he’d kill Holbrook and slip out of town. That wasn’t something his cousin was hardened enough to consider. At the moment taking out the Sheriff might not be the worst plan. Elliot could serve as his alibi. After seeing how he’d handled the kidnapping, it was obvious he’d be a terrible accomplice, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t set Lloyd up for an acquittal based on reasonable doubt. 

“Holbrook will never believe his right-hand man crossed him,” Elliot said. 

“Deputy Russell is his second?”

“Yeah. Luke Russell.”

“Huh. I think I had a run in with Deputy Luke the other day. Is he partial to a pump-action rifle?”

Elliot’s eyes widened. “That’s him. How’s you get away?”

“Charm, wit, and of course, I’m too pretty to kill,” Lloyd said, and winked. “Listen, this is just a setback. We can work with this. The plan is the same as before - we get the Sheriff busted. Once he’s locked up, you’re in the clear.”

“How? We don’t have any drugs!” 

“Tell me about Deputy Russell.” 

“He’s careful. Paranoid. Kind of off-kilter, socially. When he tries to cover it up, he comes across as creepy. He’s almost as crazy as the Sheriff.” 

Lloyd considered the odds that Holbrook had found another psychopath to partner with. Someone less polished than him, so he’d never have to worry about competition for his elected position. Birds of a feather flocked together, especially the unstable personalities with criminal tendencies, like Joe and Holbrook. They had remained allies for fifteen years before their falling out. Perhaps history wasn’t exactly repeating itself here, but it seemed to rhyme. 

Joe and the Sheriff had gone from partners to enemies. Now, Holbrook and Russell’s alliance was approaching the same crossroads, and Elliot was caught in the middle. 

“He wouldn’t move the drugs? Or check on them?” 

“No,” Elliot said. “If he had the slightest idea we knew about the stash he’d destroy it. Russell is paranoid, in capital letters.” 

“Well, we can’t have that,” Lloyd mused. “Would he sell them?” 

Elliot frowned and scratched his jaw. “Maybe. He’s in this for the money and a quick sale would cover his tracks.”

“Alright,” Lloyd said. “Here’s the new plan.” 

- - - - - 

Carl watched the two men enter the shipping container. His eyes had adjusted to the brightness, but he still couldn’t see anything but shadows past the work lamps. To his surprise, the kidnapper in charge stepped into the light. Dread curled in Carl’s stomach. If he was seeing his kidnapper’s face, that only meant one thing.

“What? What do you want from me?”

“Call Deputy Russell and tell him you found a buyer for the drugs.”

“Are you out of your mind? He’ll kill me!” 

The mustached kidnapper sneered. He reached behind his back and pulled out a Glock. 

“Listen up, Carl. You have two choices. Get us a meeting with Russell, or say goodbye to your kneecaps.” 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Detective Roth hadn’t spoken for twenty minutes. He sat with his arms crossed in the waiting room, opposite from you and Marco. The clock ticked loudly, counting off the seconds as you waited for Zach. 

Marco shifted beside you, his leather jacket creaking. He’d refused to leave you alone with Roth. The protectiveness amused you, since you had no qualms about being alone with the detective, but Marco had taken an instant dislike to the man. It didn’t help that Roth had refused to explain the nature of his visit. He’d breezed in like he owned the place and immediately demanded you round up Zach, Bishop, and Lloyd. 

Your phone vibrated with a text from Zach.

On my way up. 

A moment later, the door opened, and Bishop entered, followed by Zach. 

You did a double take at the sight of Bishop’s outfit. He wore khaki slacks and a novelty golf shirt that made the patterns in Lloyd’s closet look tame. His black polo was decorated in neon-sign print. Hot pink flamingos, lime green palm leaves, turquoise margarita glasses, magenta watermelon slices, and chartreuse pineapples covered the material.

For a man who wore nothing but white or blue shirts and neutral ties to the office, he apparently swung to the opposite end of the spectrum on the weekend. Next time you needed a gift for Lloyd you’d ask Bishop where he bought his golf shirts. 

Zach pinned the detective with hard eyes.

“What brings you here, uninvited, on a Saturday afternoon, Roth?” 

“Which one of you contacted the press?”

“Excuse me?” Zach said, tilting his head. 

“Who leaked evidence to the media? If you speak up now, the punishment won’t be as bad. I’d recommend doing so quickly, because I’d rather not get angrier than I already am.”

“None of us would do that,” Bishop said. 

Roth grunted. “What about Lloyd Hansen? Why isn’t he here?”

You answered. “His father died. He’s in Idaho taking care of family matters.” 

You tried to speak neutrally, but despite your best efforts, anger sizzled in the words.

“The Rolling Stone ran a cover story on the unidentified victims of Shun Nguyen today. The highlight of the piece was that the recently discovered victim was found by the Xiarong crime scene, where she’d been lying undiscovered for the past twenty years.” 

He paused, letting the statement sink in, then continued.

“A podcaster was waiting for me in the parking lot this morning. Guess what he wanted? He wanted to know how we could miss a second victim only a few hundred feet away from the first. That was a fun question to field at six a.m.” 

Zach’s lips compressed and goosebumps rose on your arms as the shock settled in. 

“Do you have any idea how much harder my job just got?” Roth demanded. 

“Our job,” Zach said. 

The detective snorted. “Given the magnifying glass we’re about to be put under, go ahead. Call it your case, please. It’ll keep a few reporters off my back while they chase you around.” 

Zack and Bishop exchanged a glance. You wondered if you should mention what you’d learned from Mr. Liu this morning. Questioning the DNA test when Roth was already upset didn’t feel too smart, but you didn’t want him to think you were hiding information. One look at his tight-lipped expression decided your course of action. 

“We weren’t the ones who contacted the media,” you said.

“We’ve had limited hands on this case in the department and only a few people knew the details published today. I trust all of those people. By default, that puts you all at the top of my suspect list.” 

Roth looked around, studying each face. 

“The only explanation is that someone in this room compromised the investigation. You betrayed your responsibility, mishandled classified information, and screwed me over. As of right now our cooperation is over. Until you hear differently, stay the hell away from my department.”  

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Next - Chapter XV

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Masterlist

Tag List

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[themuse-if]

Another 20 (or so) Questions with Everly/Everette Thompson

Interviewer: Welcome to another installment of our character interviews, where we dive deep into the lives and minds of our favorite cast members of The Muse. Today, we have Everly/Everette Thompson with us, our resident multi-faceted thespian . Everly/Everette, thank you for joining us. Could you start by telling us what made you want to pursue not only acting, but dancing and singing as well?

Everly/Everette: Hey! I'm super happy to be here today, thank you for having me. Honestly I grew up spending most of my summers with Gran Gran, she lives in Florida. We would spend most of the day at the beach, and then she would teach me how to knit while TCM (Turner Classic Movies) played in the background. So many classic Hollywood films were musicals and I fell in love with all of the razzle dazzle. Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Ginger Rogers they were all so captivating in their time, and I'd love to captivate others in the same way.

Interviewer: So classic Hollywood is your main inspiration, and I'm guessing that also led to your love of the stage. Describe your art in your own words.

Everly/Everette: Once I realized my love for the dramatic arts I knew that I wanted to do it all. Both on stage and on screen, I knew that I wanted to live many lives and tell thought provoking stories time and time again. Getting fully immersed in a new character, and knowing that an audience can see, feel, and hear what I'm trying to express through them is such an overwhelming feeling.

Interviewer: How do you want to be seen by others?

Everly/Everette: If were talking about how I want to be seen as a person rather than as an actor, then the answer is that people can perceive me however they please. People are always going to have their own opinions and make assumptions. I can't really control how people view me, all I can do is be true to myself.

Interviewer: True it's easy for people to make quick assumptions about you when you're in the spotlight. And how do you want your art to be seen by others?

Everly/Everette: I want people to be as immersed in my roles as I am. When they see me perform I want them to forget that it's me and only see the character that I am portraying.

Interviewer: What trait do you value most in a friend?

Everly/Everette: I really value the support of my friends. I may put up a strong front, but it's hard to constantly be in the spotlight. People make a lot of assumptions without really getting to know you. So having friends who trust and understand me despite what others may say is really valuable to me.

Interviewer: What is your latest obsession?

Everly/Everette: I think most people know this about me already, but I'm really into DnD. So recently I've been playing Baldur's Gate 3. It's so unbelievably good! And yes Astarion is my favorite...but Karlach is a close second.

Interviewer: I think Astarion is everyone's favorite! Alright next question, describe your ideal best friend.

Everly/Everette: Someone who shares my passion for the arts and understands the dedication required to succeed. Someone who is supportive, honest, and always up for a spontaneous adventure.

Interviewer: And what about your ideal partner?

Everly/Everette: I think that my ideal partner is really similar to my ideal best friend. The biggest difference would be that I want them to only have eyes for me. I don't mean that they can't perceive other people as attractive I just always want feel like their number 1.

Interviewer: That makes perfect sense. What was your first kiss like?

Everly/Everette: I was really ambitious my freshman year and I auditioned for the lead in our spring musical, Grease. I got the part and my co-star was pissed since they were a senior and really wanted to do the role opposite their partner. As you can imagine this made baby freshman me really nervous, so I begged my best friend Cleo to help me practice the kissing scenes. In my head I thought that maybe if I was a good kisser then maybe my co-star could at least tolerate me. *shrugs*

Interviewer: So did it work? Did your newfound kissing skills help you get closer with your fellow actor?

Everly/Everette: *self deprecating grin* Well........ sort of....... *chuckles to themself* So the thing is I could tell that they definitely started to get more into rehearsing with me kissing scenes or otherwise. The thing is as soon as we were done rehearsing or performing they would become super cold towards me. I don't think they were even capable of warming up to me, but hey the show must go on.

Interviewer: Indeed it must. Well Everly/Everette, have you ever been in love? Off the stage of course. *cheeky grin*

Everly/Everette: I mean I've dated here and there throughout high school, but I don't know, I can't say that I was in love. I have yet to feel that same rush that I feel on stage playing out a scene of love, with someone in reality. And I know that love isn't supposed to feel like something fictional, it should feel real, tangible. Like something that I just have to hold onto because once it slips through my fingers who knows when I'll be able to grasp it again.

Interviewer: *gets wide eyed and then holds back a chuckle* Um...uh are you sure you've never been in love? I just can't imagine having thought about it so deeply if you've never felt it. Could you tell me when was your last relationship, and why did it end?

Everly/Everette: *hides their cheeks from blushing* Ah uh sorry. *chuckles* Yeah I have a habit of being overly introspective. I just think about emotions and abstractions like love and hate, happiness and sadness, so often that it's hard to really define those things in day to day life. And as for my last relationship, well it ended pretty recently. So I was cast as the lead in my final high school spring musical which was Heathers. Long story short my co-star asked me out opening night, and I felt like I sort of had to say yes. Honestly I didn't really see them as anything more than a friend and fellow actor, but I was scared that the performance would tank if I turned them down. After going to prom with them I decided that I had to end it before graduation, I felt really horrible stringing them along. I couldn't be honest with them and say that I was never into them from the start, so I just said that since we were going to schools on different coasts it would be better if we went back to being friends.

Interviewer: Wow that's a lot to unpack. I guess that probably put a bit of a damper on the end of your senior year. Lets move to a lighter topic. What’s your ideal Friday night?

Everly/Everette: If I don't have any plans to hang out with friends, then I'll usually just have a chill night in with the twins. They're in middle school so they're old enough to stay home alone or go hang out with friends, but I still like spending time with them. Plus it gives my parents a chance for a night out. We'll just order pizza and stay up late watching movies and playing video games.

Interviewer: That's really sweet I'm sure they'll miss your Friday night hangouts. What’s the last song you listened to?

Everly/Everette: "Body Language" by Helena Deland.

Interviewer: How do you behave in a relationship?

Everly/Everette: I'm honestly not 100% sure... Since I basically faked my last one... I don't know I think that maybe I'm just a little possessive. Not in a controlling way I just want to spend all of my time with my my partner. But that's normal...right...if you really like someone?

Interviewer: Well I guess that would depend on how it makes your partner feel. Speaking of people you really like, do you approach those you’re interested in or let them come to you?

Everly/Everette: That depends. If the person is someone who likes to take charge then I'll just make my feeling obvious, and they can come to me. If they're a bit more reserved then I'll just take my time showing how I feel and I'll approach them more, the more they show interest in me.

Interviewer: That's a very thoughtful approach. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Everly/Everette: *immediately gets heated* People who tell others to "tone it down." Like what the fuck does that mean? If you can't handle someone with a more expressive personality then just fuck off. Why should I have to tone it down to make someone else more comfortable. If they don't like it, then they can leave, no one is forcing them to stick around.

Interviewer: *cheeky grin* Sounds like your talking from experience. I bet there is definitely a story there, but moving on. What do you notice first about a person?

Everly/Everette: Their eyes, or their gaze more precisely. The way someone just watches the world when they don't think anyone is watching is really interesting.

Interviewer: That's an interesting one, I haven't heard a take like that before. Alright last question, what did you dream about last night?

Everly/Everette: I honestly don't know. I can only recall little snippets. A vivid sunset, me dancing with someone I don't know to a song I've never heard, and streams of people. I uh...don't remember any context those are the only points that stuck with me.

Interviewer: Sounds like even your dreams are cinematic. Well that's all the time we have for today. Thank you so much for coming in and sharing more of your story with us!

[ahmedmootaz]

Hey Ahmed! Don't worry about the response time, I'd much prefer a delayed thoughtful response than a rushed one, after all! For my first question: The outskirts are known for having all sorts of dangerous creatures, especially since they likely had to be kicked out from the City. More interesting to me, are the Outreaches, where presumably the K Corp singularity / Whatever the Pallid Whale is afraid of resides. Do you have any interest in exploring the monsters of the Outskirts/reaches, or are you more going to stay more city focused (Sweepers and the like)? For my second question, Assuming Angela and crew are even able to restore Carmen, what would they do with her? I know everyone would likely focus on city problems and all that. But we both know the more interesting thing: Resolution and angst, baby! How would Carmen try to resolve issues with Tiphereth, (Also makes me wonder about Ayin... So excited for Epilogue 2!) Ayin, and Angela?

Dear hncdhnmfr,

Hello once more! As always, it's a pleasure to see your asks within my inbox, and once more, I see that you have quite the interesting asks! Although I know you don't mind the delays, allow me to apologise for nevertheless taking so much time to get to your ask, I hope the answer is worth the wait!

For your first question, it's an interesting one. I am quite fascinated by the monsters of the Outreaches/Outskirts and all of the lore implications they have. I think that eventually, PM will explore the Outskirts somehow, as they did mention wanting an Outskirts exploration game in their post-LoR interview (2020 or 2021, I think?), so I believe we will eventually get a glimpse as to what lies there, but as for what I believe lies there, it's difficult to tell. I think that, if K-Corp's singularity is but a child and yet possesses this much strength, it is certainly worrying to say the least to wonder what stronger, more powerful and more unhinged monsters lie there.

While I think it would be fun to explore such a setting, the lack of details makes coming up with anything but short stories a little difficult, and I admit that my favourite parts of LC/LoR are the Sephirahs and the main cast in general. I don't think I'll focus on the Sweepers again for a while, though, so if I do find myself returning to write about an Outskirts/Outreaches setting in the future, I will attempt to explore them a little more thoroughly, even if I don't think I'll be able to do too much due to the lack of information surrounding them. So the short answer is that it'll depend on the setting of the next story I write that takes place in the Outskirts/Outreaches, really.

For your second question, that's a question I've thought about for a long, long time! It would be such a delightfully angsty dynamic that I've thought about it for a while for any potential AiP sequel of sorts (if something of that nature ever comes to fruition), as the characterisation of Carmen within it would be pivotal to the whole story; Carmen, if she manages to overcome her own Distortion, would still have to battle endlessly with her mind's worries and anxieties. After all, we know for a fact that her heart's fragility is what even led her down the dark path of self-harm and what kickstarted the foundation of the Lobotomy Corporation and, by extension, the creation of the Library. And while I don't doubt that she'd have recognised the overarching and painful effects of her hasty decision, whoever said that her sheer guilt would ever leave her? After all, if she felt enough guilt for Enoch's death that she was willing to to end it all, imagine how she'd feel knowing that she either directly or indirectly responsible for countless deaths thanks to the Distortions, the Ensemble, the people she whispered to as the Distortion, etc...

Now, of course, it's true that she likely had no real control over herself at that point in time, but I believe she would still blame herself for the pain she caused back then, and as such, it's very plausible she would enter a depression spiral as she finds herself surrounded by people who care for her and want the best for her now.

People who, in her eyes at least, she failed.

Surrounded by the Librarians again, Ayin, Angela and Tiphy, I think Carmen would go through an experience similar to the one narrated in Kali's page in LoR; she'd have rapid mood switches between laughing, crying, and just standing motionless. While I said that she would recognise that self-harm is never the answer, perhaps, in her bleakest and darkest moments, she feels that it would be best for everyone involved if she were the one to truly fade away forever this time around. I also think that she would almost resemble Hod, in a way, attempting to atone for her sins towards those she knew she hurt most, such as Tiphereth and Angela, and I think it would create an even more complicated dynamic with Tiphy, as both sides would feel as if they hurt the other, and with Carmen's rapid mood shifts, it'd not difficult to imagine a scenario where Carmen is attempting to initiate small talk with Tiphy, having the chat veer into the past's events, and then having Carmen wrap her arms around Tiphy while she fights back tears and apologises endlessly, leaving a confused and scared Tiphy who just returns to hug until Ayin or Angela come over.

Ah, delicious, nutritious angst~

I think Ayin and Angela would act as her caretakers, in a way. They'd be the ones to understand the shifts in attitude she underwent while understanding the trauma she has to face; they'd faced similar ones, after all. They'd try to get her used to normal life again while making sure she'd not faking he recovery just to make them happy as part of the atonement she so desperately craves.

Of course, that's not mentioning the dynamic with Ayin and her finally resolving the endless romantic tension between the two of them, Tiphy and Angela attempting to form a sort of familial cohesive unit with her...there's plenty of entertaining and fun dynamic, but as I always say: All good things come after mountains and mountains of angst~

So, what do you think? I certainly hope this was worth the wait! As always, thank you for your detailed and fun asks, hncdhnmfr, and as always, be well, take care, and see ya'! I hope to see more of your asks soon!

[consanguinitatum]

Trivia Night: the Takin' Over The Asylum Edition

So after finishing up with my previous post on a never-before revealed DT project during his drama school years, I went back through some of my old Twitter threads to see if there were any I missed posting here. I found quite a few of them, so I figured over the course of the next few weeks I ought to go ahead and post the rest of them here, too! Tonight we'll talk about a fan favorite -- Takin' Over The Asylum.

A month or so back, I was collating some theatre reviews and other tidbits about years which don't fit into my podcast years of c1987-c1992, and I ran across a few things of interest.

The first thing of interest was that Takin' Over The Asylum was rebroadcast on BBC2 in the summer of 1996. I'd always been under the impression it had only run in its entirety in 1994.

See?

from the Sutton Coldfield Observer · Friday, July 12, 1996

Did you know the series also ran in Canada in March of 1997, and in the US in October 2000 on BBC America?

That's cool enough, but it was the other thing which really piqued my interest. It was something really weird.

Did you know there were once plans to remake Takin' Over The Asylum into a major Hollywood movie? Well, I sure didn't! But it certainly appears to be true. By late October 1997, MGM Studios announced they had purchased the rights to make the film. They renamed it Fool On The Hill and plans were made for filming to begin in April of 1998. In this interesting interview in early 1998, David talked about the possible film. He said he would have played Campbell again "like a shot" if they'd offered it to him, and he thought if they did it right, it "could be a fantastic movie." But he wasn't considered.

So who WAS rumored to be cast? Oh, boy. Jim Carrey as Ready Eddie. Julia Ormond was being considered as Francine. .......and, um....Kevin Spacey as....um....who knows?

I say "who knows" because - in true Hollywood style - they started messing with the script. They rewrote it and rewrote it, moving it to an American setting. In this version, the main character remained fairly true to the original, as he was a window and aluminum siding salesman. However, in this rewrite, he isn't our familiar has-been radio DJ, but merely has a passion for radio. This fellow somehow discovers a defunct radio station in a small town mental institution and starts his own broadcasts, in the process "transforming the lives of the institution’s patients as well as those of the town’s more ordinary residents."

These rewrites apparently took so much time they caused delays in the filming schedule, so they ended up unable to start filming in April 1998. And by the time it was ready, Carrey wasn't available. So it sat on a desk.

Now if you'll recall, I mentioned David had been interviewed about the possible movie project in 1998. At that time, David said Campbell had been rewritten as a "black kid from the ghetto" (THEIR words, not mine). And - of course - David said he was not that character.

In 2001 - when they announced Spacey's possible casting - it appears the script must have been rewritten even more. Because here's the thing. In the 2001 version of the script, Spacey was supposed to be "a hospital administration officer who befriends the new 'inmate' in a bid to bring laughter to his patients." Which isn't at all what David has said in the 1998 interview.

To be fair, all of these descriptions are a bit unclear to me. They don't name the character who Spacey was supposed to play. So if Spacey was supposed to be hospital administration, was he a new character in addition to whoever played Campbell, or was Spacey supposed to replace Campbell? If the former, so be it....but if it was the latter I give out a hearty WTF and a double helping of ewwwww. That means Campbell's character had either been written out of the script or had been relegated to a less important role. And can you imagine any version of Takin' Over The Asylum without Campbell? Luckily all of this became a moot point because due to a myriad of issues the the film never got made. My personal opinion is THANK THE HEAVENS. It would've been a disaster, right? An absolute stinker. Because the only proper Takin' Over The Asylum is our Takin' Over The Asylum. With Campbell! Also, you all do know that Takin' Over The Asylum's original working title was Making Waves, right? It sure was! When I interviewed David Blair, the director of Takin' Over The Asylum, he told me so. Here's more proof:

I should point out the filming dates listed in the first blurb aren't completely correct. While I've no idea when filming started, Mr. Blair's given me a photo of the clapperboard for the last day of filming (which I won't publish, as he hasn't given his permission.) The clapperboard reads 29 October 1993.

Anyway, it's really cool that - even after years of doing research, it's fun and ridiculous and remarkable to learn things that are news to me. It's one of the most exciting things about doing this research!

[yyh4ever]

Netflix Japan is holding many events and lotteries to celebrate the Yu Yu Hakusho Live Action. Don't forget to follow Netflix Japan X Official Account.

December 13, 2023 (Eve of the World Premiere)

Live Streaming of the Premier Event

As I posted before, a Yu Yu Hakusho Event featuring the cast and screening of the first episode will take place in Tokyo, on the Evening of December 13. Fortunately, for those who didn't win tickets, they will be broadcasting it live on YouTube, X, and TikTok. It starts at 18h30 (JST).

Nobuyuki Sakuma and Suzu Yamanouchi will be live broadcasting the entire event on the eve of the global distribution!

Navigator: Nobuyuki Sakuma, Suzu Yamanouchi

MC: Akihisa Shoguchi

Reporter: Hisanori Yoshida

Speakers (cast and director): Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Shuhei Uesugi, Sei Shiraishi, Kotone Furukawa, Ai Mikami, Hiroya Shimizu, Keita Machida, Meiko Kaji, Kenichi Takito, Go Ayano, Director Sho Tsukikawa. Good news is that Kotone Furukawa (Botan) has been confirmed on stage too.

Win a trip around the world 🌏

Reply the campaign post that will be posted on Netflix Japan X account at 19:00 (JST) on December 13 with the hashtag #世界一周霊丸 (around the world spirit gun).

The prize is a 16-day trip around the world (4 nights in each city+breakfast): departing from Tokyo (Narita or Haneda Airport) - New York - Rio de Janeiro - London - Bangkok - back to Tokyo (Narita or Haneda Airport).

Unfortunately, according to the rules, this lottery is only for residents of Japan. I wish they were advertising and working together with other Netflix around the world, like they've been doing with One Piece.

Edit: Takumi Kitamura (Yusuke Urameshi) shot a spirit gun during the live action premier that traversed the world in real time.

December 14, 2013 (Day of World Premier on Netflix)

Binge-watching the 5 episodes

Starting at 19:00 (JST) on Thursday, December 14, a Watch Party to watch all 5 episodes at once will be held on X.

All you have to do is add the hashtag #幽遊白書一気見 (yu yu hakusho binge-watching) to your posts when writing your impressions about the series. Many original goods such as posters and special boxes will be given to a total of 100 people by lottery.

Yu Yu Hakusho Ad-Truck Campaign until December 17

All you have to do is find an ad-truck! 🚛

120 people will be randomly selected to win a gift code for 3 months of Netflix. How to apply:

❶ Follow @NetflixJP

❷ Post a photo or video of one of the 12 character trucks with the hashtag #幽白トラック (Yuhaku Truck) until December 17, 23h59 (JST).

Departing from Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka and Hakata on December 4, the trucks will be touring around various places until December 10, then they will be heading to Tokyo on December 11. They are scheduled to run around Shibuya from December 13 to 14, and within Tokyo from December 15 to 17.

Sapporo: Kazuma Kuwabara/Koenma/Toguro Brother

Nagoya: Kurama/Toguro Brother/Genkai

Osaka: Yusuke Urameshi/Keiko Yukimura/Botan

Hakata (Fukuoka): Hiei/Sakyo/Yukina

Infiltrating the filming location of Yu Yu Hakusho Cast

Special photos of the cast taken by Maciej Kucia (AVGVST) will be released on December 14.

The main cast of the live-action will be on the special edition cover of the famous anan magazine. There's going to be a 16-page special feature about the live action, including exclusive photos and interviews with the cast and staff.

In solo interviews and roundtable discussions with the four main cast members, they were asked about their thoughts and feelings when they were chosen to appear in the series, behind-the-scenes stories of shooting, and their thoughts to take on the challenge of a work that has been loved for many years.

In addition to the four guys, anan also interviewed Go Ayano and Kenichi Takito, who play the Toguro Brothers, the biggest enemies who have many fans from the original work. They talk about the difficulties and joys of playing characters that required highly difficult acting as they filmed using CG.

In an interview with director Sho Tsukikawa , he was asked about his thoughts on producing "Yu Yu Hakusho" in this era.

Here's a sneak peek of the guys during the magazine cover shot.

It's so cute when they all start chanting: "Yu Yu Hakusho". At the end, Kanata Hongo says Hiei's famous line: do not underestimate the power of the evil eye.

Edit: Netflix Japan released special photos of the actors:

Yusuke Vs Younger Toguro Mural Showdown

"The showdown between Yusuke and Younger Toguro will break out in Shibuya!? Witness the spirit gun!"

I am curious to see that. From what we've seen from the trailer, Yusuke VS Toguro will be an epic confrontation!

Edit: The mural is at the Shibuya Crossing. They used blue lights to simulate Yusuke's spirit gun, and on the other side there's Toguro taking it!

Something else will happen in Shibuya?

Something will happen on the day of the live action premier...?

I am super curious. From this image, we can understand that all the ad-trucks that departed from Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka and Hakata will be arriving in Shibuya on the 14th, but what will happen? Some kind of big announcement? 😱

Edit: It was just a big promo at the Shibuya Crossing!

Source: Netflix Japan

[mirai-e-jump]

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger FLT | Pamphlet ft. Main Cast Messages & Takano Minato Interview (pages and translations below, LONG POST)

Publication: mid March 2024

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger FLT (act.1)

The story of the Royal Sentai ended with the defeat of the Uchu King Dagded Dujardin. That's how it was supposed to go, but…

Soon after, there was alittle incident. Make no mistake, Chikyu is also at risk. But, it's hopelessly stupid and ridiculous, and will definitely cause a big commotion. An inconceivable comedy. We'd be happy if it makes you laugh.

-Synopsis-

The kings have gathered for the "Six Kingdom Summit" to decide who's most suitable for the "face" of the new banknotes, but for some reason, the "story" takes an unexpected turn…..

Hehehehe.

Sakai Taisei (Gira Husty/KuwagataOhger) "I'm going to rule the world!"

The king of Shugoddam, the largest country in Chikyu, and the one where the guardian god resides. He transforms into KuwagataOhger. He grew up in an orphanage in Shugoddam's castle town, but it later turned out that he was the younger brother of the (then) king, Racules. However, his true identity is a life form created by the Uchu King Dagded. His ability to communicate with the Shugods and his immortal body were inherited from Dagded.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" I feel like I've also grown after being moved by Gira's feelings for others!! Thank you Gira Husty!

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" It's episode 49! It was cool to see everyone working together to take down Dagded! Don't mess with Racules's little brother! Stuff like that was good!

"Sakai Taisei's "confidential episode" that he can only talk about now!" I was given the OK for a take in episode 48 where my pants zipper was wide open! When I checked, it was well hidden. Thank goodness~💦

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" This will be the culmination of King-Ohger, and it may be the last time we'll be able to meet everyone! Let's enjoy it as much as we can!

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" Thank you for your support over the past year! The warmth and energy I felt when meeting everyone at these events was truly encouraging! It would make me happy if you continue to love Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger from now on! See you later ^_^

Watanabe Aoto (Yanma Gast/TomboOhger) "I'm on top!"

The king of N'kosopa, the country of technology. He transforms into TomboOhger. N'kosopa's national power, which was once a satellite state of Shugoddam, has been greatly enhanced by technological innovations. Although he himself is a top class engineer, he was originally born in a slum and is considered an "upstart" He's got a bad mouth and says "octomush" and "slack jawed tanuki" on a daily basis.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" Thank you Yanma Gast.

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" I have fond memories of episode 2, which was shot on location during the cold season, and was created together with the extras who applied to be in the show.

"Watanabe Aoto's "confidential episode" that he can only talk about now!" Halfway through my nose wouldn't stop running, so I was given multiple "runny nose NG" cuts.

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" With the story that everyone's put together in their minds, we'll beat things down with guts and brains until the very end.

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" Thank you for your support over the past year. The story ends here, but I'd be happy if you remember us again someday and come visit us here in Chikyu to play. And with that, until we meet again!!

Murakami Erica (Hymeno Ran/KamakiriOhger) "I'll do as I please and follow my own path!"

The queen of Ishabana, the country of fine art and medicine. Having lost her parents in the "Wrath of God," she became king at a young age. She transforms into KamakiriOhger. She loves beautiful and cute things, and will always get what she likes by any means necessary. However, on the other hand, she's also a passionate doctor who has no hesitation in "saving someone's life."

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" I'd be happy if many people were "saved" by Hymeno's strength!

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" It's episode 28, where the kings swap bodies! In any case, we had fun and I think we saw the depth of each other's roles!

"Murakami Erica's "confidential episode" that she can only talk about now!" I brought my own bento to maintain my health and stay in shape, and yet……the famous tokusatsu "popeye onigiri," I never got to try it!!! (laughs)

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone who supported King-Ohger in all the regions around the country! Let's have lots of fun together 💛

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" Thank you for your support of King-Ohger over the past year! Even though the broadcast is over, I hope that this production will live on in everyone's hearts. Take care~💛💛💛

Hirakawa Yuzuki (Rita Kaniska/PapillonOhger) "Remain immovable"

The king of Gokkan, the country of ice and snow. They also serve as the Chief Judge of the International Court of Justice, which protects the neutrality of the world. Because of their position, not only do they always keep their facial expressions hidden, they rarely show emotion, but when they're at a loss, they sometimes makes strange noises. They're of few words, and never speak in public about anything unnecessary. The only thing they can make an exception for is their plushie of the animated character "Moffun." They transform into PapillonOhger.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" It was difficult, but it was really fun to perform!

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" It's episode 5, "The King of Winter is Coming." It was my first trial scene, and it was a very important part of the story, so I clearly remember being very nervous during filming. It was really embarrassing when I said "death penalty" to Gira in the scene where I should've said "not guilty"……It's a fond memory now (laughs).

"Hirakawa Yuzuki's "confidential episode" that she can only talk about now!" To be honest, I'm not good with early mornings, I'm always in high spirits, but in the morning I'm about 2 beats behind in my reactions…(laughs).

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who's supported King-Ohger!! Definitely look forward to it :) I'm also looking forward to meeting everyone! I also want to eat lots of tasty food~! (laughs).

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" To everyone who's supported Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger over the past year, thank you so much. Everyone's messages of support and the power you gave me at these events kept me going until the end. I'd be very happy if this production remains in everyone's hearts even after the broadcast is over. King-Ohger is the best!! Thank you!!!

Kaku So (Kaguragi Dybowski/HachiOhger) "By any means necessary!"

The lord of Toufu, the country of agriculture. He transforms into HachiOhger. He's always humble and polite in tone, but the theatrics of his words and actions tend to stick out, so he's what you'd call a "trickster." He's "two faced" and will lie with ease in order to achieve his goals, but he's also willing to take the initiative to sweat and dirty his hands by "tainting them pitch black" in order to protect the lives of his people.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" You're so cool Kaguragi! Just like you, I'll live big so that I can protect what's important to me!

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" It's episode 37!! Interacting with the former lord Iroki was fun to perform, and it was cool as Kaguragi too!!

"Kaku So's "confidential episode" that he can only talk about now!" Around the time the script was being finished, I avoided doing muscle training because I figured Kaguragi would be more of a brainy character, but then I thought a powerful character would be more interesting, and so I enjoyed my muscle training life.

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" At last, the final stage! We'll all do our best to bring out the charm of King-Ohger without fail. Please enjoy it until the very last moment!

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" Thank you very much for your support so far. Without everyone's warm support, I wouldn't have been able to make it through this past year at full power! There's no doubt, King-Ohger has become an irreplaceable and important work in my life! I hope this production will remain in everyone's hearts for a long time!

Ikeda Masashi (Jeramie Brasieri/Spider Kumonos) "I rule over all and decide the fate of the world."

A man born between his father, the sixth hero that saved mankind 2,000 years ago, and his mother Nephila, a Bugnarak. His real name is Jeramie Idmonarak Ne Brasieri. He transforms into Spider Kumonos. As a "storyteller," he has long passed down the history of Chikyu, but finally realized his purpose when he showed up to stop the war between humans and Bugnarak.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" I'm happy that I encountered Jeramie, and that he was loved and accepted.

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" The first six person Royal Arms transformation. It's the best part about Sentai heroes, and I remember getting goosebumps the moment I saw the image of those six.

"Ikeda Masashi's "confidential episode" that he can only talk about now!" I spilled coffee on my pure white costume.

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" We'll do our best to make it enjoyable for everyone.

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" King-Ohger wouldn't have been possible without everyone who has supported us. Thank you for all the love! May it continue to remain in everyone's memories. Thank you for the past year!!

Yano Masato (Racules Husty/OhkuwagataOhger) "May the blessings of the Shugod's be upon these warriors!"

The former king of Shugoddam. He inherited the throne from his father, Causus Husty. He believed that it wouldn't be easy to protect Chikyu from the threat of the Uchu King Dagded, and while acting like a selfish and reckless tyrant himself, his intent was to earn Dagded's trust and patiently wait for his chance to prevail. He transforms into OhkuwagataOhger. He joins forces with the Royal Sentai in the final battle.

"Looking back, say a few words for the character you spent a year playing!" I'm happy that I was able to play Racules!

"Out of all 50 episodes, which one was the most memorable?" For me, I have memories from every episode, including the ones I didn't appear in, but I'll never forget (the performance of) Sakai-kun fighting during filming of the first episode.

"Yano Masato's "confidential episode" that he can only talk about now!" Starting from the second chapter, my body had gotten so big that my costume became abit too tight (laughs).

"Please show us your enthusiasm for the Final Live Tour!" We'll do our very best to entertain everyone!

"A message to the fans who have supported you over the past year!" King-Ohger was really deep, huh? ^_^ I was very happy to be involved in this production! I think I made it through this past year due to everyone's support. From now on, it would make me happy if it continues to live on in everyone's hearts forever!

Friends of the King-Ohgers

Shugoddam Douga: He was the retainer and right hand man for Racules, and was in charge of Shugoddam's "military" affairs. Although he tried to find employment in the other countries, he eventually returned to Shugoddam and became the retainer to the new king, Gira. His personality is always serious. Kogane & Boone: A young girl and boy who love Gira, and who lived with Gira in an orphanage in Shugoddam's castle town. Goroge: In a way, he's a prominent figure, who for better or for worse, is someone who expresses his honest thoughts through words and actions when a major incident occurs.

N'kosopa Shiokara: Yanma's retainer who has deep respect for him. Originally a criminal in an organization that circulated counterfeit money in N'kosopa, he was reformed after meeting Yanma. He took on a supportive position for Yanma, who believes that technology can change the future. Akka, Usuba & Mayuta: These three are citizens of N'kosopa, who along with Shiokara, were once involved in the circulation of counterfeit money. After meeting Yanma, they were reformed like Shiokara. Their relationship with Shiokara hasn't changed since then.

Ishabana Sebastian: Hymeno's retainer. He's actually 25 years old, but when he became Hymeno's butler, he was given special makeup to give him an older appearance, and his name was changed from his real name, Romane Dearborn. Originally, he was the heir to a ducal family that has existed in Ishabana for 1,000 years. Elegance Moun: The chief physician of Ishabana. As her name suggests, she has an elegant appearance, but shows no compromise in her work (medical care), and acts with a strong will and sound judgment. Hymeno also places deep trust in her. Cleo Urbanus: The head maid who serves Hymeno…..which she is, but she has great physical strength and is also good at martial arts. In order to save Hymeno and the others, she once confronted a group of Sanagim and fought them off. In the final battle, she fought bravely alongside Kuroda and the others.

Gokkan Morphonia: Rita's retainer. She's a lazy person, and would rather not work if she can help it, but she does her job well. She's also the person who best understands the pain of loneliness that Rita carries. As a "child of criminals," she has mixed feelings about her position as a candidate to succeed Rita.

Toufu Kuroda: Kaguragi's retainer. Because of his position, he's usually quiet, but when he speaks, he has a smooth voice. His appearance is that of a so called "Kuroko," but the cloth that covers his face has a smile drawn on it. There are other Kuroko's who work at Takitate Castle, but Kuroda is thought to be their leader. Suzume Dybowski: Kaguragi's younger sister whom he dotes on. She calls him "big brother." She was in poor health as a child. She lived in Shugoddam as a "hostage" for the reconstruction of Toufu, but when she realized Racules's "objective," she chose to live as his willing accomplice.

Earth Empire Bugnarak An evil kingdom ruled by Desnarak VIII. After the overthrow of Desnarak VIII, it was reborn as the "Inbetween Land Bugnarak." Although it was once destroyed by the Uchu King Dagded, efforts to rebuild were continued in secret with Jeramie at the forefront.

Desnarak VIII: Ruler of the Bugnarak. Possessing the characteristics of an earthworm, he obtains nutrients from the soil and transforms them into his own energy. He met his end after being betrayed by Prime Minister Kamejim, but emerged from the Land of Death in the final battle. He worked together with the Royal Sentai and sent Kamejim to the Land of the Dead. Kamejim: Although he was the Prime Minister who served Desnarak VIII, he was actually the mastermind behind the battle between humans and Bugnarak, and was "Kamejim of Vanity" of the Uchu Five Jesters, who infiltrated Chikyu under the orders of Dagded. After that, he resumed his activities as Kamejim Unka. Daigorg: General of the Bugnarak who possesses the characteristics of a horned dung beetle. A hero to the Bugnarak, he contributed greatly to the unification of the underground world. He was revived through the technology of Shugoddam, but was defeated in a fierce battle with King Caucasuskabuto. Gerojim: A monster possessing the characteristics of a mayfly. By applying light refraction, he can mimic the appearance of a human. After being saved by Jeramie, he became loyal to him, and soon after was active as Jeramie's retainer, who had become the king of the "Inbetween Land Bugnarak."

Uchu Five Jesters A group of aliens led by the Uchu King Dagded. Up until now, they've led different species on numerous planets to conflict and destruction. With their sights set on Chikyu as their next target, they first attacked the Inbetween Land Bugnarak, and then launched a full scale attack to destroy all living beings on Chikyu.

Dagded Dujardin: The creator of all insect life forms. He has an invulnerable body that's immune to all attacks, and because of this, he always has time to speak and act in a way that belittles his opponents. For him, the destruction of other life forms is merely a form of "tidying up." Goma Rosalia: One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Goma of Suspicion." He possesses the characteristics of a longhorn beetle. He has the ability to swap any concept, from human minds to matter, and has swapped the bodies of the kings of six kingdoms. He unexpectedly died in battle after being brainwashed by Hilbill. Hilbil Leech: One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Hilbill of Enticement." She brainwashed the king's retainers and citizens, turning the human race on Chikyu into mobs. Finally, she brainwashed (it's implied) herself to become a giant in order to corner the King-Ohgers, but was ultimately defeated. Minongan Moth: One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Minongan of Concealment." Just as he looks, he's a "power fighter," with high offensive and defensive power. Angered by the defeat of Hilbil, he challenged the Royal Sentai to a battle in order to give him what he craved, but was defeated by the combined power of Kaguragi and Rita's "King's Proof." Grodie Leucodium: One of the Uchu Five Jesters known as "Grodie of Tranquility" He's the one responsible for causing the "Wrath of God." In order to defeat this "living corpse," the Royal Sentai implemented a strategy to bring him back to life. Grodie tried to bring upon the "Wrath of God" again, but was dealt the final blow.

"Thank you for your support over the past year"

Main Screenwriter Takano Minato Interview

"By the time this article is published, Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger's broadcast will have already finished airing. At this point (at the time of this interview), the writing process of the script may still be fresh in your mind, but how do you feel after writing a year long drama series?"

Takano: I'm clumsy by nature, so all I've been thinking about for the past year was "King-Ohger." I was just concentrating on the production. It's not an exaggeration to say that I was risking my life. That's why I feel so much attachment to it. In reality, I had to immediately start working on "King-Ohger VS Donbrothers" right after I finished the script for the final episode, so I didn't feel a sense of freedom (laughs), but I did feel a sense of accomplishment that I had made it to the end.

"So far, you've participated in the Kamen Rider series as one offs, but King-Ohger was the first time you participated in the Super Sentai series. Furthermore, it was the position of Main Writer……"

Takano: Toei's Producer Omori Takahito, who I worked with on "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid" and "Kamen Rider Zero-One," called me through his office, where I remember immediately saying, "I'll do it!" (laughs). For me, the most significant thing I had done before King-Ohger was the hour long drama "Shinhannin Flag," which ran for two quarters (half a year). That production was an original project for TV, it wasn't an adaptation, and one hour a month for half a year is about the same as 30 minutes a month over one year, right? I think I was lucky in terms of timing, as I was able to build such a track record.

"There were many challenging factors to the production of King-Ohger."

Takano: The first thing Omori-san told me was the concept of the project, "Everyone is part of the Royal Sentai. Furthermore, all of them are the strongest." Then, a switch was flipped and I thought, "Interesting!" We decided to have a brainstorming session, and on that day, I had created and submitted a complete set of ideas for the worldview of King-Ohger, the image for each country, character settings, and the overall series structure. At that point, I had already included the story surrounding the Uchu King and Racules. Looking back, it was like I had put everything I liked and had accumulated since childhood into it. For the main characters, with the exception of Gira, everything I wrote at the time went almost unchanged.

"What do you mean when you say accumulated?"

Takano: In the household I grew up in, TV and video games were prohibited when I was young, but because of my parents work, I was surrounded by children's literature, picture books, and the shonen manga that my father loved. I grew up devouring a variety of stories, so I was lucky to come across a project that allowed me to make use of that. I think that's why I was able to make it through the past year even though it was my first challenge in the Super Sentai series.

"You've created a magnificent worldview, but how did you feel when you first saw the completed footage?"

Takano: I was surprised. This was the first time for Toei to introduce virtual production in full, so I started writing the script early on, but then Omori-san told me, "You've written so much, but it may be impossible (to visualize it as imagined)." Here too I was like, "Well, you may be right……" And to be honest, I was also worried about how it would turn out. Over time, I wondered if he would eventually say something like, "We can't do this anymore, so let's stop." But, then I saw the footage, and those worries were blown away. Rather, I thought this would allow me to further expand my image. The CG assets (background materials) from each country were also excellent, which further increased my motivation.

"We were told by Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya, who was the Main Director of the show, that the more Takano-san pushes himself, the better the script gets."

Takano: (laughs). He'd say things like……"Takamina, you only start scratching your head when you're getting serious." When I'm worried, I seem to scratch unconsciously. I think the first time I became numb to that person (Director Kamihoriuchi) was when we were finalizing the script for episodes 1 and 2, and there was a moment when the meeting stalled. At such times, because of my position, the Screenwriter often plays the role of communicator or someone who summarizes everyone's opinions, but when I tried to do so, he firmly said, "No, let's just think about making it interesting right now." That attitude had remained constant throughout. He's very particular about "creating interesting productions." When it comes to scripts, I stick to every last line until the very last minute before the submission deadline. Instead of motivating me, he just lets me write it until the end. It wasn't an easy task, but I could feel that it had become more interesting as I was revising it, and the Director was able to add the finishing touches to make it even better. I think that his uncompromising attitude had a great impact on the production. Just once, I'd like to see the Director make a movie with a budget of atleast 10 billion. I think he could make something amazing.

"Takano-san also visited the filming set as much as possible."

Takano: I myself used to have a theater company, and I just love the current state of creative production. I would look at the set with a feeling of respect, but it was also beyond my imagination. No one ever really talks about it, but everyone's passionate about it, they're all passionate about making something as "interesting as possible." Everything was so ingenious down to the finest detail, that it makes you think, "They'd really go this far?" So, no matter which episode you watch, it's already multiple times more interesting than the draft of the script. It was truly a rewarding job as a Screenwriter. It's not exactly Jeramie, but I included some "between the lines" in the script to think about. There was never a time when I thought, "This is wrong!" when looking at the footage created by those on set. It was more like, "Eh? You picked up on this here too?" I thought they were an amazing team, and I was again reminded of the beauty of "working together to create a work of art." I'll never forget the many warm words of encouragement I received from the staff on site.

"What do you think of the cast? Despite the large number of characters that appeared, we think that all of them became very lovable."

Takano: They were wonderful. What can be said in general is that everyone loved and nurtured their roles above all else. This is true not only for the main six, but also for Racules's Yano-san, and for everyone else who played a part as the retainers……It's all thanks to the cast that the roles expanded beyond what I originally had in mind. I used to do theater, so by getting to know them, I wanted to write scripts that brought out the best in the people performing them. So, when I went to the set, I actively talked to the cast. To give an example, when I asked Watanabe Aoto-kun, who plays Yanma, "Do you have any stories you want to do?," he said, "I've got alot" and he offered lots of ideas. Among them was a story about Yanma giving up everything for Shiokara, and I thought, "That might be good!" I expanded on it and wrote episode 35, "Don't Cry Slack Jawed Tanuki." Another thing was Rita's Hirakawa Yuzuki-chan, who said she wanted to "show her face," so I thought I'd write something with that.

"The enemy was changed from the Earth Empire Bugnarak in the first half, to the Uchu Five Jesters in the second half."

Takano: I also love villains, and even when I watch "Batman," I get emotionally invested with the Joker, so I was very particular about the evil setting. As for the Uchu King Dagded, I wanted him to be absolutely evil, so I decided not to explore any positive aspects of him. The Bugnarak arc was calculated backward from the Uchu Five Jesters arc, but I didn't want it to be a predictable development, so I put alot of thought into the order in which the monsters (Kaijim) would appear. It makes sense that Iragajim (episode 22) and Zarigajim (episode 24) appear at the end of the Bugnarak arc. Since Iragajim can steal Shugod Souls from the Shugods, which Bugnarak need to become gigantic, it was necessary to have him. And since Zarigajim was sent for the plan to destroy Chikyu, his appearance was timed that way. After that, there's the Uchu Five Jesters arc, and once again, all my favorite voice actors were cast (laughs), so I didn't want them to say anything meaningless, even if it was just one line of dialogue…..I was really happy because my favorite elements were included here as well (laughs).

"Please tell us how the final episode was created."

Takano: One climax was the story of Racules (episodes 42 and 43). There has always been some debate about how to conclude Racules, and one possible direction was to have him die, but if he died, he would become a hero. I felt that Racules, as a criminal, needed to pay for his past crimes, which is why it took the form you've all seen. In the following episodes, I again thought, "I'm not sure what I should write," but I decided to work on what I hadn't written yet by that point, and carefully complete them one by one. And so, episode 45 was about Kaguragi and Rita. I originally conceived Kaguragi and Rita as paired characters, but I wanted to rework that part of the story and include the issue of successors, which is inevitable in a story about kings. Then, episode 46 was about Hymeno and Jeramie. While also telling the story of their parents, I dealt with the issue of "life," as it's something those two have in common. Then, episode 47 is the reckoning of the "Wrath of God." The remaining three scripts were episode 48 to the final episode, which of course will be the story of defeating Dagded, but when it came time to decide what to do after that, Director Kamihoriuchi said, "Let's bring out everyone."

"Especially around episodes 49 and 50 (the final episode), the "Characters" section of the script was amazing."

Takano: The last three scripts were written as a way of "giving back" to various people. Even if it was just one word, I tried to write dialogue that would make all the cast members think, "I'm really glad to have been apart of this production." I felt the same way about the viewers, and I wanted to make them feel happy and enjoy watching King-Ohger all the way through to the end. It felt like I was writing a letter of gratitude to all of them.

"Being in charge of a one year drama series for the first time, especially a Sunday morning children's program, was there anything that you were careful about or anything you noticed?"

Takano: Since I don't have a family yet, I did some research with family members I know, but it seems that in reality, it's not easy to have the whole family sitting calmly in front of the TV the whole time during Sunday mornings. However, on the other hand, Toei's Super Sentai series and Kamen Rider series are among the few programs today that are mainly for children, but are also watched by their parents, so the idea was to create something that would be "interesting" to all audiences. So, of course I worked really hard on the aspect of it being a serial drama, but I also tried to include elements that could be enjoyed even if you watch only that episode during the weekly broadcasts. It was difficult to find a balance between it being worth watching as a serial drama and being interesting as a stand alone drama. The range of what I want to show is infinite, but that doesn't mean I should settle for the greatest common denominator, and I wanted to deliver something that was by no means mediocre. That's something I've always been aware of.

"Especially in the second half, we feel that this goal became more apparent. Dagded and the Five Jesters are so unique……(laughs). Normally, when a strong enemy appears, the story tends to go in a more serious and dark direction, but because the main enemy is a guy like that, the visuals of the strategies that are carried out can become funny. We're sure it would be easier to adjust the overall "taste" though."

Takano: I thought it was important to make a topic of conversation in that way, such as "the episode where the characters swap bodies" or, "the episode when the kings become children." No matter how exciting the main story may be, it's difficult to attract new viewers if it becomes contained, right? In recent years, I often see headlines like, "XX and XX have finally teamed up, and XX has been activated!" in online news articles, but for those who haven't seen it yet, It's just a bunch of words they don't understand (laughs). Instead, for example, using words like "trial by combat" or chosing a generic expression such as "sibling confrontation"……I was also particular about that. Then, as I mentioned earlier, there's the awareness of the target audience, which is family. Depending on their age, some children will enjoy different parts from their parents, so I was hoping that they would atleast find a character that they liked or that they could empathize with. If such a character exists, it's a reason to continue watching the show. I thought about this too, but I don't think it would have worked without the efforts of each of the cast members. For example, Douga-san was in a position where it was difficult to make him seem human, but I was inspired by Morioka Yutaka-san's performance, and later ended up writing the story about him looking for a job (laughs). Really, if I talk about each of these things one by one there is no end to it, and I feel that King-Ohger was a production that everyone worked on with a positive and pure passion.

"And finally, the story that'll be performed at the Final Live Tour is also written by Takano-san. We heard that the actual writing is still in the works….."

Takano: Since it's a stage play, It feels abit like I've returned home (laughs). However, since then, I've had the opportunity to write many scripts for movies and TV dramas and gained alot of experience, so I'd like to write what I can write because of who I am now, and what I write is because I'm in the world of King-Ohger. One thing I intentionally avoided in the TV series is that because they're kings, I basically didn't let them make choices like doing something in exchange for their lives. However, now that the kings have bonded with each other, I wonder if such a story is possible. Also, since it's a special stage performance, I'm thinking of ways to involve the audience as well. I hope that visitors who come to the venue will also become residents of "Chikyu" and participate in the story……Some completely different ideas are being thrown around, so I don't know what will happen yet (laughs), but I'll do my best to make sure you enjoy the stage version of King-Ohger as well!

Staff Comments on episodes Main Writer Takano, Producer Kuji Producer Omori, Assistant Producer Takahashi Main Director Kamihoriuchi

Episode 1 Racules's favorite Takano-san's comment: Gira's a character who uses villainous language. I was really worried at whether he'd be liked or not. And then, what Director Kamihoriuchi and Sakai-kun created was that 30 seconds of silence. I was sure that it would be an impactful moment. I could feel the care and passion of all the people involved from every corner of the picture, and I was shaking with happiness knowing that I was going to work with such wonderful people on this production for a year.

Episode 2 Yanma's favorite

Episode 3 Takano-san's comment: A beautiful and glittering princess, and a strong and noble queen. Cute and cool coexisting. There was no need to give up on either. She won't flatter anyone. Still, she wants to protect and be protected, love and be loved. She'll make it all happen. Living selfishly. The character of Hymeno-sama was also the "prayer" for the girls who watched the show.

Episode 5 Rita's favorite Takano-san's comment: It was an unexpected challenge to put judgment in a children's program, but I remember how relieved I felt when we received the positive response. It was also a pleasant miscalculation to find that Rita-sama stuck with adults who have gone through the hardships of society.

Episode 10 Takano-san's comment: I really wrote this with the intention of it being the final episode. I wrote the opening remarks for Legend King-Ohgers descent first, and then wrote everything backwards from there. Thankfully, the response I received was good, but at the same time, I was cursed to go all out on writing opening remarks each time.

Episode 12 Takano-san's comment: It was reeeeeeally tough! Jeramie was difficult! We were all trying to figure out what to and what not to do, but Director Kamihoriuchi turned it all around in the end, and we ended up with the best Jeramie and story! We had to revise the entire script, which I had written up to about 20 episodes at that point, but it was alright!

Kuji-san's comment: The composition, dialogue, action and music…it's a good feeling to feel the bold yet subtle professionalism in every scene. Even reading between the lines was enjoyable, and I become excited no matter how many times I watch it.

Episode 14 Jeramie's favorite

Episode 19 Takano-san's comment: When the relentless and coldhearted Producer Omori said to me, "I want the words Ohsama Sentai to have significance," a "Huh?" flew out of my lips. It took me a whole day to get to the point where I could read "kotozama" (strange) as "kotosama." As a result, I'm really glad I went through all that trouble.

Episode 26 Takano-san's comment: I've loved villains since I was a kid. The true value of a villain is at the end of their life. I loved Desnarak-sama so much that I cried while writing it. It made me really happy when Producer Omori, who shows almost no emotion said, "I cried when I read your script."

Episode 27 Takano-san's comment: Even though it had been decided from the beginning that Dagded would appear, to the viewers, it was the sudden appearance of an unknown character. Furthermore, I had been begging with "Ishida Akira-san will work best," so when it really happened, I wrote the story as if I was put my life on the line. Thanks to the overwhelming visuals and great work done by Director Kamihoriuchi and the CG team, this was an appropriate opening for the new chapter.

Episode 29 Omori-san's comment: With the start of the second chapter, I think the arrangement of this episode, after the completely serious episode 27, and episode 28, which ignored everything and was comical, was actually key for the second half of the series. The unique coolness of Jeramie and his bond with the other kings was shown through a perfect balance of script and direction.

Episode 30 Hymeno's favorite

Episode 32-33 Omori-san's comment: I won't hide it, Ryusei-san was the first one to be given the OK for his appearance. These episodes were made possible because he was already scheduled to appear in the V-Cinext, so I think that's why everyone else also appeared.

Episode 33 Kuji-san's comment: The power of the Great and Mighty Lizards (Kyoryugers), whose bravery has increased over the past 10 years was amazing, but I realized that the charm of the kings is brought out even more when there are strong characters next to them. In any case, it was an extravagant episode.

Episode 35 Takano-san's comment: Aoto-kun said to me, "I want to do a story where I have to give up everything to protect just one person, Shiokara!" This episode was made possible thanks to Chiwata-kun's efforts to develop his character of Shiokara on set and his increasing popularity. I thought this was the best part of working together to create a long story. The last scene made me cry so much that it took me a while to write it.

Episode 37 Kaguragi's favorite Takano-san's comment: It's under the pretense of…a surprise performance by a married couple, but it was a profound human drama, and a dialogue heavy one. Honestly speaking, I thought it is insane to attempt through acting. It wouldn't have been possible if Kaku-san wasn't Kaguragi. I think this is one of those episodes that pushed the limits of morning tokusatsu programs for children.

Episode 38 Takano-san's comment: "I want to do something silly" is what I used to say when writing King-Ohger. It was also a phrase to keep my sanity in check, because if I was too serious, I'd lose sight of its essence as a children's show. This was the culmination of that. The argument of, "Why idols?" was one of the most serious topics that Producer Omori and Director Kamihoriuchi had ever had. Being silly must be taken seriously.

Episode 39 Takahashi-san's comment: The high level action was something that only King-Ohger can create. I think the action scene against Goma was an unprecedented challenge for a Japanese live action drama. I rewatched the 1 minute and 10 seconds of action countless times.

Episode 40 Omori-san's comment: This is the episode where we find out that Gira was born from the Uchu King. You may not have noticed it much, but even when depicting heavier themes, I made it a rule to "always end with a victory or them standing." Even if there's a wall, kings are the ones who always stand up.

Episode 41 Takahashi-san's comment: This is the episode where Racules shows his "real face" for the first time. The line from Racules became the subtitle of the episode. It's not an exaggeration to say that 40 episodes had been accumulated for this single line, so it was the ultimate "catharsis" for me when I heard it. Yano-san's performance was also wonderful.

Episode 42 Takano-san's comment: Although the truth about Racules had been decided before I wrote the first episode, the most important thing I kept thinking about was how to reveal it. I was on a walk while I was thinking about episode 8, when it came to me and I cried. I was absolutely determined that I would not die until I wrote this episode.

Episode 49 Gira's favorite Kamihoriuchi's comment: This is the "culmination" episode of King-Ohger, where the staff and cast were giving it their all.

Episode 50 Takano-san's comment: Episodes 48-50, those three episodes were written as a long final episode. It's a conclusion that couldn't have been written without a buildup, so I wrote this as a gift of gratitude to the cast, staff and viewers. I worked on the manuscript with Producer Omori and Director Kamihoriuchi until morning, and the selfie I took with the big smile on my face while shouting, "I did it!" is my treasure.

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger: Ancient Alphabetical Reference Table

[outrunningthedark]

I always thought Rafael Silva was a main cast member until Tim gave that interview where he said he was only contracted for a certain amount of episodes. Once I understood that, I got why his storyline revolves around TK/Tarlos so much more as opposed to scenes involving his job as the resident cop on the show, especially compared to Athena/Angela. I don’t think a lot of people (in both fandoms) realize this though.

This is good to know. I think he was written as a police officer so that there would be opportunities for interaction like what we see from Bathena, and IMO it shows an attempt by Tim to *not* push Carlos to the back the way he did with Ali and Ana in seasons two and four. The downside is that being a first responder, being the only member of law enforcement, causes viewers to expect him to be at the forefront, right? He's bringing something to the plot all on his own just by wearing that uniform. Unfortunately, that's not how these things work. I'm actually quite interested to see what happens during the next round of negotiations (which, if LS is following in OG's steps, should be before season 5 airs). Does Rafael's popularity help him earn a main role? Is it even an option given how LS attracts a smaller audience (smaller demo for advertising) and might not have the means to be throwing around money like that? (The one thing working in LS favor is having two big names - Rob and Gina - vs. OG's three. That might allow for some financial fixes.)

[tcplnyteens]

Key Player by Kelly Yang

I recently found myself with an unusually large swath of free time. Unsure of what to make of it, I was wandering around my house when I came upon Key Player by Kelly Yang, the latest installment in her Front Desk series, lying inconspicuously on a coffee table. I know that upon entering high school, most students -- including myself -- develop a bizarre and sudden aversion to children’s books of any kind (which I wrote an article about recently!), but the Front Desk series is near and dear to my heart. I was utterly charmed by the first book when I was in sixth grade and have followed the series for the past five years, so I felt an emotional obligation to read this one. 

Because Key Player is the fourth book in the series, I’ll have to mention a few spoilers for the first three. Proceed with caution! First, a bit of context: the main character is Mia Tang, a spunky and lovable middle schooler whose family emigrated from China when she was young. Mia and her parents live and work in the Calivista Motel in Anaheim, California, where they have all sorts of adventures with a hilarious cast of characters, including Lupe, Mia’s best friend and math whiz; Jason, chef extraordinaire and Mia’s ex-nemesis; and Hank, a former weekly (a long-term resident of the motel) and Jason’s mentor. 

Key Player takes place around the 1999 Women’s World Cup between the USA and China. Mia struggles to reconcile her dual identities as an American girl as well as a Chinese girl (a recurring theme throughout the series) and resolves to get an interview with either soccer team for her school newspaper. Along the way, she learns the true meaning of sports and the significance of this soccer match for women. Meanwhile, Lupe and Mia’s mom (a math teacher) work to beat a rich private school to the Math Cup, Hank tries to become successful through his burger recipe, and Jason struggles to please his strict father.

I’ve always been a fan of Kelly Yang’s portrayal of the Asian American experience in the Front Desk series. This series is about the other, very real side of things that isn't commonly portrayed: the immigrant community living in poverty; the supportive, loving parents; the dueling identities that immigrants struggle with. Key Player also touches upon the topic of intersectionality flawlessly so it doesn’t seem forced like in many other books or movies. The book discusses sexism in women’s sports, racism, poverty, and LGBTQ rights naturally and realistically, just as people in real life would experience them.

As always, Kelly Yang’s writing style was absolutely hilarious. Key Player was just comical enough to be amusing while also tackling significant societal issues. I had a lot of fun keeping up with the characters' antics and found myself rooting for each of them while they overcame their obstacles and proved the bullies, the racist guidance counselor, and the privileged private school kids wrong. Hope and optimism were huge ideas in this book, and it was refreshing to see the characters succeed through hard work and willpower while recognizing that even if everything is stacked against you, “you can’t win if you don’t play.” (That’s a quote from the book!) 

“Don’t give up” is a central idea of probably every novel out there, and the Front Desk series does it more effectively than most books I’ve read. Seeing the characters support each other’s dreams in the face of terrible prejudice was super inspiring for me. Mia’s determination to pursue her dream of becoming a writer -- despite everything telling her that she can’t succeed -- made me want to go for my own dreams as well as wonder about the dreams I’ve dismissed.  

Even if standards dictate that my “reading level” is supposed to be far beyond books like Key Player, I’ve concluded that good books will always be good books. I won’t shy away from reading something I’m too old for anymore, because as Key Player has shown, there’s always something new and meaningful to be realized, no matter what book you read.

~tania

[beardedmrbean]

Michel Barnier has met President Emmanuel Macron and begun the task of forming a government, a day after he took over as French prime minister.

He said discussions were going very well and were "full of energy", after talks with the leaders of the right-wing Republicans and the president's centrist Ensemble group.

President Macron chose Mr Barnier 60 days after parliamentary elections left France in political deadlock, with three powerful blocs and none able to form a majority in the National Assembly.

Mr Barnier's survival may depend on the votes of the far-right National Rally, although they have made clear they will not join his government. The left plans nationwide protests on Saturday.

The parties of the left are angry that their candidate for prime minister, Lucie Castets, was rejected by Mr Macron because she had no chance of surviving a vote of confidence in the National Assembly.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a veteran firebrand from the radical France Unbowed party, has called for marches across France and for the "most powerful mobilisation possible". Some unions and youth groups have said they will take part.

"We have a prime minister completely dependent on National Rally," said Ms Castets who complained that she, like millions of French voters, felt betrayed and that the president had in effect ended up governing with the far right.

Hours after his meeting with President Macron, Mr Barnier, 73, was due to appear on the main news bulletin on private channel TF1.

French reports said that his interview formed part of the discussion with the president, along with forming a government and preparing the 2025 budget, which has to be put before parliament by 1 October.

Entering the prime minister's residence on Friday evening, Mr Barnier promised to address "the challenges, the anger, the suffering, the feeling of abandonment, of injustice running through many of our cities, suburbs and rural areas".

Ex-prime minister Gabriel Attal, whose centrist bloc came second in the election, said after talks with Mr Barnier that Ensemble was prepared to join a broad front with the republican right and republican left, with "no desire to block or offer unconditional support".

Mr Barnier himself comes from the Republicans, and party leader Laurent Wauquiez said his decision depended on the prime minister's plans: "For the moment, nothing has been decided."

Some on the left said it was their own fault they ended up with Mr Barnier as prime minister.

Socialist Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo pointed out that the president had considered former Socialist prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, for the job but that he had been turned down by his own party.

Another Socialist mayor, Karim Bouamrane, blamed intransigence from other parts of the left alliance: "The path they chose was 100% or nothing - and here we are with nothing."

National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella have already stressed they will not join the Barnier government, but will wait and see what policies he brings to parliament before they decide on a vote of confidence.

The left are threatening a vote of confidence but, without the backing of the far right, will not be able to bring Mr Barnier down.

"He's a man who has never gone too far when he's spoken about National Rally; he's never cast us out - he's a man for discussion," said Marine Le Pen, indicating they could allow him to continue in office.

Without her party's backing, Mr Barnier would not be able to muster the 289 votes in the 577-seat Assembly, simply by relying on the support of the centrists and the Republicans.

[bellqmione]

okay uhhhh tma spoilers.putting this here because like. so many spoilers about so many things

jonah magnus!! the faggot that started this all !!!!! he founded his fuckass stupid little institute in 1818, mostly with accounts from his friends (boyfriends. he has a whole polycule tbh), writing gayass letters to him. i think i might have already told you about his failed ritual, where he fucked off and put his eyes into another man (homoerotic).

anyywayyyyy fast foward to 1997, elias bouchard, resident pothead and nepo baby is working for the institute after his friend got killed by something of the spiral (dont want to say avatar bc its nature wasnt clear and avatar often refers to a something that was once human). elias does fucking nothing at the institute, but jonah, whos currect body, james wright, is getting old, sees a little twink and decides to kill him.

elias. during his job interview. thought that james wright knew he was high. he wasnt high. but just. just.the fucking.interaction

jonah, in his mind: this guy is rich, hot, and stupid, i need to steal his body

elias, in his mind: OH GOD OH FUCK HE KNOWS IM HIGH

anywayy. yeahh elias gets his scooped and body stolen. jonah remains in that body until jon fucking stabs him to death (as he SHOULD !!!! it was soooo fun hearing him beg for his life)

ALSOOOOOOOO in protocol (sequel series), one of the main cast is gwen BOUCHARD!!!!! and everyone is theorizing elias is still himself (slacker pothead) and that hes her uncle

the faggot that started this all 🥰 yeah yeah yeah no i rmbr the eye stuff

LMFAO ELIAS???? o. okay damn new body for the faggot ig

YEAHHHH STAB HIM WOOOO

omg gwen!!!!!!!! gwen!!!!! yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ardn631-isobelchilberto-2024]

Week 10 - Choisy Photos

Interview:

What is your name, age, occupation?

Choisy Khairani, 21, assistant trainer (lecturer) at Techtorium

How would you, as you are now, describe yourself?

Content person, going with the flow, overthinking less, feel a lot more put together

How do you want to be photographed?

Not sure, but I am comfortable with everything, I worried I wouldn't get the photos she wants; results matter more (easygoing!)

What has been the biggest change going into your twenties?

Getting a job, requires her to reach out to others, reaction type, helped with confidence/leaning new social skills

What are some challenges you face going into your twenties?

Preparing finical stuff, bank at 19, doesn't pay the bills at home, regesturing to her bank was hard. Struggles with tax and investment which is a hard as a nz resident.

What have been highlights going into your twenties?

Spending quality time with others, connections, students opening up to her, people trusting and confiding in you.

What do you aspire to do in your twenties?

A present-focused person. A good storyteller likes the ones she enjoys to invoke emotion. Not planning on continuing teaching. Still interested in technology.

For me: Who is this person?

One of my close friends is hard-working, dedicated, goes with the flow and is always willing to help others.

About the Shoot:

This week, I photographed my friend Choisy. I visited her at her work, Techtorium in Newmarket, where she works full-time as a trainer assistant. I felt this would portray a part of her experience in her twenties. In my photos I wanted to highlight how she has grown into a wonderful intelligent women in a teaching role!

For this shoot, I played around with both natural and artificial light. I played with using objects to frame a face and with reflections in the glass. I used Vermeer lighting for part of the shoot to cast light onto Choisy. I took inspiration from the project Paula by Kernsten for the window shots. And other examples of mixed lighting from the first part of the semester.

For some of the shots, I focused on where she was working in a teaching role, such as marking, coding and writing on the board. I got her to stand in stances that were professional and strong. I also looked at the objects she had around her, such as her laptop and books. Or a stress toy we found in the staffroom. Which created a connection between her and the objects.

I also found this shoot to be highly collaborative as she would suggest ideas to do, and we would put them into practice and vice versa. She seemed to really embrace it as the shoot went on. And I think this is reflected in the shots. I made sure she felt comfortable with all the shots we took, and I enjoyed watching her come up with ideas and then taking them and us both being happy with the results.

Favourites:

These shots were taken in the main classroom. I wanted to show her body language and facial expressions while working. I thought it was important to portray how she acted in a professional environment as it related to her in her twenties. In this room, the lighting was artificial. Therefore, I had to be careful about my camera settings and the angles I shot from in terms of the limited lighting. I like the way the artificial light hits her in the second photo. I also like the use of her arm as a direction for eye movement in the first photo and the laptop as a framing device in the final.

I like this photo as it's an object deeply related to her. It both is a representative of her job but also of her other interests as she is a digital artist. She was coding while I was taking the photo, so there is a story and movement to the photo. I also like the deep contrast between her black clothing and the white laptop. Which draws the eye in.

In these shots, I play with Vermeer lighting in her staff room. I found this created a beautiful use of light on her face with shadows from the room behind. Also, the fact that she was looking out a window further emphasised the idea of pondering and reflecting on who we are. I also like how this showed her relation to place and how her relaxed posture contrasted with her in the teaching room. My favourite of these shots is the second one as I like the way the image is symmetrical in half her and then the other half the window. She is also looking out in a way of pondering which emphasises the ideas I want to portray.

In these photos, I played with reflections in the glass to add further layering to the image. I find that while the vending machine looks cool, it is not thematically strong. The second two show a sense of the place she is in as well as her silhouette, which is more thematically strong. I also like that her body language looks like she's thinking, and the fact that the reflection is on her head links to this.

We also had a bit of the play around at the end with a stress toy we found, which fascinated both of us. Therefore, we decided to take a shot with it. I liked playing around with her association with the object in the space. Her relaxed posture and camera angle.

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