#this post has goro vibes

[skrunksthatwunk]

kiryu lied to ichiban about proposing bc he's a silly guy but also consider:

based on comments from this post:

+ bonus

[afterthelambs]

im thinking shuake Notebook AU where akechi writes akira 365 letters but he never gets them because akira moved out of leblanc by then, and then years later when they finally confront they have that "it wasn't over, it still isnt over" moment and kiss in the rain like they deserve, the end

[kroosluvr]

the celeste celexcity kroosluvr swap au (i don't have a good name for this yet)

basics bc i haven't decided much yet

UHHH basically what it says on the images... akira is playing on maruki's side and they don't know if it's just to be a contrarian or if he actually believes in it. but akira in this au is very ends-justify-the-means + the fact that he's a dead man so he dgaf that it's the "wrong decision." he won't be there to see it anyways, no matter which route they take, but at least in the fake reality umm One version of akira kurusu is happy!

engine room and stuff plays out as normal i imagine those black mask plot beats r the same

+ post engine room, in 3rd sem akira's personality doesn't rlly change all that much. hes always been Shrewd Scammer Silver tongued untrustworthy bastard type and nothing changes even then. there are moments when he seems more 'vulnerable' but also sumire+goro cant be certain if its an act either

i think akira has a "well if they both hate me thatll make things easier" mindset regardless

shido is still goro's dad and all that and akira works for shido for whatever reason and he learns abt that and holds it over goro's head the same way he grates on sumire abt kasumi

o yeah akira wasnt like Particularly close w kasumi (he isnt particularly close w anyone) but they talked casually. he never rlly met sumire. it's funny when he meets 'kasumi' bc like obviously shes lying LMAO but he just genuinely doesnt care enough to find out (<- akira very selfish and just focused on his own goals on his lonesome). either way his interactions w her are funny bc hes like Hahahh yeah... (What hte hell isgoing on. Whatever)

also i think this goro doesn't meet all the pthieves/confidants in the same Order as canonverse akira, like i feel like he'd "team up" with yusuke first somehow (ake/kita fan THUMBSUP EMOJ)

sumire basically thesame. i changed her earring color frm gold-> silver just for differentiation pruposes (and itll fit better w her pthief design in swap bc itll be differnetntn!!! yay!!) uhhh but shes kinda more sardonic out loud thanks to akira being annoying

shes rlly embarrassed abt being "kasumi" to goro and so shes all like distancing herself like "sorry i know it was stupid of me and i totally get it if u dont trust me anymore bc i wasnt who i said i was" etc but goros also like thats in the past and also we kinda are the only ones in the world rn so we just have to put that aside for now and also kick akiras ass

THATS AL I CAN THINK OF RN it's kinda vibes right now bc im never good at figuring out entire plotlines LMFASOPFJS024320 falls over. Major plot holes probably and shit wont make sense it's a big JUST TRUST ME + i just wanna draw random stuff w them moment ummm uhh uh runs

[fereldanwench]

ARASAKA ADVANCED SOLDIER SYSTEMS

⚠️ do not reupload or edit my shots without my permission ⚠️

These were inspired by a few other images. This Arasaka advert from the game:

Which reminded me of the cover render for the first Tomb Raider game on the Game Boy Color (highly underrated TR title btw):

Which then reminded me of this PR render for Legend:

I've always had a lowkey fascination with futuristic/sci-fi jungle settings--Not like full sci-fi advanced society in the jungle, like Aya in MEA (although I like that, too), or post-apocalyptic nature-has-taken-over vibe, but like mixing the opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark with the tech of Bladerunner. If that makes any sense at all?

I don't know how to explain it exactly, but that Arasaka advert hits the mark pretty much 100%. I just really love the creative possibilities with the juxtaposition of modern/slightly advanced technology against something wild and ancient but it's all still very rooted in human civilization.

Anyway, I think Goro's service in the special forces probably took him to some pretty interesting locations, and this was also kind of musing on those prospects, too. (Although he'd obviously be younger, but whatever. Details.)

[yakuzacanons]

valentine’s day coming up!!

what do they boys do to celebrate w their s/o?

Anon how did u read my brain to find out I have been cookin this post for the last few days lol. Happy Valentine's to all of you, my lovelies.

Mild NSFW below. Also this is a long one, sorry in advance.

Kazuma Kiryu

Simple but classy. As it stands, he can't really do anything big or fancy and the Daidoji sure as hell won't let him do many dinner dates if any at all but he makes the most of it. Probably gives you a bouquet of your favorite flowers and a heartfelt letter.

Majima Goro

A chocolate thief is on the loose in Sotenbori and his name is Majima Goro. If a giant heart-shaped red velvet size box appears on your doorstep, it's from him. He might even be in it. Open it and find out.

Saejima Taiga

A mix of getting you some gifts and making you something handmade. He's typically torn between two strategies: making you a handmade gift and taking you out to dinner or buying you a gift and making you dinner. Heads up, he will at some point make a handcarved wooden figurine or statue for you one of these years.

Akiyama Shun

You'd think it would be beyond human capabilities for this man to get any sappier than he is but somehow he does it every time. A class act with just the right amount of cheese. Dinner, flowers, the works. You can't tell if you're just that starry eyed over this man or if he actually just fucking sparkles.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Can't afford too much on his salary, but he'll make you an adorable custom basket of all your favorite snacks. Will totally pull some strings at Homeland to get the restaurant open to just you two.

Ryuji Goda

Can afford whatever the hell you want and has no reservations about doing so. However, he DOES have reservations at your favorite restaurant with a bottle of your favorite wine, alongside one of every single favorite item of yours on the planet. Always gets you a piece of customized jewelry.

Nishikiyama Akira

Always gets you a customized bouquet of flowers. Actually pretty into the arrangement and colors and is particular about getting yours just right. Might just even make one himself one of these days. Also gets one of those customizable chocolate boxes or a luxury bag.

Daigo Dojima

Are roses and candles cheesy? Yes. Cheesy is also Daigo's middle name when it comes to Valentine's Day. Man's straight out of a 90's romcom. Probably got the idea from a 90's romcom, actually. Will also be down to watch a 90's romcom with you. Seriously, he prefers a cozy night in anyways.

Mine Yoshitaka

Same vibe as Daigo but sluttier. Seriously. He's a champagne and bubble bath type of hoe, followed by what can only be described as mind blowing sex. Out of all the boys, he's the one who's most likely to have sex on Valentine's Day.

Tatsuo Shinada

He will try his hand at baking you some homemade goodies. Be warned, the first few attempts will be a little wonky. He's doing his best though! He can't afford much so he likes to do homemade things. Would also be down to bake or cook something with you if you're into that.

Ichiban Kasuga

He'd take you on a date that includes all of your favorite activites and your favorite places. As long as he's spending time with you, that's what counts. Will totally end the day by just blurting out something sappy and romantic but would he be Ichiban if he didn't?

Yu Nanba

Likes to do something relaxing, particularly if it takes you two away from the city. Nothing like the peace and quiet of the countryside so you two can be as close as possible. Probably would take a weekend to go to a hot spring with you.

Adachi Koichi

Will actually ask you to be his Valentine. Total cheesefest with this guy. Type of fella to hold a rose between his teeth and say something dumb like "Hey babe, come here often?". In terms of activites, he doesn't have much beyond a nice dinner planned but his personality just oozes goofy, silly love.

Tianyou Zhao

If you thought he'd be doing anything other than cooking you an overly extravagant dinner all by himself, then you'd be dead wrong. Man's out here cooking all your favorite foods, baking your favorite desserts, and making them unbelievably pretty and fancy. He's out here making roses out of the freakin' dumpling pastry, for cryin' out loud!

Joon-Gi Han (Y7)

Sweetie boy is doing his best. Gets a nice cake with a custom message on it, or takes you to an adorable cafe and eats a bunch of sweets with you. Also, yes he's dressing in matching outfits, duh!

Joon-Gi Han (Y6)

This boytoy is taking you to the biggest, fanciest club in town and ordering the biggest, fanciest bottle of champagne they have. Also one of the boys who is likely to get down and dirty on Valentine's Day.

Osamu Kashiwagi

Total class. Years have given him enough knowledge and expertise to pull off a classic Valentine's Day without a hitch. Thinks of everything, from the flowers and dinner all the way down to what color tie goes best with what color suit that would match best with your outfits. Lots of kisses on the back of your hand.

[sammygems]

One Piece x Genshin Crossover - Straw Hats

I've been thinking about this idea for like, a hot minute, plus i've talked with a friend about it, and i decided to share it. so Vision elements & weapon types for the Straw Hats, plus what nations they'd be from if they existed in the world of Teyvat (plus some additional little thoughts and headcanons)! all 11 straw hats will be included

Monkey D. Luffy

Element: Anemo

Weapon Type: i wanna say Catalyst maybe?

Nation: Mondstadt or Natlan

Reasoning my friend gave for him being anemo: "freedom and dreams"

Roronoa Zoro

Element: Geo

Weapon Type: Sword

Nation: Inazuma

Additional Thoughts: I imagine his fighting style would be more similar to Chiori's in-game then it would be to other sword fighters from Inazuma. He probably would've left Inazuma before the Vision Hunt Decree, so would've been unaffected by it.

Reasoning my friend gave for Geo for him: "constantly looking to be stronger. Is a rock."

Nami

Element: Electro

Weapon Type: Polearm

Nation: Mondstadt

Additional Thoughts: I think originally my friend suggested Anemo for her, but after i started seeing her using lighting with the clima-tact more, plus i learned that (according to Oda in the SBS from Volume 98) if Nami had a devil fruit, she'd have the goro goro no mi/rumble-rumble fruit, which is the lighting devil fruit that Enel has, i decided that electro would probably fit her better.

Usopp

Element: Dendro

Weapon Type: Bow

Nation: honestly i'm not too sure, originally my friend said Mondstadt, but i could also see maybe Natlan or Sumeru (rainforest) for him

Friend's reasoning for Dendro for him: "I'm told that post timeskip he explores botanical things and it just makes sense" (they hadn't reached the timeskip at the time we talked about this)

Sanji

Element: Pyro

Weapon Type: Catalyst

Nation: Fontaine

Additional Thoughts: I imagine his fighting style would be similar to Heizou's, which is why i thought catalyst as his weapon type.

Friend's reasoning for Pyro for him: "Literally does fire kicks from Enies lobby -> onward"

Nefertari Vivi

Element: Hydro

Weapon Type: honestly not sure

Nation: Sumeru - Desert Region

Additional Thoughts: I originally thought hydro, based on just vibes and my friend agreed, saying "she's got a strong sense of justice"

Tony Tony Chopper

Element: Cryo

Weapon Type: Catalyst maybe?

Nation: Snezhnaya OR Mondstadt, but if from Mondstadt he'd be specifically from Dragonspine

Friend's Reasoning for Cryo for him: "Felt unloved for the longest time, came from drum island"

Nico Robin

Element: Electro (but i could also see Dendro for her)

Weapon Type: Catalyst

Nation: Snezhnaya

Additional Thoughts: I have too many thoughts on Robin in the world of Teyvat. First of all, in Robin's pre-timeskip outfits for Whisky Peak, Skypiea, & Long Ring Long Land (underneath the jacket) she wore an armband/bangle on her left arm that had a gold medal on it that had a BW for Baroque Works on the medal in the Whisky Peak outfit and in the Skypiea & LRLL outfits had a N for "Nico", basically, that would be her vision in genshin. She would probably grow up either in or have some involvement with the Fatui, before somehow ending up in Sumeru where she works with Crocodile for a bit.

Franky

Element: Geo

Weapon Type: Not sure atm

Nation: Fontaine

Friend's reasoning for Geo for him: "Franky gives me geo energy because oh my god he and Itto have a lot in common"

Brook

Element: Anemo

Weapon Type: Sword

Nation: Mondstadt

Friend's reasoning for Anemo: "musician, dead friends"

~ EDIT ~

Element: Cyro

Weapon Type: Sword

Nation: Mondstadt

Reason for Element Change: I was informed that Brook uses ice based attacks post-timeskip.

~ End of Edit ~

Jinbe

Element: Hydro

Weapon Type: Catalyst(??)

Nation: Sumeru

Additional Things: My friend said "obvious reasons" for why he should be hydro, but now i also know that he has a strong sense of justice, so hydro is even more fitting.

[icespur]

(Originally a message I posted on Discord)

Very random, but I like imagining what the PTs (Phantom Thief members) were like as infants

Like, I imagine Akiren/Joker and Yusuke were very docile, chill babies,---well, until they become mobile.

Baby Yusuke being very curious about the buckets of paint his mom likes to play with, and he keeps trying to eat the paint so his mom has to move it out of reach to keep Yusuke from giving himself lead poisoning.

Akiren being an uncharacteristically chill baby. Hardly cries unless necessary, not very talkative, embodiment of "no thoughts, just vibes"

And then he learns to crawl and turns into a nosy little menace

Similarly, I like to think baby Goro would be very adventurous and nosy too. A Little detective

(Mostly because of an adorable AU Fanfic I read of Shido being a decent dad that genuinely loves his Infant Son, Goro)

I want more Baby Phantom Thieves fanfics and fan art

[corviiids]

THANKS @kimdokjafan you are so kind and generous. ok im cashing in the first of three blank checks to talk about faith trust and pixie dust (most recent chatfic) because the last two directors commentaries were too serious so let's do a silly one.

some p5r spoilers, and this is mostly about sumire, and it's long again. do i need to keep disclaiming that these are long? you should know me by now.

i had this written for a while before i started formatting it because i wasn't really sure if i should post it? i feel like silly chatfic is something people go to for predominantly lighthearted nonsense so i was like, maybe there's too much plot and dramatic misunderstanding and i should just keep this one for myself. but then i was like well nothing matters and maybe someone will have fun with it. it's kind of terrible how much fully or mostly completed fic there is my docs that just doesn't see the light of day lol. write for yourself etc but i like sharing! too bad it comes with the mortifying ordeal etc. anyway that was a tangent

potato counter is a neopets game. there's no deep lore i just like neopets. i guess in this universe ryuji doesn't play neopets? or maybe he's just never played potato counter specifically. i also have a different fic where ryuji DOES play neopets. it's about neopets and ryuji and goro talking on neopets.

i think this might literally be the first time ive written sumi in a fic because i haven't actually written that much fic for royal, like, now that im looking, literally almost none? and none that had a group dynamic. so it was kind of fun to find her voice for the first time in a silly groupchat like this. i was worried people would find her exclamation marks annoying but i personally thought it was endearing so i added it in there.

every time i do a gag where a character corrects their own typo i have to code more stupid little bubbles to make it happen but i think it's worth it. all the effort that goes into making tgis look as much like a real chat as possible

this obviously doesnt take place in the canon p5/r universe, but im imagining sort of a postcanon sumi personality where she's more comfortable being herself and isn't borrowing kasumi's brand of confidence, but she's visibly a really anxious person without that kasumi veneer. i also think in this universe sumire is a fairly recent addition to the friend group, and while everyone likes her a lot and she really likes them, i kind of wanted to emphasise that feeling of being in a friend group where everyone's established and you're sort of a plus-one? you don't really fit yet. part of that is her being new, part of it is her anxiety, part of it is just the kind of person sumi is where she's so polite and self-conscious she ends up taking herself out of things with her own good intentions. stuff like her interrupting the flow of an existing conversation by greeting everyone instead of jumping straight in because she doesn't feel comfortable inserting herself, which means everyone else stops to greet her even though that doesn't normally happen in a friend group, or making a point of thanking everyone for being invited to events while the others take it as a given.

idk i love that she feels a bit out of place with the phantom thieves in p5r. and part of that is a natural consequence of being a new addition in royal who can't be naturally integrated with an existing dynamic but i honestly feel like the writing team realised that and acknowledged it, and really leaned into it, and that made it work incredibly well for me. like, it's part of her character that she's sort of an outsider. it's not like p4g's incredibly clumsy integration of marie and subsequent attempt to shove her down everyone's throat as the canon love interest in p4ga (knife). sumi has that outsider vibe on purpose and it makes me really like her dynamic with the thieves as an individual

goro also feels slightly out of place in these chats, but his conversational style blends more naturally with the other thieves at this point and he even uses their codenames sometimes. i keep saying my chatfic series isn't a real Series because the lore keeps changing, but if we accept that they're all kind of following a General Continuity, assume this takes place some time after the last fic in which ren added goro to the groupchat and they made an effort to integrate him into their friend group. he's kind of there now and has settled into being the weird boyfriend. that's his role.

every time goro says something like "ren and i" assume it's the text equivalent of him talking to the group with his arm around ren's waist.

ok i got really fond of this silly running joke where sumi brings up the weather when she's feeling uncomfortable. she's so polite. i like this thread because setting it up meant i got to tie it off like this:

this just made me happy lol i liked writing this. i tried to use it to demonstrate that despite goro's abrasiveness he obviously knows sumire pretty well, he's attuned to her quirks and knows how to tell when she's having a bad time with her anxiety, so he uses her little weather habit to ground her.

i honestly dont think goro and sumire could be considered close in p5r and as much as i like the "royal trio" in canon they're not really... like... friends? with each other? they're both attached to ren, so it' more a V shape than anything else. but that said, i really LIKE goro and sumi's canon dynamic. he takes a really grouchy but politely attentive supervisory role to her during their few forays into the palace as a trio where he doesn't really know her well but clearly identifies her as a harmless little tryhard who needs some guidance and steps into that role grudgingly, and she immediately looks up to him despite being very wrong footed by his ruthlessness, which i find incredibly charming. i think given time they could be good friends, they just didn't get much chance to know each other very well in canon. so i tried to kinda do that here.

once goro stops being evil and joins the group they all kind of tiredly accept that his role is to occasionally push a cup off a bench while smirking and refuse to clean it up. emotionally, i mean.

wait i need to backtrack chronologically to talk about akeshu.

in this scene they're in the same room lol talking and snickering while typing. im trying to get at that vibe of the annoying couple who is flirting with each other, via you. you know? like ostensibly they're talking to you (sumire) but everything they say to you is part of their stupid game. sumi is incidental to goro and ren teasing each other about flirting with someone else, goro is reporting everything ren says because his boyfriend is so eye-rollingly foolish in a cute way. they're very tickled by how amusing and charming they are. gross. disgusting. sumire im so sorry for putting you through this

anyway here are too many of my favourite jokes from the fic

[megaderping]

Late night SALT activated...

Disclaimer: This post is mainly about really aggressive/hostile fans. Disliking stuff is totally valid and curating one’s online experience is important, but... I’m very strongly convinced that the majority of people who vehemently hate Goro Akechi or Shuake to a really hostile degree either haven’t played Royal, haven’t moved on from base game, haven’t maxed his confidant, or really lack reading comprehension. ‘cause disliking a ship or a character? Super valid! Everyone has their preferences and comfort zones. I would never shame someone who genuinely just... doesn’t vibe with it, finds it uncomfortable, and wishes to avoid content or posts w/ the character or pairing. I also completely understand the frustration of wanting Goro content that isn’t ship-focused, since sometimes fandoms can make a pairing consume a character in fanworks (though I’d argue you can have the pair and still give him agency outside of it, at the end of the day, there will always be people who just don’t want it). But when I see factually incorrect arguments like, “Joker and Akechi hate each other,” I just go... “Did we play the same game?” The game where Joker’s greatest wish was to see Akechi again. The game where Morgana outright states that Akechi doesn’t really hate Joker and Akechi himself laments that they didn’t meet years earlier, and if they had, how they could’ve been friends. A game where it’s made very clear that despite the stupidity of going with the revenge plan with Shido and the lives taken along the way, there was still a disgusting power imbalance with Shido, a grown man in politics, effectively molding a broken teenager into being a hitman... And even the betrayal toward the PT- I feel like Akechi’s offer to have Joker join him was genuine as a sort of last ditch effort to get him out of that situation. The SIU director notes how the plan is way too callous even for Akechi, and after it happens, Akechi tries to downplay the dangers of the PT to Shido, suggesting a part of him, even if only a small one, does feel some remorse.

There’s this messy complexity to Akechi and his relationship with Joker and the PT... and people try to strip it of all of its complexities to make it a bland, black and white matter, and it sucks. It feels like those kinds of people want to turn Akechi into a hatesink when Shido is literally right there. And Kamoshida, and Okumura, and many other awful adults in P5. It’s weird how little flak they get by comparison? And I’m biased- Akechi was a character I developed an attachment to as I reached third sem and his character just came together for me. But it’s so freaking annoying to try and search up art of the character or ship on sites like twitter only to find the worst takes possible. Folks gotta separate their personal feelings from the feelings of the characters. The actual canon interactions and relationships are infinitely more compelling than “Joker/the Phantom Thieves all hate Akechi.” I much prefer what the game presents us- with characters like Haru and Futaba not forgiving him, but still sympathizing with his situation and (perhaps reluctantly) being willing to work with him when it’s absolutely necessary. The friction is just so compelling, because even if he’s a tragic person, his actions still robbed them of loved ones. ...but also, President Okumura requested many shutdowns himself and was an awful person, which also adds to the messy complexity for poor Haru.

Anyway, this is just a late night ramble because I went to find fanart and found annoying tweets. Argh.

[hsrblake]

Hi my nickname is Jessie I love Sunflowers, Wolves, and my favorite boy characters I love talking about them I don't have alot of characters I obsess over but there's a few here's some of my favorites out of many I love as characters.

#1 Cooper Howard

#2 Dylan Blake

#3 Varric Tethras

#4 Goro Majima

As you can see I have a type of man I love there's a pattern bad boys with a heart or just bad boys I also gotta love my cowboys, pirates, dwarfs, and people with super powers.

Age:30. Gender: Female. I Express Myself As A: Tomboy. Content: 20+ Mixed. I make things like Gifs, Moodboard Edits, Picture Edits, and so on.

I admit I have an obsession for Dylan Blake from RE Dylan Blake is happily married to my OC Character Serena Blake.

Oshi he's like a brother to Cooper Howard in Fallout there blood brothers justice can't be denied everywhere they go he's also brother/friends with everyone My OC Character Oshi is a mix of Majima from Yakuza Like Dragon and Cooper Howard from Fallout TV Series Oshi has a similar look with his duster to Majima's jacket then his Desperado Hat is like Cooper's I was going for a certain look I wasn't even trying with his appearance it's just a coincidence he kinda looks like these two now I joke and say it's there long lost kid or the love child they had with a someone Oshi is my favorite character I must protect him at all costs he's just the guy who wants to help and have wholesome but cool vibes while just being platonic with certain people I know am a girl and my OC Character Oshi is a boy I put some of my personality into him and in my other OC Characters anyways sorry for my rambling I just saw some similarities with Oshi with these two also I don't ship Oshi with no one he's just like a brother or friend to people I use my other characters for ships but Oshi is not for that he's off limits plus it doesn't interests him.

Somethings I make is a joke ok not being serious. I just post things I love and enjoy

Disability: I have ADHD/Learning Problem

My Favorite Tropes Is Are The: Protective Lover, Soulmates, Forbidden Lovers, Wholesome Couples, and sometimes Enemies To Loves plus Platonic.

I have my comfort characters Cooper Howard, Dylan Blake, Gerry and Pete, Jensen, Chris Mclean, Connor, Finn, Hunter, Crosshair, Varric, Majima, and others that makes me smile and laugh my favorite characters got me. I have multiple interests and like any character that interests me and fandom.

My top favorite actors are: Woody Harrelson, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Domhnall Gleeson, Keanu Reeves, Walton Goggins, and more these are my comfort actors.

Fate Has Decided That Our Guests Have Arrived

Serena And I Did A Lot Of Business Together

[gayest-persona-character]

ROUND 4

We're almost there! Round 4 will begin posting later tonight after I get off of work. Some of these matchups are... HOO BOY

Link to the full bracket here!

Rules:

Vote for who you think is more queer/gay (doesn't matter if you think they're bi, pan, gay, lesbian, ace, etc. Who's the most not straight!) You can vote on vibes alone, canon events, pretty much whatever your heart desires.

I will allow propaganda in the form of asks or notes (tags and comments) or reblogs.

Be nice and respectful. Not everyone has the same headcanons.

Remember, this is mostly just for fun! We have a few submitted characters for this exact purpose, so don't take things too seriously. (It doesn't matter what the results are, most persona characters will be queer-coded in my heart)

Matchups:

Moel Gas Station Attendant vs. Makoto Yuki

Female Student from P3 vs. Saki Konishi

Tatsuya Suou vs. Ann Takamaki

Ichiko Ohya vs. Kanji Tatsumi

Philemon vs. Baofu

Kou Ichijou vs. Yosuke Hanamura

Aigis vs. Noriko Katayama

Yusuke Kitagawa vs. Nyarlathotep

Kotone Shiomi vs. Yuka Ayase

Jun Kurosu vs. Ren Amamiya

Ryoji Mochizuki vs. Shiho Suzuki

Naoto Shirogane vs. Natsuki Moriyama

Lala Escargot vs. Elizabeth

Goro Akechi vs. Ulala Serizawa

Anna Yoshizaka vs. Joker (IS)

Mitsuru Kirijo vs. Takuto Maruki

[elvenbeard]

Q&A with Mikolaj Szwed and Björn Schalla at Phantom Liberty Tour Cologne

(Björn (male V's German VA) left, and Mikolaj (CDPR localization director) right)

I cannot believe my luck still about having been able to attend the Phantom Liberty Tour in Cologne yesterday (Aug 25th 2023)! I'll make a separate post just about the event as such once I've emotionally recovered xD But I wanted to make a separate post for this topic for reasons!

Around two months ago I made this post. I'm currently on my second playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077, playing with the German dub and English subtitles. That's because I'm streaming the game for some international friends via Discord as I go, for fic-writing purposes, and finally just out of general interest for the difference between dubs and translations and such. In short, it has been a super interesting experience noting all the differences in tone, word choice, and more, between the English and German translation. It stood out to me for example that in English Goro adresses Wakako as "Okada-san", but in German as "Okada-sama".

Now, imagine my face yesterday (something like this probably: 🤩) when it was announced there would be a Q&A with Mikolaj Szwed, Localization Director of Cyberpunk 2077, and Björn Schalla, who voiced male V in the German dub.

I took some notes on the whole Q&A, since this is a super special interest of mine, and I think it might definitely be interesting to some of you too! Therefore though this is gonna be long, so I'll put some more tidbits and details they spoke about below the cut (such as what it's like playing a game with a character that has your own voice, and how CDPR views and uses AI voices - excellent questions asked by some of the other attendees).

But, the thing that confirmed to me what I had been wondering about in my above post, is this:

The VAs of the various different localizations were somewhat free in what they said and how they said it, therefore 100% bringing something of themselves into the characters they played. Mikolaj told them precisely "this is what your character is doing/feeling right now, they're facing this or that guy, so-and-so is with them" along with their translated lines, but there was always wiggle room. The translations are not blindly following a "canon" script, for lack of a better word (as CDPR games are written in Polish first, then translated to English, even though English is the primary dub everything's recorded in "first"). Also, unlike in dubbing movies/TV shows, the VAs are not bound to characters' lip movements (the talking animations are made to fit the respective dub, which is so, so neat). They only have to fit a similar timespan as the "original" line and scene. Therefore, each dub is unique to its language to a degree, and not a mere translation of some original source text (resulting in me sometimes laughing about some chars being a lot more crude or making a completely different joke in one or another scene). An example I remember at the top of my head: in the English dub, when talking to Dennis at Afterlife, V will call his lack of details on the "very simple, easy money" Big in Japan Gig "duty-free and detail-free". This just doesn't work as a funny alliteration and play on words in German. They settled on something else there that also kept Vs comment humorous, and that's common in "regular" TV show/movie dubs too. The other way around, during the interrogation of Hellman, English Johnny will say something like "well, fuck me sideways, (...)" on one of Hellman's comments, while in German he's like "well, fuck me and call me animal names" in a slightly more crass way expressing how pissed off he is at the corpo just admitting he's kind of useless to V. No direct translation, but same vibes fitting the mood, and making each dub and each interpretation of every single character unique to their respective VA and language in a way. And I love that so much!!

Back to my post above. While I didn't get to ask Mikolaj directly myself, cause there just was not enough time really to answer all burning questions, I think with what they spoke about it seems realistic to me that Takemura's German VA definitely added that "-sama" to Wakako's last name as a bit of flavour he deemed fitting for his character in that scene. Which, in my eyes, is making German!Takemura just a tad more sly than other incarnations of him I know of. Björn also said he was able to use his own sadness or not feeling well on some days to really sell V's sadness or pissed-off-ness at his shitshow of a life, and put something of himself into the performance. He definitely shed a tear here or there, and it really really shows that he gave 110% doing this character and his story justice. I'm totally not biased here because my V is male and I love the German dub so much, obviously xD. But no, for real, not just him, I think every single person working on this game put their blood sweat and tears into it, it's a huge labour of love and filled to the brim with creative passion on all ends, on every level.

But yes, so much to VAs influencing their characters, confirmed! More of what they talked about in the Q&A under the cut while my memory's still fresh! Thanks for reading this far, like with my above post, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences as well, especially if you played the game with different dubs yourself!

For this part I'm gonna vaguely paraphrase the questions that were asked by other attendees as I remember them, followed by what Mikolaj and/or Björn replied, respectively!

Q: How did the casting process for the German dub go?

Mikolaj was presented with 8 different VAs that could fit the part of V originally (for both masc and fem V respectively iirc, but could also be it was 8 altogether). Four of them were invited to an in-person casting, respectively. Björn recalled having to say some lines and only understanding half of what he was saying really, not really knowing the context much yet xD But he had voiced characters in games before and had had a lot of fun with that, so when he was presented with this opportunity he happily jumped at it. A little while after the casting he then received a call going "Glückwunsch, du bist V!" ("Congrats, you're V!") to which his initial, surprised response was "Ja, wie?!" ("Wait, what?", more literally "Yes? What?" Note: "wie" is basically pronounced like "V" xD).

Also, Mikolaj has people for all languages the game is dubbed in on his team and the process is the same for each dub, more or less.

Q: At Björn: did you have someone to "act with" or off of in the recording booth?

V was actually one of the first, if not the first to be recorded so other VAs had lines to use as base to respond to with their acting. Björn was solely in there with Mikolaj who directed him and responded with dialogue where conversations happened, if need be. That kinda ties into what I said above the cut, that Vs VA really could shape the tone (together with Mikolaj) based on but not copied off of the English script.

I don't recall how long the overall recording of all the dialogue took, but it was 8+ hour long sessions, not every day, but over the course of weeks.

Q: At Björn: Is it weird to play a game as a character that has your own voice?

He mentioned he is only now having the time to play Cyberpunk himself for the first time and already incredibly addicted (what a mood). He doesn't find it weird hearing himself constantly, because through his job alone he is used to hearing his own voice (even though he could just play femV, too, he prefers playing male, "his" V xD). Also, he's usually so immersed in the world anyway that he doesn't think about it much, can distance himself and his voice from the character. He did note being a little self-critical about his work though (also such a mood xD), especially about lines that ended up with a slightly off intonation that he'd fumbled. That simply happens though, in dubbing in general, and in video games moreso because you're usually just using your imagination for picturing a scene instead of talking over an already filmed sequence. BUT actually, when they went back into the studio to record for PL, they re-recorded some of those messed up lines with mispronounced names or off intonation, which is making me look forward to my 3rd playthrough even more now! Gonna come with patch 2.0 I assume :D

Q: At Björn: What kind of character is your V?

A very nice and friendly one! He likes playing a goodie two-shoes. He also noted he's not far into the story yet, just finished Automatic Love, and it may have awoken something in him xDD He said when he had to pick a doll at the start of the quest he got distracted by his cat pissing on the carpet. So he didn't pay attention, just picked any, and ended up in Angel's booth, whom he didnt mind but also wouldn't have chosen otherwise. But then he wound up weirdly enticed by the scene and quite enjoyed it xD And honestly who wouldn't be, Angel is lovely 💜

Q: How do you both feel about the rise of AIs and AIs potentially replacing VAs in the future?

Björn said this is a concern to a degree, but will likely not affect him much anymore in his career (he's been in this line of work for 40 years, started as a kid, and is not doing only voice acting). It is a thing though that is discussed and unions and such are looking into means and ways to protect VAs rights to their own voices through contracts, for example, if VAs wish so. He also briefly touched upon the fact that some iconic German VAs are simply getting old and dying without enough new people following and able to take over their iconic roles for example, or even finding VAs that fit certain parts AND get them accepted by audiences (there was a huge shitshow around the German The Simpsons dub a couple of years back when Homer's German VA died of old age and his predecessors were not well-liked by a very entitled audience).

Mikolaj said he is generally not opposed to AIs as tools that should be used, in fact, they should be used but not abused for more than what they're good for. An AI can never convey the human range of emotion necessary to really "sell" a line, that is something you just need VAs made of flesh and blood for that are capable of understanding complex emotion (which AIs, who are not intelligent in the way humans are, cannot). Then again, in certain, highly specific cases, there could be exceptions made. He said that Viktor Vektor's Polish VA died after being sick for a long time. Before his death he'd heard about what AIs could do though and gave his okay to have his voice "live on" in a way after he is gone. CDPR also discussed this with his family before doing anything, but to have him remain a part of Cyberpunk they cloned his voice and artificially created some voice lines for him based of the material they already had. To Mikolaj, the decision on whether or not to use AIs and in which context always needs to be an ethical one done on a case by case basis.

Q: Some Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp never watch movies they acted in - how do Mikolaj and Björn feel about this sentiment?

Both of them agreed that they actually really like looking back at their old works. Mikolaj started at CDPR with the localization for The Witcher 2, and sometimes he cringes at some of the decisions he made there when going back. But it also shows him how he's grown as he realises "I'd do that differently now".

Björn is similar (he is not just a VA, writes screenplays as well and does voice directing iirc). He likes looking back at older stuff and, as mentioned in an answer above, both he and Mikolaj are a bit self-critical sometimes and see things they could improve when revisiting old ideas. It's a good thing to do to live through the awkwardness of looking at your old art xD

Q: What were your favourite lines/scenes to record?

Since Phantom Liberty is fresh in their minds (and Björn noted how nice it was to be back in the studio with everyone again), they kinda had to omit answering this for spoiler reasons xD There is supposedly an extremely emotional scene to come though that had everyone go absolutely quiet and sad in the booth, when usually there was always joking and laughing to a degree. You could've heard a pin drop (what are we gonna bet it's the new ending? 👀).

On that note, Mikolaj also mentioned how he loved seeing everyone come back to reprise their characters with new confidence, knowing them and how they wanted to play them now already, and they had a blast during the recording of the Phantom Liberty dub.

Out of the main game Mikolaj said though, the lines that hit him the hardest, that make him super emotional still, are the voice messages left to V in the suicide ending epilogue. He especially mentioned Judy and Panam (his faves 💜), who gave their all and poured all the despair and sadness into those, it was and still is hard for him to watch.

And on that super happy note the Q&A ended xDD I definitely didnt include everything that was said, I think I missed a smaller question or two as well, I'm just really going off of my memory mostly and a handful of notes I took during the talk xD

But yeah, I think this was definitely one of, if not the highlight of the night for me, at least looking at the schedule and what the local team had prepared for the Cologne stop of the Phantom Liberty tour :D

I still feel super privileged to have been there, given how new I'm to the game and fandom still, but yeah. I'm still so pumped and hhhhhhhh about everything, hope I can share some of my joy and excitement through this post with you all as well!!

\o/

[cyanide-e-pistachio]

Shuake Spicy Fic Recs✨

Hi everyone! I’ve noticed a lot of amazing Shuake fic rec posts, but not a lot when it comes to the spicier variety 🔥 so I’m gonna link a few of my favorites! When it comes to Shuake, I like dynamics of all varieties and read a lot based on mood. So I’ll try to divide these as best as I can!

What are my credentials, you may ask? I'm just a simple gal who likes to read and write :3

If You Want Something Deceptively Wholesome - The Joy of Asking for It by Stealth_Noodle (One-shot, 6k words)

A post-canon, established relationship fic that is simply a wild ride through and through, ending with a lovely little domestic scene that warms the heart <3 I love this author's writing style and how they make everything so engaging!

If You Want a Good Top!Goro Fic - Advantageous Positioning by coleslawed (One-shot, 7k words)

Starts off with a really captivating cold open, has a fun mini-character study of Akiren, and has a good, assertive Akechi! I remember really loving how this author could write such compelling prose.

If You Want a Good Top!Persona 5 Protagonist Fic - We'd Feed Well the Land and Worry the Sheep by cookietosser (Multichapter, 34k words)

This is an older fic, but still so good. If you want a confident, doting Akiren, this is the fic for you! It's set during Sae's Palace arc where the two start to bond through nap dates, things escalate quickly, and Akechi has a bit of a crisis about it, lol. Aside from the smut, this is also just a great fic overall and a true classic for me!

If You Want a Great Switcheroo - change places! by bangandawhimper (One-shot, 6k words)

I guess if I'm preferential to any dynamic, I love switching, and this one has that in spades. An unspecified AU fic where Akechi tries bottoming for once, much to his (initial) irritation. There were some moments in this fic where I genuinely laughed out loud.

If You Want Something Actually Hilarious - spin cycle by androgenius (One-shot, 6k words)

Again, another fic where I genuinely laughed out loud several times while reading. Akechi and Akiren are neighbors, and a lot of hilarious shenanigans regarding a washing machine ensue (and not in the way you'd think, you heathens!). The writing style makes it an absolute joy to read.

If You Want a Good Amount of Plot - Bullet with Butterfly Wings by CloudMenaceBird (Multichapter, 127k words)

If you want a good plot to go with some incredible smut, this is one of my favorites. It's just an amazing post-canon shuake fic where Akechi wakes up in the Velvet Room and manages to find Akiren again after the events of Royal's final Palace.

If You Want the Oddly Specific Category of “Two People Who Have No Idea What They’re Doing but Pretend to be Experienced Anyways” - what matters most is how you bring joy to life by futuresoon (One-shot, 8k words)

This is simply a classic, through and through. Pretty much everything by futuresoon is, but this is my personal favorite of theirs. I have nothing to say other than this is probably my favorite characterization of Akechi, and that all the subtleties in this work are *chef's kiss*

If You Want WHOLESOME WHOLESOME WHOLESOME - Fools Rush In by Atalan (One-shot, 35k words)

I actually read this work recently, and being. Simply. FLOORED by how good this fic is, and how much it establishes in a one-shot. Essentially, Akiren and Akechi speedrun their entire confidant on the day they first meet at the TV Station, and it has a delicious way of writing that "instant connection" vibe. And it's incredibly wholesome. That is all.

If You Want a New Fav - Good For You by Chaoticconstellation (Multi-chapter, 14k words)

This came out just recently, and it is a new favorite of mine! A wholesome fic where Akiren and Akechi agree to try an experiment to see if physical touch improves Akechi's mood. It features a very touch-starved Akechi Goro who needs (and gets) a hug.

If You Want a Classic - To Catch a Tiger Cub, One Must First Enter the Tiger’s Lair by AyuOakhay (Multi-chapter, 77k words)

This is my personal favorite Shuake fic ever! I don't know what draws me to it - maybe it's because it has a little bit of everything I like! And despite what the tags may suggest, it does have some surprisingly sweet moments. It also inspired my current work!

And there you have it! I have more I can think of and other oddly specific categories, so I may do a Part 2 one day! 💚

[iunctura-arch]

HEY OUT THERE!

I'm Lilia, and this is a Private Multimuse that is Mutuals-Only and super-duper selective on follows! This blog has over 100 muses, from Canons like Akechi Goro, Lina Inverse and Al-Haitham to Original Characters such as Niwa Tatsuki, Melanie Sinclair and Sasha!

I'm always happy to roleplay with others and very much a friendly person. Rules can be found on the blog itself under "Regulations", the Muse List is in the pinned post and I've got no qualms in explaining what needs to be explained if you need it (for my blog, at least!)

Please Reblog to spread the word! I'm looking for more people to RP and vibe with!

[m4n1ac-f1ggz]

lololo i love ur enel post😭😭 but can u explain why enel got dendro instead of electro? ^^

TYSM!!!!

I made that decision for three reasons

First one (LORE :3): The Unknown God considered Enel not worthy of the power he had (The Goro Goro No Mi) so before leaving them stranded in Teyvat, she took away his powers. And well, after arriving Sumeru, Enel got in contact with a Buer statue and therefore got Dendro alignment.

Second one: Character development.

Third one: He fits Sumeru's vibe

He wasn't very happy about it lmao

Srry if the explanation is a bit confusing or if it has any mistake, i'm not very good w English TwT

[yakuzacanons]

hiiii!!! I think I read your posts pretty much everyday and am loving absolutely everything you write!!

This one thought has been bothering me for a while: what would our boys think of their s/o being a foreigner? I guess some of them would pay no mind, some of them would be bothered at first, maybe some of them would even use their s/o as a token! What do you think?

Good question! Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Last post of the night kiddos, see y'all tomorrow eve.

Kazuma Kiryu

Doesn't mind and doesn't care. People are people. He likes you because he likes you. It's that shrimple. Seriously though, it never phased him. He doesn't ask questions about it either. Feel free to share exactly as much or as little about your culture as you'd like.

Majima Goro

Similar mindset as Kiryu but he would ask some questions. Somewhat interested in cultural differences, like the fact that Americans don't take off their shoes before going inside. It's not always aimed at YOUR culture specifically, he's just curious.

Saejima Taiga

He's a little resistant at first. Saejima's a little more old school and likely always saw himself with a more traditionally Japanese spouse. Mildly confused at some of your cultural differences but gets used to them. His affections towards you are more powerful than his confusion. Besides, he's easily confused anyways by a lot of things.

Akiyama Shun

Thinks that it's really cool that you're a foreigner. Might even think that's what makes you so interesting in the first place, at least when you first meet. Tries to learn words in your language but never pronounces them well.

Tanimura Masayoshi

As a mixed race guy, he kind of relates to you. He's pretty respectful of your culture and enjoys sharing his with you but he would never pressure you to do the same. Mostly just accepts it as is, no questions asked.

Ryuji Goda

Like Akiyama, he likely finds your cultural differences enticing when he first meets you. Finds himself actually caring about your cultural and is pretty respectful of it. Goes out of his way to try to remember important holiday events from your culture. Would punch anyone who makes fun of you.

Nishikyama Akira

Generally prefers an Asian spouse but he's open to other possibilities. Kind of guy to dumbly ask "Why" or "Huh" when you do certain things that relate to your culture. Little bit dumb about it all. Doesn't exactly judge you though but he can be openly confused at times.

Daigo Dojima

Honestly he has never thought about dating a foreigner and probably thinks it's expected of him to have a Japanese spouse but doesn't let that stop him. Daigo's a big sweetheart when in love so where you're from or what culture you partake in doesn't bother him none. Genuinely supportive and loving all the way.

Mine Yoshitaka

Might be a little guilty of fetishizing your culture or using it as a token point of interest. What can I say, Mine really does want to look cool in front of everyone, even more than Nishiki. If you tell him, he'll immediately knock it off. He likely just didn't realize that it bothered you or offended you.

Tatsuo Shinada

Also guilty of making your culture or foreigner status into a token subject, but more so in the way he just asks a LOT of questions. He doesn't realize it makes you feel like you're a zoo animal or like a science project. His intentions are well placed though, he just doesn't know when to stop asking.

Ichiban Kasuga

He'll just be like "Okay, cool!" with a thumbs up. That's how much you being a foreigner affects him. Bless his gentle heart, he could never fathom how anyone could judge you or treat you differently just because you're a foreigner.

Tianyou Zhao

Sympathizes with your struggles and is really understanding. Would be down to share cultural foods or holidays with you, either from his culture or yours. He's just generally really chill about it.

Joon-Gi Han

Similar vibe as Zhao but would whoop the ass of anyone who made fun of you. He knows all too well what it's like to be outcast just because of who you are and how much that hurts and he'll be damned if you ever feel bad for being yourself.