#translation line 2: BUT NOW YOU HAVE TO ADD YOUR OWN!!

[kisses4reid]

understand? pt. 2 | ·˚ ༘ spencer reid ,,

summary - you’re a polyglot translator assigned to work for the bau in a cross-national case, and there’s an officer who’s less than friendly.

genre - angst, fluff, good ending, fem!reader, both of them are awkward nerds, they both dig each other’s intelligence

warnings - mild racism, basic cm file details, so many inaccuracies regarding translating, languages, and crimes, no where do i specify which language r is translating because i don’t want to include wrong translations, please let me know if i need to add anything

w/c - guys idk count the words yourself

a/n - part 2!! if i didn’t add you to the taglist i apologise pookie.

part 1 (must read first!)

Spencer called Morgan and you into a small interrogation room that was being used as a temporary evidence locker. Books and documents were strewn across the room, Spencer had one opened in his hands, one finger dragging down a page.

“What’s up, Reid?” Morgan asked, eyes scanning the messy room. You bent down and picked up a book that seemed to be a diary, and inside was the sole reason you had been assigned to work the case.

“The diaries kept by the mother are all in english, so I’ll go over these, the rest are in a foreign language that L/n can go over.”

Morgan raised an eyebrow, “And me?”

“Oh, I was wondering if you could make me a coffee?”

Morgan scoffed and walked away.

You settled on the floor criss cross style, noticing the diaries had been organised in order of when they were written. At least 40 diaries had been filled, and you wondered how someone would have that much time to fill these out. Spencer watched you as you read the accounts written on the pages, but had to rip his eyes off of you once again if he wanted anything to be done.

His stack was much higher, that only becoming apparent to you after you took the courage to look at him.

“How are you going to read all of that?” You asked, cutting the silence like a knife. He looked around him and smiled slightly.

“I can read pretty fast,

“Oh, wow. That’s impressive. Are you a genius or something?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Oh.” You smiled tightly, grabbing the small notebook from your back pocket to start writing important details in english. He gulps, barely audible and squeezes his eyes in courage to talk again.

“Do you like reading?”

You lifted your head again and nodded, “I like sci-fi, maybe with some romance.”

He nodded and smiled, before clearing his throat and saying what he truly wanted to say this whole time, “I think you might have to keep distance from Sheriff Stevens.”

Your gaze flickered up at his brown eyes, swirls bringing you in like an optical illusion made for hypnotism. You shrugged and put on a reassuring smile, “It’ll be fine. He probably just didn’t expect me to be here, I’m not a part of your team so.”

“You’re a part of it now. At least for this case.” Spencer said softly, going back to dragging one finger down the scribbles in the book.

His words warmed your heart and your cheeks, causing you to look down after he did to hide the pink painted against your faded freckles. Suddenly, Agent Hotchner appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat - maybe he felt the same tension you did.

You stood up immediately, patting down your pantsuit trousers, Spencer’s eyes latched onto your hands.

“We need you both at the tip line immediately, they’ve called us.”

“They?” Spencer stands and follows Hotch out the room and into a smaller office with only a desk and phone in it, and that same sheriff from before.

You trail behind them, eyebrows furrowed before you realise the situation.

“The Unsubs. Y/n, we need you here to translate and scribe, I’ll be talking and if they end up speaking their first language,” Hotch pierced his gaze to yours, “you’ll be speaking.”

Your eyes widened, glancing between Spencer and Hotch, raising your hands in your own defence, “Oh, no. I don’t know how to- I don’t even know what to say-“

Hotch hovered a hand over your shoulder and nodded, “We’ll tell you what to say. All you need to do is what you do best, and listen.”

The sheriff lifted himself to where he was leaning on a wall and crossed his arms over his uniformed chest. He stared at you and then at Agent Hotchner. “This is who you’re trusting classified information with? Someone from the country we’re going against?”

Emily and Morgan entered the room then, closing the door, both of them nearly shivering at the sudden gloominess of the room - not that making contact with criminals was all sunshine and rainbows.

“Excuse me?” Hotch raises an eyebrow and puffs his chest out.

“I’m not from that country, sir, I simply understand the language.” You defend yourself as Spencer moves closer to you, shoulder to shoulder. Hotch moves away slightly, obviously thinking that was the end of that misunderstanding, but the sheriff speaks over any orders the SSA Chief.

“That’s what you want us to think. I saw how you scoped out the office, not to mention you look exactly like those people. How can we guarantee this girl doesn’t tell us lies? How can we guarantee she doesn’t tell them the truth?” His face was turning red and he had started moving towards you, before Spencer put out an arm in front of you and positioned you behind him.

“Agent L/n is a trained translator and has been for more years than you’ve been a sheriff. If you want any chance to find the kidnapped girls, you need to get over your ego. Maybe if you actually listened to her and let her do her job, you’d realise how stupid you are.”

The sheriff stood in shock, so did you. Your neck reddened and you took a step back, Spencer’s cologne overwhelming you. Morgan grabbed the man by the arm and forced him out of the room.

It was silent only for a second before Emily started, “Well, now that we’ve gotten him out of the way. Why don’t we take this call?”

They spoke english for a large portion of the call, but there were other people on their side who were speaking another language in the background that you got to work on translating. The call abruptly ended, and everyone’s shoulders slumped, the call was nearly useless. Hotch glanced at you and you took that as an invitation to begin reciting what they were saying.

As you went down the list of phrases, you paused and looked up to the BAU team.

“There’s a foreigner working with them.” Spencer furrowed his brows which caused you to explain quickly, “One of them had a strong english accent, and only chimed in a couple times. He was telling the caller what to say… I think.”

Hotch nodded and lead the team away from the room with the phone and into the room with the bulletin boards full of crime scene photos and maps. Spencer stood behind you slightly, and when your temporary boss started explaining the situation to the still-red sheriff, he turned your shoulder to face him. You searched his face confused before he spoke up,

“You should be more confident. Don’t say ‘I think’ at the end. You’re the only one who knows you’re right - plus me.”

You smiled and nodded. Spencer scanned the room, only to make eye contact with a smirk-faced Morgan.

Spencer conversed with Hotch after the sheriff went off to do who knows what, and Hotch agreed that he shouldn’t be left with you at any point in the case.

After 10 more hours of translating, driving, and analysing, the case had been closed and now you were back on the plane. The uncle of the girls had hired the kidnappers, wanting money from the parents that he felt was stolen from him when his parents died and his brother got most in the will.

This time, you took an empty seat at the back, not feeling like hovering for the full plane ride like last time. Your legs hurt, your social battery drained and your was energy at its lowest, and yet when Spencer took the seat in front of you, you felt a rush course through your body.

His cologne was back, and he held two books in his big hands. Tucking a short strand of hair behind his ear, he cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly,

“Hi, Y/n.” Your first name, not your last, and not Agent L/n. Your first name.

“Hi, Spencer.” His first name, not his last, and not Agent Reid. His first name.

He gulped, eyes darting from your face to the books on the table between you. “I brought you a book from my library I thought you’d like.”

Your eyes widened and you smiled, looking down at the blue covered book he held out. In your hands the book was still warm with his touch as you let your fingers trail the title and authors name.

“Well, I don’t actually know if you’ll like it. But you said you like sci-fi romance so- And I know you can speak that language so.” He rambled and you giggled smally, causing him to pause and stare at you in awe.

“Thank you, Spencer. This is actually the second language I ever learnt, I learnt it from my grandmother.” You told him, opening the book to a random page and smiling at the language printed on the off-yellow paper.

Spencer heart swelled, and it felt foreign. You had told him a piece of you, a tiny piece, but it felt like enough confirmation that you didn’t think he was weird, or too nerdy, or not outgoing enough.

“I’m glad.” He whispered, eyes scanning your face like it was the last time he would see you. It worried him slightly. “Do you want to um… go somewhere?”

“Like in general?” You titled your head.

He laughed slightly, “No, no. I mean like, with me?”

You cheeks reddened immediately and you unconsciously held a hand up to your face to hide your flustered expression. You took a breath and nodded, “Yes, I’ll go somewhere with you.”

perm taglist (open!!) - @jeffswh0re @reap3erslov3 @candyd1es

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[honestlyvan]

ALAN WAKE 2 ANNOTATED: WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT WEIRD FINNISH GUY SAYING

(This post is also available on Dreamwidth)

Preamble: What is this?

There’s a lot of Finnish shit in Alan Wake 2. I speak Finnish. I’m really annoyed about how wrong about some of the things that are in Finnish in the game people actually are. @drdarling is an Ahti fan. We’re mutually annoyed about how wrong about Ahti people are, because in general the trend is people thinking Ahti is spooky and mysterious because they don’t know what he’s saying, rather than thinking he’s spooky and mysterious because of the things he’s saying.

So Autumn went through the entire game, transcribing Ahti’s dialogue, and I went through the transcript, translating everything untranslated in the game, and providing cultural context for the rest of it (with some saves from @saikkunen, @rhpurasu-blog, and my mum), because truly this dude is not nearly as cryptic as people make him out to be, and is actually twice as weird as people think he is as a result.

Disclaimer: Finnish is very regional, and even with people from all over pitching in, some of the shit Ahti says might still be idioms we’re not familiar with. If you’re a Finnish person reading this going “HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS”, trust me that I had many moments like that while putting this together, and please leave a comment so I can add your insight :D

This post is going to go through all of Initiation, followed by all of Return. There's unmarked spoilers past the cut -- enter at your own risk.

INITIATION 1: LATE NIGHT

First meeting with Ahti as Alan:

Ah, (no niin) there you are, Tom. Not so much evil that not a bit of good as well. Not one without the other. Good to see you.

“No niin” -- utterance, roughly the same as “alright” or “now then”. “No” is a common filler word like “well.”

“Not so much evil that not a bit of good as well.” – “ei niin paljon pahaa ettei jotain hyvääkin”, a common Finnish turn of phrase. Broadly has the same meaning as “silver linings.”

Alan asks Ahti to point him towards the exit:

(No totta helvetissä.) Of course, Tom. The work will instruct its maker. I was gonna get something from the basement for you, but you can get it yourself now. The more cooks the worse the soup.

“No totta helvetissä” – “(in Hell), of course”, a variation on the phrase “totta kai”, meaning “certainly” or “of course”

“The work will instructs its maker” – “työ tekijäänsä opettaa”, common proverb. “You learn things by doing them.”

“The more cooks the worse the soup” – “mitä useampi kokki, sitä huonompi soppa”, common proverb, same as “too many cooks spoils the broth”

Alan asks Ahti what Ahti wants him to get from the basement and clarifies that his name is Alan, not Tom:

(No joo, mutta katopa kun) a man’s a man but a man with a tool makes two, Tom. (Eikö niin?) And a man with a tool can build his own exit. It’s in a shoebox in the basement where you left it. Safe as in the Lord’s purse. Here’s the key.

“No joo, mutta katopa kun” – “see, here’s the thing (with that) is”

“a man’s a man but a man with a tool makes two” – this may be an obscure saying, my whole gaggle of Finnish friends were equally stumped by it. Entirely possible it’s just those little shits from Espoo fucking with us, entirely possible that it’s a variation on a saying that we’re just not picking up on.

“Eikö niin?” – “isn’t it so?”/”Right?” a filler phrase. (It is very common for people to say this right after saying something that makes no fucking sense.)

“Safe as in the Lord’s purse.” – idiomatic, comes from the Bible (1 Samuel 25:29)

Alan asks Ahti if they have met before:

You remember Ahti. The janitor. You can’t be lost if you don’t worry about where you are headed. So don’t worry Tom, the sun will shine even into a heap of twigs. Just remember to turn on the lights. It won’t take long when you get to work.

“You remember Ahti. The janitor.” – the intonation of this line implies to me that in Finnish he’d be using emphatic -han/-hän for it

“You can’t be lost if you don’t worry about where you are headed.” – may be an obscure saying, none of us recognised it.

“the sun will shine even into a heap of twigs” – “paistaa se päivä risukasaankin”, everyone has their little successes, “every dog has its day”

“It won’t take long when you get to work” – “ei mene kauaa kunhan pääsee alkuun”, “as long as you get started it won’t take long (for the matter to resolve)”

Alan asks Ahti if he knows a way to escape The Dark Place:

He who moans about his troubles, is the prisoner of his troubles. It’s not easy to get out. But don’t you worry, Tom, the home is still there, where the heart is. I often think about it when I mop the floor and look into the puddle. Water is the memory of the world. Water finds its way.

“He who moans about his troubles, is the prisoner of his troubles.“ – “Joka murheistaan valittaa, on murheidensa vanki”, common proverb. Finnish people love telling other people to stop complaining.

INITIATION 4: WE SING

After the musical sequence, when you walk past Ahti in the studio:

My Swedish brothers, (perkele). (Ai että nyt on kyllä joo). (Lattoi pojat jenkkakoneet soimaan, saatana).

“Perkele” – “(by) the Devil”, one of the most common Finnish swear words.

“Ai että nyt on kyllä joo” – Untranslatable, can be approximated as “now we’re talking”, “that’s more like it”, or “a hell of a thing”. I love this phrase because it means fuck-all even in Finnish, and conveys a sense of deep appreciation regardless.

“Lattoi pojat jenkkakoneet soimaan, saatana” – literally “Those boys really made the jenkka machine ring, (by) Satan.” “Jenkkakone” refers to the band, playing a song for people to dance “jenkka”, a fast-paced folk dance to. (Addition from @sluiba: jenkkakone is a colloquial term for a jukebox, nowadays more commonly used to refer to audio equipment more broadly e.g. speakers; so he's basically saying, "those boys really turned it up to eleven".)

INITIATION 7: MASKS

When Alan runs into the janitor’s closet:

Hurry, Tom! Here is the light at the end of the tunnel. (Jumalauta), that held you close, Tom. (Ei muuta kun) onwards, said the granny in the snow. When the panic is biggest, the help is also near.

“Jumalauta” – “god help us/you”, a common swear word

“that held you close” – “otti läheltä”, meaning about the same as “a close call”. A more literal translation would be “that took close”.

“Ei muuta kun” – “nothing else to do about it, but”

“onwards, said the granny in the snow.” – “eteenpäin, sanoi mummo lumessa”, a common turn of phrase, an motivational expression of perseverance and sisu

“When the panic is biggest, the help is also near” – “kun hätä on suurin, on apukin lähellä”, a common turn of phrase, broadly means the same thing as “there is light at the end of the tunnel”, can be thought of as a more optimistic companion to “things will get worse before they get better”

(I like this block of dialogue a lot because it demonstrates that a lot of Ahti’s Finnish is just filler words and a tonal component to what he is actually saying.)

Alan mentions that Door didn’t seem happy to see him this time:

Fearing the master is the root of wisdom. But don’t let the game get you down. He is playing his role. Maybe put him in your films, Tom, like you have put me. (Perkele! Sehän olisikin).

“Fearing the master is the root of wisdom.” – “herran pelko on viisauden alku”, the fear of the lord (or rather, The Lord) is the beginning of wisdom. It’s an interesting choice to omit the reference to the Christian god, because it’s preserved in other phrases.

“Perkele! Sehän olisikin” – “(by) the Devil! Wouldn’t that be something.”

Alan asks what films Ahti is talking about:

I’m a fan of your masterworks. There is “Tom the Poet”, my favorite. And “Yötön Yö” is the most famous one, of course. And is it true what I hear, that it’s coming back to cinemas soon? Is there a bottom to this rumor?

“Is there a bottom to this rumor?” – “olla pohjaa”, to have a bottom, means “to have a factual basis”.

Alan says he needs to get back to his apartment, asks if Ahti can help:

Well-planned is half-done. You asked me to make sure you won’t forget the… (mikä se valokuva oli) light pictures, the photos that your artist wife took. They are waiting in the shoebox in the basement. What you leave behind, you find in front of you.

“Well-planned is half-done” – “hyvin suunniteltu on puoliksi tehty”, a common turn of phrase. What it says on the tin.

“mikä se valokuva oli” – “what was the word for ‘valokuva’ again”, a relatable bilingual moment. The Finnish word for photograph is literally just a compound word that directly translates to “light picture”.

“What you leave behind, you find in front of you.” – “minkä taakseen jättää, sen edestään löytää”, what goes around comes around.

He also has incidental dialogue, if you hang around after the conversation

I am looking forward to seeing “Yötön Yö” in the cinema, but first I work. And the work won’t end even when you do it (perkele). (No ei siinä), one potato at a time. Just remember, Tom - the brave will eat the pea soup.

“No ei siinä” – “well, nothing else to it”

“the work won’t end even when you do it” – “ei työ tekemällä lopu”, common proverb, warning against rushing and working too hard (because you won’t run out of work through hard work)

“one potato at a time” – “yksi peruna kerrallaan”. This one is so funny to me because he could have just said “one thing at a time”, since that phrase translates literally, and instead he says this just so sound slightly more Finnish.

“the brave will eat the pea soup” – “rohkea rokan syö”, a common proverb, used the same way as “fortune favours the bold”

RETURN 5: OLD GODS

At Valhalla Nursing Home, after Rose tells Ahti that he doesn’t need to clean, this is his home, and threatens to take his mop away even though she knows he would just find it again:

(Kyllä, kyllä mutta) once after being told no. Why rest, when you are born to work. (Eikö niin?)

“Kyllä, kyllä mutta” – “yeah, yeah, but”, exactly as “yeah yeah whatever” as you’d think it is.

“once after being told no.” – “kerta kiellon päälle”, a common idiom, to do something one last time before stopping for good. “One for the road”

“Why rest, when you are born to work” – possibly an obscure saying, the version I grew up with is “why rest when you are born to work hard (like a farmhand)”.

Rose tells Ahti to go pick a song from the jukebox, as a treat:

Yes box, holiday. Just thinking about it makes my dance foot waggle. (Kyllä näin on).

“Yes box, holiday” – This is a reference to Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, a Finnish sketch comedian from the Eighties. “Jees” is a loanword from the English “yes”, meaning “good, decent, alright”. The original append was far more vulgar, translating more properly to “yes box, dick face”

“makes my dance foot waggle” – “tanssijalka vipattamaan”, a common turn of phrase, means “makes you want to dance/makes you start dancing” depending on the context.

“Kyllä näin on.” – “That’s the way it is”, common filler phrase.

Saga introduces herself:

(No eipä siinä). Name won’t make the man worse, even a Swedish name. I’m Ahti.

“No eipä siinä” – filler phrase, same as “No ei siinä”

“Name won’t make the man worse” – “ei nimi miestä pahenna”, a common proverb, similar in meaning as “don’t judge a book by its cover”

Saga asks if there’s anything good on the jukebox:

We try to do good, but only prime comes out. Music from my Swedish brothers, Old Gods of Asgard. My pals, the (perkeleen) vikings, (perkele).

“We try to do good, but only prime comes out.” – “Hyvää koitetaan tehä mut priimaa tuloo”. This is a very specifically Bothnian turn of phrase, he’s just bragging about the Old Gods making good music.

“(perkeleen) vikings” – “Perkele” being used as an adjective for emphasis.

Saga asks where to find the Andersons:

You can never know where. Only a seaman can know that, but even the seaman can’t know everything.

“Only a seaman can know that” – this is also an honest to god pop culture reference, to a song called “Vain merimies voi tietää” (“Only the sailor knows”) by Tapio Rautavaara.

Saga asks if Ahti was in the band:

(Minäkö?) No no. (Perkele, saatana, en ollu en). Not so much sweet that it fills the whole stomach. But we have shared a stage or two.

“Minäkö? Perkele, saatana, en ollu en.” – “Me? (Perkele, saatana), absolutely not.” “Me” in the interrogative has a slightly dismissive/diminutive vibe in Finnish.

“Not so much sweet that it fills the whole stomach.” – “ei makiaa mahan täydeltä”, a classic turn of phrase about not overindulging.

Ahti’s incidental dialogue, hanging out by the jukebox as Saga:

Rain is coming down like from the ass of Esteri. (Vaikka vettähän ne kyllä lupasikin, että…)

“Rain is coming down like from the ass of Esteri” – “vettä tulee kuin Esterin perseestä”, same as “raining cats and dogs”

“Vaikka vettähän ne kyllä lupasikin, että…” – “Although (they, the weather forecast) did promise it would rain, so…”

Rushing is not good for you and hurry is not an honor. (Lietkö olet tämmöistä kuullut.)

“Rushing is not good for you and hurry is not an honor” – “ei ole hoppu hyväksi eikä kiire kunniaksi”, a very common idiom. What it says on the tin.

“Lietkö olet tämmöistä kuullut” – “I wonder if you’ve heard (of) such a thing”, he’s just making fun of Saga for being “hasty.”

(Joo näinhän se menee, että…) the lazy man gets sweaty when he eats and gets chilly when he works. (Se oli kyllä hyvin sanottu.) The song revives the soul.

“Joo näinhän se menee, että” – a filler phrase, similar meaning as saying “as they say”.

“the lazy man gets sweaty when he eats and gets chilly when he works” – “hiki laiskan syödessä, vilu työtä tehdessä”, a common proverb excoriating people for laziness.

“Se oli kyllä hyvin sanottu” – “That was well said”. This whole exchange comes across as Ahti trying to impart some words of wisdom to Saga.

After the power goes out, Ahti has dialogue upstairs:

No use crying in the dark place. What has been, has gone. But trouble doesn’t look like this! You can go to the basement and check the generator. But look out - you can never know in which tree the devil sits.

“No use crying in the dark place.” – This is most likely a deliberate play on words from Ahti. The relevant Finnish proverb is “ei auta itku markkinoilla” (there’s no use crying at the marketplace) which means it’s pointless to waste time feeling sorry for yourself.

“What has been, has gone.” – “ollutta ja mennyttä”, usually this phrase is used the same way as “water under the bridge”

“But trouble doesn’t look like this!” – “ei hätä ole tämän näköinen”, common turn of phrase communicating that the situation is not as bad as it seems.

“you can never know in which tree the devil sits.” – “ei sitä koskaan tiedä missä puussa piru istuu”, common proverb. The word used for devil, “piru”, refers to a folk devil or an evil spirit rather than a capital-letter Devil the way “Saatana” and “Perkele” do.

Ahti jumpscare at the Spiral door:

Getting in is forbidden, for your own safety. Time is long for those who wait. But in the end, stand the thanks.

“Time is long for those who wait” – “odottavan aika on pitkä”, common turn of phrase. Same meaning as “time is slow for those who wait”.

“in the end, stand the thanks.” – “lopussa kiitos seisoo”, common turn of phrase. Similar meaning as “good things come to those who wait.” The word for “thanks” can also be used to mean “reward”.

Saga asks Ahti is he knows anything about the Cult of the Tree:

Yes, yes! He who reaches for a spruce tree will stumble into a juniper. Blum was one of them. He has kicked empty. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. But I like his shoes.

“He who reaches for a spruce tree will stumble into a juniper.” – “joka kuuseen kurkottaa se katajaan kapsahtaa”, a common proverb about (edited by suggestion from Sluiba again) the dangers of excessive ambition and greed.

“He has kicked empty.” – “potkaissut tyhjää”, common idiom, "kicked the bucket"

Saga asks Ahti how he knows Blum was in the Cult:

A fox never runs out of tricks. Tease a crazy man and he will show his ways. Blum liked to talk.

“A fox never runs out of tricks “ – “ei ketulta keinot lopu”, proverb. Foxes are traditionally tricksters in Finnish folklore.

“Tease a crazy man and he will show his ways “ – “härnää hullua, saat tapansa tietää”, proverb. In essence, “fuck around and find out.”

Saga asks Ahti if he knows where Anger’s Remorse is, after finding the empty record sleeve:

The matter is not my business, (mutta niin, sanotaanko vaikka, että) but she who steals a needle, steals a nail. Wonders of the modern world - music captured on vinyl, on tape. What will they come up with next? (Mitähän ne vielä keksii) I’m a man of the old union.

“mutta niin, sanotaanko vaikka, että” – “but, yeah, let’s just say”

“but she who steals a needle, steals a nail.” – “Joka varastaa neulan, varastaa naulan”, an old proverb. I’d like to note that Finnish does not have gendered pronouns, so Ahti is deliberately giving a hint here. (Addition from @sluiba: "[the proverb] suggests that someone unscrupulous enough to steal small things will likely also steal something bigger.")

“Mitähän ne vielä keksii” – “what (else) are they going to come up with”

“I’m a man of the old union.” – “Vanhan liiton mies”, a biblical reference to the covenant in the Old Testament. He’s basically calling himself older than Christ. The phrase itself is used to mean "old-fashioned" in a positive sense.

Weird idle dialogue in Ahti’s room after this:

There are pieces of george on the floor everywhere. The black stuff. Shitty thing. Very bad. I need to clean it all away. (Perkele, kun sotketaan joka paikka)!

“pieces of george” – very sneaky, he’s saying it look like someone threw up (yrjötä, the name “Yrjö” being a Finnish form of George) on the floor.

“Perkele, kun sotketaan joka paikka” – “(Perkele), what a mess they’ve made of everything!”

(Kulkaapa nyt, mikä…) (Mitäs, mikä paikka tämä on?) (Voi helvetti soikoon). Where am I? (Tämä ei ole minun koti). This is not my home. (Minä haluan…) I want to go home now. What is this place? (Ei saatana. Ei saatana!) How did I get here? I’m lost… lost at sea. No lighthouse anywhere, and a storm is coming. (Voi jumalauta).

“Kulkaapa nyt, mikä… Mitäs, mikä paikka tämä on?” – “listen here, what… Where, what is this place?”

“Voi helvetti soikoon” – cursing, literally translates to “oh, how Hell rings (like a bell)”

“Tämä ei ole minun koti. Minä haluan…” – “This is not my home. I want…”

RETURN 8: DEERFEST

Alan goes to the Spiral Door in the Dark Place and sees Ahti there:

We loop around, and come together, Tom. I have put everything ready for the visitors. I’ll come to wash the floor of your room next. All you need is water and Vileda. Water is the oldest balm. Water finds its way. What water brings, it takes away. It can be clean or dirty, it can give life or drown it.

“We loop around, and come together” – “ympäri käydään, yhteen tullaan”, a common turn of phrase. “What goes around comes around.”

“All you need is water and Vileda.” – Vileda is a popular cleaning supplies brand. He’s quoting an advertisement.

“Water is the oldest balm.” – “vesi vanhin voitehista”, from Kalevala. What it says on the tin.

Alan asks if Ahti can help him find his way one last time:

Now there’s a devil in the fish trap. Don’t be spooked by it so that shit won’t start beating your underpants. Okay, I’ll get the door open for you, Tom. There you go. The matter is a steak. Now comes the end of the rhyme.”

“there’s a devil in the fish trap” – “olla piru merrassa”, an idiom. It means that there’s unfortunate consequences for something you did, similar to “a devil to pay”

“Don’t be spooked by it so that shit won’t start beating your underpants” – “älä säiky ettei lyö paskat housuihin”, would be more properly translated as “so that shit doesn’t drop hard into your pants”. Means the same thing as it does in English.

“The matter is a steak.” – “asia on pihvi”, idiom meaning that something has been exhaustively dealt with, the way you make steak out of a cow.

“Now comes the end of the rhyme” – “tuli lorun loppu”, idiom with a similar meaning and implication as “end of the line”, the expected end of the current circumstances.

And that’s a wrap! If there’s interest, and if I can get an assist from Autumn again, I might go back to Control and do the same thing for Ahti there. The point is to do justice to our collective weird uncle from the Remedy Connected Universe. Hope you had fun and learned something new :D

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I read the post where you answered why you didn’t like Malleus and remembered that you placed Leona really highly on your favs list, and Leona is my favorite so do you mind me asking why do you like Leona?

[My TWST character tier list is here.]

[Anon is also referencing this Malleus post.]

THERE’S A REASON WHY L*ONA IS IN “Unfortunately Enjoy” TIER 😭 I think for like... over a year (2020-2021)? Probably closer to 1.5 years?? I really disliked him and swore up and down that I'd "never in my life simp for the fake cat". This was largely in part due to book 2, which to this day I believe did Leona a HUGE disservice and made him look very unintelligent and uninteresting. Then I was drip fed new Leona content as it steadily came out (vignettes, voice lines, event stories, his return in book 6) and my opinion of him vastly improved. Book 2 was just a really bad introduction to him and it greatly soured my first impressions. sjfyofqebfeiafns B-But now I'm too embarrassed to openly declare, "Yeah, I like a sad muscular l*on man. So what?" Some would say that's tsundere behavior... BUT I SAY I'M COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED FOR ACTING THIS WAY BECAUSE IT ISN'T EASY TO CONFESS WITH YOUR WHOLE CHEST THAT YOU LIKE KINGSCHOLAR OF ALL TWST CHARACTERS

... Anyway! For a much more expanded explanation, I'd recommend this post! It already states a lot of my thoughts, and I don't want to repeat them in yet another lengthy lion-related post. What I'll do instead is summarize the key points for you, plus add some commentary about Leona and Malleus at the end.

Admittedly, he is pretty. VERY pretty. I'm saying this as someone who normally really dislikes hair longer than shoulder length, the "wild"/bad boy aesthetic, and kemonomimi. Leona breaks ALL the rules and still somehow manages to wear everything and anything well because of his sheer confidence and natural grace. His physical features are also very striking... The sharp bright green eyes, the small waist and large chest (there's NO reason why he HAD to be built like that), his stupid smirk, etc.

His pettiness and sarcasm. Leona has, hands down, some of the funniest lines 🤡 I love that he has the balls to speak callously to everyone, including fellow dorm leaders and royalty. His best moments, however, are when he whips out the sarcasm on statements which are so patently untrue--like when he says he is a 'delicate prince' and a 'lost child', both moments from book 6. It's also hilarious whenever Leona speaks in a formal way, showing that he does have the education and the knowledge of how a prince should present himself, but just actively chooses to not make the effort and only does so mockingly or when social grace calls for it.

HIS BIG BRAIN FOLDS, HOLY COW (err, book 2 aside). Leona works smarter, not harder!! He's always one step ahead of everyone else, even if he appears sleepy or disinterested at the time. He figured out the trick behind the "indestructible" golden contracts, he sussed out Jamil WAY before book 4 ever came out (saying that Jamil has "eyes that always glare" and implying that Jamil poses a threat to Kalim's life; this is from Jamil's School Uniform vignette), he takes what he learns in textbooks and so easily translates it to real-world experiences (ie advising the first years on how to more efficiently mine magestones in Vargas Camp), etc. Additionally, Leona knows when to step in and when to be hands off. It's not done out of cowardice or laziness, but rather because he's thinking strategically. For example, he could have resisted capture at the hands of the Ferrymen, but he didn't because it would be smarter to just go with them willingly. It saves everyone a lot of time and energy, and it’s this kind of intelligent thinking that makes Leona really stand out.

He knows how to lead. There are many different types of beastmen, each with own beliefs, values, and traditions that are unique to their own group. As a result, it is very difficult to unify all beastmen within the Sunset Savanna under one rule. Guess who doesn't have this problem? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S LEONA. There's a variety of beastmen in Savanaclaw, and he effortlessly rules over them and commands their respect.

He actively thinks about how to improve the Sunset Savanna. Leona's ideas are not always the best (like, yeah, you could introduce new technology to the country but expect significant social pushback from the people, who prioritize living in harmony with nature). However, I can really appreciate that he did not entirely turn his back on the people who feared his powers and talked him down. I think he eventually realized the flaws in his way of thinking and actively chose an energy and mining lab internship in hopes of researching ways to slowly implement changes that will benefit the Sunset Savanna while also remaining respectful of the people's beliefs. He is concerned about Falena's lax way of ruling and consistently brings up ideas in various voice lines about how they can improve the Sunset Savanna and its relationships with other countries and tourists. In spite of everything he went through, Leona never wants to hurt those who hurt him with their comments and comparisons to his elder brother. He does not ever want to tear down the system that kicked him down again and again, only wants to challenge it by proving his own merits and the merits of the other downtrodden that he leads.

As much as he wants to deny it, he cares about his underclassmen and goes out of his way to help them. There are sooo many examples of this that it cannot possibly fit in one bullet point. (I would really recommend reading the elongated post linked above, as I go into more detail on this.) Suffice to say, Leona has been shown guiding, instructing, and mentoring many other characters including, but not limited to: Epel, Ruggie, Jack, Jamil, and various Savanaclaw mob students. This really hits me in the heart because I love reliable big brother characters 😭 EVEN THOUGH LEONA IS TECHNICALLY A YOUNGER BROTHER...

He understands his strengths—and he understands others' strengths too. This man is fully aware of his magical might and powerful presence. He uses every last bit of it to full effect and to attain his goals, whatever those may be. One of my favorite uses has to be In Fairy Gala!! He distracted some pixies by simply demanding water and their attention so his partners in crime could escape—and what’s more, this was a plan he came up with on the spot because their mission was being jeopardized by unforeseen events. Leona is also good about pinpointing people’s best attributes and then helping them hone it. This happens a lot during club practice, bur it also occurs in book 6 between him and Jamil. Speaking of…

THAT WHOLE BOOK 6 CONVERSATION WITH JAMIL DESERVES ITS OWN BULLET POINT. This part was peak mentor mode Leona 😭 Sure, maybe he wasn’t the kindest with his wording, but I felt this was the wake up call Jamil needed to hear. What really got me though was the part where Leona tells Jamil there’s still hope for him… “unlike me”. (I believe this part was translated differently in EN to make Leona’s ego sound more inflated (ie “I’m not like you”) which saddens me immensely.) It paints the image that Leona is still struggling to believe his efforts will amount to anything and that he believes more in his juniors than in himself :(( (which informs my headcanon that Leona mentors younger students so that they can have the bright future he doesn’t think he can have for himself).

Emotional complexity. When you get down to it, what started off as a very basic story of jealousy and inferiority complex actually resulted in a deeply flawed, traumatized, and scarred individual who continues to doubt and put himself down but is slowly recovering. Leona is smart and charismatic—he is everything a leader should be, but he doesn’t truly see his own worth. (Ironically, the only people who do are the ones who look up to him and follow him.) And now… Leona’s actually got his eyes set on graduating! He has his internship plans set! I think he’s made such big strides since book 2, and it’s been so rewarding seeing him regain his willingness to try and succeed return to him.

Looking back on it, it’s so ironic how things ended up working out. Initially, I was totally on Lilia’s side when he insulted Leona and said he would never be the kind of leader Malleus is. Now I’m realizing how Leona does many of the things I don’t see Malleus doing (despite Lilia claiming Malleus is more fit to be king than Leona is).

Malleus isn’t harming his people by any means, but it’s more like he’s… stagnant? Complacent? He’s satisfied with the status quo and is comfortable resting on his laurels. And because of that, Malleus doesn’t really seem to consider what he, as a leader, can do for others, be it for his dorm members or doe his country. (Part of this is also how isolated and opposed to change Briar Valley is, of course! That kind of culture definitely shapes Malleus’s thinking.) He tends to avoid situations which involve navigating social complexities rather than dealing with them himself. Think of Ghost Marriage, when Sebek proposes in his place. Think of Fairy Gala, when Silver is the one that ultimately resolves the conflict between the diurnal fae (who have historically not been friendly with nocturnal fae) and NRC. Malleus is so sheltered that has not truly been put in situations where he has to make tough decisions or where he has been challenged. He has never had to claw and scream and beg for people to see his worth.

Leona has been through that emotional wringer, and though he’s been hurt so badly, he still came out the other side. In running from the shadow of his family—of his older brother—Leona found solace in this new kingdom, Savanaclaw. It’s a place to build himself up, to stew over the ideas he has that have yet to be realized, all with a safe mental distance from home. It’s through the many hardships he has experienced that has refined his wit and given it a place to practice, to be used.

When it comes down to it, Leona and Malleus are two sides of the same coin. Both arrogant princes, the second born and crown prince, respectively, wishing for the other’s circumstances. Leona desperately wants that respect and recognition that Malleus has. Malleus longs for the intimacy and camaraderie that Leona is so easily able to cultivate and command. Leona has been forced to adapt, to learn, to grow from his scars. Malleus struggles with the concept of change (understandable, given his background) and actively denies reality if he finds the truth to be unpleasant. He’s not used to facing dilemmas that cannot be solved with magical strength, and has not ever been challenged in such a way. Malleus doesn’t know how to deal with that, which is partly why be panics and loses himself to emotions in book 7. (By the end of it, I’m sure he’ll be given the chance to see the error of his ways though 💦 or at least I hope he does??)

Their characters are very different, and that’s not a bad thing!! If anything, it makes their dynamic so interesting to observe and it offers varying interpretations of the same “prince” trope. I definitely know which of the two I prefer 🤡

[hhbluedynamite]

TADC Headcanon/Theoryish: How Long was Everyone in the Game?

Just something I was thinking about. Now...I think this can still apply to the theory that years in the game could be minutes in the real world. I don't subscribe to the theory, but feel free to use this for your own thoughts. Because...really, even if time works differently in the game, all that matters is that the characters still experienced the time lapse.

Any hoodles, onwards!

(Disclaimer: Pomni won't be included because it is canonical that she's been in the game for three days; maybe less than a week if some time have passed between Ep2 and Ep3)

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

Before we get to the nitty-gritty, lets first familiar ourselves who was in the game the longest to shortest (translation: who was able to keep going without Abstracting) plus current age since both can help gauging.

Kinger: 48 (First and Longest Surviving Member)

Ragatha: 30 (Second Longest Surviving Member; Note she's not the second to be stuck in the game)

Jax: 22

Gangle: 26 (It was Jax who gave her the name)

Zooble: 22 1/2 (Aside from Pomni, they spent the shortest amount of time)

Okay, with that out of the way, let's begin.

Kinger: At least 20 years, 23 at max when considering his seven year education in computer science. (which could fall in line with the idea that the game was made/came into existence in the 1990s/2000s)

Ragatha: 10 years, give or take

Jax: At least 5 years, maybe 7 (So, that would mean that he was a high schooler when he got sucked in. He gave me punk kid/juvenile delinquent vibes)

Gangle: I wanna say she came around about a year or two later after Jax.

Zooble: Less than a year. Their mannerisms during the therapy session gave me vibes of someone who wasn't a newbie, but not entirely integrated into their new environment.

I also wanted to add that, including Queenie and Kaufmo, there were at least 11 other players (so...possibly more), all of which had Abstracted. I won't attempt to guess the others since we don't know anything except for the only named two.

Queenie: She's at least one of the earliest victims. I wanna wager she was the second to be sucked in along with Kinger. As for when she Abstracted...I wanna say maybe a few years after getting sucked in. Maybe after witnessing others Abstracting.

Kaufmo: I wanna place his arrival between Ragatha and Jax, if not after Jax. Everyone (including Jax) was affected by Kaufmo's Abstraction, surprised that it happened. Maybe he was the longest lasting member (aside from Kinger) to have not Abstracted. Of course, it could be that they have assumed that Kaufmo was less likely to Abstract because of his personality (you know what they say about people who smile the most). Or both.

[yuurei20]

I had been wondering about this since the friend thing was brought up, but Idia says “not all of these people are our friends,” which suggests that he considers at least some or one of the people present to be a friend. Since he follows it up by stating that, “Ramshackle dorm isn’t the prefect’s house,” in response to Ortho declaring they’ve visited a ‘friend’s house’—add in the whole yobiste moment with the prefect in the Glorious Masquerade, which occurs after Book 6–could it be that Idia actually considers the prefect to be a friend?

I could be wrong about these two moments on the EN server, since I don’t think he really uses the word ‘friend’ in the Ceremonial Robes quote and even on EN I can’t be certain about whether or not he’s solely referring to Grim when the Ramshackle duo or added to the Glorious Masquerade trip and he says “AND valuable emotional support,” or if he even mentioned it in JP. But they seem to lend credence to the idea that Idia considers the prefect a friend or at least more than an acquaintance.

Hello hello!! Thank you so much for this question! 

This is a very good point!! When Ortho points out that they have "traveled to the residence of an acquaintance" Idia responds, "not all of these people are our friends," and one interpretation could be that there is at least one person who counts as a friend present at the time! 👀 (another interpretation may be, "It's not like we're all friends.")

(While Ortho does say "we've experienced hanging out at a friend's house" at first, he then corrects himself to call the prefect "an acquaintance." Referring to other students as Idia's friends despite Idia's and/or others' protests is something Ortho has done before!)

Idia himself says that he has no friends at NRC, but the characters having a less-than-accurate understanding of their own interpersonal relationships is a running theme! (Re: Idia and Azul)

As you say, one of the rare interactions between Idia and the prefect involved Idia not using an honorific during Glorious Masquerade, but this was revealed to be a proof-reading error:

The re-release of Glorious Masquerade in 2023 added "-shi" to Idia's dialogue when he is speaking with the prefect ^^ (This was actually on my posting schedule to share today! You have amazing timing!)

You are also very right about Idia's ceremonial robe's voice line! He does not use the word "friend," but he does say that he trusts the prefect as a fellow introvert!

While looking for the best way to describe the word Idia actually uses (仲間) I found an interesting explanation on the One Piece wikipedia!

(It reminded me of these screenshots from the American drama Firefly!)

The person explains, "The word simply means '(part of a) group' you use it to refer to members a group or members of a group of friends just as you would also refer to your coworkers as your 'nakama' in Japanese, even the ones you hate, because they're part of the same group as you," and I agree ^^ (EN translating the word 仲間 as "friend" is not unusual!)

Concerning Idia's comment early in Glorious Masquerade, I think you are right again and he might have been commenting on the emotional support that Grim provides as a cat!*

*We do not yet know whether or not Grim is technically a cat 👀

Overall I am not sure that we have seen enough of Idia and the prefect interacting on-screen together to be able to say that they are objectively, officially and canonically more than acquaintances, and this is likely by design: the game seems to be going to great lengths to leave as much up to interpretation as possible so that it as many different people as possible can enjoy it.

That said, up until now the pattern has largely been "the prefect teams up with the main character of the previous story in order to solve the issue of the current story," re: teaming up with Riddle in Book 2, Leona in Book 3, Azul in Book 4, Jamil (and others) in Book 5 and Vil in Book 6, so it is possible that we may see more of Idia and the prefect moving forward!

And there is of course no harm in someone going in the direction of "maybe the prefect and Idia are friends" for something like fanfic purposes, for example, if they so wish ^^ It is all a part of the fun! But I might not call it canon just yet :>

[sadist1224]

A FREE IDEA FOR FAN FICTION

Sorry for the mistakes, English through translator.

In general, this post is for readers too, but mostly for the authors.

I'm too lazy to write a whole fanfiction, but I'm not too lazy to illustrate it, in general…

ROYAL AU!

I NEED A ROYAL AU!

I have already read enough medieval stories, and I have not yet seen such a plot, so I will summarize it briefly.

The main character is the reader /"Y|N"/ you are the indirect heir to the royal throne. That is, you seem to belong to the royal blood, but you are not close to the board at all. Your father is the king's cousin, so you don't have much chance to rule, and you don't need to. You and your family have been slandered in every way possible to keep your parents away from the capital and the palace. Of course, as a child you were in the palace, at balls and so on, but that was a long time ago.

You and your father lived on the outskirts, in a small estate with an adjacent village. You weren't poor, but you weren't rich either. You know what it's like to live in the common people, what hunger and disease are. You don't need the throne because you have a deep resentment and dislike for the crown, which is why your family suffered.

You had almost no childhood. Your father had his own crazy mission - to teach you everything he knows himself. Politics, economics, even military affairs and fencing. Sometimes it came to paranoia. One of his lessons turned out to be a disaster for you and now your back is decorated with a long torn scar (you can make up a story).

And one day, your father is called back to the capital. He doesn't tell you the reasons, but he's coming back after a month. Really sick. Over the next week, you had the feeling that your father had been poisoned. He's dying in your arms. Weak, exhausted, not like himself.

And a year later, 4 horsemen with the coat of arms of one of the most powerful clans in the kingdom come to your estate. 141, headed by the family of John Price. Along with him come the "dead knight" Simon "Ghost" Riley - his right-hand man and chief adviser, John "Soap" McTavish and Kyle "Gaz" Garrick (you can also add Roach and others here).

Price announces to you that practically the entire royal dynasty was killed in a coup and now you are the first in line to the throne. At first, you give up the crown and send them back, BUT then you agree.

1) Price uses blackmail (how exactly and what kind of blackmail is at your discretion)

2) You need to find out what happened to your father (the main reason you agree.)

3) You really don't have a choice (why?yes, the dick knows, we need to come up with)

FURTHER SPOILERS!

The irony is that you were chosen for a reason. The former king and his family were frankly terrible rulers, and in fact it was 141 who staged the coup (but the reader will learn about this as the story progresses)

Price's plan was to put someone on the throne, in the role of a puppet. In that case, he would have the power. And Price is not a bad person, he wants only the best for your country, but he cannot entrust its development to anyone.

That's why he chose you, but you ruin his plans almost immediately.

You're really taking control of the country into your own hands. You don't let yourself be controlled, you are constantly learning and developing. You're really smart! It is important! More importantly, you can't trust anyone from the royal court. After all, in addition to 141, there is another clan - CorTak (who is in charge of it, who is in it and what they do is up to you. THE ONLY THING is to add Koenig, I love him, and women, because without them there are only men in the palace).

Whether CorTak will be involved in the coup is also up to you to decide.

The main conflict can be tied to foreign policy. For example, Shepard is the ruler of a neighboring country, and his representative in your kingdom is Graves.

Maybe Shepard wants to take over your lands? Was he involved in your father's murder? ???

You can also add Laswell to your side, as an ambassador on your side.

A FEW HEADCOUNTS OF CHARACTERS:

JOHN PRICE

Cunning, smart, wise. Do not think that behind his "calmness" there is really "calmness"He has a good command of his face. A great political player, an excellent leader with his dark secrets and injuries.

Military, fighter, fencing at the highest level. Kapets is so strong. He can be mean. I'm used to achieving my goals. He usually avoids harsh immoral things, but when things "smell fried", he will do anything to protect his clan.

Did he have a wife? Maybe, but he's got a lot of mistresses. Rather, he is single, or frankly does not love the woman he married.

Really RICH. He's a lord or whatever. He has lands and he is one of the king's confidants, his adviser, even if the king is dead, John still holds this position.

She can blackmail the reader, and in principle, at first treats her with distrust and prejudice. After some time, he begins to deliberately annoy her, attract attention to himself and behave quite boldly (for example, enter her personal space). Sexual tension is 100%. But he's still a gentleman.

SIMON RILEY

I think he probably has an estate with a village, but most likely it is empty, or he is being looked after by several servants. He hardly ever shows up there.

Otherwise, it is a canonical rough, hard, cold Ghost, with its own backstory. He serves Price faithfully.

Sleeping with Johnny? I don't mind, we're all a bit perverted here.

JOHN MCTAVISH

Ahhh, typical Johnny. A funny guy, a fucker, shamelessly flirting.

He can run after skirts. He'll end up with Simon anyway. \(-_-)/

He has a BIG family. Right now, yes. I think he's from a small town in Scotland. Maybe Price found him?

KYLE GARRICK

The same story as with Sope.

I also have a family, but I don't think it's rich.

In general, sexual relations between 141 are welcome. Let's be honest, "141 x reader" is much more interesting when chemistry flows between all its members.

Speaking of love lines: 141 x reader + KorTac x reader.

You can put Vaqueros and Graves in here. I love everything, I like everything.

DESCRIPTION OF THE READER

I repeat that the reader is smart! This is really important! The reader is not naive, he does not have pink glasses.

Stubborn, arrogant, strong in spirit and character. responsible and independent.

He also manages his face well, but not at the same level as Price.

About 22-24 years old.

The reader has a lot of skills, but he will have to learn a lot more to run the country.

He doesn't like luxury. More for practicality than beauty.

She knows etiquette, can play the piano and violin, and she loves music, but she rarely gets to do it.

He doesn't like dancing. She's cold enough for balls and social evenings, but she can't do anything about it.

He reads solely because of the information. Uses any free minute for any activity.

He doesn't know what rest is. The guys have to forcibly drag her out for walks. She won't say, but she's grateful to them.Sincerely loves to laugh.

She can be sarcastic. I like to put people (especially those who deserve it) in an awkward position. It amuses her.

SOME SCENES THAT TAKE PLACE.

Damn, I can see how Price is sending Sop and Gas to convey some information to the reader, which is not very important, but he requires transmission right now. Imagine the guys' faces when they find you naked in the bathroom, sitting with your back to them, with a book in your hands. And in fact, you are not embarrassed by their presence, but begin to nightmare them, amused by their reaction. Or maybe Price won't send anyone, but will go looking for you himself. Or will it be a Ghost?

In general, I need such a story on AO3 or here, it doesn't matter. I just hope someone gets inspired by it and writes it. And also. Leave a link in the comments to the fanfiction, if any.

[a-ikuoliver]

ENTERING the humid warmth of the bar, you nearly immediately regret coming out with your friends, their peer pressure and the promise of free drinks seemed like enough then, now, being squished in between everyone else wanting the promotion, you wondered if it really was worth it. done up to the nines, the doorman passed you one of the flyers; happy birthday to us! first drink on the house! glancing at the seemingly endless line, your eyes nearly roll out of your head, after all this you really were going to need a drink and a dance. despite the length of the line, it was moving quickly with half the patrons exchanging their flyers for their drinks instead of fiddling with wallets, purses and phones for money, you were getting closer and closer to the front and you were still undecided, about to just close your eyes and pick one at random, your interrupted by the bartender, their beauty so striking it made your heart jump to your throat, "what can i get you?"

happy 2 years on this blog!! a special thank you to @kingkatsuki and @strawbrrystarlight for helping me with this event! and a massive thank you to everyone who's made these years so enjoyable! here's to more with you all <3

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must be following to play

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please block the tag "mercurys birthday bash" if you don't wish to see these posts <3

masterlist + archive of our own

finally, the menu!! *for margaritas & daiquiri’s pls feel free to add a flavour if you have a favourite! frozen mango margs have my heart

(click for better quality)

DISCLAIMER some of your drinks may not go according to plan!! this is a choose your own adventure-type event where the path you choose may lead you to a less than perfect outcome <3

© all works belong to @a-ikuoliver,@gwen0m, and dlirious on archive of our own, do not plagiarise, translate, repost or recommend my work on other platforms or translate my works, i do not give permission for my works to be bound and sold. 18+ minors and ageless blogs do not interact.

[eueuphoriaz]

Levi's Heart (Part 2.5) - Chap 132

I initially wanted to avoid breaking down this chapter to analyse the topic of Hearts between Levi and Hange, because it is just too painful to even revisit that scene. But somehow along the way, I decided it is necessary.

This is also the first time Levi mentioned anything about Dedicating Hearts.

I did some google translation on the scriptbook? (If that is what these are called) and a few things caught my attention:-

1) Levi's reactions to Hange's decision to sacrifice herself

2) Hange's reactions to Levi's salute and "Dedicating your heart" line.

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

Now, some of the translation may not be accurate. But panels 478 and 479 deserve more attention. Because there are no lines, just a lot of non-verbal expressions to depict what Levi is going through.

Panel 478- "conflicted", "narrows his eyes"

Panel 479- "being prepared", "no stop"

Just want to add for Panel 479. I am not a Japanese but the words "觉悟" has a meaning of "awakening", "understanding" or "enlightening" in Chinese. Similarly for the character ”决”, which has a meaning of "decision", "decided".

So essentially, what I can conclude for panels 478 and 479 is that Levi is feeling conflicted. He took sometime to make up his mind to not stop Hange.

The question is: why does he feel conflicted? It goes back to the issues of sacrificing lives and dedicating hearts. He realised that he has emotional attachment to Hange and he didnt want her to dedicate her heart or sacrifice her life. This is conflicting because for other deaths or sacrifices, they dont come with an emotional attachment. He will carry on with their strength and give meanings to their deaths. No personal emotions at all. All for the sake of Humanity.

But with Hange, the personal attachment is conflicting within him. Hange knows that Levi will eventually have to let her go because she knows Levi is all for the greater good. She probably also know that he will attempt to stop her based on the Unrequited Love confession (this one deserves a separate post on it's own❤️) but it is his salute and Dedicate your heart proclamation that caught her by surprise.

Panel 484 calls my attention because after Hange was caught in surprise by the salute, she gave a smile which faded away. Then she said her last words and went off.

Now, why is she surprised? I am guessing that Hange felt his feelings. Based on my previous conclusions, Dedicating your heart is a very emotional expression and Levi does not say it because it is something he wanted to avoid being attached to. He has done the salute out of formality in the past but to passionately proclaim devotion and dedication, not his way at all.

What did she felt then, that made her so surprised? I think it was the overt expression of Levi's feelings and one that is dedicated to her, that she did not expect at all. She probably can expect him to say "yes, go and do your job" or "they will all be watching and be proud of you" type of speech but to hear his deepest feelings for the first time, I think she must have felt contented.

Did Hange catch on Levi's intention with the Unrequited love confession earlier? I think that one needs a separate post but when Levi said that then, it was not a life and death situation. She probably is too preoccupied to notice what he wanted her to know. But somehow, I do have the feeling that Hange is avoiding Levi towards the end. 🤔. Probably thats why Levi saying Dedicate your heart at her last moment is his desperate way to let her know his true feelings.

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

The salute

And lastly, Levi modifying that salute.

I wanted to refer to this panel because I find that gesture Reiner and Bertholdt did before they head off to battle is so meaningful, especially this is the last time they will see each other.

In this situation, both of them are committing themselves to the cause, but they also encouraged each other with personal motivation (Annie, Krista). Having each other's back and making the gesture a special one so that it seals the resolve within them before going for the final battle. I do believe that when Isayama conceptualise Levi's modified salute, he may have this in mind as well.

Besides expressing his emotions for the first time openly when he said Dedicate your Heart to Hange, he also modified the salute so that both of them can remember this moment.

Now, my take on his modified salute is that he is making an attempt to accept/ acknowledge Hange's feelings (which I think she is the one who has been avoiding after 126).

Reiner and Bertholdt - I have your back

Levi to Hange- I have your heart. I know how you feel so you dont have to avoid at all.

Now, I dont think that he did that to give Hange strength to fight because she is scared. Panels 475 and 476 mentioned that the hands shaking as warrior, her feelings of elation and being high, much like adrenaline rush. If she is in the fight/ flight mode, she would have chosen flight due to fear, but it was a conscious choice that Hange made to fight in that mode. The emotion, like many who have pointed out, that is holding her back is her personal feelings towards Levi. Levi does not need to give her any pep talk to sacrifice herself. But it was a final confession/ exchange of personal feelings between the 2 of them.

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

Lastly, isnt it heartbreaking that they connect with a headgrab in ep 9, and they had to separate at the hearts in 132.

Sidetrack: I do not believe that Levi's conflicted feelings toward's Hange's death is because he is injured now and will not be able to give meaning to her death->therefore he feels sad and conflicted. Right after the plane took off, Levi continued with his goal of killing Zeke so that the Rumbling can be stopped. And he asked help from the Alliance because he is injured now. He still continued to dedicate his strength to all his fallen comrades and to the cause of Humanity but his heart is dedicated to Hange.

Sidetrack 2: I also think that it is important to note that Hange knew that Levi does not say anything about Hearts for all the years that she had known him. Therefore the first and only time he ever said it to a person, she probably knew it is a very deep and personal proclamation of emotional dedication. That's why she was surprised.

Levi's Heart [Part 1][Part 1.5][Part 2][Part 2.5][Part 3]

[furinana]

Megaten Spotlight, an official newsletter made prior to SMTIV's release, got FULLY TRANSLATED!

While focused on the voice cast, exclusive information surrounding the development of several characters was touched upon, including juicy obscure lore about Mido and Stephen.

Taken from SMTIV's official website. Translated by takujilvr and commissioned by furinana

Megaten Spotlight: Sabbath Newsletter (108 Macca)

Text and Reportage by Shinji Yamamoto

OOOOOO

Jonathan/Kamiya Hiroshi/Forbidden Anonymous Report

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

Kamiya Hiroshi is very busy. This recording session was a gift made possible thanks to the strenuous efforts of his coordinator.

Even today, he could only show up for recording after finishing the rest of his work.

The Deciding Factor was His Versatility

His appointment to the role strongly reflected the opinions of the female staff. Apparently they grinned, saying his voice fit Jonathan's concept and visuals perfectly.

But what really caught my eye, aside from their support, was his versatility. He can perform a wide range of roles, from handsome men to madmen.

In addition to Jonathan, he also plays a character who appears in the latter half of the story, for reasons pertaining to the game's plot.

I knew he’d be able to perform both roles splendidly.

Fighting with Real Swords

He's frighteningly strict in regards to the art of acting.

He gave a great deal of attention not just to the nuance of the lines, but the context they stem from.

Even when we gave the OK, he would ask to do a retake if he wasn't satisfied with the result. In the end, he gave so much of his time to us that he had to make an unplanned addition to his schedule.

I felt he had the approach of a modern-day "Samurai".

Living Up to the Title of Law Hero

Up until now, Chaos has had more vocal supporters thanks to its bold claims and good balance of recruitable demons.

The secret challenge put before this series entry is whether or not it can add to the ranks of Law adherents.

Seeing his acting, the way Jonathan laughs with the protagonist and sheds tears before him, I'm convinced this hurdle has already been cleared.

In Conclusion

After recording, I asked for a photo despite his busy schedule.

This gentle expression conveys his personality well.

I earnestly wish for his continued good health, and that his fans won't throw rocks at me after seeing this photo.

AUDIO FILES

01_01 [Hiroshi Kamiya] I'm Kamiya Hiroshi, who does the voice for Jonathan. Now Jonathan, he's a bit like the honor student there's at least one of in any class. His conduct and morals are flawless, there isn't a single gnarl in his character, but because of that he can be a bit inflexible from time to time, and then again sometimes not. But being the golden boy can come with its own particular forms of suffering, and I feel like in some scenes you might gradually come to see glimpses of that here and there. You'll have to play the game to find out. Thank you!

01_02 [Jonathan] S-Stop pulling my hair, Walter! It won't straighten out, I got it from my mother!

01_03 [Jonathan] Some say, "Might makes right. I have no hand to extend to the weak." …I simply can't comprehend that way of thinking.

01_04 [Jonathan] I'll only tell you this because it's you, all right? Only because it's you! I'm afraid I can't bring myself to like women very much. Being raised in a household with two elder sisters and one younger made me lose any illusions about them I might've had. You're a man, so I feel much more at ease with you.

Walter/Konishi Katsuyuki/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Troupe's Vice-Leader is a Fisherman's Boy

Lunchtime in Jinbocho

Before the recording session at 2:00, we sated our hunger at a famous ramen shop near the studio. It was before work, so when the call came he asked for "Veggies, salty!"*. *[TN: Referring to infamous chain Ramen Jiro, where you have to make your topping orders very fast-- "Garlic! Veggies! Fat! Salty!"]

This time Konishi Katsuyuki, who plays Walter, is recording. He's a remarkable actor who works as the vice-leader of a theatrical troupe in addition to performing many roles as a voice actor.

He's also tall and has refreshing looks. How many things has heaven blessed him with? The photo below was taken before recording.

We gave him a summary of this SMT title and an explanation of his character. During the prep meeting, we found out that he's an avid gamer. After enduring the worry that we'd lose track of time talking about games with him, I attended the recording session.

A Chaotic Recording

The recording session reached new heights of chaos. The script he was given was full of missing pages.

Walter boasts the most voice lines out of any character, which means that reviewing the script takes up a lot of time as-is.

Perhaps this was the work of a certain bigwig demon he also plays.

Now this is Acting!

To the left, you can see Konishi recreating a scene where Walter, due to a certain event, vents his emotions to Jonathan, who should have been his friend. His clenched fist represents the katana Walter holds during the scene.

It once again drove home to me that voice acting isn't just about reading lines, but performance.

A Brief Rest

The recording actually lasted five hours.

But today's work only amounted to about 60% of the voices he's been assigned to do. The rest would be recorded at a later date.

Dinnertime in Jinbocho

It was dinnertime by the time we left the recording studio.

The scene where Walter enjoys breakfast with his friends crossed my mind, and even though I hadn't decided on dinner yet, I chose to have bread for breakfast the next day, and hurried home.

AUDIO FILES

02_01 [Katsuyuki Konishi] Yes! Thank you! Hello! I'm Konishi Katsuyuki! I play the part of Walter. Right, anyway, Walter, he doesn't talk very nice, but he's a great guy at heart. How do I put this, he's a very human character. He openly expresses the things that most people hide, and if everyone sees that they might be a little turned off by it; but he's very honest; he's a good boy. So I hope you enjoy him a lot. Honestly, I think it's a pretty wonderful thing! Please see him in action in SMT 4!

02_02 [Walter] Enough of that "Ooh, you'll catch cold!" drivel, Jonathan, you sound like a naggy old wife. I can't abide being constricted, this chest must stay bared!

02_03 [Walter] I'll only say this if you promise not to tell anyone! Cats, I just love 'em. When I see one outside, I can't help but crouch down and give it some pets! Wait, no. I mean, listen, I can't stand fish. And they can take it off my hands, can't they? That's why I love cats. Right.

02_04 [Walter] "What is this world without God's order? We don't need any excess of individuality." There are some who say this, but I wonder if they even know where their own heads are at.

Isabeau/Sawashiro Miyuki/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Sole Lady Samurai is Bilingual

Taking the Subway to the Studio

We boarded the subway from Sangenjaya, where the company building is located. The studio we headed to is in Jinbocho.

The laptop I was carrying holds the data for all the scripts used in recording. If this laptop gets stolen, you can be sure a written apology won't save me. Preparing for unforeseen circumstances, I made sure to keep my nerves sharp even while I was on the move.

Today's recording was with Sawashiro Miyuki. I'm not familiar with the voice acting industry, but even I know her name. I also know she's proficient in English.

She gives a quiet impression, but has a fair amount of presence. I felt the awe you'd get from a still body of water holding back a raging current.

Before recording, we gave an explanation of her character, Isabeau. But she understood the character perfectly. I spend most of my time silently working at the development offices, and I'm not good at conversation, so nothing made me more grateful than this.

A Consummate Performance

Her performance plan was even more perfect.

Not only did she nail the image of Isabeau we had in mind, she polished it even further, without any need for retakes. As Isabeau, she conveyed merry excitement, and acted with bizarrely high energy after inhaling gas.

So many new expressions of Isabeau were given life that couldn't be conveyed through text alone. If at all possible, I'd like to progress the story together with Isabeau, without having to part ways.

The End of Recording

Her recording session ended without incident.

She briskly left the studio to go to her next job.

Back to the Office

I stopped back by the office to prepare the materials for tomorrow's recording sessions.

I was met with the envious gazes of staff who were knowledgeable about voice acting, having become "the guy who got a conversation out of Sawashiro Miyuki".

AUDIO FILES

03_01 [Miyuki Sawashiro] Hello everyone, I'm Sawashiro Miyuki. Isabeau, who I play, is a very strong girl, one of the few to become a Samurai, and she works hard to stand on equal footing with men in a society where she's expected to walk one step behind. In present-day terms, she's like a career woman working hard on the forefront of things. She may not seem like it at first glance, but she's a girl with a very focused will. Definitely play the game and see for yourself how she turns out.

03_02 [Isabeau] Your hairstyle is called a "ponytail", correct? Maybe I should grow out my own hair. I wonder if it'd suit me.

03_03 [Isabeau] "So we're talking like, super lame, but so lame it makes me laugh my ass off, yanno?" It seems this dialect was common in Tokyo once, but how exactly does one laugh off an ass?* *[TN: in jpn Isabeau's confusion revolves around the phrase 'gyaku ni ukeru'. "gyaku ni" can mean "in reverse" but also "on the other hand", and "ukeru" can mean "to find funny" but also "to take", so Isabeau's confused by the slang-- she thinks the person with the 'accent' possesses something that is backwards, and she doesn't know what.]

03_04 [Isabeau] I must tell you something very important. You mustn't go spreading it around. When I think of that one special gentleman, it makes me want to have a romance so enthralling I can't even take my meals! But it's not an easy one, maybe let's say, our parents are both opposed to it. And this is where it really gets good! Finally, after so much deliberation, we choose to elope and-- Excuse me, I got rather carried away. I suppose before all that I need to experience love for myself first.

Navarre/Ōhata Shintarō/Forbidden Anonymous Report

Behold a Gallant Man Who's So Hard to Hate That You Can't Help But Hate Him!

A Quick Lunch Between Recordings

This morning we managed to finish recording one voice actor's lines without incident. Two more are scheduled for the day.

To the right you can see me having lunch before the next session. It wasn't very good manners, but I also went over the scripts we'd be using that afternoon.

Even a Problem Child Outside the Game

It was actually pretty rough going selecting Navarre's voice actor.

The development staff had varying opinions on just how annoying Navarre should be, and we couldn't quite seem to figure out an image we could all agree on.

Then we borrowed some wisdom from the director of the recording studio. On the basis of this recommendation, we listened to some sample voices, and decided to have Ōhata Shintarō play Navarre.

He came without a moment's delay. He was unpretentious and very friendly. To the right you can see him doing a promotional autograph. He handles the pen so smoothly. Navarre could learn a thing or two from him.

Thanks to his acting chops, Navarre became many times more enjoyable than we originally planned.

If that pen was a sword, Ōhata would be a remarkable Samurai.

A Happy Accident

Ōhata's Navarre went above and beyond what I had imagined. The director was right on the money.

The likeability he brings to Navarre will make his tragic fate stand out all the more.

A Quick Break

The session ended faster than planned. This is yet another one of his skills.

We saw him off from the studio.

A Luxurious Time

Thanks to him, we had some extra time before the next session. We took a short break with some coffee, courtesy of the studio staff.

This must be what it's really like to live as a Luxuror.

AUDIO FILES

04_01 [Navarre] Whuh?!

04_02 [Navarre] If there aren't any demons it'll all be fine… And there aren't any demons in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado…

04_03 [Navarre] [Mindbroken laughter]

The COOL☆ Way to Throw a Tantrum

You're on break with your close friends, and you want to get curry for lunch, but everyone else is fine with going to the convenience store. These moves will come in handy in such situations.

Move 1: The Paper Sheet

Stand with your arms relaxed. It's easier to move if you lower your center of gravity.

Vigorously push either one of your shoulders to the front, like you're hitting something.

Stick out your arm, letting it move with the force of your shoulder. Twist your upper body around while doing this. Now do the same thing with your other side.

Repeat while whining. You don't necessarily have to use your words, just make sure to convey your intent.

Protagonist/Kaji Yūki/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Leading Role

We spent almost the whole day immersed in work.

The last voice actor didn’t have that many lines to record. We planned for the recording time to total less than two hours.

I felt a premature sense of relief.

But……

The Players had Unexpected Knowledge and Wisdom

Nothing’s been published on the official site yet, so I was surprised by how many people online guessed correctly.

Today we’ll be introducing Kaji Yūki, who plays the protagonist.

The Character of a Samurai

I was struck by his inquisitive gaze as we explained the concept of a protagonist who recruits enemy demons, and the mythological origins of the major demons who stand in his way.

I could already feel the character of a Samurai radiating from the way he refused to shrink before demons.

Surely it’s a quality the Gauntlet wouldn’t overlook.

The Personality of ‘No Personality’

SMT puts emphasis on the player being the protagonist.

So we had to give him the unreasonable order of displaying heroism without displaying too much individuality.

To be honest, taking his presence and his voice’s impact into account, I felt a touch nervous before the recording.

But his knack for restraint was superb.

Given his ability to understand our angle and promptly execute it, I believe all his stats would be very high.

Abundant Variations

The majority of the protagonist’s lines are short phrases, such as the “Yahh!” when he swings his sword and his “Ugh!” when he takes damage.

He gave as many “Yahh!”s and “Ugh!”s as the recording time permitted. His excellent performance sparked a passion in me as I gave the orders.

To the right, you can see me striking a pose to explain the nuances of the protagonist’s voice when he lands after falling from a great height.

A Rich Recording Session

During his recording, I didn’t just use my head, but my body, to convey the nuance of his lines.

Despite the short recording time, I had a rich and extremely rewarding sense of exhaustion by the end.

Feeling a bit of discomfort in my thighs due to lack of daily exercise, I left the recording studio.

AUDIO FILES

05_01 [Yuki Kaji] Hello everyone, it's Kaji Yuki. Some of you have probably guessed who I'm playing. I'm the protagonist! In SMT the protagonist represents the player themselves, so I tried hard to make my performance cool without bringing in too much invidiuality and spoiling the player's sense of identification. This game is a story of the choices the protagonist makes. Please weave the tale of SMT 4 with those choices, everyone.

05_02 [Flynn] [Dying Flynn noises]

05_03 [Flynn] Summon!

05_04 [Flynn] [Climbing grunting Flynn noises]

Issachar/Maeno Tomoaki/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Bass-Voiced, Reliable Childhood Friend

The Character’s Role

Issachar is the first character whose face you see.

In the game’s setting he plays the role of the protagonist’s childhood friend, while simultaneously bearing the responsibility of a guide, easing the players into the game’s world.

So Issachar is a very important character.

We put a lot of thought into selecting his voice actor and the phrasing of his lines, so that he’d appeal to a wide range of players.

Reliable Performance

Since Issachar acts as a guide, he has to be a character that the players will want to take along with them.

Maeno Tomoaki, Issachar’s voice actor, conveys that dependability with his powerful bass voice. I’m sure he’ll be able to comfortably guide the players into the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado.

Although Issachar doesn’t have many lines, he’s a character with turbulent emotions, going from speaking in a gentle tone to suddenly violently raising his voice.

The above photograph shows him just before he does Issachar’s dying scream. The sudden change in him left me awestruck.

I was so transfixed that I forgot to take a photo……

A Tearful Farewell

This is a photo of us after recording.

It was taken after the scene where Issachar, choked by tears, pours out his emotions.

It’s easier to make a middle-aged man cry than I thought. His tears became my own as I saw him off.

AUDIO FILES

06_01 [Issachar] Haha! I suppose so.

06_02 [Issachar] I'll have my vengeance!

06_03 [Issachar] Shall we?

The COOL☆ Way to Catch Change with Your Feet

We drop our change at vending machines a good deal more often than we’d like to admit.

We’ll introduce a COOL way to deal with this situation.

Move 2: The Chicken

Stick your lower back out behind you. Keep your upper body as still as possible, and…

Rotate your lower back to the other side from behind.

Use the force of your rotating orbit to raise your leg. Fix your aim on the change at your feet…

And twist your leg as you stomp on it. Don’t let your prey escape.

Akira/Gōda Hozumi/Forbidden Anonymous Report

You Won’t Find These Two On the Website

The Joys of the Job

Game development is harsh work that exhausts and burdens one’s mind and body. One page isn’t enough to convey how painful it is.

But there are joys I’d never experience if not for this job. This time, Gōda Hozumi, who plays the two Akiras, is recording.

There might be readers unfamiliar with ‘Akira’.

Because of the timing of his appearance, and to maintain the balance of the work’s setting, the two Akiras aren’t introduced on the official website.

I’ve known about Gōda since I was little, when he played the role of a perfect soldier.* *[TN: Chirico Cuvie, from Armored Trooper Votoms.]

I really admire him, and in my humble opinion the character he played is one of anime’s top three handsome men of all time. So I’m a lot more tense than usual, and during the briefing my words seem to get stuck in my throat.

The two Akiras he plays are an Akira with an aura of Law, and another with an aura of Chaos.

The tricky thing about this role was how he had to play, fundamentally, the same “Akira”, while still bringing out the differences between the two.

Truly Perfect

Just so I’m making it clear.

Both Akiras became deeply impressive characters thanks to his performance.

In-game, when you find yourself about to press the remote control’s switch, that means you’ll meet Akira very soon.

Normie Experience

You can see a photo of the two of us to the left.

I never imagined I’d be taking a photo with “the man on the TV” I looked up to as a child.

In this moment I felt, from the bottom of my heart, how happy I was to have this job.

The End of Recording

On the way home, for no real reason, I checked today’s horoscope on my cellphone.

It seemed like my sign was in the lowest-ranked position. My career luck was especially bad. After today, I knew that couldn’t be true.

I smiled and followed the route home.

AUDIO FILES

07_01 [Blasted Akira] Your faces tell me you have no idea what's going on. That's understandable. There's no need to worry, we aren't your enemies.

07_02 [Infernal Akira] Oh yeah, lemme ask, where you guys from? I mean, not like it really matters.

07_03 [Both] [Blasted Akira]: We'll make sure your efforts are remembered till the end of time. Farewell, Messiahs. [Infernal Akira]: Damn, you guys are something! That's my Intruders for ya!

Hikaru/Inoue Marina/Forbidden Anonymous Report

A “Light” Hidden by a Uniform

Trouble Brewing

The problems that occurred during Inoue Marina’s recording session almost broke my heart.

In the middle of recording, we found out that a crucial scene with Hikaru was missing from the script.

A certain somebody must have been present at the recording. We wouldn’t be able to do this the easy way.

Handling it Cooler than Cocytus

At this point she had already recorded Hikaru’s lines and started on our old friend’s. Changing characters in the middle of recording can really disrupt the flow of an actor’s performance plan.

After she finished the lines for our old friend, we’d have to have her do Hikaru once again. In contrast to my panicked state, she understood the situation without once breaking her beautiful composure.

Our friend is very reliable indeed. While she was playing this character, I had to work out appropriate lines for Hikaru while checking her performance at the same time.

Borrowing Our Old Friend’s Knowledge and Wisdom

After that phase of recording ended, we went back to recording Hikaru. She helped us out with the parts of the script we had issues with.

With her suggestions, we managed to record some very nicely fitting lines. I came to know firsthand the magnificence of the knowledge and wisdom our friend gave humanity.

A Stormy Recording

She gave us an autograph for promotional use. She then left the studio for her next assignment.

The studio was once again calm, as if our earlier troubles had never happened. This time around, in the words of a certain entertainer, “my stomach turned to friggin’ ice!”.* *[TN: Yamashita Kenji, a personality appearing on entertainer Matsuko Deluxe's variety program Out Deluxe. Notable for his unusually squeaky voice. The line in question is 肝を冷やしたぜ！]

AUDIO FILES

08_01 [Hikaru] I wonder how it'll look if we take a walk together? We can go arm in arm if you like. Hold hands, too. Squeeze them, like a couple. I'll do anything you want… As long as you hold my interest.

08_02 [Hikarucifer] The nail that sticks out is hammered down in the human world, yet in the end it's king-of-the-hill: the winners rise by process of elimination. See Tayama; he has no power, but he draws the people's ire by making more of a display of it than he needs to. Charming, as long as this game goes on, but I can't leave him be if he goes too far.

08_03 [Marina Inoue] I'm Inoue Marina, who plays Hikaru. Hi! Hikaru looks like a very normal high school girl, but is she really? Right. I guess she's a very odd presence in SMT 4's world, which raises a lot of mysteries around her, but definitely play the game, discover it for yourself, and you'll be like, 'Oh, so that's how it is!' Please have fun playing SMT 4! Thank you!

The COOL☆ Way to Push a Button

Buttons may seem like they’re at a disadvantage with the advent of touch panels, but we still have many opportunities to push them.

These moves will turn your everyday button-pushing into COOL button-pushing.

Move 3: The Point

Set your hand at the edge of your shoulder. Put your fingers in the pointing position.

Using your elbow as a fulcrum, stick your hand forward without breaking the position of your fingers. Lean your upper body forward a bit.

You can also do it with the opposite hand, with many variations depending on which direction you’re pointing.

Or do it from the side. There are as many ways to point as there are people.

Tayama/Ōtsuka Hochū/Forbidden Anonymous Report

A Rock-Solid Image Even Before Recording

Unanimous Agreement

Tayama’s role of the ‘lovable enemy’ is a difficult one to pull off. But it was surprisingly easy to decide who we wanted to play him. Basically everyone agreed.

I actually wrote Tayama’s lines with Ōtsuka Hochū firmly in mind even before we decided on him.

I even listened to his acting in other works he’d been in while I was writing. So, ironically, I actually couldn’t believe it when I heard he was officially selected for the role.

He’s played many memorable villains, like the pilot of a Mobile Suit equipped with a weapon called the “Sea Snake”*, and the final boss of the second movie in a series about drunken martial arts.**

[TN: *Yazan Gable from Zeta Gundam, who pilots the Mobile Suit Hambrabi.

**John, an enforcer for the British consul in Drunken Master II. (Of course, just the dubbing, he's not the actual actor.)]

To be honest, I was a little nervous about actually meeting him.

A Gentle Aura

He had a very gentle aura about him when he arrived at the studio.

I could feel my tension melt away in front of him, like a detoxifying lotion.

Lovable Villain

Thanks to his acting, Tayama became even more persuasive than we thought. His voice has the power to make even Tayama’s inhuman methods seem reasonable.

Tayama is more than simply “the tyrant who rules Tokyo”, and Otsuka was able to bring out that appeal even more.

Sharing Drinks

I asked for a photo after recording. Taking Tayama’s character into account, we tried doing a photo of us ‘exchanging sake cups’.

But I was overwhelmed by his presence, and got nervous again. Maybe the senior Samurai in Roppongi ended up that way for the same reason.

I felt like I’d touched the aura of somebody really amazing.

AUDIO FILES

09_01 [Tayama] If I went around looking like a bum, my men would lose their ambition. This way, even with Tokyo in the state it is, you know you can dress sharp and drink your fill of good booze twice a week. I know if everyone in Tokyo heard this they'd really chew me out, but it's a lot to put up with on my end too. I'm really more of a 'wolf down some egg on rice wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants' kinda guy.

09_02 [Hochu Otsuka] Hello, I'm Otsuka Hochu, who plays Tayama. He's one of them yakuzas, but I played him with the image of a slick, smart guy-- a guy who keeps some sharp fangs hidden, who glimpses people's weaknesses-- in mind. A sharp guy who used that rottenness and dirtiness unique to adults to crawl from society's dregs to the peak. He might be a character who grown up players can find surprisingly sympathetic. I know he's a scary middle aged dude, but why don't you join him and think about the future of SMT 4's Tokyo?

9_03 [Tayama] 'Scuse me? You're telling me you can't meet the Reds quota? I've said it a million times, if it looks bad, you gotta report to me with a contingency plan. You know, kidnap some poor sap from the underground, turn yourself into Reds material, that kinda thing. Now I'm not saying you have to just go off and do that. But when you make a report, I better hear you say "We won't be able to meet the quota! In the worst case scenario I will gladly become the Reds myself!", capiche?

The Black Samurai and Gabby/Tanaka Atsuko/Forbidden Anonymous Report

Devilish Female Characters

There’s an expression, “devilish”*, that’s sometimes used to describe a woman. *[TN: The word used, Mashō, literally means ‘devilish’, with the specific connotation of an alluring sexiness.]

During this recording, I found myself in the direct presence of that devilishness. If there were an app that could evaluate devilishness, how many points would she get?

Devilish Beings Taking Human Forms

The Black Samurai and Gabby, who Atsuko Tanaka plays, are unique characters. They appear to be human on the outside, but there’s an inhuman quality we want to emphasize in every one of their lines.

We wouldn’t be able to do this without her skill and devilish appeal.

A Soft Demeanor

I got a very mellow impression from her.

Before recording, I was encouraged by how she said “Just let me know if you have any requests”.

A Gentle Aura

During recording, her demeanor was so cool and dignified that it’d be easy to fall in love with her even if she was a man.

If someone like the crossdressing beauty in V◯rbara* really existed, they would probably be a lot like her.

*[TN: Oscar from Rose of Versailles. You should know this.]

You can feel this devilish allure from both characters. It’s no wonder the people of the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado were led astray by the Black Samurai.

Innumerable Kinds of Devilishness Within Her

We got a promotional autograph from her after recording was finished.

She was very gentle-mannered, in stark contrast to the dignified aura she had during recording. I felt that there were innumerable different kinds of devilishness within her (in a good way).

It makes you wonder if the devilishness you can feel in these characters is something that comes from Tanaka herself.

AUDIO FILES

10_01 [Gabby] Hm? You'd like to share breakfast with me? It would be an honor. I was thinking I'd like to talk with you if I had the chance. You must have all manner of things to think about in the course of your duties each day. I can be your listener if it isn't any trouble. Why don't we share our time as fellow members of God's chosen?

10_02 [Yuriko] It doesn't give me too much grief when I actually wear it, but shame on humans for making this Demonica thing. Oh, you over there, if you've got the time, could you help me take this off? It gets so tight around the chest. Why don't I add it to your quests? Oh, I know you'll accept. Hehehe.

10_03 [Gabriel] Shene Duque is the land of beginning, where your ancestors who once spurned His works alit on the earth anew. Thus from this land shall the new Millennium be built… With you, who have hearkened to the voice of the angel who speaketh His word.

10_04 [Atsuko Tanaka] I'm Tanaka Atsuko. I played two female characters, Gabby and Yuriko, in SMT 4. Their personalities and alignment are polar opposites, so I played them while digging deep into my own lawful and chaotic sides. Maybe this game will create an opportunity for all the players to confront their own selves. Is your alignment Law? Chaos? Or…?

[Editor note: Tanaka Atsuko sadly passed away in August of 2024. She also voiced Lilith in SMTV:Vengeance]

Hope/Nakai Kazuya/Forbidden Anonymous Report

Sympathizing with the Grief of Middle Management

I also found myself in a central position where I was put in charge of and had to give directions to the staff who drew up the in-story events.

Which is to say, I’m a middle manager pushed down by the higher-ups and pressured by the people under me. It’s a tough place to be.

This is a game where the player becomes the “protagonist character” and fights demons. But when I take my own circumstances into account, I can’t seem to take my eyes off what Hope is doing.

Is this the Studio or my House?

It may be because he provides the narration for various morning infotainment programs, but even though this was our first time meeting, I was already used to his voice.

Listening to him as he did the promotional autograph, for a moment, I thought I was in my own living room watching TV.

Truly the Ideal Boss

In the course of the story, the protagonist leaves the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and has to perform new duties in Tokyo.

The story itself doesn’t go into details, but while the protagonist is gone, Hope makes strenuous efforts to defend the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado.

He has the great pride of devoting himself to behind-the-scenes work so his subordinates can fulfill a great task.

Thanks to Nakai, Hope’s “Ideal Boss” concept was made into a reality.

The Road to Being the Ideal Boss is Long

By the time recording ended and we saw him off, it was already past 9:00. Even then, the story event staff was probably hard at work back at the office.

I was planning on going straight home from the studio, but now I thought I’d drop by the office and give them some snacks…… Unfortunately, the next day’s recording was scheduled early, so I had to go home after all.

If Hope was real, I’d definitely want him to give me some training too.

AUDIO FILES

11_01 [Hope] You. Good timing. I want you to sit down a minute and listen to me talk about the old times. I left a woman in my hometown. A slight one, with a bit of a curl in her hair. My beloved. Haven't been able to send her so much as a letter since the day I became a Samurai. No, here I am throwing the ring I was supposed to give her into Naraku every year for the Prentices' training. Being blessed with outstanding men can be a trouble in its own right.

11_02 [Kazuya Nakai] I'm Nakai Kazuya, I played Hope. He's a rather unlucky adult character who's revered by his peers for his ability, but isn't valued by society at large because his inability to bend his convictions makes him a bit pigheaded and awkward. He shows a brusque, taciturn, and strict side, but on the inside he's quietly full of passion and concern for his subordinates. I played him with the image of the ideal commander everyone has in their heads. He doesn't get very much screentime, but he has a lot of flavor as a character, so please go meet him in SMT 4.

11_03 [Hope] Listen here, you. I can't say I find it very admirable that you're spending your off day mewed up in the barracks. Come, if leisure is too much for you to handle, I'll give you some training. Take off your coat and come to the Aquila Statue Plaza.

The COOL☆ Way to Pick Out a DVD

DVD stores are a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom. You don’t want to take your eyes from the shelves for a moment, lest you miss out on an unexpected meeting with a masterpiece.

Here are some moves that will help you out at such times.

Move 4: The Crab

Stand by with your toes turned inward. Keeping your knees turned inward is also a good idea.

Open your legs, shifting your weight to the heel of the foot pointed in the direction you want to go, and to the toes of the opposite foot.

When you lift your foot it’ll look like this. As you move, keep alternating your weight between the heels and toes of your left and right feet.

Shift your weight again and return to the first position. Repeat, moving sideways. You’ll never miss that actress’ new movie now.

Hugo/Tadano Yōhei/Forbidden Anonymous Report

Not Just “Another Hired Gun”* *[TN: Tadano Yohei’s name, 多田野曜平, is a homonym for ただの傭兵, ‘just another mercenary’.]

Hugo’s voice actor, Tadano Yōhei, was a pretty unique individual. As soon as we met, I was hit with a preemptive strike: he introduced himself as “tada no yōhei”, just another hired gun.

I could tell he wasn’t “just another” guy at all.

Eyes on my Head

We explained Hugo’s concept to him before recording.

During my explanation, even as he listened to me, I noticed that his gaze drifted to the top of my head multiple times.

Adding More Lines

When it was decided he’d play Hugo, the development staff felt a sense of regret. You see, Hugo didn’t have nearly enough scenes. We wouldn’t be able to fully convey the appeal of a Hugo played by Tadano.

Despite the difficulty of making large-scale revisions given our schedule, we increased the number of events Hugo appeared in, and drew up some new quests focused on him.

Among the staff, Hugo has a solid position in the popularity rankings, even moreso than the female characters, who are all pretty high up there. This is also thanks to his voice.

Trembling from the Seriousness

This next photo shows him acting out another character related to Hugo, just before you enter into battle with him. *[TN: Most likely King Ahazuya Mikado-- He's played with a lower-pitched voice, but its tone and quality makes me fairly certain it's Tadano]

He gave a serious performance, as far from Hugo as you could imagine. I trembled at that quiet air of intimidation that lulls whoever listens to it into despair.

A Friendly Chat After Recording

After recording, he told me he had a request. I readily consented, saying I’d do whatever I could.

He’d had his eye on something since before recording started. If this’ll make him happy, it’s no problem for me.

I attained a heartfelt understanding of how a certain anpan-headed hero feels.* *[TN: Anpanman. You really should know this.]

AUDIO FILES

12_01 [Hugo] In truth, we of the Monastery have been conducting excavations of Naraku ever since King Aquila founded the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado 1500 years ago. Yet every one of those daft Samurai speaks of our many accomplishments in Naraku as if they were their own deeds! No one would have even conceived of forming the Samurai if not for us!

12_02 [Hugo] In this kingdom, the fruits that come of researching Tokyo net you more praise than doing battle with demons all day. Thus I left the Samurai and joined the Monastery, even as my brethren-in-arms all scorned me as a coward. Now I'm the Abbot, and even the Samurai must act as I will it! And yet I feel a hollowness sometimes. I've lived my life prey to the whims of my own avarice; I've never learned what it is that I truly must do. I envy, yet resent my Commander-- I mean, Hope, for how he lives with such unwavering conviction. [TN: Hugo calls Hope 'Hope-kun', implying that he sees him as a subordinate, or at least tries to act like it. idk how to carry over the nuance?]

12_03 [Hugo] It seems in Tokyo there was once a dish called sweet-and-sour pork. I'm told the meat was fried together with vegetables and even fruit, and mixed with a sweet, mildly sour sauce. Isn't fruit supposed to be eaten as dessert? And what's meant by "sweet and mildly sour"? Does the sweetness win out in the end, or is the flavor more acidic? It's all very bizarre. I can't say it doesn't fascinate me, this pork.

Fujiwara/Morita Junpei/Forbidden Anonymous Report

From the Ward Junior High to the Coffee Shop

This installment’s voice actor is active in many other areas besides games. He really does have a wide range, from anime to dubbing to theater.

Morita Junpei, who plays Fujiwara, also played “Kan-Kan from math class” in a nationally famous school drama. *[TN: Morita played Inui-Sensei, nicknamed "Kan-Kan from math class" in the long-running Kinpachi-Sensei series. His nickname comes from an alternate reading of his name, and his short-tempered (kan-kan) personality.]

A Very Well-Suited Role

All of the voice actors are people I’m meeting for the very first time at the recording studio.

It’s natural that when they get cast, I’m not going to know what kind of people they are.

But even though he looks different, Morita felt just like Fujiwara himself.

He’s a mature fellow with an intellectual and gentle demeanor, but the discretion to not make a big show of it.

It Feels Just Like a Cafe

Morita loves conversation very much. During the pre-recording briefing, he told me about the frontman of a well-known guitar rock band some of you may know as “Shikerona”.* *[TN: This was a misspelling, probably deliberate, but it's supposed to be "Shinaroke"-- Sheena and the Rokkets. Fujiwara was based on frontman Makoto Ayukawa, who sadly passed away in 2023.]

It seems like he’s very good friends with him. Coincidentally, Fujiwara was based on that musician.

Our conversation grew even more enlivened. The briefing’s mood was supremely relaxed, just like Cafe Florida. I found myself unconsciously reaching for imaginary snacks in front of me.

An Artisan’s Technique

What struck me was his magnificent way of utilizing pauses.

Fujiwara is meant to search out and get a feel for whoever he’s talking with without saying much himself. Morita conveyed this through exquisitely timed pauses.

His technique as an artisan shined even within his relaxed manner.

Making Balanced Decisions

Fujiwara doesn’t have very much screentime at all. This means you could easily reach the ending without even touching on Fujiwara’s real motives.

You should definitely try to make balanced decisions and conquer your feelings of despair. Then Fujiwara just might open his heart to you, using the power of Morita’s voice.

AUDIO FILES

13_01 [Fujiwara] Hey, Skins. You're looking a little long in the tooth lately! The corners of your eyes are all droopy now, like in one of those idol groups from this one country back in the day. Maybe time to think about a facelift? I can give you one if you're jealous. Aw, what's with the face? Bet it's 'cause you don't know where they messed up with it!

13_02 [Fujiwara] I've lost all my appetite with age. A drink, a cig, piece of a biscuit, and brother, I've got myself a dinner. But back when I was a company man, I duped my coworker Kelly so I could eat at this yakiniku joint in Roppongi three times a week at my employer's expense.

13_03 [Junpei Morita] Morita Junpei here. I play a character called Fujiwara. He's the man with the cigarette and coffee cup who's always at the cafe. He used to be a newspaper reporter and he went through a whole lot in the past, but I tried to play him as sort of detached and easygoing, without letting that show on the surface too much. Also, his friendliness and that kind of thing. Depending on how you progress through the game, there's a route where you get to find out about the hopes and sorrows he's had since he was younger, so if you haven't seen it yet, please try and adventure through every nook and cranny of SMT 4's world.

Skins/Yamaji Kazuhiro/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Dandy Comes to Town

When I was a teenager, I had a sense, albeit vague, of wanting to become a “cool adult”. But even as I near my 40s, I still don’t know what you need to be “cool”.

But when I met Yamaji Kazuhiro, who plays Skins, I think I began to understand a little.

Exuding Presence

Skins was written as taciturn to begin with, but he doesn’t have much screentime either.

I tried to give each and every one of his lines a lot of weight so that he would make a bigger impression. Adding Yamaji’s performance into the mix, Skins stands out far more than we initially planned.

He Can Play Around, Too

Yamaji doesn’t operate on presence alone.

When Skins asks the protagonist the name of a certain character, you’ll get to see a unique reaction from him if you enter a certain string of letters.

On his recommendation, the content of his lines in that scene became more comical than we initially planned. I take my hat off to his playful spirit.

Definitely enter “Masa****” when you get the chance.

How to be a Cool Adult

He joined us for a post-recording photoshoot. He proposed that we both make “cool faces”.

Being photographed with him, I felt like I got closer to being a “cool adult”. I think I still have a ways to go before I can really become one.

I want to think that I got a little bit closer from realizing that.

AUDIO FILES

14_01 [Skins] When I see you I think of this one kid I worked with in my old unit. Had these two friends he was always with, just like you with Jonathan and Walter. What were their names again… Oh, right. One guy was a little too much of a people-pleaser. Had some real backbone though. He was Kiyoharu. The other was a rough, wild type, but real compassionate when he wanted to be. That was Kenji.

14_02 [Skins] The guy who first proposed building the Yamato Perpetual Reactor was the Minister of Defense. Said Japan was weak, didn't have enough stamina, and if we wanted to catch up we'd need a perpetual-motion plasma reactor. He drew up the perfect plan to make this Yamato Reactor a reality. But it was actually a means of staging a coup d'etat, to purge the incompetent politicians resigned to selling our country out to the ones who financially dominated us. He was a brave but pitiful man who got swallowed up by the lust called patriotism. His dying screams as he fell to the demons still ring in my ears.

14_03 [Skins] I remember these rumors that started going around way back when the Counter-Demon Force was first established, about the source of the Demon-Summoning Program. Thought we'd summon some demons with it and put 'em to use as weapons anyway. I mean look, this thing, if you got the most bleeding-edge tech in the world back then, you still couldn't even come close to developing it. And that means you've got everyone talking about some broad out there providing our country with supertechnology.

Stephen (or rather... Steven) /Chō/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Father of the Demon Summoning Program

When I had to stay home sick early in elementary school, I saw a young man on the TV, who moved to Nagano Prefecture to pursue his dream of running a store.

I can still clearly remember how he worked hard at his delivery job with his beloved bicycle, and how between deliveries, he would make maps of his routes and introduce the places on them.* *[TN: Cho played the main character in the television series Tanken! Boku no Machi.]

To think I’d be able to meet him in a situation like this.

So Many Mysteries

Some of you may know this, but for a little while there was a rumor that Chō was dead.

Steven, who developed and spread the Demon Summoning Program for the sake of humanity’s potential while losing his own physical form, is one of the most unusual characters in the game.

Chō and Steven are both shrouded in mystery.

How he was chosen to play Steven is a mystery in its own right.

The Father of Steven

Even though Steven has appeared many times in the series so far, the truth of his character remains unknown.

So even the development team struggled to work out Steven’s nuances. This is why we decided to leave it to Chō to depict Steven’s image.

His performance was gentle, but with a sense of overwhelming scale, as if he had descended from on high.

Chō is the father of Steven, so to speak.

His Smile Hadn’t Changed a Bit

After recording, he joined us for a photoshoot.

He gave us an innocent smile, just like the one I remember from elementary school.

AUDIO FILES

15_01 [Steven] I remember a movie about a group of astronauts killed by an artificial intelligence they themselves developed. That's humanity for you; they'll sacrifice everything for demons and gods they birthed from their own imaginations, and lose themselves completely in the process. But that purity is humanity's greatest strength and its greatest weakness; it's exactly what makes humans human. [TN: obviously, he is talking about 2001: A Space Odyssey]

15_02 [Steven] With you it was Naraku, and I think with the other you it was the Harajuku police station. The first time we met I believe it was, "Will you find a ray of hope in a place the sun doesn't reach?". Now that fits the description of a certain somebody who hacked the Ministry of Defense's PCs to distribute the Demon Summoning Program, heh heh heh heh.

15_03 [Steven] Technically speaking, I used to be STEVEN, but you can still call me that, I won't mind. But let me just say that it's SteVEN; not PHEN, VEN. Say it with your teeth on your lower lip; I'd appreciate it. Up to you, though. [Editor note: The fictional SMT character was known as STEVEN in Japanese (and changed to the written form of スティーブン in SMT4/A albeit still officially romanized as STEVEN). However, the English localization spelled his name as "Stephen" because well, Stephen Hawking. Whether this distinction was intentional from the start from the Japanese side or this was a reversal Herlock Sholmes situation, who knows. Either way, his name is pronounced the same in both languages]

Mido/Chafūrin/Forbidden Anonymous Report

Human or Demon?

At first Mido didn’t even have a portrait, and wasn’t counted among the characters with unique voice actors.

But the demon fusion system is the jewel of this entry, and the staff in charge of system development wanted to make it stand out.

Taking their wishes into consideration, we decided to have Chafūrin play Mido.

Refined Uniqueness

To say nothing of his voice, Chafūrin’s hair and clothes are very refined, and he has an exceedingly stylish sense of presence.

In spite of myself, I couldn’t help but have big expectations for Mido’s recording.

Stylish and Crazy

Mido is already a character who would willingly give up his own humanity, so he isn’t exactly in his right mind.

The Mido Chafūrin played during the test recording had a much more stylish image than we thought he would.

We gave him a rundown of the image we had in mind and had him do another performance.

After comparing the two, we decided to proceed with the “stylish and crazy” Mido Chafūrin played.

The Recording was a Battle with My Ab Muscles

Those who know him may understand this already, but Chafūrin’s voice has a strange charm that slowly grows on you.

He has a tendency to boldly exaggerate every bit of Mido’s lines, and you might find yourself about to burst out laughing.

I had to put up with the desperate urge to laugh in the middle of a serious recording, and if it had gone on just a half hour or so longer, my abs might have collapsed.

Just Like Going on a Bar Journey

The recording ended without incident.

We’d gotten to the time of evening where the bars are about to open, so we naturally began talking about alcohol. Like, whether rice or noodles are better for a last meal of the night after a bar crawl.

We began getting deep into topics like whether you should cut shochu with dark or light low-alcohol beer, like in a certain travel program about touring different bars.* *[TN: Yoshida Rui no Sakaba Horoki (Yoshida Rui's Bar Journeys). The Japanese header namedrops it, referring to "Sakaba no Horoki".]

When I remember that conversation, I start wanting to eat vinegared mackerel.

AUDIO FILES

16_01 [Mido] Welcome to the Cathedral of Shadows, where demons gather! And congratulations! From this moment on, you'll live within the Extraordinary that lurks in the shadows of the Ordinary! That's right, by activating this app, you've stepped into a zone far beyond the human world!

16_02 [Mido] What do I look like to you? I bet I look like a weird digital geezer. But this form is proof that I successfully grasped the reality of the human mind and transferred my own soul to the Expanse. I'm a superior species of geezer, so to speak. And not only that, I've successfully fused myself with a demon native to the Expanse. Right now you can only see me as an old guy due to issues of data capacity, but if you saw my true form… You'd be too scared to open the app.

16_03 [Mido] When I was young I spent all my time with that Steven, immersed in researching how to convert emotions to digital information. Steven was the one who proposed the theory, but I, Meade Waugh, used my own body to put it into practice and become a cybernetic trailblazer! Goodness gracious, this body is fantastic! Without any pesky human relationships, I never need to worry about getting my suit dry-cleaned! I only regret that I can no longer savor those blissful times when I stuffed my face with vinegared mackerel and washed it down with some dark beer. It still weighs on my mind. [note: his old name seems to be ミード・ウォー? pronounced 'meed woe']

Masakado/Nakata Jōji/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Majesty of Tokyo’s Guardian Deity

Many readers are probably familiar with Nakata Jōji as the voice of Q, the shopkeeper who sells weapons and armor in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado.

But Q isn’t the only representative character he plays.

Some of you may recognize him as the character responsible for the game taking place in two settings, the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and Tokyo.

Nakata plays none other than him: Masakado.

Switching Modes Before Recording

In contrast with the humble Q, Masakado is a majestic, imposing character.

Nakata was supposed to do his promotional autograph after all the day’s recording was over, but he asked to do it right after recording Q. He wanted to cut Q’s energy off before going into Masakado’s recording.

I saw his spirit as an actor in this request. I thought an aura of quiet and solemn majesty began to grow from him the more he moved his pen.

Masakado is rooted firmly within him.

A True Guardian Deity

His Masakado was a guardian deity for sure.

Just listening to him, the courage to take on God’s Chariot or the demonic Tyrant wells up within you.

Definitely keep a slot in your stock open when you head for Ginza to bear Tokyo’s hopes on your shoulders.

The Stage for the Battle is Set

This has already been published on paper, but Masakado also has a design from the neck down. If you want to see it……

If you don’t know what we’re talking about, give the information we’ve released up until now another good once-over.

Nakata’s majestic voice just might bear down on the protagonist in hostility this time.

AUDIO FILES

17_01 [Masakado] Behold my form. I am Masakado, guardian of Tokyo and great spirit of earth. The boy entrusted with destiny, the boy who found himself in the Colosseum, the boy who became a demon, or the boy who was once in the Counter-Demon Force… It matters not who you are. If you have become the hopes of the people, I shall follow you.

17_02 [Weapon Shop Guy] You wouldn't think it, but when I was little I too wanted to be a Samurai and fight for the sake of my kingdom. But selling weapons and armor to the blessed Samurai, I have many opportunities to listen to them, and they seem to be having an awful time of it. They worry for their superiors, they worry for those at the Monastery, and of course they worry for their compatriots. I now consider it a blessing I was never chosen by the Gauntlet.

17_03 [Joji Nakata] Hello, I'm Nakata Joji. I think some of you may know this, but I played a cat named Gouto in Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha. If you know, you know. He was the cute black cat. Anyway, this time, I played a number of roles in SMT 4, some of which were pretty important! In the game I turn up in many different positions- standing in the players' way in battles, selling weapons and armor, and handing over very important items, so look forward to it. Please fully immerse yourself in the world of SMT 4.

The COOL☆ Way to Jump Over Obstacles

Stepping over the threshold, you find seven enemies.*

*[TN: Reference to a proverb, 男は敷居を跨げば七人の敵あり( “Stepping over the threshold, a man finds seven enemies”). It basically means, keep your wits about you when you grow up and step out of your house and into the world, because you never know who might be out to cause you harm. The “seven” is just a symbolic number standing in for “many”.]

Here are some moves that will allow you to clear any obstacle in the level known as the World.

Move 5: The Shuffle

Obstacle spotted by the wayside. This time we will represent it as a tissue box. Set your direction, and using the foot opposite to this direction to launch yourself…

Jump over the obstacle. The key is to do it without exerting yourself.

And land. At this point, if you’ve already done the steps to make the jump, your landing will be COOL too.

Cross the foot opposite to the one you landed on and strike a pose. You haven’t just jumped over an obstacle now. You’ve jumped over your own limits.

Burroughs/Kaida Yūko/Forbidden Anonymous Report

The Fairy in the Gauntlet

As soon as you think you can do a surprising amount of things in the world by yourself, you realize that all those things are a pain in the butt.

Even when you eat alone, if you don’t talk with the other people in the store, you’ll have to pick out all the ingredients and seasonings by yourself.

The protagonist of this game must have also had a hard time fulfilling his duty alone.

A Fairy for Real

Burroughs is played by Kaida Yūko.

When she appeared at the recording, she was gorgeous, just like the “fairy” in the Gauntlet.

Burroughs doesn’t just appear in events, she gives you support with the game’s system and the tutorial, and has lines for just about every scene.

We of the development team want the players to have a comfortable experience, and we think that’s best communicated to everyone with a lovely female voice, rather than the deep voice of a middle-aged man.

A Fairy Again

Actually, Kaida did another recording after finishing her work for the game itself. She also did the narration for the promotional videos.

Not just the development team, but the person in charge of promotion took note of her voice’s power of persuasion and Burroughs’ appeal.

Some readers may know this already. The narration for the fourth trailer currently viewable on the website and the title call in the TV commercial is Kaida’s voice.

A Fairy Three Times

She put in a particular amount of effort for the TV commercials.

When the development team got the pilot version, we ended up deciding that we wanted her voice to give it a more mature finish.

She cooperated with us in the midst of her very busy schedule and did a third recording session.

“Shin Megami Tensei IV”. Just to give us that one line.

Until I can be called “Master”

On the left you can see us after recording. We requested a smile for the photoshoot.

In contrast to her unreserved gaze towards the camera for the sake of this request, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t even manage a half smile.

I wonder if I’ll be someone worthy of being called “Master” when the next series title is announced.

AUDIO FILES

18_01 [Burroughs] Lovely weather we're having, Master. On days like these, don't you humans just want to forget about your duties and laze around all day? All right, I'll give you an extra day off. And I'll go tell the Monastery to keep an eye out for a flagrantly falsified report.

18_02 [Yuko Kaida] Hello, I'm Kaida Yuko. I played Burroughs. Will my voice reach Masters all over the country? Burroughs is the character who spends the most time with all the players, so I strived to do a performance that sounded pleasant without too many mannerisms that stood out. A little like a reliable older sister. I'm here to support your comfortable gaming life. Journey onto the stage of SMT 4 with me.

18_03 [Burroughs] This was long before you were born, but the people of Tokyo once used communication equipment similar to Gauntlets in their daily lives. I think they were called smartphones and feature phones?

We’re at That Point, so Let Me Say it/Almost Time to Move On/Forbidden Anonymous Report

I Know it’s Sudden…

This morning, I got a notice from the higher-ups to complete this blog. Should I take this as a “step up”, or as a “fall back to the center”? This is the story of my own choices.

I know this is sudden, but I’d be happy if you read this report as an editorial postscript.

Take care not to get possessed until the day we meet again.

A Definite Response in the Feedback

This is only within the scope of what I myself have been able to check, so I apologize, but I can definitely feel a surprising response in the support I’ve seen for Isabeau.

Isabeau doesn’t get the indulgent treatment common with female characters in other works. We made sure to always center her character around the themes of the story, and use her concept to discuss those themes.

I’m encouraged by the fact that even though nowadays works are full of female characters who seem to embody male fantasies, with predictable “character types” and excessive attention drawn to their body lines, there are still plenty of users in the market who “get it”.

A Definite Response

Even now, when I look back on the horrors of getting the script done before the deadline, I’m as moved as Hideki* was every time I hear the voices in this work. *[TN: Reference to a commercial for Vermont Curry where singer Hideki Saijo says "Hideki, kangeki!" (Hideki's moved!)]

The staff in charge of game events who skipped their days off to edit the script, the administrative staff who helped send the script out, and the promotional staff who helped out so much preparing the voice material for this blog.

Then, the coordinator, who worked everything out even with the frequent script delays and made these recordings possible. And of course, the voice actors who breathed life into these characters.

To everyone who worked on these recordings……

Thank you!

AUDIO FILES

19_01 [Raphael] I am Raphael. God's solace resounds through my name. I hear that a popular song in your world sings of children of men as flowers, all special in their own way. Indeed, such is the Lord's teaching. All children of men are children of our Lord, equal in His eyes. Thus every one of you is special. [TN: idk which song he's talking about..]

19_02 [Michael] I am Michael. God has no equal; this resounds through my name. If you children of men repeat not the mistakes of your foolish forefathers, if you exalt our Lord Almighty, if you eat not the Forbidden Fruit, no wickedness shall take root within your hearts. O wise ones who hearken to this voice! Will your future hold such glory as befits our apostles in the new Millennium? Or will you suffer God's wrath, laid low at Armageddon and cast out with the Snake?

19_03 [Uriel] I am Uriel. God's fire resounds through my name. If you have heard this voice, you pass muster as a warrior of light on a par with us four Archangels. Do not betray our Lord's expectations. I have wrestled with you children of men and I have delivered you prophecies, but if I find you to be unclean, I will not hesitate to burn your face to ash that I may never see it again.

19_04 [K] Let me recount the legend of a hero passed down in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado-- not one so great as Aquila, mind, but a hero nonetheless. This isn't public knowledge on account of the Monastery's controls, but some decades ago a demon erected a Domain in Naraku. Many Samurai fell prey to this demon. Now the Commander at the time couldn't just leave this matter be, so he let the demon plunge its teeth into his own arm, then took his chance and skewered it, arm and all. The Commander could fight no longer, so he became a tavernkeeper. They say he's there to this day, watching over the young Samurais' progress with his one good eye.

19_05 [Charon] The souls of those who took their own lives wash up here on occasion. And when they get a look at this riverside, it's always the same: "Oh, it wasn't supposed to be this way!" These misguided nuisances choose death on a moment's impulse or out of plain naivete, and all it does is give me more work. You had better believe I charge them a massive return fee. The market price is three times the usual, as compensation for inconvenience.

19_06 [Chiwa Saito] Hee-hello, everybody! I'm Saito Chiwa. I've been here since Soul Hackers. In SMT, I started with the Hee-Ho demons, and I've actually played about five more people-type characters… People-type, that sounds really weird… So I thought it'd be fun if I could do it being conscious of, where am I now?, and all that… Anyway, I did the Hee-hos, and before I started I thought I'd give the voices recorded in Soul Hackers another listen, and thinking I really had to do that myself, it really calmed me down! The game itself is very much for die-hards, but that 'ho! ho!' tic, it's relaxing! I try to really relax and get comfortable, but actually I have to convey that dangerous and precarious quality, and I have to keep that balancing act all by myself, and that's the hardest part. Right. I managed to put things pretty well while hee hee ho ho'ing. Or, well, I'm not right now, but, well, I did it. And in this game, I did what I could, and hee-hos will gladly be your demons, so if everyone can relax and be fends-- I fumbled my words, friends with them, I'd be really happy. This has been Saito Chiwa, nice to meet you all, ho!

Download link (includes raw data with the audio clips, original text and translation)

[p-receh]

Analysis time! :D

What better way to make another thesis for certain parts of the last episode?

This post, I'll be talking about how strong the Power Spheres could take over its owner's mind.

As I ever mentioned it before. Even though comic book already covered the story of season 2. Again, we still need to look at the TV ver. Because whatever happens, TV shows is still the roots of Boboiboy's franchise. Whether you like it or not.

We good? Now shall we begin?

Re edit for grammar correction

See, of all every Power Spheres that had been introduced, only Kokotaim gang were not yet been "confirmed" what was their Power Spheres look like. Sure, the only elemental bot that had been shown were Hang Kasa's Crystal Bot and Retak'ka's Light Bot, but that's it.

Monsta already established two rules about the Power Sphere:

Every Power Spheres have their mind and soul. They could talk, think and feel like a living being.

Whatever happens, their contact with their first owner emended to their traits and it impacted to their next owner as well.

My first suspicion obviously came from what Gopal had said before in one of anon ask box about the first debut of Taufan and Hali in OG series.

"In the past, Boboiboy Lightning turn into Thunderstorm because he felt extremely angry. Boboiboy Wind turn into Cyclone also because of felling an absolute joy."

Another interesting aspect is from Mechamato movie. Specifically when Amato in Mecha suit mode was being locked to a flashback scene triggered by Mecha Bot uncontrollable sense of fear.

(excuse me for putting the Indonesian sub ver. :/

*translation note in order:

"Mechabot, Shoot!"

"Mechabot! What's wrong?"

"C'mon Mechabot!

From this point, I think you can guess what I would want to go from here.

As the tweet mentioned. It is interesting to note the similarities between the two. Whenever the Power Spheres' soul take over the owner's body more deeper, their eyes will glow and the scars spreads to their skin.

And by that logic, the Power Spheres consume much more energy than before. Thus the heavy drained out both mentally and physically from their owners.

Amato knew this and to fix the same issue, he convinced Mecha Bot during their final battle against General Grakakus in the same movie.

"Mechabot, close your eyes! I will be the one to handle our moves! Trust me!"

It goes back to one of my ted talks about this topic and a highlight some particular line from Kuputeri.

One of my favorite Boboiboy account also solidified his statement again about Oboi's being controlled by Power Sphere or in this case, elemental forms.

In my opinion what Oboi went through was somehow worse than any other Power Sphere wielder out there.

Not only he wields seven strongest powers in the galaxy but also might be the most unconstrained one to control them. Then again he still not reach his age of consent, but he already hold big responsibility to become the hero and most wanted target in the galaxy.

Think about it, even their original owners were a bit struggled to learn their power. Hang Kasa travel planets to planet only for learning his power with other elemental masters, Kuputeri needs to harness for at least hundreds years until she could tame Beliung/Tempest's, A small crack Ki'rana's body armor could made her went berserk due to the immense power of the Lightning bot.

In common sense, every wielder still has their Power Spheres as their own companion while Oboi hasn't. What Boboiboy only has to contain that grandiose powers? a watch. A watch that went three times modification simply because of the powers that was too strong to keep and use all at once. Not to mention how frequent Oboi uses split and now with fusion techniques is also add to the list.

He barely managed to ease his mind when transform to Beliung, Ice and Blaze worsen Baraju's conflicts with their near 3rd tier transformation, and he was lucky to be saved by 30 minutes Oakuat Juice so he could keep Rimba under his watch.

Now that we come so far, the questions still remains missing:

With how bad the elementals took over Oboi, will it possible they are gonna be the next villain for him in the future?

Does Amato knows about Boboiboy's Elementals powers? Does he also know Ochobot past before sending it to him?

Did the rest of elementals Power Spheres already destroyed after the first Retak'ka's raid or not?

I guess maybe Mechamato series might be the answer of Ochobot and all elementals Power Spheres in the past. Again we still have no clue what happened to him during the season 2 events.

And also this line up post before Monsta split the title for Dwifusion to "Gentar" and "Baraju"—

—announced the third season of Galaxy series after BM3 Gur'latan(quite close too after the movie you know?) . My only hope is that it cover the elenmentals and also other origins of Yaya, Ying, Gopal, and Fang Power Sphere.

Where were they came from? Were their Power Spheres also get destroyed like all elementals did? Are their owners still alive or not?

🤔

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OOT but I just love Monsta's new thumbnail art for full ep marathon of Windara. 😎👍

[kakiastro]

The Astrology & Numerology of the 21st Century

Hey yall! You good? I was thinking a lot about this topic lately!

So we are currently still in the early stages of this century which is from 2000-2099! A century is a 100 years, just throwing that out there in case someone didn’t know that lol.

If you were born in the 1900-1999 then you were born during the 20th century which was Pluto ruled but I’ll make another post on that a different time. We are in a new era friends!

So what does this mean?

- well let’s look at the number 21 in astrology first. 21 is ruled by the sign Sagittarius which is ruled by the planet Jupiter.

This is the highest energetic number for Sagittarius. So this tells me that we are in a high intellect humanity cycle.

So, by this century being Jupiter ruled, this means Jupiter transits is ultra important for us as a collective!

Jupiter transits last for a year, so every 12 years, Jupiter starts a new cycle.

This 100 year cycle all about:

- traveling and Imigration themes. If you’re in the US, then you’ll know 9/11 really changed how we travel forever. Even now, traveling and immigration is such a huge topic and will continue to grow. I already have 2 friends that’s moved abroad and have a few family members who’s never traveled outside of there hometowns looking into getting a visa. This also tells me, we are entering a very blended cultural family unit. It’s always been a topic but now it will be the norm. Before it was still such a taboo thing.

- foreign politics. We are going to be more aware about what’s really happening in the world and it’s not all that pretty. We are in a sharing Information Age. There’s a downside to this though because what is the truth because everyone has an opinion on everything. Is there a line in knowing too much? This is what we’re asking ourselves.

-religion/faith/the church. This is a touchy topic for many people because religion as a system hasn’t been the greatest. We are currently in a weird time because so many are leaving the church and healing religious traumas while pursuing spirituality or becoming atheist. While there’s many people who are joining the church and seeking religion and leaving spirituality. As a whole, I believe we are trying to find our purpose in anyway that we can, you know. “Who is God” to you, not what the church, your family or friends think but who is God to you 🫵🏽. This is where the lifelong personal journey begins.

-opinions. I already touched on this but everyone has something is going to have something to say which includes the willful ignorant ones. Yes, everyone has an opinion but are you ready for the pushback of your opinion? I’m already seeing this but communication is getting lost in translation in many ways. Discussing and arguing are two completely different things. You have to ask yourself, “is this topic of discussion worth my peace?” “What can I add to the discussion that can move us forward?” I can tell you right now, as a collective, we’re no where near this level of communication yet lol

-people’s beliefs and ideals are going to be shown. No more keeping things a “hush” nope, we’re not in that type of energy anymore. Be prepared to be shocked by what people believe, we shouldn’t be anymore at this point.

- the Media. I do feel like the way we consume the media such as the news journalist is also changing. I’m noticing it’s the people showcasing what’s happening due to social media. This is good and bad. On one hand, we found a way to spread the word but on the other hand , people are spreading things based on their own motives. We need to find some sort of balance between fact and opinion.

-Colleges/higher learning. I do wonder what the future of colleges going to look like especially for my home country. Enrollment has been on the decline for the past few years. People can’t afford the student debt and I think as a collective we are just tired. I do think colleges will still be around. This is just my personal prediction but I think community colleges will be on the rise and 4 year colleges on the decline, some may even be closing down.

If we break 21 down to a single digit:

2 + 1 = 3

Then we can say we are in a 3 century.

3 rules over communication, ideas, creation, zest for life, youthfulness.

3 is ruled by Jupiter in numerology. See, now we have a strong Jupiter influence.

3 Is ruled by Gemini which is ruled by Mercury in astrology. Now we have a mercurial influence as well.

Mercury rules over our thought process, how we communicate, our mental health/mental health professionals, our job profession, our daily routines, short travels

Gemini ruled over our intelligence, our brain, our schools (k-12) and teachers,our hands and lungs. Gemini rules over mirrors, aunts and uncles, cousins, our best friends, local communities and neighbors.

It’s so interesting because Gemini and Sagittarius are sister signs. They are the same but very different.

Jupiter- college education

Gemini - K-12 education

Jupiter- mass media

Gemini- local media

Jupiter: long distance travel

Gemini- short distance travel

Jupiter- mass opinions (interviews, social media)

Gemini- local opinions (friends and family)

Jupiter- foreign politician

Gemini- local hometown politician

You all get the picture lol

[dropthedemiurge]

Love for Love's Sake actors perform "You like me, don't you?" confession scene :D (Myungha/Yeowoon, Sangwon/Kyunghoon, Myungha/Sangwon)

They are so adorable and we get characters admitting their feelings that never happened in the series, hehe.

I translated this segment and added quick english subtitles so I hope you enjoy this bit from LFLS fanmeeting! This was fun. And I loved how all of them used their own lines from their character's script but they mixed them up to suit this situation :D

(tumblr is acting out so i couldn't upload it here for 2 hours therefore come watch it on yt %)

I'll also add the full written transcript in read more >

(Translation by @dropthedemiurge or ametistlex on twitter) [They are acting out the scene with "You like me" line]

MC: Let's start with the first pair, Myungha and Yeowoon. TV: I'm asking him, right? MC: Yes. We'll also do the opposite scene. TV: "No, listen… You like me, don't you?" JW: "You already know it, sunbae?" JW: "Why aren't you dating me then?.." TV: "This… well… Do you wanna go eat ice cream?" JW: "Why do you like ice cream so much, sunbae?" TV: "I like it because of you, you brat!" JW: "Let's go~" WK: Come to me. Come here! MC: Shall I give you guys some popcorn? MS: After all that ice cream, you'll go to dentist! MC: You'll have to go to dentist after eating ice cream lol MC: But I really felt like I was inside the drama now. MC: Let's now act out the opposite situation, we couldn't even imagine it! JW: I was waiting for it. JW: "You like me, don't ya?" TV: "Yeowoon-ah… You're not talking politely." (the original line is in informal speech but Myungha is older than Yeowoon) JW: He's so scary~ TV: "Shall we go eat some ice cream?" JW: "Don't wanna!" MC: Let's clap for them! MC: Actor Taevin, I only asked you to say the script but suddenly you did the "informal speech" line. TV: Well, I responded to it because Yeowoon started it nicely for me~ MC: Wow… Fans are shouting that it was dope. MC: Let's have our actors Woongki and Minsu act out this scene now. WK: But Kyunghoon has a boyfriend… MC: Ah, that's right! MC: Fans are telling you to break up lol WK: No way! WK: I did my best and I'm loving him~ MC: Was he American? WK: I think he was from America… MC: I remember he was a foreigner. MS: They told us to start dating. WK: Shall we? WK: But in any case, Sangwon is difficult (?) MC: Then just pretend it's happening and show us the scene. WK: "You like me, don't you?" MS: "What do you mean?" WK: "No, but I know you like me!" MS: "You can see that I like you?" MS: Was it good? MC: I saw Cheon Sangwon right here! TV: Nice, nice~ MC: Nice-nice~ Taevin, did you like-like it? TV: It was very ni-nice, I li-li-like-liked it a lot. WK: But I (Kyunghoon) am older than you, and you spoke informally. I was a bit annoyed. MC: Let's do the opposite scene. MS: "Kyunghoon-hyung!" MS: "You like me, hyung, don't you?" WK: "How did you know?" MS: That's not the line! TV: What the? MC: This is his lines! TV: Cut! WK: Why?! It fits, so why?! MC: Taevin said he's cutting this scene. TV: I liked Kyunghoon's emotions, they were so real! MC: Director Taevin, is this a failed scene? MS: Do it once more? MC: I think it's a failure. TV: Yes, it seems like we'll have to reshoot it! MV: Director Taevin told you to do the scene again.

MS: "Kyunghoon-hyung, you like me, don't you?" WK: "Is it that obvious?" MS: "Yeah" WK: "I'll be careful from now on." MC: This drama is so fun! TV: So cute! MC: Turns out, Kyunghoon is a careful (hesitant) person… MC: Fans are all saying it's fun to watch. MC: Should we ask the last couple to perform it too? Fans: Yes! MC: Myungha and… MC: Sangwon! With Myungha will be the last pair. MS: Let me have something too! TV: Yeowoon-ah, close your ears~ MC: Yeowoon, tell them 'ready, action!'. JW: Readyaction. JW: I'll do it properly. Ready, action! TV: "Listen… you like me, don't you?" MS: "Can you see… that I like you, hyung?" TV: "Yes." MS: "Let's talk about it then?" TV: "Let's not." TV: "It's your problem, I'm gonna go~" MC: Oh no, he just went away! WK: Good job~ TV: Was it too harsh? MS: But I had more lines! JW: It sounded just like Myungha! MC: You had another line? MC: Don't go away, he has something to say! TV: You have more? TV: "What?" MS: "Hyung… I used to like girls!!!" MC: Ah, that's the line that you had. MC: Now, the opposite? MC: The opposite scene. TV: How? MC: Minsu will say "you like me" to you. TV: Ah, so I like him. MC: That kind of situation has never happened in this drama! MC: Are you jealous? TV: I got it, okay! Sits here next to me… MS: "Hyung~" MS: "Hyung, you like me, don't you?" TV: "Me? No?" TV: "Does it seem that I like him?" TV: "I don't, though?" MS: "Start looking at me too" TV: "Alright, then… what kind of ice cream do you like?"

[meekmedea]

hello!! i absolutely love your time-travel au!! i saw on one of your posts that you said you have a lot of thoughts on the dovecote family- i was wondering if you’d be willing to share any of those thoughts?

Hi!! So happy to hear you've been enjoying the time-travel au :)

I'd love to share Dovecote family thoughts and to hear your (and also everyone's) thoughts as well!

So without further adieu...

Dovecote Family Lore

Some background info - TBOSAS mentions the old guard for some families in the book and I sort of took that idea and ran haha

So within the various families that make up the old guard, I like to imagine a hierarchy exists within them. There's families at the very top and also minor houses

And all these families that are part of the old guard have family crests and even Latin mottos to distinguish themselves from the nouveau riche and the lower classes (both Capitol and District) Is it a bit pretentious? Yes. But that's part of the fun

I see 'Dovecote' as one of the minor houses - old enough for the Latin motto and family crest, but not as prestigious as 'Ravinstill' or even 'Phibbs'

family crest ideas: a dove? a pair of them? idk but I'd like to incorporate the bird into it

motto ideas: I have like way too many, but these are my current favourites (My translations might be a bit rough 😅)

Alis grave nil (nothing [is] heavy with wings)

Ad astra per aspera (to the stars through difficulties)

Amata bene (well loved)

Cor aut mors (heart or death)

~~~~~

Also THIS idea that the Dovecote family is well-respected amongst the old-guard, but nobody knows where they first made their money/wealth and where exactly it comes from right now

I think it'd be funny if nobody in the Capitol can agree on how the Dovecotes are part of the old guard. They just sort of appeared one day on records and that was that

Nevertheless there are theories: some say the family is built on blood money (ie. a crime family /mercenaries /assassins elevated to the old guard either through blackmail or some notorious deed). There's some that think they're some vassal house that was elevated to this standing for some good deed or other 

Also Dovecote clementines 🤭 (I keep adding this to a lot of my other AUs)

They're as tied to the Dovecotes as roses are tied to the Snows

The fruit are especially sweet when compared to the average clementine and nobody has a clue where their supply comes from

They have it year round even when they're not in season

It's a semi-recent thing, it started in Clemensia's parents' time as teenagers

For the Dovecotes, the clementines are a way to communicate things - there is no one thing it represents (ie. I love you / be careful / you are dear to me etc. )

Random lore about our Dovecote family members in this AU

Clemensia is an only child

Endymion Dovecote and Aelia Dovecote née Beauchamp have a running joke whose charm Clemmie inherited (it's Endymion, the Dovecote genes are strong here)

like father, like daughter, especially the Dovecote smile. Also both of them seem to be able to befriend anyone, they really do have friends everywhere

Endymion is an indulgent husband and father

I had this in a different AU, but I liked it enough to want to maybe add it here; how part of the Dovecotes being sort of anonymous in their circles is because of their control on the media - unless Endymion approves it, nothing about the family is published. Especially if it's about his daughter

Because the movie promo had Clemmie talk about D1 and D5, I decided to connect D1 to her mother's family.

Her mother (Aelia) comes from a merchant family - so, wealthy but not part of the old guard. The Beauchamp family owns a jewelry business, Lavinium. And pre-war that was THE place for the elite to shop at

Clemensia stands in line to inherit the business from her maternal uncle (family inheritance in the Beauchamp family can be messy hehe. Doesn't help that her uncle has no children of his own and instead has 2 sisters with their own children)

Actually there's this one dialogue I have about Clemensia between Livia Cardew and her own father - inspired by that line in Dune

Livia has a bit of a motive here to be Clemmie's friend and to stay her friend

Livia's mother owns the biggest bank in Panem, there's no way she doesn't hear from her parents about her classmates' family's finances

Livia's father is probably one of the only people to have a semi-good grasp on what the Dovecote finances are like because he manages the accounts

Livia's father: I hear you've recently become good friends with the Dovecote girl. Well done. Make sure to keep her close.

Livia (age 8): Because she's a possible heir to Lavinium?

Livia's father: No. Because she is Endymion's daughter.

Because the Capitol is still recovering, Lavinium isn't earning as much as it had pre-war. And the Dovecote accounts don't have any deposits from them either

Yet the Dovecote family is considered is recovering quicker than anyone can explain

The salary of the secretary of energy pays well, but not that well.

Dovecote family rumours are hard at work again haha

[apple-salad]

Petticoats for Farutetto JSK

AKA an attempt at putting the butt in Farutetto..if I can say that?

Note: I will be referring to Farutetto as Faltetto in this post as MM has previously translated the dress name as such.

I'm honestly not really sure why I wrote this post, and I'm regretting it a little having finished writing it because the topic seems pointless, but if you like maximum poof, then maybe this niche blog topic is for you.

Related posts about farutetto/faltetto dress: Unboxing (2023 mist and navy), Mary Magdalene faltetto history (long), 1st coordinate post

Mary Magdalene's stock photos for Faltetto picture it bustled with a highly raised back, but they really left it as an exercise for the reader when it comes to achieving this effect ourselves.

Bustle-able skirts are common enough in classic lolita, but we don't have a lot of lolita petticoat options that provide a historical-style rump. Not to mention that the bustle effect going on above is quite extreme.

Some petticoats that I can think of that have increased back volume are Sheglit's Victorian pannier, and some of Victorian Maiden's old petticoats.

left: VM Hip Up Middle Tulle Pannier, right: VM Hip Up Pannier

The VM petticoats appear to be designed to be used with their bustle skirts, with a few extra tiers of hard tulle to help provide a slight volume to the outer skirt.

Sheglit Long Bustle Pannier

Sheglit's is similar, with a large amount of tulle gathered near the hips for an Edwardian silhouette. I don't own this petticoat, but it might work with faltetto if the petticoat is wide enough to stuff more volume underneath.

For me, I think these types of petticoats weren't quite going to cut it... I needed huge back poof. Or at least needed to try...

Here is faltetto without any petticoats. The dress itself has no additional volume built in, so it's pretty flat. The lining is as densely (or nearly) gathered as the outer chiffon, so you could argue it is giving a tiny bit of volume. But still, quite flat.

I have collected too many petticoats over the years and own about a million at this point, so note that the petticoats I am layering here are only a guide and should be achievable if you own 2 or 3 relatively poofy petticoats of your own.

I use a couple not very poofy petticoats as a base layer to help hold up the larger upper petticoat layers.

Layer 1 is a Malco Modes 580 ("Zooey"), which is a light-poof petti.

Layer 2: Just a deflated Mary Magdalene Pannier-skirt for a tiny bit more volume

You could probably use one decently poofy A-line or 1 quite poofy, slightly longer bell petti instead.

I layer a short bell shaped petticoat on top of these to give more volume to the upper portion of the skirt. A-line pettis tend to be quite bottom heavy and I think the delicate chiffon fabric of faltetto needs consistent support along its silhouette, or else it looks weird.

Layer 3 is AP's "short organdy pannier"

These are the base layers. Next I add a back cushion to help hold up all the layers that will follow. It helps a lot in creating a "shelf" effect at the back.

The cushion itself is made from kona cotton (scraps can also be used) with a pattern that I freehanded off of examples of edwardian back pads online. I don't think the exact shape matters that much--you could probably tie a literal tiny cushion to your hips. But the dimensions of this one are approximately this if you want to try it yourself:

You can round off the sides into a kind of 3-oval shape, or cut out a smooth semicircle, I don't think it will make much of a difference for this purpose.

After trying this setup with the upper layers added and finding the bustle effect not jutting out enough, I decided to add an extra volume layer just to the back. I don't have anything purpose-made right now, so I made do with a deflated bell shaped petticoat folded in half (and folded again slightly around the edges to keep the total pinned width about 3/4 of the waist) and pinned to the cushion.

The result so far is weird, but maybe it works...

The last actual petticoat layer is Angelic Pretty's "Long Organdy Pannier". I don't think AP makes these anymore, but they are a approx. 50cm long, gently bell-shaped petticoat designed for the longer dresses AP was releasing around 2016~2020. I find the longer length quite good for sweet-classic when the skirt of a JSK or OP is a little longer, or achieving a little more poof around the upper part of the skirt with certain longer classic pieces. It's not extremely poofy on its own, but I personally enjoy using it for various poof purposes.

Layer 6 or so (?) (AP Long Organdy Pannier)

This final petticoat layer also helps smooth out the bustle silhouette, from the front to the raised back.

Finally, on top of all that a tiered underskirt is layered on top. Faltetto doesn't have any built in underskirt (just a lining, which is expected to be bustled up with the main fabric), so it's more attractive to add some ruffles to the back that are visible when the skirt is lifted. Unfortunately, at this point the petticoats are so wide that I don't seem to have any underskirt wide enough for the entire circumference of the poof.

This is the result, but I actually wouldn't recommend positioning an underskirt like the above because the length of the underskirt didn't end up matching the length of the skirt, being quite a bit too short instead (and not really in a nice bustled looking way, in my opinion). In my initial worn photos, I instead fold the underskirt in half and pin it to the waistband of my petticoat (and then pin the underskirt up a little bit since doing this made it a bit too long), which kind of worked but also wasn't really a great solution. I might need to make my own super wide underskirt, or something...thoughts for another time.

Lastly, the dress can be added over top everything! And don't forget to bustle the dress. It's not an entirely intuitive process for first-timers, but there are loops on the back of the dress that you thread the bustle ties through and further tie into a knot. I might try to post a reel of this process eventually (and will update later if I do), but here are some pictures which muddily attempt to express how the bustle is tied:

It was about at this point that I realized that this JSK had a minor factory defect, but thankfully it was easily and very quickly fixed.

And so, here is how the dress looks with all those layers underneath from different angles!

From the front, it looks pretty much like a normal petticoat is being worn with it. I hope this is enough back poof, but what do you think...?

And here are some extra photos of this coordinate to show the set up worn. I can tell that this arrangement might not be very sustainable for a full day, so I will probably be tweaking the petticoat arrangement further in the future.

Last note: As you might be able to tell, I don't own any hoop or wire petticoats, so I can't really give good advice or opinions on where they would fit in here. A hoop skirt that has a rump in its silhouette would be historically on point and probably work quite well, but you would likely have to make a custom one with shorter length. I really don't know enough about mid 19th century fashion to comment on this either, though. But maybe I might attempt it some day!

[rocketturtle4]

Why Kawi Felt Inentionally Ace Coded

This is the second post I am making about this show for this week, the first was about what I think went down around time travel in this ep and I will directly reference those theories.

Also I just think the way this episode was playing with flash forwards and backs (with both Piseang’s conversation with his mum AND Max’s convo with Kawi – ALSO A FLASHBACK FYI) is VERY INTENTIONAL. (for the purpose of keeping us both in and out of the loop)

Okay so, for the record I really didn’t plan to actively engage in BMF this week, I am mid spiral on an entirely different TV show and this show did not have my full focus while I watched it this morning.

HOWEVER

This moment

[Image ID: Kawi saying "Do you think it's possible for two people dating to have no sexual activity at all]

Took my attention and kept it, I was yelling and I made 2 quick reaction posts about the fact that I was yelling (1, 2)

I will add here that @dropthedemiurge posted about Kawi being definitely ace coded LAST WEEK (I couldn't find it sorry but I remember reading it) as well as this week 2 and @heretherebedork had two different posts about this this week.

Also there is legit evidence for this being about touch starvation and intimacy issues (@shouldiusemyname) and if they do this well I wont be mad but…

It Felt VERY ACE CODED To me

And it felt a bit smack in your face ace coded in a way that to me was throwing up giant WE ARE GOING THERE flags. These flags, to me, were primarily in the LANGUAGE that was used more than Kawi’s physical body langue (which was more ambiguous between the two theories), and this is even trickier because of the layers of translation involved.

So lets talk about those flags

(Also I’m demisexual and demiromantic so my own lens is definitely colouring my view)

Max’s convo with Kawi

I actually loved this convo FOR Max’s response, not because he responded well (if Kawi is ace) but because he DIDN’T respond well. This show is doing a really good job of allowing it’s characters to be flawed and I reckon both Max and Piseang got to be flawed in this episode.

Max has been our gay Yoda

Max has been on point with all his advice

Kawi and Piseang are together in part due to Max’s advice,

But do you know what else Max is?

A 20 YEAR OLD

Max isn’t the person Kawi needs to talk to in this moment, because Kawi’s experiences are no longer aligning with his, and all of his advice thus far has been based on HIS OWN EXPERIENCE (which he literally says by the way):

[Image ID: Max speaking while the subtitles translate the start of his sentence as "Personally,"]

Kawi’s language in this convo was REAL SUS

On top of the first line pictured above, their conversation includes

Max: You’ve already crossed the line, what are you afraid of?

Kawi responds

[Image ID: Kawi saying "I'm not afraid. I just don't think it's that significant."]

Then we get Maxs scoff (SCOFF!!): "Right, The word from someone who’s never had sex"

And his positive take on how important sex is for a relationship and an Individual

And the implication that doing it with someone you love is even better

Then

Max: Are you going to sleep next to each other holding hands forever?

[Image ID: Kawi saying "That's good." with an acesexual black, grey, white and purple flag added to the image]

@sparklyeyedhimbo I like the flag one so I borrowed it.

Then Max points out that it will only work out if Piseang feels the same way.

my thoughts:

Max is very dismissive of Kawi in this convo, there is a real disconnect with Kawi’s tentative questions and Max’s certain responses. Again I THINK THIS IS INTENTIONAL as per above. (For anyone who wants to check again its part 3/4 from around the 2 minute mark)

Kawi doesn’t seem afraid, he seems genuinely confused about not wanting sex. And personally, I’ve BEEN THERE.

Back in the bedroom

Now here we get some fear as Kawi finds condoms, panics and pretends to sleep.

Something I find interesting about this is he doesn’t pretend to sleep facing away from where Piseang would lie or curled up, he is still placed fairly centrally on the bed. His body language isn’t overly defensive (in my uninformed opinion). Now this could just be that he trusts Piseang regardless but I wanted to point it out.

[Image ID: Piseang standing at the foot of the bed look at Kawi apparently asleep in bed]

Then Piseang Time Travels (Full clown, I’m committed)

(I just watched the scene again and Kawi opens his eyes and we don’t see Piseang while the music plays, this scene is legit from Kawi’s point of view and we’ve already seen that the travel isn’t visible to the person not holding the magic globe so I AM EVEN MORE CERTAIN)

Anyway back to this post

Piseang goes to bed and looks at kawi like this

[Image ID: Piseang staring at Kawi]

(I’m just putting this here and choosing to interpret it as weighted with future knowledge lol)

Which post is this again?

Ah yes Ace!Kawi

So we get bed in the morning and Kawi pretending to sleep and then Piseang goes

[Image ID: Piseang rolls to lie on top of Kawi]

And Kawi informs him that he’s heavy.

There’s no recoil

There’s no fear

Until

[Image ID: Piseang says "Would you like to get on top instead then?"]

Even then he’s startled more than scared in my humble opinion

Until Piseang tries to kiss him

[Image ID: Kawi making a very surprised/scared face]

Then Kawi pushes him off and leaves

Piseang continues to try and encourage intimacy

HOLD ON I HAVE A SECOND CLOWN THEORY ABOUT THE FUTURE

(I’m less convinced about my projections for what happens in the future, Piseang looks so content, maybe he just get’s a glimpse of domestic bliss…It needs to be next week already. FOR THE RECORD I’m sticking with clown theory 1 if I have to choose).

We get this moment

[Image ID: Two images of Kawi as Piseang wipes something off the corner of his mouth and Kawi's expression goes from anger to something softer]

And Kawi’s change of experession here is so tender, I feel like this could be coded either way intimacy issues or strong romantic feelings, it’s not lust though that’s for sure. (I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be using coded for intamacy but *shrugs*)

(oooo I wonder if the language play came from his glimpse into the future)

I’m going to skip ahead to the theme park or this will go forever

The bits in between feel more ambiguous to me

THESE LINES FELT SUPER ACE CODED

[Image ID: Piseang saying "If you just wanted to eat, why did you ask me to take you to a theme park? then Kawi saying "I just wanted to get the vibes. The thing that can make me the happiest is eating"]

Food over sex is a legit part of the ace community (the same way tucked in shirts and clear phone cases are part of the bi community from what I understand)

[Image ID: Kawi still saying "The thing that can make me the happiest is eating" now holding up a corn cob]

(If Kawi had held up cake here I would be ALL IN)

Then we get the rollercoaster metaphor!

[Image ID: Kawi and Piseang both looking at the rollercoarster, Piseang looks excited Kawi looks concerned/apprehensive/is making a woah face]

I’m just going to transcribe here it’s quicker and I’m running out of time before I go out tonight:

K: This is too much. Not this ride

P: Come on, Let’s try it first

K: No, I don’t like it.

P: You haven’t tried it yet. How do you know if you like It or not. You said you’d never been to a theme park.

P: If you don’t try it, it’s the same as if you’ve never been here

e.g. Coming to a theme park isn’t the same as enjoying the ride

Then P holds out his hand

P: If you’re scared, just hold onto my hand, Okay?

[Image ID: Kawi looking at Piseang]

K looks at Piseangs hand, Looks at Piseang, Looks at the ride and says

K: No! I won’t get on it. You can go alone if you want to. I’ll just wait here

And walks off

[Image ID: Piseang looks disapointed]

This again felt to me like a rejection of the fear as the primary motivation, he directly says he’s not afraid but he still doesn’t want to

I’m not sure about this scene in the car, it mostly just felt like Kawi was fed up at this point.

[Image ID: Kawi and Piseang in the car]

Possibly this scene highlights the different places there in and how Piseang is open to new experience and Kawi’s not? This feels more intimacy coded than ace.

Restaurant Scene

[Image ID: Kawi and Piseang looking tired in the restaurant]

Both Kawi and Piseang look so worn out in this scene, they both spent the whole day not communicating their true wants and fears and it’s left them all worn down

But Piseang doesn’t give up

[Image ID: Piseang saying "Whatever I did wrong today, you can tell me." and Kawi responding "Today was great."]

Kawi responds to this sincerity and reaches out to hold Piseang’s hand.

KAWI is the one WHO REACHES OUT, again this reads as specifically felt to me as a reason against touch starved.

[Image ID: Two images of Piseang and Kawi holding hands in the restaurant]

And then we’re in the bedroom (time skip anyone).

I’m actually not going to analyse this scene at all much. If Kawi is ace then he can still choose to have sex provided he and Piseang have communicated and if it’s intimacy issues then I also think it’s okay provided they’ve communicated first. ( idon't actually currently think Kawi is demi for the record)

(even when Piseang takes his shirt off, Kawi’s eyes stay on Piseangs face)

(although Piseangs do too actually…)

[Image ID: Two images of Kawi and Piseang after they have removed their shirts staring at each other. The first image contains the subtitle of Piseang saying "are you sure?"

(god his eyes are so big here compared to their often squintiness)

He doesn’t pull back but leans into the kiss. He’s clearly sure of his decision. I’m just not sure about his reasons.

[Image ID: Piseang and Kawi kissing]

Both Piseangs hands are on Kawi, but Kawi’s hands are straight down, I think this could go with either theory but personally on the few occasions I’ve made out with someone “what do I do with my hands?” loops in my head lol so I found this relatable.

Make of this what you will!!

Thoughts on Kawi and Kissing Piseang while he’s drunk

Honestly this doesn't feel weird to me, romantic attraction can involve kissing and drunk!kawi is just giving in to his confused thoughts and feelings, Aesthetic attraction can trick you too if you're not aware of your own identity (lol I had sex with someone before I experienced sexual attraction for the first time and felt very confused about why I didn't really feel like doing it again after even though it had been a positive experience, It was WILD), Kawi kisses Piseang because he likes him and is then confused about Why TF it doesn't feel like it's "supposed" to, *shrugs* make of that what you will.

Additional Thoughts

I’m reading into past future events now but I wonder about Pear and Kawi’s relationship.

Did they have sex?

There was clearly something fundamentally wrong with it, and the show talks about Kawi prioritising work, but it’s all a bit ambiguous and we never got any impression of intimacy. The fact that Pear is pregnant and Kawi doesn’t question if he’s the father, how long have they been broken up? Why did Pear seek out Not in the first place? Did Pear assume Kawi was gay because they didn't have sex??

ALSO

The scene where Kawi stares at Piseang while he was sleeping (Ep 9) I'm not going back to find it now or this won't get posted for like another 14 hours but it also felt ace-coded but I shrugged it off.

ALSO I HIT THE IMAGE LIMIT LOL

(@lurkingshan and @clairificusrex since you helped with my thoughts)

[ns-imagines]

Realistic Relationship with Miguel O’Hara

SFW | Headcannons | Word Count: 782

A/N: Lemme know if you guys want an NSFW or part 2. Not Requested.

Everyone is aware that Miguel is headstrong, cold, and egotistical. His partner would have to have thick skin when it comes to communicating with Miguel. The line between positive self-esteem and a big ego is thin.

There would have to be some time spent getting to know Miguel in order to learn his body language and quirks. You would need to be able to distinguish between him being cold and snappy for no reason, and him being cold and snappy because he's hungry. A non-verbal communication link would develop between the two of you. If this doesn't happen, both of your feelings could be hurt because you wouldn't know each other's intentions.

Forgive and forget. Not holding grudges and being willing to talk about past arguments is vital. It will lead to growth in both of you and in your relationship. For example, let's say you both had a small disagreement in the morning and you met again for lunch. The air between you two is cool now. Being busy at work has left you both occupied with other worries or stressors. Now is the time you would bring up the disagreement. It is sometimes uncomfortable or can get heated again, but it is so important to both of you that it's talked about.

Sometimes talking about arguments felt like it went nowhere, but Miguel will remember how you voiced your opinions and will "correct" himself. He doesn't want you to leave him because of something stupid. It could be as small as having a disagreement about laundry being on the floor. Next time when he's taking off his clothes, he'll make sure they end up in the bin. It may cause him to roll his eyes or scoff in an annoyed manner, but it will still get done.

Setting boundaries is important. Miguel values your personal space and respects it above all else, which is a crucial aspect of your relationship. If there is something you don't like, speak up immediately. Miguel will not hesitate to express his own dislikes as well. It's important for both of you to show mutual respect.

You are as sassy as he is, and he loves it. However, don't expect him to tell you that. You keep him guessing, and if he makes a snarky remark, you give it right back. Sometimes, when you both go on a tangent, you can make him smile and lose his train of thought mid-sentence. You know you've won when he puts one hand on his hip and brings out the pointer finger. It's annoying, but so damn cute.

Rarely calls you by your name. When he does, it's either when he's serious or the moment is intimate. If you have a nickname, he's going to add "ito/ita" after it. Miguel will say the nicknames at work too. He can't help it. The majority are sweet like "amor" or "mi vida," but he also calls you "baboso/babosa." It's all backed by love, of course.

In private, touch is very important to him. Sometimes, an embrace means more than telling him you love him. If Miguel brings work home and is sitting at the table, going up and lightly kissing his head will absolutely melt him. Or, if he's cooking and you come up behind him and wrap your arms around him, the place where you made contact will always linger on him. It almost feels like there are a bunch of little butterflies flying and landing where you touched. He melts like chocolate in the summer sun.

There are times during the day, usually before bed, when he completely lets his walls down around you. This only happens in private when you're both alone with each other. Miguel will walk over to you quietly and just melt into your arms. He'll rest his head on yours if you're shorter than him or rest his head on your shoulder in the crook of your neck. Snuggles? Yeah, he is more than happy to be the little spoon. His favorite way to hold you and spend time with you is when you're under his arm. Expect a bunch of kisses - forehead, cheeks, lips, and hair. The man has unlimited kisses.

Translations:

Cito/Cita = something cute to add to a name. My moms cats name is pijo (flea in spanish) but we call him pijito

Amor = my love

Mi vida = my life

Baboso/Babosa = like someone who’s big headed. Calling someone derpy