#uncovering thieves

[monicascot]

Haribo Candy Heist| Caught on Camera | Uncovering thieves |

Indulge in a sweet and hilarious adventure with the Haribo Candy Heist, caught on camera for your entertainment! Watch as a group of bumbling thieves attempts to pull off the ultimate candy caper, only to face one comical mishap after another. Uncovering thieves has never been this amusing as their harebrained scheme unfolds in a cascade of laughter. Get ready for a sugar rush of laughter as you witness this side-splitting funny video that will satisfy your cravings for both candy and comedy!

[alfredsonger]

This guy dressed to impress but his actions are unpredictable every time ,he shows up to store roam around never have money to pay this time he was craving some Reese’s and here how he managed to get it.

[aria0fgold]

Okay I got Magic Kaito in Persona 5 in the brain again (not just kaito now so ig ill call it mk in p5???) It's cuz I'm dragging Hakuba in p5 this time too. I just think it'd be sooooo funny to give Akechi a headache inducing detective partner.

Not even in a shipping sense, I like to think that they're just friends but Akechi is definitely the "I do Not wanna be here" one but has no choice cuz the dude gotta keep his image perfectly clean and if the higher ups assigned him a partner then fine. Also Hakuba is helpful with the whole magician thief problem as someone that's mainly pursuing that particular thief so Akechi can focus on the other problem which is the Phantom Thieves. But unfortunately for Akechi, Hakuba is a Menace.

For one thing, Hakuba LOVES Sherlock Holmes (he got an outfit and everything. also has a pet hawk called Watson). He's also... very punctual with time. He has a pocket watch for that. Imagine being Akechi meeting your assigned partner for the thieves' cases that you aren't really looking forward to meet cuz you think you can handle Two menaces to society with one being an entire group but then you meet this guy, all smiles (fake ones) and before you even greet him, Hakuba just "You're late by 2 minutes and 12.8 seconds." You can just SEE Akechi's sanity crack cuz oh boi... there's Another Menace in his hands.

Also Hakuba isn't That serious in wanting to catch Kaito KID. Like, he does wanna catch him but that's not really Hakuba's priority (hakuba alrdy knows kaito kuroba as kaito kid but doesn't even do anything to him other than mess around with him cuz hakuba wants to catch kaito kid in the act). Hakuba's priority is Kaito's safety and like, I love that for him.

[fazcinatingblog]

Oh I just had a thought - when Dean's accounting business closed after he died, you could dig up the files and stuff because it's only been 6 years since he died and you have to keep records for 7 years so

[theserenadeofshadows]

Stop enabling thievery in the Sims community. Don't steal poses/content.

@hellosimsulani (known as Simsulani) is stealing poses of multiple posemakers and is making money from it, taking advantage of those posemakers' work, but also of her (paying) Patrons by deceiving them with content that isn’t hers and already exists for free. It is proven with at least 15 affected creators and there are more yet to be uncovered. Because of theft we lost ToysOfDukeness as posecreator. Stealing people’s work is not okay, people pour passion into their creations. We are losing talented Simmers because of theft.

See the proof here (the document is under construction and more is to be investigated): SIMSULANI STOLEN CONTENT

Simsulani has been stealing poses for YEARS. She went unnoticed because she is good at camouflaging. It is incredibly hard to notice the stolen poses at first glance, it is a frankenmesh fiasco. I tried to dissect the poses and find the original creators, it is a slow and tedious process.

Groups and couples got split up and merged. Places in groups got swapped and/or rotated. Normal couples or single poses suddenly got a kid or partner (or both). Some expressions were made clownesque, exaggerated or the eyes closed. To make it harder, she added accessories or removed them. She changed the body anatomy (resulting in broken poses sometimes) to make it appear different.

In some preview images clipping and/or weird gaps are very noticable. It shows they were posing with someone or something that got removed or changed around. 

Why did I share this? Pose makers can make mistakes, everyone does, but these traces of thievery and dedication to it instead of making her own poses. And she is earning money from poses that creator’s share for free.

I am not against early access (I am against perma paywalls though), but if you ask people for money to access your content early, you should deliver content of your own or you aren’t fit for content monetization. Content of your own or go home. Don’t steal others' poses or meshes to fill your wallet. Same for commissions, people commission you to create something, not to steal something.

So please, if you’re a posemaker, check if you were affected and share it, she even got poses of a small posemaker like me. If it is confirmed I will add it to the document.

For pose users, please don't support Simsulani’s behavior. There are many amazing pose creator’s she stole the poses from, please go to the original creators instead and not to Simsulani. Money will aid in enabling her so please cancel your subs.

And Simsulani, please cancel all the Patreon tiers until you make your own poses and go make your own poses from scratch. Never steal anyone’s poses again. 

----

I am not releasing my centaur pose pack today, my apologies, but this all feels too bitter.

I am so not okay with all the stolen content I have seen so far - and I know there is so much more hidden (also besides Simsulani and besides poses). I don’t want this to continue for us. The Sims community is supposed to be a creative outlet and fun place. So please let change happen. Don’t enable thieving creators, don’t give them download numbers or money for content that isn’t their own. There are many wonderful Simmers and creators out there creating amazing content, go to them instead.

A big thank you to ToysOfDukeness and @simmireen to paving the way. I am just a small pose creator, but I hope there will be a ripple.

[dungeons-and-dorics]

one thing I truly loved about Honor Among Thieves was the taverns

Taverns and pubs are essential settings of any DnD campaign. They are the places you party, the places you plan, and the places you enjoy some peace and quiet after a big battle. So the fact that there were so many scenes where plot points and plans were uncovered and concocted was so befitting of a real campaign. it makes me so warm and fuzzy inside, and it’s one of the things that makes me love fics where the party (specifically Edgin and Holga) open a tavern after the events of the movie

It just reminds me of all the NPC tavern owners that ive seen in campaigns where everyone in my party just agreed that either they were 1) shady as fuck, 2) definitely a retired adventurer, or 3) both

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Thinking of AiDeku. But like… soft.

Izuku who is a Quirkless analyst owns a cafe because while he makes good money he can't quite stop wanting to be the hero he dreamed of as a kid. So his little cafe gives free drinks to the homeless. He gives 50% off to people from the rehab center down the street and he hires former villains to help them get a good resume so they don’t reoffend.

He's the little hero of the community he's in. A kind word to people and a good cup of coffee goes a long way. A nice place to sit out of the rain, a safe haven for the abused kids he tries to help but CPS ignores it.

That's how he meets Aizawa. There's this purple kid who comes by every day, and the scars on his face scream muzzle. Izuku is worried about the kid, and reaches out to CPS only to learn that the kid has a ‘villain Quirk’. Izuku wants to snarl there’s no such thing.

He's upset and its noticed by people. Word gets out why and a few of the former villains decide to hunt down the one guy they think will help.

Shouta isn't sure why they're hunting him but he drops down to talk. Hearing about this guy with his cafe worried about a kid warms his heart (he was homeless for far to long himself, and knows havens like that are special.) so he goes looking. And uncovers a huge corrupt section of foster care taking payoffs to make sure villains form in shitty conditions.

Aizawa connects with Izuku then and just… he sees this guy around his age. He's got freckles and curly green hair. Scars on his arms and a burn scar on his neck. Izuku’s also got steel in his spine and does not look away as he stares Shouta down. It's attractive as hell.

The hero starts hanging around the cafe, talking. Izuku isn't an informant but plenty of former villains keep their ears to the ground and will tip off the hero. Shouta gets cards form Izuku he passes out to the desperate thieves and pickpockets who just are trying to survive. A place to work, or someone who can hook them up with a workplace.

The bond forms slowly until one day Izuku kisses Shouta and goes; Date?

It's a very firm agreement.

[dwellordream]

Books Recs of 2024

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Mystery/fantasy centered around Din, a young assistant investigator assigned to help an eccentric and infamous detective, Ana Dolabra, solve a series of murders. Din is an engraver, his brain altered so he has a photographic memory. However, no one is quite sure how he got his current position, since he failed every single one of his final exams except the combat portion. Ana is an exceedingly odd woman who refuses to go to any crime scene in person and often performs mad science experiments in her spare time. As Din struggles to keep up with the case, which revolves around a bioweapon being unleashed on a series of the empire's best engineers, he also worries what will happen when Ana finally uncovers his secrets.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer. Urban fantasy (very comedic fantasy) about a dragon called Vern (short for Wyvern), who teams up with a juvenile delinquent named Squib (real name Everett Moreau) to take down a corrupt sheriff who is plaguing the Lousiana bayou. Vern is a very small (seven feet long) dragon who is the last of his kind (as far as he knows). When he is spotted by a local troubled teen, his first instinct is to hunt Squib down and kill him, but he quickly realizes the two of them have a common enemy- the murderous sheriff who is running drugs through their territory.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi. Magical realism about a romantic-minded art historian who is swept off his feet by a mysterious and charming heiress. After a whirlwind courtship, the happy couple return to her childhood home; a Gothic manor on a lonely island. The more time our narrator spends around his wife's past, the more questions are raised- increasingly sinister ones about who she is and what exactly she is capable of. Once upon a time, she was best friends with an equally odd and dreamy little girl named Indigo. But no one has seen Indigo for many years now- and the Flower Bride may be behind her disappearance.

Chlorine by Jade Song. Horror/magical realism. Since childhood, Ren's entire identity has been wrapped up in swimming. If she can be strong enough, fast enough, special enough, success is sure to come her way. As the end of high school approaches, Ren's passion for swimming becomes less about her future, and more about past legends of mermaids and sirens dragging sailors into the deep. School, friends, and her parents' expectations all fall away- Ren will make her home in the water, no matter what she has to do.

We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride & Jo Piazza. Realistic fiction. Jen and Riley have been best friends for as long as they can remember, despite their vastly different childhoods. Riley is from a middle class Black family; Jen was raised by an impoverished white single mother. After twenty years of doing almost everything together, their lives are at a crossroads- Riley is a news anchor about to take Philadelphia by storm, while Jen is expecting her first child with her police officer husband. When Jen's husband is involved in the murder of a Black teenage boy by a fellow officer, Riley finds herself expected to cover the story- and Jen finds herself expected to answer for her husband's actions- and her own beliefs about what racism looks like.

Queenpin by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Our nameless heroine lives a mousy existence working as a bookkeeper for a rundown local night club, but her life is turned upside down when the infamous Gloria Denton, a gun moll and smuggler, takes her under her wing. Gloria transforms her young protege from a timid girl to a sophisticated, cunning woman capable of handling gangsters, conmen, thieves, and bookies, but when she falls for the wrong man, her relationship with Gloria is strained, and they must decide just how far they can trust one another.

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen. Historical fiction. Based on the real life trial of Katharina Kepler, mother of the famed Johannes Kepler, Imperial Mathematician to the Holy Roman Empire. Katharina is a busybody, a domineering and devilishly clever woman with a particular talent for healing. She is also a fiercely loyal mother to her adult children, but when an old neighborhood grudge flares into accusations of poison and witchcraft, Katharina is determined not to meekly confess and beg pardon. The more she lashes out at her neighbors and the authorities, the more charges begin to pile up against her- despite her son's desperate attempts to save her from torture and execution.

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Based on a real life murder case in 1931 Phoenix Arizona. Naive and sheltered Marion Seeley is deposited in Phoenix by her disgraced doctor husband, who is forced to take a job with a mining company in South America after his medical license is revoked. Marion befriends the vivacious Louise and Ginny, two fellow nurses, who introduce her to the underground party scene in Phoenix. Politicians and businessmen flock to the secret parties held by them, and it's a quick way to make money on the side. Drawn in by the luxury and thrills, Marion falls in love with Joe Lanigan, a powerful local politician, but as their affair intensifies, her friendship with the other women fractures, culminating in a gruesome crime.

[memories-of-ancients]

The Ancient Celtic Ritual of Killing a Sword,

During the early iron age up to the rise of the Roman Empire the ancient Celts dominated most of Europe, their tribal societies stretching from Spain in the west to Turkey in the east. One ancient Cetlic tradition was the ritual of “killing”  the sword of a deceased chieftain or warrior for burial. Often the sword would be heated, then bent into either a circle or “S” shape thus making it irreparable and useless. In hundreds of Celtic graves throughout Europe such ritually killed swords have been uncovered, one of the most well preserved being a iron sword uncovered near Oss in the Netherlands dating to 700 BC.

There are many possible reasons such a ritual was done by the ancient Celts. The sword could have been killed as a ritual sacrifice to speed the soul of the deceased into the afterlife. Indeed a sword would have made an excellent sacrifice considering the expense and labor needed to craft a quality iron sword in that age. In addition, it may have been a special honor for a particularly brave warrior, and while the warrior rests peacefully in death, likewise his sword should be permanently retired. Kind of like how today we retire the jersey of a famous athlete who passes away.  Finally, killing the sword may have a more practical and down to earth purpose, to make it useless if uncovered by thieves and grave robbers.

By around the 1st century AD most Celtic tribes had been overrun by Germanic peoples or conquered and assimilated by the Roman Empire. However the tradition of sword killing continued with many German tribes, and during the early Middle Ages was commonly practiced by the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings.

[livmadart]

On the Twin Phantom Thieves AU how does Shinichi's corpse magnetism curse work out? Is Thief!Shinichi also known as a competent detective bc people just keep committing murder around him? Does it "turn off" when he's out thieving and then come back with an unholy vengeance the minute he's back home? I'm so curious.

Also what's Shinichi's thief name? Phantom Baron? Shiragami?

Also your art is so cool I just want to eat it lol

Omg I didn’t really think about it….i think shinichi would be too smart to purposefully draw police attention like that but would be so physically incapable of leaving a case unsolved, he would get very creative about uncovering the victim……but this habit of deaths happening to people who have seen him at heists does earn him a reputation….i think that phantom baron is a good name for his thief persona :)

Thank you for the ask and the kind words!

[monicascot]

Car Drive thru 7-Eleven funny video | Caught on camera | Uncovering thieves

Witness the epic Car Drive-thru adventure at 7-Eleven in this hilarious funny video! The whole escapade is Caught on Camera as two bumbling thieves attempt their daring heist. Prepare to laugh uncontrollably as the comedic chaos unfolds, revealing the Uncovering Thieves in action. Don't miss this rollercoaster ride of laughter and unexpected twists as the keyword "funny video" takes on a whole new level of hilarity!

[darkrose-thewriter]

At the Mercy of Hatred (WIP)

At the Mercy of Hatred is a standalone work-in-progress interactive superhero novel by DarkRose and U12.

You will play as a vigilante seeking revenge for the deaths of their family and friends, while also uncovering the identity and motive of the murderer, and also as an antihero, a former agent of the Superpowers Regulatory Agency, who was accused of murder they did not commit, and who has returned to take revenge against their former friends and employer.

Synopsis:

The Butcher Story: I’m the most wanted person in the East Federation. They want me for a murder I didn’t commit. Everyone I considered close friends betrayed me. They thought I was going to disappear, but here I am. I’m back in the High City, and this time I’m here to get revenge on those who have wronged me.

The Vigilante Story: I have nothing left. My old life, my family, my friends - all gone. Agents from the Superpowers Regulatory Agency took them away from me, right infront my eyes, and there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t save them. All that’s left is a burning hatred and a desire for revenge, and I will find the truth about why they were taken away and for what reason.

 Features:

play as male, female, or nonbinary as well as trans;

choose your sexual orientation and/or romantic orientation;

full character customization;

choose your power for Butcher or power/powers for vigilante;

play as chaotic neutral or chaotic evil characters;

The information will be added to the blog and extended. Additions will be made as we write

Butcher’s ROs:

Jester (cis female/male): ex-assassin, joined the Butcher after they defeated her/him in battle;

Noise (transmasc nonbinary / transfemme nonbinary): hacker of the Butcher team; they’re helping Butcher because Butcher saved their parents;

Poison (cis female/male; trans man/woman): ex-superhero. Seeing as the superhero community isn’t so perfect, they decided to join Butcher;

Baron / Arthur Weeks (cis male): equips the team with money, transportation and weapons.

The Vigilante RO’s:

Frost (cis female/male, nonbinary): thief and leader of a thieving gang;

Abigail Day / Firestar (cis female): novice superhero, looking for her mom, who’s missing

Neo (cis male/female, trans man/woman, nonbinary,transmasc nonbinary / transfemme nonbinary): a hacker who continues the work of their parents, who are in prison;

Psyche (cis female): agent of the Superpowers Regulatory Agency and leader of Unit Zero;

Secret ROs: Dragon and Frostfire: secret weapons in the hands of the government;

DEMO (December 24) | post about demo | | CoG Forum Thread

hashtags:

main: #at the mercy of hatred if;

for asks: #at the mercy of hatred: asks; #at the mercy of hatred: ro's asks

for RO's: #at the mercy of hatred: ro's

for update and writing updadets: #at the mercy of hatred: demo update; #at the mercy of hatred: writing update

[nicorenarin]

Phantom Scapegoat: Why P5X Deserves A Chance

Whilst many often shake their head at the concept of a 'gacha' game, it wasn't a surprise to see the Persona series take a shot at such a game. Persona 5: The Phantom X, or just P5X, was released fully in April within multiple regions of Asia and is planned for both a Japanese & Global releases within the future. Aiming to tell a brand new story within the Persona 5 universe, P5X takes place in a parallel timeline where new protagonist, Wonder, leads in the main role with a new group of Phantom Thieves.

As of writing, the game is about to release its 2.3.3 update, which will include an expansion of the side story 'Cross Fate', which covers the original Persona 5 palaces with both the new and old cast, yet it's clear that this story will aim to tie into the main story in one way or another through the developing concept of parallel worlds and timelines. The one thing we have to be aware of is that whilst the main developers are Black Wing Studios, a subsidiary of Perfect World Games, it was recently confirmed in an interview that ATLUS themselves are still helping to construct the narrative and the world of P5X.

My only question is... where was this writing all over the original Persona 5?

It's quite insane that whilst we are only nearing the end of the third palace, P5X takes the world we know of P5 and makes it insanely intriguing. We went from the third arc being centred around a generic 'yakuza' goon to focusing on a struggle for power between teachers that aims to uncover a bigger conspiracy deep within the school that Wonder and some of the other characters attend. Even the second arc, whilst initially presenting itself as a parallel of the Madarame Arc, I think it does it better.

Unfortunately, many on the internet aren't exactly too fond of such a game. It's understandable. A lot of mainstream gacha games such as Genshin Impact are known for their predatory practices in terms of pull-rates, the fear of missing out, etc. Yet, P5X doesn't fall into this pattern, nor does it show itself as a game not willing to listen to its community. As someone who has barely spent a dime, getting all the featured characters and still having currency to spare is a very good thing. The game cares about you and at times will throw summoning tickets and various other items at you either for nothing or for a simple task. They've even recently brought back Tycoon from Persona 5 Royal and taken it online, which has been brilliant.

Harkening back to the earlier point, I believe that a community like the Persona one unfortunately exposed an ugly side of itself with the rising popularity of P5X. The amount of times I see that it's a 'china game' or the reason they won't touch it is because it's 'chinese' feels rather horrible. I think it's perfectly fine to dislike gacha mechanics, but at no point does Joker emerge from the phone, point a gun to your head and force you to enter your credit card details. Many content creators such as JohneAwesome were skeptical of the game, but after playing it? He's now a huge fan! Who would've thought that playing a game like this would change your opinion? The game isn't perfect and many, like myself, have a fair few issues with the game, especially with how it can be better. Yet, I think it's better to try the game for yourself than make it out to be a devil walking.

With collabs with games like P3 and P4 basically confirmed, along with their potential involvement in the main story, P5X has an opportunity to be one of the grandest stories in the entire series and I truly hope it rises to the challenge.

[choiceofgames]

Cliffhanger: Challenger of Tomorrow

"Cliffhanger: Challenger of Tomorrow." Punch out Fascists and unravel conspiracies in this explosive pulp adventure set in a retro-futuristic 1930s world of airships, fast cars, and two-fisted action!

https://www.choiceofgames.com/cliffhanger/

Here, masked and caped adventurers with ray guns and rocket boots blast down the gleaming Art Deco streets of Manhattan. Sinister criminal masterminds scheme from tropical island lairs. Dinosaurs stamp and bellow in fog-shrouded jungle plateaus. Fearless archaeologists discover incredible secrets and terrible curses under the desert sands. Master thieves plot daring heists among the glittering casinos of Monaco.

And you? You're Challenger, the most famous adventurer in the world—or, if you like, the most infamous scoundrel. You were raised as an orphan by Dr. Cosmos Zeta at his Tomorrow Institute, where he and his crack team of scientists have developed "zeta rays," providing free energy for the whole world, and granting mysterious powers to a lucky few.

But now, Dr. Zeta has been assassinated before your very eyes, and replaced by a doppelganger, who accuses you of attempted murder. To clear your name and avenge Zeta's death, you'll have to chase the assassin around the world—and beyond!

Will you defend Earth against a sinister mastermind? Will you crush the axis of Fascism that rages across Europe? Will you uncover the shocking truth about the zeta rays?

"Cliffhanger: Challenger of Tomorrow" is an interactive fantasy novel by William Brown, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—300,000 words and hundreds of choices long, without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

[extensionallydefined]

It's time for a sequel! My last essay post was about the thematic relationship between standard Persona 5 and the added Royal content, and there I said that I'd do another little writeup on individuality in that context. I'm going to assess it especially regarding the Royal Trio. So here it is! As always, spoilers, you've been warned.

(This is post-finishing-the-writeup extensionallydefined here - this one's a long one, get ready! It gets into character study territory, yay!)

So, I wanna approach this topic from the lens of the characters of Akechi and Sumire. They're two characters whose individuality and autonomy are heavily put into question in Maruki's desired reality. But before we discuss them.

In Maruki's reality: 1. Your suffering is eliminated. 2. Your wishes are granted.

These are its two basic precepts. In the case of people like Akechi and Joker, it's stated that reality has been rewritten in such a way that they didn't commit any crimes. If we follow Morgana's logic of the world being a product of cognition only, then we can assume that this was done by altering everyone's memory to remember a world where the mental shutdowns and changes of heart never happened.

This means that people's prior actions and lives can be altered via perception, and we can see that this can happen to the individual themselves too - It follows that if Futaba fully believes her mother to be alive, she does not remember anything that happened during, at the very least, her Palace arc during the game - including the choices she made during it.

This means that Maruki's reality fundamentally alters people's perception of their own identity. It's no secret that people's memories are one of if not the most constitutive part of their identities, so if Maruki can change someone's memories, he can change their identity itself.

I wonder, if Maruki deems that someone's identity causes them too much pain and suffering in relation to their desires, is he willing to change it? And if someone desires their identity to be overwritten, will he do it? The answer is yes to both: Akechi is the first case, and Sumire corresponds to the second question. Oh hey! It's like the Royal Trio have very relevant thematic connections!

Let's do Akechi first, since my posts here are thinly-veiled Akechi propaganda in the end. Akechi's whole "thing" is that he's been under others' control his whole life, and he's been putting on different kinds of masks to achieve his goals. Personally, I believe both "Detective Prince Akechi" and "Black Mask Akechi" are not "the real Akechi".

Detective Prince Akechi corresponds to his public persona - the Ace Detective, the celebrity. He goes on talk shows and acts nice, he's a hero of justice, and his sole purpose is uncovering the truth.

This is a mask, of course - He doesn't have that much regard for the truth, and although he does seek his justice in a way, it is not the one he preaches online. His Detective Prince mask is the one that, as he says himself, he uses so that someone will want him around.

On the other hand, we have the Black Mask persona (Holy shit Persona reference?) he utilizes. This one is definitely more genuine than the regular Akechi, but I think his ruthlessness when acting as Black Mask, especially before 3rd semester, is forced as well. I think too many people forget what Ryuji says before his fight:

I actually agree with Ryuji's theory here. I think Akechi needed to force himself to go psychotic to fight the Phantom Thieves after losing the first time. His Black Mask persona is one where he lets himself be controlled by his anger and his thirst for revenge, it's his mask of *Spite*. It's the one that pretends to hate Joker (which is partly why Morgana telling him that he doesn't hate Joker is one of the things that prompts him to use Loki on the PTs). Maybe I'll write more about this if I ever do a deep dive on him, but for now, know this: Akechi's Black Mask is what it says on the tin, a Mask.

The real Akechi is somewhere in between, and somewhere else entirely at the same time. I think the fully genuine Akechi is the one we see in Joker and Akechi's interactions during the Third Semester. He's more than just Robin Hood and Loki. He's the Akechi that can awaken to Hereward.

The thing is - the real Akechi is the way he is because of what led him to develop those masks. Even if they are his "personas", they're still parts of him, born of his pain and suffering and his struggle to get what he thinks he wants.

And that's the thing, isn't it? Maruki denies him that. He takes away his crimes - So he at least takes away Black Mask Akechi. During 3rd Sem, Akechi is aware of this, but in the "accept Maruki's reality ending", the PTs and Akechi are totally chill, described as friends - like nothing bad ever happened.

That's not our Akechi.

That's a sanitized, perfect little version of Akechi that Maruki thinks is the best one for Akechi. But in a way, he's taking away the life and identity that Akechi built for himself - He doesn't think that the flawed Akechi deserves to live. And if you, Joker, decide to take Maruki's reality? That's the ultimate betrayal. You tell Akechi to his face that you prefer the perfect version of him. You're just like the foolish masses that rally behind the Detective Prince - you want the version of him that's happy all the time and can do no wrong. Choosing Maruki's reality is an affront to Akechi's agency, that much is obvious - but it's also a betrayal of his wishes and a violent attack against his very sense of identity.

It's ironic, isn't it? Even if Maruki presents his reality as the one where Akechi lives, that's not our Akechi... So he dies either way. Except if we fight Maruki, he maintains his autonomy til the end, and if you ranked him up to rank 10... his death is still ambiguous.

(And if you're a Shuake enjoyer like me, be it for their platonic, romantic or whatever-they-got-going-on-over-there dynamic... This is just perfect angst material. Chef's kiss.)

After this whole Akechi rant (Goodness me this is turning out Really long I hope I can keep people's attention sksks), let's take a look at Sumire.

Sumire is someone who wants her personality to be overwritten. She does not want to live as someone who led her own sister to die. She wants to be the vessel through which Kasumi's goals are fulfilled. She wants to be Kasumi.

But what does it mean for Sumire to be Kasumi? If we follow our logic, it means that Sumire has to die. She disappears. Her self-perception has to be altered to such an extent that she will not exist anymore, but rather an amalgamation of what Sumire thinks Kasumi is like, what Maruki thinks Sumire wants and Sumire would be born out of the actualization of her wishes. In a way, what Sumire is saying is... she wishes she was the one who died that day instead of her sister. But she still wants to help her sister fulfill her wish. So, instead of just telling Maruki "I want my life exchanged for my sister's" she says she wants to become Kasumi altogether. Kasumi can live through her, bringing the sisters together.

Sumire wants to lose her individuality. Akechi does not. This makes them clash directly. But in the end, Sumire accepts that 1. Her sister was more flawed than how she saw her. 2. She should carry on her sister's wish because it was their collective wish. 3. She should do it as herself, because she has as much worth as Kasumi. So, she ends up carrying on Kasumi's wish, but without losing her identity and creating the "Kasumire" that we meet during the base game. "Beauty in devotion", as they say.

So, in conclusion, what does Maruki's reality do for individuality? It prioritizes the reduction of suffering and the fulfillment of wishes above the subject's self-perception. In the end, Maruki's actualization works through changing cognition - And if cognition is a part of ourselves, well... In a way, we could say that the person whose wishes Maruki grants disappears in favour of a version of themselves whose wishes have been granted. Autonomy-wise, even if Maruki grants people's conscious wishes, it's not like he asked: "Hey, would you wanna live in a new reality with all these philosophical implications?" I think he realizes this to an extent, which is why he allows the Phantom Thieves and Akechi to challenge him.

First, he prioritizes dialogue, but he knows conflict may be unavoidable. "May the strongest will decide our fate" - something like that.

Maybe my point of view is very anti-Maruki, and I'm not trying to hide it. I was against Maruki from day 1, just like Akechi. (To be clear, I don't hate the guy, I love him as a character, but we have vastly different worldviews). I highly value individuality and autonomy and I don't subscribe to Maruki's brand of utilitarianism/hedonism. But I think these rough kinds of trains of thought are the ones that P5R demands from us, and I love it for that. I think my next essay will be about Maruki and death, relating P5 to P3 and Maruki's utilitarianism to Nietzschean ideas of life-denying slave-morality. Yeah, we're going deep into the philosophy sauce in the next one. I hope you'll stick with me for that!

(Btw I added images by popular demand - I hope they help with reading!)

[gavalaa]

Sketches of all my redone designs for my Phantom Thieves from my AU, Icarus! Lots of info down below on the cut, so if you want to know more about the details and inspiration, feel free to keep reading!

This includes Akechi’s design for his Princely/Robin Hood attire, BEFORE his Icarus attire you might have seen from my other posts! Check out the Icarus AU tag for more info! Icarus has a main focus on Akechi and his relationship to the thieves, but the AU is actually an entire rewrite with new designs, 3rd semester and epilogue/strikers/tactica stories, hence Zenkichi and Sophia’s inclusion.

Read below for individual info:

I decided to include more motifs towards their persona’s and general vibes; and also just my own personal touches haha.

AKIRA - Not much has changed, I really like his design overall. I raised his boots to be like Arsene’s and changed his neck area.

MORGANA - I hate the OG pill shaped head, his new design is based heavily on the shape of Palico’s from Monster Hunter. Added a little more nod to Zorro/His persona motifs and also just made him cuter! Little hamburger headed cat.

RYUJI - I made him a little bulkier and gave some more weight to his outfit overall. I gave him heavier boots and a slightly buffer build to relate back more to his sporty style.

ANN - honestly was never too big on her latex outfit, I wanted to call back to a personal favorite female lead; Christine Daae, and used one of the versions of her Don Juan costume as inspiration. I remember seeing Phantom live and in many stage versions of her character, the Don Juan scene was a pure moment of female control, and she was truly working the Phantom and controlling every movement on the stage. Her presence is commanding, and I thought it was a very fitting tribute to Ann’s character as feminine strength. (I’m absolutely not referring to the movie iteration of Daae btw.)

YUSUKE - I referred to some historical art and legend of Goemon to add more elements of design to his outfit. When I color them, I want to add some really strong pops of color to his clothing to really drive the aesthetics and artistry home.

MAKOTO - Another totally redid outfit, I opted to give her a design which relates back to Popess Joan, and also Anat. I gave her a clawed hand on her right side and an uncovered hand on her left as both a nod to Anat’s hand raised in iconography of her from art history, but also to show the duality of Anat’s title as both a goddess of war, and of love. It also relates to the mythology of Joan and her nature as both a leader and a martyr. I changed her mask to a Venetian Commedia mask as well.

FUTABA - ok. I’ll be honest. I never liked her skin-tight outfit, it just doesn’t match her personality at all. Also, the high tech Egyptian feel never really sold me. I totally understand the tomb thing, but I truthfully think a dungeon/palace which was more like… tech/nerd themed would have been much more “futaba” the inspiration for this new outfit relates back to her persona, the Necromomicon, as well as her nerdy personality, and her affiliation as Alibaba (Ali Baba.) I wanted to go more lovecraftian, long sleeves and patterning designed to look more like lovecraftian tendrils, and big baggy pants and her classic shoes to match. The patterning on her undershirt will resemble a rib cage, both as a reference to her deathly “tomb” iconography, but also to Lovecraftian and Necronomicon lore. I think she matches the description of a nerdy, techie DND dungeon master more than the initial outfit, so that’s the route I took personally.

HARU - relating back to some fashions from 17th c France, where Milady’s story (the three musketeers) takes place, I kept her design relatively similar. I just gave her a little more iconography relating to the three musketeers and that general timeframe.

AKECHI - in his pre-Icarus outfit, I’ve given him a princely sort of outfit befitting of his two faced nature, and edited it to relate to Robin Hood a little more. I tried to keep it sleek and just generally very concealing and layered.

SUMIRE - i gave her some iconography relating back to one of her personas, who is an inference to Freya. I also included some more nods to classic Cinderella, with fantasy gown elements. Overall, relatively similar.

ZENKICHI - again, relatively similar, I really like his outfit. I just opened up the face some to show more personality and spiced up the outfit generally to keep it matching. honestly, les mis/Valjean was a hard one, but I also think his character could be heavily related back to Edmond Dante (Monte Cristo.) so I gave some nods to that as well.

SOPHIA - I turned her into a FINGIE!!!! I made her whole dress as a nod to her persona/to pandora’s tiles around her/the pillars. I wanted to make her small and almost unnatural since she’s an AI, and I thought having a little guy on the team would add some more variation.