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 Tokyo Mirage Sessions is, by all accounts, a game that probably should not even exist, let alone be as good as it is. It was revealed in January 2013 with a teaser trailer as "SMT x Fire Emblem" and nothing more than a panning shot over the assorted Fire Emblem and SMT protagonists. It fell into radio silence for the better part of two years, including at least one project reboot, changing from a Fire Emblem-esque SRPG to an Atlus-style JRPG. And when TMS as we know it was revealed to the world, it was with this. Suffice to say that this was not what *anyone* had in mind for a crossover between SMT and Fire Emblem. Surprising no one, it bombed on release. The game's marketing was non-existent, it was a Wii U exclusive very late into the system's lifespan, and despite selling "to expectations", that still meant about 50k in the US for a game with a substantial budget for music and animation alone. Cue everyone's surprise when, in late 2019, it was announced to be coming to Switch as Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: Encore (This is the version we're playing, if that wasn't obvious). I can't tell you why, the game's appeal has hardly increased with time and I thought for sure the musical rights would have tied up any rerelease, but I certainly can't complain about one of my favorite games of 2016 getting a desperately needed new lease on life. The years that have followed since the game's release have done a lot to show TMS's place in the general Atlus canon - at release it was a somewhat strange hybrid of Persona 4's gameplay with vaguely Strange Journey-esque combat and classic SMT dungeons, but these days it's easy to see that TMS was the prototype for Persona 5, particularly the palaces and extreme emphasis on style. As for TMS itself, the game takes place in Tokyo, and revolves around the entertainment industry as our party members attempt to make their way as idols, TV personalities, actors, and everything in between while a J-Pop soundtrack blares in the background (complete with full-on AMVs). In fact, if not for the fact that your characters' The LP This will be a screenshot LP first and foremost, with video links scattered liberally. While you don't have to watch any of the videos, the character models are incredibly expressive and I highly suggest you watch the them if you can, especially for the anime cutscenes and AMVs. Videos will be called out in the post  like this and be placed at the start of their relevant scenes, so they should be very easy to find. Also, if it wasn't obvious, this is a continuation of my previous attempt to LP this game. The first update will go over everything we've missed in the switch ( ) over from Wii U to Switch, and the first proper Encore updates will be picking up in the intermission between Chapter 3 and 4.As a side note, if you're not familiar with the SMT spell vocabulary, I'd suggest you brush up on that before we start. I'm not asking you to know whether Posmudi or Me Patra cures Panic off the top of your head, but you should probably know that Agi is fire and Dia is a cure spell. Spoilers  Let's just not, okay? Even with this (frankly, miraculous) re-release, TMS is game that very few people have played and while nothing about it is gonna blow your mind, try and restrain yourselves from talking about stuff we haven't seen yet. There's a lot of good, heartfelt stuff in there that deserves to be seen on its own terms, and definitely do not post the music or I will personally end you. Also re: the whole "censorship" debate - it's not. In fact, the JP version of the re-release is backporting all the changes from the US version. So do not bring it up, do not argue the point, you are wrong and will be escorted from the theater should you make a scene. never forget vagina bones  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7  Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15  Part 16 Part 17  Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29  Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46  Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Artix fucked around with this message at 04:18 on May 12, 2020 |
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Jan 23, 2020 02:36
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Jan 23, 2020 02:37
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So, given that it's been a couple years since TMS first released, it seems fair to ask what exactly merits another $60 for an extremely niche RPG. And, if we're being completely honest, the answer is "Probably not as much as you're hoping for." Aside from the original game itself, the rerelease throws in A) All the DLC from the original, including the costumes and grinding maps and B) A new, game spanning dungeon that has both new and old costumes, a new side plot, and ultimately leads to a new song by Kiria and Tsubasa. If that's enticing to you, all the better, but folks who played the original would probably be justified in giving this one a skip. Also in a neat little bit of cross-marketing, they finally added TMS characters to FE Heroes if that's your jam. Isn't mine by any means, but more power to you if it is. Anyway, I have to imagine that the only bit of this anyone really cares about is the new dungeon and its related plot, so we might as well start this leg of the LP there, eh? If you followed the old LP, we're actually taking a step backwards to the Chapter 2 Intermission, after saving Maiko and defeating Gangrel. Once we get control in Shibuya, Tiki tells us she's "found something" in the Bloom Palace and asks us to come back as soon as we can. Enter Itsuki and friends, stage left. Area of Aspiration   Yeah. Um... Big Brother, what do you dream about? You mean, like, when I'm asleep? Gimme a break, big brother. That's not the kind of dream I meant! Tsubasa, do you have a dream? Everything okay, Tsubasa? Huh? You just sighed. Have you been feeling tired? N-n-no! Nothing like that! I'm feeling great! Never perkier! I guess that's fine then... That's gonna be a big "doubt" from me, Itsuki. I found that there's this mysterious place inside the Idolasphere. You can get there through a certain door... When I tried opening a treasure box in there, I got a music player that even I could use. Thanks to that, I can listen to all the Tiki songs people have made, even when I'm all alone! I see... That's why I think you two should try the treasure boxes in there too. Maybe your dreams will also come true! Maybe... Thanks, Tiki.Not a whole lot to say about this setup. It's understandable that this whole thing has to be kind of forced in, but it really does come out of nowhere. I almost wonder if this was originally planned to be a DLC dungeon because it certainly feels like it.  It's even accessed from the same place as all the other DLC areas. If you're curious, the remaining maps are for grinding experience, weapon rank, and getting stat boosters respectively. Rolling Star, Part 1    The decor is a nice change of pace from the largely modern buildings of the other dungeons. The rose brickwork is a nice touch.   So this is the place you were talking about, Tiki... *sigh* ... It's possible that mirages will be drawn to this power of this place in large numbers. You'll have to be careful. And with that, we're left alone in a new idolasphere. Tiki's such a team player, peacing out the second there might be some actual danger. Okay, let's get going. ... I wanted to talk to Tsubasa. We'll catch up with you in a minute. ...? Ok, sure. I'll just be over here, then. ... Eh? What makes you ask? You've seemed a little strange lately. Kind of...I dunno, spaced out or something? Has something been bothering you? ...Heh, nothing gets past you, Itsuki. The thing is... It's been decided that I'm gonna do a cover version of one of Kiria's songs. I thought you'd be happier about that. No, I'm super happy about getting to sing Kiria's song, obviously. But... It's more complicated than that. She's someone I've looked up to for years, and her songs are everything to me. Will I be able to do them justice? I'm just not sure... That definitely explains why you've been so out of sorts. I'm sorry I worried you. I didn't mean to make it some big secret... It's just a little hard to talk about. The job's a big deal after all, and I do want to sing Kiria's song to the best of my ability... Huh? If there really are wish-granting treasure boxes in this place... We could find something that'll help make your dream come true. So, I think we should press on. Itsuki... Yeah, you're right. It's a possibility. Thank you, you got me feeling so much better. I was so down on myself until just now... Glad I could help. Heheh... You've always got my back, Itsuki. With you by my side, I never seem able to stay down for too long.  Aww, they're so sickeningly sweet together. Anyway, the first EX chapter is extremely short and easy. The area is sprawling, sure, but it's basically just a bunch of dead ends with goodies while you deal with monsters that don't really pose a threat.  Like so.  We're gonna be going left to right on this map, so we'll start by taking a left at the first intersection, and we immediately find a blue treasure box. That's definitely new.  Itsuki obtained the Survivor's Tale costume! Tsubasa obtained the Sweet Labyrinth costume! Touma obtained the Samurai Justice costume! Kiria obtained the Princess Glory costume! This first set of costumes is your standard "Atlus cameo" set.  Itsuki's in particular is fantastic, his Devil Survivor 2 outfit is probably the best costume in the game.    The others are...alright, I guess? Touma's pulling off the Walter look pretty well (Shin Megami Tensei IV), but something about the hair on Tsubasa's Rei (Persona Q) and Kiria's Princess (Etrian Odyssey 3) doesn't sit right with me. Might just be how garish and bright it looks.  A bit further north, and we come across another blue chest, but this one is locked. These chests are tied to specific sidequests, in this case Tiki's first one. Seeing as how we've already completed that...  Tiki can officially join us in battle now.  New to Encore is a set of skills like these, which allow Tiki, Barry, and Maiko to jump into a session given the right circumstances. Like with our bench characters, Tiki will always join a session after the main party has done their attacks, and her skill can trigger off of any magic attack. And in an extremely pleasant surprise, the game is also good about not adding her if the enemy resists fire. She's not very strong, mind you. I don't think there's any way to see her actual stats, but as far as a rough estimate goes, she was doing about half as much damage as Kiria was. That said, she's yet another source of damage and that's what counts.  Most of the goodies we can get here are some flavor of vendor trash that will never be used. Revival Beads, Maragi Stones, 2* Performas, etc, but every so often you find something like this. Skill Books instantly fill your weapon meter for whatever skill you're trying to learn, great for capping off a weapon or getting caught up when you really want that skill now.  And one more before we head for the exit. I'm sure you'll never guess what this one is.  At the end of the area, we have a giant blue box. You'd think there would be a boss or something, but nope, just a short little jaunt to pick up some goodies. Rising Star, Part 2  Hey... Could this be...? Kiria, it's the choker you wore for your debut! Oh, you're right... That takes me back. It was like a warning to myself during that time. A... warning? Yeah. A small, continual reminder to always keep playing the cool Kiria that my fans wanted me to be on stage. I see... Well, maybe a little bit of that could be useful to Tsubasa right about now. How do you mean? It sounds like even someone like Kiria was worried about how to present herself when she was starting out. Just like you are now. Kiria was...just like me? When you put it like that, I guess I feel more confident, somehow. That's not to say I'm not still a little insecure, but... If I try wearing it myself, I feel like I can learn to be more like Kiria. That's the spirit! I believe in you. Thanks! Reincarnation ~ Tsubasa Oribe I'm...just really not feeling this one. Such is the nature of a cover, I suppose, but I don't think Tsubasa's voice really "fits" Kiria's aesthetic. Ah well, maybe next time.   It's incredibly stylish, and makes you feel a surge of courage just from listening. Eheheh, really? You really mean it? Thanks a lot, Itsuki! When I put on that choker, I felt like I'd transformed into Kiria herself, and all my fears disappeared in a second! Just breathe, Tsubasa... Kiria, what do you think about her cover of "Reincarnation"? Heh, well... It's my own song, so it was interesting to hear a different interpretation. I thought it drew out a whole new side of you, Tsubasa. I, ah, mank you so thuch! But none of that could have come true if it wasn't for that magical place! Speaking of that, Kiria, what's your dream? My...dream...? I'm sure Tsubasa would love to hear it too. Oh, yes! I do! I would! I would love nothing more than to hear it! Sorry to disappoint... Nothing springs to mind. Mrgh, that's soooo Kiria. When you get to her level, achieving your dreams must be easy as anything!  Well we'll definitely be following up on that one in due time, but for now we're headed back to the future. Next update we'll be picking up more or less exactly where the old LP left off, back in Intermission 3 with Kiria's second sidequest. See you then!
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Jan 23, 2020 02:37
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Anyway, now that we're back in the saddle, I have a very, very important question to ask the thread. Second only to whether or not you're following this LP, so please treat it as seriously as I am. Do you have a glasses fetish?
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Jan 23, 2020 23:53
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I get happiness from all your music! What should I sing today? Last time, we consumed a donut containing the power of the cosmos for our dear little sister. Itsuki's power level grew to a level never before seen, and he's gonna need it because, well... quote:
Oh come on Maiko, how bad could it be? Absolutely Cute!   Please look this way, Kiria, and tell me what's going on. What kind of job is it? Well... about that... It's a late-night show called "Absolutely Cute!" Kiria has to wear a cute animal costume and act as the program's MC. Itsuki, can you please calm her down for me? Really, it's fine if she wants to cancel this gig. Kiria? Heh heh heh heh... Eek!Maiko literally runs away from the scene at this point, it's great.  P-Please calm down, Kiria! Heh heh heh... Ah hah hah hah hah... What in the world made you flip out like that? ...I'm no good with these things. Whenever I see anything cute or fluffy like this, I just... melt. ...Disgusting, huh? That's not true. You're a girl too, Kiria. I think it's normal to enjoy stuff like that. ...Really? ...You really think so? Yes. I used to wear frilly clothing all the time too. But as I got older, I grew taller and my looks became more... fierce. So all that got more and more unsuitable for me... Then one day, a good friend of mine said something to me. She said that it was "gross". That remark stuck with me to this day. That's horrible... Because of that, I gave up everything that didn't suit my appearance. And as I minded only what fit me and what other people thought... the "cool" Kiria came to be. So that's why you called it a memento... I guess it's because I'm holding all that stuff in, but sometimes I have episodes like before. It's out of the blue, I know... I don't want anyone to have to see me like that. I'd rather destroy all my feelings and regrets than have to deal with this. Which brings me to the next point. There's someplace I'd like you to accompany me. Where's that? I'll contact you later about it.Well this is uh... we're going to file this one under "an unhealthy reaction". Nothing to do but play along with it for now, so let's see exactly what she has in mind. quote:
Yeah, that sounds about right. Murdering small, cute ghosts as a proxy for your conflicted feelings about showing affection does sound like a very Kiria thing to do.   Are you serious? Those adorable little- No, the cuteness of those bastards puts my heart in turmoil...! If I can defeat every last one of them, I'm sure I can break away from my past self! You realize that makes no sense, right...? You've really got issues, lady... ...Can it. Let's move.I can't believe we have found ourselves in a situation where Tharja is the voice of reason. Next thing you know, Draug is going to develop a personality.  Anyway, this works the same as when Touma did it. As long as Kiria or a session that Kiria is part of kills a ghost, it counts. 10 kills to finish the quest.  As mentioned at the start of the intermission, Mamori uses Axes and Ice, so while we're actually pretty well set for ice (thanks to Kiria), having someone with the ability to combo off of axes would be a good idea before the next chapter starts.  I also debate picking up Maragi for a bit. I do eventually decide to drop Sukunda for it, but Kiria definitely feels the ability slot crunch harder than anyone else in the party.  Are you all right, Kiria? You look like you're in a lot of pain... I-I'm fine...! I'm sure I'm almost there...!This whole sidequest is just weird. Anyway, nothing else of note happens so let's just skip straight to the end. You don't have to kill it  Probably because it's impossible. There's literally an endless supply of them. That's how this world works, after all. No...! Then how else can I get this feeling out of my heart...!? I don't think you need to kill it. What? ...Itsuki's right. Isn't it obvious? You can't kill your own feelings. If they're easy to kill, then you never really felt them at all. As long as you're alive, you have to come to terms with it... Tharja... What's your call, Kiria? ...All right. I'll do it... I'll accept the job. I won't turn away from the girl who loved cute things! I'll accept who I am...! Kiria Kurono's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Kiria's inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Cuteness Within! Alright, that's enough of that. Let's get out of here and call it a day.  Door of Fluffiness, huh? That's one word for it. You're so Cute  What is it? I'm grateful for the things you said. So... thanks. ...Adorable. What? Heh... Heh heh heh... You're so cute. Oh, and all that stuff I said about not being able to kill your feelings? ...I lied. ...I see. If you use the hex I'm researching, you could bind someone's heart and turn them into a doll that does your bidding. And? The way you are now is so adorable... You make me want to turn you into a doll and keep you by my side, forever... I refuse. That's not a funny joke. True. Just imagining you actually doing my bidding is horrifying. Wow, thanks. Well then... I'm heading off, Tharja. Heh heh... You do that, Kiria.Just when Tharja was looking like the sensible one in this whole little scheme, it turns out they deserve each other. Well done, Kiria and Tharja both.  Probably best to just watch this one for yourself.  Welcome back, Kiria. Huh? Ack... Itsuki... you were here? Ahem... Hey. I think you nailed it. O-Of course I did. I am a professional actor too, after all. You sure are. Hey, Itsuki... You know... I thought I'd reached a point where I'd never change again. This change... is a good one, right? Yes, I think so. I see... ...Glad to hear. For our trouble, Kiria gets the Special Performance Pastel Power, which cures all ailments on the party and inflicts some combination of Confuse, Charm, and Stun on the enemies. I don't think I've ever used it. We've got one more sidequest in the queue before we head back to the Area of Aspiration, so next time we'll be checking in with Tsubasa and her advertising woes. See you then!
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Jan 25, 2020 20:08
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thank you. for accepting me. heh... chloe display pic? Anyway, today we're paying a visit to Tsubasa. Let's see what's on her mind. quote:
I mean... I can see that? "Devilish Charm" seems more like it's up Kiria's alley, if we're being honest, but let's see where this goes. Opening Your Heart, Part 1  Amrita Girl? That's what they call the girls in those ads for Amrita Shower. Supposedly it's a stepping stone for new talent. Wait. Is this the same Amrita Shower that's sold in supermarkets...? That's awesome! I drink it a lot too. It's delicious, right? I love it too! Grape's my favorite flavor... Hmmm, but avocado's hard to ignore too... Hrm...Avocado soda seems like one of those gimmicky Jones Sodas that exists solely because no one was told "no" during the production process. So, what's troubling you? Oh, right. Filming for that just started, but the director told me that I'm lacking in devilish charms... Lacking in what? I guess I don't really know how to tantalize an audience... Hey, Itsuki! What do you think I need to do to learn that stuff!? Isn't that just "suggestive behavior"? Hey Touma! Um, earlier you mentioned something about "suggestive behavior." What did you mean, Touma? Hm? There's not much to it. It's making someone feel like you're interested, but not - like they have a chance with you. Have a chance? Like gambling!? Uh... How else can I put it...? I guess you could call it a cat-like charm? A cat-like charm... Cat-like... Cat... Oh! What is it? Little Devil...? Talk about being literal here about devilish charms. If I observe that kitty, maybe I'll be able to become devilish too! I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. All right then, let's look in Shibuya for this stray cat. Yay! Good luck to you. Thanks, Touma! I'm gonna go gather information about Little Devil right away!Well, this isn't the dumbest plan the gang has ever come up with, but it's up there. Still, I guess the theory makes sense if you squint at it real hard. Let's see if we can pick up the trail of Little Devil. quote:
From here, we're left to just kinda wander around Shibuya until we find the right person to talk to. Or Tsubasa does. Let's see how she's doing. quote:
Well that's great! We'll be done with this quest in no time. Anyway, if we head down to Shibuya Station, we can pick up our first hint.   You know, I think someone from the Hee Ho Mart is feeding that cat. I keep seeing it in the nearby alleyways.Easy enough. Let's head over that way and see what else we can find.  Well, we're definitely getting warmer. Let's see if Tsubasa found anything on her end. quote:
I...don't think that's helping the cause, Tsubasa. Sounds like we're going to be doing the heavy lifting after all.  I don't know where it comes from, but you might be able to find it if you keep an eye on the alleys around here.Now we've struck gold. Think we should tell her yet? quote:
 I don't think that's how this works! Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't let this little chain come to a conclusion before I finished this quest, so lay it on us, Tsubasa.quote:
Of course it did. Let's put an end to this nonsense, and head to the alleys behind the Hee Ho Mart.quote:
Opening Your Heart, Part 2 This is one you should probably watch in motion. Tsubasa and the cat are...something.  Tsubasa, you need to be quieter... You got this? Yup! I'll give it a try!   Yeeaaah... That's what I thought... All right, this is gonna be a waiting game.10/10 recreation of cat behavior, would pet again  Anyway, suffice to say that this becomes uh... a scene. Mrrrooooow! Mrrrooooow! Mreow? Mrow! Meow! Tsubasa's communicating with a cat... Hey, what's with that? Talk about hilarious. What a weirdo. Is she trying to be eccentric? Hahaha! Should I snap a pic and post it online? Who goes that far just because of a simple comment made by a director? Absurd. You don't have to say it like that... Tsubasa's serious about this. I know. As reckless as she is, Tsubasa is diligent in everything because she strives to become something greater... That's why she's strong. ...I believe Tsubasa's going to transform in a way no one expects. I should step up my game too...On that thought-provoking note, Kiria walks off as quickly as she appeared. I'm glad someone is getting something out of this whole charade. Purrr... Mreow... Meow? Purrr... Uh-huh... Understanding what the other wants, yet not giving it completely... all while not leaving them in the dark... That is what devilish charm means, right!? Tsubasa Oribe's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Her inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Tantalizing Charm!  Door of Allure gives us another Ad Lib attack, so not the most exciting skill in the world, but we never want to turn those down. Opening Your Heart, Part 3  I don't know if it's the right answer, but I'll tackle my next gig with what I learned! That's the spirit, Tsubasa. Still, the means of swaying someone's heart... I had absolutely no idea how to accomplish such a task... Truly, it seems quite a difficult feat.That is not true in the slightest, I played Shadow Dragon.  I know, right? Even you didn't know what to do. It's only natural I had trouble with it too. But I am certain you can skillfully do that now, Tsubasa! Thanks, Caeda! Maybe Friends, Maybe Lovers ~ Tsubasa Oribe (Full Song) I like this one a lot! It's got a fun, pop-y beat that fits Tsubasa like a glove. Not my favorite on the soundtrack, but it's up there pretty high.  That's right. And it couldn't have ended any better, am I right? "The Fifteenth Amrita Girl's Eccentricity in Broad Daylight!" Man, now that's our Tsubasa! Aw... Can we not talk about that? Tsubasa started out with a pure and innocent image, but now she's aiming to be a devilish idol who leads guys on. Are you now? N-N-No, not at all! That's not happening! Haha, I'm just messing around. I'll see you two later. Um, Itsuki! I, uh, I swear that I'll never become devilish, okay? Instead of devilish, I'd say you're more... like a puppy that wags its tail. You're quite the opposite... Hrgh...! Y-You think so? I mean, it's true that I may have kinda used to be a teeny bit restless... But now I'm a lively Amrita Girl! I'm on a whole 'nother level from the old me! ...Really though, it's amazing. You're a full-fledged idol now, Tsubasa. Ehehe, it's all thanks to you, Itsuki! I'm gonna keep doing my best, so I hope you keep watching over me! Tsubasa's Kiss is her lance-based ad lib attack, it does a decent chunk of damage and delays the turns of anything it hits. Solid, if unexceptional. Next up, it's back to the Bloom Garden. Chapter EX2 awaits!
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Jan 28, 2020 23:14
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whoa, why is "Tsubasa's Kiss" all over Topic...? You know, I think Itsuki was right. The "puppy" label fits her a lot better than "devilish charm." But hey, that's not why we're here today! Now that we've complete Tsubasa 2, Kiria 2, and Chapter 3 of the main plot, we're clear to head in to Chapter EX2. Take it away, Tiki. quote:
 Before we head in, a good look at Itsuki's Persona 5 costume. Itsuki's face is a little rounder than Joker's, so it looks a little weird, but the actual outfit is spot on. It's a strong contender to follow up the DeSu2 one.  Let's get to it! What About Love, Part 1  I wonder what dreams will come true this time? I can't wait to find out. Oh yeah, Kiria, we asked you this last time, but do you have dreams that you wish would come true? Well... It's not exactly a dream, but there is something that's been on my mind lately. I've been offered a commercial for "Amrita Shower Zero". That's the commercial that Tsubasa did, right? Are you going to do the same one, Kiria? The one Tsubasa did was for the regular "Amrita Shower". Amrita Shower Zero is going for a slightly older demographic. A catch? For the song used in the commercial, they've decided to have me cover Tsubasa's "Maybe Friends, Maybe Lovers". It's a love song, poppy and fresh - totally different from anything I've done before... I don't really know where to begin with it. Tell me, Tsubasa. What were you thinking about when you sang it? "Its"? I-it's nothing! Sorry, it's just too embarrasing. You're better off not knowing, really! Hey, I get it. But there might be some hint in there to get me in the right headspace. Please, won't you share? Ah, err... Mrghh... Wait, I've got it! Let's keep looking for the treasure box! I bet if we find it, whatever's inside will help make Kiria's wish a reality! I suppose we'd better. Kiria? Yeah, let's.I choose to believe that Kiria knew exactly where that conversation was going and just wanted to get her to spit it out. Lord knows the poor girl needs all the help she can get with Itsuki.  Anyway, it's time for everyone's favorite dungeon design, the teleporter maze! As before, we'll go left to right, front to back.  The enemies are largely pulled from Daitou TV, so they're certainly a step up from the last area, but still not terribly threatening. Still, it's a good opportunity to get Mamori some Stage Rank before we move on and Touma's the runt of the party right now.  It takes me a while to decide on this one. Fang Breaker is really hard to get back, and both Rakunda and Dia serve a strategic purpose for Itsuki. Ultimately I drop Rakunda, because hitting armor and horses for effective damage is worth it...for now, anyway.  Tsubasa obtained the Falling Santa costume! Kiria obtained the X-Nurse costume! Ellie obtained the Perfect Maid costume! Immediately around the first corner, we find the Tokyo Millennium Collection costumes from the original game, accessible in the same way. I think the only one we didn't see was Kiria's? But like, it's a sexy nurse costume. You can probably fill in the blanks yourself.  The bottom left corner takes us to one of the balconies in the center of the room, where we find Maiko's session skill. Like Tiki's skill, Maiko can trigger off any weapon-based attack, but it's also pretty weak. Probably even weaker than Tsubasa is, which is saying a lot.  Eventually I get bored and start shoving Skill Books into Touma to get him up to speed. It's good for giving him an upgrade to Assault Dive and Flame Strike, as well as Sneak Peek (which moves him up in the turn queue).  The top left corner has a solid chunk of cash, but otherwise the left side is mostly a bust. On to the right!  About halfway up, another teleporter takes us to another costume.  It's a Three Houses reference, and also probably Mamori's best looking costume. Get used to seeing it.  And one last costume for the road.  I will grant that it is better than the other Etrian Odyssey costume. Not by much, though. (This one is Hero 2 from Etrian Odyssey Nexus)  Quick Step raises evade against all physical attacks. It's extremely handy, and I will happily trade two points of defense for it.  We do eventually stumble into the ending, but there's still a couple small things to check in the main area. Spoilers: None of them have anything. What About Love, Part 2   Ah! That's... You recognize it, Tsubasa? It seems to mean something to you... My big sister gave that hairpin to me. It was my treasure when I was little. Until... I lost it, that is. A gift from Ayaha, huh? That's right. It's why I wanted to find it so badly... But I couldn't, no matter how hard I looked. Then Itsuki got involved. He wouldn't rest until we finally found it. So many memories, in a single hairpin... I know... After what happened five years ago, everyone handled me with kid gloves... I was glad to have Itsuki in my corner. It's a small thing for sure, but not one I'm likely to ever forget. Wait... Itsuki, don't tell me you'd forgotten? S-sorry... Huh!? So you actually did forget? So I'm the only one who made a thing? Ah geez... Heh, it's kinda like the song, isn't it? "The sighs I breathe, the fretful thoughts, the things I do, all because of you..." ...! Sorry? Did you say something, Kiria? Thanks, you two. I feel like I've got an idea now. Enough to face the recording session, at any rate. Maybe Friends, Maybe Lovers ~ Kiria Kurono I like this one better than Tsubasa's cover of Reincarnation, although still not as much as the original. This one feels a lot more like a different take on the same song, rather than Tsubasa trying to recreate the original, but maybe I'm just talking out of my rear end here.   And it's fresh, too. A completely different feling from your usual image. I'd say it's another impressive feather in your cap! I agree one hundred percent. She's so awesomely, awesomely...awesome! It's so awesome it makes me cry ugly tears! My ears are so happy right now... I must've listened to the song at least a hundred times today! Thanks, you two. It was really wonderfully charming. You sounded just like a girl in love. In love, huh... That was definitely the concept, but to hear you say it plainly like that makes it hard to come up with a response... Agh, no, that's not... I guess I just said the first thing that came to mind. Sorry for making things awkward. Nah, don't worry about it, I know what you meant. Thanks, Itsuki. So what gave you the conviction to sing, in the end? You were so worried before. It was something I realized after talking to you and Tsubasa. Her song was just her putting her feelings out there, simple as that.hint hint Itsuki Her...feelings? Yeah. It wasn't about the singing technique or the self-image at all... She was just singing it to voice her feelings toward someone important to her. I'd gotten too hung up on the different image, and lost sight of what really mattered. That sort of makes sense...Itsuki. Itsuki, the song is literally called "Maybe Friends, Maybe Lovers." Itsuki, please.  ...Heh. Hmm? Oh, don't mind me. I just thought it was a very... "Itsuki" reaction. That's the mark of a true performer - it didn't sound like she was trying to imitate you at all! That's really not easy to do, huh. All right! I'll have to go listen to the track on repeat again, and learn from the best! Haha, that's the spirit. The road to pop-idol stardom is long, but with enough effort, glory can be yours! Next to Kiria, I'm like a little singer baby. But I won't rest until the road takes me right where I want to be! What about love, indeed. Next time, it's the final sidequest cleanup for Chapter 3! ...Until it isn't, anyway. See you then!
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Jan 31, 2020 19:59
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I am told that this game eventually calls Itsuki out on his cowardice. I will believe it when I see it. Also, update's gonna be slightly later, probably Wed? I'm gonna be going on vacation later this week so I want to make sure I have something to post while I'm on the other side of the country.
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Feb 4, 2020 04:34
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Today's update is a quick one, as we go clean up the leftover sidequests from Chapter 3. First up, we have the guy who got stood up for his movie date. As far as I can tell, there isn't any indication of what you're actually supposed to do with this, but if we head over to Harajuku, there's a new NPC standing around. Talking to her gets you...  Hm... Isn't today supposed to be our date at Daitama Observatory?Anyway, this kicks off a series of back and forths where you go back to tell him where she is, then it turns out she's moved on to the next place, etc. It's not very interesting, and I'm going to skip the majority of it. But since we're here in Harajuku, let's pick up a few more quests.  But hey, wanna help me out again? I want to practice my gift some more! Hm... haw... Uh-huh!? I SEE IT! "Devote yourself to your studies, and you shall be repaid. Work shall breeze on by, yet the person you await shall not come." ...Or I guess if you want the quick version, fate awaits in front of the Green Park on the second floor of the 106!This is as easy as ever, and we've got business in the 106 later anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.  Hm... Our customers must be really tired these days. They keep requesting food that "gives them energy!" And as it's my duty to grant the wishes of my customers, I've crafted a brand-new crepe! ...But I don't have the ingredients I need to test it out. Maybe you could help me? If you have time, that is..A crepe that gives you energy, huh? Well, Itsuki always has time for food, so lay it on us. Really? Oh, thank you so much! I need two Energy Drinks and Fresh Spicy Curries. That is...certainly a shopping list. As it turns out, I need to restock on curry anyway, so this is as good of an excuse as any. And hell, while we're here let's grab a bunch of these. They're dirt cheap and equivalent to Beads.  The Green Park is the area of the 106 right near where we found Hatanaka. The shiny is another Treasure Key, so we'll just have to check in the next time we go back to Harajuku.  But first, a food crime. Replace the milk with a stamina drink... Hm, the crepe isn't quite mixing... Whoa boy, this curry's spicy. Maybe I'll add some chocolate syrup... New item at Crepe Dia: "Biovitahydroxy Crepe" I...think we're gonna pass on that. (I promise that at some point I will go around and try all the food for a bonus update)  Does he... not love me anymore!?Anyway, eventually our wayward date remembers they were supposed to meet at the 106. We run back one more time to fetch Hayato and close this whole thing out.  Well, that's not good.  Huh!? Hayato's outside...? Hmph! I-I don't care anymore. I'm going home!On one hand, she's just inside the idolasphere so that was easy. On the other, I think the date might be ruined.  Oh, Hayato! I was so lonely! Don't you cry, Momoko... Let's go watch that movie now, all right?Nah, this is TMS. Everybody gets a happy ending.   Okay, maybe not this guy. Our comedian duo is missing their performa, and we've got a prime candidate right here.  We are definitely underlevelled for this, but the actual setup isn't too bad. One Blackscale Rider and a pair of peg knights isn't much to write home about, especially now that we have Mamori to go along with Ellie.  That doesn't mean you can't get in trouble, of course. Ellie got hosed on account of being weak to lances when she normally wouldn't be, but even without that she was still going to be eating about 400 damage from an attack. Not every one of these fights are Rocket Tag, but the general fragility of certain enemies certainly lend themselves to those tactics and peg knights are definitely one of them.  And then I went and killed them before I had a chance to revive Ellie.  Oh well, she's still doing better than Touma and Tsubasa anyway. motherfucker are you kidding me ...Well fine then. Let's go check in with Ayaha and finish off our list before we tackle whatever this is.   Rrraaaahhh! That's cat! You're speaking cat! And what's with all the swear words!? There are kids here! Speaking of kids, do you know that children's story "Urashima Taro"? The one about the guy who carried an axe and had a dog... No! No! No! You're mixing up a bunch of fairy tales! Come of think of it though, I'd love to hear that story!Yeah, I think he's gonna be alright. Back to the office!   Thanks to all your hard work, I was able to just sit here and sip my tea. Which is also hard work, now that I think about it. ...Uh, that was a joke. You're supposed to say something back to me. ...All right then. Thank you for your hard work. I'll let you know if I hear any other rumors.I do like that Aya at least tries to do the thing that's portrayed in each quest, even if her performance is...lacking, shall we say. Anyway, it turns out our departure to Chapter 4 has been delayed a bit, we have one more stop to make for Mamori. Next time, we get our rear end kicked! See you then!
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Feb 5, 2020 22:02
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So last time Mamori unlocked her first sidequest on the literal last fight before we would have gone on to Chapter 4. We'll take a moment to let her think about what she's done, and then I guess go see what she wants.quote:
Barry would insert himself into this, somehow. Well, I suppose let's see what we can find out. Steel Heart, Part 1  You mentioned something about Barry and Ms. Maiko having an argument... Well, about that... Good lord, Itsuki, do you have even an ounce of tact in you? He pulled this poo poo with Ellie too. quote:
I see now... She said Barry started objecting to you doing "Microwavin' with Mamorin." But he loved the show so much... Why the sudden change in heart? That's... um... because I briefly mentioned that I want to do some singing gigs... And that comment got him fired up. So what do you want to do, Mamori? I... Well... um... it is true that I want to sing... but that doesn't mean I want to stop being Mamorin. I'm where I am today thanks to that role. At first... I only played that part because the other adults told me to... But as I kept at it... my fans, the staff... and, most of all, Uncle Barry praised me for my work... That's why I started to feel that being Mamorin is quite nice too. Then, does that mean this is just Barry jumping to conclusions? N-No, that's not it! He did it because he was trying to protect me. Uncle Barry always thinks of me first... I never have confidence in myself, and I can't speak my mind... That's why Uncle did it for me... I understand... I'm always being protected by him... And that's why... Itsuki! I want to become stronger! I don't want to always be protected by someone... I want the strength - the confidence - to say what's on my mind! Confidence, huh... How would we do that...? I have an idea. Mr. Draug!? Mamori, please come to the Bloom Palace. We shall speak more there. I may ask for your aid as well, Sir Itsuki. Got it. I'll help however I can. All right then, off to the Bloom Palace.So in short, Barry's gonna Barry and we need to nurture some confidence so Mamori can handle her own matters. I'm sure we can solve this with a few quick conversations and maybe watching an animal for an hour or so. quote:
Oh, you want me to fight a thing. Well, how bad could it be?  Well that's...technically right where we are, right? Surely this will be fine. It will not be fine  Anyway, Mamori thankfully saved us from having to go talk to Draug ourselves, so let's just meet her there.  Indeed. He is a powerful general whom I highly respect... His name is Sir Lorenz. When we were investigating this area the other day, I sensed his presence here. A general of his stature may be able to give Mamori effective advice of some kind. You remember him...? Indeed... though my recollection is rather faint. It seems the greater an impression someone leaves on one's memory, the slower it is to fade... I see. However, Sir Lorenz has been cursed... and has fallen into enemy hands. In other words, we need to go rescue him. Itsuki... You can do this, Mamori. Don't worry, we're here with you. Okay!quote:
 Nothing is new here in DTV, so let's just skip straight to the miniboss room. You're definitely going to want to save before this one. Steel Heart, Part 2   ... Sir Lorenz, I implore you! Please come to your senses! ... You were once a great man who thought of naught but his country and its people! What has become of you...!? Country? And people? Hmph. What inane things. I wonder why my past self ever troubled with such matters. Now, I feel only joy - the joy of wielding my unshackled might to my heart's content! I shall take your Performa! And with that power, I shall destroy everything: this world's country, and its people! Nnnh... You can do this! You just have to be confident in yourself. You'll be fine. We're here with you! Itsuki... You're right! Let's do this! Boss Fight: Lorenz   All...meaningless...So Lorenz on the surface is a pretty simple fight. He's a general, and a fairly high level one at that, but otherwise he comes with a paladin and a peg knight, neither of which are particularly dangerous on their own.  That's not to say they aren't an annoyance - the peg knight will cast Sukukaja until you put her down, and the paladin will spam Horseslayer in case you thought you were being clever by bringing Touma. And of course, they can session off of each other, and no one wants that.  Lorenz himself is the big problem. He only has one trick up his sleeve, but it's a hell of a trick - he'll start by casting Rakunda if you aren't already debuffed, and follow it up with Megaton Tackle. This is notable because...  ...Megaton Tackle is classified as an SP attack. It will cause an enemy session regardless of whether or not he hits a weakness, and despite resisting both of the follow up attacks, Mamori barely survived a round with less than 50 health.  If you ARE already debuffed, Lorenz will instead cast Charge. For the unfamiliar, this is a 2.5x multiplier to your next physical attacks. I'm sure you can see where this is going.  Did I mention that Megaton Tackle is his *only* attack? Sometimes he just decides that someone's day is gonna get hosed up, so they get tackled twice in one turn.  Once he's by himself, the fight is fairly manageable. It largely comes down to keeping your health up and tossing out Rakukaja/Tarunda as often as possible, or failing that you can shove as many Fresh Spicy Curries as necessary down Itsuki's throat. I would be lying if I said I didn't opt for the latter.   Eventually, even his massive pile of health runs out. Sayonara, rear end in a top hat.  Lots of new and important goodies from this, so we'll run down these in a bit more detail than usual.  First, and perhaps most importantly, we finally have access to Open Audition. If you thought sessions were silly before, well, time to take it up a notch. Anyone with the skill (and everyone gets it) will automatically jump into a session after your main three party members attack, provided they have a jump-on point in the combo. It is absolutely ridiculous, and the only thing keeping it in check is that everyone can only attack once in a session.  Mamori managed to get an entire Stage Rank out of this single fight, which I guess is impressive in its own right. HP Fitness is nothing new, though.  Following that, a round of skills for everyone. Itsuki passes on Tarukaja but trades out Dia for Heat Wave, an AoE Sword technique. Ellie picks up Venom Shot, Kiria passes on Tarunda, and Mamori picks up Elec-Glacier and an upgrade on Wind-Split. She's all ready to go for Chapter 4! ...You know, if she didn't just max out her only weapon.  Steel Heart, Part 3  Graaaaaah! Sir Lorenz! Thank goodness... Are you well? So this child broke my curse... I apologize for causing trouble for you all, as well. Um, Lorenz... sir. We would appreciate it if you could give this girl some advice. She's troubled because she isn't confident in herself. We thought you may be of help since you're a general. Young lady... what is your name? H-Hello, sir! My name is Mamori Minamoto! Mamori... You emerged victorious over me, one by far your better in strength. Your small frame overflows with more than enough courage. You need no advice from an old fool such as I... But if I were to give some parting knowledge, it seems you are overly sensitive to what others may think. Huh? Do as you will - as your heart commands. That is the privilege of the young, after all. ...I understand! Thank you for your words, Sir Lorenz! You did it, Mamori. I didn't know I could do this too! I feel like I've figured it out! Mamori Minamoto's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Mamori's inspiration has taken form as a new performa: Honest Opinion  I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you so much! I will remain in this land for a while longer and watch over you all... Farewell... little warrior. Itsuki... I'm going to go speak with Uncle... with my own words. Yeah. I'm sure you'll be able to tell Barry how you feel now. Door of Courage unlocks the SP Skill Microwavin' Heart, which is a full party heal that doesn't take your turn. It's a very expensive, specific use-case Mediaharan. Steel Heart, Part 4  Uh-huh! Uncle was happy that I was able to tell him what I thought with my own words too. I heard he was so delighted that it moved him to tears. Then again, his affection for you runs quite deep. Ahaha... Still, I was able to do all this thanks to you and Itsuki! I finally have confidence in myself! That strength was already there, Mamori, hidden within. I am certain that you shall be able to perform as Mamorin far better now. Uh-huh! Thanks again, Mr. Draug! The show is cute, if nothing else.   And all that time, I was just holdin' her back from her potential... Barry... I'm leavin' the rest up to you. U-Uh... You promised that we'd leave together! I don't want to leave without you! It's okay, Barry. Uh-huh! I don't really know what you're talking about, but I think it's okay too! Mamori truly is an angel... If an angel exists, that means God exists as well. Yep. Got your proof right here. What? I'll be waiting outside. A given, when it comes to Barry, but I guess that was technically subdued for him? I'll allow it. Well, welcome back. How'd it go? Great! I feel like that was my best take ever... or so I hope. I see... It's thanks to you lending me your strength, Itsuki... That's why I was able to believe in myself. Still... doesn't that mean I had to rely on you for it...? It's not a bad thing. Relying on and being relied on, protecting and being protected - that's what friends are for. Itsuki... Also, it's a fact that you returned Sir Lorenz to his senses. You should be more confident in yourself. You're right! I'll keep doing my best! I still have much to learn, but I hope you'll continue to watch over me! Well then, shall we get going? Barry's waiting, after all. Uh-huh! I'm not a huge fan of Mamori as a combat unit, personally, but I can't deny that she's incredibly cute. Maybe not quite as much as Barry, though. Anyway, these intermissions are getting pretty long, so let's get out of here while we can.  Okay! Very nice, Mamori! You're as cute as ever! Your next concert should be perfect with this! Oh, you're such an angel! The audience is gonna take one look at you and they'll all EXPLODE from the cute! That sounds kind of awful. Next! Itsuki, you're up! Use your abdominals more! Put some power in that stomach! Ahhhhhhh! No! Abdominal breathing! You gotta remember abdominal breathing! I thought I trained you better than this! You'll never be one of Mamori's backup singers with this crap! We're starting over on your stamina! Gimme a hundred squats and sit-ups...each! Uncle Barry... don't you think you're being a little hard on Itsuki? Not at all! Backup singer or not, it's still a professional job! He's gotta take it seriously! Thanks, Mamori, but I'll be fine. Hmph, now that's more like it! Now you got the fire in your eyes! All right, back to the lesson! Give me three hundred squats and sit-ups! You're making him do more!?
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Feb 13, 2020 22:04
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 Before we formally move on to Chapter 4, it should be noted that Itsuki gets his rank ups in between chapters automatically. Last time he got an SP skill, this time he gets the ad lib Back Chorus, which inflicts Seal when he uses an electric attack.  What's the punchline?  I'm... pretty sure you know more about it than I do, Tsubasa... But I want to hear about it from you! Tsubasa... I think you need to calm down. But- Geez, Tsubasa... you know you can't just be a fangirl anymore. Aya doesn't have a ton of relevance to the game after her big scenes in Chapter 1, but when she does come up, she makes those scenes count. Well... ngh. Tsubasa. You're not a true idol until you can learn to balance your job and your schoolwork. ...Mrrgh... It's not like you were some big math genius, Aya... Make sure you study hard next time. Understand? Hey, I do study! A-And besides, when am I gonna need to use calculus in real life? Big news? Tsubasa, you've been chosen to play the lead... in Daiba TV's new show "Sneeze Detective Maho"! Whaaaaaaaat!? It looks as though that new president of Daiba TV's taken quite a liking to you, Tsubasa. This... has to be a joke, right...? Ha ha... Funny... S-So... what's the punch line...? But Tsubasa just started as an idol... Wow. That's quite a part. What a surprise, right? I'm so glad I had her start taking those acting lessons. Maybe that modeling work helped. You might be right. Those pictures in that magazine all looked fantastic. Maybe you bewitched him with your charm! Oh... I-I get it now! This is just a big prank! Haha, you guys... I-Itsuki, where's the hidden camera? Sorry, but it's no trick. They've actually been looking for auditions for a while now. This is your chance to get into the big leagues, Tsubasa! Kuen Tarachino... I think I've seen one of his shows before... S-So I'm really playing the main character? Th-This... really isn't some kind of mistake? No mistake, Tsubasa. You've got the lead role. Here, I even picked up a script for your part. You'll be playing Maho, an incredibly skilled detective that can solve any crime. But she has a secret... Whenever she sneezes, she switches from a spacey young lady to a badass tomboy! That's the hook, anyway... Make sure you read through the script. Tarachino told me he wouldn't show any mercy just 'cause you're a "newbie." Ohhh... Ellie's been cast for a part, too. She's got a pretty interesting role... Oh, phew. At least Ellie's going to be there too... Oh, and it looks like Yashiro has a cameo for the first part of the show! You just might learn a thing or two. Yashiro Tsurugi... Tsubasa. Make sure you do your best, all right? I'll be cheering you on too. Huh? Oh, you'll just be playing an extra. Nothing in the script. They needed a few more, so I signed you up. They'll have a rehearsal first, so I want you two to go to Daiba Studio over in Odaiba when it's your call time. But I can't act. Oh, you're just an extra. You'll be fine! Good luck.Maiko has a such a convincing vote of confidence. Anyway, now it's time for Tsubasa to try and be an actress, and she somehow sounds even less excited about it than during the photo shoot. I'm sure that this, combined with an apparently perfectionist director, will go absolutely swimmingly. We can advance the plot at any time by heading to Daiba TV, but before we do, we can talk to Maiko about something Hatanaka mentioned back at the end of Chapter 3. Aside from the obvious problem that he's investigating the mirage incidents himself, he dropped a juicy little tidbit about this mysterious new president of Daiba TV we should probably follow up on. What WILL I wear?  Of course. What can I help you with? *Gasp* Don't tell me... Are you asking me on a date? What WILL I wear? Er, no... Kiria? Kiria and Itsuki are competing for my attention... I've finally reached the time in my life when everyone recognizes my true charms! ... ...Oh, stop looking at me like that. I'm just kidding. You know that. Can we focus for a second? This is serious. All right, all right. So, who wants to go first? Go ahead, Itsuki. I'm guessing we came to talk about the same thing anyway. We saw him at Daitou TV after the last incident, looking around for clues. I see... That could be a problem. Ms. Maiko...? *Sigh* Well, this is going to be a pain. We can't exactly keep him quiet, given how big he is in the industry. It's very dangerous for someone who's not a Mirage Master to get involved in this mess. If you find anyone else trying to investigate this, I want you guys to make sure you try to warn them off. Understood. Good. I'm counting on you guys. Yeah. Even in the industry, he's not very well-known. He WAS the one who pushed to cast Tsubasa... but, well... He was too forceful about it. It IS rare for a newly appointed president to jump in on a show that had already done most of its casting. Maybe he's just a huge fan of Tsubasa? Well, if that really is the case, then I suppose it's just more good news for her. Considering all the Mirages though, I don't think we can afford to be too optimistic about it. Well, I want you to keep an eye on Tsubasa, just in case. Got it. As for Daiba TV, I'll keep investigating.I like Maiko's continual assurance that we can just "warn off" any interested parties regarding the mirage attacks. Like yeah, the high school kid and goth girl are really gonna give you the business if you don't butt out, you catch my drift?  Anyway, sure enough we have a new destination on the map. Let's check out the set.  ...It's not much of one, if we're being honest.  You can talk to most of the extras and they've got some cute lines. Most of them are pretty self-aware about the situation, although a couple of them are mad about being shown up by Tsubasa and/or Yashiro. And hey, speaking of, there's our boy in the front. Let's see how he's doing. So you're playing...the villain  I'm here as an extra. Is that so? What part are you playing, Yashiro? I don't have a script, so... ...Use this. Oh - you sure? I already know my lines. ...All of them? You mean you've memorized the whole script? It's for the sake of getting into character. This isn't anything special. You may be just an extra, but you're still an actor. You should at least check the scene you're going to be in. G-Got it. So you're playing... the villain. Looks like you have a lot of scenes with Tsubasa. It's plain to see. Well... yeah, she is. Tsubasa just started acting lessons recently... Apparently the president of Daiba TV pushed for her casting. Why would he want a novice like her in the lead role...? There must be some ulterior motive at play. An ulterior motive... Do you think there's some kind of hidden meaning behind this casting then...? You're... quite bizarre. Huh? You're genuinely asking me my opinion? We've stood on opposite sides - you fought me as an enemy. I believe I'm the one asking you a question. If you actually are against us, you could've just destroyed us and taken Tiki by force if you wanted to. But you didn't. So... I don't think you're our enemy, no. I'd hardly call that stable grounds for a conclusion. Is all this... about your father? If you're investigating what happened five years ago, maybe we could- ...You really are bizarre. Huh? ...Just stay out of my way.Bless Itsuki for attempting to bring around even the sadsack boy who tried to kill us last chapter. He's not...wrong, I suppose, but you're gonna need a more powerful friendship speech than that to bring around the edgelord.  Anyway, our ultimate goal is to check in with Ellie and Tsubasa. I'm sure this is going great if Yashiro's conversation is anything to go by. Cut, cut, cut. That was CRAP!  Huh!? No, I-I don't think I'm nervous. My head's all, you know, fluttery for some reason... *Sigh* Yeah, that's stage fright. And a pretty bad case, too... Listen. You're the lead, Tsubasa. You just gotta dive in headfirst and give that director everything you got! That's the Hollywood spirit! Um, uh... but... And there's the man of the hour. I'll give them this, this guy looks like an rear end in a top hat auteur who is going to shoot a scene as many times as he has to. (You should probably watch this next bit in motion)  Will... I be able to catch such a cunning criminal...? Achoo! Heh... Awright, this is starting to get interesting... There isn't a criminal alive I can't catch. Just you wait, Hip Hunter. Time to knock some sense into you! I-I'm sorry...! (It resets to another take at this point) But that must mean... this was all part of the plan set by the serial murderer known as the Hip Hunter... Will... I be able to catch such a cunning criminal...? Come on! She's gotta be serious! Maho's scared of a murderer on the loose, not wonderin' about her drat grocery list! G-Got it...!(And again) But that must mean... this was all part of the plan set by the serial murderer known as the Hip Hunter... Cut, cut, cut! That was CRAP! How d'you expect the audience to get that this guy's a dangerous criminal? I-It's finally over... I said it in auditions, and I'll say it again. I want over a 50% viewer rating for this show! At LEAST! I don't want any crap reviews like "just the same-old Tarachino," so keep up if you don't wanna get cut! And that means... Oribe, front and center! Wh-What!? I thought you said we were done for today... The hell I'm done with you! You're stayin' here until you understand the mind - the very SOUL - of Maho! Better prepare yourself, Oribe! Oh man... looks like she got dragged into the director's cave. Guess he's busting out the brutal stuff... He's completely locked on to her. He's got no mercy for bad acting... It's only a matter of time before the role gets recast. This is something Tsubasa's going to have to overcome on her own. Tarachino's training is tough. People get nightmares about it afterward... but if you endure it, you learn a ton. It sounds like you know a lot about this... Oh, I've worked with Tarachino before. Oh, of course. So what kind of person is he? Mm... I guess you could say he's just super passionate. But that's exactly why he has such high standards. His perfectionism hasn't exactly won him a lot of friends... but there's no denying that all his work is amazing. Huh... Ah, geez, I didn't come to gossip about the director! I have to get some practice done, so you better come too. Sure. But won't I just slow you down? I'm kind of a beginner at this.  You don't need to be so blunt about it. If I'm in the mood, I'll give you some Hollywood acting instructions. Even an extra should know the basics of acting, so I'll help you out - if I feel like it, anyway. I'll be at the lesson studio. You better not keep me waiting.Well, after getting viciously dunked on like that, how could we refuse? There's not much we can do for Tsubasa right now, so next time we're going to check in at Ellie's acting school. See you then!
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Feb 17, 2020 03:55
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Pouring one out for this scene that absolutely did not deserve to be cut from the next update: I think I'll head home for today. Huh!? I just play an extra, so if you need to practice, it'd be better if the two of you do it together. H-Hold it right there! Who said you can just leave like that!? We're still in the middle of practice! Yeah, Itsuki. You can help me practice too. Oh my god! I can't believe I'm seeing this! Is this what it means to be young!? Or is it just going to become a bloodbath!? ...Bloodbath? Why? Not to mention you've got the perfect setup! A childhood friend and a tsundere!? Itsuki, I kinda wish you'd just explode this instant! What are you even talking about!? And who are you calling a tsundere!?
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Feb 19, 2020 03:09
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quote:
So last time Tsubasa was dragged off into directorial hell and Ellie told us to come help her practice her lines. It was a great time for everyone.  The ADs and other support folks pretty much have the same reaction. Probably not a great time on this set, tbh.  There isn't really much to do at this point, so let's just head straight over to Barry's. I'm a star actress!  I know. You mustn't worry - the surest way to catch a criminal is in greater numbers, so... Achoo! *Gasp* Maho, did... did you just sneeze? drat right I did! So what? I'll catch that lowlife scumbag, no matter what it takes! Come on, let's go!Itsuki is admittedly just reading the lines off the script, but he somehow manages to be even more deadpan and stiff than Tsubasa. It is...something to behold, that's for sure.  Also, she's supposed to be saying that midway through running off. Keep that in mind when you deliver the line. Wow, Ellie... Huh? Wow? Wow what? You even remember Maho's lines. Oh, that? I mean, I have a lot of scenes with Maho, so it's only natural I'd remember those lines too. That wouldn't come naturally to me at all. It's really impressive. Th-This is nothing compared to Hollywood. And besides, I'm a star actress in the making! Yeah... It did seem like there were a lot of retakes during scenes after she sneezes. It almost feels like Tsubasa's holding back... or maybe she's just not sure how to get into character. You've been watching Tsubasa's acting pretty carefully, haven't you? Watching other people act is a good way for you to learn more techniques.For once, Ellie actually has some good advice regarding acting. Maybe this whole "Hollywood Star" thing isn't such a pipe dream.  quote:
Itsuki, my idiot child. How do you continue to do this? You're a natural in the worst way. Oh, and I guess Chapter 4 is starting in earnest now? Yeah, that sounds about right.  So they were hiding in plain sight while we were right there... They've got some guts. Let's hurry and head over! I mean I guess we could go get a nice latte or something first, but let's not prey on Tsubasa's worst fears like that. UnbeFRIGGINlievable!   D-Director Tarachino!? Looks like the director's the one making everybody collapse... W-We have to stop him quickly! Itsuki, what do we do!? If this is the same as before, we need to separate the Mirage connected to the director first and then defeat it... UnbeFRIGGINlievable... All the new talent nowadays is absolute trash... I can't find a single actor that can express my true vision! What... The... HELL!? Okay, Take 158! We're not stoppin' until I've got what I need! Look! What I want to see is some acting that's gonna mesmerize the audience in an instant! I want an actor who's got the chops to do that! Pack it up! We're moving studios! Ah! We have to go after him!And with that he wanders off into the idolasphere. I really, really like the next dungeon, but before we head in, we should go kit up now that the Chapter 4 accessories have unlocked.  In addition to the usual sets of upgrades (Strenth, Magic, Def/Res, etc), we now have a unique item for each character. Itsuki's, for example, is +1 to all stats which really isn't worth it when he has a choice of +6 Str or +6 Magic right there.  Some of them are really, really good though. Tsubasa's is +3 Magic and +7 Speed which is fantastic considering that Tsubasa is fairly slow for what you typically expect out of a peg knight. Ellie's is also worth mentioning, at +2 Str and +13 Skill. Normally that wouldn't be much to write home about, but Ellie also has a couple inherent crit bonuses, and given that skill governs crit chance, now you've got something to work with. Anyway, next time we'll be heading in to Illusory Daiba. See you then!
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Feb 20, 2020 02:00
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Alright kids, gather round because we have not one, but two Master Seals to hand out. I'm not going to go into as much detail as last time, since the promotions largely follow the same theme as Itsuki's, but I will give a brief overview of what they have to offer. Tsubasa Falcoknight - Magic based, emphasis on Wind and Healing. Significantly earlier access to Auto-Sukukaja and sole access to Mazandyne. Special passive Blessed Wind (restores health per turn) Wyvern Knight - Strength based, lances and debuffs. Exclusive skill Fog Breath (reduces all enemies attack and hit/evade) and Dragonseye (raises hit/evade) Touma Paladin - Balanced extension of cavalier with a slight strength bias. Sole access to Auto-Tarukaja, some crit skills, and Tetraguard/Tetrakarn (blocks/repels one attack on the party) Dark Knight - Somewhat better magic than Paladin (he's still bad at it), with extra access to fire and debuffs. Sole access to War Cry (All enemies Atk/Def down), Fog Breath, and Debilitate (All enemy stats down), as well as Maragi for some reason? It's literally his only capital-M Magic spell and he shouldn't be casting it regardless. Kiria Sage - Light magic and Healing focus. Sole access to more or less the entire light family, including Spirit Drain/Leech (steals some/a lot of MP from an enemy), Nosferatu (heals for half the damage inflicted), and Naga (heavy light damage and effective against dragons), as well as your standard healing magic (Mediarama/Samerecarm are the standouts). Special passive Hygieia's Protection (Kiria is less likely to be hit with status ailments) Sorceror - Mage++, in much the same way Paladin is Cavalier++, with a general wind bias. Special passive True Casting (significantly increases spell damage) Ellie Sniper - Archer++. Earlier access to most of the good bow skills (including Myriad Arrows, heavy bow damage to all enemies), exclusive access to Shura Soul (significantly increases hit chance) Assassin - Speed-focused and largely based around loving with the turn order. Notable passives include Blades of Domination (makes it so the target attacks last in the turn), Vital Shot (raises crit damage), as well as Fog Breath and Overload, an almighty spell that delays a target's turn. Mamori General - Knight++ with access to healing and support spells. Notable exclusives include Diarama/Diaharan, Freezing Strike (heavy ice damage to an enemy), and the passive Iron Wall (chance to guard when attacked). Berserker - The Conqueror to General's Great Lord. Trades defense for strength and has exclusive access to Charge and the not-at-all-confusing Shura's Soul (significant increase in crit chance) I will take the top two unique promotions - which is to say, if the results are Sage/Sorceror/Berseker, I'll promote Kiria to Sage and Mamori to Berserker. This promotion will take place in 3-4 updates? It'll be right before we fight Tarachino. Vote here
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Feb 22, 2020 18:02
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Unfortunately not until after the change. You get a headshot and that's about it.
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Feb 23, 2020 04:26
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Item Getter posted:Maybe you need to have at least 1 master seal in inventory to do it but you can always select each of the classes to look at a full body 3D preview and cancel out with B before going through with the change. So we do. Make of these what you will, frankly they all look stupid and the only time you'll ever have to see them is when they show up in cutscenes.           E: Poll link is here, I'm calling it when I get home from work tomorrow.
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Feb 24, 2020 02:14
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It's not and I've already said as much in the old updates. There are enough master seals in the game to promote everyone twice, with the only caveat being that I might not *get* all of them because my first playthrough only found like 8 of them.
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Feb 24, 2020 02:56
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  And so it shall be. Update tomorrow.
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Feb 25, 2020 00:01
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quote:
Easy there, slugger. I'm with you, we're gonna go fight Tarachino in just a few, but first we have something extremely important to attend to.   Um... You know, you can get a stuffed doll of Dia Witch's partner, Curine, at the pharmacy...! But I lost my Stamp Cards! I need them to turn in, and Mama got them for me... *sniff* Wahhhh!That's right, we're going to help this small child with an unrelated problem. Priorities, baby. Huh? You'll help me look for them? Th-Thank you...! I need three stamp cards to trade in, and I lost all of them...So this is a pretty basic back and forth sidequest, and I wouldn't have even bothered doing it if not for the fact that I stumbled on it after coming out of Carabia's. Fortunately, it's very simple. She'll tell you where she dropped a card, you go there and there's a shiny. Rinse and repeat. And I'm only telling you that because I found Urabe along the way. "Your health shall waver, but i shall not be in peril. Hasten onward! A surprise is waiting for you... to the south." The good stuff is sitting at the diving board of the photography exhibit!It's another Treasure Key   Now I can trade these for a Curine doll!We get Pharmacy Beads as a reward, which are another one of the random accessories on the pile. I'm pretty sure this is +10 Res for -5 Def, which makes it useful for like, just Mamori.  Anyway I guess we should do that thing, huh?   Don't push yourself too hard, Mamori. If things get dangerous, we'll protect you. Thank you, but I'll be fine. I'm not as helpless as I used to be. Right, Mr. Draug? Sir Itsuki, be at ease. I shall be my Master's sword and shield, that she may fight alongside you. Thanks, Draug. I'll be counting on your help.Will we, Itsuki? Will we really?  Anyway, actual gameplay! Illusory Daiba has probably my favorite gimmick in the game, which we'll see just a second. For now, note the light wall on the right door. We'll be back for that soon enough.  We enter the door on the left, and get greeted with this set of screens. It's not really clear what it means, but let's continue on.  The room beyond is a long, lengthwise corridor roughly divided in half by Studio A and B, this blue area we're in being Studio B. There's a door right in front of us, but before we go in, let's have a look around.  Enemies! The archers resist bows, electric, and wind, but are weak to basically everything else, and the paladins have an odd mish-mash of resistances (Weak: Axes, Electric; Resist: Swords, Ice, Light). Neither of them are particularly threatening, especially with easy access to Dual Dispatch and Horseslayer.  The Troublemaker passive isn't very useful outside of her Assassin skills; it boosts everyone's success rate with status ailments as long as Ellie is on the field.  And while we're here, Touma picks up Ice-Blaze. It's theoretically for Mamori, but really, he likes it for Kiria.  Anyway, please enjoy this close-up of Itsuki's eye as part of his Ad-lib animation.    It's not the most involved animation, but it gets the job done.  A few battles later, Ellie upgrades Fire Strike to Flame Strike. Her fire coverage isn't *great* but it is *there*, and arguably that's more important when you just have to hit a weakness at all to start a session. Kiria does the same with Agi -> Agilao.  The Red Shaman isn't super interesting, but being weak to Swords and Fire will do that to you.  There are a few goodies scattered around the area, but none of them are too interesting other than this performa. It's part of what Ellie needs for Troublemaker.  Shortly thereafter, Itsuki picks up Carnage Trainer, which is an extremely handy passive that makes everyone on the bench automatically get 20% of the Weapon EXP that Itsuki does. This, combined with Open Audition, is how you keep everyone up to date with weapon and stage ranks, even when you're not really using them.  Anyway, now that we've explored the entire area, hopefully the gimmick makes sense. Ten doors, ten screens - just follow the monitors to see where you need to go.  The top-right door did say presented by Treasure Stash, Corp. Seems like a logical place to start.  And sure enough, we're dumped into a room with a handful of goodies. None of them are amazing finds, but you could do a lot worse than 40 grand, a Chakra Pot, a pair of Beads, a Treasure Key, and a Soma.  Hiding off to the side is an upgrade to the cleric enemies, weak to axes and electric, but resisting wind and light. Leave em alone long enough and they'll start throwing out mid-tier spells, but they should be fairly easy to dispatch.  Anyway, I totally forgot which door I needed for Episode 1 and I was going to leave to recharge before the miniboss if I guessed wrong.  Oops. We gotta start filming! What do you want!? Please, come to your senses! Your mind's being controlled by a Mirage! Shut up, kid! I'm doin' what I want, so I can GET what I want! It's all to film the greatest show EVER! Oribe! Y-Yes!? Huh!? F-Filming!? W-We don't have time for that. We need to- NO TIME!? What do you got that's more important than shooting this show!? Huh!? Come on, say it to my face! U-Umm... Maho dodges hit after brutal hit, and lands a ruthless counterattack... An action scene! Now that's good TV! Now act, Oribe! Y-Y-Y-You want an action scene now!? Wh-What do we do, Itsuki!? You're up, Touma! You got it! All right, Tsubasa, I'll show you how it's done! Hope you can keep up! O-Okay! Thanks, Touma!  Touma, I can feel your spirit surging with a burning zeal...! Here we go... Aaand, action!  So if it wasn't obvious from the scene, this is a fairly simple battle. Touma and Tsubasa are required to be in the party, and we win once we complete Tarachino's demands. True to his word, the Biomonsters are slow, weak to nearly every element other than Swords and Ice, and fairly inaccurate, even if they do hit like a truck.  They also have a capital-G Gimmick, in that you have to kill all of them at once. If there are any of them left standing at the end of the turn, the missing ones revive with full HP. That's a lot less dangerous than it sounds, because they go down to two good sessions a piece and you're more likely to kill one by accident trying to weaken it.  Itsuki did most of the work with a Back Chorus Ad-lib. Touma is just here to do the final clean-up. End result?   Both Touma and Tsubasa pick up Open Audition, as well as a handful of skill upgrades. Tsubasa trades up Skewer for Assault Dive, and Touma gets Fire Boost. Nicely done!  Nicely done! Not bad, Oribe! Yes! Thanks a lot, Touma! And you - Red! Your acting wasn't half bad! I look forward to seein' you on set someday. Yes, sir! Thank you, sir! Congratulations, you two! Thanks, Itsuki! Heh, piece of cake. I'm heading off to the next site. You all better not arrive late! And that's all she wrote for Episode 1. Next time, Tears and Justice! See you then!
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Feb 25, 2020 19:41
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 One trip back to the office later, and we're ready for Act 2. Tears and Justice is filming in the bottom right corner, so away we go.  But first! A new sidequest has opened up, and we're not going anywhere near it yet. We are several levels below where the game wants us to be for this quest, and it has A Gimmick™ that I do not like at all.  Having finished the first part of the chapter, the enemies in the main hall have been upgraded. Knights have been added to the mix, and this time they null lances outright instead of just resisting them like bows. Swords and Fire is still a fairly simple set of weaknesses to exploit, though.   Heading into the door for Tears and Justice drops us into a room with a fairly suspicious floor. We're going to have to cross it though, because Tarachino is headed for Studio #1 on the other side of the room.   With Lightoma active, we can see that some of the the tiles have traps on them, which a nearby demon confirms by telling us that there are "lesson" tiles to get us ready for acting with Tarachino. Itsuki wisely surmises that we should probably avoid those tiles, and for good reasons.  Of course, that's not the only thing going on here. Some of the tiles are just flat out impassable, meaning that we will eventually be funneled into the trap tiles. For now, we'll just have to work our way around the maze.  And of course, there's goodies to be had, if you're up for a little puzzle solving. I... Well, I suppose you'll see shortly.  I, your dramatics coach, will teach you the secrets and correct mindset to be a successful actor! And if you don't do as I say, get ready for bit parts for the rest of your life! First and foremost is rehearsing! You learn your lines, and the emotions and flow of the scene. Rehearsal is absolutely crucial! And so... Let's begin rehearsal! I want you to defeat the antagonists within four rounds. In five, four, three, two... Now, the enemies that get summoned can vary a bit, but none of them are incredibly difficult. Even a moderately levelled party should have no trouble cleaning the floor with them in two turns, let alone four. We do have a couple new faces here, including the newest member of the worm family with an extremely arbitrary set of resistances and a ludicrously low resistance (Tsubasa did over 300 damage with a wind session attack...off the bench).  If we make our way to the east side of the room, we find a button and a wall. No time like the present, right?  Pressing it changes the configuration on the floor (and briefly reveals it before fading everything back to blue). There's a button for each row, but we only have access to a couple of them for now. That will change in due time.   If we head back to the south side there's a pair of item boxes to pick up, resulting in a new Peforma and the Candle of Grudges accessory, which actually does the thing I thought the Pharmacy Beads did (-5 Def, +10 Res). We may never know what the beads' effect is.   With the switch flipped a second time, we have access to Studio #1, but not before we pick up Ellie's Open Audition. Just Mamori left, and then we'll be able to really mix and match the party at will.  Were we so inclined, this does give us access to the switch for the top row, but there's nothing useful we can do with it yet. I'll be damned if that doesn't stop me from dicking around for another 10 minutes trying to see if I can access that one treasure stash that was blocked off, but to no avail.  Along the way, we pick up Safety First, a skill that reduces everyone's damage by 10% as long as Mamori is on the field. At least we got something out of this, right? Why am I apologizing?  O-Oh! I'm so sorry! ...Wait. Why am I apologizing? Come on, Tsubasa, you can't get distracted now! Y-Yeah...? Quiet on the set! We're gonna start shooting! She starts by tryin' peace talks with the criminal. But midway through, she sneezes and ends up goin' wild...! This is the big climax for this episode. It's gonna be a real test for the actress that plays her! Do you think you can do it, Tsubasa? Y-Yeah... I'll do my best. Don't gimme that crap! "I'll do my best"! Like hell an amateur like you can do a big drama scene with no prep! I know that without even havin' to watch! Huh!? You're in the lead role because that's what the bigwigs wanted... but I was against it from the beginning! S-Sorry... Don't apologize, Oribe. Amateur or not, it's the director's job to get a good performance outta you. So... I'm just gonna give you a hand getting into character. Time for some method acting! Tsubasa...! Aya! Wh-What are you doing here!? So? Think you can get a better feel for negotiating with a criminal when the hostage is your sister? Aah! Stop! Looks like he's really getting into character, Oribe. You wanna save that hostage, you better show me real acting. W-Wait... Director, this is- P-Please stop! H-Help... Tsubasa! YoU qUieT toO! You waNT to DiE!? Eek...! Don't you dare hurt Aya! Well, this certainly took a turn, but as hosed up as the methods may be, we know what he wants, so... You need to get into character! Huh? Think back to the other scene. If we can give him a performance that's good enough... I'm sure he'll let her go! Y-Yeah, you're right. I think I'm starting to get the hang of playing Maho now... I'll give it a shot!  Well, I suppose if we must indulge this, let's get it over as quickly as possible. Ellie, any advice you could give Tsubasa? I thought you'd never ask. Leave it to me. It's time for the future Hollywood superstar, Eleonora! Ellie! You need to use everything you've got in drama. Don't think of it as a script... It has to be reality for you. Just let me show you how it's done! O-Okay! Hmph... First the red kid, and now you. Just can't stop buttin' in, can you... Whatever! Show me what you got! Now, my dear Ellie, as we practiced. Poise, dignity, and ladylike grace. All right... Aaaaaand, action! I toLD yOU NO CoMe ANy cLOseR! But- I KiLL tHis GiRL fOR reaL! YoU wAnT ThaT!? YoU HUmanS... nEVer uNdeRstAND mONsTEr's fEELingS...! No... HUmanS PERseCUte uS, aNd my FaMiLy...! I nEVer FoRgiVe HUmanS! ThiS mY REveNge! I gEt mY REveNge! I understand how you feel! But... you haven't lost everything. You still have- A-Achoo! Yeah, you lost something important to you! I get it! But you still got someone that loves you, don'tcha!? URgh...! I- I- WaS I... wroNg...? Cuuuuuuuuuuut!Ellie does a pretty solid job of performing the scene. Certainly far and away the best of the line reads we've heard so far out of the gang.  Chewing the, uh...? You know, Ellie, that means- O-Ohhh. R-Right! Psh, no, you can't chew the scenery in Hollywood! The set designers would get mad. ... Ellie... what do you think? Can Tsubasa perform that scene? Let me do a quick review. Give me 10 seconds. Tsubasa... help me... I-I'll be fine, Itsuki! I'll do it right, no matter what it takes! ...No. I don't think you can. It's not just about the personality changes - your own sister's being held hostage. You can't act if you can't stay calm. If we want to save Ayaha... we need to decide how we're going to do this. Nngh... Just... wait right there, Aya. I'll be back - I promise!Well that could have gone better. Ellie's performance was fine, but she's right, Tsubasa is absolutely not going to be able to pull that off without some prep work. Let's see what we can do on that front.  Their... emotions... Quick question, Tsubasa. Do you tend to act before you think, instead of analyzing the situation first? Hmm. Yeah, that sounds like her... I was right, then. You need to see things through the character's eyes to really understand their motivation. So... what should we do...? That's the hard part... but Ayaha's been taken captive by an enemy before, hasn't she? Yeah. If we use that as a starting point, Tsubasa might be able to really grasp the emotions of the criminal. So the criminal's emotions are key... Then let's head back to the office to see if we can find anything to help. Back at the office, sure enough, Aya is missing from her desk. Tsubasa is busy freaking out in the corner, so let's see what we can find if we rummage through her things. It is NOT dopey!  Huh? This picture... What've you got there...? Wow, Tsubasa, you're so tiny in this! How old is this picture? Umm... If I remember correctly, we took this a little before the whole disappearance incident... I think. ...I've seen that before. I remember Ayaha showing it to me. She was carrying this picture around? Yeah. Said it was her good luck charm. A good luck charm... Said she had a little sister with a cute smile, too. She always said Tsubasa would make a better idol than her. Cute smile? Don't tell me Ayaha was talking about that dopey little grin she's got now, was she? It is NOT dopey! Whatever smile it is... I guess you proved your sister right by becoming an idol. Aya... I promise I'll save you. I'll be there soon! We might be able to use this... What is it? Now this is just a hypothetical, of course... but what do you think you'd do if your sister was killed by a Mirage? Wh-What? Just try imagining it. What would you do if the worst happened? If Aya was killed, I'd... Do you think you'd try to get revenge? ...I don't know what I would do. But... the pain would be more than I could take... and I would never forget whoever was responsible. Mm. Kind of cliche, I guess, but I can feel your emotion when you say it. I think that's a good answer. Answer? The criminal's backstory was that his rage from losing his family made him turn to a life of crime, right? So the criminal's feelings... they're the same ones that you'd have if you lost your sister. Ohhh... So the criminal would feel the same way... I do...! Thanks! I think I know what to do now! Now that you know how the criminal feels, all you need to do is use your words and reach out to him. The words that will move his heart should just come from within yours - naturally. From within... Tsubasa Oribe's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Tsubasa's inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Heartfelt Words! Looks like you managed just fine. Yeah! Okay, no time like the present! Time for some last-minute Hollywood-style training. Next stop, Tarachino! Before we finish up here, let's grab a few toys. Durandal is (I believe) the first reference to a legendary weapon, in this case Eliwood's sword in FE7. It's our first source of Ziodyne, as well a Resist Ice, despite the sword itself making him weak to ice.  Similarly, Slepnir comes with Inferno Strike (heavy physical fire damage), and Resist Wind for good measure. The rest of our weapon upgrades aren't much to write home about.  As with Feel My Soul, Feel My Heart comes with a marginal benefit, in this case an increased hit rate across the board. It's better than nothing, I suppose.  You're going to wear yourself out if you're that tense before the true test, Tsubasa. Try to loosen up a little... You only need to be your usual self. You already have everything you need for this performance, don't you? Yeah. I just have to believe in what everyone's taught me and do my best! That's the spirit. Now then, the time has come to save Ayaha. Right!And with that, we're ready for another round with Tarachino. Next time, it's miniboss round 2!
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Feb 28, 2020 19:10
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I just want you all to know that we are absolutely going to take a dive into "The Chapter 4 That Could Have Been" after we beat Tarachino because holy poo poo some of these cut scenes are loving magical and I legitimately don't know why they didn't make the final game. Next update probably Tuesday? Maybe tomorrow, depending on how much I get done tonight.
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Mar 2, 2020 04:32
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 After a quick recharge, we're ready for round two with Tarachino. Before we get there though, Itsuki picks up Early Bird, which significantly moves him up in the turn queue. We're gonna be glad we have it very soon.  No time like the present, Itsuki. Let's roll! Now THAT'S acting!  Yes, sir! All right then. Get into costume, Oribe! Let's begin! Ready... action! I toLD yOU NO CoMe ANy cLOseR! But- I KiLL tHis GiRL fOR reaL! YoU wAnT ThaT!? YoU HUmanS... nEVer uNdeRstAND mONsTEr's fEELingS...! No... HUmanS PERseCUte uS, aNd my FaMiLy...! I nEVer FoRgiVe HUmanS! ThiS mY REveNge! I gEt mY REveNge! I understand how you feel! But... you haven't lost everything. You still have- A-Achoo! Yeah, you lost something important to you! I get it! But you still got someone that loves you, don'tcha!? You think it's okay to betray them, too!? That's... something I could never forgive! And neither should you! URgh...! I- I- WaS I... wroNg...? Cuuuuuuuuut! Deliverin' phrases, pauses - that's all the actor's decision! And knowin' when to adjust on the fly? Now THAT'S acting! Huh!? I mean, I think we all saw this one coming from a mile away, right? They reuse a few gags, but kidnapping Aya after it was the entire point of Chapter 1 would be a bit much. Sir... How could you...!? We're done with the hostage scene, so clean up for me, will ya? Next one's our last scene. Don't be late. Miniboss: Cuplrit Monster  Anyway guess what motherfucker it's miniboss time and this one's a doozy. Our Bandito friend here isn't *really* the danger, although that's not to say he can't cause a little pain.  No, the real trouble is this little fellow. You can probably guess by the fact that it's called Hostage "A", it won't be the last one we see, and they all do pretty much exactly what you'd expect. The problem is in their resistances; see, each of the four hostages that can appear has a different elemental weakness, but since they're treated as new enemies every time one gets summoned, you don't know which one you're dealing with until after you see the whole set.  There's an easy way to know what their weakness isn't though, and that's to get a spell bounced back in your face. Whatever elements they *resist*, they reflect, and like with their weakness, you don't know what element that is until you're eating your own Ziodynes. And yes, that does say "Elements." Plural.  Left to his own terms, the big boy will cast an assortment of debuffs and follow it up with Cleaves. Not the most original game plan, but they are pretty beefy sword hits. Tsubasa and Touma are recommended for obvious reasons.  As for the hostage, they also get two turns and will either throw out heals, debuffs, or AoE spells. Which is favored depends on which mirage you're dealing with at the time.  One thing the hostages are always weak to, however, is a very large axe to the face. Sometimes, you just gotta punch a mage as hard as possible to get results.  A Tsubasa's Kiss doesn't hurt the cause either.  However, if it's been more than a turn or so without a hostage, Pinch Hitter will summon another one to the fight. Which one will it be, and what does she do?  Oops, it was a double attacking one. Better luck next time!  Hostage #3 comes out to play, and the boss is almost dead. Should be smooth sailing from here, but...  Foolishly, I revive Touma instead of going for the kill. And now we've got a double healing hostage on our hands.  One that reflects wind and fire.   You know what? I don't have time for this crap. We're calling in the big guns.  Itsuki throws his sword to the heavens...  Where Chrom is apparently dive-bombing?   This is supposed to be an electric attack?????  Anyway, suffice to say it gets the job done and comes with the side benefit of also nuking all of his resistances for a turn or two. This would matter, if he got another turn.  Lot of good skill upgrades from this one, including Tsubasa upgrading to Diarama and Wind Boost, and Touma's Lance Boost. Hey, that was pretty good!  We get the trailer for Sneeze Detective Maho here. Not gonna lie, I'd watch it.  I think by the time we get to filming the real show, you're gonna be just fine. I hope so... Before that, we need to break that Mirage's hold on the director. Yeah. Let's hurry to the next shoot. We'll find that Mirage possessing the director and take them out! Yeah! Next time: Farewell, Detective Maho!
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Mar 4, 2020 03:59
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With the miniboss out of the way, there's only one more stop to make. Season finale, here we come.  Before we do, though, another set of enemy upgrades. Bloodwing Knights have been added, which would be notable if they didn't eat poo poo to a single good axe hit.  And hey, we unlocked Tsubasa's last sidequest which we are also going to stay far away from. If I remember right this one has a recommended level of like, 52.  The door the finale drops us back in the LCD room, but on the other side. This lets us access those breakable walls, as well as the rest of the switches to control the floor.   No time for that! I got more jerks who just won't leave me alone. Make yourself useful and take care of 'em, will ya? I need you to track down that hungry, hungry Hirudinean, his friend, the dimwitted-est Regal Knight, and the weirdo, gloomy creeper-guy! The mirage we've been bodyguarding pops up on the other side of the room. Fortunately, we have all of these already so we can turn it in right away. That's all of 'em! Good work there... Say, you ever thought about the private security industry...? Bah, I'm kiddin'! I gues that wraps things up here. Time to get goin'! Later!Received a Treasure Key! Easy peasy.  Lesson panels don't just have encounters hidden on them. Sometimes they cut your HP by a little (in this case, about 10%), sometimes they cut it by a lot (~50%), and sometimes it just drops you to single digit HP. It can do the same for MP, which is substantially more annoying to deal with.  The real prize for solving all the puzzles in this room is the Master Seal, which is oddly easy to get for being the "good" prize. There's also a Balm of Life which I had to come back and get offscreen because I could not be assed to do it while I was recording originally.  The rest of the time in this room is spent slowly but surely grinding up stage rank and skills as I eventually make my way to Door 2 in the upper right. Itsuki's EP Fitness is nothing to write home about.  Touma's third sidequest might be, but like the others it has a fairly high level requirement so we'll have another look at the intermission.  We can safely chuck two points of Res for Ice Boost. Not pictured, but included, is upgrading Itsuki to Ziodyne, Tsubasa with Null Charm, and Ellie with Bow Boost.  And one more for the road. Haven't really seen any stat boosters lately, come to think of it. There's a source for them we haven't really checked out yet, to be sure, but I guess they expect you to be playing the lottery more than I have been.  Anyway, with that our long, ardous journey through the puzzle floor is over. But before we head in to fight Tarachino, we have some cleanup and preparation to do.  For starters, we have the first of Itsuki's Great Lord weapons. Could we make space for Healing Expertise? Sure, but really we're just here for Wind-Elthunder and Concentrate.  Kiria has a very nice looking toy as well. Bufudyne is an obvious one, but Concentrate is something she's been hunting for quite a while.  And while we're here, we've got two Master Seals burning a hole in our pocket. Done and done.  One last thing while we clean up some filler-y stuff. I'm pretty sure we saw Ellie and Tsubasa already, so let's complete the set. A Concert Has Nothing to do With Nurses  That's a sexy nurse, alright. Let no one ever say Kiria betrays her aesthetic, even when she's in fetish wear.  Welcome back, Kiria. You really nailed it on that catwalk with that nurse outfit. If I'm going to do it, I'll give it my all... That's how I do things. You really stay true to yourself, even in that outfit. ...Is that a in a good way? Of course in a good way! You look so great in it, I actually want you to do your next concert in that outfit! A concert? So it's not you wanting me in it to nurse you if you're sick? Come on, a concert has nothing to do with nurses. ...Oh. Pfft... Ahahaha! But you did say I look good in this. Thanks for the compliment, Itsuki.I...don't even know where to begin with that scene. Itsuki is either a moron or so ineptly hitting on Kiria that it's impossible to tell the difference. Anyway that should be it for Chapter 4. Next time, it's the season finale! See you then!
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Mar 9, 2020 01:19
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Hello friends, I am not in fact dead, but I expect it might be another week or so before there'll be another update. To make a long story short, A) I live in the Pacific Northwest and B) I work at a grocery store, which if you've been paying attention to the world is not a very good combination! I do actually have the end of C4 recorded but the little free time I've had lately has gone to Murder by Numbers and generally not doing anything that could be construed as work. So hopefully things will get back to normal soon, or at least close enough that I don't want to die when I come home.
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Mar 15, 2020 04:10
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 Only one thing to do, Itsuki. It's time to bring down the curtains on Sneeze Detective Maho! Insane is my NORMAL!  My SENSES? You think I'm insane!? I am an ARTIST! Insane is my NORMAL! Can't create art without a little insanity! Time to get on with the show, Oribe! Sir... Just like we thought. Looks like we have to finish the scene so he'll be satisfied... For all your hard work... I'm adding a scene for the perfect ending! Listen up, 'cause I'm only explaining once! Maho finally chases down the true culprit! However... the mastermind turns out to be her lover! Maho is torn! Two lovers, now enemies! Detective and criminal! They embrace in tears... and share one final kiss...! Now THAT'S a drat climax! MAXIMUM EMOTION EXPLOSIONS! Wha- A-A-A... k-k-kiss!? That's right! A kiss! A locking of lips! An exchange of raw passion! As for who's gonna play the criminal lover, hokay, let's see here... You had to know this was coming as soon as there was even a mention of a kiss. Uh- Me...? M-Me... k-k-kissing... I-I-Itsuki... U-U-Uhhh... The hell's wrong with you now!? What, you can't even do a kiss scene!? And you call yourself an artist!? I knew you weren't right for the part! A professional actor could handle romance scenes, no problem! I... I can do it! Itsuki... a-are you okay with this? ...So what's it gonna be, Itsuki? Will you actually... kiss... Tsubasa? ... Weeell, this is quite an interesting development. If you don't want to, Itsuki, I can always take your place.They're really selling this like it's some major character moment for Itsuki, but uh... Well, I suppose you'll see.  Itsuki... Wait, do you even know the lines? Yeah, I'll be fine. I may just be an extra, but I'm still part of the show. I figured I'd memorize the lines. ...I guess I should thank Tsurugi for his advice. Hm? It's nothing. Quiet on the set! Let's get those cameras rolling! This is it... We're going to lose each other... aren't we? Looks like... Our paths have drifted too far apart. I really did... love you, you know. Even after you found out what I really am? Whatever you really are... it doesn't change the time we spent. Together. But if... this is where it ends... Maho... No... I can't do it... I can't imagine being apart from you! Even if I have to turn against the world... I would choose you over the seven billion people on this planet! Maho... It's really hard to tell from the screenshot but they go all in on this shot, it's got the sparkles and pink flowey background and everything.  Huh? Wha- Good...! Fantastic! Love conquers all! What about the kiss...? The first basic rule of directing is omission! You don't SHOW 'em - let 'em IMAGINE the kiss, so it's perfect! But... but then, why did I have to get so nervous...? Thanks to your intense emotion, Oribe, I've filmed my greatest masterpiece yet! And you! You motivated Oribe to get to that point! Fantastic! Ah, I'm getting so worked up, I'm shaking! Uh... thanks.They did it, guys. I'm so proud of my idiot children. Mission complete? Oh, I can see the light again for Japanese entertainment...! We did it, Tsubasa. He loved our performance. Yeah... and I couldn't have done it without you and everyone else's help. Now, we just need the Mirage... Huh!? After the two of them confess their love, the TRUE mastermind behind all the cases emerges from the shadows! Maho now must face her greatest foe, the deadly manipulator of all the other culprits...! Come on out! Come on, you didn't think we were going to get out of this without a Yashiro fight, did you? Itsuki even said it back at the start of the chapter - Yashiro is playing the villain. Wha- Yashiro Tsurugi! Your role is the evil mastermind! Your motivation... is to tear these two apart! Got it!? ...I can play any role I'm cast. Tsurugi... you're siding with him!? ...Don't misunderstand. I'm not interested in being anyone's tool. Then why...!? There's something I have to make sure of. What...? Tsubasa Oribe! You... You... No, stop...! She's- They're gonna give Japan a brighter future...! Don't you lay a drat finger on them...! Silence! Eurgh, what a foul little worm... Whatever happened to you hating the entire world!? Rrgh... Yeah, I hated it...! But now I've finally found the light! I-I won't let anyone ruin the future of Japanese film... Everrrrrrr! It's kinda telling that Draug aside, the bosses have been getting less and less screentime as the game goes on. At this point they're not even appearing until the same scene in which we kill them. quote:
 The Mirage is almost separated! Itsuki, now's our chance! Got it!  Well that was easier than anticipated. Now, for the main event.  All according to plan, though. With such a delicious prize at hand, I'm afraid I no longer need that horrid little brute. Oh, Tsurugi? Care for a costar? I'd make a fine mastermind... And Tsubasa Oribe WILL BE MINE! Hmph. Do as you please.  Boss Battle: Excellus  So with that... "introduction", we'll call it, it's time to finally throw down. Immediately we have a problem in that Excellus brought a friend with him, and not a bunch of randos like Draug did. Yashiro isn't terribly threatening provided you know his gimmick, which to the game's credit is pretty obvious once the fight properly starts.  Yashiro will cast Sukukaja and throw out Cleaves if he's already buffed, but it's his second skill that defines how you handle this fight.  Like every other goddamn prettyboy anime swordsman, Yashiro has Counter. Should you be foolish enough to attack him directly while it's up, he'll evade the attack and hit you with a fairly strong riposte, which sounds worse than it actually is. The biggest hole in his defense is that he won't block magic, which cuts out a pretty significant chunk of your attacks, especially since Yashiro is purely a distraction in the fight. Ideally, you won't attack him at all outside of hitting him with your Ma- spells.  Excellus himself is not a very complicated boss. The big guy will cast the -la tier spell of whatever color he happens to be twice per turn, switching to a new element every few turns or after he takes enough damage.   This is announced by him throwing out a specially-named Megido and changing to a new color to denote his new element and weakness. And that's...really it to the boss fight. Excellus's magic is more dangerous than Yashiro, but he's also easier to counter by changing to the appropriate party members when he changes elements. Yashiro has a follow-up session skill if you leave the wrong person out there, but really, you shouldn't ever see it unless you get unlucky on the switch.  Eventually though, he'll change to black instead of an elemental color, and that's how you know the fight is about to get serious.  First and foremost, he upgrades all his spells to ma-dynes, which immediately puts you on a time limit. He still attacks twice per turn, and with Fire, Wind, and Ice in his repertoire, no one is safe. And even if you were able to tank it, you still have to deal with Yashiro attacking twice a turn on top of it.  The good news is that in this form, Excellus is weak to everything. Yes, everything. In a way, it's almost like a rage timer of sorts - no one is taking more than a few Mabufudynes on the chin at this point, so one of you is going to die very quickly, it's only a question of who.  It was uh, not him the first time around.  See ya, nerd.   And that's all she wrote for Chapter 4. Next time, it's the exciting conclusion of Sneeze Detective Maho, but first! You may notice another Master Seal in our battle loot. I am executive decisioning this one to go to Kiria, will she be a Sage or Sorceror?
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Mar 20, 2020 18:57
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Feels Like We Already Did the Show   What... is this?After killing Excellus, he drops a mysterious red stone. Not sure what to make of that for now, but I suppose we'll figure it out eventually.  Now, on to our other loose end. Tsurugi... what exactly was it that you wanted to be sure of? ...Your strength. ... Just kidding. He walks off without a word.  ...I think it'll be fine. But I do wonder why he wanted to test our strength... Man, who knows what that guy's ever thinking. ...Anyways, we better head back to the studio.  Don't celebrate just yet. The actual filming will need even more focus than your performances in the Idolasphere. R-Right...! I'll do my best. Oh, sir! Oribe... we're, uh, starting filming now... right? My head's all foggy. Almost feels like we already did the show... I was puttin' you through training, and you were trying your damnedest to keep up... And it was like your acting just kept getting better and better... Looks as though his mind's trying to piece everything together. I see... But it sounds like he still remembers Tsubasa's performance, at least. Oribe. When the real filming starts, I wanna see a performance like the one I saw in practice - no, even better. It's kids like you that are gonna lead Japan's filming industry one day. Awright? Yes, sir!A few weeks later...  I can't believe it airs after I go to bed for work. I'll never get caught up on the season at this rate. (It's another full trailer for Maho. It's pretty good!) I'll Take a Chance on this "Friendship"  Congratulations! And good work, Tsubasa. Thank you so much! There were a lot of problems... but I think I really did Maho justice! And Ellie... you helped me so much! I can't thank you enough! Uh, m-me? Mhm. If it wasn't for you... I don't think I could've made Maho such an exciting character. W-Well, it's only natural. You can give me a huge Hollywood thank you. Yeah! And if I get another acting job, I'll come to you first for advice. Uh... S-Sure. When the time comes, I'll teach you. But you'd better prepare yourself. Next time, I won't hold back. You'll get the full Hollywood experience! Okay! Yeah, looks like it. I can't wait for the show to start. I want to see Ellie and Itsuki in it, too. Yes! I can't wait to see it. Well, now this is a surprise. Look who just couldn't keep away.  Yashiro Tsurugi!? Tsurugi? What're you doing here...? Oh good, you finally made it. What exactly is going on...? It's exactly what it looks like. Ayaha, would you mind taking care of the introductions? You may already know him, but this is Yashiro Tsurugi. He'll be signing on with Fortuna Entertainment.This...should be a surprise to no one. I do like that they actually make you fight him for real before he joins, though. ...If you can call "ignoring him while you focus fire Excellus" a real fight with him.  Correct. Ms. Shimazaki and I have already finalized the details. ...And furthermore, you can dispense with the formalities. Feel free to address me as simply Yashiro, Aoi. ...So, why are you joining us? Your victory over me... proved your strength. ... That's all. ...Huh? Wait, that's it? That's all I needed. Until now, I've only fought alone. And if you expect me to say that was fruitless, you'll be disappointed. But now, to find new strength... I've decided I'll take a chance on this "friendship" you hold so highly.What a loving edgelord, I love him.  Then by all means, take up your sword and do as you please. All right... I believe you. Yashiro, we'll be counting on your help from now on. ...Don't disappoint me, Aoi. Even when you're on our side, you still kinda sound like a douchebag... Eh, I guess some things never change. U-Um, Touma... I think Yashiro's just... unique! Aw, Mamori. You're such a sweet girl... drat right! You better be grateful you got Mamori to stand up for you, Yashiro, awright!? Asinine... What'd you say!? You wanna take this outside, punk!? I'll knock the teeth right outta that prissy mouth of yours! Uncle Barry! Please, no fighting...!
Artix fucked around with this message at 00:59 on Apr 1, 2020 |
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Mar 28, 2020 02:00
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Now that youtube has unfucked itself and processed the drat videos, cutscene videos will be up shortly. After that, we'll have a couple text-only updates detailing the alternate Chapter 4, and then power through about 8 sidequests in the intermission.
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Apr 1, 2020 00:58
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So Chapter 4 has a lot of cut content, as it turns out. Fitting, perhaps, since Tsubasa is such a bad actor at the start of the chapter, there were originally no less than three planned excursions outside the idolasphere to get her all trained up. The first is the biomonster battle, where Touma shows her an action scene. We'll join the kids there: There he is! Director! What do you want!? Please, come to your senses! Your mind's being controlled by a Mirage! Shut up, kid! I'm doin' what I want, so I can GET what I want! It's all to film the greatest show EVER! Oribe! Y-Yes!? You just gonna stand around like an idiot!? We gotta start filming! Huh!? F-Filming!? W-We don't have time for that. We need to- NO TIME!? What do you got that's more important than shooting this show!? Huh!? Come on, say it to my face! U-Umm... All right, we're rolling! This is the scene where Maho's fighting the enemy syndicate's biomonster army! Maho dodges hit after brutal hit, and lands a ruthless counterattack... An action scene! Now that's good TV! Now act, Oribe! Y-Y-Y-You want an action scene now!? Wh-What do we do, Itsuki!? You're up, Touma! You got it! If it's action you need, I'm your man! I've been watching these kinds of scenes millions of times since I was a kid. I've got the know-how! I'll show you an example, so try tracing how I do it! You're cool with that, right, boss? Oh...? Looks like we got a feisty one. All right then! Show me what you got! Let' see some of that fiery action! Touma, I can feel your spirit surging with a burning zeal...! Here we go... Aaand, action! Graaaawr! Hisssss! Gaaaaaaaaah! I've got this! Just watch... This is how a real HERO moves! ...Hah! Geh! Yah! Grrk! Hiyah! Raaaaaaaah! Heh... Piece of cake! Cuuuuut! Hm... Not bad. What did you think, Touma? Do you think Tsubasa could do that? Of course...! Is what I'd like to say, but it might be a little tough. Tsubasa's never really done action scenes. I dunno if she can impress Tarachino in one take. Oh no... We might need to rethink our strategy...From here, we'd get kicked out to go get the action performa. But if we came back... So you're finally here, Oribe! You think you can show me some drat action this time? Somethin' that GRABS me!? Y-Yes, sir! I... hope it's okay with you... You HOPE it's "okay"!? You walk onto my set with a half-assed commitment like that!? Don't waste my drat time! Y-Yes, sir! I'll make you proud! Good! Glad to hear it! Now, go get your costume on, quick! Get ready... All right! ACTION! Kshaaahh! Shrrguaaaah! Guaaaaarrrrrrrh! B-Bring it...! ...Hyah...! ...What? He didn't go down...? But when Touma did the same thing- KSHAAAAHH! Eeeeek! Cut! Cut! CUT! What's wrong with your moves!? You gotta be fluid! Sharp! Deadly! Wh-What? Not only that! You aren't even steady with your action either! Makes you look totally indecisive! Action is part of your acting! Don't forget that you gotta grab the hearts of your whole audience! We're taking it from the top! Ugh... Nooo...Anyway, from here we get kicked out and it's time to plan our next move. So, about how Tsubasa can get the director's approval... Speak up. Anyone have any opinions or ideas on the matter? ...Wow. Who died and made you boss? Well, of course! When it comes to action, I'm the professional here. ...We need to look at the situation correctly. Touma, why don't you analyze Tsubasa from an action expert's perspective? Well, I haven't exactly seen her in action, so it might not be too accurate... but I think she's got a good grasp of the moves.------- > Even though she's an amateur? Even though Tsubasa isn't an action actor? Yeah. Suppose the battling against Mirages is working as good training for her.> So Tsubasa is gifted? So you mean Tsubasa is gifted with the talent already? Wh-What? All this time... I had my true talent locked inside me! Uh... well, sorry, no. Not what I meant. You've been battling a lot of Mirages lately, right? So I assumed you'd probably have picked up a couple tricks for intense action by now. Just my two cents.------- So you mean... I could move just like Touma? Then maybe I can finally make the director happy... Hey, it's not impossible. Just... really, really difficult. For an eccentric like that, you gotta put your whole heart and soul into it. In my experience, he won't settle for less. Tarachino is the kind of director who won't settle for second best. Ordinary, everyday action moves aren't gonna cut it for him. That's Hollywood standards for you. ...Oh... D-Don't lose hope, Tsubasa! Touma, as an action actor, what did you think of Tsubasa's moves? Just like he said. She didn't have confidence, it made her uneasy, and that was showing up in her moves. Ugh... Y-You're right... Sorry to disappoint you, Touma. After all you've done to help me... Well, let's just accept the failure now and focus on how we can refine your moves. Tsubasa, you fight against Mirages just fine from what I've seen. So you've already got a solid grounding...------- > You mean it? She was barely holding it together... But you really mean it? Yeah. The problem is the resolve.> Why it didn't work out? I see... Then why didn't it work out this time? My guess is... The real problem is her resolve...------- Do you think the director will give me his approval once I have the resolve? You're only stepping on the starting line to get the things in motion. But that doesn't mean you can satisfy him that easy. I wasn't even on the starting line yet... It's no time to be feeling down, Tsubasa. That director is focusing on the action. It's hard to please a guy like him. Not only the action part. That director has his own firm vision on how acting should be at all. I can understand that now... He told me my characterization was halfhearted... and so ordinary that it was boring... Any director would have said that to you. Even I felt it. Ugh... ...I guess we need to understand the director's tastes... You're right. We should investigate that. Then, you should ask the movie staff. I heard the director has always been working with the same staff members.It's not really clear what "the movie" is supposed to be because I don't think Tarachino's back catalogue is ever really expanded upon in-game. But either way, we need to have a chat with some of his staff. Ask around, and eventually we get pointed a book called "Life is an Action Film," which is apparently hanging around somewhere on set, probably in Tarachino's office. Do you think there's a hint inside it? ...Let's read through it. Wait, wait, WAIT! Lemme check it out too! This book is blazing hot...! It has awoken a fire in my soul! ...Oh? The next page is totally worn out... It's been read over and over again, I think. And this section has a different writing style. Lemme see... Of course, the writing style is different...! It's by Eijiro Aoki himself, and he's talking about his feelings when he faces the enemy! Eijiro Aoki... Hmhm... You must display polished action that illuminates the screen. But that's not all... You must imagine the enemy's life story. Wait, their life story? Yeah, that's what it says. How did this enemy lead his life so far? And how will his life story be changed after I defeat him? And you must solidify your resolve through grueling action. Only then will you be granted the true resolve to punish your enemies. He's great... Eijiro Aoki is truly incredible! This is a sacred scripture for any actor who wants to learn the soul of action! Don't you agree, Itsuki?------ > I agree. Yeah, I agree. Eijiro Aoki puts his whole soul in his approach to his characters, and how he breathes life into action... It's almost terrifying, Same here. What's written in this book is... the uncensored life of a truly passionate actor.> You think so? You think so? The book contains only the way of acting Eijiro Aoki popularized, right? You don't understand! You don't understand it at all, Itsuki! I just never thought of my enemy characters... I only thought about myself...But the resolve to defeat the enemy's life itself! That's the acting of Eijiro Aoki! That's the true essence of action!------ Mr. Aoki's action acting... What is it, Tsubasa...? I didn't know anything about my enemy characters. Not only that, I didn't even understand how Maho lives her life... I only thought of not losing. That's all I had in mind. But Maho doesn't think like that. What I had missed was the resolve to become Maho. And the resolve to defeat the soul of her enemies!And from here Tsubasa gets the Performa she needs. My Performa... And there's that resolve we were lookin' for. Yeah, my attitude toward action... that's what the director really cared about! I will become Maho by understanding her life... and defeat her enemy with their life story in mind! That's the spirit, Tsubasa! I got nothing more to teach you... Show Tarachino your resolve, and he's bound to let you go on!
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Apr 1, 2020 17:13
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So, last time we explored the action scene with Tsubasa, and obviously we already know about the hostage situation. But now, we come to the conclusion of the chapter. The previous one was maybe a bit extraneous, but you could see why it might have been included. This one...there is no such defense for. It would have absolutely broken the flow of the game in an awful way, and that makes me sadder than you can imagine for reasons that will be very obvious. Let's jump to the finale. There he is! Director, you have to come to your senses...! My SENSES? You think I'm insane!? I am an ARTIST! Insane is my NORMAL! Can't create art without a little insanity! Time to get on with the show, Oribe! Sir... Just like we thought. Looks like we have to finish the scene so he'll be satisfied... You know, Oribe, I'm actually drat impressed. You were CRAP! A complete amateur! But you made it this far! For all your hard work... I'm adding a scene for the perfect ending! Listen up, 'cause I'm only explaining once! Maho finally chases down the true culprit! However... the mastermind turns out to be... her lover! Maho is torn! Two lovers, now enemies! Detective and criminal! They embrace in tears... and share one final kiss...! Now THAT'S a drat climax! MAXIMUM EMOTION EXPLOSIONS! Wha- A-A-A... k-k-kiss!? That's right! A kiss! A locking of lips! An exchange of raw passion! As for who's gonna play the criminal lover, hokay, let's see here... Here's our leading man! Uh- Me...? M-Me... k-k-kissing... I-I-Itsuki... U-U-Uhhh... The hell's wrong with you now!? What, you can't even do a kiss scene!? And you call yourself an artist!? I knew you weren't right for the part! A professional actor could handle romance scenes, no problem! I... I can do it! Itsuki... a-are you okay with this? ...So what's it gonna be, Itsuki? Will you actually... kiss... Tsubasa? ... Weeell, this is quite an interesting development. If you don't want to, Itsuki, I can always take your place. ... Come on, man, am I really going to have to take the wheel here? No... I'll do it. Itsuki... Wait, do you even know the lines? Yeah, I'll be fine. I may just be an extra, but I'm still part of the show. I figured I'd memorize the lines. ...I guess I should thank Tsurugi for his advice. Hm? It's nothing. Quiet on the set! Let's get those cameras rolling! As before, we need a performa to do the scene properly. But we could try! I'm sure these two masters of romance would knock it out of the park. Get ready! And... start! This is it... We're going to lose each other... aren't we? Looks like... Our paths have drifted too far apart. I really did... love you. Even after you know what I really am? Whatever you really are... the precious time that I spent together with you won't change. But... this is where it ends... ... ... No! No! I can't do this! Whoa!? ...I just can't do this! I-It's just not right! We need to take the proper steps for this! I'm sure this is against school regulations too! Cuuuuuuuut! You idiot! It doesn't matter if it's wrong or right in front of the camera! That's what drama is all about! Stay in character, Oribe! You're Maho! And that guy you're talking to is Maho's lover! But... No buts! You got to convince that amateur that he's Maho's lover with your acting. You got that! Convince him that he's my lover... We're redoing that scene! Get yourself together first!Well that went about as well as expected. Anyway, from here the game takes a bit of a swerve. Tsubasa certainly doesn't have everything down herself, but the gang comes to the conclusion that Itsuki is the problem here and needs to do his part to maintain the romantic mood. Naturally, they do this in the most delicate manner possible - ruthlessly dunking on him for three straight scenes. *Sigh* How can I make it work...? Simple, Tsubasa and Itsuki have gotta act more like serious lovers. That'll work for the looks of it. But I'd say the true cause of this problem isn't with Tsubasa... Huh? What do you mean by that? … It's a simple matter... but hard to fix. You're right. I think so too. I understand too... somewhat... Even Mamori can see it...? I got no idea what they're talking about. Do you get it, Itsuki? ... Is it... my fault...? *sigh* Men. Maybe we should consult Ms. Maiko. She may have a different perspective, being older than us. You're right... Maiko may know something we don't.Lord, does she ever, Itsuki. Back to the office... ...That's what happened. Hmhm... I see. I think it'd work if we can put more, uh, intimate distance between the two...? "Intimate distance," Touma? But I'm sure Tsubasa already knows the feelings of a girl in love... ...Oh. And she's getting the hang of the role now. So if the problem's with the one who hurt Maho's heart... I guess that'd be Itsuki. B-But the director told me to make Itsuki feel the emotion in his heart through my own acting... Yeah... About that... Since you're acting with Itsuki now, why don't you two try getting in the right mood with each other? Each other...? That's right. What I'm trying to say is... Itsuki should lead Tsubasa, and uphold the romantic mood himself! ...M-Mood...? Oh, the mood is the most important thing! You can't kiss a person if they're not feeling the romance in the air. ... Uhm... I-Is that so? If Tsubasa can understand the feeling of a girl in love... Then I guess so... *Sigh* *Sigh* *Sigh* *Sigh* *Sigh* It seems we're going to need drastic measures to prepare this obtuse young man... I told you! This isn't gonna be easy! ... I can kinda understand too! ...I'm so sorry for all this, Tsubasa... No, don't worry about it. But what should we do now? I guess we have no other choice but to bring you two into the Love Lesson! ...The Love Lesson...? Yeah! A heart pounding Love Lesson! The worldly and experienced Ms. Maiko will dramatically teach you the true hearts of girls!And what kind of lesson does Maiko have planned? Why, it's a little role play! ...With a lot of  but that's neither here nor there. What's up, Itsuki? Why have you called me into the classroom at this hour? You should be heading home now. Ah? ...M-Maiko...? Hey, Itsuki! We promised, didn't we? In school, we are a teacher and a student. No more. So call me Ms. Maiko, like usual. If someone heard you talking to me with that kind of tone, they'd start getting suspicious. I-I will watch out, Mai...Miss Maiko. Thank you. Well, if there's nothing, I should head back to the faculty room... I didn't necessarily need anything, but... I just wanted to talk to you for a bit... Sorry... Hmhm... No need to be sorry. I wanted to talk to you as well. Oh... You too? That's a relief... Of course! We see each other in school every day, but never get a chance to talk alone, do we? Not to mention dating... We can't fully enjoy it since we always have to worry about anyone we know seeing us...------ > Should we go far away? Then, should we travel far away? If we do that, we're less likely to be seen by anyone we know. I wish we could... Even if it's every once in a while, I wouldn't mind...> Don't let it get to you. You can't afford to let it get to you. Let's have a date without worrying about it. ...------ You may be right... Itsuki, you're a smart boy! You've earned yourself some headpats. Oh, don't treat me like a kid... Oh, sorry, I couldn't help myself. The thought of the two of us going somewhere together made me excited. But you wouldn't have to go through such ordeals if you dated a girl your age, Itsuki... You could go out after school. What are you saying...! I love Ms. Mai- no, Maiko... So I'm okay as we are. Please don't worry about me. Good grief... For such a young guy, you sure do come out with some manly things now and then. Well then, I guess you're ready to take me out on a date now, huh? W-Well... That's... Uh... I'll do my best... Hmhm... I'll look forward to it. Don't let me down, Itsuki.I...don't think that actually helped? Sure, if you insist, game. Okay! That's it for my heart-pounding lesson in the art of love! Now tell me, Itsuki. Do you understand the heart of a girl now? Have I gotten through to you? Thanks to Maiko, I learned a lot about how women think. Glad to hear it was such a big success! I'm counting on you to show me the fruits of our labor now. ...Itsuki... Don't worry, Tsubasa... I'll do my best to match your acting, and play the part of your lover. Itsuki... You're...!And so we get Itsuki's performa. Truly, he is a master of all things romantic now. Yes! Yes! That Tarachino's never going to know what hit him! All right! Tsubasa and I are lovers, as of this moment! I-Itsuki and I a-are l-l-l-lovers!? Umm... I, uhhh...! T-Till p-p-peath do us...d-d-dart... th-thank you mery v-vuch! ...? Wh-Why are you so worked up? S-Sorry... M-My mind went blank with the heart-pounding... I-I too will steel myself, Itsuki... Yes, I will...! Uh...? Sure, let's act well together. We'll do just fine.And so my idiot child strikes again. That poor girl deserves so much better, but next time, we're headed for Intermission 4 and a double feature! See you then.
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Apr 3, 2020 23:08
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quote:
So welcome to yet another intermission. Suppose we should start with the obvious, yeah?  Yashiro Tsurugi. Represented by Fortuna Entertainment. quote:
Everyone's favorite edgelord rounds out our party, and you can tell how excited he is to be by the fact that his signature is literaly just "YT". What a guy, that Yashiro.   As a combat unit, Yashiro is about what you'd expect him to be. From his skills, he comes with an assortment of stat boosts and Quick Step to offset his surprisingly low speed given that he is our token Myrmidon, but otherwise he offers a selection of fire and sword skills, with a few wind skills coming in later down the line.  Anyway there are a lot of side quest markers on the screen, and there's going to be another one in just a minute, but Maiko has an extremely important conversation for us. Let's check in with her first.  What's the matter, Ms. Maiko? You look like something's on your mind. Yashiro just joined Fortuna, right? The two biggest faces in the industry have finally joined forces! This seems like the perfect chance for a collaboration! What!? Two titanic talents collide on stage and the battle for ultimate glory will rage with the audience on the edge of their seats! Will it end in destruction!? Or the birth of a brand new era of entertainment!? Uh... Oh, I'm a genius! Doesn't it sound amazing!? What do you think? Well, I guess I'd go see something like that... Right? RIGHT!? I'll call Yashiro and Kiria immediate and tell them all about it! So with that little aside, we've unlocked the final mechanic for sessions: Duo Arts. We'll do a deeper dive into them later, but for now, just put a pin in that. All that's important is that we have one now.  And since we're here, let's go see Tiki. I'm sure bringing Yashiro back here won't be awkward in the slightest.  He's my long-lost younger brother! Really!? Yeah, it's been 15 years since I saw him last. Wow! I'm so glad you found each other!I love our gullible dragon daughter.  Guys, stop screwing around! We have stuff to do! Hm? None of what I said was untrue... *Sigh* You know what, just forget it. Tiki, that whole brother thing was just a joke... but Yashiro really is on our side now. Oh, so he's gonna be fighting together with us now! That's really good news! So you really don't... No, never mind. I apologize for my behavior previously. It would be my pleasure to join you. Thanks!Anyway while we're here, let's get our carnages caught up and unlock all of Yashiro's skills and  ...You ever get a text you know you're going to regret reading? Let's put this off as long as possible and check in with Navarre instead.  There was something I wante dto ask you about Yashiro. ...So? Your question? I wanted to know why he suddenly chose to join us. I think it helped that we beat that mirage on Tarachino, but... Yashiro doesn't really like talking about himself. He seemed to have some interest in you. Wait, what? I don't really feel like I was exactly guiding anyone... I mean, everyone's helped me out a lot, too. Yashiro was surrised to see how you improved Tsubasa Oribe's acting, despite her being an utter novice. Thus, he tested you, and you proved your might to him. Your strength was unlike any he'd experienced before. And that's why he came to Fortuna...? You have the right of it. He accepted that your ways have merit and thus found new possibilities in himself. ... Well? Is your curiosity sated? Yeah, thanks. You might be right...Understatement of the century there, Itsuki. quote:
Anyway, Unity.  Class change!  Radiant skills! Running down the line here, Riberaon makes Rare and Savage enemies more likely to spawn, Vendetta makes counterattacks always critical hits, HP Fitness/Endless Act are the same as ever, and Vengeance increases the damage done via counters and repels. Let no one say the man does not stick to his gimmick.   And where we're here, some new carnages. Demon's Rod is the first Sorceror-exclusive staff, coming with Null Confuse and Zandyne, while Yashiro largely has a selection of upgrades to skills he comes with by default, although Focused Blade is nothing to sneeze at (Tier 3 Sword damage). And yes, his default sword is a Killing Edge. What else did you expect it to be?  One last thing for the road, we're going to get rid of his terrible noodle arm costume forever and replace it with his much better Black Rain one.  Anyway it turns out we have uh...a little work to do here. Don't forget that Kiria and Tsubasa both also have an active sidequest, so we could be here a while. Let's start with Maiko, since hers is the least involved. quote:
...Can we not?  Okay, fine. Sure.Lost Memories (yes, all of it)  Yup, I sure am! Eheheheheheheh! But it's only a teensy bit, so no worries! Okay, so what do you need me to do? The first letter I got... goes in a bonfire. The matching rings... to the ocean floor. But where do I put my broken heart...? Wh-What in the world is she saying...? Aaaaand... Itsuki, your hands should go... here.I'm not going to dignify that with a screenshot, you all know *exactly* what she did here. May I leave? Sorry, it's a joke! I'm just joking! Please don't leave! Sheesh... Anyway sure enough, there's a box sitting on the floor now. Examining it will launch us into the uh...I guess this technically counts as a sidequest? You'll see.  We might as well start from the top and work our way down, yeah?  Ooh, I haven't seen that in ages. This was when Touma went overboard on a gig as an extra. What do you mean? He was supposed to be an extra, but he was all, "I'm gonna take over the lead!" and stood out so much... In the end, all the scenes with him in them were cut. We got complaints from the company too... Haha, that sounds like him. Yes indeed... Well, that's both the bad and good about Touma. He's been working much harder compared to before. He might be on fire because you've joined the agency too.Itsuki put the personnel documents away on the filing shelf...  Ooh, that's from when Kiria made her debut! She was so sensitive around that time. ...Well, she still is. Anyway, she never cracked a smile at all. Really? But ever since you all joined, her expression's softened quite a lot. I wonder if it's because she has adorable younglings under her now. Tee hee! Perhaps Kiria's grown up too...Itsuki put away the debut CD onto the CD rack...  Wow, now THAT brings back memories! This is the magazine that Ellie appeared in for the first time. She only had a side role in a TV drama, but there was a tiny picture of her in that show's article. Huh. It gets funnier from there! So, I came to the office that day, and I found that magazine sitting on the table. On top of that, it's open to the page of that article. And guess what? Ellie says in this nonchalant way, "You forgot this." I can imagine. Seriously, it was so cute. She gets the short end of the stick sometimes because she looks fierce, but she really is a good girl.Itsuki put away the Tele-V on the magazine rack...  Ooh! That right there is the sample version of "Tiki"! A sample? Mm-hm. I remember having Tharja do the programming for it. Oh right. Tiki maintains her form with the Performa that's created from the songs made from this program... That's right. Everything started that day when I met Tiki... It was right after that day I had way too much to drink. When I saw that Tiki was see-through and about to vanish, I thought she was a fairy that only drunk people could see... That doesn't sound dramatic at all... I've been with her for five years now. That girl hasn't changed at all. Ugh... Isn't there any way for me to become a virtual idol too?Itsuki put away the Uta-loid software under the trophy shelving... And now that we've put everything away, the finale.  Ahhhhhhhhh! There it is! I've been looking for that! Aw, it's a photo album of us. I guess you could call it... the footsteps since the founding of Fortuna Entertainment.Many photos of Itsuki's friends at Fortuna line the album... Recent pages have pictures of Touma, Tsubasa, and Itsuki too... Everyone looks like they're having fun. This is like an energy boost for me. I gaze at it when times are tough. I can't believe it's already been five years... If I were to give a reason... I guess it'd be because of my sense of duty. What do you mean? I felt that I had to fight to save this world. When that incident occurred five years ago, I met Tiki... which in turn lead to the creation of Fortuna. I've been frantically gathering Masters since then. So I see. I'll admit there were times I was depressed because I couldn't quite give up my original career. But as I continued to watch over all the other talent, I began to think differently. I thought, rather than me take the spotlight, I want these children to shine brighter; I want to take them to the top. That's why I'm proud of the work I do now. What is this? Is this your special skill to make people talk? Pretty impressive considering how young you are. I know! I'm going to give you something nice to thank you for your work today, Itsuki. Tadaaaah! This is a rare item that you can't buy anymore! Are you done with modeling? Hmm... I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't want to do it again. You know, this was planned as a trilogy, but I retired before the last book was shot. It was supposed to be in Guam. I guess I could say that that's my only regret... Haha, just kidding. Right now, I feel that my purpose in life is to watch over all of you as president of this company, so don't worry about it. I see. Hehehe, you're such a good listener that I think I spoke too much... Well then, thank you for today! If anything comes up again, I'll ask for your help. We...did it?  Maiko Shimazaki has becomes "Team Mom" thanks to Itsuki's influence! She acquired the backup skill Organizational Skills! Organizational Skills is extremely good! It increases the amount of items you can carry by 25% across the board, as if having access to 40 revival items and full heals wasn't good enough. Anyway one down, seven to go as we make our way through the Intermission 4 web. Next time, it's a lesson with Barry! Artix fucked around with this message at 00:43 on Apr 15, 2020 |
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Apr 14, 2020 01:57
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capitaldelendaest posted:Glad we've collected our edgy sword boys at last SPEAKING OF OUR EDGY BOYS I definitely did not forget to post this yesterday quote:
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Apr 15, 2020 00:41
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This is gonna be a short one, largely on account of being yet another "do x sessions" sidequest but it does have one of the best AMVs so I guess it's a wash.  Fortuna: Your source for actors, dancers, singers, new faces! Well, we're done with one dysfunctional boss, on to the next one. Take it away, Barry! quote:
Well that wasn't very instructional, but at least this is gonna be an easy one. To the lesson studio!  Well that took a turn. Still though...it's just Barry. How bad could it be? Troublesome Duo, Part 1  Eep! What brought this on all of a sudden? And more importantly, why me and Tsubasa? About that... Huuuh!? After all, we have two cute and spunky high-school girls. Wouldn't it be a waste to let them play hooky all day? We're not playing around! Silliness aside, I thought you two would make a great team. Really. ... ...I-I'll do it, ma'am! This idol duo... Let's make it happen! Good. That's what I like to hear. How about you, Ellie? I'll do it. ...I don't want to lose to Tsubasa. Then it's settled! I have high hopes for you two. Well then, Barry... they're all yours! Acknowledged. Boot camp...? Cut the chitchat, ya phony-rear end Hollywood wannabe! W-Wannabe!? Ya'll better shut up and get ready for some marine corps-style training from hell! Now, hurry up and go warm up! Warm up... how exactly? First, you must be able to synchronize with your partner. It's important to know you can trust your back to her. Let me see... A light trip to the Idolasphere will do nicely. Um... what about me? You're going too, rookie! Why'd you think I called you here!? Huh!? I'll send the specifics of your training over Topic.So...yeah, there's not a lot to this. I'll let Barry cover the specifics but I'm sure you can already guess where this is going. quote:
...Yeah, what he said. There wasn't much to say about this quest before we did it five times and there's still more blood to be drawn from that stone so away we go. If it's worth anything, at least Barry's iteration of this particular quest has substantially more interesting commentary than usual? Like, once we get to the idolasphere: quote:
It's...not nothing, I guess? See also, the actual counting scenes, which is usually just a flat "That's 3 big bro!" from Tiki: quote:
or, if you prefer: quote:
 At some point in this mess we got Fire Resist on Tsubasa. It's not nothing! quote:
You don't have to tell me twice. Get me the gently caress out of here, Barry.  okay you can drop the act now it wasn't funny earlier either Troublesome Duo, Part 2  ...Let's do this, Tsubasa! ...Yeah! Commence the synchronized posing! And so, the day of the duo's debut came... Dream Catcher ~ Tsubasa Oribe & Eleonora Yumizuru (Full Song)  Lyrics posted:In a dream, it's true, I'm crazy about you Actual lyrics! Will miracles never cease? Anyway, Dream Catcher both A) owns and B) is a really cool Splatoon homage. Besides the obvious Callie/Marie inspiration with the outfits, the melody is ripped straight out of Calamari Inkantation and the animation is slick as hell. A good song.  Thanks! Hahaha... I usually think of you being pretty... meh... but you can be pretty cool too sometimes, Barry. Hah hah hah! I need no praise from some disappointing 3D girl with a 2D chest! I'd rather you show your sincerity by getting me a second-season box set of "Dia Witch Iroha." Signed, of course! Huh... On second thought, I take back what I said. Ahaha... After all, nothing beats Dia Witch! Not even idols! 2D for life! Yeeeeeeaaaaaah! Barry Goodman has become "Drill Sergeant" thanks to Itsuki's influence! Barry acquired the backup skill One More Mastery! This is also an unexciting but very good skill, in that it provides a flat boost to weapon experience earned. Considering how many of those we're gonna hve to grind through, we'll take every boost we can.  This, however, is the real prize. Once again, just put in a pin in that one, we're gonna talk about them real soon. But next time... Next time, Itsuki achieves the impossible: A second date. See you then!
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Apr 22, 2020 22:55
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It feels like it's been way longer than a week, but hey, update tomorrow. We're gonna shatter what little balance the game had left!
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May 1, 2020 03:08
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I watch season 2 daily. "Dia witch" is my happy place. It sure is, Barry. It sure is. Anyway, our next sidequest is one I like the premise of much more than the actual execution, but I suppose that's what a lot of Ellie's stuff tends to be. Take it away, girl. quote:
Could it be? Has Itsuki of all people managed not a first, but a second date? They grow up so fast! Nothing's changed on the overworld, so off to the film set we go. We can't be late for something so important.  W O W. No romance at all in this room. And here I thought she spent an entire season playing a girl in love with the idea of love itself. Princess of Horror, Part 1  "Evil Ball of the Dead IV." A horror flick, huh? You're okay with that kind of stuff, Ellie? I might as well come clean now... Actually, I can't handle films like these. But why choose a horror film if you can't handle it? Remember that drama I was in the other day? "Dandelion in Love"? They're doing a sudden genre shift with the series. I guess the sponsors demanded it? In the next episode, it'll become a horror show called "Bloody Amaryllis." The showrunner's been changed too. Kuen Tarachino will be taking the reins this time.That is...definitely a change in genre, yes. I'm sure there are actual examples of shows that have changed dramatically like that mid-season, but I would struggle to come up with one off-hand, let alone one that pulled something like this off. I'm happy to be proven wrong if you can name one, though! Isn't the whole thing a terrible idea? They're ignoring all consistency with the story! The role of the girl who's in love with the idea of romance is being turned into a girl who's just monster food. That makes no sense at all That's why I thought I should watch some horror flicks. It'll give me a chance to study up on reactions too. So that's why you asked me to come along. On that note, how are you with stuff like this, Itsuki? Totally fine. Come on now... Anyway, let's go in. My mind's already made up.I'll give her points for willingly going to see something she doesn't typically like. It is good to broaden one's horizons, after all. As for the actual movie, though...  Well, it goes about as well as you'd expect.  Huh? Oh. Hrrm... I mean, it was scary... and I did walk away with some new knowledge... But I couldn't really focus during the film. Oh... Have you ever been around someone who's so into something that it kills your interest? It kind of felt like that. True, the crowd's reaction was pretty intense... I was so distracted that I couldn't focus on studying the horror movie. ...I wonder what I should do now. Somewhere scary? But where would I- ...Oh! I know! The Idolasphere! I could experience a real horror there that would give movies a run for their money. You have a point... Hey, you should come with me! You can't back out now. That should be my line, Ellie. So no? But it can't be helped. I'll join you. Great! Thanks, Itsuki. I'll contact you later about where we'll do this.I'm...not really sure where the back half of that conversation was going. Ellie's reacting like he told her no, but he was clearly telling her she had to see her idea through. But sure, what do you have in mind, Ellie? quote:
On the surface level, this is yet another "Kill [x] of [enemy]" mission and that's technically true? But at least they do something fun and interesting with this one. Princess of Horror, Part 2  Right. B-By the way, Itsuki... doesn't it feel like it suddenly got cold in here? 'Tis only your imagination, my dear Ellie. I-I see... Th-Then, let's get this started for real. You're freaking out too much. Don't we come here on a normal basis? I can't help it though... I'm usually not consciously aware of my surroundings... Lord, forgive me for the things I must do.  Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit!? Wh-Why're you pointing something out!? Is there something amiss about me standing here?Go watch the video, it lingers on this shot for like, five full seconds.  Anyway, the bulk of this mission is exactly what you're expecting. Regans are, if nothing else, the most dangerous target of these hunt missions so far, although that's not saying much given the competition.  And hey, what's one more for the pile? Princess of Horror, Part 3  As we come to the end of the line, however, things get a little more...interesting.   Hah! Well, I'll take care of 'em, just like the rest! Watch my back, Itsuki! Got it!And now we have some much bigger boys to content with.  The Blairs are not fundamentally that much more dangerous than the Regans, they just have an extra ten levels of stats. While their resistances are not quite as generous to Itsuki and Yashiro, a solid session still drops them down to critical HP and they're still weak to Electric. Sure would be a shame if someone picked up Ziodyne right before the last boss, you know?  And hey, remember those pins I told you put up? Let's talk about Duo Arts now. They are, without exception, incredibly broken skills that pop up occasionally during your sessions, usually (but not always) as a choice between two different acts. You have until the end of the combo string to select which one you want to use, at which point two super important things happen. The first, obviously, is the skill itself. You would think that would go without saying, but let's dive into what those little descriptions really mean. Dream Catcher calls it "Damage plus charm, with a great heal." What that actually means, is Megidolaon, Sexy Dance, and Mediaharan all rolled into one obscene bomb. And that's really loving good! Like, if that's all they did, they would be a fantastic way to add a bombastic finish to a session while also mechanically being really good skills. A lot like Ad-lib attacks, if you will. Suffice to say, however, that is not all that they do. Just in case you didn't think the above was good enough, let's consider the alternative here. Exhibition is a lot less impressive than Dream Catcher on paper - Maragidyne followed by an additional Agidyne at whomever the main target of the session is. Solid, to be sure, but nothing to write home about. However, the sharp-eyed among you will note that where Dream Catcher was an Almighty skill, Exhibition is a Fire skill. And here enters the second benefit of Duo Arts - they reset your session. Itsuki already attacked once? That's fine, he'll pick up from Exhibition with Fire-Slash and the chain will continue as if this was the first go around, complete with another (much lower) chance for a Duo Art. I've personally never gotten more than two in one session but it absolutely can happen and it is exactly as stupid as it sounds.  As with Ad-libs, you get a brief animation from the music video before moving on, although these are a bit more...indulgent, we'll say, for obvious reasons. (Seriously watch the video for this fight)  We even get Resist Fire out of the deal. This is a harder choice than I expected, but Surefire has outlived its usefulness now that most of our characters have like, 60 skill.  So, are you used to this now? Absolutely! I've gotten so used to this I'm already wondering what I should do next. To master horror, you need the courage to face your fears! A perfect balance of tension! A strong heart to maintain your composure! And a deadly determination to shoot through your enemies! Eleonora Yumizuru's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Ellie's inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Fearpiercer!  Shoot through your enemies? Wasn't your next role a high-school girl who's frightened of monsters? ... I feel like you've reached a state of mind where you're a hunter of horrors instead... Will that do? I-It'll be fine! I-I'll make it work!I feel like we might have learned the wrong lesson from this one... But sure, let's roll with this. I'm sure it'll be fiiiiiiine.  The Door of Purging, eh? I'm sure we can work with this somehow. Princess of Horror, Part 4  To think your humble role would be rewritten as a hunter of horrors... and a leading role, no less. Director Tarachino takes suggestions on set to heart, after all. I-I knew I could make it work all along. Your skill in molding situations to your favor is most impressive, Ellie. Thanks, Virion. Well, that's rude. And what of it? Also, I'm not yours! My dear Ellie, you are a tomboy, plain and simple. The polar opposite of ladylike conduct. Wouldn't you agree? What do you mean "Wouldn't you agree"!? Ah, your distress at the supernatural was the only remaining civility amongst your indelicate ways... Yet now, I daresay you freely hunt such apparitions, wearing a most bold smirk. S-Smirk!? I don't do that! Ah, but I must admit that your name does have an exquisite nobility to it. Eleonora... her ladyship! Do you WANT me to slug you!? That doesn't make me feel better at all!That sure is a conversation. Virion's insistence on Ellie being all proper and noble gets a bit...weird, as the game goes on.  Anyway there's a teaser here. It's okay, I guess.  But man, when you compare it to what it was before, the show is completely different with this shift in tone. Kuen Tarachino is the showrunner, after all. Apparently my biracial features matched up well with a demihuman heroine. That made me realize... I really do love acting. I may go through some inconveniences day after day because of my heritage, but when I'm in front of the camera, people just accept that fact about me. You'll always be yourself, Ellie. And I'm pretty sure that Director Tarachino didn't choose you just because of your features. True... He may be strict, but he doesn't make compromises like that. And it doesn't matter whether you're on camera or not - I think you're charming, Ellie. Itsuki... Yeah. Thank you...Some day, he's gonna realize what he's doing to these poor girls. ...Or maybe he won't. Lord knows it seems to work well enough for Lloyd and Rean. Rean knows exactly what he's doing  Where did you come from!? She is so mad Maiko interrupted their little moment, I love these idiot kids. Ah, that's right. You have a visitor. Yumizuru, I'm here today because I have something to discuss with you. What is it? You're going to Hollywood with me! Well, that's that. Make sure you give some thought on what you want to do, okay, Ellie? That was uh...sudden? Eleonora Yumizuru has grown as an entertainer and has become "Sassy Heroine"! She acquired the Special Performance Horror Hunter Angel! This, on the other hand, is not. Just now becoming the sassy heroine? Step up your game, girl. Horror Hunter Angel is...okay, I guess. It's a single target HP/MP drain with charm thrown in for good measure. I guess you could do worse given that it's only 1 SP? Probably not much worse though. Anyway, I was going to do Touma next, but Mamori inserted herself into the conversation, so I guess we're doing hers next. See you then!
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May 1, 2020 17:26
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My mind went to Blair Witch Project first but that explanation sounds much more likely.
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May 1, 2020 23:37
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Have you seen "Angel"? I hear the actress is pretty good! :P Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves too much, miss "terrified of ghosts". Anyway, last time we unlocked Mamori's second sidequest, which is another "stand there and talk to people twice" quest, so we might as well just knock it out now. quote:
Well that seems straightforward enough. Sorry Touma, you're next! Fortuna Family's Sisters, Part 1  Honestly, I'm worried about the "Microwavin'" show. May I have your advice? Of course. Well, the producer of Mamorin wants to change the direction of the program. Does he now? Yes. In fact he complimented me during the last shoot. He said that I've gotten much better. You did do your best, after all. Ehehe... A-Anyway, he also said that he was sure I could handle it now, and that we should do a short skit... A skit? And what's troubling you about that? Well... they're starting this with the next shoot. They're asking me to act as a younger sister... but I'm an only child and am having trouble acting it out... You just have to practice acting as a younger sister then. We have lots of older girls at the agency, right? Why not ask them to help you train? I see! ...But who would be best for this? We're...not going to acknowledge Maiko on this one. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't pick Tsubasa after the fact because it turns out even Itsuki can lay a sick burn when he needs to. quote:
Don't be a dick, Itsuki. She's trying her hardest...most of the time, anyway.  And she looks after others well to boot. Wouldn't you say she's the most suited in our group? I think you're right. I knew you were the person to ask! You have a good eye for these things. You think so? ...Mm-hm! I'm starting to feel like this is going to work! I should go straight to the lesson studio to train! I'll try asking Ellie to help me!And immediately thereafter... quote:
About as painless as it gets. Let's check in with the girls over at the studio.  Fortuna Family's Sisters, Part 2  Yes. Oh well, I'll help you out. This is for our dear Mamori, after all. You're already acting like the older sister... Don't poke fun at me! It can't be helped, you know!? I'm an older sister in real life! Really? I've got three younger brothers. Bratty ones at that. I see now... It all comes together. As for the setting... Let's see... How about sisters going shopping together? That sounds fun! ...I'm a bit nervous, but I'll do my best! You'll be fine, Mamori. This is just an exercise, so stay relaxed and have fun with it. Okay, Ellie. What was that? Oh! Okay, Sis! I'm not entirely sure why they needed to change into their lesson clothes for this but...sure. You do you, kids. Wh-What is it, Sis? I'm about to go grocery shopping. What do you want to do, Mamori? Itsuki, naturally, is given every opportunity to derail this particular exercise. We will not be doing that for obvious reasons. Have her take you. Sis! I wanna go shopping with you! Sure. Help me carry the groceries, okay? Of course! It's going good so far.*fade to black*  Beg her for snacks. Hey, Sis... I want some snacks. Snacks? But we just picked some up. I want chocolate! You always get rice crackers! All right, all right... You can buy something up to 100 yen, okay? Yaaay! I think they're starting to get pretty good at being sisters...*fade to black*  Thanks for carrying the groceries, Mamori. You were a big help. Why don't we treat ourselves to some ice cream? Be extremely happy. Yaaay! I love ice cream! I love you too, Sis! Why don't we get different flavors then? Whaaat? I wanna get the same one as you! But if they're different, we can taste each other's, right? Oh yeah! Um, Sis! I'll make dinner to thank you for the ice cream. Heheh, what're you going to make? Pom Curry, of course! It's easy to make with a microwave! Mm-hm.She's getting the hang of it.  What do you think, Mamori? It's a curious feeling, being able to fawn on someone that isn't your father or mother... They're like a friend, but not... So this is what it feels like to be a younger sister! Mamori Minamoto's soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening... Her inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Relying on You! You did it, Mamori! Thank you, Itsuki! You too, Sis! Ahaha, you can stop calling me that now!It's a cute little scene, albeit one I kind of wish went on a little longer. Not every sidequest needs to be an epic, but this one definitely could have used a little more meat on the bones.  Anyway, Door to Family unlocks another SP skill for Mamori. Not the most exciting outcome, but we'll take it. Fortuna Family's Sisters, Part 3  Huh? What do you mean? Well, I have always felt that you are a little too dependable for your age, Mamori. You think so...? Through this training, however, I feel that I have seen you allow yourself to act your true age - the true you, Mamori. In that respect... I believe this training was extremely meaningful. You appear somewhat more relaxed than before, as well. I am certain that you shall be able to perform your character even better now. Heheh... Thank you, Mr. Draug!What is it with the male mirages and doing this weird judgment thing about their masters? She's 14 dude, not exactly a "true age" kinda deal.  And lo and behold, Ellie appears to be the big sis on Microwavin'. Guess all that practice was good for something, eh?  Excellent work, Mamori. I feel like at this point it would be more surprising if he wasn't there. Has he missed a single one of these performances? ...You know, except Ellie's. Good job out there, you two. Still, I was surprised when Maiko suddenly told me to appear in the "Microwavin'" show. I believe "Special technique: Reverse Tone Shift!" was what Ms. Maiko said. Was it okay though? I'm worried casting Mamorin's sister as biracial might raise some questions about the show... I guess that's true. I don't think it'll be a problem, though. It just shows how natural you two were. Mm-hm! Ellie is the best older sister! I'm amazed at what a real actress can do. I-Is that so? Well, I am aiming for Hollywood, after all. This was nothing. You were perfect! Right, Itsuki? Watching you two made me smile. You really were great sisters. Really? Thank goodness. This let me feel what it's like having a little sister, so it was a good experience for me too. Thanks, Mamori. Same here, Ellie! And you too, Itsuki! Oh no... I didn't do anything. This was all due to your hard work, Mamori. No. This episode of "Mamorin" went well because you gave great advice during my training. That's why I'd like to thank you, Itsuki! Um, may I try calling you "big brother" for the moment? Sure. Ehehe... Thanks for helping me all this time, big brother. Mamori Minamoto has grown as an entertainer and has become "Everyone's Sister"! She acquired the Special Performance Microwavin' Soul! Similar to Microwavin' Heart, Microwavin' Soul is an instant use Samerecarm. A no-questions-asked full party revive is pretty good for being the same cost as a full party heal, although both obviously have their niche. quote:
But of course, we're not quite done here yet. Despite choosing to word this in the creepiest manner possible, Maiko has one more surprise up her sleeve for us.  Uh... Ms. Maiko? Huh!? Oh, Itsuki! What's going on? You had this really creepy grin on your face. I was just thinking about Mamori and Tiki. Yes... This must be fate. What is? A collaboration. Think about it! A collaboration between 2D and 3D! The ultimate duo that can instantly melt anyone's heart! Uh huh. Oh, come on. You'd like to see it too, right? Well, yeah... Then it's settled! Oh, I have to call them up right now. Every second I sit here talking is another second of their youth, gone forever!I...don't think that's how that works, Maiko? Okay, maybe Mamori, but Tiki is uh, literally an unaging spirit. Mamori Minamoto and Tiki acquired the Duo Art Love for You! And that's what we really came here for. Love for You is Mabufudyne with a side helping of restoring half a bar of your SP meter. This is probably one of the least useful Duo Arts, considering how easy it is to get Clap Tracks (which restore an entire bar upon use), but we never turn down another opportunity to extend our combos. With that distraction out of the way, Touma's up next. It's the big conclusion for everyone's favorite nihilistic child!
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May 12, 2020 04:18
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