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alias_sqbrThis is closer to an actual liveblog. First part here!
Background information and links to other reaction posts
**Spoilers!**
Some background I skipped last post: back during an earlier battle I followed Saito's subpath and Saito had a "who'll blink first" conflict with an enemy swordsman, Amagiri, who did blink but in a "I am choosing to do this for coldly pragmatic reasons" way. Amagiri later turned out to be one of the demons.
Anyway.
While writing the last post I thought "should I really be using a walkthrough, why not just try to play in character and see where I end up" then hit the next choice and it was basically "Run left" vs "run right". Back to the walkthrough I go.
I run from the demons with Shimada, a background Shinsengumi who's showed up once or twice, another cuddly buff older dude like Kondou. I DO NOT THINK HE IS LONG FOR THIS WORLD.
Amagiri grabs Chizuru and non fatally slams Shimada against a wall. It looks like she is doomed to become a Demon Bride but then...from the shadows...steps SAITO.
Amagiri: You're no Shinsengumi. What business is this of yours?
Saito: My business is with the girl.
He makes what would have been a fatal attack at Chizuru if Amagiri hadn't dodged.
Saito: You need her alive but it makes no difference to me. Let her go or I will kill her.
Chizuru: :D :D
Amagiri: sure, you win, whatever.
Me: ...fine, Saito, you are still best boy
Chizuru: Omg you were hanging around headquarters you totally still care about the Shinsengumi :D
Saito: I was just passing by...this abandoned backstreet...next to headquarters...in the middle of the night. Because of...reasons. Look, just get going before The Commander gets angry at your for fraternizing with the enemy.
Chizuru: HEE HEE YOU STILL CALL HIM THE COMMANDER YOU DO CARE :D
Saito: >:/ *vanishes into the night*
WHOA IT'S OCTOBER 1867 ALREADY??? WHERE DOES THE TIME GO??
So I've been a bit annoyed that we have all this stuff about how demons are SOOOOO much faster/stronger etc than humans yet Chizuru demonstrably isn't.
And then she got a cold. "A DEMON COLD??" I thought, "SOME SORT OF INFERNAL PUBERTY THAT LEADS TO HER POWER MANIFESTING?"
But no. Just a regular cold.
While she is delirious, she wakes to see someone in her room.
IT'S SAITO COME TO WIPE HER BROW AND TELL HER TO REST.
She thinks it's a dream and is sad and he's all "but why would you be sad that I am not here??" and when she says she misses him he has a tiny blush omg.
FINE. ALL ABOARD THE SAITO TRAIN.
And then it turns out...SAITO WAS UNDERCOVER ALL ALONG AND IS NOT REALLY AN IMPERIALIST :D :D
BUT. Baby cinnamon roll Imperialist Heisuke was not undercover and now it looks like he might have to be killed D:
Things got VERY TENSE AND EXCITING.
Heisuke was brought back to the fold...and then mortally wounded and had to be made a vampire D: (off screen, cos I was hanging with Saito, but I look forward to an emotionally intense scene on another playthrough)
Sanan, increasingly unhinged, confronts Chizuru with the theory that he might be able to cure vampire madness if he just stabbed her a tiny bit and took a little of her demon blood???
Hijikata, seeing Sanan about to stab Chizuru: Fighting is against the rules! Geeze, what did she do to piss you off so bad?
Sanan: Yay, you can help me persuade Chizuru to let me stab her a little :D
Hijikata: STABBING IS ALSO AGAINST THE RULES.
Sanan: Hmmph. I'll be back.
Hijikata: Welp, that's that situation solved, let's not worry about it any more!
(I was telling Cam about this and he went "Japanese vampires? So they hop?" and I explained, as I probably should to you guys, that they're not called vampires, they're called Furies. But they are totally vampires, albeit more of a sexy western type crossed with Japanese demons, and with no hopping)
There is a lovely, bittersweet scene where Saito basically says he is nothing but his sword, and is at peace with dying in battle as karma for all the people he has killed. Chiruzu is all "People have died as a result of my actions, and I still want to live. Does that make me a bad person? SCREW KARMA. DON'T DIE."
AND THEN THINGS GOT SO EXCITING I PLAYED STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE END OF THE FIRST GAME.
God, what happened.
So, war started building. Kondou was shot! ...non fatally.
The Shinsengumi gathered to defend an Important Building.
Sanan gathered the captains and gave them all vampire potion in case worst came to worst. He was generally pretty into having more recruits for his Fury Corps, apparently seeing the crazed bloodlust that didn't distinguish friend from foe and slowly destroyed men's minds to be a minor downside to more power.
The bad guys started attacking with a cannon and guns, well set up so that it was impossible to push back or use their own cannon (which was only mentioned this one time) Everyone was sent off to major tasks, leaving Chizuru and loveable old man Inoue in the building. He gives her a heartwarming speech about how she shouldn't worry, no decent man would make a girl cry by not coming home.
And then the bad guys show up.
If the few Shinsengumi present can't send for reinforcements they will all die, and the building will be lost. But they can't afford to let any of the fighters go.
So Chizuru is sent to bring back Saito's regiment, leaving Inoue and Yamazaki to defend the building, looking tragic and brave.
D:
Chizuru runs into Saito's regiment...all injured. And in the centre is Saito, fighting for his life against the demon Amagiri.
Amagiri is smug about no human being able to beat him.
Chizuru: Saito! We have to go! They're under attack!
Saito: ...better make this quick, then. *badass sword fighting intensifies*
Amagiri: Wow I actually respect you enough to take this seriously *becomes visibly demonic and impossibly good*
Saito: *is stoically badass in the face of certain defeat*
Chizuru: SAITO I KNOW YOU ARE AN ESPECIALLY HONOUR OBSESSED SAMURAI FOR WHOM DEFEAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE DISGRACE BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO GO.
Saito: ...
Amagiri: You know what? This war is crap, and Kazama and [Chizuru's dad]'s plans for Japan to be taken over by demons suck.
Chizuru: My dad's what now?
Amagiri: You guys are cool. Imma let you go. Also, Saito: I think it's cute you're so dedicated to protecting this girl but if you ever go against Kazama you're screwed, no human can protect her from him.
Saito: Hmm.
They rush back towards the building...to see that is in flames, and everyone within it probably dead. This was the Shinsengumi's last stand in Kyoto. They must leave the city they have protected for all these years in defeat, never to return, and try to make it to the Shogun's castle on the other side of enemy territory.
They look like they might make it...and then FUCKING DEMON PRINCE KAZAMI SHOWS UP.
Kazama: Sup, wifey, still hanging with these loser mortals? Sup, loser mortal, I am going to kill the fuck out of you ;P
And then he proceeds to completely wipe the floor with Saito. Like, so fast Saito can't even get close, and slicing Saito over and over until he is barely able to move and is covered in blood.
Chizuru: JUST TAKE ME AND SAVE HIM.
Kazama: Yeah, loser, noone will know if you give up. Just roll over and let me win.
Saito: I WOULD KNOW. I WAS ORDERED TO PROTECT HER. AND I WILL.
Kazama: Suit yourself :D *stabs*
Me: HOW IS THIS GUY A LOVE INTEREST. WHO COULD EVER LOVE SOMEONE WHO MAKES SAITO THIS SAD
And then Saito takes the vampire serum. Chizuru is heartbroken for him and feels overcome with guilt.
Kazama: Ew, gross. You're still going to die, fake demon, it'll just take a little longer. And you've lost your honour.
Saito: No. I have defended what I value.
Amagiri, turning up unexpectedly: HI BOSS. SO. WE HAVE ORDERS ELSEWHERE. AWAY FROM THESE HUMANS I DO NOT CARE ABOUT IN THE SLIGHTEST.
Kazama: But I was just...ugh. FINE. LATER LOSERS. Try not to let my wife die before I come back for her ;D
And then Chizuru and Saito and what's left of his men make it to the castle and meet up with everyone else.
The Shinsengumi have all survived... except for Inoue ;_; I'm sorry Inoue I should have realised to worry for you sooner ;_;
Things look dark for the Shinsengumi. The shogun has abandoned them to run back to Edo. Their allies have refused to join the fight. And it has become clear that their swords are no match for modern weaponry.
Saito, a man who has defined himself by loyalty to the Shogun and living by the sword: ...
Chizuru: Are you ok?
Saito: I'm fine.
Chizuru: Also it's daytime and you're just...standing in sunshine. Isn't that unbearably painful for vampires?
Saito: I'M. FINE.
With no other options the Shinsengumi take a boat back to Edo to make a last stand to defend the Shogun.
Chizuru: Wait, the Shinsengumi only protected me because I was helping them find my dad. But my dad turned out to be a demon working for the bad guys. I am useless D:
Saito: Yeah, you are pretty useless in a fight. If you'll come with us you'll just die, and you have no reason to want to stick with us.
Chizuru: Yes I do ;_;
Saito, handing her her sword: Then fight by our side.
Chizuru, putting her hand on his: I will.
THE. END.
And now I have to wait for the next one to download and it is 2:30am so I should probably just sleep. But GOSH. FEELINGS.
If you're wondering, Steam says I played for 21 hours but at least 1-2 hours of that was me forgetting I'd left it running. And Saito was at "full bloom" :D
Next post: Saito Part 3
Background information and links to other reaction posts
**Spoilers!**
Some background I skipped last post: back during an earlier battle I followed Saito's subpath and Saito had a "who'll blink first" conflict with an enemy swordsman, Amagiri, who did blink but in a "I am choosing to do this for coldly pragmatic reasons" way. Amagiri later turned out to be one of the demons.
Anyway.
While writing the last post I thought "should I really be using a walkthrough, why not just try to play in character and see where I end up" then hit the next choice and it was basically "Run left" vs "run right". Back to the walkthrough I go.
I run from the demons with Shimada, a background Shinsengumi who's showed up once or twice, another cuddly buff older dude like Kondou. I DO NOT THINK HE IS LONG FOR THIS WORLD.
Amagiri grabs Chizuru and non fatally slams Shimada against a wall. It looks like she is doomed to become a Demon Bride but then...from the shadows...steps SAITO.
Amagiri: You're no Shinsengumi. What business is this of yours?
Saito: My business is with the girl.
He makes what would have been a fatal attack at Chizuru if Amagiri hadn't dodged.
Saito: You need her alive but it makes no difference to me. Let her go or I will kill her.
Chizuru: :D :D
Amagiri: sure, you win, whatever.
Me: ...fine, Saito, you are still best boy
Chizuru: Omg you were hanging around headquarters you totally still care about the Shinsengumi :D
Saito: I was just passing by...this abandoned backstreet...next to headquarters...in the middle of the night. Because of...reasons. Look, just get going before The Commander gets angry at your for fraternizing with the enemy.
Chizuru: HEE HEE YOU STILL CALL HIM THE COMMANDER YOU DO CARE :D
Saito: >:/ *vanishes into the night*
WHOA IT'S OCTOBER 1867 ALREADY??? WHERE DOES THE TIME GO??
So I've been a bit annoyed that we have all this stuff about how demons are SOOOOO much faster/stronger etc than humans yet Chizuru demonstrably isn't.
And then she got a cold. "A DEMON COLD??" I thought, "SOME SORT OF INFERNAL PUBERTY THAT LEADS TO HER POWER MANIFESTING?"
But no. Just a regular cold.
While she is delirious, she wakes to see someone in her room.
IT'S SAITO COME TO WIPE HER BROW AND TELL HER TO REST.
She thinks it's a dream and is sad and he's all "but why would you be sad that I am not here??" and when she says she misses him he has a tiny blush omg.
FINE. ALL ABOARD THE SAITO TRAIN.
And then it turns out...SAITO WAS UNDERCOVER ALL ALONG AND IS NOT REALLY AN IMPERIALIST :D :D
BUT. Baby cinnamon roll Imperialist Heisuke was not undercover and now it looks like he might have to be killed D:
Things got VERY TENSE AND EXCITING.
Heisuke was brought back to the fold...and then mortally wounded and had to be made a vampire D: (off screen, cos I was hanging with Saito, but I look forward to an emotionally intense scene on another playthrough)
Sanan, increasingly unhinged, confronts Chizuru with the theory that he might be able to cure vampire madness if he just stabbed her a tiny bit and took a little of her demon blood???
Hijikata, seeing Sanan about to stab Chizuru: Fighting is against the rules! Geeze, what did she do to piss you off so bad?
Sanan: Yay, you can help me persuade Chizuru to let me stab her a little :D
Hijikata: STABBING IS ALSO AGAINST THE RULES.
Sanan: Hmmph. I'll be back.
Hijikata: Welp, that's that situation solved, let's not worry about it any more!
(I was telling Cam about this and he went "Japanese vampires? So they hop?" and I explained, as I probably should to you guys, that they're not called vampires, they're called Furies. But they are totally vampires, albeit more of a sexy western type crossed with Japanese demons, and with no hopping)
There is a lovely, bittersweet scene where Saito basically says he is nothing but his sword, and is at peace with dying in battle as karma for all the people he has killed. Chiruzu is all "People have died as a result of my actions, and I still want to live. Does that make me a bad person? SCREW KARMA. DON'T DIE."
AND THEN THINGS GOT SO EXCITING I PLAYED STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE END OF THE FIRST GAME.
God, what happened.
So, war started building. Kondou was shot! ...non fatally.
The Shinsengumi gathered to defend an Important Building.
Sanan gathered the captains and gave them all vampire potion in case worst came to worst. He was generally pretty into having more recruits for his Fury Corps, apparently seeing the crazed bloodlust that didn't distinguish friend from foe and slowly destroyed men's minds to be a minor downside to more power.
The bad guys started attacking with a cannon and guns, well set up so that it was impossible to push back or use their own cannon (which was only mentioned this one time) Everyone was sent off to major tasks, leaving Chizuru and loveable old man Inoue in the building. He gives her a heartwarming speech about how she shouldn't worry, no decent man would make a girl cry by not coming home.
And then the bad guys show up.
If the few Shinsengumi present can't send for reinforcements they will all die, and the building will be lost. But they can't afford to let any of the fighters go.
So Chizuru is sent to bring back Saito's regiment, leaving Inoue and Yamazaki to defend the building, looking tragic and brave.
D:
Chizuru runs into Saito's regiment...all injured. And in the centre is Saito, fighting for his life against the demon Amagiri.
Amagiri is smug about no human being able to beat him.
Chizuru: Saito! We have to go! They're under attack!
Saito: ...better make this quick, then. *badass sword fighting intensifies*
Amagiri: Wow I actually respect you enough to take this seriously *becomes visibly demonic and impossibly good*
Saito: *is stoically badass in the face of certain defeat*
Chizuru: SAITO I KNOW YOU ARE AN ESPECIALLY HONOUR OBSESSED SAMURAI FOR WHOM DEFEAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE DISGRACE BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO GO.
Saito: ...
Amagiri: You know what? This war is crap, and Kazama and [Chizuru's dad]'s plans for Japan to be taken over by demons suck.
Chizuru: My dad's what now?
Amagiri: You guys are cool. Imma let you go. Also, Saito: I think it's cute you're so dedicated to protecting this girl but if you ever go against Kazama you're screwed, no human can protect her from him.
Saito: Hmm.
They rush back towards the building...to see that is in flames, and everyone within it probably dead. This was the Shinsengumi's last stand in Kyoto. They must leave the city they have protected for all these years in defeat, never to return, and try to make it to the Shogun's castle on the other side of enemy territory.
They look like they might make it...and then FUCKING DEMON PRINCE KAZAMI SHOWS UP.
Kazama: Sup, wifey, still hanging with these loser mortals? Sup, loser mortal, I am going to kill the fuck out of you ;P
And then he proceeds to completely wipe the floor with Saito. Like, so fast Saito can't even get close, and slicing Saito over and over until he is barely able to move and is covered in blood.
Chizuru: JUST TAKE ME AND SAVE HIM.
Kazama: Yeah, loser, noone will know if you give up. Just roll over and let me win.
Saito: I WOULD KNOW. I WAS ORDERED TO PROTECT HER. AND I WILL.
Kazama: Suit yourself :D *stabs*
Me: HOW IS THIS GUY A LOVE INTEREST. WHO COULD EVER LOVE SOMEONE WHO MAKES SAITO THIS SAD
And then Saito takes the vampire serum. Chizuru is heartbroken for him and feels overcome with guilt.
Kazama: Ew, gross. You're still going to die, fake demon, it'll just take a little longer. And you've lost your honour.
Saito: No. I have defended what I value.
Amagiri, turning up unexpectedly: HI BOSS. SO. WE HAVE ORDERS ELSEWHERE. AWAY FROM THESE HUMANS I DO NOT CARE ABOUT IN THE SLIGHTEST.
Kazama: But I was just...ugh. FINE. LATER LOSERS. Try not to let my wife die before I come back for her ;D
And then Chizuru and Saito and what's left of his men make it to the castle and meet up with everyone else.
The Shinsengumi have all survived... except for Inoue ;_; I'm sorry Inoue I should have realised to worry for you sooner ;_;
Things look dark for the Shinsengumi. The shogun has abandoned them to run back to Edo. Their allies have refused to join the fight. And it has become clear that their swords are no match for modern weaponry.
Saito, a man who has defined himself by loyalty to the Shogun and living by the sword: ...
Chizuru: Are you ok?
Saito: I'm fine.
Chizuru: Also it's daytime and you're just...standing in sunshine. Isn't that unbearably painful for vampires?
Saito: I'M. FINE.
With no other options the Shinsengumi take a boat back to Edo to make a last stand to defend the Shogun.
Chizuru: Wait, the Shinsengumi only protected me because I was helping them find my dad. But my dad turned out to be a demon working for the bad guys. I am useless D:
Saito: Yeah, you are pretty useless in a fight. If you'll come with us you'll just die, and you have no reason to want to stick with us.
Chizuru: Yes I do ;_;
Saito, handing her her sword: Then fight by our side.
Chizuru, putting her hand on his: I will.
THE. END.
And now I have to wait for the next one to download and it is 2:30am so I should probably just sleep. But GOSH. FEELINGS.
If you're wondering, Steam says I played for 21 hours but at least 1-2 hours of that was me forgetting I'd left it running. And Saito was at "full bloom" :D
Next post: Saito Part 3
no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 12:17 pm (UTC)Such a lovely scene!
SAITO I KNOW YOU ARE AN ESPECIALLY HONOUR OBSESSED SAMURAI FOR WHOM DEFEAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE DISGRACE BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO GO.
I loved that moment...up until then it seems like we're supposed to read Saito as pure and good, which in a lot of ways he is, but his understanding of what honor requires is sometimes a mess.
Amagiri: You know what? This war is crap, and Kazama and [Chizuru's dad]'s plans for Japan to be taken over by demons suck.
I'm glad we got a Route Where Amagiri is Good. I mean we didn't get routes like that for everyone, but we did for enough people that it feels possible for everyone. And Amagiri is great.
Kazama on the other hand is kind of one-note in this route...but that's ok, he's more interesting in other routes.
Saito, handing her her sword: Then fight by our side.
Chizuru, putting her hand on his: I will.
THE BEST
I really like how each of the LIs love in a different way, and each in a way that comes out of something basic about who they are. Saito and Chizuru pledging over a sword is *so romantic* because it's just so them. And yeah, Chizuru doesn't have to be good at fighting to believe in the honor of being a warrior.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-09 03:48 pm (UTC)Right!
I'm glad we got a Route Where Amagiri is Good. I mean we didn't get routes like that for everyone, but we did for enough people that it feels possible for everyone. And Amagiri is great.
Since I played this route first I tend to see it as his default characterisation and anything else as him just...repressing his natural goodness or something :)
I really like how each of the LIs love in a different way, and each in a way that comes out of something basic about who they are.
Same. Considering the similarities between the circumstances for most of the love interests they managed to make the arcs reasonably varied but in organic, consistent ways.