JackJeanne: Sarafumi 'Fumi' Takashina
Sep. 26th, 2024 05:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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FUMI, BEAUTIFUL BISEXUAL ANDROGYNE OF MY HEART.
I loved this route. They dance around him being canonically bi but he sure doesn't mind coming across that way and the bi vibes are off the charts. And it's otherwise just a cute "older more accomplished guy is delighted to mentor and flirt with brilliant younger woman who he wants to see fulfil her potential" romance. Where that potential includes being really good at playing both women and men!
To me Fumi feels like someone who enjoys crossdressing more for creative than gender related reasons, in that grey area between non-dysphoric non-binary and cis guy who is just really comfortable with his masculinity.
A lot of otome with self confident, flirty older guys go the dubcon "girl is too overwhelmed to be an active participant" path, but while he's definitely the one driving things he's really sweet about trying not to take advantage and instead go at her pace (romantically. He pushes much harder as a dancing mentor haha) And she helps him grow and become happier, too. They're really good for each other!
There's more heteronormativity than I would like, especially equating Kisa's femininity with her attraction to men. Also, having already played a few endings now, some of the repeated elements get BORING. But I still overall had a really good time.
Content note: messy family dynamics
Curious to see how this all plays out!
This route has some really pretty, evocative CGs. This one is more straightforward but shows what Kisa and Fumi look like together:
That's not a costume that's how he usually dresses :D
I was going to try and think of how to describe his voice and my brain said "John Mulaney" and now I can't unhear it.
Oooh. Fumi is from a family of traditional Japanese dancers. He heard nothing from them for 2 years and then his older brother says he has to come back, as a natural star, to carry on the family name.
Fumi: Our history is over 200 years... we're born with a folding fan already in hand. As a kid I followed my father and brother's moves...but as I got older I saw everything around it. Old customs, the stench of confinement, rampantly escalating pride...
Kisa realises he liked and respected the dancing itself, and got frustrated that everyone else pushed it to the side. He appreciates her candid observation.
Fumi: The 'shina' in Takashina means to act coy. Like this...
He leans close, making a coyly provocative expression. Apparently the correct response is "It's like you're a woman" though what she actually says is "it's like I'm being drawn in by a woman" :D
Fumi: Cute. You act like a girl being drawn in by a guy. You'll make a good Jeanne.
Makeup tips with Fumi and Mitsuki!
Doing the first play. At this point Suzu and Sou both saw Kisa as their close friend and someone they really want to act with, but Fumi just sees Kisa as an endearing and talented kohai, who he likes mentoring and hopes will do well, but doesn't see himself as super close to. And in the first play the older characters take small boring roles to let the first years shine. I like this is having more of a slow burn so far, Fumi is older and keeps his cards close to his chest, lighthearted flirtation aside it would be odd for him to throw himself sincerely at a first year he's barely met. (EDIT: lol)
This Suzu/Kisa duet is so shippy. Fumi and Kai have a bunch of duets, but I don't think Kisa and Fumi have any :( I can see the Mitsuki/Kisa one in the yuri-ish play being really shippy on Mitsuki's route.
Haha, so. After the performance I unlock Fumi's next scene, where he takes Kisa out on a picnic and talks about how he admires how she has a whole different level of determination than others.
Fumi: I see, that's why. Hey, Kisa. I like you.
Kisa: Huh?!
Fumi: Yeah, that feels right. I get this feeling you're doing something I can't do. I can respect people like that, regardless of age.
Kisa: (Oh he means as a PERSON) I'm glad to hear it :)
Fumi: You're supposed to say you like me back!
Kisa: ...huh?
Fumi: Heh. Ok, let's start heading back. I'll take you out another time. I like you. Haha.
Ok that is less slow burn than I was expecting but certainly interesting!
The next day he says it must be hard for her "putting on an act" in this play, implying he's figured out she's a girl. Which I guess gives the game some plausible deniability about Fumi hitting on a cute boy. But whenever he figured it out, it doesn't seem to have affected how he sees her.
Kisa: Everyone keeps saying I can't be a Jack :(
Fumi: This is the world we live in. You know the most effective way of changing what they think? Show them something far beyond what they're capable of imagining. Not only will the opinions of those around you change, you will as well.
Man he is just SO queer without being overtly queer.
Kisa: I can tell you're playing a woman even before you start your dance.
Fumi: I'm getting better :)
Kisa: Wow with Kai's masculine strength, he's pronouncing Fumi's feminine beauty.
He's such a contrast to the other two, since he feels if anything too secure in his own position and is just enjoying Kisa's star rise without any sense of inadequacy. Instead he just finds her inspiring and fun to watch. It's very cute if not very dramatic as an arc so far.
Fumi says Kisa should keep working hard because he wants to be paired with her one day, curious but not especially concerned as to whether she'd be a Jack or Jeanne.
I tried using the touch screen for the rhythm games and it was Not Helpful. On the plus side, now that I've finished a route, skipping practice is much easier.
His dad gets so sick he might die and the correct choices are apparently to encourage Fumi to reconcile/communicate with his family, which would bother me more if it didn't quickly become clear he always intended to come back and modernise the family dance for new generations, once he'd learned more about other sorts of dance, he just didn't explain any of that to them. That probably is something he should communicate.
He sees her waiting outside his room when he comes back from the hospital, and she is all encouraging.
Fumi: I like you so much.
Kisa: Thank... you?
Fumi: You know, you could say it back...
Even if he does know she's a girl, she doesn't know he knows, so he's cheerfully coming across as into dudes, which feels a little bit like a test: will she accept his feelings in this queer context? Otherwise he could totally tell her he knows and... well, she'd probably be just as oblivious, if the Suzu route is any guide.
Townsperson: Thank you for your help, young man. And is this your girlfriend?
Suzu, cheerfully and not embarrassed: Nope, a friend from Univeil.
Townsperson: Oh he's a Jeanne? What a cute boy you are! Well, here's some weasel buns for you both. They celebrate the Great Weasel Of The Mountain, and can deliver the god's messages.
Kisa: Wow, even the way you eat soup is beautiful...
Fumi: Sure, whatever. If you like it so much, copy it. Yes, like that, make sure not to spill any...
Suzu: Whoa, Kisa, are you a Jeanne today?
Fumi: Ha, so if you copy what I do you're a Jeanne.
During summer camp everyone gets divided into pairs to practice a short script about a man and androgynous magic tapir tormenting him. For Suzu and Sou's routes, Kisa plays a Jeanne tapir. But for Mitsuki and Fumi it's a Jack :D The final choice, for Neji and Kai, is "Either is fine", which is interesting considering how very Jack Kai is.
Kisa: Hmm, I wonder what the seniors are doing?
Neji: You're just in time to join us on a research trip, doing a biological study of the mysterious creature known as KAI, who always silently vanishes!
Kai: I just like going for walks :/
Neji: Kisa have you tried the hot springs? Very elegant if you can ignore the hordes of naked Quartz students. You can also see Kai in the nude all you want. It's as if he's a Greek statue. I do hope to use that nude body of his in a play sometime.
Kisa: Ahahaha...
Kisa follows Fumi to a sort of shrine and he does a very sincere and intense dance to honour the gods that leaves him exhausted. A bunch of the cultural context went over my head but it is interesting that's he's devoutly religious.
Hot spring scene! Fumi acts like it's no big deal to see her there but sits far enough away that she is hidden by steam and in the CG is 'casually' looking away. She is initially embarrassed but eventually just enjoys chatting to him.
Haa, with Suzu and Fumi to compare, so many Sou choices are about passively giving into despair...
Aww Fumi stops some people talking shit about Sou.
My Never Talk To The Principal approach is making me take some extra naps...
I was a bit worried the Fumi path would try to undermine Kai and Fumi's connection but so far the extra scenes have just shown the two of them valuing each other.
Fumi: Kisa, don't you agree that Mitsuki should play for us on the guitar?
Mistuki: Ugh, Kisa always agrees with everything you say.
Fumi: So it's two against one ;)
Fumi and the principal sympathise over growing up in traditional performer families where all sorts of vendors have known them since childhood.
Fumi notices Kisa's hair is getting long and offers to cut it, and while doing so reminisces about cutting Kai's hair out of irritation that Kai wasn't taking care of himself. There is zero awareness of it as a pretty intimate act, in general for such a flirty guy Fumi is notably un-physical with Kisa, without even the hints of Repressed Passion you got from Sou and Suzu. It's really sweet, like ignoring the fact that he presumably is attracted to her but just better at hiding it, he usually enjoys teasing people in a flirty way, but would be aware how uncomfortable that could be for her given the combo of age and gender. Thus far it feels like all the LIs except Sou are consent king sweeties under the surface, though we'll see with Neji.
Despite being fairly outgoing and active about a lot of things, Kisa seems to be very passive and subby with sex and romance, even for an otome heroine. Makes me feel like the Mitsuki path will be the two bottoms meme but I'm sure they'll make it work haha.
Fumi mentions having learned a specific dance called Yashiki Musume which I managed to find on youtube.
Kisa slowly realising Fumi feels trapped by having to be the Perfect Al Jeanne Supporting Quartz feels different on his route! She notices him looking a little down so invites him to hang out then worries she's being a bother, girl how obvious does he have to be. He buys her some food as thanks, he's taken her out to eat a few times in a kinda datey way that has entirely gone over her head.
Everyone wants Fumi to be free ;_;
Fumi: Do whatever you want, I'll be there to cheer you on, and support you if you need it.
I guess this song where Kisa's character sings about how he's going to murder Fumi's is sort of a duet haha.
"I'm not lonely any more. You're around" ahhhhh
It's so nice having the LI praise her without it turning into self reproach about being behind!
Also it doesn't seem to have occurred to Sou to be jealous of Fumi yet, though I'm sure he'll get there.
Fumi tells Kisa she helped him understand himself better: he'd thought he couldn't be free and protect things (Quartz, his family's traditions, etc) at the same time. But now that she's taught him he can, he's going to talk to his family. And just at the moment his brother asks to meet up.
Kisa: Hello, I'm Kisa Tachibana, a first year. Fumi-san is always taking care of me. I'll be going now.
But the brother asks her to stay. So Fumi talks about how he loved the family dances, but hated feeling confined by tradition, like he was in love with a corpse. At Univeil he is free, surrounded by others his own age. But the strength underneath it was always the family dances, and he felt like any praise or criticism he received was aimed at his family. He's always thinking about he can use the things he's learning to improve the family's dances. He wants to take part in the family legacy, but not until he's experienced enough, and feels confident.
Brother: Dad and I saw you perform. We'd thought you'd left with no regrets, but saw your concern and pain when father collapsed and asked you to come back. We realised we didn't understand you. We came to see what you left us for, and your performance made us realise it was us who'd strayed from the spirit of the Takashina. Do what you wish. Beyond that is the choice for you to carry on our legacy when the time comes. Be free.
Aw and then he takes a moment to praise Kisa's performance too.
Fumi: Yes, this is Quartz's ace.
Brother: Fumi mentioned previously that he'd left a junior behind to visit father... Please take care of my brother.
I am guessing Fumi will not, later, be introducing her as his boyfriend first just to see how they react. But I suspect they might roll with it. Being the wife of the head of this sort of family would be A Lot but I'm guessing Fumi would make sure she wasn't trapped by it.
Fumi: Ah, my koi bracelet broke. It's a tradition in my family to tie these when you want to wish for something. When I made this I wished for all those traditions to disappear... but I guess the family I had back then is dead. What should I wish for next... my family and Quartz's future will be decided by hard work... maybe I'll wish for you to actually tell me you like me ;)
Kisa: Huh??
Fumi: Heh. Thank you, you really saved me. I guess now it's my turn...
This is the scene in the CG I posted above. He gives her a bracelet he made for her and she silently wishes for his happiness, later he says he wished for hers with his.
Haha aw the correct choice in this next scene is to disagree with him about something, even though he pouts about it and says he needs to 'train her more'.
Now for Fumi and Kisa to play male and female bffs in love with the same girl. He says it's "his turn to support the Al Jeannes".
When he sees Kisa dancing with Chui, Fumi says "Let's put a stop to that. You have a knack for bringing out people's talents, Chui, but be careful Kisa doesn't swallow you up" then afterwards tells her she was "so beautiful I almost mistook you for a woman".
Fumi and the principal (a former Jeanne) both wear women's accessories on their kimonos and think people shouldn't get so hung up on the rules: clothing is just clothing and can be worn however you like.
The metaphorical sex scene where Fumi implies he's knows she's a woman and wants her to stick around anyway plays out much the same, with a little extra affection but zero extra sexiness.
Later, just as Kisa is thinking to herself that Fumi may have been hinting to her that he knows she's a woman, he asks her to watch a dance he's adapting, to show his family as a New Year's Gift. It's a romance between a man and a woman, with both parts played by the same dancer in turn. She thinks it's great, and he teaches it to her.
Fumi: Now stare to the left like a woman in love... ah, your expression is so pure. So that's what it looks like... I might use some of that.
Kisa: The coy way you approached it is good too.
She loses her balance and he catches her, then holds her silently and whispers hoarsely into her hair. "You're so thin... but I don't think you'd break if I took you into my arms. Hey, Kisa... do you want me to turn you into a woman?"
Kinda gendered but also very sexy so I'll allow it.
He then lets her go and is back to his usual self, offering advice on being an Al Jeanne.
Kisa: Maybe I imagined it???
Fumi: Hey, Kisa. I like you, you know? I'll look after you if anything happens. You're not alone.
Ha, after watching Kai and Kisa do their sexy dance Fumi isn't jealous, just happy Kai is expressing himself, and just says it's a little strange to watch Kai dancing with someone other than himself. Fumi seems to divide people into "Need to grow more to reach my level, maybe I'll help them" and "a fun challenge", he does get jealous about some things eg when other people got to be partnered with Kisa and he didn't, but I'll be curious to see if he ever expresses professional or romantic jealousy.
There's been a repeated theme with the Fumi scenes of either her watching him dance and being entranced, or him noticing she's down and getting her to dance or rest and hang out with him to get her mind off things.
Fumi: You're acting like you could disappear at any moment... other people are starting to notice. It could make it hard to hide your secret. So act! Lie! Whatever will get you what you want. Dance until the music stops. Isn't that who Kisa Tachibana is?
Fumi: You played an Al Jeanne as only you could. It made me really look at what an Al Jeanne is. And made me want to do it too. Being a Jack was fun, but hard, too. If a guy just tries to be himself when acting like a guy is comes out awkward.
Fumi: It's Christmas. Let's go on a date ;)
His family was too traditionally Japanese to celebrate Christmas so he enjoys it now. Afterwards he takes her to the dance studio and leads her in a brief but intense two person dance, and she ends up breathless keeping up with him. He admits he knows she's a girl, and interestingly the right choice is "I thought so" rather than "I'm sorry", maybe since it emphasises her recognising that he's really smart haha.
He figured it out from how she moved at the auditions, though at this point she's figured out how to move like a guy well enough that he wouldn't be able to tell so easily. He says he's going to be by her side helping her with whatever else she needs.
When she explains about needing to be cast as a lead in the final play, he says not to worry about that: He can tell that Neji has decided she's ready to face Fumi, as the Al Jeanne to his Jack Ace. So she needs to think further ahead, as far ahead as she can. He says Tsuki never talked about his family, perhaps knowing somehow that it would help Kisa one day. This is about the only time Tsuki has been brought up in Fumi route scenes, I was expecting him to cast a longer shadow considering what a big deal Fumi getting over the Fumi/Tsuki partnership was in the common route.
Fumi: Hey, Kisa. You've figured it out, haven't you? That I've wanted you from the start. You're the girl for me, for life. So when will you tell me that you like me back?
And interestingly the correct choice is to ask him to wait a little longer. He says he's just going to have to make her want to say it.
Back at her room Kisa thinks about how lonely she'll be when he graduates, and thinks that yes, she definitely is in love with Fumi.
There is no "hanging out with Sou to compare notes on hiding Kisa's gender" scene lol. Fumi likes Sou and Suzu and wishes them well but he's not really friends with them.
Eventually it clicks for Kisa that Fumi got into a hot spring with her knowing she's a girl, at first she's embarrassed but then thanks him for making she she didn't feel uncomfortable, he implies he's going to want her to be more aware of him in the future.
She finds him practising his Jack dancing. "It would look pretty uncool to dance like a Jeanne next to the Al Jeanne".
Fumi goes home to visit his family for New Years for the first time since starting at Univeil. Kai comes to visit Kisa and says he's a little jealous of Fumi moving forward, I guess we'll her about his issues on his path! He gives Kisa some New Years mochi that Fumi introduced him to the previous year, and says he'll tell Fumi how much fun he had spending New Years with Kisa. That's a little mean for Kai, haha.
Fumi shows up saying everyone connected to his family was delighted to see him and kept giving him food, it was overwhelming but warm, and thanks to Kisa.
Oh god the teacher who gives the nearly but not quite identical 'I am Death' summary is SO slow. The Quartz play is going to be excruciating too.
Double princesses again for Amber!
Teacher: In the last performance, you formed a single pair of wings. But this time you will fly using your own wings as individuals within the sky that is Chui Tanakamigi.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??
I guess on Sou and Suzu's routes the dudes were coming to terms with expressing intimacy with Kisa and needed an example of an Intense Pair. I have no idea what lesson Fumi will learn from this triad... polyamory??
Mitsuki is meeting with second years from other houses to discuss how to stop their yearmate Chui ruining the third years graduating plays.
Oh god now they're explaining I Am Death AGAIN.
Chui is definitely a dick who doesn't deserve to win but as long as Kisa gets to stay at Unveil I find it hard to get all that invested in Who Will Win Best Play. I get that it affects morale etc but they all take it SO SERIOUSLY. And repetitively...
"This formation feels like he's trying to erase the rest of us from existence" it's just a PLAY *is removed bodily from Unveil for not understanding ACTING*
Kisa and Fumi are very cute but I'm wondering where this plot is going that isn't just more of the same.
Fumi and Kisa are the Jack Ace and Al Jeanne just like Fumi predicted. Sou is straightforwardly happy to see Kisa's success and be given a major secondary role, maybe he doesn't get jealous this route! The lack of anyone feeling jealous makes for some nice Let's Win As A Team vibes.
The principal says the board is so impressed by Amber they're pushing to give them all the top students, maybe even forcing people to transfer. Ok that would mess up the school, and specifically make Kisa's life much worse.
Fumi: Everyone around Chui worships him and wants something from him. You would help him grow. But I don't have any intention of giving you to him, which is why we're going to win :)
This is all very cute but the scenes as the play plot gets introduced are SO boring on my third time through. I might actually... take a break from this game to do other things??? Or to start Mitsuki's route >.>
Neji: Fumi's character, a dancer, falls in love with Kisa's character, who is hiding a secret. And then he trains everyone extra hard at dancing!
Suzu: Oh my god. This is just like... me and Fumi in real life, when he always makes me train!!
Kisa freezes, overwhelmed, when Fumi's character stares at hers with an expression of love.
Neji: Kisa! Try not to get sucked into Fumi's mood!
Suzu: I'd get sucked in if I had to act one-on-one with Fumi...
Ahhh is the problem going to be Fumi being too much of a natural diva and no good at being Kisa's vessel, while she struggles to keep up with him?
Yep.
Kisa bonds with Kai about how intimidating it is to be the partner of the Great Serafumi Takagami.
Fumi asks Kai "how did we even figure things out as partners??", it's really sweet how hard he's trying. From all accounts Fumi was a real brat about it to Kai in a way he doesn't want to be to Kisa.
Then I just finished the whole thing so the rest of my thoughts are a bit all over the place!
I didn't write down any notes on it but it felt like... even though he seems Perfect at first, one of his flaws is learning to not just be a distant more polished ideal but an equal to Kisa, helping her dance with him, not just chasing his shadow. It feels like going from Tsuki to Kai to Kisa has been an arc for Fumi of learning how to actively create a partnership with someone and not just rely on the other person to be his support.
The dynamic is very enjoyably ungendered. Except when he's being sexy, sometimes, but even that feels a little like... "isn't it fun with me being the sexy sempai boy and you the cute little kohai girl".
She is SO into him when he's being a girl, all "wow he is so much prettier than me", and then he teaches her the secrets of being a hot girl so she can fill his Hottest Girl Of The School shoes. Which is actually more fun to me if he's not transfem except maybe in a sort of agender-leaning genderfluid way.
A lot of otome romances with older, self confident, naturally charming and flirty men lean into dubcon where the heroine is all blushy and overwhelmed but unto it and gradually gains self confidence. Which is fine and I can enjoy it, but this did the rarer thing of both of them knowing he absolutely could do that and she would be helplessly into it, but him generally holding back so she could find her feet with him until they were equals and fully CHOOSE to be with him and not just be dragged into his pull.
And in general like... the bad choices often involve being self-negatingly obsessed with him, only caring about his happiness/success/desires without having any ambition or creativity of her own. The good choices, and what he wants, are for her to respect and learn from him but ultimately aim to be better than him and her own person, and then he will do the same, and the two of them will inspire each other to greater and greater heights, and also help and inspire people around them.
Also genderwise he still sees being a Jeanne as a part of himself, something he values and was good at even if it's not his focus right now, and there's this whole metaphor of him Transferring His Flower Essence as a Jeanne To MC
He's still overall pretty toppy but then in the final play he gets sad about graduating highschool and leaving behind his friends and girlfriend and nakama etc and bursts into tears. She holds him and pats his head and tells him he's a good boy until he calms down.
The final scene of the game is her saying "we can do that again, I am your girlfriend ;)" and him going "oho, well, we can't do that at SCHOOL but here's the key to my house I am moving into ;)". THE END
But yeah overall she felt like his apprentice that he fully expected and wanted to quickly become his equal, including when it came to being a Jeanne. She has some self doubts and gets depressed and he feels bad for pushing her but they work it out. It was really cute.
I was curious who would be the Jack Ace to Kisa's Al Jeanne next year, and it's Suzu. Sou will be taking over as playwright from Neji. Sou never did show much jealousy, tbh he felt a little flat in this route, the writing tends to turn everyone not directly related to the plot into a Nice Supportive Friend.
FUMI, BEAUTIFUL BISEXUAL ANDROGYNE OF MY HEART.
I loved this route. They dance around him being canonically bi but he sure doesn't mind coming across that way and the bi vibes are off the charts. And it's otherwise just a cute "older more accomplished guy is delighted to mentor and flirt with brilliant younger woman who he wants to see fulfil her potential" romance. Where that potential includes being really good at playing both women and men!
To me Fumi feels like someone who enjoys crossdressing more for creative than gender related reasons, in that grey area between non-dysphoric non-binary and cis guy who is just really comfortable with his masculinity.
A lot of otome with self confident, flirty older guys go the dubcon "girl is too overwhelmed to be an active participant" path, but while he's definitely the one driving things he's really sweet about trying not to take advantage and instead go at her pace (romantically. He pushes much harder as a dancing mentor haha) And she helps him grow and become happier, too. They're really good for each other!
There's more heteronormativity than I would like, especially equating Kisa's femininity with her attraction to men. Also, having already played a few endings now, some of the repeated elements get BORING. But I still overall had a really good time.
Content note: messy family dynamics
Curious to see how this all plays out!
This route has some really pretty, evocative CGs. This one is more straightforward but shows what Kisa and Fumi look like together:
That's not a costume that's how he usually dresses :D
I was going to try and think of how to describe his voice and my brain said "John Mulaney" and now I can't unhear it.
Oooh. Fumi is from a family of traditional Japanese dancers. He heard nothing from them for 2 years and then his older brother says he has to come back, as a natural star, to carry on the family name.
Fumi: Our history is over 200 years... we're born with a folding fan already in hand. As a kid I followed my father and brother's moves...but as I got older I saw everything around it. Old customs, the stench of confinement, rampantly escalating pride...
Kisa realises he liked and respected the dancing itself, and got frustrated that everyone else pushed it to the side. He appreciates her candid observation.
Fumi: The 'shina' in Takashina means to act coy. Like this...
He leans close, making a coyly provocative expression. Apparently the correct response is "It's like you're a woman" though what she actually says is "it's like I'm being drawn in by a woman" :D
Fumi: Cute. You act like a girl being drawn in by a guy. You'll make a good Jeanne.
Makeup tips with Fumi and Mitsuki!
Doing the first play. At this point Suzu and Sou both saw Kisa as their close friend and someone they really want to act with, but Fumi just sees Kisa as an endearing and talented kohai, who he likes mentoring and hopes will do well, but doesn't see himself as super close to. And in the first play the older characters take small boring roles to let the first years shine. I like this is having more of a slow burn so far, Fumi is older and keeps his cards close to his chest, lighthearted flirtation aside it would be odd for him to throw himself sincerely at a first year he's barely met. (EDIT: lol)
This Suzu/Kisa duet is so shippy. Fumi and Kai have a bunch of duets, but I don't think Kisa and Fumi have any :( I can see the Mitsuki/Kisa one in the yuri-ish play being really shippy on Mitsuki's route.
Haha, so. After the performance I unlock Fumi's next scene, where he takes Kisa out on a picnic and talks about how he admires how she has a whole different level of determination than others.
Fumi: I see, that's why. Hey, Kisa. I like you.
Kisa: Huh?!
Fumi: Yeah, that feels right. I get this feeling you're doing something I can't do. I can respect people like that, regardless of age.
Kisa: (Oh he means as a PERSON) I'm glad to hear it :)
Fumi: You're supposed to say you like me back!
Kisa: ...huh?
Fumi: Heh. Ok, let's start heading back. I'll take you out another time. I like you. Haha.
Ok that is less slow burn than I was expecting but certainly interesting!
The next day he says it must be hard for her "putting on an act" in this play, implying he's figured out she's a girl. Which I guess gives the game some plausible deniability about Fumi hitting on a cute boy. But whenever he figured it out, it doesn't seem to have affected how he sees her.
Kisa: Everyone keeps saying I can't be a Jack :(
Fumi: This is the world we live in. You know the most effective way of changing what they think? Show them something far beyond what they're capable of imagining. Not only will the opinions of those around you change, you will as well.
Man he is just SO queer without being overtly queer.
Kisa: I can tell you're playing a woman even before you start your dance.
Fumi: I'm getting better :)
Kisa: Wow with Kai's masculine strength, he's pronouncing Fumi's feminine beauty.
He's such a contrast to the other two, since he feels if anything too secure in his own position and is just enjoying Kisa's star rise without any sense of inadequacy. Instead he just finds her inspiring and fun to watch. It's very cute if not very dramatic as an arc so far.
Fumi says Kisa should keep working hard because he wants to be paired with her one day, curious but not especially concerned as to whether she'd be a Jack or Jeanne.
I tried using the touch screen for the rhythm games and it was Not Helpful. On the plus side, now that I've finished a route, skipping practice is much easier.
His dad gets so sick he might die and the correct choices are apparently to encourage Fumi to reconcile/communicate with his family, which would bother me more if it didn't quickly become clear he always intended to come back and modernise the family dance for new generations, once he'd learned more about other sorts of dance, he just didn't explain any of that to them. That probably is something he should communicate.
He sees her waiting outside his room when he comes back from the hospital, and she is all encouraging.
Fumi: I like you so much.
Kisa: Thank... you?
Fumi: You know, you could say it back...
Even if he does know she's a girl, she doesn't know he knows, so he's cheerfully coming across as into dudes, which feels a little bit like a test: will she accept his feelings in this queer context? Otherwise he could totally tell her he knows and... well, she'd probably be just as oblivious, if the Suzu route is any guide.
Townsperson: Thank you for your help, young man. And is this your girlfriend?
Suzu, cheerfully and not embarrassed: Nope, a friend from Univeil.
Townsperson: Oh he's a Jeanne? What a cute boy you are! Well, here's some weasel buns for you both. They celebrate the Great Weasel Of The Mountain, and can deliver the god's messages.
Kisa: Wow, even the way you eat soup is beautiful...
Fumi: Sure, whatever. If you like it so much, copy it. Yes, like that, make sure not to spill any...
Suzu: Whoa, Kisa, are you a Jeanne today?
Fumi: Ha, so if you copy what I do you're a Jeanne.
During summer camp everyone gets divided into pairs to practice a short script about a man and androgynous magic tapir tormenting him. For Suzu and Sou's routes, Kisa plays a Jeanne tapir. But for Mitsuki and Fumi it's a Jack :D The final choice, for Neji and Kai, is "Either is fine", which is interesting considering how very Jack Kai is.
Kisa: Hmm, I wonder what the seniors are doing?
Neji: You're just in time to join us on a research trip, doing a biological study of the mysterious creature known as KAI, who always silently vanishes!
Kai: I just like going for walks :/
Neji: Kisa have you tried the hot springs? Very elegant if you can ignore the hordes of naked Quartz students. You can also see Kai in the nude all you want. It's as if he's a Greek statue. I do hope to use that nude body of his in a play sometime.
Kisa: Ahahaha...
Kisa follows Fumi to a sort of shrine and he does a very sincere and intense dance to honour the gods that leaves him exhausted. A bunch of the cultural context went over my head but it is interesting that's he's devoutly religious.
Hot spring scene! Fumi acts like it's no big deal to see her there but sits far enough away that she is hidden by steam and in the CG is 'casually' looking away. She is initially embarrassed but eventually just enjoys chatting to him.
Haa, with Suzu and Fumi to compare, so many Sou choices are about passively giving into despair...
Aww Fumi stops some people talking shit about Sou.
My Never Talk To The Principal approach is making me take some extra naps...
I was a bit worried the Fumi path would try to undermine Kai and Fumi's connection but so far the extra scenes have just shown the two of them valuing each other.
Fumi: Kisa, don't you agree that Mitsuki should play for us on the guitar?
Mistuki: Ugh, Kisa always agrees with everything you say.
Fumi: So it's two against one ;)
Fumi and the principal sympathise over growing up in traditional performer families where all sorts of vendors have known them since childhood.
Fumi notices Kisa's hair is getting long and offers to cut it, and while doing so reminisces about cutting Kai's hair out of irritation that Kai wasn't taking care of himself. There is zero awareness of it as a pretty intimate act, in general for such a flirty guy Fumi is notably un-physical with Kisa, without even the hints of Repressed Passion you got from Sou and Suzu. It's really sweet, like ignoring the fact that he presumably is attracted to her but just better at hiding it, he usually enjoys teasing people in a flirty way, but would be aware how uncomfortable that could be for her given the combo of age and gender. Thus far it feels like all the LIs except Sou are consent king sweeties under the surface, though we'll see with Neji.
Despite being fairly outgoing and active about a lot of things, Kisa seems to be very passive and subby with sex and romance, even for an otome heroine. Makes me feel like the Mitsuki path will be the two bottoms meme but I'm sure they'll make it work haha.
Fumi mentions having learned a specific dance called Yashiki Musume which I managed to find on youtube.
Kisa slowly realising Fumi feels trapped by having to be the Perfect Al Jeanne Supporting Quartz feels different on his route! She notices him looking a little down so invites him to hang out then worries she's being a bother, girl how obvious does he have to be. He buys her some food as thanks, he's taken her out to eat a few times in a kinda datey way that has entirely gone over her head.
Everyone wants Fumi to be free ;_;
Fumi: Do whatever you want, I'll be there to cheer you on, and support you if you need it.
I guess this song where Kisa's character sings about how he's going to murder Fumi's is sort of a duet haha.
"I'm not lonely any more. You're around" ahhhhh
It's so nice having the LI praise her without it turning into self reproach about being behind!
Also it doesn't seem to have occurred to Sou to be jealous of Fumi yet, though I'm sure he'll get there.
Fumi tells Kisa she helped him understand himself better: he'd thought he couldn't be free and protect things (Quartz, his family's traditions, etc) at the same time. But now that she's taught him he can, he's going to talk to his family. And just at the moment his brother asks to meet up.
Kisa: Hello, I'm Kisa Tachibana, a first year. Fumi-san is always taking care of me. I'll be going now.
But the brother asks her to stay. So Fumi talks about how he loved the family dances, but hated feeling confined by tradition, like he was in love with a corpse. At Univeil he is free, surrounded by others his own age. But the strength underneath it was always the family dances, and he felt like any praise or criticism he received was aimed at his family. He's always thinking about he can use the things he's learning to improve the family's dances. He wants to take part in the family legacy, but not until he's experienced enough, and feels confident.
Brother: Dad and I saw you perform. We'd thought you'd left with no regrets, but saw your concern and pain when father collapsed and asked you to come back. We realised we didn't understand you. We came to see what you left us for, and your performance made us realise it was us who'd strayed from the spirit of the Takashina. Do what you wish. Beyond that is the choice for you to carry on our legacy when the time comes. Be free.
Aw and then he takes a moment to praise Kisa's performance too.
Fumi: Yes, this is Quartz's ace.
Brother: Fumi mentioned previously that he'd left a junior behind to visit father... Please take care of my brother.
I am guessing Fumi will not, later, be introducing her as his boyfriend first just to see how they react. But I suspect they might roll with it. Being the wife of the head of this sort of family would be A Lot but I'm guessing Fumi would make sure she wasn't trapped by it.
Fumi: Ah, my koi bracelet broke. It's a tradition in my family to tie these when you want to wish for something. When I made this I wished for all those traditions to disappear... but I guess the family I had back then is dead. What should I wish for next... my family and Quartz's future will be decided by hard work... maybe I'll wish for you to actually tell me you like me ;)
Kisa: Huh??
Fumi: Heh. Thank you, you really saved me. I guess now it's my turn...
This is the scene in the CG I posted above. He gives her a bracelet he made for her and she silently wishes for his happiness, later he says he wished for hers with his.
Haha aw the correct choice in this next scene is to disagree with him about something, even though he pouts about it and says he needs to 'train her more'.
Now for Fumi and Kisa to play male and female bffs in love with the same girl. He says it's "his turn to support the Al Jeannes".
When he sees Kisa dancing with Chui, Fumi says "Let's put a stop to that. You have a knack for bringing out people's talents, Chui, but be careful Kisa doesn't swallow you up" then afterwards tells her she was "so beautiful I almost mistook you for a woman".
Fumi and the principal (a former Jeanne) both wear women's accessories on their kimonos and think people shouldn't get so hung up on the rules: clothing is just clothing and can be worn however you like.
The metaphorical sex scene where Fumi implies he's knows she's a woman and wants her to stick around anyway plays out much the same, with a little extra affection but zero extra sexiness.
Later, just as Kisa is thinking to herself that Fumi may have been hinting to her that he knows she's a woman, he asks her to watch a dance he's adapting, to show his family as a New Year's Gift. It's a romance between a man and a woman, with both parts played by the same dancer in turn. She thinks it's great, and he teaches it to her.
Fumi: Now stare to the left like a woman in love... ah, your expression is so pure. So that's what it looks like... I might use some of that.
Kisa: The coy way you approached it is good too.
She loses her balance and he catches her, then holds her silently and whispers hoarsely into her hair. "You're so thin... but I don't think you'd break if I took you into my arms. Hey, Kisa... do you want me to turn you into a woman?"
Kinda gendered but also very sexy so I'll allow it.
He then lets her go and is back to his usual self, offering advice on being an Al Jeanne.
Kisa: Maybe I imagined it???
Fumi: Hey, Kisa. I like you, you know? I'll look after you if anything happens. You're not alone.
Ha, after watching Kai and Kisa do their sexy dance Fumi isn't jealous, just happy Kai is expressing himself, and just says it's a little strange to watch Kai dancing with someone other than himself. Fumi seems to divide people into "Need to grow more to reach my level, maybe I'll help them" and "a fun challenge", he does get jealous about some things eg when other people got to be partnered with Kisa and he didn't, but I'll be curious to see if he ever expresses professional or romantic jealousy.
There's been a repeated theme with the Fumi scenes of either her watching him dance and being entranced, or him noticing she's down and getting her to dance or rest and hang out with him to get her mind off things.
Fumi: You're acting like you could disappear at any moment... other people are starting to notice. It could make it hard to hide your secret. So act! Lie! Whatever will get you what you want. Dance until the music stops. Isn't that who Kisa Tachibana is?
Fumi: You played an Al Jeanne as only you could. It made me really look at what an Al Jeanne is. And made me want to do it too. Being a Jack was fun, but hard, too. If a guy just tries to be himself when acting like a guy is comes out awkward.
Fumi: It's Christmas. Let's go on a date ;)
His family was too traditionally Japanese to celebrate Christmas so he enjoys it now. Afterwards he takes her to the dance studio and leads her in a brief but intense two person dance, and she ends up breathless keeping up with him. He admits he knows she's a girl, and interestingly the right choice is "I thought so" rather than "I'm sorry", maybe since it emphasises her recognising that he's really smart haha.
He figured it out from how she moved at the auditions, though at this point she's figured out how to move like a guy well enough that he wouldn't be able to tell so easily. He says he's going to be by her side helping her with whatever else she needs.
When she explains about needing to be cast as a lead in the final play, he says not to worry about that: He can tell that Neji has decided she's ready to face Fumi, as the Al Jeanne to his Jack Ace. So she needs to think further ahead, as far ahead as she can. He says Tsuki never talked about his family, perhaps knowing somehow that it would help Kisa one day. This is about the only time Tsuki has been brought up in Fumi route scenes, I was expecting him to cast a longer shadow considering what a big deal Fumi getting over the Fumi/Tsuki partnership was in the common route.
Fumi: Hey, Kisa. You've figured it out, haven't you? That I've wanted you from the start. You're the girl for me, for life. So when will you tell me that you like me back?
And interestingly the correct choice is to ask him to wait a little longer. He says he's just going to have to make her want to say it.
Back at her room Kisa thinks about how lonely she'll be when he graduates, and thinks that yes, she definitely is in love with Fumi.
There is no "hanging out with Sou to compare notes on hiding Kisa's gender" scene lol. Fumi likes Sou and Suzu and wishes them well but he's not really friends with them.
Eventually it clicks for Kisa that Fumi got into a hot spring with her knowing she's a girl, at first she's embarrassed but then thanks him for making she she didn't feel uncomfortable, he implies he's going to want her to be more aware of him in the future.
She finds him practising his Jack dancing. "It would look pretty uncool to dance like a Jeanne next to the Al Jeanne".
Fumi goes home to visit his family for New Years for the first time since starting at Univeil. Kai comes to visit Kisa and says he's a little jealous of Fumi moving forward, I guess we'll her about his issues on his path! He gives Kisa some New Years mochi that Fumi introduced him to the previous year, and says he'll tell Fumi how much fun he had spending New Years with Kisa. That's a little mean for Kai, haha.
Fumi shows up saying everyone connected to his family was delighted to see him and kept giving him food, it was overwhelming but warm, and thanks to Kisa.
Oh god the teacher who gives the nearly but not quite identical 'I am Death' summary is SO slow. The Quartz play is going to be excruciating too.
Double princesses again for Amber!
Teacher: In the last performance, you formed a single pair of wings. But this time you will fly using your own wings as individuals within the sky that is Chui Tanakamigi.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??
I guess on Sou and Suzu's routes the dudes were coming to terms with expressing intimacy with Kisa and needed an example of an Intense Pair. I have no idea what lesson Fumi will learn from this triad... polyamory??
Mitsuki is meeting with second years from other houses to discuss how to stop their yearmate Chui ruining the third years graduating plays.
Oh god now they're explaining I Am Death AGAIN.
Chui is definitely a dick who doesn't deserve to win but as long as Kisa gets to stay at Unveil I find it hard to get all that invested in Who Will Win Best Play. I get that it affects morale etc but they all take it SO SERIOUSLY. And repetitively...
"This formation feels like he's trying to erase the rest of us from existence" it's just a PLAY *is removed bodily from Unveil for not understanding ACTING*
Kisa and Fumi are very cute but I'm wondering where this plot is going that isn't just more of the same.
Fumi and Kisa are the Jack Ace and Al Jeanne just like Fumi predicted. Sou is straightforwardly happy to see Kisa's success and be given a major secondary role, maybe he doesn't get jealous this route! The lack of anyone feeling jealous makes for some nice Let's Win As A Team vibes.
The principal says the board is so impressed by Amber they're pushing to give them all the top students, maybe even forcing people to transfer. Ok that would mess up the school, and specifically make Kisa's life much worse.
Fumi: Everyone around Chui worships him and wants something from him. You would help him grow. But I don't have any intention of giving you to him, which is why we're going to win :)
This is all very cute but the scenes as the play plot gets introduced are SO boring on my third time through. I might actually... take a break from this game to do other things??? Or to start Mitsuki's route >.>
Neji: Fumi's character, a dancer, falls in love with Kisa's character, who is hiding a secret. And then he trains everyone extra hard at dancing!
Suzu: Oh my god. This is just like... me and Fumi in real life, when he always makes me train!!
Kisa freezes, overwhelmed, when Fumi's character stares at hers with an expression of love.
Neji: Kisa! Try not to get sucked into Fumi's mood!
Suzu: I'd get sucked in if I had to act one-on-one with Fumi...
Ahhh is the problem going to be Fumi being too much of a natural diva and no good at being Kisa's vessel, while she struggles to keep up with him?
Yep.
Kisa bonds with Kai about how intimidating it is to be the partner of the Great Serafumi Takagami.
Fumi asks Kai "how did we even figure things out as partners??", it's really sweet how hard he's trying. From all accounts Fumi was a real brat about it to Kai in a way he doesn't want to be to Kisa.
Then I just finished the whole thing so the rest of my thoughts are a bit all over the place!
I didn't write down any notes on it but it felt like... even though he seems Perfect at first, one of his flaws is learning to not just be a distant more polished ideal but an equal to Kisa, helping her dance with him, not just chasing his shadow. It feels like going from Tsuki to Kai to Kisa has been an arc for Fumi of learning how to actively create a partnership with someone and not just rely on the other person to be his support.
The dynamic is very enjoyably ungendered. Except when he's being sexy, sometimes, but even that feels a little like... "isn't it fun with me being the sexy sempai boy and you the cute little kohai girl".
She is SO into him when he's being a girl, all "wow he is so much prettier than me", and then he teaches her the secrets of being a hot girl so she can fill his Hottest Girl Of The School shoes. Which is actually more fun to me if he's not transfem except maybe in a sort of agender-leaning genderfluid way.
A lot of otome romances with older, self confident, naturally charming and flirty men lean into dubcon where the heroine is all blushy and overwhelmed but unto it and gradually gains self confidence. Which is fine and I can enjoy it, but this did the rarer thing of both of them knowing he absolutely could do that and she would be helplessly into it, but him generally holding back so she could find her feet with him until they were equals and fully CHOOSE to be with him and not just be dragged into his pull.
And in general like... the bad choices often involve being self-negatingly obsessed with him, only caring about his happiness/success/desires without having any ambition or creativity of her own. The good choices, and what he wants, are for her to respect and learn from him but ultimately aim to be better than him and her own person, and then he will do the same, and the two of them will inspire each other to greater and greater heights, and also help and inspire people around them.
Also genderwise he still sees being a Jeanne as a part of himself, something he values and was good at even if it's not his focus right now, and there's this whole metaphor of him Transferring His Flower Essence as a Jeanne To MC
He's still overall pretty toppy but then in the final play he gets sad about graduating highschool and leaving behind his friends and girlfriend and nakama etc and bursts into tears. She holds him and pats his head and tells him he's a good boy until he calms down.
The final scene of the game is her saying "we can do that again, I am your girlfriend ;)" and him going "oho, well, we can't do that at SCHOOL but here's the key to my house I am moving into ;)". THE END
But yeah overall she felt like his apprentice that he fully expected and wanted to quickly become his equal, including when it came to being a Jeanne. She has some self doubts and gets depressed and he feels bad for pushing her but they work it out. It was really cute.
I was curious who would be the Jack Ace to Kisa's Al Jeanne next year, and it's Suzu. Sou will be taking over as playwright from Neji. Sou never did show much jealousy, tbh he felt a little flat in this route, the writing tends to turn everyone not directly related to the plot into a Nice Supportive Friend.
