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alias_sqbr) wrote2024-11-23 11:23 am
alias_sqbr) wrote2024-11-23 11:23 am
Entry tags:
Jack Jeanne: Kisa Route
Masterlist
This is the gen route you get if you don't romance anyone.
I had SO much trouble motivating myself to play this, since there's no romance and I wasn't sure there'd be enough else to get me through the repeated bits that I am SO sick of by now.
But once I got past the boring bits I did quite enjoy it, and there's some cute (and often shippy) unique moments with various side characters. Unfortunately they can be very fiddly to get and Kisa's female BFF Ao eluded me, boo.
And now I am done playing this game! Though I am still happily playing around in the fandom, and there is talk of a new spin off comic, and maybe a sequel...
I can't be bothered describing who everyone is again, check out the masterlist for a guide to the characters etc.
I have enjoyed the added "everyone hangs out together" scenes, eg everyone goes to the new years shrine together instead of Kisa going with her LI.
There is a new plot! The board have decided to shut down Quartz, which is currently the place students are sent when they have potential but no standout talent, and divide everyone up into Rhodonite/Onyx/Amber depending on their specific skills. But maybe if Quartz does well enough in the final performance they can change the board's mind!
Chui refuses to have an Al Jeanne if it can't be Kisa, which prompts Momonashi to ATTEMPT TO CHOKE HER TO DEATH IN THE HALLWAY UNTIL KAMIYA STOPS HIM.
I assumed there'd be no romance in the final performance, but instead it's Kai as Jack Ace, and Fumi and Kisa both playing Al Jeannes in love with him. I am going to be SO inclined to read this as a Kisa/Kai/Fumi route.
Fumi when he thinks it's just him as as Al Jeanne and Kai as Jack Ace: Meh
Fumi when he finds out Kisa will be joining: This has potential :D
So I guess it will flip to Kisa playing a Jack version of Sissia who is now in love with Adra but otherwise identical and then a JackJeanne who is Above Romance canonically but bi in my heart. (Edit: Not quite)
The translation can't decide if the genderflipped Fumi character's name is Adra or Adrea.
The Rhodonite girls come over for a surprise sleepover.
Mare: That negligee is very sheer, Yuki, talk about the man behind the curtain :/
Yuki: My mama wears things like this all the time. Mama was in Rhodonite too you know.
Aww but on the discord someone said "i think the jp line is like "your mom is so rhodonite" or something?" so she COULD be a cis woman who's just very flamboyant. But in my heart Yuki has a trans mother.
This route is definitely set up to have space for side character shipping feels. I am doing as many Mare scenes as possible and they're pretty cute.
But despite them not having a huge amount of interaction so far I think I mostly ship Kisa/Mitsuki just because I really like that ship haha.
Chui tells Kisa there's no way Fumi and Kai can balance her talent the way he could and it gets in her head a bit.
There's apparently a bad end which involves Kisa deciding to join Amber as Chui's Al Jeanne, I'm curious but also it requires getting SS on EVERY SINGLE SONG which is nott happening. Hopefully it's on youtube or something. (EDIT: Yep, see below)
Chui: The Gashadokuro and Takihime are two halves of the same whole. Only when they are perfectly matched will I Am Death be complete. I thought that would be possible with Neji.
Amber teacher Tagane: I am sure he would have been able to pull it off. But now there is a twisted part of his ego which makes him unfit to be a vessel. He won't be a receptacle or focus on a single person. But Kamiya and Mononashi's focus on you is too strong.
Chui: I need a perfect vessel with no twisted nature or scars who will reflect me no matter where I am.
Tagane: Kisa Tachibana? It's rare for you to focus on one person. Is he so important to you?
Chui: It doesn't matter who or what he is. But nothing is more important to me than this pairing.
Tagane: Then you must defeat Quartz, after that we can lay claim to what we need. But to do do that you must build up Takihime.
Chui: You mean, within myself?
Tagane: Yes. The Gashadokuro chases an illusion of Takihime, as you pursue Kisa Tachibana. Express your true, most powerful form. Allow me to play the role of Tachibana until Takihime takes root at your core. I will be your Al Jeanne.
Chui: Thank you.
What is this conversation?? But it's not boring! For context Tagane is a masculine and ponderously serious minded middle aged man.
Kisa impresses everyone as Sissia though she worries she's projecting her own feelings about acting too much.
Fumi: With you as Al Jeanne it's fun and different. You have the mannerisms of a young boy.
Kisa: Oh, sorry, should I work on that?
Fumi: No, it's always 'here's how to act like a Jeanne' but... it sounds like I'm criticising Univeil, but I think what's most important is what suits a role. How Sissia would be if she was you. You just need to keep that at your centre, and let it grow.
Kisa: So many students are skipping rehearsal...
Fumi: It reminds me of when the news spread about Kuro and Chui last year.
Neji: FOR WHICH I AM VERY SORRY!!
Mitsuki: I'll contact the students who are taking time off.
Kisa can't stop thinking about how much it would suck if everyone is Quartz was forced to split up, destroying the environment the upperclassmen worked so hard to create. Unable to sleep, she wanders to the shrine to Himehiko, god of theatre.
She sees Chui rehearsing his role, alone, his deep voice gasping as he talks of performing violence for the gods. The way he contorts his body is beautiful yet makes her feel like he's going to break.
The choices are "he's like a god", "he's like a young man" and "he's like a demon". And for all his flaws he is just a 17 year old kid, so, let's go for the middle way.
She thinks that while he is so in love with his own world he can't see anyone else's he's still just a 17 year old boy. She realises he's gasping in pain.
Chui: Are you troubled? A person doing well wouldn't come to a place like this.
Kisa: Why are you alone? Even if it wouldn't be the best performance, couldn't you accept other people's help?
Chui: The stage would be soiled. Noone would be able to witness the perfection of my many talents. Standing on the stage is proof of my existence. It is a trifling story to outsiders...
He explains that Univeil's history goes back to the Tamasaka troupe of travelling performers. The face of the troupe was the beautiful Tsukihiko Chuza. He was adored by the feudal lord of this area and given a plot upon which to build a base for the troupe. He was renamed "Himehiko Tamasaka", and that name was passed down the Chuza bloodline.
(Tsuki huh...)
At some point, a branch of the family split off from the other Chuza, and asked to use the surname Tamasaka as well as the stage name Himehiko Tamasaka. A fight ensued.
The first Himehiko Tamasaka died of violent emotional suffering, and those who followed often died a mysterious death, leading to the belief in a Himehiko curse. The name was split, Hime included in female stagenames and Hiko in male ones.
A few generations ago, the Himehiko, a Tamasaka, decided that instead of passing the name to a man under 30, he'd pass it to his daughter. But she died, and the Chuza family drove them away, keeping the name to themselves. The other daughter's descendants still inherited the Tamasaka charm, and waited in the shadows.
Chui is one of these descendants, and some in the Troupe see him as a way to take power back from the Chuza family. But he only wishes to prove himself.
Chui: Tachibana, I don't care what you are. Come with me. I'll take you as far as you want to go.
Kisa: I can't take your hand. There are still things I must do.
But the image of him looking like some sort of god still lingers in her mind.
It turns out I picked a Suzu save to play this route from, and so he gets some extra lines here and there, like a rousing speech about how everyone should have hope and work hard. Which is a very Suzu thing to do.
Kisa says that having seen Chui perform, the only way to beat him is by everyone working together and shining as a group.
Watching everyone perform, Neji stops the rehearsal and asks Kisa to ad-lib some lines where a shippy moment between Kai and Fumi's characters was meant to go. He announces that he's been playing things too safe. Instead of the sort of m/f romance Univeil plays usually have, he's going to make Kisa the sole lead.
Fumi and Kai: Yeah we figured. Good choice!
Neji: And this character will transcend gender. If I had to put it into words, like... an angel.
Me: Aw yeah, I knew this was coming but this is so cool.
*gets up to find my phone and take a photo of the screen because what*
Neji: So Chance (Suzu) or Carlo (Mitsuki) could both be in love with Sissia.
Suzu and Mitsuki: ...oh...
Everyone in Quartz: WE ARE NOW INSPIRED TO WIN!!!
HOORAY FOR THE POWER OF THE NON BINARY :D :D
Definitely thinking about the potential of Kisa route as the basis for post-canon trans fic for everyone I have trans thoughts about, which is basically everyone. If Sissia can do it...
I've been chatting to someone on the discord who loves pointing out the ways Chui, Fumi and Neji act as foils to each other as lonely workaholic geniuses with messed up family histories to do with performance.
But as everyone agrees how much easier it is now to make the play work with Kisa as the central focus, I am struck by the contrast between Chui as the lonely, tortured god Amber worships versus Kisa as the gear of Quartz everyone focusses on, who also makes everyone else shine.
Suzu, Neji and Fumi agree that the now brashly masculine Adra works better than the old feminine Adrea.
Sou: It looks like Fumi's experience as Miguel during Winter is really adding to it.
Mitsuki: Standing beside Kai, they look so strong.
Fumi: I can play a Jack role much better than I thought. It's closer to how I am usually, which makes it easier to talk to Levi (Kai).
Kisa thinks about how much easier it is to play Sissia now, because instead of playing any particular gender, she can just focus on the character.
Kisa: Jack Jeanne... I feel like this role really suits me.
Kai talks about how even for those leaving, Quartz is their home, and he is grateful that she is making sure it will continue.
Mare: But what even IS a Jack Jeanne??
Kisa: Neji says the story transcends gender by putting elements of both into the role, a vessel which can hold anything it's given.
Kasai: I'm sure you're the only one who can perform that role. Although I feel like if you a play a role like that, beyond anyone's imagination, I won't be able to partner with you any more. It would hard to make an impact stronger than that.
Mare: Come on Kasai, just cheer them on! Let me know if you need any help, I'll send Minorikawa.
After how homoerotic Chui was with his other Jeannes I was trepidatious about watching him with the teacher, Tagane, but the lines just dealt with wholesome topics like viscera and blood.
Tagane: Very good. Just leave spaces where those lines would be, and the audience will see Takihime.
Chui: Again!
Tagane: We must consider the stamina of the other students...
Chui, angrily: I can't see Takihime!! Are you telling me YOU can?? I'm not here to play a monster all on its own!!
Kamiya: It's because... I'm not worthy >:(
Momonashi: You know that implies I'm not either :/ Only Chui can make the audience feel the presence of a character who is not there.
Takane: Speaking of which, did you hear that Kisa Tachibana is to play the lone lead for Quartz.
Kamiya: If he's an Al Jeanne, Chui will blame us even more.
Momonashi: But if he's a Jack Ace they've lost their minds.
Takane: Neither. Neji has created a new role, the Jack Jeanne for Tachibana. The principal has given permission it to be added alongside Jack and Jeanne.
Chui: Ahahaha! Well played, Kisa Tachibana. So you have become a vessel that can hold all of Quartz. Then I will fill Amber with my blood and pour it into you. Don't think you can go home today.
Monomashi: Tagane-Sensei, I see you intended to fan the flames rather than help :)
Tagane: Indeed. There's no time for rest.
Kamiya: Then I will destroy that vessel... for Chui's ambition!
Amber studnts: For Chui's ambition!!
Momonashi: I hope we don't break in the process :)
When Momonashi is your voice of reason, you're in trouble. Though then he says it sounds like fun lol.
The principle comes across Kisa practicing alone and offers to practice with her. I was too curious to say no, and he says "Allow Akihime, the 18th generation of Himehiko, to show you some basics" and I choose from the various skills. The walkthrough said spirit and I had no preference so went with that.
He tells a fade to black anecdote about stepping on the hem of his costume when he was in the Tamasaka Troupe at 16, implying he went there straight from middle school I guess?
Principal: And in the end I pulled through without incident using my father's fudanshi (traditional loincloth)
Me: I am glad I did not hear the rest of this story.
Sou: I like this version which focusses more on Sissia.
Mitsuki: Me too. But now we have to work on how our characters feel about her.
Kisa: Maybe I can help...
Dammit I had the chance to talk to one person and accidentally clicked on Suzu before I had a chance to think about it.
Suzu's scene is really cute, he talks about how "his character" is too dense to have noticed Sissia's secret and isn't even sure of their gender, but wants to be good enough to perform beside them.
Kisa: Does he like Sissia?
Suzu: ...yeah. Not in a way which demands anything from Sissia, but Sissia is special to him.
Awwww!
It turns out you to to talk to everyone anyway, but I didn't realise that until after I reloaded an earlier save, oops.
May as well talk to characters I didn't last time, I guess!
Mare: Ugh, stop making me rehearse so much! Why don't YOU become the Al Jeanne and Tresor then all the important parts of Rhodonite are covered.
Minorikawa, angrily: Are you saying Rhodonite doesn't need a Jack Ace?! In the first place I... FINE! Do whatever you want!!
Mare: Wait. Was that my fault? I know I got carried away but... ugh! Now what do I do? D:
Kisa chases after him and bumps into a worried Tsukasa who says he stormed past her looking like "a little monster".
Tsukasa: I know he feels pressured because next year we won't have an Al Jeanne or Tresor... but things have a way of working out. Kiito (Minorikawa's first name, which noone else uses) is earnest and can do many things, but everyone relies too heavily on him. He doesn't have many he can rely on himself. He often tells me about how you have what it takes to be a star... could you go talk to him? I think he really likes you.
Kisa tells him he should rest, and talk about how much she's appreciated getting praise and help from Rhodonite's Jack Ace. He says he's being a brat, he knows Mare etc work better without being so pressured. He comes back and apologises, and before they can awkwardly apologise too, fucks with them by saying he IS going to become an Al Jeanne until they beg him not to lol.
After Kisa leaves he mutters to himself, blushing "I guess my intuition was correct. Well, I'll keep the secret. But I'm glad I'm not in Quartz... that kindness really made my heart pound..."
When I said no to rehearsing with the principal he said "then this old man will just watch" uuugh.
Sou is struggling with his character's backstory and Kisa suggests that he be Sissia's childhood friend. Even if it's never stated, that shared secret and bond will underpin their relationship. He implies his character has feelings for Sissia.
Mitsuki: Now that my character is the only Jeanne, I feel uncomfortable with how much attention she'll get, almost like an Al Jeanne. And now her relationship with Sissia is more ambiguous.
Kisa: (Maybe it's like my relationship with Mitsuki...)
My choices are "they are connected by feelings" and "they share a special bond" those are... very similar, game??
Mitsuki: She wants to support Sissia, and the best way to do that is by helping Sissia's singing become as powerful as possible. I don't think gender matters when you're facing each other as another human. That's why I like this story. Let's fight together :)
Awww. As much I ship Mitsuki/Kisa I'm glad not everyone is BLATANTLY PINING, and hooray for non binary feels.
Kai has to figure out who his character is now that he's no longer partnered with Fumi's. Kisa encourages Kai to focus on making his character shine.
Kai: You're always pushing me to take the next step forward... I thought I was watching over you, but you have been watching over me. You are like an angel.
Fumi worries that he's projecting too much onto his character now they're both men.
Kisa: He's charming as he is. You can bring everything you have from all your earlier roles.
Fumi: Everything I have huh... When I had only played Jeannes, being a Jack felt so far away, but now there's a voice shouting about all these new possibilities. And I want to watch Sissia as a Jack.
Neji: Give me your opinion on these costume designs for my character, as Sissia!
Kisa: Oh wow your art is really good... I think this one is cool, and this one is mysterious!
Neji: But are they too pretentious?
Kisa: Well you are cool. You have a lean figure, but still have manly characteristics, and there's a charm in that androgyny. It's just sometimes hard to see because you're always hiding yourself behind makeup and crystals. You're naturally cool looking. The audience just doesn't know it yet. And you like surprising people, don't you? ;)
Neji: Th-thanks. Just when did you get so good at managing me?! Haa, how embarrassing to be so exposed! I put on mask after mask, but I'm more shy and tender hearted than I cared to admit, which is why I left the exciting roles to others. Actually trying to make myself look cool makes me feel naked! But everyone else is fighting in the same way, making themselves vulnerable. It's unfair for me to be the only one running away... FINE! *crushes sketches* I'll appear... naked!
Kisa: Ha, that might be...
Neji: I mean with my HEART. I'll face it head on and find out how much it hurts later.
With Suzu I chose Kisa saying Sissia likes him and he gets endearingly giggly. I guess Kisa/Suzu can be quasi canon for this playthrough, sure.
Accidentally spent Valentines day with Mitsuki, the two of them got given chocolate by passing fans and didn't even realise the context haha.
Fumi's choreography is so intense that Sou and Mitsuki are struggling, and Kaido says Quartz couldn't manage it. Fumi is cheerfully unrepentant.
Tsukasa offers to help Kisa with the difficult English in the final solo Mitsuki added, in return for the Rhodonite first years getting to watch the rehearsal.
Mitsuki: It's difficult, but it's what Quartz needs. And Kisa can do it :)
Kisa: I'll try my best! :)
Kamiya: Chui you need to rest!
Chui: No!
Kamiya: Urk.
Momonashi: Utsuri (Kamiya's given name) are you alright?
Did Chui HIT Kamiya? Geeze.
Chui, strained and gasping: The transparent vessel... it's mine...
Tagane: ... I see...
And then Tagane approaches Kisa, saying he wants advice on helping Chui. But then he immediately asks her to join Amber, saying that as an audience member he wants to see what she and Chui could create together. She says she has no intention of ever leaving Quartz.
And then he launches into reciting unhinged Takihime lines about murder and sacrifice??
Kisa, internally: wtf?
Tagane, back to his usual calm serious self: The only one here who can surpass such acting for Takihime is you. But if Amber brings to fruition the ultimate performance, as the Tamasaka wishes... it cannot be avoided that Quartz will be dissolved. Even I would regret that. But such is the adult's position... I look forward to seeing Quartz's performance. I am also a fan of yours.
Kaido and Tsukasa: You seem like more of a Jack Ace now than when you were one, in the shadows behind Fumi.
Kai: Yes, we're rivals instead of partners now. I want to truly stand beside him.
Aww he tells Kisa it's like everyone in the cast is Jack Aces and Al Jeannes, taking their roles seriously to support the Jack Jeanne.
Suzu and Kisa spend the night before the performance at the shrine.
Suzu: I've spent the last year pretty focussed on you, wanting to be your partner, and your rival... how much do I like you, eh? Haha.
Sweetie.
Final performance day!
Chui's performance is full of darkness and yearning. The Gashadora has no eyes, and cannot see Takihime's beauty. But he loves her, and in the end they sink together into the void. I'm not sure if she ever really existed in this version of the story, but his performance makes her almost visible to the audience.
Tagane happily mutters to himself that this is the end for Chuza.
Everyone in Quartz is dispirited by the strength of Chui's performance, and the audience's reaction. Sou, who has to do a starting monologue, starts to shake despite himself. Kisa leaves the room to get her thoughts in order and bumps into the magic weasel, which gives her the strength to come back and hold Sou's hand and tell him he can do it, before giving a big inspiring speech.
When Sou's on stage, Neji says "Over the year he's become adept at wearing different masks, I gave him this difficult role because I believe he can do it"
Sou breaks the tension by ad libbing about how they all just watched a surprisingly scary performance by a weird bone monster, and then makes a DIFFERENT BESTIALITY JOKE TO NORMAL!
I am enjoying this new version of the final performance, with Sissia the refugee as the star driving forward the plot. At some point the translators stopped trying to avoid pronouns the way I assume the Japanese does, and just settled on "they" for Sissia.
The play within a play is about a "Winged One with broken wings" who joins a travelling troupe. Everyone falls in love with their pure spirit, but then they sacrifice themselves to save the others and bring peace. Hmm actually I preferred that part as a tragic romance where both of them die but what can you do.
Sissia stands on the wall and looks out at the two countries, their oppressed homeland and the oppressor state that is home to the circus they love and have always dreamed of performing in. From up here they seem so close.
OH GOD it wasn't until it happened that it occurred to me that Sissia would be singing their final solo after they get shot. I may have sniffled a little. They were so determined to sing and fulfil their dream!
Kai and Sou's characters want to run over but Neji's points out that singing in this performance on top of the border wall has been Sissia's dream, and they can't take it away. But everyone is absolutely distraught.
After finishing their solo, and inspiring the watching audience to End Racism, Sissia lies on the border wall and thinks about how grateful they are to everyone for helping them fulfil their dream. Their last thought is to think the sky is beautiful.
Afterwards, two countries become one: the Central Nation of Sissia.
Chui: I cut off all reality and pursued an illusion of Takihime on my own... "I am Death" brought out the nature of humans, the ultimate form of desire between a man and a woman. It was complete. And it lost. The selfless love of Sissia and Kielce... is a translucent love that transcends gender... a pure love between humans. There is no way I could have competed against that, trying to express a world all on my own. It feels nice... to know that even I can be inspired.
The audience is overjoyed, especially when Kisa blows them a kiss.
Chuza is visibly happy to announce Quartz the winner, and everyone goes wild.
Hey, Kai got gold over Fumi, good for him!
Mare: It made my heart race to see someone finally play a role that worked as a guy and a girl! You've got to plan another Jack Jeanne! If I could act and dance as well as you I'd want to be one myself!
Mare nb4nb confirmed.
Sugachi and Minorikawa come to congratulate Mitsuki and acknowledge all the work he did behind the scenes, aww.
Kasai: Great work, Sou!
Sou: Right before I went on stage I got nervous and showed a really pathetic side of myself...
Kasai: I couldn't tell, shows what a genius actor you are :)
Tsukasa hopes Quartz gets to survive and Kaido gets very indignant at the idea anyone could dismiss them now. Fumi says all they can do is hope.
Neji: Anyone going against Quartz now would be a fool! Don't you agree, Chui? :)
Chui: I couldn't move anyone's hearts because of my stubborn belief that there's no value in anything beyond myself. That conviction has finally wavered. There may be limits in aiming for perfection by oneself. I am still aiming for the top, so long as you are all here.
Chuza tells Kisa that Quartz is staying and she should spread the news.
Afterwards he and Enishi, the Quartz head teacher, commiserate about it's a pity Tagane was pulled from his position for failing to achieve the Tamasaka Troupe's board of director's goals, since he's such a good instructor. I mean, idk what he's like at TEACHING but he was kinda... ambivalent about student welfare there...
Kai is quietly but deeply happy that Quartz is saved. He talks about how Levi is the sort of person who leads people forward, like Neji and Fumi. He didn't understand how he could play someone that cool until he saw Kisa as Sissia express her dedication to the theatre, and got inspired.
Kai: And we received good results so I got a little more confidence.
Kisa: A little? You got the gold!
Kai: A lot of confidence :)
He says he's going to keep challenging himself, and looks forward to meeting her again when she's grown as well.
Neji: When I joined Quartz, it was with no deeper thought than "this looks fun'. I never imagined I could feel the way i do about it now. I have to keep everything light hearted or I'll just cry and I don't want your last memory of me to be my face covered in snot.
Mitsuki says he needed this year to decide to become the next leader of Quartz, but now he's going to catch up to Sugachi and Minorikawa. He's going to protect the Quartz created by the third years.
Mitsuki: I'm going to look after you, too. And also counting on your help. I'm looking forward to your next year together.
Aww.
Sou is so happy to hear Quartz is staying he nearly falls over. He says he wants to be a cool, supportive second year like Mitsuki, aww.
Suzu is also delighted, and says he wants to be a good upperclassman. But his goal is to be a Jack Ace beside Kisa.
Minorikawa, with his own CG of a soft smile: I'm really glad Quartz is staying, it's the best place for you and your talents. But I hope we can still train together. I really love... your singing.
Game: trophy "Hidden Feelings" acquired
Yeah ok I don't really ship it but I can see the appeal.
Mare, blushing: I fell in love with your first Jack character... I always thought Jack Aces had to be tall and rugged but liked that there were students like you who could be Jack Aces too. Just like your Jack Jeanne, your Jack Ace can look male or female. I don't really get why people expect guys to act like guys and girls to act like girls. Why do we have to conform to expected speech and styles? That's why I thought you were so cool as a Jack that didn't rely on gender, but on who the character was... I never really wanted anything, but I'd love to partner with you as an Al Jeanne... maybe I am in love with your Jack. This sounds like confession... I guess it is one.
With a smiling and winking CG: It feels good getting that off my chest. My brother's graduating and Minorikawa's going to be busy, maybe I can do a bit more from now on. I'll aim for becoming a Jeanne who will turn your head.
Kisa: I'm happy to hear it :)
I ship this more.
Fumi: I was pestering Enishi every day, it's such a relief. I was trying to shoulder all these burdens alone, worrying about Quartz, Tsuki, the underclassmen... but in the end it wasn't a burden and I wasn't alone, it was like a walk up a mountain with friends. I guess everyone was looking out for me while I made things too complicated, worrying about vessels, who gets to shine or be a lead, and all that. It makes me really happy that a place like Quartz exists, I'll come visit after I graduate so make sure you beat what I taught you into the underclassmen ;)
Kisa stands alone on the Univeil stage. Thinking about how she had given up on her dreams, but now has played so many characters, challenging herself in the theatre.
Kisa: I made my dream come true :)
Tummy the Magic Weasel: Kyui!
Kisa: You came to watch, huh? I wonder if Tsuki would praise me too...
Tsuki's voice: You did really well, Kisa.
Kisa: ...that must have been my imagination. But I'm looking forward to staying at Univeil!
Post Credits:
Neji: Look at all these gathered boys, have they been lured by the pied piper?!
Kai: Today's the auditions :/
Fumi: You always stayed in your office, but Kai and I helped every year, this brings me back.
Neji: I hope some fun kids join Quartz. But are there usually so many?
Fumi: There's more students when the previous years performances went well :D
Fumi: We're all going to be busy soon. I won't lose to you two. I still hold a grudge from when you were in Amber :)
Neji: Hey! Back me up, Kai!
Kai: It doesn't bother me at all.
Neji: That's worse! I'll take you both down!
Three THOUSAND applicants???
The prospective students are starstruck as Suzu and Mitsuki divide them up for Jack and Jeanne singing, and Sou demonstrates dancing, wow, good for him. He says it was fun working with mean boy Otori.
They meet up with Kisa, who makes everyone even more starstruck. They discuss having seen some promising students, and how they should focus on the diamonds in the rough, who will be the future of Quartz.
THE END
** Chui/Bad End **
I looked it up on youtube since I am not getting SS on every song.
Kisa take his hand and becomes his Al Jeanne. The colours of her memories become dull, but she is drawn to an amber light.
Every single stat immediately gets maxed out.
She becomes his Takihime and the two of them are hailed as geniuses.
Kisa: I won't say what happened to Quartz, or Univeil. Those memories are too painful. But those memories have faded too. And it's alright, because he's here, my amber eyed partner. Isn't that right, Chui?
(Until now she's been referring to him by his surname)
Again, I don't ship it, but I can see the appeal!
** Other Scenes **
So, the CGs I didn't get:
Mona and Ion, apparently very cute but tedious to get.
Enishi, Chuza, Ao, and Kasai: easy if you make the effort. (EDIT: HA!!!!)
Yeah ok I want to see Ao and Kasai, and I'm curious if trepidatious about the other two.
I'm hanging out with people with the priorities Ao > Kasai > Enishi > Chuza > scenes I haven't seen > Mitsuki > Mare > just resting
The walkthrough says to spread out hangouts amongst the LIs but my heart was very insistent that if I'm having a default quasi LI I want it to be Mitsuki.
I'm also picking unseen dialogue options when they come up.
Just finished the Summer performance and have not seen much new except for a few random scenes here and there. But I don't mind going through the game again and there'll be more new stuff once I get on the Kisa path proper.
Oh if you don't go to the hot spring you get to hang out with Onyx or Rhodonite, nice! Time to try out the Quick save and load since you only get to pick one.
Mare coaxes Minorikawa into playing games with her and Kisa and the others, he insists on only one but then when Mare wins is all "I'll beat you next time!" and keeps playing haha. There's a cute CG.
Kasai asks Kisa to practice dancing with him on the beach, and gets a CG of being athletically sweaty in a tank top which I am sure made some people very happy.
Kisa: Your final exam's coming up soon, right Ao?
Ao: Kisa. There is no such thing as a final exam. No. Such. Thing. >:(
Kisa: Haha, sorry...
Troupe member: Hello, I'm from the Tamasaka Troupe. I've been hearing all about you, and wondered if you'd like to discuss...
Principal Chuza: Hey, I told you to top talking to students, it affects their performance.
Troupe member: Chuza the pampered >:(
He says she's going to just get more popular once she becomes an adult, and it scares him, for reasons he doesn't really go into.
A cute letter from Ao where she writes as "a fan" who feels supported by Kisa's performances even though she's so far from home.
Absolutely enjoying the little extra Mitsuki scenes. Mitsukiiii.
Mitsuki feels bad for Chui being all alone on stage?? Aww.
Principal Chuzu: Watch out for Chui. You are the talent that I, the 18th generation Himehiko Tamasaka sought out. You may... be drawn to each other.
There's someone on the jj discord really into Kisa/Chui as soulmates and I don't really vibe with it shipwise but I can sure see where she's coming from.
Trying out dialogue options I didn't take before, Kisa offers to step down as one of the three leads, and it's Kai who says "No, we can't do that" before Neji demonstrates why she's better as a solo lead instead.
Aww extra line where Mitsuki says he thinks his character is in love with hers and he will talk to Neji about it. I wonder if everyone gets a line like that when they're Best Boy on the Kisa route. He didn't come across quite as as infatuated with Kisa as Suzu did, but I def kinda ship Mitsuki/Kisa on this run, even though one of my motives is to see the Ao/Kisa potential. They can all be variant universes.
Kisa cheers Fumi up by telling him he's a unique, androgynous sort of attractive as a Jack, though he's also attractive as a Jeanne.
Fumi: That makes me glad I was born a guy ;)
Aww Sugachi and Minorikawa are helping Mitsuki with his dancing and singing.
WHERE IS MY AO SCENE??? DID I MESS UP??? DAMN IT!!!
Enishi's CG scene is pretty sweet, he tells her how much she's inspired everyone in Quartz, in a way that makes it clear he's been watching everyone individually and wanting them to do well, and says he looks forward to taking care of her going forward. It is not very shippy at all hooray! I really like Enishi and would enjoy a romance with him and the right sort of character, but definitely not Kisa.
Kasai congratulates Kisa on Quartz getting to stay, and her amazing performance. He was frustrated that she was so much better than he is now, but he is determined to beat her next year and be a rival on the level of Chui, so that she falls in love with him like he did with her, and they can be partners and move overseas together. Very cute in a Homoerotic Sports Anime sort of way.
*sigh* And now I guess I might as well do Chuza's...
Mostly he talks about how it was really hard to save Quartz but he did it and he's proud of them all, and she expresses gratitude.
Principal Chuza: When you took my hand way back then... I decided I'd do anything for you. I also like it when you come and see me like this even with your busy schedule.
Ehhh. Coulda been worse.
Mitsuki's had an extra line about her being special to him.
UUUURGH THIS IS SO ANNOYING BUT I REALLY WANTED THAT AO SCENE
*goes back to an earlier save feeling VERY hard done by*
Taking Ao out for Christmas! She gives Kisa a cyan ribbon, saying "You might not be able to wear it much but think of it as a good luck charm".
Mitsuki scene I missed last time! Mitsuki is pushing himself to practice dancing though he needs lots of breaks.
Sugachi: Have Kisa be a dance partner.
Mitsuki: Can you dance as a Jack?
Kisa: Sure.
Minorikawa: That was oddly moving.
Mitsuki: Now you two should demonstrate for us.
Doing Neji scenes this time since he's always interesting.
Neji: So Instructor Tagane is Takihime now. Even I was a stand-in, I just came the closest. Takihime has always been missing.
Kisa: (The Gashadokuro yearns for Takihime. Chui is...)
Neji shows Kisa a collection of outtakes from rehearsal recordings that he uses to cheer himself up??
Neji discusses a Univeil fan and blogger who was just visiting him, the translation doesn't bother guessing the gender from context and just uses "they" so I am choosing to headcanon them as non binary haha.
WHERE ARE MY AO SCENES GAME??? I WILL PLAY THEM IF YOU GIVE ME THE CHANCE!!!
Neji: If I hadn't left Amber for Quartz, I'm sure I'd be using the most underhanded methods available to steal you for Amber right now. However! I transferred to Quartz and grew as a person! This Kokuto Neji is very earnest and trying to pick a fair fight with Amber! If it comes to it we can just have Kai be your bodyguard.
I did not get the Ao scene in the end and noone has uploaded it online or even described it though someone who ALSO failed to get it did show me the cute associated CG of her smiling.
This is the gen route you get if you don't romance anyone.
I had SO much trouble motivating myself to play this, since there's no romance and I wasn't sure there'd be enough else to get me through the repeated bits that I am SO sick of by now.
But once I got past the boring bits I did quite enjoy it, and there's some cute (and often shippy) unique moments with various side characters. Unfortunately they can be very fiddly to get and Kisa's female BFF Ao eluded me, boo.
And now I am done playing this game! Though I am still happily playing around in the fandom, and there is talk of a new spin off comic, and maybe a sequel...
I can't be bothered describing who everyone is again, check out the masterlist for a guide to the characters etc.
I have enjoyed the added "everyone hangs out together" scenes, eg everyone goes to the new years shrine together instead of Kisa going with her LI.
There is a new plot! The board have decided to shut down Quartz, which is currently the place students are sent when they have potential but no standout talent, and divide everyone up into Rhodonite/Onyx/Amber depending on their specific skills. But maybe if Quartz does well enough in the final performance they can change the board's mind!
Chui refuses to have an Al Jeanne if it can't be Kisa, which prompts Momonashi to ATTEMPT TO CHOKE HER TO DEATH IN THE HALLWAY UNTIL KAMIYA STOPS HIM.
I assumed there'd be no romance in the final performance, but instead it's Kai as Jack Ace, and Fumi and Kisa both playing Al Jeannes in love with him. I am going to be SO inclined to read this as a Kisa/Kai/Fumi route.
Fumi when he thinks it's just him as as Al Jeanne and Kai as Jack Ace: Meh
Fumi when he finds out Kisa will be joining: This has potential :D
So I guess it will flip to Kisa playing a Jack version of Sissia who is now in love with Adra but otherwise identical and then a JackJeanne who is Above Romance canonically but bi in my heart. (Edit: Not quite)
The translation can't decide if the genderflipped Fumi character's name is Adra or Adrea.
The Rhodonite girls come over for a surprise sleepover.
Mare: That negligee is very sheer, Yuki, talk about the man behind the curtain :/
Yuki: My mama wears things like this all the time. Mama was in Rhodonite too you know.
Aww but on the discord someone said "i think the jp line is like "your mom is so rhodonite" or something?" so she COULD be a cis woman who's just very flamboyant. But in my heart Yuki has a trans mother.
This route is definitely set up to have space for side character shipping feels. I am doing as many Mare scenes as possible and they're pretty cute.
But despite them not having a huge amount of interaction so far I think I mostly ship Kisa/Mitsuki just because I really like that ship haha.
Chui tells Kisa there's no way Fumi and Kai can balance her talent the way he could and it gets in her head a bit.
There's apparently a bad end which involves Kisa deciding to join Amber as Chui's Al Jeanne, I'm curious but also it requires getting SS on EVERY SINGLE SONG which is nott happening. Hopefully it's on youtube or something. (EDIT: Yep, see below)
Chui: The Gashadokuro and Takihime are two halves of the same whole. Only when they are perfectly matched will I Am Death be complete. I thought that would be possible with Neji.
Amber teacher Tagane: I am sure he would have been able to pull it off. But now there is a twisted part of his ego which makes him unfit to be a vessel. He won't be a receptacle or focus on a single person. But Kamiya and Mononashi's focus on you is too strong.
Chui: I need a perfect vessel with no twisted nature or scars who will reflect me no matter where I am.
Tagane: Kisa Tachibana? It's rare for you to focus on one person. Is he so important to you?
Chui: It doesn't matter who or what he is. But nothing is more important to me than this pairing.
Tagane: Then you must defeat Quartz, after that we can lay claim to what we need. But to do do that you must build up Takihime.
Chui: You mean, within myself?
Tagane: Yes. The Gashadokuro chases an illusion of Takihime, as you pursue Kisa Tachibana. Express your true, most powerful form. Allow me to play the role of Tachibana until Takihime takes root at your core. I will be your Al Jeanne.
Chui: Thank you.
What is this conversation?? But it's not boring! For context Tagane is a masculine and ponderously serious minded middle aged man.
Kisa impresses everyone as Sissia though she worries she's projecting her own feelings about acting too much.
Fumi: With you as Al Jeanne it's fun and different. You have the mannerisms of a young boy.
Kisa: Oh, sorry, should I work on that?
Fumi: No, it's always 'here's how to act like a Jeanne' but... it sounds like I'm criticising Univeil, but I think what's most important is what suits a role. How Sissia would be if she was you. You just need to keep that at your centre, and let it grow.
Kisa: So many students are skipping rehearsal...
Fumi: It reminds me of when the news spread about Kuro and Chui last year.
Neji: FOR WHICH I AM VERY SORRY!!
Mitsuki: I'll contact the students who are taking time off.
Kisa can't stop thinking about how much it would suck if everyone is Quartz was forced to split up, destroying the environment the upperclassmen worked so hard to create. Unable to sleep, she wanders to the shrine to Himehiko, god of theatre.
She sees Chui rehearsing his role, alone, his deep voice gasping as he talks of performing violence for the gods. The way he contorts his body is beautiful yet makes her feel like he's going to break.
The choices are "he's like a god", "he's like a young man" and "he's like a demon". And for all his flaws he is just a 17 year old kid, so, let's go for the middle way.
She thinks that while he is so in love with his own world he can't see anyone else's he's still just a 17 year old boy. She realises he's gasping in pain.
Chui: Are you troubled? A person doing well wouldn't come to a place like this.
Kisa: Why are you alone? Even if it wouldn't be the best performance, couldn't you accept other people's help?
Chui: The stage would be soiled. Noone would be able to witness the perfection of my many talents. Standing on the stage is proof of my existence. It is a trifling story to outsiders...
He explains that Univeil's history goes back to the Tamasaka troupe of travelling performers. The face of the troupe was the beautiful Tsukihiko Chuza. He was adored by the feudal lord of this area and given a plot upon which to build a base for the troupe. He was renamed "Himehiko Tamasaka", and that name was passed down the Chuza bloodline.
(Tsuki huh...)
At some point, a branch of the family split off from the other Chuza, and asked to use the surname Tamasaka as well as the stage name Himehiko Tamasaka. A fight ensued.
The first Himehiko Tamasaka died of violent emotional suffering, and those who followed often died a mysterious death, leading to the belief in a Himehiko curse. The name was split, Hime included in female stagenames and Hiko in male ones.
A few generations ago, the Himehiko, a Tamasaka, decided that instead of passing the name to a man under 30, he'd pass it to his daughter. But she died, and the Chuza family drove them away, keeping the name to themselves. The other daughter's descendants still inherited the Tamasaka charm, and waited in the shadows.
Chui is one of these descendants, and some in the Troupe see him as a way to take power back from the Chuza family. But he only wishes to prove himself.
Chui: Tachibana, I don't care what you are. Come with me. I'll take you as far as you want to go.
Kisa: I can't take your hand. There are still things I must do.
But the image of him looking like some sort of god still lingers in her mind.
It turns out I picked a Suzu save to play this route from, and so he gets some extra lines here and there, like a rousing speech about how everyone should have hope and work hard. Which is a very Suzu thing to do.
Kisa says that having seen Chui perform, the only way to beat him is by everyone working together and shining as a group.
Watching everyone perform, Neji stops the rehearsal and asks Kisa to ad-lib some lines where a shippy moment between Kai and Fumi's characters was meant to go. He announces that he's been playing things too safe. Instead of the sort of m/f romance Univeil plays usually have, he's going to make Kisa the sole lead.
Fumi and Kai: Yeah we figured. Good choice!
Neji: And this character will transcend gender. If I had to put it into words, like... an angel.
Me: Aw yeah, I knew this was coming but this is so cool.
*gets up to find my phone and take a photo of the screen because what*
Neji: So Chance (Suzu) or Carlo (Mitsuki) could both be in love with Sissia.
Suzu and Mitsuki: ...oh...
Everyone in Quartz: WE ARE NOW INSPIRED TO WIN!!!
HOORAY FOR THE POWER OF THE NON BINARY :D :D
Definitely thinking about the potential of Kisa route as the basis for post-canon trans fic for everyone I have trans thoughts about, which is basically everyone. If Sissia can do it...
I've been chatting to someone on the discord who loves pointing out the ways Chui, Fumi and Neji act as foils to each other as lonely workaholic geniuses with messed up family histories to do with performance.
But as everyone agrees how much easier it is now to make the play work with Kisa as the central focus, I am struck by the contrast between Chui as the lonely, tortured god Amber worships versus Kisa as the gear of Quartz everyone focusses on, who also makes everyone else shine.
Suzu, Neji and Fumi agree that the now brashly masculine Adra works better than the old feminine Adrea.
Sou: It looks like Fumi's experience as Miguel during Winter is really adding to it.
Mitsuki: Standing beside Kai, they look so strong.
Fumi: I can play a Jack role much better than I thought. It's closer to how I am usually, which makes it easier to talk to Levi (Kai).
Kisa thinks about how much easier it is to play Sissia now, because instead of playing any particular gender, she can just focus on the character.
Kisa: Jack Jeanne... I feel like this role really suits me.
Kai talks about how even for those leaving, Quartz is their home, and he is grateful that she is making sure it will continue.
Mare: But what even IS a Jack Jeanne??
Kisa: Neji says the story transcends gender by putting elements of both into the role, a vessel which can hold anything it's given.
Kasai: I'm sure you're the only one who can perform that role. Although I feel like if you a play a role like that, beyond anyone's imagination, I won't be able to partner with you any more. It would hard to make an impact stronger than that.
Mare: Come on Kasai, just cheer them on! Let me know if you need any help, I'll send Minorikawa.
After how homoerotic Chui was with his other Jeannes I was trepidatious about watching him with the teacher, Tagane, but the lines just dealt with wholesome topics like viscera and blood.
Tagane: Very good. Just leave spaces where those lines would be, and the audience will see Takihime.
Chui: Again!
Tagane: We must consider the stamina of the other students...
Chui, angrily: I can't see Takihime!! Are you telling me YOU can?? I'm not here to play a monster all on its own!!
Kamiya: It's because... I'm not worthy >:(
Momonashi: You know that implies I'm not either :/ Only Chui can make the audience feel the presence of a character who is not there.
Takane: Speaking of which, did you hear that Kisa Tachibana is to play the lone lead for Quartz.
Kamiya: If he's an Al Jeanne, Chui will blame us even more.
Momonashi: But if he's a Jack Ace they've lost their minds.
Takane: Neither. Neji has created a new role, the Jack Jeanne for Tachibana. The principal has given permission it to be added alongside Jack and Jeanne.
Chui: Ahahaha! Well played, Kisa Tachibana. So you have become a vessel that can hold all of Quartz. Then I will fill Amber with my blood and pour it into you. Don't think you can go home today.
Monomashi: Tagane-Sensei, I see you intended to fan the flames rather than help :)
Tagane: Indeed. There's no time for rest.
Kamiya: Then I will destroy that vessel... for Chui's ambition!
Amber studnts: For Chui's ambition!!
Momonashi: I hope we don't break in the process :)
When Momonashi is your voice of reason, you're in trouble. Though then he says it sounds like fun lol.
The principle comes across Kisa practicing alone and offers to practice with her. I was too curious to say no, and he says "Allow Akihime, the 18th generation of Himehiko, to show you some basics" and I choose from the various skills. The walkthrough said spirit and I had no preference so went with that.
He tells a fade to black anecdote about stepping on the hem of his costume when he was in the Tamasaka Troupe at 16, implying he went there straight from middle school I guess?
Principal: And in the end I pulled through without incident using my father's fudanshi (traditional loincloth)
Me: I am glad I did not hear the rest of this story.
Sou: I like this version which focusses more on Sissia.
Mitsuki: Me too. But now we have to work on how our characters feel about her.
Kisa: Maybe I can help...
Dammit I had the chance to talk to one person and accidentally clicked on Suzu before I had a chance to think about it.
Suzu's scene is really cute, he talks about how "his character" is too dense to have noticed Sissia's secret and isn't even sure of their gender, but wants to be good enough to perform beside them.
Kisa: Does he like Sissia?
Suzu: ...yeah. Not in a way which demands anything from Sissia, but Sissia is special to him.
Awwww!
It turns out you to to talk to everyone anyway, but I didn't realise that until after I reloaded an earlier save, oops.
May as well talk to characters I didn't last time, I guess!
Mare: Ugh, stop making me rehearse so much! Why don't YOU become the Al Jeanne and Tresor then all the important parts of Rhodonite are covered.
Minorikawa, angrily: Are you saying Rhodonite doesn't need a Jack Ace?! In the first place I... FINE! Do whatever you want!!
Mare: Wait. Was that my fault? I know I got carried away but... ugh! Now what do I do? D:
Kisa chases after him and bumps into a worried Tsukasa who says he stormed past her looking like "a little monster".
Tsukasa: I know he feels pressured because next year we won't have an Al Jeanne or Tresor... but things have a way of working out. Kiito (Minorikawa's first name, which noone else uses) is earnest and can do many things, but everyone relies too heavily on him. He doesn't have many he can rely on himself. He often tells me about how you have what it takes to be a star... could you go talk to him? I think he really likes you.
Kisa tells him he should rest, and talk about how much she's appreciated getting praise and help from Rhodonite's Jack Ace. He says he's being a brat, he knows Mare etc work better without being so pressured. He comes back and apologises, and before they can awkwardly apologise too, fucks with them by saying he IS going to become an Al Jeanne until they beg him not to lol.
After Kisa leaves he mutters to himself, blushing "I guess my intuition was correct. Well, I'll keep the secret. But I'm glad I'm not in Quartz... that kindness really made my heart pound..."
When I said no to rehearsing with the principal he said "then this old man will just watch" uuugh.
Sou is struggling with his character's backstory and Kisa suggests that he be Sissia's childhood friend. Even if it's never stated, that shared secret and bond will underpin their relationship. He implies his character has feelings for Sissia.
Mitsuki: Now that my character is the only Jeanne, I feel uncomfortable with how much attention she'll get, almost like an Al Jeanne. And now her relationship with Sissia is more ambiguous.
Kisa: (Maybe it's like my relationship with Mitsuki...)
My choices are "they are connected by feelings" and "they share a special bond" those are... very similar, game??
Mitsuki: She wants to support Sissia, and the best way to do that is by helping Sissia's singing become as powerful as possible. I don't think gender matters when you're facing each other as another human. That's why I like this story. Let's fight together :)
Awww. As much I ship Mitsuki/Kisa I'm glad not everyone is BLATANTLY PINING, and hooray for non binary feels.
Kai has to figure out who his character is now that he's no longer partnered with Fumi's. Kisa encourages Kai to focus on making his character shine.
Kai: You're always pushing me to take the next step forward... I thought I was watching over you, but you have been watching over me. You are like an angel.
Fumi worries that he's projecting too much onto his character now they're both men.
Kisa: He's charming as he is. You can bring everything you have from all your earlier roles.
Fumi: Everything I have huh... When I had only played Jeannes, being a Jack felt so far away, but now there's a voice shouting about all these new possibilities. And I want to watch Sissia as a Jack.
Neji: Give me your opinion on these costume designs for my character, as Sissia!
Kisa: Oh wow your art is really good... I think this one is cool, and this one is mysterious!
Neji: But are they too pretentious?
Kisa: Well you are cool. You have a lean figure, but still have manly characteristics, and there's a charm in that androgyny. It's just sometimes hard to see because you're always hiding yourself behind makeup and crystals. You're naturally cool looking. The audience just doesn't know it yet. And you like surprising people, don't you? ;)
Neji: Th-thanks. Just when did you get so good at managing me?! Haa, how embarrassing to be so exposed! I put on mask after mask, but I'm more shy and tender hearted than I cared to admit, which is why I left the exciting roles to others. Actually trying to make myself look cool makes me feel naked! But everyone else is fighting in the same way, making themselves vulnerable. It's unfair for me to be the only one running away... FINE! *crushes sketches* I'll appear... naked!
Kisa: Ha, that might be...
Neji: I mean with my HEART. I'll face it head on and find out how much it hurts later.
With Suzu I chose Kisa saying Sissia likes him and he gets endearingly giggly. I guess Kisa/Suzu can be quasi canon for this playthrough, sure.
Accidentally spent Valentines day with Mitsuki, the two of them got given chocolate by passing fans and didn't even realise the context haha.
Fumi's choreography is so intense that Sou and Mitsuki are struggling, and Kaido says Quartz couldn't manage it. Fumi is cheerfully unrepentant.
Tsukasa offers to help Kisa with the difficult English in the final solo Mitsuki added, in return for the Rhodonite first years getting to watch the rehearsal.
Mitsuki: It's difficult, but it's what Quartz needs. And Kisa can do it :)
Kisa: I'll try my best! :)
Kamiya: Chui you need to rest!
Chui: No!
Kamiya: Urk.
Momonashi: Utsuri (Kamiya's given name) are you alright?
Did Chui HIT Kamiya? Geeze.
Chui, strained and gasping: The transparent vessel... it's mine...
Tagane: ... I see...
And then Tagane approaches Kisa, saying he wants advice on helping Chui. But then he immediately asks her to join Amber, saying that as an audience member he wants to see what she and Chui could create together. She says she has no intention of ever leaving Quartz.
And then he launches into reciting unhinged Takihime lines about murder and sacrifice??
Kisa, internally: wtf?
Tagane, back to his usual calm serious self: The only one here who can surpass such acting for Takihime is you. But if Amber brings to fruition the ultimate performance, as the Tamasaka wishes... it cannot be avoided that Quartz will be dissolved. Even I would regret that. But such is the adult's position... I look forward to seeing Quartz's performance. I am also a fan of yours.
Kaido and Tsukasa: You seem like more of a Jack Ace now than when you were one, in the shadows behind Fumi.
Kai: Yes, we're rivals instead of partners now. I want to truly stand beside him.
Aww he tells Kisa it's like everyone in the cast is Jack Aces and Al Jeannes, taking their roles seriously to support the Jack Jeanne.
Suzu and Kisa spend the night before the performance at the shrine.
Suzu: I've spent the last year pretty focussed on you, wanting to be your partner, and your rival... how much do I like you, eh? Haha.
Sweetie.
Final performance day!
Chui's performance is full of darkness and yearning. The Gashadora has no eyes, and cannot see Takihime's beauty. But he loves her, and in the end they sink together into the void. I'm not sure if she ever really existed in this version of the story, but his performance makes her almost visible to the audience.
Tagane happily mutters to himself that this is the end for Chuza.
Everyone in Quartz is dispirited by the strength of Chui's performance, and the audience's reaction. Sou, who has to do a starting monologue, starts to shake despite himself. Kisa leaves the room to get her thoughts in order and bumps into the magic weasel, which gives her the strength to come back and hold Sou's hand and tell him he can do it, before giving a big inspiring speech.
When Sou's on stage, Neji says "Over the year he's become adept at wearing different masks, I gave him this difficult role because I believe he can do it"
Sou breaks the tension by ad libbing about how they all just watched a surprisingly scary performance by a weird bone monster, and then makes a DIFFERENT BESTIALITY JOKE TO NORMAL!
I am enjoying this new version of the final performance, with Sissia the refugee as the star driving forward the plot. At some point the translators stopped trying to avoid pronouns the way I assume the Japanese does, and just settled on "they" for Sissia.
The play within a play is about a "Winged One with broken wings" who joins a travelling troupe. Everyone falls in love with their pure spirit, but then they sacrifice themselves to save the others and bring peace. Hmm actually I preferred that part as a tragic romance where both of them die but what can you do.
Sissia stands on the wall and looks out at the two countries, their oppressed homeland and the oppressor state that is home to the circus they love and have always dreamed of performing in. From up here they seem so close.
OH GOD it wasn't until it happened that it occurred to me that Sissia would be singing their final solo after they get shot. I may have sniffled a little. They were so determined to sing and fulfil their dream!
Kai and Sou's characters want to run over but Neji's points out that singing in this performance on top of the border wall has been Sissia's dream, and they can't take it away. But everyone is absolutely distraught.
After finishing their solo, and inspiring the watching audience to End Racism, Sissia lies on the border wall and thinks about how grateful they are to everyone for helping them fulfil their dream. Their last thought is to think the sky is beautiful.
Afterwards, two countries become one: the Central Nation of Sissia.
Chui: I cut off all reality and pursued an illusion of Takihime on my own... "I am Death" brought out the nature of humans, the ultimate form of desire between a man and a woman. It was complete. And it lost. The selfless love of Sissia and Kielce... is a translucent love that transcends gender... a pure love between humans. There is no way I could have competed against that, trying to express a world all on my own. It feels nice... to know that even I can be inspired.
The audience is overjoyed, especially when Kisa blows them a kiss.
Chuza is visibly happy to announce Quartz the winner, and everyone goes wild.
Hey, Kai got gold over Fumi, good for him!
Mare: It made my heart race to see someone finally play a role that worked as a guy and a girl! You've got to plan another Jack Jeanne! If I could act and dance as well as you I'd want to be one myself!
Mare nb4nb confirmed.
Sugachi and Minorikawa come to congratulate Mitsuki and acknowledge all the work he did behind the scenes, aww.
Kasai: Great work, Sou!
Sou: Right before I went on stage I got nervous and showed a really pathetic side of myself...
Kasai: I couldn't tell, shows what a genius actor you are :)
Tsukasa hopes Quartz gets to survive and Kaido gets very indignant at the idea anyone could dismiss them now. Fumi says all they can do is hope.
Neji: Anyone going against Quartz now would be a fool! Don't you agree, Chui? :)
Chui: I couldn't move anyone's hearts because of my stubborn belief that there's no value in anything beyond myself. That conviction has finally wavered. There may be limits in aiming for perfection by oneself. I am still aiming for the top, so long as you are all here.
Chuza tells Kisa that Quartz is staying and she should spread the news.
Afterwards he and Enishi, the Quartz head teacher, commiserate about it's a pity Tagane was pulled from his position for failing to achieve the Tamasaka Troupe's board of director's goals, since he's such a good instructor. I mean, idk what he's like at TEACHING but he was kinda... ambivalent about student welfare there...
Kai is quietly but deeply happy that Quartz is saved. He talks about how Levi is the sort of person who leads people forward, like Neji and Fumi. He didn't understand how he could play someone that cool until he saw Kisa as Sissia express her dedication to the theatre, and got inspired.
Kai: And we received good results so I got a little more confidence.
Kisa: A little? You got the gold!
Kai: A lot of confidence :)
He says he's going to keep challenging himself, and looks forward to meeting her again when she's grown as well.
Neji: When I joined Quartz, it was with no deeper thought than "this looks fun'. I never imagined I could feel the way i do about it now. I have to keep everything light hearted or I'll just cry and I don't want your last memory of me to be my face covered in snot.
Mitsuki says he needed this year to decide to become the next leader of Quartz, but now he's going to catch up to Sugachi and Minorikawa. He's going to protect the Quartz created by the third years.
Mitsuki: I'm going to look after you, too. And also counting on your help. I'm looking forward to your next year together.
Aww.
Sou is so happy to hear Quartz is staying he nearly falls over. He says he wants to be a cool, supportive second year like Mitsuki, aww.
Suzu is also delighted, and says he wants to be a good upperclassman. But his goal is to be a Jack Ace beside Kisa.
Minorikawa, with his own CG of a soft smile: I'm really glad Quartz is staying, it's the best place for you and your talents. But I hope we can still train together. I really love... your singing.
Game: trophy "Hidden Feelings" acquired
Yeah ok I don't really ship it but I can see the appeal.
Mare, blushing: I fell in love with your first Jack character... I always thought Jack Aces had to be tall and rugged but liked that there were students like you who could be Jack Aces too. Just like your Jack Jeanne, your Jack Ace can look male or female. I don't really get why people expect guys to act like guys and girls to act like girls. Why do we have to conform to expected speech and styles? That's why I thought you were so cool as a Jack that didn't rely on gender, but on who the character was... I never really wanted anything, but I'd love to partner with you as an Al Jeanne... maybe I am in love with your Jack. This sounds like confession... I guess it is one.
With a smiling and winking CG: It feels good getting that off my chest. My brother's graduating and Minorikawa's going to be busy, maybe I can do a bit more from now on. I'll aim for becoming a Jeanne who will turn your head.
Kisa: I'm happy to hear it :)
I ship this more.
Fumi: I was pestering Enishi every day, it's such a relief. I was trying to shoulder all these burdens alone, worrying about Quartz, Tsuki, the underclassmen... but in the end it wasn't a burden and I wasn't alone, it was like a walk up a mountain with friends. I guess everyone was looking out for me while I made things too complicated, worrying about vessels, who gets to shine or be a lead, and all that. It makes me really happy that a place like Quartz exists, I'll come visit after I graduate so make sure you beat what I taught you into the underclassmen ;)
Kisa stands alone on the Univeil stage. Thinking about how she had given up on her dreams, but now has played so many characters, challenging herself in the theatre.
Kisa: I made my dream come true :)
Tummy the Magic Weasel: Kyui!
Kisa: You came to watch, huh? I wonder if Tsuki would praise me too...
Tsuki's voice: You did really well, Kisa.
Kisa: ...that must have been my imagination. But I'm looking forward to staying at Univeil!
Post Credits:
Neji: Look at all these gathered boys, have they been lured by the pied piper?!
Kai: Today's the auditions :/
Fumi: You always stayed in your office, but Kai and I helped every year, this brings me back.
Neji: I hope some fun kids join Quartz. But are there usually so many?
Fumi: There's more students when the previous years performances went well :D
Fumi: We're all going to be busy soon. I won't lose to you two. I still hold a grudge from when you were in Amber :)
Neji: Hey! Back me up, Kai!
Kai: It doesn't bother me at all.
Neji: That's worse! I'll take you both down!
Three THOUSAND applicants???
The prospective students are starstruck as Suzu and Mitsuki divide them up for Jack and Jeanne singing, and Sou demonstrates dancing, wow, good for him. He says it was fun working with mean boy Otori.
They meet up with Kisa, who makes everyone even more starstruck. They discuss having seen some promising students, and how they should focus on the diamonds in the rough, who will be the future of Quartz.
THE END
** Chui/Bad End **
I looked it up on youtube since I am not getting SS on every song.
Kisa take his hand and becomes his Al Jeanne. The colours of her memories become dull, but she is drawn to an amber light.
Every single stat immediately gets maxed out.
She becomes his Takihime and the two of them are hailed as geniuses.
Kisa: I won't say what happened to Quartz, or Univeil. Those memories are too painful. But those memories have faded too. And it's alright, because he's here, my amber eyed partner. Isn't that right, Chui?
(Until now she's been referring to him by his surname)
Again, I don't ship it, but I can see the appeal!
** Other Scenes **
So, the CGs I didn't get:
Mona and Ion, apparently very cute but tedious to get.
Enishi, Chuza, Ao, and Kasai: easy if you make the effort. (EDIT: HA!!!!)
Yeah ok I want to see Ao and Kasai, and I'm curious if trepidatious about the other two.
I'm hanging out with people with the priorities Ao > Kasai > Enishi > Chuza > scenes I haven't seen > Mitsuki > Mare > just resting
The walkthrough says to spread out hangouts amongst the LIs but my heart was very insistent that if I'm having a default quasi LI I want it to be Mitsuki.
I'm also picking unseen dialogue options when they come up.
Just finished the Summer performance and have not seen much new except for a few random scenes here and there. But I don't mind going through the game again and there'll be more new stuff once I get on the Kisa path proper.
Oh if you don't go to the hot spring you get to hang out with Onyx or Rhodonite, nice! Time to try out the Quick save and load since you only get to pick one.
Mare coaxes Minorikawa into playing games with her and Kisa and the others, he insists on only one but then when Mare wins is all "I'll beat you next time!" and keeps playing haha. There's a cute CG.
Kasai asks Kisa to practice dancing with him on the beach, and gets a CG of being athletically sweaty in a tank top which I am sure made some people very happy.
Kisa: Your final exam's coming up soon, right Ao?
Ao: Kisa. There is no such thing as a final exam. No. Such. Thing. >:(
Kisa: Haha, sorry...
Troupe member: Hello, I'm from the Tamasaka Troupe. I've been hearing all about you, and wondered if you'd like to discuss...
Principal Chuza: Hey, I told you to top talking to students, it affects their performance.
Troupe member: Chuza the pampered >:(
He says she's going to just get more popular once she becomes an adult, and it scares him, for reasons he doesn't really go into.
A cute letter from Ao where she writes as "a fan" who feels supported by Kisa's performances even though she's so far from home.
Absolutely enjoying the little extra Mitsuki scenes. Mitsukiiii.
Mitsuki feels bad for Chui being all alone on stage?? Aww.
Principal Chuzu: Watch out for Chui. You are the talent that I, the 18th generation Himehiko Tamasaka sought out. You may... be drawn to each other.
There's someone on the jj discord really into Kisa/Chui as soulmates and I don't really vibe with it shipwise but I can sure see where she's coming from.
Trying out dialogue options I didn't take before, Kisa offers to step down as one of the three leads, and it's Kai who says "No, we can't do that" before Neji demonstrates why she's better as a solo lead instead.
Aww extra line where Mitsuki says he thinks his character is in love with hers and he will talk to Neji about it. I wonder if everyone gets a line like that when they're Best Boy on the Kisa route. He didn't come across quite as as infatuated with Kisa as Suzu did, but I def kinda ship Mitsuki/Kisa on this run, even though one of my motives is to see the Ao/Kisa potential. They can all be variant universes.
Kisa cheers Fumi up by telling him he's a unique, androgynous sort of attractive as a Jack, though he's also attractive as a Jeanne.
Fumi: That makes me glad I was born a guy ;)
Aww Sugachi and Minorikawa are helping Mitsuki with his dancing and singing.
WHERE IS MY AO SCENE??? DID I MESS UP??? DAMN IT!!!
Enishi's CG scene is pretty sweet, he tells her how much she's inspired everyone in Quartz, in a way that makes it clear he's been watching everyone individually and wanting them to do well, and says he looks forward to taking care of her going forward. It is not very shippy at all hooray! I really like Enishi and would enjoy a romance with him and the right sort of character, but definitely not Kisa.
Kasai congratulates Kisa on Quartz getting to stay, and her amazing performance. He was frustrated that she was so much better than he is now, but he is determined to beat her next year and be a rival on the level of Chui, so that she falls in love with him like he did with her, and they can be partners and move overseas together. Very cute in a Homoerotic Sports Anime sort of way.
*sigh* And now I guess I might as well do Chuza's...
Mostly he talks about how it was really hard to save Quartz but he did it and he's proud of them all, and she expresses gratitude.
Principal Chuza: When you took my hand way back then... I decided I'd do anything for you. I also like it when you come and see me like this even with your busy schedule.
Ehhh. Coulda been worse.
Mitsuki's had an extra line about her being special to him.
UUUURGH THIS IS SO ANNOYING BUT I REALLY WANTED THAT AO SCENE
*goes back to an earlier save feeling VERY hard done by*
Taking Ao out for Christmas! She gives Kisa a cyan ribbon, saying "You might not be able to wear it much but think of it as a good luck charm".
Mitsuki scene I missed last time! Mitsuki is pushing himself to practice dancing though he needs lots of breaks.
Sugachi: Have Kisa be a dance partner.
Mitsuki: Can you dance as a Jack?
Kisa: Sure.
Minorikawa: That was oddly moving.
Mitsuki: Now you two should demonstrate for us.
Doing Neji scenes this time since he's always interesting.
Neji: So Instructor Tagane is Takihime now. Even I was a stand-in, I just came the closest. Takihime has always been missing.
Kisa: (The Gashadokuro yearns for Takihime. Chui is...)
Neji shows Kisa a collection of outtakes from rehearsal recordings that he uses to cheer himself up??
Neji discusses a Univeil fan and blogger who was just visiting him, the translation doesn't bother guessing the gender from context and just uses "they" so I am choosing to headcanon them as non binary haha.
WHERE ARE MY AO SCENES GAME??? I WILL PLAY THEM IF YOU GIVE ME THE CHANCE!!!
Neji: If I hadn't left Amber for Quartz, I'm sure I'd be using the most underhanded methods available to steal you for Amber right now. However! I transferred to Quartz and grew as a person! This Kokuto Neji is very earnest and trying to pick a fair fight with Amber! If it comes to it we can just have Kai be your bodyguard.
I did not get the Ao scene in the end and noone has uploaded it online or even described it though someone who ALSO failed to get it did show me the cute associated CG of her smiling.