Of the art to care.

Hey there, I’m Muku, self-appointed worldbuilding enthusiast and fanfiction extraordinaire who dissects stories like they owe me an arm and a leg. Doublespeak and ambiguity make me itch, so if you're tired of academic jargon and hedging, pop a Yakult with me and let's taxidermy some slacker auteurs.

[s1naesthesia]

*PS2 boot sound*

Hey! I’m Muku, convicted anti-capitalist and generalist.

I do anything that attracts my anger or interest for long enough: Character design, worldbuilding, erotica, game analysis, cosmetics reviews, roasting company idiocy and being done with tone-policing.

If you want to understand why something is bad told straight-up with a side of crackhead sarcasm, you’re in the right place.

Use my art however you want, just don’t claim it as yours. If you care enough for others to find me, link back to me. Not even Google Image search is good at reverse-search now. Have a good day. ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

[s1naesthesia]

Pokemon Flaute and Blue Jell-O (TM) Coming out when Pokemon consumers remember what water looked like on an overclocked Gamecube with a fraction of the RAM in 2007. I'll help your memory.

[estro-boi]

we gotta get back to torrent distribution, i just watched someone eat eight grand in bandwidth charges because they ran a direct-download piracy site with local file hosting through cloudflare. torrents were invented literally for this exact reason

[estro-boi]

torrents work like this

i have a file or folder on my pc that i want to share with other people. let's call it gayshit.mp3

unfortunately gayshit.mp3 is 750mb and im not paying for discord nitro so i need another way to send it

i put it into qbittorrent and it makes a torrent file. this is essentially a very small file that points to gayshit.mp3 so other computers can find it. kinda like a treasure map

i send this tiny file to my friend, who loads it into qbittorrent. their computer takes a moment to find mine over the vast expanse of cyberspace and then (as long as my pc is running and the file is still where it should be), it gets copied from my hard drive to theirs

this is the cool part: if somebody else loads that tiny file, they can download it from both of us. if i'm offline but my friend is on, the third person can still get it. this also means that if two people have separate halves of the file, they can download the other half from each other. as long as some combination of people have the pieces between them, they can all have the whole thing.

crucially this does not require a server!!! you can just upload the file to a few people and as long as they keep it, it's still accessible. as long as somebody, somewhere is still connected, it's available forever. the only way it goes away is if everybody disconnects from it.

please learn to torrent

[macleod]

How to Use Torrents (with Pictures) - wikiHow

An expert guide to get started using torrentsTorrents are one of the most popular forms of file sharing on the internet, accounting for over

always use qbittorrent, do not use bittorrent or utorrent.

[s1naesthesia]

BULLSHIT. Shut up and sit down. Who of you reposters is gonna pay for the infrastructure it needs to keep torrents alive? I'm very sure you're not keeping 8 TB and 64 GB RAM running red-hot with seedboxes all day long for a furry magical girl anime a Japanese artist deleted from their Pixiv a decade ago. All you wanna do is download. 1) If you move the file, the seeding on said file will stop unless you reassign the location in the Torrent program. Most people don't babysit their torrent seeds like an unpaid server manager.

2) If you turn off the device torrenting, the torrenting will stop and might not resume depending on the Torrent program's settings. For 1 file? Yeah okay. For 100 files? Good luck scrub.

3) There's still a server. Your computer is the server.

4) ISPs target torrenting specifically.

5) Most people don't have the hardware to handle lots of seeding. 6) Most people just leech and fuck off. Also, torrent files are annoying. You need to download one extra file at no upsides. Use a magnet link if you're torrenting at all. If you're that interested in preservation, donate money and material to your favourite open-source centralised archive and stop pretending torrenting is fantasy land that doesn't need infrastructure. That's what got that person hit like a train by bandwidth charges: that you people think good things materialise from thin air. If every single downloader donated the cost of a coffee a month they could survive no problem. With torrenting, you have 50 seeders that each need to manage server costs and hardware. You wanna deal with the mental overhead of paying each of them monthly? If you say yes you're a liar or a masochist.

I'm so, so tired of people yelling that it will save us all.

(Reblog if you want to respond. OP restricted comments and I can't change that.)

[s1naesthesia]

Obligatory tier list after my last post. I don't like A-E tier lists because they don't explain why something works and why it doesn't.

[s1naesthesia]

Pokemon Z-A? More like Pokemon Design Illiteracy.

I had the honor of stumbling upon Mega Lucario Z in a YouTube video three days ago after half a year of ignoring news for my mental health. I just stared at it for two minutes trying to make sense of it. It's an abomination. Just like the Mega Chus.

If I had approved this as the art director I'd have dug my own grave to escape the debilitating shame. Hell, I can't shake the second-hand embarrassment and I'm a rando on the Internet who knows character design! Pokemon's visual identity hinges on simple designs, bright colours and Ken Sugimori's art style that somehow you, GameFreak/Pokemon Company/Arceusknowswho, haven't managed to consistently integrate in your games after three decades? Miss me with that shit. I hate Mega Lucario Z. It exists to milk their golden goose because they cannot be assed to put time and effort into their work. WE ALREADY HAVE A MEGA LUCARIO. It got shoved into Ubers in Gen 6 because it was that broken, but you don't want to change old mon's stats so all you can do is release new forms. Guess whose fault that is? Yours <3 That notwithstanding, it has details piled on that have nothing to do with Lucario: weird blue squiggles, two of its appendages removed like those are trivial for it being able to sense Aura, a split tail and gradients. My eyes always end up at the crotch and the tail, which are the least busy parts of the design. That's the sort of thing that screams 'I have no idea how to direct focus'. It's a 6* Gacha roll with sprinkles of Rainbow fentanyl for a modern audience that has been conditioned to consider microtransactions and drip-fed game QOL as normal. I'm calling that this'll be a pay-to-win Pokemon in Online and in tournaments if they ever come to be. Where the fuck are your flagship designers like Ken Sugimori (duh), Atsuko Nishida, James Turner, Mana Ibe, Megumi Mizutani? I'm sorely missing their touch on Mega Lucario Z. If they left like Turner, good for them. As I said, it's not just Lucario. It's the Chus, Starmie, Excadrill, Eternal Flower Floette, Chandelure, Chimecho, A-Z's barebones art direction.

Most of this is making the Pokemon longer (Starmie, Froslass), multiplying one part of the design (Chandelure, Meganium, Barbaracle), making it bigger (Eternal Flower Floette, Skarmory, Excadrill, Pyroar) or adding random shit (Feraligatr, Dragonite, Zygarde, Scolipede).

I could go on and on and on. Gamefreak is creatively bankrupt and going down the drain. You better not follow them into the sewers. Run. I am working on a post comparing XY Korrina and Mega Lucario with their AZ counterparts from a design and worldbuilding perspective. I hope you'll look forward to it because I sure am! Rant end. Pour yourself some tea and remind yourself that fun is not a measure of quality. Buy anything but a Pokemon game for your well-earned money. Think about why you're still playing them - are you hoping that they'll expand on the franchise's potential after a decade of slack? Learn about the manipulation tactics of narcissists. Like moving goalposts during Dexit. We still don't have better animations. Toodles!

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 7

Day 7! No, I’m not a lunatic, why do you ask? I’m a researcher who had the compulsion to document every line of bullshit this work throws at me and it’s satisfying, exhilarating, exhausting and depressing all at once… Not because of good writing. Either way, I slept, I have a headache and strawberry tea ready in hopes that it’ll wash the grey mass in the backmost part of my brain clean. Now let’s see if Mikan stays this uncomfortable (likely) and if Larry has finally figured out resource allocation (sadly likelier than Nagito recovering from lobotomy).

We’re in Scene 7 (37:45)! 

Larry: "Don’t say something so morbid so naturally…"

If this was supposed to be a joke, it was just the same character-assassinating nonsense as during the classroom scene. Nagito, is the AC blowing so hard it scrambled your frontal lobe for a start? Seems to be pretty shaken up in there.

Mikan: "Heh heh, hehehehe…!"

Nagito, never do that again. You gave her a personally signed permission slip to be weird and force herself on you every second.

I appreciate she’s consistent. I just have a distaste towards this kind of character because she makes me uncomfortable. Split your tier list into ‘personal preference’ and ‘character concept/consistency’ because those two need to stay separate.

Mikan: "Ah! I-I’m sorry for laughing so suddenly!"

You always lose. Telling her off? She’ll get depressed. Reassuring her? Watch your mental health stat drain like you’re on antidepressants.

And my problem is that you laughed while blushing like you were imagining freaky shit. I left Ao3 for a reason.

Mikan: "I-It’s just… I can’t help it. I’m just so happy, I can’t remember the last time I made any friends..."

They just introduced yourself to you. If you knew others in your club, why aren’t those your friends by that metric?

I’m racking my brain about why she has the voice of a mouse outside of that she is dodgy and squirmish like one. Was that supposed to make her more appealing? That’s a turn off, tell that to all the vanilla hentai I ever watched. All the girls there sound like chipmunks. Imagine railing your date in a photo booth and she sounds like she used the helium ballon you bought for her at the festival to make herself sound like the dying squeak of a squirrel. Sexy, am I right?

Mikan: "Ah, not that you actually want to be friends with me! I’m soooo sorry I said something so… presumptuous!"

See? It might be subconscious but you feel compelled to agree, don’t you? DON’T.  ‘Mikan, we’re not friends, I’m gonna tell you when I want to be friends with you.’ And even if I were to do it and get uncomfortable, she'd make me feel bad for leaving. This is her counter spell against Shellra and Protesga. I'll call it Guilttripga.

Mikan: "I’ll do anything you say… Just… please don’t hate me…!"

Then stay away from me at a 5 meter radius. Sadly, I’m watching from Larry’s perspective so I’m forced to interact with you at the plot’s discretion.

Nagito: "Bullying a girl… Not cool, Hajime."

It’s Larry, and at this point you’re as bad as him. I get you’re oblivious to emotional blackmail as someone touch starved to your bones but it’s played for laughs and that’s as tasteful as McDonalds chicken. -15. I think I'll need to serve up a second portion of you. At this point I'm gonna get sick because now 'white knight jokes' and 'obliviousness to emotional blackmailing' are in the mix. It pains me to know I wrote a better version of you. And why do I get a feeling a girl in your life convinced you to do this shit? I'm assuming she's dead though.

However, that’d have required the writer/editor/whatever scripting person of this game to understand what they’re writing about. Much like for about anything in this prologue.

Larry: (Seriously, why does this keep happening?)

Because getting on the choo-choo railroad means you’ll get randomly knocked off a level of dignity when the people watching over you feel the need to force in their biases.

Mikan: "I’m sorry… I’m so, so, so sorry!"

…Can we leave now? I wished I had noise-cancelling headphones and I usually only get upset by train brakes screeching.

*obtained Hope Fragment*

…Honestly, fuck you Usami. You’re watching, aren’t you.

*selects Ibuki*

Ibuki: "Peeking, peeking…"

Why’re you saying you’re peeking? Are you looking around the corner? Unfortunately, Larry’s forced to look at you straight-up because side and 3/4 sprites were too much for this game.

Ibuki: "Oh haiiiiiiiiiii! Who’re you!?"

That’s 11 ‘i’s. You love making life miserable for your editors and translators, don’t you Spikey?

We met in the classroom. Does the communal amnesia extend to Larry’s existence now?

Larry: "U-Um… I’m Hajime Hinata…"

No, you’re Larry the Crab of the tone-deaf VN.

You also only told Mikan your first name.

Ibuki: "Hellooooo? Your tension is super low! Are you feeling all right?"

You don’t need to talk to me like we’re on a landline. If you’re talking about Larry’s blood pressure, it’s the opposite, actually. I’m surprised his blood vessels are still intact because I expected him to hose out blood from his nose like a fire hydrant by now.

…There’s spam cans on the shelf to the right. Is this Okinawa or Hawaii? This market is also depression. I thought this was a tourist destination, instead we got a German Aldi, but bigger and with an extra military utilitarian touch because personality is optional.

Ibuki: "Ah, that’s right! Introductions are a go-go!"

You made her oblivious for humor AGAIN and now you’re stretching out her padding too. Yes, Ibuki, if someone introduced themselves, you usually introduce yourself back.

Ibuki: "‘I,’ ‘Buki,’ ‘Mio,’ ‘Da!’ Put it together and what do you get? Ibuki Mioda!"

This is supposed to be funny and quirky and probably about the K-ON reference her name is, but the only thing it does is make it annoying to write. Yes, we have listening comprehension, Ibuki.

Spinny spin… Now let’s see what the translation censored this time!

(Ultimate) SHSL Musician VS SHSL Light Music Club Member.

…Are you allergic to the word ‘club’, NIS America? Any fear that it’s gonna be mixed up with partying by people who have an attention span of two seconds that your version of Hell’s Kitchen is for?

Ibuki: "All right, introductions are finished! More importantly, check out this bombtastic supermarket!"

We know introductions are finished because in this game, no one tells you about more than what we already know. Bombtastic is a terrible word choice when you could’ve just used ‘bombastic’ and it’d have flowed easier.

Ibuki: "They got hamburger, ramen noodles, chilli beans, bratwurst, pasta… Ooooh, melons!"

This is useless info. No one ever uses or remarks on what’s in the market to make food or get something to eat. It underlines Hajime’s ‘international waters’ line when that came out of the blue.

And then there’s the ‘melons’ innuendo. Ugh…

Ibuki: "Americans, Chinese, Mexicans, Germans, Italians… and even people from Yubari would shop here!"

Where’s the Chinese food then?! You didn’t mention anything Chinese. What’s Yubari?

I looked it up. It’s a Hokkaidoan town that sells a special melon variety called Yubari melons. This is the first smart reference I’ve heard. Sadly, I can’t see melons anywhere either so I don’t believe you.

Ibuki: "Man, I’m getting hellaaaaaa stoooked! I’m thirty-one flavors of stoked for all of this deliciousness!"

You don’t get to talk, Ibuki. I write up my own tarte ideas in my erotica until I drool because I’m too poor to go to France or get quality ingredients. This makes me want to drink more tea. I like how the sentence is written though. 31 flavours of stoked ties in with what she just said perfectly and gives some personality.

Ibuki: "And when I’m excited, I get hungry-mungry!"

Aaaand then this line makes her look like a child. Never mind they’ll forget she’d always have food ready when she’s excited.

Ibuki: "I-I don’t understand it myself…Why do I get hungry when I’m excited? Why do I get excited when I’m hungry?"

Another dumbass line. You get excited when you’re hungry? I get upset until I get food.

Ibuki: "Kyahaha, the human body sure is a mystery!"

…Another bad attempt at humor. NEXT.

Nagito: "Um… This energetic young lady is known as the Ultimate Musician…”

Now you need to play exposition piece again. Ibuki could’ve told him. Also why are you addressing her as a ‘lady’? That’s very polite for someone who foams at the mouth. When I hear lady I hear someone more… couth.

Nagito: "She used to play guitar in an all-girl band that was super popular with other high school girls.”

Her other band members are never mentioned in her Free Times, if I remember correctly. The ‘other girls’ implication gives it a lesbianism touch that of course will be bait.

Larry: (A super popular, all-girl, high school band…)

You phrase it to make it sound extra gay. I’m annoyed.

Larry: (That sounds familiar…)

Yes, because it looks like Ibuki is a K-ON reference. Shame. They looked at the engagement stats and forgot about adding some substance afterwards.

Nagito: "Due to creative differences, she left the band to pursue a solo career."

Ok, and that’s only mentioned briefly too. When will they pass over the exposition piece torch? Or is Nagito just going to keep narrating for everyone else?

Larry: "…Creative differences?"

NEXT.

Ibuki: "Are you interested?"

Does he look like it? I can’t tell because being able to see the protag’s face was introduced in Another Episode.

Larry: "Wah!? You could hear me!?"

OH TO CELEBI AND DIALGA AND BACK I WAS NEVER TOLD YOU WERE WHISPERING!

Maybe if they put care into giving you actual voice acting.

This is a mistake within five lines. No one proofread the original and if they did, it was half-conscious in an izakaya and smelling like sake while they racked up debt in otoro nigiri. They needed to shoehorn it in for the later trial!

Ibuki: "Duh! Ibuki’s a musician, after all!"

…I thought musicians usually get deaf easier? Why do you think they need IEMs and earplugs?

Ibuki: "Like Schubert, Bach, Edison, Van Gogh, Perez, and Senna… I, too, am an awesome musician!"

When you have to make your character dumb to make them funny your writing is shit guys.

Larry: "Oh, so you’re saying you have good hearing…"

NEXT.

Larry: "Wait, most of those people you mentioned weren’t musicians at all."

Larry is being surprisingly logical again. Watch it fall flat in the next line.

Ibuki: "Don’t sweat the details!”

Is that why your band members kicked you out? By running on vibes instead of work?

*obtained Hope Fragment*

I’m so close to pulling out a note and fix this script it physically hurts me.

*selects Cola shelf*

Larry: (That’s one big cola bottle…!)

One? There’s twelve. It’d give you diabetes before you can say ‘huh’ again.

Larry: (I bet you’d go flat before you could even finish drinking it.)

No shit. I was thinking about it.

*leaves Rocketpunch Market*

{Scene 8 - Prologue, Hotel Site. Insecurities galore! (40:08)}

*enters Hotel Site*

Larry: "Wow… this is a pretty nice hotel…!"

Why is it nice? Did someone need to praise the background artist in hopes it’d keep them going despite the terrible pay? For me it’s a minimalist nightmare. I can’t wait for 2x2’s hotel files so I can rip it out for my script rewrite.

Nagito: "The Hotel Mirai, huh? It looks like it’s named after the Japanese word for ‘future.’"

You could’ve let this be a cool trivia piece but of course overexplaining is a go.

Nagito: "When we were told to live on this island, I was worried we’d have to pitch a tent or something…”

Why? Do you think an island with monitors on palm trees would let you sleep on sand? He’s in survival guide mode again.

Nagito: "If we can live in a grand hotel like this, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about being comfortable."

Joke’s on you, we won’t live in the hotel, but in the manky cottages we passed by.

I just realised I still need to go through another hour of this analysis until this prologue is over. Once I'm done I'll rewrite the prologue. Watch me.

Larry: "Comfort isn’t an option here… We don’t even know why we’re being forced to live on this island…"

Wrong, wrong.

You saw the cottages, you’re seeing the hotel, you know why you’re here. Are you pretending it’s all a hoax like an anti-vaxxer explaining that it’s going to make you remote-controllable?

Larry: "How can you just accept this!? You’re way too excited about living here!"

What are YOU going to do about it, Larry? You saw we have no way out. Better focus on the good things than be bitter.

Nagito: "Well, it seems obvious that this area would make a good base, so why don’t we look around for a bit?"

Hey, NIS America, why’d you write Nagito to sound like a seasoned U.S. military officer? You need your war dialogue or it’s not an English translation?

Larry: "…"

Good, now stay quiet for longer.

Larry: (Why is this guy…so calm?)

Because the people writing this decided he’s got to be.

Larry: (It’s like he doesn’t think this situation is a big deal at all…)

We wouldn’t have his grand trial 1 reveal if he did!

Larry: (…Has he been through a lot of trauma or something?)

…Wow, another go at ‘tell, don’t show’. I’m too tired to care.

Meta voice: "A map will be displayed if you press the square button. "

Meta voice: "I said the square button. Don’t make me repeat myself."

You already repeated yourself when I didn’t prompt you to. Now shut up.

*selects Fuyuhiko*

Fuyuhiko: "…Who the hell are you? Don’t talk all friendly and shit to me, dumbass."

1) he never said anything (again), 2) this supports my take that everyone has amnesia about Larry. They could’ve said something like ‘…are you the guy who came in last and stood around dumb?’. But noooooo.

Larry: (This guy is already in a crappy mood.)

Yes, Mr. Obvious.

Fuyuhiko: "What’re you lookin’ at!? You got something you wanna say, bastard!?"

Wow, provoked by coming too close. Bro couldn’t get his hypertension meds either.

If I were tired of my life, I’d say you’re short and wear mascara.

Nagito: …R-Relax, Fuyuhiko. We’re only here to introduce ourselves."

Why are you the class mediator when Nekomaru is here? And ‘ourselves’ means you still need to introduce yourself, Nagito. Needed emotional support to survive?

Fuyuhiko: "…What? Introduce yourselves?"

Oh no he’s got the Larry repeater disease now.

Nagito: "See, you haven’t been properly introduced to each other, right?"

Cut the ‘properly’, and that just undercut my analysis of the sentence before. Inconsistent translation, probably.

Fuyuhiko, generic tsundere.png: "Hmph…"

You even sulk like a kid!

Fuyuhiko: "Name’s Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu… Just so we’re clear, I don’t plan to act friendly and shit with you guys."

His whole deal is independence, but where was it implied that he’s getting anywhere with being a presumptuous asshole? If he were like this in the Kuzuryu-gumi, his dad would disown him. Did someone forget most Yakuza are businessmen first? It’s never mentioned who taught him that strong words = being tough, something his dad would never do. His sister? Good luck finding that in subtext.

SPINNY LOGOOOOO. TRIVIA TIEM!

The American version is better than whatever danganronpa.wikia produced by translating it to an 'SHSL Gangster'. The original Japanese version is ‘SHSL Gokudou’ which is another word for Yakuza as outlined by the Jisho dictionary. A 'boryokudan' would match more with the Gangster framing, since they are more violent.

Larry: (Even though he’s got a babyface, he’s also incredibly rude…)

NEXT.

Nagito: "Fuyuhiko is a high school student and heir to the Kuzuryu clan."

I love that it implies not even Nagito believed Fuyuhiko’s in High school. The heir to the Kuzuryu clan… well his subordinates probably think he’s a baby with a temper. And blush marks!

Larry: "Eh? The Kuzuryu Clan… Don’t tell me he’s—!?"

NEXT.

Nagito: "I’m sure you’ve at least heard of them before, right?"

I don’t know. Practical logic applies for none of you.

Nagito: "The Kuzuryu Clan is the largest criminal syndicate in the nation, with a membership surpassing 30,000."

If they managed to get this big, they’ve got hooks in the government. Japan has passed so many laws against them they’re dying out from a battle against bureaucracy. I swear Japan is Eastern Germany. Either way, playing Wikipedia again because the characters are too one-note to say it themselves?

Nagito: "Which means… he’s the (Ultimate) SHSL Yakuza."

NEXT.

Nagito: "By the way, mentioning his babyface around him is expressly forbidden, so you better be careful."

…If you wanted to give him a temper, why not make him part of the boryokudan then? Note that I’m not perfectly accustomed to these terms, I’m not a native, so correct me if I mess up. Either way, it’s terrible to know what the natives themselves fucked up.

On the Hotel Mirai... why did Nagito think one could live in it? It’s tiny. I’d guess this is all lobby, kitchen and dining area. Why even call it a Hotel to begin with?

Biggest question of all - why was a Yakuza accepted into Hope’s Peak? Is his clan stupid? Does Hope’s Peak expect advantages from accepting Fuyuhiko? What’s going on??

Nagito: "You’ll run out of fingers before he’s done with you."

…Yep, right into my explanation. Seriously though, do you think this stick could break your fingers? I know you’re a noodle Larry, but Fuyuhiko is dried blade of grass. You could breathe on him and he’d break in half.

Larry: (Th-That was close… I nearly lost all my fingers…)

Would we have gotten a protagonist replacement then? I wish.

Larry: "Nagito… You’re, like, my savior or something."

Ok, now kiss and throw Fuyuhiko in the pool.

Nagito: "Haha, you’re just exaggerating… uh, guess not."

There’s gay tension in how he deflects the praise. "Haha, nah bro, I'm not all that great." If Nagito had a tail, it’d wag at the speed of light.

Fuyuhiko: "Hey, bastards… If we’re all done here, how ‘bout you dumbasses make like a tree and fuck off?"

What is that figure of speech? If I’d make it like a tree I’d stand there and stare at you judgementally.

*Obtained Hope Fragment*

Usami, you hate strong words but this guy’s fine? Hypocrisy.

*selects Mahiru*

Mahiru: "Hey, aren’t you the guy who was squatting on the beach earlier and burying your face in your arms?"

That is a a slap to reality in one sentence and I’d love it if the cast had consistent memory and you acknowledged it was implied Larry fainted and fell over.

Larry: "Uh, y-yeah…"

No you didn’t. Shut up.

Mahiru: "Hey… you gotta keep it together, you know? At times like this, it’s the boys’ job to keep the girls safe."

This is sexism framed in a positive way. My respect for you tanked in a single line. RECORD TIME!

Larry: "Y-You’re right…"

Bro just folds to someone if they have any (if misplaced) confidence. You’re going back to SHSL Doormat x2.

Mahiru: "Did you want me to introduce myself? I haven’t done it yet, right?"

No shit. You sound like an exasperated Elementary school teacher that had to explain to her student that crayons aren’t edible and they need to go to the hospital because they ate the box of six.

We’re teens though. If you keep being condescending, it’s looking rough for you.

Mahiru: "Let’s see… I’m Mahriu Koizumi. I’ll be counting on you from now on."

Woman, I decide when I approve of that. Fuck off. What’s with the girls and dependence on others in this game? Mikan, Mahiru, who's next?

They see me spinnin’, they hatin…

Yeah, the translation is fine. Hardly anything you can get wrong about something so universal as a photographer. Ultimate/SHSL Photographer.

Nagito: "Mahiru is known as the (Ultimate) SHSL Photographer. She has a promising future as a photojournalist."

No shit. NEXT.

Nagito: "I’m not an expert on photography but I hear she’s a young photographer who has won numerous awards."

Usually, you’d lead something like ‘I’m not an expect, but…’ into judgement or an explanation of her photographing style, but detail is too much for Sir. Takoyaki this early on. And what awards? There’s a million that can range from ‘this kid drew a decent scribble of their parents’ to ‘best artist in the world’.

Nagito: "On that note… she’s known for her skill at taking pictures of people."

It’s always narrated from objective facts than letting them filter it through their personality. That’s what amateurs do.

Larry: (The (Ultimate) SHSL Photographer, huh…)

NEXT.

Larry: "Well, there is a camera hanging from her neck, I kind of assumed that already."

So did we. NEXT.

Mahiru:"Honestly, I’m a little relieved. You guys seem decent enough."

Implying you have standards on whom you Stockholm Syndrome into your life. Who offended you?

Larry: "…Hm? Decent?"

NEXT.

Mahiru: "Well, there’s a lot of weirdos here. I can’t tell if they’re really (Ultimates) SHSLs or, like, just insane…"

So are you, at least they weren’t aggressively judgemental and posing it as fact.

Mahiru: "I’m eager to get along with everyone so we can get off this island, but I was worried things wouldn’t go well."

So you’re suddenly relieved because two men to your taste (extra white horse optional) arrived and rescued you from your misery? I’m the wrong person for this.

Larry: "Get off this island…? What do you mean?"

Usami said it. NEXT.

Mahiru: "Huh, you don’t know? That’s what that stuffed animal Usami was saying."

So was I, and you don’t know everyone has selective retrograde amnesia. NEXT.

I’m guessing Mahiru is considered ‘grounded’ because she finds everyone else weird and everyone else is written without a sense of practical reality in them.

Mahiru: "After you finish collecting all the Hope Fragments that you earn by getting along with everyone…"

NEXT.

Mahiru: "This joke of a school trip will be over, and we can all leave this island together."

Why is it a joke? You’re at a tropical resort? Is it because of the people or that you got randomly dumped here?

Larry: "Th-That’s all we have to do and we can go home!? Is that true? Did she really mean that!?"

…Larry, if your dumbness inflicted pain on me I’d have sued you for attempted murder.

Mahiru: "Hey, you should be paying closer attention! This is, like, really important!"

Not even the writers did. Why should I bother? You don’t tell me what to do.

Character consistent, concept/execution is ass, as expected.

Nagito: "Well Hajime, now that you know this, you must feel a little relieved, right?"

…Why didn’t YOU tell him?

Nagito: "As long as we live here peacefully, we’ll be able to leave this island soon enough."

NEXT.

Nagito: "So there’s no reason for you to act so panicky."

You’ve said it multiple times before. So did I. Whatever, I guess.

Larry: "E-Even so…"

No, I’m bored of plot paranoia. Shut up.

Larry: "What’s the reason…? Why do we have to do something like this?"

This is the first time Larry asked a coherent question that adds something! Problem is that you have to ask Usami.

Larry: "I mean, to go through all the effort of bringing us here so we can all live together and get along..."

Hope’s Peak would do it for flex.

Larry: "It doesn’t make any sense."

It has to make sense somehow! Rack your brain harder!

Nagito: "I may not know why we’re here, but if that’s all we have to do to go home, then that’s all there is to it."

You DON’T KNOW? USAMI TOLD YOU.

How many times have I been complaining about it now? Feels like the 30th time. Or more.

Oh there’s another option. Figure out how to blackmail Usami into getting you home immediately. Use Mikan for it!

Nagito: "Overall, I’m glad. I mean, it’s really not that big of a deal."

What’re you glad about? The tropical atmosphere? The sea? Having a cottage on your own? Getting stabbed by urchins because you’re a Lucky student and a masochist?

Larry: "Not a big deal…? Really?"

NEXT.

Larry: (We’re told we’re on a school trip without any warning, then we’re taken to a place like this…)

You’re still upset you’re far from the object of your desire, that old-ass brick facade of Hope’s Peak. Imagine being so eager to get up at 6 a.m. to look cool.

Anyway. NEXT.

Larry: (And then we’re told… to forget about Hope’s Peak Academy…)

You walked right into what I said again. The hermit crab sulks because no Hope’s Peak.

Larry: (Is he *sure* this isn’t a big deal?)

Not as much as for you.

Mahiru: "Hey!"

Excuse me for ignoring you, princess.

Larry: "Eh!?"

Mahiru: "Don’t ‘eh!?’ me, what about your introduction? I’ve been waiting, like, forever, you know?"

This is the first time the narrative acknowledges Larry forgetting to introduce himself.

Larry: "Ah, sorry…"

Larry: "I’m Hajime Hinata. Um… it’s nice to meet you, too."

It’s Larry. You’re introducing yourself to her like a meek Shoujo heroine to her punk crush.

Mahiru: "I see… Hajime Hinata, huh?"

Mahiru: "Sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve already made a mental note to remember you as ‘Unreliable Hajime’."

Again, everyone forgets his name is Larry. Hajime was a skinwalker.

Rude, but true. I find it weird how you categorise people by whether you can ask them for help.

Mahiru: "It’s gonna be tough for you to change my mind. You bette man up and try even harder to do your best!"

Why would I? You’re nagging, sexist and condescending.

Nagito:"…I see you’re whipped already, Hajime."

This’d be fun and consensual if this were BDSM with a leather whip. Instead Mahiru goes on the bottom of my personal favorite list, with a bold note of ‘toxic and boring at the same time, somehow’.

Mahiru: "I’m talking to both of you!"

Well, excuse me that your fantasy only lasted for a minute! That’s not my problem. Maybe we should paste your face on the 2026 music video version of ‘World is mine’?

Mahiru: "I’m talking to both of you! You better man up and do better! Got it!?”

What are you going to work on then? Loving yourself because you’re ‘normal’?

*Obtained Hope Fragment*

How old are you, Usami? Wait, I forgot we’re in Japan, where they’re still faxing things around, only abandoned floppy disks in 2024, are using cash most of the time and discriminating women to stay home after getting married. But it’s okay when it’s the other way around!

*selects Nekomaru*

Nekomaru: "Hm…?"

Nekomaru: "That’s right… You haven’t told me your name…"

Is that gonna be recycled for every introduction now?

Nekomaru: "My name…"

Nekomaru: "I am the Ultimate Team Manager, NEKOMARU NIDAI!!!"

He speaks at normal volume in Japanese. Fitting voice.

Spinnn, spiinnn spinnn.

The wiki fucked up again. They translated ‘manager’ with ‘coach’ when Jisho clearly favours ‘manager’ in the direct translation of the Japanese text. The ‘Team’ part was probably tacked on because Americans have mostly team sports. Either way, NIS version is Ultimate Team Manager, OG is SHSL Manager. If they wanted to make it look less business, they should just have said ‘Sports Manager’.

Larry: "U-Um…hello. I’m Hajime Hinata…"

Mahiru drained all the self-esteem from you. It’s Larry. It doesn’t matter what you’re called because you can be replaced with each of a million Reserve course students.

Nekomaru: "Hold it right there! Your voice is too soft! Let your voice rise from the bottom of your stomach!"

Was Larry that meek so we could have this lead-up? Ugh.

Day 7, END, stopped at 45:43. I think I’ll ignore dialogue more often now because there’s only so many times you can joke about padding and terminal stupidity. Mahiru is an asshole and she grinds my gears, Mikan is therapist nightmare fuel (and that of my mental health), Fuyuhiko is a tsundere gangsta trope and Ibuki is just quirky. All while it ignores specificity because it’s scared that with it it will be half its length. Anyway. Till next time!

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 6

Day 6, so far the only one who had personality was Gundham. Nagito was takoyaki'd and it seems like he will stay that way for most of the prologue. I treated myself to pumpkin quiche and a face mask today. Larry should put on some moisturiser too because he’ll look like a dried-out kombu by 30. Remember people, a cleanser, moisturiser, facial peeling and sunscreen are the essentials! The rest is corp trying to fill your house and your trash bin while they fill their pockets! Now if you show me the black magic spell Nagito uses to stay fresh in the scorching heat, I owe you something. While I wait I sit bent over like a shrimp and expect my stomach muscles to capitulate… I think they already did anyway tbh.

Let’s goooooo! We’re in Scene 6, (35:00)!

Nagito: "Um, yeah… I know he seems a little odd, but apparently he did splendidly as a member of the Breeding Club."

At this point, you’ll stay in the pan until the first murder. If he were shit at his job, he wouldn’t be named ‘SHSL Breeder’ and his hamsters would run away from him. You should know that from your dead dog. I’m adding a counter for another pan. You’re at -15.

Nagito: "I’ve heard he can tame any animal and even managed to succeed at proliferating an endangered species."

You can tame most animals if you give them food consistently. And what species did he proliferate? You should know that after what I assume was a 12-hour-long compulsory research spree on Hope-chan.com. Do your brain cells have an immune reaction to specificity or what’s up?

Nagito: "Rumor has it he can speak to animals… Well, that’s probably just a joke."

…You’re doubting that someone can talk to animals when you’re stricken by a whim of chance that cares fuck-all about logic. -10 Nagito.

Larry: (Speak with animals…? Well, he’s certainly eccentric enough in that regard…")

Repetition and a teensy bit of logic in the short-circuiting lamp his brain is. Yes, he is eccentric enough and his hamsters seem to understand what he’s saying.

Why don’t you have voiced dialogue lines, Larry? Did they save up on everything with you? Voice, brain cells, logic, attractiveness, design? Did that go to Kamukura? Shame because he’s only there to convince you to grow at the last hours of the game and you’re coddled until then.

Larry: (I mean, there’s no way a normal person would attempt to raise hamsters inside their own scarf…)

*gasp!* Larry had a logical thought?! Quick, get me a camera before it’s gone! And my antihistamines so I don’t sneeze and the video gets blurry!

Wait, how do you know he raised them in there? They seem like adult hamsters to me.

{Scene 7 - Prologue, Rocketpunch Market. Of boyfails, girlfails and social fails, Complete Edition. (35:45)}

*leaves airport*

*enters Rocketpunch Market*

Larry: "So this is the supermarket… It’s pretty big."

I can see that. Unlike your brain.

The MonoMall vending machine is standing there as a serial offender of plot integrity, right in line of sight. Seriously? You couldn’t make it pink and do an asset swap before Monokuma comes around?

Larry: (If we’re on a tropical island… Does that mean we’re in international waters?)

I have no idea what he’s saying. Hawaii is part of the USA. Okinawa part of Japan, Polynesia is Polynesia… Let me guess, it’s tying into something lame again.

Nagito: "Thanks to this place, we won’t need to worry about food and other necessities for a while."

You went back to your survival guide persona again. If you have a split personality, they should’ve made that a point in Another Episode where you meet a peer of yours.

Larry: "For a while?"

…I’m going to drink one of these 5 liter cola bottles in the shelf and flatline.

Nagito: "I-It’s just a figure of speech."

No it’s not Nagito. You could’ve said ‘two months, way more than enough until the school trip ends’ and it’d have left the thinking with you instead of our under-a-bridge-echo Larry.

Larry: "But there’s no guarantee anything here is edible. What if all this stuff is poisoned?"

From what kind of spider-infested, dilapidated folder deep between the two hollow shelves of your brain halves did you pull that from? Why would they do that?? HOW’S THAT IMPLIED?? EXPLAIN LARRY

If they wanted you dead they’d have killed you already. No reason to waste Uji matcha soft serve on someone who’ll bite into it and say it was ‘fine’.

Nagito: "Hm… You certainly are the skeptical type."

There’s a difference between skeptical and delusional. Skepticism is rooted in reality. -5 for reframing plot paranoia as character trait.

Larry: "Of course I am. Even this supermarket is strange."

…What kind of contamination can you see in the air particles as a player character?

Larry: "Look around! We’re in this gigantic supermarket and there’s nobody here except us!"

I was hoping he’d point out the MonoMall machine but I forgot the cast has selective blindness.  We just saw Ibuki when we came in. You’d have been reasonable for this observation if this weren’t about plot paranoia again. Is that the only way they can build up tension? Because the only tension building up is in my right hand that wants to punch Larry in the face.

Nagito: "Well, that can’t be helped. Didn’t Usami say this island is uninhabited?"

‘Was’ Nagito. You are here now. You’re pulling him out of his spiralling again because of course he needs the emotional regulation.

Larry: "Th-That’s exactly my point…"

What’s the point? That you can’t take your anxiety meds for once? I wish the drug store was on the first island.

Larry: "…Ugh!"

Now you’re throwing another tantrum that Nagito doesn’t understand your whining. I hope you get turned into a horse chestnut and chomped on by a toddler in your next life.

Nagito: "What happened?"

What happened is that you’re fluctuating between being calming, foreshadowing and a tour guide.

Larry: "It’s nothing…"

LIARRRRR

I swear Larry always lies when he gets frustrated. Sad lil’ retreating crustacean. Now kick him with your stupid double-zipper shoes Nagito.

Mikan: "…"

Mikan, you’re being weird. Say something.

Larry: (She’s staring at me funny…!)

Are you just gonna tolerate that? Tell her off or you’re becoming SHSL Doormat x2.

Mikan: "Ah, uhhhh, um…"

I can’t say I like how pitched her voice is. I got nightmare flashbacks from the weird shit in No Game No Life. Don’t watch it. Watch the movie. That one’s decent.

Mikan: "Um…you know…"

Yes, we know Larry’s a textbook case of social anxiety and probably daddy issues, but you help with wounds only. If we were to entrust you with our secrets, the island would know it after five minutes of you tripping over yourself.

Mikan: "…"

SAY. SOMETHING.

Mikan: "…I-I’m sorry."

Nah Nagito, I’m out. I’m not playing emotional validation for this bundle of bandages and trauma.

Larry: (Wh-Why is she crying!?)

Because she’s as socially inept as you are and you couldn’t figure out the instructions in her stare-off. Magnificent miscommunication.

Nagito: "Bullying a girl… Not cool, Hajime."

It’s Larry. For once I don’t fault him because this was like trying to keep a wine glass from breaking in the dishwasher. Also, why are you faulting him for bullying her!? He didn’t say anything!?

Don’t make fun of bullying, I swear. -15 Nagito.

At least it shows how bad at conversation Larry is.

Larry: "…I didn’t do anything."

The narrative is diving so hard Larry gains confidence toward Nagito being a moron. I’m taking one measure off your doormat score. You’re the SHSL Doormat again.

Mikan: "Ah, so your name is Hajime… If it’s okay with you, may I please remember your name?"

It’s Larry the Hermit Crab. What are you going to do if I say no? Trying hard to forget will make your thoughts spiral and burn it into your mind.

Larry: "O-Of course… I don’t mind you remembering it, but…"

We have three people I’d throw my Hope Fragments at now! Mikan’s so pathetically uncomfortable you’d be questioning your life choices and mental health after her first Free Time Event.

Mikan: "M-My name is Mikan Tsumiki. Um… From the bottom of my heart, I hope we can get along."

"Get along" means, "soothing you constantly". No thank you.

Spinnn, spinnnn, spinnnn. Spinny logo… because.

She’s labelled as (Ultimate) SHSL Nurse when she’s really the SHSL Health Club Committee member which is more casual…. and that I have no idea of what it implies. High School students usually do club activities in the afternoon.

Mikan: "Um… you know…"

Mikan: "Um… um um um um…"

I’m wondering how you passed school for different reasons. How’d you manage surprise questions from the teacher if you can barely keep yourself together during a conversation with peers?

Mikan: "Uhhhh… my mind is drawing a blank… from nervousness…"

I need to add, HOW DID YOU GET THROUGH WRITTEN EXAMS?

Mikan: "And… I went through all the trouble of preparing 5,000 different topics to discuss after introductions."

This is said to make it look excessive, but no person in the world could or would keep 5,000 topics in their head for a conversation. More like 50. Would’ve been excessive too but still realistic.

Larry: (That seems excessive…)

The plot crab agrees!

Nagito: "It’s okay if you take your time and remember slowly. We’ll wait as long as it takes."

Which will help about as much as procrastinating on finishing the Powerpoint presentation on pufferfish due tomorrow. Nagito, all of you are shit at socialising.

Nagito: "We’ll wait for you forever if that’s what it takes."

You have no boundaries and neither does she. Why is this in-character?

Mikan: "Huh… Aaaaaah!"

…Can you do anything but stammering? Did they pick that as your filler shtick?

Larry: (Isn’t he… just putting more pressure on her?)

It doesn’t matter. You’re going to threaten her by existing near her.

Larry: *to Komaeda* "Well, I guess I’ll just ask you since I won’t get anywhere asking her, so…"

The writers couldn’t be assed to make Mikan say a thing so Larry has to go back to Nagito again? Ughhhh. This is the only time I’m accepting this because Mikan is a walking human malfunction.

Larry: "…What’s her deal?"

I don’t think there’s more than what you just saw. In this plotline, anyway.

Nagito: "Ah, Mikan is the (Ultimate) SHSL Nurse."

No she isn’t. The Americans were scared of foreign countries again.

Nagito: "If you ever get injured, you’ll need her help, so it’s best if you get along with her now."

…Is there a guide on First Aid around here? I’m not relying on this girl to disinfect my wounds. She’d accidentally pour the ethanol into my mouth and kill me instantly. Or shove a scalpel deeper into a cut because her hand trembled and sever my aorta. Or give me a frost burn because the ice packet she used is filled with dry ice.

Nagito: "If you ever get wounded and don’t treat it, there’s a good possibility you’ll get an infection and die."

…I’ll die from bruises? Come on Nagito, stop scaring me into interacting with this parade of sadness. As I said, I’ll more likely die when she treats me.

Finish for Day 6, (37:45) I can’t focus for the life of me anymore so I’m finishing earlier. Interacting with Mikan is draining me harder than the battery on your phones do and I’m a player. CHARGE YOUR PHONES GUYS. And maybe replace the battery if it's not a glued-together nightmare, which means... DON'T BUY MODERN FLIPS/FOLDS. They break if you so much as breathe near them. Imagine taking the concept of original flip phones, making it break when you use it, make a screen replacement cost as much as a down payment and make said screen an OLED just for giggles and burn in. You want innovation? Give me back the headphone jack. Stop pretending OLED stopped burning in. Work harder on QDEL. (QDEL is basically an LCD with pixels that can illuminate themselves, no backlight necessary. It also has no burn-in!) The brick Nokia would have a good reason to shake its head and say 'kids these days' like the Millennial it is. Either way, till next time!

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 5

Day 5!! Let’s see whether we have to fire up the takoyaki grill again! I’m so disappointed in Nagito that I forgot cross-checking my ‘Komaeda OS’ reference document. It’s hard when you analyzed dialogue in a narrative vacuum… then again, this game is so hesitant to commit to a throughline that it doesn’t matter.  Let’s see whether anything comes of the others or we’re stuck with Nagito at his peak character ending in the prologue. I’ve got fairy tea and a headache ready because I got enough sleep and my brain realised it should be upset that I was sleep-deprived for so long! LET’S GO! 

We’re at 30:00, Scene 5!

Blah blah blah explanation about mechanics. They RECOMMEND you to run around (a.k.a waste your time) to get the Tamagotchi to grow up instead of teleporting! What an idiot way to include padding! If I wanted a Tamagotchi, Bandai's Paradise and Uni are more stylish and less insulting to my intelligence.

Why did you give us the option to teleport, huh?? What’s the level counter for outside of this mechanic? Does Larry gain a brain cell every time we level up? …Can’t tell whether any gears turned in there so far.

"When you finish raising your pet… there may be a small reward…"

‘May be’. Why should I trust you? You seem hellbent on wasting my time and goodwill.

{Scene 6 - Prologue, Airport. Larry VS. The Obvious, Part 3! (30:30)}

*enters airport*

Larry: (This is an airport, right? So… those things over there must be…)

The reticle and the screen transition told you this is the airport. He’s repeating the obvious again. 

Larry: "…Airplanes?"

You sound like you’ve found water after a decade of thirst. This is airplanes, something you should know unless you’re Patrick Star. Again, I thought this was supposed to be a vacation, not a survival trip? Aren’t the other people wondering how stupid he is for blurting that out like this is the first time he sees them, too?

Larry: "Couldn’t we use those planes to escape this island?"

In that case, you would’ve been called over already, so no. You could've said 'we have planes, so why haven't we left yet??' and I'd have felt a microscopic spark of hope.

And if you had a personality, you’d remark on the decoration. Looks like someone forgot the party theme was ‘Tropics’ and scrambled together the minimum necessary decoration for it a day before. The banner reads ‘Welcome to Paradise’. Then where are the flowers?! When I think of paradise, I think of a carpet of them! Did they forget this used to be a luxury destination that'd have the most decadent decoration since the Palast of Versailles?

Kazuichi: "Nah, that’s impossible."

…More padding. "Nah, the engines have been removed." would’ve saved this.

Kazuichi: "If they were damaged, I could fix ‘em, but it looks like these planes are just for show…"

More dancing around the obvious. You ran into my complaint again.

Larry: "Just for show…?"

…They were being vague so Larry could be the signal repeater again.

Kazuichi: "The engines have been completely removed. Nothing I can do about that."

Which you could have said three sentences ago but we need the runtime. Cut the ‘completely’ and it’s a better line.

Can we acknowledge how a party person like him’s first instinct is to escape? He’d be the first to fall asleep in a inflatable swimming ring and drift off to Hawai’i. Everyone bends to the plot and the hermit crab!

Larry: "…Completely removed?"

I’d call you a roomba but that one at least keeps the things it eats up and has a funny name.

Larry: (Whoever brought us to this island must have also done that… right?)

Whoever? Did you forget Usami explained to you that she brought you here?  You should ask: Did Usami do that? Why did she? Doesn’t that mean the engines are still around? But that’d require the script to take itself seriously for a second. If they were super-duper smart, they'd mention the 'this island was prepared for us' line and go 'but by whom and why?'.

Larry: (The same person who’s controlling that stuffed animal, Usami.)

You bring up the person behind the scheme when it’s convenient, I get it now. You’re the plot dispenser and repeater when they decide you do. It’s also more padding. "Did the person that’s controlling Usami do it?" 

But why would that person do it when it clearly seems like Usami’s the one interacting with you? Another THH callback?

Larry: (But… who’s doing this?)

…Maybe someone of the students? You’re going by the same arbitrary outsider pattern as Togami did. The perfect person is in front of you, you know, someone who fixes cars, bikes and maybe your coffee maker should be able to create Usami! Larry's built up some braincells for plot this time, can’t wait until they poof like the hot air they are.

Larry: (And why did they bring us to this island in the first place?)

USAMI BROUGHT YOU HERE YOU CHESTNUT

Larry: (And… how did they do it?)

You saw it with your own two eyes. SHSL Amnesiac talent showing.

Larry: (The more I think about it… The less sense it makes.)

He forgot they had a textbook case of abduction or chooses to ignore it. Larry, it makes no sense because what you’re yapping about was already said loud and clear.

Kazuichi: "Oh yeah, that reminds me… You and me haven’t been introduced yet, right?"

So 1) you’re an airhead. In-character and 2) more stating the obvious. Yes, we’ve only gotten accustomed to Mr. Almost-Takoyaki yet.

Kazuichi: "Name’s Kazuichi Soda. I’m the (Ultimate) SHSL Mechanic. Nice to meet ya."

Kazuichi'd think Larry’s lame and choose not to say it.

Another spinny logo. This could’ve been omitted no problem. Another Episode did it better by giving you some extra CGIs and an idea of whom each of the Warriors of Hope are!

Nagito: "As expected from the (Ultimate) SHSL Mechanic, Kazuichi is a savant when it comes to fixing machines."

If it’s expected, you could’ve told me something less expected like, idk, that he likes sniffing car fumes. -5 Nagito.

Nagito: "If he says it’s impossible to fix this plane, it’s truly beyond repair."

What mechanic would is able to repair something without replacement parts? -5 again. I’m putting in mochi bits for extra chew…

Kazuichi: "Even so… to actually remove the engine, whoever’s keeping us here must’ve planned this to a T."

The writers or translators in this game have no sense for word choice. "Show planes" means they’ve been put there for decoration! That’s a different framing than ‘the engines were taken out’! The latter is a red herring. What about this scene would change if no airplanes were there? Exactly, nothing.

Why would you speculate about who’s keeping you? Do you have collective amnesia about Usami?

Larry: "You think so too, huh… Doesn’t that seem pretty strange to you?"

Kazuichi just said it’s strange in different words and we know you worry more about pointless things than Amazon employees about their job.

Kazuichi: "Yeah, it’s pretty strange, but I think it’s an acceptable level of strange, y’know?"

…An airport with show planes? What’d have been unacceptable levels of strange? No planes anywhere? Which’d have made a million times more sense than taking out the engines so we could have this conversation.

Larry: "…Huh?"

CLEAN YOUR EARS LARRY

Kazuichi: "Well, think about it… It’s not like we’re being forced to do something dangerous or anything…"

So you’d count sexual harassment, abduction, gaslighting and violence as not strange. Good to know what the moral scaffolding of this cast is.

Kazuichi: "That was mentioned in the safety precautions for this school trip."

Ah, now I can roast the rules. But with a ‘teacher’ like Usami disappearing constantly, how’d she ensure you follow them? Does Usami just watch the camera tapes all day and night like a disgruntled security guard in a Lupin the 3rd movie?

Kazuichi: "Remember? The school trip guidelines written in the e-Handbook?"

…I know where the guidelines are. Where else would they be? Did they print them on the inside of your jumpsuit? If so, strip.

Who thought that people like being treated like they have the intelligence of a river stone?

*Rulebook opens*

‘Rule 1: Extreme violence is prohibited on this island. Please live peaceful and relaxing lives with your fellow students.’

Notice ‘extreme violence’ not ‘harassment’, ‘bullying’, ‘beating people up’ or average violence. You’re being vague and another lead-in for Monokuma, because I translate extreme violence to murder.

‘Rule 2: Be considerate of each other and work together to obtain Hope Fragments.’

Usami lives in a fantasy world where everyone gets along with everyone. I’d throw my Hope Fragments at Larry and the local predator so they leave me alone.

‘Rule 3: Littering is not allowed. Let us coexist with this island’s bountiful nature in "mutual prosperity".’

This is the most decent rule so far and it sounds like a corp slip about greenwashing. How about you quit the fancy PR speak, Usami?

‘Rule 4: The lead teacher cannot directly interfere with the students. An exception to this rule is made if any student violates a rule.’

Then you are a hall monitor, not a teacher. You can’t even take preventative measures. They never even imply what punishment for breaking the rules means. Usami looks like she’d let you write ‘I shouldn’t break the rules again.’ a hundred times.

Kazuichi: "It looks like we’re being kept safe, so why wouldn’t this be like any other school trip?"

Just now, you were worried why you couldn’t escape and who’s responsible as the grand mastermind. MAKE UP YOUR MIND ALREADY.

Nagito: "There’s nothing dangerous on this island… Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope…"

You’re quoting Usami without questioning it. There’s dangerous things on this island - the short predator and three people that’d rip or slice you in half if you upset them. Hope is an abstract concept when here it means ‘build tight bonds with your classmates!’. -5 Nagito. I need to track back to check whether you’re ready for the chopping block yet. 

…You’re at 35. Good luck.

Nagito: "Just as Usami said earlier."

No shit, I recognise the dialogue because Usami has the word choices of a faceless corporation, I saw it and analysed it to death just recently. Other players remember it because it was shown off like twenty minutes ago. -5 Nagito.

Nagito: "It seems these rules are in place to help us do that…"

The rulebook just SAID THAT. Nagito, I wished you used your IQ for being a full character instead of fueling it into whatever Shoujo manga you’ve been playing through in your head. -5. You are one dumb sentence away from the pan.

Larry: "Are you saying you believe what that thing told us? She forced us to come here, you know!?"

…If you’d not believed her, you should’ve mentioned it two years ago. Instead, everyone’s pretending that Usami was a hallucination and ignores her as a character. Also why’re you suddenly asking whether Kazuichi believes her? She’d dig a grave for an ant she stepped on, just for the performance, but that’s enough to fool him.

The phrasing is also stupid. "She forced us to come here" is coercion, what happened here is abduction. They just ignore the implications because it’d make everyone look like a wisp in the wind of plot.

Nagito: "Don’t be such a pessimist… You should look at this situation with a bit more hope, you know?"

IT’S TAKOYAKI TIME!

…He got into the pan via a line where he lightens up Larry while parroting hope for plot purposes. PERFECT. -5, -50 total, score of 10 DUMBASSERIES IN A ROW. Nagito, which one of your tentacles do I take first?

Mr. Octopus takoyaki, covered in bonito flakes, Kewpie mayo, repeated plot lobotomy and needless repetition.

I’ll revive you once you say 3 smart things in a row, but I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime, I’m chewing on your narrative corpse.

Nagito: "Optimism is essential for people to live satisfied lives."

No Nagito, optimism makes people think others will get better when they don’t. I call that naivete. You have a reason for saying it because that’s the only thing you have left in your life but you really shouldn’t use it for soothing Larry and rescuing the plot. I'm starting to realise that my written belief system of you might be more coherent than you are in the game.

Kazuichi: "Well, I guess it’s okay if we just enjoy our vacation and see how this whole thing plays out, right?"

…If you think it’d been okay from the beginning, why are you still here? Get some sunscreen, swimming trunks and off to the beach you go, you plot puppet.

Kazuichi: "Heh-heh! If you stare closely at that strange-lookin’ bunny girl, she might start lookin’ pretty cute!"

This is supposed to make him look dumb. It makes him a weird furry for me, and I’ve got a Lucario character who works at a bakery, I consider attractive and has a human wife and a Riolu kid, so I'm qualified to say what's weird. If you were trying to get make me scared of 169 cm of blue fur, knotting potential, superhuman empathy and ability to consent, nice try Spikey.

Larry: (I’m actually jealous of how carefree he’s being right now.)

When aren’t you jealous of people better than you or leeching off them? You’re all fumes, negativity and botting. And if you were a true normie as per the internet you’d have called him a furry as an insult.

*obtained Hope Fragment*

Wow, we’re developing relationships by talking loops around the obvious and keeping the ‘mystery' intact for no reason.

*selects Chuuni man*

Gundam: "Stop right there. If you value your life, do not come any closer."

I’ve been so deprived of personality this is like a custard bun for a starving man.

(Edit: I LOVE his voice. That ‘kisama’, A.K.A bastard is an asshole move that I wouldn’t have expected from this game. They use an ominous soundtrack which bears the brain-rottingly lame name of ‘RE: 100 Mile Junk Food Dash’. Who named this soundtrack?)

Larry: "…Huh?"

I swear his mic is so full of dust he can’t even hear himself.

Gundam: "Hmph, I said stay back! Oh, very well… I shall accept that courage of yours."

…And you fucked it up again. You’re rewarding Larry for standing around stupid and lacking listening comprehension… At least it’s in character?

Larry: (Wh-What’s this guy talking about…?)

He’s telling you to stay away for your own safety. I didn’t know confusion is a permanent status condition.

Gundam: "Kekeke… Would you like to know my name?"

In-character. I can let it slide. He’s the type to stretch out things for credo.

Gundam: "Others may see your courage as recklessness… However… I welcome it."

Gundam, you’re projecting because you’re touch-starved and lonely. He’s there because he lacks comprehension across the board.

Gundam: "In honor of your courage, I shall reveal to you my name. May you never forget it as long as you live!"

He’s giving him protagonist treatment too. Was it mentioned that the others got accustomed with each other too or are they personality islands, Larry’s the boat and Nagito steers around them to prevent sinking from embarrassment?

Gundam: "You may call me… Gundham Tanaka! Remember it well, for it is the name that will one day rule this world!"

What were other people allowed to call him? Overlord of Ice and Fire? Tanaka the Tamer of Worldly Aeons?

Either way, I like you more than Nagito right now. You’re obtuse but at least you retained your personality… which should say everything about this game.

SPINNY LOGO, NO ONE CARES

Why’s he called a Breeder anyway? Are we on Discovery Channel? Because ‘Animal Caretaker’ would’ve been clearer about what he’s doing.

The Japanese version is about as good. ‘SHSL Animal Breeding Committee Member’.

Larry: (R-Rule this world…?)

Of course you’ve never seen a Chuuni before. Are you even a person? That’s like, basic middle school roleplay that an adult remembers well into their thirties. Wait, we answered that question before.

Larry: "He’s kidding, right? If he’s actually serious, that’s pretty out there!"

Of course he’s kidding. Only fictional villains announce they’ll rule the world and follow up on it. In reality, they’ll convince you that their gain is good for you and let you fight each other over petty shit like whether you should be allowed to have a SIM tray. That’d require you to be able to read between the lines, which is a skill that the plot hasn’t unlocked in you right now.

Gundam: "Now then, it is my turn to ask questions. Whose master are you?"

This is the first time someone asked Larry a question outside of talent and Hope’s Peak. Sadly, I know the answer and it’s as boring as everything else about him.

Larry: "Eh…?"

This is the… like, second time you’re confused for a reason.

Gundam: "Which tribe did you make your pact with? Answer me!"

Good, pressure him a little for being slow. I’d shave his head clean if I were present.

Larry: "…Huh? What do you mean, ‘pact’?"

Gundam: "Answer me now! Though I shall cast you into a watery grave once you do!"

He’s edgy about Larry not telling him what pet he has and getting irritated he doesn’t understand. This kind of self-absorbed irrationality I’ll let him get away with… so long it serves him and not Larry.

Larry: "Then it’s best if I don’t answer!"

…You guys call this dude grounded? He gets intimidated by a Chuuni man with hamsters who’s clearly playing his role.

Nagito: "I think he’s asking… if you used to have a pet…"

Even Nagito’s not sure. And he’s playing translator for Larry instead of letting him think.

…I can’t wait for the body pillow.

Larry: "…Pet?"

Should I make a list of every word you repeat like you’ve heard it for the first time?

Larry: "No... The only animal I’ve taken care of was a hermit crab we passed around in elementary school."

I’m pretty sure most kids do something along those lines. Did you assimilate with the crab when taking care of it because you are one now? Either way, its painfully bland because he leaves out anything personal. What did they do with it? How’d he feel about it? Nothing.

Gundham: "So, a mere insect!"

…A crab is an insect? Or is this a metaphor? Either way, yes, it’s disappointing. Roast him more.

Gundham: "Hah! Your Magic Essence caps at a lowly five! Trash!"

YES. EXACTLY.  Larry has about as much magic or potential anywhere as a puddle.

Larry: "T-Trash, really…"

Go cry about it to takoyaki man. He’ll soothe you.

Gundham: "Hmph! Is it wrong to call trash "trash"? Trash like you should not dare to speak to one as grand as me!"

You’re 100% right, you’re better than Larry in every way. If Nagito had come along for an introduction Gundham would’ve gotten backstory about his dog.

Gundham: "Who do you think I am? I am the great and powerful Gundham Tanaka, Supreme Overlord of Ice!"

I know he’s acting as a defense mechanism but he’s got more self-respect than Kazuichi and Nagito combined.

Larry: "H-Hold on a minute! Something strange just came out of your scarf!"

…Of course you’ve never seen hamsters either. What HAVE you seen, Larry?

Gundham: "Taming evil by using myself as a bed… Truly, this is the secret art of the Tanaka Empire!"

Even the hamsters are laughing diabolically in his sprite. I like this.

Nagito: "It’s like something you’d see on a nature show. I guess he totally fits the bill of (Ultimate) SHSL Breeder."

You’re telling me this brooding edgelord would be shown off in a nature show? They’d ban the episode because religious zealots'd be scared that they’d get possessed by the devil or helicopter parents think it’d push their kids off the rails… Seriously Nagito, I’d give you -10 for this dumbass line if you weren’t already in the pan.

Gundham: "One of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction, Mirage Golden Hawk Jum-P, has this to say:"

Even his hamsters have more personality than Larry.

"'We’re not used to going easy on our enemies… so don’t make us angry. You wouldn’t like us when we’re angry.'"

You could guess he’s gone off the deep end or he’s so good at his job he understands them. I don’t care which one it is. A little delusion doesn’t hurt characters, a little Larry does.

Gundham: "Fuhaha…!"

Gundham: "Fuhahahahahahaha!"

THE HAMSTERS ARE LAUGHING WITH HIM.

*obtained Hope Fragment*

I just realised that Gundham should be at Usami Corral, which’d have shown off his personality more and given him some agency. I guess you can only have padding and agency or personality, not both.

Day 5 END. Stopped at 35:00. I never thought Gundham would lift my spirits from the slog this analysis can be at times. Let's see for how long he stays that way... For a recount, this is 35 minutes of misery because most characters cannot decide whether this is a chill day at a resort or the buildup to a Killing game and ruins both… And I forgot to remark on their Japanese dialogue patterns. Gonna watch it with audio next time!

…This is still day 5 but I realised Larry never introduced himself by name. Repeating common words ten times is fine but the side characters are supposed to absorb the protagonist’s name via osmosis? Let's see if they ever mention it. Till' next time!

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 4

Day 4, my head aches because woe is me, I slept six to seven hours when I need nine. Still more reason to be miserable than Larry. 

Go! Go! GO! Let’s dive back in with Biore and some extra brain cells as backup against this killer radiation for skin and one’s IQ. I hate mineral sunscreen because it’s thick and gunky when you get up to SPF 50+, try chemical ones. They’re thin and do the same job on normal skin. No, ‘chemical’ isn’t something you’re supposed to be scared of (if you live in the EU, the US would sell your mom acid if they could), people forgot we survived by defying nature. We’re still in Scene 1!

The little sleep I got made me realise how goddamn stupid and/or negligent the other characters are. Who leaves a fainted person in the sun when it’s over 30 degrees celsius outside? If they were people they’d have carried him over to the next building and settled him on the nearest couch. Tsumiki would've checked him, put a cold bottle of water and a melon pan beside him in case it was his blood sugar tanking. 

Larry should’ve gotten a sun stroke and died already. That murder Monokuma would shake his head about and he’s a psychopathic nightmare! The only voice of reason is Sir Octopus and he should be the first one to flee for shade. Would it have hurt him to ask Mr. Muscle Man to carry this fried noodle or did that guy run?

=====

— Monokuma Burnout, Part 1! —

"Puhuhu, it seems empathy is secondary in teenagers nowadays… your protagonist became the first victim by excessive sun-consumption while I was downing a Suffering Bastard at a pool party! If this game gave you the option to choose how to proceed, this'd be the 'bad ending' and you'd need start from the beginning to romance your waifu!  Buuuuut, someone thought DISTRUST was too edgy for the middle schoolers that throw insults that would make most adults call the police! I don’t understand it myself... I used to be a twisted bear cub too, cutting open people on the playground if they stole my rattle. 

Now I am jaded about how despair is a word, not an action... Being a despair bear sure isn't what it used to be. I was gaslighted by the shiny job description and the amazing pay, bought myself all these riches and now… I’ve realised I sold myself out. Now where's my sake, wife?

...What do you mean there's none? Did I already finish the Kizakura I bought a week ago?! Oh wait I killed my manager with it… why did I waste that excellent sake on them?"

=====

On the Makoto/Nagito bait-and-switch, this is why they made him guess they’d ‘kill each other on this island’. Only Makoto would know that. And then they forget about it. Wow, instead of cheap cop-outs, how about you keep your characters consistent?

Nagito received lore dump duty and as we all know Larry doesn’t retain information, he just echoes it. At least Nagito was in-character. Imagine what we could've had if they'd obsessed over Hope's Peak trivia together and we'd have realised they both need therapy...

Larry: "…It was that kind of uncomfortable feeling."

It’s so out of left field I should laugh. Big question - who of you guys ever opened a book, saw it was empty and thought ‘oh no, I’m distraught now, I will need to lay in bed staring at the ceiling to cope for an hour’.

Larry: (The memory I was trying to recall had completely vanished from my mind.)

That was implied by that you are sweating bullets trying to answer Mr. Octopus who should also be suffering from dehydration by now. What is your SPF, Nagito? I thought 50+ is the best you can get but you seem to be fine despite having paper sheet skin. Does being a character in this game grant you ‘Permanent Sun Protection’ in the skill grid?

Larry: "H…uh…"

This ‘huh’ was dissected beyond recognition.

Larry: (Without realising it, my body began to shudder as waves of discomfort began pounding against me.)

For not realising it, you seem to have a description for it that tells me you realised it. Discomfort is an internal feeling. Why’d you ever parallel it with waves unless you wanted to depict yourself as drowning? And why would the sea pound you, Larry? I don’t think Poseidon is gay enough to like you. He’d have to be either be so gay Achilles is revived or morosexual.

Nagito: "Hajime… What happened?"

It’s Larry, everyone pretends this dried-out crab has enough personality to warrant a consistent name. Besides, it’s your turn to yank him out of his shell because he’s having a moment.

Larry: "Ah… It’s nothing…!"

And no one believed him! Jeez Larry you’re so shit at lying even I’m embarrassed and I panic about accidental misinformation on Digital Audio Players.

Larry: "I guess… I’m still pretty confused about all this… I’m having trouble remembering some things…"

Tell him the truth, Larry. You’re a bot and your RAM banks and by extension the second SSD on the motherboard fried during your nap in the sun.

This is the narrative letting Larry delude himself that he’s got a talent, which is why I expect him to be as useless until they finally figure out he’s from the Reserve course. Him grasping at straws that being in a world-class school will soothe his self-esteem issues and worshipping Hope’s Peak are his only character traits, and if said character traits aren’t shown up challenged, he cannot grow. Which means he’ll be the player camera for 70% of the game.

I’ve said this before - this could only have happened if 1) Larry got a concussion from fainting and hitting his head hard (unlikely, no one mentioned a rock) or 2) his normie life is actively traumatising for him which is… another level of entitlement.

Why isn’t Mikan watching over him for the first half of the game when he’s a walking medical case?

Nagito: "…"

Same, I’m sceptical too.

Nagito: "I understand how your memory might be confused after suddenly getting into a situation like this."

No you don’t. You’re either being polite or this is plot lobotomisation again.

Nagito: "I’m sure you’ll remember soon once you’ve settled down."

…This tone-deafness gives me a headache. The narrative playing their situation as a chill school trip, which Larry should be fine with if he was anything but crab yakisoba. What’s he doing instead? Playing paranoid plot-setup. Why would we have a moment of peace where we’d forget this will be a Killing game? In a smarter setup, he’d be right to be cautious, but Nagito would be EVEN MORE SO.

Nagito: "So… I don’t think you need to worry about it all that much."

I am forced to abide by the vibes of this game because that’s the only way my analysis will work. 

…Regardless, Nagito calming Larry is peak Octopus therapist moment. I’m looking forward to the pacifier role being offloaded to the gamer body pillow, so it frees him up to be more logical and more himself.

Larry: "You’re… right…"

Your dialogue sounds like you saw your comrades got bombed out when you are on a tropical island and got abducted, then forgot about it ten minutes afterwards.

Nagito: "Then, I guess we’re done with our introductions for now."

‘Our?’ Larry forgot to tell you his name. And he’s too empty to elaborate on anything beyond Hope’s Peak because apparently ‘Talent OS’ is required for his security chip… which is missing from the system folder.

Nagito: "Even though I don’t know what’s going on… I hope we can get along."

You also don’t know… Why? Usami told you about it all? Are you holding off on believing her too? I thought this was supposed to be played straight and chill? PICK ONE.

Man, it was fun while it lasted…

Thankfully, you’re more tolerable than the person I’m supposed to relate you. I want to switch POVs.

You will have to get along with Larry for now Nagito. You’re prisoner to the plot choo-choo train.

*Hope Fragment obtained*

{Scene 5 - Prologue, Beach.  A boomer crab gets his first lesson on phones. (25:18}

Larry: "Hey, did something just beep!?"

Yes? If you and me heard it, it did.

Larry: "Wh-What a weird sound…"

A digital ‘pyun’ is weird to you? Are you a boomer or were you written by one? You should know game consoles, phones, carrier lock-in by heart at your age.

Larry: (I hastily stuck my hand into my pocket.)

How do you know where it is? Did it vibrate? Is it so tiny you’d have ignored it pushing out of your tiny skinny jeans pockets or against your butt when you sat up? 

This is the same pattern as the door in the void scene. Tossed in for ‘worldbuilding’ when Larry has a delay of 5 minutes.

Larry: (That’s right… That strange, mechanical sound just now definitely came from the inside of my pocket.)

Heureka! This is the first time someone immediately identifies where a sound comes from! And it’s Larry of all people!?

Larry: "Wh-what the hell is this?"

You’re reacting to a plastic rectangle like someone handed you a blobfish. I don’t blame you, it's ugly as shit but I’d have been a bit more disgusted and less mortified.

Larry: "It’s like a PDA or a smartphone…"

We see what it looks like on screen, Larry. This is another power-up for the final boss against our brain cells.

Larry could’ve just stuck his hand in his pocket to look for his phone and find the e-Handbook. Instant tie-in and tells you they even got their communication privileges revoked.

Larry: "Wh-Why is something like this inside my pocket?"

…You are a boomer. People would be confused that their pocket is empty nowadays.

Nagito: "Usami was passing them out earlier… Remember?"

Why would you hold off on an introduction of the e-handbook by making the protag also forget about it? It’s about controls. If anything would have improved the game, it’d be Usami explaining how the e-Handbooks work! But no, we need the truckloads of ‘tell, don’t show’. At this point Larry is the SHSL Amnesiac, he has both anterograde and retrograde amnesia!

Nagito: "Oh right… You seemed pretty out of it when that was going on."

I’m giving you a -5 count on likability for defending this house of cards. If Larry was present and awake, we should’ve read it.

Larry: "N-Now that you mention it… I think I kinda remember but…"

But what? That these scenes were written in isolation like in Kodaka’s most recent non-DR game?

Larry: "…What is this?"

…It looks like a phone or tablet, what’s it gonna do? Enable your brain chip’s automatic grinding? I would imagine it gives off a lot of excess heat.

Usami: "It’s an e-Handbook!"

Oh, there’s Usami. Then they isolated him from that scene so he’d be special. 

God, this is prime Isekai syndrome, and if you squint, Larry is an Isekai cardboard cutout.

Larry: "What the…!?"

Finally something worthwhile you get worked up about! Usami can teleport around and we still have cameras! This will never be brought up again unless for dumb gags and bullying her. 

Larry: "Where’d you come from!?"

From her Littlest Pet Shop house on the 4th Island.

Usami: "Oh, did I startle you? I’m terribly sorry."

No you’re not.

Usami: "Teehee… I know how to apologize like a good girl!"

So this was just to stroke your ego? Nice to know you’re pathetic like our protagonist.

Usami: "Anyway, don’t you think it’s cool?"

Because it’s got a sprite of you on it? Let’s put narcissism on your list of sins. It’s not cool, by the way. It’s so thin it’d crack when I look at it with contempt.

Usami: "That handbook is absolutely vital for this school trip, so make sure you don’t lose it!"

…Outside of a map, what is it vital for in the initial part of the game? Money? Keeping track of how badly you’re socialising? Everything’s just building up for Monokuma because it needs to.

Larry: "Th-This device is that important?"

Larry received another character trait, which is pointless stammering. 

Usami: "I’ve asked everyone to use their e-Handbook to gather all of the Hope Fragments!"

That’s digitalisation at its worst form. You couldn’t be bothered to synthesize blue crystals for everyone as a magical girl? Did they refuse to pay you for the extra hours?

Larry: (…Hope Fragments?)

Yes, quantifiable evidence that Usami did her job as a teacher because even the Neo World Program seems to think she’s incompetent. Were they pressed for time?

Usami: "Um, on this island, you’ll obtain Hope Fragments as you get along with your classmates."

I just called you out on that. 

Usami: "As your relationship with everyone improves, you’ll be able to gather more and more Hope Fragments!"

If you understood proportionality, you’d understand that that’s normal.

Usami: "Gather Hope Fragments so that the flower of hope achieves its full bloom. Truly, that is..."

That’s not a flower, that’s asanoha, also called hemp. It’s a Japanese pattern symbolic of growth that kids wear a lot but of course no American would touch that within a fifty-inch pole. Can't tell your players you're completing a hemp flower!... Unless you're a stoner. Maybe the Japanese call it that too, but it’s still stupid!

Usami: "…the main purpose of this school trip!"

You’d be too uncomfortable to address harassment so why should I bother bringing myself in danger?

Usami: "Love! Love!"

…Types an American screenwriter for their next superhero movie as a story beat.

And then she leaves to get the milk. Usami offered up for supervising the school trip during the summer holidays so no one can fault her for slacking.

Larry: "H-Hey!"

My characterisation of you being a lame stammerer who’s bitter about being a normie is more accurate than the game would dare to admit. 

Larry: (…She’s gone.)

No shit. This’d have been better if they brought a buildup to her teleporting abilities. No animatronic or toy can do that yet which means it’s something to get surprised about! Unlike it being a stuffed animal!

Larry: (A stuffed animal that moves, talks, and also appears wherever and whenever she wants…)

Sounds like a deadbeat mom and you forgot she’s supposed to be your teacher.

Larry: (Regardless of who’s actually controlling it, it still doesn’t make any sense…!)

The teleporting is a sci-fi author’s wet dream, the rest has been done before. Why are they suddenly calling back the controlling when Togami forgot about it? Let me guess, that’s another red herring that’s taking itself too seriously.

Larry: "And… what was all that about Hope Fragments?"

Is your buffer getting worse? We must be at six minutes now.

Larry: "What’s her deal? It’s like we’re in a game or something."

…I’m grinning at how stupid this meta joke is again. I guess that’s a good thing? 

Yes, this is a game, and you’re in a simulation. And this is the most dry way to level up your skill grid. I'd rather eat sandpaper than socialise with classmates for homework. What’s this game trying to be? A mystery? An RPG? A slice-of-life romance? A parody? One could likely combine all of these elements with skill… which you have -100 of on your stat spread.

Nagito: "If this feels like a game, that’s rather comforting."

-5 again, Nagito. If you reach -50 in a streak, I’m turning you into takoyaki. What games did you play that are comforting? Elaborate? Because when I hear ‘game’, my first thought is something like Call of Duty.

Nagito: "That means we aren’t going to be in danger right away."

-5 again Nagito. You’re not giving me any references why you have any experience with games. Particularly the ones where you aren’t in danger straight away. It’s so vague I could go from Yosuga no Sora (danger because incest) to NieR Automata (danger because command says so).

He’s just telegraphing danger again. Hey Spikey, do you find that smart? Did the energy drinks, crunch and sake fire the last of your brain tissue out your nose?

Larry: "Y-You’re probably right, but…"

All this telegraphing is like getting hit by a car when you got glued to the street and saw it appear at the horizon. You're just begging it to hit you by the end. Larry's "probably" exists just to soften it into uncertainty. 

Nagito: "More importantly… You don’t know anything about the other students yet, right?"

You’re giving him too much credit. He’s understood things like 3 times in almost 30 minutes.

I never knew introducing yourself to all the people in your class is the most important thing to do! You seem like you live under your desk and hiss at sunlight when someone opens the curtains.  Go back to your library cave.

Seriously, why do I need to hear the other characters’ solo blabbering when I meet them later? Is it because this story is incapable of getting them to do anything outside of interacting with Larry and is viciously allergic against two-on-two action unless you have the perfect item at the perfect time?

Never mind, I just consulted my document and it says it’s on track for Nagito because he’s inherently a community-oriented person. The rest still stands. "I want all of you to get along and make hope shine brighter!"

Something like that.

Larry: "Th-That’s also true… but…"

But what Larry? Do you also have social anxiety on top of your other bullshit?

Larry: "Where did everyone go?"

Maybe they have vanished off the face of the earth! Even if they did you’d only be mildly surprised, like with Usami. And there’s this funny word called ‘looking’.

Nagito: "Maybe they’re exploring the island as well?"

-5 Nagito. You’re implying we’re exploring the island when Larry recited the obvious about palm trees existing. Is your buddy-buddy introduction reel hostile to collecting shells or taking a dive into the ocean, A.K.A fun?

Larry: "Exploring the island?"

I hope his magnetic tape needs a Torx bit because my screwdriver will strip otherwise.

Nagito: "As long as we’re expected to live on this island, we should learn as much as we can about it."

-5, you sound like a survival guide when Usami made it clear you’re on vacation. The point is ‘relaxing’, not just ‘living’.

Nagito: "For example, what’s this island’s name? Is there a way to escape? What about food and living arrangements?"

-5 again, I already have the Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes ready. Why would you want to escape when Usami told you you’re here for a school trip?! 

Nagito: "So… why don’t we finish introducing ourselves to the others and explore the island at the same time?"

Explore sounds exciting, when it should be called ‘prep and investigation for problems to come’. You could’ve cut the ‘finish’ and it’d have been fine. This script has BPD and I stand by that.

Nagito: "I pretty much went around and introduced myself to everyone already, but I’ll tag along with you."

…You left Hajime in the heat to introduce yourself to everyone when you could have done that together with him. I call that neglect, stupidity and protagonist privilege. My hopes for you are dwindling. -10! We're at -25 now.

And the tagging along is prime pacifier role. Someone like Nagito would’ve long remarked on whom of the SHSLs impressed him the most. He’s a 24/7 judgement machine at heart. But noooo, we cannot imply him liking everyone outside of Larry because he’s the antagonist and ‘shipping’ fodder!

Larry: (So now he’s decided to come with me…)

You’re bothered by that? Tell him off or I’m adding doormat to the list of your failures.

Larry: (…Well, I guess that’s helpful for me. I know I’d worry if I was left on my own.)

…You’re pathetic on your own and you know that.

*Achievement unlocked: SHSL Doormat*

Nagito: "Shall we get going then?"

We should pass by Rocketpunch first because I need Okonomiyaki sauce for once you hit -50.

Larry: "…"

Larry: (But… Is this really okay…?)

What IS ever okay for you Larry? You gonna whine more? Crab-walk sideways straight into a crashing tide and get buried in the sand?

Larry: (To feel so relaxed in a strange situation…?)

Not even the script can decide so beats me.

Larry: (Perhaps it’s the tropical climate?)

That’s what you call HEAT. If I can tell you one thing about traffic jam in Italy during summer holidays, it makes you super cranky.

Larry: (Or is that… what’s-her-name…Usami’s fault?)

He forgot about her name because we need to keep her low for no reason. No, I wouldn’t feel relaxed about Usami’s presence, but about her absence. I’d rather bumble and search around like a German tourist wearing sandals with socks than get gaslighted.

Nagito: "What is it, Hajime? Let’s get going."

His name is Larry. You should ignore the dialogue box on your side, Nagito. It’s lying. And you’re pulling this crab out of its shell again.

Larry: "R-Right… Got it."

Ok, who’s gonna get roasted next?

Larry: (At any rate, if this is a nightmare, I have no idea if it’s even started yet...)

If this were a good dream, you’d have this hunch from being Kamukura. You’re giving PTSD soldier again on a sandy beach. Worry more about the battery of the e-Handbook in your pocket going kaboom.

Larry: (Sheesh, what kind of nightmare is that…?)

That’s the point. You’re describing a dream but your brain’s running anxiety so hard you’re already heat-throttling.

Bla bla bla meta on the e-Handbook, guidelines, Report cards.

Who decided that chest circumference and height is a variable in the report cards? Not even Tinder puts it in and people look for hookups in there. And if the guidelines are on your phone, they’re so unintuitive you couldn’t possibly remember them. Let’s see how useless they are!

…Apparently that’s for later. You’ll be expecting me, rulebook.

*selects to exit the beach*

Nagito: "Ah, about exploring the island… It appears a map of this island has been installed onto this e-Handbook."

Redundant. Why didn’t Usami say that!? And I’m sure the players opened the map when they were asked to check the controls of the e-Handbook. -5

Nagito: "If you use this, you should be able to find everyone easily."

…No shit. If you hover on a place, what else would the pixel faces of the other characters be for? -5.  Nagito, you’re at -35 now.

Nagito: "To be honest, before I arrived at this school, I did some research about everyone on the Internet."

…Then your prior introduction to them is useless and while it’s in-line with you as a Hope’s Peak fanatic, you put in effort Larry should’ve done. -5. I’m greasing the mould already.

Nagito: "I haven’t learned everything about everyone but… I’m pretty sure I can give you some helpful info."

Some self-deprecation. Nagito, the problem is you’re helping Larry be an incompetent hermit crab that only ever sees its shell. Take him, toss him in the sea, done. This’d improve the plot instantly. I’m torn on whether I should reset your counter right now.

Larry:"…Wait, you can research stuff like that on the Internet?"

When do you know something, Larry? You sulk like a kid that had its plastic truck taken away then ask about technology like you survived two World Wars and were able to buy a house.

Nagito: "Eh, you don’t know?"

Ok, counter reset. Yes, I’m confused, annoyed and in disbelief, all at once, just like you.

Nagito: "This school is so popular, there are message boards online dedicated to talking about its students."

Did the writers realise concentrating all this knowledge in the antagonist makes the ‘foil’ dynamic reflect the sun, heat up and burn to the ground? Larry should know that.

Larry: "Then… was I also…?"

…This should have made Nagito suspicious immediately.

Nagito: "Hmm… I don’t recall seeing your name there. I probably overlooked it…"

A fanatic like you? -10 for your own character assassination and plot enabling.

Nagito: "Well, it’s not your fault if you really can’t remember."

…Why does the character that can sense Hope and Despair think a black hole can have talent/hope/anything in him? -5

He’s a blank slate because of… what? Why is he? What’s the argument here? If you pay attention with half your brain and ears you’d be bored out of your mind. Are they too scared of making their protagonist grow early because the 6th class trial showdown will have some foundation to stand on? Ironic, that’s called good writing.

Larry: (I’m sure my name was mentioned on there…)

That’s the only thing you’ve been sure about so far. It’s ok, grandpa, let’s get to the next scene.

Larry: (It’s not a mistake I was accepted into Hope’s Peak Academy…)

Oh you remember you were accepted into the Academy, but forgot your talent? How convenient! Now you can play-pretend SHSL all you want! Spoiler: It won’t change that you’re… let’s check talents so far…

The SHSL Amnesiac, the SHSL Doormat, probably SHSL Bot. Neither contribute positively to society.

Nagito: "Anyway, I’ll help out too, so why don’t we begin making your introductions?"

Has no one realised that Larry’s leeching off Nagito for self-esteem and guidance in all scenes? This is a one-sided relationship, all things considered. Nagito enables his dysfunction. Does Nagito know better? Probably. -5 for him for plot convenience.

Larry: "O-Okay… you’re right."

Of course he needs to be convinced and reassured. As a character and a narrative device both, I hate you, and that’s hard to beat! I thought I hated KPOP Demon Hunters but this is a whole other level (over 9000).

Larry: (So first I need to introduce myself to everyone else on this island, then…)

More tape-winding…

OH MY GOD THE META VOICE IS EXPLAINING THE MAP AGAIN, SHUT UP ALREADY.

End of Day 4, ended at 30 min playtime. You know what’s impressive? Larry grates me so much that I understand why I hated him for all my time in this fandom! All in 30 minutes worth of playtime! He’s bending all the characters towards enabling his camera role and being his supportive cushion. This’ll get worse with Chiaki, I’m calling it. I'm grateful if I survive until the end of this prologue without pulling out Godot or TyranoBuilder and making my own version or ending up on the floor overdosed on cupcakes to cope. Tried rewriting DR3 and put it aside because my skill level was too low at that time, but I CAN TRY AGAIN FOR SDR2.

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 3

…Early day 3. This is actually still day 2 but I’m bored and I want to procrastinate doing laundry.

Back to Scene 1! Hajime finally finished his CHKDSK run and figured out his memory sector isn’t completely fucked!

{Scene 1 Extended - Prologue, Beach. An albino octopus, and more protag pacifiers. (20:00)}

Nagito:"Hey, are you sure you’re okay?"

You never asked Hajime, nor did he answer you. Why are you saying it like you’re double-checking?

Hajime: "…Leave me alone."

Wow, way to be an asshat, Hajime! You just tumbled for dramatic effect and someone who suddenly regained his braincells realised that implies you’re in bad condition! You’re like a kid that threw a tantrum and is now sitting in a corner sulking when you fainted and they were kind enough to watch over you.

Are you mad because you can’t attend Hope’s Peak?

Nagito: "There’s no way I can leave someone alone when they look that pale…"

Looks like they reversed the lobotomy. Was that classroom scene before a fever dream? Should’ve been one. 

Either way, is paleness Hajime’s default skin or is his personality colour-changing to match his Ramune-soiled bedsheets? And Nagito seems to be genuinely concerned for his health. At least right now it's not complete 'protag needs to be bottle-fed exposition' like before.

But if I had self-respect I'd already be gone. And we all know Nagito has none of that.

And Hajime ignores him again. Wow, you sure are a sunny personality!

Hajime: "…"

Hajime: (White sandy beach… Crystal blue ocean…)

Oh no he’s running the startup script from before again… And doing more redundancy.

Hajime: (The sun’s rays beaming down on me…)

I hope you get a tan because that’d be the only thing that could make you attractive enough to vaguely warrant the later harem.

Hajime: (This soft, tropical wind brushing my skin.)

This island has PALM TREES, SEAGULLS, SAND AND HIBISCI, OF COURSE IT’S TROPICAL! 

The ‘tropical’ in this already is implied and tells us nothing. No ocean salt on his lips, no, heat warbling off the sand, no nothing.

Hajime: (I… definitely don’t know what’s going on.)

We elaborated on that before. At this point, you’re a pet urchin washed up on Chandler Beach. Are your sneakers burning yet or did you get sand into them? That'll sure remind you this isn't a joke.

Hajime: (I was supposed to attend Hope’s Peak Academy. Why did this…?)

I called it lmao. And no, Hajime, you wouldn’t be able to enter the main building after 2016 because the anime decided the Reserve course has a separate building and destroy continuity!

Hajime: (Why… am I here at a place like this?)

Hey Nagito, can you talk please? I’m stuck in the monologue of this perpetually oblivious urchin otherwise. Hajime’s also ignoring you in favour of his tragic underdog yammering and wasting your time. Not to mention he’s suddenly rude after he was a wallflower for most of the classroom mayhem.

Hajime: "That rabbit thing said we’re… on a tropical island."

*yawn* You sure are perceptive, Hajime! Let me just fall asleep on my desk.

Nagito: "…Yeah, you’re right."

I can read two options out of this 1) Nagito wants to be polite even if Hajime is stupid, or 2) redundancy.

Hajime retreats into himself again! Maybe I should reframe him as a mollusc or a hermit crab. The latter sounds really compelling because he sure is setting himself up to be left behind!

Hajime: "…"

Hajime: (I have no idea what’s going on.)

Seriously, who in the editing team went over this and said ‘wow,  that’s a compelling protagonist’! So far, I only see why you’d feel superior to him because the bar is in the Mariana Trench.

Hajime: (That’s the only thing I can say with absolute certainty.)

Oh, you forgot your name? Can I give you a new one? I’d call you Larry for sport.

*Meta controls explanation I don’t care about cuz' I’m watching the walkthrough*

Hajime: *selects monitor* (Why is there a monitor in a place like this? The screen is blank… What is this being used for?)

When you click on Nagito before investigating everything else, Hajime goes ‘I should first understand the situation I’m in’.

Hajime, there’s nothing to understand except that you’re slow and pretty dense, now hurry up before you get red like a crab thrown into boiling water unless the Neo World Program gives you unlimited UV protection preloaded into your Student handbook.

This is the actual day 3 of doing this analysis. I’ve slept more. Time for more hermit crab side-running in the story!

Nagito: "Well, it’s a waste of time to think about it. Best not to worry!"

This is the same person that constantly worries whether his luck kills people and runs self-depreciation in his kernel like it’s SELinux? No it isn’t, shut the fuck up.

Hajime… excuse me, Larry: (What’s with this guy…? How can he be so calm in a situation like this?)

Because I overestimated the narrative and assumed they’d given up on giving you pacifier characters but apparently Nagito was the victim.

And if they would have asked for basic comprehension and continuity he’d be just as wound-up as you are. Cmon Larry do some stretches! You must’ve been standing for quite a while!

Oh and also, he isn’t calm, he’s lobotomised. Don’t take him seriously.  I don’t take you seriously either but you demand that.

Larry: (…Maybe he’s just a chill guy.)

That’s a side-effect of bad plot syndrome. Did you know smarter people get depressed easier?

*selects ocean*

Larry: (The crystal clear, shining blue sea… It’s perfect for a tropical island..)

Someone fucked up the ellipses again. I told you no one likes those. Are you reaching your limit on noise ammo for the later trial?

Either way… Perfect? How do you know? Have you ever seen other beaches? Or did you read it from the pamphlet they beamed into your brain?

Larry: (Just what is going on here?)

We had that before. You have the object permanence of a newborn and even that one recognises when they’re with their parents.

Larry: (I never wanted anything like this at all…)

…Are you sulking about being far from Hope’s Peak AGAIN? Bro seriously, you got a free (if suspicious) trip to a tropical island and are crying about it? Ungrateful. I’d drink and eat fresh coconuts until I’d be sick.

Nagito: "So, how are you feeling? Are you calmed down now?"

Larry might’ve infected you with stupidity so I’ve got to say I’m in a terrible mood.

Nagito: "Um… I understand your confusion after everything that’s happened."

No, not after everything that’s happened. Larry’s always confused. He’s probably powered by a hamster wheel but said hamster prefers to sleep or got yeeted out of it so hard they died.

And you’re implying you understand the situation. Did you ask Togami?

Nagito: "But, why don’t we start with an introduction?"

Oh yes, after laying on the blistering sand for god knows how long, I sure want to stand in the scorching heat, no water, no food, no nothing. Nagito, you SUNBURN EASY, get your vampire ass into the next building. Then again you're masochistic. You gonna turn that into a tangent about how the sun hates you, too?

Larry: "Introduction…?"

If your parents didn’t already buy you a dictionary, I’d get you one, my treat. How did you pass Elementary school? By stabbing your supervisors with your ahoge?

Nagito: "…I’m Nagito Komaeda. Nice to meet you."

Currently, you’re not Nagito and I’m suspicious of anything you say. Did he get infected by the Liar disease at the beginning of the game? Because that’s the only in-universe explanation I can find for his character shifting like river houses during floodings.

Ah yes, spinny logo, Lucky Student, I get it. NEXT.

Nagito: "Ah, along with my introduction… I guess I’ll also tell you about my talent so you know why Hope’s Peak Academy chose me."

Ok, I think he was unlobotomised again. Only normal Nagito would pick talent and Hope’s Peak as a conversation starter with someone he just met. I’m guessing it’s gonna cycle through all the characters out of obligation, but in this case it’s in-character.

Nagito: "Well, even if I tell you, in my case, it’s a pretty disappointing talent…"

You know what’s disappointing? That the game spoiled it for me already so your line lost the tension it could’ve had.

Larry: "A disappointing talent…? What do you mean?"

He clearly communicated he’s gonna tell you in the next line. Surprise Larry, talents can be disappointing. Imagine if you had a talent as a motorcyclist in a family of bakers. That click?

Nagito: "I’m lucky."

…Which was inferred by the spinny logo before. God this game is a waste of time.

Larry: "What are you talking about?"

If you cared about the school as much as you claim you’d know there’s a Lucky Student in every class since the school has existed. But that enforces it’s just a status symbol to you.

Nagito: "It’s not a joke or anything… That’s my actual talent."

Characters hate to take others’ words upfront, huh. Everything is taken as a joke.

I like Nagito’s softened text lines. It’s similar to what he’s doing in the Japanese version. And then there’s Bryce Papenbrook’s voice work which I have a problem with in this game. Can you tell I obsessed about this exploded soap for eight years?

Beautiful Ruin has been playing since Larry woke up. They’re trying so hard to make this chill when their setup ruins it for anyone who has two braincells. Oh and I wanted to go back to Usami’s Theme… a sec.

…They’re spoiling Monokuma. I’m crying and laughing. During the first scene on the beach the theme that’s played is called ‘Mr. Monokuma’s Practical Lesson’. Good to know Usami never had any merit beyond a red herring, but that'd be too generous. If they'd taken her seriously she'd have her own theme at least. She's just narrative padding... or stuffing. The plot feels like they wanted to make a red velvet plushie, forgot they had just two handful of good cotton and used moldy textile shredding to fill it in. Did no one QC this? Who allowed this to release? Most importantly, WHY'D IT GET SO POPULAR?!

Nagito: "I’m the (Ultimate) SHSL Lucky Student… At least, that’s what I’m called anyway."

Ok, this taps into him not believing that his luck is a talent because it is awful. Mood.

More on Bryce, he killed it in Another Episode as Servant, so I assume it must have been bad direction in SDR2. It’s still annoying because it shelves Nagito straight into a ‘hope nutcase’ box and everyone’s still harping on about bagel jokes. Has everyone forgotten he eats toast… like a shoujo anime lead, actually…

Please wash this out of my head.

Larry: "(Ultimate) SHSL Lucky Student?"

Where’s my screwdriver so I can rewind Larry’s brain tape?

Nagito: "Through a country-wide lottery, apparently only one ordinary student is selected at random to attend..."

…Which is what Hajime should’ve said both to elevate his character and the worldbuilding, but he needs to be babied constantly.

Nagito: "…Hope’s Peak Academy as the (Ultimate) SHSL Lucky Student."

This line needs to overflow into another textbox and I hate it. I needed to go back to read this properly. Most people will click through it so fast it’s negligible though.

Nagito: "And that lucky winner just so happened to be me."

"Just so happened", you know you’re a walking disaster but you’re good at downplaying it. I don’t blame you. You’ve seen some shit.

Notice how I’m taking him up-front? Because there’s some personality in there. And he’ll be there for most of the game.

I’ll have to be super careful though. I made my own personality documentation for him that I inferred through the game, which means I have an analysis bias. So a) this analysis reinforces that it’s rock-solid or b) I correct it and you’ll all benefit from it later. You’re welcome. I've already got to squeeze it around the lobotomy just seconds ago, but I'd take it as that Nagito seems like a chill guy if you were to meet him on the street... or on a school trip, that the game plays as 'relaxing'. Makes sense for someone this traumatised and sockpuppeted by a... god? Spirit? Curse? 

Has anyone in the universe ever nailed down what 'Luck' is? How did they get it into Kamukura in DR3? Did they do some kind of kegare ritual to get the gods angry or injected him with omamori extract?

Larry: (Chosen by a lottery… Is that really okay?)

…Did YOU apply for the lottery? Because you should have unless you’re a trust fund baby that’s got money in excess. Also you sure seem to be questioning the ‘easy’ way. Are you upset you needed to pay your way in and this mf didn’t?

Larry: (I mean… is luck even a real talent in the first place?)

You should’ve asked the (Ultimate) SHSL Hall Monitor. Being a teacher’s pet and yelling at people for running all your life doesn’t seem fun or talented, just stuck-up. 

This sentence is a poster for filler adjectives. The ‘real’ in ‘real talent’ devalues the ‘talent, because why’d you say it’s real? Any unreal talents out there you know of?

Larry: (…How strange.)

I’m surprised how you survived to high school, Larry. You feel like if you were dropped somewhere and received directions, you’d err over half the globe before reaching your destination. And you’d turn into a pig if tossed into cold water. However, you don't get the mercy of being OP and somewhat attractive... Come to think of it I still have to settle a score with THAT annoyance of an anime. Akane is an asshole that’s painted as endearing Tsundere.

Nagito: "Your face looks… troubled."

For one, why ‘your face’ specifically? Saying ‘You look… troubled.’ would’ve flowed better. For two, Nagito, you’re like a voluntary helper reminding someone with permanent brain damage that they wanted to put that puzzle piece there.

Larry: "Oh, no… I’m not troubled or anything."

LIARRRRR

Nagito: "No, it’s fine. I have mixed feelings about this, too."

Nagito calls out his bullshit and patches out the awkward lie with some empathy… I wished we had a better protagonist.

Nagito: "I never thought an average, talentless high school student like me would ever enter Hope’s Peak Academy…"

Oh, SELinux kicked in and got to the surface. Good, good. 

Nagito: "At first… I declined. I told them I didn’t deserve it. But they told me they really wanted me to attend."

This is excellent show-off for his self hatred and how little he values his talent… and himself, really. He’s average, talentless, despairing. Him, in an Academy of Hope? Nah, even if it’s his biggest dream. And then he gave in… I think it was because they told him because they wanted to research it. Which makes sense because the Kamukura Project needed it.

DING DING DING!

Nagito: "Apparently this so-called luck of mine is a talent that even the school doesn’t fully understand…"

And by extension, the writers of this world. Interesting he frames it as a recontextualisation. What did he call his luck before Hope’s Peak? A curse?

Nagito: "To research it, the school picks the (Ultimate) SHSL Lucky Student every year through an annual lottery."

If they’re still researching it after decades of this school’s existence, good luck figuring it out until the sun burns out.

(Edit: They somehow figured it out when creating Kamukura but never elaborated on the mechanics. I’m guessing luck is their magic narrative convenience button, explaining it would require them to abide by the rules.)

Nagito:"Hope’s Peak Academy is amazing if they can actually research something as vague as "luck".

…The guy with ‘boku’ pronouns, a black storm of self hatred and dementia has less ellipses than Larry. Is that a protagonist privilege?

Ok, Nagito. I’m gonna give you a sea animal too. An octopus, pretty smart, good at adapting to situations, AND THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO PULL LARRY OUT OF HIS SHELL. I get a strong feeling he’ll be the biggest, if not only voice of reason in this cast. Now, DON’T DISAPPOINT ME. But I’ll probably never need to roast you about it sooo… just in case?

Nagito: "Well, thanks to that luck, a guy like me was able to attend Hope’s Peak Academy, so for that I’m grateful…"

…That makes it sound like it was the first good thing you got out of your luck.

On the UI - did you know the beta had an FM radio in the top right corner that was replaced by the guitar? I loved that. Even now I think that more of a retro overlay/washed out photo texture would’ve kicked the ‘tropical/holiday’ feel into second gear.

Nagito: "But on the other hand… I feel a little out of place here."

Notice how Larry just… absorbs what he’s saying and never contributes? That’ll be important later.

But yep, on point, he feels like an imposter because to him, luck is not a talent. I’m impressed it stayed consistent for this long.

Nagito: "Ah, sorry. I have a bad habit of viewing most things through a pessimistic lens."

Yeah, cuz his luck never lets him rest. Even good luck ends in a tragedy waiting room. Still… you should be WAY MORE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE CAMERAS. Watch that never happen because it went against someone’s interests during production. Because technically, his luck could 'accidentally' snipe a camera with a coconut and Usami would be none the wiser. Bonus level if even Usami can't fix it.

Nagito: "Um, yeah, I guess that’s it for my introduction."

Nothing to say here.

Larry: (Hmm… Nagito Komaeda, huh…)

Oh, did you realise his name is also a lame meta joke because that’s apparently this game series' pre-order bait and switch? Nagito Komaeda transliterates into ‘Makoto Naegi da’ which is ‘I’m Makoto Naegi’ and then they forget about it. It’s an absolutely obscure name and I’m sure they pulled the kanji out of nowhere. When does the trailer 'foreshadowing' ever pay off?

Larry: (He doesn’t seem like the most reliable guy, but he doesn’t strike to me as a bad person either.)

You’re projecting. At least you’re doing something though. Why do you call the guy who waited for you to bumble around on the beach and rate palm trees unreliable? Nagito’s got more patience than me.

Nagito: "Now then, it’s your turn."

*Larry.exe crashed, please ask a system administrator for help*

Larry: "Yeah… I’m Hajime Hinata."

No, you’re Larry. You’re being inconsistent again.

Nagito: "Then, let me ask you a question: what is your (Ultimate talent) Super High School Level Title?"

It’s SHSL Trust Fund Kid, but that’s been done in THH already so he’s not special.

Larry: "Um, I… I… I…"

Larry: (I opened my mouth but the words would not form. I felt my thoughts stalling in my head.)

This analogy is ass again. If you have retrograde amnesia that’s heavily implied in Larry that’d be like reaching into a shelf where your favourite cup sits and feeling strange emptiness. It’s usually caused by trauma to the brain. The other option is repressed memory because the idea that Larry is a normie was too traumatic for him, which would be like hitting a wall that’s bouncing back. The ‘I felt’ is redundant. ‘My thoughts stalled.’ would be crisp and to the point.

Larry: (As if I opened a book expecting to find words, and instead found blank pages.)

I don’t know about you, but I like my metaphor better. It's more personal. I think there's uneasier things in this word than blank books... Like... finding your favourite pencil under a chair you vacuumed under for four years to where you thought it warped into another dimension and respawned here. Idk, maybe it had its fun time in Minecraft.

DAY 3 END (24:31). I don’t want to stay up for that long again, but I’m pretty happy! I was worried that I was just projecting personality on Nagito but his consistency is a glimmer of… hope. Watch me choke on that because this is DanganRonpa and they can’t go two seconds without it later.

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 2

This is Day 2, I got distracted and around 6h 30 min of sleep so I might not be as sharp. I’ll go back to this later and do annotations. We're still in Scene 3.

Teruteru: "That dizziness wasn’t just me?"

This implies they’ve already worried about it and just… didn’t mention it or show it. Which is stupid.

"Everyone felt the same dizziness… that’s weird!"

So is that you’re repeating what we just said. Let me guess, everyone gets to be the exposition piece and you will have too little personality outside of that to warrant your stay? Outside of Hajime, but he has protag privileges.

Mikan: "Even if it’s just a coincidence… it feels too good to be true…"

16 people being assembled in one classroom and experiencing the exact same weirdness can be a coincidence? Let me guess Mikan, you failed tests on probability.

MOREEE PADDING, NO MENTION OF THE DOOR, I NEED AN OPTOMETRIST.

Togami: "So you’re saying it’s not just a coincidence then."

Yes, that was implied through the sheer power of logic you lack.

Sonia: "Hm?"

What I’m seeing here is a loop of padding, random characters reacting to/lampshading Togami so it looks like they have agency and being obtuse.

Togami: "Meaning… we can only speculate who’s responsible for this strange phenomenon."

How about… you try to escape first? People that get you conked out usually have worse in mind than just getting you gathered in a classroom. Besides, who of you 16 hormonal idiots would be able to do it? And who’s responsible only matters for the plot.

Hajime: (Wh-Who’s responsible…?)

Seriously, can you believe this noodle uses ‘ore’? He just repeats other people’s words like a miswinded magnetic tape and stammers.

Hajime: (What is it…? It feels like… this is gonna get even stranger.)

God, you’re useless Hajime. And this is foreshadowing for ‘strangeness' that has been implied for plot only. If Togami were questioning who did it realistically, his first impulse would be, y’know, the bulky man in the same room that could bench press an iron ledger.

Nidai: "Hah! I don’t know what you’re so worried about, but that doesn’t sound like a huge deal!"

This gives him a surprising lot of character. 1) he’s dumb and doesn’t understand the situation, and 2) if these people were smart they’d have seen this line as a red herring that he did it.

Souda: "…What do you mean?"

Useless question. NEXT.

Nekomaru: "I mean it’s a minor problem. Instead of trying to figure out why we’re here, we should try to figure out why we can’t leave…"

I need to correct myself, why does this guy who looks like a meathead and should belong in a Bara manga have more braincells and practical thinking than the guy with glasses?

Akane: "Whaddaya mean we can’t leave?"

Like that wouldn’t have been mentioned or seen the second the guy tested the doors. This is characters keeping shit to themselves to pad out the runtime and make them look mysterious. I call that dumb writing.

Teruteru: "Eh!? Seriously!?"

*sigh*

Hajime: (I watched him rush over to the door and try with all his might to pull it open, but…) 

See my remark above. They should have figured this out before Hajime arrived.

Where’s Nagitooooo, everyone’s lobotomised, but I’m faintly hoping he wasn’t.

*clatter-clatter-clatter!*

Teruteru: "I-It won’t open! I can’t open it!"

…I’m bored.

Mahiru: "…Huh, why?"

This game sure loves its ellipses. Thank you for contributing nothing.

Nekomaru: "A little while after I got here, I tried to leave to go take a shit… But that door wouldn’t budge at all!"

Wow, 1) this isn’t funny and 2) I’ve already mentioned why this is dumb. Most people would try to leave a place they don’t know and panic when the doors are locked. That’s usually what happens when you get ABDUCTED.

Kazuichi: "Hey, hey… what’s going on?"

That the game you’re in is garbage and you’re mouthpieces. And also you’re being fed that to increase the tension.

Nekomaru: "Even with all my might, I couldn’t open it! It’d be absolutely impossible for all of you…"

No shit, you’re built like a boulder. And that doors cannot open could be a hint at the Neo World Program that’s never mentioned again.

Hiyoko: "Eh? What do you mean you couldn’t open it? Why? That’s not possible!"

Well, how isn’t it possible Hiyoko? Do you have experience with barricaded doors and breaking them open when you are a stick?

Hajime panics. Mr. Protagonist, everyone!

Hajime: "S-She’s right! It’s impossible! Because… when I went through the door, it opened normally… It wasn’t locked at all…!"

They’re panicking about the doors not opening now, exactly as I said, after Togami begged Hajime to come inside and close it again. Because IF they’d realised the doors don’t budge, they’d have begged him to keep it open. 

And now they acknowledge the door but not that it originally, y’know, floated in the void?? You’re all NPCs.

Peko: "Though I don’t understand what forces are at work here…"

No one tries to figure out WHY the door stays shut realistically (e.g. reinforced lock, metal door) and they just along with that it’s voodoo magic. And why doesn’t Nekomaru just punch through it? Are you scared of collateral damage at a time like this??

Peko: "There’s no denying that we have been locked inside this classroom."

This prologue would’ve survived by trimming 80 percent of the dialogue and this isn’t a hyperbole.

Hajime: (…Locked inside?)

He’s panicking harder. I wished you’d faint more often in this game than just in the prologue.

Hajime: "Wh-What do you… mean…?"

This is a ‘clarifying question’ that just repeats things. Peko just said it loud and clear. Do you have a problem with listening comprehension, Hinata? How’d you get out of Elementary school?

I just muted my mic because the voices distracted me but Despair Syndrome’s playing for tension. When did they kick that in?

Hajime: (I suddenly became aware of how heavy my body felt…)

Yeah, suddenly is a good word for this. Everyone suddenly remembers convienent things and is so calm you’d wonder if they got drugged twice.

Ok, I tracked back and Despair Syndrome started playing after Peko said the scary sentence. Before that it was ‘Beautiful Ruin’ which tells me that they were trying to make something that’s very fishy from the start seem casual and unassuming… like Hajime.

Hajime: (As though a feeling of unspeakable dread began settling on my shoulders.)

This is edgy writing and also redundant. We can imply from your prior sentence you’re shocked.

Kazuichi: "M-Maybe we’re… getting mixed up… in something dangerous?"

Oh, only noticed that now? Didn’t know you were running Windows Vista.

NAGITOOOOO… but also lobotomised.

Nagito: "Or perhaps… Doesn’t it make more sense to think that this is the entrance exam?"

…You got dizzy, found yourself in front of a door, felt commanded to go inside, the classroom doors are locked from the OUTSIDE and you consider it an entrance exam? I don’t know what your measure of normal is but either way, it’s as real as Hajime’s confidence. You especially should know because you were abducted once. SHUT UP.

Hajime: "…The entrance exam? You mean, Hope’s Peak Academy’s?"

They infer it being connected to Hope’s Peak with no explanation as to why or how they deduced it. And Sonia even calls it out.

Sonia: "But… according to Hope’s Peak Academy, no such entrance exam exists."

Nagito: "They may say that publicly, but it’s possible that this is actually a special entrance exam."

Why’d a surprise entrance exam need you locked in a room with your classmates? If this was a test of patience and intelligence all of you already failed.

Monomi: "Ah, you’re wrong. This is not an entrance exam."

Exactly! It’s a poorly veiled kidnapping that no one questions because plot!

Togami: "What was that just now?"

Fuyuhiko: "Hey fatass… why’d you make that cutesy voice all of a sudden?"

…Why are you attributing the voice to him? Does he look like he could make that voice? I DON’T THINK SO.

Togami: "I won’t dispute your blunt remark about my weight. But that voice you just heard was not mine."

No shit. Maybe ask the midget that looks like a kid at age 16 whether it’s fucking with them for funs and giggles instead.

Akane: "Then whose is it?"

…That of someone or something in the room? Did you look for any speakers yet? By how static you all are you didn’t even read the calligraphy training in the back that says ‘a violin’.

Monomi: "Um, it’s actually mine!"

…You have to set up a voice from nowhere and keep the speaker hidden because you need that magical girl reveal?

Nekomaru: "Who’s there!? Where are you!?"

FOLLOW YOUR EARS??? THEY WORK BETTER THAN YOUR MUSCLES.

Oh, the body pillow starts talking.

Chiaki: "It sounds like it came from behind the teacher’s desk."

…Sound is Ibuki’s specialty. If you had had Ibuki say it, this quote would’ve been 10 times better. 

Hajime: (Behind the teacher’s desk…?)

Monomi: "All right! I see everyone has arrived! Let’s begin!"

Who are you and how do you know everyone’s here? And this might be trying to gaslight us that no one is supposed to know how many students need to be in this classroom.

Whoops, I always wrote Usami as Monomi. Whatever, similar function. Whine, be scared about adult things, be incompetent, swing magical staff, beat MonoBeasts off-screen.

Sonia: "What… is that…?"

I’m sure your child self had a gaudy stuffed animal that looked like this.

Mahiru: "Um… It looks like a stuffed animal."

No shit. I need a counter for redundancy but that one would be in the twenties already.

Usami: "That’s right, I’m a squeezably soft stuffed animal."

Cool, redundant again. No one’s questioning how she summoned heart effects from her staff or moves. They need to figure out that she’s a stuffed animal first!

Usami: "Magical Miracle Girl * Usami… A.K.A. Usami!"

…Who decided that a therapist for terrorists should be a cuddle bunny with a magical girl branding, be scared of murder and have a decorated bib? And she’s not even cute. Just weird. Putting her in a frilly pastel office attire would’ve done the job much better.

Oh and they even play on that.

Usami: "I may not look like it but I’m your squeezably soft teacher."

You’re fundamentally unfit for the job. What’d they pay you in? Ecru? Fairy dust? A new staff?

Usami: "Nice to meet you all!"

I disagree. Anyway.

Teruteru: "H-Huh? Am I hallucinating? Am I the only one who’s seeing this?"

…Why are you panicking? Does that thing look like it will attack you? You know how to dissect a bunny for dinner, right?

Kazuichi: "Nah, I see it too…"

…Why are they insisting it’s a hallucination? It’s right there and talking?

Akane: "What’s with this talkin’ Chihuahua!?"

Usami just explained it. Did you and Hajime go to the same Elementary school?

Ibuki: "Eh!? That’s a Chihuahua!?"

Comedy for the sake of comedy that makes the other characters look stupid. Embarassing.

Usami: "…Does everybody here know what a rabbit is?"

Apparently not, maybe your design is good for people stuck with Elementary school brains.

Usami: "It’s a loveable animal that’s very fluffy and soft."

Usami is running an ad campagn for her species. Did you also know they have crazy libido, Usami? Why do you think they reproduce so fast?

Usami: "That’s what I am! A singing, dancing, talking rabbit mascot!"

Ok, NOW they should ask why they have a mascot for a teacher. Did the school lack the money to employ a competent human high school teacher? I guess so, being one is rough and pays shit, especially with a horde like this...

Teruteru: "H-Hold on! Let me process this first!"

…*Windows Vista reboot sound*

Usami: "Okie-dokie!"

Teruteru: "Um… what do you guys think?"

I think that you’re delusional and just as irrational as everyone else.

Teruteru: "I-I’ve never seen a stuffed animal that can sing, dance and talk before…"

Don’t insult the furries. Or animatronics. Or modern toys. I’m pretty sure he has a reference for either of those.

Fuyuhiko "I-It’s probably remote controlled or something… Don’t act like such a pussy over a child’s toy."

The stammer tells me you’re shaking in your leather shoes and need to shrug it off by being passive-aggressive to look strong and smart. Still dumb you’re that shaken.

Can I mention I hate the tint of green of the UI? This is almost greenscreen green and it hurts my eyes.

Kazuichi: "E-Even if it’s remote controlled, doesn’t it look too lifelike? That’s pretty advanced for a toy."

FINALLY. A character talks about something he has experience in. The irony that it’s someone who will be useless.

Togami: "Its movements and mannerisms are not the issue. More importantly, based on what it just said…"

Dude forgoes practical logic for marinating in advancing the plot. A mechanical magical girl bunny pops up that’s supposedly controlled by someone and overdesigned for its purpose. That should make you suspicious.

Togami: "It seems you know something about our current situation!"

Redundance again and… So do you. But that was conveniently ignored. How did you know you’re supposed to be 16?

Usami: "Of course I do! I’m the lead teacher of this school trip!"

…Repetition and then adding something that has not been mentioned before because we need another dramatic reveal.

Togami: "School trip…? Hey… what do you mean, school trip?" 

USAMI PUHUHUHs. Lazy red herring when everyone’s busy getting confused about her existing. This is just for the players to think she’ll be a Monokuma replacement. Get out.

Usami: "A large group of students go on a chaperoned trip with the lead teacher! It’s the biggest event of the school year!"

We know what a school trip is and you didn’t understand the implication because it’d mean the mystery would miss out.

And they’re playing "Re: Boys’ Life" which is trying to set up that all is wrong. You know what’d have been cooler? If they’d have thought this was a school trip from the beginning so Monokuma hits harder later! Usami is a speculation hook for getting people invested into pre-orders that you discard midway. The kidnapping/door thing just wants you to toy with expectations from THH. 

Hajime: "We’re not looking for such a literal answer…"

First time you’re saying something of value after how many lines?

Usami: "Now let’s depart for the fun school trip!"

Hajime: "Depart?"

And… you instantly blow it again. Goddammit Hajime.

Usami makes the classroom collapse like origami… which they should also question because it’s impossible that a contraption like that can withstand Mr. Muscle Man. {Scene 4 - Prologue, Beach. Usami, the walking HR sin. (14:45)}

Clean beach, ocean foam and sea gulls… of course Hajime has nothing of value to say again. 

Hajime: "Huh!?"

And then.

(I couldn’t believe my eyes. Not just my eyes, but my brain, too…)

Are you implying this is a hallucination too? That’s such lame shock fodder, come on now… You can FEEL the sunshine, the breeze, the sand, how would this be a trick??

Hajime: (The world just stopped making sense… The classroom collapsed like a stage set, and what appeared before me instead was… Blue sky… white clouds… Blue sea… white waves…)

Hajime: "What the hell is this!?"

Exactly what I’m seeing too. It’s a beach with palm trees.

Hajime: (No matter how I tried to rationalize it, it was… abnormal. Clearly unreasonable. Utterly crazy. Blatantly wrong.)

I know Hajime. This is the 20th time you repeated something someone else already inferred.

I’ll make a counter of every redundancy, every stupidity and plot convenience (usually in packages) every spot where they forgot the characterisation of the characters I know about, etc.

Usami as a red herring stays painfully stupid because even after she was run over by Monokuma and is devastated by it, they still assume she wants to trick them. She never graduates from red herring just so you can feel like Monokuma abusing his sister is funny.

Teruteru: "Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-What!?"

That’s 8 Wha’s and a moment of silence for the person that needed to transliterate this stupid meltdown.

Kazuichi: "This is a joke, right?"

Not that I know.

Ibuki: "Wh-Where are we!?"

THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION! And your answer is - far from home! Unless you recognize Okinawa but Okinawa has the U.S. military instead of cameras.

Mahiru: "Huh!? Wh-What’s going on!?"

You all have the psychological resistance of the soggy noodle you get when you tell a German to cook them al dente.

Usami: "Everyone! Please stay calm!"

You say it like it isn’t your fault they’re confused. You withhold information about where they are, how their parents are, when they’re gonna come back and dump them riiiight into a foreign environment because plot. An Elementary school teacher would take a day to get everyone accustomed first. Incompetent.

Usami: "There’s no reason to panic! Seeee? Look around! Feast your eyes on this beautiful ocean… It’s like your heart is being washed clean, isn’t it…?"

This makes her sound innocent when it’s sociopathic because she dismisses logic and the emotions and questions of her students.

Usami: "It washes away everything… even all the bad things…"

I hope it takes you with it. If this was supposed to be a jab at the Remnants, no one cares.

Peko: "Hold on, give us the details…! Where in the world are we?"

This girl murdered people? She sure is worried about her wellbeing and panicking when she’s usually stoic as hell.

Usami: "‘Where,’ you ask…? Well, obviously we’re…"

Oh no not this line.

Usami: "Out where it’s better! Out where it’s wetter!"

Vague and an innuendo on a stuffed animal magical girl? Ew.

(Edit: I’ve never watched the Little Mermaid in English, so the jab slipped right past me. Not like it matters. The reference is there because reference. Did you know the Japanese love Disney?)

Usami:"…Out by the sea!"

Mikan: "I-I understand this is the sea, but… what are we doing here!?"

She passes over her vagueness, which makes sense for someone like Mikan, more repetition, and another question that was answered already.

Usami: "You know… your throat’s gonna get hoarse if you keep screaming like that."

Shut up Usami.

Sonia: "But we were just at school and now we are by the sea… This is impossible…"

Note ‘at’ school. They’re still hung up on thinking they were at Hope’s Peak in that classroom which is implied by… nothing. Alternatively, they think that because their cutoff point is at the first time they entered the school building, but then Hajime’s memory is broken because walking into the main building is forbidden to a Reserve course student.

Usami: "Please do not worry. The school trip has just started! That’s all!"

Was the person that programmed Usami running on caffeine and fumes?

Ibuki: "But, like, why are we on a school trip all of a sudden!? You totally skipped all the stuff that comes first!"

And no one’s questioning the half-kidnapping and the amnesia now. NEXT PLOT HOLE.

Hajime: "She-She’s right…! We’re all supposed to be attending Hope’s Peak Academy."

No, not you, specifically, but that’s for an anime where Kodaka forgot about it later.

Usami: "Ah, Hope’s Peak Academy… I seeeee, I seeeee… You don’t say…"

You are supposed to be a teacher from Hope’s Peak and you act like a Freelancer they pulled in from nowhere, gave a preparatory corp slip and hoped they’d survive the job.

Usami: "You guys are feeling unsure about Hope’s Peak Academy. Then, in that case… Please forget about Hope’s Peak Academy! That’s why we’re having a school trip in the first place!"

Your pattern is ‘student worries -> you give a vague acknowledgement you heard them -> then dismiss them’. Normal people call that gaslighting.

Hajime: "…Huh?"

Cool reaction. NEXT.

Fuyuhiko: "The hell do you mean we should forget about it!?"

Correct question! Now let’s see how she answers.

Togami: "Hey… what are you? Just what are you scheming?"

You abandoned the remote control mention because that’s what they did in THH.

(Edit: They bring it up again later. Whatever the tension Gacha demands!)

Usami: "Wha-Wha-Whaaat!? I’m not scheming anything! I’m doing this for everyone’s sake."

Oh, now she’s turning it into their problem for being ‘mean’.

Usami: "I’m praying from the bottom of my heart that hope will grow within everyone’s heart!"

From FTE’ing a predator? Also note she ignored Fuyuhiko.

Usami: "There’s nothing dangerous on this island whatsoever! So please, there’s no need to worry at all!"

You forgot people can get hurt in creative ways.

Nagito: "Island…? Did you just say ‘island’?"

This is also a catch for continuity’s sake. It’d be less mysterious if she’d told them where they are! You guys should be more suspicious than ever because it’s on an island and everything’s pointing to someone holding you all for a ransom.

Usami: "Yup, and it certainly is beautiful."

She doesn’t mention it slipped up. Usami is just that stupid.

Usami: "It was prepared just for us, an island free from other people and danger."

That’s holding you hostage in doublespeak.

Hajime: "Are you saying this island is uninhabited?"

*yawns*

Nagito: "Perhaps… you brought us to this uninhabited island to make us kill each other?"

This is such a lame meta joke again. What advantage would their oppressors gain by doing that? Stop putting words in characters’ mouths.

Usami:"Ha-wa-wa!? K-Kill each other!? Nuh-uh! No way! Bloody business, like causing violence or inflicting pain, is a big no-no on this island!"

I’m getting a headache so you’d get a penalty first.

Usami: "Even the world "kill"… Just saying it horrifies me!"

…I said all that needs to be said.

Usami: "Kyaaa! So scary!"

You’re not automatically becoming a Puella Magi by saying ‘Kyaaa’. That’s reserved by Middle schoolers with identity problems who run out of their house with toast in their mouth, play group mediator and have a friend that becomes the devil to save them.

Togami: "Then… what is this "school trip" you mentioned? What do you intend for us to do on this island?"

…You’re supposed to do things on school trips? I thought you were supposed to relax? Is this a push towards the Free Time Events?

Usami: "All righty! I shall announce it to everyone right now!"

DON’T ANNOUNCE TO ANNOUNCE IT. JUST SAY IT.

Usami: "While you all relax on this island paradise, you must get along and strengthen your bonds with one another."

Ayup. With the guy who spikes your food and the other one who collects your underwear?

Usami: "That is the main rule on this heart-throbbing school trip!"

…Who supervised the Neo World Program? Is Alter Ego ok?

Oh and the UI changed to a more pleasant yellow when the paper classroom collapsed. Good.

Togami: "'Heart-throbbing school trip’…?"

II’d be scared too imagining what’s ahead with these people.

Usami: "Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope and lazing about, free from pain, free from suffering…"

Why is she implying pain and suffering? 1) vague Remnant tie-in that makes no sense because she’s talking to students right now unless 2) school is suffering. Well… it kinda is?

II’m tired of all these ellipses. 

Usami: "Truly, this lovey-dovey heart-throbbing school trip is… Everyone’s homework!"

Homework sucks. Thanks for ruining the school trip for teens that just wanna chill out.

Hajime: "What the hell does that even mean?"

Hajime, you’re dumber than purin and it’s made of milk and caramel.

Usami: "Now then… Let the heart-throbbing school trip begin!"

Hajime: (It goes without saying, but… I had no idea what she was talking about.)

When do you, Hajime? Nagito is lobotomised too and lost his glasses from his beta design, but at least I don’t have to listen to him be assassinated constantly.

Hajime: (I couldn’t follow her words at all… And then, just like that… Like a curtain slowly lowering… My mind ground to a halt.)

POV Hajime faints like a Victorian woman whose corset was pulled too tight for a party. At least the woman has a reason.

Also the image it portrays is awful. Lowering a curtain is slow and sets up for the next scene or applause, makes you anticipate the actors coming back!. And then grinding to a halt is for a Windows PC that realised it had to install an update and throws your script draft into the Farplane.

As an intervention message, they show off the Dangan Island intro that’d have meant more if Usami were competent and they’d have come to the island straight-up!

Day Two finished after I don’t care how many hours, stopped at minute 20. Cycles right back to Nagito at the beach. I’ll write some Pokemon fanfiction as a brain cleanser.

Note for coming day 3 - I’m violently begging Nagito to overcome his lobotomy by sheer power of… surviving the prologue. They also played Usami’s theme when she appeared, but I remember it being mismatched to her looks and role. Gonna check that later.

[s1naesthesia]

Of Sin, Salt and Slack : A SDR2 Critical Walkthrough, Day 1

Welcome to the madness! This is an analysis of SDR2 based on the walkthrough from LACRY, English text, Japanese voices. I have added timestamps for the beginning of each scene. I’m my own beta, so if you catch any errors I missed, write them down and I’ll fix them. 

I started this analysis because I wrote up a rant about Super Dangan Ronpa 2’s flaws as a narrative and was bothered by my vague claims. With this, I want to ensure it's water-, air- and sand-tight. It’s all or nothing, baby! GAME START!

{Scene 1 - Prologue, Beach. Hajime wakes to Nagito's voice.  (01:38)}

Hajime wakes from Nagito asking whether he’s ok. He says both Hajime and himself are confused about the situation like everyone else. Nagito asks whether he’s listening and Hajime dives back into his brain for a flashback. Mid-brain Hajime admits he can’t even remember what happened and needs to think really hard. Did bro seriously panic so hard he forgot about his entire life like in an edgy teen romance fanfic except the protag usually gets brain damage in those?

Digital Boot screen. NIS America translated it to Dangan Ronpa 2 for reason unknown to my non-American brain.

It’s SUPER Dangan Ronpa 2, you muppet.

{Scene 2 - Prologue, Mid-brain Hope’s Peak. Hajime monologues about his motivations. (3:00)}

I don’t like the background music because of how whimsical it is. Bro’s explaining his life and they give him slow-swing and guitar strings? Sure. 

Hajime is euphoric to become a cog in the machine of Hope’s Peak.

Hajime: "I felt like… I had just become a part of something greater than myself. Does that make sense?"

He considers it the final destination of… being, as a human. Ever since he was a kid. Not weird to look up to a school at all when you’re still scraping up your knees. Did you like... see anyone cool you looked up to? I'm guessing that'll never be elaborated on.

Hope’s Peak Worldbuilding exposition because of course Hajime is the mouthpiece for it. And then they lead into an insignificant tangent of success and leader roles of alumni in industries by calling it the Academy of "Hope". Yep, Hajime, you like working yourself to death, don’t you?

(Note: This is an initial misread because the text is vague and on the base of Japanese society you could argue ‘hard work’ equals good standing and high rank but in DR’s universe it’s really just about Hope’s Peak’s image generation as depicted in DR3 and Zero. That’s because it’s only the school's alumni. Hajime's standing as a Reserve course student underlines it because they pay for the privilege of association (and maybe eventually being promoted to the Main course?) They like those who have talent, not those with work ethos. The cool kids won't like you if you buy Desigual instead of Burberry, but with private schools! This is the most Japanese game of all time.)

Scouting is mentioned but none of the characters ever mention how they got scouted. DR3? Leave that to the hungover fedora buddy of the headmaster!

Hajime: "The truth is, my circumstance is a little different than that of my peers."

And he pushes it aside as nothing worth mentioning right now because it’s not special. Someone ashamed huh.

If this were smart writing, they’d have teased Kamukura in this.

Hajime: "I’m not so special that I have to introduce myself, and formalities are always a little embarrassing…"

That’s supposed to make him sound bashful and relatable but I have no idea why he’d be embarrassed about formalities. You are being formal to others?? It’s got nothing to do with ya son. But if it’s expected he’ll do it.

And then they pull out the ‘ore’ designation that will never matter because Hajime never roughhouses anyone and looks like a noodle. Do you think he looks like he should say ‘ore'? I don’t.

Oh yup, Hope’s Peak got himself cult-following by a moth that got attracted by the light.

Hajime:"There’s only one reason I came to Hope’s Peak Academy… Because I admired Hope’s Peak Academy."

THAT’S NOT HOW PEOPLE WORK. Youd have to have, as above, some kind of person to emphasise with or admire their prowess to see yourself in them. What about Hope’s Peak does he like? The reputation? The headmaster? The building? No one gives a shit, apparently, but this MATTERS.

Hajime: "To me, attending Hope’s Peak Academy is like being a celebrity or a superhero."

Oh so he wants to join the secret circle to feel special. He reframes it as a dream and now the game starts bugging around.

Hajime: "That’s why, to feel like a member of society, to become someone I can be proud of, I always wanted to…"

Incoherent blabbering and FINALLY.

Hajime: "I never wanted to admit how painfully ordinary I really am. That’s why… hope."

DING DING DING. You’re a normie, Hajime! And you just have to dream up sitting with the celebs to forget that! 

Hajime: "I might have admired talent… individuality… but i have finally… forever tried 0 tried my best… finally came tru3+d."

You tried hard? Your parents tried hard to get you in there with their money. Again, talent and individuality are abstract concepts. You can’t really do anything with them without having a specific output for them. Talent can span from Gardener to Circus artist, individuality from gyaru to sukeban to the nerd in his parents’ basement. Which one is it?

And then the whole thing yeets itself from existence.

{Scene 3 - Prologue, Fake Classroom Mayhem. Realism? Where?  (06:10)}

Hajime: "There’s a door."

No shit Hajime, are you surprised doors exist? Did your mom make you forget your room has one? It’s hovering in nothingness but it’s a door!

And then he gets this weird feeling that he needs to hurry and go inside. He questions it for a moment, and enters it.

This is a useless scene. It makes Hajime look like a dumbass and sets up the virtual space in hopes players notice foreshadowing when they could’ve just all woken up inside the classroom/or Hajime thought he was gonna need to attend his first day in class.

Whoosh. People!

Peko:"Who goes there?” 

That's such a weird phrasing of ‘why the fuck are you here and where did you come from’. Please spit out the dictionary.

Mahiru: "Um, are you feeling alright? You look quite pale."

Is this noodle half-fainting after meeting people? Hajime, you should’ve become a NEET.

Sonia: "Hey, could you be… you’re also a freshman at this school, right?"

If everyone else is, why wouldn’t he be? This is just explaining for the sake of explaining.

(Edit: How they fuck do they know he’s a freshman too? He’s a Reserve course dude. And a stranger. Unless someone checked attendance but I don’t see a book for that anywhere.)

And then Kazuichi elaborates on that. Wow, I’m pretty sure you didn’t treat any other of these characters with this much attention! If they’d all just gone ‘hey, how’d you get through that door’ that’d have been way more interesting.

And then… Hajime infers they’re from Hope’s Peak when that was never mentioned before? How do you know who they are? EXPLAIN Hajime.

Chiaki: ”I assume…freshmen like us have been gathered in this classroom."

More pointless exposition. Yes, I can see there’s a lot of students here.

Byakuya: "Why don’t you just come inside for now?"

Oh he’s been frozen in the doorframe for an eternity now? At this point, have the sixteen other students missed the gaping #000 colour background behind Hajime instead of a hallway? Nah, he needs to come inside so we need to panic that the doors don’t open later!

He babbles that he will  (and he said before that politeness embarrasses him, which means that wouldn’t be his first impulse) and then goes.

Hajime: "Wait, why am I being so polite? They’re just high schoolers, like me."

Ooooh, this is Hajime grasping at straws now that he’s got his ticket into the VIP room of Hope's Peak. You conveniently forgot you should be polite to strangers when you said you do what’s… expected? You just don't want to feel inferior in a room full of accomplished people your age because you're too high up your own ass to believe you can't make it.

If I infer this from Scene 2, they tied in his embarrassment about politeness to make him seem casual in a scene where he meets his idols… and contradicted themselves straight-up.

Hajime: "That’s right… First impressions are crucial in moments like this! I need to act more confident!"

Mark on the ‘act’ confident. Hajime’s not confident. He just wants them to think he is so he looks better. 

Hajime: "Thus, to hide my nervousness from the others, and while trying my very best to act cool…"

Cool you walked right into the point I made. NEXT.

Hajime: "I stepped inside, closed the door behind me and sat in an open seat at the back of the classroom."

Ah, he went for the protagonist seat. And why’s he sitting? Most people are standing? It’s always weird to infer it in a game where no one has sitting sprites.

Oh NOW Hajime questions the door, after it’s no longer dangerous to the plot to keep it open.

Hajime: "Anyway, what just happened earlier? I wanted to be here and then a classroom door appeared right in front of me."

Hajime got the Nr.1 price on the wish fulfillment lottery. And it wasn’t inferred he wanted to be with the other SHSLs (I’m not calling them Ultimates, deal with it). Saying ‘I wished I could live the same life as them’ would’ve been a neat transition but now it’s like stitching together denim and silk. He only went in on impulse. Maybe Hajime really is a skinwalker.

Did they write these scenes separately? Translation or not, a storyboard would've been really cool because a visual novel technically is a light novel with game mechanics, sprites and audio. This'd have avoided a lot of these continuity errors.

Hajime: "But… how did I walk to this classroom? I don’t remember… Something’s… weird."

The door floating in nothingness isn’t weird? Do we need to get you contact lenses? Hajime also shoots ellipses like they’re bullets. That’s something you usually do when you have a contemplative or insecure character. Does that match with a dude who says ‘ore’ and sounds like a woman in Japanese?

This only reinforces why simple ‘waking up in this classroom’ would have been better.

Hajime: "Um… excuse me?"

Insecure and polite. What did Hajme say before again? He wanted to be casual? Pick one.

Hajime: "Why are we gathered in this classroom? No one said anything about coming here, so… is there like, an entrance ceremony or homeroom happening now?"

First Hajime quotes that ‘no one said anything’ instead of ‘I don’t remember why I’m here’. Either does he depend on others to tell him what’s going on, or they want to avoid them getting to the meat so they can drop the bomb and create more tension only when Hajime’s there. Instead of them saying what they assume is happening, Hajime needs to ask.

Byakuya: "Actually, we were just about to discuss that matter."

Sir, you don’t just hold out something as important as being hoarded in a classroom until an extra rando comes around.

Hajime: "Discuss?"

Never heard that word, Hajime? You probably only know ‘agreement’.

Byakuya: "Well, since you’re the last student to arrive, let’s start the discussion.”

That’s also a contradiction. Since 16 chairs are in the classroom, they’d not have waited for Hajime to appear. 

Ibuki: "Eh, this is everyone? How do you know?”

Yes, I am curious too, Ibuki! But you asking is also exposition and doesn’t matter because as I said…

(Note: This is also a slipup from me. I’ve done so much fan content I forgot the official game only has sixteen students. Still, they wouldn’t wait for Hajime because they don’t know whether they really will be sixteen. In DR3 they were 15 but who cares about continuity?)

Teruteru: "And just what are we gonna ask about?"

The same thing you probably also need contact lenses for. Being hoarded in a classroom for an unmentioned amount of time, floating doors, Hajime’s terrible haircut.

Teruteru: "The reason we’re all gathered in this classroom?"

Is this toddler’s first visual novel? Are we going in circles??

Byakuya: "First, I need to confirm something. Is there anyone who actually remembers how they came to this classroom?"

You also need contact lenses and you have GLASSES. Sir I’m heartbroken. Nope, no floating door, no voice in your brain telling you to go in there, that doesn’t matter anymore.

Hajime: "Eh?!"

Finally some warranted surprise. I got tired. Still… would no one be nervous after that and shuffle around? Everyone’s chill for no reason. I want whatever you guys are smoking.

Hajime: (We all looked at each other. A surprised look appeared on everyone’s face… Not one person raised their hand.)

You have amnesia and you treat it like a professor just asked you a mildly unpleasant question.

Byakuya: "So before you realised it, you were in this classroom… Then everyone here is in the same predicament."

Hold up. ‘Before you realised it’ implied they were only half-aware of what they were doing. I’m still holding on to that the Neo World program can do it.

They’re trying to make Byakuya the ‘Leader Personality’ TM but he just feels very haphazard about it. Like he wants to get it over with and visit the next KFC. Me too.

Byakuya: "No matter how you look at it, it’s unnatural. Even you stupid-looking ones would agree."

The Japanese voice says something along the lines of ‘It’s strange’, which frustrates me because if this were fully voice-acted I could tell if the translation were on point.

Aaaand we’re going in circles.

Mahiru: "…Hey! What do you mean, 'stupid-looking'"!?

Good job, instead of contributing, you’re reacting. I’m guessing you do that for most of the game.

Byakuya: "The moment you set foot on campus, you felt a strange dizziness and now you’re here and you don’t know why."

They keep ignoring the door and I WILL NOT SHUT UP ABOUT IT. And this sentence feels like it wants to gaslight us about it too. No, Hajime didn’t feel dizzy in his flashback, but yes, no one knows why they’re here.

Byakuya: "This is what I experienced before I arrived here. Am I correct in assuming that’s true for all of you?"

I’m sure it’s not even true for you. Something in the Neo World Program is doing weird shit.

Hajime: "Th-That happened to me too, but…"

Useless repetition, NEXT.

End of Day 1, stopped at 10:00. Took me 3 h 30 min.