#slbpmcweek

july 29 to august 4 is appreciation week for samurai love ballad party's radiance mc and shadow mc! information here!

[secretpeachstash]

SLBP MC Week | Day Six: Free Day

okay but pls consider….. disabled mc…….

i won’t force anyone to listen to my headcanons on this and what exactly she struggles with. im just putting this out there bc i like it and it means a lot to me

also a good opportunity to draw mc in some braided hairstyles i love braids they’re so cute and fun like mc i love her

i know mc week is technically over please don’t remind me i still got one more thing left to do for it

[slbpmcweek]

#SLBPMCWEEK 2018 is now closed!

A huge thanks to everyone who’s participated and shared their amazing creations with the fandom—all of you made this wonderful week happen! It was so lovely being able to celebrate and appreciate the girls with everyone!

Let us know if there are any creations that we missed out on reblogging or if you’ve got a late submission! We’ll be on the lookout as well.

Thank you again for the amazing week! ❤️

[apassingmc]

3rd times the charm. I typed this entire thing out twice already, yet it still refuses to post…

Anyways, final day of @slbpmcweek! Doing every day was a fun challenge. Thanks to the person who ran the blog, as well as all of the people who participated; all of you are amazing and talented people.

Even though mc appreciation week is coming to a close, I’ll still appreciate this game. It made the past year bearable for me when times were really bad.

Without further ado,

Day 7: Bravery/Kindness

“I envy you, you know?”

She stares up at me with one eye, her other eye still swollen shut. “You envy me right now?”

I try not to snort, but I end up doing so anyways. She posts at me. “Well, no. No, I don’t envy your face. I mean I envy you in general.”

“What is there to envy? I’m from humble restaurant household. Not much to be envious of there.”

“I don’t know. I know a lot of people who would die to be in your position.” And I know a handful who have died to try and be in her position. I know we’re still trying. “A normal life…”

She grasps her men’s hakama, her mouth lowering into a grimace. “I really don’t think the situation I’m in is ‘normal…’”

I offer her a shaky smile, continuing with the bandage around her arm. “Maybe not.” Round and round it goes, chasing itself around the column of scratched skin. The retainers really didn’t hold back in training today. “But you really are brave, you know. Kind too.”

“Not as brave or kind as you. You’re a you-know-what!”

A chuckle bursts out of me when she avoids the word ninja. “I assure you, there’s nothing kind about being a 'you-know-what.’”

Finished with bandaging, I begin to apply ointment to her swollen eye. Before I can, however, she holds up a hand to stop me.

“You wouldn’t be doing this for me then, if you weren’t kind.”

I had no words to respond to that. None really, when she might be right. I give her my best smile, shaky at best, before applying the ointment.

“I suppose…”

Maybe, just maybe, I can believe it.

“Everyone is kind and brave in their own way.” She says this with the utmost confidence.

If she is determined to think I’m nice, then… then I’ll let her. Because, I want to be thought of as that. Brave. Kind.

“Thanks… ’Yahiko.’” She stiffens under my work, a child caught doing something they shouldn’t be doing. “Don’t worry. I don’t know what situation you’re stuck in, and I won’t speak of it to anyone. But I just want you to know…” With one eye looking up at me, I grasp her shoulders tight. “You are kind, but for you to do all this? You are brave.”

She shakes in my grasp, hiccuping before throwing herself into my arms. I’m not used to a hug so sudden, not even from Kaede. But even so, I allow her to use me as her comfort, wrapping my arms around her in return. She has given me comfort too, when I didn’t realize I needed it.

Brave. Kind.

We are brave. We are kind.

“Everyone is kind and brave in their own way.”

And I truly believe in her words.

[toffeen]

Day 5 of @slbpmcweek​: Duty / Love

Now here we stand, unafraid of the future…at the beginning with you

[randomhomosapiens]

So it’s the last day of @slbpmcweek ? Bravery / Kindness

I feel like Saizo’s mc…… might be a fighter smh at some point….. and also Saizo trains her….. he wants her to know how to defend herself…. and also …. she might ask Yukimura for help with that training…. which explains the yukimurish style… and the red hairband …..

[sharksmirk]

For @slbpmcweek - a witches AU because god forbid I ever draw any fanart that makes sense 😅 Also I would play the ever-loving daylights out a witch-themed otome.

[pureraging]

hair swap!!!! late but it’s for the free day of @slbpmcweek lol

i shat this out in five minutes can you tell

[flatsuke]

Thanks, little lady.

A little comic I made for @slbpmcweek Day 7: Bravery/Kindness.

Meta below:

Keep reading

[apassingmc]

Ikemen Sengoku: Love Ballad Party

Day 6: Free Day — AU’s, OC’s, etc.

It is a warm and peaceful day.

“…aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—”

The two look around, eyes frantically searching for the sudden noise before the ninja abruptly shoves chef to the ground. A moment later, she joins the chef on the ground, a third person on top of her.

It is a warm day.

“Oh my gosh!” The cook quickly gets up, at her friend’s side at an instant. “Are you okay?”

“I caught a person who fell from the sky using my back,” comes a deadpan voice, the ninja raising herself up with a groan.

“A-ah, well…”

A sigh. “I’m fine.” Turning, she takes a glance at the person who nearly crushed them both. A woman with a pink kimono offers a dazed blink back at her. She has a small braid in her hazel hair, disheveled from the fall. “Are YOU okay?”

Another blink. And then, a shriek.

“AHH, WHO ARE YOU?!”

“AAAAH!” The chef is jumping back just as the woman scrambles off of the ninja. In a flash, all three of them are on their feet and staring wearily at each other.

“Let’s try to calm down, alright?” The ninja stands in front of the cook, fingers twitching towards her weapons pouch. “Where did you come from?”

“A-Azuchi Castle. Where am I?”

“Azuchi Castle?” the cook echoes. “That’s where you are now. Azuchi Castle.”

“What? This doesn’t look anything like Azuchi Castle…” Looking around confusedly, she shuffles uncomfortably from foot to foot. “You wouldn’t have happened to see a strange guy around here, have you? Um, brown hair, ninja… kind of eccentric? His name is Sasuke.”

“Sasuke?” The ninja frowns. “As in Sarutobi Sasuke? You know him?”

“You know Sasuke?”

“Yeah. Big, strong, charismatic?”

“No, Sasuke is the opposite of that. He’s a lanky, nerd… guy!” The stranger’s brows furrow for only a moment before she’s groaning into her hand. “We had just seen each other in the garden when… that storm that came out of nowhere…” She lets out a colorful string of curses, grumbling something about lightning, time, and possibly space, though none of it is comprehensible to the two. “FIRST IT WAS 5000 YEARS FROM THE FUTURE, THEN IT WAS BEARS—” It only makes less sense as she continues to rant on.

“Maybe she needs help…” the chef whispers.

“And what do you suppose we do?” The ninja frowns, quite content with backing away slowly. Any medicine she can make in her arsenal won’t help with the level of crazy the woman is giving off.

“What is all the commotion in the gardens?”

The duo freezes, turning slowly. Strolling up to them is Nobunaga himself, Mitsuhide in tow.

“Milord Nobunaga!”

“Wha—? That’s Nobunaga?!”

His gunpowder-colored eyes immediately lock on to the third girl. “Looks like someone is lacking in respect.” A pause. “I don’t recognize you.”

“Same,” she mumbles under her breath. “You look completely different in this dimension.”

“What nonsense are you speaking of?” Spotting the dangerous glint in his eyes, she is quick to back off slightly before Mitsuhide intervenes.

“Milord, perhaps we should ask about the situation before jumping to conclusions.”

The tension in the air lingers for a few moments before he nods. “Deal with it, Mitsuhide.”

“It shall be done, milord.”

The moment Nobunaga is out of earshot, twin sighs of relief from the women follow. The stranger blinks, dazed.

“Did Mitsuhide just talk with respect?”

Mitsuhide gives her an odd look before looking at the other two women. “What happened here? Who is she?”

“She fell on me, milord,” the ninja reports. “I’m not sure from where, but I was able to break her fall.”

Mitsuhide gives them both a concerned glance. “Are you alright? You aren’t injured, are you?”

“Mitsuhide is actually nice?”

This time, she receives concerned glances from all three of them.

“He’s always nice,” the chef whispers to her, “not that you’d know that.”

The woman offers them a look, as if she has just swallowed something sour. “What kind of backwards world did I end up in this time?”

Little did the chatelaine of an Oda from a different dimension know, this is only the beginning of another convoluted story in her life.

=—>

BONUS

Radiance!MC: Ah! It’s me?! Why is there another me? Is someone trying to invade the castle by posing as me?

AS!MC (Another Story): Who are you? Why are you impersonating me? How did I even get here?!

Shadow!MC: This “Radiance?MC” can fight? Must be a spy. Get behind me… I won’t let you touch her, you fake!

Ikesen!MC: How do I keep getting into situations like these? I’m pretty sure we broke the space-time continuum…

[apassingmc]

For some reason, my day 4/5 of @slbpmcweek didn’t post, so I’m gonna try again.

Day 4: Girlhood/Responsibility

Radiance!MC gave Shadow!MC her first ninja scarf!

And it’s handknit and everything too. You know you’re a responsible ninja once you get your first ninja scarf!

Unless your Genya.

Or Kotaro.

=—>

Day 5: Duty/Love

Look! They’re slacking off doing their jobs before a battle!

For someone who barely wears any armor, Inuchiyo’s outfit is so hecking complicated…

[secretpeachstash]

SLBP MC Week | Day Four: Girlhood/Responsibility

i guess i have to accept that ill never be on time for any day this week ((유∀유|||)) but i really hate that i take so long to work to begin with

mc’s bond with sasuke is one of my favorite things. whenever they hang out together i cry

@slbpmcweek

[little-mini-writer]

SLBPMCWEEK - Day 1 Family/Past

A/N: Ok so this is SUPER DUPER TERRIBLY LATE FOR SLBPMCWEEK. I have been throwing around so many ideas in my head and I just couldn’t seem to finish them on time for the proper days with everything going on in my life. XD

I’m probably going to just post headcanons for this week and then I’ll go back and write them out into drabbles later. After I’m done screaming at myself to actually write it out… Gonna focus on cranking out more headcanons today!

Tagging: @slbpmcweek! 

Plot: Hanako(Radiance MC) and Tsukiko(Shadow MC) met when they were kids, both around 8 years old.

Rating: SFW

Basically Tsuki was lost one day in the forest without Sakuya there with her and it was getting dark

Hana’s dad found Tsuki while he was foraging for herbs and veggies on the way home

He sees she’s crying because she’s alone and asks if she’s ok and where does she live bc he’ll take her back home

Tsuki can’t tell him bc she’s a ninja in training and lives in a ninja village, duh

But she really wants to bc she misses her dad, Kaede and Sakuya

She lies and tells him that she doesn’t know how to get back to her home or the name of it because she rarely leaves her home.

So Hana’s dad believes her because he is a nice and caring man and takes her back home with him to the restaurant and his home and then help Tsuki by asking around the village the next day. Mentions that she can help out during the day in the restaurant while he searches for her father in exchange, seeing her being apprehensive about staying with him for the night

Cue Hana’s mom going into mother bear mode and brings Tsuki into her home to eat and sleep, no problemo

Yahiko is like, “OOO NEW FRIEND!” in toddler babble because he is about 2-4 years old(I think Hana is about 4-6 years older than him, so I’m just gonna leave it at that until I find that one post from someone talking about their ages.) Hana reacts the same way, but with words, to Tsuki.

The whole fam + Tsuki eats dinner and chat, Hana and Tsuki warming up to each other after they talk about their dreams and their favorite games after Tsuki gets used to Hana’s friendly family

“Hey, let’s be friends! It’s so boring at home with only Yahiko and my other friend Inuchiyo. Not many of the other girls come by.”

“Sure! I have to ask my dad though because we live kinda far from Kyoto, but maybe I can send you letters and visit sometimes!”

Tsuki likes the idea of having a normal friend in Hana, gives her a sort of relief from the ninja life and her duty when she’s overwhelmed. Lowkey being with Hana’s fam makes her really miss her fam, and want a sibling

Fast forward to morning, Hana’s parents work at the restaurant with the girls helping out here and there, Yahiko babbling, pooping and napping in the backrooms, Hana’s dad goes out to look for Tsuki’s dad when he takes a break or goes out to the market for more ingredients while his wife holds the fort down

Low and behold Sakuya locates Tsuki at the restaurant when Hana’s dad is in the back cooking with the help of Tobimaru and his ninja skills

“Tsuki come on we have to go, your dad sent me to find you.” aka you’re screwed, your dad and I told you not to go too far from the village and look at you now! We gotta go home before you get into even more trouble if he knows you stayed with a villager’s family!

Hana’s mom is concerned with two young children going home alone, but Hana’s dad says it’s fine, there’s still daylight and their home shouldn’t be too far from Kyoto

Cue a teary goodbye from Hana to Tsuki, because Tsuki’s her first girl friend that stayed over and she really liked talking to her. A slobbering wet kiss on the cheek from lil bab Yahiko, big hug from Hana’s mom and a pat on the head from Hana’s dad

Tsuki promises to visit is she can or send letters, with Sakuya giving her a stare

The ninja duo head on home, Tsuki’s mom and dad give her a through scolding

Tsuki still asks if she can visit Hana in Kyoto in the future or at least send her letters

“We’ll see. Remember they aren’t from a ninja family and they are normal people.”

“Ok” then puppy dog eyes and clasping of Tsuki’s hands together, “I just have one more thing to ask! Mom, Dad, can I get a little brother or sister?”

Cue blushing and sputtering parents while Sakuya and Kaede snickers and giggles.

[violettacharmie-deactivated2024]

*casually self-inserts myself into SLBP*

Hi! My name is Talvi and I ship myself with Ieyasu, Mitsuhide and Mitsunari.

Its day 6 I think Of @slbpmcweek so its AU/freestyle/self insert. So i drew myself with my favorite characters from SLBP!

I shouldnt had colored with crayons butttt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[alva-radio]

IT’S SLBP MC WEEK’S FREE DAY, so I’ll shove the MCs from some AUs I’m too drained to do more than world-building for down your throats( ´ ∀ ` )

Android AU

Human

Local dumbass

Actually really smart, some kind of engineer/inventor, works for Oda

Kinda sickly too

Going out with Ieyasu with a risk of rain- I mean proposal anytime soon

Made a Hideyoshi robot from a can of corn

Upgraded him to a real android

Wanted to see if an android could program another android, but she forgot she coded Hide to be ambitious, so now Mitsunari is an android that’s only loyal to Hide

At least he’s programmed to be curious

Hanahaki AU

Do you feel this edge

It’s the emoness of someone who confessed by accidentally puking flowers in front of her crush

Can’t ever look at Masamune in the eyes again because she’s so ashamed

Though he did save the restaurant

Took the operation to remove the disease

Currently working as Ieyasu’s dogPersonal Maid

Watch him catch the feels for 32 episodes of terrible romcom

Yokai AU

Human

The purest, roundest, cutest MC

High School Student

Currently going out with Yoshichi and enjoys teasing him

Her family owns a wagashi shop and she’s working v hard

People randomly give her accessories all the time, but she only wears the ones Yocchi gives her

She jokes it’s because of a previous life, but joke’s on her because it is

Might not have been her boyfriend’s lover 500 years ago

Might have been Kenshin’s

Other than the paranormal activities happening around them, she’s legit living the good life

Tagging @slbpmcweek, @be-my-prince and @shiranata (￣▽￣)ノ

[maidofstars]

duty / love 

“That’s right she’s a damned goddess! Any of you have a problem with with that?!”

day 5 of slbpmcweek! my otp :’)

[miladyoda]

download || listen

Song For My Father You were the place that I could always rest my head when my world had come undone

Home Wash the dirt, a hard day’s work, know my place, on my own, no poison in my bones, on my own, this is where I build my home

The Climb I’m not breaking, I may not know it but these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most

The Magic Of Us The stars tonight will brighten our faces, our minds will be racing along with our hearts intertwined with love

Rise Up I’ll rise up high like the waves, I’ll rise up in spite of the ache, I’ll rise up and I’ll do it a thousand times again for you

Come Home Right now there’s a war between the vanities but all I see is you and me, the fight for you is all I’ve ever known, so come home

I Miss You Bring the floor up to my knees, let me fall into your gravity, then kiss me back to life to see your body standing over me

Through The Ages Nothing could be truer than this love I have for you, my love will testify and last through the ages

[thebales]

a study of duty and love

@slbpmcweek 2018 day 5: duty and love. a semi-casual meta

1. Intro

It’s interesting to observe how both the Radiance and Shadow MC’s grapple with love & duty throughout each of the routes throughout the game. On surface-level (ignoring their background with one being a chef and another being a shinobi), they may appear quite similar personality-wise—compassionate, loyal, youthful, inexperienced—but if you pay close attention to the way they interact and respond to situations, they’re very different.

Radiance MC and Shadow MC embody the duality of love and duty in their own respective ways. The conflict between these dueling values manifests in their own journeys: while Radiance MC is driven by her innate sense of love*, her circumstances challenge her to nurture her sense of duty in light of her new status as the wife of a samurai. On the other hand, it is Shadow MC’s sense of duty that primarily drives her life and actions, but she is challenged to grow her own sense of love* when the narrative pushes her to discover that there is more to life than following her ninja upbringing.

Neither of their journeys diminish the value of the other, nor are love and duty pitted against each other in a battle for dominance. In representing this duality and learning to balance love and duty, the heroines’ distinct personalities are highlighted.

2. Cultural Background of ‘Duty’ & ‘Love’: Giri 義理 & Ninjō 人情

Before getting on with the individual breakdown of both MCs, I’d like to clarify what I mean by “duty” and “love”*.

These terms exist as a binary opposition of traditional values in Japanese language and culture as giri (”burden of obligation”, duty) and ninjō (”human feelings”, love) and has been a prominent theme in Japanese art and drama, following the works of the influential playwright Monzaemon Chikamatsu who told the love stories of commoners in the 15th century. Adhering to your duties and obligations is completely irreconcilable with giving into your “human feelings” of love and desires, and Monzaemon illustrated this with love stories between samurai and nobility falling in love with peasants and those from lower classes, much like the main premise of SLBP itself.

So when I say Shadow MC is challenged to nurture her sense of love, it’s not her sense of compassion and kindness—she already has those—but rather her “human feelings”. Her worldly dreams and desires that she needs to give equal weight to and balance with her sense of duty in order to grow as a character.

3. Radiance MC

It’s easy to assume Radiance MC’s agency is limited with her being from a lower class in society characterised by its strict class hierarchy, but instead it lends her a greater sense of freedom.

For one thing, Radiance MC is not confined to any strict expectations that a noble lady from a higher social standing would be. Radiance MC is free to choose the path of her life. And that is why she takes her brother’s place without hesitation, there is nothing holding her back. It is because of her own innate feelings of love, ninjo, that Radiance MC takes her brother’s place. She loves her brother and cares for his well-being. Her actions are driven heavily by her emotions thus far.

Upon falling in love with a samurai lord, Radiance MC is confronted with many challenges. Nobody is more frightfully aware of the gap of knowledge and experience in politics than herself, and Radiance MC doesn’t run away. Instead she takes it upon herself to step up to the plate and confront these obstacles head-on. And this is especially visible in the samurais’ Act 2s as well as event stories where she is married to them.

Learning the way of the samurai and the sense of duty that comes with being the wife of one becomes paramount to Radiance MC’s character development. From being a free peasant bound to nothing, to suddenly becoming bound with many duties and obligations. However difficult the obstacles she faces, she does not abandon her ninjō, her sense of compassion, however. Radiance MC merely learns to handle a greater sense of responsibility and duty that goes beyond herself.

4. Shadow MC

Contrast this with Shadow MC who is born into a life that is characterised by duty and obligation. As Sakuya and Saizo reminds us, ninjas cannot escape their fate. If you are born into a ninja clan, then it is certain you will die as a ninja. While the Mitsuba Clan broke away from Iga because of disagreement with this philosophy, it didn’t mean Mitsuba ninja were truly free from Iga:

Ninjas from the village being sent to kill fugitive ninjas—and this is also why Saizo finds so much difficulty running away from Iga—and the Mitsuba clan itself, is an act that relates to giri/duty.

The Mitsuba Clan failed to fulfill their giri by their defiance. And thus, they must pay with their lives to restore it.

(This is also why samurai commit seppuku. It is an act of restoring honour and giri when they have failed to follow/fulfill their duties.)

But Mitsuba is different and so for Shadow MC, following her sense of duty is not a life-death matter like it is in Iga. In the beginning of the routes, Shadow MC is incredibly concerned with her duty to her clan. And this is also seen in how hesitant she is when she begins to catch feelings, knowing she should prioritise the clan over herself.

However, with the encouragement and support of Kaede—while MC’s best friend, Kaede also serves as a reflection of Mitsuba Clan itself and its views—Shadow MC lets herself fall in love. Kaede does not see falling in love incompatible to Shadow MC fulfilling her giri. Kaede even sees her burden unfairly heavy and reiterates this again and again.

Learning to be free from Iga’s teachings is what is central to Shadow MC’s development, and as Kaede (and by extension, Mitsuba Clan) encourages: becoming her own person.

5. Closing Thoughts

Playing other otome games, both Radiance MC and Shadow MC really stand out to me because of their compelling stories and how they’re both challenged to grow in a way that doesn’t diminish or disrespect their characters (for the most part). I like the compromise between keeping it realistic as well as adapting the setting to allow for more room for the girls to be independent and have more agency.

Most of all, I adore how they reflect the conflict of giri & ninjō really beautifully in their own respective ways that doesn’t really set out to tarnish either of the values, but like show the balance between them, and the duality of the two.

TL;DR: Radiance MC and Shadow MC are amazing protagonists and I hope this heightens your appreciation for the two of them!