popping in to let u know i love ur vids but i also have to wait until events release on en to watch them so.,, sorry if u get a couple random views on your proseka analyses every now and then a year later ❤️
narration: That day, the poet was walking down a pathway. It was the same walk she always went on, she knew the paths like the back of her hand. However, that day was different. When she turned down the route she always took, she was met with scenery she'd never seen before.
The poet kept walking.
Maybe if she kept going, she'd find the familiar path again. She’d turned down the route she usually did, so surely the path would eventually meet back up with where she usually walked.
-shop front-
??? (sinju): My oh my, I haven't seen you in a while, dear customer. Welcome to my store.
narration: The man introduced himself as the store’s shopkeeper. His eyes twinkled like beautiful glasswork as he spoke to the poet.
??? (sinju): If anything catches your interest please do take a look. This sweet and shiny candy is our specialty.
-outside starless, day-
cat: Meow~
saki: Hm? Was that a cat just now?
-saki looks around for the cat-
-sinju appears-
sinju: Saki-chan, over here.
saki: Oh, Sinju-san.
sinju: I saw you standing out here so I couldn't help but call out. I’m happy I get to see you before our show today. Were you looking for somebody just now? You were glancing around.
saki: Oh um, I thought I heard a cat meowing so I was trying to find where it came from.
sinju: A cat… Ahaha, you're just like the poet from ‘Trick or Truth’. In that case, if you follow that cat’s voice something amazing might happen.
In Team P’s adaptation of the story, you and the rest of the guests are a poet who gets lost in a town full of cats. And all the residents of that town want to do is entertain you and make you feel welcome.
saki: I see… So you think that cat was trying to invite me to the town?
sinju: Yeah, I’m sure it was! That cat’s a nice guy. However, there are some within the town that are the complete opposite. I need to make sure you aren't returned back… Oh, right! I have something I want to show you, could you wait for me in the office?
-starless office-
-sinju appears in his stage outfit (with cat ears)-
sinju: Welcome, Saki-chan.
saki: Oh that was fast. You're already here, Sinju-san.
sinju: Yeah I guess so, don't just stand at the door, come on over. I’ve got glass coins and marbles, paper balloons and kaleidoscopes. They're all stunning aren't they? I wanted to show them all to you.
saki: Woah, you have so many things! It's like you're running a shop.
sinju: Exactly, that's because I’m the shopkeeper. I have to make sure I stock my shelves with fascinating goods. Beautiful things that sparkle catch your eye make you want to keep staring at them, right?
Here, Saki-chan, try looking into this kaleidoscope.
-kaleidoscope background-
sinju: How is it?
saki: It's really pretty. The colours and patterns are spinning around.
-shop front appears within the kaleidoscope-
sinju: The Cat Town is beautiful like this kaleidoscope. No matter where you go it's nothing but gorgeous sights, you could walk around forever without getting bored, it's endless. You’ll want to gaze at all it has to offer forever.
[...If only gazing into your heart were this easy too.]
-starless office-
saki: …Huh?
-saki looks around the empty office-
saki: Where did Sinju-san go?
-sinju rushes into the room (stage outfit without cat ears)-
sinju: –Ah, the props were in here already! Sorry for making you wait so long, Saki-chan! I wanted to show you all of these things along with that kaleidoscope. I was certain I left them in the storage room so I was looking around in there.
saki: O-oh no, it's fine. I wasn't waiting… that long.
saki: (Was that not Sinju-san just a moment ago…?)
-
Chapter 2
-starless stage-
shopkeeper: “Here you go, feel free to sample whichever one of these sparkling candies you like. You won't know boredom until you've enjoyed yourself to the fullest and tried everything.
Though, even one hundred years probably wouldn't be long enough to try everything that this town has to offer.
Like the flick of a cat’s tail you should wave away the concept of time itself. Pain, sadness, despair… Emotions like that don't suit this town. Just wave it all away and enjoy yourself.”
-applause-
-outside convenience store, night-
sinju: Sorry, I’ll just run in and buy the stuff that I need real quick!
saki: It's ok, you don't have to rush. I’ll wait.
-sinju runs into the convenience store-
cat: Meow~
saki: Ah, I can hear another cat…
-saki looks around-
-sinju comes back-
sinju: Thanks for waiting, Saki-chan!
saki: Woah, that really was quick. What did you need to buy?
sinju: Just some cheap candy. I wanted to reward myself after a job well done in today's show. Let's eat them together, I bought all sorts of stuff so pick whatever you want.
saki: Thanks. I’ll take one of the hard candies then.
sinju: Oh good choice. The way hard candies sparkle in the light is so pretty. I’ll start with the tablet candy then. Did you know you can make a whistle noise with these?
-sinju blows into the candy like a whistle-
saki: Wow, you're good at that…!
sinju: I’ve been practicing since I was a kid. (eats the candy) Mm, yep, it's nice and sweet.
saki: I’ll try mine too… Fufu, it's sweet as well.
sinju: I might try eating this by letting it dissolve in my mouth instead of just biting into it right away. Or not… Getting all excited over cheap candy like this is pretty childish of me, isn't it?
saki: I don't think so, I’m having fun too. It's like you said in the show ‘you won't know boredom’.
sinju: Really? Do you want to stay here forever?
-crunching noise-
sinju: Ah… the candy dissolved.
saki: Mine has too. It's kind of sad once it's gone.
-there's a flash of light and cat ears appear on sinju’s head-
sinju: It makes you want more, right?
saki: Huh…?
sinju: I’ll give you whatever you want, try whatever you like.
-store front background-
narration: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. All of these bottles are filled to the brim with shiny, sparkling hard candies.
shopkeeper: “Oh, welcome. So you really came. You don't need to worry, I was the one who invited you here. I’ll make sure to treat you well.”
“Here you go, feel free to sample whichever one of these sparkling candies is to your liking.”
“Though, even one hundred years probably wouldn't be long enough to experience all this town has to offer. It's probably not even long enough to try all of these candies.”
“That's why you should just take your time and relax… Oh, I know. This may be sudden, but how about you live here?”
shopkeeper: “This is a great place isn't it? I can guarantee that you won't know the definition of boredom for as long as you're here.”
-bridge underpass, night-
saki: Sinju-san, are you sure this is the right way? It's pretty dark around here.
sinju: Don't worry, cats can see in the dark. And I’m the Cat Town’s shopkeeper cat.
saki: …True, the way you played the shopkeeper cat in today's show was enchanting.
sinju: The shopkeeper's duty is to invite the poet into the town and entice her to venture in even further.
saki: Invite the poet into the town… I see. I’ll follow you, Sinju-san. Since even if we were to get lost on a dark pathway, I’d feel safe with you beside me.
sinju: I… wouldn't say that so confidently.
-full moon background-
sinju: Cats are fickle creatures, they might not reciprocate your feelings. We’re fickle and selfish… And yet there isn't a single thing I want to do.
-sinju’s cat ears appear again-
sinju: Because, that is part of my duty.
saki: (Ah… It happened again. Why…?)
sinju: On the other side, one's duty is their everything. If I take a single misstep, everything will shatter. So, that's why I don't have any desires of my own.
-black screen-
sinju: …syawla m’I yhw s’tahT .uoy morf trapa eb ot tnaw t’nod I .eil a s’tahT
[That's a lie. I don't want to be apart from you. That's why I’m always…]
-bridge underpass, sinju’s ears are gone-
saki: Sinju-san…?
sinju: –It's nothing, don't worry. This is the right way, it'll be ok, just follow me.
-
Chapter 3
-fast food restaurant-
sinju: Phew, I’m full. I just can't resist a delicious meal.
saki: I ate a lot too. It was so good.
saki: (Sinju-san is acting normally today. I guess he really was just studying for his role the other day.)
sinju: Should we head to the next stop?
saki: Sure. We still have time before we need to return to Starless.
sinju: Return, huh… Hey, how about we head to the arcade next? Let's forget the time and enjoy ourselves.
-side street, evening-
sinju: That was so much fun! I had a blast.
saki: Fufu, that rhythm game was a lot of fun.
sinju: …Say, Saki-chan, you should stay with me like this. As long as you're with me, you won't experience anything painful or sad. You had fun hanging out with me today, right?
saki: Yes, of course I had fun… But we need to return to Starless soon. See, the sky is red because the sun has started to set.
sinju: (gasps) The sky is red…You're right.
cat: Meow~
saki: Ah, another cat–
-white flash, sinju’s cat ears appear-
sinju: (gasps) (he looks distraught)
sinju: They're coming… They're coming to get you. At this rate they'll take you back…! We can't stay here, come this way, quickly!
-store front background-
narration: Shiver, shiver, shiver. The poet began trembling. Cats, cats, cats, cats. Everywhere she looked there stood a cat. Meow, meow, meow, meow. All she could hear was the sound of the cat's cries.
One step, two steps, three steps.
The further the poet retreated back, the further the shopkeeper’s round pupils narrowed into crescent moons.
shopkeeper: “You enjoyed your time here, didn't you? Then you should stay here forever. If you were to desire it, then all of this could become the real deal.”
“Or could it be that he is the one who you desire?”
-behind starless, evening-
sinju: (catching his breath) Sorry for making you run so suddenly.
saki: I-It's ok… I’m fine. We should've made it in time for your show. Let's head inside, Sinju-san.
sinju: …Once I let go of your arm, you'll continue forwards and the show will begin. Once the show begins, you won't be lost anymore, you'll be saved. Our connection and the bond we’ve shared up until now will return you to the place where you belong.
Because you're a human who belongs in the world of this side. Unlike me.
saki: Whether you belong here or not doesn't matter. Since you're here right now…
sinju: No, that's not what I meant. I’m from the other side, I don't have anything to call my own. That connection and bond I just spoke of, I didn't have anything like that with you to begin with.
Unable to meet you first, I didn't even have a collar. Unlike him, no one wanted to pet me. Who am I? Even though I wanted to ask that… I couldn't. Because my duty is all I have. I don't even have a name for someone to call me by.
-white flash, cat ears appear-
sinju: …The side I’m from, the other side, it's nothing but an illusion. Everything about it is fake, it's all just make-believe. But, as the lies continued to pile up… Like your world, I wanted to make the world that I’m from real.
-black screen-
sinju: .dab os laer eb ot detnaw I .uoy ot ecnetsixe tnatropmi tsom elgnis eht eb ot detnaw I
[I wanted to be the single most important existence to you. I wanted to be real so bad.]
-behind starless-
cat: Meow~
saki: (There's another cat…. is it calling out to me? But, from where–)
-sinju steps forward and hugs saki close-
sinju: Don't look. Don't listen to it. Please, for now just look at nothing but me. Feel my body against yours, not anyone else's. Just me. The red sky, the crack between our worlds, none of it matters. Just stay in my arms and pretend you haven't noticed any of it.
saki: Sinju-san…
sinju: Please, for just a little longer. Until I let you go… allow me to be ‘real’ to you. That way, I’m sure I’ll be able to send you off. All I want is for you to be happy, you who I love so dearly.
-
Chapter 4
-store front-
shopkeeper: My oh my, I haven't seen you in a while, dear customer. Welcome to my store. How about taking one of these sparkling candies to commemorate your visit? They're just as sweet as they are beautiful.
…Did you like it? In that case I recommend checking out this kaleidoscope next. Here, try looking inside, I’m sure that you'll also– (coughs) What I meant to say is, if anything catches your interest, please do visit my store again.
I’m this shop’s keeper. I’ll always be waiting for you here… Probably.
-pathway at sunset-
??? (menou): You can't be here.
-store front-
graceful man (rindou): Oh? Were you perhaps led here by the scent of the incense? Well if it's to your liking, then by all means, please stay.
coquettish man (maica): Hmm, you smell like another man. What a cruel woman you are.
-pathway at sunset-
??? (menou): Come this way, hurry. I’ll help you escape.
-store front-
doubtful man (ginsei): You seem out of breath, your throat must be dry from all that running. Would you like some tea to soothe it?
-pathway at sunset-
??? (menou): Hurry, there isn't any time left. You need to escape before you get trapped in this world! Don't listen to any of the voices trying to lead you astray.
-store front-
shopkeeper: It's pretty here, isn't it? It's nothing but gorgeous scenery for as far as the eye can see. Just like the inside of that kaleidoscope. –Ah.
-glass breaking sfx-
narration: Crawling, crawling, crawling. The moment the poet dropped the kaleidoscope, a swarm of mice appeared at her feet. The mice ran forwards in order to destroy the glass town.
Trembling with fear, the poet screamed. With a dazzling flash of light, she became aware of the countless eyes staring at her.
Everywhere she looked there stood a cat. All she could hear was the sound of the cat's cries.
-pathway at sunset-
man (menou): Hurry, follow me! Don't look at anything but me. Whatever you do, don't look back!
-black background-
shopkeeper: !em htiw yatS !og t’nod ,tiaW
[Wait, don't go! Stay with me!]
-dark forest-
narration: Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. The sound of footsteps in pursuit resounded as the poet ran from the looming shadows. She followed after her pet cat whom she had once lived with. Her pet cat who had sadly passed away.
However, in an instant her feet were caught by the darkness. Her cat continued to run ahead, his figure quickly fading into the distance.
The poet could feel something closing in behind her, but she wasn't allowed to turn around. But she didn't know where the exit was either.
Her vision went dark, her cat nowhere to be seen.
-white flash, store front-
shopkeeper: Hello, you came to visit again. You can't be doing that, the place that you want to go is ‘over there’ right? In that case, you should escape by going straight down this alley way. The exit will be right on the other end of it.
If anything catches your interest, you should come and visit my store again sometime. This is the Cat Town. You don't realise it, but it's a world that resides right next to yours. Well, the extent of my hospitality will depend on how I’m feeling that day though.
(poet bows in thanks)
shopkeeper: This is the first time in my life that someone has thanked me. I need to say ‘thank you’ to you as well.
-shopkeeper steps close-
shopkeeper: I’ve been waiting at this store for you. Waiting and waiting to meet the person I saw smiling on the other side of that single pane of glass. The time that I’ve spent with you here wasn't a fabrication. To me, it was real.
When I curl up in a ball and fall asleep, I’ll always remember this time that I’ve spent with you. I mean it.
So, would you close your eyes for me?
-poet closes eyes-
-kiss sfx-
-poet opens eyes again-
shopkeeper: This kiss as well. It's real. Like the kiss I placed upon them, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side of your eyelids.
Now off you go before I change my mind. Head straight down the path without looking back. Cats are fickle creatures, you’re already aware of that, aren't you?
-poet runs down the alleyway-
-black background-
shopkeeper: This side and that side… These two sides that are both so close and so far from one another can never truly overlap. The me who you saw, and the you who I saw. They were both mere illusions that cannot mix.
…But even so.
-bloomed cg, sinju sadly looking into a fish tank
shopkeeper: Come by again, come and see me again. Anytime you want, allow me to be real while I’m with you. Who am I? You're the one who I want to call out my name the most.
Here in this place that's so close yet so far, on the other side of your eyelids. I’ll be waiting for you forever.
WOAH your analysis is so well done!? and I'm happy to hear that I inspired you!
Looking back on my Samsa video I really wish that I looked more at Kanade's similarities to Gregor cause in hindsight theyre SO obvious but I was just too focused on Mafuyu at the time (wow I sound like Kanade lmao) I'm not familiar with any of Kafka's other works so it was interesting seeing the other connections you could draw. Plus you're so right in deducing that Kanade really is the more 'Kafkaesque' protagonist here. Her story is just so tragic and well written augh, I love her so much. Teniwoha has such a big brain for connecting The Metamorphosis to Kanade and Mafuyu's story.
i've been binge watching all your n25 videos and goddd i swear i can't get enough of them. i don't play proseka myself (lack of storage space + the fomo of joining a gacha game after having missed so many events would kill me i think) but i've always been very interested in n25's stories and wanted to learn more about them, and your videos were perfect for that. please never stop overanalysing those fucked up little anime girls because you're amazing at it. i genuinely can't thank you enough for infecting me with severe n25 brainrot, i am having the time of my life out here🔥🔥
hahah thanks! im glad you enjoyed the vids!! always happy to pass on the nightcord brainrot 🙌🔥
(note: Throughout this card story Hinata’s name changes colour to show who is talking, him or Azel (his brother). Yellow is used to represent Hinata while purple is used to represent Azel. His speech also changes during these switches, with Azel speaking more formally compared to Hinata’s casual tone.)
-
Chapter 1
-card background-
??? (hinata): Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under. Come now, the clock has just hit midnight, which means it’s time for the curtain to rise on this festival of fun.
Oh? I don’t think I’ve seen your face here before. Are you dead? Or perhaps you’re still alive? If you’re still of the living then I suppose I should greet you with a “Boo!”.
Fufu, I don’t mind either way, you’re most welcome to attend. Welcome to this grand party of the dead that will only last this one night.
-starless hallway-
saki: Hm? Something fell onto the ground here…?
-saki picks up a patchwork plushie-
hinata: Miss! Where did you find that little guy!?
saki: He was just laying on the floor here.
hinata: I see. I misplaced it and was looking for him ever since. Thank you for finding him. I’m sure that little guy is beyond happy to be hugged close by you, Miss. Oh I know, you should come with us too, please!
-starless lobby, full of halloween decorations-
hinata: Feel free to display that little guy wherever you’d like. On top of one of the coffins or below one of the graves. You could even put him with some of the other plushies, wherever is fine.
saki: Uwah, where should I put him? There are a lot of other dolls here that look just like this one.
hinata: Yeah, he has lots of friends. The ‘freaky but cute’ look is cool isn’t it? It’s cause our show is about all of us turning into skeletons and throwing a crazy fun party. So of course the entrance to the store has to look just as exciting!
saki: You’re all skeletons?
hinata: Yep, once the clock strikes midnight, our skeleton leader, Mizuki, will call out to us all to wake up! And then we’ll all emerge from our graves and have a blast! It’ll be a night of nothing but fun and good vibes.
The source for the show is uhh, what was it called again… Dance of Death? Or something like that, that’s what Heath told me.
saki: Dance of Death… That sounds kind of scary, I’m excited to see what it’s like.
hinata: Don’t worry, it’ll be thrilling but heaps of fun! Don’t be scared, don’t be scared ♪.
Oh, I know! I have a good idea. You should become one of our friends, that way it won’t be scary at all. Y’see, us skeletons scare off living humans by shouting “Boo!” at them. But we use a different greeting for our friends, make sure you remember it, ok?
Repeat after me, “Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under”!
saki: Um… Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under!
hinata: You got it, high five!
saki: Uwah, high five…!
hinata: Perfect! With this you’re now a friend of the skeletons, we’re bonesties~♪
saki: Fufu, that’s a cute way of putting it. Thank you.
hinata: Ehehe, I want to enjoy the party with everyone else. Tonight we all feel the same way, we all just want to have a blast! Humans don’t always share the same opinions. What’s fun to one person may not be for everyone else.
hinata: That’s why I’m quite fond of this night, since I know that I won’t be all alone.
saki: Huh? Hinata-san? Just now you—
hinata: Hm? What is it, what is it? Something on my face?
saki: Oh… No, it’s nothing. I’m looking forward to the skeleton party too.
hinata: As you should, this thrilling and fun night belongs to all of us after all. Come rattle and make a racket with the skeletons! Let’s enjoy this crazy festival that lasts for one night together ♪.
-
Chapter 2
-starless stage-
-unbloomed cg
hinata: “Boo! Welcome to the spooky scary skeleton dance party ♪.
Come now, everyone, make your bones rattle and dance! It’s not like there’s anything left in your grave to return to. No sweet candies, cute dolls, or happy memories, nothing.
So that’s why we’ve gotta enjoy the time we have now as skeletons to the fullest! Right up until this night comes to an end.”
-time pass, break room-
saki: Ah, there you are, Hinata-san. The skeleton party was so much fun!
hinata: ……... (frowning)
saki: …Hinata-san?
hinata: What should I do? This skeleton is broken.
saki: What?
-patchwork plushie is shown-
hinata: Even though we’d just been dancing together, it’s so sad.
saki: Oh, by skeleton you mean that doll. It doesn’t look broken to me though?
hinata: His left leg, it just keeps getting looser when I pull on it, like it’s about to rip off. He can’t dance anymore in this state.
saki: Hold on a moment, it’s ok. If we sew the leg that’s come loose back together he’ll be fixed.
hinata: You can fix it?
saki: Yes, once his leg is fixed he’ll be able to dance again.
hinata: Is that so? I thought that he was happy up until now… We danced together, we played together and had so so much fun. I thought that it didn’t matter if our head were to get ripped off, or if a leg were to fall off…
When in reality, I was probably just pretending to have not noticed what was going on. We’ve always been this way, we’re no different from the skeletons.
saki: No different from the skeletons…? It’s true that you’re playing the role of a skeleton right now, but you’re you, Hinata-san. Not a skeleton.
hinata: Thank you. You’re so kind, Miss Saki. However, when the day comes that we break, that’ll be the end for us. And after that, there’s nothing but darkness. That’s why I was satisfied with just knowing that we’d had fun. However, things are different now…
hinata: Miss, your hand is warm, unlike ours.
saki: Ah, um, are you ok, Hinata-san? Your hands are cold, do you want me to get you something to warm up—
-hinata quickly steps closer-
hinata: I don’t need anything so please don’t go anywhere. Don’t break away from me… The night isn’t over yet, right…? Stay with me just a little longer. Until the night comes to an end… please.
-unbloomed cg
hinata: Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under ♪. Is everyone having fun? You haven’t danced enough yet have you? Let’s keep enjoying this non-stop fun!
It doesn’t matter if the moon is starting to yawn. We’ll just party even harder! Make merry, bump into each other, rib bones multiplying or decreasing and getting all mixed up, it doesn’t matter. Just laugh, dance and have a total blast!
hinata: You too, Miss Saki. Enjoy yourself until your heart and mind have gone completely blank.
hinata: Let’s dance, Miss! Will you enjoy this night together with me?
hinata: The painful things, the unpleasant things, the sad things, forget them all and laugh. You’re our friend, one of us. It’s ok… I’ll never leave you all alone.
-
Chapter 3
-starless restaurant area-
hinata: The hall sure is quiet. Even though I knew that you were still here.
saki: It’s because the show is over.
hinata: Yeah. The skeleton’s crazy party was a total blast, it was so much fun. The audience were all a part of it as well, nobody was left behind and we all became skeleton buddies. I was able to high five you and hold your hand too, Miss. I had fun, I was so happy.
saki: I was happy to have a fun party with you too, Hinata-san.
hinata: I’m glad. Because once this fun party is over the sun will come up. The rest of the skeletons have already gone back under the ground. We’re the only one’s left.
saki: Hinata-san…?
hinata: When the time comes I know that I’ll have to go. I understand that, I really do. But, what am I supposed to do? I don’t want to let go of your hand. Once I let go… There’ll be nothing left of us. I don’t want to say goodbye, I don’t want to leave yet.
-graveyard background-
The pitch black sky slowly began to change colour. And before they knew it, the skeletons who had been partying so enthusiastically stopped still in silence. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
See, our friends are disappearing one by one. They’ve returned to their graves, since this party could only last for one single night. As my bones rattle, I turn towards the person I’d laughed and partied with.
Now then, let us say our farewells.
I don’t want to say goodbye.
I must return to my grave.
I don’t want to go yet.
I never ever want to have to say goodbye, but if I have no other choice but to go, then—
You should come over to this side as well.
-starless restaurant area-
hinata: Y’know, Miss. We didn’t have a single thing to call our own from the start. That’s why we yearned for it. We wanted what everyone else had.
We were told we’d die sooner or later, we were told we’d always have a place where we could be together. So that’s why I thought that I needed to enjoy the present as much as I could! And all that time, I never understood what it meant to have to let go of something.
Except, now… I do.
-he starts crying-
hinata: I’m terrified of having to return to that grave on my own. Having to be all alone in that cold and lonely place, I can’t imagine it…
saki: It’s ok, Hinata-san. You’re not alone.
hinata: Really…?
saki: See, I’m holding your hand right now, aren’t I?
hinata: Will you keep holding it like this forever?
saki: Yes, I’ll be right by your side.
hinata: I’m sorry, Miss Saki.
hinata: Even though your hand is so warm…
hinata: Even though I don’t want to let go, you’re different, you're not a doll like us, Miss Saki.
hinata: But even so, I still find myself wishing that we could stay together… I’m sorry,
hinata: I want to truly make you one of our friends. I want to take you with us by force.
hinata: (bursts into tears)
hinata: I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. I know I should but I just can’t let go, I don’t want to let go of your hand.
saki: Hinata-san…
hinata: Morning will be here soon. What should I do? I need to make a decision quick.
saki: Make a decision about what exactly?
hinata: Whether I want to say goodbye forever or be together forever in that cold, lonely place. You told us, remember? That you’ll be right by our side.
hinata: If you were just lying then say so. There’s still time if you admit it right now.
saki: I wouldn’t lie to you, Hinata-san.
hinata: Then please, come with me. Don’t let this night come to an end. Please tell me that you’ll never let go of my hand ever again. I want to hear you say that…
-
Chapter 4
-graveyard background-
corpse F (hinata): …What now? The moon is fading and I can barely see it anymore. Hey, is anybody there? Is anybody still awake? Somebody, anybody, answer me!
-he looks around-
corpse F: Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under! … Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under! Nice to meetcha from 6 feet under!
-he looks around-
corpse F: Everyone’s gone back to their graves… It’s almost as if all of that fun didn’t even happen.
-flashback-
corpse A (mizuki): Boo! You crazy skeletons, let’s go wild! We’re gonna have the best night of our undead lives!
corpse B (lico): We own this place, whoever destroys the most stuff and has the most fun wins, right?
corpse C (heath): Ah, as a skeleton when I kick my leg it feels like it might come apart. It might fall off.
corpse D (ran): Ahaha, what’re you doing, that’s crazy! How about I pull my arm off as well then ★.
corpse E (kongou): Make a racket with those fallen bones! If you have legs then stomp and rattle around! Laugh, dance!
corpse F (hinata): Ahahahaha!
-hinata comes close to the screen-
corpse F: Hey, c’mon, let’s high five! Take my hand and let’s dance—
-graveyard background-
corpse F: …That’s right, there was somebody who held my hand. They were kind and their hand was so warm. We danced to our hearts content and commented on how fun it was while we laughed together…
Just who was that person? Why aren’t they by my side anymore? I can’t remember anything about them. Not their voice nor their face… nothing.
Aargh! I hate it, I hate this! This is too lonely, someone please answer me. Once you go back to your grave it’s over. There’s nothing waiting for you there! Beneath the earth you won’t become a fossil or a gemstone, you’ll just slowly lose both your colour and your form and turn to dust.
If that’s the fate that awaits me, then I’d rather just stay out here. Even if I become a thin, hollow and transparent human, I don’t care. I’ll stay here even if my very bones crumble away once the sun comes up. Even if that happens, I still don’t want to leave….
-black screen-
I don’t need the dawn. I wish that morning would never come.
Returning to my grave beneath the earth all alone would be too cold for me to bear.
Please come back, please stay by my side. And spend this never ending night together with us… please.
….Please.
-drops fall onto the screen-
-graveyard background-
corpse F: I feel something cold. Are these… Tears? Fufu, no, it’s just the morning fog. What am I, stupid? Skeletons obviously can’t cry.
Ah, I wonder if morning will be here soon. If I don’t head back to my grave, then the night will never end. I’ll wait for you here forever and ever.
-bloomed cg, hinata with smudged makeup frowning as he clutches his gravestone-
corpse F: If that person were to come back, would they find me and hold me close? If that were to happen, I’m sure I’d never forget them ever again.
I don’t want to disappear… If I disappear then I’ll never be able to see them again. I hate this… It’s so lonely being on my own…
I’m right here, please find me… Ah, I’m fading along with the moon—
-screen becomes white as morning comes and then turns pitch black-
Fireঌfly Interview with NILFRUITS, Iyowa & Harumotsu (English Translation)
This is an unofficial translation of the interview that NILFRUITS posted for the song Fireঌfly! 非公式の翻訳です
Original interview: https://nilfruits.com/firefly/
Song link 🔥
‘Fireঌfly’ created through the collaboration of Iyowa and NILFRUITS, had its essence expanded upon even further by the illustrator Harumotsu (Koronosuke), who deepened its meaning with a striking music video. Anguish swims softly through the song. As the unease gradually grows more prominent, the sound of Iyowa’s piano and NILFRUITS’ guitar blend together in an elegant harmony. What are the secrets behind this groovy song that pushes the boundaries of comfort?
Interviewer: Komachi Mio
—How was the work divided up for Firefly?
NILFRUITS: First of all, I created an outline for the entire song. I wrote up a draft for the first and last parts of the song and left the second verse open for Iyowa-kun to write. Despite the parts being divided up like this, I still had iwoya-kun’s piano arrangement playing throughout the whole song, so there is still that ‘Iyowa’ element to the entire work.
This was my first time collaborating with Iyowa-kun, so there were many moments where I wondered if I was proceeding with things in the right way. However, I have known him for about five years now and am very familiar with his music so I think I was easily able to blend my style together with his.
—What things did you try in order to bring out the ‘Iyowa’ element of the song?
NILFRUITS: I tried adding elements that would give off that ‘Iyowa vibe’ that his fans are able to recognise. What’s funny though is that it was me who added that vibe and not Iyowa-kun himself (lol).
By utilising our deceptive gimmicks and paying respect to Iyowa-kun’s style I wanted to make it so our music complimented each other more. In order to make the collaboration go smoothly I was very conscious about the sound composition and how many notes were used.
The overall composition isn’t too complex but there are some purposefully heavy sounds that are supposed to give the song an intimidating atmosphere when you listen to it. I’d say the aggressive piano that acts like percussion would be one of its distinctive features. I was aware of that as well, so I think it made blending our styles together easy.
Iyowa: When I first received the demo from Nil-san the piano track hadn’t been added yet. But even without it I could still tell that the song had been created with my style in mind. So from the start it was easy to work with what I was given, and as I played the piano I felt as though the song was supporting me. It was a strangely comfortable experience.
—What did you keep in mind whilst working on the song, Iyowa-san?
Iyowa: For the part I was in charge of, rather than trying to mimic Nil-san’s style, I instead wanted to slightly change the mood whilst still having it feel like a natural development for the song. I purposefully made the piano melody more powerful and disorderly than usual to emphasise the violent emotions of the song. I myself wanted to blend into the world of the song too.
NILFRUITS: I’ve always wanted to create music that incorporates conflicting themes, like “cute but scary” or “cute but grotesque” for example. So that’s why I’ve wanted to collaborate with Iyowa-kun for a while now, since his songs are able to combine both cuteness and harshness seamlessly. The kind of songs that I wanted to make never really lined up with his style, but this time I was finally able to find a theme that suited him.
—What made you choose Harumotsu-san to be in charge of the music video?
NILFRUITS: Because just like Iyowa-kun, I felt that Harumotsu-san is also someone who is able to combine cuteness and harshness effortlessly. The inspiration for Firefly was born from the 2023 horror film titled Pearl. So I wanted to work with people who would like the film and understand what makes it so great. Harumotsu-san loves horror movies, so I figured they’d be the perfect choice.
I told both Harumotsu-san and Iyowa-kun, “Please watch the movie Pearl”, and then we began working on the song and music video respectively. I also really like how Harumotsu-san made the music video in a way that pays respect to Iyowa-kun’s usual style.
Harumotsu (Koronosuke): I saw some comments on the YouTube upload of the song mentioning that the style of the music video was similar to Iyowa-san’s and I thought, “They figured it out!” (lol).
Since I was working with both Nilfruits-san and Iyowa-san, I thought about how to capture that essence of Iyowa-san’s music videos since I really like the way he makes them. I told him beforehand that I’d be using his looping animations as a reference and incorporated them. I also tried to make the video and character design more akin to Iyowa-san’s style.
Iyowa: It makes me so happy to hear that! I absolutely love how the music video turned out, it hit all the right notes with me (lol).
NILFRUITS: Like I said before, I think the fact that both Harumotsu-san and I paid so much respect to Iyowa-san really made the song come together into a unified work.
—In addition to paying homage to Iyowa-san, I felt as though the MV expressed the world of ‘Pearl’ really well.
Harumotsu: I decided to try and scatter all of the information needed throughout this MV. I think I managed to structure it in a way that if you watch till the very end, you’ll be able to read between the lines and figure out what’s going on.
Overall I knew that I wanted it to have a retro vibe and used old film footage to express the timeline of events. I used the logo for ‘Pearl’ as a reference and was very particular about even the small details.
I mentioned mimicking the way Iyowa-san uses looping animations but I also added effects with my own flare where I saw fit. So my own ideas were incorporated as well.
NILFRUITS: I’m curious as to why the kaleidoscope effect is seen so many times throughout the MV. What was your intention behind that?
Harumotsu: I wanted to express both a sense of escapism and splendor. Kaleidoscopes are sparkly and beautiful, but they can also make you feel kinda sick. I wanted to draw out both of those aspects. I made all of the materials needed for the kaleidoscope effect myself.
NILFRUITS: The way you used it to transition between scenes was really well done too.
—The way v flower’s voice changes between each of your parts and brings out your individuality was another highlight.
Iyowa: It had been a long time since I last used v flower, so I tuned her whilst thinking back on how I did it in the past. I wasn’t actually trying to make it sound distinct from the tuning of Nil-san’s v flower. So once I listened to the finished song it was interesting hearing the difference.
NILFRUITS: I didn’t think about how I was tuning v flower either, I just did it how I always do and made her sound the way I like. However, when I received Iyowa-kun’s files that signature ‘Iyowa vibe’ was already there.
I was curious, so I analysed the files a little and discovered that the secret was in the way he utilised harmonies. I thought to myself ‘if I tune her like this, then it’ll reverberate like this!’ and it made me rethink the vocals that I’d produced.
By adding more harmonies to my own parts I think it ended up having a better compatibility with Iyowa-kun’s style. I was aiming for it to be unclear to the listener whether it was me or Iyowa-kun who made certain parts (lol).
Iyowa: Everyone is dancing in the palm of Nil-san’s hand (lol). I personally like longer choruses. I’ll usually always add fluctuating harmonies in addition to the main melody. Most people would generally only add lots of harmonies to the hook of the chorus but I like to add them throughout the whole song. Even for the verse that I was in charge of, I edited the song for the chorus to be longer instead.
—Both Harumotsu-san and Iyowa-san are artists, so would you like to take this opportunity to ask Harumotsu-san anything, Iyowa-san?
Iyowa: I love how intricate the colouring and textures are in Harumotsu-san’s illustrations. And regarding their music videos I’ve always admired how creative they are when it comes to animating the lyrics. I’d like to ask what you pay attention to when deciding how to display the lyrics in your videos. Since lately I’ve gotten pretty lazy and just display them on the right side of the screen without any fanfare…
Harumotsu: To be honest I don’t think I’m very good at adding text to my videos. I think the way you utilise handwritten text and make it move along with the song’s story is great. What I was particular about was making the lyrics look as though they’d been printed on a poster. I chose the font and lyric placement to make it look as though it was part of the artwork.
Iyowa: It’s very close to the realm of layout and graphic design, isn’t it? I felt as though you could take literally any scene from the MV and it would make for a lovely piece of art, so I understand what you mean.
In my case I only start thinking about the video after I’ve drawn all the illustrations, so that sometimes leads to me rushing the rest. Like Harumotsu-san I’d like to try creating something while looking at everything as one single composition, lyrics included.
Harumotsu: Thank you, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you create.
NILFRUITS: Speaking of the melody, in the section of the song after my guitar solo and Iyowa-kun’s piano solo join together, it becomes only the vocals and piano. (“The projected banquet was so beautiful”) During this part I was in charge of the melody and let Iyowa-kun write lyrics that fit. It’s the part where we truly came together as one creator.
Originally it was supposed to be me in charge of both the melody and lyrics for this section, but for some reason I just couldn’t write anything that fit. So after I asked Iyowa-kun if he could write the lyrics, he sent me some that far exceeded my expectations…
Iyowa: Usually I create the melody first and then think about what kind of lyrics would fit afterwards. So it was a strangely refreshing experience having to decide what kind of lyrics and vowels would work with the melody that Nil-san had made. Even though I was thinking “Are you sure it’s ok for me to write this part?” I was happy.
NILFRUITS: it’s the part of the song where the instrumental mellows out and the vocals are the focal point, so I was interested to see how you would tackle it.
Iyowa: So you were testing me? (lol).
—In 2024, starting with ‘Hi Φ CLUB’ we’ve also done interviews on ‘Fireঌfly’ and the songs on the album ‘MWLÁND’ and it appears a lot of these songs were influenced by works in the horror genre.
NILFRUITS: That’s true. The core theme of my works is rebelling against the unfair and overcoming feeling powerless. Because of those themes I think that I’ve always had a high affinity for horror movies.
To me, horror is a genre packed full of things like explosive power, destructive impulses, challenging authority, as well as minorities fighting back against a society which has looked down upon them. And these are all things that I’ve always wanted to express through my work. And so I finally made that come to fruition in the album ‘MWLÁND’. Not to mention I also just enjoy horror in general (lol). Harumotsu-san also famously loves horror movies (lol).
Harumotsu: Is it really that well known that I like them? (lol). To be honest I had never planned to draw horror, but somewhere along the line I ended up becoming known as an artist who draws horror, it’s a strange feeling (lol). I’ve spoken with Nil-san a bit about this before, but whether it’s a game, haunted house, movie or song. What I’ve always liked about horror works is how they use wicked personality traits or clever concepts to shock and make the viewer uncomfortable.
Iyowa: Personally I’m not a fan of horror that frightens me or is just filled with jumpscares. But I do like horror that disturbs you and leaves a lasting impression. I guess I’d describe it as leaving you with an uneasy feeling. In my own works too I often aim to have that “uneasiness” be wrapped up and engulfed in “cuteness”. For me to portray a more direct kind of horror, first I’d need some kind of context for that to occur.
Pearl is a movie that depicts an explosion of repressed emotions, it goes beyond being scary and instead was an exhilarating journey that gave me a devastating sense of catharsis. I think both Pearl and Firefly are wonderful works and they’ve made me want to broaden my understanding of horror.
NILFRUITS: I think that sense of ‘uneasiness’ is something that all three of us have in common. There are many different kinds of horror but I think that at least one of them is present in each of our spirits as creators.
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