#mod kakera posts

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If I had a nickel for every time a monochromatic lawyer yelled “SILENCE” during a trial, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. 

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When Mikan was done swapping out the IV and getting the ice, she went over to Gonta and gently tapped his shoulder. His red eyes fluttered open, a yawn just barely escaping him as Mikan began talking.

She didn't manage to get very many words out before Gonta's eyes locked onto Ryoma's.

"R-Ryoma?"

"Hey Gokuhara…."

Tears quickly filled his eyes and Gonta jumped to his feet. "RYOMA!"

Ryoma was about to respond, but was cut off by the sheer force of a pair of arms throwing themselves tightly around him. He felt the air rush out of him, and could just make out the sounds of Mikan trying to get Gonta off him in between the sobs and an incredibly loud heartbeat. He tried pushing him off, but his good arm was still too sore, and the other trapped between a cast and an overly affectionate bug lover.

"C-can't breathe. Gonta. Please."

"Gonta so glad! Gonta sure you not wake up! Very worried-!"

"G-G-G-Gokuhara! Please! Y-you need to be careful! He's still healing! We d-don't want him d-d-d-dying a fourth time! P-p-p-please, b-be gentle!"

"Oh! S-sorry!"

Ryoma took a deep breath of air when Gonta finally released him, just barely managing to grip onto the side of the bed. He'd forgotten just how strong Gonta could be. "Nice hug strength."

A huge, huge thank you to @nessiemccormick for doing this piece for chapter 2 of “Take You With Me”. Your art is fantastic! 

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I know we’ll probably get confirmation on this later down the line, but I get the feeling that who everyone woke up with is going to play a significant role in Project: Eden’s Garden. Problem is, we don’t know for sure who everyone woke up with outside of a few instances. But I think we got some clues that can help us figure it out. 

So this is going to be my general guesses on who woke up with who. I’ll be basing this off of everyone’s interactions during introductions as well as my attempts to extrapolate based on what we know. 

Keep in mind, this is just my general guesses. Might end up being wrong. We’ll just have to wait and see. 

Spoilers ahead.

So first, let’s get the canon ones out of the way.  These are the only ones that we have 100% confirmed.

Damon & Eva - saw them wake up together

Grace & Wolfgang - confirmed by the two of them

Desmond & Jean - confirmed by Desmond

And that’s it for canon. That’s 6 out of the 16 done so far, made into three pairs. Looking good.

Now onto my speculations. I’ll provide my reasoning for each pair and why I think it they woke up together. 

Diana & Kai - Mostly based on their conversation. What little we got implied that they’d been discussing their talents together. Add on top of that the fact that their introductions are tied together, I think it’s safe to assume they were partnered together. 

Mark & Jett - Another case of introductions being paired together. We also have Jett continually trying to get Mark to open up, which would make sense if the two woke up together. There’s also the fact that Jett seems to continually stay close to Mark in a few instances, such as when they were on the train or after the trial. So I think it’s safe to assume they were paired up when they woke up. 

Toshiko & Ulysses - Toshiko confirmed that she woke up with a “frustrating boy” whose manners are lacking when we first meet her. The closest frustrating boys remaining at the time we’re in the courtyard are Mark (who is very closed off), Ulysses (doesn’t remember our names without writing them down in his book for later) and Kai (who is an influencer). I don’t include Desmond here because he confirmed he and Jean were paired up. Between the paired intros of Kai with Diana and Mark with Jett, that leaves Ulysses, who is all but confirmed based on our intro with him and Toshiko’s reaction to him needing to look through his book to even remember her name and treating her as a “mundane” part of his daily happenings. 

Cassidy & Eloise - This one might be controversial, but hear me out. I don’t think Cassidy is the type to run after someone who clearly ran away in the manner Eloise did. Add to that how she reacted when she “detected the rancid stench of a morally bankrupt billionaire”, I don’t think she and Wenona had a proper introduction yet. If they had, I don’t think Cassidy would miss the chance to pick a fight with Wenona. Add on top Ingrid’s sweet personality, I think Cassidy and her would have gotten along pretty well if they’d been paired, which would have lead to them having a joint introduction. So that just leaves Eloise, who ran away from her partner in a panic. 

Wenona & Ingrid - Wenona confirmed that she did wake up with someone, but that she herself was the one to walk away because “she was weird”. This confirms that she woke up with one of the girls and that said girl is somewhat “weird”. Given how normal Diana seems to be in comparison to the others and our prior confirmations, that leaves Eloise, Ingrid, and Cassidy as Wenona’s potential partners. I don’t think she woke up with Eloise, since Eloise confirmed that she ran away from her own partner, and Wenona left hers. It wouldn’t make sense if they were paired up based on how they separated from their pairing. And with everything I said about Cassidy prior, I think it’s safe to assume that Wenona and Cassidy didn’t wake up paired together (I really doubt they wouldn’t have been at each other’s throats if they had). As for Ingrid, she seems too motherly and caring to let someone like Eloise be if she was panicking and running away in fright (unless she’s the type to give someone space for a bit before checking on them, but even then, she probably would have brought it up in conversation or left on her own to look for Eloise based on talking to her). And if she woke up with Cassidy, I feel like they’d have gotten along and stuck together (tell me that a pro gamer like Cassidy wouldn’t be interested in talking to Ingrid about making replicas of weapons from games I dare you). Ingrid also falls into that “weird” zone rather comfortably, so I think it’s most likely that Wenona and Ingrid woke up together and split up rather amicably all things considered. 

And that’s 10 students into 5 pairs. 16 students total into 8 pairs. 

I have no idea if this will be 100% accurate, but it’s the pair up that makes the most sense to me. Who knows? Maybe I’m off a few. Only way to find out is to wait until the next chapter comes out. 

But yeah. Those are my theories on who I think woke up with who in the prologue. Let me know what your thoughts are. I’d love to hear everyone’s reasonings. 

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Been thinking about P:EG and some theories people have about it and the sort of expectations that are being built now that the prologue is out. 

And while I know it’s a popular theory, and I know it’ll be going against the grain of popular fandom here, I really, really, REALLY hope they don’t make Wolfgang into a sort of “wolf in sheep’s clothing” type character. 

Media has plenty lawyer characters who are seen as either crooked, corrupt, absolutely bad people, or some combination there off. We need more good lawyers in fiction. Particularly video games. I think I can count on my hands the number of good lawyers in video games. 90% of those are in Ace Attorney. 

I think it’d be more compelling to have Wolfgang have some kind of trauma related to his reaction to the class trial. Maybe he himself was a victim of the system growing up. Someone close to him was not given the justice they deserved, or he himself was at rock bottom with no one to defend him. Then have that trauma and his strong sense of justice nearly steer the class trial in the wrong direction. Show the flaws of having someone being so passionate without taking a moment to calm themselves down. And have his character development happen in a similar direction as Damon’s. 

There’s a lot of other potentially interesting ideas they could go with his character, even twisting the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” twist on it’s head. But I think having the trope played straight would honestly bring things down. 

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So now that the prologue has been released, I want to give my brief thoughts on Project: Eden’s Garden. I’ll try to avoid spoilers, but if you wanna go into this fully blind, now might be the time to check it out yourself. The prologue has been released for download, the playthroughs are up on the main channel, and SHSL Blaze has uploaded their playthrough of the prologue as well. Others will most likely be coming out fast as well. So get on the train while you can to avoid Spoilers. 

If you really don’t know if you should check it out or not before reading this, I urge you to please go and see the prologue through to its entirety. You will not be disappointed. 

With that, follow the Read More for my brief thoughts on this game so far. 

So to get the negative out of the way, I do think that the controls themselves need some work. Mostly I wish we had the option to adjust/toggle controls so that we can adjust it to our comfort, or at least perhaps something that could show us immediately what the basic controls were on the main menu when you first start the game. I struggled to get the controls working even with the download instructions and experimenting. In the end, I had to shut it down and opt for the let’s play instead, which is a rare issue I don’t often have with starting up a game I intended to play. I’ll try again on my next day off when I have more time to really devote to it, but if the problem persists, that might be an issue going forward. 

That being said, for a fangame with a very small team doing all this for free in their spare time? It’s honestly still an amazing feat and the team deserves a round of applause for all their hard work on getting the controls to work as well as they did based off what I saw in the let’s play. I think if they give themselves some more time in between the prologue and the first chapter to playtest things and maybe work out the kinks in how the controls are set up, we’ll have something really good in terms of playability.

Also, this might become a bit of an unpopular opinion going forward as more people play the game/watch let’s plays of it, and I do understand that this is just how he is now that the game has only just started and there’s the character development we have to wait for, but I really, really, REALLY do not like Damon as the protagonist as of the date of this post. I do like the idea of a character like Damon being the protagonist, and I have seen it be used effectively in other games and novels. But there were many times where his inner monologue and things he’d say to others made me dislike him more the further in we went, and I was half tempted to just close it out and wait until the first chapter was released (I pushed through because of the rest of the cast). By the end of the prologue, I began wishing that Wolfgang, Desmond, or Toshiko were the protagonist instead. Going forward, the writing for Damon is going to have a lot of work cut out for it to make me enjoy him as a protagonist. Or at least tolerate him as the player character.

And that’s all I really have to say by way of genuine negatives because this is all positive going forward. 

Starting with the art and UI because HOLY SHIT. If you didn’t know better, you’d think this was an actual, official Danganronpa game, and I honestly would not be surprised if someone at Spike eventually sees this and goes “hey, we need this team on our payroll”. The design of the characters are fantastic, all of the sprites are dynamic and expressive and on par with some of the best in the franchise. The backgrounds are GORGEOUS and the interface is sleek and clean and easy to look at. The colors are vibrant and it all is very beautiful. AND DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON THE MUSIC BECAUSE I WANT TO EAT IT. IT IS THAT GOOD. Honestly, the art, music, and design alone make this worth checking out. 

And don’t even get me started on the voice work because BY GOD. It’s absolute perfection. I don’t think there’s a single voice I don’t like. Mty favorites have to go to Eloise, Grace, Toshiko, Desmond, Wolfgang, Jett, Wenona, and of course, Tozu. 

SPOILER: As for the mechanics, they’re more or less your standard Danganronpa fair for the most part. You have the Climax Reasoning, the Nonstop Debates, and the parts where you answer questions via multiple choice. I do also really like that the team decided to do make the purple text something you can utilize as absorb statements. The Pathos Statement mechanic is a true gamechanger and I hope to see it implemented in future projects. 

Now, for my brief thoughts on the characters. I will go in the order of how they appear in the VA cast video. I have some thoughts that’ll be more elaborate later, but this is just a brief overview. 

Damon Maitsu: I already said it in the negatives section, but just a recap of it is “I hope his character development makes me hate him less”. Good for what he is, but will be a deal breaker character for some people. 

Eva Tsukuna: You are either going to become my best girl or my worst nightmare and I cannot wait to see where your character goes. There is something off about you and I need answers. I don’t like you, but I also don’t hate you. You’re in that weird grey area where I need more before I can really decide. 

Desmond Hall: We haven’t seen much yet, but from what little we got, I am excited to see how he interacts with the rest of the cast. Please survive at least past chapter 2. 

Eloise Taulner: I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE WORLD SWEETIE YOU’RE DOING AMAZING. She better survive or I will be very very very sad.

Toshiko Kayura: I was so, so prepared to list you as my least favorite character and right now I want you to survive to the end. Toshiko my dear, you’re phenomenal. 

Wenona: To quote John Mulaney, “MY WIFE IS A BITCH AND I LIKE HER SO DAMN MUCH!” Seriously, Wenona is so much fun as the antagonistic character so far. 

Ulysses Wilhelm: Someone get this man a lavender scented candle and a cozy blankie. He needs to SLEEP. I love him.

Mark Berskii: You are either going to be very very lowkey or you’ll make a massive splash. I hope you do a concert.

Diana Venicia: I will be so sad if you die. You are absolutely the definition of a cinnamon roll. 

Wolfgang Akire: Oh. Oh, there’s some TRAUMA here. I can sense it. So far, Wolfie is my favorite. I love him so much. I want him to have a big crying breakdown. 

Kai Monteago: “If you didn’t like me from the start, you’re never gonna like me-” HOLD IT! I like you. I didn’t expect it and honestly thought I’d hate you, but so far I do in fact like you. You pathetic little meow meow you. 

Jett Dawson: Jett, my dear, my darling. You are on par with Akane so far. I want to see more from you. 

Ingrid Grimwall: I don’t know if I want you to make me a sword or take my soul and make me into a sword. Your kind heart is as big as your arm muscles. I adore you.

Grace Madison: I expected to hate you, and yet, you are my favorite Asshole in this entire show. You’re the fun kind of Asshole. I love the fun ones. 

Jean Delamer: You’re like if Sakura, Nekomaru, and Kaito fused into a single person. You’re as amazing personality wise as your muscles are huge. I wanna see more. Gimme the FTEs now. 

Cassidy Amber: Oh, you and Wenona are gonna get along like water and oil and I am READY for it. 

Tozu: .....I feel like you’re about ready to jump to the top of my “favorite villains of all time” list and your voice is so..... I just.....I want Tozu to read audio books.

I’m honestly surprised because with ONE exception, I don’t dislike this cast. With the official games, I always have a total of three characters minimal I either absolutely dislike or am absolutely indifferent to. But I think this game has one of the strongest casts in any fangan project. Or hell, in any story I’ve come across as of late. 

And that’s about it that I really have to say at the moment. So far, Project: Eden’s Garden is shaping up to be one of the best Fangans in history, and I would honestly not be surprised if it got picked up to become and official Danganronpa title with its quality. 

If you haven’t checked it out yet, or you’re still debating on if you should, please do yourself a favor. 

GO INDULGE IN PROJECT EDEN’S GARDEN. 

You won’t regret it. 

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Oh the video shenanigans I could get up to if I had the sprites and backgrounds for Process of Elimination.....

Such an underrated game.

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@jolliestlolli 

Your post made me laugh, so I made you a thing. 

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i wish uoid write some saihoshi talent swap

Send me a prompt saying “I wish you would write a fic where”...

“I’m, um....Sh-shuichi Saihara...I was told to come see you?”

Ryoma sighed, setting the book he’d been reading on the desk. The rain fell heavily against the glass of his office, alleviating any and all tension that could possibly arise from this meeting. He half expected it, given recent events. At the same time, such a client was still rather out of the norm. 

Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Tennis Pro. A top notch player, a mini-celebrity darling, and overall considered just a sweet guy. 

“See me?” Ryoma huffed. “Why?”

Shuichi stared at him, lightly tugging on the rim of his hat. “Th-they said you were...that....” He squirmed in his seat, averting his gaze. “What I mean is...you...are Ryoma Hoshi, right? The Ultimate Detective?”

“Hmph. I suppose. Though I’m more of an empty shell of a detective these days.” Ryoma watched him carefully. “So, what brings you to my office?”

Reluctantly, Shuichi reached into his bag, pulling out a crumpled letter addressed to himself. “I found this in my dorm room this morning when I woke up. And later, my best friend...”

Right. The best friend. Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Astronaut. The two somehow managed to form a tight knit connection not long after the beginning of term at the Ultimate Academy. 

He reached out and took the letter, waiting for a nod of confirmation before pulling it out and reading it. 

The words on the page sent a chill through his heart. 

“Congratulations. You have been selected to participate in the Shirosame International Talent Competition. Please arrive at Towa Pier this Sunday at 6pm. Participation is mandatory.”

Attached to the invitation was a photograph of Akamatsu, her hand cuffed to the frame of a bed in, if he was correct, some kind of ship. 

“I need help finding and rescuing my friend. And I can’t go to the police.” Shuichi bowed his head as his voice strained. “Please. I know you have experience with these people. I need the help of someone. Anyone. I’m willing to pay any price, so...please...I’m begging you....Please help me...”

“...I told myself I wouldn’t get involved with those punks anymore.” Ryoma put the invitation back into the envelope, handing it back to him before strolling over to the door, grabbing his coat. “Well? Are you coming?”

Shuichi looked up, turning to look at him in shock. “What?”

“If I’m going to help you, I’ll need to get a layout of your usual haunts. We only have three days until you gotta be on the boat, and a lot of ground to cover if I’m gonna make sure you both get out of this alive.”

 “I...” With a deep breath, Shuichi got out of his chair and hurried to follow him. “Thank you.”

Ryoma lowered the rim of his hat. “....don’t thank me just yet, kid.”

Never again. I won’t let anything like that happen again. 

As they both left the office, Ryoma hoped he could keep that promise.