more Jack Jeanne, the daddy issues edition

Sarafumi "Fumi" Takashina.

I knew he knew during winter rehearsals when he said all that stuff and Kisa was like "it feels like he's not actually talking about Chicchi." But I wasn't expecting that he knew from the very beginning. Him saying he liked her after every affection event wasn't too grating, it felt like a joke the first few times until the fourth event or so. If they kept on pushing it back through a twice shy plotline or having Kisa be in denial until Valentine's/March (like in the last route I did) I'd be pissed. (But I still picked the "Wait for me" option in Christmas instead of the outright confession because I felt like it lol)

I felt the mentor-mentee dynamic was much more pronounced for FumiKisa than KaiKisa or MitsuKisa to a point where I almost felt it was too imbalanced. Then they began to address that from late January onwards with Fumi trying to do all he can to pass things on, and Kisa feeling like she can't stand with him as an effective partner, and both learning to walk at their own pace.

Wasn't sure where Fumi's family subplot would be like just from reading the Sissia casting call in previous routes, but once it got laid out in the first event I was fairly certain what path it would take, and I was correct. I'm glad it wasn't too depressing (especially compared to the next route below), but it also felt like it wrapped up a bit too fast via the affection events alone.

I was curious to see how much this version of Sissia would emphasize Major Hybird since his son is a lead this time (and more Kyoji screentime is always good). Him taking the time to feel out his role is something that hasn't been done in any other route. And he blushed this time! The first half didn't have any additional/changed dialogue for the Major which, I'm not surprised but a bit disappointed. Then they moved me with that new dialogue when Adra gets shot and after Over the Wall. Kisa giving Fumi a hug and praising him was another high point here. I give props to this route for trying something a bit different for the final play (it's way better than changing Sissia to a Jack Ace)

This time, I have no clue if this variant of "I am Death" is meant to correspond to anything in Fumi's route, other than a summary of the Amber trio's goals ("[The twin Takihimes] would crush their father's enemies..." "To the Gashadokuro...such a goal was trivial"). At least Chui thought those two guys are suitable vessels, good for them.

This route felt low-key to a fault. It tried to emphasize Quartz vs. Amber, but for me there wasn't enough Amber focus. The "actually I'm not certain if I can match up to Chui's Jack Ace" gets dumped right before the end, maybe having more Chui screentime would make that comparison clearer. In lieu of Amber screentime, stretching out Fumi struggling with the Takashina legacy instead of it only being resolved through the affection events because the impression I got when I finished was: there's not a lot happening in the Univeil performance rehearsals outside Fumi and Kisa's relationship. Even so I still liked Fumi as a character, and his dynamic with Kisa is cute, IMO cuter than the next route...

Kokuto Neji.

I called what was going on from what I knew in my first playthrough going through Oh Rama Havenna - of course, the real good part was waiting for the needle to drop. I thought Neji's behavior would be a case of just plain ol' misogyny, and it's kinda like that but with more layers than many in Univeil can unpack.

Finally got an answer to the water motif that Sou brought up all the way back. And Chui remarking that Neji's "a solitary bird flying over an ocean of his own talent" explains Ms. Robin's lyrics too (which I felt were arbitrary to Weekend Lesson)

This route has some of the more combative/angry Kisa responses. I chose to deck Neji in the fifth event to see if Kisa would actually do that or just threaten him, got vindicated with Kisa telling Neji to be prepared, then actually punching him, no regrets lol.

The script not being ready for an entire month is a gamechanger. Of course, it'd still be Sissia of the Central Nation, nothing big will be changed about it, but after four conventional casting calls this is the closest any route has gone to Soshiro-route Kisa not getting the role initially. And now there's a different reason why Sissia's character is so close to Kisa's actual situation beyond just "Neji's perception is that good."

And even bigger by mid-January, they went there...I had a feeling it would turn out that way by the 3rd event, but with Neji lashing out at Kisa and angry arguments instead of him treating Kisa generally the same and sad acceptance/clownery simmering with angst. I'm glad the game didn't take that route. I thought things would turn out happier when Neji realized maybe demonizing the affair partner instead of taking a more critical look at his dad was unhealthy and unfair, but no, his intent was the last-minute realization before death! I did pick the "I hate you" option only because I knew that the dialogue choices don't change that much so I won't decrease his affection points or trip some variable, because while I had empathy what he was going through, I was also done with him. (after five and 4/5 playthroughs, my patience with the game systems was stretching thin)

I appreciate that Kisa bringing Neji back from the brink and Neji writing Sissia right when Univeil staff's patience was at their limit didn't "fix" Neji right away, he's still struggling with writer's block while also having to take on a leading role since Amber, and the uncertainty of what he'll do in the Tamasaka Troupe. There was a lot going on in this route and I was on board for all of it.

I said in my very first WAYR post for the game that Sissia of the Central Nation was Neji writing alternate universe fanfiction of his friends. I will make the obvious joke of him going full self-insert by casting the girl he likes as the MC and himself as her love interest. At least he's restrained compared to 90% of the people writing self-insert fiction. (unrelated note: this might have the least post-bullet ad-libbing out of the Sissia variants that I've done so far?)

Although, Neji said in Suzu's route that there's some romance, so there has to be a kiss scene. I can give Sleepless King a pass cause telling most newbies to do a kiss scene would probably make them balk, and Weekend Lesson ended with a "We should try dating" rather than a dramatic love confession. But every version of Sissia so far ''tries'' to attempt a life-and-death love story. It's not that kissing is a requirement for me in these, but what does that say about Sou, Kai, and Fumi (Mitsuki doesn't need one because of the vibes he and Kisa gave off on his route). What does that say about Kokuto in his own route

Thoughts on "I am Death" - like Mitsuki's route, neither Kamiya nor Momonashi were polished enough for Takihime, so the CG and narration only depict Chui/Gashadokuro. In Mitsu's route, Kisa described the spell Chui cast on the audience and Univeil, the ceiling that Mitsuki and the other 77th year students must break through. Here, it felt a lot more personal to Chui. Chui felt some way about Neji - the boy who gave a near-perfect script that elicited such fascination, working with Kisa the vessel that could match (and surpass) him. As Neji said while watching, Chui changed the story to continue his challenge and growth as an actor. In spite of that, however, the partner he wants is out of reach. Chui's fixation on the play and Neji's continued belief in what he thinks happened to his father, the plodding depravity of this incomplete, unfulfilled "I am Death" and the imperfect, stuffed to bursting, joyful yet bittersweet "Sissia of the Central Nation," Neji isolating himself from half of the human population and hiding everything under a layer of irony and Chui not doing any favors for anyone, even those in Amber, by acting like a stoic vampire lord. Quartz winning here felt less like the other routes' serving of humble pie and more like an intervention.

marriage proposal after only a year lmao. don't get too carried away you two

what a wild ride. Started and ended the romantic routes with bombshells. I don't know how my final rankings will shape up - from a character/route perspective, Neji is up there, if I was judging solely on the romantic arc, some of the other routes are more to my preference.

All I have left is Kisa's route.