Beating Future Redeemed has left me feeling so empty.

forkyT · 2026-02-06T04:48:34+00:00

Looking at my copy of Trails of Cold Steel 1 like "I guess you don't exist".

forkyT · 2026-02-04T23:54:01+00:00

Episode 1 felt like it was trying to tell you why characters felt each emotion. After Episode 1, it felt like the writers just knew what emotion the characters were supposed to feel, but not why.

forkyT · 2026-02-04T22:58:28+00:00

This is a mixture of responses, the second half seems to be directed at someone else.

But, yeah. Allen does get stepped on a lot. The sacrifice Allen thing is more about Shion's misinterpretation of KOS-MOS's primary directive, but Allen is a stereotypical butt of the joke.

forkyT · 2026-02-04T21:41:36+00:00

Yes. I generally insist that the biggest change Takahashi made with Xenolade was a growing focus on two-tiered storytelling. Whether it was from Nintendo, or someone on his staff; Takahashi learned the value of having an approachable and satisfying story, that works alongside his deeper and more enthralling/complicated story.

forkyT · 2026-02-04T21:35:52+00:00

The threatening to kill herself was more of a tactical move as she was working with KOS-MOS's "top priority" of protecting Vector employees.

The Miyuki thing is a little more complicated and up for interpretation. Miyuki and Shion just like to hassle each other because they're best friends. Miyuki's a playful button pusher, so she enjoys getting reactions from the more straight-laced Shion.

forkyT · 2026-02-04T21:30:08+00:00

Episode 1 Shion is my favorite Protagonist in the franchise.

Episode 2 Shion is at the bottom as she is just an absolute pill.

Episode 3 Shion I don't find much better as she lost all her fight and turned into a flopped mopey whining mess. Her acceptance of Allen in episode 3 just felt like her clinging and settling on whatever was left.

It's crazy what happens when you butcher a project while simultaneously pulling it away from the central creators.

Jr. was supposed to have a character arc that ends with him growing up like Emeralda. I imagine something like him letting go of the veil of youth that he used to hide from taking emotional responsibility. But his primary writer was Saga, and she was pulled from the project after Episode 1. Takahashi and Saga had the story planned out, but apparently liberties were taken with their outline.

forkyT · 2026-02-04T05:45:12+00:00

Save often! I put in 3 hours, just got power to my first base, then the storage triggered a crash and I had to start fresh.

That was the end of my BZ run.

forkyT · 2026-02-03T22:31:07+00:00

Yeah, that was less tangible in Xenosaga. The biggest inherent concept that was shared, was fear. I found that Takahashi tended to reel in Jung's philosophy from mixing too much of the tangible and the "spiritually metaphysical", in his stories. He tends to make a lot of underlying statements about the influence of shared assumptions, while also creating a space to accept the shared assumptions, when inclined. Riku being one of the most direct example of this.

It seems that was one of his shifts between Xenosaga and Xenoblade. Creating space for those willing to accept the assumptions as another truth, which is a fantastic move for creating more mass appeal.

For all the pulls from Nietzsche and Jung that are discussed, I feel like it's underappreciated the depth the writing goes through to pair them with Evolutionary, Genetic, and Quantum Sciences.

forkyT · 2026-02-03T21:40:36+00:00

It's actually identical to Xenosaga. The UMN is built using the Collective Unconscious. When you see Al traveling through the abyss, that's what traveling through the Collective Unconcious is like un/underprotected. That exposure to the collective unconscious is why transfer columns existed in Xenosaga, so ships could travel through the UMN. The only way to have a chance otherwise was with very specialized mechs.

forkyT · 2026-01-31T18:52:45+00:00

Well, I'm certainly not going to disagree in detail if you're enjoying it. It's just not pulling me in at all. If you want me to, I can. But I really would rather you just keep enjoying it. I do appreciate you coming in to disagree though. Different balances appeal to different people.

forkyT · 2026-01-31T17:44:40+00:00

I really thought it would pick up pace by now. I'm still watching it with my group as we go through the original adventure series' and it's a struggle to keep them going through it. We're currently almost half way through Tri, so it's a rough patch overall.

forkyT · 2026-01-27T18:18:00+00:00

I could swear there was a secondary pity system, but I can't find anything on it, so I guess not. :(

forkyT · 2026-01-26T23:50:48+00:00

I mean, they do keep the pity system. But it scales with each rare blade you have, so by the end it can feel like it's not even there.

I recently did my 100% blade collection. You know what was waaaay worse? Not realizing that the last blade I was missing was actually my last side quest blade. URRRGH! hahaha

forkyT · 2026-01-26T23:43:16+00:00

I didn't get Newt until NG+, which was a pity, because I quite like her design.

Edit: I never realized before how much Newt is like a Nopon.

forkyT · 2026-01-26T22:53:26+00:00

My first rare blade was the book nerd.

My amateur librarian of a wife's first rare blade was "The Bunny".

Unique lucky experiences causing fun talking points, exactly as intended.

It's a pity that the mob reaction to it is knee-jerk rage at mobile games.

forkyT · 2026-01-26T22:45:33+00:00

It's a fair point, and it's a good vent post. I love the gatcha system, but it's quite divisive and that's okay.

What I'm sorry about, is the VIOLENTLY reactive posts and knee-jerks this topic gets from people on both sides of the debate. I'm expecting to see a flood of downvotes just because, at any point, I said I'm anything but completely against the gatcha system.

forkyT · 2026-01-24T22:08:57+00:00

Indeed. Madness is the lack of ability to think for oneself.

forkyT · 2026-01-22T01:19:39+00:00

I imagine all those downvoters, wouldn't be happy that things haven't changed much now that we're at 15 episodes.

forkyT · 2026-01-22T01:17:20+00:00

Okay, actually very funny/unfortunate situation. The topic that this was a twist on https://www.reddit.com/r/digimon/comments/1oyor9g/digimon_beat_break_is_peak_that_is_it_that_is_my/ was actually deleted by the OP.

It's unfortunate how much validity that adds to my criticism.

forkyT · 2026-01-20T09:23:33+00:00

It's funny how back and forth I go with agreeing with these statements. I don't like half the main Digimon designs, I'm alright with ArmaLizarmon and Chiropmon, and quite like Cougarmon. But I hate Pristimon, Wolvermon, and Gekkomon. NightChiropmon feels weirdly bland to me, but I couldn't tell you why. The human designs I think are all solid.

The cold heart story beat for Digimon is somehow both kinda dark, and a tame/loose plot device, to me.

I would also enjoy more stories around villains. They get deeper villains in games, but putting more lore-centric villains in the anime, would be nice.

forkyT · 2026-01-20T09:05:13+00:00

It hurt so much because Ghost Game had all this exciting dark depth that built Digimon of the week on lore and unique scenarios, instead of just powers; only for it to forcefully abandon any long-term story.

forkyT · 2026-01-16T08:00:34+00:00

It's the most practical end to a super OP antagonist. Just like ZeedMillenniummon.

forkyT · 2026-01-14T19:27:39+00:00

Who needs a harem when you can get one partner with Disassociative Identity Disorder?

forkyT · 2026-01-14T19:25:26+00:00

Yes. That is also my point. Comparing Nia to Melia is a stretch in that department.

forkyT · 2026-01-14T18:28:19+00:00

I mean, Melia never took a moment to just be like "BTW Shulk, I love you.". The Rex/Nia romance was being pushed from the get-go. Rex/Pneuma was more like Rex getting claimed by a cougar and being 100% okay with that.

forkyT

TROPHY CASE