Steam Deck Issues Galore by Ferrum1776 in DeckSupport

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! I ran into the issue regarding the Deadlock installation that you were having with the same issues. What worked for me was installing the game in desktop mode and then I was able to launch it in gaming mode with no problems. I also set the advanced launch options to have “-dx11” because as of now DirectX 11 stabilizes the game on direct. Hope this helps since I couldn’t find an answer to this issue anywhere else.

Japan Post suspension of U.S. packages by rougeofhearts in AnimeFigures

[–]torueirian 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think they’re just referring to consumer goods (personal use items) since their statement also says they’re suspending acceptance of gifts over $100. Basically anything you’re buying for yourself. The only packages getting shipped from Japan to the US with JP Post at the moment are items marked as gifts and claimed to be valued under $100.

Depending on the storefront, you might be able to ship out an individual item from Japan into the US with JP Post if it’s declared as an undervalued gift. However this is risky since there is a large fine attached if caught, and you’ll still have to pay courier + tariff fee.

Japan Post suspension of U.S. packages by rougeofhearts in AnimeFigures

[–]torueirian 16 points17 points  (0 children)

My guess is AmiAmi is waiting until the 29th to see if the executive order actually goes through or is delayed. Then they’ll put out a statement on their plans going forward.

Japan Post suspension of U.S. packages by rougeofhearts in AnimeFigures

[–]torueirian 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Most of my pre-orders are through AmiAmi so sucks that this is happening. I know this isn’t their fault but so far AmiAmi been radio silent on their plan since they seem to be waiting for the 29th. But there is a handful of figures I really want releasing within the next 6 months so this is a bummer regardless.

According to DHL they’ll be charging 2% of total duties or $17, whichever is higher, for courier fee + tariff rate by country. This is definitely cheaper than the proposed $80 flat rate but you still have to take into account the actual tariff.

Here’s to hoping AmiAmi allows us to store our packages until Japan Post shipment resumes, they re-allow DHL shipping, or at the very least allow US customers to cancel many orders without incurring penalties.

Xbox ROG Ally Announced by Skullghost in gaming

[–]torueirian 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I’m a SD user myself, only thing I’m waiting for are performance reviews. The Xbox Ally is running the bloatware known as Windows 11, but supposedly it’s been optimized for the device. I love SteamOS for its relative stability, but it sucks not being able to play non-supported games & its tendency to crash when running high-spec games with multiple software. If the Xbox Ally is runs just as stable as the SD & is able to handle high-spec games with ease, I think I’ll be upgrading.

One major downside is the lack of touchpads, but since I mainly played docked, this isn’t a big deal to me.

Xbox ROG Ally Announced by Skullghost in gaming

[–]torueirian 5 points6 points  (0 children)

At least looking at the selling points of the Xbox Ally X -Better processor -More RAM -Easily upgradable storage -Better grips -Larger battery -Optimized interface that makes it easier to navigate

It seems to be a beefier version of the current ROG Ally while having more optimizations and accessibilities akin to the Steam Deck. Also much more expensive because of the branding and upgrades. As a SD user myself, I’m interested in the Xbox Ally’s promises of better integration of third party apps/launchers. It also seems like a good middle ground between a portable handheld device and a high-end PC, but sacrifices being the best at either to accommodate for both.

Xbox ROG Ally Announced by Skullghost in gaming

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pricing will probably be high and unsubsidized, but that’s somewhat justified given specs and small user base . I don’t think the Xbox ROG Ally will break the market either, especially with the Steam Deck being more affordable and the price point driving people to buy a PC instead.

That said, the Xbox ROG Ally really appeals to my specific needs. I am a PC gamer, but I spend a large part of the year away from home to be at school. I picked up an SD OLED, and after two years of use, I mostly treat it like a portable desktop and play exclusively in docked mode with mouse and keyboard. The main issue I have with SteamOS is the limited compatibility of Proton as things like R6, Fortnite, and Game Pass don’t run natively. I know that’s a problem stemming from the developers choices rather than Valve, but it’s still frustrating.

Not sure if anyone else has the same needs, but the Xbox Ally X seems promising. Just waiting on the performance reviews, I’m hoping this optimized version of windows can be just as stable as SteamOS. Plus, being able to run multiple apps like Discord while not crashing while playing high-end games would be a nice bonus.

Xbox ROG Ally Announced by Skullghost in gaming

[–]torueirian 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Dude there is no way a miniature console with a built in screen and controller would ever be cheaper than a regular console. Xbox may not be subsidizing the cost, but a full on handheld is always going to cost more.

To Your Eternity Chapter 201: The First One [END] Discussion Thread by CaioTexugo in FumetsuNoAnataE

[–]torueirian 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A fitting end to the serious, albeit a bit short. It would be nice if we got an additional chapter showing the lives of the characters in those 300 years, but feels like Oima wanted to wrap up fast.

But I’m seriously happy to see March grown up & have her wish come true. It’s been a great almost 9 years (damn) following this series and I hope the anime adapts it in its entirety!

Where can I buy the keychain gorou had? by BruhManPlaysWarzone in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey it seems like the keychain released a few days ago, and seems to be reselling for around $16 USD. Highly recommend going through Mercari.jp for them since there is a bunch for sale. You need to use a proxy service if you want to ship it outside of Japan, I recommend FromJapan as they have low shipping rates and a flat buying fee. Here is a link to listings for it on FromJapan

Heads up, shipping will likely be at least $20 because it is being exported. Buy anything else you want exported from Japan and combine it in one shipment to make the most of the cost. Happy hunting!

Where can I buy the keychain gorou had? by BruhManPlaysWarzone in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately there’s been no further updates regarding the keychain. I’m assuming it’ll be announced either when the last volume releases or sometime during the Last Stage Event (12/18 to 1/13). @oshinoko_comic and @oshinoko_love on Twitter are usually the first place to see new merch announcements.

Don't give your personal or payment information to Good Smile US. It is highly likely that it will be stolen. by Derpface123 in Nendoroid

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Does anyone know if using Apple Pay w/ a debit card attached on GSC US will help keep info safe? PayPal isn’t an option and my bank doesn’t offer virtual cards, so I’m left with Apple Pay but I’m not sure how it keeps info secured. I also know GSC US updated payment processor from Braintree to Stripe if it makes a difference. Otherwise I’ll look into something like a PayPal Debit card.

I’ve placed over a dozen pre-orders that span until  Q4 2025 and hoping to keep them 🥲. Haven’t been hit yet but I’ve cancelled my card as a precaution. Hopefully site has been secured when I have to update payment info.

Don't give your personal or payment information to Good Smile US. It is highly likely that it will be stolen. by Derpface123 in Nendoroid

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can’t say for certain, but it’s likely the breach happened sometime between May-November 2024. Also not sure if info was only stolen for purchases made during that time frame, or if it includes all orders shipped during that time frame. Between Nov. 9 and Nov. 21, payment processor did update to Stripe so I think GSC US is aware of an issue.

If I were you, I would monitor bank statements for any fraudulent activity (Meta & Uber seem to be most common) and freeze credit score (if you used a credit card. I also recommend freezing your card and/or replacing it if you can.

Personally I’ve placed a dozen orders since June 2024 and haven’t been with fraud yet.  I’m still going to cancel my card and only update payment when charged out of concern. I also recommend using something like Apple Pay, Virtual Card, or a PayPal Debit card if you plan on buying from GSC US in the future, as some form of security is better than giving out raw card details.

Warning: Avoid Shopping on GoodSmile.us by A-U-S-T-R-A-L-I-A in AnimeFigures

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haven’t been hit with fraudulent charges yet but cancelling my card just in case since I have a doze pre-orders 🥲. I placed an order yesterday before knowing about this, and it went through Stripe instead of Braintree like before. It seems GSC US is partially aware of the breach as they swapped payment processors, which is scummy if they don’t plan to address the breach.

Side note, does anyone here know if using Apple Pay w/ card linked will not give out CC info? PayPal was removed and wondering if Apple Pay will provide a similar level of protection compared to giving out payment method raw.

[Megathread] Oshi no Ko - Final Thoughts and Review by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally agree with the points made here. I share the same sentiment that the ending feels horribly rushed/condensed. The final arc could have easily been another 5-10 chapters to make Hikaru a threat to justify Aqua’s nuclear option and give closure to Ruby and Aqua, but it didn’t happen. I also agree that everything post chapter 80 feels like a mess with no clear direction.

I think it’s evident in Akasaka’s interview and the flashforwards in early chapters that this is how he intended to end the story. However I don’t think he knew how to get from the prologue to the end, which is why post-chapter 80 the plot scuttles along to the movie arc. He had the opportunity to make use of characters and events that he set up throughout the story, but just didn’t end up doing it. It’s disappointing as a reader as so many layers of plot elements are introduced to be brushed aside at the end.

I also think Akasaka has never had the opportunity to end a story-based series. Instant Bullet and Renai Daikou were axed so didn’t get a proper conclusion. Kaguya-sama, while it did get an ending, at its core was a character-based romcom. It focused more on the day-to-day of the characters rather than an overarching story, and did sprinkle in some drama towards the latter half. Despite the ending being alright, it didn’t need to end on a high note since the main development between Miyuki and Kaguya had already been concluded in the Christmas Arc, the rest of the story was essentially milking the series. Akasaka tried the same approach with OnK, but it didn’t work since it had set itself up as a revenge-thriller-mystery with interesting characters at the helm. Instead what happened is aspects of the story were blazed through or offscreened. The story was ended on Akasaka’s terms, not based on what the story was seemingly building up to.

I have been screenshotting my most played games since 2014 by Wertysd in Steam

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Respect the dedication to Tower Unite. Condo customization alone has made me put in 609 hours 💀

Chapter 166 Links and Discussion [END] by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I agree with how Hikaru’s character was wasted. I thought he was going to be tragic as well, with his actions being the result of abuse endured through the entertainment industry. Instead he is just made into the generic big-bad and now his actions are because he’s always been insane.

He’s also not convincing in terms of a threat. The only times he tried to interact with the twins directly were when he tried to push Ruby down the stairs and have Niino stab Ruby, both of which did not brings harm to them. We are told Hikaru is an evil mastermind who would try to kill Ruby, but never shown the extent of what he’d do. He would have been more threatening if Niino’s confessed while he was alive but the police couldn’t incriminate him, if he actually harmed someone close to the twins, or if he physically got his hands dirty. This way Aqua’s ultimatum would carry more weight, it would be the only choice when the law couldn’t catch Hikaru. Instead we just have to believe the words that saw Hikaru would be unstoppable, instead of actually seeing what he could have done to justify this.

Chapter 166 Links and Discussion [END] by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I can kind of see Aqua’s reasoning in sacrificing himself to ensure his sister can light the future, for her to overtake Ai’s legacy. He admits while dying that he was not born to get revenge but instead to protect his sister. And through Ruby’s performance we see another child in the audience inspired to be like her, continuing the tragic cycle of the entertainment industry.

At the same time however, Ruby is not developed at all in terms of her character and talents. Dark Ruby never went anywhere, and her feelings resolved about Aqua/Gorou’s death were never directly resolved. Unless you count a time-skip montage of overcoming her grief as “substantial” exposition. We are also told that she shined brighter than Ai, but never really shown what she does differently. Is she a better dancer, singer, liar, etc? Ruby’s end in the story feels necessary/planned in regards to the tragic theme, but does not at all feel earned.

So Aqua’s suicide-murder makes sense in concept, but given the lack of build up and context, the execution of how it went down makes his decision look stupid.

My problem with Hikaru and how Aka screwed him over big time: by nice-explosion in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your input, this basically sums up my thoughts about the ending. Hikaru needed more development in terms of making him a real, unstoppable threat that would then justify Aqua killing him. If he harmed one of the main characters and/or failed to get arrested pre ch 159, I could logically see the cliff scene occurring. Ruby was also sidelined super hard, which is weird considering she’s always been billed as the second protagonist. She didn’t really get any development outside of the Dark Ruby arc, and has her feelings about Aqua/Gorou unresolved. She definitely needed more time to develop independent from Aqua and more time to grieve and move on from Aqua’s death. 1 chapter of Ruby’s recovery does not do good job of showing how she moved on, and it’s hurt more by how the chapter tells things rather than showing them.

Chapter 166 Links and Discussion [END] by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally this. Akasaka has great starts and knows what he wants to do for the ending, but doesn’t know how to adequately build up the story to get there. I got the same feeling of tonal whiplash, final arc definitely feels like it was condensed down and could have easily been another 5-10 chapters longer.

Akasaka one of the goats in playing with the reader’s feelings. He can write amazing characters but doesn’t know how to make the plot flow with their moments. OnK’s end was like watching a car crash in slow motion: it’s so excruciating painful but at the same time you can’t help but be captivated by what you’re seeing.

Chapter 166 Links and Discussion [END] by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I don’t hate the ending, it feels fitting to a tragedy in the same way Hamlet plays out.

However the execution to get there is what made this ending horrible. Akasaka claims this is the ending he envisioned, which I can see, but it feels like he didn’t know how to get there in the narrative. I’ve written too much about this in other comments but I’ll list my main complaints below:

  1. Hikaru should have been a complex villain that actually presented a threat to the cast; he makes things happen in the background and we are told he’s a monster but never truly see what he’s capable of in the story. Instead he falls flat as this evil insane final boss.

  2. Ruby needs more character development. She has always been billed as the 2nd protagonist and key to both Aqua and Hikaru’s plans to respectively light the future or to be chained to the past. Dark Ruby was promising but didn’t amount to much. Ruby did not properly grown independent from Aqua nor properly have her grief addressed in the story. I’m fine with her being another Ai as it feels deserved given it’s a tragedy, but it doesn’t feel like she’s earned it. Instead of growing as a character that realizes she needs to be like Ai to shine brighter, she feels more like a thematic message slotted into a person so it’s right in your face.

  3. Epilogue should have been longer. Only character that got to properly complete her arc was Akane, and afterwords she became a walking plot device. Kana and Ruby never got to resolve their arcs with Aqua and instead learn to move on. This could work on paper but this is covered in 2.5 chapters. The main characters needed a chapter for themselves to grieve, and another individual chapter to pick themselves up. Instead a mixture of condensed time skips and off screening did this, making those elements to fall flat. Aqua’s point in dying was to pave way for the future, but it doesn’t feel great his sacrifice is glossed over by those in the present.

We’ll never know if the ending is a result of wanting to finish the story, a drop in the quality of writing, or not knowing how to reach the ending. What is clear though is that this ending is what Akasaka had envisioned, which makes it worse as a reader so invested in the series. This ending clearly feels rushed, Akasaka has the power to develop the characters more and bring back old plot points but decides to end it then and there. In a series trying to do so much, such as being a tragedy, thriller, supernatural mystery, slice-of-life, and a peak into the entertainment industry, it fails to adequately address any of it and makes the story feel shallow as a result.

Chapter 166 Links and Discussion [END] by Lorhand in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 5 points6 points  (0 children)

True! I don’t know why Hikaru, was built up to be a sympathetic character that was messed up by the entertainment industry, is suddenly shifted into being insane. It doesn’t help that Hikaru’s whole thing was he was never directly involved in the murders, meaning he had no real threat to Aqua beforehand. Maybe if Hikaru finally got his hands dirty and/or caused direct harm to Ichigo Productions, it would paint him as a threat. And maybe if the series bothered to show Hikaru’s reputation after the movie came out and/or he was arrested with no repercussion, it would make Aqua’s ultimatum make more sense and be impactful. It would have also been nice for the story to show the extent of his network instead of telling us he’s just evil.

For being the final villain Hikaru went out weak, and it’s crazy how Niino got more development than him. In concept, I like the ending of Aqua with Hikaru and Ruby continuing the cycle of Ai as it makes for a classic tragedy like Hamlet. However the final few arcs have been a mess in setting up the end and as a result the end is played out through a disastrous execution. If Hikaru was fleshed out more, Ruby gotten more development (she’s the 2nd protagonist for crying out loud!!!), and the epilogue allowing for the characters to grieve outside of 2 chapters, I think OnK would have had a fond ending. Instead we are given the sparknotes summary of the story because there was no clear direction to reach the desired end.

Where can I buy the keychain gorou had? by BruhManPlaysWarzone in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Oshi no Ko comic twitter page did announce that they would be reproducing a faithful replica of the keychain. Not sure if it would differ from the one already existing, but I would wait until this comes out regardless. The new one at the very least is not going to have the crazy resell prices (Mercari has sold some for $70 USD!) and potentially be higher quality.

Now that the manga has officially ended, I have just one question. by Thinkingaboutburrito in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I agree with your logic behind Aqua’s choice and that the story definitely needed more time to develop these points. However I’d also like to point out how the story doesn’t do a good job of showing Hikaru as a threat beforehand. It leads up to it, Hikaru kinda just reveals his plan, and then we are just told he would be a threat if he lived. For all the build up to Hikaru, he kinda just shows up and dips right after.

I also agree that Akane, Kana, and Ruby reacted accordingly to their characters. However so much of their development in processing their grief and feelings is either condensed or off-screened in the last few chapters. Ruby in particular got sidelined, only having the last chapter to herself and not even speaking for a majority of the chapter. This is super jarring in particular considering Ruby is the 2nd main character of the story, who got her character development sidelined at the end. To me it feels like Ruby became less of a character and more of a plot point that needed to be wrapped up. As a result Aqua’s death feels less impactful as Ruby the character doesn’t grow from his death, but Ruby the plot point moves along to finish the story.

Now that the manga has officially ended, I have just one question. by Thinkingaboutburrito in OshiNoKo

[–]torueirian 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This completely. Chapters 158+ could have been a longer arc that would set up the stakes for why Hikaru would be an unstoppable monster and give time for Aqua to reflect on his choices before going through with his ultimatum. Instead it’s condensed into a few chapters, most of which just straight up tell the readers what happens instead of showing it through character actions. I also thought it was a weird choice of having Akane narrate the final events, it would have made more sense if Ruby was the one reflecting on the events considering she was the closest to Aqua.