Samuari Love Ballad: Party: Shadow Prologue
Masterlist and guide
So it turned out there was still the epilogue to go for Mitsuhide's route, which I added to the end of his last post. It was very cute.
I was all set to take a possibly permanent break from this game, with it's drawn out stories about morally dubious real life warlords, when I unlocked THE SHADOW PROLOGUE. This has a whole set of new and largely made up ninja love interests and a new main character with an ANGSTY NINJA BACKSTORY.
Also she has a sort-of(*) trans feminine non-binary ninja bff?? Who has their own romantic side stories??
I still feel like taking a break, but this may be more my jam.
(*)I don't have a strong grasp of Japanese gender identities, especially in the 16th century, but they present as both male and female, afaict are amab, and the game refers to them as she, he, and they.
The loading symbol is a nunchuck with a heart in it <3
The background is a burning building and MC seems to be...angrily stabbing at someone?
MC: Grrrr!!
Me: :D
(I'm guessing it's self defence, gender roles aside MC is a pacifist)
I have no idea what's going on but I'm here for it.
"We were friends in another life, back in Iga where we were both raised. His name is Fujibayashi Sakuya."
Flashback time!
Oh wow this is a whole other main character. She was raised as a MERCENARY in a SECRET NINJA VILLAGE but her Mitsuba clan ESCAPED TO LIVE PEACEFULLY only for their VIOLENT PAST TO CATCH UP WITH THEM.
MC: I wish mother was still here.
Father: Things only end one way for a Shinobi on the run, she knew the risks. But with Lord Nobunaga more interested in medicine than poison, we've found a master we can serve in good conscience.
I mean, he's more interested in cake than poison, but uh...
(Wikipedia says shinobi is just another word for ninja)
Oh wow they're a family of apothecaries but were used to create poisons. This MC should meet Chizuru from Hakuoki and then kiss her.
OMG IT'S KAEDE THE BIGENDER CHARACTER I HEARD ABOUT
She's described as "like a big sister to me" and has a pet flying squirrel.
Afaict they're amab and have male and female identities/pronouns but the game seems to default to female. They don't have a route as yet but do have some side stories...which cost TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS. But the preview used they/them pronouns?? Which makes me think the writers really are going for non-binary (or "X gender") though I don't have a strong grasp on how Japanese people see this stuff especially when the character's from the 16th century.
Ahaha just as I was thinking "So I guess this MC's surname is Mitsuba" I got the line "Even within our clan, the recipe for the poison antidote Dragon's Tears is known only to those bearing the last name Palpatine".
OOH SHE WAS OUT GATHERING HERBS WHEN A MYSTERIOUS SILVER HAIRED NINJA APPEARED AND PUT A KNIFE TO HER THROAT.
This is so much more exciting than the other prologue. Ridiculous, but exciting.
Oooh, he's Hattori Hanzo from Iga and says people have figured out the Palpatines provided Nobunaga with Dragon's Tears.
Hanzo: Follow me and I will teach you to wield the power you hold. If you promise to obey me, I guarantee your safety and that of all the Mitsuba clan.
His voice is silky and inviting, and his eyes gleam with an uncanny light. DELIGHTFUL.
Look MC your loyalty to Nobunaga is admirable but I'm really not sure you can say he'd never abuse his power unless this is a really big AU.
Hanzo is as amused by her faith as I am, so I guess not. He says she should figure out for herself if Nobunaga's any better than the masters they served back in Iga.
She reluctantly goes with Hanzo...only for them to be stopped by the one eyed samurai Date Masumune! Ooh and he refers to Hanzo as Ieyasu's personal healer.
Hanzo: I'm delivering a new apprentice healer.
MC: ...mm...
Masumune: Actually I need a healer for a top secret job. Will you come with me alone, Hanzo?
Oooh has he figured out MC is a prisoner and is helping her escape??
Hanzo smiles and agrees, smugly telling MC he'll "be back to collect her later".
Masumune: Sorry about this.
MC: It's fine :D
Aw and then Masumune whispers to her that he'll give Hanzo the slip and she should come to his castle if she has any problems. But she remembers what Hanzo said before and decides to investigate Nobunaga.
HI MITSUHIDE <3
Conveniently, Nobunaga has just been injured by a failed assassination attempt. MC claims to be a healer looking for work, to test Nobunaga's loyalty. He coldly says he only needs one doctor, and has one. So does he not need the rest of the clan?
On the way back to the village she bumps into Sasuke, a ninja from Iga with a cool hawk and a scar, her first love who once saved her life. But he doesn't remember her at all!
He says her secret ninja village should join the Takeda clan under Takeda Shingen. The white haired ninja Saizo appears, and Sasuke says he was "taking a look" at Nobunaga: he was the 'failed assassin'!
MC calls a clan meeting. It's time to decide which lord they want to serve.
But before they can decide, the village is attacked! The smell of smoke and blood fills the air.
Back to the present! MC has just been rescued by her childhood friend Sakuya (who is way cuter than Inuchiyo). He coldly says he's under Nobunaga's orders to collect her, even when she wants to stay and help her clan.
But then Kaede comes to defend MC with a SHURIKEN :D
I LOVE YOU KAEDE (EVEN IF NOT ENOUGH TO SPEND ACTUAL MONEY ON YOU)
The next morning, the attackers have been driven off, but the village is in ruins. And MC's dad has lost the use of his arms. The clan's future lies in MC's hands. She thinks of the various hot boys clans she's met over the last few days. And she chooses.
And now my home screen has a "Select Character" button!
Omg there are a WHOLE NEW SET OF CHOICES. Nobunaga/Mitsuhide etc were the "Radiance" paths, but now there's the "Shadow" paths too. Once again they are organised into pairs with shared common routes.
Oh wow there's a character guide with all the minor characters, some of these girls are hot. Hellooo Saizo's hedonistic ninja sister.
Anyway! The actual LIs! Oh my gosh THEY HAVE PETS.
Sarutobi Sasuke: Warm, your first love. Has chosen to live for Shingen. Hawk.
Fujibayashi Sakuya: MC's childhood friend, now strangely cold. Monkey!
Hattori Hanzo: Up to Something. Interests: "outwitting Ieyasu" lol. Snake.
Fujibayashi Genya: Sakuya's twin, seems lazy with an authentic side. Dog!
Kirigakura Hotaru: Bound by a powerful spell, all he knows is adoration for his brother, Saizo. But one event will change all that. Wildcat!
Narukami Kyoichiro: Chivalrous thief with red streaks in his hair and a pet fox.
Hmm! Yeah I still think I'll take a break from actually playing this game for a while. But this prologue was fun and these LIs sound like they could be fun, too.
This entry was originally posted at https://alias-sqbr.dreamwidth.org/777409.html. There are
comments.
So it turned out there was still the epilogue to go for Mitsuhide's route, which I added to the end of his last post. It was very cute.
I was all set to take a possibly permanent break from this game, with it's drawn out stories about morally dubious real life warlords, when I unlocked THE SHADOW PROLOGUE. This has a whole set of new and largely made up ninja love interests and a new main character with an ANGSTY NINJA BACKSTORY.
Also she has a sort-of(*) trans feminine non-binary ninja bff?? Who has their own romantic side stories??
I still feel like taking a break, but this may be more my jam.
(*)I don't have a strong grasp of Japanese gender identities, especially in the 16th century, but they present as both male and female, afaict are amab, and the game refers to them as she, he, and they.
The loading symbol is a nunchuck with a heart in it <3
The background is a burning building and MC seems to be...angrily stabbing at someone?
MC: Grrrr!!
Me: :D
(I'm guessing it's self defence, gender roles aside MC is a pacifist)
I have no idea what's going on but I'm here for it.
"We were friends in another life, back in Iga where we were both raised. His name is Fujibayashi Sakuya."
Flashback time!
Oh wow this is a whole other main character. She was raised as a MERCENARY in a SECRET NINJA VILLAGE but her Mitsuba clan ESCAPED TO LIVE PEACEFULLY only for their VIOLENT PAST TO CATCH UP WITH THEM.
MC: I wish mother was still here.
Father: Things only end one way for a Shinobi on the run, she knew the risks. But with Lord Nobunaga more interested in medicine than poison, we've found a master we can serve in good conscience.
I mean, he's more interested in cake than poison, but uh...
(Wikipedia says shinobi is just another word for ninja)
Oh wow they're a family of apothecaries but were used to create poisons. This MC should meet Chizuru from Hakuoki and then kiss her.
OMG IT'S KAEDE THE BIGENDER CHARACTER I HEARD ABOUT
She's described as "like a big sister to me" and has a pet flying squirrel.
Afaict they're amab and have male and female identities/pronouns but the game seems to default to female. They don't have a route as yet but do have some side stories...which cost TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS. But the preview used they/them pronouns?? Which makes me think the writers really are going for non-binary (or "X gender") though I don't have a strong grasp on how Japanese people see this stuff especially when the character's from the 16th century.
Ahaha just as I was thinking "So I guess this MC's surname is Mitsuba" I got the line "Even within our clan, the recipe for the poison antidote Dragon's Tears is known only to those bearing the last name Palpatine".
OOH SHE WAS OUT GATHERING HERBS WHEN A MYSTERIOUS SILVER HAIRED NINJA APPEARED AND PUT A KNIFE TO HER THROAT.
This is so much more exciting than the other prologue. Ridiculous, but exciting.
Oooh, he's Hattori Hanzo from Iga and says people have figured out the Palpatines provided Nobunaga with Dragon's Tears.
Hanzo: Follow me and I will teach you to wield the power you hold. If you promise to obey me, I guarantee your safety and that of all the Mitsuba clan.
His voice is silky and inviting, and his eyes gleam with an uncanny light. DELIGHTFUL.
Look MC your loyalty to Nobunaga is admirable but I'm really not sure you can say he'd never abuse his power unless this is a really big AU.
Hanzo is as amused by her faith as I am, so I guess not. He says she should figure out for herself if Nobunaga's any better than the masters they served back in Iga.
She reluctantly goes with Hanzo...only for them to be stopped by the one eyed samurai Date Masumune! Ooh and he refers to Hanzo as Ieyasu's personal healer.
Hanzo: I'm delivering a new apprentice healer.
MC: ...mm...
Masumune: Actually I need a healer for a top secret job. Will you come with me alone, Hanzo?
Oooh has he figured out MC is a prisoner and is helping her escape??
Hanzo smiles and agrees, smugly telling MC he'll "be back to collect her later".
Masumune: Sorry about this.
MC: It's fine :D
Aw and then Masumune whispers to her that he'll give Hanzo the slip and she should come to his castle if she has any problems. But she remembers what Hanzo said before and decides to investigate Nobunaga.
HI MITSUHIDE <3
Conveniently, Nobunaga has just been injured by a failed assassination attempt. MC claims to be a healer looking for work, to test Nobunaga's loyalty. He coldly says he only needs one doctor, and has one. So does he not need the rest of the clan?
On the way back to the village she bumps into Sasuke, a ninja from Iga with a cool hawk and a scar, her first love who once saved her life. But he doesn't remember her at all!
He says her secret ninja village should join the Takeda clan under Takeda Shingen. The white haired ninja Saizo appears, and Sasuke says he was "taking a look" at Nobunaga: he was the 'failed assassin'!
MC calls a clan meeting. It's time to decide which lord they want to serve.
But before they can decide, the village is attacked! The smell of smoke and blood fills the air.
Back to the present! MC has just been rescued by her childhood friend Sakuya (who is way cuter than Inuchiyo). He coldly says he's under Nobunaga's orders to collect her, even when she wants to stay and help her clan.
But then Kaede comes to defend MC with a SHURIKEN :D
I LOVE YOU KAEDE (EVEN IF NOT ENOUGH TO SPEND ACTUAL MONEY ON YOU)
The next morning, the attackers have been driven off, but the village is in ruins. And MC's dad has lost the use of his arms. The clan's future lies in MC's hands. She thinks of the various hot boys clans she's met over the last few days. And she chooses.
And now my home screen has a "Select Character" button!
Omg there are a WHOLE NEW SET OF CHOICES. Nobunaga/Mitsuhide etc were the "Radiance" paths, but now there's the "Shadow" paths too. Once again they are organised into pairs with shared common routes.
Oh wow there's a character guide with all the minor characters, some of these girls are hot. Hellooo Saizo's hedonistic ninja sister.
Anyway! The actual LIs! Oh my gosh THEY HAVE PETS.
Sarutobi Sasuke: Warm, your first love. Has chosen to live for Shingen. Hawk.
Fujibayashi Sakuya: MC's childhood friend, now strangely cold. Monkey!
Hattori Hanzo: Up to Something. Interests: "outwitting Ieyasu" lol. Snake.
Fujibayashi Genya: Sakuya's twin, seems lazy with an authentic side. Dog!
Kirigakura Hotaru: Bound by a powerful spell, all he knows is adoration for his brother, Saizo. But one event will change all that. Wildcat!
Narukami Kyoichiro: Chivalrous thief with red streaks in his hair and a pet fox.
Hmm! Yeah I still think I'll take a break from actually playing this game for a while. But this prologue was fun and these LIs sound like they could be fun, too.
This entry was originally posted at https://alias-sqbr.dreamwidth.org/777409.html. There are
comments.