My Dress-up Darling

Ha. So I'd seen a new anime pop up on Crunchyroll that I thought looked cute. It reminded me of Otomen, so I asked little dude if he wanted to watch it with me. He took one look and was, like, uh, no mom, I am definitely not watching that with you. I shrugged my shoulders and left it, finally starting it when exercising after finishing My Little Happiness. And, uh, yeah. I'm glad he said no. Don't get me wrong, I actually am really enjoying My Dress-Up Darling. But it is definitely not one you want to watch with your teenage son, for his sake and mine. 

It is, indeed, reminiscent of Otomen. Wakane Gojo, an orphan, lives with his grandfather at a Hina doll making shop. That's what he wants to be when he grows up -- he wants to continue the tradition. He's never really had friends because he's been obsessed with practicing his painting and sewing skills since he was young. And, let's face it, he's a bit awkward. So he looks with some awe upon Marin Kitagawa, a pretty, forthright, and very popular girl from school, thinking that he has nothing in common with her. She seems like a goddess on another plane to him. 

But she discovers that he can sew and immediately busts out with the cosplay that she's been trying (unsuccessfully) to make on her own. She talks him into helping her make it, which, admittedly, isn't too hard. Already in episode 1, Gojo would do just about anything for her, even though he expects nothing in return and, in fact, thinks that things will go back to the way they were before after the outfit is done. 

I'm on episode 11 so far and this show is so weirdly wholesome but also incredibly randy at the same time. There's some SERIOUS fan service going on, which is generally a turn off for me (haha) including more up-skirt shots than you can shake a...stick...at. BUT the characters themselves are so lovely and true and nice and supportive of each other that, well, you just have to kind of look past it. 

But I'm still glad I'm not watching it with my teenage son. That'd be bad for both of us.

Kitagawa is actually particularly charming and Gojo is definitely Best Boy. She's the kind of character who could have been awful but she's not. She's not shy AT ALL which causes poor Gojo a lot of...stress. But there's not a mean bone in her body. I'm also learning some things about what cosplayers do to perfect their characters, which is an added bonus. 

I also like that she figures out fairly quickly how awesome Gojo is and that she "wuvs" him -- some truly adorable moments when they're on not-quite-dates and she's so internally excited about it. And Gojo, while he may not have totally realised it yet, can certainly wax rhapsodic about how she's changed his life and how happy she makes him. So I've got hope for them. 

Anyway, will update at the end or later on, but I'm actually quite enjoying this one even if their are some seriously dodgy shmexy bits. I mean, some of it makes sense (like when he was uncomfortably measuring her for a cosplay) but other bits are just seriously gratuitous. But, even so, you stay because of the characters.

Edit: Oh PHOOEY. Crunchyroll had something like 30 odd episodes listed so I thought I still had a lot to go, but was chatting with little dude about it (he's actually read a lot of it, but not watched any) and he's, like, are you sure they aren't listing the dubbed ones as more episodes and I was, like, DOH because, yeah, Crunchyroll does that. And sure enough, they did. I only had one episode left of season 1. So I went ahead and watched it. 

It was a charming and very sweet (and remarkably ecchi free) episode with them finishing out their summer break by watching a horror movie and (on another day) attending a fireworks festival together. Super super adorable. And the end, where she's watched another horror movie by herself and has freaked herself out, so Gojo talks to her until he falls asleep and she tells him she loves him. This really was a wholesome, lovely little show. I really do hope they make another season. Though now I feel like I need to get the books. Little dude said it's not as ecchi as he's heard the anime is (at least, not after the first few chapters), so that's actually a bonus.  

I did read an interesting article on the show where the author posits that, while Marin is ostensibly written for the male gaze, Gojo is equally written for the female one. Meaning that the things that Marin finds attractive about him aren't physical things (though she can't help from finding him handsome ONCE she likes him) but his dedication, his charm, his attention to detail, his work ethic, his selflessness, etc. The fact that he helps her without asking for anything in return. Or that he actually listens to her and participates with her in the things she likes (something even her girlfriends don't do, as they aren't into anime or cosplay). I can see that. Gojo really is the best. And so is she!

Arcade Spirits

So, there was a huge bundle of games on Itch.io as a fundraiser for Ukraine. I don't normally buy things off of there, but little dude does. It also seems a lot more...stable? safe? less dodgy? than it used to. And it was for a good cause, so I picked it up (for more than the minimum donation, though I'd have done even more if I had realised in time that the price was in dollars rather than pounds).

Anyway, when I say "huge" I mean HOLY COW THAT'S A LOT OF GAMES. They're not all (or even majority) the kind of stuff I normally play, but there was some Ren'py stuff in there and RPGs so I'll slowly check them out. I started with one that is an otome/joseimuke/visual novel game: Arcade Spirits. It's also available on Steam, but I didn't get a download key with that for the bundle. Which is A-ok. It was a huge deal. And hopefully the money goes to really help the people of Ukraine.

The game is by Fiction Factory Games and is apparently also available on multiple platforms now, including the Switch and XBox. It was launched in 2019. There are also (I just discovered), a sort-of follow up sequel coming in 2022 and a novelisation.

So, the game is set in 20XX sometime in the future, but it's an alternate future where arcades never subsided in popularity. I kinda wish that was true. I mean, this game does have e-sports, which is definitely a thing now, but I do rather miss those days of Dragon's Lair (which I never played, because it cost too many quarters) and Galaga and Centipede and whatever the name of that one racing game was with the red convertible and the blonde and her flippy hair.

Anyway, you play as a customisable MC (hair style, colour, hoody colour, etc.) and you're a bit of a sad sack at the start. You feel very unlucky and down and you've just been laid off from the latest in a string of dead-end, not very rewarding jobs. Your BFF and roommate Juniper (which I think is a hidden LI possibly) gets you to download an app on your phone called IRIS -- which promises to help you get your life together. Iris turns out to be a sort-of sentient program and she gets you an interview at Francine's Funplex, an old-style arcade that's not terribly popular (not like the chain of arcades owned by godfather-like Deco Nami). It's run by Francine, who'll become almost like an adopted grandma. There you'll meet all your potential love interests (from left to right):

• Ashley -- a co-splay loving creative girl who initially terrifies you in her mascot costume...seriously, it's nightmare-inducing...but she's pretty bubbly and cheerful as an LI
• Gavin -- the manager and straight-laced numbers-loving guy who plays pinball on the sly
• Naomi -- the Fix It girl who can get any old arcade machine back up and running and who loves all the old school stuff
• Percy -- who's supposed to be from England (accent is a bit weird, like Percy's an Australian that once lived in the West Midlands, travelled up to Yorkshire and didn't like it, and then moved to the US, though, to be fair, it's not as cringe as the one in Backstage Pass. The VA is from Portland...I just...could game devs please stop hiring VAs to do English accents that aren't English? It's a pet peeve. I can't help it. Why make Percy English at all? Just have him be some random dude from wherever.) and has a dad bod. He's an arcade regular who plays Moopy's Maze in honour of his dead sister
• Queen Bee -- who probably has a real name, but I dunno what it is. She's an e-sports gamer with attitude and temper but a lot of loyalty (and a bit of a potty mouth)
• Teo -- a dance machine regular who runs a Spotlight Stage community, but usually tries to put everyone else in the spotlight. He's also a flirt machine with biceps.

I actually quite liked both Percy and Teo equally, though wound up going for Teo in my first play (more on that in a minute). Next for me would be Naomi, then you'd think it would be Ashley as I do love a creative who likes to make stuff...but, eh, I wasn't really feeling her. I'm not sure why. So probably Gavin next, then Juniper (if I can figure out how to do that route), leaving Ashley and Queen Bee tied. 

So...how the play works. Every decision you make has a "personality type" and each LI has their preferred type. You don't necessarily have to play to type though... The types are:

• Kindly (green heart)
• Steady (blue scales) i.e. more logical
• Gutsy (red heart)
• Quirky (smiley face)
• Non-committal (space invaders looking thing) i.e. not really a type at all, and sort of when you want to pick something that's not specifically any of the regular types.

And...I just looked this up to write this, as I played the first time through without looking up any hints or walkthroughs...here are the "types" that each LI is supposed to go for generally:

• Gavin: Steady / Kindly
• Naomi: Kindly / Gutsy
• Ashley: Steady / Gutsy
• Percy: Quirky / Kindly
• Queen Bee: Gutsy / Quirky 
• Teo: Quirky / Steady
• Juniper: Kindly

And...you definitely don't have to exactly follow that because I just picked what I wanted and was pretty much Kindly all the way and still managed to romance Teo successfully. At least, it seemed successful! There's a big beach scene before the final plot arc and they did start dating. Maybe it gets MORE successful if you pick all the right "types"? I dunno. Mostly, I think you just have to be nice to them and make sure to pick the options that lead to extra scenes with them.

I did really like that you can easily see at any time the indicator for your likability level with everyone and your current personality levels. Thank you, game devs. You also get a visual indicator when you earn a "point" with a character (and a cute little arcade-style ding).

I don't want to re-hash the whole story and I wouldn't say it carried any particular ooomph. I feel like all of the plot "surprises" were pretty well telegraphed way before they happened. That said, it was a very enjoyable game and I really liked it. The mechanics were good. The story was engaging. Lots of humour, also pathos, and all of the characters were well rounded. I've only played through once, but I can definitely see going through it multiple times to pick out more of the backstory for the other characters (I didn't do much with Gavin or Ashley, so they're still a mystery to me). I did pick up quite a bit about Percy and really liked him too; he'll probably be my next run through unless I just want to try something off the wall.

I probably should mention the art though...It's a bit hit or miss. But it's an indie studio, so I forgive a lot in those cases. Like, Percy's sideshot sprite has him holding arcade joysticks...but it doesn't always fit the scene. The MC art is actually kind of the biggest issue here...on the one hand, yay, it's awesome you get to customise a lot. But then there are CGs and they just look...awkward? And it feels like they made the art really androgynous for the MC on purpose, which is fine, but it feels like it would have been better if they'd just made 3 body types then: male, female, and what they have. So you could *really* customise what you want. It might also be that it feels a bit weird when you're going after Teo and he's constantly complimenting you and you're literally there in a shapeless hoody and half the time you look more manly than he does. But the LIs have the same issue, honestly. The standard character sprites are fine, but when you get into bigger pictures, they often don't look at all like they normally do. That last date with Teo...they're having a picnic on the beach and it was just...really weird looking with awkward perspective. BUT the rest of it is so charming that I just kinda skimmed over the art issues. 

So, is it worth it? Absolutely. I would definitely recommend it. Even the few things that didn't impress weren't game-killers. 

The Arcana

I actually first tried The Arcana ages ago. AGES. But it seemed like one of those really well done but way too expensive mobile games where you have to pay "coins" to unlock the good scenes. So I deleted it. But I recently re-installed it on a whim. And, while I still think it's overpriced if you actually wanted to unlock everything, it's got some good points. So here I am.

 

First up, the good stuff: beautiful art. Very usable layout. Choices clearly have an impact on the story. And the story itself is interesting and engaging. There's a "common" route of a few chapters/prologue where you get the basic setup: you're the apprentice of Asra (the white haired magician-y guy, LI number 1, 5th in the picture). He travels a lot on missions that he won't take you on. He disappears one day as per usual and you're visited by the regal Nadia, Countess of Vesuvia (LI number 2, 4th in the picture). She has you read her cards and immediately hires you to come to the palace for a job, promising more details when you get there. 

By the time you reach the palace, you've had semi-mysterious run-ins with 3 more love interests: Julian (the goth looking aristocratic dude with an eyepatch), Muriel (dark-haired, awkward beefcake guy who, for some reason, wears a chain collar), and Portia (the wild-haired and cheerful/plucky head servant of Nadia). The final love interest you learn about once you reach the castle (and he's the weird one--the intense looking blonde guy that's first in the picture).

So, it seems that Nadia wants to hire you to use your talents to find Julian, who is accused of murdering (by fire, with extreme prejudice) Lucio, the Count and her husband...and the 6th love interest. 

Here's where I have a slight disconnect -- it is very, very clear from what you see in Lucio's burned out bedroom and in the very disturbing picture showing him as some kind of goat-god that there is a lot more going on here than a murder case. And, if you don't jump to conclusions right away and keep an open mind, you immediately figure out that Julian, while strange, is likely not a murderer. And that there's something really, really wrong/off with the whole Lucio situation. And that Portia is Julian's long-lost sister (and probably working in the palace in order to find him). 

After the prologue, you have to actually choose a route and could, theoretically, read through more than one at a time. I did do a few "spend the coins" things to see if they were worthwhile in the prologue (you start with a small supply) and, unlike Dangerous Fellows, they do give you significantly more story. However, I still stand by my original sentiment that unlocking the extra bits are way too expensive (and the numbers on that link are from years ago and they've since added more books/chapters). It's a well-made game but a serious money grabber. I *might* (and that's a big might) spend enough to unlock 1 character's whole complete story, but the more likely thing is to just read the base story for free and unlock a few of my fav character's extras. You do get a few free coins every day so you could theoretically unlock everything after a long, long time. A really long time.

This is where the mobile games annoy me. I'd rather buy the whole thing out right for a decent price. 

Anyway, I actually liked Asra the most after the prologue, so I'm...doing Muriel's route. I plan on finishing it without unlocking anything and see how many coins I can amass. My next preference would be Julian, then Portia. I find it very hard to trust Nadia and Lucio, the little I've seen of him so far...Um. No. Just no. Will update once I finish a route or get to a good point, but that may be a while.

Edit: Okay, have been slowly playing on through Muriel's route. It's been about 22 days since I posted about it, so you could take that as a baseline. I've got 1490 coins saved up via doing the Daily things (and I might have done one small purchase? I can't remember now. If I did, it was the cheapest option.). I am on Book XV Chapter 1 of Muriel's story. There are a total of XIX books for him and then an Upright End or a Reversed End. I have not chosen a single "bonus" story for him though it's actually been hard because I quite like him! Now I rather wish I'd picked Lucio or Nadia instead because I really hate Lucio and Nadia I don't find particularly interesting, though after this much of the story, she's definitely okay and not as dodgy as I'd thought she might be. 

Anyway, Muriel is practically a shy cinnamon bun of really large proportions. He's the blushy one. I didn't expect that from the prologue. But. I made a plan and I'm sticking to it.