#DAIGO APPRECIATION POST DAIGO APPRECIATION POST

[skrunksthatwunk]

UGH daigo who pretends to wanna see strip shows and go drinking as a 12 year old because he knows everyone around him isn't cool with him being a kid, so he tries to be less lame, to be more convenient. yeah, you can take me anywhere. in fact, you have to. i'll show you just how grown i am.

daigo who sheaths himself in black clothes, all bark and some bite, all dark and mysterious. all touch me and you'll get burned. playing hard to get. not that he doesn't want to be alone, but he sure as hell doesn't want to be lonely. and for that people have to like him. want to follow him. he's got to be a magnet. leave me alone, i'm not worth your time. so whoever picked him up from the gutter would really have to want him.

daigo who struggles to get his men in line as sixth chairman. daigo who only took the job because kiryu finally needed him. daigo who's never as good as the fourth chairman (who retired after a day, who never had to be chairman). daigo who never holds that against kiryu.

daigo who does what needs to be done, daigo who makes impossible decisions. daigo who rises to the occasion and swears in, daigo determined to be a better man than sohei ever was. daigo who sees the clan as his family, and tries to protect everyone in it. daigo who refuses to screw over kiryu's new family, and daigo who is shot for it. daigo who keeps the clan from tearing each other apart, whose absence brings out the worst in them. daigo who wakes up from a coma and saves kiryu and mine, daigo who comforts mine after, unable to even sit up properly. daigo who takes on a whole baseball team to protect his high school baseball team, daigo who's expelled and thrown in juvie for it. daigo who takes the hit because he knows he'll be yakuza someday anyway. daigo who protects his city. daigo who protects his men. daigo who works a way to offer his broke high school buddy millions of yen and another chance at his dream into his plans. daigo who shows his enemies mercy, daigo who rushes out injured to save the people who've helped him. daigo who tries to get kiryu off charges, who tries to push him to stay with his new family. daigo who loves his father fiercely, daigo who can be relied on. daigo who takes care of people.

daigo who kiryu gives the guidance he needs. daigo who kiryu pulls from depression, daigo who kiryu comes to rescue. majima comes back to the yakuza for, and kiryu who makes him, so he's not alone. daigo who shows mine what it means to care for others, why that's a trait worth dying for. daigo who mine feels he is not worthy of, daigo for whom mine sacrifices himself. daigo whom kiryu covers up mine's betrayal for because he didn't want to hurt him, and because mine was better than that. daigo who's forgiven for selling out majima, for getting caught in something stupid. daigo the "little chef". daigo who kiryu nearly jumps off a building to reach when he's shot, and saejima who holds him back. kiryu who leaves a letter for him, and not haruka, the always-chosen. daigo who's joined by saejima and majima when the tojo crumbles and they have to hide. daigo whose men follow him in the security company afterwards.

daigo who needed to be loved. daigo who loved anyway. daigo who was loved.

#DAIGO APPRECIATION POST DAIGO APPRECIATION POST #I LOVE THAT LITTLE MAN!!!!!!!!!! #rgg #ryu ga gotoku #dojima daigo #daigo dojima #that's him that's the guy #yakuza #nyarla dni

[spiritofjustice]

i know it’s because manga Tahomaru is a footnote of a character but isn’t it crazy how manga Nui seems completely unphased by her son killing her other son, like

the manga never addresses Nui’s relationship with Tahomaru at all aside from the one time they interact n Tahomaru snaps at her and just focuses on Nui and Hyakki but it’s like damn. they NEVER bring Tahomaru up after he dies and Nui seems completely unphased. she’s really just like. whatever about it

she’s also pretty fucking whatever about Hyakki but she’s still more caring about him than her other kid, who again fucking died but hey. is what it is

#Psy's no punctuation posts #dororo tag #Nui is really like 'yall hear sumn??' @ Tahomaru in every version of Dororo though #it's just the 2019 anime that actually takes that seriously and engages with how her trauma would prevent her from properly #bonding with or parenting Tahomaru at all. and i appreciate them actually try with that in the anime because it adds a lot of nuance #to the Daigo family overall #they add an insane amount of nuance to Tahomaru's character in that show to begin with though and for the better #though again i love manga Tahomaru just because he's funny as fuck

[madsscreenshots]

me: oh no, there’s going to be no more nishikiyama screenshots for me to post. how will this blog function without his stans?

the followers: OMG YAYOI AND DAIGO CONTENT!!!

#personal #text post #i love every one of you: the nishiki stans; yayoi fans; and daigo lovers #you guys actually made me appreciate nishikiyama more lol #not that i didn't like him but i like him more now thanks to this blog #i'm also with the yayoi fans and daigo lovers--i love them too! #i wonder who else will blow up on this blog

[peemanne]

rgg game osts ranked Yeah.................

LONG ASS POST AHEAD!!!!!! BAH!!!!!!!!!!!

for context awhile back a yakuza discord server i'm in had a music discussion thread open up and we were invited to make simple little tier lists for the game osts to start it off. it was supposed to be just the tier list but i eventually spiraled into a whole ramble. whoops. so i might as well just paste it here with a few additions so the rest of you can see it yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!

will be providing my reasonings and then my highlight tracks. i'm gonna provide convenient youtube links to all the songs mentioned so if you wanna check one of them out feel free to just click the hyperlink

and yes this is ordered in tiers. the personal highlights aren't though

>Yakuza 5 is my personal top 1 OST overall, but it's seriously close. I can't tell you enough how much of a nut I am for this series and its music. Yakuza 5's ost is, in my eyes, the most consistently hard-hitting amongst all of RGG's catalogue. The street fight themes are all amazing, the boss fight themes hit hard and pump you the hell up, and this also has the one of the best B-sides out of all of them, with stuff like Baka Mitai (fun fact, Saejima's is actually considered the original version, Kiryu's "Taxi Driver Edition" actually uses a different key to fit Kuroda's voice), the songs from Haruka's section, and even the jazzy bar themes. 5 hits that perfect balance of quantity and quality, and also happens to fill like half of my workout playlist.

Personal Highlights:

The place where I used to be

Daigo's western theme

Victory Road

and of course The Battle for the Dream

>I am such a sucker for Yakuza 4's music direction. As Tehsnakerer said in his Yakuza 4 video, this is the first truly GREAT soundtrack, and I'd have to agree. The jazzier style of music on showcase here fits this series- and this entry ESPECIALLY- like a glove. This is such a quality collection of sounds. Featuring the best panic themes, the best chase themes, and some iconic street battle themes. 4's direction makes it stand out even more amongst RGG's catalogue, and I couldn't be happier about it. Also, this game gave us Machine Gun Kiss and Pure Love in Kamurocho, which are two of my favorite karaoke tracks in the whole series.

Please bring back Pure Love in Kamurocho for a modern title, RGG. I'm begging you.

Personal Highlights:

Solitude

Receive and Bite You

Infinite Handcuffs

yeah yeah fine For Faith

Why couldn't they use this for the actual cover instead of the weird one we have now like come on this looks so much better

>Is anyone gonna disagree with me when I say Lost Judgment is easily the best out of the more techno-focused soundtracks? They handle it perfectly here, with tracks that grab you by the throat like K.O.G. and Dig In Your Heels, utilizing the electric sound with effortless grace, while still having enough variety throughout to keep it from getting stale. I also found the B-sides here surprisingly strong alongside the main game, with the school stories giving us a nice variety of music to work with. The boxing ones and Toward To The Skyline are what I'd highlight in that selection.

Personal Highlights:

In the Groove

Unwavering Belief / Dig in Your Heels

Final Destination

1811

>Gaiden oh my gah......... Despite the shorter game, I seriously dig the tracks on display here. It's so consistently amazing, and does a great job of servicing both the legacy of Kiryu, and giving us some Good Shit™️ for the newer faces. This is also when I really came to appreciate the cutscene tracks: Wounded Beast is such a kickass track that you'd be forgiven for thinking it plays in an actual fight, and Psycho's Prelude is an amazing hype-up track for an even more amazing boss theme. Also worth mentioning there's like a gajillion coliseum tracks in this one. Have no idea why but y'know I appreciate it. It's cool.

Personal Highlights:

Psycho's Anthem

Deadly Struggle / Fleeting Dream (HAKANAKI YUME)

Bring It On (best street fight track to date i'm not taking notes at this time)

Un altro appassionato

>0 has One-Eyed Assassin so it automatically goes here. The rest of the tracks are decent too ig 🙄 There are a few sort of those "eh whatever cool skip it" tracks in here which hold it back a teeny bit in my eyes, but this is still a really solid collection overall, and also gets props for being Kiwami's soundtrack if it was good. I'm kidding of course but 0 handles it pretty well for the most part. I find 0 is at its best music-wise when they either go all-in with the techno, or shy away from it almost entirely.

Personal Highlights:

Make You Free

Both Receive You remixes (The Subtype and ~Tech Trance Arrange~)

Interplanetary Spark

Reign

>Yakuza 6 has Lots of Lights so it automati I think 6 does a really good job at telling a story through its music. You have tragedy being painted in Fist Law and DESTINY, you have sheer anger and brutality being portrayed in Body and Soul, and you can even find it in the street themes with the feeling of "I am completely done with all of this bullshit" in KAMURO again. I also wanna say this has some of ZENTA's best work, which I really really REALLY appreciate.

Personal Highlights:

Lots of Lights

DESTINY

Bloodstained Philosophy (coolest name for a track i can't lie)

Theory of Beauty

>Judgment immediately does a great job of differentiating itself from the Yakuzas, and it's apparent as soon as you get into the street fight tutorial. The OST does a great job of painting Yagami and the overall bleaker picture of the game. Where some battle themes in the main series feel like a victory lap, JE instead sometimes has you feel like you're on the backfoot. Lambda, Hyenas Wheezing, and Rake Your Inside are all tracks that make you feel like an underdog, and give you that strength to power through what seems like impossible odds. It also has Flower of Chivalry so it aut

Personal Highlights:

Encounter ~ Keihin Alliance

Hyena's Wheezing

Penumbra

Destination

>Like a Dragon (/7) is another heavily techno leaning OST. If you asked me about it a few months ago, I probably would have put this higher. But now with IW out, I've started to see more of 7's OST's flaws. There are few tracks that are either weirdly low-energy, or feel a little generic and mesh together with the rest of the soundtrack, or at worst, both. But 7 still has quite the number of solid tracks, and those that stand out REALLY stand out. Shoutout to one of the most unique long battle tracks in Enter the Tiger.

Personal Highlights:

Brutality

Receive You The Hyperactive

REIWA LABYRINTH

ism

>Yakuza 3 acts as a sort of bridge between the rough, almost grunge-like sound of the PS2 era and the cleaner compositions of later entries. And I think it does both of those styles pretty well! It also starts to experiment with electric sound a little more, while still keeping the heavy guitars 1+2 are known for. The best are obviously composed of the tracks that do both. They even keep the unintelligible English lyrics in some tracks, what's not to love?

Personal Highlights:

Lyricism Without Tears

Clay Doll On The Cradle

Fly

D2A BABY YEAH BEST THEME EVER MADE D2A D2A D2A D2A

(2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

>Atmosphere is a large part of the PS2 era of Yakuza games' identity, and the music is a pretty large part of that. Yakuza 2 has an aggressive, grungy sound that pairs perfectly with the brutality of the game. You'll find some of the most of the most rough sounding songs in RGG's catalogue in here, and it's just so good in a way that isn't really replicated in the more modern entries. Also one of the tracks (Block Head Boy) samples Wu-Tang for some reason and I find that very funny.

Personal Highlights:

Evil Itself

North Menace

Hit & Kill

Outlaw's Lullaby (I still think the Kiwami 2 remix is the better of the two but this one's still SO good please listen to it if you haven't already)

whatcho beautiful ass staring at kaito my king >Kaito Files has like 6 tracks. They're all pretty good tracks, but that's like 6 tracks. Come on. Anyways, it's basically just more LJ music, so uhhhh yeah peak

Personal Highlights (plural would be like all of them)

Blood-Drunk Master Theme

>Kiwami 2. Yeah this one falls into the same trap as 7 does, but with less of those "This is the greatest thing to grace my ears" tracks. It still has some of them, though. The best remixes here are the ones that touch up and make completely sure that what the original has is intact: Lullaby of Outlaws and A Scattered, Eternal Moment are both fantastic in that regard. This also has a decent chunk of completely new tracks, presumably because they couldn't get certain composers back. You have stuff like the amazing triple-part track that plays in the Kamurocho Hills segment, Rebellious Phase which is decent, and the randomly amazing Break Off. Still a crime Evil Itself was snubbed like that smh.

Personal Highlights:

Lullaby of Outlaws

A Scattered, Eternal Moment

Kamuro Hills

Update with Gunfire

(1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

>Unfortunately, like with most aspects, Yakuza 2 does everything the first game did better. Still though, some quality tracks here. Yakuza 1 doesn't have too much to work with, but it still does utilize its few track slots well. From long-standing iconic tracks like Receive You, to Funk Goes On, and even the off B-side tracks like Singin' Bass, there really isn't a miss in here, just moreso a lack of super standout tracks. There's still quite a few to love despite that, of course.

Personal Highlights

son of a gun

Turning Point

Receive You The Prototype

Funk Goes On

>kiwami 1 ost snorkkkkkk mimimimimimimim snorkkkkkk mimim Alright I'm exaggerating, but I still think it's pretty weak in comparison to the rest. There's a lot of tracks that just feel kinda butchered to me? And it's not like the new tracks are particularly standout or anything. The tracks that do work are genuinely really good: Ideal For Violence is uhhhh perfect, Get Over It is a really strong long battle theme, Pray Me ~Revive~ is on par, if not arguably better than the original, and For Whose Sake Kiwami matches the sorrow of the original pretty well. But then you have stuff like Funk Goes On 極 which feels weirdly weak, Receive You the madtype which feels sorely outclassed by like, every single other Majima Receive You, and what would be arguably the strongest track, Receive You Reborn, doesn't even show up outside of Japanese versions. Kiwami isn't all bad, hell, there are some really good standouts here, but it just can't really compare to the rest in my eyes.

Personal Highlights:

Ideal For Violence

Get Over It

Amusing Octagon

Everlasting Spirit

>Infinite Wealth sits in haven't listened enough of solely because I haven't finished the game and thus haven't touched any track past Kooky (UPDATE: now any track past Impregnable Triangle. I'm planning to do the finale by this weekend). By any other metric this would have shot UP. I ADORE this OST. The cutscene tracks, the generic battle themes, the boss themes, the B-sides, they're all so excellent. This inadvertently made 7's OST worse for me because of how much better it handles the techno.

Personal Highlights:

Brutality ~Rebuild~

Impregnable Triangle (Fun fact: this track uses the time signature of 3/4, which is a waltz. I'll let you fill in the blanks for what that means for the theming.)

Kooky

Slugfest (Yamaniacs stay winning what can i say)

ok so uhhh apparently i hit the character limit lmao. didn't even know this site had one. uhhhhhh will continute in a reblog it's just kurohyou and ishin anyways

#rgg #ryu ga gotoku #yakuza #like a dragon #ramblings of the pee-man #video game osts......................

[akkivee]

i was going to type out a huge post about the stage since i snuck in one last full watch before it went away but tumblr killed my post as i was making it and i don’t feel like making another one lol

so new encounter thoughts: clifnotes version!!!!! it’s fitting bc that’s what this stage was anyway lol

i enjoyed myself!!!!! i wasn’t disappointed by any performances, tho since i was ride or die for akira ichiro and ayukawa jakurai, i felt those losses keenly lol. i was also surprised how much i felt like i was missing aramaki sasara watching this play lol. there were some changes to the origin stories, ofc lol, but the stage has always had superior bb takes so i really appreciate them changing ichiro’s more shallow dismissal of his bros in canon to him being scared for them after what happened with samatoki and chuuoku. it’s his biggest conflict in these battles so i appreciate them making it a primary focus

i read a tweet from a fan idk who they originally stanned but said they were considering becoming a hama lady after the stage and abso-fcking-lutely LOL uehara-san is incredible as samatoki, yuki-san can also inspire the masses with his looks and dancing and flow and tho stage rio didn’t have much presence in the play, him opening his heart to samatoki thru their battle and then teaming up with the both of them after fighting together is a great slight change to their origin story

*slams thru the wall like the kool aid man* AND THE NEW BAT HAIYUU ARE ACTUALLY MAGNIFICENT like backwards order since i have Things to say about nakanishi kuukou lol but nakatsuka-san’s hitoya is very cool!!!! his voice envokes almost the same amount of hype takeuchi-san’s voice does for me, like it’s deep and rough when he’s going and it’s sooooooo good. stage hitoya in the legends era cared for jyushi certainly, but i don’t think he flat out babied jyushi as much as he did in new encounter like my god lmao. it might be more indicative of the difference between actor’s personalities lol and i suppose hitoya did try to get kuukou to lighten up on jyushi when they first got started. also, there was this look he gave kuukou when kuukou started to goad him into being on his team that exuded cool charisma i think nakatsuka-san might be another actor too cool for hitoya LOL

i didn’t think it was possible for a jyushi to be even more baby than daigo-san’s but goddamn i think sakayori-san managed it LOL and again i do think some of that is bc of the source material they were adapting. i saw reports that new encounter jyushi was kinda spoiled by his team and i could see the undercurrents of that in the way kuukou would pat his back when getting up or the way jyushi would lean into hitoya and hitoya would actually wrap an arm around him lol. but i’m not complaining ITS CUTE. sakayori-san’s silhouette is so crazy like his build i think is exactly the way i envisioned jyushi’s so i kept vibrating out of my seat whenever he did a flourish and i got to see his figure lmao. i saw a report commenting that he needed to work on his vkei mode voice bc it was hard to differentiate and maybe???? idk i could tell the difference just fine, even if his voices don’t have as much of a gap as sakakihara-san or daigo-san’s

i want to throw up out of excitement thinking about nakanishi kuukou which is how i know he’s officially part of the kuukou brainrot LOL he’s kuukou!!!!!! he is so purely kuukou that everything i feel about kuukou is pushed onto him and i feel like i should apologise rn bc that comes with a heaping dose of objectification!!!!!! but it’s chill!!!!!!! *kicks down a wall* HES GOT MUSCLE ON HIS TINY FRAME!!!!!!!!!!!! like when he gets going going, that jacket starts slipping off and the camera caught just the right angle and lighting to show the contours on his arm muscles and i started yelling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thick neck thick calves thick arms HES BUFF!!!!!!! BLESS NAKANISHI-SAN!!!!! and thankfully it’s not for the aesthetic like he’s athletic asf too with jump kicks backflips air somersaults and the like. he is probably the best person to have gotten the role after someone like hirono-san, whose kuukou has shaped the character so thoroughly that even in this new stage, direction choices were made to preserve the hype his kuukou envokes. if the writing on nakanishi kuukou stays the course, it’d honestly be a bonus to have that extra hype kuukou lol. and on that note

I DONT HATE STAGE KUUKOU WRITING LOL🙌🙌🙌

now it’s just an origin story so there’s plenty of time for shit to go awry but rn i’m feeling massively satisfied lol. there were some lines that were raising my hackles but frfr??? that’s just me being sensitive after all these years lol it’s fine. no nod to kuukou’s history with ichiro but tbh i don’t come to the stage for that lol but it made me think of the complaint that nagosaka’s get together story felt rushed compared to the other divisions. and they were lol but i’m not sure if that’s the stage’s fault or the source material. on bat’s side, bc they formed nagosaka alongside the og teams in the stage, ramuda’s development thru bat got axed in favour of jyushi falling for rei’s scam that brought dh together. it’s a choice that further isolates nagosaka so while within the stage narrative it makes sense (does jyushi’s character a disservice tho), it kinda annoys me thinking about the long term lol but it’s probably not going to matter in the long term either so ultimately it’s fine. i guess. maybe lol

one last nakanishi-san ramble and i’m done lol but that fanservice part really showed off his charm lol like when he rolled up on some fans arms spread wide and demanding their ears and attention!!!!!! 😫😫😫😫🙏🙏🙏🙏 and as he was heading back on stage, there was a lone bat fan along that aisle so he paused and leeeeeeeeaned back into that backtrack and flashed the bat hand sign at her and i couldn’t stop my unholy noises even if i tried he’s so cute omfg help he’s adorable like actually 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

#this is vee speaking #this is the clifnotes version yes lol the other post would have been much longer LOL #i didn’t say it but i was also reeeeeeaally charmed by new encounter ramuda lol #like…………… he’s so full of life and cute…………….. he’s so bouncy…………….. cute……………. #i enjoyed the music and production quality like it’s still the stage!!!!! even if it doesn’t have all the flair legends era actors gave it #another complaint i saw was over the team songs not being incorporated into the play and i understand but lmao #those are team songs so it wouldn’t make sense for them to be in the play itself when none were a team yet #the stage even kept the detail of no one having their team emblem in their design UNTIL those team songs #trust these guys lol they know what they’re doing

[yakuzacanons]

Hello there 🌷

I really appreciate your work 💖 enjoying every single post hehe ☺️

Can I request hcs, how the boys would react when they find out that s/p has cheated on them? (like s/o has been lonely bc the boys are always busy...) Thank you in advance. Have a nice day 🍀

Sorry for the late response, this one is going to be tricky. I don't think there's really ever a good reason to cheat so I won't be justifying why the boys get cheated on, but I will cover how they react to it. Having said that, this one will be fairly brief but I hope you like it. Headcanons below the cut as always.

Also, first time introducing Shinada to the gang. Get hyped.

Kazuma Kiryu

Disappointed more than anything. Kiryu doesn't ask for much and always does his best and in the end he will blame himself for your infidelity. He won't outright end things but he'll never be the same. Eventually, he will break it off down the line as he feels the trust is shattered and no matter how much time has passed, he can't shake the feeling that it could happen again.

Majima Goro

Hope you're ready to get ghosted if you cheat on this man because that is absolutely what will happen. The second Majima finds out, he's gone. You won't see or hear from him again. There's no if, and, or but about it. After all it took for him to open up and trust you, you broke him. That's exactly what he was always afraid of and you just proved him right.

Akiyama Shun

Goes straight into denial mode. Might actually BEG you to stay because he'll blame himself for not giving you enough. Mostly, he blames his trauma from past relationships. Chances are you won't hear from him for a couple of days because he'll go into a little depression hermit crisis mode. He'll stick around to try to make it work but you can tell his energy is totally sapped from the relationship.

Saejima Taiga

Doesn't get mad, just gets distant. Out of all the boys, he's most likely to try to forgive you for this. He may even actually "get over it", in a sense that the thought of it doesn't upset him much anymore. However, he will be noticeably more distant. He won't call or text as much and when he does, his replies will be much shorter. He'll be less open with you.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Gets dejected as hell. He knows he's a busy man but damn if he didn't try his best only for it not to be enough. Very inexperienced with love and chances are you are his first or second relationship ever, so it's a huge blow to him. Will try to hide how upset he feels to make things work but he's terrible at hiding it. Cries himself to sleep when he first finds out.

Ryuji Goda

He'll just break up with you on the spot. If you're living together, he'll arrange for one of his employees to pack your things and drive you into Sotenbori. He won't even see you out the door. He is hurt but it's more so that he feels all the work he's put into the relationship was a waste of time and Ryuji hates to waste his time and energy. Moves on the quickest out of all the boys.

Nishikiyama Akira

Will never stop asking why, even if he stops asking you directly and out loud, he will never stop wondering why it happened. It's a huge blow to his confidence. He will become much more timid because he's afraid of doing something that will cause you to cheat again because he thinks it's his fault. Will likely ghost you slowly over time.

Daigo Dojima

He'll cry when he's entirely alone. Things are so hard for Daigo as is. He is trying very hard to not let this break him. Will try to salvage the relationship but he's also not trusting of you at all so it'll end up being a sleeping-in-separate rooms situation, all the while he stares at the ceiling late at night wishing it could be the way it was again. Daigo genuinely panics and feels trapped, wondering what he could've done, if he can prevent this from happening, and if he even wants to bother trying anymore. The chances of him leaving you are low, so he'll likely let himself get cheated on again unfortunately.

Mine Yoshitaka

King of giving you the cold shoulder. He won't shut you out entirely but if you want to fix things, you will have to WORK at it. Mine's logically driven so he'll be watching to see if you can prove that this relationship is what you want. It's basically like winning his heart over from the very start all over again.

Tatsuo Shinada

Only one of the boys to cry outright upon hearing the news. Will be inconsolable. Cries loud and hard. He'll let you decide what to do with the relationship because once this happens, he just doesn't care anymore. He's so dejected and hurt that if you wanted to leave, it wouldn't bother him because he's already feeling his lowest. If you decide to stay, it will take a LOT of reassurance to get him back to himself in any capacity.

#yakuza #yakuza headcanons #yakuza imagines #ryu ga gotoku #ryu ga gotoku headcanons #ryu ga gotoku imagines #majima megaphone moment #goro majima #kiryu kazuma #majima goro #akira nishikiyama #akiyama shun #saejima taiga #masayoshi tanimura #mine yoshitaka #daigo dojima #ryuji goda #tatsuo shinada #imagines #headcanons

[novankenn]

“Jaune Gets a Gun”

The three “friends” continue walking through the Gun Expo, only to be stopped by a voice calling to them.

???: Pardon me young man…

They turn around to see a man standing at a booth they didn’t see as the were walking.

???: My name is Torin, and I couldn’t help but notice that you were browsing the stalls here looking for something, “special”.

Pyrrha(narrowing her eyes in suspicion): We’re looking for a ranged weapon for Jaune here.

Torin(smirking): Then I probably have just the thing for him.

He reaches under the table and brings out a box that he proceeds to set on the table and open to reveal;

(The Gaburivolver from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger)

Jaune(interested in the design): Ooohhh~.

Torin(as he pulls out another box with an identical gun): These belonged to some friends of mine, sadly, they’re no longer here anymore.

Torin(looking at the interested Jaune): Something tells that they’d be glad if you took them off my hands.

Pyrrha(remembering what Ruby told her happened yesterday as Her eyes widen): WAIT JAUNE, DON’T DO-

Pyrrha(as Ruby grabs one of them first in an attempt to get it away from Jaune, only for her body to glow): -it…

Gaburivolver: GABU-GABURINCHO; DRICERA~!

The glow fades to reveal that Ruby has donned a pink suit;

Ruby(as the three look at her in shock): EEEEHHHH?!?!?!

Pyrrha(seeing Jaune look at Ruby’s transformation in awe, realizing what’s about to happen): Jaune…

Ruby(looking at him through her helmet and addressing him like she would Zwei): Don’t you-

Ruby(lunging at Jaune as he reaches for the other Gaburivolver): -DARE!!!

Jaune grabs the first Gaburivolver, as his body glows as well.

Gaburivolver: GABU-GABURINCHO; GABUTYRA~!

The glow fades to reveal Jaune in a new red suit;

Jaune(excitement in his voice): Pyrrha, look at us!

Jaune(as he strikes a pose besides Ruby): We’re matching superheroes!

Pyrrha(turning to Torin): OKAY, WHAT’S THE BIG-

Pyrrha(seeing that the booth and table were gone and so was Torin): -idea?…

Torin(from around the corner): Finally…

Torin’s body glows and his form changes;

Torin(as he starts fading away as a spirit): I found two worthy of using your powers, Daigo, Amy…

Torin(as he fades completely): I only pray that they can save this world…

(I'm hoping I tagged this right. Wasn't much into Power Rangers, though I know enough to recognize the outfits. I like this, so I'm posting it without changing anything. Please show the original author @itsupermanti some appreciation. Thanks, and hope you enjoyed. )

#jaune arc #ruby rose #pyrrha nikos #rwby #super sentai

[kasugas]

GAIDEN THOUGHTS

I have too many to count so im making this a draft and then posting it when i think ive gotten my thoughts out enough.

The fact that they made this game significantly gorier than previous games was cool as hell. The blood looking water-thin was kind of funny though.

While I kind of focused on the main story for my playthrough I did feel like this game was kind of lackluster in terms of content for the price point. Y6 is longer and was like. less than half the price. Granted i think the fighting engine and everything from judgment is a massive improvement it just feels funny paying a lot for stuff thats been in the games for like. almost 10 years now (holy shit y0 came out in 2015).

The lighting in this game looked fucking GORGEOUS. Whoever worked on the lighting rigging in this game i need to shake their hand because wow. I think this is the best a rgg game has ever looked and lost judgment was UP there.

While the callbacks in this game were a nice touch it feels kind of funny to bring up yumi's name after 2 million games of radio silence. I get that kiryu is a stoic individual who wouldnt be wailing abt his feelings every 4 seconds i just love how rgg puts its women on the shelf until theyre ready to be dusted off for emotional effect and nothing else. Also WHERES THE RIKIYA MENTION. PLEASE.

Speaking of women. Any time kiryu interacted with akame me and my friends just kept chanting "PLEASE BE NORMAL". I was so fucking scared for a sayama 2 treatment. I do really like akame and i hope to see more of her. She has akiyama vibes but in a good way.

Seeing kiryu's competency at going through yakuza business was really cool to see. He hasn't lost his edge in the criminal underworld and it kind of provides some much appreciated information to stuff we've seen in the past. Hes naturally built for a yakuza lifestyle, he knows this and yet pushes this talent and desire aside to provide sanctuary for the kids at morning glory. Ik in the final fight he mentions civilians in general but its clear he has his family in mind.

Seeing daigo look like a wet rag in every single cutscne was so funny. He looks so lost someone help him. I feel so bad for him, seeing someone he considers his father who he last heard from in a letter after his 'death' and then just being told to play along bc its not him... man.

WHO WAS HANAWA IN THE PAST?? I know its probably a throwaway line to add mystery but GOD its got my mind racing now.

I still suck so bad at mahjong. Giving a mahjong tutorial to my friends while getting my ass beat really says "i know what im doing".

The entire final scene with the gravestone. I am destroyed. I know i've said in the past kiryu better either retire permanently from being a protag or die (said when i was slightly more annoyed that he got announced as a protag for 8) but. man. I dont want him to die he needs to see his fucking family again no beating around the bush no daidoji bullshit PLEASE.

#worm plays gaiden #gaiden spoilers

[toastytoaster22]

Since you posted that one thing about behind the scenes lore from fanfics. I’d love to hear about the issho-verse if you have anything to share?

Pretty sure I always have Issho related things to say hahaha

Some quick things off the top of my head that I might add to later:

-the nightlight Inukawa has is spaceship shaped. His dad thought it was ironic and funny and Inukawa absolutely did not appreciate the humor of it, being 4 and afraid of aliens in the first place. Tome finds out about it and buys it off him in middle school. He did not ask her to pay him.

-after some time to physically heal after the final fight with Claw, Teru and Reigen had dinner with Reigen's parents. It did not go well and ended in Reigen taking Teru home halfway through the meal.

-when they go to middle school they meet Mezato and she is 👀👀👀👀 and haunts them for weeks. Daigo is her mom's cousin and she heard stuff she wasn't supposed to about Claw bc she was eavesdropping one night and now there's KID ESPERS AT SCHOOL WITH HER? Maybe they know something?? Mob is a terrible liar at age 12 and is super twitchy about it and makes her extra suspicious. Teru is stiff and cold to her until he snaps one day and basically tells her to fuck off. She backs off but is more sus than ever. It takes them a long time to warm up to her after that but they do all eventually become friends. She's never gotten the complete picture but she knows they were involved.

#I have to go to an appointment but I am sure I have more #issho

[04tenno]

Well goddamn, Daigo. I can only guess that was a part of his all-around terrible behavior that emerged when his world felt like it was crumbling. Of course, though, that’s still an awful way to act. It reminds me of the substory for him in 0 when he’s being a much more toned down kind of awful to that lady, and Kiryu points out that it’s not normal for him to act that way. It’d be interesting to see how he’d be with woman when he’s more levelheaded.

If you don’t mind me asking, what are your thoughts on Daigo and possibly being gay, anyway? It’s an area of intrigue for me in a way I can’t properly explain 🫠 Maybe due to being queer myself I wind up thinking about stuff like that.

Choosing a heartthrob type actor who doesn’t seem to do a lot of stuff like Yakuza and has a multitude of suggestive photo shoots makes me wonder so much. He’s not the usual choice compared to a lot of the other actors here. And what they used him for in the original version of Ishin is also just ???? There’s too much stuff in this series that my brain hooks onto and rotates endlessly. Even when it’s a character that doesn’t get thought about much 💀

Sorry I’ve been rambling so much. I really appreciate what you’ve shared with and done for the fandom, and it really gets my curiosity going.

How Daigo acts in Y0 is definitely in line with him ending up that way, because he's clearly begun to internalize certain beliefs about how he should act and what what he should want. It's very much not normal for a kid his age even if he doesn't fully understand it.

So, you know, there's stuff to chew on, but at the same time constantly showing that a character's hit his "lowest point" by having him victimize a female character gets old, and I'm glad Yokoyama stopped relying on that as shorthand.

I'm queer as well, so I think it'd be pretty cool! A huge draw to the series for women and queer people is the homoerotic subtext (which is, on occasion, text). And the subtext with Daigo really is intriguing, of course in terms of what we've talked about with Mine and with women, but also with Shinada and with Nick, for example.

When I've got the time I'd like to talk about it in a separate post (or in an ask to Snap in all likelihood lmao) but I'm like, 98% sure Mine just assumes he's gay and it's incredibly funny to me. Mine is certainly not Free of Projection, but still.

I honestly think Daito fits the casting pattern, though! There's at least one standout "heartthrob" in the cast of most of the games since faceclaims were introduced. Out of the actors I'm familiar with, Shota Matsuda (Kenzan), Hiroki Narimiya (Y4), Daito (Y5 and Ishin), Arata Iura (Y0), and of course Takuya Kimura, Shosuke Tanihara, and Hiroshi Tamaki (J1 and LJ) all had that reputation; even Tsutsumi did in the past. I think there's an understanding that the female fans are here to stay and are worth catering to.

Uhhhhh only tangentially related on the topic of queerness and faceclaims, honorable mention to Peter (Dead Souls) who is just straight-up one of Japan's most well known gay and GNC performers. Honestly. Slay. I love that he got to work with RGGS (even if, as usual, he plays a villain...)

With Ishin, it's definitely an interesting case, because with how Takeda and Todo are portrayed, it carries implications for whoever is "cast as" those characters. Because there's the acknowledgment Hayashi and Awano are, y'know, fruity, and there's also the acknowledgment Baba and Zhao could believably be desirable to gay men.

I suppose it kind of had to happen though. While Ishin does a LOT of original things with its concept, Takeda has to be Takeda, and Todo has to be Todo. In real life, Takeda did prey on younger members of the Shinsengumi (some believe Hijikata had Saito assassinate him after receiving complaints of this), and if one wanted to acknowledge that within the main story, well, Todo is the youngest captain.

In terms of casting, I think it's a mix of being dead-set on having an "all-star" cast (for the time) and needing the cast to fit "the image" of who the historical figures were. So Todo would naturally need to be someone who's boyishly handsome (even though Baba is 30 lmao). And hey, turns out we've got a really well-liked character that fits the bill right there in Y5, which was the best-selling RGG game by far in Japan until (I think) YLAD.

#asks #anonymous #daigo dojima #shigeki baba #takeda kanryusai #todo heisuke #i mentioned like 500 games and characters im not tagging them all lol #ALSO DW ABOUT RAMBLING my responses tend to be way longer anyway lol #and of course i appreciate the chance to talk about stuff i might not usually talk about #all good :)

[crystalmemoria]

Crystal’s Opinion on Season 2 of the OG Cardfight!! Vanguard

Time for Season 2, A.K.A. Asia Circuit!

Once again, this is stream of consciousness-esque. Things don’t have a particular direction I’m talking about them in. 

These opinions aren’t necessarily in line with the popular opinion, so please bear with me!

SPOILERS FOR CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD (OG AND REBOOT)

Asia Circuit: Least favorite season of the OG anime. I went into a huge spiel about it on another post, but to summarize it, it’s “let’s make Aichi and Misaki miserable in the most meanspirited ways possible while the audience knows that they’re trying their hardest”.

It flip flops on what’s OK to insult them for and isn’t, it flip flops on the memory loss (On Aichi’s part, mainly), it’s horrendously meanspirited and makes multiple characters seem even meaner than usual (Rekka and Suiko in particular felt like major jerks. It’s why I still don’t like Rekka at all).

Misaki is always the one that has to lose. There’s a pattern for Team Q4′s losses, in a way. Their battles go like this, either (Not counting the tag team cardfights):

1. All three members lose 2. Misaki is the only one to lose 3. Misaki and Aichi lose

From what I remember, Kamui never has a notable loss unless the other two also lose. The only exceptions I recall are when Aichi defeats him so he’ll rejoin Team Q4 (Thus not even a part of the super main plotline), and the other time is when he’s teamed up with Aichi against Team Dreadnought.

So Kamui has a weird favoritism going on in the narrative. I like Kamui, but you’d think they could balance the win/losses a little more instead of just making Misaki lose because they... want to make her seem like she’s not trying hard enough to give the people talking negatively about her more validity (And they fail at that entirely).

The plot itself is interesting, but I really didn’t like the way it was portrayed. Also SIT Genius didn’t really bring anything interesting to the table IMO. Honestly, IIRC, you could probably cut them out of the OG anime entirely, and the only thing you’d really lose is Aichi VS. Chris towards the end of the series. The only reason that’s even remotely necessary is because Aichi had some notable character development at that point, IIRC, what with his reaching out to Chris because of his own experience with PSY Qualia (...Which he didn’t even remember, except for when the anime decided he remembered enough for this [Although this might have been when he finally realized everything, I can’t quite remember]).

The main plot though, I appreciate the premise. But seeing Team Q4 lose over and over again, constantly being downtrodden on and losing hope really wasn’t fun to watch. There could have been ways to work around this, most likely?

I think another problem with the plot is that the storyline just doesn’t really go anywhere until the end? We have character growth up until the end, some of which was necessary, but it seemed like they couldn’t even hint at the truth of the plot until the very end when Team Q4 finally wins and they’re told “Oh, BTW, we have to deal with Void”.

There’s not much foreshadowing at all. At most we get the first episode (Which sets up the plot, but Aichi seems to literally forget everything Takuto said anyway. He remembers that Takuto is the one responsible for the Royal Paladins disappearing, but not any of the discussion IIRC), and we get the way Cray appears during cardfights as a sign that something’s wrong.

AND SPEAKING OF TAKUTO... Does he just have memory-altering powers? Is there a reason he seems to have this ability? Why did he do it in the first place? I don’t remember it being particularly clear on why he wiped specific peoples’ memories... If he even did? I doubt he affected literally every person in the world, we only saw him interact with Kai and Aich, and then there’s Daigo who wasn’t affected... but then he was in that weird state of constant teleporting, which IIRC they claimed was because he had Royal Paladins. Which... makes very little sense to me for the same line of reasoning for why I doubt Takuto erased everyone’s memories.

Although Takuto has a bit more established power in the reboot, where he’s the Concertmaster watching over Earth and Cray’s shared force of Destiny... but even that doesn’t really explain why he has memory-wiping powers if he does, and to what scale they work.

And why was Aichi the only one that realized something was wrong at first?

I mean Kai realized something was up after Aichi said something, and Ren... I don’t remember if he was implied to have realized the entire time or if it was only after regaining his PSY Qualia. TBH, I could see it being either way.

A positive note is the character growth we saw in this season. Aichi and Misaki very notably grow as characters. That’s at least ONE good thing out of this. Aichi finally bonding with the Gold Paladins was very notable, and it was at that point he started winning a lot more.

I will say that I don’t entirely like that he switched to Gold Paladins after the end of the season, but at the same time I understand it... and the main reason I don’t like him using Gold Paladins is because it reminds me of Asia Circuit (Particularly Ezel).

And besides, Aichi’s major units join along for the ride as Gold Paladin cards. He didn’t just “ditch” them or anything. In the end he stays beside his units, and I think that’s important.

I will say that I really liked Leon, Jillian, and Sharlene. Takuto also is incredibly important and I don’t hate him despite what I’ve said here.

Also Kyou’s episodes were great.

#cardfight vanguard #cardfight!! vanguard #cfv #cfv!!

[todayisafridaynight]

Mutual on Twitter was talking about Daigo instinctively feeling the need to put the pieces of Mine's ruined life back together and make him feel at ease... Is That Not The Appeal Of AraSawa As Well... like they might not know the depth of what their lives were like before in full but surely there are some details safe to share and there's very little that wouldn't sound bleak... but it's also a MineDai But To The Left sort of moment because Mine has always felt he deserves basic human decency, even if he has to earn it, but that's never been the case for Jo... [SORRY I'LL GET TO PENDING RESPONSES I'VE JUST BEEN LOST IN THE SAUCE for better or worse it feels wrong not to write in every day at this point 😭😭😭]

i remember telling my twitter mutual that arasawa was minedai but with dads and the way a light bulb seemed to go off for her was just perfect LMAO

but on the real arasawa IS a lot like minedai when it comes to some themes, and moreover they still maintain their individuality (aside from the dad aspect LMAO) in the parties involved, ESPECIALLY mine and jo

it's weird to explain, but daigo, in a sense, was an 'end goal' for mine. maybe not in THAT way, but just having his comradery was a sample of the thing he'd been striving for his whole life. ergo, mine joins the yakuza specifically due to interest in daigo, and decides to stay and commit himself to it because of daigo- and as you said, mine understands his worth and wants his efforts to be reciprocated. the problem is that he's not exactly sociable..

inversely, arakawa was, on the contrary, an accident for jo: sure, he swore up in order to be closer to his son. but now By The Fate Of The Cruel Universe jo's found himself becoming attached to arakawa too, whether he wholly admits it or not. A Cruel Fate not only in that jo undoubtedly doesn't believe he'd be deserving of something special with arakawa, but that he also shouldn't pursue something special with arakawa considering their positions in the clan (also masato would probably throw a fit and he can't be upsetting his baby boy </3)

BUT THIS IS THE SIMILARITY OF DAIGO AND ARAKAWA RIGHT so often comparing mine and jo, i never touch on how the other two relate... but of course with them, daigo and arakawa try to become closer to mine and jo (evidently we see daigo have a little more success on account of rgg refusing to let arakawa and jo be in a room together for more than five minutes). its unfortunate that we don't get to hear much of arakawa's thoughts on jo, but if it's anything like daigo and his concern over mine (i.e. worrying that mine is only concerned with money/only sees value in himself through his wealth, wanting to be closer to him and get rid of the 'stiffness' between them) i imagine he harbors similar sentiment (and being a Bonafide Father instead of a proverbial one like daigo, i wouldn't be surprised if he could be more anxious/concerned over jo, especially considering the- albeit small- age gap absent in minedai).

#long post #i made it long oopsie (╯▽╰ ) #snap chats #[deranged] and thats why they're both flavors of yuri #didnt mean for this to turn into a thesis for. minedai/arasawa???? but it's here now so.... #i ALWAYS think of the comparison between them this is now very evident....... #obviously there's a LOT more to be said about minedai/arasawa and even just mine himself BUT. we already done that LMAO #plus this long already good lord.... #it's the way they're so similar but not at the same time that's perfect #so funny though i always see my twitter mutuals talk about mine and daigo being parents #and like. not to be fandom police but mine's child-hating ass just wouldn't have it #you know who DO have kid(s) together... and is relatively the same flavor........ #gen so funny to me i talked bout this a while ago but ill say it again cause Sue Me #but although i never care too much if characters i like together have kids If They Do..... I Win A Million Dollars... #ergo if fam's really looking for that minedai-as-dads gold..... look to the left at arasawa please and thanks #OH ALSO YOU'RE GOOD ?? no need to write in every day it's ok :) #always appreciate when you do but !!! dont feel obligated please (╯▽╰ ) cant force things etc etc :]

[potahun]

Don’t apologise for rambling. I do appreciate it. Maybe a bit of my discontent comes from some fans who like to advertise that Alain didn’t deserve to win the Kalos league or he cheated or he got plot armour etc. I think what they fail to understand is that match was no longer just a battle between Ash&Alain,Greninja&Charizard but the battle b/w their ideologies&why they were battling in the1st place. Which in Ash’s case was to be d strongest& in Alan’s to be d strongest to protect loved ones.

pt2: I just think Alain doesn’t deserve the flak he gets from the fandom. I think his reason to fight/his resolve was stronger than Ash’s and that’s why he won. Because mega evolution draws power from the resolve of the trainer as said in TSME. If anything I just want journeys to resolve that somehow. Also I love your idea of Daigo going easy on Alain. I would totally want ash vs Alain to be a semis match. Unlikely as it seems. Btw It was fun talking to you& seeing your great ideas,have a great day❤️

Ohhhh! That’s v interesting, and I think all interpretations are valid, because it’s true that on my end, I didn’t tend to think of the whole Satoshi vs Alain as an ideology vs ideology fight. For Paul vs Satoshi, I do agree it’s an ideology vs ideology fight, but for Alain, I have always interpreted it as Satoshi obliviously making Alan take a first step out of a very, very bad place :)

Until meeting Satoshi, Alan was in a very bad mental state, and I agree he has an ideology of winning ‘to be the strongest to protect loved ones’ but so much of it was Fleurdelys manipulating him (and I think of this post, which does a brilliant analysis) it’s an ideology that does him more harm than good, and isolates him. Satoshi brings out a more candid / happier side to Alan, less burdened, which makes him forget that ideology for a bit, so I tend to view that finale match as Satoshi simply making Alan want to do something for himself (a baby step towards a better place even if Alan doesn’t know it), outside of all that Alan feels like he HAS to do (protect loved ones, gather mega-evo energy etc). His ideology still taints his fun with Satoshi throughout their battle, but I tend to see the starting point as Alan subconsciously wanting some sort of solace or release from all his burdens. 

Similarly, I’ve seen the win as a very technical win, since Alan has been at it longer, breezed through the Gyms, Mega-Charizard X is part dragon-type so doesn’t even have a type-weakness to water, etc AND of course, yes, Alan’s resolve+deep bond with Lizardon. 

I fully agree that Alan doesn’t deserve hate in any case! and I have definitely seen more theories with Alan as the first match with Satoshi to get him out of the way. That could very well be the outcome! I suppose I tend to give Alan too much importance narratively skadljksjla But if I were to do it, I’d do it this way.

#replies #anon #pokemon #pokeani #pokemon journeys #trainer alain #pokemon meta #? #and all thanks to you for dropping by!! #<3 #im glad that we are able to daydream about canon outcomes for Alan and tsme peeps #ksjdlakjsd #after all this time of free reins #free real estate for all #it'll be interesting to throw new canon material into the mix

[kansaisdragon]

sixthxchairman for the Munday meme ! <3

Munday Opinions? [x]

How I feel about you: We’ve only spoken a little OOC thus far, but you were actually the first person to reach out to me in ims on this blog ( which I appreciate immensely from the start, as approaching people myself tends to be a challenge for me haha ). You’ve been nothing short of an absolute delight to talk to, and tbh I’d love the opportunity to talk more, be it RP-related or not. As for your writing? Chef’s kiss. Absolutely phenomenal. The amount of passion and detail you put into your writing definitely shows, and I’m absolutely in love with your handle over the English language. How I feel about your muse: Admittedly  .  .  .  I’ve always been a little neutral to Daigo as a character. That isn’t to say I’ve ever disliked him, because by all means I do like him, but unless they’re a character I’m personally attached to because they appeal to me specifically, it’s normally through roleplay and interactions with other writers that I form a stronger opinion of characters I’d otherwise not spare a second thought to ( which, ironically, is how I’ve actually grown as attached as I have to Ryuji who used to be in the same boat ). That all being said, I love the amount of thought you’ve given to his character and, like I’ve mentioned before, the passion you have for the character and everything you’ve built with him shines through all of your posts. I love love love the interactions we’ve had with Ryuji and Daigo so far, and really do hope we can build more off of that just for an opportunity to see more of your take on Daigo!

#sixthxchairman #》✱ ⸺ ( OOC .ᐟ ) #》✱ ⸺ ( ASKS .ᐟ )

[botseeksbot]

daigo killing shindo bc kiryu wouldnt o7

#he makes a comment in rggo abt how he notices how shindo looks at his mom but is like ... no way ... im probably imagining shit ... #c.txt #anyway daigo loves his mom and i do too . #im bringing up shindo bc like all the gifsets of yayoi (which is like 3 posts) they have tht scene where he kisses her and its like . #why would u want that . i just want to appreciate her .

[engekihaikyuu]

Hyper Projection Engeki Haikyuu - The View from the Top 2

2.5D Interview Translation with Daigo Kotarou and Akana Ryuunosuke

=====

Please tell us something to look forward to for this last play in the series. Daigo: We started with “Fly High,” and then through our matches with Inarizaki and Nekoma, I feel like we ourselves have grown along with the story. This show will be our fourth in the Engeki Haikyuu series.   And of course, it will also be the last, but as in the story, it’s the part where we have to give it all of our effort, so we’re going to work as hard as we can on it.   Akana: I’m really very full of emotion over the fact that we are the ones entrusted to close out this long series of plays as Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shouyou. We carry on our backs the thoughts and feelings of everyone who have been in the Engeki Haikyuu cast and all the fans, and I want to make sure that we create an appropriate production that is the culmination of all their efforts. In order to do that, we are giving it our all, simply working with everything we have.  

=====

Full interview and more photos under the Read More! Please do not repost my translations

The two of you have played Hinata and Kageyama respectively since the 2019 production of “Fly High.” Is there any difference between how you prepare for these roles compared to other productions? Daigo: For me it’s pretty different. It might even be the exact opposite to how I usually do things. I only realized it recently, but normally when I play a character, their personalities and their emotions come pretty naturally and there are times when the part influences my private life. But when it comes to Hinata, I feel like he’s a character that the people around me help build up for me.   No matter how many times I study the script, he’s not someone that I alone can make decisions about. I build him up based on all the interactions I have with others. And because I have a lot of trust in the cast members that I’ve spent the past two years with, I feel like I can depend on them to help me create this character.   Akana: I still feel like I’m not very experienced with acting, but for me it’s not different. I read the manga, I watch the anime, and then I go to rehearsals with the image of Kageyama I have in my head. I always want to be very respectful with how I play a character that originally comes from another work. Kageyama Tobio is called a “Genius Setter,” so first and foremost I think about how he moves. I have to make sure I move more neatly, more precisely, for example. Normally for other plays I don’t necessarily think that far about these things, but for this I do.  

Once you begin rehearsals, we start to see SNS updates from you like, "Yamamoto Ryousuke’s Muscle Club.” So I definitely get the sense that everyone gets along very well. Please tell us about what it’s like a rehearsals. Daigo: Well it’s just like being on a sports team. (laughs) Because we get along so well, I look forward to going to rehearsals. Of course there are days when physically we think, “Today was pretty rough,” but because you’re doing it with a collection of people you like, I don’t hate it. It really has the feeling of school classes and extracurriculars, so I spend the days just cherishing how fun it is.   Akana: We really are very chummy. I’m really sad that this will be our last time together. Everyone might normally have various other things to work on, but Engeki Haikyuu has become the place we go home to. We really are great friends. Even without having to say anything, we’ll just naturally get together and talk or go weight training. Lately Kotarou’s been working on shuttle runs. (laughs)

Once again, please remind us of your first impressions of one another. And through these shows, has that first impression changed? Akana: I don’t really remember my very first impression of him, but I did know before we met that we’re the same age. But being the same age means that you’re more likely to have conflicting egos, so I was worried about how well we’d get along all the way up until rehearsals. But I think it’s because we’re the same age that it was really easy for us to build Hinata and Kageyama’s relationship. And now I think of him as my partner.   Daigo: I think of him as a close friend. Nowadays we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do this because of the coronavirus, but I used to contact him quite a bit when I had free time to say, “Let’s hang out!” I really feel like this is a wall we overcame together. I didn’t think it was possible to make a close friend like this past the age of twenty. Because isn’t it easier to make friends when you’re in school? Now that I only have the opportunity to meet new people at work, I feel like meeting him was a really great thing.  

In this production, you will have your final match of Spring High. It’s a place where many formidable rivals emerge. How have you personally overcome your rivals or walls you’ve hit?   Daigo: I mean I don’t really think I have any rivals. As an actor, you don’t really think to yourself, “I’m the strongest!” It’s a job of ‘different strokes for different folks.’ Even if you play the same character, differences will occur, so if I’m forced to choose a rival, it would be myself.   I also don’t have very many moments where I feel like I’ve hit a wall... Of course, in the past I’ve had moments where I’ve gotten depressed after repeatedly failing auditions. But now I try to face them with the sense of, “No second chances, I’ve just got to go for it,” and I just give it my all. You take a chance, you reset, and then just rinse and repeat.   Akana: I don’t think I’ve ever met a rival. Whenever I hit a wall, I try to think, “I can do this, I have charisma!” and I just do everything with that attitude. (laughs) I actually used to be a really negative person. I’ve only been able to figure out how best to face obstacles within these past few years. So now I just try to do my best and think positive. Lately, I keep having to say to myself, “I’m charming!” (laughs) I’m a leader in the group VOYZ BOY, so if I get depressed, I sort of have my priorities backwards. As a leader, I think I should always be looking up and pull everyone up with me.  

And lastly, please give one last message for all the fans who are looking forward to this show. Akana: Please look forward to it! That’s more or less it. Worry-san (director) wrote a magnificent script for us, and we’re definitely going to make it into a great show! Like always, we hope to convey our passion to you in Engeki Haikyuu. I would love it if everyone could see our hard work and take in even a little bit of motivation for the next day. Please wait for us, and please give us your support.   Daigo: Despite these current circumstances, I would be so happy if you could take care of yourselves and then come see us at the theater. We will make a show that’ll make you think, “I’m glad I saw it.” Having all of you see it gives us strength as well. We’re going to do our absolute best to make you all happy!

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