Summary
: Since I already recorded it, let’s see what happens if we choose to accept Maruki’s reality on 01/09. There is a MUCH, MUCH better version of this bad end that happens on 02/02.
: “Oh, what a relief… you’ll accept this world!?”
: “No… Akira, please tell me you’re not serious…”
: The game gives us one last opportunity to back out, which is something you do when you’re choosing between what’s supposed to be two equally valid ending choices.
: “Really!? I’m just so happy that you’ve come to see things my way! You don’t need to worry about anything anymore. Just leave the rest to me.”
: There’s a musical sting here that makes it very clear that you have fuc-
: That you’ve picked the objectively correct answer! After all, accepting Maruki’s reality is a valid ending choice and there’s no reason for there to be an ominous musical cue at all!
: Oh, what’s this doing here? I thought this was where I put my recording for Eternal Punishment. That’s fine, we’ll just go with this.
: “Huh? Is that some kinda joke? C’mon - wake up, Mister Party Planner… this whole get-together was your idea…”
: “Y’know, something hit me a while back - we’re the same age. You don’t have to be so polite to me.”
: “But Futaba-senpai, I still think of you that way.”
: “Then as your senpai, I order you to speak casually to me! And no ‘-senpai’!”
: “Got it! …Hi, Futaba.”
: “Was that, ah… casual enough?”
: “…Confirmed for casual!”
: “Thank you, Futaba-senpai! Oh, uh…”
: “It’s no biggie, just go with whatever’s easier for ya. Your senpai allows it!”
: Aren’t these lengthy gags about honorifics just the best?
: “Attention, everybody: it’s ehomaki time! I’m gonna do my thing! Just gotta make a wish, and then eat this whole thing in one shot! So… which direction am I supposed to face for this to be good luck?”
: Ehomaki is a kind of sushi roll eaten on Setsubun, which traditionally uses seven ingredients to represent the seven lucky gods. The ingredient list is.. pretty much anything, actually. The only rules are seven ingredients and also that you don’t cut the roll once it’s made.
: It’s kind of controversial because a lot of places make them.. and that means a lot of it goes unsold and gets thrown out. Combined with the fact that ehomaki are rather large, it means a lot of food waste.
: “It says that’s north-northwest of here, and a bit to the right, so…”
: The traditional thing to do on Setsubun is to eat the ehomaki in the year’s lucky direction - 2021’s will be south-southeast and 2022’s will be north-northwest.
: “How much is a ‘bit’, though?”
: “Eh, I’ll figure it out. Don’t say a word to me until I’m done, got it? I gotta eat the whole thing without talkin’ for the wish to come true.”
: “Do we actually have to watch this?”
: “I’d be hard-pressed to call this picturesque.”
: “Do you really think eating an entire roll of sushi could grant your wish?”
: “I prefer throwing beans for luck. Drive them demons away! Sojiro, you be the demon this year.”
: “And are you going to be the one who cleans up afterwards?”
: “Come on, Ryuji-senpai! You can do it!”
: “Thanks!”
: “Oh!”
: “Oh!”
: “Good grief.”
: “Well, that’s Ryuji for you.”
: “Shorry…”
: “Me too… but I really do appreciate all of my senpai cheering me on!”
: “That’s right we’re cheering you on! We’ve got your back, no matter what. After all, this is where you belong!”
: “Yeah! We’ll always be together. And that goes for all of you!”
: “Fine, fine! I’ll just try again!”
: “Still at it, huh?”
: “So, ‘we’ll always be together,’ huh? I sure hope so.”
: “Nice work putting that all together.”
: “You can take it over for another party whenever you’d like. Hey.. can I ask you something? So, um… I’ve been thinking for a while now… if it’s good with you..”
: “And I’ll make sure to talk to your parents about it took, okay? But, at least until you’re done with high school and all… would you maybe like to keep staying at the cafe? And maybe, even after graduation, you could… whaddya say?”
: “Really? Well, I’d better get the ball rolling tomorrow, then. Heh, things sure are cookin’ up around here.”
: I remember my high school graduation. It was a wonderful, magical time - I even got confessed to under the cherry tree.. which admittedly was a little weird because I’m from the US.
: In fact, it was strange because the school had a courtyard with like, three dozen cherry trees in it and every single one had someone get confessed to underneath it that day.
: “Mm, thanks.”
: “Makoto’s last big speech as council president got me all teared up… sigh That was such a nice ceremony.”
: “Hey, lemme see.”
: “You gotta do that to be officially graduated!”
: “Aren’t you feeling even a bit sentimental?”
: “This year really flew by, didn’t it?”
: “We made so many memories together… I might even remember those better than what we did in school.”
: “Yeah. But it is gonna suck not seeing you two at school anymore.”
: “Don’t worry. I’ll be attending here starting in April.”
: “For real?”
: “I’ll be bringing the lunches, so you better get psyched! Sojiro’s gonna teach me how to cook!”
: “Oh, right - you’re gonna be here too.”
: “Don’t forget about me, either. Maybe I should become a high-schooler as well.”
: Morgana can finally go to the same school as his boyfriend!
: “Ooh, will you? That sounds like fun!”
: “Perhaps I should also transfer to Shujin…”
: “You came to the ceremony?”
: "I wanted to tell you… in person… huff Congratulations on your graduation!’
: “Thank you.”
: “I have an idea - why don’t we take a group picture?”
: “Ooh, yeah!”
: “We haven’t seen you since the pep rally. I’ve been meaning to ask, what are your plans after high school, Akechi-kun?”
: “I’m thinking about going freelance. Considering how busy I’ve been up to now, I think I’ve earned at least a year or so of taking it easy.”
: “Don’t turn into a shut-in, got it?”
: “Thanks for the warning. Now, everyone gather up over there.”
: There’s another musical sting here, and I don’t know why. I mean, this is a great ending! No one died, everyone is happy..
: There’s some shots during the credits, and I missed one because there’s like five minutes of credits in between. I’ll post a screenshot I stole from a video of it.
: Wait.. something’s not right about this one. Shouldn’t there be someone else there where Madarame is? I feel like Yusuke had a boyfriend, but..
: Huh. There’s something about this one that makes me feel… angry. I don’t know why that would be! I loved this game! I’m actually really sad to see it end - you feel like you’re there, you know?
: This is the final shot, after about five additional minutes of credits. It’s weird.. Joker looks like he’s got this strange secret that he shares with Akechi.
: Anyway, let’s get started on Eternal Punishment again!