Touma’s sidequests are some of my favorites because I enjoy Kamen Rider quite a bit. I never really got why you’d want to give almighty type spells to Kiria because of how good sessions are.
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I think Endless Song specifically only applies to lethal magic blows in Kiria’s case, not any kind of blow. Other characters get the physical version.
I find that having an almighty skill around can be useful in a pinch against enemies with a lot of resistances/nulls/drains, where you simply can’t pull off a decent session and SP skills are not a good or possible option. It also feels like almighty skills (also dark damaging skills like Flux, but I didn’t bother keeping that around for very long since heavy resistances aren’t a thing early game) do a bit more damage than using an elemental hitting a weakness on the same level to compensate for the lack of session potential.
I can only assume that as you complete Touma’s sidequests he eventually just becomes a full-fledged Rider in battle too.
Who needs a spear when you can just Rider Kick?
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I believe you mean Raiga Kick
Okay Touma getting really excited over Kamen Rider Masqueraider Raiga is beautiful and pure and I love it. Meanwhile, in our cast…
Kiria, voiced by Yoshino Nanjo
She seems to do a lot of stuff that I have no idea whether or not it’s any good but it gets a billion seasons and I’ve heard of it so I guess someone’s gotta like it? She’s also donned Krile’s white mage robes a bunch so she’s A-OK with me.
Major roles:
- Kokoro Akechi (Detective Opera Milky Holmes)
- Shirabe Tsukuyomi (Symphogear)
- Krile Mayer Baldesion (Final Fantasy XIV)
- vocalist of fripSide since 2009 (notable primarily for every A Certain Scientific Railgun opening)
Idol Roles:
*Eli Ayase of μ’s (Love Live!)
Tharja, voiced by Kana Akutsu
… this is where we start getting into the “too recent to recast but not notable enough to have anything to talk about” crew. Which it looks like actually ended up being smaller than I was worried about, I think we’ve only really got her and one other? But there’s not much to talk about outside of “Thaja, Tharja-but-in-Fates, …not Tharja in Heroes? huh.”
Major role:
- Henrietta (Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-)
After Touma’s sidequest we get dumped back in the Bloom Garden, and wouldn’t you know, Tiki’s got a quest for us too. Before we do though, there’s a couple quick topics to check. First, Tsubasa is…having some problems, shall we say.
[quote]
whenever I make eye contact with Ms. Maiko lately, she does this creepy laugh like “hur hur hur”
…it’s kind of freaking me out, tbh <_< it feels like she’s hiding something. do you know anything about it?
[/quote]
Well that’s reassuring. I’m sure Maiko would never do anything shady in this line of work.
Additionally, now that we have Touma’s first quest done, his profile has been updated:
[quote=In the Kaiju Suit]dammit, i didn’t get
the part. guess i
just gotta train![/quote]
Aw, don’t feel bad Touma. You’ll get there one day!
Anyway, let’s see what Tiki wants.
I’ll Tiki-Tiki You (For Reals), Part 1
There’s someone I want you to check up on…
That…certainly is a quest name. Tiki’s whole quest line in general has some very…unique names and characters.
You got married?
N-No! That’s just a username! Like a nickname! Th-That’s all!
This person composes songs with the Uta-loid program “Tiki” and is referred to online as a god.
That’s amazing.
But you know, it seems like they haven’t been making any songs lately. I was looking forward to Tiki=Waifu’s songs too, so I’m worried that they suddenly stopped composing…
Got it. So, I need to go look for this Waifu person.
Yup! Thanks, big brother! I’m counting on you!
I’ve heard rumors that Tiki=Waifu uses a laptop with a “Tiki” sticker on it, and composes at the same cafe every time.
A cafe, huh? Okay, I’ll keep an eye out.
Before we go any further, I just want to affirm that yes, the game is asking us to go hunt down someone who goes by Tiki=Waifu. Let no one ever say this game is lacking in self-awareness.
We could head straight to the cafe (there’s only one, after all), but we might as well hit up the other mirages while we’re here. It’s important to touch base with everyone, even the ghosts that turn into swords.
Cain
For all his efforts, he could not become a hero. I hope he does not give up from this… Then again, Touma surely would not.
Chrom
Itsuki, you’ve done it! Tsubasa must be relieved indeed to have her sister back.
Caeda
It seems the greatest unease in Tsubasa’s heart disappeared when her sister was rescued… We have you to thank, Itsuki.
And Tharja just asks us to look after Kiria like in the last update. About what you’d expect, all things considered.
Back out in the real world, let’s see what’s going on in the-
[quote] sorry… could you just forget all that stuff I said earlier? about Ms. Maiko hiding something from me?
I shouldn’t talk about her like that. she really helped me when I had to save Aya. I owe her so much…
I’m so ashamed of myself ;_;[/quote]
Come on Tsubasa, get it together girl. This isn’t even your sidequest.
: Seriously, dude! I’m totally serious! That had to have been Tiki=Waifu!
Hm? Those people over there…
Itsuki…
Yeah, I heard…
: I saw it with my own eyes, man! Tiki=Waifu was walking around the 106 all sleepy-eyed.
: Then all of a sudden…poof without a trace. I bet it’s that “spirited away” thing!
: Yeah yeah, all right already. sigh I wonder if Tiki=Waifu retired… I was a big fan too.
What do you think, Chrom?
I can’t say for sure yet. However, the 106… being spirited away… Those points concern me.
Let’s look into it. There is an Idolasphere there and all…
Now that sounds like a lead. We’ll check in with Tiki real quick, then head for the 106.
[quote] Tiki, do you have a moment?
Did you find Tiki=Waifu?
No, but someone saw Tiki=Waifu disappear near the 106.
You don’t think…
Yeah. The Idolasphere might be involved. I’m worried, so I’m going to check out the 106. I’ll contact you if anything changes, so wait for me, okay?
Oh…
?
No, it’s nothing. Be careful!
[/quote]
Hrmm… It’s faint, but I do sense a human’s Performa. …Hm? What is that…?
What’s wrong?
I don’t know, but I sense another presence, too…a powerful one. What in…?
We’d better be on guard then. Let’s go, Chrom.
So this is…strange? I don’t know why this conversation is here - to make you think you’re going to have to fight a miniboss or something? Because if you were paying attention, there’s no recommended level for this quest. In fact, you don’t have to fight anything unless you actively go out of your way to do this in a really inefficient way. You could scour the place from top to bottom, but realistically the only places that we need to check are the 4F midboss room and the boss arena on the roof. Spoiler, we’re looking for the former.
And there she is. At least this is a quick and easy one.
Yes. What about it?
I didn’t think you were a girl… There was the phrase “my waifu” in the name, so I assumed…
Tiki is still my waifu. My love transcends gender and dimensions.
G-Gotcha…
And when I came to, I was in this weird place…
Itsuki told her where the exit is…
You can get to a safe place from here.
A safe place? So you’re saying where we are now isn’t safe?
Y-Yeah.
Ahh, so this place was dangerous after all.
I can guide you there if you’re nervous about going alone.
That won’t be necessary. I made it here, so it’s only natural I can make it back.
R-Right.
Thank you for saving me, Nameless Kind Person. I’ll be taking off then. leaves
On our way here, I thought I sensed an odd presence. …Maybe it was just my imagination.
[quote] I’ve safely rescued Tiki=Waifu.
Tiki?
You there, Tiki?[/quote]
I wonder what’s up with Tiki… I guess we should head back to the Bloom Palace and check on her.
That’s…odd. Usually Tiki is on top of things. Guess we should go so see what’s up with her.
I’ll Tiki-Tiki You For Reals, Part 2
No, that’s not it…
(I’ll wait and see what happens…)
It’s not working…
Aw, she’s practicing her poses for taking a carnage form. 
Um! Big brother! Th-This isn’t- It’s not what- This is- I-It’s not what it looks like!
So what in the world were you doing?
Um, you promise not to laugh?
I won’t.
You promise promise?
…Um, I was practicing taking on a Carnage Form.
What would you do that for?
I thought that if I could take a Carnage Form like everyone else, I could fight by your side…and save Tiki=Waifu too. Listening to her songs cheers me up so much. I wanted to repay her somehow…
Tiki…
Tiki… we’re already companions though.
Huh?
There are things that only I can do, but the same is true with you, Tiki. I think true companions are those who can complement each other.
You mean it? Am I really being useful for you and everyone else?
Of course. You’re fighting a battle for us here. It’s fine that you don’t take on a Carnage Form.
I see… You’re right.
Okay, I’ll keep doing my best at what only I can do! Thanks, big brother!
Tiki has become Troubled Uta-loid thanks to Itsuki’s influence!
Tiki acquired the backup skill Idola_Safety.exe!
Now this is more interesting. Since Tiki and the other support folks can’t fight, instead of unlocking new skills and abilities, they tend to give you passive buffs for completing their sidequests. In this case, Idola_Safety.exe makes it so that skills and items that have field effects (like Kiria’s Lightoma and Touma’s Estoma) will last longer. Not particularly useful if we’re being honest, but it is her first skill so :shrug:
The last thing of note in the Intermission is this laptop at the office. By using it, we can check to see when everyone’s next sidequest opens up. Tsubasa, for example…
It is too soon for you to being Tsubasa’s next side story. You must progress further in the main story before it will become available.
So even if we did have her at the appropriate stage rank, we can’t do her first quest until we get a little further in. Kiria, on the other hand:
You must increase Kiria’s Stage Rank before her side story will become available.
This means that it is available right now, we just don’t have her at a high enough rank to do it. Generally speaking it’s pretty easy to keep track of this stuff since the Stage Rank screen literally tells you “Yo you unlocked this person’s next side story,” but it’s nice to have everything all in one place, especially for Barry, Maiko, and Tiki who unlock strictly through plot.
Anyway, that’s gonna be it for Intermission 1. Let’s see what the hell Maiko has planned for us and head on to Chapter 2.
That was pretty tough, huh?
You seem pretty…into this, Tsubasa…I can barely keep up.
Now that I’ve got my first song coming up… I’m just really fired up, you know?
Are you guys finished with your lesson already?
I decided I’ll be your personal coach. I don’t plan on going easy though. Think you can keep up?
Of course! If you’re the one asking me, I’ll go through any training!
How about you, Itsuki?
Huh? Me too…?
Naturally.
All right, you two. Let’s get to it.
Yes, ma’am! Coach! Miss! Tready for raining!
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Tiki=Waifu is a very good side character, I feel.
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Agreed. I like how matter-of-fact she is.
Also: I always like it when characters show that ultimately they’re big goobs like Tiki did in this update.
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My first guess to Tiki=Waifu’s identity was Xane, because if there’s any Archanean character who would use that username in the TMS universe, it would definitely be him.
I like how Tiki is about as grammatically correct as Itsuki, but she uses her own line stickers.
And so, the day of Tsubasa’s debut came…
Feel ~ Tsubasa Oribe (Full Song)
[quote=Lyrics]It doesn’t matter when,
I just need you to feel this intense emotion.
My wings carry me through the sky,
To make my song last forever, ever, and ever for you.
Feel my voice,
No matter where you are.
Feel my soul,
I want to keep singing for you.
Feel my heart,
I won’t give up my dream,
The world beyond my reality.
I knocked on the door,
When I thought I had thrown away the key.
And waiting in store,
I found a new side of me.
It doesn’t matter when,
I just need you to feel this intense emotion.
My wings carry me through the sky,
To take me back to you.
It doesn’t matter what,
If it’s your dream, I know it’ll come true!
Heart’s beating fast, long as this lasts, I know
I’ll make my song last forever, ever, and ever for you.[/quote]
If you’ve been watching the videos, this one really shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s the same song that she sang for Ayaha on top of the 106, albeit sped up a bit and given some proper backing instruments. It’s not bad, but like Reincarnation, basically every other song Tsubasa has is better (her final song in particular is one of my favorites).
You may also recognize this video as being the source of the infamous vagina bones heist. Never, ever forget that weirdos on the internet should be laughed at all times.
Yeah. Guess I got curious.
Models disappearing, huh… Actually, I’m kind of more surprised you read this stuff.
Well, the headline got my attention. I just picked it up for the article on the live concert at the 106.
Hey, cool! This has an article on Tsubasa too!
…Man, now that I’m seeing Tsubasa in magazines and music videos, it’s finally hitting me that she’s a real idol now. It sounds too good to be true. Her debut song was the one she sang for Ayaha, her music video was just the 106 craziness…
Ms. Maiko was in danger at the time, but I have to wonder if some of this was all part of her plan…
Seriously! When did she have time to get footage of us? She’s either really resourceful or just plain sneaky.
Maiko is incredibly good at her job, and Tsubasa was 100% right to be wary of trusting her. Just saying.
Yeah. It seems like she has crowds around her at every break now.
Sounds like she’s giving it all she’s got. She’s probably over at the lesson studio today, too. Why don’t you go say hi? I bet if you drop by, her motivation’s gonna skyrocket.
You think?
Yep. I do. Now go on, go give her a pat on the back or something.
I think I will.
Good.
And to give you a little extra push, Touma also sends us a topic immediately.
[quote] don’t forget what we just talked about. you gotta help out Tsubasa when she needs it. she should be at uzume lesson studio now
sometimes I worry about you, man. you have these days where your head is just in the clouds.
[/quote]
He’s trying. God bless him, Touma is fucking trying. But alas, nothing can pierce Itsuki. He’s just that goddamn dense.
(She’s wearing a different colored uniform… Is she an employee here? She’s standing at the register, but the “Register Closed” sign is on display…)
Anyway, as we try to leave the Hee-Ho Mart, we get called over to this second clerk.
She sells the more “traditional” SMT items, if you’re so inclined on picking some up. Having a few Smoke Machines on hand in case you get ambushed by a savage enemy is a good idea, but nothing else is really worth the yen unless you’re dying to pick up some extra elemental coverage.
Anyway, a new chapter means new Topics to catch up on. And wouldn’t you know it, we just got a new party member, so let’s see what Kiria’s been up to.
[quote]
Status:
somethings you can
only express in music.
so i’ll sing it loud.
sorry, Itsuki. mistype. or something. just forget that you saw it.
I got your topic username from Tsubasa. if there’s anything I need to contact you about, I’ll do it on here.
we need to give it our all. both in show business, and as mirage masters.
we’ll go through both physical and emotional pain. when the others are dealing with that, I want you to be there for them.
heh, sorry… I guess that got a little heavy. it probably sounds like a lot, but I don’t want you to feel burdened.
ugh. more mistypes. ignore those.
when it comes down to it, regular training is what really matters. just keep improving, and I’ll keep helping you.[/quote]
So…pretty much what you’d expect. Kiria would really like you to believe that she’s a cool cat who’s got it all together, but that would make for some really boring sidequests, now wouldn’t it?
[quote] i overheard a girl in shibuya talking about tsubasa! sounds like she’s a highschooler!
guess tsubasa’s popular with girls too. kinda gives me the warm fuzzies, seeing her getting all these fans.
geez though. tsubasa’s really getting a lot of buzz. wonder how far this is going to go.[/quote]
She’s the main character, Touma. We’re stuck on this train until she runs out of tracks. Like, not everything is about her, but she’s going to be getting the most screentime out of everyone. A couple characters even remark on it later on!
Anyway, let’s go check up on Tsubasa and Barry.
G-Got it!
Awright, stop. That’ll do it for today!
How’s everything going?
Going good! After all that stuff with Aya, I just feel like a huge weight’s been lifted off my shoulders… I’m enjoying every moment of dancing and singing, now!
Tsubasa’s improved a whole ton from before! Going by Dia Witch terms, I’d say I’d rank her at abooouuut…episode seven.
I… have no idea what that means.
SHIT! Well, anyhow, I’d say you’re good to go now.
I have to hurry and get in line for the midnight release! All aboard the hype train! Choo choo!
So…wait. Was he actually praising me, or…?
I…think so…?
???: Are you done in here?
Oh, sorry. We were just-
You know him, Tsubasa?
Wh-Wh-Wh-What!? Know him!?
…I asked a question, if you don’t mind?
O-Oh, right. Sorry about that. Her lesson just finished, so we’ll be out soon.
Lesson…? It looked more like children at play than anything else.
It’s not play. Tsubasa’s giving it her all.
Hm…? I’m only giving you my honest appraisal.
…
In any case, you two are getting in the way of my own training. If you wish to play your little games, do it somewhere else. This is a training room for professionals, not an amateurs’ playground.
Fortuna…
…And that would make you a member of Fortuna as well?
Huh? What’s this all about?
Once again, answer my question.
I’m not really a performer or anything like that… But I am a member of Fortuna.
…You’re a rather strange one.
It’s complicated…and none of your business, anyway.
Perhaps.
Pictured: Itsuki’s serious business face. He’s a natural.
Hm…? Just a moment. You. Have we…met before?
M-Me!? N-No… I…don’t think we have… I mean, maybe seen on TV, but…
…Never mind, then. You can go now.
Y-Yes, sir!
He’s the one who started it! So that’s Yashiro Tsurugi…
Because of that Mirage attack, we never saw him at that joint concert… But the show he’s starring in right now, “Labyrinth of Love,” is this season’s number one hit. And he even sings the main theme!
He’s an amazing person! He’s always at the top of the charts as a singer, and as an actor he’s called the Prince of Ratings!
Wish I could’ve seen him perform… if he’s as good as you say he is.
Heh heh heh… Tadaaa!
I got them from Ms. Maiko. I’ve got one for you too, Itsuki! She told me that as a Mirage Master and a member of the entertainment business, I should try to experience all the good things.
That’s pretty generous of her.
Let’s go watch it together!
Oh, I just remembered! I need to head to the office now! I’ll see you later, Itsuki!
Well that was…sudden. Let’s see what’s going on.
[quote]
Hey, Tsubasa? I know the lesson should be over by now. I’ve been waiting for a while, you know?
If there’s nothing going on, I need you to hurry back to the office! I’ve got something important to tell you.[/quote]
Damn, Maiko’s getting sassy. I suppose we’d better head back as well.
Huh? Oh, hi.
I heard about you from Ms. Maiko. You’re Mr. Itsuki Aoi, right?
Yeah, that’s me… And you would be…?
I’m Mamori Minamoto.
So if you’re here… Are you… Ms. Maiko’s daughter?
Wh- N-No! I’m a member of Fortuna Entertainment, just like you!
Oh, I see.
Phew… I wasn’t expecting that. You’re kind of a strange person, Itsuki.
I don’t really think so… Oh, but that means you’ve been here longer than me. Should I refer to you as Ms. Minamoto, then?
Oh, no! Just Mamori is fine… Um, I hope we can be friends!
Of course. If you don’t mind, could you tell me more about yourself?
Sorry, I don’t really watch TV…
Oh… really?
Yeah. But if you’re in the show, I’ll try giving it a watch.
Thank you. Please tell me what you think about it once you do.
Um, and I also like ballads a lot… I’m an aspiring singer - or, well, I’ve already made my debut as a singer…
Wow, that’s amazing!
N-No, it’s really nothing that great! I-I did release a CD, but it hasn’t…um…sold very well…
Oh, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up! I’m still trying very hard so that I can get more job offers that involve singing!
I’ll be cheering you on, then.
Thank you very much!
Well that was a little random, but I suppose we’ve already introduced one new character this update, so what’s another one? I don’t know why they intro Mamori now, because her payoff isn’t for another, like, two or three chapters, but you do you game!
Anyway, we can chat with some of the other folks in the office (Kiria, Aya, etc) but no one really has anything to say, so let’s see what was so important for Tsubasa to hear.
…
Are you nervous, Tsubasa?
Yeah… I mean, I’m going to have to model for “Nan-No”.
That was…a famous fashion magazine, wasn’t it? Tsubasa, that’s great!
“Feel” was a huge hit! I keep getting new offers from big publishing companies! How could I pass this up?
You’ll be fine, Tsubasa! Everyone starts somewhere! Just walk on in, a newbie full of confidence, and OWN it!
sigh That’s easier said than done… It’d be fine if it was just singing, but being a fashion model…? There’s no way I can do this…
I don’t actually know which of these boosts her affection more, but any opportunity for Itsuki to shove his foot in his mouth is a good one in my books.
I think you’d look great in anything, so I don’t think you have anything to be embarrassed about…
Y-You think so…? Well, that’s… nice to hear from you, Itsuki…
Yeah. No matter what you wear, you always look great.
I-um-u-uh-s-s-stop! I don’t know how to deal with you saying that!
Huh?
Ms. Maiko wouldn’t have signed you up for this if she didn’t believe in you, right?
Oh…I guess you’re right… Okay. I’ll do my best!
Good luck.
Thanks, Itsuki. You helped me sort my thoughts out.
Aww, he’s dumb as a brick but his heart is in the right place.
As for the photographer… well, he’s certainly skilled, so I’m sure the pictures will turn out great.
Well, good luck on your first photo shoot.
O-Okay! leaves
You know the photographer, Ms. Maiko?
Mhm. Nobu Horinozawa… He’s a pretty famous photographer in the industry. They call him a man of true talent. Knows the perfect angle and timing to bring out the true beauty of his subjects…
Or at least, that’s what they say. If you ask me, it’s all thanks to the model.
The model…?
That’s right. Before all this, I used to be a fashion model, you know.
Wh-What? Really?
Mhm. I worked with Horinozawa quite a bit back then, but he was pretty mediocre… mm, a bit above average. Of course, he could have improved since then. So he may well be the top-class photographer they say he is now.
Top-class… But if he’s such a good photographer, why did you look so worried earlier?
…Worried? Itsuki, don’t be ridiculous! I’ve got nothing to worry about.
Oh, I almost forgot…
Hm? What’s wrong?
What kind of article?
Apparently a lot of models have been going missing. Something about this seems suspicious.
Hm. You might be right… There’s a chance Mirages are involved in this. I’ll use some of my connections and look into it.
Thanks.
After this, though, I’m a little more worried about Tsubasa. Could you head to where she’s working and play bodyguard? She’ll be at the Daiba TV main building, the one with Daitama Observatory. Her shoot should be in the studio nearby.
Got it.
I’m counting on you to look after Tsubasa.
A photo shoot with an old friend and mysteriously disappearing models? I’m sure absolutely nothing bad will happen when we go play bodyguard next time.
Dark Anna has some of the best voice clips in the game.
Calling it now, this smug, lanky jackass is our Archer and his Mirage is Virion to make him the biggest asshole possible.
Meanwhile, I’m going to guess that Mamori is a Cleric since she doesn’t much strike me as a ‘front-liner’ and we have a Shaman.
Yashiro may be an impatient ass, but his theme’s pretty catchy.
That seems like a pretty good guess. My initial guess was Henry due to his color scheme and hair, but that’d be a bit redundant since we already have Tharja. Sans cravat, Yashiro’s stylistically pretty close to Virion.
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After the uproar over Persona 5’s localization, it’s pretty nice to see a well-polished script such as this one.
[quote] yo itsuki you got a sec
What’s up?
just saw tsubasa earlier, she looked really distracted. i saw her run into a telephone pole. and then, uh, she frantically apologized to it
…It’s worse than I thought.
heard tsubasa got a gig as a model? with some photo shoot over in daitama
kinda worried about her. you oughta go keep an eye on her
That’s the plan. Ms. Maiko already told me to head that way.
awesome. make sure you help tsubasa if she needs it[/quote]
…Somehow, this doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m glad she apologize to the telephone pole though, that was incredibly rude of her.
(This…is Tsubasa’s debut CD. Maybe I should listen to it at home.)
Before we go though, we can grab this. It doesn’t actually do anything as far as I know, but the implication is that Itsuki couldn’t even be bothered to pick up his best friend’s debut CD. 
Anyway, off to Daitama.
Oh- Mr. Hatanaka?
Ah, I knew it! You’re that boy who helped me out of that nasty jam earlier. And your name again was…
Itsuki Aoi.
Ah, Itsuki. So… do you remember exactly what happened at the 106?
I’ve been trying and trying to recall, but all my memories feel like this dreadful haze. I feel like I was lost in some bizarre place, but…somehow, it feels like it was all just a dream as well…
Truth be told, I don’t even remember precisely how we met. Every time I try to recall, my thoughts feel so jumbled. Why can’t I remember anything…?
Um, well…
Oh, Itsuki! There you are.
Whoa, Mr. Hatanaka. Always a pleasure, sir!
Oh…! Now you - you were at the 106 as well, weren’t you?
…Sorry, Mr. Hatanaka, but we’re running a little late. Itsuki and I gotta run.
It was nice meeting you again, Mr. Hatanaka.
A-Aha. Until next time, then…
So, it turns out Mr. Hatanaka does remember a bit about the 106 incident. Not enough to do anything, but enough to start asking questions. That…could be trouble later on, but for now we can get away with dodging the question.
Ah, crap. Really…? Hope he doesn’t stick his nose too far into this. It’d be dangerous if he got mixed up with Mirages.
Yeah.
Oh, right, Tsubasa’s photo shoot. I’ve already been by the studio she was at, but…turns out there was some kind of trouble. I guess the shoot got cancelled.
Trouble… Was it a Mirage?
Nah, didn’t look like it. All the models were coming out safe and sound, so I think we’re good on that front. But I did see the photographer, he looked really mad about something. Hope Tsubasa’s- Hey!
Well, speak of the devil. Check it out - that’s Mr. Horinozawa over there.
You know, he doesn’t look that mad, Touma. That’s a man who’s just ready to go home for the day.
So he’s the photographer…
Wait, back up a sec. Why’d you jump straight to Mirages?
You remember the article in that magazine at the convenience store? About those models that went missing?
Oh, yeah. That stuff.
We don’t know for sure if Mirages are behind it, but…it’s just been bothering me. So I talked to Ms. Maiko about it, and she sent me over here to make sure Tsubasa would be okay.
I guess I wasn’t really needed here after all, though.
Welp. There goes my plans for the day, anyway. I think I’ll take a walk before I head back. See you around, man!
Well that could have gone a lot worse than “It was cancelled and you already missed her,” I suppose. Might as well check in with Maiko and let her know.
[quote] So how was Tsubasa’s photo shoot?
It was already over when I got there.
Apparently there was some kind of problem. Tsubasa should be back at the office safely now.
That’s a relief to hear…
I actually just turned up some info on the models who disappeared… Apparently they all had photo shoots with Horinozawa before they vanished.
It’s hard to think this is just coincidence.
Do you think Tsubasa could be the next target?
That’s what I’m worried about. I want you to keep a close watch on her for the time being.
I’ll head back to the office, then. Tsubasa might be back by now.
Thanks. I’ll try digging up some more info on Horinozawa in the meantime.[/quote]
Now, I dearly love this game, but it’s writing is… Well, “less than subtle” seems like the kindest way of putting it. This scene is literally the first time we’ve ever seen Horinozawa, and we know all of two things about him - he used to work with Maiko, and all the disappearing models had photo shoots with him.
What I’m saying is, please pretend to be surprised when he turns out to be the villain of the week for Chapter 2. The game has a lot of strengths, but the main plot is decidedly not one of them.
[quote] hey, tsubasa looked kinda down when she left the studio. might be good if you talked to her, asked what’s wrong.
[/quote]
Anyway, sounds like Tsubasa needs another pep talk. Back to the office!
Yeeeeeep, time for Itsuki to work some of his magic.
Sigh
What’s the matter?
Well, it’s just…today’s photo shoot didn’t go so well… I made the photographer mad, and he just left.
Everyone makes mistakes. What’s important is that you learn from them.
Yeah.
If there’s something you want to talk about, I’m here. Sometimes it can help you put things in perspective.
Thanks, Itsuki.
And if it’d help to complain a little, I’ll listen.
Yep. A tiny bit.
Okay…
Good thing Itsuki is so smooth about patching things up with everyone. It would honestly be charming if he wasn’t so goddamn oblivious.
I’m an idol now. There’s a lot I’m going to have to deal with. But if I can overcome all of it…that’s when I’ll know I’ve made it.
They said they’ll try the photo shoot on another day, so when that day comes, I’ll try even harder!
On…another day…
What’s wrong, Itsuki?
Well, Horinozawa, that photographer who was running your photo shoot… There’s some strange rumors about him.
Strange rumors?
Yeah. I heard this from Ms. Maiko, but it seems like quite a few of his models have gone missing lately.
You mean…a Mirage…?
Of course, now we’ve gone about 30 minutes without something actually happening, so right on cue…
What’s wrong?
I-It’s Shibuya… There’s something strange happening…!
What’s going on in Shibuya?
Th-The people in Shibuya aren’t acting normal!
What do you mean, not normal?
I don’t know why, but everybody looks extremely tired… a-and, um, I… u-um…!
Calm down, Mamori. Take your time.
I’m glad you’re okay, Mamori.
I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but for the moment, we should head to Shibuya.
Y-Yeah…!
Mamori, it could be dangerous, so you’d better stay here.
O-Okay. Please be careful, you two…!
Oh look, it’s a mirage attack. Who could have possibly forseen this?
It’s really hard to show the effect with screenshots, but he’s teleporting around and making people disappear by taking their picture with his weird camera.
Ah, Maiko! You’ve finally decided to return as my muse, then?
I didn’t want to believe it… So you really are the one…
Return the people you’ve taken! Now!
Hah! No, I don’t need to bother with those amateurs. I only take pictures of what truly deserves to be immortalized… You!
Welp, another successful confrontation. Excellent work, team.
You… Where did you send Ms. Maiko!?
Horinozawa looks like he’s sizing up Tsubasa and Itsuki, but…
True to his word, he’s not interested in us. He got his muse back, and that’s all that matters.
And that’s an idolasphere entrance. See you in Illusory Shibuya!
So does Itsuki, like, do anything at home? I mean if he can’t even listen to his friend’s debut album I can’t imagine he gets up to much.
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Well, one of his hobbies is zoning out, after all…
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I am hoping that Maiko will become a party-mate when we reach her and not just a D.I.D.
What!? Maiko was kidnapped!? Well, she’s your president, ain’t she!? You gotta go rescue her!
You do so have a way with words, Barry. 
Well, you heard the man, Itsuki. Let’s get a move on.
Music: Illusory Shibuya
Illusory Shibuya is a little different from the other idolaspheres since it’s not really “attached” to a building or anything. Instead, the gimmick is more closely tied to Horinozawa himself. It’s kind of weird because outside of the final dungeon, I think it’s the only one in the game to do this.
Heh heh… Heh heh heh… I could get used to this kind of Idolasphere.
Save the jokes. We need to find Maiko.
These photos… Are these the models that have gone missing? So they were taken by the photographer, just like Ms. Maiko was earlier…
I’m worried about these people, too. We have to find them, and quickly.
Anyway, I really hope you like those photos because they’re the main decor for the dungeon. Right away we’ve got the entrance teleporter and a split path, the latter being half of the dungeon’s gimmick. Each of the three rooms spans three floors, and the path criss-crosses its way up and down, back and forth as you work your way forward. Backtracking for items is thankfully pretty easy, but it does get irritating to have to remember the specific path to get back to where you were.
If we head up the stairs, we see the other half of the gimmick. Scattered throughout the room are these giant cameras, and stepping in front of one will send you back to that pile of red photos right in front of the teleporter. So it’s not just a maze, it’s a teleporter maze!
Now, to be fair, most of them are avoidable as long as you’re paying attention. There’s a couple of them placed in really dickish locations, but they’re mostly used to block off item rooms or make sure you’re not totally asleep at the wheel (see the one pictured above, which just requires you to hug the left wall). You could probably also use Lightoma to show the trap tiles, but to be honest, I’ve never tried.
New dungeon, new enemies! The blue fellow on the right is an Apparition, the first of many palette swaps to come. They melt to pretty much any magical attack, but they’re specifically weak to Fire, Wind, Light, and Dark and resist everything else except Bows.
Also just showing off Horseslayer. Note that they’re neutral to lances, but are taking the hit like it’s a weakness.
This is a new mechanic that I’m just gonna let speak for itself.
Oh, Touma.
So yeah, Ad Lib attacks are the main reward you get from sidequests. Each one is “typed” to a specific kind of attack, and whenever you use an attack that matches it, there’s a small chance of getting the ad lib performance instead. Ad lib attacks inherit whatever the base effect of the skill was (assuming it has one), slap a modest power boost and status effect on it, hit every enemy, ignore nulls/drains, and always trigger sessions.
If that sounds hilariously broken, well, it is! The main reason they’re so ridiculous is because you have to be using specific attacks to cause them, and even if you’re using the right skill, they’re still fairly uncommon. Like, I don’t think Raging Stampede triggers again in this entire dungeon, even though Touma sees fairly regular use.
We’re not done with the Rapier yet, but Itsuki took a brief detour into the Deathbringer to grab Ice-Slash. Normally I like to finish one weapon before moving on to the next, but this is literally the only skill the party has to combo off of Kiria.
This is really the main use of the cameras. If we had jumped off that ledge at the start of the dungeon, we would have gotten an item but been blocked off here. Expect to see that a lot - routes that look like progress or shortcuts, but get blocked off by a camera right before they join up with the correct path.
On the right, we have the Dark Shaman. These guys are the first enemies to start throwing ma- spells at us, specifically Maragi and Mabufu. That said, they’re not that strong (Itsuki is weak to fire and only took like, 90 damage from a Maragi) and they have a ton of easily exploitable weaknesses including Ice and Swords.
The Savage version, on the other hand, is a lot scarier. We’re not sticking around to find out how much this one would fuck us up.
Worms are annoying because they have a good set of resistances, hit fairly hard, and inflict poison. Taking a 130 damage hit on the chin, and then immediately eating another ~100 when your turn comes around is pretty rough, and they actually managed to drop Itsuki the first time I ran into one.
Smash Hit increases the rate at which the SP Gauge goes up if a session has at least 2 links. It’s handy, but decidedly a filler skill.
Oh for fuck’s sake-
So let’s do something a little cheeky. We’ve got two weaknesses lined up in this session, and Touma goes next to bail us out in case things go horribly wrong. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
We managed to take out a quarter of a savage encounter without things going horrifically wrong! 
See ya later, shitlords.
The door marks the end of the first section. The miniboss is after part 2, and the boss after part 3, so we’re maybe a quarter of the way done. The next teleporter is immediately on the other side, so we’ll grab that then go back and scour for items in the first bit.
Immediately to the left of the entrance, we can jump down to grab these. I think they’re just an item version of Kiria’s Lightoma, but I legitimately have no idea what they do.
Past the first camera, we can find this staircase if we hang a right instead of a left.
Fuck 'em up, Itsuki! We’ve got goodies to grab.
Haha nooooooope. Surprise, motherfucker, gonna have to find another way down here.
The final new enemy for now is the Bacillus, a pretty substantial upgrade over the Slimes from Illusory Daitama. They’re fairly beefy on physical attacks and resist Lightning and Lances, which makes most of our session options mediocre at best. However, they’re weak to Ice, Wind, Light, and Dark, so magic tears them up pretty well.
Offensively, they don’t do much damage, but they can and will throw out Poison Breath and Marin Karin. Like pretty much every SMT game ever, Charm is far and away the worst status ailment in the game, and TMS throws one more reason on the pile by making it so that you can’t participate in sessions while charmed, and that includes your passive abilities! If Itsuki is charmed, that means you can’t change targets after killing an enemy!
If we’re being honest, this is what I was really hanging around for. The items are nice, but now that we’ve unlocked Kiria’s first sidequest, we can sub Tsubasa back in and get her caught up.
And since we’re here, we might as well grab a two-fer. This is just HP Fitness, so nothing too special.
Anyway, there’s an extremely hard to see staircase hiding in the far-left corner of this room that leads down to our wayward item box, as well as a few Patra stones.
A neat touch is that sometimes weapons with unique qualities will pass them on as their final skill. The Steel Feather made Tsubasa immune to poison, and now that she’s maxed it out, she gets the Null Poison skill.
And that’s another one for Tsubasa. This one is-
You wouldn’t think First on the Scene is such a big deal, all it does is make her act sooner in the turn queue. But alas, we’re going to need to find another Performa before we can unlock this one.
Last thing for today, a few new toys for Touma and Tsubasa. The Poison Spear is exactly what it sounds like, and adds a small chance of inflicting poison to basically everything Touma does. It’s quite handy, assuming it actually lands on anything.
Next time, we’re going to take a break from the dungeon to see what Kiria’s up to. See you then!
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If I recall correctly Lightoma does in fact show you the detection radius of the cameras both on the mini map and in the dungeon.