Sorry, I forgot! I’ll wait until the relevant parts to do more mechanics chat.
Boss time. Let’s rock and roll.
Aah!
It’s him… the host from the audition!
Caeda, y’damn traitor. Just had to switch sides, huh…? I’ll show you what happens to turncoats!
Eek…
Careful… This one’s different from the other enemies we’ve fought! Keep your guard up!
Chrom!? Haha… Gwahahahahaha! I found it… Not only Caeda, but I even got a vessel for Chrom himself!
Rrgh…!
???: Itsuki! You okay!?
Wait, that’s-
Sorry for the holdup. The hero’s here and ready to rock!
Music: End of Chapter Boss
Well, that’s certain a bo-
NO! No no no, you hit the spunky teenagers, not… Ugh, okay, whatever.
At least someone here knows how to make an entrance. (seriously go watch the boss video)
It certainly looks that way.
Gwahahahahaha!
The hell…?
Perfect! Even more Mirages! All you little sheepies’re comin’ with me!
You talk pretty big for a guy in a can. I got a better idea - I’m gonna knock that Mirage out of you!
So we’ll talk about Gojuin in just a second, but first he comes with a pair of Caspars. You’d think that maybe they’ve been improved a bit for being with the boss, but they still go down to a single Zio session.
Touma’s a little more interesting. Again, we’ll go into detail with him later, but the short version is Fire and Lances. We’ve already seen Skewer with Tsubasa, but Fire Strike is the physical equivalent of Agi.
Anyway, it’s time to talk about some actual Fire Emblem mechanics. It may be hard to believe, but that huge chunk of metal Gojuin is using is actually considered a sword (and if that wasn’t obvious from looks, the game classifies him as a Myrmidon-type enemy, see the little symbol right above his name). In Fire Emblem, there’s a concept called the weapon triangle - Axes beat Lances, Lances beat Swords, and Swords beat Axes - and Atlus has very faithfully recreated that in this game. As far as I’m aware, any enemy type that uses an actual weapon is always weak to its corresponding weapon triangle disadvantage, so even though we don’t technically know anything about Gojuin here, we know he uses a sword, so…
Bingo. And of course, once we hit a weakness we start going crazy with sessions, so that makes the fight go by even faster.
As far as Gojuin himself, he’s mostly content to throw out Cleaves at the party. Both Touma and Tsubasa can take 3 or 4 hits before they bite it (since they use lances, which resist swords), but Itsuki needs to be a little more careful. If you’re feeling saucy, you can always toss out a Rakukaja to be a little safer.
And I got something special planned for idiots that get it wrong! Gwahaha… we’re goin’ completely unscripted, folks!
Somewhere around the 1/2 - 1/3 health mark, Gojuin busts out this little gem.
Gojuin disappears, and spawns three slimes in his place. Hit the wrong one, and you get hit with a fairly powerful counterattack. But you all are smart boys and girls, and I doubt I need to explain how to tell which one is the right one.
Just kill the blob that has the dark energy in it, and you’ll drag Gojuin’s fat ass back on stage.
That said, note that the other slimes don’t go away just because you kill the right one. They’re not much of a threat (and they’ll disappear when you kill Gojuin), but you should still be aware of them in case you’re low on health.
And on that note, let’s put this big boy to bed.
A neat little touch is that the game does a pause and instant replay on whatever attack causes the killing blow. You even get a couple different angles on it.
Nothing too special with Tsubasa or Itsuki here. Since level ups really aren’t that important, I’ll be skipping them except after bosses or other notable encounters.
Touma is a little more interesting. He is our Cavalier, a generally well-balanced but unexceptional physical unit. The bulk of his skills are in Fire and Lances, and he skews heavily toward physicals over magic. While he’s serviceable on defense (honestly, he’s probably our hardiest character right now), Touma’s gimmick is all about offense and hitting the enemy as hard as possible with a fire stick. Not mentioned here is the fact that he’s weak to skills that target cavalry (like Horseslayer), but those are pretty rare out in the wild, and it’s probably the easiest special weakness to manage.
And to round things out, we pick up Tarukaja and Poison Skewer.
You made good use of your momentum in that battle, Touma. But your movement was hardly what I’d call efficient…
Yeah, I know, I know. But come on - in situations like this, it’s all about the showmanship, know what I mean?
That should be the case… but I have never seen a human possessed by a Mirage change so drastically…
And, uh, Cain, you’re lookin’ at Itsuki and Tsubasa.
Ah, Itsuki Aoi and Tsubasa Oribe then. Touma speaks very highly of you. He says you are interesting friends.
Uh, interesting…?
[quote]
Cain, like Caeda, is more famous for the trend he started than anything he actually does or says. In fact, I don’t think he even gets a single line in the entirety of FE1 (and maybe FE3?) - all of his characterization comes from Shadow Dragon and New Mystery. That aside, Cain is progenitor of the “Red Knight” archetype, half of a pair of cavaliers that you typically get on the first map, and focusing heavily on strength and speed at the expense of accuracy. We’ll be seeing his counterpart (the “Green Knight” Abel) much later, but for now it’s sufficient to say that Cain is honestly kind of a non-character and Atlus had carte blanche to do whatever with him.[/quote]
Idolasphere?
It’s this place. The world we’re in right now. Look, I was seriously worried about you.
I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you… but I couldn’t just leave Tsubasa on her own.
Yeah, I know. I kinda figured that’s what you were thinking. That’s why I told you to get out. Just running off, to do something stupid and dangerous, without pausing for a second… That was a close one.
More importantly, Touma… why didn’t you ever tell us you were involved in something this dangerous…?
Come on, man. This is basic stuff! A hero never reveals their identity-especially to their closest friends.
Touma…
Sorry 'bout that, Itsuki.
No, you don’t have to apologize… I guess I understand where you’re coming from.
What’s this Mirage Master thing you keep talking about?
Cain and others like him are called Mirages, and Mirage Masters are the ones who fight alongside them.
I see…
…Kind of expected you to freak out more, to be honest. You’re over here acting like this is no big deal.
Am I…?
Heh… You’re pretty strong, Itsuki.
Well, if we’re gonna hang around and chat, I for one would rather not do it in an Idolasphere. Let’s roll.
We’re given control again, but let’s chat with Touma one more time before we head out.
Sorry for the bad break, Tsubasa…
I was so scared… But Itsuki came for me…
And he saved you, huh? Oh well. I guess Itsuki’s always going to be Tsubasa’s hero!
W-Wait! M-My hero!? What’s that supposed to mean!?
Come on, Touma. It’s YOU who wants to become a superhero, right?
Geez, you really don’t get it, do you?
…? What did I say?
Ah… No. Y-You don’t have to worry about it.
You were correct there, it seems. But for some reason, it gives me this sensation of curious nostalgia…
Oh Itsuki, you dense motherfucker. Strap in folks, because they’ve got a bit with Itsuki and by god they’re sticking to it.
Anyway, next time it’s the end of the prologue. See you then!
5 Likes
I laughed at the description in Touma’s stats page. “Just an Extra”
Cain’s character pretty much amounts to “is angry” in FE11 and “does teaching” in FE12. So I guess that kinda culminates in Touma’s fiery personality and the fact that he’s the guy with prior experience? It’s a stretch, but Cain’s got nothing to him anyway. Regardless, he’s my go-to cavalier in Shadow Dragon so it’s nice to see him.
The boss was so bulky I thought he was an axe fighter or a mercenary. But, I’m sure there’ll be a moody dude later on that’ll use Navarre and that’s gonna have a more apt myrmidon design.
So Touma rides a motorcycle,poses,talks about justice and says sanjou?
this is the last place I expected to find a Kamen Rider.
3 Likes
Touma is the second best character in this whole game and I wish he was the main character.
Last time, we beat the boss and met Cain and Touma. Now let’s get the fuck out of here.
As it turns out, the red dome dumps us out right above the exit. How convenient.
:sigh: But it’s never that easy, is it?
Ah! There’s a whole bunch of them!
Crap, that’s a lot… Things might get a little rough here…
There’s nowhere to run. We have to fight!
But there’s so many of them…!
What!?
And suddenly the area gets coated in ice. Thanks mysterious benefactor, but we totally could have taken those fights, there was only like six of them. :colbert:
Huh-Kiria!? Wh-Why is she here live, in person!?
Ohmygosh Kiria’s looking at me… Wait-don’t tell me Kiria’s a Mirage Master too…?
Wh-What do I do? Ooh, I can feel my brain pounding…
Uh, Tsubasa… if it’s your brain that’s pounding, something might be wrong.
Hm…
Kiria can clearly see where this is going, and gets out before she gets cornered by a fangirl.
Uh, I think we have more important things to worry about… Come on, let’s get out of here while we can.
We finally made it back.
Yep! Nicely done, you two.
I can’t believe all that happened… but I’m just glad we all made it back safe.
You can say that again… Man, I’m beat.
Ah yes, the “sexy boss” character, just what we were missing.
Yeah. Though, uh, Kiria had to bail us out at the end there.
And these two would be…?
Oh, they’re my friends: Itsuki and Tsubasa.
Oh, um, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Tsubasa Oribe.
I’m Itsuki Aoi.
Ms. Maiko… Somewhere in the middle of all that mess, these two got the powers of Mirage Masters.
…Both Masters… Maybe this is fate then…
Sorry, but you are…?
I direct others who investigate incidents like this one. I suppose you could call me their leader.
…Investigation?
Yes. Although Mirage-related incidents aren’t often made public, they’re more common than you know.
…The Mass Disappearance. I’m sure you’re familiar with the name, at least?
That was the incident where a huge number of performers and audience members just… vanished, right?
Mirages were responsible for that phenomenon, too.
We still don’t have all the information on what they truly are… But we’ve confirmed that they reside in areas known as Idolaspheres and cause harm to humans.
Their existence lies beyond that of our physical realm… so conventional weaponry doesn’t really faze them. The only thing that can stop a Mirage is the power of another Mirage.
You catch on quick. Certain Mirages can harmonize with talented humans and grant them their powers… Using these gifted powers to combat this threat to humanity - that is what it means to be a Mirage Master.
Since we investigate cases involving Mirages, we NEED the help of Masters to do it. Unfortunately, those who have the natural ability for it are very rare…
…
Tsubasa?
Huh!?
I don’t know if I’ll be any good at it… but if I do have some rare ability… then I want to help out!
I see…
You’re Ayaha Oribe’s little sister, aren’t you?
H-Huh…? How do you know that…?
Still, I never dreamed that you’d get yourself involved in all this.
During the incident five years ago, you were in the audience, and Ayaha Oribe disappeared before your eyes.
…Yes.
And you’re thinking if you become a Mirage Master… you might find some clues about your sister… correct?
I’ve been looking all this time… I only auditioned in the first place because I thought being in the industry’d help… If becoming a Mirage Master will help me find her, then… I’ll do it! I… I want to become a Master!
…
Th-Thank you so much!
And what about you, Itsuki?
I’ll do it. If there’s any way I can help, just say the word.
Itsuki!
I knew we could count on you, man.
Thank you, Itsuki. I just love kids who are always willing to help.
I’ll do my best, Ms. Shimazaki.
Uh, oookay… I’ll do my best… Ms. Maiko.
Itsuki… are you sure about this…?
I can’t just let you do something dangerous like this on your own, Tsubasa.
Thanks… Just having you by my side makes me feel like I can do anything!
N-No, I mean, I’ll be counting on you too, Touma!
Giggle You three are pretty close, aren’t you?
Hah hah hah! It’s a shame you aren’t about 10 years younger, Ms. Maiko, or you could’ve gotten in on this.
Oh, Touma? I think you and I need to sit down for a nice long chat… about your future.
S-Sorry, uh, my schedule’s all full up!
You… have a hidden base?
It’s only appropriate for a secret organization to have a secret headquarters, right?
Uh, Ms. Maiko, I think base might be stretching it a little-
Well, I’m a very busy woman. I have some errands to take care of, so I’ll see you later.
And with a quick wave, Maiko disappears just as quickly as she came.
3 Likes
Gotta admit, I can’t figure out who Kiria’s supposed to be. Her design looks like Palla, but her Mirage looks vaguely Plegian design-wise, so maybe Tharja or Aversa?
Heck yes, we got a full party. Sessions make it really matter a lot. I don’t really like Kiria’s Pirate Miku outfit, especially compared to her normal look, but Touma’s motorcycle jousting balances it out.
Music: Fortuna Office
Huh, nice place they’ve got…
…here…
Well then.
Well, yeah. It is an office. Ever heard of Fortuna Entertainment?
Oh, I know! That’s the production company that Kiria belongs to!
Should’ve figured you’d know it, Tsubasa. But yeah, this is the Fortuna Entertainment office.
Wh-Whaaat!? Really!? Wh-Why was I brought to a place like this!?
Just a regular production company on the surface… but secretly a team of Mirage specialists and investigators. That’s Fortuna Entertainment.
Oh, and I haven’t told you guys yet, but this is the production company I’ve been working with.
Why didn’t you tell us about it!?
Yeah. You don’t have to worry about telling us where you work.
That’s what you’re angry about!?
Tsubasa, I kept my mouth shut because I knew this is how you’d react…
Never mind all that, Touma! So… wh-wh-where’s Kiria!?
Oh, she’s not here.
Why not!?
G-Geez, Tsubasa, chill out. Not only does she have a ton of work, she’s gotta get ready for that live performance too. She’s got her schedule worked out down to the minute - even I haven’t seen her in a while.
Tsubasa…? You okay?
What are you doing?
Right now… I’m breathing air that Kiria was breathing… Oh, I can die happy…!
Sigh
…Oh, right. There was someone I wanted you two to meet.
Who’s that?
C’mon, Tsubasa. Back to reality.
W-Wait! I’m not done enjoying the atmosphere yet!
Before we follow Touma into the Velvet Room, let’s take a second to poke around the office.
Both the TVs and the posters on the wall have ads or updates for what some of the other major characters are up to. They’ll update as we go through the game, so after Kiria’s concert those posters will change to whatever the next big show is.
Vending machines are scattered all around the overworld, and for a couple hundred yen, will heal your entire party to full. The actual contents are randomized (I think there’s like 8 or 9 drinks total?), and if you pick a drink that a party member likes, it’ll actually raise their Luck stat for your next dungeon dive.
Next to Maiko’s desk, we have the trophy wall. As you get certain achievements, you’ll get trophies that pop up here. Mechanically useless, but it’s there.
Anyway, that’s enough poking around for now. Let’s see what’s behind Door #1.
Music: Bloom Palace
This seems…impractical to keep in an office building.
How is a place like this… in an office building?
Mind blown, right? This place is for Mirage Masters and those with strong Performa - those chosen by fate!
This place… There’s something about it that feels oddly nostalgic.
Yes, for me as well. I wonder why that is.
She’s been with you since we left the Idolasphere. You just couldn’t see her, that’s all. This place is called the Bloom Palace, and as long as they’re here, they can go back to these physical forms.
Heeey! Tiki!
Huh…? Why do I feel as though I’ve met her before?
I can’t believe it… I can’t believe you’re making this little girl call you big broth- Wait a minute… I think I’ve seen her somewhere before.
Oh my gosh! It’s Tiki! The Uta-loid! The virtual singer, Tiki!
There’s the reaction I was waiting for! And don’t accuse me of the creepy stuff. …You noticed that first?
Look, let me introduce you. The Uta-loid you two know is a cover. Tiki’s true identity… is a Mirage.
[quote]
Tiki is something of a rarity - a character in FE1 that actually gets lines. She is the daughter (reincarnation? It’s never entirely clear what her deal is) of the Divine Dragon Naga - the closest thing the series ever gets to a “God” - and recruiting her is one of the requirements for defeating Medeus. Despite being several hundred years old, she is both physically and mentally a child - she renames Marth to “Mar-Mar” immediately after meeting him, and complains about scary dreams while she sleeps the centuries away. The “small child with unimaginable power” archetype is one IntSys particularly likes, because every playable manakete after her (Fae, Myrrh, Nowi, etc) is modeled off of her, with, ironically, the sole exception of herself, finally all grown up in Awakening.
In TMS, she serves as our mission control and she also allows us to perform Unity in the Bloom Garden.[/quote]
…Big brother? Wait, me too?
Mhm! If I’m not supposed to call Touma that, can you be my big brother instead?
I don’t mind.
Yay! Thank you, big brother.
You might be overdoing it a little. Oh - thanks for telling me that Tsubasa was in danger back there.
I didn’t do anything worth thanks… That’s all I could really do. I wish I could’ve gone to help… but all I can do is stay here and pray that everyone comes back safely…
What do you mean by that?
I’m a little different from the others… I’m bound to this place.
…They both said they have no idea why they’re here. It sounded like they couldn’t remember much…
I knew it…
Wait a minute… Tiki, are you missing your memories too?
Mhm… I don’t know why, but all Mirages have lost their memories of the past.
That… must be scary for you…
…Yeah…
…
…Thanks for worrying about me, big brother, but I’m okay. We found Chrom and Caeda… And you and Tsubasa seem like nice people… so I’m really happy!
Aww, Tiki… You’re such a sweet girl! I’ll be sure to come visit you every day!
Thanks, Tsubasa.
Unity?
You know you have Performa, right? Well… Performa is like the power of the human soul to express itself. We fuse Performa with people and Mirages to awaken new power within them. That ritual is called Unity.
Awaken new power?
Hmm… Well, I guess you could just say it makes you stronger.
I can’t really fight like the other Mirages can… But I can perform Unity rituals for you here!
Wait, so where were we? Right, Unity.
The first service Tiki offers is Carnage Unity. This is how you unlock new weapons.
New weapons are stronger (usually), give you different resistances, and come with their own set of skills to unlock. There’s no direct cost for making a new weapon, as long as you have the required materials for it.
And after a short fusion cutscene, we get our new toy.
We also unlock our first super move. I’m honestly not sure if that’s tied to specific weapons or simply doing a certain number of unities, but either way we’ll be unlocking more of them as the game goes on.
Unfortunately, neither Touma or Tsubasa have anything we can make right now. You can check to see where a specific drop comes from, and the fact that it says “Area: ???” means that we haven’t unlocked that particular dungeon.
Anyway, before we head back to the real world, we can chat with the other mirages, so let’s do that.
Chrom
A strange place indeed… If we can manifest here, this sanctuary must function similarly to the Idolasphere.
Yeah.
Taking form in your world consumes quite a bit of energy… We’ll stay here in the meantime, barring emergencies.
By the way, Itsuki… you’ll be fighting alongside Touma from now on, right?
Yeah. To be honest, though, I have almost no idea what I should be doing…
In truth, I could say the same. My memories are still all a haze… I know I’m a Mirage, but… I can’t even say for sure what a Mirage is, let alone who I am. Or what I’m supposed to do now…
Chrom…
But if I stand by you… something tells me I’ll find the answer. So… I hope you can put up with me remaining at your side for just a bit longer.
Of course it’s all right. Besides, I wouldn’t have a chance against the Mirages without you. Here’s to a long and prosperous relationship, Chrom.
Thank you, Itsuki. It’ll be a privilege to fight at your side.
You can usually find us here when things are quiet, but if you ever need us, we’ll appear to help you.
Caeda
Oh, Itsuki. Hello.
Hello. So you can materialize when you’re in this room as well, then, huh?
Yes, it would seem that way.
Itsuki, I would appreciate it if you would look after Tsubasa. Sometimes, I believe she can be a bit… you know. Oblivious, perhaps.
Haha… Well, you’re not wrong.
And besides, it looked as though Tsubasa trusts you quite a lot. I’m sure she will need your support.
Well, she’s been my friend since we were kids. I’ll do what I can.
giggle Thank you.
Cain
Sir Itsuki! Touma seems pleased indeed at the prospect of fighting as your comrade-in-arms. I will be counting on you to help Touma. He can be a bit senseless at times, but he has a good heart.
Sure.
By the way… Cain, are your memories gone as well?
Yes. I have lost all memories of my time before meeting Touma… And as of now, their return seems unlikely.
I see…
But I confess, I have gotten quite used to my life alongside Touma and the others. However, that doesn’t mean that I have lost my desire to find out who I really am.
Cain… If you need anything, I’ll always be happy to help.
Thank you, Sir Itsuki.
That’s gonna do it for the Bloom Palace for now. There are at least two more very important functions here, but we’ll cross that bridge once we get there. For now, let’s head back to the office.
Looks like Ms. Maiko’s back. She said there’s something she wants to talk to us about, so we’d better head back to the office.
You’re… going already?
Sorry. I promise I’ll come visit again.
Me too! I’ll definitely be back soon.
Okay! I’ll be waiting! Bye-bye!
And sure enough, there she is.
Ms. Maiko! You’re so mean… Why didn’t you tell me about the production company before?
Oh, relax. I didn’t want to overload you guys. Too much information at once can be a bad thing.
Anyway, I just booked a lesson for you, Tsubasa.
A lesson…?
That’s right. Dancing and voice training. I’ve decided we’re going to debut you as an idol. I think we’re gonna go with the pure and innocent image for you.
Wha… Whaaat!? B-But this is all so sudden! I… I-I…
Better get used to it, Tsubasa. This is exactly how Ms. Maiko likes to run this place.
What about the Mirage attacks?
Unfortunately, we have no idea when the next attack might be. So in the meantime, let’s start your training! Trust me, you’ll make a great idol, Tsubasa. My radar is never wrong about someone’s star potential.
Uh…
You know… if you work as an idol for Fortuna, it’d probably be a lot easier for you to meet with Kiria.
That was quick…
Sure was…
Have we mentioned that Tsubasa really likes Kiria yet? Maybe we’d better say it a few more times. Something something repetition, hammering a point…
Huh, me?
Yes, you. Training as a performer will help your abilities as a Mirage Master as well, so it’s worth your time.
What… exactly does that mean?
Your power as a Mirage Master is dependent on your abilities as a performer.
What do you mean “as a performer”…?
Some of the earliest records of the performing arts come from dance as a part of religious rituals. The idea was to call the power of the gods into the performer - an invocation of spirits, if you like.
Call upon the power of spirits… Kind of like a Mirage Master’s power?
There’s a dance in Noh theater called Kamioroshi, where the performer calls upon a god. It’s a little like that. Musical ability, acting, artistry… Honing these skills also increases your power of spiritual invocation.
Basically, if you’re good performers, you’ll be strong Masters.
In any case, I’ve already booked you two for training. Life is about overcoming challenges, you know! Good luck on your first lesson!
Ummm…
Itsuki, Tsubasa… it’s been nice knowing you. I’ll make sure to say something real nice at your funerals.
Huh?
Wh-Why exactly are you talking like you’re sending us to our deaths…?
You’ll see when you get to the studio in Shibuya tomorrow. I’ve ordered the full course, so have fu-un~
3 Likes
I’m pretty sure you unlock a Mirage’s first super move after you make one new weapon for that Mirage. Also woo boy Tiki. If you aren’t watching the videos and have any experience with anime you should know exactly what she’s calling Itsuki.
I don’t know about the original game, but I’m pretty sure New Mystery of the Emblem directly refers to Tiki as Naga’s daughter. Probably around the Ice Dragon Shrine, since that’s where most of the dragon plot happens in that game.
Even if it’s a different game, it’s really weird seeing Chrom wielding anything that’s not the Falchion. Are there dragon-type units for the Falchion to be effective against?
I love how Touma gets completely upstaged as the “big bro” character. It’s so dumb
I feel like Touma being upstaged is going to be a running thing.
1 Like
Do non-special weapons break in TMS like FE?
There’s no weapon durability in this game. That’d be a really weird and awkward mechanic to implement in a standard JRPG, doubly so in this game when your weapons are also your Stands Personas Mirages.
Edit: Now I’m imagining Chrom shouting in terror and/or nausea every time he’s swung around, and now that makes me wish the Snake Sword DLC from Metal Gear Rising was released outside of Japan.
2 Likes
Now that we have some marching orders, we have access to the world map. Shibuya is the main hub of the game and where we need to go for the plot, but before we go there, we’re gonna take a quick detour back to Daitama.
If we were so inclined, we could go back to the first dungeon, but that’s not why we’re here.
Instead, we have our first request. There are two types of sidequests in the game, and these are by far the more common of the two. They usually just require you to go talk to someone or collect five of some enemy drop, and accordingly the rewards are usually lackluster.
Hey! Are you interested in fortune-telling? I got something you can help me with. Is that all right?
Accepted Request: Lucky Spot 1
See, I’m the president of the Fortune Telling Club, and I want to practice my gift, if you know what I mean! And that’s where YOU can help out! All you gotta do is let me look into your future and then you report back after!
Hm… Huh… Eh…? EUREKA!
“Approach with modesty, and outcomes shall be favorable. Approach with haste, and nothing shall go as planned.” …Or if I guess if you want the “quick fix,” as it were, then you should go forth! Onward, to Daitama’s round elevator!
Well, that’s awfully specific and not at all what you said. But this is a simple one so let’s go ahead and knock it out.
Sure enough, if we head down the first elevator in Illusory Daitama, there’s a shiny on the ground.
Got a Treasure Key
Really!? Huzzah, it worked! You know, Itsuki, this means now you HAVE to acknowledge my gift! Call me Kanae the Soothteller!
Whew! All right, see you in class!
And for our troubles we get a minor recovery item. Hooray?
Anyway, speaking of class, one of the nifty things about the game is that the characters carry on with their daily lives in between chapters. You can check their Topic page on the gamepad to see what they’ve been up to since yesterday, so let’s have a quick look:
[quote]Touma
Status:
today, an extra…
tomorrow, a hero!!!
I AM… TOUMA AKAGI!
AAAAARRRGGGGGH!
What’s up?
what are you acting all calm for!? you know we have a test tomorrow! holy crap i am not sleeping tonight
Why don’t you study then?
what, you feel like you’re ready for it?
Eh. So-so, I’d say.
woooooow, this crap again? yeah, i can tell you’ve been studying your ass off!
No, seriously. I haven’t really had a lot of time for that.
there’s no time to waste! gotta use these final moments to cram as much as i can!
HRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!
Best of luck to you.[/quote]
[quote]Tsubasa
Status:
Hope I get this…!
#tryingsomethingnew
#notadiet
Itsuki! how’s studying going? you ready for the next test?
Eh, it’s going okay… How about you, Tsubasa?
we only have tests in two subjects tomorrow, so I just finished reviewing. now I"m going to sleep early! 
There’s three subjects tomorrow. English, Literature, and Math.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Tsubasa?
I FORGOT MATH!!! D8
actually, I probably blocked it out of my mind because I didn’t want to think about it…
Good luck.[/quote]
I bet Itsuki is that fucker who never studies for anything and aces all the tests anyway. You know the type.
It was me, I was that fucker
Anyway, let’s get a move on over to Shibuya.
Music: Shibuya
Shibuya is pretty big! But for as big as it is, there’s really only a handful of places we really care about.
…But before we can do any exploring, let’s see what Tsubasa wants.
[quote] AAAAAAAAAAAAA
What’s wrong?
what’s wrong!? our first lesson is about to start! x_x
I see Tsubasa’s nice and nervous!
The studio I"ve having you two visit today is called the Uzume Lesson Studio.
It should be right across the street from the train station. It has a really flashy sign - you can’t miss it.
Looks like you still have some time. Why don’t you check out Shibuya while you’re looking for the studio?
Tsubasa, this is going to be your first step into the entertainment world.
There will be good times and there will be bad times, but just remember: it’s all to help you become a star. See you![/quote]
Well that’s encouraging. I’m sure this lesson will go swimmingly.
As usual though, let’s poke around a bit first. The cafe is functionally identical to a vending machine, but it costs a bit more and you tend to get better luck boosts out of it. Really, it’s mostly there to be a hub for sidequests later.
Continuing around counter-clockwise, we have the Hee-Ho Mart. This is where we stock up on items.
Hi Anna! Not even a change of genre can stop you from being the merchant, I see.
You earn Melmarks based on how much money you spend, which is basically a lottery entry. You can turn them in to a couple places for a chance at prizes, including consumables, concept art, and eventually even stat-ups.
Like so. 
As you might expect, this is heavily influenced by your luck stat, so if you can jack up Itsuki’s luck before coming in, you can clean house.
Across the street, we have Carabia Jewelry. This is our one-stop shop for new accessories.
Music: Carabia Jewelry
Like the Hee-Ho Mart, the clerk is another cameo. This time it’s Aimee, the merchant from Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn.
So as I mentioned way back in the third or fourth update, accessories actually pull double duty as both armor and a stat boost. Right now, the Power Bangle and Mage Ring are both pretty useless as stat boosts (they’re worth 1 Str and Mag respectively), but they’re still worth it because they more than double our armor. Unfortunately, they’re also very expensive, and right now we can only afford one piece of equipment. We’ll be upgrading everyone else as soon as we have the funds, but for now we’ll settle for buying a Power Bangle for Itsuki.
With our shopping out of the way, let’s see what awaits us inside the lesson studio.
Barry Goodman
You should really, really watch this one.
U-Umm… Are you… our training instructor?
SHUT UP! I’m still doing my signature pose!
S-Signature pose…?
Here it comes…!
…
I’m… Tsubasa Oribe… sir. It’ll be a pleasure to work with you.
Okay, Tsubasa! Got it! You can call me Barry.
Okay, Barr- Wait, Barry Goodman…?
Someone you know?
Maybe. I remember a Barry Goodman was one of the guitarists at Kiria’s live concert a few years back. Apparently he was a guitarist for a famous American rock band, and his solo albums sold millions. But… that Barry Goodman was a lot more athletic-looking than him… so it’s probably a different person…
What!? How much weight exactly did you put on!?
Tsubasa!
O-Oh! I-I’m- I’m so sorry!
Don’t worry about it. The little lady’s got a point! Barry Goodman’s just a Merry Fatman now.
Yeah, that’s all in the past now…
So this is actually a real thing. Barry is based off of Marty Friedman, a former guitarist from Megadeth who moved to Japan in 2003. Since then he’s launched a record label under Avex Group, appeared on Japanese TV (including as a regular member of the TXN musical program Hebimeta-san, literally “Mr. Heavy-Metal”), and has done concert tours for the Bravely Default original soundtrack. Here he is doing a metal cover of the theme for a slice of life anime.
I’m Itsuki Aoi. Nice to meet you.
Maiko told me to give lessons to some rookies. And anyone who enters this studio starts out a rookie!
I’ll try my best!
Good answer. I’m pretty in the zone today! All right, we’ll train three times faster and tougher than normal!
Three times normal…? Do we really have to?
And they’ve only got a couple limited editions that come with a special bonus! Gah, I gotta get there on time!
O…kay?
What, you got something to say!? I’m not allowed to be a fanboy? HUH!?
I-I didn’t say anything!
If I can’t buy the limited edition, my life is OVER! So I need you guys to cooperate and finish this quick!
…
I-I got it! Triple speed’s fine by me!
Maiko asked me to give you the full boot-camp experience. Honestly though, I’d say triple speed still isn’t enough.
All right… You better prepare yourselves, rookies!
Barry’s lesson begins…
I can’t feel an ounce of your soul in your singing! If you’re gonna howl and wail, get in the alley with the dogs!
Listen, Tsubasa. My training can help your voice. But, you think you’re gonna move anyone singin’ like that?
No…
‘Cause that’s what I’m hearin’! Keep singin’ like that, and there’ll be no point puttin’ you on a stage! You’re an entertainer now, Tsubasa - a professional! People are gonna pay big money to see you perform!
You need to understand what it means to be a professional. If you can’t do that, quit now and get outta showbiz!
I can’t do that! I need to find my sister! I have to-
All you’re doin’ right now is singing for yourself! I can’t feel any message you’re tryin’ to put into it!
For myself? Then how do I… put a message within my song…?
I can’t just GIVE you the answer! You gotta figure that out! You gotta feel it within you!
And you! Itsuki! Don’t just brush this off as Tsubasa’s problem. I’m talkin’ to you too.
Y-Yes, sir!
Awright! One more try!
O-Okay!
Tsubasa gives it one more shot and…
If you want me to teach you anythin’ else, you better go study up on your “Dia Witch Iroha”!
…And then Barry storms off. Good lesson, everyone.
Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I made a lot of mistakes too. You just ended up taking most of his criticism.
sigh I guess it’s tough being an idol, huh? All this has got me thinking…
About Ayaha?
Yeah… I didn’t expect you to guess that so easily.
Just had a feeling.
It’s just hitting me hard, realizing what a tough world my sister was living in…
All the training and work as an idol may have been really difficult, but she never even showed a hint of that. She was always so kind whenever she was back home, and she was so cool and brilliant whenever she was on TV… sigh I’m probably just not cut out to be an idol like her.
We haven’t even watched that anime Barry told us to study.
Pfft…
…Did I say something funny?
I just… imagined watching one of those magical girl shows with you. Kind of a weird mental image… But thanks for trying to cheer me up. I guess you really never change, huh?
I’ll give it some more thought on my own. I’ll see you later!
Oh…
And then Tsubasa ditches us too. Naturally, this is when Kiria walks in.
H-Hello. Uh, um…
Yes?
Well, uh… thank you for rescuing us at Daitama.
Don’t worry about it… But I just walked past your friend. She okay? She looked pretty depressed about something.
We just had a lesson with Barry… and we just ended up making him mad.
Hmm. Well, getting mad is basically Barry’s job.
So. You got to stand there and listen to her sing, right? What did you think?
I was just trying to keep up… I couldn’t listen much. But I don’t see why he had to criticize her so hard…
Huh. So I see…
I don’t know if I’d go that far, myself… but I guess so.
Really.
A singer has to use their song as their words.
Huh?
As a singer, she’s still a newborn baby. Hasn’t learned how to use her words, you know? But… a baby still has emotions. That’s why they cry, right? Still have to express their feelings somehow.
I… guess so.
So she should have sung as though she was crying. Barry would never miss that message.
So… you’re saying I should get Tsubasa to cry… before training starts…?
…
Kiria silently hands you something…
Here, take these.
Are you asking me out?
She is so disappointed in Itsuki, and she’s only known him for a day. This relationship is gonna go places. 
Tickets. To my live concert.
Concert?
You should come watch it with her. It’s up to her what she takes away from it… but I’m sure that she’ll-
Hm?
…Well, never mind. Yashiro Tsurugi’s my costar. He’s a top-class artist. I’m sure his performing skills can inspire you to be a better Master.
Well, I have to get to practice. See you.
Well this’ll make someone happy, at least. Let’s give her a buzz real quick.
[quote] sorry I left without you today
I was feeling a little down earler… but I still plan on trying my best.
I’ve got a surprise for you.
a surprise?
I actually got tickets direct from Kiria for her concert.
ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW
Super serious. Do you want to go watch it with me? It’s this joint concert thing called the “Siv Live” or something.
SIV-LIVE? THE ONE AT THE 106!?
Yeah, that’s the one.
OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS
wait, so if I hadn’t gone home, I would’ve been able to get the ticket directly from Kiria!? herself!?
AAAH I’M SO STUPID! I shouldn’t have gone home!
At least you get to go to the concert, right?
but I feel like I totally missed out! >:c
I’m glad you’re back to normal. I’ll give you your ticket on the day of the concert in front of the lesson studio.
thank yoouuu! ;w;[/quote]
There’s our Tsubasa. Next time, it’s the first performance of the game. See you then!
5 Likes
Same? Same. Also man I love that this game has texting in it that doesn’t feel out of place. I mean, Itsuki seems so damn formal in his texts but eh, I guess that’s just his style. Tsubasa’s texts are damn cute though.
The little Line stickers are such a neat touch.
I can’t quite place my finger on why but those technicolor silhouettes around town in place of actual people models are really disconcerting.