28/01/2013

News Post -Part 2-

More news. I am still missing a few things but the rest will come with the next news post next weekend. Writing these things on the go is not ideal and I'd like to avoid making any more idiotic mistakes (thanks Laura and Anon for pointing out my stupid mistake in the last one).




Mikkai
The visuals and information on the fourth CD are now up on the official site. The character for the final CD is Kenjou Ousuke (CV: Ookawa Tohru), and 42 year old business man who runs a company that specializes in importing furniture. His looks and demeanour may be soft, but he approaches every situation with cold logic. The CD will be released on 2013.03.29.


Story of 365 Days
I believe it has been a while since the last release, but the Story of 365 Days is getting a new release. Story of 365 days~floriography chapter.DIA will be released on 2013.03.21. Judging by the title, other CDs might follow later. This CD will feature the King (CV: Hoshi Souichrou), Jack (CV: Hirakawa Daisuke) and Ace (CV: Ono Daisuke) of Diamonds. (It would have been hilarious if they Hirarin would have voiced the Ace). The story will feature various situations based on the language of flowers ('hanakotoba')


Gyutto Shite
Fortissimo (Honeymoon, I love Pet series) is starting a new series soon. "Gyutto Shite" is a series based on the concept of hugging, and it uses the dummy head mic to make it sound like you are really being hugged. Hirakawa Daisuke will be voicing the first CD in the series again (he did the first Honeymoon soon as well). His character is called Serizawa Tsukasa, and he is a 25 year old salaryman working at a large company. He was your childhood friend who and is two years older than you are. Before you started dating you called him 'onii-san'. He has a kind personality, but is also someone you can rely on. While he is normally sweet and very supporting, he occasionally shows a bit more forceful side. His hobbies are reading and astronomical observation (star gazing?). The CD is planned for a 2013.03.28 release.


Futari Kinenbi
Futari Kinenbi ('Anniversary Together') is a new situation CD (or series) that is based on the concept of anniversaries. The CD will feature different situations based on different anniversaries (your first date, your first kiss, first Christmas together, etc). The character for this CD is Takaya Hajime (CV: Okamoto Nobuhiko). Wakkannaiyo did a wonderfully detailed description over here, so I'd like point to that for any more details (because otherwise I would simply be repeating what she said anyway).


Nego Danshi
Tachibana Shinnosuke is returning to the series for vol.15, which will be released on 2013.03.27. Seems like this is part of the 'third series', so there is probably more coming?

24/01/2013

News Post -Part 1-

Writing reviews and the news post on the go is a lot harder than I imagined. Even though I have my actual laptop and my iPad with me, finding the time to edit my random thoughts and ramblings into a properly formatted review is pretty hard.




Aroma na Kareshi
Now that vol.4 is out the next one has been announced through a digital flyer. The next character is the 17year old Kazu Watanuki (CV: Shimono Hiro) and his scent is vanilla. His family owns a cake shop and he loves making sweets, his dream is to become a patissier. He has a bright personality and is popular amongst both girls and guys.


Anata ga Ofuro de Noboseru
No new CD news, but an event. On 2013.03.02-03 there will be an event in the Orange Gallery in Ikebukuro displaying art from the series, including yet unpublished rough sketches and art made especially for this exhibit. The event is completely free, so if anyone happens to be in Tokyo during this time go and take a look (^-^) they will be selling the CDs and goods at the even as well. Here is the blog post announcing the event if you want to check any details later.


Sasayaki Micchaku
The official page for vol.5 is now online. Hosoya Yoshimasa his character is indeed called Chikasugi Taisuke (I almost guessed it right! I feel all accomplished now). The top of the page also reveals that the first press limited edition will have a free talk recorded with the dummy head mic as a bonus. The CD will be released on 2013.03.27.





Bungou Series
Looking at the titles for the third and fourth CDs it seems like they will be some sort of spin-off series to the main series. The third CD is titled 新作第1弾「不良文豪とホスト」 (shinsaku dai ikkan "furyou bungou to hosuto", New Work Vol.1 "The delinquent literary master and the Host") while the fourth CD is titled 新作第2弾「文豪の神様」 (shinsaku dai nikan "bungou to kamisama", New Work Vol.2 "The God of the literary master[s]"). 'Shinsaku' means something like 'new work' or 'latest work'.

The cover for the third CD has been released (the image to the right) as well as the information that Ono Daisuke will be joining the cast in the forth CD, playing the role of the writer Shiga Naoya. The CDs are planned for  2013.03.29 and 2013.05.?? releases.


Toubousha / 42gami
In celebration of the upcoming new releases of the Toubousha and 42gami series there will be a nico nico live broadcast with Morita Masakazu and Kimura Ryouta in which the two seiyuu will announce more info about both new CDs, as well as answer various questions from the listeners The broadcast is called "Toubousha 42 minutes" and will be available for one week starting 2013.01.24 (today)

The titles for the two upcoming CDs are already known: Toubousha Vol.3 Haruto, and 42gami Vol.3 Xylophone ~The End - The Last Love~ and will be voiced by Ishida Akira. If you go to TwoFive their official site you can already see rough sketches of the two characters. Both CDs are planned for a 2013.03.27 release.


Kindan Vanmpire
The official site has updated with the details on the 6th CD. The cover image as well as the tracklist are now online. The character this time is Alexander von Weiseheldenburg (CV: Tsuda Kenjirou). This time the theme language for the tracklist seems to be latin. (Considering that his name is Alexander, shouldn't thay have picked Greek instead?) The CD will be released on 2013.02.13, just before valentine (^-^)



Meganubu
The official site has been closed. The staff thanks everyone for their support over the last year, and say that 'hope to meet again somewhere'. I guess this means no more Meganebu, but it does look like they are moving on to a new project.

17/01/2013

Ani to Osananajimi - Noir

I still haven't listened to Shitsuji no Kare because of various reasons, but we'll just skip ahead to this before I return to those soon enough.


兄と幼馴染 ノワール


Company: StellaWorth
Based on: Original
Released:  2013.01.31 (but already in StellaWorth their own stores on 2012.12.29)


Ani to Osananaji is the third pair of CDs in StellWorth their original drama CD series. Just like before there are two versions, but instead of being two routes for the same character there are now two characters. The 'Noir' CD centres on your older brother (CV: Suzuki Tatsuhisa), while the 'Rouge' one centres on your childhood friend (CV: Hino Satoshi). Unlike the previous CDs where there was a 'white' and 'black' route, there is no white route this time.

Warning: this CD contains incest, so decide for yourself whether you want to listen tot it or not.

The beginning of the story is the same in both CDs: your childhood friend invited you to go on a date at the amusement park, but you bring your older brother along. Obviously, neither of them is pleased with the other being there. Your brother wants to go home as soon as possible, but you insist that you want to ride the ferris wheel. Unfortunately you can only ride it with two people, so you'll have to choose who to ride with...

To my surprise, you choose your childhood friend in the noir version (and your brother in the rouge version) even though he is not the main character for the CD. Your childhood friend tries to confess his feelings for you, but you don't answer. As soon as you get back your brother drags you home and scolds you for doing what you did. The only reason that you are saved from a full lecture is because your mother enters room.

The next day your childhood friend once again tries to confess his feelings for you, hugging you in the process. As fate will have it however your brother finds you right at that moment and drags you back home again. On the way back he first scolds you, then tells you that you are free to date whoever you want (make up your mind!!) but while you walk back home he is much kinder again. Later that night you've fallen asleep on the couch and he carries you to bed. At this moment you learn that he really was jealous and wants you all for himself. He even starts to kiss you, and you wake up because of it but don't seem to reject that.

The next morning however he acts like nothing happened, even tells you that you should try dating your childhood friend. He also tells you that he will be transferred to a job abroad, so that he won't be here that much longer. You are all upset because of this, and when your childhood friend asks whether you want to go sing karaoke with him you agree. On your way home he once again tries to confess - this time even more persistent. You refuse by saying that you love your brother, which nearly drives him mad but of course onii-sama arrives just in time to save you.

He takes you back home (that seems to happen a lot doesn't it) and finally tells you that he loves you and that what he said this morning was all a lie. You tell him you love him as well end so you sleep together (the scene fades out before anything R-18 starts though). When you wake up the next morning your brother proposes that you go study abroad so that you can be together. You initially happily accept... But at the very end your brother suddenly becomes strangely possessive saying that he will never let you out of the house once you live together....

Looking at it objectively the incest setting is rather disturbing. There is no secret track revealing that you are actually step siblings or something like that so you really are brother and sister. Period. Luckily onii-sama is attractive enough so I didn't have too much problems with accepting the setting (it probably helps that I don't have any siblings and can't really picture what it would be like). Despite the seiyuu using their pseudonyms there isn't any real shockingly explicit content (or maybe my standards have changed since I've listened to Lovers Only).

It surprised me that there were so many scenes with your childhood friend besides those with just your brother. I somewhat expected that the CDs would start in the same way and then switch to giving the spotlight to just one of the two characters, but both are featured for most of the CD (although there is a clear preference)

Suzuki-san uses a wonderfully low voice in this CD, and between Jiyuu Kenkyuu and this I've really started to love his voice when he does this. He also does a good job on being really scary in the end (although the Rouge CD has an even scarier scene). When he goes yandere at the very end of the CD his calm insanity scared the hell out of me. Your overprotective but up to that moment attractive brother suddenly taking a yandere turn really makes you realize that you are in trouble - and that there is no way out anymore. An honourable mention for Hino-san his performance when your sibling love finally drives him to despair should be made though: that was an amazing piece of acting as well. (Of course, we already knew that he makes a very good yandere from the first CDs in the series)

One thing that did struck me as odd during this CD were the exceptionally... juicy kissing sounds. It sounds a bit too wet if you ask me.


Conclusion:
The incest theme makes this CD a bit questionable, but if you are fine with that I think it is a good story. While listening I thought it would end without a yandere factor (because incest alone is probably already more than enough to make things dark) but the yandere factor came right at the end. Which made it all the more effective.

11/01/2013

Sono Ai ha Yamai ni Itaru


その愛は病にいたる

Company: Operetta
Based on: Original
Released: 2012.12.26
Official site: http://www.ignote.net/operetta/aiyami/index.html


Sono Ai ha Yamai ni Itaru ("that love is like a sickness") is the second of Operetta's drama CDs. The story is about the heroine (meaning the listener) being loved a bit too much by her two childhood friends. 6 years ago she was kidnapped, but returned home safely after a while. But while the heroine seems to have overcome the trauma, this isn't true for everyone.

This is the longest situation CD I know off, spanning a total of three discs and over 2 hours in total. You are not meant to listen to all of it at once however, instead the first CD tells the beginning of the story, while the other two each have a good and a bad ending for one of the two guys. To understand the entire story however, you will have to listen to all of the endings, or you will be missing information. But ignorance can be bliss.....

Your two childhood friends are Mamiya Kanoe (CV: Noriyuki = Sugiyama Noriaki), and Shimano Haruto (CV:Sawa Mannaka= Nakazawa Masatomo). Both of them are your neighbours, and you've known them since you were little. Kanoe is the same age as you are, and you attend the same high school. Haruto is several years older and is like an older brother to both of you, although he flirts with you to the point of sexual harassment when you are alone, only to pass it off as a joke later.

6 years ago you were kidnapped while you were playing outside with Kanoe. After a while you returned safe and sound, without any real trauma due to the incident. Kanoe however has never stopped blaming himself for not being strong enough to protect you, and has sworn to become strong enough to protect you and be your knight in shining armour. This also leads to him being incredibly overprotective of you.

At the start of the actual story all three of you are living alone for the moment: Your own parents and those of Kanoe have moved because of their work. For the moment you still live here so that you can finish school, but when the year is over you will both move to where your parents live. Haruto his parents on the other hand, have died in a tragic incident several years ago (even before your kidnapping, actually).

The first disc mainly shows your current life. It starts with you waking up in Kanoe his bed (which had me wonder whether I had the wrong disc). Apparently you often crawl into his bed when you can't sleep, and being the knight in shining armour that he is Kanou doesn't lay a finger on you. You go to school together, receiving a bento made by Haruto just before you leave. At school the interactions with one of your friends show that Kanoe really is being over protective, but you just somehow accept it. You always eat dinner with Kanoe and Haruto. This seems to have been your life for a while now, but in the last couple of days Kanoe has started to be even more over protective than usually.

After this first part you need to choose which character to continue with, which 'route' to listen to so to say. Both characters have a good and a bad ending, and the bad ending branches off from the good one. This means that you will have to listen to the good one first, as there is no way to tell exactly where the bad ending branches off while listening to the good ending.

Personally I'd recommend listening to Haruto's Good ending --> Kanoe Good ending --> Kanoe Bad ending --> Haruto Bad ending. This way you start with the sweetest one, wile the others gradually reveal the darker parts of the story.

Haruto is good ending is the sweetest ending there is. He shows remarkable restraint during his entire story. He might flirt with you, but before it crosses the line he switches back to being so casual you almost start to wonder whether you were imagining things. Of course once he confirms that you love him as well he finally dares to kiss you and more, all while remaining very sweet. In is good ending Haruto never goes yandere, his bad ending however is the worst ending of all, and also the only one to tell certain crucial parts of the overall story (although they can be partly guessed from one of Kanoe's endings).

Kanoe goes slightly yandere in both his endings, although it is clear this mostly comes from his urge to protect you and not because he wants you all to himself. Since a few days he received weird warning notes saying things like "soon I'll be able to meet her" and counting down to a certain day. Because they count down to the day on which you were kidnapped he becomes paranoid. He did initially go to the police but because the message were written in a childlike handwriting and in crayon the police thought it was just a prank and wouldn't help him. So in the end, poor Kanoe sees locking you up in your own home as the only option. He also finally really confesses his love to you, and in the good ending you accept his feelings, while in the bad one you reject them.

The first CD felt really long -it actually is 50min so no surprise there- but it helps you get a really good idea of the setting. Operetta actually promotes their drama CDs as "otome games that you enjoy with your ears" and the entire thing really is closer to a short game than to your normal situation CD. The branching of the routes, first into two character routes and later into a good or bad ending, is also faithful to this idea.

Yume made a very good point in her review about Haruto and Kanoe their personalities being consistent in their good and bad endings. Which route you end up on is based entirely on your own actions.

Something else I liked is that there is another girl in the story - the classmate you and Kanoe are talking with at school. Most drama CDs don't have any other characters showing up, and it was refreshing to hear. She is actually pretty funny too, so bonus points for that.

Personally I liked Haruto's endings the best. The good one because it is so sweet, and the bad one because it has most of the background plot in it. It deserves the title 'bad ending' though, so be warned when you start on it. Kanoe his endings were less satisfying. They mainly made me feel sorry for the poor guy, even though you end op together in the good one. And last but not least: I liked Nakazawa-san his acting in the ero scenes a lot more  (^-^;;)

One of the things I was wondering about is the fact that the heroine skipped gym class because she was having her period. This wouldn't be a big deal except that the story takes place in just two days, meaning that all the ero happens on the day after which would very likely mean she should still be having her period. Unless she lied about it as implied by one of her classmates.

Oh, and to get rid of any possible feelings of discomfort, there is a crack ending recorded after Haruto his bad ending, and it is... well, crack xD 


Conclusion:
I first listened to Kanoe his endings and thought the overall yandere level was pretty low, but then came Haruto his bad ending and all the yandere seems to have been stuffed into that route. So for those looking for the yandere parts in the CD, you now know where to find them. The overall story was good as well, although your parents being absent is very convenient indeed.

09/01/2013

Lovers Only 4 - Anata dake wo mitsumete

Lovers Only 4 ~あなただけを見つめて~

Company: Momo&Grapes
Based on: Original
Released: 2012.10.25


Lovers Only is a series that tells more mature love stories. Both in terms of being a bit more serious and not all fluff, and in that they tend to be more explicit. The fourth story is set in 18th century France (or something similar to it, the official description stated it was like 18th century France)

Richard du Barbier (? it is written as リシャール・ド・バルビア. CV: Inoue Kazuhiko) is a count who served in the army. After he came back home he started enjoying a free lifestyle: going out at night, flirting, and sleeping around. It has been 3 years since he married you, but the marriage was arranged and as a result his lifestyle hasn't changed at all. You never ask where he was when he returns late or didn't come home at all, and he just continues with his escapades.

Compared to the previous CDs, it took a little longer before you are introduced. Instead we first get a very good idea of the kind of life Richard is leading. We get to hear how he seduces women (including one who knows he has been sleeping with her sister) and the CD makes it very clear that he had a threesome somewhere in the beginning, he even boasts about it at a party the next evening.

You are finally introduced when Richard finally returns home in the morning after three days. He has just returned and his butler Alan is bathing him when you walk in. You ask him whether he wants breakfast but he just wants to sleep. You apparently had some plans for the day and head out. When Richard wakes up it is already night, but you are still not back. When you finally return somewhere past midnight he sees a man sitting in the coach you came back with and suddenly starts to suspect you are being unfaithful to him and he gets irritated (hypocrite). You tell him you were with his aunt, apparently the two of you are close.

He wonders about the man in the coach though, and orders Alan to follow you around and report what you are doing for a while. Being the loyal butler that he is, Alan does as he is told and according to his reports you occasionally meet with a young man. One day when Richard just returns home Alan reports that said young man just arrived and the two of you are walking in the gardens. Richard nearly snaps and walks straight to where you are to confront you about it. You try to tell him that it is just a misunderstanding, but the man you were with suddenly says that he loves you.

At that moment Richard really snaps, and by the sound of it he nearly punches the guy to death yelling at him that he won't hand you over to him, and he drags you back to the house. In fact he drags you straight to the bedroom and demands that you show him what you learned from sleeping with that guy. You finally break down crying, telling him that the guy (Maxime) was just a tutor. You continue with saying that becoming the wife of a noble was really hard due to all of the rules of society, and that all you were doing was trying to become a woman suitable to be Richard his wife, and that you have no idea why Maxime suddenly did what he did a few moments ago.

Richard realizes his own mistake, and tries to send you flowers and jewels and everything he can think of to regain your favour, but you are still down. Being completely out of ideas Richard asks his aunt for advice, who tells him that taking his wife to one of the many balls that he always attends would certainly cheer her up. And indeed you accept his invitation. Once there everyone is amazed by your grace (and the fact that Richard for once brought his wife, no doubt). At this point Richard finally realizes that he loves you, and takes you back home. The kissing already starts in the carriage back home, and by the time you arrive you are already in your underwear (which would btw still be covering your entire body considering the dress code of the day).

Richard carries you to the bedroom (walking past Alan who merely shows a faint smile but no surprise). The ero is.... on par with the last CD is suppose. (I can't... I just can't properly review scenes like this (/▽*\)~♪ イヤァン) Although... Richard outright asking you to show him how you touch yourself and eventually guiding your hands (accompanied by the squelchy sound effects) might actually make this one come out on top.

The morning after is probably the best scene in the entire CD: Alan comes into the bedroom like nothing happened, stating that he expected that you would prefer to eat breakfast here so he took the liberty of already bringing it. This makes Richard realize that everything that happened was probably a scheme planned by Alan and his aunt, but he doesn't care because they made him realize he loves you.

First thing: the entire CD the only thing I could think while listening was "I wish this was voiced by Suwabe-san". For those who don't know: Suwabe Junichi was originally announced as the seiyuu for this CD, but due to miscommunication issues he eventually declined (most people assume that this was because he no longer does anything that has explicit scenes). Don't get me wrong, Inoue-san does a wonderful job, but I think Suwabe-san his voice would have indeed suited the character better.

Secondly, the story may have a happy ending but the beginning just doesn't sit right with me. You are really playing the part of an ideal wife here, forgiving your husband his repeated unfaithfulness and still loving him. But oh well. As for his open unfaithfulness, I'll have to admit that I don't know that much about the lifestyles of nobles in the 18th century, but I do know that affairs were a common thing at the French court, so I assume that it would have been accepted among nobility as well, as long as the scandals didn't get to big.

Speaking of historical information and such, I keep wondering about the scene where you end up undressed inside that coach... Dress styles keep changing so pin-pointing exactly what kind of dress you would have been wearing would be difficult, but what is certain is that the French dress styles in that period were very elaborate. Whatever you may have been wearing would not have been as elaborate as the dresses worn at the court, but would still have included multiple dress layers, a corset, and various layers of petticoats and/or under dresses. Taking that off inside a coach would likely have proven... difficult at the very least.

In the free talk Inoue-san answers all of the question in a semi-serious way. Although it feel strange to hear someone of his age talk about love interests or fetishes.... The moment where he reaches the question about gap-moe and he first doesn't know what it is amused me. His answer to what kind of costume/clothing he likes on woman made me laugh: he doesn't care, if possible they should be naked.



Conclusion:
It certainly lives up to the reputation of the series, although I think we've reached a sort of glass ceiling in terms of how far the ero can go by now (although I should be careful with what I say, or they might actually prove me wrong). Nothing wrong with this though, so far the series has managed to deliver very explicit content while maintaining a sense of intimacy, and I fear that if they would try to up the ero level even further this balance would break which would be a shame. But in the end, I guess I really whish it would have been Suwabe Junichi who voiced this CD.

Vol.5 comes out later this month and will be voiced by Okiayu Ryoutarou and I'll admit that I am curious about that one. 

07/01/2013

Shinsengumi Mokuhiroku Wasurenagusa Vol.6 Yamazaki Susumu

Finally finished the review for this. I have a feeling that these reviews are getting longer with every CD though....


 新撰組黙秘録 勿忘草 第六巻 山崎烝

Company: Rejet
Based on: Original
Released: 2012.12.26
Official site: http://rejetweb.jp/wasurenagusa/


Shinsengumi Mokuhiroku Wasurenagusa is a series based on several historically famous people within the shinsengumi. The concept of the CDs is "what if I could have been there (and fall in love with one of them)". So while they are based on historical people, the rest is all fiction. The series uses the dummy head mic for several scenes. The sixth and final CD features Yamazaki Susumu (CV: Morikawa Toshiyuki)

The series always started with an introduction by the character that talked about the Ikedaya Incident, but this time we actually start a little earlier: Yamazaki talks about how he joined the Shinsengumi and acts as a spy. He both investigates things within and outside of the shinsengumi, reporting any suspicious behaviour. Because it is his job to observe and investigate people he eventually locked away his real self to be able to fulfil this mission.

The first time you meet him is after you already started working at the shinsengumi headquarters (as always, you got caught up in the Ikedaya Incident and end up working at the shinsengumi headquarters that way). He starts talking to you when he encounters you in the hallways. You have no idea who he is, but he does know who you are and introduces himself. You were supposed to be preparing the bathwater so he wonders what you are doing, and you answer that your wound hurts (you got hurt during the Ikedaya Incident) and he offers to help you change the bandages.

This starts with him demanding that you take of your clothes. He's being polite about it, but very persistent. Looking at the wound on your shoulder (more on your back by the sound of it) he says that it isn't looking well and is one step away from getting infected. After which he starts licking it to 'disinfect' it, using the excuse that a real disinfectant would probably hurt. In the end nothing else happens though, and he applies new bandages. After you leave it turns out that he only did this because he suspected that you were carrying something under your kimono, but he didn't find anything even after he undressed you xD

You occasionally meet him at headquarters, and it turns out he has been observing you even though you never noticed. Instead of being freaked out like most people, you are actually in awe of his observing skills and ask him what kind of things he got to know about you. This surprises him, as most people try to avoid him. Which makes him happy but at the same time slightly confuses him.

One day while he is investigating some suspicious people in town you spot him and walk straight up to him, drawing their attention. To get away he suddenly kisses you, asking you to act like a lovers so that they will go away. Gracious kissing sounds all over the place and to be honest by the end of this scene I was complete goo. The combination of kissing sounds and constant whispering is kind of lethal.

Feeling guilty about what he did -even if it was just to get away- he feels he should apologise but doesn't have to courage to, so he visits you at night and apologises while you are asleep - while at the same time confessing that he loves you. This is probably the cutest scene in the entire series and it just makes Yamazaki so very precious.

Apparently he checks up on you in the night more often, as he finds you still awake in the middle of the night a little while later. You had a nightmare and can't sleep, so in order for you to fall asleep he sits beside your bed holding your hand. Once you've fallen asleep he starts talking to you again, even kissing you again, which is when he notices that you are actually awake. Because you don't resist he takes this as consent and continues.

To begin with he gives you a drug which he claims is an aphrodisiac (but which later turns out to be fake btw). Yamazaki is actually somewhat of a tease in the beginning, and there is so much lethal whispering involved it should be illegal (damn you Morikawa!!). At this point Yamazaki also turns out to be both a yandere -threatening to kill you if you ever start to like someone else and even putting a blade to your neck to prove this- and an M: he asks you to bite his hand while you are having sex so that you will leave your mark on him as well as mentioning that this makes him feel alive. If anyone remembers: I was hoping for a yandere-do-M character a little while back, so when this happened my fangirl levels went over 9000.

In the ending you are visiting the mountain which he told you about before together. Compared to some of the other endings this one had a fairly happy ending feeling despite Yamazaki making several death threats. He opens up to you about locking away himself, and thanks you for allowing him to regain a bit of himself. In his final monologue he also mentions that as long as he has you he will be OK. Of course the real pain in this case comes from the knowledge that he dies in battle just a few years later....

This is the first time that I noticed how well the theme music matched the opening track. The entire talk up to where Yamazaki starts fighting is exactly the length of the theme music, with the rise in tension matching the rise in the music.

Ignoring his sexual harassment treatment of your wound in the beginning for a moment, Yamazaki is very kind and polite from the beginning and easy to like. During the scene where he apologises to you while you sleep he becomes so incredibly precious that I couldn't dislike him anymore even if I tried. It is obvious that he starts to like you fairly early in the story but I was fine with that, the pace of the rest of the CD matched this and it didn't feel unnatural.

I've written that I prefer my yanderes insane many times before, but this is the first CD that made me think different. Yamazaki is arguably one of the most calm yanderes I know, and it just felt right. Part of this is probably thanks to the fact that his death threats feel real: you can somehow feel that he will be the sweetest boyfriend in the world as long as you look only at him, but that you would be very very dead if you were to ever leave him. They also managed to slip in de do-M part without making it feel over the top. Rejet, I applaud you.

In the free talk Morikawa-san actually makes a request to the makers of the dummy head mic, asking if they could make slight less sensitive, because apparently whispering or making sounds like blowing into someone's ear is really hard because the mic is so sensitive (he shows you how it sounds when it goes wrong).


Conclusion:
I am having a hard time deciding whether I like Yamazaki or Hijikata the most. Both are amazing in their own way and both seiyuu did an amazing job. While I at first started to dislike the ero in this series I feel it improved somewhat in the later CDs (and at any rate nothing could get weirder then Kondo and his sword play) and I'm sad that the series has ended now. I really hope that Rejet will release a soundtrack though, as the music is beautiful.

Or they could just continue and make CDs for the still missing shinsengumi members. Or turn it into an otome game - because it certainly is popular enough. Edit: it is now 2016 and this is exactly what they did.

Weekly News Post

First post in 2013!

I hope that you will all continue supporting me this year as well, and I will try my best to keep things interesting this year as well.

今年もよろしくお願いします!



Oujisama (warai) series
The top image on the official site changed to a very pretty picture of Aladdin. Meanwhile the latest news update confirms the release of the second radio CD, as well as a second live recording for the radio show in April. They also mention that there "might or might not be another development". For now I'll go with the first ;)


Toubousha & 42gami
A third CD for both series has been announced, and details will be announced soon.

In less fortunate news: TwoFive made a short post on their website asking not to duplicate and/or upload any of their works. All of their CDs are now available on iTunes, so please consider buying them there if importing the CDs is too expensive instead of downloading them illegally. Properly buying it also means more profit for them = a higher chance that they will continue making more awesome CDs. I made a translation of the post over here.


Ai no Kemono yo
The Gree game 愛の獣よ、神の掟に背いて禁断の果実を貪れ (Ai no kemono yo, kami no okite ni somuite kindan no kajitsu wo musabore, "Beast of Love, Disobey the laws of God and indulge in the forbidden fruit yes that sounds ridiculous when you translate it) is getting a drama CD adaption. In the game you infiltrate a large company with the aim of becoming the main secretary within 6 months. The official description says that "the story and everyone in it are full of mysteries". It is also definitely aiming to be a more mature game, as proven by the sample CGs.

You get into the company with the help of mysteryman 'George' (CV: Miura Hiroaki), once you are inside the three main targets love interests are the three brothers who run the business: Kamikujou Haruki (CV: Hirakawa Daisuke), the young company president who seems to be hiding something under his ever smiling mask, Hideaki (CV: Midorikawa Hikaru), who is calm and calculated to the point of being feared for it, and Akiyoshi (CV: Tsuda Kenjirou), the hot blooded brother who acts on his instincts and has helped the company grow, but also causes some trouble now and then.The CD is planned for a 2013.02.27 release.