I started reading again and I’m obsessed (again). I’m reminded of the books even when I look at the calendar (It’s the month of Jun 
)
Finished Book 2 today. Consider me officially hooked and emotionally invested.
My thoughts are a little scattered right now to formulate an adequate review, unfortunately. Here are some, just to show what I appreciated:
Summary
- MC is their own man/woman with their own background and personality, yet there is enough control given to the player so we can shape them into someone we like, and the options given actually allow a variety of personalities without forcing us to pick traits that are “supposed to complement each other” (unlike in certain other series of games…); i.e. you can be tight-lipped yet impulsive, protective and perverted, brutal in a fight yet calculated outside of it, and so on.
- I loved the way the 1st book let me know in no uncertain terms that I’ll have to be prepared for violence if I want to continue)))
- I like… All right, this may be a bit immersion-breaking, and I normally don’t expect or want to see this, but metatextual announcements of which character trait is being utilised in a given scene are really handy. And sometimes unintentionally hilarious: for instance, each time I see “chivalrous” before a description my imagination goes wild with guesses as to what a perverted character would have thought or said in the same situation.
- I’ve never played a game before where I had a psycho crazy murderous ex breathing down my neck that I’d have to be on constant lookout for. Refreshing.
- This is also the 1st time I see a tsundere character whom I like, despite him being annoying, immature, spoiled and exasperatingly naive to the point of being insensitive and condescending in situations where you’d expect more sensible behaviour from someone of his intelligence. Major pain in the rear, of course, but still likeable. Which is also refreshing, since in media those types (especially love interests) are usually portrayed in such a way that all I want to do is strangle them to death, spit on their corpse and then danse on their grave. Masashi is palatable, at least. And not a love interest, thank god. (No, don’t say anything. Don’t remind me of MC-oriented genders. Let me retain my ignorant bliss. If I don’t think about it, maybe it won’t happen…).
As for my expectations when it comes to future books…
Summary
- I’m aware there are probably people who would want this, but I hope that Jun will remain as he is now - a despicable monster who wants to kill us. I wouldn’t like to see someone who is introduced in such a way (really, all Jun-related scenes just reek of how unhealthy it would be for MC to even consider getting back together) promoted to love interest. shudder No, just no.
- I wonder if sleeping with the Baron will have any consequences in Book 3?
- I also hope that there will be more opportunities for romance for the MC. They deserve it after putting up with Masashi’s fits, the ever-focused on the task Toshio’s provocations, the idiotic Hatch with his jealousy, Momoko’s ill-timed clinginess, Jun-related PTSR, and all this spiritual nonsense and demons for 2 books all the whille leading a life of celibacy (save for that one tryst with the only willing male in Book 2. Which I know was stupid. And probably dangerous. And I’m not sorry).
And I wonder:
[details=Summary]
- Is Masashi (whom I picture as a 13-year-old from the way he acts) going to grow up soon? Mentally, I mean? I understand it is bound to happen at some point, but I’d rather it be sooner. All this “baka this, baka that” nonsense at worst possible times and for most ridiculous of reasons is getting old fast.
- Why is a scene that Hatch sees at the end of Book 2 different from what actually happened? Is it deliberately twisted in a way that should make him a little extra jealous, even if the primary reason he is angry is that the MC “tossed Momoko aside”?
- Kitsune is supposed to be a native demon… spirit… thing, no? So why does Baron pose as a foreigner? [/details]
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If the baron is a kitsune and this is a game that i assume makes the use of japanese legends and beliefs. If the baron didnt pose as a foreigner he would seem more suspicious. (or it could be because he wants to.) but if youre implying why doesnt he show himself as a kitsune, people would try to kill him or he would be feared and nobody would come to his home for him to do whatever he does. Ask @MultipleChoice.
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[Late to the party so wall of text ahead due to semi coherent ramblings]
Consider me very invested and hooked! While I generally liked Book 1 more – due to pacing and plot direction – but Book 2 was interesting for the MC’s relationships and themselves as a whole? I mean, we get a better feel for their mind space and the kind of guilt they have as baggage, as well as to what extent they care for their companions.
But definitely I would have liked it to be more climactic and less…filler arc oriented? Idk the words here but it felt less focused than the first game (which is a shame)
Having said that, is anyone interested in romancing Toshi/o? [spoiler]Because I really was hoping for that date and not be railroaded with Momoko. I mean I know she’s beautiful but gosh, my MC has 0 interest in her romantically. I honestly hope there’s a good reason in the upcoming books as to why MC keeps commenting on her appearance. If anything this would be the closet thing I have to a pet peeve with the writing
I know the groundwork for the romance has been laid out and all for future romances and its technically a subplot but dang wasn’t expecting to “date” the doctor.
Also, was hoping to tell Momoko that I had growing feelings for someone else in choosing to let her down. Which is also why am not very fond of her sudden affections for the MC – though narratively I could see why – and Hatch’s reactions towards it[/spoiler]
Overall, can’t wait to play the next title – and hoping there’s more ass kicking (like we start off with a boss fight since cliff hanger, and we get another one towards the climax) and Jun/ko drama.
Like holy moles, imagine finding out you’ve “moved on” and them being extra cruel about it – you have people who care about you, more so if you have a love interest, and they will resent that fact a million times over
I’m hoping that this is equal parts tragic and disturbing (should the author decide)
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The author confirmed that you couldn’t date Toshi/o on Book 2. He hasn’t confirmed if they will be courted on Book 3 but he has confirmed they were one of the ROs available to woo. 
I’m hoping we could do so on Book 3. He has been my target since Book 1. I kind of understand why he did it that due to the fact that Toshi/o is not the type of person who fell in love easily.
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Lowkey shipping all the hand touches like L O R D (this is how I die, just waiting for the ship to sail)
Also since I play as a charismatic/chivalrous/protective MC
(aka a very burnt cinnamon roll – who is capable of killing – who very much wishes she could save more lives than those she’s taken, someone who struggles with her amoral assassin past who uses humour/wit to hide her real feelings)
The line where Toshi/o says something like “you’re actually a very kind person” has me slamming the bottle against the ship that is MC and them (let those two be happy 2k17)
TL;DR: the slowburn is going to kill me
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[quote=“squarelyblue, post:330, topic:20494”]
Having said that, is anyone interested in romancing Toshi/o?[/quote]
Of course. They are the only legitimately attractive (from all standpoints: age, personality, appearance, etc.) member of the cast. But it is my understanding that nothing is going to change between them and MC any time soon, given their current focus on the task and loyalty to the Emperor who assigned it.
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@squarelyblue
I agree with your pacing comment entirely, and I can promise you that Book 3’s will be a stark improvement. After the second book I spent some time with story structure, particularly with Anatomy of a Premise Line. It’s helped my outlining a great deal, and I highly recommend it to any writer.
As for ass kicking, Toshie/Toshio and climaxes—you won’t be disappointed!
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I don’t, in fact I quite dislike her with her condescending holier than thou attitude. What Toshie says about Momoko when you romance her cemented my dislike:
[details=Summary]“Momoko. You made love to her last night, after your last match. Am I correct?” Toshie turned to face me. Couldn’t meet her gaze. My face didn’t turn red like a shrine maiden or anything like that. I was just caught off-guard.
“I did,” I spoke sharply. As far as I was concerned, the topic of Momoko was personal. And sensitive too, I realized.“I noticed her strong feelings for you on our way to Tonogasha. It was my hope that she would prove a useful distraction from your growing obsession with Junko. Unfortunately it—”[/details]
And she is useless, Hatch is more useful than her, at least he makes me laugh.
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Looks promising! So excited for Book 3!
To each their own then
@MultipleChoice I’ll just twiddle my thumbs while waiting :)) (maybe marathon both books again for clues for the next title) and try to get all my friends sucked into this hell to suffer with me
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I’m pretty sure she says after that that she is relieved that you actually care for Momoko and that she couldn’t be sure. I believe she sometimes acts like an asshole to find out your true motives/intentions. Remember she knows about your past to some degree and knows of your Jigoku Itto Ryu. She knows who you were and what you’ve done and is trying to figure out if you really have changed. Remember how sceptical she was at the temple she didn’t want the Emporer to hire you. Remember the first time we met her it was a test, this is just another example of her testing us. Can we really blame her for trying to make sure we’re the hero the Emporer’s dream foretold? We know what the Ronin has done, can we expect people who also know to just trust that they’re not going to hurt anyone?
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My female MC has the impulsive and perverted personality . I think she would be playing with Toshio more offend than not because of how strict and uptight his demeanor is. Maybe it could change? I don’t know. There wasn’t much room in this book.
Not much room indeed. Personally I’ll be waiting and hoping for improvement - Toshio does have a tendency to choose words… poorly, when we communicate (which doesn’t happen all that often), and is generally standoffish. But for lack of better options…
It’s none of her business and she was an asshole a few hours after Momoko was gone. So yes, I can blame her, especially for someone who is as useful as Hatch is.
None of her business? You’ve murdered at least hundreds of people, been in one very messed up relationship, raised by what you (a murderer) call a demon and did I mention the Jigoku Itto Ryu. So I think I’d be more pissed if she didn’t try to make sure you wouldn’t hurt Momoko.
And yes sometimes she still is a bit of an ass when she’s not testing you. She does care a lot about the mission, which isn’t a bad thing. We’re talking about actual demons that could bring all sorts of mayhem.
Yes, the personal life of the MC is not for her to meddle in and say whatever she wants, especially because Momoko had just left, she was rubbing salt into the wound.
She can do that with others, I’m already tired of her being an asshole. And if she is so worried about the mission, she better start doing something useful to help the MC instead of meddling in his life.
I honestly could do without any romance in that series, but if I had to choose one I guess it would by now be Tosh…mostly because there aren’t much choices and most of them let me cold.
Jun/ko is crazy as hell and should better stay as far away from MC as possible. (No you don’t love them, MC, you just fall back in the same co-dependent maladaptive patterns you used to have with them before, that’s not “love”, and Jun/ko knows perfectly well how they can manipulate you and probably gets off on that, it’s neither for you nor for them about “love”…I really want MC to be able to stab that crazy bitch, before they come close to them again and throw MC into desperation with their shit…let my MC find some peace please and no, not in death 
).
Hatch…well I shipped him with Momoko so there is that.
Momoko…okay, I don’t really see her appeal…and I think it might be because the game tries so hard to flaunt her appeal but at the same time so absolutely fails to appeal to the things I normally feel attracted to in women, it’s nearly hilarious. I’m not quite sure if that’s because I’m not a dude or just because I’m a weird person, but the way she was described at times (especially with a perverted MC but also outside of that) for me just felt so “straight male gaze”-y at times… Thank god she is not the sole lesbian/bi female character like in some other games that do that (if I choose so at least, still bitter that being pan-/bisexual is no choice in the beginning, but okay 
), but still…it partly felt weird reading the describtions for her, just…a little bit disconnected? At least it was not so often enough to put me completely out of my immersion but it certainly put me off from wanting to romance her ever…
So the only person left is Tosh. Literally. Well at least they losen up at little bit on that island…bad thing: it’s because of a slight sanity slip…eh, I take what I can get??? But for my taste they are a little bit too stiff, maybe that will change after the island…hopefully they stop treating MC with that extra caution they by now have…it’s just weird to expect trust without giving much themself…and at least that’s how I feel about Tosh? Like they still are not sure if MC a friend or an enemy at times, even when they care about MC in some way? Idk it’s difficult to take the measure of Tosh sometimes (I guess that’s exactly how they tend to prefer it…).
…but with that lineup I guess I can go perfectly well without romancing anybody.
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The junko MC relationship reminds me a lot of the joker Harley Quinn relationship. I wonder if @MultipleChoice took any inspiration from there?
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Well, then we need to find our Poison Ivy…
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