In Progress Wiping all out.

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Chapter Zero

Big bad moon.

A blue (cyan, actually) butterfly flutters from lower right to upper left. In her wake floating words are left for us to digest, and then the moon comes from behind the clouds.













Female Student: *gasp* *gasp* I just... put it to my head... And pull the trigger... No chickening out...



Female Student: No... I can't!



Train Conductor: Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. We apologize to any customers who were in a hurry. The next stop is Iwatodai...



A cyan butterfly flutters from lower left to upper right.

Train Announcement: Iwatodai. This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please take care to board before our departure.



A train station so empty and quiet as to give you the impression something stalks you, waiting for you to lower your guard for the single instant it needs to deliver you a quite horrific game over screen. I am quite sure every step echoes, too. A clock goes tick tock, tick tock.







Then midnight strikes and the lights go off. A single figure remains in the gloom.













Something about the atmosphere seems odd... It would probably be best to hurry to the dorm...



As you walk from the station you notice coffin-like objects lining the deserted city...


The lone girl raises her eyes up to the sky.




It's an eerily gigantic moon...

I suppose I'll see what I'm missing, proceed


ps. voted for harem

I'm a blanket.

Interesting. I'd been wondering how big one could enlarge screenshots while keeping them somewhat clear. I am most pleasantly surprised. Though I must ask, are you using a screenshot plugin or Remote Joy Lite?

Hmh, I was wondering when would someone lp this game. You gotta love how non-chalant the protagonist is, everyone turns into some sort of coffin and yet she barely gives them a look.

Considering the setting and the game's tone, I say we go with the absolute Codexian route and ensure our path to Hell. Therefore, I vote for Ken Amada as the romance option.

Madame Chatte Noir, may you inform those among us who are ignorant, as to who the various LI are. I want to make an informed choice, in a truly fashion. So I must know the pros and cons of each individual mentioned.

Well, I've finished Persona 4, but somehow could never muster enough steam fro other Personas. Still, this may prove entertaining.

Persona series?

A boy should not be allowed to call himself a man until he completes P3P on Maniac, singing along with Wiping All Out every single time it plays.

I'm not a princess,
Not a cutie girlfriend, oh no,
Don't you know?

And Theo is indisputably the hottest guy in Persona 3.

I'm a blanket, a blanket! *dances*

I'm neither, but...

This guy, he knows what's what.

Of course, Hellraiser-Sama. Please excuse this glaring oversight of mine. *bows, bows*

Junpei Iori

Akihiko Sanada

Ken Amada

Shinjiro Aragaki

Theodore

Koromaru

Man, when you live in Japan you just shrug the weird off and are thankful you didn't trigger the tentacle monsters event instead.

I am using Jpcsp, which has a native 2x option, and Greenshot for the screenshots. The game works well outside of some small graphical glitches and the ocassional drop in framerate.

The first couple of updates are going to have the most glitches because I'm still trying to remember how it was I had to configure everything.

Totally, it is on and stuffies. I was just feeling too lazy to write one of those introductory mini-reviews I used to do so instead I just took the first, like, five seconds of the story followed by the opening to emulate true anime style.

And this game's writing goes beyond the realms of mere "japanese writing" and straight into something that can't be described in any way other than "Anime Writing." I.E: Super popular high school students with superpowers defend the world from supernatural evil while hitting tropes left and right, going through emotionally engaging slice-of-life sequences, discovering what it means to love and live, and making even most adults envy and admire them.

I guess making you pay for the drinks in that context would be utterly Joo of me. (damn!)

Tu quoque, Vespiquen-Unnie?

That's the only right route.

At least as long as by saying "harem" you just happens to mean "max everyone but Junpei."

Is best series!

I am woefully unfamiliar with everything Persona 3, apart from the shout outs in Persona 4.
I didn't/don't want to spoil things for myself, so my rather irresponsible vote does include Junpei.

Chapter the first:

Common sense is my dump stat.

We rejoin our heroine as she walks through the city looking for dormitory she was told to go. The moon looks unnaturally close and bright, most lights seem to have gone off, and the streets are empty of all but the occassional standing coffin. To a gaijin this may seem weird, but for those familiar with the ancient land of Yamato, which every other week seems to become a mystical battlefield of epic proportions upon which the fate of the multiverse is to be decided, this is at most worthy of a shrug.

No horny demons in sight? The originality is killing me.

After a little walk she finds herself at the indicated address, and without further delay she moves inside.



This is the dorm mentioned in your admission pamphlet.





An unknown boy is holding a piece of paper out to you...

I am very sorry for the late arrival.

If you want to proceed, then please sign here. It's a contract.

A contract, you say?

There's no need to be scared. It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions.

Something is written on the paper he's holding out to you. "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will." Below it is a blank to sign your name...

It's not like evil ever came out of signing mysterious contracts offered by suspicious characters in borderline surreal enviroments without further reflection. *shrug*



... Very well.

Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away.

Please allow me to put some distance between us before you start cutting yourself. The clothes are new.

And so it begins...







Don't tell me...

The girl is holding something that looks like a gun...



...!



The last to arrive girl, the redhead, leads them to the nearby couches. With the scene changes also the music, and when to the new melody are added the girl's appearance, voice, intonation, and choice of words a deep impression is left in our heroine.



...this sensation is just like I imagine being spirited away to the world of cheap porno flicks would feel...

My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm.



She's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign her here. She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm.

... Is it okay for her to be here?

I guess we'll see...

...so much for the vaunted japanese love of manners and etiquette...

This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you.

... Hi, I'm Yukari.

Our heroine is presented with several dialogue options here. She can ask about the gun, for example, or about what do they mean by "normal dorm." Our heroine, however, is a fine and proper lady who has shown the initiative to reinforce her already exquisite upbringing with a vast collection of shoujo anime and manga. Not to mention...

It is your duty as a guest not to be nosy.

I understand, Governess-sama.

Therefore...

It is very nice to meet you.

Uh, y-yeah...

Nice to meet you, too...

It's getting late. You'll find your room on the 3rd floor. Your things should already be there. I suggest you tuck in for the night.

Thank you very much for your hard work. I'll do as you say.

Oh... I'll show you the way. Follow me.



This is it...

Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall. So, any questions?

I am intrigued about this contract I was asked to sign.

Huh? What's this about a contract?

Yukari doesn't seem to know what you're talking about.

*shrug* It is of no importance.

Um... Can I ask you something?

Of course.

On your way here from the station, was everything okay?

She is given only two options here. One of those, however, is a question. And as we all know...

Thou shalt not answer a question with one of your own!

Please forgive this ignorant and wretched student you have been burdened with, Governess-sama.

Therefore...

Yes, everything was fine.

I see...

... Never mind, then.

Well, I'd better get going...

Yukari starts to leave, yet before we get the chance to start missing the company she returns.



I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay?

Good night.

To you as well.

Yukari walked down the stairs...





Clicking on hotspots is how our heroine will interact with things when outside a dungeon or battle. In her room there's the bed, the mirror, the desk, the calendar, the TV (hidden in the screenshot by our heroine's own sprite)...

I could have sworn you were calling me fat. I must have misheard.

... and the door back to the hallway. Naturally, she begins her exploration of her new enviroment by checking the mirror.

The mirror reflects your regular face.

Utterly unexpected.

She then decides to check the desk...

You are tired today. You should go to bed early...

... and the TV.

You are tired today. You should go to bed early...

I'll set for a breath of fresh air, then.

The door, however, denies her.

You are tired today. You should go to bed early...

*sigh* Time to check the calendar, I guess.



Satisfied with her useless but meaningful rebellion she finally surrenders to the railroading and proceeds to bed. The Lord is not going to let her have the last word, however.

You are tired today. You should go to bed early...

This is not a promising start.

I did not meant it in such a way. It was just me joking about he being my least liked guy from Persona 3.

I am sorry for the misunderstanding.

Now this is the kind of thing that inspires little nekos to update.

This did seem to be a much better beginning than in Perspna 4. Will see if it holds up.

If there's anyone who can manage this LP, it's our feline overlord.

I voted Junpei, with all those negatives, it seems he needs some lovin'.

Signing contracts with strange, creepy kids that can disappear at will... What's the worst that can happen? I wonder if this adaptation will be as stupidly suicidal and GRIM as the original game.

I was half-expecting some sort of joke at Persona 4 when you examined the TV (such as "yes, it is your television. What were you expecting, a portal to another world?")

I totally love the genkiness of the P3 female protagonist. Nyah will do well, nya.

But, but... it's the rabbinical thing to do? Don't you want to be a rabbi?

Chapter the second:

Free will is for the weak.

*rubbing her eyes* Please make yourself at home.

Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school.

The way in which Yukari pronounces "senpai" is enough to give our heroine a stomach ache, but she decides to ignore it for Yukari's self esteem's sake. This small but nagging torture, however, is but a drop before the tsunami of primal horror that's about to throw her sanity into the abyssal depths were forgotten things sleep and dream, waiting...

Are you ready to go?



This is quite the conundrum. The casual tone of the first answer implies a familiarity I am not free to claim at this point, yet to reject this little gesture would be ungrateful towards both my hosts, and aloof to boot. Moreover, it has been argued the one element separating a true lady from the many broken failures left to dot the path to ideal womanhood, or at least one of particular importance among the many elements thus acting, is that the a true lady's actions are never hostile, confrontational, nor discomforting: To create any displeasure is to remove oneself from the shining host of true ladies, yet both options lead to potentially discomforting outcomes.

You do realize all but a few of your readers are male, do you not? This high society human drama about reaching for ideal realms of womanhood and how questions of etiquette define who we really are is kind of lost on them.

Yet I have seen it, Hivemind-Sama. The monocles, the top hats, the walking sticks.

I supose they do not teach marketing in finishing school.

*sigh* Fine, whatever. I am (totally!) ready to go, Takeba-san.

That's a good girl.

Okay. Then, let's go.

They leave the dormitory and board the monorail. Yukari's mastery of the ancient art of small-talk-do soon becomes evident.



We have to take the monorail to get there. Bet your last school wasn't like that, huh?

To be honest I wouldn't know, yet I feel you are quite right on your assesment.

This is my favorite part... when it feels like you're gliding over the sea.

It is indeed quite pretty.

Our stop is Port Island Station at the end of the line. From there, we walk.

... she is good ...

Have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island? It's a man-made island.

Those are always a riot.

They built our school right in the middle.

I am sure there is nothing suspicious about that.

Oh, look, you can see it now!

... thank goodness ...





Morning! Well, here we are... Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!



You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left...

I am grateful for your assistance. I will do as you say.

And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions before I go?

I do have one, yes. Do you know in which classroom I am to be?

I think they're posted on the bulletin board, but I haven't checked yet either.

I understand. Thank you.

Hey... About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay?

... See ya later.



Left to her own devices, our heroine's mind leaves the holding pattern it had shut itself in and springs into action. She looks as innocent, delicate, and demure as possible while wandering around the entrance hall like who is deep in thought and looking for something in her pockets and bag, and when her meandering brings her near the entrance she leaves the school premises without looking back, just as if she had remember something utterly important had been forgotten. There's an entire new city to explore out there!

You should go to the Faculty Office.

No. I should not. Now, excuse me.

But the invisible barriers standing in the way of fun do not budge.

You should go to the Faculty Office.

You are really expecting me to come every day, are you not?

You should go to the Faculty Office.

*sigh*

Feeling defeated our heroine turns around and advances towards the bulletin board Yukari mentioned for lack of a better thing to do. Along the way she comes across a couple of students going through the standard set of dating sim events...



School just started! You really oughtta find somewhere to change into some normal clothes!

Ehh, I guess... Okay, okay, fine. Quite glaring at me like that. Hey, where's the bulletin board with the homerooms posted...?

It's RIGHT THERE! You're in Class F, Kaz. I'm in a different homeroom, so I can't keep an eye on you... *sigh* I worry about you sometimes. Don't make me watch you all the time...

Who are you, my mother?

... as well as some unimportant girl who did not even get a portrait of her own, who informs our heroine of which way is the Faculty Office to be found in case she already forgot Yukari's indications. Then she reaches the group of students around the bulletin board: A portrait-less female student whining about the homeroom teacher she got, a portrait-less male student fiddling with his cellphone while whining about how useless it is to know the names of the kids on your class given they'll never meet each other again after graduating, some portrait-less fat slob panicking because his name isn't on the list, and...



Eh, whatever.

Turning off her tsundere detector before the incesant beeping brings her undesired attention our heroine proceeds to check the homeroom listings on the board.

Class rosters are posted... You can't find your name.

By which I presume you mean I am free to go.

There is a small note with your name on it! "Vanessa Nyah - Class F"

*grunt*

You look closer and notice that the name "Yukari Takeba" is also on the list. It seems that you'll be in the same class as her...

The homeroom issue having been taken care of our heroine moves towards the small shop opposite the stairs to the second floor. The portrait-less vendor talks about unimportant things, as it befits portrait-less people, while she browses the wares: Right now there are only Yawn-B-Gones, Apple Strudels, Cutlet Sandwichs, and Book Covers for sale.

What be Yawn-B-Gone, the readers wonder? I'm damn glad you asked, I am! You, the girl over there!

Do you mean me?

Yes, you! Come 'ere and tell me, is there something worse than having to bear the weight of that wild, wild, wild weekend all through monday school and, as me be sure ya really know how to party, beyond?

To be honest this "staying at school" experience is kind of new to me.

Gee, girl. I hope you really enjoy the Kabukichou experience.

Improper little devils should mind I am trained in over a dozen forms of exorcism.

Kids these days. Anyway, imagine this: You awake after yer run o' the mill coke snorting, sake drinking, pole dancing, store raiding, motorbike racing, sugar daddy exploiting, etc-ing, etc-ing, etc-ing weekend and, there it is, you feel like a shit everyone and his horse did step on thrice. And, for once, you have to go to bloody school! Ya have a date, or a dare, or sumthing. Yikes! What to do?

I'll just play along. What to do?

I'm damn glad ye asked, girl! You take one o' those pretty little pills an' down the hatch it goes! Then, vroooooom, there ya fuckin' go full o' energy and focus and motivation and shit. Like a bloody, ya know, hot-rod or sumthing.

Let me get this one straight: They sell stimulants in the school's bread shop?

Ya know, girl. The japanese educative system is quite taxing. Ya drop behind and dat's dat, salaryman fo' life.

Dreadful story. In any case, I should really be going now. I have to find a way out before the bell strikes.

Between us 'ere, girl, ya should take a bunch with ya. Trust me on dat.

Alright, that's sound advice. I'll take one.

One? What's a hard livin', dungeon crawlin', demon summonin' delinquent goin' to do with just one?

Yet I only have three thousand yen on me.

Damn, girl. Dat's a lot of fun ya are goin' to have skippin' school, right there.

Fuck off.

Our heroine pays what amounts to a third of her total funds for a Yawn-B-Gone, and then proceeds to turn away from both the shop and her delusions. A man just happens to be arriving at the shop, whining the morning away.



We're their teachers. We've lived longer than them. But Moriyama and her gang had to pull that on me at the very beginning of the term...

Vendor: ... I'm sorry, sir, but I have to go. It's time to place my order.

Even YOU'RE shooing me away? Some way to start the school year... I don't think my nerves can take this.

Our heroine leaves without paying attention to the rest of the exchange. With nothing more to do here she decides to try two more things before surrendering to her fate. First she goes down the corridor opposite to the one in which the Faculty Office is to be found, hoping for a service entrance or something. Then she tries to go up to the second floor, intent on looking for an emergency exit. In both cases...

You should go to the Faculty Office.

It is no wonder people prefers to believe you do not exist.



The corridor outside the Faculty Office holds a few elements of relative interest. There's the bulletin board in which exam results will be posted once the year gets going, and there are also two entrances aside the ones leading to the faculty office itself: One into the library and one into the infirmary. Right now, however, trying either will result in...

You should go to the Faculty Office.

Anyway, while trying all the doors but the right ones as her way of making a statement our heroine, accidentally of course, eavesdrops upon two different exchanges. The first one is a conversation a group conformed by a kabuto wearing teacher and what looks like an exchange student are having.



At our school, we encourage our students to think like samurai in order to accomplish great things!

Zat's fantastic! Ze teachings of bushido are important zen as zey are now!

Yes, yes, yes! You may not be a native of this land, but the spirit of the samurai flows through you just the same!

The second one is a "exchange" a girl near the infirmary's entrance is having with herself.



But I was just in one down the hall... Was that just another classroom?

Afterwards, and thinking about how unfair it is there are already two individuals in this city with a little mole under the left eye, our heroine decides to finally follow the narrative obligations imposed on her and enter the Faculty Office. Along the way, though, she, again accidentally, eavesdrop on another exchange between the weird teacher and the dirty gaijin.

And there must have been tears in Masamune's eyes then... yes.

A fascinating lesson! D'you test your students on zese histories?

Ah, of course I do!



Vanessa Nyah... 11th grade, correct?

That is correct, yes.

The teacher is flipping through pages in a file...

Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places... Let's see... In 1999... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents-- *gasp*

Ah, the akwardly slurping sound of foot meeting mouth.

I'm sorry... I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand.

Please, worry not about it.

I'm Ms. Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school.

I am pleased to meet you.

My, aren't you polite? Girls like you should be an example for others.

Have you seen the classroom assignments? You're in 2-F; that's my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me.

And follow she did.



I'd like each of you to remember the proverb, "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well." When applied to student life, this means...

The Principal continues with his speech...

You can hear the students around you whispering about something...

Whispering Classmate: I heard we got a transfer student.

Smirking Classmate: Yep. I've seen her, too. She came to school with Yukari.

I hear talking. I believe it's someone in Ms. Toriumi's class...

Shhh! Be quiet! You're going to get me in trouble!

It doesn't seem like the rumors will stop anytime soon...



Every time I see that screen I am so very tempted to start adding Kpop songs to the updates.



Anyway, even with her body forced by the godhead to stay in school our heroine's mind is having fun in the great underground malls of fairyland, discussing new fashion trends with her pixie friends over a cup of mandragore tea and then singing karaoke with the brownies, the nockers, and the goblins, all of whom seem to find pretty entertaining all the songs are about themselves. However, not even this little respite is to her allowed, and soon will damnation befall her from a completely new direction.

'Sup, dood!?

I... I beg your pardon?



May I ask who you are? I don't believe I have had the pleasure yet.

Me?

I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya.

It is nice to meet you too.

I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid... So I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day.

... smooth ...



Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?

What? But, I was just bein' friendly.

If you say so.

Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?

I am glad to have a friend in class.

A friend? Oh... you mean me. Yeah, I... I'm glad we ended up in the same class, too.

Uh, hello? Did you forget I'm in this class too? C'mon, lemme in on the fun!

By the way, do you guys know each other? I heard you two came to school together this morning. A couple of cuties like you, walking side by side... The whole class was buzzing about you.

Meanwhile, deep within Junpei's own delusional world...

Ugh... Could you just cut it out? I hate dealing with rumors like that.

I mean, I'm used to it, but she just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumors like that?

... well, I've gotta go take care of some archery team stuff. Don't try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?

Yukari leaves without further delay.

What is she, your nanny...?

Well, just to clear something up, I seriously didn't come over here to hit on you or anything.

Worry not about that.

If you ever have a problem you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it.

I am grateful.

No prob! My door's always open. So to speak.

... smooth ...



Whoa, check out the jocks on their run...

That I was doing.

Hey, did anyone tell you about the school clubs yet? Girls can join too, so why not do it if you're interested? You'd be joining as a new member, though, so you won't be able to apply for a little while.

You made small talk with junpei while walking back.







Our heroine is now back at the dormitory. The hotspot you can see in the counter is a save spot, and this is actually the first time the game will allow the game to be saved. Other hotspots that can always be found on the 1st floor lounge are the front entrance, the back entrance, two toilettes (one for girls, one for boys), and the TV. Right now both Mitsuru and Yukari are here.

You really shouldn't be outside on your own at night. It's too dangerous.

... it is a conspiracy ...

Anyway, you must be tired. You should get a good night's rest.

Thank you for your concern.

Understanding she isn't going to leave this place for today it is that our heroine decides instead to stop struggling against the railroading for a little while and check what's on TV, but after seeing there's nothing but a newscaster discussing how late the cherry blossoms have been this year she instead goes to say hello to Yukari.



I am just getting a feel of the place.

Well, there's not much to see... You're probably pretty tired, huh? Maybe you should go to bed early tonight.

... they are all in this together ...

The back door is locked, and so after visiting the toilet she goes up to the second floor. There's little of interest in here: A vending machine and two rows of locked doors, the lack of nameplate indicating they probably are unused rooms. After buying one of every drink the machine has to offer, for one hundred and twenty yen each...

You never know when you might need one of those to solve an inventory puzzle.

... she still goes and checks every single door because she can. To her surprise one actually does have a nameplate, and the name is that of someone she hasn't been introduced to as of yet. This sparks her curiosity, in no small part because the name in the plate does not sound like it belongs to a girl.





Our heroine takes a deep breath, raises her hand to knock...

It is your duty as a guest not to be nosy!

Yet it could be argued it is my implicit duty as a guest to properly introduce and announce myself to all members of the household upon arrival, lest my unknown of presence upsets them later on.

Hmph. This is not over yet.

Our triumphant heroine knocks at the door. Her victory, however, is short lived.

Male voice: Is that Mitsuru?

*ahem* Good evening. I am...

Male voice: I'm busy now. Sorry, but could you come back later?

Such rudeness!

Kukuku. Yet to insist would be to disrespectfully intrude upon your hosts' privacy and peace.

Meanwhile, deep within our heroine's own delusional world...

With a sigh she proceeds to the third floor, which is quite similar to the second one. Instead of a single occupied room there are three: Mitsuru's, Yukari's, and our heroine's own, from which she understands the second floor is for boys and the third one for girls. There's also a vending machine there, yet it sells exactly the same as the one below and thus it is not needed to use it. Before going back to her own room to dwell in the first rejection of her new life, however, she decides to explore the next floor up.



Yet there's not much to be found there: Other than two toilettes opposite the stairs she ascended to reach this place there is only a locked door and a staircase leading into the roof, whose door is also locked. Our heroine finally decides to return to her room wondering what was the point of making her sign a contract about accepting the consequences of her actions when no action is to be allowed to her.

To add insult to injury as soon as she steps into her room...

You feel tired. You should get some rest...

... everything goes black, The Lord assuming direct control and sending her straight to bed regardless of what her oppinion on the matter might be.



A young man walked down the stairs as Mitsuru was reading a book...

I'm going out for a bit.



Have you seen the newspapers lately?

... I know. People who had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome... I've seen it in the news quite often lately.

Yeah, right. It has to be THEM. Otherwise, it's not worth my time...

You have a one-track mind... Will you be okay on your own?

Don't worry. I'm just getting a little practice.

He leaves.

*sigh* This isn't a game, Akihiko...

Is possible to kill Junpei?