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Last time we spoke about the battle of Shanggao. From late March to early April 1940, Japanese forces attacked Shanggao in Jiangxi with a multi‑pronged offensive. Chinese commanders used elastic defense and coordinated counter-moves, trading space for time through layered positions until the Japanese advanced into prepared strongpoints. As the 34th Division moved toward the town, assaults repeatedly hit ridges and bridge lines held by the 74th Corps. Heavy air strikes caused chaos, but timely flank redeployments prevented a decisive breakthrough. During the crisis around March 21–24, Chinese units maneuvered an encirclement and executed a controlled breakout at the critical moment. After intense fighting and bombing, the Japanese were routed and fell back to their original positions. The wider war did not change, yet Shanggao proved that disciplined Chinese planning could reverse Japanese offensives against superior initiative and numbers.   #207 Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. By the spring of 1941, the War of Resistance against Japan had been grinding for nearly four years, and the map of China looked increasingly like a wound. Japan controlled the coastal cities, the major river valleys, and most of the productive lowland plains of the north and east. The Nationalist government had retreated far inland to Chongqing, governing a rump state of mountainous hinterland, foreign sympathies, and diminishing resources. The war had long since ceased to look like a conventional conflict between organized fronts and had settled into something grimmer and more ambiguous — a slow war of attrition fought in the mud and rocks of the Chinese interior, punctuated by Japanese offensives designed not to end the war but to compress it, to squeeze the Nationalists tighter with each season until surrender became a rational calculation rather than a humiliation. Japan had tried other methods first. In the late 1930s, Tokyo made serious overtures to Chiang Kai-shek's government, proposing a negotiated settlement that would see China aligned with Japan and the puppet Wang Jingwei government elevated as the vehicle for that arrangement. Chiang refused. He had gambled, and would continue to gamble, that the war in Europe would eventually draw in the Western powers, that American patience with Japanese aggression would run out, and that time was ultimately on China's side. The strategy required suffering in the present to buy survival in the future. Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 and the subsequent expansion of war across Europe only reinforced Japan's desire to accelerate its operations in China before the international situation made them impossible. By 1940, Japan signaled it intended to resolve the "China Incident" — the bureaucratic euphemism it used to avoid officially acknowledging that it was fighting a full-scale war — once and for all. The question was where. The front was hundreds of miles long. The Japanese army in China was stretched thin despite its nominal strength. Spectacular victories in the lowlands had failed to produce the political capitulation Tokyo expected. And in the mountains of Shanxi Province, a particular irritant had been festering for three years — one that the Japanese could neither ignore nor seem to dislodge. The Zhongtiao Mountains rise along the southern edge of Shanxi Province, running roughly east to west for some two hundred miles, forming a natural wall between the loess plateaus of Shanxi and the plains of northern Henan below. The range is not dramatic by Chinese standards — it is not the soaring, cloud-piercing landscape of Sichuan or Yunnan — but it is rugged, deeply ridged, and extraordinarily difficult to move through quickly. For a defending army with knowledge of the terrain, the Zhongtiao range was close to ideal. For an attacker, especially one dependent on mechanized firepower and coordinated logistics, it was a nightmare. Chinese forces had occupied the Zhongtiao Mountains since 1938, following the fall of Taiyuan and the retreat of Nationalist forces from the broader Shanxi campaign. At a moment when much of northern China was collapsing around them, the garrison there dug in and refused to move. Over the following three years, the Japanese Army mounted thirteen separate offensives against the Zhongtiao position. All thirteen failed. The mountains held. Chinese soldiers would later call it the "Eastern Maginot Line," a nickname that was simultaneously a boast and, in retrospect, a warning — the original Maginot Line, after all, had also been considered impregnable until the enemy simply went around it. But the strategic importance of Zhongtiao went beyond prestige. The mountains commanded the northern approach to the Yellow River crossings — the great geographic boundary that separated Japanese-controlled northern China from the Nationalist-held central and western regions. From their positions in the mountains, Chinese troops could threaten Japanese supply lines, protect their own river logistics, and maintain at least a symbolic presence north of the Yellow River. As long as the Zhongtiao garrison held, Japan could not claim complete control of northern China. It was also a potential launching point for a Chinese counteroffensive, should one ever become possible. The Japanese understood this perfectly. By 1940, eliminating the Zhongtiao position had become not merely desirable but strategically necessary. The First War Zone command responsible for the Zhongtiao garrison was, at least on paper, an imposing force. Between 170,000 and 180,000 men were deployed across the mountain range and its approaches, drawn from multiple armies and organized into several large groupings. The 5th Army Group under Zeng Wanzhong held the central area. The 14th Army Group under Liu Maoen operated in the eastern sector. The 4th Army Group, known as the "Iron Pillar of Zhongtiao" for its tenacious defense of the position over three years, was stationed as the backbone of the force. Individual armies were spread across specific nodes: Pei Changhui's 9th Army at Jiyuan in northern Henan; Zhao Shiling's 43rd Army at Yuanqu at the southernmost tip of Shanxi; Tang Huaiyuan's 3rd Army and Kong Lingxun's 80th Army in the Wenxi and Xiaxian areas; Wu Shimin's 98th Army at Dongfeng Town; Wu Tinglin's 15th Army near Gaoping. The man responsible for holding all of this together was Wei Lihuang, a gifted commander and one of Chiang Kai-shek's most capable generals. Wei had organized the Zhongtiao defense from the beginning, and his strategic instincts were widely respected. He was, by most accounts, the indispensable figure in the garrison's survival. The problem was that Wei had made powerful enemies. His refusal to participate in anti-Communist friction operations — at a time when the Nationalist government was increasingly focused on neutralizing the Communists even at the cost of Japanese resistance — had alienated him from a circle of powerful rivals, including the influential Hu Zongnan. Outmaneuvered at court, Wei was summoned to Chongqing in early 1941 and, under the pretext of strategic consultations, was effectively detained at Mount Emei. He never returned to his command in the Zhongtiao Mountains. The army he had built was left without its architect. The garrison that remained was compromised far beyond its missing commander, however. Three years of static defense had created conditions that corroded military discipline in predictable and insidious ways. Supply lines were unreliable, rations were short, and the soldiers garrisoning remote mountain positions had turned, by necessity and then by habit, to the local economy to sustain themselves. A bustling illicit trade in grain and opium had sprung up across the mountain zone, with Chinese troops selling what they could and buying what they needed from merchants who operated equally comfortably on both sides of the Japanese-Chinese frontier. This was not merely a logistical failure. It meant that Japanese intelligence had abundant commercial cover to infiltrate the garrison area, that security was a fiction, and that the defensive posture of the entire force had quietly shifted from warlike readiness to something closer to bureaucratic occupation. The Japanese had not missed any of this. For months before the offensive, Japanese intelligence agents had worked their way into the garrison's supply networks, trading relationships, and eventually its command structure itself. Japanese special forces had identified key headquarters positions. Informants had mapped the positions of individual units, traced the routes between them, and assessed the readiness of the men holding them. By the spring of 1941, Japanese planners believed, with considerable justification, that they could paralyze the entire Chinese command system within an hour of opening fire. This was not boasting. It was reconnaissance. Back in Chongqing, the intelligence picture was worse than unclear — it was actively distorted. The Nationalist intelligence apparatus issued warnings about Japanese troop movements near the Zhongtiao perimeter in April 1941, but the warnings were partial, their significance disputed, and the political will to act on them absent. A series of conferences were convened at Luoyang, the regional headquarters. Fortification orders were issued. Additional supplies were promised. Almost none of the follow-through actually materialized. The garrison's most powerful formation, the 4th Army Group, had already been transferred away from the area. Its absence left a hole in the defensive line that no amount of paper orders could fill. On the Japanese side, the operation that would eliminate the Zhongtiao garrison was carefully and systematically prepared. It was codenamed the "Central Plains Campaign" — a name that reflected its true ambition, which was not merely to take a mountain range but to reshape the strategic geography of the entire region. The operation was assigned to the North China Area Army under Lieutenant General Tada Shun, an experienced commander who had studied the Zhongtiao problem for years and had a clear understanding of why previous offensives had failed. The core of the attacking force was seven divisions: the 33rd, 35th, 36th, 37th, 41st, and 21st Divisions, along with several independent mixed brigades, puppet Chinese formations, cavalry, and a substantial artillery and air component. The 3rd Air Group, operating from airfields at Yuncheng and Xinxiang, would provide tactical air support throughout the operation. In total, the frontline assault force numbered approximately 100,000 men. This was not a repeat of the previous thirteen offensives, in which the Japanese had probed and pressed at the mountains frontally. This was a comprehensive annihilation plan. Tada's design exploited the geographic shape of the Zhongtiao position itself. The Chinese garrison occupied a roughly crescent-shaped area, with its back to the Yellow River and its front facing north and east into Japanese-held territory. The obvious previous approach — attacking from the north — had failed repeatedly because the terrain favored the defenders. Tada's solution was to attack from three directions simultaneously, with the town of Yuanqu on the Yellow River as the primary objective. Yuanqu was the hinge of the entire Chinese position: it controlled the main river crossings, served as the central supply point for the garrison, and sat at the narrowest point between the mountains and the water. If Yuanqu fell, the Chinese would be cut off from their supply line and divided into two separate pockets. Then each pocket could be destroyed at leisure. To execute this, Tada organized his forces into three attack groups. The eastern group, built around Lieutenant General Harada Yukichi's 35th Division with elements of the 21st Division and the 4th Independent Cavalry Brigade — totaling roughly 25,000 men with armor, artillery, and supporting puppet forces — would drive westward along the Daoqing Road, pushing through Jiyuan and Mengxian toward the eastern flank of the Chinese position. The northeastern group, under Lieutenant General Shozo Sakurai commanding the 33rd Division and an Independent Mixed Brigade, would descend from Yangcheng southward, striking at the middle of the Chinese line. The western and northwestern group, the largest, comprising the 36th, 37th, and 41st Divisions along with the 9th and 16th Independent Mixed Brigades, would push southward from multiple points between Sangchi and Zhangdian, driving straight for Yuanqu. The final element of the plan was the most audacious. Japanese special forces and paratroopers were to land behind Chinese lines on the opening night of the offensive, targeting the Chinese headquarters and communications nodes. If the Chinese command could be blinded and paralyzed in the first hours of the battle, resistance would collapse before it could organize. Given the penetration of the garrison by Japanese intelligence, the paratroopers knew precisely where to go. From late April, Japanese forces quietly moved into their assault positions. Supply dumps were stocked. Artillery was registered on Chinese positions. The attack was set for the morning of May 7, 1941. Everything was ready. The battle opened before dawn on May 7, and it opened everywhere at once. On the eastern front, Harada's 35th Division and its attached formations crossed the start line and drove westward in three parallel columns along the Daoqing Road. More than 5,000 infantrymen, 1,000 cavalry, dozens of artillery pieces, over 100 tanks and armored vehicles, and the supporting puppet troops of Zhang Lanfeng and Liu Yanfeng poured into the Chinese-held area around Jiyuan and Mengxian. The assault had an almost mechanical quality — it moved at the pace of its armor and artillery, methodically grinding through whatever lay in its path. On the northeastern front, Sakurai's 33rd Division descended from Yangcheng with more than 10,000 men, striking at Wu Shimin's 98th Army at Dongfeng Town. Wu was one of the more aggressive Chinese commanders in the garrison, and he did not wait to be overwhelmed. He threw his forces into active resistance on multiple axes, contesting each Japanese advance rather than simply absorbing it. In the fighting around Wangcun, his troops achieved one of the campaign's rare Chinese tactical successes, routing approximately 2,000 Japanese attackers and killing more than 700, including Colonel Hamada, a Japanese regimental commander. It was a genuine local victory, but it could not change the larger picture. On the western and northwestern front, the main Japanese force pushed south with its eyes fixed on Yuanqu. The coordinated weight of three divisions and two independent brigades, all moving along converging axes, was designed to be overwhelming. Individually, a Chinese unit might hold a ridge or a pass for a day. Collectively, there was no way to stop what was coming. And that same night, as the Chinese scrambled to respond to attacks on every side, Japanese paratroopers landed near Chinese headquarters positions. They found what intelligence had promised: a command system already in disarray, staffed by officers who had received no coherent orders and had lost communications with most of their subordinate units. The Japanese were not wrong when they predicted they could paralyze the Chinese command within hours. By the morning of May 8, the Chinese First War Zone headquarters had effectively ceased to function as a coordinating body. Individual armies would fight on, but they would fight alone. The second day of the battle brought the decisive blow. On the afternoon of May 8, the 9th Army under Pei Changhui — already reeling from the pressure of the eastern Japanese columns — abandoned the cities of Ji and Meng and fell back westward. The withdrawal opened a path through the Chinese line, and the Japanese exploited it immediately. That evening, with the assistance of paratroopers who had secured key access routes overnight, Japanese forces reached Yuanqu on the Yellow River's northern bank and took it. The fall of Yuanqu changed everything. At a single stroke, the Chinese garrison's supply line from the south bank of the Yellow River was severed. The main crossing points were in Japanese hands. The two halves of the Chinese position — those to the east of Yuanqu and those to the west — were now separated, unable to reinforce one another. The double encirclement that Tada had designed on paper became a physical reality on the ground. The trap had closed. May 9 brought further disaster. Japanese forces captured Wufujian, another significant point in the Chinese rear. And on this day the battle's human cost began to register in the most stark terms possible. Wang Jun, commander of the newly formed 27th Division of Kong Lingxun's 80th Army, was killed in action fighting in the southern Shanxi mountains. Major General Chen Wenqi, deputy commander of the 24th Division, died in fierce combat near Taizhai Village. And Major General Liang Xixian, having retreated with the remnants of his force to Taizhai and found every route blocked — his options reduced to surrender or death — walked into the Yellow River and drowned himself. He was not the last Chinese officer to choose death over capture. The loss of three generals in a single day was not merely tragic. It reflected something about the nature of the battle that the casualty statistics alone could not capture: the Chinese officers who fought most fiercely and refused to abandon their positions were precisely the men dying, while the broader institutional structure that should have supported them had already failed. The garrison was being consumed from its fighting edge inward. Over the following two days, the Japanese methodically tightened the ring. The eastern column, having taken Yuanqu, split into two prongs: one drove eastward, capturing Shaoyuan by the morning of May 12 and linking up with the forces that had been pressing westward from Jiyuan; the other drove westward to Wufujian, joining with the troops already there. The inner encirclement was now complete and continuous. The Yellow River crossings along the entire Chinese front were blocked. There was no route south that wasn't already under fire or in Japanese hands. The fighting in the mountain passes was, by all accounts, ferocious. At Fengmenkou — a critical pass that both sides recognized as a key chokepoint — the Chinese 9th Army committed the main force of its newly formed 24th Division along with elements of the 54th Division, fighting for every ridge and ravine. The Japanese sent reinforcements and simply absorbed the punishment, pressing forward until numbers and artillery told. By May 12, the position at Jianshan had been surrounded as well, and the outer ring of encirclement had sealed. The Chinese armies in the Zhongtiao Mountains were now divided into isolated pockets, each fighting separately, each trying to find a gap in the Japanese lines that simply wasn't there. Beyond the mountains, the Chinese high command in Luoyang was issuing desperate orders. Units that had already been overrun were instructed to hold positions they no longer occupied. Army commanders who had lost contact with their corps were told to coordinate with formations they couldn't reach. The gap between the orders flowing from headquarters and the reality on the ground had become absolute. The First War Zone command was, in practical terms, a spectator to the destruction of its own army. Of all the days in the three-week battle, May 13 was perhaps the most devastating for Chinese morale. At Cunbu, in the western sector, the 3rd Army under Lieutenant General Tang Huaiyuan had been surrounded and cut off. Tang was among the finest officers in the Nationalist army — a career soldier of exceptional ability, admired by subordinates and superiors alike, the kind of commander who by his personal presence could steady troops on the edge of breaking. He had led the 3rd Army in continuous fighting since May 7, conducting a fighting retreat that had preserved more of his force than most. But there was nowhere left to retreat to. Cunbu was surrounded on all sides. The Yellow River was behind him. The Japanese were in front. Tang Huaiyuan sat with his surviving officers and told them that he would not surrender. Then he shot himself. He was fifty-seven years old. On the same day, Cun Xingqi, commander of the 12th Division, was hit eight times during close combat and died on the field. The tally of dead general officers had now reached five in the space of a week. Tang Huaiyuan's death, unlike the others, resonated as something more than a military loss. He was a symbol of what the Zhongtiao defense had once represented: the possibility that courage and skill could compensate for disadvantages in firepower and logistics. His death seemed to say, loudly, that that possibility was exhausted. Chiang Kai-shek, when news reached him in Chongqing, personally ordered that Tang Huaiyuan be posthumously promoted and honored. The gesture was well-intentioned and entirely beside the point. Tang was dead. His army was destroyed. The gesture could not undo either fact. With the double encirclement complete and the primary Chinese resistance broken, the Japanese Army entered the second and less dramatic but equally brutal phase of its operation: the systematic clearance of what remained. Beginning around May 15, Japanese units shifted from the headlong offensive drives of the first week to methodical sweep operations, moving through the mountain terrain in organized formations, pressing into each remaining pocket and eliminating whatever resistance they found. The Yellow River's northern bank was secured by Japanese forces who established posts at the crossing points, blocking retreat and interdicting any resupply attempt. From the western front, sweep operations continued in a series of movements that lasted until well into June, each one driving Chinese remnants further into smaller and more untenable positions. Japanese after-action reports from this period read with the clinical detachment of men doing carpentry rather than fighting: so many positions cleared, so many prisoners taken, so many bodies counted. For the surviving Chinese forces, this period was one of desperate improvisation. With coordinated resistance impossible and every organized position either taken or surrounded, the remnant armies broke up into smaller columns and attempted to find their own routes out of the encirclement. Their experiences varied enormously depending on their starting position, the initiative of their commanders, and fortune. The remnants of the 3rd Army and 15th Army, under Zeng Wanzhong of the 5th Army Group, managed to push through to Yellow River crossings in the west and get their men across to the south bank, eventually reorganizing at Luoyang and Xin'an. The 93rd Army, which had occupied positions in the northeast, shook off the Japanese pursuit with sufficient speed and organization to cross at Yumenkou and escape into Hancheng County in Shaanxi Province, preserving more of its fighting strength than most. Wu Shimin's 98th Army — whose fighting at Wangcun had been one of the campaign's genuine bright spots — was pushed northward into the Taiyue Mountains, conducting guerrilla operations as it went. Wu himself was wounded during the withdrawal and would spend months recovering; he never fully recovered his health, and would die by suicide the following year. The 43rd Army under Zhao Shiling, which had held Yuanqu before its fall, managed a fighting withdrawal toward Fushan and Yicheng in the north. Pei Changhui's 9th Army conducted several days of guerrilla operations along the Daoqing Road before finding crossings at Xiaodukou and Guanyangdukou and getting across the Yellow River to safety. By May 27, the great majority of the Zhongtiao Mountain garrison had either been destroyed, captured, or withdrawn. The mountains that had held for three years were in Japanese hands. The battle, for all practical purposes, was over. The two sides emerged from the battle with starkly different accounts of what had happened, and the gap between those accounts is itself revealing. Japanese operational records claimed that their forces had killed approximately 42,000 Chinese soldiers on the battlefield, taken around 35,000 prisoners, captured enormous quantities of weapons and supplies, and inflicted total Chinese casualties exceeding 100,000. Against this, Japanese headquarters reported their own losses as 673 killed and 2,292 wounded — a ratio so lopsided that it seemed to describe a completely different kind of warfare. Whether or not the precise numbers are accurate, Japanese sources were consistent in portraying the battle as a catastrophic one-sided rout. The Chinese government's official figures, presented to the public and to allied nations, told a very different story. Nationalist records acknowledged approximately 13,751 officers and soldiers killed, wounded, gassed, or missing, while claiming Japanese casualties of around 9,900. These numbers, by the standards of the actual fighting and the geographic scale of the defeat, strained credulity. They were the numbers of a government that needed, for political and morale reasons, to minimize a disaster it could not afford to fully acknowledge. What is beyond dispute is the strategic result. The Zhongtiao garrison, which had held for three years against thirteen prior offensives, had been destroyed in twenty days. The last significant Nationalist Chinese presence north of the Yellow River in the region had been eliminated. Japan now controlled the northern bank of the river for a substantial stretch, had secured its supply lines through southern Shanxi, and had opened the door for future pressure on Luoyang and ultimately Xi'an. The mountain barrier that had allowed Chinese forces to threaten Japanese logistics was gone. It would not be rebuilt. Six senior Chinese generals had died in the battle: Wang Jun, Chen Wenqi, Liang Xixian, Tang Huaiyuan, Cun Xingqi, and others in the fighting. Their deaths were individually remarkable — men choosing death over surrender at rate that reflected both the desperate conditions of the battle and a code of honor that many of them explicitly invoked in their final moments. They were also, in aggregate, a measure of how completely the officer corps had been consumed. In the decades since the battle, historians have returned repeatedly to the question of why a position held for three years collapsed so completely in three weeks. The answers are neither simple nor flattering to the Nationalist government, and they were debated with bitter intensity in Chongqing even while the battle was still being fought. The most immediate cause was the removal of Wei Lihuang. This was not merely the loss of a capable general — it was the destruction of the institutional knowledge and personal relationships that had made the defense function. The Zhongtiao garrison was not simply a collection of soldiers in mountain positions; it was a system, carefully constructed over three years, that depended on specific command relationships, established logistics arrangements, and particular allocation of resources. Wei had built that system. Without him, and without any adequate replacement, it became something far more brittle than it appeared. Below the level of high command, the garrison's gradual corruption was an equally powerful factor. The trading networks, the opium commerce, the penetration by Japanese intelligence — these were not incidental problems but symptoms of a deeper institutional failure. An army that has spent three years in static defensive positions, chronically undersupplied and without a meaningful offensive mission, tends toward exactly this kind of decay. The Nationalist government's decision to prioritize anti-Communist friction operations over Zhongtiao's fighting readiness had removed the 4th Army Group — the backbone of the defense — and had consumed Wei Lihuang's attention and political capital at the worst possible moment. The Japanese plan, too, deserves credit it rarely receives in Chinese accounts of the battle. The three-pronged converging attack on Yuanqu was not simply overwhelming force applied to an obvious target. It was an elegant solution to the genuine tactical puzzle that the Zhongtiao mountains presented, exploiting the garrison's geographic vulnerability with a precision that turned the defenders' mountain terrain from an asset into a trap. The use of paratroopers to decapitate the Chinese command in the opening hours was a sophisticated operational concept that worked almost exactly as designed. Tada Shun was not lucky. He was thorough. Finally, there is the question of Chiang Kai-shek's own priorities. His reported weeping upon receiving news of the defeat was genuine, in the sense that the loss clearly shocked and grieved him. But the decisions that led to the defeat — Wei Lihuang's removal, the transfer of the 4th Army Group, the neglect of fortification and resupply in the months preceding the battle — had been made in Chongqing, not in the mountains. The Zhongtiao garrison had been strategically sacrificed, piece by piece, for political calculations in the internal factional struggle between Nationalists and Communists. Whether Chiang understood the cost of those choices before May 7, 1941, is debatable. After that date, it was difficult to pretend otherwise. The fall of the Zhongtiao Mountains did not end the War of Resistance, but it substantially worsened China's strategic position in the north. Over the following months, Japan used its consolidated control of southern Shanxi to increase pressure on the Yellow River line and probe toward Luoyang. The surviving Chinese armies, reorganized south of the river, were in no position to counterattack. The mountains themselves, stripped of their garrison and secured by Japanese occupation troops, became part of the extended Japanese occupation zone — a territory to be administered and exploited rather than contested. For the men who had fought there, the battle left wounds that went beyond the physical. Entire armies had to be rebuilt from remnants. Officers who had retreated, whether under orders or on their own initiative, faced boards of inquiry in an atmosphere of recrimination and blame-seeking. Some were cashiered. Some faced criminal proceedings. The search for culpability — which was genuine enough, since the failure was genuine — tended to fall on those least able to defend themselves rather than on the senior commanders and political figures whose decisions had created the conditions for defeat. The posthumous honors awarded to Tang Huaiyuan, Liang Xixian, Wang Jun, and the other officers who died in battle were heartfelt, and they were also convenient. The heroic dead could be elevated without requiring the living to answer uncomfortable questions. Their sacrifice was real. The system that wasted it was also real. In the broader history of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain tends to be overshadowed by more famous engagements — Shanghai, Nanjing, Taierzhuang, the later battles along the Salween. This is partly because the Chinese side lost comprehensively and had little interest in memorializing the loss, and partly because the battle's significance was more strategic than dramatic. There was no great last stand, no single moment of heroism sufficient to redeem the catastrophe. There were only men dying in mountain passes, generals walking into rivers, and an entire defensive system disintegrating under the weight of its own contradictions. What the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain represents, in the end, is a case study in how military positions are really lost. They are rarely lost on the battlefield alone. They are lost in the staff meetings where capable commanders are removed for political reasons. They are lost in the supply depots that never get restocked. They are lost in the informal economies that grow up when institutions stop functioning. They are lost in the intelligence assessments that are written and ignored. They are lost, finally and irreversibly, in the early morning hours when the guns open simultaneously on three sides and the men at the radios discover that no one is answering.     I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. On May 7, 1941, Japan opened a three-front assault on Zhongtiao Mountains; paratroopers disrupted command night. With the 9th Army withdrawing, Yuanqu fell on May 8, severing supply and trapping the garrison. Fighting raged through May 13, costing generals, until Japanese sweeps cleared pockets; survivors escaped south of Yellow River.

Last time we spoke about the Hubei-Henan Campaign of 1940-1941. In November 1940, a Central Hubei operation using multiple task forces aimed to exploit Chinese dispersal, achieving only local successes and no lasting territorial gains. The Japanese then tried again in late January 1941 with a major offensive into southern Henan. Despite concentrating a large force, the campaign failed strategically. After the Henan failure, Japan attempted to regain momentum in spring 1941 by attacking western Hubei around Yichang on the Yangtze. Despite an initial barrage and rapid early gains, Japanese forces became exposed in a narrow salient. The Chinese reorganized their river defenses and launched a converging counteroffensive, driving the invaders back and ending the engagement where it began, with the Japanese suffering heavy casualties and their westward push thwarted.   #206 The Battle of Shanggao Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The year 1940 had brought a particular humiliation. In August of that year, Communist General Peng Dehuai had launched the Hundred Regiments Offensive — a massive, coordinated assault across North China that shattered Japanese rail and supply lines, embarrassed Imperial General Headquarters, and demonstrated that the Chinese were far from finished. Japan's response had been brutal, the infamous "Three Alls" campaign of reprisals across the countryside. But the damage had been done, and the attention of Imperial General Headquarters shifted northward. The autumn of 1940 had also seen the First Battle of Changsha, where the Japanese 11th Army under General Sonobe Yahachirō pushed south into Hunan Province expecting to overwhelm the Chinese defenders and finally deal a decisive blow to Chiang Kai-shek's armies. Instead, General Xue Yue — the "Tiger of Changsha" — had allowed the Japanese to advance deep into his prepared killing ground before counterattacking from multiple directions. The Japanese had been forced to retreat in disorder, and the front in Hunan and Jiangxi settled once again into sullen stalemate. It was in this atmosphere of frustrated ambition and strategic inertia that the seeds of Shanggao were sown. By February 1941, Imperial General Headquarters had decided to redeploy the 33rd Division — then garrisoned in the town of Anyi, in northwestern Jiangxi — to North China. The transfer was scheduled to begin in early April, and it made strategic sense: the north required reinforcement, and the front in Jiangxi had been quiet enough that one division could be spared. The problem was that the 33rd Division's departure would leave a gap in Japanese dispositions, and no significant offensive operation had yet been conducted to weaken the Chinese forces that would be left facing a thinned-out Japanese line. Lieutenant General Ōga Shigeru, the energetic commander of the Japanese 34th Division, saw opportunity in the window that existed before the 33rd departed. His division was concentrated around Xishan and Wanshou Palace, astride the Xiang–Gan Highway — the main road running westward through Jiangxi — and across that highway lay the town of Shanggao and the Chinese forces defending it. Ōga proposed exploiting the presence of both divisions for a coordinated strike: a sharp, limited offensive to crush Chinese field forces around Nanchang and the Jiangxi interior before the 33rd Division's train north. The 11th Army headquarters, now commanded by General Marube, endorsed a cautious concept — a "quick strike" with limited objectives. But the 34th Division's staff, energized by Ōga's ambition, had already run well ahead of this guidance. Large-scale requisitioning of coolies for logistics was underway; training exercises aimed at the specific terrain around Shanggao had been conducted; planning had progressed in far more detail than a "limited" operation warranted. This eagerness would prove to be the Japanese undoing before the first shot was fired. Chinese intelligence networks, always attentive to the movement of porters and the telltale preparations that preceded a Japanese offensive, quickly detected the scale of these preparations and reported them to General Luo Zhuoying, commander of the Chinese 19th Army Group. By the time the Japanese columns were forming up to march, Luo had already hardened his defenses and laid the groundwork for a trap. General Luo Zhuoying was not a passive commander. He served simultaneously as commander of the 19th Army Group and as Deputy Commander of the 9th War Zone — the latter post placing him directly under General Xue Yue, the victor of Changsha. Luo had spent the lull after Changsha doing what Chinese commanders across the theater had learned was essential: reorganizing, retraining, and above all improving the defensive architecture of his sector. The plan Luo devised for meeting the anticipated Japanese offensive was elegant in its simplicity and demanding in its execution. Rather than contesting the Japanese advance at the frontier, he would allow the enemy to push westward, yielding ground through three successive defensive lines while bleeding the attackers at every step. The first and second lines would slow the Japanese, exact casualties, and stretch their logistics. The third line — anchored at Shanggao itself — would be the killing ground. There, the Chinese forces would hold fast while other formations swung around the Japanese flanks and rear to close the encirclement. The Japanese, having marched deep into Chinese-held territory with their supply lines thinning and their flanks exposed, would find themselves surrounded rather than victorious. For this plan to work, each Chinese formation had to perform its role with discipline. The 70th Corps, deployed in the north along the arc from Shitou Street through Fengxin to Jing'an, would have to conduct a controlled fighting retreat — yielding ground but making the Japanese pay for it, never breaking and running. The 49th Corps would hold the southern flank and create conditions for flanking action. And the 74th Corps — General Wang Yaowu's elite formation, comprising the 51st, 57th, and 58th Divisions — would hold the final line at Shanggao and serve as the anvil upon which the Japanese advance would shatter. The 74th Corps was by 1941 one of the most battle-hardened formations in the Nationalist Army. It had fought at Shanghai in 1937, at Wuhan in 1938, and in the hills and valleys of Jiangxi through the years since. Its men knew the terrain around Shanggao. They had prepared positions in depth, studied the approaches, and rehearsed the defensive plan Luo had designed. When the Japanese came, they would be ready. Against the Chinese 70,000 — distributed across eleven divisions in four corps, with additional provincial security forces for local coverage — the Japanese would throw roughly 20,000 men: three major formations advancing in coordinated columns. The disparity in numbers was stark, but the Japanese had the advantages of offensive initiative, air superiority, and the formidable fighting quality that the Imperial Army had demonstrated throughout the war in China. The question was whether those advantages would be enough to overcome a prepared defense wielded by a commander who had invited the attack. The operational plan devised by the Japanese 11th Army called for three columns to converge simultaneously on Shanggao from north, center, and south — a classic encirclement concept that, if executed with precision, would catch the Chinese defenders in a tightening vice. In the north, the main force of the 33rd Division under Lieutenant General Sakurai Shōzō would drive westward from its bases around Anyi and Ganzhoujie, descending the Liao River valley to threaten the Chinese right flank and prevent the 70th Corps from interfering with operations in the center.In the center, Ōga's 34th Division would advance along the Xiang–Gan Highway — the direct route from Nanchang toward Shanggao — capturing the town of Gao'an along the way and pressing relentlessly westward until it reached the main defensive positions. This was the principal striking force, the column designed to crack open the Chinese defenses and seize the objective.In the south, the Independent Mixed 20th Brigade under Major General Ikeda would cross the Jin River and advance along its south bank, eventually swinging north to link up with the 34th Division and complete the encirclement of whatever Chinese forces remained in the Shanggao area. The plan was coherent on paper. But it contained a structural flaw so serious that, in retrospect, it is difficult to understand how the 11th Army's staff allowed it to proceed uncorrected. The success of any converging operation depends on synchronization — on each column hitting its objectives on schedule and maintaining communication with the others so that each can react to developments on the other prongs. Yet the 11th Army headquarters made no recorded effort to coordinate the 33rd and 34th Divisions before the battle began. There was no forward command post established to oversee the operation. General Marube remained at Hankou, hundreds of miles to the north, throughout the battle — as remote from the fighting as a Tokyo bureaucrat. Operational decisions were left entirely to the individual divisions, with no mechanism to coordinate their actions if something went wrong. Something was going to go wrong. Luo Zhuoying had seen to that. On the morning of March 15, 1941, all three Japanese columns stepped off simultaneously, advancing into the misty hills and rice paddies of northwestern Jiangxi. In the north, Sakurai's 33rd Division moved briskly from Anyi toward Fengxin. The town fell by noon, and the division pressed westward in good order. The Japanese infantry moved confidently along the Liao River valley, experienced soldiers who had fought across China and had no particular reason to expect what was coming. The Chinese 70th Corps gave ground — as it had been ordered to — but did so on its own terms, occupying and then abandoning successive pieces of high ground along both banks of the river, making the Japanese advance uncomfortable and costly. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, the 33rd Division was being drawn forward into terrain that favored the defender. By March 18 and 19, the 33rd Division had pushed all the way to Guzhu'ao and Huamenlo — a considerable advance, but one that had taken the division far from its base at Anyi. And it was here, far from support and with flanks increasingly exposed, that the Chinese blocking forces closed in. Chinese infantry, who had been waiting in prepared positions in the high ground overlooking the river valley, launched coordinated counter-attacks that struck the 33rd Division from multiple directions. The fighting was fierce and costly. In two days of close combat, the division suffered more than 2,500 casualties — a grievous toll that represented a significant fraction of its effective strength. The northern column had been stopped dead. On March 19, Sakurai ordered the 33rd Division to reverse course. By March 23, after four days of painful withdrawal under pressure, it had pulled back to Anyi — the same place it had started. The northern prong of the Japanese offensive had accomplished nothing except the loss of thousands of men. In the south, the Independent Mixed 20th Brigade had a rougher start. Its initial attempt to cross the Gan-Jin river junction at noon on March 15 was repulsed by Chinese defenders, and it was only under cover of darkness that the brigade managed to force a crossing. Once across, it moved westward along the south bank of the Jin River, but progress was slow and contested. A detachment — the Gan River Detachment — ran into fierce resistance from the 26th Division of the Chinese 49th Corps on March 19. The brigade's main body meanwhile fought its way through the 51st Division of the 74th Corps, but the 107th Division and elements of the 51st managed to contain the advance at the Laichunling–Zhutoushan line. On the night of March 20, the main body of the 20th Brigade crossed the Jin River at Huifu to link up with the 34th Division — but a portion of its troops, cut off on the south bank, was destroyed by Chinese forces. The southern column was across the Jin River, but it had taken losses and was already engaged in ways its planners had not anticipated. In the center, the 34th Division fared best in the early going. Ōga's division moved westward from Xishan along the Xiang–Gan Highway on March 16, and by the 17th had captured Gao'an — a meaningful early success. The Chinese 74th Corps, executing Luo's plan faithfully, dispatched only screening forces east of the Tangpu River to slow the Japanese advance rather than contesting it decisively. The main body of the 74th Corps fell back to the third-line positions at Sixi, Guanqiao, and Tangpu, preparing the killing ground that Luo had designated. Simultaneously, the 26th Division and most of the 105th Division from the 49th Corps were shifted across the Gan River to operate south of the Jin River on the Japanese left flank, and the 72nd Corps was ordered to maneuver on a wide envelopment around Daxia and south of Ganfang. By March 20–21, the 34th Division had pressed forward to attack the Chinese positions at Sixi and Guanqiao. Ōga's men were confident — they had taken Gao'an, they were moving, and the objective of Shanggao lay within reach. But as the division pushed toward Shangjijia, it ran squarely into the 57th and 58th Divisions of the 74th Corps, fighting with a tenacity that told the Japanese plainly enough: this was where the Chinese intended to stand. The week of March 21–24 brought the battle to its crisis. The 34th Division hammered at the Chinese positions defending Shanggao itself, while on the flanks, the fighting took on a character that neither side had entirely anticipated. On March 21, General Wang Yaowu — commanding the 74th Corps from his headquarters in Shanggao — decided it was time to do more than absorb Japanese blows. He ordered General Li Tianxia to clear Japanese forces from the south bank of the Jin River and advance on Gao'an, with the aim of cutting the 34th Division's supply line and threatening its rear. It was an aggressive move, and if it had worked, it might have produced a decisive result earlier than history would record. It did not work — at least not immediately. That very evening, the Independent Mixed 20th Brigade, which had been reorganizing after the chaos of the river crossing, launched a powerful offensive at dawn on the 22nd. Li Tianxia's lead elements had barely set out from Shitou Street when they collided head-on with the main force of the 20th Brigade, which had crossed back from the north bank of the Jin River. The Japanese thrust was coordinated and aggressive: one column circled wide to attack Lazhu Mountain; another swung south of Hu Family west of Shitou Street to strike Li's division in the flank and rear; and nine aircraft with four artillery pieces bombarded the Chinese positions from north to south. Li's division could not hold against this convergent assault and fell back to the high ground southwest of Shitou Street. Wang Yaowu reacted quickly. He ordered Li's main body to wheel left to face the new threat and simultaneously dispatched the Army's Field Supplementary Regiment — held in reserve near Yintang — on a forced march to Huayang to block the Japanese westward drive. This regiment, racing down roads strafed by nine enemy aircraft, covered 15 li per hour and seized Huayang and the high ground to its northeast by around seven in the morning. By nine, the 20th Brigade arrived in strength and — supported by more than ten aircraft — launched a fierce assault on the regiment's positions. The regiment's officers and men held firm, taking heavy casualties but refusing to break. Frustrated at Huayang, the 20th Brigade shifted its effort to the Kuang Family area, linking up with over a thousand men who had crossed from Baichetou to the south bank and pushing along the river toward Xiongfang in an attempt to outflank the Chinese left wing. The Supplementary Regiment sent its 1st Battalion with a mortar company to meet this threat, and the two forces met in a fierce engagement. When the Japanese reinforced their assault and deployed incendiary bombs and poison gas, Xiongfang fell by early afternoon — but Li Tianxia immediately sent two regiments from his right flank to take it back, and by midnight the position was in Chinese hands again. Shitou Street and Jigong Ridge were simultaneously recaptured. The Independent Mixed 20th Brigade now found itself in an increasingly uncomfortable position, fighting with the Jin River at its back and the initiative slipping away. Meanwhile, the main event was being fought in the rubble and ridgelines around Shanggao itself. From March 22 to 25, the 34th Division and whatever remnants of the 20th Brigade could contribute threw themselves repeatedly at the defensive line anchored on Stone Arch Bridge, Xia Po Bridge, Xu Lou, Pan Family Bridge, Cloud Head Mountain, and Lei Family Mountain. This was not the fluid, mobile warfare that the Japanese had envisioned but brutal, grinding attritional combat for individual strongpoints and ridgelines, with positions changing hands multiple times in a single day. The Japanese air arm was deeply involved. Ōga's division had close air support that could operate even in poor weather, and Group 3 of the Japanese Air Force hammered the Chinese positions with sustained effort. On the morning of March 24, after the 34th Division fed in more than 3,000 additional troops transferred across the Jin River, the Air Force dispatched over seventy aircraft that dropped more than 1,700 bombs, largely destroying the defensive positions of Liao Lingqi's division. The Japanese exploited the resulting chaos and twice broke through gaps in the line — but were driven out each time by Chinese counterattacks. At noon, enemy aircraft bombarded in relays and Japanese infantry broke through at Xia Po Bridge. It was at this moment that Li Hanqing, commanding the Chinese infantry defense in that sector, did what officers throughout history have done when systems fail and only personal example can stem the tide: he personally led his officer cadre in repeated counter-attacks, hand-to-hand fighting in the rubble until the Japanese were finally expelled. By this point, the 34th Division's offensive capacity was nearly spent. At the same time — and this was the critical shift that would determine the battle's outcome — General Luo Zhuoying recognized that the moment to spring the trap had arrived. The northern column had already been broken and sent reeling back toward Anyi. The southern column was pinned against the Jin River with its back to the water. The central column was bled white against the defenses of Shanggao. Luo now ordered all his armies to close in from multiple directions. On the morning of March 22, he had already begun revising his orders; by noon on the 23rd, the forces of Liu Duoquan and Li Jue had occupied Shitou Street, Guanqiao Street, and Yanggong Market, pressing on Huifu and Gaoyao. The encirclement of the 34th Division was not yet complete, but its shape was unmistakably forming. By March 25, the 34th Division knew it was in mortal danger. Surrounded on three sides, its ammunition running low and its casualty lists growing by the hour, the division urgently appealed to the 11th Army for rescue. The message that arrived in Hankou was a shock. General Marube and his staff, who had remained at their distant headquarters throughout the battle without establishing a forward command post, had not properly grasped the scale of the disaster unfolding in Jiangxi. The lack of coordination between the 33rd and 34th Divisions — the structural flaw that had been built into the operation from its conception — had allowed Luo Zhuoying to defeat each column separately, and now the central column faced annihilation. The 11th Army responded in a scramble. Chief of Staff Kinoshita was dispatched by aircraft to Nanchang with Operations Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Yamaguchi and Captain Ōne to organize a relief operation. The 33rd Division — barely recovered from its own battering in the north — was ordered to sortie immediately and fight its way to the 34th Division's relief. Sakurai organized his battered 33rd Division into three rescue columns. Infantry Brigade Commander Araki Shōji took the right column, leading Infantry Regiment 215 with one mountain artillery battalion. Infantry Regiment 214 formed the left column. The divisional commander himself led the central column with the main divisional force. On March 24 and 25, all three columns sortied from strongpoints at Niuxing, Fengxin, and other positions, attacking across the Wuqiao River and through Cunqian Street toward Tangpu and Guanqiao. The relief operation brought the battle to its most complicated moment. On the morning of March 25, the 33rd Division launched a fierce assault on the forces that Luo Zhuoying had positioned to tighten the encirclement from the north — striking Zhang Yanchuan's division at Kengkou Leng, Jiezipo, and Nancha Luo. Zhang's division, struck simultaneously from the front and rear, withdrew at dusk to near Tu Di Wang Temple, where it linked up with Tang Boyin's division. What happened next became one of the most controversial decisions of the entire battle. Zhang Yanchuan was serving as deputy army commander in the absence of Li Jue from the front. Surveying the situation — his own division under heavy pressure, the 33rd Division's relief columns pushing aggressively — Zhang concluded that the position was untenable. On his own authority, without authorization from Luo Zhuoying or any superior commander, he withdrew both his own and Tang Boyin's divisions to Fenghuang Market and Zhuangfang. The consequence was immediate and severe. The withdrawal opened a corridor through which the 33rd Division entered Guanqiao and linked up with the encircled 34th Division. An encirclement that had taken days of blood and sacrifice to construct was torn open by a single unauthorized decision. Luo Zhuoying, when he received word of Zhang's withdrawal the following morning, was furious — but he could not change what had already happened. He could only adapt. The breakout itself was an ordeal. A portion of the 34th Division that attempted to escape to the east was intercepted near Huifu by a division of the 49th Corps and lost roughly half its strength before being compelled to turn back. The main body ultimately broke out on March 27, withdrawing in march order that told its own story of disaster: headquarters, baggage, artillery, casualties, field hospital, rear guard — all moving in what the records describe as "a wretched state." On the night of March 27, Japanese troops escorting the 34th Division's field hospital — a field artillery company of the 8th Battery — were completely annihilated in a Chinese night attack. When the division reached Longtuan Xu on March 28, the stretcher-bearer column carrying the wounded stretched some seven to eight kilometers along the road. That same day, the 33rd Division's Infantry Regiment 214 finally made contact with the 34th Division's headquarters, completing what amounted to a rescue of men who had already endured their defeat. The 33rd Division's mountain artillery batteries exhausted their entire ammunition supply covering the retreat and required emergency aerial resupply drops to continue. The 34th Division limped back to its original garrison on April 2. Despite the setback caused by Zhang Yanchuan's unauthorized withdrawal, Luo Zhuoying did not abandon his design. Assessing his situation on the morning of March 26, he found reason for cautious optimism: Wang Yaowu's army was still making progress at Shanggao; the Japanese south of the Jin River had largely been cleared; and Sichuan Army and Northeastern Army units that had been moving to reinforce the battle had now reached the field, meaning Chinese forces retained significant numerical superiority. He resolved to execute a second encirclement. At nine in the morning of March 26, Luo issued strict orders: Zhang Yanchuan's and Tang Boyin's divisions were to immediately comply with their original orders and block the enemy near Guanqiao; Yu Chengwan's division was to attack northward via Pan Family Bridge; Liao Lingqi's and Song Yingzhong's divisions were to press toward Guanqiao with full force; Wang Kejun's division was to strike the enemy's flank and rear east of Guanqiao; Fu Yi's division was to advance south of Jiang Family Isle; and Chen Liangji's division was to swing southeast via Changpu to complete the enemy's destruction. The second ring was being drawn. On March 28, as the 34th Division's battered column trudged eastward toward survival, Wang Kejun's division advancing from Yanggong Market moved to intercept it. The Chinese occupied high ground north and south of Yanggong Market and along Mozi Ridge, and what followed was a grinding all-day battle that fixed the Japanese column at the Xiama Bei–Huxing Ridge line. Part of the 20th Brigade, moving up from Gao'an to assist the withdrawing 34th Division, was blocked near Long Tu Market. Liao Lingqi's division pursued the enemy rear guard to the Changling–Manmei high ground, where the fighting erupted with renewed intensity. At noon, part of Li Tianxia's division arrived and deployed along the Shangluoxiang–Shanyuan–Fangtounao line to harass the Japanese right flank; part of Yu Chengwan's division reached Longxing Mountain and outflanked Guanqiao Street from the south. The surviving Japanese defenders in Guanqiao withdrew into the town for a last stand, and after Liao's division pressed the assault, street fighting raged until five in the afternoon, when over 600 defenders were annihilated. Over 2,000 troops of the Independent Mixed 20th Brigade conducted a fighting withdrawal from Long Tu Market and Yanggong Market, covered by Japanese aircraft bombing to shield the 34th Division's retreat. By noon on March 30, the Japanese had abandoned both strongpoints and scattered northeastward. One group of over 600 men fled directly into the main positions of Zhang Yanchuan's division — an ironic fate, given Zhang's earlier withdrawal — and were largely annihilated. The encircling forces had been essentially dispersed, and the two pursuit columns now pressed forward under the overall direction of General Xue Yue, who had assumed personal coordination of the chase. On March 27, Luo Zhuoying — confident that victory was secured — issued a general order for a final offensive and announced substantial cash rewards to his troops: prizes offered for the capture of Japanese officers, artillery pieces, regimental colors, and other materiel. The rewards were both a practical incentive and a mark of how far the battle had tipped. By midnight on March 31, Chen Hongshi's advance column had recovered Gao'an; Wang Tiehan's division had recovered Xiangfu Guan. On April 2, the divisions of Zhang Yanchuan and Song Yingzhong recovered Fengxin; that afternoon Wang Tiehan's division took back Xishan and Wanshou Palace — the very base from which the 34th Division had launched its offensive. By April 3, the pursuing armies had reached the vicinity of Dacheng and Ganzhoujie. On April 8 and 9, the 70th Corps recovered the outpost strongpoints around Anyi before halting operations. The Japanese had retreated into their original positions and were defending from prepared terrain. The pursuit was over. The Battle of Shanggao had lasted nineteen days and nights. No battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War was ever free of the fog of competing claims, and Shanggao was no exception. On March 29, before the pursuit had even concluded, Luo Zhuoying telegraphed Chiang Kai-shek with his accounting of the victory. His numbers were dramatic: Major General Iwanaga, the Japanese infantry commander, killed; regimental commander Colonel Hamada, killed; over 15,000 Japanese killed or wounded in total. Chinese losses, Luo reported, exceeded 20,000. Ten guns, over a thousand rifles, and numerous machine guns had been captured. His superior, General Xue Yue, was skeptical. In a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek on April 5, Xue reduced Luo's numbers by twenty percent, reporting 12,520 Japanese killed or wounded and 14 prisoners captured. The discrepancy between two Chinese commanders reporting on the same battle speaks to the difficulty of battlefield accounting in any era, and suggests something of the competitive pressures that shaped how Chinese commanders reported their victories to Chongqing. The official Chinese histories, compiled after the war in the History of the War of Resistance, reported approximately 15,000 Japanese killed or wounded, 17 prisoners taken, and significant quantities of captured materiel: 6 mountain guns, 1 mortar, 24 light machine guns, 408 rifles, 24 grenade launchers, and over 111,717 rounds of various ammunition. Chinese casualties, by the same records, were 17,119 killed or wounded and 2,814 missing. Japanese records for the battle do not survive — a consequence of the wholesale destruction of Imperial Army documentation at the war's end. Contemporary scholars, working from other sources, estimate actual Japanese combat losses at approximately 5,500 killed and wounded. This is substantially lower than the Chinese claims, as was nearly always the case in the war, but represents a significant defeat by any measure: roughly a quarter of the force committed, many of them veterans impossible to replace. Chiang Kai-shek subsequently awarded the victorious Chinese units a commendation prize of 150,000 yuan — a substantial sum that marked the battle's significance in Nationalist eyes. The outcome at Shanggao was not accidental. Several interlocking factors combined to produce a Chinese victory, and each deserves consideration. The most fundamental was Luo Zhuoying's defensive plan. The decision to trade space for time — to absorb the Japanese advance through three successive defensive lines rather than contest the frontier — required both tactical confidence and a willingness to accept initial setbacks that could easily be misread as defeat. Chinese forces had to give ground, and they did. They had to suffer through the early days of Japanese advance without breaking and running, drawing the enemy forward and allowing the encirclement to take shape. That they largely succeeded in executing this plan reflects the improving quality of the Nationalist Army by 1941: better trained, better led at the operational level, and — critically — equipped with a strategic design that matched the actual balance of forces. The defeat in detail of the Japanese columns was equally important. By neutralizing the 33rd Division in the north before it could contribute to the central effort, and by pinning the 20th Brigade against the Jin River with its back to the water, Luo's forces ensured that the 34th Division faced the third-line defenses essentially alone — outnumbered, overextended, and unsupported. The Japanese operational concept had been a three-pronged convergence; what actually materialized was a single exhausted division hammering at a prepared defense while two other columns were rendered ineffective. The absence of coordination within the Japanese 11th Army was a gift that kept giving throughout the battle. No forward command post. No mechanism for the divisions to adjust their operations in response to each other's situations. No ability to recognize, in real time, that the northern column was being destroyed and redirect resources accordingly. General Marube's decision to remain at Hankou while his men died in Jiangxi was not merely an administrative failure; it was an operational catastrophe. Japanese commanders acknowledged this failing explicitly after the battle, but the acknowledgment changed nothing for the dead. Zhang Yanchuan's unauthorized withdrawal — the single most consequential individual decision of the battle — ultimately prevented a complete annihilation of the 34th Division rather than affecting the battle's outcome. The 34th Division escaped; but it did so in a "wretched state," having lost enormous numbers of men and equipment. It broke out, not triumphed. The encirclement Luo had constructed was torn open, but the Japanese paid dearly for the breach. The consequences of Shanggao rippled outward in ways that shaped the subsequent course of the war in central China. The transfer of the 33rd Division to North China — the original logistical rationale for the entire operation — was delayed by the division's involvement and subsequent losses at Shanggao. When it finally arrived at the Battle of Central Plains  the following month, it did so on the eve of battle with no time for preparation or orientation, entering combat under severely disadvantaged conditions. The operation that was supposed to facilitate a smooth redeployment had instead damaged one of the two units involved and delayed the other. For the Chinese 74th Corps, Shanggao had an ironic consequence. The Japanese 11th Army, following the battle, formally designated the 74th Corps as a priority target — a "standing enemy" and directed its forces to seek out and destroy it in future operations. At the First Battle of Changsha that September, the 11th Army specifically oriented its forces against the 74th Corps, a testament to the lasting impression that corps's fierce resistance at Shanggao had made on its adversaries. The compliment of being specifically targeted by the enemy was one the 74th Corps had earned in blood at Shanggao's ridgelines and shattered bridges. More broadly, the battle was widely regarded at the time, and has been regarded since, as one of the most significant Chinese tactical victories of the first four years of the War of Resistance. Its significance lay not only in the casualties inflicted — those were contested and probably inflated in the Chinese records — but in what it demonstrated. The improving tactical and operational competence of the Nationalist Army was on display. The deliberate defense, the layered withdrawal, the coordinated encirclement — these were not the operations of an army that had been fighting desperately for survival since 1937 and had learned nothing. They were the operations of an army that had studied its defeats and adapted. Shanggao did not change the strategic situation in China. The front in Jiangxi remained where it had been; the Japanese still occupied Nanchang and the major cities; Chiang Kai-shek was still in Chongqing and the war was still far from over. But it demonstrated something important: that the Chinese Army, given capable commanders, a sound plan, and the discipline to execute it, could do more than survive Japanese offensives. It could reverse them, encircle them, and pursue them back to where they came from. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In March–April 1940, Japanese forces attacked Shanggao with a limited, multi-pronged plan. Chinese troops used elastic defense and coordinated counter-moves, turning initial advantages into a trap. After intense fighting and air strikes, a coordinated encirclement and timely breakout routed the Japanese, forcing retreat despite their numbers in a costly battle.

Mari Sakurai is a DJ based in Tokyo. With techno as her core, she freely navigates through various genres, establishing her position as a pioneering figure in Tokyo's dance music scene with her powerful and thrilling play style. She energetically performs at a wide range of events, from underground parties to outdoor festivals, and is active on platforms such as Whole Festival, Boiler Room, MUTEK, Rinse FM, NTS Radio, and Refuge Worldwide. Since 2020, she has been involved with the queer rave "SLICK," since 2023, she has been active with "KILLIAN," a party seeking the new era of dance music, and starting in 2024, she serves as an organizer/resident DJ for "PYRO," a party featuring young DJs from the local scenes across Japan. Tracklist via -Spotify: bit.ly/SRonSpotify -Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/Slam_Radio/ -Facebook: bit.ly/SlamRadioGroup Archive on Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.com/slam/   Subscribe to our podcast on -iTunes: apple.co/2RQ1xdh -Amazon Music: amzn.to/2RPYnX3 -Google Podcasts: bit.ly/SRGooglePodcasts -Deezer: bit.ly/SlamRadioDeezer   Keep up with SLAM: https://fanlink.tv/Slam  Keep up with Soma Records: https://linktr.ee/somarecords    For syndication or radio queries: harry@somarecords.com & conor@glowcast.co.uk Slam Radio is produced at www.glowcast.co.uk

A big part of the court are the actual court nobles, so this episode we are taking a look at some of the ones mentioned in the Chronicles for this reign. For more, check out https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-150 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 150: Nobles of Jitou Tennou's Court   Maro donned his light blue robes and made his way to the court.  As he arrived, the sun was just peaking over the horizon, and as it bathed the court in the golden morning light the dark shadows were dispelled, leaving in their wake a colorful scene, as various court officials headed this way and that, gathering in their offices to pick up on the work that they had left unfinished the day before. As an ohotoneri, Maro was often sent to and fro between the offices of the different departments. As such, he was able to see how they worked, and he wondered to himself which department would have the best opportunity for advancement.  His family had connections over at the Department of Prisons, and it was definitely a place he could make a name for himself, especially if he attached himself to one of the newly minted magistrates.  On the other hand, the Jingikan, the Ministry for Kami Matters, had some of the most important and sought after positions.  After all, no matter what the secular administration did, when there was no rain for the fields, it was the kami to whom the court turned.  And the members of the Jingikan who helped make those ceremonies happen were known to be well rewarded for their troubles. Perhaps he would be better off taking a more modest position, such as with the Jibu-sho, the Department of Civil Administration.  It was mostly focused on the maintenance and execution of the bureaucracy, and wasn't necessarily a place to seek the limelight, but perhaps that also offered some opportunity.  Do well in one position, and who knows what that could open up to you in the long run?  Maybe one day Maro could make it up to become a Nagon, a Counsellor, or even one of the Daijin, the great ministers at the very head of the council of state.Maro almost laughed at the thought, but he didn't put it aside entirely.  After all, as impossible as it might seem now, the world was still changing, and who knew what opportunities might be waiting just around the corner?   This episode continues our look at the reign of Uno no Sarara, aka Jitou Tennou.  I would note that we have now reached the last chapter of the Nihon Shoki, which ends with the end of Uno no Sarara's reign in 697.  In this chapter, we have not quite 11 years to cover, and we've already talked about the first three of those years, which featured succession issues and a long mourning time for Uno's husband Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, culminating in the sudden death of her only son, the Crown Prince and heir apparent, Prince Kusakabe, in 689.  We also went over what was happening on the continent, with powerful women like Uno no Sarara either on or behind the throne in Silla and the Tang dynasty.  To quickly recap the succession issues: When Kusakabe died, tthat left the throne in a somewhat tenuous position.  There were two other male heirs that would seem to have a claim on the throne as well.  The first was Prince Takechi, who was technically Ohoama's eldest son, but the Chroniclers claim that his late mother was not sufficiently royal for him to have a serious claim.  Then there was Prince Karu, the only known son of the late Crown Prince Kusakabe, and had been born 6 years earlier, in 683, to the Crown Prince and his wife, Princess Abe.  Princess Abe was a daughter of Naka no Oe, and a half-sister to Uno no Sarara.  She was actually a year older than Kusakabe, and would continue to look after the young Prince Karu.  So, Prince Karu was only about 7 years old when his father passed away: much too young to be taking the throne, let alone a firm hand in the politics of the time.  And given the mortality statistics of the time, there is so much that could happen to him before he reached the age of majority.  And remember, there were already some questions about legitimacy, and we already discussed the fact that about 30 nobles had gathered in support of Prince Ohotsu right after Ohoama's death.  Uno no Sarara had that whole issue quashed and Prince Ohotsu had died, but it was nonetheless a stark reminder that things could change quickly. So at this point in Uno no Sarara's reign, there is a great deal of uncertainty afoot, and there are quite a few individuals named in the Chronicles who stand to benefit from sticking their fingers into politics in one way or another.  This episode, we're going to look at some of those individuals, their roles in the court, and the effect they had on Yamato.  Some of those people named are particularly interesting in that they were involved in the conspiracy with Prince Ohotsu, and would continue to be highly influential in the government.  For example, Iki no Hakatoko, Nakatomi no Omimaro, and Kose no Tayasu, and Yakuchi no Wotokashi are all name-dropped, which we'll get into more later.  It feels significant, however, that there were some 30 nobles all told, and beyond these four and the apparent ringleaders, we don't learn anyone else's names.   The importance of prominent individuals in the court has been a constant theme in the Chronicles and in this podcast, so getting to know the court is definitely important. Moreover, during this time period as we get more and more written sources from which to work from we will see more and more information on individuals.  Some of that will come from the Nihon Shoki and the records that come after—the Shoku Nihongi.  Others, however, are from sources like the Man'yoshu, where bits of biographical data are found about the authors that they mention.  There are also family diaries and later genealogies.  Some of these sources are a bit more trusted than others, especially when they were compiled centuries later and we don't exactly know what sources they, themselves, were working on.  Still, even if it isn't 100% accurate, it does give us a picture of what was going on beyond just the royal family. I think it is also helpful to understand some of the overall court dynamics.  If you are familiar with the Heian period, especially around the time of things like the Tale of Genji, you are probably well acquainted with the Fujiwara family—I'll probably need to do an entire episode just on them at some point.  Essentially, there would come a time where almost the entire court was made up either of royals or of members of the Fujiwara clan, or uji.  In fact, even that distinction wasn't really accurate as the Fujiwara family had so intermarried with the Royal family that every sovereign—every Tennou and even most of their consorts—were directly related to members of the Fujiwara.  Not only that, but members of the Fujiwara family held the position of regent—whether the sovereign was of age or not—and effectively ruled the country, with the Tennou being largely relegated to a mouthpiece with ceremonial duties.  It would get so bad that we would see the splitting of the Fujiwara uji into smaller households, and the political fights were often between members of the different households of the same family.  There is a reason that a good portion of the Heian period is sometimes called the Fujiwara period. However, now during the late Asuka period, we see something a little different.  The marriage politics of the Soga had been violently suppressed about a half century earlier, and a lot of different names flourished in the Yamato court, as youmay have noticed any time I've rattled off a bunch of names and your eyes started crossing because of it.  But that's the reality we see: there were a lot of different families, and individuals, all jockeying for influence.  And they were in a period of disruption, where lots of change was happening.  That change meant there was also a lot of potential. And I hope you don't mind if I take a quick time-out here, but so often we read history and we forget to learn lessons from it, and one overarching lesson is:  if you are a part of an organization—a company, a club, government, school, or anything like that—one thing you are going to have to deal with is change.  It comes in many forms and happens whether or not you personally agree with it. It can be destructive and it can be frightening, because we often don't know what is on the other side of it, but it also presents opportunities.  After all, if you don't know what comes next it probably means other people don't, either.  And if you can be the one to provide direction you can have a huge influence on what comes next.  And change has been a constant theme in this period of Yamato history, in so many ways.  Take the reorganization of the government as one example: they had introduced these 8 departments, which had names and were set up in various ways, but it wasn't like you had experienced people to run them as they had been on the continent.  So you had names and the forms of things, but there were a lot of people figuring out just how to actually put this new structure into practice, and leverage them to do what they were supposed to do.  In the process, there were a lot of opportunities to innovate and figure out how to do it within the cultural milieu of the archipelago.  So all of these individuals, from these various families, all had opportunities staring them in the face.  They just had to figure out how to make the best of it. Now, don't get me wrong:  Those with the money, the connections, and the influence still had a leg up, and this was still a hierarchical society, where your family dictated, to some extent, your position in society.  The introduction of individual court rank, as opposed to just the kabane that ranked uji, was pushing against that, and had already caused a reformation that flattened a lot of the previous kabane into just eight distinctions, but those distinctions still existed.  Even had they not, simple matters of inherited wealth and the value of goods produced in a family's home territory would still have provided tremendous advantages.  But there isn't an indication of the kind of large-scale consolidation of resources that we will see in later periods, such as the Fujiwara example that we were just discussing.  Oh, sure, we aren't going to see a farmer suddenly make it big at court in some kind of rags-to-riches story, but at the upper end of society we still have a lot of apparent diversity. And so, let's get to know some of these individuals that the Chronicles tell us about.  Before we do that, though, let's recap a little bit about how the court worked. Every member of the court was effectively employed by the State.  They had an official job with duties they were supposed to oversee.  In the case of lower level functionaries, they were likely expected to actually do most of the work, while at the top of the hierarchy you had nobles who were more likely decision-makers, who would approve or disapprove of the work and direct strategic resources. Those working in the court had official uniforms—the round-necked garments of the continent.  What would be called a "caftan" farther west.  These were based on the foreign garments popular in the Tang court and elsewhere. The color and pattern of official clothing appears to be something that goes back to early in this new continental style government, and we see suggestions of color schemes from a relatively early age.  However, in 690 we see the clearest such outline of just what everyone was wearing. As a reminder, the court rank system of the day was made up of a Princely and a Commoner system.  Princely ranks originally included two ranks of the Myo class, and four of the Jou class, each rank divided into either "Great" or "Broad", for twelve Princely ranks, though honestly we only ever really see the four Jou class of ranks in use. Below that were the ranks for the common nobles—those with family names who did not have any kind of royal claim.    For them there were six classes of rank—Shou, Jiki, Gon, Mu, Tsui, and Shin, in that order.  Each class was made up of four ranks, which were further divided into upper and broad categories, creating 48 total ranks. Your rank determined your precedence at court—where you were sat, what jobs you were allowed to take on and, most importantly, the amount of money that you could expect to receive as part of a stipend.  Naka no Oe had previously consolidated the land-holdings and asserted claim over all of it.  The taxes from the households on the land went to the government to pay the stipends of the nobles in the court, who were, ostensibly, employees of that same government.  Your rank determined what you were owed, though this could also be augmented by various edicts. So there you go: rank in the court was tied to many of the things that the elites wanted, from wealth to status and access to various opportunities. The color of official clothing followed the rank system.  So Princes of the first two ranks of the Jou class were given robes of dark purple, and the third and four ranks were given robes of bright purple, which they shared with highest class of rank of the common nobles, the Shou rank class. Below that, nobles of the Jiki class would wear robes of dark red, and those of Gon would wear dark green.  The Mu rank class, the next down, was Light Green, and then Tsui was Deep Blue and Shin was Light blue. So in order you would see robes of Dark Purple, Bright Purple, Dark Red, Dark Green, Light Green, Deep Blue, and Light Blue.  The color gave you a certain indication of where the person sat in the overall hierarchy of the court, and provided you clues as to how you should address them, who would give deference, etc.  In later centuries, we are even told that deference was given in meetings, which is to say that once a person of higher rank provided input on a topic, nobody of lower rank was able to contradict them for fear of the consequences.  So it also told you who got the last word. This then was the world that the nobles of the court inhabited.  As we've seen in previous episodes it wasn't just bureaucratic work, but also banquets, archery contests, and Buddhist congregations and sutra readings.  There were rituals, dances, and diplomatic embassies—not to mention all of the ceremonies around the death or ascension of the sovereign.  In this world, one's reputation was everything.  You wanted to be seen as good at your job, but also, just like today, people were more likely to promote and support those they knew, and so it helped to have friends.  However, there were also a limited number of top spots, and so every promotion would have likewise meant plenty of disappointed nobles who didn't get the job.  But that is enough background.  Let's take a look at some of the nobles themselves, starting with the four from the Prince Ohotsu conspiracy.   The first name in the list is perhaps the least interesting.  His name is Yakuchi no Wotokashi.  Although he was the highest ranking of the four, he is also the least mentioned in the Chronicles and elsewhere, and we know very little about him.  So we'll talk about him later on, for completeness, but for now it may be best to skip him until we have a better handle on others in the court. In contrast, we know a bit more about his co-conspirators.  In fact, we've already talked about one of them at length:  Iki no Hakatoko.  We first heard about Iki no Hakatoko when talking about the Tang dynasty, and discussed him at length in Episode 123.  He was one of the members of the embassy to the Tang dynasty back in the early 660s that got delayed on account of Tang Gaozong initiating the war against Yamato's ally Baekje.  The fact that the Nihon Shoki directly pulls from Hakatoko's work, known to us, today, as the Iki no Hakatoko Sho, makes it one of the few early named written works that we know about.  Unfortunately, it is no longer extant except for what is preserved in the Chronicles, but it is still incredible that we have essentially an eyewitness account of what happened.  He would later be one of the escort envoys for one of the Tang embassies during the reign of Naka no Oe.  That he was then embroiled in the conspiracy with Prince Ohotsu would seem to be at odds with his standing, and yet after his pardon he eventually got back into the court's good graces.  In 695, about 9 years after the incident, he was assigned as an assistant envoy to Silla.  By that point he was of Mudaini rank, which was only about 35th in the overall scheme of things.  Later on we know he would work on the famous Taiho code, which was published in 701, and enacted a couple of years later.  It was here that he worked with the famous Fujiwara no Fubito—about whom we will discuss more, later—and although he would pass away in 703, this may be how his own writings came to find their way into the Chronicles, since Fubito is said to have had a large influence on them—as he had on many of the court's projects. Overall, Iki no Hakatoko may not have been the one in charge, but we see in his life an incredible career, much of it spent on multiple voyages across the ocean, whether on an embassy or as an escort.  He likely was highly proficient in the language of the Tang court—what we typically refer to, broadly, as Middle Chinese.  He also had direct experience with the Tang court and system, and so it makes sense that he was one of those helping to build an administrative state based on that system. If we were to imagine Hakatoko in the court of the day, at least in 695, he would have likely had light green colored robes, indicating that he was of the "Mu" class of ranks.  He would have worn the black gauze cap of the court and worn white hakama, or trousers, underneath.  His long, continental style, round-necked robes—likely relatively slim, with overly long, but narrow, sleeves—would have been tied closed in the front with a braided silk cord.  He likely worn black leather boots, covered in a light lacquer to protect them from the elements, with cloth insoles and perhaps a hint of brocade along the top.  He likely kept with him a ruler, and perhaps a few slips of paper or even just wood on which to take occasional notes.  A mid-level functionary of the court. We can compare and contrast Hakatoko to two other co-conspirators:  Nakatomi no Omimaro and Kose no Tayasu. We are given neither Omimaro's rank nor Tayasu's at this time.  It is interesting that they listed after Hakatoko, who is actually listed as having "Lower Shousen" rank—an older rank that was no longer in use at this point in time.  Also, both Nakatomi and Kose were Ason level families while Iki no Hakatoko is listed as being merely "Muraji".  So it seems that the Chroniclers were probably pulling from what they could find elsewhere, although where they found that Wotokashi had Jikikwoshi rank I have no idea, as we don't have any other record for him.  And it is possible that deference to Wotokashi and Hakatoko are as much a nod to their age as anything else, though probably not by much. Of four co-conspirators mentioned here—and I'm leaving out the two who were exiled or banished, as they were clearly not hanging around the court later—Nakatomi no Omimaro and Kose no Tayasu were probably from the most established families.  Indeed, we see both of their names show up multiple times in the record, giving us a better idea of who they might have been. Of the two, the name Nakatomi probably is more likely to ring a bell, as that as the surname of the famous Nakatomi no Kamatari—as well as the later Nakatomi no Kane.   Nakatomi no Kamatari was the head of court ritual when he and Naka no Oe kicked things off with the Isshi Incident and the Taika reforms, at which point he became the "Inner Prime Minister", or Naidaijin. Much of what we know of Omimaro comes from outside of the Chronicles themselves.  For instance, we are told that he was the son of Nakatomi no Kunitari, a cousin to the famous Kamatari, at least according to the 10th century Engi Shiki.  However, we have no other records of Kunitari, and so there is more than a little doubt cast as to whether or not that was actually the case.  Similarly, we are told that Omimaro married one of Kamatari's daughters, and was eventually adopted by Kamatari. Once again, the evidence for this is pretty thin, and it is unclear to me just how adoption worked at this point.  Certainly in later periods, adoption was often a way to ensure that a family had a male heir to ensure the family's continuity, and marrying someone's daughter and being adopted into the family is an age old tradition in the archipelago and Japan more generally.  At the same time, give some thought to what we know about this period: male primogeniture was not exactly the norm, although Confucian values had definitely made inroads into court.   The family headship often went to the eldest—or most prominent—family member.  This wasn't necessarily a son and often was a brother, a nephew, or even a cousin.  We have a few famous Nakatomi at this point in time, and all I can say for certain is that they were part of the same family.  Later traditions would make things a bit more clear. Whatever his parentage, our first encounter with Omimaro appears to be in the Ohotsu conspiracy, when he was arrested and then pardoned.  He shows up again in the record just three years later, along with Kose no Tayasu, as both were made judges, along with Fujiwara no Fubito—Nakatomi no Kamatari's biological son and eventual heir. In fact, there were nine judges, or magistrates, made that year, and they are listed in rank order.  The first is Prince Takeda, said to be a great-grandson of Nunakura, aka Bidatsu Tennou.  He was Joukwoshi rank, meaning he wore bright purple court robes, sitting in the lower half of the princely ranks.  He had been quite prolific ever since 681, when he was one of the Princes called to help bring together the Chronicles.  After being made a judge, he would continue in that position, it seems, and by 708 he would become the head of the Ministry of Prisons. After him we have Haji no Nemaro, in the dark red robes of the Jiki rank class.  Though someone of rank, less is known about Nemaro.  His father is said to be Haji no Mi, who was part of the forces that set out to Yamada-dera to capture—and likely kill—Soga no Kurayamadera.  Haji no Nemaro's son is Haji no Oi, who was sent to the Tang court but returned in 684, along with several repatriated soldiers.  Oi would assist with the Taihou code, but little more is said about him or his father. Other judges were Ohoyake no Maro, Fujiwara no Fubito—also of the Jiki class rank. Maro would go on to take a job as a jusenshi, responsible for minting coins, and Fubito would go on to reach the highest levels of government. Then there was Tahema no Sakurawi, Hodzumi no Yamamori, Nakatomi no Omimaro, Kose no Tayasu, and Ohomiwa no Yasumaro.  They were all Mudaishi rank at this point, wearing dark green.  Sakurai would go on to become the governor of Ise in 705, and then the governor of Musashi in 708.  Hodzumi no Yamamori we don't have as much information on, other than that he kept climbing the ranks, by 704 he had made Junior 5th rank, lower grade in the system that replaced the cap-ranks, and by 712 he made it to the senior fifth rank, lower grade. Ohomiwa no Yasumaro, on the other hand, would make it to the Senior 5th rank, lower grade by 707, and the upper grade by 708, when he was made the Dayu—the high minister in charge—of Settsu.  He would eventually make it into the Junior Fourth rank, upper grade, as the Minister of the Military Department, or Hyobu-sho. So this gives you an idea of the people with whom Nakatomi no Omimaro and Kose no Tayasu were rubbing elbows.  That they were made judges, responsible for justice, seems to say something as that would seem to be a powerful position.  At the same time, they are both lower ranked than the much younger Fujiwara no Fubito—but once again, he was the direct son of Nakatomi no Kamatari.  He also seems to have avoided any unpleasantness from the Jinshin no Ran as he was only 14 at the time, and though it does seem that the Nakatomi were generally knocked down a peg or two in court—thanks in large part  to the fact that Nakatomi no Kane had been one of the leaders of the Afumi court.  That and the whole thing with Prince Ohotsu may be why Omimaro was not exactly in the top ranks, but his appointments weren't nothing, either.  By 693, Omimaro would be granted the rank of Jikikwoshi, the lower fourth rank of the Jiki class.  In that entry he is recorded as Fujiwara no Omimaro.  I believe we discussed this a few episodes back, but the Fujiwara name was still new.  It had been granted to Nakatomi no Kamatari on his deathbed—or possibly even posthumously—by Naka no Oe, and to his family.  So technically that would seem to extend to the entire Nakatomi family.  And with Nakatomi no Kane having been one of the main figures on the losing side of the Jinshin no Ran, it was no doubt a savvy political move for Nakatomi courtiers to lean into the Fujiwara name, and they seem to have done just that.  It wouldn't be until later, in the reign just following this, that a new decree would straighten everything out, such that only the actual descendants of Fujiwara no Kamatari, such as Fujiwara no Fubito, would be allowed to use the Fujiwara name. Throughout this, I have focused mostly on Omimaro, but Kose no Tayasu was in the mix as well.  He, too, was made a judge and in 693 he would also be awarded the same Jikikwoshi rank.  In addition, in 689, he was made a "commissioner of good words", along with the Royal Prince Shiki and others.  This seems to be a singular position, and Aston suggests that it was their job to figure out the kind of auspicious language that should be used in the court.  What kind of language should be used by the sovereign and the courtiers in drawing up official edicts.  I imagine that they were figuring out the form to give to formal court documents as well as the kinds of titles and honorifics to use for the sovereign and the state more generally.  Of course, that is just an assumption based on Aston's understanding of what is, ultimately, a single line.  Still, it is clear that Tayasu was helping to make things happen. Tayasu would eventually go on to become the Minister of the Department of Ceremonies, the Shikibu-sho, and would later serve as a secretary to the Viceroy in Tsukushi—the Dazai Daini.  He would pass away in 710, one year before Omimaro. Before leaving Tayasu behind completely, I would like to point out his family name:  Kose.  The Kose family were one of the families granted the kabane of Ason, or Asaomi.  They had previously been known as the Kose no Omi, and had a long history in the court, claiming descent from the famous Takeuchi no Sukune, legendarily known as the first Oho-omi of Yamato.  Kose no Tokuda had been a supporter of Soga no Iruka, but after the Isshi Incident he supported Naka no Oe and eventually replace Abe no Uchimaro as Sadaijin—Minister of the Left.  Another Kose, Kose no Hito, would also rise in the government, becoming one of two Goshi-daibu made when Prince Ohotomo was appointed Dajodaijin.  The other was Ki no Ushi.  They were both in attendance and counted among the six who swore to protect and support Ohotomo, along with Nakatomi no Kane and others.  So they, too, found themselves on the wrong side of the Jinshin no Ran. In this case, however, it is unclear how much Tayasu was impacted by that.  He may have been the son of Kose no Shitano, brother to Kose no Hito, but the Kose were prolific in the court, with many people of the name.  The family would continue going through the Heian period.  Their fortunes ebbed and flowed, as did so many families, but they would eventually find themselves as Hatamoto to the Tokugawa shogun, so they never actually disappeared. Finally, let's talk about Yakuchi no Wotokashi.  As I mentioned earlier, he is actually one of the first names mentioned in the list of co-conspirators with Prince Ohotsu, suggesting that he outranked others in the group.  Indeed, he is noted as being of Jikikwoshi rank—fourth lower Jiki rank.  The bottom of the Jiki class, but that was still the third class from the top.  However, despite this, very little is actually said about him.  In fact, this is the only instance I could find of the name Yakuchi in the Nihon Shoki, at least in that spelling—there is also a Yakuchi no Uneme, but it is spelled differently and is probably not related.  It is also the only evidence of the name Wotokashi.  That means we don't even see him in the list of names being granted Ason in the first place. It is quite possible that Yakuchi was a name he took later and that he was from another family.  Indeed, there are a couple of traditions around Wotokashi that suggest he was the founder of the Yakuchi family in Shinano.  Indeed, there is a Yakuchi family that comes out of Shinano, near Adzumino.  And Shinano was one of the places that Ohoama had sent people to examine as another site for an alternative capital, and Prince Mino and others had gone to check it out.  So maybe Wotokashi headed out there—or his descendants, anyway—and decided to try and make a go of it.  Proponents of this theory also connect Wotokashi to a line descended from the Soga family, which would certainly explain his prominence.  There are others, however, who claim that the Yakuchi family out of Shinano is actually descended from the Otomo, suggesting that the similarities in the name are just coincidental, which is also possible.  Ultimately, our sources fail us here, and so we just have speculation.  It is possible that even with the pardon, Wotokashi was just never able to regain the trust of the sovereign or his position in court, and so whether he took a hike for the hinterlands or just faded from the picture it is hard to say. With that, let's take a look at just two more courtiers, and what kinds of lives and careers they had at court, at least from what we can see.  These two we've also mentioned in passing:  Fuse no Miushi—whom Aston transliterates as Miaruji—and Ohotomo no Miyuki. Fuse no Miushi and Ohotomo no Miyuki were both mentioned as performing eulogies for Ohoama, though there is more to them than just that.  We'll start with Fuse no Miushi, who is said to have been the son of none other than the Taika era Sadaijin, or Minister of the Left, Abe no Uchimaro.  You may recall that Abe no Uchimaro was the Sadaijin under Karu no Ohokimi, aka Koutoku Tennou, along with the Udaijin, Soga no Kurayamadera.  They were both supporters of Naka no Oe, though much of the Chronicles focus appeared to be more on Kurayamadera than on Uchimaro. We don't know when Miushi was born, nor when he received the name "Fuse", the name by which he is known when we first meet him in the Chronicles.  That family name only shows up two other times in the Chronicles.  Based on other sources, it seems that the Abe family was divided at some point into the Fuse and the Hikida, likely because it became too large and they needed to distinguish the different parts of the family.  It is said that Fuse no Miushi served as a retainer to Ohoama during the Jinshin no Ran.  That, along with his family connections, helped secure him a good place in the government.  By 686, we see him pronouncing the eulogy for Ohoama's funeral on behalf of the Dajokan, the Counil of State.  He was already Jikidaishi, one rank above the standard Jikikwoshi, but still clothed in the same dark red robes.  In 687, he is again pronouncing the eulogy, but this time we are told that his a Nagon, or councilor, a rather prestigious posting that would later get broken up into three different levels:  Dainagon, Chunagon, and Shonagon.  For my Heian fans out there, that last is the same Shonagon as in the name of the famous poet, author, diary-keeper, and all around queen of snark, Sei Shonagon.  By 688, pronouncing the Eulogy seems to have become an annual event for Miushi, only this time he teamed up with Ohotomo no Miyuki.  The two of them seem to have had similar careers, and would, for a time, come up together through the ranks. Ohotomo no Miyuki is said to have been born in 646, though that isn't recorded in the Nihon Shoki and comes from other sources.  The Ohotomo family goes back quite a ways, and we are told that his father was Ohotomo no Nagatoko, who served as Minister of the Right under Naka no Oe.  However, in 672, the Ohotomo, including Miyuki, sided with Ohoama in the Jinshin no ran.  In 675 he was made Tayu while Prince Kurikuma was made Director of Military Affairs.  He then drops out of the narrative until 688, when he is pronouncing the eulogy with Fuse no Miushi. Miushi would go on, two years later, to present the formal congratulations from the court to the Queen upon her ascencion to the throne, and then the following year, 691, both Miushi and Miyuki were granted the rank of Jikidaiichi, the highest rank in the Jiki class, along with 80 households to support them and their families.  This brought both of their stipends up to roughly 300 households each.  Then, in 694, they were both raised in rank again, this time to Shoukwoushi.  Only one rank up, yet they went from the top of the Jiki class to the bottom of the Shou class.  They would have gotten new robes of Bright Purple to indicate their new status, and they each had their stipends increased by the taxes of 200 households each.  At the same time, they were also acknowledged as senior members of their houses.  That means that Miushi was considered the head of the Fuse branch of the Abe family and Miyuki was now acknowledged as the head of the entire Ohotomo family. Two years after that, in 696, they were each given 80 retainers to support them.  Fuse no Miushi is actually mentioned at that time as Abe no Miushi.  That same year, we again see Fujiwara no Fubito show up, but with only 50 retainers.  Fubito would eventually rise to the top of the court food chain, but at this point, it was still in the hands of courtiers like Fuse no Abe no Miushi and Ohotomo no Miyuki. Fuse no Miushi would go on to have an incredible career.  He would become Dainagon and eventually he would become the Udaijin, the Minister of the Right, one of the highest positions anyone could hope to achieve at court. Ohotomo no Miyuki would not make it quite so far.  Like Miushi, he made it to Dainagon, but he died in the first month of 701, just 55 years old.  He had made it to the third rank, and he was posthumously granted the title of Udaijin—the position was vacant at the time—and granted second rank.  His colleague, Abe no Miushi, would go on to take the position only four months later and serve for a couple of years before passing away himself. These two would have worked closely together throughout their careers, and the fact that they were raised in rank and position on similar timelines suggests to me that they ran together in very close circles.  They would have been working in similar positions, at the same levels of the government.  They would have been going to the same parties and partaking in the same banquets and entertainments.   They were no doubt rivals, in a sense, but also equals.  Both families would go on, even as the Fujiwara clan came to dominate the politics of the era, the Ohotomo and Abe would continue to hold power in the court during the Nara period, though eventually it would decline.  The Ohotomo would eventually become just the Tomo, to avoid conflicting with the name of a slater sovereign, and the main house would eventually decline, though branch families would continue to claim descent from the Ohotomo into to the Edo period. The Abe would continue, similarly pushing against the Fujiwara.  The most famous Abe was probably Abe no Seimei, who became known for his skills as an Onmyouji, or master of Yin-yang divination and magic.  The Tsuchimikado branch of the Abe family would continue that tradition, and it would come to largely define the main branch of the family. I hope that gives a bit of an idea of what was going on in the court and the kinds of careers that people were looking at and what was happening.  We cannot get into every single person, but I'm going to try and note some of the more prominent courtiers and what they were doing.  It isn't always clear from the Chronicles what was going on between the various houses, but one can largely assume that the court was highly political.  Different factions were vying for power and position.  Sitting atop all of it, Uno no Sarara would have to perform her own kind of balancing act, doling out rewards and punishments as necessary, and ensuring to place the right people in positions of power and authority.  On the one hand, that ambition was a motivating factor, keeping the people of the court focused on the tasks at hand and ensuring that the court was running smoothly.  On the other hand, too much power in the hands of any one individual could cause them to get ideas that they should have even more.  The main bulwark against this was everyone else in the system—the checks and balances were literally the other court nobles, who weren't going to just let someone  take power unless there was something in it for them as well.  More on that as we watch this reign unfold. But for now, thank you so much for listening and downloading the podcast.  If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

BAFTA-nominated indie darling Xalavier Neslon Jr. joins the podcast this week to discuss the diverse lineup of games from his studio Strange Scaffold and their approach to making games in an ever-changing industry. With games like I Am Your Beast, Clickolding, Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion, the upcoming Truck-Kun is Supporting Me from Another World!? and the critically acclaimed (and soon-to-be major motion picture) El Paso Elsewhere under his belt, we break down how he's able to keep all these plates in the air at once, why acting in games is so fun, the case for a general video game industry workers union, and much more. We also cover all the Nintendo and gaming news such as updated rumors about the upcoming Star Fox Switch 2 game, rumblings on a new Super Smash Brothers from Sakurai, Gamestop & Steam Machine updates and many more such topics. As always, we close with the games we've been playing. Listen to Super Switch Headz on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you enjoy podcasts. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:13:40 News and Rumors 0:44:20 Xalavier Nelson Jr. Interview 1:33:34 Games We're Playing Wishlist Truck-Kun Now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3642010/Truckkun_is_Supporting_Me_from_Another_World/ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWbF4gb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/switchheadz Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SuperSwitchHeadz/ Website: https://www.switchheadz.com/ Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SwitchHeadzClips 

Another episode, another new reign--same old problems.  This episode we talk about what happened after Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno, passed away.  We'll touch on the fact that it wasn't entirely a smooth transition, and there are certainly hints that not everyone was in agreement as to what should happen.  And then there were other problems, such that the heir apparent never actually took the throne.  So what happened? For more information on the main characters in this episode, check out the blogpost at https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-147  (Also apologies ahead of time--my voice was not in great shape, and that may come through on the audio) Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 147: Here We Go Again   Iki no Hakatoko looked around the spacious room and recognized many of the faces he saw there.  There were various nobles from around the court present.  All of them were familiar, even if they were not the closest of acquaintances—they ran in similar circles and were connected to each other over various political positions.  Some were connected by marriage, some were just allies, and others were almost rivals—but they were all there for a common cause. The open chamber had been buzzing as all of those elites of Yamato talked about why they might have gathered.  Of course, the big news was the death of the sovereign.  Ohoama had passed away, and the court was formally in mourning. And yet the government seemed stable.    The Queen was at the helm, guiding t he government, and her son was beside her as the Crown Prince.  So what was everyone doing here, gathering for what they could only assume were… other options? Finally, the buzzing started to die down as the doors to the chamber were closed and guards posted.  And then, the host for the discussion arrived, as Royal Prince Ohotsu stepped out and greeted all of his soon-to-be co-conspirators….     This episode, at long last, we are about to dive into a new reign.  And if you haven't picked up by now, this, the end of the 7th century, was a turbulent time.  Although the court had been instituting reforms to be more like the courts on the continent—and it wasn't like Ohoama died without any heir whatsoever—things were still unstable.  I know, shocker, right? So what happened? Let's go over the history some, and the main players, and then we can see what happened and the aftermath. Before that, however, let's talk about what we might expect to have happened, if everything had worked like clockwork. While Ohoama passed away in 686, it wasn't as if he hadn't made any plans.  His wife and Queen, Uno no Sarara, was deeply entrenched in governmental affairs, and their son, Prince Kusakabe, had been named Crown Prince in 681.  This meant that both were in positions of significant power within the current government.  All things being equal, and assuming a Confucian model, one would expect that upon Ohoama's passing, Kusakabe would step up and take the reins of the government, ascending to the throne as the new ruler.  Uno would oversee the transition and take her place as the Queen Mother, remaining in the palace and helping to shepherd the new rule, while one of Kusakabe's wives—probably Abe-hime, who, like her half-sister Uno, was also a daughter of Naka no Oe—would become his queen. And yet that is not what happened.  Prince Kusakabe does not show up in our list of sovereigns, and we are told he never ascended the throne.  Instead, his mother, Uno no Sarara, came to power.  So what exactly happened?  Why would she not have handed over power to her only son and set him up on the throne?  To understand all of that, I think there are several things we need to discuss, first of them being just how tenuous and fragile transitions like this were. If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you might be nodding in agreement with this statement: for more than a century, at this point, whatever high-minded ideals the rulers of Yamato may have espoused, their path to the throne had been covered in blood.  Let's roll back to the events of 587.  We talked about this in Episode 91, when the Soga and Mononobe families had each lined up behind different aspirants to the royal throne.  The Mononobe were a powerful family, known to be warriors for the throne, and the head of the Mononobe, the Ohomuraji, Moriya, was one of the most influential people at court.  However, in recent years, the Soga family had been on the rise.  Soga no Iname had married his daughters to members of the royal family, and he and his son, Umako, were known as the Ohoomi.  The Mononobe were not having it with these uppity newcomers, but the Soga seem to have built their power, anyway, likely using their connections to the continent to do so.  In a series of succession disputes, the Soga came out on top, defeating the Mononobe and eventually killing Moriya.  It was a bloody fight, but eventually the Soga's royal relatives won out. This brought Hasebe Wakasasagi, aka Sushun Tennou, to the throne.  For a time, Wakasasagi and Soga no Umako ruled the land, but eventually Wakasasagi grew suspicious of Umako—perhaps jealous of his power.  He considered taking him out, but Umako caught wind and had the sovereign assassinated, instead.  Umako then put his own niece, Kashikiya Hime, on the throne, where most know her as Suiko Tennou. Kashikiya was no stranger to the court, having served as the wife of her own half-brother, Nunakura, aka Bidatsu Tennou.  Kashikya is thought to have been a compromise candidate, chosen specifically to avert any further power struggles.  Certainly, Umako did not want a repeat performance of what had just happened with Wakasasagi.  And though she reigned, power was apparently shared between Soga no Umako, Kashikiya Hime, and Kashikiya Hime's nephew—Umako's grandnephew—Crown Prince Umayado, aka the legendary Shotoku Taishi.   By all rights, it seemed like things should have gone smoothly.  Umako, the eldest, would pass away to be succeeded by his niece, and it would make sense that after Kashikiya Hime's passing, Umayado would assume the throne.  Instead, Umayado would be the first to pass, creating uncertainty as to the future of the throne.  Then Umako would follow several years later.  Finally, Suiko would pass away soon thereafter. So, in about six years the three most powerful people in court all passed away.  Soga no Umako's son, Soga no Emishi, was still coming out from under his father's shadow.  Furthermore, it was not clear who should sit the throne—should it be Prince Yamashiro no Oe, the son of the Crown Prince, Umayado?  After all, his father would have likely inherited the throne and then it would have no doubt been passed to him.  And yet, there was another contender: Prince Tamura.  Ultimately Soga no Emishi backed Prince Tamura, a man with ties to Nunakura through both his father and mother, and yet who was not truly a royal prince in that his own parents had never held the throne.  Then again, neither had Umayado.  Eventually, Prince Yamashiro no Oe would back down from his claim to avoid bloodshed—and yet blood would be shed anyway.  When Prince Tamura died,  in an apparent bid to keep Soga power and quash any resistance before it started up, Soga no Emishi had Tamura's wife, Takara hime, aka Kougyoku Tennou, installed—but Prince Yamashiro no Ohoe was still alive, and his heirs were still out there.  Soga no Emishi appeared to be content, but his son and heir, Soga no Iruka, was not. And when his father was ill and Iruka had a free hand, he ordered the destruction of Prince Yamashiro no Oe, presumably to avoid a future challenge to the throne and thus to the Soga family's hold on power. This move shocked many, and rather than preventing conflict, it seems to have stirred up ill feelings against the Soga for their heavy hand in the politics of the period.  This would lead Prince Naka no Ohoe and several co-conspirators to rise up, killing Soga no Iruka in court, and then attacking his father, Soga no Emishi, in their home.  See episode 106 for more on that, known as the Isshi Incident.  Naka no Ohoe and his supporters would take their place in the court, but Naka no Ohoe would not ascend to the throne, himself – at least not yet.  Instead, he took the position of Crown Prince, and his uncle, Prince Karu,aka Kotoku Tennou,  took the throne.  However, that still left a loose end.  Prince Furubito no Oe, who had appeared to be the favorite for the throne under the Soga, was still alive.  Furubito no Oe was the son of Tamura and a Soga consort—Hotei no Iratsume, the daughter of Soga no Umako.  Although the Chronicles do not mention it, he seems to have been well placed to be Crown Prince in place of Naka no Oe, especially in a Soga dominated court.  Without that backing, however, his claim may not have been quite so strong.  He had gone into exile in Yoshino, but opponents of Naka no Oe's faction and their bloody coup began to use him as a rallying point.  It is unclear if Prince Furubito himself had any ambitions, but the fact remained that he was a threat, nonetheless, and Prince Naka no Oe had him taken out. By controlling things from behind the throne, Prince Naka no Oe seems to have been able to keep things fairly stable.  When his uncle Karu  passed away, the throne went back to his mother, who is known as Saimei Tennou in her second reign, but Naka no Oe was still in a place of considerable power, and the continuity likely helped keep things on track.  Then Takara Hime passed away in the midst of a national crisis—the mobilization to support Baekje against the Silla-Tang alliance.  That military effort turned out to be less than successful, but by that point, there does not seem to have been much question over who was in charge – it was finally Naka no Oe's turn to take the throne, and he did, as Tenji Tennou. And so it wasn't until Naka no Oe's own death that we again see major violence.  Naka no Oe's brother, Ohoama, is said to have been the Crown Prince, but then Naka no Oe's son, Ohotomo, came of age.  He was made the Dajo Daijin and supported by the most powerful nobles in court.   It is clear that there were divergent factions within the court itself, though, with some supporting Ohotomo and others supporting Ohoama.  In the midst of this, Ohoama chose to bow out, at least while his brother Naka no Oe was still on the throne.  However, Ohotomo and his supporters could not leave Ohoama out there as a loose end.  They knew that he still had a claim and supporters, and they started to make plans to move against him after Naka no Oe's death.  They were too slow, however—Ohoama caught word and moved against the court, instead.  In a bloody struggle that upended the politics of the court one more time, Ohoama came to the throne.  That struggle, the Jinshin no Ran, was covered in detail in episodes 129 to 132. So if we look back we can see that for all of the thoughts of inheritance and legitimacy, most of those who had ascended the throne had done so by eliminating their rivals—either before or just after they assumed the royal mantle.  As such, this is something that Ohoama was, himself, quite concerned about, and he took several steps to try to avoid a repeat of this scenario. First, and perhaps somewhat confusingly, he ensured that those in positions of authority in the government were largely tied by blood to the royal family.  The royal and non-royal princes were all nominally related in one way, shape, or form.  If nothing else this meant that the nobility— those elites without direct blood ties to the throne—were not, themselves, gaining the kind of power and authority that had previously been given out to families like the Ohotomo, the Mononobe, and the Soga.  We don't even hear that much about the relatives of Nakatomi no Kamatari, who had achieved such heights under Naka no Oe that he had become the Naidaijin, the great minister of the interior. One might think that this system still had issues, however.  After all, each princely line had their own tie to a previous sovereign, and we've certainly seen times where a sovereign came in out of left field, with a nominal, but hardly convincing, connection to the throne.  This is particularly true in a time when succession was still not necessarily a strictly patrilineal custom; where it was not unusual for a senior family member to take up the mantle of leadership, rather than just the first-born son of the current ruler. And that seems to be why Ohoama also held the Yoshino conference with his immediate family members in 679.  This included his Queen Consort, Uno; the Royal Prince Kusakabe, the Royal Prince Ohotsu, the Royal Prince Takechi, the Royal Prince Kawashima, the Royal Prince Osakabe, and the Royal Prince Shiki.  These were sons of both Ohoama and Naka no Oe, but they were all considered to be loyal insiders of the royal family.  Ohoama had them swear to work together and to protect one another.  And yet, as we shall see, that promise does not seem to have survived Ohoama himself. So let's talk about some of these characters, now that we are here at another question of succession.  We'll start with the Queen herself, Uno no Sarara. Uno was born in 645, the daughter of Naka no Oe and a consort, Wochi no Iratsume, daughter of Soga no Yamada no Ishikawa no Maro.  Ishikawa no Maro had been a powerful ally of Naka no Oe, assisting with the overthrow of his own uncle and cousin, Soga no Emishi and Soga no Iruka.  In turn, he seems to have become the head of the Soga family.  Despite the rhetoric that the Soga family was destroyed, it was more that the power of Emishi and Iruka was broken.  Ishikawa no Maro had parlayed his assistance into another means to access power at the court, and married his own daughter to Naka no Oe.  That worked until it didn't—enemies in court slandered Ishikawa no Maro and Naka no Oe had him killed in 649. Wochi no Iratsume would have three children with Naka no Oe.  The eldest was Princess Ota, followed by Princess Uno, and finally Prince Takeru.  There is a theory that she died in 651, giving birth to Prince Takeru.  Prince Takeru himself would only survive a short while passing away in 658.  He was only seven years old. Both Princess Ohota and Princess Uno were married off to their uncle, Prince Ohoama.  Princess Ohota was the elder of the two, and bore Princess Ohoku and Prince Ohotsu, whom we'll discuss in a bit.  However, Princess Ohota passed away in 667, during the reign of Naka no Oe, and so did not play as big a role in the politics of the day as her younger sister. Uno, on the other hand, appears to have been Ohoama's ride-or-die.  They were married when she was only thirteen years old, and she followed him when he and Naka no Oe went to Kyushu to oversee the war on the peninsula.  It was there that she gave birth to her first and only son in 662.  She left the court behind to follow Ohoama to Yoshino, along with their son, Prince Kusakabe.  She then followed Ohoama on his lightning blitz through the mountains over to the east.  It is said that while he went on to the front, she maintained a place in the relative safety of the land of Mie.  From there she likely organized the rearguard and would have been involved with the back-end logistics.  She is also said to have made particular entreaties to the deities of Ise shrine, and may have had a hand in raising the Shrine to greater prominence during the reign of Ohoama and later. A key note is the fact that, when Ohoama became ill, and could not effectively manage the affairs of state, Uno stepped in and made sure that things continued to operate.  And so, when Ohoama finally passed away, his projects were not simply left hanging—his queen and consort, Uno no Sarara, was there to see that everything remained on track. As queen, Uno's son, Prince Kusakabe, was the favorite to succeed his father.  In fact, in 681, he was named Crown Prince at the age of 19.  Kusakabe had even married his own aunt, Princess Abe—his mother's half-sister.  Princess Abe was another daughter of Naka no Oe and a Soga related consort; in this case it was Wochi no Iratsume's younger sister, Mehi no Iratsume—sometimes called Sakurai no Iratsume.  I should note that Princess Abe was only about 20 years old in 681, only a year older than the Crown Prince, so it isn't like there was a huge age gap between them, even if he was technically marrying his own aunt.  Still, they had already had a child between them the year before, in 680—this was Princess Hidaka or Niimi.  Two years later, in 683, they had another child, Prince Karu, and later we know that they had a third child, Princess Kibi.  This is all a pretty good start for a future sovereign, and Kusakabe seems to have been on track to succeed his father. By all rights, it seems that Kusakabe should have stepped up in 686 to take the throne, but that was not to be.  Instead, his mother, Queen Uno no Sarara, would retain her place at the head of the government.  It is possible that this was meant to be merely temporary —there were still many things to be taken care of.  With Ohoama's death there were numerous rituals having to do with his interment, and the Crown Prince, Kusakabe, appears to have been integral to those events.  Whereas we may have previously seen powerful nobles step up, with the increased influence of Confucianism, it makes sense that a son would be responsible for ensuring that things were taken care of.   There was also the issue of a new palace that would need to be built, and the court would need to prepare for the various enthronement ceremonies.  After all, Naka no Oe himself wasn't formally enthroned for three years into his supposed reign. And just like his grandfather, as Crown Prince, Kusakabe maintained a powerful portfolio at the court that would still allow him to have a heavy hand on the rudder of the ship of state.  In fact, had things gone differently, then the Chroniclers may have simply counted these early years as part of Kusakabe's reign, as they had done with Naka no Oe. And all that would have been great—except that, despite all those nice family agreements at Yoshino, there were others who seem to have had designs on the throne. The first claim that likely could have been made was by Prince Takechi.  Prince Takechi—written as Takaichi, like the district of the same name—was technically the eldest son of Ohoama.  He had been called to Ohoama's side during the Jinshin no Ran, and given nominal control over the troops waiting to cross the pass from Ohowari into Afumi.  This was likely more of a sinecure, however; Prince Takechi was still quite young, and while the position would no doubt teach him much about organization and leadership, I certainly hope that there were more experienced individuals assisting him. However, for all of that, Prince Takechi had a major strike against him In the form of his parentage.  Although he was Ohoama's eldest son, his mother was not a royal princess.  Instead she was Amago no Iratsume, the daughter of the powerful head of the Munakata family, Munakata no Tokusen. Munakata was a powerful area on the northwest coast of Tsukushi—modern Kyushu.  It is famous for the three Munakata shrines.  The outer, or Hetsu, shrine is on the land, but the middle shrine is on the island of Ohoshima, 11 kilometers from the Hetsu shrine.  Then the Oki, or deep sea, shrine is on the aptly named Okinoshima, another 49 kilometers past that, out in the middle of the Genkai Sea, the body of water between Kyushu, Tsushima, and the Korean peninsula.  Even today, Okinoshima is considered a sacred place, and has never been developed: even today, only those closely associated with the shrine are allowed to set foot there.  Because of that we can see something remarkable, as Okinoshima was held as sacred for hundreds of years, during which time, offerings were regularly made to the kami there, presumably for safe passage across the waters.  These offerings have accumulated over the centuries and serve as a fascinating glimpse back into the history of the shrine and of the relations between the archipelago and the peninsula. The land of Munakata—and by extension the rulers, or Kimi—appear to have had not inconsiderable influence over the trade back and forth across the ocean to the continent.  This is further corroborated by the wealth left at Okinoshima and elsewhere, as well as by large kofun nearby, thought to be those of the ruling family of the area.  This would have no doubt been a powerful and prestigious family to be allied with, especially in Ohoama's role as a Prince.  However, despite all of that, they were not, ultimately, a royal family.   That would seem to have made Prince Takechi ineligible to take the throne—at least without some serious backing and perhaps a little re-working of his parentage. And this brings us to the third eldest son of Ohoama:  Prince Ohotsu.  Unlike Prince Takechi, Prince Ohotsu was the son of a royal princess—Princess Ohota.  In fact, not only was she a royal princess, but she was the sister to Queen Uno.  And Prince Ohotsu was born only a year later than Prince Kusakabe.  Furthermore, during the Jinshin no Ran, Prince Ohotsu was called to Ohoama's side, along with his half-brother, Prince Takechi, and he is specifically mentioned in that role, despite the fact that he was still too young to have played much of a role.  Like Prince Kusakabe, Prince Ohotsu was in his early twenties. So if we put Kusakabe and Ohotsu side-by-side, we can see that they have a lot of similar qualifications. Both were the sons of Ohoama by daughters of Naka no Oe, giving them double-royal lineages.  Their mothers were even full sisters, so they were both great-grandsons of Soga no Ishikawa no Maro, for whatever that means.  Kusakabe was older by a day, but Ohotsu's mother was the eldest of the two sisters.  But for the fact that his mother had passed away, she could possibly have been declared Queen, and Ohotsu might have ended up as Crown Prince, instead of Kusakabe.  Even if something had simply befallen Kusakabe, Ohotsu likely would have been able to step in, especially since Kusakabe had no full-blooded siblings, himself. The reign of Ohoama is replete with examples of Kusakabe, Ohotsu, and Takechi often acting together or being given honors together.  While it is always clear to rank them in that order, it is also clear that all three seemed to hold a place of high esteem.   What we don't seem to see is any ill will between them—but then again, the Chronicles rarely give much attention to anyone who is not the sovereign except to mention them in passing.  As such, we get only a simple sentence in the record, dated barely two weeks after Ohoama's passing, that Prince Ohotsu conspired against the Crown Prince, which is to say, Prince Kusakabe. As is so frustratingly often the case we aren't told how he was conspiring.  Clearly, it refers to succession and we can see that it wouldn't take much for Ohotsu to gather support and place himself on the throne—had that occurred, we likely would see some differences in the Chronicles as well.  However, as it stood, the conspiracy came to naught.  We are told that about one more week later, after the temporary interment of Ohoama's body and the many, many days spent eulogizing him and those around him—seriously, the Chronicles go into way too much detail, which is great for giving us a lot of details on people in the court and their court ranks, but otherwise is mostly paragraphs of names of individuals who were likely important enough for the Chroniclers to ensure that they got at least a mention. It was after that was finished that we are told that Prince Ohotsu's conspiracy was discovered.  He had the support of some thirty nobles, including a priest from Silla and the famous Iki no Muraji no Hakatoko—the one who had written the detailed account of the embassy that had been held under arrest by the Tang court, which we talked about back in Episode 123.  The point is these were people with some amount of clout and who moved in important circles, and for thirty of them to be in Ohotsu's camp might not seem like much, but that doesn't begin to illuminate all of the people that they would have brought with them to the party.  Furthermore, once they went public, who knows how many others might have joined them.  Fortunately for Kusakabe—and unfortunately for Ohotsu—the would-be conspiracy was quashed and quashed hard.  We are told that it was discovered on the second day of the tenth month of 686—less than 30 days after Ohoama's death—and the Queen herself, Uno no Sarara, stepped in and had Ohotsu executed at his own mansion in Wosada.  She then issued a royal decree, stating to everyone that Ohotsu had committed treason, and that the punishment for treason was death.  She also stated that those who had assisted him were also guilty, and should likewise receive the same sentence, except that she was going to be merciful.  And so she ended up pardoning Prince Ohotsu's co-conspirators.  The only exceptions were Toki no Michidzukuri, who was banished to Idzu, and the Silla priest, who was exiled to a temple in Hida.  While we aren't told what roles they played, those two apparently were considered more complicit than the others. A few days later, Prince Ohotsu's sister, Princess Oku, was recalled from her position as the shrine princess of Ise.  It is unclear if this is related, but it seems relevant given the proximity of the two events. There is one other thing I should likely mention, and that seems to come from the Kaifuso.  The Kaifuso is a collection of continental style poetry from the 8th century, similar to the Man'yoshu, but with a different focus.  In both works they often given some description of the authors of the poems, which provide us more information on the people of the time.  For instance, the Kaifuso speaks favorably of Prince Ohotomo, Ohoama's rival in the Jinshin no Ran, and seems more than a little sympathetic towards him and his cause, compared to the way he is treated in the Nihon Shoki's main narrative.  In regards to our current point in the narrative and the treason of Prince Ohotsu the Kaifuso tells us that Prince Ohotsu was ratted out to the Queen by none other than his best friend, Prince Kawashima.  Prince Kawashima was another one of the princes who had been called to Yoshino and who had pledged to work together.  He was not Ohotsu's brother or even half-brother, however, as Kawashima was the son of Naka no Oe.  He was actually a good deal older than Ohoama's actual sons, but apparently trusted by Ohoama at the same time.  The Kaifuso also seems to tell us that Kawashima was rewarded for his efforts by the court. The only problem is that the Nihon Shoki, our primary source, tells us none of this.  Not only is Prince Kawashima not mentioned in regards to the plot, neither is he mentioned as having received any kind of reward or gift by the court.  That doesn't mean the Kaifuso is wrong, but it does raise the question. Similarly, it is just as easy to suggest that the Nihon Shoki itself may be covering up what actually happened.  After all, we only have one side of the story.  What if there wasn't a conspiracy?  Or what if the conspiracy were of the Queen's making, instead.  Prince Ohotsu was clearly popular, and had a reasonable claim to the throne.  That was a threat to her own son's eventual ascension.  It is possible that the Queen, Uno no Sarara, saw a threat and decided to do away with it, herself, keeping her own son's hands relatively clean in the process. Whatever the truth, we likely will never know, and so this is all we have to go on.  Whether it was an actual conspiracy or just the paranoid  concerns of a queen and mother, it is clear that it was not yet enough to have an heir named—there was always the possibility for these things to go sideways and for someone else to jump in with a claim of their own. For all of that, while it seems that Prince Kusakabe was intended to ascend to the throne, for one reason or another, that was delayed.  For some three years, as we've mentioned, Kusakabe and his mother ruled as Queen and Crown Prince, perhaps just because they were handling Ohoama's burial and the creation of a new palace from which Kusakabe himself could then reign.  Unfortunately, it seems that time accomplished what Prince Ohotsu and his conspirators could not, and in 689, Prince Kusakabe passed away.  Shortly thereafter, the Queen, Uno no Sarara, ascended to the throne herself.  This appears to have been because Kusakabe's own son and heir, Royal Prince Karu, was only about 6 years old, having been born in 683, and his daughter was only 9.  So rather than giving up the throne to some other woman's child, Uno no Sarara took the throne for herself.  She is remembered, today, as Jitou Tennou. Jitou Tennou continued to work the initiatives that had been pushed forward during the reign of her husband.  These were projects that she herself was quite familiar with, and in fact, many of the projects are sometimes thought to have been hers, with attribution given to her husband just to give it a greater air of legitimacy.  Ultimately, however, she would oversee some quite formidable changes, even if many of them started in the previous reign or not. And so begins the last reign of the Nihon Shoki, covering the years 686 to 697.  The Nihon Shoki itself wouldn't be complete and presented to the court for another 23 years or so, and yet this is where they chose to leave off.  Perhaps that is because of when it was started, or they just didn't have all the records ready for anything beyond.  They clearly had to end somewhere, after all.  And given that both Ohoama and Uno had such a hand in many of the changes, perhaps it just made sense to end here.  Much of what would come would set the tone for centuries to come. There is one more thing that I want to address in all of this.  We've talked about the lineages of the various individuals, who trace their lineages back to either powerful noble families, like the Soga, or to specific sovereigns.  There is a tendancy by some to talk about Ohoama having started what some would call the Temmu Dynasty.  The idea being that Ohoama's offspring would continue to reign for a time, displacing the offspring of his brother, Naka no Oe.  Then, at a later date, Naka no Oe's line would reassert itself. This seems to be pretty clear cut from a strictly patrilineal viewpoint of royal succession, but I think it ignores a lot about the cultural aspects of the time.  For one thing, descent was about both the father AND the mother, and too often people discount the mother's influence, when, in fact, the mother most likely had more influence in the raising of children than did a royal father.  After all, we don't exactly get a lot of anecdotes about sovereigns spending quality time with their children—and I don't think calling them to help you on campaign counts.  To be fair we get hardly any anecdotes about children.  But we also see that sovereigns were having multiple children with multiple consorts.  Naka no Oe is said to have had about 14 children—possibly more.  I count 17 children for Ohoama.  And we see the ages spread out across the sovereigns' lifetimes, with some children being born at a point that they had not even attained the age of majority by the time their father passed away.  Put another way, look at how Prince Kusakabe was able to marry his own aunt, who was only a year older than he was.  Clearly there was a bit of an age difference between siblings.  I don't imagine that they were being raised by their father, necessarily, but probably by their mothers and the servants at the palace, generally. I would also point out that Ohoama included both his own children as well as children of his brother in the Yoshino conference, further indicating that he did not have any specific intention to entirely shut out the his brother's line. And then there is Uno no Sarara.  She was Ohoama's spouse, but also the daughter of Naka no Oe.  Are we to think that she stopped being her father's daughter because she married someone? That doesn't mean that labels might not be helpful in some ways, but I just don't want to over emphasize the familial or dynastic connections.  Brothers regularly turned on each other, and blood ties were no guarantee of cordial relations.  In fact, only maternal siblings—those with the same mother—were actually considered true siblings in most cases.  That's how they justified so much of what we would consider incest in the royal family in the first place. So while I do think that Ohoama and Uno tweaked the system set up by Naka no Oe and made their own impression on Yamato and, by extension, Japanese culture, I just don't want to read too much into the lineages.  The stories of politics and royal succession are often much more involved and complex. And hopefully, we'll get to see how complex as we continue on down this path.  For now, I think I'm going to leave it here, and so, until next time, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Sakurai steps up to the podium, looking troubled. He's not his confident self this time around — and it's doubly weird that he's making this announcement live and in person instead of through some kind of Nintendo Direct. There's even regular press here, not just games media people. "We are removing Matthew McConaughey as Mud from Super Smash Bros. We are aware of rumors circulating regarding a licensing agreement lapsing or some kind of issue with having a real person present in the video game, but this is all just speculation. The truth is that we are removing Mud because he is overpowered, and in all of our internal testing there was no way to reign in his power while staying true to the character. Mud is just too good."Discussed: Mario Tennis Fever, the Mario sports games, Baby Waluigi, Reanimal, various appeals of co-op play, weird stuff, Danganronpa, gamifying visual novels, games with a sense of place, Paranormasight the mermaids curse, underwater game music, Pokemon Black and White anniversary Jake Steinberg's Mario Tennis Fever ReviewBowl of Lentils YouTube ChannelFind us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch, if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.socialFollow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 8 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (00:27) - Mario Tennis Fever | We have the fever (33:06) - Tiding from Kyle and Jenn to Joel K.! (34:03) - Reanimal | Not the norm (45:48) - Break (45:49) - Weird Stuff February (46:14) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc | Febbruary (01:18:11) - Break (01:18:12) - Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse | The visual novel corner (01:35:52) - Pokémon Black and White | NOT a segment (01:40:56) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons, including our Eternal Gratitude members:SuperThisWayNick GStarfallrondoSusan H0nlygh0stsVincent JPatrick KEd AJ-RockSamantha DNorth HeroSam HSnzznJ-RockGregory Mark SCmndr BiscuiticemanChristian HRydan BCaleb HArden FEye of the DuckKaleNathan EJ. H. AjoelchronoMellowMatthew BRobin LPSeekingSeakingJimmerszoey!Vinny MMattKerry KBrian MNoah DZach DChristopher TDHugo WToddChris BLukerfuffleStephen YDaniel GEric FTaran WBrendan OChris ZClayton MZach RDylan NFederico VTigerz RevengeLogan HAlan RJohn AMike LmattjanzzDavid MHeavyPixelsKaleb HTyler JCorey ZSusan HBarry TRobert RChris JBrett Allen HDan SJack SGarrett CjimiiboJohn HDirch FJim EJim WTristan LEvan BAwfulHanzomin2Aaron GJean HTodd Nred_wagonNeilPeter BJohn VvErik MRedmage77Joshua JTony LDanny KGibson GKate Duncan BRichard MDaniel NSeth MJamesAndy HDemoEmmaLyn ECorey TCaleb WJake LJesse WMike TCodesMatt BWesleymebezacAlex LSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseRobert MMichael WAndrewthis_JUSTINRyan O14.3 billion yearsBrendan KMegan BSecretAgentKoalaNoah OArcturusAndrew WhepaheChase ALoveDiesNick QChris MRBKaren HAdam FScott HAlexander SMatt HMurrayDavid PJason KMicah OKamrin HAndrew DKyle SPhilip N  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In So Deep, It's Love Already on Reida Soragakin kepeä romanssi, jossa nörttityttö alkaa fanittaa poikaa, joka piilottelee ujosteluaan äksyilyn alle. Kuulumisissa käymme läpi Japanin-matkamme Tokion-osuuden, lukujonossa taas katsastamme reissulta kertyneen mangasaaliin. Ajankohtaisaiheina raportoimme kuulumiset Desucon Frostbite 2026:sta ja Lappeenrannan Manga Hokusai Manga -näyttelystä sekä puhumme siitä, miten uusi suomalainen mangakustantaja Fuyuki on lisensoinut Dinosaur Sanctuaryn. --- Kommentoi | Bluesky | Mastodon | X | Threads | Instagram --- (01:00) – KUULUMISET: KÄYTIIN JAPANISSA 3/3 – TOKIO – Ikebukuron Sunshine City -ostari – Jirai-kei eli maamiinatyyli – Bataatti-monaka-jäätelö (kuva) – Shoya-izakayaketjun Uenon-liike – CoCo Ichibanya – Shabu-shabu – Ueno – Asakusan Kappabashi-doori (keittiövälinealue) – Senso-ji-temppeli – Asakusan kolme ikonista nähtävyyttä: Skytree, Asahin oluttuoppipäämaja ja kultainen kakka (kuva) – Leiji Matsumoton suunnittelema jokilaiva – Shosen Book Tower – Uenon Ameya Yokochou eli Ameyoko-ostoskatu – Nipporin Yanaka Ginza -ostoskatu – Harajukun Takeshita Street on absoluuttinen ryysishelvetti (kuva) – Harajukun Cat Street on kivempi vaihtoehto nykyisin – Idolish7-crepe (kuva) – Harajukun Kinji Used Clothing -kauppa myy hyvälaatuisia käytettyjä vaatteita – Nipporin Edwin-kauppa – Hotel Balian Resort Shinjuku Glamping – Japanilainen näkemys retkeilystä? (kuva) – Kabukicho – Näyttää siltä, että vain yksi host club Kabukichossa tarjoaa poikia aikuisempaankin makuun (kuva) – Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building – Fuji näkyi rakennuksesta (kuva) – …joskaan emme ehtineet näkemään "timantti-Fujia" – Myös Blue Lock näkyi rakennuksesta (kuva) – Hiroshi Kamiya – Kazuki Ura – Shibuyan Modi-nörttiostoskeskus – The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All -popup-kauppa (kuva) ja sen oheistuotteita (kuva) – Odaiban Small Worlds -pienoismallisisäteemapuisto – Yleiskuvia (Bluesky) – Evangelion-hangaari ja Tokyo (Bluesky) – Tokyo DisneySea – Uusi Fantasy Springs -alue (Bluesky) ja lisätietoja Wikipediassa – Magellan's-ravintola (Bluesky) – Tower of Terror -laite – 20,000 Leagues under the Sea -laite – Sinbad's Storybook Voyage -laite – Showa Kinen -puisto (Google Maps) – Neidonhiuspuiden yövalaistus (kuva) – Lasten leikkimaan sumulaakso (kuva) – Japanilaisen puutarhan ruskanäkymät päivällä ja illalla (Bluesky) – Bonsaimuseo (kuva) (41:36) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: ESITTELY – In So Deep, It's Love Already – Tokyopopin printtijulkaisu kirjoitetaan pilkulla, K Mangan digiversio ilman pilkkua –Sarjan lähtöasetelma (kuva) (44:12) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: PÄÄHENKILÖT JA ROMANSSI – Colleenin X-ketju nykyshoujon isoista trendeistä – Idoli x fani -sarjoja: – Tamon's B-Side – Star⇄Crossed!! (K Manga) – My Idol Sits the Next Desk Over (K Manga) – It Takes More than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love – Gazing at the Star Next Door – Kynsienlakkauskohtaus (kuva) – Leimautunut kuin ankanpoikanen (kuva) – Kametanin mitätön traaginen menneisyys (kuva) – Kirinon mitätön traaginen menneisyys (kuva) – Jakso 42, jossa puhuimme sarjasta Horimiya – Kametani muuttuu täydelliseksi poikaystäväksi (kuva) – Sarjan ensimmäinen kakkospoika Sakurai (kuva) (1:08:32) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: ISOVELI-HIJACK – Ahdistava fritsu äh öh (kuva) – Isoveljen valokuvausharrastus (kuva) – Isoveljen rakkaudentunnustus (kuva) – Isoveli saa Kirinon miettimään tulevaisuuttaan uudella tavalla (kuva) – Jakso 115, jossa puhuimme sarjast You Got Me, Sempai! (1:19:14) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: TYYLI JA VISUAALIT – Kirinolla on paljon hauskoja ilmeitä (kuva) – Isoja tunnehetkiä korostetaan usein tekemällä kuvasta vähän epätarkan näköinen lisäämällä sotkua ääriviivojen ympärille (kuva) – Muutama esimerkki luvunaloituskuvista (kuva) (1:22:46) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: KANNET – Sarjan kannet (1:23:59) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: JULKAISUT – KÄÄNNÖSEROT – Sarja K Mangassa – Jakso 120, jossa puhuimme sarjasta Tower Dungeon – Esimerkkejä käännöseroista: – K Mangan versiossa sanotaan "fangirl" ja "best boy" (kuva) – Tokyopopin versiossa sanotaan "otaku" ja "oshi" (kuva) – Tokyopop myös kääntää "oshittamisen" verbiksi "stannata" (kuva), toisin kuin K Manga (kuva) – Jakso 96, jossa puhuimme sarjasta Fake ja Tokyopopin vanhasta vapaammin sovittavasta käännöstyylistä (1:31:55) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: JULKAISUT – SENSUURI – K Mangan valtavat sensuuripalkit saavat seksuaaliset kohtaukset näyttämään tuhmemmilta kuin ovatkaan (kuva) – Sama kohtaus pokkarijulkaisussa (kuva) – Mielenkiintoista kyllä sensuuripalkkeja ei ole vain raa'asti vedetty kuvien päälle, vaan puhekuplien muodot on huolellisesti säilytetty (1:39:21) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: JULKAISUT – LUVUT VS POKKARIT – Pokkarijulkaisussa on muokattu kohtauksen dialogia ja tunnelmaa verrattuna alun perin julkaistuihin lukuihin: – Kohtaus lukujulkaisussa (johon K Mangan englanninkielinen versio perustuu) (kuva) – Pokkarijulkaisussa Kametanin tilanteenkeskeytys ja Kirinon poisjuokseminen ovat visuaalisesti humoristisemmat, ja dialogia on muutettu niin että Kametani ei sanokaan "en halua mennä pidemmälle", vaan "haluan puhua kanssasi" (kuva) – Jakso 56, jossa puhuimme mangan lukemiskokemuksesta luku kerrallaan vs pokkari kerrallaan – Lukujen väliset stripit ovat kanonisia ja muuttavat lukukokemusta jonkun verran (kuva) – Jakso 84, jossa puhuimme sarjasta Fullmetal Alchemist (1:48:43) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: JAPANIKSI LUKEMINEN – Furiganat auttavat lukemaan kanjeja eli kiinalaisia kirjoitusmerkkejä selittämällä yksinkertaisemmilla kana-merkistöillä auki, miten kanji on tarkoitus lausua – Vanitaksen kirjassa puhutaan kanonisesti ranskaa (Bluesky) (1:58:56) – IN SO DEEP, IT'S LOVE ALREADY: YHTEENVETO – Sarja sisältää hauskan kivaa seksuaalisuuteen tutustumista (kuva) (2:03:10) – DESUCON FROSTBITE 2026: MAARETIN LUENTO – Desucon Frostbite 2026:n ohjelmakartta – Maaretin ohjelma: Ihanan kamalat ongelmalliset parisuhteet BL-mangassa (YouTube) (2:10:42) – DESUCON FROSTBITE 2026: PETTERIN LUENTO – Petterin ohjelma: Japanin erityinen luontosuhde (YouTube) (2:20:51) – DESUCON FROSTBITE 2026: MUUT OHJELMAT – Tyttöys ja sen mieskeskeisyys shoujomangassa (YouTube) – Dandadanin yokait (YouTube) – One Piece - Wano ja onnistunut sovittaminen (YouTube) – Kunniavieras Ryootaroo Okiayu – Petterin cossi Okiayun ääninäyttelemästä Usamimi Kamen -hahmosta Animeconissa 2007 (kuva) – Onegai My Melody on Sanrio-sarja vuodelta 2005 (YouTube) – Mangan epätyypilliset naishahmot – Papa Told Me – Journal with Witch – I Want to Be a Wall – Shiawase wa tabete nete mate – Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? – Apothecary Diariesin historiallisuus ja hierarkiat (YouTube) – Ohjaustekniikat ja leikkaus sarjassa The Summer Hikaru Died (YouTube) – Kiitti supervoimista faija – Vanhemmuus HeroAcassa (YouTube) – Animurot-podcast – Heike Monogatari uudelleenkerrottuna (YouTube) – The Heike Story – Naoko Yamada – Huumori animessa (YouTube) – Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei – BL- ja GL -mangan sovitus live actioniksi (YouTube) – Happy of the End – BL-gachakirjasto – Delivery Cupid – How to Deal When Your Intimidating Neighbor is Actually an Omega (2:46:44) – MANGA HOKUSAI MANGA -NÄYTTELY – Manga Hokusai Manga -näyttely – Yleiskuva näyttelystä (kuva) – Toinen yleiskuva näyttelystä (kuva) – Katsushika Hokusai – Ylen artikkeli – Hokusai Manga oli Hokusain nimissä julkaistu 15-osainen kuvakokoelmajulkaisu, joka popularisoi vielä nykyäänkin käytettävän sanan "manga" – Vaikka sanan "manga" (漫画) ensimmäinen kanji "man" (漫) on perinteisesti käännetty sen modernin merkityksen mukaan "huolimaton" tai "hullunkurinen", on kyseessä tulkintavirhe – 1800-luvun kontekstissa parempi käännös olisi "kokoelma" tai "valikoima" – Hokusain julkaisuja voi selata netissä – Yhtymäkohta moderniin mangaan löytyi piirtämisen kodifioinnista ja piirto-oppaista (kuva) – Manganpiirto-oppaita vuosikymmenien varrelta (kuva) – Hokusai teki muitakin piirto-oppaita – Näyttelyn isoin visuaalinen elementti olivat Sawa Sakuran tekemät potretit Hokusaista ja hänen lähipiiristään – Hokusain omakuva ja Sakuran tekemä piirros hänestä (kuva) – Sakuran sarja Momo & Manji – O-Ei, Hokusain tytär (kuva) – Elokuvat Miss Hokusai ja Hokusai's Daughter perustuvat molemmat mangaan Sarusuberi – Utagawa Kuniyoshi, toinen saman aikakauden kuuluisa taiteilija (kuva) – Tetsuzoo Okadaya (joka haluaa että hänen nimensä kirjoitetaan "Tetuzoh"), The Man of Tangon tekijä, on itse asiassa valinnut nimimerkkinsäkin Hokusain aiemmin käyttämän taiteilijanimen "Tetsuzoo" mukaan – Hokusai esiintyy hahmona myös mangoissa Blade of the Immortal, Kazuo Kamimuran Kyojin kankei ja Shotaro Ishinomorin Hokusai – Efektiviivojen käyttöä Hokusain puupiirrostaiteessa (kuva) – Puhe- ja ajatuskuplia aikakauden puupiirrostaiteessa (kuva) – Isobe Isobee Monogatari, vuosina 2013-2017 ilmestynyt Shonen Jump -sarja… – …jonka keskeinen vitsi on se, että se on piirretty 1800-luvun tyyliin (kuva) – Futatsu Makura, vuonna 1986 ilmestynyt kaksipokkarinen manga… – …jonka idea on se, että piirrostyyli matkii aina nimenomaisesti jonkun tietyn Edo-kauden puupiirrostaiteilijan yksilöllistä tyyliä (kuva) – Tetsuzoo Okadayan lyhäri (kuva) – Haruko Ichikawan lyhäri (kuva) – Näyttelyesittelykansio oli todella vaikeasti luettavaa tekstiä, ja lisäksi todennäköisesti konekäännetty (kuva) (3:18:52) – DINOSAUR SANCTUARY – Uusi mangakustantaja Fuyuki – Ubunchu – Dinosaur Sanctuary – Kuulemma Lehtipisteen kanssa on käyty jo keskusteluja (Bluesky) (3:22:15) – KUULIJAKOMMENTTI: OMPPUPOMPPU – Kaiju No. 8, josta puhuimme lukujonossa jaksossa 35 –Contradict tekijältä Kamome Oshima (3:28:40) – LUKUJONOSSA: OSTOKSET JAPANISTA – Sutosuto – Stalker ga stalker sareteru hanashi – Manga UP!:issa nimellä Stalker Stalks Stalker – Kuma to usagi wa tomodachi de wa irenai – Himokuzu Hana-kun wa shinatagari – K Mangassa nimellä Hana-kun Can't Live Without Me – Tokoton kuzuna Watarase nanoni – Lulu's Hellhouse – 1999 Shanghai – Shinyuu no "dousei shite" ni "un"te iu made – Oni wa kyou mo ame wo matsu – Ryokudo nasu – Pinky Nightmare – Ore no seito wa kawaikunai – The Betrayer's Love Song – Sasaki and Miyano – Gakuran naka made sawatte hoshii (3:44:13) – LOPETUS

For the first regular episode of the year (excepting our New Year's recap) we take a look at the New Year Traditions at Temmu's court.  How did the court celebrate the New Year in the late 7th century? For more, check out our blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-141 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 141: Temmu's New Year's Traditions   The chill winter air meant that most of the assembled crowd had donned multiple layers of robes.  Men and women had assembled together, upon the open, rock-covered courtyard, both to see and be seen.  To the north and east of the courtyard were the walls and gates of the buildings that made up the royal palace, the rooves of the buildings just visible beyond the gates. The onlookers stood arrayed around the open lanes that had been created for the event—at one end of the rocky field were targets, while at the other were archers, also arrayed in their finest outfits.  While technically they wore hunting robes, cut to allow greater movement in the arm, many of these fabrics had no business being anywhere near a moor or the dirt of open fields.  After all, this wasn't just some hunt:  They were demonstrating their skills in the center of the State.  At the officials' command, the archers let loose their arrows.  The crowd murmured at the soft crack of the bowstring, the faint whisper of arrow as the fletchings cut through the air, and the thud as the arrows struck their targets.  Looking downrange, approval bubbled through the crowd: the targets were well-struck.  Behind the archers on the field, another group awaited their turn. The events of the day would be the talk of the court, from the lowest clerk to the highest prince , for days to come.   Not just the well-placed shot, but also the grace and poise of the one who had let loose an arrow of particular note.  And heaven forbid an arrow miss its target.  Even kicking up stones or scraping the earth could have negative social consequences.  A particularly good showing could inspire poetry, and beyond the prizes being offered to the winner, could also bring notice to those from more obscure backgrounds. The new year had just started, and a good performance might be just what was needed to help put the rest of the year on a good footing.     Welcome back!  This is the first episode of the new year, 2026, and we are still going through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno, covering the period from 672 to 686. Before we get started, though, a quick shout out to Suzuki for supporting us on Patreon.  It means a lot and helps us keep this thing going.  If you would like to support us or our efforts to maintain the website, where we also have the Armor manual, clothing, and a miscellany on various topics, we have information at Sengokudaimyo.com and we will have more information at the end of this and every episode.  Support is appreciated as I really do want to try and minimize ads—I don't put any into the podcast myself, though some platforms may place ads around the podcast, which I cannot always control.  Now we've covered a lot this reign, but this episode we are going to cover three things in particular.  First off, and perhaps a bit of a tangent, we'll talk about some of the issues with the Chronicles when it comes to reading it,especially in translation.  It seems quite clear to me that even the sources that the Chroniclers were using weren't always in agreement with each other on how they spelled certain things or even in properly recording when things happened. After that we'll cover the major topics of this episode, focusing primarily on the New Year traditions of the court—we'll look at the major events of the first month for each year in the reign, allowing us to see some of the similarities, and differences. Finally, we'll look at the last year of Ohoama's reign, particularly as he grew ill, because it can be a fascinating question:  What did people do when disease struck before we had modern medicine?  Here the Chronicles reveal a lot about not only the beliefs of the time, but of their syncretism: how people were willing to reach out to whatever power they could in order to cure disease.  Whether it was Yin-yang divination, beseeching the local kami, or attempting to make merit, all of these things were on the table when it came to illness and mortality. And so, let's get into it. One of the first things I want to talk about is the problem that we have in trying to read the Chronicles, both in the way they are written and then the translation issue on top of that.  Even in Japanese the Chronicles have to be translated out of an ancient form of kanbun—basically a Japanese version of Chinese, using Sinitic characters.  Like any document written by non-native speakers, the Chronicles have their idiosyncrasies that make it different from what someone in Chang'an might be writing at the same time.  There are times and places where it is clear that something is meant to be read in the Japanese pronunciation, which itself was different from modern Japanese.  Add to this the fact that there are many times that different Sinitic characters sound alike in Japanese—especially in modern Japanese.  So any English translation of the Chronicles which doesn't give the actual characters in the source text can add to the confusion.  This is why I like to consult either the Japanese Historical Text Initiative or an electronic version of the National History series text—though even those have issues at times when the characters used in the text don't exist in modern character sets, though that seems to be less and less of a problem. One example I want to give of the complexities of reading the Chronicles, and the need to dive deeper into the original language and consult multiple versions, is a set of records for Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others.  He is our first mention of a member of the Ki family: on the 9th day of the 8th month of 673, the first year since Ohoama's ascension and one year after the Jinshin no Ran, we are told that Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others were given favors and rewards for their service during the war in Iga province.  Indeed, Ki no Omi no Abemaro is listed prominently in the records of the Jinshin no Ran and appears to have been one of the generals for Ohoama and the Yoshino faction in general.  Less than a year later, on the 28th day of the 2nd month, Ki no Omi no Abemaro died and was posthumously awarded the rank of Daishi, which was 5th from the top in the old system of 26 ranks.  A rather respectable rank, to be sure. Later that same year we get a note that Ki no Omi no KATAmaro—another member of the family, apparently--was appointed, along with a "Prince Mino" as a commissioner for the erection of the Great Temple of Takechi. Two years later, however, we get a record on the 22nd day of the 4th month of 676 that the sovereign, Ohoama, sent an order to the Governor of Mino telling him to let the children of Ki no Omi no Abemaro, resident in the district of Toki, be removed to the East country and become peasants in that country.  On the face of it, this appears to be an incredible fall from grace.  Ki no Omi no Abemaro is basically one of the top generals and heroes of the Jinshin no Ran, but his children are so unruly that they are banished to the East and stripped of their noble status?  There has to be a story there, right? Then in 679, on the 3rd day of the 2nd month, we are told that Ki no Omi no Katamaro died.  For his service in the Jinshin War he received the posthumous rank of Upper Daikin.  That would have been roughly the 7th rank—two below Ki no Abemaro.  So was the Ki family back in the good graces of the court?  What is going on? First off, when we go to the original text, we see that Aston, whose translation of the Nihon Shoki we've been working on Ihas made an apparent error in translation.  Remember, Aston was translating the Chronicles back in 1896, without the aid of modern computers, along with a lot of other research that has happened since then, and I can hardly fault him for missing things here and there.  This is why, if you cannot check the original, you may want to also look at the new translation from John Bentley.  Here we can see that he translates the name not as "Ki no Omi no Abemaro", but rather that of "Ki no Omi no KASAmaro".  And if we compare Ki no Omi no KaSAmaro with the previous entry on Ki no Omi no KaTAmaro we can see that these are actually the exact same names except for a single character.  Which leads us to the question:  Are these the same person, and the scribes simply miswrote one of the characters in the name?  It may not even be on the Chroniclers so much as whatever texts they were, themselves, working on.  This isn't helped by the fact that we later on see another entry for Ki no KATAmaro, but that one uses character for "KATA", meaning "hard", using the kun'yomi, or Japanese reading, rather than using two phonetic characters in the on'yomi reading.  So is this just another way to write "KATAmaro" or is this a different person altogether? Ultimately, we cannot be entirely sure.  It does seem wild that there would be two "Ki no Omi no Katamaro" at court at the same time and nobody otherwise distinguished the two.  The question about KaSAmaro and KaTAmaro, and whose kids were sent into exile, is a bit harder to untangle. And, truth be told, it is ultimately a minor point.  We have only a couple of lines here, and maybe these passages will help illuminate something later in the histories, but for now, they are just fragments of the story of what was happening.  Parts of the tattered tapestry from which the royal history was ripped out and restitched together, the rest of the story largely discarded, unless it made its way to us through other means. The Chronicles may be flawed, but they are still our main source for the period, and while we might challenge individual items, we still get a glimpse at how things operated back at this time.  For instance, if we look at the events happening around the New Year, we can see some common threads. The New Year is an important tradition in many cultures.  Whether it was a solar or lunar cycle—or some combination—the new year indicated a new cycle, and was often accompanied by associated symbols and rituals.  Today in the US it is often celebrated with fireworks and champagne, followed by making resolutions for the new year.  In Japan, people will often go to their local shrine or temple for an important first visit, and temple bells will ring out 108 times. Another tradition is the osechi-ryori, the  traditional new years foods.  This has grown over time from a tradition of eating a large bowl of rice to various other foods that are seen as auspicious or having special properties, such as the hardening of teeth—a major concern before the era of modern dental hygiene!  Then there are traditions such as the Kagami Biraki, or opening of the mirror, and the creation of special mochi, or rice cakes for the purpose.  Of course all of these traditions started somewhere and have evolved over time, so what do we know about the New Year celebrations during the late 7th century? One caveat: in the Chronicles, we only really see what was happening in the court, and the Yamato court at that.  There may have been local traditions that others were following that, unless we find documentation about them, we likely would never know.  But many of the court traditions were passed down to later generations. These traditions appear to include the giving of gifts; large, celebratory banquets; and the annual archery tournament. Banquets are some of the first and most common things we see.  We see a banquet as Ohoama assumed the throne in 673—which probably was the event that overshadowed anything else they might have done that year.  The following year, 674, there doesn't seem to have been much recorded, and I wonder if they were still pulling everything together after the turmoil of Ohoama's ascension.  And so it is that in the first month of 675 we really get to see the annual new year's events in their full form.  On the second day of that year, from the Royal Princes on down, all of the public functionaries presented their respects to the sovereign.  I suspect that this was a large ceremony, where everyone gathered in the courtyard of the palace together or something similar, not that each person individually went up and presented their respects—I doubt Ohoama would have wanted to sit through all of that.  Also, as we've already seen, there were limits on what parts of the palace different functionaries were allowed to enter.  So some of these well-wishers may have been "outside", others in the courtyard, and others in the palace building itself, depending on their rank and importance in the bureaucratic hierarchy. On the following day, all public functionaries, from the initial rank upwards, presented firewood.  Aston notes that this is the first mention of what would become a yearly practice.  Firewood may not seem like much, but it would have likely been important to keeping things running, especially given how early people were supposed to arrive at the palace and administrative complex each day.  This wasn't firewood for a fireplace—they didn't have those—but probably would have been used either for cooking or, I suspect, for the large braziers that burned with wood and pitch to light the darkness, particularly in the winter months.  Firewood could also be processed into smaller pieces of coal for other uses.  It is interesting that for the first ceremony, the Chronicles describe the court from the Royal Princes on down, while for the giving of firewood the order is from the initial—which is to say the lowest—ranks upwards.  This could indicate the order in which things progressed in these cases. Several days after that, on the 7th day of the first month, a banquet was given at court for the Ministers—so only the higher ranking functionaries.  But ten days later, on the 17th, everyone of rank—the Ministers of State; the Daibu, or high officials; and all of the public functionaries from the initial rank upwards had an archery meeting in the Court of the Western Gate. Archery and archery contests had been important to the Yamato people for ages—and the same on the continent.  Confucius, in his day, suggested that archery was a martial skill that even nobles should cultivate.  I believe we've noted before how archery could be used both for warfare and for just feeding your family.  As such, it was considered a particularly useful skill for just about everyone to have.  It probably also helped that it was a martial skill that noblemen and others could use to show off without actually risking any injury to themselves in the process.  I'm just saying.  And as we described at the top of the episode, this particular archery contest would, for both participants and spectators, likely have been a chance to show off the top of their game, whether in martial prowess, clothing, or behavior. And since we are looking at the new year's celebrations, let's keep this going and look at later years in Ohoama's reign. As I go through these you'll start to see the patterns, where the events I've just described will generally recur year after year, but not identically, sometimes with a shuffle in the schedule. In 676, we see that the Ministers and public functionaries pay their respects on the first day of the new year.  On the 4th day, the sovereign granted gifts to the higher level officials, from Royal Prince Takechi, down to the high officials, or Daibu, of Shoukin rank.  Their not so secret Santa gifts included robes, hakama, lined garments, obi for their waist, leg straps, and staves, or walking sticks.  We are also told that everyone above the rank of Shoukin also got an armrest thrown in, as well.  Further gifts or grants were given out several days later, on the 7th, to everyone from Shoukin on up, based on their individual circumstances.  Then, on the 15th, we again see all of the functionaries present firewood and then they were all entertained at a court banquet. The following day they held the annual new year's archery contest, with prizes, at the court of the western gate.  Those who hit the target received prizes of different values.  In his recent translation of the Nihon Shoki, Bentley references Kuroita on Article 41 of Miscellaneous Statutes, saying that this archery event was apparently a regular new year's occurrence, and even the prizes were noted as varying over time. The same day they held the archery contest, that year, Ohoama held a banquet at the Shima Palace.  Shima was the name given to the Soga Prime Minister, back in the day, so I assume that this was at or near the site of the old Soga residence? In 677, by comparison, we don't see nearly as much referenced.  There is archery at the South Gate, vice the west gate, but that is it.  The festivities in 678 similarly only talk about the archery at the south gate.  There is also mention of a preparation for worshipping the kami of heaven and earth, for which a purification was held throughout the state.  In addition, an abstinence palace, or saiguu, was erected on the bank of the Kurahashi river.  Kurahashi appears to refer to a tributary of the Ohara river, in Sakurai.  This feels less like a New Year's celebration, however, and more like a sign of merit-making.  The Saiguu would have likely been to prepare for a trip to Ise shrine, and three months later Ohoama was preparing to go to the Saiguu, but that is when Princess Towochi suddenly died, and they scuttled the plans. In 679, the court greeted the New Year with a new decree.  Ohoama declared that Princes, Ministers, and public functionaries—anyone in service to the government, basically, were to refrain from paying respects during New Years or other ceremonies to anyone except relatives of the grade of elder brother, elder sister, and above, or to the senior members of the Houses.  Princes weren't even to pay respects to their own mothers unless they were, themselves, princesses.  Ministers were likewise not to pay respects to their mothers if they were of "mean" rank.  In other words, if they were commoners. These kinds of statutes are interesting.  First of all, you ask yourself why?  In all likelihood, there were various local traditions and individuals paid respects to their parents as well as to others to whom they owed respect for one reason or another.  Here the State is ordering society such that there is a clear hierarchy, at least among the members of the court.   Since women often found advancement by marrying up, it was usual for one's mother to have been born a lower rank in society than oneself.  And so we see them enforcing the social order. That new order was based on Confucian concepts of hierarchy, and this seems to go along with those same ideas. What we don't really see is how this was enforced—if at all.  The day after that, the yearly archery competition took place at the West Gate of the palace. The next year, 680, we see a New Year's Banquet at the Court of the Great Hall.  Ohoama himself occupied the Mukai-kodono, which appears to refer to one of the smaller wings.  Based on the palace layout that we see in the posthole remains, this probably means that he was set up in the smaller wing, likely in a more intimate space, while most of the other guests were in the large hall, maintaining that crucial separation of sovereign and subjects. This New Year's archery event included Princes of the Blood all the way down to the rank of Shouken—the very lowest rank in the court—and it was held at the South Gate. You may be noticing a pattern, that the archery competition is listed as being held at either the south or west gates.  The south gate probably refers to the main gate of the later Okamoto—aka the Kiyomihara—palace.  The West gate refers to the west gate of the Ebinoko enclosure.   We talked about these and the general layout of the palace back in Episode 134, and you can check out that podcast blog post for some images of what things looked like, as well.  These gates were on the north and east sides of a large, rectangular courtyard, which was likely the actual event location.  So it isn't as if these were separate areas, just a difference of where things were set up in what was otherwise the same relative space. The following year, 681, we see similar ceremonies.  We see offerings made to the kami of Heaven and Earth, and we once again see a note about various functionaries paying their respects at court.  Even though this wasn't mentioned every year, it could have been an annual thing and just wasn't always recorded so the Chroniclers just wrote down what they had records for.  There are certainly other things we don't necessarily witness in the records, such as the annual promotions and promulgations.  We see irregular promotions, of course, such as on someone's passing, but the regular administration of the government and promotions of people to new positions is not something we really see regularly documented, since it doesn't really shed much light on the sovereign and the royal household.  And so we sometimes see things if they get mentioned, but otherwise we only see glimpses.  That would change as records became more administrative and the histories were more about simply recording what was happening—though still from a particular angle.  At this point, however, we aren't dealing with a single court record, but rather with numerous records, stories, and recollections.  That same year, 681, we also see another banquet, with Ohoama situated in the Mukai no Kodono, while the Princes of the Blood and non-royal Princes were both introduced into the inner reception chamber.  Ministers attended in the outer reception chamber.  They all received sake and musical performances, and rank advancements were given out.  Kusakabe no Kihi no Ohogata was graduated from the rank of Upper Daisen to Lower Daikin, and given the title of Naniwa no Muraji.  A few days later, Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwazumi was granted a fief with 60 horses and received presents of coarse silk, floss silk, cloth, and one hundred mattocks—the last one being a rather interesting gift, I have to admit.  Of course, in true Chronicles fashion, we have no idea why these gifts were made—we don't even have another reference to Iwazumi around there, but he must have done something. We are later told that there was the annual archery shoot, and then a decree, possibly unrelated to New Years, that the various provinces were ordered to repair the shrines to the kami of heaven and earth. The year 682 is an anomaly.  There is no mention of a banquet, nor of an archery tournament.  I wonder if this may have to do with some of the sad events of that first month.  While it started fine—Toneri no Miyatsuko no Nukamushi was raised from Daisen to Lower Shoukin—we are told that on the 18th, Lady Higami, one of Ohoama's consorts, died in the palace.  The next day there was an earthquake, and she was buried on the 27th.  A prominent illness and death may have put a pall on the ceremonies, and could explain why we don't see any mention of them for that year. It is also possible that some of this New Year tradition had become so routine that people were no longer commenting on it, and therefore the Chroniclers weren't including references to it. The following year, in 683, we again see the functionaries paying their respects.  We also see the presentation of a three legged sparrow by the Viceroy of Tsukushi, Tajihi no Mabito no Shima, along with others.  A three legged sparrow would have been something: it is reminiscent of the three legged crow, often depicted in the sun.  It is unclear if it was still alive, but that wasn't the point.  They invited the Princes of the Blood down to the Ministers to great hall, the Daigokuden, for a banquet, where the three legged sparrow was displayed. .  Later that month, Ohoama issued a decree in regards to all of the auspicious omens and made presents to everyone, from Shouken rank upwards.  There was also a general amnesty—all crimes were pardoned, from capital offenses on down, and all forced labor was remitted, so that people didn't have to provide the normal service.  The phrasing for this particular entry is intriguing.  Ohoama is mentioned as Yamato Neko Sumera no Mikoto and is specifically called a "God Incarnate".  This is one of the rare times that we see the Chronicles explicitly call out the sovereign as a living deity.  Of course, they trace the royal lineage back to Amaterasu, but there isn't a lot suggesting that the sovereign is necessarily a deity. And in reality, this was probably something that was more honorific than anything else.  Heck, at times in Japanese history we would see sovereigns selling their calligraphy to help keep the royal palace funded while warriors went around actually being in charge of things.  However, this divine language did show up in the 19th and 20th century, especially as the Tennou, now called Emperor in English terminology, once again was recognized as the Head of State, and people would actually pray to him.  Not necessarily like praying at a shrine, but out of respect.  And remember, a lot of time the Tennou was kept out of sight of regular people and hidden, much like the way that the kami were treated.  The concept of the Emperor's divinity was very much tied up in the elevation of the State and the general sense of Nationalism that had gripped Japan in the early half of the 20th century.  And so the allies quite explicitly had Emperor Showa renounce his divinity after Japan  World War II. Those studying Japanese history have probably heard of this concept, and so it is interesting to see evidence of it here, as well as the nature of the royal house, where the sovereign is kept at a distance from those of lower rank, unless they are directly serving him.  But it was not as though the sovereign was a god in the sense of being all powerful.  Even if he were considered a living, visible kami, the kami were not omnipotent, and there was no getting over the fact that our particular sovereign, Ohoama, was getting older.  Only a year or so earlier, he had suffered a rather bad illness, so he clearly was not invincible.  And it is of course possible that this language was simply royal exaggeration, rather than any attempt to define the sovereign as something more than he was.  Still, that concept would continue to play a part throughout Japanese history. The same day in 683 that Ohoama issued the pardons, we are told that there was a special performance at the Woharida Court of dance and music from Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla—the "Three Countries" of the Korean peninsula, even if only one of them was still going strong.  The Woharida palace is thought to have been north, along the banks of the Asuka River.  It may have been moved over time—there appears to have been a palace in the Furumiya area, near Toyoura, but there is also evidence of a palace by a shared name over by Ikazuchi-no-oka, on the other side of the river.  Excavations at Ikazuchi no oka revealed pottery with the name of the palace, suggesting that this was the site, but even then, that pottery was from the later Tempyo era.  Regardless, it seems that the Asuka valley was just chock full of palaces, new and old, though the older ones were not as regularly used for government functions, one assumes. The following year, 684, we again get told about the annual archery shoot.  It took place in the Eastern court this time, with Ministers in attendance.  Apparently they had men skilled in archery shooting alongside palace attendants and little people—the word used in Japanese is "Shuju" or "Hikihito".  This word is often translated as "dwarf"; it appears to be a derogatory term for anyone considered short of stature, though it is also used to refer more generally to those seen as either lacking wit or to actors and performers. This isn't the first time we see the term.  Back in 675, about 9 years prior, Ohoama had sent orders to a number of regions near the capital, from Awaji to Tamba, to Afumi and to Mino and Wohari, among others, to send as tribute common people who could sing, shuju—or dwarfs—and jugglers.  More generally they seem to be referring to entertainers, and it strikes me that could be what is meant here.  Either way, the entertainment industry was hardly a lucrative one, and we can see that performers are almost more of a commodity, to be "paid" as tribute, rather than a professional who is "hired" to work.  I suspect that, as in many other times and places, individuals who were shorter than average often found work as entertainers in this sense—whether they wished it or not. The year 685 we don't see any mention of archery, though it probably still happened.  Instead the Chronicles focus on the various government officials paying their respects to their sovereign.  The rest of the entries for the month are largely concerned with changes to the rank system as of that year. The year 686, we get the last records of various new years festivals—four months later, the sovereign would grow terribly ill, and he would eventually pass away later that year.  However, for those still celebrating the new year in 686, that was all in the future. The last year of Ohoama's reign started out relatively like others. Ohoama went to the Daigokuden, the Great Hall of Audience, and gave a banquet to the Princes and High Officials.  There he decided to have something of a riddle challenge.  He would ask riddles, and then offer prizes for the correct answer. And no, unfortunately we don't have any of the riddles, at least that I have seen.  Aston calls these "conundrums" and notes that they are specifically nonsensical questions, and provides examples such as "Why does a horse, after a rapid run, listen to the earth? Why does a dog, when he goes slowly, raise his leg?"  Ohoama's son, Prince Takechi, answered correctly, and so did Prince Ise.  Their prizes differed in content, but in both cases were pretty extensive.  The winners received ceremonial robes, brocade or purple hakama, numerous bolts of coarse silk, many pounds of thread, hundreds of pounds of flossed Silk, and hundreds of bolts of cloth. I think that makes it quite a bit more lucrative than any of the quiz nights I've ever been to. Later that month, there was another banquet, this time for nine Buddhist monks of Daikan-daiji. Besides its status as a national temple, this may have also been related to the year before, when Ohoama had fallen ill, and prayers had been offered at Daikandaiji for his recovery.  The courthad likewise provided gifts to the temple in the last month of the previous year, and then, at the banquet, gave to the attending monks silk and cloth, based on their rank. But that wasn't the end of the gifts.  The following day the Princes and High Officials all received upper garments and hakama—likely referring to official garments—each getting one suit, each. Then, on the 13th day of the new year, the court invited 20 exceptional individuals to a banquet.  These were talented people, professors, divination specialists, and physicians.  They were also wined and dined and presented various gifts. On the 16th day, the Princes and High Officials were then invited to a banquet in the Daigokuden.  They were given gifts of silk and cloth, based on their rank.  Then they held another riddle competition, with correct answers rewarded with gifts of coarse and flossed silk. This was only a short time after disaster had struck, though a bit removed—two days earlier, in the evening, the royal storehouse at Naniwa had caught fire, eventually burning the entire Toyosaki palace complex to the ground.  Some claimed that it was actually started at a private residence,  that of Ato no Muraji no Kusuri, and then spread to the Palace.  In the end, only the military storehouse was spared. This would have been quite the tragedy for the government, but it did not halt the festivities happening down in Asuka.  The Naniwa Palace appears to have been a major government center for the administration of the state, but it was not the royal court which had been in Asuka for over a decade.  Indeed, I imagine that the news probably reached Asuka around the time of the Banquet itself. And yet, rather than putting a damper on the festivities, they continued another couple of days – presumably everything was already prepared and there was no point in canceling.  On the 17th, the court sponsored a banquet in the rear palace, presumably for the Queen and members of the imperial family.  Then the following day there was a great revel at the palace.  Ohoama took his place in front of the royal muro and made presents to performers, as well as to the singers.  As before everything varied according to rank. Asuka wasn't the only place to get in on the festivities.  The same month, the court also sponsored a banquet for the Silla envoys in Tsukushi, sending Prince Kawachi and others. Regrettably, that would be the last new year that Ohoama would see.  In the fifth month, he grew ill, and what we see in the Chronicles after that is an interesting look into how people of the time dealt with sickness. First, the court had the Sutra of Yakushi expounded at Kawaradera and held a Buddhist retreat in the palace, inviting monks to come and expound Buddhist teachings.  Yakushi, or Yakushi Nyorai—Bhaisajyaguru in Sanskrit—was known as the Medicine Buddha, and his name in Sinitic characters was basically "Master of Medicine".  It is said that he was responsible for the Eastern Pure Land, and that, as a Bodhisattva, he had made 12 great vows to cure the illnesses of all living beings in the world.  For that reason, Yakushi Nyorai was often called upon to cure illness.  In fact, six years earlier, when the Queen, Uno no Sarara Hime, had taken ill, Ohoama erected an entire temple to Yakushi Nyorai, known as Yakushiji.  He then had 100 people take vows as priests, and they attributed her recovery to this effort. In this case, however, it seems that it didn't have quite such an effect, and Ohoama remained under the weather.  We are also told that the court sent Palace Attendants, the Oho-toneri, to clean the pagodas of various temples and that a general amnesty was announced for all under heaven, emptying the prisons.  All of this points to the idea of making merit in the hope of bringing good karma, and thus healing. But the following month, Ohoama was still ill.  Divination was performed by the Onmyoji, the court diviners, and they claimed that there was a curse from Kusanagi, the sword that is considered one of the three main royal symbols.  This is the sword that was said to have been found by Susanowo in the tale of Yamata no Worochi, and which gained its name, Kusanagi, when used by Yamato Takeru, cutting down the grass to save him when his enemies tried to catch him by setting fire to the field where he was hunting.  For more on that, check out Episodes 34 and 35. Given the importance of Kusanagi, I suspect that the idea of destroying it to remove the curse was out of the question, and so it was sent to Atsuta Shrine, where it was enshrined and would largely stay except when needed for enthronement ceremonies.  And yet, even after the sword was taken away, the illness remained.  Six days later, on the 16th day of the 6th month, the court sent Prince Ise and officials to Asukadera and asked the monks there to make and oath with the Buddha to make Ohoama whole through the power of the Three Treasures of Buddhism.   For their work, the three Buddhist Officers, the Master of the Law, and the Upadhyaya and temple directors, as well as those monks with the rank of "master" each received a donation of one robe and one cover, or "Ohi". Three days later, the court ordered the hundred officials to go to Kawaradera and perfom the ceremony of lighting lanterns and giving offerings to Buddha.  Then they held a great feast and offered repentance for their transgressions.  All of this sounds like a continued attempt to make merit for the state, and thus for Ohoama. We then see the court granting the monks Hounin and Gishou 30 stipend-households to provide for them in their old age, which may be more merit-making, or possibly was related to some of the many other activities so far.  There are a few issues with this entry, and Aston and Bentley don't seem to agree on the actual date.  Bentley has it on the 28th, but that seems odd as it comes before the entry for the 22nd of the same month.  Aston has it as the 20th, but then claimes that there is something odd about the date of the 22nd. On the 22nd, we are simply told that the district kitchen of Nabari caught fire.  Aston notes that this would have been the official government arm in the district gathering food to supply the royal household—rather than being a kitchen in terms of a place to prepare food. Merit-making continued into the 7th month.  We see the Soujou and Soudzu, the primary and secondary prelates of the Asukadera, performing ritual repentance.  The following day there is another general amnesty, and Aston specifically mentions performing a Oho-harai, or cleansing. The day after taxes were halved from the provinces and corvee labor with local conscripted labor was exempted for the year.  Then we see the court presenting paper offerings to the Kunikasu Kami in Ki provinces, as well as the four shrines in Asuka and the Great Suminoe—aka Sumiyoshi—shrine. On the 8th day of the 7th month, 100 monks were invited to the court to read the Golden Light Sutra—Konkoymyou kyou.  And on the 15th there was another court issued amnesty. Despite all of these attempts to make merit and intercede with the Buddha or with various kami, Ohoama's illness continued.  We see that the court issued a decree that all things that should occur, great or small, should be reported to the queen and the crown prince—presumably because Ohoama was no longer in a state to be able to do so. Continuing with their efforts, the court declared that destitute commoners who had been forced to borrow rice seed or money before the 12th month of the previous year would be exempted from repayment.  And then the court changed the name of the year to Akami-tori, or Shuuchou.  They also renamed the palace in Asuka to "Kiyomihara"—again, go check Episode 134 for more on the palace.  "Shuuchou" is the Red Bird, likely referring to Suzaku, though Aston also points out that "Asuka" here is given as "flying bird", as well, and there had been numerous bird-related omens reported throughout the reign. Although these names would not have been used prior to this point—the 7th month of the final year of the reign—the Chroniclers applied the nengo, Shuuchou, to all of the entries for this year, and the name of the palace is often given as "Kiyomihara" is given to distinguish it from the Later Okamoto Palace, even though it was simply the latter palace with the addition of the Ebinoko enclosure. The changing of the era name was likely another attempt to change the seemingly inauspicious year, along with all of the merit-making that the court had been undergoing. And yet they kept going. The court selected 70 people who were diligent in keeping Buddhist laws and had them take the tonsure, and they sponsored a feast—or festival—in the Royal Muro of the Palace. At the same time the various princes had a statue of the Boddhisatva of Compassion, Kannon, made for the sovereign and had the Lotus sutra—the sutra where Kannon is first mentioned—read out at Daikandaiji. Kannon, or Avalokitesvara, was originally seen as a male Boddhisatva, but is often depicted as a woman.  They are also known as Guanyin, from which we get Kannon in Japanese.  Guanyin is also seen as Goddess of Mercy, and is one of the most popular figures across multiple sects of Buddhism and even outside of the Buddhist faith, where she is still seen as a goddess.  In this case, however, it seems clear that the princes were seeking compassion to relieve the sovereign of his affliction. And yet it persisted. They had 80 more people take the tonsure, and then 100 more men and women, placed 100 statues of the Boddhisatva, Kannon, in the palace, and then read out 200 volumes of the Lotus Sutra. And then they made prayers to the kami of Heaven and Earth.  And they dispatched Hata no Imiki no Iwakatsu to present paper offerings to the Tosa great shrine.  Nothing seemed to be working. In the 9th month, we see the royal princes and others, down to the various ministers, all gathered at Kawaradera making oaths for the health of the sovereigns.  This last ditch effort would go unrewarded.  Five days later, and Ohoama would pass away.  Of course, they couldn't just say that he died:  The Chronicles actually say that he divinely departed.  After all, didn't they call him an incarnate kami? Two days later, the court began the ritual of mourning, raising voices in lamentation, and setting up a temporary palace of interment in the courtyard, south of the palace.  Ohoama's body was placed there some thirteen days later, and people mourned his passing. For the rituals, we see monks and nuns performing ritual lamentation in the courtyard between 3 and 5 am, around the time that court officials would normally be waiting at the gates.  Over the next several days, various ceremonies were held and eulogies given.  We are told that the court presented offerings of food for the dead for the first time, and over the next several days monks and nuns would offer their laments and then various individuals would provide their eulogies.  Finally, on the last day of the ninth month, the eulogies concluded with Nyang-u, a Baekje prince, who pronounced a eulogy on behalf of his father, and then the Miyatsuko of various provinces came and did likewise.  There were also performances of all manner of singing and dancing. With that, the reign of Ohoama would come to an end.  The government would continue under his wife, the Queen, and Crown Prince.  We'll get into the succession in a later episode.  For now I'll just say that he was eventually buried in a large tomb in the modern Noguchi area of Asuka, and you can still go see it. And while that does bring us to the end of the reign, we still have a few more things that I want to discuss.   This episode just seemed a good time to talk about all of the various new years ceremonies, and that seemed to lead naturally into the very last year, but there is still more to discuss.  For one thing, we still haven't quite covered the spread of Buddhism and the changes in the structure.  There are also various laws and punishments that are worth covering.  Finally, there are the Chronicles themselves: we've talked about it all along, but the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki are attributed to this era, as is the start of what would become the capital of Fujiwara-kyo—many works that Ohoama would not live to see to the end, but is largely held responsible for starting. But until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz dives deep into Kirby Air Riders on Nintendo Switch 2. Directed by Masahiro Sakurai, this exclusive sequel to the 2003 GameCube classic launched November 20, 2025, as a complete, non-live-service title with no DLC planned. Post-launch support ends soon after a final balance patch following Version 1.2.0, which adjusted every kart, one rider, and fixed bugs. Sakurai confirmed the team will disband, aiming for lasting balance.Sales show regional contrasts: Japan dominated with #1 retail debut at 195,594 physical copies (Famitsu), strong Week 2 performance, and top eShop rankings fueled by Kirby loyalty and heavy marketing. US digital charts placed it high alongside major titles, reflecting digital strength. UK/Europe lagged at #12 boxed launch, impacted by $70 pricing, large download, crowded window, and spin-off positioning.Early global estimates exceed 300,000 units, projecting 2-4 million lifetime—surpassing the original's 1.35 million. Featuring 20+ riders/machines, 18 tracks, modes like City Trial (16-player online), Road Trip roguelike, and 750 challenges, it earned solid reviews (Metacritic 78, user 9.0) for depth and multiplayer. Analytic Dreamz explores market signals for Switch 2 spin-offs. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Source Gaming creator and Sakurai guru PushDustIn joins the podcast to chat about the new manga based on the life of Masahiro Sakurai! We dig into Sakurai's fascinating career journey and how the manga highlights his biggest moments. Plus, I head to space to bring you impressions on Suika Game Planet and Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2!Follow our guest!Check out Knights of Fiona: https://knights-of-fiona.com/BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/will.pushdustin.com(0:00) - IntroFeature(0:50) - Masahiro Sakurai manga w/ PushDustInGames(21:45) - Suika Game Planet(28:20) - Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2News(37:22) - Tokyo gaming events for the New YearSocial media:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Kirby Air Riders is finally here, and Bridget, Sean, and Gigi are breaking down their early impressions. While it probably won't come as a surprise that we all really like the game, we have a lot to share about our first few days playing both solo and together in multiplayer. Since the game is still so new, we're avoiding spoilers in this one and just sharing our general thoughts on its signature Sakurai design elements, our favorite tracks, characters, and modes, and the appeal we think this game might have even for people who don't normally play Kirby games. Bridget and Gigi also share their thoughts on the impressive new Air Riders amiibo, and we reflect what the game might mean for the future of Kirby (and Smash Bros.?). While we're excited to finally have the game in our hands, we're also curious about your impressions, too. How do you feel about Air Riders so far? Feel free to email us your thoughts at mail@kirbyconversations.com, and we may share them on a future episode. Kirby Conversations is part of the Sound Stone Podcast Network, a collective of independent podcasters covering video game history. We are a founding show alongside Pixels and Polygons and Flashback 64, and we encourage you to check out those shows as well! Our opening music is by Megan Kelz and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/). This episode was edited by Sean and Flashback 64's Gooey. Join us online:Kirby ConversationsBluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.socialIG: @kirbyconversationsSound Stone NetworkBluesky: @soundstone.networkYoutube: www.youtube.com/@SoundStone-NetworkBridgetBluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.socialSean DouglassBluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.socialGigiCarrd linkKy "Captain Dangerous" ParkerIG: @captaindangerous Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Source Gaming's Joshua Goldie returns to talk Stray Children, the newest JRPG from Onion Games and the spiritual successor to Moon: Remix RPG Adventure! Plus I look at Sakurai's Kirby Air Riders and the Japanese indie action game, Sonokuni! In the feature, I take you inside Final Fantasy IX 25th Anniversary: The Exhibition which is happening right now in Ginza!Follow our guest!BSky: https://bsky.app/profile/nantenjex.bsky.socialLinktree: https://linktr.ee/joshua.goldie(0:00) - IntroGames(1:02) - Stray Children w/ Joshua Goldie(43:31) - Kirby Air Riders(1:00:25) - SonokuniFeature(1:06:08) - Final Fantasy IX 25th Anniversary: The ExhibitionNews(1:20:01) - New Pokemon donutsSocial media:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Bib Fortuna takes the stage — calm, composed, he's been practicing for this moment — and takes a deep breath before revealing the next era of video game conferences. "We all know E3 has come and gone, but it's time for something truly new. I present: Steve-B."Check out Skull and Scones at https://skullandscones.com!Discussed: Steve B, Bib Fortuna and Ben Quadinaros, Kirby Air Riders, the genius of Sakurai's design, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, the emotions evoked by older RPGs, the increasing popularity of Pokémon ROM hacks, Dispatch, a brief history of choice-driven games, Brendon and Stephen's Siskel and Ebert momentFind us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch, if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.social Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 8 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (02:32) - Kirby Air Riders | All That Dragoon (35:11) - Break (35:12) - Tiding from Joseph to Ava! (36:29) - Heads or Tails? (36:36) - Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake | Heads (58:17) - Break (59:17) - Pokémon Lazarus | The ROM Hacks are ROM Back (01:23:07) - Break (01:23:09) - Dispatch | Oh, you know... (02:09:51) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons, including our Eternal Gratitude members:Ed AJ-RockSamantha DNorth HeroSam HSnzznBertitoJ-RockGregory Mark SCmndr BiscuiticemanChristian HRydan BCaleb HArden FEye of the DuckKaleNathan EJ. H. AjoelchronoMellowMatthew BRobin LPSeekingSeakingJimmerszoey!Vinny MMattKerry KBrian MNoah DZach DChristopher TDHugo WToddChris BLukerfuffleStephen YDaniel GEric FTaran WBrendan OChris ZClayton MZach RGriffinDylan NFederico VTigerz RevengeLogan HAlan RJohn AMike LmattjanzzDavid MHeavyPixelsKaleb HTyler JCorey ZSusan HBarry TRobert RChris JBrett Allen HDan SJack SGarrett CjimiiboJohn HDirch FJim EJim WTristan LEvan BAwfulHanzomin2Aaron GJean HTodd Nred_wagonNeilPeter BJohn VvErik MRedmage77Joshua JTony LDanny KGibson GKate Duncan BRichard MDaniel NSeth MJamesAndy HDemoEmmaLyn ECorey TCaleb WJake LJesse WMike TCodesMatt BWesleymebezacAlex LSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseRobert MMichael WAndrewthis_JUSTINRyan O14.3 billion yearsBrendan KMegan BSecretAgentKoalaNoah OArcturusAndrew WhepaheChase ALoveDiesNick QChris MRBKaren HAdam FScott HAlexander SMatt HMurrayDavid PJason KMicah OKamrin HAndrew DKyle SPhilip N ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Check out our Patreon: patreon.com/supernpcradio   Today, we circle back on one of the year's biggest (best?) games. Ghost of Yotei, the long awaited follow up to Ghost of Tsushima, has been out for a whole month without even a peep from us. No longer! We've got two Ghosts on today's ep who are ready to spill the beans about this bloody sequel. We also talk about Sakurai's latest masterpiece and early GOTY of feelings.   The Show: @vgacomedyshow Jeremy Schmidt: @jeremyschmidt Mikey Stephens: @mikeylovesmikey Adrian Snow: @msadriansnow

Kirby Air Riders shares a lot of the same DNA as its predecessor, and it's a sequel that belongs in this era. The simplistic controls might not be for everyone, but if you can look past that, you've got a competent racer that does its own thing instead of attempting to battle it out against Mario Kart World. Air Riders' penchant for speed and chaos unfolds dramatically at times as races' unpredictable outcomes unravel in humorous ways. I fully expect Air Riders to be divisive just like its predecessor, but as a sequel, you're getting something unique. All of this might sound familiar, and it is, but it's built on the foundation established two decades ago and delivers a fully realized vision from Sakurai.Plus, Bobby is back from Japan, where he visited Universal Osaka and checked out Super Nintendo World!(0:00) Intro(3:30) Kirby Air Riders Review(25:35) Bobby's Trip to Japan(54:15) Outro⁠Intro music provided by Mad Seedling. Check his work on Spotify!

Kirby Air Riders llega al Switch 2, y aprovechamos el momento perfecto para regresar al origen de esta bolita rosa que marcó nuestra infancia. En este episodio especial hablamos de la historia de Kirby, cómo nació el personaje, y del increíble talento de Masahiro Sakurai, el creador que cambió para siempre el diseño de videojuegos en Nintendo.Repasamos los juegos clásicos, curiosidades del desarrollo, el impacto de HAL Laboratory, la filosofía de diseño de Sakurai, y cómo su visión dio vida no solo a Kirby, sino también a Super Smash Bros. Además, compartimos nuestros juegos favoritos de la saga y por qué Kirby sigue siendo uno de los personajes más queridos del gaming.Si estás emocionado por Kirby Air Riders, o simplemente quieres entender por qué Sakurai es considerado un genio, este episodio es para ti.

Back again with a review of MARIGOLD Grand Destiny and a little bit of SENJO.

Love anime but short on time? In Bloom is your 80-second anime news recap, fast, comfy, and packed with the week's biggest headlines!• Frieren goes on indefinite hiatus for creators' health• Bleach: Soul Resonance — new 3D action game drops later this year• Sakurai manga incoming — from Kirby to Smash supremacy• SHY ends in 3 chapters, a timid hero's final bow• Super Psychic Policeman Chojo anime powers up for 2026• Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle hits $648M, breaking global recordsPlease be sure to rate, review, like and subscribe to MTH as well as all the other podcasts you consume, it takes no time, costs you no money and means the world to us podcasters and content creators. Sadly the algorithm only accepts 5-Star reviews...Keep up to date with Brendan here or find him on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | TwitterJoin our Discord full of likeminded anime and culture fans hereUpgrade your wardrobe via our merch storeSubscribe to our Spotify playlistPlease support our fantastic sponsors:Audio-Technica, the best in audio equipmentIced-Tea Aesthetics, the best in anime streetwear (use code sakurasociety5 at checkout to save $5 on your order)Dash Water, the best in sparkling waterJapan Crate, the best in Japanese inspired snacks and nik naks (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping)

While there are reasons to suspect this may be a Sakurai specific development, it's none the less exciting to see this kind of accessibility support in a Nintendo published title.

Kirby Air Riders 2nd direct was great, Sakurai is the best, let's talk about it. Kirby's Dreamcast is a monthly podcast covering Kirby Right Back at Ya, all of the Kirby games, and the pink puff ball in general.  Youtube Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whkAkHYeW1g http://bit.ly/DreamcastiTunes http://bit.ly/DreamcastGoogle Check out our Discord at http://bit.ly/ScarfCord Scarfplays Twitter (Channel): https://twitter.com/ScarfPlays LostScarf Twitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/LostScarf Jynx Twitter (Editor): https://twitter.com/GameJynx

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This week on the Pure Nintendo Podcast, Jemma and Kirk delve into the second Kirby Air Riders direct, an hour-long presentation hosted once again by Sakurai himself. This time, we were introduced to a whole lot of new features and content, including a top-down mode called Top Ride and a story mode called Road Trip. Plus, there's new giant amiibo to get excited about, and much, much more! We also finish our Halloween countdown with a pair of spooky games, delve into the news of the week including a LOT of new game announcements, plus get an update on the games we're playing from Persona 3 Reload to Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Phew! Enjoy the show!

Cade anche l'ultimo baluardo dell'esclusività in casa Xbox: Halo arriva su PlayStation con un remake della campagna del primo capitolo, chiamato Campaign Evolved. Nel frattempo, Sakurai racconta tutte le novità del suo prossimo gioco, sviluppato con una passione ineguagliabile.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is out and Seth has played a bunch of it! Does it suck? Find out! Also, Sakurai's doing another Kirby Air Riders Direct and it's gonna be AN HOUR LONG? That's crazy dude!★ LINKS ★► Get Exclusive Perks on our Patreon: https://patreon.com/carpoolgaming► Join our amazing Discord community: https://discord.gg/eBKUyABg8U► Get your Carpool Gaming merch: https://carpoolgaming.com/► Check us out on Twitch: https://twitch.tv/carpoolgaminglive► Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/carpoolgaming► Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/carpoolgaming.comThanks so much to everyone who supports us on https://patreon.com/carpoolgaming★ ULTIMATE PRODUCERS ★Brendan Myers AKA The_WinterGamerJohnathan Brown: https://linktr.ee/pme.jib★ PLATINUM PRODUCERS ★BennySmokin_JoeThe CaptainTim Paullin★ GOLD MEMBERS ★Adam KAnnaAwesomeDave1337Brad MooreBrian ReeseCecily CarrozzaDan & LumaDannohhEmily O'KelleyHambone JonnyJon32LauraLigerWoods330Mr GigglesOldMrFrumpPeje EPSteven KellerTechMike

The Nintendo Entertainment Podcast is here, and the team will be busy, thanks to LOTS of things happening in a short period of time! First up, the team discusses their gaming exploits. Todd and Scott break down their first-week impressions of Pokémon Legends: Z-A! Did they like the more "boxed in" vibe that the game offered? What did they think of the battle system and the online battles? They'll break it down! As for Will, he played the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Persona 3 Reload! How did it play on the system? Find out here! Then, in the news, Daddy Sakurai is here with ANOTHER Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct! What did we learn about the upcoming racing game? Todd will break it down! Furthermore, a LOT of 3rd party ports were announced or dated for the Switch 2, Luigi's Mansion is coming to Nintendo Switch Online, Hideki Kamiya shares more wisdom, and more! Finally, in the main event, the team discusses some 3rd-party ports they'd love to see on the Nintendo Switch 2 soon! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast!

Jake aka the xxxster boy drops by this week to talk all about the second Kirby Air Riders Nintendo direct, and all the other news in gaming this week! Plus, we share impressions on Pokemon Z-A, Dispatch, and Keeper! Timecodes What we're playing - 5:40 Kirby Air Riders direct #2 - 22:08 News Spotlight - 31:21 Follow us! www.dropindropoutpod.com Bluesky, YouTube, IG, Threads and TikTok @spotlightgamespod Twitch.tv/spotlightgamespod Join our discord! https://discord.gg/Vxvp2sX64Z Email the show: mail@spotlightgames.net RSS Feed: https://spotlightgames.libsyn.com/rss Spotlight Games Theme by Chike Okaro @bassicfun Thanks for listening! 

The Nintendo Entertainment Podcast is here! And with the newest Switch/Switch 2 title finally here, and a certain "event" to gloat over, the guys will be busy! First, the guys break down their gaming exploits! Todd has continued his time in Trails in the Sky First Chapter, and despite a bull crap boss battle, he's having fun! As for Scott, he's played a certain fighting game featuring the Trails franchise and the Ys series! Also, there was Isla The Frosty Glide, and more! Will, meanwhile, recaps New York Comic Con and the various things he saw thanks to Capcom! Then, in the news, it's time to finally talk about Pokemon Legends Z-A, as the title is finally out! Are the hosts ready to play it, and what are they looking forward to the most with it? Also, Assassin's Creed Shadows might be on the way to the Switch 2, and has gotten an "award" from TIME Magazine! Oh, and Sakurai is getting his own manga! Because of course he is... Finally, in the main event, the guys straight-up gloat over a certain event that has befallen Microsoft and the Xbox brand. Time to cash in some receipts! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast!

It is the first year of a new reign, so come and let's take a look at how it all begins. For more, check out our blog page at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-135 Rough Transcript   Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 135: Year One The officials of the Ministry of Kami Affairs bustled to and fro as they prepared the ritual grounds and the temporary buildings.  They were carefully erecting the structures, which would only be used for a single festival, and then torn down, but this would be an important festival.  It was the harvest festival, the Niiname-sai, the festival of the first-fruits.  Rice, from the regions of Tamba and Harima, specifically chosen through divination, would be offered to his majesty along with the kami who had blessed the land.  But this time, there was more. After all, this was the first harvest festival of a new reign, and they had orders to make it special.  The ascension ceremony had been held earlier in the year, but in some ways that was just a prelude.  There had been various rituals and ceremonies throughout the year emphasizing that this year was special—even foreign lands were sending envoys to congratulate him on the event.  But this wasn't for them.  This was the sovereign taking part, for the first time, in one of the most important ceremonies of the year.  After all, the feast of first-fruits was the culmination of all that the kami had done, and it emphasized the sovereign's role as both a descendant of heaven and as the preeminent intercessor with the divine spirits of the land. And so they knew, that everything had to be bigger, with even more pomp and circumstance than normal.  This wouldn't just be about the new rice.  This would be a grand ceremony, one that only happened once in a generation, and yet which would echo through the centuries.  As the annual harvest festival, it was an ancient tradition.  But as something new—as the Daijosai—it was something else all together. And it would have to be perfect!   Last episode we talked about the Kiyomihara palace and a little bit about what it was like in the court of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou.  After defeating the Afumi court supporting his nephew, Ohotomo, in 672, Ohoama had taken control of the government.  He moved back to Asuka, and into the refurbished Okamoto palace, building a southern exclave known to us today as the Ebinoko enclosure, which held one large building, which may have been a residence or a ceremonial structure—possibly the first “Daigokuden” or ceremonial hall. Ohoama's court built on the ideas that his brother, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, had put forth since the Taika era.  This was a continuation of the form of government known as the Ritsuryo system, or Ritsuryo-sei, literally a government of laws and punishments, and Ohoama had taken the reins.  He seems to have taken a much more direct approach to governance compared to some of his predecessors. For instance, the role of the ministerial families was reduced, with Ohoama or various princes—actual or invented relatives of the throne—taking a much more prominent role.  He also expanded access to the central government to those outside of the the Home Provinces.  After all, it was the traditional ministerial families—the Soga, the Nakatomi, and even the Kose—who had been part of the Afumi government that he had just defeated.  Meanwhile, much of his military support had come from the Eastern provinces, though with prominent indications of support from Kibi and Tsukushi as well. This episode we are going to get back to the events documented in the Chronicles, looking just at the first year of Ohoama's reign.  Well, technically it was the second year, with 672 being the first, but this is the first year in which he formally sat on the throne.  There's plenty going on in this year to fill a whole episode: it was the year of Ohoama's formal ascension, and there were numerous festivals, ceremonies, and other activities that seem to be directly related to a fresh, new start.  We will also look at the custom of handing out posthumous ranks, particularly to those who supported Ohoama during the Jinshin no Ran, and how that relates to the various ranks and titles used in Ohoama's court.  We have envoys from three different countries—Tamna, Silla, and Goguryeo—and their interactions with the Dazaifu in Tsukushi.  Finally, we have the first Daijosai, one of the most important ceremonies in any reign. And so, let's get into it.   The year 673 started with a banquet for various princes and ministers, and on the 27th day of the 2nd month, Ohoama formally assumed the throne at what would come to be known as Kiyomihara Palace.  Uno, his consort, who had traveled with him through the mountains from Yoshino to Ise, was made his queen, and their son, Royal Prince Kusakabe, was named Crown Prince.  Two days later they held a ceremony to convey cap-ranks on those deemed worthy. We are then told that on the 17th day of the following month, word came from the governor of Bingo, the far western side of ancient Kibi, today the eastern part of modern Hiroshima.  They had caught a white pheasant in Kameshi and sent it as tribute.  White or albino animals were seen as particularly auspicious signs, and no doubt it was taken as an omen of good fortune for the reign.  In response, the forced labor from Bingo, which households were required to supply to the State, was remitted.  There was also a general amnesty granted throughout the land. That same month we are also told that scribes were brought in to Kawaradera to copy the Issaiko—aka the Tripitaka, or the entirety of the Buddhist canon.  That would include hundreds of scrolls.  This clearly seems to be an act of Buddhist merit-making:  by copying out the scrolls you make merit, which translates to good karma.  That would be another auspicious start to the reign, and we see frequently that rulers would fund sutra copying—or sutra recitations—as well as temples, statues, bells and all other such things to earn Buddhist merit.  As the ruler, this merit didn't just accrue to you, but to the entire state, presumably bringing good fortune and helping to avert disaster. However, it wasn't just the Law of the Buddha that Ohoama was appealing to.  In the following entry, on the14th day of the 4th month, we are told that Princess Ohoki was preparing herself at the saigu, or abstinence palace, in Hatsuse—known as Hase, today, east of modern Sakurai, along the Yonabari river, on the road to Uda.  Ohoki was the sister of Prince Ohotsu.  Her mother was Ohota, the Queen's elder sister, making her a grandchild of Naka no Ohoye as well as the daughter of Ohoama.  Princess Ohoki's time at the abstinence palace was so that she could purify herself.  This was all to get her ready to head to Ise, to approach none other than the sun goddess, Amaterasu Ohokami. With all of these events, we see the full panoply of ritual and ceremony on display.  The formal, legal ceremonies of ascension and granting of rank.  The declaration of auspicious omens for the reign.   There is the making of Buddhist merit, but also the worship of the kami of the archipelago.  This is not an either-or situation.  We are seeing in the first half of this first year the fusion of all of these different elements into something that may not even be all that sensational to those of us, today.  After all, anyone who goes to Japan is likely well-accustomed to the way that both Buddhist and Shinto institutions can both play a large part in people's lives.  While some people may be more drawn to one than the other, for most they are complimentary. That isn't how it had to be.  For a time, it was possible that Buddhism would displace local kami worship altogether.  This was the core of the backlash that we saw from groups like the Nakatomi, whose role in kami-focused ceremonies was threatened by the new religion.  Indeed, for a while now it seems like mention of the kami has taken a backseat to Buddhist temples and ceremonies in the Chronicles.  Likewise, as a foreign religion, Buddhism could have also fallen out of favor.  It was not fore-ordained that it would come to have a permanent place on the archipelago.  This tension between local kami worship—later called Shinto, the Way of the Kami—and Buddhist teachings would vary throughout Japanese history, with one sometimes seen as more prestigious or more natural than the other, but neither one would fully eclipse the other. One could say that was in part due to the role that Amaterasu and kami worship played in the court ceremonies.  However, even there indigenous practices were not necessarily safe.  The court could have just as easily imported Confucian rituals, and replaced the spiritual connection between the sovereign and the kami with the continental style Mandate of Heaven. And thus, the choices that were being made at this time would have huge implications for the Japanese state for centuries to come. I should note that it is unlikely that this spontaneously arose amongst the upper class and the leadership.  I doubt this was just Ohoama's strategy to give himself multiple levers of power—though I'm not saying he wasn't thinking about that either.  But the only way that these levers existed was through their continued life in the culture and the people of the time.  If the people didn't believe in Buddhist merit, or that the kami influenced their lives, then neither would have given them much sway.  It was the fact that these were a part of the cultural imaginary of the state, and how people imagined themselves and their surroundings, that they were effective tools for Ohoama and his government. And so it seems that Ohoama's first year is off to a smashing success.  By the fifth month he is already issuing edicts—specifically on the structure of the state, which we discussed some last episode. But the high could not be maintained indefinitely.  And on the 29th day of the 5th month we have what we might consider our first negative entry, when Sakamoto no Takara no Omi passed away. You may remember Sakamoto, but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't.  He was the commander in the Nara Basin, under general Wofukei, who took 300 troops to Tatsuta.  From there he advanced to the Hiraishi plain and up to the top of Mt. Takayasu, to confront the Afumi forces that had taken the castle.  They fled, and Takara and his men overnighted at the castle.  The next day they tried to intercept Afumi troops advancing from the Kawachi plain, but they were forced to fall back to a defensive position.   We covered that in Episode 131 with the rest of the campaign in the Nara Basin. Takara's death is the first of many entries—I count roughly 21 through this and the following reign—which, for the most part, are all similarly worded.  Sakamoto no Takara no Omi, of Upper Daikin rank, died.  He was posthumously granted the rank of Shoushi for service in the Year of Mizu-no-e Saru, aka Jinshin.  We are told the individual, their rank at the time of their death, and then a note about a posthumous grant of rank.  Upper Daikin was already about the 7th rank from the top in the system of 664, and Shoushi would be the 6th rank, and one of the “ministerial” ranks.  This is out of 26, total.  “Kin” itself was the fourth of about 7 categories, and the last category that was split into six sub-ranks, with greater and lesser (Daikin and Shokin), each of which was further divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower ranks.  There's a lot to go into, in fact a little too much for this episode, so for more on the ranks in use at the start of the reign, check out our blogpost for this episode.        The giving of posthumous rank is mostly just an honorific.  After all, the individual is now deceased, so it isn't as if they would be drawing more of a stipend, though their new ranks may have influenced their funerary rites and similar things. As I said, on a quick scan of the text, I counted  21 of these entries, though there may be a few more with slightly different phrasing or circumstances.  Some of them were quite notable in the record, while others may have only had a mention here or there.  That they are mentioned, though, likely speaks to the importance of that connection to such a momentous year.  The Nihon Shoki is thought to have been started around the time of Ohoama or his successor, along with the Kojiki, and so it would have been important to people of the time to remind everyone that their ancestors had been the ones who helped with that momentous event.  It really isn't that much different from those who proudly trace their lineage back to heroes of, say, the American Revolution, though it likely held even more sway being closer to the actual events. After the death of Sakamoto no Takara, we get another death announcement.  This is of someone that Aston translates as “Satek Syomyeong” of Baekje, of Lower Daikin rank.  We aren't given much else about him, but we are told that Ohoama was shocked.  He granted Syomyeong the posthumous rank of “Outer Shoushi”, per Aston's translation.  He also posthumously named him as Prime Minister, or Desapyong, of Baekje. There are a few clues about who this might be, but very little to go on.  He is mentioned in 671, during the reign of Naka no Oe, when he received the rank of Upper Daikin along with Minister—or Sapyong—Yo Jasin.  It is also said in the interlinear text that he was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Judgment—the Houkan no Taifu.  The Ministry of Judgment—the Houkan or perhaps the Nori no Tsukasa—is thought to have been the progenitor of the later Shikibu, the Ministry of Ceremony.  One of the major roles it played was in the selection of candidates for rank, position, and promotion. We are also told that in the year 660, in the reign of Takara Hime, one of the nobles captured in the Tang invasion of Baekje was “Desapyong Satek”, so perhaps this Syomyeong was a descendant or relative of the previous prime minister, who fled to Yamato with other refugees.  We also have another record from 671 of a Satek Sondeung and his companions accompanying the Tang envoy Guo Yacun.  So it would seem that the Sathek family was certainly notable The name “Satek” shows up once more, though Aston then translates it as “Sataku”, like a monk or scholar's name.  “Sataku” would be the Japanese on'yomi pronunciation of the same characters, so perhaps another relative. What we can take away from all of this is that the Baekje refugee community is still a thing in Yamato.  This Satek Seomyeong has court rank—Upper Daikin rank, just like Sakamoto, in the previous entry.  And we know that he had an official position at court—not just in the Baekje court in exile.  We'll see more on this as the community is further integrated into the rest of Society, such that there would no longer be a Baekje community, but families would continue to trace their lineages back to Baekje families, often with pride. The other odd thing here is the character “outer” or “outside” before “Shoushi”.  Aston translates it as part of the rank, and we see it show up a total of four times in some variation of “Outer Lesser X rank”.  Mostly it is as here, Outer Lesser Purple.  Later we would see a distinction of “outer” and “inner” ranks, which this may be a version of.  Depending on one's family lineage would denote whether one received an “outer” or “inner” rank, and so it may be that since Satek Syomyeong was from the Baekje community, it was more appropriate for him to have an “outside” rank. “Outer” rank would also be given to Murakuni no Muraji no Woyori, the general who had led the campaign to Afumi, taking the Seta bridge.  He was also posthumously given the rank of “Outer Shoushi” upon his death in 676.  Murakuni no Woyori is the only person of that surname mentioned around this time, so perhaps he wasn't from one of the “core” families of the Yamato court, despite the service he had rendered.  We also have at least one other noble of Baekje who is likewise granted an ”outer” rank. On the other side there are those like Ohomiwa no Makamuta no Kobito no Kimi, who was posthumously granted the rank of “Inner” Shoushi.  Here I would note that Ohomiwa certainly seems to suggest an origin in the Nara Basin, in the heartland of Yamato. The terms “Inner” and “Outer” are only used on occasion, however, and not consistently in all cases.  This could just be because of the records that the scribes were working off of at the time.  It is hard to say, exactly. All of these entries about posthumous ranks being granted tend to refer to cap ranks, those applying to members of various Uji, the clans that had been created to help organize the pre-Ritsuryo state. The Uji and their members played important roles in the court and the nation, both as ministers and lower functionaries.  But I also want to mention another important component of Ohoama's court, the members of the princely class, many of whom also actively contributed to the functioning of the state.  Among this class are those that Aston refers to as “Princes of the Blood”, or “Shinnou”.  These include the royal princes, sons of Ohoama who were in line for the throne, but also any of his brothers and sisters.  Then there were the “miko”, like Prince Kurikuma, who had been the Viceroy in Tsukushi, denying troops to the Afumi court.  Those princes claimed some lineal descent from a sovereign, but they were not directly related to the reigning sovereign.  In fact, it isn't clear, today, if they were even indirectly related to the reigning sovereign, other than through the fact that the elites of the archipelago had likely been forming marriage alliances with one another for centuries, so who knows.  And maybe they made their claims back to a heavenly descendant, like Nigi Hayahi.  Either way, they were the ones with claims—legitimate or otherwise—to royal blood.  Notably, the Princes did not belong to any of the Uji, , and they didn't have kabane, either—no “Omi”, “Muraji”, “Atahe”, et cetera. They did, at least from this reign forward, have rank.  But it was separate and different from the rank of the Uji members.  Members of the various Uji were referred to with cap rank, but the Princely ranks were just numbered—in the Nihon Shoki we see mention of princes of the 2nd through 5th ranks—though presumably there was also a “first” rank.  It is not entirely clear when this princely rank system was put into place, but it was probably as they were moving all of the land, and thus the taxes, to the state.  Therefore the court would have needed to know what kind of stipend each prince was to receive—a stipend based on their rank.  These ranks, as with later numbered ranks, appear to have been given in ascending order, like medals in a tournament:  first rank, second rank, third rank, etc. with fifth rank being the lowest of the Princely ranks. Many of these Princes also held formal positions in the government.  We saw this in Naka no Oe's reign with Prince Kurikuma taking the Viceroy-ship of Tsukushi, but during Ohoama's reign we see it even more. Beneath the Princes were the various Ministers and Public Functionaries—the Officers of the court, from the lowest page to the highest minister.  They were members of the elite noble families, for the most part, or else they claimed descent from the elite families of the continent.  Either way they were part of what we would no doubt call the Nobility.  Their cap-rank system, mentioned earlier, was separate from that used by the Princes. And, then at the bottom, supporting this structure, were the common people.  Like the princes, they did not necessarily have a surname, and they didn't really figure into the formal rank system.  They certainly weren't considered members of the titled class, and often don't even show up in the record.  And yet we should not forget that they were no doubt the most numerous and diverse group for the majority of Japanese history.  Our sources, however, have a much more narrow focus. There is one more class of people to mention here, and that is the evolving priestly class.  Those who took Buddhist orders and became Buddhist monks were technically placed outside of the social system, though that did not entirely negate their connections to the outside world.  We see, for example, how Ohoama, even in taking orders, still had servants and others to wait on him.  However, they were at least theoretically outside of the social hierarchy, and could achieve standing within the Buddhist community through their studies of Buddhist scripture.  They had their own hierarchy, which was tied in to the State through particular Buddhist officers appointed by the government, but otherwise the various temples seem to have been largely in charge of their own affairs. But anyway, let's get back to the Chronicles. Following closely on the heels of Satek Syomyeong's passing, two days later, we have another entry, this one much more neutral.  We are told that Tamna, aka the kingdom on Jeju island off the southern tip of the Korean peninsula, sent Princes Kumaye, Tora, Uma, and others with tribute. So now we are getting back into the diplomatic swing of things.  There had been one previous embassy—that of Gim Apsil of Silla, who had arrived just towards the end of the Jinshin War, but they were merely entertained in Tsukushi and sent back, probably because Ohoama's court were still cleaning house. Tamna, Silla, and Goguryeo—usually accompanied by Silla escorts—would be the main visitors to Yamato for a time.  At this point, Silla was busy trying to get the Tang forces to leave the peninsula.  This was partly assisted by the various uprisings in the captured territories of Goguryeo and Baekje—primarily up in Goguryeo.  There were various attempts to restore the kingdom.  It isn't clear, but I suspect that the Goguryeo envoys we do eventually see were operating largely as a vassal state under Silla. Tamna, on the other hand, seems to have been outside of the conflict, from what we see in the records, and it likely was out of the way of the majority of any fighting.  They also seem to have had a different relationship with Yamato, based on some of the interactions. It is very curious to me that the names of the people from Tamna seem like they could come from Yamato.  Perhaps that is related in some way to theories that Tamna was one of the last hold-outs of continental proto-Japonic language prior to the ancestor of modern Korean gaining ascendancy.  Or it could just be an accident of how things got copied down in Sinitic characters and then translated back out. The Tamna mission arrived on the 8th day of the 6th intercalary month of 673.  A Silla embassy arrived 7 days later, but rather than tribute, their mission was twofold—two ambassadors to offer congratulations to Ohoama and two to offer condolences on the late sovereign—though whether that means Naka no Oe or Ohotomo is not exactly clear.  All of these arrived and would have been hosted, initially, in Tsukushi, probably at modern Fukuoka.  The Silla envoys were accompanied by Escorts, who were briefly entertained and offered presents by the Dazaifu, the Yamato government extension on Kyushu, and then sent home.  From then on, the envoys would be at the mercy of Yamato and their ships. About a month and a half later, on the 20th day of the 8th month, Goguryeo envoys also showed up with tribute, accompanied by Silla escorts.  Five days later, word arrived back from the court in Asuka.  The Silla envoys who had come to offer congratulations to the sovereign on his ascension were to be sent onwards.  Those who had just come with tribute, however, could leave it with the viceroy in Tsukushi.    They specifically made this point to the Tamna envoys, whom they then suggested should head back soon, as the weather was about to turn, and they wouldn't want to be stuck there when the monsoon season came. The Tamna cohort weren't just kicked out, however.  The court did grant them and their king cap-rank.  The envoys were given Upper Dai-otsu, which Yamato equated to the rank of a minister in Tamna. The Silla envoys—about 27 in total—made their way to Naniwa.  It took them a month, and they arrived in Naniwa on the 28th day of the 9th month.  Their arrival was met with entertainments—musical performances and presents that were given to the envoys.  This was all part of the standard diplomatic song and dance—quite literally, in this case. We aren't given details on everything.  Presumably the envoys offered their congratulations, which likely included some presents from Silla, as well as a congratulatory message.  We aren't given exact details, but a little more than a month later, on the first day of the 11th month, envoy Gim Seungwon took his leave. Meanwhile, the Goguryeo envoys, who, like Tamna, had arrived merely with tribute, were still in Tsukushi.  On the 21st day of the 11th month, just over two months after they arrived, we are told that they were entertained at the Ohogohori in Tsukushi and were given presents based on their rank. The Ohogohori, or “Big District”, appears to mirror a similar area in Naniwa that was likewise known for hosting diplomatic envoys. With the diplomatic niceties over, there was one more thing to do in this first year of the new reign: the thanksgiving ritual always held at the beginning of a new reign, the Daijosai, or oho-namematsuri.  This is a harvest ritual where the newly enthroned sovereign offers new rice to the kami and then eats some himself.  At least in the modern version, he gives thanks and prays to Amaterasu Ohomikami, as well as to the amatsu-kami and kunitsu-kami, the kami of heaven and earth. The Daijosai shares a lot in common with another important annual festival, the Niinamesai, or the Feast of First Fruits.  This is the traditional harvest festival, usually held in November.  The Daijosai follows much the same form as the Niinamesai, and as such, in years where there is a new sovereign, and thus the Daijosai is held, the Niinamesai is not, since it would be duplicative. Many of the rituals of the Daijosai are private affairs and not open to the public. There are various theories about what happens, but only those who are part of the ritual know for sure, and they are sworn to secrecy. The first instance of the Daijosai in the Chronicles is during the reign of Shiraga Takehiko Kunioshi Waka Yamato Neko, aka Seinei Tennou, in the 5th century, but we should take that with a huge grain of salt.  Remember, one of the purposes behind the chronicles was to explain how everything came to be, and saying “we just made it up” wasn't really going to fly. I've seen some sources suggest that the Daijosai can be attributed to the first reign of Ohoama's mother, Takara Hime, aka Kougyoku Tennou.  The term used in her reign, though is Niiname, which seems to refer to the annual Niinamesai, though she is the first in the Chronicles that seems to celebrate it in the first year of her reign, sharing with the Crown Prince and Ministers. It is likely that the ritual is much older in origin.  After all, giving the first fruits of the harvest to the kami to thank them for their assistance seems like the core of harvest festivals around the world.  We see it mentioned as the Niinamesai in much of the rest of the Nihon Shoki, even back to the Age of the Gods, when it played an important part in the stories of Amaterasu and Susanowo.  It is in Ohoama's reign, though, that it seems to first take on its character as a true ritual of the state.  We see that the Nakatomi and the Imbe were involved.  Together these two families oversaw much of the court ritual having to do with kami worship.  We also know that the officials of the Jingikan, the Ministry of Kami Affairs, were also present, as they were all given presents for attending on the sovereign during the festival.  We also see that the district governors of Harima and Tamba, which were both in the area of modern Hyougo Prefecture, as well as various laborers under them, were all recognized with presents as well.  We can assume that this was because they provided the rice and other offerings used in the festival.  In addition to the presents they received, the two governors were each given an extra grade of cap-rank. Another Daijosai would be carried out in the first year of Ohoama's successor, and from there on it seems to have become one of if not *the* major festival of a reign.  It marks, in many ways, the end of the first year of ceremonies for the first year of a reign.  And even in other years, the Niinamesai is often one of the pre-eminent festivals. The Daijosai may have been the climax of the year in many ways, but the year was not quite done yet.  We have two more entries, and both are related to Buddhism.  First, on the 17th day of the 12th month, just twelve days after the Daijosai, Prince Mino and Ki no Omi no Katamaro were appointed Commissioners for the erection of the Great Temple of Takechi—aka the Ohomiya no Ohodera, also known as the Daikandaiji. The Daikandaiji was a massive temple complex.  It is thought that it was originally a relocation of Kudara Ohodera, and we have remains at the foot of Kaguyama—Mt. Kagu, in the Asuka region of modern Kashihara city.  Many of the ruins, however, seem to date to a slightly later period, suggesting that the main temple buildings were rebuilt after Ohoama's reign.  Still, it is quite likely that he had people start the initial work. In setting up the temple, of course it needed a head priest.  And so Ohoama called upon a priest named Fukurin and made him an offer he couldn't refuse… literally.  Fukurin tried to object to being posted as the head priest.  He said that he was too old to be in charge of the temple.  Ohoama wasn't having any of it.  He had made up his mind, and Fukurin was in no position to refuse him. A quick note on the two commissioners here.  First off, I would note that Prince Mino here isn't mentioned as having Princely rank.  Instead, he is mentioned with the ministerial rank of Shoushi.  Ki no Katamaro, on the other hand, is Lower Shoukin, several grades below.  Once again, a bit of confusion in the ranks, as it were. The final entry for the year 673 occurred 10 days after the erection of the great temple, and it was a fairly straightforward entry:  The Buddhist Priest, Gijou, was made Shou-soudzu, or Junior Soudzu.  Junior Soudzu was one of the government appointed positions of priests charged with overseeing the activities of the priests and temples and holding them to account as necessary.  Originally there was the Soujou and the Soudzu, but they were later broken up into several different positions, likely due to the proliferation of Buddhism throughout the archipelago. There doesn't seem to be much on Gijou before this point, but we know that he would go on to live a pretty full life, passing away over thirty years later, in 706 CE. He would outlive Ohoama and his successor.  And with that, we come to the end of the first year.  I am not planning to go year by year through this entire reign—in fact, we have already touched on a lot of the various recurring entries.  But I do think that it is worth it to see how the Chronicles treat this first year for a reign that would have been considered pretty momentous to the people of the time. Next episode we'll continue going through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou.  There is a lot going on, which, as I've said, will influence the nation for centuries—even up until the modern day. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Puhumme vanhuuden ja ikääntymisen kuvaamisesta mangassa sekä siitä, millaisissa rooleissa vanhemmat hahmot tarinoissa ovat. Ajankohtaisina aiheina puhumme kohusta, joka syntyi Vizin julkaistua tekoälyfirma Orangen käännöksen sarjasta Dealing with Mikadono Sisters Is a Breeze, amerikkalaisten sarjakuvapalkintogaalojen mangaedustuksesta tänä vuonna sekä The New Yorkerin artikkelista siitä, miten Shonen Jump -lehdestä on tullut mangan hittitehdas. Lukujonossa kokeilemme tuoretta fantasiasarjaa Ichi the Witch sekä luemme loppuun Delicious in Dungeonin. --- Kommentoi | Bluesky | Mastodon | X | Threads | Instagram --- (01:24) – KUULUMISET: TULEVAT JAKSOT - Young Magazine USA (08:04) – VANHUUS: ESITTELY – Jakso 61, jossa puhuimme siitä, miksi mangasarjat ovat niin pitkiä (10:53) – VANHUUS: IÄN MERKITYS JAPANILAISESSA YHTEISKUNNASSA – Mainittuja sarjoja, joissa pienelläkin ikäerolla on väliä: – Space Brothers – Onimai – Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro – You Got Me, Sempai!, josta puhuimme jaksossa 115 – Takopi's Original Sin – Ouran High School Host Club – Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues – Toradora (20:53) – VANHUUS: KESKI-IKÄISET – ReLIFE-sarjassa 27-vuotias salaryman saa tilaisuuden elää lukioikänsä uudestaan, mutta nuorennetun kehon suorituskyky jää kuitenkin ennalleen, ja päähenkilö satuttaa selkänsä palloa heittäessään, koska ei ole urheillut työelämään astumisen jälkeen – Kaiju No. 8:n päähenkilö on 32-vuotias – Jakso 85, jossa Maaret listasi kuulijakommenttiosiossa viisi suosikkiaan seksikkäistä setämiehistä – Psycho-Passin vanhempi toimeenpanija Masaoka (kuva) – Jakso 104, jossa puhuimme Japanin koulujärjestelmästä Tarinoita, jotka kertovat lukioikäisen vanhemmasta (molemmat toki myös seinenmangan toimintasankareita): – My Home Hero – Inuyashiki Opettajia: – Blue Periodin Masako Saeki – Puhuimme sarjasta jaksossa 57 – Great Teacher Onizukan vararehtori Uchiyamada ja rehtori/puheenjohtaja/tms Sakurai (tittelit ja positiot ovat vähän hankalia) – Puhuimme sarjasta jaksossa 104 – Spy x Familyn Henry Henderson – Puhuimme sarjasta jaksossa 53 Seinensankareita: – Golgo 13 – Tonegawa kertoo, miten kädet pestään oikein (YouTube) – Minami no teiou – Sakamoto Days Romansseja ja romanttisia ihmissuhdetarinoita: – After the Rain, josta puhuimme jaksossa 52 – 10 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 – Old-Fashioned Cupcake, josta puhuimme jaksossa 79 – Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, josta puhuimme jaksossa 83 Seksikkäitä setämiessarjoja: – A Man and His Cat – Hotel Metsäpeura e youkoso (49:47) – VANHUUS: REALISTISET VANHUKSET Sarjoja, joissa lukioikäinen asuu isovanhemman kanssa: –Orange, josta puhuimme jaksossa 116 – My Dress-up Darling – Full Moon wo Sagashite – Go with the Clouds, North by Northwest, josta puhuimme jaksossa 26 – Tarpeettoman seksikäs isoisä (kuva) – Fullmetal Alchemist, josta puhuimme jaksossa 84 Sarjoja, joista löytyy turvallisia mekaanikkotätejä ja -setiä: – Heavy Object – Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Naisnäkökulmaa vanhenemiseen: – BL Metamorphosis – Credits Roll into the Sea – Hanamonogatari – Ristorante Paradiso ja Gente – GDILF = Grandad I'd Like to Fuck Mies ja lapsi -sarjoja: – Candy & Cigarettes – Alice & Zoroku – Länkkärivastine: Up – kohti korkeuksia Mainittuja mies ja lapsi -sarjoja, joissa se mies on nuorempi: – Aishiteruze Baby – Barakamon – Hinamatsuri (01:04:01) – VANHUUS: TAISTELUVAARIT Shounenmättösarjoja, joista löytyy kovia taisteluvaareja: – Dragon Ball – Dr. Stone, josta puhuimme jaksossa 41 – One-Punch Man (seinensarja, mutta täynnä Jump-energiaa) – Hunter × Hunter – Bleach – Jujutsu Kaisen – My Hero Academian Gran Torino on saanut inspiraationsa Yodasta, kuten puhuimme jaksossa 94 – Yoda taas on saanut inspiraationsa Akira Kurosawan leffasta Seitsemän samuraita – Länkkärivastine: Kung Fu Panda – One Piece – Monkey D. Garpin galaksinyrkki (YouTube) – Silvers Rayleigh on One Piecen seksikkäin setämies (kuva) – Vain miehet vanhenevat seksikkäästi; naiset vanhenevat rumasti tai ei ollenkaan (kuva) – Puhuimme sarjan seksistisistä asenteista jaksossa 103 Taistelumummoja näkyy vähemmän: – Ranman Cologne – Dandadanin Turbomummo ja Momon isoäiti Taisteluhovimestareita: – Kuroshitsujin Tanaka – …on kenties oikeasti Hijikata Toshizoo, tai sitten ei! – Hellsingin Walter – Re:Zeron Wilhelm ei oikeastaan ole hovimestari, pukeutuu vain kuin sellainen – Death Noten Watari – Overlordin Sebas Tian Vanhempia pahiksia: – One Piecen yhteydessä mainitut Kaidoo ja Big Mom – All For One – Lordgenome (01:16:45) – VANHUUS: HAHMOT JOITA SEURATAAN VANHUUTEEN – JoJo's Bizarre Adventuren Joseph Joestar – Ôokun Gyokuei (kuva) – Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu – Fate-tuoteperheen Waver Velvetiä ei ole ihan vanhana nähty, mutta teininä ja aikuisena kylläkin (01:21:59) – VANHUUS: HAHMOT JOTKA EIVÄT IKÄÄNNY FYYSISESTI Tuhatvuotiset vampyyrilolit: – Fate-tuoteperheen Shuten-douji ja Louhi – Länkkärivastine: Veren vankien Claudia – Dance in the Vampire Bundin Mina Tepes – Animen OP – Call of the Nightin Nazuna ei ole varsinaisesti loli, eikä myöskään tuhatvuotinen – Vanitaksen kirjan Chloé – Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – Lampan ohjelma Desucon Frostbitessä 2025: Ajan rakenne on muuttumaton - Sousou no Frieren ja hetkessä eläminen (YouTube) – Pandora Heartsin Xerxes Break – Gandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again – Sanda (01:33:50) – VANHUUS: PERVOPAPAT – Ranma 1/2:n Happosai – Dragon Ballin Kamesennin – Ao-chan Can't Study! (01:36:46) – VANHUUS: YHTEENVETO (01:38:32) – VIZIN KONEKÄÄNNÖSKOHU – Jakso 115, jossa puhuimme Crunchyrollin julkaisemasta tekoälykäännöksestä – Dealing with the Mikadono Sisters Is a Breeze – Manga Alerts huomasi, että käännös ja ladonta ovat samat kuin Orangella – Ihan sellaisenaan Viz ei Orangen käännöstä kuitenkaan julkaissut – The Beat: Dear manga publishers, we don't want your AI translations – Reaktioita artikkeliin – Jakso 35, jossa puhuimme Kaiju No. 8:n käännöksen korvaamista Vizin lisenssin jälkeen – Vizin ja Shueishan kääntämien versioiden vertaaminen keskenään oli välillä varsin mielenkiintoista (kuva) (01:53:10) – USA:N MANGAPALKINNOT 2025 – The Anime and Manga International Awards tulossa 2026 – Jakso 106, jossa puhuimme vuoden 2024 The American Manga Awards -palkinnoista sekä Eisner- ja Harvey-gaalojen mangaedustuksesta – Studio Proteus – Jakso 83, jossa puhuimme MyAnimeList-sivuston You Should Read This Manga -suosittelulistauksesta – The American Manga Awards -ehdokkaat – …ja voittajat – Jakso 91, jossa puhuimme sarjasta The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All – Jakso 115, jossa puhuimme Tamaki & Amanesta – Ashita no Joen loppu on muuntautunut yleisesti tunnetuksi meemikuvaksi – The Otaku Love Connectionin jenkkilaitoksen kustannustoimittaja juhlisti käännöspalkintoa Blueskyssa (02:31:24) – THE NEW YORKERIN SHONEN JUMP -ARTIKKELI – Weekly Shonen Jump – The New Yorker: How Weekly Shōnen Jump Became the World's Most Popular Manga Factory – Matt Alt – Matt Altin vuoden 2021 artikkeli Demon Slayer -elokuva Mugen Trainin suosiosta – Nykyään suurin osa reaktioista artikkeliin on kadonnut, mutta muutama vielä löytyy – Jakso 87, jossa puhuimme Shonen Sunday -mangalehden päätoimittajan haastattelusta, jossa hän kertoi lehden uudistamiseksi tekemästään työstä – Uusin Demon Slayer -elokuva on Suomessakin saanut älyttömästi katsojia (kuva) – Nippon.comin artikkeli siitä, miten manga oli vielä 50-60-luvuilla vanhempien paheksumaa viihdettä, mutta ei enää sen jälkeen – The Beat: The Story that Should Terrify the American Comics Industry – Jaksossa 115 luimme Geekkicastin Jarmon kommentin siitä, miten jenkkisarjakuva-ala on siirtänyt oikeuksia tekijöiltä firmoille – Jos artikkelin lukeminen ei muuten onnistu, tässä on PDF (02:59:18) – HAMPAANKOLOSSA: KODUKA VS KOZUKA – Jakso 116, jossa puhuimme sarjasta I Can't Believe I Slept with You – Seven Seas on kirjoittanut nimen 小塚 länsimaisilla kirjaimilla “Koduka”, koska sen ääntämisohje kuuluu “こづか” eikä “こずか” (kuva) – Zu/Du-tavun poikkeussääntö: zu-tavu kirjoitetaan づ (du) silloin, kun se on peräisin kanjista jossa on tsu-tavu (つ) eikä su-tavu (す) – mutta se kuitenkin LAUSUTAAN "zu" – Rent-a-Girlfriendin Chizurun nimi kirjoitetaan teknisesti ottaen myös “Chiduru”, koska nimen “zuru” tulee kanjista kanjista 鶴 (“tsuru”, kurki), jossa on tsu-tavu eikä su-tavu – Tsuredure Children kuuluu lausua “Tsurezure Children” – WaniKani-kanjinopiskelupalvelu – Maaret taisi muistella arkisista kanjeista ainakin sanaa 気付く(kizuku, huomata), joka pitää näppäimistöllä kirjoittaa “kiduku”, koska sellaisenaan 付く lausutaan “tsuku” (03:06:26) – KUULIJAKOMMENTTI: DINOSAUR SANCTUARY – Dinosaur Sanctuary – Tekijä vieraili Anime Expossa – Tekijä postasi melkein luvullisen sarjaa X:ään – Crunchyrollin haastattelu – Behind the Mangan haastattelu – Mobile Police Patlabor – The Aquatope on White Sand kertoo akvaarion työntekijöistä (03:10:26) – LUKUJONOSSA: ICHI THE WITCH – Ichi the Witch – Ichi the Witch Manga Plus -palvelussa – Piirtäjä Shiro Usazakin aiempi sarja Act-age lopetettiin lyhyeen, kun sen käsikirjoittaja syyllistyi seksuaalirikoksiin – Käsikirjoittaja Osamu Nishi tunnetaan parhaiten sarjastaan Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun – Ichi the Witchin maailmanrakennusta (kuva) – Liikkuvan linnan Calcifer – Gokuraku, sarjan lancer-poika (kuva) – …on tämän sarjan vastine Seitsemän kuolemansynnin Banille – Ichi lähestyy majikien taltuttamista enemmän metsästyksenä, vaikka sekä noidat että majikit ovat perinteisesti nähneet ne enemmänkin dramaattisina ja kunniakkaina kaksintaisteluina, joissa kumpikin esittelee itsensä ensin (kuva) – Desscaras on yhtäältä cool ja toisaalta humoristinen hahmo, jonka pinnan alla on perheen kaipuuta (kuva) – Magi – Sarjan hahmokaarti on logistisista syistä varsin naispainotteinen (kuva) – Sekä sarjan nimestä että dialogista on jouduttu oikomaan pois se yksityiskohta, että Ichi sanoo ettei ole noita, “majo” (魔女), vaan “madan” (魔男) (kuva) (03:32:21) – LUKUJONOSSA: DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON 12-14 – Delicious in Dungeon – Jakso 9, jossa puhuimme sarjasta pääaiheena – Jakso 55 ja jakso 99, joissa puhuimme sarjasta lukujonossa – Petterin alkuesittely sarjasta Anime-lehdessä 6/2015 (kuva) (03:58:51) – LOPETUS

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:MARY'S PAX ADVENTURES007 First Light launches on March 27, 2026 on Switch 2, PS5, XSX, and PC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jom-jxUEqJgMario Party Jamboree Update and new resolution in docked mode: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/09/super-mario-party-jamboree-updated-for-switch-2-and-switch-version-2-2-0Sony is reportedly planning a Nintendo Switch-style PlayStation 6 portable https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sony-is-reportedly-planning-a-nintendo-switch-style-playstation-6-portable/averge111 set a new Super Mario Bros. world record by 3 frames, dethroning Niftski for the first time in four years https://x.com/summoningsalt/status/1961086836672983114 Questions from Discord: RaxonXVI: Favorite DoA girl? I have a few as well lol but Misaki and Marie are extremely special to me.RaxonXVI: Is there any special edition systems that you wish you were able to get?Joe: What are some of your favorite game developers or gaming industry personalities? And why is it Sakurai.

We are clowns no more! Gamescom got us a Silksong release date and much more! We talk about that and the 45 minute video of Sakurai playing Kirby Air Riders! I haven't been playing much, but Matt tells us all about the end of the Sabateur!

In Part 1 of this episode of the Dead End Gaming Podcast Beezy and Granddad talk about the recent price increase of the PS5 and what it could mean for gaming in the future. They also give their thoughts on the ROG Xbox Ally handheld system due to release this year, the Sakurai presentation of "Kirby Air Riders" and the biggest reveals of this years Gamescom event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 1 of this episode of the Dead End Gaming Podcast Beezy and Granddad talk about the recent price increase of the PS5 and what it could mean for gaming in the future. They also give their thoughts on the ROG Xbox Ally handheld system due to release this year, the Sakurai presentation of "Kirby Air Riders" and the biggest reveals of this years Gamescom event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Al and Kev go through a list of 22 farming games Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:11: What Have We Been Up To 00:12:37: Game News 00:43:58: New Games 00:48:23: The 22 Best Steam Farming Games of all Time 01:33:28: Outro Links Whimside Herdling Ritual of Raven Abyss: New Dawn Star Birds Len’s Island “1.1” Update Disney Dreamlight Valley “Emotional Rescue” Update Overthrown “Coastal” Update Starsand Island Trailer Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition Infinity Nikki x Stardew Valley We Harvest Shadows Neverway The 22 Best Steam Farming Games of All Time Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Al: Hello farmers and welcome to another episode of the harvest season my name is al. (0:00:36) Kev: My name is Kevin and Al, you drop the ball, you miss the chance. (0:00:41) Kev: The way we should have started this week was, “Why is podcasting so hard?” (0:00:46) Al: Oh, disaster. Maybe we need to start that again. (0:00:49) Kev: Oh dear. (0:00:55) Kev: Yeah, it’s probably harder for Sakurai to make Kirby out. (0:00:59) Al: It’s true, though. But it’s not. It’s not true. It’s not hard. (0:01:06) Kev: AirRiders isn’t a podcast, probably. (0:01:06) Al: Yeah, yeah, that is true. Probably. Yeah, so we are here, as I said. (0:01:08) Kev: Well, that was a great direct. (0:01:16) Al: We’re gonna talk about Cuchco Games. Lots of Cuchco Games, because we have a list to talk about. (0:01:18) Kev: Yeah. (0:01:23) Al: There’s a list. Did I find this list? I found this list, didn’t I? This is a list on cozy game reviews (0:01:26) Kev: Yes, you did. (0:01:31) Al: of the 22 best Steam farming games of all time. Brackets updated for 2025. (0:01:38) Kev: What an apropos subject after last week’s episode. (0:01:44) Al: So we’re going to talk about that. (0:01:46) Al: Next we’re going to go through it and see if we agree because not only has it got them all listed, it says what they’re all best for. They’ve all got a specific thing that the writer thinks that they’re best for. (0:01:56) Kev: Which is a good move, um, well, you know, we’ll get to the list. We’ll get to the list. I like the list content (0:02:00) Al: It gives us something to talk about, so we’ll see how we go. (0:02:08) Al: Before that, we’ve got quite a lot of news. We’ll get into that soon, but first of all, Kevin, what have you been up to? (0:02:14) Kev: Oh, this is I’ve been thinking about this it’s been the hardest part for me to think about this week because I’ve been busy and not (0:02:22) Kev: a lot of the usuals (0:02:26) Kev: Let’s see here at battle can’t Sonic event finish, so I’m still playing but it’s it’s whatever (0:02:32) Kev: Pokemon unite is good (0:02:36) Kev: We had the world championships just last weekend, so we had announcements there (0:02:41) Kev: That was fun. I don’t even remember who it is now, but (0:02:45) Kev: Oh gosh, what is it? Oh, no, I have to look up the list (0:02:48) Kev: I don’t remember but I mean I’ve been playing it’s good the latte both lattes are out now (0:02:54) Kev: They’re pretty fun (0:02:55) Kev: Especially when you can actually play with someone and you can use them both because they so specifically designed to work with each other (0:03:03) Kev: So that’s pretty cool (0:03:07) Kev: But (0:03:08) Kev: Yeah, you know unite still play. It’s wild (0:03:12) Kev: We’re almost at a hundred playable Pokemon in the game (0:03:14) Kev: That’s wild to think (0:03:17) Kev: That’s like what almost 10% of the the techs (0:03:23) Kev: But but yeah, it’s been good. Oh gosh, I cannot (0:03:28) Kev: I don’t remember (0:03:32) Kev: Sorry, I was trying to Google it was stalled for talking but either way I’m playing unite it’s been good (0:03:39) Kev: Let’s see other than that, um, yeah, just a lot of the same as usual stuff. I’ve been playing (0:03:44) Kev: I picked up a new show now that I finished monk (0:03:48) Kev: Have you ever heard of dr. Quinn medicine woman now (0:03:54) Kev: Okay, so it is a show from the 90s it is (0:04:02) Kev: How should I put this frontier (0:04:05) Kev: Style American setting kind of like little house (0:04:06) Al: Okay, yeah. (0:04:09) Kev: But it’s a little more a little less saccharine (0:04:12) Kev: It is the titular character. (0:04:14) Kev: It is a female doctor, Dr. Quinn, which is, you know, given in that timeframe and setting, leads to a very different dynamic, right? (0:04:28) Kev: So yeah, it’s been enjoyable. I think it’s a little more “real” than, say, Little House or some of the other more… (0:04:42) Kev: Uh, I should… (0:04:45) Kev: It doesn’t paint over some of these details, so you know I’ve just been here enjoying a show about a (0:04:52) Kev: Trying to find a home and community (0:04:55) Kev: Despite the backdrop of a society where misogyny (0:05:00) Kev: bigotry racism et cetera are pretty strong, you know, I (0:05:06) Kev: Don’t know if that resonates with anyone, but you know (0:05:08) Al: Not at all, not at all. (0:05:11) Kev: So it’s been good (0:05:13) Kev: It is from the 90’s. (0:05:14) Kev: So it looks a little dated, um, and, and you can still feel the 90’s like hairstyles permeating the show though. (0:05:22) Kev: Um, but, uh, but, uh, but yeah, it’s been fun. (0:05:25) Kev: That’s Dr. (0:05:26) Kev: Quinn, medicine woman. (0:05:27) Kev: Like I said, just something to fill the, the show hole. (0:05:29) Kev: Um, but yeah, that’s, that’s, that’s roughly what I’ve been up to. (0:05:33) Kev: It’s been busy week. (0:05:34) Kev: I made it, I made like a two day, one day gone the next day back work trip this week. (0:05:39) Kev: That was wild. (0:05:40) Al: What have I been up to? (0:05:40) Kev: Um, yeah, so I’m tired. (0:05:42) Kev: What about you? (0:05:45) Al: I’m still playing Donkey Kong Bonanza, so it’s a long game. (0:05:50) Kev: All right (0:05:56) Kev: Yeah, it’s a lot of bananas to find (0:05:58) Al: It is a lot of bananas, yeah, I’ve put like maybe like 10 hours into it or something so (0:06:04) Al: far and I saw that there was a new world record put up today, so I went out to look at it (0:06:10) Al: and what I’ve done in that like 10 hours they did in 50 minutes, like oh goodness me, so (0:06:17) Al: I think I’ve got quite a lot of the game left to go because the world record is over four (0:06:21) Al: hours, so I’m maybe a quarter of the way through but that doesn’t feel right, but I don’t know. (0:06:29) Al: I did say, I think I said true endings, maybe that’s getting all the bananas, so maybe I’ve (0:06:33) Al: got, maybe I’m halfway, I might be about halfway through, we’ll see. (0:06:34) Kev: Hmm (0:06:37) Kev: Hmm have you done that art mode at all the the sculpting mode or whatever? (0:06:41) Al: I have not, no, I’ve not. (0:06:43) Kev: Okay, I’ve seen people do some crazy nonsense in them. That’s pretty cool (0:06:46) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, I’m enjoying that, we’ll see how long that takes me, but this (0:06:57) Al: week I’ll probably be starting Story of Seasons Grand Bazaar, so who knows, how bizarre, so (0:07:02) Kev: How bizarre, how bizarre. (0:07:06) Al: I guess we’ll see a mate put down Donkey Kong for a bit. (0:07:10) Al: I think that’s pretty much it gaming wise. (0:07:17) Al: I’ve been catching up on a bunch of shows that I missed when I was on holiday, so I’ve (0:07:22) Al: just finished Sandman and it was good. (0:07:25) Kev: Oh, how was it? (0:07:28) Kev: Was it just weird? (0:07:30) Al: It was good if you can ignore the fact that it’s no gaming, then it’s good. (0:07:30) Kev: Okay. (0:07:34) Kev: Well, I feel like, you know, I feel like, in this day and age, (0:07:40) Kev: people get pretty good at that, if you just ignore the, you know, monster at the top. (0:07:42) Al: Well, yeah. Mm. So, yeah, no, that was good. And I think I’m going to watch Wednesday this (0:07:56) Al: week. So, yeah. (0:07:58) Kev: Oh, yeah, that’s all right. Okay. You know what you I assume you watch season one (0:08:05) Kev: Did you watch any Adams family prior to Wednesday (0:08:10) Kev: Okay, cuz I’m cuz I I’m a big fan of the animals family. Um, so I’m I had not watched Wednesday. So I’m curious how (0:08:17) Kev: That you know how it compares to the other relations, but alright (0:08:22) Kev: I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts. Anyways (0:08:26) Al: Yeah, I think that’s about it for me. (0:08:29) Al: Oh, no, I started on. (0:08:30) Al: So I’ve been watching through my mentions a couple of times. (0:08:33) Al: I’ve been watching through all the James Bond films. (0:08:35) Al: So I’m now on the Daniel Craig films. (0:08:37) Al: So on the home stretch nearly there. (0:08:40) Kev: Okay, okay, how is there any overall trends like they’re (0:08:44) Al: Hmm. So I don’t think there is like an upward or downward (0:08:46) Kev: Like better worse (0:08:51) Al: trend. They have like a good one followed by multiple terrible (0:08:53) Kev: Mm-hmm (0:08:55) Al: ones. I will say that one thing I’ve noticed watching them all (0:08:57) Kev: Yeah (0:09:01) Al: like we started in November. So we watched them all in the last (0:09:02) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:09:05) Al: nine months basically. One thing I’ve noticed is that they’re (0:09:06) Kev: Yeah (0:09:08) Al: all basically the same film. (0:09:10) Kev: Yeah (0:09:13) Kev: Now we’re talking oh (0:09:14) Al: So I mean, if you like that, then that’s good. I did get to the (0:09:17) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I mean (0:09:21) Al: point where we hit the, what’s his name? I’m so bad with the (0:09:29) Al: actor’s name sometimes. The Piers Brosnan ones. So we hit (0:09:32) Kev: » Yeah. (0:09:33) Al: 95 with GoldenEye. And I was like, oh, fantastic. We’re (0:09:34) Kev: » Yeah. (0:09:36) Al: finally, we’re finally getting out of the, you know, maybe we’ll (0:09:39) Al: get some bad baddie other than the USSR. And then I’m pretty (0:09:43) Kev: Yeah, yeah they do. (0:09:43) Al: pretty sure they go back in time. (0:09:44) Al: to make the USSR the baddie again. (0:09:49) Al: And then in the end, I would just watch Casino Royale and there’s a little bit (0:09:53) Al: where, where M goes, Oh, I wish we were, I wish we were back in the cold war. (0:09:57) Kev: Yeah, yeah, man, that’s that’s good stuff. Obviously, you and I is Nintendo, Pokemon, MCU fans, we can we can handle a whole lot of the same thing done over and over. But that’s that’s that’s fascinating. (0:09:59) Al: They really do miss that easy baddie. (0:10:05) Al: So yeah. (0:10:18) Al: - Yeah. (0:10:22) Al: I guess it’s different when you’re seeing the same thing (0:10:24) Al: every three years rather than every week. (0:10:27) Kev: Yeah, you know, that’s a good point. That’s a good point. But still, I mean, hey, you’re still trucking, you didn’t cause you to, to give up or die. So it’s because there’s at least something there. (0:10:38) Al: Yeah. Yeah, nearly there, nearly there, definitely. I’ve watched all the Daniel Craig ones as (0:10:44) Al: well, so I can’t officially say that I’ve watched every James Bond film. I just haven’t (0:10:48) Kev: Yeah (0:10:50) Al: watched these ones in a while, so. And Rona hasn’t seen the newest one, so. (0:10:51) Kev: Right, right (0:10:54) Kev: Okay, there you go. Hey congrats (0:10:57) Kev: Good stuff. Oh, I found the unite Pokemon. It’s sorry (0:11:04) Kev: Okay (0:11:05) Kev: We are getting Empoleon which sure starters always a safe choice. We are getting Vaporeon (0:11:13) Kev: Which means that the only Eevee evolutions we didn’t have were the original three. So we (0:11:18) Kev: Are now getting them that’s now confirming two other ones down the line (0:11:23) Kev: But most interestingly we are getting Delmise the (0:11:29) Kev: Living seaweed on an anchor. I’m excited about that. I like the freak pics. Delmise is a good freak pic (0:11:38) Al: Fun. Yeah. I look forward to seeing how Dalmay’s, you know, moves. (0:11:39) Kev: Yeah (0:11:43) Kev: Yeah, I’m just gonna flow it’s all just gonna flow (0:11:49) Kev: But yeah, oh well drags it drags itself (0:11:50) Al: You never know, should be something more interesting. (0:11:54) Al: Yeah, you just hear this scraping sound. (0:12:00) Kev: Oh, that’d be incredible. Oh my gosh (0:12:02) Al: Especially, I presume there’s no in-game chat, like audio chat in Unite. (0:12:08) Kev: Yeah, there is. There is a voice, yeah. (0:12:10) Al: Well there is, does it have, has it got, what’s it called, where you’re like, (0:12:15) Al: it changes depending on how close to the character you are. (0:12:18) Kev: Oh, proximity? No, it does not have proximity as far as I know. (0:12:19) Al: » Yeah. (0:12:20) Al: » That’d be brilliant. (0:12:21) Al: So if you could hear, like, the scraping come closer to you, that’d be brilliant. (0:12:22) Kev: The scraping. (0:12:28) Al: Feels like it’s something out of a horror film. (0:12:31) Kev: That’s incredible. Oh, I love dumb eyes. Oh, that’d be great. (0:12:38) Al: All right, should we get into some news? (0:12:41) Kev: Oh, you mean a lot of news. So much news. (0:12:43) Al: So, yeah, we have some games that have released (0:12:49) Al: that I completely missed when I was doing my catch-up (0:12:52) Al: of all the news in the break. (0:12:57) Al: So we’re just gonna quickly go through those. (0:12:59) Al: First up, we have Whimside, Whimside or Whimside. (0:13:03) Al: I don’t know how they want it to be said, (0:13:04) Al: but it’s one of those. (0:13:04) Kev: Yeah (0:13:06) Al: So that is out now. (0:13:08) Al: So a hoo to windside. (0:13:08) Kev: That’s (0:13:10) Kev: That’s the desk that’s your rusty like Pokemon collector (0:13:16) Al: Correct, yes. (0:13:17) Al: It’s a creature collector, the game that sits at the bottom of your screen, and fits easily (0:13:18) Kev: Which (0:13:22) Al: into your routine. (0:13:23) Kev: It looks kind of in-depth I don’t want to use it as a you know thing on the side (0:13:28) Kev: But I am kind of interested to just play get (0:13:32) Al: Yeah. It has 194 reviews so far, very positive 85%. So that’s good. (0:13:39) Kev: some look some of those were also just pokemon there was just a squirtle in in that trailer (0:13:46) Al: Well Squirtle is just a blue turtle, so come on. Next we have Herdling, they are also out now, (0:13:49) Kev: it is you’re not wrong yeah that’s true (0:13:56) Al: came out on the 21st of August, that one wasn’t one that I missed because it’s only just out. (0:13:56) Kev: they nope that just came out that’s (0:14:01) Al: So that is the you’re gathering a herd of mysterious creatures on a stirring and beautiful (0:14:07) Al: journey into the mountains. And this is published by Panic, they’re… (0:14:08) Kev: It’s Journey, the game Journey, but cows. (0:14:16) Al: the Untitled Goose Game people and also the… (0:14:22) Kev: Wow, that looks nothing like a criminal ghost game. A publisher? Okay, okay. (0:14:25) Al: No, well they’re just the publisher, they didn’t they didn’t write the game, but they’ve (0:14:33) Al: Panic are also the they’ve turned into a publisher as well. But they’re also the, and I’m just trying (0:14:41) Al: to remember the name of it. Nope, nope. (0:14:42) Kev: one game give me a hint is it stray oh oh my goodness wow these guys are heroes (0:14:47) Al: In our game the Playdate, the console, they also did the console. (0:14:54) Kev: hurdling exclusive to the play date or with the tool exclusive to the play date where you use the (0:15:00) Kev: crank to herd the cows uh oh okay yeah so these guys are (0:15:01) Al: Oh, they did fire watch as well. (0:15:12) Kev: gonna publish weird things that’s cool good for them i’m actually more interested in hurdling now (0:15:20) Kev: now that I have this I mean not that the publisher just the developer or whatever you know but uh (0:15:22) Al: Yeah, I (0:15:26) Al: Yeah, but I mean a publisher tells you something especially when they’ve only published like 10 games or something so (0:15:32) Al: It’s not like they’re throwing them out there. They’re taking anything that comes (0:15:36) Al: unlike some other games publishers (0:15:38) Kev: But (0:15:39) Al: But yeah, I mean it looks much more kind of fire watchy than it does anything else in terms of it’s because obviously fire watch is (0:15:44) Kev: Yeah (0:15:46) Al: much more (0:15:47) Al: straight and serious and (0:15:49) Kev: Yeah (0:15:50) Al: and they look. (0:15:52) Al: kind of meditative, almost. (0:15:53) Kev: Yeah (0:15:55) Kev: Yeah, it’s not yeah, that’s a good way of describing it right very Zen sort of thing (0:16:00) Kev: Just walking with some cows up a mountain (0:16:00) Al: Hmm. Big haticos. (0:16:05) Kev: The character even wears red like the journey (0:16:08) Kev: Character with the scar. It’s fine. Journey is a good game (0:16:14) Al: Next we have a ritual of Raven, which is also out now. (0:16:20) Al: So this is an isometric, story-based farming game. (0:16:26) Kev: cards, lots of cards, everywhere. I don’t understand the mechanics. Do you farm (0:16:34) Kev: with cards? It kind of looked like that. (0:16:38) Al: Yeah, I think so. I think you use the cards to create spells because you’re awake (0:16:43) Kev: okay right let’s see enchant constructs to help grow herbs and ingredients to help you complete (0:16:49) Kev: your book of shadows using the mystical deck of cards you’ll be able to enchant constructs to (0:16:54) Kev: plows plow sow seeds water and harvest them for you collect all 22 constructs and create thriving (0:17:01) Kev: herb garden um so yeah looks like you do use the cards to make stuff to farm that’s kind of (0:17:08) Al: Yeah. Yup, so that’s out now. Next, we have Abyss New Dawn. This is out in early access now. (0:17:17) Al: I think they had a delay. Are these the ones that delayed the game? They were meant to come (0:17:24) Al: out and then they were like, “Oh no, we’ve got an issue.” There we go. This is the one. Abyss (0:17:26) Kev: Did I lose the button, too? (0:17:31) Al: New Dawn release may be delayed by a few days. During Steam’s review process, our latest build (0:17:36) Al: was rejected due to a technical issue of three achievements. (0:17:38) Al: We’ve already fixed or submitted the build for approval. Steam usually takes three to (0:17:43) Al: five days for the review, so the release date may be delayed until August 25th. It was not. (0:17:48) Al: It ended up releasing Friday 22nd, so I don’t think it was delayed at all, but they thought it might be. (0:17:49) Kev: Yeah, um, so this, first of all, I hate. (0:18:02) Al: Oh yes, this is a warm village above a deadly abyss below. Will you farm in peace or dive in? (0:18:10) Kev: Okay, so first of all, I hate that name, like good heavens what an awful name, just like, it’s just so generic, it doesn’t tell you anything, um… (0:18:14) Al: Yes, also it feels like it’s the second in a series. This is the sequel to Abyss. It’s (0:18:24) Al: Abyss New Dawn. But I don’t think that’s the case. It is not the case. (0:18:25) Kev: yeah yeah okay this is gonna sound kind of weird this this game doesn’t look (0:18:34) Kev: like it was AI generated but it looks like the concept was generated concept (0:18:40) Kev: because it feels like it has so much going on like all these hallmarks you’ve (0:18:44) Kev: got Animal Crossing as characters you got farming you got fishing (0:18:49) Kev: customization and then the abyss the abyss is actually just dinosaurs it’s (0:18:54) Kev: It’s just a dinosaur world. (0:18:55) Kev: I don’t know. It looks well made. It’s a tough market out here. (0:19:04) Kev: That’s all. (0:19:04) Al: Yeah, I’m not seeing anything make me want to play this. (0:19:06) Kev: No, as much as I love dinosaurs, I’d rather play paleopine. (0:19:13) Kev: I would, I’m not trying to entertain them. (0:19:16) Al: Yeah, do you want to fight dinosaurs or do you want to tame them? That’s the question. (0:19:21) Kev: Also, so they have the Animal Crossing decorate your house because, of course. (0:19:25) Kev: The one question I don’t see, and I think this is a big problem a lot of games have, (0:19:30) Kev: can you actually use the furniture? Can you sit in the couch or lying in the bed? (0:19:36) Kev: Because that kills me when you can’t, and a lot of games do it. But anyways, yeah. (0:19:43) Kev: Bismuthon, that’s early access. I probably won’t play it. Bite Slime, that’s in the video. (0:19:55) Kev: Not fight slimes or anything, just fight slime singular. Or the general concept of slime, I guess. (0:20:05) Al: Yeah, yeah, I don’t I’m not excited to to play this let’s put it that way (0:20:11) Kev: I’m not either (0:20:14) Al: All right moving on to something I am excited to play (0:20:17) Kev: Okay, okay, I tried (0:20:18) Al: Starbirds (0:20:20) Kev: Okay, let’s see here. So I tried looking at this. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Remember this one now. Yeah. Yeah (0:20:21) Al: Starbirds (0:20:24) Al: So so starbirds have announced that the their early access is releasing on the 4th of September. So just to (0:20:33) Al: So, remind people. (0:20:35) Al: This is the game made by the people who did Dorph Romantic, and it is based on the YouTube channel Kurtzkazat in a nutshell. (0:20:49) Al: They do science-based videos, very interesting videos, all very meticulously researched and stuff. (0:20:56) Al: And this is in their art style, and it is an asteroid-based building and resource management game. (0:21:03) Kev: yeah that yeah it’s it’s um it’s a lot those are a lot of words but the good the game the game looks (0:21:08) Al: You know Dorph Romantic, right? You know the game. You don’t know Dorph romantic. You would (0:21:10) Kev: good I don’t want to like I don’t actually no no hold on (0:21:16) Al: you definitely recognize it if you clicked on it. Click through to the developer on Steam (0:21:20) Al: and click on Dorph romantic. It’s a really record. It’s kind of it’s got the like tiles (0:21:25) Al: like the hexagon tiles and it’s it’s like a building puzzle game. Yeah, it’s pretty (0:21:31) Kev: That is that is just settlers of Katon the game (0:21:37) Al: it, it, it, it pretty much. (0:21:38) Al: Um, but it’s single player, I think, um, it’s got 15,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews. (0:21:40) Kev: Sure sure (0:21:46) Al: It’s a very big game, they’re romantic. (0:21:47) Kev: Oh, I’m sure okay, is it good to have you played it? (0:21:53) Al: I haven’t played it, but I mean, there’s overwhelmingly positive on the Rivens team. (0:21:58) Kev: That’s true well (0:21:59) Al: So like people like it. (0:22:01) Kev: I guess so that’s true (0:22:02) Al: It’s not, I’m not, I’m not the biggest management game guy. (0:22:06) Kev: Yeah, that is true (0:22:08) Kev: So I’m also okay for starboard. So it is very heavy on the management. You have networks of cables and roads and flow (0:22:16) Kev: But I think the art style is very charming (0:22:19) Kev: very cartoony (0:22:20) Al: What I like about it as well is it’s very small scale. (0:22:24) Al: So I think one of my issues with management games is, (0:22:27) Al: here’s an infinite canvas, make something. (0:22:31) Kev: Yeah. Mine it. (0:22:31) Al: And you’re like, but maybe I don’t want to. (0:22:33) Al: And what this does is it goes, here’s a mini asteroid. (0:22:36) Al: Mine it. (0:22:37) Al: And then those all connect together eventually. (0:22:40) Al: And so it does create this bigger thing, (0:22:41) Al: but it’s like much smaller scale at the start. (0:22:44) Kev: Very piecewise. Yeah. Yeah, I see what you’re saying. Yeah, I think that’s cool too. Very (0:22:44) Al: I like, yeah. (0:22:51) Kev: Like discrete as in with the E at the end (0:22:56) Kev: Discrete units of (0:22:59) Kev: Resource management and then you connect them all together for a bigger network. I like it. That’s a fun idea (0:23:06) Kev: Also your birds I (0:23:08) Kev: Like I like to parrot a toucan. I don’t know what bird that is. Looks like it has a toucan beak but parrot (0:23:14) Kev: So I’m not sure I like that bird (0:23:16) Al: Alrighty, so that yeah, that’s 4th of September that comes out, Starbirds. (0:23:21) Kev: That’s sooner than it should be. Oh, where did all this go? Jeez (0:23:28) Al: Yeah, that’s two weeks away, less than two weeks away. (0:23:30) Al: That’s a week and a half away. (0:23:30) Al: That’ll be a week away when this game episode comes out. (0:23:32) Al: Alrighty, next we have Lens Island. (0:23:36) Al: They’ve released their 1.1 update. (0:23:38) Al: That is out now. (0:23:40) Al: That includes, it is the community feedback update. (0:23:42) Al: update. It brings a bunch of changes such as free (0:23:46) Al: camera orbiting. Okay, junk loading settings and performance (0:23:51) Al: boost, you can change how far away you can see things, which (0:23:54) Al: is really cool. If you’ve got like, a really good computer, (0:23:57) Al: you can see islands miles away in the distance. I really like (0:24:00) Al: that because yeah, that’s really nice. Increased performance of (0:24:05) Al: spending farms always good. A sorting button for storage items (0:24:09) Al: should have been there in 1.0. Edit constructions with new move (0:24:13) Al: button. The move button should have been 1.0. When Earth was (0:24:16) Al: this was one of the things I complained about in the in my (0:24:16) Kev: Yup. (0:24:18) Al: review of it. Why on earth? Why on earth did I have to delete (0:24:20) Kev: Yup. (0:24:21) Al: something and recreate it? So silly. You did at least when you (0:24:22) Kev: Yup. (0:24:25) Al: recycled something, you got all the materials back. So you (0:24:26) Kev: Right, right, right. (0:24:27) Al: didn’t waste anything. But it’s just still such an annoying (0:24:30) Kev: Yeah, I agree. Like, I feel like almost every game that has you, you know, building constructs or buildings or whatever should have this feature. (0:24:38) Kev: And a lot of them don’t. A lot of, I don’t know why. (0:24:42) Al: Yeah, another thing that should have been in there is the crop status UI, so if you hover over a crop, you can see whether it’s ready to harvest or not, which is good. (0:24:52) Kev: That seems important. (0:24:53) Al: Yeah, yeah, I found it later on. So after the podcast, I read that I found out that you can craft a scythe, and if you use the site that only gets rid of things that are harvestable, but before that, you just have to guess. (0:25:05) Kev: Oh, that’s good. That’s good. Good good (0:25:12) Al: So you can create a new companion, the black bear, so you can get an animal black bear companion. (0:25:18) Kev: Now this I like just because I like bears in general good good for you. He added a bear (0:25:24) Al: Yeah, yeah, I think I’m probably gonna stick with my dog. I like my dog, but (0:25:26) Kev: Can you pet the bear? (0:25:30) Kev: Yeah (0:25:31) Al: There’s tempting (0:25:35) Kev: I’m tempted. I don’t play this game. But if I did I’d get a bear (0:25:39) Al: Haha, I (0:25:42) Al: Haven’t played it for a few weeks (0:25:43) Al: But I will hopefully get back into it at some point the problem is this is the one that I have to play on my (0:25:48) Al: computer with my mouse and keyboard, so you know and (0:25:53) Al: Next we have Disney Dream. (0:25:54) Al: I’m just going to say a new episode. (0:25:56) Kev: What property is it today or this time? (0:26:01) Al: This is the emotional rescue update. (0:26:04) Al: Let’s see. (0:26:06) Al: Joy and sadness. (0:26:08) Al: You’ve got, so there we go. (0:26:10) Al: We’ve got inside out, that’s what it’s called. (0:26:11) Kev: Inside out as in joy and sadness TM, but the capital letters (0:26:19) Kev: That (0:26:21) Kev: How should I put this like this is a (0:26:25) Kev: complete nonsensical like (0:26:28) Kev: There’s no logic in this world because it’s just whatever cartoons (0:26:33) Kev: but it (0:26:34) Kev: But despite that, I don’t know it feels weird that you can hang out with you know (0:26:40) Kev: and psychological constructs. (0:26:41) Kev: You win. You know, the rest of the guys are actual lions or dogs or people. (0:26:48) Kev: But, whatever. I liked Inside Out. I didn’t see Inside Out, too. (0:26:53) Kev: Inside Out, first one, was a good movie. (0:26:55) Al: I enjoy, I think Inside Out 2 was just as good if not better than Inside Out 1. (0:27:00) Kev: Ooh! Ooh! That’s interesting. I’ll have to check that out. (0:27:03) Al: It’s very good. I think that so many sequels, I understand why people get frustrated with them, (0:27:09) Al: but I think Inside Out was not, I mean, whether it was a cash grab or not, I don’t care, right? (0:27:15) Al: Like it doesn’t feel like a cash grab, it feels like a continuation of the story in good and better (0:27:15) Kev: Yeah (0:27:20) Kev: Sure, I mean (0:27:22) Al: ways, right? Like it’s, it takes the concept. (0:27:23) Kev: Yeah (0:27:25) Al: And it goes further with it in a way that can completely break you. (0:27:27) Kev: Yeah (0:27:30) Kev: Sure sure, I mean, yeah, okay, it’s not (0:27:34) Kev: It’s difficult but being a cash grab and being an excellent sequel are not mutually exclusive (0:27:40) Al: Exactly. (0:27:41) Kev: Um, just very, very rare, but, but it is, it, it’s theoretically. (0:27:45) Kev: Possible. So sure. Um, okay. I, I have one question from the sequel. (0:27:50) Kev: Okay. So you remember in the first movie, you, sometimes you see the, (0:27:55) Kev: the minds of other people, the parents or whatever, (0:27:57) Kev: and they have the five emotions. (0:27:58) Al: Yes. No. Explain why they weren’t there with the main character who I can’t remember the (0:27:59) Kev: Do they explain why all these other emotions weren’t there? No. (0:28:05) Kev: Darn it. Darn it. (0:28:11) Al: name of, but not why the new ones wouldn’t be in Riley, that’s the name, yeah, but why (0:28:13) Kev: Riley. (0:28:16) Kev: Yeah. Darn it. That’s fine. That’s fine. Yeah. I mean, I mean, I mean, (0:28:16) Al: they wouldn’t be in the other ones. No, they don’t explain that. No, they do explain why (0:28:21) Kev: it makes sense that you get new emotions as you get older. (0:28:23) Al: why they’re not in Riley. (0:28:25) Kev: You get, you know, more nuanced. It’s totally makes sense. (0:28:28) Al: Yeah, the metaphors are both fun and painful. (0:28:35) Kev: Now you say, is it painful? Cause it’s too real. (0:28:38) Kev: Is that what it is? Oh, yeah. (0:28:42) Kev: Oh, yeah. (0:28:42) Al: a little bit yeah you’re a big anxiety boy aren’t you yeah yeah then then then yeah (0:28:45) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, yeah. (0:28:52) Al: watch it but but watch it on an emotionally stable day (0:28:52) Kev: Oh, oh, so it can be so that was so the rest of your day can be emotionally unstable. (0:28:58) Al: or you know semi-emotionally stable (0:29:08) Al: no I think I think it’s one of those ones where it will break you but in a healing way (0:29:12) Kev: Sure, sure. (0:29:13) Al: you know like therapy you know you go into therapy and sometimes you come out crying (0:29:14) Kev: Yeah, no, I get that. (0:29:16) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:29:18) Al: but also you feel better in some ways as well it’s kind of like that (0:29:22) Kev: Yeah, I get that. (0:29:22) Kev: Yeah, no, I know what you mean. (0:29:24) Kev: I mean, like, like the first one, the shocker. (0:29:26) Al: not that watching watching films obviously important to note watching films is not a (0:29:30) Al: suitable alternative to therapy do therapy please and thank you (0:29:34) Kev: Yeah, that’s that’s a good thing to do that (0:29:36) Al: if you can if you can afford it if you can’t talk to your friends (0:29:38) Kev: You go go or (0:29:42) Kev: Okay, yeah, here’s my my PSA helpful hint for the day (0:29:46) Kev: I always always recommend because therapy can be very expensive, right? (0:29:52) Kev: Especially on the states where we have to deal with you know medical insurance and yada yada (0:29:57) Kev: If you find that to be a challenge go seek out your nearest University (0:30:02) Kev: They may have a clinic with students. (0:30:04) Kev: They may have a clinic with students in training to be full psychologist/counsellors, which is usually generally affordable. (0:30:06) Al: Hmm. (0:30:10) Kev: Or they can make it affordable. (0:30:13) Kev: And it’s pretty okay because they still are supervised by actual, you know, fully certified therapists and whatnot. (0:30:20) Kev: So, yeah, go look at your local university. (0:30:24) Kev: Anyway, so that’s Disney Dreamlight Valley! (0:30:30) Al: - Yes, that’s Disney Dreamland Valley, go to therapy. (0:30:37) Al: Next, we have Overthrown, (0:30:39) Al: they have released a coastal update. (0:30:42) Kev: Okay. (0:30:42) Al: So that includes some coastal related things. (0:30:45) Kev: Okay, so I saw that and my first question was what is overthrown? I did not remember this game at all. (0:30:50) Al: This is the one where you can like pick up the sawmill (0:30:54) Al: and throw it at trees and it’ll turn the trees (0:30:56) Al: into planks of wood, stuff like that. (0:30:58) Kev: Yeah, which is (0:30:59) Al: It’s like the. (0:31:02) Kev: The very it’s very cool concept to be honest I saw it (0:31:07) Al: and you can also in their ritual run. (0:31:08) Kev: Yeah, you are not running across water and everything (0:31:13) Kev: And it’s multiple. It’s it’s chaotic and and boy that that main character (0:31:18) Kev: They’re the default design or whatever that is a breath of the wild outfit. That is blue link blue (0:31:24) Al: Yeah, fair. (0:31:27) Kev: But but it’s fine (0:31:28) Kev: What a wild goofy game (0:31:30) Kev: What a novel idea to pick up the sawmill and chop down the whole forest by running with it (0:31:37) Kev: We’re throwing buildings at the invaders that’s good stuff. I like that. That’s fun (0:31:43) Kev: Coastal I like coastal stuff you can throw pirate ship now (0:31:46) Al: All right, next we have Starsand Island have released a trailer for the game. (0:31:54) Al: Have you watched it yet, Kevin? (0:31:56) Kev: let me see which one is this no this is not the hold on there’s a lot of games (0:32:03) Kev: trying to merge one this isn’t the allegory allegory game (0:32:08) Kev: yeah no we’ll get to that later oh gosh I missed this one I was going through (0:32:15) Kev: the doc and it’s this one actually let me see here live reaction okay those are (0:32:20) Kev: pretty graphics hate the name of course goes without saying oh that’s anime that (0:32:25) Kev: That is some anime. (0:32:27) Kev: Uhm, okay, a lot of customization, farming, cat, ooh, is that an arcade? Actual arcade? (0:32:34) Kev: Why is it always snake? They always be, “Oh, you’re right, on a deer there’s some pandas, and a bamboo raft, so we can go build your aquarium.” (0:32:45) Kev: Oh, I kind of remember, yeah, I remember this, build the house, 3D spirit favor house, yeah, yeah, yeah, water slide into the ocean. (0:32:53) Kev: There’s a lot of stuff. (0:32:56) Kev: Yeah, build your 3D Animal Crossing Spiritfare pool party house. (0:33:03) Kev: Okay, that’s… (0:33:05) Al: I feel like this game is either going to be another Stardew Valley like a big really popular (0:33:12) Al: really good farming game or it’s Sugardew Island again and I can’t tell which like I (0:33:14) Kev: Yeah, there is a metal ground, you don’t think so? I kind of, I mean, I mean, you have reason (0:33:19) Al: don’t think there’s going to be a middle here I don’t know for this game like there are (0:33:25) Al: many games in the middle ground I don’t think this one can be in the middle ground it’s (0:33:29) Al: one or the other like it might be that this game is entirely fake I’m still not convinced (0:33:37) Kev: to believe that there’s a guy playing guitar with ostriches and sheep, there’s backup dancers. (0:33:43) Kev: That’s… (0:33:46) Kev: I like that. I don’t know if it’s real. (0:33:48) Al: you can get a boat with a water slide (0:33:48) Kev: But… (0:33:50) Kev: Into the ocean. (0:33:53) Al: for some reason. I’m so confused about the boat. Where’s the boat? (0:33:54) Kev: Yeah. (0:33:59) Al: Like, am I riding the boat somewhere? Because I can customize the boat, (0:34:03) Kev: Yeah, it makes you think like it’s your main base, but they show you a room. Yeah, you (0:34:03) Al: right? But it’s not. You’ve got a farm. (0:34:10) Al: So what is this? Why is this boat? Is it from traveling places or is it just a (0:34:13) Al: second home? Why was I going down the slide in (0:34:15) Kev: Probably (0:34:17) Al: might feel soon. (0:34:19) Al: So many questions. (0:34:20) Kev: There’s a lot of questions what why are you writing a legendary Pokemon not the ostrich the deer one (0:34:26) Al: And an ostrich. (0:34:29) Al: Yeah, I know I saw the deal, but the ostrich definitely looks (0:34:32) Al: fine. I would ride an ostrich. That sounds fun. (0:34:33) Kev: I (0:34:34) Al: Also, there’s a baby chick on the ostriches head for some reason. (0:34:37) Kev: It does something, you know us oh, yeah, there are there is chick. Oh, I think you customize the ostrich (0:34:44) Kev: I see one the flower too. I don’t know (0:34:46) Al: There’s a snake minigame where instead of a snake, you’re a capybara. (0:34:50) Kev: Which is I don’t like that concept I (0:34:54) Kev: Don’t like yeah, no or rather the the cap of the air gets longer. No, I don’t get that (0:34:54) Al: Of a long capybara. (0:35:03) Al: Oh, you’re fine with a long capybara just as long as it stays the same length. (0:35:04) Kev: You (0:35:06) Kev: Yes, I don’t I don’t like yes, it’s the increase here that’s making me uncomfortable but (0:35:06) Al: Is that what you’re saying? (0:35:13) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:35:15) Kev: It’s a wild game. I (0:35:18) Kev: Don’t know (0:35:20) Kev: it looks real enough, but (0:35:24) Kev: You can put a carousel in the middle of your boat (0:35:28) Kev: It’s wild. I (0:35:30) Kev: I don’t know what what is the point of all I like. (0:35:33) Kev: What is the impetus here? Why do you write ostriches? I don’t get it. (0:35:37) Al: You get round fast, obviously. Come on. (0:35:39) Kev: Yeah, you know, apparently writing ostriches is incredibly dangerous in real life. (0:35:45) Al: Well yeah, obviously. They’re terrifying birds. (0:35:46) Kev: Yeah, yeah, but like, yeah, they are. (0:35:52) Kev: I like them, though. Anyways, I mean, it it has caught my attention (0:35:57) Kev: just because it’s it’s I don’t know what to make of it. (0:36:03) Kev: It hasn’t it hasn’t put me off. (0:36:06) Kev: So good for you, Star Santa, even with the name, you’ve you’ve caught my attention (0:36:11) Kev: to a degree, Star Santa Island. (0:36:13) Al: I also worry that there might just be too much in this game, that’s always a problem (0:36:17) Al: with these games. (0:36:18) Kev: You know, it feels like that’s kind of a recurring theme these days. (0:36:23) Kev: Like they’re just do stardew, but bigger or add more and bloat and bloat and oh, (0:36:34) Al: Well, we’ll see. We will keep you posted on this game. (0:36:38) Kev: We’re obligated to. (0:36:42) Al: Next, we have Harvest Moon Home Sweet Home Special Edition. (0:36:47) Al: So this is the console version of this game for Switch and PS5. (0:36:53) Al: We now have a price. It is $40 and it’s up for pre-order now coming out Q4. (0:37:00) Kev: It’s… we all know what it is. It’s the harvest moon. The Natsume… (0:37:10) Kev: Well, I’m not gonna get it, I’ll be honest. (0:37:13) Al: That’s fair. I will say, I still think this is actively a good game. My big question is, (0:37:22) Al: is there going to be an update coming to the mobile version that gives us the stuff that (0:37:26) Kev: Hmm (0:37:28) Al: this version has, like the hover bike and stuff like that? (0:37:31) Kev: I I wouldn’t rule it out. Not something has been surprising us lately. So maybe actually it’s more than 0% chance (0:37:34) Al: Yep, I never expected an update for this game. (0:37:43) Al: On the console to give us controller support, for example, never expected that and we got (0:37:48) Al: it. So maybe, maybe, but it’s weird that they’ve not done anything about it, like told us anything (0:37:55) Al: about it yet. (0:37:58) Kev: Well, it’s better than scong than in the communication. (0:38:02) Al: Next we have in what is both surprising and not surprising crossovers, like was this on (0:38:09) Kev: I (0:38:12) Al: your bingo guard of crossovers? (0:38:13) Kev: Well, no because (0:38:14) Al: No, but if you said, if you told me this was going to happen, I would say, okay, sure, (0:38:19) Al: I can see that. (0:38:21) Al: And that is Infinity Nicki cross Stardew Valley. (0:38:21) Kev: I. Okay, so to begin with, I was not familiar with Infinity Nicky. So that was my first (0:38:31) Kev: response. What is Infinity Nicky? I watched a I watched the trailer. I watched a gameplay (0:38:32) Al: This is the dressing up game, isn’t it? (0:38:39) Kev: trailer. I still don’t understand what this game is. Yeah, but it’s also gotcha. (0:38:42) Al: I’m pretty sure this is the, uh, yes, it’s the dress up game. (0:38:47) Al: So the whole point it’s, yes, it’s a gacha great dressing up game. (0:38:51) Al: So the collaboration is in Infinity Nikki. (0:38:54) Kev: very anime. Yeah. (0:38:57) Al: It’s not in Stardew Valley. (0:38:59) Al: Um, but I don’t think we know for certain, I’ve not, I didn’t notice (0:39:03) Al: anything in the trailer that gave us an indication as to what it was, but (0:39:05) Al: I’m guessing it’s Stardew inspired outfits in Infinity. (0:39:10) Kev: I thought that 3D… still pixelated, but 3D Junimo was in the game. (0:39:17) Al: Yeah, I think that’s just, this is the trailer. I don’t think that actually is going to… (0:39:20) Kev: Are you sure? Mmm… (0:39:23) Kev: I don’t know. I kind of feel like it is. It felt very… (0:39:26) Kev: That was a very detailed model for just a trailer, in my opinion. (0:39:31) Kev: There’s creatures for, to some extent, in this game. I don’t know what they do. (0:39:36) Kev: But… yeah, I don’t know. (0:39:40) Kev: But regardless, like… (0:39:44) Kev: It’s… (0:39:45) Kev: First of all, it’s… (0:39:47) Kev: It’s so many other Stardew crossovers. (0:39:49) Kev: Like, it’s, you know, 2D pixelated, indie developer, whatever, right? (0:39:54) Kev: Like, it’s kind of on the same realm as Stardew. (0:39:58) Kev: Uh, Infinity Nicky is a very high-fidelity, 3D anime, mohoyo-looking game. (0:40:09) Kev: And so it’s wild to see. (0:40:10) Kev: We started getting upgraded, like just visually, you know, up to that level. (0:40:17) Al: Oh, here’s interesting. So, apparently, Infiniti Nikkei is getting updated to have (0:40:23) Al: homes. Apparently, he didn’t have homes before. And farming. (0:40:27) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s correct. I do I did see that (0:40:32) Al: So, that’s interesting. (0:40:34) Kev: And well, there’s your there’s your Avenue (0:40:36) Kev: What what a get for this infinity Nikki go for the big one and I’ll start it to introduce your new home (0:40:44) Kev: Farming update with it (0:40:47) Kev: Yeah, this this whole thing is wild apparently so the internet thought so too (0:40:52) Al: Yes, so just to clarify, I think this article is mostly clickbait, but I wanted to just (0:40:58) Kev: Yeah, I agree (0:41:00) Al: have a quick chat about it. So this is a random article on a random site. Stardew Valley creator (0:41:05) Al: defends free Infinity Nikki crossover after backlash as he genuinely thought the players (0:41:11) Al: would like it. So I don’t think he’s actually responding to complaints about the fact that (0:41:17) Al: this exists. The quote comes from a tweet where he says there have (0:41:22) Al: been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years. To (0:41:27) Al: be clear, I never received any money from these collabs. I’ve only done them because (0:41:31) Al: I was a fan of the other games or because I genuinely thought the players would like (0:41:34) Al: it. That is not like the headline definitely makes it sound like he’s specifically talking (0:41:40) Al: about this collab. And he and he’s like making it makes it sound like it’s going, Oh, I’m (0:41:44) Al: really sad. People don’t like it. I genuinely thought the players would like it. Like that (0:41:48) Al: doesn’t seem to be the case. And if you look in the YouTube comments for this video, like (0:41:52) Al: it is mostly positive and or mostly just like shock in general, right? (0:41:56) Kev: Uh (0:41:58) Kev: I I don’t know because the (0:42:01) Kev: concern they tweeted is uh (0:42:03) Kev: Just a couple days ago, um right around the time of the trailer dropping (0:42:08) Kev: So I think he might be obviously he’s getting (0:42:11) Kev: He has a lot of people that follow him and send him comments and stuff. So (0:42:16) Kev: he I suspect there was a (0:42:19) Kev: Maybe not a large but you know how these things are a vocal minority of people (0:42:24) Kev: Who complained about this because (0:42:26) Kev: I can see the logic right concerned a star do we that’s a success right he’s (0:42:32) Kev: already getting success from stardew and now he’s collabing with the gotcha game (0:42:37) Kev: which is probably making insane boatloads of money because gotcha games (0:42:41) Kev: that’s what they do so oh look at that and see now he’s collaborating with big (0:42:42) Al: Yeah. Yeah, so well, so yeah, so my I suspect it was a small number of people who are like, oh, (0:42:54) Al: I can’t believe he’s doing this, he must just be getting a bunch of money. And so he’s like, (0:42:57) Al: no, no, I’m not getting money. And that’s all he really cared about doing, right? That’s because (0:43:00) Kev: Yeah, sure, sure, sure. (0:43:01) Al: that’s really all he said is, I don’t get money from the collabs, play it or don’t, I don’t care. (0:43:02) Kev: Yeah. (0:43:06) Kev: Yeah, pretty much. (0:43:06) Al: Right? Like, I think these are fun. And that’s basically what he’s saying, which is a fair thing (0:43:11) Al: to… to point out. I just… (0:43:12) Al: feel like this then article just takes it as like this stupid over the top forced to apologize (0:43:20) Al: because it you know it’s just like oh my word gonna know and then of course I’m playing into (0:43:20) Kev: yeah yep and then and then QS I think the 3d dream was part of it I’m still (0:43:24) Al: that by talking about it. I’m still not sure what this collab actually is as well but it (0:43:34) Kev: I’m standing by that (0:43:35) Al: we’ll see. Well I think it’ll just be inspired designs but we will see. (0:43:40) Kev: yeah I don’t know how should I put this it’s wild to me that started concerned (0:43:48) Kev: I knew what this game was from what I’ve seen. (0:43:50) Kev: in other interviews he seems a little out of touch with the gamesphere but here we are (0:43:54) Al: Yeah, maybe. All right, to finish off the news, we have two new games to talk about, (0:44:03) Al: and I don’t know why, but this is apparently horror time. One of them is called We Harvest (0:44:10) Al: Shadows, a single-player first-person farming horror allegory, (0:44:14) Al: become a recluse, build up your farm, and survive the lonely nights. (0:44:18) Kev: Yeah, this is what I said was the allegory game, um, yeah, um, this is, this is just straight (0:44:21) Al: All right. Okay. There we go. (0:44:26) Kev: horror. (0:44:27) Kev: There is no cozy here. (0:44:29) Kev: Um, it’s full 3D, first person, spooky lighting, you know, uh, run down shack you’re living (0:44:38) Kev: in. (0:44:39) Kev: You are leading a lamb to a sacrifice, it looks like, I don’t like that. (0:44:45) Kev: Um, okay. (0:44:48) Kev: I hate about, um, not just games, but like, I hate when anything describes itself as an (0:44:56) Kev: allegory or allegory, excuse me, um, uh, because like, that kind of defeats the point. (0:44:58) Al: Yeah. (0:45:04) Kev: You know, you should be able to figure it out. (0:45:04) Al: Yeah. Also, an allegory to what, right? Like, you can’t just say that. (0:45:06) Kev: And the worst part, exactly, right? (0:45:09) Kev: Exactly. (0:45:10) Kev: If you’re gonna tell me, okay, what is it for? (0:45:13) Kev: Tell me. (0:45:14) Kev: Right? (0:45:15) Kev: If you’re going to be, you know, maybe you’re inspired off. (0:45:18) Kev: Something or give me a general idea. (0:45:20) Kev: I guess I can get it, but, but you’re just okay. (0:45:25) Kev: Why were you telling me you’re, you mean something? (0:45:28) Kev: That’s like, this game has thoughts. (0:45:31) Kev: This game has emotions. (0:45:32) Kev: Okay, good for you. (0:45:34) Kev: I would hope your game does, but yeah, it’s very bizarre. (0:45:37) Al: Yeah, what am I meant to do with this information? Right? Bizarre. (0:45:44) Al: Oh my word, those creatures are horrifying. Sorry, (0:45:44) Kev: But anyways, the game itself… (0:45:46) Al: I was just watching the end of the trailer and just got jump scared from that horrible creature. (0:45:48) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that said, I was about to say that exactly, the it is very just straight horror, those are Resident Evil-esque looking creatures at the end of that trailer. (0:46:00) Kev: Um, and you got a shotgun, and I don’t know what you’re supposed to survive, and you’re still farming somehow, apparently. (0:46:08) Kev: Um, yeah, I’m generally not a big horror, like straight horror. (0:46:10) Al: Obviously. I mean, why not? (0:46:18) Kev: Um, at least game-wise, um, so I don’t know if I’ll be checking that out, but it’s a little more refreshing than, than, you know, what is this, Star Sand Island baby? (0:46:31) Kev: A bit, it’s New Dawns, but definitely more exciting than that. (0:46:32) Al: And the other one, which I’m not 100% sure whether we have or haven’t talked about this (0:46:41) Al: one, because like some things are ringing bells. (0:46:42) Kev: We have I or I am like positive or do we talk about just on discords? (0:46:44) Al: We have talked about this, right? (0:46:48) Al: It’s not, it’s, this is the thing I can tell, it’s, it’s on, it’s not, it wasn’t on my list (0:46:49) Kev: I can’t remember because it was on a direct (0:46:54) Al: of games that are upcoming. (0:46:56) Al: So I either didn’t talk about it or I forgot to put on the list, but anyway, we’re talking (0:47:02) Al: about it. (0:47:03) Al: That’s never a way. (0:47:04) Al: The interesting thing about this one is the pixel artist is the one who did Celeste. (0:47:09) Al: So that’s exciting. (0:47:10) Kev: - Yeah, so that’s good work already. (0:47:12) Al: After quitting her dead end job, Fiona starts over on a farm and becomes the immortal hero (0:47:17) Al: of a dead God. (0:47:18) Al: Make friends, fight through horrors and pay your debt in this nightmarish life sim RPG. (0:47:24) Al: This is giving Cult of the Lamb. (0:47:26) Kev: yep it’s it’s still stardew-esque because you have a town and you’re interacting with characters and (0:47:33) Kev: possibly romancing but genuine horror there are some

https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - We're now out of Steam codes for Sunderfolk, but you can still directly support MinnMax on Patreon to unlock other benefits! MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Haley MacLean, Kyle Hilliard, and Jacob Geller unpack the best moments and biggest reveals from Geoff Keighley's Gamescom Opening Night Live before unpacking the unusual tone and situation behind Masahiro Sakurai's Nintendo Direct on Kirby Air Riders. Then we celebrate some great new games like Sword of the Sea, Öoo, and Wheel World. Oh, and we talk about Drag X Drive on the Nintendo Switch 2! Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and help make the show better by supporting us on Patreon and submitting a question! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax Watch and share the video version here - https://youtu.be/SNWu70Jfk0w Help support MinnMax's supporters! https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: DIGITALNOMAD https://www.hellofresh.com/minnmax10fm - Get 10 free meals To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below... 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:38 - Announcing The Deepest Dive 00:06:20 - Get a Steam code for Sunderfolk 00:07:39 - Gamescom Opening Night Live Recap 00:18:45 - Bubsy 4D 00:23:01 - Denshattack! 00:24:30 - Road Kings 00:28:52 - PVKK Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant 00:32:12 - LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight 00:35:03 - Unbeatable 00:38:37 - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC 00:40:01 - Resident Evil Requiem 00:42:36 - Hello Fresh 00:44:19 - Kirby Air Riders 00:58:00 - Drag X Drive 01:07:27 - Öoo 01:14:01 - Sword of the Sea 01:27:47 - Wheel World 01:35:31 - Thanking iam8bit - https://www.iam8bit.com/ 01:37:43 - Community questions 02:11:24 - Get A Load Of This Haley's GALOT - https://www.bigwinboard.com/divina-commedia-i-nove-cerchi-playn-go-slot-review/ Jacob's GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/@WorldofJeopardy/videos Hanson's GALOT - https://youtu.be/mdP9q0Dy80Y?si=IY3AxcUIM_wGdTb9 Kyle's GALOT - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/comedy-bang-bang-the-podcast/id316045799?i=1000719456800 Community GALOT - https://www.reddit.com/r/StreetFighter/comments/1mviqdx/what_are_you_standing_up_for_moment_at_ewc_spoiler/ Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer. Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax Support MinnMax directly on YouTube - https://youtube.com/minnmax/join Follow us on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/minnmaxshow Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/minnmax Subscribe to our solo stream channel - https://www.youtube.com/@minnmaxstreamarchives Catch up on the best of MinnMax - https://bit.ly/4gAc6eq Buy MinnMax merch here - https://minnmax.com/merch Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/minnmax.com Go behind the scenes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minnmaxshow This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

LIVE (not really) from GAMESCOM (not really) this week we're bringing you a round up of a bunch of news and updates (yes really), including Hollow Knight: Silksong, a Black Myth sequel, a new Bubsy, and DLC for Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. We're also wrapping up the Kirby Air Riders Direct which gave us our first proper look at the racing, City Trial mode, and the comedy chops of Sakurai. Plus we're whetting our appetite for some upcoming releases, with the demoes for Hell Is Us and The Adventures of Elliot! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen here meow, Super Troopers 3 is coming, but not right meow. Gamescom is in full swing, and opening night live did not disappoint. PlayStation is joining its rivals, in raising prices on its 5 year old console, but at least the ODSTs are dropping into Helldivers 2? Plus Casting news for Scary Movie 6, The Hunt for Gollum and Avengers Doomsday. That and more, come take a listen,

Jeff Grubb and TurboShawn are here to end your week with updates on Pokemon Legends Z-A, Sakurai insisting we will see Kirby Air Riders footage soon, headaches with using PayPal on Steam, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 not being on Switch 2 at launch, a rumor of the next Resident Evil remakes, and more! Today kicks off our month-long partnership with our friends at MSI!For the next month, they'll be offering the Giant Bomb community 10% off regularly priced Intel B860/Z890 motherboards at their US Store: https://us-store.msi.com/ - Just use code "bombcast" at checkout!Big thanks to MSI for their support!

The Nintendo Entertainment Podcast is back, and our hosts are united once more! First, the trio discusses their gaming exploits! Scott has been doing a lot (in the midst of buying a house!), including playing the new Story of Seasons game, a new title featuring a yes-saying villainess, and more! Todd and Will continue talking about Donkey Kong Bananza, especially since Will has gotten ALL THE BANANAS!!! What a guy. Then, in the news, there was a new Indie World showcase, and the guys will break down the highlights. Alongside that, they'll talk about the official Switch 2 sales news, Mario Kart World, and its bundle, they'll wish Sakurai a happy birthday, and much more! Finally, in the main event, the team breaks down what THEY would do to make a perfect Nintendo Direct! How would they handle the announcements, how would they structure it, and what would they try to put into it to make it truly stand out? They'll break it all down! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast!

SCP-4511 is a large mechanical construct resembling a pig located in the basement of Danforth Meatpacking, a disused meat-packing factory in Chicago, USAContent Warnings:  Gore, harm to animals (dogs, pigs)Transcript Join our Newsletter at pacificobadiah.com! Patrons March 13-21Special thanks to patron Dall, Samantha Bouwann, Oops, Aaron Hoffman, Rae, Tyler Mayhew, Ryan Bray, Sakurai, Myeisha Meredith, Dewald Hattingh, Kaytlin Shiki, Synertex, Ghastly, Shane Caraway, Jahmayne Masterz, Dalson Wilson, Eric Waffles, likeekil, Dusty455, Owen Potts, puuungi, William Manthe, and Fayina Blando! Cast & Crew SCP Archives was created by Pacific S. Obadiah & Jon GrilzSCP-4511  was written by RounderHouse and Jade SkylarScript by Daisy McNamaraNarrator - Virginia SpottsCommand - Jesse HallEpsilon 1 - Ben CounterEpsilon 2 - Hannah SchoonerEpsilon 3 - Brandon NguyenEpsilon 4 - Madeleine MooreSCP-4511 - Chris Harris-BeecheyUnknown - Liv SmithArt by Eduardo Valdés-HeviaDialogue Editing by Nate DuFortTheme Song by Matt Roi BergerOriginal Music by Newton SchottelkotteSound Designer - Brad ColbroockShowrunner - Daisy McNamaraCreative Director - Pacific S. ObadiahExecutive Producer - Tom Owen  Presented by Bloody FMwww.Bloody-Disgusting.comwww.SCParchives.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scp_podStore: https://store.dftba.com/collections/scp-archivesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/scp_pod/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scparchives.bsky.socialDiscord: https://discord.gg/tJEeNUzeZXTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scppodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/scparchives

This episode we continue with the Jinshin War.  This episode we follow Prince Oama on his dramatic escape to the east:  From Yoshino he dashed through the mountains, through Iga and over to Ise.  In so doing he secured both Suzuka and Fuwa--areas that would be important chokepoints throughout Japan's history.   For more information, check out our blogpost at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-130 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 130: Jinshin no Ran, Part II:  Gathering Stormclouds.   The soldier on watch was doing his best to keep alert.  The night shift was never pleasant duty, and it was even less pleasant out here in the mountains.  There were plenty of sounds in the night—birds and animals out in the darkness—but rarely was there much actual action.  At least the sky was clear, with only the occasional cloud. Guarding a post station was hardly the worst duty in the world. There was a decent amount of traffic: after all, they were along one of the major routes between Ise and Yamato.  But at night, well, who wanted to try and navigate the mountain roads?  That was a great way to fall into a river and drown, or get lost in the woods, unable to find your way back to civilization. It must have been a shock when he saw a light in the distance.  There were almost always a few fires somewhere in the village, but most of them were out or covered at this time of night, with the exception of the odd torch.  But this was something more.  At first the guard thought it was just his eyes playing tricks on him.  And then he wondered if it was some kind of mountain spirit—he'd heard of ghost parades that could come and take people in the night.  He shivered, and instinctively checked his own torch to ensure that it was burning well and bright.  Indeed it was. It took him a little time for his eyes to adjust again to the darkness, but now, sure enough, he saw the torches coming—and not just one, many of them, and he could now hear the faint metallic clank of metal on metal.  He then heard a faint sound like a tight rope being suddenly plucked.  It only just started to dawn on him what was happening when the first arrows started to rain down on his position. They were under attack!   Welcome back.  This episode we are continuing with our coverage of the Jinshin no Ran—the Jinshin War of 672—and if you haven't already, I highly recommend you start with episode 129, where we talk about some of the background for what was happening.  That said, let's do a quick recap to bring us up to speed on where we are.  And then we'll dive into an account of an absolutely unbelievable journey, which is impressive for multiple reasons, but mostly for the speed at which it was able to take place. So as you may recall, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, passed away at the end of 671 after months of illness.  After falling ill, the Chronicles tell us that he offered the state to his younger brother, the Crown Prince, Prince Ohoama, but Ohoama was warned that it was a trap, and as such, he turned down the offer.  Instead, he retired from his position to become a monk, and left for Yoshino, taking half of his household with him.  With Ohoama retired, Naka no Oe's son, the 23 year old Prince Ohotomo, took the throne. After Naka no Oe's death, Ohotomo effectively ruled Yamato from the Ohotsu palace in Afumi, running things along with the ministers of the left and right, Soga no Akaye and Nakatomi no Kane, and other high ministers.  Though the Nihon Shoki does not acknowledge it, Ohotomo is thought to have been a formal sovereign, in deed if not in name, at this point.  Much later, he would be given the posthumous name of “Koubun Tennou”. It would seem that Ohotomo and the Afumi court had misgivings about Prince Ohoama's promise to retire from the world and not challenge the throne.  The Nihon Shoki recounts that they began to make subtle preparations for a conflict, including levying men to build Naka no Oe's tomb, but issuing them weapons instead of tools.  They also set up checkpoints along the road from the court in Ohotsu down to Asuka—the main route to where Ohoama was residing in Yoshino.  And then, finally, someone told Ohoama that they were no longer allowing Prince Ohoama's people to cross the Uji bridge to bring him and his household supplies. Prince Ohoama was not going to sit idly by while the Afumi court gathered up enough forces to claim he was doing something treasonous and then march on him in Yoshino.  And so he sent one of his trusted vassals to the east to seek support.  Meanwhile, he himself was making ready to move.  There was just one more thing before setting out:  seeing if he could get posting bells.  This was sparked by the words of one of his advisors, who suggested that they should be careful.  They did not have many soldiers in Yoshino, and they had already sent out a general like Woyori to start raising troops in the East.  At the same time, if the Afumi Court was also maneuvering, it was likely that they would have sent words to the various post stations to bar the roads and prevent any movement. As such, Prince Ohoama decided to send several messengers to ask for Posting Bells, so that Ohoama and his men could make use of the official horses at the various post stations, allowing them to travel much more quickly and freely.  However, it was not clear if such orders had come and, if they had, where the local government officiallys might place their loyalty. Of particular importance was the case of Prince Takasaka, who was in charge of the Okamoto Palace, and thus the governance of the ancient capital. He would be the one to grant posting bells if they were to receive them.  If he provided the bells, then Ohoama and his party could assume they would have little to no trouble making their way East. And so Prince Ohoama sent his evnoys to the Okamoto palace.The messengers requested posting bells, but Prince Takasaka refused to issue them.  This sent a clear message to Prince Ohoama:  the Afumi court had no intention of letting him and his household have free access to the roads, and the local officials in Asuka were not going to provide any support.  In fact, Prince Takasaka now knew that Ohoama planned to travel, and if he wanted to, Takasaka could likely raise troops to try and stop Ohoama from leaving.  At the very least he would no doubt be sending a swift horse to Ohotsu to inform the Afumi court.  Ohoama and his followers would have to hurry if they wanted to do anything. And so, on the 24th of the 6th month, the same day that he got word back about the posting bells,  Prince Ohoama made the decision to move.  He and his entourage left quickly—he didn't even let anyone saddle a horse for him or prepare his carriage.  He just started to head out on foot on a journey to the East – and keep in mind that everything I'm going to describe in the next few minutes happened over the course of one night, truly an epic journey for Ohoama and all of those with him..  The Chronicles lists about 20 men and over ten women who originally set out with Ohoama from Yoshino, including his wife, the Royal Princess Uno no Sarara, daughter of Naka no Oe.  She wasn't walking, however—she followed a little behind in a palanquin, or litter, carried on poles.  I do wonder if those carrying the palanquin are among those mentioned, or were they servants or even enslaved persons who weren't considered worthy of note. The path they traveled wound its way through the mountains.  Streams and rivers had carved channels and valleys into these mountains.  People had settled these areas, and created paths through the wilderness.  Now, the valleys were fairly well populated, with roads connecting the communities that had grown up in the nooks and hollers. These facilitated trade through the mountain communities and between the eastern and western sides of the Kii peninsula, but even still, it was difficult terrain.  Unlike roads in the flat plains, the width of the roads in the mountains would have been constrained by steep mountainsides and the natural twists and turns of the valleys.  There may have been rope or wooden bridges that they had to cross, as streams constantly flow down the hill sides to the river below.  This route would make it much easier to avoid any official Afumi forces that might have been sent out, as those would likely be sticking to the main roads, but there were still government outposts along the way.  If these outposts proved loyal to the Afumi court, they could raise the alarm and send a messenger on horseback, who could likely flee much more quickly than Ohoama's men could follow.  And if Afumi learned that Ohoama was on the move, they could quickly mobilize their forces, secure key strategic points, and Ohoama's mad rush would be for naught.   The path Ohoama chose would lead from Yoshino, through the valleys, up through Iga, and then over to Suzuka, in Ise—modern Mie prefecture.  The journey was long and it wasn't going to be easy, but they needed to move quickly. Speaking of which, since Ohoama was traveling on foot, one of his men, Agata no Inukahi no Ohotomo, gave Prince Ohoama his own horse to ride.  Oh, and in case you are wondering: There are a lot of people named “Ohotomo” in the narrative, not just the Prince, Ohoama's nephew and rival for the throne.  Sorry, it was apparently a somewhat popular name AND it was also a clan, or uji, name as well.  I'll try to distinguish some of them in the podcast blog page. The party hadn't traveled far when Ohoama's own carriage—or possibly a palanquin, like his wife's—showed up for him, so I assume Ohotomo got his horse back, but they were still constrained to the speed of their slowest member, and I doubt that the mountain roads were all that wide and flat—most likely just the opposite. The group journeyed upstream along the Tsuburo river and eventually made it to Aki, in the area of Uda, due east of Sakurai and Mt. Miwa.  Here they were overtaken by two men, known as Ohotomo no Muraji no Makuda and Kibumi no Muraji no Ohotomo, both hurrying on from the Yoshino Palace. Makuda had been at the Afumi court, but word was starting to spread there that there was going to be some kind of move against Prince Ohoama, so he and his brother, Ohotomo no Fukei, had feigned illness and returned to their home in the Asuka region.  Once there, Makuda had made straightaway for Yoshino, only to find that Ohoama was already on the move.  Ohotomo no Fukei, on the other hand, chose to stay in the area of Asuka and see what he could do there.  He was looking to see what kind of forces he could raise in the ancient capital region.  We'll learn more about him, later. It was also in Aki, apparently, where they met Hashi no Muraji no Mate, who was from the Department of the official rice fields.  Even though he was a government official, he was a supporter of Ohoama and his cause, and so he supplied Ohoama and his people with food for their journey. Just north of the Aki fields they came upon Kammura—thought to be near modern Kaguraoka—where the Yoshino forces conscripted 20 hunters into service, almost doubling their numbers, and now they at least had some weapons with them.  Prince Mino, and presumably his men, also joined forces with Ohoama and his party—their ranks were starting to grow. In Uda, they were no doubt glad of any assistance, and at the government offices in the village of Uda itself, they were also warmly welcomed.  There they found 50 pack-horses that were laden down with rice meant for the hot baths at Ise.  The rice was discarded and Ohoama commandeered the pack animals so that his forces could ride, rather than walk.  Nonetheless, it was still a long way to go.  Indeed, night was approaching by the time they reached Ohono—likely the modern area of Muro-ohono and Ohonoji, along the Uda river.  They didn't want to stop, but it could be treacherous trying to navigate in the mountains in the dark.  What they needed was a light source.  And so we are told that they pulled down some of the fences of nearby houses and created makeshift torches to light their way.  Thus they were able to continue on until they reached the town of Nabari at approximately midnight. Nabari was not quite so friendly.  It was the home of a post-station, which had a duty to report things to the Afumi court.  Ohoama and his men arrived with their torches and in the middle of the night they attacked and set fire to the post station.  One can only imagine how surprised those manning the station must have been.  Presumably Ohoama's party took any horses and provisions, both for their own use and so that they couldn't be used against them.  To those members of the village that were woken up and who came out to see what was going on, Ohoama's entourage proclaimed that Prince Ohoama was heading east and that people should join them.  More specifically we are told that he said that the “Sumera no Mikoto” was on his way to the East Country. I want to pause here a moment, because there are some that say that this was the first use of the term “Sumera no Mikoto”, or, as we more commonly read the characters today, “Tennou”.  At the very least we believe that the term “Tennou” may have first used in this time period—though I do wonder about it being used in this particular instance.  I'll come back to this at the end, but for now, let's get back to the story.  So Ohoama announced to the people that he, the sovereign—for he had declared himself as such—was heading to the Eastern lands, and he invited anyone who wished to join him.  Nobody took him up on his offer, however.  It must have sounded crazy.  Ohoama had swept in at midnight, his forces carrying torches, and had attacked the post station, the symbol of the government in their midst.  I imagine that the people wanted little to nothing to do with any further conflict if they could help it. Continuing on in the darkness, Ohoama and his party came to a river—probably the Nabari River.  The Chronicle refers to it as “Yokokawa”, a term that shows up multiple times, and means something like “side river” and I suspect it was just the name for a river that ran alongside the fields or something similar.  As they were crossing, a dark cloud spread across the night sky for over 10 rods—about 100 feet.  Ohoama kindled a light and took a look at a geomantic rule to determine what it could mean.  This “rule” was possibly a type of stick or even a kind of compass-like device with a square bottom and round top, indicating the heavens and the earth.  He announced to everyone that the cloud was an omen that the country would be divided into two parts but, ultimately, their side would win out. One can only imagine how tired and worn out everyone was at this point, but apparently this urged them onward.  They reached Iga, where once again, they attacked and set fire to the posting station. Now getting through Iga must have had Ohoama's head on a swivel.  After all, Prince Ohotomo's mother was apparently from that region – he was the Iga Royal Prince, after all - so it would be understandable if people were loyal to him.  Fortunately, for Ohoama, he had his local supporters as well.  In fact, Joan Piggot points out in “The Emergence of Japanese Kingship” that Ohoama may have had a surprising amount of support from the various local elites.  Remember that the policies that Naka no Oe and the court had put into place had given power to court appointed officials at the expense of the traditional local elites.  So it may have been that those traditional local elites were more inclined to assist Ohoama against the Afumi Court, while those appointed officials, such as those who were managing the post stations, were more likely to swing the other way, since their positions and their stipends were directly reliant on the court's good graces.  This seems to have been the case in this instance, around Nakayama, in Iga, where we are told that they met with local district governors who had heard that Ohoama was on the move and who had raised several hundred men in support of his cause.  Now their ranks really had grown—compared with the relatively small group that had first set out from Yoshino the previous day, there were now hundreds of men on the march. Ohoama's forces finally arrived at the plain of Tara, or Tarano, by dawn, and with the sun coming over the mountains they briefly stopped for a moment to catch their breath and eat something.  They had just marched through the night—a distance of approximately 70 kilometers, or 43 and a half miles.  That included stops to attack and set fire to two post stations along the way, and much of the journey early on was done on foot.  During that march, their ranks had grown tremendously.  This is an incredible feat, especially with much of it being accomplished at night. Let's also quickly discuss those extra troops that had come to his banner.  Remember that prior to this, Prince Ohoama had sent messengers ahead to Mino and Owari to try and raise forces in those areas.  They had likely traveled these same roadways, and told  any allies they had to prepare.  So while the forces were raised quickly, there were no doubt some logistics that went into it. After a brief rest, the army was back on their feet, heading to Yamaguchi—modern Tsuge city.  Here Ohoama was greeted by his son, Prince Takechi, who had come from Afumi down through Kafuka—modern Kouka, aka Kouga.  He had brought several other men of his own, and presumably soldiers as well. The entire party crossed Mt. Miyama and into Suzuka, in Ise, where they were joined by the provincial governor, Miyake no Muraji no Iwatoko; Deputy Governor, Miwa no Kimi no Kobuto, and the magistrate of the famous hot baths, Tanaka no Omi no Tarumaro, among others.  That same morning, they set a troop of 500 soldiers to guard the pass.  After all, it would do them no good to have a government force suddenly appear behind them.  Also, you may recall that Ohoama's request to his allies in Mino was to take the Fuwa pass, in the north—the area more popularly known today as Sekigahara.  So now, with both the Suzuka and Fuwa passes under Ohoama's control, his forces controlled access to the Eastern countries.  The only other viable route, at least if you didn't want to get lost in the mountains, was to take the road to the north, through Koshi, and that was going to be a slog around or over the Japan Alps. So a garrison was left as a rear guard, but the troops who were not staying to guard the pass continued, turning northwards.  By sunset on the 25th day of the 6th month of 672, they had reached the foot of Kahawa Hill.  Here, Ohoama's consort, Princess Uno no Sarara, asked if they could take a break.  She was not exactly used to this kind of travel, and even riding on a palanquin, she was exhausted and fatigued.  As they looked to the sky, though, it was clear that dark clouds were gathering.  So they cut their rest short and pushed on, hoping to make it to the government offices at Mie—likely meaning modern day Yokkaichi city. Sure enough, as they continued to march, the heavens opened with a thunderstorm pouring down on them.  The entire army was soaked to the bone.  Cold and wet, when they did get to the government center or Mie district, they deliberately set fire to an entire building just so that the troops could try to warm themselves a bit.  Those who had set out from Yoshino had marched over 122km, or 75 miles, including over 700 meters of elevation up and 800 meters down.  Checking a map of the route, it suggests that a person walking it, today, without any breaks, would take around 28 hours to complete the trip, and indeed, Ohoama's took roughly one and a half days.  That includes time for their assaults on the various post stations, and a brief rest at the Tara fields.  Now, granted, they had procured horses for parts of that, and many of the soldiers had not necessarily been there since the beginning, but it is still an incredible feat, when you think about it.  I'm honestly surprised that it doesn't get more of a mention in various historical contexts.  Then again, we are still well before the age of the Samurai, which is the period most martial historians typically examine. So that night, as they were settling in at the Mie government center following their amazing dash across the mountains, word came from forces at Suzuka:  Prince Yamabe and Prince Ishikawa had apparently come to offer their allegiance to Ohoama.  However, as they weren't known to the men, they were held at the Suzuka barrier until someone could verify.  Ohoama sent Michi no Atahe no Masubito to go fetch them and bring them to him. The following morning, Ohoama worshipped towards Amaterasu on the banks of a river in the district of Asake.  Thinking about it, I'm not sure if they meant that he worshipped south, in the direction of Ise Shrine, or if he worshipped east, the direction of the rising sun.  The exact direction doesn't entirely matter, but I think we will come back to this, as it would have consequences later on. Later, Masubito returned from his errand, catching back up to the army, which was continuing on its way.  It turns out that it was not Princes Yamabe and Ishikawa that Masubito had found at Suzuka, but instead  Ohoama's own son, Ohotsu, who had come along to join his father.  I presume he had been traveling under a false name in case he ran into men loyal to the Afumi court.  He was followed by a number of others, including a list of names which I am not going to go over here because it wouldn't mean all that much.  Suffice it to say that the Chroniclers were doing their best to make sure that various families were remembered for what they did. Now just as Prince Ohotsu was joining the main force, Murakami no Woyori arrived with word that 3,000 Mino troops were mobilized and currently blocking the Fuwa Road.  You may recall that Woyori was the one that Ohoama had sent to Mino for just that purpose, scouting out the lay of the land. Ohoama sent Prince Takechi ahead to Fuwa to organize the forces there.  Then he sent two others to mobilize troops along the Tokaido region, and two others were sent into the mountains to levy soldiers from the Tousando region.  As a quick reminder: the Tokaido was the eastern sea highway, while the Tousando, the Eastern Mountain Road, went through the middle of eastern Honshu, through the more mountainous regions.  Together, these two routes would have pulled from the most populous regions of the east. As for Ohoama, he took up residence at the government center in Kuwana, where he spent some time resting for a bit. Now just as Ohoama was building up his forces, so, too, was the Afumi court.  As soon as word made it to the capital that Ohoama was on the move, chaos ensued.  Many people fled the capital, some heading to the East, perhaps to join Ohoama, while others went to hide in the mountains and marshes until all the chaos was over and the dust settled.  The young Prince Ohotomo asked the ministers what he should do, and they recommended that he immediately set out with cavalry to pursue Ohoama and catch him before he could assemble too many troops.  However, he decided not to heed their advice, instead opting to assemble an army of his own, to add to the soldiers that had already been levied.  He sent Ina no Iwasuki, Fumi no Kusuri, and Wosaka no Ohomaro to the East country, while Hodzumi no Momotari, his younger brother, Ihoye, and Mononobe no Hiuga headed to the Yamato capital—which is to say Asuka.  Ohotomo also sent Saheki no Wotoko to Tsukushi and Kusu no Iwate to Kibi, all with orders to levy troops.  He gave Wotoko and Iwate special instructions, since there was some concern that neither Tsukushi nor Kibi would be compliant, as they both had been supported by Ohoama and may feel ties to him.  So if the leaders of either of those areas were to resist, Wotoko and Iwate were authorized to execute them for treason. As Iwasuki, Kusuri, and Ohomaro headed east, they traveled around Lake Biwa and were headed to the Fuwa pass, not knowing that it was already controlled by Ohoama's forces.  Iwasuki, however, was cautious.  He realized that they might be ambushed, and so he held back from the main group.  Sure enough, he was right:  Kusuri and Ohomaro were ambushed and captured, at which point Iwasuki fled, barely escaping. The following day, Prince Takechi sent a note to his father asking him to move closer to Fuwa, so that they could better communicate with the front line.  Ohoama headed out, but left Princess Uno in Kuwana, which was well situated between Fuwa and Suzuka, and was likely far enough from the front lines to ensure that it wouldn't be disrupted by skirmishes at the passes.  As Ohoama then traveled through Wohari, the governor, Chihisakobe no Muraji no Sabichi, also joined him with a force of 20,000 men.  Ohoama had them divided up and set them on roads to various places as needed. Ohoama finally reached Nogami, just on the eastern edge of modern Sekigahara.  This is near where Tokugawa Ieyasu would eventually make his first camp as well, at his fateful battle here just under a thousand years later.  At Nogami, Ohoama would set up his headquarters, Nogami no Miya, or the Nogami Palace.  Meanwhile, Prince Takechi would handle the troops in the main part of the area near the pass, known as Wazami.  As Ohoama reached Nogami, Takechi came to conference with him.  He noted that there had already been an altercation—they had taken prisoners, who claimed that they were actually headed east to raise troops for Ohoama, but given that they didn't know who they were AND that Iwasuki had fled back towards Ohotsu-kyo suggested that this was not exactly the case. Following that incident, and a fair amount of speechifying, Ohoama eventually placed Prince Takechi formally in charge of the army, presenting him the gift of a saddle-horse.  Takechi went back to his camp at Wazami.  That night, a severe thunderstorm broke out.  Ohoama prayed that if the kami favored his case, they would make the storm abate, and immediately the thunder and lightning stopped. The next day, on the 28th, Ohoama traveled over to Wazami to review the troops and check on the military arrangements, before returning back to Nogami.  He likewise went out the following day, issuing commands through Prince Takechi, and then returned again to Nogami. At this point, soldiers were likely on their way from the Eastern provinces and elsewhere.  On the one hand, they wanted to wait and make sure that they had all the troops they needed.  But on the other hand, they didn't want to wait too long.  The Afumi court was likewise building up its forces, and the longer they waited, the greater the chance that they could dig in and entrench themselves.  Something would have to happen, soon. But that something will have to wait for the next episode.    Before we finish, though, I do want to come back to something:  the title “Tenno”, or “Sumera no Mikoto”.  Up to this point, evidence suggests that the term used for the sovereign of Yamato was not “Tennou” as we know it today, but instead was the term “Oho-kimi”.  “Oho-kimi”, or basically the “Big Kimi”—something like the primary lord—was the one lord of lords of Yamato.  But that was probably something based on local concepts of governance.  With the introduction of new ideas of governance, many based on the Han and Tang dynasty models, we see a shift in the terminology. There are poems that come from the era of Naka no Oe—Tenji Tennou—that use terms like “Huang” (皇) and “Di” (帝)—“Kou” and “Tei” in Japanese.  These are imperial terms from the continent.  At some point, however, we see that they use “Tian” (天) and “Huang” (皇).  “Tianhuang” becomes “Tennou” (天皇) when read in Japanese, and it critically utilizes the character “Tian” for Heaven.  Interestingly, this does not appear to be a term that was ever commonly used for rulers in the area of modern China.  I seem to recall that it was used here and there, but not with any frequency.  There is some thought that it may have been pulled from a term for the north star, or pole star, which sometimes used the term, I suspect referring to that star as the Heavenly Ruler—the star that the heavens themselves were focused on. For a variety of reasons, we see a particular emphasis on Heaven, and on Amaterasu, in the decades following 672, and it is thought that this is all connected.  And so it is generally from some time here, in the late 7th century, that we can probably start to refer to the sovereigns as “Tennou”. Although, it is unclear to me if the authors of the Nihon Shoki pronounced it like this or not, later glosses given for the characters in Japanese is “Sumera no Mikoto”, the kun'yomi, or Japanese reading.  The problem is that the Nihon Shoki projects this term back to the very beginning of the narrative, with “Jimmu Tennou” being the first.  However, we have some evidence that the earlier term was, as as I said before, “Ohokimi”.  For many years, there was an idea that the term “Sumera no Mikoto” first appeared in the era of Toyomike Kashikiya Hime, aka Suiko Tennou, probably because that is when Buddhism and continental studies really seem to kick off.  However, there really is no evidence of its use then, and it seems that more scholars today place its use in the late 7th or early 8th century. So there is the possibility that this title was first used by Ohoama, as some claim, when he declared that the “Sumera no Mikoto” or “Tennou” was heading to the Eastern countries.  Of course, that could also just be dramatic license by the Chroniclers, who were less concerned with what, exactly, he said and more concerned with the meaning of it all.  We've also known them to swap out older terms for those in use in the 8th century, updating the narrative. Regardless, I think that about this time we can start to refer to the sovereigns of Yamato—and eventually Japan, or Nihon, another somewhat controversial term—as “Tennou”, or “Sumera no Mikoto”, from about this period.  I'll probably still use the term “sovereign” in general, and I'll try to avoid the term “imperial” for anything prior to the 19th century, when it became a standard English translation.  After all, Empires were the rage—Chinese, Ottoman, British, Austrian, French, Spanish, you name it.  Everyone had an empire, and so Japan, following that model, must also have been an “empire”.  Even today, it is officially the “Imperial Household” and that is the official translation. However, I want to be cautious about using that translation too early, however.  The institution of “Tennou”, while modeled on the Tang dynasty, took on its own character.  As such, I think that it is best to avoid the term for now, because it really was its own thing, and I don't want to conflate too many foreign concepts of “emperor” with the idea of the Japanese ruler. As for the term “Sumera no Mikoto”—it does not appear to me that the etymology of this term is clearly known.  One explanation is that “Sumera” is related to the word “Suberu”, to rule.  “Sumera” is also defined as meaning something precious, though I'm not sure if that meaning existed before its use to refer to the sovereign.  “Mikoto” is simply an honorific referring to the sovereign, meaning “royal” or “imperial”.  I suspect that the term “Tennou” came over first, and later it became glossed as “Sumera no Mikoto”, which may have been an earlier term, but we don't have any clear evidence.  Variations do appear in the Man'yoshu, the collection of ancient poems, so the concept was clearly around by the 8th century. Anyway, I think that's enough.  We'll probably talk about it more when we get to the rise of the worship of Amaterasu.  Until then, let's continue with our series on the Jinshin War. Next episode we will kick off with some of the actual fighting and campaigns in Afumi, Iga, and in Yamato.  Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa end the week with a bunch of news revolving around Nintendo, IOI addressing the Hitman Switch 2 port, Final Fantasy XVI's producer thinking the next title might be turn based, and more!

Number 982Mom Brain finally makes her return to the podcast to class things up a bit! She joins us for the latest Nintendo controversies, including more Game-Key Card chatter, Sakurai sharing thoughts on AI, and much more. We also dive into impressions for Switch 2 Welcome Tour, DELTARUNE and plenty of other titles!

**Use the code NINDADS at checkout to receive 20% plus free shipping at Manscaped.com** On this week's episode of the Nintendo Dads Podcast: News ● Digital Foundry says that Switch 2 is an "impressive upgrade marred by sub-par display." ● Nintendo gives answers as to why non-Mario characters weren't included in Mario Kart World ● Speaking of Mario Kart, some people are upset the game's latest patch ● SakurAI? Masahiro Sakurai sees AI as a potential key to the video game industry's future ● Game Releases/Updates Let's Discuss ● The Nintendo Switch 2 has 256 GB of storage, with only 8 GB set aside for system use. Do we truly need a memory card? Can you survive on just what the system gives you? Games we've been playing ● Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo ● The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ● Monster Hunter Wilds ● Magic: The Gathering Arena ● Squeakross: Home Squeak Home ● Deltarune ● Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess ● Mario Kart World ● Chronicles of the Wolf ● Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour ● Lost in Random: The Eternal Die Community Spotlight Check out our website at http://nintendodads.org for our latest videos, episodes, tweets, and social media links. Apple Podcasts feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-dads-podcast/id950582320?mt=2 YouTube Music feed: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyID_QWdPfjM17EE3cg8Pin30jHkLqWKr Become a patron and help us improve the show! https://www.patreon.com/NintendoDads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by Alex Von Kurkendall (AVK) this week to discuss in greater detail the $80 launch title Mario Kart World and the updates we'd like to see added to the game going forward. Can we get a single player campaign? A Donkey Kong island? How about we simply fix the online partying system? We also cover all the Nintendo and gaming news such as our glowing review of the Donkey Kong Bananza Direct, Sakurai's comments about Generative AI, and much more. As always, we close with the games we've been playing. Listen to Super Switch Headz on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you enjoy podcasts.  0:00:00 Introduction 0:09:59 News and Rumors 0:30:36 Donkey Kong Bananza Direct 0:42:32 Updates to Mario Kart World 1:23:10 Games We're Playing Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWbF4gb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/switchheadz Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SuperSwitchHeadz/ Website: https://www.switchheadz.com/ Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SwitchHeadzClips

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After Smash Bros. was first released in Japan in 1999, players flocked to the game's website, where Masahiro Sakurai posted survey results, game tips, and even answered players' emails. There are reams of emails left from this period that offer a fascinating, funny, and even touching look at nascent Smash Bros. culture. In this episode, Sean, Gigi, and Bridget look over some of these early surveys and conversations Sakurai had with fans. From speculation over a sequel to parents asking for advice on how to defeat their kids, and even a bit of unrelated Goldeneye advice, these classic emails are an amazing archive of gaming history. (And of course, people have tons requests for characters they want to see join Smash Bros., because some things never change.)Thank you to Source Gaming and PushDustin for the translations of these emails. And thank you to Gigi as well for the translation she was able to do on the spot.Questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.Kirby Conversations is part of the Sound Stone Podcast Network, a collective of independent podcasters covering video game history. We are a founding show alongside Pixels and Polygons and Flashback 64, and we encourage you to check out those shows as well! Please enter our giveaway with this link to win a $200 video game shopping spree, all four volumes of Darren Hupke's 32-Bit Library, and more! Join us online:Kirby ConversationsBluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.socialIG: @kirbyconversationsSound StoneBluesky: @soundstone.networkBridgetBluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.socialSean DouglassBluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.socialKy "Captain Dangerous" ParkerIG: @captaindangerousGigiCarrd linkOur opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Codey and Kevin talk through all the recent news. Also bugs again. Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:17: What Have We Been Up To 00:19:17: I Know What You Released Last Month 00:26:44: Upcoming Game Releases 00:30:40: Game Updates 00:40:52: New Games 00:51:08: Other News 01:12:01: Outro Links Harvest Moon Double Pack for Switch Release Date Cattle Country Release Date To Pixelia Release Hello Kitty Island Adventure “Friends, Furniture, and Frozen Peaks” Update Hello Kitty Island Adventure Month of Meh Farlands “0.5” Update Sunseed Island Starsand Island Mudborne Soundtrack Tales of the Shire Store Wholesome Direct ConcernedApe Interview New Lego Animal Crossing Sets Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Kev: Hello farmers and welcome to another (0:00:33) Kev: Contractually obligated episode of the harvest season that’s not true at all. There’s no contracts whatsoever (0:00:36) Codey: Not true. (0:00:40) Kev: By no one, have you ever seen Paul board and the mall cop movie? (0:00:45) Codey: Uh, for not for a hot minute. (0:00:49) Kev: Well, I’m just reminded like he he there’s this plaque (0:00:53) Kev: You know mall security whatever and he just made it himself for himself and that’s all that I’m thinking (0:00:57) Codey: Okay. (0:01:00) Kev: Contract I drafted for myself. Oh (0:01:03) Kev: Anyways, hello. My name is Kevin (0:01:05) Codey: And I am Cody. (0:01:07) Kev: And we are here today to talk about cottagecore games per the first section for the party of the first part. Oh, yeah (0:01:12) Codey: A-wooo! (0:01:15) Codey: Ow-ow-ow! (0:01:17) Kev: You go (0:01:19) Kev: I don’t know Rick flair, but I feel like I should try to mimic kids. I might be mimicking these woo already (0:01:25) Kev: I don’t know, but I just know he does the woo (0:01:28) Codey: No, I, I do not, I do not wrestle. (0:01:28) Kev: You don’t talk about wrestler guy (0:01:30) Kev: He does booze (0:01:32) Kev: Yeah, there’s a wrestler. He’s kind of an older guy. I think he’s actually like running WWE now, but anyways (0:01:38) Codey: That’s a choice. (0:01:39) Kev: Hello everyone (0:01:42) Kev: It is (0:01:44) Kev: Okay today, it’s all it’s just another news episode (0:01:48) Kev: Life is chaotic. Cody actually managed to get on thankfully after actually surviving the wilderness for this past weekend (0:01:52) Codey: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. I will. We’ll talk we’ll talk about that. I can. Yeah. So it’s big, big old news episodes. We got lots of stuff to talk about. We this is the first of this month. So this will be our I know what you released last month. Boo. Episode as well. But what we have been up to. So this farmers has been a (0:01:57) Kev: but it (0:01:58) Kev: Hey, Oleg. (0:02:00) Kev: Well, do you want do you want to open because obviously okay. All right, let’s just let’s get into it (0:02:16) Kev: Yeah. (0:02:22) Codey: wild ride. So this last week, on Tuesday, I was working at the (0:02:28) Codey: Wildlife Center, it was going great, no issues. And we we (0:02:32) Codey: heard that there was going to be this huge storm coming through. (0:02:35) Codey: And that there’s probably going to be a lot of animals like (0:02:38) Codey: thrown out of trees. And so we were probably going to get a lot (0:02:41) Codey: of animals from people. And just kind of be ready for that. And (0:02:45) Codey: we were like, Okay, and then, like seven o’clock, power goes (0:02:52) Codey: on. And I had gone outside at one point, because we knew this (0:02:55) Codey: storm was happening. But we the our wildlife center is in the (0:02:57) Codey: basement of the owner’s house. Answer. p.m. p.m. crucial (0:02:58) Kev: Okay, wait question you say it’s 7 o’clock a.m. Or p.m.. Okay. All right. This is all right (0:03:05) Kev: There’s still light at that time, but okay. Yeah, all right (0:03:06) Codey: information. Yeah. So I had gone outside, just like poked my (0:03:10) Codey: head outside. And it sounded like a frickin jet engine. It (0:03:13) Codey: was so loud. And I was like, Yep, it sure is storming. And I (0:03:17) Codey: told the other people to go check it out. They poked their (0:03:20) Codey: heads out. They were like, “Yep, sure, it’s working.” (0:03:22) Codey: And so we were like, “Okay.” And then, yeah, not long after that, power goes out. (0:03:28) Codey: And so we’re feeding, we’re like laughing about it, whatever, we have like little lights and everything. (0:03:33) Codey: We’re feeding baby squirrels with lamps with like headlamps on and stuff and doing just us, I think. (0:03:36) Kev: Very cute. (0:03:37) Kev: The pictures, I’ve seen the pictures. (0:03:42) Kev: Wait, did you have the lamps (0:03:43) Kev: or did the squirrels have the lamps? (0:03:44) Kev: Both. (0:03:46) Codey: Yeah, it was just us. But there were like little, the owner has like lanterns everywhere. (0:03:51) Codey: We found out that the. (0:03:52) Codey: Um, sinks are run. (0:03:56) Codey: There’s a pump that takes the stuff from the sinks. (0:03:59) Codey: So then we weren’t even able to do dishes. (0:04:02) Codey: So then we were just kind of like sitting there waiting for her to put the backup (0:04:06) Codey: generator on took like 20, 30 minutes. (0:04:08) Codey: And then when we had backup generator, it was great. (0:04:10) Codey: Like no issues. (0:04:12) Codey: Um, Jeff, my partner texts me and is like, Hey, we don’t have power. (0:04:15) Codey: I’m like dope. (0:04:17) Codey: When I leave, I see all of the messages and basically it was a derecho storm (0:04:23) Codey: I don’t know how you say it. (0:04:24) Codey: We had like 90 mile an hour winds and there were trees, um, that were (0:04:30) Codey: straight up uprooted and like power lines that went across the road. (0:04:32) Kev: Oh, that’s sick. (0:04:38) Codey: Uh, animals were indeed. (0:04:38) Kev: Animals were indeed thrown out of the trees (0:04:41) Kev: with said trees. (0:04:42) Codey: Yes, they were. (0:04:43) Kev: With said trees. (0:04:45) Codey: We, I have not worked since that day and I, the messages have been going crazy, (0:04:50) Codey: but I have had other stuff to do. (0:04:52) Codey: So yeah, we’re out of power and we’re like, okay, this is probably just like, (0:04:57) Codey: they just got to put it back up every now and then we’ll go out of power (0:04:59) Codey: for like 10 or 15 minutes. (0:05:00) Codey: It’s not a big deal. (0:05:01) Codey: Um, nope. (0:05:03) Codey: Next morning we wake up and on our like weather outage app, it’s like, uh, (0:05:09) Codey: time estimated time to restoration, to restoration of, of power unknown. (0:05:16) Kev: Big old shrug (0:05:18) Codey: Yeah. (0:05:18) Codey: Big old shrug. (0:05:19) Codey: And they, it was like right down the street, like there was a power line (0:05:22) Codey: that was just straight up across the road. (0:05:24) Codey: And it was like that for a day and a half. (0:05:28) Codey: So like over 200,000 people in Western Pennsylvania, we’re just like out of power. (0:05:34) Codey: Um, I was out of power for two full days. (0:05:37) Codey: We had to throw away all of our food. (0:05:39) Codey: Um, and I was like really grumpy because I had planned on doing all of my chores (0:05:45) Codey: that Wednesday, I was so excited. (0:05:46) Kev: Mmm, mmm. (0:05:48) Codey: that includes like vacuuming and dishes and laundry. (0:05:53) Codey: I couldn’t do any of that stuff. (0:05:54) Codey: And yeah, it was like the whole town, except for they kicked power (0:05:57) Codey: on for like some of the businesses, some of the grocery stores. (0:06:00) Codey: Cause they knew everyone was going to need grocery store stuff. (0:06:02) Codey: So they made sure that those lines were up and that the like hospital was up and (0:06:07) Codey: stuff, but most of the residences didn’t have power for at least two days. (0:06:12) Codey: So that was crazy. (0:06:13) Codey: That was, so that was a reason, um, when they were like, Oh, you (0:06:17) Codey: want to do news this week? (0:06:18) Codey: I was like, I still have a lot of stuff to get caught up. (0:06:22) Kev: Yeah, well, appreciate it, you know, that you managed to strap the baby squirrels to (0:06:23) Codey: I don’t know, but it’s fun. (0:06:25) Codey: Um, (0:06:30) Kev: a hamster wheel to power your computer to record this. (0:06:31) Codey: yeah, yeah, they, some of them, the red squirrels would love that actually. (0:06:34) Kev: I’m sure they would. (0:06:38) Codey: Um, yeah. (0:06:39) Codey: So I’m, I did that. (0:06:40) Codey: That was me for two days. (0:06:41) Codey: I was straight up roughing it. (0:06:43) Codey: Um, also I went to a nursery today at plant nursery and I got four different (0:06:50) Codey: species, not species, four different varieties. (0:06:52) Codey: of peppers. I got some herbs and I got some tomatoes so it about to be in real (0:06:56) Kev: ooh peppers okay (0:07:03) Codey: life farming for me. Yeah. (0:07:05) Kev: all right that’s good stuff so you know back back in many many moons ago when I actually (0:07:12) Kev: lived in a house with the backyard um we we had a garden and we had and all basically all those (0:07:18) Kev: things um tomatoes and peppers I forget the other one but um but those are good ones to grow they’re (0:07:20) Codey: Yeah, and I also got kale as well. Yeah, so those are all going to grow in my back. I have like a little area that’s kind of closed off. So I’m going to give it a try because we got a shot, a glimpse of what it looks like to be in a post-apocalyptic scenario with no power and having to live on our own, you know. (0:07:23) Kev: hardy and you can get a lot of them, you know. (0:07:26) Kev: There you go. (0:07:43) Kev: Mm-hmm. Off the land. Yep. Yeah. Well, um, that’s pretty, well, the power outage thing’s (0:07:50) Codey: Like off the land. So I also, I wanted to garden anyway, but it’s a joke. (0:08:00) Kev: not cool. Like, that’s wild. I’ve never had an, I’ve extended power outage, I guess, like (0:08:04) Codey: Yeah, it was it was cool for a while, I just realized like I listeners I entreat you to take a moment, you can pause this for like a minute or something after I post this, think about what you do that requires electricity, and then just don’t touch that for a day. (0:08:05) Kev: couple hours. So that’s, that’s a lot to hear, but I’m glad you’re out of it. Okay. Son’s (0:08:26) Kev: I mean, yeah, everything. (0:08:29) Kev: We’re the brain rot termly online. (0:08:34) Kev: But even aside from that, yeah, I’m (0:08:37) Kev: living in an apartment complex. (0:08:39) Kev: Everything is electric for me. (0:08:40) Codey: Yeah, I got all like yep alt might our stove is electric all of our lights clearly are electric (0:08:42) Kev: Even my stove, I’d be out. (0:08:44) Kev: Yep. (0:08:49) Codey: Couldn’t do any cleaning couldn’t do like I was trying to use my phone as little as possible (0:08:56) Codey: but I could take it like I could jump in my car and like (0:08:56) Kev: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. (0:09:00) Codey: Drive around but I’m sure there were probably gas shortages because everyone was trying to power their generators (0:09:07) Codey: But yeah, I was like wow a lot of my life is (0:09:11) Codey: That so I did a lot of yard work (0:09:13) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I’m sure the the challenge I think would for at least in my scenario would be the food because (0:09:20) Kev: You know, we we’re you can’t go out because restaurants are gonna be down too, right? So (0:09:26) Codey: A lot of the restaurants were down and then the second day when some of the stuff had jumped back up, all the restaurants were swamped because everyone was going out to the restaurants. (0:09:34) Kev: Yeah, of course, of course, of course, yeah, but yeah (0:09:38) Codey: Yeah, so you can’t, you can’t really do that. (0:09:42) Kev: So you did non (0:09:43) Kev: perishable stuff that’s ready to eat and won’t go bad. So like, I hope you have a lot of fruit, (0:09:44) Codey: Yep. (0:09:48) Codey: It was boring. (0:09:50) Kev: I guess a cereal I don’t know because you can’t even have the cold milk. Nevermind. (0:09:52) Codey: I can’t yeah our milk went bad real fast, so. (0:09:56) Kev: Yeah, no. Um, yeah, I don’t even like break out the the spam. I don’t even know. (0:09:56) Codey: Yeah. (0:10:06) Codey: I pretty much, I got chips. (0:10:07) Kev: Can you eat spam out of the can? Yeah. (0:10:09) Codey: I got like a thing of chips. (0:10:10) Codey: So like of little individual packages of chips. (0:10:13) Codey: So I have that. (0:10:14) Codey: I bought Chewy bars, like granola bars. (0:10:16) Kev: Oh, all of those are good. Yep. One of the bars. That’s good. Yeah. (0:10:19) Codey: And that’s all I bought. (0:10:22) Codey: Because then after that, we just got like some fast, (0:10:26) Codey: but even the fast food lines were like so long. (0:10:30) Kev: Yeah, of course. Of course. (0:10:30) Codey: It was crazy. (0:10:33) Codey: Yeah. (0:10:33) Codey: The only other thing that I’ve been up to (0:10:37) Codey: Breath of the Wild. (0:10:39) Codey: And then now that we have power again, (0:10:41) Codey: suddenly there’s a new season of Fortnite (0:10:43) Codey: and it is all Star Wars themed. (0:10:46) Kev: Oh, is is glub shadow in it? (0:10:47) Codey: So I don’t know what that is. (0:10:51) Codey: I’m not a Star Wars human. (0:10:53) Codey: I don’t like Star Wars. (0:10:54) Codey: So you’re gonna send me a picture. (0:10:56) Kev: OK, hold on, let me just pronounce it correctly. (0:10:59) Kev: No, no, it’s it’s so it’s a it’s a meme (0:11:05) Kev: just because. (0:11:07) Kev: Yeah, because obviously Star Wars have all these goofy dumb names or whatever. (0:11:12) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:11:12) Kev: There’s the running gag of Guelp’s shadow of just being a made-up name-slash- (0:11:16) Kev: character and always saying, “Oh, I love Guelp’s shadow. He’s my favorite Star Wars (0:11:20) Kev: character just because he sounds like a real one.” But yeah, Star Wars. I mean, that makes sense that (0:11:22) Codey: Got it, okay, cool (0:11:28) Kev: the third one movie came out. I’m not that big of a Star Wars person, but yeah, sure. Why not? (0:11:34) Codey: Yeah. So that is the short version of what I expected to do. Oh, what have you got, Toucan? (0:11:35) Kev: I mean, it’s cool. I respect it. I just, I’ve never really watched much, many of the movies. (0:11:42) Kev: Yeah. (0:11:49) Kev: She didn’t get into how she had to kill the bear for survival. (0:11:54) Codey: Yeah, didn’t get into any of that. Or my knitting. I’ve been knitting a lot, but it’s fine. You (0:11:58) Kev: Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, good stuff. All right. Well, over here, I have had power. So, (0:11:58) Codey: You have to go to the Slack for that information, kids. (0:12:08) Kev: you know, a different experience. Going to roll that in. Just going to show off all the power I (0:12:10) Codey: - Wow. (0:12:12) Kev: have here. Okay. Okay. (0:12:16) Kev: So it’s been busy week. So it’s endless zone zero. I mean, I’ve played daily. I don’t talk about it much because most of the time it’s like it’s a new character I like about, but nobody cares about. So whatever. But this past update this past week or the week before was a big one. Because it was the final, final update for season one stuff. Season one had this whole storyline plot lines connected. And so the next update, we’re going to get a whole new (0:12:46) Kev: batch of stories and characters and all new no, no, no dangling threads, really. So it’s good. That’s, that’s kind of cool. And the character that dropped with this update, her name is Vivian. She is a kind of like Victorian gothic, you know, big, not super big. She’s got a dress with a big, like, almost hoop skirt looking thing and an umbrella, you know what I’m talking about. And she’s got pointy ears. So (0:13:16) Kev: it’s kind of vampire ish gothic, like I said, style that they’re going for her. And so she’s fun. But what I really like about her is that under the dress, there’s actually a bunch of rockets strapped under there. So she’ll launch yourself into the sky, and then launch yourself down at people, which is really funny. So yeah, she’s she’s great. I love Vivian. She’s also hilarious, because she’s something of a fanboy of the main character that you’re playing as. And it’s really, really funny. (0:13:26) Codey: Okay. (0:13:44) Kev: But anyways, yeah. (0:13:46) Kev: I’m just they did show a trailer for season two and there’s all sorts of new characters and stuff including a playable panda, which I’m looking forward to but but yeah, that’s that’s that’s my gotcha corner for myself. (0:14:01) Kev: Let’s see the other okay I picked up a new game this week actually. (0:14:05) Kev: rat topia do you do you remember this one? Oh, we’ve talked about it on the show. I don’t know if I’m in the episode you were on, but are you familiar. (0:14:06) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:14:11) Codey: Yeah, yeah (0:14:14) Kev: So, yeah, so for people who may not. (0:14:16) Kev: I don’t remember, it’s very Terraria like, right, like the 2D slice of earth, you see everything, but you control a rat princess queen, and you are establishing a new rat city village kingdom thing. (0:14:34) Kev: So it’s great because it’s, again, very Terraria like, but as the leader, you get to command the people who move into your town, you actually get to command them to go. (0:14:46) Kev: Do this job, do, you know, mine here, do this, you’re now the logger, whatever. (0:14:48) Codey: Hmm. (0:14:52) Kev: So that part is really cool. That really excited me because I love when you actually get to command people and they do stuff in these games, right? (0:14:58) Codey: Yeah. (0:15:00) Kev: And I like rats. The art style is cute. But, you know, I like little critters in general. So that was fun. (0:15:08) Kev: And the game’s good, but it also can be really hard. It turns out running a kingdom is really hard because sometimes. (0:15:12) Codey: Mmm (0:15:16) Kev: You have to defend from zombie rats invading your town. You have to manage an economy. Do you know how fun that is to figure out how much you should be taxing or subsidizing? (0:15:26) Codey: Nope. (0:15:28) Codey: That does not sound fun. (0:15:30) Kev: It’s wild. I’ve had to start over a few times because I just backed myself into a corner of unsavable. I destroyed the kingdom. (0:15:42) Kev: So, yeah, that, you know, kind of like the real life car, I mean, it’s just… (0:15:46) Kev: I can just restart the politics, yeah. (0:15:53) Kev: But yeah, that’s Rhetopia. (0:15:54) Kev: Overall, it’s a great game, two thumbs up from me. (0:15:58) Kev: I hear other people are interested in this game (0:16:00) Kev: and may talk about it and play it (0:16:02) Kev: and discuss it at length somewhere. (0:16:05) Kev: So yeah, keep an eye out for that. (0:16:08) Kev: And the other one, so lastly, not game specific, (0:16:14) Kev: But, uh, oh. (0:16:16) Kev: Uh, this past, a couple of days ago, I went, I went out to the club. (0:16:20) Kev: I don’t go very often, but I liked the club. (0:16:22) Kev: Um, I liked to dance. (0:16:24) Kev: Um, I, yeah. (0:16:24) Codey: Okay, awesome! (0:16:26) Kev: Um, so it was a solo trip. (0:16:29) Kev: It was just me. (0:16:31) Kev: Um, I was like, you know what? (0:16:32) Kev: I’ve been, I’ve had a very stressful couple of weeks. (0:16:34) Kev: I was like, you know, I’m going to get away for a day and go for a night out. (0:16:38) Kev: And then I had fun or whatever. (0:16:40) Kev: Um, I went to the, uh, club by the. (0:16:46) Kev: Area I went to is very college heavy. (0:16:48) Kev: Um, so, um, I, at first when I got there, I think I got there, no, not I think (0:16:48) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:16:53) Kev: I did get there a little too early. (0:16:54) Kev: So I thought, you know what? (0:16:55) Kev: Maybe this was a bad call. (0:16:56) Kev: Cause you know, the semester’s are ending for colleges. (0:16:59) Kev: I don’t know. (0:16:59) Kev: People aren’t going to be there. (0:17:00) Kev: Um, but it did populate eventually. (0:17:03) Kev: Um, and now I’m only 30, what am I two? (0:17:04) Codey: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, yeah, yeah, it doesn’t matter anymore. (0:17:08) Kev: No, yeah, 30. (0:17:09) Kev: Yeah, 30. (0:17:09) Kev: Yeah. (0:17:09) Kev: No, I forget after 26, I lose track. (0:17:12) Kev: Um, yeah, yeah, right. (0:17:14) Kev: So I’m. (0:17:16) Kev: Not, yeah, yeah. (0:17:17) Kev: So I’m not old, but especially in this college heavy area, I feel old (0:17:20) Kev: man at the club, just, just a wee bit. (0:17:24) Kev: I’m laying out there in my slacks and a little vest. (0:17:26) Kev: I’m looking, you know, I’m feeling snappy, but everyone else are the (0:17:30) Kev: majest majority of people are college aged kids with t-shirts and the shorts (0:17:34) Kev: and whatever, so I’m sticking out. (0:17:36) Kev: Um, but, uh, but overall I still had fun. (0:17:39) Kev: Um, I just, okay, here’s my biggest old man thing. (0:17:44) Kev: All right, embrace yourself. (0:17:44) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:17:46) Kev: Um, I, um, so I’m a single guy, right? (0:17:46) Codey: Okay. (0:17:49) Kev: And, you know, obviously with heading out to the club, one of the things is like, (0:17:53) Kev: you know, maybe I’ll find someone to dance with, right? (0:17:56) Kev: Cause that’s, that’s just the thing. (0:17:57) Kev: Or so I thought because, uh, I struck out all night and that’s, that’s fine. (0:17:58) Codey: - Mm-hmm. (0:18:02) Kev: That happens. (0:18:03) Kev: And you know, whatever, but after talking to other people, apparently the scene (0:18:07) Kev: has kind of changed, like everyone’s just going up in groups or, or people very (0:18:14) Kev: We rarely actually (0:18:16) Kev: like reach out to strangers or accept the strangers to dance with and apparently you (0:18:23) Kev: gotta like you know meet up beforehand or you know you’re meet up online and decide (0:18:28) Kev: to do so or whatever but that’s just that’s that again that’s just me old manning here (0:18:32) Kev: like I’m I’m just shocked to see that the the the scene has changed as it will or as (0:18:39) Kev: it were (0:18:39) Codey: - Dating, dating is awful. (0:18:43) Codey: Yeah, I, when I was dating, (0:18:46) Codey: even like five years ago, I hated it. (0:18:48) Codey: - Yeah, no, it was awful. (0:18:50) Kev: Yeah, yeah, but um, but yeah, that’s just like I’m I’m too on hip to (0:19:00) Kev: Yeah, I’m I’m out of it. I’m it’s it’s all the zoomers. I can’t keep up with them (0:19:07) Kev: That their fortnight dances in the floss (0:19:11) Kev: All right, that’s all I got (0:19:15) Kev: Alright, let’s get to let’s get to I know what you’re at least (0:19:20) Kev: last month or monthly segment where we talk about stuff that just came out, but before we do, (0:19:23) Codey: No, I didn’t know there was a new one. (0:19:24) Kev: did you see the trailer for I know what you did last summer the new one? (0:19:30) Kev: Yeah, our you know, obviously what we’re riffing off here for the title segment that movie got a (0:19:37) Kev: I don’t sequel reboot thing it’s it’s it’s it’s that trend where it’s reusing the original title (0:19:44) Kev: just called I know what you did last summer and it’s you know the same premise but oh look there’s (0:19:50) Kev: original character who is it Sarah Michelle Keller I think it is I don’t remember the original actress (0:19:56) Kev: from the original oh and she’s there older and she’s gonna be helping out and and you know it’s (0:20:01) Kev: it’s just the rehash that Hollywood has been doing with all especially a lot of horror movies it feels (0:20:05) Kev: like but yeah I just just want to point out that I got a trailer I haven’t watched any of the other (0:20:12) Kev: ones so whatever but it’s just interesting (0:20:14) Codey: Yeah, I don’t mind like when they do that stuff. So I really love the scream franchise. (0:20:20) Kev: yeah the scream one seemed to do I hadn’t seen the newer ones but that seemed pretty well done how (0:20:26) Kev: they did it yeah all right there you go that first scream is really good like I get it when (0:20:28) Codey: So yeah, 10 out of 10. (0:20:36) Codey: Yeah, we. (0:20:36) Kev: I watched it the first time I was like oh okay I get it um okay uh all right not for games that (0:20:45) Kev: Come on, non-horror games, Cottage Court games, if you don’t like those, do you? (0:20:45) Codey: Mm-hmm, yeah. (0:20:50) Kev: If you like those movies, you might like this. (0:20:52) Kev: Alright, first of all, Bugaboo Pocket, what I call the Bugagotchi game, because it’s 2D pixel style, very detailed, very gorgeous looking sprite work of bugs, and you pet them and do games with them. (0:21:02) Codey: Mm hmm. It was so good. I’m like still so tempted to get that but I will I will I will hold off. (0:21:18) Kev: There’s, there is a lot I will say. There’s Tarot, there’s also it looks like a Fruit Ninja game, and a lot of petting of bugs, they’re very cute but yeah this, yeah, it looks, well maybe you should get the full release so, so it is as long as you want it to be. (0:21:26) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:21:31) Codey: Yeah, I played the demo the demo was super good it’s just wasn’t as long as I wanted it to be (0:21:43) Kev: Oh, if you look on their Steam page, they have a big, like, Nintendo seal of a period. (0:21:48) Kev: So now on the flip side, something that is more pocket, as in Polly Pocket, because Tiny (0:22:09) Kev: Garden came out. The Polly Pocket game, or inspired game, it is a game, not a physical. (0:22:18) Kev: Thing that you can open, and you garden inside your little Polly Pocket world, and you kind of (0:22:23) Kev: rearrange and decorate and all that good stuff. I have not played this game. It looks a lot like a (0:22:32) Kev: game called Garden Galaxy that I did play, which was fine. I think it looks very cute, this Tiny (0:22:38) Kev: Garden. It looks well done, but yeah, go check that out if you’re interested. The gardens are (0:22:46) Kev: So very cute, I will say that. (0:22:49) Kev: Um, let’s see here. (0:22:51) Kev: Next up, we have Opidum, I think. I think I say it different every time. (0:22:54) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:22:57) Kev: It is the, what I call, multiplayer pow world-esque equivalent of Breath of the Wild, because it’s open world sandbox key. (0:23:09) Kev: And you know, it has all your usual survival, whatever. (0:23:13) Kev: Um, but the combat, the combat is just so very clearly Breath of the Wild-ish. (0:23:18) Kev: Feeling, um, which is fine because, you know, that’s a good game to take inspiration from. (0:23:24) Kev: But, uh, but yeah, um, I, you know, a full 3d game like this being multiplayer co-op, (0:23:31) Kev: that is pretty cool. I will give them that. Um, so I don’t know if I’m going to try it just because (0:23:36) Kev: I don’t have room for it right now, but, uh, good on, uh, good on, uh, E.P. games is the (0:23:42) Kev: dev. He came out with it and it’s finished. Um, well, I say it’s finished. It’s really (0:23:48) Kev: released. Um, yeah, and multi multiplayer Breath of the Wild, they’re, they’re just (0:23:54) Kev: sound like a neat niche for that. So, um, yeah, good on them. Uh, and then let’s see, (0:24:00) Kev: lastly on our list, we have Dean Come 1.0. This is our survive, again, survival-less life sim game, (0:24:09) Kev: whatever. Uh, but this time you’re, uh, you’re in Australia. Um, so you farm, hunt, mine, fish, (0:24:14) Kev: all that good stuff do do all the Australian things is our (0:24:18) Kev: friend mark and it may be because as we all know, (0:24:21) Kev: Australia is a small little island nation and almost really (0:24:25) Kev: the people they all know each other and just they basically (0:24:26) Codey: They should, they all know each other. (0:24:31) Kev: walk by each other every day on their way home. But anyways, (0:24:36) Kev: but yeah, look, Australia is very cool. I always I adore like (0:24:39) Kev: reading about as a kid who loved wildlife and animals and Steve (0:24:43) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:24:44) Kev: Irwin, right? Like Australia was very big in the 90s. And I’ve (0:24:46) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:24:47) Kev: read and bought a lot of (0:24:48) Kev: Australia. (0:24:49) Codey: Have you seen some of the new photos that Robert Irwin posted? (0:24:54) Kev: No, what does he do? (0:24:54) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:24:56) Kev: What is he doing? (0:24:58) Codey: Don’t look at it. (0:25:00) Kev: Wait, don’t why not? (0:25:02) Codey: Unless you are a housewife that is bored. (0:25:07) Codey: He posted a risque. (0:25:08) Kev: Oh, dear. (0:25:10) Codey: No, it wasn’t. (0:25:11) Kev: Oh, my gosh, I see. (0:25:11) Codey: It wasn’t risque. (0:25:13) Codey: It was just Robert Irwin in underwear. (0:25:14) Kev: No, I get it. (0:25:17) Kev: I i didn’t yeah (0:25:18) Kev: oh that’s uh yeah that is underwear those are boxers yep I see it (0:25:18) Codey: But Instagram was going insane. (0:25:23) Kev: with him holding it looks like a gila monster or something (0:25:26) Codey: Yeah, he was also holding a snake at some point. (0:25:27) Kev: yeah oh wait oh I see oh that snake that’s a different one yeah (0:25:29) Codey: Yeah. (0:25:31) Codey: He could have a whole calendar. (0:25:34) Codey: And I’m sure he’d make millions. (0:25:36) Codey: Yeah, no, I think that the idea of a survival game in Australia– (0:25:37) Kev: oh that’s good (0:25:43) Codey: why hasn’t that happened yet? (0:25:46) Codey: Why has it taken this long? (0:25:46) Kev: Yeah, you’re right. And it’s an Australian pleasant places. This is just my daily lives. (0:25:58) Kev: This is just the Sims. This isn’t anything special. No, but but yeah, I mean, all you know, (0:26:05) Kev: all joking, the Australia danger death zone aside, you know, it has the wide variety of unique floor (0:26:13) Kev: and faunus that makes for I think doesn’t make great for (0:26:16) Kev: great setting for this kind of game although you know fighting the boss shark is kind of ridiculous (0:26:22) Kev: but in a fun way um so yeah that’s dinkum 1.0 um it is again much like op-ed you can play co-op (0:26:30) Kev: with people um that is out right now um 1.0 um there’s lots of stuff go check out the link you (0:26:39) Kev: know where to find all that stuff um okay yep there you go let’s talk (0:26:43) Codey: And that’s what released last month. (0:26:47) Kev: stuff that didn’t release next month but supposedly releasing in the future supposedly (0:26:54) Kev: all right harvest moon double pack of ports um we have sky tree uh lost valley and sky tree village (0:27:04) Kev: being released uh as a double pack um for uh let’s see I don’t know switch is that what it is okay (0:27:13) Kev: Yeah that makes sense. It is getting a… (0:27:17) Kev: A physical release through the Natsume store, that’s where it is, yeah through the Natsume store. (0:27:24) Kev: You can get a physical copy including an acrylic standee which I don’t think looks particularly noteworthy or nice, but there you go if you’re interested. (0:27:30) Codey: Yeah, but I mean maybe if this was a game that someone really liked then that’s that’s cool for them (0:27:35) Kev: Yeah, yeah, but do those people exist though? (0:27:37) Codey: But I (0:27:39) Codey: Don’t know not to me just trying to milk the cash cow as long as they can (0:27:45) Kev: the literal cash cow. (0:27:46) Codey: Yeah (0:27:48) Kev: I will give them this. They’ve done a dang good job because it’s been a hot minute since they just did the localization, (0:27:56) Kev: but they’re still running. It is so good. I respect that hustle. (0:28:04) Codey: So yeah, 3rd of July if folks are interested in that. (0:28:06) Kev: Oh, thank you. Yeah, the date. I guess that matters. (0:28:12) Kev: Um, next up, all right, here is a game I do care about though. (0:28:15) Kev: Actually, let’s talk about. (0:28:16) Kev: Cattle Country, um, your 2d pixel art Western frontier, um, Stardew ish like where you’re, you’re doing all the things, um, and you can little bit Oregon Trail, a little bit Stardew Valley, I guess, I don’t know, but, uh, yeah, um, it comes, it is releasing on May 27th, um, which that is very close. (0:28:35) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:28:41) Codey: Ooh, that’s close. (0:28:44) Kev: Um, that’s a bad time. That’s always a busy time. (0:28:46) Kev: Um, yeah, that’s, that’s a couple of weeks. Um, I’m looking forward to it and I’ll be (0:28:47) Codey: Okay. (0:28:48) Codey: Did you, like, back it or anything, or you haven’t bought it yet? (0:28:53) Codey: Okay. (0:29:14) Kev: playing it. Keep your eyes. (0:29:16) Kev: Ears peeled, I guess. I don’t know how to peel ears. But here we are. Let’s see. Now we have (0:29:29) Kev: the next game, 2Pixellia, that is out now. This is, yeah, May 1st, it just released. This one is a (0:29:32) Codey: Mm hmm. Yep. (0:29:43) Kev: again pixel art to the kind of city (0:29:47) Codey: Mm-hmm. Yeah, this is the one that doesn’t know what it wants to be, (0:29:47) Kev: simulator I guess um yeah (0:29:53) Codey: and there’s so many different things in it. I believe Al backed this one, so he has it. (0:29:59) Kev: that’s a safe bet (0:29:59) Codey: We’ll probably hear about it, but watching the trailer and stuff, I was just so like… (0:30:06) Kev: it’s it’s a lot if it feels like honestly it feels like taking control of (0:30:12) Kev: one of the sims instead of watching them do (0:30:14) Codey: Yeah. (0:30:15) Kev: everything like just playing them you know (0:30:17) Kev: um so i’ll check it out if you want if you want to do (0:30:22) Kev: crimes you can do crimes so i’ll give them that (0:30:24) Codey: You can do crimes in this game can’t break up marriages though. (0:30:25) Kev: or you can do crimes i’ll give them that (0:30:29) Kev: all right not not yet again that is two pixely and that is (0:30:35) Kev: out now on steam at least I don’t know where else but uh (0:30:38) Kev: there you go all right let’s get into games that already (0:30:43) Kev: did come out but now have more stuff coming out (0:30:47) Kev: okay okay this first one blew my mind because I thought this game was (0:30:52) Kev: dead based like not dead but you know done I can (0:30:54) Codey: Dude, no, this game is not dead. (0:30:57) Codey: This game slaps. (0:30:59) Codey: I wanna play it so bad. (0:30:59) Kev: well I mean yeah I mean i’m not saying that (0:31:02) Kev: dead like people aren’t playing it just I didn’t think they were we’re gonna get (0:31:06) Kev: an update but I guess if there is one franchise in (0:31:09) Kev: the world that can do whatever they want it would be (0:31:13) Kev: san rio and hello kitty because hello kitty island adventure has (0:31:17) Kev: not one but two updates well one of them I think (0:31:21) Kev: came out already um the other one was announced (0:31:25) Kev: Um, so there is the first one is (0:31:29) Kev: the, um, friends furniture and frozen peaks expansion. Um, (0:31:34) Kev: I think that’s out already. Um, there is, uh, (0:31:39) Kev: expansions to believe new areas, Blizzard peak and snow village. (0:31:44) Kev: There are new types of weather flowers, all sorts of new story and cosmetics, (0:31:49) Kev: um, and more improvements and refinements to the friendship system, (0:31:53) Kev: which were needed. Um, just, yeah, just a lot of stuff. (0:31:57) Kev: There’s a lot of stuff again. (0:31:59) Kev: The ice area that’s the big one and improvements to the, you know, UIs and experiences. Nice little (0:32:07) Kev: quality of life touches here and there. All sorts of new furniture and cosmetics. (0:32:15) Kev: There’s some new quests and storylines, all that stuff. Yeah, yeah. (0:32:20) Codey: Sorry, I I was trying to see what it was available on and it is on Apple Arcade (0:32:27) Kev: I mean, it’s on the Steam page. (0:32:29) Kev: So I assume it’s, yeah. (0:32:31) Codey: Yeah, so it’s on Steam but it’s also on Apple Arcade well because on Steam it’s only or sorry it’s on Steam it’s only (0:32:40) Codey: Windows but then it so to play it on Mac you have to play it in Apple Arcade (0:32:43) Kev: Mm-hmm (0:32:47) Codey: I’m wondering, so it’s also on switch. (0:32:53) Kev: on everything, I think, right? I’m just gonna… Look, I’m assuming their deep pockets have (0:32:59) Kev: enabled it to just be out on everything. (0:33:02) Codey: No, they don’t have a Xbox. I was looking for that because I have game pass. Yeah, looking (0:33:08) Kev: - Oh, well, everything they’re on. (0:33:09) Codey: at this, looking at this like update, the biggest thing that I lost my mind about was (0:33:14) Codey: Aggretsuko. So they added, it was, I think it was just in the friends furniture and frozen (0:33:16) Kev: Yeah (0:33:23) Codey: peaks. One, they added Retsuko. So from the TV show, Aggretsuko, they added. (0:33:24) Kev: Yeah (0:33:30) Kev: Well retzeko was in already (0:33:32) Codey: But her friends and coworkers are now. (0:33:35) Kev: That’s correct (0:33:36) Kev: But she was the weird one because nobody knew her because she was from a different part of the scenario verse (0:33:41) Kev: But now yes the supporting ritz a gretzeko cast is here (0:33:46) Kev: I haven’t watched the anime so I can’t get hyped, but I’m kind of hyped because it’s cool (0:33:50) Kev: I like the anime without watching it. It’s a good concept (0:33:54) Codey: I friggin love that anime. Well, because I love metal, so it like tickles that fancy. (0:34:01) Codey: Yeah, I don’t know. Yeah, the other update is called the month of meh. (0:34:02) Kev: Yep, I’ll do it (0:34:07) Kev: But (0:34:10) Kev: Okay, I just got to say when I saw this I thought that was I’ll know it I was like wow I’ll jam (0:34:15) Codey: See, I thought I was saying like, eh, this game sucks. And then I looked, I was like, oh no, it’s literally. (0:34:17) Kev: Don’t like this update, huh? (0:34:24) Codey: Called the month of meh. And there’s Gudetama as. Oh, okay. (0:34:25) Kev: The next up is called month of man (0:34:32) Kev: As good atomic it’s a good atomic festival of sorts right cuz (0:34:38) Kev: yeah, because the Hello Kitty Island adventure does like kind of like Animal Crossing where you know special events or (0:34:45) Kev: Theirs are usually like maybe a week or two. Whatever like oh, here’s the (0:34:50) Kev: Chinese New Year’s the Christmas is the Halloween whatever right they do their monthly your seasonal events and this appears to be one of those (0:34:54) Codey: This, this character that’s dressed as an egg yolk though, a nisetami-san. (0:34:57) Kev: from a night what I saw (0:35:02) Kev: I (0:35:04) Kev: Don’t know who that is. Is that a Sandra Hill character because okay, cuz everyone knows Goude Thomas the lazy egg with the butt (0:35:05) Codey: I don’t like it. (0:35:07) Codey: I don’t like it. (0:35:11) Kev: All right, he’s it’s a little the little guy, right? It’s like, you know standard chicken egg and the little guy is that (0:35:18) Kev: But this guy (0:35:20) Kev: He said Thomas son. No, that is a full grown (0:35:24) Codey: That’s a person, and it’s in a weird costume, and I don’t like that. (0:35:24) Kev: sized human man in a (0:35:28) Kev: You know like yellow (0:35:32) Kev: Jump not jumps, you know, it’s those weird Halloween costumes (0:35:34) Codey: body suits. Yeah. That’s a choice. (0:35:36) Kev: Yeah, the bodysuits that are the single colors and he’s dressed up like Gudetama, but he’s got a very (0:35:43) Kev: Bland face. I don’t I don’t know how to (0:35:46) Codey: the face is honestly the worst part like if if it was like a normal face I would be like (0:35:51) Codey: oh it’s a person but the face I’m just like what is happening um (0:35:55) Kev: Yeah, no, I’m looking this up, this is not new, this is a Sanrio. (0:35:59) Codey: I’m sure it’s a character I just it’s character I didn’t know and I would love to go back to (0:36:01) Kev: Yup. (0:36:03) Kev: It’s a man dressed as Gudetama, so there you go. (0:36:06) Codey: I’d love to go back to five minutes ago when I did not know what six things existed (0:36:12) Kev: He’s got very thick eyebrows. (0:36:14) Kev: That might be part of the problem. (0:36:16) Codey: I don’t know I don’t know (0:36:19) Kev: Well, there you go. (0:36:19) Kev: There’s the month of May. (0:36:21) Kev: It’s through the month of May. (0:36:24) Kev: You get it? (0:36:25) Kev: You get it? (0:36:25) Kev: I don’t know if that was their intention, (0:36:27) Codey: it’s gonna be meth (0:36:27) Kev: but whatever worked out. (0:36:29) Kev: You know what’s not– well, actually, I’m (0:36:31) Kev: sure the update itself is not meh. (0:36:33) Kev: But you know what else is not meh? (0:36:35) Kev: These new games actually– no, they’re all right. (0:36:36) Codey: Oh, no, we got another update. (0:36:39) Kev: Oh, I did skip one. (0:36:41) Kev: Whoopsie. (0:36:41) Codey: There was another update, but it’s only the 0.5 update, (0:36:42) Kev: Oh yeah. (0:36:45) Codey: y’all, so don’t worry. (0:36:46) Codey: It’s not really– (0:36:50) Codey: it’s not a real update. (0:36:51) Codey: No, it’s fine. (0:36:53) Codey: The game Far Lands has a 0.5 update (0:36:56) Codey: that adds a bunch of stuff, including (0:36:58) Codey: hostile mobs in the mines, a new mine (0:37:01) Codey: that you can go to, 10 new social events, Steam Deck (0:37:05) Codey: support, uh, furniture. (0:37:06) Codey: I didn’t, I haven’t really looked at this game before, you kind of just look like a zombie. (0:37:14) Kev: yeah you look like a weird uh yeah a lot of the other characters because you crash line on like (0:37:20) Kev: an alien planet and they’re all alien zombie-ish in appearance I i I agree um but uh yeah okay it (0:37:29) Kev: feels a little space tardewy but it has a little more flavor it has a little more sauce as the kids (0:37:34) Kev: call it um like uh it I that’s what I hear look I still tutor kids okay you know okay (0:37:36) Codey: Is that what the kids are calling it? (0:37:44) Kev: tangent hey shocker me cody you’re going to tangent but okay look I know every generation (0:37:46) Codey: Tangent, boom, boom, boom, boom. (0:37:52) Kev: our generation and everyone has their slang and lingo and and bads and whatever right (0:37:58) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:37:59) Kev: but that I think i’ve been thinking about this because as I tutor right like I see the the next (0:38:05) Kev: generation of kids or it’s also i’m like a couple cycles in at this point really um because i’ve (0:38:10) Kev: tutored for so dang long it’s it’s gotten horrendous the the skipper (0:38:15) Kev: generation as i’m gonna call it because I think that’s the emblematic uh term and and (0:38:16) Codey: Yeah, it’s it’s the brain rot generation. So they, they say like the they they’re that (0:38:22) Kev: yes the brain rot generation there too (0:38:26) Codey: what they’re going to watch is just brain rot and just cringe. And like, yeah, they (0:38:28) Kev: yep yep all that like I i don’t either it’s not and like (0:38:31) Codey: I don’t get it. It’s not entertaining to me. (0:38:39) Kev: the issue isn’t even the stuff itself per se I mean a little bit but you know like that’s i (0:38:43) Kev: I think also just kind of. (0:38:44) Kev: The nature of the generations, like our parents didn’t get our stuff either or whatever, right? (0:38:49) Kev: Um, but it just feels like so much more prevalent and ingrained and, and virulent than, uh, than other generations. (0:39:01) Codey: Verilent. It’s a virus, the brain rot virus. (0:39:01) Kev: And I’ve been thinking about it really. (0:39:03) Kev: Yeah, it really is. (0:39:06) Kev: And, and it’s, I’ve been thinking like, how should I put this right? (0:39:11) Kev: So when you and I grew up, let’s say, right in our middle school. (0:39:14) Kev: I’m a school, whatever, right? (0:39:15) Kev: Like there are the fads and there’s the playground speak and it would spread or whatever, right? (0:39:19) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:39:20) Kev: But it was still kind of contained to our local area, right? (0:39:22) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:39:24) Kev: Because we didn’t have the internet, but I think about it. (0:39:27) Kev: Like, I think that’s the issue, right? (0:39:29) Kev: All these kids have their phones and the same app. (0:39:32) Kev: So like, it’s all so homogenized. (0:39:35) Kev: Like, I think that’s just why like every single kid knows it and watches the same thing. (0:39:42) Kev: Like, it’s, it’s insane. (0:39:44) Kev: Oh, my gosh. Oh. (0:39:46) Codey: Yeah, that’s a whole other story about like whether or not that stuff is helping or harming (0:39:54) Codey: the socialization of the next generation. (0:39:58) Kev: Mm-hmm. That’s a, that is a good one. (0:39:59) Codey: That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately as like, more discussions about (0:40:01) Kev: Yeah. Mm-hmm. (0:40:04) Codey: autism come out and stuff and like having been, you know, diagnosed as a autistic adult (0:40:10) Codey: at this point. (0:40:12) Codey: Um, yeah, but. (0:40:14) Kev: Yeah, it’s (0:40:16) Kev: And it’s tough because we you know, we’re not gonna have all the data until later right like it’s gonna be tougher kind of (0:40:23) Kev: Speculating but um, it’s it’s it’s what to see (0:40:27) Kev: and but I you know (0:40:28) Codey: Well, that’s Far Lands. (0:40:30) Kev: As about yeah, there you go, there’s your point five update for for this it’s out now (0:40:32) Codey: Pull us back. (0:40:33) Codey: Pull us back. (0:40:37) Codey: It’s out now. (0:40:38) Codey: If you want a hostile mob, if you’ve (0:40:40) Codey: been waiting for steam support, they’re there. (0:40:44) Kev: Achievements, they’re in there, too. (0:40:47) Codey: They are there. (0:40:49) Kev: All right, let’s talk– (0:40:51) Kev: those are the updates. (0:40:53) Kev: Let’s talk about some new game announcements. (0:40:54) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:40:55) Kev: Let’s talk about “Scibbity Island.” (0:40:57) Codey: No! (0:40:59) Codey: We were leaving it. (0:41:00) Codey: We were leaving it. (0:41:02) Kev: No, it’s here to stay. (0:41:03) Codey: No, Sunseed, Sunseed Island. (0:41:05) Kev: OK. (0:41:07) Kev: OK, yeah, “Sunseed Island.” (0:41:10) Kev: OK, first of all, this is insanely cute art style. (0:41:14) Kev: Whoever their art team is, they’re (0:41:18) Kev: knocking out of the park. (0:41:20) Kev: The actual game itself, you’re playing (0:41:22) Kev: as a little cat with a little Pikmin-style flower (0:41:25) Kev: star on your head. (0:41:27) Kev: And you’re rebuilding your town. (0:41:29) Kev: You’re farming. (0:41:30) Kev: You’re fishing. (0:41:31) Kev: You’re exploring islands. (0:41:35) Kev: A lot of the hallmarks of the cottage core verse, (0:41:37) Kev: what can I say? (0:41:38) Kev: There’s different– it looks like– (0:41:40) Kev: I think it’s kind of like Animal Crossing, (0:41:42) Kev: where you can sail to different islands, (0:41:43) Kev: and there might be different environments. (0:41:44) Kev: It’s coming on April 24th on the eShop, actually. (0:41:51) Kev: Wait, what? (0:41:53) Kev: Wait, April 24th? (0:41:54) Codey: Oh, so it’s already out. (0:41:55) Kev: Is that already out? (0:41:56) Codey: It’s already out. (0:41:57) Kev: Oh, yeah, it is sale ends. (0:42:00) Codey: Yeah, so it’s already out. (0:42:02) Codey: Yeah, the little things on top– they all have little Pikmin. (0:42:06) Codey: It’s not just your character. (0:42:07) Codey: All the characters look like they (0:42:08) Kev: Yeah. (0:42:09) Codey: have little Pikmin-y things. (0:42:10) Kev: Mm-hmm. (0:42:11) Codey: Very cute. (0:42:12) Kev: Yeah. (0:42:14) Codey: And so their blurb for it is, welcome to Sunseed Island, (0:42:18) Codey: the perfect escape for cozy gamers who love (0:42:20) Codey: to farm, explore, and collect. (0:42:24) Codey: Rebuild a lost village, befriend magical creatures, grow crops, (0:42:27) Codey: fish and tranquil waters, and upgrade your tools, (0:42:29) Codey: discover the secrets of a mystical tree, (0:42:31) Codey: and reconnect the scattered islands. (0:42:35) Codey: I could read that for so many different of these games. (0:42:38) Kev: Okay. (0:42:41) Codey: Yeah, it looks cute. (0:42:43) Codey: Looks like all the other ones, unless you’d (0:42:46) Codey: want to play as a cat, then here you go. (0:42:47) Kev: Yep. Yeah. (0:42:49) Codey: So the price, though, was confusing. (0:42:54) Codey: So on May– (0:42:55) Kev: I mean it’s um well right it’s on sale on the us e-shop for three dollars that’s 72% off i’m (0:42:58) Codey: yeah, go for it. (0:43:04) Kev: too lazy to do the math that’s maybe what like 10 bucks maybe um yeah it’s something like that (0:43:10) Kev: usd uh I can’t see this because I don’t have the uke shop but (0:43:14) Kev: per one of al’s notes apparently it is 100 off on the uke shop so (0:43:18) Codey: I feel like they probably fixed that because the note out so Al said that he got it for free (0:43:24) Codey: because it was it was literally free on the eShop so he got that um and then the note that he left (0:43:25) Kev: yep (0:43:28) Kev: I i don’t blame him (0:43:33) Codey: for the US eShop was that it was 90% off but then I looked and it’s definitely 72% off so (0:43:36) Kev: So, sounds like some numbers were crossed and buttons were pushed incorrectly. (0:43:47) Codey: Y’all should– (0:43:49) Codey: Y’all should check this. (0:43:50) Kev: It’s on sale somewhere. (0:43:52) Kev: You can go get it for cheap right now, we’ll tell you that much. (0:43:54) Codey: Yeah, check this regularly. (0:43:57) Codey: Maybe they just are flipping a dice or something, (0:44:00) Codey: like throwing a dart at a board. (0:44:01) Kev: Maybe they put the wrong sign on. (0:44:07) Kev: It happened to me at the store, not just once multiple times, but they had something on sale and it wasn’t on sale, it made me sad because it was like boxes of cereal, it was like buy two, get three free, it was like wow that’s a great deal, and then I went to the register like no that’s wrong, and I was like oh, I guess I won’t get my cereal. (0:44:24) Codey: So check it out if you like the idea of a stardew where you’re a Pikmin cat. (0:44:31) Kev: Yeah, but you know it kills me that (0:44:33) Codey: The next s s island. (0:44:37) Kev: Okay, okay, you know you want to get into all right. Let’s get into that because what I was gonna say for both of these games (0:44:43) Kev: We went from was it sunseed Island to star sand Island, right? And (0:44:46) Codey: - Mm-hmm. (0:44:50) Kev: Look, you know (0:44:51) Kev: It’s a tough market. I get it right like you got to stand out (0:44:56) Kev: It’s tough and you know what there’s redeeming qualities here both of these (0:44:59) Kev: I’m not- I’m not gonna say these are off. (0:45:01) Kev: That’s awful, but I’m- I’m already loading the gun and ready to drag you out behind the barn for using those names because no, no. (0:45:06) Codey: S– yeah, for a lack of originality, for sure. (0:45:13) Kev: You went with the Noun Noun island slash valley, which is- is- (0:45:17) Codey: S– like, nouns that start with S. (0:45:20) Kev: And then you start with S, both of you, like, oh my gosh, what is- you know what, maybe- maybe the Skibitty kids aren’t so bad. (0:45:23) Codey: Yeah. (0:45:31) Codey: This one does look different, though. (0:45:33) Codey: So the blurb of it, again, is basic. (0:45:36) Codey: So it’s leave the hustle of the city behind (0:45:38) Codey: and embrace life on Starsand Island. (0

Number 966Another week, another deluge of stuff to talk about! Nintendo has a major piracy win, Sakurai shows Iwata some love, Nintendo cracks down on hentai games, and SO much more. We also have spoiler-free talks about Daredevil, Severance, and filler episodes. There's also plenty of Game Boy love, a chat about puzzle games and plenty to keep you entertained!