If only I could just play games for the rest of my life, without a care in the world. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The real world calling is an unwelcome distraction from the life I want to live. Sigh...
Uwah! Sorry, I was distracted with reminiscing. It's funny because one of the most significant byproducts (or perhaps the primary output) of real-life romance is children, and today Gensokyo Island invited its first-ever-born third-generation islander, that is to say the child of someone who was themselves a child of another islander, to move in to an apartment on the newly-refurbished eighth floor of Mii Apartments. Please welcome Shinichi Yasaka, son of Shanghai Margatroid and Kanako Yasaka.
Er, yes, both his parents are wearing dresses. Something wrong with that?
I've heard that Okuu's Look-alike had to pull a few strings to get Shinichi properly admitted as a resident of Gensokyo Island, such as the mandatory infusion of mind-altering drugs as is necessary for "Designer Babies". The result of such treatment meant that Shinichi was reassigned as a Confident Brainiac, which interestingly enough was the personality type of Matthias who was sent off as a traveller yesterday. A scandal? A conspiracy? Maybe...
That being said, Shinichi is truly the child of his parents and grandparents, as he has inherited traits from each of them. His eyebrows and mouth resemble his father Kanako's, while his eyes and nose match his mother Shanghai's - which she inherited in turn from her father Kyubey Incubator and her mother Alice Margatroid respectively.
I'm certain his grandparents must be overjoyed that their genes have survived ... well, Kyubey most certainly was. On the other hand I heard that Alice was off wearing a magical girl outfit and fighting witches somewhere as part of a contract. Needless to say his parents were also happy beyond words - their Shinichi, the first child of the first child born on Gensokyo Island.
Speaking of milestones in child-rearing, a certain extremely motherly individual on Gensokyo Island is once again bearing ahead with a new record. Reimu Hakurei, the wife of Junya Ohta, today announced her sixth pregnancy, an incredibly high number heretofore considered inconceivable. We trust that her record child-bearing streak will remain impregnable for quite some time yet.
Reimu's doing her part, ZUN, so how about that new main series Touhou game?
Ironically, for such a paragon of child-raising, Reimu and ZUN have yet to have a single child accepted as a resident of Gensokyo Island. Okuu's Look-alike, having the final say in all islander admissions, refused to comment on the matter but was noted for brooding over not inviting the pair's first child Reiko to stay on as a resident. Hmm... perhaps Okuu's Look-alike is finding Reimu and ZUN's enthusiasm a little too much to bear.
Not to be outdone... well, she's already outdone, but not to be left behind like in the Touhou series games, Evil Spirit Mima also announced that she was pregnant with her first child with her husband Gary Oak. Y'know, perhaps Gary Oak might finally discover where baby Pokémon come from with the aid of his Ghost-type partner.
That being said, the lot of the children of Gensokyo Island who are forcibly sent off to explore the world seems to have been improving as of recent events. This Wednesday, Alexandre, the son of Yuuka Kazami and Augustine Sycamore was the first child to leave Gensokyo Island in over a month, on the ship that also brought in Toritori. Today, another soul was sent off into the great unknown, that being Carmilla, the daughter and only child of Patchouli Knowledge and Overlord Mao.
Welcome to Gensokyo Island. We export biological weapons and psychopaths. And also natty Round-Collared Blouses.
Come to think of it, since Carmilla is half youkai and half demon, perhaps the matter of another soul lost to the waves might not be an issue after all. No doubt Okuu's Look-alike isn't losing any sleep over it. It's like her motto is 'Shoot the Moon!', because sure as heck you can't reach it but the falling bullets will cause lots of collateral damage and random chaos seems to be more entertaining by far.
Speaking of someone who may well be half demon as well, whose hobby is causing lots of destruction, and who is probably one of Okuu's Look-alike's best chums on this island, we shall now move on to today's character profile. It's Lieutenant Colonel (ret. or something, it's complicated) Baldren Gassenarl, the first of at present four characters from the critically acclaimed Valkyria Chronicles series who have been invited to live on Gensokyo Island. Baldren? Why don't more people have a name like that? It's a pretty cool name...
See, my look-alike's kid agrees with me. Sorry, I may be a little biased in the text to come.
Baldren Gassenarl
All information correct as of 15 February 2015
I am Baldren Gassenarl, heed me now! I have no time for the idle, so read my profile!
Name: Baldren Gassenarl
Nickname: Baldren
Date of Birth: 21st January 1988
Personality: Confident Designer
Favourite Colour: Red
Quotation: "Heed me now!"
Baldren Gassenarl is an antagonist from the video game Valkyria Chronicles II for the PSP, by Sega, and he also appears as a cameo playable character in the prequel game Valkyria Chronicles III. He is a former soldier who held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Gallian Army. However, he later rebelled against the Gallian crown along with his father and sibling(s) and became a general in the Gallian Revolutionary Army. Without saying too much, let's just say he is a really really important character in VC2, and he also plays a key role as a NPC in the turning point of the story of VC3.
Baldren's strongest characteristic is his fierce loyalty to the nation of Gallia, the country of his birth and of which he is a member of the nobility. However, that loyalty does not necessarily extend to the Gallian crown or for that matter anyone in authority, and he will challenge anyone to do what he believes is right to protect Gallia. At the same time, he is also a career soldier and while he can be very ruthless he has also demonstrated some morality, such as a refusal to use chemical weapons (although arguably that may be out of a fear of damaging his homeland than its cruelty). Lastly, and perhaps the reason why he's not as popular a character as others from the series, is the fact that he is extremely condescending toward the common folk and the militia, and he is an irredeemable racist, extending to committing genocide when he rebels against the Gallian Crown.
I don't want to defend Baldren too much. I agree that he's a very bad man, an unquestionably evil character, and he has done many horrible things, including discarding his ideals (and sanity) once his situation grew dire. However, I greatly admire his professionalism and his loyalty to his country (also explaining why I like Berthold Gregor), and while his extremist ways did lead to genocide his patriotism also led him to do some brave and unthinkable things to protect his ideals of defending Gallia with his own power. He isn't someone you might ever want to see in real life, but he's an outstanding character in a fictional story. And I also love his in-game voice and lines!
In my opinion, merging his role in VC2 with his backstory from VC3, Baldren is easily the most charming and memorable villain in the entire Valkyria Chronicles series. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to add him to Gensokyo Island, and the fact that his most distinctive facial features can be so faithfully reproduced in the limited repertoire of Mii Maker made him one of the first non-Touhou characters I designed.
Baldren Gassenarl and Sanae Kochiya? That's a crack pairing if there ever was one. Well... they're both genocidial in their own way...
Wife: Sanae Kochiya
Best Friend: Kikuchiyo Kanbei, formerly Kyouko Kasodani
Children: Adwin, Hinoko Gassenarl, Kyrie
Despite being the first of the third batch of islanders introduced, Baldren was actually one of the last of them to get married, and to the driven but somewhat unstable Sanae Kochiya no less. Baldren and Sanae's marriage set a few firsts - it was the first marriage that occurred between residents of different batches, which is to say, living on different floors of Mii Apartments. It was also the first marriage between two people of the same personality group (both Confident), of which there are only two such marriages so far on Gensokyo Island, the other being between Tia Arlert and Tadakichi Mihama (both Outgoing).
I had originally been planning to pair Baldren up with Yuuka Kazami, who is living in the apartment next to his. After all, I thought they'd be a good match, since they both have a somewhat favourable view of genocide... yes, this means they are both pretty nasty people you'll never want to meet in real life. However, despite knowing each other, they didn't seem interested in hooking up despite several attempted set-up dates by other islanders.
However, once Baldren met Sanae from the floor upstairs, it was love at first sight - within a week, they were married. Those two girls might both be green-haired characters from the Touhou Project who commit genocide for a living, but Sanae genocides youkai, and Yuuka genocides humans and pretty much anything that gets in her way. Being a villain himself, Baldren was probably clever enough to know that you really shouldn't hang out with someone who wants to exterminate you and your entire race for fun and laughter.
I'll discuss Baldren and Sanae's children more on Sanae's page when it comes around, but their first son Adwin is actually named after Baldren's dog from VC2, just like Tadakichi Mihama. Kyrie, on the other hand, represents his interest in the eponymous Valkyria from his game. Maybe his liking dogs is the reason for befriending the (chronically depressed) Kyouko Kasodani? And Baldren and Kikuchiyo Kanbei are both aristocrats and professional soldiers, and they have the exact same personality, though Kanbei may be out of his league since he isn't even a villain at all!
With that face, sure... I totally believe you on that one. I bet that's what you say before you kill somebody.
Food Preferences:
Worst: Roast Chicken
Worst Ever: Red Chilli Pepper
Okuu's Look-alike Rating - Roast Chicken: Love! Damn it, Baldren, what have you been smoking to make you hate Roast Chicken so much? Is it peasant food or something, that's why you hate it? Even if that was the case, there are so many other things which could be considered more fit for the impoverished. This is just plain illogical. Maybe Baldren actually loves chickens very much, that's why he won't eat them.
Song Participation:
Too Much Water, Techno, joint-lead singer for Rogues' Gallery
In truth, my OTP or rather, crack best friend pairing is Baldren and Maximillian Magma of Pokémon Ruby fame. I just feel it's appropriate since both want to cover the world in magma, whether figuratively or literally, and they're both villains with a few redeeming qualities but whom ultimately take things way too far in pursuit of their ideals. They also both love the colour red, see technology as a means forward... they just have so much in common, they'd make a totally awesome villain team. It's a pity they aren't actually better friends here on Gensokyo Island.
I was warned - plain old ecoterrorists and rebellious regicidial genocidial self-mutilating sociopathic professional soldiers just don't get along.
Apartment: Apt. 301
Islander Rating: High Tier
Today, we move on to the third batch of eight islanders introduced and as expected, compared to the first two batches, their levels are noticeably lower. This is especially the case for Baldren, whom despite being a pretty demanding resident insistent that you "Heed him now!", has been unable to break into the higher tiers due to the lack of an All-Time Favourite food. Another strange thing is that he demands new living quarters, well, interior decorations rather often, however, this annoys me and causes me to instead award him the bog-standard "free" interiors upon levelling up instead of more shiny clothes or just outright ignore his demands. He's a bad guy after all, so I'm not beholden to him.
While he is unquestionably a bad guy, I do like Baldren very much, not just as a character but as a resident of Gensokyo Island, and I like to work him into comic situations with the more oddball characters, especially those from the Touhou series, contrasting with his deadpan seriousness to humourous effect. I also have the habit of labelling anyone he hangs around with or attempts to meet as potential or budding villains, joining some sort of conspiracy to overthrow... eh, I wonder who he could possibly be overthrowing here on Gensokyo Island.
Valkyria Chronicles II is a very divisive game, and of those who do enjoy the game the interpretations and opinions regarding its characters split the fanbase down the middle. Is Baldren a misguided hero, a mad extremist, or an irredeemably vile and bloodthirsty monster? Well, I'll tell you that here in Tomodachi Life at least he's a heck of a standout, determined to make his presence felt no matter what the situation. And he probably looks closest to the actual character than any other Mii I've ever created. So add this rebellious rabble-rouser to your island today and he'll turn it upside down!
Just, y'know, watch your back while you're at it.
He normally doesn't wear a hat, even in battle, so the laurel wreath represents his 'crowning victory', cough cough.
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 15th February 2015
Island Updates (Population 57)
Please welcome Shinichi Yasaka, the newest resident of Gensokyo Island! He is a Confident Brainiac.
Traveller Updates
A boat from Columbus Island arrived. Carmilla departed.
Relationships and Marriage
Kyouko Kasodani and Archibald Aqua became best friends!
Children
Toyoko was born to Marisa Kirisame and Miko Toyosatomimi. It's their fourth child! She is an Easygoing Buddy.
Shinichi, son of Shanghai Margatroid and Kanako Yasaka, grew up. He was invited to live on Gensokyo Island!
Evil Spirit Mima announced that she was pregnant with her and Gary Oak's first child!
Reimu Hakurei announced that she was pregnant with her and Junya Ohta's sixth child!
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