Y'know, it's really odd for me to say this but it's been slow going here at the newsdesk these past couple of days. We've seen Okuu's Look-alike popping in and out checking on the inmates... uh, residents of Gensokyo Island now and then but there hasn't been anything of particularly great importance flagged up recently.
Make a boring day more exciting - do squats when you talk to people! Oingo Boingo!
More curious still is the mysterious disappearance of my temporary boss Aya Shameimaru as well as Toritori, that girl also working at the newsdesk with me. Maybe they're working on some kind of big project, or maybe Aya's practicing running so fast that she can travel through time faster than one second per second.
Hmm... I think it must be the project. Checking in today I found a couple of family photographs for today's extremely short update, and an interview all written up already. Toritori must have been burning the midnight oil on this one... or maybe that time travel thing actually worked. It's kind of weird, though, there are random splotches of ichor all over these interview notes. I'll get back to it once I've put these other pictures up.
She looks so normal, it's almost a shame to send her off. You need kids like this, Reimu and ZUN.
Akiko, third daughter and sixth child of Utsuho Reiuji and Rinnosuke Morichika, was today officially kitted out as a traveller and sent on her merry way, though I doubt she'll be doing much travelling for quite some time considering the queue at the port. There wasn't a chance of her being invited to stay since her eldest sister Unyuho already took that spot, but other families could only watch enviously as what looked like a model child was sent off into the cruel wider world.
When pressed for comment on this issue, Okuu's Look-alike could only ponder, "I guess there's a reason why real-life characters and fictional characters can't mix..." which was totally non-sequitur and irrelevant to the situation at hand. For that matter, Okuu's Look-alike is usually irrelevant to any situation at hand, it's just that she insists on butting into everything that goes on around here. Is she trying to say that cartoony, manga and anime-type characters don't really mix with characters of more realistic proportions and features? Clearly she hasn't been exposed to enough of the media that's going around right now.
Now tell me whether I'm realistic-looking, or a cartoon. Not with those cat ears, no.
Apart from Akiko's departure, which concerned nearly no one apart from her parents, Gensokyo Island has been exceedingly quiet these couple of days, and that's good, because I'd much rather be whacking some pubbers over Defence of the League of Heroes III. In fact, it's been so boring, I hear islanders have been pulling funny faces at each other to lighten things up.
If it's been scientifically demonstrated that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, surely it should take even more to make a silly face, and doing so doesn't just feel good but also makes great exercise at the same time! I should've been a scientist, don't you think? But I'd never pull myself away from computer games... I'm... conducting research, that's right. Y'know, things like social psychology, horde mentality, zerg physiology ... ahem.
Anyway, there's someone else on this island who shares my passion for gaming and comics, but also for knowing more about this world. The only reason why I haven't already become besties with him is that rumours that he's an incorrigible pervert... and he's also a demon. That person happens to be the subject of today's special report - It's Overlord Mao from Disgaea 3!
Overlord Mao
All information correct as of 24 February 2015
Mao tests the Face Ugliness Contortion Theory. It's a success!
Name: Overlord Mao
Nickname: Mao
Date of Birth: 31st January 2008
Personality: Outgoing Charmer
Favourite Colour: Black
Quotation: "Experiment!!!"
Overlord Mao is a young demon who's the main character of Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice by Nippon Ichi Software. He's on a quest to defeat his father the Overlord, who's also the Dean of Maritsu Evil Academy - the Netherworld being the Academy itself, both roles are essentially the same thing. As he works toward that end, he meets new friends vassals, opens his heart (literally...), and confronts the reason for his conflict with his dad. He's a mad scientist who's also obsessed with comic books and computer games, and his greatest claim to fame is being the academy's number one top honour student, which, in demon terms, means having absolutely zero attendance, never doing any homework, and indulging in all sorts of misdemeanours and other rotten pranks.
Mao is undeniably my favourite protagonist from the Disgaea series. Yes, this beats out the original main character Laharl, who would fall into third place behind Disgaea 4's Valvatorez (who won't appear on Gensokyo Island due to the difficulty of getting his Mii to love Sardines above all...). Anyway, Mao is hands down my favourite, most of it due to his totally crazy personality. He enjoys conducting "experiments" on anybody, even himself, and the crazed look he gets just thinking about all the lovely data, with glasses fogged over and drool trickling from his mouth - he's not known as a pervert for nothing!
However, he's also a kid with some serious issues from his past, and while I won't spoil the plot a major point of character development is him finally overcoming these issues with the help of his friends.. While he doesn't become a nice guy (or even a nice guy in denial, like Laharl), he does learn to open up to his friends, though he maintains his crazy personality throughout. As such, on Gensokyo Island, although he's normally in his maniacal mad scientist self, he does have a surprisingly pensive side that can pop up from time to time.
Mao and Patchouli - partners in mad science. Also, those are two awesome photographs.
Wife: Patchouli Knowledge
Best Friend: Utsuho Reiuji, formerly Patchouli Knowledge, Archibald Aqua
Children: Carmilla
The story of Overlord Mao and Patchouli Knowledge's romance was already described under Patchouli's profile. Mao and Patchouli's only child, their daughter Carmilla, was actually the last child to leave the docks on a ship, and she has yet to reply, but for those wondering, she's named after a class of demon in the Disgaea series. With not all that much to say otherwise, in this space I'd like to keep to the spirit of mad science and put forward a crazy, totally untested hypothesis about the nature of 'best friends'.
I find it rather a coincidence that Mao's two best friends after Patchouli, Archibald Aqua and then Utsuho Reiuji, are both Outgoing Trendsetters. In contrast, Mao himself is an Outgoing Charmer. Interestingly, another person who has had both Okuu and Archie as best friends is Kyouko Kasodani, who is an Easygoing Softie. Does this mean that Outgoing Trendsetters are personalities that both Outgoing Charmers and Easygoing Softies can get along with? I know the sample size is small, but it's just curious as to how two characters effectively "swapped" best friends.
Also, one last titbit for the curious - no, Overlord Mao and Overlord Laharl do not like each other at all despite co-starring as dancers in two different songs. Two Overlords is one... actually, two overlords too many already. Let them slug it out and reduce each other to smoking craters!
Mao and Patchouli's daughter Carmilla... and yes, this is the first photo ever re-used on this blog.
Food Preferences:
All-Time Favourite: Red Chilli Pepper
Worst Ever: Spaghetti
Okuu's Look-alike Rating - Spaghetti: Really Like! I have a love-hate relationship with pasta as I sometimes think it's dull and dreary, and other times I have a craving for it. As for 'Spaghetti', surely the game should mean 'Spaghetti Bolognaise"? Because that's what the graphic looks like, anyway. I would most likely go for some spag bol anytime, even the cheap crappy supermarket versions, as long as I know what meat went into it and there are no mushrooms in there,
Song Participation:
Gotta Slay 'Em All, Rap, backup dancer for The Recon Corps
Too Much Water, Techno, backup dancer for Rogues' Gallery
Mao stars in the exact same two songs as Laharl and in the exact same roles, being just a dancer who dances... with his fellow overlord. Yes, it's called a theme. If there are going to be two characters dancing together it would probably make sense to have them related somehow. It's just too bad they hate each others' guts on the island.
Damn it, Mao, that's way too much information! Even if it's all a lie! Ew, yuck!!!
Apartment: Apt. 304
Islander Rating: High Tier
Mao is another islander who's solidly well-placed for his tier - however, unlike Baldren, Yuuka, and Patchouli before him, Mao's ranking comes in spite of having a 1/4 fullness All-Time Favourite food. The thing is, Mao's probably so busy in his laboratory doing research on his mad science projects (and the usual online gaming and comic-reading) that he actually doesn't demand all that much and isn't terribly fussy in the slightest. Somehow, that seems awfully in-character for a pseudo-scientist like him to have extremely sloppy habits - he doesn't care on whom the experiments get done, as long as there are experiments at all.
That being said, it is an extremely nice surprise for him to be madly obsessed with the Red Chilli Pepper which is otherwise much dreaded by all Miis near and far. Again, it's also in-character for him as one scene in the game has him arguing with himself between hot sauce and shoyu/salt-and-pepper to go with his eggs, and it seems that he's made a choice. It's great having a convenient outlet for all those Red Chilli Peppers you get from the other islanders' dreams.
Mao is one of the weirdest 'villains' one could ever imagine in a game. Setting aside for now the sob story about his upbringing and his character development into a more mature person - all nasty video game characters have something like that now - he's just so crazy and nutty he's over the top. He's just as likely to blow something up as to whack it with a weapon, to force someone to be his vassal or conduct experiments on them, or to beat someone into submission or offer to replace their limbs with robotic enhancements.
In terms of sheer craziness and randomness, he's the greatest character Nippon Ichi has ever created. Now, consider that the people most likely to enjoy Tomodachi Life are those who like craziness and randomness, and you have a perfect match on your hands. If you love Tomodachi Life, and you know anything about the Disgaea series, you need Overlord Mao and his madcap antics on your island right now! Don't even try to understand his intentions or he'll fix you up!
I'm still thinking of a better oufit for him, but this will do for now. Also, the extra goggles... they do nothing!
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 23rd February 2015
I think I'll re-use this picture whenever there's really no special news at all for a certain day.
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 24th February 2015
Children
Akiko, daughter of Utsuho Reiuji and Rinnosuke Morichika, grew up. She was made to leave Gensokyo Island and become a traveller!
Gensokyo Gourmands
Baldren Gassenarl tried a Sports Drink today. It's his All-Time Favourite food!
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