Questions and messages for Ryukishi07 and dai!
Q1. It’s getting hot again this year.
I’d really like to get away from it all with some cold ice cream, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know (even if it’s something you have to go to the store to eat!)
R07: Lately, there is this pudding-ice, or pudding-bar, that have caramel inside. That one is really tasty. I was suprized how tasty it was, so right now I’d like one.
Zakuro: I always remember Yuuji-kun’s face when you eat pudding.
xaki: It’s probably difficult to put pudding into ice-cream.
dai: It’s not recently, but at the time we were doing clean-ups for Higurashi, Ryukishi was often mixing Pepsi NEX with Cola in an ice-box and drinking it, so I tried to do the same, and it was delicious.
R07: Yeah, it became really popular. Ice-box or cooler, I forgot the name, which had ice inside. The taste of crunch *laughs* It brings back some memories.
Zakuro: Oh no, all the ice-boxes and pudding-bars will probably dissappear from the stores tomorrow *laughs*
xaki: I like ice-cream called Sacre. From Nissin. I put the whole box on the lemon slices.
Zakuro: And I like Shirokuma. It’s expensive though.
Q2. What game outside of the 07th has left the most impression on you?
R07: It’s difficult, there are so many. Well, it’s was a long time ago, but there was that Ninja series on PlayStation, sandbox-ninja-stealth-action games. I think they were made by Acquire. I liked them a lot. Every time I met someone from the industry, I asked if there’s going to be another one *laughs* I was way into them in the middle of writing Tsumihoroboshi. You can become a ninja and break necks or cut throats *laughs* I think my play time reached 99 hours. I’ve been really thinking that I might not finish Higurashi because of that Ninja game. But, thankfully, Rena ended up holing up in the classroom, and the tension of the scene was so high that I’ve managed to finish writing safely. So yeah, I love stabbing people from behind *laughs*
dai: Has it influenced Tsumihoroboshi in some way?
R07: Let me think… *makes thinking noises* I was sleeping less *laughs*
xaki: Creators and games are mortal enemies.
R07: There was also The Godfather on XBox, it was a cruel game. You have to break into peoples’ shops and threat them every time you want to collect protection money. I’ve met someone from the developement team on the Comiket right when Matsuribayashi was finished, and they were suprised that the author of a story about friendship was playing a game about threats and blackmailing *laughs*
dai: Especially Matsuribayashi *laughs* As for me, I’ve learned about a zombie game called Left 4 Dead from Ryukishi. Before that, zombies were always moving slow, like in Resident Evil, but in L4D they were running fast towards you like a bike, and it was very memorable. I liked that game a lot.
Q3. Thanks for you hard work on Watanagashi Festival! Here’s a message for a certain character.
I’ve fell in love with Tsubakiko Harumiya. I love you. Please be happy with Susuhara.
From a kid you’ve saved in the park.
R07: Ah, that’s about Iwaihime! Thank you for playing it! They say that the one who wrote Loopers is Shirokishi07 (White Knight), so I was having a lot of fun writing Iwaihime as Kurokishi07 (Black Knight). It was a lot of fun. He-he. Those of you who haven’t played it yet… I think it’s avaible on Steam, isn’t it? Please buy it on Steam!
Q4. Is there a possibility of Rose Guns Days and Higanbana appearing on Steam?
dai: We would be happy, and there is possibility, but for releasing a game on Steam you have first make an English version, so it’s a hurdle. For us alone it’s a bit difficult. Also, we have to be sure that there are no bugs in the code. But it would be great if we could do it.
Zakuro: Thank you. By the way, Iwaihime is 50% off on Steam right now.
R07: Awesome, please buy it! Please download it twice *laughs*
Q5. This is a question for Ryukishi-san. What do you think about Brazil?
Have you ever thought about coming here?
07th Expansion has a huge brazilian fanbase, you would be suprised.
R07: I haven’t been in Brazil yet, but I would love to go there if there is a chance. I’ve been on conventions in America and France, so if someone would invite me on a con in Brazil, I would definetely come and say hi. I’m very happy to hear there are our fans in Brazil too!
xaki: Because I make music for 07th Expansion, I get a lot of comments from foreing fans. There is no such thing with other projects.
R07 and dai: Thank you so much.
Q6. You like cute things like wanyans and seals, so how come you can write such scary stories?
xaki: That’s truly a mystery.
Zakuro: I agree!
R07: I can write scary stories because I am very sensitive to scary things. Because in my heart I am so kind and soft, I am sensitive to them more than anyone else and can write about them *laughs*
dai: You probably can’t write in such a manner if you don’t have both kindness and fear in you.
R07: Yeah, kindess, pain, what else? *laughs*
Zakuro: There is a comment that says: “It’s a lie!”
*Everyone laughs*
R07: One member of our staff said to me many years ago, that they expected to see a lot of torn nails and other such things in my house *laughs* I wasn’t sure about that, but at the same time I was playing The Godfather, so maybe there was some truth to it *laughs* I am going to continue writing a lot about kindness and dark parts of our life!
Zakuro: The comments section is full of “It’s a lie!” messages.
*Everyone laughs*
xaki: But it’s really unexpected that someone who likes cute things can write such horrifying stories. For example, the scene with tearing off nails… You don’t have a real experience with that, do you?
R07: Ah, I have.
xaki: Eh, you do?
R07: It wasn’t torture, of course! On my second year of the middle school I was in a summer camp we were catching fish, and for that I had to create a mini-pond for them out of stones. So, when I was carrying a stone with two hands, my left hand slipped, and the stone fell on the right one, smashing my fourth finger. So that was my experience of tearing a nail off.
dai: So that’s why that scene feels so real.
R07: Yeah, very real *laughs* The most scary thing was when I went to a doctor and he torn the nail while still smiling and talking. Right in the middle of conversation.
dai: So you didn’t lose all of it at first?
R07: It sort of cut in a cross shape, and the two front pieces fell off, but the other ones left. Eh? It’s scary, so I should stop? *laughs*
dai: It’s a bit scary. Like, I see, I see!
R07: Sorry! *laughs*
dai: I can see why the torture scene was so real now.
R07: Because of it I can still freely bend my finger *laughs*
Q7. Hello!
I love captain Butler from Rose Guns Days, and I’ve listened to his theme song “twinkle” a lot.
Please tell me about your favorite characters and music pieces.
R07: I don’t remember the name, but I like the song that plays in Chinatown, the one that starts with the drums. It has a very “foreign” feel to it. The character, I love all of them, of course, but especially Meijiu. Also, Alan. I remember it being very fun to think about Alan’s face epressions during the clean-up.
dai: I like Butler and the song that plays in his last scene. Is it OK to talk about it? The very end of the story. Withouth spoilers, it’s a very impactful scene. It tells us about what’s the most important thing for Butler, and it’s very memorable. It’s just my interpretation, so it could be wrong, though. Regarding songs, I like Maboroshi_ni_Shisu by Rokugen Alice. It’s very cool. I still listen to it from time to time.
xaki: From RGD, Yuki-chan is my only possible choice.
Zakuro: It’s difficult to choose one, but for me it’s Leo.
xaki: I have the same birthday with Yuki-chan. 18th of January.
Zakuro: So you like her because of the same birthday?
xaki: No, it’s more that because I like her, we have the same birthday.
*Everyone laughs*
Q8. Hey, author.
Can you tell me about what shampoo does Keiichi use?
(From Mion Sonozaki)
R07: It’s not like Keiichi buys his shampoo, the parents buy it for him. So it’s probably some usual two-in-one shampoo *laughs* If Mion wants to sniff it, she could go to a super-market and choose something popular *laughs*
Zakuro: Good for Mion that she found out *laughs*
Q9. What’s the color of Tomitake’s pajama?
Zakuro: I also want to know!
R07: Tomitake has been living alone until recently, so he probably was just wearing a T-shirt and trunks. He might put on a pajama the first time in his life after receiving it from Takano. And the pajama is full of cute animals *laughs* Tomitake seriously wearing something cute is pretty good, I think. I always say that so and so would be good on Tomitake, but unfortunattely there wasn’t a chance to show it.
Q10. I love you, Ryukishi07-sensei. Please take care of yourself and live a long life.
R07: I will try. Because of corona lately I’ve been working hard on things like gaining weight and becoming fat *laughs* I will try to live long and write a lot! Thank you!
xaki: There are of course a lot of questions regarding the games, but such messages really show that people love you.
Zakuro: If they weren’t there wouldn’t be so many questions!
R07: Thank you.
xaki: Of course, people love you, but from time to time I think: “It seems that this person loves Okonogi more than Ryukishi”.
*Everyone laughs*
xaki: For some reason there are a lot of messages about Okonogi.
Q11. Can Okonogi from Higurashi develop Hinamizawa syndrome?
R07: The keywords regarding Hinamizawa syndrome are “doubt”, “imaginary fears”, and in the base of it lies stress. Feeling stress becomes a trigger for a syndrome. But for Okonogi suspecting others is a normal life. He always suspects everyone. So he doesn’t feel stressed about it.
dai: That’s his job, after all.
R07: He never doesn’t want to doubt others. So even he becomes suspectful, it won’t change anything. And when you give an antidote to people like him, you may even doubt that it’s the right one. But I think he will carefully check and take it, because it’s how he is.
xaki: In Gou/Sotsu it was suprising every time someone caught the syndrome. “Ah, did that character for real?..”
R07: If Okonogi had that injection, even he would probably develop the syndrome as well.
xaki: There are a lot of questions like this.
R07: Well, he takes the antidote, and he has a habit of suspecting others from the start, so it’s hard for him.
Q12. I had a great time at the Watanagashi Festival!
I will never forget all the clapping when the chandelier fell down *laughs*
Did you have that scene from the plotting stage?
R07: Ah, of course! Well, how to say it without sounding crazy… It was there from the start, but I didn’t think it will become this popular. People will probably say I’m a psycho, but I wrote it as a scene of a double suicide when Satoko decided to die together with Rika, and it was even more beautiful in anime than in writing. I though Passione did a really great job. So yeah, I wrote it, but the anime has shown even more.
Zakuro: There are a lot of cosplayers that replicate that scene, but it’s a bit difficult *laughs*
xaki: That may become their last cosplay.
*Everyone laughs*
Q13. Is there something that you’ve bought lately and was happy about it?
R07: Hmm, it’s hard… Maybe not recently…
dai: I’m sure everyone wants to know, so even if it’s not recently, please tell us.
R07: It will be a very practical and boring answer.
Zakuro: We, fans, want to hear!
R07: A small fridge for the workplace. In Higurashi days, every time I wanted to drink something, I had to go to the fridge and back, and it always took a lot of time. So, 2-3 years ago I decided to buy a small fridge. It’s great, very useful.
Zakuro: By the way, what do you have in it?
R07: Barley tea, jasmine tea, sokenbicha… No wonder I’ve been gaining weight *laughs* My consulting doctor said to me stuff like “Die, fattso”
Zakuro: *Laughs* What a scary doctor.
R07: “It’s not Obesity Reserve Army (肥満予備軍, himan yobigun) for you, it’s Red Army (赤軍, sekigun)! *laughs*
dai: For me it was a trembling machine for bodybuilding, I don’t know the correct name. The one you get on and it trembles. After I bought it, I am on it for 15 minuites every day. It helped me to cure my neck. I don’t now what exactly it does to it, but I am very happy.
R07: I’ve once played a shooting game on one of those. It trembles so much you can’t aim *laughs*
Q14. Gauntlet Knights are the object of admiration for young people, but is there is something resembling favoritism in that world?
Also, you seem to like cute mascots, but if there is a character that you are currently faving, please let me know!
R07: I will answer from the top. Well, more attractive and young guys and girls usually become the PR for their country and are more likely to be recommended. Because Miayo is a blockhead, he doesn’t realise that he has a lot of fans, and he doesn’t seem to be interested. Of course, there are such things, it’s just that at this moment there weren’t any scenes like that, but especially somewhere like in ABN, there is an idol-unit that serves as PR. AOU doesn’t go that far, and because it’s army it’s bad if such person dies or gets injured, so they don’t really push individuals like that. There is that scene in the prologue when the boy that was filmed in a PV had an accident and died. Regarding the second question, it ‘s probably Agu-chan from Mombetsu Tokkari Center. Also, Arale-chan from Tobu Zoo. It’s all seals. “Tokkari” means “seal’ in Ainu language.
xaki: So these are not mascots, but raw seals?
Zakuro: “Raw”? *laughs*
R07: Yes, raw seals.
xaki: They exist.
R07: In hard times I watch videos with seals laying around on a fullscreen. I’ve been slowly getting into it from a long time ago, but now I just got hooked *laughs*
Zakuro: It’s the first time I’ve heard someone faving seals *laughs*
xaki: Well, they are cute after all. By the way, dai, do you have a fav?
Zakuro: What’s you favorite seal?
*Everyone laughs*
dai: It’s hard to answer after that talk about seals.
R07: I won’t win against your gishigishi (sorrel).
dai: Ah, I will talk about that at some other occassion. People might try it and become angry. Well, there is youtuber who talks about health and eating herbs and stuff. Not an animal, though.
xaki: Ah, you’ve talked about eathing herbs on the last stream. So it was because of that youtuber?
dai: Yeah, I tried to copy my favorite youtuber after I saw them eating herbs and it looked so tasty. Sometimes you just want to copy what your favorite youtuber does, so it’s okay if it’s not dangerous or illegal.
xaki: An unexpected fav… Grass.
*Everyone laughs*
Zakuro: Not even a character!
dai: There are even people who can walk in the park and judge if they can eat this and that grass.
R07: That’s awesome.
Q15. What shampoo do Rena Ryuguu and Mion Sonozaki use?
(Jiro Tomitake)
R07: Why is Tomitake asking this?! *laughs*
xaki: Jiro-san…
Zakuro: Because we’ve learned about Keiichi’s shampoo, I couldn’t leave this question out *laughs*
R07: Mion is probably pretty obsessive about it. Of course, she doesn’t buy it where she lives and goes to some big town like Gogura which has a shop that specializes on that.
Zakuro: I see, she buys something that can’t be bought in a drug store.
R07: Yes, something more luxurious. Rena, on the other hand, doesn’t pay that much attention to it. Because her father has money problems, she can’t buy expensive things. And her father doesn’t like shampoos with flora smell. Because they use one shampoo. So, Rena uses Cospa or something that can get rid of excessive scalp oil. Something pretty normal.
Zakuro: I see. Did you understand, Jiro-san?
*Everyone laughs*
xaki: Rather than Jiro, he seems like Tommy.
Q16. Please make game version of Gou/Sotsu!
R07: Well, what I’ve wrote was a proposal, not in the form of something you can read as a story. To turn it into a game will take a lot of time.
Zakuro: What about using anime script as is?
R07: Weeeeell…
Zakuro: *Laughs* I see.
R07: Hey, we have a manga version by Tomato Akase. That’s my weakness, but rather then remaking it into a game, I would better use this time to write something new. So I can’t just say “leave it to me!”, but as one door closes, another one opens, so maybe there will be some door in the future.
xaki: There is probably a Fragment like this as well.
Zakuro: I think our feelings had been received.
Rena-Rena Toshokan 