::Power Tiers/Shipping List::

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

~: razz ersona 4: FES - The Golden Power Tiers::~
(2012 List, For NPCs and PC Character Classes)

Tier 0 - Ultimate Bosses

1. Lucifer
2. Loki/Lewis Keys
3. Oda Nobunaga
4. Shadow Soji
5. Orochi-Hetero
6. Yuri (Tala Ivanov) Valkov
7. Francesc Fabregas (aka Ichiro Kuzunoha)

Tier 1 - Legends

1. Soji Seta
2. Minato Arisato
3. Naoya Toudou
4. Tatsuya Suou
5. Takaya Sakaki
6. Dante
7. Ovan the Necromancer
8. Balmung of the Azure Sky
9. JOKER
10. Serph Sheffield
11. Fenrisulfr


Tier 1.5 - Leaders

1. Raiden
2. Elizabeth and Margaret
3. Seo Tachibana-Hakushaku
4. King Leo
5. Mitsunari Ishida
6. Masamune Date
7. Hei Nanjou
8. Jormungandr and Hel
9. Naniyori
10. Albert Wesker
11. Vamp
12. Orochi-Kabuto
13. Motonari Mori
14. Mihawk Dracule
15. Zolf J. Kimblee
16. Jian Lin Kuei

Tier 2 - Superheroes and Supervillains

1. Tohru Adachi
2. Katakura Kojuro
3. Tawara Bunshichi
4. Charo Amakusu
5. Sakurazaka Sai
6. Elke Shula
7. Fuma Kotaro
8. Gabi
9. Geirin Kuzunoha XX
10. Teros Inisu
11. Heat O'Brien
12. Cid Raines
13. Saizo Kirigakure
14. Sieg Shimazu
15. Akihiko Sanada
16. Yukimura Sanada
17. SEES Canon Members w/ Ultimate Power

Tier 2.5 - Heroes and Villains

1. Sakurazaka Kaori
2. I. Team Canon Members w/ Persona Fusion
3. SEES Canon Members w/ Advanced Power
4. Raidou Kuzunoha XIX
5. Duke Devlin
6. Izaya Amatsu
7. Persona 2 Canon Members
8. Persona 1 Canon Members
9. Denmark
10. Devil Kings Members
11. Embryon Captains
12. Digital Devil Saga Canons
13. Lady Oichi
14. Yoshizo Yoshimura
15. Kisa
16. Nuri Televaldi
17. Zazi Pazzia
18. Mori Shogunate Spears 2, 3, and 4
19. Gyuki
20. Members of the Orochi 8

Tier 3 - Complete Warriors

1. Munakata Kei
2. Taihaku Demons
3. Deadpool
4. Kyouji Kuzunoha X
5. I. Team Members w/ Persona-Fusion
6. Woli
7. Malka Devorah and Muteki Shi
8. SEES-2 Members w/ Ultimate Power
9. Mataki Hito
10. High-Standing Lin Kuei
11. Taro Namatame
12. Shadow Arbiter Kazuma Koroko

Tier 3.5 - Legitimate Threats

1. Kuzunoha Apprentices
2. Mitsuo Kubo
3. Summoning App Users (Very High Level)
4. Embryon Lieutenants

Tier 4 - Veterans

1. Ultimate Persona-Users
2. Shadow Persona-User Fusions
3. Embryon Majors
4. Strega Evolved Reverse Persona-Users
5. Advanced Summoners
6. Summoning App Users (High Level)
7. Advanced Lin Kuei


Tier 5 - Advanced Powers

1. Evolved Persona-Users
2. Shadow Persona-Users w/ Evolved Persona
3. Strega Members with Reverse Persona
4. Embryon Ensigns
5. Summoning App Users (Moderate-Level)
6. New Lin Kuei


Tier 6 - Supernatural Rookies

1. New I. Team Members
2. New SEES-2 Members
3. New Shadow Persona-Users
4. New Strega Members
5. New Summoners
6. New Summoning App-Users


Tier 7 - Fighters

1. Tough Guys
2. Lin Kuei Enforcers/Mooks
3. Ryotaro Dojima
4. JSSDF Force Police


Tier 8 - Normies

1. Normal PC Characters

Tier 9 - Cutie Pies

1. Nanako Dojima


Tier 10 - Wannabes and Posers

1. Faust's Bullies
2. The Eruption Squad and Stoney Val Viper
========================================

This does not change the fact that NPC battles, despite the tier, are still controlled by the NPC. And just because you're on a tier below someone doesn't mean that you can't fight against them...but you're more than likely going to lose, and usually will follow their lead to some degree. Also, fighting in teams against someone on a higher tier gives you a good chance against them. Moving up multiple tiers, though [like the I. Team at the Tournament trying to fight Raiden], usually ends very, very badly.

--Any NPCs which appear but do not have profiles may vary in Tier Rank, which may not be explicitly stated before their introduction. Generally if they do not have a profile and appear during an event under the control of Arena Emperor, assume that the battle against them will be treated like any other NPC battle with that NPC as the lead to whose posts and actions you must react.

[--"[PC]" denotes a Playable Character class or Evolution which can be obtained by Player Characters.]

[--Ratings with a [.5] are characters whose powers fluctuate under different circumstances and can achieve a status sometimes reaching the heights of the Tier above it and sometimes the lows of the Tier below it, though usually they average somewhere in between.]

 

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

~: razz ersona 4: FES - Love-Love Catalog::~
(Izuru Shimazu's Romantic Tale of True and Honest Love: The 2012 Fall Shipping List!)



"Ah, what wonderful whispers be the words of a lover! Every word a promise of a most splendid magnificence! Every touch is an ignition of a remarkable romance! Just thinking about all of this love in the air fills me with the most uncanny sense of joy! I'm bursting, practically bursting with unfulfilled feelings for the women of the world...no, not like that, of course! But as an ally of love! Sweet, lovely love! I wish for all women to experience that feeling with whomever they might wish! It is my hope, nay, my duty to see to it that they do! And in honor of...what else?...love!...I've written this heartwarming, charming, and most amazing Shipping List of OTPs, STBPs, and Every sort of P (P is for Paring, you know!) you could ever imagine! ...And this haiku!

Love is in the air!
Smell the gentle rose blossom!
...I mean, watch it bloom

I hope you find love soon, everyone!

~Izuru Shimazu, Ally of Love"

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One True Pairing (OTPs)
("These are couples that are already happily together! Bless their unions, Aphrodite!")

Minato Arisato x Mitsuru Kirijo - How can we not lead off with a love this romantic!? Despite his body having passed on nearly three years ago, their hearts remained connected all that time! And when his spirit returned to the world, she was there to greet him with all the love she had been wanting to give him all that time! It's magical! It's lovely! I'm...I'm...crying already! Love really is wonderful!

Naoto Shirogane x Kanji Tatsumi - They say that to love someone is to understand that person and accept them for who you understand them to be! Could any two people understand one another as well as these two lovebirds?

Sai Sakurazaka x Suzume Kirihara - There is an especially beautiful feeling when you see someone warm and beautiful break through the shell of someone who has been hurt and left cold by the world. I really admire those sorts of amazing people who love someone not in spite of their flaws, but because of them! That optimistic feeling which awakens happiness in another can only be true and honest love!

Kaori Sakurazaka x Kei Munakata - Once I heard a saying that went, "To love another person is not only to look at them, but to stand together, looking in the same direction." The point of view from which we see the world can change who we are, influence our relationships, and all the world around us shapes who we become! For two people who have experienced a similar world, sharing a similar view with someone else can be comforting...to know they are standing there from the same place as you, looking out at the world...looking at you and with you, guarding your back! That is the essence of trust! And trust is the rock-hard foundation of love!

Shikari Hibiki x Mikazuki Gin - What an adorable couple! Sharing energy drinks and sneaky moonlight kisses, peeking in on shyly dancing girls...this is the essence of youth!

Satoru Otonashi x Ellen Gallietsu - Sometimes despite age, you encounter a mature love amongst high school students! It might be the result of some shared traumas or experiences, or perhaps they are simply ahead of the curve. Whatever the case, when you have been through as much as these two and remain together, you have my admiration! Love on!

Duke Devlin x Minori Koroko - How could two people who have overcome so many obstacles to be true to their love not be together in the end?! Thank you for opening my eyes to the possibilities of love on that day, Duke Devlin! And thank you to the mysterious pageant host for your part in making this love possible!

Deadpool x Hel - Strange love is still love, and even the human half of Hel deserves the love of a good man! ...Mutant. ...Thing!

========================================

One True Trio (OT3s)
("These are love triangles in which all three (or more!) parties are happily together where they are, or in which there is an established love between one character and the other two! This sort of relationship is dicey, but I can't stand to exclude any person who wishes for love from the bottom of their heart, can you?")

Faustus Necromonium x Kusuri Keiraku x Eoria Ansul - Whether the marriage is legal is irrelevant! What matters is that the marriage of their hearts is true! And that can never be annulled, no matter what you try!

Rednal Ak'Thias x Yuno x Aselia Bluespirit - Even if his teammates wonder about the warmth that Rednal never seems to show to them, in the field, or when close friends are hurt or die...one look inside of the home of this lovely, loving trio of lovers is all you need to see how warm and inviting and incredible the atmosphere between he and his closest loved ones can really be! There's plenty of love to go around! And that's the way the world should be, isn't it?! Love for everyone!

========================================

All's Fair Pairing (AFPs)
("These are potential couples that are not yet together, but are working with all of their hearts towards their happy endings! They might not be united yet, but aren't you rooting for them?! Please, Divines, won't you bring them love?!")

Amagai Genji x Nix Gallen - I must confess to a personal affection for the sort of shy love which might blossom between a pair such as this one, and while there is certainly nothing official between these two, I'm beside myself with lovely wonder in anticipation of what might happen between them! Oh, please Genji, don't die before love can find you! In the name of Steve Perry, please don't die!

Jo(Shu) Michieru x Saiga Giriko - Who says that you can't bribe love?! Why, just pretending to be a guy's girlfriend and getting him to pose as your boyfriend, who would have thought such a Hollywood cliche could actually turn out to be a remarkable opportunity for love to grow!? Both of them have secrets, but the desire to protect the other, the stirrings of love...they are all there, aren't they? It's magical! Wonderful! It's LOVE!

Kosuke Ishida x Min-Jee Park - Oh, the magical fist of Tough Love when bashed against the cheek of the Pervert in Need of Scolding...this is the essence of high school romance!

Hatsu Harima x Seika Murakami - There are two types of lovers in the world...those who seek out love and those to whom love comes whether they search for it or not! From the moment they met, it seemed as though these two were destined to be at odds forever! And yet persistence from a young man who luck truly shines upon (mostly in ways he might wish it wouldn't) and the good heart of the girl in question has given them a chance to find something special! Isn't love incredible when it just hits you out of nowhere?!

Akane Sakisaka x Yasuo Utsumi - No matter what you might think of a love which brews in the darkest places, it is still love nonetheless! It's more than licking wounds, it's a connection in pain and sadness that serves as a starting point! A bond forms, stories are shared, the healing begins...and it's all because of love! Love heals! Love is the power! Can't you feel it?!


========================================

All's Fair Trios! (AF3s)
("These are love triangles in which love is established, but a choice is yet to be made! Doesn't it wrench your heart to think one has to lose? Mine bleeds for them! Really! I think I'm having heart failure just thinking about it!")

Soji Seta x Rise Kujikawa x Yukiko Amagi - We know the story, but we can't help rooting our hearts out for everyone to find love here, right? When one comes to a road diverged in a clouded wood, and both roads offer such a charming and lovely opportunity for love to find you, how can you ever know which way to go?! Can you go wrong? Alas, you still must eventually choose! But may love find all in the end!

Junpei Iori x Fuuka Yamagishi x Chidori Yoshino - People change and grow over time, but love is eternal! However, when one love is on hold, another love might grow! But which is the greater love? ...The answer is simple, love is never inferior to love! Nor is it superior! All love is equal in the eyes of Love! Still, love must be fed for love to grow! ...Am I saying love too much? But I can't help it, I just love it!

Yosuke Hanamura x Chie Satonaka x Labrys - What was once an AFP has become an AF3 with the addition of a rogue element! Love faces a trial, but will love overcome a new love? Or will we learn that what was thought to be love was friendship, and what starts as friendship then becomes love? What barriers can love overcome in the end?!

Amelia Heartilly x Date Masamune x Lewis Keys - What do you do with love when the right time to confess and come clean has passed you by? Do you hide away with love and let it wither, or do you move forward with your secrets and pretend your love is just as it seems and not as it is? Honesty is never the wrong answer when it comes to love, I say! Rain or shine, to be in love, one must be honest! Or else it's not really love!

Zeo Kirijo x All Ladies Ever - Though if perhaps he would learn to be more of an ally to women, his fortunes could change!

Cesc Fabregas x Orochi Ladies x Izaya Amatsu x Shaka Zulu - While we all know Cesc as the layabout lady-killer, I personally throw my support behind the men who truly share their feelings for the women around them! Those who put in effort will be rewarded, and the women, who I truly believe to be gifted, brilliant, lovely young people will no doubt come to see them for what they are in time!

Balmung x Sayuri Zetsumei x Ryofu - When distance and work separate you, letting love die is tempting but painful...but if you work hard enough and believe, love will not fail you! Of all things in this world, love will never fail if you believe!

Haoul x Ria x Claire - The winds of love are fickle, and what burns hot can soon run cold! You must not ignore the ember when it smolders, but strike it until it grows into an inferno! Haoul's love was once and inferno, but it's become an ember...who will be the one who lights the flame again?! I'm hot just thinking about it!


Seo Taihaku x Maigo Kokoro-Taihaku x Jin Raion x Others - Not even I can deny a dying man his wish for love! My heart is with you in your quest for love, even if you are our rival in all else...!


========================================

Wild Mass Pairings! (WMPs)
("These are couples that don't have anything in common...except my gut instinct that they just belong together! For those without an inclination to love just yet, an ally of love has to start somewhere, right?!")

Eido Aeroda x Rosealina Miina x Loa Reccatear - A man must have his dreams, after all! Who are we to tell him otherwise? And perhaps the ladies might come to appreciate his charm!

Minet Raikiri x Mijiyou Harusuhei - Pair the spares? Hardly! They click, and it would be lovely to see them more!

Nina Tensai x Excal Eiri - What do you get when you're stuck between a fox and a hard case? Give up? LOVE!

Mika Katsuragi x Tharros Gallen - Adults need love, too! And not just the sort you find in escort clubs or the lovely cafes with the hospitable, lovely hostesses I enjoy so much!

Elke Shula x Luusa Baddock - And why not? If she could win his heart, wouldn't this prove that love can conquer all?! ...And it can! And will! NEVER HOLD OUT ON LOVE!

========================================

Lost Souls!
("There are some who just seem hopeless, right? Don't think I'm giving up on them, though! If I list them here, maybe they'll see someone else on the list and get interested, right? You never know! Cross those fingers!")

As Likely to Kill You as Kiss You - Everyone Else!

 

[Arena Emperor]

*~::AND NOW FOR THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL YEAR...YOUR 2012 YEAR-END PERSONA 4:FES - THE GOLDEN GUILD AWARDS PRESENTATION!!!::~*

Merry Christmas to all! And too all, congratulations and THANK YOU for another wonderful year together!!!

Quote:

The Best of the Best!

[2012 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Awards Presentation]

Most underplayed character - Lewis Keys

Following a year in which the adopted son of Odin threw down the Norse Pantheon and defeated the Yatagarasu in order to claim a treasure trove of power for his own, much was expected of one of the Guild's resident sexiest men in the 12 months following. However, due to a dearth in storylines and the two-month time of peace granted at the resolving of the World's End, Lewis Keys and his designs on Japan were pushed to the side for a while.

Devious, charming, and cunning as ever, those embroiled in his web still wait with bated breath for the day that he returns and begins his campaign anew. For 2012, however, his presence added up to a disappointing non-show and a mysterious challenge levied at the Second Persona War.

Surely, more is expected in the year to come...

[Other Nominees: Mataki Hito, Lewis Keys, the Orochi, Kai Kuzunoha, Rise Kujikawa]

Most believable character - Colm Watanabe

Colm is the perfect example of a character, a person, who is not perfect...but whose imperfections never escape the bounds of reality, either. Though his tongue is sharp, it is never quite so offensive that you can imagine his friends abandoning him...and though he shows flashes of kindness and growth, his transformation into a beloved member of the SEES-2 unit has not been instantaneous...it has been slow, arduous, lined with missteps (Zazi's accusations), mistakes (laced brownies), and at the same time, respectable valor.

In a world where characters often stray too close to the tropes of 'ur-hero' and 'anti-hero', it's nice to have someone in the fold who reminds us all that these characters are...at their very core...still fallible, changing human beings.

[Other Nominees: Minori Koroko, Yasuo Utsumi, Miyako Kurashima, Colm Watanabe, Gin Mishima]

Most idiotic character - Eido Aeroda (with help from Aleister Crowley)

In what truly must seem a monumental upset for reigning MIC Award favorites Rednal and Zeo, a new and entertaining contestant stepped forward from the pack to establish himself as one of the Guild's new benchmarks for idiocy in Inaba. Though Rednal still had his bouts of androgynous indifference to the plight of those he calls friends, and Zeo remained as ludicrous as ever (in sparse, hilarious appearances), it was the ill-fated suitor of Rose (and indeed, many beautiful women with whom he crosses paths) who enjoyed some of the most entertainingly ludicrous encounters of the year.

Highlighting his unintelligent resume for the year was his wacky apprenticeship to the world's foremost master of (and failure at) magic, Aleister Crowley. Together, their failed attempt at making Eido more attractive...summoning an incomplete-demon-wang-monster upon Yasogami High School and enduring all of the sexual innuendo that followed...must be marked among the gold standard of hilarious deeds in the history of Persona 4:FES - The Golden.

[Other Nominees: "Yatsuda" Hudamora, Zeo Kirijo, Eido Aeroda, Rednal Ak'Thias, Mika Katsuragi]

Most lovable character - Suzume Kirihara

In a year that at times was light on joy and heavy on drama, the brightest stars and most huggable of the Guild's characters did not enjoy the time in the spotlight that years past might have afforded to them. However, for each of our candidates there was a light that shone through, and genuine moments of 'D'aww' came to pass for all of them...whether it was Minori's heartwarming reunion with Duke at the Festival, WYNN's sugary new nickname for 'Onii-Shu', Hatsu's Charming Honesty, or Crowley's Heartrendingly Forced Smiles, any single candidate could have emerged with the title this year.

However, in the end there are few who can contend with the endlessly adorable optimism and the brilliant smiles of Oshu City High School's clumsy track star. Her ongoing relationship with the haunted Urban Legend of Oshu provides a continuing source of hope and cuteness for all of those who follow them...and for her turn as this year's host of GUILDMAS2012, she noses ahead for the final victory!

[Other Nominees: Hatsu Harima, Suzume Kirihara, Minori Koroko, WYNN, Aleister Crowley]

Most Epic Non-Player Character - Zazi Pazzia

Though the deeds of the Second Persona War were many and great, and individually may outclass any of the winner's singular accomplishments...but really, this was the year of Zazi Pazzia, whose involvement in events prior to the Killing Joke, running as the sole and main opposition to the SEES-2 Team, only set the stage for his months-long trial set forth before Hatsu Harima, Rose, Sylphie, and the rest of their teammates at the Mist Wall.

While the Shadow Operatives and the Investigation Team remained mixed up in the mysterious Grand Prix, it was Zazi who made the most ambitious move of the year (after Persona War) to conquer their headquarters and devise a trial for Akihiko's pups. And even as the conclusion draws near today, the abominations of the Mad Mime run free...both inside of the Mist Wall to be soon conquered, and beyond...

[Other Nominees: Soji Seta (Persona War II, P1 - Grand Prix, Orochi-Shadow Attack), Zazi Pazzia (The Killing Joke), Oda Nobunaga (Persona War II), Naniyori (Sapporo Storylines), Tatsuya Suoh (Persona War II), Mitsunari Ishida (Persona War II)]

Most Epic Player-Character - Hatsu Harima

When the world around becomes increasingly remarkable with each passing day, there are times when the most lauded of all efforts is put forth by someone who does not share in the great power of those around him...and yet tries his hardest to be a hero, nonetheless. In a year where many levels in badass were taken, where Jo(Shu) Michieru completed his collection of Charmers and great as apprentice to the stealthy Kuzunoha Kyouji, where Minori mastered her darkest depths, where Rednal stood like a devil over the fallen form of Amelia and berated her as though he were a god, and where NIx Gallen matured into a powerful and respected member of the Investigation Team's formidable squad...it was the neophyte member of the SEES-2 Team that perhaps made the greatest impression.

By sheer force of will and charming personality he emerged from the intended role of 'storyline extra' and became perhaps the heart of the SEES-2 effort against Zazi Pazzia. Armed with little more than a supernatural toughness and a fist to shatter shield and bone alike, he helped free Colm from the possession of shadows, shattered the shield of Haseo the Bulwark, and near-sacrificed his arms to save the life of a friend (Gin in the elevator shaft) and the chance at saving the world (against Zazi's barrier).

And if that weren't enough, to hearken to Sylphie's fearful cries in the dorm and brave her door, only to endure her slap...takes the epic heart of a true man.


[Other Nominees: Jo(Shu) Michieru (Sapporo Excursion, others), Hatsu Harima (Caesar's Gym Showdown, Endgame, The Killing Joke), Minori Koroko (Facing the Shade), Nix Gallen (P1 - Grand Prix, Persona War II, Facing the Shade), Rednal Ak'Thias (Grand Prix, Facing the Shade), Zeo Kirijo (sic) ]

Most Heartwarming Couple - Rednal Ak'Thias and Aselia Bluespirit

With apologies to the other women in Rednal's life, the outsider's view over the past year has become almost wholly focused on his relationship with a single girl...of singular syllable. Long after their official 'get-together' at the party for Soji's return from the hospital, their relationship grows as they spend time together, spend time apart, and then are reunited in heartwarming fashion each time. However, perhaps the most enduring of images left by these two in the past year was Aselia's frenzied search for her missing boyfriend, leading her around the city and gathering those who could help her recover her love from the clutches of a madwoman.

...Sure, Sai and Suzu were as heartwarming as ever...enough perhaps to carry the torch for another year. And sure Shu's relationships were charming, though never definitive enough to clear the bar set by the former...but in a year filled with longing and empty space, Aselia and Rednal helped to fill the gap with warmth and affection enough to soothe even the harshest of souls.

Now if only they could manage to solve that Yuno situation...

[Other Nominees: Sai Sakurazaka and Suzume Kirihara, Hatsu Harima and Seika Murakami, Jo(Shu) Michieru and Saiga Giriko/Kanade Tachibana, Rednal Ak'Thias and Aselia Bluespirit, Zeo Kirijo and Nix Gallen]

Least Likely Couple - Rednal Ak'Thias x Kanade Tachibana

Because after all this time, somebody really needs to learn how to take a hint and just let it go...

[Other Nominees: RednalxKanade, ZeoxMitsuru, AmeliaxRednal, SuigetsuxNix, YatsudaxRyofu)]

Most Heartwarming Moment in RP - Minori and Duke are reunited by Zelkova

It's not just that they were together, nor that they were together under the beautiful scenery of the Inaba Tanabata Festival...and it's not even that they were surprisingly reintroduced at the pageant, before the entire crowd, so that they ran to one another in teary-eyed happiness like the scene out of some romantic Hollywood film. It wasn't the kisses or the hugs, or even the way that they clung to one another as though the world itself might end, or one or the other might disappear, should they begin to let go of their embrace...

It was the hurdles that it took to get there, the evil plan of the Mori and the devious manipulation of the girl to separate her from the man...the way that he struggled with his decisions in the heat of Persona War II, the way he was pulled out of darkness by the Ally of Love Izuru, the way that Minori stood at the heart of the Shogun's scheme and saw the hopelessness that drove Duke away from her...and that after all that they had seen and endured, they were still brought together. They still knew that their love for one another was real.

And all it took was a nudge from one impish Festival Announcer...with a childlike smile...and two star-crossed lovers were reunited beneath the shimmering stars of Tanabata.

[Other Nominees: Minori and Duke are reunited by Zelkova, Sai and Suzu's Festival Kiss, Kusuri's Family Welcomes Nix Home, Izuru Shimazu pulls Duke out of the Darkness, WYNN finally finds Oni-Shu again.]

Most Badass Moment in RP - Soji and Oda Nobunaga Meet on the Battlefield

Tempting as it is to grant the Badass Moment crown to another conquest of a Tower, there can be no greater moment than the penultimate showdown...the ultimate showdown...of the greatest battle ever seen upon the history of the Guild. Persona War 2 had everything from swaying momentum, to monumental victories, to agonizing and horrifying defeats...but when the Demon King unleashed his cruel Hell upon the city and left so many of the survivors dead in the wake of his terror, there was nothing, not a sliver even of hope that the world could be set right...that his evil could be righted...or that the man who ruled the Age of the Warring States before any other could be defeated.

...Until a gray mop of hair and a solemn resignation to battle descended upon the field before him. Still battling with the demons of his fall and the failure of his to protect his friends from his shadow, it was only at this hour of utmost need that he was able to cast aside the bonds of uncertainty that shackled him and knew, with absolute certainty, that this was an evil only he could now stay from Japan. With his power and the weapons of his personae, he could defeat the Demon King and give some hope that the lives lost to his power could be restored...

...And there, on the battlefield of Sumaru City, the two fought like gods with power beyond reckoning for the fate of the city and all who lay dead within it...their souls to be saved or cursed dependent upon the winner...

It was the singular moment of the Guild...and Inaba's...hero's great revival. His reentry into the wars of the supernatural. And his victory there was one of the greatest to be told in the ages ever after by those who remember...

[Other Nominees: Tala and Kisa Face-Off, Soji and Oda Nobunaga Meet on the Battlefield, Tatsuya's Sacrifice to End the Persona War, SEES-2 No-Sells Zazi's Killing Joke, Shu's Tower Conquest in Sapporo]

Dumbest Moment in the RP - Yatsuda Persists, Ryofu Resists...and Beats a Poor Soul Down

With respect to the governing board's lingering uncertainty as to exactly what of the conversations between Rednal and Amelia were real, false, and its inability to decipher the exact emotional affect (or lack thereof) of the moment upon them, the title for dumbest moment must be given instead to the newcomer Yatsuda for his forehead-slappingly stupid approach to the Guild's resident pint-sized dragon.

You could practically hear the groans when after his first and second dismissal he persisted in spouting off increasingly forward and foolhardy nonsense to a volatile woman who clearly had no interest in continuing their discourse. ...It could almost be said even that it was a mercy what happened to save him from imprisonment thereafter, the appearance of a being that strikes fear into the heart of all...and that statement alone sums up why Yatsuda and Ryofu emerge at the tail end of the year with its crowning incident of 'Duh'.

[Other Nominees: Yatsuda Persists, Ryofu Resists...and Beats a Poor Soul Down, Rednal and Amelia's Failures to Communicate, Kisa's Headlong Dive Under the Orochi-Shadow, Colm Devours 'Special' Brownies and Slogs Through the Killing Joke, The Yuno Situation...]

Most Terrifying Moment - Minori's Shade Plays with Genji

There is an inherent fear when confronted with a demon of power beyond reckoning...as evidenced by the appearance of Tala (The Guild's Resident Walking Apocalypse) and the response it evoked in those who dwelt within Sapporo at the time. However, it is a different sort of fear entirely to face the devil within...and when that devil goes mad, released from its prison, to torment those around you with all of your pent up wickedness (and you, bless you, who have no way to stop it).

Thus it was a very real, very striking, and a very bitter sort of dread that filled the hearts of all who watched as the puppet-like Shade of Minori Koroko jerked in unnatural movements and began to assault the Gentle Fist of Genji Amagai, aided unseen by the monstrous forms of others just like her. Seeing the darkness of one of the I. Team's own so closely, so raw, even as it ripped apart one of their own precious friends elicited a fear and an uneasiness that will linger long after the wounds suffered mend...and after the Shade's own defeat. Knowing that something so evil and horrifyingly twisted as that could be born from your own heart is a type of fear that cannot simply be bested...

...Only fought, and overcome...but never entirely.

[Other Nominees: Tala Appears in Sapporo, Oda Nobunaga unleashes Hell on Sumaru City, The End of the World Dawns, The Mist Wall Becomes Zazi's Funhouse 2.0, Minori's Shade Plays with Genji]

Most Confusing Character - Zazi Pazzia

Perceived insanity is trumped in its inability to be understood by genuine insanity this year; Rednal's flirtations with the unintelligible and misunderstandings were surpassed by a Mad Clown who likely doesn't even fully understand the workings of his own plans, who seems to make things up on the fly without any sort of rhyme or reason. To confront such a strange character is to face a riddle...to which the answer is nonsense and the question is gibberish.

In short, Zazi's brain is likened to a Bag of Cats...as the Green Philosopher once said...certainly not to be understood by the likes of you and me.

[Other Nominees: Yatsuda, Rednal Ak'Thias, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Zazi Pazzia, Colm Watanabe]

Biggest Airhead - Mika Katsuragi

In a world filled with eccentric characters and those who are so easily fooled that they believe a holdup to be nothing more than offering protection from the rioters outside, that they believe near any story told to them by others, or that they believe a magic potion brewed by the world's most infamous failure of an alchemist could make them a hit with the ladies, there has never quite been a character of the like of Mika Katsuragi. Having somehow missed the evolving supernatural world around her until recently, her awakening in Inaba to the evils of Orochi-Hetero set into her mind not that the world was bent to some strange darkness, haunted by specters as it seemed...but that Inaba was instead besieged by a race of aliens using guile and subterfuge to pose as...other unusual beings!

Yes, it takes a special brand of endearing eccentric to finally bear witness to unusual things when all their life they have been looking for them...and then promptly label them the wrong thing entirely! And though her reactions at time do, thankfully, border on sane and even nearly-responsible, one conversation with her about the 'aliens' and their 'ships' is all you need to hear to know you're not dealing with your average Jane.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost would be proud...

[Other Nominees: Suzume Kirihara, Hatsu Harima, Eoria Ansul, Yatsuda, Mika Katsuragi]

Most Unlikely Badass - Weston Smith

Originally created to be a one-off rioter in the wake of the Ending of the World, there was a charisma that strangely exuded from the one-eyed bandit from the outset of his appearance in Sumaru City. He was a despicable rogue who seemed to have some relationship, oddly enough, with the eternally-heroic (albeit occasionally misguided) Hatsu Harima...but little did anybody reckon that this casual baddie with a Summoning App would later not just survive the abruptly-halted apocalypse...he also managed to stick around with Hatsu and Seika themselves, being press-ganged into the service of SEES-2 by Akihiko Sanada himself!

There, his strength became truly formidable, and someone whom fate had marked for death and defeat from the moment he was conceived now stood as one of the last bastions of hope against a true madman in Zazi Pazzia...delivering bullets and one-liners alike in the final assault against him in the Mist Wall. True, Nix Gallen's rise from shrinking violet to a more confident and powerful member of the team was impressive...but even she must admit that Weston's improbable badassery not only elevated him to the level of a defender of the world...it spared him a trip to the proverbial gallows.

[Other Nominees: Asuka Bokuro, Anyastacia Renee, Weston Smith, Rainbow, Nix Gallen]

Best Fight - The Grand Melee in Persona War 2]

What makes a great fight? Is it the reluctance of one person to answer the bell, before rising to the challenge of his foe to battle with all of his power in defense of his own life and sense of justice (Rednal against Faust)? Is it the struggle of several forces of good desperately hoping to stave off the darkness in a last-ditch attempt to save the world (SEES-2 against Zazi and his Minions in the Mist Wall)? Is it to come face-to-face against an enemy that is so decidedly evil and twisted that the very idea of its existence unsettles you to the core, that looking into its face fills you with fear, and that the more you think of it you can't imagine how it is it came to be or how you will defeat it (Minori's Shade against the I. Team)? Or is it even just the fight, swift and incredible, with two unstoppable forces smashing against one another in elegant combat...before an ending so heart-stopping and definitive it leaves you speechless (Mitsunari's defeat of Balmung in the Second Persona War)?

Or is it a combination of all of those elements rolled into one, a myriad of challenges and brave souls that rise to these challenges, that hope against hope and fight against the worst odds and even unto the ending of the world...with a definitive ending that casts aside all doubts, that leaves no room to debate the outcome? The Grand Melee that saw many of the Guild's greatest villains and heroes fall before at last, Soji Seta struck down the Demon King and ended that segment of the Second Persona War had a little bit of everything that makes a fight great. And simply remembering the highs, the lows, the splendor and the terror of that battle is enough to leave one wanting to go back and read it again, and again, and again...

...And whets the warrior's spriit for the inevitable Third...

[Other Nominees: Faust v. Rednal (P1 Grand Prix); Hatsu, Seika, Weston, and SEES-2 v. Zazi, Oizys, Haseo, and Miyuki; The Grand Melee (Oda, Shingen, Soji, etc.) in Persona War II; Investigation Team v. Minori Shade; Balmung of the Azure Sky v. Mitsunari Ishida (Persona War II)]

Most Likely to Be Stabbed by Yuno - Rednal

Finally wresting the title away from Faust, Rednal's dabbling with other women has ingratiated said girls with his stabby stalker none-too-much...

And really, isn't double suicide the most beautiful form of love?

[Other Nominees: Rednal, Faust, Aselia, Zeo, Kanade, Yatsuda]

Least Trustworthy Character - Naniyori

Consider this hypothetical situation...in which all of the five nominees offer you a box and promise that what's inside is an item that will grant you great power and a wish of your own come true. With Suigetsu, you know that whatever it is will likely be ambiguous and it's patently untrustworthy...but unlikely to be of too much harm either way, really. With Orochi-Hetero, you can trust that the bargain will grant you with power...at a Faustian price. With Zazi, you can guess that the contents will be the result of some experiment...one not like to work to anyone's favor but his own. And with Weston you can trust that whatever it is, it was stolen recently by the Sumaru City Rogue.

But with Naniyori, there's just no knowing what the Hell might be in there. It could be a bottle of the good booze, seven Atma Cores from Ari, or even the severed head of your best friend's corpse.

And that is why Naniyori remains the Guild's least trustworthy guy.

[Other Nominees: Zazi Pazzia, Weston Smith, Naniyori, Orochi-Hetero, Suigetsu]

Most Badass Normal - Sakurazaka Sai

With respect to Spider-Mao and his awesome array of gadgets, there are still no characters who command the respect and fear of those around him without any inherent powers (that we know of) to his name like the Urban Legend of Oshu...so much so that even at the ending of the world, he was set to become a beacon of hope and a leader for those in his city who hoped to survive the apocalypse.

And as more of his past with the Amakusu is revealed, we learn why it is that people are drawn to him, why they believe in him and why enemies fear him...and we see why it is that he and his friends may be the last hope for Oshu City in the war against the crime of the Syndicate...and other supernatural threats to pass through the land once ruled by the Date.

[Other Nominees: Anya Renee, Sakurazaka Sai, Mao, Yuno, Kensu]

Character Who Took the Biggest Level In Badass - Minori Koroko

At the outset of the year there was a prevailing thought that the villains of the Guild must have grown tired of kidnapping Minori Koroko or those who were close to her...as it had been done and repeated to exhaustion over the time that had come before. And in most of these situations it was with great frustration that the only daughter of the Koroko family and the adopted daughter of the Dojima family realized she lacked the power to fight with the people who were truly doing her the greatest harm. Before Motonari Mori she could only watch his plans unfold, and as her love was changed before her eyes she still could only watch and wish that her fate were different. Her family was lost, and her brother became evil, tormenting her over time with his bipolar assaults against and refusals to engage her.

And then something strange happened...as she began to use the spirit of the god that was entrusted to her, as she came face-to-face with the hidden darkness that she could not accept (her Shade), and as she began to realize the depths of the things she could accomplish if she only believed in herself...and that thing was that she had become strong...that she had always been strong and was only getting stronger! From a damsel at times with the power to help, she became fused with her persona and against all odds in the eyes of her enemies...Minori Koroko became a very real threat to them.

Advancing all the way into the semi-finals of the P1-Grand Prix, defeating the brother who left her, and smacking down her own Shade were only the fruits of the levels that she herself chose to take in badass this year. And that is why she is recognized as this year's climber in badassery. Congratulations!

[Other Nominees: Zazi Pazzia, Shu Michieru, Hatsu Harima, Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen]

Most Heartbreaking Moment - The Shades Torture Genji Amagai

A truly heartbreaking moment isn't simply one that makes you feel badly for the one who is at the wrong end of a beatdown, of suffering, of the delivery of the line that breaks their heart and spirit...but one that makes you feel pity for the one doing the breaking as well. And few things ignite an emotional response quite like the coming of a Shade, the darkest side of a person that nobody wishes for others to see. Seeing the awful way in which Minori seemed to think of herself in the darkest reaches of her mind...a puppet for manipulation, eyeless, senseless, toyed with by those she felt bound to...and then the twisted forms of the other Shades that fought with her...

...Even as they laid into the heir of the Amagai Family, there was an undeniable twinge of sadness and pity for the creatures doing the beating...and for those from whom they were borne, their darkness laid plain for the world to see.

...And then to see the berry-haired boy strung high above his home like a sacrifice to their dark creator, bleeding, dying...after such a valiant struggle...was a sight that could dust up even the clearest of eyes.

[Other Nominees: Nix Fights a Crippled Genji, Amelia's Breakdown in the Grand Prix, The Shades' Torture of Genji Amagai, Naoki Konishi's "Resurrection", Tatsuya Suoh's Sacrifice, The Fall of the Winged Warrior of the Azure Sky]

The Kamina "Real, Manliest Man" Award - Kanji Tatsumi

They say that in a championship fight, to win, you have to BEAT the champ...and in a year that was short on repeated deeds of heroism, there were none who could claim they had fully surpassed the might of the Slayer of Czechoslovakian Assassins, the Thrower of Desks By the Teeth, and the Warrior of the Second Persona War, Challenger of the Messiah, and All-Around Badass...that is, Kanji Tatsumi.

Special mention to Zeo and Naniyori for being as eccentric and manly as ever, to Eido for surviving Mara, to Soji for his sturdy approach to all his threats this year, and to Hatsu Harima especially for his solid heroism in the darkest of times...but if you want to unseat Kanji as the Guild's PREEMINENT ALPHA MALE, YOU BETTER COME A LITTLE HARDER NEXT TIME, SON!

[Other Nominees: Naniyori, Kanji Tatsumi, Soji Seta, Hatsu Harima, Zeo Kirijo, Eido Aeroda]

Most Courageous Character - Hatsu Harima

Diving through fire, facing down a berserk shadow, leaping down an elevator shaft to save a friend from a falling compartment, besting an armored knight with his bare fists, climbing many stories up a skyscraping tower via ladder towards an inevitable boss fight, and even throwing a punch against an impenetrable barrier for the sake of his friends...and all of these things in just one night! Hatsu Harima's manliness was overshadowed only by his courage in times of great need of it...

...And that's without mentioning his being the first to heed Sylphie's distress in the dorm...

...Or his ongoing, nigh-masochistic relationship with one Seika Murakami, either...

[Other Nominees: Hatsu Harima, Minori Koroko, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Kisa, Kanade Tachibana]

Magical Girl Miku Girliest Girl Award - Kanade Tachibana

When you bear a frilly dress and wear it with the title 'Magical Frost Girl Snowflake'(?) into battle, even if you were a man (especially if you were a man named Faust), you would have to be up for consideration for an award called the 'Girliest Girl' Award. And when she wasn't moonlighting as Inaba's newest and most kawaii magical superheroine, she was approaching an important decision in her life with the demure confidence and courage possible only for a truly inspiring young woman.

Shine on, Magical Girl Frost Snowflake! And be a beacon for ladies everywhere who want to let their girlie sides show with pride!

[Other Nominees: Naomi Fujiyoshi, Amelia Heartilly, Eoria Ansul, Kanade Tachibana, Suzume Kirihara]

Best Rivalry - Rednal Ak'Thias v. Amelia Heartilly

In what has long been one of the most obnoxious feuds in the history of the Guild, to the ongoing displeasure of the Investigation Team and all of its members who have to put up with it, Amelia and Rednal's mutual dislike for one another has been about the worst-kept secret amongst the team's members for some time. However as battle after battle called upon the entirety of the team to work together with one another for a greater good, they were thus far able to put their dislike aside (if not their barbed words) long enough to fight together and get the job done with their team (even if the exchanges afterward...and their disagreement about their methods and performance...always escalated things after the face).

All things came to a head, however, when the two rivals were pitted against one another at the first Round of the P1-Grand Prix, perhaps even because of their distaste for the other. And the fight itself was explosive, with both parties suffering massive damage on a physical...and in Amelia's case, a great psychological level as well. It was as ruthless a fight as you will ever see fought between those who dare to bandy the word 'friend' about with one another, and the result was even graver than expected. A forlorn and lost Amelia practically deteriorated from the world and withdrew from her friends, and Rednal...well, was mostly as unmoved as ever, really.

Still, to see the culmination of this ongoing rivalry of years reach such a pitch-perfect head was smashing, as the British would say! And far and away the rivalry earns them the nod in this category for the year 2012.

[Other Nominees: Rednal v. Amelia, Crows v. Mori Shogunate, Aselia v. Yuno v. Kanade, Zazi v. Hatsu and SEES-2, Rose v. All Challengers in the Cup Challenge, Zeo v. All Aspiring Perverts]

Best Main Storyline Villain - Zazi Pazzia

Though there are few who can deny the terror both JOKER and Mitsunari brought to the Persona War this year, nor could it be said that they did not have moments of impeccable awesomeness, both of their influences upon the year ended simply with that. However, as the year progressed it was the Mad Mime of Strega who began to stand out on his own...twisting SEES-2 and taunting them as he could, all setting up a single strike that would shake the foundations of Mitsuru and Akihiko's crews to the very core.

...Nobody expected it when the Shadow Operatives revealed themselves in the P1-Grand Prix as an organization. No one, that is, except for Zazi Pazzia...and his sudden move against their base, turning the Mist Wall into another Funhouse filled with artificial Dark Hours, Shadow-Puppets, and fake-Victor Talbot's, made for this year's most all-around chilling and varied dungeon. And behind every trap, behind every taunt, there was the Mime himself and his obnoxious cackle...making that penultimate fist across his jaw once they finally got through all of his traps and laid hands upon him all the sweeter in the coming...

...Perhaps the most satisfying of all moments in 2012. And to create a satisfaction like that, it can only come from a villain worthy of this award.

[Other Nominees: Zazi Pazzia, Okita Shisui, JOKER, Mitsunari Ishida, Itachi Kishikido, Amon, Yuno]

Best Comedic Moment - Zeo Aux Follies

See: Manliest Man Award. In the words of the great Omar Little, "If you come at the King, you best not miss..."

And despite worthy efforts, there were none who could outpace Persona 4:FES - The Golden's resident King of Comedy, the Perpetual Automaton Pervert, Zeo Kirijo and his ludicrous antics. ...Seriously, just look them up. Even the OoC isn't safe...

[Other Nominees: Zeo's Aux Follies, Zazi's Funhouse Song Redux, Naniyori...Super Train Troll, Saiga and Shu's 'Healthy' Relationship, Miss Min-Jee Park's Orihime Tanabata Pageant Declaration]

Best Kiss - Sai and Suzu's Festival Kiss

In a year that was relatively thin on romance, there were few kisses more honest and beautiful than the kiss shared by Sai and Suzu in their impromptu visit to Inaba for the Mori Shogunate's Tanabata Festival. Again, beneath a shower of colors exploding in the sky, these two mismatched young people showed why opposites attract...and why one is simply not complete without the other by their side.

For an animated version of our winner, check out the doodles of Hibarii chan! You may have to convince her to show you, though...

[Other Nominees: Sai and Suzu's Festival Kiss, Eria's "I Want to Eat You" Kiss with Shu, Saiga's "I Want to Kill You" Kiss with Shu, Aselia and Rednal,

Least Moving Death - Belobog Boogies to the NEXT DIMENSION!!!!

Never has a villain died so brutally and with so little fanfare. Truly, this was a storyline better off forgotten...

[Other Nominees: 99% of the World Dies during Endgame, Persona War Deaths, Tobikuma's Murder by Laxus, Miyuki Arisawa Falls, Belobog Boogies to the NEXT DIMENSION!!!]

Most Innocent Character - WYNN

ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU, ONII-SHU!

...Seriously, WYNN, he wasn't gone for a day. He'll be back. But your charmingly innocent assumption he is gone forever, reminiscent of a dog watching its master drive off to work from the wrong side of a screen door, is enough to win you the award for innocence!

[Other Nominees: Hatsu Harima, Suzume Kirihara, Nix Gallen, Eoria Ansul, WYNN]

Best Dungeon - P1 - Grand Prix

Though the Mist Wall lasted longer and will come to a more satisfying conclusion, there was never and will likely not be another dungeon quite like the P1-Grand Prix which pitted friend against friend in battles that proved to be as emotionally charged and draining as they were epic. It also provided opportunities for major and legitimate character growth (Nix, Minori, Yosuke Hanamura) and regression (Amelia Heartilly) in ways that were emotionally, excitedly, and aesthetically pleasing.

And the homage dungeon to the P4:Arena Game was done so well by the players involved that it lent an extra, nostalgic air to the storyline that simply made it the best Dungeon to play of the year...while it lasted.


[Other Nominees: The Mist Wall, P1-Grand Prix Yasogami, Yuno's Abandoned Warehouse, Van's Tower]

Most Beautiful Female Character - Minori Koroko

In a year that was wont for female heroines standing up in a beautiful and proud fashion, seeing Minori's growth and imagining her in what must surely be a rather revealing Persona Fusion outfit (we of the Guild can hope, at least), it is this mature and enduring charm without ever veering too far towards lewd or inappropriate (Highest Cut unfortunate diversions aside) that have always made her one of the Guild's most beautiful and beloved ladies...

...And this year's winner of this coveted award.

[Other Nominees: Minori Koroko, Mika Katsuragi, Aishe the Fortune Teller, Rose's Boobs, Shiranui]

Sexiest Male Character - Soji Seta

What can I say? Power is sexy...and facing the challenges thrown at him by the world as he has this year, with that confidence and humor...not to mention the occasional inclusion of the fanservice-filled topless shot here and there (complete with the added sexy/emotionally-moving battle scar array now borne by him), Soji Seta takes his place at the top of the Guild's most physically desirable males...for now.

Though when Lewis Keys should reappear, perhaps the title will again change hands to its former owner...

[Other Nominees: Soji Seta, Cesc Fabregas, Gin Mishima, Lewis Keys, Naniyori]

Most Annoying Character - Zazi Pazzia

It's not just the painting of the face or the eccentric dressing...it's not just the taunting and the tricking and the insulting as you traverse his dungeons here and there...it's not just the monsters and abominations he throws at you and the dragging out of a battle you wish had been over weeks ago...it's not even the dancing around and the shouting and the multi-colored text that makes your eyes cry out in anguish and be silenced like the Force on Alderaan...

...It's that theme song. That God Damned theme song...!


[Other Nominees: Yatsuda, Kisa, Sylphie, Amelia, Zazi Pazzia]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Top RP'er of 2012 - Great Ryoman! and Necromonium

It was a long and difficult year for the Guilds, and with a variety of storylines that were aborted, the Captain taking multiple breaks for health reasons, and longtime friends disappearing for one reason or another, it fell onto the shoulders of several other capable RP'ers to keep Persona 4:FES and 'The Golden' running. And when their number was called, nobody answered louder and more reliably than Necromonium and Great Ryoman!, a pair of excellent RP'ers who became the first to truly manage successful storyline events as a moderator in the Guild's history. Of course, this alone isn't enough to win this award...but each had their moments that truly pushed them to the top of the list this year.

Who can forget the zany antics of Zazi Pazzia...the eccentric conquest of Sapporo by Naniyori...or the Grand Melee at the Second Persona War that the artist formerly known as Ryo put on for all of us? Who has ever requested some time RP'ing with one of Necro's characters and been denied? Who hasn't enjoyed the rise of Jo(Shu) as a summoner, or Faust's maturation as a persona-user?

In a time when the Guild needed someone to look up to, to keep things moving, these two stepped up and proved that P4:FES would be around so long as they were around...and that is why the both of them share the award for RP'er of the year!

[Other Nominees: Yokoalchemist, Rednal, Great Ryoman!, Necromonium, Hibarii chan]



Top Hero of 2012 - Soji Seta

...Oh, come on. If he didn't win this award, there would be no need for the next one! And don't forget about his remarkable victory over the Demon King at Persona War II, his gauntlet of battle and duel with Minato Arisato during the Grand Prix, and his remaining the spiritual and powerful heart of the Investigation Team.

If ever the mysteries surrounding Inaba are to be solved, Soji Seta will be at the heart of the investigation...


Top Non-Soji Hero of 2012 - Hatsu Harima

In a year short on heroism, there were few characters who stood their ground and fought unflinchingly against the forces of evil than the five nominees below. But when it comes to heroism, there is more to it than simply fighting battles and winning...it's about enduring the worst and continuing to look forward, inspiring those around you to be better people and become stronger in their own fights, and it's about making the play that you know might not be the safest because it's for the greater good. And while Yosuke Hanamura's victory in the Grand Prix was impressive, Shu's growth as a hero and quest in Sapporo was inspiring, Minori's ability to overcome her own darkness was brilliant, and Nix's perseverance in the face of tragedy was admirable, there were few who could combine those traits in the fun, inspirational, and heroically as Hatsu Harima.

A simple university student from Sumaru City found himself drawn into the world of the supernatural during the Endgame Crisis, but in the wake of its resolution, became embroiled in the war between SEES-2 and the forces of shadow. Chosen by Akihiko to become a member of their team, he quickly became...if not the leader...still somebody who always stood at the front of the battle and put himself in harm's way to protect those in need. From his help in defeating Colm's possession to his daring rescue of Gin to his self-destructive battles with Haseo the Bulwark and Zazi Pazzia, he bore the mantle of hero like others could only hope to do.

At the end, he stood strong and proud...and that is why Hatsu Harima is this year's Top Hero!

[Other Nominees: Yosuke Hanamura, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen, Hatsu Harima


Top Villain of 2012 - Zazi Pazzia

For those who remember the horrors of the Second Persona War and the fallout thereafter, there are none who will forget the deeds of Motonari Mori...and an entire city shortly thereafter fell under the control of Naniyori, with few, if any, who are willing to contest his dominance therein. By deception and for mere experimentation, the Serpent of Lore Hetero changed the lives of a group of innocent citizens by drawing upon the shadow wraiths to come to him...and then infected those who came to see the truth of the matter personally...and at the ultimate pinnacle of the Second Persona War, JOKER revealed not just his face but a malice that seemingly surpassed all.

But in the wake of that war, a new evil rose to the forefront of the country...one who tormented not just the bodies of his experiments, but the minds of the heroes that sought to stop him. His chaotic torment dug deeper than physical pain, dug deeper than emotional scarring...in some, his work undermined the very fabric of their being, changing who they were and what they could become. And at the top of the Mist Wall his work was unveiled to have encompassed the destruction of old allies from the very fiber of their person, destroying at its birth the base of an organization meant to thwart him, and unleashed a terror that has yet to be quelled upon the SEES-2 squad.

In terms of villainy, this could only be the year of the Zazi...for better or worse, his screwy theme song plays on!

[Other Nominees: Zazi Pazzia, Motonari Mori, Naniyori, Orochi-Hetero, JOKER]



Top Character of 2012 - Jo(Shu) Michieru and Minori Koroko

In a year that was as scattered and difficult to get through as this one, the 'Top Character' title could only be considered to have split between these two fine candidates. While the first part of the year was very much in the possession of the golden-haired adopted daughter of the Dojima Family, with her emotional victory over her Shade the crowning achievement of the Guild's Summer, the second half of the year (and really, a fair part of the first) saw the rise of a summoner from ambitious self-insert to competent future-Kuzunoha under the guidance of the wily Kyouji Kuzunoha.

So if emotionally this year belonged to Minori and her ability to overcome Mori's influence to join together with Duke once more, her ability to overcome the deepest dark within her...then ambitiously, it belonged to Jo(Shu)'s continuing quest to build his demonic following and become worthy of the great gift, the responsibility that has been given to him ever since the world of demons and supernatural things was introduced to him by a whimsical Great Summoner months and months ago.

And with that in mind, the award could only belong to the two of them...Minori Koroko and Jo(Shu) Michieru...this year's Top Characters!

Other Nominees: Jo(Shu) Michieru, Hatsu Harima, Zazi Pazzia, Nix Gallen, Minori Koroko]



Top Storyline of 2012 - Persona War II

Simply put, the Second Persona War was a storyline that possessed everything which makes this Guild so very fun to be a part of. From the grand battles between immensely super-powered forces, to the emotional struggle between opposing warriors, to the fall of those who are great and the rise of those who are evil, to hints of the romances which give the storyline its heart, to the revelation of a cruel and brilliant deception at the center of the entire conflict, there was always something new and exciting to look forward to at the heart of the War.

And while other storylines might have had more emotional or practical relevance to a single character, nothing quite touched the lives of everyone involved the way that the conflict in Sumaru City between the forces of the Shogun and the Crows of the Yatagarasu (and the Devil Kings, the Masked Circle, and all the rogue agents to appear therein) managed to do.

In a thin year, there was no comparison...the Second Persona War was truly Persona 4:FES's Great War...and easily the Greatest Storyline of the Year.


[Other Nominees: Persona War II, The Killing Joke, P1-Grand Prix, Endgame, Inaba's Tanabata Festival]

 

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

~: razz ersona 4: FES - Love-Love Catalog::~
(Rise Kujikawa's GUILDMAS2013 Romantic Shipping Catalog)



"Hi-Hi Risetteers!

It's your favorite idol here, Rise Kujikawa, bringing you an extra-special, extra-romantic Christmas Program that's sure to warm and stop your hearts, all in one electric beat!

It's the time of year for love, and that's got my heart really beating fast inside of my chest...can all of you hear it out there, thumping away...? And what always gets me going at this time of year is all of the pure, honest love that you see all around the world! Boys and girls, families and friends...they all come together, and this year, Risette is here to deliver your special present!

It's this year's GUILDMAS2013 ROMANTIC SHIPPING CATALOG!

Love is in the air~
Feel it wrapping its tender arms arooound you~
Feel the cool breeze on your lips~
Christmas love has fooound you~

He he...enjoy the show, everyone!

~Rise Kujikawa, Compiler and Commentator, 2013 Christmas Shipping List"

========================================

One True Pairing (OTPs)
("No room for arguments here! These couples are here to stay!")

Minato Arisato x Mitsuru Kirijo - She waited. He came back. Now it's time for that happily ever after...

Naoto Shirogane x Kanji Tatsumi - C-U-T-E! Even if Kanji is still a Moronji, and Naoto still needs some work before she really gets the whole 'girlfriend' thing down...but that's why Risette is here! I'll help them, even if they struggle! Hee hee...

Sai Sakurazaka x Suzume Kirihara - There's really nothing else I can say about these two that hasn't been said, except that I really, really love them! Nothing is as beautiful as two people who really love one another being together, is it?

Kaori Sakurazaka x Kei Munakata - Here's an example of two people who just need one another...not as partners or warriors...but a real need, a tie that not only makes them inseparable as friends, but as so much more than that. His life is in her hands...and she trusts him in spite of all that she knows about him! It's SO romantic!

Shikari Hibiki x Mikazuki Gin and Satoru Otonashi x Ellen Gallietsu - Mainstays of our brothers and sisters-in-arms, the SEES-2 gang, I can only say that I wish we had seen more of these two couples when we had the chance! They were so cute...

Deadpool x Hel - The less we say about these two, the better...

Junpei Iori x Fuuka Yamagishi - I won't pretend this isn't happening anymore, just for the sake of someone who isn't even around. Iori-senpai and Yamagishi-senpai are just adorable together! I can't fight it! I want them to get together and make babies already! It's too cute! *fangirls*

Seo Taihaku x Yasuko Taihaku - Speaking of babies, someone finally got their 'Yes'! Way to go, Lord Seo!

Noelle Everett x Haruto Mashiba - It's the love story we all know the beginning and present of, but wish we knew the middle! Even so, we can't help but root for them...after all they've been through, each acts as the last strand of sanity for the other...the tie keeping them together after so much loss.

========================================

One True Trio (OT3s)
("It's not my cup of tea, and personally, I'd really rather not include this sort of thing in my list. I just...if it makes them all happy, then who am I to say it wouldn't work? I just...it's not for me, all right?")

Faustus Necromonium x Kusuri Keiraku x Eoria Ansul - Illegal and illegitimate as this so-called 'marriage' might be, I can see that Faust and Kusuri are happy together. I can't say I know Eoria-chan well, but if they think she's someone who is important enough to them to keep her on with them, who am I to tell them otherwise?

Rednal Ak'Thias x Yuno x Aselia Bluespirit - Rednal might be strange, but at least he tends to be really honest about his feelings for Aselia and Yuno. I really hope for his sake that he can get a bit of peace and quiet one of these days, and spend some quality time at home with the people who love him.

Jo(Shu) Michieru x Saiga Giriko x Kanade Tachibana - It would be really easy to just ship Shu with Kanade after all that has happened between them, but somebody needs to keep that horn-dog Charmer King in-line, or his own demons are going to eat him up! So I guess he can keep Giriko around if he wants. I won't beat him up too badly over it.

========================================

All's Fair Pairing (AFPs)
("Sometimes when you wish to hard for something, you miss what's obvious, right in front of you! Don't miss out on love when it's there for the taking...reach out and grab it, let yourself be happy!")

Amagai Genji x Minori Koroko - Even I never saw this one coming, folks, but there's no doubt these two would-be lovebirds are sweet together! Almost as sweet as Risette...but not quite. ^.~ ~ *

Mataki Hito x Amelia Heartilly - We've seen her heart stolen away by the charmer, but what about the snake? Mataki has been one of the Guild's ultimate Dogged Nice Guys, toyed with by the whims of fate. Won't somebody throw the poor Student Council President a bone? Get this guy a vacation!

Mikoto Hagaeshii x Seneca Daidouji - Even a sleeping beauty would be tempted to wake up once she heard 'NYX' play! Seriously, they've got a great sound! Look them up the next time you're visiting Power Record Stores! When you want to listen to the beats, you want Power!

Shinpachi Saito x Lira Chronicle - They say that surviving a traumatic experience together binds you in ways that a person could never really understand before the tragedy...and I think that's the case with Saito and Lira, Dark Team's survivors of the Iwadate Massacre...who seem to understand one another much better than anyone else in the dormitory they live in now. It's an understanding that makes them important to one another, before anything else. They went through Hell together and emerged from the other side...now together, let's hope they can find something better!

Rena Redeyan x Sano Gallen - Two misguided losers walking down a path that will only lead to the ground, under my Senpai's foot! But I can't help thinking that they've got a bit in common...and her creepy smiles might be the perfect balance for his annoying glares. I'll ship it!

Mei Hanako x Kensu - There's a sad and undeniable truth that when people encounter hardships in a relationship, sometimes it's just too much for them to overcome. Some people run, and others will make excuses while they slowly fade away. But when you find someone who cares about you for all that you are, even your weaknesses, you've got to treasure it! You've got to take hold of love while you can!

Kosuke Ishida x Min-Jee Park - Keep the candle lit for the punk and the perverted sage, people!

Hatsu Harima x Seika Murakami - Doesn't it feel like something has changed in Seika since the Mist Wall incident? It's like...she's starting to realize that she doesn't have to do everything on her own, and that there are reasons to fight that are worth fighting for...and people who fight beside her that she really wants to protect! Maybe this guy Hatsu's not quite such a hard luck loser after all?

Akane Sakisaka x Yasuo Utsumi - I wish I could tell you what that easy-going vice president sees in that girl, but you can tell by the way that he watches her that he cares about her. Do you guys at home think there's any hope for these two to realize how necessary they are to one another before it's too late? Clap your hands three times if you believe!

Balmung x Ryofu - More of a process of elimination than anything, but you've got to admire the tenacity of a girl who is willing to go the extra mile to show her devotion! And even if romance isn't the first thing on his mind, they've got plenty of time to work things out while they're cleaning up the country together, don't they?

Haoul x Ria - Fairies aside, it's time for these two Captains to put up or shut up! nobody likes a guy and a girl who say they like one another and then don't do anything about it! What fun is there in staying quiet about it?

Nito "Jakken Kuzunoha" x Nia - Anybody would agree that this guy's out there, and a guy like that needs a sensible girl like Nia to keep him balanced out, right? It's just a shame, since I doubt she'll want to hug him all that often when he's covered in cat fur, scratches, and disappointment like that. Get a dog already!

Vale Lampard x Noa - Two city-bred alchemists who are too cool for their own good! Don't you think they'd look good together, riding by-two on one of those speedy bikes of hers?

Izaya Amatsu x Ray Hale - Enough playing games! If Cesc wanted Ray, he should have just taken her for his own already and stopped letting her dangle along on the end of his string! Step up and take someone who really wants you, girl!

========================================

All's Fair Trios! (AF3s)
("Speaking from experience, this is the worst...you know it isn't going to work out for everyone, but you can't help wishing there were some way to be happy and not hurt anyone. But love doesn't always work out like that. What does a girl do when all she's ever wanted is so close, and yet so far away?")

Soji Seta x Rise Kujikawa x Yukiko Amagi - Root for Risette everyone, please?

Yosuke Hanamura x Chie Satonaka x Labrys - I still feel bad for Labrys...I wish she didn't have to go with Mitsuru-senpai and the others back to Iwatodai, and I can tell that Yosuke-senpai misses her, too. Though at least having Chie-senpai around to bicker with keeps him from really thinking about it. I just wish somebody here would make a move already! The wait is getting seriously old.

Zeo Kirijo x A Brick to the Face x Reality Check - Seriously, both. He needs both of these. We know the first won't kill him, but at least if he's lucky, it'll hook him up with the second. I mean, get a clue! How much money did you spend to reroute an ENTIRE truck full of Valentine's WONKA Bars to the Tofu Shop OUT OF SEASON, just to get me to turn you down a seventh time this month? Get real already!

Cesc Fabregas x Aishe x Liz/Alex - It's still impossible to deny that this layabout's got his eight-headed snake, and more of the world than we'd care to admit, wrapped around his little finger. But as we learned more about the former summoner's past we discovered this year that there was at least one woman from his past that Cesc seemed to genuinely, maybe, care about! Of course, she's still a part of the enemy's organization, but nothing wrong with shipping a little star-crossed romance, right?


========================================

Wild Mass Pairings! (WMPs)
("Love doesn't always have to make sense, you know? Just a little spark can be all the difference!")

Ishimaru x Miwako - He's a stickler for the rules who drives his teammates crazy with antics that would make even Risette lose her cool! She's a cool older-sister type who might actually be able to talk some sense into the thick-headed boy! For everyone in the dorm's sake, let's root this one on!


Usugu x Red - He's going to be the very best, like no one ever was! To catch her is his next test! To tame her is his caaaaause~! Hee hee...everybody loves the Pokemon theme song, don't they? Even Risette!


WYNN x ZERO - Two anti-shadow units trying to learn what it means to be human, one little bit at a time; eventually you know that the subject of love is going to become relevant to them, and nobody wants to be alone! Why not be with someone who can really understand you? It's cute, don't you think?


Shay x Ennea - Shay the Self-Described Treasure Hunter loves him some treasure, and Ennea happens to know the guy with the biggest pile in all of Japan! Road trip to Shikoku, people! Just beware of the sleeping dragon...


Gin Mishima x Nix Gallen x Tsuyoshi Nishijo - Did anyone else see the way that smooth-talker, Tsuyu tried to cheer up poor Nix when she was hurting up on the school rooftop? What a gentleman, huh? But was he really serious about asking her out just then and there...? Gin, on the other hand, seems like a pretty reliable guy himself. So many fish in the sea for out snow-crowned lady! Reel one in already, don't keep us waiting!


Tezuka Rembrii X Asuka Bokuro - Doesn't just picturing the two of them together induce the inner 'squee' in all of us? They'd be absolutely adorable together! Like Kanji and Naoto, without the whole thing where if you didn't know them, you'd think she was arresting him thing...


Eido Aeroda x Niiya Honya - Even if she does have kind of a tentative personality and live over half the country away, and even if he's an irredeemable pervert with a pretty pathetic taste in mentors, that doesn't mean that you can't still wish for the two of them to find one another. The fate of the red string still links these two together, and as long as we're around, we won't let it snap, Risetteers!


Minet Raikiri x Mijiyou Harusuhei - This one's a bit bittersweet now, isn't it? Not knowing what happened to his potential beloved must really be eating up the prankster inside, huh? Well until you know the truth, you can never give up hope; maybe one day we'll learn whether or not Miss Shock and Awe made it out of there alive or not!


Mika Katsuragi x Tharros Gallen - One of our crack pair carryovers from last year, this mature romance is still one of my absolute favorite prospective pairs out there! She's a teacher who is convinced that aliens have invaded the town of Inaba, and he's a guy with a bad enough sense of direction he just might end up on the shuttle! Won't you beam a girl up to meet the man of her dreams?


Genzo Komaba x Arisu - Aww, you all don't think you get this one? Hee hee...a girl's got to keep her secrets; let's just call this one women's intuition and move on, mmk?


Ornstein x Sinbad - On one hand we've got a wild girl with a real violent dark side, and on the other we've got a sturdy, loyal gentleman who can take anything his partner would want to dish out! Can her violet style break through the defenses of Embryon's 'Rock'? Can his love pierce the heart of the Dragonslayer? Here's rooting for someone's love to break through the shell!


Minene x Tarkus - Here's a little throwback for all of my video-game fanatic fans! Can you tell me which character asked, "Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?" ...Give up? Toooo bad, Risetteers, because I'm not going to tell you! But for those of you who get the reference, let's let these two like-minded warriors spend some time together fighting and see what we get, huh?


Tiir Rumibul x Rosealina Miina - If out-of-context and out-of-character, message board fodder is anything to go on, there's some seriously strong chemistry brewing between these two otherwise-unrelated people! Can the buxom beauty tame the bloodthirsty beast?


Gokuboori Underwood x Leonardo Mori - Ooh! This is just the sort of pairing I love to see develop! An introverted girl with a unique passion meets the fiery, popular upperclassman, and the two of them begin to open up entirely new worlds to one another while growing closer and closer with each passing day! Could this be the ultimate case of opposites attract? I can't be the only one willing to root for them, can I?


Mokou x Fujimatsu - Sometimes love is mysterious, don't you think Risetteers? But sometimes it can be pretty simple, too! What do you get when a fire-crazed pyro meets a real life Fire Princess? It's a bit more than a spark, I'd be willing to bet! FLAME ON!


Tao x Kiki-Jiki - She's a mysterious young lady with a cute taste in hoodies, and he's a mysterious masked man with a taste for demon blood! If you asked me what about these two made them go together so well, I'd be hard pressed to tell you, honestly. But don't you think they'd be cute together, in a strange sort of way?


Yatsuda x Kin - What do you get when a bloodsucker and an idiot live together in a house, and agree to have their lives taped? What happens when people stop being polite...and start being REAL? ...Wait, is this a ship, or a Real World: Inaba Promo?


Ergo x Raidou Kuzunoha - The less said about this bad idea the better, but my sources tell me Mr. Stalker here has a thing for girls with board-like figures. And if it keeps her away from my Senpai, I'd ship her with even a Kanami fan!


Zorc x Pyrrha - Even if you doubt whether or not it's possible, a girl has to respect a man who is as persistent as he is. Doesn't it just make you want to root for him?


Bour Ying x A Clue - Seriously, this guy needs to be locked up! Somebody smack him around for Risette, won't you?

========================================

Lost Souls!
("Let's be honest...some guys and girls are just hopeless. Like a certain bear we all know...")

Completely Hopeless - Teddie. ...Next time don't get the cake frosting on my hair, you jerk!

As Likely to Kill You as Kiss You - Everyone Else!

 

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

~: razz ersona 4: FES - Man's World Power Tier Catalog::~
(Kanji Tatsumi's GUILDMAS2013 MANLINESS Ratings)



"All right, hey! So, sometimes...s**t, what was I going to say again...?

Sometimes, a man's got to do, what a man's got to do! ...You know what I'm sayin'? And when that time comes, a man's got to be able to stand on his own two feet and fight back against whatever's giving them s**t! Fighting, taking punks down, it ain't all there is to being a man, of course...but if you ain't got the power to make a bunch of punks back off, either, it's better that you know it ahead of time. So you can run, or call in some backup, like my Senpai.

Anyway, when it comes to being a man, NOBODY out there knows more than Kanji Tatsumi! And that's why I'm going to be the one tellin' you, from my own experience, who rates where when it comes to manliness!

And before you ask, you ain't gotta be a dude, either...Chie Senpai's Galactic Punt is overflowing with manliness...believe me."

"Oh Kanji-kuuun...did you just say that my kicks were overflowing with MANLINESS"

"Wha...?! You heard that Chie-senpai?! Oh...OH s**t!?"

"Kanji...take it from me: just run. Run, dude. And don't look back if you value your...uh...necessary parts?"

"Don't help him, Yosuke! He's MINE!"

"RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIII-HIHIIHIHIVES!"

"Teddie, why are you freaking out...?"

"GYAAAAA! Ch-Chie-senpai, not...THERE! YEOWCH!"

...

"WE'RE DOOOOOMED!"

Tier 0 - Lucifer Tier

1. Nyarlathotep
2. Hitoshura
3. Tala Ivanov
4. Lewis Keys
5. Shadow Soji
6. Oda Nobunaga
7. Orochi Hetero
8. Lucifer
9. Cesc Fabregas


Tier 1 - Minato/Soji Tier

1. Tiir Rumibul
2. Serph Sheffield
3. Dante
4. Ovan the Necromancer
5. Balmung of the Azure Sky
6. Naoya Toudou
7. Minato Arisato
8. Elizabeth & Margaret
9. Soji Seta
10. Tatsuya Suoh
11. Akashi Seijuuro
[Deity-Level [NPC] Devils and Arcana-Level Shadows and Shades]

Tier 1.5 - Naniyori Tier

1. Raiden
2. Naniyori (& the Riders of the Apocalypse)
3. Takaya Sakaki
4. The Children of Loki (Fenrisulfr, Jormungandr, Hel)
5. Hei Nanjou
6. Lord Seo Tachibana-Hakushaku
7. Jian Lin Kuei
8. JOKER
9. Devil King Leaders (Mori, Mitsunari, Date)
10. Gabi
[Fiend-Level NPC Demons]


Tier 2 - Elke Shula Tier

1. Embryon Brigadier Generals (Heat)
2. Haruto Mashiba (Okina Team Fool - Ultimate Persona)
3. Elke Shula
4. King Leo
5. Elite Devil Kings (Fuma, Katakura)
6. Izaya Amatsu
7. Vamp & Orochi-Kabuto
8. Zolf J. Kimblee
9. Elite Lin Kuei (Charo)
10. Sakurazaka Sai
11. Specialist Persona [Tokyo Team] (Murasakibara, Midorima, etc.)
12. Geirin "Kai" Kuzunoha
13. Dual-Persona [SEES Canon] (Akihiko, Mitsuru, Aigis)
14. Elite Taihaku/Iyokono Devils (Gyuki, Saizo Kirigakure)
15. Mihawk Dracule
16. Sieg Shimazu
[Tyrant-Level NPC Devils]


Tier 2.5 - Zazi Tier

1. Ultimate Persona [SEES Canon] (Junpei, Yukari, etc.)
2. Elite Servants of the Mori (Spears 2-4, other)
3. Izuru Shimazu
4. Cid Raines
5. Persona Fusion [I. Team Canon] (Yukiko, Yosuke, etc.)
6. Orochi (Liz, Ray, etc.)
7. Kuzunoha (Raidou, Kyouji)
8. Embryon Captains
9. Sakurazaka Kaori, Denmark, and Kei Munakata
10. Teros, Kazuna, and Yoshizo [Highest-Level Shadow Servants with Shadow Forged Apparel]
[Elite-Level NPC Demons and Boss-Level Shadows]


Tier 3 - Nuri and Namatame Tier

1. Namatame Taro
2. Kisa (Tier 2.5 after Jezebel event)
3. Persona-Fusion [I. Team]
4. Mataki Hito
5. Strega Reverse-Shadow Masters [Nuri Televaldi]
6. Elite Shadow-Servants [Highest-Level Shadow Servants] (Havok, etc.)
7. Nito "Jakken" Kuzunoha
8. Dual-Persona [SEES-2]
9. Avengers, Devil Kings, Taihaku Demons, High-Ranking Lin Kuei
[Very High Level NPC Demons]


Tier 3.5 - Mitsuo Kubo Tier

1. Shadow Elites [Messiahs, Messengers with Shadow-Forged We aponry/Armor] (Sano, others)
2. Highest-Level App-Users [Both Demons and Training]
3. Embryon Lieutenants
4. Ultimate Persona-Users [SEES-2, Okina Group, and I. Team]
5. Strega Evolved Reverse-Personas
6. High-Level Kuzunoha Apprentices (Shu, Nia)
[High-Level NPC Demons]

Tier 4 - Embryon Major Tier

1. Strega Reverse-Persona-Users
2. High-Level App-Users [Both Demons]
3. Shadow Fusion [Messiahs, Messengers]
4. Evolved Persona-Users [SEES-2, Okina Group and I. Team]
5. Embryon Majors
6. Kuzunoha Apprentices (Asuka, Yatsuda)
7. Kiki-Jiki
[Med-High Level NPC Demons]

Tier 5 - Embryon Ensign Tier

1. Strong Lin Kuei
2. Shadow Persona-Users [Messiahs, Messengers]
3. Embryon Ensigns
4. App-Users [One-Demon, Evolved Class]
5. New Persona-Users [I. Team, Okina Group, SEES-2]
6. Yatagarasu Summoners (Red)
7. New Characters of an Original Class
[Medium-Level NPC Demons]

Tier 6 - App-Users

1. New Lin Kuei Alchemists
2. App-Users [First Demon]
3. New Atma-Users
4. New Summoners
5. Anti-Shadow Units [w/out Persona]
[Low-Level NPC Demons]

Tier 7 - Ryotaro Dojima Tier

1. Ryotaro Dojima
2. Badass Normals
3. Lin Kuei Enforcers
4. JSSDF Soldiers
[Lowest-Level NPC Demons]


Tier 8 - Naoki Konishi Tier

1. Normal PC Characters

Tier 9 - Nanako Dojima Tier

1. Nanako Dojima
2. Saya Ebisawa

Tier 10 - Vulcano Rosso Tier

1. Faust's Bullies
2. Vulcano Rosso
3. Stoney Val Viper
========================================

This does not change the fact that NPC battles, despite the tier, are still controlled by the NPC. And just because you're on a tier below someone doesn't mean that you can't fight against them...but you're more than likely going to lose, and usually will follow their lead to some degree. Also, fighting in teams against someone on a higher tier gives you a good chance against them. Moving up multiple tiers, though [like the I. Team at the Tournament trying to fight Raiden], usually ends very, very badly.

--Any NPCs which appear but do not have profiles may vary in Tier Rank, which may not be explicitly stated before their introduction. Generally if they do not have a profile and appear during an event under the control of Arena Emperor, assume that the battle against them will be treated like any other NPC battle with that NPC as the lead to whose posts and actions you must react.

[--"[PC]" denotes a Playable Character class or Evolution which can be obtained by Player Characters.]

[--Ratings with a [.5] are characters whose powers fluctuate under different circumstances and can achieve a status sometimes reaching the heights of the Tier above it and sometimes the lows of the Tier below it, though usually they average somewhere in between.]

[--Consider, when looking through the Tiers, character vs. character analyses. Would Character A reasonably defeat Character B in combat? Tiers should represent accurately, to some degree, what would likely happen in each situation.]

 

[Arena Emperor]

*~::AND NOW FOR THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL YEAR...YOUR 2013 YEAR-END PERSONA 4:FES - THE GOLDEN GUILD AWARDS PRESENTATION!!!::~*

Merry Christmas to all! And too all, congratulations and THANK YOU for another wonderful year together!!!

*Ahem*

Ladies and Gentlemen...! Good evening...and welcome to the 2013 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Yearly Guild Awards. I am your...Host...ess...Naoto Shirogane. Some of you might know me as the 'Detective Prince', although...that moniker was never one of my own, personal choosing. I would have preferred something less gaudy and more humble, but one does not get to choose the title by which others come to view them. And in many ways, that is what these awards are about...they are titles, lenses through which we view our peers and gauge them with regards to the others and the world around them. In many ways, we are creating a persona...an image of you, a mask which you might wear to face the world's hardships...but remember, no matter how you are seen and how the world views you, it is your own heart, your own choices, and your own beliefs that truly make up the person that you are. And no matter what awards you may win or not win tonight, only you can choose your own path towards the future.

And with that in mind, allow me to welcome you once more to this flamboyant spectacle, and wish all of you luck and grandeur as the night progresses...! Thank you..."

...

"Woo-WOO! Way to go Nao-chan! You sounded really smart up there! I think I'm falling for you...Wah? HEY!"

"Keep your eyes to yourself, you stupid bear!"

"Hee hee...you really do love her, don't you Kanji? Why don't you go up there and take a bow together? It would be SO cute!"

"Yeah, but I can't help but think she looks nervous up there."

"And it's the first time I can remember seeing her without her hat since the Hot Springs..."

"...Please don't remind me of that..."

"Well it's your fault for peeking!"

"It was supposed to be the guys' turn! Yosuke-senpai GOT the call!"

"Heh heh...r-really? I don't remember it that way at all..."

"Are you IMPLYING that I, or the Amagi Inn, made a mistake like that?! I'll have you know..."

"Guys..."

"Oh, you guys lie so bad! I asked your MOM, and she said..."

"PEEPERS! PERVERTS! HEN-"

"R-rise-san?! There's no need to go that fa...!!"

"NO! Not again! I can't be taken in agai-HAHAHAHHAAAAAIN!"

"...Guys..."

...

"Will you KEEP IT DOWN!? I'm trying to run an awards ceremony!"

...

"...Happy New Year, everyone..."



~Naoto Shirogane, "The Detective Prince" and Host of the 2013 Persona 4: FES - the Golden Awards!"

Quote:

The Best of the Best!

[2013 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Awards Presentation]

Most Underplayed Character - Cesc Fabregas

Once the most manipulative and dangerous villain perhaps in the whole of the Persona 4:FES universe, this backstage wizard was surprisingly absent from the proceedings of the last twelve months. As one who constantly stirs the pot from the background, motivates one group to take action while subtly destroying them from within, one would expect to at least see the main head of the 8-Headed Snake at least once or twice, simply testing the waters to see what chaos he's wrought.

But his absence continues, and the world awaits the terrible moment when he will reappear. His second-place finish in the Chie's Kung-Fu Christmas Showdown shows that the Guild continues to keep him on their mind, even as he lingers in the shadows...


[Other Nominees: Raidou Kuzunoha, Lewis Keys, Naniyori, Cesc Fabregas, Seo Taihaku, I. Teamers]

Most Believable Character - Mikoto Hageshii and Yasumoto Kensu

In a world of drama where even the most simple action can spark a completely insane overreaction from the people around them, summon demons to feed upon the insane energy created, and then inspire a war between demons, demon hunters, persona-users and shadows alike...finding two people who react to all of the drama in Inaba like normal human beings is a revelation.

When his band-mate left his crew, Mikoto could have just as easily found a new, better singer and taken up a lifelong vendetta against his former friend...leading up to a dramatic Battle of the Bands Finale of the storyline in which they compete, restore their respect for one another, and iron out the kinks in their friendship in dramatic fashion. He could have. Instead, he did the normal thing and simply tracked down a friend to see if he'd come back.

On the other hand, we have a Kensu who...when confronted with the Guild's most eccentric young perverted android...acted in the most sane fashion of any other person to date! ...He walked away. No scolding, no fighting, no chasing, no playing around...just none of that. A perfectly logical and sane reaction.

Refreshing, really.

[Other Nominees: Mikoto Hageshii, Kuatsumo Sinbad, Yasumoto Kensu, Mei Hanako]

Most Idiotic Character - Zeo Kirijo

Once again, you come at the King, you best not miss...

In a year where the blue-haired psychopathic, perverted android leaped from tall buildings, serenaded Nix at the worst possible moment, and generally continued his ridiculous shenanigans, it would have taken a gargantuan effort to topple the Guild's King of Schtick from his not-so-prestigious throne this year.

And while the new so-called 'Great Summoner' and his band of Grumpy cats brought a new-found zaniness to the Crows, Zorc's pursuit of Pyhrra remained as hopeless and silly as ever, Al and Ennea managed to get a bounty on their heads for sheer foolishness, and Fujimatsu actually managed to make Faust kill him...none of them can fully overcome the sheer hilarity of Zeo's continuing existence and freedom from the Kirijo Vaults.

[Other Nominees: Fujimatsu, Zeo Kirijo, Zorc Necrophades, Nito Nekata, Al Azif and Ennea/Nero]

Most Lovable Character - Noir Coursier

Much has been made in years past about the lovable Suzume and her relationship with the prickly Sai and Nanako, the little sis that everyone adores. But this was a breakout year for cuteness, and none were quite so adorable in a 'super-depressing, you wish you could just hug the guy and tell him everything is going to be all right' way than the Black Messiah's most helpful support character, Noir Coursier.

For one, the man's blind...that's points right there, because watching him fumble around in the dark earns him sympathy cute points right there. But then, the guy's just so gosh darned helpful! Or, he tries to be...but he's so clumsy (more points!) that he often messes up at the worst moments. And you still can't help but love him for trying, so earnest he is...and let's not get started on the 'homeless hobo who gets beaten by passers by' ridiculousness...I mean, come on! That's just openly begging for sympathy points right there...nobody REALLY does that in Inaba, right?

So apologies to the cute kitty-wannabe, whose antics have earned near-universal adoration, and the False Kuzunoha's beleaguered servant...this year's winner is Noir!


[Other Nominees: Noir Coursier, Suzume Kirihara, Nanako Dojima, Asuka Bokuro, Nia Ueda]

Most Epic Non-Player Character - Tiir Rumibul

It was an abbreviated entrance to the world this year for Tiir Rumibul, the Anti-Spirit feared and hunted by the Yatagarasu from the moment his power was revealed, but what an entrance it was! In the most shocking display of power since the revelation of Tala Ivanov during the Nanjou Summoning beneath Junes, Tiir's destruction of Vamp and two of the Black Messiahs' most powerful servants in the Tower of Babel sent shockwaves throughout the supernatural world and Japan that continue to be felt by all who have heard of his emergence.

The Crows fear him...the Messiahs released him...and the country may suffer the peril of their mistakes. And yet, after his touching meeting with a young girl in the Samegawa Floodplain...his motives remain as mysterious as he is. And that, on top of everything else that we have learned about him, is why Tiir the Anti-Spirit remains this year's most Epic NPC!

[Other Nominees: Tiir Rumibul, Zazi Pazzia, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Soji Seta, Tohru Adachi, Riphal Edea]

Most Epic Player-Character - Jo(Shu) Michieru

In a year of unorthodox moments, heroes, and storylines, the most epic player character must be considered one of the most unorthodox of them all. Once a simple employee at Junes, his selection by the Great Summoner Kyouji Kuzunoha X has given him a path into power...one which he has seized and run with in the days that have come after. Gaining a host of unique demons, training them, and studying under a master who has allowed him to develop in his own unique style, Jo(Shu) Michieru became a considerable force for good this year with some timely events.

Assisting in the conclusion of the C-Project, cleansing the school of hidden demons under orders from his master, or entering into a haunted and Abandoned Shrine to cleanse it of a familiar evil...Shu has gone above and beyond this year to prove to the rest of the Guild's power-brokers that he is no longer someone to be ignored. On the cusp of Greatness now, Shu has begun to truly earn his place amongst the most powerful player-characters in the Guild, and has earned beyond question his award as the most Epic PC this year.

[Other Nominees: Jo(Shu) Michieru, Kisa, Zeo Kirijo, Zorc Necrophades, Mataki Hito, Sano Gallen]

Most Heartwarming Couple - Genji Amagai x Minori Koroko and Mei Hanako x Yasumoto Kensu

In a year that saw some earth-shaking moves in Risette's shipping list, two of the newest couples on board the Master Ship really rolled out the sails and set out to sea in the cutest ways possible!

A friendly and thoughtful heir and the Dojima family's newest member...the two of them began to grow closer during Genji's stay in the hospital, a series of increasingly-adorable texts sent back and forth between them helping to form a tight bond between them that surprised almost everyone (and some more than others). And by the time he was out, they had graduated to joking pet names, silly runs through town together, and a closeness and warmth that even the coldest of hearts couldn't help but be warmed by...all topped with a whipped-cream sweet kiss at the Floodplain! It's enough to give you a sugar rush!

Meanwhile, an even more considerate and just as lovable pair began to rise inside the ranks of the school's more normal (and less pink-haired) characters...the blind girl Mei Hanako and her tender friend Kensu. His admiration for her is as earnest as he is caring, and seeing the two of them living their lives, having a normal lunch hour together, and picturing the future they might have becomes all the more exciting! And cute. And squee-inducing, and...you get the picture. Anyway, Risette loves them, and so should you!


[Other Nominees: Sai Sakurazaka x Suzume Kirihara, Kanade Tachibana x Jo(Shu) Michieru, Genji Amagai x Minori Koroko, Nia Ueda x Nonito Nekata, Mei Hanako x Kensu Yasumoto]

Least Likely Couple - Yatsuda x Kanji Tatsumi

He's got issues that he seriously needs to get worked out, and the other guy (who also once had issues similar to but not nearly as creepy as Yatsuda's) looks like the exact kind of guy that would give the former night terrors. Seriously, just imagine Yatsuda passed out face-down on his bed one night and Kanji walks in to punch him in the face (because that's how Kanji wakes people, obviously)...Yatsuda opens his eyes to see THAT delinquent-looking dude looming over him?

And...that image of absolutely pure terror and chaos in your mind right now is precisely why this couple could NEVER. EVER. HAPPEN. That, and of course...

Because THEY. LIKE. WOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMEEEEEEEEN! D: <

Special mention to Zorc's continuously ill-fated pursuit of Pyhrra, though. Just keep on trying, man...it'll never happen, though.

[Other Nominees: Zorc Necrophades x Pyhrra, Bour x Faust, Mataki x Kisa, Yatsuda x Kanji, Leon x Yukiko]

Most Heartwarming Moment in RP - Tsuyoshi (and Friends?) Cheer Up Nix!

With all apologies to the crowed that loves their kisses, to the monster acting like a man long enough to comfort a little girl, to the obviously cuteness of two blind folks making (or trying to keep) their friends, and to the increasingly-heartwarming relationship between Shu-bee-doo and Kana the Magical Ranger, the multifaceted cuteness and heartwarming nature of the continuous cheering up of Nix takes the cake this year!

From a stranger's kindness tenderly warming her heart, to an overzealous android strumming away and inducing raucous laughter, to a familiar friend simply wanting to share a meal...too many moments of heartwarming in one small package make this an impossible moment to pass.

Here's hoping you feel better soon, Nix! ...And you should, cause you've got about 50 guys who are there to help you.

[Other Nominees: Tsuyoshi (and others) Cheers Up Nix, Minori and Genji Kiss, The Loser Makes a Friend in Minori, Tiir the Monster Cheers Up Saya, Shu and Kanade's Sleepover, Mei and Kensu Walk, Noir Tells Nagito to Live]

Most Badass Moment in RP - Riphal Does Some Landscaping

You're going to hear about Tiir more than once on this list, but even taking down the venerable Vamp with such ease must give way at some point to pay respect to the one-eyed Hero King of Gastark and his mountain-destroying wave of his sword. In one great cry and a spray of blood from his left eye, the skyline outside Inaba was changed forever...and a whole handful of bounties were extinguished from the Crows' Books.

It may not have been the bloodiest moment, but the badassery of the moment cannot be denied! Long Live the King, Baby!

[Other Nominees: Riphal Does Some Landscaping, Tiir Out-Vamps Vamp, Mataki and Kisa Deliver a Queen-Sized Beatdown, Froaude Kills Wesker, Faust Fries Fujimatsu, Shadows(?) Descend on the Apprentices]

Dumbest Moment in the RP - The C Project

An event that, from start-to-finish, was plagued with inconsistencies in tone, confusing progression, motivations, and characters who outright annoyed...the creme-de-la-creme of it all must have been when the man in charge summoned the Guild's most predictably unpredictable force of evil...the one and only Naniyori fon Ronsenberg of Dalmasca...and expected that he would somehow adhere to the rules which said NPC had laid down before him.

Even if he weren't drunk...which he probably ones...one does not simply expect Naniyori to do as commanded. Even Balmung knew better than to try and reign in Naniyori entirely! Just a silly, silly decision all around...emblematic of the event as a whole...

[Other Nominees: The C Project, Fujimatsu Trifles With Nani and Gets Faust'd, Zusyotsu Confronts Naniyori - Full Stop, Nito's Captain Ahab Adventures, Mataki and Kisa Talk in Circles]

Most Terrifying Moment - Tiir is Freed From Babel

There are fewer things scarier in the world than what we can't see in the dark...and in the darkness of Tower Floor 999, something horrifying was lurking, trapped behind those sealed gates. Vamp opened the doors and Hell was waiting within in the form of a devil locked away a century ago...a man-eating monster feared at the hearts of even the most powerful of allies of the Yatagarasu.

Two powerful servants of darkness peered into the black to search for clues to its contents, and in a spray of blood and helpless cries, they vanished. Moments later, the neck of Shadow Soji's most powerful servant was snapped horrifically to the side...and bitten away by the lithe figure of a man outside of his time...

...An Anti-Spirit had awakened within the Tower of Babel...and a Fiend with power beyond measure had escaped into the world...

[Other Nominees: Tiir is Freed from Babel, Daisoujou Attacks Soji in his Sleep!, Slendy and Ren-dy Scare the Kiddies, Any Naniyori Appearance Ever, Jezebel's Sadistic Choice]

Most Confusing Character - Naniyori


At this point it simply has to be asked; what the Hell is he doing? At first he was a semi-loyal, albeit inebriated and difficult-to-work-with Atma-User of the Embryon Organization...then he turned on his friend Balmung to assassinate the Emperor and become embroiled in the rise of the Mori Shogunate...then went on the run as the Most Wanted Man in Japan and began to simply drop-in unannounced all over the place whenever he wants...and finally, settled in Sapporo where he created a demon-state simply...it seems...for the sake of amusing himself.

He light-saber duels sewer alligators, burns down Liquor Stores, pops up anywhere he feels for the sheer purpose of scaring people, he talks about an imaginary girlfriend we all know isn't real, and he sometimes even manages to talk like a normal person! And he's a drunk...

...Let's face it, even HE can't know what he's doing anymore! This is ridiculous! And yet...somehow, it just wouldn't be the same without him...

[Other Nominees: Zorc Necrophades, Murasaki Gathielle, Kisa, Nagito, The Entire Cast of the C-Project, Naniyori]

Biggest Airhead - Suzume Kirihara

With respect to those easily distracted by-OOH! A Shiny! ^ ^ ...

...The fact that Suzu continuously finds herself in Inaba despite the fact that she lives a full day's train-ride and half the country away from the town serves as conclusive evidence that her airheadedness is superior! And yet that's one of the things we love about her, that ability to get lost in the world, to smile and happily take in the sights of all that's around her, and the knowledge that wherever she goes, there will be a violet-haired, crimson-eyed young man somewhere out there desperate to find her.

And he always will...

[Other Nominees: Suzume Kirihara, Eoria Ansul, Murasaki Gathielle, Zorc Necrophades, Al Azif]

Most Unlikely Badass - Sano Gallen

While it can't be said that he was normal any time recently, it wouldn't have been disingenuous to say that as of last winter, Sano wasn't very high on the list of threats around the town of Inaba. Sure, he had powers granted by Shadow Soji, but he had yet to really record any purely 'badass' moments aside from some combat against the Investigation Team that hadn't gone entirely his way.

...This was a very strong year for Sano, however, as his power has grown immensely via gifts from his master and his own training. More so, he's scored two very personal blows to the Investigation Team that will ensure that they do not forget his name or that he is a very REAL threat to them any time soon...the bombing of his own sister Nix and the beatdown of Yosuke Hanamura's father in his office at Junes.

Nobody will be looking down on Sano anymore...

[Other Nominees: Nito Nekata, WYNN, Sano Gallen, Kiki-Jiki, Fujimatsu]

Best Fight - Mataki and Kisa v. Jezebel

In a year that was genuinely short on exciting moments and didn't have a major storyline filled with combat to give us a variety of options, several impressive PC fights found their way onto the nomination block for the Fight of the Year. However, when it comes down to it, nothing could quite rival the excitement of a three-way throwdown for the right to own one of the infamous Candelabra AND the power of the so-called Queen of Bel.

With Mataki and Kisa teaming up (with a small aid from Kyouji Kuzunoha) to take on the wannabe Queen, the potential for excitement was high...the stakes were even higher...and after an extended battle inside the crazy, technicolor world of the b***h Queen, the Awesome Quotient delivered! In the end, it reached just high enough to claim this year's award!

Congrats to all the nominees for some great entertainment!

[Other Nominees: Mataki and Kisa v. Jezebel, Riphal v. Tawara, Ban Ichisaki, Korin of Papers, Eri Hirano, and Ryce "Jin" Kagami, Sano v. Nix Gallen and Adell, Agito Mibu v. Fujimatsu, Soji v. Daisoujou, Nagito v. Noir, Seika, Misha, Saiga, Zusyotsu, Sapphire]

Most Likely to Be Stabbed by Yuno - Faustus Necromonium

Even in a world where somebody gave Yuno a mysterious item to get Rednal all to herself...this new revelation of Yuno being nice and sweet to Faust again, given recent events, is setting off crazy warning bells in anybody with any kind of 'Danger Sense'.

She's going to stab him. The time is finally here! It's not a matter of 'if' anymore, but 'when'...

[Other Nominees: Faust, Rednal, Aselia, Asuka, Zeo, Kanade]

Least Trustworthy Character - Itachi Kishikido

Though few ever got a good read on him during the P-1 Grand Prix, there is an evil inside of the young detective lurking...a man in a position of power and authority with a dark agenda, Itachi's trustworthiness rivals a similar character from the town's dark past...Tohru Adachi. Being a police officer, he should be trustworthy beyond reproach...and yet even upon first meeting, something seemed unusual about him. He goes about his work with a cool professionalism, however, which made it all the more strange when the lack of trust went to ridiculous levels in the suspicions of Tharros and Adell after Nix's hospitalization.

Apparently his trustworthiness...or lack thereof...practically radiates from him. Which makes him all the more worthy of the award.

Honorable mention must go to the King of Untrustworthy Behavior, Naniyori...to Kisa, who we're pretty sure at this point would kill a man in front of his own Mama for a Candelabrum...to a Nurse whose remedies NOBODY trusts...and to the OG of dirty detectives, Tohru Adachi. Strong year for untrustworthy folks...


[Other Nominees: Naniyori, Itachi Kishikido, Tohru Adachi, Kisa, Aleister Crowley]

Most Badass Normal - Spider-Mao!

While powers of all sorts are being gobbled up as they are revealed, there are a certain number of characters who have stuck to remaining normal themselves...only accepting power in the form of allies if they accept any sort of power at all. These characters stood proudly with what little powers they had and faced down all challengers, some of them putting in particularly impressive performances in Chie's Kung-Fu Christmas Showdown!

But above all, Spider-Mao continues his ongoing reign of normal badassery with an array of gadgets and ludicrous catchphrases, actions, and the like that even Wade Wilson or Bruce Wayne themselves might grow jealous of. And so in a world filled with supernatural badassery, one must admire the commitment of one normal teen to simply being AWESOME.

[Other Nominees: Mao, Kyuzo Rikkio, Tharros Gallen, Yuno, Denmark, Adell, Yuzu]

Character Who Took the Biggest Level In Badass - Fujimatsu

From a demon who was literally killed by Faust at the beginning of the year for continuous pestering about flames and whatnot, Fujimatsu has been given a new lease on life thanks to the Fallen Angel, and thus far he has made the best use of that possible! Engaging in battle at the Floodplain and coming face-to-face with his former killer without batting an eye, Fujimatsu certified his badass credentials at least in the eyes of this judge...

...And to top off his comeback year, a promotion from a Herald to one of the Riders of the Apocalypse stands as a crowning achievement...and one he will now have to live up to in the year to come. On a red horse he rides, Terrorblade swinging, and War comes with him...

[Other Nominees: Fujimatsu, Kiki-Jiki, WYNN, Sano Gallen, Noir Coursier]

Most Heartbreaking Moment - The End of Nagito

It was a generally hopeful year for Inaba and the Supernatural World as a whole; the tragedies were kept to a minimum, deaths were few and far between, and what did happen that was awful was mostly kept off-screen for a variety of reasons. It was a...peaceful year, mostly. And yet near the end there was at least one tale of heartbreak that touched a few...the sad story of Nagito, purveyor of HOPE...and his fight for a friend that was doomed to fail.

From the moment the battle begun until Noir's unlikely victory, the heartstrings of those involved were tugged this way and that...but in the end, some hearts were simply broken behind the sad revelation behind the entire event. And with few other legitimate contenders (unless Zazi's fall ACTUALLY saddened you...in which case, get help.), it stands out as this year's victor!

[Other Nominees: The Ballad of Sen and Amon, Nix Crying Over the Love that Never Was, The End of Nagito, The Okina Team's Heartbreak, The Death of Zazi Pazzia]

The Kamina "Real, Manliest Man" Award - Soji Seta

Amongst this batch of old sailors, all fit for 24/7 stubble and handlebar mustaches, there are no losers...no one can be a loser when they are manly enough to make it onto this list. This is an award, and a nomination list, for men who stand out from their peers...whose manliness shines through the world like the smell of crisply-frying bacon in a log cabin's add-on kitchen. Manliness like this can only be found in men who know that after shave is for sissies, that chopping wood is the only way to tone up your core, and that salads are for wimps and girls.

But when it comes down to it, as manly as kidney-punching fire demons...being a badass older brother...serenading ALL the ladies...beating demons with your giant Wang-Monster (not monster wang!), and just BEING Kanji Tatsumi IS...

...It takes a real man to beat a Fiend in his sleep. The King is Dead...Long Live the King!

[Other Nominees: Naniyori, Kanji Tatsumi, Soji Seta, Zeo Kirijo, Leonardo Mori, Eido Aeroda]

Most Courageous Character - Nix Gallen

It takes a lot of guts to stare down your enemies, no matter how powerful they...or you, yourself...may be. To stand and fight for what is right is courageous, and to stand, to never let those who would do evil get the better of you, is heroic. This year there were several characters who came to the aid of those in need, or places in need, and stood their ground even against the longest of odds.

However, few displayed the courage to stand and fight...and to keep standing back up and fighting against enemies both internal and external, than Nix Gallen, whose fight with her brother, hospitalization, and subsequent romantic misunderstanding might have weakened or broken a lesser person. And yet, she keeps on standing up...keeps walking forward...and keeps doing what is right to protect the town and those important to her all the same.

Sometimes, courage is simply having the ability to take a step forward when all odds say you should stand still...and that's what Nix has done over and over again.

[Other Nominees: Zorc Necrophades, Nix Gallen, Mataki Hito, Noir Courseir, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Seika Murakami]

Magical Girl Miku Girliest Girl Award - Magical Girl Moonlight Mishette

Wherever Starlight cannot be found, and wherever Longcoat Spectacles dares not go...into that darkest of nights shimmers brightest of all...the Magical Girl Moonlight Mishette! ...That's right, the Magical Girl Wave continues, and this year's winner of the Girliest Girl award goes to one of the oldest and cutest members of the Guild's female population...

Adorbs and fun, she is always up for cosplay, magic, and her ice powers are indicative of the traditionally-female trope 'An Ice Person'. Misha's cute, girly ways are well known throughout Inaba, and now with her newest Magical Girl Team inclusion, she stands poised for an even better 2014!

Shine on, Magical Misha! Moonlight Glimmer!

[Other Nominees: Yatsuda, Shu, Kanade, Misha, Futaba, Minori]

Best Rivalry - Kisa and Mataki Hito

With many old rivalries settled and many of the old contenders now lost to the annuls of the Guild's history, new rivalries must emerge to fill their shoes; many interesting rivalries have grown in the last year to do just that. Speed Demon Gin v. Speed Queen Nix on the Steam Bike Course, and the Magical Girl Revolution's main players against one another...and of course, the ongoing supernatural influence...the war between Lucifer and Loki...

But more than anything, it was the major pieces in that particular conflict which have stood out as rivals near the end of the year. Set against one another in the race to gather the Candelabra and juxtaposed with one another and differing ideals, an endgame of violence seems inevitable between Mataki and Kisa. But for now, with so much at stake before them, they fight as uneasy allies...

...Until the day that their rivalry can truly explode!


[Other Nominees: Kisa v. Mataki, Gin v. Nix (on Steam Bikes), Magical Girl Mishette v. MG Starlight Snowflake v. MM Longcoat Spectacles, Zeo v. Everyone Else for Nix's Heart, Loki versus Lucifer, Kyouji's Apprentices vs. one another]

Best Main Storyline Villain - Tiir Rumibul

Though it was a toss-up between the winner and Jezebel, there was only one storyline villain whose actions really sent a ripple of fear throughout the entire Guild...and shook the very foundations of the Supernatural Hotbed to the core. His entrance marked the end of a century-long sealing, and sent the whole of the Yatagarasu into such a frenzy that they've begun preparations for a potentially-catastrophic solution...

By destroying the Shadow Champion and Arbiters in such simple fashion, then devouring the Shadow Warrior called Vamp, his credentials were instantly certified...and with the way the world moved around him, because of him, his influence was secured. The world may change in a big way, soon...and if/when it does, the smart money will say that he and any others like him will be at the heart of the matter...

[Other Nominees: Nagito, Jezebel, Tiir Rumibul, Naniyori, Adachi, Master Therion]

Best Comedic Moment - Zeo Aux Follies

Look, it's been said a hundred times, but if you're going to come at the king, you had best not miss. And once again, nobody can manage to top the pure slapstick genius that is the entire life and times of Zeo Kirijo. From tackling Kensu off of the rooftop to his fancy new butler and butler-attacks, Zeo's coming to win this award every year, and he's not going to stop until he's put them all on his mantle!

They should rename this ward the "Zeo Kirijo Best Comedic Moment Award", because he's got this thing on layaway from January 1st to December 31st, every year.

...That's 365 Days, holmes.

[Other Nominees: Zeo Aux Follies, Soji's Bad Morning, Noir Helps!, Naniyori Punks Zusyotsu, Mataki's Bad Morning]

Best Kiss - Minori and Genji at the Floodplain

In a slow year for romantic moments, the sweet kiss of the berry-haired heri and the blonde young Senior at the Floodplain really takes the cake as far as romantic kisses go. It was impromptu, unexpected, and absolutely cute.

Maybe next year there will be more romance, but for this year, at least we got one gem out of the bunch!

[Other Nominees: Minori and Genji at the Floodplain, Gwendolyn Mouth-Raping Shu at the Beach, Zeo's Imaginary Kisses with All the Ladies, Rednal probably kissed someone at some point...]

Least Moving Death - Fujimatsu

Even with a beloved character, there are times when you can hardly mourn their passing: when their time had simply come, when they die with honor and in thew ay that they wanted, and of course, when they were basically begging everybody in sight to kill them with their every breath and action, wearing a giant sign on their chest that screams "KILL ME! KILL ME! KILL ME!"

...See, that's basically what Fujimatsu was doing, going around talking to anyone who had fire spells and then asking for fights to the death. And he wasn't...yet...really a beloved character, at all. To make it even less moving, he's back now. Death that isn't permanent isn't all that sad...

...Welcome back, Firebro! It's like you never even died...

[Other Nominees: Fujimatsu, El, Tenma and Kagemusha, Albert Wesker, Eri Hirano and Ryce "Jin" Kagami]

Most Innocent Character - Noir Coursier

There were a lot of wonderful candidates for this award...from the ever-charming and clueless Suzu, to Mikoto who thinks that the town just has a bad reputation, even to Tezuka, who has NO idea what he just woke up to. There's a little girl who awakened to a power she could never understand on her own...who has an innocence that lets her see the good in a man most would consider a monster simply for being what he is...and of course, there is Nix, whose few affectionately friendly interactions with Genji had her innocently charmed as though they had been in a relationship for years...without either of them ever having confessed (or even come close!) to one another the whole time. And all of their innocence is both adored and loved nigh-throughout the Guild!

However when it comes down to it, there's just something inherently sad and lovable about the innocence of a Black Messiah who is blind, homeless, genuinely BELIEVES in Shadow Soji's goodness, and who is constantly trying to help people (albeit to the worst possible ends, by no intent of his own). Noir is in a class of his own right now...and it will take a Suzu-sized effort next year if anyone is going to out-innocent this poor b*****d!

[Other Nominees: Mikoto Hageshii, Suzume Kirihara, Tezuka, Saya Ebisawa, Nix Gallen, Noir Coursier]

Best Dungeon - The Island

A topsy-turvy, other-worldly maze of a manor with a surprise around every corner in the form of a new person to talk to, a devil to challenge you, or a riddle that you had to solve before you could continue, the Island was a surprisingly brilliant turn in dungeon-crawling for the Guild in a year when events of its like were sadly few and far between.

And though the mystery of the island remains yet unsolved, there is no reason that players cannot one day revisit and see just what other secrets are yet to be uncovered in the realm where Yamato Hotsuin, "Joe", Airi Ban, and others just like them continue to roam in search of the answers they have yet to find!


[Other Nominees: Jezebel's World, the C Project, the Island, Yasogami High Woodlands]

Most Beautiful Female Character - Seika Murakami

There are many forms of beauty...there are rough and tumble beauties like Jun who simply look like they could destroy you thoroughly and make you love and hate every minute of it...there are classical beauties like Futaba who lure you in with a mature allure...cool, simple beauties like Saiga and Nix that you could find in your everyday life but still compare favorably to the best...and there are simply stunning older beauties that you can't help but admire no matter how little of a chance you actually have with them, like Mitsuru Kirijo...

But there is a wildness to Seika Murakami that makes her unique...an untamed beauty that is both classically lovely and dangerously edgy...and when you can combine a pair of wonderfully attractive looks into a single, explosive package like this one, what you get is this year's Most Beautiful Lady!

[Other Nominees: Mitsuru, Jun, Seika, Nix, Futaba, Saiga]

Sexiest Male Character - Gin Mishima

We could hear arguments all day for any of the nominees for this category...Soji is Soji and last year's winner, and Lewis Keys practically OWNED this category for years before the Rise of the Soji...Dojima absolutely smolders in the older gentleman's category, and Miran Froaude's raw sexiness is an integral part of the character as he is. Even Rednal's continuing image of shirtlessness seems to be working for him...if only with himself!

But when you are looking for a modernly 'sexy' character, you find one that suits the times. The rugged stubble of the modern teenage punk and the coifed, perfectly-frosted hair of the glam-rock generation, and a leather jacket of a standout color to top the whole outfit off...that's Gin Mishima in a nutshell. Everybody loves rock stars, after all.

...And if nothing else, the man looks damn good on a Steam Bike.

[Other Nominees: Soji Seta, Lewis Keys, Ryotaro Dojima, Gin Mishima, Naniyori, Miran Froaude, Rednal Ak'Thias]

Most Annoying Character - Raidou Kuzunoha and Geirin "Kai" Kuzunoha

Never has a pair of summoners been more universally annoying...and for such completely opposite reasoning. Simply talk to the other summoners throughout the Guild's Yatagarasu Organization and you will begin to understand the varying opinions and logic behind the apathy and antipathy towards the two strongest of the remaining Great Summoners of the Yatagarasu.

Kai...who refuses to go by his own proper title, even...is genuinely just a d**k. A jerk who plays with and beats up others for his own amusement, and yet is genuinely pretty damn good at his job. People don't like him because he's an a*****e, plain and simple.

And Raidou is like the 'Disappeared Mom' of Great Summoners...never around or available for casual interaction, learning, or contributions to the growth process of her younger summoners, but always around when there is glory and action to be had. There are a number of reasons why the Crows have extended an offer to her to take up her own Name, and to grow her own legacy within the crows, to increase their strength in numbers while allowing an apprentice to take over the name of Raidou...and the opinions of her peers factor very heavily therein.

[Other Nominees: Kiki-Jiki, Raidou Kuzunoha, Kisa, Kai "Geirin" Kuzunoha, Dakota Curtiss, Tezuka]

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Top RP'er of 2013 - Zorc James and Rednal

In a year for the Guild that was slower than normal, and at times when the Guild itself seemed almost as though it might be on its last legs...two RP'ers carried the torch and continued to push forward, interacting and creating new storylines, characters, and ideas that helped to eventually spark the Guild back to life in the latter half of the year. It was through this continuing devotion, work ethic, and commitment to interesting characters that even this Christmas Special was allowed to thrive.

Rednal, who has always been a stalwart RP'er and moderator in the Guild, once again proved that he would always lend a helping and and be there for newcomers in need of someone to join them and introduce them to the system...

...And Zorc, a newcomer whose interest, enthusiasm, and youth was contageous to everyone who got involved with him and helped to breathe new life into an otherwise stagnant pool of characters and storylines...

Together, the two of them made sure that the Guild and storylines of the year always thrived...and perhaps saved the Guild itself all the while.

...

That's why this year's RP'ers of the year are a tie between Zorc and Rednal...congratulations to both! And a hearty thanks for everything!

[Other Nominees: Zorc James, stickdude, Rednal, Necromonium, Yokoalchemist, Great Ryoman!]



Top Hero of 2013 - Soji Seta

C'mon, you know I had to...


Top Non-Soji Hero of 2013 - Jo(Shu) Michieru

They say that a hero is someone who puts themselves in the line of fire to save others, and that they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. They say they are strong, capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound, and that they always manage to come through when it counts.

But to many, the true value of a hero is their ability to draw in other people from around them to join them in their fight; it's the ability to inspire in other people what the hero themselves is already willing to do...to fight for what is right, to stand up in the face of evil and fear, and to defend an ideal that is dear to their heart. It's not so hard as you might think to take a stand for yourself, but to convince others through your actions that they should...and can...do the same is what it means to be a REAL hero.

And this year's Top Hero has that in spades...

Shu has not only managed to grow stronger with each passing year and stand strong in the face of evil, but he inspires others around him to want to do the same and follow in his path. Kanade, Saiga, Asuka, Yatsuda, and every last one of his devils is loyal to their friend...loyal to the apprentice who came before...just as Shu learned from and became loyal to his own master, a hero in her own right.

But as her time may soon come to an end, so does Shu's time only just now begin. The Top Hero of 2013 stands ready to become one of the Top Heroes in Japan for years to come...

Congratulations!


[Other Nominees: Jo(Shu) Michieru, Hatsu Harima, Mataki Hito, Kisa, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Noir Coursier]


Top Villain of 2013 - Tohru Adachi and Tiir Rumibul

Full Disclosure: it was a down year for villains...there was a lot more heroism and casual roleplaying going on this year than major storylines. However, when the time came for something that could change the very nature of the Guild and lead into perhaps the greatest event of 2014 came around, there were only two real candidates who had put their stamp on the events of the year that will have repercussions throughout the whole of the P4:FES - the Golden world.

In Iwadate, an entire team of friends was wiped out thanks to the machinations of a mischievous Adachi...seeking justice and a rematch of wits with those who defeated him once. His path has lead him all over the country, and now he returns to Inaba with fire on his fingertips, blowing up part of the station as a Welcome Home present, and Hell now comes at his back...

...And throughout the country fear could be felt at the knowledge of the return of Tiir Rumibul, the Anti-Spirit...and the supernatural world stands on the brink of War simply by his existence alone. All that Inaba and Iwatodai and Okina know stands on the line now...the Crows having sent their best to count him...the Messiahs well aware of his power after his destruction of Teros, Kazuma, and Vamp.

...And in 2014 their machinations may come to their logical conclusion. With it, perhaps...the end of Inaba may at last be at hand as well...

[Other Nominees: Tiir Rumibul, Naniyori, Jezebel, Sano Gallen, Nagito, Tohru Adachi]



Top Character of 2013 - Kyouji Kuzunoha X

It should be said from the very outset of this award: Kyouji Kuzunoha is not a character who appears often in the RP, nor is she the most powerful character in the RP.

However, behind the scenes and on-camera, she continues to become more and more involved in the lives of her allies...her apprentices...and every time she steps out into the limelight for a rare appearance, it always comes with a dash of epic...no small amount of flourish...and to the pleasure and adoration of any number of characters and players.

Kyouji is the master of Top Hero Jo(Shu) Michieru, who taught him how to become a summoner...helped him obtain any number of summons...and offers guidance, challenges, and wisdom to her charge whenever possible and between her various missions. In recent weeks, the number of students under her tutelage has increased to three...each of which she had begun to train and aid in her own fashion: Asuka Bokuro, who abandoned the teaching of Raidou Kuzunoha to learn from her, and Yatso Hanafuda, whose inherent talent made him an attractive pupil to take on. Through a none-too-heavy hand and various methods, her training of her apprentices has become an important thread in the ongoing story of the Yatagarasu...and amongst the eccentric Kuzunoha, somehow, the assassin has become viewed as the most sensible of all.

But more than that, it's her professionalism and respect which earn her praise: a no-nonsense way of getting things done when they need to be done that apprentices and allies can respect. She doesn't speak poorly of allies, and respects everyone who deserves it for what it is. She is powerful and wise, cool and stylish, and thanks almost entirely to a wonderful cast of characters to whom she has become bound, she has grown into one of the Guild's most beloved 'older sisters' or 'mentors'.

And so in a year that was short on great heroics, but big on character interaction...this award goes to the pin that holds an entire troupe together. To the mentor who raised a Hero...

Congratulations to 2013's character of the year, Kyouji Kuzunoha X!

Other Nominees: Jo(Shu) Michieru, Tiir Rumibul, Kisa, Mataki Hito, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Misha Mori, Sano Gallen]



Top Storyline of 2013 - The Tournament of Bel and Tournament of Fiends Collide

Though the intersection and the realization of the storyline so far has been contained to a single, High-Stakes battle between Mataki Hito and Kisa versus the Queen of Bel, the implications for this storyline are gigantic...and the outcome remaining uncertain makes it all the more intriguing! Two of the Guild's major secondary storylines have finally come to cross paths...with the inclusion of Matkai Hito by Lewis Keys in the Tournament of Fiends having brought him face-to-face with his future opponent Kisa, the Demi-Fiend of Lucifer.

On many levels, the intrigue abounds...Lucifer and Loki's war begins in earnest as their two chosen pawns begin to cross paths and gain/lose ground with one another, a rivalry is born between them that may one day shape the very future of the world itself!

Mataki's reluctance to fight makes him seem both cautious and perhaps weak, but Kisa's dogged persistence and blind ambition makes her seem foolish and careless...weaknesses, cracks in the armor form...and one day these may become too important to ignore any longer. Inevitably, the Candelabra must be united by one...and their paths will no longer run side-by-side, but intersect...this time violently.

A war in the underworld has taken another step forward...with the Fallen Angel and the Trickster God watching with great interest at how it all unfolds.

...The future of the world hinges on the outcome...and that's the sort of stakes that make a storyline truly great.


[Other Nominees: Nagito's Plan, Tournament of Bel and Tournament of Fiends Collide, The Island, Yojimbo's Tomb, The Killing Joke, Adachi Returns, The Anti-Spirit Escapes]

 

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2014!!! ~ *
(Haruto Mashiba's GUILDMAS2014!! Shipping List Special!)




"Hello Inaba! And welcome to the GUILDMAS2014!! Annual Shipping List Celebration!

Romance is in the air...and I'm not just talking about that extra-heavy perfume Lira wears to cover up the scent of her movie-butter popcorn! To spare you from another long night of going back and forth, I've tricked the rest of the team into spending the night at a 'party' back at the dormitory...and so now I, Haruto Mashiba, am here to deliver to you what you've all been waiting so very long to see.

I love to give the people what they want, after all...

It's this year's GUILDMAS2014!! HARUTO MASHIBA'S PUNK CHRISTMAS SHIPPING CATALOGUE!

"Has anybody seen...all my Wasted Love!
I've been down every street...no I won't...give...uuup!
If I have to die...just to justify...that's how it's gonna be!
Has aaanybody seeen...all my was-ted-love!

...And bring it back to me...all my waaasted...loooove~"


...Thank you, thank you...this list might not be 100% accurate to what you had in mind, but the feelings that went into them are quite real. Keep that in mind as you are reading... Now, on to the show!

~Haruto Mashiba of Haruto Mashiba and the GUILDMAS2014!! Experience, Compiler and Commentator, 2014 Christmas Shipping List"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Long-Term Relationships
("Those who are together, have been together, and will always be together. There's no room for debate here...")

Minato Arisato x Mitsuru Kirijo - Mitsuru might seem intimidating, but she turns into a pretty big softie around my master in the art of...well, you know. After all that they have been through, it's all right if they just leave it to us from here...but I know they won't.

Naoto Shirogane x Kanji Tatsumi - When I first learned how these two met, I laughed. You laughed, we all laughed. ...I'm still laughing, actually. But when you've got it you've got it...and they've got it.

Sai Sakurazaka x Suzume Kirihara - You've got to hand it to a girl like Suzu that can tame a beast like the Cherry Blossom Killer. It's hard to believe it was only a few months ago that Sai was glaring us down at the Inter-High Sports Festival like we were diseased...but Suzu came to us and apologized after the race for him and promised us he was a good guy when you got to know him. I don't know if I believe that part...but it seems like he's calmed down, hasn't it?

Kaori Sakurazaka x Munakata Kei - Two runaway human weapons living together on an island isolated cabin from the rest of the country? Sounds sexy...I wonder if I could get Noelle to go on a vacation with me when this is all over...?

Junpei Iori x Fuuka Yamagishi - Like I could put together a list like this without mentioning these two! They think they are being subtle with all their glances and secret hand-holding...you're really not. But out of respect, I'll make sure Haru-Miji stays out of Ms. Yamagishi's panty drawer.

Seo Taihaku x Yasuko Taihaku - Now here's a man fashioned after my own heart! ...Or since he's a seemingly-ageless devil, would I be fashioned after his? All the same, he's found himself a good girl. You have to admire someone who is willing to be happy in his situation, don't you?

Rednal x Yuno x Aselia - The only 3-or-more pair you'll find on this list, and the most stable. He might talk a good game about 'love' and everything, but I know a player when I see one. Hey, don't think I'm knocking it, though...don't hate the player...hate the game.

Nia Ueda x Nito Nekata - She might have trouble keeping up with him, but he'll always stop and wait before he leaves her behind. I could make a thousand jokes about the two of them, but I'll just call it what it is...a good match.

Jo(Shu) Michieru x Saiga Giriko - This is the present...not that terrifying future in which Shu is apparently the only living man with which all girls feel the need to repopulate the Earth. And in the present, there's only one surefire match for this Charmer. The one with the iron fist to keep him in line.

Haruto Mashiba x Noelle Everett - ...What did you expect? You think I want to be DESTROYED!!!...?

Soji Seta x Yukiko Amagi or Rise Kujikawa - What I said about Rednal above? This isn't one of those. I'm not shipping him with both, but rather, one or the other. Sometimes, no matter how much a man cares and wishes he could travel two roads, you must choose between one or the other. The time is now to choose...to whom will you return, Soji Seta?

Miran Froaude x Jun Otsuka - Anything written about these two would inevitably veer towards the X-Rated, so let's just admit they're dangerously good together and move on...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New Relationships
("Those who are in the process of getting together, or who have only been together shortly. Will they stand the test of time?")

Gin Mishima x Nix Gallen - Bonding on the road is a tale as old as...well...the roads. But there's a lot more to this growing relationship than a rivalry on the bike tracks. Suddenly it feels like they've always been together...I've got a good feeling about this.

Yuuya Kuniohara x Nym - Could anybody else really understand these two but each other?

Minori Koroko x Amagai Genji - It's been one year in real time since the two of them first began to see one another, and one Sentai performance, two Shades, and a whole lot of strangeness later they look just as strong together as always.

Faust Necromonium x Eoria Ansul - In the running for the biggest shocker on this list would be the absence of one name in this pair...one which disappeared officially from the relationship with essentially no buildup, explanation, or visible reasoning. Don't ask me how it happened...I'd be careful, Eoria...strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.

Hatsu Harima x Seika Murakami - It might only be fresh officially, but we've seen these two latching onto one another in small ways for a while now...it's only right that after two of the most trying events of their lives and careers as persona-users that the superficial distance between them disappeared. Now if only they could decide on where to go for dinner...

Haoul Yamakiji x Claire Ferris - Another shake-up from last year's list, but I guess Risette didn't see the Firebrand finally looking away from the untouchable to the little fairy pursuing him from the beginning. Even a purveyor of the Game like myself has to admire when a man recognizes the time (and with whom) to bow out.

Estellise Udonge x Amina - I'd say there's something romantic about coming across time together to save the world with the one you care for...but, no, yeah that actually is a bit romantic. And yet...

Aeon Fabregas x Narue Taihaku - ...When that romance threatens multiple worlds, it can be a bit dangerous. The devotion of Aeon to his 'Rue-Rue' is cute, and her reunion with her father was one of the most heartwarming moments of the year. But whether this turns out for better or worse remains one of the most terrifying mysteries moving forward...

Yasumoto Kensu x Mei Hanako - We can call this official now, right? We're not going to dance around it anymore? Dude got his arms ripped off by Raiden, don't take this from him...

Akane Sakisaka x Yasuo Utsumi - Is this really official? Debatable. Do I care? ...Let's just say it would be better for all if it was. The alternative isn't pretty...

Noa Winters x Vale Lampard - Swift, fiery partners who just look damn cool together. I wouldn't want to get in between the two of them. ...Which, considering they are both assassins, is probably the only sane thing to do.

Kumori Oniko x Sinbad Kuatsumo - Kinda-sorta together in the here and now and definitely together in a future where they had a very strange-looking kid...I'd say they are cute, but they are kind of cute together...kind

Shiranui Amaterasu x Rorek Viral-Taihaku - Notes taken. Notes considered. Notes approved. Take this one to the bank.

Cesc Fabregas x Aishe - ...They have a futurebaby, after all. ...We can call them that, can't we? Futurebabies?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Crack Relationships
("Pairs who I believe should get together. Who better to decide your romantic future than a complete stranger, after all?")

Shinpachi Saito x Lira Chronicle - True or not, it's a blast to watch them panic and deny it...right Haru-Miji?

Tezuka Rembrii x Rena Redeyan - I can't tell you how, or why it works. But maybe Surripio Rembrii could...because in another place, another time, it happened. And hey, why not?

Cassim El'Amin x Tyria Harvestasha - He might not speak Japanese, but he doesn't need to! Bread is the universal language...

Titus Martillo x Al Azif - The less we say about this relationship, the better. Still, you have to admire a man willing to go as far as he will for some random underage loli that looks like his dead wife, right? ...Wait, what?!

Mao x Juuni Neptunia - Two borderline-insane purveyors of justice; neither is above delivering a boot to your skull in the name of fun...err...heroics! The world needs more fun people like them...so why not put 'em together and see what comes?

Adell x Justitia - The (arguably) saner counterparts of the above duo. And really, toning down the crazy just a little might make this shipped-couple much more likely.

Loa Recctear x Suigetsu Mizuiro - He could go either way, really...but wait! So can she! Err...he! ...Whatever!

Itachi Kishikido x Boudica Tlalli - A mysterious, sketchy police officer and a mysterious, sketchy teacher walk into a bar...they both get drunk and end up in a totally crack relationship arranged by yours truly.

Reina Udonge x Black Iron Tarkus - They have a futurebaby and she'd really ship with anyone, I suppose...well, anyone who would have her...but doesn't anybody worry about the Bun-STDs she absolutely HAS to have?

Yukari Takeba x Tharros Gallen or Colm Watanabe - Now, would Yukari actually date either of these guys? ...Probably not. But there's been enough hilarious ship-tease between them that you kind of have to root for it to happen (at least a little), anyway. How bad would she have Colm whipped, though...? A lot whipped, or all the way whipped? ...Actually, Dominatrix Yukari sounds kind of hot...

Tohru Adachi x Sapphire - I mean, wasn't the entire murder case last year the result of no girl being willing to 'Show Adachi the Love'? Won't have that problem here...sexy dancing on command! God, I love technology...

Rosealina Miina x Eido Aeroda - He likes 'em ROUND...and BIG! ...No, we're not talking about Mara! ...An aside, has ANY girl with assets...err...talents...err...has any girl like that ever had a harder time getting a boyfriend? Something's not right there...let's fix it!

Miwako Kondo x Ishimaru Oowada - He's a rule-tard wannabe enforcer and she's just the scary big-sister type that can put him in his place. And really, maybe this is just wishful thinking...but I'd feel a lot better were getting to second base in her room instead of patrolling the dorm. I'd have a lot more fun, too...

Akaito Modoku x Karasu Shojiki - She's bloodthristy and he's a sadist. Think of all the fun they could have together! ...On second thought, let's not.

Kin Hiiragi x Yatso Hanafuda - If dating a blood-sucking ex-Strega were ever a good idea...this probably isn't the time. Still, Yatsudas are gonna Yatsuda, and with his luck, will he ever find another girl willing to put up with that hat? It worked in the future, so...why not now?

Kusuri Keiraku x Leonardo Mori - So her relationship with Faust ended...but the growth of Kusuri Keiraku as a person since her first days meeting the green-haired trap has been something to see. Where does she go from here, now that she has grown? Perhaps someone else who has changed a great deal the last few months can provide an answer. Two people who struggle to contain the beast within, who seek release from a past relationship, who need something...maybe the right one isn't so far off after all?

Yosuke Hanamura x Chie Satonaka - Downgraded to a Crack Ship at this point because they haven't spoken in like, 8 months. Seriously, do they even know one another anymore?


Aleister Crowley x Korina Yamaka - He's a timeless alchemist who has become a persona-user but never abandoned his hobbies of summoning, rituals, and study of the unknown. She's a strange cultist who knows a persona-user and never abandoned her practices of summoning, rituals, and human sacrifice. Fortunately he's not human...err...is he? Maybe...but imagine the mischief these two could get into! And I don't just mean in the bedroom...

Javik Pendergast x Cheryl Vonvitch - For all of her zombie-ish quirks, I think Mr. Buttmark would still say 'She's my type...'. Got to appreciate a guy willing to overlook a craving for brains.

Kuro T. Hand x Miya Haato - Things the two have in common: they are both fairly small, they both have a name that ends in the letter 'o', and...they both live in Inaba? You say you don't get it, I say 'I ship that!'. It's called chemistry, bro. I don't need a reason...

Garry Iblis x Usugu Hibari - They're two older people with powers wandering into a town and a world of crazy they don't quite understand. He commands devils well, but can he manage to tame the devil inside of her? Sounds like the plot of some cheap B-movie Noelle would make me watch with her...what the Hell, I'll ship it!

Ciela Kuzunoha I x "Kai" Raidou Kuzunoha - You say they're ready to kill one another, that they're always at each others' throats...I say 'Just kiss already!'

Miira Rukiora x Venustus Michieru - Just because he came back in time doesn't mean that there's nothing in this world for him. Discovering certain people, certain things, will open up the world to a person who has never known anything but fighting...but darkness. Who better than a spritely guide with a sweet ride to show a man like Venus what Japan has to offer?

Fina Taihaku x Woodcock the Shooter - It wouldn't take much for her to make him call her 'Boss'...but that's none of my business.

Chiharu "ChiChi" Chiyoko x Malik Suna - A friendly Embryon Ensign with a sunny disposition with a man who literally worships the sun. I see a bright future ahead for...you know what? That joke might be too bad, even for me...

Iggy Sentsubon x Yuzu Kyuuban - He's a punk app-user with a questionable past and she's a former soldier and current agent of the Crows with a dark past, present, and probably future. It might be hard for them to get to know one another, but each one has the fortitude to endure the others' darkness. And that's the first step, isn't it?

Denmark x Niiya Honya - The two closest remaining confidants and friends of Sai Sakurazaka and Suzume Kirihara outside of the old man, there is a closeness in a shared secret that can bring people together...or drive them apart. For Sai's sake, you hope it is the former...

Tatsumaki Kikai x Maria Genias - She's a wannabe magician and he's a technological wizard. Everything about them seems opposite, but you know what they say about opposites...

Murasaki Gathielle x Mikoto Hageshii - A star musician might not get along with some basic girl, one who squealed when he walked into the room and threw panties on the stage when he performed...scratch that last part, that would actually be awesome...but the general, sleepy indifference of Ms. Gathielle to his fame makes her an ideal candidate to truly get to know him.

Gabi x Mokou - All right, yeah, he's about 40 years older than she is, but the guy is a monster! He'll probably live until he's 200, which really makes him only about 30 in normal human years...and, well, who wouldn't want to see this played out to the illogical extreme end in which Japan is ruled over by Emperor Gabi and Empress Mokou? Aside from the Mori, of course...

Jian Lin Kuei x Aoshiki - He might not consider himself a one-woman kind of guy, but if there's a favorite in the never-ending stream of women...one that he might always eventually come back to...it would be her, wouldn't it?

Kimiko Lin Kuei x Kiki-Jiki - He kills demons to feed, and she kills just for fun (and money)! If they worked together...her hitting the targets and him devouring them...they just might become one of the deadliest duos around!

Aiko Higuchi x Yukio Oiharu - Two lower-ranked summoners trying to work their way up the ranks; they are in an ideal position to lean on one another, to grow together, and to become close...if they are willing to take the risk of joining forces. Besides, glasses-people unite!

Holly Wulf x Negima Ryouko - Two of the sweeter members of the militant group, Embryon. Though they may not rank very highly in authority, they are well-loved by many...why not each other?

Kansei Ribasu x Shingo Surabashi - For anyone to ship with Kansei would require a great deal of understanding and a strong control over one's temper...that tongue knows how to cut deep (and no, that's not some sort of an innuendo, this time) into those who get too near or annoy her. That's why, of all options, Shingo works so well...being someone of a maturity and tolerance to hear her out, to not make a big deal out of her gender, her drive to succeed, amongst other things. There is a star-crossed situation between the Crows and the Lions of Embryon, but neither of them is likely to be too concerned about it if they are really interested. Sometimes it only takes a small push to start something big...a conversation, a chance meeting, even a battle...why not them?

Haruka Falcom x Rirouku Muramaro - Her pain at his injuries hint to a beautiful heart within...but when he comes out of the hospital, how will she react, then? Perhaps her concern will give rise to something more? They could both use a break...and it's not like Yukari's keeping them under house arrest...

Futaba Kongiku x Dakota Curtiss - An eccentric American Crow and the epitome of the traditional Japanese woman...it's a pair straight out of a post-WWII international romantic drama. All the same, is there a pair which takes their work more seriously amongst all the Clan Heads? There is plenty of common ground to work from between them...

Kogata Ibuki x Rocksaus Synchronium - A hardcore rocker needs a hardcore woman like her if he's going to stay faithful. ...What? You thought I was going to say something about her enormous...you know...didn't you? Nope. You're not getting the satisfaction...

Zowii Zera x Hikari Zusyotsu - He's a guy who has been through a lot during his time with the Embryon...she's someone just king enough to take care of him. Plus, if it's not someone like him, she could end up the object of Butt-Tattoo Guy's affection. You don't want that, do you?

Kyuzo Rikkio x Serina Leaf - Hey, they talked that one time in Sapporo at her diner and things went relatively normally...that's more than we can say about 99% of these crack ships in terms of meaningful interaction!

Fujimatsu x Pyhrra - I mean, come on...it's Fuji! Of course he'd love a pyre...err...Phyrra! ...That might have been the worst joke yet. But as the remaining guy in the Guild who looks the most like Bour Ying (read: ugly as sin) and is nearly as crazy (albeit in a different way), there's certainly something about him that might cow her into following him if he decided he wanted her for his own. Maybe he'd even treat her better than her previous Bour? ...Won't you be her Bour 2.0, Fuji?

Amelia Heartilly x Mataki Hito - Not going to let this one die just yet. We're rooting for that dogged nice guy...or would it be snaked? ...I'll show myself out.

Sensuke Tarumohara x Ria the White Devil - A semi-famous musician and the cover-model for the Embryon yearly calendar, these two know something about selling themselves (not literally) to help their own cause. It's inevitable that the two have crossed paths before, and that they will again. Whatever urges he has, she is more than capable of controlling.

Kuzaku Martillo x Sylphie - He's a futurebaby come back to save the world from his haunted future, and she's just haunted by her past with the shadows. They've both seen too much for as young as they are...but a shared pain is a pain that is lessened...a burden that can be carried. Can love bloom across time and space?

Anzu Munakata x Inigo Tsukira Shimazu - Not an established relationship, but a pair who respect and admire one another amongst the futurebabies...with a fear planted in her heart by Koji Mori's declaration of intent to tear them apart one by one, will something more than friendship bloom between them?

Patris Michieru x Tripidius Yamakiji - He's nicer than his looks might imply and she's more formidable than her sweet appearance might say. But beneath the looks and the strength are a pair of similarly-strong and loyal hearts. Would love help to heal the wounds of an endless war?

Gwendolyn Lembryant x Ragna Ketsuki - A serious and temperamental Lieutenant of the SunBros and an exceedingly open alchemist from the Lin Kuei. If they ever met on the battlefield, they'd almost certainly be enemies...but off of it, could her open affection and charms be enough to convince him to lay down his burdens for just a little while?

Rayne Paik x Kanade Tachibana - A bit of an upset to see Kanade removed from the Jo(Shu) pairing, but as she comes into her own in both power and personality, she will discover that she does not need to bind herself to someone who will not give her the love and attention she deserves...the willingness to look at her and only her. And for all his warts, his personality issues, Rayne seems like the type of guy whose love could be given to only one...as it is with his one and only friend. Perhaps his sharp tongue could help to awaken an even deeper strength within her...and then discover ways to sap that strength entirely?

Zorc the 4th x The Strawberry Milk Goddess - Because nobody else would even acknowledge the two of them if not the other...

Armina Wolfgang x Naomi Martillo - A female assassin with strange tastes and questionable fashion sense deserves an equally strange person with taste and fashion sense that...well, could be just as questionable as her own. Their skills are compatible...why not each other?

Kyouji Kuzunoha X x Shay Takeda or Asuka Bokuro - She's an adventurous summoner whose heart isn't so much closed to love as it is closed to the idea that she could find it given her profession...but if there's someone who knows a thing or two about adventuring and unlocking hidden treasure, it is the Okina Team's tomb-raiding, chest-pillaging Shay! Is it possible the two of them could awaken something in one another they never imagined? ...Or perhaps Kyouji's love of cute things will win out and Asuka will become the target of her surprising affections? She would never be the type to try for two, so it's one or the other...if any at all.

Misha Mori x Gokuborii Underwood - So shipping Bug Girl with Leon didn't work out...what about his amorous sister?! Yes, I'm totally clever...



Noir Coursier x Ellie Troit - He's willing to do anything to help out, and she's a true Heroine. Though he might stumble and fall, his spirit is strong...could he reach into her heart and touch the spirit of the samurai within?

Rosa Hanasaku x Weston Smith - She's the Peppermint Princess (nickname awaiting Copyright) and that's totally got to be the name of one of Weston's former conquests, right?

Tsuyoshi Nishijo x Chiyo Tachibana - The big guy/small girl thing is definitely adorable, but do you think he can really handle someone with her personality? She might end up eating him alive...

Izuru Shimazu x Tsuki - We all kind of knew this might be a thing before...or maybe that was just Risette...? But this year's Blind Date game only confirmed it. Consider it shipped.

Genzo Komaba x Arisu - It's my List, and I can ship if I want tooo~ <3

Youmu Konpaku x Hiro Akatsuki - She might be shy and he might not be strong, but there is a shared ideal of goodness that connects them...can she see past the superficial to the boy beneath the glasses (and other factors) to understand his heart?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"No Hopers"
("Anyone here is as likely to kill you as kiss you...or they just have no game.")

Zeo Kirijo - Tons of money. Not even particularly bad looking. ...No game. Really, like, Anti-Game. My sympathies, brother...

Aigis, Shinjiro Aragaki, Labrys, Teddie, WYNN - Persona-users with...unique personalities or circumstances making relationships difficult.

Sreze, Amonius Sutaka - On the lonely side of a hopelessly one-sided love...

Kisa - Too busy being a cosmic plaything for Lucifer...

Juugo Kirikaze, Raven Gallen, Sieg Shimazu, Solaire of Astora, Tobi, Riphal Edea, Izaya Amatsu, Nalkrien, Mijiyou Harusuhei - Widowers, warriors, or weirdos who are not looking for love right now...

Wayato Kogane - U-G-L-Y! You ain't got no alibi! Too ugly...-clap clap- too ugly...-clap clap- ...to ship.

Akihiko Sanada, Saizo Kirigakure, Henry Plegia, Red, Yoshida Rinku, Ryofu and Lu, Bel Heartilly, Benkyou Resolvere, ERGO, Mirai Hatto - Love X too much to ship... (In order...protein, money, blood, being the very best like no one ever was, cowboy butts, Balmung, being King of Bel, hating on Shu, being a creeper, herself...)

Jugador Menor, Weston Smith (again) - Men who enjoy the company of the sort of women you pay for more than any sort of real close companionship...

King Leo, Geist the Magnificent, Charo Lin Kuei, Renko Hikawa, Orvaeus Velvetair, Minohiko Tsuneshi, Ennea - Insane in a way that is not conducive to shipping...

Hei Nanjou, Balmung, Kabuto, Oichi, Tala, Wei Zhijun - Mori's Avengers and Lucifer's Army have a lot more to worry about than romance.

Ebiyo Uyahara, Nora Keruberosu-Taihaku, Honto Teki-Taihaku, Kappa, Gyuki, Zolf J. Kimblee, Kyoki - A dead guy, a dog, who knows?, a kappa, a spider, Psycho and Psycho Jr. Not a lot of romantic options here...

Ruri Konpeki, Sophia Ulrich, Minene Tenshiko - There aren't enough guys in Embryon...wait, there aren't enough GUYS?! Since when was THAT a thing?!

Amora Necromonium, Relika Ak'Thias, Zaito Hanako, Fate Lembryant, Euphie Ak'Thias, Surri Rembrii, Dolus Michieru, Momoko Hudamora - Futurebabies too busy saving the world to ship just yet...

Tear Hemels, Maeko - Ideologically opposed to relationships for herself.

Seneca Daidouji - Too busy being coma'd to fall in love...

Naniyori, Sano Gallen - Deserve special mention because they REALLY will kill you...

Everyone Else!

 

[Arena Emperor]

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* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2014!!! ~ *
(The 2014 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)


"Good evening, Guildpeople, characters, and everyone else who decided to come along! And welcome to the 2014 Persona 4:FES - The Golden Guild Awards Presentation Special! ...Damn, that's a mouthful! We're your hosts for the evening, the dashing Ace Presenter Junpei Iori...and joining me tonight, looking even more stunning than ever, is my co-host...Miss Fuuka Yamagishi!"

"Thank you, Junpei. As my friend was saying, tonight we'll be honoring the very best from the past year in the Persona 4:FES - The Golden Guild. From memorable moments to standout characters to the very best of the players behind each of their movements and computer screens, we're here to honor those responsible for another very wonderful year here in the Guild...our sixth annual celebration of these awards. We are very thankful for every last one of you who contributed to such a memorable 12 months, and look forward to another 365 days hereafter with all of you! Now then...without any further adieu, let us begin tonight's presentations."

"Beautiful and classy as always, isn't she? Heh heh...anyway, having said that, let's get right down to it! First up...the character awards section!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

: razz art 1 - The Character Superlatives::
"These are awards given to characters who have given us lots of memorable moments in interaction, awesomeness, battle, and so on...or those that we wish to see more of, less of...or even those that we've said goodbye to in the last year! Tonight, we honor all of the above and more...thanks for an incredible year, and best of luck in the following categories!"

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Most Underplayed Character - Soji Seta

It must be remembered that of all the characters in Persona 4:FES - The Golden, the focus of the plot and story progression remains the Investigation Team...and the heart and soul of the team is their silver-haired leader, whose support and bonds with the precious friends around them push them all forward. In the past year, however, Soji Seta has taken a back seat to a degree and allowed many of his teammates to shine instead. While this has provided us with several entertaining moments, and his teammates with opportunities to show what they could do against the forces of darkness, it goes without saying that in the year to come we'd like to see more of the man in charge!

[Nominees: Soji Seta, Minato Arisato, Shadow Soji, Kusuri Keiraku, Naniyori]

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Most Believable Character - Haruka Falcom

In a Guild full of tragedy and heroes who stand up in the face of fear and darkness, whose eccentric and wild personalities overshadow the spirit within, it was refreshing...if sad...to witness a girl whose reaction to the horrors of the lifestyle of the SEES-2 team wasn't defiance or unwavering heroism...it was fear. Pure, honest fear for her safety and the lives of her friends...that overwhelming feeling that she had perhaps bitten off more than she could chew and that the world she jumped into was too big for her to handle. Would she inevitably overcome that feeling and grow into her role? Of course, because she is strong...but that genuine reaction, the fallout that couldn't simply be brushed aside, made her experience in 2014 a memorable...and the most genuine of all.

[Nominees: Eido Aeroda, Minori Koroko, Haruka Falcom, Tharros Gallen, Mikoto Hageshii]

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Most Idiotic Character - Zeo Kirijo

You almost have to admire someone whose single-minded determination towards one goal drives him so completely as it does with Zeo's pursuit of that elusive first date. Willingness to let a Shade live unless he gets a date? Transparent 'heroism' bursting into the girls' hot springs? Complete obliviousness in the face of harrowing danger in Babel? Check. Check. Check. ...It almost makes you wonder if he has it planned, or if he just makes it all up as he goes along...

[Nominees: Ishi Yamaguchi, Zeo Kirijo, Teddie, Rednal Ak'Thias, Misha Mori, Zorc James the 4th, Boudica Tlalli]

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Most Lovable Character - Mikoto Hageshii

What makes a man or woman lovable? Is it moe adorableness and a perky attitude? Is it a tragic backstory coupled with a wilted personality? Is it a cute obliviousness and a general sunny aura and innocence? Is it an honest and forthright concern and love for the people around you, or a genuine (albeit hapless and clumsy) desire to help anyone and everyone around you? All of the above can certainly apply...

However, sometimes what makes a man lovable is simply being willing to spend some time with the people close to you and be a friend...to hang out, to chat, to not go for the flashy or the cute, but to simply be a good friend. And legions of fangirls can't hurt, either.

[Nominees: Amora Necromonium, Tezuka Rembrii, Nymeria, Genji Amagai, Mikoto Hageshii, Noir Coursier]

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Most Epic NPC - Jian Lin Kuei

A winner of this category on so many different levels, there is a general feeling of grandeur and power about Jian Lin Kuei that cannot simply be ignored. Holding his court in the heart of Oshu City as though he hasn't a care in the world, with a girl on his arm and every face in the club paying homage to the man himself, he stares down all who wander into his domain with the cool confidence of a dragon upon the hoard in his lair. He has what you want...and he knows that if you want what he has, you're going to have to please him. He knows that you know that...and thus the aura of intimidation grows.

Every encounter with the man is a tense battle of words and wit, in which every sentence could be the difference between an offer you can't refuse and death...the stakes of his presence alone make every encounter an epic one. It was a strong year for epic...full of events, grand battles, with much more to come. But by sheer force of personality, one man stands above the pack...

[Nominees: Jian Lin Kuei, Kise Ryouta, Naniyori, Soji Seta, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Gilgamesh]

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Most Epic PC - Jo(Shu) Michieru

How do you choose from such a worthy crop of candidates? A student council president in search of the title of King of Demons who is well on his way...who holds his own even in the face of gods and devils of the highest order, a girl who was once left with nothing that has grown to become perhaps the most intimidating new member of the Investigation Team, an utterly insane madman hiding in the skin of a man who endangers everyone around him with his existence via the fraying strands of his breaking mind, or a powerful rocker who puts even the most intimidating of the up-and-coming villains of the world in their place with a wicked stand?

...As it turns out, quite easily. Because the name 'Kuzunoha' means something in this world, and for a student who only began his training in the last year to become a summoner to grow at such an exponential rate and claim that title, that name, is an unprecedented thing in all the history of this world. His master would say that it was an honor to teach him, his peers would say his rise was beyond stunning...and all of us at home must simply tip our caps and admit it. The Rise of Jo(Shu) Michieru has been nothing short of absolutely epic.

[Nominees: Mataki Hito, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Minori Koroko, Rednal Ak'Thias, Gin Mishima]

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Most Confusing Character - Keira "Yuno" "Izumi" Gayuno

There's so much wrong in that brain of hers...where do you even begin? Crazily devoted to Rednal, mother of Faust's future baby, she enjoys toying with present-Faust's feelings while asserting her loyalty and promising stabs to those who threaten her relationship...never delivering on said promise...now she is house to THREE different personalities which all are different levels of -dere for EACH OTHER?

I give up. Even Rednal can't seem to sort it all out. There's just no understanding it all...and even in a year of winning losers, Strawberry Milk Acolytes, Naniyoris, Anthropomorphic Lobstermen, and dudes who REALLY BETTER NOT ACTUALLY HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE TALIBAN LEST THEY DIE BRUTALLY AND SOON, this somehow stands above the rest...

[Nominees: Keira Gayuno, Tezuka Rembrii, Zorc James the 4th, Naniyori, General Ninja Squidclaws McLobsterbottom, Cassim El'Amin]

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Biggest Airhead - Yuuya Kuniohara

For a long time, this seemed like Nito and Juuni's award to lose...a year full of meandering heroism and even more meandering soliloquy, of dispensing JUSTICE and summoning wild, disloyally grumpy feline soldiers, and much much more...Eoria offered a spirited challenge in the very few moments that she appeared, and Zeo continued to do Zeo things as the year went on, though you can argue that he's fully AWARE of how ridiculous he has become...

...And then this guy showed up with his spacey, demon companion and her evil curtain-devouring winged devils. From an unconventional entrance to the Inn to the poor, poor Boudica Tlalli and her undoubtedly-high cleaning bill (and lost security deposit), to his strange reunion with Mikoto and that ill-fated fence in the Babel Hot Springs, the bar was raised for airheadedness throughout the world once more. But with so many worthy challengers, things only promise to get more...interesting, moving forward.

[Nominees: Eoria, Nito Nekata, Zeo Kirijo, Yuuya Kuniohara, Juuni Neptunia]

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Most Unlikely Badass - Misha Mori

She's sugar with a spicy kick...the headache when you eat a whole cone of ice cream too fast...a dash of wasabi at the heart of your sweet and sour chicken...the thorn on the stem of the rose...the bee at the heart of the flower...the ice dragon roaring out of the fist of the cute Freshman girl...

...Yes, this year's most unlikely badass is Misha Mori, an adorable (and insanely perverted) 1st Year girl who wouldn't intimidate you if she growled REALLY hard, but whose powers and character has grown dramatically over the past 12 months, culminating with the obtaining of her very own persona in the Tower of Babel. Though after her dungeon, it might be said that EVERYONE can see now the predator within her...which allows her to just edge out this year's Lovable Loser (who suddenly, might just be able to win!) for the crown!

Congratulations!

[Nominees: Tezuka Rembrii, Ellie Troit, Nymeria, Amina Kuatsumo, Misha Mori]

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Most Likely to be stabbed by Yuno - Keira Gayuno

It's official...with three minds muddling her already broken consciousness, how can one even know who to stab? Who to trust? Who to love? Will Yuno get jealous when Keira steals Rednal's affection? Will Izumi be one personality too many for the girl's poor mind to handle?

Faust is still the prime suspect outside of herself, of course...but more and more it's looking like if Yuno turns the knife on anyone's stomach, it will be her own...probably. Maybe...

[Nominees: Faust, Amora, Yuno, Aselia Bluespirit, Zeo Kirijo]

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Least Trustworthy Character - Bel Heartilly

Incredibly, this wasn't a particularly difficult choice. Despite Naniyori's yearly penchant for death and betrayal and unpredictability, you can at least trust him to be murderous, disloyal, and unpredictable. Titus might have been quick to turn his back on two-hundred years of loyalty to the Lin Kuei in lieu of a loli lover, and Jian Lin Kuei might be the most terrifying in that you never know the true thoughts behind his eyes as well. Itachi is duplicitous as always, but in the end, none of that is quite as uncertain in nature as the son of an unlikely Inaba couple of which one half is the reluctant King of Demons and understudy of the Trickster himself...

...Himself a student of the Lewis Keys and the Prince of Bel, he commands devils as easily as he kills them, but despite his tenuous alliance with the Resistance in Bad Future and willingness to join the mission to the past, none amongst even his 'allies' can truly ascertain what it is that he seeks. Is his desire truly to save the world, or as his title implies, would he instead rule it with the aid of his demonic allies? Would he reunite with his father, or instead seek to study more under the Trickster who taught him in the past? Is he a friend? A future foe? Does he care at all for his allies or the Bad Future from which they came? Only time will tell...because for right now, the only safe bet is that you should not bet on him at all.

[Nominees: Naniyori, Titus Martillo, Jian Lin Kuei, Itachi Kishikido, Bel Heartilly]

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Most Badass Normal - Boudica Tlalli

Inaba has become such an insane hotbed of supernatural activity that it's hard to find almost anybody who doesn't have some form of powers anymore. Whether it's using enchanted items, summoning devils, or one of the many power-classes that are wrapped up in the growing story and darkness, finding anyone without power who can exert a force of will is a chore. Of course the Detective Ryotaro Dojima remains an ur-example of this, and Ellie Troit was constantly on the minds of players throughout the year whether they wished it or not. Mikoto remained a sturdy presence, Denmark reminded the world why he's not to be taken lightly in confronting powerful Lin Kuei alchemists and holding his own, and Cassim managed to survive an event with little wear to show for the effort.

However there is a level of appreciation that must be afforded to the teacher who could make 2/3s of Japan's famous 'Nyx' wilt with a withering glare...scare the trio out of the room in an instant...and generally maintain her confident, albeit furious disposition in the face of the hot springs' fracas and a thing like that odd Inari Statue...for standing tall, proud, and maintaining her authority in the face of the weirdness that is Inaba, Boudica Tlalli proved that in terms of badassery...if not power...she is more than capable of holding her own.

[Nominees: Dojima-san, Ellie Troit, Mikoto Hageshii, Denmark, Boudica Tlalli, Cassim El'Amin]

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Character That Took the Biggest Level in Badass - Tezuka Rembrii

How do you overcome a short-standing summoner who has risen to the ranks of the ultimate Elite of the organization, a small-time villain who rises to the rank of Shadow Paladin and then EARNS that rank, a frosty moe freshman who can become a dragon, and a normal guy who can't make a date that evolves into an utter tank?

You overcome a meme. The Failure, the Loser, and Nobody Tezuka Rembrii...via a series of defeats, failures, and nothing slowly changed over the course of the year. Against all odds, against all perception, he became something more than what the world thought of him...more than what the memes made him out to be. Unlikely as it was, it cannot be denied the difficult path that was walked and overcome.

In the face of doubt, Tezuka Rembrii became strong.

[Nominees: Tezuka, Jo(Shu), Misha Mori, Sano Gallen, Tharros Gallen]

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The Kamina "Manliest Man' Award - Gin Mishima

What makes a man truly 'manly'? Is it the power in his hands? Is it his quest for glory? Giving it all he's got to fight to the top...so we can know his story? Or is it the woman in his arms, just cause she's got big...heart? Is it the way he fights every day?

This year, Gin Mishima was the epitome of manliness because he not only stood against the darkness without blinking, not only because he cut a ruggedly masculine figure while doing so, and not only because he protected and fought beside a girl that he cared for in her most desperate hour of need, shielding her from harm. No, it wasn't any one of those things...it was all of them, combined. All the elements of manliness that make a man great were present, and together, they allowed one man to stand above the rest.

And dat bike, yo...that leather jacket...manry.

[Nominees: Leon Mori, Yasumoto Kensu, Kanji Tatsumi, Yuuya Kuniohara, Gin Mishima]

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Most Courageous Character - Nix Gallen

Before we talk about the winner, let's just take a minute to acknowledge the immense courage it takes to stand in front of Jian Lin Kuei and bargain knowing your life is on the line every second that you speak...to stand in front of a friend and take the bullet meant for him, not knowing if you'll live or die...to be as truly crazy as one must be to pull off the stunts of a Zeo Kirijo...or to face one's darkest parts, the awfulness one can't even accept, and hold true to the spirit of who you not only are but wish to be...

Nix Gallen stood before the darkness, before impossible danger this year, and she never blinked. She stood before the crumbling remains of the bond she once had with a brother as he tried to kill her and she didn't waver. She faced almost-certain death on the Hilltop and she never took a step back, standing proudly against her enemies believing that she could survive until help arrived. She walks into danger time and time again for her friends, despite her fears, despite her doubts, and she fights...

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is acknowledging one's fear and then doing what you have to do in spite of it. Nobody this year was more an embodiment of that fact than Nix Gallen...and that is why she is this year's most courageous character.

[Nominees: Titus Martillo, Nix Gallen, Rirouku Muramaro, Zeo Kirijo, Faustus Necromonium]

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Magical Girl Miku Girliest Girl - Minori Koroko

Setting aside the moe that makes many of our candidates impossible to leave off of the list on a yearly basis, this year we grow to appreciate a maturity in our women that does not overwhelm the qualities that make them 'girlie', but add to them...enhance them...that make us appreciate them all the more for the girl that they are. If fashion, attitude, and hobbies are the traits that make a girl 'girlie', then how one reacts to situations that take them outside of those comfort zones that codify them.

Nobody embodied this truth more than Minori Koroko this year, whose flustered response to various situations such as Misha's dungeon, the Hot Springs, being forced into a Sentai Show, and other highlights made her girlish traits all the more evident. She was cute, fun, and undeniably girlie. The Girliest Girl of the Year, indeed.

[Nominees: Misha Mori, Faustus Necromonium, Eoria Ansul, Minori Koroko, Shiranui Amaterasu]

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Best Main Storyline Villain - Akashi Seijuurou

Intimidation, fear, power, authority...nobody was the total package quite like Akashi Seijuurou was when he burst onto the scene in January during the Tokyo Persona Team's raid on the SEES-2 Dormitory. While elsewhere Shades terrified and trashed their opponents with a dark reflection of their other selves, and in succession to Kise Ryouta's deadly assault on Rirouku, Hatsu, and SEES-2, Akashi made his presence known almost instantly...looming as a specter of a future doom over the team as his followers held them all at bay with an unsettling ease. He proclaimed himself superior, and with one glance of his Emperor's Eye it was clear in an instant that this was no small boast...no joke.

The team responsible for the destruction of the Iwadate Team, for destroying the previous lives of Saito, Haruto, Noelle, Lira, and all of the others from that team, made their presence known in a way that resounded throughout the year ever after...and at the head of that monster was Akashi Seijuurou...the leader, the terror, the Boss...this year's best Storyline Villain and a major threat moving forward.

[Nominees: Zeo's Shade, Kise Ryouta, Akashi Seijuurou, Corrupted Mihawk, Kageboshi]

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Most Innocent Character - Suzume Kirihara

Some things are as inevitable as death, taxes, and female characters made by Rednal eventually abandoning all other purposes to be awkwardly shoe-horned into his 'harem'...one of them is the recognition that Suzume Kirihara carries the torch for the Guild in terms of innocence. Always smiling, always believing the best in those that she meets, always oblivious to the blood that stains Denmark's axe and the danger that surrounds her in the city of Oshu, she is a beacon of innocence and hope that warms the hearts of those who meet her.

This year is a landmark for the perennial leader of this category, however, as two interlopers threatened to shatter her veil of innocence and rob her of the peace that allows her to be so bright and hopeful...a crime that may well warrant a brutal, unexpected death if certain parties have anything to say on the matter. And if you can move even Denmark to act in defense of your innocence, well, you can just take your crown right now and go have a delicious bowl of pudding, post-haste! You deserve it...

[Nominees: Eoria Ansul, Tezuka Rembrii, Suzume Kirihara, Nymeria, Nanako Dojima]

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Most Beautiful Female Character - Minori Koroko and Nix Gallen

What are the qualities which make a woman beautiful? Is it a gentle smile...a pure, effortless elegance in actions and manner...is it a smoking hot body? Is it power, authority, confidence...is it a demure and reserved smile? The truth is, everybody has their own tastes in what makes a girl beautiful...what is irresistible to one may be simply pleasant to another. However when compiling criteria, when gauging opinions, when accepting nominations for this year's award, it became increasingly clear that while opinions were varied on many...for two, there was little-to-no debate about their virtues and their beauty.

And so in an unprecedented tie, the award is split two ways in 2014...and perhaps fittingly, it's split between allies and close friends on the Investigation Team, Nix Gallen and Minori Koroko. Both beautiful, both strong, both undeniable in spirit and attitude, if ever there was a justified split of the votes between two women, it was here. Congratulations to two beautiful spirits, and two beautiful people on your newest honor!

[Nominees: Noelle Everett, Keira Gayuno, Nix Gallen, Boudica Tlalli, Kaori Sakurazaka, Minori Koroko]

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Sexiest Male Character - Yuuya Kuniohara

Holy upset, Batman! An award perennially reserved for the Sexiest Thing Since Sex, for our undeniably attractive Leader, mysterious devils and shirtless villains, something different happened this year...people started turning their eyes to a different sort of character. Is it a turn towards the conservative? A maturation of tastes amongst the Guild's man-admiring populace? Whatever the case, three of the rockers of the 'Nyx' crew were all nominated separately for the Award...as well as a handsome baby from the future, the man called 'Stud', and of course, the Sexiest Thing Since Sex himself.

And as if to further illustrate the changing in perception amongst the Guild's patrons, only one person...an unexpected, surprising sex symbol...was nominated more than any other. With one more nomination than the Duke of Devlin himself, it was the solemn, caring keyboardist Yuuya Kuniohara who received the largest outpouring of ocular admiration from the fans this year in the category of Inaba's Sexiest Man Alive!

Will Japan's 'People Magazine' agree with this vote? Maybe, maybe not...but you can bet 'Nyx's' manager will take the publicity where he can and run with it!

[Nominees: Duke Devlin, Yuuya Kuniohara, Gin Mishima, Venustus Michieru, Haruto Mashiba, Mikoto Hageshii]

 

[Arena Emperor]

Quote:

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2014!!! ~ *
(The 2014 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

: razz art 2 - Moments, Plots, and Events::
"Our second section of the night's awards will pertain to the moments that moved us, the storylines that thrilled us, and the events that had us on the edge of our chairs throughout the year wondering what might come next! And in one or two instances, perhaps, the opposite of those feelings. Nevertheless, the time has come to reveal some of the year's most memorable moments! Starting off with..."

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Most Heartwarming Couple - Nito Nekata x Nia Ueda

Think of all the things that make a couple heartwarming...an unlikely but undeniably compatible duo, a pair who meet over a common interest or situation and grow to love and understand one another, a desperate need for the other, holding onto one another when you're the only ones left in the world who understand, or simply growing up together and into one another...growing together through trials, hardship, and friendship into something more.

Each of our nominees embodies at least one of the above criteria, if not many of them, but amongst all of them, this year proved that the erstwhile 'Jakken Kuzunoha' Nito Nekata and Nia Ueda embody all of them and more. Sure it's a strange mix of patient and outlandish summoners who work together, grow together, and need one another in more ways than one...but that mix has coalesced into something special, something vital to the two of them...and watching their adorable growth together awakens something warm inside of us all...it makes us long for something just as precious and fun. And isn't that what love is all about?

[Nominees: Saiga x Shu, Nito Nekata x Nia Ueda, Nix Gallen x Gin Mishima, Akihiko x Protein?!, Amina Kuatsumo x Estellise Udonge, Amagai Genji x Minori Koroko]

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Least Likely Couple - Sano x Rena

How do you go from the official Shipping List to the Least Likely Couple winner in just one year? For starters you could incite a vicious rivalry with one another over a position within your organization that bubbles up to the point of wanton violence and hatred...and you could allow that rivalry not only to burn up to the point of violent confrontation between the two of you, but leak out into the world and begin corroding relationships between the people you encounter. You could let your anger erupt into violence that nearly kills others, senselessly, and planting a seed for even darker things to come.

Any chemistry between two potential lovers can be devastated by the introduction of an element that divides...and Shadow Soji's favor seems to have been just such a negative catalyst for Rena and Sano. Their rivalry continues...violent, vicious...and now, they're just a crashed ship upon the shore of my once-bright Shipping List...a ship that I used to know...

[Nominees: Mir (Ciela) x Kai (Raidou), Suigetsu x Nix, Sano x Rena, Minori x Misha, Kansei x Shu]

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Most Heartwarming Moment in RP - Seo Meets His Heir(ess)!

By far the toughest category of the year to sort out...2014 turned out to be one of the most heartwarming years , if not THE most heartwarming year...in the history of the Guild! And this was in no small part due to the introduction of the 'Kids Who Leaped Through Time' storyline, in which a Bad Future was destroyed...and children displaced throughout worlds arrived in the past to reunite with the parents who loved them...and helped them to survive through the ending of everything. It was a storyline which touched the heartstrings, which reunited families, which provided opportunities for many people to grow ever-closer...

Among all of these reunions, however, the sweetest may well have been when the long-suffering Lord of the Taihaku Demon Clan was confronted with his dearest wish come to life...an heiress. Returned from the future and reunited with the father she saw wither away and die, Narue Taihaku couldn't resist the enthusiasm and heartwarming affection of her 'Daddy'...and as the walls tumbled down and she revealed more and more of her true self, his response was all the more gut-wrenchingly joyous. To see a dying man's one and only truest wish come true before our eyes was a pleasure to witness...and this year's most Heartwarming Moment in a year full of them.

[Nominees: Travelers Across Time Meet Once More, The Michieru Family Reunites, Seo Meets His Heir(ess)!, Rednal and Yuno Reconcile in Babel, The Kyoujiprentices Graduate]

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Most Badass Moment in RP - The I. Team Weathers a Dual-Shade Showdown!

In years past this award has been challenged by the impossibly-deadly showdowns between the Investigation Team and one of the horrors-given-form known as the Shades. But when two of said abominations attacked in January and put the entire Investigation Team in jeopardy, it was a terrifying moment of real danger that could have ended with the team escaping, defeated, or worse...with legitimate deaths on both sides of the fray. And as the battles went on and team members struggled to stand on their last legs, struggled against assimilation and annihilation, it seemed very likely that this desperate duel to the death...on both fronts...might end in tragedy for the members of the Investigation Team.

...And then they stood up, in separate locations but of one mind and heart, Faust and Zeo...they stood in the face of the deepest dark within them and though they couldn't utter the words 'You are me...', they did not turn away. They did not flinch, nor did they falter...they fought with their lives and all that was precious to them on the line...and they won. Against doubt, against power, against fate...they stood and they protected what was important. They stood against impossible odds and averted the impending tragedy that was sure to come. It was epic, it was powerful, it was moving...and it was 2014's Most Badass Moment of all...

[Nominees: The I. Team Weathers a Dual-Shade Showdown!, Nito v. the Kaiju, Diarmuid v. Lancelot, Nix and Gin versus the Black Messiahs, Crowley Takes a Beating and Keeps on...Teaching?!, Akashi Stares Down SEES-2]

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Dumbest Moment in RP - Zeo Demands a Date to Kill His Shade

Pop quiz! There's a humanoid abomination of all the worst parts of yourself standing before you and your brutalized, battered, and falling team...what's the first thing you do? ...Not this, right? Isn't postponing the finishing blow in lieu of the fact that your ENTIRE TEAM IS ON THE VERGE OF DYING like, the last thing you'd do? Unless you wanted them to die...which, I don't think Zeo does...

Does Zeo actually want his whole team to die?! IS HE A DOUBLE AGENT?! ...This moment was dumb. Really dumb. ...And kind of hilarious, but totally dumb! Even all these worthy candidates couldn't quite live up to it...

[Nominees: Everything Ishi Yamaguchi, When Yandere Goes Wrong at Shirichi Beach, Zeo Demands a Date to Kill the Shade, Faust and Kusuri Break Up?!, Zeo (again) and Cerberus Have a Debate in a Babel Hot Spring]

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Most Terrifying Moment - Kensu's Call to (and Loss of) Arms

Taking the bullet for a friend knowing that it might well be the end of your own life? Terrifying. Standing in front of the Shadow Arbiter as he calls forward the Black Messiahs to surround you, isolate you, and likely torture you before they kill you? Horrifying. A tentacle monster in the girls' hot springs or a pissed off Lira with her scythe, accusing you of stealing her panties and promising unholy retribution? Insanely terrifying...

...And yet, when measured against the fear that must have awakened in the heart of Yasumoto Kensu as he was held captive by one of the Guild's most ungodly intimidating villains...Raiden of the Black Messengers...and the dread turning into fearful panic as the expected began to occur and torture, intimidation, dismemberment were brought down upon the poor boy...that sinking feeling that nothing you can do, no act, will be fast enough, good enough, strong enough to save him...

...It was helplessness and the fear therein...and there is nothing more terrifying than helplessness.

[Nominees: Eido is Framed for Theft (of Panties), Rirouku is Shot Protecting Hatsu, Kensu's Call to (and Loss of) Arms, Kazuma Summons the Messiahs to the Hilltop, Crowley Lost His Present in the Hot Springs]

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Best Fight - Gin and Nix v. the Black Messiahs

Fights can be so straightforward...two parties with a grievance meet and throw punches, kicks, and attacks of various kinds until somebody falls down, gives up, is knocked out, dies...at times, fighting can be as predictable as it can be thrilling. But this year's best fights all had an element of added thrill that helped them to stand out above the rest of the year's most incredible fights (in a year full of them).

Leon v. Naoto was a display of the wonderful growth of Leon in the past year, while Kyouji v. her apprentices was a inspiring show of growth, skill, and in the end, awesomeness of both apprentice and master. The Hero Show was a wonderful example of epic battle and comedy rolled into one, while the Shade duels put on display both epic and horror in a single show. But this year's cream of the crop was the twisting, turning, epic stand of Gin Mishima and Nix Gallen against Kazuma and the Black Messiahs on the hilltop...a simple duel that grew into a clusterfrack of violence, taunting, and in the end, a stand for the ages from the heroes against overwhelming odds...tipping the scales in their favor for the year past!

[Nominees: Leon vs Naoto, Kyouji vs. Shu/Red/Asuka/Yatsuda, Sano v. Nix, Gin and Nix v. the Black Messiahs, The Feather Rangers v. General Ninja Squidclaws McLobsterbottom, I. Team v. Shade Zeo/Faust]

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Most Heartbreaking Moment - Bad Future Ends

In a particularly roller-coaster year full of heartbreaking moments and heartwarming moments alike, there was one moment that stood thunderously above the rest...the ending of a world, the last shining rays of hope blinking out and crossing over into the space between dimensions. Though their emergence was hopeful for their own futures, the last glimpses given of the world from which they had come...that Bad Future in which the Corruption had conquered all, cornered those who remained, and the Corrupted closed in for the final blow...were a harrowing warning to those in the past of what might come if the wrong choices were made...

...A moment of bleak darkness that is compounded with every dark memory of the past brought to light amongst the children of the future...every broken piece inside shown to those they care for...

[Nominees: Kusuri's Life, Yuno's Broken Mind Revealed, Rirouku Falls, Nix's Confidence Flags, Bad Future Ends]

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Best Rivalry - Ciela Kuzunoha I versus Kai "Raidou" Kuzunoha

Can it really be called a rivalry when it's so obviously one-sided?

Yes, yes it can. Because while Professionally Kai might have the edge on his colleague, personally...well...Kai kind of sucks as a person, doesn't he? Or he's a d**k, would be more accurate, and meanwhile, Ciela has a horde of friends and allies she can call upon when she needs to. It's not all about power, and it's not all about being personable...but neither Kuzunoha has the complete package just yet. And the race to be the greatest of the Kuzunoha continues into the year 2015, with no discernible end in sight...

But at least they ship together, right?!

[Nominees: Mir and Kai, Benkyou and Kansei v. Shu, Sano v. Rena, Zeo v. Everyone for the Ladies, Diarmuid v. Lancelot]

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Best Comedic Moment - Zeo Aux Follies

Let's be real for a minute...Tezuka v. Teddie was a hilarious fight to watch. Yuuya's anti-door antics throughout the year? Side-splitting. Nito's Sea Monster Hunt was thoroughly surprising and entertaining...and the appearance of Koro-Sensei was a shock of the most amusing order. And let's not even get into the myriad of funnies behind Colm's continuous struggles for liberty in the face of his ever-watchful warden, Yukari...

...But in a year that began with his exploiting the I. Team for a date in order to kill a Shade and ended with a hilarious internal debate with his persona over whether or not to fight a female (shadow), once again we were all reminded of that timeless lesson...

...If you come at the King, you best not miss.

[Nominees: Zeo Aux Follies, Teddie v. Tezuka, Yuuya Has No Time for Doors, Nito Hunts the Sea Monster (and Finds One!), Koro-Sensei Arrives! The Hot Springs Gathering Unravels, Failknight Colm's Attempted Escapes!]

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Best Kiss - Hatsu and Seika Admit Their Feelings and Kiss

This year was very short on kisses, sadly...romance was at a premium. Kyouji and Shu's tender master-apprentice moment was particularly heartwarming, and Tharros's father-son moment with Raven was...uh...not that. Gin and Nix's post-race moment was fun, if not entirely romantic. And while Nito Nekata's quick kiss of Nia Ueda was undeniably adorable, it was only the beginning of the romance to come.

Hatsu's post-battle kiss of Seika following the deadly attack from the Tokyo Persona Team was something different, however...it was the result of a long buildup of moments, interaction, and near-romance...the confirmation of feelings long-suspected. It was quick, but the passion was real...and it was the year's best kiss.

[Nominees: Nito and Nia's Post-Battle Peck, Hatsu and Seika Admit Their Feelings, Kyouji Kisses Shu's Forehead, Tharros's Fist Kisses Raven's Face, Gin Kisses Nix's Cheek Post-Race]

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Least Moving Death - The Last Giant

It takes something special to outstrip the death of Bour Ying (RIP, old buddy...until you return)...but the one-post, one-line, one-hit wonder that was the Last Giant failed to move the needle like nothing else.

...Close second to the Innocent Belief that Rednal Would Actually Let You Kill the Boss...but you should have known better, really.

[Nominees: Bour Ying, The Last Giant, Corrupted Alice, The Innocent Belief that Rednal Would Actually Let You Kill the Boss..., Jormungandr (Alt World)]

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Best Dungeon - The Abandoned Shrine

So many dungeons serve the story as a whole, reference the greater plot, and merely play host to the events that happen to take place within them...but the greatest dungeons are the ones that, in many ways, are the storyline themselves. When the apprentices of the summoners entered the Abandoned Shrine at the behest of Kai, then Geirin Kuzunoha, it was hard to know what to expect...but as the challenges began to mount, the devils emerged...and finally, the Kageboshi emerged...it became clear that the Abandoned Shrine wasn't your typical dungeon.

With evolving challenges throughout, a finale that demanded introspection, and a purpose driving them all throughout. Shu proved his strength and versatility as a summoner...Red faced his inner doubts and emerged stronger...Asuka had a chance to grow and show why she might one day hold the name Kuzunoha. In a year full of shorter dungeons and events around the world, this deep, extended dungeon stood head and shoulders above the rest.

[Nominees: The Macabre Study Hall, Shrine to Love, Final Destination, Sapporo (Holy Grail War), the Abandoned Shrine]

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: razz art 3 - The Big Finale::
"At last, we've reached the end of our road! It's been a long and perilous journey, but together, with Ace Presenter Junpei Iori on your side, we-OW! ...Sorry, Fuuka. I got a little carried away. ...Anyway, our last set of awards tonight are for you...no, not the characters, you the RP'er. In recognition of the characters you played so well, of your contributions to the Guild, and to the storylines we created together that we all celebrated the most. These are the meta-awards, and ergo, the grandest of them all! With these, we offer a final and grand thank you to everyone once again for making these awards worthwhile...and keeping the Guild alive for another year strong! Here's to you...no, really, here's to all of you! May our sacrifices be honored and remembered in the coming year..."

"Hehe...you'll never change, Junpei..."

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Top RP-er of 2014 - Great Ryoman!

Throughout the five and a half years of the Guild's existence thus far, the winners of this award have always had several things in common...a vitality to the life of the RP that keeps it going even in the slowest of days, a willingness to RP with newcomers, old members, in the plot events, casually, wherever and whenever they are needed. They have contributed in and out of character whenever they could, and most importantly, their various characters provide plenty of interesting fodder for interaction and battle.

Rednal, Zorc James, Necromonium, Hibarii chan, Yokoalchemist, Arena Emperor...each has proven themselves worthy of this award dozens of times over.

This year's winner, however, is Great Ryoman!

Possessed of a vast variety of interesting characters...including high school students Gin Mishima, Mikoto Hageshii, and Mataki Hito...most wanted man and constant terror Naniyori, amongst others...he has always made himself available to RP with those who wanted to interact. The architect of several of the year's most interesting events (including the Abandoned Shrine and the Hot Springs Encounter in Babel), he's provided more opportunities for epic battle and interaction per-character than nearly anyone else.

He's a man who simply won't allow this Guild to die, who is reliable both as an RP'er and a moderator, and who, as fond of murder as he may be, can always be counted on when you need him. Nominated for this award by his peers, he as much as anyone is more than worthy of the honor!

And that's why Ryo is our 2014 RP'er of the Year!

[Nominees: Great Ryoman, Rednal, Arena Emperor, Zorc James, Yokoalchemist]

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Top Hero of 2014 - Soji Seta

Soji Seta > Yu Narukami. Period. Also, you knew this was coming...

[Nominees: Soji Seta, Yu Narukami]

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Top Non-Soji Hero of 2014 - Gin Mishima

It was a year in which Inaba's heroes truly grew and shined when it counted; from the growth of Minori Koroko into a true power amongst the Investigation Team to Jo(Shu)'s promotion to the rank of Kuzunoha, to Nix's Courageous Battles and Rednal's continuing transformation into an actual human being, to Zeo's over-the-top epic butt-kickings and Genji's continuing contributions to the Investigation Team's battles against the Shades, every person on this list has proven in one manner or another to be a truly heroic figure in a world desperately in need.

But this was the year of Gin Mishima...who not only stood beside his allies when he was needed, but who went out of his way to help anyone who needed him when the chips were down. Gin started the year by standing by the Investigation Team in their desperate battles against the Shades and proved his incredible worth, and continued his run of epic domination by becoming the Guild's first true Steam Bike Champion. As the year went on he proved himself time and time again, laying a beatdown on a horde of Black Messiahs as the situation grew grim for poor Nix, and as the year wound down and the teams were drawn into Babel, it was Gin who freed his friend Mikoto from the terrifying influence of the Trapezohedron and continues on throughout the P1-Climax.

Many characters have had impressive moments this year, but none can boast the complete resume of successes, moments of grandeur, and smooth self-representation that the lead performer of 'Nyx' can. And that is why this year's Top Hero is clear...

Congratulations to Gin Mishima, the 2014 Hero of the Year! ...Now try to man up and make a move on Nix next year, all right?

[Nominees: Minori Koroko, Jo(Shu) Michieru, Gin Mishima, Nix Gallen, Rednal Ak'Thias, Zeo Kirijo, Genji Amagai]

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Top Villain of 2014 - The Corruption (aka Bad Future Naniyori)

Many villains have managed to kill heroes, and a significant number this year have put main-team heroes into the hospital with devastating attacks that shocked many and left those same heroes out of commission for long stretches of time. Kise Ryouta held his own against the entire SEES-2 team and fought a tragically misguided battle before he finally began to fall and was interrupted by his own teammates...including Akashi Seijuurou, who had perhaps the grandest villainous moment of the year as he loomed large, authoritative and threatening over the team following Rirouku's fall during the fight. In another year, either would have been a wonderful candidate for this award, as would a Shade as powerful and intimidating as Zeo's...or a PC villain who had such a meteoric rise through the ranks of awesomeness and the Messiahs alike such as Sano's was in 2014.

However, this year something different happened...this year, a villain destroyed not just a person, not just a team, not even just a city...a villain destroyed an entire world.

The Corruption, the enemy of Bad Future, originating from the Tomb of Yojimbo and the poor decision of (as we now know) Naniyori...spread across Japan of that world like wildfire...and all who stood in its path were eventually worn down...cornered...and if they were not consumed by the Corruption themselves they were killed in the process. None who fought would escape...those who ran were run down...there was no escape. The world had ended...

...That only a few of the children of that future managed to escape into the Corridor between worlds only emphasizes the absolute victory and spread of a mindless, unstoppable force that destroyed an entire dimension and forced all within to live in desperate flight, terror, and with the knowledge that one day, soon, it would all amount to nothing...

Hopelessness in the hearts of the heroic...an absolute victory...there is nothing more one could wish for in a villainous campaign, and in 2014, Naniyori of the Bad Future and his Corruption delivered...

And that is why the 2014 Villain of the Year is decided! Congratulations to all!

[Nominees: The Corruption (aka Bad Future Naniyori), Akashi Seijuurou, Kise Ryouta, Present Naniyori, Sano Gallen, Shade Zeo]

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Top Character of 2014 - Nix Gallen

What is the Top Character Award? It can be a hero or a villain, someone who had success or who had a great deal of failure, and it could be someone who is integral to many storylines or simply someone who contributes with all their heart to each and every event that they take part in. What's most important, however, is presence...that their actions impact the world around them and the people that they touch. And while those words can apply to every person on this list, it's quite possible that none of them quite live up to the influence upon the RP that was contributed by Nix Gallen.

The Investigation Team benefited immensely from her contributions to battle, and members of the team all year couldn't help but gather around when she faced down the members of the Black Messiahs, worry when she was put into the hospital due to their machinations, smile in adoration as she slowly grew closer to the lead singer of Nyx, Gin Mishima, romantically. And the continuing drama within her family has spread out into the town as well, with Sano's drive to defeat her and prove himself forcing him further up the ranks of the Messiahs and into growing rivalries with her peers...threatening the Investigation Team all the more with his inferiority (including friends and family as well) complex. Tharros's desire to stay near her and his family has lead to his joining the SEES Organization as well, and even her father has returned to Inaba from 'beyond the grave'...this award could be given as much to the family as to Nix herself...

But in the end, she was the catalyst...the spark which ignited many fires...and whose courage, power, and connections undeniably brought as much to the Guild as anyone else this year. With major contributions to the Shade Attack, the Hilltop Event, Rednal's Birthday Party, and the P1-Climax amongst all else, she's stood near the forefront of almost every major event of the year...

And that is why this year, the 2014 Character of the Year is none other than Nix Gallen! Congratulations!

[Nominees: Minori Koroko, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Nix Gallen, Keira Gayuno, Gin Mishima, Jo(Shu) Michieru]

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Top Storyline of 2014 - The Featherman Show (and the Battle of the Two Shades)

Rare is the storyline which can seamlessly intertwine both epic action and the slapstick comedy styling that makes the Persona series truly great. While many of the events this year included incredible showdowns, tremendous action, or rare moments of comedy, there was one event that interspersed the two so brilliantly (thanks to contributions from YOU, the players!) that it remains memorable even though it happened all the way back at the beginning of the year.

That event was the Featherman Show...a hilarious performance by members of the Investigation Team contributing to the Junes Superstore's growing stable of costumed characters...which quickly devolved into a chaotic mishmash of Zeo-isms, poorly-acted witches, overly-enthusiastic Feather Reds, and of course, General Ninja Squidclaws McLobsterbottom. And all of this was merely the prelude to the real action that came after...

...Two Shades. Zeo's...Faust's...terrifying reflections of what lay within...

The battles were fierce, the emotions were running on overdrive...and in the end, the heroes proved once again that through the power of friendship, goodness could prevail...for a time.

It was everything you could want in an event, from comedy to outright silliness to epic battle to bonding and success.

And that is why the most complete event of this year...is the 2014 Storyline of the Year!

[Nominees: The P1-Climax, Tokyo's Persona-Users v. SEES-2, The Featherman Show (and the Battle of the Two Shades), Kai Trains the Apprentices at the Shrine, The Third Holy Grail War]

 

[Arena Emperor]

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* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2015!!! ~ *
(Lovely Suko-chan's Romantic GUILDMAS2015!! Shipping List Special!)




"G-good evening! Welcome to GUILDMAS2015!!! This is your Annual Shipping List; I'm Yasuko Kimiki-Taihaku, your host! L-Lord Seo has entrusted me with delivering to you this Holiday Favorite event, and so to repay his faith in me, and to show my...m-my daughter!...what I can do, I'm going to give you the best Shipping List you've ever seen!

After all, it's Christmas time...and that's a time when romance is all around us more than...than well, almost any other time of year! I mean, just imagine...the snow falling outside the window, a warm fire burning inside, you and Lord Seo snuggled together by the fire...I mean, you and your loved one!

This is your chance! See who the red-string of fate ties you to and take your chance at finding love. A lot of work and thought has gone into this list, so don't you dare go thinking of disregarding it, you hear me?! I will EAT Y-

"*Ahem*"

"L-Lord Seo!? I...I can handle this! Really!"

"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true oh
All I want for Christmas is you"

"*Blushfaintcollapse*"

"Oh my, was my song too much for her? *smiles*"

"Let's...just hurry up and get to the list, shall we?"

~Yasuko Kimiki-Taihaku of the Taihaku Demon Clan and the Hosts of GUILDMAS2015!!, Compiler and Commentator, 2015 Christmas Shipping List"

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Long-Term Relationships
("Those who are together, have been together, and will always be together. There's no room for debate here...")

Minato Arisato x Mitsuru Kirijo - He literally gave up his life to protect her, and then came back from the dead to be with her. When's the wedding?

Naoto Shirogane x Kanji Tatsumi - These two are so sweet and adorable together, and they've been that way since this whole 'The Golden' thing began! That's not going to change any time soon...

Sai Sakurazaka x Suzume Kirihara - No matter where they are, no matter what world they are in, no matter what trials he may have to overcome...Sai and Suzu will always be together. In this world, the next world...they are the ultimate OTP and I love them so, so much!

Kaori Sakurazaka x Munakata Kei - They complete one another in a way that I truly envy...she makes him feel human and he makes her feel like she's not alone. Putting everything else aside, that makes the two of them absolutely essential to one another...

Junpei Iori x Fuuka Yamagishi - It's been really charming to watch how responsibility has forced the two of them not only to step up to be the leaders that their charges need them to be...but it's forced them to confront the fact that their feelings for one another are unavoidable. It's the worst-kept secret in the Okina City Dorm that the two of them are or will soon be together...they should just give up the whole 'different rooms' act and start making heirs already, like Lord Seo and...and...

Seo Taihaku x Yasuko Taihaku - Oh God! Lord Seo and...I had a...a...Nar...!? *blushfaintdies*

Rednal x Yuno x Aselia - The only real OT3 on the list, it was cuter when it was just Rednal and Aselia, but if the yandere angle isn't going anywhere, it's impossible to just ignore the impact that Yuno has had not only on this trio, but on other relationships as a result of this. And Rednal does seem to treat them about as well as could be expected, so...I still think he's a wannabe player. *huffs*

Nia Ueda x Nito Nekata - I don't know whether the self-proclaimed 'Jakken Kuzunoha' is the biggest idiot in Japan or an idiot savant! Either way, without Nia watching over him I'm sure he'd be in a sea monster's stomach somewhere already, so yeah, I'd say they pretty much deserve on another...and I mean it in the best way possible. They are too cute.

Jo(Shu) Michieru x Saiga Giriko or Kanade Tachibana - Last year's list had Shu listed alone with Saiga, but I think that was a mistake! Kanade and Shu make such a cute pair together, and I'd rather see her with him than back in that toxic relationship with Rednal and his so-called 'harem'. Jo(Shu) just needs to get his s**t together and make a decision on who he wants to spend his life with, because if he'd acted like such a horn dog in the future at our estate...we'd have fed his you-know-what to the lesser oni long ago.

Haruto Mashiba x Noelle Everett - These two are so colorful and good together that I can't even imagine the two of them with anyone else. From their love-hate chemistry to the sexual tension that always exists between them, you know that even when she's about to DESTROY him...they're both smiling on the inside.

Soji Seta x Yukiko Amagi or Rise Kujikawa - Another year, another missed opportunity to end the ambiguity here. He deserves a chance to make a choice, damn it! And they deserve to not be kept hanging!

Miran Froaude x Jun Otsuka - These two do things that make me blush just thinking about it...I can't even think of these two and then Lord Seo...and...and...me...doing the s-same...*blushes hard*

Minori Koroko x Amagai Genji - A wonderful example of high school sweethearts who have become closer through such a normal, modern means...but this isn't just puppy love, instead, I think we're seeing the beginning of a romance that will stand the test of time. They are kids who are too mature for their age not to be thinking of the future, and I just know that the future for each one of them must include the other!

Hatsu Harima x Seika Murakami - Through the worst of times and the best of times, ever since they met on that fateful day back in ENDGAME, these two have propped one another up and made two damaged and incomplete people whole. They've made one another better by being together, and that's the mark of a couple that belongs together...

Shiranui Amaterasu x Rorek Viral-Taihaku - As if I couldn't pair together the parents of dear San! She's too precious! And anybody who looks after N-Narue is fine by me...

Sera Makushima x Koichi Mori - He saved her life when he brought her to the Tokyo base with Cesc and the others, and he saved her again when he lead her and the others to the past after 6 months of training to traverse the Corridor. But where the romance really bloomed was in the moments between those two...when meeting behind closed doors, being interrupted by a vengeful and possessive cat who surprised even the Shogun...the found something to keep fighting for in one another in the most dire of worlds.

Touma Makushima x Luvia Anegakoji - Who would have thought that rebel drummer would find a girl who could challenge him and maintain his interest past the first night? But then, there's a girl in the previous pair that's kind of proof of concept for these two, huh?

Jurou Kikuno x Elena Wakahisa - Lazy days around the apartment and cuddles on the couch, these two have found a peaceful life and happiness together that I dream of one day...give or take some clan hunting and battles back in Kyushu from time-to-time...but that doesn't mean I wouldn't mind spending a day alone with L-Lord Seo...

Kiyone Tabata x Yoshi Motoya - All I wanna do is see you turn into a giant woman,
A giant woman!
All I wanna be is someone who gets to see a giant woman.
All I wanna do is help you turn into a giant woman,
A giant woman!
All I wanna be is someone who gets to see a giant woman.
Oh I know it'll be great and I just can't wait to see the person you are together.
If you give it a chance you can do a huge dance because you are a giant woman.
You might even like being together and if you don't it won't be forever.
But if it were me, I'd really wanna be a giant woman,
a giant woman!
All I wanna do is see you turn into a giant woman~

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New Relationships
("Those who are in the process of getting together, or who have only been together shortly. Will they stand the test of time?")

Gin Mishima x Nix Gallen - They met on the racetrack, but their relationship has barely gotten past the starting line! Can we just get a date between these two already and make it super-official?

Yuuya Kuniohara x Nym - They really do deserve one another.

Faust Necromonium x Eoria Ansul - Who else is it going to be, really? He dumped the girl we all thought he belonged with, so I suppose he must be content with the summoner-who-would-be-his-wife, right? And they are adorable together...the way he cares for her shows the goodness at the core of his heart. Or maybe I'm just a romantic. ...Don't ever call me a romantic.

Haoul Yamakiji x Claire Ferris - Proof of concept future children aside, she's always been there for him even in the darkest of times...and together, she feels stronger and he feels more at peace with himself than any other time. That tells me that these two belong together...now, or in the Bad future.

Estellise Udonge x Amina - You can't fake the concern and affection these two show to one another even on the battlefield. I, for one, support this beautiful, youthful relationship!

Aeon Fabregas x Narue Taihaku - I was skeptical at first when I heard how close they were, and even more skeptical when I saw what a...colorful person he was. But the way that she perks up when he is near, the way they talk to one another, I can't help but think that it's all worth it having him near her. And without him, my d-daughter would never have been here...so, Aeon...thank you. Always.

Yasumoto Kensu x Mei Hanako - His determination and her caring heart have often belied the gentle care that Kensu offers and Mei's steadfast will to stand on her own two feet. They are not opposites...they are people who are strong and capable and caring in their own right, and they work together in a way that makes them both stronger...both as one and on their own.

Akane Sakisaka x Yasuo Utsumi - He practically lives for her and one day, you have to hope she will see it. I know from experience...it's easy to live in the dark, but it's so much nicer when there's something bright and warm to hold onto...right, Lord S-seo...? *hides face*

Noa Winters x Vale Lampard - She's a fast moving heavy-metal queen and he's as cool a customer as they come. But when the time comes to lay it all on the line, he burns with a flame hotter than imagination and that matches her breakneck pace just fine. Which doesn't mean she can't slow down long enough to spend some quality time back at the Yellow Dragon with her partner...unwinding, talking, and who knows what else together. It's a bond that goes deeper than the job, and that's just wonderful.

Kumori Oniko x Sinbad Kuatsumo - W-well they made Amina together, right? He's the rock that she can lean on, and she...well, she's the softer side of things that helps remind him he's more than just a soldier.

Cesc Fabregas x Aishe - I don't care if it wasn't this time's version, or if he was the reason I got to see Narue in this time...after what he did to her in that dream, I will never forgive him. But...I guess without these two together...Aeon wouldn't be here. One day, though...I will rip out his throat with my own two hands, I swear...

Kuzaku Martillo x Kawari Chishio - It may have taken two and a half years longer, but she made it back to him after all...a sweet reunion, a sweeter relationship. His chivalry and her colorful nature make them a pair to watch for future 'Cutest Couple' awards down the road!

Anzu Munakata x Inigo Tsukira Shimazu - I wouldn't say this is necessarily official as far as anyone knows, but my inside sources tell me there's more than just a mutual respect between these two. I always love a good love conspiracy...or, well...I mean! ...Leave me alone! I'm shipping! *pouts and shakes fist*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Crack Relationships
("Pairs who I believe should get together. Who better to decide your romantic future than a complete stranger, after all?")

Zeo Kirijo x All the Ladies - See? This is the very definition of a crack pairing...as in it will never happen. But if things ever hit the rocks between Gin and Nix, well...I think he's got a real shot!

Kyuzo Rikkio x WYNN - He's a wandering warrior from 'Sapporo?' and she probably has GPS! But more than that, they're both people looking for a place in the world and have complicated relationships with their "brother"...one being that he may not even know he has one (or is it the other way around?) and the other that she totally wants to give him her robot body. Let's get away from that, though, and acknowledge that they are stronger together than they would be apart...and he might even find his way home!

Sensuke Tarumohara x Morgan Trutina - He's the leader of a small-time band, but she could teach him a thing or two about leadership. And with her willingness to look past the exterior and see to the heart of others, to accept them for who they are...for the content of their heart...there's grounds for her to see the truth of the decent person that he is. And maybe...so long as she never sees his strange Shadow World...that might blossom into something more?

Itachi Kishikido x Gwendolyn - He's a cop that's actually a villain and she's a gangster that dresses like a prostitute and...um...you're right, maybe I am drunk and should go home...how did this happen?!

Shinpachi Saito x Lira Chronicle - The hints are all there, from his careful watching over her to the way she tried to protect him to him being the person she turns to for comfort after the incident and whenever the nightmares become too real. The question is just how deep Saito actually sees their relationship going...is it a dear friendship forged through the trauma of that night, or is there something more?

Tsuyoshi Nishijo x Chiyo Tachibana - One day, she's going to beat him back into line in spite of his laziness. And on that day, she will finally be able to definitively tell Mechanical Voice-kun that they weren't meant to be...

Izuru Shimazu x Tsuki - They have a kid together in the future, even if they don't know it. Futurebabies must mean something, right?

Titus Martillo x Al Azif - Speaking of futurebabies...but seriously, he's willing to throw away 200 years of loyalty, friendship, service, and meaning in his life for a girl he met barely yesterday. Casting side the idea of working from the inside to change things, of reasoning with the new man in charge, or anything of the like. She must be worth something significant to him, right?

Jian Lin Kuei x Aoshiki - Of all the girls in the Lin Kuei and all the floozies that come in and out of his bar, none of them have ever measured up in terms of beauty or pure cruelty and appeal to the Starless Dragon than the Yuki-Onna. Just don't ever expect too much out of them as a couple...Jian isn't known for his loyalty.

Genzo Komaba x Arisu - So many near-misses, but I'm not giving up on this idea. It's too cute...why can't they just meet up?!

Aigis x Shinjiro Aragaki - I always felt like there was a touch of destiny about Shinji's story when I first heard about what SEES accomplished nearly 3 years ago now...he wasn't even supposed to be a part of that team, but he showed up and made himself one in spite of that. He suffered, he made mistakes, but people gravitated towards him anyway...and he gravitated towards them. And he was there that night because of it, he died because of it...and if anybody can relate to that feeling of destiny, of having a purpose in life and escaping it to do what you wanted to do, it would be the anti-shadow weapon AIGIS. She thought her life was pointless after she failed against Ryoji, but here she is, years later...living her life again. The two of them can relate to one another in ways no one else can...maybe...just maybe that means something?

Yosuke Hanamura x Chie Satonaka - Maybe? I guess...I don't even know anymore...

Kansei Ribasu x Shingo Surabashi - All the hints of potential chemistry are there, we only need to get them into the same cafe or room now so we can make the magic happen! Break through the walls, Shingo!

Pyrrha x Zorc James the 4th - I NOPE'd this so hard it actually turned the corner, circled around, and sneaked back onto the list! Seriously, how did this get here?!

Chiaki Urakami x Miyata Ito - They were pledged to be married not so long ago, and when he fell into the darkness of the Messengers she followed him to pursue her own desires. And I think we can guess from the context that one of those desires is the mischievous eyes of the boy who calls himself 'God's Last Gift'. Pretentious nickname, but he isn't hard on the eyes...

Rhys Merlo x Aurica Velraine - She's already got him carrying her bags, right? He's practically whipped! Might as well make it official.

ERGO x Clara Lille - Two hacker spies being creepy hacker spies together. Don't mind me while I slash your every connection to the internet...

Bel Heartilly x Iofiel - This one really hurt to put on the list because I know how San feels about Bel, but...if he's hugging this girl all the time, like I hear he is, then it's really cut and dry, isn't it?

Sreze x Naomi Martillo - I stand by last year's decision...he's put so much of his life into her, that you almost want to root for him. Maybe one day, she'll come around?

Mikoto Hageshii x Mirai Hatto - They survived that haunted house together, didn't they?

Leonardo Mori x Maria Geneas - Leon is a good man who has gone to dark places to combat the evil things in Inaba, but the erstwhile MAGES may have the imagination, earnest fortitude, and the heart to soothe the demons brewing inside of him. He needs that purity...he needs that fun in his life again. Maybe she can provide it?

Lord Ryugetsei Iyokono x Ryofu - The only way I can see that big, stupid dragon in a relationship is if someone goes up onto that big old hoard of gold to woo him on it. And who better to do that than a beautiful young dragoness? There's so much dragon in this relationship even Yoko would be jealous!

Sorata Asakura x Ikumi Mikoshiba - She's confessed once and come up a cropper, but then, watching the two of them interact together, doesn't it feel like there's more to their relationship than meets the eye? Maybe if she gives it a second go...just work up the nerve, Ikumi!

Nylock Doragoon x Aiko Koisuru - Red String Special!

Mao x Ruri Konpeki - Red String Special!

Hiro Akatsuki x Justitia - Red String Special!

Taichi "Rabbit" Sawamura x Youmu Konpaku - He's the adorable superstar of the famous band 'Tartarus' and she's just a girl, standing in front of a boy, trying to decide whether to kiss him or hit him with her sword. He might be incorrigible, but then...maybe she's the one?

Rolles Royce x Sophia Ulrich - First of the two Royce brothers, he and Sophia are of a similar rank and share concerns. As with a couple other pairs on this board, their stations in the Embryon and attitudes make them an interesting duo which can prop up and support one another unlike anyone else on the list.

Reisu Raida x Hibari Usugu - If she gives him her underwear like someone else I know of, then this relationship could be going places fast. Places we don't want to know about...

Rorion Royce x Rosa Hanasaku - What's red and white on red and white? Give up? A candy cane on top of another candy cane! ...What were you thinking of? I know her being Miss Peppermint and all might have made you think of something else, but that's not my game! That's yours! Perv...

Tarkus x Juuni Neptunia - An old-fashioned warrior who rarely speaks paired together with a new-age heroine with a penchant for dynamic entries. Her energy and verbose nature can fill in the gaps in his silent badass facade! They are compliments, opposites, and in my opinion, an undeniably adorable pair...

Negima Ryouko x Gokuborii Underwood - An adorable bug-lover and one of the smallest and most normal members of the Embryon. They would take an absolutely squee-inducing picture together! Can we please put them together? Pretty please?

Ailek Mymariel x Benkyou Resolvere - He may have given up on humanity, but he's still got a lot to prove...just like Benkyou, whose frustration with the Yatagarasu could lead her to turn to someone with answers outside of her usual view to find them.

Sano Gallen x Murasaki Gathielle - She loves to sleep and he puts people to sleep...forever! What's not to love about this wild, crack pairing? Plus she's got that blue Gallen hair, so...she's already fit for joining the family!

Suigetsu Mizuiro x Yoshida "Rainbow" Rinku - One can go either way and the other goes...well, the other way. And since they're already working together, who knows where that 'relationship' will go in the future?

Holly Wulff x Woodcock the Shooter - When you go around cosplaying Little Red Riding Hood, you should expect the creepers to come out.

Boudica Tlalli x Fujimatsu - She's weird and he's on fire. I don't know why this is a thing, but let's move on, all right?

Tezuka Rembrii x Serina Leaf - She's a young lady whose work in a restaurant during the Holy Grail War set a mature tone for her that anyone looking to be with her would have to live up to. Tezuka, lovable loser that he is, has a surprisingly deep view of things due to his own troubles. These two peaceful, decent souls perhaps might find some common ground, something that allows them to better discover their inner peace together than they ever could one their own...a true harmonious relationship.

Colm Watanabi x Rosaline Miina - He loves women and she's kind of like the elder stateswoman amongst the SEES-2 team, right? She's a bombshell that's right up his alley in terms of taste, and if we're assuming that he's not just going to marry up with his demon Shiva, Rose (who has been trapped in Inaba before when she should have been living in Iwatodai) has an interesting perspective on his own temporary imprisonment in the dormitory that provides a common ground for the two that others may not share. It isn't much, but it's a seed...and a seed, when nourished, may grow into something beautiful...

Kosuke Ishida x Niiya Honya - It's the story as old as time, the innocent girl nearly corrupted by the pervert before she fights back and they find a middle ground. I've seen it a lot of times in those Hollywood movies...err...not that I watch those or anything!

Mijiyou Harusuhei x Miwako Kondo - She's the serious one and he's the one who makes everyone laugh. Sometimes you need someone as extreme on the far end to counterweight your own extremity. They compliment each other really well, I think.

Iggy Sentsubon x Shikage Ryouko - He smokes too much and she's too cool for school. I always look at them and think, "They'd look so cute together."

Eido Aeroda x Kuuyan Dereheart - Eido's not exactly what we think of as a lucky guy. Therefore it only stands to reason that his first run-in with love would end up seeing him get in WAY over his head. Dealing with such a forceful female personality would result in some hilarious hijinks I think we all want to see...but in the end, perhaps, it would end with a surprising coda...love.

Tharros Gallen x Yukari Takeba - Continuing the joke from last year's list, I couldn't help but find the humor in it...but since Colm's gone this year, I guess that just leaves the guy who can't find his way out of a wet paper bag and the girl who can't seem to catch a break in love! Will he wander his way into her heart, somehow?

Arimina Wolfgang x Misha Mori - An unrepentant stalker and an unabashed pervert, the two have more in common than first meets the eye and makes them an interesting and compatible duo! As long as it keeps them far away from me and mine...

Ciela Kuzunoha x Asuka Bokuro - I couldn't really continue from that boy's list last year the relationship between Asuka and Kyouji since Asuka's really spent more time focusing on her original master again. But these two have a good enough rapport that it's easy to see them settling into some kind of comfortable relationship together sooner or later!

Fate Lembryant x Tripidium Yamakaji - Two more the friendlier, more fun-loving members of the Bad Future Band. Seeing the two of them together would spark more than fireworks...it would be like setting loose a two-person rock band on the entire world!

Rirouku Muramaro x Haruka Falcom - Two people who have experienced severe trauma as the result of the attack of Kise, they are nonetheless upbeat in personality and goodhearted fanboys/girls of their own respective forms of entertainment. With an interesting style of fashion for the both of them and plenty of opportunities to meet in the dorms, could love be in the air when these two get some time alone together?

Venustus Michieru x Surripio Rembrii - A charismatic member of the future children and one of the stronger travelers through time with the soft-spoken daughter of the Guild's most notoriously lovable Loser. He might be charming and she might be a dork, but that's just the sort of romance that makes for the best novels!

Zaitou Hanako x Patris Michieru - He's too blind to see the blood on her hands! Or the emptiness in her eyes after she kills everyone they hold dear...

Akira Pravum x Rena Redeyan - The best part about these two is that she's the Black Messiah and he still might be the bigger jerk!

Ragna Ketsuki x Minene Tenshiko - Two Lieutenants who are quite serious about their work; bonding on the job and while on break gives them an ideal perspective into the troubles each face every day. It's a chance to learn about one another, spend time together, and support one another...even if they're Embryon, I guess they deserve that much.

Emil Dekoda x Chiharu Chiyoko - The warm, caring Ensign of Embryon may be one of the more responsible members of her unit, but even she needs support sometimes from someone who is caring, considerate, and who actually takes her seriously. Emil may be young, but he has all the tenderness and decency necessary to provide just what 'Chi Chi' needs in order to thrive.

Mashiro Munakata x Kyouji Kuzunoha - Keep in mind that this is the Crack section, as I call into question the 'Kyle Reese Corollary'. The Kyle Reese Corollary States that if a much younger person from the future comes back in time and meets a person that they knew of in the future, but did not personally spend time with in said future, that any relationship between them can be viewed on its own merits so long as there is no relation between the two in any way. Don't you remember the Terminator? When he goes back in time and loves Sarah Conner because he saw her picture in the future and then got to know her when he went back in time to protect her? What if, like, Mashiro had Kyouji's picture? She was a legend in the Resistance, after all...just...just shut up! Terminator was a great movie! >///<

Jokura Sakayuri x Aka Yuuki - They started off on the right food, at least, and now there's a chance for Aka to judge him on his own merits as a person instead of the ridiculous B-grade Zeo-impression he's been doing with every other girl around town. These are two people who deserve to be happy, so why not together?!

Mataki Hito x Amelia Heartilly - They need to get together and have Bel just so I can prove to Lord Seo that he's not ours, already! ><;

Naraku Entsu 'Nalkrein' x Momoko Hudamora - It's the Reverse Kyle Reese Corollary! ...I SAID TERMINATOR WAS A GOOD MOVIE DON'T QUESTION ME!

Minohiko Tsuneshi x Misara Celestine - I just...I just think they look good together, all right?! Sue me! They could probably get up to some interesting mischief together.

Noir x Tsuru - She's endlessly hopeful and he's always trying to help! Together, they could save the world...or destroy it.

Rayne Paik x Kaminari Miyaki - She's always been a girl of unusual taste, and judging from the stories I heard about Rayne, he's just the kind of unusual taste she might acquire. With all of his explosive personality and her receptiveness to others, maybe they could Make it Rayne together! ...Rayne love, I mean, not...not...get your minds out of the gutter!

Adell x Ellie Troit - She's the heroine we deserve and he's a hero with a decent head on his shoulders, unlike his out-of-his-mind brother, Mao. Together with his restraint and her power, they could make for a fabulous gender-reversed Batman and Robin-esque team-up on the battlefield...with a little bit of Batman and Catwoman off-the-battlefield for good measure!

Weston Smith x Sylphie (when both are of age) - I'm not even going to touch on all the symbolism of the way she holds her evoker or his dirty habits...I'm just going to point out that she seems to have a thing for bad boys (if lingering references to Nyx's Drummer mean anything) which could transfer onto her teammate that's currently wishing her luck one day. Maybe she's a bit too young for now, but the age difference isn't much and 18 isn't too far away...maybe down the road, we can call this a 'Predict the Future' forecast, huh?

Garry Iblis x Sanae Kochiya - Two of the warmest, more caring people in all of Inaba joining together to make the world a better place! They've both had their traumas in the past, but the future would be brighter for the both of them if they stuck together!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"No Hopers"
("Anyone here is as likely to kill you as kiss you. Why would you even want to be with someone like that?")

Men
Teddie - "As if this pervy bear had a shot."
Aleister Crowley - "Between love lost and his...um...out-of-place nature, it's hard to imagine."
Nora Keruberosu - "Doesn't know what love is."
Yairotsu Kaijin Taihaku - "Is a ghost and a creeper."
Amonius Sutaka - "Still in love with a girl he put in a coma..."
Nagito Komaeda - "Lost all hope."
Zero - "Is a robot."
Yuriy Valkov - "Will literally eat you."
Loki - "Will probably seduce you, then kill you."
Fenrir - "Has no interest in this thing you call 'love'."
Jormungandr - "Will also literally eat you, but with a moody, teenage angst."
Feid Shindeki and Takato Shimakaze - "You've got to have more personality if you want to win over a girl. More screen time will get you paired next year!"
Motonari Mori - "Busy running a country."
Cid Raines - "Busy looking like he's running a country."
Dracule Mihawk - "Is, in a way, a holy man."
Ebiro Uyahara - "Is a zombie. Will also literally eat you, probably."
Kyoki - "Would rather bathe in your blood."
Zolf J. Kimblee - "Would probably be the guy making your blood rain like a shower for Kyoki's shower."
Kiki-Jiki - "Will literally eat you (if you are a demon)."
Louis Cypher - "Seriously, do you REALLY need to ask why LUCIFER isn't on my list for lovers?"
Izarasha Xazozhal - "I don't know who this person is."
Naniyori - "Will literally get drunk, burn a liquor store, and then kill you."
Wei Zhijun - "Remember when I said Kyoki would bathe in your blood? This guy has too much fun making that blood go boom."
Geist 'The Magnificent' - "Being ridiculously magnificent."
Genesis Rhapsodos - "Too busy reciting poetry."
Takaya Sakaki - "Nyx is his copilot."
Raiden - "His love is Soji's misery."
Reisuke Oshaleon - "A kid. Also a date with death."
Sentaku Toriyama - "How do I NOPE thee? Let me count the ways..."
Mithos Seinaru - "Bit too black of soul for love."
Kabuto Yakushi - "Too busy being snakey for love."
Vamp - "Creepy as all get-out."
Orochi-Hetero - "Will kill you and tear out your shadow for power."
Akaito Modoku - "He was blinded with science."
Fonias Lekes - "Pretty sure he thinks love is stupid."
Kazuma Koroko - "He's not even around anymore. And if he was, I'd probably ship him with his sis-con obsession with Minori."
Nagamasa Nekata - "Don't really know this person yet."
Nagisa Nekata - "Don't really know this person yet. x2"
Nala Nekata - "Don't really know this person yet. x3"
Akifusa Akechi - "More likely to kill you than kiss you."
Dakuraku Ogigayatsu - "He's a d**k."
Hikashi Zusyotsu - "In love with a spider-lady who is going to eat him one day. What a dork."
Tatsumaki Kikai - "I'm not dating anyone wearing that hat."
Gabi - "He's oooooold. And hairy. He's pretty cool, though."
King Leo - "I'm still trying to figure out how he got a job with the freaking Embryon!"
Kurou T. Hand - "Not that he isn't of age or willing, but what girl is going to look at him and not think, 'If I date him, everyone's going to think I'm a predator.', right?"
Hei Nanjou - "He's got 99 problems but your girl ain't one."
Kabuto Kirisaki - "He needs some down time first. Being the eyes of the Avengers isn't easy."
Juugo Kirikaze - "An older man, he's certainly attractive for his age...but old pains probably make this unrealistic."
Koji Mori - "I'll put him in the ground if he comes near my daughter..."
Akihiko Sanada - "Romantic as I'm sure a relationship would be, he's got to keep his eyes on the prize right now. I'm betting on him against other members of the clan in his upcoming title fight!"
Saizou Kirigakure - "Too busy keeping Lord Ryuga in check."
Riphal Edea - "Maybe after the war."
Sieg Shimazu - "Still pining after his brother's girl. ...Yeah, he's kind of weird. I hate the Shimazu..."
Raven Gallen - "This old man is ooold. Plus I think Tharros would knock his block off if he brought a girl home."
Hayatobimaru - "Loves his work too much."
Izaya Amatsu - "He's a person of mass destruction and not someone most girls would venture to get close to. And the only one he was interested in, well..."
Gyuki - "I've lived with the Clan for years now and he still makes me nervous..."
Honto-Teki-Taihaku - "Honto's not bad, but he needs to get out more, meet new people outside the clan. N-not that I'm one to talk, but I like to stay at home to be near Lord S-s...! Shut up!"
Yukio - "Um...is he a new guy?"
Dakota Curtiss - "CHOO CHOOOOO! ...I don't like this person."
Malik Suna - "Does Malik x the sun count as a ship?"
Wayato Kogane - "OH MY GOD, what is that on his FACE?! He's so...UGLY!"
Kai "Raidou" Kuzunoha - "Hahahaha...no."
Shay Takeda - "Loves treasure too much."
Ishimaru Oowada - "Loves school environments, rules, and homoerotic sauna contests too much."
Cassim El-Amin - Too busy contemplating jihad against the Western Powers.
Ringo Kakuyami - "Old. As. Baaaaaallls."
Ken Amada - "Young. As. ...Someonenotoldenoughtoshipyet."
Shikitaro Surabashi - "In line for a horrifying fate...in one future, at least."
Balmung of the Azure Sky - "Doing hero stuff."
Henry Plagia - "Blood is his OTL."
Javik Pendergast - "His butt tattoo is too baller for this list. ...Don't ask who told me to say that."
Denmark - "I don't know if he IS more likely to kill you than kiss you...but that just gives me all the more reason to nope him right to this list."

Women
San Viral-Taihaku - San is precious, but I heard Bel's always hugging that Io girl. I hope I'm wrong...you can do it, San!
Ren/Ran Kukuraku Iyokono - "Too unpredictable to ship."
Tsukiyo Hanabi - "Again, a literal ghost."
Zaid - "Again, a literal zombie. Who will literally eat you."
Futaba Kongiku - "Is there a person TO ship behind that enormous cleavage? I mean, have some self-respect..."
Kogata Ibuki - "Same idea as Futaba, except at least she wears decent clothes. ...I'm not jealous!"
Tear Hemels - "Has literally sworn off love for power."
Ennea - "The idea that she reproduced in that bad future deeply disturbs me."
Aina Toukame, Yorika Shimakaze, Sayuri Misaka - "Leaving these three off was tough because there's nothing wrong with them, but there just weren't enough decent men to go around. ...Figures, right?"
Amora Necromonium - "Too busy creepin' on her daddy."
Reina Udonge - "It would be a biohazard for someone to be shipped with her. I won't be responsible for the STDpocalypse."
Ambriel - "A literal angel. This is impossible."
Cheryl Vonvitch - "For the God-knows how many-th time, a literal zombie. Who will literally eat you."
Flandre Scarlet - "A literal...just...what the HELL is this unholy thing?!"
Kisa - "Too obsessed with power."
Korina Yamaka - "A literal murderer and worse. Don't let this wolf in sheep's clothing fool you..."
Loa Recctear - "I refuse to ship this on principle."
Maeko - "A priestess. Self-explanatory."
Natsume Nekata - "Don't know enough about this person yet. x4"
Namiie Nekata - "Don't know enough about this person yet. x5"
Nanase Nekata - "Don't know enough about this person yet. x6"
Renko Hikawa - "I don't know who this person is."
Sapphire Karakuri - "A literal robot."
Kimiko Lin Kuei - "A loli assassinshutupI'mnotalolitoo!"
Yura Ketsueki - "She seems to have a single-target sexuality. In this case, it makes her even less shippable."
Yelizaveta Ivanovna - "Does she look interested to you? (No, no she doesn't. Leave her alone, Zorc.)"
Hel - "Would literally kill you with a touch."
Shizuka Myuute - "Loves books more than people."
Fina-Res Taihaku - "Will literally eat you...because she doesn't know better."
Tyria Harvestasha - "Loves bread more than you."
Marie Kasumi - "A literal goddess with an electric crush on Soji Seta..."
Seneca Daidouji - "Not in a coma anymore, but yet to actually speak. Wait 'til next year?"
May Misoragi - "The sea is her OTL."
Miira Rukiora - "Machines are her OTL."
Lu - "Still pining over Balmung."
Kin Hiragi - "More likely to suck your blood...or pretend to."
Mokou - "Too busy trying hopelessly to depose the Shogun and her distant cousin Cid. As if we'd let her."
Yui Takahashi - "She's lost her faith in people...that won't be easy to get back. I know..."
Emila Tsumaya - "Pretty plainly evil."
Emanda Katerine - "Like, super evil. Anybody who spells 'Amanda' as 'Emanda' has no soul."
Hifumi Tsubasa - "I don't know who this person is."
Ria - "'Blind date? Sorry, I've got a swimsuit calendar to do...' ...Right?"
Dolus Michieru - "I can only use the Kyle Reese Corollary so many times..."
Euphoria Ak'thias - "It's meant to be an exception, not a rule."
Relika Ak'thias - "That doesn't mean these girls don't deserve love, because they totally do!"
Aiken Aeroda - "Probably more so than the dork dads who made them, in some...specific cases."
Cinnabuns Necromonium - "...Is her name REALLY Cinnabuns?"


Everyone Else!

 

[Arena Emperor]

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2015!!! ~ *
(The 2015 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)


"Good evening, everyone! And welcome...to the next-annual Persona 4: FES - The Golden Guild Awards! We are your hosts for tonight's celebration, Lord Seo Tachibana-Hakushaku, and together with my (alleged) future son, Bel, tonight we endeavor to look back at the year's events and decide which of them struck nearest and dearest to your hearts! Which storylines, characters, moments, events, etc. stood out in a year full of memorable times? Any votes for my babydaughterlovelyRue-chanaregreatlyappreciated!"

"Relax, Dad. The moments will stand on their own. We're just here to read the scorecards and let the people know exactly which of them get to go home with the loot. Not that they're actually getting any prizes beyond bragging rights, but hey..."

"Of course, you're right my boy! Now then, are you all ready for a glamorous night of wonder and remembrance?! Then let's get on with the show!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

: razz art 1 - The Character Superlatives::
"These are awards given to characters who have given us lots of memorable moments in interaction, brilliance, battle, and so on...or those that we wish to see more of, less of...or even those that we've said goodbye to in the last year! Tonight, we honor all of the above and more...thanks for an incredible year, and best of luck in the following categories!"

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Most Underplayed Character - Soji Seta

It's no secret that the Guild has grown to rather ludicrous size over the years; with several cities, schools, military organizations, and normal citizens all boasting massive rosters of characters, sometimes people get lost in the shuffle and don't appear as much as we would like them to. But some characters are more important, more integral to respective storylines...and some are simply more beloved and familiar than others. So much so that when they are absent, we feel their absence. And no characters embodied that emptiness with their lack of presence this year than the candidates below.

But even as we wonder what's next for the tenth Kyouji and her apprentices, when Kisa and Dante are finally going to have that fated confrontation, how Mataki plans to further fortify the school against Inaba's weirdness, or what plots Cesc and the Orochi will set into motion next...this year's winner for the second time running was an almost unanimous choice. As the Guild's ur-hero, Main Character, and the Leader of the Investigation Team, Soji's presence or lack thereof...which wasn't entirely missing this year...still left us wanting for more. But with storyline threads yet to tie, a romantic situation to unravel, and much yet to be done, next year spells some promise for a return to prominence for everyone's favorite Big Bro.


[Nominees: Soji Seta, Kyouji Kuzunoha X, Kisa and Dante, Mataki Hito, Cesc Fabregas, Zeo Kirijo]

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Most Believable Character - Mikoto Hageshii

In a fantasy world such as the Persona-Verse, it's always tough to really decide which characters' reactions to phenomena we will never actually encounter in real life can be called 'realistic'. We have to break it down to the little moments, the greater quantity and quality of such reactions, and the continuing effect major moments have upon them that allow us to decide and really analyze who we can relate to most. Certainly the fear and uncertainty Luvia suffered during the Septentrione Invasion...and her own role in the defeat of Mizar...is something we can all appreciate as realistic, while Lira's defiance, fear, and trauma stemming from past incidents coming to bear when put into another life-or-death situation had the ring of tragic reality. Saito's volatile breaking of his cool facade was another genuine moment in a supernatural situation, and Mirai's personality continues to be a mirror to many of us. New though she might be, Aka Yuuki has also made an impression on members of the Guild...her realistic and complex personality has a tremendous potential moving forward.

But in terms of sheer comedy, pure entertainment value, and the realization that while many of us believe we'd be the Soji in any Persona situation, we'd most likely be something far less enthusiastic...nobody sold his role better than Mikoto Hageshii. From his steadfast rationalization of the supernatural to his denial of anyone who even tries to explain the situation to him to his casual fear of ghosts in the Haunted House and more...this J-Rock sensation contains a precious nugget of realism that we can all relate to.


[Nominees: Luvia Anegakoji, Lira Chronicle, Shinpachi Saito, Mirai Hatto, Aka Yuuki, Mikoto Hageshii]

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Most Idiotic Character - Zeo Kirijo

Incorrigible to a hilarious fault, nominations were overwhelming for this year's champion in one of the Awards Ceremony's least-desirable categories. But what makes Zeo Kirijo the Most Idiotic Character of the Year is what makes him so fun, entertaining, and at times, surprisingly genuine in a way that can throw us for a loop and have us rolling on the floor all at once. This is a man who rented an entire building of Gekkoukan High just to throw a pool party, whose rivalry with and affection for Mitsuru Kirijo entertains and flabbergasts us simultaneously, and whose incomprehensible bromance with his butler Jeeves has us wondering just what the long-suffering servant will have to endure with his stiff upper lip next! Zeo may be an idiot, but he's a savant when it comes to striking our funny bones and kicking shadow a**! But really, can anybody deny that he's a beacon of pure ridiculousness of the highest order?

Special mention must be made of Eido Aeroda, who has found a thousand and one ways to be framed for panty theft, of the airheaded Shikage, the utterly exasperating Zorc, the at-times unusual Tezuka, or the poor not-Dog Demon Nora, who definitely knew all the answers to the Christmas Quiz Show...but the King of Lunacy once again sits upon his Madcap Throne once more. Long may he reign...


[Nominees: Zeo Kirijo, Tezuka Rembrii, Eido Aeroda, Shikage Ryouko, Zorc James, Nora Keruberosu-Taihaku]

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Most Lovable Character - Hatsu Harima

Always a stacked category from year-to-year, the Guild is filled to the brim with memorable, entertaining, and mostly lovable characters who fill our hearts with warmth each and every time we see them on screen. Lord Seo delights with his bright introductions and willingness to engage in silliness for the sake of his family, his lovely Suko-chan, and of course, his little heiress (and future heirs?). Suzume is a beacon of bright cheer and wonder who takes the darkest of stories with her beloved Sai and injects smiles and laughter which infects us all with fluffy joy. Nanako is everyone's favorite little sister, and Cinnabuns' nickname alone gives a warmth that usually accompanies a sugary breakfast treat fresh out of the oven. And of course, there is Mechanical Voice-kun, everybody's favorite and Chiyo's destined partner. Who didn't fall in love with the little guy (whose voice definitely isn't Claptrap's...at least that's not how I remember him) leading us all on that perilous journey to the nadir of the Group Date Cafe? And that's to say nothing of those who were not nominated but certainly worthy...from Eoria to Nia to Euphie to Mikoto to Minori to Genji to Nix and on and on...

But this year's winner in a tight squeeze of nominations was none other than the Hard Luck Hero of the SEES-2 Team, Hatsu Harima! Ever-faithful, calm, and kind to friends and foes alike, he's quick to extend a hand even if it's batted away; he is always there with a smile, a comforting hand on the shoulder, a promise that he will protect you and keep you safe. That simple honesty and the gentle look in his eyes, his slight smiles, fill you with a warmth, a determination, a confidence that you would never have imagined you'd find...and he stands as proof that you don't have to be the cutest, the most clever, or the softest person in the world to be loved. Sometimes, being honest, sturdy, and sweet can be just as lovable in the end...


[Nominees: Lord Seo Taihaku, Suzume Kirihara, Nanako Dojima, Cinnabuns Necronomnomnom, Hatsu Harima, Mechanical Voice-Kun]

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Most Epic NPC - Doof Warrior/Mandingo Pendragon

Let's get this out of the way right from the beginning...one simply couldn't be nominated without the other. These two were the embodiment of the insanity, the wild and lawless nature, and the ludicrous heights to which the brilliant Devil Survivor 2 event ascended in its few weeks of action. Anything from blood feuds with screaming devils to Satan's Hellishly Good Burgers to so many other wonderfully epic and hilarious moments could have encapsulated the sheer insane epicness of the event...but perhaps more than anything else in the entirety of the event sums up the term 'crazy-epic' more than the rise of two of the dying world's most Dreaded, Energetic, and Manly Figures who rose to prominence seemingly out of nowhere, and who appeared out of the aether in a blaze of glory and disappeared afterward all the same.

One was the knife-wielding, leather hat wearing, alligator-tooth-necklace beacon of masculinity that stood at the forefront of the Harutopia Faction during the latter days of the Septentriones attack...and the other was he of the dump-truck w/taiko drum-riding, flame-throwing guitar-wielding, masked-up badass who represented the beating soul of Minohiko's Anarchy faction...and each presented a bold, unforgettably epic image that endures and impacts the characters who met them until this very day. Sure, Corrupted Cesc painted an intimidating and unforgettably passionate figure in the School of Despair...Shadow Soji scared us all with his first major appearance in a while, the Mechanical Voice creeped us all out...and Future Motonari Mori and the Septentriones respectively represented an icon of a lost world whose contributions in saving and destroying said worlds carved a mark deep in our souls...

But Mandingo Pendragon and the Doof Warrior were practically made of Epic...down to their very core. It was 100% epic, all the time...a ratio of epic-to-just-plain-awesome that surpasses even those. And that is why together, they are this year's collective Most Epic NPCs!


[Nominees: Corrupted Cesc Fabregas, Shadow Soji, Doof Warrior/Mandingo Pendragon, Mechanical Voice-kun, The Septentriones, Future Motonari Mori]

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Most Epic PC - Kyuzo Rikkio

What is the definition of epic? Is it the ability to rivet, intimidate, and convey a passion and don't-mess-with-me attitude simply while telling a story? Is it a determination to never give up, to never give in, to always keep fighting and protecting and defending the people depending on you until the very bitter end...no matter the personal cost? Or is it an unstoppable growth in skill, power, willpower...the things which will one day change you from just another girl into someone truly great? Maybe it's simply a man standing in the face of a God and Devils and saying with a loud, unwavering voice that neither Heaven nor Hell will lay a hand on the people you love...or silently standing between the world and the man who completes you. Or maybe epicness is simply turning your entire life up to 11 and then somehow managing to continue cranking up the dial, until every single chord blows the lid off the joint and shatters ears like a glass-shattering, "BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABES!"

All of those things are epic, certainly, but there's something especially memorable and truly heroic about staring down an enemy that has never been seen before...an enemy beyond anything that you could hope to imagine, let alone defeat...and with a flurry of power, skill, strikes, and determination that surpasses the sane, doing the impossible! Kyuzo Rikkio went beyond normality...he went beyond sanity...he went where nobody else had gone before (no, not Sapporo) and did what nobody else had ever done.

And if Kyuzo hadn't found a way to defeat Dubhe, proving to the world that the Septentriones weren't invincible juggernauts out to ravage the world...if he hadn't stood up and fought...the world may have ended with nobody the wiser, nobody willing to stand up against them. For his skill, his heroism, and his never-ending quest to go home, Kyuzo stands unmatched this year in the field of Epicness.

Congratulations to the well-deserving victor!


[Nominees: Kyuzo Rikkio, Sai Sakurazaka, Hatsu Harima, Youmu Konpaku, Kakyo Kaido, Kaori Sakurazaka, Zeo Kirijo]

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Most Confusing Character - Iofiel

It takes a lot to outdo the questionable fallen-angel spawn of a couple that by any logic should not have been capable...let alone wanting...to have a child together (let's not talk about the overwhelmingly creepy way she was conceived). It takes a lot when she flits about constantly doing...well, little more than contributing hugs and random comments to any given conversation that she's a part of. And when this fallen angel, meant to be something of an embodiment of love and compassion, fails to even bat an eyelash or react in the slightest when seeing one of her dearest companions who she...to her eyes...saw die right in front of her...other than to tell her to keep watching a show? Well, I'm at a loss. What even IS Iofiel? Is she going to go on that date with Bel, or not? How was it that an angel was even allowed...let alone capable of...?! ...No, no...if I think too hard I'll get a migraine on this one. Sheesh...you win! Congratulations...?

Kudos to Sayuri for thinking she could keep a random dog in class, her inexplicable reaction to Wei Zhijun's conversation, etc...to Yui for the as-of-yet unexplained omniscient voice that continues to talk to her without any real logic behind it...to Yuno and her confusing personalities somehow being dethroned...and to all the rest for your efforts! Close, but no cigar. Which Io wouldn't approve of, by the way (or would she?!).


[Nominees: Iofiel, Sayuri, Yuno (and her personalities), Yui Takahashi, Pyrrha, Amorabundus Necromonium, Fujimatsu]

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Biggest Airhead - Eido Aeroda

There's only so many times that a man can be framed for the same crime, by the same person, and yet somehow never escape the beatings and/or unpleasant consequences of the actions that he never actually took. Worse, to actually commit said crime on occasion, just to make the whole proceedings more complicated. This is taking nothing into account about past encounters with a professor of...questionable nature, getting slapped around by an anthropomorphic...um...Mara, and a variety of other achievements in Airheadedness that I'd love to mention but many of them happened in a different year. Even his daughter is infected by his airheadedness, right down to the lack of an accurate identification of his daughter's mother so far! Truly, when it comes to right down to it, Eido stands in a class of his own...but that's not to say he didn't have some competition.

The fact that Gin has yet to actually take Nix on a date and make their relationship official, that Zeo has tried to take every girl on a date, that Eoria still thinks shiny things are love and life, or the creepy way that Aiko continued to smile and laugh and never even seemed to waver in the face of despair that made almost everyone else question themselves at least once. And of course, Tharros's wanderlust made this a close race...but something about Kings and not missing...you'll get the full quote later, I'm sure.


[Nominees: Aiko, Eido Aeroda, Zeo Kirijo, Eoria Ansul, Gin Mishima, Tharros Gallen]

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Most Unlikely Badass - Luvia Anegakoji

To be normal, to be unassuming, to face a situation in which you shouldn't have the slightest prayer of winning, fighting, enduring, surviving...and then somehow doing one or all of those things. It is a task so rarely done because in the end, strength, size, these things DO matter in a fight. They matter in every walk of life, and they slant the odds against the people who do not have them. And faced with impossible odds, with the supernatural, with the indestructible, to rise up and fight not just at all, but successfully can only be called the very definition of badassery. All of this year's candidates have shown at times that they were indeed badass...but one look at many of them, and you'd never notice.

Saiga appears just like any other school girl, and Youmu would be completely unassuming were it not for the sword she carries, and yet both proved their worth against the greatest of foes...the Septentriones. Noir can't see and yet strikes down foes when not even targeting them! Mikoto outright rejects the supernatural and yet grows in his power! And none of them are big, all of them are small...all of them might appear an easy mark to a powerful foe, yet after this year it's hard to imagine anyone overlooking them again.

The woman who takes the cake this year, however, is the tiny white-haired badass who shook with fear and stood before the giant Septentrione Mizar with all the intimidation factor of an ant versus a dragon...and somehow found the strength, the will, the badass inside of her to take hold of the power of Lugh and overcome it! Thrust into the most impossible of situations without a single power, a single item, a single hope to her name...she found truth in the power of hope...and dealt a fatal blow to the assault which threatened to overcome the world. That surprise, that complete destruction, and unadulterated badassery makes it impossible to call anyone else what she has truly earned...

The title of this year's Most Unlikely Badass. Well earned!


[Nominees: Luvia Anegakoji, Saiga Giriko, Youmu Konpaku, Noir Coursier, Mikoto Hageshii]

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Most Likely to be stabbed by Yuno - Faustus Necrmonoium

In one of our most traditionally one-sided categories, the reigning champ once again takes the cake. Though Yui could feel the sting of the blade as an enemy of the I. Team, Relika may draw the ire of the 3-Personalities of Yuno via her relation to Rednal, and Kusuri and Rednal have their motivations inherent for Yuno stabs...this really was a two-horse race.

And while it was tempting to go with the little girl whose insistence upon her dangerous parentage likely brought her within one or two mistimed words of Yuno's dagger's edge, the realest threat of all remains to the heart of the one who is responsible for even that annoyance to Yuno's YxR<3 5-eva plan...the one who, in some other world, did what only Rednal is allowed to do with Yuno and made Amora...and that person is none other than, could only be, Faustus Necromonium...Czar of the Yuno Stabbings!

[Nominees: Faust, Kusuri Keiraku, Yuno, Rednal, Yui Takahashi, Amorabundus Necromonium, Relika Ak'Thias]

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Least Trustworthy Character - Weston Smith

Another of the most hotly-contested categories from year-to-year, this year perhaps even more than others! Truly, every single one of the nominees is someone that you would not want to leave your children, girlfriend, friends, emperors alone with...so how do you distinguish between them and choose which is truly the least trustworthy? Is it Bel's seductive smile which belies his deep self-interest and amusement at your suffering? Or is the murderous psychopath with multiple personalities hidden inside of the sweet, pink head of hair more your speed? Does the open madness of the Mad Mime lure you in only to betray you, or does the once-goodness inside a fallen anti-hero from the future help you forget the old adage, 'Never trust a snake.'? Naniyori's issues with trust (and several past awards) are well documented, often on the stone of a tomb, but even he might just be eclipsed by the misleading, questionable, often-insane words of the Mechanical Voice-kun. Each candidate has had their moments of deception, mistrust, and outright betrayal...

...But no betrayal was perhaps as telegraphed or as outright d**k as the one perpetrated by Weston Smith during the School of Despair. Suspected as a killer from the word 'go', his misleading testimony almost caused a false judgment to be made in the very first trial, but his coup de grace was his double murder of his gullible sort-of-ally Colm and erstwhile nemesis Rayne in an attempt to escape the hellish dungeon which had detained them. Somehow, even with everyone expecting it, he still managed to surprise with the breadth and pure-treachery of the knives he jammed into the back of the poor, hat-clad teen. And it reminded us all that while Weston may currently be aligned with the good guys...he's always looking out for numero uno first.


[Nominees: Weston Smith, Bel Heartilly, Yuno, Zazi Pazzia, Cesc Fabregas (Future and Present), Naniyori, Mechanical Voice-Kun]

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Most Badass Normal - Youmu Konpaku

Every year, I have to admit, this is a category that turns out to be a bit of a struggle. Most characters nominated really aren't normal, having some form of power or another. Others who are nominated really haven't done anything other than be badass on reputation alone. It's tough to come up with 4, 5, even 6 Normal Characters who in spite of their normalcy have proven themselves to be especially badass. After all, even Nanako has been put up for nomination before!

...And then this year happens and does away with ALL of that.

From Mikoto's unwanted drafting into the world of the Supernatural to RAYNEMAKERS EVERYWHERE, to Luvia's courageous stand against Mizar to Kakyo's defense of his home with the Vultures...and even Boudica's steel-willed stand for Inaba's education...choosing just one normal character who has come to embody badassery this year is a chore for an entirely different reason. It's impossible to choose! In the end, however, it went back and forth between the Boss of the Vultures for his extended struggle during the attack of the Septentriones and our winner...but when it comes down to it, just a look at the inventory of our winner tells a dramatically badass story.

Circumpolarity, Ultra Highest Cut Armor, Sniper Wolf's Jacket, Black Samurai Armor, V-Emblem, Sword of Mars, Red Rust Scimitar, Black Gemini Blade All won through auctions, action, or other means...all of them belonging to someone who has yet to even tap into the supernatural.

...And that person is Youmu Konpaku, this year's Most Badass Normal!


[Nominees: Mikoto Hageshii, Youmu Konpaku, Rayne Paik, Luvia Anegakoji, Kakyo Kaido, Boudica Tlalli]

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Character That Took the Biggest Level in Badass - Shinpachi Saito

Being a badass is more than just fighting, it's more than just winning...it's about the courage to stand and do what's right, it's about being a rock that others can lean on in the most trying of times, keeping a cool head when others might explode, and prevailing through an unflappable will and looking damn cool doing it, no matter what the enemy throws at you. And few people this year have been put through the ringer quite like Shinpachi Saito...who has looked after Lira through her nightmares, watched her die in a dream and found the will to keep going and solve a crime, to take the fall for a murder he didn't commit even if it meant his death (and then survive and still help solve the case), to fight against the tyranny (actually awesomeness) of Harutopia and the Septentriones...even aiding directly in the fight against Phecda, and so much more. Everybody knew that Saito could fight, and everybody knew that once upon a time, he could lead. This year, however, he showed the content of his character...he showed an unflinching determination and power...he proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that in every way the man we call Saito is badass. And that leap forward for his characterization stands alone.

But hot on his heels were a trio of heroes of the Invasion of the Septentriones, people who stood against the supernatural monsters and came through in the most dire of moments...a wandering badass who always seems to show up when he is needed...and of course, the sweet-faced killer who continues to impress and terrify as the Black Messiahs ready for war. Any one of them, in a normal year, could have taken the gold. But this year, Saito stands alone...


[Nominees: Ellie Troit, Saiga Giriko, Rena Redeyan, Luvia Anegakoji, Tharros Gallen, Saito Shinpachi]

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The Kamina "Manliest Man' Award - Kakyo Kaido

He wasn't dealing with Slavic Assassins, and he wasn't making thousands of babies with countless beguiled, anonymous women...but those things are certainly manly in their own right. He wasn't alternatively rebelling against the system as a rocker and fighting back reluctantly for the side of 'justice' or 'order' like some people were, either. He wasn't bursting out of cakes or throwing crazy parties or Falcon Punching the enemies of the Investigation Team, or simply being the living embodiment of manliess like some cyborgs and vaguely-Australian alter-egos might have been this year.

But the truth is, he didn't have to be.

Because nothing in this world is manlier than a man who stands up against any threat...especially an overhwelming threat (or even a particularly annoying in-house friend)...and saying to that monster that you are putting your body and your life between them and the woman you love. And not one damn hair or fiber or grain of wood in the place, the people, your world behind you will suffer an inch of damage so long as you are still alive. He was more than just a fighter, more than just a husband, more than just a human being struggling against the might of Gods and Monsters on those fateful days in Oshu City...when the Septentriones attacked. Kakyo Kaido was what his nickname has always proclaimed him to be...a Boss. And that Boss was a Man. A Big Boss Man.

But not THE Big Bossman...you know what I mean.

[Nominees: Kakyo Kaido, Touma Makushima, Jo(Shu) Michieru('s libido), Kanji Tatsumi, Mandingo Pendragon, Zeo Kirijo]

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Most Courageous Character - Ellie Troit and Luvia Anegakoji (tie)!

In what is, I believe, only the second TIE in GUILDMAS YEAR-END AWARD history, a too-close-to-call contest of courage between the Herone we all deserve and the everyday, normal girl who overcame her fears to slay a monster comes to a decision that I simply can't make! Call it a cop-out if you like, but the winners of this year's Most Courageous Character Award are both too worthy to simply ignore. How can one choose against Luvia's stand against Mizar, knowing that she would likely die in the effort? Even against the likes of the Heroine Ellie's year of standing up against evil...including her own stands against the Septentriones...how can you choose against either of them?

Representing two aspects of courage...the willingness to stand up for what is right and spend your life fighting even when others think perhaps you should not, and overcoming your fears to do something truly heroic despite being scared...Ellie and Luvi both demonstrated a courage that went to the heart of what makes someone truly brave. And thus, both have been elected this year's most Courageous Characters over some fine competition...from Gin's long struggles for his team and the world to Hatsu's brave defense of the survivors in the park (and other struggles) to Yuno's inner strength and Crowley's struggle to save a world that's passed him by. They have all overcome, and for that I say...congratulations to all of them!


[Nominees: Luvia Anegakoji, Keira Gayuno, Ellie Troit, Hatsu Harima, Gin Mishima, Aleister Crowley]

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Magical Girl Miku Girliest Girl - Yosukelina Hanamura

I...literally have no words for this. In what is surely a first in the history of the Guild Awards, I can't quite justify how 'Yosukelina' was even nominated for this award, let alone how um...she...somehow managed to get enough consideration to win it. I don't even want to extoll the virtues of this winner. It's just...um...

"Ms." Yasogami High, everybody!

Coming in a shocking runner-up are the blushing future-mom Yasuko, the walking boob-joke, an absolutely adorable wife, the original Miss Yasogami High, the most effeminate member of the Okina Team, and Rainbow. ...Looking at that last nominee, Yosukelina almost seems like a reasonable choice. ...No, not really.


[Nominees: Noelle Everett, Yasuko Kimiki-Taihaku, Yosukelina Hanamura, Rosealina Miina, Kotori Kaido, Minori Koroko, Yoshida "Rainbow" Rinku]

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Best Main Storyline Villain - Monokuma (Corrupted Cesc Fabregas)

It was another seminal year for villainy in P4:FES - The Golden, but though there were several worthy candidates, only one could come out on top in this battle of evil extremes. Eliminated early in the deliberation was the mischievous and occasionally-evil Mechanical Voice-kun, followed soon after by the terrifying but sparsely-appearing Shadow Soji. Having no real words or personality by 'otherworldly invader destroying your s**t and refusing to die' eliminated Benetnasch and eventually, Polaris. And while Zazi remains a constant thorn in the sides of the SEES-2 Squad as much as Sano grows to be a dagger in the backs of the Investigation Team and his family, one candidate melded the character development, the twisted betrayal, the zany insanity, and the shockingly devastating impact of all the other candidates better than the Host With the Most from the School of Despair...the winner is none other than Mono-Bear!

Able to go from joker to nightmare in no time flat, Monokuma was schizophrenic in the most terrifying way...he could kill as easily as he could laugh, but what really set him apart was the way that he manipulated everybody around him into killing as well. He was a chessmaster, a sadistically enjoying watching the children of the past kill one another for what turned out to be little more than an experiment and a little bit of petty revenge. And this before the ultimate revelation...the dagger in the heart of poor Narue and Aeon...that the captor-bear was none other than the redeemed Ichiro Kuzunoha himself from the Bad Future, Corrupted...twisted into something sick and purely evil by the darkness, by his hatred, by his own fall.

No villain cut deeper...or left quite the impression of the Corrupted Cesc Fabregas. And so for the physical and psychological impact combined, he edges out the competition!


[Nominees: Monokuma (Bad Future Cesc), Benetnasch, Polaris, Mechanical Voice-kun, Zazi Pazzia, Shadow Soji, Sano Gallen]

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Most Innocent Character - Iofiel

Anybody who is willing to trust Bel Heartilly can not only be considered beyond innocent, but gullible to a potentially-fatal fault. And yet that is exactly the type of person we have in Iofiel, who places her trust in perhaps the Guild's most self-interested person, throwing her arms around a man who by his very nature as the King of Bel will one day tilt against the Heavens which allegedly spawned her (and certainly her mother). Her smile radiates to those around her when she isn't rather rudely ignoring them, but her obliviousness to it all only intensifies the feeling of innocence around her.

And with a bright nature that lights up every room she enters...over the usual intense competition in the likes of past winner Suzu, honest Hatsu, a tasty breakfast dessert, a charming lover of cats, perennial nominee Nix, and the guy who struggles to a comic degree with Haunted houses...it is with a great pleasure that this year's Innocence Award is given to Io! Congratulations!


[Nominees: Suzume Kirihara, Hatsu Harima, Iofiel, Cinnabuns Necronomnomnom, Koichi Mori, Nix Gallen, Mikoto Hageshii]

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Most Beautiful Female Character - Minori Koroko and Nix Gallen

Didn't this just happen last year? ...It did, didn't it? And yet here we are again, with the award's top-two nominees for the Most Beautiful Female Character Award unable to be separated from one another when it comes right down to the very end. Neck-and-sexy-neck together in a race too close to call in terms of beauty, inner and outer, and that appeal once again has brought them to the winner's stage to accept their award together.

Is it their eyes, windows to the brilliant souls that lay within their hearts...so freely given to the men who love them? Or is it their pale skin which reflects the light of the sun and stars and makes them seem to radiate with beauty to the people around them? Is it their solid record in the occasional pageant which sells them as the most beautiful? Or the gorgeous blond and snow-capped hair respectively which lures men in. One thing is for certain...the girls of the Investigation Team are sirens in their own right, alluring to men in ways that make them irresistible. And to the men who are fortunate to be close to them, all the rest must say...good on you, sirs. You lucky, lucky bastards.

[Nominees: Seika Murakami, Yuno, Ellie Troit, Chie Satonaka, Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen, Elena Wakahisa, Noelle Everett]

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Sexiest Male Character - Haruto Mashiba

It was a good year for sexy. In fact, one might even go so far as to say that the men in the Guild this year brought sexy back...though that would be a misnomer since it implies that sexy ever left in the first place. And it didn't, make no mistake. With the likes of Bel seducing the women of Inaba to Touma's raw sexuality, there was no lack of men making the panties of women everywhere randomly fly off into the air and away from their bodies. And then there are those who literally made panties fly, in the future if not recently, having so many future children that one can only marvel at how meaningless the sex must have become after a while...but also, how damn good it must have been for the girls to keep coming. And of course, there are those who are best not spoken of lest our reactions simply become to volatile...like the sexy beast Zeo and...well, the one really best left not spoken of.

But perhaps the two sexiest moments of the year came down to men in various states of undress...one training, taut muscles beneath the rushing water of the grove behind the Amagai Estate...and in any other year that would be such a capstone moment that it would be impossible NOT to declare him the year's sexiest man. Except that this year, there was a man...who went just one step further than that. There was a man who bared more than his chest...more than just his legs...he bore his very soul on the stage of the Persona Idol, and that soul was found to be absolutely dead sexy.

That man is, of course, the host of last year's GUILDMAS2014!!! celebration and the Leader of the Okina Team, Haruto Mashiba...whose very presence and tiniest of smirks screams out 'Do me!'...and he is 2015's Sexiest Man in the Guild Award Winner!


[Nominees: Touma Makushima, Bel Heartilly, Jo(Shu) Michieru, "Yosukelina", Haruto Mashiba, Genji Amagai, Zeo Kirijo]

 

[Arena Emperor]

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2015!!! ~ *
(The 2015 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)

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: razz art 2 - Moments, Plots, and Events::
"Our second section of the night's awards will pertain to the moments that moved us, the storylines that thrilled us, and the events that had us on the edge of our chairs throughout the year wondering what might come next! And in one or two instances, perhaps, the opposite of those feelings. Whatever the case, we're going to honor you if you managed to be memorable, so let's get right down to us reading the cards and you coming to get your bald, gold trophies! ...Wait, they don't get trophies?!"

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Most Heartwarming Couple - Yasumoto Kensu x Mei Hanako


What can be said about this year's Most Heartwarming Couple winner that can really do justice to the way that it made us all feel? There was a perfectly gentle connection of uncertainty, vulnerability, honesty, and unmasked affection between Yasumoto Kensu and Mei Hanako this year which peeled back the layers of both man and woman, revealing the weakness that lay within each of them...but that connection, that moment when her hands touched his arms, when his lips touched her lips, when everything was on the line between them...those are the moments that magic is made of. It was picking at the bloody scab of recent wounds and finding out that by allowing yourself to bleed before the one person who can heal you, that when you do heal, you become stronger than ever. At a time when Kensu and Mei might have been scared or crushed by the dangers of this world...by the awful truth of what happens to people in this world...they found a way to become stronger by coming together. And in reading stories as heartwarming as this one, we all become stronger. That is why this year, they are the Most Heartwarming Couple!

Best of the rest to the always-adorable relationship between Sai and Suzu, to Hatsu and Seika growing together as they face the hardships of the world, to a magical moment between Jo(Shu) and WYNN that defied everything the world had thrown between them, to a Rednal's Solid Bond with Aselia, to Minori and Genji's fairy tale morning in the grove behind his home, to Gin and Nix slowly growing closer...but our winner begins a worthy reign with my heartfelt congratulations!


[Nominees: Sai and Suzu, Hatsu and Seika, Jo(Shu) and WYNN, Rednal x Aselia, Minori and Genji, Kensu and Mei, Gin x Nix]

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Least Likely Couple - Rednal x Ambriel

There are some things that need to be accepted for sanity's sake...Faust and Yuno are never going to get together in the present time. Aeon and Narue belong together and why they are on this list is a mystery I can't unravel...I guess because San is trying to stop it? Pyrrha and Zorc is as uncomfortable a relationship as James Bond kissing a girl after the 5th time she says 'no'. Rena and Sano are hated rivals whose ship is only kept afloat by my considerable blowing into the sails. Colm and Yukari is a hilarious joke that keeps on giving everything but a relationship, and Bel and Io are more adversaries than lovers.

But the sheer amount of philosophical WTF-ness, utter lack of any foreshadowing or chemistry or logical explanation of why two people would be together, and the extremely, extremely unfortunate implications of the method through which the two of them allegedly conceived a child is more than enough to push Rednal and Ambriel's doomed not-relationship over the edge in this conversation of 'Nope'. Even discounting the fact that traditional angels lack reproductive organs in Christian texts, ignoring that God would be more likely to punish and certainly not forgive an angel for attempting to do so than simply allowing it to happen then casting the angel out...setting aside the fact that the way Ambriel allegedly conceives Io is incredibly rape-y...the fact that the two of them have barely, if ever, even looked at one another let alone said a word to one another, makes the two of them getting together at any point...at this juncture in time...a totally ludicrous jump to make.

A 'crack ship' doesn't mean you should actually HAVE to DO crack just for it to make sense...just a note for the future.


[Nominees: Faust and Yuno, Aeon x Narue, Pyrrha x Zorc, Rena and Sano, Colm x Yukari, Rednal x Ambriel, Bel x Iofiel]

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Most Heartwarming Moment in RP - Hope Reigns

Heartwarming moments come in all varieties, from meeting a new puppy for the first time to the birth of a child. From a confession of love to a long-awaited reunion, or simply from a confession of truth that draws you closer to someone than you thought you could be. If it brings people closer, if it relies on love, if it makes you believe that something is possible that might never have been before...it can warm the heart unlike any other. These year's candidates are no exception, ranging the full gamut of heartwarming varieties from Love to Reunion to Discovery to Confession right down to Hope.

But this year, one emotion really struck harder than any other...one scene which came at the end of a long struggle that brought light for the first time to a darkened place...it showed that despite absolutely wallowing in despair, darkness, and hopelessness, one could still find it out there...that thing which sets a soul alight and warms the heart in a way that makes us better than we ever thought we could be. That thing is Hope...the emotion which conquers Despair. And after suffering through more than two weeks of Despair at the hands of the Corrupted Cesc, to finally solve his mystery and reject his sick offer there, then...to let Hope overcome in the face of overwhelming Despair...it was the sort of Heartwarming that could change the world.

The students who survived that ordeal...who did not give in...they may very well change the world.

[Nominees: Hope Reigns (End of School of Despair), Sai tells Suzu the truth of his past...and his feelings, More Future Kids Meeting Parents, Everyone Teams Up to Defeat Polaris, Kensu and Mei's Feelings are Revealed, Genji and Minori Meet on the Last Day of Polaris's Attack].

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Most Badass Moment in RP - Everyone Teams up to Destroy Benetnasch

It's been asked before, but it bears repeating...what makes a badass moment? What does a situation require before a jaw may drop, before hands go into the air and normal bodies recoil with a combination of surprise, jubilation, energy, and disbelief? Something that pounds the pulse, certainly, and an obstacle that takes every ounce within you to overcome. To break down a barrier that others wouldn't even think to try, or to show a side of yourself that nobody expected and absolutely dominate as a result of it. These are elements which reflect a thoroughly badass moment. Whether it's fighting off pursuers with an Axe when you're considered something of a joke or saving a dying soul from a burning fire, whether you're riding through the Wastelands to one day reign in Valhalla, or more...badass is like the indecent. It's hard to define, but you know it when you see it.

And so it was when Survivors from every city...every walk of life...came together in Oshu City to take down an enemy that had plagued them all for hours...hours that felt like days, a week or more on end...to put to bed the threat which had nearly driven them all mad! When that moment came and Benetnasch split, when each fighter took their own piece of that enemy...Kaori, Yuno...everyone...and then, that crescendo which set the moment into another stratosphere of Badassery when the FLAME-THROWING GUITAR-WIELDING BADASS and his Anarchist Lord crashed a truck into the Septentrione...paving the way for the Boss to put this personal demon to bed once and for all...to put the cap on every single one of our efforts to kill that b*****d...

I knew it the moment I saw it. THAT was BADASS.


[Nominees: Mino and the Doof Warrior Ride to Conquer Sapporo, Saiga and the Gang Defeating Polaris, Everyone Teams up to Destroy Benetnasch, Yuuya Breaks Down the Wall of the Hot Spring and Carries the Emperor to the Hospital, Eido Axe-Murders like SEVEN people.]

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Dumbest Moment in RP - Pyrrha's Trial

Undeniably, Zeo has some moments that leave us all scratching our heads trying to understand what we all saw. And Akira's plan to murder Mataki was...ill-conceived, we'll say. Rednal's love of food is long-documented, but his moment with a sandwich this year brought past moments into question in a way I don't want to think about. And Yairotsu's creepy eavesdropping gave rise to a meme that may color his character moving forward forever. Yet somehow the more said about that...would somehow be more welcome than asking about what Saito was doing at the end of the School of Despair.

Yet few of those moments even come near the suicidal, disappointing trial of Pyrrha during that same event. From her boring confession to the roundabout trial that somehow nearly came to the wrong conclusion in spite of her confession to misleading evidence...right down to the weaksauce explanations and the verbal beatdown afterward before the harrowing execution. It was an anti-climax in an event full of wonderful tension, sharp interactions, and intriguing mysteries. Fortunately, it wasn't the end...except for Pyrrha and her target, of course.

Good grief, this was bad.


[Nominees: Pyrrha's Trial, Zeo Aux Follies, Akira's Brilliant Murder Plan to Kill Mataki, Rednal Confesses His Love...to a Sandwich, Yairotsu is an Eavesdropping Stalker-Killer, OoC Saito is OoC during the Final Trial]

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Most Terrifying Moment - Monokuma's Executions

There was something wrong with that school...from the moment the students woke up inside Hope's Peak Academy to the moment that strange bear told them that the only way to escape the school was to kill another student. From the bolted windows to the troubling announcements, right down to the manipulative motivations to spur them to action, things were messed up right from the outset. But then, nobody had actually died, right? Nobody was really going to die...were they?

Only they did die. And then the real hammer came down...there was going to be a trial, and whomever was determined to have been the killer would be punished. How, though? What was the penalty? Surely...it wasn't all just some kind of twisted game? Those were the thoughts that kept despair at bay...those were the thoughts which made the first execution all the more crushing...from the jaws tearing the little Fina to shreds, to the later gangland beatdown of Weston to every single execution that followed, the hopes of those who remained were destroyed...and fear was sent shooting like lightning into the hearts of those survivors. Despair had taken hold...terror reigned. That was the effect of the twisted Monokuma's executions...a fear so deep, so immediate that it surpassed the horrible reaction of Saito to Lira's death, even the revelation of the killer's identity was not as harrowing as his methods of extracting 'justice'...nor were the masterfully screwy terrors of the Funhouse, the attacks of the Septentriones, or even the Monster within the Human Weapon nearly consuming him whole.

This was absolute despair...this was fear.


[Nominees: Monokuma's Executions (Pyrrha in Particular), Saito Learns of Lira's Transgression in the School of Despair, Corrupted Cesc Appears (School of Despair), Zazi's Funhouse...just Zazi's Funhouse in General, The Septentrione Attacks Begin, Benetnasch's Relentless Assault Won't End!, Kei Loses Himself to the Monster Within, Everyone's Trapped in the Collapsing Bathhouses]

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Best Fight - The P1-Climax Survivors versus the Emperor and Empress Arcana Shadows

This was a year full of events, but apart from the Devil Survivor 2 event, there were very few moments where the combat really outshone the interaction and developments between characters. And while that Devil Survivor event offered up brilliant moments and fights between the Survivors and Benetnasch, Phecda, Dubhe, and Polaris among others, there was something missing from many of those fights which can take a great fight and make it monumental...it was something that Akaito versus Rena and Misara versus Ailek both had, although both of those fights lacked the scale and immediate importance of the fights with the Septentriones. Only one fight this year really blended together the scale, importance, and the personal grudges/motivations/stories on both sides of the flying fists. And that event...coincidentally...was the very first event that was ongoing to start the year, the Hot Springs battles during the P1-Climax.

Featuring intense, complex combat against enemies whose unique abilities made you think before you attacked, the real heart of the battles came near the end when the facade of the Emperor and Empress began to crumble and reveal the vulnerable, unfortunate souls that had been trapped within and forced to be a part of the twisted birth of these Arcana Shadows. Defeating these damaged people did not carry the same weight of triumph that it should have, and when the springs began to burn at the conclusion, hopelessness set in until the path at last cleared to the exit. It ran a gamut of emotions, offered a grand and interesting battle, and stood out among a tough crowd as this year's Fight without Equal.


[Nominees: Kyuzo and Hatsu Team Up Against Dubhe, Japan's Finest Survivors versus Benetnasch, Harutopia Bests Phecda, Akaito Modoku versus Rena Redeyan, Climax Survivors versus Emperor and Empress, Misara versus Ailek.]

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Most Heartbreaking Moment - Corrupted Cesc's Places the Blame on Narue and Aeon

Few things in the world strike as close to the heart as a father's disappointment in his own son. But to hear the words of that father as he undresses you before an entire crowd of your peers, your friends, and a girl for whom you sacrificed everything...and to have that very sacrifice be the crux of the accusations levied against you? To be used by that father as the cipher through which he tortured people who were close to you...people who were good people but afraid, desperate, without hope...to see someone you care for called a killer, a traitor, a plague. Or what if you were the other side of the equation? What if you saw the person you care most for made into a catalyst for a nightmare, heard him call you the End of the World and knowing in your heart that he might not be wrong? Would it crush you? Would it break your heart to listen to this man you believed in, trusted, who was the father of your most important friend run you down as though you were nothing more than a virus sent to destroy life as you know it?

Of course it would...words have the potential to destroy, to do irreparable damage...and the words of the Corrupted Cesc Fabregas will, no doubt, linger as a bloody scar in the hearts of his son and Narue Taihaku long after the dream that was the School of Despair has passed into memory. Some hurts cannot be forgotten...some words cannot be forgiven. Accusations, betrayal...heartbreak.

No less painful to remember is a loss of one's very self, the tenet which binds you to your humanity, no matter how short...or the death of a trusted friend of her own making, in penance for sin. And the revelation that the monster you were fighting is nothing more than a broken young man or woman...or that the broken person that you are about to fight is a young man you once knew. The year was full of moments that tugged at the heartstrings in unexpected and memorable ways. Congratulations to all of the nominees!


[Nominees: Kei's Loses Himself to the Monster Within, Corrupted Cesc Drops Verbal Napalm on Aeon and Narue, Lira's Death (School of Despair), Emperor and Empress's True Forms Revealed (Hot Springs - P1 Climax), Zombie Kohaku Appears.]

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Best Rivalry - Sano versus Rena and the other Messiahs

The best of rivalries are the ones that endure...the ones that come to define the parties involved down to their very cores. They drive one another to become better, stronger, faster, more skilled, all for the purpose of continuing to look down at your foe and know that no matter how much they do of the same, you will always be one step ahead...or that no matter how far ahead they are, you will catch them. Whether it's the rivalry between bands forcing one to up their game to climb the charts, the rivalry between a man and a monster to save the world, a man wrestling with his own desires, or a man wrestling with the idea of another man acting utterly ridiculous in a time of danger and peril...rivalries come in many forms. This year's very best Rivalry came down to two choices, however...two rivalries which couldn't have been anymore different from one another.

The first was a man fighting against his own sanity and the end of the world: a very real struggle against teammates who drove him batty but that he swore to protect...against a demon he needed to protect them that simply would not obey its summoner testing his tolerance...and of course, the man against a world-ending monster stalking him unto the end of the world, untouchable...unbeatable...unbreakable. And yet despite the hopelessness, he fought on...overcoming each of these trials, and seeing it through until the bitter end...

But surpassing that, and this year's winner, is a much more personal rivalry between one man, one girl, and a group of upstarts who seek to supplant them. This is, of course, the Black Messiahs...where Sano reigns above his peers but continues to struggle to stay a step ahead of the ambitious Rena and two steps in front of the recruits anxious to prove themselves. Whether it's in training, in battle, or even trying to save the world so that they can be the ones to end it, the jockeying for position and status is as fierce as ever. And now, the fight is literal...with a battle between Messiahs to prove the worthiness for rank, it escalates more and more with every passing day. One day soon, this rivalry will bear the darkest of fruits...and the Investigation Team stands poised to suffer all the more for the intensity that has been born between them.


[Nominees: Touma versus the Septentriones, Kakyo versus Shiva's PASUPATBLARAGHEA! versus the Vultures' snark versus Benetnasch, Sano versus Rena and the other Messiahs, Nyx versus Tartarus (Bands), Yui versus Necro's Tsundere Desire for Her, Haruto and Saito constantly feud over how stupid Harutopia is (Is Not!).]

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Best Comedic Moment - Weston Hires Yukari a "Masseuse" aka Bel

"Wow! How awesome is this? Just a little job I was doing on the side, a friend called me in...I didn't even know what I was getting into. But here it is, winning an award. I wanna thank the Academy, my Master, all of you..."

*cough*

Sorry, Bel...actually, you didn't win. This one's on me. This one's on Truth.

ACTUAL Best Comedic Moment - Zeo Aux Follies

...You come at the King, you best not miss.

And while Harutopia's insane birth, Shu's 'fall', the Cross-dressing pageant, Seo's family tailing Narue, Eido's rampage, and Weston's bad decision drew blood...none of them could kill the Guild's Resident King of Comedy and all of his hilarious glory over the past year. Long live the King...

[Nominees: Harutopia is Born!, Zeo Aux Follies, Shu Trips over Korina, Yosukelina and the 'Miss' Yasogami Pageant, Seo and His Family Tail Narue to the Station, Eido Axe-Murders like Twelve People, Weston hires Yukari personal "masseuse" Bel. ]

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Best Kiss - Minori and Genji Kiss by the Waterfall

There are all kinds of kisses. Touma and Luvia shared a 'Happy to be Alive' kiss after her survival of the battle against Mizar...an intense, emotional kiss between people who needed that dramatic push to really take that step together. And Seika and Hatsu shared an equally emotional, 'I Thought You Were Dead' kiss in the School of Despair, clinging to the one thing which kept them full of Hope in a world of hopelessness. Youmu and Daichi shared a chaste kiss of promise for the future, the hope that one day soon they would meet again to investigate what the kiss meant...a starting point for something more. And Mei and Kensu shared a kiss of healing, overcoming trials and hardships together...a declaration of love. Even Bel may have stolen a kiss this year, but it was a stolen kiss nonetheless, one which had a high cost, no doubt. There are all sorts of kisses...but what sets our winner this year apart is that it's not an intense, end-of-the-world type of kiss and it needed on great event to spark it.

What makes Minori and Genji's kiss is just how normal it was...two young people simply being together and kissing joyfully like young people. In a town full of insanity, in a world full of the strange and supernatural, something normal became something different...and the peacefulness of the moment, the tenderness of the moment, the sweetness of the moment made it all the more precious by comparison. It was a kiss not to heal, not to celebrate survival, not even a stolen kiss for no good reason...it was a simple kiss of affection, of love, nothing more. And in a world gone mad, perhaps it is these sweet, normal gestures of affection that somehow...have become the most meaningful of all.

[Nominees: Touma and Luvi Kiss After She Survives Lugh's Possession, Seika and Hatsu (School of Despair), Minori and Genji Kiss by the Waterfall, Youmu Kisses Daichi's Cheek With a Promise..., Mei and Kensu Do the Lip-Tango for Two, That Kiss Bel probably laid on Yukari before she shot him in his Stupid Face.]

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Least Moving Death - All of Necro's Characters in the Devil Survivor 2 Event

They came, they rolled, they died. We hardly knew ye, people whose names I don't even remember. But for all of the lack of emotional investment in the deaths of the characters whom Necromonium entered into the Devil Survivor 2 event that did not live through their first day, whose deaths were further muted in value by the chaos and death all around them, it was not the only death this year that failed to strike the intended emotional chord.

Orv's defiant death via Sano reeked of unnecessary brutality, a fate that could have been easily avoided...and therefore, one which was not moving at all. Akira's execution was more a cause for celebration, which...may have been the reason it did not win, since at least celebration is moving in some capacity. Colm's death was transparently coming all along, and while knowing it was coming dulled some of the impact it could have had, the brutality of it still provoked some regret. Alioth's short life left little time for grief, meanwhile the Pizza Man at the SEES-2 Dorm probably should have seen it coming...Weston should be blacklisted everywhere by now, after all. But in the end, each death had something which ticked an emotion and elevated it slightly in this battle to the bottom.

And so in defeat, they really manage to win in some small way...congratulations to the losers!

[Nominees: All of Necro's Characters in Devil Survivor 2 Event, Orv gets Sano'd, Akira's Execution, Colm dies via the Betrayal Everybody Saw Coming but Him, Allegedly Very Tough Sept Alioth Gets Punk'd, The Pizza Guy who showed up as Yukari was chasing Bel out.]

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Best Dungeon - School of Despair

What a year for dungeons!

Starting out strong with the Hot Springs levels of Babel during the P1-Climax, an emotional battle in a memorable setting that concluded in a fiery fashion, and then continuing later with the genius and hilarious Group Date Cafe that for once, provided a fun, interactive dungeon that WASN'T battle-focused and nearly bagged the top prize. The Messiah Training in the Heretic's Throne has also provided some interesting moments insofar as dungeons are concerned, and the innovations of including shadows into the battle is an option likely provided in this capacity only because of where they are and who is there. And the other candidates certainly offered a similarly unique and entertaining experience. However, when it came down to the winner, the choice was clear.

The School of Despair was an innovative treat which blended a real-time, despair-laden RP with modern technology in a Persona 4:FES - The Golden Guild first! The dungeon started small but gradually opened up as the story progressed...and this opening up of the school provided more clues each time towards the bigger mystery behind the horrors the school introduced. It was a progressive, interesting dungeon which grew both in size and intrigue and made it truly unique among the places our characters have explored until now. It was innovative, fun, and had a story that left a lasting impact. Simply put, it was the standout in a year of standout dungeons, and that's saying something!

[Nominees: Zazi's Funhouse, Heretic's Throne (Messiah Training), School of Despair, the Group Date Cafe, P-1 Climax&HotSprings]

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: razz art 3 - The Big Finale::
"And now we come down to it, the finale of this celebration! We've given out the awards for the moments, for the in-character traits and superlatives that could not be ignored from the past year. These awards, however, are different...they are to be given to the best of the best amongst you...the men and women of this Guild who make all of the magic happen! Thank you for giving life to us, the characters, and this whole world in which we all live! Without you we would be little more than ideas...but thanks to your input, we can do anything! Even find our long-lost sons again..."

"Yeah, I'm not your son."

"Of course you're no-waitWAITWHAT?!"

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Top RP-er of 2015 - Arena Emperor

"It shouldn't have to be said, but this Guild and the fun we have together wouldn't be possible without each and every one of you. Through the good times, the bad times, it's the dedication of someone like Rednal...the high spirits of someone like Zorc...the diversity and passion of someone like Necro...the spirit and (dragon)fire of someone like Yoko...the creativity and brilliance of someone like Ryo...and the heart and care of someone like Hiba to make our little corner of the internet feel like a place we can call home. Sure it's a Guild, and sure we're playing roles as a part of a story and a game. But without all of you, the pieces just don't quite form a full picture. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one of you.

And to those of you who nominated me to put me in line to receive this award, I can only say again that I am grateful for all of you. Because without you, I wouldn't be here. Without all that you put into it, there's no way I'd have been around this long. And without the happiness that being around you guys gives me, I am certain I couldn't and wouldn't want to do the things in this Guild that keep the furnaces of the creativity forge burning.

-En."

[Nominees: Hibarii chan, Arena Emperor, Rednal, Great Ryoman!, Zorc James, Necromonium, Yokoalchemist]

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Top Hero of 2015 - Soji Seta

Even when he's taking a backseat to the action, we all know Soji's really just stepping aside to let other people have a turn in the spotlight...helping them to realize their own true potential by giving them the opportunity to grow. That's what makes a real Top Hero...and also, the next category wouldn't exist if he didn't win here, right?

[Nominees: Soji Seta, Shadow Soji, Bad Future Soji, Cyborg Soji, Yu Narukami]

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Top Non-Soji Hero of 2015 - Ellie Troit and Shinpachi Saito

What does it mean to be a hero/heroine? To stand up whenever you are called upon to defend the defenseless? To fight on the side of justice, to do what is right even when what is right is not always easy? Is it to stare down invincible foes with all the conviction only someone with a suicidal confidence could muster, to then somehow find a way to overcome those odds and emerge as the winner of this impossible fight? Is it to wear your heroism proudly, like a badge upon your shoulder or a cloak that shrouds you from the injustices and vices that would see you fall from grace? Or is it to suffer, to fail, to lose...only to rise again from tragedy and prove not only to everyone who saw you fall, but to your own shattered self that you are still the man that only you know you can be? These are the questions that our heroes this year faced.

How much does a person have to do in order to be considered the Top Hero in a field full of such worthy competitors? A field which includes Hatsu Harima, who defended a park with his very life against the Septentriones and discovered so much truth in the School of Despair at the threat to his own life and even explored the very darkest of corners of the Funhouse right until the very end? A field which includes Kyuzo Rikkio who was the first to slay a Septentrione and prove to the world that it wasn't over...that humanity still had a fighting chance? A field that includes Nix Gallen and Seika Murakami, who braved that dying world, who survived the School of Despair, and who have endured the Funhouse for the greater good all at great personal cost to their own peace of mind? What would someone have to do in order to tip the scales in their favor, then?

Shinpachi Saito fought against an enchanting ideal for what was sane and righteous during the invasion of the Septentriones, even as he fought against the Septentriones themselves. He sought the truth behind the School of Despair, sacrificed himself to prove the hypocrisy in Monokuma's lies and deceit, and he stood by and believed in his friends when anybody else might have given in and let them go. He overcame demons, comforted the people who trusted him, and checked friends who went too far. His were often acts that went without thanks, without honors, but they were nonetheless necessary and proved, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that out of this year's heroes, he had only one equal...

Ellie Troit was a heroine who walked to the beat of her own drum the whole year-long, from her efforts during the Septentriones Invasion and the founding of Troitown amid the chaos that was Harutopia. She was an important part of the investigation of the School of Despair who never gave into doubt and held fast to hope, and who has passed on power in the form of valuable artifacts to her friends so that they might defend themselves as she does. She is a young woman with a big destiny in front of her and the title of Heroine, to which she certainly lived up with her efforts over the last 12 months.

And together, Saito and Ellie outshone the field...and stood, proudly, atop this year's heap as the most inspiring, awesome, and worthy winners of the 2015 Top Hero Award!


[Nominees: Shinpachi Saito, Hatsu Harima, Ellie Troit, Kyuzo Rikkio, Nix Gallen, Seika Murakami]

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Top Villain of 2015 - Monokuma/Corrupted Cesc Fabregas (Bad Future)

They say that there is no light without dark, no good without evil, no heroes without villains. And in a year full of memorable heroes, events which ranged from light to dark to really, really dark, it stands to reason that there must have been just as many tremendous villains to rise up and oppose those heroes. It was exactly that kind of year, starting from the Hot Springs Attacks at the end of the P1-Climax's opening night...the Emperor and Empress Shadows that provided an emotional and dangerous climax to the event, leaving an impression upon us all...then continuing with the Septentrione attacks which saw so many heroes rise up and claim their piece of figurative immortality...and opposite those heroes were the incomparably frustrating villain Benetnasch, who simply refused to die...and the mastermind behind the entire Invasion, the Administrator of Worlds, Polaris. And those two episodes combined gave us a full introduction to one of the Guild's most interesting and dangerous new faces, Minohiko Tsuneshii. With a cheshire grin and a love for anarchy, Mino has quickly made a mark on Inaba and the heroes that won't soon before forgotten...least of all for his impressive following (including the Doof Warrior!) during the Septentrione Attack on the World. And behind the scenes Shadow Soji continues to scheme, though less obviously and immediately-threatening than the latest Funhouse that Zazi Pazzia schemed up in his twisted mind...a scheming mind that somehow turned the most unassuming persona-user perhaps of all time, Eido Aeroda, and turned him into an unstoppable psychopathic axe-murderer inside of his halls of horror. Truly the villains have risen to the challenge of the heroes this year, but one villain had an impact which will likely linger long after the initial strike this year...one whose villainy truly rose to heights of heinousness that cut to the very core of the heroes that they menaced.

Nearly two-thirds of the way through the year it began, with that strange nightmare...a journey into the prison of a dream, a school building filled with twists and terrifying tragedy that served a single purpose...to inspire the deepest, most inescapable despair in each and every person pulled into the fray. Monokuma was the bear, his cheeky black comedy and terrifying bite keeping students in line and twisting the intentions of good people to murder...but behind him was a sinister force, one which had once been a symbol of hope and rehabilitation among the people who knew him. And when he was revealed he inspired fear and revulsion, his words cut with the sharp edge of the truest of blades. He was the Corrupted Cesc Fabregas, and his work is not yet done...but that which he has already accomplished has left several traumatized...and many who in spite of their survival, may never be the same again.

This lasting impact, the deep scars left in his wake, and his central role in one of the year's most terrifying events allows this man to rise above the pack...to reach the very top of the very worst. As this year's Villain of the Year!


[Nominees: Minohiko Tsuneshii, Monokuma (Corrupted Cesc), Polaris, Benetnasch, Zazi Pazzia (Zanaka), Sano Gallen, Shadow Soji, The Emperor and Empress, Eido Aeroda]

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Top Character of 2015 - Hatsu Harima

When you think of the year 2015, there are other people you might think of first. Every year, Zeo's bombastic presence remains an entertaining and inescapable joy to everyone who gets to witness his insanity. He never fails to entertain, never fails to stand up and hold his own in a fight, and he never fails to ask a girl to go out with him even if it might put his friends into trouble doing so. He is incorrigible, but in the most entertaining way. You might think of him first...

You might also think of the rock and roll star, the one whose comical rejection of the supernatural makes him the sort of character you can't help but love. The way he's thrust into terrifying situations to which he reacts so dismissively and honestly (as if he were frightened out of his gourd) is a consistent source of entertainment to each and every person involved. He is amorous and fun-loving, a breath of fresh air in a Guild that's constantly under pressure to serve up dramatic situation after dramatic situation after fight scene. You might think of him first, too...

You might also think of the collector of swords, the girl whose rise from obscurity to force to be reckoned with is surpassed only by the amount of time her controller spends talking about her in the Guild's chat. You may have noticed that whenever danger is afoot, she is never far away...willing to raise her blade against whatever threats might come down upon her city, her town, her friends. She is a constant and increasing presence which will soon reach a point where it simply cannot be denied for what it is. But she is not the winner...

You might even think of Yuno, whose very identity has inspired so many knockoffs you'd think she was a brand name bag. Not only does Yuno contain two other, separate personalities from her original (whichever that is), but there's even a girl who looks just like her running around the town, being mistaken for her from time-to-time. Having so many people who are like her must mean that she's rather popular, but the way she eschews popularity to focus upon her single target of interest has always been a unique viewpoint for any character in the Guild. You might appreciate her focus, her myriad of ways of pursuing her goal. But it is not her, either...

You might even think of the Mechanical Voice in the Group Date Cafe, his sage words and philosophies about love having made quite the impression on you as you searched for your destined partner, or you might think of Sano, the increasingly-premier PC villain in a guild that's overflowing with PC heroes. Willing to walk on the dark side where others simply won't dare, he does what he wants to whom he wants, whenever he wants...and when he loses he doesn't simply sulk, but becomes stronger...so that the next time they meet he will be the one coming out on top. His determination as a villain is characteristic of the most dangerous of foes, and his growth from a middling-baddie to a Real Bad Dude has made him one of the most compelling stories of growth in the Guild. And you might even think of Seika, who has been a compelling part of every major storyline since the Septentriones attacked this year. With an increasingly-honest and human response to the events of the past year, she has slowly opened up from her rebellious anger and revealed the part of herself within that wants to accept friendship, the fight for good, and more recently, love. Her well-rounded portrayal and sheer badassery make her as fine a candidate as the category may see. But in the end, none of these three were selected...

No, this year's Character of the Year is none other than the Hard Luck Hay-Maker himself, Hatsu Harima. Since the dawn of the year...like Seika...Hatsu has represented a constant and determined presence in events. But no matter how grim things have become, no matter how much despair tried to reign, he's always looked forward...always stayed true to his own ideals. Deep down inside, Hatsu has always been a hero...from helping women cross the road to fighting in the streets to do what he believes was right, to following his own dreams even in the face of overwhelming odds...and this year, the platform to really show it opened up to him. Perhaps nobody took better advantage of this year's events than Hatsu to make his case for this award...

...During the Septentrione Attacks, Hatsu followed his own path and acted only on the justice that he deemed correct rather than to seek out glory or some greater good. What Hatsu fought for was the defense of the people themselves, this little park that he built up together with Seika and Ronaldo, these people who came to trust and believe in him...as the world crumbled around him, he stopped and cared for the helpless, raised his fists for the old and the weak, and he struggled...oh-so-very-hard...to stay together with his companion Seika and to survive.

During the School of Despair he embodied the determination to never give in, to believe in Hope, to find the truth as well as anyone...even when cornered, he would never give in. Even when falling under suspicion, he held onto hope. He would die to keep a secret that he did not dare allow the bear to learn, even at the cost of his own life. He would search and think and use every tool at his disposal to survive...and to escape, with everyone he could save alongside him.

And during the Funhouse he advanced with an almost single-minded determination to never give in to the horrors, to protect Seika, and to defend the people of Inaba and Iwatodai from the horrors that Zazi no doubt had planned for them. He traversed nearly the entire funhouse, faced countless trials and threats and fears, but he found reasons to move forward.

In the face of adversity...Hatsu endured. In the face of hopelessness...Hatsu held onto hope. And in the face of fear...Hatsu fought for love. He did all of these things...with no small amount of help from the people around him, of course. And that, too, is why in the end this award was decided...

And the 2015 Top Character of the Year is Hatsu Harima. Congratulations to Hatus, and to all of the nominees for a truly superlative year!

[Nominees: Hatsu Harima, Youmu Konpaku, Mikoto Hageshii, Zeo Kirijo, Sano Gallen, Yuno, Seika Murakami, Mechanical Voice-Kun]

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Top Storyline of 2015 - Devil Survivor 2: Attack of the Septentriones

In years past, the question has often been raised as to what the makings of a truly memorable storyline might be. We've come up with several answers over that time, including epic battles...unforgettable enemies...a bounty of rich interaction, fantabulous prizes, an ever-changing landscape in the midst of the event, suspense, romance, and chance! This year's Storyline of the Year ticked all of those boxes in a way that no other storyline could truly hope to match...in the history of the Guild, in fact, few storylines were quite so fun and inclusive as this year's Devil Survivor 2: Attack of the Septentriones event.

Starting small with, oh, the end of the freaking world...things only got worse from there as the event began...with the attack of the first otherworldly invader, Dubhe, who annihilated anyone who challenged him until the brave soul, Kyuzo stood between he and the people of Japan and declared that yes, he was looking for Sapporo! And then Merak came, his missiles bombarding the Tokyo Tower...only to be cut down by the heroism of Youmu Konpaku for his trouble. Phecda came and threatened the Towers on the third day, but the Harutopia rose, quite comically, out of the ruins of Okina City and challenged him...defeating him before he could raze what was left of their home to the ground. And on the fourth day Touma tracked Megrez to the harbor where Sano did what Sano does best...he kicked a Septentrione's a** and took its name, reminding us why he's a villain to be feared at all times.

Then the fifth day came, and the assault came from the sky...and when no human arms could reach the deadly foe, they danced and sang and the Gods themselves came out of hiding to assist Amorabundus Necromonium in defeating their enemy. On the sixth day Mizar appeared, ever-propagating...unable to be destroyed faster than it could replenish itself. The fight appeared on the verge of hopelessness when a girl, scared and courageous, stepped up and again, accepted the power of a God to fight even knowing it would kill her. But through a true bond, and a kiss that will be remembered, she survived...and then the seventh day dawned. The day that would never end...the enemy that would not die, could not even be harmed. Benetnasch was its name, and it menaced so many, from the Vultures of Oshu City to the players of Tokyo's Amphitheater. It seemed as though the world might end before the trumpet of hope sounded...but it did sound. And warriors from all over the country, people desperate to defend what remained of their world...to protect the people they loved...stood as one and in one clear voice they told the indestructible thing that it WOULD be destroyed. And it was...

On the last day, their anguish was very real...as a friend passed on so that humanity might have a fighting chance. Then, they stood before he who rewrites the world...and they asked him to make it right. And when he did not respond, they fought him to make it right...and when enough blows had rained down upon the Administrator of Worlds, he conceded. Victory...for the sake of the world, for the sake of love, for the sake of each other...had been earned.

Love, justice, the fate of the world...ambition, hope, despair...all of these things found their way into a single event, a single package...it is all of these things which contribute to the brilliance of an event so memorable we'll be talking about it for years to come.

Because on that day, mankind received a grim reminder...that we live in fear of the Septentriones.

[Nominees: Hot Spring Paradise Attack, Devil Survivor 2: Attack of the Septentriones, School of Despair, Zazi's Funhouse, The Yasogami High School Cultural Festival, Group Date Cafe]

 

[Arena Emperor]

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2016!!! ~ *
(The 2016 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)


"Good evening, and welcome everyone! Weee are your hosts, Evie and Lael! And tonight we all come together to celebrate the past year of events, battles, romance, horror, and all the other amazing moments that made 2016 as exciting and memorable as it has been! Over the next three nights, we will be giving out awards for all sorts of reaaally fun categories! We've got Best Kiss, Most Epic Player-Character, and even the Top RP'er of the Year! Isn't this going to be fun, Lael? *beam*"

"Oh! Y-yes, Evie. This celebration is all so garish and spectacular, it's hard to know where to really begin with the introductions and the awards presentations. It's quite a wondrous evening, and it has only just begun. Though, I suppose the time has come for the hosts to step aside, and for the people responsible for making this year so memorable to take the stage and be rewarded?"

"Mhm! Our first section of awards is for the characters whose personalities, actions, and memorable moments have really given the year its unique flavor! ^ ^ Our Character Superlatives are up first! And the winners are...!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

: razz art 1 - The Character Superlatives::
"These are awards given to characters who have given us lots of memorable moments in interaction, brilliance, battle, and so on...or those that we wish to see more of, less of...or even those that we've said goodbye to in the last year! Tonight, we honor all of the above and more...thanks for an incredible year, and best of luck in the following categories!"

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Most Underplayed Character - Soji Seta

In a world filled with so many incredible things...from Persona-Users to Devil Summoners, from survivors wielding devils using an app on their phone to undead ash rekindled to perpetuate the cycle of life and death, and from those who accept their shadow to those who have fused with the essence of a demon...it's easy to forget the core conflict that lies at the heart of this supernatural world, and the story from which it all began. Once upon a time, this was...simply...a world of Persona-Users, and the protagonist of this story was a simple young man transported from the city into a rural town to try and adjust to a new life which just happened to be sprinkled generously with the supernatural and divine. And though we stray off into various side paths, often we are reminded by our longing for a simpler world of those characters in that story we wish to see more...a mechanical superhero who battles against the shadows, or the shadow nemesis of our protagonist...the rock and roll hero who has lost so much and the simple girl from a town far off who knows nothing of the supernatural...

...But at the forefront of our minds this year, and certainly not forgotten, is the young man himself...the protagonist of our story. Whose absence was made glaring over time and whose presence and story we wish to see unfold all the more in the coming year. That's why Soji Seta, of all the characters in the Guild this year, is the Most Underplayed in the Year 2016! Let us hope he is no longer on this list in the year to come...



[Nominees: Soji Seta, Shadow Soji, Haruto Mashiba, Zeo Kirijo, Suzume Kirihara]

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Most Believable Character - Minori Koroko

What are the keys, the moments, that allow us to buy into a character when we interact with them in an RP? There were several moments and incidents this year that demonstrated aspects of the character growth and reactions which allow us to suspend our disbelief when we step into the roles of our characters and truly sink our teeth into the world of P4:FES - The Golden. For example: Rednal's slow and methodical breakdown from a self-interested and somewhat haughtily cynical person into the weakened, worn-down hero that was forced to reflect inward to discover a measure of peace and belonging in a world he feared had overwhelmed him. This was a dynamite piece of character development that gave layers to a character who, at least according to his Shade, had always come off as a little immovable. And the pure id reaction of Bel to being thrown into the School of Despair: Island Version was a simple and effective demonstration of man's instinct of self-preservation...the impulse to defend oneself above all else when faced with the unknown.

Setsuna Kikuno provided a shining example of how one's past traumas shape their present and their future, reflecting upon his past as a tool for the Lin Kuei when thrust into a kill-or-be-killed situation and allowing his trauma both to become his strength and a catalyst for his growth...and ultimately his weakness. And in the heart of a Hell on Earth, few were as true-to-life in their experiences than the tiny teen Yoshi Motoya, whose journey from a cutesy-arrogant young man into a broken, lonely individual through the heartbreaking loss of everyone who protected and cared for him reminded us that not everyone is a hero at the end of all things...and that some of us, just some of us, simply end up broken.

But once again it was Minori Koroko who paced the field and provided us as always with a grounded center at the heart of things...rising to challenges when necessary, but always with a realistic mixture of panic, courage, fear, selflessness, and self-interest that has characterized her for years. Her relationship with Genji Amagai develops at a believable and adorable pace, her strength grows incrementally with each passing challenge, and most importantly, every event shapes her...from her abandonment by Amelia Heartilly at Junes to her charming night at the Amagai Household to her courageous struggle in Hell on Earth. Whenever we wonder if things have gotten too supernatural in the Guild, we can always count on her to bring us back to reality.



[Nominees: Rednal Ak'Thias, Setsuna Kikuno, Minori Koroko, Bel Heartilly, Yoshi Motoya]

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Most Idiotic Character - Arimina

Idiocy is really subjective. Some things that might not seem idiotic to one might be completely flabbergasting to another. This year was no exception when it came to judging this category. Zeo's usual lunacy was on full display, especially during his wild entrance into Junes and Babel during the delayed dungeon dive, and D-Rap offered a worthy rival in the art of zaniness when he failed spectacularly to murder someone using nothing more than a bloody spoon.

Rednal's abandonment of an entire arcade to run away from an enemy that he knew wouldn't hesitate to hurt others and do anything it took to get the information he wanted out of him was pretty unforgivable in terms of foolishness, and though Rena would rarely be considered to be an idiot as opposed to fearsome, the fact that she was one of...if not the only...lonesome death in the Hell on Earth event with so many ways to avoid death paints her in a light that some might find to be amusing.

However for idiocy this year there was hardly a match for the virtuoso combination of single-minded foolishness and guffaw-inducing failure than watching Arimina attempt so much while achieving so little. From her frequently-parodied one-sided infatuation with Youmu to her flippant failure of Jian Lin Kuei's orders at the Embryon Headquarters, all the way down to her multiple failed assassination attempts on Setsuna Kikuno in the School of Despair, she was a whirlwind vortex of ineffectual amusement that was unmatched throughout the whole of 2016! Though given her personality and skill, one would expect her to return in 2017 with a rather...bloody vengeance.

We shall see...



[Nominees: Zeo Kirijo, D-Rap, Rednal Ak'Thias, Arimina, Rena Redeyan]

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Most Lovable Character - Evie Nekata

In one of the more runaway categories of the year, we look at the Most Lovable Character and acknowledge why we grow so fond of certain characters and how we come to form attachments to them that crush us when they are sad and inspire us when they achieve. Their laughter and their smiles warm our hearts, and their tears dig into our stomach like knives. And we experienced so much of each of these in 2016 with a variety of characters...

From the gut-busting laughter and the strangely-endearing Grumpy Uncle Trumpeter from Bel's...unique experiences in the Hell on Earth, to utterly charming growth of Youmu Konpaku as a warrior, a friend, and eventually, a girlfriend to Nekura Myonmou in the Hell on Earth. Few project the innocence and the maturity of Nix Gallen that lures you into loving her before you even know you've been had, and the earnest goodness and open affection on display from a member of Japan's most notoriously scheming Shogunate Family makes Koichi Mori especially endearing to those who love a man who loves a good cat (and woman).

Yet nobody ran the full gamut of emotions quite the way that Evie Nekata did, from her hopeful innocence endearing us to her from the word 'go' to her earnest goodness in trying to bring people together and solve the mystery of the School of Despair, to her vain hope and optimism that made you really WANT to believe that everything would be okay, to the utter heartbreak we all shared when her hopes were shattered and she was forced to watch Lael Sonoda's dark side revealed to all...we experienced everything with her, and it was her lovable nature, her innocent charm, that had us there beside her, experiencing and feeling everything along the way. And it is that connection that makes Evie Nekata this year's Most Lovable Character.

Congratulations!


[Nominees: Youmu Konpaku, Evie Nekata, Nix Gallen, Grouchy Uncle Trumpeter, Koichi Mori]

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Most Epic NPC - Obelyn Cernunnos

There was something right from the moment he first appeared that was enticing, engaging...from his intimidating and alluring look to his striking iconography of Red Vipers and Crimson Glaives...to the way he spoke with such passion and anger and vengeance dripping from his every, accented word...that when the world finally descended into Hell and the end seemed ready to creep upon all, it was easy to buy into the idea that Obelyn Cernunnos had spared those who emerged into this new, horrifying reality, and would play a key role in sorting out the darkness into some kind of new tomorrow.

But it is the depth of character that truly allowed Obelyn to shine this year, from his absolute belief that humanity was the key that would overturn the battle of the gods between Lucifer and Loki, to his stalwart friendships and intimate moments with Soji Seta, Kisa, and so many other survivors in the Hell on Earth who needed his encouragement and awakening from time-to-time, right down to his inability to completely sacrifice his revenge against those who had wronged him which made him the ultimate boss of the Hell on Earth event. He never ceased to be compelling, never ceased to be compassionate, and never ceased to pose an intimidating challenge right down until the very end...and even as an enemy, you felt for him. Even as he overwhelmed in the battle against him, pushed humanity to the brink of a defeat where they would have to place their fate in HIS hands instead of their own, you wanted to believe in him, and when he was finally...finally defeated by humanity's combined efforts, you couldn't help but want to spare him because he had given them so much...and he had lost so much...

And while Fenrisulfr and Ravenna Cernunnos provided another epic look into the complex minds and hearts of the powerful forces at play in the Hell on Earth, and Aichi and Monokuma certainly made a memorable impact at the Arcade and in the horrifying progression of the School of Despair respectively...and even Jormungandr provided one of the year's most epic moments...or at least was on the receiving end of one...few had the complexity and the journey and the pure emotional payoff of the arc of Obelyn Cernunnos, which is why he is this year's winner of the Most Epic NPC!


[Nominees: Obelyn Cernunnos, Fenrisulfr, Aichi, Monokuma, Ravenna Cernunnos, Jormungandr]

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Most Epic PC - Raidou "Kai" Kuzunoha

Epic, in this RP, often comes down to a comparison of great moments throughout the year. And this year's nominees for the Most Epic PC are easily in possession of some of the greatest collection of Epic Moments of any crew of nominees over the history of these awards! Each nominee put on display a combination of moxie, disregard for personal safety, and outright courage that made it impossible not to stand up and cheer when they made their great stand! And some of those moments are...

Aka Yuuki's dramatic victory over the Trumpeter, finally silencing the Dooting Skeleton and sending out a collective cheer throughout the world at the blessed silence! Youmu Konpaku's manyfold contributions to the Hell on Earth, her co-kill against the General of Loki's Armies, Fenrisulfr, and even her heartbreaking murder in the School of Despair in order to protect the students around her. Sora Asakura's surprise interjection in Aichi's attack on Rednal to give Noelle, Rednal, and Aselia time to escape from the battle, revealing the hero inside of someone who had appeared to be somewhat of a mysterious figure before...even at the risk of utter ruin to himself. Minori Koroko's desperate duel against the Wolf of Ragnarok alongside the people she loved. And Nix Gallen's thrilling dive from the Tokyo Tower to strike truth and reality into the heart of the World Serpent and make him see reason through his millennia of disillusion and servitude.

But in terms of pure scale and awe-inspiring fantastical wonder, can anything match the way that one of Japan's 4 Great Protectors, Raidou "Kai" Kuzunoha...accompanied by Soji Seta and Admiral Troll...rode into the battle against Beelzebub ON THE BATTLESHIP SOULLESS GOD AND THREW BEELZEBUB INTO THE FREAKING MOON?! I mean...CAN YOU EVEN PICTURE SOMETHING SO INSANE?! ... *coughs* But yes, when the smoke cleared upon our lunar satellite and the General of Hell was no more, it was clear that something truly epic and remarkable had happened...and that this year's award for Most Epic Player Character was damn near locked up in the process. Congratulations to all the nominees, and to our winner!

[Nominees: Aka Yuuki, Youmu Konpaku, Sora Asakura, Raidou "Kai" Kuzunoha, Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen]

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Most Confusing Character - The Many Faces of Yuno

So, uh, this was a bit of an awkward year, wasn't it? Things...actually kind of made sense a lot, and reactions tended to be the sorts of things that made us think, "Huh...yeah." more often than, "WTF?! O.o" But even in a thin year for confusing motivations and results during events, we were still gifted with a few real 'Dabble-Ewe-Tee-Eff Mow-Monts' that left us scratching our head and wondering exactly what it was we just saw.

From Aichi's curious motivations during his attack on Rednal and his questionable tactic of carelessly murdering dozens in order to initiate a conversation, to Rednal's even-more-curious reaction to such threats and wanton destruction of...just kind of running away with his tail between his legs and not really trying to prevent the horrifying result of Aichi's aggression at all (not to mention Rednal's descent into madness in the aborted dungeon dive and subsequent sharp turn into sanity). We saw Kansei and Bel's attitudes and actions within the School of Despair absolutely frustrate and flabbergast one another to the point that they nearly killed one another on multiple occasions.

But for sheer brain-twisting confusion there is still little match for she-of-the-3-names, the woman of three brains, and the stab-happy yandere, tsundere, and ...like, deredere, maybe? That's a lot of deres. That is Yuno/Izu...whatever/Keira. Just saying all that made my brain hurt. Peace, y'all, I'm out of this category before I get myself shanked!



[Nominees: Aichi, Bel Heartilly, The Many Faces of Yuno, Kansei Ribasu, Rednal Ak'Thias]

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Biggest Airhead - Zeo Kirijo

Death, taxes, and Zeo doing the kinds of things that are going to make you question all of your life decisions. These are the constants of the universe, and there is little that you can hope to do to survive unless you let it go and ride the wave of insanity to whatever end it should take you. Zeo's grand entrances, his flamboyant personality, and his utter disregard for the world around him make him a classic airhead that is hard to beat in any given year...especially one that was almost disappointingly sane as this one.

Respect goes to Eoria's continue existence, Misara's somewhat unusual motivations, Mithos's obfuscating personality in the School of Despair, and Amora's general squicky, laser-focused attitude for giving the old cyborg badass a run for his money, but this is yet another throne fallen to the blue-haired Falcon-punching bad boy that is Zeo! Congratulations...I guess?

[Nominees: Eoria Ansul, Misara, Zeo Kirijo, Mithos, Amora]

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Most Unlikely Badass - Fina Res-Taihaku and Aka Yuuki

The term 'Most Unlikely Badass' generally refers to someone who does not look like the badass they are, someone who comes from such a background or power base that it is difficult to imagine they could be as powerful as they are, or someone who has, through sheer force of will, risen beyond the maximum power or station or inner strength that you might have ever imagined they could achieve.

This year saw nominees who ticked off all of the boxes above and then some, and an unusually-tied duo whose achievements and pure 'WTF, that thing is THAT tough?!' value that made it impossible to separate them for the purposes of this award! Leading the pack this year are our winners, Fina Res-Taihaku...a tiny titan of terror who has ascended form a wannabe to an out-and-out BAWS whose outwardly cute (albeit freaky) look belies the downright HORROR SHOW of a Final BAWS that she has become (And this isn't even her final form!)...and of course, the ascendant heroine of the Hell on Earth, Aka Yuuki...a badass normal (who may soon ascend into her own Persona) who put together a run of fortune and skill that somehow allowed her to overcome a Fiend (Trumpeter) that had bedeviled far stronger fighters than her for the entire first day! Between unlikely-looking strength and unlikely-incredible achievements, the two were so equally deserving of this award...that they both get the nod!

But that is not to undercut the other nominees...Youmu's cute smile belying the stout-hearted samurai within, Kansei's unassuming frame hiding the ferocious fighter inside, Evie's innocent smile lulling enemies into overlooking her Kuzunoha Village pedigree, and even the wounded Setsuna Kikuno's surprising strength when roused by Bel's treachery...all of them were worthy nominees in any year. But in a year like this, it turns out the smallest (and most unlikely) really does stand tall.

[Nominees: Fina Res-Taihaku, Youmu Konpaku, Kansei Ribasu, (wounded) Setsuna Kikuno, Evie Nekata, Aka Yuuki]

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Most Likely to be stabbed by Yuno - Faustus Necromonium

In a year with no dearth of potential stabbing victims...from the daughter she doesn't want to claim to the cultist and self-proclaimed 'deity' infringing on her territory, to the always-likely grope-induced stabbing you might imagine Zeo could elicit...it remains Faust, dogged and ever-failing suitor to Yuno's hand who is most likely to catch a blade between the ribs for his unwelcome advances.

Though at the current rate it's going, he's just as likely to be stabbed by Rednal for the same offense as Yuno...better keep an eye out, Fausty!

[Nominees: Faustus Necromonium, Kyori, Korina, Amora, Zeo Kirijo]

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Least Trustworthy Character - Bel Heartilly

A near-unanimous winner to the point that it's almost unnecessary to acknowledge or talk about anyone else...but we will, just a little, for posterity's sake. Naniyori is Naniyori, so you can never trust him...and Arimina prides herself on being a bloodthirsty killer beneath her flippant smile and cute face...Monokuma is a master of lies and deception who left quite a trail this year in the School of Despair, and Lewis Keys' deceptions in the Hell on Earth might have rang a little more false than usual this year with the world gone to Hell.

But really, this award is all about Bel Heartilly this year...who turned in a performance of deception for the ages in the School of Despair...making you doubt him and twisting words, actions, deeds, all so many times that you often found yourself almost trusting him because you were so sure he was lying to you that you could be sure that the opposite was true...and maybe that was his intention all along? But in the end, it turned out that everyone was dancing to the tune of Bel's harp in the SoD, reacting to his provocations and being lured here and there into machinations that lead to death after death...and his successes, his cold-hearted pleasure in each deception, made it all the more obvious that Bel, whatever he says, was out to look after only one person from start-to-finish...himself.

And that you ever doubted otherwise is why he is the runaway winner in this year's Least Trustworthy Character voting! Congratulations, you rotten b*****d!



[Nominees: Bel Heartilly, Naniyori, Arimina, Monokuma, Lewis Keys]

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Most Badass Normal - Aka Yuuki

Entering into a Hell on Earth without any powers at all, finding a way to move forward in spite of the chaos surrounding you, and surviving more than an hour would be enough to merit consideration for this award...much in the way that Leeyreak Oum did during his time in the Hell on Earth, or the way that Elena Wakahisa in the Bad Future found her courage to escape the Lin Kuei with her son Set after learning of his torture in order to find a new life for the two of them outside of the influence of the Syndicates, braving the Corruption en route to the Resistance. It would be easy to ignore it all and deny your inclusion in the world of the supernatural, and you might even survive and thrive, to a degree, the way that Mikoto Hageshii did...which might merit consideration as well. You might also simply allow yourself to go with the flow, to crack, and have fun in the chaos the way that Shun Fujomaki did, and that would get you a look as well.

But when you destroy a Fiend and you thrive, thrive in a world in which every last thing is bent on destroying you and eradicating you from the Earth...all of that with no inborn powers, no idea what's going on, no clue how to survive or escape the nightmare you were trapped within...? That, my friend, is the very definition of badass...Normal or no. And that was the year that Aka Yuuki had.

Well done!

[Nominees: Aka Yuuki, Leeyreak Oum, (Future) Elena Wakahisa, Mikoto Hageshii, Shun Fujomaki]

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Character That Took the Biggest Level in Badass - Nekura Myonmou

I'm sorry, did YOU jump off of Tokyo Tower with NO BUNGEE CORD and STAB A GIANT SNAKE IN THE FACE WITH A SPEAR this year, Winnerman?! How exactly do you think you won this award?!

Well, first, let me acknowledge Kisa's achievement in finally growing into her role as a Demi-Fiend and claiming all of her Candelabras (save the one she chose not to take) and Set's ascent from an outsider and a loner into a true leader and a hero in the School of Despair...and a tip of the ole' hat to our last category's winner for their impressive role in the Hell on Earth.

But really, this was a battle between the girl who JUMPED OFF AN EFFING TOWER TO STAB A GIANT SNAKE IN THE FACE...and Nekura Myonmou, our winner. Let's just break it down like this...yes, Nix had the moment which really sealed her ascent into the role of a full-on badass. And yes, it was really freaking cool. But in the end, we all must admit, that Nix was already a badass...and what Nekura endured and obtained this year was a variety of items, encounters, and growth-opportunities that raised him from run-of-the-mill normie to an out-and-out death machine.

Just...imagine you're a normal guy back in January...minding your own business, eating a beef bowl at Aiya's...suddenly, you're in the alley, some bad stuff is going down! Before you know it, you're spitting up a FUME OF FREAKIN' DEATH and your body is scarring and changing before your eyes! ...Then you get thrown into a School of Despair and a whooole lot of death happens that you're right in the middle of, and whoa, on the side there's a whole HELL ON EARTH APOCALYPSE going on in which you casually seduce a General of Loki and knife her for her trouble...while daily destroying demons and gaining more and more power.

So yeah, it was a pretty full year for ole' Nekura, and there was a lot of growth happening, yeah? You can't deny it. I can't deny it. The proof is in the...well, you know. And that's why on the WHOLE...the edge has to go to Nekura for the biggest Level in Badass gained. Because Nix was already a badass and C'MON, I KNOW...it was TOKYO EFFIN' TOWER, give me a break here!

[Nominees: Aka Yuuki, Nekura Myonmou, Kisa, Nix Gallen, Setsuna Kikuno]

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The Kamina "Manliest Man' Award - Zeo Kirijo

Right, so...let's talk about some of the people who weren't nominated for this award to gain a little perspective on how Manly the nominees this year really were: multiple-time winner of the Manliest Man Award, Kanji Tatsumi...School of Despair standout Setsuna Kikuno who stood by his guns in the face of his own personal destruction...Bel, seducer of succubi...Rednal, keeper of the world's least-desirable harem...and that's just the ones who weren't nominated!

Those who were nominated include Nekura, whose growth into a strong man has been outlined in the post above, and Shohei Hihi who stood as the bulwark of man several times in the School of Despair when strength was necessary for their protection. Soji Seta, the Guild's perennial source of manliness and personal strength, and of course, Tharros Gallen...who stood between a horde of devils and the Belberith Battle Party and told them in the words of a great wizard, 'You shall not pass!'

But nobody puts more nominations in over his own manliness than Zeo Kirijo, and to be honest, he's kind of a rock solid dude in that regard. He's stacked, he's metal, he stands up for the ladies and keeps his distance from the dudes but is also a total wingman in his own mind...nobody is quite the bro that Zeo Kirijo is...for better or worse! And that's why one has to acknowledge when he stands up for good, for his friends, he's a bastion of manliness! ...Maybe. Probably. Do cyborgs count as 'men'? Wait, no, of course they do! I'm not redoing this award now, damn it!


[Nominees: Zeo Kirijo, Nekura Myonmou, Shouei Hihi, Soji Seta, Tharros Gallen]

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Most Courageous Character - Setsuna Kikuno

Courage comes in many forms. It can be taking a leap of faith in order to bring somebody that you've come to care about to their senses in spite of the danger that the fall might pose, and it can be facing the music when you know you've done wrong, whether you intended to do it in the first place or not. It can be acting as the guardian or the warrior who defends the weak and the innocent, regardless of sex, appearance, size, etc. And it can be simply standing up to the world when it serves you a mountain of pain and refusing to be crushed under the weight of all the anguish they wish to give you.

But for my money, and for this year, I wish to acknowledge the courage that it takes to stand up for the contents of your heart and the very core of your character...even when such an effort is certain to lead to your utter destruction. In a world, in a place, where refusing to kill and refusing to give in to the lesser nature that has been drilled into you over and over by those who wished to use you...instead, choosing to stand up for what is good and just, refusing to be a pawn of any syndicate or murderous manipulator bear, even when there are attempts and threats on your life being made from all sides...that is the type of courage that few can live up to.

When Monokuma demanded that the students kill one another in order to survive, Setsuna Kikuno stood up and said 'no'. When Arimina tried to kill him and he was justified in taking her life in self-defense, Setsuna Kikuno chose to spare her, knowing she would likely escape and try again. When Bel threatened and manipulated the island to try and turn them against him, when the easy way out would have been to kill him and cover it up or simply to lie about who he was and what sort of past he had come from...Setsuna Kikuno stood up and told the truth, he owned his past in a way he couldn't before. They say that hard times mold a man, for better or worse, into the man that he will be. And if that is true, then in the crucible of fire, Setsuna Kikuno emerged as pure, unbreakable steel...the very best of him on display...a courageous choice, especially when the choice only invited a greater, personal peril. But that is what it means to be brave...is it not?

[Nominees: Nix Gallen, Setsuna Kikuno, Minori Koroko, Lael Sonoda, Youmu Konpaku]

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Magical Girl Miku Girliest Girl - Kyouko Nekata

Fluffy tails, crossdressing jokes, and seductive eyes aside, the qualities of a 'girly girl' include a softness of character and an embracing of one's own gender not out of any pressure to do so or any desire to project a certain image of oneself...it's simply a reflection of who they are, a celebration of women and their nature as a whole. And few reflected such joy in celebration of who they are this year more than Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen, and Kyouko Nekata.

Kyouko is a wonderful example of how 'Girly' is the furthest thing away from 'Weak'. How her cuteness can be disarming as her smile can be lethal, and how despite her cute clothes, her charming voice, and her soft skin, she can be far more intimidating and powerful than even her brothers when she wishes to be...a deadly and beautiful combination that embraces and subverts the expectations of what it means to be 'Girly'.

And the same could be said of Nix Gallen and Minori Koroko for years prior to this, of course, but in recognition and celebration of the term...of the subversion of expectation and brilliant combination of everything that it can and should mean, few embody that better than Kou and Kyou's adorable and frightening little sister...this year's 'Girliest Girl', Kyouko Nekata!


[Nominees: Minori Koroko, Roux, Nix Gallen, Suzie the Succubus, Kyori, Kyouko Nekata]

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Best Main Storyline Villain - Monokuma

What a villain is can sometimes be debated...is Obelyn Cernunnos a villain because he stood against humanity in a final struggle, despite the heroic protection and wisdom he offered them right until the moment that his spear crossed their blades? And what makes a villain truly evil can often be debated as well...is Shadow Soji the greatest evil simply because he was born from the darkness in a hero's spirit and grown into the Guild's most intimidating force? Is Zazi the most evil because of the pure chaos in his year? Is Aichi the most evil due to the highest body count racked up so far this year?

This year, however, few combined the outright clarity in twisted motivation with the successful despair-inducing destruction and death a villain often seeks better than the two-toned, tiny bear of despair himself, Monokuma! Hidden often behind the screens of a television, Monokuma manipulated the actions and motivations of the Students on the Island of Despair in order to amuse himself and achieve some nefarious end...through the death, despair, and destruction of all that the children held dear. It was a wicked game, perpetuated by a wicked entity, and as the big bad of one of two MAJOR storylines of the year, and the only one of the two with clearly-villainous motivations, he managed to stand out from the crowded field as a true totem of fear and loathing in 2016!



[Nominees: Aichi, Shadow Soji, Monokuma, Zazi Pazzia, Obelyn Cernunnos]

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Most Innocent Character - Iofiel

It's hard not to recognize the steadfast innocence and belief that Evie Nekata has in the people around her, including the clearly-troubled but ultimately good Lael Sonoda, whose innocence shines as well in the moments when he is not plagued by his harrowing demon...and Youmu is a true reflection of goodness and innocence, from her virtuous nature to her slowly-developing and utterly whimsical romance with Nekura Myonmou that can melt even the most icy of hearts. And Nix has proven with her belief in a devil who had been quite cynically evil for thousands of years, one with issues, and the proof of that innocence in the way that she somehow actually softened him up a bit and made herself immune to the World Serpent's venom, she is a contender for this award to be reckoned with.

...But anybody innocent enough to believe there's even an ounce of good, trustworthy soul inside of Bel Heartilly is just too much innocence to be contained within a single body...and FAR too much not to be recognized here. Iofiel, you might need to get a clue about the true ways of the world...but in the meantime, have an award for your utterly hopeless and endearing spirit! Congratulations!



[Nominees: Iofiel, Evie Nekata, Lael Sonoda, Youmu Konpaku, Nix Gallen]

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Most Beautiful Female Character - Aselia Bluespirit

What a plethora of beauty that this guild has gathered! Over nearly eight years now, the number of lovely female characters has become almost astronomical, and it shows in the nomination and voting this year...as past nominees fall by the wayside, some stalwarts manage to stay on the ballot with a single vote, and yet always there seems to be someone new who really shines with moments of in-character charm and beauty, reminding us why some of us fell in love with their characters and beauty in the first place!

Kyouko made an impact this year with her deadly, beautiful charm and ethereal look, and Minori has always had an elegant, youthful charm that endears her to those who follow her story. Matsuri Lampard brings a true mature beauty to the Guild that is so often a place of youthful cuteness, and Nix's evolving beauty reminds us of the charm and beauty that can only be cultivated over time together with others.

But the moments that stood out this year and really reminded us the most of the beauty of a character who had often been forgotten or faded into the background due to her lack of a verbose vocabulary is Aselia Bluespirit, whose mere presence has such a profoundly good influence on Rednal, whose beauty brings out the very best in his caring nature, that it's impossible not to recognize the purity of look and spirit that has made her such a linchpin to the lingering sanity that has managed to carry him this far through all the insanity.

And this year, that's enough to edge out an impossibly deep field and earn her a nomination as this year's Most Beautiful Female Character...at least, in the eyes of the Redster, that is...

[Nominees: Aselia Bluespirit, Kyouko Nekata, Minori Koroko, Matsuri Lampard, Nix Gallen]

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Sexiest Male Character - Obelyn Cernunnos

It's almost unfair to nominate both the shadow form and human form of a single person, but that's the type of character that Soji Seta projects into the Guild. His sexiness is innate both in his attitude, his charm, his caring nature, and in his occasionally-awkward moments as well. And similarly, there is a maturity and grace to Amagai Genji that lures those who get close to him in to get a little bit closer, but there is a bit of innocence within him that keeps him from nabbing this year's top spot. Bel Heartilly is a devil who thrives on his own sexiness earning him points with the devils, the women, and the people around him...and more often than not, no matter how disingenuous and untrustworthy a person he might be, it's just so damn hard to say 'no' to that pretty face!

So who has the ability to outshine all of that? Bel's charm and changing, manly features? Genji's grace and youthful vigor? Soji and Shadow Soji's charismatic sexiness?

That would be a man who oozes sensuality and masculine, adult charm. A man whose sexuality is not only open but implicit in the way that he speaks, the way that he looks, the way that he embraces the possibilities of life and love openly and without shame or hesitation. The moment we met Obelyn Cernunnos so long ago, he was entangled in a heated affair with Ravenna, and ever since then, the open-shirted Viper had radiated a sense of danger, possibility, and his voice was practically bursting with the sort of passion that can entrance a person. He is a perfect combination of charm, sensuality, and raw animal magnetism that draws the eye and allures you.

Obelyn Cernunnos is sex. And that is why he IS...the 2016 Sexist Man! Congratulations...and shine on, you crazy Viper!


[Nominees: Shadow Soji, Obelyn Cernunnos, Soji Seta, Bel Heartilly, Amagai Genji]

 

[Arena Emperor]

* ~ Persona 4:FES - The Golden Presents...The 12 Days of GUILDMAS2016!!! ~ *
(The 2016 Persona 4: FES - The Golden Year-End Guild Awards Presentation!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

: razz art 2 - Moments, Plots, and Events::
"Our second section of the night's awards will pertain to the moments that moved us, the storylines that thrilled us, and the events that had us on the edge of our chairs throughout the year wondering what might come next! And in one or two instances, perhaps, the opposite of those feelings. Whatever the case, we're here to honor all that you did to make this past year memorable with our awesome trophies! ...We...we have trophies, right? ^ ^;"

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Most Heartwarming Couple - Nekura x Youmu

What an incredible year it was for romance! Between the passion and desperate danger of the Hell on Earth bringing people closer together, to the horrifying life-or-death situation on the Island of Despair forcing people to confront their true selves and realize what is important to them, there was an abundance of heartwarming moments, couples, and surprising pairs that filled the year with Valentine's Day Card-worthy moments all the way through!

Leading the way early was the regular romance of Aselia and Rednal, which charmed and delighted as per the usual, and Minori and Genji's increasing affections during the Hell on Earth event made them sweeter than a butterscotch pie. Evie and Lael's innocent romance was a highlight of the Island of Despair, but the heartbreaking ending...something we'll talk about later...cast enough of a pall upon them to keep them out of this year's top spot. And the energetic, dynamic, and lovely relationship between Koichi Mori and Sera Makushima (with the occasional interruption from a certain feline) could be a worthy contender in any year.

But this year, it was something a little sweeter...a love forged at the end of all things...that really brought home the importance and the beauty of a true romance. Pushed to the brink of their sanity and to the verge of annihilation, seeing Nekura and Youmu rely on one another to endure the worst of the end of the world and eventually, realize there was more to them than a mere partnership, was one of the most progressively heartwarming experiences of the entire year...and enough to give them the nod for this year's most Heartwarming Couple!

[Nominees: Rednal x Aselia, Nekura x Youmu, Minori x Genji, Evie x Lael, Sera x Koichi (and Ser Pounce)]

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Least Likely Couple - Nekura x Kansei

Allow me to preface this award by saying there is literally no chance in Hell that the past version of Amora's future father is going to hook up with her...and while Sera and Ser Pounce aren't about to hit off an inter-species romance any time soon...this award has to go to this year's pair who put on SUCH a display of disagreement that the very idea of the two of them getting along long enough to fall in love is downright unthinkable.

During the Island of Despair, pushed to a pressure point that can only reveal the true nature of the people suffering under those conditions, the sides of Nekura that were on display clashed with Kansei's truest nature in such stark fashion that the tension might have literally choked the wildlife had they ventured too close to the farmhouse at any time during their time on the island. Thankfully, they didn't, and the cows were okay. But put the two of them in a room together alone for more than 5 minutes, and, well...

Nobody is likely to be okay after that.

[Nominees: Faust x Amora, Ailek x Aka Yuuki, Kusuri x Faust, Nekura x Kansei, Sera x Ser Pounce]

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Most Heartwarming Moment in RP - Kyori comforts Rednal

As stated in the Heartwarming Romance section, this was a wonderful year full of heartwarming moments, couples, and events that brought out the most charming sides of certain couples...but this year's winner isn't so much about romance as it is about being there for someone at their lowest point, guiding them through simple kindness and will back into the light from the darkness. That was the story of Kyori and Rednal, after the longest day of the latter's life left him questioning how he was supposed to continue in this impossible situation in which the Investigation Team...and he, personally...find themselves. Indeed, it is the somewhat selfish nature of Rednal that leads him to feel as though he must take the world entirely upon his shoulders, and perhaps, a small lack of trust in the people who support and fight together with him that leads him to lean away from their comfort and feel isolated as he often appears to feel. However all of this foolishness was swept away with a gentle touch, an open ear, and a fluffy tail...as Kyori heard all of his deepest thoughts, his greatest worries, and without judging, simply offered to remain by his side and support him as a pillar for the times when he felt as though he might collapse.

This was a moment of pure, touching character development...pulled off with a raw, heartwarming panache that found a tender spot inside of everyone who read the exchange.

It goes without saying...but still deserves mentioning...that Aeon's trust in humanity during Hell on Earth, Matsuri and Set's quiet reliance on one another, Genji and Minori's ever-evolving relationship and strengthening love, and Lael's simple wish to be with Evie at the end of his life were moments of compelling depth, love, and honesty that stirred the soul. But for once, I think it's good to acknowledge a moment that doesn't require deep romance (ignore the fact that she essentially adds herself to his harem moments later, to the groaning dissatisfaction of everyone but the man himself...that's not what this moment was about) to really get to the heart of what is heartwarming and compelling. A moment of trust, honesty, and friendship that translates to people of all varieties. And that is why Kyori and Rednal have earned this year's award!

Congratulations!

[Nominees: Kyori Comforts Rednal, The Time Wizard Lends His Aid (7th Day - HoE), Matsuri and Set Bond at the Mall, Genji and Minori's Relationship Developments in the Hell on Earth, Lael's Wish...]

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Most Badass Moment in RP - Captain Kai of the HMS Soulless God EXPLODES Beelzebub on the FREAKING MOON! ...and... Nix's Leap of Faith v. Jorm

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this category. In a year this absolutely stuffed full of epic moments, dramatic fights, and iconic scenes that we will be talking about for as long as the Guild endures, how do you choose a single moment that really embodies what this year was all about? Do you reward the dramatic cooperation of the Mori Shogunate's Alliance in the Hell on Earth under Koichi, marching against an army of demons and Shomonkai, to infiltrate the Tokyo Dome and destroy the last Bel, Belberith? How can you NOT want to give the award to that battle when you have Tharros's Last Stand, Mataki's Claim on the title of Bel, Kisa's Dramatic Ride of the Pillar of Light and Dante's Crashing Through the Tokyo Dome to strike down Belberith, and of course, Koichi's brilliant stratagem coming to fruition in the great victory?

...Except to do so would be to deny the out-of-nowhere arrival of Sora Asakura against Aichi, to allow Rednal and Aselia to escape a fight that none of them could win, knowing it might very well cost him his life...and to deny the culmination of Kisa's story arc, fighting together with Humanity as a whole...not on her own...to overcome the Final Fiend and claim the Candelabras that he held and bring an end to the Hell on Earth. How can you do that?

But truthfully, when you compare those moments to our two winners...you can say that the raid against Belberith was more of a series of moments than a single, epic moment. You could say that Sora was more of a diversion than the culmination of a dramatic buildup, and you could argue, perhaps, that after the long delay in the Hell on Earth that there was a slight letdown in drama at the end of Kisa's victory...still one of the most satisfying conclusions of any character's arc in the Guild's history...compared with the winners.

Between the two remaining nominees, however, there was no separating them. How could I not reward Nix's courageous near-solo scrap against the immense World Serpent amidst the fog of his poisonous breath...her ascent up the massive Tokyo Tower so that she could plead her case to him one last time...and her absolutely EPIC dive from the top of the Tower to dig her spear into his serpentine scales and bring him to the ground so that at long last he would hear her...listen to her...and give up the cynical, hated duty that he had stuck to all these long years under his father's yoke? The answer: I couldn't. I had to reward her.

How could I not reward Captain mothereffin' Kai/Raidou Kuzunoha of the HMS (HMS standing for Have Moar 'Splosions!) Soulless God together with Soji and Admiral Troll to fight against Beelzebub, culminating in the launch of Beelzebub...greatest of Hell's generals...INTO THE FREAKING MOON...followed by the most dramatic MOONSPLOSION in the history of MOONSPLOSIONS to claim the victory against the Lord of Flies? The answer: I couldn't. I had to reward him.

And so I did...and so I did...

[Nominees: Nix's Leap of Faith v. Jorm, Kai (w/Soji) v. Beelzebub, Koichi Leads an Army Against Belberith, Kisa and Humanity End the Hell on Earth Together, Sora Defends Rednal and Noelle Against Aichi]

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Dumbest Moment in RP - Roux and Arimina Plan the Worst Assassination Ever

Okay, so there's a certain type of comedy...you know it, right? It's when a person attempts to do something which they really have no chance at succeeding at, and there's a sort of humor in watching them try and fail. Only, it doesn't end with just that...you see, they try again...and they fail again, only this time more miserably. And you laugh again. And you expect them to stop, only to salvage some dignity, only they start to come up with an even WORSE plan...and they try again! ...And this time you don't laugh so much as you chuckle uneasily...kind of wishing it would stop already. ...Only then they try again, more out of a stubborn desire to prove they can do it when they clearly have no idea...and this time you don't laugh when they fail, you only sigh and feel a little pity...

...Only then they try one more time, and this time...no, they don't succeed...but they fail SO spectacularly that you can't help but be amused all over again and laugh so hard that you nearly fall out of your chair because you just can't BELIEVE they'd try that!

That was Roux and Arimina trying to kill the eminently killable Major Butler Manning. Just a cavalcade of failure and comedy that kept on giving until you wanted it to stop, circled around, and made itself funny all over again!

Sure, all of the other nominees were hilarious in a vacuum...but this one was the gift that kept on giving!

[Nominees: Rednal Flees the Scene of Aichi's Attack, D-Rap's Attempted Spooning of Misara, Zeo's Wild Advance in the Dojo of Despair, Arminia's Failures to Murder Set (with a Spoon?!), Roux and Arimina Plan the Worst Assassination Ever]

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Most Terrifying Moment - The Island of Despair Floods...Kill or Die!

Is there anything more terrifying than a ticking clock? That was the question when the Island of Despair began to flood before the first killing took place, the implicit threat that made it all the more harrowing that if nobody took another life on the island that they would all be killed by the rising tides. Whether or not you had a reason to kill was unimportant; everyone on the island was faced with the impossible choice...do you kill another person to save your own skin? Or do you simply hold to your principles and try against all odds to find a way to fight back until the bitter end and your own, likely demise?

In the end, it was an arguably selfless choice that brought an end to the soaking nightmare that was the ceaseless rain...Youmu's choice to kill not to save her own life, but to spare the others...but the ticking clock of those last 24 hours, the desperation filling the residents of the island who tried with all their might to wish away the inevitable, and the utter hopelessness...the uselessness...felt at the unthinkable way their deliverance came...is a feeling of fear that the survivors won't be able to wash from their memories for as long as they live...


[Nominees: Aichi's Attack on the Arcade, Tala's Bloody Day 1 Rampage in Hell on Earth, Awakening in Hell on Earth, Waking up on the Island of Despair, The Island of Despair Floods...Kill or Die!]

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Best Fight - Koichi and the Shogun's Army versus Belberith and the Shomonkai

Much like the Most Badass Moment of the Year, this is a category that is absolutely stuffed full of incredible contenders and fights that were memorable, dramatic, and provided moments that won't be forgotten in the lore of the Guild for as long as it endures. Nobody will be able to deny that badassery of Nix versus Jormungandr, especially with the dramatic finish we'll be talking about forever...or Kai's THROWING BEEZLEBUB INTO THE FREAKING MOON, CAN I SAY THAT ENOUGH TIMES FOR IT TO SINK IN HOW AWESOME IT IS, NO I CAN'T! And much underrated was the immaculately tense and technical duel of swords between Ravenna and Soji Seta in the Mantra Tower in Iwatodai during the Hell on Earth event...her last desperate attempt to protect her Lord and Love and his solemn, desperate march towards the end of the event...the culmination of his Arc as the only true Human tied up in this War of Fiends which brought them to the Final Battle...a stalwart contender in its own right...in which Kisa and Soji and the rest of humanity put up one last desperate fight for the sake of the world against the tragic Red Viper.

But in this category, the award has to go to the storyline battle which provided the widest variety of battles, the biggest combination of epic moments, and the most varied mix of epicness, tension, horror, and comedy...and that was none other than the duel between Shogun Koichi Mori's Army (consisting of Tharros Gallen, Nekura and Ellie and Youmu, Sera Makushima, Koichi Mori, Kisa, Dante, Mataki Hito, and so many more) and the Shomonkai, soldiers of the last Bel Belberith! From the dramatic arrival of Troitown's soldiers to Tharros's last stand, to Kisa's ride to Dante's fall to Mataki's victory to Koichi's fall to Ser Pounce's casual revival of her master...the battle was chocked full of moments, twists, turns and delivered a satisfying payoff that shaped the course of the Hell on Earth ever after...the impact of which makes the choice for this one as the year's Best Fight a truly justified selection!


[Nominees: Humanity v. Obelyn, Koichi and the Shogun's Army versus Belberith and the Shomonkai, Nix v. Jormungandr, Kai and Friends v. Beelzebub, Soji v. Ravenna]

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Most Heartbreaking Moment - Lael/Bael is the Killer

A heartbreaking moment is the kind of thing that punches you straight in the gut when you least expect it...that takes your expectations and subverts them in the worst way, making you feel both outrage and crushing defeat...leaving you questioning how you didn't see it coming, how you could have stopped it from happening, but ultimately, struggling to come to terms with what you know you can't change.

The breakdown of Rednal to Kyori was a moment that certainly had the 'suck-the-wind-out-of-you' feeling that can leave you breathless, but the same-post resolution salved the wound before it could fester. Soji's drawn out search for friends in Hell on Earth was heart-wrenching...seeing him visit the homes and businesses of all the people he loved, only to find them ruined, empty, or worse, filled with horrifying creatures with no knowledge if his friends had escaped or not was an escalating exercise in tension and fear and despair...but it doesn't quite top the list this year. The sudden tragedy of Matsuri's Death and the emptiness of the resolution of her trial, the unfair feeling of knowing there was no reason for it and that the murderer's penalty could never replace what was lost certainly was in contention...the same way that Youmu's death after killing to save the other students on the Island of Despair was a tragedy that could never fully be registered, only honored with stones upon an empty grave.

But this year's contender was a moment that strung out over time, ratcheting up the tension by the absence of an answer...bringing the students to the very verge of a tragic mistake...before a whispered voice stole the air out of the room and socked every single person listening in the stomach with a surprising revelation that shifted the tone of the the Class Trial on its head and crushed the poor, innocent Evie Nekata like nothing else in the world could...

Listening to the horrifying truth of Bael as he spelled out all of his deceptions, the wickedness of his murder, and the struggle of his other self to try and keep him in check before ultimately failing...was enough to enrage and shock...but then the whispered horror and self-loathing, the realization of his own failures to such terrifyingly tragic effect, by Lael when he knew that his failure to contain his demon had not only ended the lives of others...but his own...was enough to crush and inspire the worst kind of despair. Evie was devastated...Lael was doomed...and as some sought to place the blame upon he and his other self respectively, the truth and the fallout was immutable. With a heartbroken smile, and a final kiss, Lael could only say goodbye to a world that had never been kind to him...save for a few precious moments with the girl he now left behind.

And her tears, her inconsolable sadness, as he consigned himself to his doom was enough to make this selection a lock for this year's Heartbreaking Moment of the Year...and the rest is silence.

[Nominees: Rednal's Breakdown to Kyori, Lael/Bael is Revealed as the Killer, Soji's Tragic Search for Friends in the Hell on Earth, Matsuri's Death, Nekura is the Killer?!...Wait, Youmu?]

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Best Rivalry - Set v. Bel

This was really the straw that stirred the drink of despair in the Island of Despair arc, wasn't it? Monokuma's rivalry with the students of Hope's Peak on the Island was certainly well-documented, culminating in the flood that nearly drowned the whole cast before someone decided to play along, and Kansei and Myon's clashes over even the littlest of things...from chats in the cafeteria to the Class Trials where one suspected the other far more often than was likely healthy...were of the stuff that would poison one against the other even beyond the span of the harrowing events of the Island of Despair.

There was the dramatic rivalry between Jormungandr and Nix with spots of comedy to lighten the affair, and the comedic rivalry beween Nito and Johnny Preta, Trivia Master, with some serious moments sprinkled somewhere in between...but there were moments of levity within them that kept them from ascending to the very top.

No, instead, it is the core rivalry at the heart of the students' interactions in the Island of Despair that takes the cake in 2016...Set's refusal to kill in spite of all the threats against him, and Bel's cruel obsession with hurting him and making him break that rule he'd set for himself...his own desire to escape rivaled only by his desire to break Set down entirely in the process. There were attempts on lives, manipulations, courageous stands, and ultimately, the cruelest of crimes...the murder of Matsuri Lampard who saved Set's life from Bel's horrifying trap. These two were at each other's throats...goading Set to kill, Set coming to the very verge of tearing the devil's throat out of his neck...until the moment that Monokuma took Bel's powers from him and executed him for his crimes.

It started from Day 1 and never abated, with consequences of damage, scars, and multiple deaths...the type of wide-spanning and all-consuming rivalry that guarantees its place atop this year's Best Rivalry category. Congratulations...now don't try to kill each other over who gets the trophy, all right? There's one for each of you...

[Nominees: Monokuma v. The Students of Hope's Peak, Kansei v. 'Myon', Set v. Bel, Nito v. Johnny Preta (in 80s Trivia), Jorm v. Nix]

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Best Comedic Moment - Zeo Aux Follies

It should be acknowledged ahead of time that Nito Nekata in the Hell on Earth event truly made the biggest run at dethroning Zeo Kirijo that perhaps there has ever been...from his failures at trivia to the takeover of his comedy club-turned-bar-turned-strip-club-for-demons to walking away from the burning wreckage ("No Regerts") without looking back, it was a virtuoso performance of comedic timing, pratfall, and outlandish dialogue. And there's something truly zany and entertainingly hilarious about failed murder attempts with a spoon in an Island of Despair. I'll avoid saying more about the Voice of God wearing a smock serving burgers to preserve the remaining divinity in my soul, but just know that there were some, unnamed people who can't help chuckling at the image in their head.

But when you come at the King, brother, you damned well best not miss.

And once again, Zeo had his moments of pure comedic gold...highlighted by his characteristically over-the-top entrance into Babel and Junes with the assistance of the omnipotent butler Jeeves and his ludicrous birthday party at the Gekkoukan Pool (with cakes that have people bursting out of them, naturally)...that prove once again...and always...there is no greater source of comedic gold in the Guild than the Lover-slash-Android himself...IT'S YA BOI, ZEO KIRIJO!


[Nominees: Zeo Aux Follies, Nito Nekata's End of Days Shenanigans, Metatron in a Smock Serving Burgers, Arimina's Failed Murder of Set (with a spoon?), D-Rap's Failed Spoon Murder]

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Best Kiss - Genji and Minori's Apocalyptic Smooches

It's been said above that there was a plethora of romantic moments this year, and that couples truly flourished when put to the test of the end of the world and the ruins of utter despair. Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking was the last kiss between Lael and Evie before his execution, and so heartwarming was Nekura and Youmu's kiss at the end of the world that you can read more about it above for a Heartwarming Couple Award victory. Aselia and Rednal's relationship has been addressed before as well, past winners of Heartwarming Couple Awards in the bank. And Bel and his Succubus...well...

...Look, they can't all be winners.

But what did win this year was the variety of kisses throughout the Hell on Earth between the Strawberry Heir of the Amagai and his Golden Princess, Minori...from desperate, happy kisses at having found one another in that world, to gentle kisses at surprisingly romantic words between them, to passionate kisses at declarations after surviving the hardships of this ruined world...their relationship and their kisses were a constant source of warmth, love, and admiration that had couples all over the Guild retweeting #CouplesGoals all year long.

[Nominees: Aselia and Rednal's Post Assault Smooch, Nekura and Youmu's End of Days Embrace, Genji and Minori's Passionate Apocalypse Kisses, Lael Kisses Evie Goodbye, Bel and Suzie the Succubus's Probably-Happened Off-Screen Smooch]

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Least Moving Death - Rena's Hell on Earth Demise

I really wanted to put Bel's Execution here at first, given that literally nobody in the event probably missed him when he was gone...but damn if people didn't enjoy watching that guy get smoked, and damn if he didn't create a scene before he went, so you have to give him a lot of credit for investment. And if you're invested, it's moving you in SOME fashion, at least. Hel's Shanking was my next choice, because what a weaksauce way for such an epic and twisted character to go out! But then, it was part of the system and that's kind of my fault, not theirs...then I thought about Arimina's murder which I couldn't have cared less about...but I recognize others might have liked her (though her attempts on Set's life were unforgivable). D-Rap's execution certainly carried a 'Meh' factor that was hard to overlook...but when I opened up the nominees for this year's event, something slapped me dead in the face and made it impossible to ignore.

Rena died in Hell on Earth. Did YOU remember Rena died in Hell on Earth? Unless you were the guy who nominated her or Necro, you probably didn't remember Rena died in Hell on Earth. I didn't remember Rena died in Hell on Earth. And that's kind of the definition of Least Moving, isn't it...?

[Nominees: Rena's Hell on Earth Demise, Bel's Execution, Hel's Shanking, Arimina is Ground to Meat, D-Rap's Execution]

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Best Dungeon - Island of Despair (Main Island)

Though there were plenty of events this year, and plenty of enemies, the traditional dungeons of the Guild's early years were somewhat absent. Though the Dojo of Doubt carries on the tradition well, it is an incomplete event to be continued in the coming year, and that lack of completion somewhat lessens the likelihood of victory. Similarly, while there were epic moments and a wonderful completion of story and concept in the Hell on Earth final battles, it was less dungeon and more of a battlefield which costs them a few points. That left only two competitors that I really felt kept to the spirit of the concept of a 'Dungeon', what with progressing levels, increasing and varied challenges, and final encounters at the end of each level which deepen the drama and the story...and that was the two entries from the deep and engrossing Island of Despair.

But while the Dungeonception of Strawberry/Grape Tower within the Dungeon of the Island of Despair itself posed a deeply interesting and engrossing mystery, the overall story of the opening islands, the deepening mystery of Monokuma and his motivations, the Monobeasts, the trials, the twists and turns and murders and motivations...the Island of Despair had everything that you want in a dungeon and more! And though it isn't quite what one might refer to as 'traditional', it is easily the runaway winner and a worthy addition to the annuls of the Guild's history of brilliant dungeons!

Congratulations, Island of Despair! Now let's never hear that two-toned bear's 'Upupupupupupupu~ ^ ^' after this event again!


[Nominees: The Dojo of Doubt, Tokyo Dome (Belberith - Day 4 HoE), Iwatodai (Beelzebub - Day 2 HoE), Island of Despair (Main Island), Island of Despair (Strawberry/Grape Tower)]

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: razz art 3 - The Big Finale::
"And now we come down to it, the finale of this celebration! We've given out the awards for the moments, for the in-character traits and superlatives that could not be ignored from the past year. These awards, however, are different...they are to be given to the best of the best amongst you...the men and women of this Guild who make all of the magic happen! Thank you for giving life to us, the characters, and this whole world in which we all live! Without you we would be no more than a passing daydream, but thanks to you, we know the joys and the sorrows of life and living!"

"Lael, are you ready to say good night?"

"Yes, Evie...everyone, thank you one last time. For everything..."

"Good niiight~! ^ ^"

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Top RP-er of 2016 - Rednal

Let's just take a moment and really appreciate the dedication to the Guild, to the stories and characters and RP'ers of the Guild, and the general friendship and reliability of someone who has been a part of this place since it first opened its doors 7 and a half years ago in Junes of 2009. Ever since then, we've seen 2 Avengers movies, Final Fantasy XV was finally released, Barrack Obama finished two terms as the Unites States President, and through all of those things, Rednal has been here just doing what Rednal always does.

And what is it that Rednal does, exactly? He creates characters for one...memorable characters with distinct, colorful personalities (even if in Rednal's case, that color is often gray) and memorable quirks, who form deep and amusing relationships with each other and the people around him. He interacts with the characters of the Guild who approach him, almost without fail, and he has been a constant source of reliable action in terms of posting, events, and the like from Day 1.

Rednal has been a moderator from near to the very beginning as well, looking over skills and discussing the limits of the Guild with new members and current members alike, constantly pushing and testing the boundaries, asking questions when something isn't known or a boundary isn't exactly defined, and whenever somebody needs a hand with innovation, he's always been there to lend a thought or a little expertise when he can.

Rednal has been a friend, truthful and consistent from the very beginning. He has consistently been up front with how he feels, with what he thinks, and rarely has a hidden agenda beyond what keeps the Guild fun, entertaining, and functional.

From the beginning of the Guild to the current day, Rednal has been there...just being Rednal. And you know what we say to that, today? Being Rednal is a pretty damn good thing to be. Congratulations, my friend. You deserve it.

[Nominees: Arena Emperor, Rednal, Yokoalchemist, Great Ryoman!, Necromonium, BlueEmber229]

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Top Hero of 2016 - Soji Seta

Now this isn't like last year, when this award mostly existed and was given to Soji Seta as a tradition more than for anything he had actually done...the fact is that throughout the Hell on Earth Event, there really wasn't anybody who had quite the character arc and the consistent motivation, journey, and experience as the man himself, Soji Seta. From his initial, heartbreaking introduction to the Hell on Earth in which he found that all of his former life...and friends...were no longer in this world from what he could tell...to setting out to engage in the War of the Fiends, aiding Kai in his battle against Beelzebub...to his reunion with Dojima and Nanako and Genji and Minori (and cooperation in their defeat of Fenrisulfr...to his last-day quest to try and unify the disparate factions in the War, bond with the remnants of either side of the war...and the resolution of his long friendship and rivalry with Obelyn Cernunnos in the final battle...it was a complete journey from start-to-finish that characterized and exemplified the hero that we had all come to know and love.

So this year, Soji earned his trademark award! Congratulations, and let's see more of you in the year to come!

[Nominees: Soji Seta, Raidou Kuzunoha, Setsuna Kikuno]

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Top Non-Soji Hero of 2016 - Youmu Konpaku and Setsuna Kikuno

What makes a hero? Is it the culmination of a years-long journey that sees you finally reach the moment that you've worked for forever...only to discard the strength that got you to that moment in order to serve a greater ideology and good for humanity as a whole? Because that was the admirable choice that Kisa made, seeing her long arc reach a logical conclusion...but instead of grasping for power, she placed her faith in mankind and was rewarded with the end of the Hell on Earth. Or is it the rise to absolute power that allows you to overcome the most impossible of trials...ascending to the moment of truth with a dominance and aloof confidence that sets you apart from the average man? That is what Raidou Kuzunoha put on display when he tore down the Greatest General of Hell, the Lord of Flies, and BLEW HIM UP ON THE FREAKING MOON as though that were a thing that JUST HAPPENS...earmarking him as someone who simply rises above the pack.

Is it a moment of pure, heroic glory that will stand the test of time...like Nix's leap from the Tokyo Tower to strike down the World Serpent and then persuade him to end his long struggle under his father to one day be forgiven by humanity? Or is it overcoming impossible odds to achieve an unlikely victory, the way that Aka Yuuki won against the Trumpeter without ever really understanding the threat that descended upon her? Is it to rise from the ashes and unite the people like the young Shogun of the Mori? Is it to stand against fear and defend the people you love like Minori Koroko?

Or is it the ability to grow in the crucible of pain, suffering, and horror? Is it the strength to hold onto some semblance of honor and self in spite of the world around you going mad, pressuring and threatening you to break your own personal code for self preservation? Is it the ability to wield a sword? Or is it the willpower to refuse the weapon entirely when the world has aimed their own at you?

It is all of these things...and none of them, all at once. And no two people grew, held firm, and stood unflinching against the darkness with a heroic spirit quite like the duo of Youmu Konpaku (in the Hell on Earth) and Setsuna Kikuno (in the Island of Despair). When the world went mad, Youmu called upon the warrior spirit to fight back against the end of days. And when the only sane thing seemed to be to fight back, to kill to preserve one's own life, Setsuna chose instead to put down his weapon and invite the blades of others...putting others and his own strong sense of self above self-preservation. And for that dichotomy of strength, of unrivaled heroism, and the ability to stand out among the darkness and the struggle, that is why these two must be recognized concurrently...

...as 2016's Top Heroes! Congratulations, and fight on!

[Nominees: Kisa, Youmu Konpaku, Nix Gallen, Raidou "Kai" Kuzunoha, Koichi Mori, Setsuna Kikuno, Aka Yuuki, Minori Koroko]

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Top Villain of 2016 - Obelyn Cernunnos

Has there ever been a final villain in an event who was quite as complex in their motivations, in their attitude, and who in the end, was quite as sympathetic as the Red Viper of the Cernunnos Clan turned out to be on the Final Day of the Hell on Earth? There can be no denying that at the end of the line, no matter how must he aided humanity and how much of an ally he presented himself as to them, he made himself a foe to be overcome before they could decide their destiny...and whether or not you feel for him, that does classify him as the 'Final Boss' regardless of his perceived villainy. Therefore, he indeed, counts as a villain.

With that justification out of the way, how could the choice be anybody but the man who brought the survivors of the Conception into the Hell on Earth and unveiled to them their own personal nightmare? How could it not be the man whose drive for revenge lead him to raise the remnants of humanity up and train them with their demons into an army of fighters capable of challenging Fiends, Devils, and the Lords of the Underworld themselves? How could it not be the man who was so married to the bitter hatred and need for revenge that consumed him for eons that in the end, he became the final obstacle for mankind to choose their destiny...desiring the right to confront Lucifer himself too much to simply allow mankind to do so in his place despite all the preparation that he had done to get them ready for that fight?

Has a villain ever appeared with motivations so complex and deeply understandable as a man seeking to avenge the slaughter of his entire family, the rape of his homeland, and the defilement of everything that he held dear to his heart while he was gone and unable to stop it? How could you hate him? And yet, when humanity's autonomy was on the line, how could you not fight back? That was the bitter choice confronting Obelyn Cernunnos left you with, and it is that crushing feeling of having to fight a man that you had come to love and respect over the course of 7 days of support and friendship...simply because the endgoals that you targeted could not be reconciled without conflict? Unlike most villains who are outright evil or in need of defeat, whose motivations are utterly selfish and easily condemned...how do you justify fighting someone with every right to do what it is they wish to do?

It just goes to show that to be a memorable villain, you don't need to be the most evil...you don't need to have the highest body count...and you don't need to be the most devious. Antagonists come in all shapes and sizes, all types of evil and motivation. And it is this lesson, this truth, that makes Obelyn Cernunnos our memorable Top Villain of 2016!

[Nominees: Obelyn Cernunnos, Tala Ivanov, Bel Heartilly, Monokuma, Bael, Jormungandr, Fenrisulfr, Aichi]

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Top Character of 2016 - Bel Heartilly and Rednal Ak'Thias

There have been an unprecedented amount of ties in this year's Awards Ceremony, and addressing that here, I will only say that this is the result of what a tight and compelling year it's been with two MAJOR events with plenty of epic moments, character development, and thus, I think it's almost fitting that so many people have proven themselves worthy of recognition. And the Top Character Award of 2016 is no exception that rule, which is why this year I've decided it's only right to crown TWO winners instead of one!

Honorable mention to Koichi Mori, whose epic rise as a mini-Shogun in the Hell on Earth was a memorable piece of crystallization of what makes his character so brilliant, and to Setsuna Kikuno who presented himself as the conscience and heart in the Island of Despair, growing into the role due to the extreme circumstances bringing out the very best of him. Special honors to Lael Sonoda who presented a compelling tragedy, and to Minori Koroko whose genuine reactions and emotional story always touches the hearts of the reader. Shout out to Nix Gallen who had maybe the moment of the year and perhaps a new romance on the horizon with a certain snakey-poo...and a VERY close shave behind the two winners is Nekura Myonmou who had perhaps the most fantastic year of growth in terms of power and rapid development, rising from a minor character into a force to be reckoned with!

But in the end, this was a year that was driven forward in many instances by two characters who changed, evolved, and developed over the last 12 months...peeling back layers and revealing parts of themselves that we never expected to see within both! These are Rednal Ak'Thias...whose awakening into a self-aware person trying to come to terms with his weakness and his role in the world of the supernatural has changed him from an emotionless-seeming harem master into someone who has been broken, built back up, and broken all over again in a way that is almost impossible not to invest in...and Bel Heartilly, whose casually calm anti-villain veneer cracked in the Island of Despair to reveal a petty, conniving, and outright horrifyingly manipulative core that reminds you that he's more than just a pretty face...but a Demon Prince rising into the role of a King of Hell very swiftly as he acclimates to this new world and marks him as a truly legitimate threat to the world around him as the days roll on.

In the case of Rednal, his year started a bit rocky as he fled from the likes of Aichi during the attack on the Arcade, abandoning many in danger to certain death...instead focusing on himself and Aselia's safety and trying to lure the battle to a safer location. This was a tragic choice, but rather than leaving it unaddressed, the fallout of this choice and this battle affected Rednal in ways that were increasingly understandable and compelling as the year progressed. As it turns out, Rednal's psyche, his confidence, were shattering...and it seemed as though nothing was going to pull him out of this spiral until an unexpected display of kindness saved him...but none of this journey was hokey, unbelievable, and somehow what began as questionable and unexpected ended as compelling, charming, and left us wondering just how much stronger and confident this new version of Rednal would become moving forward.

And in the case of Bel, his 'Devil-may-care' attitude was truly put to the test first in the Island of Despair which tried to force him to kill others in order to preserve his own life. At first, his distance and self-preservation was obvious, and while you might expect that of him, what you might not expect was the motivation that drove him to target his major opposition on the Island, Setsuna Kikuno. Seeing in the trained assassin who wouldn't kill a parallel to his own life...someone who was making the choice to overcome darkness rather than wallow in and accept it...he saw a path he could have taken and it angered him, leading to an absolutely enthralling tale of bitterness and revenge that culminated in multiple attempts on the alchemist's life and a successful murder of the person most dear to him...Matsuri Lampard.

Bel's speech as the deception and murder were revealed was bone-chilling, and seeing him in the Hell on Earth shortly thereafter casual, charming, and hilarious in his hijinks there is a reminder of just how easily he can shift between his carefree veneer and the absolutely insidious nature beneath the surface. It is this dual-nature that makes him so very interesting, and together with the inspired layers of Rednal, marks the two of them as the unquestioned Top Characters of 2016!

Congratulations to both characters and their players! I can't wait to see what developments await in the coming year!


[Nominees: Rednal Ak'Thias, Koichi Mori, Setsuna Kikuno, Bel Heartilly, Lael Sonoda, Nekura Myonmou, Minori Koroko, Nix Gallen]

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Top Storyline of 2016 - Island of Despair

Similar to last year's two major contenders in the Storyline of 2015 voting, we compare a massive, all-inclusive event of apocalyptic scale in Hell on Earth (similar to Attack of the Septentriones) to a much more character-and-dialogue-driven event in the Island of Despair (sequel to last year's School of Despair). And while last year's Attack of the Septentriones eventually won out due to the overwhelming number of epic moments, hilarious dialogue, and emotional battles between factions, friends, enemies, and characters such as the Anguished One who you couldn't help but sympathize with in spite of their status as an antagonist (a role which Obelyn perhaps pulled of with even more panache this year in Hell on Earth)...this year, the nod goes to the Island of Despair, and this is why...

The moments in this year's Hell on Earth were truly spectacular, perhaps even surpassing many of the most dramatic moments in the Attack of the Septentriones, but at the same time, these occasionally felt like moments and scripts that we had experienced before. What Hell on Earth did so well, the Attack of the Septentriones did just as well...perhaps even better in some cases (though perhaps slightly worse at times, too). But when comparing the Island of Despair with the School of Despair, I think it's safe to say that the Island of Despair improved upon the formula of the School of Despair in significant and dramatic ways.

For example, the murders...while many of the School of Despair murders had uninspiring Trials and payoffs, the murders in the Island of Despair...oh man, those murders! How compelling were they?! From the sheer brutality of D-Rap's meat-grinder murder of Arimina to the tragic drama of Youmu and Nekura's attempts to save one another from the rising tides as a result of Monokuma's cruel countdown, to the absolutely crushing revelation that Lael's other self Bael had manipulated, tricked, and used them all in setting up a double murder to crush the spirit of poor, innocent Evie and condemn the soul of his other self for denying him, right down to Bel's spiteful explosion taking from Setsuna Kikuno the most precious person in his life...this was a master class in increasing stakes, escalation in scale, and an emotional roller coaster from start-to-hiatus that remained compelling throughout.

And each of these moments connected all the more because this was all the event had to focus on! There were no battles, no lulls in the action, every day was ratcheting up the tension and raising the stakes, and each death brought everyone a little closer to their own doom...to their own breaking points. These moments were little capsules of memory, tragedy, hope, less, despair, and courage that stand out and stick in our memories moving forward and beyond.

Who can forget Nekura laying stones on the empty graves of the fallen, honoring those who were long gone?

It's impossible not to picture the broken expression on the face of Evie and the soft, resigned smile of Lael as he says his last goodbyes before paying the ultimate price...just as it's impossible not to picture the vile disdain on the face of Bael and the cruel satisfaction as he reveals his successful plan to crush their very hearts and ruin the group from within.

And it will not be any time soon that the memory of Bel's hate and deception, Set's courageous embodiment of hope and his sense of self, Kansei's fiery temper, and Shouei's calm, monolithic statue fades from our minds...all of these and more have become iconic not only to the Guild, but to the characters individually and how we see them.

Nobody who experienced THIS Island of Despair will ever be exactly who they were before they entered it again. And everybody will bear some scar of the experience. That is the hallmark of a monumental event. And that is what is required, in a year such as this, to stand out as the one...and only...2016 Top Storyline of the Year.

[Nominees: Hell on Earth, Aichi's Assault on Okina City, School of Despair 2: Island Adventure!, Mother Harlot v. Kisa and Friends, A Certain Day in Summer]