* ~ 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!"
(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!"
"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!"
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
Quote:
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]
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]
