This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
Hey, no getting sick! You're not allowed to get sick.
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Wow, guys! Wow! That was tense! And very, very close.
Last time there were only three right guesses out of the 25 I received. This time there were 15 out of the 36. That means this was a much higher-scoring game than the last one. You ready to hear the details?
Giovanna was a little on the tough side! I got three Nanamis and a Touga, but Giovanna was Juri -- as Ragnarok and spectator NajiMinkin astutely guessed. But though only two players guessed her right, almost all of her own guesses were right!
ShatteredMirror wins the "hardest to guess" award/booby prize this round! Only Gio correctly guessed that he was Akio. Other guessers were split between Mikage, Mamiya, and Anthy -- so at least SM did succeed in making it clear that he was no ordinary student!
Jellineck went to the obscure side this time, roleplaying Kanae with some flair. (I especially liked "I want to impress people in conversations and hold attention the ways I see others do" and "Even if I don't succeed [in being kind, forgiving, and generous], I really do try.") Evidently others felt the same way, because ShatteredMirror, Stormcrow, and NajiMinkin all guessed correctly. Jellineck was Gio's only miss; Gio guessed Miki. Other wrong guesses were Wakaba and Nanami.
Stormcrow was tricky. You had to not stop reading when you hit the word "Tokyodisney," read the part about organization carefully, and interpret "the kind of person I want to be" very strictly. No, he wasn't Miki, in spite of what four guessers thought; he was Tsuwabuki, as Giovanna and Ragnarok inferred.
Frosty, on the other hand, had no problem making herself understood! Gio, Shattered, Jellineck, Ragnarok, and NajiMinkin all guessed her identity: Wakaba. Stormcrow thought she was Shiori. Frosty is our most-guessed player this round!
Finally, Ragnarok's pithy responses presented guessers with a challenge! Gio and Stormcrow alone rose to that challenge, guessing that Ragnarok was Miki. All four wrong guesses were for women: Juri, Nanami, and two Utenas. Maybe Miki has a vagina after all.
Giovanna (Juri): 6 - guessed Shattered, Stormcrow, Frosty, and Ragnarok; guessed by Ragnarok and Naji
Frosty (Wakaba): 5 - guessed by Gio, Shattered, Jellineck, Ragnarok, and Naji
Ragnarok (Miki): 5 - guessed Gio, Stormcrow, and Frosty; guessed by Gio and Stormcrow
Stormcrow (Tsuwabuki): 4 - guessed Jellineck and Ragnarok; guessed by Gio and Ragnarok
Jellineck (Kanae): 4 - guessed Frosty; guessed by Shattered, Stormcrow, and Naji
ShatteredMirror (Akio): 3 - guessed Jellineck and Frosty; guessed by Gio
NajiMinkin (spectator): 3 - guessed Gio, Jellineck and Frosty
Congratulations, Gio! You win a very tight game!
And I think an honorable mention is due to Stormcrow, who just crammed his entry full of subtle hints.
We'll play another round soon! Meanwhile, discuss!
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I was worried I wouldn't get any right, phew. Jellineck as Kanae seems so obvious after the fact. It's pretty funny that Stormcrow as Tsuwabuki makes a better Miki than I do.
ShatteredMirror wrote:
Hey, no getting sick! You're not allowed to get sick.
I wish you'd told me this yesterday.
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Gyaaah! I was originally going to guess Juri for Gio, but I changed my mind!
Oh well. I can't roleplay SKU to save my ass either. But of course Gio would see Akio anywhere.
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Yeah, it’s fun to go back and read with the actual characters in mind!!! Kanae, that's hardcore, Jelli! Hardcore!
Notice that next to frosty's name there are no "guessed so and so", that's because Frosty didn't guess a single one correct! I, of course, blame Satyreyes for chatting me into distraction from properly analyzing the post.
Haha, I was very enigmatic last round, yeah?! Playing to win, baby!!! And our crafty Gio still comes out on top!
Fun stuff. Cheers!!!
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I WON, BITCHES.
I mean, not that I'm the competitive type or anything.
Seriously, great game! Shattered, I guess it wouldn't surprise you to know then that I didn't even finish reading yours before I guessed Akio. I wonder if anyone can manage to slip an Akio past me.
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Ah shit! My original guesses were Juri for Gio and Akio for Shattered! But then, I was like, no he probably wants to make it seem like Akio and Gio put that fashion thing in there to be confusing. At least I got one right! Tsuwabuki...tricky little scoundrel.
Glad I managed to get Kanae so well, since I actually do RP. Poor little thing gets nearly no love. Where was she after Utena's revolution? The only Black Rose duelist who didn't have any sort of closure whatsoever.
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Jellineck wrote:
Where was she after Utena's revolution? The only Black Rose duelist who didn't have any sort of closure whatsoever.
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Wonderful. She's apparently a vacant-eyed doll sitting with Akio and being fed a perhaps poisoned apple. Some closure. Where's poor sweet Kanae's prince? Leap that it may be, she could almost qualify as the next Rose Bride.
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All right, everyone, Round Three! Same rules: no picking the same character you picked the last time you played.
I've been giving some thought to how to break ties. (If Naji had guessed Gio wrong last round, we'd have had a three-way tie for first.) I think what I'll do if a tie comes up will be to pick a character myself and post answers to the questions; the first right guess I receive from one of the tied players will be decisive.
This game's interview questions:
What's your favorite anime of all time? What do you like about it? (Assume for the sake of argument that the characters might be familiar with recent shows as well as older ones, even though Utena came out in '97. )
Do you believe in love at first sight? How about the idea of a One True Love?
Tell me a secret that only your best friends know. (A secret that isn't revealed in the series.)
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Q: What's your favorite anime of all time? What do you like about it?
A: Anime? Haha, why would I spend my time watching those childish shows? I'm not much of a television person, anyway. Watching certain people is always far more entertaining. Nothing is as amusing as reality, and I intend to keep Ohtori as enjoyable as possible.
Q: Do you believe in love at first sight? How about the idea of a One True Love?
A: I believe in lust at first sight, certainly. I see it enough. Love...? Inspiration, I suppose. A single encounter can change the course of one's ambitions forever. But then it's all about the illusion, and being good enough at it to make an impression.
Q: Tell me a secret that only your best friends know.
A: Mm, a secret? Secrets are a dangerous currency in this school. But maybe I could divulge. Let's just say I've had my eye on you for quite some time...
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What's your favorite anime of all time? What do you like about it?
I think that would probably have to be Video Girl Ai. The animation isn't very good and it's sort of dated, but I really like the plot! The main character, Yota, is in love with this girl, Moemi, who he just can't seem to get. When he selflessly cries for her pain instead of his own, he gets this magical video. Out of the video comes this girl, Ai, who's supposed to serve him and cheer him up and on, but it doesn't really end up that way. Yota remains stuck on Moemi and blind to what a great person Ai herself is. In the end, though, Yota realizes where his heart truly lies. It's also a sort of boy-ish anime, which is a plus for me.
Do you believe in love at first sight? How about the idea of a One True Love?
Well, I thought I did. I mean, I do! But sometimes your "one true love" isn't who you thought it was. Or at least, the person you thought was your one true love that you fell in love with at first sight turns out to be someone completely different that and wasn't actually the person you fell in love with in the first place even though you lust after them now anyway, but you still REALLY love that REALLY first person even though you didn't remember them very well. Something like that.
Tell me a secret that only your best friends know.
I'm not a very secretive person. If I did have a secret, certain best friends of mine would be the last ones I'd tell. I guess if I have one, it's that I can't respect girls. Pity, protect, care for, sure, but respect? Not unless she's very masculine. Femininity repulses me almost as much as authoritarianism.
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satyreyes wrote:
What's your favorite anime of all time? What do you like about it?
Rurouni Kenshin. It's a story about a character that seeks redemption for unspeakable evils, and succeeds. He's loved and admired for the hard road he travels, and he sticks to it, right to the end, because he knows it's the right thing to do, and nothing can stop him from doing it.
satyreyes wrote:
Do you believe in love at first sight? How about the idea of a One True Love?
I think the individuals in question decide whether either of those is real. If your legs are more open than your heart, of course you won't find love at first sight, nevermind the One True Love. But if both people connect and believe such things can be possible, they can be. It takes two people for One True Love to exist.
satyreyes wrote:
Tell me a secret that only your best friends know. (A secret that isn't revealed in the series.)
If I have a best friend, it's a fact kept secret from me.
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Just three entries this time? I'll give it another day or two, then close it up. If we don't get any more entries, I'll think of some interesting way to spice up a three-person game.
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What's your favorite anime of all time? What do you like about it? (Assume for the sake of argument that the characters might be familiar with recent shows as well as older ones, even though Utena came out in '97. )
Angel Sanctuary, though the manga was better. I loved how the main character was able to disregard the whole world for the sake of his...love. Unfortunately, the manga seemed to lose direction after a while, when the relationship between Setsuna and his lover stopped being the main focus.
Do you believe in love at first sight? How about the idea of a One True Love?
I've heard about love at first sight, but I honestly don't remember if I've experienced it or not...it was so long ago, after all. And I do most definitely believe in One True Love, though most people who think they know me would be surprised to hear it.
Tell me a secret that only your best friends know. (A secret that isn't revealed in the series.)
The One True Love thing wasn't enough to satisfy you? Busybodies. I don't tell my best friends secrets...what would be the point of that? But I will tell you one: I studied fencing for a while. If you tell anyone, you'll regret it.
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At last, the results of Round Three can be known! It was another close one, with just one point separating victor from second-place finisher.
Jellineck's entry was tough. She made it clear that she was self-centered, suave, and high-and-mighty, but left it to you to sort out the details. As a result, I got a Saionji, a Mikage/Nemuro, and three Akios, but only NajiMinkin guessed the right answer: Touga. Personally, I suspect Mikage is a closet otaku anyway.
NajiMinkin took a different tack. Between enjoying a "boy-ish anime," having confused opinions about One True Love, and "femininity repulses me almost as much as authoritarianism," almost everyone -- Jellineck, Gio, Stormcrow, and spectator Ragnarok -- correctly guessed that she was Utena. The wrong answers were fascinating, though: I heard Saionji and Shiori. I think both guesses are wonderful, if unconventional, fits for the answers.
Giovanna had a nice set of answers -- brief, a little vague, yet full of personality. I got a diverse field of wrong answers. Utena, Ruka, Tatsuya, and even Kozue (!) made appearances in my inbox. But only Stormcrow and Ragnarok picked up on the cues and guessed Saionji. He definitely seems like a Kenshin guy to me.
Finally, Stormcrow presented us with a poser. The part that stood out, I think, was "I studied fencing for a while. If you tell anyone, you'll regret it." We had wrong guesses of Touga, Anthy, "Nemikagero," and Juri; spectators Ragnarok and BioKraze, however, followed the bread crumbs (or milkshake suds?) and guessed Kozue.
Which means the results are...
NajiMinkin (Utena): 5 - guessed Jellineck; guessed by Jellineck, Gio, Stormcrow, and Ragnarok
Stormcrow (Kozue): 4 - guessed Naji and Gio; guessed by Ragnarok and BioKraze
Giovanna (Saionji): 3 - guessed Naji; guessed by Stormcrow and Ragnarok
Jellineck (Touga): 2 - guessed Naji; guessed by Naji
Ragnarok (spectator): 3 - guessed Naji, Gio, and Stormcrow
BioKraze (spectator): 1 - guessed Stormcrow
Stephanie (spectator): 0
Congratulations, Naji! Your flawless Utena impersonation led you to victory!
An honorable mention I think for Ragnarok's great spectation, and another for Gio. I like that she has Saionji enjoying Rurouni Kenshin as much because he earns respect as because he's heroic. I like his unexpected psychological and moral depth in the second question. And I like his characteristic bitterness in the last answer. Nice job!
Given how long it took to get four entries this time around, I think we'll give I Wonder, I Wonder! a rest for a while. But it will be back! Thank you all for playing; this has been just as much fun for me as it has been for you!
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w00t!? Holy crap, I sak!
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satyreyes wrote:
Nice job!
Thankeesir! I found Saionji very hard to write in a way that would make him difficult to guess. Apparently I succeeded. Looking forward to when we play again!
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Well, we've given I Wonder, I Wonder! a month-long hiatus; let's give 'er another whirl! Same rules as before, including the rule about not picking the same character you used last time. Let's get going!
This round's interview questions:
If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
What qualities do you look for in your friends?
Do you think it's wrong to cheat on a test if there's no curve? Why or why not?
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If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
What qualities do you look for in your friends?
Do you think it's wrong to cheat on a test if there's no curve? Why or why not?
1. The power to make everybody love me and be famous all over the world! I don't think anybody really pays me that much attention. Not even my two best friends (I sometimes like to work on my own though).
2. The ability to have fun, mostly. Spontaneity and creativity. Also, being able to sit back and relax while I deal with issues. Sometimes I almost feel like I'm the man of the group.
3. Hm, what a question! Whatever gets you ahead, I guess. Sometimes you just gotta get your nails chipped. I should know - being in the information game means I'm basically cheating all the time.
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If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
I wish I could go back in time. I've made so many mistakes, and it crushes me that there is nothing at all that I can do about them.
What qualities do you look for in your friends?
Mostly I want someone that I can trust not to look down on me. Which is hard, because most people do. Someone forgiving is a plus as well, because I often need that.
Do you think it's wrong to cheat on a test if there's no curve? Why or why not?
It probably is wrong, but I've done it before. But at this school, the curve doesn't matter anyway. It's so hard to compete here, if I didn't take whatever small advantages I have available, I'd fail.
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If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
"There are so many different possibilities out there. I think I'd have to experience a few more things than what I already have before I could make a decision. But I'm leaning toward second sight. So I'd know who's coming before they even came."
What qualities do you look for in your friends?
"Well, they have to be practical. It helps if they're my age as well. Beyond that, I dunno, maybe being smart and nice helps a lot."
Do you thnk it's wrong to cheat on a test if there's no curve? Why or why not?
"I think it's wrong to cheat because you didn't experience the information firsthand. You may know the answer, but you don't know how it applies unless you learn it. Even if there was no curve, I'd never cheat."
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If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
I don't know much about superpowers... I think, if anything, I'd like to be a princess. They have their own sort of 'magic', and a kingdom of loyal followers. I don't deserve such a thing, though. The spotlight is never on me.
What qualities do you look for in your friends?
Oh, that's a difficult question. I really admire all of my friends, there's nothing I really long for in them. They are all so amazing, I feel a little inept sometimes. But they're so kind to me! I'm very lucky to have such people by my side.
Do you think it's wrong to cheat on a test if there's no curve? Why or why not?
...sometimes, it's ok to cheat to get what you want, right? Other people will do the same, it's not so strange. I don't have a choice, I have to do it! It's going to make me that princess, it'll give me the edge. Everyone else can go ahead and do what they want, but if I cheat, then I'll finally have the power. I'll be able to fly free, I'll be in control.
Yes. Yes, I'll always cheat.
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