LP: Ichiro Shounen Kitan - this is why you shouldn't annoy spirits

Yeah, I also find it interesting that most Japanese horrors are more about girls rather than boys.
Here's...what, 3 girls out of the 5 human mysteries (ignoring the mirror and the dog)?

GIRLS ARE TERRIFYING! xD Hear them roar with estrogen!

You're right though, lots of females that're scary.

I guess there's the whole Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl trope which shows up quite a bit in Japanese horror? (Which is probably based on the whole onryo thing, although I'm sure it appears in American horror too sometimes).

There's something sparkling by the stairs as we go near them.


Picked up a key...

Nice! It seems to be for the staff room. I guess it's time we were doing something other than wandering around the school.

Let's check the infirmary first:



Uh. Hi there.



And they disappear as we get closer to the bed.


The bed is slightly warm...

... I guess I should just count myself lucky the bed didn't attack me or something.

Less fortunately, I completely forgot that going up the left-hand stairs from the first to the second floor leads to an encounter with the Bridge Girl.


The Bridge Girl is grinning widely...



... And this time you can't run away.

Attacking doesn't do anything as usual, and guarding... well, also doesn't do anything. Three turns later-


The Bridge Girl pushed Ichiro from the stairs!





I'm sorry, Ichiro. My terrible memory killed you.

Let's try that again.


1: Use the key
2: Don't open it...

I'll deal with the Bridge Girl later. To the staff room!



... What's up with that phone.


The phone line is cut...

How inconvenient.

Nothing in the locker, it seems. As I check the cabinets the phone suddenly starts ringing I thought I told you to stop with the jump scares.




Found a bunch of keys...

So we can finally look around the place properly! Probably.

Now let's see about that phone.


1: Pick up the phone
2: I don't want to pick it up...

Of course I don't want to. I just get the feeling I don't have a choice in the matter.


???: I ' m C o M i n G . . .

Err please don't-

But then this shadow appears and starts chasing us around the room. And the doors won't open. Welp.

Do we have to do something in a 'battle'?



I'm sorry Ichiro. (Again).

As it turns out, you have to check the door multiple times to get out. Arghh.

After we presumably break down the door in an adrenaline-fueled rush, time to go explore the other rooms! ... But first I'm going to go save with Kiyomaru.

On the way back, I realise I've completely forgotten to check the roof. Off we go:



The door's locked, possibly for the best. We check out the mirror:


You can see something in the mirror...


1: Take it
2: Don't take it
3: Use the mop to get it

... I get the feeling that trying to take it normally would mean that we'd get sucked in. Fortunately, we have this (kind of gross) mop we picked up in one of the bathrooms!




Got a small key...

... That just reminds me of Zelda.

Poking around the third-floor classrooms again (pointedly avoiding 3-2) uncovers a change in 3-3:



Uh. Why is the locker shaking.

... Well, the notes did say something about footprints leading to a locker? Let's open it.


Found a soccer ball...

... Okay.

As it's the closest, let's head to the science labs first.



... That doesn't look ominous at all. Nope.

The only other door in the room doesn't open, either. Going by the rumours, they would lead to the current prep rooms; the suspicious blood-stained ones must be where the old ones were before they got filled in. Not any more, apparently.

There's nothing else in here, so let's go into the old prep rooms.



Aaaand I guess this is the second Mystery, the ghoul in the science room. It's... actually, it's just sitting there.

Normally I wouldn't really want to get into an encounter with it, given what happened with Bridge Girl (... hahaha), but Kiyomaru did say that it hasn't been known to hurt anyone...


The skeletal model appears from the darkness...


The skeletal model wails miserably...

... It doesn't seem to be attacking even if we just defend.


Skeletal model: My shoulder hurts... my shoulder hurts...


Run: get away from here!

Unlike with the Bridge Girl, there's the option to run. As we don't have any bones right now (let alone shoulder ones), I guess we'll have to come back later.

I'll deal with your shoulder later, I'm sorry. :'D

Down to the music room! There's a bloody trail leading to a cardboard box. Um.

First, though, let's see if I can find where that blackboard note was talking about.


There's a strange memo...

Found it!


The ones who tormented and killed 1st year Sawatari were:
Rie Shimizu, Akemi Matsumoto, Junko Nitta, Michiko Tanaka

Hmm. I guess we have to call out one of these names to seal Atsuko, then (whose last name was apparently Sawatari).

I thought Kitan was strange tales/mysterious stories, till I read the title again. (why isn't that kitan showing up as kanji when I type it in?!)

I think it's uh meant to mean warning, or ohh cautionary tales? yeah, that sounds about right. I'm guessing though, don't take my word for it :P Jisho.org is bit useless on this front. Its definition is "reserve, modesty" which is correct, but different context. sdfjhsdk

Now let's see about that box.




???: H e l p m e e e . . .

... Um. Is there someone in the box? (Snake?)


A voice drifts from the cardboard box...


1: Open it...
2: Don't open it
3: Hit it

.... I don't really want to think about what'll happen if I hit it. Let's open it.


There's no-one there...

... Okay.


There was a flathead screwdriver inside...

... Seems like screwdrivers can talk here.

Incidentally, this is what happens if you hit the box.




You can't hear the voice anymore...

SNAAAAAAAAAAAKE BOX MURDERER.

Thankfully, we have a time machine.



The lid of the box slams shut after we walk away. Okay. More jump scares, argh.

Media room!



There's, erm, a shadow watching TV.



... Which disappears as soon as we get near to it. Why. (Then again, maybe it's for the best).


It's locked...

Thankfully, we have that small key!


Found some perfume...

... Okay. Again.

The principal's office is also available, but I don't feel like dealing with the zombie dog just yet, so let's see if we can face Atsuko.

In the home economics room, as expected:



And she starts chasing us. Surprisingly quickly.

Wait what kind of position is the Bridge girl's head in anyways? Like upside down..? D:

Hmm, I could probably go with that, yeah. If you break it up, 忌 can be abstinence, taboo and 憚 can be hesitation or hindrance. Apparently one of its meanings can also be 忌み嫌う (to loathe), so I guess there's that, too. Why is it such a complicated word.

EDIT: Yeah, I'm pretty sure Bridge Girl's head is meant to be upside down. D: I have seen one piece of art which depicted her with her entire body twisted around, though (so that her hands were facing forwards), which maybe makes more sense? Neither are that pleasant, though.

Don't attack me I have to satisfy my RPG-influenced urge to check everything.


There are human fingers laid out on the tableware...


They must be fake, right...?

... I wouldn't count on it, Ichiro.

Anyway, Atsuko!


Atsuko-san appears from the darkness...


Atsuko-san is sobbing...

Please put that burner down.

Going to the actions menu reveals all the names we got from that desk:


Junko Nitta, Rie Shimizu, Akemi Matsumoto, Michiko Tanaka

Apparently all of them bullied her. But we have to shout out one of their names three times?

I get the feeling there was a hint, though:

... And I just realised I mistakenly wrote that that desk was in 2-3, argh. It was actually in 1-3.

In any case, nothing to lose? I don't really feel like getting burnt alive I've already killed Ichiro enough.


Atsuko-san is grasping a burner and sobbing...


Ichiro shouted the name in a loud voice!

... This feels kind of mean, but we don't really have any other choice.

After we do this three times:



...


Atsuko-san was sealed!

Yesss first Mystery sealed!

A piece of paper appears where she used to be...


1) Pick up
2) Don't pick up...


Got 'suicide note'...

3/3!

I actually feel sorry for most of the mysteries. :(

Most of them are very sympathetic, yeah. I think the only one which isn't is... the mirror? Which is, you know, a mirror.

EDIT: Also, I think we've hit around 200 (217?) screenshots! \(o)/ Nice.

D'aaw, I wish there was a way of helping the ghosts rather than just sealing them. I'll just pretend Atsuko moved on when she was sealed.

Did realize how attached to a character we know so little about you seemed to have tempted fate for his own bad luck until I saw that fairly well-rendered sprite death. : ( Poor Ichiro...

My favorite parts fo the LP continue to be Shirato's extremely subdued reactions to all of this. '...Okay.' 'Oh, hello there.'

If I ever get sucked into evil spirit world, I want Shirato there to calm my nerves. But I won't trust his memory around stairs.

I'm almost certain she's bent over backwards when you look at her, so her uniform front is facing up, and she's looking at you upside down. In fairness, my eyes are not so good. But I'm pretty sure.

Huh.. well now I know why she is so angry.
It must be so uncomfortable to walk around in that position.

Just caught up, really liking this LP so far. It's like a less **ANIME** Corpse Party, which is nice.

I can't get over the fact that our protagonist went from having a face to not having a face, though. It bothers me more than it should.

Bridge girl reminds a lot of this story (link behind spoiler because that thing can be pretty disturbing if you're not into horror and I don't want any of you to click it by mistake) :

I wonder if girls walking "backward" is a common japanese horror trope, like hair ?

Haha, I don't know whether I'd actually be able to keep that calm in a real situation like that. :'D I'm kind of surprised that I can handle the game this well, actually. Either way, it's probably best not to rely on my memory, yep. \(o)/ It's pretty terrible.

It's true that it feels kind of odd not being able to see Ichiro's face. ; Graphical limitations, maybe?

EDIT: I wouldn't be surprised if walking whilst facing backwards was a horror trope of some sort. I can't think of any other place it's particularly come up in (Dante's Inferno aside), but it seems like one of those things that's just generally scary. On a side note, why did I click that link when I know I'm bad with horror why do I do these things to myself.

Actually, the hat's really been irritating me too.

Come along with me to hell, Shirato! You're made of tougher stuff than you might notice! EheeheeheeheehahahaHAHAHAAH!

As for 'walking backwards,' I think the trope is more the, moving while contorting into unnatural positions for the human body. I think I mentioned The Grudge before, and that's an example of the idea. I'm sure if Bridge Girl were in a game with more complex graphics and movements, she would probably contort grotesquely in that manner.

Personally, I think the Bridge Girl position comes from how the distorted the body looks after a neck or spine is broken.

And, yeah, the hat is weird. It probably setting up some reveal or something.

I think Bridge Girl is in that position because of her fall from the stairs, yeah (which would have distorted her body). Scary either way, really. :'D

When we leave the home economics room, we get a call from Tooko! Haven't heard from her in a while.


Ichiro: ... Hello?

I don't really blame him for being cautious, at this point.

Ichiro, it's me... are you okay?

Yeah... I'm getting by, one way or another. Don't worry.

She asks if Ichiro's hurt, and he replies that he isn't. You just don't know about your two deaths so far.

Good... Look after yourself. I'll give you a call later...

... Yeah.



Our inventory's gradually increasing! Now that we have all three pieces of the suicide note, let's see if we can do something about the hanged boy.



Hi.


The hanged boy appears from the darkness...


The hanged boy gurgled and spat up blood...

I do feel pretty bad for the guy.

... Unfortunately, this is another place where I messed up. I accidentally selected 'guard' instead of the items menu on the first round, so didn't read out the first part of the suicide note until the second. I thought that maybe if it looked like I was on the right path, it would be more lenient, but...


The hanged boy began to strangle Ichiro with the rope!


Ichiro's face rapidly grows discoloured...



... Nope.

I'm sorry, Ichiro (for a third time). I wonder how many times my mistakes are going to kill you.

Round two!



The text in each piece of the suicide note is displayed at the top, and we have to figure out which order to read them in. Thankfully, it isn't too difficult.


The hanged boy loosely shambles closer...

Time to read that note!


Ichiro: Dear mother and father, forgive me for bringing you unhappiness by dying before you...


Ichiro: Living in this world has grown too tiring...


Ichiro: I hope to be reborn in a better life in the next world...!



...


The hanged boy was sealed!

Yessss.


The pieces of the suicide note vanished as if made of sand...

... Erm, ignoring that.

Anyway, another call from Tooko! She sure has good timing.

... Hello?

Ah, Ichiro? It's me.


Ichiro: Oh, Tooko... what is it?

She says she was wondering whether Ichiro was alright, and tells him to give her a call every now and then.


Ichiro: ... For some reason, my phone is out of range. I can't use it.

It's true! It says so in the inventory menu.

Eh...? But we're talking with each other right now...

...

...


Ichiro: ... Let's not talk about it. Thinking about it is a bit frightening...

That's the first thing you've been scared of?

Tooko agrees, and says she'll call him again. She tells Ichiro to take care.


Ichiro: ... Okay.

Two out of the seven Mysteries sealed!

Incidentally, if you go back into 3-2:



The hanged figure changes to Ichiro.

I don't know how Kiyomaru manages.

Also, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank people for commenting! I wasn't really sure how enjoyable this would be to follow as an LP, but I'm glad people seem to be enjoying it. :D

Time to make another round of the school!

In 3-1, the bin is now overflowing with blood:


The bin is full of blood...

Like so.




Found a thighbone at the bottom of the bin...

... I don't want to know what we had to do to get that out of the bin.

As I try to go into 2-4:


You can hear laughing voices coming from the classroom...

Um.


???: Whaaat? No way!


???: It's true, though! Like, seriously!

... I hope they've noticed that this school is now, you know, cursed. And that this is apparently another dimension.

???: Really? That's sooo hilarious!

???: Hahaha~

Maybe not.

On going into the classroom, though:



There's no-one there. Of course.



More bloody handprints! Maybe someone wasn't happy I was listening to their conversation. Jump scares, fffff.

In 2-3, I check out the flowers again.


The flowers are blooming vividly...

Nothing's changed here.




Found a kneecap at the bottom of the flowerpot...

... Oh. I, erm, guess that was why the flowers were doing so well.

We're finding the poor guy's bones all over the place, aren't we?


The flowers wilt before your eyes...

... Well. I guess it couldn't be helped? First box murderer, now flower murderer...

Crossing over from 2-3 to 2-2:


???: Ichiro... Ichiro...

Er.


1: Look back
2: Don't look back

This seems incredibly suspicious, so. Nope.


???: Ichiro... Ichiro...

Still not looking back.

And then it finally leaves us alone.

Unfortunately, the bloody footprints haven't:





Oh, I know where that stairway leads. Nope.



There's also a new set of bloody footprints leading to the window in our classroom. Definitely not looking out there anytime soon.

There's some more on the first floor...



... The last time there were footprints leading to a locker it was a good thing, but it isn't shaking this time around. You'd think this would be a good thing, but I'm suspicious okay. No investigating lockers this time!

The footprints are coming from class 1-2, so I poke around there again.


It's locked...

But this time I have the small key! How it works on multiple lockers I have no idea. If only it worked that way in Zelda.


Found a shoulder-blade...

... Just how many bones is he missing?

I'm afraid that something horrible is going to happen to his eyes and we won't know it until it's too late.

My guess is that he's already dead and just doesn't know it. We'll find out at the very end, when we can properly wail and despair when we see his white and lifeless eyes... D:

We've collected quite a few items now, and I'm kind of worried that I'll forget the Bridge Girl is on those particular stairs again. Let's see if we can deal with her.


The Bridge Girl appeared from the darkness...

I try various items, like the broom and the perfume.


Ichiro: Damn it, I can't hit her!

... Presumably he was trying to hit her with the broom or something.

Not pictured: where I used up my three turns trying items and died again. Evidently I'm just not good at dealing with the Bridge Girl.

Finally:


Ichiro used the soccer ball!


The soccer ball rolls down the stairs, bouncing...

'The Bridge Girl's attention was caught by the ball!'


Push: push from the stairs!

Okay!


The Bridge Girl is distracted by the soccer ball...


Ichiro pushed the Bridge Girl from the stairs!


The Bridge Girl was sealed!

Hahaha take that. (Although I still feel kind of bad). Who knew a soccer ball could be used for something like that?

Another call from Tooko!


Ichiro: ... Hello?

... Or so I think, but there's only evil laughter on the other end of the line before whoever it is hangs up. Well. That isn't ominous at all.

He's certainly died enough times in this playthrough. :'D

The hat does make him look oddly... sinister, though. Then again I think that's just because we can't see his eyes. Which, as you say, isn't necessarily good either.

I think the bridge girl is supossed to be in a twisted up version of this position:

Uh. The soccer ball got us rid of her? That's unexpected.

I kind of want to see the zombie dog now :U

Well, Ichiro's lack of eyes strangely doesn't bother me.
Or maybe it's the fact that in so many of the otome games I play, half of the time the goddamn protagonists don't have eyes.
Either way, erruuuughhhh Ju On 3 was on when I was reading this thread, (':

This is true. :D; And in some cases, minor characters don't have eyes either! (As in Daily Lives of High School Boys).



Also, why did they make a third one. D: One was quite enough.

I never quite got why they don't put eyes. I mean, they've already shown their hair, bottom faces, clothes, body, hands, etc. It's not like anyone's going to criticize their decision of the eye colour.
Unless it's something stupid like neon colours -coughUtaPri I'm looking at you or rainbow.
I do like UtaPri though, its just that Lord, her EYES. Took me a few episodes to get used to.

Wow. harder to look at than I expected. Really get a look at him, his neck's a noodle. : (

NOPE!

FUCKING. MISDIRECT. They know you're talking to Tooko and they're messing with you! This is not funny!

I am legitimately afraid during these updates, dude! Hold me.

Y'know, looking at the screenshots Teddybear reposted, Ichiro's sprite is really cute! It makes everything that has and can happen to him even worse.

I kind of worry what this game would be like with higher-resolution graphics, yeah. |D; The Mysteries' sprites are bad enough (that is, pretty gruesome) as they are now.

Also, I hope this LP isn't having too bad an effect on you, Teddybear of Death! :D; Have a picture of some bats? (They're nice ones! Spoilered in case someone doesn't like bats, all the same)

I wonder if that counts as mood whiplash.

... Maybe it's best to go see whether Tooko and Kiyomaru are alright.

The school, of course, does its best to dissuade me of this notion.

The water fountain on the third floor is now full of blood...



... And a window shatters and breaks as I walk past it. More jump scares!



Not going to investigate that. Nope.

We get to the library, and:


Ichiro: ... Tooko... Endou-senpai?

Well. This is not good.


Ichiro: Where have those two gone...?


Ichiro: !!



... This is even worse.

And the door is locked. Of course.

Unfortunately, having a complete lack of ability to maneuver, I... sort of end up running straight into them. This would be why I haven't actually played Corpse Party myself yet and watched playthroughs of it online instead.


Ichiro: Aaaaaarghh!

I'm sorry Ichiro. This is, what, the fifth or sixth time?


Ichiro: !!

... What do you know. We're not dead!

... On the other hand, who is that.

Ichiro: This is... what the heck happened...?


Ichiro: And you're...?


???: ...

New character! Kind of late in the game (relatively speaking), but still.


Ichiro: Ah, I'm Ichiro Sasaki...

I guess they haven't met before.


???: Ichiro... kun...


Ichiro: I... that's right, there were those things in the library... Did you save me?



She starts walking away. Don't go!


???: The Seven Mysteries are angry. They're out to kill you... I can't help you any more than this.

... Well, we already knew that, I guess.

Aaaand she vanishes.



Mysterious.


Ichiro: ...


Ichiro: Just who was she...?

Beats me. But hey, at least it seems that she's not trying to kill us! It's a nice change.

First thing's first, though, let's go and see if Tooko and Kiyomaru are alright. I'm kind of worried, after all that.



...


Tooko: Ichiro... take care.

Why are you all acting like everything's normal.

Calling it now, Roof Girl.

And don't worry, I'm ok! I'm like, Halloween scared. If I was seriously, interupting my sleep, paranoid freaked I wouldn't keep reading. xD

But! Bats are delightful. <3 That batch is so cute...