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Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World

@madhogthymaster.bsky.social

46 followers 210 following 1.6K posts

Film and TV critic. Animation scholar. Film festival curator. Consumer of games. Reader of comics. Writer. Complainer. Amateur show host. Trans Rights. Black Lives Matter. Free Palestine. He/Him.

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Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · Aug 24

MADHOG'S THY MASTER'S MASTERPOST:

YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCXo...

Tumblr: tumblr.com/teamyume

Blog archive: madhogthymaster.blogspot.com

Thumbnail for my "Gore Screaming Show" essay.
Available on my Tumblr and Blogger.

My music game show, "Be Confidently Wrong!"
You can watch it on my YouTube channel.

My (old) podcast, "The MADPlay Podcast."
Available on YouTube.

I did a MASSIVE "Umineko" thread on this website.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 11h

A new episode of our game show just dropped on your lap, sensually.

Be Confidently Wrong! | Visual Novel Take Over!

Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKVJ...

#BeConfidentlyWrong #GameShow #GameMusic

Be Confidently Wrong! | Visual Novel Take Over!

YouTube video by Madhog Thy Master

www.youtube.com

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 16h

#GSenjounoMaou

Patrick Bateman with a VN dialogue box.

"I believe that people's hearts can be bought with money, that everyone only thinks of themselves, and that people act in order to further propagate what benefits them most."

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 20h

Things really clicked into place for me as soon as the main character started raving about his favourite composer, "Big Bach."
#GSenjounoMaou

Screenshot of Patrick Bateman from "American Psycho" with a visual novel dialogue box under him.

"Although, while Bach's polyphonic compositions are excellent of course, I do think that some of his works that hold back a bit or rein in their complexity and difficulty, pieces much like 'Air' and 'Fugue' that allow the audience to enjoy the beauty of their (continues)"

"The French Suites' are an astounding example of this. If we wanted to talk performers, Leonhardt plays the best harpsichord on those pieces, but you'd have to give me a little more time to think when it comes to the piano."

1 1

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

#GSenjounoMaou has a classical music leitmotiv. This is reflected in its choice of soundtrack which is entirely comprised of (zany) remixes of famous compositions.
They had the big brained idea to repurpose "Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairies" as the de-facto silly tune.
Have a listen, and a laugh.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

It's an escapism, a fantasy, his projection of an idealized existence as a VN protagonist, one he is desperate to maintain. That is why it's heightened and self-aware. It drives home the point that he could never truly be part of it. He could merely interact with it, like in a game.
#GSenjounoMaou

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

Secrets, lies and false realities are the tools of the trade in his white-collar crime laden life. In his mind, twisted by a traumatic upbringing that left him an empty shell of a person, the familiarity of a goofy Eroge narrative (as in, a fun school life) is what anchors him.
#GSenjounoMaou

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

Kyousuke Anzai leads a double life. During the day, he's a carefree student who enjoys the company of his unhinged friends. During the night, he's a borderline sociopathic business entrepreneur obsessed with money and keeping up appearances.
Our guy is basically Patrick Bateman.
#GSenjounoMaou

kyousuke, sitting at his office chair, in front of several computer monitors, talking at cord phone.

Text: "Burn when it comes to money, I'll never miss a beat."

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

They bring attention to its farcical nature, to the facade of it all, without ever breaking it. That is because the appearance of normalcy (or, rather, the absurd spectacle of normalcy) is a key thematic element by which we may contextualize the protagonist of #GSenjounoMaou.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

Then there's the Legally Viable Stepsister who's just a little too maniacal about her affection, and the Normal Girl who's naive to an abnormal degree, and so forth. Once again, these are purposefully exaggerated scenarios that serve a point other than making fun of the medium.
#GSenjounoMaou

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

The Best Friend character, who seems cute and inoffensive, is actually a two-faced, horrid little twerp that spouts vile, misogynistic drivel every time he thinks girls aren't listening. He owns the Eric Cartman's *ghost* costume. I love how much he sucks!
#GSenjounoMaou

Eichii, looking like a slumped over gremlin: "I'm so fucking pissed. If I were two years younger, I would totally mount her ass."

I cannot even begin to unpack this sentence.

"Friend, family, whatever man, it doesn't even fucking matter! i'm a fucking sight to see when I snap, man. I just kill everyone in sight."

"It's been a long time, God." said Eichii to the protagonist who's wearing a ghost costume suspiciously similar to a KKK get-up.

It was alluded Eichii is the one who provided the outfit.

Eichii, who chases older women: "No! Unless she's older than me, graduated from post-secondary and makes more than ten mill a year, I don't want her."

He sucks so much. He's great.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

As an example: the lead heroine, Haru Usami, which would normally seem like the Mysterious Transfer Student type is, in fact, a socially inept, totally mask-off autist that comes off as weirdly off-putting. She introduces herself as USAMI BIN LADEN in front of the class, as a *gag.*
#GSenjounoMaou

Haru Usami, looking absolutely miserable, half her face covered up by wildly unkempt long dark hair.

"I am... Bin Laden."

"Didn't I just say that you should call me Usami Bin Laden?"

Incidentally, this isn't the English localization taking creative liberties. The Japanese VA is actually saying that in a game released a decade ago.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

Every member on the main cast is initially presented as either a subverted or heightened version of classic high school character archetypes, driven past classic quirkiness and right into audience-winking, comedic flagellation but never to a degree that makes it too obvious.
#GSenjounoMaou

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

"The Devil on G-String" is a fascinating work, one that reworks well-known visual novel tropes in a manner I would define as *uniquely flavourful* to the narrative on display. By which, I mean there's an element of edgy self-parody to the text that exists not for its own sake.
#GSenjounoMaou

A cover art for "G-Senjou no Maou" featuring lead heroine, Haru Usami.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

The reason why you should play "Gnosia" is because it's a funky, utterly wicked hybrid between a Time Loop RPG, a "Werewolf" or "Mafia" genre of board game and a visual novel. It vaunts vibrant aesthetics, juicy twists and it's basically Gay "Among Us" with a story.
There is nothing quite like it.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

You should definitely play the game. Then watch the anime, if you're curious. This is my preemptive assessment.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

The good news about it as that they did NOT undercut the queerness. Protagonist is non-binary, love interest is non-binary, secondary character is non-binary, the cast is largely queer. The bad news is that the "Mafia" style social deduction angle works poorly in this format, as I thought.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 1d

What do you mean they made a "Gnosia" anime!? Are you serious? That is incredible! It will not be any good on account of the original videogame being too uniquely structured to work on a linear format but, still, colour me surprised!

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 3d

At the minute, the plot of "Time Stranger" revolves on us helping out Digimon Jesus collect the 12 Apostles and save the world. His miracle powers are time travelling related. It's all very silly and obvious. I can't wait to find out who Digimon Judas is supposed to be.
#Digimon

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 6d

I didn't expect my dumb numbers-go-up gameplay videosgame to hit me with its own version of "District 9" but here we are.
This will fall flat on its head. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when and how hard.
Either way, I am obligated to pay attention.
#Digimon

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 6d

To be clear, I don't believe for even a second this game is equipped to tackle such aggressively topical themes. In fact, I don't expect it to be actually about Immigration and Diaspora. This is a time travel story, which means it's most likely a narrative What-If that can be easily undone.
#Digimon

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 6d

Then I started actually paying attention to the plot and, before I knew it, the #Digimon version of ICE showed up to abduct our protagonists and deport them into a walled-off ghetto/prison. Digimon are war-torn immigrants and there's an Apartheid.
Okay then. That's a choice someone made.

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 6d

Alright, here's the deal. This thread was supposed to be more low effort compared to my usual writing. I just wanted to share a few screenshots, here and there, and not really think about anything in particular. This is not a game I played for the *story*, so to speak.
#Digimon

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 8d

I had a few, disparate thoughts swirling in my head meat about a certain visual novel by a certain writer.

Brain Bubble: "The Song of Saya" (I Do Not Care About Gen Urobuchi)

It's a short read: tmblr.co/Z_AcqsiFk_1Z...

#SayanoUta #Madoka_Magica #BrainBubble

Brain Bubble: The Song of Saya - I Do Not Care About Gen Urobuchi

CW: grotesque imagery, mentions of body horror, misogyny and SA I have sunk my blood-soaked, pus-expelling teeth onto the malformed entrails of The Song of Saya (Saya no Uta) and I find myself...

tmblr.co

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 9d

Gatomon with a train conductor's hat.
#Digimon

Madhog thy Master Must Return to The Digital World @madhogthymaster.bsky.social · 9d

I guess I have a betentacled lady-mon now.
#Digimon

Huge, half-naked calamari woman looking alluringly at the camera.