BLAZBLUE INFO. & OTHER TIME-PARADOX BUFFOONERY By DJ Date Masamune But First, Disclaimers ~^.^~ • Panel will be available online as well as a list of all my resources • On my blog as a .pdf • Will go live post-con • Contact info./handouts • I have handouts w/ links to my resources page, the panel, contact info, etc. • Take a business card/handout before you leave • Definitely take one if you have ANY feedback • Even if you leave mid-way, feel free to get one before you go • You have plenty of time to ask questions/make comments, so fire away! Motto Disclaimers ~~^.^~~ • Don‟t be “That Guy” • Please understand I‟m tots open to feedback/suggestions. If you wish to avoid a face-to-face, you have my e-mail, Tumblr, blog, & a lot of other methods to tell me something • Just make sure you mention what you liked/didn‟t like & (if applicable) ways to approve • You win no points for claiming “I know more than the panelist/the panelist didn‟t know what she was talking about” What to Expect • Will be using a decent amount of TvTropes terms, so don‟t be afraid to ask me what I mean if you have no idea what I‟m talking about • Unfortunate happening with TvTropes: assume everyone knows TvTropes >.> Most importantly..! • Panel will focus mostly on story, background, character motives/backstories, etc. but will also somewhat cover game mechanics & such when appropriate • i.e., don‟t expect a 30 minute rant on how Nu-13 was broken in Calamity Trigger, only a tool would use „Beginner Mode‟ in CS, or why Ragna is OP • „Cause 30 minutes isn‟t enough time for any of those -_- • Not to mention CS walks you through how to use each character, so it‟s pointless to cover how to play certain characters • Basically, if a “character sucks”, it‟s b/c you don‟t know how to use them, not b/c they‟re unplayable Moving On… • Only going to be scratching the surface with terminology since there‟s so much & it‟s super complicated • That‟s a panel in & of itself • However, there will be a glossary in the 3rd game ^.^ • Trying to understand the details of this is like trying to understand the entirety of the Type-Moon multiverse with only a few resources at hand -_- • Will use Terumi & Hazama interchangeably unless otherwise stated • i.e., when I hit the 3rd game • Will go over canon materials, primarily the games, & will briefly sum up notable things in the novel & drama CD • Hope you love Japanese folklore & mythology, b/c there‟s a lot of it throughout the Blaz-averse The Wheel of Fate is Turning… • Basic Info. About the Series • Things in BlazBlue series • Locales (Battle Stages) • Slideshow • Terminology • Game Overview: Basics & intricacies • Calamity Trigger & Continuum Shift • Novel overview • Characters • Both major BG characters & playable characters • “Fantasy Kitchen Sink” • Will explain term when I get there Rebel 1! • Developers: Ark Systems Works/Aksys Games (for the localization) • People behind Guilty Gear • Music Composed by Daisuke Ishiwatari & Arranged by Yoshihiro Kusano • All major games available on the PS3 & 360; PSP & 3DS for the ports & spin-offs respectively • 3rd game (Chrono Phantasm) came out relatively recently in Japanese arcades & will be coming to consoles (Japan) later in the year • Will be arriving to US March next year • There is an anime in the works, BlazBlue: Alter Memory, that‟s based off *Calamity Trigger‟s events Action! Things in series • BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger • Not to mention the PSP port • BlazBlue: Continuum Shift • Not to mention the PSP/3DS port • BlazBlue: Continuum Shift EXTEND • BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasm • Drama CD, The Wheel of Fortune (not in US) • In the timeline where there‟s no Noel (^.^), Jin & Saya get along quite swimmingly & were very affectionate towards each other, Saya going so far as to make a marriage promise to Jin • The kawaii awesomeness that could have been ~.~ • Xblaze – Code: Embryo • Visual novel, PS3/Vita (came out in japan, July 25, 2013 ) BTWs • You can pre-order the 3rd game from Amazon if so inclined <-Image is a hyperlink $49.99, 3/25/2014 Also… • Kokonoe will be a playable character >.< • Paid DLC of course Con‟t • Novel, Phase 0 & Phase Shift (not in US) • Manga, BlazBlue: Chimelical Complex (not in US) • BlazBlue: Alter Memory (not out yet) • Anime • Xblaze – Code: Embryo Non-canon • BlayzBloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale • DS, Will be released in America on Aug 2, 2013 • BlayzBloo: Clone Phantasma • DSiWare download, presently only available in Japan • May get it in the States Con‟t No Clue • Manga, BlazBlue: Remix Heart (not in US) • Can‟t tell if this is just for lolz or if it‟s being taken totally seriously • In which case it‟s during the academy days of Jin, Noel, Makoto, Tsubaki, & Carl To Understand This Series, this panel… • Need to get some terminology out the way b/c it will help when trying to make since of the clusterf**k which is the plot of BlazBlue • Namely terms not covered in game CT & CS • Of course, BlazBlue = Azure Grimoire • You should know if you did the dub for CS for the True Ending • The Dark War/First War of Magic • The decade it took to defeat the Black Beast after going dormant from fighting Bloodedge • Beast appeared in the year 2100 AD out of nowhere & almost wiped out humanity • Fight ended in 2110 AD • Caused seithr to spread throughout the world • Killed ½ of the world‟s population • Time when humanity at large learned how to use magicks • & developed Ars Magus then Ars Armagus when Ars Magus wasn‟t enough • Beastkin (like Makoto) were created to aide in the battle against the Black Beast • Second War of Magic was at Ikaruga • Black Beast • May be a failed Murakumo unit (namely a Kusanagi type) • Nu-13 is the mind & Ragna is the body • Why he‟s utterly helpless in some endings of CT when they partially fuse b/c he‟s only the body • Basically, Yamata no Orochi, a giant snake beast with 8 heads & tails (basically a dragon) • Slain by Susano‟o • Reason why there‟s a “Fantasy Kitchen Sink” section • Was halted for 1 year in a battle with Bloodedge • A time displaced Ragna that managed to regain his original form • In Ragna‟s bad ending in CS, he becomes the new Black Beast due to losing control of his (fake) Azure Grimoire/BlazBlue & almost destroys the world • Arakune originally was used as an experiment by Hazama to create the Black Beast • Nox Nyctores • Made by Nine (Kokonoe‟s Mom, Konoe A. Mercury) • Comprised of concentrated seithr & a piece of the Black beast • Alters mental state of owner • For the worse • Intensifies/amplifies the emotions/insecurities of the user • Some may be sentient, like Jin‟s Yukianesa • The user is capable of overtaking their Nox & gaining even more power by being able to control it • Can act as a power limiter that • So, once the user gains control of their Nox, they gain even more power • Nox Nyctores – Character the Murakumo Nox • Platinum the Trinity • Jin Kisaragi • Arma Reboare: Muchorin • Mucro Algesco: Yukianesa • Hakumen • Carl Clover • Interfectum Malus: Okami • Deus Machina: Nirvana • Nu-13 • Noel Vermillion • Lux Sanctus: Murakumo • Arcus Diabolus: Bolverk • All Murakumo units are replicas of • Hazama/Yuki Terumi Saya (O.O) • Geminus Anguium • Jubei • Bang Shishigami • Mucro Somnio: Musashi • Phoenix: Rettenjo • Relius Clover • Rachel Alucard • Fluctus Redactum: Ignis • Tsukuyomi Unit • i.e., mai waifu-bot ^.^ • NOL • Litchi Faye-Ling • Gigant: Take-Mikazuchi • Mantenbo • Tsubaki Yayoi • Sealed Weapon Izayoi • In 3rd game, her Nox is a prototype to • Murakumo units • Special types of “Boundary Interface Field Devices” that use Murakumo type weapons • Created after 1st War of Ars Magus, act as Anti-Sankishin core units • Original purpose was to be used to explore the other side of the boundary • Sealed it deep inside the Boundary upon realizing using Murakumo units to do this exploration could make them become the Eye of the Azure, making these units godlike (become the Azure grimoire) • 13 have been created, with only 3 known • Lambda-11 being an imitation unit using her Idea Engine as a substitute for a Nox • Idea Engine: can bypass the Azure Grimoire‟s negation, after this not much else is known • Mu-12 gained the true Azure & became something better than a Murakumo unit, Kusanagi, while Nu-13, although somewhat of a success, has a false Azure • Hence when merging with Ragna, becomes the Black Beast, which ultimately is a failed Murakumo Unit (more or less) • Let that sink in…failed Murakumo unit = Black Beast or Arakune (as far as making an Azure Grimoire & failing hard)DX • Have so many units seemingly because they were all failures to obtain the true Azure • Boundary Interface Prime Field Device • Originally made by Yuki & Relius & Shuichiro • Were made to go to the other side of the Boundary, the original being sent to the heart of the Boundary causing it to gain a soul & become the Eye of the Azure • Humans feared it once this happened & tried to destroy it, but failed, so they sealed it instead • After this humans began copying it, Murakumo units, to try to harness the power of the Azure • Basically, any & all (Greek alphabet) + #, Kusanagi is a successful one, Nu-13 partially successful, & the rest failures/killed by Ragna • Boundary • Where the various timelines intersect • Where things go after events happen • Only a few can observe these, like Rachel, Takamagahara, & a couple others • Inside is the master unit, Amaterasu, the source of distortions in the timeline • Only the Eye of the Azure (Azure/BlazBlue) • Also contains the Azure, which is described as being the true power of the Boundary itself • Coming in contact with it can give powers, but at great cost when the person is human • Arakune‟s predicament • Litchi-Faye being able to see other timeline versions of herself + wanting to gain the Azure Grimoire.