Part 3: Takatoshi Hijiyama 1
Chapter 3: Takatoshi Hijiyama 1
1944, huh ?
Music: LONER (Azusa Chiba)
The sooner Im out of here, the better.
Someones changed the shifters access key, huh?
A young man runs up. As the girl turns, the holographic screens quickly disappear.
So you came after me, Hijiyama-kun.
This has to be some misunderstanding. You cant be a spy, can you?
Hm Sounds like the professor, all right.
Why did you run off? The militarys looking for you.
But youre the professors daughter! You cant be a spyit doesnt make sense!
Sorry to break it to you. Im not his daughter. The real Kiriko Doujis still over in Tokyo.
I dont need to steal any secrets on the Sentinels.
Consider Kiriko Douji
(Professor Douji led the Sentinel Project for our efforts in the war. His daughter, Kiriko-san, came along with him, but What does it mean if this isnt her?)
Consider Sentinel
(Is she serious? She says she built the Sentinel herself, but )
What happened to you?
Thats about what I figured youd say.
Use Kiriko Douji on Kiriko Douji
Then who are you?
You wouldnt believe me if I told you. Or maybe This really isnt about who I am. Maybe its just about what you feel towards me.
Use Sentinel on Kiriko Douji
You built them?
Yeah, that was me.
We are about 45 minutes into this game, Id like to remind everyone. Already just casually dropping shit most games would save for the end.
I drew up the designs in an editor. The I just had to send the order into an automated factory.
No, youre probably just confused, thats all
I even implanted the linking component into your head.
Im sorry, what?
Though you wouldnt remember, of course. Anesthesia, and all.
When you came to the factory You said you were there on behalf of the professor
It was as good a cover story as any.
Youre kind of a simple guy. Theres something about you, though
Im saying Im gonna miss you.
This is goodbye.
Thats impossible
If we move Hijiyama to the far left, we can examine these bushes.
She cant have had time to run into the mountains. Where did Kiriko-san go ?
Music: Sneaking Suspicions (Kikuchi Yukinori)
Hes the one who snuck into the factory! Theres something fishy about him But If hes working with her, then He might know where shes gone. Ill hide behind a tree and see what hes up to
Something about this situation is just abjectly hilarious to me. Maybe its that Hijiyama here really is dirt simple and has no idea what the hell is going on, maybe its just the game making you physically move him behind the tree, and maybe its the big Hide Behind Tree text, I dunno.
Hey Hijiyama, youre wearing bright white clothing! Maybe get down in the bushes a little at least?
Might still catch up if Im fast. Coordinates read Sector 4, in the year 1984
So youre the spy But theres no escaping me now.
What are you doing here?
If I told you, youd laugh in my face.
Geez, no one has any faith in our boy Hijiyamas ability to understand.
Answer me, or Ill do more than laugh at you!
Im going to time travel to another era.
*sigh*
Consider To Another Time
(Hes just playing games with me. Time travel? Really? This is reality, not some penny dreadful )
Im a big fan of this games writing.
Use Kiriko Douji on Suspicious Man
Yeah.
I knew it
Though that wasnt actually her, of course.
Is that really true? She said something along those lines, too
She, huh? Mustve been pretty convincing, then.
Hey, you. Reading this. Dont worry about it. I am telling you not to worry about it.
Youre just trying to confuse me
Consider Tsukasa Okino
(This cant be true, can it? Was the Kiriko Douji I knew really a man? This Tsukasa Okino?)
Use To Another Time on Suspicious Man
Try a better story next time.
This Kiriko Douji of yours? He did it himself just moments ago. Escaped from here into the future.
I dont have time for this. Step back. Im going after him.
Well
Yeah, he just said that, dude. Keep up.
Where? Show me.
You dont want to get caught in this shift. Keep your distance.
Right, your time travel.
Dont say I didnt warn you.
Music: LONER (Azusa Chiba)
And were suddenly 41 years in the future. Of course.
He knows youd beat his ass, Wajima-san! Probably shittin his pants right now.
Turned tail and ran, huh?
CONSIDER: YAKISOBA PAN!
Consider Yakisoba Pan
(Noodles stir-fried in sauce, enfolded in sweetened bread I dont trust much in this post-war world But if theres one exception, its my yakisoba pan.)
Listening to this English VA pronounce yakisoba pan gives me infinite life
Nearly knocked my friggin arm out of its socket.
You wanna apologize?
Oh, did I hit you? Sorry about that.
Youre sorry? Sorry dont pay my goddamn hospital bills.
Oh! Im wise to this scam! Kiryull show up any minute now and wreck these guys, just hang back.
So? I dont have money, if thats what youre after.
People been talkin about this guy. Hes the one whos been snatchin all the jackets!
The hell? Wait, yeah This guys wearin one of our uniforms.
Oh, so you know the guy who owned this? I dont have any relatives around. Im basically homeless at the moment. So the clothes and the cash were a really big help. He was a generous guy. Tell him I said thanks. Take care.
The delicious yakisoba pan flies out of Hijiyamas hand as Wajima grabs him!
I didnt even get a single bite
You got a problem with me, buddy?
Youre the one whos about to have a problem.
Sic im.
Time for the fight scene!
Note: fight scene may be too expensive to animate.
L-Look, well get you another snack, man!
Ive got no mercy for people who waste food. Especially yakisoba pan.
I thought you called me out for a fight, Wajima.
And who are you? A friend of theirs?
I didnt ask you to fight my battles, pal.
Youre that Jacket Snatcher. Hijiyama or somethin
I told them I didnt need the help, but they wouldnt take no for an answer.
Yeah, Ill bet.
Dont go picking fights you cant win.
Ive heard enough, douchebag. And you owe me a fight.
Well, youre gonna regret it
I guess you fit right in here in the 80s. Here I figured Id have to check up on you.
I know that voice and that face !
I came for a fight, and Im gettin one.
Music: Between The Lines (Kikuchi Yukinori)
He has to be close by.
That bastard kicked like a horse. Pretty tough for a thug. He almost had me for a moment there
Nothing on the left side
nothing on the right.
Lets try up the stairs, then.
Kiriko looks surprised briefly to see Hijiyama, but continues down the stairs.
Were you looking for me all night? Still as reckless as ever, huh?
Dont try to talk around it.
I figured youd be here soon, so. Got some breakfast for you, too.
Half a year Ive been searching for you. Half a year, thinking of what Id say to your face.
I got you some yakisoba pan You didnt get any yesterday, right?
*gulp* Look, th-thats not the point!
Were going whether you like it or not.
And if I say no?
Besides, youre a man, arent you?
Use Tsukasa Okino on Kiriko Douji
Why do you wear womens clothes?
You werent complaining when you confessed to me.
Heh. Youre kind of a dick, you know that, Okino?
(blushing)
Im not exactly the picture of masculinity anyway. Better than trying to pass as some militant with a buzzcut.
So, why are you dressed like that now?
(blushing) U-Uh
Youre a funny guy, Hijiyama-kun.
This lets me hide the fact that Im even alive.
Use Kiriko Douji on Tsukasa Okino
Fun little detail: now that weve asked about his true identity, Kirikos identity has changed to Okino even in this Thought Cloud menu.
Even convincing everyone you were a girl ?
Professor Douji thought itd be a good idea. See, hes Well, all Shikishimas tech really began with him. Shikishima made incredible strides after the war. And a lot of that was thanks to his work. Though it didnt hurt that I taught him about his futures technology.
But why? Why would you make that deal with him?
For the Sentinel.
Use Sentinel on Tsukasa Okino
It was an accident that it showed up at all. It was never meant to be there. I mean, come on. Youve seen it. You think they could make that back in the 1940s? Even here in the 80s, its out of our league. Thats not human craftsmanship. It was made in the future, in an automated factory. Let me put it in laymans terms: There was an incident, and it got broken. Our goal was to fix it there so it could fight again.
But wasnt it meant to be used against the USA?
Then who or what was it made to fight ?
I have to get back, no matter what. If we can finish the Sentinel Project, we can win the war.
Youre a good guy, but kind of an open book, you know that?
Say whatever you want. I dont care who you really are anymore. Just get me home. I know about the air raids. And Okinawa, Hiroshima, Nagasaki I cant just let those attacks happen. I cant let those people die.
So you did some reading in the history section. Between all the manual labor youve been doing, and your living conditionsor, well, lack thereof, youre a lot more determined than I expected.
Youve been keeping tabs on me ?
Theres something I still need to do. And that something is here in 1985. I just need you to wait until thats finished. Actually, Id really appreciate your help with it. It does involve you, after all. When its finally all over, then
Hows that sound?
No, I What I want is to go back to my own time.
If youre sure.
My base is over there on the second floor.
Im wearing the uniform. Where do you think?
Your yakisoba pans on the desk inside.
Wow, was that your stomach? You havent eaten anything since yesterday, huh? Go ahead. The doors unlocked.
Stop being stubborn and go get some breakfast.
Welcome back, old friend.
Maybe he really was just manipulating me Well, it is yakisoba pan. Not much I could do
Consider The Uniform
(If hes in that uniform, hes probably going to school But whats he trying to accomplish there?)
E A T
Well, as long as Ive got it
The sauce is so sweet, yet so spicy !
Hijiyama snarfs the entire thing down in two bites.
It wont do me any good if he slips away. I might as well check my old school
And so ends another prologue.
Were now faced with another combat tutorial to break things up.
Music: (ISOLEUCINE) (Yoshimi Kudo)
We will never stop until our foes lie dead. Im not about to forget my duty, Okino. Where to next?
Dont get ahead of yourself. Were not done here.
Ill release some more drones to expand our search range.
Good. Leave the fisticuffs to me.
Jamolar? Is that what you call the big round ones?
A G-Moler is a Deimos built for excavation. It uses the spinning blades on its back to dig into the ground. They need to bore a path to the terminal. Its the core of their strategy, and we need to stop them.
A slowpoke like that? All I need is one strike to take that one out.
They can withstand intensely high pressures and break through any rock. If you underestimate it, youre the one whos going to get taken out.
Yes Thats the point closest from the surface to the terminal. But your Sentinels a 1st-gen, which means more mobility. Thatll come in handy here. Can you take out some kaiju on your way there?
I dont have much choice. Were going in.
This is important. The only way to restore EP besides defending is to defeat an enemy, which will cause the person who defeated it to regain a sum of EP based on the enemy type. The stronger the kaiju, the more EP you get back for killing it.
And before you ask, yes, this does encourage you to kill the strong ones in as few attacks as possible instead of wearing them down more slowly!
Despite that conversation, Hijiyama is fighting alone. What, Okinos not cool enough for a Sentinel? Or too cool? Whichever?
Hijiyamas in a 1st-generation Sentinel, which means hes all about melee attacks. If its not directly in front of him, he largely cant do shit about it. Thankfully, 1st-gen models have high mobility and speed, and a few of their actions let them move while attacking. One such skill is Leap Attack, which is exactly what you think it is.
Tackle is similar but slightly more powerful and much more hilariousit lets him charge along a path set by the player, damaging and knocking away anything in said path. And the knockback means it can hit multiple times if youre lucky! Normally, you can't move through a path obstructed by a kaiju, but Tackle thankfully ignores that.
Niiiiiiice. Lets just take out the small swarm near the terminal now and finish them off.
A couple Rush Attacks (4 hits, 800 power each, 0 EP) from there should clean up any stragglers.
Youre that guy from before! What are you scheming? I wont allow it!
Wait, Hijiyama-kun Let him handle this.
Are you sure? Hes about to do something to the saucer.
Its all part of the plan. Besides, theres something I want us to try.
Fine. I trust you.
Awww
The terminal has a few defense mechanisms in place. Now that weve got access to them, you should be able to command them yourself. Let the terminal attack the kaiju directly.
We can make the saucer itself attack them?
Its kind of hard to tell anythings happening in this shot, but the numbers are a good sign. We like the numbers.
The terminal forced a shutdown of designated targets within range.
That was amazing Lets fire off some more of those!
Dont know if we can do that, but we have a couple other tricks up our sleeve. Let me take a look.
Now, we just clean up the two remaining G-Molers and the mission will end.
All of a sudden, the terminal is surrounded by kaiju!
But another wave quickly shuts them down.
All the hostiles in range destroyed themselves. Like magic.
If we had that kind of weaponry, you should have told me! Why bother with the Sentinels when we have this?
Because giant robots are fucking cool, idiot!
It takes time to activate. And if we get taken out before its ready, then its all over.
It means the terminal would be fully locked down. Nobody could ever open it again.
Is that a bad thing?
This is Renya Gouto. You are one of the compatible pilots from Sector 5. Who are you communicating with?
Id really rather not deal with this. Dont tell him, Hijiyama-kun.
What, are they exes?
No one. Im fighting solo.
Gouto has no further questions about this!
Sentinels are being activated in another location. No. 17 and No. 19 Just how many Sentinels are online now ?
Takatoshi Hijiyama is voiced by Kaiji Tang, whos been getting a lot of work recently. You may be familiar with him as Ichiban Kasuga in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, or as Iwai in Persona 5. I like his voice a lot.