Part 3: Super High-school Level Update #3A

Let's hear from these 5 people first.


Got it, Mr. Tutorial. But before we do that, let’s take a quick look around, starting with the huge elephant in the room.



W...What’s with this huge metal bulkhead?
It's like the entrance to a military facility...

This is the same entrance hall I've just been to, isn’t it? I think I would have noticed it...



There's... something that looks like a gun attached to the security camera.

But it can't be the real thing, though, can it...?





That's a television screen.

This school is approved by the government, so it's not so strange if it has its own television station.
Nevertheless... there's something weird about it.

Okay, now that we're done with the scenery, let's start talking to our fellow students. I'm going left to right.





My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru! My motto in life is Simplicity and Fortitude! Let's all work together and study hard!



Super High-school Level Hall Monitor: Kiyotaka Ishimaru

Ishimaru is voiced by Kousuke Toriumi, a veteran voice actor who acted in dozens of games and anime shows since the mid ‘90s. Readers of this thread may know him as the Japanese voice for Junpei in Persona 3.



Kiyotaka Ishimaru... According to the Hope's Peak Academy thread, he was always top of his class at a certain famous school, without even the slightest spot on his record. He's a true model student.

He's also known for participating in that school's disciplinary commitee.

Those activities gave him the title of "Super High-school Level Hall Monitor" who values law and order.



Makoto Naegi... Was that your name?



Makoto Naegi! That's a truly magnificent name! You must thank your parents for naming you so splendidly!



But, with such a name, I expect you to act accordingly and keep vigilant day and night!!



There is no greater accomplishment in life than pushing yourself to the limit, always! Isn't that so? That's all there is to it!

He's... quite a tiresome guy, isn't he.

Next.





Y...You'll probably forget it soon anyway, but...



...My name is Touko Fukawa.



Super High-school Level Literary Girl: Touko Fukawa

My favorite character in the game, for reasons that will become clear later. She is played by Miyuki Sawashiro, another veteran voice actress. Sawashiro is known for voicing Puchi Charat in the long-running Digi Charat franchise. Keeping with the Atlus theme, she’s was also in Persona 3 (as Elizabeth) and more recently, in Catherine as the title character.



Touko Fukawa... the novel she wrote when she was 10 years old became the talk of the nation and served as her literary debut.

Two years ago she wrote "Before the Sea's Scent Fades Away", which became her most celebrated romance novel.
It was a huge hit that made fishermen very popular with young teenage girls for a few months, and became a national phenomenon.

Despite her age she has already won several literary awards, and managed to become a constant on the best selling list while still in high school.

She's genius high school girl, worthy of being called "Super High-School Level Literary Girl"...

...Or so I thought.

Having written so many romance novels, I imagined a princess-type with a lot of experience in love...

............



W...What do you want? Why are you staring at my face? Stop it...



D...Don't look at me like I'm some kind of a filthy thing!!
What? I don't think you're filthy...!
I know what you're thinking... I know what you're dying to say...
You're thinking how you've never seen such a fatty in your life, aren't you...? Laughing behind my back...?
N...No... I'd never...



It's no use trying to trick me!
I...It's the truth. If it wasn't... you wouldn't have any reason to look at my face, would you?



I...It's not like I mind. I'm used to it.

She has an incredible persecution complex... So different from her talent and imaginaion as an author.

Next.




I'm Sayaka Maizono. Pleased to meet you!



Super High-school Level Idol: Sayaka Maizono

Sayaka Maizono is played by Makiko Ohmoto. She’s the voice of Nintendo's Kirby, which is all you should really know.



Her self-introduction was bright, and seemed to come so naturally... She had a nice odour, like I've never smelled before...

Sayaka Maizono...

When I saw her name in the Hope's High Academy thread I was honestly surprised.

She's the leader of a nationally-famous female idol group.



As a Super High-school Level Idol, she's a popular performer who appears frequently on TV and in magazines.
But, that wasn't the only reason I was surprised she was a student in this school.

It's something from a while back. She probably doesn't even remember it.



But, putting that aside, the more I look at her the prettier she becomes. Her skin is like a doll's...

I'm not a doll. I'm very much alive!
Eh?! How did you know...



I can read minds.
What?



Relax, it's a joke. I just have good intuitions.

She's sharper than she seems...



Hey, aren't you...

What is it now?



...That's right. You are, aren't you...?
Makoto Naegi, was it?
Hey, you two! Your conversation is too long! Are you planning to spend all day introducing yourselves!?



I'm sorry... I was just...
Introductions should be short and to the point! Conversations have their time and place, and now isn't it!
I... understand.
I'm sorry, Naegi-kun.
I will... talk to you later.

Maizono-san... she tried to say something to me...

But it's not like this is the last time we'll have a chance to talk. As she said, we'll try again later.

Honorific corner, part 2. -san is the honorific most people are familiar with, and is the default when nothing else is applicable. You use -san with strangers or acquaintances you’re not particularly close to, and it reflects a certain amount of distance.

Next.




Yo! My name is Leon Kuwata! Nice to meet you!



Super High-school Level Baseball Player: Leon Kuwata

Leon is played by Takahiro Sakurai, who I don’t know much about except that he’s been in a ton of famous shows and seems to mostly play pretty boys. I am transliterating the character’s name as “Leon” and not “Reon” both because it looks so much better, and because the promotional material for the game does that too.



Leon Kuwata...



The ace 4th batter of the country's top ranking high-school baseball team. A "Super High-school Level Baseball Player" who has even been noticed by the pro league.

This top-level athlete is...



Eh? That's you?!



Huh? What's up?
Um... Nothing. I'm just a little surprised. You're a "Super High-school Level Baseball Player", so I thought...
You imagined the Marukome boy, didn't you?

Marukome is a Japanese food company, and the Marukome boy (Marukome-kun) is their mascot. If you’re too lazy to click the link, imagine a small, bald cartoon kid.

I wouldn't put it like that...



I did imagine someone who's more... sportsmanlike.
I saw a picture of you online, and that's why...



Woah! You saw that picture? Seriously?! That lame thing?



That's the worst, man. Totally the worst. And it was supposed to be such an awesome picture, you know!
But it turned out so lame. Everyone on the team took a vote so I had no choice but to shave my head.



I will never ever do that again, y'know? That includes going back to my natural color!



By the way, can I confess something to you!?



See, I don't like baseball at all. I've never went to practice even once.

He's his team's ace without ever going to practice... He must really be a natural genius.



So, I decided to make joining this school an excuse to quit baseball!! I have my own dreams, y'know!
Your own... dreams?



I'm going to be a musician! You can tell I have that rock star quality, right?



I'm a vocalist, though. Now all I need are guys to play the instruments and someone to write the songs. I’ll be unstoppable!



Isn't it just so cool when you can chase your dreams?!

Not exactly what you’d expect from the shining hope of high-school baseball. The baseball world isn't going to let him off so easily.

Next.




My name is Hifumi Yamada. "The man who is the beginning and the end". You can call me either way, I don't mind.



Super High-school Level Doujin Author: Hifumi Yamada

Yamada quotes the opening line from Xenogears here. He does that a lot, and I do not presume to understand every single reference he makes, so if anyone recognizes something I miss, feel free to chime in!
Anyway, Yamada is voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi, who is almost (but not quite) the oldest cast member in this game. Kappei was both Inuyasha and male Ranma, but also the official Japanese Bugs Bunny and Persona 4’s Teddie/Kuma. He uses his more cartoonish voice for this character.
Hifumi is spelled 一二三 in Japanese, literally 1-2-3. Yamada, on the other hand, is as generic a Japanese surname as you can get.

Yamada is a “doujin author”, which means he’s an amateur manga artist. Doujin is an umbrella term for any kind of amateur creative works - from fanzines to music to video games and hand-made statues. Manga is the most popular form, though. Doujin is Serious Business in Japan, with the most popular artists getting hours-long lines at events and selling tens of thousands of copies.
Like everything else fandom-related, the vast majority of doujin manga is pornographic fanfiction.



By the way, are you one with the ways of 2D relationships, Naegi Makoto-dono?

-Dono is an obsolete honorific used as a sign of respect for samurai warriors and such back in Japan's feudal area. These days you probably heard it if you watch some anime, but if you go live in Japan for five years you'll never hear it said even once. Yamada also calls people by their full name, and to keep with the excessive formalness, I'll be using the Japanese name order of last name first in his dialogue.

2D...?



It is in that field that I became known as the "Super High-School Level Doujin Author". Heh heh.
It's already a legendary story: I once sold ten thousand copies of my work at a culture festival.



Some idiot classmates who can’t understand what genius is thought I'd spoil the festival. I sure showed them!

I do feel sorry for those classmates, but I must admit ten thousand copies isn't something to laugh at.



Let's forget about those idiots, though. I'm just like Van Gogh - a genius unappreciated in his lifetime.
I am a warrior, fighting day and night to rid this world of preconceived ideas about doujin works...
Naegi Makoto-dono, I'm sure you too will come to see the light just by looking at my work.



You see, the deep theme behind everything I write...
W...what can that be?



The benefits of being young and healthy... if you know what I mean.

I don't think I want to know...