Part 91: Episode LXXXV: On the Intersection of Japanese Politics, Super Science and Wizards

Episode LXXXV: On the Intersection of Japanese Politics, Super Science and Wizards




Music: Hardcore to the Brain ~ Mid Boss in Japan



Lt. Colonel Terada and his Amagi Iron Soldier minions will be serving as our first boss of Disc 2. Terada is a Water elemental enemy with 3360 HP. As for his Amagi Soldier helpers...





They are all dead in the first two turns. So don't worry about them. I think the Iron Soldiers have already nearly taken as many losses than the Sapientes Gladio Claw Soldiers back on Disc 1.



After that, we are going to buff ourselves with Arc Shield and Arc Rage. Terada does not know how to magic so that's about all we need. Arc Gale could also speed things along. Terada is a fairly sturdy fellow for just a guy with a gun wearing early 1900s Power Armor.





As for the Lieutenant Colonel, he has basically nothing going on of note. His two attacks are firing his gun and Rapid Fire gun. Both of these attacks do around the same amount of damage but Rapid Fire has the potential of causing Action Speed down 50%, Physical Attack or Special Attack down 30% or Physical Defense down 30%.



You know how we equipped that P-Attack Down 3 Ring Add-on? Terada here is highly vulnerable to being inflicted with this debuff. The way debuffs, especially physical/special attack debuffs that exceed 30% in this game works is interesting. It's basically such that the character afflicted with the status is equivalent of being down 30% of their current level. So a Level 30 enemy getting hit with a 30% decrease of their attack output now has the attack equivalent of a Level 21 enemy.



And the way level scaling differences work in Shadow Hearts 2 is that any enemy more than roughly five levels behind our party can literally do no more than 1-2 HP of damage per strike. So Terada's gunfire that was doing around 150+ HP of damage now does about 14 damage.





Needless to say, things do not go well for Lt. Colonel Terada of the Iron Soldiers.


Music: Result ~ Victory





At the very least, he was worth a nice chunk of EXP and a piñata of Soul Energy and Cash. Plus he marks the end of this godawful dungeon, so that's an added bonus. I know we received Demon Earrings here but I was unable to take a look at them just yet as there is a decent chunk of cutscenes and an entire dungeon featuring a different party after this.

Music: ENDS



You're a heavy sleeper kid if you managed to doze through ten minutes of sustained gunfire and swordplay the next room over.



Ahh!


Music: Memories of Melodies ~ Peace



Snowball! Kurando!!
Princess!

The little girl runs out up to Kurando.



Are you okay, Princess?
I'm okay.
What happened to all the bad men?
...Don't worry about that. And advert your eyes from behind that table on the way out the door. It's not a sight for children.



You're a lucky little girl.
Who are you?
Call me Yuri. And this guy's name isn't Snowball. It's Blanca!
<wags tail>
Blanca?
Yeah.
Though, we could keep calling him Snowball if you'd really like.
Awroo! (Absolutely not!)

The girl bends over and pets Blanca.



So it's Blanca, is it? Thanks, Blanca!
<happy whine>
I'm Yoshiko. Yoshiko Kawashima!
Uhh... wait, what?!
Yoshiko Kawashima...?!
...Yes.
You've never been to Shanghai before, right?
...No?
And you're how old...?
Umm... eight. Why?
Just a little confused is all.



This is Yoshiko. She is the daughter of my master, Naniwa Kawashima.
<bows>
So you mean the old man is...?
Yes.
Is that right...?
Huh... small world...
Yuri!!


Music: Suffocation ~ Grim Atmosphere



...Huh?!
I'm Kaneda, Captain of the Mikasa. Don't make any sudden moves. No one needs to get hurt.



So a squad of soldiers with automatic rifles, including a guy in power armor, and we're gonna show some hands and scrap. Two sailors and an old captain with pistols and we're immediately surrendering? Man, Battleship Mikasa was a really stupid stretch of this game.

Music: ENDS. Meanwhile, elsewhere...



You called me, Minister?
Terada has failed.
Yes?
Kawashima's murder, the kidnapping... all have failed.
How do you waste an entire platoon of elite soldiers failing to kill one old man and kidnap one little girl... This is what happens when you get outsourced henchmen.
It's all because of that young bodyguard of his...
I've heard the rumors, but... I never imagined it was so bad.
And apparently a wolf was involved too. I don't even know what to think of these reports anymore.
I cannot say I know what to make of that either, sir.



It's time to go to Plan B. Special Agent Kato, are you apes ready?
The final one, Ouka, is nearly completed.
Mutant Apes, eh? You're really sticking with that term for them?
The term is acceptable.
Meh... If you say so. It is your project.
The third one required quite a bit of time and money, did it not?
I'm sorry, Minister.
That business with the skull book and Russia better have been worth it. That thing gives me the willies.
Undoubtedly.
Very well. I must speak with Garan now. You may leave.
<bows>

Kato begins walking toward the door.



Special Agent Kato.
Yes, sir.
Don't get too involved in your work. They may appear human, but in the end, an ape is just an ape.
I read about your specifications for the third ape and my eyebrow was definitely cocked...
Yes sir. I understand very well.

Kato bows and exists the wrong.



Minister, you must be careful with him now. Since his return from Russia, he's been shut up in the laboratory, practicing suspicious magic!
Eh... who isn't these days? You're telling me this while you floated into my office on a flying pillow.
This is a ceremonial oracle's pi—
Is it magic?
Well... yes. Of a sort, but...
<grunts>



He came back from Europe with a great present for me. Let him play with his little toys.
Minister! You're far too easy on him. He was nearly court-martialed after coming back from Europe! You shouldn't give him such an important position!



Special Agent Kato has traveled extensively in Asia and Europe and seen much of the world. On the other hand, you have never left Japan and I'm not surprised you see things differently. It's really quite interesting.
...I cannot understand you!
Nor can you understand English, Mandarin, or Russian. You have your uses but diplomacy is not one of them.
Hmph. I could be quite diplomatic if I wanted my talents wasted.
Heh heh.


Music: Serious Mood ~ Unrest



Prepare for our attack on Kawashima. He's adopted a daughter of the Qing Dynasty in order to gain a foothold in Asia. He plans to resist Yuan Shikai and even support the guerilla war. I'm afraid if those events should occur, we'll lose our advantage.
Ah, yes.
We cannot ever permit that. We cannot allow Kawashima the power to create a country in Asia.



We must eliminate him while he's still in Yokohama.
<nods> I understand you. With my magic, I will send his soul spiraling into hell!!
Ha ha ha! I'm counting on it!
I don't know why I wasted my time with that meathead Terada and his toy soldiers.





And with the little creepy bastard Garan teleports away to embark on future villainy. And so ends our time in the Battleship Mikasa. Except for a couple of sidequests that involve returning there immediately after we regain control of Yuri and the gang. But that may be a little bit. We've got something entirely different coming up for a stretch next. Special Agent Kato has been up to some... questionable side projects. And by "questionable" I mean what the actual fuck, Kato!? Stay tuned for some unhealthy use of ancient evil tomes as Shadow Hearts: Covenant continues.



This chapter was quite lengthy despite nothing happening for the core 80% of its content other than a ton of my time wasted. But we did get a number of new Library entries in the process.



Enemies:



I don't know. It looks more like a crab to me given the four legs.



Unarmed except for the four massive arms attached to it. Ignore the robust turret beneath it. Too much weight to add any bullets for the thing. It's just for show.



His daughter also wears power armor.

Characters:



Kawashima apparently trained the evil politician that's trying to kill him and... A Hyuga? Presumably Yuri's dad...? What? That's new information.



Remember all that historic information I gave about Yoshiko Kawashima in the previous LP? Yep, turns out that Lt. Colonel Yoshiko Kawashima was entirely an invention of that game and this is the real historic one. This cute little girl is destined for a firing squad in about thirty years for espionage and treason. Isn't history fun?



And his role in this story is entirely over now.



He's been wearing that for eight months straight. You don't even want to know the BO stench wallowing beneath that suit of armor.



So he's trying to stop Kawashima from making a new country in China because HE wants to make a new country and China and that dick Kawashima totally stole his idea.



Citation needed for that last bit. Although, Seimei Abe is a real legendary onmyōji from the 900s.




Video: Episode 85 Highlight Reel (You should watch this. My throat hurts just listening to Garan's dumb raspy voice.)







Yoshiko Kawashima Concept Art - It does not seem the healthiest thing to adopt a child and name them the same thing as your deceased previous biological child.