Part 33: Update 31 – Yafutoma

Alright! Just a short update this time to get all the town stuff out of the way before the next dungeon. Fortunately, Yafutoma is a pretty awesome little place.


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Huh?



Actually, that's a lifeboat. The really huge ship wouldn't fit in the dock.

Yafutoman: Are those Westerners? They dress funny...

Yafutoman: Hey, look! Their hair isn't black!

Yafutoman: I wonder what they eat to make their hair that color?



I have a theory that this is the reason for the (in)famous Anime Rainbow Hair. Hair in Japan is almost exclusively black, and with the art style of some anime that could make the characters nigh impossible to tell apart, so they started out giving characters brown and blonde hair and so on, and it just sort of grew out of that. If you're going to start making up hair colours most of your audience has never seen, why stop at boring browns?

Loud Voice: Invaders! Why have you come to Yafutoma?!



While we haven't actually done anything aggressive yet, you can't really blame them for being nervous when we show up in a warship more powerful than their entire fleet. That sort of thing tends to put people on edge.

Yafutoma? Is this really Yafutoma?

Yafutoman Soldier: Yes... you have invaded Yafutoman Lands.



I love this for two reasons. Firstly, because Fina is finally loosening up and fitting in with the group more, and secondly because the armed guard threatening them at spearpoint gets completely ignored.

Well done, Vyse! This will be recorded in the history books!



Loud Voice: Wait! Don't attack them!





Yafutoman Soldier: Lord Mikado has said that he would like to speak with you. Please, if you would come with me.

Lord Mikado? I suppose that he is probably the king of these lands. We should follow him.



Despite being Japan-themed, Yafutoma has a king rather than an emperor. Possibly. It's not entirely clear if Mikado is actually his name or not, as Mikado is one of the English terms for the Emperor of Japan. Either way, he's flirting with danger having a name like that.

Mikado: My daughter, Moegi, has always been intrigued with the West. Haven't you, my dear?



And if there is anything that we can do for you, just ask.

Sure, but I don't want to be too much of a burden.





This is Kangan, Mikado's Evil Grand Vizier. I'm pretty sure that's actually his official job title.



And Muraji, the Evil Grand Vizier's Cowardly Son.



They're kind of a necessity, really, or this whole story arc would just go “You want the Moon Crystal? Ok, here you are, see you soon!”.

Mikado: ...But I would like to know why you have travelled to Yafutoma.

We're searching for the Moon Crystals to prevent our enemies from using them to destroy the world.

Mikado: The Blue Crystal? Hmm... I think you are referring to the jewel that has the powers of the Blue Moon. The object that you are searching for lies underneath Mount Kazai. Here in Yafutoma, we refer to the object as the Maga Sphere. Mount Kazai is considered by our people to be a holy mountain. And deep within the mountain... lies an azure-colored jewel. Our ancestors passed the jewel to the successors of the throne. After the cataclysm, the jewel was sealed inside Mount Kazai.

An azure-colored jewel? Vyse! That has to be the Moon Crystal!

Mikado: At one time, Mount Kazai was a volcano, and there is no known way inside. The Maga Sphere has been lost since the days of the Old World... If you were to retrieve it for us, we would be eternally grateful...

So, the Maga Sphere is at the bottom of that huge mountain? Leave it to us.



More accurately, we will get it back for us and neither you nor anyone else will ever see it again. Hey, it's better than having it lost in the mountain, right?



Okay, let's explore Yafutoma! Horteka is still my favourite city, but Yafutoma is a very close second. Like Horteka, the city is more about vertical movement than horizontal, mostly via lifts like this one. The other method of getting about is one we'll come to in a bit.






This bird... it's kind of cute, don't you think?

Koketa: Kind of cute ! Kind of cute!

My goodness, it mimicking you! Don't go teaching it any naughty words, now, Vyse!

Koketa: Kind of cute! Kind of cute!

As you probably guessed, the Koketa will repeat whichever phrase you choose for the rest of the game.



Big Sister: If you can't even sail a tub ship, you'll never be able to help search for Prince Daigo!

Little Sister: Nooo! I don't want to practice sailing! I don't care if I can't sail a tub ship!

So, what's a tub ship? This is!



They're the other main way of getting around Yafutoma. Some areas can only be accessed via tub ship, like the little restaurant here.





Looks like they have waitresses in Yafutoma, too!

Waitr...? I, I''m sorry, we don't have anything like that on hand.

Ah ha ha ha. You misunderstood! We were talking about you.

Huh...? Oh. I, I'm sorry. I, I thought it was what you wanted to order.

Don't mention it. We're the ones who should apologise. We're in a bit of a rush right now, but we'll come back some other time, okay?

Al, alright. Um... Thank you for coming in. N, next time you come in, be sure to try our scrumptious dumplings as well as our piping hot sweetbean soup.

See, the tub ships aren't so bad. I don't know what that little girl was so OHGOD



Yeah, I told you this town was all about the vertical movement. Fortunately, the tub ship is none the worse for wear after a quick plummet, and just lets us into a new area.



So what do you think of our town? I bet you don't see such fine structures in your country.

You're right about that. What a difference between seeing something and only hearing about it. You've really got a fine-looking town here.

Ha ha, do you really think so? Well, it sure warms my heart to hear you say that. Say! Maybe I should go back west with you and visit your country. I bet I could show your Westerners a thing or two that would really amaze you.

H, hey... what are you going to do about this place then? It's still under construction!

Ha ha, not to worry. This is my own house. It was getting pretty old, so I decided to remodel. Well then, it's decided. I'll go back with you to your country and build all sorts of things for you. Incidentally, I have a little sister named Urala. You might want to give her a holler too.



Yet another crew position filled! Kirala is uncontested for the position of Builder so far, and for 7SP she'll fully heal the ship in a ship battle. That's...more than a little pointless because Sacrulen will do it for 6SP, and a Complete Kit for zero. Just as well I'm not doing the voting on usefulness, then!

Anyway, let's go see this little sister of hers, which means getting back to the main part of town. That's done by taking the stairs, but...not quite as directly as you might expect.



...Yeah. Back in my day, whenever we wanted to visit the other half of town we had to swim down a waterfall! Both ways!



Hi! Excuse me, but would you happen to be Kirala's little sister by any chance?

Y, yes... I am. but why do you ask?

I thought so! Actually, Kirala has decided to join the crew of our ship as a builder. We're wondering if you might be interested in joining our crew, too.

Me? B, but, unlike my sister, I'm not good for much of anything besides cooking.

Cooking is a perfectly fine skill to have. How would you like to join our crew as a cook?

S, sure, ok. If my sister's joining too. But are you sure I qualify for the job?

Of course you do. You can make us all kinds of tasty Yafutoman dishes.

A, alright! Um... I, I'll really do my best! Thank you so much.



Another new crew member! Urala is the polar opposite of her sister, and probably the more useful of the two. She costs a whopping 15SP to use, but will totally max out the SP bar minus the 15 it cost to use her. Sadly, there's no ship battle equivalent of Prophecy, but a lot of SP means a lot of firepower. She has some competition for the position of Cook, so voting is now open in the battle of Polly vs. Urala!



This is the reason why we couldn't recruit Kalifa right away, by the way. The Suiran Blade is only sold in Yafutoma, so now that I have it I cold go back through the Dark Rift and recruit both Kalifa and Don, but I think I'll leave that till later. Annoyingly, Yafutoma has no Sailor's Guild and with nowhere to tell about my glorious discovery of their own country I had to resort to actually selling a few bits of junk to finish kitting out the party and ship.



By the way, the Tenkou we ran into on the way here aren't the Yafutoman navy. They're more like a combination of the Yakuza and good old Air Pirates.

Weapons Merchant: You say you ran into a Tenkou? You're lucky you got away without losing your weapons or your life.



Elderly Item Merchant: But the Great Wall isn't what really protects us. What really protects us is the Blue Winds.

This is worth remembering, by the way.



Cleaning Lady: Goodness me, why am I rattling on to a visitor from abroad who i've only met for the first time. Pleas pay no attention.

Gotta love a game that's willing to poke fun at itself. Anyway, that about does it for Yafutoma, so we'd better get ready to head off for Mount Kazai. The hitch is that the entrance is too high for the Delphinus to reach, so we have to catch a ride there.





Ship Parts Merchant: The let's get going. I'll get the ship under way, so you guys can just sit back and take it easy. Oops, I almost forgot. If we're going inside Mount Kazai, I'd better bring this along.



Ship Parts Merchant: Deep inside Mount Kazai there is a cavern, and in some parts there will be water. This Underwater Suit Should come in handy.

What?! We have to go underwater?! But I can't swim!!!

Ship Parts Merchant: Do not worry. As long as you are using the Underwater Suit, you should be fine. Just remember to breath normally. Well then, shall we be going? Make way for Mount Kazai!

Alright! Next stop...yeah, it's the water dungeon. It's not as bad as it sounds, I promise! The only vote for now is Urala vs. Polly, and I'll tally up and reveal the winner of Marcus vs. Robinson once we actually have a reason to return to the Delphinus and see them at work. See you next time!

Video List

Yafutoma