Part 57: Akane route, chapter 6: Playing with fire
Akane route, Chapter 6: Playing with fire9/25: Kasumi joins the cast
Nothing's different from before. She comes in for a couple weeks, makes Jun vomit all over his shoes, and leaves. I'll skip all of that.
9/26: Homura's trip to the principal's office
Again, nothing different from last time. The only notable thing is how much the 2nd year class change allows a girl to catch up - we're actually friendly enough with Homura to start seeing her events without actually trying.
10/5: Fireball Banchou
In case you were wondering, these bosses are not exclusive to the Akane route. They also appear if you go to the same location enough times in a row that you get into two fights there. Four bosses, four waiting spots foor dates. If you meet them in the Akane route without them coming to fight you in order, then the game will skip whichever one you've met.
But enough talk. Have at you!
The video version of this event is on Youtube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC-V_W8K_OA
Get your ass out to the riverside park after school today!
Taking the option to go to the river leads to a meeting with the Fireball Banchou, who pretty much came straight out of the the 1970s to fight you.
Fireball: Alright! You're here!
Goon: Who-who're you?
Fireball: My name is Yotsuya Kouji. I'm also known as Fireball Banchou!
Fireball: Bring it on!
So here we go against the Fireball Banchou. Fireball Banchou has about 3300 more hit points than Muscle Banchou, which means he can suck up one extra attack compared to his predecessor.
His main attack is the Fireball Punch, which does double duty as both the origin of his nickname and as a reference to his time as a baseball player.
Unsurprisingly, he's weak to ice magic, so if you have a high Lit score, it's very easy to take him out with the Blizz series of spells. In this run, the element that Goon is good with is Punching, so we're just gonna stick with that.
Fireball Banchou uses the same limit break as the baseball club, called Omoi Kondara. It's a reference to a famously misheard lyric from the classic baseball anime Star of the Giants. The first words of the opening song are "omoikondara", which means "if you set your heart on it" but is also a pun for "heavy Kondara".
What's a Kondara? Well, it wasn't anything until people associated it with the grounds rollers used to maintain a baseball field, which you can see here being dragged around by Fireball Banchou. So whatever this thing was called before the '60s, it became a popular joke to call it a Kondara because of the song, and the name's stuck ever since.
When you defeat him, Fireball Banchou drops the "Big League Ball training apparatus" used by Hoshi Hyuma in the Star of the Giants series, the Phoenix Jacket, and the Flame Cap. Once again, these have no bearing on the rest of the game and are there just for jokes.
This is what the Big League Ball training apparatus looks like:
Fireball Banchou weeps the same kind of manly tears seen on losing pitchers of big games in sports manga, and says
Fireball Banchou: Damn, you're not bad! But you're still no match for Soubanchou!
Goon: (Who's Soubanchou?)
10/18: Date invitation from Hikari
Hikari: Gunma-kun!
Goon: Hey, Hikari. What's up?
Hikari: I wanna go to the amusement park this Sunday, mind coming with me?
Option 1: Gladly!
Option 2: Sorry, I can't.
It's been a few months since we appeased Hikari, so there's no harm in saying yes.
10/20: Fall Cleaning(?)
Bakuretsuzan: To all students!
Bakuretsuzan: This is a bit abrupt, but I have accepted a proposal from the student council and will be cancelling classes this afternoon in favor of a major cleanup project!
Goon: A proposal from the student council? What?
Bakuretsuzan: I would especially like those of you in charge of the grounds to be very thorough and rake up all of the leaves.
Bakuretsuzan: That's all - I'm leaving this in your capable hands!
Goon: There weren't many leaves in my area, so that ended up being pretty easy.
Homura: Hey, no fair! I claimed that one!
Bakuretsuzan: Don't make such a fuss, there are plenty more.
Goon: Is that Akai-san? What's she doing?
Goon: Sounds like she's behind the gym.
Homura: Damn, we'll have to wait so long for them to finish 'cuz we don't have enough fuel.
Goon: Hey, Akai-san, what're you do--
Homura: Wha? What're you doing here?
Goon: ...
Goon: Did you really call for us to clean up the school so you could do this?
Homura: N, no, this was just a nice little bonus. Right, Kazumi-chan?
Bakuretsuzan: Yes, you must not waste all of the resources at your disposal.
Goon: You're pretty unconvincing with your hands full of roast sweet potatoes.
10/22: Date with Hikari
After riding the roller coaster...
Hikari: That part at the beginning of a roller coaster where you're slowly going up is so exciting, don't you think?
Option 1: You think so? It really annoys me.
Option 2: It's like the calm before the storm!
Option 3: I get most excited while I'm in line...
Goon: It's like the calm before the storm!
Hikari: Well said! It's like crossing a mountain and suddenly hitting a waterfall!
Hikari: Even if you know what's coming, it's pretty scary.
Goon: (Looks like I made a great impression!)
10/26: Goon's birthday
Thank goodness for Goon's birthday coming here, otherwise we would've gone a full post in the Akane route without Akane actually showing up!
Akane: Goon-kun!
Goon: Hey, Ichimonji-san. What's up?
Akane: Happy birthday. Here, from me to you.
Goon: What? Really? Thanks, I wonder what's inside?
Akane: Uh, open it later, please. When you're alone.
Akane: I'd feel embarrassed. It's nothing too special, but...
Goon: I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Goon: Thanks, I'm looking forward to finding out what it is.
Akane: It'd be nice if you liked it...
Akane: Okay, I have to go.
Bomb warning after school, leading to a status check the next Sunday.
We'll have to take care of Homura later, but it's not a big priority yet, because we still need to train for boss rush mode!
Next time: A cold wind from the north