Chapter 129: The Hell Of Doujin Activities

Back then, we were carefree, excited about our first doujin activities. But we would come to realize the hellish ordeal that is creative work...





A series of Short Story: Tokiwa Group's First Doujin Activities, 3.1415P Arc










Let's start with the illustrations!



The first task was to create illustrations for Yuzuriha's work, "The Villainous Holy Princess Rises to Power through the Affection of the Anti-Corporate Majesty ~Of Course, There's Banishment Too!!~" While interviewing Yuzuriha and seeking opinions from the main female readers, Ayashiro and Milan, I brought their ideas to life in the illustrations.

"It's great! The sharpness in the gaze of this Anti-Corporate Majesty Isaiah is fantastic! It gives me the chills, as if he's mistaking DV for love!"

"And this Yakuza Prince Harrington is quite appealing too. Those lonely eyes got me all mushy."

Milan and Ayashiro were both fawning over the male characters I designed. Yuzuriha, too, shed tears of emotion when seeing the setting illustrations of the main male characters.

"It's wonderful, Kanata! Thank you so much! This is my ideal!"

I was on cloud nine. Maybe I had some talent after all? That's what I was starting to think, but the real challenge was still ahead.

"But, does this girl look okay to you?"

Ayashiro was looking at the illustration of Imogen, the heroine, with a critical eye.

"Something doesn't quite fit, does it?"

"Her dress looks a bit too flashy, doesn't it? It's like one of those dresses in girls' manga where the boys are totally delusional. It's a bit tacky."

"Ouch!"

Ayashiro's merciless criticism stung my ears, but I took note of it.

"Yeah, I think you're right. The heroine needs a change. Oh, I know! Her chest is too big!"

Milan pointed to the chest area of the illustration.

"And the cleavage is unnecessary! It gives off a vulgar vibe! I think we should tone it down! It's not relatable if it's too much! It's hard to empathize with her!"

"But the heroine is supposed to have big boobs, right?"

"Kanata. You can't faithfully illustrate those parts of the text! Heroines in female-oriented works shouldn't be sexually attractive! Of course, she shouldn't be flat, but she shouldn't be too big either! It has to be just right! It's hard to get emotionally involved!"

"I see, that makes sense."

I made a note of that too. However, Milan often wears outfits that reveal cleavage lately. What's the difference between what she wear and what a character wears? Women's minds are so complicated.

"What about Yuzuriha? Do you have any suggestions for improvements?"

"Well, you see, a name reflects a person. It should feel more in line with the name."

"Huh? Her name is Imogen, but how should I make it more in line with that?"

"Eh? You don't understand? Could it be that Kanata is not good at interpreting the author's feelings? I put a lot of thought into character names."

"My grades in language arts were not bad."

"Then you should be able to understand the meaning behind the name Imogen! I'd like you to interpret it that way!"

I had no clue what she was talking about. Imogen is an English name, right? I don't understand its meaning.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea. Could you explain in a different language?"

"Sure, it's a bit embarrassing, but I'd rather have you interpret the meaning from the text. But if there's no other way, I'll explain the setting. Imogen! It means 'potato'!"

"Huh? Just a pun?!"

"No, it's not! It's a wordplay! It's incredibly complex and layered in meaning! Potato! In other words, satsuma imo (sweet potato)! And Satsuma Ogojo! That means chest! It's genius! Kieeeee!"

"Oh, no! Who would ever get that kind of absurd wordplay?"

"The current Imogen's illustration lacks the Satsuma Ogojo feeling! Please depict that!"

I was being casual about it, but I had no idea what Satsuma Ogojo felt like. Anyway, I made a note and started revising Imogen's illustration. Each time, I received a barrage of criticism from the women. What's with women being so harsh on other women? It took an entire night to finalize Imogen's illustration. As soon as everyone gave their approval, I fell asleep on the spot.










Let's Create a Cosplay Photo Book!



The results of this doujin activity are as follows: an illustration collection, voice drama, light novel-style paperback, and a cosplay photo book. It's quite an ambitious set, but with this team, it's not impossible. So, here's the cosplay photo book.

"Well, I'll be the photographer and director. I hope everyone can fully become their characters and strike various poses."

We decided to rent a studio with a fantasy set for the photoshoot. The cast is as follows:

Imogen: Ayashiro
Harrington: Milan
Isaiah: Me

It's been a while since I've acted. I put on the costume that Ayashiro had sewn for me, had my makeup done, and I was feeling a bit nervous.

"What's wrong, Isaiah? It's rare to see you nervous. Is everything okay?"

Milan, dressed as Harrington, sat beside me. She was concerned about me, but something about her felt different from usual. I looked into Milan's eyes. There was no hint of her usual innocence. Instead, her eyes shone with a certain loneliness, madness, and violence. Milan lightly gripped my chin with her index finger and pushed me against the wall.

"I... I don't want to see that side of you. I longed for the beast of anti-corporate... It's all because of that woman...! Because of Imogen, did your anti-corporate rust away!?"

In Yuzuriha's original work, there was a past relationship of admiration between Isaiah and Harrington. However, due to various complex and dark events in their shared past, they were now entangled in a complicated way. Milan's acting beautifully captured that complexity.

"Great job, both of you. Two men entangled in love and hate. It works. I can really understand the feelings of 2.5D stage fangirls."

Ayashiro, in her Imogen costume, wasn't actively acting. She was her usual self. But Milan was fully immersed in her role.

"Shut up, you potato girl! What do you even understand about Isaiah ... if only you weren't here..."

"Perfect! Those lonely eyes! It's making my heart skip a beat!"

Ayashiro clung to Milan and stroked her head.

"Stop it, potato girl! I... I can't stand you, even though ... damn it ... why are you so warm..."

Milan had a frustrated but beautiful and tearful expression. She was fully into her role. Truly a professional actress.

"By the way, Milan."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Suddenly, Milan switched from her role to her usual innocent smile. This switch was kind of scary, to be honest.

"Is Harrington the uke, by chance?"

"Well, I thought so too, but when I tried acting, I felt like ... Harrington actually wants to be dominated by Isaiah. He's definitely an uke!"

"I see. So there are different interpretations."

Well, I think that's probably just Milan's personal preference. The two girls were enthusiastically discussing the interpretation of the characters. Yuzuriha watched with a distant look in her eyes.

"What's with that expression?"

"Internet forums, the debate over who's the seme or uke, it's like a battle among women. I realized how precious those two are, who are so detached from that."
[TL: Seme = Top, Uke = Bottom.]

"Is 'precious' the right word in this context?"

I felt like something was off, but I decided not to comment on it.

"Let's start taking the shots."

Ayashiro urged us to begin the photoshoot.

"No, not 'taking the shots' ... but well, let's do it!"

"I'll do my best!"

And the photoshoot began. We started with the classic sandwich-style still photos from otome games.

"I should kneel between the two of you who are standing, right? And then place my hands..."

Is this like an adult video?

"No, no! Ayashiro's barrier!"

"Kyaa! Alright!"

I embraced Ayashiro from behind and covered her eyes with my palms.

"Oh, that's a good adlib! I'm getting in on this too!"

Milan took Ayashiro's hand and pulled her closer.

"Looks good! It's filled with the dreams of a maiden! 3.1415P! 3.1415P!"

We posed in various ways, and Yuzuriha captured it all with her camera. Sometimes we paused to review the photos on the monitor and discuss them. It was embarrassing but enjoyable.

"Alright, we're done!"

We edited the photos on the computer, and a complete photo book was finished. It featured a very elegant portrayal of us.

"It looks great! Everyone did a great job, especially for your first photoshoot!"

Even Milan, a professional in front of the camera, praised us. It was all worth it.

"The next time, I want to take videos too. I'll be the director then. Ehehe."

"If you're the director, things might get out of hand..."

"Remember that studio's pool, the one used by that company...?"

"Stop! We're definitely not doing anything like that!"

I vowed not to let Ayashiro direct that kind of work. That was my resolution.





A Short Story of Short Story

Ayashiro (Director) "When was the first time you had sex with a man?"

Milan "Well, I've never had that kind of experience. By the way, are you recording with the camera?"

Ayashiro (Director): "(*´Ð”｀) Unicooooooorn!"

Kanata "Director's debut is a failure... Truly, Unicorn X ... self-destructed..."










Let's Record a Voice Drama!!



We decided to rent a recording studio in Tokyo to record a voice drama. This time, it was Milan alone, performing three roles in a short story written by Yuzuriha.

--- "Shall we get started?"

The signal came from Milan in the recording area on the other side of the glass, and she began to perform the script with emotions.

--- "Ugh, you potato girl!"

--- "Isaiah, noooooo!"

--- "I... I shouldn't be feeling this way..."

Milan, with her expressive performance, portrayed various characters. And when the recording was over,

--- "How was it? I think I did a great job."

Milan's confident voice came through the glass.

"Yeah, it was excellent."

I praised her genuinely. There was no doubt that it would make for a fantastic voice drama. It seemed like we wouldn't need any retakes. I glanced at Ayashiro and Yuzuriha, thinking that everything was going well.

"What's with this strange feeling ... it feels like there's something missing in the voice..."

Ayashiro furrowed her brows while listening to Milan's voice through her headphones. I had a bad feeling about this.

"I feel that too, Ayashiro. When you listen to Imogen's voice separately."

As instructed, Ayashiro closed her eyes and listened only to Imogen's lines. Then she opened her eyes and twisted her face in anger.

"We were careless! The most essential element is missing from the heroine's voice acting!"

"Yes, it's missing! Of course, this feeling of discomfort won't be noticeable to ordinary people, but..."

"Indeed, if we aim for it, we should aim for perfection. Yuzuriha, I know it's tough, but do your best."

Women seemed to understand something. What could be missing? I thought the acting was excellent. Yuzuriha picked up the microphone and spoke to Milan inside the recording booth.

"Retake. We need to retake all of Imogen's lines."

She said it in an incredibly cold tone.

--- "Wait a minute! There was nothing wrong with the acting just now! Starting over from scratch is just absurd!"

"No. It's because, Milan, your Imogen's voice is fundamentally missing something."

--- "What do you mean by missing?!"0

And then, Yuzuriha said this with a stern voice.

"Milan's Imogen lacks the ability to produce a voice from her hymen!"

--- "Huh? What? What did you just say? Did I mishear that?"

"Milan, you've been using your virginity as an excuse to avoid making a sound from your hymen!"

--- "Using virginity as an excuse? I don't understand ... I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Yuzuriha said something utterly bizarre. Ayashiro was nodding deeply, but I couldn't understand it at all.

"Milan, this is a two-dimensional work. The heroine's voice has to come from her hymen."

--- "Wait a minute! How am I supposed to react to that?!"

Yuzuriha had said something completely absurd. Milam seemed utterly confused.

"Milam, what I meant is that, in two-dimensional works, the heroine's voice should come from her hymen."

--- "Just wait! How do I even respond to that?!"

Milan's confusion is palpable.

"I don't think we should get caught up in this. It'll rupture the hymen."

Ayashiro spits it out like she's scolding an unruly child.

--- "Ayashiro, can you stop saying things that make no sense?! Producing a voice from the hymen is impossible!"

"Voice actors do it."

--- "That's ridiculous! Besides, I've done anime work occasionally, but voice actors don't have to be virgins..."

"Milan, it's the Schrödinger's virgin. Voice actors remain virgins until observed. That's why they can produce a voice from the hymen. Q.E.D."

--- "I'm even more confused now! This is the most nonsensical acting direction I've ever received!"

Indeed, it was quite strange. Actually producing a voice from the hymen seems like a meme, doesn't it? I'm a man, but it's only natural that you can't produce a voice from there, right? Please, someone tell me that.

"Well, we know the reason. Milan lost her mental virginity when she entered the sleazy entertainment industry."

--- "I didn't. I never got involved in anything like that in the entertainment industry."

"But haven't you been to a joint party with other celebrities before?"

--- "That was different. I didn't want to go, but saying I attended a joint party with celebrities means I lost my mental virginity?! Isn't that too harsh?!"

There was indeed an incident like that, but I think it's too strict to classify it as losing one's mental virginity.

"Ugh. Anyway, it's a problem that Milan has lost her mental virginity. We need to restore her virginity soon."

--- "I am a virgin! I am! Why can't you understand that?!"

The conversation is already in another dimension, and I can't keep up.

"It's alright. There's hope even in despair."

Ayashiro said with a determined look in her eyes.

"Unicorn will smile again. All you need to do is remember. The maiden in your heart..."

I have a completely different image of the unicorn, which would go one shot and no retakes.

"Tokiwa, go into the recording booth now."

"What if I, a man, approach her? Won't that accelerate her mental non-virginity?"

"Hmm, actually, it's the opposite ... well, just do as you're told."

Ayashiro brought her lips close to my ear and whispered instructions.

"Is this really okay?"

"Yes, it will help the virgin maiden in her heart come back. Unicorn will return."

"If that lousy horse comes back, I'll turn it into horse sashimi."

I threw out a parting shot before entering the recording booth.

"Kanata, did I ... get defiled? I'm sorry it wasn't my first time."

Milan, who seemed to have given in to the nonsense from Yuzuriha and Ayashiro, looked somewhat lacking in confidence.

"You're not defiled0 at all. Come on, let's do the retake."

I stood by Milan's side, holding her right hand tightly.

"Eh ... Kanata..."

Milan's cheeks turned red. She was cute and beautiful. There was no way this girl could be defiled.

"I'm right here with you, so let's do our best."

Milan squeezed my hand back and nodded.

--- "Mental non-virginity is like a kind of debuff."

Professor Himena, the unicorn inside my mind started explaining something utterly irrelevant.

--- "It's a form of hate acquired due to tarnished events. But you can wash it away with pure events. Just imagine. Blushing and feeling embarrassed just by holding hands with the opposite sex is being completely innocent, right? That's how mental non-virginity returns to virginity."

Isn't it a bit too much to dream of being a virgin? Even though you're still a virgin?

--- "I've pledged to sacrifice myself for the people."

--- "Isaiah... No, I can't ... if you go any further ... I'll melt..."

Milan passionately played Imogen once again. But it was strange. She sounded much more vibrant than the first time we recorded. Why is that?

"That was incredible. The unicorn is smiling."

"Yes, it was a fantastic performance. I can't stop crying!"

Milan's voice acting recording was complete. Both Yuzuriha and Ayashiro seemed satisfied.

"Kanata, I feel like I've shed a layer as an actress."

"Well, I think that's just your imagination. Let's forget all that nonsense from today. Seriously."

And so, we finished recording the voice drama. We were now fully prepared for Comiket day.










***Author's musings***

I wonder what happened. This chapter turned out really "wife-warming", and it's surprising ('Д')