I need to yap about him before I go insane: Aoba Seragaki

For those who don't know, Aoba Seragaki is the protagonist of the 2012 bl game DRAMAtical Murder by Nitro Chiral. This isn't going to be a character analysis, I'm not quite smart enough for that. But as the title suggests, I don't have any friends to constantly rant about him to without feeling guilty or just plain weird, so I'm doing it here! Also, there will be spoilers if you haven't played the game!!

First and foremost, I LOVE Aoba. I love him. Maybe not to a self-shipping degree (not that I think that's an issue), but I just appreciate everything about him. Ahh there's so much I want to write I don't even know where to begin.

He seems like such a soft person to hug. I'm not sure if this really makes any sense, but sometimes when I look at a character I wonder how it would feel to hug them. Aoba just seems so soft. He's a pretty easy-going guy in general so maybe that's what gives him that impression? But I also think it's the artist's work as well. The main artist for Dmmd is Honyalala and her art is AMAZING. The way she draws Aoba makes him seem so open and cute. Like, he's an easy person to socialize with (well technically he is!). He wears a lot of puffy things too. Like his jacket and his stupid lil boots (?). It's like he's being wrapped in clouds, it's adorable!! I can also bet he's really warm.. 

Oh, then there's his signature long blue hair. (Fun fact if you didn't know, Aoba's hair is tied up! That's why it kinda looks weird from the back. Like a hump lol. (I thought about it some more and it kinda resembles Ren's tail, right? On the wiki, Mizuki actually thinks of Aoba's pony tail as a fox tail. Hense the saying from the game "fox's heel drop".) Even though it's sensitive, I always wondered if Aoba's hair was really soft.. It looks like it. (Again, thanks to Honyalala) Especially in Kojaku's good end cg. Well, hats to be expected since Kojaku is a hair stylist but ahh. I got a little jealous (LOL). Despite that, it's kinda hard to draw. At least for me anyway. Since his hair swoops out towards the sides, like a ducks rear end, but then curves in around his neck and ears. It's a bit difficult for me to portray in my art but I try my best. (Before, I used to draw his long hair like bird wings, it was cute but I stopped since I didn't think it was too accurate to his character 😅).

Speaking of Kojaku's route, Aoba with short hair is TOO CUTE. I don't see a lot of fanart of him with short hair but ahhh I crave more!! From a story stand point, I understand but still..! Aoba's such a silly cutie it's hurts. And, it's impossible to talk about hair without mentioning the myth, the man, the legend himself, Shiroba!

Shiroba's design is completely different from Aoba's normal colorful appearance. Shiroba, as the name implies, is all white with some red accents here and there. Like how Aoba, again as the name implies, is all blue with some white accents here and there. (I should also mention that Shiroba isn't an official name, but a name given to him by the community. He's better known as the Other Aoba/Aoba's desire/Sly Blue. Specifically here, however, I'm just going to be calling him Shiroba since it refers to this version of Aoba in Kojaku's bad end route). Anyway, he's not much different from the regular Aoba other than the huge personality shift and the change in wardrobe. He's covered in multiple layers of robes with red tassels (I LOVE TASSELS) and red buttons (?). I don't know what they are. The most important article of clothing I want to point out is the fact that he's wearing thigh highs.. and no pants. (But considering his nature why would he even bother lol. Besides the several layers of robes hide everything anyways XD) The thing is though, is that he WILLINGLY put them on.. I'm not sure if it could've been something Toue forced him to wear or maybe Trip and Virus? It seems more plausible with them since he can't use scrap on them and Shiroba views them as weird and annoying, so he'd put them on just to get them to stop nagging at him. (Well that's just a theory anyway). 

More on Kojaku's bad route specifically, Kojaku you are one lucky man. I mean, sure, having your mind broken and being reduced to animalistic instincts doesn't sound too great but getting called a good boy by Shiroba? There are too many things I'd do to have that happen... when that scene played, both in the anime and the game, I screamed so loud. Curse you Kojaku...!! (Pun not intended lol).

Oh and about the anime, yes! Dmmd did in fact have an anime release! It's a well as an anime trying to shove 20+ hours of a vn into 12 episodes plus 1 OVA as you would think. (That is to say, not very great but it got most of the important scenes in there.) Anyway, the main thing I wanna talk about is Aoba's English va. Now, I remember a lot of people were kinda upset that his VA sounded like he couldn't careless. Honestly I agree. But it's to a point where it's so bad it's good, y'know? I can't help but enjoy it. I've rewatched it twice now (maybe a third after I finish writing this). Hell, I've even started to randomly quote the "Hey man" from the OVA because it's so funny XD. And then there's this specific episode,  I can't remember which, but he laughs while running up the stairs and- ugh. I will cherish that laugh for the rest of my life. (I haven't heard Sly's laugh in Mink's bad end yet but I'm sure I'll love that one too). 

I can't talk about VAs and not talk about Aoba's JP VA in the game. Gah, he sounds so cute 😭. His laugh in jp is also too precious my hearttt ahhh. Not to mention, in a CD he says "Thank you" and it's the cutest thing ever.. ow ow. (In general, I think it's cute when Japanese people say thank you in English.  I wonder if that's weird..) Anyway, thank you for your hard work Atsushi Kisaichi. (Fun fact,  he also voice acted as Metal Knight from Kirby and (more importantly to me) he was in D. Gray man as a doctor named Robert).

Hmm, lastly I wanna talk about scrap a bit? Scrap is what his power is called, by the way. (I've realized I'm not sure which audience this rant is intended for...ah whatever). I think people don't really talk about just how scary of a power it truly is. To be mind controlled just by someone's voice? You'd never see it coming! (Insert persona ref here). I guess that's what makes Sly Blue such an interesting character. Since he used Scrap basically whenever he wanted and hurt a few people as a result. Imagine, you're playing a game with someone and then suddenly you blank out. You feel like your in pain,  slowly falling away from your own body. Your own mind. You don't know when you'll wake up again. If you'll wake up again. Scary right? I'm not sure what it's like to be in a coma (I hope to never find out personally) but this is what I imagine it'd be like to get Scrapped. It's not like a "you lose control of your body" type of mind control but more of a " instant agreement" kind. Aoba mainly uses it to get people to agree to do something for him (getting Noiz to join him and the other boys to get Granny Tae back, the beginning scene of him using it to get sales, getting the boy's to shut up when they start arguing,  etc. ) And he uses it to get inside of other's minds. To quell whatever internal issues they might be having. Or in the sense of the game, just trying to make sure nobody killed themselves since that was what most of them wanted to do in the first place. 

And I guess this is the part that stuck with me the most. Just the idea of having someone able to help my mental struggles from the inside just seemed so helpful? It would've been nice, I mean. It's not something normal people can do, obviously.  They can't read other people's thoughts or anything like that. But a character like Aoba made me hope a lot. Things would be a lot easier for me if they could.(I'm cringing as I'm writing but what I'm mainly trying to say os that Aoba's scrap moments with Noiz and Kojaku really stuck with me specifically because I wished my own mental issues could be solved like that. I know it wouldn't be easy, but I can hope that, surely, it would've been better.)

I'm surprised I went this far without mentioning it but another thing I love about Aoba is his complete acceptance of Clear. Clear, my precious son, is an android (no you cannot call him a clanker, he's too precious). But even then, Aoba constantly reaffirms that he doesn't care about any of that and loves Clear dearly. It's also why I love Clear's route with all my heart as someone under the trans umbrella. (Clear is my trans allegory and there's nothing you can do about it XDD) Overall, Aoba's forgiveness (I'm mainly talking about Mink here) and acceptance is just on a new level, it makes me tear up a little. (Ie. Clear and Ren's route). To have someone love you so much even if you're different feels like an rare idea now. Especially nowadays and with my own identity. Wondering day after day if I truly deserve to be loved by anyone at all. But Aoba loves all 7 (yes seven!) of his boyfriends no matter how strange they may be or where they came from. And knowing that, feels nice. Of course, I'm a little jealous I could not be added to that roster of boyfriends but I love Aoba because he truly loves his boyfriends. Sometimes I'll even think to myself "Aoba would love me for who I am.." and it makes me feel a little better. But then again, sadly Aoba Seragaki is a fictional character. Or perhaps that's a good thing? I don't need to worry if the world will be suddenly under mind control on top of my regular life lol.

But anyway. I really love Aoba. I get so excited seeing him in other media too. In the Super Soncio anime, there's a poster of him and Naito-kun and I stopped the episode because I was breathing so hard XD. Though I guess that wouldn't compare to the moment I bought Dmmd and started hyperventilating when I started the game and say that beginning cg of Aoba. Djdhdbdhdhb my heart 😭. I love Aoba, he's so precious. I haven't finished Re:code so I can't say much on Sly's personality and Ren is ultimately his own person so they both deserve their own blogs. (Does the section about Shiroba count? Eh...)

Anyways! Fun fact fun fact! Out of all the Nitro Chiral boys, Aoba is the one who shows the most skin in all his outfits! (If you've seen his anniversary outfit then you know what I mean LOL). I guess it's a little surprising seeing as to how Towa is technically the slutiest of them all...but maybe showing skin is just a signature Aoba thing? LOL (I'm also guilty of this, since I made a clear stand of Aoba with his stomach and back showing. It really is a signature Aoba thing..!)

I think that's all I have to say for now...? Tldr; I really really REALLY like Aoba (Jokes aside, a cookie for you if you ACTUALLY read everything..! Thank you for taking time out of your precious day to do so!) ( ´・∀・｀) bye bye!