u/Kvaezde

https://preview.redd.it/coxoju44zsfh1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=5e516a68b97557498fad3abd75a7e0f48aca1596

"Garo" was a quite famous alternative/underground Manga-magazine that was founded inmidst of the leftist japanese student movement in 1964 and then ran until 2002.

In 2001 it featured none other then Chiren Misawa (見沢知廉), who started as a leftist radical, but soon turned fascist and founding the Unified Front Volunteer Army (Tōitsu Sensen Giyūgun), an openly anti-semitic and militant far right group that was ideologically a successor to Yukio Moshimas terrorist group "Shield Society".

Misawa spent several years in prison due to his involvement in the murder of a group-member that was accused of snitching in 1982. During his time in prison he wrote his most famous work "Playing Emperor" (Tennō Gokko), which won several literature prizes.

Misawa is a symbol of a part of the Japanese extreme right that successfully advocated for the cooperation with the left, and also a symbol for downfall of the Japanese left, who until today continues to incorporate rightwing ideology under the pretense of anti-americanism and anti-semitism that is camouflaged as anti-zionism (Misawa openly talked about "the Jews" controlling the world).

To have Misawa on the Cover of "Garo" therefore also marked one of those moments, where the japanese querfront (= left/right cooperation) manifested itself.

Ah, and before I forget: One of the reasons why Misawa is on the cover is that his novel "Riding a Pale Horse" (蒼白の馬上) was serialized in "Garo".

PS.: Feel free to ask more question on the topic of querfront in Japan and/or the radical left and radical right in general.

All the stuff you hear about the university's quality, curricula, tests and whatnot is worthless. If you're going to study at a private "university" and you're from India, this is the only advice you'll need.

1.) Your employer will not provide you with a bicycle, which means you have to use your own.
2.) As for which bike is the best, choose one that is sturdy and in good condition.
3.) Always make sure that you have lights with you. Driving without lights when it's dark get get you a hefty fine.
4.) Always make sure to have a raincoat with you.
5.) Definitely make sure to learn german traffic-laws. Biking is in germany is VERY different from biking in India.
6.) NEVER bike drunk, in worst case you could be jailed for it.
7.) At least learn the basics of bike-repair and make sure to have at least basic tools for repair always with you.
8.) No, a helmet isn't "for pussies" and also not "optional". You will be cycling up to 16 hours a day and you WILL have crashes. The helmet can save your life.
9.) Knowing at least some basic german can net you more tips! With this, you can raise your hourly wage from 4 EUR to a whopping 4,50 EUR! "Danke" means "thank you", for example.
10.) Bribing policemen doesn't work in germany, so be careful to follow the rules.

I hope this helps :3

Please ONLY read this posting when you've finished the game! It contains spoilers for the story!

I WARNED YOU, DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME!

LAST WARNING!

Clair Obscur is widely regarded as a great homage to 16/32-bit era JRPGs.
There's a ton of things that draw upon typical features of JRPGs of that time. To name a few:

- The>! (air)ship!<, which in Clair Obscur comes in the form of >!Esquie!<
- The overworld map where a lot of optional side-content can be found
- Minigames with atrocious controls
- Optional superbosses intended for the postgame
- The anthropomorphic party member>! (Monoco is a clear nod to this)!<
- Relationship levels among characters

People who grew up with games like Final Fantasy 1-10, Chrono Trigger, Lufia and many others, instantly recognized all the tropes and felt at home. For them, I dare to say, it was pretty clear that the worldmap is to be explored and and that areas that are too hard or unreachable now, are to be revisited later: "I'll return here once I have the airship!" is literally what I thought a million of times during my playthrough even>! before I got to Esquie!<. I just KNEW thet there HAS to be an airship later in the game.

On the other hand, Clair Obscur has been played by millions of people who never before played a JRPG. Is this a bad thing? No, of course not!! If you enjoyed the game, then all is good, don't worry! Well, to bo honest: Even if you didn't enjoy the game all is good, since it's totally okay to dislike a game.

I was just wondering how not knowing typical JRPG-tropes impacted your playthrough.
I am asking cause on this forum and many others I often read experiences from players who have no experience with JRPGs, that they didn't even consider the worldmap to be something that is explorable, since they were used to games that were much more linear (again: nothing wrong with playing linear games!).

Or the criticism against the minigames: I read a lot of postings where people complain that they have "bad controls" and that it's a "oversight" the devs, when in reality the games were made like this intentionally, to troll players on one hand and reinvoke the feelings of 16/32-bit era JRPGs, where "bad control minigames" were a dime a dozen.

My question now is for those who never played a JRPG prior to Clair Obscur: How did not knowing oldschool-JRPG-tropes impact your playthrough?
For example, when you get the >!airship (Esquie's flying ability)!<, did you know that now basically the whole map opened up and most of it is optional content or did were you kinda lost and needed directions on what to do?

When encountering superbosses or very hard enemies for the first time in the early stages of the game>! (Act 1+2)!<, did you know that they are intended for the postgame or did you think that the devs have gone crazy and "this game is too hard!"?

These were just two questions as an example, I'd be happy to hear also other thought of all you players.