Kikuko Yukimura was a normal girl... until one day, she died. Yet in death, she is offered a chance to save lives.
Suddenly thrust into a new job with magic and spirits and strange revelations about the world, she must answer to two separate bosses with different goals... And personality quirks. All this, while still dealing with the trauma of her own demise; can she unravel the fractalline web of mysteries enclosing on her city and find peace?
In celebration of reaching 50 pages, and at the insistence of my Beta, I'm making a music post; picking out songs I feel are relevant to this quest and discussing why they are. Hopefully it would provide some interesting insight and some decent recommendations.
Unfortunately, my music tastes consist mostly of extremely edgy stuff left over from my goth phase (which I have admittedly not entirely left; please try not to judge me too harshly) and extremely bubbly basic-girl pop music, and a small bit of more downtempo pieces; neither of the first two categories entirely fit the tone, so there's also a few recommendations from the aforementioned Beta. Not all of it is what I personally listen to, but still fits the quest close enough to warrant a place here.
This will be split into three portions. I'm still not skilled with using spoiler drop-downs, so please excuse any awkward formatting.
A few songs that capture the broad tone I'm aiming for.
Breathe Again
Maybe an ironic name, but it's incredibly fitting both in music and (if you take a fairly literal interpretation) lyrics. This is what I would choose as an ED, were this a proper series.
I Know/The Break Down
Another downtempo piece, for similar reasons as the first. Not necessarily the most directly connected, but I place it high on the list because it's what I often listen to while writing. (This most recent update lacked it, and I feel the prose suffered as a result.)
24
Also more on the relaxed side, but moving into the darker side of my preferences. The lyrics primarily concern someone coming to terms with their imminent death, which while not entirely accurate, still captures Kikuko's struggles with the aftermath fairly well. The more energetic second half of the song would make for a great trailer, I'd think.
Intermission
The first recommendation from my Beta. A short electronic piece that seems to suit Kikuko's home city well. There's a sense of nervous anticipation to the opening seconds that makes me picture a sunset before a long and busy night. This would be a strong OP theme.
Invincible
I do have some appreciation for the classics, of course. This rock song is basically perfect for the overall idea, whether you call it 'girl power' or something more contemporary, I want to invoke. Things won't be easy by any means, and the antagonists I have in store will be more than prepared for a fight, but Kikuko and company have the agency, will, and capability to fight back.
I did my best to pick out specific themes for each of the protagonists. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, they're out of order and I won't go into detail about them, but hopefully who they're for and why will be clear in time. (Though I may make a proper explanation post at some point later, if it's desired.)
While I also want to prevent spoilers with the antagonists, I do think it's fair to at least talk a little bit about what you'll be dealing with sooner or later. I won't give too much detail, but hopefully it will prove enlightening nonetheless.
Dream Eater
One from my Beta. The antagonist this fits is dangerous physically, yes, but the somewhat psychadelic sound of the song suggests the true threat they pose is of a different type entirely. (Though no, it's not eating dreams)
6 Underground
This one is connected to one of the antagonists more because it describes their outlook than their threat. The song is calming, but the lyrics are cynical. Even if it's an understandable viewpoint, it's still a harmful one.
Rinzler (Basic Slack Remix)
Another lyricless electronic piece suggested by my Beta. It's fitting for the character it corresponds to in terms of the sound and mood, of course, but there are more indirect, deeper connections as well.
Nemesis
This faster-paced, more violent song fits a faster-paced, more violent foe, but it's the lyrics that really make this one most suitable.
Entropy
From the same group as the song immediately prior, ironically, is a much darker piece describing a mindset of abject cruelty and existential nilhism. The villain I associate this with is admittedly the biggest threat to my goal of keeping the quest from getting too grimdark, but their thematic role is also of paramount importance for much the same reasons.
Change (In The House Of Flies)
And as a bit of a bonus, here's a song for an antagonist that you'll never face directly, but has some indirect impact on current events. Another somewhat edgy piece, but also fittingly so.
With that, that should be all for now. I hope you enjoy these.
Kikuko Yukimura is dead. After awakening at her funeral as a ghost and following the procession to the graveyard, she finds herself approached by a strange shadowy figure, who convinces her to become a Magical Girl. She also meets Death, who explains that she allowed her to linger, in the hopes of having a spirit able to help with matters she cannot influence directly.
After that, Kikuko returns home briefly and discovers her family grieving, only to be called away again; a monster has appeared downtown. Meeting and working with Midori Kazane to subdue it, (and discovering one of her powers in the process; the ability to create auroras with her weapon) they are able to return it to its original form as a human man. After calling the hospital to see to his safety, Midori returns home and Kikuko follows her, where Midori reveals that she was a classmate who's grieving over Kikuko's death. Kikuko tries to explain that she is a ghost now, but Midori refuses to believe her, and the two part.
Kikuko returns to her high school, where Death reappears and gives her first assignment - to defeat a Corrupted Spirit lurking on the upper floors. Kikuko successfully purifies it, learning in the process that someone may have been responsible for killing a student to create it. As she returns home exhausted, a distant entity begins journeying toward the city.
--- .oOo. ---
Episode 2: Night Of The Expositing Dead
The next morning, Kikuko returns to school to find Midori and make up. Along the way, she encounters an infamous delinquent, and has to use a fire alarm as a distraction to progress. Meeting Midori on the roof and finally convincing her of her ghostly nature, the two of them begin to connect, though Midori's affections for her make things awkward. Interrupted by firefighters, the two are spirited away by the shadowy figure, who explains they want Kikuko to speak to the man from the previous night, but is convinced to change that plan to allow for more people.
Midori returns to school for the time being, while Kikuko follows the shade back to their office, and finally learns their name is MichacaxiΞoatl~NelchaeΓ, or Nel for short. In a long question and answer session, Nel explains more about the details of Magical Girls, and the reason for their involvement in the first place. The shades seek to make up for an ancient occupation of Earth and other worlds by helping them now deal with the magical consequences; Magical Girls, once enforcers for that empire, are now the saviors of those it once oppressed.
Rejoined by Midori and joined for the first time by Pallavi Varma, the trio are sent to the hospital, where they question the man about the circumstances of the previous night. They're interrupted by a suspicious-acting nurse, who Kikuko follows; the nurse reveals themselves as another Shade, but leaves before Kikuko can catch them. Returning to Nel, Kikuko attempts to explain what happened, but they are unconvinced, setting up a meeting between Kikuko and the hospital contact in case this is just a misunderstanding. Kikuko then goes back to Midori's home, where they hatch a plan for Midori to return to the hospital over the weekend and make her own inquiries.
Feeling restless, Kikuko heads to the river to practice her ghostly abilities more, but instead winds up speaking with Death again, who provides further answers while raising more questions, and tasks her with defeating another corrupted spirit in a nearby mountain town. Reminded of a childhood memory, Kikuko finally discovers her other Magical Girl power, the ability to control snow and ice.
--- .oOo. ---
Episode 3
Once again heading to school to speak with Midori, Kikuko is instead redirected to Nel, who wants her to follow one of two suspicious clones in the city. She also briefly encounters Masami Shimizu, the fourth member of the team and a rather obstinate individual, arguing with the shade. After advising Nel on how to handle her, Kikuko goes to spy on one of the clones as directed, a humble-seeming bookshop owner, and finds...?
This is the original version of the opening post, preserved for historical reference, in as close to its initially-posted state as possible. (Such as reverting the ring color descriptions to their first-draft names.) You may find what replaced it here.
You are dead, well before your time. You remember why, vaguely; an accident. You'd looked both ways before crossing the road, but a car screamed out of nowhere and mowed you down too fast to evade. Now you're sitting in the graveyard where you've been buried, staring at your own tombstone glumly. You were just a normal teenage girl, until this happened.
What is your name?
> Write-In
The funeral's over. You regained consciousness about halfway through the eulogy, standing up from the coffin to tell everyone you were fine. It didn't take long to realize they couldn't see or hear you, and you'd left your body behind. The service was an awkward affair after that; classmates who never gave you a second glance were suddenly singing your praises, while distant relatives struggled to find something relevant to say. When your parents took the stand it was a different matter; though the reality of the situation had yet to sink in properly, you still got teary-eyed at the idea of potentially never seeing them again. They were embarrassingly out-of-touch, to be sure, but always meant well. You're going to miss them more than you expected.
After that was the drive to the graveyard on the edge of town, and the burial. That was uncomfortable in a different sort of way, watching the coffin be lowered and dirt shoveled on top, knowing your body was in there. Were you supposed to stay in the coffin with it? That didn't quite seem right, but staying up top, watching from the edge of the crowd struck you as wrong too. Either way, it's done and over with now. Here you sit, alone, as the sun sets on the rows of tombstones.
But just as it slips beneath the horizon, something happens. An eerie mist billows from the trees, and from a doorway you suspect wasn't there a moment ago, a strange specter appears. "Are you the grim reaper?" you ask, somehow knowing you'll be heard this time.
"Not quite," the stranger says, which you suppose makes sense given their lack of robes or a scythe. "Rather, I am here to give you a job offer."
"Why me? I'm dead." On some level, you're alarmed by how calm you are about all of this.
The stranger's eyes shift to the side. "You meet the necessary criteria, and being dead means you'd theoretically have less to hold you back from taking the offer. I wouldn't do this under normal circumstances, but recruitment is at an all-time low. Living applicants have started turning the job down a lot more frequently in the past six or seven years; something about a 'bunnycat?' I've never even heard of such a thing before, and there's nothing untoward about the job itself, but there's this sudden strange level of suspicion involved that I just don't understand. I've still got a couple of others for this region who have expressed interest, but any sort of additional help is more than welcome."
"I see." You're not sure you understand any more than they do, but nod regardless. "What is the job?"
"Ah, sorry!" the stranger blushes, realizing their blunder. "It's… how would you like to become a Magical Girl?"
"A magical girl?" You cock your head, confused. "I consider just being a ghost pretty magical just on its own… also kind of spooky, really."
"A Magical Girl is a transforming warrior who protects humanity against the forces of darkness!" The stranger explains. "Unknown to the general population, you fight against all sorts of dark magical beings that seek to do harm."
"Oh, that kind of magical girl?" You remember watching some shows like that as a kid, but you haven't really given it much thought in years, and it's strange to think that it's actually real. Still... "I guess that would give me something to do…" Sure beats sitting around in a graveyard, moping all the time. "Fine, I'm in."
"If that works for you, yes." The stranger just seems relieved you accepted at all. They produce a cushion with several different-colored rings sitting on top. "Now to select from these. Choose the one that you feel the most… connection with." Holding your hand over them, you somehow sense an… attitude from each, for lack of a better word.
What kind of Magical Girl will you be?
> Red - Aggressive (High offense, low defense, medium versatility)
> Orange - Reliable (Medium offense, high defense, low versatility)
> Green - Creative (Low offense, medium defense, high versatility)
> Blue - Straightforward (High offense, medium defense, low versatility)
> Purple - Mysterious (Medium offense, low defense, high versatility)
> Pink - Peaceful (Low offense, high defense, medium versatility)
I have also taken the liberty of altering out any mentions of Sailor Moon in other updates, and have the original passages preserved here:
Sure, there's this whole 'magical girl' schtick that you remember just enough from those childhood anime reruns to understand the basics of, but the rest of the time? Sailor Moon still had to deal with school and homework and friends when she wasn't prowling the moonlight, but you… you're past all of that now.
Sure, there's this whole 'magical girl' schtick that you remember just enough from those childhood anime reruns to understand the basics of, but the rest of the time? The protagonists of Mystic Midnight Voyager Kairi may have flown off all over the world on their brooms every night, guided only by the moon and stars during the hidden thirteenth hour only they could experience... but once the sun rose, they all still had to return home to deal with school and homework and friends. You, however… you are completely unmoored; you are past all of that now.
"Uh… sure." Nervousness suddenly grips you, and you idly wonder if you should do some research on this stuff. Your Sailor Moon recollections are frustratingly vague...
"Uh… sure." Nervousness suddenly grips you, and you idly wonder if you should do some research on this stuff. Your Voyager Kairi recollections are frustratingly vague...
"Oh, that… I don't know, it just seemed like a cool codename. Like Sailor Moon has, or the Sentai Riders. Did you see my dress there? Fire? Ignite? Duh?"
"Oh, that… I don't know, it just seemed like a cool codename. Like the Sentai Riders have, or Enchantress Sinisteria eventually earned. Did you see my dress there? Fire? Ignite? Duh?"
Narrator: Death
Ebenezer Scrooge: Masami Shimizu
Bob Cratchit: Midori Kazane
Tiny Tim: Nel
Jacob Marley: Miho Kasai
The Ghost Of Christmas Past: Kichirou Yukimura
The Ghost Of Christmas Present: Pallavi Varma
The Ghost Of Christmas Future: Kikuko Yukimura
Once upon a time, on a cold December morning -
Shimizu-san immediately awoke, seeing where her strange dream was going, and refusing to play along from the outset. The end.
Early on, I was talked into making a music post with some song recommendations relating to particular characters. Looking back on it now, it is... not very good. While some choices have remained the same, I no longer agree with some others, as certain characters have developed significantly since. More importantly, I felt most of the characters warranted more than just a single song to summarize them. So, I decided to redo it now, though this time only focusing on the magical girl team and adjacent characters; I may redo the villains as well at a later date. But like the first time, I have shuffled them out of order. Make of them what you will.
It also appears, rather inconveniently, that I am no longer allowed to include more than five embeds in a post, even when they were in spoiler boxes, so these will all have to be links instead.
I have made a redux music post for the heroines, (though I have since added some additional third tracks for particular characters) but revising and editing a particular section of the coming update has reminded me of something else. I have not fulfilled on a more expansive list for the antagonists and villains they will be facing, so it is time to fix that.
As before, since I cannot embed more than five videos, I will be listing them as links. I will not be giving out who goes to what, of course, but I will connect them by shared story threads, in no particular order. This time I did force myself to only one piece per character, (barring a handful of specific exceptions who truly warrant the additional music, denoted by tildes) so the number of songs per storyline is somewhat more uneven. However, I have highlighted the more primary antagonists in bold, and indirect ones in italics.
