Thanks so much for the kind and constructive feedback—super helpful! Can’t believe I forgot the sound controls! 
Glad you picked up on the neutral UI—I know it still needs work, but it’s great to hear it came through. The “clank” actually had a visual aid that must’ve been turned off at some point—thanks for catching that! Totally agree on needing a tutorial. Regarding stereotypes, I went with anthropomorphic animals from Japan to avoid those pitfalls, but if anything feels off, I’m all ears. And your headcanon? Nailed it! That’s exactly the backstory. I’d love to update the title screen to reflect that context—bandits attacking a village and the samurai stepping in, that might work as a justification of the conflict at least. Thanks again!
(I'm posting this same reply on YouTube, i assume engagement over there is preferable)