OMG THIS BEAUTIFUL ESSAY 😭💕
This is like the most in-depth thing I've ever gotten GOD dhfhfh reading this was such a treat. AND I'M REALLY GLAD YOU LIKED IT??? This one was quite the doozy for me as well what with how the intensity of everything ramped up to 11 and the culmination of so many of my own feelings, too. HHHHH so I'm really happy to hear all this 🥺
Ohhhh I feel like that was a big part of what I was going for with the beginning parts. Like,,, similar but then not quite, to kind of ease into the arc (and then after that everything continuing to just get more and more different and messed up LOL). And yes, that is indeed who Iggy is holding in the title screen 🤭 I'm glad you liked the tree sequence?? It somehow felt like a good way to start bringing things back to the main story of what's even going on after the detours that were Arcs 2 through 4 HAHAHA.
Oh gosh,,, all the scenes in Genzou's apartment. Those really tore my heart apart to write (before sewing it back together hdggghf). I wanted to really emphasize just how messed up their minds and thoughts are after everything and how that would affect their interactions, so I'm glad it came across ok 💦 (I-I'm also just a sucker for hurt/comfort stuff, so that's that too LOL). My poor beans,,,
The doll,,, 💦 The doll will definitely come into play more in part 2. I just didn't have a chance to get to those parts yet dgfgh I just really hope I'm able to like bring everything together and wrap it up in a way that makes sense and is satisfying to everyone GOD. This really worries me ngl. So I'm glad to already hear some of your thoughts on it 🥺
"Which ties back to Arc 1, which primarily focuses on Iggy. He feels RESPONSIBLE for everything, and so HE has to FIX everything" --> Yeah this is such a huge part of Iggy and his story in general. His feeling of guilt and obligation because he doesn't even really quite understand friendship to begin with but does love his friends and wants to fit in and be accepted. And maybe it's something he'll never quite get over but at the very least he can learn to start feeling less guilty and learning to love and prioritize himself a bit more. I feel like that's also why I had Gidget just completely refute his apology -- because sure he needed to say it, but he's not actually the one who can "fix" anything despite how much he thinks he is, so even when he does what he feels should fix it, it blows up in his face, and in the end, Gidget accepting themself has nothing to do with him.
"it's a callback to how Genzou pointed out that Iggy tried to defeat an armored rabbit with a rake for him, which I think is really cute." --> FHDJFJFJD YES IT IS TEEHEE 💕
HHHHH your thoughts around Gidget really affecting me. That pretty much sums everything up quite well 🤣💦 A huge part of Gidget's story and growth is really based on my own thoughts and experiences and the things I've battled with and thought to myself, particularly in the wanting to be accepted and liked in the way I thought I was supposed to. Perhaps not quite to the extreme perfection angle here FJDJDJD but still something I fight with a lot even now, which is probably why it also took a lot out of me to write 💦
"I'm so sad that Cecil reappeared and then died so quickly, but WOOOOO THEY/THEM PRONOUNS FOR GIDGET!!!! " --> I AM ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY SAD BUT OVERJOYED AT BOTH OF THESE THINGS FHFHDH goddd,, I am really happy to have finally been about to bring Gidget to this point. It feels like such a momentous occasion after these past 4 arcs 🤣💦 AND NOW I CAN FINALLY LIKE DRAW ART OF THEM HOW I REALLY WANT TO DJFJDJD
"My non-binary identity and my asexuality makes these feelings conflicting " --> HAHAHAHAJA GOD THE PAIN IS REAL,I GET YOU 💦💦💦💦💦
Oh geez this whole comment just made me so happy YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA. I love reading stuff like this so much and hearing what ppl think of the chars and how they read into and interpret things. It makes my heart want to burst from joy 😭💕 So thank you so much again, not only for playing and for your lovely words but also just for your support and for loving the game and the chars. It makes me so overjoyed!!!! HHHHH MY HEART IS VERY SQUISHED 😭💕 I will keep working hard on the rest of Arc 5!! 😤