Mutsumi Suginami Appreciation Topic

Key Discussion
#89

But that still doesn’t change anything about Mutsumi.

Even with Mutsumi at the center of the story, told from her perspective, nothing about her would change. If we say she used to be bullied, there’s nothing new to it. It’s obvious that she’s a victim-type. The way the reader perceives her would remain unchanged (Pitying Mutsumi is already a thing).

So this backstory has little use unless it introduces some changes to her character, directly or indirectly.
For example, what Pepe said, if Mutsumi’s current personality is the result of bullying. Or maybe if she has now decided to not make new friends because she’s afraid they would get targeted by whoever feels like bullying her. Or if Mutsumi is unable to make new friends because their shared experiences made Takamiya and Katsusawa distrustful and rotten to the point where they always start bullying anyone who comes near her (an issue which would need to be resolved during her route. It’s admittedly very indirect, though).

#90

Girl wants a group of friends - Has traumatic past and feels that anyone that gets close to her will be bullied and taken away from her. She starts a relationship with Riki, but then starts to get hesitant about it. Naturally, Riki wants to know why, and wants Suginami to trust him.
You say we don’t learn anything new about her… but that’s wrong. What is the obvious regret of a shy girl? Shyness, of course~ What is the backstory? It is a reason for her shy behavior. If you know the reason, you can help.

Why does the backstory have to directly influence Suginami’s current character? Why can’t it influence Riki, who then influences Suginami’s character?
Riki saying he wouldn’t leave her even if he was bullied could be the main idea, but he’d have to stand up and prove it.

Don’t forget that Litbus routes are about Riki growing stronger alongside the heroines.

#91

All of this is getting taken pretty far away from my initial ideas, though. The point of the route is that it isn’t about Riki, but about Suginami. She’s the protagonist. She’s working against the world to grant her wishes.

People seem pretty set on making Suginami a victim of bullying and her friends her enemies, but I’m not sure I can get behind that. Why can’t her friends get some time in the spotlight? Who cares if it’s a distraction?

#92

I’m just not a fan of Suginami being a protagonist really…
The rest of Litbus is all Riki as a protagonist. Why would it change? @.@

Besides, most of my posts are just rebuttals :stuck_out_tongue: Someone’s gotta keep Naoki entertained~ Ahaha~
I’m down with the whole “if it’s fan-made, it’s badly made” idea. Taka isn’t an optimist~!

#93

Yo man, I’m completely behind ‘they’re actually her god damn friends’, but I don’t like how people are set on making them victims, horrible people can have not horrible friends too, you can make friends with people early on, turn out widely different, and still stick with them.
I was buds with a guy for years, even after he took a turn for the douchebag, I didn’t cut ties until later.

Riki is the protagonist of Little Busters, Suginami is completely detached from The Little Busters. Completely separate from the actual plot.
I think the effect he’s going for is that it’s supposed to feel outcasted from the rest, because that’s what Suginami is.

2 Likes
#94

I just want the romance to be the biggest driving force more than anything, and I think adding in other events would drive the story away from that. Because, really, Little Busters totally lacks romance (at least compared to other Key VNs)
Granted I am a bit biased, but I can’t help it

Little Busters!: Episode Suginami (Fan Story)
#95

I think Kanon gets what I’m going for, he pretty much summed up my thought process.

#96

Theeen, I think that’s a terrible idea x.x But do what you wish~

#97

We need Aspirety’s next chunk of ideas in order to move on

#98

Ooh, pressure’s on! I’m off to the drawing board, time to win everyone back.

#99

Since the thread kinda got taken over by the fan route project, I decided to give it it’s own thread after all.

Now we can get back to using this thread to appreciate Suginami :stuck_out_tongue:

1 Like
#100

I bring you scans from the Refrain BD Vol. 1 booklet.


tumblr_n9blx6umfM1skun11o2_1280.png356×1218 511 KB

3 Likes
#101

Speaking of Suginami, I’m not sure if the sprite is a lost cause yet. I can’t find the psd save of it anywhere (it probably died during the rage of RLDev’s refusal to do anything) so I’m working with the g00 files I had saved. It’s incredibly awkward to work on a what is essentially a single layer >A<

Also, eye colors! Different art for Suginami give her different eye colors… some are orangey, while others are a desaturated greeny yellow. @.@

Untitled.png800×1000 156 KB
Untitled2.png800×1000 155 KB

Oh, and hair is still annoying me >.>

2 Likes
#102

You need to split it more, the fringe is just a block right now.

#103

Wai wai~


There will be a few final touches (fringe, eyebrows, expressions etc) and then it’ll go into Little Busters!

5 Likes
#104

I’d say the left side of her hair(her right) needs to be pushed in a little bit. Also the happy expression need to be removed.

#105

Ah yep I agree with @Kanon here after he mentioned the first point I noticed it too.

#106

Okay guys, I’m like… 5 or 6 hours work away from totally completing these sprites, but first I want some opinions on Suginami.

What was your favorite scene that included Suginami? Riki’s confrontation? Yuiko the door killer? The Rin-route confession? Or one of her other short appearances?

#107

The one where Riki tells her ‘no’.
Be sure to make a ‘heartbroken’ face for that!

#108

Yup, definitely rin route confession