Voting Round 2 Miko Yotsuya vs. Tear Grants

Marmalade · Aug 23, 2021


Miko Yotsuya Mieruko-chan		Tear Grants Tales of the Abyss

Farfalla · Aug 24, 2021

Tfw you have limited time while also juggling a mafia game-planning stage, spends the weekend taking notes for a post, and your computer boots 8D~
I'm confident I'll miss some points and will have to edit this post multiple times lmao... but let's go.

What's Tear' context?
So this is the game's background: Tear lives in a world filled with particles element related and the discovery of a new group of those comes with a prophecy of prosperity, and af caus some people wanna learn what lies ahead before others so they can exploit that. Tear is introduced to the game when she tries to eliminate someone she believes to be one of them. That's her first encounter with the MC and to me it was an impactful heroine introduction, since without knowing the context she came out a bit like a villain. It also dictates the tone of an unusual party healer, that can weapon fight and isn't your ordinary sweet ball that will quietly follow the male lead.

And why do I care so much about her?
After a strong start, Tear's charm is presented and shines throughout the game. As a modest and subtle girl (and those traits are even present in her brown "unappealing" outfit), maybe other Tales of characters are more memorable, or convince people more easily, since Tear won't be the one that throws her personality and content at your face. But when we stop to think specifically about her, we'll found a pack of traits I'm personally very fond of.

Tear appreciates and foments the value of people, when she admires someone, that becomes quite clear, and she reinforces people's worth sustaining their belief in themselves. She won't even accept different beings not being accounted for the relevance they hold.
A consequence of said admiration is how it reflects on herself: Tear dedicates herself to the causes of what's right, with the good old self-sacrifice and dedication. She starts as a timid outcast, that follows the military path, participating in solving the world's conflict.
In the end, that shapes her psique: Tear is harsh and often cold, she doesn't speak much but she speaks her mind. It could sound awful for a waifu, but it's important to have ones in your life that will keep you in the right track. In Tales of the Abyss, even though Tear loves and admires a handful of people, she'll offer support and a shoulder when those are needed - but will also clash them when they're malicious or missing the bigger picture, no matter how hurtful she is. That's cause even though she's loyal, she's also righteous.
The other side of that coin, besides the support, is the trust. Not a poetic blind trust people will place on others, but the trust built over knowing someone deeply and agreeing with their actions and thoughts. Tear is relevant in the game when she doesn't stop people sometimes, out of knowing what's moving them.
You put those things together and you have what happened in the game: the MC was cancer, and the time spent with someone with thick skin but gentle heart turned him into the hero the world needed. Tear's the key for someone's transformation, grounded on mutual respect and encouragement. So I love it that she's a complicated person, not the sweetest cookie in the jar, not a character written to be the loveable charismatic one, she's someone that makes you think of essence and potential.

That being said, worth noting this girl has no problem telling you that she loves you~

Woof. That's it for now. And we can also have an AMA, so shoot!

Brandish μ · Aug 24, 2021

There comes a time in every otaku's life where they ponder the meaning of waifu. Is it not a queen to bow down to without thought? Of course. But as important as the answer is why the husbando asks the question in the first place.

Reading Mieruko-chan was a great decision for me. This manga gave me Miko. She’s normie-emo cute, intentionally, and so were the shots of her underwear. It was kind of a turn on. And suddenly, by the end of the first chapter, she wasn’t sexualised. The manga became more horrific. My thoughts of gratification were now exposed to my conscience.

Ashamed, I continued reading, like a kid who knows they’ve done wrong goes quiet and obedient. Page after page, vignette after vignette, her story was growing on me. Slowly I began to pick up just how much this young girl is dealing with. She’s a normie teenage girl, isn’t she meant to be worried about the pressure of school, boys she likes, or if her body will grow big in certain places like her best friend?

You see, Miko can see, she has the sight, to see the after-life or a realm of the dead, where monsters and evil spirits thrive. She is tormented constantly. Sometimes she cries from how overwhelming it can be to open a door and be surprised by a monster. She chooses to ignore them. She wants them to go away. Like a normie teenager buckling under pressure, her thoughts are ‘why is this happening to me’, but in this case she's incredibly unfortunate...

As a reader, there's a lot of humour in these situations, and like any good dark humour there's substance behind it. I couldn’t help but adore this young lady fighting back her tears while being frightened out of her wits. A teenage girl, controlling her reactions, is this real? Isn’t letting your emotions run your life a teenager thing – heck we all struggle with this?!!

A strong sense of protecc filled me. My 2D heart was Miko’s. In every husbando who reads a shoujo lies a desire to save a damsel in distress.

The manga is a subversive trip, plot twists change your perspective all the time, and these turns orientate you to seeing the light. So when Miko didn’t play the distraught damsel, and took upon the burden of all the evil that was wreaking havoc around her, Miko was radiant and beautiful.

With Miko, I often headcanon myself into Mieruko-chan just to give her a hug. Wish she was IRL, then she wouldn’t see monsters, I'd hope. If she could play MG, she’d obviously be SM, and I would BG her every night.

Evil3ye said:
Spirit Medium (Townie): The Spirit Medium can target a dead Townie player. He gets to know which players that Townie targeted every Night, in chronological order. But he doesn't find out any action results.

Evil3ye said:
Bodyguard (Townie): The Bodyguard may pick a person he wants to protect each night. When this person is attacked at night the Bodyguard becomes the target instead. If both survive the night then his target can‘t die the next day to any daykilling role.

For this competition, I'm not sure how Miko will fare against Tear, Farf nominated Tear so I'm expecting she's a legit great waifu. But as I've briefly explained above, I've been convinced, through storytelling and feats, that Miko is a captivating, heartwarming waifu, who would not look out of place as winner of this event.

Farfalla · Aug 24, 2021

Oh noes I didn't see it was Bran's waifu c_c
Be kind, blue sir

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 24, 2021, Original Post Date: Aug 24, 2021 ---

Wait... Jesus Christ, Bran lmao........ Seems the images in this battle will make me pay for my karma credit with Pandu

Brandish μ · Aug 25, 2021

Scout Report for Miko:

Farfalla · Aug 25, 2021

Brandu, if you'd like it, Tear could keep Miko safe and sound and cuddle her as well

She's the protective, reliable and caring type afterall, used to deal with supernatural stiff, and has a soft stop for cuties. My waifu would be top tier waifu even for your waifu!

Kiki · Aug 25, 2021

Brandish μ · Aug 25, 2021

Farfalla said:
Brandu, if you'd like it, Tear could keep Miko safe and sound and cuddle her as well She's the protective, reliable and caring type afterall, used to deal with supernatural stiff, and has a soft stop for cuties. My waifu would be top tier waifu even for your waifu!

If Miko chooses Tear then I need to do better!