Sparky -Reloaded-

Outdoor Cooking!

Toya’s card features Toya lying on the floor of an abandoned train, on an abandoned railway. On the seats, the floor, and the door to the train, ivy grows. Ivy symbolizes a couple things, and a lot of them can be applied here. For one, it represents time and new beginnings. The commissioned song for this event is called “Mirai,” or “Future” in English. One of the main themes of SDSC is the relationship between the past, present and future, and how our pasts shape how we are in the present, as well as our outlooks on the future. But consider for a moment, this is not our first or last time seeing ivy in PJSK cards. In Mafuyu’s Carnation Recollection card and her Guiding A Lost Child card, ivy grows on her body, almost tying her down. In these cards, ivy represents Mafuyu’s mother and the restrictions her mother places on her. In Toya’s card, the ivy is growing near him, but not on him, indicating that he has broken away from his dad’s expectations. 

The nature of the setting for this card (and the entire set) is representative of Toya’s childhood. Toya abandoned everything for classical music; he gave up field trips and sporting events and cutting vegetables to waste away at his piano. But now, Toya is peacefully lying in this abandoned railway. This is both a continuation of Nocturne Interlude, where he came to terms with classical music, as well as a representation of Toya returning to old, missed experiences and getting to do them for the first time. The fact that Toya is on the train, rather than near or around it, shows that he is ready to move forward. He’s at peace with what happened in the past, and is ready to go forward with that.

A Winter Evening Chat

Akito’s card pictures him on the platform rather than the train, looking over his shoulder and calling out. It’s very likely (and also cute to imagine) that he’s calling out to Toya. Perhaps encouraging and helping him as he navigates these new experiences. What’s notable about Akito’s card is that he is on the platform, as opposed to An and Toya, who are on the train. As I said before, Toya being on the train indicates his desire to move forward. I do not mean to claim that Akito is against moving forward, he is just as set on going forward as the rest of his group. However, between all of VBS, he’s usually the one who gets stuck in his own harmful mindsets. In both Stray Bad Dog and Find a Way Out, Akito practices so much that he hurts himself, and it becomes counterintuitive. Akito not boarding the train doesn’t show a fear of the future as much as it shows a result of his extreme desires to make it to the future, so extreme that they cause him to get stuck where he is.

BBQ With Everyone 

An, alongside Toya, is calmly sitting in the entrance to the train. At the time of SDSC’s release, Vivid Old Tale was (obviously) not out yet, but we later learn a lot more about An’s childhood. Even before VOT, we know that Vivid Street is very special to An, that it was a community that brought out the best in her, and because of that, she is able to literally glow as she sits in this railway station. This love for her home is even reflected in the card. On the top right, just under the window, there is graffiti that reads “HOME.” 

We also mentioned that being on the train represents moving forward. As I’m sure everyone is aware, An has a lot of emphasis placed on moving forward. Her first focus song is called “Forward,” Bout For Beside You shows her choosing to move forward in spite of her jealousy of Kohane (as well as fear of being abandoned), and in Light Up The Fire, she chooses to move forward even with the knowledge of Nagi’s death. An places a lot of value on moving forward, and so she sits on the train with Toya, ready to go.

Here Comes The Free Spirit!

Outdoor Cooking!

Toya’s card features Toya lying on the floor of an abandoned train, on an abandoned railway. On the seats, the floor, and the door to the train, ivy grows. Ivy symbolizes a couple things, and a lot of them can be applied here. For one, it represents time and new beginnings. The commissioned song for this event is called “Mirai,” or “Future” in English. One of the main themes of SDSC is the relationship between the past, present and future, and how our pasts shape how we are in the present, as well as our outlooks on the future. But consider for a moment, this is not our first or last time seeing ivy in PJSK cards. In Mafuyu’s Carnation Recollection card and her Guiding A Lost Child card, ivy grows on her body, almost tying her down. In these cards, ivy represents Mafuyu’s mother and the restrictions her mother places on her. In Toya’s card, the ivy is growing near him, but not on him, indicating that he has broken away from his dad’s expectations. 

The nature of the setting for this card (and the entire set) is representative of Toya’s childhood. Toya abandoned everything for classical music; he gave up field trips and sporting events and cutting vegetables to waste away at his piano. But now, Toya is peacefully lying in this abandoned railway. This is both a continuation of Nocturne Interlude, where he came to terms with classical music, as well as a representation of Toya returning to old, missed experiences and getting to do them for the first time. The fact that Toya is on the train, rather than near or around it, shows that he is ready to move forward. He’s at peace with what happened in the past, and is ready to go forward with that.

A Winter Evening Chat

Akito’s card pictures him on the platform rather than the train, looking over his shoulder and calling out. It’s very likely (and also cute to imagine) that he’s calling out to Toya. Perhaps encouraging and helping him as he navigates these new experiences. What’s notable about Akito’s card is that he is on the platform, as opposed to An and Toya, who are on the train. As I said before, Toya being on the train indicates his desire to move forward. I do not mean to claim that Akito is against moving forward, he is just as set on going forward as the rest of his group. However, between all of VBS, he’s usually the one who gets stuck in his own harmful mindsets. In both Stray Bad Dog and Find a Way Out, Akito practices so much that he hurts himself, and it becomes counterintuitive. Akito not boarding the train doesn’t show a fear of the future as much as it shows a result of his extreme desires to make it to the future, so extreme that they cause him to get stuck where he is.

BBQ With Everyone 

An, alongside Toya, is calmly sitting in the entrance to the train. At the time of SDSC’s release, Vivid Old Tale was (obviously) not out yet, but we later learn a lot more about An’s childhood. Even before VOT, we know that Vivid Street is very special to An, that it was a community that brought out the best in her, and because of that, she is able to literally glow as she sits in this railway station. This love for her home is even reflected in the card. On the top right, just under the window, there is graffiti that reads “HOME.” 

We also mentioned that being on the train represents moving forward. As I’m sure everyone is aware, An has a lot of emphasis placed on moving forward. Her first focus song is called “Forward,” Bout For Beside You shows her choosing to move forward in spite of her jealousy of Kohane (as well as fear of being abandoned), and in Light Up The Fire, she chooses to move forward even with the knowledge of Nagi’s death. An places a lot of value on moving forward, and so she sits on the train with Toya, ready to go.

Here Comes The Free Spirit!