Mitsunari Baba - Kissed by the Baddest Bidder Review

Oh. Baba. Beautiful beautiful Baba.

I have a habit of always choosing the playboy character first, and this was no exception, but I had my reasons. He's adorable, for starters, something about that hat and black shirt white tie combo just does things to me that it really, really shouldn't. Throw in the red trousers and bad boy appearance, I'm sold.

SPOILERS ABOUND

A quick prologue recap: You're blundering your way around the hotel you work as a maid for, and manage to bump into nearly every playable character on your travels. First you literally bump into Eisuke, who catches you, then drops you. Lovely.
Next up is Baba, who is getting dumped in a lift and decides that you can be his date instead. 

"Man w. Hat" cracked me up far more than it should have. I'm still chuckling at it now.

He drags you out into the main IVC party, which is a huge event full of celebrities and everyone working at the hotel would pretty much kill to be there, lucky you. Except he gets distracted more or less the instant the two of you arrive at the party and disappears. Oh well, you're at the party! This should be fun!

I take that back.

I puked in my mouth a little bit.

Never fear, though, Eisuke is more than prepared to be rude to you again and inadvertently save you, dropping a glove in the process and leading you on a bit of a chase as you try to return it. Ota makes an appearance somewhere around here, making cryptic references to Alice in Wonderland and generally being a bit odd, but it's been a while and I can't remember exactly where he pops up.

Anyway, you're searching for Eisuke, who's disappeared somewhere, and happen upon what seems to be a large scale gun sale, and this guy...

Gosh, he's lovely.

So again, you scarper, suddenly remembering you actually have work to do, you make your way to the storage basement to pick up some items you need, and of course, your clumsy ass just up and breaks some precious statue that two thugs are planning on selling at auction. They're pretty pissed, which is understandable, and decide to sell you instead, which isn't.

Luckily, just as the sleazy guy with the neon crocodile jacket is about to snap you up for 2 million, seat number 100 jumps in and spirits you away, bird cage and all. But who is it who saved you?

Best. Disguises. Ever.

You're taken up to the hotel's premium suite, where you get to meet the five men from seat 100, and are eventually given a choice, where they rather generously let you decide who it is who bought you. No, really, I'm touched.

And the winner is...

DING DING DING DING DING!!!

Ooh err.

Wait... What? I'm confused... You said something about a garden...

I wasn't expecting sexy times right in the first chapter, but given his attitude in front of the others, I really wasn't expecting a good night's sleep, either. 

As the route progresses, this remains a constant, too, he's cocky and teasing in front of the others, but get him alone and he's more than willing to respect the word 'no' without even asking the question, not seriously, anyway.

You decide you really want to get back to work the next day, because apparently you're a fucking freak of nature, and you run into these bitches, who I really could have done without.

Erika and her BFFs, or as I've come to know them, bitchface and the parrots.

After a while, Baba decides he has a use for you, he wants your help with his thievery, and whilst you protest, bringing up this brilliant line:

Oh my.

You agree, and get swept away to another auction to pass the time before the job. I only mention this so I can include these screencaps.

Can we just talk about how fucking adorable this is?! You get a catalogue! Look how happy that makes him! A catalogue! 

This guy gets a route, right? RIGHT?!

After that little distraction, you're down to business, you've taken the fingerprints of the sleazy neon crocodile man from various gaudy objects in his room, and you're ready to break into his personal art gallery to snoop around. Of course, you nearly get caught, and a daring escape takes place, but that's okay, Baba got what he wanted and calls it a success.

Your work isn't done yet, though, and you end up in another art gallery where OF COURSE you set off an alarm, and in comes this guy:

This detective LOVES his job, HATES Baba, and just so happened to show up with a pair of bracelets which are linked by some wireless chip that will cause them to explode if they get five feet apart from eachother.

You'll never guess what happens next.

I can't work out if I love or hate this, it seems so silly and ridiculous, but it actually turns out pretty well, with the MC learning more about Baba and his life as a result, and some pretty hilarious moments arising. As well as this. Which just. I can't even. Words.

Let's just take a moment to really appreciate the way the CGs are presented here. They're a bit gorgeous.

Throughout your encuffment, the two of you end up having to work together, Baba trails around after you in the hotel, you end up working with him at a convenience store, and the two of you take turns to look the other way whilst the other showers. It's all pretty adorable, really. You even go drinking together, where you learn from some old friends of his that he is the way he is because of a previous heartbreak, but also that he never seems to dump the girls he's with, preferring them to end the 'relationships' on their own terms.

I'm honestly getting a bit tired of the heartbreaking backstories that all the men in these games have, but to his credit, Baba isn't toting the story around like an excuse or free pass, he's just him, and seemingly happily so.

Just because you're cuffed together doesn't mean you don't still have work to do, and soon enough you're all dressed up all fancy like and attending a party with Baba, who is dressed like this and may have caused me to whimper a little.

Those right there are the words that open a door in my heart.

You both sneak off during the party and try to find some rooms in the house that lead... Somewhere? I don't know, I was completely distracted by Baba in a suit calling me 'mistress' and I think all the blood that rushed to my head did something to my memory. So you get caught, again, obviously, but you do your best to cover for Baba before it all goes south, and you're not quite sure why you did it. You both end up on the roof, where Baba fixes up a zipwire or something and imparts this brilliant gem:

Before you both go running off into the night.

Baba keeps on with the teasing, asking if you've fallen in love with him yet, and feigning disappointment when your scathing answers apparently wound him.

Let's just take a moment to appreciate the fact this MC has a spine and a bit of an acid tongue. Loving it. She's still clumsy as fuck, but you can't have everything.

The two of you return to the hotel where you learn that you can get the bracelets off with a fingerprint!

Yay!

Oh. And ew.

Props to Ayase though, that's actually pretty smart. So, off you go to the police station with some nifty disguises and a plan!

Slight detour for to highlight THIS moment:

Yet. Yet.

You guys secure the toe print, get the bracelets removed, and a party is thrown, because that's just logic. During the party, you learn that Baba's behaviour lately isn't exactly typical of him, and he's shown less interest in other women since you showed up, but you figure that's down to the bracelets, and are still a little shocked when you see him in the street outside the hotel, bringing flowers to another woman.

The twinge of jealousy and upset this brings about feels so natural at this point in the story that I would take my hat off to the writers if I wore one. The progression of emotion has been slow, and mostly played out in the background, which is really where it mostly takes place right up until that crystalising moment where you realise you actually fancy this guy.

Anyway, you text Baba, tell him you're going back to your apartment instead of the penthouse tonight, and head home to feel shitty by yourself. Until this.

He LITERALLY has his hat in his hand. Gawd bless him.

Turns out, Baba just wasn't in the mood for his date, he'd rather spend his time with you, and so he steals you away, to a rooftop where he likes to sit after his 'work', where he tells you all about his other backstory (he gets two!) where he grew up in an orphanage, and was saved from a life of near slavery by a thief, who he chose to take after. The two of you head back to the hotel together after this heart to heart and it turns out he just wants to be near you, so you bed down and get some sleep. 

... I need a quick breather.

A little while later, you and Baba set off on another thieving mission, and, of course, you get caught. He comes to the rescue and loses his cool a bit, yelling at you before dropping you off at your apartment and telling you you're free, he doesn't need you around to help any more.

The next day, you get given a magazine article which claims Baba has issued a challenge to the man whose mansion you both keep getting caught in, and, fearing for him, you seek him out to ask about it, which is when you come across him and some unidentified woman in a business suit.

Sad whimper.

You leave, throwing the magazine at him, and make your way back to the main hotel, he follows you, of course, and... Just... God, just LOOK.

*heavy breathing*

I swear I see that CG whenever I close my eyes. And this is where I become emotionally compromised because OH MY GOD BABA. WHAT THE FUCK.

MC runs away before he can explain the woman in his room, and I'm still trying to figure out if I'm proud of her for how she handles this scene or not, I mean I get it, the slap is justified and a massive breath of fresh air but... Baba... Kissing... I wouldn't have knees left by that point, you'd just find me in a happy sighing puddle on the carpet.

But anyway, she runs off and straight to her friends, in the search of alcohol and a good long bitching session about men and such. For some reason, Ayase overhears your conversation, and proceeds to actually give you relationship advice. Because why wouldn't he want the guy he's trying to arrest so badly to have a happy love life?

He also lets slip that the owner of the mansion Baba's breaking into tonight has hired a hitman, and of course you lose your shit and go running there as fast as you can, SINCE YOU'RE SUCH A FUCKING HELP.

SO HELPFUL.

Luckily for you, this is actually Baba in disguise, which he reveals by taking off the disguise. Check out the big brains on Baba, guys.

You both get caught at this point, of course, and end up running to the edge of a cliff, where Igarashi (the guy who owns the mansion) shows up with a gun and offers to let you go, if Baba comes quietly. Baba agrees to this because he's a sweetheart first and a genius second, and gets himself shot for his troubles. He's thrown from the cliff by the bullet and you are taken to Igarashi's bedroom for pretty much the opposite of fun.

He's called away by his guards before anything serious can happen, and you rush to the window to try and find an escape route, realise there's no way you're jumping out of there and in your panic, shout Baba's name.

 Oh my God oh my God OH MY GOD.

 Would you just LOOK at him?!

Steal away.

I seriously wasn't prepared for that CG, or those words.

I feel like I need a breather. Again.

You both embrace, then get back to the business of running away, with a small detour that sees you rescuing a whole bunch of kids from Igurashi, who's been keeping them captive and making them create forgeries of artwork for him to sell. He shows up again with his gun but that's no issue since Ayase's there to arrest him and the rest of the penthouse crew show up in a DAMN HELICOPTER and whisk you both away to safety.

So, now we can have sexy times, yes?

Yes?

... Apparently not.

The good ending sees the two of you back in the auction hall, where Baba explains that he was meeting with the woman in the business suit to set up a trust fund for an orphanage, then you both head upstairs and he takes a shower. And the MC... I can't even... SHE FALLS ASLEEP.

Baba's a true gent right to the end though, and he lets you sleep, because he clearly doesn't care about the state of my loins at this point.

The happy ending sees you both on the rooftops again, where you tell him that if he's sorry about forcing that kiss on you earlier, he should just do it properly now. That's more like it.

You share a kiss that just made me ridiculously hopeful for some rooftop sex, but that's not on the cards, and you head back to the penthouse together, where you CUDDLE because - GOD DAMN IT BABA NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR GENTLEMANLYNESS.

I mean, okay, this CG is pretty delicious, but for the love of Christ, I was fully expecting some smut to finish off the story.

DAMNIT BABA.

Overall, yes, I'm completely in love with Baba, his story was ridiculous and emotional and more than a little silly but I still get warm fuzzies when I look at the CGs and re-read. I'm just disappointed that there wasn't MORE to the ending than some kissing and cuddling, the satisfaction meter is running pretty low where that's concerned and let's be honest, I'm not reading these stories just to get some kissing and cuddling at the end.

From reading the other stories in this series, I can agree that yes, they're well written, they're cute, they're funny and silly and just the right mix of make believe and real, and I'd cuddle Baba so hard if he ever showed up in my actual real life. Once I'm done with this series though, I don't think I'll be going back to Voltage, I like to get a little bang for my buck, if you know what I mean. Which I'm sure you do.

Dealing With a Serious Otome Addiction

Otome, literally translated to 'girl game', is basically a game for girls.
A little less basically, it's a type of romance choose your own ending game, where you can select any one of a group of mostly attractive anime men and enter the rabbit hole of constantly falling over, fainting, crying, and somehow still getting them to fall for you.

I'm not even joking, I've lost count of how many times my screen's gone black and the narration has read something like 'Overwhelmed by emotion, I fall to the floor and pass out, because what the fuck else do you do in that situation?'

These attractive anime men, however, are well trained to put up with your endless histrionics and actually seem to find them endearing, so you get to smooch them and get groped a bit and never kiss them first or make the first move in any way other than overdramatically declaring your love for them.

It sounds so fucking silly, and I've laughed to myself when these games have appeared on my recommended apps list, but one night I was feeling ridiculously lonely, and damnit I wanted a cuddle, so I searched them out, found a game called Arabian Nights, and I've yet to emerge from that rabbit hole.

Games like Arabian Nights and Cinderella Contract were my introductions to this world, but the 24 hour wait for 5 story tickets and the fifteen minutes or less that granted me with my new friend just wasn't going to cut it any more.

Enter Ninja Love, a story ticket every 4 hours with level ups coming along every few episodes and granting you an extra energy, AND things like rice balls or rations to revive your energy. All for free! 

Ninja Love, the eye opener.

Goemon Ishikawa from Ninja Love became my first proper Otome obsession, and I really mean that, I was checking it at work, on nights out, just WAITING for an energy regeneration. But more on him later, he deserves his own post.

Ninja Love in itself was sort of alright, the MC (Main Character - AKA the player's avatar) is a pain in the ass. A massive pain in the ass. A pain in the ass WITHIN a pain in the ass. She's annoying, childish, overemotional to extremes, clumsy, faint-prone and just... UGH.

I wanted to slap her. And pull her hair. She has her moments, sure, but they feel so out of character that I'm just not buying it, and I'm pretty much DONE with the whole 'but you can't see me naked! I'm so SHY!' bit.

I wanted a heroine who could stand up for herself, kick some ass and generally be a functioning grownup. 

And along came Scarlet Fate.

WOULD YOU JUST LOOK AT THAT BADASS.

You have a sword, you know how to use it, and in the few weeks I've been playing, you faint ONCE. ONCE. And even I, in my harshest of moods, can not fault the reason why.

Since Scarlet Fate is another '1 energy every 4 hours' game, I got restless, and finally gave in to what had begun to feel like the inevitable. The paid versions.

I started with Guilty Alice, I'd seen it advertised within Ninja Love and I love love love me some Alice in Wonderland spinoff. Also, this guy.

Oh, Joker, your cold stare and amazing hair meant you had me at that non committal grunt which I took to mean 'hello'.

What I got for my money was a full story, ending and all, with no time constraints on how much I could read and a better written story, with some brilliant CGs that I could straight up save to my phone's gallery. Hook, line, sinker.

Next came Hero In Love, which is home to quite possibly my most specialist favourite character ever, Billy.

Yes. Yes I do. Please and thank you.

My most recent addiction though, has seen me reading more character stories than I have in any other game, and has actually pretty much got a guarantee of my money for every character they offer. IT'S THAT GOOD.

Kissed by the Baddest Bidder, the reason I can't afford cigarettes this week.

The premise for Baddest Bidder is, like many of the other Otomes, a bit ridiculous, but I'm finding it harder and harder to take issue with this. The MC's a bit of a ditz, but not to the epic levels I've witnessed before now, and the stories are, for the most part, UNF.

So, I've gone from a bit embarassed, a touch ashamed, and intensely addicted, to actually blogging about this.

And I'm seriously considering writing up some reviews when I can work up the energy.

None of these images used here are my own, if you own any of them and object to their use here, please let me know and I'll delete them asap.