TSUNDERE TAROT: review. released : 12/6/2009. publisher: DEARS. price 2100 yen (2000yen plus VAT). "Tsundere is a Japanese word for a character archetype which describes a person with a conceited, spiky, combative personality that suddenly becomes modest and loving when triggered by some sort of cause (such as being alone with someone). It can also describe a personality that is good-willed, but its attitude and actions often contradict its nature. Originally found in Japanese bishojo games, the word is now part of the otaku moe phenomenon, reaching into other media such as anime, manga, novels, and even mass media. The term tsunderekko refers to a girl who is a tsundere." From Wikipedia Consisting of the 78 cards paper deck and an instructing CD, Tsundere Tarot offers a unique experience even for those Tarot fans who have passed a point-of-no-return. The deck is an ordinary manga/anime type deck you can find as a gift in the monthly manga magazines. Pretty girls with huge eyes everywhere. Minor arcanas are Marseille pip type, with court cards as manga as possible. And there's the instructing CD which instructs almost nothing! There are 46 tracks in the CD and the first one starts like "O... you really bought this...are you crazy?...all right, I'll teach you something about Tarot divination. Be humble and thankful to me!" by the squeaking child-like voice of Miss Rie Kugimiya, a very popular voice-actress also known as "The Queen of Tsundere". She's kind enough to teach us the structure of Tarot deck ("even the dummies can see ther are 22 trumps and 56 pips, huh!), how to shuffle the cards etc. From the 2nd track to the 45th we can listen to the divinatory meanings of the majors, both upright and reversed, with lots of frivolous chattings. For example : "Card number one. The upright position of the Magician. I'll teach you the divinatory meaning of the Magician. Your idea and behaviour seem to be wild or excentric, but based on the sutble calculation. It's like magic; everyone's capable of being a Magician. You can create new magic if you like. It represents a new start, a beginning of little love, still small, but a love indeed .... ..... er.... ... well, good for you ... perhaps, there's ... er .. a ...love in front of you ... what? me blushing? .... OH SHUT UP! SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!!! YOU DUMB FOOL!!!! ... ... why don't you notice my ... hidden feeling ?" The last track is the "End Call" saying "there are 56 minor arcana and you can learn them if you like, from respectable fortune telling books. O... you say you're reading always badly. Never mind! Fortune telling is 50/50. Sometimes correct, another time incorrect. Why not?" It is interesting to note that all the 44 tracks never describe the actual scene of the corresponding trumps, which shows the true nature of this enterprise. First and foremost it's Kugimiya's tsundere disk and the accompanying Tarot deck is a mere excuse for the exploitation. The illustrator of the deck is not mentioned anywhere on the box, CD or cards. From start to finish Kugimiya with her versatile voice reproduces many tsundere situations, to the delight of her fans, to the bewilderment of the ordinary Tarot fans. All in all, it's a Tarot deck for those who really love Manga, Tarot, Anime, Game and Kugimiya. Or the incredible Tarot collectors who love the words "perfect", "complete" "thorough" etc might want Tsundere Tarot. "eh- j-just for the fun did I review the deck. Not for you especially... no misunderstanding, you fool!"

reviewer : roppo

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