Bae in Review: Takeru Sasazuka, Collar x Malice

[not_krys]

Oh, this boy... this boy...

Hoo boy...

The sass master himself, Takeru Sasazuka. He is rude, crude, and doesn’t care who knows it. He should be everything that I hate in a bae, and yet... I can’t possibly bring myself to hate him. Like, maybe a little, but not as much as I want to hate him.

This should be fun.

The progression of this route was definitely a tough one, as I had to restart it, three times actually. First because of not getting enough right answers in the Q & A segments, which lead to a bad end.

Second time was because I was a dumb dumb that forgot to save her progress, and had made it all the way in Chapter 6 previously, forgot to save, and had to restart all the way back in Chapter 2 (auto skip stopped working right around mid to late Chapter 3ish, so that was fun :'D).

Third time because the save file I loaded to progress was the one that lead to the bad end I got the first time, so I had to start over AGAIN in Chapter 1, and saved every chapter from that point forward.

Sasazuka was a pain in the ass, even in the real world while I was trying to play his route.

Let it be a lesson in always saving your progress, because you never know when you’ll have to start over again. And again. And AGAIN.

...Anyway, more in-depth analysis below, because spoilers, you all know the drill.

For Previous Baes in Review, here's the master list of all of my previous reviews, as well as quick summaries if that's more your thing. For a full list of what I'm currently playing, check out my profile page for completed games and routes, in progress games and routes, and well as things to look forward to in the future.

Onward to the full review!

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If I had to pick a relationship where there was quite a clear Dominant and Submissive distinction was made, for this game, it’d have to be Sasazuka and Ichika.

Sasazuka is bossy, he gets under people’s skin, he hates it when people are slow or stupid, can sometimes add more fuel to the fire if he’s not careful. And I had to grit my teeth whenever Ichika was at his beck and call for pretty much the entire route, him treating her like a dog at some points, something which I HATED since I was used to the feistier Ichika of previous routes.

It doesn't help that I'm not the biggest fan of the tsundere character type to begin with, so their back and forth with Sasuzuka holding the most power in the relationship doesn't do them any favors. I felt there wasn't a reason for Ichika to take his crap and do things exactly the way he wants them done. Genius he may be when it comes to computers and hacking, there's no need for him to boss and pick at Ichika the way he does when things don't go his way.

It's kinda sad because I enjoyed his character before actually going on his route. His sarcasm and biting wit made me laugh numerous times, even if at times it could be a little mean-spirited (especially towards Enomoto), but, having it at the forefront, and without a fiery Ichika fighting against it, not even having anything to sass back at him with, even bending to his will at times, it wasn't as funny anymore.

If the route has one saving grace (if we can call it that), it's that he does get slightly better about his bossiness after Ichika finally gives him a piece of her mind. Albeit she was drunk and crying, but he does soften up somewhat after that point.

The romance also moves faster in this route, more so than in my previous routes. Some routes had you waiting until the ending to have a kiss cg (if you get one at all) while this one gets one in the middle of the route, plus implied smut towards the end. He definitely doesn't waste time where things really count, I will give him that.

Overall, his bossiness dampens most of my experience with him. It's not a character type I naturally gravitate towards, and having the heroine bending to his whims most of the time made the experience worse. He doesn't have the maturity needed to pull off the character successfully, nor is his character arc strong enough to hold against some of the others characters' arcs. It was the weakest route for this game, and just leaves me wishing for more.

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PROS AND CONS

PRO: He will speak his mind and tell it like it is.
CON: He’s pretty petty and cruel in his mind, which can lead to some butting of heads, especially with those that are equally or more hot-headed than he is.

PRO: He is quite intelligent and efficient with his work and his life, for the most part.
CON: He hates it when others are slower or can’t keep up with his inhumane pace. Enomoto is a frequent victim of his baka bombs and verbal abuse.

PRO: He will eat most things, as long they aren’t too bitter or spicy.
CON: He will eat a ton of food in one sitting and still keep his slim figure. Let’s not get started on his diet of junk food and pre-made food like doughnuts, cup ramen, and delivery pizza.

PRO: Once you get past his barriers, he actually is pretty affection and straightforward with his feelings for you
CON: Getting past said barriers.

PRO: He likes when you are straight with him, speaking your mind and being frank with him.
CON: This may or may not lead to merciless teasing on his part, especially if he knows you for not being especially forward with your thoughts and feelings.

PRO: Once you two become an item, he is the most loyal partner you could ever ask for.
CON: The possessiveness. Oh god, the possessiveness. He will forcibly pull you away from a situation where even a close friend is getting too friendly. I miss Sakuragawa already >>

Bae Rating: 4/10

If anyone has a special request for a bae for me to review, the most current list of games and routes I’ve completed thus far, plus who I’m currently pursuing for that game is listed on my profile page.

Have a good day, lovelies, and remember to touch all the butts.