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Say It In Red

The Podcast version of hanging out with ghosts in a haunted parlor, but like really chill and the ghosts are talking to you about Visual and Kinetic Novels! Join Runa and Sara as they read and discuss games like Higurashi, Umineko, Kindred Spirits on the Roof, Heart of the Woods, and a lot of other VNs. We break down the mystery elements of the stories we read, talk about the implications of ghosts and magic and the tech apocalypse, and swoon every time a handsome woman shows up on screen. For the most part this podcast is entirely safe to listen to around friends and family and co-workers *except* for the moments when we talk about dismemberment or murders since that comes up in some of these games - we'll give you a heads up whenever things like that are on an episode and when we're about to start talking about them in the show!You can follow us on twitter at sayitinredpod and check out our patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SayItInRed for even more content and features!

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Friday · 1 hr 36 min
Say it in Red Episode 82: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Girl. Did you see that thread? The one from the journalist who caught a ghost in their car? Oh shit was that fake??? omfg no whaaaaaat? Damn I really thought that was real... because like, you know... if ghosts don't exist, then how are you texting me back all these years after you died? This month, Runa and Sara seek out urban myths and bring each case to its inevitable dissolution in Urban Myth Dissolution Center (2025). The game opens strong with pixelated, highly dithered graphics of famous UFO and sasquatch photographs while asking the question, much as the old Animal Planet series Lost Tapes, 'Do these urban legends walk among us?' We follow Azami Fukurai, a college student who sees strange and unnerving red ghosts around her wherever she goes. Seeking a cure to her affliction, she responds to a flyer for the Urban Myth Dissolution Center - an occult organization that promises to uncover the truth behind any supernatural or paranormal happening. There, she meets center director Ayumu Meguriya, who greets her from his wheelchair while a terrifying red specter hovers in the air behind him. After a brief introduction to the game's mechanics by way of identifying and then dissolving the urban myth of The Chair That Kills You, Azami finds herself coerced into working for the UMDC as an investigator. By wearing a special pair of glasses, she's able to focus her power of Clairvoyance and witness the traces of people and events that linger in a space. Together with her investigation partner, Jasmine, Azami must work for the center until she can repay the director for breaking his cursed chair and uncover the truth behind the urban myths she encounters. Unrelated but, do you ever make a really nice soup and adjust the flavors so precisely, only to decide at the end to pour a bottle of bleach in for its bracing tartness? As always, if you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating and write a review wherever you listen, and if you'd like to hear even more Say it in Red, you can find our rich backlog of bonus episodes on patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred! Check it out now to hear our recent episode on volumes 5 and 6 of the Umineko stage plays! You could also go a bit further back to hear the episode in which Runa attempts to summarize the Baihe novel, Jing Wei Qing Shang, for Sara's amusement, and stay tuned for our upcoming bonus episode on the Umineko stage play's volume 7 performance.
October 22 · 2 hr 2 min
Say it in Red Unlocked Bonus Episode - Dragon Age Veilguard & our Dragon Age experience
Dear Listeners, With the news of Bioware's closure earlier this week, we wanted to release this bonus episode, originally recorded in December of 2024, in which Sara tells Runa about her experience with DA: Veilguard and both hosts talk about the impact the Dragon Age games have had on them throughout their lives. While Bioware's games were often flawed, they also connected us and sparked incredible conversations about the potential of games as narratives. As the branching narratives and deep explorations of squadmate character arcs influenced game design on a broad scale, these individual games and romance routes provided a space for players to explore their own queerness and gender. As such, please accept this small token of our appreciation and affection for a studio whose work shaped the landscape of our youth and continues to inspire us still. ___ From December 2024: In one of our timeliest bonus episodes yet, this month Sara tells Runa all about Dragon Age: Veilguard and the two of them reflect and reminisce on their history with the Dragon Age series. From its awkward early days to its experimental swings (and sometimes misses), now to its latest iteration, Sara explores the things that make Dragon Age compelling, the narrative stumbling blocks that keep coming back, and what she got out of her Veilguard experience. For those following along, Here is the article Sara mentions about Alistair and the experience of modding Dragon Age: Origins to enable gay romance: https://kotaku.com/dragon-age-origins-is-the-first-game-about-gay-marriag-5602427 And here is the video we watched on air, if you'd like to watch along: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw4RdsGoGlg&t=276s
September 25 · 1 hr 53 min
Say it in Red Episode 81: Z.A.T.O. // I Love the World and Everything In It
-.. . .- .-. / .-.. .. ... - . -. . .-. ... --..-- / .... .- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / . ...- . .-. / .-- .- - -.-. .... . -.. / - .... . / -.-. .-.. --- ..- -.. ... / ... .... .. ..-. - / - .... .-. --- ..- --. .... / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-- .. -. -.. --- .-- / .- -. -.. / .-- --- -. -.. . .-. . -.. / .- -... --- ..- - / - .... . .. .-. / .-.. .. ...- . ... ..--.. This month, Sara and Runa discuss the stylish, melancholic, and captivating tale of Russian teens in an isolated city in Z.A.T.O. // I Love the World and Everything In It (2025). We follow Asya Shubina, a withdrawn and isolated girl in the strange, isolated town of Vorkuta-5 as her mind wanders to the subject of The World. The world is so cute, because it would give even a moment of consideration to insignificant gnats like humans, and so cute to contain such multitudes each day! Asya's school life is largely rudimentary, apart from the momentary bursts of hope and joy that accompany the rare appearance of Ira. Ira is a delinquent, though, a girl who hardly ever comes to school and even when she does, she skips half of her classes to smoke in the bathroom. She also threw a chair at Vadim, the boy who always bullies Asya (though Asya insists he's just doing his part to remind her of the social order of things). When Ira is declared missing, however, Asya begins to wonder - Should she tell the teachers about what she saw? That she met Ira and might have been the last person to see her? Ah, but what if that's an insignificant detail that would only trouble the teachers and would in fact cause nothing but inconvenience for everyone? so then COUNTERPOINT! What if this information is exactly the detail that would help save Ira from a terrible fate? Doesn't that oblige her to reveal this information? And so, having successfully argued against herself, Asya heads to the staff room, and there she meets Marina. Please join us as we follow Asya on her quest to increase her own signal strength, growing powerful enough to send a message of pure love to the world that can pierce the atmosphere and resonate throughout the cosmos. As always, if you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating and write a review wherever you listen, and if you'd like to hear even more Say it in Red, you can find our rich backlog of bonus episodes on patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred! Check it out now to hear our recent episode in which Runa attempts to summarize the Baihe novel, Jing Wei Qing Shang, for Sara's amusement. You could also go a bit further back to hear the episode in whichSara tells Runa all about the lads of LADS (Love and Deepspace), and stay tuned for our upcoming bonus episode on the Umineko Stage Plays!
August 28 · 2 hr 6 min
Say it in Red Episode 80: PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse
It's a beautiful day to go diving through the ocean. Come with me, embrace the salt air and the sea breeze before we plunge beneath the waves! Yes! Taste it... the thrill of adventure! The romance of the waves! The thrill of scraping an abalone free from the rocks with only a small knife and your bare hands! Experience the majesty and wonder of the pelagic world! Meet a specter in your ghostly image and experience the Memory of your own imminent death! Truly, this is the peak of summer. This month, Sara and Runa discuss PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse (2026), released earlier this year in February as the follow-up to previous Say it in Red Subject, PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Like its predecessor, The Mermaid's Curse uses a 360 degree camera to great effect and nicely utilizes the three-dimensional space around the player as you explore its world. We begin this horror mystery visual novel with a diving mini-game, and a dangerously enjoyable one at that, as we meet our protagonist - Yuza Minakuchi. Yuza has returned to the fictional island of Kameshima, off the coast of Ise, after a long absence away on the mainland. Five years ago, his parents died and he nearly drowned in a terrible accident out at sea. He was saved, or at least so he claims, by a Mermaid, and now he's enlisted the help of his best friend Azami to find a Mermaid no matter what. Meanwhile, a pair of investigators working with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police in the Paranormal Affairs division arrives in the region to quell an ancient curse, right after they solve the mystery behind a string of mysterious skeletons that have washed up from the sea floor. At the same time, a fantasy author from abroad has enlisted the help of his distant relative, a young psychic, to search for clues about mermaids and the secrets of immortality on Kameshima. Their paths all tangle together around one strange girl, Sato, who arrived on Kameshima some months ago and seems to have an odd connection to Mermaids, the Curse of Raging Waves, and perhaps even the Tale of the Heike. A warning for listeners: While you don't need to listen to our previous Paranormasight episode to follow along here, we will drop a few spoilers for the first game throughout our discussion. Please be advised and plan accordingly. As always, if you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating and write a review wherever you listen, and if you'd like to hear even more Say it in Red, you can find our rich backlog of bonus episodes on patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred! Check it out now to hear our recent episode in which Sara tells Runa all about the lads of LADS (Love and Deepspace), or go back a bit further to hear Runa tell Sara about storytelling in trading card games like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic the Gathering!
July 31 · 2 hr 8 min
Say it in Red Episode 79: Black Lily's Tale
Oh Sweetie, did you have a nightmare? Don't worry, your family is here for you. Now, just tell me everything that happened... everything you thought, everything you felt... Hmmm, yes I see. I see... Sweetheart, it seems that you're trapped in a time loop. Yes, I'm quite shocked as well but if you've been reliving the same day over and over, what other explanation is there? If you want to escape, you'll have to find out what's keeping you here. In fact, I've got an idea... Yes, I think this is exactly what will help you. It's time for you to grow out of this little homosexual phase of yours and think about contributing to the birth rate, darling. This month, Sara and Runa read through Black Lily's Tale (2023), a yuri visual novel about putting gay teens through literal nightmare scenarios in order to "correct" their homosexual tendencies. It's at times horrifying and often salient in its political commentary, and though romance isn't its core focus Black Lily's Tale grounds itself in the real social forces of homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality that weigh on Japanese youth. Set in a near future timeline after a new pandemic devastated the younger generations of Japan, we quickly see the shadow of nationalist anxieties fall over our cast. In particular, the persistent fears of declining birth rates are already at critical mass in Black Lily's Tale and almost immediately, we find examples of all the new social programs aggressively promoting Marriage and Procreation. We spend most of our time following Hana, a high school senior who is just weeks away from graduation, and her closest friends Itsuki and Aoi. While they've successfully completed their college entrance exams, Itsuki wants to make sure they all make the most out of their high school life. So, in between mandatory classes on the benefits of heterosexual marriage, the girls write out flash cards filled with things they want to do before they graduate – usually silly things like visiting pop-up shops or watching cheap shark horror movies. All of that changes when Itsuki falls into the street and gets killed by a speeding truck... and then Hana wakes up to find herself back in the previous day. Stuck in a seemingly endless loop, Hana struggles to figure out what could possibly save Itsuki from death and allow her to escape this endless nightmare. All the while, Hana's father and the nurse at her school are acting very strangely, and all of these dreams seem to suggest that Itsuki would be happier if she were dating a boy... As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Sara and Runa talk about their experience at Anime Conventions!
June 26 · 2 hr 4 min
Say it in Red Episode 78: Indie Visual Novel Compilation Track vol.7
!WARNING! HEAT ADVISORY The veil of summer has fallen across the Northern Hemisphere and with it, smothering warmth besieges us each day. With the sun casting its spectral disdain through our atmosphere, we can only caution you, dear listener, to seek shelter within the safety of indoor spaces during these sweltering days. Fortunately, the indoors have a great deal to offer us especially during Pride month and once again, we're here to tell you about Indie Visual Novels that you can, and should, play and enjoy while you sip a cool beverage and shelter yourself from the ultraviolent ultraviolets beaming down from space. In these Indie Game Compilation Track episodes we want to highlight some of the incredible indie VNs we've played recently and get people excited about the things happening in Indie Visual Novel development spaces. We want to not only showcase the amazing breadth of work coming from Indie developers but also talk about some of our favorite games, many of which touch on subjects, characters, and experiences we rarely get the chance to see in games from larger studios. You can find a list of each game we played below and we encourage you to play along with us, and go searching for other Indie visual novels as well! Most of these games are free and if not, fairly cheap (though please tip the creators if you are able), and you can read most of them inside of an hour or two. In fact, we want YOU, dear listener, to pick at least one of these games to play after you listen, and then tell us about it! You can also check our Patreon, where listeners and patrons can submit either a short audio clip or a few sentences telling us about an Indie VN you've played and enjoyed recently! We may even include your submission on our next Indie VN Compilation Track episode (only if you want, that is). We also mentioned the Power of Pride bundle in this episode, which contains a lot of the games we discuss here as well as dozens of other amazing indie games by queer creators! Check it out, grab some amazing indie games, support queer creators, and tell us about what you've played! Indie games featured in this episode Speak Easy [00:04:50]: http://captainturnip.itch.io/speakeasy by captainturnip Skate & Date [00:09:22]: https://gensuta.itch.io/skate-and-date by gensuta Northanger Abbey Rewritten[00:14:40]: https://spiralatlas.itch.io/northanger-abbey-remastered Northanger by Spiral Atlas Crushed[00:22:56]: https://hummingbird-games.itch.io/crushed by Hummingbird Games it sucks to be us[00:31:48]: https://tofurocks.itch.io/it-sucks-to-be-us it sucks to be us by tofurocks this game will end in 205 clicks[00:40:30]: https://insertdisc5.itch.io/this-game-will-end-in-205-clicks by insertdisc5 she danced in the wind like a holographic dream before the world died[00:44:55]: https://alienmelon.itch.io/flower by Nathalie Lawhead Texting the Awkward Ace Guy You've Had a Crush on Since High School[00:51:23]: https://justacarrot.itch.io/texting-the-awkward-ace-guy-youve-had-a-crush-on-since-high-school by Carrot My Vampire Boyfriend Smokes Lucky Strikes[00:57:03]: https://justacarrot.itch.io/my-vampire-boyfriend-smokes-lucky-strikes by Carrot Bite the Hand[01:07:03]: https://superbiasedcat.itch.io/bite-the-hand by Cat Olga Doesn't Die[01:20:15]: https://4noki.itch.io/olga-doesnt-die by Shino Full Service Shop[01:36:42]: https://alexisroyce.itch.io/full-service-shop There Will Be Beauty[01:47:41]: https://voidblob-coop.itch.io/there-will-be-beauty by Void Blob Co-Op And a special mention of likely future main episode subject, National Park Girls [at 01:53:50] published by Studio Elan.
May 29 · 2 hr 33 min
Say it in Red Episode 77: Higanbana no Saku Yoru Ni
A warm summer breeze ruffles the papers on your desk and nearly scatters them to the floor. They remain, however, and you slouch in relief... if you had to reach out and stop your notes from flying through that open window, you might pass out from the effort. The humid air and the faint buzz of insects withers your strength, though not so much as your teacher's repeated explanations of geometric proofs. Suddenly the teacher stops, slams their chalk against the wall, and announces a pop quiz – 'Since you all seem so bored with this material, I assume you must be experts already!' What a cruel thing to say to a class full of overheated, weary teenagers. Your savior arrives, however, as the Westminster chimes sound off and signal the end of class, the end of the school day, and the end of this nightmare you've had each and every night since you graduated. This month, Sara and Runa talk about both volumes of 07th Expansions Higanbana no Saku Yoru Ni (2011). As an anthology of school horror and ghost stories, Higanbana doesn't follow a single narrative arc throughout each volume so much as it introduces us to characters and concepts that the game explores through each of its chapters. School bullying, the physical and sexual abuse of students, suicidal ideation, stalking, animal cruelty, and grief are among Higanbana's main concerns and in general, all of these subjects are treated with a great deal of care and nuance. In a truly massive school filled with ghost stories, gossip, and legends, a group of powerful youkai hold court and hunt the souls of the humans who pass through their halls. The game begins with the story of Marie Moriya and follows the brutal abuse she suffers at the hands of a teacher, leading to her eventual death and then rebirth as the new youkai, mesomeso-san. She soon encounters Higanbana, the youkai of the school's infirmary, and throughout the rest of the game the two of them clash with other youkai (as well as one another) and witness the struggles of the students around them. Sometimes a comedic ghost story, sometimes an anti-bullying PSA, and sometimes a supernatural battle action series, Higanbana is, above all else, a story about the existential uncertainty and turmoil of being a Teen. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Sara and Runa talk about the Gnosia anime adaptation!
April 30 · 2 hr 20 min
Say it in Red Episode 76: Gnosia
OMG it's like, incredible to see you here! Who would have thought we'd be stuck on the same spaceship fleeing that catastrophic infestation LOL like I know I always say it but that's like. Literally? Literally a Cosmic coincidence? Astronomical even? Get it because, you know, like the stars lmao. Anyway, so, there's this 'Contamination Protocol' we're supposed to follow and I'm soooooo scared of everybody else here? They've been giving such rancid vibes, I'm really worried about what's gonna happen! But you've got my back, right? I can rely on you? Nice ^_^ That's such a relief. Hurry up and die for me, ok? <3 This month, Sara and Runa pursue knowledge and make non-binary besties in Gnosia(2019). Often called "Anime Among Us", Gnosia plunges the player headfirst into the tense atmosphere of a Werewolf game, pitting the human passengers of a starship against Gnosia infectees. You very quickly enter both the central time loop and a recurring, sometimes deadly discussion with your fellow passengers. Who is infected with Gnosia? Who can we trust? Who do we put into Cold Sleep? As you loop through the game alongside Setsu, another passenger whose fate is tightly bound to your own, you learn about the other people on board this ship and the nature of Gnosia itself. You'll die a lot, and probably get thrown in the fridge even more, but after each failure you'll grow stronger and wiser. That last part in particular is vital – Knowledge will save us, after all. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Sara and Runa revisit the subject of our very first episode, Eliza! Fans of the show may also be interested in a recently released Victorian Murder Mystery Otome game, Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon. Runa was the lead writer on the project, and you can find it now on Steam and itch.io!
March 27 · 1 hr 18 min
Say it in Red Episode 75: Tsukihime Original - Ciel Route
Polygonal shapes. Where do they come from? What do they want from us? Is there any way to escape their tyranny, the rigid strictures of those euclidean forms? I've heard, though only in rumor, that you can easily defeat some shapes by collapsing them in on themselves... I'm not sure exactly how to do that, but there is one thing I'm certain of: Arcueid and Ciel really should complete the final line of this love triangle and kiss each other. This month, Sara and Runa finish our journey through Tsukihime (for now) as they read through the Ciel route in the original version of the game. As with our Arcueid route coverage, this episode focuses on contrasting each version of Ciel's route, examining the character and plot changes between them, and considering each major choice in the adaptation and remake process. How different does the original Ciel route feel without Noel and the other characters added in the remake? Does Arcueid feel as compelling in the original Ciel route as she did in the remake Ciel route? How do Ciel's relationships and connections feel in the original compared to the remake? And also, perhaps most importantly, how many cool fight scenes does she get? This episode will feature extensive spoilers for both the Ciel route and Arcueid routes in both version of the game, so please take care when listening. If you haven't checked out our previous Tsukihime episodes yet, you should do that first so that you can follow along (and to hear us flail with joy as we read the remake Ciel route). As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Sara shows Runa the joys and struggles of the 90's PC adventure game, Mixed-up Fairy Tales!
February 27 · 2 hr 4 min
Say it in Red Episode 74: Tsukihime Remake ~A Piece of Blue Glass Moon~ Ciel Route
Dear Listeners, Do you remember the start of this year? Remember the crisp winter air, the bustling feet of travelers, the smell of oil and electricity that greeted us as we stepped onto the train together? It was such a great coincidence to see you there! Even though we've been classmates all this time, that morning on the train was the very first time you've ever spoken to me. That first conversation was such a tremendous, fate-defining moment for us both, it's hard to imagine that it was just a dream. We are still late for that test we didn't study for, though, so we'd better hurry. This month, Sara and Runa return to the Tsukihime Remake and discuss the Ciel Route, focusing on the game's other heroine and generally having a raucous good time. Unlike the Arcueid Route, which had a notable absence of Ciel through most of its runtime, the Ciel Route features both heroines prominently and also brings in more of the side characters we really enjoyed from the Arcueid Route as well. While this route diverges at the point after Shiki first kills Arcueid, the tone of the route shifts even earlier as the game has already primed readers to work through the Ciel Route and try different things this time around. The result is an incredible experience that makes some significant improvements on the Arcueid route's shortcomings while also delivering some exceptional character arcs and romance dynamics. As Shiki gets closer to Ciel, we learn just how tightly his own fate, Arcueid's old wounds, and Ciel's past trauma are all entertwined. Also, Arach rules. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Runa tells Sara all about Storytelling and Narrative design in Trading Card Games!
January 30 · 1 hr 30 min
Say it in Red Episode 73: Tsukihime Original - Arcueid Route
Wake up! It's the year 2000 - you remember the year 2000, right? In those days, almost no one had a cell phone and the millennials that were in middle and high school at the time spent their days watching old CRT monitors, hanging out in arcades, wandering the mall after school, or murdering vampires with a pocket knife! Yeah, those were wild times back then... Kids just roamed freely, getting trapped in hotels full of zombified beasts and hanging around True Ancestors while their families wondered where they were at. In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't all so idyllic as we remember, given the grievous injuries and traumatic memory loss, but just thinking back on it fills you with nostalgia. Let's return, for just a little while, to that time... This month, Sara and Runa make good on their previous threats and read the Arcueid Route in the original version of Tsukihime (2000)! As one of the earliest VNs covered on the podcast, it's not only an excellent period piece in its own right but also shows just how much the VN development space, and Type-Moon as a studio, has changed in the last quarter century. From different minor antagonists to tonal shifts and drastic changes in scene and character dynamics, the original Tsukihime gives players a much different experience than the remake. Is that for better? For worse? Through playing the original Arcueid route, we compare the romance between Shiki and Arcueid, the plot beats and character arcs, and the overall feel of both versions of Tsukihime and discuss the challenges and benefits of remaking such a seminal classic of the genre. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent bonus episode in which Sara tells Runa all about gay hockey and the Heated Rivalry series!
Dec 31, 2025 · 1 hr 41 min
Say it in Red Episode 72: Indie Visual Novel Compilation Track vol.6
2025 is Dying - Read Indie VN's to kill it faster! Happy New Year, Dear Listeners, and thank you for once again joining us on this delightful journey into the vast and delightful realm of Indie Visual Novels. In our Indie VN Compilation episodes, Sara and Runa each read a handful of small visual novels produced by independent teams or sometimes even solo developers, many of which are free and if not are pretty cheap, and all of which offer their own unique and exquisite delights. From VNs made for game jams to delightful gay fluff to intense vampire melodramas to Isekai'd Dark Knights to the epic highs and lows of being trans in high school, we'll tell you about some games you might have missed but definitely need to check out! In these Indie Game Compilation Track episodes we want to highlight some of the incredible indie VNs we've played recently and get people excited about the things happening in Indie Visual Novel development spaces. We want to not only showcase the amazing breadth of work coming from Indie developers but also talk about some of our favorite games, many of which touch on subjects, characters, and experiences we rarely get the chance to see in games from larger studios. You can find a list of each game we played below and we encourage you to play along with us, and go searching for other Indie visual novels as well! Most of these games are free and if not, fairly cheap (though please tip the creators if you are able), and you can read most of them inside of an hour or two. In fact, we want YOU, dear listener, to pick at least one of these games to play after you listen, and then tell us about it! You can also check our Patreon, where listeners and patrons can submit either a short audio clip or a few sentences telling us about an Indie VN you've played and enjoyed recently! We may even include your submission on our next Indie VN Compilation Track episode (only if you want, that is). Games discussed in this episode: Char's Ennui The Mysterious Thief; Forget Me Not Dramatic Irony Devil's Liminal Homunculus Hotel Adult Life Yuri Bundle by Team ANPIM Parfum Nostalgique Taking my Dark Knight Girlfriend to the corner store Cycle
Nov 30, 2025 · 2 hr 15 min
Say it in Red Episode 71: Tsukihime Remake ~A Piece of Blue Glass Moon~ Arcueid Route
Have you ever glimpsed the truly ephemeral? Is it in the melting of a snowflake upon a cool window pane? The falling petals of a flower in spring? The laughter of a child in summer? Is it the brief and fleeting connection between lovers who might only meet once every thousand years? Is it the whim of the inscrutable and inhuman? Or is it, as so often is the case, the moment when a Type-Moon protagonist feels like he's got his whole life together and everything is really looking up for once? This month, Sara and Runa begin reading through Tsukihime ~ A Piece of Blue Glass Moon~ (2021), the remake of the vastly popular and influential game from Type-Moon, Tsukihime (2000). While the original game features more branching pathways and romance routes to explore, this installment of the remake focuses on Arcueid and Ciel's routes and for this episode, we'll be discussing Aruceid's route in particular. We begin following Shiki, a young boy who wakes in a hospital bed after a serious accident has left him near death. Throughout the world and across every surface he can see, there are pulsing, eerie red lines that cut through his vision. He discovers that, with very little effort, he can cut along these lines to utterly destroy anything with ease. Shiki Tohno, as it happens, can see Death - those lines represent the points at which anything be it human or monster or object can most easily fall to oblivion. After receiving a pair of glasses from a cool older lady who we don't meet again in this game (See Witch on the Holy Night for more info on her), Shiki strives to lead a normal, well-adjusted life with his new foster family. For the next seven years, at least, he is successful. After receiving word that his father, Makihisa, has died, Shiki is summoned away from his foster family and back to the Tohno mansion. There he meets Akiha, his younger sister who now acts as head of the family, and the maids Kohaku and Hisui who manage the household's domestic affairs. While he struggles to acclimate himself to this new environment, he suffers a bout of what is surely Normal Protagonist's Anemia and takes a moment to sit down on a park bench. That's when his life changes course entirely. That's when he sees the beautiful vampire with bewitching red eyes cross his path. That's when he decides that now, for the first time in memory, he wants to kill. Content Warnings Discussion of sexual assault - 01:51:20 - 01:55:45
Oct 31, 2025 · 2 hr 52 min
Say it in Red Episode 70: Iwakura Aria
Yours is an old house, distinguished as much by its history as by its adamant defiance of decay and weathering. Its halls are lavish and narrow, its chambers dark and calm, and its rooms never quite feel large enough to fill its frame. One evening, the lady of the house calls you to her side. She beckons you from within her canopy bed, the drapery down and her voice unusually coarse. She says 'Come here, dear listener,' as she crawls on all fours. She says 'A little nearer...' as you part the curtains. She says 'Be still, and do promise you will not scream?' as she draws you close with one hand, and then another, and then another, and then another still. 'It is time,' she says at last, 'to share ghost stories.' Happy Halloween! This month, Sara and Runa discuss Iwakura Aria (2025), a game which just arrived in English at the end of summer. This tale of gothic suspense sports lavish sprites created in the style of oil paintings, watercolor and charcoal cut-ins, and a lush sense of style and design that often leaves you wondering whether you're really in 1966, when the events of the story take place, or further back in a Victorian drama. The game follows protagonist Ichiko, a 16 year old orphan who has just returned to the orphanage where she grew up after leaving her previous job due to the sexual harassment she faced from the men there. A well-dressed gentleman finds her on the street one day as she tends to a market stall for the orphanage - among the wares on offer, the orphanage staff have placed one of Ichiko's own paintings of a bluebird in flight. This gentleman, Amane Iwakura, takes notice of this painting and offers Ichiko a job working as a maid in his estate. With few other prospects, Ichiko agrees and it is at that manor where she meets Amane's daughter, Aria. Immediately struck by Aria's beauty and poise, Ichiko is flustered and feels she is blessed to be not only in such a lovely house, but to be maid to a beautiful girl like Aria. The house, however, is not without its mysteries and secrets. The distant sound of a crying baby rings in Ichiko's ears on her first nights there, though no baby resides in the manor. An umbilical cord preserved in a box on a shelf, a missing volume of architectural plans, the strange parties Amane hosts in which Aria entertains his associates, and several other curious details give Ichiko some cause for concern. More than anything, however, she is concerned for Aria who sometimes wakes cold as a corpse, barely eats, and seems so pale that even the slightest sunlight might burn her. As Ichiko falls in love with Aria, the secrets of the house and Aria's past threaten to crush them both without mercy or hesitation. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our most recent episode in which our Umineko reading circle gathered to discuss the Umineko stage play adaptations! Content Warnings for this episode: Grooming of infants and children Religious abuse Mutilations, particularly stabbing with sharp implements Incest Sexual harassment and assault
Sep 26, 2025 · 2 hr 4 min
Say it in Red Episode 69: Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog
[Ship's Log, 26th September, Stellar Year 892] Your transport ship, already late in its departure due to congestion around the ports on Ganymede, alerts you to yet another delay. It seems that a cargo ship is emitting a distress signal and the captain of your transport will be diverting your vessel to provide assistance. The other passengers grumble and you feel your own jaw clench – you'll definitely be too late to check in to your hotel now. As the captain approaches the distressed vessel, you glance through the port windows and your stomach lurches. The cargo ship is now clearly in view, and also clearly derelict. Most of its heat shielding is peeling away, there's a terrible gash along the bow, and its airlocks are all conspicuously open. Your captain comes over the intercom to notify you that they'll be docking soon, and that's when the power goes out. At least nothing bad ever happens when you visit abandoned ships deep in outer space. This month, Sara and Runa read through Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog (2025), a game styled after classic PC-98 Adventure games and Visual Novels. You begin as most Adventure games of the era began, by entering your character's name and then selecting your pronouns. Then you're immediately dropped into the trauma of a high stakes interstellar battle, helpless as your comrades are all shot down around you while you can only hear their voices through your radio. The story cuts forward then to the present setting as your protagonist sets foot on their newly assigned vessel: The Jovian Fleet Ship Gun-Dog. Aboard the Gun-Dog you quickly meet your protagonist's girlfriend (as well as the ship's second-in-command), Cassie. Cassie is bright and bubbly and happy to see you as you make your rounds as the Gun-Dog's new security officer, meeting the other eccentric crew members and familiarizing yourself with the mission at hand. According to Captain Merys Bartermews, you'll be accompanying the JFS O'Brien in an investigation of a mysterious signal at the edges of known space. Despite clashing with the pilots of the ship's Armored Frames, you report a completely normal patrol to the captain and prepare for rendezvous with the O'Brien. That's when the power goes out, Cassie collapses, and your communications with the O'Brien are cut off entirely. From there you confront the protagonist's traumatic past, a terrifying mystery, possible mutiny, and your own girlfriend's secrets. Normal things, at least on the edge of known space. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our recent episode on ASMR and the different approaches ASMRtists take in creating their videos!
Aug 29, 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Say it in Red Episode 68: Life After Magic
It's late August and you've just returned home. With a heaviness in your step, you open your front door, kick off your shoes, drop your backpack by your bedroom door, and flop onto the couch just in time to catch the opening of your favorite show. Your parents, who won't be home for a little while, don't really get your taste in television these days but honestly, when have they ever? There's something spellbinding and exhilarating about this show and the way all the girls confront unspeakable evils alongside the daily struggles of school and romance. Something speaks to you, something you can't entirely name, but it's real and visceral and it's waiting for you there on the TV every day after school. It's late August, the year is 1999, and you're watching Sailor Moon. This month, Sara and Runa talk about Life After Magic (2022), a game packed to the brim with 90's style and overflowing with love and admiration for Magical Girl stories. While Sailor Moon is the most obvious point of reference here, this game weaves in so many different influences from late 90's and early 00's anime and manga from Tokyo Mew Mew to Yu-Gi-Oh and beyond. The game centers around Akiko, a 22 year old high school dropout who was once Sentinel Starlight, leader of a magical girl group and alien princess here on Earth. Unfortunately saving the world doesn't pay very well and also employers don't exactly consider it a transferable skill, so Akiko works at a makeup counter in the Glamour Pop cosmetics store. Dealing with customers every day is so draining she barely has time to do anything even remotely social – most workdays, she winds down by watching TV with Allistar, her talking cat and magical mascot character. Then, in a development that calls back loud and clear to the first episode of Sailor Moon that aired on the Toonami block in 1999, a gorgeous (and kinda mean) Girlboss CEO arrives to announce a new Sentimentality line of makeup based on the theme colors of the Sentinels. Shortly after, Akiko realizes that her magic is weakening and Allistar calls an emergency meeting... which also forces Akiko to admit that she hasn't been keeping in touch with the other sentinels and lost their numbers. Cell Phones wouldn't be common for a few more years, after all. This launches us into the core of Life After Magic as Akiko manages her time, the stress of her day job, and tries to both reconnect with her former teammates while solving the crisis of magic's disappearance. Each former sentinel has a different perspective on Magic and what their time as Magical Girls really meant (especially given the loaded gender of the term). It's great to see both the characters and narrative unpack 90's nostalgia and the impact magical girl shows and shoujo manga have had on so many of us especially in the queer community. There's also a lot of depth and tiny secrets to uncover in this game, including secret endings and a really great cast of romanceable characters. Also, Akiko's Ex is there and he's the best/the worst. You really have to play to understand. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider writing us a review on your podcast platform of choice! You can always support us directly on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where you will get access to all of our bonus episodes past and present, including our recent episode on Uma Musume and the legacy of Stat Builders & Raising Sims!
Jul 25, 2025 · 3 hr 19 min
Say it in Red Episode 67: uuultraC
A NEW ERA OF HEROES! A WORLD EMBATTLED! THE PASSION OF RIVALRY AND HEATED DRAMA BETWEEN MEN! The sirens sing like soft jazz pumped through shopping mall speakers. Children look on, their eyes gleaming with excitement to see a glimpse of the masked heroes who will defeat the evil, rampaging Kaiju. Every day, the heroes will kill parents, children, and lovers... perhaps even their own. The crowds always cheer when the siren plays, even when the heroes have no heart for cheering. This month, Sara and Runa rush into the world of superheroes, kaiju, and conquering aliens from beyond the stars in the tokusatsu-inspired BL, uuultraC! Set in 1969, uuultraC takes us to a world where humans can become Kaiju and heroes are tasked with killing them publicly and without mercy. Becoming a Kaiju is fairly simple - the infection can spread through contact with Kaiju blood or sex with a Kaiju, and then it's as simple as raising your heartrate high enough that your body twists and transforms into a gigantic, monstrous form. Sometimes it happens when a Kaiju is enraged and lashes out in fury. Sometimes it happens when a defenseless Kaiju is attacked by a wild animal. No matter the case, their sentence is death, to be carried out as soon as the hero Icarus arrives. Adelta's uuultraC(2022) takes us through the story of three different protagonists and their relationships to Superheroes, Kaiju, gender, sexuality, the expectations of society, and their own futures. Shoutarou has always longed to be an actor in superhero dramas, but is that even possible for him after he's splashed with Kaiju blood? His boyfriend, Kozuka, has also been disappearing more and more recently, leaving Shoutarou wondering where the two of them really stand. Choutsugai is haunted by the memory of a young girl he fell in love with on the set of a movie when they were both children. As an adult, however, he discovers that the Belle he loves so dearly is Suzu Isshiki, a drag queen and Kaiju who wages a brutal war against the heroes. Standing above them all is Juurou Sayashi, the current suit actor for Sun-mask Icarus and the star of the hero shows that inspire and entertain the nation. He has always been the perfect, stoic hero... even though his true wish is to live quietly with his childhood friend, Yomi. Yomi, however, is hiding a secret that sits at the core of the conflict between Kaiju and Superheroes. Each of their stories explores the ways in which stigmatization and marginalization, especially of queerness, resonates with the stylized and idealized conflicts that play out between Heroes and Kaiju. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider supporting us by leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you use to listen. You can also support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where for just a few dollars a month you can gain access to our entire backlog of bonus episodes! These bonus episodes include a wide range of topics from deep dives into games outside of the Visual Novel space to fandom histories and much more! Content Warnings for this episode: Discussion of homophobia (internalized and otherwise), transphobia, sexual assault including child sexual abuse, and gore.
Jun 27, 2025 · 2 hr 10 min
Say it in Red Episode 66: Indie VN Compilation Track - Vol.5
Locally produced, hand-crafted, small batch, non-GMO, organic (or maybe silicon-based?) foods are often touted as the pinnacle of health and nutrition. So, please enjoy this selection of small indie visual novel we're bringing you today, freshly delivered for your consumption. You simply will not find this level of toxic yuri, this high a concentration of charm and potency, or a mouthfeel anywhere near as satisfying in those visual novels you get at the big box grocery stores. They do sell them at grocery stores, right? This metaphor falls apart completely otherwise. This month, Sara and Runa embark upon their fifth Indie Visual Novel Compilation Track episode! Every six months, our hosts select a heaping handful of Indie VNs that they've read and enjoyed to tell you, dear listener, about the joys and delights you can find in indie games. Many of our entries this time are also from very cool Game Jams, and looking through the catalog of a jam's entries can be a great way to find more games to satisfy your cravings. In these Indie Game Compilation Track episodes we want to highlight some of the incredible indie VNs we've played recently and get people excited about the things happening in Indie Visual Novel development spaces. We want to not only showcase the amazing breadth of work coming from Indie developers but also talk about some of our favorite games, many of which touch on subjects, characters, and experiences we rarely get the chance to see in games from larger studios. You can find a list of each game we played below and we encourage you to play along with us, and go searching for other Indie visual novels as well! Most of these games are free and if not, fairly cheap (though please tip the creators if you are able), and you can read most of them inside of an hour or two. In fact, we want YOU, dear listener, to pick at least one of these games to play after you listen, and then tell us about it! You can also check our Patreon, where listeners and patrons can submit either a short audio clip or a few sentences telling us about an Indie VN you've played and enjoyed recently! We may even include your submission on our next Indie VN Compilation Track episode (only if you want, that is). Games discussed in this episode: Comme Tu Veux (00:06:23) Our Bad Ending (00:18:33) Spring in Her Step (00:22:41) Threads of Magic (00:28:18) her tears were my light (00:39:02) A Circle of Charity (00:43:13) Neurokino Retrograde (00:48:32) Märchen Line (01:01:14) A Date with Death (01:16:38) The Final Prize is Soup (01:26:25) Good Lord! Everyone at the Reunion for my Religious All-Girls School is a Trans Man... And they're Hot?! (01:40:11) And also, these two Listeners submissions! Pinfeather - Submitted by Emrys (00:33:21) Murders on the Yangtze River - Submitted by Raven (00:58:57)
May 23, 2025 · 4 hr 53 min
Say it in Red Episode 65: Misericorde Vol. 1 & 2
And thus, I clothe my naked villainy With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ; And seem a saint, when most I play the devil. - Shakespeare's Richard III, Act 1: Scene 3 History is, in its mystery, endless. No matter how much detail we might glean from contemporary accounts or archaeological digs, there will always be shadows beyond the reach of candlelight. Do you ever wonder, on a ruin's precipice, what sadness or joy might have filled its halls in days gone by? What secrets did they whisper, never recorded in anything but their own faded memory? Did they conspire? Fear for their lives? Resent their fate? Embrace the era? Have some hot gay sex in the Cloister? Truly, History is endless. This month, Sara and Runa bring you the longest episode of Say it in Red to date as they discuss Misericorde volumes 1 & 2! Set in Linbarrow Abbey during 1482 & 83, near the end of the Wars of the Roses, Misericorde centers around the murder of Sister Catherine, a Benedictine Nun. The Mother Superior, fearing that she cannot trust her congregation, opens the cell of the Anchoress. In Benedictine Abbeys, the Anchorite or Anchoress was someone who swore special oaths before being sealed away in a small cell, isolated from the world and spending their days studying scripture and illuminating manuscripts. Linbarrow's Anchoress, Hedwig, then becomes our unwilling Detective. Forced to investigate, unsure of her place in the abbey, unfamiliar with the social norms and practices of her fellow nuns, and completely out of her depth, Hedwig stumbles about through the dark chasing the specter of Catherine's influence. In volume 1, Hedwig familiarizes herself with the other residents of the abbey and frequently recoils in terror when she learns of how lax everyone's schedules are, how loosely they adhere to the strictures of the rules of St. Benedict, and whatever those two women were doing just before she barged into the room? Then, in volume 2, Hedwig discovers exactly what those two women were doing just before she barged into the room and this, along with some other developments, sends her into an existential crisis. Please join Sara and Runa as they discuss all the funky little nuns of Linbarrow, their theories about the mysteries afoot, and rank their favorite and most suspicious nuns. As always, if you enjoy our show please consider supporting us by leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you use to listen. You can also support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sayitinred where for just a few dollars a month you can gain access to our entire backlog of bonus episodes! These bonus episodes include a wide range of topics from deep dives into games outside of the Visual Novel space to fandom histories and much more! And please remember, all patrons can send us in your Indie VN recommendations or tell us about an Indie VN you've played and enjoyed recently - you might end up on our next episode! Our next Indie VN Compiliation Track episode is coming up in June, but if you miss that one then no worries - we'll have an other coming in December. Please tell us about an Indie VN you've played and enjoyed recently!
Apr 25, 2025 · 2 hr 11 min
Say it in Red Episode 64: Fate/Stay Night Q&A!
Dear Listeners, Thank you for the abundance of questions you've sent to us regarding our time with Fate/Stay Night. Please join us on the empty city streets beneath a flickering convenience store sign tonight as we answer your queries, demonstrate our power, and drop a few hints about our upcoming schedule as well. Take care on your way home tonight, as well... I've heard that urban fantasy can be incredibly dangerous for a protagonist such as yourself. This month, Sara and Runa join returning guest MK to conclude our coverage of Fate/Stay Night with a pile of listener letters and questions, alongside a decidedly nonlinear discussion of Fate/Zero. What historical or legendary figure would our hosts summon as a servant in the holy grail war? What has Nasu said about the process of writing Fate/Stay Night over the years? What possibility is there of hearing a Say it in Red episode on Tsukihime? And most of all, what did Sara think about Waver in Fate/Zero? These questions, and many more, are all answered in this episode. As a result, please consider this a blanket warning for spoilers of all Fate/Stay Night routes as well as for Fate/Zero. As we mention in the episode, please be on the lookout for our new schedule which we'll be releasing shortly after this episode. Patrons get to see our full schedule for the remainder of the year, while all listeners are able to see an abbreviated schedule covering the next few months. If you like the show and would like to support us, please consider leaving us a five-star review on your platform of choice, and if you can write a review please write in to tell us which servant YOU would summon in the holy grail war. You can also support us on Patreon at Patreon.com/sayitinred where you'll find all of our bonus episodes, including the spoilercast episodes mentioned here and our latest bonus episode in which Sara and Runa dive into the world of Fate figure collection! The interviews mentioned in the episode were originally in Japanese and fan translations are available at the following links: https://jcrcomicarts.wordpress.com/2021/03/28/type-moon-ace-full-type-moon-ace-vol-13-interview-fully-translated/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Tsukihime/comments/pbhqg5/nasu_and_takeuchis_tsukihime_remake_launch/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Tsukihime/comments/pcei90/nasu_and_takeuchis_tsukihime_remake_launch/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Tsukihime/comments/pe56vw/nasu_and_takeuchis_tsukihime_remake_launch/

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