Who is Ritsu Sakuma?

Ritsu Sakuma is one of five members of the chivalric unit, Knights, under the agency NEW DIMENSION. He is the younger brother of intelligent and free-spirited Rei Sakuma of the Five Oddballs (五奇人) and their family lineage has a strange background as they are both self-proclaimed vampires. Ritsu is a third year at Yumenosaki Private Academy in the current years timeline, but is actually of graduating age as he was kept back a year due to his poor attendance, mostly due to his bad habit of falling asleep and napping in the day. To the Producer, Ritsu may originally seem cold and stand off-ish, however he is very playful and mischievous at heart, very caring and passionate about many things.

**! Era **

In the previous year, Ritsu was a second year attending the same school. He was kept behind after his first year and forced to repeat, however it has been established in many stories that Ritsu is actually very intelligent and would usually attend class at night, or do his quizzes and tests in a quiet room after school. Because of this, in "Butterfly", it is revealed that Anzu and Eichi implemented a "nap room" created from an old classroom, and was designed for students to sleep in (for a fee). In "Operetta", Ritsu states that he became an idol because he felt lonely and wanted to see what about idols enticed Rei so much and caught so much of his attention, but as explained in "Requiem", Leo reveals that Ritsu could not keep up with the expectations that Rei set out for them being an idol and member of the Sakuma clan, and decided that after a "lifetime of being compared to his brother, he developed an inferiority complex and decided to waste the year sleeping" to avoid the regret and disgust he felt in his heart. Ritsu's reasons for becoming an idol were originally quite selfish, as he wanted to learn more about the world that caught his brothers attention, perhaps to "steal" him away from this, or maybe out of pure interest. However, as his story progresses, Ritsu's interest in idols grows as he watches his unit grow in popularity through hard work, mutual trust and respect.Ritsu did not have any friends growing up, and was often told by Rei that it is better for the two of them to stick to themselves. In "Band Ensemble", Rei tells Ritsu that it is a miracle that they are loved by others as it is something they never should have obtained for all eternity. In "Rocket Start", it is revealed that Rei also told Ritsu to not get involved and keep to himself, which is something Ritsu believed in and stuck to for a long time. He has a childhood friend, Mao Isara, who is also in the same grade. The two were classmates in the previous year and Ritsu sat behind him in their classroom. In many early events, as well as ones dedicated to showing the previous year whilst Ritsu was a first year like "Checkmate", Ritsu was very secluded and introverted, and when asked about friends he has or people from his class, he would always respond by saying he does not need friends as he has one family member he can trust, which is Mao. From the very beginning of Ritsu's story, it is clear that he has no outward interest of making friends or becoming close with other people and results in him feeling lonely and often brooding about his current and past situations concerning family and friends.Ritsu greatly despises being compared to Rei, and considers it an insult and will typically quickly tell whoever is speaking to him to not address him as "Rei Sakuma's little brother", "Ritsu-san" or "Sakuma-senpai's little brother". This conversation was a large part of Ritsu's appearance in "Checkmate", as his first meeting with Eichi Tenshouin is tense, and Eichi questions whether anything would be left of Ritsu if the attributes of being his younger brother were removed. In "Setsubun Festival", Ritsu tells Yuuta Aoi that older brothers have no value in their life without their younger siblings and that they're the slaves of the younger brothers. Being compared to Rei put a lot of pressure on Ritsu, as he felt like he had to live up to his expectations as Rei was the "Main Character" of the world, as well as being smart and a well-loved idol. Whilst Ritsu also has those qualities, his loneliness and abandonment issues left him feeling hollow, and it meant that he would never try or believe in himself when it came to idol work. Any expectations that were given to Ritsu were never met due to his condition and vulnerability against the sunlight. As mentioned earlier, unit mate from Knights and former Leader, Leo Tsukinaga, worded it best in "Requiem" - Ritsu is the younger brother who has been twisted up into a rebellious phased due to his inferiority complex. Ritsu became an idol to give it a try after seeing Rei enjoy his idol activities, but felt like since he couldn't even hold a candle to him in comparison, he gave up and started. As he feels incapable of overcoming his brother and the expectations that were forced upon him, he simply "watched over the flower bed his brother worked so hard to grow for him" and is stuck living in a world where everything, according to Ritsu, is created and refined by his brother, in which he can never escape.In the previous year, Ritsu's catchphrase was "眠れる冷笑の黒王子" which loosely translates to "Sleeping Cynical Black Prince". It's important to note that was also observed by Aira Shiratori in the "!!" Main Story in Chapter 31, and Ritsu found it embarrassing and asked him not to say it as it was overused by Izumi Sena of the same unit in the previous year when his mental state was poor due to certain events. Going back to this catchphrase, it's interesting to note how "Cynical" was used as a descriptor for Ritsu back during the early days of Ensemble Stars!, as Ritsu's cynical behaviour was very present in early stories. This is largely due to how he believed Rei acted out of pure selfishness and did hurtful things for his own benefit when Ritsu was a child. Because of the traumatic events that occured between the two, and the feelings Ritsu experienced when he believed his brother was abandoning him, he is often saying in many older stories, such as the "UNDEAD Butler Cafe" event story that "Everyone used to only think of themselves" and his behaviour is often languid and relaxed. In "Dark Night Halloween", Ritsu says "In the past, I always found those sorts of things to be troublesome...I used to not remember little things about other people like that." showing his disinterest in people from the past, and the lack of care he expressed towards those around him. Quite early on, Ritsu's development blossoms and shines best when he confronts his feelings towards his brother and friends, and around the time Halloween occurs, Ritsu learns to patch things up with his brother and develops a better relationship with Knights. In the current "!!" era, Ritsu's catchphrase is "夜を見守る吸血鬼騎士" which roughly translates to "Vampire Knight who watches over the night", which suits Ritsu much more as we learn more about him over the years, and especially going into the new era. Ritsu is very attentive and observant, he is very perceptive and this important trait of his completely overshadows his cynical-ness after learning more about him.

Ritsu Character Analysis

For the backbone of my character analysis, I wanted to focus on Ritsu's MBTI personality, which is INTP, his blood-type, which is AB, and his zodiac sign, which is Virgo. These three core pieces of information are important when understanding Ritsu and will be the basis of how to tackle Ritsu's character.

A Logician

Ritsu's MBTI Personality is INTP, someone who has the Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking and Prospecting personality traits. But what do these things mean?Introverted - someone who has a tendency to be reserved and pace themselves. Ritsu is more likely to listen to others carefully and observe rather than speak himself, something which is evident in "Requiem". He is more focused on his "alone time" and think deeply and ponder his emotions, something which is like second nature to Ritsu, especially in his first year. It also means they are sometimes too sensitive to their environments, but it helps them pick up on social cues and find themselves reading and "psychoanalysing" people, which Ritsu admits is one of his worst habits. However, the same reserve he has for his feelings can often mean other stimulating aspects like noise, light, etc can be overwhelming and too much for him - which Ritsu has mentioned in countless stories when he is woken up from deep sleep. Being woken up disorientates him, and as he often uses it as a coping mechanism to escape from the world and situations he is facing, being woken up and "dragged" back into the real world might be overwhelming and sensitive for him. Never the one to attract attention to himself, Ritsu prefers allowing other members of Knights to seek out the spotlight and will prefer to hang low in the shadows. Although Ritsu enjoys attention and can be very clingy, this character trait does not invalidate his introverted-ness, as it is more of a persona he displays rather than his true feelings.Intuitive - someone who prefers to use their imagination to look for new ideas and possibilities, their lives are often spent asking "What if?" and connecting the dots whilst pondering the possibilities of the future. Ritsu is someone I believe has a mix of the Intuitive personality and Observant personality, as depending on what situation, he can adapt to it. Someone who is intuitive may not always be the most practical, and infer a deeper meaning to specific things, and may leap in too quickly without giving things a second thought. Someone who is intuitive can provide a new direction, a new outlook and bring change if necessary. Ritsu often spends time mulling over the past, especially in early ! era stories, and will usually think about things a little too much, which can sometimes cause arguments or be upsetting. Ritsu's unwillingness for change is one example of this, as instead of facing his issues head on, he'll often stay stagnant and think "what if?", such as in the "Horror Night Halloween" event story. However, Ritsu is a great strategy thinker for Knights and is often the one coming up with plans and missions for them, as well as solutions to any problems they might have, like in "Fortune Banquet" and "Rebellion". The observant personality is someone who is most in touch with what is in front of them and are regarded as very practical and focused people. They are a steadying force that tends to get things done and they have a very "hands-on" approach. Whilst I see how Ritsu fits into the Intuitive personality type, I'd like to think he fits into both quite well. just depending on the situation. Ritsu is very emotional and led by his emotions, especially when it comes to his family and friends, however when the situation calls for it, Ritsu enjoys being hands-on and being creative with his approach to success.Thinking - someone with the Thinking personality trait typically leans towards objective information, they are quite knowledgeable and stand by logic and reason to come to decisions. Fairness and effectiveness is a common aspect for someone who has the Thinking trait and can objectively dismiss emotional responses, either their own or from others. Ritsu is someone who has difficulty understanding emotions and why people do the things that they do. Emotions can feel puzzling because there's no set in stone way to understand them. They are much more likely to ponder but may disregard people who make decisions based on their emotions and label them as weak. Ritsu is more likely to have evaluative skills and come up with brilliant, almost fool proof plans as he has a gift for critical thinking and being helpful with difficult ideas. People who have the Feeling personality trait tend to view emotions as something that can't be waved away; whilst Ritsu does learn to become more in-depth and honest with his emotions, his main driving force is being intelligent with his solutions to problems, rather than not thinking about it clearly and doing something based on how he feels.Prospecting - someone with the Prospecting personality trait are much more flexible when it comes to dealing with challenges or figuring things out, which may be at their advantage as they may be more likely to be successful in unexpected situations. They are more likely to react to their environments and make something out of it that can benefit them as life is full of possibilities, rather than try to control it. However, this can lead to impulsive and rash decision making and may find themselves more overwhelmed than those without this personality trait in specific circumstances. Like Ritsu, they can be slow to commit to something for a variety of reasons, but could be because they prefer having a laid-back life and relationships, something Ritsu has mentioned in "SS"* and "Requiem". Despite seeming lazy or unfocused, this personality trait can provide a lot of creative ability and may prove to be very good at brainstorming and use that to their advantage for finding solutions. This causes Ritsu to be passionate about many things; music, baking, Knights - and results in him being very stimulated by lots of different things in his life which are all important to him in many ways.

As an INTP, Ritsu will find himself lost in thought, possibly from the moment he wakes up to the second he goes to sleep. His personality type means that he doesn't stop thinking, whether that be about himself or others, something philosophical or perhaps simple - something shown in "Requiem" is that Ritsu is definitely an over-thinker, and often needs people to help drag him out of his thoughts before it consumes him. Ritsu has a unique perspective and is very intelligent, which in return makes him very creative, a skill which is handy for one of the song writers for Knights. This creativeness is what drives his passion for music, not only is it a form of escapism for him, but he uses it as his creative outlet when his body is sluggish and slow. From the outside, many people around Ritsu may think he doesn't take things seriously or is living in his own daydream. People with the INTP personality are known for being detached and reserved, sometimes on edge and reflective. However, Ritsu being very intuitive with his thoughts is perhaps a wonderful thing - he has spent a lot of time alone, and perhaps made a connection with his own self in his head which provides comfort for him. Ritsu describes his first year at Yumenosaki as being torturous and painful, however I would like to think Ritsu has honed his skill and used that to develop a healthier way of thinking and reflecting. Ritsu is not so much "a man of few words", as he likes conversing with his friends and enjoys being playful and messing around, however I'd like to interpret that more as him being very contemplative in his head and simply enjoying what other people talk about and discuss, to then add his own comments here and there. In "Requiem", Leo notes that Ritsu is like a cat who sleeps all day and doesn't talk, only to add one comment here or there when he needs to, which is a good analogy for Ritsu. It can cause him to feel detached and lonely, however if in a good mood, I believe this is his own way of communicating and being introspective. He is someone who is very engrossed in their own thoughts but can sometimes feel too overwhelmed to say anything out loud. Although Ritsu is not a very lively person, when he comes up with good ideas and has solutions to problems, he takes the opportunity to come out from the shadows a little and express himself and his thoughts, as well as psychoanalyze people in different situations. Few things may give Ritsu energy, but one of those definitely include when he is being useful and helpful to those around him, especially in Knights. His hard work and thinking skills shone in the "Operetta" event story, as well as many others. Like Ritsu has said before, he has a bad habit of psychoanalyzing people, especially Izumi. One of the reasons for this could be down to his INTP personality, as those with that specific personality type love to analyse patterns, and spot irregularities. One of the stories where this is shown the best is "Soiree in the Canary Hall", as well as "Butterfly". The dynamic between Ritsu and Izumi is very special to him, because it allows him to use his creative abilities to help someone important to him. As Izumi is not very good at expressing himself or understanding what he wants and needs, Ritsu is usually there to help clarify and tell him information about himself that he may not have picked up on. For someone with the same MBTI personality, they may act like a bit of a "scatterbrain" when it comes to making plans or being forgetful, which Ritsu has shown before, like in "Cheval Live", however some of this could attribute to him also being asleep throughout the day and being awake at night, as well as being woken up for practice or lives, which can throw him off. Ritsu also has a playful personality and loves to poke fun at or mess around with his friends to get specific reactions from them - this is a trait of his MBTI personality, as they may like to play devil's advocate in order to keep a discussion going, it also fulfils his social bar and gives him some much needed attention after a long sleep. People with this personality type want to understand everything in the universe, but one part of it confuses them, which is human nature, something that has been discussed by Ritsu and Rei in many of their shared stories. Rei often says because of their "vampiric" state and family affairs, it is a blessing they were allowed to live on this planet and converse with normal people everyday. This aspect of life is something that confuses Ritsu, as he often finds himself in a rut or confused about words or actions performed by those he cares about. Although he is not the most honest with himself, and can sometimes struggle communicating, Ritsu will offer up anything for the sake of his friends and usually not stay in a dormant state for too long. His unique strengths and constant state of evolution allows him to reach his full potential, and stay in the universe he loves and calls home, with the people he calls family.

AB Blood Type

The Blood Type AB personality is a mix of both the A and B personality types, which can cause the person who has this blood type to be viewed as complicated and double-sided. Just like Ritsu, they can be seen as complicated because they share qualities from two separate blood types. Although this usual depends on a person by person basis, Ritsu shares more of the AB type stereotypes however, it terms of socialisation and how he interacts with others, as well as his values as a friend, Ritsu fits more comfortably with the A type, which insinuates he is more shy and reserved, but very reliable and trustworthy. However, they tend to hide their emotions and keep their thoughts and feelings hidden from others, resulting in them only sharing when comfortable. In Japan, people with the AB blood type are considered critical, indecisive and forgetful. They may have a cool and mysterious aura around them, but tend to be realists at the same time, and are very upfront. AB blood type is also the rarest in Japan, so they are hard to find, which may relate to his vampire persona, however Rei is type B. Those with type AB blood are considered eccentric, as they are viewed as someone with an unusual or odd personality. Ritsu holds many qualities from each blood type - the A type including being sensitive to the feelings of others, being introverted and being anxious, however he also holds some B type qualities which include being creative, free-spirited and easy-going. Someone with AB type is credited to being rational, distant with others and holding grudges. Although there is no specific scientific evidence that a person's blood type has any resemblance to their personality, general associations are made within Japan based on someone's blood type and it is an amusing way to learn more about someone, as well as their perspective.

Virgo

Ritsu's birthday is September 22nd, which is on the cusp, aka the very last day, to be a Virgo - so depending on what time of day he was born, he could have easily been a Libra. For arguments sake, I will be discussing his Virgo personality traits and some of these core elements of the zodiac sign which make him a wonderful Virgo, however at the end I will discuss what traits align with him being a Libra, if he were born a day later.

The traits of a Virgo - Virgo is an Earth sign which includes August 23rd up until September 22nd. Virgo's are known for being practical, sensible and loyal, as well as systematic in their approach to life. They are hyper-aware of every detail and very methodical, but also willing to help and assist others on a practical level. Some of the traits of a Virgo is heavily aligned with Ritsu and his MBTI type, such as the need of feeling useful, having a fix for everything and typically having a million thoughts per second. Although not really explored in many stories involving Ritsu, the theme of being a perfectionist is common for Virgo's, as well as being dedicated, which is something we can see from his relationship with Knights. Also, just like his blood type, he is seen as very creative and an over-thinker. When given advice for how to help a Virgo, many of the tips that are offered also relate to some of Ritsu's personal struggles, one of them being that he is not very naturally emotionally open, and it may take time for them to open up to you - Virgo's need plenty of space but this does not mean they don't have feelings and may need support and encouragement, as well as reminders that they are loved and cared for. One repeating theme with Ritsu is how he loves others but sometimes forgets to love himself - Ritsu desires and craves love in all different ways and types, but because he's not the best at giving himself the love he deserves, he may feel like he's craving love from others which he doesn't receive back in return. Another tip that relates to this is that Virgo's are over-thinkers and will sometimes create their own anxious feelings completely in their head. Examples of this can be found in "Band Ensemble", but one of Ritsu's core personality traits is his deep hatred of being left alone and abandoned, so any kind of situation that points to this occurring can cause Ritsu to act rash or emotional. Some things that may have been said completely off the bat or without much thought can be inferred differently by Ritsu and causes him to overthink and create anxiety-ridden thoughts in his head. Virgo's are known to be hard workers, which could be true in Ritsu's case depending on how you look at it - although not the most sincere, Ritsu works hard for his friends and will push himself in times of need to help others. He also starts attending classes frequently before the events of "SS" so he can graduate in time and still move up to the next year with his friends. However, one of the most important traits about Virgo's which I believe correlates to Ritsu perfectly is his attentiveness and ability to notice small details - he pays a lot of attention to things that may not matter to a lot of people, but these things will hold weight and importance to him.

The traits of a Libra - Ritsu misses out on being a Libra by just one day, as the dates typically start from September 23rd and end roughly October 24th, and Libra is also an Air sign. Some traits of being a Libra that coincide with Ritsu include being conflict avoidant, hates being alone and struggling with insecurity. However, many of the other typical Libra traits, as well as a lot of basic information about being a Libra is completely opposite to Ritsu, such as having an important value in harmony and being more of a people person. Libra's also tend to be more extroverted and quite charismatic, which definitely suits someone else a lot better.

Although these are some of the few things that sums up Ritsu quite well, he is a very complex and wonderful character to learn about and understand, so I always encourage reading his stories and content to get a real feel of how Ritsu acts in canon and to jump right in to experience it for yourself!

Events and Stories

Below I have listed a recommended story list of content I would advise is important and absolutely necessary to read in order to understand Ritsu's character and development.

As someone who has read all of Ritsu's stories in the original text, obviously I would advise reading them as intended within the game, however I understand that isn't possible for everyone, but please as always take translations with a grain of salt. Moreover, the gap between "Star Festival" and "Requiem" is literally massive; there are stories that fit between these timeframes but most of these stories aren't that lore-heavy, they aren't recommended by me personally if you're going into this with the mindset of understanding Ritsu more as a character. I find a lot of them enjoyable as I personally enjoy the more "fluffy" event and gacha stories quite a lot, but there just isn't much in terms of development writing. You could also arguably add some more stories into my recommended ones like "Setsubun" etc, however it is viewed more as an Aoi twins event story, with some hints of the Sakuma Brothers towards the end. I highly recommend reading a lot of the Sakuma Brothers stories if you were interested in Ritsu's dynamic with Rei, particularly "First Dreams". I also added "Main Story" here because it is our first introduction to Ritsu in the game if you read everything in the order it was released. I wouldn't necessarily recommend reading anything in order of release, just because things can get confusing if you're not staying aware of when some of these stories are being presented in the canon timeline, but I personally like to go back and read everything in timeline order so you have a clearer way of distinguishing the development that Ritsu has made over the course of the year. Both Halloween events I've mentioned take place at the same time, however different events occur so I 100% recommend reading both for context reasons. Some of the heavy stories that discuss Ritsu's mental health or bring up concerning topics include "Black Tea", "Dark Night Halloween", "Horror Night Halloween" and "Requiem"," however unfortunately most of these stories are a bit heavy in terms of content warnings for other characters, so please be aware of this if you decide to read any.

If you've read these and you're wondering "what's next" or you'd like something a bit lighter on the mood, I'd highly recommend "Sweets Patisserie", "Comic World", "Cheval Live", "Sports Festival 2" and "Autumn School Trip."

Knights' Strategist

The first time we were introduced to Ritsu as a strategist was the "Duel" event story. Taking place before Leo's return, Knights was a former powerhouse unit that has been around for a very long time under different names; after Leo became leader, he renamed it "Knights", as "Knight" was taken, to maintain the chivalric theme and spirit the unit had. However, it mostly consisted of people who did not want to do any work and would leech off of Leo's compositions - as discussed in the "Checkmate" event, Izumi explains how he was the only hard working member and the rest would either not participate at all, or do the bare minimum to get by. Knights has always been an individualist unit, with the core message being to do everything by yourself and not consult or get in the way of others. However, after Leo took off on a hiatus and essentially ran away, the other four remaining members found themselves revamping Knights and protecting it until Leo was able to return.In "Duel", Tsukasa challenges Trickstar to a "Duel", an old-styled live that Knights used to participate in, without informing the rest of Knights first. They decide to hold the live, despite it being a B1 live which Izumi explains is entirely pointless, and despite Ritsu constantly falling asleep and seemingly paying no attention to his surroundings, it is revealed towards the end of the event that Ritsu acted as Knights' strategist in this particular live to crush Trickstar after Izumi and Arashi have worn them out. Ritsu also plays a part in the "Main Story" by tricking Subaru into letting Knights win their match by default, however the instance in "Duel" is the first written or spoken evidence of Ritsu playing the strategist role. Another example of Ritsu's strategist role is in "The King's Horseback Ride", where the entirety of the plan was formed by Ritsu, with help of Arashi and Izumi figuring out the small details. Although successful, Ritsu does apologise to Tsukasa before the live that he wasn't able to think of a better strategy; they also can't use Leo's songs, so he notes that it puts them at an advantage, as well as only having a few days to make something work. In "Requiem", when Ritsu, Tsukasa and Arashi have the opportunity to become King, Ritsu feels stagnant and anxious, and mentions whilst on stage that "Acting as the King isn't anything like being the strategist", and says he's having a hard time getting used to it. Ritsu's performance comes dead last, and he says if he wasn't a vampire he would've shrivelled up and died on the spot, but it makes complete sense why Ritsu had such a difficult time trying to take control and act like the King, when it definitely isn't in his blood, nor has he ever really done anything like that before. Later on in the event story, when Arashi "wins" the crown during the live, they say to Ritsu "You’re amazingly clever, Ritsu-chan. You're our one and only strategist, who can look at the big picture and choose the best plan of action at any time." Despite his inability to win over the audience and act as King for his performance, Ritsu does not take coming dead last as a bad thing and it becomes a learning experience for him. During his performance, he doesn't change anything up and sticks to what Knights typically do - Leo mocks him for this and says it's no surprise the audience was getting bored, as he didn't introduce anything new or exciting - but it is completely typical for him; Ritsu hates change and enjoys the fun times in the present, so there was never a need to change anything up because what he knows now is all that he's comfortable with him. Despite the beating he takes from Leo, Ritsu makes a vow with himself in a conversation with Eichi, and promises that after "Requiem", he will keep evolving and promises to continue being whatever he needs to be for Knights' sake. His hatred for change is overridden by his love for Knights, and he promises to not look back anymore and develop and advance for Tsukasa's sake when he becomes the new King.Moving on to Rtisu's relationships, Ritsu finds himself closest with Knights towards the end of the ! era, however Ritsu is also close with his classmates and club members. As Ritsu's MBTI personality is INTP, Ritsu will choose to not surround himself with others just for the sake of it, however as a result of that, it can be difficult for him to become close friends with others and close the gap between him and someone he cares about. He may not open up until a specific time period has passed, and he feels the utmost comfortable and confident that the people he loves will not abandon him. His personality type leads him to be lively and imaginative which causes him to have unexpected but interesting things to say, but the friendships he makes will involve people who are passionate and intelligent. He may also reserve deep or meaningful conversation for people he really deems trustworthy, which is evidenced in Knights stories as Ritsu can often be afraid of speaking his mind in a large group if everyone is feeling upbeat and lively, and prefer to speak his feelings during emotional moments, like Lives etc. When approached by friends for help, Ritsu will be genuine and willing to help no matter the cost - he is often counted on by many for being rational and for offering logical advice. He also enjoys being doted on as he finds himself being useful and beneficial for others, which gives him a sense of purpose and self worth. However, Ritsu may not feel confident in dealing with emotional support and feel a bit out of his depth. Ritsu often stayed out of the way when it came to Izumi and Leo's relationship after "Checkmate", although he very clearly regretted it and wished he was capable of opening the door towards them to help fix their relationship, as they had always been close like family. Despite this, Ritsu learns the importance of communicating and trusting his friends and fellow unit members, and in event stories like "Horror Night Halloween", Ritsu swears to not let anything like that happen again, and acts as a catalyst for change in Knights to ensure they are happy and comfortable for the rest of the time they share together.

Ritsu's Charm Points

① The love he has for othersRitsu has a very kind and caring side to him, which is often shadowed by his ability to hide his feelings or act like a tsundere. However, the love Ritsu has for others, such as his unit Knights, his friends and classmates, and his family, is nothing but passionate and very heartfelt. Early on, at the beginning of the game, Ritsu was often seen by fans as cold and emotionless, due to how he consistently turned down the Producer in conversation and avoided talking to virtually everyone in his first and second year. In his first sub story, he continuously told the Producer to shut up as the more she spoke to him, the less sleep he would get. Throughout the story, it is very clear that Ritsu does not want to converse with people and actively avoids having to talk to people. The reasoning for this was not made clear until a few stories down the line, but the way Ritsu acted around others was intriguing, as pretty much every other idol at Yumenosaki was enthralled with the Producer and she seemed to fit in quite well.When Leo Tsukinaga was revealed as a later character, and the event "The King's Horseback Ride" occurred, a big turning point for fans of Ritsu was when he revealed the care and protectiveness he had for Knights deep down. Through his own will and a bit of encouragement from the Producer, he helped youngest unit member Tsukasa Suou during practices, as he was the newest member and felt inexperienced compared to the other veteran members. Although typical Ritsu behaviour was shown here, such as sleeping during practice and ignoring the other members wishes so he can skip out, he showed true interest and willingness to help Knights in a situation that needed it most. This is also one of the first events where we see Ritsu's dynamic with the Producer as one which is beneficial for the both of them; the Producer entices Ritsu to work by offering blood (which he has not ever taken, bare in mind). Ritsu's true strategist role shines the best in event stories like these, where Knights are backed against a wall and need the skills that Ritsu has to over come it. Ritsu is very observant and just like Rei, he often thinks about things that others don't. It is a continuous theme within Knights stories, as well as ones that involve Rei, that the Sakuma brothers have a gift of "figuring things out" and coming to a solution where necessary. Towards the end of the event story, Ritsu tells Tsukasa that he is "Knights' secret weapon" and was shocked to learn that Tsukasa admired Knights before their first meeting. After this conversation, the birth of one of the most iconic Ritsu quotes was presented to us: "But I’ll win. I’ll at least bring in a tie. I promise. I’m a careless guy… but I keep my promises to the death. I want you to step over our corpses and take hold of our future. If even I, who’s frozen in time forever, can be of help in creating a new future.... That’s all I need. Even if I’m burned up into ash by this bright, dazzling future, I’ll be satisfied.”It wasn't until "Dark Night Halloween" where we experienced this deep love that Ritsu was containing for others, but stayed hidden in his heart as he refused to show it or share it with others. Ritsu has often described the love that he feels for others as "overwhelming", and describing it in a way that puts his physical health in a bad state, because once he acknowledges this feeling, he says sleeping is a waste of time and he enjoys being awake more. This is best explained through Ritsu's symptoms during the event story, where he is suffering with bad fatigue and struggles to stay awake throughout the day. One of Ritsu's classmates and friends, Koga Oogami, consults his brother Rei about the situation. Both are worried about Ritsu, but Ritsu feels frustrated as he is often told to wake up, move and work hard when he's asleep, but now he wants to spend time with his friends, he's told to rest and sleep well. In early stories, we are shown how his condition affects him, and the Sakuma brothers compare it to being like a vampire; they struggle to sleep at night but their bodies reprimand them for being awake in the day. Ritsu's condition continues to deteriorate until the Producer plays a melody on the piano to help him sleep, and promises to wake him in time for the Knights live. It was also in this story that we are shown some of the feelings Ritsu holds for his brother and the past. He often says although he's a second year and has lots of time to enjoy his youth, he often feels like something is going to cut that time short, but he can't waste this precious time by pushing himself. Further explained in the "Horror Night Halloween" event, Ritsu spent a lot of time after Rei went overseas slumped in the music room with a blanket draped over his shoulders, often playing alone and crying. Ritsu refers to his first year as painful, lonely, and one of the worst experiences of his life - his beloved sibling, who promised to stay by his side, went away and left him all alone, and instead left strangers to look after him in his place. He was also not close to, or even in Knights, and was just a work colleague to Izumi and Leo when they needed extra members for lives. He explains that he was always irritated and angry, always stressed and that the confusing, hurtful feelings he felt back then was "strange" when trying to explain it to the Producer. Referring back to my previous point, Ritsu tries to stay as far away from everyone, to keep them at arms length, as he is afraid of abandonment. He would rather the people he loves stay far away and out of arms length, than come close enough to hurt him - a result of the trauma he went through during his first year. He explains his feelings in the "Horror Night Halloween" event story as follows: "But in the end, I didn’t have the guts to step in, or even leave the music room, and all I could do was stand there. If I’d worked up the courage to do something back then, would that have changed our future? And would have those two remained close as family, all this time— Ahh, right. I listened in on their conversation from within the music room. At the time, I didn’t really understand what it was all about. They only called me over for Knights lives sometimes… I wasn’t that close to them. I was just a work acquaintance, after all. No, I was scared of stepping in… even though the thin door of the music room could’ve been easily opened with just the slightest push of a finger. But to me, it felt heavier than steel. I couldn’t move it even a single millimeter. I was shaking like an idiot. I was just like a small child left to watch the house alone, helplessly waiting for his nice family to come back. Hey, have I managed to grow up since then, even a little? Am I moving forward? If it were the present me, could I have opened this door? Would something change? Could someone like me, who was once just like a living corpse, be able to do something like that? I have no idea. But now, I’m wishing I could. After all, I don’t want this to happen ever again. Oniichan. Even if it only hurts me in the end, I want to get involved with everyone too.”Following these early stories and throughout the timeline of ! era, we saw a lot of development in terms of Ritsu's feelings for others, and inch by inch, he felt more comfortable and willing to express his love to those surrounding him. From early childhood, Ritsu had never been open and honest with others, and admits that it felt like it was a waste of time getting close to people and creating meaningful relationships. His only friend had been Mao Isara up until his second year at Yumenosaki; possibly purely because of his own distrust for people and how he wanted to only be with someone he thought would always be there for him after Rei abandoned him. In Knights' "Starlight Festival" event story, we see some of the best development I personally believe we've had in the entire franchise, as Knights' bond grows and blossoms into a beautiful found family relationship, as they all stand on equal footing and put every inch of trust into each other. Ritsu even states that he originally joined Knights purely because it was the rules that Council President Eichi Tenshouin set out, and as they advertised themselves as being a chivalric unit full of individualists, Ritsu believed it was the perfect opportunity to slack off and do nothing if he wanted to. Like in "Requiem", Ritsu also feels lots of dread and anxiety at the idea of Knights going separate ways, however much of this is expressed as early as event stories "SS" and "Fortune Banquet". However, he also conveys genuine care and concern for their unit, since Knights is now a family and Ritsu swears to be consistent and work hard if it means Knights can be together forever. Throughout the event story for "Starlight Festival", Ritsu does a lot of self reflection at what the future holds for Knights, and how their relationship is going to work once Izumi and Leo graduate. His hatred of change is prominent with his relationship with Knights, as he shows a lot of anxiety and apprehension whenever the topic arises. He also refuses the crown during Knights' last live because he understands the passionate feelings Tsukasa holds, as someone who has trained and worked alongside him on a personal level for just under a year, he also explains he's happy and comfortable enough with everyone in Knights to allow them to make the rules and Ritsu will happily follow along with any orders. Ritsu's pure devotion and love for Knights has been clear all along; he upholds the highest standards of work for them because he loves them so much, he knows what they are capable of, and continuously says that the power and trust Knights share cannot be overdone by any other powerhouse unit, let alone any unit made up on the spot. Outside of Knights, Ritsu's relationships with other friends and classmates also improved over the ! timeline, such as in the "Pajama Dream" gacha story, and other Knights event stories with a less serious message. Ritsu's willingness to open up and express himself, as well as understand others and learn more about the people around him is possibly something that has always been hidden deep inside of him; he has always been very observant and sharp-eyed, but the pain and suffering that he felt because of traumatic events may well could have completely cut off that part of him forever. However, I believe Knights are the reason behind his willingness to show love and be loved, as he learns not only to love others in a better, healthy way, but that trusting people is scaringly wonderful. No matter how terrifying it may feel for him, Knights will always, always be his support and be there for him whenever he needs it. He is very loyal and affectionate to the few people he chooses to share this side of him with, but is also protective and clingy to the people around him that makes him feel like a different character entirely. Similarly to before, I'd like to end this segment with some words Leo used in the "Requiem" event story to describe Ritsu: "A good little boy who’s clever and knowledgeable, always sleeping in a corner so he stays out of everyone’s way! Who are you?! What is it you want?! I don’t get it! You, the guy who’s always watching from somewhere around us like a ghost, only throwing in complaints every now and then! Mingle with us a little more! I wanna know more about you! You’re one of my comrades! All of you took my hand and dragged me back to this warm and comfy place! But you, you’re like a cat! You sleep all day only to wake up to meow at us once in a while, and that’s it! It’s so boring! Are you supposed to be someone’s treasured pet? Or maybe some side character whose only role is to give us motivation or comfort?! No, you’re not! Come on, cross over into the third dimension here-- I know you can do it! Come closer! Isn’t it lonely over there in that corner?!"

② Mischievous AppealRitsu's playfulness and mischievous acts is one of the first things we learn about Ritsu in his 2nd Sub Story, and this persona follows him across the entirety of the ! era and the previous timeline. He likes referring to himself as an old man, and "jokes" that as he's older than most students, he doesn't keep track of his age. Unlike some of the 3rd years, Ritsu does not have a bias or favourite towards any age group he likes to mess around with, and chooses to act mischievous with almost anyone he comes across. A fan favourite is his relationship with Tsukasa, as the two are often paired together to fulfil stupid tasks or go on dumb missions in typical Knights fashion. But this is not limited to his unit, as he is also quite playful and enjoys messing with Koga - a boy from the same class and someone that admires his older brother - the two act like a "dog and cat" duo, often involving violence or words shouted at each other in some kind of way. Ritsu keeps up the playful act most of the time, as he prefers to show that outwardly, he is just the "sleepy mischievous" 2nd year. This persona he constructed is a large part of Ritsu's appeal, as it often gets him into funny or weird situations with other idols. Some of his mischievous acts include creating a bean gun and shooting Rei with it in the "Setsubun" event story, challenging Izumi to see who could make the best sweets and then winning against him, making him mad and frustrated which causes him to run home in an attempt to lose the extra calories he's consumed by eating Ritsu's sweets, and then Ritsu chases after him and challenges him to a race in the "Sweets" gacha story, scaring Yuuta by pressing a torch against his face in the pitch black which causes Izumi to scream like a girl in the "Test of Courage" event story, arguing with Koga in the "Dark Night Halloween" event story but then saying he could defeat him with one hand if Koga tried to lay a finger on him, wrestling with Mika in the "School Trip" event story which also revealed that Leo trained Ritsu how to wrestle to wake him from deep sleep, Rei offering Ritsu a parasol in the "Sports Festival 2" event story but then turns him down and says no because anything he offers him can't go in the oversized garbage, as well as many others. Ritsu is also quite playful with the Producer, as in many circumstances he has been close to drawing blood from them to drink but has been stopped by either a Knights member or classmate, biting their fingers and using their lap as a pillow. Many idols comment on Ritsu's treatment of the Producer, and question whether the Producer likes Ritsu doing these seemingly annoying habits, but he insists they don't mind and would stop if asked to. It is a stark contrast between the very beginning of ! era timeline, as Ritsu was hesitant and weary of the Producer and often did not like when they spoke to his childhood friend Mao. However, as he learned to open up to others and formed a bond with people outside of his family, he learnt more about the Producer and chose to trust them as Rei put trust in them to look after Ritsu if he is ever not present. Although admittedly he disliked this at first and often told them it was a waste of time and energy, he soon opened up to the Producer and allowed them to help whenever they felt it was necessary. Ritsu also looks out for the Producer in later stories and tells them to look after their health and wellbeing. Another appeal to Ritsu's mischievous side is his ability to fall asleep just about anywhere. Ritsu is famous within the Ensemble Stars! universe for falling asleep in class, during practice, and in odd places at school, however these locations are not limited to within school grounds as he has also fallen asleep between a gap of construction materials, on top of a clothes pile used for a Knights live, in a cardboard box on the side of the street, on a bench at a horse ranch, as well as many others. Ritsu's ability to fall asleep anywhere has been described as amazing by fellow Knights members, as they're always finding new places which Ritsu has used to nap, however they try to keep a kotatsu in one of the spaces they practice so Ritsu can sleep soundly during the winter. Ritsu's older brother Rei sleeps in a coffin, in typical vampire style, and also had one built for Ritsu which he swears he doesn't use; however he slept in it once during the "Dark Night Halloween" event after being sung to sleep by the Producer, and Arashi has also mentioned in previous Knights' stories that he sometimes brings it to the studio to sleep in, "if he has no other choice". Despite Ritsu's mischievous appeal, he is surprisingly serious at times and very emotional and passionate, especially when it concerns Knights and his love for music, particularly piano. Perhaps the duality of his character and the gap he has is also an interesting appeal within itself.

③ Dreamy KnightAnother one of Ritsu's appeals and charm points is the dreamy, fairy tale-like aura he posses. Although he comes across initially as quite lazy and underperforming, many of the Knights members have commented on Ritsu's aura and how it changes when he's on stage. The dreamy, wondrous aura is sudden and puts the fans into a dream-like state - the gap between his real life personality and how he acts on stage is one of the charm points that is appealing for fans of Ritsu, and it is often heavily depicted in self-made fan work, as Ritsu's day to day self does not seem capable of possessing such a remarkable talent. However, he is the strategist of Knights, and as stated before he is very intelligent and self-aware, Ritsu knows what the fans want and is good at keeping up his image to allow Knights to grow more successful. One of the event stories I would recommend to read which explains this more is "Euthanasia", however I decided not to touch on !! era within this site when discovering and learning more about Ritsu, so instead I will give examples from other stories, but I highly, highly recommend reading "Euthanasia", as it is arguably the best story for Ritsu in terms of development and how his relationship with Knights and his fans have grown over his time at school.An example of Ritsu's dreamy, prince-like behaviour is best explained in the event story for "Fleur de Lis", where Ritsu is continuously working hard and pushing himself for the sake of others; albeit he is very exhausted and feels on the edge of collapsing due to the live being performed in Summer. Knights assure him that he'll be okay and they will allow him to rest wherever possible, but all of his hard work pays off as he delivers a wonderful performance and, for the first time, addresses the audience first and guides Knights through the live. Arashi assumes Ritsu was working hard for the sake of his childhood friend Mao, but it is then questioned by Izumi as he notes that if that were the case, he would've given up once he realised it wasn't beneficial for him which is explained earlier on in the story. As Ritsu takes control of the live, he addresses the audience and says he isn't usually the centre of these kinds of things, but then continues as follows: "But today, I’m pretty energetic, even though it’s in the middle of the day. Let’s all get pumped up~♪ We’re Knights, a unit based on the spirit of chivalry. Please enjoy this magnificent ensemble until the very end... ♪"As well as in specific stories, some of this "dreamy prince" behaviour can be explained through some of Ritsu's core values, two of which are promises and family. Making promises and keeping them is a very core and integral part of Ritsu; a promise is the very reason why Ritsu is an idol in the first place - He made a promise with Rei as a child, to be protected and be next to him forever, but as Rei could not keep the promise and had work to do on the side that involved Eichi and Yumenosaki, he stumbled upon idols and entered the idol course to find out what entranced Rei so much in the first place. Although difficult, Ritsu managed to get by, some assume it's pure luck but his intelligence probably helped with most of his grades as they have never mentioned to be awful, and he commenced into another year at Yumenosaki after repeating the first year. It is then here where he made another promise - to the Producer - although the specifics are unknown. Some sub stories and details sprinkled in to other stories state that Ritsu made a promise to the Producer that they have to watch over him, but in other stories the wording is different - however we can assume from this alone that as Ritsu befriended the Producer and got to know them, he helped guide their friendship and mutual trust which led to a promise entailing Ritsu and the Producer working together for as long as they like, or Ritsu will drink their blood. Mentioning's of promises are also brought up in various event and gacha stories, such as "The King's Horseback Ride", where Ritsu promised to help and coach Tsukasa in exchange for the Producers blood, he asks the Producer to wake him up before the beginning of the live in "Dark Night Halloween" after they beckoned him to rest but asked the Producer to make it a promise, when Leo entrusted the plans of Cosmic Production and the live between Knights and Switch in "Fortune Banquet" to Ritsu, he replied with "I’d like you to believe me, entrust your lives to me. I won’t betray your hopes or your trust, I promise.", the promise he made with Eichi to protect the Tea Club so it could return to being a place where they belonged after the war and thus begged Hajime to join to keep the minimum requirement of members, as well as many others. In "The King's Horseback Ride", Ritsu says "I’m an irresponsible guy, but I’ll at least keep my promises even if I die. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to live in the human world." which refers to what Rei told him, possibly in the past and also later on in ! era, such as in the "Band Ensemble" event story where he tells Ritsu to keep moving otherwise he'll be left in the dark, as their "kind" was not meant to successfully live on this planet anyway but he is blessed enough to have friends. Ritsu also uses what traumatised him in the past as a guide for him to move on in the future, as he does not want to become someone like Rei who can't keep promises, however he re-evaluates this statement in later stories and explains that the trouble and pain Rei went through is something that should not be repeated ever again, thus keeping promises to keep people safe and feel protected are important in their society. Another thing to note is that although Ritsu vows to "keep promises to the death", he contradicts himself in the "SS" event story, by saying to Izumi that "a relationship gets too restrictive with too many promises".His love and protection for his family also ties in with his strong feelings for promises and trust, as he feels betrayed by his family when they break promises that are important to him. In almost every story that involves Ritsu and Rei, or ones where he mentions him, Ritsu will continuously bring up the promises that Rei broke - Ritsu explains that he doesn't do it to make him feel bad or guilty, but the loneliness he felt in those years where he was alone was one of the toughest things he's ever had to face and feels compelled to explain these feelings to the person responsible. He also has a dilemma in "Band Ensemble", where Ritsu feels disappointed and shaken up by Mao's treatment, or lack thereof, towards him, and notes that Mao made a promise to put Ritsu as a top priority when they were children, however this is unknown if it was before or after entering Yumenosaki. However, Ritsu develops a more healthy attitude towards his family and grows and learns from his previous experiences to find true happiness and acceptance in his life. Ritsu's love for family is very present in most Knights stories, such as the practice room in which they dubbed the name "Sena House", and most importantly during the "Requiem" event story, when Izumi takes center stage to fulfil the task that Eichi set out for him, Ritsu expresses his feelings about realising he has friends and wants to do typical, normal things that people do in their youth; Ritsu realises that the relationship he has with Knights is the most special thing to him and says: "Surprisingly, just like you, I've kinda always wanted that too. Like... human stuff. Friendship stuff, young people stuff... Let's do lots and lots of it. And if you think it's too late for that, then I'll give you my blood and make you an immortal vampire like me. That's just how important you are to me, Secchan.". The most important quote however, is from one of the last chapters of Requiem, which cements the feelings Ritsu has been holding back all this time, and realises them for us all to see: "So for as long as humans exist, the idols who bring smiles to their faces will never disappear! They'll always be valued and wanted. In that sense, we already have eternity right here... ♪ I wanna be that kind of idol too! It's not that I'm just copying my brother—that's the kind of person I wanna be! I can't hold it back anymore! I wanna sing and dance and laugh and live together with you all! ♪_♪♪".The attitude Ritsu has towards Knights, especially from "Star Festival" onwards is a large contrast to "The King's Horseback Ride", where Arashi says “Families are quite nice” referring to Knights when talking to Ritsu, but he says Mao is his only family, however he says if they’re not annoying, then he doesn’t mind if they’re by his side too. Ritsu also doesn't seem to care about his actual blood family besides Rei - when travelling to "Transylvania" with Rei in the "First Dreams" gacha story, he says he doesn't care about spending New Years with them and says their beliefs are obviously traditional and outdated, but he doesn't share or believe in any of them. On the train, Rei talks about their family and the unfortunate amount of sacrifice he's had to make for them is hurtful, so Ritsu listens attentively and comes up with an idea, probably in a pinch, saying they could just run away and do something different; neither of the two care much for their traditions and it's clear that their family holds no personal meaning to them other than the pain it's caused. Ritsu says "We’d still be able to live comfortably and happily. Don't forget that. Family's not supposed to be your enemy, they're supposed to look out for you. At least, in my opinion." Rei obviously turns down the idea and says he will uphold his responsibility until the end, but the care and worry Ritsu holds for Rei, especially when related to the duty he has to fulfil for the family, is very prominent. Ritsu has also shown to get upset when those he considers family to not state the same for him in return, for example in "A Midsummers Night's Dream", Mao refers to his and Ritsu's relationship as "kind of like family" to Makoto, to which causes Ritsu to snap back at him and say "Not kind of, we are". The same has also happened with Arashi in "Operetta", where Arashi offers support for Ritsu with the difficult situation he's facing with Rei, and ends the sentence by saying "We're something like family, right?" So Ritsu corrects them and says "Not just “something like”, Nacchan." The topic of family is something that is very sensitive to him, but he also develops enough that he can now have discussions about his feelings without it feeling forced or uncomfortable for him. The love he has for his family is something that fans regard as one of Ritsu's greatest qualities, but it also makes him an ideal prince, because a true prince will care for his princess and the family they share.

From your Producer

When I first met Ritsu, it was November, 2015. I was mindlessly scrolling through Tumblr after school, when I saw my friend reblog some card cgs, the art I had never seen before, but it looked cute and almost comforting. When I checked the original blog out of pure noisiness, it was there when I saw Ritsu for the first time. An announcement of the Dark Night Halloween event was displayed on the page, and Ritsu’s spooky outfit and cute fangs enticed me to look more into it. I’ve always loved the same kinds of character designs, so it’s no surprise that Ritsu’s really resonated with me. After searching through jp Twitter, I found out he was from a new game - Ensemble Stars! I was curious how I hadn’t heard about it already since I already followed a lot of idol series, but I decided to download the game to see what he was like. I loved him from the minute I saw him; his shiny black hair and adorable red eyes, his cute fangs and loving expression. Doing my initial pull, I learned they were all separated into smaller units, and found Ritsu within the unit called Knights. So, as I did my initial pull, out came a cute Tsukasa, who was my friends favourite, and I had a deep feeling that I would come to appreciate them all quite a lot. After playing around with the game for a couple of hours, I felt a strong sense of belonging, like I had always been with him despite it only being a few hours. I remember waking up and scouring the internet for anything I could possibly find ー about Ritsu, the game, the company, anything that could give me more information about this sudden fixation I had. Around this time was when I found Voice of Sword, as well as some seiyuu and character interviews they did, and every day, I gradually felt like I was learning more and more about Ritsu. Ritsu became a daily part of my life so early on, and I will always be so thankful that I was able to meet him during a difficult part of my life. After almost 6 years later, Ritsu has been with me through everything I have faced. I finished my last year of school, started my first job, moved around so many times, went abroad solo, all with Ritsu by my side and he helped me and support me through it all. It means so much to me that he has been here by my side and taught me so much, as well as given me so much in return. Ritsu’s existence gives me so much joy and happiness, that I really can’t imagine what my life would be without him ー even if we were separated, if there was a time we were not able to be together, I know that he will still own the biggest piece of my heart and forever be a part of me. Trying to comprehend being by his side for 6 years is really overwhelming to me, because if that were a person, they’d be in their first few years of school, which could be a good analysis for it. We’re both just scared, small kids, terrified of change, and would rather sit still and unmoving than move towards an uncertain future, but because we have each other, we’re able to accept whatever the future holds and open that cold, heavy door together. Ritsu gives me the courage to continue, to keep going on this terrifying journey of adulthood, and even with so much uncertainty, I’m certain of one thing; that being my love for Ritsu. I’ve always absolutely adored the journey that he has been on, and admired how he transformed, from a lonely, selfish, quiet kid to a proud, brave knight, willing to risk it all and protect the people he cares about. I love learning more about Ritsu and analysing him, learning about the things he likes and what ticks him off, what he values or the thoughts he has about others and himself. Ritsu is a very special and unique person, everything about him is so mesmerising, I truly wouldn’t change anything. I love the relationships he has with the people he cares about most, how he protects and looks out for those younger than him, how he’s kind to all of the students and teachers, even if he likes to be a bit mischievous at times. Ritsu’s heart is made of gold, I really honestly believe that he is the kindest most generous person I’ve ever met, and it makes me unbelievably happy seeing him grow into such a good, happy person. Everything I do reminds me of him, in one way or another I feel like I’m carrying him with me no matter where I go. Whether that’s by listening to specific songs, things I’ll do in the day or what I decide to eat, thinking about him at work or dreaming about him, my heart feels full of Ritsu all of the time. It makes me so happy and gives me such a special, comfortable feeling. I’m always searching for him in every little thing I do, hoping that my wish to be together will be granted, wanting and willing to embrace every single inch, every centimetre that makes up Ritsu. I always end up looking for his smile, thinking that if life could be repeated, I’d want nothing more than to be by his side once again and go to him many times over, because nothing is more important to me than him, an irreplaceable, cherished person that I can’t lose. Even if I’m lonely and alone, being with Ritsu fills the emptiness in my heart that has been there since I was born, but I will never ever forget this feeling of gratitude, and I want to live every single day to repay him for it all. The feelings that lie in my heart, the smiles he has brought to my face, the fun and special memories I’ve made because of him, so many things that are irreplaceable and important to me. Ritsu is my everything, everything I could have ever wanted in my life ー even if I were to be born again, nobody but Ritsu will do, because a thousand years and a million words simply aren’t enough to express the love I have. When he’s tired or having a hard time, I want to support him, to show him that he can smile again, because he brings smiles to everyone who loves him. Sometimes I think, would Ritsukun be proud of me? But deep down, I know he would be, simply because that’s the kind of person he is, someone who would cheer another person on for just doing their best. Like the lyrics from Checkmate Knights say, the hands of the clock begin to move, but instead of being idle, and wishing it would stop, I want to grasp onto Ritsu’s hand and move forward into the future. I want to be rid of the fear of whatever the future holds and run straight ahead, leaping through the night. After years of anxiously fearing the worst, Ritsu proudly began to run ahead, despite being scared, so I want to join him, and go together on this journey. I want to protect his heart, his precious feelings, his wonderful friends. His dreams and his fears, for the rest of my life, because the love I have for him will never end.Happy birthday, Ritsukun. I truly love you more than anything in this entire universe. I only want to look at you and love you forever, so for you, I’ll keep moving forward.

Closing words

Thank you for reading my personal project for Ritsu's birthday.I started this project in April; and after months of work, I am proud to present this little introduction and snippet into Ritsu's life and character. The original Google document consisted of 75,000 words and added up to around 120 pages, however I eventually had so much to say that I kept going right up until the last week before his birthday. A bit of a blunder on my behalf but I thoroughly enjoyed creating and writing this page so much that at one point, I didn't want his birthday to come around, I just wanted to keep going. The entire project took around 5 months, including the time it took to reread every single ! era story that involved Ritsu in some way shape or form, translate it into English and write concise notes, and then create and write this site as well as make my bot, birthday posts, etc etc. I don't recommend this scale of a project for anyone of the faint hearted but it was incredibly fun.I have no idea if anyone is even going to care and I think deep down, obviously I am scared about that fact, but truly I just wanted a little place to exist somewhere on the internet that I could dedicate to Ritsu and throw all of my heart and soul into it. I originally planned this idea around two or three years ago, but many things happened and here I am, a couple of years later fulfilling a wish that I never thought I could achieve. Realistically, I don't think I could do this again, although I may just keep adding to this over time and one day evaluate all of Ritsu's !! era content but who knows. But for now I will be hiding on my small corner of the internet talking about whatever Ritsu-related content I feel like (for now). I hope my love for Ritsu has been conveyed well throughout this project, and once again I thank you sincerely for reading.

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