We know this game has a lot of info to swallow, so think of this as a quick-reference guide. And if you have a question that hasn't been answered already, leave a comment and we'll get right on it!

General Game Info ❏ What's this game about? ❏ Are characters pulled into the world, or are they born here? ❏ So...this isn't just another survival horror game, is it? ❏ What!? The Earth stopped spinning? ❏ Man, it sucks to be Earth! ❏ What are "oni?" ❏ What's "Otokoyo?" ❏ What's the state of technology in 2041? ❏ Hey, this setting sounds kind of familiar... >_>; ❏ Why is Tokyo called "Neo-Edo?"

Gamplay Questions ❏ Can we play outside of Neo-Edo and Otokoyo? ❏ So what about the rest of the world? ❏ How does time pass in this game? What are "time jumps?" ❏ Can I use magic / superpowers / a huge-ass Buster Sword? ❏ Are there restrictions on the types of relationships I can play out? ❏ Can we play scenes with strong violence or sexual content? ❏ KAWAII NEKO CHAN AI SUKI DESU DESU DESU!!1 ❏ Can my character get horrendously injured / fall horribly ill / die? ❏ For logs between more than two characters, is there a strict posting order? ❏ What's the activity policy?

How to Apply ❏ Okay, I'll bite. How do I reserve a character? ❏ I wanna play an original character! ❏ Are there limits on characters / fandoms? ❏ How many characters can I play at once? ❏ There's something about my character that I want to keep a secret for now. Do I have to put it on the application? ❏ My character has a pet / familiar / animal friend / etc. in canon - can they have it here? ❏ Can my character have a connection to the demon world? ❏ My character is a serial killer / defender of justice / rebel leader in canon - what can I do to adapt him/her to this world? ❏ My character is none of the above! They're just a schoolkid! What do I do? ❏ Do I use my character's journal for anything?

❏ What's this game about?
In the near future, the world has suffered massive ecological, economic and military collapse - and as if that's not bad enough, portals to a demon world called "Otokoyo" have opened in the middle of Japan's capital city, Neo-Edo... and the demons are hungry. Will your character become an agent of the shadowy "Agency" that controls Japan's government, or will they side with the criminal Yakuza who chafe under the watch of the military police? Or will you play an ordinary citizen just trying to make an honest (or dishonest) living?

There will be a developing game-wide storyline as well as player-driven plot. The more active and interested you are, the more involved you'll be in the whole story!

❏ Are characters pulled into the world, or are they born here?
This is an alternate universe game, so all characters were born and raised in the world of the game. That means you'll have to write a new, in-universe backstory for your character. If you're having trouble working your character into the setting, just ping a mod and we'll be more than happy to brainstorm with you!

❏ So...this isn't just another survival/horror game, is it?
Absolutely not! While there are definitely elements of Japanese horror, your character isn't just trapped in a haunted house trying not to get eaten by monsters. There's a whole world (two worlds, actually!) to explore, relationships to develop, and sides to choose. Think of it as a text-based video game with hundreds of potential routes your story could take.

❏ What!? The Earth stopped spinning?
Yup, and a couple laws of physics were shattered in the process! Basically, the planet's rotation gradually slowed over the course of the 20th century and completely stopped by the beginning of the 21st. Earth is now in what is called a "tidally locked" orbit - the same side always faces towards the sun. This means that Europe and the Middle East experience constant sunlight, while the US is a largely uninhabitable wasteland as dark and cold as the inside of your fridge. Japan, where Kakurenbo is set, is right on the edge of twilight. There are no seasons, and there's no difference between "day" and "night."

(We actually put a lot of thought into the physics of this scenario, so don't worry, it's totally impossible in real life!)

❏ Man, it sucks to be Earth!
You don't say. After over a century of unrestrained war and industrial growth, the effects of climate change are catastrophic. Low-lying parts of Neo-Edo are underwater. Fossil fuels are almost totally depleted, so there's a worldwide energy crisis. This is most dangerous in Japan, where demonic creatures called "oni" are known to lurk in darkness. The Agency was able to gain control over Japan by providing electric power from a new, unknown source, and average citizens are terrified of the dark.

❏ What are "oni?"
Oni are the demons of Japanese mythology who will be serving as this game's supernatural antagonists. They inhabit the parallel world of Otokoyo and have a ravenous appetite for humans. Occasionally, oni will cross into Neo-Edo and wreck havoc before specially trained hunters can kill them, but generally, you'll only see oni in Otokoyo.

❏ What's "Otokoyo?"
Otokoyo is a parallel universe that exists alongside Japan in 2041... but it looks like it was frozen in time back in the 1940s, when Japan was ambitiously (and violently) conquering the rest of Asia. It's populated by oni, not people, and the oni do not take kindly to humans who trespass on their land.

Since a large percentage of Neo-Edo's people live below the poverty line, many venture into Otokoyo despite the danger so they can steal everything from antiques to scrap metal from the apparently abandoned city. These goods can then be sold on Neo-Edo's black market. There are also persistent rumors that there are even greater treasures to be found in the demon world.

❏ What's the state of technology in 2041?
Well, the game is set 30 years in the future, so there have been considerable advances in computer and engineering technology. Almost everyone carries cell phones with all the functions of today's computers - web browsing, blogging, entertainment, GPS, programming, and more. Remember, though, that an expert hacker can gain access to digital information. Thanks to the government's gift of free electricity, some people drive electric cars, but most rely on Neo-Edo's excellent subway system. Japan has always been on the forefront of cutting edge technology, so robotics and cybernetics are used extensively in medicine. Most major diseases have been cured, and even serious injuries can heal fully with prompt regenerative treatment.

❏ Hey, this setting sounds kind of familiar... >_>;
We stand guilty as charged. "Kakurenbo" is based on a short animated film of the same name written and directed by Shuuhei Morita. It's a really short movie with great visual effects.

You can watch the "Kakurenbo" movie here: Myspace Video (english dubbed)

We also ripped off a lot of other manga and video games. If you can identify what we stole from, good job! You're an otaku!

❏ Why is Tokyo called "Neo-Edo?"
Because it sounds cool! Ahaha, but the in-game explanation is that the name of the city was changed when the Agency seized power in 2009. "Edo" was the original name of the city back in the 1800s when Japan was a country almost completely closed to the West, so the name change is a symbolic rejection of outside influence.


❏ Can we play outside of Neo-Edo and Otokoyo?
Nope. Your character can be from somewhere else, but all gameplay must take place in Neo-Edo or Otokoyo.

❏ So what about the rest of the world?
The world of the future is a very different place! The United States is a dark wasteland, habitable only in the twilight areas on the East Coast. The Soviet Union still exists as a superpower, Europe and Africa bake under constant sunlight, the Middle East is an important agricultural region with ties to the Soviets, and most of East Asia's fertile farmland is under the authoritarian control of the Japanese Empire. Other than that, the rest of the world is up to you. If your character is from a country that nobody else has mentioned yet, then you get to decide whatever might have happened in the last 30-some years (within reason, of course!)

❏ How does time pass in this game? What are "time jumps?"
Kakurenbo doesn't run in 1:1 time, mostly because we know real life happens, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with RP when three-dimensional duties call. The game is played in active weeks, which are pretty much just what they sound like--a chunk of time seven days long where the roleplay happens. During that 'week', all days will be open at once. Previously, we had only 2-3 days open at a time, but that made plotting more difficult. Time jumps are exactly what they sound like - at the end of an active week, players can decide if they'd like to "fast forward" the game a month or two into the future. In that case, the action would resume in the new month.

So what's the point of this? Well, for one thing, it allows plot to develop! Whether your character is hatching an evil scheme or trying to woo the girl next door, some things take time. The time jump also gives your character opportunity for development. Do they suspect a friend of working for the Yakuza? Let those feelings fester for a month! Were they badly injured in a fight against oni? Use that month to recuperate!

A character may post in as many active threads as the player likes, as long as they aren't simultaneous with regard to game continuity. You can't be in two places at once!

❏ Can I use magic/superpowers/a huge-ass Buster Sword?
You can... with some caveats~ Supernatural abilities do exist in this world, and they have been intensified in recent years by the seepage of spiritual power from Otokoyo. In fact, practitioners of most forms of magic will often find that their skills are stronger in the demon world. Those with the talent to do so can manipulate both their own energy and the energy of the environment. "Superpowers" can also be granted by medical technology - cybernetics can increase physical strength and speed or speed the healing process. (Hopefully, this will cover most canon powers... just don't go overboard. No Kamehameha, please. If you need help figuring out how your character's abilities will work in this world, just ping a mod!)

As far as Buster Swords... go for it! Japan is a militaristic country, so guns, swords and other weapons are all street legal with the proper permits.

❏ Are there restrictions on the types of relationships I can play out?
Het, yaoi and yuri are all welcome, but no character under the age of 16 (physically or mentally) is allowed to participate in any kind of sexual situation. If you have any questions about the policy, please ask a mod.

❏ Can we play scenes with strong violence or sexual content?
Sure - just make sure to friends-lock the post if things are going to get graphic. A "fade to black" sex scene is fine. There's no need to lock threads for language, moderate violence, or moderate sexuality, but do put a warning in the header for the post.

❏ KAWAII NEKO CHAN AI SUKI DESU DESU DESU!!1
>_< No. Please spare us the fangirl Japanese. You're welcome to use words, phrases and honorifics in Japanese or any other language, but make sure the usage is appropriate and correct!

❏ Can my character get horrendously injured/fall horribly ill/die?
Sure! The time jumps are a great way to let your character recover from serious injuries or illnesses. But if you're planning to kill your character, please discuss it with a mod first. Once a character dies, they can't come back.

❏ For logs between more than two characters, is there a strict posting order?
No, but it's important to make sure that no players are left behind. If you're posting out of turn, make sure you notify whoever was posting next. Having a loose posting order helps make character conversations feel more natural, but you still have to be aware of other players.

❏ What's the activity policy?
Kakurenbo now has a new, easier-to-follow activity policy! It's very simple: Each character will be expected to participate in one completed log OR make one journal post per month. If you play more than one character, you'll have to make sure that each one fulfills the activity requirements. Activity checks will be posted on or around the last day of each month, and all players not on hiatus must comment with links to the logs or journal posts that they've participated in. New players get a free pass for their first activity check! There are no penalties for taking a hiatus; however, hiatuses can only last for a maximum of two months. Even though Kakurenbo is a slow-moving game, if you don't play for a while you'll miss out on a lot of action. If you've having trouble meeting the activity requirements for any reason, please speak to a mod! These checks exist in order to help us stay in touch with players and to maintain a consistent level of activity in the game so everyone will have fun!


❏ Okay, I'll bite. How do I reserve a character?
Just make a post over at the Reserves/Wanted page. Then you can get started on your application! Reserves will be held for 7 days, with one possible extension of 3 days.

❏ I wanna play an original character!
Sorry, but original characters are not allowed.

❏ Are there limits on characters/fandoms?
Only characters from anime, manga, video games, TV shows, books, comics or cartoons will be accepted. You will not be able to play celebrities or other real people (exceptions will be made for fictionalized versions of real people, such as historical figures who appear in video games.) Also, only one "version" of the same character can be played. For instance, if someone is playing Kinomoto Sakura from Card Captor Sakura, another player cannot apply for Sakura from Tsubasa Chronicle. Since this is an alternate universe game, please try to integrate your character's canon background into the game. Ping a mod if you have any questions!

❏ How many characters can I play at once?
You can start the game with a maximum of two characters, but after three weeks or your first activity check (whichever is longer), you can apply for as many as you feel comfortable playing. However, you may only apply for one new character per passed activity check. Please make sure you don't take more characters than you can handle! If you do drop a character, you will not be able to apply for another until after then next monthly activity check.

❏ There's something about my character that I want to keep a secret for now. Do I have to put it on the application?
No. Maybe there's something about your character that you plan to reveal later, and you want it to be a total surprise, or maybe you don't want to spoil a series for someone who hasn't had a chance to read it yet... for whatever reason, sometimes you don't want the truth about your character to be public knowledge. Applications for this game don't have to be totally comprehensive, so you're welcome to word things vaguely or skip over part of their backstory.

❏ My character has a pet/familiar/animal friend/etc in canon - can they have it here?
Sure, within reason. If you character has a pet they could logically keep in their home, then go for it. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and small exotic animals are all good. For anything larger than that, ping a mod and ask about it. Talking animals are also fine, but only if said animal has some manner of connection wit the demon world. You can't just go to the local pet shop and buy a talking cat. If your animal friend is of a specifically magical nature, however, you might need to tone that down. A good example of how you can do this is Zabimaru, who is the nue spirit of Renji's sword in canon. For game purposes, the mythical spirit animal who served as the power within Renji's weapon was translated to a German Shepherd dog who serves as Renji's canine partner on the police force. So he still serves the same purpose, he's just workable in a slightly less magical setting.

❏ Can my character have a connection to the demon world?
Yes, but ask a mod first. We have some plans involving Otokoyo for later in the game, so we'd have to make sure that what you have in mind doesn't cause a conflict.

❏ My character is a serial killer/defender of justice/rebel leader in canon - what can I do for him/her to adapt them to this world?
Great! For those with anti-government tendencies, the Rebellion could be a perfect fit. Criminals would make great yakuza gang members. Those with a love of justice may find a place in the police or military. People with a love of power might be comfortable in the Agency's upper ranks. And you never know when a lone sociopath is lurking next door...

❏ My character is none of the above! They're just a schoolkid! What do I do?
That's fine! There are plenty of roles for civilian characters. Neo-Edo needs students, teachers, mechanics, nurses, shopkeepers and businessmen, too.

❏ Do I use my character's journal for anything?
Yes! When you get accepted, please make a character journal and use the profile section to copy your application (minus the writing samples). That way, all of your character's information will be easily accessible to other players. If you want to dress up this info with pictures, fancy HTML coding, or whatever, go right ahead. You don't need to make a concrit posts - we'll be running "how's my driving" memes on the OOC community so players have a chance to give and receive feedback.

If you like, you can also use your character's journal as an in-character "blog." Other characters will be able to respond to your posts. You can restrict these posts to specific characters by making a note in the entry.