Anime scenario/adventure

[Gilladian]

I have agreed to run a group of teenagers through a short dnd type game. Seeing as how the reason we get together is for "anime club", I'd like the game I run to have an anime bent to it. I'll be using the Microlite 20 rules, and they'll be more or less fantasy characters, but I'd like to give each of them an anime style power, or item they can use during the game, and I'm looking for anime-flavored ideas for the adventure.

I also need someone to tell me I was not insane for agreeing to do this! (Note: there are between 8 and 12 rowdy 13-17 year olds, mostly girls, in this group. I'm the Librarian "in charge").

 

[Whisper72]

Hmmm... as to your second question, cant say I will tell you you're not insane. Well maybe not insane, just highly masochistic...

Anyhoo... back to Anime... and considering they are mostly girls... and teenagers...

Got me thinking, TFOS (Teenagers from outer Space) might be a good thing to mine material from.

Elsewise, Anime style powers, usually somehow 'inherent' powers (i.e. not so much magical spells as much as super power like powers), check the powers in Supers games for some inspiration there.

As to scenario's, maybe they should all be in highschool. Think 'Monster High' like stuff...

Hope that helps a bit...

 

[Grogg of the North]

Have you considered running BESM instead since it's specifically geared towards creating anime characters?

No, you're not insane. Just overly ambitious.

 

[Gilladian]

I've never read nor do I own BESM, so no.

Really, I think I just need to brainstorm and get a bit of feedback.

I've had the idea of running a haunted house sort of scenario, loosely based on Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, but in a Japanese "castle" instead of a haunted house.

I'll start them off right in front of the building, with the need to enter to avoid a bad storm. Since we have less than 2 hours to play, I'll streamline the plot considerably...

 

[Darth Solo]

Yeah. You're insane for running that.

Anime is over-the-top crazy in terms of action so wash away any intention of a normal world. Let the players feel super-powerful by giving them a setting they can change with a thought. I suggest making them feel like mini-Gamemasters, rather than players. Let them laugh at themselves and it will feed your story.

Then add an equally or more powerful nemesis and hordes of lower-powered minions that allow them to exercise their powers. The nemesis should provide a significant push against their power to make them pause and reconsider their efforts.

For Example: team of (appropriate Japanese slogan yelled at a high level) realizes someone is stealing young children. They investigate & encounter the thieves & over-wow the minion kidnappers. The BBEG gets involved & leads the PCs into a trap, suggesting they join him/her/it or perish horribly. PCs fight them & win (BBEG slips away) at a cost or lose ending up humiliated. PCs need to regroup & finally tag BBEG warping the setting in the process.

Make sure the players change the setting from what it was. Players love shaping the setting and feeling they have a level of power rivaling the GM.

Suggestion?

 

[Tonguez]

There is a free D20 BESM that can be found online.

D20 can certainly handle the ott magic of anime but Im not sure how well it handles the narrative or the defensive skills. Good luck

 

[Gilladian]

Thanks! This is a one shot, I think, so yeah, I intend to let them do a lot of ad-lobbing. I think instead of a "power" I'll give them each a keyword they can play off of. Like "fire master" or "enchantress".

In the very first scene they're going to interact with a ghost who died on her wedding night. She will beg them to lay her to rest. The goal will then be to find her bones. The big villain is her evil, murdering husband, now some sort of undead. But there are also smugglers in the basement. They'll be played for comic relief, I think.

I expect we will only have time for about 3 scenes, but I hope to get my brother to run a second group so we each only have about 6-7 players. It will work much better that way!