Looks like we're slowly approaching our second birthday, as it's more or less two hours and a half before the 18th here. And as the hours pass, I have to admit I feel grateful.
Two years ago, I was just a regular, like any of you. I saw some discussions on the games, enjoyed the general atmosphere, and wanted to keep it. So I made a thread. There wasn't even a particular OP in this, it was just to discuss the games and the girls alongside with people, as well as to expand my knowledge of an universe I was interested in, since all I had access at the time was the very first game I just finished at the time, despite its glaring problems (anyone who played it know what I'm talking about).
Quickly, other regulars joined in, and a common problem was noted - The Re;birth games had a faulty translation at best, and a very wrong one at worst, altering characters and personalities for the sake of more memes and "lol so funny xD" translation. A suggestion was made to retranslate the game, and I supported it, alongside many people. We didn't know in what we were going, but we were going in it regardless, which lead to the creation of the Re;translations, something that is still called an example through Holla Forums at times.
I wasn't along the ride for the Re;translation, partly because I didn't played either mk2 or Re;birth 2 at the time, but mostly because I couldn't access and play Re;birth 2 on my computer, something which is still the case, even after a forced change of computer. So I contributed my own way, and made a post that surprised many, yet that was enjoyed by as many - The BAD END. It clearly was silly and with lots of mistakes, thanks for English not being my main language, but it motivated people in an other way, as those who couldn't work on the Re;translation went and wrote stories.
Our weight began to impact Holla Forums, and the trolls and shitposters became more intensive, but we didn't even care while I've seen them destroy other communities. The most important thing, months after, was Blancanon's affair, with him asking Blanc in marriage to IFI, being accepted, and leaving her on the altar after a post of several botched pictures which united our small group against him. He came back months later with a promise to redo it more correctly, a promise which we haven't seen the results.
But with or without weddings, we always had our lot of waifus, everyone taking the thing his own way. And even I, who at first thought the waifus to be a laughable self-defence mechanic with no value, found my own in Gear, and devoted myself to her through several stories, a stack of pictures and a support of a character that was at the very beginning universally hated because of her Conquest. I saw through it and through her despite not knowing the character that much (remember, she doesn't exist in the original HDN) and only getting my knowledge of her through side materials and the people that were around.
But the most important in all that is that I found amazing people. From the original posters who followed the threads, to the people who fled /nepgen/ in haste due to their politics and who found here a new haven, to the recent newcomers, we are a small group that I deeply appreciate, even though not knowing even half of you. And I care as much for people like ShockingFate, Companon and Nowanon as I care for people like that fan in denial, Hitler-kun or our lurkers who nearly never post.
Thanks for the ride, everyone. And I hope we'll continue it for months, if not years.
