Tuesday Rumble Christmas Special

Hello and welcome to a very special edition of Tuesday Rumble, one designed to exploit the fact that it also happens to be Christmas Day. Since we here at Azure Flame care about our readers, we’ve decided to put together a guide to using all the resources of anime and manga to create that perfect Christmas. So, read on for a selection of tips and ideas designed to ensure that your Christmas goes as smoothly as possible.

Choose the perfect presents

The world of anime is simply brimming with innovative gift ideas (some of which I outlined last year), so why not take advantage of it? Whether you want to trade in your old car for a giant robot, upgrade your technology to the latest sentient computer kit or just invest in something a little magical, the anime catalogue has got you covered. Daughter wants a pony? No problem- go one better with a flying HORSE from Romeo X Juliet! Keep little Jimmy quiet for hours when you buy him a real magical sword instead of a plastic toy! Drop a hint to those unwelcome relatives by presenting them with a portal to another dimension! The possibilities truly are endless!

Invite the right people

Again, anime is ripe with people both historical and fictional waiting to fill your house, but choosing carefully is paramount if you wish to still have a place to call home at the end of the night. If you absolutely must invite people with special abilities, make sure to keep them well away from their enemies and rivals lest conflict break out over a bowl of olives. If you’re interested in some winter romance, then put together a harem of attractive members of the opposite sex (or the same sex, if that’s your preference), but be sure not to invite any eroge leads- they’ll sleep with anything that’s got a pulse.

Cook the tastiest food

Since a number of your anime guests are bound to have ridiculously large appetites, you can’t go wrong by serving up as much food as you can afford- but be careful who you ask to prepare it! Anime may be filled with surprisingly accomplished chefs, but alongside them are an entire underclass of enthusiastic but completely incompetent people who refuse to believe that the reason everyone disappears when they offer to cook is because their best dish is the infamous “Food Fiasco”. If you’re unsure who to choose, audition all the prospective chefs and quietly lock away the less accomplished ones in a fireproof basement.

When it comes to drinks, again, numerous characters like to play Bartender, but only the one from the series of the same name can be relied upon to mix just the cocktail you need. It’s worth paying extra to engage his services- your guests will love him!

Party games approved by the best

So, you’ve stuffed yourself with food and drink, there’s nothing on TV and the party hats are starting to slip a bit- what should you do to entertain yourself? Again, why not take a leaf out of anime’s (or more appropriately, manga’s) book and try something a little different from Scrabble and charades? For the more risqué and daring amongst you, strip rock-paper-scissors always goes down a treat, although the financially inclined might like to try their hand at Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors instead. If you have a forest or abandoned building nearby, a test of courage isn’t out of the picture, but if you want something a little larger-scale, why not organise your own tournament or battle royale? If nothing else, it’s the perfected excuse to dispose of those unwanted guests.