ISSUE GUIDE > ISSUE ONE

"I wish I could change."

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"I Wish I May, I Wish I Might, Forget the Wish I Made Tonight"
Published May 2001
27 pages
Re<Verse date: June 12, 13 1022

As the series begins, Emri Arrojado is suspended from school, thus doomed to fail the upcoming finals and not graduate until the next school year. While trying to relax in the park, Emri encounters a homeless man who drops a strange stick-shaped talisman. The group discovers the talisman is able to grand one wish to each person.

Emri begins to dwell on the problems her personality has created over the years, and finally decides on her wish to become a different person. The talisman takes her literally, transforming her body. Emri is completely devastated when she finds out the talisman was shattered during her transformation. She scoops up the shards, and they somehow disappear into her hands.

As the sun sets, Emri contemplates the sudden change that has happened, and realizes that her life must now change, as well. She sneaks back into her house, stuffs a backpack, and is about to leave town. Kouen and Shiro meet her, and when they fail to convince her to stay, they leave town with her. Kouen argues that she's still the same person inside, but Emri refuses to believe him.

REVISED EDITION
Beginning with this issue's fourth printing, the textual content was changed and perfected. Many lines were polished and the Friday continuity error was fixed. The opening /closing narration is no longer a third person narrator, but Emri's own voice.

ON-LINE EDITION
For details about what was changed for the on-line edition, go to the Revisions section.

NOTES

• The year 1022 was chosen arbitrarily to help the reader understand that the series takes place in a different universe. The two moons also act as indications to this fact.
• "Arrojado" means "adventurous" in Spanish. "Emri" is simply a name I made up. When written in the Japanese form of surname first, it reads Arrojado Emri. (The Adventurous Emri...that is, if you ignore the masculine/feminine rule for Spanish)
• "Kouen" means "red flame " in Japanese.
• "Rikishi" means "sword" in Japanese. It was not inspired by the wrestler Rikishi, as Jim didn't know of such a wrestler until well after naming him.
• "Shiro Kuroi," when written in Japanese style as "Kuroi Shiro," is "Black White" (Black and White).
• The magic stick was originally modeled after a Sailor Scout transformation stick from the anime Sailor Moon, but was altered because it looked a bit ridiculous. Ironically, it now looks like a tampon.
• This was a double-sized issue.

REFERENCES

• Due to the fact that anime and manga are what inspired Jim Whaley to create Unfamiliar Reflection, there are a number of anime references in these issues.
• The title is an altered version of the "Wish Upon A Star" nursery rhyme.
• Shiro's long lock of hair was inspired by the title character's hairdo in the anime Serial Experiments Lain.
• The tree Emri is under is a cherry blossom tree, commonly used in anime for symbolic reasons, much like rain is used to convey the feeling of sadness.
• The Pippsi bottle is an obvious play on the soda brand Pepsi.
• The strict hall monitor plot devide was inspired from Jim's high school, where students were asked for passes even if they were going from one room to the very next room.
• Hamdingers were unpopular snacks from the 1980's.
• The arcade is a replica of the You Arcade from the video game "Shenmue."
• The P-shaped symbol on Emri's left shoulder is inspired by Champion's C logo.