Arataki Itto, a club-wielding warrior from Genshin Impact, can rock black nails and red eyeliner like nobody’s business. The rambunctious himbo, who humbly refers to himself as “numero uno,” has a reputation as a goofball that precedes himself in the world of the game. And now, Itto has stolen the show in Genshin Impact’s newest event, the Irodori Festival, and it’s all because this bitch accidentally drank a drink with soy in it. And as everyone in the world knows, Arataki Itto is allergic to beans!
[Editor’s note: This post contains spoilers for Arataki Itto’s and Thoma’s quest in the Irodori Festival.]
Itto’s new story comes as part of the 2.6 “Zephyr of the Violet Garden” update. In the world of the game, the Irodori Festival is a chance for the region of Inazuma to open the country up for cultural exchange. In the brief but delirious quest tied to the event, the Traveler (the generic name for the protagonist of Genshin Impact) and their familiar Paimon help organize the event and are tasked with stopping Itto and his friends from hogging a tanuki-themed photo cut-out board.
When approached by Traveler, Itto has no interest in leaving the little cut-out board, which is when Thoma steps in. Thoma serves as the housekeeper and manager of the Kamisato Clan, which is the organizing body of the festival, so he had a little more weight to throw around. After a brief fluttering of eyes, and an acknowledgement of their “bromance” from Paimon, Thoma suggests Itto solves his problems with a life-or-death “volunteer off.” Whoever wins gets the festival’s free signature drink, a cocktail inspired by a popular light novel.
Initially, Itto has no interest in volunteering. But upon hearing that he can win the cocktail, he backpedals and says, “Thoma, my bro, my guy, my dude, maybe I didn’t explain properly,” and then asks more about how to win the light drink. It’s a small rambling moment, but Max Mittelman’s performance of the character helps bring Itto to life. And fans loved the performance even more, after learning the line had been completely improvised.
Mittelman is known for playing offbeat characters like Saitama from One Punch Man. On Twitter, responding to a Genshin Impact fan account, he said, “it always tickles me when productions let me go off script.”
it always tickles me when productions let me go off script https://t.co/FrGJF0DNYU
— Max Mittelman (@MaxMittelman) April 10, 2022
Upon winning the volunteering competition, the previously starry-eyed Itto gets a cold hard dose of reality when he realizes the cocktail has soy milk in it. Panic arises, as characters shout, “He’s allergic to beans!” And the great warrior falls to the ground with stomach pain.
It’s a delirious and joyous little break from the rest of the tedium that can come with completing the various tasks for the festival, and it’s a highlight of the new update. If you want to experience it for yourself, you can unlock the quest with Arataki Itto and Thoma by starting the quest titled “About That Time We Saved the Tanuki Photo Board,” under the “Hues of the Violet Garden” event in the menu.
Source: Polygon
