【My Self Ship with Taizo Hori】
【NOT MOBILE FRIENDLY LAYOUT】
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Taizo Hori has been a comfort character of mine for well over a decade now (since 2010!) and I started actually self shipping with him in 2019!
Dig Dug was a comfort and go-to game for me as a kid, it was the only game I had that I didn't entirely suck at :")
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I suffer from a lot of romantic trauma, PTSD, and CSA and these are big reasons why I self ship. I find deep comfort in characters I feel would treat me right, and Taizo meets that standard better than anyone.
I find comfort in Taizo because of his flaws, his mannerisms, and his personality overall. He is one of the kindest, most heroic people in my life and I couldn't be more grateful.
Everything about him brings me to a state of security, he makes me feel safe and loved as if he was real.
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There was a short period of time where I forgot about Dig Dug, since I lost my Namco Museum game and my old plug and plays, the game kinda only existed as a memory in the back of my mind for like, 2-3 years, until i got a Namco plug and play for my birthday in 2019 and realized "Oh shit! Dig Dug!!" I have not been the same since @_@

【My Self Ship Lore】

So if you couldnt tell by now, i use two self inserts to self ship with Taizo.
"But why, Cupid?"
Personally, I felt I was loading to much onto one self insert and decided, why not have two?

Valentine Hori
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Valentine is the persona i use for more canon plots, he exists in every universe Taizo is apart of (Dig Dug, NxC, Mr. Driller, Shifty Look, etc.)
He's a half fygar half human science experiment that resided underground most of his life, Taizo found him while on a mission and took under his wing from there. They became best friends and later down the line, lovers (1985)
Valentine fights alongside Taizo in the perils of their job.
He was married to both Taizo and Masuyo and ended up staying with Taizo after the divorce.
He's the second ranked chairman in the Drillers Associations "Drill Council" and helps train young recruits in the Drill Camps.
The only thing that differs me from this self insert is the fact that I am not a Fygar.

Cupid Blood
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Cupid is used more for the comfort and coping aspect of my self ship. Valentine does have trauma similar to mine for his character depth, but Cupid is a bit more raw and unfiltered in this sense.
Unlike Valentine, Cupid only exists alongside Taizo in the Mr. Driller universe.
Cupid is a feline therian, or if youre one of those people, a "cat boy".
He's 15 years younger than Taizo and looked up to him as a hero (and celebrity crush) since he was a kid.
He's an American that ran away from his home country to escape parental and domestic abuse and to start a new life.
He ended up moving to Japan and took up a job as a server at an underground restaurant. He met Taizo in person in 2004 when he ended up waiting on his table. They got to talking, Cupid expressed his passions to one day become a Driller and to be able to work with his hero. One thing lead to another, and Taizo invited Cupid to train to become part of the Drillers Association. He passed all required tests and during his training time became close with Taizo, who later initiated a romantic relationship with him.

【Self Ship Gallery】
【Art pictured below is some of my own and gifts/commissions I've received】
【Credit to artists are in the images】