We have some ground to cover first, folks. “Hakuoki” covers a lot of games!
- Overview and History
- Synopsis
- Love Interests
- Common Route
- Hijikata Toshizo
- Okita Souji
- Saito Hajime
- Toudou Heisuke
- Harada Sanosuke
- Nagakura Shinpachi
- Final Thoughts
Game Overview and History: What is Hakuoki?
Hakuoki is a behemoth of the otome world, famous for its multiple iterations, fandiscs, and a frankly confusing release history.
Fully known as “Hakuoki: Shinsengumi Kitan” or “Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom,” the original game was first released in Japan for the PlayStation 2. It features six love interests, most of whom are based on real-life historical figures from the titular Shinsengumi. (If you’re not familiar with the Shinsengumi, don’t worry, we’ll get into that later.)
Hakuoki was a runaway success, and was quickly localized and ported onto many different consoles.
- In Japan: The original game (with no added content) was released for the PlayStation 2, PSP, Mobile, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS.
- In English: It was released for the PSP, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS, and mobile.
To make things more confusing, the name changed depending on the console:
- It was translated as “Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom” on the PSP, Vita, and mobile.
- It was called “Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi” on the 3DS.
Are you hanging in there?
Fandiscs and Bundles
Like many popular otome games, a fandisc called “Hakuoki: Zuisouroku” was released in Japan for the PS2, PSP, and Vita. This added extra story moments and scenarios with characters who weren’t love interests in the original game.
As more consoles were released, the original game was ported with this fandisc content now included, under new names. Why did they do this? Probably to entice people to buy multiple copies that each had different bonuses.
| Console | Japanese Name (Original Game + Fandisc) |
| PS3 | Hakuoki: Junsouroku |
| PSP | Hakuoki Portable Twin Pack |
| PS Vita | Hakuoki: Kyoukaroku |
In English, this combined original Hakuoki + Fandisc was only ever released for the PS3 under the name “Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi.” Most original fans on my side of the world would recommend this version if you have a PS3. (Sadly, I do not.)
Somewhere after all that, there were musicals, anime, spin-off games, and more. When I said behemoth, I meant it! The only otome game spin-off is also finally being brought to the west this year! It’s an alternate universe set in a regular high school, aptly named Hakuoki: Sweet School Life (SSL).
The Remake: Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms
Here’s where I tell you that I didn’t play any of those games named above. At least, not directly.
The massively popular Hakuoki was later remade and revamped with enhanced sprites, art, additional scenes, and SIX more love interests! Some of these were side characters from the original game, and others are brand new. Exciting! While it lacks the original fandisc content, the enhanced story was too big for one game on the Vita, so it was split into two.
Luckily, the names are more consistent this time:
- In Japan: Hakuoki Shinkai: Kaze no Shou and Hakuoki Shinkai: Hana no Shou.
- In English: Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds and Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms.
These are the games I personally played on my beloved PC. The two games were released separately on the Vita and PC in English. They were recently bundled as “Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom” for the Nintendo Switch in English. This is both games together, with no extra content. (In Japan, the combined version is known as Hakuouki Shinkai Fuukaden.)
There were two more fandiscs released for this remade version that have still yet to be localized into English. That’s all I will say, because I’m bitter. Hey, we got Sweet School Life, maybe we will get these one day too.
The Hakuoki remake is split into a first half (Kyoto Winds) and a second half (Edo Blossoms), not split up by route like you might expect. I assumed it was a Brothers Conflict scenario where there would be six complete routes in each game, but that is not the case.
- Each game has a “route” for all 12 love interests.
- Kyoto Winds is overwhelmingly the common route. Four out of five chapters are the common route, where your choices determine which love interest you favor. The final chapter is when the proper love interest route starts, and then ends.
- Edo Blossoms is a direct continuation of where Kyoto Winds left off. You can directly choose the route you want to play at the beginning.
They are sold as completely separate games, and you can play all 12 routes in Kyoto Winds first followed by all 12 in Edo Blossoms, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There’s no time skip or jump between the games; it picks up right where the first one left off. The experience is best read as one continuous story with the chosen love interest.
For the best experience:
When I finished a route in Kyoto Winds, I immediately booted up Edo Blossoms to finish that entire route before going back to Kyoto Winds to start the next one. For example, I completed Hijikata’s route in Kyoto Winds, and then completed his route in Edo Blossoms. Then, I went back to Kyoto Winds to start Okita’s route.
Synopsis
Our story begins with Yukimura Chizuru. She has left her home in Edo to search for her father, a doctor named Kodo who went to Kyoto and hasn’t returned. To avoid attention, she disguises herself as a man.
Kyoto, however, proves to be far more dangerous than she imagined. She stumbles upon a brutal murder in progress: men with white hair and red eyes are gleefully hacking up a corpse right in front of her.
Just before these monstrous perpetrators can turn on her, members of the Shinsengumi rescue her. But now Chizuru knows too much. She is given a choice: go with these mysterious men, or be killed. She quickly discovers that her own goals and secrets are deeply entwined with the Shinsengumi’s.
Okay, you probably want to know what the Shinsengumi is if you don’t already.
Basically, it was a secret police/military force operating under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The shogunate is the ruling body of feudal Japan. The imperial family is still technically in charge on paper, but the Shogun is the one who holds the real power. I’m not going to bog you down with too much history, as the game itself does a really good job explaining it in the plot and with the extensive in-game encyclopedia.
Over the course of Kyoto Winds, which spans more than three years, Chizuru forges deep bonds with members of the Shinsengumi. She learns that her missing father, Kodo, was in Kyoto under the direct employ of the Shogun and the Shinsengumi, but has since disappeared again. The Shinsengumi aren’t heartless, though they agree to help her look for Kodo, even if they’re mostly just using her to find him. In the first few chapters, they don’t mince words: most people who see what she saw are executed to keep their secrets, but they’ll keep her around. Chizuru directly involves herself in their historical exploits, all while winning the hearts of the love interests and learning dark secrets about herself.
Spoilers for Common Route
Early on, you learn that the men you encountered in the prologue are something called a “Fury.” Furies are men who have drunk a concoction called the “Water of Life,” and this potion grants them super regenerative properties, strength, and a lust for blood. These Furies are the Shinsengumi’s secret project. Kodo, Chizuru’s father and the creator of the Water of Life, was ordered by the Shogun to test and perfect this potion to create the perfect soldier. The secretive Shinsengumi was the testing ground. Unfortunately, it’s not going too well. Furies are very hard to contain or satiate, and Kodo took off. Most Furies eventually go mad if the Water of Life doesn’t kill them outright.
To make matters worse, a group of demons are after Chizuru, periodically clashing with the Shinsengumi in battle and attempting to kidnap her. Turns out, Chizuru herself is a pure blood demon, a fact she was unaware of for her entire life. Also, tensions are brewing between those loyal to the Shogun and Imperialists. There’s a lot going on!
For my sanity, as having TWELVE love interests is kind of insane, this article will focus on six of them.
Love Interests
Hijikata Toshizo
No, no. Not that one. That was the real one. We’re looking for the anime boy version!
That’s Hijikata Toushiro! Totally different guy, and IP.
Wait, he’s in Like a Dragon: Ishin, too?!
There he is! That’s the one we’re looking for!
Jokes aside, most of the characters in the game are directly based off of real historical figures. Hijikata in particular has been plopped into a lot of different Japanese media, he’s a popular guy. There’s a lot of characters based on him or literally supposed to be him, like in Hakuoki. He’s even in a Detective Conan movie! But let’s talk about the love interests, for real this time.
The fierce vice captain of the Shinsengumi known for being a demon on and off the battlefield. He is deeply respected as a swordsman and for embodying a true samurai alongside Isami Kondo, the captain of the Shinsengumi. He’s the major “posterboy” for the series with the longest route. He’s generally strict and no-nonsense throughout the game. I guess you could call him the “true” route but I’d argue that there really isn’t one in this game.
Captain of the Shinsengumi’s 1st Division and known as the “Sword of the Shinsengumi.” Even as one of the strongest swordsmen in the Shinsengumi, he has a playful and lighthearted attitude even when threatening to kill people. He’s dedicated to Kondo and being a weapon for the Shinsengumi to wield, ready to cut down anyone in their way.
Captain of the Shinsengumi’s 3rd Division, Saito is a rational and intelligent member of the Shinsengumi. His priority is in following orders without complaint or failure, and can often be seemingly cold or stoic in his nature. However, he doesn’t take any joy or enjoyment out of battle and the bloodshed that comes with it despite his skill.
Captain of the Shinsengumi’s 8th Division and the most age-appropriate love interest in the game. He is friendly, optimistic, and maybe a little childish but his sword skills aren’t to be underestimated. Unlike most of the other members of the Shinsengumi, his loyalties don’t lie with the Shogunate, going as far as describing himself as an Imperialist.
Captain of the Shinsengumi’s 10th Division and a spearman instead of a swordsman! He’s gentle and affectionate with the ladies, earning him quite the positive reputation with them, especially the ladies in the red light district. However, he’s not a frivolous person and always puts his comrades and subordinates first.
Captain of the Shinsengumi’s 2nd Division and close friend of Toduou and Harada. He’s boisterous, muscly, and has the sword skills to back it up. He loves sneaking out to drink with Harada but has less luck with women. While he comes across as carefree, he’s not completely reckless and smarter than he appears.
The remaining routes are: Sannan Keisuke, Yamazaki Susumu, Iba Hachiro, Souma Kazue, Sakamoto Ryouma, and Kazama Chikage** and will be covered in a future article!
Trying to introduce them without spoilers is a bit difficult. This batch of characters serve similar functions in the organization of the Shinsengumi and are all incredible swordsmen/spearmen in their own right. I’m going to talk about Kyoto Winds and the common route first and then detail Edo Blossoms and the LI routes. There will be major spoilers beyond the general premise of the game from here on out! That being said, if you’re interested in playing the game for yourself, this is a good place to stop.
*Nagakura is only a love interest in the Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms remake, not in the original game.
**Kazama is one of the six love interests from the original game, but in my route order, I’ll be playing him last
Common Route
Listen, I’m gonna assume you clicked on the spoiler section above.
The common route follows the Shinsengumi’s rise and peak of power over 3 years in the historical Bakumatsu period. The choices you make affect the scenes you see with the various love interests and who you gain affinity with, as per usual. Interspersed between these more slice of life moments are historical battles along with the more fantastical elements of the Furies and Demons that make themselves known very quickly.
The first playthrough felt really long. The fantasy elements were more interesting to me than the politics, though I did find myself researching the actual battles while playing. The Shinsengumi basically operated as a secret police for a while, rooting out anti-shogun ronin and clashing with the imperialist Choshu domain. When Chizuru was present, the battles were exciting and usually came with a moment between her and whichever LI you’re targeting. When she’s not present, it feels like a list of names and events brushed over very quickly even if something large happened.
At the start, things go pretty well for the Shinsemgumi except for the pesky furies going mad and breaking out at night to slash people to death and drink their blood. They foil coup attempts and generally beat down anyone else who gets in their, and the Shogunate’s, way. Before Kodo up and left, they were testing the “Water of Life” serum and creating the “Fury Corps,” but most of them ended up losing their minds. Sannan, another Shinsengumi captain, ends up permanently injured and secretly conducts more experiments and fine tunes the serum, eventually drinking it to heal his injury. It’s a success for the most part! But man, he’s acting weird. I’m sure it’s nothing! He’s the first main character to end up a Fury.
When the Shinsengumi’s numbers wane, Heisuke calls up some friends to join but they are pretty ideologically mismatched with the Shinsemgumi and end up creating a break-off group called the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb once they find out about the Fury Corps. Heisuke and Saito end up going with them. The two groups end up at odds with each other and Heisuke is almost killed in the clash, but drinks the water of life and becomes main character fury #2. Saito, on the other hand, only joined to spy for Hijikata. Sannan and Heisuke’s transformations happen no matter what!
All the while, the demon stuff. Chizuru learns fairly quickly that she is a pure-blood demon, from an immensely powerful clan, which explains her own extraordinary healing properties. A trio of demons led by a demon named Kazama Chikage, try to kidnap her to make her his bride to essentially breed the strongest demons. These demons are also backing the anti-Shogun domains behind the scenes. Don’t worry, our Shinsengumi won’t let that happen! Unless they do, because Kazama has a route, but I haven’t played that part yet… anyway! A demon Princess, Sen, and her loyal bodyguard Kimigiku, also make an appearance to protect Chizuru from being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want. They offer to take Chizuru away and protect her but she declines, citing her budding feelings for one of the Shinsengumi members.
Also you meet a girl in town who looks exactly like Chizuru. Like, identical. Huh. Wonder what that’s about. Probably don’t need to worry about it.
Sadly, things start going badly. As the tide turns on the Shinsengumi, the Shogun starts losing power and the Choshu and Satsuma domains form a powerful alliance against the Shogunate. The shogun resigns, hoping to avoid an all-out war but that uh. Doesn’t work. Sannan ends up passing out vials of the Water of Life to each Captain to use in an emergency.
Throughout this, you get a lot of great scenes with your chosen LI, from domestic moments to dramatic battles. While we’re still in the flirting stage, I found myself really endeared to most of the LIs while I focused on them.
Like I said above though, my first go-through felt really long. I think my route order choice played a part in this a bit. Hijikata is who I went with first and his character isn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, he’s pretty no-nonsense. I’ll admit I’m much fonder of the other love interests, especially their Kyoto Winds experience. But we continue on! After chapter 4, chapter 5 marks the beginning of the split love interest routes in earnest.
Hijikata Toshizo
Ah, the posterboy. The Demon Vice Captain of the Shinsengumi. From a lowly farmboy to a samurai. Can you be a little nicer to me, please?? That’s really my prevailing feeling throughout his route. I know, I know, there’s a war, your entire belief system and what you built your life on is falling apart… but what about me Chizuru? This feeling turned around a bit by the very end, but it did stain my feelings about him. Sorry, Hijikata. In the common route, Chizuru acts as his pageboy and basically hangs around him trying to help. Kazama and, uh, the entire Imperial army are the main antagonists in his route. Much like the common route, there’s a lot of historical battles with and without Chizuru present.
Spoilers for Hijikata’s Route
Maybe I’m naive, but when Hijikata drank the Water of Life while battling Kazama so quickly in the game, I’m talking his first chapter, I was shocked. I’m not sure how but I managed to never spoil myself about this game other than it’s about historical samurai. I wasn’t expecting the love interests to become furies, but it’s actually a main point of conflict in the game. In the second half, there’s a “love” meter and “corruption” meter that determine the ending you will get. The furies need blood, and Chizuru is a demon with extraordinary healing powers herself so she’s the perfect source. The furies also are also nocturnal by nature. The sun causes them a lot of fatigue and pain, but Hijikata in particular fights through this to continue being the Vice-Captain of the Shinsengumi.
After the battle with Kazama and rescuing Chizuru, the Shogun flees Kyoto for Edo, functionally abandoning his supporters and making the Shinsengumi fugitives. Kyoto Winds ends with Hijikata, Chizuru, and the surviving members of the Shinsengumi sailing off to Edo and an uncertain future. I really loved when he was fighting to save Chizuru! It showed how strong he really is, and how much he has begun to care about her.
Edo Blossoms is fairly historical, focusing on real battles and issues in the very real Boshin War. Everyone also gets new Western style outfits and haircuts! Wow! Unfortunately, the Satcho Alliance and the Imperial Army also have Western-style guns and cannons, which beat swords in battle. Kazama is still after Chizuru and with even more gusto now that Hijikata bested him in battle. He becomes obsessed with the idea of beating Hijikata, who he deems a “fake demon.”
When Kondo, the Captain of the Shinsengumi, is captured and beheaded, things really start to spiral out of control. As his page/servant, Chizuru tends to stick close to Hijikata when she can but their numbers are dwindling and the men they do have are deserting. Hijikata goes as far as ordering Chizuru away to keep her safe closer to the end. She, however, basically forces her way back to him. Finally he was starting to warm up! He holds her tight, finally realizing how much he missed her and needs to have her by his side. You begin to see a side of Hijikata beyond being a “Demon Vice-Captain,” but as a man who knows his cause is doomed. He spends time with his remaining soldiers and rallies them together. I really liked seeing this somewhat softer side of him, even if it took about 3 chapters to get to. He is steadfast in seeing his loyalty to the Shogun, the Shinsengumi, and the men under him to the bitter end. Finally he is opening up to Chizuru and letting himself be in love with her.
The Shinsengumi and the Shogunate do not win this war, by the way. Not in real life and not in this game. There comes a point when Hijikata knows this, Chizuru knows this, and all of the remaining Captains know this. To make matters worse, we find out that every time Hijikata uses his fury powers, he’s shortening his lifespan. The strength and regeneration essentially “borrows” some of your future life and power to make you stronger now.
In a final confrontation with Kazama, he uses his fury powers one last time to stab him through the heart. In his final moments, Kazama dubs him a “real” demon, if not a fleeting one, with the name “Hakuoki” meaning (in the official translation) “Demon of the Fleeting Blossom.” His power can’t last and it will eventually kill him.
Hijikata is also shot at one at one point, and there’s a really good bloody kiss CG. I really liked that one. I could be mistaken but I think this is where the real Hijikata died, I haven’t done that much research. But in our ending, because Chizuru fed him some of her blood, he is able to heal. Our ending is bittersweet, Chizuru and Hijikata are together but in hiding. They have no idea how long Hijikata has left to live, but resolve to live it together. The moral of the story here is that LOVING YOUR WIFE is more important loyalty to fealty to whatever cause or figurehead you support.
Hijikata is not nearly nice enough or romantic enough for me to like him that much. I did warm up to him in the final chapters, but he’s kind of a nothing military man who happens to need to drink my blood for most of the story. I just didn’t love his personality. He’s honestly kind of mean! “Demon Vice-Captain” is what he was called in real life because he was so strict so I guess it tracks. Crazy that he’s literally the namesake and the posterboy of the game… He’s a big deal historical and culturally so I guess it makes sense. He’s just not my favorite. I could be meaner but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.
Okita Souji
You know, I really found Okita nicer than Hijikata even though during most of Kyoto Winds he’s constantly saying he might have to kill Chizuru. He’s pretty cynical but he wraps it in a friendly package, at least! Maybe I was charmed by his delivery? Anyway, he’s an interesting guy. I liked his interactions with Chizuru and his confidence. He’s flirty, strong, and lets Chizuru take care of him without complaining. Wait, why is he coughing so much?
Yeah, he’s got tuberculosis. This is a pretty fatal diagnosis and how the real Okita passed away. Okita was taken in by Kondo when he was young and just wants to be useful to him. Being the “sword” of the Shinsengumi is everything to him, and his diagnosis is stopping him. He tries to play it off, but as the disease progresses he becomes essentially bedridden. The antagonist in this route is tuberculosis and… Kaoru.
Spoilers for Okita’s Route
Remember that mysterious girl who looks exactly like Chizuru in the common route? Yeah, she, well he, is back. During a battle, Chizuru rushes to check on Okita who is currently bedridden and Kaoru enters the scene. He’s a boy, and he is Yukimura Kaoru, Chizuru’s twin brother! This plot point is in literally no other route! A whole twin brother! Kaoru shows up and tells Chizuru that their clan was almost completely wiped out after humans betrayed them. The twins and Kodo were the only survivors. Kodo took in Chizuru, and another demon clan took in Kaoru. He says he’s here to protect Chizuru from becoming essentially Kazama’s broodmare. And I believed him! I really thought he loved his sister and wanted to help her. I’m a very trusting person, unfortunately.
He absolutely despises his sister. The clan that took him in tortured him for being the male sibling and not the female sibling, unable to give birth to any demon heirs. Kaoru wants to drag Chizuru into the despair he’s felt his entire life and the first step to doing this is goading Okita into drinking the Water of Life and becoming a fury. He convinces him that he won’t be able to protect Chizuru or be useful to Kondo and be thrown away if he doesn’t use the serum to cure his tuberculosis. It was quite romantic how he was willing to drink it to protect her! I’ll reiterate that becoming a Fury makes it so sunlight hurts you and you get extremely painful bloodlust periodically. Buuuut we get the blood drinking CGs!!!
Kaoru makes periodic appearances to psychologically torture Chizuru more. This is the only route where Chizuru herself becomes a Fury, forced to drink the serum by her twin. Okita is very vulnerable in the later half of his route! He’s going through it but he and Chizuru get to go through it together. I was pleased at how quickly things turned romantic.
Okita and Chizuru get left behind by the Shinsengumi due to his illness but it’s time to go after them. As a Fury, Okita can be useful now, right? Kondo will need him again! There’s quite a lot of scenes of the pair trudging through the forest alone, sleeping during the day and active at night. Unfortunately, they don’t make it back before Kondo is executed, information that absolutely crushes Okita. New mission: find Hijikata and kill him for letting Kondo get killed. Chizuru isn’t too on board with this plan, and neither was I because a LOT less people had died in this route (at least on screen) and I wanted to keep it that way!
They meet back up with Hijikata and company, and the pair battle it out. Thankfully, he does not kill Hijikata (someone else will do that later, I’m sure). While Okita will always probably blame him a bit for getting their father figure killed, he decides to let it go, satisfied with their resolution. Our next stop is the abandoned Yukimura village to confront Kaoru once and for all! Okita resolves to be with Chizuru and supports her through her own struggles just like she helped him with his.
Kodo, Chizuru’s adoptive father, and Kaoru are waiting for them in the village. Kaoru despises everyone and everything. He hates humans for betraying the Yukimura Clan, he hates demons for what they did to him, and he hates Chizuru for not going through what he did. They are able to defeat him after Chizuru desperately attempts to reason with him to no avail. Though Kodo was originally on Kaoru’s side, he sacrifices himself to protect his daughter when Kaoru attempts to kill her. This was really touching to me. While Kodo is definitely not a great guy, I found a lot of peace in how he made the right decision at that moment. He raised Chizuru all those years and really did love her. He also conveniently mentions that there’s a spring in Yukimura village that can cure being a Fury. Yay!
But, Okita still has tuberculosis. The finale scene is them living peacefully in the village, basking in the sun, cured from being furies. Yukimura is hopeful his disease will be cured, and Okita falls asleep in her arms. I fully believed he died at first. I actually googled it. Was it implied he died?! No, he just falls asleep. Alright then.
I liked Okita. While not my favorite, his vulnerability and close connection with Chizuru was well written. He was more flirtatious throughout his route which was a nice change from Hijikata, even if he was crashing out for most of the route. Kaoru is also a great villain and I cannot believe he’s literally only utilized here! The ending came on fast and I felt like it wrapped up some of the conflicts too easily but I wasn’t mad about it.
Saito Hajime
I think he’s in the running for my favorite. I like Kuuderes, what can I say! Watching him slowly melt his stoic exterior was very satisfying for me, and I also think he has some of the most romantic lines in the game. I found him to be so cute from the beginning! He had so many sweet moments that stick out in my mind in Kyoto Winds, like when Chizuru made him a snow rabbit and when he excitedly talked about different swords. Sure he’s stoic at first, but I found him so cute!
Saito is very devoted to the Shinsengumi, similarly to the previous two routes. He sticks with Hijikata for the most part, except for when he’s ordered away to spy on the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb. There’s a great scene where Chizuru has a fever and Saito sneaks back to the Shinsengumi compound to check on her! The antagonists this time are Amagiri, one of Kazama’s subordinates, and… the obsolescence of swords and swordsmanship when faced with guns and cannons.
Spoilers for Saito’s Route
Amagiri is honestly a great antagonist, he was super interesting to me. Much like Saito, he really doesn’t care for meaningless bloodshed or death so their battles felt weirdly respectful? Like they seemed to admire each other in a way. He did, however, spur on Saito’s feelings of inadequacy due to the changing nature of war. See, Saito ends up drinking the Water of Life not to save his own life, but because the way of the Samurai is rapidly fading from existence. It’s a desperate attempt to try and remain strong enough to fight.
Like the route before him, Chizuru must help him manage his newfound bloodlust. One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is there’s actually three choices in these bloodlust scenes in each route. You can give him blood, give him medicine, or make him endure it. Earlier in the game, Heisuke gives Chizuru some medicine that’s supposed to lessen the effects of the bloodlust. The correct choice, though, is to always give him blood. There’s two “meters” in this game, corruption and love. Love must be high and corruption must be low to get the best endings! Always giving blood keeps the corruption low, and you get the vampire-esque CGs, so it’s a win/win scenario.
Because Saito is so loyal to the Shinsengumi, his route follows along with Hijikata’s in terms of historical battles up until this point. Amagiri kinda just pops up now and again. He’s really not even all for Kazama kidnapping Chizuru and doesn’t want to hurt her, or Saito for that matter. He’s more about honorable battles and doing what needs to be done, much like Saito himself. He sees Saito as an honorable rival with an honorable goal of protecting Chizuru, but also sees how swords are quickly being outclassed.
Saito’s route is marked by a lot of snow, echoing his cold nature. Soon, the Shinsengumi is retreating as the Imperial Army and their western style weaponry beats them back. There is one glimmer of hope, however, as the Aizu domain in the north is still loyal to the Shogun. The plan is to now make their way there and gather reinforcements. Unfortunately, they left almost immediately after they came. The Aizu are a lost cause and the Shinsengumi plan to continue their retreat. This is where Saito reaches his emotional climax.
He confesses his love for Chizuru, and his desire to stay in the Aizu domain and defend the people there. For the first time, he’s making his own conscious choices instead of just following the orders of Hijikata. He chooses Chizuru. Hijikata thankfully lets him stay without any punishment, I was kind of worried he’d tell him to commit seppuku or something, but he respects and admires Saito’s decision.
While it did feel like Saito took a long time to warm up, once he got there it was great! He and Chizuru have a quiet night together before the Imperial forces close in and I think he pulled out some of the most romantic lines in the games. I was swooning!! Chizuru tries to get him to rest but he doesn’t want to miss any moment he has with her. He was very honest with his feelings.
Saito is able to defeat Amagiri and Kazama in a decisive battle, but they are still forced into exile for their involvement with the Shinsengumi and the new Imperial Rule. I have it written down that he’s cured of being a fury, perhaps taking a visit to the Yukimura Village and drinking from the magical spring, but this doesn’t seem right. Please correct me if I’m wrong!
I loved his good ending. Even though the pair are basically in hiding at this point, they seem to be living a quiet life in a snowy village together. As Saito watches the snow fall, Chizuru calls out to him but he refuses to respond until she uses his first name “Hajime” because they are married now!
Saito is actually one of the members of the Shinsengumi who survived the war in real life. The real one went into hiding after the war, but once history began to favor the Shinsengumi once more he made himself known and commissioned memorials for his comrades. So he’s cold and his route takes a long time to really get romantic, but the pay off was worth it to me! I also loved his quiet protector vibes throughout. I’m finding that I’m even softer on him just thinking about his route again. But is he my number one? Undecided!
Toudou Heisuke
I make jokes about the other characters being way too old for Chizuru (and honestly, they are) but Heisuke is around her age! But man, I really don’t like his bangs. I do, however, really like his personality. He’s friendly and immediately drawn to Chizuru, but a bit childish. A major point of his route in Kyoto Winds is him being in huge trouble with Hijikata and Chizuru sneaking around to bring him snacks. He was, however, one of the last to figure out that she’s actually a girl in the opening scenes.
As mentioned earlier, he’s one of the first main characters to become a Fury and will become one in the common route no matter what. The battle between The Guardians of the Imperial Tomb and the Shinsengumi is actually where the real Heisuke died. In the Hakuoki universe the “Fury Corps” is a big secret where all of the members are presumed dead by the majority. But in our story, he drinks the water of life and rejoins the Shinsengumi as a Fury.
Spoilers for Heisuke’s Route
I think, next to Okita, he has the best antagonist in his route. Sannan, the first Shinsengumi captain to become a fury, is the main antagonist here. One thing very interesting about Hakuoki is how wildly different some characters are between routes. In Hijikata’s route, Sannan was still a weirdo but was loyal to Hijikata in the end, even dying for him. He kinda lurks around in other routes.
But in Heisuke’s route, he is evil and has an evil plan. As the Boshin war continues, he begins to act independently of the Shinsengumi and the Fury Corps that he and Heisuke are in charge of. He really wants to use Chizuru as a lab rat as well. Hijikata tasks Heisuke with figuring out what he’s doing and stopping him. Eventually, he leaves the Shinsengumi. Sanan has fully embraced being a Fury and wants to perfect it scientifically, believing they will become a new race stronger than both humans and demons. Sen, a demon princess, is also brought back into the story. Sanan wants her to be his bride and basically brainwashes her.
It felt like this plotline was set up really well in the common route, besides all of the historical stuff. While I did like learning more about the Boshin War and the Bakumatsu Period, Sanan’s general… lurking around, the Furies going rogue, and Chizuru’s father’s involvement was definitely more interesting to me.
As for the romantic aspects, Heisuke is really sweet! When they change to western clothes he gets a haircut and his bangs look a lot better! Good for him! It’s definitely puppy love vibes that are super cute. He was pretty immediately smitten with Chizuru, and a lot of angst comes from him grappling with the idea of no longer being human even if that inhumanity saved his life. With his Fury powers he’s able to protect Chizuru, but it shortens his lifespan.
We end up with Kazama, Heisuke, Kimigiko (Sen’s bodyguard and best friend), and Chizuru working together to take down Sanan and rescue Princess Sen. The bickering between Kazama, who still doesn’t particularly like Heisuke especially now that he’s a fury and a “fake demon” and Heisuke was particularly enjoyable. I find it really interesting how vastly different the same cast of characters can be in each route. I suppose it shows how different circumstances can change somebody? But Sanan and Kazama’s characterization isn’t exactly consistent as they make wildly different choices from route to route.
In our climatic battle, Heisuke relies on his regenerative powers as a fury to defeat Sannan once and for all. He accepts all parts of himself, as Chizuru accepted them all along. What I was really focused on though was Kimigiko and Sen! To break Sen free from Sannan’s brainwashing, Kimigiko ends up stabbing her through the chest. The Yuri of it all!! I really thought she was going to die, but she lives because she’s a pure-blood demon so it would take more than that to kill her.
Listen, people like this route a lot because of how sweet Heisuke is and I totally get that. Chizuru and Heisuke are on a fairly even playing field together, being similar ages and having bright personalities. I agree with that! But, when it comes to what stuck out to me in this route it wasn’t their romance, it was Sannan as a villain. While I like Amagiri a lot as a villain in Saito’s route, that was more about his character rather than what he actually did. Sannan had a real, world domination plan going on here and it felt like he could pull it off. In hindsight, I might’ve liked him as a villain because he’s someone who can be defeated as opposed to the historical “villains” where the outcome is less-favorable.
So, Heisuke himself didn’t leave too much of a mark on me other than “awww” and “I’m glad he cut his ponytail.”
Harada Sanosuke
Ah, the ladies man! You know, in the steam achievements for his route one of them is “Does the carpet match the drapes?” referring to his red hair. The steam achievements in this game are wild in general. Anyway, he was the one I was most excited for and looks-wise, my favorite! Sanosuke is known as hot-headed, matching his hair color. He’s so hot-headed, in fact, that he tried to commit seppuku in his past, just because someone dared him to. Thankfully he was not successful, and now he has a cool scar. Yay!
While he definitely still has hotheaded tendencies, especially when hanging out with Nagakura, he’s mellowed out. One thing I enjoyed a lot about his route was his flirtiness and kindness towards Chizuru! He had a lot of CGs, too. The main antagonist here is Shiranui, one of Kazama’s demon friends, but they operate more along the lines of Saito and Amagiri as “frenemies” who deeply respect each other’s craft. Shiranui’s craft being… guns. Kodo and the Furies also loom in this route as a real “evil.”
Spoilers for Harada’s Route
Now there’s a BIG departure from the other routes here. Harada is the only eligible bachelor who does not become a Fury. Throughout his route, I was waiting for the moment, for the other shoe to drop, and for him to have to drink the water of life, but it never came. A big focus of this route is how even if Harada is loyal to the Shinsengumi, he wants a life outside of it. He often talks about how he wants to get married, have a family, and a life outside of fighting.
A big moment in each route that I’ve kind of glossed over so far is that Harada and Nagakura have a big falling out with Kondo and end up leaving the Shinsengumi for good. This time, Chizuru goes with them. They head back to Edo to fight this war on their own terms, seeing the Shinsengumi as a suicide mission. They team up with some old friends there and create their own group. An interesting point is that there’s a side character named Ryounosuke Ibuki who you meet face to face in this route. He’s a bit of a specter haunting the other routes, mentioned as a former Shinsengumi member whose real passion is art.
Ibuki wasn’t with the Shinsengumi exactly by choice, either, but Harada was one of the few people who was kind to him during his time as basically an indentured servant. He and Chizuru meet up with him where he is now a fairly successful artist with the woman he loves by his side. In some routes, Ibuki’s painting of a Fury is being circulated, threatening to expose the Shinsensumi’s dirty little secret.
Ibuki actually has his own game that serves as a prequel to Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms! It’s not an “otome game” but there are routes for each of the six original Hakuoki LIs, focused on friendship and Ibuki basically escaping the Shinsengumi. It shows a much grittier side to the Shinsengumi pre-Chizuru’s arrival. Sadly, Hakuoki: Reimeiroku is not available in English.
But I’m getting ahead of myself! This is a moment where Harada realizes that this is what he wants, a peaceful life with the woman he loves and a family of his own. His enemy isn’t the ideological cause of any military, but Kodo and the Furies that threaten Chizuru and his future with her! Shirainui becomes an unlikely ally to defeat him.
So here’s where there’s some discourse. In the good end, Chizuru and Harada escape the war, and maybe Japan, entirely. Harada and Chizuru get married, settle down, and have a baby. The final CG is them holding their baby. Throughout the route, Harada makes it clear that this is what he wants for him and Chizuru. Some people see this as the “trad wife” route and that he doesn’t respect Chizuru/is misogynistic/sees her as a baby machine/etc. I get that. I can see how the “get married and have kids” ending is not for everyone. Honestly, in real life, it’s definitely not for me either.
BUT!
I choose to not see it that way. Harada and Chizuru have gone through so much bloodshed and literal war, the pair finding peace in a more “traditional” manner is still a satisfying ending for me. It didn’t bother me, but what did bother me is how the translation kept having him call Chizuru “kid” throughout the route even after they had sex. C’mon man you can’t do that. This is the only end of its kind (so far) in the game so I’m not mad at it. I liked it!
While I didn’t get as many “doki dokis” with Harada than I (somehow) did with Saito’s route, I think he’s solidly up there as a favorite so far. I don’t think it’s wrong to yearn for a simpler, safer life and a family! They built it up very well throughout his route, it’s very clear that it’s what he’s dreaming of from the start of his relationship with Chizuru. The moral of the story is, I repeat, loving your wife is more important than dying for a cause.
Nagakura Shinpachi
Ok, now we’re getting into characters that didn’t have routes in the original game! Apparently, he was a very popular side character when the original came out and him having a romantic route was highly anticipated. We love a meathead himbo, and that’s definitely his vibe in the first half of his route. He gives off friendly older brother or like older neighbor vibes. He’s boisterous and loves to drink with his right hand men, Harada and Heisuke. The older I get, the more my tastes change, and while physically he’s not my type, I really liked his vibe and personality in the first half of the route. He’s a lot of fun and he’s got his titties out!
One thing that stuck out to me about him is that those muscles aren’t just for show. He’s an extremely powerful swordsman! Chizuru actually rushes in the fray a few times during the Shinsengumi’s rise to power and fame to help him. She’s not exactly fighting but she’s there for moral support and to stitch him up a few times!
Spoilers for Nagakura’s Route
Much like Harada, Nagakura is increasingly displeased with where the Shinsengumi is headed. Not only the failing cause but the increasing reliance of the Furies and the Water of Life. He is fully against using the Water of Life and is deeply upset that it seems like the Shinsengumi leadership is willing to use them to win. This comes to a boiling point, and he leaves with Harada and Chizuru, mirroring the former route. Kodo and his army of enhanced Furies reveal themselves as the real threat, and Nagakura is mortally wounded in battle.
Chizuru, desperate to save his life, has him drink the Water of Life and become a Fury himself. This happened pretty late in his route which was a big surprise to me! I also really liked how he became a Fury, even if it wasn’t really of his own volition. He does agree to drink it in his dying state but one has to wonder if that’s a choice he’d ever make for himself in his right mind. It’s a choice he makes out of desperation to save his own life and to protect Chizuru. Chizuru, however, still harbors a lot of guilt for what she feels like is turning him into the thing he hates the most.
It takes a while for this route to get romantic. He’s really nice and friendly but the big brother routine goes on a little long. After turning into a Fury, the pair end up holed up in an abandoned house in the countryside where Nagakura is basically catatonic for a while. He feels like his pride as a samurai is completely gone now that he is a bloodthirsty “monster.” Chizuru takes over completely, gathering food, resources, and taking up the mantle of protector. I felt proud of her for taking over, but also kind of annoyed that she basically had to take care of him like a baby for a while. Get up man!!
Well, he does get up. Being a Fury doesn’t change your soul or the fact that you’re in love and love is the most important thing to fight for! This is a pretty common thread in every route. Becoming a Fury might change your body, but not your human soul! Chizuru also deals with this a bit when she learns she’s a full-blood 100% demon and not a human. Honestly, she takes it way better than all of the men combined. Perhaps not feeling intense bloodlust and needing to drink blood to survive helps? Either way, she’s the emotional stability and link to humanity that Nagakura needs to accept his new reality.
You know what time it is now! Time to kill Chizuru’s dad and fend off the demons who want to take her away! Time to justify your existence outside of the Shinsengumi! Protect the one you love! Yeah! And he does it, of course, in the good ending. He has some cute dialogue about asking Chizuru if she wants to be “spouses.” I would’ve liked to see him fumbling a bit more trying to be romantic but I guess we didn’t have time for it…
There’s definitely a divide of like, the more serious and dour love interests and the cheekier, nicer ones. Nagakura is definitely in the second group, especially in the beginning of his route. He’s bubbly and fun and did I mention that he has his boobies out? I wanted more from him, to be happier for longer, I think. Nothing really stuck out to me besides his personality which he kind of lost for a while, unfortunately. I can imagine the scenes between them as they figure out a romantic relationship together and how much I would’ve liked them. What a missed opportunity! He looked great in his western-style outfit, though, so there’s always that.
Final Thoughts
The moral of the story is being a samurai, unquestioning loyalty to a figurehead or ideology is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, compared to having a wife that loves you. Do you understand me?? There is no honor greater than that!
This article was really hard to write. It took me probably over half a year. I don’t think I liked this game as much as everyone else in the world seems to. While each love interest were interesting characters with fun quirks and personalities, I felt like the internal conflict was almost always the same. The moments that really stuck out to me were in the more intensely romantic scenes and when the antagonists were something other than “Kodo” and/or “The Imperial Army.” And honestly, some of the characters didn’t get enough romantic time with Chizuru! I can appreciate the war story for what it is, but I think it’s just not for me completely. I am very interested in the other routes, that include Kazama and Sanan. I want to see things from the “antagonist” perspective and perhaps focus more on the mystical elements. One aspect of the Furies I wasn’t able to fit in is that it’s said that Kodo created the Water of Life based off of demons from the west, notably France, instead of those who live in Japan. These “demons” are biologically very different from Japanese demons, not able to withstand sunlight and needing to drink blood. Sound familiar? They’re vampires! It explains the weaknesses of the Furies and how once Kodo studies Japanese demons more he’s able to make his fake demons stronger.
Another Hakuoki spin off was actually recently announced that builds upon this more. It focuses on the origins of the Water of Life, with vampire love interests in Europe. I’m really interested in that one and I hope it gets localized or I get really good at Japanese in the time being!
So, Hakuoki, one of the most popular and most famous otome games ever made. It’s fine so far. I don’t hate it. I liked reading it. I’m going to do the other six routes, I promise. I think if you’re someone who’s more into samurai and their history, you’d get more out of it than me. I have higher hopes for the next six love interests because they’re a bit more divorced from the Shinsengumi proper, and might go to other interesting places. My favorite games are the ones that I turn over in my head for days after I play them, wanting to explore the themes and the characters more. This didn’t happen here. Sowwee!! See you next time!
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