#; KASHUU KIYOMITSU — the most beautiful of them all

[bevorzug-t]

@ludicinm liked for a starter! 

“Nng... And now what...”

[sword-brainrot]

hENLO ITS ME AGAIN SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, THE HEADCANONS YOU MADE WERE BEAUTIFUL IM ACTUALLY SOBBING GIJGUIHDUGH. anyway its time to go apeshit, it angsty time. Lets say the saniwa is a self-sacrificing type of person and took a hit for someone during battle and is in critical condition (THEY FINE ITS OK THEY RECOVER) how would hasebe, kashuu (romantic), and sayo (platonic) react? seperate of course dearie~! THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU <3<3<3

Heshikiri Hasebe,  Kashuu Kiyomitsu, and Sayo Samonji Reaction to a self-sacrificing Reader (GN Reader)

♡  It wasn't too common for their master to go into battle with them but sometimes the mission calls for it. This being the case. It was an understanding situation but stressful nonetheless. Hordes of enemies swarming the group of swords and their master. Everyone was holding them off while you were going to break the charm on the shrine... But things didn't go exactly as planned.

♡  You hear a loud yell as one of your precious swords, Hasebe, mutters the words he normally does when he gets a severe injury. "It's not over until I die!" His hand gripping his blade and blood flows out of his wounds and onto the cold, hard ground. The enemies seem to notice that the poor sword no longer had any troops on him and one more shot could easily knock him down. More begin to pile over to him, ready to finish him off.

♡  Frantic hammering of your heart in your ears overtook your senses as you sprinted towards him. You could also come back to this time in history to save the shrine but you couldn't get back your sword that you grew to love. Even if you resmithed him, he wouldn't remember you or the memories you share. You can't leave the sword that made you so happy. So your legs carried you until you were right in front of the badly wounded man.

♡  His expression contorted into one of pure terror when he saw you were the one that ran to his aid. Why... Why did it have to be you? Why would you put yourself in such danger for a sword like him?

♡  "Get away from me!” His words fell to deaf ears as you dashed in front of him, and released a crystal colored barrier in front of you both. You were sure that it would hold off the enemies that were hammering against it. You saved him. You were sure. You just had to hold them off until the other swords could rush over and help you two.

♡  Everything was going smoothly until you heard the words that would stay with you forever.

♡  "NAGAE YARI IN FRONT."

♡  Just like that, the Kebiishi lunged forward with it's spear, crushing your barrier and impaling you in all but one strike. White sparkles that was once a shield now floating up into the sky and disappearing as you fell to your knees, clasping the spear in your gut. When did the Kebiishi get here...? Were you their target all along because you were also messing with history? How did this go so wrong...?

♡  Hasebe’s entire body was wracked by sobs as you lay curled in a ball on the ground, writhing around in utter agony. His own injured body slowly hobbling over to your and grasping you tightly. His tears falling down and painting your cheek. The Kebiishi had already pulled out their spear and went looking for more healthy targets to take down.

♡  The pain was too much to bare. All you could do was stare up at the sword that looked so broken.

♡  “You can't leave,” Hasebe whimpered in the highest tone you’ve ever heard from him. He sounded like a child with the way his raspy voice cracked. His grip on you was high and you could feel every shake that went through his body as the sobs broke out. "You can't leave... I have just learned how to open up and love again... Don't you dare leave. Don't abandon me."

♡  "It's all my fault... I should of been stronger. I should of taken that hit.. I-... I love you. Don't go." He hiccuped through strained wheezes for air.

♡  Although your vision was spotting and blurring, you could see Hasebe tremble where he sat. His body was rocking the two of you back and forth. He didn't care about what was going on around you. Nothing mattered if you weren't okay. He didn't matter unless you were okay. You made him feel love and appreciated. You reminded him that he was a sword worth having by your side. A man you loved for who he is. If he lost that, he lost everything that mattered to him.

♡  With one final, ragged breath, you closed your eyes and succumbed to your injuries. Hasebe didn’t scream like you thought he would. He watched you drift off to sleep in utter silence, almost holding his breath in hope it wasn't actually happening. The only sound that came from him was sniffing back tears and coughing sporadically.

♡  By the time you awoke, you were in the infirmary of the citadel. Yagen and two swords who were on the mission with you, Tonbokiri and Horikawa Kunihiro, sat by you. Your eyes opening bought smiles to their faces. Horikawa wiping away the happy tears that suddenly rushed out when he finally saw you open your eyes.

♡  Your body ached all over but it was tolerable compared to what you had just faced before. Your abdomen tightly wrapped up. It was Tonbokiri that explained that they were able to get out when a few of them awakened and rushed over, using the charm stone and teleporting back to the citadel. You were rushed to the infirmary right away and you stayed unconscious for three days.

♡  "When you are feeling well enough... I think you should head over to your room. Hasebe locked himself in there and hasn't came out since coming back to the citadel... We haven't been able to get him to eat or even talk to him." Horikawa explained.

♡  When you felt well enough, you adventured over there. Swords stopping you on the way to express how happy to see you up and okay. They expressed how worried they all were when you came back in such a condition.

♡  A series of knocks on the door were greeted with silence. The static sobbing from the room paused for a moment, then resumed.

♡  Taking out a key, you unlocked the door and slowly walked in. You could see Hasebe in total darkness as he held the picture frame of you two to his chest. His body not even turning towards you.

♡  "Don't you dare come into this room only to tell me something I already know. Get out now before I cut you down."

♡  "Hasebe... It's me."

♡  You could see his body visibly tense and stop breathing. Approaching him with caution, you kneeled onto the bed beside him and placed your palm on his cheek. He leaned into your touch, his face stained with tears. One hand releasing the frame and grasping your hand tightly, as if he was scared that if he let you go... You would disappear right then and there.

♡  "It's really you," he would whisper as his violet eyes slowly locked with yours. It was only then he would fully release the frame and instead grab you, embracing you in the tightest hug you have ever experienced. He would only let up when you winced in pain from how tight it was. His body shaking as he bawled his eyes out.

♡  Hasebe pressed chaste kisses all over your face, making sure you knew he loved you no matter how he acted. "Don't ever do something stupid like that again. I will make them all pain for what they did to you. I won't let a single one walk this earth. I will make them feel the pain you felt times a hundred. I will make them beg to-"

♡  "I'm okay, Hasebe." You would calmly say as you stroke his cheek. "You look exhausted though... Come, let us rest for some more. I won't leave your side, not again." You both would settle down and he will gently hold you close to his chest. His red eyes slowly closing and a small smile present on his face knowing that he finally has you back.

♡  It was the Ikedaya incident. The moon was high in the sky and the cold skin gently bit at everyone's cheeks. For normal people of the time, they were not even aware of the killing going on near them. However the swords and their master were aware. They were planning for this event for a while ever since the History Revisionists came to this time in history.

♡  Most of the swords were inside, dealing with enemies to make sure that no one gets to the top of the stairs where Okita, Kashuu's and Yasusada's, was to meet his end. It was there you stood, at the stop of the stairs, stealing off the door to make extra sure that only people of that time could enter.

♡  Everything was going well... Until you felt the charm on your sash dissipate. You had only given it to one sword... The one sword that was not in the building... The one who was directly involved with this incident... The one sword that claimed that he rather not be muddied with Okita's blood again instead of saying how he didn't want to witness his master and his old sword self die again. The one sword that stolen your heart, Kashuu Kiyomitsu.

♡  You quickly finished the barrier before hearing a yelp as you ran down the stairs, jumping over the last few. Your legs pumped as you quickly dodged enemies and tried to make your way outside where Kashuu was surrounded by enemies. Your skin crawled as you saw Kashuu barely be able to stand and the enemies, with their ruthless gaze, advancing on him.

♡  "Uwa!? Heavy damage...!?" Kashuu managed to rasp as the enemy slammed into him and brought him to the ground. One more hit and surely he would be broken. You could hear the pain in his voice even though he tried to mask it. His body trembling as he was slowly coming to terms that this night was a cursed night for him. No matter if he was human or sword... He dies constantly on this day in history.

♡  He was in danger and didn't have much time left. You quickly took out your ofuda charms from your poach as you called for help to the swords still inside the building, dealing with enemies. It didn't take long before two of them came out but by that time, you were already gone.

♡  You had already run off into the crowd, tagging as many enemies as you could. The tags slowly melting them and making them transform into black dust... But there was far too many for you to handle by yourself. You just had to make it to Kashuu. You just had to make sure he was safe...

♡  "You idiot! Get out of here." Kashuu screamed as he noticed you were trying to make yourself through the crowd to him, all by yourself. You ignored his cries and slid to the side, dodging one of enemy’s strikes.

♡  All things considered, you were able to dodge all the swings coming your way. You were doing well! You just had to make it to him and cast a barrier over the you of you and-

♡  A sword was brought down right as you were about to dodge and landed right against your back. The impact brought you to your knees, only a couple feet away from your lover. Blood pooled underneath you and you gritted your teeth, the pain overriding your senses and bringing tears to your eyes.

♡  You clutched your fists, wincing as crimson bloomed on your shirt. Panic hadn’t filled your veins yet.

♡  Your eyes snapped up to meet Kashuu’s as the enemies loomed over the two of you, ready to finish you off. . Anxiety began to set in, your movements growing more sloppy as you desperately tried to crawl over to your lover. Kashuu slowly reaching for you as well.

♡  "Stop moving, idiot. Just take deep breaths, all right? Just look at me. You're going to be okay... I won't let anything happen to you."

♡  You felt your body grow numb as you lost more blood. You could no longer feel the cold ground under you or the wind brushing against your face. To you, everything was cold. You scooched closer to Kashuu and extended a hand. Though still far apart, he grasped it back and squeezed tightly so you knew he was there. "Kashuu... I'm cold."

♡  “You’re gonna be fine.” He was lying through his teeth. Kashuu could see the glassy look in your eyes. The hand quivered in his, he could feel the life draining from it. Your voice wasn’t a comfort to him anymore, every word you spoke was full of agony and he wished you would stay quiet as to not worry him more.

♡  His own hand was shaking. This night was truly a cursed one. The past him was taken to this place to watch his master die and get covered in his blood only to break in battle. Now he held onto his bleeding out master/lover and couldn't do anything to stop them from slowly fading from consciousness. His lover was bleeding out in front of him and there was absolutely nothing he could do. He tried so desperately to hide the fear from his face, but a single tear slid down his cheek and his expression sunk when he felt you begin to fade away. The last thing you heard as your eyes began to close was Kashuu screaming at the top of his lungs your name.

♡  You were awoken by the sound of someone rushing to your side. Bright light blinding you as your eyes slowly adjusted and you were met with a familiar sight. The infirmary room that you often went in to visit your precious swords and your boyfriend, Kashuu. His own body had be bandaged up and he met you will a smile. "Good morning, sleep well?"

♡  "What happened?" Your voice faint and raspy as you slowly sat up, your back stinging you along the way. But with the help of Kashuu, you were able to fully sit up and get handed water to help your very dry throat.

♡  "Before I answer that... Let's get you cleaned up. As much as I love you, you're a mess." He would give you a teasing grin as he helps you stand. Leading you over to where he can draw a bubble bath for you so you can wash and clean yourself.

♡  He would sit on the side and help you clean up, making sure to extra careful of your back and making sure to massage your scalp as he washes.

♡  "Yesterday... Don't do that again. You know how I feel about Okita's death. I don't need that happening to you. I don't want to lose another person I care about. This citadel needs you so don't go running into a crowd of enemies for just one sword and almost getting yourself killed. You're lucky Hyuuga and Akashi arrived on time or else we would of both vanished from existence."  His hands maneuvered around your body with precision and care as he washed away all of the dirt and dust that marred your skin.

♡  "You're important too, you know." You replied as you leaned into his touch, "I didn't go into danger for nothing. I went into it because of you. I don't want to lose you as much as you don't want to lose me. So next time... When you are in trouble, call for us. I will come running for you right away."

♡  This hands will stop moving and he would laugh from the pit of his stomach. This causing you to turn to face him. Small droplets of tears appearing out the side of his eyes as his laughter calmed down. "You act like if I break, I won't fall for you all over again. You can get me back but I can't get you back. So don't ever try that again, stupid." He would finish off the conversation with him leaning in and pressing a soft kiss on your forehead.

♡  Labored breaths escaped you as you ran in the dark forest. The stems of the tree sprouting from the ground to constantly trip you up... and it was working. You constantly found yourself tripping and having to push yourself off things to keep going. You couldn't stop... They were gaining on you.

♡  This all started when you went undercover to gain information on what was changing in this time in history. It was suppose to be safe! You were suppose to get information while the boys left and dealt with the History Revisionists. It was a trap... They wanted you all along.

♡  You had signaled to them that the enemy was by you before you began your big chase. There had been no sight of them and your legs were beginning to burn. Tripping became more constant and you can hear them getting closer and closer. There was many of them... More than you could handle by yourself.

♡  Your luck was beginning to run out until one last stem tripped you and sent you to your knees. Your ankle shooting pain up your leg when you tried to move it. Fear painted on your face as you looked behind you and saw the glowing eyes in the dark. The blades gleaming from the small sunlight between the branches. Your luck had run out.

♡  Your held your ankle tightly as the enemies rose their blades towards you, ready to end you here and now. Your eyes shut tightly as you awaited for your final breath to come... But it didn't. Instead you heard pains of agony. When you finally found the courage to open your eyes, you saw Sayo standing in front of you with his dagger in hand. Holding off the enemies. He must of been the only sword to be quick enough to make it in time.

♡  As much as you wished to be happy to see your precious sword... There was far too many of them. Too many for one tantou risking his everything to protect his precious master. The both of them were well aware. Maybe if Sayo could hold off until that others get there, everything will be alright!

♡  That was the hopeful thought until a tantou enemy got the sneak attack on him and he received a critically blow. His body crumbling to the ground in front of you as he muttered, "I understand... I don't care how things will turn out...!" His blue eyes glaring at the horde of enemies in front of you two. His body dragging himself upward, planning to protect you to his death.

♡  However, you had another plan. You weren't going to just sit there and let him die for you. He has come so far on his journey of accepting himself, you weren't going to let these monsters take that away from him.

♡  Right as the blade was began to come down and finish him off, you embraced him and turned your body so you would take all of the impact rather than him. Sharp yelp was released from your vocal cords as you held onto the short sword and protected him from the pain.

♡  Sayo couldn't believe his eyes, he stood there tense and wide eyed. "M-Master...?" His voice had always been on the quiet side but this voice sounded scared and barely escaping from his tensed throat. "Why would you..."

♡  "Sayo, you have... So much to live for. You are so much greater than you give yourself credit for. I am proud of you every day, so don't throw yourself away... You are more than the revenge that haunts your heart."

♡  His lips trembled and tears streaked down his cheeks as he held your body that was going limp in his arms. "Don't leave! I don't want to be left alone again. Please don't leave me, aruji!" He would scream at the top of his lungs, shaking you and trying to get you to wake up... But sleep whispered into your ears and sent you into darkness.

♡  Before you even opened your eyes, you could feel pressure on your hand... Were you asleep on it again? Slowly opening your eyes and blinking to adjusted to your surrounding made you realize that you weren't in your bed in your room... but rather the infirmary. Your body was bandaged all over and the memories of what happened in the forest returned to you. The team must of got to you in time before you completely vanished from existence... But what of Sayo then?

♡  Your body jolted up against the pain that was attempting to hold you down. Anxiety rushing through your veins, preparing to look sight of any clue of what happened to the small tantou after you passed out.

♡  Your search didn't last long, for the pressure on your hand slowly shifted and caused your eyes to wandered down to the boy who was clasping your hand tightly as he slumbered. A smile slowly rose itself on your face as your free hand gently stroked his hair. It seemed as he hadn't left your side since recently. It warmed your heart that a sword that often times was very antisocial treasured you so much that he didn't want to leave your side.

♡  "D-Don't leave me." A small whimper of a cry would come out as he tightened his grip on your hand. His shoulder shaking ever so lightly. The fear of losing the people he cares about haunting him even in the dream realm. The fear of his masters being killed in front of him and being stolen piecing him in his heart to leave scars to all of time.

♡  "I won't leave." You soothed, "I'm right here, Sayo. I'm so proud of you. I won't ever leave your side again. I promise you. Now rest well, dear. You needn't worry any longer. I swear to you for all eternity, I will remain right here." A small smile will be barely visible as he leans into your hand and his body slowly calms down before he find a peaceful sleep at last.

[toukenramblings]

Hello~! What would Yagen and Kashuu do, if their Saniwa is sick but still insist on working? They are really stubborn about that and just don't want to stay in bed all day.

Thank you!

overHdjsjfjg

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH M E, LOVE. I HOPE YOU LIKE THISSSS

Yagen Toushirou

The minute Yagen finds out that you’re sick as hell not in a good way, he immediately wants you to rest. He’ll fucking guard your room himself if he must. He doesn’t panic like Kashuu will (more on that later) but to him, it’s your health above all. He will be that nurse who comes to check on you every hour for updates, taking your temperature and so on and so forth.

He keeps his brothers away from you during this time. The more hyper ones at least, they can go sit in a corner and think about what they’ve done.The quieter ones like Gokotai or Akita or Ichigo can stay, he can trust them. They can help him take care of you!

And then you sneak outta your room while Gokotai’s tiger(s) didn’t notice and now you’re WORKING? IN THIS CITADEL? OH N O. Yagen may be small as fuck (5 feet/153 cm) but damn right he’s going to carry you back to your DAMN ROOM.

Now the more hyper brothers are of use. They rat you out the minute you try to work, and keep you distracted. Sure they’re going to carry you back to your room and take away anything that seems like work but damn right they are going to help you get better. It’s what the doc ordered!

If you’re just bored in bed, it’s up to Yagen and the Toushirous to the rescue! Gokotai with her tiger(s), Hirano and Maeda with stories and four leaf clovers, Hakata with whatever the heck he’s up to, and so on and so forth! Maybe Yagen will give you a lap pillow to help you relax? I mean you do it to him and he does it to his siblings. Why not complete the circle of love and give you a lap pillow!!

YEs he will still take away anything related to your work. Yes he’ll have his brothers guard you and watch movies with you. He’ll join in of course, letting you lean your head on his shoulder as you nap and then usher everyone out.

Yeah Yagen may get sick but it’s not like he can’t take care of himself! He can and will! He’ll multi-task and take care of you and himself at the same time!

All of the soup. He’s going to ask Kasen and Micchan how to cook and make you soup or something or other to munch on while you’re sick. Not really the udon song in Hanamaru but more along the lines of “sus looking but healthy and taste good so it’s edible” and he does make it with you in mind so it’s the thought that counts?

Yagen knows you’ll bounce back easily, it’s just a cold. You’ll only make it worse if you work! GO BACK TO BED. Don’t make him drug you. he won’t he promises

But if anything Yagen trusts you. He wants you to feel better! You are his master and you are important to this citadel. You just have to get better! Yagen will stay by your side until the end for that!

Kashuu Kiyomitsu

Oh this poor young man PANICS when he finds out that you’re sick. Perhaps he’s still thinking of Okita and how he died from his illness, immediately will ask if it’s some kinda disease similar to TB. But when Yagen tells him that it’s just a normal cold or something his panic leaves him but like - dude, he’ll still worry about you.

Assuming you two are together, Kashuu will know your habits by now. He knows that you will try to work while being sick so you wake up to find your room full of nothing but nail polish and beauty products. Where the fuck did your papers go? Back in your office where those damn things belong. You are not leaving your room while you are resting.

If you are bored, expect Kashuu to tell you stories or just do little things with you. Make hair accessories or accessories in general, paint and mess with your nails and hands - give you kisses. Sure you may look like hell from falling in and outta sleep like this but he loves you none the less!

And then you sneak outta your room to go work and Kashuu has to drag you back to bed. Asks the rest of the Shinsengumi to help seal off the door to your office. He’s carrying you as Yams and Nagasone lock the doors and Horikawa is making soup and Kane-san is just....being moral support.

If you keep on insisting that you want to work, Kashuu will only give you the easiest documents to work on, along with the shortest ones. He’s not letting you work for too long, he knows how bad it is to overwork yourself. You bet your ass he’s going to be there right next to you, hovering over your shoulder and taking your papers away when he thinks you have had enough.

Cuddles. Don’t fucking think that just because you’re sick Kashuu won’t cuddle your ass. Yes he’s a little concerned with you sneezing and coughing on him but if it’s for his beloved master (and romantic partner) he’ll do whatever he needs to do to make you happy!

No lippy kisses during sicky days. It’s forehead and cheek kisses or bust.

As you recover you can see the life shine back in his eyes, oh so happy that you’re okay! If anything happened to you, oh man Kashuu would be disTRAUGHT. He’s still going to hover around you though, worried beyond belief.

Most of all, if you’re uber cuddling during your sick times, KAshuu is more than willing to cuddle~!

and then kashuu gets sick and you get to spoil him!!!

[okayto]

Mini-Review: Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru

In the year 2205, the past is threatened by the historical revisionists who seek to change it. Protecting history becomes the task of a boisterous band of swords that are brought to life, including the glamorous Kashuu Kiyomitsu and the kindly Yamatonokami Yasusada. Beyond their battles, these legendary swords from different eras lead charming daily lives.

Look, I loved this. There are currently two 12-episode seasons and I am desperately hoping for a third. But even so, this was very different than what the description led me to believe. It sounds like it’s going to have a lot of fighting, right? The concept of time-traveling history defender sounds solid. So I expected a lot of this:

I got, um, a small amount of that. But mostly what I got was:

and

Yes, the show focuses a lot on the daily life part. The time-traveling history protection is mainly there for select character development. But, like I said, I ended up loving this.

The series starts with this adorable child sword’s first day in the Citadel. See, all the characters are swords from Japan’s history, given human form by a mysterious but much beloved magical master. (Never seen by the audience, and they/them pronouns used at all times.) Since the swords live and train here when not being sent on missions, new swords get a tour and introduction to everyone. This is convenient for plot reasons, letting the audience get settled.

Hmmm, I thought, as we met the 10th character with no end in sight, I wonder if this was based on a video game? I’m getting that vibe.

Blue-guy, Yamatonokami, and Red-guy below, Kashuu, are the deuteragonists of the series, with Yama-Blue getting more focus in season 1, and Kashuu getting more in season 2. (Also, please join me in admiring Kashuu’s beautiful painted nails.)

This is really helpful, because with such a large cast, things would get lost if they tried to give everyone character development. Instead, we have these two that get more than one episode of development, a nebulous group of like, 20-ish that pop up in multiple episodes, enough that you can probably remember their names, and the rest of the cast really only pop up with lines a few times.

Oh? Didn’t I mention? There are a lot of characters. 62 swords, in fact, 40-odd of whom appear in the first season.

With so many characters, it can’t get deep. Instead, most episodes focus on a handful, whether it be “X is self-conscious about his size but helps the team on the mission by being tall” or “Kasen, who has for some reason taken on the role of Main Laundry Doer, tries to steal Yamanbagiri’s never-removed cloak for washing.” Sometimes we get familiar tropes like “two characters compete to get Position X while the regular person is gone,” or “two characters who don’t like each other are forced to work together and end up singing about it while cooking.” Or that perennial favorite, “unable to convince a loner to make friends any other way, the group puts together a host club.”

It ended up being so fun, because the show doesn’t try to overdo it. This isn’t the mess that was Miracle Train--there’s no attempt at trying to make things really dark and mysterious. This is mainly full of hijinks by a bunch of pretty dorks who live together, most of whom have personalities like “big brother” or “gym maniac” or “alcoholic” (that’s Jiroutachi, purple in the first gif) or “nice grandpa who drinks tea all day and looks 25 and can kill you” (Munechika, below) or “daddy,” who I already wrote a post about because I heard them say “SWORD DADDY” and died.

Everyone is so darn likable, even the loners and rude characters. It was pure fun--not million-laughs-a-minute comedy, but something I could sit down, know that I was going to watch characters be friendly and funny and resolve issues and get a happy ending, without getting monotonous.

Verdict

English dub? Yes, and with so many (SO MANY) voiced characters, if you’ve watched any amount of Funimation-dubbed anime you’ll probably recognize a few. Having just finished Kamisama Kiss before starting this, I was like HEY THAT’S TOMOE when one pink-haired sword starting speaking, and immediately identified Koro-sensei from Assassination Classroom in season 2. This isn’t a bad thing! It’s more of an Easter egg.

That said, I loved Kashuu’s voice, which I hadn’t heard before. There was something so captivating about his light and casual voice via Garret Storms. (my ears: this voice is friend-shaped)

Most things sounded fine in English, but my favorite thing besides Kashuu’s voice was definitely the two separate episodes where characters just break out into song while cooking together. 10/10 would watch again.

Visuals: The major thing that clued me in to this originating as a game wasn’t just the amount of characters, but their designs. These are fun, pretty, colorful designs. Characters are visually distinct so even if you can’t keep track of names, it’s easy to keep personalities separate. Plus, the show as a whole is colorful and light.

Worth watching? Hi, this is a show that explains none of its magic, but includes pretty sword-boys who paint their nails and have friendly swordfights and take daytrips to the beach and occasionally kill monsters so that history won’t change. It’s so much fun.

Important note: there is a separate show called “Katsugeki Touken Ranbu,” made by a different studio, that seems to be closer to what I initially thought I was watching: more action, more serious. I haven’t watched it yet, but be aware it’s a separate thing (although based on the same mobile game).

Where to watch (USA, as of November 2020): Funimation (dub), Crunchyroll (sub), BR/DVD

Click my “reviews” tag below or search “mini review” on my blog to find more!

[mystfanartgal]

Welcome to my Imagination World Blog [Read first before you visit and then ask a question]

You woke up in a little dark area it was hard to see anything but you felt ..something soft?.. like you were laying on something but you got up anyways to try to look around carefully in the dark and you felt something on your hand ...a string...? You pull the string to light the room you were in but you look around this random room but then you realize you see a comfy couch probably you were laying on it?, a bookshelf full of books and games on the shelf, a small long table with drinks, snacks, and a desk along with a computer with a sticky note that says "If you reading this note Welcome you enter to my blog I know you just woke up to my comfy guess room area but worry not there is a door right behind you but unfortunately, it super locked because while you enter a room it will automatically close and if you came here by mistake without thinking just simply say to the door in a calm voice 'Please open the door I didn't mean to come here'. If the door doesn't open I'm sorry to say this you came here for a reason to probably to check out of my blog in curiosity or whats caught your eye to hope you enjoy your stay". But before you took the sticky note out on the computer screen but you hear a sound in the computer camera light-up red it's like it starts to record something but then you see a figure on the computer screen.

???: test test *the camera turn on then you see a person trying to fix the camera in a closer view* hello? do you hear my voice?

you see a girl with long brown hair in a ponytail, wearing sunglasses, and a black sweater

???: ah good it's working but this camera view is a little close?

???: hmm let see *she checks her phone again to fix the right angle camera control*

???: hehe okay oops too far from this view angle

???: hehe *smile*

???: oh well this is good enough of the camera view

[HeavenlyImagination: Well let me introduce myself my name is HeavenlyImagination but call me HeavenlyGal for short if you like or you prefer a different nickname to call me (don't you try to give me a weird nickname) go right ahead.

[HeavenlyImagination]: Okay so this blog is a second account to the post of whatever in here of fandoms I'm into if it is from anime I watch & games I play or other stuff as well

[HeavenlyImagination]: *ahem* anyways as for my main account is for my art blog also yes I'm an artist but at moment I haven't posted anything there lately because of art block & I'll post my art in the summer if you like to check it out of my main account be my guess [LINK HERE].

[HeavenlyImagination]: oh before I forget if your curious here a list of what games I play

she shows you a picture screenshot of a list of apps games on her phone

[HeavenlyImagination]:  so here my app games list I play on my phone I'm really into and also yes I do play other games I sometimes play it on my PlayStation 4 & my switch so yeah anyways let get this started.

[HeavenlyImagination]: So my first list is Touken Ranbu Pocket the Japanese version of this app called QooApp when I discover this Qooapp I think in my high school? Well, I didn't haven't the chance to play the whole thing yet either I only pick the starter sword is Kashuu Kiyomitsu he is my favorite sword sure the rest of the starter swords and other swords bois are the best and the most favorites and I think will try to play it the Japanese version if I get a chance to understand this game whatever I'm doing but I did check touken ranbu fandom wiki has a guide of people how to play the game on my phone. Oh also, I heard there is an English version YES I played it on my computer or my phone I'm level 20, plus leveling up my swords bois I have to be strong when they are in battle. also, I did saw the anime seasons one & two but I do remember they're going to be touken ranbu season 3? ugh man I love touken ranbu so damn much I'm a big fan.

[HeavenlyImagination]: Oh, also I do have a full teir maker lists of my favorite touken ranbu swords and other characters as well if you were wondering who is my favorite characters the most so here you go.

[HeavenlyImagination]: My Second list is Twisted Wonderland Okay, soo when I discover twst from Twitter and Tumblr on an ad or a tweet/post with beautiful fan art or a screenshot it was super random to see from that game even though I haven't a clue what going on in my timeline on the internet and why twst was so popular. And from what I understand Is part of Disney in japan & Aniplex its a villain's world with beautiful hot boys in a boy's school but you might see a very familiar seven Disney villains while playing in the game stories. Yes it got me hook when I download it from last year on June 1st, yes I know it's Japanese version as well but I love playing it so damn much sure can't understand the language but worry not I found someone who translates of twisted wonderland game while playing it to understand of what's going in the game story and leveling up your twst boys in the lessons and battles anyways here the link who they are the translators are [AmiYoshiko]/[OtomeAyui]/[Shel_BB] they are super amazing people check them out and here is my favorite twst boy's list.

[HeavenlyImagination]: My Second list is Obey me! BOI when I download this game on June 1st, 2020 (the same day I download twst) it was very close to Lucifer's Birthday but Oh man this game of obey me! with demons world hmmm I understand people love this game hehe.*Ahem* this too was super random in my timeline as well at Twitter/Tumblr on ad + fanart kinda caught my eye with a confusing face I was making soo this app game is a romance simulation and RPG card mobile game is a series of tasks and to choose how you wish to enjoy your life at Devildom even I thought the part of the task has an ALOT of stories I thought there were 30 stories but then I saw Obey me Twitter keep updating more stories to 50s main stories long or more but right now I'm in chapter 30 I'm sorta behind of the game story chapters but my god leveling up your favorite boys in the dancing battle to the normal and hard mode are super challenging. sooo here is my favorite characters list of obey me demons + angels boys.

[HeavenlyImagination]: My Third list is the Fate/GO app game but I did watch first is Fate/Grand Order & the servent in the anime are very interesting I know there a lot more fate series anime I wish to watch but I only did watch it Fate Grand Order & Fate/Apocrypha that all to understand it to watch but as for the rest of fate series is kinda meh, to be honest. I don't remember when I download the fate/go app game and yeah I play it in the past but I stop in chapter 3 I think but pretty much didn't play much anymore I only did to the login of what new their + new servant even though I didn't get any new servent in the gotcha thing whatever it called to get the new servants.

[HeavenlyImagination]: My Fourth list is the Genshin Impact is a very super POPULAR game of people who LOVE playing this game and the stories oh so good I'm trying my very best to understand the stories while playing the game by leveling up to fight the enemy by leveling up even though I'm so new at it. So when I started download genshin impact last year on Nov 29 when I discover its free download on PlayStation 4 & play store so you could say I play it for a little because I need time to play it slowly reason why well I haven't played it on my PlayStation 4 for the longest while soo yeah I need to update it. And as for the same for playing on mobile, I play it & stop playing it for a little bit. (the other reason why stop playing it I have online classes with homework assignments I have to do soo I'm a little behind on games update) but I love the Genshin characters and their amazing fighting power to fight the enemy and my god some bosses are tough to beat I understand you need ALOT of food while going to a fight with the enemy with lower hp is a no-no.

[HeavenlyImagination]: My Fifth list is Granblue Fantasy soo I saw the anime season 1 but I haven't watched season 2 yet and as for the granblue fantasy mobile game is a little confusing for a bit at the beginning even though I play it while doing how to play tutorial of the story thing. And for the granblue characters with some of them, I'm familiar with, and as for the other granblue characters not so familiar because I'm behind of what news games + animes I haven't seen or saw yet. But I do remember there other granblue fantasy game I might get in the future Granblue Fantasy: Versus on PlayStation 4, I heard it's a popular game I think but I might be wrong though.

[HeavenlyImagination]: All right that all see you the next post I hope enjoy your stay see you all later

*turn of the record camera off*

[jardimdeglicinias]

“Favorite? Why would I have a favorite? All of them are equally important for the history, with this in mind, of course they are equally important for me.”

Sayuri doesn’t like to admit, but she in fact have favorites. Long post!

Remember that as a child she liked the concept of wielding naginata? This is now a special matter. I dare to say that her favorite is Tomoegata Naginata due to his calm nature and disposition to be by the saniwa’s side. She kinda pities him to the fact that he has no memories at all, so she tires her best to be a good master for him. But that isn’t so obvious, since she tries to maintain the figure of a general.

Sayuri has a tendency to be more drawn to quiet swords and the ones who she can count on when it comes to administration, however there are some notable exceptions. So, I’ll be listing her favorites and the reasons behind for each type:

Tantou: Atsushi Toushirou, Hakata Toushirou and Yagen Toushirou. Sayuri is in a constant state of grief and also trying to maintain the figure of someone strong, so I can say that she spends more time with him in comparison to the other two, since Atsushi shows to be very encouraging towards to the saniwa. Yagen would be the one who Sayuri relies when facing difficult decisions, she is also guilty of encouraging Yagen in his interests too much as a rewards for aiding her. Hakata is the one she seeks when she needs help administrating the resources, because she has no self control: she will either pile the resources to the point they will be on the maximum limit or she will dry the citadel. Things were more unstable before Hakata was summoned, indeed.

Wakizashi: She tried to get along to Honebami, however she is a bit afraid of being too pushy (who wants to be pushy to someone called Bone Feaster?!) and backed away. Horikawa Kunihiro is the one who Sayuri relies the most when it comes to her notes and also is the one who she is not afraid to ask important questions, even knowing that he may not have an answer. Horikawa’s gentle disposal easily made her see him as an older brother figure.

Uchiganata: Hachisuka Kotetsu was a acquired taste, since he was her grandfather’s starter. Hachisuka, besides being a bit of too much self-centered for Sayuri’s taste, seems to be more caring to the saniwa (except during internal affairs) than the other starters. And let’s be honest: Sayuri is in a constant state of needing a bit of care, she just doesn’t tell or show. Nankaitarou Chouson is a scholar, so Sayuri had an almost instant-favoritism towards him, so it’s no surprise to see her looking after him, specially after his knowledge. The only factor that doesn’t make Nankaitarou Sayuri’s favorite is that Tomoegata seems to be a bit more reliable. Izuminokami Kanesada was also a acquired taste, his sensible side, competence, self-confidence are the two factors that made Sayuri comfortable around him, however his self-confidence also makes Sayuri a bit uncomfortable. Sayuri doesn’t like to admit, but she thinks that if she had at least a half of his self-confidence, she would be able to overcome her fear of failure. Kashuu Kiyomitsu won his place by giving the attention that Sayuri needs, in return she makes sure that he isn’t feeling left aside, however she doesn’t actively seeks him out mostly because of his lovely nature, and, trust me, she has no intention in getting attached to a tsukumogami. Nagasone Kotetsu gradually grew on her due to his competence, nowadays she tries to mirror his actions on the rare occasions she needs to show authority, yet keeping a welcoming nature. Ookurikara and Kasen Kanesada were also acquired tastes. Ookurikara’s unwillingness to be cooperative worries Sayuri to the point it can cause a critical failure, so her worries slowly died down and she eventually started to accept his choices, his independence being the thing she likes the most about him. Kasen, on the other hand, had a calmer path to Sayuri’s liking: as I mentioned in her liking for Nankaitarou’s knowledge on swords, she also has a liking for Kasen’s knowledge in poetry. However it took time, since some poetry pieces are hard to read and have multiple interpretations, and abstract concepts aren’t Sayuri’s forte.

Tachi: Kousetsu Samonji ranks the third place in the podium of Sayuri’s favorites. Kousetsu was the first one who made her question herself if she was doing the right thing all along, if the war was really necessary. Let’s say he gave Sayuri a hard time in their first moments, however his almost unnoticeable enjoyment in doing pacific chores always makes her happy. The world sure is full of suffering, but being able to appreciate it’s beauty is a true grace, by trying to learn his way of thinking, the weight of the grief for losing her grandfather seemed to be lighter. Kogarasumaru is... Complicated. It started as the complete opposite due to him being quite strict, even for Sayuri’s standards, but Kogarasumaru has a kind of wisdom that Sayuri knew that she could only learn by not having this disliking for him. Trust me, it took years for her to slowly adapt her lifestyle and eventually see Kogarasumaru as a confident. It’s rare to her seek for him, however if it needs the voice of experience, he is the one she will go after.

Oodachi: And the exception! Jiroutachi besides being the extreme opposite of the swords that Sayuri tends to be drawn to and the strong smell of sake, his merry behavior is something that she wasn’t expecting, he also seems to be very honest about what he wants and oh boy, she kinda envies him for this capacity. Also, I’m sure that he was the first one to offer sake to her and... We know, Sayuri is a violent drunk who simply wants to pick fights to let her stress out, that’s one of the reasons she doesn’t even think about drinking. Yet, if it’s with Jiroutachi, she doesn’t mind in getting drunk, because for some reason she can’t become upset when he is around. Maybe it’s contagious, his merriness. Her liking for Taroutachi mainly comes from Jiroutachi, however Taroutachi isn’t one of her favorites.

Yari: Otegine in Sayuri’s point of view is like a bud that hasn’t blossomed yet, his hesitation and comparison to the other two great spears always gets her straight into the heart because of a small resemblance to her own situation: comparing herself to her grandfather as a saniwa. You can imagine how many times she said “you can only say that you are only good at stabbing after you get used to do other things” and it’s variations internally: way too many. She hopes that one day he will bloom, the same she hopes for herself. She is quite impressed by his Kiwame and, for sure, she is going to attend his wish to be the best spear!

As for my OCs:

Ebina is a nuisance when he tries to challenge her mentally, however she doesn’t mind when he just asks her to play games. Not exactly a favorite, but the one who spends more time with her out of the tantous.

Raikirimaru and Hoshizukiyo Masamune ties as her favorites wakizashis: Raikirimaru was supportive towards her during her childhood, so she really sees him as a fatherly figure. Hoshizukiyo actively tries to make a bond of trust with the saniwa, so Sayuri seeing this disposition coming from him was enough to see him as a possible favorite.

Hosokawa Tadamasa is another exception, however this uchigatana is easily excited about new things and this excitement is something that never fails to amuse Sayuri.

Among the tachi, she tried to get on the good side of Yamatorige and failed miserably, but she got the attention of Kiku Ichimonji Norimune, who can be balanced about hard decisions and even to do on the daily routine. Kiku also has a soft spot for animals, specially dogs, Sayuri nowadays knows way too much dog facts thanks to him.

For the blunt weapons: she relies on Sensaifumetsu for helping her with the paperwork. She thought at first that Sensaifumetsu was going to be a kind of weapon that only thinks about fighting, fighting, fighting and sleeping, but she was quite surprised that how good Sensaifumetsu is with office job. Since this discovering, Sensaifumetsu became a permanent report-reviewer.

[rokutouxei]

before you go

touken ranbu kashuu kiyomitsu | slight kiyosani | 3471| [ao3] 

the moon is a perfect sphere in the cloudless sky, the crickets’ cries a constant sound in the otherwise overwhelming silence. kashuu stands outside an inn. inside, some men are planning a fire.

this time, he enters in silence, slides the door open with barely a sound. the patrons nearest the entrance don’t seem to notice him. the door clicks shut. his heels make a steady clack-clack-clack on the wooden floors as he heads straight for the stairs. he has someplace else to go. up.

the stairs are slippery with blood. deep brown stained in maroon. kashuu tightens his hold around the hilt of him as the room comes to view, door ajar. he can see the light blue haori stark in a room of dead bodies, all black and red. okita souji, coughing into his hand. his other hand resting on the hilt of a fractured sword.

the floorboard creaks when kashuu’s foot presses onto it. he peers inside the room and it finally comes into view. himself. laid on the bloodied floor, headguard split in two, with his neck bent in an irregular angle, his own blue haori in tatters. broken.

the moment he steps inside the room, kashuu feels like he’s falling.

kashuu kiyomitsu finally wakes up to the stifling summer heat. he turns to one side to see yasusada deep asleep. he kicks off his blanket to one side into an ungraceful heap, before shuffling upright to head to the door. just the sensation of the sliding door giving way under his hand as it opens brings him straight back to the nightmare. it’s a good thing the humid breeze of air shakes him out of his trance. kashuu stumbles out of his room with a sigh.

he tiptoes to the kitchen for a glass of water, not knowing you can see him.

the first one in the shinsengumi to leave is horikawa. kashuu teases that the blue stripes in the garb given by the saniwa seem to suit him too nicely, resembling his own coat a little too well, but that’s only his way of saying he’ll miss the wakizashi. kashuu is the one who ties the garb around his companion’s back and makes him promise not to get lost again. “find your way back home,” kashuu says. horikawa promises to return stronger than he’s ever been.

to those who awaited his return nervously, it seemed like forever, but he does not take long; horikawa returns before the monsoon rolls in. true to his word; he’s faster, lighter on his feet, but also niftier, better at strategy. izuminokami proposes they switch earrings in celebration of his newfound strength. horikawa says izuminokami need not look too far out for his as well.

over a few bottles of sake, horikawa talks about the flow of time with a smile, says how unforgivingly quick it is; from the fire in hijikata’s eyes the first time he saw the wakizashi, to the last thing horikawa remembers, water. horikawa is now afraid of nothing. it makes kashuu proud.

and so the next who leaves is izuminokami. not one to be outdone, of course, by his beloved partner. the leaves of trees are as red as the silk of his clothes when he leaves. kashuu lets izuminokami steal all the food in his plate, not letting the uchigatana go until he’s promised to spar with him when he returns. “don’t get too strong,” kashuu jokes, to which izuminokami cackles and tells kashuu to watch out for him when he returns.

kashuu does. when he returns, the youthful glow in izuminokami’s eyes have faded into a mature glimmer. like how fiery autumn gives way to a subdued, elegant winter. he talks about hijikata with less blind faith and more deep respect now. the swing of his sword is stronger, but so, too, is his heart. the shinsengumi baby brother isn’t quite a baby anymore. when horikawa and izuminokami look eye-to-eye, they seem unstoppable.

much to the surprise of everyone, this time, izuminokami’s stories are filled with much less fervor for hijikata-san. instead, he talks about the age of the samurai; the tiny bits of it he’s lived through, what little of history he has had the opportunity to be a part of. he reflects over a different age, the only age he’s ever known. the age that had shaped him. izuminokami has come to terms with history; kashuu sees nothing but pride on him when he dons the haori on his shoulders.

nagasone leaves shortly after his brother, urashima, returns. he says it’s because he pledged to work even harder than an original. before kashuu can even open his mouth, nagasone roughly ruffles his hair before saying he’s leaving shinsengumi in kashuu’s hands. “how do i even say no to nagasone-san?” kashuu answers back; nagasone laughs heartily and pats his shoulder. kashuu is there to witness nagasone leave together with the howling wind of a snowstorm.

when he returns, the shinsengumi sword sit at the engawa overlooking the snow-covered garden, all attentively listening to the stories nagasone has to tell. kondou-san was like their father, the one man who protected them, guided them, and watched them grow. they cradle each story close to their heart. nagasone sings a drinking song, and tells them how lucky they and the rest of the shinsengumi are, to have been loved by a man like kondou-san. kashuu sees the confidence in how nagasone now holds himself a little differently, with a little more pride, because he knows kondou-san would have been proud of him; regardless of what kind of sword he is.

the winter leaves yasusada restless, says the silence is a little too loud for his liking, and he’s already gone up to ask for permission to leave before nagasone even finds his way back home. he doesn’t get sent off soon, at least not until the snow melts, because the citadel needs manpower, and it’s simply too busy. when he does leave, he makes kiyomitsu promise not to push himself too hard while he’s gone. “shouldn’t i be the one telling you that?” kiyomitsu asks, before putting on the wide-brimmed hat on top of yasusada’s head. yasusada only laughs before he steps away to disappear back into time.

the sakura tree had already long lost its blossoms when yasusada finally returns. kiyomitsu slaps his back a little too hard to be just friendly and complains how he took so long. yasusada’s hair is longer (“it’s so messy! look at all these split ends!” “i’m sorry, kiyomitsu…”) and his eyes have gotten a look that has made him seem much older. but he’s still the same old yasusada, kiyomitsu realizes, when right after announcing his arrival to the saniwa, he immedi away ately excitedly talks about his experience during training; as a student of tennen-rishin ryu, then as a member of the shinsengumi, then as an assistant in sendagaya—watching the rise and fall of okita souji, being there for him through it all.

the first night he’s home, kiyomitsu can’t sleep because it’s the first time someone’s rolled a futon next to his in a long while. he turns to his side and when he sees yasusada too is still awake, he asks: “didn’t you push yourself a little too hard on your training?” yasusada only smiles at him from under the sheet and says that was the last he would do for okita-kun, as a form of thanks for all the years that had passed, because now, he has someone else he wants to protect. a reason to live. kiyomitsu only mumbles an mhm in response, wondering who that might be.

kashuu wonders what stories he’ll tell if ever he leaves the citadel for training. what will he do out there—what things will he want to return to? what things will he want to relive again, to experience once more that will make him stronger?

if he had the chance to return in the arms of his previous master, could he make himself worth it this time around?

finally, after what seemed like an impossibly long trek, kiyomitsu gets to the kitchen without a hitch. he downs a glass of cold, cold water, relishing in the cool sensation that runs down his throat. outside, the hydrangeas are blooming in beautiful shades of blue and purple. most of the times when he wakes up from nightmares such as these, he wonders if it really was his fault, that day, at the very beginning of his end. if he had really been abandoned because he wasn’t strong enough.

today, he’s sure the answer is yes.

tomorrow, he’ll ask for your audience.

kiyomitsu is your citadel’s prized secretary. the very, very first sword warrior you ever had in your ranks. the first one sent to battle, the first one sent to repairs. the first one to join you in the smith. the one who has stood by your side this entire time. so when he asks for an audience so early in the morning, his prompt “there’s something i have to talk to you about” matched with his eyes sunken from a lack of sleep, you let the worry pool in your stomach as you usher him in your office.

he’s at his top form today, as he is any other day in the citadel. not a single flyaway hair, his nails polished evenly, his tasuki cleanly ribboned in the middle of his back. but there’s a wound on his lower lip from him biting too harshly down on it for too long. the urge to wrap him in your arms until he’s okay floods you. but this isn’t what kiyomitsu needs, and you know this.

“how can i help you today, kiyomitsu?” you ask, doing your best to keep your voice even. you hope nothing but loving concern is on your expression. kiyomitsu needn’t worry about you before himself right now.

“there’s something i want to ask you,” he says. it fills the space between the two of you.

you try not to make it obvious how worried you are. “sure, go ahead.”

“am i—” he begins, but his voice falters, gets caught in his throat—“am i strong enough?”

oh no.

worry instantly fills you as you scramble for reasons he’d think otherwise.

but first, you answer him. right from the bottom of your heart: “you’ve always been strong enough.” you want to go on a tangent and tell him you’ve seen him grow into who he currently is. want to show him his strengths. but this is not the time for this.

“hah, i doubt that,” he chuckles. you know he’s holding back from recounting every single time he’s gotten injured in battle, or failed in a sortie, or lost resources. you can feel the weight in his eyes. “but thank you, aruji. the flattery is appreciated.”

“i don’t do flattery,” you say. “is there something wrong? what is this about?”

kiyomitsu wonders where he should start. the overwhelming feeling of inadequacy? the nightmares that haunt him whenever the hydrangeas start to bloom? the worry that soon he’s going to be left behind once more? the feeling that he’ll never be strong enough at this rate?

when he doesn’t answer, you do. “i saw you last night,” you admit, “from my room, when you got out your room, for water.”

“i was just parched,” he tries to cop out. “it’s summer after all, and—”

you shake your head. “yasusada told me, you know. of your nightmares.”

that darned—

“he shouldn’t have. it’s nothing,” he quickly dismisses. he’s not weak, he says. it’s just some pesky nightmares, they’ll go away, they’ll—

you reach out from where you’re sitting and put your hand on his. “it’s not nothing,” you say. “you shouldn’t be having nightmares.”

“maybe i deserve them,” he offhandedly comments with a deadpan chuckle. he takes your hand in his and runs his thumb over the back of your hand. “they give me time to think. about my weaknesses. about the things i can fix. they’re not that bad.”

“not that bad?” you ask, pulling your hand away from his. “kiyomitsu. this is the third year this has been happening to you.”

his eyes narrow. were you underestimating him? “it doesn’t matter. i’m not here to be comfortable. i’m here to fight, i’m a touken danshi, i’m not supposed to be—”

you interrupt him with an embrace before he can continue with what you’re saying. “you’re so, so strong, kiyomitsu,” you start. “you’re not just a sword now, you’re a human too.” you press a hand against his chest, feeling the beat of his heart. “strength doesn’t mean you have to be in pain all the time. you’re already strong as it is. whether it’s what you show—the sharpness of your blade, your cunning—or everything else that you hide for the sake of others. each part of you is strong and i am filled with pride to be able to see you become who you are right now. it has been my greatest honor.”

for a moment he is dumbstruck, and you catch how a faint pink glow dusts his cheeks and ears. it is only when he wraps his arms around you in response that you realize he’s shaking—is he crying?

“kiyomitsu,” you continue, “you don’t deserve those nightmares. i wish there was something i can do to help you stop having them. i’d take them all if i can, i—”

“you don’t need to,” kiyomitsu mumbles. his voice is shaking, too. “i just need to be stronger. i’m having nightmares because i know im not strong enough. i feel like this isn’t as strong as i can possibly be.”

“it isn’t,” you tell him, wrapping your arms around him again, patting his head in a calm manner. “it isn’t, because i know this isn’t your limit. you’re very strong, and you can also be stronger.”

the question hangs in the air without being said. you won’t raise it until he asks it himself. leaving the present to deal with the past—on their own—is a very taxing process, very draining; but most importantly it is a personal choice.

then he voices it, and it sounds even more final than you’ve imagined.

“will you let me go out to training?”

you can’t deny him, not like this. not when he desperately needs it, not when he deserves it, not when he has to deal with his demons. but the moment the words come out of his mouth, your throat tightens and suddenly you can’t answer.

instead, you hug him even tighter, almost enough to bruise.

“if it’s no good, it’s fine,” he says against your shoulder, his face hidden from view. you wonder what’s painted on it—worry? discontent? “i understsand if it’s not worth it, i’ll just—”

“will you ever let me finish anything i have to say?” you tease. you pull away from him, his crying face coming into full view; face flushed, tear tracks down his eyes. you raise a hand to wipe them away. “it’s not you whose no good; it’s me.”

“that’s not true,” he says.

“well, it sort of is,” you counter. “i’m just a little scared, is all.”

“of what? i won’t change history. and i promise to come back.”

you nod. your eyes start to hurt with oncoming tears. “i know you will. it’s just that—you’ve been watching over me the entire time, from the very start. you’re my starter sword, after all. it’s just… i don’t know how i’ll do without you. i’m worried.”

kiyomitsu’s heart swells with love and pride. he pats you on the head gently before cradling your face in his hand. “i won’t be gone long,” he says, “and don’t worry about that, because i know you’ll do amazing.”

“you won’t know for sure.”

“i’ve known you for as long as you’ve known me,” he rebuts. “and i know that even in times of extreme stress, you’re able to do a good job smoothly. with or without me.”

“you don’t know that.”

“i do!” he says, laughing now. “can you stop trying to deny every compliment i say? how would you feel if i did that to you?”

“you did, though, earlier,” you answer back, this time smiling, too. you’re crying now, too, but it doesn’t matter, because this is kiyomitsu. “i guess like starter sword, like saniwa?”

he pulls you into another embrace, much tighter than earlier, filled with more assurance. “aruji.”

“yes, kiyomitsu?”

“i’ll be home soon. i won’t take long. and i’ll be watching over you from wherever i am,” he says.

“promise?”

“i promise,” he says. “so you be good and wait for me, okay?”

you nod. “i will.”

“and don’t cry when i leave… it’ll just make it harder to go!”

“i will, i will,” you laugh.

the two of you relish each other’s presence, finding comfort in your silences, sharing teary-eyed smiles.

the nightmares don’t elude him even on the night before he leaves. everything is too vivid to him still, when he wakes up. the perfect sphere of the moon. the hum of the crickets. the sticky summer breeze. the smell of blood on the walls.

but it doesn’t matter, because you’re the one fretting over him, putting his garb on him, double checking everything he has to bring. when you’re content, you push him out of his room to the garden, where everyone is waiting to send kiyomitsu off for training.

yasusada embraces kiyomitsu and makes him swear not to do anything reckless. izuminokami ruffles kiyomitsu’s hair (“did you just mess it up?! kanesada!!!” “i said i’m sorry, i’m sorry!!”) and tells him he better get really strong out there. nagasone says he’ll be watching over everyone while he’s not around. horikawa offers a high five and asks kiyomitsu to come back home safe. midare comes up to kiyomitsu and says that as the second sword in the citadel, he guesses he’ll have to take on kiyomitsu’s role as the cutest sword while he’s gone (“only while i’m gone though.” “of course, kashuu-san~”). tsurumaru teases him and says he better surprise everyone on how he’ll be like when he returns. the tantous—all of them—come up to wish kiyomitsu safe travels. monoyoshi hands him a four-leaf clover. iwatooshi carries him up on his shoulders for a moment. ishikirimaru  and kousetsu bless him with a prayers.

he’s been here from the start; he knows everyone by heart, seen them grow into the strong swords they are today. all of them know how much they are all indebted to him. kiyomitsu is so loved in this citadel, and it shows.

but out of everyone in the citadel, the one kiyomitsu loves the most is you, so after everyone is done showering him with well-wishes, it is only the two of you who head to the machine that will throw him back into the past. he holds your hand gently in his as if you’ll break until you disappear from everyone else’s sight.

he wonders what kind of sights he’ll have to witness again in the past in order to get stronger. if he’ll have to see himself again, shattered into two, his sky blue haori drenched in red. if he’ll need to remember what it felt like to have hands moist with blood wrapped around his hilt.

finally, it is just the two of you, alone, in private. he places a hand on the machine before turning around to face you. just like you’ve promised him, you’re smiling, not a single tear in sight.

“take care out there, kiyomitsu.”

he smiles. “i’ll be back stronger and more deserving to protect you, aruji.”

“i’ll be waiting for you, then.”

you turn on the machine with a touch of your hand. but before kiyomitsu disappears into a ray of light, he pulls you into an embrace and whispers something in your ear. he presses a kiss to your cheek before stepping into the machine’s magic.

“ittekimasu,” he mouths.

“itterasshai,” you say back.

in a moment, kiyomitsu is gone, his last smile to you etched into your memory.

and as much as you already miss him, you know he’ll come back stronger and even braver, all your fears dissipate into the air. now, you’re just excited to meet him once again.

もっと可愛くなるから､俺を待っててね?

m o t t o   k a w a i k u n a r u   k a r a ,   o r e    w o   m a t t e t e   n e ?

i ’ l l   b e c o m e   e v e n   c u t e r ,   s o   w a i t   f o r   m e   o k a y ?

[dazais-guardian-angel]

I was tagged by @angelofawhitenight to do this fun Touken Ranbu question meme~ Tagging @archerazzure and @catastrophy-cat to do it as well, but only if you want to.

1. What is your name and which server is your citadel in?

My name is Dana, and server is Houki no Kuni.

2. When did you start serving as a saniwa? Please display your battle records.

September 27th, 2017~

3. Which starter sword did you pick? What is he doing now?

Kashuu Kiyomitsu. <3 I used to use him and Yasusada a lot because they were two of the swords I got to level 99 the quickest, but I haven’t used him in a while simply because I have stronger swords than him now that work better than I did before. I still love you, Kashuu!

4. Who is the first among your swords to reach the maximum level? What do you think of him?

I’m pretty sure it was Kogitsunemaru! I got him pretty early on as my first super rare sword, and so that’s one of the reasons I’m very fond of him. <3 He’s adorable and a sweetheart.

5. Who do you have in each of your squads, and how do you use them? If you haven’t unlocked all four teams yet, briefly describe how you plan to organize them.

Hate to disappoint, but I don’t really make much use of the separate teams lol; I just switch out people on Unit 2 depending on what the current event requires of me. Usually the team I like to go with is Jiroutachi, Taroutachi, Ishikimaru, and Iwatooshi all at level 99 and whatever two other strongest swords I have I think best fit, though now I can add Hotarumaru since he’s nearly at level 99 too, and I also finally have gotten a handful of kiwame tantous and a few kiwame wakizashis and uchigatanas, so I can use those too if I need to. Unit 1 I use solely to put an extra Yasusada I kept in the captain position so that he’s always my attendant sword and I always see him and hear his music on my citadel screen. >.>

6. Without considering the performance of the swords, which type of sword do you prefer?

Hmmm.... I guess the uchigatanas, since that category contains most of my favorites lol. But I love the tantous too; they’re so cute. ><

7. Next, we come to the usual questions. List the swords that you like and your thoughts on them.

Time to make this post unnecessarily long! :’D

Yamatonokami Yasusada - Hands down favorite sword in the game, he’s my pure precious child who needs a million hugs and love and comfort and he’s just.... ugh he’s so strong??? So brave? He’s so strong; he has one of the roughest pasts out of all the swords but he handles his grief so well. Anyone who thinks he’s whiny or annoying or talks about Okita too much can fight me, I dare you to. He tries so hard and has so much pain and passion and love inside of him; I know I wouldn’t be able to go through what he did and come out half as well... Also he’s just absolutely adorable, like my god how can you not love him.

Kashuu Kiyomitsu - Kashuu is amazing as well, and he also needs a million hugs and blankets ughhhhhh; his past too affected him terribly, and he closes himself off from it and tries to distance himself from it, the complete opposite of Yasusada, but it’s so obvious how much unresolved baggage he has. His insecurity about his poor place of “birth”, and his abandonment issues because of how he broke and had to be abandoned by Okita, both of which he tries to make up for/erase by making himself beautiful and hoping it will get him the praise and attention he wants from a new master, are all so sad. But it’s also so clear how much he deeply loved Okita and how he misses him as well, even if he’s conflicted about it and never lets it show because of what happened, and I hope that on his kiwame journey he will be able to truly realize and acknowledge this, and embrace the good parts of his past as a Shinsengumi sword.

Hachisuka Koutetsu - My ultimate favorite swords at the top of this ranking are the ones who I fell in love with through the TR musicals, and Hachisuka is definitely one of the ones where this is the most true, specifically with the second musical which focuses heavily on his relationship with his brother Nagasone, which is of course strained because of Hachisuka being a rare real koutetsu sword and Nagasone being a replica one, which Hachisuka uses to belittle him. Without giving spoilers, the musical’s version of Hachisuka forces him to spend extensive time with his brother as well as time in a situation in general that’s pretty alien to him, and he grows and changes as he ponders why exactly he feels the way he does, tries to figure out how Nagasone himself feels and why he acts the way he does, and eventually comes to a realization and understanding, and displays his acceptance of his brother in the most fitting and touching way possible. His development is sublime, and so this is my favorite version of Hachisuka and why I am so in love with him; there’s just so much potential with him and Nagasone’s relationship because of how different they are and their vastly different pasts (this applies to a lot of sword pairs, really), and so the musical Hachisuka is the one that’s canon in my mind. His kiwame just happened and I really, really, really hope it does a good job with him as well. <3

Nagasone Koutetsu - So of course Nagasone would be next lol, I love him a lot. He’s cool, funny, strong, pretty hot (lmao), and puts up with his brother’s shit so well, like damn that is some serious willpower. But he doesn’t let it get to him, because in reality he doesn’t care at all about being a “fake”, and I’m so proud of him for it. I still want to hug him though, because he still doesn’t deserve all those insults, and also because of course being a Shinsengumi sword is such pain and suffering :’’’’) and he has so much internalized grief, just like the other four do. Again, the second musical is mostly responsible for my love for him.

Izuminokami Kanesada - Katsugeki TR was my first introduction to the franchise, so even though I would later learn it characterized him prettyyyy badly lmao, I still fell in love with him first, like he was probably my first favorite sword when I still knew very little about TR. Now that I know that he’s really a giant dork with such a big heart and so much passion and drive and adorableness (just like Yasu), I love him so much. <333 He’s just so good. :’) The new musical is all about him and looking through it even without subtitles had my heart shattered into a million pieces for him; again, Shinsengumi swords automatically need a shitton of hugs and therapy, ugh.

Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki - HE’S JUST A GIANT ADORABLE PUPPY. HE IS AMAZING AND SUCH A SWEETHEART AND I LOVE HIM. I fell in love with him in Katsugeki first and episode 9 made me cry. :’) And I kept loving him. He seems very different in the new musical and it interests me; I can’t wait to see what he’s all about (and cry some more).

Horikawa Kunihiro - Of course I have to love Horikawa if I love Kane; he’s so sweet, and such a good support for the other Shinsengumi swords. He’s wonderful. <3

Ichigo Hitofuri - I love how pure he is as a big brother with the tantous, oh my GOD. It’s just the sweetest thing; he loves them all so much and they love him. ;____; <3 Also his design is gorgeous.

Kogitsunemaru - Like I said up there, first rare sword I got early on, so I’m partial to him. I love his design, and his creation myth. <3 He’s just so sweet.

Yagen Toushirou - He’s a great big brother to the little tantous <3 and I love how he’s their doctor in Hanamaru lol; it fits him.

Tonbokiri - I fell in love with him in Katsugeki; he’s a BIG PURE TEDDY BEAR WHO IS SO SWEET. how dare you make me think he was going to die Katsugeki wtf how could you do that. I desperately need to watch the musical with him in it nnnnngh.

Yamanbagiri Kunihiro - What a cutie, with his cape that he refuses to take off for poor Kasen to wash and his freaking dancing flower with its own little cape. I hope one day he gains self-confidence despite being a replica. :’) I dread the day the real one shows up, if he does.

Nikkari Aoe - Love his design, and just his general demeanor. And his backstory is badass.

Ookurikara - He’s pretty stoic, but I like whenever he loosens up a little and lets out a smile; it’s beautiful. <3

Imanotsurugi - The first musical made me love him; GIVE THIS CHILD A HUG, UGH. He deserves the world, and he and Iwatooshi are the cutest brother pair. ;____; <3

Sayo Samonji - AGAIN, GIVE THIS CHILD A HUG, MY GOD HIS PAST IS SO SAD LET ME HUG HIM AND TELL HIM I’M NOT GOING TO SELL HIM. D’:

Iwatooshi - The best big brother, and he’s been a saving grace to me in many a battle so how can I not love him.

Heshikiri Hasebe - He is so devoted to the saniwa, like oh my god bless his heart lmao; he’s utterly hilarious and wonderful.

Urashima Koutetsu - He’s the one thing Hachisuka and Nagasone will always put aside their differences for and it’s just the best thing ever, and he always tries to help them become closer... it’s so good, I love him. :’’’) <3

Gokotai - HE’S SO CUTE AND HIS NAMESAKE IS THE CUTEST THING

Otegine, Nihongou - Them together with Tonbokiri is amazing, good trio.

8. Are there any pairings that you like? If there, please list them. (No limit on type.)

Don’t ship anything in TR, never. My favorite brother relationships though are the Shinsengumi swords as a group, Yasu and Kashuu, Kane and Hori, Nagasone and Hachisuka, the Koutetsu bros group as a whole, the Samonji brothers group, Imanotsurugi and Iwatooshi, Gokotai and Nihongou, Gokotai and Tonbokiri, and the Toushirous and Ichigo.

9. Is your citadel an employee-friendly citadel or a black-hearted citadel that works your swords to the bone?

Well, I never break swords on purpose or leave them injured on purpose while I’m not using them, but I do send them out constantly in order to complete events, which sometimes involves sending them out while fatigued if I think I can still win with them being fatigued, soooooo that might be considered working them to the bone. *shot* But when there’s no event going on they all get to chill.

10. Have you ever done anything weird to your swords?

how dare you ever imply I would, they are my bABIES YOU HEAR ME-

11. Have you ever broken a sword? What happened, and who did you break?

Nope, never; I take extra care to make sure I never do. I couldn’t stand breaking even another copy of one I already have lol.

12. Who loses troops the most in your citadel? And who is the most skilled at making troops?

I don’t know, no one seems to lose troops more than anyone else that I remember. And Yasusada is always my attendant sword so he always makes the troops lol.

13. Another common question: have you ever done something with all of your might in order to get a particular sword? Please describe what you did and the results.

Oh yeah, back when we had that series of weeks where there was a smithing campaign a week for six weeks straight, I blew a lot of money to get swords lmao. Spent money for Juzumaru and Oodenta, and got them and Monoyoshi. Wish I could have gotten the rest too but realistically that was a pretty good turnout, and I was happy with it; I have Sengo now because of the last event, and hopefully Kogarasumaru and Koryuu will come back later. The other most daunting time I had was the first Osaka castle treasure hunt event I was around for; I played relentlessly to get Hakata, Gotou, Shinano, and Houchou to drop, those evil little demons. Was dead of boredom by the end but I got them!!! Didn’t have time to even think about attempting Mouri lmao but luckily I got him easily in the next one, when they amped up his drop rate massively on floor 99 (thank god).

14. Are you superstitious? (www)

Nah, at least in terms of doing things in the game; I do think my luck comes in waves though and goes back and forth between TR and other gacha games lol.

15. What made you join the TKRB fandom in the beginning? How about now?

Joined because of Katsugeki, stayed because of the musicals. :’) <3

16. What do you think of the current maps? (For example: which map is good for training/grinding, which maps do you get lost in the most, which map do you want to burn?)

Meh, I’ve beaten them all now and don’t return to them much; I usually train in events instead that give a lot better EXP than the regular maps. Era 6 was a nightmare early on of course, but now it’s fine. 7-1 through 7-3 can burn in hell for how difficult they are though lmao; 7-4 is surprisingly easy if you trigger the long path. The worst thing about all maps tbh is the dice feature and not being able to choose your own paths (usually); I get that there needed to be an extra gimmick, but it’s truly terrible and unfair sometimes, like when you get right near the boss node with no one in the red for once and then the dice sends you into a dead end. :’’’)))) 3-4 can burn in hell for the first time I had to go through it to get to continue fffffffffffff

17. Are there any game systems or improvements that you hope DMM will implement?

I really, really would love for them to let you be able to turn off the spotlight search animation when scouting pre-battle, which takes up a good portion of battle time and is especially annoying when the scouting fails or when the battle is too easy for your formation choice to really matter, but I don’t think they will. :’D Just... speed up the map moving/battle process in general; letting you click through the EXP screen is a good start, more please. ....I also think that the game requires waaaaaaaaaaaay too much EXP for kiwame swords to the point where I don’t think they expect you to actually level them up a lot and just use them as they are (which.... you can’t just do because the uchigatanas suck at low levels as kiwame, and I dread the day the ootachis and naginatas get kiwames...), because no one possibly has that much time, so I wish they’d nerf the amount needed some, but I know they’re not going to do that lol.

18. If DMM cooperates on an event with another game/anime/etc., what would you like to see?

Not really sure... I haven’t started Bungou to Alchemist yet, but I intend to, and I know it’s the same concept as TR except with famous writers (I know this cause I’m a fan of the anime that uses the same concept, Bungou Stray Dogs), so I wonder what that kind of historical crossover would be like.

19. Have you spent money playing TKRB? If so, how much? If not, do you plan to?

Ohhhhh yes, as I said above lmao; I’ve probably spent like... $300 in total for materials, ofudas, and sword space... *sweats* I’m gonna need to buy new sword space really soon again, at least.

20. Is there any merchandise that you would like to buy or see?

Please, Good Smile, make nendoroids of Hachisuka and Nagasone already. There’s other ones I’d love too but those two in particular.... pls... I’d also love anime versions of the musicals, which won’t happen, but I can dream. </3

21. Have you done any fanwork (fanfiction, fanart, etc.)? If so, what?

Not yet, I do plan to though... definitely draw some of the boys, and I have a few fanfic ideas.... I just need to force myself to do research of Japanese history/culture because I’m so nervous about handling this kind of thing and afraid I’ll botch it OTL; I know the Shinsengumi members etc are fictionalized versions of them, but stilllllll I’m nervoussssss because they’re real people lol.

22. What do you think you are like as a saniwa?

I don’t know.... I’d like to think that I’d try to spend time with all of them so no one is left out *looks nervously at how I use the same swords over and over in-game haha*, and make sure that the ones who need it the most get the comfort and love and reassurance they need. Plenty of them are still healing from their pasts, and need space as well as hugs, and I’d want them to make sure they feel like they have all of what they need from and feel comfortable around me. <3 Overall I’d just want to be with all of them a lot, because they’re not my servants; we’re all one big family and they need me just as much as I need them.

23. If the government asked you to choose a sword to kill yourself with in terms of emergency, who would you pick?

WHY WOULD YOU ASK ME THIS. I couldn’t make any of them do this to me, never; that’d be horrible. Unless one of them insisted on it, though I can’t fathom who. But yeah, I’d let them choose if it absolutely had to be one of them, but otherwise I’d just do it to myself in some other way. D’: thinking about this upsets me greatly

24. The government has asked you to write a report: how would you describe the situation in your citadel?

We’re all good here, chilling out with a nice round 70 swords; Hachisuka is currently away on his kiwame journey and I and Urashima are eagerly awaiting his return, as is Nagasone, even if he won’t admit it. <3

25. What do you think of the Retrograding Army?

I hate them; they force my poor boys into such anguished and painful situations (usually having to cause their previous masters’ deaths when the HRA tries to keep them alive OTL), and they’re ugly, and the yaris and those kunai things are a goddamn pain in my ass in-game. *shot* They serve their purpose well enough as nebulous enemies to fight and to give the swords their missions, but I really wish we could just get some lore for this world already; where does the HRA come from, and why do they want to change history? Why are the saniwa’s swords the only ones who can defeat them? Why do the kebishii fight both us AND them? There’s just so much I want to know that I don’t think we’ll ever get answers to. :/

26. Lastly, please say something about TKRB from the bottom of your heart!

I love this franchise so so much; I never thought such a superficial concept such as anthropomorphic sword pretty boys would ever be something I would fall in love with lmao, but here we are. I really have the musicals to thank for my love though; they really use TR’s concept to its greatest potential, with all of the emotion that comes with having to face your turbulent past and trying to overcome it and move on, and having to deal with losing people you loved and looked up to (the animes do this too though, I’m not discrediting them). All of the boys are one giant family, and they love each other and have fun with each other and bond with each other and grieve with and support one another; it’s just so wholesome and poignant. :’) <3 Not to mention that it’s finally made me wake tf and learn some Japanese history already, smh. Thank you so much for existing, Touken Ranbu; I look forward to much more time being moved by you and also tearing my hair out over trying to get every new sword! ^_^ <3

[virtualhavenmag-blog]

Pretty Boy Anime Touken Ranbu Takes Us Into Japan's Complex History

Amongst other bishounen titles released this winter like Sanrio Danshi, Idolish 7, and Gakuen Babysitters, Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru stands out as more than a carefree anime about beautiful sword-boys; it is an introduction to the complex history of Japan   Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is the second season of the series Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru, based off the free-to-play collectible card browser video game developed by Nitroplus and DMM Games. In the game, players assume the role of Saniwa, a sage who travels into the past to defeat evil using anthropomorphized historical swords.   Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is one of two anime adaptations, and it remains faithful to the game in what ways it can. The show takes place in the year 2205. The Saniwa is charged with protecting history from the historical retrograde army, and just like in the game, the Saniwa does this by imbuing life into the Touken Danshi, swordsmen who originally lived as historical swords.

While it is easy for viewers to get lost in the stunning animation and enjoy the simpler plot elements, Touken Ranbu is different from other bishounen series because it offers fans who want more than superficial elements a historical context to draw from. Each sword-warrior who enters the citadel where the Saniwa reside is a part of Japanese history.

Every character is based off of a real life blade that holds an important place in Japanese history, ranging from the Heian period—A.D. 754-1185 to the Meiji Restoration—A.D. 1868-1912.

For example, the main character of Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is Kashuu Kiyomitsu. Historically, Kashuu was an uchigatana once held by Okita Souji, a member of the Shinsengumi who fought to protect the shogunate. All the history tied to Kashuu is represented in the show, particularly in the first season where viewers get a glimpse of the famous Ikedaya Incident from 1864 where the Shinsengumi fought against anti-shogunate rebels—a raid that historians believe delayed the eventual Meiji victory by almost two years.

Each episode introduces a new sword to the citadel. Most episodes are split between two fifteen-minute narrative arcs that often tie together by the end. Half of the episode is dedicated to presenting what life is like at the citadel for the Touken Danshi while the other tackles the more historical concepts of the show.

For example, in episode two “February - I Wish Tomorrow Will Be a Good Day, Too,” the first half of the episode is dedicated to introducing the new member of the Touken Danshi, Juzumaru Tsunetsugu, a tachi blade once owned by the Buddhist priest Nichiren. Juzumaru’s narrative arc focuses more on the comedic, slice-of-life style while introducing viewers to elements of Buddhism that coincide with Juzumaru Tsunetsugu’s historical context. 

The second half of the episode focuses more on Honebami Toushirou and his brethren. Before becoming a member of the Touken Danshi, Honebami was a wakizashi style blade that was historically damaged in the Great Fire of Meireki.

In the show, Honebami and his brothers have lost most of their memory due to the damage they experience in the Great Fire of Meireki. Heartbroken by this, Honebami travels back in time to stop them from burning in the fire, but ultimately his fellow Touken Danshi stop him from changing history. Both narrative arcs can be taken at face value and appreciated simply for entertainment purposes, but for viewers who want more than just a pretty face, the historical context is there.

The diversity in characters and character connections are often rooted in who the swords were before they arrived at the citadel.

One example is the Date-gumi, made up of the blades Shokudaikiri Mitsutada, Ookurikara, and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, all of whom belonged to Date Masamune, the famous One-Eyed Dragon of Oshu.

Tsurumaru and Shokudaikiri are already in the citadel at the start of the series, and the series does little to establish their connection to one another because it is tied to history. Once Ookurikara arrives at the citadel, the three easily reconnect because of their bond to their former master.

Without the history behind the swords, the connections each character has to one another would be unclear and have little to no significance. In the end, their historical roles are what bring them together, or some times in the case of swords with rival masters, tear them apart.

Touken Ranbu is a show with layers of history that make it enjoyable for more than just fans of the bishounen genre. Despite the complexity and range of history that Touken Ranbu tackles, the show does not let itself be weighed down by the history tied to each character. It is thoughtful in how it uses Japanese history to connect the characters to each other.

While the focus of the show is often geared more toward slice-of-life elements, it does not stray from who the characters are at heart, or where they come from. Whether viewers are looking for their new best boy—it’s Ookurikara, obviously—or looking for a fun, charismatic show with historical depth, there’s something for everyone in Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru.

[bevorzug-t]

tfw your tags don’t work- 

fuuu

let’s try again.

[ariellynn14]

So I was tagged by @fyeahjapanesestuff to try this so I did! Thank you for the tag!! ^^

Rules:

1. Post the rules

2. Answer the questions given to you by the tagger

3. Write 11 questions of your own

4. And tag 11 people

Here are the questions I got:

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

Hmm...the best book I've read recently? I’d say The Little Princess. I had read it once before when I was a child, but I never really liked it then. I just recently picked it back up and enjoyed it much more than when I had first read it.

2. Which animal do you like most?

I LOVE Pomeranians!!!! I love how fluffy and cute they are. If I had to choose a second I'd have to say a Cavachon. My boyfriend has a cavachon and she is so precious!!

3. Do you listen to classical music sometimes?

I have in the past but lately I haven't been. I really enjoy late Victorian Era and Romantic Era music however. I've found that helpful to listen to while studying.

4. Are there any nice places that you absolutely recommend visiting in the country you live in?

Florida! Definitely Florida. Living in the United States has showed me a lot of different and culturally diverse places but I recommend Florida. The people are so nice and the weather is usually always nice. I try to go once or twice a year depending on the weather situations of my state and there. I also recommend California since it's also a beautiful state to visit. (Plus both states have Disney and both Disney's have differences from each other which is really cool to experience. )

5. What’s your favorite hobby?

Hmm….my favorite hobby? More like I have a few actually…...my favorites are music, art and theater since I take part in all three. But if I had to choose I would definitely say music since I love singing.

6. Is there anything about yourself that you want to change? If yes, what is it?

Hmm….I think I'm pretty content with myself, but if I had to change something it would be my hair since I have been wanting to dye it another color lately, but I've been too afraid to.…

7. To how many foreign countries have you been?

I have been to Japan to visit my family that still lives there. Other than that I have been in America for the majority of my life.

8. What’s the thing that you’re most interested in?

Japanese musicals. To me they have so much more stores development than sone American ones I have seen in person. I am particularly interested in the Touken Ranbu musical since I believe it is very well developed and the actors put in so much hard work to make the show very enjoyable for its watchers.

9. Do you enjoy watching musicals? If yes, what’s your favorite one?

Ah yes I love musicals!! Referring back to question 9 I love the Touken Ranbu musical franchise. I find the musicals well developed and extremely enjoyable you watch. If I had to choose a favorite scene from all of them that I be watched I'd say the Shinsengumi drinking scene from Touken Ranbu Bakumatsu Tenroden. And my favorite musical would have to be Shinken Ranbu Sai 2016 and Kashuu Kiyomitsu Tanki Shutsujin 2017. (Yes I'm aware they aren't exactly musicals and more or mess concert type performances, but I can't help but find myself always going back to those and watching them often.)

10. Are you interested in history? If yes, which time period/country/… are you most interested in?

I am interested in some Japanese history, but it's more or less the swords part of history rather than an actual period. I enjoy reading up on the sword’s history and occasionally some Shinsengumi history. I can't really choose a time period to be completely honest since my Japanese history section in my mind can be a very confusing piece of my mind to analyze

11. Do you have an idea (e.g. for a story or something like that) or headcanon in your head that you just can’t get rid of? If yes, describe it!

Ah yes I do actually!!! It's a Touken Ranbu mermaid and vampire au where Kashuu is the land prince and also a vampire who falls in love with Yamato who is the water prince and also a merman. The boys see each other nightly on a rock outside of Kashuu's castle until one day Yamato has to go on a trip with his family for a few weeks. Kashuu gets saddened at the news and stops coming to the rock at night like he once had done. He eventually falls in love with another prince from another kingdom that looks almost exactly like Yamato, but without the long manicured nails, heavy mermaid like makeup, and jewelry. He thinks the new prince is everything that he wanted until he finds out a secret about the new prince that could change everything.

(How was that? Should I make it a full story or no? Please dm me if I should!!! ^^)

And here are my 11 questions for answering! ^°^

1.If you could meet anyone in the world (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

2.What is something you enjoy doing in your free time besides a favorite hobby of yours?

3. If there is one place you could be right now, where would it be and why?

4. What, in your own eyes, is the biggest influence you have had on a person in your life?

5. Is there someone in the world that you've always wanted to meet, but can't?

6. What is one thing you can't go a day without thinking about it?

7. Is there a song that's been stuck in your head that you just can't get rid of?

8. What is your favorite book and why?

9. What is one thing you believe people don't know about you?

10. Are there any really cool vacation spots in your country? If so what are they?

11. What type of music do you listen to while you are studying/working/ or even trying to fall asleep?

And I tag these lovely people to do this tag if they wish to do it!

@rz-jocelyn

@pamsurowka

@hohokekyo

@flightoftheaj

@karasunocurry

@mimhabibah1

Thank you once again for tagging me!! I had fun completing this! ^^

[toukenramblings]

Touch-Starved: Kashuu Kiyomitsu, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, Sayo Samonji

Anon asked: who's the most touch starved out of the cast? pick the top three and write hcs about them! if you want to, of course ^^

I’m going to do nothing but cry about my boys, please witness my wordvomit.

Honorable mentions: Izuminokami, Kiwame!Honebami, Gokotai, Hasebe, Shokudaikiri,  Kiwame!Fudou,Yamatonokami, others I may be forgetting. Feel free to rant to me about touch-starved sword bois, they all kinda are anyway.

Warnings: I jUST LOVE THEM ( ; ω ; )  I’m gonna cry i love them so much im so SORRY

Kashuu Kiyomitsu

Platonic or romantic, Kashuu will always want to be by your side. He loves it when you pamper him, spoil him, praise him, holding his face in your hands, forehead kisses, cheek kisses, oh Kashuu could drink that all UP. 

Even before Kiwame, Kashuu will almost always find a way to see you out. At first it begins at mere words, tell him that you love him, romantic, platonic it doesn’t matter. But as time goes on, it evolves to touches. And Kashuu will realize that oh...o h.

He loves it when your hand finds his, fingers lacing together. He loves it when you bring him into your embrace, your fingers running through his long locks, sometimes twirling around your finger. He loves it when you do the same when you gently convince him to use your lap as a pillow, a thumb over his cheekbone, he could fall asleep here.

And then there’s the day he realizes he is in love with you, the day he realizes the touches you give him make his heart race like no other. Yes he loves Okita but the love he has for you is much much different. You are his master, but if it turns out to be romantic, Kashuu won’t know what to do with himself. His cheeks will flush whenever you touch him, and he leans into each and every touch you give him with the happiest of blissful smiles.

Kiwame!Kashuu is much more comfortable asking for your affection. If you two have yet to confess by this time, when he comes home, oh he’ll leap into your arms without a second thought. He had missed this, and will keep you there for a while. He’ll whisper into your ears how much he loves you, cheeks redder than his clothing.

But if you two are dating by the time he returns from his journey, the first thing he does the moment you two collide is kiss you. Air be damned when he does this, he missed you so much! He’ll hold you tight and even when Yamatonokami and the other swords of the citadel swarm him to welcome him home, Kashuu is never letting you go! Hell no! Let them try to take you! He’ll fight Yams with his bare fists if he gotta. 

Oh whenever you two do beauty shit together, that’s when Kashuu is his mouth touch starved. Platonic or romantic, Kashuu will hold your hands with the utmost of care when he’s doing your nails. Sometimes if he’s feeling bold, he’ll bring them up to his lips and kiss them. Sometimes sitting on your lap as a brush dusts over your face, or you sitting in his lap to do his makeup! Do whatever damn it! He loves it!!!

Kashuu will lightly swing your arms together whenever you two are holding hands and it’s just you two. No damn way is he going to let anyway else see this! He’ll never hear the end of it!

Oh Kashuu clings on to you like a koala bear whenever you two cuddle. He’ll whine whenever you get up earlier than him, trying to convince you to come back down and sleep wit him! Cuddle!!! Please!!!! He misses you! You give in anyway.

While Kashuu lives off of verbal praise the most, physical affection is just as perfect for him! It’s a way to know that he is loved, even if you are good with words or not!

Yamanbagiri Kunihiro

Listen maybe it’s the Kiwame!Manba feels but before Kiwame, Yamanbagiri isn’t...the best at physical affection unless it’s just two of you alone. Romantic or not, he feels dirty and uncouth whenever you two touch - intentional or not. He doesn’t deserve this, even though what you give him feels so fucking good. Platonic, romantic, whatever it is, Yamanbagiri falls fast and hard and it hurts.

He would always stare at your hands, then back down at his own, and then at yours again. He would always reach out towards the air, wanting to touch you but feel nothing back. Why would you ever return such emotions anyway? He doesn’t deserve them, he is a copy. A fake. Why would you even give him the light of day?

But the day you wrap your hands around his, and he doesn’t pull away? Why would he want to? Not when he finally feels your skin against his, fingers lacing with his? Oh Gods, he never wants this to stop.

He feels so fucking terrible for taking advantage of you like this, lower than low. But why does it feel so damn good????

When Manba comes back from his journey and gets more confidence in himself, he will ask for affection freely. Gone are the days he would flinch away from your touch, now he leans into them, closing his eyes and smiling oh so gently.

In the back of his mind, there is a part of him that screams that he is not worthy. But why would it matter anymore? Manba will accept your affection without hesitation. Yes his cheeks will still be a bright red but he will not longer hide himself and his feelings.

If you have not confessed to each other by the time he goes on his journey, expect him to confess to you during the after party of his return. Like Kashuu above though, if you two are dating, the moment he gets home, he kisses you. A soft peck, a long kiss, who knows! Manba just wants to let you know that you are loved!! Think of it as repayment for the love you have shown him.

Before Kiwame, Manba will never ask for affection even though is eyes would always wander to your hands. Like I said above, he would always hover and hesitate, it’s up to you to close the gap. Kiwame!Yamanbagiri on the other hand will happily ask for it, shyly of course. It’s different between from public with prying eyes to being alone but man does Manba secretly love it when you hold his hand and cup his cheeks.

Sometimes Manba loves it when you two just...lay there. Cuddling, Running hands through each other’s hair. Heads on chest, whatever it may be, He adores it. He loves it when he can hear your heart the most.

Manba may be bad with PDA and hides his general touch-starved self, but it takes time for him to slowly come out of his shell. Be prepared when he comes back from Kiwame, he wants to repay you for your love as much as he can!

Sayo Samonji

Oh sweetheart, Sayo’s need for affection is much different than the other two above. Yes he loves praise like Kashuu but at first, Sayo will deny the affection. He doesn’t think he deserves it, like Manba but...Sayo is a weapon. He is a killer. His heart is stained with malice. Rarely does he ever feel peace.

He gets affection from his brothers and it’s great but the affection from you is parental in a way. The head pats you give him almost make him cry, is it alright? Do you not fear him? His mind would be abuzz as he leans into your touch, turning off his brain for only a moment. Perhaps it was...fine for a while, no? You are his master, he has to listen to you in the end. But it feels so good, it brings him peace like how his brothers would pat his head and love him.

As time goes on, Sayo will begin to spend much more time around you. Shyly would be asking you for hugs, staring down at the ground, opening up his tiny arms. “C-Can...no, forget it.” he would almost look dejected, bringing his arms back down to his side and almost ready to turn away and run. 

The minute you do hug him though, Sayo melts. He closes his eyes, his heart slows, his brain shutting down the worst parts of his mind. He doesn’t have to listen to them. Not now, not here, not ever, so long as you hold him like this, Sayo can just be a kid. Not a warrior, not a poor boy born of anger and malice and famine. But a child, who can finally rest.

Soon enough, Sayo’s hugs will become almost spontaneous. Shy but out of nowhere. Most of them come from nightmares, when he sneaks out of his brothers’ room to find you. He loves Souza and Kousetsu, don’t get him wrong. But sometimes it’s just...better with you? He doesn’t know how to describe it. Maybe it’s because you have an outside perspective to his life and maybe it’s because he’s connected to you as a tsukumogami and master?

He just thinks you bring him comfort like a parent would.

It’s those quiet moments where Sayo will cry in your arms, and when he finally falls asleep, it’s a rare moment when you see a smile in his lips.

When he comes back from Kiwame, accepting who he is as a killer and a blade born from malice, Sayo almost feels much more free in a way. Yes he knows that he is a tool, but his affection for you is almost much more palpable. He won’t hesitate to ask you for a hug, sometimes finding you in your office or outside and asking, “May I sit on your lap for a little bit?” and plop himself there with a content smile as he leans into your embrace.

No Souza and Kousetsu aren’t sobbing in a corner what are you talking about. Both Samonji bros are more than happy to see their little brother open up to you like this!

Sayo’s affection ebbs and flows, comes and goes with the wind, but don’t doubt that he cares for you platonically and in a familial sense.

[dearestjaemin]

tou-ken ran-bu, let’s answer!

so i was checking out saniwa status updates and one of them mentioned a questionnaire. “sounds fun let’s look for it” and I found oosayo’s post about it

it was posted a year ago but shush

Touken Ranbu Questionnaire

1. who were your first uchigatana and tantou?

 - kashuu kiyomitsu and maeda toushirou! i loved kashuu because of hanamaru s1 <3 i feel a little bad that maeda isn’t my favorite tantou but i adore his scouting lines HAHAHAHA ASERASENI??? CHILD WHAT R U SAYING

2. which starter sword was your second or third choice?

- oh god this is hard???? mutsunokami and manba for feelings. hachisuka for the stats.

3. what’s your dream team?

- what. does a level 99 kiwame iwatooshi count. kashuu, fudou, ookanehira, horikawa, hotarumaru and and and gokotai.

4. what’s your saniwa anniversary? how long have you been playing?

- every 22nd of april, but havent celebrated it yet! 301 days!

5. would you spend money on touken ranbu? have you already?

- i yes. ive spent money on merch and ingame.

6. what username did you pick for the game?

- momoi satsuki in kanji haha-

7. what’s your favorite map if you have one?

- 7-4 bcos my tantous are 10/10

8. who was your first rarity 3 sword?

- kakaka!

9. who’s your favorite sword?

- kashuu kiyomitsu. period.

10. favorite clan?

- HOW DARE YOU??? um i love kunihiro bros so much.

11. who’s your least favorite sword?

- oh god is this even real. jirou?? only bcos i dont like his art in game ;;

12. which troops do you try to smith the most?

- musketeers and shieldmen!!!

13. do you play the pocket or desktop version most often?

- pocket!!!!!!!!

14. how many swords do you have? (excluding doubles)

- 63!!!!

15. are you watching the touken ranbu anime?

- yep!!! in love with hanamaru soooo much

16. which sword is most like you?

- i relate to iwatooshi bcos I EXIST IN CAPSLOCK WHEN IM IN IT but also kashuu bcos i am so himedere HAHAHHA

17. who’s your secretary sword?

- right now...??? monoyoshi!!!

18. what do your teams look like?

- teams 2 - 3 are full of lvl 99 swords for the expedition. team 1 is tantou team bcos 7-4 ftw

19. what level is your highest leveled sword at?

- 99 L M A O

20. if you could change one thing about touken ranbu, what would it be?

- I NEED TO TAG MY SWORDS AS FAV OR SMTH OR GET A PRESET TEAM??? OR JUST STOP MAKING ME CLICK THE MAP WHEN THE FIGHT ENDS INSAKNSAK

21. what background are you using in your citadel right now?

- um it’s either the oni bg or the sakura. i forgot.

22. do you use all your help tokens or do you hoard them?

- i use them a lot for repairs and stuff idr like waiting but i have a lot for some reason ouo;;;;

23. do you have any kiwame swords? if not, which ones would you like to get to kiwame status?

- yes. 8 of them sweats.

24. was there a particular sword that got you interested in touken ranbu?

- kashuu. period. ok and maybe iwatooshi bcos he’s fucking strong

25. how many of your swords have gone into awakening mode? which was the first? (other than your starter sword)

- um. most of them???? i dont rmr ;;;;;

26. if touken ranbu got an english version, but you’d loose all of your progress until now, would you still use it? (would always know what your swords were saying, what Konnosuke is saying, be able to know where everything is without the wiki, ect)

- i’d play two files. im not giving up my progress. if i only have to play one game, fuck the english translations. HAHAHAHA

27. do you have a favorite type of campaign or event?

- i super love vot!!!! and battle regiment bcos fast paced 10/10

28. how do you feel about the most recent new swords?

- i LOVE THEM I NEED A KENSHIN???

29. would you recommend touken ranbu to a friend?

- yes, but i dont know how???? bcos it’s in japanese??? and people don’t understand its beauty until u start playing????

30. if you could make your own sword and have it put in the game, what would they act/look like? what would their Thing be? (aka the Thing they mention every other line)

- id want them to be like souza or juzu, like reaaaaally pretty. catchphrase? a cute “let’s kill!” line hihi

[sutekiyomitsu]

Sato Ryuji First Time in Taiwan: Dream EZLA Report

[TRANSLATION] Sato Ryuji First Time in Taiwan

Please do not repost any of my translations.

Popular 2.5D stage actor Sato Ryuji, a member of Himawari Theatre Troupe, has acted in many stage and musical adaptations of anime, including the cornerstone of 2.5D, Musical Prince of Tennis, the globally popular Live Spectacle Naruto and various other stage performances. Of particular prominence is the musical adaptation of Japan’s most popular game, Musical Touken Ranbu, in which he played Kashuu Kiyomitsu. His incredible acting skills and his handsome appearance have attracted many fans who have never come into contact with the 2.5D genre, and he has gradually broken into this circle to explore his style.

On 3 September, Sunday, at Sanchuang’s CLAPPER STUDIO, Sato Ryuji held his first overseas fan meeting, with a screening of the movie in which he plays a lead role, “Please Please Please”, and shared happy times with his fans.

Sato Ryuji entered the stage wearing a combination of black and red, and as he was entering he muttered some English greetings, and expressed that before he went up the stage he had asked the staff about how the audience was like. “It seemed that there’s a more handsome Kashuu Kiyomitsu here, and they seem to be really popular, so please go easy on me! (laughs)” [1] It was hard to hide his happy but bashful side.

After the screening of the movie, he sang the full versions of song that was in the movie, “Please”, live, and the ending song for the weekly drama “FIVE”, “Gakuen Tengoku”. Sato said that this was his first time performing these two songs, and that they were available for download on iTunes. When he was talking about some other goals he’d like to fulfil on this trip to Taiwan, he expressed that he had seen Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, and heard that the scenery shown in the movie is inspired from Taiwan’s Jiufen. Since he thinks that it is very beautiful, he would like to go there to visit the real location. He would also like to try out the Taiwanese staple dessert, pineapple cake.

Coincidentally, at the start of September, his co-star Kuroba Mario had also come to Taiwan to hold his second fan meeting, and at that time Sato Ryuji recorded a video to give to him. Sato Ryuji half-jokingly complained, “Why didn’t he send me a video? And we have such a huge screen in this venue!”, which showed fans the good friendship between these two boys even in private.

After that, it was time for the fans question and answer segment. Fans were concerned if he was injured during the final performance of Live Spectacle Naruto, and Sato quickly explained, “It was just that I tried to say a line that was too long with one breath and wasn’t breathing properly, straining my muscle. Thank you for your concern.”

Sato Ryuji is also raising a kitten, and there were fans also asking about him. Sato expressed that he initially wanted to bring him to Taiwan, but since the kitten was not used to travelling long distances, he was left at the pet hotel. He also said that the kitten has been snuggling into his armpit and falling asleep with him, and his tender expression showed that he loved his pet dearly.

At the same time, Sato Ryuji shared that his favourite songs in Musical Touken Ranbu were “Tokenai Mahou” and “Show Me The World”.

Musical Touken Ranbu Kashuu Kiyomitsu Tanki Shutsujin 2017

From 5 October to 10 October, these 11 days at the Galaxy Theatre, Sato Ryuji will be playing the leading role and bearing the heavy responsibility of performing the Solo Live by himself.

He then discussed the upcoming Tanki Shutsujin performance in October. Firstly, because Kashuu Kiyomitsu is associated with the colour red, the chosen theme for the main visual was red, and with the whole visual giving the appearance of  “a whole piece of red”, it helped to highlight the character of Kashuu Kiyomitsu.

Sato further disclosed that this Tanki Shutsujin was his idea, and for it to be able to come true was very good, and that he was extremely happy. Also, this performance was different from the others as only one person was performing. At that time, the actor who plays Iwatooshi, Saeki Daichi smiled and said to him, “You usually have a stage presence that is equal to that of three people, you would certainly have no problems!” As he said this, the audience became very quiet, but Sato quickly corrected himself, saying, “Ah, but if the audience’s response is cold it isn’t my problem! It’s his fault!”, passing the blame to Saeki [2], making the fans laugh.

Musical Touken Ranbu is also very popular even overseas. To people now, these historical swords are a romantic story and the Touken Danshi are very handsome, so the popularity of this work is understandable.

Speaking of being on stage, [Sato Ryuji] would change his voice to fit the personality of his character. For example, when acting as Sasuke in Live Spectacle Naruto, his voice would get deeper. Sato performed a line in Sasuke’s voice on the spot, and said that even though in the original anime it should be more levelled, when performing on stage, it requires a bit of originality, so he added his own style, demonstrating his professionalism.

At this event, he not only allowed fans time to take pictures, Sato Ryuji also personally gifted fans with his own personal photobook, “Gekkan Sato Ryuji” and the perfume that he uses. At the end of the event, in order to let fans get the chance to get up close with him, Sato Ryuji high-fived everyone to send them off at the exits, ending this great fan meeting. He also reportedly had a special little chat with a Kashuu Kiyomitsu cosplayer!

According to the host, Sato Ryuji was very happy to be able to hold a fan meeting in Taiwan, and after the event was over, and celebrated with the rest of the staff. The host also said that while he was backstage he was excitedly taking selfies to post on his personal twitter, and said that he would like to come back to hold another event in Taiwan.

Notes:

[1] This phrase can mean “Don’t judge me too harshly” or “Look favourably on my humble efforts!”

[2] This inside joke started during the last 2.5D Cafe SHOWROOM with Kuroba Mario, Saeki Daichi, Oohira Shunya and Kitazono Ryo. Saeki Daichi told Kuroba Mario, the last Touken Danshi to sign on the cafe’s wall (Kitazono Ryo signed after him, but his signature was technically already on the wall), to use up all of the remaining space on the wall, which led to him signing a huge signature on the wall. Kuroba Mario then remarked, “It’s all Saeki Daichi’s fault”, which fans picked up and made into a meme. When the four of them tweeted after the end of the SHOWROOM, they all tagged their tweets: “It’s all Saeki Daichi’s fault”, and the hashtag trended on Twitter for a while.

More translations of articles about the event:

Gamebase

Translations of interviews by the Taiwanese media before the event:

HiNet Games Animen GNN News ETNews Taiwan Yahoo! News

This article was translated from Traditional Chinese. (Source: Dream EZLA)

[jardimdeglicinias]

i'm thinking of writing a touken ranbu character, but all i've seen is the anime. also what kind kf rpc is the fandom anyway because i'm really shy & anxious about entering since i've been in other fandoms that aren't quite so kind...

Okay, fast your safety belt, anon, because it got longer than I was expecting. I’ll answer it from the easiest to the hardest (it’s actually from shorter to longer), so grab a water a bottle and tune up Kaeru Basho in the highest volume you can!

The Fandom:

Tourabu is the most welcoming fandom that I had ever came across. Some months (more than one year, by now) ago I was very, very hesitant to dive into because I was invited by my awesome friend @odigcs even before I watched the Hanamaru anime. Of course I had a good experience and I’m still amazed (and ultra glad) how this fandom in the rpc is incredibly welcoming. To be honest: I never had a bad time in this fandom.

On “all I’ve seen is the anime”:

I highly recommend you to look up some anthologies (there’s plenty of them at mangarock) if you wanna see more of a specific character. On my own experience who started with the Hanamaru anime before actually playing the game, Hanamaru isn’t so welcoming to new fans since there’s almost no explanation about the setting or the character’s backgrounds (save Okitagumi and Odagumi).

(I’m assuming you only watched the Hanamaru anime due to being more popular)

The Katsugeki anime is a bit “newcomers-friendly” on the point of explaining the setting and I also enjoyed the characterization. However, is UFOTABLE, so be prepared to fast-pacing story.

There’s the musicals and stage plays which I hadn’t the opportunity to watch (yet) as many players out there, but people said that they are good to understand the characters more in dept. However, some songs are available and they are awesome.

Playing the game isn’t necessary, the official wiki serves so much as a translator that most people that never played the game are able to grasp the idea. (Myself included, playing the game just gave me a new meaning to the word “despair” when I almost broke my Taikogane) However, the game currently has much more characters than in the anime, so it’s a good idea to look on the wiki.

Personal Tips:

I myself have no confidence to rp a canon character (in any fandom) because of the varying headcanons and stuff, but I guess that the Tourabu fandom will welcome you with open arms!

I only have ocs, but this is also a valid tip to the ones who play was canon characters: make a research about the sword’s past and their former owners, it’s a huge addition! I had seen some canon players which did their research and their portrayals are uniquely beautiful! After all, Tourabu relies A LOT on history.

And if you are interested in making an oc which isn’t a Saniwa (since the saniwa is an human being, it’s easy-peasy-lemon-squezy to make one) I’m gonna say just one thing: You’ll probably need to jump from site to site do map a sword’s story. Of course, I like to go in depth, but a small research also works. The main problem is when the sword has more than one name (Hizamaru’s sword official name in expositions is Usu Midori) or there’s two swords with the same name (A wakizashi and a tachi, both called Junkei Samonji).

On the topic of blades which are missing, burnt or broken to the point of being irreparable, thrown at the ocean and melted, some canon characters are under this category. To name a few: Hotarumaru was (possibly) thrown at the ocean, Otegine became a block of melted iron, Horikawa Kunihiro is missing (probably is also in the bottom of the ocean) Yagen Toushirou disappeared during the Honnouji Event, probably burnt completely, Kashuu Kiyomitsu broke and was discarded. So it means that using swords which doesn’t exist anymore is completely fine.

A small thing that I wasn’t gonna mention, but I decided to:

And because I know that someone will ask me it someday: “Touken Ranbu has a exclusively male cast, why do you have female tsukumogami?” Well, I’m not the only one to have this kind of ocs (usually I see a lot of naginata girls because naginata were used mostly by women) but as you may have noticed: none of my girls are swords. (With the exception of Naomasa and Ibarakinaibou which has pointy parts that can pierce skin.) They are essentially blunt weapons (and with the exception of Ibarakinaibou, concealed weapons).

人妻な刀とかいないかなぁ～。　… はぁ、いないかぁI wonder if there are any swords that are married women~! … Huh, there aren’t?

The quote above is (Kiwame) Houchou Toushirou’s smiting line. I never thought too much about it before, but since it was mentioned: he said specifically “sword” (刀) but not “weapon” (武器) as whole… And, you guys who follow me for a while might have noticed that I work with the “why not?” question a lot.

I had heard about the kanabo that Ibarakinaibou is based on, since it was considerably a “legendary” one I thought: “that’s gonna be a GOOD thing to try”. However I didn’t added her before Naomasa and Rashinbansaihai because I had NO SOLID INFORMATION about this kanabo before I came across these two war fans. And I must confess, it was A PAIN to get a BIT of information.

I did this, and until now no one seemed to be think it’s a bad idea, also no one sees nothing wrong with sword girls. After all, Houchou specified “married women”. This last section is just a thing that I wanted to share.

I hope this was helpful for you!

I know you mentioned you are shy and anxious, but I’ll be happy to help you step by step! So if yo want call me on my IM, you are 100% free to do so!

[avi-stella]

Beside You | Kashuu Kiyomitsu x Reader

RATING: Teen | GENRE: Hurt/Comfort | WORD COUNT: 1,217 SUMMARY: Kashuu becomes jealous and worried as soon as Mikazuki comes along.

Kashuu took great pride in his looks. He spent long periods of time in his room, making sure that his appearance was perfect so that he could present himself to his master at his absolute best. You complimented him with honest words whenever he asked you how he looked for the day, but every now and then, you would offer compliments to the other swords, and that made him upset at times. However, while it did upset him, he tried not to let it bother him too much to affect his relationship with the others and in turn his performance on the battlefield. All in all, Kashuu was satisfied with how things were. That is, until you managed to get your hands on a certain new sword.

"Mikazuki Munechika," the ornate sword introduced himself with elegance and grace. "They call me Mikazuki on account of the many patterns on my blade. Please take care of me."

"Oh my... I've heard many things about you, but to see you personally like this... You really are beautiful as they say," you breathed out, entranced at the sword that bowed before you.

A small laugh left Mikazuki's lips, "You flatter me, Master."

Kashuu watched this small exchange from the side along with the other swords who were already in your possession. Everybody wanted to see who this new ally was, and it sort of became a new tradition to introduce themselves individually. As Kashuu continued to watch, he could slowly feel his heart sinking. The look on your face as you welcomed Mikazuki was one of pure awe and admiration. Kashuu tightly balled his hands into fists. He could feel his nails start to dig into his skin, and he was certain he could draw blood from his palm at any second.

Shishiou, who was standing beside the male, noticed this and asked, "Hm? What's wrong Kashuu?"

"Nothing," Kashuu answered in a much harsher tone than he realized. "Excuse me." He then swiftly turned on his heel and pushed a few swords aside as he left the area, unable to bear seeing his master look at anyone asides from him with that kind of expression.

The next few days, you had spent most of your time with Mikazuki, trying to help get him accustomed to his new life in the citadel. Kashuu, who was extremely bored one morning, had decided to leisurely pass the time talking with you. He walked throughout the citadel but was unable to find you. When Kashuu asked one of his fellow uchigatanas who was training by himself, he said that Kashuu might be able to find you in Mikazuki's room.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kashuu headed towards the newcomer's room. Once he had reached his destination, he hesitated. "Uh..."

"Oh, is that you, Kashuu?" your familiar voice spoke from within the room when you heard his voice.

Then, unreservedly and rather rudely, the male opened the door without permission. He peered in and saw that you were helping Mikazuki get dressed. Kashuu paused for a moment before whining, "Master~ I'm booored!"

"Ah, sorry," you apologized to Kashuu, giving him a quick glance. "I'll be done here soon. Just wait a bit."

In front of you, you heard Mikazuki speak. "Sorry. Fashion is not one of my strong points. I always need to ask other people for help."

"No need to apologize," you smiled as you continued helping Mikazuki get into his beautiful attire.

From the corner of your eyes, you saw Kashuu walk into the room and sit himself down on the tatami beside Mikazuki. He watched, fidgeting and shifting his position every so often. Mikazuki glanced to the side to look at Kashuu. They met each other's gaze, and Kashuu saw the corners of the other sword's lips tug upwards into a knowing smile. The uchigatana couldn't tell if it was mocking him or not; he was too upset to make any calm and rational observations.

"Aaand...done!" you announced, catching Kashuu's attention.

The male was quick to stand on his feet and tugged at your arm, "Great! Now let's go~ I'm bored!"

You put up little to no resistance towards Kashuu's incessant tugging and quickly wished Mikazuki to have a good day before leaving his room, telling him that he could do whatever he wanted for the day. The ornate sword waved his hand, wearing an amused smile as he watched the two of you leave.

"Kashuu, wait," you winced slightly at the sword's grip which was much too tight for comfort. "That hurts!"

The uchigatana snapped out of his thoughts and immediately let go of you. His eyes widened with fear and regret, and the male bowed his head low. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, his voice cracking the slightest bit.

You intended to reassure Kashuu that everything was fine, but your words got caught in your throat when the uchigatana's soft sobs reached your ears. Kashuu's shoulders shook, keeping his head bowed. He didn't want you to see him in such an ugly state. What he said next surprised you. "...Please don't leave me."

Confusion crawled onto your features from the sudden and strange request. "What...?"

The young man stared hard at the ground, his fingers finding each other and started fiddling them. He made an audible gulp, an attempt to relieve his suddenly dry throat. Still refusing to look up at you, Kashu finally spoke, his voice wavering, "Mikazuki is...very beautiful."

You were unable to keep up with the conversation, and the puzzled frown remains painted on your lips. Afraid of possibly saying the wrong thing and upsetting Kashuu even further, you slowly nodded your head. "Yes, he is..."

"Do you think he's more beautiful than me?" Kashuu asked, snapping his head upwards so that his glistening eyes bore into your widened ones.

That's when everything finally fell into place. "Oh, Kashuu..." you breathe out with one of the most sympathetic tones you've ever used.

The uchigatana bit hard at his lower lip, willing himself not to cry. Carefully, you reached out and touched his shoulder. When he didn't flinch away, you continued to move until you fully wrapped your arms around his trembling and vulnerable figure. You cooed softly in his ear, not even bothered when Kashuu hugged you back with such intensity, his hands desperately clutching onto your clothes.

"I'm sorry," Kashuu sobbed, burying his tear-stained face into the crook of your neck.

"You have nothing to apologize for," you reassured the male, the gentle smile on your face finding its way in your words. Your hands stroked Kashuu's hair in slow and even motions, bringing him a small sense of calm. "Mikazuki is beautiful, I won't deny that, but it doesn't mean I'll love you any less. You're special to me, Kashuu. You've been with me for a long time now, and I don't intend to leave you any time soon if at all."

Giving himself a moment for your words to sink in, Kashuu nodded and loosened the embrace, pulling back to look at you. You smiled back at him, and he rested his forehead against yours. The pair of you stayed like that for a few more moments longer before taking his hand and guiding him to spend the rest of the day together.

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