#touken thoughts

[hakucho-art]

Touken thought of the day: First I thought that they don't really fit the popular symbolism of sun/moon but I changed my mind while thinking about it during a shower (so I guess it's more of a shower thought lol).

Superficially kaneki would be the sun and touka the moon but it feels to redundant and just not... right to say that. Kaneki is kind but has way too many depressing moments and rarely sunny ones in comparison (except sweety Haise heh). He is more like the face of depression, like most iconic guy for his sad boy aura. And Touka... has the vibes of a moon one but she has quite the positive influence on the people around her. She is also a very kind person. It's always that duality between them wkdbwjjd

So they may not seem like the typical sun/moon pairing but a thought that I really like is that they perceive eachother as their sun and see themselves as the moon 🥺 considering the way they influence and admire the other, touka being inspired by Kaneki's kindness while kaneki is inspired by Touka's strength... I think that this way it fits them <3

[matchandelure]

Hi, maybe you could draw something with Izuminokami Kanesada (maybe with Horikawa Kunihiro)? Something cute or encouraging maybe? Or just some siblinglike shenanigans with them? Thank you! If not it's fine <3 I hope you find inspiration!

morning routines

[haiseswidow]

Meanwhile on instagram reels

[vividblaze]

Jikkyuu~n ... (*´ω`*)

[evanescentsun]

inspired by @hakucho-art ‘s vampire enemies to lovers au heheh, and her art. (I can’t get over touka’s design it’s so cool. @/harleyquilt is so big brained for the design FR. )

[whimsicallywiddershins]

There is something about Mikazuki Munechika that scares me. He is an elegent, calm, somewhat silly character. But something about him makes me think of elder gods and ancient beings too powerful to be understood by humans.

[wordsintheatmosphere]

The Problem With A Heart

Series: Touken Ranbu Pairing: Tsurumaru Kuninaga/Saniwa (Female) Rating: G Summary: The problem with being given a physical form is all these new complications that comes with it. As a sword, Tsurumaru has never had to deal with such thoughts before, but things are different now.

—

His master had been gone for a long, long time.

She didn't leave without warning; his master was a responsible owner, and she had written meticulous letters about her reasons for leaving and the duties and responsibilities that were to be handled in her absence. She had been quite detailed in her letters, making sure that the swords under her current ownership were well taken care of and would not encounter too many difficulties; as her last appointed attendant, Tsurumaru couldn't help but smile wryly as he read over them. Despite her efforts, sword spirits were more than capable of looking after themselves and did not require the aid of a human to help them settle. There was no doubt that the sword spirits were much older than she was, than any human could possibly be, and there was little she could offer that they would not be able to do on their own. She of all people would know that, as someone with the power to pull spirits from old, historied objects and embody their essence into a physical form. Even so, Tsurumaru thought as he read over her letters for a countless time, she was quite meticulous in her writing. It was the only way she could show her care for them, in her own human way.

And yet, despite all the detail and attention and underlying anxiousness in her written words, there was no mention of her return. When will she be back? Will she ever be back? The questions that lived in Tsurumaru's mind could not find an answer in all of the pages his master wrote, no matter how many times he read them. He folded the wrinkled paper, textured with his constant touch, and placed it back in the wooden drawer. It hurt him to think that she chose to leave these letters behind instead of facing him, her attendant, who had the right to know. In his mind he knew she wouldn't be able to answer the questions that bothered him even if she were to face him then, but the problem with a heart is that rationalizing these thoughts did not help him in the slightest. 

There were many things that her swords chose to do; in a way, it was a welcomed break from all the fighting that they had done. Some chose the time to deepen the friendships between each other, some chose to busy themselves with hobbies or training, and all of them dutifully kept with the responsibilities that their master had detailed in her letters to upkeep their citadel. But for Tsurumaru, the days remained unchanging. There was a restlessness in his heart that blossomed when he read her letter for the first time, a feeling that kept growing with the days that passed peacefully. Was it right for him to feel this way, even in times of peace? He'd thought he would accept it, when he'd left to discover himself on that journey that his master approved of so long ago. It turned out he was still bad at accepting this unchanging landscape—at least, without his master. When he had made his mind up to settle down, it was because he thought he'd be able to be by his master's side, not like this in a place without her. Not like this, alone by himself.

He spent his days wandering the citadel grounds, finding ways to bide his time, and every late afternoon to evening he took to sitting by the front gates alone. When he was asked what he was doing, his answer was that he was bored and simply wished to observe the changing landscape outside of the citadel that was frozen in time without the presence of his master. It was not entirely a lie, but it was not entirely the truth either; his eyes wandered several times down the paths where his master could've taken on the day she decided to leave. It was unfair, the way it was so easy for her to choose to walk down those paths alone, when it was so difficult for him to be stuck here, unable to follow. 

It was a clear summer day when he finally saw his master walking down the dirt path. At first he couldn't believe it; many times people had walked down those paths, traveling to their destinations and back, and many times he had watched each of them, each figure of a lady making him hold his breath quietly before releasing it in disappointment. But this time he recognized the style of her clothes, the colour of her hair, and most certainly the way she carried herself with determined purpose, even if her eyes held the weariness of a person that shouldered a heavy burden. When her eyes met his, her steps freezing in surprise, Tsurumaru pulled his hood over his eyes and waited.

He waited. What else could he do, when he had been trapped waiting all this time? When he could hear her hesitant footsteps drawing near him, he rose to his feet. She was so small; he towered over her, the hood that covered his gaze no longer veiling the sharpness in his eyes. 

"You're back," he said, and though he was smiling there was an edge to his voice he couldn't contain. She darted her gaze nervously at the sound of it, and if he was in a better mood he would've kicked himself. This was the problem of owning a heart: the absence of a master couldn't bother him when he was simply a sword, but now things were too complicated and he didn't know how to handle these strange and unfamiliar feelings.

"I'm back," she agreed in a quiet, apologetic voice, then added, "how were things while I was gone?"

"While you were gone?" He echoed, the smile not leaving his face though his mind was in a mess; how were things, he had not bothered to keep track despite being her trusted attendant. He only knew of the way her absence had made him feel, how it felt to be left waiting and wondering in a place without her.

"I was dead," he said simply; there was no exaggeration in his voice, because as far as he was concerned it was the truth. "If nothing changes, then it's the same as being dead."

She looked at him then, and the pained look in her eyes melted the ice that frosted his heart ever since the day she left. He pulled her close, his arms enveloping and folding her body against his. She was so small; had anyone ever told her that? It made her look so harmless, but he knew she was anything but. No harmless person could ever leave him feeling so helpless at her absence, or drain the petty anger he'd held onto so tightly with just a look, leaving him feeling pathetic for speaking so coldly to her when she was all he could think about while she was gone.

"I'm sorry, Tsurumaru," she said, voice muffled against his clothes.

"Welcome home," he whispered, when he could finally trust his voice.

[moonspirit]

OKAY OKAY LISTEN-

Armin Arlert, Commander of the Survey Corps, Chief Ambassador of the Allied Nations, shows up to work without his coat.

Said coat is at home, covering his beautiful wife, Annie, as she continues sleeping.

Said coat is always on his beautiful wife, Annie, draped over her shoulders, everywhere, at every public function and at every important dinner.

Said coat is never on him, always on her.

[riukki]

Flower shop AU HeshiShoku commission for shokubucks

[mishkakagehishka]

And every time i return to the honmaru after a long absence only to stay for a minute while i send them out on more expeditions, in my lore (head) it looks more like

Kashuu: oh thank goodness... i thought you didn't care about me anymore...

saniwa: history's haunted

Kashuu: what?

saniwa: [shoving a loaded pistol in his hands and pushing him out of the honmaru] history's haunted. Get on it.

[wolfofcelestia]

I’m 730% a Shoku lover on main but sometimes I think about how calm and unwavering Jikkyuu is and I just. Sigh dreamily

If the saniwa were in danger, Shoku would definitely be able to protect them, but he’d be more vocal about it. Asking if they’re okay, reassuring them, maybe even threatening the enemy

Jikkyuu, though… I’d imagine he wouldn’t even waste his breath. He’d reassure the saniwa with a look and a nod, or only a handful of words in his calming voice, and then he’d just go fucking ham on the enemy

Both brothers wouldn’t let their saniwa get hurt, but I feel like Jikkyuu would be fucking terrifying to face because he’d look like a killing machine and you wouldn't be able to tell what he’s thinking

He speaks softly to the saniwa but he turns into a monster if anyone threatens them. He’d stop at nothing to fend off the enemy.

Dirty tricks? Fair game.

His own life? Doesn’t matter as long as his master is safe.

The enemies are dead? He’d continue to brutalize their corpses until the saniwa calls him off

Jikkyuu doesn’t remember what happened and he doesn’t know why everyone’s looking at him with horrified faces

He gives them a sweet smile splattered in blood and pieces of flesh, and asks his saniwa in his usual calming voice if it’s time to go home

[hakucho-art]

free pass to talk about touken

HAHA, you're really indulging me huh

Ohhh what to talk about. It's funny, they occupy my brain 24/7 but as soon as someone asks me about them then there's nothing in that little head of mine. I guess I'm just gonna ramble lol.

Today I've been headcanoning about Touka sitting and waiting next to Kaneki while he's in his coma. Saiko and Urie being next to her as well and Saiko asking her who she is since she and Urie shouldnnttt really know her iirc. She introduces herself and also says that she's nekis wife (I will never get over her "MY HUSBANDS WAITING FOR ME UP THERE" MY GOD, I DIED AND ASCENDED HEAVEN THAT DAY) and saiko and urie getting shocked at that.

Saiko gets sad about the fact that she missed the wedding (calling her mamans wife from then on 😭♥️) and Urie mutters "First Takeomi, now Haise......." which catches Touka's attention. Since they visited yorikos wedding, she probably asked Kaneki who the man is she's marrying and what he's like. So if they know takeomi then they should also know what happened to yoriko!

And she freezes up because since she found out about the execution, she probs completely avoided thinking about it nor engaging with the topic in any way. She already did canonically with Kaneki but he knows how she feels and how that is and can give her comfort in the nights when the pain is too much to bear. Touka silently crying while Kaneki hugs her and kisses her trying to ease the pain if not at least a little 🥺

She is too scared to even ask if yoriko's still alive, too afraid of the answer. And while she starts trying to form the question, she unconsciously holds kaneki's hand enclosed between her two hands and squeezes it. Trying to find the strength to ask that question.

Urie starts answering before she even finished forming her sentence, assuming maybe she wants to ask where they are and tells her that they left the city (IIRC LMAO).

She falls forward, relief going through her whole body and holds kanekis hand against her forehead. Saiko and Urie ask her if she's okay since her body starts shaking but she says that she's fine. Knowing that Yoriko is alive and well and away from all the insanity that is happening right now in Tokyo, she couldnt be more happier about it. Now she only needs the person in front of her to wake up.

Gahhhh, I'm just.... soooo damn soft for hurt/comfort AND THATS LITERALLY TOUKENS WHOLE THING. Makes me think about the way Kaneki was nervous about seeing Hide again after all these years and going for Touka's hand, wanting to hold it in order to ease that nervousness 😭🤲🤲🤲 THEY ALWAYS GO FOR EACHOTHERS HANDS WHENEVER THEY ARE IN NEED OF COMFORT.

Although I also really like the thought of Kaneki needing lots of physical comfort and touka needing emotional comfort while the way that they give comfort is both the opposite, Kaneki giving emotional comfort and touka giving physical one. Perfectly aligning <3

I AM SO. DAMN. SOFT ABOUT TOUKEN

THEY ARE A SET, DO NOT SEPERATE THEM. LIKE HINAMI SAID, ONEECHAN AND ONIICHAN ARE BETTER TOGETHER.

I LOVE THEMM SO MUCHHHHH

[stellamancer]

rika pokemon topping the yume ranking TWO YEARS IN A ROW is honestly the best and most hilarious thing i've heard all day.

[eien-no-gakusha]

Touken Ranbu:  The Contradictory Tale of Genji

Went in expecting fanservice and just a good time, left impressed.

Part 1/3 - Plot:

The videogame source material has a very barebones plot because it knows what it is:  a gatcha game for fujoshi to collect sword husbandos.  Basically, something evil is trying to change (Japanese) history and make the universe implode.  You, the player, are an onmyoji or priestess who is summoning famous swords like mad to save the world.  The touken danshi themselves basically have the personalities of their famous historical figure owners or forgers coupled with quirks related to random facts and legends surrounding them.  Some come with a Hachiko streak from losing their masters or their service in some darker parts of history.  (only your love can heal them!). Classic gatcha game fare.  In other words, there is a lot of room to be creative with this framework.  Just look at all the sexy derivative works spawned from the thirsty fujoshi.  This aspect of the fandom is surprisingly relevant to the plot of the musical.  Stick around and find out. 

Anyways, the plot of this specific show features a Tale of Genji crossover.  The usual evil is messing with history again and a squad of swords are dispatched to fix it.   The problem of the day is the entire Heian court has been isekai-ed into the novel Tale of Genji.  The author Murasaki Shikibu and her fans have all gotten merged with the characters of the book.  The Heian era swords are unavailable for vague reasons, leaving a bunch of young swords not forged in this era to untangle fact from fiction.

Thus, we start with team Kanesada finding themselves escorting a lady-in-waiting who explains that everyone around her has been suddenly larping Tale of Genji and she’s the only sane person left in court.  They realize they are trapped in the book and reenact all the early chapters as they figure out how to undo the curse.  Some of the more hot-tempered swords try to brute force their way out only to realize that book characters have protagonist halos to protect them from getting KOed.  At the center of this vortex, the titular character Hikaru Genji is effectively an NPC who has gained sentience a la RE:  Creators.  We learn he functions similarly to the sword boys as the embodiment of the book.  Not being a weapon, he can’t do much by way of fighting but he is unkillable and can act as dungeon master in his own story by transferring protagonist status to his victims.  In other words, Genji can possess targets to simulate his story as a substitute while he dicks off.  He uses this power to go OOC and try to retcon his own story.  This is all quite convenient for him since he has a complicated relationship with his author.  He is half reverential of her and half resentful.  This culminates in Genji ultimately killing his own author.  In the merged universe, Murasaki Shikibu and her readership have merged with the female leads of The Tale of Genji with Murasaki taking the role of the unobtainable Fujitsubo no Nyogo, Genji’s true love.  In breaking the story with literal death of the author, all hell breaks loose with Genji going rogue.

As the touken danshi dig deeper, they learn the source of this chaos was a result of toxic fan culture!  While many people enjoy Murasaki’s book and come away from it positively, a stalker fan voices his concerns that this is all vapid fiction with no value nor contribution to reality (the “wake up, loser” argument).  They debate about the point of writing “fake” stories.  While Murasaki understands the man’s point of view, she disagrees and refuses to put down her brush as this work is her passion.  The man becomes so upset he is taken over by the evil powers to cause the time rift and alter history.  His reasoning is if everyone is so obsessed with the book, they may as well live in it rather than face the real world. 

Back in the present, the touken danshi are having a bad time resolving the timeline.  They complain about needing grandpa Mikazuki’s help and keep getting possessed by Genji to reenact chapters while he escapes to cause trouble elsewhere.  However, during the final boss battle with evil Genji, the isekai-ed fangirls come to the rescue!  As they reminisce about their love of the novel (well, it would be equivalent of a serialized magazine at time of publication) and how it was therapeutic or inspiring for their real lives, they begin to return to themselves.  Now it’s important to note that Murasaki’s contemporaries did write derivative works or helped her transcribe chapters to share.  Therefore, these fangirls are effectively ancient Japanese fanfiction authors and thus have power to end Genji as much as the original author does.  But they love him as a character too much so are unable to strike the finishing blow and basically toss the responsibility to young Murasaki, Genji’s second wife who he had kidnapped as a child to groom into the perfect woman.  Unable to bear the suffering and moved by the women in his life both as characters and as his fans, Genji lowers his protagonist’s halo and accepts death.  The touken danshi are able to finally fix history and complete their mission.  When they return to modern day, they hear news that archeologists have found physical evidence that Genji existed as a historical figure and thus a conspiracy theory is born!  The touken danshi take this information with mixed emotions.

What an amazing story.  The theme was deep without being too obtuse.  The climax got meta and opened a lot of discussion about the value of fiction, derivative works, the dangers of escapism, censorship, and even spirituality.  Definitely worth a second viewing to digest all this.

There was a mini-revue number in the end where the cast performed an umbrella dance to anachronistic Touken Ranbu music.  Then the cast descended a staircase in parade order for final bows.  It was a much-needed break from the heavy and complicated plot.  It was also a small nod to the main cast’s Takarazuka roots or hina doll staging, which is a common set design when using Heian costume.  The umbrella dance reminded me of the finale Sakura dance OSK does at the end of their performances.  Perhaps this is a proud Osaka tradition.  I haven’t seen a different Touken Ranbu show (yet) so I don’t know if this is a part of the brand.

[tiangouaway]

thoughts on touken ranbu kai so far

i've finished the four current episodes so far, and for the most part, i've enjoyed it! i'm happy to have a new anime, especially since i can't find hanamaru season three anywhere (much less with eng subs). but i still have some issues with kai, some that i hope will be addressed later on.

first off, the things i like!

the gorgeous animation! i haven't taken a lot of screenshots, but everything looks so beautiful! the first scene that comes to mind would be the opening in episode three where mikazuki and the starters watch the sunrise over the water. it's so pretty!

i love the kunihiro brothers!! i'm so glad they're all getting screen time together! the flashback to when yamabushi got injured, and after doudanuki's speech, manba wanted to get revenge on the enemies specifically for hurting his brother? I SCREAMED!!!

sidenote, this focus on the brothers ends up separating horikawa and kane-san, who instead is with yasusada most of the time. i love the hijikatagumi, but it is welcome to see them apart, to potentially introduce new character dynamics

speaking of! manba's conflict - not feeling worthy of being the attendant due to that flashback battle - is new! it's less related to him being a copy, and more of his guilt and trauma. i'm excited to see how this plays out!

the battle royale in episode four is so much fun!! the teams were interesting and i loved how they used the environment, even if it felt too... battle shounen at times imo (hachisuka and kasen fighting on the log and mutsu and kasen jumping off a cliff). always happy to hear yasusada's ora ora ora

THE SANIWA! some people online found the doll and voice creepy, and i did as well, but i fuck with it

but as for the things i dislike...

the touken ranbu animes are... incredibly repetitive. the "newest toudan still has attachments for his old master to the point where it's causing problems in the citadel" plot was in s1 hanamaru and katsugeki. the only difference in kai is that it's more personal with more fighting. what's worse is that this exact conflict has been done in s2 hanamaru (albeit less focus on souza), so kai just feels dragged out with a dash of souza ptsd and more yagen. and judging by the opening, it'll be the conflict for the entire anime...

honestly, this whole thing feels like hanamaru but more serious and prettier with the way characters have to go through the same conflicts. sayo still talks about revenge, souza is a caged bird; in fact, i'm pretty sure yamabushi and manba's dialogue in the first ep happened in hanamaru as well. i know that's a game interaction but seriously? make something new! there's dozens of new characters and we're still using the same guys? boring

i hope episode 5 has nice fight choreography at least. but still, i'm gonna keep my hopes up for the rest of the season. enjoy these screenshots of moon grandpa ft manba

HES SO PRETTY <3333333333

[the-insanity-of-mojiru]

It’s everyone’s favorite Ichi-nii!