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大切な人の腕に

Happy (correctly converted) birthday, Toshi 🎉

I know I've drawn their hug before (and this probably won't be the last time either), but it's such an important moment, I just had to. It's the moment where Hijikata accepts that he needs her by his side. Life -what little he has left - is better with her. Now that she's here, he can't imagine having to live until his last battle in pain and agony. Every excuse he's used in the past three months to convince himself it was the right choice to leave her behind, was countered by her. No, it's the right choice to let her stay. To keep her with him. The crushing weight on his shoulders feels lighter when she's with him. It's right now. He can breathe a little easier now.

I always liked how Chizuru says that his hug felt like "now he had [her], he didn't want to let go any more." The distance that had been there before, is gone. In the few moments of peace they have, he's no longer (just) the Vice Minister of the Army, but Toshizou, and she's Chizuru. Disregarding the spin-offs, it's the first time he addresses her as such in the main story as well.

It only gets a casual mention in Chizuru's narration (I got spoiled [ ] Hijikata-san was nice to me), but that causal time is so important to Hijikata's mental state of mind. He's no longer thinking about dying alone on the battlefield, but instead wishing for a chance of living a life with her by his side.

Ootori will have to find a wife of his own, after all.

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"... Father..."

I noticed some people have started playing Hijikata's route recently, so I'm going to spoiler tag my drawings for a while, I think.

We have made it to Sendai castle, and because I was forced to stop half-way through the pain that is the second half of this particular part, there was something else that caught my attention. It's a very small part, not even worth more than two text lines, but to me, it was a testament of the kind of man Hijikata is.

For the past few weeks, Hijikata has to leave friends behind left and right in various circumstances, some he didn't have the chance to say goodbye to. Yet, despite the carnage and the situation they're in, he wants to make sure that Chizuru gets the opportunity to properly say goodbye to the father she'd been searching for the past four years.

Is that another reason he uses to convince himself it's time to leave her behind? Now that she found her father, she has no reason to stay?

Ps: I wanted to make a little callback to that one CG in Reimeiroku, where Hijikata swears he'll never let it come this far ever again, and his fury is set ablaze.

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あとで仕上げる～メイドの日

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About ochimizu

I was doing some researchs about ochimizu’s influences (the Elixir, the Philosopher Stone, Chintamani…) when I saw something on the wikipedia page of Hakuouki. It was about the fact that ochimizu is present in the Kojiki (the oldest extant chronicle in Japan), owned by Tsukiyomi. The God of the Moon in the shintoism mythology.

I did some researchs and in The Gem-Glistening Cup, written by Edwin A. Cranston, we learn the definition of Ochimizu : 

Ochimizu : Water restorative of youth, according to myth to be found on the moon.

(Glossary, The Gem-Glistening Cup by Edwin A. Cranston) 

In the book you can find an interesting analysis, concerning the appearance of immortality in Japanese myths and also about Ochimizu. First of all, through the explanation of Japanese myths and analysis of waka, Cranston describes us Taketori Monogatari and the different versions. The main link between these two tales is the role of a desired woman to give immortality to a man. Moreover Kaguyahime ( かぐや姫, “Shining princess of the supple bamboo” ), an immortal and beautiful woman, comes from the Moon. The realm of the God Tsukuyomi (and also where rabbits (snoooow bunny) make mochi…but we disgress).

The Old Bamboo-Cutter who is the principal figure and the speaker of the chôka and envoys recurs in Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter), an early Heian work reputed in the days of Murasaki Shikibu at the beginning of the eleventh century to have been “the ancestor of all tales”. In Taketori Monogatri the Old Bamboo-Cutter encounters a woman who is young and tiny, an exquisite child he discovers in the bole of a bamboo. She grows with preternatural swiftness to normal human size and lives as a foster daughter with his wife before returning to her home on the moon. In nos. 1528 - 39 the old man encounters not one, but nine women, and in the fragment constituting the “story” matters take a very different course. Instead of bringing the old man wealth, as in Taketori Monogatari (see also no.221), the maidens ridicule him. But they are very beautiful, and the aged hero readily becomes their butt. The parallel between this story and the Matsura River sequence (nos. 1049 - 59) is instructive. The authors in both cases drew on Yu-hsien-k’u and its sexual exoticism in thei descriptions of the maidens, who are clearly no ordinary village girls. An exchange of peoms follows in both sequences. But at Matsura River the traveler is young, and the women are romantically drawn to him. The Old Bamboo-Cutter on the other hand hobbles along instead of arriving on a dashing steed. The women invite him to “blow on their fire” and then laugh in his face. He takes revenge by subjecting them to a thorough account of his past glories, but his poem is a satiric accretion to a story that must originally have developed in a somewhat different way.  The encounter of age and youth, mortal and immortal, is the common element in the two taketori stories. This set of juxtapositions is also found in no.178 presented as a wazauta of political significance, but also interpreted as a song of sexual mockery. The “monkey” on the rock offers rice to the “old goat”, and in doing so invites him to come near, as do the maidens who tease the Old Bamboo-Cutter. It seems likely that the Nihonshoki song and the Man’yôshû poem set are referring to the same story, and that the food - rice or broth - has some special significance. The significance by other tales of meetings across the barrier of here and there, young and old. When young Urashima travels to the watery paradise of Tokyo no Kuni, across or at the bottom of the sea, in nos.216 -20 and 579 -80, it is to wed the enticing daughter of the sea god. When he leaves her and returns to the mortal world he turns into an old man and dies. In another version of this myth, recounted in both Kojiki and Nihonshoki (see nos. 7-8), the hero climbs a cassia tree at the gate of the sea god’s palace and is offered water from a well before he meets his bride. The parallel of the water with the rice in no.178 and the broth in the preface to no. 1528 points toward the hypothesis that these are magic foods or drinks, and that their main property is to restore or preserve youth - perhaps to make a mortal immortal. 

There seem to be two versions of the myth - one in which contact with a woman provides a magic and sexual charm that preserves the life of a man as long as the spell is not broken (as with Urashima), and another in which an old man pleads for the spell and is mocked. This inverted version lies behind the exchange between “a young woman” and Saeki no Akamaro, nos.892-93. Akamaro does not receive the ochimizu (”water of replenished youth”) from the hand of the woman he desires, but is sent away to search for it on his own. The ochimizu is to be found on the moon (see nos. 1453 - 54), whose waxing and waning make it the symbol of aging and rebirth, and from which Kaguyahime, the heroine of Taketori Monogatari, came. The moon is also the home of the cassia tree (see nos. 1363 - 64), completing the correspondence of the sea palace and moon as realms of immortality. 

So…what can we conclude ?  First of all that the moon and the sea, through all the Japanese myths and tales, are the realms of immortality. Secondly, The Moon is the place where ochimizu can be found. Through many tales, the water is an important way to preserve youth or to become immortal. In many routes from Hakuouki, the water of Yukimura village is the solution to stop the bad effects of ochimizu and rasetsu. Thirdly, a woman can provide a magic and sexual charm that preserves the life of man…and even that she can change a mortal to an immortal…

Do you remind that Hijikata becomes a real oni because he drank the blood of the woman he loves and desires ? 

In the movie he even has golden eyes like real oni. 

Of course any guy who became rasetsu and drink Chizuru’s blood can be save from blood’s thirst but Hijikata’s route is the main of the game. He is the reason of the title of the game. It’s pretty undestable why all these parallels with Japanese Myths can work mostly with Hijikata. 

Moreover let just appreciate that the moon is represented a lot in Hakuouki’s scenery. 

And…finally…Kaguyahime and Chizuru share some similarities. The fact that they are not human and they forget their homeland for example. Or just Chizuru’s oni appearance (white hair, golden eyes…an appearance really lunar and astral…perfect for a “Shinning princess”)

After all some points of this meta-analysis are just interpretations, based on one source, but I’m sure the creators of Hakuouki use the references of Ochimizu in Kojiki, immortality’s theme in Japanese tales and Kaguyahime one way or another ;)

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pages

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The anime and the movie did Chizuru dirty for me😭 cuz at least in the game Chizuru for me at this sorta of young boyish look, I always thought if she more smart with her disguise and work on her voice more she could pass off as a young boy much longer not get so easily discovered.

Also it's implied that Chizuru (since she's a Oni) has some sort sixth sense (or spidey sense lol) I haven't play the game in a long time and forgetten most of it but does it get brought up much? like the developer can't introduce such a dope ability and not make it be used at all?

So this is part of two very old Hakuouki asks I got a lifetime ago and I am so sorry to only come back to them now… Anon I hope you are still around to see this answer and I am very very sorry about this.

I like Chizuru in the movie and the anime, still 😅.

I don’t think her disguise is that unbelievable. Sure it is not the most convincing disguise I have ever seen (and plenty of people who do interact with her are not fooled: Hijikata, Saito, Okita, Sannan…) but I think it is enough to fool bystanders, which its actual purpose (hence, why guys like Ito are actual threats to her safety, because they can’t really be kept at a "safety distance").

I think to judge Chizuru’s disguise one must remember how gender (as a social category) is about assigned roles and presentation to the outside world. A woman is supposed to act and dress a certain way, a man a different way. While Edo era clothes were less gendered than European clothes of the same era, there were some differences that allowed the onlooker to immediately pick women and men apart (notably the hairstyle, but also some clothes were strictly gendered like haori for example, etc.). In the same way, the way to pick a man apart from a boy was also through presentation rather than being strictly an age category (boys had bangs, men shaved their head, etc.). Of course, some people defied those social constraints and there were categories of people who were also allowed to toy the line between genders (male actors who played female roles, kagema, but they were a bit on the "outskirts" of polite society and also they could be on the receiving side of a lot of scrutiny because of this).

The main things that make Chizuru’s disguise work in universe is that and the fact that people will see what they want to see. A woman is not supposed to be dressed and act (carry a sword around, travel on her own) like she does. So she must be a young man, end of story. Thinking that a woman might be able to do all that (dress as man and behave like one) is more challenging (and dangerous) to the very structure of society than thinking that Chizuru is just an effeminate young man. So the onlooker who sees her pass by might, you know, check her out twice because she looks and sounds very feminine but hey what’s more likely? That the Shinsengumi has a young woman disguised as a young man running around with patrol and gave her a sword for some reason or that the Shinsengumi has a weirdly effeminate page? Especially considering that effeminate/beautiful young men were not exactly unheard of in Japan at the time…

At the end of the day, Chizuru does not need to do much more for her disguise to work on its intended target (onlookers) and doing more might actually raise more suspicions (working on her voice more and speaking with a voice that might sound fake would draw more attention than simply being high-pitched).

As for your question about her “spidey sense”, you are touching the thing I think Hakuouki handles the worst: the vague and incoherent canon around Oni lore (or all the supernatural lore). Oni powers are not well-defined, change from one route to another, and are inconstant in nature. In the routes I have played as for now, I don’t remember Chizuru having any kind of sixth sense, expect maybe knowing a bit in advance when they might be a problem with rasetsu and even that might be just me misinterpreting the tension being built during tense scenes, lol.  

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The Shinsengumi is a burden way too heavy for me to carry by myself, but the mere thought of having the likes of you trample over it without a care, makes me sick!! 🏯

The Nagarayema - Utsonomiya - Aizu - Sendai rollercoaster of emotions that Hijikata is currently on shows no sign of stopping any time soon... I have a lot of thoughts that I can't really voice eloquently.

I think Utsunomiya is in many ways a mirror to the battle of Toba-Fushimi, albeit on a more personal scale. How much further can his personal conviction carry him when it's fuelled by grief and mostly anger? It nearly killed him in Kyoto, and it equally nearly killed him in Utsunomiya.

It's like Chizuru said, "The sight of him was so powerful; it was so tragic that I couldn't bear to watch." And then the hardest blow is still waiting for him in Aizu...

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chizuru yukimura (wip)

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🌸 Another week, and more petals... 🌸

We've got one more week left of the Ephemeral Blossoms Interest Check! Thanks to everyone who has filled it out already! If you haven't, please click this link to fill it out!

@anizines @zine-scene @zinesubmissions thank you for boosting!

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Hakuoki DS Store Bonus CD 「Carrot and Stick: In the Case of Hijikata and Kazama」

Finally have time to work on translating 🤣! I hope work won't be too busy for a while now that things have settled down... at least until July. It'd be then since a lot of collateral being made now is supposed to be used for a company event then... so I'll hopefully be able to start translating more regularly.

My matters aside, I would like to ask people to please consider supporting Kotowari (@koto-wari), as she has a kofi-page here. Koto has been actively contributing to what Hakuoki content there is now available in English, and has previously translated Hakuoki game content, Hakumyu cast interviews, and some of the Hakumyu musicals among other things. She also helped me with the HAKU-MYU LIVE extras English subtitles!

Anyway, since Koto's favourite route is Hakuoki, I decided to translate this drama cd to go with what I'd be writing to promote her page since a lot of her content does have Hijikata in it.

Enjoy~!

Hakuoki DS Store Bonus CD 「Carrot and Stick: In the Case of Hijikata and Kazama」

Translation by KumoriYami

Hijikata: The Shinsengumi, the organization responsible for the security in Kyoto, heard about another dangerous rumour today. According to the person responsible from the Watch, Choshu ronin are planning another stupid activity.

The best place for secret conversations, of course, is within the alleys of the city.

To catch them, I, Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizou, have come to Sumiya in Shimabara.

For this mission, it would be too conspicuous to bring many people.

If we were to move as a group, I'd like to bring Saito and Yamazki, but it'd be a bit difficult to do that this time.

There are reports that Yukimura Kodo may be among the enemy, and he is necessary to the Shinsengumi.

So, to confirm if it's really him, I brought Kodo-san's daughter Chizuru with me.

That's how the two of us ended up alone in a room at Sumiya, when there suddenly was the sound of the door to the room opening.

-----

(door slides open)

Kazama: Hmph, in this time of turmoil, as you're still able to relax and come here and drink, it seems that you're really living a carefree life, dog of the Shogunate!

Hijikata: You... Kazama! Why have you come in without permission!

Kazama: Think nothing of it, I simply thought that voice I heard sounded familiar. That female oni will definitely become my wife in the future, and it must be fate that I met you here tonight.

Hijikata: No one asked you to come in! This room is meant for her and myself! Don't just go spouting nonsense, and get lost!

Kazama: You're just an insignificant human. How dare you use that tone to speak to me?

Hijikata: So what's this about? Are you going to tell us about the inner workings of the Satsuma? Anyway, the purpose of your visit to Sumiya should be to protect someone important. If not, it's to spy on an enemy.

Kazama: How stupid. Do you believe that I'll reveal my hand so easily?

Hijikata: If not, then as I said before, this isn't your business, so get out!

Kazama: Hmph, what a truly impatient man. I have nothing to say to you. But, how about it, female oni. If you pour me a drink, perhaps I'll tell you something.

HIjikata: What?

Kazama: I think you truly are pitiful, having been imprisoned in the lair of these crude and vulgar humans.

Hijikata: I'm sorry that we're such a vulgar group!

Kazama: And they've forced you to dress up as a man! If you dressed up, you'd obviously be an extremely beautiful woman.

Hijikata: Hey! When you're surrounded by men, wearing women's clothing would only be asking for trouble.

Kazama: It'd be a shame for you if this continues, so come with me.

Hijikata: Hey, don't listen to Kazama's words. His stupidity is contagious.

Kazama: What? What you saying is idiotic. You don't even have the ability to protect a woman, wheras I'm different in that respect. I will not allow the woman destined to be my wife suffered any inconvenience.

Hijikata: Wife? You're actually saying that. You're only thinking about how to use her.

Kazama: Say whatever you want, you humans won't understand the way the way we oni display our love to women.

Hijikata: Display love? Hah. You're not going to get rattled, are you? Don't be fooled, he's just talking nonsense.

Kazama: How about it, female oni? If you come with me, first of all, I will allow you to eat your favourite dishes. It would be delicious food that the poor Shinsengumi would never be able to eat, which you would be able to enjoy to your heart's content.

Hijikata: Wha! You bastard! That's so mean!

Kazama: Blame yourselves for not having the means.

HIjikata: Kh! I'm sorry, we've always been destitute.

Kazama: It's up to you if you want to suffer, but do not involve my wife.

Hijikata: That guy isn't your wife!

Kazama: It's only a matter of time.

Hijikata:....Hey, you're a member of the Shinsengumi, right? So you should be aware of your position. If you eat too extravagantly, you will get punished by the heavens!

Kazama: What punishment by the heavens is there to be scared of. Ah, why don't a prepare a kimono for you too.

Hijikata: A kimono? You're saying that so easily, how would you get the money for that?

Kazama: Have you forgotten? I am the leader of the western oni clans. In addition to the compensation from the Satsuma, there are also some hidden assets...

Hijikata: Aahh! I'm really sorry about that! We're just peasants from Tama!

Kazama: How about getting a colourful one that suits you? You won't need to continue pretending to be a man. Don't you want to quickly grasp the happiness of being a woman?

Hijikata: What happiness of being a woman? She doesn't need to wear women's clothes to be enough...

Kazama: Enough... for what?

HIjikata:....Never mind. Anyway, unless you candidly explain things, he'll keep pestering you. Just hurry up and say it clearly. Tell him that you have no obligation to go with him.

Kazama: Hah! Yet you're the one directing her. Alright, female oni, choose me.

Hijikata: What? Even if we say that, you feel troubled?

Kazama: Does that mean you can't make a choice?

HIjikata: I'm telling you, there's no need to be polite to this guy.

Kazama: That's what I wanted to say. Could it be that you still have feelings for the Shinsengumi? Then I have an idea.

(draws blade)

Hijikata: Heh. Drawing your katana at a banquet. There should be a limit to how tactless you are.

Kazama: It's because you aren't listening. Is this truly fine, female oni. If you don't listen to me now, I'll chop off this man's head right here and now.

Hijikata: How would you be able to kill me.

Kazama: Allow me to to demonstrate the difference between humans and oni to you.

(draws sword)

Hijikata: Hmph!

Kazama: There is no way a mere human could possibly defeat me, the leader of the oni clans.

HIjikata: How would you know that if you don't try? I don't know how good your arms are, but my swordsmanship is much better than yours!

Kazama: Stop pretending.

Hijikata: Speaking of which, is it okay for you to cause a commotion here? Didn't you come here for work?

Kazama: Your human politics has nothing to do with me. Although I'm helping out a little bit, that means nothing compared to this. Obtaining the female oni is far more important than that.

HIjikata: What a troublesome bastard you are. If you were a member of the Shinsengumi, you would have been ordered to commit seppuku for disobeying orders!

Kazama: Do not apply the common sense of the Mibu wolves to me. But, it's not like I can let you go now. Just run away with your tail between your legs. Of course, leave this girl to me.

Hijikata: I refuse, you won't be getting away from me. Whether it's me letting you go, or turning my back to the enemy or leaving her alone, I can't do any of that!

Kazama: As expected, you aren't the slightest bit sensible.

Hijikata: You're wrong! This is called fulfilling the mission! (tightens grasp on hilt) Listen carefully, just hide behind me. Don't think about anything unecessary. Tch.... what's with the expression on your face?

Kazama: What's wrong, why do you look like you're about to cry?

Hijikata: Do you really think I'll lose if we fight? Heh, you don't need to worry. Believe in me!

Kazama: Believe in you? Hmph, you have never recognized that girl as one of your comrades, and it's only at a critical time you'd say such nice things.

HIjikata: Ah, it's true that we haven't acknowledged her as one of our comrades.

Kazama: My wife, did you hear that? Indeed, oni can only live together with other oni.

Hijikata: I've already said that she's not your wife! This guy isn't one of our comrades, and is an oni, but so what?

Kazama: What?

HIjikata: Listen, we decided to protect her. Regardless of what kind of blood runs through her body, her background isn't a reason why her fate should be manipulated, so we'll protect her from those kinds of people [I guess?].

Kazama: That girl will be happier if she's with me. Why can't you understand that.

Hijikata: We have a responsibility! We pulled her into this, and she's had her freedom restricted in the name of justice, but even so, this woman has worked hard for us without complaning. As warrors, how could we just abandon her?!

Kazama: Girl, can you believe a man like this? That is what a country samurai would say.

Hijikata: Listen, don't worry. I will definitely defeat Kazama, and bring you safely back to headquarters without fail. Just calmly wait and watch from there. Right, the Shinsengumi is where you belong, so you have nothing to worry about.

Kazama: Hey, why are your eyes tearing up? Were you moved by what he just said? If the situation changes, this man Hijikata will kill you at any time.

HIjikata: Shut up! Isn't it the same for you! If she didn't have the bloodline of the oni, you'd lose interest in her.

Kazama: Hmph... but it's impossible to lose your bloodline. That assumption is meaningless. [not really... hahaha]

HIjikata: No matter what you say, even if we can't resist the tides of change, we're still going to protect her! Regardless of who the opponent is, I will never back down!

Kazama: Hmph...

(sheathes blade)

Kazama: How boring. Since you've ruined my mood, I'm leaving.

Hijikata: Then hurry up... hey! Why are you calling him?

Kazama: Oh? You still want to come with me? What? You'll pour me sake if I tell you about the Satsuma?

HIjikata: Haha, that's right, you said that at the beginning.

Kazama: Why do I need to drink while facing a Mibu wolf.

Hijikata: It's not like I want to do this either. But if you provide information on the Satsuma like you said, it's not like I can't bear it.

Kazama: Refusing will only make the sake taste bad. What? You're saying a man shouldn't be like that?

Hijikata: Hey, we've already given up! If you don't accept this, wouldn't that damage the dignity of the oni clans?

Kazama: Hm.... I won't betray the Satsuma, but I can reveal a bit of insider information on the Choshu. Furthermore, the money for the sake must be billed to the Shinsengumi. Those are my conditions.

Hijikata: Tch... Fine, let's do it that way.

...

Hijikata: In the end, Kodo-san and the Choshu didn't show up. But beause we brought her along, we got some valuable information from Kazama.

With this, it's only a matter of time before we catch those unscrupulous ronin. It was quite strange to be in the face of Kazama as she poured sake for us.

Well the results weren't bad though.

Hmph.

Maybe.

Hijikata Toshizou: Miki Shin'ichirō

Kazama Chikage: Tsuda Kenjiro

------end------

*ahem* i would like to follow-up to the note at I put at the start of this post by saying that I still think Saito is the best. hehehe.😜

p.s. if you're a translator looking for a boost for a monetization platform, feel free to reach out to me, though I'll need to be under the impression that you haven't only done a on-off translation contribution to Hakuoki (unless it was something for a Hakumyu musical).

(also im going to get to my messages later today)

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I'm aware @blueneil already pointed out that the group picture is a redraw of other official art, but did you know the original SSL splash art was a redraw as well? (I guess it's a little more obvious... I feel it really highlights that SSL started as an April Fool's joke that evolved well beyond its original intention)

Bonus (this has nothing to do with SSL, but it's also an official "modern" redraw with tons of jokes and (yankee-related) puns in it).

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Gintama x Sanrio Characters, 2025

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See, it's not a cig

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Needed a yorozuya sticker for myself so I made one!