#but bakumatsu when

[the-insanity-of-mojiru]

It's Suzuran's Birthday today! I really should do more Bucchigire fanart...

[hiruinonai]

#when he plays baseball with a full suit <3

[crehador]

tfw you're typecast as one man specifically

[zantedeschia-praesul]

"Oilpaper... I need oilpaper..."

It's so dark in here... I can hear voices...one feels so...familiar to me, but who was it...

...you know damn well that's treason...! ... ...not to take one step outside of this castletown...!

So sleepy though...it's...probably nothing...yes...it must be...I should drift back to slumber...in this darkness...

-click!-

What was that...? A lock...? Agh, it's so bright...have I been under lock and key this whole time...?

There you are... I finally found you... You'll keep him safe while he makes his escape, I know it...

A woman...who is she...? I feel like I should know her...like I know her...but where is she taking me to? Whose room is this...?

"Otome."

...Master? Is that...is that you??

"I found it, Ryouma. Think of it as a parting gift. Now take it and hurry, before your brother comes home."

"Oilpaper. I need oilpaper, sister."

"Oilpaper?"

"Yes. It's raining. I can't let our family heirloom get wet from the rain."

Ah, he's right. It's raining out here. Soon we'll be heading for Susaki...and maybe...towards a better future...

I've been with him all along...even though his brother owned me, I was always destined to be with Ryouma the whole time...

Sakamoto Ryouma...I hear you spoke of a new world...of overthrowing the Bakufu...are we truly going to achieve all this together...?

Then...I will stay by your side...to see it through... let's seize the new world together, Master!

[dazzlingdisaster]

Yooooo guess which dumbass drank the itchy pukey pear juice and then turned around and fucking sprained their middle toe?

Some people say that I need constant supervision and a bubble wrap blanket or one of those inflatable hamster balls and it's days like the past few where daaaamn, do I agree...

But I want a constant supply of lollipops and Monster Pipeline Punch and Pacific Punch sent to my hamster ball bubble force field.

Also I started thinking about all the different anime/manga I've seen with all the different historical characters from the Bakumatsu and what would happen if they all met and then I scared myself and I had to back away from that thought quickly. Bonus points for adding the kids from the Moeyo Ken anime because of the extra chaos. Extra bonus points for their respective Touken Danshi. And now you see why it's scary.

ALSO omgomgomgomg BSD S4 is- DAMN I missed these guys! And tbh I'm so happy that I was wrong thinking the opener episodes light novel adaptation was going to be Stormbringer, and I say that as someone who REALLY wanted it to be that.

[karasukarei]

Wind Breaker Drama CD vol. 2 - Oedo-style Fuurin Tale (Part 1)

(t/n: I originally translated this is "Oedo-style Fuurin Story", but I think "Tale" sounds more cool)

Translation masterpost here!

Do note that the audio track for this currently isn't publicly available online. This is also longer than the first drama CD, so I might need a bit more time to finish this (and probably a few more parts...)

Note: As with the beach story, I took some liberties with translations this time to make it read more smoothly. As always, if there’s any mistakes, feel free to let me know!

Special thanks to @orewing!

Shorthand because some names are really long:

Sakura – Sakura

Nirei – Nirei

Suo – Suo

Sugishita – Sugi

Kiryuu – Kiryuu

Tsugeura – Tsuge

Hiiragi – Hiiragi

Umemiya – Ume

Scene 0 – 0:06~0:27

Nirei the narrator: It is the Bakumatsu period. In a town in Edo. At the entrance to this town, there’s a noticeboard. It’s a noticeboard erected by the strong. This is the beginning of the story of the samurai who took on the role of protecting this town in Edo. (t/n: For reference, the Bakumatsu is the time period when the Shinsengumi were active. Edo was the old name for Tokyo during the Bakumatsu)

Scene 1 – 0:28~1:49

*insert sound of wind chimes prettily sounding as the wind blows*

Sakura: Is this the town that the Fuurin-gumi is said to be in…? It does seem peaceful. I guess oden will do… (t/n: couldn’t really catch this last phrase) *stomach rumbles sadly* I’m so hungry…

Sakura: *sniffs air like a dog* This smell… Is it from that dango shop?! *swallows hungrily* The yakidango looks really tasty… *counts coins* It’s not enough… *stomach growls sadly*

Umemiya 💙: Hey! You over there! (t/n: OMG IT’S UMEMIYAAAAAAA)

Sakura: *sighs very sadly*

Umemiya: Heeey! The guy with half white hair!

Sakura: Huh? Me? (t/n: he sounds like a lost kitten here lmao)

Umemiya: Yes you! Do you wanna eat dango together? (t/n: I’LL EAT WITH YOU)

Sakura: Huh?

Umemiya: You’re hungry aren’t you? Hehe, your stomach was rumbling so loudly I could hear it from here.

Sakura: *blushing very loudly* Hrnghk-!!! I-It’s none of your business!

Umemiya: What’s with that? It’ll be my treat!

Sakura: *blushing even more loudly* *chokes on his words* There’s no reason to give me a treat out of nowhere!

Umemiya: If you want a reason, there is one. Rather than eating dango alone, it’s much more delicious if you eat it with someone else!

Sakura: What’s with that reason? Just leave me alone-

Umemiya: Huuh? But then-

 *Sakura’s stomach demands not to be left alone*

Umemiya: Nah? (t/n: with the same energy as “gotcha”)

Sakura: Kuuu- *blushes so hard he’s about to catch on fire*

Scene 2 – 1:50~2:55

Sakura: Mmm delicious!!! 

Umemiya: Right?? The dango here is one of my favourites. And Sakura, is it? You said you came from out of town? What did you come to this town for?

Sakura: Since you’re from this town you should at least know their name right? The notorious samurai group Fuurin-gumi. The group is filled with ruffians, but I came here to become the top of the Fuurin-gumi. (t/n: you’re gonna regret saying this Sakura)

Umemiya: Ohhh… You sure do have confidence in your strength.

Sakura: Till now, I’ve been storming dojos across various towns to hone my fist. *eats hungrily* (t/n: He’s referring to dojoyaburi / dojo breaking, when you go pick a fight with another dojo to show who’s superior. The losing dojo often loses both prestige and standing, and its students often leave for the winning school.)

Umemiya: You…

Sakura: *with a mouth full of dango* At any rate, you too-

Umemiya: Isn’t that great?! The top!

Sakura: Eh?

Umemiya: I see, the top, haha! *smacks Sakura very happily on the back* Yes, I see!

Sakura: That hurts! And don’t hit me when I’m eating dango, that’s dangerous. (t/n: people literally die every year from choking on dango)

Umemiya: Hahahaha, my bad my bad. 

Sakura: What a weirdo…

Scene 3 – 2:56~5:16

*insert sound of wind chimes prettily sounding as the wind blows*

Sakura: Yosh. *getting ready to leave*

Umemiya: What. you’re already leaving?

Sakura: Yup, I’ve already eaten the dango. *takes a few steps and walks*

Umemiya: Hm? What is it?

Sakura: *blushing enough to be heard through the speaker* I don’t think we’ll meet again, but… thanks for the food.

Umemiya: Uoh! It was fun eating dango with you too! Till we meet again!

Sakura: *grumbling under his breath as he walks away* I already said we likely won’t meet again, why’d he still say “till we meet again”... And anyway, what kind of person buys dango for a person they don’t even know?! And why am I so mad about it?! (t/n: he sounds like a really grumpy old man here www) *sighs* Someone like him… is probably from a different kind of world from me…

*Sakura walks some more*

Sakura: I heard that the barracks for Fuurin-gumi is supposed to be around here… is it that?

Nirei: E-excuse me, is this the barracks for Fuurin-gumi…?

Sugi: *grunts*

Nirei: It is right, it’s obvious! It’s nicely written here right?

Sugi: *more grunting*

Nirei: U-um, could you perhaps be from Sugishita-san from Tamonshuu’s First Squad?

Sugi: *gasps of suspicion* You, could you be-!?

Nirei: Heeeeeee!!! I’m sorry I swear I’m not a suspicious figure!! I am Nirei, and I’d like to join-

Sugi: Coming to join Fuurin-gumi, you sure have some guts! *draws sword*

Nirei: A-ah, I’m begging you please don’t cut me down!!

Sakura: Oi! Stop it!

Nirei: Eh?

Sugi: Huh?

Sakura: If you can draw your sword at a guy like him, then Fuurin-gumi really is as the rumours say- it’s where all the messed up people gather. Oi, you.

Nirei: Y-Yes!

Sakura: You stand down. I’ll be this guy’s opponent. *gets ready to draw sword*

Sugi: Are you this guy’s friend?

Nirei: You… Why are you saving me?

Sakura: Friend? Save? Don’t get me wrong. I’m just interested in strong people. *draws sword*

Nirei: Wh-what do I do?!

Tsuge: Oiii Sugishita-kun, it’s time to switch shifts! What’re you doing?

Nirei: Uwah! Fuurin-gumi member!

Tsuge: I don’t know what’s going on, but you guys look real macho. (t/n: unfortunately Tsuge speaks with some sort of dialect and I cannot figure out the last part of this sentence. If you know what he’s saying, do feel free to let me know!

[prinzrupprecht]

Good night🩷 I didn't know you were accepting asks at the moment, since I have a bad habit of only looking at the bio and not the "about me" posts. One idea that I think would be cool to write is that Reader dies and meets Okita and the others in Valhalla (before Ragnarok starts). Maybe they were a couple before he died and Souji waited for her to arrive in the afterlife. Maybe Reader was his first love that he never confessed to and now he got the opportunity again. Whatever you find most fun. I just think the idea of ​​spending eternity with him is cute🩷

hugs from brazil🇧🇷🇧🇷🩷🩷🩷

Meeting Again in Valhalla

I had this sitting in my draft since August 23rd. So now I’ll be doing it!

Pairing: Okita Souji x fem!reader

Synopsis: You remembered how you died and it was heartbreaking. Now you had woken up to a peaceful scenery refusing to believe you’ve been reborn. No, you were in heaven. Now you really hoped was to see him again.

Warnings? hurt/comfort but mostly fluff.

WC: 1015

It was like everything went black after getting caught by the enemy and dying in front of him.

He must hate you… do you even want to see him again? The thoughts were intrusive and terrifying.

“It’s, okay Souji… you got it from here.” Moments before you were shot in the head by some officer from the Tosa clan.

You didn’t want to know his reaction and you never regretted your decisions. You died holding your beliefs to your heart— which was peace between all parties and to live without wars.

You never even got to tell him about your feelings. You rarely regretted anything, but when it came to not stressful times… there was no time for romance. You hoped he would live a long life and stay with Kondo-san.

As you stayed in Valhalla for quite some time as a soul now and wandering to new places in the heavens. You had saw some familiar faces from those who died during the Bakumatsu era. Kamo Serizawa was happy in his own new world. All you wanted was to finally settle down somewhere.

The Valhalla area for Japanese fallen warriors was huge. You casually always walked around greeting many of the warriors, heroes and citizens. Someone had called your name which made your heart stop for a minute. Huh?

“K-Kondo-san?!” You saw him wave at you. Why was he here? What happened?

“Wh-Why are you here?”

“It seems that I too, joined the heavens. Souji should be joining us soon, as well.”

“Why? What happened to him?” You were panicking but deep down, you really wanted to see him again.

“Last I saw him, he was too sick to move. He only had very little time left…” Kondo’s voice fell despondently. He was sick? You felt horrible for not being by his side.

“He never fully recovered from your death, you know…” Kondo crossed his arms as the two of you walked off in a different direction.

“I wish I could apologize for that, it wasn’t my intention… for what happened.” You were saddened but the two of you met up with Todo, Abiru, and Yamanami who were outside having a nice time eating ramen and drinking.

“Kondo-san?!” The three of them looked up and saw the two of you. Even Yamanami was shocked to see you and wondered where you’ve been. Todowas flabbergasted to see you as well but was glad to see you again.

“I see you three have stuck by one another.” Kondo was smiling knowing his Tennen rishin-ryu would stick together no matter what.

“Oh yes! We were waiting for you!” Abiru threw his arms around Kondo with tears in his eyes.

“You’re the fourth to join us and well… fifth,” Todo turned his head to you. Would you stay with them? If Souji soon joins the heavens and sees you, would he hate you? What did Kondo mean that he never got over your death?

You decided to stay with them since well… you had nowhere else to go. You only had them when you lived. You were quiet most of the time while Todo and Yamanami were talking up in Kondo’s ears.

Everyone seemed so, very happy… except for you.

-

As a few weeks slowly gone by as you waited for him to show up in heaven anxiously. You spoke to Kondo a few times about whether you should really stay with them, but he told you it was up to you, but Souji would want to at least see you once.

It turns out, that Kondo and Souji had buried your body and you dying affected Souji the most with regret.

So it was decided, you’d see him and if he doesn’t want anything to do with you… then you’d leave.

“Oh! He’s here! Okita-kun!” Yamanami shouted with excitement trailing in his voice. Huh?! Already?! Your heart rate must’ve spiked in multiple directions. You looked over to the side and saw him smiling and standing next to Kondo.

He looked… happy? Abiru had rushed over to him welcoming Souji with wide arms. As much as you wanted to jump in his arms as well, you kept your distance and felt too shy to say anything. Souji of course, noticed you right away and called your name.

You sulked down in your spot with embarrassment. You felt someone nudge you, Kondo was next to you. “W— Welcome!” You tried to say while covering your mouth.

“I can’t believe…” he was at a loss for words before wrapping his arms around your body. “I get to see you again,” he barely breathed out while squeezing you tightly like his life depended on you.

Yamanami was observing the two of you, he remembered how broken he was after you had died. Abiru didn’t know what was going on between you two considering he died before you did. Kondo, however, always knew… how much Souji loved you. He regretted never telling you sooner and you two knew each other for many years.

“Ya! I’m here as well!” You tilted your head to the side and smiled happily. He tried not to get emotional but he couldn’t help it. Even in all of the heavens, you could still shed tears.

“The others should be joining us soon,” Kondo had said hinting at Hijikata and possibly more members of the Shinsengumi.

“Oh! So that means I should stay and wait for them?” You questioned innocently.

“Why would you leave? I just got to see you again…” Souji pulled away from your side. He pouted but you had remembered Kondo’s words.

“I can stay if you want?” you offered, which Souji was flustered for a moment. He wanted that more than anything. He even wanted to die sooner so he could be with you again.

“I’d really like that,” he wanted to tell you his feelings and more. He never wanted to let you go away. You and Kondo mean too much to him.

You couldn’t wait to now spend your new life with him in peace and eternity, as for him as well.

[strawberry-jan]

Back in late 2022, I started working on a long story about Ishin: a tale of two dummies whose weird one-night stand blossoms into a surprisingly caring relationship even as a (mostly) canon-compliant series of tragedies plays out around them. It’s a now-complete series in approximately 125,000 words and three parts, and you can read the whole thing right now on AO3: The Glorious and Bloody Deeds of Okita Soji, Volume 1: Okita Soji Versus the Scoundrel Saito Hajime; The Secret History of Saito Hajime, Volume 2: The Shiraume Incident; and, finally, Brief Notes on the Domestic Life of one Saito Hajime.

Taken as a whole, it's a story about identity and history and the stories that people tell each other and themselves about those things. And it's a story about one guy getting way too into weird Edo-era egg dishes, and another guy finding himself embroiled in an extended detective sequence, and a third guy composing a series of corny haiku that (almost) nobody wants to read. And, of course, it's also a story about people who are shamelessly and sometimes explicitly in love (so you probably shouldn't read it at work).

This whole big, sprawling thing has been a labour of love on my part: it turns out that I adore writing historical fiction and finding excuses to read books and journal articles in order to write it better. In addition to making not one but four little illustrations to celebrate the fic's completion (and please look at them up-close; I hand-inked all those kimono patterns), I've drawn up a list of some of the sources that I consulted for my writing, and you can find those under the cut.

This is not an absolutely exhaustive list of sources; I don’t think it’s super useful to catalogue the extremely nitty-gritty stuff, like that time that I felt compelled to find out what the state of strawberry cultivation was in 1860s Japan, or when I needed to picture exactly what it looked like when Haruka was repairing Ryoma’s kimono. That being said, I’ve added a couple of things that are really particular to my stories but that I thought were cool enough to share.

Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. U of California P, 2015. (This one was a really fun read – it combines a short history of yokai in folklore with a little catalogue of yokai.)

Jansen, Marius B. Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration. Stanford UP, 1971. (Super useful as an introduction to the Bakumatsu era and for biographical details about Ryoma and the figures around him.)

“Japanese Wiki Corpus.” https://www.japanesewiki.com/. (This is a machine-translated collection of articles on the Japanese side of Wikipedia related to Kyoto. As with a lot of things on Wikipedia, the citations on these articles tend to be poor or nonexistent, but it’s a useful starting point for information on figures and events that don’t have an English wiki equivalent. Definitely more useful if you can then head over to the original wiki articles and parse them out yourself.)

“Kabuki21” and “The Noh.” https://www.kabuki21.com/section.php, https://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/index.html. (I’m lumping these two together because I tended to consult them in tandem. Without getting too much into my personal details I am – among other things – a non-practicing theatre scholar, so whenever I wanted to have characters in my old-timey fics refer to something cultural, my first stop was old plays. These sites have, respectively, summaries of kabuki plays and full texts of Noh plays available for you to browse. If you’ve read my other fics you will probably have seen that I referred to the kabuki play “Fuwa” in 亀が如く.)

Katsu, Kokichi. Musui’s Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai. Translated by Teruko Craig. U of Arizona P, 1988. (A book that needs to be taken with a grain of salt because it’s an autobiography written by a guy who sounds like a real blowhard, but it’s still a really fascinating look into the daily life of a low-ranking samurai.)

Leupp, Gary P. and Tao, De-min. The Tokugawa World. Routledge, 2022. (Of particular interest is Kimura Sachihiko’s essay, “The Shinsengumi: Shadows and light in the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate” [1104-1124], which gave me a bunch of incidental details about the Roshigumi that I incorporated into the sections of this series that were told from Inoue and Hijikata’s perspectives.)

“Old Photos of Japan.” https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/. (Pretty self-explanatory. Very useful as a resource for picturing scenes!)

“Shinsengumi Archives.” https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/. (A long-running tumblr dedicated to cataloguing resources about the Shinsengumi. There’s an absolute wealth of information collected here, and best of all, the creator cites their sources and even provides links to the original texts. Although it’s focused on the Shinsengumi, it’s impossible to overstate how useful this site is for prospective Bakumatsu-era fic writers in general. The collection of Hijikata’s poems with links to others’ translations and commentary is here: https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/post/683071924948058112/hijikata-toshizos-haiku-poems. The creator of the blog also links to a translation of Nagakura’s and Shimada’s diaries, and while the document is machine-translated, it’s still a great source of historical details: https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/post/678083336614428672/where-can-you-read-the-memoirs.)

Smits, Gregory. “Warding off Calamity in Japan: A Comparison of the 1855 Catfish Prints and the 1862 Measles Prints.” EASTM 30 (2009): 9-31. (Okay, this one is highly specific to my fic – it comes up in Part 2 when Okita tells his story about Kashima and again a couple of chapters later when his pile of remedies includes a crudely-drawn picture meant to ward off indigestion – but I love little details like this so I did want to make a point of sharing it here.)

“Tamago Hyakuchin” and “Tofu Hyakuchin.” http://codh.rois.ac.jp/edo-cooking/tamago-hyakuchin/recipe/, https://toyama-tofu.jp/tofuhyakutin.html. (These are collections of Edo-era egg- and tofu-based recipes. They’re two of the sources cited in Cookpad’s collection of modernized Edo-era recipes: https://cookpad.com/recipe/list/14604664.)

Vaporis, Constantine N. “Linking the Realm: The Gokaido Highway Network in Early Modern Japan (1603-1868).” Highways, Byways and Road Systems in the Pre-Modern World. Ed. Susan E. Alcock, John Bodel, and Richard J. A. Talbert. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 90-105. (Some of the works cited in this article also sound interesting, but I didn’t have a chance to dig any deeper as I just wanted to know a bit about the Tokugawa-era roads. Also interesting in this vein is Jilly Traganou’s book The Tokaido Road: Travelling and Representation in Edo and Meiji Japan [2004].)

Wert, Michael. Meiji Restoration Losers. Harvard UP, 2013. (Not directly useful as a source for writing about Ishin – it’s about later events and it mostly tracks the posthumous construction of one specific Tokugawa magistrate’s history – but it was an engaging read and I found it interesting as an exploration of how people continue to look back on the Bakumatsu era and the Meiji Restoration, which is something that the game is, of course, also doing.)

Yamakawa, Kikue. Women of the Mito Domain: Recollections of Samurai Family Life. Translated by Kate Wildman Nakai. U of Tokyo P, 1992. (Another one of those bits of essential reading on everyday life for low-ranking samurai, this time with a focus on women’s lives and households more generally. I didn’t use a lot of from this book in my fic, but it has everything from translations of songs to records of families’ financial transactions, and it’s fascinating to read about all the turmoil in Mito playing out in the background of these families’ lives.)

“Yokai.com.” https://yokai.com/. (The creators of this site make a point of not going into detail about their sources, and they’re very careful to state that they don’t intend for the project to be “the final authority” on yokai, but I enjoyed browsing the site to get some ideas for Okita’s stories – and once you know the name of a particular yokai that you’re interested in, it’s easy enough to go look up other sources on them.)

[ltwilliammowett]

HNLMS Soembing on arrival in Nagasaki 1854 by Arnold de Lange.

Kankō Maru (観光丸, Vision) was Japan's first steam-powered warship. She was the Dutch HNLMS Soembing, which was presented to the Tokugawa shogunate ruling Japan during the Bakumatsu period as a gift from King William III of the Netherlands to assist Janus Henricus Donker Curtius, head of the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (Netherlands Trading Society) in Japan in his efforts to establish formal diplomatic relations and the opening of Japanese ports to Dutch merchant vessels.

When she was given to the Japanese in 1855 a naval detachment of 22 instructors was also temporarily stationed at Deshima to train Japanese crews, officers, etc. Captain-lieutenant at sea G.C.C. Pels Rijcken was given command of this detachment. 'Master' Pels Rijcken and his detachment combined group teaching of Japanese students at the naval school with the construction of a sloop building yard, a forge and a sail making shop. An eight-oar sloop and a 60-ton cutter were built on site. Steam mechanics was demonstrated by on-site repairs and maintenance of the engines of the Kanko Maru.

Kankō Maru was a three-masted jackass-barque-rigged sailing vessel, with an auxiliary single-cylinder coal-fired 150HP reciprocating steam engine turning a side paddlewheel. She had an overall length of 66.8 metres and a displacement of 781 tons. Her armament consisted of six muzzle-loading cannons.

She was decommissioned in March 1876 and was scapped that year.

[zantedeschia-praesul]

"Aruji, dearest Aruji..."

He takes the smaller man in his arms, holding him ever so closely and tenderly, even nuzzling his face. "Perish the thought, my darling. Your happiness and safety will always be our priority as your Touken Danshi, no matter the circumstances. We'll always be here for you regardless."

Nagasone gives a little squeeze, and sneaks a soft peck on his lips, now sporting a slightly mischievous look. "Anyway, sneaking kisses like this from each other away from everyone's prying eyes, when we can't have our own moments in our garden all the time... I think it adds a little thrill for us together~ You need a little bit of that once in a while~"

"Of course, Master. That as much as I know."

He doesn't react much when Yuichi starts to sort of dive into that part of his headspace where he overthinks; he even heard him mumbling something just a little audibly, only that he'd given him time to properly answer him.

This is also new to him, having a bond much closer to his saniwa than just the master-toudan bond bestowed unto him. He knows, and is sure, that there's no such thing as restrictions in their relationship, but he understands that he's still bound to obey his master's orders when it comes to protecting history. And that's why...

"I'm not opposed to people knowing if you aren't, my love. Your happiness matters the most to me. Besides..."

He leans down and finally kisses him deeply, as if assuring him that nothing would change his feelings for him.

[utapri-translations-uuuu]

Shinsengumi ~Zan'yō no Yukusue~ - Synopsis, Characters, Historical Background & Glossary

Do not retranslate/repost without permission.

Synopsis of the story

It was the end of the Edo period (Bakumatsu), when the times were beginning to change dramatically.

The Shinsengumi was created to restore order by expanding the shogunate's power once again.

What will be the fate of those who uphold a sincere heart and diligently speak of the future?

Characters

Kiryuin Van as Kondō Isami

Commander of the Shisengumi

Since childhood, he has held an extraordinary admiration for samurai. With his friendly and generous personality, he is highly trusted by his subordinates. He also possesses political skills, and even the upper echelons of the shogunate regard him as a sharp-minded individual.

Otori Eiichi as Hijikata Toshizo

Vice-commander of the Shisengumi

He has a personality that values discipline and often approaches others with a stern attitude. However, in some odd moments, he occasionally reveals an innocent side. He is also highly skilled at organizational leadership and excels in external negotiations, such as fundraising.

Otori Eiji as Okita Soji

Captain of the First Unit of the Shinsengumi

He is known for his gentle and kind demeanor. However, he is one of the strongest members of the Shinsengumi, and once he holds a sword, he can swiftly take down an enemy with his graceful technique. At times, he appears to have a somewhat philosophical outlook.

Sumeragi Kira as Nagakura Shinpachi

Captain of the Second Unit of the Shinsengumi

His swordsmanship is that of a master swordsman who has studied multiple schools, yet he is meticulous and engages in daily, steady training without overestimating his own abilities. Additionally, he possesses a single-minded dedication to relentlessly pursue his ideals.

Amakusa Shion as Saito Hajime

Captain of the Third Unit of the Shinsengumi

He has a mysterious aura and does not reveal much of his inner thoughts, but he harbors a deep passion within. He particularly respects the commander and vice-commander, and has a strong attachment to the Shinsengumi.

Mikado Nagi as Todo Heisuke

Captain of the Eight Unit of the Shinsengumi

He has a bright and straightforward disposition, and is known for speaking his mind about everything. He is considerate of his friends and always subtly attentive to his surroundings. In addition to his swordsmanship, he is also well-versed in academics, embodying the ideal of being well-rounded in both martial and literary arts.

Hyuga Yamato as Harada Sanosuke

Captain of the Tenth Unit of the Shinsengumi

Although he gives off the impression of being rough and uncouth at first glance, he is fundamentally a serious and kind-hearted person, well-regarded by those around him. He’s renowned not only for his swordsmanship but also for his mastery of the spear, often showing resourcefulness during battles.

Historical Background

Track 1→2→3

Bunkyū 3 (1863)

To Edo

To apply for the shogunate’s recruitment of soldiers, Kondo and others departed from Edo. It is said that the last to join among the seven was Saito.

The August 18 coup

The incident in which the anti-shogunate forces, including the Chōshū clan, were expelled from Kyoto. At this time, Kondō and others were dispatched, achieving notable accomplishments and earning the name Shinsengumi.

First year of Genji (1864)

Ikedaya Incident

This was an incident in which the Shinsengumi became aware of exiled anti-Shogunate factions trying to stage an incident to regain their power, and consequently carried out a purge.

Track 4

Keiō 3 (1867)

Restauration of power to the Emperor

The shogunate relinquished the political power it had held for a long time to the Imperial Court. However, the shogunate still sought to participate in the new government.

Aburanokōji Incident

This incident occurred as a result of a power struggle between a faction that split off from the Shinsengumi due to ideological differences and the Shinsengumi members that remained.

Track 5

Keiō 4 (1868)

Battle of Toba-Fushimi

The former shogunate forces rose up against the new government to restore the shogun's power. This marked the beginning of the Boshin War. The Shinsengumi also joined the battle as part of the former shogunate forces.

Battle of Hakodate

After engaging in battles across various regions, the former shogunate forces arrived in Hakodate, where they waged the final war. Also known as the Battle of Goryokaku. Hijikata and others participated.

Meiji 2 (1869)

Track 6, 7

Glossary

Headquarters (Tonsho)

The residence where the members of the Shinsengumi lived together. Due to becoming cramped, among other reasons, they relocated several times.

Lord of Aizu (Aidzu-kō)

It refers to Matsudaira Katamori, the daimyō (lord) of the Aizu Domain. He also served as the Kyoto Shugoshoku, a position established to maintain public order in Kyoto, and the Shinsengumi were under his command.

Rai San’yō

A Confucian scholar from the late Edo period. His work Nihon Gaishi (Unofficial History of Japan), which depicts the ebb and flow of the samurai class, was also a favorite of Kondo, who admired it so deeply that he even imitated the author’s handwriting.

Choshu Domain

A domain that was located in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture. During the late Edo period, it became a stronghold for anti-shogunate forces that opposed the Shinsengumi, and was the site of a private school run by a prominent thinker.

Taijukō

This term refers to a shogun. It comes from ancient Chinese tradition. In this work, it mainly refers to Tokugawa Yoshinobu, who became the last shogun of the Edo shogunate.

Imperial Army

The military of the new government, which would later become the Meiji government. They aimed to overthrow the shogunate and establish a modern nation centered around the Emperor. Many members were from Choshu and Satsuma.

Boshin War

A war fought between the imperial army and the former shogunate army. It began with the Battle of Toba-Fushimi and ended with the Battle of Hakodate. It is the largest-scale civil war in Japanese history.

[the-insanity-of-mojiru]

Upon hearing the report, Saniwa immediately rushed to Memory of Ikedaya with a camera, breaking the space time continuum even more.

[redsamuraiii]

The more I watch videos and read books about Katana and Samurai, the more I realized why the Samurai were stubborn in giving up their swords during the Bakumatsu period, refusing to accept that the way of the sword is now a thing of the past, thanks to guns and canons.

Imagine yourself dedicating your life for many years since young, spending grueling hours hitting and getting hit, to hone your sword skills which are not easy to attain, and having to make sacrifices along the way to master the sword, taking pride in the fact that only you, a Samurai, is skillful with the katana, that others could not.

Being told now that it's all pointless, since just anybody can use a gun to kill somebody now, non-Samurai and non-warriors, with less effort and time required to train to use it. So you're no longer needed, since its cheaper to hire anyone with a gun as compared to hiring a Samurai with sword skills and combat experience.

In the modern context, think yourself as a designer or writer, who takes pride in developing your creative skills for years to perfect your art and writing, working long hours in several companies as a freelancer and full time staff to acquire skills, but only to be told now that it's all pointless because AI can do them all.

Now non-writers and non-designers can be writers and designers as well. They don't need to know how to use "traditional" design tools when they can just use AI tools to create something for them easily. Now companies use AI to take over your job at a cheaper rate than hiring an experienced designer or writer. What would you feel?

You feel all those grueling hours and sacrifices made to get where you are now are pointless. And like a Samurai, you're expected to adapt to changes. But those are usually easier said than done.

[ultra-rockart]

Another Thing Blue Eye Samurai Got Wrong

There were women who fought as fighters and samurai (or more often called as onna-bugeisha or onna-musha) for their clan. They didn't have to hide their femininity. There is a long history of female warriors in Japan that date back to an Empress named Jingū (she ruled from 201 to 269 AD). I bring you two of the greats:

Tomoe Gozen

She was skilled at archery, the sword and the use of the naginata. Tomoe is one of the most feared women because of her cleverness and offensive tactical skills. Her men trusted and respected her. During the Battle of Awazu, she killed the Musashi clan leader. Sadly, there is no more records of her after that. Tomoe is the most known and celebrated of the onna-bugeisha.

Nakano Takeko

Like many samurai of her time, she wore the typical samurai armor but instead chose to wear a red hakama. This red hakama became a symbol of not just her femininity but empowerment. She fought in the Boshin War against Imperialists who wanted the Emperor to rise to power (they eventually won during the Battle of Toba–Fushimi).

Similar to the Kiheitai (or the ad hoc army by the Imperialists), she led the Jōshitai or women's army fighting on the side of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Nakano was wounded with a rifle shot and rather than allowing her enemies to parade her lifeless body as a trophy, she ordered her sister (also a capable warrior as with her mother. all 3 women fought alongside each other) to cut her head off and burry her head in secret so her enemies would not have a reason to disgrace her. Her head was buried under a pine tree and her beloved naginata was given to a temple.

In Aizu during the Autumn festival, girls parade around the streets wearing a red hakama and a white headband to honor Nakano and the women fighters of the Jōshitai.

Other female fighters include Yamamoto Yae aka "Bakumatsu Joan of Arc" and Hangaku Gozen or Lady Hangaku.

______________________________________________________________

There is a reason the filmakers of Lady Snowblood (a film Blue Eye Samurai heavily borrows from) didn't chose to disguise Yuki as a man when she enacted her revenge.

[zantedeschia-praesul]

"Oh I'll be alright. Nothing I haven't gone through physically since I came home to you. Besides," he kissed the top of his head, evidently his favorite show of affection for Yuichi, "You're as light as feathers with that slender figure of yours~" Of course he meant that in good nature, teasingly may it be.

But he knew Yuichi made a good case; he mentally reminded himself that he didn't really have anything in the last few hours since he whisked Yuichi away. He probably should have a few more before they settled in for the night.

He only put his tank top back on, fully intended to have Yuichi use his jacket as a makeshift pillow. The heat from the fire was pleasant, inviting even, and eventually he noticed Yuichi was also on the brink of sleepiness. That was when he rolled up his jacket and placed it behind Yuichi.

"You should sleep first, Yuichi. You truly need all the rest right now. I'll keep watch for us."

Thankfully, while Nagasone was gathering the fruit, Yuichi didn't have much difficulty getting the fire started using a small spell to get some sparks going. (This particular spell, when done properly, is meant to expel a bolt of fire, but Yuichi had always struggled to perform it, resulting in just some heat at his fingertips and a few sparks. But, it served well in this use!)

Once it's lit, he sits back a little and pulls on his kimono-- even with the fire going, he can't help but shiver a little at the slight chill against his still-wet skin.

He smiles as Nagasone returns, and eyes the fruits-- ones he's seen, he's pretty sure, but can't identify himself. He watches as the toudan takes a bite, but when it seems they're in the clear, Yuichi takes one for himself.

He tips himself just a little, so he can lean his shoulder against Nagasone as he starts in on his own fruit, letting out a small noise as he's pleasantly surprised by the taste.

As they eat, he briefly remembers why they had come here in the first place. It's hard to believe that just some hours ago, he'd been at his wits' end, and now... Well, everything he'd felt so utterly overwhelmed by had seemed to have just... melted away. He hadn't felt more at ease in ages.

After eating the last bite of his fruit, Yuichi manages to stifle a yawn, and he's realizing now how tired he actually is. He hadn't had a decent night's sleep over the past days either, and it seems now that he's relaxed enough it's finally catching up to him.

He hums contently, though, and pulls his knees up to rest his head against them, comforable enough there while still able to watch his admiree, albeit through eyes that are growing a bit sleepy.

"Make sure you get enough to eat, darling," he insists, reaching over to pat Nagasone's leg. "You did a lot of carrying and lifting today. Gotta... replenish, yknow?"

[itsmaferart]

Talking about Rurouni Kenshin 2023

I'm going to write a lot and I might have a bit of spoiler!!!

As a fan of Rurouni Kenshin from 1996, and now that a new adaptation came out this year I wanted to give a little opinion of my own, focusing on the comparisons I've seen of the current animated version with the 96 version.

However, I think that in order to see and enjoy both adaptations it is necessary to clarify several points, and the first of them is the intention behind each adaptation and which points can be compared and which others cannot.

Clearly, both adaptations have been made under different directions, by different companies and different times, aimed at different target audiences. And this can be clearly reflected from the first chapters aired to date (at the time of writing this review). Actually, I don't want to talk in depth about Jin-e Udo's arc yet, since in anime 2023 the battle between them and several of the arcs that are still to be broadcasted have not been released yet, but I think episode 6- Kurogasa, serves to illustrate how the current adaptation seeks to move away from its 96 counterpart despite being the chapters with less changes from each other.

To begin with, the contextualization and presentation of characters...

While in both the manga and the anime 2023, we are given a little contextualization of the situation. We are not introduced to Mr. Tani, the person Kenshin must protect at the request of one of the policemen, he is a rather arrogant man who currently holds a political office so he has enough money at his disposal to hire many men to protect them against the threat of an assassin. Although, at the beginning he refuses with arrogance, when Kenshin reminds him how he protected him during the Bakumatsu, Mr. Tani's expression changes radically, adding that all his bodyguards are useless since Sanosuke himself has crushed them in previous times.

Much of this context is omitted in the 1996 version, and it is only pointed out that Kenshin has to go to protect Lord Tani, in the face of Kurogasa's threat.

Also the presentation of Jin-e are very different proposals. In the original version, it is done from the viewer's point of view. We can see Jin-e ruthlessly murdering the guards until he appears in the room. In that way, we are introduced how this is a ruthless killer who makes his way.

While in the 2023 version (and in the manga) it is left to the expectation. Neither Sano nor Kenshin see Jin-e killing directly, they only see the bodies he has left in his path until he makes a surprising presence in the room just when he attacks one of the bodyguards and that is when we see him kill the bodyguards.

Here we see how the approach of both anime is very different. While the original version, seeks to focus more on the killer Kenshin will face and the combat, to convey to the viewer the intimidating feeling of a new enemy. The current version, focuses more on setting the context and showing us the relationship Kenshin has had in the past during the battles. Each chapter shows us key pieces of what Kenshin was like during his Hitokiri era, as well as how those who participated in the war relate to the current government and Meji era.

In Rurouni Kenshin the social and political context is one of the bases of its story, as it is directly inspired by real events. While the character of Lord Tani is irrelevant in many ways. It serves to expose once again that many of those who participated in the war took positions of importance in politics and economics, becoming arrogant people who use power to their convenience. Something Kenshin is against.

Now, really my point is not to talk about which version is better or worse....or if the current version is better for being faithful to the manga or if it is a bad adaptation for not being the same as the 90's version.

But to understand that the original version was never intended to be 100% faithful to the manga, but rather an interpretation using the manga as a guide. The fundamental elements of the manga are respected and maintained, at the same time subtle and continuous changes are made that change the story. I understand that many of these changes are not really important but substantially give a very different interpretation at the narrative level. While this adaptation seeks to be faithful to the manga, following almost in its entirety the events that the original format raised.

The remake is not a remastering of the '96 anime, but rather an adaptation completely detached from its predecessor to stick only to the manga. And this can be reflected in all the number of decisions that the direction has had, from not using the original voice cast, the change in the drawing style, not using the (iconic) soundtrack of the original, not remastering the ending and opening version. Evidently, the current version aims to capture a more current audience, proposing a version that is more attached to modernity. The goal in itself is not to appeal to nostalgia to please the established fandom, but to capture a new one that may or may not have seen the original. And that's why I think many people don't like the differences between the two adaptations.

In my opinion, I don't see anything wrong with the adaptations being different. In fact, I think to a certain extent it's good that they don't play it safe by copying what the '96 anime achieved.

However, despite how faithful the Remake is to the manga, I consider that it has several points to be solved that makes it subtract points.

For starters, several of the comedy scenes that ARE in the manga are omitted. (There are scenes that are adapted while others are omitted) Which, well… I understand the desire to stick to a serious tone and rhythm, I don't pretend that they add comic scenes that are not necessary. But the comedy in the manga was not randomly placed, but emphasized the dynamic between the characters and gave more contrast to Kenshin's personality which is sweet, relaxed and somewhat silly, contrary to his Battousai personality. Subtle details like Kenshin ready to unsheathe the sword, but seeing Kaoru they end up cutting their finger, I think details that make the difference.

Not to mention that really the OST is unremarkable. It's not bad, but it doesn't usually stand out with the scene. I can understand not recycling the previous one, but a new one could be proposed to go with a better scene.

Most importantly, do not raise new technical resources:

Just like the OST, I really don't think that making a carbon copy of the '96 work is the best thing to do. But it would be great if, while not using the same techniques, they at least come up with some new ones.

In '96, the change of color, the use of negative, slow motion, worked to make the dramatic scenes stand out. The drama was intended to be more impactful and contrasting with the comedy and serenity of the rest of the scene. While in the current version (2023), we can see Kenshin's face very well drawn, his anger as Battousai is clearly seen, but there is a lack of ambience that envelops us in the tragic atmosphere as Kaoru's kidnapping. Although these are just details, I hope that for future fights they will focus on giving more emphasis to the combats and manage to transmit the epicness of this work.

Finally, I think that the 1996 adaptation is an incredible work that unfortunately was not completed, and really as a fan of the original anime and manga I think it is worth giving a chance to the remake that shows a lot of potential. The voice cast seems very good (I personally like the new voice of Kenshin) and the animation is quite fluid, and I like the drawing style, however, it has some considerable details to be polished. Although at the moment there are very few chapters broadcasted, there is still a long way to go to see the best fights. The point of comparing is in a constructive way to see those details that can or could have been better in both adaptations, without detracting from the achievements that each one has. Since both stand out in very different ways.