#hakuoki hana no shou

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Shinkai Hana no Shou Animate Bonus Drama CD "Unchanging Feelings" Eng translation

Anyone happen to know where content that is probably under the title of 「土方さんの習字について」 comes from? Found it saved in my Nimble file in both JP and CN... and I have no where idea it came from. It's short exchange between Hijikata, Souji and Kondou.

Anyway, this translation is of the Hana no Shou Animate Bonus CD 「変わらぬ想い」. I actually had this on my to-do list for a while since I'm pretty sure I don't have any Iba content that's longer than two sentences (well, I'm at least pretty sure about that?)... but I just never got around to it (or a number of other drama CDs that I want to have translated...😅). Suppose it helps that I got discouraged (again) from translating the Shimabara Disturbance drama's first track as I have to go and review some videos to fill in the gaps where text is missing for that... and doing this felt like less work despite how it felt like a pain to do.

enjoy~? Almost didn't make it because I had a hard time with one sentence...

Hakuoki Shinkai Animate Bonus Drama CD "Unchanging Feelings"

Translation by KumoriYami

Iba: As expected, the Shinsengumi's training is strict, but I also feel that the time spent has been very meaningful. And practising with the officers has been exhausting.

Toudou: Oh, isn't that Hachiro? Have you come to train?

Iba: Heisuke-kun! Yes, I've just started to rest now.

Heisuke: Speaking of which, you really do seem to like our training.

Iba: I'll take that as a compliment.

Heisuke: How was the training?

Iba：There are many people who use different techniques and styles, and it's a great learning experience. I accidently got carried away and sparred with everyone many times. If I don't properly rest, I feel that my body won't be able to keep up.

Toudou: That's because Hachiro is very popular. There are many members who want to train with you.

Iba: Truly, I'm very happy.

Toudou: That's right! Who did you train with today?

IbaL Shinpat-san was my first opponent. He's as strong as ever.

Toudou: Shinpat-san is very strong.

Iba: If we were in a tsubazeriai*[references at end], I would be the one to lose, so I tried to prevent that from happening as much as possible.

tsubazeriai can be used to describe a situation where two swordsmen are very close to each other where they both try to push forward. To simplify this would be to say that they are in "neck-and-neck" competition."

Toudou: But Shinpat-san would definitely charge ahead without any mercy, right?

Iba: Precisely.

Toudou：If that happens, it feels you'd get supressed right away. It truly feels good to know that he's companion.

Iba: That's true. Ah, after that, I sparred with Saito-kun.

Toudou: Oh, how was that?

Iba: Saito-kun's iai has great value. That being said, there's no time to think about that during training.

Toudou: Hajime-kun and Shinpat-san aren't the same when it comes to strength.

Iba: My own training is insufficient.

Toudou: Hehe, then I can't lose!

Iba: Heisuke-kun still hasn't changed at all.

Toudou: You say that, but isn't it the same for Hachiro?

Iba: Me?

Toudou: That's right, it's just like that time, as long as Hachiro showed up at Shiekan, you and everyone would engage in matches.

Iba: Yes, I previously used to train a lot.

Toudou: As long as someone challenges you, you'd accept accept it.

Iba: Isn't that the same for Heisuke-kun? Didn't you Shinpat-san used to have some pretty wild fights before?

Toudou: Ah, I miss those. They were the sort that didn't end unless someone collapsed.

Iba: Of course, the two of you were both over your heads/stubborn.

Toudou: Even though I really got beaten until I collapsed, we were scolded by Hijikata-san.

Iba: Even if we try to console him, he wouldn't listen at all.

Toudou: It's because it feels like Shinpat-san's physical strength is endless, that his attacks are relentless.

Iba: I know how you feel. It's because we know the other party is strong that we fixate on not losing.

Touodu: We surprisingly haven’t changed at all.

Iba: Indeed, even back then, Toshi-san was obsessed with victory and defeat.

Toudou: Why are you bringing up Hijikata-san now?

Iba: When mentioning things that haven't changed, the first person that comes to mind is Toshi-san.

Toudou: Hachiro, you've really admired Hijikata-san for a long time.

Iba: Yes, Ithis hasn't changed since then.

Toudou: Hey, what exactly is so good about HIjikata-san? Not that I hate him or anything.

Iba: Toshi-san is a very good person. Not only is his swordsmanship excellent, but I was attracted to his character.

Toudou: Like how/For instance/example?

Iba: For example, he's very strict but is still treats us with love.

Toudou: Love!?

Iba: On one hand, he has resolute and unwavering beliefs, but he simultaneously has a weakness to cute things.

Toudou: Was there such a thing?

Iba: Even his ability to not drink is quite charming.

Toudou: Haha, I get that!

Hijikata: Tch, you guys, what exactly is it that you know.

Heisuke: Hijikata-san?!

Iba: Tosh-san! We were just talking about Toshi-san.

Hijikata: Yeah, I figured… I could hear uncomfortable subjects from afar.

Iba: Toshi-san, you you like to talk about this too?

Hijikata: What do you want me to say?

Iba: Of course, about how outstanding Toshi-san is.

Hijikata: Spare me. Furthermore, it'd be too embarrassing if the other members heard this so please stop.

Iba: Is that so. That's a pity. Since Toshi-san has said that, I won't say anymore.

Hijikata: Geez, you. Also, Heisuke! I'm not bad at drinking!

Toudou: Ah, I get it. (Hijikata walks away). That scared me. Hijikata-san has seriously good ears, I don't know he always appears when he's mentioned.

Iba: That aspect hasn't changed at all.

Toudou: That's right. Who knows when he started listening/when his ears became so sensitive.

Iba: Hey, Heisuke-kun.

Toudou: What is it?

Iba: You, Heisuke-kun, who has since been learning from everyone else and going in the same way since the beginning/Everyone, including Heisuke-kun, who used to be shrouded in obscurity is now in Kyoto as the prestigious Shinsengumi, and I became an Okuzume. Although we're not in the same position, we all serve the shogunate. Thinking of about it all this way, always feels incredible.

Toudou: Ah, that's right.

Iba: What's wrong?

Toudou: I mean this hypothetically, but what if you questions about where you fit in/belonged?

Iba: Eh? Do you have questions about where you belong?

Toudou: Yeah.

Iba: If I had any questions, then I would be not be questioning where it was that I belonged, but myself.

Toudou: What do you mean?

Iba: I have my own beliefs about the work I do as an Okuzume. Because of that, I often get anxious about whether or not what I do is useful.

Toudou: I see. So Hachiro also feels the same way.

Iba: Yes, I have thinking of this especially lately.

Toudou: I've been thinking about some things lately. the people who've been joining the Shinsengumi, and how it's changed. In the future, when these changes become bigger and bigger, will I be able to think as I do now?

Iba: Heisuke-kun...

Toudou: Sorry, I said something weird.

Iba: Ah, no, not really.

Toudou: Forget about what I just said. It's almost time for me to go on patrol. I'll be going!

Iba: Oh, Heisuke-kun! Wait a moment!

(Heisuke runs off)

What happened to him? Ah? Toshi-san! How long have you been there?

Hijikata: Ah, you noticed me. I was just passing by. By the way, is that guy Heisuke, okay?

Iba: Ah, Toshi-san is also worried about Heisuke-kun? That's why just now.

Hijikata: We've known each other for a long time so it's hard to not notice any changes to him. Although I've been trying to keep more of an eye on him lately, that guy's been worrying about something by himself all the time.

Iba: So that's how it is. Although Heisuke-kun seems to be thinking about a number of things, I think it's best to leave him to think to himself.

Hijikata: I see.

Iba: It's fine. If Heisuke-kun really has a problem, he has a trustworthy comrade beside him.

Hijikata: Trustworthy is it, well, maybe so.

Iba: Speaking of which, Toshi-san, do you had questions about where you belong after that?

Hijikata: What, why are you suddenly asking about this sort of thing.

Iba: It just came to mind. Of course, just hypothetically.

Hijikata: The moment I suspect that the Shinsengumi is over, I think it's my responsibility to prevent that situation from happening.

Iba: : Even so, if one day the Shinsengumi really changes, and if that sort of thing really happens, will Toshi-san be able to stay the same as before?

Hijikata: As long as Kondou-san and I are alive, the Shinsengumi will not change. But if change happens, then I won't change, regardless of how large the changes are around me, I just need to stick to my beliefs.

Iba: As expected, Toshi-san is indeed the same Toshi-san from before.

Hijikata： What are you saying.

Iba: It's so great that I met Toshi-san, I've been attracted to you for a long time.

Hijikata: Hey, that's why I asked you to stop saying such embarrassing things for others to hear.

Iba: Really? Is it something embarrassing?

Hijikata: You haven't changed at all. How is it that I can be so interesting to you?

Iba: Of course that's because I respect Toshi-san.

Hijikata: As you wish, but, just don't mention this sort of thing in front of the other soldiers.

Iba: Ah, I understand.

Hijikata: Then I'll be going first.

Iba: Ah, please Toshi-san, I'll be going back to training, so please accompany me!

(footsteps)

(The current situtation is very turbulent,but even if everything changes, the ideals I have in my heart will remain unchanged. The guidance he gave just now, has clearly been engraved into my thoughts. I will just believe in what you said, Toshi-san.)

Hijikata Toshizou: Miki Shin'ichiro

Toudou Heisuke: Yoshino Hiroyuki

Iba Hachirou: Miyano Mamoru

---end---

image was taken from suruga-ya

*references:

https://www.japanesewiki.com/culture/Tsubazeriai.html

https://www.tanoshiijapanese.com/dictionary/entry_details.cfm?entry_id=41759&element_id=204340

https://samurai-shodown.fandom.com/wiki/Locking_Swords

note to self: maybe use an audio translator to check over that line when Iba first mentions the Okuzume... not sure about that part since the translations of the differing tls I use are very different in that part.

[widemushroom]

Okita is very popular because he is very teasing but at the same time very caring toward Chizuru or the player.

Or is the reason a different reason?

[cleaetpauline60]

Hakuoki Edo Blossoms

Okita Souji - CG (3)

[lillotome]

Sakamoto and the Oni trio are there to enlighten us on the creation of the Satcho alliance and discover some new things about the situation themself. Enjoy this short side story from the Kyoto Event Stories. They shine a new light on parts of the stories we don't know much about.

[breezeinmonochromenight]

Sakamoto Ryōma (Sakamoto Ryouma) CGs - Hakuōki: Shinkai - Hana no Shō (薄桜鬼 真改 華ノ章 - 通常版) (2016) 

[vicey-vice]

[widemushroom]

Aren't her relationships with some people in some routes and scenes too healthy to be that of someone who was emotionally isolated?

Thank you, by the way, for replying. I didn't expect you to reply so soon.

may i ask you what u mean when you say that kodo emotionally isolated Chizuru? do you mean by not telling her of her true nature or something else? love your souji route commentary btw!!❤️

Hello anon,

I am glad your like my commentaries on Souji's route. I like making them too so at least two of us are having a nice time with them.

It is true that I must have said 3 or 4 times now that for me Kodo emotionally isolated Chizuru while raising her, without ever explaining what exactly I was referring to. So thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about this.

(However, please be aware that I haven't play the game in its entirety yet and I am playing Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi which is a ten-years-old game and far from the newest iteration that might explore the subject a bit more. So this is informed by the anime, the movies and the part of the game I have played as of today. Plus by some of the discussions I have seen in the fandom.)

Also, I am so very sorry for the long post.

When I say Kodo emotionally isolated Chizuru am I referring to him lying to her about who she is or to something else? The answer is both, or rather I think the lying and other things were tools he used to isolate her (emotionally and also physically to an extent) in order to control her easily.

First the lying. Kodo lied to Chizuru, and he lied to her constantly including on things that cannot be reframed as a safety issue for her. Let's list the extent of his lies:

Not telling Chizuru she is an oni: This could potentially be reframed as a way to protect her from a world that would hunt her down. However, Chizuru still knows she is not like other people because of her healing. She has to hide it from ´outside’ people. This means Kodo only gave her half of the truth so she can't have a full picture of herself while also being convinced the only person she can trust entirely is him.

Not telling Chizuru she is not his biological daughter: Kodo is not Chizuru's biological dad. Biologically I am not even sure who Kodo is supposed to be for her. He is part of the Yukimura clan but he is not a pure blood oni. This means that the closest he could be to her is her uncle as the half-brother of one her parents. In the movies Kaoru calls him "Kodo-ojisan" (meaning uncle Kodo) but in Japanese as a younger person you can call middle-aged man ojisan as a mark of respect that is less formal than san (Mister/Sir). The official French subtitles translate this as "M'sieur Kodo", an informal version of Mister Kodo. In the game I am pretty sure Kaoru only calls him "Kodo-san". Which would mean that Kodo is not extremely closely related to the Yukimura twins (personally in my fic I made him the (half-)uncle of their mother who was born only a few years before her so they were raised as siblings more than uncle-niece, which meant that while Kodo is Chizuru's great-uncle he actually served as an uncle figure, I love family drama and complicated family tree). What does any of this matter? Well this lie does not serve any safety or cultural properness purpose. Adoption was extremely common in Japan at the time. Kondo Isami was adopted, Inoue (Okita) Rintaro (Okita Souji's brother-in-law) was adopted by the Okita family, Ito Kashitaro was adopted, Iemochi the Shogun at the beginning of the Hakuouki game was adopted, twice!, apparently Okita Mitsu was adopted by the Kondo family too so she could marry Inoue (now Okita) Rintaro... It would not have been shocking for Kodo to present himself as Chizuru adoptive father. What he actually is, btw. Yet he preferred to lie to her and say that he is her father, period.

Not telling her she ever had a sibling: as a follow-up to lying to her about being her bio dad, Kodo never mentioned to Chizuru that she had a brother. Reminder that Chizuru was 7 when her village was destroyed which meant she could have memories of her previous life (I can't remember if this is a popular headcanon or something backed by canon but it was Kodo who altered her memory right?). Hypothetically Kodo could have told her she had a brother (without mentioning the twin thing considering the negative superstitions surrounding them) adding that he died/disappeared. This could have match with snippets of memory she might have. It might also have salvaged Kaoru and Chizuru's relationship if they ever met again (something I believe Kodo was planning) because I personally thing that what definitely broke Kaoru was his sister not recognizing nor remembering him at all.

All of this accumulate to create a picture of "it was always just me and my dad and no one else" (why would she ever think she might need anyone else?) and "my father is the only person I can really trust". This is plain bad for Chizuru's development as a person and an absolute lie.

To this, one must add other ways Kodo used to make Chizuru dependent on him alone:

While Chizuru is well-educated and has attended a dojo for a short while, she has no (let alone close) friend. She never mentioned anyone back in Edo. I know some of this come from otome protagonists being some sort of a blank page so you can project on them but if we compare her to Hoshino Ichika for exemple (from Collar x Malice), Ichika does have friends and relations outside of the main cast that date back before the plot kicks in. Chizuru does not, besides Kodo.

The inclusion of Iba Hachiro in the new games might mitigate that but from my understanding Kodo did put some distance between the two at some point.

Chizuru had no prospect of her own, no goal with her future life despite being on the brink of adult life. Was the plan for her to live with her father forever?

While Kodo seems to be well-integrated in the medical/scientific community, no one seems to really care about Chizuru. No one seemed to have actually looked for her after she disappeared from the family home and went missing. Chizuru was 16 when she left Edo! She must have more or less run her father's household (which must have make her interact with people), maybe she helped him in the clinic and her father must have been a known figure in the neighborhood at least (as a doctor)... I understand that were more than troubled times but no one cared about the missing 16 years old girl they must have interacted with regularly? Really?

As a result we see a Chizuru that is an extremely strong-willed (she travelled alone from Edo to Kyoto by foot at sixteen years old disguising her gender in the middle of a deeply trouble political time! That takes guts!) and rather intelligent girl, yet she is also quite timid and does not seem to have a point of reference on how people should treat her.

The Shinsengumi kidnaps her and holds her captive for months for being at the wrong place at the wrong time and she is not deeply resentful to them? She thinks they are "nice men" deep down?

It takes her being physically put in danger in the place she is forced to live in to go:

???

She has no basis for what a sane relationship with someone should look like. She take being controlled as normal. Ironically, it is with the political militia who kidnapped her that she starts learning how to interact relatively normally with people. Because for what I think is the first time in her life since Kodo adopted her, she is allowed to interact with a multitude of people who have different opinion and act as if disagreeing with each other from time to time is normal (which it is). Hijikata gave the order for her to stay in her room? Well it is stupid order and we are not following it. Etc etc.

My thoughts about Kodo's behavior is that he raised Chizuru so she would be able to nominally be the head of Yukimura clan and his future oni/rasetsu kingdom (giving her Shotsuren, making sure she is passable with it, making sure she is educated, etc.) while making sure she could never really escape his clutches and would never even think about trying to do so.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Edo Blossoms Track 31, “Where Your Heart Used to Be” Arrangement for piano. Sheet music in description. As always, i’m not great with timing and I hate theory so don’t expect much on that front... and if you have the name of this song in Japanese/ Chinese I’d appreciate if you’d tell me it since I’d like to do a separate language version for the sheets.

Also I ended up using the 2nd header for the sheet music as it got most voted  on (also used fb for input)

[widemushroom]

Chizuru comes first for me in every single hakuouki content or hakuouki fanwork

I used to like a certain hakuouki guy (that is not Kazama) so much, but now I hate him because I read a fanfic in which I didn't like how he treated Chizuru and i didn't like his relationship with Chizuru there 💔

I now hate the author as well, so I won't mention their name

[widemushroom]

Kazama is spending time with a cat, probably after Chizuru refuses him. Lol

[cleaetpauline60]

Hakuoki Edo Blossoms

Kazama Chikage - CG (2)

[lillotome]

Hakuoki Tenun Chapter 2 is COMING!

Hello everyone, with Koezaru wa Akai Hana R18 scenes finished, it is time to start a new project! Starting today I'll be working on translating Hakuoki Tenun no Shou Chapter 2, Hijikata's, Shinpachi's, and the common route. It will take some time before I'll be able to upload any new translated content, so I hope you are patient with me. m( _ _ )m

[gamer-room]

Idea Factory has released the debut trailer for Hakuoki Shinkai: Fuukaden, its upcoming PlayStation 4 collection including Hakuoki Shinkai: Kaze no Shou (Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds) and Hakuoki Shinkai: Hana no Shou, which were released for PS Vita in Japan in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Hakuoki Shinkai: Kaze no Shou and Hakuoki Shinkai: Hana no Shou are remakes of the original Hakuoki: Shinsengumi Kitan, one featuring the game’s Kyoto storyline, while the other features the game’s Edo storyline. Idea Factory International will release the PS Vita version of Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds on May 16 in North America and May 19 in Europe. A localization for Hakuoki Shinkai: Hana no Shou has yet to be announced. Hakuoki Shinkai: Fuukaden will launch for PlayStation 4 on July 13 in Japan.

[impracticaldemon]

That article with the translator/editor is very interesting. Note that, apparently, translation is done for Hana, I hope editing will go well this time (please, otome gods, I can't have another Sanan route mess). Read a Hana walkthrough in JP to see where the CGs appear and now I have a rough idea of how each route will go, esp. the old ones. I must say, the idea of the common route is interesting... I have hunches on how it can go and I wanna know if I'm right. It can't come fast enough!!!

I’m glad you found it interesting, Anon.  It’s three months after the interview now, but it did provide some insight into the localization as a whole and the translation component of the localization

Also, thanks for the news on the translation! I hadn’t heard it was done, only that it was fairly advanced.  Hopefully this will reassure people that Part II (aka Hana no Shou) will definitely be localized and available in the foreseeable future.  (Just not soon enough, aaaaahhhhh!) 

A few thoughts (and ofc edits):

– Yukimura “00七″ Chizuru, undercover agent

My (cautious) take-away from the interview was that they at least listened to the overall message that the translation wasn’t fully up to standard from a technical point of view (grammar and vocabulary), or wholly consistent with the fans’ perceptions of some key elements of the game.  (I’m hoping that the latter means fewer “bohemian thugs” and less of Chizuru using unnecessary slang.)

…why not “annoyed”, “disappointed”, “irritated”?  Why “bummed”?  Just… no…  Chizuru talking about Okita shouldn’t sound like Heisuke commenting on Sano-san or Shinpatsu.

Ehhh, thanks for stopping by and also for the intel, Anon!

Just for you:

We will await Hana no Shou with all the impatience that is ours to command! … Is not what I should say.

~ ImpracticalOni

[otomeverything]

NIGHTSHADE

Release Date:  December 20, 2018 (North America) Developers:  Red Entertainment / LANTERN ROOMS Publishers: D3Publisher Platforms:  Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam) ESRB Rating: M (Mature) 17+

  Walkthroughs:

Goemon

Chojiro

Hanzo

Kuroyuki

Gekkamaru

Common Route

  PROLOGUE (from Nightshade’s official site) During the Sengoku Period the two main factions of ninja clans, Iga and Kōga, warred against each other for decades. In the year 1593, Nobunaga Oda started the Tenshō Iga war, decimating most of the Iga ninjas in the process. The very few that survived were absorbed into the Kōga clan, despite their past rivalries. After 17 years the Sengoku Period finally came to an end, and Japan was unified.

Enju (Protagonist), daughter of Kandō Ueno, the Head of the Kōga clan, spends her days training diligently in hope of becoming a full-fledged ninja like her peers. At long last, she is assigned to her first mission but finds herself caught in a dark conspiracy.

  ART AND MUSIC One of Nightshade’s prominent features that’ll easily make an impression among otome fans, is its art style. The game credits non-other than the famous illustrator, Teita who’s fairly popular for her other works such as Norn9, the Juuzaengi  Engetsu Sangokuden saga and the recently released visual novel, Charade Maniacs.

I wish I could say the same for the game’s musical score. The OP theme was nice but wasn’t memorable at all. The END theme (Good End) however, “Taezaru Hana”  by MIKOTO was pretty soothing that I ended up purchasing the track in iTunes. Listen to the full song below:

  Voice Acting Nightshade honestly has the best seiyuu lineup. The voice acting was, in fact, one of the major highlights of the game. The VAs really did an amazing job capturing your emotions. I was already expecting this much from their topnotch VA list, but they did more than stellar performances with this game! Every seiyuu involved were magnificent, even the side character, Ieyasu Tokugawa (voiced by Koki Miyata, who’s famous for his role as Ukyo in Amnesia), did an amazing job portraying his cunning personality.

  Hikaru Midorikawa ♥ “Goemon Ishikawa” – Tamahome (Fushigi Yuugi Suzaku Ibun), Zenya (Sweet Pool), Ayato (Diabolik Lovers), Hanate (7’Scarlet), Yutaka Nabari (Nil Admirari)

Wataru Hatano “Gekkemaru” – Asato (Lamento Beyond the Void), Lindo (Dance with the Devils), Kotarou (Hakuoki), Sakiyama Youji (Sweet Pool), Yuuto (Storm Lover)

Hiro Shimono “Kuroyuki“ – Shou Kurusu (Utapri), Senri Ichinose (Norn9), Sou Kiryuu (Harukanaru Toki no Naka De 5), Ricchie (Black Wolves Saga), Ray Blackwell (Ikerev)

Kenjiro Tsuda “Hanzo Hattori” – Chikage Kazama (Hakuoki), Soshi Amazaki (The Charming Empire), Leonardo Da Vinci (Ikevamp), Nathan Seymour (Tiger & Bunny)

Kosuke Toriumi “Chojiro Momochi” – Hajime Saito (Hakuoki), Kagiha (Psychedelica BB), Poyo-Poyo (Period Cube), Hideyoshi (Ikesen), Lawrence (Psychedelica AH), John Watson (Code Realize)

  MAIN CHARACTERS (Spoiler Free)

I must say, I love all of the characters and their routes that it was hard for me to pick a favorite. If you’re concerned with plot spoilers in your first playthrough, my recommendation would be to play the routes in the following order (from least to greatest in spoiler content):  Goemon – Hanzo – Chojiro – Kuroyuki – Gekkamaru. For enjoyability, I’d recommend playing in the same order. Goemon and Hanzo were the lighter routes, Chojiro was angst from start to finish and the brothers (Kuroyuki and Gekkamaru) had more plot revelations than you’ve expected. I would also strongly recommend saving Gekkamaru’s route for last, trust me when I say, this makes your last playthrough more worthwhile. 😉

  GOEMON ISHIKAWA

The Japanese Robin Hood

ladykiller

True to his name in history books, Goemon Ishikawa is the legendary Japanese outlaw who stole gold and other valuables from the rich to give to the poor. He’s very popular among the townspeople due to his ingenious thieving schemes. He is known to send prior notices to his targets before he robs them off their treasures. Goemon is also a highly skilled ninja who has the wit of a brilliant tactician.

Playing Goemon’s route first was a good choice since his story was the lightest among the bachelors in the game, plus I haven’t fallen in love with Midorikawa’s voice in a while, so there’s also that ha! I find Goemon’s story really refreshing due to his carefree personality and charismatic nature. Because of this, it was so easy to like this character from the get-go. Going down his route will let you discover a few revelations regarding Goemon’s past, where he came from and how he ended up as the notorious thief he is now. His route also offers  a couple of plot twists and although it was a little predictable towards the end, it was executed really well where it didn’t feel awkward nor forced. As far as the romance goes, Goemon is a straight up, ladykiller. It was fun to see his relationship with Enju develop all throughout his route. His playful teasing and his easy-going personality will have you falling for him in no time.

  HANZO HATTORI

Mr. stoic ninja

kuudere

Besides, being Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa’s personal guard, Hanzo is also the Tokugawa clan’s shinobi leader. Because of his resounding title as the strongest ninja history has ever known, he is very popular among all the shinobi clans in Japan. He is normally calm and collected but will not hesitate to become ruthless for the success of his mission.

Hanzo is the oldest among the bachelors (and I absolutely love him!) He is, I believe 33 years old, making quite an age gap between him and the heroine Enju, but LOL this is Toyotomi-Tokugawa (Edo 1600’s – 1800’s) period we’re talking about, where huge age gaps among couples are very common… But age aside, let me tell you… Hanzo’s route completely took me by surprise! I have no words! *Breaths heavily* I guess, I was already eyeing this character from the start since Kenjiro Tsuda voiced him. But I wasn’t expecting his arc to be this good that it literally caught me off guard. He ended up becoming my favorite of the entire game!

At first, he started as the very straightforward stoic kind, who’s only doing his master, Lord Tokugawa’s bidding. But after a few encounters where he teams up with the heroine and helps her survive, he begins to slightly soften up, giving us a glimpse of his true adorable fluffy nature. Both Hanzo and Enju go through tremendous character development in this route, especially the heroine. I just love seeing Enju prove herself time and again how much she wanted to make it as a true shinobi while she constantly faces hardships every step of the way (she’s freakin’ cool!) I also love seeing Hanzo unexpectedly supporting her through her struggles. It’s as if, rather than saving her all the time, he wants her to learn to depend on herself instead; and to me, this relationship was truly very refreshing, not to mention absolutely heartwarming. Expect a lot of badass back to back action scenes in this route, where Hanzo and Enju kick some ninja ass!

  CHOJIRO MOMOCHI

Big Brother

Angst! Angst! Angst!

Chojiro is the son of the late leader of Iga, Tanba Momochi . After losing his family and clan in the Tensho Iga War at the age of five, he joined the Koga clan along with the other Iga survivors. Chojiro is also the heroine’s cousin as well as her mentor/trainer. He is a man of a few words and he completely devotes himself to his missions without questions.

I made a mistake playing Chojiro’s route earlier in the game as I wasn’t ready for a sudden whirlwind of angst! At the start, Chojiro’s personality was very closed off, its almost as if he has built a wall before him to keep others away. Because of his tragic past, he doesn’t want to get attached to anyone, afraid he’d lose them at the blink of an eye just like how he lost his parents when he was young. This makes his relationship with Enju a little less intimate from the beginning. As the heroine tries her best to get a closer reach of him, he waves his feelings off because he’s conflicted between succeeding his missions as a shinobi versus his own desire to help Enju and stay by her side.

Chojiro’s route was also the most tragic in the game!😭 Ya’ll better prepare those tissues! Romantic wise, his story was not my favorite. The drama just out-weights the romance on this one. I do love the writing in his route though. It seriously gave me an emotional breakdown I wasn’t prepared for. 😅I suggest playing his route in the middle to get the angst out of the way. This, also kinda gives you more room to recuperate from the heavy drama before jumping into an even more dramatic finish as you do Gekka’s route last.

  KUROYUKI

clever, cunning

soft yand

Kuroyuki is Gekkamaru’s younger brother. Right after he was born, both boys became orphans and were taken in by Enju’s family. He was sent away on an extended mission when he was eight, by the heroine’s father Kando Ueno, who’s also the leader and head chief of the Koga clan. Kuroyuki is also the same age as Enju (16).

Not much is revealed about this character other than he is Gekkamaru’s brother who was sent on a secret mission when he was eight years old. Where did he go? What was he doing for the last eight years he was gone? It was rather questionable how his character (in other routes) always comes and goes sporadically in the plot.

I couldn’t really expound more on Kuroyuki’s arc without entering spoiler territory but going down his route will let you discover one interesting revelation about him and the game’s overarching plot. It was quite satisfying to play Yuki’s route because finally! we get to fill in some plot holes. I fell in love with his story for the same reasons some people are calling it out for. It wasn’t light nor easy-going as Goemon’s or Hanzo’s, it wasn’t tragic as Chojiro’s or Gekkamaru’s. It was dark and I probably wouldn’t have it in any other way. Kudos to Hiro Shimono for breathing extra life to this character!

  GEKKAMARU

best boi

puppy eyes

true route ish?

After losing his family at the age of three, Gekkamaru was adopted by the heroine’s parents along with his younger brother Kuroyuki. Gekkamaru was assigned to be Enju’s trusted bodyguard when they were young and has proven his loyalty and devotion through time by sticking to his role as Enju’s protector. He is wholeheartedly committed to his master (Enju) to a point where he becomes too overprotective of her.

So after going through all kinds of heaps and hooplas of playing and suffering each of the character routes in the game, I was finally on my last one, Gekkamaru. I know you can just play his route whenever but I chose to do his story last for the experience. ohoho!

…and I have no regrets!😭 Gekkamaru’s route started with pure dramatic fluff as expected. It was just so precious and endearing to see how far this man would go for the sake of the heroine. His loyalty and dedication for Enju was such a pure bliss that it even pains me to see him doing too much😭. His route was a combination of action, romance, a side of humor and a whole lot of drama as he and the heroine struggled to survive by each other’s side. I thought to myself, “This story couldn’t get any better or worse, could it?” but then angst hits the fan through plot twists after plot twists (during the last chapters) and this was where the story really picked up. I was at lost for words. I felt really sad, angry and confused. His route put me through a tidal wave of emotions, I had to pause the game for a while, sit in a corner to get my head straight and my breathing in check! lmao! Gekkamaru’s route is like a slow burn, heart-rending gut punch and I absolutely loved it.

  ENJU UENO (Main Heroine)

Enju is a strong heroine and I adore her to bits. Unfortunately, her potentiality to become an even better shinobi was wasted in some routes because of the whole damsel in distress scenarios, with the exception on Hanzo’s and Gekkamaru’s route ~ these were the only story arcs where the heroine was able to hone her skills as a ninja and show us her true strengths.

Enju Ueno was literally, thrown to the wolves when she got caught up into this despicable game of survival, out of the blue. Not only that, but the ordeal she went through of betrayal, loss, and sorrow was absolutely too much to handle for someone her age. Still, despite all the hardships, she chose to live and survive. I was thoroughly impressed by her determination which I believe was one of her strongest points. YES, this is one badass heroine right here folks!

  Side Characters

Ennosuke (Left) – The fastest ninja in the Koga clan. He’s not romanceable, and I don’t think I’d want him as a dateable character either, heh. I ship him with Kyara though. I love the chemistry with both of their characters.

Kyara (Right) – Proud, graceful, responsible, and badass on the battlefield. Her weapon of choice is a “chigirigi” which is similar to the “morning star” in medieval age weaponry. I ship her with Ennosuke. Also, Saori Hayami voices her, so this to me was a plus!

Kasumi (Center) – the cutest, most adorable ninja…ever! She’s the youngest of Chojiro’s disciples. Looks up to Enju and Kyara as her older sisters. I love her so much! *must protecc*

  SYSTEM AND LOCALIZATION I purchased the physical copy of Nightshade (proxy shipped) which lets you choose three language options to start the game with (English, Chinese, Japanese). I can say, that the localization was fairly decent. I didn’t play the PC version, but I asked a few people who owned both PC and Switch copy and as far as their answers go, D3Publisher did not change the English translations for Nightshade on the Switch. They changed the fonts though! D3Publisher is known to deliver decent game localizations. They’re not the best but they’re not disappointing either. I’ve spotted a couple of minor typos in the game, but it’s NOT something that would ruin the whole experience for you.

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The Switch system was very comfortable and very easy to navigate from the jump. They even offer a “rewind” option for you to backtrack scenarios, which to me, was a saving grace. This way, making the correct save files became a piece of cake. The Nintendo Switch version also contains the game’s DLC “Special Content”. These are extra fluff episodes that happened in the middle of a character’s story. They also come with a special CG (one for each story).

  TRAILER

  OVERALL THOUGHTS? (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ It took me a total of 30 hours to finish the game, and none of these 1800 minutes spent were wasted. Yes, I loved every bit of it.

Although the story was set in the Sengoku “Warring” period of Japan. Instead of the usual cliche battleground premise that’s normally used in Sengoku themed animes and VNs. Nightshade’s story focused more on the darker side of politics during the said period. The indirect “battle royale” theme, I admit, was quite bracing and very well paced. It was something I never expected to actually work in an otome game.

Besides the Nightshade’s gorgeous artwork, I wanted to compliment the game’s stunning special effects, such as the leaves falling in the BG, flower petals scattering about  (whenever Enju uses her ninjitsu), and the moving sprites (which played exceptionally well during fight scenes). The voice acting for Nightshade blew me away and I couldn’t have wished for a better seiyuu lineup. I guess my only gripe here was Enju’s inconsistency as the heroine. In some routes, she’s badass while in others, she’s weak and very dependent. Her characteristics as a whole seem to vary depending on who’s the guy she’s with. I still love her as the main protagonist though!

While I’ve enjoyed playing all the routes in Nightshade and their respective stories, the ones that made an impression on me were Hanzo’s, Goemon’s and Gekkamaru’s. Chojiro’s was good but it was too angsty for my taste and while Kuroyuki’s story drove me to the edge of my seat, this is the route where Enju is at her weakest.

Do I recommend this game? YES This is the first ever english otome game in the Switch that I would no doubt recommend to everyone at the drop of a hat. I’m so glad I’ve waited for this port, despite all the STEAM sales that have gone by the previous years 😂 (laughs). To be honest, I was even quite sad when I finished it 😅 and wished there was more content for me to delve into. If you’re having second thoughts whether or not it’s worth shelling out 48 bux to get this game in your Nintendo Switch Library. Here’s my advice: GET IT! This one’s definitely a gem and imo, almost up to par with the big titles (like Code Realize, Hakuoki, CxM). If you want an impressive storyline and characters you can’t ever get enough of, I can’t recommend Nightshade enough!

  CHLO’S RATING: 8/10

Nightshade Review (Nintendo Switch) NIGHTSHADE Release Date:  December 20, 2018 (North America) Developers:  Red Entertainment / LANTERN ROOMS Publishers: D3Publisher…