Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms Review

About

Japanese Release date: September 25th, 2015 (Kyoto Winds) June 16th, 2016 (Edo Blossoms).

Developers: Otomate, Design Factory.

Publishers: Idea Factory.

Platforms: PS Vita, PC.

Genres: Otome, Visual Novel.

Modes: Single player.

Introduction

Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds and its sequel, Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms are a two-part series and the remastered version of Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, a PSP game from 2012.  I knew nothing about these games before jumping into them. But now, a year after finishing them, I can safely say they are among my favourite visual novel series!

The games are relatively long, each of them being about forty hours long if you wish to unlock all the different character endings (although Edo Blossoms is slightly longer due to the extra bad endings).

They were also the first visual novels I played on the vita, and they made me realise that playing visual novels on a handheld is incredibly comfortable, much more so than on a PC, in my opinion. These titles became part of my bedtime routine. I remember playing until my eyes closed on their own, and then drifting into sleep thinking about the plot and characters—good times! Well, let’s begin!

Story

The story follows Chizuru, a young lass who is looking for her missing father. Fate brings her together with the Shinsengumi warriors, who were the Japanese police force recruited in Edo—modern day Tokyo—and sent to Kyoto to protect the shogun during the late Tokugawa shogunate (1863 to 1869). As Chizuru finds out more about her past, she befriends—and ultimately romances—said warriors.

Needless to say, the story is sad. Even if you go for the true ending, the events that happen before that are brutal. Our heroes are defeated time and time again—they gather hope only for more of their swordmen to fall in each battle. The story did well in portraying the horrors of war, and that I respect.

Historical Aspect

Being a historical fantasy, Hakuoki is based on events that occurred in Japan during the late Edo period, mainly focusing on the struggles the Shinsengumi members had to withstand. They fought several wars in order to protect the shogunate, the Japanese military dictatorship. Ultimately, the Shinsengumi was defeated and disbanded after seven years of conflict. In the course of these two games, we see it all slowly unfold, and it is as fascinating as it is heavy to take in.

I appreciate a good history lesson, even though Hakuoki is not a textbook. The added fantasy elements made it not only an interesting read, but also an enjoyable one theme-wise. The game offers a good number of encyclopaedia entries, which is  a nice bonus. Now, it’s time to present the bachelors, of which there are plenty to choose from!

Love Interests

Hijikata Toshizo

Voice: Miki Shinichiro

Called ‘demon’ by his men, Hijikata is the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi. He portrays himself as cold and composed, but in reality he cares deeply for his men and is heavily affected by the war. And when I say affected, I mean both physically and mentally. This man had to make some tough decisions, he truly needs a break! But unfortunately there is little to no time for it.

Hijikata is cold to everyone around him, including the protagonist, but he is not the mean kind of cold. I appreciate a man who knows what he wants, and is not afraid to say so without hesitating. As the story progresses, he begins to open up and show his emotional side. That was sweet, or rather bittersweet due to the tragic events happening around him. 

Toshizo is no demon, he is a darling. He has been through so much and deserves a good hug. Every Hakuoki romantic deserves a good, long hug. Hijikata no doubt gains a spot in my top five Hakouki husbandos!

Souji Okita

Voice: Morikubo Showtaro

Oh, Okita! He is a bit of a clown and a breath of fresh air in an otherwise heavy plot. He is cocky, self-centred, and fun. But just because he jokes around half of the time, it does not mean he is not a dedicated member of the Shinsengumi. In fact, he is one of the best warriors there are. Everyone, watch out!

As a romantic, he is quite all right. Not my preferred type, but I can see why people like him so much! He deserves the world, especially after all this darling has battled through.

Hajime Saito

Voice: Toriumi Kosuke

Just like Hijikata, Saito is very serious—actually even more! Hijikata throws some sarcastic comments here and there, but Saito never does. Not being a fan of idle talk, he is not very talkative, but that makes him who he is, and we love him for it. As much as he tries to be in his own world and remain expressionless, we all know his heart is golden. Just like all the other romantics, his dedication to the Shinsengumi is exceptional. 

This man is the embodiment of the samurai code of conduct—a true, respectable swordsman. The way he explains his life views is both endearing and compelling, which made his route one I especially enjoyed. When he eventually begins to open up and take notice of his feelings for the protagonist, he becomes the cute darling we all know he is. Saito is just too adorable, definitely another member of my top five Hakouki husbandos!

Heisuke Toudou

Voice: Hoshino Hiroyuki

Heisuke may be the youngest of the Shinsengumi, but boy is he brave! Maybe a little too emotion-driven, but that is Heisuke, all right. He is very cheerful, which makes him a pleasant character to interact with. He likes to hang out with Nagakura and Harada. I think of them as the inseparable three.

We see him mature throughout the series, starting with an easy-going, naïve Heisuke, to a more cunning one. He never loses his spark, however, and continues to smile until the bitter end. Although in the second game we see him heavily discouraged and pessimistic, it’s all part of his development. He is like a best friend, one you soon develop feelings for. Also, he totally rocks both long and short hair!

Sanosuke Harada

Voice: Yusa Koji

Harada… Hm, he is certainly something. A master of the spear, I remember him being laid-back and also a bit of a jokester. Aside from that, and the fact that he is very tall and slim, I do not recall much from his route. His appearance is what stuck most to me, him being the only redhead romantic—gotta love that!

I found him special in the sense that he can go from zero to one hundred in a second. He can be funny and then incredibly pessimistic. This trait is not my preferred one, since I consider it a bit of a red flag. That being said, I liked how he showed genuine love and care for the protagonist, through and through.

Shinpachi Nagakura

Voice: Tomohiro Tsuboi

Shinpachi is another member of the cheerful sweetheart gang. To me, he resembles a big brother that will do anything to ensure his friends and family are safe. I like him, but I never really saw him in a romantic way. If anything, I want him as my gym instructor because holy, he is buff. I also have to give him credit for his dedication in becoming a ‘true samurai’.

Sadly, not everything goes smoothly in the second game. We see him struggling loads, so much so that he abandons everyone. Chizue will then fill that caring, supporting role Nagakura used to have in her life.

Keisuke Sanan

Voice: Tobita Nobou

Sanan gives me hot doctor vibes, and by that I mean I find him very attractive. His voice, his way of expressing himself, everything about him is classy and refined. He is polite even when insulting others.

Sanan can come off as egoistic, cold, and even double-faced, but in reality he is simply a person that takes any means necessary to achieve what they want, even if the methods to do so are highly unethical. I call him doctor, but he is more of a mad scientist!

As the romance develops, you get to see how he changes little by little. In his route, he gets a change of heart in the end, which was nice to see. He becomes mellow instead of corrupted. I say this because in other routes he goes astray and downright mad. It goes to show how important Chizue’s role was in his life. Sanan also made it to my top five! Way to go!

Susumu Yamazaki

Voice: Suzuki Takayuki

I absolutely loved Yamazaki in the first game. He was interesting, he had a different role within the Shinsengui, his personality reminded me of Saito, even his clothes were cool and unique! I was really looking forward to what his Edo Blossoms route would be like. I had high expectations, and perhaps that is why I ended up feeling disappointed. His route kind of flopped, in my opinion. It started out so well, but then he changed—and not in a good way. They did my man dirty! However, I will always remember how I had a blast playing the first half of his story. Thanks for the amazing times, Yamazaki! You are a true ninja!

Hachiro Iba

Voice: Miyano Mamoru

The childhood friend Iba, well-mannered, with a comforting gentleness to him, is also part of my top five Hakuokibandos. Iba is kind and I am all in for that. He is respectful to every person he encounters, and he always makes sure conflicts are resolved peacefully. To me, that is perfection!

He is especially protective of Chizuru, which goes to show how much he cares for his childhood crush. I believe he is the only character that is clearly in love with the protagonist from the get-go, and it’s just too cute to see! How is this man so dreamy? Even his hairstyle is on point. Miyano-san was the perfect voice actor for this character, hands down!

I have to admit I kept using the replay button on his lines, and not because I was trying to learn Japanese. I mean, I did take notes on some phrases—learning with games is so fun!—but I mainly did it to enjoy that amazing voice acting.

Kazue Souma

Voice: Yuki Kaji

There is not much I can say about Souma. I thought he was an okay character in Kyoto Winds, but oh does he blossom well in the second game. His rank changed, so he assumed his new responsibilities to the best of his abilities. In the first game, he was the protagonists’ student. Their relationship was very wholesome, but unfortunately it did not cut it for me. I found him a bit too formal and exalted. Either way, I have to give him credit for standing up to the Shinsengumi even after all the defeats they went through. He is truly a loyal samurai!

Ryoma Sakamoto

Voice: Ono Daisuke

Born in the city of Kochi, Ryoma is a suave gunman with wavy hair and a Tosa dialect. His way of speaking is what made him stand out even more, being the only love interest with a distinct dialect. Ryoma is not part of the Shinsengumi. In fact, due to his political views, he became the enemy of many groups, including the Shinsengumi.

Sakamoto is a smooth talker that completely dominates every situation he is put in. He is very strong as well, and does not let anything bring down his morale. He is very passionate in what he believes, going to difficult lengths to achieve his goals. To me, he is more like a polite-old-stranger figure due to the fact that I thought he was much older than he actually is! I thought he was in his forties, but it turns out Ryoma is twenty-eight, just like Hijikata.

Chikage Kazama

Voice: Tsuda Kenjiro

Down to our last romantic! Kazama is the villain and main male demon of the story. And by demon I do not mean evil. I absolutely love how he shows you a completely different side of the story. This is what I liked the most about his plot, aside from the fact that his characterisation is splendid!

Kazama was hired to oppose the Shinsengumi, so his role as an antagonist is clear from the start. We are made to believe that he is cruel, mindless, and would do atrocities without even blinking. And even though he certainly would not hesitate to fight anyone, he has values he holds dear. Playing his routes was a delight! I just wanted to get to know him better.

Personality-wise, Kazama is composed, well-spoken, a wee funny when the time is right, and mature. This last trait is what did it for me. Chikage is wise well beyond his years (twenty-five years old). There is much to learn from his life experience, which he shares with the protagonist if chosen as a romantic. I love this character so much, I even did some fan art of him!

Art

The backgrounds, characters, and CGs in Hakuoki are all amazing! I especially love how the lighting and colorisation were done. The characters show a wide range of emotion, different angles, and it’s all a joy to admire. I even have some of these as PC wallpapers! They remind me of all the nice moments in Hakuoki, which I know will remain in my heart for a long time.

Personal Fan Art

I also made some art of this game! I illustrated Hijikata, aiming to show how his struggles were weighing on him. And I also drew Kazama relaxing while contemplating the sunset. If you are interested in seeing more of my works, here are all my social media links!

Music

The music in this game is incredibly atmospheric. I love it loads and listen to it while I write. I especially like ‘Come to me by Nightfall’ and ‘In Your Arms’, they are such lovely tracks. Give them a listen if you wish to!

Replayability

Each of these lovelies being around forty hours long, I do not see myself coming back to them in the near future. But this could be because I finished them recently! Though as of now, I feel that Hakuoki is a one time experience, one that will stick to you for years to come. 

Overall Thoughts

Historical facts? Check. Twelve love interests that you can romance? Check. I also have to mention that the game’s writing is exceptional. Playing this game was like reading a long and satisfying book, which I definitely recommend!

Just one heads up: Although Hakuoki is a romance otome, in many of the routes the focus is not on the romantic relationship, but rather the circumstances surrounding the characters. I mean, these people are at war! Love surely blossoms in the end, but in many cases it takes a while. So if you are in the mood for a long drive, do check out Hakuoki on Steam or the Vita store! I use this page to check out PlayStation prices.

A PS4 and Nintendo Switch version that includes both games came out in 2017 and 2018 respectively, but they are only available in Japanese. The hopes of getting an English release are low, but not zero!

Shad’s Rating:

9/10 Kyoto Winds.

6/10 Edo Blossoms.

Thank you so much for reading my second game review. Best wishes, and happy playing! 💙

Wishing you the best,

Shad.