Huzzah for my first blog entry ( after 2 years on MAL --" ) !
Hakuouki was an anime that I've been procrastinating on because it was on my to-watch but I wasn't interested.
Then I got addicted to アルスマグナ / ARSMAGNA, a Japanese cosplay dance group.
![]()
They danced to the two opening songs, Izayoi Namida and Mai Kaze, the first in a dance video and the second LIVE.
I loved the songs. I figured out Mai Kaze was from Hakuouki because I listened to the song and typed in whatever romaji I heard on Google xD It actually worked. I tend to judge anime based on openings so I tried watching it and I loved it. The sad thing was that there were a lot of spoilers *sobfest* but I managed to escaped before I saw most of them. The anime was amazing, realistic, one of my favourite categories ( historical ) and shoujo. I adore Shinsengumi and Ninjas so this was really interesting. Of all the ( real ) historical events they depicted, I was only aware of the battle at Toba Fushimi which brought about the Meiji Era. This knowledge I gained from Rurouni Kenshin, which has a prominent figure of the Shinsengumi in it, Saito Hajime, vice-captain of the Shinsengumi. In Gintama, we have Hijikata, who appears in Hakuouki, only with the name Toshizou ( which is the real name by the way ). Saitou and Okita ( see the link to Okita Sougou of Gintama ) are part of it as well. The Captain is Kondou-san, also the Captain of the Shinsengumi in Gintama. The Okita in Hakuouki has a strangely similar personality to the Okita of Gintama. There is also Yamazaki, a minor character with the Shinsegumi who appears from time to time ( in Gintama, as well, just someone Hijikata finds problems with all the time xD )
I adore Hijikata in Gintama, as well as in Hakuouki.
Hakuouki made me cry in the first season, when Yamazaki died. TT__TT Though Yamazaki was a minor character, I really liked him.
The second season was unbelievably tragic. Everyone except Saitou, Harada and Shinpachi died. I believe this because historically, Saitou survived and there was no news of his death. As for Harada, after he fought Koudou, Chizuru said that it was the last she heard from him but it never specified he died. I have no idea about Shinpachi. Heisuke was my favourite guy in the anime so when he died, I cried like crazy. When Okita was wrapping up the bandages and fought the men, I cried so hard, wishing and praying that he wouldn't die but my wish didn't come true. I cried when Kondou-san died, as well. Hijikata's death was the final blow. I couldn't stop the tears. I cried so much and just asked why it was so unfair. Also, whenever anyone told Chizuru to take care of Toshi for them ( right before their death KMS ), I cried like crazy.
Now, thinking back, it's a wonderful anime. It has this realistic feel to it, supported by the historical events. The Shinsengumi were fighting a losing battle, and while they were determined, they couldn't change what was happening. I think it added to that feeling of sadness. Also, while Chizuru was mostly helpless, she was still nice and cute. She and Hijikata had a firmly-based romance and there was no dispute over that.
I don't regret spending my time on this. I'm watching the play right now with no freaking idea what they're saying but enjoying it nonetheless.
When they ended it with this
I just couldn't stop crying for about the next ten minutes and that lingering melancholy feeling didn't leave me until a few hours later when I started watching Reimeiroku which at least lets me see them alive one last time.



