This is only a review and my thoughts on Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan and Hakuouki Hekketsuroku. I have not seen the other season or the OVA's at this time.
The beginning of the show reminds me a lot of Peace Maker Kurogane. Chizuru sort of takes the place of Tetsu. Hakuouki goes past the events in PMK however, continuing on until the end of Hijikatas life. The events in the show are based on the events of actual history. Of course, there were no devils or furries in actual history. I'm no expert of the Shinsengumi but from what I've read, many of the battles, deaths, and characters were the same as in history. In a way, the fact that it was so close to real events made it more sad. Many of the Shinsengumi died during the battles in history. It's like watching history, and history doesn't care if you want the character to live or if the death is unfair.
At first I was a little annoyed with Chizuru. She wore a sword and supposedly knew how to use it, but never actually did. Of course, I realized later that the show was trying to follow history and therefor, except for in battle with the devils, she couldn't have used her sword. The sword work of the other characters was plenty anyway.
The way the girls voice often narrarated the historical events could be annoying sometimes, as well as how time would skip. It's not the first historical anime to nararate historical events. Intrigue in the Bakumatsu also did it. I got used to it. The time skipping was still a bit unpleasent. I don't like when shows decide to skip gaps of time, but I do understand that, especially with a historically based show, something can't be happening every day and they can't just show a bunch of people doing chores for hours. It was more of where the time skipped that bothered me. There would be this small event that seemed almost meaningless and then the time would skip sometimes. I couldn't figure out why we stopped and/or stayed for that tiny event.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!! The following contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
The growing relationship between Hijikata and Chizuru was interesting but sad. I don't know if Hijikata ever fell in love or if it happened in a similar way to the show, but I hope not. I don't know how old Chizuru is but it seemed she was a good bit younger than Hijikata...not that that ever stopped anyone in anime. Still, he already shortened his life by being part of the Shinsengumi and then again by taking the "Water of Life" and yet after that, he falls in love. Not only that, but the time between when he confessed his love to her and when he died was so short. I had been starting to wonder if anything would develop between the two for a while. He always protected her and let her stay even though it meant having to protect her all the time and even when he knew devils were after her. The way he watched over her
seemed like he either saw her as if she were like a daughter or like a lover. Apparently it was the latter. Even though I kinda expected it to happen, the kiss still surprised me a bit. But before I knew it, they were off to battle again. As far as what the anime showed, they didn't get to experience their love very long. Did they ever even get to sleep in the same bed. If they didn't, it would be sad that they never got to hold each other in sleep but if they did it would be sad because they only got to do it a few times and it was something they lost. I don't think anyone even knew they were in love. It was so short though. To make it worse, he finally decided he had a reason and desire to live. It wasn't just about seeing the Shinsengumi through to the end, he wanted to live and be with Chizuru. Shortly after this realization though he goes and gets himself killed! I knew historically Hijikata had died from a gunshot wound but I had hoped they would deviate from history. I wanted them to have more time. Also it seemed like drinking blood helped them live. After he was first shot she gave him some of her blood and it seemed to help him some. I thought maybe blood extended their life, or that demon blood had a special effect. When the devil gave Hijikata the name Hakuouki, I had half hoped the devil thing might work like zombies and that the devil would decide to turn Hijikata into a devil by biting him. Apparently though, if blood could have helped or if biting could turn someone, either no one knew it or know one thought of it. The only other possibility is that the devil knew of it and didn't care to help him.
The thing is, I'm always getting mad at endings because I want to know what happens up until the character dies, but even when the character dies, I'm still not happy. Granted Hijikata wasn't the only main character but he was one. It's bad enough most of the others died. The events surrounding Hijikatas death were sad. Actually, the more characters who either left or died, the more empty it felt. It's like as a group of friends go there separate ways in life after you have had so many good times with them and you wish things could stay the same forever. Something like that.
I admit, I am slightly curious about what happened to Chizuru after that. How did she cope after losing all those friends and her lover without having anyone to really go back to? Where did she go, or did she decide to die to? Did she find the others and stay with them or go to work for some other fighting group? Perhaps she went to stay with that other devil girl. I don't know if the OVAs or anything will tell me what happened to her. I'm not entirely sure I want to know. After all, all those characters I liked died, and while I do like Chizuru, it wouldn't be the same without the others.
The beginning of the show reminds me a lot of Peace Maker Kurogane. Chizuru sort of takes the place of Tetsu. Hakuouki goes past the events in PMK however, continuing on until the end of Hijikatas life. The events in the show are based on the events of actual history. Of course, there were no devils or furries in actual history. I'm no expert of the Shinsengumi but from what I've read, many of the battles, deaths, and characters were the same as in history. In a way, the fact that it was so close to real events made it more sad. Many of the Shinsengumi died during the battles in history. It's like watching history, and history doesn't care if you want the character to live or if the death is unfair.
At first I was a little annoyed with Chizuru. She wore a sword and supposedly knew how to use it, but never actually did. Of course, I realized later that the show was trying to follow history and therefor, except for in battle with the devils, she couldn't have used her sword. The sword work of the other characters was plenty anyway.
The way the girls voice often narrarated the historical events could be annoying sometimes, as well as how time would skip. It's not the first historical anime to nararate historical events. Intrigue in the Bakumatsu also did it. I got used to it. The time skipping was still a bit unpleasent. I don't like when shows decide to skip gaps of time, but I do understand that, especially with a historically based show, something can't be happening every day and they can't just show a bunch of people doing chores for hours. It was more of where the time skipped that bothered me. There would be this small event that seemed almost meaningless and then the time would skip sometimes. I couldn't figure out why we stopped and/or stayed for that tiny event.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!! The following contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
The growing relationship between Hijikata and Chizuru was interesting but sad. I don't know if Hijikata ever fell in love or if it happened in a similar way to the show, but I hope not. I don't know how old Chizuru is but it seemed she was a good bit younger than Hijikata...not that that ever stopped anyone in anime. Still, he already shortened his life by being part of the Shinsengumi and then again by taking the "Water of Life" and yet after that, he falls in love. Not only that, but the time between when he confessed his love to her and when he died was so short. I had been starting to wonder if anything would develop between the two for a while. He always protected her and let her stay even though it meant having to protect her all the time and even when he knew devils were after her. The way he watched over her
seemed like he either saw her as if she were like a daughter or like a lover. Apparently it was the latter. Even though I kinda expected it to happen, the kiss still surprised me a bit. But before I knew it, they were off to battle again. As far as what the anime showed, they didn't get to experience their love very long. Did they ever even get to sleep in the same bed. If they didn't, it would be sad that they never got to hold each other in sleep but if they did it would be sad because they only got to do it a few times and it was something they lost. I don't think anyone even knew they were in love. It was so short though. To make it worse, he finally decided he had a reason and desire to live. It wasn't just about seeing the Shinsengumi through to the end, he wanted to live and be with Chizuru. Shortly after this realization though he goes and gets himself killed! I knew historically Hijikata had died from a gunshot wound but I had hoped they would deviate from history. I wanted them to have more time. Also it seemed like drinking blood helped them live. After he was first shot she gave him some of her blood and it seemed to help him some. I thought maybe blood extended their life, or that demon blood had a special effect. When the devil gave Hijikata the name Hakuouki, I had half hoped the devil thing might work like zombies and that the devil would decide to turn Hijikata into a devil by biting him. Apparently though, if blood could have helped or if biting could turn someone, either no one knew it or know one thought of it. The only other possibility is that the devil knew of it and didn't care to help him.
The thing is, I'm always getting mad at endings because I want to know what happens up until the character dies, but even when the character dies, I'm still not happy. Granted Hijikata wasn't the only main character but he was one. It's bad enough most of the others died. The events surrounding Hijikatas death were sad. Actually, the more characters who either left or died, the more empty it felt. It's like as a group of friends go there separate ways in life after you have had so many good times with them and you wish things could stay the same forever. Something like that.
I admit, I am slightly curious about what happened to Chizuru after that. How did she cope after losing all those friends and her lover without having anyone to really go back to? Where did she go, or did she decide to die to? Did she find the others and stay with them or go to work for some other fighting group? Perhaps she went to stay with that other devil girl. I don't know if the OVAs or anything will tell me what happened to her. I'm not entirely sure I want to know. After all, all those characters I liked died, and while I do like Chizuru, it wouldn't be the same without the others.
Yeah, the historical Hjikata's death was pretty awful, but the short of it is that his horse was shot at the same time and fell ontop of him, so he was stuck there for hours, slowly bleeding out. Fun times.
ReplyDelete