Hakuoki: Sakamoto
Jul. 24th, 2018 04:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrBackground information and links to previous posts
Time for the MYSTERIOUSLY ABSENT Sakamoto Ryouma, who I literally would not have realised existed if I hadn't looked up the list of love interests.
Overall I really liked it! He turned out to be an Imperialist revolutionary rogue with a heart of gold, which gave a very different perspective, and Chizuru was kind of tsundere which was a different and fun dynamic.
Downsides: he was sometimes a bit sleazy, and there was some unfortunate transphobia.
** Spoilers, blood **
My entire knowledge of Sakamoto Ryouma, having played this game through eight times:
So! Let's see what I get.
On the upside, I can happily skip all the common route scenes because they are clearly entirely irrelevant to whatever this guy is up to. And if we get some insight into the Imperial point of view, that could be interesting (Heisuke gave that a little, but since he was either off screen or Not Talking About It during his entire stint as an Imperial ally it doesn't really count)
Watching his intro scene for the first time since my very first playthrough:
I like that Chizuru is immediately suspicious of this strange man coming to ask if he can help when she's looking for her father in an Imperialist hangout. And I also like that choosing the suspicious "No thank you, I don't need any help" gets you points with him.
He's the darkest love interest (eg he is a very light brown), and has some other similarities to Shiranui in terms of design/voice acting/demeanour, I wonder if this is them going "look, making Shiranui a love interest isn't practical but here's a vaguely similar guy on the same side who hangs out with him". I'm not into Shiranui that way but I do like him, so, I can live that that if so.
As well as being flirtatious he's very pushy about helping her and asking her for personal information, which I would find creepier if I wasn't pretty sure he was just being a sneaky spy trying to get info on the Shinsengumi.
And now back into the increasingly familiar grind of picking choices that alienate all the other love interests. Luckily they're not especially awful.
New scene! WOO COMPLEX POLITICS MY FAVOURITE. There's been problems with the domain of Tosa.
HA. And then, suddenly everyone's like "Hey, Chizuru, that random dude you talked to at Imperialist Inn SEVERAL MONTHS AGO might be a ronin from Tosa! If you see him again, try and find out!" Game, I know you have a structure for when love interest specific scenes are supposed to happen, but this would have made a little more sense a chapter and a half ago.
Chizuru, internally: Hmm, I'm not sure I'd be much good at sneakily gathering information. And if he gets suspicious and abducts me, the Shinsengumi would be in trouble!
CHIZURU. HONEY. ALSO YOU WOULD BE IN TROUBLE?
And of course she does bump into Sakamoto. Time for a SPY DATE. The walkthrough says not to ask him for info but I'm curious.
Chizuru: Um. Are you a ronin?
Sakamoto: Yeah! I'm also single ;)
Otherwise he's like "So since you clearly want to ask: my real name is Sakamoto Ryouma and I'm a ronin from Tosa. I work for the shogunate navy training to use warships". Chizuru feels embarrassed about how hard she failed at being sneaky but is glad he's not an Imperialist.
Sakamoto gets endearingly excited about modern boat technology.
Then he gives Chizuru a sad smile saying "You have a gentle soul. I bet you'd have gotten in trouble if I didn't tell you who I was."
AND THEN. NAKAOKA APPEARS!!!
Who is Nakaoka you ask? And the answer is: I have no idea! He's never shown up before! But he's in the opening credits and I am always just WHO IS THIS GUY. DID YOU JUST INCLUDE HIM TO INCREASE THE BISHIE COUNT.
Sakamoto: This is my colleague Nakaoka!
Nakaoka: My name is Ishikawa, remember, Saitani? >:( [game popup: "Ishikawa is Nakaoka's alias". Thanks, game]
Sakamoto: Too late, I already told this random cute girl both our real names :D
Nakaoka: I CAN'T LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR FIVE SECONDS *literally drags Sakamoto away by his ear*
Saito makes a very suspicious glare when Chizuru tells him about the navy thing, which would probably make more sense to me if I knew anything about the history of the Japanese navy. Which I am sure I will by the end of this path lol.
Huh! For the first time I get the chance to miss the event where Chizuru learns she's a demon after Kazama tries to kidnap her for the first time. Is that conflict going to play out differently now? I assume she finds out she's a demon eventually.
Instead, Chizuru is brought in for a Very Serious Conversation with the captains about how her new ronin friend has a history with the Imperialists.
Hijikata: So, will you help us lure him into the open?
Chizuru: NO???
Hijikata: We want to be his ally! Honest!
Me: Do you really though
So Chizuru sends him a vague letter about wanting to see him and gets no reply. Just as she's feeling down about how much she sucks at this spy business SAKAMOTO BURSTS INTO THE SHINSENGUMI HEADQUARTERS.
Sakamoto: How dare ya'll use a woman to extort information from me?! Oh hey, sup Chizuru ;D
(The translation makes him and Nakaoka sound a bit southern which is usually used for people with Osaka accents, not that I can tell the difference)
Sakamoto gets into a political discussion with Commander Hijikata, he makes some compelling arguments about Issues With The Shogunate that Hijikata grudgingly acknowledges, but also implies the Shinsengumi are wasting their time arresting random thugs when the whole country is in danger of being invaded by the West, which makes Hijikata want to stab him.
It turns out Sakamoto has been guaranteed protection by the shogunate. He gets pissy that they implied he was working with the Imperialists and storms off, but agrees to talk to Chizuru.
She bows in apology for sending the letter...and he gets all up in her business, whispering in her ear that he really is an enemy of the Shinsengumi, so if she wants to stay on good terms with them she shouldn't care too much about him.
Chizuru is endearingly clueless about why he felt the need to invade her personal space quite so much, and why it made her feel this insatiable...something???
He gives her a flirtatious good bye and she is happily charmed, but assumes it doesn't really mean anything. And then Nakaoka shows up!
Nakaoka: WTF ARE YOU DOING AT SHINSENGUMI HEADQUARTERS YOU SUICIDAL DUMBASS
Hijikata: Oh, you're a friend of Sakamoto's? THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU I'LL KILL YOU.
Nakaoka: And you, girl, you're one of them? Were you spying on us the whole time??
Chizuru: Eh heh, um...
Sakamoto: As if I would be tricked by a little girl
At this point I reminded myself of the real Sakamoto's age and he's like 29? While Chizuru is around 19? OK THEN.
AND THEN KAZAMA APPEARS. But he finds Chizuru alone, rather than starting a fight with the Shinsengumi, and when she says no to going away with him...Amagiri and Shiranui stop him from grabbing her? I guess the aim is to make Shiranui more sympathetic from the outset.
The Shinsengumi are increasingly sure Sakamoto is Up To No Good, and the local magistrate wants to arrest him, but for complex political reasons I almost follow the Shinsengumi decide it's in their best interests to protect him. Nagakura and Heisuke create an amusing spectacle as fake drunks while Chizuru sneaks into Sakamoto's room.
Sakamoto: WHOA, CHIZURU??? I don't mind my women bold but give a guy a chance to prepare!
Chizuru: Quick! The magistrate is coming to arrest-
*the magistrate comes to arrest him*
Sakamoto: Ugh, can't you see I have a lady in here?
Officer: You're one of those pro-foreigner types!
Sakamoto: If trading with foreigners brings Japan wealth, what's so bad about it? *draws gun*
Me: this is not the conservative nationalist POV I was expecting but carry on
Aw, he whispers to Chizuru that she should escape while he creates a distraction. There's mention of sasumata which turn out to be some freaky looking things used instead of handcuffs. Anyway, they escape together onto the roof, but are pursued!
It was at this point that I realised that Chizuru is a bond girl:
Yukimura helps them escape, but Sakamoto keeps stopping and wincing.
Chizuru: Is he injured? :(
Me: IS HE A VAMPIRE? :D
But no, he's injured. He tells Chizuru to run ahead, and when she worries he'll die says he's pretty lucky and a leading man doesn't die like this. He pulls her to him and kisses her on the forehead. "They say that in the West, this is the custom when a man and woman part. I'd prefer your lips, but we can save that for next time ;)"
Yes, Sakamoto, that's totally the custom in 19th century Europe.
She runs off to Sakamoto's nearby allies, and brings back Nakaoka, who is endearingly tsundere about wanting to help Sakamoto and being grateful to Chizuru. Sakamoto is happily surprised not to die. He tells Chizuru they'll have to make sure their next "rendezvous" isn't interrupted, and then limps off into the night.
She feels warm remembering him kissing her and wonders why he did that. CHIZURU. HE JUST SAID HE WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU. I AM NOT SURE HOW HIS INTENTIONS COULD BE MORE CLEAR.
Heisuke and Nagakura notice her blushing and are like CHIZURU NO. Nagaukra warns her that the Imperialists have been known to use women to send messages which is a LITTLE RICH under the circumstances. She wonders sadly if Sakamoto's just trying to use her for information.
A while later, Chizuru notices Nakaoka in the Shinsengumi headquarters.
Chizuru: HI NAKAOKA!!!
Nakaoka: SHHHhhhhh please don't get me killed >:/
He's described as "not using his usual Tosa accent", so I actually looked up where Tosa is: the southern coast of an island in the south of Japan, which is indeed near Osaka.
He's brought a letter from Sakamoto, and grumpily complains that Sakamoto is better but still played the injury card to guilt him into delivering it.
After all that I was expecting something important but Sakamoto just says he's healing in a hot springs and wishes Chizuru was with him, like on these "honeymoons" he's heard about. "I'm sure you're pining without me but try to keep your head high ;)" Chizuru is both annoyed and happy he's feeling better.
Despite the fact that he's the skeeziest love interest so far I find him mostly charming, maybe because Chizuru does get annoyed at it sometimes, and also I am enjoying the whole "two sides of a growing war" tension.
He then sends her another letter via messenger: "Hey Chizuru, bet you're dreaming of me every night ;) Anyway I have news of your father, we should meet up!". Yes, Sakamoto, this is the one you can risk on the postal service.
She shows it to Hijikata, who says he'll send a bunch of captains and if Sakamoto tries anything funny they'll kill him.
Sakamoto is quite explicit about not telling Chizuru everything he knows, but that he can say for sure that her dad is safe in the West. Then he says they should toss the Shinsengumi a bone of information so they'll keep letting her see him.
Sakamoto: I want to keep seeing you. You want to keep seeing me, right?
Chizuru: I don't NOT want to see you...
Sakamoto: I'll make you say it next time ;)
Chizuru, to herself: This is both obnoxious and weirdly enjoyable.
Sakamoto: Oh hey. Remember how I said next time I saw you I'd give you a kiss on the...
Chizuru: NOPE *runs away*
Sakamoto: *sigh* Guess it'll be a while before we can talk like adults.
MAYBE DON'T HIT ON TEENAGERS THEN YOU SKEEZE
Chizuru: So, um...are you an weapons dealer working with the Imperialist domains?
Sakamoto: Yep ^_^
Chizuru: BUT WEAPONS KILL PEOPLE
Sakamoto: Let me explain to you a little bit about these countries called Great Britain and Russia and how fucked we are if they attack us before we arm ourselves better. The shogunate isn't doing anything, so I work with the people who are.
Chizuru: So you think they'd run the country better?
Sakamoto: Not necessarily :/
Later, Harada offers to help Chizuru with her chores for the second time this path. Souma and Nagakura: WE WILL ALSO HELP YOU DO LAUNDRY SEMPAI. Having Chizuru's kohais help her do laundry is one of those things I didn't know I wanted.
Sakamoto: HI CHIZURU
Souma: Intruder! I'll kill you! ...wait, sempai, do you know this man?
Chizuru: Kind of?
Me: That's cold, Chizuru.
Sakamoto: Our relationship can't be described in a single word ;)
I remember that Souma still think Chizuru is a man, lol.
Sakamoto drags her out on a date despite her protests that it's against the rules. He offers to buy her a pretty hairpin and she points out that she can hardly wear it around.
Sakamoto: Forcin' a girl to wear men's getup, chainin' you up like a bird...these Shinsengumi boys are messed up.
Chizuru worries about all the people trying to kill him, but he says he has a destiny and she has to admit he has an air of invulnerability. I remember that in every other path, he dies around now.
He gets excited telling her about his childhood by the sea raised by his cool, talented older sister Otome. The Hakuoki wiki page thinks this is a reference to otome heroines being awesome but he really did have an older, multitalented sister called Otome lol. I like the trend of influential older sisters in this game.
Chizuru asks why he left and he says he's from a class of samurai not even allowed to wear shoes as punishment for opposing the Shogun's clan over 200 years ago.
She considers the injustices of their society and asks him exactly what sort of world it is he is trying to work towards.
Sakamoto: I want to change the world. No more rotten samurai to prey on the weak. No more people taking advantage of the starving or destitute.
He squees a bit about these things called VOTING and CONGRESS they apparently have in the DISTANT LAND OF AMERICA, which was darkly amusing given the current political climate but still very endearing.
Chizuru: Could that really happen in Japan?
Sakamoto: Westerners, Japanese, we're all the same.
Chizuru: But Japan has feudal lords, the Imperial Court, the shogunate...
Sakamoto: It's not impossible. A weapon alone can't be used to win a war, but it can be used to negotiate with your enemies. I don't want to start a war, I just want to get rid of the shogunate and create a just world.
*finds myself in an unexpected triad with my new boyfriend Japanese-History-kun and my childhood sweetheart Revolutionary-Socialist-Politics-chan*
And then, just as I'm beginning to wonder if this path will be all real world history with no demon shenanigans...EVIL TWIN KOARU APPEARS
me: Huh, I wonder if Sakamoto flirts with what seems to be a girl who looks exactly like Chizuru but on his political side
Kaoru: There you are, Sakamota, you're needed- wait, Chizuru?
Chizuru: You know each other?
Kaoru: Well we are both from Tosa :)
Sakamoto: But that's all we have in common :/
Kaoru: Aw, that's sad of you to say :(
Ok Kaoru flirting with Sakamoto is significantly weirder. *quietly hopes for fodder for the planned Kaoru redemption arc in my current fic*
But I guess it makes sense Sakamoto's a little worried Chizuru thinks Kaoru might be his type, lol. Plus you don't have to spend much time around Kaoru to notice the villain flags. Sakamoto describes Kaoru as "Some kind of detective" because if there's one thing this game needs it's more genres.
Kaoru: Be careful Chizuru. Sakamoto is a man of the sea with a woman in every port.
Sakamoto: Hey! I don't have time to woo women!
Kaoru: I've heard it's not just women he's popular with...
Me: OH??? :D :D
Kaoru: ...but also the Imperialist domains.
Me: Kaoru, you tease
Kaoru lists a bunch of other morally ambiguous stuff Sakamoto's done but Chizuru says he's a good person and Kaoru sighs and says she's been deceived, then leaves.
Sakamoto: OK SO WHOEVER'S HIDING OUT THERE YOU CAN TAKE CHIZURU BACK NOW
Yamazaki the Shinsensgumi ninja, emerging from the bushes: :/
Sakamoto, pulling Chizuru close: Don't trust Kaoru. And...whatever happens to the shogunate, don't think too badly of me.
Chizuru: Wait, what
I'm wondering exactly what kind of vampire Sakamoto is going to be considering how touchy feely he is already.
Chiziru is sitting in the empty dojo, feeling melancholy that Heisuke and Saito are with Itou's Imperialists, and that Okita is too sick to train. Suddenly, someone puts their hand over her mouth- it's Sakamoto! He asks her to get someone in charge but they're all out.
He explains that he's investigating some dark rumours about the Shinsengumi.
Sakamoto: Presumably you haven't heard but there's these things called "vampires"...
Chizuru: HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE VAMPIRES
Sakamoto: HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE...wait, you are Stabdad's daughter...
Sakamoto, coldly: I don't want to rough up a girl. Tell me everything you know.
Chizuru: Um. I don't know anything!
Me: Chizuru you are the worst spy ever.
Sakamoto: >:(
Sanan: So you want to know more about vampires? :D *goes into vampire mode*
Sakamoto attempts to shoot Sanan but he dodges the bullets and quickly has Sakamoto held up in the air by the scruff of his kimono. Sakamoto continues to quip cheerfully and is saved by the timely arrival of Hijikata and Kondou.
Sakamoto explains why he's here: an English arms dealer introduced his "associates" to vampires as a weapon to destroy the shogunate. But Sakamoto was suspicious of England's motives, and assumed that if such a thing existed then the shogunate would have it too. The arms dealer confirmed that the Shinsengumi were making vampires for the shogunate: all the more reason for the Imperialists to catch up in the arms race!
Sakamoto explicitly compares the vampire serum to the opium Britain used to "bleed China dry" and then take them over, and says Japan will be next.
Sakamoto: The reason the shogunate got you to do the experiments is that you're disposable. You gotta stop! Samurai will be dead to the world in a generation anyway.
A room full of samurai loyal to the Shogun: >:(
Hijikata: If selling people powerful weapons is so bad, what does that make you?
Sakamoto: Yeah, I'm a hopeless criminal. But even criminals have principles. Humans can't control vampires!
Sanan: I do agree that the Imperialists should stop using vampires :)
Sakamoto: ...but not you :/
Sanan: How about we tell you how to kill vampires, and you keep us updated on Stabdad and what the West is up to with vampires?
Sakamoto: Sounds like I get the better deal but sure. It'll look suspicious if I show up here though, contact me through Chizuru.
Determined to make up for her father's sins, she agrees.
Afterwards she defends the Shinsengumi and he says loyalty and propriety are just made up words to get the lower classes to kiss their leader's asses. Then he asks her not to tell Nakaoka about any of this cos he'll just worry. He also doesn't apologise for threatening to torture her but hey.
TIME FOR THE SCENE WHERE SAKAMOTO (usually) DIES
Once again there's mutterings about him getting arrested or worse. Chizuru travels with some Shinsengumi to rescue him...but they are too late. They find Sakamoto and Nakaoka at their inn covered in stab wounds, on the brink of death.
Sakamoto croaks out that he's at least glad he got to save Japan by getting the Emperor put back in power, I don't entirely see how an Emperor is more democratic than a military dictator but never mind. He says a very touching goodbye to Chizuru...and then doesn't die!
Instead, HIS HAIR GOES WHITE. HE'S A VAMPIRE ALREADY???
And then before they can react to that, Nakaoka stands up, also a vampire, having come to the understandable conclusion that the Shinsengumi are the ones that stabbed him and raring to return the favour.
Things are looking dark when...Kaoru arrives! He reminds Nakaoka that Stabdad wants Chizuru kept safe, and also that since Kaoru's the one that "saved them" they should listen. Sakamoto still clearly has no idea what just happened.
Chizuru: Wait, Kaoru did what? Also it's not what it looks like, we came here to-
Kaoru: Time to go! The next time we see you it will be on the battlefield ^_^
And so as far as the world is concerned, Sakamoto is dead. And now he's their enemy, though Chizuru is secretly unwilling to think of him that way.
Chizuru gets a letter from Kaoru saying he has news of Sakamoto. Knowing the Shinsengumi would disapprove, she sneaks out, and once again is led to the temple hiding...Stabdad!
He rants about reclaiming land for the Yukimura clan and becoming safe with the help of vampires.
Chizuru: I don't care about that! Turn everyone back into humans!
Stabdad: Why don't you ask them if they'd like that? I've heard you've developed a...rapport with Sakamoto, and obviously I would never want to hurt someone you have feelings for. Nor would I turn people into vampires without some way to turn them back. But Sakamoto has come around to being a vampire.
Chizuru: Really?
Me: Really??
Stabdad: Come with me and I'll show you! He's waiting for you ^_^
NO CHIZURU DON'T GO INTO THE CREEPY TEMPLE
WAIT I GET TO CHOOSE??
Walkthrough says don't go but...I want to see. I suspect a bad end is involved. *SAVE TIME*
Chizuru: So are you really going to show me how to reverse the serum?
Stabdad: Of course. Would I lie to my precious, adorable daughter? ^_^
Me: Oh this is going to be SUCH a bad end.
Hijikata: Come on, seriously? You've been exposed to that liar Sakamoto and are still falling for this?
Sanan: I want to hear about this vampire cure.
Heisuke: Yeah! Does it exist?
Stabdad: Lol no. What are you, stupid?
And then he throws a smokebomb and he and Kaoru escape.
So I guess it's not a bad end after all! Saying no just means Chizuru gives a little speech about how much Sakamoto disapproves of the serum.
Hijikata says Chizuru shouldn't feel guilty for Stabdad forcing the Shinsengumi to participate in vampire research, since they volunteered. I've been watching the prequel anime Hakuoki Reimeiroku and Hijikata was strongly against the vampire research and had to be forced every step of the way, but by the then Shinsengumi chief rather than Stabdad (who just smiled from the shadows).
Time for the battle where Inoue dies, and everyone is shot at by Sakamoto's allies with Sakamoto's guns! Yay!
Inoue and Chizuru are sent to gather reinforcements oh no.
THEN IT GOT EXCITING and I stopped taking notes for a while. Let's see...
Inoue is the first person to be sympathetic to Chizuru feeling sad about Sakamoto being their enemy.
But then they find themselves cornered by Tosa soldiers, Sakamoto's domain apparently having shifted it's alliance to the Imperialists. Inoue tells her to hide, confident he can take them on...until he realises they're vampires (with fangs! DOES SAKAMOTO HAVE FANGS)
Inoue dies :( Chizuru inadvertently cries out and is captured. A voice coldly tells everyone to freeze.
Chizuru: Sakamoto!
Sakamoto: *shooting near her foot* I told you to freeze >:(
Sakamoto (to the vampires): She is to be kept safe, by Stabdad's orders. Come with me.
Chizuru finds herself tied up at an Imperialist base. Nakaoka appears to have gone Full Fascist Bad Guy:
(ok his politics are more anarchist socialist but he's definitely shopping at the Fascist Bad Guy tailor versus Sakamoto's Cute 19th Century Love Interest look)
Chizuru: Why do you hate the Shinsengumi so much?
Nakaoka: YOU STABBED ME. TO DEATH.
Chizuru: That was a misunderstanding!
Nakaoka: And all the other times you killed my comrades? Were those misunderstandings too?
Chizuru: Um. Ok, no. But your side just killed Inoue, the nicest man you could ever meet!
Sakamoto: SHOGUNATE SCUM ALL DESERVE TO BURN IN HELL
Chizuru is left alone to feel very sad and wonder what's going on in Sakamoto's head.
But then Sakamoto comes in to save her! He was just pretending! He's endearingly apologetic and even WENT BACK AND BURIED INOUE, aw.
But just as they're about to escape, along comes Nakaoka.
Sakamoto: I really thought we'd stay buddies, Nakaoka, but I guess it wasn't mean to be :(
Nakaoka: How can you betray us? We're going to save Japan!
Sakamoto: I realise this is a weird thing for me to say, as a vampire, but this vampire business is a bad idea.
Nakaoka: How else do we bring down the shogun and his clan?
Sakamoto: The shogun is already done for! You want to wipe his clan from the map like they tried to destroy ours? We need to work together to create a better Japan, not go around murdering each other!
Nakaoka: WE WILL MAKE JAPAN GREAT AGAIN WITH MURDER AND VAMPIRES.
Nakaoka has cornered them with a bunch of vampire minions. He tells the minions to save Chizuru but that Sakamoto doesn't matter ;_;
Sakamoto shoots them but bullets are kind of crap against vampires. Just when all seems lost, along comes...Shiranui! Who...also uses a gun, but somehow being a demon makes it more effective? Anyway, Sakamoto and Chizuru escape.
It was at around this point that I realised that Sakamoto's new hair is even more of a mullet than Yamazaki's. He pulls it off though.
Chizuru asks Sakamoto what he's going to do now. He says he's going to leave fighting in the war to the living, but that he feels it's his responsibility to bring down Nakaoka and the vampires. Chizuru says she feels it's her responsibility to bring down Stabdad and the vampires, so they should work together.
Sakamoto: Uh. You do realise I mean ALL the vampires, including your Shinsengumi friends?
Chizuru: OH. Um.
I was going to say that by this logic Sakamoto should kill himself, but I guess as long as he doesn't let himself be used as a weapon of war he's not being hypocritical. Anyway, Chizuru is about to say "actually yeah I am ok with you killing Sanan and Heisuke" which wow, ok then Chizuru. But he stops her and says she doesn't have to answer right now.
They go to the castle where the Shinsengumi were supposed to be, and bump into Shiranui. He says the Shogun has fled to Edo, and the Shinsengumi have followed him.
Sakamoto: God the Shogun sucks. But I guess that's the last nail in the coffin of the shogunate :D
Shiranui: I know right :D
Chizuru: THE SHOGUNATE WILL BE FINE.
Sakamoto and Shiranui do indeed have a very cute friendship. Turns out they met guarding Shiranui's Imperialist human boyfriend. Sakamoto is sad the guy died but Shiranui is HEARTBROKEN.
Sakamoto: You know I thought you were just a really strong dude, but I guess you were a demon the whole time? You could have said!
Shiranui: Would you have believed me?
Sakamoto: ...ok, no, probably not.
Sakamoto asks Chizuru if she wants to catch up with the Shinsengumi, but she says her duty is to stay with him and fight the vampires. Interestingly, even her internal narration isn't very focussed on the "being with Sakamoto" part, she's kind of tsundere this path despite clearly adoring him.
The stand on the shore and watch the Shogunate ships sail away.
Chizuru: Goodbye, Shinsengumi ;_;
Sakamoto: Goodbye, ships ;_;
Sakamoto: Are you really sure you want to fight your own dad? I can take care of it.
Chizuru: No, you're too reckless when you act alone, Ryouma.
Sakamoto: o.O
Chizuru: What?
Sakamoto, pulling her into a hug: YOU USED MY GIVEN NAME. YOU LOVE ME.
Chizuru: NO I DON'T. LET ME GO.
Sakamoto: NOPE :D
Chizuru is secretly super into having her boundaries violated. Sigh, at least he's not a serial killer.
Shiranui: Get a room you two!
Chizuru: SEE YOU'RE MAKING SHIRANUI UNCOMFORTABLE
Sakamoto: Let him watch :D
Chizuru secretly finds this charming and my Shiranui/Sakamoto/Chizuri feelings intensify.
Sakamoto thanks Chizuru for staying by him, and says he will never let her go, and promises to keep her safe. She settles comfortably into his loving arms.
Which is cute but we're only at the end of Kyoto Winds! OH WELL TIME TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
The summary of the current political situation mentions for the first time that it's good foreign countries have pledged not to get involved, since at least this way Japan has avoided the bloodshed of their countrymen by Westerners hungry for glory. But instead, more and more domains are joining the Imperial cause, afraid to be seen as allies of the losing side.
Sakamoto says this is sensible, valuing the lives of their men over principle. Chizuru argues that it's dishonourable, and is struck by how opposed his philosophy is to that of the Shinsengumi.
He wants to go spy on the vampires and she refuses to let him go alone because what if she never saw him again? BUT SHE DOESN'T MEAN IT IN A ROMANTIC WAY YOU BAKA.
(Being this tsundere is a contradiction of Chizuru's behaviour with everyone else and I don't care I love it)
The place is trashed. The vampires have fled in a hurry, leaving behind clues to where they intend to go next. Sakamoto lightly says he has to deal with them before being a vampire destroys his mind. Then bloodlust hits and he's very reluctant and apologetic while Chizuru is all LET ME OPEN MY KIMONO SO YOU CAN SUCK MY NECK. (he does not have fangs)
Sakamoto says he still hopes to persuade Nakaoka, and Chizuru says she still hopes to persuade Stabdad. She asks him what he will do next if he does persuade Nakaoka, and he doesn't have an answer. Instead, he asks to rest his head in her lap and she is confused.
Sakamoto: Ah, I guess a girl like you never fell in love before.
Chizuru: I DID TOO
Sakamoto: Really, what sort of man was he? :D
Chizuru: ...damn it why am I so bad at lying
He lies his head in her lap and they have a melancholy conversation about the futility of human endeavour when compared to the cold infinite of the stars.
They eventually track the vampires to...THE DEPRESSING BATTLE WHERE THE SHINSENGUMI LOSE
Luckily since the Shinsengumi aren't the focus the depressing bit is short. Everyone is SUPER GLAD to find out Chizuru is ok. Sakamoto helps out but afterwards can't persuade them to join his cause (the whole "murder your friends" thing being a major sticking point)
Harada points out that Sakamoto shouldn't hang around Shinsengumi headquarters much longer because someone will recognise him. Chizuru panics that he may go off without her.
Chizuru: You should stay at my house!
Sakamoto: Are you hitting on me? I thought you weren't ready for that next step ;)
Nagakura: CHIZURU NO
Harada: Look I can't tell you what to do but you know you could have your pick of guys, right? You sure you want that one?
Chizuru: I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT. And we already spent lots of time alone together, it's fine.
Sakamoto: Good point, we ARE ready for that next step ;D
Chizuru: BAD SAKAMOTO
Hijikata, however, is happy to give Chizuru permission to move into her old house with Sakamoto...if she keeps tabs on him for the Shinsengumi.
The house has been trashed. Sakamoto says it was probably the Shisnengumi (COME ON DUDE WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE)
Sakamoto: It's late, we can deal with it tomorrow. Now: I'm here for however you want to use me. Despite my appearance I quite like the idea of a woman stepping all over me ;D
Chizuru: Lol. So, want to go grab dinner?
...I was not expecting this path to give me any femdom, and I imagine this'll be the extent of it, but I'll take it.
When they find out Shinsengumi Chief Kondou's been captured Chizuru gets angry at Sakamoto's refusal to engage with human affairs. So she decides to GO SAVE HIM BY HERSELF.
Sakamoto points out that this is suicide, and when that doesn't work holds her to his chest. He points out that Kondou surrendered of his own free will, agrees it's unfair, and says she can cry in his arms all she needs to. So she does. I find this much less annoying than when Harada did something similar, I never claimed to be consistent.
I got curious and looked up the real Sakamoto Ryōma, since history can't spoil me for him any more. Asides from various historical stuff I found interesting (his ideas formed the basis for the modern democratic Japanese political system!), it's one of the better physical likenesses, including the curly hair. Also I have been missing all the injokes about his actual wife Narasaki Ryō, an inn employee who he met when she saved his life by running across the inn naked to warn him about an attack. I guess he did like his women bold :D It is a pity, though, that the structure of this game discourages the inclusion of women like her who did interesting things and were involved in important events, but are a romantic threat.
...now I want a historical femslash dating sim. With vampires, obviously.
OH GOD
As a reminder: Sakamota and Nakaoka became friends in their youth as disenfranchised lower caste samurai in Tosa.
Chizuru and Sakamoto go to just observe Kondou, but Nakaoka catches them anyway.
Nakaoka: You have abandoned the principles of the Tosa loyalists, like getting revenge on the Shogun's clan >:(
Sakamoto: I have no beef with his clan now that he's surrendered.
Nakaoka: WE MUST EXTERMINATE ALL OUR FOES.
Sakamoto: Even if it's setting up future generations for failure?
Nakaoka: There's no going back now. *clicks fingers*
Vampire minions: BLOOD >:D
Nakaoka: Recognise them?
Sakamoto: ...OH NO.
Nakaoka: Behold, our fellow lower caste samurai from Tosa!
Ahhhhh?????!!???? D: D: D:
Sakamoto: Why D:
Nakaoka: REVENGE AGAINST EVERY HIGH RANKING RETAINER IN THIS COUNTRY
Sakamoto: D:<
Nakaoka: Are you so heartless that you would shoot your former comrades?
Sakamoto: :(
Nakaoka: LIKE I THOUGHT, YOU'RE WEAK.
Nakaoka, he was willing to torture Chizuru, do not doubt this man's ruthlessness. Also: I LIKED YOU. I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
Sakamoto is shitty at killing the vampires, though whether that's guilt or the game just deciding guns are useless again is hard to say. He runs out of bullets, and since he APPARENTLY FORGOT HE HAS A SWORD RIGHT THERE ON HIS SPRITE THAT HE WAS HISTORICALLY VERY GOOD WITH he just stands there while Nakaoka laughs and prepares to strike.
Chizuru: NO! *jumps in front of the sword and is stabbed in the back*
Sakamoto: Chizuru!
Chizuru: I'm...fine...*is not fine*
Nakaoka: Oh no, the...BLOOOODDDDD :D :D *is taken over by bloodlust*
Sakamoto uses the distraction to run away.
HA so Chizuru's wound is large enough that it's taking a while to heal (demon healing is another thing the game is happy to vary to suit the plot), and since it's on her back she has trouble applying medicinal cream. But she has refused Sakamoto's "helpful" offers to assist.
Sakamoto: Hey Chizuru, I'm home, I got you some tempura cos I know you like it.
Chizuru: Nice, thanks!
Sakamoto: ...
Chizuru: Sakamoto, why are you just...OH NO I AM HALF NAKED I FORGOT.
Sakamoto: SORRY. I'LL JUST. UM.
FIRST INSTANCE OF SAKAMOTO BLUSHING SPRITE.
Later...
Sakamoto: I am really am sorry about that, I should have knocked.
Chizuru: It's ok.
Sakamoto: What a beautiful sight, though ;) Would have been better without the bandages.
Chizuru: FORGET YOU SAW THAT
Sakamoto: But what really makes me happy is that you're healing. ANYWAY LET'S PLAY A GAME WHERE WE LIST WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT EACH OTHER. I'll start. I like how honest you are <3
Chizuru: WHAT. UM. I. YOU....are....cunning?
Sakamoto: So that's what you love about me, huh? ;)
Chizuru: I DIDN'T SAY THAT
Sakamoto: Ok my turn again: I like how you smell when we embrace ;)
Chizuru: aaah?
Shiranui: So I hate to interrupt your sickening game...
Chizuru: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Shiranui says he has no info on Nakaoka but passes on some information about Imperialist warships arriving in the harbour.
Afterwards Sakamoto seems down about their lack of progress finding Nakaoka, and Chizuru wants to cheer him up.
Chizuru: Want to go look at the ships?
Sakamoto: SHIPS!!! :D :D
They talk about their respective memories of the first warship visiting Japan 15 years ago, when a US general forced his way in despite Japan having closed its ports to foreigners for centuries. Chizuru was just a child vaguely aware of Big News, but Sakamoto was in the navy and fell in love with the ship the moment he saw it.
They have a really sweet conversation where Chizuru notes how much Sakamoto loves the sea and sailing, and he is charmed by how well she understands him and talks about how great she is. Chizuru isn't sure how much she should let herself believe: he is much older and a known lady's man, will he stick around once they no longer have shared goals? But she tries to express that she likes being around him without making herself too vulnerable.
Chizuru is feeling melancholy about the futility of politics when Sakamoto suddenly pulls her towards him and puts his hand on her chin.
Sakamoto: Do you remember when you asked me what I'd do if I did manage to stop Nakaoka? Well I've decided. I want to set sail on a ship of my own, which wouldn't be complete without you as my first mate.
Me: DIES
She says yes, and they declare their feelings for each other and kiss and it is all very romantic.
Shiranui is waiting for them and thinks it's cute they finally got together. It's an interesting contrast to him taking pretty much the entirety of the Harada path to be ok with Chizuru dating a human. He has news about a ragtag group of Shogunate holdouts in Edo: both a likely target for Nakaoka, and a likely place to find "Chizuru's friends".
Which it is, this is where Harada and/or Nagakura tend to make their last stand and die :( (NOTE: They do not show up and are in fact never mentioned again OH WELL)
Sakamoto asks why Shiranui is going to all this trouble for him, and he says that their old boss eg Shiranui's Human Boyfriend asked him to look after Sakamoto since he's so reckless. He wishes them both good luck and leaves.
Sakamoto: Well, it's getting late. Let's have sex :D
Chizuru: No??
Sakamoto: Tell me you don't want to wait until marriage D:
Chizuru: No but I'm not ready RIGHT NOW.
Sakamoto: *accepts this but says some unfortunate things I am EXCISING FROM MY MENTAL NARRATIVE*
When they arrive they are confronted by...EVIL TWIN KAORU
Who is still acting as a woman and has yet to mention the whole evil twin thing.
Sakamoto: You're a tool of the upper classes, doing experiments on lower caste warriors.
Kaoru: It goes both ways. Chizuru, has he told you he was a spy for the Lord of the Tosa, and was ordered to cosy up to you to extract information on the Shinsengumi?
Me: Ooooh, identity porn angst?
Chizuru: ...he had his reasons. I was under similar orders.
Me: Fair.
And then Kaoru becomes increasingly Angry Older Brother and Sakamoto isn't overtly transphobic but it's all very uncomfortable. The one bright spot is that Koaru says the only reason Sakamoto is alive is that Nakaoka begged for his life.
Once he's finally openly a dude (THANK GOD) Kaoru starts talking in more detail than he has before about his backstory and I was both curious and so tensed for more transphobia I needed a nap. BUT I HAVE HAD THAT NAP SO LET'S DO THIS.
OK SO. Their village was destroyed (also apparently it's in Shirakawa which is not remotely where I was imagining. I am this close to making myself a map of the places in this game). The Nagumo, the Tosa demon clan, offered safe haven but only to Chizuru. Sure this meant they just wanted to use her for childbearing, Kaoru disguised himself as her and was horribly abused while Chizuru got a happy childhood. He claims not to resent her, just to want her to know how much he loves her.
Chizuru is very sympathetic and guilt stricken, Sakamoto thinks Kaoru is being a manipulative douchebag. They escape, and she is still depressed, sure she doesn't deserve happiness and that she would be just like Kaoru if she had suffered the same. Sakamoto says she is a fundamentally good person and would have remained so regardless of her upbringing, then says she should forget all that and just take comfort in him.
He puts out the light and pulls her on top of of him on the bed, and I was worried about POSSIBLE UPCOMING DUBCON but he says "I have found peace in your tranquil heart, let me help you find peace in mine" and she nods and is very unambiguously a fan of the process as they kiss and have fade to black sex.
(I don't mean to judge dubcon btw, I like it under the right circumstances, but didn't want it here)
The next day he explains that he was just flirting with her for information at first, but only because the Tosa nobility had threatened to hurt his family if he didn't work for them. And now those nobility are out of power so his family is safe. He says he can't believe he's angsting on the shoulder of a girl ten years his junior (A LITTLE LATE SAKAMOTO) and she says she wants to emotionally support him the way he supports her.
Chizuru's instincts help guide them to the village's remains. They are met by Stabdad and Kaoru. Sakamoto asks where Nakaoka is and Kaorua asks if they've heard the rumours of strange deaths around the local castle...it's so convenient how the Tosa soldiers self sacrificingly volunteer to help out with vampire experiments...
Kaoru asks whether Chizuru can hear the angry voices of their murdered relatives, or if she chooses to abandon them. She says there's no value in being controlled by the past, that Stabdad and Kaoru have the opportunity to let go of their hate and move forward. This does not go down well.
Kaoru takes the vampire serum and fights with Sakamoto, his sword having the advantage in such close quarters. There is a moment when Sakamoto has the upper hand, but he can't quite kill Koaru, and Koaru gloats as he prepares to make the killing blow...but then, a gunshot!
It's Shiranui! Kaoru clutches his bleeding chest and falls.
Shiranui: I couldn't stand by when one of my kin became a fake. And I knew you didn't have it in you to kill the brother of the woman you love.
Kaoru: Chizuru? You have to take my hand, or the fire will get you!
Sakamoto: Take his hand.
So Chizuru takes his hand, and says she's happy and safe and thanks him for protecting her. He smiles, and dies finally at peace.
Chizuru and Sakamoto are scoping out the area near the Vampire Castle, when they hear a voice.
Me: SAITO????
AND IT IS!!
Sakamoto: Hey aren't you that short guy who accompanied her when we met?
FIVE FOOT NINE IS A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE HEIGHT FOR A JAPANESE MAN FROM THE 1860s
They're brought into the Shinsengumi camp. Hijikata is really happy to see that Chizuru is alive, but asks if they've noticed that they've walked into the middle of a warzone.
Sakamoto: It's hard to miss that the Imperialists are decimating you, yeah. You should surrender.
Hijikata: Not everyone is content putting their lives before their principles. I am under no illusions about the war. But to abandon our allies, the Aizu, would be a betrayal of the highest order.
Me, aware that the Shinsengumi do abandon the Aizu in the end: Um.
Sakamoto: I can't deny that I do value my life over what you call "principles". But you remind me of [Shiranui's human boyfriend]. Men like you are the ones who win wars.
Hijikata: DID YOU JUST COMPARE ME TO AN IMPERIALIST.
But they finally seem to have learned to get along.
The Shinsengumi vampires Heisuke and Sanan volunteer to help fight the vampires in the vampire castle, and both feel like this is the purpose for their second chance at life, something they will gladly die for ;_; This is probably the least creepy Sanan has been on any path, including his own.
At this point Chizuru and Sakamoto are pretty comfortable with the blood drinking. He still apologises but they're like two steps from mutually accepting they're both into blood kink.
In the creepy vampire castle everything smells of blood, and not in a sexy way. They find Stabdad in a room full of vampires and Chizuru is filled with rage that he has taken advantage of the Tosa like this. But Sanan tells Sakamoto and Chizuru to go find Nakaoka rather than putting all their eggs in one basket, and she lets go of her anger for the greater good.
Sakamoto: You two better be ok or it'll make Chizuru upset, which will make me upset, and you don't want that.
Heisuke: Right back at you!
They find Nakaoka.
Sakamoto: The Tosa have ended up being disposable canon fodder, manipulated by the domains who will actually get to control the new Japan. You could use vampires to spill a bunch of blood but enacting real change is impossible for either of us. We got played, that became obvious when they had us killed.
Me: (I thought the Aizu had you killed?? WILL I EVER UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS IN THIS GAME)
Nakaoka: If history's going to bury us anyway...who else will avenge our fallen brethren?
And so they fight.
FINALLY GUNS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE: Sakamoto is using silver bullets, and every successful hit makes Nakaoka weaker.
Nakaoka: If you showed a shred of this conviction back when we were human, we could have changed the world.
Sakamoto: Nothing would have changed. There are limits to what any one man can accomplish.
Eventually, Nakaoka is fatally wounded, and collapses. He says he knew the Tosa would always be pawns of one domain or another, and wanted to eke out what little dignity for them he could.
Sakamoto: Yes it is :(
Nakaoka: Do you think Takechi would have been proud of us?
Me: Wait, crap, who's Takechi? *googles* Their old commander, ok.
Sakamoto: His legacy lives on even if we don't. Like I said, one man can only accomplish so much, but others will follow.
Nakaoka, to Chizuru: Take care of him for me. If you don't keep him on a tight leash, he'll promise you heaven- and damn well might take you there. Promise me you won't let him go.
Chizuru: I promise.
(It was actually a little shippier than my description.)
And then Nakaoka dies and turns into dust ;_;
And then...Stabdad appears! OH NO ARE SANAN AND HEISUKE DEAD???
NOPE!
Sanan: Ironic, isn't it, that if it wasn't for your medicine we wouldn't be here to kill you ^_^
They're not looking too good though. They offer to stay and kill Stabdad while Chizuru and Sakamoto escape. She takes one last look at them, feeling she will never see them again ;_;
Sakamoto and Chizuru have run to safety and are about to have a celebratory kiss when they are interrupted again by Shiranui.
Sakamoto: I'm beginning to think you're doing this on purpose.
Shiranui: Or maybe you're just constantly trying to snake into her pants!
Shiranui expresses happiness that the domain he used to work for (the Choshu) is winning the war. Sakamoto points out that most people refer to the entire Imperialist alliance, not just that one domain, and that Shiranui still has affection for the Choshu despite his protestations about not caring about humans. Shiranui is endearingly tsundere about it. Then he says that now that the vampires are taken care of he's going back to his previously peaceful life away from humans, but that he looks forward to seeing what sort of country the Choshu create.
Sakamoto: I think it'll be a good one :) Come on Chizuru, let's go make our own history. I promised I'd show you the world, right?
The final chapter opens with them on their honeymoon on a ship, off to see the world. Chizuru thinks about how happy she is and also sports a super cute shoulder length bob.
Sakamoto: After we make our fortune trading across the world we should return to Japan to hear the rumours of the swashbuckling adventurer and his bride, saving Japan from the shadows :D
THE END
They once again just...don't deal with the vampire thing? Lets assume they encounter a cure in France or whatever. And I can similarly assume that all the Shisnengumi except Inoue and Kondou live happily ever after.
Overall I have mixed feelings about how the path handled the whole "hold onto past hurts and loyalties" vs "Do whatever leads to the best outcome" conflict, but it was internally consistent and a definite contrast to the other paths which leaned into "stay loyal no matter what". I think it would have been more effective if Chizuru had had angry traumatised dreams like she did on the Okita path (which explored similar themes but in a much more personal way), so that it felt more reasonable for her to tell Kaoru and Stabdad to let go of their anger and trauma.
I'm glad that despite the transphobia they gave Kaoru a decent sympathetic end, probably the nicest one I've seen.
OH ALSO I didn't encounter that cute Shiranui&Sakamoto CG? Did I imagine it? Does it show up in some other path or something? EDIT: I was thinking of this fanart.
The last two love interests, Iba and Nagakura, are much more tied to the Shinsengumi, and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for another run at the same emotional beats yet. But this was fun.
Time for the MYSTERIOUSLY ABSENT Sakamoto Ryouma, who I literally would not have realised existed if I hadn't looked up the list of love interests.
Overall I really liked it! He turned out to be an Imperialist revolutionary rogue with a heart of gold, which gave a very different perspective, and Chizuru was kind of tsundere which was a different and fun dynamic.
Downsides: he was sometimes a bit sleazy, and there was some unfortunate transphobia.
** Spoilers, blood **
My entire knowledge of Sakamoto Ryouma, having played this game through eight times:
- If you choose to go with Saito to check out reports of Stabdad in an inn often visited by Imperialists, you briefly meet a superficially friendly and flirty, but subtextually shady guy who calls himself Umatarou Saitani. Looking at images of the love interests, I eventually realised this was actually the mysterious Sakamoto Ryouma. This the only time I have ever seen him show up on screen.
- About 3/4 of the way through Kyoto Winds, "the Imperial ally Sakamoto Ryouma" is reported to have been killed, and there's some shenanigans where the bad guys try to pin the blame on the Shinsengumi.
- I have seen a cute CG on tumblr of Sakamoto and the demon Shiranui hanging out, and some references to them having a nice friendship.
- I saw a review of Kyoto Winds which described the Sakamoto content as minimal, and his behaviour towards Chizuru as a bit sleazy.
So! Let's see what I get.
On the upside, I can happily skip all the common route scenes because they are clearly entirely irrelevant to whatever this guy is up to. And if we get some insight into the Imperial point of view, that could be interesting (Heisuke gave that a little, but since he was either off screen or Not Talking About It during his entire stint as an Imperial ally it doesn't really count)
Watching his intro scene for the first time since my very first playthrough:
I like that Chizuru is immediately suspicious of this strange man coming to ask if he can help when she's looking for her father in an Imperialist hangout. And I also like that choosing the suspicious "No thank you, I don't need any help" gets you points with him.
He's the darkest love interest (eg he is a very light brown), and has some other similarities to Shiranui in terms of design/voice acting/demeanour, I wonder if this is them going "look, making Shiranui a love interest isn't practical but here's a vaguely similar guy on the same side who hangs out with him". I'm not into Shiranui that way but I do like him, so, I can live that that if so.
As well as being flirtatious he's very pushy about helping her and asking her for personal information, which I would find creepier if I wasn't pretty sure he was just being a sneaky spy trying to get info on the Shinsengumi.
And now back into the increasingly familiar grind of picking choices that alienate all the other love interests. Luckily they're not especially awful.
New scene! WOO COMPLEX POLITICS MY FAVOURITE. There's been problems with the domain of Tosa.
HA. And then, suddenly everyone's like "Hey, Chizuru, that random dude you talked to at Imperialist Inn SEVERAL MONTHS AGO might be a ronin from Tosa! If you see him again, try and find out!" Game, I know you have a structure for when love interest specific scenes are supposed to happen, but this would have made a little more sense a chapter and a half ago.
Chizuru, internally: Hmm, I'm not sure I'd be much good at sneakily gathering information. And if he gets suspicious and abducts me, the Shinsengumi would be in trouble!
CHIZURU. HONEY. ALSO YOU WOULD BE IN TROUBLE?
And of course she does bump into Sakamoto. Time for a SPY DATE. The walkthrough says not to ask him for info but I'm curious.
Chizuru: Um. Are you a ronin?
Sakamoto: Yeah! I'm also single ;)
Otherwise he's like "So since you clearly want to ask: my real name is Sakamoto Ryouma and I'm a ronin from Tosa. I work for the shogunate navy training to use warships". Chizuru feels embarrassed about how hard she failed at being sneaky but is glad he's not an Imperialist.
Sakamoto gets endearingly excited about modern boat technology.
Then he gives Chizuru a sad smile saying "You have a gentle soul. I bet you'd have gotten in trouble if I didn't tell you who I was."
AND THEN. NAKAOKA APPEARS!!!
Who is Nakaoka you ask? And the answer is: I have no idea! He's never shown up before! But he's in the opening credits and I am always just WHO IS THIS GUY. DID YOU JUST INCLUDE HIM TO INCREASE THE BISHIE COUNT.
Sakamoto: This is my colleague Nakaoka!
Nakaoka: My name is Ishikawa, remember, Saitani? >:( [game popup: "Ishikawa is Nakaoka's alias". Thanks, game]
Sakamoto: Too late, I already told this random cute girl both our real names :D
Nakaoka: I CAN'T LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR FIVE SECONDS *literally drags Sakamoto away by his ear*
Saito makes a very suspicious glare when Chizuru tells him about the navy thing, which would probably make more sense to me if I knew anything about the history of the Japanese navy. Which I am sure I will by the end of this path lol.
Huh! For the first time I get the chance to miss the event where Chizuru learns she's a demon after Kazama tries to kidnap her for the first time. Is that conflict going to play out differently now? I assume she finds out she's a demon eventually.
Instead, Chizuru is brought in for a Very Serious Conversation with the captains about how her new ronin friend has a history with the Imperialists.
Hijikata: So, will you help us lure him into the open?
Chizuru: NO???
Hijikata: We want to be his ally! Honest!
Me: Do you really though
So Chizuru sends him a vague letter about wanting to see him and gets no reply. Just as she's feeling down about how much she sucks at this spy business SAKAMOTO BURSTS INTO THE SHINSENGUMI HEADQUARTERS.
Sakamoto: How dare ya'll use a woman to extort information from me?! Oh hey, sup Chizuru ;D
(The translation makes him and Nakaoka sound a bit southern which is usually used for people with Osaka accents, not that I can tell the difference)
Sakamoto gets into a political discussion with Commander Hijikata, he makes some compelling arguments about Issues With The Shogunate that Hijikata grudgingly acknowledges, but also implies the Shinsengumi are wasting their time arresting random thugs when the whole country is in danger of being invaded by the West, which makes Hijikata want to stab him.
It turns out Sakamoto has been guaranteed protection by the shogunate. He gets pissy that they implied he was working with the Imperialists and storms off, but agrees to talk to Chizuru.
She bows in apology for sending the letter...and he gets all up in her business, whispering in her ear that he really is an enemy of the Shinsengumi, so if she wants to stay on good terms with them she shouldn't care too much about him.
Chizuru is endearingly clueless about why he felt the need to invade her personal space quite so much, and why it made her feel this insatiable...something???
He gives her a flirtatious good bye and she is happily charmed, but assumes it doesn't really mean anything. And then Nakaoka shows up!
Nakaoka: WTF ARE YOU DOING AT SHINSENGUMI HEADQUARTERS YOU SUICIDAL DUMBASS
Hijikata: Oh, you're a friend of Sakamoto's? THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU I'LL KILL YOU.
Nakaoka: And you, girl, you're one of them? Were you spying on us the whole time??
Chizuru: Eh heh, um...
Sakamoto: As if I would be tricked by a little girl
At this point I reminded myself of the real Sakamoto's age and he's like 29? While Chizuru is around 19? OK THEN.
AND THEN KAZAMA APPEARS. But he finds Chizuru alone, rather than starting a fight with the Shinsengumi, and when she says no to going away with him...Amagiri and Shiranui stop him from grabbing her? I guess the aim is to make Shiranui more sympathetic from the outset.
The Shinsengumi are increasingly sure Sakamoto is Up To No Good, and the local magistrate wants to arrest him, but for complex political reasons I almost follow the Shinsengumi decide it's in their best interests to protect him. Nagakura and Heisuke create an amusing spectacle as fake drunks while Chizuru sneaks into Sakamoto's room.
Sakamoto: WHOA, CHIZURU??? I don't mind my women bold but give a guy a chance to prepare!
Chizuru: Quick! The magistrate is coming to arrest-
*the magistrate comes to arrest him*
Sakamoto: Ugh, can't you see I have a lady in here?
Officer: You're one of those pro-foreigner types!
Sakamoto: If trading with foreigners brings Japan wealth, what's so bad about it? *draws gun*
Me: this is not the conservative nationalist POV I was expecting but carry on
Aw, he whispers to Chizuru that she should escape while he creates a distraction. There's mention of sasumata which turn out to be some freaky looking things used instead of handcuffs. Anyway, they escape together onto the roof, but are pursued!
It was at this point that I realised that Chizuru is a bond girl:
Yukimura helps them escape, but Sakamoto keeps stopping and wincing.
Chizuru: Is he injured? :(
Me: IS HE A VAMPIRE? :D
But no, he's injured. He tells Chizuru to run ahead, and when she worries he'll die says he's pretty lucky and a leading man doesn't die like this. He pulls her to him and kisses her on the forehead. "They say that in the West, this is the custom when a man and woman part. I'd prefer your lips, but we can save that for next time ;)"
Yes, Sakamoto, that's totally the custom in 19th century Europe.
She runs off to Sakamoto's nearby allies, and brings back Nakaoka, who is endearingly tsundere about wanting to help Sakamoto and being grateful to Chizuru. Sakamoto is happily surprised not to die. He tells Chizuru they'll have to make sure their next "rendezvous" isn't interrupted, and then limps off into the night.
She feels warm remembering him kissing her and wonders why he did that. CHIZURU. HE JUST SAID HE WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU. I AM NOT SURE HOW HIS INTENTIONS COULD BE MORE CLEAR.
Heisuke and Nagakura notice her blushing and are like CHIZURU NO. Nagaukra warns her that the Imperialists have been known to use women to send messages which is a LITTLE RICH under the circumstances. She wonders sadly if Sakamoto's just trying to use her for information.
A while later, Chizuru notices Nakaoka in the Shinsengumi headquarters.
Chizuru: HI NAKAOKA!!!
Nakaoka: SHHHhhhhh please don't get me killed >:/
He's described as "not using his usual Tosa accent", so I actually looked up where Tosa is: the southern coast of an island in the south of Japan, which is indeed near Osaka.
He's brought a letter from Sakamoto, and grumpily complains that Sakamoto is better but still played the injury card to guilt him into delivering it.
After all that I was expecting something important but Sakamoto just says he's healing in a hot springs and wishes Chizuru was with him, like on these "honeymoons" he's heard about. "I'm sure you're pining without me but try to keep your head high ;)" Chizuru is both annoyed and happy he's feeling better.
Despite the fact that he's the skeeziest love interest so far I find him mostly charming, maybe because Chizuru does get annoyed at it sometimes, and also I am enjoying the whole "two sides of a growing war" tension.
He then sends her another letter via messenger: "Hey Chizuru, bet you're dreaming of me every night ;) Anyway I have news of your father, we should meet up!". Yes, Sakamoto, this is the one you can risk on the postal service.
She shows it to Hijikata, who says he'll send a bunch of captains and if Sakamoto tries anything funny they'll kill him.
Sakamoto is quite explicit about not telling Chizuru everything he knows, but that he can say for sure that her dad is safe in the West. Then he says they should toss the Shinsengumi a bone of information so they'll keep letting her see him.
Sakamoto: I want to keep seeing you. You want to keep seeing me, right?
Chizuru: I don't NOT want to see you...
Sakamoto: I'll make you say it next time ;)
Chizuru, to herself: This is both obnoxious and weirdly enjoyable.
Sakamoto: Oh hey. Remember how I said next time I saw you I'd give you a kiss on the...
Chizuru: NOPE *runs away*
Sakamoto: *sigh* Guess it'll be a while before we can talk like adults.
MAYBE DON'T HIT ON TEENAGERS THEN YOU SKEEZE
Chizuru: So, um...are you an weapons dealer working with the Imperialist domains?
Sakamoto: Yep ^_^
Chizuru: BUT WEAPONS KILL PEOPLE
Sakamoto: Let me explain to you a little bit about these countries called Great Britain and Russia and how fucked we are if they attack us before we arm ourselves better. The shogunate isn't doing anything, so I work with the people who are.
Chizuru: So you think they'd run the country better?
Sakamoto: Not necessarily :/
Later, Harada offers to help Chizuru with her chores for the second time this path. Souma and Nagakura: WE WILL ALSO HELP YOU DO LAUNDRY SEMPAI. Having Chizuru's kohais help her do laundry is one of those things I didn't know I wanted.
Sakamoto: HI CHIZURU
Souma: Intruder! I'll kill you! ...wait, sempai, do you know this man?
Chizuru: Kind of?
Me: That's cold, Chizuru.
Sakamoto: Our relationship can't be described in a single word ;)
I remember that Souma still think Chizuru is a man, lol.
Sakamoto drags her out on a date despite her protests that it's against the rules. He offers to buy her a pretty hairpin and she points out that she can hardly wear it around.
Sakamoto: Forcin' a girl to wear men's getup, chainin' you up like a bird...these Shinsengumi boys are messed up.
Chizuru worries about all the people trying to kill him, but he says he has a destiny and she has to admit he has an air of invulnerability. I remember that in every other path, he dies around now.
He gets excited telling her about his childhood by the sea raised by his cool, talented older sister Otome. The Hakuoki wiki page thinks this is a reference to otome heroines being awesome but he really did have an older, multitalented sister called Otome lol. I like the trend of influential older sisters in this game.
Chizuru asks why he left and he says he's from a class of samurai not even allowed to wear shoes as punishment for opposing the Shogun's clan over 200 years ago.
She considers the injustices of their society and asks him exactly what sort of world it is he is trying to work towards.
Sakamoto: I want to change the world. No more rotten samurai to prey on the weak. No more people taking advantage of the starving or destitute.
He squees a bit about these things called VOTING and CONGRESS they apparently have in the DISTANT LAND OF AMERICA, which was darkly amusing given the current political climate but still very endearing.
Chizuru: Could that really happen in Japan?
Sakamoto: Westerners, Japanese, we're all the same.
Chizuru: But Japan has feudal lords, the Imperial Court, the shogunate...
Sakamoto: It's not impossible. A weapon alone can't be used to win a war, but it can be used to negotiate with your enemies. I don't want to start a war, I just want to get rid of the shogunate and create a just world.
*finds myself in an unexpected triad with my new boyfriend Japanese-History-kun and my childhood sweetheart Revolutionary-Socialist-Politics-chan*
And then, just as I'm beginning to wonder if this path will be all real world history with no demon shenanigans...EVIL TWIN KOARU APPEARS
me: Huh, I wonder if Sakamoto flirts with what seems to be a girl who looks exactly like Chizuru but on his political side
Kaoru: There you are, Sakamota, you're needed- wait, Chizuru?
Chizuru: You know each other?
Kaoru: Well we are both from Tosa :)
Sakamoto: But that's all we have in common :/
Kaoru: Aw, that's sad of you to say :(
Ok Kaoru flirting with Sakamoto is significantly weirder. *quietly hopes for fodder for the planned Kaoru redemption arc in my current fic*
But I guess it makes sense Sakamoto's a little worried Chizuru thinks Kaoru might be his type, lol. Plus you don't have to spend much time around Kaoru to notice the villain flags. Sakamoto describes Kaoru as "Some kind of detective" because if there's one thing this game needs it's more genres.
Kaoru: Be careful Chizuru. Sakamoto is a man of the sea with a woman in every port.
Sakamoto: Hey! I don't have time to woo women!
Kaoru: I've heard it's not just women he's popular with...
Me: OH??? :D :D
Kaoru: ...but also the Imperialist domains.
Me: Kaoru, you tease
Kaoru lists a bunch of other morally ambiguous stuff Sakamoto's done but Chizuru says he's a good person and Kaoru sighs and says she's been deceived, then leaves.
Sakamoto: OK SO WHOEVER'S HIDING OUT THERE YOU CAN TAKE CHIZURU BACK NOW
Yamazaki the Shinsensgumi ninja, emerging from the bushes: :/
Sakamoto, pulling Chizuru close: Don't trust Kaoru. And...whatever happens to the shogunate, don't think too badly of me.
Chizuru: Wait, what
I'm wondering exactly what kind of vampire Sakamoto is going to be considering how touchy feely he is already.
Chiziru is sitting in the empty dojo, feeling melancholy that Heisuke and Saito are with Itou's Imperialists, and that Okita is too sick to train. Suddenly, someone puts their hand over her mouth- it's Sakamoto! He asks her to get someone in charge but they're all out.
He explains that he's investigating some dark rumours about the Shinsengumi.
Sakamoto: Presumably you haven't heard but there's these things called "vampires"...
Chizuru: HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE VAMPIRES
Sakamoto: HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE...wait, you are Stabdad's daughter...
Sakamoto, coldly: I don't want to rough up a girl. Tell me everything you know.
Chizuru: Um. I don't know anything!
Me: Chizuru you are the worst spy ever.
Sakamoto: >:(
Sanan: So you want to know more about vampires? :D *goes into vampire mode*
Sakamoto attempts to shoot Sanan but he dodges the bullets and quickly has Sakamoto held up in the air by the scruff of his kimono. Sakamoto continues to quip cheerfully and is saved by the timely arrival of Hijikata and Kondou.
Sakamoto explains why he's here: an English arms dealer introduced his "associates" to vampires as a weapon to destroy the shogunate. But Sakamoto was suspicious of England's motives, and assumed that if such a thing existed then the shogunate would have it too. The arms dealer confirmed that the Shinsengumi were making vampires for the shogunate: all the more reason for the Imperialists to catch up in the arms race!
Sakamoto explicitly compares the vampire serum to the opium Britain used to "bleed China dry" and then take them over, and says Japan will be next.
Sakamoto: The reason the shogunate got you to do the experiments is that you're disposable. You gotta stop! Samurai will be dead to the world in a generation anyway.
A room full of samurai loyal to the Shogun: >:(
Hijikata: If selling people powerful weapons is so bad, what does that make you?
Sakamoto: Yeah, I'm a hopeless criminal. But even criminals have principles. Humans can't control vampires!
Sanan: I do agree that the Imperialists should stop using vampires :)
Sakamoto: ...but not you :/
Sanan: How about we tell you how to kill vampires, and you keep us updated on Stabdad and what the West is up to with vampires?
Sakamoto: Sounds like I get the better deal but sure. It'll look suspicious if I show up here though, contact me through Chizuru.
Determined to make up for her father's sins, she agrees.
Afterwards she defends the Shinsengumi and he says loyalty and propriety are just made up words to get the lower classes to kiss their leader's asses. Then he asks her not to tell Nakaoka about any of this cos he'll just worry. He also doesn't apologise for threatening to torture her but hey.
TIME FOR THE SCENE WHERE SAKAMOTO (usually) DIES
Once again there's mutterings about him getting arrested or worse. Chizuru travels with some Shinsengumi to rescue him...but they are too late. They find Sakamoto and Nakaoka at their inn covered in stab wounds, on the brink of death.
Sakamoto croaks out that he's at least glad he got to save Japan by getting the Emperor put back in power, I don't entirely see how an Emperor is more democratic than a military dictator but never mind. He says a very touching goodbye to Chizuru...and then doesn't die!
Instead, HIS HAIR GOES WHITE. HE'S A VAMPIRE ALREADY???
And then before they can react to that, Nakaoka stands up, also a vampire, having come to the understandable conclusion that the Shinsengumi are the ones that stabbed him and raring to return the favour.
Things are looking dark when...Kaoru arrives! He reminds Nakaoka that Stabdad wants Chizuru kept safe, and also that since Kaoru's the one that "saved them" they should listen. Sakamoto still clearly has no idea what just happened.
Chizuru: Wait, Kaoru did what? Also it's not what it looks like, we came here to-
Kaoru: Time to go! The next time we see you it will be on the battlefield ^_^
And so as far as the world is concerned, Sakamoto is dead. And now he's their enemy, though Chizuru is secretly unwilling to think of him that way.
Chizuru gets a letter from Kaoru saying he has news of Sakamoto. Knowing the Shinsengumi would disapprove, she sneaks out, and once again is led to the temple hiding...Stabdad!
He rants about reclaiming land for the Yukimura clan and becoming safe with the help of vampires.
Chizuru: I don't care about that! Turn everyone back into humans!
Stabdad: Why don't you ask them if they'd like that? I've heard you've developed a...rapport with Sakamoto, and obviously I would never want to hurt someone you have feelings for. Nor would I turn people into vampires without some way to turn them back. But Sakamoto has come around to being a vampire.
Chizuru: Really?
Me: Really??
Stabdad: Come with me and I'll show you! He's waiting for you ^_^
NO CHIZURU DON'T GO INTO THE CREEPY TEMPLE
WAIT I GET TO CHOOSE??
Walkthrough says don't go but...I want to see. I suspect a bad end is involved. *SAVE TIME*
Chizuru: So are you really going to show me how to reverse the serum?
Stabdad: Of course. Would I lie to my precious, adorable daughter? ^_^
Me: Oh this is going to be SUCH a bad end.
Hijikata: Come on, seriously? You've been exposed to that liar Sakamoto and are still falling for this?
Sanan: I want to hear about this vampire cure.
Heisuke: Yeah! Does it exist?
Stabdad: Lol no. What are you, stupid?
And then he throws a smokebomb and he and Kaoru escape.
So I guess it's not a bad end after all! Saying no just means Chizuru gives a little speech about how much Sakamoto disapproves of the serum.
Hijikata says Chizuru shouldn't feel guilty for Stabdad forcing the Shinsengumi to participate in vampire research, since they volunteered. I've been watching the prequel anime Hakuoki Reimeiroku and Hijikata was strongly against the vampire research and had to be forced every step of the way, but by the then Shinsengumi chief rather than Stabdad (who just smiled from the shadows).
Time for the battle where Inoue dies, and everyone is shot at by Sakamoto's allies with Sakamoto's guns! Yay!
Inoue and Chizuru are sent to gather reinforcements oh no.
THEN IT GOT EXCITING and I stopped taking notes for a while. Let's see...
Inoue is the first person to be sympathetic to Chizuru feeling sad about Sakamoto being their enemy.
But then they find themselves cornered by Tosa soldiers, Sakamoto's domain apparently having shifted it's alliance to the Imperialists. Inoue tells her to hide, confident he can take them on...until he realises they're vampires (with fangs! DOES SAKAMOTO HAVE FANGS)
Inoue dies :( Chizuru inadvertently cries out and is captured. A voice coldly tells everyone to freeze.
Chizuru: Sakamoto!
Sakamoto: *shooting near her foot* I told you to freeze >:(
Sakamoto (to the vampires): She is to be kept safe, by Stabdad's orders. Come with me.
Chizuru finds herself tied up at an Imperialist base. Nakaoka appears to have gone Full Fascist Bad Guy:
(ok his politics are more anarchist socialist but he's definitely shopping at the Fascist Bad Guy tailor versus Sakamoto's Cute 19th Century Love Interest look)
Chizuru: Why do you hate the Shinsengumi so much?
Nakaoka: YOU STABBED ME. TO DEATH.
Chizuru: That was a misunderstanding!
Nakaoka: And all the other times you killed my comrades? Were those misunderstandings too?
Chizuru: Um. Ok, no. But your side just killed Inoue, the nicest man you could ever meet!
Sakamoto: SHOGUNATE SCUM ALL DESERVE TO BURN IN HELL
Chizuru is left alone to feel very sad and wonder what's going on in Sakamoto's head.
But then Sakamoto comes in to save her! He was just pretending! He's endearingly apologetic and even WENT BACK AND BURIED INOUE, aw.
But just as they're about to escape, along comes Nakaoka.
Sakamoto: I really thought we'd stay buddies, Nakaoka, but I guess it wasn't mean to be :(
Nakaoka: How can you betray us? We're going to save Japan!
Sakamoto: I realise this is a weird thing for me to say, as a vampire, but this vampire business is a bad idea.
Nakaoka: How else do we bring down the shogun and his clan?
Sakamoto: The shogun is already done for! You want to wipe his clan from the map like they tried to destroy ours? We need to work together to create a better Japan, not go around murdering each other!
Nakaoka: WE WILL MAKE JAPAN GREAT AGAIN WITH MURDER AND VAMPIRES.
Nakaoka has cornered them with a bunch of vampire minions. He tells the minions to save Chizuru but that Sakamoto doesn't matter ;_;
Sakamoto shoots them but bullets are kind of crap against vampires. Just when all seems lost, along comes...Shiranui! Who...also uses a gun, but somehow being a demon makes it more effective? Anyway, Sakamoto and Chizuru escape.
It was at around this point that I realised that Sakamoto's new hair is even more of a mullet than Yamazaki's. He pulls it off though.
Chizuru asks Sakamoto what he's going to do now. He says he's going to leave fighting in the war to the living, but that he feels it's his responsibility to bring down Nakaoka and the vampires. Chizuru says she feels it's her responsibility to bring down Stabdad and the vampires, so they should work together.
Sakamoto: Uh. You do realise I mean ALL the vampires, including your Shinsengumi friends?
Chizuru: OH. Um.
I was going to say that by this logic Sakamoto should kill himself, but I guess as long as he doesn't let himself be used as a weapon of war he's not being hypocritical. Anyway, Chizuru is about to say "actually yeah I am ok with you killing Sanan and Heisuke" which wow, ok then Chizuru. But he stops her and says she doesn't have to answer right now.
They go to the castle where the Shinsengumi were supposed to be, and bump into Shiranui. He says the Shogun has fled to Edo, and the Shinsengumi have followed him.
Sakamoto: God the Shogun sucks. But I guess that's the last nail in the coffin of the shogunate :D
Shiranui: I know right :D
Chizuru: THE SHOGUNATE WILL BE FINE.
Sakamoto and Shiranui do indeed have a very cute friendship. Turns out they met guarding Shiranui's Imperialist human boyfriend. Sakamoto is sad the guy died but Shiranui is HEARTBROKEN.
Sakamoto: You know I thought you were just a really strong dude, but I guess you were a demon the whole time? You could have said!
Shiranui: Would you have believed me?
Sakamoto: ...ok, no, probably not.
Sakamoto asks Chizuru if she wants to catch up with the Shinsengumi, but she says her duty is to stay with him and fight the vampires. Interestingly, even her internal narration isn't very focussed on the "being with Sakamoto" part, she's kind of tsundere this path despite clearly adoring him.
The stand on the shore and watch the Shogunate ships sail away.
Chizuru: Goodbye, Shinsengumi ;_;
Sakamoto: Goodbye, ships ;_;
Sakamoto: Are you really sure you want to fight your own dad? I can take care of it.
Chizuru: No, you're too reckless when you act alone, Ryouma.
Sakamoto: o.O
Chizuru: What?
Sakamoto, pulling her into a hug: YOU USED MY GIVEN NAME. YOU LOVE ME.
Chizuru: NO I DON'T. LET ME GO.
Sakamoto: NOPE :D
Chizuru is secretly super into having her boundaries violated. Sigh, at least he's not a serial killer.
Shiranui: Get a room you two!
Chizuru: SEE YOU'RE MAKING SHIRANUI UNCOMFORTABLE
Sakamoto: Let him watch :D
Chizuru secretly finds this charming and my Shiranui/Sakamoto/Chizuri feelings intensify.
Sakamoto thanks Chizuru for staying by him, and says he will never let her go, and promises to keep her safe. She settles comfortably into his loving arms.
Which is cute but we're only at the end of Kyoto Winds! OH WELL TIME TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
The summary of the current political situation mentions for the first time that it's good foreign countries have pledged not to get involved, since at least this way Japan has avoided the bloodshed of their countrymen by Westerners hungry for glory. But instead, more and more domains are joining the Imperial cause, afraid to be seen as allies of the losing side.
Sakamoto says this is sensible, valuing the lives of their men over principle. Chizuru argues that it's dishonourable, and is struck by how opposed his philosophy is to that of the Shinsengumi.
He wants to go spy on the vampires and she refuses to let him go alone because what if she never saw him again? BUT SHE DOESN'T MEAN IT IN A ROMANTIC WAY YOU BAKA.
(Being this tsundere is a contradiction of Chizuru's behaviour with everyone else and I don't care I love it)
The place is trashed. The vampires have fled in a hurry, leaving behind clues to where they intend to go next. Sakamoto lightly says he has to deal with them before being a vampire destroys his mind. Then bloodlust hits and he's very reluctant and apologetic while Chizuru is all LET ME OPEN MY KIMONO SO YOU CAN SUCK MY NECK. (he does not have fangs)
Sakamoto says he still hopes to persuade Nakaoka, and Chizuru says she still hopes to persuade Stabdad. She asks him what he will do next if he does persuade Nakaoka, and he doesn't have an answer. Instead, he asks to rest his head in her lap and she is confused.
Sakamoto: Ah, I guess a girl like you never fell in love before.
Chizuru: I DID TOO
Sakamoto: Really, what sort of man was he? :D
Chizuru: ...damn it why am I so bad at lying
He lies his head in her lap and they have a melancholy conversation about the futility of human endeavour when compared to the cold infinite of the stars.
They eventually track the vampires to...THE DEPRESSING BATTLE WHERE THE SHINSENGUMI LOSE
Luckily since the Shinsengumi aren't the focus the depressing bit is short. Everyone is SUPER GLAD to find out Chizuru is ok. Sakamoto helps out but afterwards can't persuade them to join his cause (the whole "murder your friends" thing being a major sticking point)
Harada points out that Sakamoto shouldn't hang around Shinsengumi headquarters much longer because someone will recognise him. Chizuru panics that he may go off without her.
Chizuru: You should stay at my house!
Sakamoto: Are you hitting on me? I thought you weren't ready for that next step ;)
Nagakura: CHIZURU NO
Harada: Look I can't tell you what to do but you know you could have your pick of guys, right? You sure you want that one?
Chizuru: I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT. And we already spent lots of time alone together, it's fine.
Sakamoto: Good point, we ARE ready for that next step ;D
Chizuru: BAD SAKAMOTO
Hijikata, however, is happy to give Chizuru permission to move into her old house with Sakamoto...if she keeps tabs on him for the Shinsengumi.
The house has been trashed. Sakamoto says it was probably the Shisnengumi (COME ON DUDE WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE)
Sakamoto: It's late, we can deal with it tomorrow. Now: I'm here for however you want to use me. Despite my appearance I quite like the idea of a woman stepping all over me ;D
Chizuru: Lol. So, want to go grab dinner?
...I was not expecting this path to give me any femdom, and I imagine this'll be the extent of it, but I'll take it.
When they find out Shinsengumi Chief Kondou's been captured Chizuru gets angry at Sakamoto's refusal to engage with human affairs. So she decides to GO SAVE HIM BY HERSELF.
Sakamoto points out that this is suicide, and when that doesn't work holds her to his chest. He points out that Kondou surrendered of his own free will, agrees it's unfair, and says she can cry in his arms all she needs to. So she does. I find this much less annoying than when Harada did something similar, I never claimed to be consistent.
I got curious and looked up the real Sakamoto Ryōma, since history can't spoil me for him any more. Asides from various historical stuff I found interesting (his ideas formed the basis for the modern democratic Japanese political system!), it's one of the better physical likenesses, including the curly hair. Also I have been missing all the injokes about his actual wife Narasaki Ryō, an inn employee who he met when she saved his life by running across the inn naked to warn him about an attack. I guess he did like his women bold :D It is a pity, though, that the structure of this game discourages the inclusion of women like her who did interesting things and were involved in important events, but are a romantic threat.
...now I want a historical femslash dating sim. With vampires, obviously.
OH GOD
As a reminder: Sakamota and Nakaoka became friends in their youth as disenfranchised lower caste samurai in Tosa.
Chizuru and Sakamoto go to just observe Kondou, but Nakaoka catches them anyway.
Nakaoka: You have abandoned the principles of the Tosa loyalists, like getting revenge on the Shogun's clan >:(
Sakamoto: I have no beef with his clan now that he's surrendered.
Nakaoka: WE MUST EXTERMINATE ALL OUR FOES.
Sakamoto: Even if it's setting up future generations for failure?
Nakaoka: There's no going back now. *clicks fingers*
Vampire minions: BLOOD >:D
Nakaoka: Recognise them?
Sakamoto: ...OH NO.
Nakaoka: Behold, our fellow lower caste samurai from Tosa!
Ahhhhh?????!!???? D: D: D:
Sakamoto: Why D:
Nakaoka: REVENGE AGAINST EVERY HIGH RANKING RETAINER IN THIS COUNTRY
Sakamoto: D:<
Nakaoka: Are you so heartless that you would shoot your former comrades?
Sakamoto: :(
Nakaoka: LIKE I THOUGHT, YOU'RE WEAK.
Nakaoka, he was willing to torture Chizuru, do not doubt this man's ruthlessness. Also: I LIKED YOU. I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
Sakamoto is shitty at killing the vampires, though whether that's guilt or the game just deciding guns are useless again is hard to say. He runs out of bullets, and since he APPARENTLY FORGOT HE HAS A SWORD RIGHT THERE ON HIS SPRITE THAT HE WAS HISTORICALLY VERY GOOD WITH he just stands there while Nakaoka laughs and prepares to strike.
Chizuru: NO! *jumps in front of the sword and is stabbed in the back*
Sakamoto: Chizuru!
Chizuru: I'm...fine...*is not fine*
Nakaoka: Oh no, the...BLOOOODDDDD :D :D *is taken over by bloodlust*
Sakamoto uses the distraction to run away.
HA so Chizuru's wound is large enough that it's taking a while to heal (demon healing is another thing the game is happy to vary to suit the plot), and since it's on her back she has trouble applying medicinal cream. But she has refused Sakamoto's "helpful" offers to assist.
Sakamoto: Hey Chizuru, I'm home, I got you some tempura cos I know you like it.
Chizuru: Nice, thanks!
Sakamoto: ...
Chizuru: Sakamoto, why are you just...OH NO I AM HALF NAKED I FORGOT.
Sakamoto: SORRY. I'LL JUST. UM.
FIRST INSTANCE OF SAKAMOTO BLUSHING SPRITE.
Later...
Sakamoto: I am really am sorry about that, I should have knocked.
Chizuru: It's ok.
Sakamoto: What a beautiful sight, though ;) Would have been better without the bandages.
Chizuru: FORGET YOU SAW THAT
Sakamoto: But what really makes me happy is that you're healing. ANYWAY LET'S PLAY A GAME WHERE WE LIST WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT EACH OTHER. I'll start. I like how honest you are <3
Chizuru: WHAT. UM. I. YOU....are....cunning?
Sakamoto: So that's what you love about me, huh? ;)
Chizuru: I DIDN'T SAY THAT
Sakamoto: Ok my turn again: I like how you smell when we embrace ;)
Chizuru: aaah?
Shiranui: So I hate to interrupt your sickening game...
Chizuru: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Shiranui says he has no info on Nakaoka but passes on some information about Imperialist warships arriving in the harbour.
Afterwards Sakamoto seems down about their lack of progress finding Nakaoka, and Chizuru wants to cheer him up.
Chizuru: Want to go look at the ships?
Sakamoto: SHIPS!!! :D :D
They talk about their respective memories of the first warship visiting Japan 15 years ago, when a US general forced his way in despite Japan having closed its ports to foreigners for centuries. Chizuru was just a child vaguely aware of Big News, but Sakamoto was in the navy and fell in love with the ship the moment he saw it.
They have a really sweet conversation where Chizuru notes how much Sakamoto loves the sea and sailing, and he is charmed by how well she understands him and talks about how great she is. Chizuru isn't sure how much she should let herself believe: he is much older and a known lady's man, will he stick around once they no longer have shared goals? But she tries to express that she likes being around him without making herself too vulnerable.
Chizuru is feeling melancholy about the futility of politics when Sakamoto suddenly pulls her towards him and puts his hand on her chin.
Sakamoto: Do you remember when you asked me what I'd do if I did manage to stop Nakaoka? Well I've decided. I want to set sail on a ship of my own, which wouldn't be complete without you as my first mate.
Me: DIES
She says yes, and they declare their feelings for each other and kiss and it is all very romantic.
Shiranui is waiting for them and thinks it's cute they finally got together. It's an interesting contrast to him taking pretty much the entirety of the Harada path to be ok with Chizuru dating a human. He has news about a ragtag group of Shogunate holdouts in Edo: both a likely target for Nakaoka, and a likely place to find "Chizuru's friends".
Which it is, this is where Harada and/or Nagakura tend to make their last stand and die :( (NOTE: They do not show up and are in fact never mentioned again OH WELL)
Sakamoto asks why Shiranui is going to all this trouble for him, and he says that their old boss eg Shiranui's Human Boyfriend asked him to look after Sakamoto since he's so reckless. He wishes them both good luck and leaves.
Sakamoto: Well, it's getting late. Let's have sex :D
Chizuru: No??
Sakamoto: Tell me you don't want to wait until marriage D:
Chizuru: No but I'm not ready RIGHT NOW.
Sakamoto: *accepts this but says some unfortunate things I am EXCISING FROM MY MENTAL NARRATIVE*
When they arrive they are confronted by...EVIL TWIN KAORU
Who is still acting as a woman and has yet to mention the whole evil twin thing.
Sakamoto: You're a tool of the upper classes, doing experiments on lower caste warriors.
Kaoru: It goes both ways. Chizuru, has he told you he was a spy for the Lord of the Tosa, and was ordered to cosy up to you to extract information on the Shinsengumi?
Me: Ooooh, identity porn angst?
Chizuru: ...he had his reasons. I was under similar orders.
Me: Fair.
And then Kaoru becomes increasingly Angry Older Brother and Sakamoto isn't overtly transphobic but it's all very uncomfortable. The one bright spot is that Koaru says the only reason Sakamoto is alive is that Nakaoka begged for his life.
Once he's finally openly a dude (THANK GOD) Kaoru starts talking in more detail than he has before about his backstory and I was both curious and so tensed for more transphobia I needed a nap. BUT I HAVE HAD THAT NAP SO LET'S DO THIS.
OK SO. Their village was destroyed (also apparently it's in Shirakawa which is not remotely where I was imagining. I am this close to making myself a map of the places in this game). The Nagumo, the Tosa demon clan, offered safe haven but only to Chizuru. Sure this meant they just wanted to use her for childbearing, Kaoru disguised himself as her and was horribly abused while Chizuru got a happy childhood. He claims not to resent her, just to want her to know how much he loves her.
Chizuru is very sympathetic and guilt stricken, Sakamoto thinks Kaoru is being a manipulative douchebag. They escape, and she is still depressed, sure she doesn't deserve happiness and that she would be just like Kaoru if she had suffered the same. Sakamoto says she is a fundamentally good person and would have remained so regardless of her upbringing, then says she should forget all that and just take comfort in him.
He puts out the light and pulls her on top of of him on the bed, and I was worried about POSSIBLE UPCOMING DUBCON but he says "I have found peace in your tranquil heart, let me help you find peace in mine" and she nods and is very unambiguously a fan of the process as they kiss and have fade to black sex.
(I don't mean to judge dubcon btw, I like it under the right circumstances, but didn't want it here)
The next day he explains that he was just flirting with her for information at first, but only because the Tosa nobility had threatened to hurt his family if he didn't work for them. And now those nobility are out of power so his family is safe. He says he can't believe he's angsting on the shoulder of a girl ten years his junior (A LITTLE LATE SAKAMOTO) and she says she wants to emotionally support him the way he supports her.
Chizuru's instincts help guide them to the village's remains. They are met by Stabdad and Kaoru. Sakamoto asks where Nakaoka is and Kaorua asks if they've heard the rumours of strange deaths around the local castle...it's so convenient how the Tosa soldiers self sacrificingly volunteer to help out with vampire experiments...
Kaoru asks whether Chizuru can hear the angry voices of their murdered relatives, or if she chooses to abandon them. She says there's no value in being controlled by the past, that Stabdad and Kaoru have the opportunity to let go of their hate and move forward. This does not go down well.
Kaoru takes the vampire serum and fights with Sakamoto, his sword having the advantage in such close quarters. There is a moment when Sakamoto has the upper hand, but he can't quite kill Koaru, and Koaru gloats as he prepares to make the killing blow...but then, a gunshot!
It's Shiranui! Kaoru clutches his bleeding chest and falls.
Shiranui: I couldn't stand by when one of my kin became a fake. And I knew you didn't have it in you to kill the brother of the woman you love.
Kaoru: Chizuru? You have to take my hand, or the fire will get you!
Sakamoto: Take his hand.
So Chizuru takes his hand, and says she's happy and safe and thanks him for protecting her. He smiles, and dies finally at peace.
Chizuru and Sakamoto are scoping out the area near the Vampire Castle, when they hear a voice.
Me: SAITO????
AND IT IS!!
Sakamoto: Hey aren't you that short guy who accompanied her when we met?
FIVE FOOT NINE IS A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE HEIGHT FOR A JAPANESE MAN FROM THE 1860s
They're brought into the Shinsengumi camp. Hijikata is really happy to see that Chizuru is alive, but asks if they've noticed that they've walked into the middle of a warzone.
Sakamoto: It's hard to miss that the Imperialists are decimating you, yeah. You should surrender.
Hijikata: Not everyone is content putting their lives before their principles. I am under no illusions about the war. But to abandon our allies, the Aizu, would be a betrayal of the highest order.
Me, aware that the Shinsengumi do abandon the Aizu in the end: Um.
Sakamoto: I can't deny that I do value my life over what you call "principles". But you remind me of [Shiranui's human boyfriend]. Men like you are the ones who win wars.
Hijikata: DID YOU JUST COMPARE ME TO AN IMPERIALIST.
But they finally seem to have learned to get along.
The Shinsengumi vampires Heisuke and Sanan volunteer to help fight the vampires in the vampire castle, and both feel like this is the purpose for their second chance at life, something they will gladly die for ;_; This is probably the least creepy Sanan has been on any path, including his own.
At this point Chizuru and Sakamoto are pretty comfortable with the blood drinking. He still apologises but they're like two steps from mutually accepting they're both into blood kink.
In the creepy vampire castle everything smells of blood, and not in a sexy way. They find Stabdad in a room full of vampires and Chizuru is filled with rage that he has taken advantage of the Tosa like this. But Sanan tells Sakamoto and Chizuru to go find Nakaoka rather than putting all their eggs in one basket, and she lets go of her anger for the greater good.
Sakamoto: You two better be ok or it'll make Chizuru upset, which will make me upset, and you don't want that.
Heisuke: Right back at you!
They find Nakaoka.
Sakamoto: The Tosa have ended up being disposable canon fodder, manipulated by the domains who will actually get to control the new Japan. You could use vampires to spill a bunch of blood but enacting real change is impossible for either of us. We got played, that became obvious when they had us killed.
Me: (I thought the Aizu had you killed?? WILL I EVER UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS IN THIS GAME)
Nakaoka: If history's going to bury us anyway...who else will avenge our fallen brethren?
And so they fight.
FINALLY GUNS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE: Sakamoto is using silver bullets, and every successful hit makes Nakaoka weaker.
Nakaoka: If you showed a shred of this conviction back when we were human, we could have changed the world.
Sakamoto: Nothing would have changed. There are limits to what any one man can accomplish.
Eventually, Nakaoka is fatally wounded, and collapses. He says he knew the Tosa would always be pawns of one domain or another, and wanted to eke out what little dignity for them he could.
Sakamoto: Yes it is :(
Nakaoka: Do you think Takechi would have been proud of us?
Me: Wait, crap, who's Takechi? *googles* Their old commander, ok.
Sakamoto: His legacy lives on even if we don't. Like I said, one man can only accomplish so much, but others will follow.
Nakaoka, to Chizuru: Take care of him for me. If you don't keep him on a tight leash, he'll promise you heaven- and damn well might take you there. Promise me you won't let him go.
Chizuru: I promise.
(It was actually a little shippier than my description.)
And then Nakaoka dies and turns into dust ;_;
And then...Stabdad appears! OH NO ARE SANAN AND HEISUKE DEAD???
NOPE!
Sanan: Ironic, isn't it, that if it wasn't for your medicine we wouldn't be here to kill you ^_^
They're not looking too good though. They offer to stay and kill Stabdad while Chizuru and Sakamoto escape. She takes one last look at them, feeling she will never see them again ;_;
Sakamoto and Chizuru have run to safety and are about to have a celebratory kiss when they are interrupted again by Shiranui.
Sakamoto: I'm beginning to think you're doing this on purpose.
Shiranui: Or maybe you're just constantly trying to snake into her pants!
Shiranui expresses happiness that the domain he used to work for (the Choshu) is winning the war. Sakamoto points out that most people refer to the entire Imperialist alliance, not just that one domain, and that Shiranui still has affection for the Choshu despite his protestations about not caring about humans. Shiranui is endearingly tsundere about it. Then he says that now that the vampires are taken care of he's going back to his previously peaceful life away from humans, but that he looks forward to seeing what sort of country the Choshu create.
Sakamoto: I think it'll be a good one :) Come on Chizuru, let's go make our own history. I promised I'd show you the world, right?
The final chapter opens with them on their honeymoon on a ship, off to see the world. Chizuru thinks about how happy she is and also sports a super cute shoulder length bob.
Sakamoto: After we make our fortune trading across the world we should return to Japan to hear the rumours of the swashbuckling adventurer and his bride, saving Japan from the shadows :D
THE END
They once again just...don't deal with the vampire thing? Lets assume they encounter a cure in France or whatever. And I can similarly assume that all the Shisnengumi except Inoue and Kondou live happily ever after.
Overall I have mixed feelings about how the path handled the whole "hold onto past hurts and loyalties" vs "Do whatever leads to the best outcome" conflict, but it was internally consistent and a definite contrast to the other paths which leaned into "stay loyal no matter what". I think it would have been more effective if Chizuru had had angry traumatised dreams like she did on the Okita path (which explored similar themes but in a much more personal way), so that it felt more reasonable for her to tell Kaoru and Stabdad to let go of their anger and trauma.
I'm glad that despite the transphobia they gave Kaoru a decent sympathetic end, probably the nicest one I've seen.
OH ALSO I didn't encounter that cute Shiranui&Sakamoto CG? Did I imagine it? Does it show up in some other path or something? EDIT: I was thinking of this fanart.
The last two love interests, Iba and Nagakura, are much more tied to the Shinsengumi, and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for another run at the same emotional beats yet. But this was fun.
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Date: 2018-07-24 03:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-27 12:06 pm (UTC)Ah, it's cool to know you enjoyed it! I hope it wasn't too confusing out of context with the vampires and so forth :D
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Date: 2018-11-08 02:00 pm (UTC)It also kind of felt like the game character was overshadowed by the historical character...I mean as far as I understand the Shinsengumi are mostly important because of the stories told about them, but Sakamoto really did have an important impact and that made me engage with the difference between historical and game character somewhat differently.
Chizuru: Goodbye, Shinsengumi ;_;
Sakamoto: Goodbye, ships ;_;
Sakomoto/boats OTP!
he can't believe he's angsting on the shoulder of a girl ten years his junior
I have zero problem with age gaps in theory, but bringing up the age gap in a way that makes clear he doesn't see her as an equal...not good for The Morning After. But I'm just going to go with what you wrote, that you just have to ignore half of what he says, and stick this in that half.
This is probably the least creepy Sanan has been on any path, including his own.
Agreed. Also, he and Heisuke seemed to enjoy spending time with each other and get along in a non-fraught way, which is also kind of unusual. Since we don't see them die I'm just going to decide that they eventually escape and live happily ever after together, only eating people who deserve it.
I have mixed feelings about how the path handled the whole "hold onto past hurts and loyalties" vs "Do whatever leads to the best outcome" conflict
Yeah, likewise. First of all, best for whom? Everyone, or you? And if everyone, in what way? It felt like the answers to that were inconsistent. But also, the way Sakamoto never quite says what he means made him maybe not the best spokesperson for a completely different value system. Now I'm wishing there had been an Itou route...yes, creepy, but (er I have no problem with that and) it would've been interesting to hear his politics.
And the whole thing with Kaoru broke my heart, and it was hard not to feel like Sakamoto was being callous and causing Chizuru to be as well. *So* glad you wrote Kaoru a happy ending.
The piece about the Imperial Furies being low-ranked Tosa samurai was just heartbreaking as well and made me sad that there isn't a route in which you can save them, even in the Sanan route you can only save the Shinsengumi Furies. Sigh. Watching Sakamoto be sad for the Tosa domain (and his friend) while Shiranui was being proud of the Chosu domain (and his friend, and also sad) was the most emotionally moving part of the route for me. Well, that and Kaoru.
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Date: 2018-11-16 01:48 pm (UTC)Yes! I hadn't thought about the question before but it's probably the most appealing for me too. I'm not cut out for farming :)
Sakamoto really did have an important impact and that made me engage with the difference between historical and game character somewhat differently.
It probably helped me to be pretty ignorant about Japanese history haha. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to play an Australian version with figures from our late 19th century but it's so surreal my head can't get around it.
but bringing up the age gap in a way that makes clear he doesn't see her as an equal...not good for The Morning After. But I'm just going to go with what you wrote, that you just have to ignore half of what he says, and stick this in that half.
Yeah, same on both accounts.
Also, he and Heisuke seemed to enjoy spending time with each other and get along in a non-fraught way, which is also kind of unusual. Since we don't see them die I'm just going to decide that they eventually escape and live happily ever after together, only eating people who deserve it.
Absolutely. And yeah, I liked what we saw of them as Vampire Bros in this and the Sanan path, even if it actively contradicts their dynamic in some other paths.
Gosh, I...would certainly find an Itou route interestingly different. Ha and my main instinctive objection is "But he's so mean to Sanan!" :) Miki would be a more conventional option, though he's a less interesting person.
Yes I am very glad I managed to make a happy ending for Kaoru, even if not for this Kaoru.
The piece about the Imperial Furies being low-ranked Tosa samurai was just heartbreaking as well and made me sad that there isn't a route in which you can save them, even in the Sanan route you can only save the Shinsengumi Furies
Yes I feel very sorry for the Imperialist Furies. Especially after seeing this path and the one we meet on the Saito path.