Hakuoki: Heisuke Part 1
Background information and links to previous reaction posts
I added a bunch of character images and descriptions if anyone's confused with all the names.
Time for put upon cinnamon roll Heisuke, as selected by popular vote!
(ok I was going to play him anyway)
** spoilers **
So, so far I've seen Amaguri be all slashily admiring of Saito, and Kazama of Hijikata. I'm guessing the remaining demon, Shiranui, gets all "You Are My Ideal Of A Samurai" at someone too. My gut says it will be Okita.
But regardless, on to Heisuke!
I am cheering myself up about his current terrible ponytail with the knowledge that he gets cuter when he cuts his hair. (Samurai hairstyles can be super cute! Heisuke's is not)
I really like Heisuke, and am looking forward to seeing his story, but am having trouble imagining him being sexy. Luckily these aren't super sexual games, and I am open to being won over.
The background music for this game is fine but it has begun to wear after so many hours, so I'm paying double J in the background. There's been the odd amusing coincidence, like a bunch of songs about demons and hell during the last fight with Kazama. Right now it's a retrospective of Creedence Clearwater Revival which is just...odd.
Harada: Sup Chizuru we're off to the red light district :D
Nagakura: DON'T TELL A GIRL THAT
Harada: Hey, I'm just going for the alcohol
Nagakura: Ehehehehe >.>
Heisuke: I just want to be with my friends ^_^
omg Heisuke, only you could make going to the red light district cute. Also this is funny because the real Nagakura had a kid via a geisha around this time. (Look at me, noticing obscure history shoutouts. Truly this game has gotten into my head)
Heisuke and Harada are all "Maybe YOU should dress like a pretty girl ;)" but Nagakura is too busy justifying why it's ok to get drunk at 4pm on a weekday.
And then old Inoue asks where they're going and Chiruzu helps cover for them and ends up being dragged off by Heisuke and Nagakura for a tour of headquarters so they can escape doing real work.
These guys are all SO MUCH MORE FRIENDLY than Saito and Hijikata. But I am a sucker for the emotionally constipated self hating loners lol.
Wow, I've only made two decisions, neither overtly involving Heisuke, and he seems to be pining over Chiruzu already.
I'm going to try and listen in for what exactly people are calling Chizuru by default.
Yukimura: Saito, Hijikata
Yukimura-kun: Shimada, Inoue, Yamazaki, Sanan
Yukimura-sempai: Souma, Nomura
Chiruzu: Heisuke (Hijikata on his path)
Chiruzu-chan: Okita, Shinpachi
Chiruzu-san: Kimiguku
I looked it up and "kun" is in fact the appropriate honorific for a slightly junior female workmate.
Did...did Chiruzu just check out Inoue o.O How have my choices brought me to this
Omg Heisuke is sent to his room with no dinner for drinking too much so Chiruzu sneaks him a rice ball. "Did you just risk your life for a rice ball" :D They are SUPER cute together.
WAIT. CHOICES I HAVE ALREADY MADE ARE BEING HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE. Nice.
Aw, people hate the Shinsengumi for being outsiders and "bumpkins". There's a definite, if not very deep, "prejudice is bad, kids" subtext to this game.
Me: Aw hey, it's Souma, the politely earnest Shinsengumi page.
Souma: THE SHINSENGUMI ARE A BUNCH OF HOOLIGANS! RAR I HATE EVERYTHING!
Then he drops a piece of paper that makes everyone freak out and drag him back to headquarters.
I spent a while trying to figure out what it could be, then remembered there's a part of the Hijikata path where Souma gives him a woodcut of the old Shinsengumi captain as a vampire.
I thought maybe he'd be forcibly "recruited" like Chirizu, but nope. They figure out that it was drawn by an artist they knew in the old days, confiscate it with the excuse that it could make them look bad to be portrayed as "demons", and then everyone ends up friends somehow?
Great now I'm feeling a little wistful every time I encounter Saito OR Hijikata. This is going to get silly by bachelor number 12.
HUH AN ACTUAL LEAD ABOUT STABDAD. He was seen with "people from the West" at a shop that turned out to be an Imperialist front. HMM.
This part of the plot is divided into hours rather than days and is using the traditional Japanese way of telling time using zodiac animals, which adds some nice historical flavour but is also CONFUSING AS HELL. I don't know how long the hour of the bull is after the hour of the...dog or whatever it was! Eh, it's night, time is presumably progressing in a linear fashion.
Chiruzu goes to rescue Heisuke, knowing he's injured, and they stand back to back to defend against his opponent...Amaguri!
Amaguri sighs, gives some medical advice, and walks away.
Heisuke: Come back here, you bastard! This is just a flesh...woooouuu *faints*
Yeah, I don't see any "My demon soul recognises you as the perfect personification of the manly samurai" in Heisuke's future.
Meanwhile discussing the incident sets off Saito's samurai-soulmate meter without having even met Amaguri in person yet.
Also I am begrudgingly recognising what close friends Saito and Okita are, they're on a first name basis which for Saito is reserved for post-marriage. DUMP HIM FOR AMAGURI, SAITO.
OH. I just realised how these walkthroughs are deciding the choices that have no option which gives points to the chosen love interest: they minimise giving points to any other love interest.
Fresh Blood by the Eels plays while Heisuke tries to persuade Sanan that becoming a vampire isn't worth it. Uuuurgh I hate Sanan's disability arc :/
Sword training again!
Oh man the Heisuke-becomes-a-vampire thing loomed so big in my mind I forgot there was the thing where he joins Itou and the Imperialists! I wonder how that's going to go, since unlike Saito he can't do the cute "I AM NOT UNDERCOVER I AM AN ENEMY I SWEAR" thing.
Since they're both injured right now, there's a few overt Heisuke vs Okita choices and it is prettty satisfying picking Heisuke, even if one of them did make me feel like I was setting Okita up for consumption by leaving him out in the cold (and I guess any history nerds playing would have gone OH NO HE DIES OF CONSUMPTION MUST SAVE)
OH NO HEISUKE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE DAMN FOREIGNERS TAKING OUR JOBS
I mean I realise it's reasonable for a Japanese person of this era to be iffy about English etc influence, but I don't think it's my imagination that the 19th century nationalist conservatives in this game are being given markers of modern nationalist conservatives. The original version of Hakuoki was written in 2008 but I'm pretty sure there were Issues with that sort of thing in Japan at the time. Or maybe I am projecting, I am certainly in a place to do so right now. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THE REAL WORLD BACK TO VAMPIRE SAMURAI.
Heisuke: That's why I invited Itou to to join the Shinsengume! I'm hoping he leads the troops in a good direction.
YEAH WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR YOU, HEISUKE
Chiruzu: Oh no Kazama said my Dad is working with the Imperialists!
Heisuke: Well I mean...some Imperialists...are nice...
Souma the page gets his default introduction, and I noticed this time that he's from one of the Bad Guy supporting regions. I guess that explains his initial mistrust of the Shinsengumi, and I'm glad there's at least one sympathetic character from those regions.
Wait, am I going to have to watch adorable page Souma become a vampire on his route? D:
A cute snow scene with Heisuke! Apparently these were originally part of a fandisc, I'm glad they added them in, they make the common route feel less generic.
Heisuke to Harada and Nagakura: Put more clothes on! You're making me feel cold just looking at you! Back me up here Chiruzu!
Chiruzu: uh...ha ha ha
Chiruzu, internally: they certainly don't make me feel cold looking at them ;D
Aw, the time has come for Heisuke to leave with the Imperialists and his given reasons this time are to do with general Shogunate corruption and the whole "ordering the Shinsegumi to turn their own men into vampires" thing. Which is both sad in that it's a good reason to do a bad thing, and also because he is about to become a vampire.
Since Heisuke's not as emotionally constipated as Saito and Hijikata, he actually gets that Chiruzu will miss him when he's gone, and says he will miss her too. There's some subtext of "we both like each other but will never see each other again so let's put on a brave face".
I keep forgetting to mention but it's kind of surreal how similar Sen's expressions and voice are to the ungendered sprite Orion from Amnesia, another game from the same company. MAYBE SHE *IS* ORION. SOMEHOW. Demon, multiverse sprite, that's...sort of the same, right?
Amagari is kidnapping Chizuru and they run into Heisuke.
Heisuke: MY NEMESIS
Amagari: Do I know you?
Heisuke: THE IKEDA INN?? YOU GAVE ME THIS SCAR???
Amagari: Oh! I'm glad to see you've healed :)
Heisuke: YAAAAAHHHHH *stab stab*
Amagari: I see you haven't improved at fighting though :/
Chiruzu, grabbing Amagari's arm: STAB HIM THROUGH ME. I'LL HEAL.
Amagari: ...I can't believe that worked. Ugh, and the cops are here. *wanders off, bleeding*
I'm really liking how they've fit the different stories of the original 6 love interests together. Unfortunately this means I want to play them as a block, and am not sure I'll want to do Narada just after Heisuke since they're kind of similar...which, since Kazama is apparently best done last, means Okita next. URGH. Oh well, that's future me's problem. And I must admit part of me does like the idea of seeing him be forced to express a sincere emotion for once in his life. MAKE HIM KNEEL, CHIZURU.
I remembered that Kazama's the one who injured Okita, maybe they have their own not!rivalry, since Kazama's Bushido Soulmate is Hijitaka. And Shiranui is pretty obviously Not A Samurai, what with the emo outfit and gun, so I guess he and Narada will have a different sort of dynamic.
Chizuru is distracted from pining over Heisuke by a special undercover mission as...A GIRL.
Yamazaki: Noone would suspect you weren't a normal girl :)
Chizuru: ...thanks?
She sits in a tea shop wondering what "act natural and you'll figure it out" means when she notices Heisuke being hassled by some fellow Itou Imperialists who doubt his loyalty. He sits next to Chiruzu by chance.
Heisuke: You're looking a bit down, sis, you ok?
Chiruzu: ...
Heisuke: Fine, be that....OH
Chiruzu: Mmmm.
Heisuke: Sorry, I was just surprised by your...uh...beauty >.>
And then they have a very cute coded conversation, aware they're watched but wanting to know the other is ok. As they part he whispers that he's glad he got to see her in a kimono.
It's implied Hijikata and the others noticed her pining and decided to create the "mission" to cheer her up, which is adorable.
OH NO I got to the next choice and it's the mission against the Imperialists. I THINK I WILL GO TO SLEEP AND PLAY THAT TOMORROW.
Welp, I woke up at 5am with cold symptoms unable to sleep and now it's time for Chiruzu and Heisuke's two best friends to try and persuade Heisuke to return, knowing that if they fail he'll be killed. This should be coherent.
"We used Itou's corpse to lure out his men..."
Itou's brother Miki is the one to discover the body D: And then comes Heisuke, described as a "taciturn, downcast boy".
Miki: YOU PEASANTS KILLED MY BROTHER
Heisuke: Oh hey my best friends and the girl I love are here to kill me using my boss's corpse as bait :(
Amaguri and Shiranui: SURPRISE. WE'RE HERE TO MURDER EVERYONE.
Amaguri: ...sorry.
And then Harada and Shiranui have what feels like a continuation of banter I'd have seen if I'd been following the Harada path. Also I understand the politics of this incident way better now I'm seeing it happen on screen, but you're not here for the tensions between the various Imperialist subfactions so let's move on!
Chizuru makes a heartfelt plea to Heisuke to come back, and he admits that Itou had proven himself to be underhanded.
Heisuke: When I think back on my time with the Shinsengume, all the things that made me leave, like the vampire serum, seem very far away from me. But if I rejoin, what am I even fighting for?
Itou supporter, rushing at Chiruzu: KILL THE SHINSENGUMI
Heisuke: FUCK POLITICS I'M FIGHTING FOR CHIZURU :D
And then I paused because this is probably the last time Heisuke is ever going to be this uncomplicatedly happy ever again.
Harada and Shiranui violence-flirt a little and it occurs to me that gun vs spear is an interesting combination for rivals.
Heisuke: RARRR NEMESIS
Amaguri: You are very brave and very stupid *punches*
Have I mentioned that Amaguri doesn't use weapons, he fights people with his bare hands? Also it's a reminder of Chiruzu's physical toughness that she got punched like 3 times by Amaguri in Hijikata's route and was soon fine, but a single punch has Heisuke on the verge of death.
Game did you really have to have so much text over a disturbing CG of Heisuke covered in blood? D:
After he's turned (off screen), Chizure goes to visit the vampire dorms.
Sanan: Heisuke, hmm? Interesting taste. But he and I are the only men here able to hold a conversation and I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk to me.
Oh god can you imagine life for Heisuke now D: Your only companions a serial killer and a bunch of mindless predators, and the knowledge that becoming like the serial killer is your best case scenario.
Huh! Heisuke is the bastard son of a feudal lord who he has never met, and grew up bitter about being the son of a single mother. Also, all the men he commanded think he is dead :(
And now it's time for The Battle Where Inoue And The Way Of The Samurai Die D:
*sees a "give him blood" option coming up on the walkthrough oh god* Because it looks like Heisuke hasn't experienced bloodlust yet, but he's about to go into battle as part of the Fury Corps for the first time. I see some disturbing realisations about what it really means to be a vampire in his near future D:
I decide it is a good time to go back to sleep for another 5 hours, and wake into a weird midday twilight since Cam is still asleep, sick, and the sky is gloomy. Time to get this done :/
Oh he'd...already been experiencing bloodlust for some time, he was just putting on a brave face. Of course. But this is the first time he's dealt with it while surrounded by blood and he gets very HAHAHAHA KILL KILL for a while, then is disgusted with himself. (Versus Saito holding himself in check through sheer force of will, and Hijikata just rolling with it)
Instead of Heisuke putting the nicest spin he can on vampirism to help Chiruzu understand her love interest, we get Sanan giving a creepy "He's not human and should just give into the dark side" speech :(
Aww, instead of sexy blood drinking it's just bittersweet.
Heisuke: Becoming a vampire was just like following Itou, all my decisions are terrible.
Chizuru, grabbing his hand: It may be selfish but I'm glad you're still around, even if it means you being a vampire.
Heisuke, grabbing her hand back: Ok, then I'm going to be selfish too, and say I want you to stay with me :)
Chizuru: DID HE JUST PROPOSE?? ...no, I'm going to just assume he means "while we're escaping this battle"
Me: Oh gosh this is sweet but if they can't create pining through emotional constipation like they did with the other two, the writers are going to have to introduce some other cause of angst D: Oh well, at least we're heading near the end of this part of the....
AND THEN, FUCKING KAZAMA
Kazama: Sup wifey, wanted to make sure you weren't dead since this small child obviously isn't qualified to protect you.
Heisuke: SCREW YOU *stab*
Kazama, completely failing to notice that Heisuke is a vampire: Wow, you are a shitty sword fighter even for a human *starts slamming Heisuke's head into the ground, counting in a way that is disconcertingly reminiscent of my old judo exercises*
Chizuru: Stop!
Kazama: This is your punishment, dear *kicks her in the stomach* *throws what he thinks is Heisuke's corpse into the bushes* Now, I...
Heisuke, barely standing: YAAAAHHH *cuts Kazama's face*
Kazama, completely failing to have the NOW I MUST DECLARE ETERNAL SEXY VENGEANCE reaction he had to Hijikata cutting his face: Ew, a fake demon?
Princess Sen: Fake? Who'd want to marry someone who says crap like that?
Me: SENNNNNN :D :D :D
Kazama: Oh, uh. Hello fellow demon, what are you doing here?
Sen, going all Galadriel-esque eldritch princess: YOU KNOW THAT INTERFERING IN HUMAN POLITICS IS FORBIDDEN. THIS GIRL IS UNDER OUR PROTECTION NOW. DESIST OR FACE THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR CLAN.
Kazama: ...well, you can't do anything if she chooses to marry me.
Sen: You're kidding, right?
Kazama: Uh. So. TODAY'S YOUR LUCKY DAY RUNT I'M LETTING YOU OFF. But once your mind is destroyed by being a vampire your ass is mine ^_^ Bye!
Oh, Inoue died offscreen.
Aw, I just noticed even Saito calls Heisuke by his first name. I know some people do insist on calling him by his surname (Toudou, also the name of the province his father is lord of) but can't remember who off the top of my head.
The way Heisuke always says "Good morning" when he wakes up even though it's late afternoon/night continues to be endearing.
Chiruzu: Doesn't the sunlight hurt you?
Heisuke: Does it ever D: But I can deal with that, what really sucks is that the setting sun is less beautiful to me now than the colour of fresh blood.
And then they don't talk about politics at all, but hold hands and watch the stars come out.
Heisuke says the path in front of him is dark, and staying with him will mean walking into that darkness, and Chiruzu just grasps his hands tighter while Cosmic Love plays in my heart.
I'm still not a huge fan of his character design or drawn expressions, but Heisuke's voice actor really sells it.
On the ship to Edo, he talks about how back when the original Shinsengumi members were a little dojo barely making ends meet it felt like everyone was a Nationalist Imperialist. But then they got hired by the Shogun and Hijikata and Kondou were focussed on ambition and the others on just staying with their friends. Noone else seemed bothered by the cognitive dissonance of arresting Nationalist Imperialists, or the Shogun ordering them to do vampire experiments. Itou had had a point about all that, but he'd been wrong about other things.
Heisuke has almost but not quite managed to make being a nationalist endearing.
And then he says he's not going to worry about politics or the Future of Japan any more. Being a vampire means he's attached to the Shinsengumi, but his ultimate loyalty is to the people he cares about, specifically Chizuru.
I'm very curious to see where the plot will go from here, since while the political etc situation is much the same as the others, the motivations and emotional states are pretty different.
OOOPS POSTED THIS TO THE WRONG BLOG, I said I wasn't feeling 100%...
Also, I finished Hijikata at 25 hours on Steam and Heisuke at 41 but I suspect the bit where I forgot to shut it down before I fell asleep has something to do with that.
Next: Heisuke Part 2
This entry was originally posted at https://alias-sqbr.dreamwidth.org/672961.html. There are
comments.
I added a bunch of character images and descriptions if anyone's confused with all the names.
Time for put upon cinnamon roll Heisuke, as selected by popular vote!
(ok I was going to play him anyway)
** spoilers **
So, so far I've seen Amaguri be all slashily admiring of Saito, and Kazama of Hijikata. I'm guessing the remaining demon, Shiranui, gets all "You Are My Ideal Of A Samurai" at someone too. My gut says it will be Okita.
But regardless, on to Heisuke!
I am cheering myself up about his current terrible ponytail with the knowledge that he gets cuter when he cuts his hair. (Samurai hairstyles can be super cute! Heisuke's is not)
I really like Heisuke, and am looking forward to seeing his story, but am having trouble imagining him being sexy. Luckily these aren't super sexual games, and I am open to being won over.
The background music for this game is fine but it has begun to wear after so many hours, so I'm paying double J in the background. There's been the odd amusing coincidence, like a bunch of songs about demons and hell during the last fight with Kazama. Right now it's a retrospective of Creedence Clearwater Revival which is just...odd.
Harada: Sup Chizuru we're off to the red light district :D
Nagakura: DON'T TELL A GIRL THAT
Harada: Hey, I'm just going for the alcohol
Nagakura: Ehehehehe >.>
Heisuke: I just want to be with my friends ^_^
omg Heisuke, only you could make going to the red light district cute. Also this is funny because the real Nagakura had a kid via a geisha around this time. (Look at me, noticing obscure history shoutouts. Truly this game has gotten into my head)
Heisuke and Harada are all "Maybe YOU should dress like a pretty girl ;)" but Nagakura is too busy justifying why it's ok to get drunk at 4pm on a weekday.
And then old Inoue asks where they're going and Chiruzu helps cover for them and ends up being dragged off by Heisuke and Nagakura for a tour of headquarters so they can escape doing real work.
These guys are all SO MUCH MORE FRIENDLY than Saito and Hijikata. But I am a sucker for the emotionally constipated self hating loners lol.
Wow, I've only made two decisions, neither overtly involving Heisuke, and he seems to be pining over Chiruzu already.
I'm going to try and listen in for what exactly people are calling Chizuru by default.
Yukimura: Saito, Hijikata
Yukimura-kun: Shimada, Inoue, Yamazaki, Sanan
Yukimura-sempai: Souma, Nomura
Chiruzu: Heisuke (Hijikata on his path)
Chiruzu-chan: Okita, Shinpachi
Chiruzu-san: Kimiguku
I looked it up and "kun" is in fact the appropriate honorific for a slightly junior female workmate.
Did...did Chiruzu just check out Inoue o.O How have my choices brought me to this
Omg Heisuke is sent to his room with no dinner for drinking too much so Chiruzu sneaks him a rice ball. "Did you just risk your life for a rice ball" :D They are SUPER cute together.
WAIT. CHOICES I HAVE ALREADY MADE ARE BEING HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE. Nice.
Aw, people hate the Shinsengumi for being outsiders and "bumpkins". There's a definite, if not very deep, "prejudice is bad, kids" subtext to this game.
Me: Aw hey, it's Souma, the politely earnest Shinsengumi page.
Souma: THE SHINSENGUMI ARE A BUNCH OF HOOLIGANS! RAR I HATE EVERYTHING!
Then he drops a piece of paper that makes everyone freak out and drag him back to headquarters.
I spent a while trying to figure out what it could be, then remembered there's a part of the Hijikata path where Souma gives him a woodcut of the old Shinsengumi captain as a vampire.
I thought maybe he'd be forcibly "recruited" like Chirizu, but nope. They figure out that it was drawn by an artist they knew in the old days, confiscate it with the excuse that it could make them look bad to be portrayed as "demons", and then everyone ends up friends somehow?
Great now I'm feeling a little wistful every time I encounter Saito OR Hijikata. This is going to get silly by bachelor number 12.
HUH AN ACTUAL LEAD ABOUT STABDAD. He was seen with "people from the West" at a shop that turned out to be an Imperialist front. HMM.
This part of the plot is divided into hours rather than days and is using the traditional Japanese way of telling time using zodiac animals, which adds some nice historical flavour but is also CONFUSING AS HELL. I don't know how long the hour of the bull is after the hour of the...dog or whatever it was! Eh, it's night, time is presumably progressing in a linear fashion.
Chiruzu goes to rescue Heisuke, knowing he's injured, and they stand back to back to defend against his opponent...Amaguri!
Amaguri sighs, gives some medical advice, and walks away.
Heisuke: Come back here, you bastard! This is just a flesh...woooouuu *faints*
Yeah, I don't see any "My demon soul recognises you as the perfect personification of the manly samurai" in Heisuke's future.
Meanwhile discussing the incident sets off Saito's samurai-soulmate meter without having even met Amaguri in person yet.
Also I am begrudgingly recognising what close friends Saito and Okita are, they're on a first name basis which for Saito is reserved for post-marriage. DUMP HIM FOR AMAGURI, SAITO.
OH. I just realised how these walkthroughs are deciding the choices that have no option which gives points to the chosen love interest: they minimise giving points to any other love interest.
Fresh Blood by the Eels plays while Heisuke tries to persuade Sanan that becoming a vampire isn't worth it. Uuuurgh I hate Sanan's disability arc :/
Sword training again!
Oh man the Heisuke-becomes-a-vampire thing loomed so big in my mind I forgot there was the thing where he joins Itou and the Imperialists! I wonder how that's going to go, since unlike Saito he can't do the cute "I AM NOT UNDERCOVER I AM AN ENEMY I SWEAR" thing.
Since they're both injured right now, there's a few overt Heisuke vs Okita choices and it is prettty satisfying picking Heisuke, even if one of them did make me feel like I was setting Okita up for consumption by leaving him out in the cold (and I guess any history nerds playing would have gone OH NO HE DIES OF CONSUMPTION MUST SAVE)
OH NO HEISUKE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE DAMN FOREIGNERS TAKING OUR JOBS
I mean I realise it's reasonable for a Japanese person of this era to be iffy about English etc influence, but I don't think it's my imagination that the 19th century nationalist conservatives in this game are being given markers of modern nationalist conservatives. The original version of Hakuoki was written in 2008 but I'm pretty sure there were Issues with that sort of thing in Japan at the time. Or maybe I am projecting, I am certainly in a place to do so right now. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THE REAL WORLD BACK TO VAMPIRE SAMURAI.
Heisuke: That's why I invited Itou to to join the Shinsengume! I'm hoping he leads the troops in a good direction.
YEAH WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR YOU, HEISUKE
Chiruzu: Oh no Kazama said my Dad is working with the Imperialists!
Heisuke: Well I mean...some Imperialists...are nice...
Souma the page gets his default introduction, and I noticed this time that he's from one of the Bad Guy supporting regions. I guess that explains his initial mistrust of the Shinsengumi, and I'm glad there's at least one sympathetic character from those regions.
Wait, am I going to have to watch adorable page Souma become a vampire on his route? D:
A cute snow scene with Heisuke! Apparently these were originally part of a fandisc, I'm glad they added them in, they make the common route feel less generic.
Heisuke to Harada and Nagakura: Put more clothes on! You're making me feel cold just looking at you! Back me up here Chiruzu!
Chiruzu: uh...ha ha ha
Chiruzu, internally: they certainly don't make me feel cold looking at them ;D
Aw, the time has come for Heisuke to leave with the Imperialists and his given reasons this time are to do with general Shogunate corruption and the whole "ordering the Shinsegumi to turn their own men into vampires" thing. Which is both sad in that it's a good reason to do a bad thing, and also because he is about to become a vampire.
Since Heisuke's not as emotionally constipated as Saito and Hijikata, he actually gets that Chiruzu will miss him when he's gone, and says he will miss her too. There's some subtext of "we both like each other but will never see each other again so let's put on a brave face".
I keep forgetting to mention but it's kind of surreal how similar Sen's expressions and voice are to the ungendered sprite Orion from Amnesia, another game from the same company. MAYBE SHE *IS* ORION. SOMEHOW. Demon, multiverse sprite, that's...sort of the same, right?
Amagari is kidnapping Chizuru and they run into Heisuke.
Heisuke: MY NEMESIS
Amagari: Do I know you?
Heisuke: THE IKEDA INN?? YOU GAVE ME THIS SCAR???
Amagari: Oh! I'm glad to see you've healed :)
Heisuke: YAAAAAHHHHH *stab stab*
Amagari: I see you haven't improved at fighting though :/
Chiruzu, grabbing Amagari's arm: STAB HIM THROUGH ME. I'LL HEAL.
Amagari: ...I can't believe that worked. Ugh, and the cops are here. *wanders off, bleeding*
I'm really liking how they've fit the different stories of the original 6 love interests together. Unfortunately this means I want to play them as a block, and am not sure I'll want to do Narada just after Heisuke since they're kind of similar...which, since Kazama is apparently best done last, means Okita next. URGH. Oh well, that's future me's problem. And I must admit part of me does like the idea of seeing him be forced to express a sincere emotion for once in his life. MAKE HIM KNEEL, CHIZURU.
I remembered that Kazama's the one who injured Okita, maybe they have their own not!rivalry, since Kazama's Bushido Soulmate is Hijitaka. And Shiranui is pretty obviously Not A Samurai, what with the emo outfit and gun, so I guess he and Narada will have a different sort of dynamic.
Chizuru is distracted from pining over Heisuke by a special undercover mission as...A GIRL.
Yamazaki: Noone would suspect you weren't a normal girl :)
Chizuru: ...thanks?
She sits in a tea shop wondering what "act natural and you'll figure it out" means when she notices Heisuke being hassled by some fellow Itou Imperialists who doubt his loyalty. He sits next to Chiruzu by chance.
Heisuke: You're looking a bit down, sis, you ok?
Chiruzu: ...
Heisuke: Fine, be that....OH
Chiruzu: Mmmm.
Heisuke: Sorry, I was just surprised by your...uh...beauty >.>
And then they have a very cute coded conversation, aware they're watched but wanting to know the other is ok. As they part he whispers that he's glad he got to see her in a kimono.
It's implied Hijikata and the others noticed her pining and decided to create the "mission" to cheer her up, which is adorable.
OH NO I got to the next choice and it's the mission against the Imperialists. I THINK I WILL GO TO SLEEP AND PLAY THAT TOMORROW.
Welp, I woke up at 5am with cold symptoms unable to sleep and now it's time for Chiruzu and Heisuke's two best friends to try and persuade Heisuke to return, knowing that if they fail he'll be killed. This should be coherent.
"We used Itou's corpse to lure out his men..."
Itou's brother Miki is the one to discover the body D: And then comes Heisuke, described as a "taciturn, downcast boy".
Miki: YOU PEASANTS KILLED MY BROTHER
Heisuke: Oh hey my best friends and the girl I love are here to kill me using my boss's corpse as bait :(
Amaguri and Shiranui: SURPRISE. WE'RE HERE TO MURDER EVERYONE.
Amaguri: ...sorry.
And then Harada and Shiranui have what feels like a continuation of banter I'd have seen if I'd been following the Harada path. Also I understand the politics of this incident way better now I'm seeing it happen on screen, but you're not here for the tensions between the various Imperialist subfactions so let's move on!
Chizuru makes a heartfelt plea to Heisuke to come back, and he admits that Itou had proven himself to be underhanded.
Heisuke: When I think back on my time with the Shinsengume, all the things that made me leave, like the vampire serum, seem very far away from me. But if I rejoin, what am I even fighting for?
Itou supporter, rushing at Chiruzu: KILL THE SHINSENGUMI
Heisuke: FUCK POLITICS I'M FIGHTING FOR CHIZURU :D
And then I paused because this is probably the last time Heisuke is ever going to be this uncomplicatedly happy ever again.
Harada and Shiranui violence-flirt a little and it occurs to me that gun vs spear is an interesting combination for rivals.
Heisuke: RARRR NEMESIS
Amaguri: You are very brave and very stupid *punches*
Have I mentioned that Amaguri doesn't use weapons, he fights people with his bare hands? Also it's a reminder of Chiruzu's physical toughness that she got punched like 3 times by Amaguri in Hijikata's route and was soon fine, but a single punch has Heisuke on the verge of death.
Game did you really have to have so much text over a disturbing CG of Heisuke covered in blood? D:
After he's turned (off screen), Chizure goes to visit the vampire dorms.
Sanan: Heisuke, hmm? Interesting taste. But he and I are the only men here able to hold a conversation and I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk to me.
Oh god can you imagine life for Heisuke now D: Your only companions a serial killer and a bunch of mindless predators, and the knowledge that becoming like the serial killer is your best case scenario.
Huh! Heisuke is the bastard son of a feudal lord who he has never met, and grew up bitter about being the son of a single mother. Also, all the men he commanded think he is dead :(
And now it's time for The Battle Where Inoue And The Way Of The Samurai Die D:
*sees a "give him blood" option coming up on the walkthrough oh god* Because it looks like Heisuke hasn't experienced bloodlust yet, but he's about to go into battle as part of the Fury Corps for the first time. I see some disturbing realisations about what it really means to be a vampire in his near future D:
I decide it is a good time to go back to sleep for another 5 hours, and wake into a weird midday twilight since Cam is still asleep, sick, and the sky is gloomy. Time to get this done :/
Oh he'd...already been experiencing bloodlust for some time, he was just putting on a brave face. Of course. But this is the first time he's dealt with it while surrounded by blood and he gets very HAHAHAHA KILL KILL for a while, then is disgusted with himself. (Versus Saito holding himself in check through sheer force of will, and Hijikata just rolling with it)
Instead of Heisuke putting the nicest spin he can on vampirism to help Chiruzu understand her love interest, we get Sanan giving a creepy "He's not human and should just give into the dark side" speech :(
Aww, instead of sexy blood drinking it's just bittersweet.
Heisuke: Becoming a vampire was just like following Itou, all my decisions are terrible.
Chizuru, grabbing his hand: It may be selfish but I'm glad you're still around, even if it means you being a vampire.
Heisuke, grabbing her hand back: Ok, then I'm going to be selfish too, and say I want you to stay with me :)
Chizuru: DID HE JUST PROPOSE?? ...no, I'm going to just assume he means "while we're escaping this battle"
Me: Oh gosh this is sweet but if they can't create pining through emotional constipation like they did with the other two, the writers are going to have to introduce some other cause of angst D: Oh well, at least we're heading near the end of this part of the....
AND THEN, FUCKING KAZAMA
Kazama: Sup wifey, wanted to make sure you weren't dead since this small child obviously isn't qualified to protect you.
Heisuke: SCREW YOU *stab*
Kazama, completely failing to notice that Heisuke is a vampire: Wow, you are a shitty sword fighter even for a human *starts slamming Heisuke's head into the ground, counting in a way that is disconcertingly reminiscent of my old judo exercises*
Chizuru: Stop!
Kazama: This is your punishment, dear *kicks her in the stomach* *throws what he thinks is Heisuke's corpse into the bushes* Now, I...
Heisuke, barely standing: YAAAAHHH *cuts Kazama's face*
Kazama, completely failing to have the NOW I MUST DECLARE ETERNAL SEXY VENGEANCE reaction he had to Hijikata cutting his face: Ew, a fake demon?
Princess Sen: Fake? Who'd want to marry someone who says crap like that?
Me: SENNNNNN :D :D :D
Kazama: Oh, uh. Hello fellow demon, what are you doing here?
Sen, going all Galadriel-esque eldritch princess: YOU KNOW THAT INTERFERING IN HUMAN POLITICS IS FORBIDDEN. THIS GIRL IS UNDER OUR PROTECTION NOW. DESIST OR FACE THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR CLAN.
Kazama: ...well, you can't do anything if she chooses to marry me.
Sen: You're kidding, right?
Kazama: Uh. So. TODAY'S YOUR LUCKY DAY RUNT I'M LETTING YOU OFF. But once your mind is destroyed by being a vampire your ass is mine ^_^ Bye!
Oh, Inoue died offscreen.
Aw, I just noticed even Saito calls Heisuke by his first name. I know some people do insist on calling him by his surname (Toudou, also the name of the province his father is lord of) but can't remember who off the top of my head.
The way Heisuke always says "Good morning" when he wakes up even though it's late afternoon/night continues to be endearing.
Chiruzu: Doesn't the sunlight hurt you?
Heisuke: Does it ever D: But I can deal with that, what really sucks is that the setting sun is less beautiful to me now than the colour of fresh blood.
And then they don't talk about politics at all, but hold hands and watch the stars come out.
Heisuke says the path in front of him is dark, and staying with him will mean walking into that darkness, and Chiruzu just grasps his hands tighter while Cosmic Love plays in my heart.
I'm still not a huge fan of his character design or drawn expressions, but Heisuke's voice actor really sells it.
On the ship to Edo, he talks about how back when the original Shinsengumi members were a little dojo barely making ends meet it felt like everyone was a Nationalist Imperialist. But then they got hired by the Shogun and Hijikata and Kondou were focussed on ambition and the others on just staying with their friends. Noone else seemed bothered by the cognitive dissonance of arresting Nationalist Imperialists, or the Shogun ordering them to do vampire experiments. Itou had had a point about all that, but he'd been wrong about other things.
Heisuke has almost but not quite managed to make being a nationalist endearing.
And then he says he's not going to worry about politics or the Future of Japan any more. Being a vampire means he's attached to the Shinsengumi, but his ultimate loyalty is to the people he cares about, specifically Chizuru.
I'm very curious to see where the plot will go from here, since while the political etc situation is much the same as the others, the motivations and emotional states are pretty different.
OOOPS POSTED THIS TO THE WRONG BLOG, I said I wasn't feeling 100%...
Also, I finished Hijikata at 25 hours on Steam and Heisuke at 41 but I suspect the bit where I forgot to shut it down before I fell asleep has something to do with that.
Next: Heisuke Part 2
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