History VisualNovel / Hakuouki

'''''Hakuōki''''' (often [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseRomanization romanized]] as '''''Hakuouki''''' or '''''Hakuoki''''') is a popular video game franchise developed by Creator/{{Otomate}}, Creator/IdeaFactory, and originally released in Japan in 2008. The series comprises eight different games: two main titles and a fan-disc first released on the Platform/PlayStation2, two spinoffs, and three handheld {{Gaiden Game}}s. Most of the games have been ported to multiple platforms (namely: Platform/PlayStationPortable, Platform/PlayStation3, Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/Nintendo3DS).

* ''Hakuouki SSL ~Sweet School Life~'' (2014): Another spinoff visual novel set in an AlternateUniverse, with Chizuru and the Shinsengumi attending a modern high school. Playstation Vita exclusive.
* ''Hakuouki Shinkai'': An UpdatedRerelease of the original ''Shinsengumi Kitan'' for Playstation Vita, incorporating the ''Zuisoroku'' fandisc and some additional new content, including routes for former supporting characters Sanan, Yamazaki and Nagakura and three new orignal character routes. Released in two episodes: ''Kaze no Shou'', covering from Chizuru's arrival to Kyoto to the Shinsengumi's leave for Edo, and ''Hana no Shou'', covering the rest of the story. Licensed in the West for PSV and Steam under the names ''Kyoto Winds'' and ''Edo Blossoms'' respectively. A CompilationRerelease for the Platform/NintendoSwitch was released in Japan in 2018, with an English localization by Eastasiasoft to be released sometime in 2024.

'''''Hakuōki''''' (often [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseRomanization romanized]] as '''''Hakuouki''''' or '''''Hakuoki''''') is a popular video game franchise developed by Creator/{{Otomate}}, Creator/IdeaFactory, and originally released in Japan in 2008. The series comprises eight different games: two main titles and a fan-disc first released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, two spinoffs, and three handheld [[GaidenGame gaiden games]]. Most of the games have been ported to multiple platforms (namely: UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS).

* ''Hakuouki Shinkai'': An UpdatedRerelease of the original ''Shinsengumi Kitan'' for Playstation Vita, incorporating the ''Zuisoroku'' fandisc and some additional new content, including routes for former supporting characters Sanan, Yamazaki and Nagakura and three new orignal character routes. Released in two episodes: ''Kaze no Shou'', covering from Chizuru's arrival to Kyoto to the Shinsengumi's leave for Edo, and ''Hana no Shou'', covering the rest of the story. Licensed in the West for PSV and Steam under the names ''Kyoto Winds'' and ''Edo Blossoms'' respectively.

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Most of the Shinsengumi in the anime, apart from Hijikata]].

* KansaiRegionalDialect: Kimigiku speaks Kyoto-ben in her role as a Shimabara geisha, customary due to Kyoto-ben being thought of as a softer and more feminine manner of speech. ''Not'' speaking Kyoto-ben gets Chizuru in some trouble trying to pass as a geisha in ''Zuisoroku'' (although Kazama had already recognized her anyway, so he was mostly just messing with her).

* BladeOnAStick: Sanosuke's preferred weapon is a spear.

* TheChick: Chizuru quickly becomes this for the Shinsengumi, and the feminine touch she adds to the group is welcomed by most of its members.

* AluminumChristmasTrees:
** The historical Hijikata did in fact compose the collection of haiku that Okita and the others keep making fun of - including the "ume ume ume" poem that so baffles Saito in the DramaCD - and those who have read it generally agree that it's pretty bad.
** Similarly, Isami Kondou really was known to be able to put his whole fist in his mouth as a party trick as he does during one of the Shimabara scenes in ''Zuisoroku''.

* ShirtlessScene: A [[{{Fanservice}} gratituitous]] Shinsengumi health inspection that even involved a [[PecFlex flex-off]]! {{Parodied}} in ''Sweet School Life''.

* KillEmAll: [[spoiler: The game's Normal Ending and the anime's second season.]]

* CastFromLifespan: [[spoiler:Furies gain [[StockSuperPowers various powers]] at the cost of shortening their lives.]]

** ...its [[SuperSerum pros]]:
*** StockSuperpowers: The powers it grants are similar to those of demons: [[SuperStrength enhanced strength]], [[SuperSpeed speed and reflexes]], and endurance, plus [[HealingFactor the ability to recover from almost any wound]] short of a heart-shot or decapitation.

*** BloodLust: Most furies are useless as soldiers because they go berserk at the first sight or scent of blood. Even the major characters who become furies suffer from crippling bouts of increasingly painful craving for blood, so severe that if their condition is not carefully managed even {{Determinator}}s like Saito can lose their sanity.
*** HarmfulHealing: Their regenerative powers [[CastFromLifespan come at a steep price]].

*** [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Insanity]]: [[TragicMonster Most of them]] end up [[AxCrazy losing their minds]] shortly after taking the water of life.

* StockSuperpowers: Demons and, to a lesser degree, furies possess all of the following powers:
** HealingFactor
** SuperReflexes
** SuperSpeed
** SuperStrength
** SuperToughness

2021 saw to the announcement of a ten-episode LiveAction series on Japan's WOWOW Prime streaming service, with Tsubasa Sakiyama as Hijikata.

The visual novels have been adapted into [[AnimeOfTheGame an anime series]] by Creator/StudioDEEN and licensed for release in English by Creator/SentaiFilmworks in American and Canada, [[https://www.mvm-films.com MVM Entertainment]] in the UK and Hanabee Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.

!!!!The Games:

!!!!The Anime:

The visual novels have been adapted into [[AnimeOfTheGame an anime series]] by Creator/StudioDEEN and licensed for release in English by Creator/SentaiFilmworks in American and Canada, Creator/MVMEntertainment in the UK and Hanabee Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.

* ThisIsUnforgivable: There are a number of examples in the game, the most emphatic being Chizuru and then Hijikata's furious declarations to Kazama after the latter [[spoiler:kills Inoue]] in the visual novel, and the Shinsengumi's reactions to [[spoiler:Kondou's beheading]].

** [[spoiler: Sanan "joins forces" with Kodo in order to be able to turn on him at the most opportune moment, so that he, Hijikata, and Heisuke can team up to dispose of Kodo and all of his fury troops]].