Kaze Hikaru (風光る) is a historical shoujo manga by Taeko Watanabe, set during the time of the Meiji Revolution in the 1860s. Tominaga Sei is the story’s crossdressing heroine. She shaves the top of her head in a boy's hairstyle, takes on the name "Kamiya Seizaburo," and joins the Shinsengumi (a shogunate police force) in order to avenge her family’s death at the hands of anti-shogunate rebels. After her family’s murderer is killed, she stays with the Shinsengumi out of a sense of loyalty and duty, and because of her budding feelings for Shinsengumi Captain Okita Souji.
Kaze Hikaru is being published in English by Viz (Shojo Beat).
This series has examples of: - Attempted Rape - Many, many times on Sei. It's happened to other women in the series as well.
- Bungled Suicide - Sanosuke Harada, who is proud of his scar from a failed seppuku, as well as Okita's first love
- Celibate Hero - Sei's situation requires this of her, while Okita is this way because of his Backstory.
- Cherry Blossoms - They come up from time to time in various ways.
- Clueless Chick Magnet - The number of girls that fall for Okita is impressive; the times he fails to notice it even more so.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass - It's not hard to forget, but that idiot who loves sweets, adores children, and spends most of his time with a goofy smile on his face is one of the most feared and ruthless members of the Shinsengumi and could kill you in less time than it takes to blink and without a hint of remorse.
- Daddy Didn't Show - Sei meets her father for the first time after he fails to return home in time to spend his wife's last moments with her. Sei claims that while she respected him as a great physician, she never really thought of him as her father to the day of his death. It takes a talk with Doctor Matsumoto, who personally knew her father, to get her to really appreciate him as a parent.
- Deadpan Snarker - Saitou, but his snark is almost entirely in his head.
- Depraved Bisexual - Itou is married, but he outrageously chases after pretty men AND women and the later volumes show him more than willing to use his sexuality to manipulate others for his plans
- Everyone Can See It - most people in the story are under the impression that Okita and "Seizaburo" are already in a relationship. A good majority of them are also actively supportive of it, even the ones who themselves pine after "Seizaburo".
- Everyone is Bi - or at at least all the men are (historically
, this is Truth in Television). - Foregone Conclusion - According to history, pretty much everyone in the story is going to die within the next few years of the time period.
- Good Is Not Nice - several characters, but especially Hijikata whose Jerkass Façade can reach Noble Demon levels.
- Historical Domain Characters - The Shinsengumi, as well as a number of other characters.
- Historical Fiction - with extreme attention to historical accuracy.
- Honor Before Reason - The way of life for 85% of the cast.
- Ho Yay - both real and fake Ho Yay, usually played for laughs.
- Important Haircut - Sei shaves her head in order to join the Shinsengumi. Okita takes it as proof of her resolve.
- Incest Subtext - in flashbacks, Councilor Ito is shown with a very close relationship with his younger brother.
- Lad-ette - She drinks with them, she fights with them, she even has her own "woman." She is Bushi!
- Love Martyr - Sei is stubbornly in love with Okita regardless of all the sacrifice, suffering, and emotional baggage that goes with it.
- Mood Whiplash - the series varies between hilarious Romantic Comedy and rather blood-soaked Serious Historical Fiction.
- Naïve Newcomer - Sei's ideals are seriously challenged when she meets the men of the Shinsengumi.
- Not so Different - It takes Sei awhile to admit the similarities between herself and Hijikata, Okita and her father, and that her enemies including the man who killed her family may have their own codes of honor.
- Oblivious to Love - Souji; even the other characters notice it ("Is this idiot serious?")
- Revenge - Sei's reason for joining the Shinsengumi is to avenge the deaths of her father and brother.
- Seppuku - Yamanami Keisuke; another character is executed after refusing to commit seppuku.
- Subordinate Excuse - One of the reasons Sei is intent on staying with the Shinsengumi is so she can stay by Okita's side.
- Sweet Polly Oliver - Sei; the main premise of the manga.
- Sweet on Polly Oliver - an unusual form of this phenomenon: Sei's many admirers embrace the samurai tradition of ''shudo'', and are perfectly happy to chase after a pretty boy.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest - the Bungled Suicide of a girl after Souji turned her down in favor of concentrating on his swordsmanship is a major contributor to Souji's almost ridiculous obliviousness to love.
- Vitriolic Best Buds - Okita and Saitou, Type 1. Saitou is often found insulting Okita either in his head or aloud, but it's clear that they're very good friends who hold each other in high regard and respect each other's skills, and would never want to truly hurt one another.
- X Meets Y - Peacemaker Kurogane meets Rose of Versailles.
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