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Recap / Musical Touken Ranbu Atsukashiyama Ibun

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2018 Paris Poster
The first installment in the series, starting with the trial performance.

Kashuu Kiyomitsu, after being debriefed by his Saniwa, is given leadership position on a mission. His task: lead the very oddball Sanjou school Touken Danshi to Mt. Atsukashi, 1189, in order to see about the Historical Revisionists targeting Lord Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Strange enough, when they get there, they find that both Yoshitsune and his retainer Musashibo Benkei are alive when they're both supposed to perish following Fujiwara no Yatsuhira's ambush on Yoshitsune's home.

Although the crew seek to investigate further, Imanotsurugi is too starstruck by his former master to want to carry it out; meanwhile Iwatooshi, a relatively new Touken Danshi, is conflicted about his mission and his fellow Danshi's happiness. Meanwhile, Yoshitsune wants bloody revenge on Yoritomo, his envious brother who carried out he hit, and he and Benkei begin to rely on some dark power to achieve it...


Tropes:

  • Adaptational Hairstyle Change: Benkei gets this in the manga adaptation. While he never takes off his robes in the show, he's said to be bald by Yoshitsune, and has a mustache in addition to his small beard. The manga adaptation gives him short, but visible hair underneath his headdress, and he lacks the mustache.
  • A Day in the Limelight: While each Touken Danshi receives some attention for different reasons, Imanotsurugi's battle to let go of his former master and embrace his new role as a Touken Danshi is the play's central conflict.
  • Answer Song: "Henka Nagoritsuki," performed by Mikazuki Munechika with Iwatooshi joining in the latter half as backing vocals, is a response song to Iwatooshi's "Nagoritsuki."
  • Arc Words: "Purpose" (yakuwari).
  • Ax-Crazy: There's really not a scene that goes by when Yasuhira doesn't either scream or laugh maniacally.
  • Better to Die than Be Killed: In the beginning of the play, Yoshitsune deliberately decides to burn his household down, since at least he wouldn't be dying at the enemy's hand.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Imanotsurugi came at just the right time to save Yoritomo from execution, enough to have everyone talk it out for a second.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: After Ishikirimaru and Kashuu share a heart to heart about war and an ambush plan, he nods to the audience before being dragged to battle.
  • Brutal Honesty: While Imanotsurugi is ecstatic to see Yoshitsune at a time when he's still alive, Iwatooshi has to give him a very painful reminder that they're only here to correct history and not to further screw up the timeline, which also means they can't let their former masters know who they are. Imanotsurugi takes it so harshly he runs away in near tears.
  • Bunny-Ears Lawyer: All of the Sanjou are very skilled and experienced, yet eccentric, which is why they can jerk Kashuu around so easily and get away with it. Later musicals reveal that their school is (in)famous around the citadel for being this way.
  • Call-Back: While calming Imanotsurugi down in "I Remember", Iwatooshi tells him to "remember the gift that the clouds gave us/ thousands of twinkling stars"; referencing "Kira Kira" and the ecstatic feeling Imanotsurugi had remembering his master. The same gestures are used here too.
  • Characterization Marches On: You can see some definite differences in how the characters act in the Trial Run versus how they are in Atsukashiyama Ibun versus how they are in the 2018 Paris rerun:
    • Kashuu is a little less dramatic in the beginning; instead of falling over himself when he's assigned the Sanjou swords, he's just slightly miffed. He's also less childlike than he was in the original (see: his Coy, Girlish Flirt Pose in the original debriefing vs. his more resigned stature in Ibun), but seemingly more insecure about his breaking on the battlefield ("breaking in battle is a sword's highest honor/our worth as swords depends on how many we've killed" vs. "breaking doesn't make us any less of a sword").
    • During the original runs of Atsukashiyama Ibun, Kogitsunemaru would chase his clothes in a dog-like manner during the scene in which all of the Sanjou devolve into chaos. In the 2018 Paris rerun, he is shown nonchalantly brushing his hair instead.
    • Mikazuki's early scene showing how he doesn't get fieldwork is replaced with him playfully using the hoe as a pillow, better reflecting his easygoing personality.
      • His manga counterpart is more in line with his characterization from later shows; while he is still capable of making jokes or lighthearted conversation, he's much less goofy overall. His scene with Kogitsunemaru in the fields is completely scrapped, and he instead has a calm conversation about the oncoming mission with his fellow Tachi.
      • The 2018 Paris rerun omits the fieldwork scene entirely and instead has Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru practice a duet and dance for the Saniwa before talking about their impending mission and the Saniwa's feelings toward it. Not only is Mikazuki's characterization darker here, as he implies that he has negative feelings toward the Saniwa, but it also sets up the conflict between Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru about the Saniwa, as Kogitsunemaru becomes concerned/irritated whenever Mikazuki expresses a negative opinion toward him. Their extremely silly moments later in the musical, such as the scene before the mission, are not cut, and Mikazuki is made to do something even sillier than in the original (riding an invisible horse), showing that both characters can still be lighthearted.
    • Yoshitsune, in the Trial Run, was much more sarcastic when he makes himself known to Yoritomo some time after his blade becomes cursed. The rage at familial betrayal is still there, but it's more pronounced in the Atsukashiyama Ibun version.
  • Clothing Damage: As in the game it's based on, some swords get their clothing destroyed in the heat of battle. Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi get their clothes shredded for their Awakening attacks in the first play.
  • Color-Coded Characters: As usual with Sanjou swords, they are color-coded. The color schemes of their original outfits—Dark Blue (with gold and red accents) for Mikazuki Munechika, Yellow-Orange for Kogitsunemaru, Green for Ishikirimaru, Purple for Iwatooshi, and Light Blue (with red accents) for Imanotsurugi—are also used in their idol costumes. Kashuu is also included in this, as he reps the color Red.
  • Combination Attack: At the climax of Atsukashiyama Ibun, all of Squad 1 takes their turns whittling down possessed!Yoshitsune, until he finally goes down to Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi's combined Divine Death Blow.
  • Connected All Along: Being the first Touken Ranbu adaptation ever, it was also the first to include interactions between all of the Sanjou swords and establish their familiarity with one another, something the original browser game had not done at the time.
  • Cue the Sun: The sun rises on our heroes just as they finish taking down the possessed Yoshitsune, right on cue.
  • Dissonant Laughter: An entire scene is dedicated to the Sanjou laughing over nothing, demonstrating Kashuu's lack of control over his team and how little they take what's going on seriously. Then Mikazuki throws a paper airplane and laughs even harder.
  • Double Take: Kashuu was fine with having Imanotsurugi on his team, but as soon as Ishikirimaru is mentioned, he starts questioning the Saniwa's choice of comrades.
  • Driving Question: What is your purpose? Why do you act?
  • Early-Installment Weirdness:
    • Until Gou on Stagenote , which came out years later, it was the only musical in the series with a line up of that consists almost entirely of characters from the same school, with the exception of Kashuu Kiyomitsu. Although the unlikely nature of this team is acknowledged in-universe, there are a few reasons that could be made outside of the storyline, such as the fact that it was the first installment and they needed to gauge the project's likelihood of success during the Trial Run, necessitating the use of recognizable characters such as the two Series Mascots Mikazuki Munechika and Kashuu Kiyomitsu.
    • This show made heavy use of special effects and the original game's mechanics, things that would be decreased as the stage shows went on.
    • During the early runs of the musical, special effects were used to indicate that the Touken Danshi possessed additional powers in addition to being skilled warriors in combat scenes. These would be phased out of future plays and are completely absent in the 2018 rerun of this play, but it is still shown that the Touken Danshi have powers in other ways, such as Ishikirimaru's ability to detect evil, which is represented by sounds.
    • While the Touken Danshi still get injured and occasionally have the damage reflected on their clothes, the extreme clothing damage seen in this musical was phased out of the series and doesn't happen in future plays (save for the rerun).
  • Easily Forgiven: No one holds any of Imanotsurugi's actions against him, despite the fact he was the primary cause of most of the stories problems and very nearly got them all killed.
  • Eleven O'Clock Number: "Oboeteiru" serves as this for this installment, taking place while the other Touken Danshi are trying to talk down Imanotsurugi from protecting Yoshitune. It also serves as his resolution, since he's forced to confront the reason why he's so protective over his master (PTSD and guilt over having been used for Yoshitsune's suicide) right before they fight Possessed!Yoshitsune.
  • Enemy Mine: After learning of their fates from the Historical Revisionists, and after learning he'd be betrayed after his death, Yoshitsune, Benkei, and Yasuhira join forces to take down Yoritomo.
  • Enemy Within: In the end, the Saniwa proposes that Yoshitsune's sword was this for its master. It was willing to do all of the things Yoshitsune rejects in the back of his mind.
  • Establishing Character Moment: Each of Squad 1 has theirs in Atsukashiyama Ibun:
    • Mikazuki's first shown goofing off while doing fieldwork, showing his easygoing nature.
    • Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi spar in their first scene together, which quickly turns into a game of tag, showing off their close and brotherly relationship. Iwatooshi is also shown trying to keep Imanotsurugi's best interests in mind and making him happy. Ishikirimaru, who appears in the scene a little later, is seen blessing the Citadel (showing off how seriously he takes his duties).
    • Kashuu is first seen anticipating the Saniwa's word, shouting excitedly at what he considered "special treatment", and moaning loudly about having to keep the Sanjou swords under control until the Saniwa places his hopes in him.
  • Fanservice: During the live segment, Kashuu makes Mikazuki say a "cool line" to make him, the other Sanjou swords, and the audience, but mostly him, feel like he loves them as a punishment for skipping training. The line said varies between the original runs of the play and the 2018 Paris production.
    Trial Run/Atsushiyama Ibun: "Oh my, master, why are you crying? You’re so cute. Now! Come here."
    2018 Paris: "The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?"note 
  • Fighting Your Friend: The Touken Danshi end up having to fight Imanotsurugi, who stubbornly refuses to let the Touken Danshi correct history by killing his former master Yoshitsune.
  • Foreshadowing:
    • Notice how Kashuu wanted Yamatonokami on his team? Or how his issues with his breakage seem to fuel his early actions as a leader? Or how much stock he takes in the Shinsengumi code? Or how he's the only character disconnected from the rest of the Sanjou theme? Good thing that's not going to come up in another play...
    • During the mission debriefing, Kashuu points out that most of the team (save Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi) have been to Atsukashi before, implying that going to a specific event multiple times is normal. The latter two will have plenty of experience by the time they go back in Tsuwamono Domo.
  • Funny Background Event: Notice that before the team get sent off to Atsukashi, Kogitsunemaru runs around in circles chasing his clothes.
  • Frame-Up: Yoritomo was the one trying to kill Yoshitsune. Yasuhira was just called in as a fall guy, so Yoritomo could post-humously pin Yoshitsune's death on the latter man.
  • Good Old Fisticuffs: Some of the Touken Danshi demonstrate that they are just as adept at hand-to-hand combat as they are with their swords:
    • While not as much as Iwatooshi, Imanotsurugi occasionally punches or kicks the enemy when he attacks. Justified in his case, as he's a tantou, and short-ranged attacks are kind of his thing given the length of his sword.
    • Iwatooshi uses both his fists and his naginata to fight the Historical Revisionists. If someone is within grabbing distance, guarantee they will be grabbed, thrown, or punched.
    • Mikazuki Munechika sheathes his sword in the side of a Historical Revisionist and starts beating the others down with his fists. Hilariously, despite still having their weapons, they can't land a single hit on him.
  • Have We Met?: After fighting against Iwatooshi and noticing his fighting style, Benkei asks if they've interacted before. Of course, Iwatooshi declines.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In order to stop Yoshitsune once and for all, Iwatooshi holds the former back and has Mikazuki run through the both of them. Mikazuki only manages to hit Yoshitsune, excusing his oldness.
  • Hope Spot: Just when Imanotsurugi appears to have resolved the conflict between Yoshitsune and Yoritomo, the possessed blade comes back into play and reignites the conflict yet again. Not that Imanotsurugi's peaceful resolution could have been the permanent solution anyhow.
  • Humanoid Abomination: Whatever the hell Yoshitsune's corpse transforms into toward the end of the first act. It looks similar to the Historical Revisionists, but is even more grotesque. Even the Touken Danshi are perplexed by it.
  • Hypocritical Humor: Mikazuki eagerly began the punishment game to expose the person who had skipped training, only to be exposed as the culprit. The humor comes from how surprised he is at being exposed.
  • Idiot Ball: Imanotsurugi grabs it when he tries to run to Yoshitsune who not only threatened to kill him but is also attacking his friends/teammates. This gets him injured and out of commission for a period.
  • Immortal Immaturity: Played for Drama. Imanotsurugi is an immortal Touken Danshi, but he still has a childlike mentality, and unlike his teammates, he also doesn't realize how important it is to preserve history, which makes him want to do whatever it takes to reunite with and defend his former master Yoshitsune, even if it means fighting his friends to defend his former master. By the play's conclusion, Imanotsurugi has undergone a number of trials and learns to let go of Yoshitsune, which helps him mature a little.
  • Ironic Echo: "Even in death, watch over me!" has been used by Yoshitsune in the beginning of the play, and then again by Yoshitsune or rather, the sword controlling him when he tricks Benkei into letting his guard down so he can attack the man.
  • Laughing Mad: Yasuhira is this on the daily. Yoshitsune is only this after his sword fully possesses him.
  • The Leader: Kashuu leads the first unit in this musical. In the live segments, Kashuu and Mikazuki also appear to serve as co-centers for the group and have the most solo lines in a number of group songs, such as "MISTAKE" and "Additional Times".
  • Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Just before "Takaramono" begins, Kashuu sings the final line "Arukidaseru" (i'm setting out), just before he and Kogitsunemaru leave the stage.
  • Leave Him to Me!: Whenever Benkei encounters the Touken Danshi in battle, Iwatooshi shoos them away in order to fight the man himself. Who better to fight Musashibo Benkei than his own former weapon?
  • Licking the Blade: Yoshitsune, when bloodthirsty, has this as his Character Tic which is actually just the sword possessing him. Used cruelly when he licks Benkei's blood off of his sword after he kills the latter.
  • The Load: Imanotsurugi, being a Touken Danshi, is a naturally gifted fighter, but his obsession with reuniting with his former master Yoshitsune gets him into trouble and at one point, nearly gets him killed.
  • Make Wrong What Once Went Right: The Revisionists decide to inform Yoshitsune of Yoritomo's assassination attempt, which, along with somehow making an ally of his would-be killer Yasuhira, allows Yoshitsune and Benkei to survive their fatal final battles. The fact that they're alive at all after this point gives the Touken Danshi reason to investigate this matter and correct it.
  • Meaningful Echo:
    • In the beginning of Atsukashi Ibun, Yoshitsune tells the dying Benkei to "meet [him] in the next world, and the ones after next"; later on after the climax, Iwatooshi reaffirms Yoshitsune's statement to Imanotsurugi and gives him a shoulder ride as he did in the beginning of the musical.
    • In the beginning of the Mt. Atsukashi mission, we see Yoshitsune disown his brother after he learns that he tried to kill him. Later on in the climax, Imanotsurugi finally finds the strength to complete his assigned mission after he disowns Yoshitsune, or rather the sword possessing his corpse.
  • Mellow Fellow: To Kashuu's chagrin, the Sanjou are all too relaxed. Later installments in the series treat this as a quirk of sorts inherent to their school.
  • Mutual Envy: Yoshitsune looks at Yoritomo's political genius, envious that he has the skills to lead Japan into an era of peace. But Yoritomo doesn't see things that way; being The Unfavorite, he looks at Yoshitsune's military genius, popularity, and how most of their acquaintances want Yoshitsune to take clan head position. Leads into Cain and Abel pretty quickly, considering how he attempts to kill Yoshitsune.
  • My Master, Right or Wrong: Benkei is compelled to follow Yoshitsune, even when he knows that he's been possessed. Not wanting to lay arms on his young lord, he asks Iwatooshi to either kill him or stop Yoshitsune in his stead, which the Touken Danshi readily agrees to.
  • Naïve Newcomer: Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi fulfill this role. Iwatooshi because he's a relatively new Touken Danshi, and both him and Imanotsurugi because they've never been on a Mt. Atsukashi mission before and therefore can't handle themselves there like their other partners can.
  • Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The Sanjou+Kiyomitsu team is treated like one in the beginning. There's no real strategic advantge to putting them together besides theme; Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru are too carefree, Ishikirimaru is too busy taking his priest duties seriously, Iwatooshi's completely new, and Kashuu has only just been given a leadership role for this mission. Saniwa even lampshades how unlikely the team would be on a normal basis.
  • Red and Black and Evil All Over: Yoshitsune's completely possessed form is so Obviously Evil it hurts. His wardrobe is black with red accents, with the top covered in a cobweb pattern.
  • Resist the Beast: Yoshitsune, Benkei, and Yasuhira certainly try their best to do so. Benkei has the best track record; whenever he catches himself struggling with the dark power his weapon now wields, he bites himself or outright drops his weapon to return himself to a normal state. Yoshitsune does this as well, having to physically restrain his weapon from coming out. Fortunately, the former doesn't let it win over him. Unfortunately, the latter forcibly loses control.
  • Retirony: All Yoshitsune wants is to know why Yoritomo tried to have him killed. Once he learns that, he mentions that he wants to retire from his position as military head and become a monk afterwards. Too bad his sword doesn't feel the same way.
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: By all accounts, Yoshitsune is trying to collect Yoritomo's head after his failed assassination attempt with Yasuhira.
  • Rule of Symbolism: The only times Yoshitsune ever uses his tantou in Atsukashi Ibun/the Trial Run is when he performs an honorable act; the first time when he commits seppuku, and the second when he frees Yoritomo and tells him to escape the mountain. Any time he uses his other sword is for violence or struggling with the thought of violence.
  • Running Gag: Ishikirimaru's slowness, a reference to his Mighty Glacier status in the original game.
  • Say My Name: "MY LOOOOOORD!"/"LORD YOSHITSUNEEEEE!" "BENKEIIIII!" "IWATOOSHIII!"
  • Schmuck Bait: During the frontal raid on Yoshitsune's castle, Ishikirimaru tosses an enemy a sword to fight with—right before Kashuu comes in to knock it out of his hands.
  • "Silly Me" Gesture: Imnotsurugi does one when he forgets his own name talking to Yoshitsune.
  • Sixth Ranger: Kashuu is the only member of the team who is not from the Sanjou school, which is why the group is called "Team Sanjou featuring Kashuu Kiyomitsu."
  • Starts with a Suicide: How Atsukashiyama Ibun/Trial Run opens up. After Benkei gives his life defending Yoshitsune to the last, Yoshitsune himself commits seppuku to the confused ramblings of Imanotsurugi.
  • Strong as They Need to Be: When it comes to fighting Historical Revisionists, the Touken Danshi are essentially a One-Man Army and are able to easily repel attacks that they aren't even aware are coming when they block them. But, for some reason, they struggle against Yoshitsune when he attacks them despite him being a human. A human trained as a warrior, but still human nonetheless. Granted, they aren't out to kill him like the Historical Revisionists, but it's strange that he can even land hits on them and deflect their blows. It's possibly justified given that Yoshitsune is possessed at the time, but the Touken Danshi don't even struggle this much against normal Historical Revisionists.
  • Taking the Bullet: Before possessed!Yoshitsune has a chance to slice through Imanotsurugi, Iwatooshi throws him out of the way to take one of his many critical injuries in the climax.
  • This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself: The older swords invoke this on Iwatooshi and Kashuu as they struggle with their goals during the Mt. Atsukashi mission.
    • According to Kogitsunemaru, Kashuu needs to discover the correct method of leadership by himself, as he won't just give him he answer.
    • Whether or not it's right to act on their own accord or by their master's orders is up to them to decide.
  • Tsundere: Kashuu to the Sanjou swords. Even in spite of their antics, he does come to care about them, though he doesn't always express it. By the end of Shinken Ranbusai 2016, however, he admits that he loves them just as much as he loves the Shinsengumi swords, albeit in a dream that he was unaware was a dream at the time.
  • Undying Loyalty: Imanotsurugi is hellbent on meeting and protecting his master Yoshitsune, even though that's not what he was sent there to do. The fact that he needs to correct history—which means his master needs to die again—causes him to run off to Atsukashi and try to find Yoshitsune himself, as well as protect the corrupted corpse of Yoshitsune from the other Touken Danshi because of his love for him.
  • Warrior Therapist: Mikazuki prefers to let fighting (or dancing) do the talking when it comes to conversation. After all, he believes that they're far most honest than words can be.
  • Wham Line: While Yoshitsune is struggling with his sword, we see a glimpse of him that was much less violent than his earlier portrayals showed us:
    "I need to ask my brother! *much softer, saner voice* For what reason did he want to kill me?"
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Yoshitsune's sword , if the Saniwa's words are anything to go by. The Saniwa muses that after the Revisionists came into contact with it, the sword gained its own will and tried to lead Yoshitsune down the path it thought best for its master.
  • What Is This Feeling?: As a new recruit, Iwatooshi isn't quite used to having emotions yet, finding himself reacting to everything most haphazardly and putting his feelings in conflict with his duty to the Saniwa. He admits he found it easier to be an inanimate object, because he didn't have to deal with such complications.
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Just as Benkei comes close to finishing off the possessed Yoshitsune, suddenly he acts as if he was freed, begging Benkei to keep protecting him. Catching him off his guard, Yoshitsune goes in for the kill.
  • You Remind Me of X: In the musicals, Benkei is taken aback by Imanotsurugi's personality, seeing a younger version of Yoshitsune in him.

Tropes unique to 2018 Paris:

  • Ambiguous Situation: According to the references in Kotobuki Ranbu Ongyousai and Shinken Ranbusai 2018, the Touken Danshi did indeed travel to Paris for a sortie In-Universe. However, this has strange implications for the timeline, given that the Paris performance was a rerun and the story unfolded almost identically to the initial run of Atsukashiyama Ibun, with the exception of some minor additional scenes and Mikazuki mysteriously singing "Hana no Utena" from Tsuwamono Domo, a play that chronologically happened after the events of Atsukashiyama Ibun. This could mean any number of things: Atsukashiyama Ibun 2018 Paris is now considered canon over the original run, the characters were only acknowledging the Live segment since it played out slightly differently between the plays, or that there's some time shenanigans going on. The audience never finds out either way.
  • Irrelevant Act Opener: Mikazuki Munechika and Kogitsunemaru sing a song about their forging at the beginning of the play, which sounds similar to Kogitsunemaru's solo in Tsuwamono Domo but is a duet. It has nothing to do with the rest of the musical and mostly just serves as more set up for what would happen in Tsuwamono Domo, as well as giving Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru another song since they were kind of shafted in the original plays main story.
  • "Just Joking" Justification: Mikazuki Munechika often makes snide or questionable remarks and dismisses them as a joke when the other Touken Danshi call him out on it, such as when he wonders if the Saniwa enjoys making the Touken Danshi suffer. He then admits that he's only joking most of the time, implying that this is what he really thinks of him.
  • Milestone Celebration: Half of the performance was held in Paris to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Japan and France's friendship. invoked
  • Ominous Fog: At the start of the 2018 Paris play, there's an eerie wind and blue fog everywhere, with Mikazuki gradually emerging in the midst of it all, ominously singing a rendition of "Hana no Utena."
  • Rearrange the Song: The Touken Danshi originally performed the song "Otokomichi" in unison during the first run of Atsukashiyama Ibun, with each character receiving a solo line towards the end. In the Paris rerun from 2018, likely to keep the song fresh, every character gets more solo lines throughout. Kousui Sanka would later use the latter version of the song for their own performance.
  • The Remake: Applies to this version of the play, as it’s more than just a rerun. While the majority of the main story remains unchanged, some scenes are removed and replaced entirely to better match the current tone of the series, as well as better set up things for the plays that chronologically happened afterward:
    • In Tsuwamono Domo, the revelation that Mikazuki has repeatedly gone back in time to correct the flow of time and ensure things play out as intended seems to have come out of nowhere, as it was not previously hinted anywhere, despite the Saniwa's apparent suspicions that he had been up to something for some time. The play begins with Mikazuki singing "Hana no Utena," the song that would become his signature in relation to his looping role in history, implying that Mikazuki had already begun looping by the time of this play while also serving as a good enough set-up for what would be revealed in Tsuwamono Domo.
    • Mikazuki Munechika is written to be somewhat more serious and graceful in this play thanks to Characterization Marches On. He's also somewhat less hammy in the Live than his original Atsukashiyama Ibun counterpart.
    • A number of solo fight scenes were added to give the other characters more screen times and show off their unique fighting styles.
    • Special effect powers the Touken Danshi had in the original play are cut entirely, although Ishikirimaru retains his ability to sense evil.
    • The climatic fight scene is changed to be less comedic, cutting the scene of Ishikirimaru nonchalantly honking the Historical Revisionists on their heads one by one, and making everyone out to be more badass.
    • The Live section adds entirely new songs and new outfits for the characters.

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