The original three performances had short stories as a framing device for why these festivals were held, while 2022 deviated from the formula a bit by serving as a massive Call-Back event to all previous performances with some unique story elements.
General Tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: While each musical is an ensemble piece, these performances give specific focus to one particular sword every time:
- For the 2016 performance, Kashuu is the central character after being the leader of the Sanjou team and a member of the Shinsengumi team in Atsukashiyama Ibun and Bakamatsu Tenrouden. His dilemma concerns choosing between his two teams and realizing what it means to be a Touken Danshi.
- 2017's celebration was more evenly focused, but it did spend time on the Touken Danshi entertaining Nikkari's offer to perform the Hyaku Monogatari. He is the last to tell his story, but before he can get to the part where he kills the ghost child, Ishikirimaru stops him.
- While the 2018 performance centers on the East-West Festival Showdown, wherein the Touken Danshi battle to decide which region has superior festivals, Tomoegata Naginata is given some extra attention because of his struggles with being the only sword without a past and trying to understand the importance of festivals. He is also designated the referee for this match, which is an important role, and has a number of solos.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The characters remain completely in character when they remind the audience of the venue's rules. The performances also conclude with the Touken Danshi addressing the audience directly and thanking them for their attendance, before announcing future performances.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: All of the logos for the event have the short story's focus character's motif color. 2016 has red for Kashuu and 2017 has blue for Aoe.
- Concert Episode:
- It is an annual cast round-up festival in which many songs from previous musicals are performed. These events contain a few story elements, such as a framing device and character interactions, so it's not just the characters singing the entire time. However, these events are not as story-heavy as the main storyline performances and are inconsequential to the main plot.
- Shinken Ranbu Sai 2022 excludes the short story backdrop entirely and treats it like a proper concert for the audience all throughout, similar to the second acts of the main story.
- Cover Version: Nearly all of the songs on the set lists for these performances are cover versions of songs from previous plays, usually sung by duos or groups who did not originally sing the song, though some of the original singers will be brought back in mixed group versions.
- Excuse Plot: While the original trilogy had short stories, they were mostly an In-Universe justification for the series to have performances beyond the main story and simultaneously serve as cast roundup events. Shinken Ranbusai 2022 ditches this format in favor of it just being a straight forward concert.
- The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: The idols love to interact with the camera, often blowing kisses or waving/saluting. Mikazuki gets especially personal with it, cradling the camera while he serenades the recording viewers.
- At the end of 2017's main story, Nikkari advises the audience to refrain from telling scary stories until they've all reurned home safely. Since the Touken Danshi never actually finished the Hyaku Monogatari, one wrong story could complete the ritual and risk something supernatural happening. But the game ends when everybody's home, so obedient Masters should be safe...
- The Ghost: The few characters who are absent from these performances usually get referenced by those who attended.
- Loose Canon: It's unclear where most of these events fit into the in-universe timeline because they don't interact or interfere with the main plot, despite their references to it. 2016 is probably the only event with a clear cut place in canon, since it not only explicitly takes place after Atsukashiyama Ibun and Bakamatsu Tenrouden, but it also happens in a dream.
- Mythology Gag: These performances are the only times Konnosuke gets referenced in the musical continuity in any form, although he only appears in the form of props and, more rarely, merchandise, and is never outright talked about by any of the characters.
- Sequel Gap: Shinken Ranbusai was held yearly until 2019, when new events took over the festival's original slots. It was succeeded by Uta Awase in late 2019/early 2020, which was followed in 2021 by the 5th anniversary event, Kotobuki Ranbu Ongyousai. Shinken Ranbusai would return for a short while in 2022, but would once more be kicked in 2023 to make room for the eighth anniversary event Suehirogari.
- Void Between the Worlds: These events appear to take place in one, with many historical characters appearing alongside their swords despite time travel only existing between the swords.Festivals are the gateway between life and death.
Individual Entries
Shinken Ranbu Sai 2016
- All Just a Dream: Kashuu's whole dilemma was in his head; in reality, he was just waiting out the time before a festival at the Citadel.
- Arc Number: For 2016: 5. The unique members for Atsukashiyama Ibun and Bakamatsu Tenrouden count up to that number in each group if you don't include Kashuu, the Shinsengumi need to climb five hills, and they have until the gong strikes for a fifth time to complete their task.
- Arc Words: "Are we objects? Or are we human?".
- Bait-and-Switch: Iwatooshi's challenge is one; when the Shinsengumi swords and Hachisuka arrive, he gets into a battle stance, asking for a fight... and then clarifies that it will be a liberal arts contest instead. Kashuu however politely reminds everyone that Benkei was a Buddhist monk, so nonviolent challenges were to be expected.
- Call-Back:
- During the fieldwork segment, Ishikirimaru has Imanotsurugi pray for a good harvest just as he makes the audience do so in the Itsukishima Shrine performance.
- Mikazuki recites his initial speech for idol activities (as seen in Atsukashiyama Ibun) as his challenge.
- Imanotsurugi mentions "until we rise above the purple clouds", just as his master did in Atsukashiyama Ibun.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: The Sanjou kidnap Kashuu out of jealousy due to his attachment to the Shinsengumi. As it turns out, they weren't jealous at all, and just wanted to know Kashuu's true feelings toward them.
- Distressed Dude: Kashuu throughout this performance. In what seems to be an act of mere jealousy, the Sanjou swords kidnap Kashuu and keep him captive in an electrified cage. Subverted in that he was in no danger at all the whole performance. The worst they do is keep him in the cage in the first scene; the rest of the time, he's able to interact with the Sanjou and Shinsengumi + Hachisuka teams freely. And then even that's less of an impact since Kashuu was dreaming anyway.
- Enemy Mine: For these performances only, Yoritomo puts aside his rivalry with Yoshitsune to cut down the enemies in their way and make merry.
- Ironic Echo Cut: After passing Iwatooshi's challenge, the Shinsengumi swords rush off to the next hill, with Yamatonokami lagging behind crying "wait up!" Not too long after, Kondo, Hijikata, and Soji come rushing through the scene crying out "WAIT UP!"
- Mood Whiplash: Imanotsurugi's challenge changes the tone of the quest from the hot blood and fighting spirit of Ishikirimaru's challenge to a fun game of copycat with an innocent kid. Nagasone, Izuminokami, and especially Hachisuka are hit hard by the change.
- Or Was It a Dream?: Shinken Ranbusai 2022 implies that the dream sequence may have actually happened, as the characters remember the event despite it being Kashuu's dream.
- Pantomime Animal: During Kogitsunemaru's trial, Mikazuki leads a horse onto the stage/field, which is played by ensemble members dressed in an obvious horse suit.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: The Sanjou swords don't make any attempt to hide themselves save for a mask when they capture Kashuu. However, the Tenrouden swords are thoroughly confused— at least, all of them except Horikawa.*Aside Glance* Am I the only one seeing this?
- Race Against the Clock: The Sanjou swords give the Shinsengumi until the gong strikes for a fifth time to climb the five mountains and rescue Kashuu.
- Secret Test of Character: All the Sanjou team wanted was to see how much either team meant to Kashuu. By choosing neither/both, Kashuu proved that he values both of his past experiences with them, which was what they wanted to see all along. It was also an excuse to get Kashuu and the others to spend time with them, since they figured they wouldn't have otherwise.
- Take a Third Option: As it turns out, the whole trial was to get Kashuu to pick a group to bond and fight with - the Sanjou team, or the Shinsengumi and Hachisuka team. Feeling irreplaceable bonds with both, Kashuu doesn't want to pick between them, so he chooses everyone. That was the right choice, apparently.
Shinken Ranbu Sai 2017
- Arc Symbol: 100 candles are lit in preparation for the Hyaku Monogatari, and with each story told, the story teller blows it out. By the end of the performance, only one candle remains because Nikkari refused to finish his story, and the Touken Danshi warns the audience not to recite one of their own.
- Book Ends: The Hyakku Monogatari starts and ends with a story about how a sword got its name. Kogitsunemaru tells the story of his smithing and why he's named after a fox, while Nikkari tells the story of the ghost woman and the ghost child he cut down.
- Double Entendre: In the rollcall for Shinken Ranbusai 2017, Kashuu refers to himself as "strong and steady" Kashuu Kiyomitsu. The word he uses for that (antei) uses the same kanji as Yasusada (as in Yamato-no-kami Yasusada), so he's also calling himself "Yasusada's Kashuu Kiyomitsu".
- Exposed to the Elements: It's winter in the citadel, but Nagasone—who, according to Kashuu, is practically nude because of how little clothes he has on—says it feels like summer and is completely unfazed as the frigid wind hits him.
- Foreshadowing: During the cast listing for Mihotose, the Saniwa deliberately leaves out Motohiro Oota's character, but gives a very distinctive "hu hu hu hu" before saying he'll save the reveal for later. As we now know, Sengo Muramasa was that final Touken Danshi, and that laugh is his signature.
- Funny Background Event: Watch for Ookurikara's un-amused dancing and reactions in 2017. You can tell he really doesn't want to be there.
- Ghost Story: 2017's framing device has the Touken Danshi wonder how to keep warm on a cold winter's day. Nikkari Aoe decides to pick a summer pastime—telling scary stories in order to heat the blood up. He does however give people an out in that the stories can simply be about the supernatural rather than just scary.
- Glad I Thought of It: Higekiri is at a loss when his turn comes up in the Hyaku Monogatari. As an example Hizamaru reenacts a story that gave Higekiri his current name (when Watanabe no Tsuna cut off the arm of a demon after it tried to trick him). Higekiri agrees that it's a scary story and quickly blows out his candle, taking credit for telling the story since it was his after all.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Kashuu notes how refreshing it was to duet with people outside their usual duos, which is particularly true for this musical series as they never really change them.
- Rule of Symbolism: Nikkari was always insecure about his namesake tale, so Ishikirimaru stopping him from completing the story (just as he was about to reenact killing the ghost child) was expected. Ima-no-tsurugi, who played the ghost child in this reenactment, then reaches out to Nikkari and tells him to come back inside the Citadel, at least giving this version of his tale a happy ending.
Shinken Ranbu Sai 2018
- Call-Back: Izuminokami suggests holding an East-West Drinking Showdown to decide the winner after the initial match ends in a tie, referencing back to the drinking game from Bakamatsu Tenrouden.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: In the East-West Festival Showdown, the West team wears red accented clothing, while the East team wears blue accented clothing to help the audience distinguish them. Tomoegata, the referee, is dressed in yellow.
- Crazy-Prepared: Horikawa knew that Izuminokami would propose a drinking game and prepared alcohols from each region in advance.
- Friendly Rivalry: The framing of short story this play. Mikazuki suggests holding an East-West Festival Showdown to settle the Touken Danshi's disagreement over which region of Japan has better festivals: the East or the West. They then divide the Touken Danshi into two teams, East and West, according to their respective historical backgrounds. Swords with historical ties to the East were assigned to the East team (Shinsengumi, Monoyoshi, Muramasa, Higekiri, Hizamaru), while those with ties to the West were assigned to the West team (Sanjou, Tonbokiri, Hachisuka, Mutsunokami, Nikkari). Tomoegata has no ties to either due to be an amalgamation of swords without a history, so Mikazuki instead chooses him to be the referee. In the end, Tomoegata ultimately decides that it's a tie, and no one is too upset about it because they had fun.
- Funny Background Event: Muramasa and Monoyoshi trying to lure Ishikirimaru and Nikkari over to East team while they discuss their historical backgrounds. The two then decide that based on their histories they should be on the West team, much to Muramasa and Monoyoshi's visible disappointment.
- The Leader: Izuminokami Kanesada and Mikazuki Munechika are designated the leaders of the East and West teams, respectively, although they let some of the other characters lead in certain song numbers.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Tomoegata is never addressed by his full name, instead being referred to simply as "Tomoe." Even Mikazuki calls him this, despite the fact that he never uses nicknames for anyone else.
- Show Some Leg: Played for Laughs when Muramasa tries to convince Tomoegata to give the East team the win by flashing him his leg at him.
- Silent Whisper: Mikazuki whispers something into Tomoegata's ear during the deciding round that neither the other Touken Danshi nor the audience can hear, and it somehow persuades him into deciding that the showdown should end in a tie.
Shinken Ranbu Sai 2022
- Audience Participation: Many of the songs are this for the audience due to it being a concert.
- Breaking Old Trends: While there is dialogue between the characters throughout, there is no short story setting the scene for why the festival is taking place this time, with this performance treated as a concert for the audience from start to finish, similar to the second acts of the main story play.
- Call-Back: Several.
- The returning original songs from Shinken Ranbusai 2018 use the same props as the first time around, such as the Gion Festival Yamaboko float and giant Konnosuke float. The characters also wear similar kimono from the performance, except this time color coded to their signature color instead of Red vs Blue.
- The Sanjou rule of lining up before the punishment game from Atsukashiyama Ibun is brought back, with Koryuu being revealed as the culprit this time.
- There's a reference back to the dream Kashuu had about the Sanjou swords fighting over him in Shinken Ranbusai 2016.
- The Konpeito bit with Tonbokiri from Uta Awase is brought back.
