Some time has passed since the Mt. Atsukashi mission. While things have settled down, the Saniwa is getting more worried over two particular swords—Imanotsurugi, who still has baggage over the mission; and Mikazuki Munechika, who has been acting out of sorts recently. To make matters worse, everyone is worried about Imanotsurugi discovering he's not a real sword, even more when the Minamoto clan treasures Higekiri and Hizamaru arrive to the Citadel.
This veritable storm of problems brewing on the heroes' end only gets more exasperated when they're given their mission to go back to the late Heian/early Kamakura period...and back to the Genpei War, where the Minamoto clan's story is to be played out again. Most of the Touken Danshi are to prevent the Retrograde Forces from interfering with the Kamakura shogunate's formation; meanwhile, Higekiri and Hizamaru are to keep an eye on Mikazuki the whole time, but Kogitsunemaru decides to to some investigating of his own. With the Minamoto once again on the line and the rest of the gang facing some inner turmoil, will our heroes be able to keep history in check?
Tropes:
- Adaptation Deviation: It's an expansion of the story of Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi discovering that they don't exist in history from the browser game, but unlike in the browser game, the two don't discover it while Kiwame training, with Iwatooshi already knowing the truth and keeping it from Imanotsurugi, and Imanotsurugi developing suspicions that Iwatooshi is hiding something from him because of his efforts. At the end of the play, Imanotsurugi goes to Kiwame training to find out for himself, but Iwatooshi doesn't.
- A Day in the Limelight: The story is a continuation of Atsukashiyama Ibun, but this time it focuses on Mikazuki Munechika and Iwatooshi as new conflicts arise, those being Mikazuki's secret meddling with time and Iwatooshi's struggle to keep Imanotsurugi's non-existence hidden from him. With the exception of Hizamaru, who is largely just along for the ride after being asked to look after Mikazuki, everything the other characters do plays into these plot lines in some way.
- Arc Symbol: The moon, used here as a symbol of significance. The moon's light and shape is seen as a metaphor for the visible impact someone or something makes in life, with the dark parts of the moon representing the unknown or glossed over.
- Cerebus Call-Back: Remember that flashy action sequence at the beginning of Atsukashiyama Ibun, where Yoshitsune and Benkei are making a heroic last stand against Yoritomo and Yasuhira before the former commits seppuku? It comes back again here, but it's played for a much sadder effect; neither of Yoshitsune's final aggressors want to assassinate him, Yasuhira in particular lacking his Ax-Crazy personality from the first musical and being torn up for this scene, but they do it anyway because they believe it needs to happen to ensure a good future. Both Yoshitsune and Benkei lose their heroic luster for this scene too—they're both disheveled, running around in torn clothes, and Yoshitsune's seppuku attempt looks less like an act of defiance but more like a desperate last act to keep his honor. Even the way he delivers his "I'm coming, everyone!" line is quieter.
- Characterization Marches On: Although he still has his share of comedic moments, Mikazuki Munechika's portrayal became much more serious, sophisticated, and somewhat less humorous with this musical. According to his actor, the change was requested by the director himself, who felt that the initial portrayal did not align with his/the production's vision of the character.
- Chekhov's Gun: Higekiri's ability to connect with and understand Mikazuki is used later by himself, in order to better communicate Mikazuki's feelings on why he's been actively influencing historical figures to Kogitsunemaru.
- Coming of Age Story: Imanotsurugi's presence in this musical acts as his rite-of-passage, since he has to come face to face with the Mt. Atsukashi incident that's been plaguing his mind since the end of the first installment and he's finally made aware of his nonexistence in history. Iwatooshi also has to learn to let him go and mature on his own, which leads to Imanotsurugi leaving for his Kiwame training.
- The Constant: Mikazuki discusses this with Higekiri and Kogitsunemaru. Like with their missions, there are certain people and fixtures marked down in history that are always described a certain way. Therefore, their job is to also make sure no matter what else happens in the timeline, these key people are always made to do what they were described to do. Mikazuki, by repeatedly going back and influencing some of the historical figures, has somehow made himself one of these constants.
- Contrived Coincidence: With time being so weird and circumstances changing, no one item or person is ever present the same way in missions. This also goes for the weapons people would carry with them. By a stroke of luck, Higekiri was brought along for one of the iterations where his original sword was present during Mikazuki and Yoritomo's meetings, and receives memories of the incident where he had none before. This proves crucial in figuring out what Mikazuki plans to do.
- Cover Version: The third layer strip song "Kanki no Hana" returns from Mihotose, with new choreography featuring the Touken Danshi dancing seductively with kimono.
- Cruel to Be Kind: To get through a mountain pass, Benkei and Yoshitune disguise as priests to get past the guards on lookout for the latter. When the guards don't let Yoshitsune go, Benkei beats Yoshitsune up to a limp in an effort to pretend he's just an Identical Stranger whose face has caused him nothing but trouble from similar guards. Mikazuki describes this as something of a kindness; if he hadn't "snapped", they wouldn't be able to cross the mountain pass and they'd be in for a world of trouble.
- Decoy Protagonist: The story managed to have three:
- Kogitsunemaru sang the first song for the Saniwa, giving the impression that he would be the main focus of the play or at the very least, selected to be the team leader. However, the song was just a performance for the Saniwa, and although he would go on to play an important role in the narrative, his role amounts to creating more drama in the story in regards to the Mikazuki Munechika plot and further ties into the theme of brother being at odds with each other, as seen throughout the play.
- Higekiri and Hizamaru would also sing a song for the Saniwa, giving the impression that they would either be the main characters or the team leader. Turns out, this was just to help introduce their characters, and the Saniwa would ask them to look after Mikazuki, the story's real main focus.
- Finally, Imanotsurugi was chosen to lead the team after asking the Saniwa. Given that the story is a continuation of Atsukashiyama Ibun, it seemed Imanotsurugi would once again be a major focus character. In reality, his part of the story is more about Iwatooshi's struggle with keeping Imanotsurugi's nonexistence a secret from him.
- Exact Eavesdropping: Kogitsunemaru just happens to always be present when out of context yet crucial information about Mikazuki is being said.
- Fighting Your Friend:Kogitsunemaru was willing to kill Mikazuki after learning that he's been directly influencing historical events to happen a certain way, under the presumption that he's pulling Retrograde tactics. They have a duel near the end of the show, although Higekiri arrives just in time to stop them from killing each other and explain everything.
- Foreshadowing:
- The Genji clan swords and Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi not recognizing each other is innocuous at first glance, before you remember that they should have some memory of each other since they all were in the same household. That's because in this timeline, the latter two aren't certain existences.
- As soon as they get to the past, Mikazuki cryptically mentions that no one can really tell what happened 1000 years ago. This not only sets up his meddling, but also establishes that the past is very malleable with the little details changing from time to time.
- His conversation with Iwatooshi about how kindness can take many forms (including Cruel to Be Kind) is just as much a lesson to the latter as it is an admission of what his intentions are by directly influencing events.
- Full-Name Ultimatum: The one time Kogitsunemaru refers to Mikazuki as "Mikazuki Munechika" rather than "Mikazuki-dono" is when he's royally pissed at him for threatening Yoritomo into killing Yoshitsune.
- "I Am Great!" Song: In lieu of Yoshitsune himself singing, the Touken Danshi instead sing "Chiru wa Hi no Hana", a recounting of some of Yoshitsune's greatest feats during the Genpei War.
- "I Am" Song: "Futatsu no Kiseki ~kizuna~" acts as this for Higekiri and Hizamaru.
- Irrelevant Act Opener: The musical opens up with "Ado Utsu Koe", a song about Kogitsunemaru reenacting his original sword's smithing. The in-universe justification is that it's a performance for his master, the Saniwa, and that other Touken Danshi have been practicing similar routines for him, but Kogitsunemaru's forging has nothing to do with the rest of the musical.
- Literary Allusion Title: The title is a reference to a famous poem by the poet Basho:Natsukusa ya (The summer grasses)
Tsuwamono-domo ga (Are all that remains of the)
Yume no Ato (Young warriors' dreams) - Locked Out of the Loop: By the end, the Saniwa is still kept in the dark about what Mikazuki has been doing, but Higekiri at least reassures him that he won’t have to worry about Mikazuki anymore.
- Mayfly–December Friendship: Between Mikazuki and Yasuhira. Whenever he goes back to the Genpei War, Mikazuki always makes time to genuinely befriend him, which also allows him to tell Yasuhira about the history situation without force.
- Meaningful Echo: The scene where Yoshitsune limps to the mountain pass with Benkei is mirrored in the end, when Yoshitsune and Benkei survive the Mt. Atsukashi incident and escape the eye of history, Benkei being the limp this time around.
- Melancholy Musical Number: Mikazuki's "Hana no Utena" and it's variations. It becomes even sadder when you realize that the lyrics tie into the role he's taken on.Time after time, over and over.
Time after time, over and over.
A temporary banquet, the transient fireworks.
All that is will one day disappear, like a spring dream.
Who sits upon this flower pedestal? - Pet the Dog: It's never clear how Mikazuki calms Yasuhira down enough to listen to him, but he does, and they bond over the beauty of lotus flowers, developing a friendship before Mikazuki breaks the tragic news to Yasuhira that he must knowingly let himself die into ensure a good future. Yasuhira always agrees, believing Mikazuki's words that his actions are for the greater good.
- Poor Communication Kills: Many grievances and suspicions about Mikazuki would have been cleared between him, Kogitsunemaru, and the Saniwa if he had simply been open about what he was tasked with doing, but as Higekiri points out, not saying what needs to be said is just an inherent trait of his.
- Put on a Bus: Imanotsurugi goes off for his Kiwame training at the end of this installment. By the main 11th installment, he still hasn’t come back, and side stories tend to gloss over the fact that he left.
- The Reveal: Mikazuki is intentionally influencing Yasuhira and Yoritomo by telling them to do as history planned them to do. Apparently, he's been doing this every time he goes to Mt. Atsukashi.
- Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: Being the only sword present for Mikazuki's meddling and Kogitsunemaru's ambush of Yoritomo in this timeline, Higekiri obtains a flood of new memories about all of those incidents. He's still dimly aware of other things that happened in the original timeline though.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Near the climax, Higekiri finally says Hizamaru's name clearly and without prompting after a whole show of near misses. Hizamaru's so happy that he does an uncharacteristic fist pump before following him.
- Tomato in the Mirror: Imanotsurugi's subplot in the musical consists of everyone avoiding the subject of his base tantou not being historical fact. Iwatooshi is also in the same boat, but he realized the truth way back in Atsukashiyama Ibun. Imanotsurugi learns the hard way when Yoshitsune doesn't recognize the former's name, even if he's supposed to be his treasured blade.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Mikazuki has repeatedly returned to the era depicted in the play to influence Genpei War and ensure that things go as planned by convincing or threatening brothers and friends to kill each other, all by himself, without telling anyone what he is doing or why, until Higekiri figures it out and exposes the truth to Kogitsunemaru. While cruel and clearly taxing on him emotionally because he grew to care about Yasuhira after befriending him across so many timelines, he does it to protect history and has kept it to himself because he doesn't want the Saniwa to become involved in something so unpleasant, thus choosing to handle all the dirty work without his consent.
