Genpei Ryouran Emaki -Gikei- (源平繚乱絵巻 -GIKEI-, literally "The Pictured Chronicles of the Genpei -Gikei-"), or simply Gikei, is a Visual Novel distributed and developed by Inre, released in 2021. Similar to its predecessors ChuSinGura 46+1 and Miburo, it is a Historical Gender Flip adaptation of the late Heian period, depicting the stories of the nascent warrior class in their struggle for power, which threatens the balance of feudal politics then dominated by the Imperial Court and local clans, before culminating into the Genpei War in an ultimate showdown against the most powerful samurai clan at the time: The Minamoto (or Genji), and the Taira (or Heike).
The year is 1174, a time where politics were dominated by the rising samurai class over the course of a century, giving way for the Heike Clan to take hold of the Imperial Court of Japan, severely reducing the power of the Emperor (himself a figurehead of the Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who dominated court politics at the time). Taira no Kiyomori, then head of the Heike, established the first samurai-dominated government of Japan ever since the Heiji Rebellion of 1160, becoming the de facto head of state. Installing all of his relatives and allies into government positions, he quickly took control of the entire court while evicting his political rivals of the Genji Clan, who also occupied court positions, by executing their most powerful members and banishing their successors, paving the way for the hegemony of the Heike. However, the aging Kiyomori made himself a lot of enemies during his time as chief minister over the years -all waiting for an opportunity to get back at him-, while leaving his daughters in high-ranking positions to manage national affairs.
In the summer of 2020, the highschooler Kanou Yoshitsune, heir of the Kanou Shrine of Uraga, spends his last school days as the vacation period draws near. Alongside his Childhood Friend Shizuka and his adoptive sister Roko, they go visit Kyoto as part of a school trip in order to learn more about the city's history and its legends. First visiting the Shinsengumi headquarters and several small temples, they set their sights on the Kurama-dera, a temple located in the northern part of the city and built on top of a hill. By the end of the first day however, Roko mysteriously disappears while visiting the temple, which prompts Yoshitsune and Shizuka to go find her during the next dawn, without waiting for the police. Upon arriving in the Kurama-dera however, they find no trace of her, and before understanding their situation, faint on the spot.
They wake up some time later in a small forest located within the vicinity of the temple, before realizing something has changed. Going back to the temple, they encounter a strangely clothed individual by the name of Kiichi Hougen, presenting himself as the head priest of the temple. By talking to him, our students begin to realize that they ended up travelling back in time to the late Heian period, in the midst of the Joan Era in 1174, a time when the country was dominated by the Heike Clan. However, history has taken a strange turn: Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the legendary hero of the Genji destined to defeat the Heike, is nowhere to be found and has became a monk. Furthermore, they learn that Roko also traveled to the past the day before, before being captured by Taira no Munemori, the second daughter of Taira no Kiyomori.
After coming to terms with their situation and proving their worth to Kiichi, Yoshitsune and Shizuka devise a plan in which they will take on the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Shizuka Gozen, reenacting their historical fate in order to defeat the Heike in the upcoming Genpei War and save Roko. So begins their journey across the country to gather allies, closely following the footsteps of history up until the decisive battle, using their knowledge from the future to fight the Heike head-on, while Roko uses her large understanding of Japanese history to trick and undermine her captors from within. Eventually, the three childhood friends will have to investigate the cause of their transportation to the past, discover why they have been forced to be a part of the Genpei War, and finding a way home...
Compare ChuSinGura 46+1 by the same author, which also features the same plotline of having an individual from the present travelling to the past.
Gikei features the following tropes:
- Been There, Shaped History: All three of the main characters from the present have to assume the identity of three historical characters, in order to blend into the Heian period and fight the Heike.
- Can't Take Anything with You: Downplayed. Upon travelling to the past, the trio kept their belongings along with them, but with an empty battery on their phones.
- Foregone Conclusion: Being a story centered on Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his companions, people who already know about his story are likely to know about his eventual demise at the hands of the Northern Fujiwara, pressured by Minamoto no Yoritomo. Knowing this, Yoshitsune tries his best to avert the trope, with varying results.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: Gikei shows effectively how every single faction of the late Heian period all have their circumstances and interests for fighting against each other.
- The Genji are mostly driven by revenge against the Heike, their long-time enemies who almost destroyed their entire group.
- Minamoto no Yoritomo grew up as an ambitious man who intends to end the old imperial regime to replace it with a meritocracy for the warrior class, by recruiting people according to their exploits. However, his life in exile also made him an incredibly paranoid individual who can punish any person he deems dangerous or a little powerful to him.
- Minamoto no Yoshinaka, unlike Yoritomo, isn't a cautious politician and prefers straightforward battles and fighting his way to the top through his own set of rules. Because of this, his group ends up victim of the various manipulations by those around him, such as Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa or even his own allies of the Genji.
- The Heike were raised as the most powerful and prestigious samurai clan at the time, cultivating an aristocratic schtick upon being given high-ranking positions within the Imperial Court. Taira no Kiyomori, as High Minister, took several actions to reduce the power of the Imperial Court while enacting several economic and political reforms, but his authoritarian tendencies would eventually make him several enemies. Despite that, a minority of warriors within the Heike is also driven by duty to protect Emperor Antoku from harm.
- The Northern Fujiwara of Oshu are a semi-autonomous samurai clan located in the north of Japan, enjoying trade relations with the capital while having a relative autonomy from the central government. In turn, they choose to stay neutral during the Genpei War while giving indirect support to Yoshitsune and his companions, mainly because its lord took a liking to him and his way of thinking.
- The Imperial Court, controlled by the sly Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, is eager to regain its political influence snatched by Taira no Kiyomori, freely switching sides and alliances with samurai clans at every opportunity in the midst of the Genpei War and beyond.
- Yoshitsune and his companions are entirely motivated by selfless reasons unrelated to politics: Saving Roko from the Heike by joining the Genji as part of their army. However, his idealism and popularity as a leader quickly made him a target for Go-Shirakawa and Yoritomo, eager to use him to further their own interests.
- The Genji are mostly driven by revenge against the Heike, their long-time enemies who almost destroyed their entire group.
- Historical Gender Flip: Most of the major historical characters are women, though it doesn't make them any less badass. Among them, Emperor Antoku is a Justified example as several theories and the Heike Monogatari suggest a possibility that the child emperor was actually a girl.
- Jidaigeki: Like ChuSinGura 46+1 and Miburo before it, the story is set in feudal Japan, this time in the late Heian period in the end of the 12th century.
- Trapped in Another World: The story is mainly about Yoshitsune, Shizuka and Roko's ventures in the late Heian period and the Genpei War, and their attempts to go back to their world.
- World of Action Girls: Almost every female major character is either a hardened warrior or a shrewd politician.
