History Theatre / TouStage

* DarkerAndEdgier: While ''Touken Ranbu'' as a franchise isn't exactly light-hearted as at the center of it all it is about a war; the stage play continuity was originally the only continuity in which swords ''die''.[[note]]''Musou'' reveals that many swords died before the game began, which still haunts the remaining swords, but they don't specify who died[[/note]] There is also heavier emphasis on the tragic aspect of the war and what the swords have go to through to protect history compared to the other adaptations.

** There’s a bit of fanservice for fans of Mikazuki Munechika/Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, Mikazuki Munechika/Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Tsurumaru Kuninaga/Ichigo Hitofuri in the stage plays.

* ChromosomeCasting: Due to there canonically being no women in ''Touken Ranbu'', as well as [[OneGenderRace no female Touken Danshi]], there were no women in the stage plays cast up until ''Iden''. Even the stage play [[CanonForeigner exclusive characters]] were male. The Saniwa was eventually revealed to be male, as well. There is a production with an entirely female cast of mostly former Creator/TakarazukaRevue performers, but the characters are still male.
* DarkerAndEdgier: While ''Touken Ranbu'' as a franchise isn't exactly light-hearted as at the center of it all it is about a war; the stage play continuity is the only continuity in which swords ''die''. There is also heavier emphasis on the tragic aspect of the war and what the swords have go to through to protect history compared to the other adaptations.

* BreakingOldTrends: The 2020 show introduces a relevant ''female'' character in Hosokawa Gracia. While continuities like ''Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu'' and the movie did feature girls, they were in minor roles; characters like ''Katsugeki's'' Saniwa did have female voice work and were relevant, but were treated as gender ambiguous (unless you watched the dub or watched with subtitles, [[ShesAManInJapan in which case he was male]]). For the eighth installment, the character is both played by and is female and a billed character.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Munechika does this quite often near the end of the plays. Usually they're small nods that indicate how well they accomplished their mission, but over the course of the series it becomes very clear that something is wrong with him to interact like that.

* SeriesFauxnale: ''Hiden'', at the time, was as close to edging towards a grand finale as one could get. [[spoiler:Yamabushi, a Touken Danshi, died onscreen, Yamanbagiri was appointed the new leader after Munichika, and while there is a sequel hook in releasing Munechika from his constant loops, one would be under the impression that you could loop the five plays released up to then and it would feel like a complete story.]] However, the director as well as actors gave the fandom hope for the future of the stage plays, as well as the characters. While it was considered the final play for a little while, ''Jiden'' followed in 2019.
* TrustBuildingBlunder: In ''Kyoden'', the Touken Danshi try to encourage teamwork skills by having a red-versus-white team battle; Oda swords and Tsurumaru going with Yamanbagiri, Awataguchis and Shokudaikiri going with Munechika. The Red Team is generally spot on and in sync, but the White Team's major malfunction lies in Fudou.

* ChromosomeCasting: Due to there canonically being no women in ''Touken Ranbu'', as well as [[OneGenderRace no female Touken Danshi]], there were no women in the stage plays cast up until ''Iden''. Even the stage play [[CanonForeigner exclusive characters]] were male. The Saniwa was eventually revealed to be male, as well.

A live action movie featuring returning actors from the stage plays premiered on January 18th, 2019, although it covers a different story. This film also holds the distinction of being the first movie and first live action movie adaptation of the franchise. A manga adaptation of the live action movie was posted up until the movie's release. It received a sequel movie in 2022.

* {{Corpsing}}: When Tsurumaru goes to feed Hasebe, one notices a slight smile on his face and muffled laughter as his mouth is being stuffed.

A live action movie featuring returning actors from the stage plays premiered on January 18th, 2019, although it covers a different story. This film also holds the distinction of being the first movie and first live action movie adaptation of the franchise. A manga adaptation of the live action movie was posted up until the movie's release.

* ChromosomeCasting: Due to there canonically being no women in ''Touken Ranbu'', as well as [[OneGenderRace no female Touken Danshi]], and up until ''Iden'' only included male{{Canon Foreigner}}s in the stage plays. [[spoiler: Even the Saniwa is revealed to be male.]]

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Yamabushi Kunihiro]] is among the first swords to permanently break.

2020 finally saw to a crossover between the stage play and musical continuities. Titled ''Touken Ranbu: Daienren'', the two citadels will collide in August 2020 at Tokyo Dome. Unfortunately, due to the UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic, it was cancelled and replaced with a cast talk event.

* RealityEnsues: The stage shows do make a point of having interactions between Touken Danshi of similar circumstances or the same master/smith be not entirely chummy between them. Sure the Awataguchi and Samonji brothers interact fine, but those owned by Nobunaga do not; in fact, some of them barely know each other, their differences in opinion over the man can cause them to argue and draw lines in the sand, and most of them are neutral at best.

2020 finally saw to a crossover between the stage play and musical continuities. Titled ''Touken Ranbu: Daienren'', the two citadels will collide in August 2020 at Tokyo Dome.

* ''Touken Ranbu: Dai Enren'' (2020)

* GoodIsNotSoft: A running theme throughout the plays. Protecting history, beyond just ensuring arbitrary events occur on track, also mean that the Touken Danshi need to be prepared to kill said figures mercilessly. It takes a strong heart to prepare themselves for their roles in assisting atrocities--a feat new swords don't always agree with.

* SeriesFauxnale: ''Hiden'', at the time, was as close to edging towards a grand finale as one could get. [[spoiler:Yamabushi, a Touken Danshi, died onscreen, Yamanbagiri was appointed the new leader after Munichika, and while there is a sequel hook in releasing Munechika from his constant loops, one would be under the impression that you could loop the five plays released to to them and it would feel like a complete story.]] However, the director as well as actors gave the fandom hope for the future of the stage plays, as well as the characters. While it was considered the final play for a little while, ''Jiden'' followed in 2019.

* ChromosomeCasting: Due to there canonically being no women in ''Touken Ranbu'', as well as [[OneGenderRace no female Touken Danshi]], there have only been male [[CanonForeigner canon foreigners]] introduced in the stage plays thus far. [[spoiler: Even the Saniwa is revealed to be male.]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: The fifth stage play ends with a massive TearJerker. Though the director as well as actors give the fandom hope for the future of the stage plays, as well as the characters. Though it was thought to be the end of the stage play franchise, a sixth stage play was announced to be performed in 2019.]]

* BreakingOldTrends: The 2020 show introduces a relevant ''female'' character in Hosokawa Gracia. While continuities like ''Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu'' and the movie did feature girls, they were in minor roles; characters like ''Katsugeki's'' Saniwa did have female voice work and were relevant, but was treated as gender ambiguous unless you watched the dub or watched with subtitles, in which case he was male. For the eighth installment, the character is both played by and is female and a billed character.

* BreakingOldTrends: The 2020 show introduces a relevant ''female'' character in Hosokawa Gracia. While continuities like ''Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu'' and the movie did feature girls, they were in minor roles; characters like ''Katsugeki's'' Saniwa did have female voice work and were relevant, but was treated as gender ambiguous. For the eighth installment, the character is both played by and is female and a billed character.

** The Saniwa in the early musicals. Although the Touken Danshi constantly refer to them, they re either just off screen (and in the audience's general direction) or resting.

* WhamShot: At the final performance of ''Jiden'', one of the Retrograde Forces takes off his helmet and hat to reveal that [[spoiler:a version on Yamanbagiri has joined their ranks]].

* XanatosSpeedChess: The Retrograde Forces sure know how to change tactics. When their initial goal is thwarted by the Touken Danshi, they quickly choose another target to alter. ''Kyoden'', for example, has them trying to save Mori Ranmaru, then trying to prevent Nobunaga from committing seppuku, and finally trying to kill Mitsuhide.

* BigDamnVillains: The Retrograde Forces come to Ranmaru's aid when [[spoiler:the Touken Danshi attempt to assassinate him to preserve the timeline]]. Like many things that happen with the Retrogrades, this is presented as a bad thing.

* UnseenNoMore: The Saniwa finally makes his first appearance in ''Hiden''.

* DrivingQuestion: For ''Kyoden'': Who was Oda Nobunaga truly? Every major player affected by the man has their own take. To Fudou and Ranmaru, he was a beloved master and a treasured person; to Hasebe, a scoundrel who abandoned him; to Souza, the one and only Demon King; to Mitsuhide, [[spoiler:someone he didn't want abandoning him]].

* BreakingOldTrends: The 2020 show introduces a relevant ''female'' character. While continuities like ''Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu'' and the movie did feature girls, they were in minor roles; characters like ''Katsugeki's'' Saniwa did have female voice work and were relevant, but was treated as gender ambiguous. For the eighth installment, the character is both played by and is female and a billed character.

* TrustBuildingBlunder: In ''Kyoden'', the Touken Danshi try to encourage teamwork skills by having a red-versus-white team battle; Oda swords and Tsurumaru going with Yamanbagiri, Awataguchis and Shokudaikiri going with Munechika. The Red Team is generally spot on and in sync, but the White Team's major malfunction lies in Fudou.

One of [[Theater/TouMyu two]] distinct stage continuities, Touken Ranbu Stageplay (or '''''Tousute''''' as it's abbreviated) is a series of Stage Plays adapted from the widely popular ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' franchise. Each stage play focuses on a new story, with few recurring characters, namely Mikazuki Munechika[[note]] Save for the stageplays set before he manifested[[/note]] and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro being a constant staple in them. It all comes together in the fifth stage play, ''Hiden: Yui no Me no Hototogisu''.