History VideoGame / ValkyrieDriveBhikkhuni

The island famous for successfully controlling the "V-Virus". Girls who enroll in Bhikkhuni's school can overcome the virus. And thus, it is a school with many hopeful applicants. Among them is a pair of sisters infected with the "V-Virus".\\

The game is set in the same universe as ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'' but in a different island, the eponymous Bhikkhuni. This island is famous for being the only one to have its inhabitants successfully gain control over the Armed Virus' infection. Rinka and Ranka Kagurazaka -- our protagonists -- are recent arrivals to the island and can't wait to finish the island's program to cure their infections and return home. But soon enough they discover there is more than meets the eye and that obtaining a cure might be harder than they thought...

The game saw the light on December 10, 2015 in Japan, on September 30, 2016 in Europe and October 11, 2016 in the United States. A PC port was released worldwide on Steam on June 20, 2017.

* AcademyOfAdventure: Whereas Mermaid was downright considered a Penal Colony, Bhikkhuni is a boarding school with all kind of services needed to let its students have a comfortable life.

* AndTheAdventureContinues: The Order ending [[spoiler:has the girls deciding to take the fight to AAA and they're not alone this time around because Koharu is revealed to have been contacting the other artificial islands in order to unite all Valkyries against the World Government.]]

* AuthorAppeal: Being a game by Kenichiro Takaki, Bhikkhuni takes many cues from its sister series ''VideoGame/SenranKagura'', like the Dressing Room, the clothes-breaking mechanics and the well-endowed cast.
* BeginnersLuck: Subverted. The first few times that the newcomer Valkyries –Rinka, Ranka, Mana and Momo– face any of the senior students, they are swiftly defeated by them.

* BenevolentConspiracy: [[spoiler: Bhikkuni's staff allow no-one to leave the island, and uses all of its graduating Valkyries to create a new Pillar God with each passing generation... because they're still looking for a cure for the Armed Virus, the Valkyries comprising each God (thanks to their permanent Drives) are placed into perfect stasis until such a cure is found, and the [=AAA=] would essentially enslave any Valkyrie that actually did leave the island]].

** Rinka’s Katana ends being bigger than her in Final Drive.

* BigBrotherIsWatching: A benign example, as the Director keeps tabs of the entire island via a surveillance system ran from her office. The shopkeeper Echigoya also has a similar system, but she uses hers to fulfill any possible deal she can with the students.

** Amusingly enough, despite ''Valkyrie Drive'' as a franchise being known by the huge amounts of yuri fanservice, ''Bhikkhuni'' is also tamer on the fanservice department than the entries of its sister series ''Videogame/SenranKagura'' as well.

* BrainsAndBrawn: This the basic Dynamic the Kagurazakas have when paired together: Rinka brings the Brains and Ranka the Brawn.
** You get this dynamic by pairing any character with Manpukumaru, who's easily the strongest Valkyrie on the roster but also the most ditzy and easily distracted.

* CastFullOfGay: Every girl in the island is a lesbian. And that includes the ''Four Pillar Gods'' [[spoiler:especially Gundari who is revealed to be Echigoya's partner.]]
* CerebusSyndrome: The game starts out as a lighthearted action story with comedic elements. The narrative gets a lot darker after an [[spoiler:unnamed, naked girl drops out of Gouzanze.]]
* ChildSoldier: Momo was raised in the battlefield before coming to Bhikkhuni, and [[spoiler:the manga reveals she was part of the SOLDIER program like Mirei]] and the subsequent cultural clash between her and her civilian classmates is the driving theme behind her character arc.

** Momo is a ChildSoldier, Viola mentions to have been involved in actual wars and [[spoiler:Manpukumaru’s obsessive fixation on food and not wasting it is a coping mechanism for her time being forced to fight constantly on another island, and she's geniunely unable to see the point in anything unless food is involved now]].

* EvolvingWeapon: By raising the girls’ Extar rank, they can adopt newer and stronger forms during combat. Unlike ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'', the Bhikkhuni Valkyries can access four different tiers of power: Drives 1, 2, 3 and Final Drive.

* GildedCage: Despite Bhikkhuni being an artificial island built to quarantine V-Virus carriers, it counts with all kind of luxuries for its inhabitants: shopping districts, luxury homes, top of the line medical services, beautiful beaches and a caring and capable faculty to take care of you, but it's a CrapsaccharineWorld. You have to battle other alumni every day and if your track record isn’t satisfactory, you will shipped off to another island right on the spot. [[spoiler:This without taking into account the whole “get sealed inside a giant robot indefinitely” or the "used as a weapon by the government if you leave the island" bits.]]
* HumongousMecha: The Four Pillar Gods, teachers and guardians of the island are modelled after TheFourGods. To wit:

** [[spoiler:Later in the game is revealed that the entire VR-Class is being groomed by the Director to become the fifth member: Kirin. Thankfully the girls are able to stop this plan.]]

** Since Mirei’s uniform doesn’t includes a bra, it grants this to any girl that wears it.

* MightMakesRight: Since the treatment for the V-virus depends on the students fighting each other in a regular basis, those Valkyries that perform exceptionally well during the combats receive preferential treatment by the island's faculty. At the beginning of the game Manpukumaru, Viola and Koharu's power is so well known by everyone that they are exempt from needing to attend classes and do schoolwork and are able to spend their days doing whatever they want.

* NoAntagonist: [[CreatorThumbprint As usual in a Takaki game,]] there isn't really a villain, just lots of fights with students and teachers.
* NoCanonForTheWicked: Downplayed because the Chaos ending isn't a BadEnding (although [[spoiler:the girls decide to remain on the island instead of trying to liberate it]]) but after completing the game for the first time regardless of the ending you get, you will get a notification saying to achieve an SS rank on certain missions with a "!" mark on them in order to view the true ending of the game. Achieving an SS rank on these marked missions will unlock the Order route which also leads to the SequelHook detailed below.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: During the Order route, Rinka, Ranka, and Momo are having a talk on what to do next after [[spoiler:learning the truth about Bhikkhuni in the preceding chapter]]. When Rinka asks Ranka if the latter would like to come with her (to [[spoiler:fight against the Pillar Gods]]), Ranka somehow takes this as a ''marriage proposal'', immediately going on a tangent about where the two of them should get married. When [[ObliviousToLove Rinka]] asks what Ranka is talking about, Ranka realizes her mistake and becomes embarrassed. Even Momo is at a loss for words because of this.

* OneWomanArmy: Through the game you pretty much mow through all of Bhikkhuni’s students with the girl of your preference.
* OnlyTheChosenMayWield: Played with, while only Liberators are able to wield Extars, the VR-Class members are able to freely interchange roles and extars between them.

* TheReveal: More meta than anything, but ''Bhikkhuni'' reveals that [[Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid Lady J and Rain Hasumi's]] status as Extar/Liberator hybrids, while rare, isn't actually all that unique: the entire cast of Bhikkhuni are hybrids.

* ScienceFantasy: On one hand you have a futuristic setting filled with robots and on the other you have all the protagonists using weapons like swords, spears and bows.
* SequelHook: In the Order ending (also called the "True Ending" by the game itself), after Bhikkhuni has been liberated it is revealed that [[spoiler:Koharu has been in contact with the other artificial islands including [[Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid Mermaid]] and is looking to unite all Valkyries in order to fight back against AAA.]]

* TamerAndChaster: Despite being part of the same franchise, ''Bhikkhuni'' is a '''lot''' tamer than its sister anime ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid''. In an interesting example of this trope, this situation stems only from the strict regulations that the Japanese Rating Board puts on videogames, if ''Bhikkhunism'' and ''Otherside'' are any indication.
* TheStoic: Momo is this during the first half of the game. She later [[DefrostingIceQueen grows out of it]] after [[CharacterDevelopment interacting with the Kagurazakas and Manpukumaru for an extended period of time.]]

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: ''Bhikkhunism'' reveals that the story is set in an unspecified point in the future.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: [[spoiler:The Director, Echigoya and the Four Pillar gods are so committed to keep Bhikkhuni as a safe haven for Valkyries that they will endorse Mana's sociopathic behavior and seriously consider [[TheNeedsOfTheMany killing the Kagurazakas for asking too many questions]]]].
** The World Government/AAA falls under this as well. According to Echigoya in Chaos 17-A, the World Government was formed in order to keep the world safe. The way they do this is by controlling wars and weapons between each countries by selling the latest weapons to each other, so that no country ever becomes strong enough to threaten the world at large. As Echigoya says: they start conflicts to end conflicts. Rinka is horrified by this revelation.

** The World Government/AAA ''[[SubvertedTrope would]]'' fall under this but their methods are considered by others to be too brutal since the AAA considers UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans. So brutal, in fact, that [[spoiler:after learning about the truth of Bhikkhuni in the Order route, the main cast agrees with Koharu's plan of contacting the other artificial islands to unite all the Valkyries in the world and fight back against the World Government.]]

* WhamShot: The second fight against Gouzanze, where the player is likely to go after her weakpoint like every other fight with the Pillar Gods, only to [[spoiler: suddenly have a naked girl fly out of Gouzanze's body once a weak point is smashed]].

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Momo, despite being one of the most mature girls in the cast, is actually the youngest character in the game with her being only 14 years old.
** Echigoya is only 18 despite running a massive commercial operation that covers the needs of everyone in the island.
* YuriGenre: One of the most blatant examples. Let's just say that none of the girls are shy about showing their affections for one another and leave it at that.

'''''Valkyrie Drive -Bhikkhuni-''''' is the videogame side of Marvelous' ''Valkyrie Drive'' project. The game has spawned an interquel manga called Bhikkhunism and ongoing manga sequel/AU for mobile phones called Otherside.

[[caption-width-right:350:Rinka and Ranka Kagurazaka]]
->''A mysterious illness suddenly broke out on girls in their teens and twenties, enhancing them mentally and granting them the ability to turn their bodies into extremely lethal weapons. The cause of the illness was a particular virus currently classified into two types: “A-Virus” and “V-Virus”''

->''The World Government enacted a law to care for patients infected with the virus. Five secret artificial islands were established to quarantine the infected patients.''

->''One such quarantine island: Bhikkhuni.''

->''The island famous for successfully controlling the “V-Virus”. Girls who enroll in Bhikkhuni’s school can overcome the virus. And thus, it is a school with many hopeful applicants. Among them is a pair of sisters infected with the “V-Virus”.''

->''The elder Rinka Kagurazaka, whose innocent graces hide her power within.''
->''The younger Ranka Kagurazaka, whose outgoing energy belies her frailty.''

->''They are still unaware there is only one way to control the virus.''

->''And that is…for infected patients to battle each other.''
->'''Game’s Introduction'''

The game is set in the same universe as ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'' but in a different island, the eponymous Bhikkhuni. This island is famous for being the only one to have its inhabitants successfully gain control over the Armed Virus’ infection. Rinka and Ranka Kagurazaka -our protagonists- are recent arrivals to the island and can't wait to finish the island's program to cure their infections and return home. But soon enough they discover there is more than meets the eye and that obtaining a cure might be harder than they thought...

* BleachedUnderpants: Despite being part of the same franchise, ''Bhikkhuni'' is a '''lot''' tamer than its sister anime ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid''. In an interesting example of this trope, this situation stems only from the strict regulations that the Japanese Rating Board puts on videogames, if ''Bhikkhunism'' and ''Otherside'' are any indication.

* {{Gainaxing}}: The animation of all the characters' breasts is very bouncy, even when they're not moving that much.

* SchoolgirlLesbians: Everyone on the island.

* MightMakesRight: Since the treatment for the V-virus depends on the students fighting each other in a regular basis, those Valkyries that perform exceptionally well during the combats receive preferential treatment by the island's faculty. At the beginning of the game Manpukumaru, Viola and Koharu's power is so well known by everyone that they are exempt of assisting to class and are able to spend their days doing whatever they want.

* TheCakeIsALie: Those infected with the virus are lured to the islands under the promise of being cured of their condition. [[spoiler:However, it's later revealed that there is no cure for the virus and that the Four Pillar Gods have taken to freezing the time of those infected indefinitely until a cure is found some time in the future.]]

* ClosedCircle: The characters are on a remote island surrounded by a giant barrier. It's near impossible for them to leave [[spoiler:until the girls take down the barrier that is]].

* TheConspiracy: The latter half of the story focuses on the Kagurazakas ([[AndZoidberg and Momo]]) fighting to discover the truth behind Bhikkhuni.

** Momo is a ChildSoldier, Viola mentions to have been involved in actual wars and [[spoiler:Manpukumaru’s obsessive fixation on food and not wasting it is a coping mechanism for her time being forced to fight constantly on another island]].

* DragonWithAnAgenda: By the start of the third chapter [[spoiler:Mana has willingly become the Director’s enforcer so she can fulfill her wish of becoming Bhikkhuni’s ruler]].

* GildedCage: Despite Bhikkhuni being an artificial island built to quarantine V-Virus carriers, it counts with all kind of luxuries for its inhabitants: shopping districts, luxury homes, top of the line medical services, beautiful beaches and a caring and capable faculty to take care of you…
** CrapsaccharineWorld: … but you have to battle other alumni every day and if your track record isn’t satisfactory, you will shipped off to another island right on the spot. [[spoiler:This without taking into account the whole “get sealed inside a giant robot indefinitely” or the "used as a weapon by the government if you leave the island" bits.]]

* LivingWeapon: Momo was treated as one in her DarkAndTroubledPast.
* MechaMooks: The island has a huge amount of these to serve as sparring partners for the Valkyries

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: [[spoiler:The Director, Echigoya and the Four Pillar gods are so committed to keep Bhikkhuni as a safe haven for Valkyries that they will endorse Mana's sociopathic behavior and seriously consider [[TheNeedsOfTheMany killing the Kagurazakas for asking too many questions]]]]
** The World Government/AAA falls under this as well. According to Echigoya in Chaos 17-A, the World Government was formed in order to keep the world safe. The way they do this is by controlling wars and weapons between each countries by selling the latest weapons to each other. As Echigoya says: they start conflicts to end conflicts. Rinka is horrified by this revelation.

** The World Government/AAA ''[[SubvertedTrope would]]'' fall under this but their methods are considered by others to be too brutal. So brutal, in fact, that [[spoiler:after learning about the truth of Bhikkhuni in the Order route, the main cast agrees with Koharu's plan of contacting the other artificial islands to unite all the Valkyries in the world and fight back against the World Government.]]

The game is set in the same universe as ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'' but in a different island, the eponymous Bhikkhuni. This island is famous for being the only one to successfully gain control over the Armed Virus’ infection. Rinka and Ranka Kagurazaka -our protagonists- are recent arrivals to the island and can't wait to finish the island's program to cure their infections and return home. But soon enough they discover there is more than meets the eye and that obtaining a cure might be harder than they thought...

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: This goes without saying. It is highly unlikely, if not outright impossible for a ''virus'' to grant people the ability to turn into weapons and back again
* AuthorAppeal: Being a game by Kenichiro Takaki, Bhikkhuni takes many cues from its sister series, ''VideoGame/SenranKagura'' like the Dressing Room, the clothes-breaking mechanics and the well-endowed cast.
* BeginnersLuck: Subverted. The first time the newcomer Valkyries –Rinka, Ranka, Mana and Momo– face any of the senior students they are defeated by them.
** Unless said senior is [[TheWorfEffect Manpukumaru]]
* BeneficialDisease: The Armed Virus already gives enhanced physical capabilities to its hosts but the VR strain that affects the game’s cast also enables them to be Extar or Liberators at will.
* {{BFS}}: Koharu’s rapier gets progressively larger on each Drive level.

* BigBrotherIsWatching: The Director keeps tabs of the entire island via a surveillance system ran from her office.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:Mana. Although in her defense, she was a genuinely good girl at the start of the game]]
** [[spoiler:The Director shows shades of this once her plans for Koharu are derailed]]

** Amusingly enough, despite Valkyrie Drive as franchise being known by the huge amounts of yuri fanservice, ''Bhikkhuni'' is also tamer on the fanservice department than recent entries of its sister series ''Videogame/SenranKagura'' as well.

** You get this dynamic by pairing any character with Manpukumaru.

* ChildSoldier: Momo was raised in the battlefield before coming to Bhikkhuni [[spoiler:the manga reveals she was part of the SOLDIER program like Mirei]] and the subsequent cultural clash is the driving theme behind her character arc.

* ClosedCircle: The characters are on a remote island surrounded by a giant barrier. It's near impossible for them to leave [[spoiler:Until the girls take down the barrier that is]]

** Rinka and Ranka come from a relatively normal background, Mana only has self-esteem issues and while Koharu’s past is left mostly unexplored, is implied she hasn’t had to face any real issues before coming to Bhikkhuni.
** Momo is a ChildSoldier, Viola mentions to have been involved in actual wars and [[spoiler:Manpukumaru’s fixation on food is coping mechanism for whatever transpired in her past]]

* EvolvingWeapon: By raising the girls’ Extar rank they can adopt newer and stronger forms during combat. Unlike Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid, the Bhikkhuni Valkyries can access four different tiers of power: Drives 1, 2, 3 and Final Drive.

* FriendInTheBlackMarket: Echigoya will get ''anything'' for you as long you meet her prices
-->''Echigoya:'' "I will deal on anything but lives as long the price is right!"
* GagCensor: Unlike the Senran Kagura games, Bhikkhuni counts with two layers of censorship, LensFlareCensor and underneath it, a bunch of [[GardenGarment flowers]] ensures no naughty bits get exposed during gameplay.

* GenderRestrictedAbility: The Armed Virus doesn't affect XY chromosomes so only females can become Extars and Liberators.
* GildedCage: Despite Bhikkhuni being an artificial island built to quarantine V-Virus carriers, it counts with all kind of luxurys for its inhabitants: Shopping Districts, Luxury homes, top of the line medical services, beautiful beaches and a caring and capable faculty to take care of you…
** CrapsaccharineWorld: …But you have to battle other alumni every day and if your track record isn’t satisfactory, you will shipped off to another island right on the spot. [[spoiler:This without taking into account the whole “get sealed inside a giant robot indefinitely” or the "used as a weapon by the government if you leave the island" bits.]]

* KnightOfCerebus: The narrative gets a lot darker after an [[spoiler:unnamed, naked girl drops out of Gouzanze.]]

* MultipleEndings: A first for a Takaki game. Depending on your performance you can unlock two ending routes: Chaos or Order.

* OnlyTheChosenMayWield Played with, while only Liberators are able to wield Extars, the VR-Class members are able to freely interchange roles and extars between them.

* TheReveal: More meta than anything, but Bhikkhuni reveals that [[Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid Lady J and Rain Hasumi's]] status as Extar/Liberator hybrids isn't actually all that unique: the entire cast of Bhikkhuni are hybrids.

* SchoolgirlLesbians: Everyone in the island.

** Momo makes one to Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann of all shows when she's trying to cheer up Ranka [[spoiler:after Rinka was sent to the hospital after pushing herself too hard]]:

* TransformationSequence: The Drive cutscenes.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: [[spoiler:The Director, Echigoya and the Four Pillar gods are so commited to keep Bhikkhuni as a safe haven for Valkyries that they will endorse Mana's sociopathic behavior and seriously consider [[TheNeedsOfTheMany killing the Kagurazaka's for asking too many questions]]]]