Follow TV Tropes

Following

Recap / Musical Touken Ranbu Shunpu Touri No Sakazuki

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d7777c00_79d8_4be7_b189_7196d504d5a3.jpeg

Tsurumaru and Ookurikara watch the lunar eclipse, which prompts Tsurumaru to wonder when they last had a night like this.

The show then flashes back to when Ookurikara first manifested in the citadel and covers the first mission Tsurumaru and Ookurikara embarked on together, in which they walked through Date Masamune's entire life to discover what the Historical Revisionists' plan to alter history.

Kosai Souitsu, Date Masamune's mentor, guides them throughout the journey and serves as the narrator of Date's life.


  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Mainly on Ookurikara's side. Tsurumaru had no issue showing that he cares for Ookurikara, even after beating the snot out of him, and throughout the play wanted Ookurikara to show that he was strong enough to have his back. It was Ookurikara who, despite being an old friend, was distant toward Tsurumaru and rejected any show of camaraderie, only proving that he really does care by risking his life to avenge Tsurumaru after briefly believing that the Historical Revisionists killed him.
  • Almighty Janitor: Tsurumaru and Ookurikara are temporarily forced to pose as couriers after Date Masamune spots them, and they end up having to deliver letters for a variety of people, which is the subject of an entire song segment.
  • Brick Joke: After beating the snot out of Ookurikara, Tsurumaru can be seen digging a hole a few feet away from his unconscious body for no apparent reason before abandoning it when he hears the Saniwa call him. It reappears near the end of the play, when Tsurumaru and Ookurikara are sparring, and Tsurumaru, who had forgotten about the hole, falls into it.
  • Call-Back: A very minor one. Tsurumaru references to moon he saw in Shimabara (from the musical Paraiso), saying he prefers it to the one he and Ookurikara are watching.
  • Cerebus Call-Back: While there is no explanation for why Tsurumaru was digging a hole after fighting Ookurikara in this play, Michi no Oku would later imply that he was digging a hole to plant a cherry blossom tree for the Ookurikara, as it was a tradition of the early citadel to plant cherry blossom trees for newly manifested swords, one of which had been abandoned after the starter sword who began the tradition died.
  • Character Death: An odd example. Kosai Souitsu, who guided and mentored Tsurumaru and Ookurikara through Date Masamune's life, announces his death about halfway through the story and then disappears from the plot. Neither Tsurumaru nor Ookurikara comment on it, and the story continues without him, raising the question of how much of his presence was real, how much was a metaphor, and how much was a clever way to help the writers avoid As You Know.
  • Chekhov's Gun: Date Masamune's letters. He wrote many letters in his life, with some of his more important letters that cover his major life events framing the story. Their actual significance to the story wouldn't be uncovered until Tsurumaru and Ookurikara figure out that the Historical Revisionists plan to tamper with his letters to alter history.
  • Coming of Age Story: For Date Masamune. Tsurumaru and Ookurikara walk through nearly his entire life, from childhood to his death of old age to uncover the Historical Revisionists plans.
  • Cool Old Guy: Kosai Souitsu, Date Masamune's mentor. He takes to Tsurumaru's unusual sense of humor pretty quickly and is a lighthearted person overall. There's even a song where he raps.
  • Cross-Cast Role: In-Universe Example; To help them better understand why Kojuro wants to sacrifice his firstborn child for Date Masamune, Kosai Souitsu forces Tsurumaru and Ookurikara to perform Furyuumonji, or a spiritual awakening that can only be gained through experience rather than words or letters. Tsurumaru is assigned the role of Kojuro's wife and gets a little… too into the role.
  • Faking the Dead: Tsurumaru briefly pretends to be dead as a joke. His faked death is so convincing that Ookurikara flies into a blind rage and slaughters all of the Historical Revisionists.
  • The Ghost: Tsurumaru and Ookurikara mention Taikogane Sadamune and Shokudaikiri Mitsutada, fellow Date Masamune swords, before being sent on their mission.
  • Indignant Slap: Ookurikara tries to punch Tsurumaru for pretending to be dead, but Tsurumaru stops his fist and apologizes for taking his "joke" too far.
  • Ineffectual Loner: Ookurikara wants to believe that he's capable of handling things on his own, but Tsurumaru shows him from the start that he's weak and needs someone to watch his back. Part of his journey is learning to allow himself to rely on others and he gets a little better in the end, although it wouldn't stick all that much come Mihotose, which chronologically takes place after.
  • Inelegant Blubbering: Tsurumaru gets a little too into the role of playing Kojuro's wife, who in the scenario he and Ookurikara are acting out just learned that Kojuro plans to kill their first born.
  • No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Tsurumaru pulls a Mikazuki and beats up a newly manifested Ookurikara to teach him a lesson. Unlike Mikazuki with Iwatooshi, though, he doesn't give Ookurikara a chance to defend himself.
  • Ode to Apathy: "DARA DARA DANCE," a song about Tsurumaru and Ookurikara encouraging taking a day to relax and doing their favorite activities in order to conserve their energy and be their best selves for future tasks.
  • Rage Breaking Point: While he was cool throughout most of the play, Ookurikara reaches his when he believes the Historical Retrograde Army has killed Tsurumaru, leading to a brief Roaring Rampage of Revenge against them and him risking his life to single-handedly take down the enemy Yari... up until Tsurumaru gets back up, revealing that he was only pretending to be dead as a "joke".
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: If this type of relationship could be an Establishing Character Moment, it would be Tsurumaru walking up to Ookurikara and kicking his ass without provocation and without giving him a chance to fight back, beating him until he passes out. Ookurikara also spends most of the play being cold and distant toward Tsurumaru, but is revealed to genuinely care about him when he thinks he died and risks his life avenging him.
  • Whole Episode Flashback: Except for the beginning where they’re admiring the solar eclipse, the vast majority of the play takes place around the time Ookurikara first manifested in the citadel, with the ending revealing that it happens just before Mihotose.
  • Would Hurt a Child: Kojuro, who intended to kill his firstborn so that it would not supplant his lord Date Masamune, who had yet to bear his own heir. Date Masamune ends up writing him a redundant letter expressing his displeasure at the idea, but would later order the execution of everyone of Odemori Castle, leading to the deaths of many children.

Top