Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru

Protip: don't start watching this if you don't know anything about touken ranbu.
Protip2: watch it immediately if you're a saniwa

Reason? In short, you're most probably not going to enjoy it. In long, this anime obviously assumes that the watcher is familiar with either the characters or the concept of tkrb. It is too short to properly explain anything and half of each episode is dedicated to a different character. Needless to say, character development in ten minutes? I don't think so.

But the thing is, I've played the game ever since it came out so all the swords are very dear to me. Seeing them being ... animated like this made them more tangible for my smol saniwa heart. I recommend it to all fellow saniwas out there because this anime is seriously so heartwarming. (I hope you like Yasu-kun though bc he gets lots of spotlight lolol.) It gives more insight into the personalities and bonds of the swords, it even reveals some facts about them that you may not have known on beforehand! Anyway, it gets a 10/10 from me. I love my swords.

HA I cant believe people watched the anime for the "time-travel" stuff and all, thats hilarious. seriously, please dont watch the anime if you watched this for the time travelling concept, if you have never played the game, or if you have no knowledge about the characters at all. well, if you do watch the anime without playing the game, that will lead to lots of negative comments, boredom, and hate. And I could say that thats the problem right now.
Firstly, just play the game. Ive been hearing a lot of complaints and whining like, "omg is this yaoi" "where is the time travelling" "why ... are there so many characters" "ugh fujoshi bait again" "the fight scenes suck" "this anime isnt funny at all, the comedy is so forced" blah blah blah blah gibberish.
Secondly, the thing is, this anime was made specially for us saniwas, those who have played the game, and we love this anime from the bottom of our heart. We get every joke the characters make, their personalities, the places they go to, the story of each episode...etc. Why? Cuz we played the goddamn awesome game.
Thirdly, If youve never played the game, then watching the anime will definitley be boring as flour. For example, you will have no idea what the characters are making jokes of, you will have no idea what a tantou or yari is, why the small kiddos are missing their dear ichi-nii, oh well you probably wont know who ichi-nii is anyway, and why the people who played the game love this anime so much, etc etc etc
If you dont bother to play the game, dont bother to watch the anime. That way, there will be less hate and negativity. Well, you dont have to play the game if you really dont want to, but the anime may be really bland to you though, just dont hate on it. (the game is really really really great, made me cry cuz its been a year and I still dont have jiji)
Lastly, all the swords in this anime (and in the game), are beautiful and precious as hell , and I love them all.
Thank you and goodbyeeeeeeeeeee :)))))))

For starters, I have never played Touken Ranbu. So this review is based entirely on the anime. I strongly believe that if you need knowledge of the source material in order to enjoy an anime, then it has failed to be a good adaptation.

However, despite not playing the game, I still really enjoyed Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru.

I learned a term recently, that I think really describes Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru. "Cute boys doing cute things." Much like K On! is a "cute girls doing cute things" type of show. The plot of Hanamaru is not important, and never was meant to be.

Hanamaru is meant to be pure ... fluff, with wacky scenarios happening in every episode. The plot (if you can call it that), takes a back seat to the characters, and there are a lot of them.

The characters are so vast, and fun, with their own unique personalities. And the way they work off each other is always really entertaining. Unfortunately, with so little episodes and so many characters, there were many characters that had very little screen time. Characters that I ended up really liking had very little focus.

Now, on to the animation. The animation was beautiful at times, but still average. The slapstick was generic.

I can say the same thing about the music, with the exception of the opening song. Hanamaru Biyori is so damn catchy I cannot get it out of my head. Other than that, the music wasn't bad per se, but I'm not exactly going to be hunting down the OST to listen to more of it. It did it's job, but is mostly forgettable.

In my opinion, Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is more of a light, fluffy appetizer to hold us over until ufotable's Touken Ranbu airs later this year.

In conclusion, if you want to watch cute anime boys doing cute stuff, then I think you will enjoy Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru, regardless whether or not you've played the game.

After watching 5 episodes,I think this anime is mainly for people who already have some knowledge of the universe and characters of the game.
I know a bunch of them so I like it enough to want to see the next episodes.
I really like every time a new sword comes, its a funny anime in my opinion.

Something that I first found a bit disappointing is that there is two "main" characters, Kashuu and Yasusada, but after the firsts episodes they don't take too much screen time.

The art and colours are really pleasing.
The only point that bothers me is the eye showing through the hair of ... some characters, so it's not much XD

I think that the low score of this anime lies to the fact that it refers to a small amount of people.

Not many understand the value of a peaceful, chilling anime. On the contrary, they seek action, romance, violence etc.

It may be based on history, but you don't really need to know anything,it's very easy to follow.

There is gentle comedy going on, pretty often, and it makes you laugh because of the naive, sweet humor.

The art is simple but beautiful, there is no intense drama or tension, and the script is minimalistic and relaxing.

I am impressed by the huge number of characters, and ... it's worth to be mentioned, they are male-ALL OF EM.
Everyone has their own unique personality, and it's expressed by their clothes, hairstyle, makeup etc. I really liked that.

Another thing I found extremely cute and touching, is the faith these sword-characters have in their master, and the strong bonds of friendship they share.

Of course, there is no way someone remembering all of the characters, I think there are proximately 50 of em-YEAH :')

You should watch it if you're lookin for sth peaceful, calm and relaxing.

NOTE : my first review - English is not my mother language =)

Story :
On contrary to what I expected I really love this anime . It shows exactly what I was thinking and imagining when i was playing the game. How Hasabe is my assistant ( me = the master ) , how the work is divided between the swords ( the characters ) . I also love their daily life , how their personalities are exactly the same from the game, and how they really care about their master. I get really excited when a new sword come and their reaction towards it. I ... enjoy every episode i watch ~

Art :
The art is not that good but not that bad either. It's fine and good for the eye i think . The colors are calm and beautiful.

Sound :
I don't really care about the music , but there are some soundtracks that i enjoy listening to .

Characters :
I know all the characters and love most of the them, do I didn't find difficulty in knowing who is who. As I said before their personalities are exactly the same form the game and more deeper <3.

More to say :
- I think this anime is mostly made for the fans of the game since everything they do and their dialogues can't be understood if they didn't play the game.
- I'm so happy to see my beautiful characters animated and moving. I'll really be sad when this anime end ;; .

Before anyone criticize this anime, make sure you have played the game before, or else you would really be confused and bored while watching. This anime is for those who already knew who the characters are, what their backgrounds are, and what they are like. Really, stop whining and just start playing the game first. It really is an addicting game and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

So, moving on. The art is really good though some may find the animation of the fight scenes not as great as the others. The soundtracks are enjoyable, and I love the concept of each characters that are focused ... on a specific episode will sing the ending song. As of now I have all the songs used in the anime and I love each of them. The characters are really like what they are portrayed in the game, which I find really touching. The anime can really be funny and sad at the same time-- well of course to those who have a background of the game.


Hoping to see more of the swords for the next episodes! KA KA KA!!!

NOTE :
- I'm not played the game yet so i can write this review more objectively
- My score above is based on my enjoyement, it will be different in my review below
-This anime are absolutely made for fans of the game.

Before you decided to pick this show, what are you expected for this??? Epic plotline, action battle, characters developent?? If you want to get that, i think you shouldn't try this series since this anime had none with that or at least very decent amount.


Story :
Story is almost nothing.The synopsis says :"The "historical revisionists" have begun attacks on the past ... in their plot to change history. And The Saniwa, who have been charged with protecting history, can imbue life into objects, and has the ability to bring famous historical swords to life as male warriors" . But, in reality this show are mostly taken place in one place : "the fortress". Then, the majority things you're got here is Slice of Life-comedy feeling. I saw there're nothing different with other common SoL anime unless it's not filled with any single girl. And you will find some historical things on Japan history and they combined it with some action and drama, but it's decent.

Art and Animation:
About the art, they are doing good. The drawing, colouring, shadowing background, characters drawing, and enviroment looks suitable with this anime, not too bright as Moe anime and not too dark like Death Note. Something not good is when they drawing in action battle. After the drawing animated, it looks too fast to me but i know they put the effort in other aspect (SoL aspect). This is made the battle is mediocre and easily to forgot. About the animation , they're just look given standard animation with about 5-14 fps and without any single CGI.

Sound :
The sound in this show is mostly relaxed (they used relaxed classic Japanese music) in peace scene at the fortress while the SoL-comedy happened. And on the serious scene, the sound are pretty dramatic and with classic japanese music too. So this added more atmosphere at the scene itself. The insert song is so catchly, combined with classic Japanese music (classic Japanese guitar and flute) and modern music (drums) makes it worth to hear in my every week watching this show and i didn't skipped it. Then the attractive animation while the insert song is makes this much better. And plus they put the most of effort in the 11 different ending song! with different characters for each ending. It's give huge positive effect to me because i'm too cared about the insert and the ending song on an anime

Character :
This part are the reason why this anime are limited for fans of the game. They put much characters in this anime (about 45 characters with different trait and personality). It's almost impossible to remember at least the name of each characters if you don't play the game. In other hand, you must be easily to remember all characters in this anime with their trait and personality in one piece if you play the game. In addition, no female chara here that make this show feel sour and there are few male characters that looks like female (commonly called trap). Which some people doesn't like that.

Enjoyement :
I came to this show simply because it adapted by Doga Kobo. Their SoL-Comedy that they make are always amusing me. I rated 7/10 on this anime (Fine) if it based for my enjoyement.

Overall :
Based on my review above, i'd give this show 6/10 (Average) (5,92)

Added :
In conclusion, this anime are for fans of the game only. If you're try hard or masochist users like me (not played the game but still watching this), this show are recommended for you .

Still only watched for 5 episodes, so my opinions may change later on.

If you guys watched Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru simply because "Hey, there is a time travel element on it! Might be interesting to watch!", then don't.

Remember, they already repeated this line in each episode and even in their web:
"This anime is about a certain Citadel and certain Sword Warriors in the cheerful daily lives."
So, non-Touken Ranbu fans will probably have a hard time liking it.

Story: 8
Well, personally up until now I find the story not too bad. Being a daily lives anime, it doesn't have any specific goals or anything. But I think ... the story is focusing on how Yamatonokami and Kashuu develop as a person and as a sword, with the help of the others around them and with the happenings around them.

Art: 9
I'm glad that Doga Kobo does not destroy the original character design. That's all. The 3D CGs in the endings are especially beautiful.

Sound: 6
Sorry, but I found the music unmemorable, except for the Citadel BGM (since it always plays in the game)

Character: 9
Each sword have their own personality and emotions, and I'm glad that it does not differ much from the game itself. However, since there are too much characters (originally it is around 50 or more), it might be hard to go in-depth with them, if we only have 12 episodes. Thus, I personally think Doga Kobo will focus on Kashuu's and Yamatonokami's character development since they are the protagonists.

Enjoyment: 9
I find this anime enjoyable, really do. I look forward to every episode in order to find out who will come next.

Overall: 8
I rate this anime 8 overall. So will I recommend it: Yes, if you are a Touken Ranbu fan! For those who don't know Touken Ranbu, it might be best to know about it firsthand before watching. You don't have to play the game, but at least know their personality and gags so you won't be so confused in the anime.

That's all and thanks!

As of episode 5 I believe that this is the best review of the show that I can give at this time and will probably rewrite my review when the whole show is completed.

Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is a contextual piece of anime that exists for the sole purpose of fleshing out some of the more beloved characters in the Touken Ranbu universe. Most of the 20 minute episodes are divided into two 10 minute segments focusing on different characters or a different topic in the show and the show itself does NOT focus on the sharp action and battles that the game can speak ... for, instead this anime serves as a forerunner to the story based anime "Touken Ranbu" coming next year. It focuses very heavily on characters and interactions, and it's good that the characters keep some of their quirks from the game, giving fans a lot to live for.

The art style is pleasant and mediated which is good to see as the art in the actual Touken Ranbu game is drawn by over a dozen different artists due to the sheer number of characters the game boasts. The animation is smooth for the most part and doesn't cut corners and I think that the show makes great use of the contained Citadel setting that the swords live in.

In terms of story, it does not have a story and although many may complain about this aspect it even says in the intro that it is based around the lives of "A certain group of swords who live in a certain citadel". Although the recurring issue of Yasusada's strength complex in comparison to Kashuu is interesting and really the only solid recurring plot point the anime can stand for.

IN CONCLUSION:
This anime should be watched by the fans as it was created for the fans-!! It is not a piece to be analytically picked apart [although i could do that for the characters i'll refrain from it]. It is a great starting point for someone who wants to get into the game, and the show even picked up my extinguished passion for sword boys!!

-Clio

+1~ year Saniwa here; I was so so happy when the anime was announced and I haven't been disappointed in the least! I'm so glad the adaptation turned out so well and it made me miss all the guys since I don't have as much time to play anymore but all episodes give me so much feels, it is really heartwarming. Both the opening as well as the ending(s) are absolutely beautiful and I can't wait for the OST release. All in all I'm super happy, makes my Sundays so much better after a rough day. I'm already excited for the other adaptation next year, ... hopefully it will be done with as much love as this one!

Okay I get why this anime has such a low overall score, the reason is because many people bash these kind of shows for now reason. If it isn't about cute lolis or a dumb main male character who has a harem of 20 big boob ladies then the majority of the anime community will bash it because they are just salty. Also most people don't understand that this anime is adapted from a game!!! And it did an extremely good job adapting from that game!! So simple try playing the game before watching this you will get more enjoyment out of it promise! Also ... I watched this anime before playing the game because I was interested in Touken Rambu I just didn't play it yet, but then after playing the game for awhile I cam back and re-watched the whole series and enjoyed it even more!
Story 9/10
The anime did a good job adapting this story because the story in the game is a bit vague unless you get special cut scenes in the game with certain swords talking to each other. I also know that the anime didn't have much story but it also was mainly a slice of life/ comedy/ "cute show" and it did a good job.
Art 8/10
The art could have been better but for a show like this the art was pretty well done. Also I am hoping the show will look even better when season two comes out. But the shows animation fit the show well and each character design was pretty accurately portrayed.
Sound 8/10
In terms of sounds the bgms were not bad, but I love that there are character songs because each ending is done by a different character and the voice actors did awesome jobs singing.
Character 9/10
Each character felt like they had a personality, and each character was colorful and distinct. The show also focused on each character for a little bit some more than others though.
Enjoyment 10/10
I loved this show and I love touken ranbu as a series, so I got a lot of enjoyment out of this cute/comedy show with tiny bits of actions here and there.
Overall 9/10
Everything balanced out for a 9/10 for me

Here is my take on this: Touken Ranbu Hanamaru is not meant to be an "adaptation of the game," it is meant to be a gift to the game players.

People who give low score are mostly people who haven't played the game, which in fact does prove my point. You just gotta admit that you are not the target audience of this anime. And yes, anime is allowed to have a specific target audience. A good anime does not have to please everyone.

Why do I say this series is a "gift" to the game players? Because if you have ever played this game, ... you'd quickly realize that the gameplay is quite boring and is totally free-to-play. So, how does the company keep the players interested and how do they make money out of this? They mostly gain profit by selling merchandise and by selling tickets for musical and stage adaptation live shows of the game. This anime series is really just another way for them to please the fans, to keep them interested in this game and get them attached to the touken danshi (sword-boys).

All that being said, I can review that me as a game player, I am incredibly pleased by this anime. I love how each small story reveals different sides of the touken danshi as well as their relationship with each other. Every time I feel tired from the game, I will re-watch the whole series and I immediately gain motivation. The enjoyment is 10/10! Yes, I have watched this series for over 5 times already!

This is a short anime I found really enjoyable. At the beginning, I found it confusing but after looking into the details and plot of the game it is based off, it was easy to understand the gist of it. Touken Ranbu Hanamaru focuses on the daily lives of a bunch of sword boys and how they interact with each other. This anime just shows the viewers what happens in their daily lives - something not seen much in the game.

The amount of characters and trying to remember all of their names was a challenge though, as most has long and complicated names, but after ... some time, you could basically recognise the character anywhere due to their unique characteristics.

The music was nice and though it was not the most memorable, it was still recognisable. The art style, however was outstanding. Most anime character designs are simple so it would not take too long to draw but there is a lot of detail and effort put into designs, especially being able to have scenes where the characters are in their intricately designed battle gear.

The anime was funny and had many moments where you could just laugh at the characters getting up to no good or just generally doing their own thing. Besides being just a slice of life comedy, there are some action parts like battles and serious moments.

There is a lot of character development and history behind the characters that may not be explained in the game and it is commendable that it is done in such a short series. The episodes are split up into two parts and showcases the different antics of characters which gives them a fair amount of screen time rather than a few seconds and the rest to the main character, however, the main character does get more time but that is to be expected.

The anime does need some knowledge of some important Japanese historical figures and events but other than that and the idea of the actual plot in the game, this anime can be easily understood and enjoyable.

Genius idea having human swords and the experiences they go through. Also very impressed the creators made an awesome anime from a game, a good if unconventional reason to be impressed with something.

The series greatest strength are the many characters of which I'm sure people will like based on looks, oh and there's awesome fight scenes too, what's not to love.

Very good interactions as well, I assume they're based on the game so some people have their own groups but still cool seeing which people in different era's interact, overall has a real nice vibe about it which is always handy in an anime. ... There was also a crazy blue duck/bird/thing with human teeth for some inexplicable reason which was funny.

I haven't play the game yet, but I really LOVE this anime!!!
It's so relaxing, refreshing, cute, and fun to watch! I love all the characters (especially Yasusada & Kiyomitsu <3 )~~
*it took some time to remember their names though*
Every episode made me laugh so hard! XD
Well, some episodes have some sad feelings on it, but they still have jokes with them! I can watch this anime over and over again!
And, the opening and ending songs.. Absolutely love them! Especially the ones that was sung by Kiyomitsu - Yasusada and Iwatooshi - Imanotsurugi. I'd like to buy the CDs!! XD
Very recommended for someone who is looking ... for something peaceful (and cute!), and not recommended for someone who is looking for a serious themed anime.

Honestly, I watched Touken Ranbu Hanamaru after watching Katsugeki Touken Ranbu episode 1... so I kinda understood that Touken Ranbu Hanamaru might aim to briefly introduce the characters and their personalities.

Well, I really love this anime although I did not play the game...the storyline is decent... but more than that, I feel good knowing the characters' personalities. They are funny and they love their master (and former master) so much.

I also got excited with sword warriors related to Shinsengumi (After all, I'm a Hakuouki fan... haha!).

Lastly, this anime might be helpful for those who want to watch Katsugeki Touken Ranbu... I mean, to ... know the characters better and the bond between all the sword warriors.

Okay… I’m reviewing this now while finally playing the game.

Initially when this came out, I hadn’t played the game. My encounter with the franchise started with my Twitter timeline being plastered with beautiful character fan art (mainly Munechika and Kogetsunemaru) and eventually collecting the nendoroids (starting with Kiyomitsu). I was particularly drawn to the designs and aesthetic, of course with the ikemen theme as well, so I wanted to get acquainted with any bit of the franchise I could. Then, Hanamaru came out. It was a bit confusing because there are a LOT of characters that I had to remember. Having watched this season ... 3 times through the last few years and now playing the English release of the game, I think I can write a review on it now.

Story: 6
I liked the slice-of-life angle before, but now I can really appreciate it. It was interesting seeing what new character would join the citadel in show and now I get excited when I find them myself in the game. Naturally, the anime exists to promote the game so it isn’t particularly “deep” or anything, it’s not too different from the games premise of eliminating threats to history. The main swords (Okita’s Kiyomitsu and Yamatonokami) have their own challenges they must overcome and that’s what the story mainly follows, in addition to some other swords here and there. It’s not impressive but again, I appreciate it. I actually do love the way the sword danshi express whatever feelings they have for their previous masters. It’s an interesting concept on its own, factoring in real historical events and people.

Art: 7
Very visually pleasing. Designs are the same and the backgrounds are great. There are moments in a fight where we get the glorious shot of the character slaying the enemy and the frame is decorated with patterns and symbols, and the characters’ pose is a callback to their art in the game. However, the animation quality does suffer sometimes and becomes painfully average both in and out of battle. Hurts when you think about how epic a lot of it really could have been.

Sound: 6
In the moment, the soundtrack is nice to hear but even I can’t readily remember any single track that stood out after re watching this show so many times. The OP is a banger, easily the most memorable. Some of the EDs are fun too.

Character: 7
I really enjoy the characters. Their interactions with each other (which wouldn’t ever be possible outside of this series) are the reason why this is one of my favorite shows to keep watching. There are so many that there’s usually been something I didn’t pick up on the previous time. However, because there’s so many, there isn’t a whole lot of development (if that’s what you’re looking for) for most of them because they may not have an episode dedicated to them, they may just have a few minutes on screen.

Enjoyment: 10
Max enjoyment. I’ve just come to really enjoy the heck out of this series, so much so that I hope it keeps going, even as a spin-off. It wasn’t what it could have been here but I hope that some day, it gets another chance to be.

Overall: 7
It’s a pretty fun show to just turn on and just experience, whether you’ve played the game or not. There are some things that make more sense when you’ve played and things that go unanswered (because game) but they really don’t detract from overall watchability like you’d think they would. If you want something deep and thought provoking, go look somewhere else but if you want a lighthearted good time with a sprinkle of drama, give it a try.