Kyoto Winds be like…

Edo Blossoms be like…

Hakuouki : Routes order suggestion

This suggestion is on my opinion alone. My reasoning depends on the story of the route, how they related to others and mostly my sentiment.

Apologize in advance for any mistake.

1.Hijikata : Best to start with the main route. It got a broad view of the story that cover most of the main plot while the other routes are branches from the main one. Some of the other routes could be left with cliffhangers and that would be confusing. Also the prologue make it obvious that he is the main love interest, then it would be good to go with him on your first game. Not so much romance but one of the best romance.

2.Okita : Atleast before Saitou’s route.

3.Saitou : Atleast before Shinpachi and Harada

4.Shinpachi : Heisuke before Shinpachi is also fine.

5.Heisuke : Atleast before Harada’s route.

6.Harada : In case you go with Heisuke before Shinpachi, either Harada or Shinpachi is fine.

7.Sakamoto

8.Sannan

9.Yamazaki

10.Iba : Atleast before Souma’s route.

11.Souma

12.Kazama

13.Normal route(Yukimura Chizuru)

Following the game’s order would do either. Hijikata > Okita > Saitou > Heisuke > Harada > Shinpachi > Sannan > Yamazaki > Iba > Souma > Sakamoto > Kazama

I’ll share my reasoning in the spoil section for those who finished. It contains heavy spoilers. Better not read them if you haven’t finished.

*You can skip this part since I’m only sharing my own*

Here are my routes in order when I first play. I thought I should go with the 6 original routes first.

1.Hijikata : Because he’s the main route.

2.Harada : I like him very much and couldn’t wait any longer.

3.Okita : I’m just picking 1 out of 2.

4.Saitou : I’m just picking 1 out of 2.

5.Heisuke : Keep the one I’m interested as the last before moving to Kazama.

6.Kazama : Last one of the original 6 after finishing the Shinsengumi’s guy’s route.

Now the other 6 and the normal route.

7.Shinpachi : I’m curious how his route would turned out because I see him as a bro rather than love interest.

8.Normal route KW only : Somehow I just felt like playing with my own choice without guide and got this. I didn’t know it still continues in EB! How stupid have I been those entire time ;;-;;

9.Sakamoto : He had my worst interest when I first met him so I hurry play his route before I lose interest at last. But he turns out to be my favourite, though.

10.Sannan : I want to know more about him.

11.Normal route EB only : I continue this route right after I realized it hadn’t finished yet. Took me long enogh to realize though. *continues to cry*

12.Yamazaki : I like him. Just saying.

13.Iba : Last one before Souma.

14.Souma : Save my dear for the last.

HUGE CHUNK OF SPOILERSBELOW

1.Hijikata:The main route, of course. By far the best route in terms of the plot and romance pairing in my opinion. If I can hold the most depressing route, then I should pass the others as well!

2.Okita : His happy ending was sweet but left a cliff hanger that kinda crush me after I expect so much. I mean, when I started his route I was like “finally, I can get him a happy ending he deserves ” but at the end of his epilogue makes me go completely blank then question “He’s just sleeping, right?”. Until now I still want to believe that he just simply fall asleep even though it might not be true.The ending would definitely crush me even harder if play his route as one of the last route since my expectations on his ending would grow higher as I grew fond of him more after every routes.

3.Saitou : This involved Okita, Harada and Shinpachi.

Go for Saitou after Okita. Chapter 3 of KW when Chizuru learns about his condition upon hearing his conversation with Matsumoto-sensei. That scene suppose to be Okita’s scene, so I should focus on him on the first try rather than Saitou because Saitou stopped me from being soooooo emotional over the scene.

Go for Saitou before Harada and Shinpachi. Saitou get to reunite with them after they left in EB. It’s more fun to surprise yourself from Chizuru’s pov by meeting up with them without knowing the story from their side yet.

4.Shinpachi : I prefer him before Heisuke because I wanna see the side of the one who’s strongly against the idea of rasetsu before Heisuke’s side who accept to be rasetsu on his own decision. Shinpachi’s disagreement is totally accurate, but Heisuke’s side isn’t something you get to see much aside from his. It’s fine to put Heisuke first but I like the other way better.

5.Heisuke : His route in chapter 4 of KW during Aburano incident has his painful CG appearing in both his and Harada’s routes, so I’d rather gone through this part in his route before Harada’s since this scene is mostly about him. Quite similar to Okita and Saitou’s case.

6.Harada : It’s all written mainly in Saitou and Heisuke’s.

7.Sakamoto : Actually I’m a little on edge between Sakamoto and Yamazaki. Playing the route of a guy who oppose to the Shinsengumi after the Shinsengumi’s guys route would do. But putting Yamazaki and Sannan later should be okay since they don’t really have anything to do with the Shinsengumi much in the last half part(they’re practically dead), while Souma is a special case for me.

8.Sannan : I think it’s not that serious on where to put this in order. But it shows another side of him with his resetsu stuffs which might be good to see after/apart from his cheesy sides in other routes. I’m also referring to the scene where Sannan in rasetsu form argues with Sakamoto, so I’m putting him after Sakamoto and others above as his role isn’t that heavy in the remaining routes.

9.Yamazaki : I just realized in this route that he(and also Shimada) had been looking out for Chizuru these whole time throughout those routes without me knowing eg. when she delivered a message to Saitou or go out with Sakamoto. He surprised me a little in Sakamoto’s route and even more in his own route so I decided to save him for later. I’m thankful for him and this got me blushing a bit. That’s kinda sweet :)

10.Iba : Similar to Yamazaki. He surprised me for having a crush on Chizuru since childhood. Like, really? This whole time? After all of those routes? Since the beginning? Since before I know you?? Since Chizuru even remembers you??? Also putting Souma after him is a good decision by luck. Come on, Iba, don’t guilt trip me too hard I just finished yours

11.Souma : Basically parallel to Hijikata. Hijikata is one of the starters while Souma is the last chief. Hijikata as Chizuru’s commanser and Souma as her junior. If we have Hijikata as the start of the story of Shinsengumi, Souma could be the end. Playing his route which contains flashback of the other members after their routes sounds perfect to me. I love how I get to see the other old characters trust Souma with the Shinsengumi and pass on their legacy to him. Although I think Kazama is better as the last order, I don’t regret having him to end with. Indeed, I’m glad.

12.Kazama : Another parallel to Hijikata, but a little different from Souma. In Hijkata’s, Chizuru views the story from inner side while supporting her love’s back to his goal. In Kazama’s, Chizuru views the story from outer side while having Kazama supporting her back to her goal. He is the only love interest who is an original character which doesn’t involve with the history and his route is also the normal ending so he’s best as the last love interest.

13.Normal route(Yukimura Chizuru) : Best route to end the game with no romance. *shed tears* *sniff* *sniff*

I may not be good at expressing my thoughts into words and my writing skill isn’t something I’m so proud of, so I apologize if it’s confusing. But I’m doing my best and I’ll try to improve! Please feel free to correct me if I made any mistake. You can also share your thoughts whether you agree or disagree on anything. I’d be happy to hear different thoughts.