Title: Hakuoki-Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: Record of the Jade Blood (on Blu-ray
Director: Osuma Yamasaki
Studio: Studio Deen
U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23
U. S. Release Date: December 13, 2016
Format: Blu-ray / 10 Episodes / 250 Minutes
Genre: Historical, Supernatural, Romance, Drama
Age Rating: TV 14
Overal Personal Rating: B
Synopsis:
Hakuoki Record of the Jade Blood contains episodes 1-10 of season 2.
Betrayed by the shogun and forced to flee to Edo, the Shinsengumi are fighting a desperate battle; not just for their lives, but for their very souls and the ideals they swore to stand for.
Now, as Harada, Shinpachi, and Saito launch a dangerous thrust to fight their way out of Koufu, Chizuru must decide whether to hold true to her own oath to Hijikata. Will she stand guard over the wounded Kondou and Okita, or will she succumb to the hopelessness and disillusionment that has shattered their ranks?
As the Fury’s advance, Hijikata must face the greatest test of all: can he keep the Shinsengumi together? Can the powers to be gained from the Water of Life ever justify the nightmarish price? As the fires of war threaten to consume Japan, the last hopes of salvation lie in the courage and steel of a chosen few in Hakuoki: Record of the Jade Blood!
Special Features: Hakuoki Sweet School Life ~ Chizuro in Danger?!, The X-Day that Calls Forth a Storm, Extra Chapter, Clean Opening and Closing Animations.
Commentary:
The popular series Hakuoki is back with the second season that deals with the Shinsengumi and the external forces looking to destroy both their way of life and them if possible. The series gives us the feel and context of heavy melodrama that detail the world of these two unrequited lovers. The heavy melodrama tends to slow down the story and make it tough to watch from time to time. Even with the heavy hand I was still able to get into the series and the second season takes farther down the road and help us feel like that there might be a future for Hijikata and Chizuro.
I appreciated the character development and the almost historical thoughtfulness that was included in the story.
Overall Grade: B
The animation for Hakuoki-Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: Record of the Jade Blood is above average, but it leans on CG a little too much. I find it better if historical stories stick to a rather traditional anime format rather than trying to make things look too slick. It wasn’t anything overly disturbing but it detract a little.
The area that I found to have the greatest impact on the story was the writing and the melodramatic overtures that ran through it. I guess that with so many of the characters so serious it was hard to see some of them come across as less dedicated. I also thought that there was way too much dark presence in the film to allow the viewer to become relaxed and get with the story.
Hakuoki-Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: Record of the Jade Blood is a good second season to the series and it should be approached as a way to find more and more about these two how have the pressures of war and lineage pushing them in different directions. If you are looking for a solid historical series with plenty melodrama romance and mystery and a bit of supernatural essence then Hakuoki-Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: Record of the Jade Blood is something you should check out.
