Recap / Musical Touken Ranbu Michi No Oku Hitotsu Wa Chisu

The eleventh episode of the series which centers on a team of six Touken Danshi: Tsurumaru Kuninaga, who leads the group; Yamanbagiri Kunihiro; Kashuu Kiyomitsu; Suishinshi Masahide; Ookanehira; Hachisuka Kotetsu; and Mikazuki Munechika, who acts alone while messing around in the same time period.

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Song List

Main Story

• 1.) "Hana no Utena ~ Toi" - Mikazuki Munechika
• 2.) "Wakareta Tamoto" - Tsurumaru Kuninaga
• 3.) "Nee" - Kashuu Kiyomitsu
• 4.) "Kodai Tōhoku no Kiseki" - Yamanbagiri Kunihiro
• 5.) "Ezo No Uta" - Historical figures group
• 6.) "Tashikana Mono ~ Kyokyojitsujitsu - Michi no Oku group sans Mikazuki Munechika
• 7.) "Kage Futatsu" - Yamanbagiri Kunihiro
• 8.) "Tsuki no Hitori-goto 1" - Mikazuki Munechika
• 9.) "Tsuki no Hitori-goto 2" - Mikazuki Munechika
• 10.)"Ashiato ~ Ochita Hito Shizuku" - Tsurumaru Kuninaga
• 11.) "Akunaki Toi" - Suishinshi Masahide
• 12.) "Onore Utsusu Kagami" - Michi no Oku group sans Mikazuki Munechika, Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Mikazuki Munechika duet second half
• 13.) "Tashikana Mono ~ Ichirentakushō" - Michi no Oku group sans Mikazuki Munechika
• 14.) "Sagashi Mo No ~ Touken Ranbu" Reprise - Mikazuki Munechika primarily, Michi no Oku group
• 15.) "Taiga ni Ochita Tane ~ Hana no Utena" - Michi no Oku group sans Mikazuki Munechika, Mikazuki Munechika for the "Hana no Utena" half
• 16.) "Ashiato ~ Hokorobanai Tsubomi" - Tsurumaru Kuninaga

Live

• 1.) "Hyakkakenran"
• 2.) "Kimi no Nao" - Mikazuki Munechika
• 3.) "Sansan" - Kashuu Kiyomitsu
• 4.) "RESONANCE" - Hachisuka Koutetsu
• 5.) "Voice" - Tsurumaru Kuninaga
• 6.) "SETSUNA" - Suishinshi Masahide
• 7.) "That's my life" - Ookanehira
• 8.) "Stay away" - Yamanbagiri Kunihiro
• 9.) "Wild and tough" - Hachisuka Koutetsu, Suishinshi Masahide, Ookanehira
• 10.) "Resist" - Kashuu Kiyomitsu, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro
• 11.) "Kaze to Ageha" - Mikazuki Munechika and Tsurumaru Kuninaga
• 12.) "Homuramai"
• 13.) "Ezo no Uta" - Taiko time
• 14.) "Touken Ranbu"

Main Story Tropes:

• Adaptational Nice Guy: Ookanehira. He still harbors some resentment toward Mikazuki Munechika for being one of the Tenka Goken, and he initially believes the Saniwa is giving Mikazuki preferential treatment because of it, but he doesn't dwell on it, and is actually nicer about Mikazuki than he is in the original game, even showing concern for him. This is especially true in the second act, where the two actually seem to be friends despite Ookanehira's feelings of rivalry toward Mikazuki.
• A Day in the Limelight: The story revolves primarily around Mikazuki Munechika and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, their griefs and hang-ups, Mikazuki's mission, and Tsurumaru's feelings toward Mikazuki. Even the historical conflict that frames the story ties back into theirs.
• Aloof Ally: Mikazuki is on a mission in the same time period as Tsurumaru's team, but for the majority of the story, he deliberately avoids them except for "chance" encounters, only to disappear again to go about his own business afterward. During the climax, he also seems conflicted about helping the group when they face off against the Kebiishi once again, only stepping in to help when it becomes clear that they'll die if he doesn't.
• Anger Born of Worry:
  • Yamanbagiri Kunihiro gives Kashuu a knock on the head for very nearly getting himself killed by antagonizing the Kebiishi.
  • This is heavily implied as one of the reasons Tsurumaru is so angry with Mikazuki, whom he believes is on a futile mission that will almost certainly result in his death if he's not careful.
• Armor-Piercing Question: When Aterui asks Mikazuki how many times they've agreed to help him, he goes silent, implying that he's been looping this time period and also explaining why the Kebiishi showed up when he revealed himself to the other Touken Danshi.
• Atop a Mountain of Corpses: Mikazuki stands atop of a mountain of Aterui's fallen soldiers at the beginning of the play.
• Bait-and-Switch: Both duets on the first day performance gave the impression that Kashuu Kiyomitsu Kiyomitsu and Tsurumaru Kuninaga would be singing solos by introducing them first, until Yamanbagiri Kunihiro and Mikazuki Munechika joined them on stage by walking out and emerging from the darkness, respectively.
• Big Damn Heroes:
  • When the Kebiishi first appear, Mikazuki briefly returns twice to help Tsurumaru's team in fighting and gaining an advantage, even dragging the Kebiishi down the stairs to make their jobs easier. He only leaves for real when it's clear that they can finish them off without him.
  • Mikazuki rushes in to save Suishinshi from Tsurumaru, who was beating him up and likely very willing to break him just to get Mikazuki to come out and confront him.
  • Toward the end of the play, just as Tsurumaru's group is reaching their limit fighting off the Kebiishi, Mikazuki steps in and helps, with Tsurumaru and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro joining in to fight it off. However, it's Kashuu Kiyomitsu who helps in delivering the fatal blow.
• Big Damn Hug: After realizing Mikazuki has suffered greatly by listening to other people's grievances, Yahiko covers Mikazuki's ears and tells him it is okay not to listen, before giving him a big hug, to which Mikazuki slowly returns, as if surprised to receive affection.
• Bittersweet Ending: After what appears to be a reconciliation of their differences—that is, Tsurumaru's acceptance of Mikazuki's path—they have one final exchange that is similar to the one from Paraiso in which Mikazuki, through his Mononobe recruit, warns Tsurumaru not to push himself too hard and Tsurumaru responds by telling him to shut up, although this time, the exchange is lighthearted, and the two part ways once more. However, Mikazuki is still doing more harm than good to his mental health while on an apparently pointless quest to find something that the citadel lost, and now he has to worry about the Kebiishi being after him. Meanwhile, Tsurumaru is still lonely without Mikazuki, and hallucinates a memory of their happier times together. As for the other swords, they get a definitively happier ending, as they share a meal together and Kashuu has seemingly worked up the courage to ask Yamanbagiri Kunihiro about the old days of the citadel that the veteran swords have been hiding.
• Breaking Old Trends:
  • It's the first main installment to not introduce any new Touken Danshi into the story.
  • This play does not begin with the usual theme song, "Touken Ranbu," but instead introduces a new song.
  • This is the first time the characters have received more than one focus song in the second act set list, with each character receiving a solo and appearing in a duet or trio song (in one case with Ookanehira, Suishinshi, and Hachisuka).
  • It also reintroduces two elements that haven't been seen in the main installments since Atsukashiyama Ibun: Uchiban outfits, which the characters wear in this work because a portion of the play takes place in the citadel, and Shinken Hissatsu, which the characters (except Mikazuki) experience during the final battle against the Kebiishi.
• The Bus Came Back: After appearing in two main stage musicals^note Technically three for Mikazuki and four for Kashuu since reruns are counted as "appearances"/"installments" despite not updating the story, Mikazuki Munechika and Kashuu Kiyomitsu were absent from the main stage for six and four years, respectively, until making their formal comebacks in this play.
• Call-Back:
  • From Paraiso, Tsurumaru returns Mikazuki's words, "Don't push yourself too hard," and Mikazuki tells him to "shut up," just as Tsurumaru did to him previously, although this time, it was meant to be friendly exchange.
  • "Hana no Utena" from Tsuwamono Domo sung by Mikazuki Munechika makes a return in this play, albeit with updated lyrics. Tsurumaru Kuninaga also sings a variant of it at the end of the play.
  • During his confrontation with Mikazuki, Tsurumaru reminds him that old people are supposed to keep their promises, referencing what Mikazuki said about being an old man who keeps his promises after he and Yasuhira parted ways in Tsuwamono Domo.
  • One of the random games the characters play in the second act is song association, in which characters are instructed to correctly sing the lyrics to a previous song, and the other characters on their team have complete the lyric. Kashuu sings his part from "LOST THE MEMORY" from Atsukashiyama Ibun 2018 Paris, followed by Suishinshi singing Mikazuki's part in the song. Mikazuki Munechika sings "LOVE STORY" from Atsukashiyama Ibun.
• The Cameo: Yasuhira from Tsuwamono Domo briefly makes an appearance after his younger self gives Mikazuki a lotus flower.
• Chekhov's Gun: Mikazuki picks up a crane feather from his sleeve in the beginning of the play, but the audience is unaware of its significance at first, as its not revealed until later that Tsurumaru slipped it into his sleeve to track down Mikazuki, and Mikazuki, who realized this, intentionally kept it with him.
• Clothing Damage: This play brought back the extensive clothing damage from Atsukashiyama Ibun, which is a reference to the Shinken Hissatsu mode that the characters enter in the browser game. Everyone except Mikazuki loses most of their clothes in the climactic battle, though a flashback to the mission where Mikazuki, Tsurumaru, and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro are severely injured shows Mikazuki in this form as well.
• Connected All Along: This play reveals that Tsurumaru Kuninaga trained Kashuu Kiyomitsu after he manifested in the citadel, which explains why Kashuu has an aggressive fighting style and fights with a sheath and sword, as well as occasionally using Tsurumarus' spin technique.
• Continuity Nod:
  • The play's motifs—lotus flowers, the sea, and snow—refer to the motifs of Tsuwamono Domo, Paraiso, and Kousui Sanka respectively.
  • Mikazuki receives the warning from Taira no Masakado in Tokyo Kokoro Oboe, "If you stand too close to losers for too long, you'll eventually fall and become of them," via Suishinshi before they part ways once more.
• Covers Always Lie: Kashuu Kiyomitsu is featured in the center of the poster alongside Mikazuki Munechika and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, but despite being hyped as having a big role, he doesn't actually do much in the story, acting more as an observer and commentator on the conflict surrounding the veteran swords than anyone who moves the story forward. Meanwhile, Tsurumaru and Mikazuki's positions on the poster accurately reflect what happens in the play, as a good chunk of the story is about the conflict between them.
• Death of a Child: Yahiko is killed 55 minutes into the story when his father refuses to disclose Aterui's location to the enemy. Mikazuki witnesses the incident but doesn't intervene because the boy was historically intended to die at that moment, but he does lay a lotus flower on his chest as a symbol of their friendship.
• Downer Beginning: The play begins with Mikazuki Munechika speaking with and witnessing the executions of Aterui and Iwagu no More, before sadly singing "Hana no Utena" while standing atop a mountain of Aterui's slaughtered soldiers.
• Easily Forgiven: Suishinshi doesn't hold a grudge over Tsurumaru attacking him to bait Mikazuki into confronting him. It's all brushed aside after the fact.
• Empathic Environment: The wind can be heard gradually picking up as Tsurumaru beats up Suinshinshi in an effort to lure Mikazuki into a direct confrontation with him, indicating Mikazuki getting closer to them but also that he's fucking pissed.
• Face Death with Dignity: At the end of the play, Mikazuki cuts Aterui and Iwagu no More's bindings and tells them to flee to avoid being executed, but they refuse, preferring to die as intended and telling Mikazuki that his life is his own.
• Feather Motif: Tsurumaru, who has the image and motif of a crane, is represented by a crane feather in Mikazuki's flackback sequence. He also slips a crane feather into Mikazuki's sleeve, which is heavily implied to be a tracking device of some sort.
• Flashback: The musical features several flashbacks to the early days of the citadel, including happy times, and the doomed mission where a sword is implied to have broken.
• Flower Motifs: All over the place, beginning with the return of Mikazuki's lotus flowers and his signature song "Hana no Utena."
  • Cherry blossoms are a recurring theme throughout the play, referring to the tradition of planting one for each new Touken Danshi initiated by the (presumably) broken sword.
  • Flowers are mentioned in the lyrics of the second to only Live group song, "Hyakken Kyouran".
• Foil: The relationship between Aterui and Sakanoue no Tamuramaro is juxtaposed with the relationship between Mikazuki Munechika and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, best seen when Yamanbagiri Kunihiro watches the two spar and reminisces on when Mikazuki and Tsurumaru used to spar in the same way, back in the early, happier days of the citadel.
• Foreshadowing: The play begins with Mikazuki speaking with a tied-up Aterui and Iwagu just before their execution, foreshadowing that Mikazuki has visited this time period several times. Aterui also refers to Mikazuki as "Arahabaki," implying that Yahiko's later identification of him as such was not the first time he played god to these historical figures.
• God Guise: An odd example: As a tsukumogami, Mikazuki is somewhat of a god, but after saving Yahiko and his father from the Historical Revisionists, Yahiko mistakes him for the mysterious Tohoku deity Arahabaki, and he chooses to play along. After a while, the other historical figures begin to identify him as Arahabaki as well, and he doesn't bother correcting them. The beginning of the play suggests that this happens every time he visits the time period.
• Happy Flashback: A few.
  • Yamanbagiri sings nostalgically as he watches Aterui and Iwagu spar, recalling Mikazuki and Tsurumaru's playful sparring in the citadel's early days. Aterui and Iwagu vanish from the flashback, leaving only two characters, whose dialogue grows louder and clearer even as Yamanbagiri continues to sing. The flashback ends with a representation of their current relationship, with the two coldly facing away from each other, Tsurumaru casting a one-sided glance at Mikazuki before leaving, and Mikazuki continuing on with his mission.
  • Toward the end of the play, Mikazuki has a physical flashback to the early days of the citadel, with some of the happier memories being his time spent with Tsurumaru, them practicing Haikus together, and Mikazuki drinking tea while Tsurumaru chastises him for not helping him dig a hole to plant the cherry blossom tree for the newly manifested sword in.
• Heroic Sacrifice: One of Mikazuki's flashbacks heavily implies that the starter sword died protecting Yamanbagiri Kunihiro from a Historical Revisionists sneak attack.
• Hope Spot: A very brief one happens when Yamanbagiri's team brave through their wounds and defeat all three of the Kebiishi and start putting away their swords, thinking the battle is over, only for another even stronger Kebiishi to march out seconds later.
• Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: In the final climatic battle, Kashuu gets impaled through the stomach by a Kebiishi, but manages to survive it due to the Touken Danshi being harder to kill than humans. He's still considered gravely wounded and causes the other Touken Danshi to worry, however.
• Laser-Guided Amnesia: The flashback Mikazuki has toward the end of play heavily implies that he lost some of his memories of the past, as when the Saniwa says the names of the two swords who predate him, all that's heard is static.
• The Leader: The Saniwa designates Tsurumaru as the group leader, but after he gives the order for the team to return to the citadel to recover from their injuries following a battle with the Kebiishi, Yamanbagiri assumes leadership to allow Tsurumaru to do as he pleases, such as confront Mikazuki without being constrained. Meanwhile Hachisuka Koutetsu, Suishinshi Masahide, and Ookanehira performed a song as a trio.
• Living Macguffin: Mikazuki Munechika serves as this for Suinshinshi Masahide, who wants to find him so he can help him and understand the role he's been assigned, and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, who wants to find and confront Mikazuki so he can understand his mission and convince him to abandon it to return to the citadel.
• Meaningful Echo: In Paraiso, at the end of the Shimabara mission, Mikazuki, through a message delivered by the Mononobe, advised Tsurumaru not to push himself too hard, which Tsurumaru responded to by angrily telling the Mononobe to tell Mikazuki to "shut the fuck up" in response. The reverse is repeated here, albeit in a light-hearted manner when the two part ways, with Tsurumaru in a gentle tone telling Mikazuki not to push himself too hard, to which Mikazuki smiles and tells him to "shut the fuck up" which Tsurumaru smiles and laughs at, signifying that the two came to an understanding after confronting each other.
• Missed Him by That Much: Tsurumaru's team miss Mikazuki several times throughout the play, as he tends to leave just before they show up as if deliberately avoiding them.
• Moveset Clone: Played for Drama; While it was previously shown that Mikazuki and Tsurumaru are both Dance Battlers, this performance highlights just how similar their fighting styles are—to the extent that they fight off the Kebiishi almost in unison and use nearly identical defensive moves when fighting each other while seemingly also being able to predict each other's moves. A flashback to the citadel's early days shows them sparring playfully together, with Tsurumaru moving sloppily and Mikazuki's moves sharper, implying that they not only trained a lot together, but Mikazuki also played a significant role in helping Tsurumaru develop his move set.
• Mythology Gag:
  • During Mikazuki's flashback sequence, he, Tsurumaru, and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro say their forged lines from the browser game when they first appear in Saniwa's citadel. When Yamanbagiri Kunihiro first appears, Mikazuki also says the same line he says when a new sword is forged.
  • The Shinken Hissatsu outfits, which had not been seen since Atsukashiyama Ibun, are reintroduced in this play, primarily for Tsurumaru's team, as Mikazuki is not injured enough throughout the play to lose his clothes, though his can be seen briefly in flashback.
• Nightmare Sequence: Suishinshi has a nightmare about confronting Mikazuki Munechika with questions about his role, what Mikazuki wanted to protect, and what it means to protect history. The nightmarish aspect stems from him losing and Mikazuki briefly burrowing his sword into Suishinshi's head, which his exclamation implies is painful even in his dream.
• One-Man Army: Mikazuki handles both the Historical Revisionists and Kebiishi with ease whereas the other Touken Danshi both in this play and in previous ones struggle against the Kebiishi even while working as a team. Must have had a major offscreen power up between Tsuwamono Domo and this play…
• Out of Focus:
  • Aside from a vague discussion with Suishinshi about Mikazuki Munechika, Hachisuka Koutetsu has little to do in the story and is primarily an observer of the conflict happening all throughout.
  • The main story’s song distribution is very uneven, not helped by the unusual number of swords this time around (seven vs the usual six). Mikazuki Munechika technically had four solos (Sagashimono - Touken Ranbu Reprise is 99% Mikazuki, also possibly to make up for Mikazuki’s absence in most of the group songs), Tsurumaru had three, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro two, Kashuu Kiyomitsu and Suishinshi Masahide one each, and Ookanehira and Hachisuka Koutetsu had no solos. The second half seemingly made up for this by giving every Touken Danshi a solo, which rotated depending on the performance.
    • In terms of main story group songs, Mikazuki Munechika is left out of four of them due to not being a part of the main team and therefore not in the scenes where these songs happen. As for the ones he does appear in, the first one has him only join in on singing toward the very end of the song with an introductory solo line. As well, "Kage Futatsu" is treated as a single song, however Mikazuki doesn’t sing with the group initially, only joining in duet with Tsurumaru once the main group except Tsurumaru leaves.
• Poor Communication Kills: Like in Tsuwamono Domo and Kousui Sanka no Yuki, a recurring theme in this play is a lack of communication between characters who desperately need to talk to one another.
  • Tsurumaru and Mikazuki's lack of communication is heavily implied in this play to be the reason their once close friendship failed, as they were unable to express their desires and intentions to each other, resulting in Mikazuki leaving the citadel, Tsurumaru taking on more responsibility than he can handle in his stead, and resentment building up primarily on Tsurumaru's end as he watches his former best friend continue on in what he believes is a futile mission. Tsurumaru is also unable to tell Mikazuki that he misses him and wants him to return to the citadel, instead acting hostile toward him and telling him that his mission is making the Saniwa sad.
  • Despite taking Suishinshi under his wing, Mikazuki fails to communicate with him about the purpose of his assigned role or the mission he assigned to him, leaving Suishinshi distraught to the point of anxiety and nightmares.
  • Ironically, Ookanehira, a character who believes in just coming out and saying how you feel, was in the cast and had the potential to solve many of the group's problems had his screen time and story impact not been purposefully limited to prevent this from happening.
• The Promise: The concept of a promise is mentioned several times throughout the play as the characters try to figure out what a promise entails, and when a promise becomes a curse due to the lengths that someone, such as Mikazuki, will go to fulfill it. However, while the promise involved the veterans' swords, the characters are incredibly vague about the contents of the promise, or even who it was made to. In the end, the Saniwa claims that a promise is a wish, which is an answer Tsurumaru seems to accept.
• Retcon: In Tsuwamono Domo, Mikazuki Munechika took on the task of correcting the flow of history in order to spare the Saniwa the mental and emotional pain of dealing with it, with no indication that it was for any other reason. However, it's heavily implied in this play that Mikazuki became the mechanism to find the broken sword that was first mentioned in Kousui. Given that the broken sword was never mentioned in relation to Mikazuki until this play, it's unknown if this was always a planned plot development (if it's even the case) or if it was decided later.
• Sacrificial Lamb: Yahiko, the child Mikazuki befriends, is killed off 55 minutes into the play.
• Stealth Hi/Bye: To their annoyance, Mikazuki leaves scenes involving the other Touken Danshi as quickly as he enters them, making it nearly impossible for them to get answers from him. This eventually triggers Tsurumaru to beat Suishinshi to bait him to come out for a face-to-face confrontation.
• Strong as They Need to Be:
  • Mikazuki can fight off the Kebiishi and Historical Revisionists single-handedly, but when confronting Tsurumaru, who struggled against Kebiishi previously, he somehow manages to get hit by him several times and Tsurumaru actually seems like a problem. Possibly justified, given that the two are Moveset Clones and can likely predict each other's moves. Still, for someone who makes fighting Kebiishi look like a walk in the park, you'd think Tsurumaru wouldn't be as difficult for him.
  • While it still takes a bit of effort to take them down, the Touken Danshi don't struggle against the Kebiishi at the end of play nearly as much as they did at the beginning.
• Suddenly Shouting: Ookanehira can barely make it through a conversation without shouting.
• Tracking Device: The technology behind how it works is never explained, but Tsurumaru has crane feathers that allow him to know the location of whoever he plants it on simply by sensing them, which is how he always learns the location of Mikazuki. It's implied that these feathers also work in reverse, as Mikazuki is similarly also somehow able to learn the location of Tsurumaru and his team and shows up at the best times to interact with them.
• We Used to Be Friends: Several flashbacks to the citadel's early days reveal that Mikazuki and Tsurumaru were very close, manifesting around the same time and spending a lot of time together as a result. However, the two are now antagonistic toward each other, mainly on Tsurumaru's end, and there is no clear reason why their friendship ended. The happy flashback of them playfully sparring together is tragically contrasted by Tsurumaru later angrily confronting Mikazuki, and the two cutting away at each other to understand each other's feelings. However, there's still shown to be care between the two, especially on Tsurumaru's side, although he won't admit to it.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Yahiko is still a child, but seems to have a high amount of emotional intelligence, as he can tell by just looking at Mikazuki that he has suffered a lot by listening to other peoples grievances, and gives him a comforting hug, assuring him that it's okay not to listen.
• Vocal Evolution: Kuroba Mario's vocals has changed significantly by this performance, transitioning from high and youthful with a slight nasal that was last heard in Atsukashiyama Ibun 2018 Paris to smooth, deeper, and mature.

Live Tropes:

• Adaptational Friendship: In the main story, Ookanehira is already acting much more kindly toward Mikazuki than usual, but there are still some undertones of jealously. During Lives, on the other hand, Ookanehira and Mikazuki are definitely good friends.
• Ambiguous Situation: Just how canon is the second act given that Mikazuki clearly left again at the end of the main story?
• Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: In the second act of the day two performance, Ookanehira boasts about being the Yokozuna (champion, or highest ranked wrestler) of all swords before facing Mikazuki in a hand sumo match, only to lose when he slips and falls into Mikazuki's arms, unintentionally hugging him. Naturally, the other swords make fun of him for his overconfidence.
• Big Damn Hug: Mikazuki and Tsurumaru hug at the end of "Kaze to Ageha" on the day of the final musical performance, though the hug was most likely not scripted, based on Tsurumaru's surprised but happy reaction.
• Breaking Old Trends:
  • The first main story performance in which the characters do not strip down to anything more revealing than their first and second forms, as they only remove their jackets during "Flame Dance" and remain fully covered up otherwise.
  • It's the first main story performance with a solo for each character, in addition to two duets and one trio song. This came at the expense of only one new group song ("Flame Dance" is a cover), and the characters who performed their solo rotated almost randomly depending on the performance, making it possible to miss the characters you really wanted to see perform their solo if you didn't get lucky with the "solo gacha." As well, due to the uneven number of characters, Hachisuka Koutetsu's solo was inevitably not streamed, meaning the only way to eventually watch it will be on DVD/Blu-ray.
• Color-Coded Characters: With the exception of Suishinshi, who does not have his Sumire color on his suit but does have a gradient on his first forms coat, all of the Touken Danshi have their signature color reflected in their suits, with Mikazuki wearing blue, Tsurumaru white, Hachisuka purple (albeit more of a Lavender), both Ookanehira and Kashuu red, and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro an opal white color.
• Coordinated Clothes: Mikazuki and Tsurumaru have matching outfits for their second forms, albeit in different color palettes: Mikazuki wears dark blue in two different shades for the shirt, jacket, and pants, while Tsurumaru primarily wears white. Mikazuki also has a yellow strip up each side of his pants and a diamond pattern on his right lapel as a reference to his hakama pattern. In other terms of matching, outside of the general styling of the suits being the same, they both have dark blue to white gradient lapels, ruffled winged shirts with pin tucks on only the left side, chain collar necklaces (Mikazuki's is a crescent moon shape that ties into his Cosmic Motifs, Tsurumaru's looks like his default chain but with petal-like golden accessories attached), dark blue cummerbunds, and gold pin chains attached to their left lapel. Both are wearing suspenders to support the right side of their outfits, albeit with different designs: Mikazuki's looks like a belt, whereas Tsurumaru's is a half belt, half chain, a nod to his original design.
• Cover Version. "Flame Dance," the third layer strip song from Hanakage returns in this play.
• Flower Motif: All of the Touken Danshi's Live outfits have floral patterns printed on their suits, with a different design for each.
• Let's Duet: Along with three group songs and each character's solo, which rotates depending on the performance, there are two duets and one trio song. Mikazuki and Tsurumaru sing "Kaze to Ageha," Kashuu and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro sing "Resist," and Ookanehira, Hachisuka Soutetsu, and Suishinshi Masahide sing "Wild and Tough" in trio.
• Mood Whiplash: Similarly to how the historical figures who died in the main story return during the second act without explanation, the second act glosses over Mikazuki leaving again and Tsurumaru's grief over their separation by having Mikazuki return and perform with everyone like nothing happened. He and Tsurumaru even interact normally and perform a duet together, making it unclear how much of the second act should be accepted as canon.
• Out of Focus: Hachisuka. While he had a solo and performed it several times during the show's run, he was the only Touken Danshi whose solo was not streamed due to the schedule and the uneven number of Touken Danshi that had to be accommodated. As a result, the only way to watch his solo if you missed it will be on Blu-ray or DVD, not a streaming service like the others. This is on top of him not having a solo in the main story.
• Pretty in Mink: The third layers of Touken Danshi's idol costumes are extravagant coats with fur-trimmed collars, with the exception of Suishinshi, who has furry cuffs instead.
• The Promise: On the final day performance, instead of saying his usual "Let's meet again," Mikazuki promises the audience that he will "definitely meet them again," raising his pinky to swear on his word.
• Sharp-Dressed Man: The Touken Danshi take off their fancy fur-lined coats to show off custom-made flower patterned suits that make them look like they just stepped out of a Host Club.
• Ship Tease: Primarily due to the actors' improvisation. All of the actors chosen for this performance are long-time, very close friends in real life, and they are all given the freedom to do whatever they want in the second act as long as they stay in character, resulting in some affectionate moments between characters such as Hachisuka and Mikazuki, Kashuu and Mikazuki, Mikazuki and Tsurumaru, and so on.