When I first played Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms, Yamazaki wasn’t even on my radar. And that’s probably because while he is a character in the original historical game, he’s not a member of the Original Six (Hijikata, Saito, Okita, Harada, Heisuke, and Kazuma) that were given routes. And because of this, in general, he is less popular and less well-known than the Original Six.
Well, the writers remedied this in Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms and Chizuru was given a chance to fall in love with Yamazaki. And while I thoroughly enjoyed Yamazaki as a character, I was left feeling like: “is that it?” Because I really felt Yamazaki was the least fleshed out of the new six routes added to the remake. In short, I kind of felt the writers did him dirty with how little new content he got in Kyoto Winds compared to the other new characters (also, was it just me, or was his route in Edo Blossoms shorter than the rest as well…hmmm?).
It wasn’t until I found the SSL walkthroughs created by the people who made the patch, that I realized Yamazaki even had a “route” in SSL. Talk about a pleasant surprise! And while I had a hunch, that once again, he wouldn’t be as fleshed out as the Original Six, I still finished the route thinking: “is that it?”
I am stating this now: Yamazaki needs more content! He’s one of the good ones!
As always, character and plot analysis and spoilers after the cut! There will also be a few spoilers for Hakuouki: Kyoto Winds and Hakuouki: Edo Blossoms and, well…essentially all other possible Hakuouki content in general.
SSL isn’t a traditional otome game. Otome elements are there but, if anything, this game is an addition or a supplement to the main historical games, like the remake update: Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms (though not all the characters featured in those games are in SSL, because SSL was created before the remake was made). This game makes the most sense, and has the most meaning, within the context of the world created by the historical games.
When you go into SSL with all the prerequisite knowledge, the game takes on a magic all its own. You can appreciate the modern adjustments made to the historical characters. You get all the references to the plot, characters, and internal relationships in the historical games. The fact that everyone is alive, healthy, and not fighting tooth and nail for survival warms your heart with happiness. Everything just means more, because you have the background knowledge from the historical games.
Now, I gave my general SSL game impressions in Okita’s route article. If you are interested in those thoughts, please read Okita’s article. I am not going to repeat them here. This article will be focused solely on Yamazaki’s character scenes and how Chizuru is written in Yamazaki’s route.
In Hakuouki SSL, Chizuru is a first-year high school student. She’s the first woman to go to Hakuo Academy, which has recently become co-ed. And Yamazaki (VA: Takayuki Suzuki – I really enjoyed Suzuki’s performance!) is a second-year student who is on the school’s healthcare committee.
Yamazaki and Chizuru’s relationship in this route is, for the most part, a friendship. While, Yamazaki clearly develops romantic feelings for Chizuru earlier in the route, Chizuru starts developing romantic feelings for Yamazaki around Valentine’s Day, which is the final chapter of the route (not including the Epilogue).
Because of this, Yamazaki’s route had the feeling of being a secret route for the reader. It’s like a bonus the reader can stumble upon as they make their different choice selections. You get small little conversations with him in Chapters 1-3 (which are fully developed CG scenarios for the Original Six). It is Chapter 4 where you get your first Yamazaki CG, which is a chibi CG (compare this to the Original Six who get a standard looking character CG scenario for Chapter 4). So, it isn’t until Chapter 4.5, that Yamazaki gets the full standard looking character CG scenario treatment that the Original Six get in every chapter.
Now that’s not to say that the limited scenes with Yamazaki weren’t worth the read! His Chapter 4.5 (New Years), was adorable! What started off as a group outing to see the first sunrise of the year, turned into a private “date” for Yamazaki and Chizuru. Poor Yamazaki was so flustered as his classmates, one-by-one (including Saito), text him that they aren’t coming! It’s sweet as Chizuru assures Yamazaki that she is happy to watch the first sunrise with him. I really loved that when Yamazaki asked Chizuru what she wants for herself in the new year, she honestly answers that she wants love! How often is Chizuru that open with another character? And then, Yamazaki cryptically responds that she has someone who likes her already (AWWW!). Of course, this quiet comment completely goes over our oblivious Chizuru’s head (Oh, Chizuru!). But even with that, I adore Yamazaki and Chizuru’s dynamic!
Yamazaki is a serious, thoughtful student who is very diligent and responsible. While not the most talkative, he’s not afraid to be blunt and straightforward when the situation calls for it. Yamazaki says what needs to be said and isn’t scared to speak his mind. He even has a bit of a temper and occasionally does speak in anger and frustration (mostly in reaction to something Okita does!). He has a dry sense of humor, but he never says anything at somebody else’s expense. He is very kind and observant and he does his best to take care of everyone around him.
Yamazaki’s dream is to go to medical school. He enjoys his work on the school’s healthcare committee, even if that means he has to work under Sannan who keeps working on his strange red liquid (HAHAHA!) in the infirmary. The dynamic between Yamazaki and Sannan is priceless! Our serious, studious Yamazaki having to constantly rein in Sannan and protect the student body from Sannan’s mysterious creation! Don’t worry. The red liquid is played as a joke, and clearly not the “furies” creating monstrosity of the historical games!
Chizuru and Yamazaki share a serious, studious, thoughtful personality and this route spectacularly showcased how good they are together. Just like in the historical game, Yamazaki cares about the physical health of the others around him. And while less prominent in SSL, in the historical games, Chizuru works with Yamazaki to care for the members of the Shinsengumi. There is a compatibility between them because they both understand general medical practices. They both care about other people and this gives them something in common. There is just a sweetness to these two characters that is so charming! They are comfortable with each other and the wholesomeness of their friendship, and later budding romantic relationship, warms your heart!
Chapter 5 centered around Valentine’s Day. Chizuru decides to give chocolates to the person who has been there for her the most, during her first year of high school. And as she is making the chocolates, she decides to give them to Yamazaki. He’s the one who’s helped her the most and she realizes she’s beginning to have romantic feelings for him. Because of her brother Kaoru banning her from bringing chocolates to school for Valentine’s Day, Chizuru has to find a way to evade the school’s disciplinary committee. So, Chizuru calls Yamazaki but she’s too embarrassed to tell him she wants to give him chocolates and deep down she wants to surprise him. So, instead, she beats around the bush about what she should do, and our unassuming Yamazaki takes it as her asking for help to give her chocolates to another boy! And because he likes Chizuru and wants her to be happy, he agrees to help her even through his disappointment!
This adorably, sweet boy!
They meet the next morning and true to his word, Yamazaki helps Chizuru sneak onto the school grounds through a secret hole in the fence. And be still my heart, Chizuru comments on how his knowledge of this secret passageway makes him seem like a ninja or a spy! I loved this moment! Such a wonderful callback to the historical games! Thank you, Writers!
Chizuru gives the chocolates to Yamazaki, who proceeds to ask her who she would like him to deliver the chocolates to. Poor Chizuru! Yamazaki is so unassuming, that he doesn’t believe that Chizuru could possibly want to give chocolates to him (you’ve been living in the shadows for too long, Yamazaki!). And Chizuru becomes embarrassed and insecure because she believes that her feelings for him are one-sided. The two of them verbally dance around the truth for a while, until Yamazaki figures out the chocolates are meant for him. And then, of course, he happily accepts them! This scene has one of the cutest confessions ever! For heaven’s sake! Yamazaki tells Chizuru she’s like the sun, and he tells her he wanted her chocolates from the start! So sweet!
I only have one problem with this whole scene…there is no CG!
Good Grief! What does Yamazaki have to do to get a Valentine’s Day CG?
Thankfully he and Chizuru have a CG together in the Epilogue, which is really cute! Yamazaki gets accepted into medical school and he takes Chizuru with him to check the acceptance boards. But what I really liked about the Epilogue is that Yamazaki and Chizuru are building their relationship at their own pace! I thought it was great that the writers allowed Chizuru and Yamazaki to build their relationship as they see fit and not conform to the expectations of others!
I really love Yamazaki! He’s the kind of character that blends into the story, and it isn’t until you’re in his route that you realize what a great guy he is! I really wish he had gotten the same treatment as the Original Six. He deserves his own complete route that doesn’t feel like it was tacked onto the story.
But even so.
I still enjoyed his route and I know I will revisit his New Years and Valentine Day’s scenes! They are too cute to pass up!
Otomes as Novels 