"I crawl like a worm over bleached white bones,
blood my sustenance, and hate my reward.
Yet still, the sword, it rules me."

As I've mentioned before, I absolutely love artists' works that show tremendous passion and research done into the topic of focus. For example, Ridge Racer Type 4 and its clear love of the race, the cars, the experience of driving. One of my favorite manga, BECK, spoke to me as someone with a background in playing and recording music. Hanachirasu is such a work, and given the praise for the combat scenes in Ittetsu Narahara's work I'd heard so regularly, it came as no surprise that the swordplay and divulging of evident love of the blade and the historic roots of its arts was one of its strongest facets.

I found much of Narahara's discussion of the matter genuinely interesting, taking time to allow myself to truly immerse in the art of the sword - I actually searched up some YouTube videos depicting some techniques and traditions mentioned. In turn I feel like this passion speaks to the author's love of his homeland, of the traditions of the Japanese people that were so clearly left to die out by the terrors its people suffered at the hands of the West, predominantly during and post-World War II. Not to get too political, but I've seen the critique of Narahara's work as being somehow right-wing propaganda. As a staunch leftist, I question if this read comes from a place entirely based on Western values, politics and traditions - the patriotism and reverence of Japanese culture on display doesn't speak to dogmatic conservationism, but reclamation of a culture and history on the threshold of extinction at the hands of the West, predominantly America, and its treatment of the Japanese.

Ultimately, though, all of this serves as a backdrop and contextualization for a story about revenge and obsession; the lengths insecure and emotionally damaged people may go to in order to make it "right" by themselves, whittling the existence of themselves and others down to purely the goal at hand. Anything in the way of that or left over afterwards, like dust, like petals on the wind. One might read Akane as a character entirely fueled on the prospect of simply not being good enough, forgoing growth and acceptance and seeking the carnal and instinctive route to block out the pain until it simply stops or becomes too much. It's a story that doesn't seek to blow minds or twist your perceptions of its reality - some minor twists aside it remains entirely grounded in its concept and execution - but rather, like tate-do theatrics, shine a line on two intertwined souls not simply bound by the bound, but the dedication to become twin blades themselves.

—— A story leading to only one possible conclusion.
The curtains close on as quiet and contemplative a scene as the game has. Simply poetic.

Hanachirasu is the first work of Narahara Ittetsu. It is a tale of two rivals inevitably and tragically making their way to one another in an attempt to settle things once and for all. One of the strengths of Hanachirasu is probably in its long descriptions of martial arts and techniques in its fights. Since all the fights in the visual novel are finished within a single stroke, the sheer information and mind games that Narahara writes before the kill stroke serve to give tension and a unique personality to the scenarios. Behind all the brutality and fights however, is a contemplative and perhaps calming nihilism to it all. This contemplative nihilism is best highlighted in the climax, achieved and brought to far reaching heights with Narahara's beautiful, masterful prose. The only gripe I have with this visual novel is that I wish it was tad bit longer so it could flesh out its political world building and some of its characters.

Doesn't matter if you read this game before or after Muramasa, you must read both because together they offer a more complete picture of what Narahara wanted to say by making these two games.

Hanachirasu is very short and to the point, it does not overstay its welcome. Its main ending is perfection, and the gag ends are killer.

Hanachirasu is not as ambitious a work as Muramasa, but I was surprised by how well-realized its world felt to me anyway. I can understand if someone considers this equal to Muramasa, even if it doesn't look it at first. It's actually just really hard for me to think of this as a separate work from Muramasa at all.

How can one write something this distant yet close to their supposed one and only magnum opus. Hanachirasu is an amazing love letter to swordsmanship and samurai fiction as a whole, while still being fresh and interesting. I only could wish that this was longer but for something written in a short time just to promote the 'big one' this is incredible.

And not only the writing is insane. The soundtrack is the best in the whole medium and the art is is arguably better than the Muramasa

I'm amazed yet still sad over on how someone this good at writing exists but won't pick their brush ever again.

But what a beautiful and tragic story Ittetsu managed to make here. Until the middle of the work, there were other elements that fascinated me, instead of the story itself, but the work will show its full face in the last chapters and I loved it. I really like the way Ittetsu alludes to various Japanese historical events that end up being portrayed here, in addition to his vast knowledge of fencing that ends up appearing at every moment of the battle. It really is a story that dedicates his love for the sword and a time in Japan.

Great revenge story with an amazing soundtrack (made by the same studio that made Saya no Uta's), the extensive descriptions of swordmanship in the middle of fights and the actions and attitude of the Protagonist can be very divisive. Also this is an eroge technically so it has h-scenes (one very early on). Just keep in mind that this is a dark tale that has no problem showing bad characters doing very bad things. But all in all a nice 7 hour-ish experience that entertains all the way through with a great depiction of obssesion and truly living for and by the blade.

https://youtu.be/e7YAamDUjE4?si=YlCGPLXhl7cx9ST8 this song from the ost makes me bust