New Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms Screens Show Toudou and Yamazaki

The second half of the enhanced version of Hakuoki is coming to the west. Idea Factory previously announced that Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms will release for PlayStation Vita on March 13 in North America, and on March 16, 2018 in Europe. It’ll pick up where Kyoto Winds left off, and will finish Chizuru’s story. Now they’ve released a new batch of screenshots focusing on two characters: Heisuke Toudou and Susumu Yamazaki.

Here’s character bios for both Toudou and Yamazaki:

As the youngest member of the Shinsengumi, Heisuke Toudou is an idealistic yet capable Captain. Although the once-dominant police force of the Shinsengumi is now in decline, Toudou is compelled to carry on its legacy. Throughout Edo Blossoms, Toudou struggles to cope with the changes within Shinsengumi and the rise of Imperial Nationalism in Edo. Eventually, he moves beyond his naivety to reconcile his place in the world and his love for Chizuru.

Susumu Yamazaki, a shy and skillful ninja, is well versed as a medic. He works as a member of the Watch and works as the Shinsengumi’s primary medic when not serving the Watch. As Hijikata’s Page, Chizuru is not allowed to leave the house on her own, so Yamazaki is often seen with her heading to the market to grab groceries and medical supplies for the Shinsengumi. His knowledge of medicine helps strengthen his bond with Chizuru.

Check out the new Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms screenshots below:

Here’s the official feature listing of the game (which will have PlayStation TV support):

• 12 Charming Bachelors – Start by choosing from one of 12 handsome bachelors and fall in love with Japanese history’s most famous warriors.
• Multiple Endings, One True Love – Explore the gorgeous world of Hakuoki through narrative choices that unlock branching storylines and up to 30 different endings.
• Beautiful History Comes Alive – The dramatic romance, friendship, and betrayal unfolds on your screen through fluid animation, vibrant art, and detailed CGs.

For more on the first half of the story, check out my Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds review. Here’s a snippet of what I had to say:

My one major beef with Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is that the story just sort of ends before it really gets going. For those that read through the story previously, this version ends after the fourth chapter comes to a close. That means there isn’t any proper conclusion, things barely get steamy with the love interests, and there are way more questions than answers when the credits start rolling.

If you’ve got money to spend, and don’t mind waiting for any sort of conclusion, then Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is the best way to experience the first half of Idea Factory’s visual novel. The new scenes help to flesh out the existing stories, and the additional characters help make a familiar story feel new again. It’s a shame that all the hard work gets marred by splitting the story into two games, but it’s still a very enjoyable read.

Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms releases for PlayStation Vita on March 13 in North America and March 16, 2018 in Europe.