Hakuoki – Analysing Harada Sanosuke route

Have to say that it is a welcome relief not to have your man turn into a fury for a change. Harada Sanosuke is no. 4 and probably better of the stories as it explores the themes of friendship and discrimination.

Harada is well I suppose a ladies men. He knows his way around them, has certain chauvinistic views about their role (man should protect, woman should or shouldn’t do this) and later admitted has a fear of commitment. But what probably shone through most for him is his strong friendship with some of the characters in the game.

Here is how the story progresses (spoiler alert) –

1. Harada has a stereotypical view about women so essentially the protagonist has to prove that he is wrong, that she can stand her own ground and contribute to a fight especially against the demons. He is probably also most flirty and touchy evident by his several hits on the protagonist (is your hand cold, want me to hold them?) and the numerous times he ruffles her hair.

2. Turning point in story comes when both of them were attacked by Shiranui (what I call a frienemy) who basing on his own interaction with a beloved human friend felt that it was impossible for human and demon to live together. He tries to convince the protagonist to leave Harada and for Harada to recognise the protagonist for the demon she is.

After that episode, the protagonist seeing the shock on Harada’s eyes about her super healing abilities wanted to talk to him but he avoids her. She thinks that it is because he cannot accept who she is and after much deliberation decides to leave the Shinsengumi for their own good.

She is stopped by Harada who finally explain his actions. Actually he avoided her because he felt ashamed of his inability to protect her from Shiranui which calls his manliness into doubt. A classic case of miscommunication which plagues many of our real life relationships especially when we assume we know what is best for the other party.

A second such case later took place when the protagonist decides to leave Harada (again) because she thought she couldn’t help him fulfill his dream to get married and live a simple life with the woman he loves away from war. Turned out he was hinting to her all along and just waiting for her to figure it all out on her own.

3. Another touching scene takes place when Harada has to make the choice between being with the woman he loves or continuing the fight with his best friend Nagakura. It had become increasingly obvious that the samurai no longer have a reason to fight the political warfare because his original intent was really for protecting the common folk.

Once again our protagonist decides to make the decision on her own and leave Harada (seriously woman!!) to go stop her father and he decided hell with it, you are the woman I want to be with and he goes on to make him hers for good.

Not that I condone neglecting friends for love especially when there are relationships when your dear friends frown upon but at some point in time when you commit yourself to someone for life ala marriage, then it becomes a case when family comes first.

I have to say that I quite identify myself as the protagonist in this story, always making decisions to go on on my own if I find that it is troublesome for Theo. I do wish that Theo would sometimes get the hint and say ‘I am going with you no matter where’ but most times he just cannot be bothered with my antics. Chivalry is dead.