If you like Hakuouki, you’ll love this!
Yet another Hakuouki-like historical otome game?
No! Genroh displays slice of life fun in an historical setting – until the Genpei war hits even harder in contrast to the happy years before.
Setting
Our heroine Saya possesses a magical ability that allows her to easily detect forgeries and even see through lies. And because of that she is scouted by a famous and wealthy merchant in Hiraizumi to take on his legacy. While she gets comfortable in her merchant life and finds out more about her mystical powers, she meets the historical figures that will determine the course of the Genpei war a few years from now.
Characters
Tsugunobu
- muscles
- big sword
We have the brothers Tadanobu and Tsugunobu.
Tsugunobu basically only loves swords, doesn’t talk much unless it’s about swords and doesn’t have strong opinions, unless about swords.
So when Saya wants to woo him, she has no chance – but to learn sword fighting from him. And you bet he will hug her from behind to show her how to hold his – I mean a sword…And before he realises, everyone else has realised that Saya pursues him, but this man sees only swords.
And before the two know it, they become one heart, one sword, complementing each other’s weaknesses during war times.
That is what I call a great slow-burn love story! It is slow, but it is burning! Not quite as hot as the swords Tsugunobu makes, but yeah not even close, but the spark is definitely there! It was a tremendous joy for me to witness how Saya pursues Tsugu, which he doesn’t even notice – until he does and then starts burning with passion – giving us 5 full hot moans in the kiss scene. The kiss scene itself was vastly misplaced in my opinion, but I take the moans, thank you.
Tadanobu
- serious ladys man
- his arrows shoot right in your heart (*＞ω＜*)♡
High were my hopes for his flirty brother Tadanobu, who is usually swarmed by women and has an unhealthy need to look cool in front of others, though he’s actually a try-hard with a good heart.
His route was very war plot heavy, and while I enjoyed the banters of the two, as Saya initially abhors his flirty boy attitude, I missed more passionate scenes like in Tsugunobu’s route. That being said, their love development was still relatable and sweet.
Kotarou
- hungry brat
- tiny ego
I wasn’t looking forward to the bratty Kotarou at all! He is as small as Saya and a bad-mouthed, spoiled brat who only thinks about eating and is a sore loser – much like Saya. So to my very dismay, these two also like water and fire, quarreling, falling in love. Luckily does he greatly matured during the course of the war years. Again, a route filled with loads of war plot and, for my taste, too few personal interactions between the two.
Benkei
- big bird mommy
- kyaaaaa, the gap moe
On the other hand, Benkei was the character I was looking forward to the most. Because I am still eternally in love with Benkei in Birushana and would never say no to a big muscle man.
And he is such a sweet little big muscle man! Fitting for his trope, he looks scary, but actually loves cooking and treats plants and animals as caring as a bird mommy.
What is even better, that a second big muscle man plays a role in his route, who desperately made me wish for a good old sandwich, and I at least got some entertaining banters and jealousy scenes.
Benkei also had one of the most intriguing backstories to me, that tied back into the plot wonderfully and made the whole story flow like a sake onsen.
The only thing that bothered me was that Benkei took a bit too long to admit his feelings for our baby bird Saya, but the passionate kiss at the end redeemed him. And overall, their ending felt – despite every unspeakable tragedy that happens on the way, the most wholesome and fitting for the story.
And if you now think, wait, isn’t there that one super famous scene about Benkei’s death – yeah, the game got you covered with its historical accuracy…
Yoshitsune
- too good for his own good
- genlte yadda yadda
The legendary hero Yoshitsune unlocks after you’ve completed one route.
And he is a legendary kind, naive and trusting goody two-shoes, the characteristic trait that leads him to his demise in the other routes. Of course, in his route, everyone, including Saya, helps him out so they can have a happily ever after in his route.
This route was again very war and plot-heavy. Though at the same time they spent a lot of time together – talking about war, and you can witness how much he comes to trust Saya’s opinion. Nevertheless, the romance was a bit too light for me and he took too long to confess.
Mikage
- evil tengu
- take off the mask!
Once you’ve cleared all the routes, Mikage unlocks. Who is he? A tengu, and also Yoshitsune’s teacher from Mount Kurayama, who tried to attack Saya in the common route. Not a very amiable nor trust-worthy fellow, the only one who would trust him is wood-head Yoshitsune…and so it happens, that Saya gets abducted by Mr. Tengu again and again, until she starts kinda liking it and doesn’t want to return.
In this route, you finally learn the whole truth about Saya’s importance in the war and her powers. And despite being plot heavy, there still was time for some romance here and there, though it didn’t click for me personally, and I was very disappointed in the trope they chose Mikage to follow.
Art
Why did I even get the game – even though I never really enjoyed a historical otome games?
For the art, honestly! I really like the soft CGs and soft colours and that the characters have purple-ish hair – that is how simple I am!
I just fell in love with the character sprites, because they look more manly to me than the usual 2D men I date.
Also, the voice cast is pretty stacked and gives the well-written characters and funny conversations even more life!
I have now became a fan of Tsugunobus VAMiki Shin’ichirou (Masaomi in Harkukanaru 3)
Was happily surprised to hear Tada in Shiro to Kuro no Arisu Suzuki Yuuto
Want more from Benkei Tsuda Kenjirou (Yuan in Piofiore 1926)
And Kotarous VA Matsuoka Yoshitsugu (Akazan in Olympia Soiree) made him at least bearable and entertaining to listen to.
Mikage is also there. Koyasu Takehito ….if I only knew he voiced Enma in Tengoku! What a hero!
Japanese
Japanese difficulty is kinda high because of all the historical terms I have never heard before. At the same time, there are also a lot of slice-of-life interactions, which makes it suitable for upper intermediate learners.
Tone
Tone is a tough one.
I absolutely adored the game for its 100% slice of life feel, light-heartedness and funny interactions in the common route. I even believed that the war would never come and we could just continue our happy lives!
I couldn’t have been more delusional
As soon as you enter the character routes, war hits hard, very hard. It’s not only the extreme contrast between the slice of life in the common route, but also the human betrayal of all the characters, including the enemies, who are, in the end, just very nice men you want to date as well – thanks, Birushana for giving us that.
In each route, you have to witness the same tragedies over and over. The game will make you cry over the same losses again and again, and yet you start the next route, hoping this time it will be different – but it won’t
More than sad, I felt uncomfortable, uncomfortable in the face of war, in the face of the truth that a single girl can’t change the tides of war and that we all are mere humans in the end.
This game felt so real, too real even, the characters and the historical accuracy, the splendid writing hit you hard.
So if you think your life is somehow too happy, I’m sure Genroh can make you feel depressed for some time.
On the other hand Genroh will also give you characters to love, banters to laugh, and slow burn love development with a heroine – excuse my wording – who just kicks ass!
Saya is one of the coolest heroines I have met! Fair warning, the game takes place over the course of 8 years, but even at the beginning, as a 12-year-old, she is super cool and only gets even cooler until she turns 20. And for the whole time, she relentlessly pursues her LIs, and it’s only thanks to her that their love even gets a chance. On top of that, she’s funny and witty, but also sensitive and really turns her heart towards people.
You can see I got to know the characters really well in each 8h route and grew to love them.
That’s why, despite its flaws and war plot that annoyed me at times – because I’m not a plot person, I’m here to be kissed- I cannot hate the game. I feel like betraying my historical-game-hating-otome-heart, but the well-written characters, well-written story gave the game a special place in my heart.
And if you like historical war plots, don’t throw your PSP against the wall if there is a kiss scene without smooching sound, then you might enjoy Genroh even more than I did.
