IkeSen Sasuke route, up to chapter 4

[waterscroll]

I think this route might be my favorite so far. Sasuke is a major history geek and likes to run around confirming or attempting to reenact historical anecdotes. This is all fun and games until he offers Mitsunari a persimmon and he refuses to take it. MC wonders what this was trying to prove, so Sasuke tells her this story. (Go look it up, it's too sad to retype.) MC says, what, sweet kind angelic Mitsunari is going to get executed? Sasuke says: I have to try my hardest not to change history. MC meanwhile starts to realize that Sasuke is a spy and not exactly working for her (Nobunaga's) side. So she decides to learn more about the time period on her own and see what she can do about it. We'll see where this goes but so far I'm very interested.

I'm also really enjoying Ranmaru as a major secondary character. He's gorgeous and charming and is both working with Kennyo and desperately loyal to Nobunaga. How is this possible? Which of the two is he actually betraying? I guess I'll find out! Ranmaru will apparently have his own route eventually and I'm looking forward to it.

Two-timing and double-crossing! Conflicted loyalties! History and actual plot! This is all very exciting.


Meanwhile in SLBP, I'm feeling like replaying Nobunaga's route was a good choice. I was resenting him until I was like 95% of the way through the route the first time and now I can appreciate him more. I can also appreciate the route more, now that I know that it isn't necessarily a tragedy but can also be the story of how Nobunaga learns, slowly and painfully, to accept help from those he loves rather than obedience.

Comments

[scytale]

Sasuke's route sounds interesting! I'm amused by the fact that Sasuke actually considers it a priority to confirm the anecdotes.

Also, huh, didn't he already fail to not change history? I thought him saving Shingen was a plot point.

Also, yay, MC deciding to learn about history! Is she going to try to get a political education?

I'm glad the replay of the Nobunagan route is going well!

[waterscroll]

I'm amused by the fact that Sasuke actually considers it a priority to confirm the anecdotes.

It is very cute. At one point he tries to confirm that Masamune invented zunda-mochi, and in the process explains it to him, which gives Masamune the idea to make it, thus creating a culinary time travel paradox.

He also gets Ieyasu's autograph, because he's a fanboy.

Also, huh, didn't he already fail to not change history? I thought him saving Shingen was a plot point.

I am not sure! At one point he mentions that he's had to change history a little for 'his employer,' who is Kenshin in other routes. So yeah, that may have involved saving both Kenshin and Shingen. That's not confirmed yet in this route though.

Is she going to try to get a political education?

Right now she says she is, so we'll see.

[scytale]

Ooh! That is fun. Sasuke is clearly living his fanboy dreams and investigating and experiencing everything. Though at the same time it's a little creepy that he's doing all of this while not relating to the people as people; that seems like the main difference between him and MC?

...I would totally take an AU where Sasuke is the MC, though. He can just go around romancing people by confirming historical theories!

[waterscroll]

it's a little creepy that he's doing all of this while not relating to the people as people;

Yes.

In one of the other routes - I think Hideyoshi's? - we see him with his boss Kenshin and they have a very close relationship that is mostly expressed by Kenshin threatening Sasuke and Sasuke taking it as affection. You could even read Sasuke/Kenshin as a romantic couple in that route, since Sasuke decides to stay for Kenshin just like MC decides to stay for her LI. But here, at least the way he relates to the Azuchi warlords, he *says* that they're people just like us but doesn't really relate to them that way.