This Wednesday,
May 15 , the streaming platform Crunchyroll added
the Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru ~Setsugetsuka~ film trilogy to its
catalog , a series of films that expand the universe of the popular
personified sword game.
A story
told in three seasons
This
trilogy is made up of three films with seasonal themes:
- “Yuki no Maki” (Snow Story) , released in Japanese
theaters in May 2022 .
- “Tsuki no Maki” (Story of the
Moon) ,
which arrived in July 2022 .
- “Hana no Maki” (Story of
Flowers) ,
released in September 2022 .
The three
films continue the aesthetic and narrative line of Touken Ranbu:
Hanamaru , a light and endearing derivative of the Touken Ranbu
universe, known for its cast of bishōnen swordsmen inspired by legendary
weapons from Japanese history.
A
franchise that never stops growing
In May
2023 , the trilogy received a manga adaptation by Saru Hashino
for Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ site . The story was
collected into three volumes, with the third ending on February 18,
2025 .
Additionally,
the Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden Moyuru Honnōji series , an
animated adaptation of the play of the same name, aired in Japan between April
2 and May 21, 2024. Its prequel story, titled Touken Ranbu Kai -Dōden
Chikashi Haberau Monora- , will be screened in Japanese theaters for
three weeks starting on August 16, 2025 .
From the
game to multiple scenarios
Touken
Ranbu was born
as a browser game in January 2015 , developed by Nitroplus ,
with an original concept: to transform historical Japanese swords into beautiful
young fighters . Its success generated multiple adaptations: anime
series such as Katsugeki: Touken Ranbu , two live-action
films, musicals, plays, manga, and more.
The English
version of the game was released by Johren in April 2021 and
its mobile edition in August of the same year, although both versions closed
their servers in August 2023 .
The
Touken Ranbu universe continues to expand
In January
2024 , a new anime based on Sanrio 's Wanpaku! Touken
Ranbu project was announced , demonstrating the vitality of this
ever-growing franchise. More recently, in April 2024 ,
Japanese cinemas hosted screenings of the kabuki play Touken Ranbu:
Tsuki no Tsurugi Enishi no Kiri no wa , further demonstrating the
cultural appeal that this universe continues to arouse among Japanese and
international audiences.
Now,
with the arrival of the Setsugetsuka trilogy on Crunchyroll, fans have a
perfect opportunity to delve into—or return to—this world where history and
fantasy intertwine through swords with a soul of their own.
