Shinsengumi Mokuhiroku Wasurenagusa Vol.2 Okita Souji

新撰組黙秘録 勿忘草 第弐巻 沖田総司

Company: Rejet
Based on: Shinsengumi
Released: 2012.08.29
Official site: http://rejetweb.jp/wasurenagusa/


Shinsengumi Mokuhiroku Wasurenagua (after this simply 'wasurenagusa') is a series based on several historically famous people within the shinsengumi. The concept of the CDs is "what if I could have been there (and fall in love with one of them)". So while they are based on historical people, the rest is all fiction. The series uses the dummy head mic for several scenes. The second CD has Okita Souji (CV: Suzuki Tatsuhisa).

If you thought the first CD was long: this one is even longer and reaches the 100min (and 3.5min free talk). The first disc is a full hour.

The story once again begins during the Ikedaya Incident. Okita was part of the Shinsengumi group that attacked the conspirators that were hiding in the Ikedaya Inn. During this raid he becomes unwell, starts coughing up blood and finally collapses.

When he wakes up you are at his side, taking care of him. He still wants to reach Kondo and Hijikata, but you eventually manage to calm him down by telling him that they are fine but currently not at headquarters. They are still patrolling the streets to finish of remnants of the conspirators. He tells you he is fine and that he doesn't need you taking care of him. When you've left the room it shows that he was definitely afraid and really glad that he is still alive though.

Okita tries to act like he is all healthy, but he is obviously weakened. So by orders of Kondo you are supposed to keep an eye on him so that he doesn't strain himself too much. Okita by no means agrees with this and keeps telling you that he doesn't need you. Even going as far as to threaten you a couple of times in the hope that you will stay away. All he wants to is be someone that Kondo and Hijikata can rely on, but he feels that they see him as someone who is so weak that they need a woman to look after him. If you couldn't tell, Okita seems kind of obsessed with serving the two of them.

Eventually he starts to accept the situation though. Or rather, gives up on trying to find a way out of it. When you bring him water one evening he starts to talk about how he would like to die under the moonlight. You don't want to leave him alone after that, and when he provokes you to spend the night in his room you actually stay. His attitude towards you is still pretty cold, until he actually kisses you. Seeing how shocked you are he actually apologises for it, saying "that someone like him shouldn't do this, because he won't be around to take responsibility" and sends you to your own room.

I am guessing a few days later, you bring him something to eat while he is training in the middle of night. He tells you that he would like to eat you as well, and more or less forces himself on you. This part is quite different from the last CD. Okita deliberately tries to hurt you, as if he wants to drive you away. It is also much less explicit than the first CD. There is still enough going on though, yet you still manage to fall asleep halfway through (wut?). That does mean we get to hear Okita say that he actually does love you though.

In the final track he is talking with you during the day and teasing you. He also talks a bit about how he would like to be there to see how the shinsengumi continues to grow, obviously hinting at the fact that such a thing is impossible. After you've returned to your work he mentions that he is no longer afraid of dying, because he is happy just being here right now *sad theme music plays*.

For those that don't know this: the entire point of this CD is that Okita Souji had tuberculosis. This is also the reason why he says "that he won't be able to take responsibility": he doesn't have very long to live. I think that is also the reason that he forces himself on you. He noticed that you love him and while he does care for you, he also thinks you should be with someone other than himself because he will die soon anyway. The kiss scene a little before that probably shows his real feelings.

I was surprised that they made him talk relatively polite. I'm assuming that they did this because Okita was one of the youngest members of the shinsengumi, but you are only a servant girl so there is no real reason why he would talk that polite to you as well. Speaking of you/the heroine: it seems like you were saved and brought here just like in the first CD. So I am guessing that the canon for the rest of the series is that Saitou rescued you and brought you to the shinsengumi headquarters, and that the events differ from there

Just like before the pacing was very good. That they literally included the point where he simply gives up trying to get rid of you was also interesting and made the pacing clearer. Personally I would have preferred it if Okita would have just been honest about his own feelings instead of trying to scare you off. Or maybe actually confide to you that he was afraid to die if you want to take the pity route. I think the kiss scene was really beautiful, too bad he had to go and ruin it after that.

The free talk is almost the opposite of the first CD. Takahashi-san was all hyper and cheerful, while Suzuki-san seem almost gloomy. Either it was a really exhausting recording or that last scene must have really gotten to him. All of his answers on the questions he has been given are rather short, but his message to the listeners was brilliant: "go and listen to it [the CD] again".


Conclusion:
That this would have a lot of heartbreak was a given from the start, and the final track lives up to that. It is just such a pity Okita had to try and push you away. Why couldn't he just be honest with his own feelings and be gentle with you. You could probably skip the first two tracks of the second CD (the ero part) and the CD would be just as good. Or better, actually.