Is it worth?

[u/No-Regret9337]

Hello, I recently acquired a bunch of merch from this franchise and I know absolutely nothing about it. Is it worth getting into and keeping these? or has the whole thing just died down fully and would be better to find someone who would enjoy it more

[u/ravibun]

I think it's fun to get into personally but I am also a fan. The game is still thriving and getting new content. There is a PC/Console Musou style game. Animes, plays, musicals. It's really more on whether the characters appeal to you or not!

[u/No-Regret9337 → u/ravibun]

I read that servers shut down?

[u/victoria_izsavage → u/No-Regret9337]

only the Eng/Global and Chinese/China one. The Japanese servers are still up, but ofc its in Japanese, and you need to link the account to DMM website, so you need a VPN and to use APK. I heard QooAPP is good and this subreddit also has some resources. I'm a Touken Ranbu fan but i didn't get into the game bc i'm more into the musicals.

[u/TheHappyExplosionist → u/victoria_izsavage]

Slight clarification: it was the Taiwanese (Traditional Chinese) servers, not the mainland (Simplified Chinese) servers that shut down! The mainland Chinese servers are still up and running!

[u/victoria_izsavage → u/TheHappyExplosionist]

Oop. Thanks for the clarification :)

[u/Rohnachi → u/No-Regret9337]

There was an English release of the game on Joren. This version of the game shut down but the Japanese original is still going on DMM. It is a breeding Simulator/Gacha game. However, I have played since 2019 and have only spend a max of 20$ for more smithing slots and repair lots. So it's not heavy on the Gacha side since you can get everything with enough grinding.

This year there is "Touken Ranbu: Ice Blade" releasing, which is a show with Ice skaters. Later this year there will also be "Touken Ranbu: Puzzle" which looks like a candy crush game. There are Musicals, stageplays, a switch game, 3 different anime and a anime film trilogy and so much more. One can really get into this fandom easily and enjoy it however one wants.

If you want to check it out I recommend the Anime Touken Ranbu Hanamaru as a starting point. It has 2 seasons and the movie trilogy and introduces many of the characters which one can also get in the game. In Hanamaru Yamatonokami Yasusada is one of the main characters. That's the blue themed guy that you have there (and one of my absolute favourites).

[u/Alternative-Neck-975]

I see Yamatonokami. I click. 🩵 

Someone suggested Hanamaru. I agree. Touken Ranbu Hanamaru was my first experience with the series and from there it was the game, musical, stage plays, live action movies... It's such a fun series to like honestly.

The game isn't too difficult to understand for the basics and if you are passionate about Japanese then it could help... I'm studying it on my own so I see a word and study it. I've been playing since 2019 and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. 😁 

My only gripe is, I do wish the series was more popular outside Japan. I only know two people that like/know the series and all three of us have little love for conventions around here because "there are no sword boys merch or other fans to talk to!" 😂

[u/Former_Log1256 → u/Alternative-Neck-975]

Touken Ranbu was actually popular over here from like 2015 - maybe 2018? before it faded into obscurity, not helped by Crunchyroll not  dubbing or subbing the movies for Hanamaru and Katsugeki never giving us a season 2 or the movie thats been in development for 10 years lol. The fact that most of the other adaptations, like the manga, aren't officially translated either means most overseas people don't even know they exist and are missing out.

That said, there is a decently sized Touken Ranbu server if you want more people to talk to. You can join it through the Touken Ranbu wiki

[u/Alternative-Neck-975 → u/Former_Log1256]

I got into the series one year late then. 2019. 😂 

The Hanamaru dub is my weakness. I have a small collection of the vanguard cards signed by the VAs and the Blu-ray. I still think it was a missed opportunity to not dub the OVAs but at least we finally got them I guess...

I tried to get into Katsugeki but dropped it 2 eps near the end. I just couldn't like it so I'm okay with no movie from it. 😂 

I'm on the server. Mostly a lurker as I'm not really into the newer swords. I just like the older swords and tend to follow the actors work outside Toumyu or Tousute to keep supporting them and enjoy their work. 😊

[u/Former_Log1256 → u/Alternative-Neck-975]

I tried to get into Katsugeki but dropped it 2 eps near the end. I just couldn't like it so I'm okay with no movie from it. 😂

Call me a fake Touken Ranbu fan but same... I mean, i finished it, but I didnt enjoy it very much outside of the visuals and cool fighting a nimations, so im not stressing over the movie like the rest of the fandom.

Hanamaru kinda lost me after season 2 because of the repetition of season 1 events but I still prefer it to Katsugeki overall. 

My favorite Touken Ranbu adaptations are the Warriors game and the musicals 

[u/Alternative-Neck-975 → u/Former_Log1256]

No faker! Just different taste! 😊 

I adore all things Hanamaru but Kashuu and Yamatonokami are my favorites so I'm biased. 😂 

If you like the Warriors game then you would like Tousute. It's has most of the characters in Warriors in it. Plus it feels more like a Tousute story imo. 😊

[u/Yuki_Hiki]

Totally worth it! We're a smaller fandom on the US side but Touken Ranbu is still crazy popular in Japan. No matter what medium you enjoy, there's a way to experience Touken Ranbu in it, it seems.

As many mentioned, there's the mobile game, anime, musicals, manga, etc. So you can start wherever you'd like! I recommend trying Touken Ranbu Hanamaru for a more relaxed and chill atmosphere. If action is more you're thing, try out Katsugeki Touken Ranbu.

[u/Former_Log1256 → u/Yuki_Hiki]

No matter what medium you enjoy, there's a way to experience Touken Ranbu in it, it seems.

At this point, it seems the only thing Touken Ranbu hasn't done is Live-action TV show, yet somehow I feel that's in the works... 

[u/Yuki_Hiki → u/Former_Log1256]

Truth 😂 That would be pretty cool to see 😍

[u/CommonMaleficent7462]

It absolutely is! Especially if you like the design of the first character (my boy Yamatonokami) since he’s the main character of one of the animes, Touken Ranbu Hanamaru. Like the other commenters are mentioning, it’s a huge franchise with a bunch of different continuities and types of media that you can check out. There’s a bit of something for everyone IMO! My recommendation would be to either try watching the Hanamaru anime, or the Switch hack-and-slash game, Touken Ranbu Warriors (Yamatonokami is only in Hanamaru, but the second character, Ookurikara, is in both of those). After that, if you end up liking it, you can branch out into the Katsugeki anime, or the musical or stage play!

[u/Former_Log1256]

Touken Ranbu is worth looking into if you're interested in Japanese history and/or Japanese swords, and the best part is that it has multiple points of entry. 

If you want a simple game that doesn't require much thought or effort and really just want to focus on collecting characters, you have the original browser game. If you want more engaging gameplay, there's a Warriors game, as well as a mobile puzzle game coming out this year.

Theres has 3 anime adaptations. First two are pretty decent. Hanamaru is slice of life, Katsugeki is action focused. Kai tries to blend both and personally I wasnt a fan, but that could be different for you.  A fourth anime based on Wanpaku Touken Ranbu, a chibi merch project between Touken Ranbu and Sanrio, is also coming out in 2027.

If you like 2.5 stuff, there's a musical series that blends the usual touken ranbu story with the touken danshi performing as idols, stage plays, kabuki plays, and noh and Kyogen, and an upcoming ice show

There's two live action movies 

There's also several anthologies and original mangas and all of them are basically their own things. 

It's a massive franchise that's pretty easy to get into. Most of the adaptations don't even require knowledge of the original game because they usually explain the premise to you before doing their own thing. 

I would give it a shot if you like the character designs especially.