'Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu' Episode 3: Kunihiro and Kanesada to Finally Face-Off Against Time Retrograde Army?
The battle to keep history true and unblemished has begun in the new action fantasy anime series "Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu." Will the combined forces of sword warriors Horikawa Kunihiro and Izuminokami Kanesada be enough to send the villainous Time Retrograde Army back to where they belong?
In the year 2205, a menacing group known as the Historical Revisionists aims to alter the course of history by sending their Time Retrograde Army back in time. In order to combat this threat, a Saniwa or Sage summons up the spirits of legendary weapons to become Sword Warriors. And in this particular adaptation, the Saniwa brings out the warriors Kunihiro and Kanesada and sends them back to the 19th century to drive the Time Retrograde Army away.
These warriors are joined by another merry group of warriors that include Mutusnokami Yoshiyuki, Yagen Toushirou, Tombokiri, and Tsurumaru Kuninanaga.
The anime got off to a good start with stunning visuals, and a natural way of explaining the world of Katsugeki makes it easier for viewers who haven't played the game that inspired the series.
By the second episode, the Sword Warriors and their crew, along with the guide Konnosuke and the Sage, have begun heading off to the castle to battle it out with the Time Retrograde Army. The official trailer for the third episode reveals that the group's plan of assassinating the lord of the castle will be underway. It is a mission that will not only thwart the Army's own villainous plan but will also stop a war across borders.
"Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu" is an anime adaptation of a popular online browser game from DMM and Nitroplus. It is the second anime series to have been inspired by the said game, the first one being "Touken Ranbu Hanamaru" by Doga Kobo.
And while the first anime adaptation featured the peaceful life within the Citadel, this new one from Ufotable takes the warriors out to the front lines for more action-packed adventures.
"Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu" airs on Saturdays at 12:30 a.m. JST on Tokyo MX. The first and second episodes are also now available on Crunchyroll.