Date Masamune | Character Review | Ikémen Sengoku
Masamune’s route is a wild ride, to say the least. He whisks you off at high speed in the prologue and if you choose his route, well, it never really slows down. He’s adventurous, spontaneous, and playful, making Date Masamune one of the most exciting options in the game. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Masamune makes it clear early on that his thirst for life is on par with his thirst for battle, and he appears to have a dark secret hidden in his past. Even his colleagues warn you that getting close to Masamune is dangerous, but can you resist the cool and wild charms of the One-Eyed Dragon?
Similar to: Leonardo Da Vinci (Ikémen Vampire), Fenrir Godspeed (Ikémen Revolution), Uesugi Kenshin (Ikémen Sengoku)
Aside from the obvious appeal, Masamune is a complicated, multi-faceted character which makes him feel incredibly real. His actions and motivations make sense, the cross-cultural miscommunications make sense, and his relationship with MC builds in a natural and believable way, despite his large personality and the bizarre time-travel situation. In this route, MC is portrayed as bold, reckless, and steadfast in her beliefs, which makes her and Masamune feel like a natural pair.
It’s difficult to put Date Masamune in any one box. He has the wild and adventurous spirit of the classic ‘Genki’ (Lively) trope, but he also comes across as being one of the more mature characters, calling MC ‘Lass’ and acting as a role model for his vassals and allies. He’s mischievous and playful but also capable of taking things seriously, especially when it comes to sticking to your values. Masamune has a deeply entrenched moral code that makes him a dangerous man to get close to, but MC soon sees hints of a softer side when she discovers Masamune actually really enjoys taking care of people, even cooking for the other warlords and his warriors.
Note: I’ve now written an updated review of Masamune’s character and route (including a walkthrough of player choices and challenges) which can be read: here.
Story
“Life’s an adventure with you. You’ll keep me on my toes, right?”
– Date Masamune (Ikémen Sengoku)
Date Masamune’s route is a whirlwind of romance, drama, and adventure. Be prepared to have your emotions rollercoaster as you instantly switch from playful date to life-threatening danger to steamy spicy scene, potentially all in one chapter. Each of these moments has a drastically different tone, which could make the story confused or chaotic, yet, in Masamune’s route, it feels completely natural.
These seemingly contradictory traits of the fun-loving ‘Genki’ type and responsible warlord with immovable values actually complement each other, allowing for a fascinating story with a perfect balance of light-hearted fun and meaningful, emotional romance.
Story Options: Premium vs. Normal
Story branches: As you progress through the story, you’ll encounter several sections where you can choose between a ‘normal’ and ‘premium’ option. The premium option provides a ‘Special Story’, which is saved to your ‘Memories’ collection, meaning you can return to it for re-reading at any time. The Special Story is also longer and typically more romantic than the bonus story provided by the ‘normal’ option. However, the normal version is cheaper and can be purchased with in-game resources rather than real currency, meaning you can unlock them without spending any money.
Special Story 1
Our Dripping Wet Kiss
Sweet: 4/5
Spicy: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
A perfect beginning to a collection of Masamune stories, ‘Our Dripping Wet Kiss’ is playful, adventurous, spontaneous, and very typical of the interactions MC has with Masamune. During this special story, you learn a little about Masamune’s past, and there’s a nice mix of sweet and spiciness. Furthermore, it’s probably one of the most memorable scenes in his route, so it’s worth having in your ‘Memories’ collection.
Special Story 2
A Desperate Hunger
Sweet: 3/5
Spicy: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Masamune’s wildness isn’t just about excitement and fun. He also has a more animalistic, dangerous streak, which is very much the focus of ‘A Desperate Hunger’. This special story is an intense and emotionally raw scene where MC uncovers a deeply buried, vulnerable layer to Date Masamune’s character. I enjoyed this special story not only for the spiciness, but also for the opportunity to experience a new side to Masamune, particularly one that contradicts his usual carefree nature.
Special Story 3
The Moment I Made My Choice
Sweet: 4/5
Spicy: 0/5
Recommend: No
If ‘Our Dripping Wet Kiss’ focuses on the fun, light-hearted elements of Masamune’s character, and ‘A Desperate Hunger’ focuses on his darker, wilder side, then ‘The Moment I Made My Choice’ highlights the part of Masamune that’s caring, selfless, and determined to take responsibility for the people who rely on him. It’s a much sweeter, purer part of his personality, and I’m glad it also gets the spotlight, but this scene is also emotional in a more dramatic and sad way, which I don’t tend to enjoy re-reading later, so I won’t recommend it for your ‘Memories’ collection.
Special Story 4
After The Chase
Sweet: 5/5
Spicy: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
‘After The Chase’ is probably my favourite premium option in Masamune’s route. By this point in the story you’ve encountered many of Masamune’s multi-faceted layers and his relationship with MC has returned to a state more reminiscent of the early stages, as seen in ‘Our Dripping Wet Kiss’. It’s adorable, fun, and includes a really good spicy scene that I actually liked more than the one in Special Story 5, ‘My Body And His’, from his Romantic Ending. If I could only choose one special story, it would be this one.
Special Story 5 – Romantic Ending
My Body And His
Sweet: 5/5
Spicy: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
As always, I recommend getting the premium option for the special stories that take place in the endings. ‘My Body And His’ in particular has a satisfying balance of wholesome romance and steamy ‘climactic’ scenes. In this story you can expect lots of confessions of undying and overwhelming love, which, naturally, lead into some delightfully steamy scenes befitting a special story titled ‘My Body And His’. My only critique is that it’s a bit shorter than I was expecting, but, at the very least, it’s still worth it to have a souvenir of Masamune’s Romantic Ending.
Endings
Romantic
Sweet: 5/5
Spicy: 5/5
If you’re an otome game player who loves the spicy scenes I highly recommend this ending. Masamune’s ‘bedroom’ style is just as wild as the rest of him, so be prepared for some teeth and a lot of passion. That being said, it’s also sickeningly sweet, as you get to see a more vulnerable side to a usually cool and composed guy.
I can see why it’s the romantic option, and not dramatic, as the plot itself focuses on everyday problems, rather than high-stakes drama like battle and war. It’s a sweet, low-stress ending that focuses on your life after the conflict of the main route, gently building to a finale that’s both adorable and sexy.
Bonus: Akechi Mitsuhide gets some decent screen time in this option, so if you’re a fan of Mitsuhide and undecided on which ending to choose, pick Masamune’s romantic ending for some tricky kitsune shenanigans!
Final Thoughts
Date Masamune’s route is exciting, dramatic, and sexy. He was one of the first three characters available on game launch and he definitely complements the others, providing a wild and dangerous adventure to counter the serious, domineering Nobunaga, and the youthful, determined Yukimura. Masamune is never boring, instead managing a satisfying balance of tiger-like, bestial energy, suspenseful ‘life-or-death’ drama, and sweet, playful romance.
While we’ve seen the different elements of his personality before, having them appear in one character in such a unique combination makes Date Masamune a complex, memorable character that I know I will still be thinking about long after finishing his route. I’m already looking forward to replaying for the other endings, and I can’t wait to see what Ikémen Sengoku has in store for Masamune’s Act 2 sequel.
You’ll like Date Masamune if you like: playful and mischievous love interests, reckless and bold MCs, being bitten/nibbled, cute nicknames like ‘Kitten’ and ‘Lass’, eyepatches, and, of course, a good adventure.
Voice Actor
Kato Kazuki (加藤 和樹)
Other works:
- Daisuke Kazama/Kamen Rider Drake (Kamen Rider Kabuto) – Drama
- Malleus Draconia (Disney: Twisted Wonderland) – Video Game
- Leon Dompteur (Ikemen Prince: The Last Love of Beauty and the Beast) – Video Game
Kato Kazuki also has a YouTube channel for his music, which can be found here.
Game Info
Game name:
Ikémen Sengoku: Romances Across Time
イケメン戦国・時をかける恋
Producer: CYBIRD / Ikémen Series
Platform: Mobile
Available to download: here!
Age Rating: 17+ (Google Play) / 12+ (Apple Store)
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