Coming soon in Summer 2022: Otome power couple, Idea Factory International and Otomate, have announced their upcoming title, Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei – available for Nintendo Switch in Summer, 2022!

Both the Standard and Limited Editions have been added to the online store for wishlisting, with details regarding the Limited Edition contents to be announced at a later date.

Game Info:
☆ Name: Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei
☆ Developers: Otomate
☆ Publishers: Idea Factory International
☆ Platform: Nintendo Switch
☆ Release Date: Summer 2022
☆ Languages Available: Japanese (Audio), English (Subtitles)
☆ Age Rating: TBA
☆ More information: here!

Will Shanao live up to the Genji name and defeat the Heike?

Fifteen years after the Heiji Rebellion, the Heike clan has reached the height of its power, while the Genji clan remains devastated by defeat. Hidden deep within the mountains of Kurama lives Shanao, the youngest surviving male heir to the Genji name. However, Shanao harbors a deep secret known by very few.

The youngest heir to the Genji name is no man.

Torn between her duty to live up to the Genji family name and her desire to live a peaceful life, Shanao sets off in hopes to take down the Heike stronghold and finally bring peace in the country. Her adventure leads her to find new cherished relationships, as well as something deeper than the feud between the rivalling clans.

– Official Game Description

Oona’s thoughts: The protagonist is… an actual protagonist??? Not just a pure-hearted heroine, but a badass warrior, and heir to her clan? Sign. me. up.

Love Interests

Shanao will encounter 5 potential routes through her quest to live up to the Genji name. What fate does each one hold for her?

There are 3 routes for characters from the Genji clan (the same clan as the protagonist), and the remaining two routes are for characters from the Heike clan (the clan the protagonist is trying to defeat).

Lead Artist: Koji Haneda | 羽田 浩二

Genji Clan

Heike Clan

Gameplay & Features

The Object of My Affection – Shanao will encounter five potential routes, each with an Affection Level – a meter that shows how much you have progressed with the character based on the choices made. Once you’ve decided on your route, maintain your Affection Level to get up close and personal with someone…

Testing My Abilities – There are 3 Character Abilities Shanao possesses: Strength, Knowledge, and Kindness. As you progress, you are given choices that will affect her Character Abilities. Try to find an equal balance for all 3 abilities. Too high or low of any ability can trigger a bad outcome!

Apple of My Ai – The Ai-Catch system allow players to gauge how their choices affect a character’s Affection Level and Shanao’s Character Abilities in real time! A seedling will indicate a poor Affection Level, while a blooming flower shows a promising Affection Level. The outer frame of the screen will also change into 3 colors: Red, Blue, and Green. Respectively, each color is associated with Shanao’s Character Ability: Strength, Knowledge, and Kindness. Keeping a close tab on your decision can help Shanao reach her true ending!

Take Another Stab – After completing a chapter, players can revisit it and manipulate the Affection Levels and Character Abilities – the two main measures that determines the progress of a route. If you feel Shanao is headed down the wrong path, replay the chapter and get back on track!

Final Thoughts

The protagonist, Shanao, is a badass warrior pretending to be a boy, who decides to go on a journey to defeat the Heike and restore her clan’s honour… so, naturally, I already love her. It’s not that I don’t like the classic pure-hearted otome heroine, but variety is the spice of life, and I’m excited to actually play as the hero of the story, rather than romance him.

All in all, the CG’s look great, the concept looks great, and I’m a sucker for historical otome games. There’s only limited information available at this stage, but I’m definitely going to be keeping my eye on Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei, as it looks like exactly the kind of otome game I love to play.

Game Info

☆ Game Name: Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei
☆ Developers: Otomate
☆ Publishers: Idea Factory International
☆ Platform: Nintendo Switch
☆ Release Date: Summer 2022
☆ Languages Available: Japanese (Audio), English (Subtitles)
☆ Age Rating: TBA
☆ More information: here!

~ Thank you to Idea Factory International for sharing the news with us! ~

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