Going Across Time... (時空(とき)を超えて... Toki o Koete) is the first episode of Hakuouki: Sweet School Life (Live Action). It aired on September 24, 2015. The story of Sweet School Life is set in the modern-day Japan with all the Hakuouki characters re-imagined accordingly. Instead of being samurai and fighting for their ideals, all the characters are now school teachers or students, and their day-to-day life is filled with more trivial matters, such as exams and school events. The Live Action version is meant to be a comedy with character personality enhancement, multiple references to the original story and light-hearted vibes overall.
Plot
Shinsengumi come to save Chizuru in 1864
- 1864
The story begins in 1864 when the Shinsengumi members approach a building where rogue samurai are hiding. Heisuke takes out a vial of Ochimizu that he has brought with him but Hijikata prohibits using it, as, according to Okita, it will consume his life without making him a real demon. Hijikata also adds that before Heisuke dies, he will completely forget who he is. Heisuke puts the vial away, and Saitou volunteers to lead the attack. Heisuke decides to join Saitou, Harada decides to take the rear, and Okita goes with Hijikata. As the vice-commander warns Souji not to be hot-headed, Okita jokes that he is not the only one (hinting at Hijikata and surprising others).
As they enter the building and start the battle, Hijikata and Okita run to the second floor, and while Okita is distracting an enemy, Hijikata finds Chizuru tied up in a room. Hijikata defeats another enemy and frees Chizuru, and she wonders what would happen if they lived in a different era and if their fate could be different.
Hakuo Academy
- 2015
The timestamp moves to 2015, and the next scene is set in modern-day Japan, at the entrance to Hakuo Gakuen (Hakuo Academy). The voice behind the scenes narrates that it used to be a tiny little dojo that has turned into a private school. The motto of the school is "Be a proud samurai", and apart from studying ordinary subjects students can also practice kendo in the dojo. Every morning students are met by the members of the Disciplinary Committee who check if their uniform is tidy and what time they arrive for classes. When Chizuru arrives at school, she is met by Kaoru and Saitou by the entrance. She walks through the gates and starts running which makes Kaoru stop her and scold for running on the school territory. As Chizuru runs without Kaoru seeing her, Kazama, Amagiri and Shiranui watch her from the second floor. When Chizuru walks past the kendo training hall to wave at Okita and Heisuke, she sees the name - "Shieikan Dojo". The narrator's voice also continues explaining that this school year is the first year when a girl has been admitted to the Academy, which makes Chizuru the only female student.
As Chizuru remembers that the periodic exams are near, she decides to study for them. Ibuki walks past her and intends to go home but she stops him and asks about exam preparation. Unfortunately, he is poor so he does not eat much and cannot waste energy studying, and his stomach always hurts. He tries to walk away but now he gets stopped by Harada-sensei who warns him about the punishment for students with low grades and explains that he will not be able to protect Ibuki any longer even as his class teacher. When Ibuki runs away scared, Harada-sensei praises Chizuru's results and reassures her that she will be fine during the exams.
Sannan offers Heisuke Ochimizu
Walking down the stairs, Chizuru finds Heisuke unconscious and starts shaking him. Heisuke wakes up and decides to study in the classroom, claiming that he would not wake up until morning if he let himself rest now. Eventually, Chizuru decides to bring Heisuke to the doctor, Sannan-sensei, to let Heisuke sleep on the bed. After Heisuke says that he has been studying too much, Sannan offers him a suspicious vial with red liquid claiming it will help him feel very refreshed. Heisuke loudly refuses, hiding under the blanket, and Sannan-sensei does not explain what the serum is made of, calling it a secret. Seeing that Sannan-sensei is gone, Heisuke asks Chizuru to allow him to sleep on her laps for an hour, after which he will go home and study. They start talking, and Chizuru remembers how Heisuke was the one who recommended the school to her, and she enjoys every day in it.
Kazama walks past Chizuru's portraits
Meanwhile, in the Student's Council room Kazama looks at Chizuru's portraits hanging on every wall and tells Amagiri and Shiranui that it has been 6 months since he met her and now he wants to marry her. He is convinced that she is in love with him but acts normal to hide her feelings. He mentions his heart trembling as he remembers his rendezvous with her, but Shiranui breaks the illusion by stating that they just ate lunch together in the cafeteria. As the memories show, Chizuru was happily eating alone when Amagiri served the table in front of her, and Kazama joined for a meal. Kazama remembers the situation as Chizuru being incredibly shy meeting his eyes, but Amagiri emotionlessly explains that she was not shy but rather genuinely scared. However, Kazama is sure that his friends do not understand a girl's heart, and Chizuru's head is full of him right now.
Hijikata catches Chizuru in the library
Kondou threatens to teach Nagakura a lesson for gambling
Hijikata walks Chizuru home after school
Chizuru is studying in the library, and the book she needs is on the top shelf. She tries to reach it but eventually Hijikata-sensei helps her out. He notices that she chose the book because he had recommended it, but Chizuru falls off the chair, and he has to catch her. She is surprised by the sudden proximity of his face so she screams and pushes him away. Realizing that she hurt him, she apologizes, and he gives her the book wishing her luck and making it clear that her being a girl will not save her from the failure punishment.
Hijikata-sensei works until dark, and Kondou-san brings him tea reminding him that he needs to take some rest. Leaving, Kondou-san asks how Chizuru is doing and whether Hijikata-sensei regrets admitting her. Before he has time to reply, Nagakura-sensei runs into the room screaming that he will not be able to live another month, looking at his papers. Hijikata-sensei reminds him that gambling is not allowed, and Kondou-san threatens to teach him a lesson. Realizing the situation, Nagakura-sensei runs away to prepare for the lessons.
As Chizuru leaves school, it is dark, and Hijikata-sensei decides to walk her home. It is revealed in their conversation that Chizuru's father is gone to an island with no doctors for half a year. When they arrive, Heisuke sees them through his window. Walking back, Hijikata-sensei answers Kondou-san's earlier question out loud saying that he does not regret admitting Chizuru to the Academy but notices how his heart beats faster remembering her smile.