Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 3: Kurenai no Tsuki

The Haruka Naru Toki properties, based on an otome game franchise from Ruby Party, are a persistent theme (or a running curse) running through Orphan's history. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3: Owarinaki Unmei was Orphan's first official release in 2010. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 followed in 2013, along with two specials from the Hachiyoushou TV series. And now, Orphan is releasing Haruka Toki no Naka de 3: Kurenai no Tsuki (In a Distant Time 3: Crimson Moon), the prequel to Owarinaki Unmei. This 2007 TV special has been available previously only as a hardsubbed release from Oi! fansubs.

Like its predecessors, Haruka Naru Toki 3 features a typical high-school girl transported through time to the distant past, where she gathers support from eight handsome retainers, the Hachiyou (eight leaves). This installment embeds the familiar otome game premise in an actual historical setting, the Genpei war between the Genji (Minamoto) and Heike (Taira) clans. The result is rather odd, as historical events and personalities must be mingled with otome game mechanics and supernatural trappings.

Haruka Naru Toki 3 dispenses with the usual boring "invocation" sequence, in which the modern day high-school girl is transported back in time and gathers the Hachiyou. Instead, Kurenai no Tsuki opens in media res. The heroine, Kasuga Nozomi, is already the Priestess of the White Dragon, as embodied in the handsome but naive Hakuryuu. She is fighting for the Genji with her eight Hachiyou:

• Arikawa Masaomi, the Seiryuu of Heaven; fictional
• Kurou, the Seiryuu of Earth; based on the historical Minamoto no Yoshitsune
  
• Hinoe, the Suzaku of Haven; based on the fictional Fujiwara no Tanzou
  
• Benkei, the Suzaku of Earth; based on the historical Musashibou Benkei
• Arikawa Yuzuru, the Byakko of Heaven, Masoami’s younger brother; fictional
• Kagetoki, the Byakko of Earth; based on the historical Kajiwara Kagetoki. He carries a rifle, which wouldn't be invented for centuries.
  
• Atsumori, the Genbu of Heaven; based on the historical Taira no Atsumori
  
• Ridvan ("Sensei"), the Genbu of Earth, possibly a tengu; fictional
  

Many of the other characters are also based on historical figures: 

• Yoritomo - Minamoto no Yoritomo, older half-brother of Yoshitsune (also called Kamakuro-dono)
• Masako - Houjou Masako, wife of Yoritomo
• Tomomori -Taira no Tomomori, son of Taira no Kiyomori, the head of the Taira clan
  
• Tsunemasa - Taira no Tsunemasa, older brother of Atsumori
• Koremori - Taira no Koremori
• “His Lordship” - Emperor Antoku, grandson of Kiyomori
• “Her Eminence” -Taira no Tokiko, wife of Kiyomori and grandmother of Antoku

But there's trouble ahead. Nozomi has joined the Genji because the Heike are using onryou (resurrected demons) to fight, but her retinue includes (incognito) Heike supporters and members of the influential and devious Fujiwara clan. Further, the Genji leaders are more than willing to betray their own supporters to consolidate their power. Events climax at the (real) battle of Ichi-no-Tani, where Nozomi's powers are put to a severe test.

There's no point in critiquing Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 3: Kurenai no Tsuki as history (it's nonsense), and not much point in critiquing it as drama. Its otome game roots mean that the cast is overstuffed with bishounen mostly distinguished by their hair color. Character traits are delineated in a few broad strokes, if that. The show does improve on previous offerings in the series by making its heroine much more capable. Nozomi is not the usual helpless waif but a strong leader and a competent swordswoman. There's no point asking where she learned her skills; kendo club, maybe?

Because of the large cast of characters, the voice cast is huge. All of them appear in the second episode, Owarinaki Unmei, and many of them appeared in other installments of the franchise.

• Kawakami Tomoko (Kasuga Nozomi) played the titles roles in Revolutionary Girl Utena, Hikaru no Go, and Chiccha na Yuki Tsukai Sugar. She also played Akane, the heroine, in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou (TV and movie), Chiriko in Fushigi Yuugi, Kamio Misuzu in Air, Soi Fon in Bleach, Rosette Christopher in Chrno Crusade, Yura in Futari Ecchi, Kazuma in Detective Academy Q, Youko in Tactics, Linen in Lime Iro Ryuukitan Cross, Sumi in Amaenaide yo!!, and a personal favorite, Elise the irate personal assistant in, Nodame Cantabile. She also played Takakura Karin, the heroine, in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, Carrot in Waza no Tabibito, and Rinko in Kigyou Senshi Yamazaki: Long Distance Call, all Orphan releases.
• Miki Shinichirou (Arikawa Masaomi) played Kojiro in Pokemon, Fujiwara Takumi in Initial D, Urahara Kisuke in Bleach, Minamoto no Yorihisa in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, Shintarou in Lime-iro Senkitan, Bruce Wayne in Batman: Gotham Knight, Roy Mustang in Full Metal Alchemist (2009), Katze in Ai no Kusabi (2012), and Gintarou in Gingitstune. He also played Minamoto no Yoritada in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, Johnny in Jikuu Bouken Nuumamonjaa, John Bishop (the sharpshooter) in AWOL Compression Remix, and Cyber-X in Hand Maid May, all Orphan releases.
• Nakahara Shigeru (Arikawa Yuzuru) played the title role in Arion, Trowa Barton in Gundam Wing, Fujiwara no Takamichi in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, and Kurama in Kyousogiga. He also played Fujiwara no Yukitata in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2 and had featured roles in Ziggy Sore Yuke! R&R Band, Ai no Kusabi, Dragon Fist, Dokushin Apartment Doukudami-sou, Chameleon, and Neko Neko Fantasia, all Orphan releases.
• Okiayu Ryoutarou (Hakuryuu) starred as the title roles in Gambler Densetsu Tetsuya, Toriko, and Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun, Mitsui Hisashi in Slam Dunk, Matsura Yuu in Marmalade Boy, Jinnai Katsuhiko in the El-Hazard franchise, Nueno Meisuke in the Hell Teacher Nube series,Samejima Ranmaru in Kizuna, Souma Shigure in Fruits Basket (2003), Berserker in Fate/Zero, Hideyoshi in Sengoku Basara, and Atsushi in Recorder to Ransel. He also played Takao-san in Let's Nupu Nupu, Abel in Fire Emblem, Gion in Okane ga nai!, and Akram in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2 (a repeat of his role in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou), all Orphan releases.
• Takahashi Naozumi (Hinoe) played Bunta in the Prince of Tennis franchise, Inori in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, and Isato in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, an Orphan release.
• Kawamura Maria (Houjou Masako) played Naga the Serpent in the Slayers franchise, the title role in Fujiko Fujio A no Mumako, Eluza in the Gall Force OVAs, Interpreter in the Compiler OVAs, Luna and Tiger Lily in Peter Pan no Bouken, Kate in Hitomi no Naka no Shounen: 15 Shounen Hyouryuuki, and Shirin in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2 (a repeat of her role in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou). The last two are Orphan releases.
• Inoue Kazuhiko (Kajiwara Kagetoki) starred as Yamaoka Shirou in Oishinbo, Yuki Eiri in Gravitation, the title role in Cyborg 009, Tachibana no Tomomasa in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, and my favorite role, the irascible, sake-swilling Nyanko-sensei in the Natsume Yuujichou franchise. He also played Saiki Haruka in Tobira o Akate, Iori in Tomoe's Run!, Kanuma Hayate in Akai Hayate, Ryousuke in Daishizen no Majuu Bagi, Kitten Smith in Starship Troopers, Liu Bei Xuande in both Sangokushi TV specials, Ayako in Lunn Flies into the Wind, Nakatsugawa in Boyfriend, and Hisui in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, all Orphan releases.
• Kuwashima Houko (Kajiwara Saku) starred in the the title roles in Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne and Arete-Hime and played Sango in Inuyasha, Aoi in Infinite Ryvius, Marlene in Blue Gender, Morimura Ran in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, Margaret in Madlax, Kou Shuurei in the Saiunkoku Monogatari series, Yuuko in Dennou Coil, Chizuru in the Hakuoiki properties, and Warp in Kaiba. She played Taira no Chitose in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2 and appeared in The Girl with Blue Eyes and Yume Tsukai, all Orphan releases.
• Seki Tomokazu (Minamoto no Kurou Yoshitsune) played Keisuke in the Initial D franchise, Kenji in the original Pokemon, Ken in Weiss Kreuz, Kyou in the original Fruits Basket, Rentarou in Futakoi Alternative, Tanaka in Genshiken, Ryuuki in Saiunkoku Monogatari, Dee in Fake, Shinya in the Psycho-Pass properties, GIlgamesh in the Fate/Stay franchise, Morimura Tenma in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, and Suneo in many Doraemon movies. He also played Taira no Katsuzane in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2 and Yamaoka Tetsutarou in Hidamari no Ki, both Orphan releases.
• Miyata Kouki (Musashibou Benkei) played Suzaku no Rei in Saint Beast, Daisuke in Major, Ken in Kyou Kara Maou!, Kouta in the Baka to Test franchise, Shimon in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, Akifumi in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, and Badger, Sea Otter, and Squirrel Mama in Shirokuma Cafe. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Ishida Akira (Ridvan) starred as Sasuke in Samurai Deeper Kyou, Chrno in Chrno Crusade, Howard in Uninhabited Planet Survive, Rion in Galerians: Rion, Komugi in Hen Zemi, and Arima in Princess Lover. He played Abe no Yasuaki in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, Gaara in the Naruto franchise, Shinichi in Nana, Athrun Zala in the Gundam Seed Destiny properties, Cho Hokkai in the Saiyuki franchise, Xellos in the Slayers franchise, Natori in the Natsume Yuujinchou franchise, Tsukasa in the Shokugei no Souma franchise, and Kuchiki in the Genshiken series. He played brother Oomori in Let's Nupu Nupu, Gordon in Fire Emblem, and Abe no Yasutsugu in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, all Orphan releases.
• Hoshi Souichirou (Taira no Atsumori) played Kira Yamato in the Gundam Seed series, Sanada Yukimura in the Sengoku Basara franchise, Eisen in Haruka Naru Toke no Nake de: Hachiyoushou, Kei in Onegai Teacher, Maebera in the Higurashi franchise, Tomoki in the Soro no Otoshimoto franchise, Son Goku in the Saiyuki franchise, Shinji in the Symphogear franchise, Nagi in Tenjou Tenge, and Minamoto no Motomi in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, an Orphan release.
• Hanawa Eiji (Taira no Tsunemasa) played Chikage in Antique Bakery, Daryl in Ai no Kusabi (2012), Niccolo in Shingeki no Kyojin: Final Season, and Sabato in Blade of the Immortal. He appeared in Kage (Shadow), an Orphan release.
• Hamada Kenji (Taira no Tomomori, Shirogane) has had numerous featured roles, including Dobu in Odd Taxi, Brooz in Ishuzoku Reviewers, Sabruou in Angolmois, and Tigre in 91 Days. He appared in Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane, an Orphan release.

The director, Shinohara Toshiya, also helmed the Inuyasha movies, the Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou movie, the Gunparade Orchestra properties, Kuroshitsuji, Red Data Girl, and Shiroi Suna no Aquatope.

In addition to the main show, this release includes a comic extra, the Onsen Special, depicting the main characters in chibi form, relaxing at a hot spring, as well as the non-credit OP and ED. It also includes live-action extras and promotional videos, which have not been translated.

The original subtitles for the main show were by Oi! (Otakaru Island); for the special, by EPIC. Yogicat transcribed and timed the subtitles. I edited and typeset; the only real typesetting is the title sequence. Nemesis and Uchuu QCed. The raws are from an R2J DVD, encoded by an anonymous friend. The video is an enormous improvement over the original Oi! release, which was a TV rip, and the original EPIC release, which had the wrong aspect ratio. The subtitles are far easier to read. To that end, the original's colored subtitles, coded to match the characters' hair colors, had to be sacrificed. Sayonara, 2008.

So here is a much improved version of Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 3: Kurenai no Tsuki and all its extras. You can find the release on the usual torrent site or download all the piece parts from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.