* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Wampaku! Touken Ranbu
わんぱく！刀剣乱舞
A spin-off anime of the online game “Touken Ranbu ONLINE,” co-developed by DMM GAMES and Nitroplus. Production was announced in January 2024 as the anime adaptation of the character project “Wampaku! Touken Ranbu,” whose designs Sanrio produces. Historic famous swords personified as Touken Danshi appear in the forms Sanrio designed. Touken Ranbu is known as one of Japan's largest content series for popularizing sword culture and has contributed greatly to public interest in real swords.
Description
Work overview
“Wampaku! Touken Ranbu” is a spin-off anime of the online game “Touken Ranbu ONLINE” (service launched 2015), co-developed by DMM GAMES and Nitroplus. Production was announced in January 2024 as the anime adaptation of the character project “Wampaku! Touken Ranbu,” which Sanrio began in 2020 with design production. As the name “Wampaku” (full of energy, mischievous) suggests, this project has Sanrio design the Touken Danshi in approachable forms.
About the Touken Ranbu franchise
“Touken Ranbu ONLINE” is a browser and smartphone game whose protagonists are the Touken Danshi, personifications of real famous swords from Japanese history. Famous swords of National Treasure and Important Cultural Property class appear, including Mikazuki Munechika, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, Dōjigiri Yasutsuna, Hizamaru, Higekiri and Juzumaru Tsunetsugu. The game's mechanics, which let players naturally learn the history, provenance and characteristics of real famous swords, are highly rated. Through anime, stage plays, musicals and other media expansion, it has grown into one of Japan's largest sword culture popularization content series.
Cultural impact
It has been confirmed that the Touken Ranbu franchise directly contributed to increased visitors at sword exhibitions held by museums and art galleries. Sword-holding facilities nationwide have staged collaborative exhibitions, greatly expanding interest in sword culture among younger people and women. Through its collaboration with Sanrio, this work aims to reach an even broader audience and is expected to serve as an entry point to sword culture.
Famous swords appearing
Representative real swords appearing in Touken Ranbu include Mikazuki Munechika, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, Dōjigiri Yasutsuna, Hizamaru, Higekiri and Juzumaru Tsunetsugu. These are famous swords of National Treasure and Important Cultural Property class that are still preserved at museums, shrines and temples, and through the franchise their existence has become widely known.
Real Swords Featured
Mikazuki Munechika
Tachi said to have been made by Sanjō Munechika, a smith of the Heian period. Named because the uchinoke in its hamon appear crescent-shaped (mikazuki). One of the Tenka Goken (Five Great Swords). Praised for its elegant form as “the most beautiful of the Five Great Swords.” National Treasure, held by the Tokyo National Museum. In Touken Ranbu it is a popular symbolic presence.
Yamanbagiri Kunihiro
Work of the Azuchi-Momoyama-period smith Horikawa Kunihiro. Made at the request of the Ashikaga Nagao family as a copy of the famous sword “Honsaku Chōgi,” and linked to the legend of subduing the mountain hag (Yamanba). Designated an Important Cultural Property as Kunihiro's representative work. Known as a main character of Touken Ranbu from its early days.
Dōjigiri Yasutsuna
Tachi said to have been made by Ōhara Yasutsuna, a smith of Hōki Province in the Heian period. One of the Tenka Goken, associated with the legend that Minamoto no Yorimitsu slew Shuten-dōji of Mount Ōe. Regarded as the foremost of famous swords (meibutsu), it is a National Treasure held by the Tokyo National Museum.
Higekiri
Heirloom tachi of the Minamoto clan. Said to be named because the beard was also cut when it sliced through a criminal. Holds many alternate names, including Onimaru, Shishi-no-Ko and Tomokiri, and is the Minamoto treasure sword forming a pair with Hizamaru. The tachi held by Kitano Tenmangū is identified as this sword.
Hizamaru
Heirloom tachi of the Minamoto clan. Said to be named because it cut a criminal down to the knee. Holds alternate names such as Usumidori and Kumokiri, and is a sibling sword to Higekiri. The tachi held by Daikaku-ji is identified as this sword.
Juzumaru Tsunetsugu
Tachi said to have been made by Aoe Tsunetsugu. Said to have been the sword worn by the saint Nichiren, and named because a rosary was hung on its hilt. One of the Tenka Goken. Held by Honkō-ji (Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture).
This page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.