Ok, just to revive this thread, let me share my experience with Hakuoki
Pros:
+ Befitting VA
+ Good remake, i.e. Kyoto Winds & Edo Blossoms
+ Likeable female NPCs
+ Moderate focus on romance
+ KW & ED have Sanan's route. He is bae~ <3. Overall, the quality of the remake is holistically impressive w.r.t. art, plot, character & romance development.
Cons (mostly w.r.t. Demons of the Fleeting Blossoms BC the remakes manage to reduce these pitfalls):
- Very annoying MC in DoTFB - all bark, no bite, unrealistic, passive, docile, hypocritical
- Boring info-dump. I think the plot is poorly developed for a historical fantasy.
I don't mind history, but at least devs should have the courtesy to go beyond event & character report in the narration.
Moreover, the fantasy element of demons are poorly developed for the lame excuse of impure bloodline and mixed marriages with humans.
- I know many other gamers manage to connect with the Shinsengumi, but I just can't. I feel exactly like how Kazuma said at the end of his route that they gave their lives away uselessly for their ideals.
- Abrupt costume change. It somehow grated on my nerves a lot, especially because I played Edo Blossoms prior to DoTFB, which has nice transition and explanation for most events.
- Very poor development and absolution of Koudou. In Kazuma's route, Kaoru totally disappeared.
Generally, I sometimes wonder why I was wasting my time playing both versions. Probably, I adore Sanan so much that I want to find all the evidence that other fans used to trash him.