hijikata fanclub~ (again?)
Went and caught up with Gintama episodes (not all of them, no!) I think I've just been systematically going through episodes in which the Shinsengumi appear. I can't bring myself to watch teh Tsusengumi episodes unfortunately...even though Hijikata pretending to be an otaku cracks me up.
I think I now like Hijikata more than Okita XDDDD But Okita's few rare serious moments are very memorable...and also very, very rare. In fact, I think there's only been two arcs so far when the situation overwhelmed his neverending quest to surreptitiously knock off Hijikata.
Watching episode 119 (citywide ban on smoking drove Hijikata on a intergalactic mission to get a smoke) made me sympathise with smokers for the first time ever in my life XDDDDDD I bet the exploding ash bin was installed by Okita. Maa, maa~ I'm sure Okita had vice captain's health in mind, and the best way to quit smoking is to go cold turkey =v= (as if)
I'm actually starting to like Gintoki as well because of the utter married-couple-like hilarity between him and Hijikata (*especially that episode where they got handcuffed to each other and waltzed down the streets in the name of "not raising notice"...yeaaaaaah good work). For some reason I've never managed to connect the two of them as similar in spite of what the anime extols. They're both idiots who will get worked up over some silly reason just as a matter of pride...just like 50 other characters in the show.
I don't think I'd like Hijikata nearly as much if he were in a different anime, and maybe that's why I took so long to warm to him...but he's so...serious. He's the embodiment of the whole Japanese "ganbatte" philosophy. Everything he does, he puts all of himself into it...whether it's arresting lawbreakers, or quelling terrorists, or defending the supremacy of mayonnaise, or becoming the king of otaku =0=; Anything that he settles himself down to, he will drive himself to the very end and to the very best. In an era of hedonism, in real life he would be one of those people mocked for his pretty ideals and big dreams, but he will keep to them until the world around him succumbs. By such people is history made =v=
And he's very alone in this - Kondo spends most of his time worrying about all the wrong things, Okita won't fight unless it interests him, Gintoki is equally lazy unless the script calls for a Main Character Moment™, even Katsura will choose running away when things don't work out. Hijikata alone charges on, keeping to his course and keeping to his word.
So you feel sorry for him, because in Gintama's world, he's like a true Shinsengumi stuck with a crowd of lazy asses. He's called the demon vice captain only because he's normal. He's feared by his own people, hated by criminals, harassed by Gintoki, hunted by Okita...and possessed by an otaku nut ==; You feel for him when he says "Every moment is a battle for me..." Poor guy ;_;
I'm sure it's intentional, but he doesn't seem to realise the charisma he has. He has all the skills and abilities, he practically runs the Shinsengumi, he's an utter cynic but inside he is full of romantics (hey, Vimes!), he binds himself with duties and rules in order for his heart to always be in the right place...but he would never ask to be Shinsengumi leader because he believes that the one who stands at the top has to be a bigger dreamer.
He's too sweet for this anime XD
I think I now like Hijikata more than Okita XDDDD But Okita's few rare serious moments are very memorable...and also very, very rare. In fact, I think there's only been two arcs so far when the situation overwhelmed his neverending quest to surreptitiously knock off Hijikata.
Watching episode 119 (citywide ban on smoking drove Hijikata on a intergalactic mission to get a smoke) made me sympathise with smokers for the first time ever in my life XDDDDDD I bet the exploding ash bin was installed by Okita. Maa, maa~ I'm sure Okita had vice captain's health in mind, and the best way to quit smoking is to go cold turkey =v= (as if)
I'm actually starting to like Gintoki as well because of the utter married-couple-like hilarity between him and Hijikata (*especially that episode where they got handcuffed to each other and waltzed down the streets in the name of "not raising notice"...yeaaaaaah good work). For some reason I've never managed to connect the two of them as similar in spite of what the anime extols. They're both idiots who will get worked up over some silly reason just as a matter of pride...just like 50 other characters in the show.
I don't think I'd like Hijikata nearly as much if he were in a different anime, and maybe that's why I took so long to warm to him...but he's so...serious. He's the embodiment of the whole Japanese "ganbatte" philosophy. Everything he does, he puts all of himself into it...whether it's arresting lawbreakers, or quelling terrorists, or defending the supremacy of mayonnaise, or becoming the king of otaku =0=; Anything that he settles himself down to, he will drive himself to the very end and to the very best. In an era of hedonism, in real life he would be one of those people mocked for his pretty ideals and big dreams, but he will keep to them until the world around him succumbs. By such people is history made =v=
And he's very alone in this - Kondo spends most of his time worrying about all the wrong things, Okita won't fight unless it interests him, Gintoki is equally lazy unless the script calls for a Main Character Moment™, even Katsura will choose running away when things don't work out. Hijikata alone charges on, keeping to his course and keeping to his word.
So you feel sorry for him, because in Gintama's world, he's like a true Shinsengumi stuck with a crowd of lazy asses. He's called the demon vice captain only because he's normal. He's feared by his own people, hated by criminals, harassed by Gintoki, hunted by Okita...and possessed by an otaku nut ==; You feel for him when he says "Every moment is a battle for me..." Poor guy ;_;
I'm sure it's intentional, but he doesn't seem to realise the charisma he has. He has all the skills and abilities, he practically runs the Shinsengumi, he's an utter cynic but inside he is full of romantics (hey, Vimes!), he binds himself with duties and rules in order for his heart to always be in the right place...but he would never ask to be Shinsengumi leader because he believes that the one who stands at the top has to be a bigger dreamer.
He's too sweet for this anime XD