OOC ✿ APPLICATION
Series: Gintama
Series' Medium: Primarily anime/manga, also video games.
Character you're applying for: Hijikata Toshirou (sometimes called "Toshi," and since that's shorter, I'll refer to him by that a lot)
Character's role in their canon: Recurring side character.
Character's age: Canonly "in his twenties," but as a rough estimate from the timeline I'm going with, I'll say 25 years old?
Character's gender: Male
Character's "Real Name": Katsuki "Kate" Himenez. He's not actually half-Mexican or a cross-dresser--just 100% Japanese. But according to series tradition, I'm sticking him with the most wtf?! name I can think of, because to give him something actually reasonable and normal would be ooc. If you think I'm kidding...ahaha. Maybe his mother remarried to a Colombian drug-dealer-gangster.
Please give us a detailed personal history of your character: To say that Gintama is historical fiction is like saying the Ku Klux Klan was a horseback riding country club. Although technically it takes place in Edo-period Japan, this Edo is slightly different from the historical version in that it has been taken over by aliens and converted into a high-tech metropolis with legions of unemployed samurai and really, really crappy soap operas. That said, Hijikata Toshirou, the legendary "Demon" Vice-Commander of the elite Edo police force (the Shinsengumi), still exists, but there are...significant differences between him and the actual man he's based off of.
The details of Hijikata's early past are a bit foggy. He grew up in a rural Japanese village called Bushu; all that's known of his family, however, is that he once saw his father in a bra, but even that fact is questionable. Based on what is mentioned about his early life, however, and because some parts of his character are based on the actual historical figure Hijikata Toshizou's, I'll assume that Toshi grew up in a large family with many siblings. His father was either not around, or Hijikata would prefer to think that his father wasn't around; either way, Hijikata was not proud of his father or his family. This may or may not have to do with the fact that when Hijikata was very, very young, alien species from outer space (called Amanto) invaded Edo. Though the samurai and the aliens duked it out in an Epic Battle for Japan, in the end the aliens won and took over Japan easily with their superior technology The Japanese government surrendered early on and easily at the hands of the fearsome aliens; a ban on swords was put in place, samurai were killed and embarrassed, and Japan lost most of the pride it held as a country. The Shogunate (government) became nothing more than puppets at the hands of alien interests, and while Hijikata might not have felt the full effects of the invasion as badly as some other people because he lived in the countryside (not the city), no doubt the general powerlessness of the humans and hopelessness of the war left a lasting impression on him when he grew older and the war ended, ten years after it began, when Hijikata was a teenager.
As a teenager, Hijikata led a violent lifestyle, roaming around the countryside picking fights with local dojos and gangs. Much like a wild dog without an owner, there was a great deal of anger in him, which translated into the desire to be stronger than everyone else physically. Hijikata taught himself basic swordplay, but relied mostly on his natural-born talents to win fights. It's safe to say that Toshi had no real purpose in his life, and only wanted to beat as much shit up as possible for as long as he could stand. He didn't particularly value life or even his own body, never mind the future.
All that changed one otherwise-ordinary afternoon, when the people from the dojos Hijikata had beaten decided to gang up and corner him together. Though Hijikata alone was strong enough to beat most of the them, in the end he was simply outnumbered and had his face beaten into the ground. The heir to another local dojo, Kondo Isao, saw him and took him back to Kondo's dojo, dressing his wounds and offering him a place to stay for as long as he wanted to. Hijikata recovered slowly from his wounds, and while for the most part he refused to speak or show any gratitude for the help he was receiving, he watched silently as the other dojo students practiced their swordplay. Kondo, catching him watching, repeated his offer for Hijikata to join them, and told him that although Hijikata's instincts were excellent and his talent undeniable, without proper training and practice his sword would never get stronger.
When his wounds were somewhat-mostly healed, Hijikata left the dojo and Kondo without another word. Rather than doing this out of rudeness or anger, Hijikata had left because he knew that he still had many enemies--enemies that might bother Kondo if they knew that the man had helped Hijikata. Hijikata went back to the gangs, telling them straight-out that he had nothing to do with Kondo, and that if they wanted to they could fight Hijikata instead. Another fight began in earnest, but before it could end, Kondo (who had followed Hijikata to see where he went) joined in the fight, refusing to allow Hijikata fight the gangs himself. When the fight was over, Hijikata told Kondo off for helping him, saying that he'd done this only to "repay his debt," only now he was even more indebted to Kondo. Kondo replied that debts and whatnot didn't matter because Hijikata was a part of their dojo now: Kondo could tell from the blisters on Hijikata's hands that he'd been secretly practicing his swordplay using the techniques he'd seen from the other students and master.
When all was said and done, Hijikata returned to the dojo with Kondo; the man had inspired something within him, and from that time on Hijikata would become loyally devoted to Kondo Isao and everything the man stood for. He was also introduced to Okita Sougo, a talented young prodigy that would ultimately become the alleged "greatest swordsman in all of Edo" who also studied at Kondo's dojo. The two didn't get along well, primarily because Sougo was jealous of the attention Hijikata received from Kondo. When Hijikata met Sougo's sister, Mitsuba, the relationship between the two youths soured even more, especially when Mitsuba began to fall in love with Hijikata.
When the master died, Kondo took over the dojo, and over time Kondo's optimism and faith in a brighter tomorrow would inspire many others to join their dojo in the countryside. Together, this ragtag group of defeated samurai decided that they would go to the City--Edo, the capital--and fight with others for recognition and the right to wear their swords again with pride. When they decided to go to Edo, it was clear that Hijikata and Sougo would also have to leave some things behind. Mitsuba, Sougo's sister, on a night shortly before their departure confessed to Hijikata the desire to "remain by his side"; she wanted him to take her to Edo with them, even though they all both knew that the path Hijikata had chosen was a brutal one. Hijikata, knowing that his day-to-day life would be full of bloodshed and cruelty, couldn't choose to take Mitsuba knowing that with him she could never have the peaceful life she wanted. In response to her confession, he told her simply that he "didn't care," and that she couldn't go; having broken her heart, he left for Edo with the others, firmly resolved to fight with Kondo to the end.
Eventually, the group of samurai led by Kondo became the Shinsengumi. Commonly referred to as the Shogunate's "dogs," the Shinsengumi is basically the Japanese government's elite police force. In charge of everything from traffic control to drug-ring-busting to babysitting the Shogun, the Shinsengumi are the most feared (and hated) law enforcers, and allegedly "protect Edo." Hijikata became the Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi--second in command under Kondo, and commonly referred to as the "Demon Vice Commander" or "the brains behind the Shinsengumi." Hijikata was somewhat content with his position: he could serve Kondo, and although he had no faith in the government, he would follow Kondo no matter what the man chose.
When he was about 21 (when the Gintama series officially begins), while hunting the loyalist-faction terrorist Katsura Kotarou, Hijikata (or rather, Hijikata's sword) met a man called Sakata Gintoki. Gintoki, a self-proclaimed free-lancer and jack of all trades, would come to play an important role in Hijikata's life second only to Kondo's. Gintoki caught Hijikata's attention only momentarily, and the man merited notice only because "no samurai was crazy enough" to do what that man did: that is, jump out of the window of a thirteen-story building to throw the bomb into the sky so it wouldn't explode on other people. Three weeks later, Hijikata and Gintoki met again. Kondo had been defeated by a "silver-haired samurai" in a duel for a woman's affections, and to regain the Shinsengumi's honor and protect Kondo's reputation, Hijikata hunted the city for the "silver-haired samurai," only to find that the man who beat Kondo was Gintoki. While Gintoki was obviously trying to avoid violence, Hijikata started a duel with the man, slicing through the man's shoulder. Despite Gintoki's superior strength/swordplay and Hijikata's having injured him, however, Gintoki chose to end the duel without hurting Hijikata--he simply sliced through Hijikata's sword. Humiliated, Hijikata asked Gintoki if he pitied Hijikata; Gintoki said no. Instead, Gintoki said only that every person fights to protect something, and that Hijikata was only trying to protect the Shinsengumi and Kondo. When Hijikata asked Gintoki what he was fighting to protect, Gintoki said simply "My honor." The incident left a deep impression on Hijikata; although defeated, Hijikata was smiling, not angry after the battle. Gintoki won Hijikata's respect, and though for the rest of the series Hijikata would make Gintoki out to be his personal rival because of that defeat, they are not actually enemies. Maybe. Mostly. Ignore the drinking contests and trying-to-slice-each-other's-heads-off-playing-Rock-Paper-Scissors, please.
Gintama is an episodic series, and since an episode-by-episode recounting of every (admittedly) rather stupid situation or plot arc would be far, far too long, I'll get to it.
The next major plot point occurred some seventy-ish episodes later, when Kondo got himself engaged to a princess from the Gorilla Planet and the love of his life, Shimura Tae (Otae), got engaged to another girl. Otae was claimed by Yagyuu Kyuubei, the (female-raised-as-male) heir to one of the top dojos in all of Japan, but while she consented to being married to another woman Otae left her own home with tears in her eyes, convincing Kondo (and Gintoki's free-lancer group) to go after her and win her back from the Yagyuu family. Hijikata and Sougo went with Kondo to help him, and in the ensuing chaos Hijikata and Gintoki figured out first that Kyuubei was actually a girl. Although Hijikata managed to defeat one of the top students at the Yagyuu dojo in a duel, he was beaten handily by Kyuubei in a duel after that because he refused to fight at full strength against a woman. It was also at this time that we find out more about Hijikata's past and personality; having taught himself swordplay, Hijikata's style of fighting is very rough and "ugly." To an unwary observer, Hijikata seems to have no technique other than "hack and slash"--his body is "wide open," and his swings unsophisticated. Kondo mentioned, however, that Hijikata took many years to perfect that haphazard style of his; while ugly, it is extremely effective and (in its own way) clever, designed to lure opponents in with the promise of an easy defeat while Toshi uses his superior reflexes and instincts to win the fight in the end. After Hijikata was defeated by Kyuubei, it was up to Gintoki and the others to defeat the Yagyuu family heads; at the end of the arc, Otae went back home, knowing now that she was surrounded by friends who would protect her: including, reluctantly, Hijikata.
After some more time chilling and relaxing off-screen, Hijikata met his next obstacle in the form of the woman he abandoned in the past: Sougo's sister, Mitsuba. Mitsuba went to Edo to visit her little brother and Kondo, bearing the good news of her engagement. Though the visit should have been a happy one, it was tainted by everyone's knowledge that Mitsuba was in fact terminally ill. Hijikata, even knowing that, however, refused to see Mitsuba, not wanting to meet her again and reopen old wounds. Not only that, Hijikata found (to his dismay) that the man Mitsuba was engaged to marry was in fact a man suspected of supplying illegal weapons to terrorists and drug dealers. When going to question the man, Hijikata ran into Gintoki and Mitsuba; Mitsuba fainted as soon as he saw her.
The following afternoon, Hijikata informed Sougo of his intention to arrest Mitsuba's fiancee. Sougo surprised by Hijikata by begging Hijikata not to--not yet, not until his sister got married and died in peace. Sougo mentioned that all his life, he'd felt guilty that his sister had "delayed her own happiness" for his; to some extent, it was Hijikata's fault as well that his sister chose to get married so late, since she'd always harbored the hope that Hijikata would come back for her after all. To this rare and heart-felt plea Hijikata said only what he'd said to Mitsuba so many years ago: "It's none of my business. I don't care." Sougo, furious and hurt, charged at Hijikata, fully intending to kill him; Hijikata beat him.
The next evening, on the night of the intended arrest, Hijikata secretly arranged for him to face the drug dealers and Mitsuba's fiance alone. In the end, he kept everyone else's involvement out of it, fearing that the Shogunate would suspect Sougo for involvement with the enemies if anyone else know that Sougo's sister was engaged to the gang's ringleader. It was a suicidal and foolish move; Hijikata fought well, but against some hundred of the enemy, he was very nearly killed. When questioned about why he chose to do something so catastrophically stupid, Hijikata replied that he only wanted the woman he loved to find happiness. Just before he was shot, Hijikata was saved at the last moment by Kondo, Gintoki, Sougo, and the rest of the Shinsengumi; finally understanding Hijikata's true feelings and motivation behind his seemingly callous and heartless actions, Sougo and the rest defeated the enemy's forces soundly. Mitsuba died the following day, and while it's left ambiguous whether Hijikata talked to her before his death, the last shot is of Hijikata eating the ridiculously-spicy-senbei crackers Mitsuba loved and crying.
Unfortunately for Hijikata, there would only be more Really Crappy Shit in his future. Another deceptively ordinary day, Hijikata was out looking for a new sword, and found one. An allegedly "cursed" sword that had a shockingly sharp blade. After he bought it, strange things began to happen; Hijikata began to act cowardly, fleeing from fights and/or begging punks he could easily defeat for mercy. Then began the manga-craze: obsessively collecting and reading anything anime/manga-related, and changing interrogation scenes into girly-gossipy sleepovers with criminals he arrested. His behavior embarrassed not only himself but also the Shinsengumi; Hijikata was fired.
Some weeks after getting fired, Hijikata was picked up by Gintoki's free-lancer group. After taking Hijikata and his new sword to sword experts, they discovered that the sword was indeed cursed: cursed by the spirit of a hikkikomori otaku (obsessive, loserish fanboy) who was killed by his mother. Anyone who picked up the sword had his or her soul slowly but surely eaten away by the sword; his/her behavior would become that of an obsessed, unmotivated, perverted, idiotic fan of 2-D entertainment. Hijikata's soul had been eaten away by the sword already, said the sword expert. Possibly not a shred of his original personality remained.
In the end, the entire thing was a plot by the Kiheitai (a terrorist group bent on destroying the Shogunate and Amanto) to destroy the Shinsengumi and kill its Commander. With Hijikata out of the way, the Shinsengumi's new advisor, Itou Kamotarou, could successfully take control of the Shinsengumi--or so Itou thought. Long story short, the free-lancers succeeded in protecting the brainwashed!Hijikata from more assassination attempts by the terrorists and dragging Hijikata back to the Shinsengumi, which had been split up into two factions: those loyal to Kondo, and those under command of Itou and the terrorists. While Sougo tried to hold the rest of the terrorists/false Shinsengumi officers off by himself, Kondo was reunited with Hijikata and found, to his dismay, only the cowardly, blubbering idiot that Hijikata had become. Kondo blamed himself for Hijikata's transformation; while Hijikata had warned Kondo earlier of Itou's disloyalty and dangerous attitude, Kondo had ignored Hijikata's warning and even betrayed his friend when he needed him most. Hearing Kondo's self-damning monologue, Hijikata finally managed to break free of the curse out of his own will; together with Gintoki and the loyal Shinsengumi members, the terrorists were defeated. Itou, in the end, realizing what a warm place the Shinsengumi had been and what a mistake he had made in betraying it, sacrificed his body to shield Kondo and Hijikata from gunfire. To let Itou die in honor, Hijikata challenged Itou (whom he claimed to hate the most) to a duel, ending the Itou's life surrounded by the Shinsengumi members who cared about him. After a period of contemplation and deliberation, Hijikata decided finally to return to the Shinsengumi; while he was still bound to the cursed sword and knowledgeable that at any time the curse could regain power and destroy him completely, Hijikata claimed that he was already so cursed and damned by so many things that one more didn't matter. He returned to being the Vice Commander, and all was well for awhile.
Other things have happened since Itou died, but they are significantly less (read: not at all) serious and weighty in terms of affecting his mentality permanently. Perhaps the last thing I'll mention before I wrap this thing up is that recently Edo undertook a smoking ban, thus forcing (hopelessly addicted and chain-smoking) Hijikata to leave the Planet Earth in search of a place where he could smoke in peace. This led to a whole chain of other things in a very, very Dragon-Ball-Z-ish manner, but the summarizing point of it all was that when Hijikata was forced to return to Earth again, he decided to try and quit smoking. So far, he hasn't been very successful. But prepare for another member of the Cold Turkey Club if he gets into Landel's.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality: Although legally second in command, Hijikata is one of the most feared men in Edo because of his uncompromising reinforcement of the law. People call Hijikata the "Demon Vice Commander" for a reason; he expects complete discipline from his subordinates, so much so that he'll demand that rulebreakers commit seppuku so not to dishonor themselves or the force. A bit hot-headed and easily irritable, Hijikata resorts easily but not indiscriminately to violence, and kills without dropping his ever-present cigarette.
When he's not beating others into line, he's honest, level-headed, and aloof. He's sharp and keeps his senses about him even amidst chaos and violence, with exceptions to his sensible behavior occurring typically whenever a certain irresponsible freelancer, sadistic would-be killer comrades, or badminton-playing subordinates are involved. While ruthless, however, Hijikata is not cruel. He's had to become a harsher, colder person--at least on the outside--for the Shinsengumi. For Kondo. He's one of the founding three of the Shinsengumi. Together, they built the Shinsengumi's reputation. And to protect it and prevent people from underestimating them or taking advantage of Kondo's kindness, Hijikata became the ruthless and heartless side of the Shinsengumi. While Toshi is not a mean-hearted person, Toshi frequently makes himself out to be the bad guy even when he isn't to blame, much to Kondo's chagrin. He is willing to have people hate him and try to kill him (which they do) as long as that means what he wants to protect is protected.
On that note, Hijikata is not a self-centered individual (no matter how much he'd like to think he is). To protect things both little and small, Hijikata is willing to sacrifice his body and even his pride. For example, in one episode, the police chief's daughter fell in love with him. In order to break the relationship off without hurting the girl's feelings, Hijikata was willing to do incredibly stupid and humiliating things to "break the illusion of love" she had of him. As for why he's so willing to sacrifice his own happiness and well-being...well. At heart, Hijikata doesn't have a very high opinion of himself. Because of all the things he's done (or, as he's put it, "all the people, friends and comrades alike" that he's "trampled on" to stand where he stands), Hijikata believes completely that he is not a good person. When talking to Mitsuba's fiance, a corrupt and selfish weapons-smuggler, for example, Hijikata said that "he [wasn't] one to talk, seeing as [he was] the same kind of person." The kind of person who would use good people to get what he wants, and break girls' hearts.
Part of the reason why he can go into battle with no other thoughts than of protecting Kondo and the Shinsengumi is because Hijikata really doesn't have much to lose; to protect his livelihood and "his" people, he gave up much of his pride and idealism. He follows orders from a corrupt government that he couldn't give a damn about and probably personally dislikes. He doesn't empathize, especially not with bad guys, and above all, follows orders from the top. Defending Edo isn't his life's purpose or mission--it's his job.
Still, although he tries to hide it under a front of nonchalance and "I don't care," Hijikata possesses a great inner sentimentality. He holds onto traditional values involving respect towards women and the elderly. He has a tendency to cry during movies and dramas, even if they suck crap and are not emotional at all. He claims that love is an "illusion," but treats it like it's something untouchable and special. But no matter what he feels on the inside, Hijikata shies away from love and romance and sap, denying that he harbors any romantic ideals (which he does, as we know from the episode in which he saved a couple of lovebirds by donning the vigilant persona "Mayora 13, Warrior of Love!").
Actually, come to think of it, Hijikata is in denial over a lot of things. Even if he does think deeply on certain subjects, for the most part he will deny caring about said subjects even if his actions completely contradict his words. Even if he practices harder than anyone else to perfect his swordplay, he'll pass off any and all injuries as "accidents he got into while at the department store." While he tries to be mean and totally cruel, the fact is that he is somewhat easily topped into doing things for others and helping people with very sad stories. He's no idealist, and maybe he's not a good person, but he's definitely a better person than he thinks he is. As I said, denial.
He's also in denial as to any and all the angst in his past. So if you want to catch him angsting...have fun?
Please give us a detailed physical description of your character: Of an average 5'7" height, Hijikata makes up for it with 141 pounds of PURE, HARD MUSCLE.
...okay, no, not really. Actually, his build is just average too--not overly broad or buff or anything, but pretty athletic due to all that sword-swinging he does. Black hair, darkish bluish-grey eyes, not too remarkable in any aspect. Though, looks damn creepy when he needs a cigarette. As for clothing, he's rarely found in anything other than his black and yellow Shinsengumi uniform, but on the rare occasions he does dress casually he's found in some loose, plain yukata. Function over fashion.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's?: After Episode 123, when everyone that was turned (or had parts of them turned) into a screwdriver was changed back into a human being.
...don't ask?
What kinds of magical/special/crazy powers does your character have, if any?: Well, the only thing vaguely magical about his character is his Otaku-Curse!sword, but since he won't have that at Landel's...none, I don't think. Even if he did have it, the only thing it does is turn him into a shameless-overwhelmingly-
loserish-perverted fanboy, but without the sword here to "tip him over the edge," so to speak, I don't think he'll be much affected by the curse. Parts of his soul are probably still attached to the sword though, and I'll be sure to mention that if any characters who can smell/sense those kinds of things need it.
If present, how do you plan to tweak those powers to make him/her appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?: N/A? If the opportunity does come along to bring his sword into the game (kind of unlikely), I'll be sure to mention it to the mods/ask permission! :O
Does your character have any other non-magical skills or abilities that we should know about?: While not a prodigy/genius like Okita, Hijikata is probably one of the strongest fighters around Edo. Due to this Edo's higher level of technology (thanks, Amanto), Hijikata not only knows how to use swords, but other kinds of weaponry as well, including guns, bazookas, land mines, grenades, screwdrivers, etc., etc., etc. He's fairly smart too, and does most of the planning/thinking for the Shinsengumi. Relatively speaking, he is one of the more "normal" people in the Shinsengumi. Relatively speaking, that is.
Also, a second (but probably more important) skill he has is the ability to eat ungodly amounts of mayonnaise without gaining weight. No, seriously. He's obsessed with mayonnaise. Hijikata has no qualms about emptying a whole bottle of mayonnaise on top of one bowl of rice, and eats it with so much gusto that he drives off any and all potential friends and female admirers who watch him do it. He also has the ability to wax poetic on mayonnaise's virtues, and would defend its honor to the death (I really, really wish I were joking or exaggerating about that...but I'm not.).
How about improbable appendages?: Uh....actually.........
Please give us an idea of where you'd like to take your character within the scope of the Landel's Damned RP: As he's (sadly enough) been pulled out of his series and dropped in mysterious places before, in the beginning, Toshi won't understand the full gravity of the situation at Landel's. For lack of a better way to put it, he'll assume that this is just the script writer's last-ditch attempt to get more viewers, or that the artists are just doing this because they're too lazy to do a polychromatic background for the animation. After a day or five (...the man's damn good at denial), Toshi will finally accept that this is a serious situation, and that he really might die if he continues like this and keeps running into monsters. When that happens, he'll put all he has into getting out, just because he needs to get back to his comrades back home. If he starts getting the sense that things are hopeless, depending on who he meets at the Institute, he might either a) accept that he's going to be staying here for awhile and mellow down, or b) do something ridiculously crazy and possibly suicidal to strike back at the Institute. See next question for more details?
Also, on the subject of the "the people he'll meet." If canon-enemies like Takasugi or Katsura show up, Hijikata will likely chase after them and hunt them down even if he doesn't have to, simply because those were his orders back home. It won't matter to him if they're in a mental Institute and that he has nowhere to put his captives even if he does manage to catch them...yay for planning ahead?
And, as there are people from alternative versions of Edo (including people like Okita, etc. who know their own versions of the Shinsengumi), Hijikata will probably have to deal with some confusion in terms of his identity when he meets them. One more thing is the subject of the fourth wall: if I get in, I'll definitely set up a permissions post/ask people for permission if I have to break it, but as Hijikata (and most other Gintama characters) watch a lot of soap operas/television/anime and read lots of manga, Toshi would love the opportunity to fanboy some of the characters he meets. And...he's a very , very passionate fanboy.
He might make friends. Might. Most of his friends in canon are also trying to kill him, so...he might be very gratified to make friends who won't. Uh. Try to kill him, and stuff.
What kind of psychological effect do you see Landel's Institute having on your character?: Although initially Hijikata's psyche will be largely unaffected due to him denying that he really is going to be stuck at Landel's for awhile, when he finally realizes it he may go there some major changes. At first of course he'll be angry (and still partially in denial about his powerlessness), and will try his best to fight his way out. Once that first burst of energy and determination wears off with time, he'll calm down for a bit and slowly come to terms with his confinement. What happens after that, however, depends heavily on who Toshi meets in Landel's. As I said before, there are two real options as to what'll happen after Toshi realizes he's stuck here:
a) He mellows down. Permanently.
Toshi has built most of his life upon following one man: Kondo Isao. He's the one thing that Toshi really does believe in, and if Kondo doesn't show up in Landel's as a patient, Toshi will always be trying to get back to the man's side. If this means renouncing the past he remembers and embracing Landel's lies, he'll do it, as long as there is the promise of a "Kondo Isao" being out there. If he can't break out of the Institute, he'll be trying his best to be discharged legitimately, a desire that'll be strengthened even more if Kondo or some other comrade ends up as a visitor or something.
b) He fights.
If what Toshi sees at the Institute seriously angers him (most likely to happen if someone he's gotten to care about is hurt, etc.), he might try to strike back to protect what he wants to. Also, if Kondo does show up at the Institute or someone else comes along that is able to convince/command Toshi's loyalty and belief, he could also end up choosing to fight that way.
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?: Though Gintama is counted in the "humor" category of fandoms, many of the underlying themes (what it means to be a "modern-day samurai," how people move past despair and disappointment, etc.) are dark. Thus, while very little angsting is done by Gintama characters (indeed, they seem more inclined to outright ignore any meaningful moments and ruin them with bad puns and slapstick comedy), that doesn't mean they don't understand serious situations and feel pain like anyone else. Toshi included.
While he doesn't act like it, Toshi's suffered a lot in his life--his country being taken over by a bunch of evil aliens, having to abandon his dreams to instead serve a corrupt government that would slit his throat if the aliens wanted it on a silver platter, getting cursed by an evil sword, etc. He's killed, he's tortured, he's had to become one of the most hated symbols of an order he doesn't personally care about or want to preserve. He's watched comrades and loved ones die--even killed some of them himself. But Toshi's learned to deal with the shit in his life; if he were at Landel's, he'd probably react to it just like he does everything else. Accept the creepy-crawlies and evil doctors, shove the mindfuck somewhere in the back of his mind so he doesn't think about it, and live on.
Third-Person Sample:
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away from Edo and close to the small, Japanese village of Bushu, an old man once told Hijikata Toshirou that "the best things in life were free." The old man being a rather terribly old man who had very few teeth and a hand searching not-so-subtly for Hijikata's wallet in the folds of the young boy's yukata, when the old man told Hijikata that the "best things" came "free," he didn't believe him. Instead, he grabbed the old man by the scruff of the neck and tied him to the maple tree in front of the butcher's shop, where hopefully the guy's relatives (if he still had any) would find him and pick him up.
Eleven years later, Hijikata found himself unwittingly reminiscing about his past, and thinking once again of the old man's saying. Now that he thought of it, perhaps he'd been too hasty in dismissing the guy's statement. Kondo-san had once warned Toshi that wisdom was found in the some of the unlikeliest places; perhaps the old man's candy van had been one of them. After all...
"Sir? Excuse me, sir? Are you sure you're going to be okay with that?! I mean, it's...it's...!"
Hijikata's inner monologue was broken by the shell-shocked-looking woman behind the Mei-Mei Ji-Ji Supermarket counter, her voice trembling with fear and...was that disgust? Or confusion...?
"Hm?" Hijikata answered, looking up at her absent-mindedly. The woman trembled some more, gesturing vaguely at the stack of mayonnaise bottles in front of her: a pile of at least fifty or so bottles, scattered hap-hazardly on the checkout counter. Mouth opening and closing helplessly, the woman only managed to start speaking again after a second or two of calming.
"Th...the mayonnaise, sir. Are you...sure you want that...many?!"
Hijikata blinked.
"Yeah."
"A-all of them, sir??!!"
"Yeah."
"Every single one of them, sir???!!!"
"You said they were 'buy one get one free,' right?"
The woman just gaped.
An hour and at least sixteen (very) questioning looks later, Hijikata was heading back to Shinsengumi Headquarters, cigarette in hand and dragging a wheelbarrow of mayonnaise bottles along with the other, staring off into nothing and savoring the moment of peace he had alone with his thoughts and favorite condiment. It wasn't easy, these days. Finding a quiet moment like this to enjoy. It was all too easy these days to get into fight--to land oneself in trouble, to do something catastrophically stupid that one'd regret the day after.
But then again...maybe the loudness was a good thing, too. A way of distraction. Hijikata found his thoughts drifting back to the events of just over a year ago, when one Okita Mitsuba had passed away and gone to Heaven--where she belonged and perhaps should never have left, to begin with. Ch', he could remember the days after she'd gone; he'd been recovering from his injuries then, confined to his bed and subject to the "healing powers" of all his creative Commander could think of. Anything from bad Korean dramas to panty-shaped fire crackers to living Ploybay bunny-girls imported from the faraway Amanto planet of Les Vagas..."anything to distract Toshi from the pain," so Kondo said. Anything to keep Toshi from feeling sad, so Kondo said.
Anything to keep it from going quiet. In his head, and out.
"Ch'...what am I doing..." Hijikata muttered under his breath as he bit into the end of his dying cigarette, scowling at the ashy taste before pulling it out of his mouth. Ignoring the disapproving look of the middle-aged woman next to him, he threw it onto the ground and stamped it out.
Thinking about these useless things...before someone else catches me at it I should just snuff myself out.
He reached headquarters before even himself was fully aware of it; stepping over the threshold and struggling a bit with getting the wheelbarrow to follow, Hijikata noted to himself to be more wary in the future of these last-minute Supermarket sales. Usually he had his mayonnaise preordered from five different sites online--more selection, more flavors, and more shipping options, after all. Today though, the Supermarket sale had caught him by surprise, and he'd been unable to resist the cheaper prices. He'd have to change that, in the fut--
BOOM.
Hissing in surprise, Hijikata just barely managed to leap to the side when a loud blast from a bazooka on the other side of the courtyard came straight at it, smoking and tearing as it went. Cursing as he noted just how close the shot had come to his hard-won stash of mayonnaise, Hijikata narrowed his eyes and shot a glare at the one who shot the damn thing: none other than Okita Sougo, First Squad Captain Extraordinaire and the (self-proclaimed) Prince of the Planet Sadist.
"......oi, Sougo. Just what do you think you're doing?"
Sougo blinked.
"Ah, I spot a piece of lint on your jacket, Hijikata-san. I was trying to blow it away."
Hijikata closed his eyes and tried to be calm. Held his breath for one, two...
...he couldn't make it to three.
"THAT WAS OVERKILL FOR A PIECE OF LINT, YOU BASTARD!"
"But if the blast wasn't powerful or close enough it wouldn't have blown away."
"THERE'S DUST AND DIRT ON MY UNIFORM NOW, INGRATE."
"But no lint, is there?"
"OKITA SOUGO, IT IS OFFICIAL. I WILL END YOU, TONIGHT, BEFORE LADIES FOUR COMES ON AND I WILL DO IT LI--"
And that was when Hijikata remembered. As the Vice Commander of the most elite special-unit police force in Edo, the best things in life came for free:
One of these things was ammo.
First-Person Sample:
Keeping a journal is a stupid and useless thing. There's enough damn paperwork as it is, and if the other officers really want to read useless crap in public places, there's the Internet and the fucking graffiti in our bathroom facilities for that. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but you can't kill a man with a pen unless it's five-foot long and axe-shaped, so you bastards screwing off work time for writing should go and commit seppuku before I have to hunt you down myself. Work time is work time, and―
―shit! I forgot to set the VCR on "record" again!
...If I miss the season finale of Confessions of Tiejfs, Multi-Tentacled Monster, someone's going to die. And it won't. Be. Me.
Series' Medium: Primarily anime/manga, also video games.
Character you're applying for: Hijikata Toshirou (sometimes called "Toshi," and since that's shorter, I'll refer to him by that a lot)
Character's role in their canon: Recurring side character.
Character's age: Canonly "in his twenties," but as a rough estimate from the timeline I'm going with, I'll say 25 years old?
Character's gender: Male
Character's "Real Name": Katsuki "Kate" Himenez. He's not actually half-Mexican or a cross-dresser--just 100% Japanese. But according to series tradition, I'm sticking him with the most wtf?! name I can think of, because to give him something actually reasonable and normal would be ooc. If you think I'm kidding...ahaha. Maybe his mother remarried to a Colombian drug-dealer-gangster.
Please give us a detailed personal history of your character: To say that Gintama is historical fiction is like saying the Ku Klux Klan was a horseback riding country club. Although technically it takes place in Edo-period Japan, this Edo is slightly different from the historical version in that it has been taken over by aliens and converted into a high-tech metropolis with legions of unemployed samurai and really, really crappy soap operas. That said, Hijikata Toshirou, the legendary "Demon" Vice-Commander of the elite Edo police force (the Shinsengumi), still exists, but there are...significant differences between him and the actual man he's based off of.
The details of Hijikata's early past are a bit foggy. He grew up in a rural Japanese village called Bushu; all that's known of his family, however, is that he once saw his father in a bra, but even that fact is questionable. Based on what is mentioned about his early life, however, and because some parts of his character are based on the actual historical figure Hijikata Toshizou's, I'll assume that Toshi grew up in a large family with many siblings. His father was either not around, or Hijikata would prefer to think that his father wasn't around; either way, Hijikata was not proud of his father or his family. This may or may not have to do with the fact that when Hijikata was very, very young, alien species from outer space (called Amanto) invaded Edo. Though the samurai and the aliens duked it out in an Epic Battle for Japan, in the end the aliens won and took over Japan easily with their superior technology The Japanese government surrendered early on and easily at the hands of the fearsome aliens; a ban on swords was put in place, samurai were killed and embarrassed, and Japan lost most of the pride it held as a country. The Shogunate (government) became nothing more than puppets at the hands of alien interests, and while Hijikata might not have felt the full effects of the invasion as badly as some other people because he lived in the countryside (not the city), no doubt the general powerlessness of the humans and hopelessness of the war left a lasting impression on him when he grew older and the war ended, ten years after it began, when Hijikata was a teenager.
As a teenager, Hijikata led a violent lifestyle, roaming around the countryside picking fights with local dojos and gangs. Much like a wild dog without an owner, there was a great deal of anger in him, which translated into the desire to be stronger than everyone else physically. Hijikata taught himself basic swordplay, but relied mostly on his natural-born talents to win fights. It's safe to say that Toshi had no real purpose in his life, and only wanted to beat as much shit up as possible for as long as he could stand. He didn't particularly value life or even his own body, never mind the future.
All that changed one otherwise-ordinary afternoon, when the people from the dojos Hijikata had beaten decided to gang up and corner him together. Though Hijikata alone was strong enough to beat most of the them, in the end he was simply outnumbered and had his face beaten into the ground. The heir to another local dojo, Kondo Isao, saw him and took him back to Kondo's dojo, dressing his wounds and offering him a place to stay for as long as he wanted to. Hijikata recovered slowly from his wounds, and while for the most part he refused to speak or show any gratitude for the help he was receiving, he watched silently as the other dojo students practiced their swordplay. Kondo, catching him watching, repeated his offer for Hijikata to join them, and told him that although Hijikata's instincts were excellent and his talent undeniable, without proper training and practice his sword would never get stronger.
When his wounds were somewhat-mostly healed, Hijikata left the dojo and Kondo without another word. Rather than doing this out of rudeness or anger, Hijikata had left because he knew that he still had many enemies--enemies that might bother Kondo if they knew that the man had helped Hijikata. Hijikata went back to the gangs, telling them straight-out that he had nothing to do with Kondo, and that if they wanted to they could fight Hijikata instead. Another fight began in earnest, but before it could end, Kondo (who had followed Hijikata to see where he went) joined in the fight, refusing to allow Hijikata fight the gangs himself. When the fight was over, Hijikata told Kondo off for helping him, saying that he'd done this only to "repay his debt," only now he was even more indebted to Kondo. Kondo replied that debts and whatnot didn't matter because Hijikata was a part of their dojo now: Kondo could tell from the blisters on Hijikata's hands that he'd been secretly practicing his swordplay using the techniques he'd seen from the other students and master.
When all was said and done, Hijikata returned to the dojo with Kondo; the man had inspired something within him, and from that time on Hijikata would become loyally devoted to Kondo Isao and everything the man stood for. He was also introduced to Okita Sougo, a talented young prodigy that would ultimately become the alleged "greatest swordsman in all of Edo" who also studied at Kondo's dojo. The two didn't get along well, primarily because Sougo was jealous of the attention Hijikata received from Kondo. When Hijikata met Sougo's sister, Mitsuba, the relationship between the two youths soured even more, especially when Mitsuba began to fall in love with Hijikata.
When the master died, Kondo took over the dojo, and over time Kondo's optimism and faith in a brighter tomorrow would inspire many others to join their dojo in the countryside. Together, this ragtag group of defeated samurai decided that they would go to the City--Edo, the capital--and fight with others for recognition and the right to wear their swords again with pride. When they decided to go to Edo, it was clear that Hijikata and Sougo would also have to leave some things behind. Mitsuba, Sougo's sister, on a night shortly before their departure confessed to Hijikata the desire to "remain by his side"; she wanted him to take her to Edo with them, even though they all both knew that the path Hijikata had chosen was a brutal one. Hijikata, knowing that his day-to-day life would be full of bloodshed and cruelty, couldn't choose to take Mitsuba knowing that with him she could never have the peaceful life she wanted. In response to her confession, he told her simply that he "didn't care," and that she couldn't go; having broken her heart, he left for Edo with the others, firmly resolved to fight with Kondo to the end.
Eventually, the group of samurai led by Kondo became the Shinsengumi. Commonly referred to as the Shogunate's "dogs," the Shinsengumi is basically the Japanese government's elite police force. In charge of everything from traffic control to drug-ring-busting to babysitting the Shogun, the Shinsengumi are the most feared (and hated) law enforcers, and allegedly "protect Edo." Hijikata became the Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi--second in command under Kondo, and commonly referred to as the "Demon Vice Commander" or "the brains behind the Shinsengumi." Hijikata was somewhat content with his position: he could serve Kondo, and although he had no faith in the government, he would follow Kondo no matter what the man chose.
When he was about 21 (when the Gintama series officially begins), while hunting the loyalist-faction terrorist Katsura Kotarou, Hijikata (or rather, Hijikata's sword) met a man called Sakata Gintoki. Gintoki, a self-proclaimed free-lancer and jack of all trades, would come to play an important role in Hijikata's life second only to Kondo's. Gintoki caught Hijikata's attention only momentarily, and the man merited notice only because "no samurai was crazy enough" to do what that man did: that is, jump out of the window of a thirteen-story building to throw the bomb into the sky so it wouldn't explode on other people. Three weeks later, Hijikata and Gintoki met again. Kondo had been defeated by a "silver-haired samurai" in a duel for a woman's affections, and to regain the Shinsengumi's honor and protect Kondo's reputation, Hijikata hunted the city for the "silver-haired samurai," only to find that the man who beat Kondo was Gintoki. While Gintoki was obviously trying to avoid violence, Hijikata started a duel with the man, slicing through the man's shoulder. Despite Gintoki's superior strength/swordplay and Hijikata's having injured him, however, Gintoki chose to end the duel without hurting Hijikata--he simply sliced through Hijikata's sword. Humiliated, Hijikata asked Gintoki if he pitied Hijikata; Gintoki said no. Instead, Gintoki said only that every person fights to protect something, and that Hijikata was only trying to protect the Shinsengumi and Kondo. When Hijikata asked Gintoki what he was fighting to protect, Gintoki said simply "My honor." The incident left a deep impression on Hijikata; although defeated, Hijikata was smiling, not angry after the battle. Gintoki won Hijikata's respect, and though for the rest of the series Hijikata would make Gintoki out to be his personal rival because of that defeat, they are not actually enemies. Maybe. Mostly. Ignore the drinking contests and trying-to-slice-each-other's-heads-off-playing-Rock-Paper-Scissors, please.
Gintama is an episodic series, and since an episode-by-episode recounting of every (admittedly) rather stupid situation or plot arc would be far, far too long, I'll get to it.
The next major plot point occurred some seventy-ish episodes later, when Kondo got himself engaged to a princess from the Gorilla Planet and the love of his life, Shimura Tae (Otae), got engaged to another girl. Otae was claimed by Yagyuu Kyuubei, the (female-raised-as-male) heir to one of the top dojos in all of Japan, but while she consented to being married to another woman Otae left her own home with tears in her eyes, convincing Kondo (and Gintoki's free-lancer group) to go after her and win her back from the Yagyuu family. Hijikata and Sougo went with Kondo to help him, and in the ensuing chaos Hijikata and Gintoki figured out first that Kyuubei was actually a girl. Although Hijikata managed to defeat one of the top students at the Yagyuu dojo in a duel, he was beaten handily by Kyuubei in a duel after that because he refused to fight at full strength against a woman. It was also at this time that we find out more about Hijikata's past and personality; having taught himself swordplay, Hijikata's style of fighting is very rough and "ugly." To an unwary observer, Hijikata seems to have no technique other than "hack and slash"--his body is "wide open," and his swings unsophisticated. Kondo mentioned, however, that Hijikata took many years to perfect that haphazard style of his; while ugly, it is extremely effective and (in its own way) clever, designed to lure opponents in with the promise of an easy defeat while Toshi uses his superior reflexes and instincts to win the fight in the end. After Hijikata was defeated by Kyuubei, it was up to Gintoki and the others to defeat the Yagyuu family heads; at the end of the arc, Otae went back home, knowing now that she was surrounded by friends who would protect her: including, reluctantly, Hijikata.
After some more time chilling and relaxing off-screen, Hijikata met his next obstacle in the form of the woman he abandoned in the past: Sougo's sister, Mitsuba. Mitsuba went to Edo to visit her little brother and Kondo, bearing the good news of her engagement. Though the visit should have been a happy one, it was tainted by everyone's knowledge that Mitsuba was in fact terminally ill. Hijikata, even knowing that, however, refused to see Mitsuba, not wanting to meet her again and reopen old wounds. Not only that, Hijikata found (to his dismay) that the man Mitsuba was engaged to marry was in fact a man suspected of supplying illegal weapons to terrorists and drug dealers. When going to question the man, Hijikata ran into Gintoki and Mitsuba; Mitsuba fainted as soon as he saw her.
The following afternoon, Hijikata informed Sougo of his intention to arrest Mitsuba's fiancee. Sougo surprised by Hijikata by begging Hijikata not to--not yet, not until his sister got married and died in peace. Sougo mentioned that all his life, he'd felt guilty that his sister had "delayed her own happiness" for his; to some extent, it was Hijikata's fault as well that his sister chose to get married so late, since she'd always harbored the hope that Hijikata would come back for her after all. To this rare and heart-felt plea Hijikata said only what he'd said to Mitsuba so many years ago: "It's none of my business. I don't care." Sougo, furious and hurt, charged at Hijikata, fully intending to kill him; Hijikata beat him.
The next evening, on the night of the intended arrest, Hijikata secretly arranged for him to face the drug dealers and Mitsuba's fiance alone. In the end, he kept everyone else's involvement out of it, fearing that the Shogunate would suspect Sougo for involvement with the enemies if anyone else know that Sougo's sister was engaged to the gang's ringleader. It was a suicidal and foolish move; Hijikata fought well, but against some hundred of the enemy, he was very nearly killed. When questioned about why he chose to do something so catastrophically stupid, Hijikata replied that he only wanted the woman he loved to find happiness. Just before he was shot, Hijikata was saved at the last moment by Kondo, Gintoki, Sougo, and the rest of the Shinsengumi; finally understanding Hijikata's true feelings and motivation behind his seemingly callous and heartless actions, Sougo and the rest defeated the enemy's forces soundly. Mitsuba died the following day, and while it's left ambiguous whether Hijikata talked to her before his death, the last shot is of Hijikata eating the ridiculously-spicy-senbei crackers Mitsuba loved and crying.
Unfortunately for Hijikata, there would only be more Really Crappy Shit in his future. Another deceptively ordinary day, Hijikata was out looking for a new sword, and found one. An allegedly "cursed" sword that had a shockingly sharp blade. After he bought it, strange things began to happen; Hijikata began to act cowardly, fleeing from fights and/or begging punks he could easily defeat for mercy. Then began the manga-craze: obsessively collecting and reading anything anime/manga-related, and changing interrogation scenes into girly-gossipy sleepovers with criminals he arrested. His behavior embarrassed not only himself but also the Shinsengumi; Hijikata was fired.
Some weeks after getting fired, Hijikata was picked up by Gintoki's free-lancer group. After taking Hijikata and his new sword to sword experts, they discovered that the sword was indeed cursed: cursed by the spirit of a hikkikomori otaku (obsessive, loserish fanboy) who was killed by his mother. Anyone who picked up the sword had his or her soul slowly but surely eaten away by the sword; his/her behavior would become that of an obsessed, unmotivated, perverted, idiotic fan of 2-D entertainment. Hijikata's soul had been eaten away by the sword already, said the sword expert. Possibly not a shred of his original personality remained.
In the end, the entire thing was a plot by the Kiheitai (a terrorist group bent on destroying the Shogunate and Amanto) to destroy the Shinsengumi and kill its Commander. With Hijikata out of the way, the Shinsengumi's new advisor, Itou Kamotarou, could successfully take control of the Shinsengumi--or so Itou thought. Long story short, the free-lancers succeeded in protecting the brainwashed!Hijikata from more assassination attempts by the terrorists and dragging Hijikata back to the Shinsengumi, which had been split up into two factions: those loyal to Kondo, and those under command of Itou and the terrorists. While Sougo tried to hold the rest of the terrorists/false Shinsengumi officers off by himself, Kondo was reunited with Hijikata and found, to his dismay, only the cowardly, blubbering idiot that Hijikata had become. Kondo blamed himself for Hijikata's transformation; while Hijikata had warned Kondo earlier of Itou's disloyalty and dangerous attitude, Kondo had ignored Hijikata's warning and even betrayed his friend when he needed him most. Hearing Kondo's self-damning monologue, Hijikata finally managed to break free of the curse out of his own will; together with Gintoki and the loyal Shinsengumi members, the terrorists were defeated. Itou, in the end, realizing what a warm place the Shinsengumi had been and what a mistake he had made in betraying it, sacrificed his body to shield Kondo and Hijikata from gunfire. To let Itou die in honor, Hijikata challenged Itou (whom he claimed to hate the most) to a duel, ending the Itou's life surrounded by the Shinsengumi members who cared about him. After a period of contemplation and deliberation, Hijikata decided finally to return to the Shinsengumi; while he was still bound to the cursed sword and knowledgeable that at any time the curse could regain power and destroy him completely, Hijikata claimed that he was already so cursed and damned by so many things that one more didn't matter. He returned to being the Vice Commander, and all was well for awhile.
Other things have happened since Itou died, but they are significantly less (read: not at all) serious and weighty in terms of affecting his mentality permanently. Perhaps the last thing I'll mention before I wrap this thing up is that recently Edo undertook a smoking ban, thus forcing (hopelessly addicted and chain-smoking) Hijikata to leave the Planet Earth in search of a place where he could smoke in peace. This led to a whole chain of other things in a very, very Dragon-Ball-Z-ish manner, but the summarizing point of it all was that when Hijikata was forced to return to Earth again, he decided to try and quit smoking. So far, he hasn't been very successful. But prepare for another member of the Cold Turkey Club if he gets into Landel's.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality: Although legally second in command, Hijikata is one of the most feared men in Edo because of his uncompromising reinforcement of the law. People call Hijikata the "Demon Vice Commander" for a reason; he expects complete discipline from his subordinates, so much so that he'll demand that rulebreakers commit seppuku so not to dishonor themselves or the force. A bit hot-headed and easily irritable, Hijikata resorts easily but not indiscriminately to violence, and kills without dropping his ever-present cigarette.
When he's not beating others into line, he's honest, level-headed, and aloof. He's sharp and keeps his senses about him even amidst chaos and violence, with exceptions to his sensible behavior occurring typically whenever a certain irresponsible freelancer, sadistic would-be killer comrades, or badminton-playing subordinates are involved. While ruthless, however, Hijikata is not cruel. He's had to become a harsher, colder person--at least on the outside--for the Shinsengumi. For Kondo. He's one of the founding three of the Shinsengumi. Together, they built the Shinsengumi's reputation. And to protect it and prevent people from underestimating them or taking advantage of Kondo's kindness, Hijikata became the ruthless and heartless side of the Shinsengumi. While Toshi is not a mean-hearted person, Toshi frequently makes himself out to be the bad guy even when he isn't to blame, much to Kondo's chagrin. He is willing to have people hate him and try to kill him (which they do) as long as that means what he wants to protect is protected.
On that note, Hijikata is not a self-centered individual (no matter how much he'd like to think he is). To protect things both little and small, Hijikata is willing to sacrifice his body and even his pride. For example, in one episode, the police chief's daughter fell in love with him. In order to break the relationship off without hurting the girl's feelings, Hijikata was willing to do incredibly stupid and humiliating things to "break the illusion of love" she had of him. As for why he's so willing to sacrifice his own happiness and well-being...well. At heart, Hijikata doesn't have a very high opinion of himself. Because of all the things he's done (or, as he's put it, "all the people, friends and comrades alike" that he's "trampled on" to stand where he stands), Hijikata believes completely that he is not a good person. When talking to Mitsuba's fiance, a corrupt and selfish weapons-smuggler, for example, Hijikata said that "he [wasn't] one to talk, seeing as [he was] the same kind of person." The kind of person who would use good people to get what he wants, and break girls' hearts.
Part of the reason why he can go into battle with no other thoughts than of protecting Kondo and the Shinsengumi is because Hijikata really doesn't have much to lose; to protect his livelihood and "his" people, he gave up much of his pride and idealism. He follows orders from a corrupt government that he couldn't give a damn about and probably personally dislikes. He doesn't empathize, especially not with bad guys, and above all, follows orders from the top. Defending Edo isn't his life's purpose or mission--it's his job.
Still, although he tries to hide it under a front of nonchalance and "I don't care," Hijikata possesses a great inner sentimentality. He holds onto traditional values involving respect towards women and the elderly. He has a tendency to cry during movies and dramas, even if they suck crap and are not emotional at all. He claims that love is an "illusion," but treats it like it's something untouchable and special. But no matter what he feels on the inside, Hijikata shies away from love and romance and sap, denying that he harbors any romantic ideals (which he does, as we know from the episode in which he saved a couple of lovebirds by donning the vigilant persona "Mayora 13, Warrior of Love!").
Actually, come to think of it, Hijikata is in denial over a lot of things. Even if he does think deeply on certain subjects, for the most part he will deny caring about said subjects even if his actions completely contradict his words. Even if he practices harder than anyone else to perfect his swordplay, he'll pass off any and all injuries as "accidents he got into while at the department store." While he tries to be mean and totally cruel, the fact is that he is somewhat easily topped into doing things for others and helping people with very sad stories. He's no idealist, and maybe he's not a good person, but he's definitely a better person than he thinks he is. As I said, denial.
He's also in denial as to any and all the angst in his past. So if you want to catch him angsting...have fun?
Please give us a detailed physical description of your character: Of an average 5'7" height, Hijikata makes up for it with 141 pounds of PURE, HARD MUSCLE.
...okay, no, not really. Actually, his build is just average too--not overly broad or buff or anything, but pretty athletic due to all that sword-swinging he does. Black hair, darkish bluish-grey eyes, not too remarkable in any aspect. Though, looks damn creepy when he needs a cigarette. As for clothing, he's rarely found in anything other than his black and yellow Shinsengumi uniform, but on the rare occasions he does dress casually he's found in some loose, plain yukata. Function over fashion.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's?: After Episode 123, when everyone that was turned (or had parts of them turned) into a screwdriver was changed back into a human being.
...don't ask?
What kinds of magical/special/crazy powers does your character have, if any?: Well, the only thing vaguely magical about his character is his Otaku-Curse!sword, but since he won't have that at Landel's...none, I don't think. Even if he did have it, the only thing it does is turn him into a shameless-overwhelmingly-
loserish-perverted fanboy, but without the sword here to "tip him over the edge," so to speak, I don't think he'll be much affected by the curse. Parts of his soul are probably still attached to the sword though, and I'll be sure to mention that if any characters who can smell/sense those kinds of things need it.
If present, how do you plan to tweak those powers to make him/her appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?: N/A? If the opportunity does come along to bring his sword into the game (kind of unlikely), I'll be sure to mention it to the mods/ask permission! :O
Does your character have any other non-magical skills or abilities that we should know about?: While not a prodigy/genius like Okita, Hijikata is probably one of the strongest fighters around Edo. Due to this Edo's higher level of technology (thanks, Amanto), Hijikata not only knows how to use swords, but other kinds of weaponry as well, including guns, bazookas, land mines, grenades, screwdrivers, etc., etc., etc. He's fairly smart too, and does most of the planning/thinking for the Shinsengumi. Relatively speaking, he is one of the more "normal" people in the Shinsengumi. Relatively speaking, that is.
Also, a second (but probably more important) skill he has is the ability to eat ungodly amounts of mayonnaise without gaining weight. No, seriously. He's obsessed with mayonnaise. Hijikata has no qualms about emptying a whole bottle of mayonnaise on top of one bowl of rice, and eats it with so much gusto that he drives off any and all potential friends and female admirers who watch him do it. He also has the ability to wax poetic on mayonnaise's virtues, and would defend its honor to the death (I really, really wish I were joking or exaggerating about that...but I'm not.).
How about improbable appendages?: Uh....actually.........
Please give us an idea of where you'd like to take your character within the scope of the Landel's Damned RP: As he's (sadly enough) been pulled out of his series and dropped in mysterious places before, in the beginning, Toshi won't understand the full gravity of the situation at Landel's. For lack of a better way to put it, he'll assume that this is just the script writer's last-ditch attempt to get more viewers, or that the artists are just doing this because they're too lazy to do a polychromatic background for the animation. After a day or five (...the man's damn good at denial), Toshi will finally accept that this is a serious situation, and that he really might die if he continues like this and keeps running into monsters. When that happens, he'll put all he has into getting out, just because he needs to get back to his comrades back home. If he starts getting the sense that things are hopeless, depending on who he meets at the Institute, he might either a) accept that he's going to be staying here for awhile and mellow down, or b) do something ridiculously crazy and possibly suicidal to strike back at the Institute. See next question for more details?
Also, on the subject of the "the people he'll meet." If canon-enemies like Takasugi or Katsura show up, Hijikata will likely chase after them and hunt them down even if he doesn't have to, simply because those were his orders back home. It won't matter to him if they're in a mental Institute and that he has nowhere to put his captives even if he does manage to catch them...yay for planning ahead?
And, as there are people from alternative versions of Edo (including people like Okita, etc. who know their own versions of the Shinsengumi), Hijikata will probably have to deal with some confusion in terms of his identity when he meets them. One more thing is the subject of the fourth wall: if I get in, I'll definitely set up a permissions post/ask people for permission if I have to break it, but as Hijikata (and most other Gintama characters) watch a lot of soap operas/television/anime and read lots of manga, Toshi would love the opportunity to fanboy some of the characters he meets. And...he's a very , very passionate fanboy.
He might make friends. Might. Most of his friends in canon are also trying to kill him, so...he might be very gratified to make friends who won't. Uh. Try to kill him, and stuff.
What kind of psychological effect do you see Landel's Institute having on your character?: Although initially Hijikata's psyche will be largely unaffected due to him denying that he really is going to be stuck at Landel's for awhile, when he finally realizes it he may go there some major changes. At first of course he'll be angry (and still partially in denial about his powerlessness), and will try his best to fight his way out. Once that first burst of energy and determination wears off with time, he'll calm down for a bit and slowly come to terms with his confinement. What happens after that, however, depends heavily on who Toshi meets in Landel's. As I said before, there are two real options as to what'll happen after Toshi realizes he's stuck here:
a) He mellows down. Permanently.
Toshi has built most of his life upon following one man: Kondo Isao. He's the one thing that Toshi really does believe in, and if Kondo doesn't show up in Landel's as a patient, Toshi will always be trying to get back to the man's side. If this means renouncing the past he remembers and embracing Landel's lies, he'll do it, as long as there is the promise of a "Kondo Isao" being out there. If he can't break out of the Institute, he'll be trying his best to be discharged legitimately, a desire that'll be strengthened even more if Kondo or some other comrade ends up as a visitor or something.
b) He fights.
If what Toshi sees at the Institute seriously angers him (most likely to happen if someone he's gotten to care about is hurt, etc.), he might try to strike back to protect what he wants to. Also, if Kondo does show up at the Institute or someone else comes along that is able to convince/command Toshi's loyalty and belief, he could also end up choosing to fight that way.
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?: Though Gintama is counted in the "humor" category of fandoms, many of the underlying themes (what it means to be a "modern-day samurai," how people move past despair and disappointment, etc.) are dark. Thus, while very little angsting is done by Gintama characters (indeed, they seem more inclined to outright ignore any meaningful moments and ruin them with bad puns and slapstick comedy), that doesn't mean they don't understand serious situations and feel pain like anyone else. Toshi included.
While he doesn't act like it, Toshi's suffered a lot in his life--his country being taken over by a bunch of evil aliens, having to abandon his dreams to instead serve a corrupt government that would slit his throat if the aliens wanted it on a silver platter, getting cursed by an evil sword, etc. He's killed, he's tortured, he's had to become one of the most hated symbols of an order he doesn't personally care about or want to preserve. He's watched comrades and loved ones die--even killed some of them himself. But Toshi's learned to deal with the shit in his life; if he were at Landel's, he'd probably react to it just like he does everything else. Accept the creepy-crawlies and evil doctors, shove the mindfuck somewhere in the back of his mind so he doesn't think about it, and live on.
Third-Person Sample:
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away from Edo and close to the small, Japanese village of Bushu, an old man once told Hijikata Toshirou that "the best things in life were free." The old man being a rather terribly old man who had very few teeth and a hand searching not-so-subtly for Hijikata's wallet in the folds of the young boy's yukata, when the old man told Hijikata that the "best things" came "free," he didn't believe him. Instead, he grabbed the old man by the scruff of the neck and tied him to the maple tree in front of the butcher's shop, where hopefully the guy's relatives (if he still had any) would find him and pick him up.
Eleven years later, Hijikata found himself unwittingly reminiscing about his past, and thinking once again of the old man's saying. Now that he thought of it, perhaps he'd been too hasty in dismissing the guy's statement. Kondo-san had once warned Toshi that wisdom was found in the some of the unlikeliest places; perhaps the old man's candy van had been one of them. After all...
"Sir? Excuse me, sir? Are you sure you're going to be okay with that?! I mean, it's...it's...!"
Hijikata's inner monologue was broken by the shell-shocked-looking woman behind the Mei-Mei Ji-Ji Supermarket counter, her voice trembling with fear and...was that disgust? Or confusion...?
"Hm?" Hijikata answered, looking up at her absent-mindedly. The woman trembled some more, gesturing vaguely at the stack of mayonnaise bottles in front of her: a pile of at least fifty or so bottles, scattered hap-hazardly on the checkout counter. Mouth opening and closing helplessly, the woman only managed to start speaking again after a second or two of calming.
"Th...the mayonnaise, sir. Are you...sure you want that...many?!"
Hijikata blinked.
"Yeah."
"A-all of them, sir??!!"
"Yeah."
"Every single one of them, sir???!!!"
"You said they were 'buy one get one free,' right?"
The woman just gaped.
An hour and at least sixteen (very) questioning looks later, Hijikata was heading back to Shinsengumi Headquarters, cigarette in hand and dragging a wheelbarrow of mayonnaise bottles along with the other, staring off into nothing and savoring the moment of peace he had alone with his thoughts and favorite condiment. It wasn't easy, these days. Finding a quiet moment like this to enjoy. It was all too easy these days to get into fight--to land oneself in trouble, to do something catastrophically stupid that one'd regret the day after.
But then again...maybe the loudness was a good thing, too. A way of distraction. Hijikata found his thoughts drifting back to the events of just over a year ago, when one Okita Mitsuba had passed away and gone to Heaven--where she belonged and perhaps should never have left, to begin with. Ch', he could remember the days after she'd gone; he'd been recovering from his injuries then, confined to his bed and subject to the "healing powers" of all his creative Commander could think of. Anything from bad Korean dramas to panty-shaped fire crackers to living Ploybay bunny-girls imported from the faraway Amanto planet of Les Vagas..."anything to distract Toshi from the pain," so Kondo said. Anything to keep Toshi from feeling sad, so Kondo said.
Anything to keep it from going quiet. In his head, and out.
"Ch'...what am I doing..." Hijikata muttered under his breath as he bit into the end of his dying cigarette, scowling at the ashy taste before pulling it out of his mouth. Ignoring the disapproving look of the middle-aged woman next to him, he threw it onto the ground and stamped it out.
Thinking about these useless things...before someone else catches me at it I should just snuff myself out.
He reached headquarters before even himself was fully aware of it; stepping over the threshold and struggling a bit with getting the wheelbarrow to follow, Hijikata noted to himself to be more wary in the future of these last-minute Supermarket sales. Usually he had his mayonnaise preordered from five different sites online--more selection, more flavors, and more shipping options, after all. Today though, the Supermarket sale had caught him by surprise, and he'd been unable to resist the cheaper prices. He'd have to change that, in the fut--
BOOM.
Hissing in surprise, Hijikata just barely managed to leap to the side when a loud blast from a bazooka on the other side of the courtyard came straight at it, smoking and tearing as it went. Cursing as he noted just how close the shot had come to his hard-won stash of mayonnaise, Hijikata narrowed his eyes and shot a glare at the one who shot the damn thing: none other than Okita Sougo, First Squad Captain Extraordinaire and the (self-proclaimed) Prince of the Planet Sadist.
"......oi, Sougo. Just what do you think you're doing?"
Sougo blinked.
"Ah, I spot a piece of lint on your jacket, Hijikata-san. I was trying to blow it away."
Hijikata closed his eyes and tried to be calm. Held his breath for one, two...
...he couldn't make it to three.
"THAT WAS OVERKILL FOR A PIECE OF LINT, YOU BASTARD!"
"But if the blast wasn't powerful or close enough it wouldn't have blown away."
"THERE'S DUST AND DIRT ON MY UNIFORM NOW, INGRATE."
"But no lint, is there?"
"OKITA SOUGO, IT IS OFFICIAL. I WILL END YOU, TONIGHT, BEFORE LADIES FOUR COMES ON AND I WILL DO IT LI--"
And that was when Hijikata remembered. As the Vice Commander of the most elite special-unit police force in Edo, the best things in life came for free:
One of these things was ammo.
First-Person Sample:
Keeping a journal is a stupid and useless thing. There's enough damn paperwork as it is, and if the other officers really want to read useless crap in public places, there's the Internet and the fucking graffiti in our bathroom facilities for that. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but you can't kill a man with a pen unless it's five-foot long and axe-shaped, so you bastards screwing off work time for writing should go and commit seppuku before I have to hunt you down myself. Work time is work time, and―
―shit! I forgot to set the VCR on "record" again!
...If I miss the season finale of Confessions of Tiejfs, Multi-Tentacled Monster, someone's going to die. And it won't. Be. Me.