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sankatsuka · 3 months

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Takagin Discussion: Story Romantic Parallels (Part 1)

I've been wanting to make a post talking about the romantic parallels Takagin have with other more established romantic pairings in Gintama. The direct parallel with Enshou destroyed me, then I started thinking if Hijikata and Gintoki are similar... how about Hijikata and Takasugi, then found way more parallels with Hijimitsu. Then I realized there was MORE with Umibouzu and Kouka. Then accidentally found some more with Matako (whose feelings I like to think are more familial).

Warning:

Personal interpretation bias as always. I am tackling this from the standpoint that there may have been some implied romance.

I talk about Umibouzu/Kouka, Hijimitsu, Enshou and Matako.

Edit (17/2/2024): I somehow mistook Shouyou's words 'a sword is to protect your soul' to simply being 'to protect'. This makes a HUGE difference, because it means Gintoki has been fighting to understand and find himself all this time. MAN, I feel downright horrible about this - I have revised it to fit this interpretation. But this does make the parallels stand in a much better way that makes Gintoki a far more genuine, free person as he should be. It only further strengthens how Gintoki is very much a loving person. Edits have been made in the parts marked with an asterisk (*)!

Gintoki and Kouka being born different from normal people and having to fight for their survival in a place surrounded by death.

Both bear a title that captures the life they had to live: Corpse-Eating Demon and Master of Kouan. Both are initially mistaken for monsters that turn out to be a cute child/pretty woman in a place full of death.

However, Gintoki was taken in by Shouyou early on, so he no longer had to fight for his survival. But that event also instilled the sense of obligation in Gintoki that Kouka has--

Gintoki and Kouka being trapped to a life of solitude for their obligations and birth circumstances.*

Kouka resolved to stay on Kouan to uphold her ancestors' pride who chose to endure the harsh planet, whereas Gintoki resolved to grow strong and protect his soul with a human sword as Shouyou had told him, to.

But for Kouka, this meant a life of solitude. For Gintoki, this also meant a life of solitude but in the psychological sense: to understand what it meant to protect your soul, he had to live facing the present and suppressing the true him frightened from the battlefield of corpses - the scared child who grew up in trauma. But that was much needed if he truly wanted to live, because monsters born from bloodshed can't live among humans.

This would explain the detachment both of them suffer from - which for Gintoki still shows until now while Kouka seems to recover from it after marrying Umibouzu - which is will be something I talk about later.

Then there's Kouka's inability to live away from Kouan, which could also be likened to Gintoki's inability to escape his emptiness from childhood: Kouka's bored eyes and Gintoki's dead-fish eyes, but the latter continuing on because the scared child within him is still living in solitude... because Gintoki hates talking about the past, not trying to do anything about it. Monsters can't live among humans, after all.

Takasugi and Hijikata's thorny path as children from not being able to meet the expectations of their families

Hijikata was thrown into the thorny thicket and became obsessed with strength from having witnessed the only older brother who loved him getting hurt because of him. Takasugi was already obsessed with strength from the get-go from not being able to live up to the standard bushido, and it led the two astray, not knowing what they actually wanted out of life.

They became lost to strength because Takasugi was not able to live up his family's expectation and Hijikata had a taste of the helplessness of being a burden to the only family member who loved him. In a way, both were made to feel like they only brought shame to their families, and it led them to trying to find a place elsewhere with strength alone, landing them in Shoka Sonjuku and Shinsengumi.

(Both of them are being judged by the people they want to call family, except Takasugi already seems used to it... Takasugi was also casted out long before Hijikata by his family beating him up and disowning him.)

Takasugi and Umibouzu's unexpected meeting with someone stronger than them and becoming entranced with them.

Takasugi's pursuit of strength led to a chance encounter with Gintoki, who becomes his life goal of beating. Umibouzu heavily implies that his instincts were telling him to keep away from Kouka for how dangerous and strong she was.

In a way, Umibouzu's instincts can be likened to Takasugi's pursuit for strength covering up the humanity inside him that just wants a place to call home. Especially when Umibouzu makes it a point that he has something he has to say to Kouka as himself. Takasugi's dialogue implies how he never got to be fully honest with Gintoki, even till the very end where he insists on seeing Gintoki as someone to beat. The only honesty he could express was how he didn't want to see Gintoki's disheartened face.

And furthermore, Gintoki later jokingly takes the title of the strongest from headbutting Umibouzu, when that was Kouka's title.

Gintoki and Mitsuba's unconditional acceptance of Takasugi and Hijikata

What made Takasugi fall in love anyway? His reasons are definitely closer to Hijikata, considering their similar living conditions and origins. Despite being reduced to a thorny thug and having strange tastes, even dragging her brother so brashly like that, Mitsuba still smiles and laughs at Hijikata in adoration - and Hijikata at some point fell in love with that innocence.

And Gintoki was the only who accepted, faced and wanted Takasugi's obsession with strength head-on, when that was all Takasugi knew as a child.

Both Hijikata and Takasugi were appreciated despite their circumstances by someone. It didn't feel like either of them had any bad intentions too, not when Gintoki and Mitsuba treated everyone the same and it was their standard behaviour. Even though Hijikata and Takasugi had been criticized for their unruly behaviour and were shames to their families, there was someone who didn't see them any differently from any other people. It isn't surprising Hijikata fell in love, and likely Takasugi too.

Gintoki and Mitsuba's love for people*

The reason Takasugi and Hijikata found such a person in the first place was because Gintoki and Mitsuba were both selfless, loving people from the start. Albeit Gintoki is definitely far more detached and distant than Mitsuba ever was (which are where his parallels with Kouka come in).

Gintoki's love for people has been a big theme of the story, even being the reason he turned down Sakamoto's invitation to space despite the tragic war. And just like Mitsuba, this love is more about wanting people to stay true to themselves and happy over their physical presence.

Gintoki chose to behead Shouyou, because it meant protecting what Shouyou truly wanted. Even though Gintoki loved Shouyou dearly, beheading him meant protecting his soul. Gintoki probably didn't hesitate ignoring his promise with Takasugi, because he could sense Shouyou's desire to protect his students far surpassed Takasugi's desire to protect Shouyou. That Takasugi probably just wanted to protect what Gintoki held precious. If that was really his intention, then what Gintoki held precious was the souls of his loved ones anyway, not their physical presence.

But it isn't easy. It's lonely, just as Mitsuba had her mixed feelings seeing Shinsengumi walk away, and Gintoki had shed tears at having to kill the father figure in his life for what he cherished.

But even so, both find a strong sense of joy in seeing the people they love staying true to themselves. If not, Mitsuba wouldn't have been such a good sister to Okita, and Gintoki probably wouldn't have been able to resign to just living peacefully after what he experienced as a child. Especially in Gintoki's case, when even Katsura had strayed from protecting others as his very own grandmother taught him after everything he had seen on the battlefield.

After all, everyone wants to to satiate their own ego somehow, but it seems the joy of just seeing people living the way they want overpowers that ego in both Mitsuba and Gintoki.

Gintoki and Kouka avoiding attachment to protect themselves, but end up warming up to people anyway.*

Gintoki is the very picture of detachment by living only through facing what's in front of him. Even his actions of casually throwing his textbook away contrasting Katsura and Takasugi shows how detached he is from the past too. Although he was probably the happiest back then, having been with family.

But he's also detached from the people around him. We see that in his childhood from how he reminisces looking at Katsura and Takasugi from afar, both surrounded by many children (and some official art even depicting him as distant from the others). And Gintoki is all alone, looking for another monster who is Shouyou.

Even now with Yorozuya, Shinpachi had been worrying about how Gintoki never wanted to do anything. All he wants to do is protect what's in front of him - as the theme is in the entire story. He loves people, but he never properly lets them in. Even though he still had so many regrets and pains from the past that he never looks back on, which ends up leaking out to influence his choice to find Shouyou after Utsuro's death and making Shinpachi and Kagura realize that it was the wish he never told anyone. No one can be fully happy if they don't come to peace with their past. Especially when it makes you feel like you will never truly belong anywhere.

It bears a resemblance to Kouka settling for what little happiness she had in Kouan to uphold her ancestor's pride and to keep living, and only being swayed when shown a greater happiness by Umibouzu. As for Gintoki, he didn't want to lose himself to the past and so has to keep avoiding it, back in Shoka Sonjuku and even now, even if it means having to settle for a present that isn't fully him. Even if he's actually an empty monster very much like Utsuro.

Both show an inclination to distance themselves from others, as seen by how Kouka remained indifferent throughout her conversations with Umibouzu and Gintoki never talking about himself. But they end up caring too much about the people they distance themselves from, which is what ends up entirely distracting Kouka from the way she initially intended to live whereas forcing Gintoki to carry even more burdens that would obviously make it harder for him to live with his soul intact.

This teaches them both that happiness in the present can only be found from letting people in. Because of this, both change their minds: Kouka decides to leave Kouan, and Gintoki decides to take on the burden of letting more people in when he had already decided he could no longer doing so. This leaves Kouka doomed to die, and Gintoki to have to fight an even harder battle to not lose himself to the past.

But this was still a far better happiness than choosing to live alone to protect yourself.

Gintoki's words that end up saving Kamui from his despair sound very much like the basis for Kouka's words to Kagura about family - you just need someone who'll stay with you, no matter how idiotic they are.

Life isn't about living up to some name to feel good enough and capable to do what you want to do, which Kamui was trying to do to protect his family. This is something Kouka herself was trying to do, but learned that it didn't matter after Umibouzu kept insisting to reach her and Orochi celebrated her departure instead of punishing her.

Gintoki knew this from the get-go because he learned from Shouyou early on that it was about your soul, to not give in to the what the world around you decided for you and truly find yourself. So this stops him from losing himself to the name of the Corpse-Eating Demon, and allows him to wander lost to find the answer within the people around him, including Edo. Edo to Gintoki became what her family was to Kouka.

But unlike Kouka, a piece of Gintoki still stays alone in the past because of this very same mindset of how the present matters. Because his past isn't a commonly shared experience, he can't just share his past with people and expect to be be understood and still be treated as a normal human. Only someone who is determined to understand him like Umibouzu was with Kouka could truly drag him to the present (spoiler: Takasugi obviously).

The realization that the present is most important, not what you are outside of that, is the reason why Kouka allowed Umibouzu to be part of her life, even if it meant her physical death. And Kamui was put at ease by such values, like sleeping on his mother's lap who had once struggled like him.

(I just wanna say--Kamui is such a good example of what it's like to blame yourself hard for not being able to protect family. If Takasugi's main goal was truly Shouyou, then his choices and dialogue should've been more similar to Kamui, methinks.)

Takasugi and Hijikata not feeling suited to making the person they love happy, and so instead protect their happiness from afar.

This whole discussion is already delusional enough but this is by far the most delusional and based on pure inference. But this makes most sense to explain why Takasugi thinks so much about Gintoki's suffering without telling him straight up. This what I think Takasugi's obsession with Shouyou was all about, a way to protect Gintoki's happiness.

Takasugi's actions with Tendoshuu intersects with Hijikata's actions with Tenkaiya. Both went on a suicide mission on their own against them without the people who they know would want to fight alongside with them no matter what (Kiheitai and Shinsengumi). Hijikata would kill the fiance of a dying woman out of revenge and anger at him for not making her happy, Takasugi would let the world Gintoki loves get destroyed if it meant they could go back to the past and Gintoki could be happy with Shouyou again.

Of course there is still Takasugi's love and appreciation for Shouyou accepting him and teaching him his way of life - but it really feels only to a similar extent as Katsura. Not when he didn't say a single word about suffering without Shouyou in his clash against Gintoki to come to terms with his suffering. You can even interpret his gaze and smile upon Shouyou as feeling like he's finally made amends for his guilt at the very end--

In part 2, we talk about post-Shouyou execution Takasugi where more of the Enshou and Umibouzu parallels come in!! How his guilt towards Shouyou may be similar to one Enshou felt towards his brother.

#gintama #takasugi shinsuke #shinsuke takasugi #gintoki sakata #sakata gintoki #takagin #gintaka #everything i say here is literally why i love gintoki so much and i feel like it serves as my own interpretation of his character #gintama has the best romantic writing like how can i be explaining a characters entire personality as part of a romance discussion post

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harquii · 3 years

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I have always been alone.

As long as your here, Our family will be fine.

#gintama #gintama kouka #gintama Yato #sorachi-sensei #sorachi sensei #gintama Kouan #kouka #gintama kagura #kagura #sad #gintama sad #sad gintama #gintama kamui #kamui gintama #gintama omibozu #omibozu gintama #tear jerking

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anise05 · 2 years

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You could stand under my umbrella

I rewatched Gintama and I realized that I have so many months to write a story for you. But this isn't a TWST story, this time. This is the beginning of a love so strong, that can reach the other side of the Universe.

The raining drops were falling on the hard, soil ground, making this peaceful sound that the young Yato girl loved to hear.

She was standing outside of her house, holding her red umbrella, with her eyes closed, hearing the sound of the drops and smelling the wet earth.

Stormy nights like these, reminded her the cold nights, next to the fireplace. Her parents telling her stories and fairytails about the beautiful planet, that once was called "Home of Yato", also known as "Kouan".

She thought that she was the last of her tribe, she was sure that she was the last one left. But this changed, three days ago.

Flashback

She heard a sound of explosion. It wasn't rare for Space Pirates attacking in the planet that she was living, but this time was different. The Space Pirates weren't attacking her village, but someone else was attacking the Pirates back.

After she saw the spaceships leaving, she ran to the place of the explosion, only to find out two more people of her tribe

"Let me take care of him" she said, pointing to the young man that the man was holding in his arms

"Do you know anything about healing?"

"I know some tricks" she smiled and the Yato man accepted to leave his commander under the young Yato girl's care

End of flashback

As she was enjoying the rain, she heard footsteps next to her and she smiled

"You are finally awake" she said

A fist approached her, but stopped some centimeters away from her head. She opened her eyes and turned to see an injured, but handsome young Yato man.

"You shouldn't stand up so soon, your wounds haven't been healed yet"

"Where is Abuto?" the young man asked

"He went out for a while, he will be back..." she stopped talking once she saw the fist of the young man approaching her again. She turned, dodging his attack and with her fingers she hit specific nerves of his hand, making it paralyzed and jumped back. The young man stepped back, looking his hand, trying to move it.

"These moves..." he whispered "Where did you learn moving like that? You know my body's anatomy. Don't tell me" he opened his eyes wide, when he noticed the umbrella that the young girl was holding "It can't be. Where did you find that?"

"This?" she looked her umbrella "It belonged to my father" the young man lowered his head and closed his other fist.

The young girl was beautiful and strong, knowing exactly where to hit. She dodged his attack and managed to come so close to him that made his hand paralyzed thank to her knowledge about Yato body anatomy.

"What are you?" he shouted and turned to hit her with his other hand. She stopped his fist with just her umbrella. He left a sigh of surprise. She pushed him back. She ran quickly, getting behind him, trying to hit the specific spots on his spine. If she would managed that, she could make his whole body paralyzed.

She approached her hand, but he dodged her with his palm and pushed her back. She noticed that he could move his hand again.

"These tricks of yours doesn't have an effect on me" he smirked

"We will see that" she smiled

He ran to her again, she let her umbrella fall to the wet ground, so she could use her both hands against him

"Commander!" Aburo approached them, but he stopped once he showed the way that the two younglings were fighting. She repelled his fists, by stopped them in her hands

"I told you" she said "Your wounds haven't been healed yet"

She hit his wounded side with her knee, making fall to the ground. She was expected him groaning from pain, but the opposite one, he was laughing.

"I can't wait" he said smiling to her "To be full healed and beat you"

"We will see that" she said and gave her hand to him. He grabbed it and helped him to stand up.

"You are a great opponent and I don't even know your name" he said

"I am Y/N" (Note: I leave this name up to you)

"Kamui" she smiled and helped him get inside her house

Abuto was watching the whole scene and smiled. These two young Yato were reminded him a couple that he used to know: Umibouzu and Kouka.

I am sorry for making him being injured in the story 😅. I just found it very interesting for their first meeting. I hope you liked it.

Sorry for the late reply, it's because i felt nostalgic of the time I always talk about Gintama especially kamui 24/7 😭💖💖

This is a really lovely story!! And don't worry about him being injured, he's still so hawt with all those wounds and bruises and he deserved it for making me go crazy for him🙄/hj

This made me imagine being a yato and being his sparring partner ain't bad, in fact I love it!! So I can beat the shit out of him 😤😤😤 /pos haahajajaja my sadistic side taking over me

Thr description about him being handsome jsnsnsnsnssn like omg I wanna kiss that beautiful face 😳

I love this so much!! Thank you 💖

You're such a talented writer!!!

#gintama #yato kamui #yato kamui x reader #anise answers #jintaiyang #lovely friend #WAAAAA I MISS GINTAMA SO MUCH #i wanna reread #buti d8nt have tiem ofr it

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the-anime-haven · 3 years

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Gintama Stills for Every (Canon) Episode → [324/316] “Rakuyou Decisive Battle Arc Part Eight: Master of Kouan”

↳ “Building a legend of being the strongest means nothing. Building such ordinary happiness is far more valuable.”

#gintama stills #gintama #sakata gintoki #kagura #umibouzu #kouka #kamui #mutsu #utsuro #harusame #yorozuya #yorozuya gin-chan #rakuyou decisive battle arc #source:crunchyroll

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m-ichiyo · 7 years

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『кσυкα мαѕтєя σғ кσυαи』

#gintama 2017 #gintama #gintama spoilers #kouka #kouan #anime #manga #flower #kankou #my waifu #best mother #my edits #finally

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myepisodecalendar · 7 years

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Gintama Season 8 - Episode 8: Master of Kouan AirDate: February 26th, 2017, 01:35 AM

#Gintama #TV Tokyo #Master of Kouan #Season 8 #Action #tv #television #show #episode #calendar

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animefascinator · 7 years

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Summary: That’s the blow. That was the ambush attack the enemy had planned behind his back. And the sword cut him deep in his guts. But instead now it’s his heart, and instead of a sword it was her words, and instead of an enemy it was her, the only girl he ever treasured after his beloved sister.

Words: 3239

Rating: G

Okikaguweek 2017: Day 1: Breaking Up

Something has been up lately. Kagura is quiet, too quiet to be precise. Sougo knows all too much now that when that Yato girlfriend of his is being quiet, she’s either plotting something, mostly targeting him or the other option that he disliked, which was that she was mad at him. Considering she’s amanto and all, he’d figured that she might not be one of those girls who’d ignore him when she’s mad, but he begged the differ because indeed she was one of those girls. And the worst part is that Sougo hated it. He hated that he actually does feel slightly guilty about whatever wrong he did that would render her to get mad at him. Every time she’s quiet, he would hope that it wasn’t the latter option because figuring out something he wasn’t even aware off was ridiculously hard.

But it was slightly different this time. She wasn’t only not talking, she’s practically avoiding him. She hasn’t been to their park or their bridge. She hasn’t made any stops at any of his patrol benches where he would sleep instead of actually patrolling, neither has she been interrupting his sleep by breaking into the Shinsengumi sleeping quarters. So, something was definitely up, and Sougo has a feeling that he wasn’t going to like it.

With a sigh he got up, strapped his sword on his belt before making his way out of Shinsengumi ground to the familiar road leading him to Yorozuya. He decided to make a stop at the convenience store and get his obviously troubled girlfriend a box of sukonbu only to meet the person he’s looking for halfway there.

“H-hey. I was gonna go and see you.” Sougo eyed her warily because he felt something bad was coming. The same feeling he gets whenever he has an enemy waiting to ambush him.

“Go wait for me at the park, I need to buy something first.” He didn’t bother making small talk with the shopkeeper this time and proceeded to get the sukonbu and a stick of chuubert for himself as fast as he could.

“Heads up.” The small box hit her vermilion head before it dropped on her lap, and for a second he thought she was fine when she looked up and pouted at him. But the second ended and she looked back down to fiddle with the box instead of immediately eating it like she used to.

Something is definitely not right.

“What got you in a daze? You usually could catch that with your eyes closed.” He sat next to her and sucked on his pineapple chuubert, trying to keep a calm facade waiting for her to spill her thoughts.

“I, urm-” He could hear her swallow the lump in her throat. He opened his eyes when he felt something poking his arm to see her giving him the box of sukonbu back.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want it.”

“That’s not what I’m asking. What’s wrong China?”

She looked up, not at him, but to a distance in front of her before taking a deep breath.

“Let’s not do this anymore.”

“Do what? Give you sukonbu?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” He looked at her, getting angrier by the second for keeping him on his toes and also for not looking at him.

“No. I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve got to be more specific China, I can’t read your mind.”

“Stop-” she flung her arms in front of her into some gesture “-this. Whatever this is. Stop seeing each other or dating or be in a relationship. I-I’m done.”

That’s the blow. That was the ambush attack the enemy had planned behind his back. And the sword cut him deep in his guts. But instead now it’s his heart, and instead of a sword it was her words, and instead of an enemy it was her, the only girl he ever treasured after his beloved sister.

His words were almost like a whisper and she didn’t catch it at first.

“I said, look at me China.” She didn’t and that pissed him off exponentially.

“If you’re gonna break up with me, at least have the decency to look me in the eyes Kagura.” She closed her eyes instead and he saw her lips quivered which served as the last blow. He stood up and walked away.

“I don’t want the sukonbu. Keep it, throw it, do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

It hurts, so badly and who does she think she is to act like the victim here when she was the one to break his heart. She had the guts to feel devastated when she who broke up with him and didn’t even look him in the eyes. It was just as bad to have said it in a text.

“Captain, I’m so sorry. I’ll be more conscious of my surrounding after this.”

Sougo nodded at that as he continued checking up on a few of his squad’s officer that got admitted into the hospital after the previous almost failed mission they went to. He got out with the least amount of injury of a few scratches here and there.

He was about to get some snack from the vending machine when he saw the former Mimawarigumi’s Vice Chief, Imai Nobume and a face covered female that looked too similar to Tokugawa Shigeshige’s sister exited a patient’s room which evidently piqued his interest.

“Look who we got here.” The two females stopped before looking back to face the source of the voice that greeted them. A voice that belonged to the person that they really don’t want to meet.

“Just exactly who is this VIP of a patient to have the princess herself to visit them if I may ask?”

“P-princess? Oh, I’m not a princess, you must have mistaken me for someone else.” Sougo nodded his head, feigning ignorance and turned towards the room they both got out of from.

“Hmm, very well. I guess I’ll just visit whoever this person is the-

A sword made its way to his throat.

“Don’t.” Sougo stared at the sharp blade.

“Now you’ve made me more curious. I can still visit this person after the both of you leave, you know.” The princess walked up to him and uncovered her face, revealing a very concern expression.

“Okita-san, please. I beg of you to drop it, just for this time. You don’t want to know.”

“Oh, I think I do Hime-sama.”

“No, you don’t .” Slowly, his mischievous face morphed into a worried one when it hit him of who it could possibly be. He was about to enter when he felt his throat bleed slightly forgetting that Nobume still has her sword up against his skin.

“If you think I’m going to be easy on you Okita, you don’t know me at all.”

“Miss, you can’t draw your sword in here. You’re worrying the other patrons.” One of the staffs apprehended her and with the raven-haired slightly distracted, Sougo pushed the door opened and his initial thought was correct.

The scene was so familiar but so different at the same time. Kagura was still on the bed but she was paler than usual and her eyes weren’t open, not like before. Her breathings were ragged as she breathed through the oxygen mask and her limbs were lifeless. No , her whole body was lifeless. One look and he knew that she was dying, and for a second he almost saw Mitsuba in the bed instead of her.

There were so many people in the room, just like last time. Gintoki, Shinpachi, Sadaharu, Otae, Otose, Catherine, Tama, Tsukuyo, Sacchan, Kyubei and Kondou.

Kondou was in the room as well . He stared at his Chief with wide eyes.

“You knew… all this time, didn’t you?” Sougo didn’t know why he bothered asking when he already know the answer. He took a step forward when Shinpachi blocked his path.

“She asked specifically to not let you in and I’ll be damned if I can’t keep her last wish.” He thought about it. Shoving the guy away. But seeing that the room was surrounded by people who’s very capable at fending him off at the same time, he took a glance at her lying body.

“Of course.” He left without another word and Kondou tailed after him, calling out his name a few times only to be ignored by the sandy-haired male.

“Sougo, stop!”

“You knew and you didn’t tell me.”

“It wasn’t my secret to tell.” He turned around, fuming with rage at the last person he’d ever thought he would get angry at.

“ Wasn’t your secret to tell?! What kind of bullshit is that?”

“They didn’t tell me what happened. I was at my usual place, Otae-san’s roof, when I heard Shinpachi-kun telling his sister about that China girl. It wasn’t my place to intrude.”

“Yeah, I know that much even if you didn’t tell me. How long?”

“How long what?”

“How long has she been sick?”

“Sougo, it’s not-“

“Kondou-san.” The elder guy sighed, knowing that he was not going away from this.

“A couple of months, probably.”

“Tell me everything.”

“You should probably ask her.” Sougo scoffed at that.

“She’s not talking to me, or better yet, not to anyone at the moment if you still haven’t noticed.”

“She got a letter from the Harusame about 6 months ago, saying that her brother is dead from the same disease as her mother. Being the child of an altana mutant also made them both dependent on the altana from Kouan as well. The reason they have been alive for this long could be because of her father’s genes.”

Her brother is dead, and she didn’t even bother to tell me?

“Look, I’m sure you’re mad at her for not telling you, but she only did that-”

“Because she didn’t want me to watch her die. I figured that as well.” When I imagined Aneue just now.

He needed to see her, he wanted to see her. She was wrong. She was probably thinking that he couldn’t handle another death of a person he cared deeply about at the same hospital that is. But she was wrong. She probably wanted him to get used to her absence before she become absent forever. Not only from his life, but from others as well. From Gintoki, who had treated her like his own child, from Shinpachi, who cared for her like he did for his own sister, from Soyo and Nobume who accepted her as their friends and so many more. He knew he probably wasn’t the most important person in her life considering they only have been dating for about a year, compared to all those years she has spent with the Yorozuya. Then why didn’t she stopped Gintoki from visiting her when she knew herself the lost Danna has experienced himself. And she knew even more how her impending death will affect him tremendously. But why was he the only person banned from her room.

Just like everyone else in the room, he was strong enough. And for that and that reason only he will get himself into the room even if he had to fight and maybe break a few bones going up against Danna to get in.

Easier said than done. The hairs on his skin stood up when he saw Gintoki standing outside her room, as if waiting for him. He probably is waiting for him. And to be honest, Sougo wouldn’t be as scared if Umibouzo was the one standing there. Seeing how protective Kagura is of Gintoki, his presence was more menacing than the so called strongest hunter in the universe. He has seen Gintoki fought before and no, he wasn’t going to break a few bones. His bones would be pulverized, shattered and he may be rendered immobile because of this. But the same bones on his legs are still moving even when his heart wavered. His mind was dead set on meeting Kagura and that’s what he’s doing. Guess they were right when they say that people start being irrational when in love.

In love. Is that what he’s feeling all this time. One year. Was he supposed to know by now, or was it too fast? He’s never felt it before. At least not this kind of romantic love.

“Souichiro-kun.”

“Sougo, Danna.” He took another step and a hand blocked his chest.

“If she asked, it wasn’t me that let you in. You got me?” He nodded, because he was so nervous that the silver-haired was going to kill him that he lost his words at that moment.

The room was quiet unlike before. There was no one there. A few bouquets on the bedside table and one that looked too expensive with one glance Sougo knew it was from the princess. The shades were closed, they probably didn’t want to let so much sunlight to enter the room. Not when she’s this weak.

Her eyes were closed, probably still asleep, skin still as pale but her breathing was better. At least she didn’t look as sickly as when the mask was on her face. But just as sickly as Mitsuba.

Not now Sougo. Tell her she’s wrong. Tell her you’ll be fine. Tell her-

“You’re not supposed to be here.” Her voice small as she mustered those words, and he didn’t realize he missed the sound so bad.

“No, I’m not.” He was standing behind the chair next to her bed, afraid to come any closer because he doubts he would ever let go of her then. So, he kept his distance.

“Gin-chan let you in, didn’t he?”

“I’m supposed to say no to that.” She chuckled lightly and Sougo’s heart blossomed at the sound.

“Did Gorilla tell you everything?”

“I didn’t leave him a choice.”

“I figured as much.”

A cloud probably blocked the sun as the light that managed to pass through some cracks before disappeared and the room was engulfed by both darkness and silence. The air was thick and heavy with neither party knowing how to keep the conversation going.

“You should’ve told me.”

“I know.”

“Then, why didn’t you?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered lightly, worried that the breeze was going to bring the echo of her words further than the room. Her eyes fixated on her hands, busy fiddling the edge of her blanket.

“Look at me Kagura.” He called her name. He rarely does that, not if it’s not in their intimate moments, or when he’s mad, or in this case, when he wanted her to listen to him. So, she did. She looked at him and her gorgeous blue eyes met his captivating red eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His tone was soft, the only person he ever spoken to in that manner.

He didn’t know when he moved because all of a sudden, he was holding her hand. Him previously being feet away from her, now just mere inches. And her hand was cold and it distracted himself from his own question when he touched her skin. He didn’t want to hold her more than he ever did right now, just to lend her his warmth.

“God, your hands are cold.” He took her hand with both his hands and squeezed it lightly, rubbing it slightly to create some heat as she watched with watery eyes.

“Because I love you.” His hands stopped moving before slowly he looked up from her cold skin to her face. The face that sometimes he would find himself staring at whenever she sleeps over in his room and how lovely the morning was simply getting to see her face. And that’s what he did. He stared. He took a good look at her. Despite paler and slightly thinner, she was still the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. With her long vermilion hair cascading her soft creamy skin, eyes blue as the sky, yes, she was still as beautiful and he missed being able to look at her in peace.

“You don’t have to say it back. I just- I wanted you to know it. And I’m not saying it only because I’m dying, but I really do mean it. I do love you, Sougo. ”

He lowered his head and kissed her right at that moment. The moment ended too fast for his liking but he hasn’t kissed her for so long so he should be good with a brief kiss for now.

“I love you too.” And she smiled like she always did and his world lit up as if birds were chirping in the background, rainbow shining and children running around in circles. All his worries melted away because of one smile.

“I finally got you to smile.” If this is the last time I’m seeing you, I’d want to see you go smiling.

He stayed for a while, keeping her company while listening to her talk. Because this is what they were used to. Him listening to her speak about her interests or telling him about what she remembered of her childhood. But little by little, she talked slightly lesser than before and eventually talked herself to sleep.

Slowly, he made his way outside to meet with a very nervous Shinpachi and Gintoki.

“She’s fine. She’s just asleep. I figured you guys would want to be in there with her when she does, urm go .”

“What about you?”

“You both are just as important if not more as I am to her. It would be unfair for the people that took care of her from the beginning to not be there when she took her last breath. It’s okay, I’ll be outside.”

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours as Sougo waited outside her room. As the ticks went by, his mind started thinking that maybe, she would have a chance to survive this disease. Only for his thoughts to shatter when he hears the heart monitor from her room to go frantic. Doctors tried reviving her back to life, but after 15 minutes of trying, they pronounced her dead.

It was not as extravagant as the previous funeral he and Princess Soyo had organized for Kagura but just as lovely he hoped. It was open to only their close friends. The ceremony went over his head as he didn’t listen to a word everyone said. When it was time to pay their respects, Gintoki went first, whispering words only he himself could hear to his precious daughter. Then Shinpachi, followed by everyone else.

He was the last one. He didn’t want to do it but he forced his legs to move and then he saw her calm face. She was wearing a white qipao with simple red floral design. Her long hair tied into her signature two buns that she used to adorn back when she was still 14. He smiled remembering how they acted back then and how the treasured memories would always have a special in his heart.

He placed the pink rose in the casket and slipped in a box of sukonbu as well.

“The sukonbu is for when my sister makes you eat food with tabasco sauce on them. If you think I’m a sadist, you haven’t met my sister yet. And-”

He kissed her forehead while blinking back tears.

“I love you.”

#okikaguweek2017 #okikaguweek #okikagu #okita sougo #kagura #gintama #day 1 #breaking up #okikagu fics #my fics

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victorsandvanquishers · 7 years

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Title: Everything You Want is a Dream Away Author: AvaCelt Chapters: 4/4 Ships: Takamui, Abuto/Yamazaki, Kouka/Kankou, Katsura/Elizabeth Rating: Explicit Warnings: explicit sexual content, violence Summary: There was a lone flower on Kouan, but not even it could hold a candle to Kamui. [Takamui-Kouka/Kankou parallel fic; Headcanon Gintama Ending]

Hope y'all enjoyed yet another Takamui headcanon ending fic! Feedback keeps me alive! Thank you for reading! (*￣з￣)

#takamui #Takasugi Shinsuke #kamui yato #gintama #avafanfics

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zurafuro-blog · 7 years

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Zurafuro Does: Gintama 2017 Marathon!! [Battle on Rakuyo Arc + Battle Highlight Part 3]

After the Three Mad Stars’ defeat, the Joui warriors resume on their way to Takasugi’s aid. I almost forgot-- Uturo’s was watching from above while the everyone was wrecking havoc throughout the planet.

ANYWAYS

We move on to the much awaited FATHER-SON SPAT [Well that’s what this anime recap is all about].

Kagura and Takasugi’s other top henchmen found Takasugi’s unconscious body with other henchmen carrying him, however an explosion separated the two group. The group who carried Takasugi’s body fell down, much to Matako’s shock and dismay after seeing that he also fell down along with them. Kagura’s group rushes down where the other group fell down. They saw Takasugi’s body still in a good shape. Kagura quickly realized that her brother must’ve saved Takasugi from his untimely demise. She quickly went ahead to follow where her brother will go to.

The match between father and son began after Kamui meets his father once again in a secluded mountain range along with Abuto (who accompanied Umibozu on his quest to find his son). Kamui, now made his strong resolve on defeating his father for good, decided to make the initiative to attack his father. The intense match between the two was cut short when Kagura stopped Kamui on attacking back. However, she was almost immobilized after receiving a critical hit from her older brother. Even after their previous match from the SA (Shogun Assassination) Arc, Kamui still belittled his sister’s battle strength, and considered her not a family anymore. Kagura reminded Kamui once more of her capabilities and attacked him back --- starting a match between them short after.

The match doesn’t seem to stop even when their father pleads the siblings to stop their horrendous match. The spat between siblings were immediately cut short after Abuto yelled Utsuro’s impending arrival between the family. Now separated from his children, the fight between the Alien Hunter and the hunted has started.

The fight lasted for a couple of minutes. Moments later, Umibozu’s past suddenly emerged after damaging each other’s arms from the fight.

In the flashback, Umibozu was talking to a young Mutsu about his ‘heroic’ deed on taking back Yato’s original home planet, Kouan. Mutsu told him that some titled Umibozu as the Master of Kouan, but he immediately disagreed and told the kid of what really happened during his first arrival at Kouan.

UP NEXT: THE REAL MASTER OF KOUAN: THE MOTHER OF KAGURA AND KAMUI

Note From The Yorozuya:

This concludes the third part of the arc summaries of the Battle on Rakuyo Arc. Stay tune for the fourth part of the arc summary!

( Z: I THANK GINTAMA PRODUCTIONS FOR MAKING MY MUCH AWAITED DREAMS COME TRUE. THE ‘MOTHER OF KAGURA’ HYPE IS REAL!!!! )

GIF cto:

@vtsvro, @mandykot, @theorangehokage, @aishitetsuro, @bird-studio, @unfamiliarworld, @kaoris

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buniyaad · 7 years

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Fuckfather Supreme Meta, or that One Essay about How Gintoki and Shinsuke Can’t Accept that Their Dad is Sick

OK real talk, if Gintama was any other story about a deadbeat dad who one day violently disappeared from his kids’ lives and then magically reappeared in the future with a completely different personality, it would be a joke. In a more serious story, it would be one where the writer would be able to discuss a pretty stark topic through fiction- mentally ill parents and how children of mentally ill adults learn to navigate their parents’ illness.

In the manga, it seems like the only two people who’ve really come to terms with Utsuro’s dissociative identity disorder are Nobume and Oboro. It makes sense, because their histories are deeply intertwined with Utsuro’s existence as an alter and the fact that he shares a body with several other personalities. Oboro deals with it by being the dutiful son- doing everything in his power to make sure his “father” is safe, even if it means killing the Yoshida Shouyou alter. To this day, I’m slightly confused on whether or not Sorachi intended Oboro’s almost-death in his childhood as a trigger for the Shouyou alter to assume control of the body, but with the information we have now, I’m gonna assume that, that was the case, even if Utsuro tells Oboro that “he” wasn’t the one who saved him that day. Nobume’s pretty standard in terms of understanding that the Utsuro alter is significantly more powerful in terms of dominance. She understands that it’s not his fault Shouyou lost out, but it is to their misfortune that they’re now stuck with the most violent alter out of all of them.

If this was a different kind of story, Sorachi could really meditate on a pretty tangible situation that affects many folks throughout both Japanese and international society as a whole. Though the stigma against mental illness persists, I know that the Gorilla can write it. Unfortunately, we don’t have a clear cut story that ruminates on mental illness, so we’re stuck with one dude’s surrogate kids tryna kill him while he’s in an alter state that doesn’t recognize that they’re his kids.

But more than that, Gintoki and Shinsuke especially seem to think that their father is dead, whereas as Nobume and Oboro never show the kind of virulent determination to exterminate Utsuro for having “killed” Shouyou. I think that reflects just how badly Gintoki and Shinsuke have ended up comprehending the whole issue. I get that we’re at a pivotal moment where nuclear warfare’s about to pop off, but without the embellishments of science fiction shounen, all you really have is one parent who’s in a psychotic state with only one of the kids who understands he’s in a psychotic state, while the others are flailing around trying to beat down the psychosis with violence. Maybe it’s because Nobume was trained as an assassin early in life that she’s able to extrapolate the situation so clearly and concisely without letting it hurt her. Gintoki and Shinsuke, however, are knee-deep in their hurt feelings that this crazy thing killed their father that they don’t even seem to realize that Shouyou’s still there.

If it was any other story, the manga would end with the body being treated to a point where the rest of the alters are able to emerge and speak their truth before the fragments finally come together to make up the original host because I firmly believe we don’t know the true holder of the body yet, and that both Utsuro and Shouyou are alters that were birthed over the years of torture and violence he had to experience because of his immortality. Any other story, Gintoki and Shinsuke would make an effort to both stop the war from killing them and also save their father, but it seems like that won’t happen. With Oboro’s death and nuclear warfare literally over the horizon (it’s astonishing how close Earth is to becoming another Kouan), Utsuro will likely be beaten as the dominant alter before he dies and Sorachi will miss out on a prime opportunity to explore the dynamics between adult children and their mentally ill parents. If anything, Sorachi’s gonna throwback to the Kankou and Utsuro conversation from 581:

I’m afraid Sorachi will bring back the Shouyou alter at the tail end of the story in order to really hit it home about how fruitless Gintoki and Shinsuke’s efforts were in the end. He’s gonna have Shouyou smile as he’s dying, and afterwards, I’m afraid he’s going to complete the story with Shinsuke lol’ing away with the Kiheitai and Gintoki going home to have breakfast with the kids.

I simply won’t stand for it because these situations would ultimately devalue the entire point of Utsuro’s introduction into the story- the ultimate lesson for his children. Utsuro’s existence forces Gintoki and Shouyou to look at the man as more than just a father and a teacher. Utsuro forces them to recognize the multi-faceted aspects of the human mind, body, and spirit. He reminds them that even half-truths are lies, and then even if he spent years caring for them, he still had a past behind him and a future he was afraid of. I think that’s another thing Gintoki and Shinsuke were unable to grasp- Shouyou’s fear that his make-believe world wouldn’t last. His pretty face and gentle hand, along with his ability to keep them in line and still be playful were glorified and idolized to create a godlike man who died too young. Gintoki and Shinsuke put him on a pedestal for his sacrifice, and so he returned to teach them a lesson about what happens when a person overindulges in their memories. Admiration is, after all, furthest from understanding.

And more than that, the possibility to Gintoki having to kill his father again is so… awful. It’s literally torture. It’s also pretty symbolic in terms of the idea that children suffer the most when parents have severe mental illnesses. Gintoki, in the end, is liable to experience even more trauma, and if not Gintoki, then Shinsuke. Who really wins if that happens? Certainly not Gintoki and Shinsuke if they have to watch their sick and suicidal dad die again.

#gintama #utsuro #sakata gintoki #takasugi shinsuke #imai nobume #real talk #yorozuya blues

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