#this is mainly for hijitae fans

[hijitae]

Hijikata/Tae & Loid/Yor

Yes, another random couple comparison meta post from yours truly. This time, we will be noting the similarities of Hijikata x Tae with Loid x Yor from Spy x Family. This is something I have discussed with @arirna​ (who I thank for early feedback on this post) a few times over the last couple of years, and then most recently with @suchine-toki​, so this meta post is dedicated to both of them!

SPOILERS AHEAD for Gintama and Spy x Family if you are unfamiliar with one or both of the series.

HijiTae is one of the earliest ships I became utterly devoted to, resulting in comparisons to similar ships ever since then. I can’t help it; I used to do the same with Bulma and Vegeta of Dragon Ball Z, who were my first ever OTP.

I started reading Spy x Family early in 2019, pretty much when it began serialization – much thanks to @arirna​ for his manga recommendations! I immediately liked it, and as the story progressed, we both realized something about Loid and Yor: they had That Dynamic. The HijiTae Dynamic. Now, we’re very biased toward HijiTae, but then @suchine-toki​ mentioned also seeing a strong HijiTae similarity in Loid and Yor, as well, so that confirmed the dynamic from a more objective viewpoint. We don’t just have HijiTae permanently engraved on our brains – there IS a certain dynamic to be found in other ships. It’s almost challenging to narrow it down to a handful of tropes. Suffice to say, you just know it when you see it, when it all feels familiar.

Now, let us unpack the similarities:

Note: I’ve fallen behind on the SxF manga, and I just recently caught up with the anime, so I’m using various SxF character bios for information. This is not an in-depth analysis, but rather a general one to generate ideas and discussion. 

HIJIKATA and LOID Fans may instinctively connect Loid and Gintoki instead because of their main character status, but Loid actually has more in common with Hijikata than he does with anyone else in Gintama, and vice versa. This doesn’t mean you can’t envision Gintoki as Loid, or another favourite MC in Loid’s shoes. By all means, go for it. Fanfic and fanart open up the possibilities. I’m simply saying that in terms of basic commonalities, Loid and Hijikata can shake hands more confidently than any other two characters within their respective series. Hijikata may be rougher around the edges and Loid can be more charming as part of his work, but they have many things in common:

They’ve both had a traumatic childhood, losing both of their parents and other important family figures (I don’t know too much about Loid’s past yet other than the part concerning his mother).

They take their jobs seriously and work hard to ensure complete success.

They are strict on subordinates or others under their tutelage for good reason.

They serve under a higher authority figure (Kondou and Handler).

They both have nicknames – Demon and Twilight – with reputations for being not only skilled but also austere and dangerous.

They are capable of undercover missions. Loid, obviously more so, but Hijikata has done some undercover work, too.

They both have a colleague obsessed with them in different ways: Sougo and Fiona.

They both have a colleague who also serves as a friend, foil, and comedic relief: Kondou and Franky.

They both have an enemy in the brother of their love interests: Sougo again, with Mitsuba, and then potentially Shinpachi with Tae in the fanon realm (except I don’t believe Shinpachi would be as extreme as Sougo); for Loid, it’s Yuri with Yor.

They have been left speechless by Tae and Yor for different reasons, usually as part of comedy scenes.

They both smoke or have smoked before, as @suchine-toki​ reminded me here (thanks again!).

They are frequently the Straight Man in comedy scenes, questioning the bizarre events happening around them, although Hijikata is likelier to participate in the weirdness now and then compared to Loid, whose weirdness – to people around him – is more grounded in how impressed people are by his mind. Not that people aren’t impressed with Hijikata’s mind, lol, but Gintama fans will understand best what I’m getting at here (because sometimes even Kondou is embarrassed by Hijikata, and that says a lot!).

TAE and YOR Yor has quickly become iconic with an instantly recognizable outfit that has inspired many a crossover/AU fanart for other series. Since there aren’t nearly as many Tae fans in comparison to Yor’s, you might be wondering what on earth could they possibly have in common? The answer is: a lot more than you initially thought, I’d bet!

They both lost their parents at a young age and had to raise their little brothers by themselves.

They both can’t cook and are notorious for creating toxic meals by chance.

They both have brothers who are very attached and protective of their older sisters. Shinpachi isn’t as extreme as Yuri, though, lol.

They both had shoulder-length hair as children (a very basic similarity, but you’ll see why I mention it in the pics below).

They both work ordinary jobs (hostess, office worker), but have other jobs/lives (Deva, assassin).

They have similar personalities: kind, smiling, polite…

…But they also have explosive tempers when provoked, making them frightening figures in their own right. Tae is also more cunning than Yor, I’d say.

They are both known for being physically very strong, especially at moments where they need to protect others or themselves.

They both have nicknames, such as Boss Lady and Queen of Kabukicho (Tae) and Thorn Princess (Yor).

They’re both skilled in their chosen weapons of choice (naginata, knives/ice picks).

Others look up to them as mother/older sister figures, such as Kagura and Anya.

They both have a colleague/friend that is occasionally antagonistic toward them depending on the context. For Tae, Sacchan tends to play that role, as well as Ane at Snack Smile. In Yor’s case, we have Camilla. Yet, we have seen them cooperate with Tae and Yor when it counts.  

HIJI/TAE & LOID/YOR Now we come to the heart of this post: the similarities between Hijikata x Tae and Loid x Yor. Given that one ship is considered more canon and widely accepted than the other, what is it that unites them in terms of dynamic and possibility? Let’s take a look:

Personality Contrast: It’s clear they each differ in personality except for when it comes to those that are important to them. We see how Loid and Yor have the same goals concerning Anya. Hijikata is utterly devoted to Kondou, and Tae stood up for Kondou before a corrupt Shogun, so Kondou is like Anya’s equivalent in this context. Tae and Yor are viewed as bright, cheerful people in contrast to Hijikata and Loid’s seemingly cold, stoic natures – yet we’ve also seen both men display passion for subjects that interest or provoke them.

Frightening Figures: This goes without saying. Individually, all of them are scary in their own right, but together? Yikes! Okay, that was cheesy, but you get my point. Loid and Yor are feared for different reasons, but put them together, and they become extremely fearsome, especially when it comes to protecting Anya. Same with Hijikata and Tae, who are already feared by many people, and together, they would be a fearful power couple. (Incidentally and ironically, both Tae and Hijikata fear ghosts.) It’s also worth noting that Hijikata and Loid are often left stunned by Tae and Yor’s feats of strength, and are sometimes on the receiving end, lol.

Relationship of Convenience: This is obvious with Loid and Yor; they have entered a marriage of convenience for both of them in order to carry on with their covert operations. For Hijikata and Tae, a more comedic example is in the Time Skip arc when it was revealed that Hijikata was actually the father of Tae’s baby (if you don’t know Gintama, it’s too much to explain this arc right now, lol). Despite the circumstances, Hijikata was willing to take on the responsibility of raising the child, with or without Tae. If this arc was serious and something like that actually happened, I can imagine both Hijikata and Tae entering a similar relationship of convenience in order to raise their child together. They were both willing to give up what they had in order to give their fake baby a future (again, non-Gintama fans, if this all sounds bizarre, well, it’s supposed to be).

Now, in SxF, Loid and Yor’s relationship of convenience is central to the main plot, and I’m sure they will inevitably move toward a real, genuine love behind that relationship before the series’ end. In Gintama, it’s too late for anything really, and Sorachi didn’t handle his romance all that well (too complicated a subject to get into) by the end, but given the significance of the moments Hijikata and Tae did have, and their devotion to tradition, I imagine they would’ve made a good couple who can stand on equal footing with each other.

Cooking Skills: Loid appears to do most of the cooking than Yor, and I can imagine Hijikata sharing in the responsibility to make up for Tae’s notorious “skills.” Also, Hijikata’s mayonnaise obsession might be all that steels his stomach against Tae’s meals. Currently, Loid still passes out from consuming Yor’s meals, but there is a possibility of him building an immunity and being able to handle her cooking in the future. Yor takes steps to improve her cooking knowledge, and Tae has done the same with a cooking class in the past. Anyway, the point of this section is that the cooking dynamic is virtually the same for each ship.

Conversations: Both have had more in-depth conversations with each other than surface-level interactions. Think Loid and a tipsy Yor in the park, and Hijikata and Tae at Snack Smile in the Yagyuu arc. When the comedy and the rarity of their interactions pass, these two ships can actually have good conversations with one another, confiding when necessary and influencing the other in a positive way.

--

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about Hijikata/Tae and Loid/Yor for now. I’ll be glad to hear of more similarities that I probably missed. Like I said, I’m not up-to-date on the SxF manga, so I don’t know it as well as I know Gintama, but I think I managed to cover most of the basics. Still, I’m always up for friendly discussion concerning these two ships and their similar dynamic. 

#gintama #spy x family #hijitae #hijikata x tae #loid x yor #shimura otae #shimura tae #hijikata toshiro #hijikata toushirou #土妙 #if you don't like the comparison then please scroll and move on with your life #this is mainly for hijitae fans #though i welcome the curious from sxf fandom #this post was born from discussions with those i have tagged to this post -- thank you both!

[bossladytae]

How do you imagine HijiTae happening considering Hijikata respects Kondo to the extent that he does? I have been reading your HijiTae posts and have been intrigued / thinking about writing a fic for them, but I would love to know your thoughts about what he would do to not hurt Kondo.

Hi, thank you for your question. I’m glad you’re interested in writing a fic for them, especially since they are a tiny fandom and not a generally accepted rare pair in the fandom to even be a side pairing in a story. New content is always appreciated!

Before I continue, I just want to quickly note to any unaware HijiTae fans who may be scrolling by: please vote in this poll here before it closes on Oct. 31! And check out this list of prompts if you also want to create content for them!

Moving on: I’ve encountered this question a lot over the years, either directly or from afar, observing the discussions people have about HijiTae. Sometimes people (not you, but others from past experiences) assume that HijiTae fans are out to hurt Kondou, to erase Mitsuba, and to generally wreak havoc by not conforming to fandom’s status quo when it comes to popular ships. That is not the case – at least, not for me.

Personally, I always envision possibilities that occur after Tae and Kondou embrace their friendship instead, so that both have moved on from any residual feelings for each other, particularly Kondou. I do not believe Hijikata would go behind Kondou’s back or pursue a relationship with Tae while knowing Kondou still loves her. Even if Kondou moved on, I still think Hijikata would talk to Kondou first in order to put his mind and heart at ease. Hijikata doesn't exactly need permission to love Tae (and vice versa with Tae), but Kondou would probably appreciate Hijikata's consideration, nonetheless. If Kondou was uncomfortable with it, Hijikata, without a doubt, would step back and not act on his feelings. If Kondou was okay with it, then Hijikata would feel better about moving forward. Hijikata would never blindly pursue a relationship with Tae without considering the fact that his oldest and closest friend has or once had romantic feelings for her.

That said, I don’t think Kondou would like it if Hijikata’s devotion to him was taking precedence over Hijikata’s own feelings and desires. It’s similar to where Hijikata did what he thought was best for Mitsuba without taking into account her feelings, her thoughts, and her ability to make her own decisions. He did so without communicating directly with her. If Hijikata did what he thought was best for Kondou by not considering what Kondou thinks or decides in any way, it’ll be a repeat of the past where more than one person can be hurt. Communication is key in any relationship, and, fortunately, Hijikata has learned and matured since then.

Kondou cares deeply for Hijikata, and knows him better than most, what he’s been through with Mitsuba and life in general. If Kondou saw that Hijikata had feelings for someone else, I believe he would support Hijikata. If that someone else was Tae and she returned Hijikata’s feelings, then I believe Kondou would want them to be happy because he cares for both of them. Most of all, Kondou wants to see Hijikata happy again, regardless of whether that happiness comes in the form of a romantic relationship or feeling unburdened by the past (I believe Mitsuba would feel the same way). Plus, both men have to respect Tae's decision and consider her feelings as well.

Sometimes people forget how kind and generous Kondou is. In the Dekobokko Arc, when Kondou saw that Tae was showing obvious signs of attraction toward Kyuubei instead, what did he do in the end? He gave them a pair of movie tickets and told them to live how they want – essentially, giving them his blessing when they all knew that he has feelings for Tae, too. That spoke volumes about Kondou’s character.

Granted, it mainly occurred because Kondou believed that, as Goriko, it would be impossible to love Tae with both of them being women, and Kyubei as Jyubei made them the only person left for Tae to love. Kondou was, of course, mistaken, and also, I didn’t like the arc’s reinforcement of the idea that everybody else except Tae gets to decide whom Tae should love. I find this mindset frequently in fandom where people look at Tae’s het ships and their first thought is whether Tae is good enough for the man or not. I’ve seen arguments about how Tae is better because she does this, this, and this for a man while ignoring Tae’s desires, never asking if the man is good enough for her. Anyway, I digress; that’s another subject, and your question is chiefly concerned with the Hijikata-and-Kondou aspect of a potential HijiTae relationship.

Going back to the Dekobokko Arc, I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe that Kondou loves Tae enough that he wants her to be happy, even if it’s without him, even beyond that arc.

In conclusion, I think Hijikata would think carefully about the situation, if he happened to develop feelings for Tae while Kondou still loves her. I don’t think he’d act on them because Kondou comes first in this case. Still, Hijikata also has to consider Kondou’s choices as well in the case that Kondou gives his blessing. Tae probably wouldn’t want to come between two old friends, either, but if she did love one of them, then the other would need to respect her choice.

Maybe all three of them might simply remain friends and move on, preferring not to get involved in complicated relationships. Maybe Kondou doesn’t want Hijikata to deny himself forever just for his sake, because it wouldn’t make Kondou feel good, either, if Hijikata’s devotion grows blind and robotic.

And if Kondou has already moved on from her, and Hijikata suddenly finds himself falling in love with Tae and she with him...then I think Kondou would be happy for both in that situation, too. Surprised, but happy that Hijikata forgave himself and allowed his heart to heal and love again; and happy that someone loves Hijikata in return.

Anything is possible.

This is a subject I explore in an unpublished multi-chapter fic of mine (that has been in progress for I don’t know how many years now; someday it’ll be finished) as well as a one-shot that will complete a series of fics I have on HijiTae’s journey from allies to friends to lovers with Kondou still remaining a solid presence in both of their lives. Do I want Kondou to be alone forever? No, my future head canons always include Kondou happy in some way, whether married, with a family, or single (but he's usually a happy husband and father in my universe).

I hope this satisfactorily answers your question. I've reread this post several times over to make sure I've covered the main points. It's a lot of speculation, lol, but that's where our freedom to explore in fic and art becomes fun.

#hijitae #gintama

[bossladytae]

Get To Know Me: Fic Writer Edition

Borrowing this from @naladot 💙 I’m going to be mainly talking about Gintama for this due to my blog’s nature.

Name: @bossladytae or Garowyn

Fandoms: Fic-wise, Gintama right now. But I’ve written for a number of different fandoms over the last 18 years.

Most popular fic: Top two by kudos: Catharsis and A Siege of Shadows Top two by comments: A Siege of Shadows and The Key to Success Is to Plan for Failure Top two by bookmarks: The Key to Success Is to Plan for Failure and A Rabbit with No Name Top two by subscriptions: A Rabbit with No Name and A Siege of Shadows

As appreciative as I am about kudos, it would be nice to hear more from readers if they enjoy my stories.

Personal favorite: There’s a special place for each fic in my heart, so I’ll talk about seven of them:

A Siege of Shadows – this is my Hijikata psychological/horror fic and probably the one I’m most proud of. I invested a lot into this fic, everything from various topics of research to careful selection of songs for each chapter’s mood. Sorry, Toushi, for putting you through a hellish nightmare of a tale.

Until Silence Prevails – delving into the dark depths of Takasugi’s mind. It’s my shortest fic, but still packed with meaning.

Keep Walking Forward Until You Never Look Back – this is a multi-chapter, character study on Sasaki Tetsunosuke, which is the first of its kind for Tetsu, I believe. I fleshed him out more and focused on his bond with the Shinsengumi, Hijikata in particular.

The Key to Success Is to Plan for Failure – a multi-chapter Katsura-led comedy fic featuring POV scenes from almost the entire main Gintama cast. This fic was a monster to write, utterly exhausting, yet a worthwhile venture for me.

The Transience of Dawn – an Itou character study focusing on three events in his life. It’s set before he reunites with the Shinsengumi in what will be his final days. Itou is my favourite antagonist after Takasugi, so I had to write about him.

Finding the Light That Never Fades – my favourite HijiTae fic of all the ones I’ve written, thus far. This combined comedy and drama with a touch of angst and romance, as Hijikata and Tae navigate their deepening friendship and budding attraction to one another.

Finding Our Place in the Sun – a fic about Tae and Tsukuyo spending time together. That’s pretty much all there is to it, because Tae and Tsukuyo content is still a scarcity in this fandom, and that’s a darn shame.

Current WIPs: Violet Moon Rising, which is a Tsukuyo-led film noir-inspired fic dedicated to @arirna. A Rabbit with No Name, a Kamui-centric AU in which almost everyone, including Kagura, has died as the result of a powerful android invasion. I do intend to update these fics once time allows me to, as I’m quite busy at the moment.

I also have several unpublished, semi-complete Gintama fics that I’ve accumulated over the last 15 years since I started dabbling in Gintama fic (but never finishing or posting anything until 2017, lol).

Favorite type of fic: I like writing a variety of fic. I’ve done character introspections, romance, comedy, action, psychological, horror/supernatural, time travel, and mysteries. Basically, whenever and whatever the muse strikes and provides, I may just write it. However, I’m slow with updates, because fan fic isn’t a priority.

As far as fic-reading habits go, pretty much the only Gintama romance fic I write or read is HijiTae whenever someone writes a new one, whether that someone is me or others. I have dabbled in fic for two other ships (it’s a secret; please don’t ask because I really won’t be telling!), but they’re unpublished and unfinished. If I ever do finish them, I may publish them with my pseudonym account (also a secret).

Beyond that, I like to read character studies, mysteries/psychological, or comedy/gen fic that involves characters other than the Yorozuya because there are already so many dedicated to them. Whatever catches my eye depends on whenever I check Gintama’s AO3 section.

Writing habits: I don’t think I have any standout ones. I just write whenever I can, especially if the muse is strong. Also, I read. Writers must always be reading. Don’t only read fan fic. Read other fiction, non-fiction, anything you can. Read inside and outside your favourite genre. Study the different styles. Read, and then write; write, and then read. Keep up a daily writing and reading routine if you can.

Fic recs: I’ve read many with interesting concepts, but, to keep it short, I’ll rec five Gintama fics.

Plan B by xxkoffeexx – the second HijiTae fic ever written in English back in 2009, and it’s dedicated to me by an old friend.

Your World by xxkoffeexx – a story about when Takasugi was a hero, not a villain, to somebody.

Jump is best when fought over by maydreamer – a short but meaningful Zenzou fic, as he tries to buy Jump magazine in a world without Gintoki.

They Say It’s Only the Worst Day of Your Life So Far by StarryDustandFluffyStuff – a fic on Katsura’s wartime experiences following Shouyou’s death.

Tiger Mom by gettinyinggywithit – a Tsukuyo introspective fic on education, family, and her role in Seita’s life.