#kazusanosuke kaneshige

[asagitori-blog]

Introducing my Touken Ranbu OC Kazusanosuke Kaneshige (上総介兼重) Todo Heisuke's sword!

UUUUUUUUGHHHHH!!!!! I FINALLY GOT THIS DONE I was sick with COVID for like OVER A MONTH and it was hard to move or do any work.

Anyway, while researching, I kept running into conflicting sources on what type of sword Heisuke's was. One source said it was a Naginata another one said it was a Uchinogatana another a Tachi and Hakuouki said it was a Wakizashi. So, I did versions of him as other types of swords.

I might change the color palette later. Since I'm still unsure of whether or not it fits the character. Also for his damaged sprite, I imagine he would have a cut on his forehead and a broken headband and a reference to what happened to the real-life Heisuke. I also put Kazusanosuke's naginata version in heels because the naginata was historically primarily a woman's weapon but Heisuke was said to have practiced a men's version of welding the naginata. Also, he has a crush on Shotsuren (Chizuru's sword). Also, can you guess who's leaning on Kazusanosuke's shoulder 😉

you could probably guess by the tags lol 🤣

[the-insanity-of-mojiru]

Todo is only like 150cm tall, they just want to help

[shinsengumi-archives]

Moeyo Ken (燃えよ剣)

Shiba Ryotaro's masterpiece "Moeyo Ken" is said to have created the image of Hijikata Toshizo and the Shinsengumi. This work is now adapted into a manga for the first time. The first volume was published by Shinchosha on May 9.

source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000545.000047877.html

(image source: https://twitter.com/moeyoken_comic)

Characters

Prickly brat from Tama who admired the samurai more than anyone else - Hijikata Toshizo

Although he was born a peasant, he had a strong ambition to become a samurai, but was frustrated by how far he’d have to go from his current situation to his achieve dream. He was a student of the Tennen Rishin-ryu Shieikan Dojo, but his teacher told him to stop practicing his own style, so he stopped going. He had a prickly personality, but after getting to know Kondo and Okita, he revealed a softer side. Through battles, he would demonstrate his talent as a military strategist.

Beautiful swordsman of flawless talent - Okita Souji

He was a pure-hearted swordsman who wielded his sword with natural grace. Separated from his parents at an early age, he was brought up in the Shieikan from age nine, and was like a brother to Kondo and Hijikata. He was someone Hijikata especially trusts, and even after Hijikata became the "Demon Vice-Commander" their relationship remained the same. Despite being a soft-spoken pretty boy, he was also very strong because he grew up practicing the Tennen Rishin style.

You can do anything if you have the spirit! Head of the dojo who upheld the principles of Tennen Rishin-ryu. Future Shinsengumi Commander - Kondo Isami

He yearned to become a samurai like Kusunoki Masashige. As the head of the Shieikan, he claimed that the Tennen Rishin-ryu’s style of practical swordsmanship was the strongest in nature, rather than the dojo swordsmanship that was popular in Edo. He had strong trust in Hijikata and his fellow Shieikan members, and perhaps because of his good personality, they were attracted to Kondo's charisma.

One who pursued greater strength - Nagakura Shinpachi

A swordsman who was often considered the strongest of the Shinsengumi. He was a samurai from the Matsumae domain, but he sought greater strength and left to train his sword. In the Ikedaya Incident, he was said to have fought a fierce battle until his sword broke and his armor was in tatters. He survived until the Meiji era, serving as a swordmanship instructor at the Kabato Shujikan in Hokkaido, the land where the Shinsengumi met their end.

Hard-worker who supported everyone behind the scenes - Inoue Genzaburo

A longtime friend of Kondo Isami, they were like brothers. It took him 10 years to obtain a license in the Tennen Rishin-ryu, but he was a man of tireless effort. He was the oldest in the Shinsengumi, and was a caring presence who sometimes supported Hijikata and his group, and sometimes pulled them up.

Still immature Vanguard-sensei - Todo Heisuke

Despite his small stature, he excelled in both literary and military arts, and his prominence grew rapidly. He became known as "Vanguard-sensei" (魁先生) because he was always the first to attack in battle, no matter what the situation. His bravery was also demonstrated in the Ikedaya Incident, where he was the first to rush into the fray and cut down the enemy so hard that his beloved sword, Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, was rendered useless.

Escaped death against all odds - Harada Sanosuke

Originally from the the Iyo-Matsuyama domain, he once attempted seppuku before he came to Edo, and whenever he got drunk, he had a habit of showing off the scar across his stomach. He exerted his power during the Boshin War, but ran out of strength at the Battle of Ueno. There was a rumor, however, that he did not die there, but instead went to mainland Asia and became the head of a band of horse thieves.

RAW [ch1-5]

[once-a-turncoat]

Shinsenvember 3: Swords

Prompt list here.

There were many parts of his life that Toudou Heisuke avoided talking about. Unfortunately, one of them was the sword at his waist: the work of Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, famed swordsmith of Tsu domain. Understanding had dawned in the other Shieikan members’ eyes when he named the sword to them, and he hated that. Perhaps he should have sold the sword; it’d be worth quite a lot. He didn’t want to be known everywhere as the bastard son of the Tsu daimyo.

He also didn’t want to lower himself. This was his only birthright as a descendant of a great samurai clan. However little his old man had cared about him, he’d been given this sword. So he used the Toudou name and kept the sword with him.

It was complicated, and everyone knew not to press him about it.

Until Saitou Hajime, lover of swords, came to the Shieikan. Saitou hardly even spoke to Heisuke in those first days. But his blank blue eyes lit up with an unexpected fire when he saw Heisuke’s sword and heard its name. He asked politely if he could examine it, and when Heisuke agreed, held it with a reverence that was unnerving.

“It’s real,” Saitou whispered.

Was that surprise? That had to be surprise. His face hadn’t changed, but why would he say that if he didn’t think -

“Wait, you thought Heisuke’s sword was a fake?” Souji, who was watching their interaction with interest, expressed exactly what Heisuke had been thinking.

Saitou now was definitely taken aback. “No. I was merely commenting that it is indeed a Kazusanosuke Kaneshige. You can tell from the mark here –“

“Saitou!” Heisuke protested. He wasn’t really offended if Saitou had thought the sword might be a fake. There were plenty of such fakes out there. But he’d pretend to be upset if it helped cut off the discussion of the swordsmith’s background.

Souji was doubled over laughing. “Saitou, you really are something.”

“I did not think Toudou-san was telling a falsehood about the sword’s provenance,” Saitou replied stiffly. He turned to Heisuke. “If I have offended you, I am very sorry. It is a magnificent sword.”

“It’s just a sword,” Souji interrupted before Heisuke could reply to Saitou’s apology. “If it cuts people, it does its job. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fake or not.”

“It is not a fake!” Saitou snapped. “It’s a genuine work of a great master.”

“I wasn’t the one who called it a fake.”

Saitou took a deep breath, as if he was ready to launch into a retort, but then said nothing. He was staring now at Souji as though he were scrutinizing the other man’s face for clues to his intentions. Souji smiled back brightly.

“It’s all right, you two,” Heisuke said quickly. “Saitou, he’s just teasing us. He’s always like this.”

Saitou nodded slowly. “I thought that was the case.”

That sent Souji into another fit of laughter. Saitou ignored him and held out the sword to Heisuke. “Thank you for letting me examine your blade. It was a privilege to handle it.”

“Ah you’re welcome!” Heisuke said quickly. He nearly added Anytime you like but bit down on his tongue. Under the circumstances, he’d prefer if Saitou kept away from the sword.

“Okita-san isn’t wrong,” Saitou continued. “Kazusanosuke Kaneshige was a great swordsmith because his swords still cut as well as when he forged them.” A small shy smile appeared on his face. “This sword is fortunate to now have a master who will use it rather than keep it on display, Toudou-san.”

“Thanks,” Heisuke replied, feeling completely flustered by Saitou’s intensity. “Eh, you know you can call me Heisuke.”

Saitou nodded gravely. “Thank you, Heisuke.” That was the cue for more merriment from Souji.

Perhaps Saitou had got the point – unlikely – or perhaps he was just saving his lecture on the sword’s history for another day without Souji’s mocking presence. Whatever the case, they’d avoided that painful subject for now, and Saitou seemed like a good guy. He was strange, but everyone at the Shieikan was a little bit weird, weren’t they? 

Heisuke hoped that Saitou would stick around.

Notes: I do believe that Hakuouki Reimeiroku actually covers how the other Shieikan members reacted to Heisuke’s sword, but it’s not translated anywhere, so here’s my take. There’s also a comedy drama CD where Saitou’s appalled at Heisuke for wrecking it at the Ikedaya.

Also, historically, Saitou was stil going by his original name, Yamaguchi Hajime at this point, but I checked and Hakuouki used Saitou even in the flashbacks, probably to avoid confusion. So I have followed their lead. 

[famousxwakizashi-blog]

                                        “The time will come when you'll have to rise                                                 Above the best, improve yourself                                                          Your spirit never dies”

                     🌸 Indie Touken Ranbu Shinsengumi Sword Warrior OCs 🌸

                   🌸 Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, sword of Heisuke Toudou - Here

               🌸 Kijinmaru Kunishige, sword of Hajime Saito - @lefthandedsword​

[oh-my-otome]

How do you know so much about todo??!? Please spill your secrets!

What I know about Todo can be learned in Kyo and Haru’s routes and from characters talking about them in various other routes. 

What I like about DtL is that you don’t have to be playing a particular route to learn about a character. If you pay attention, you can trace the continuity of a character’s backstory, and even their likes and dislikes, from different stories. 

It’s really quite fun!

There are spoilers for all kinds of things below!

If you don’t mind skipping to the good stuff, come with me!

We know that Kyo and Todo are identical twins based on not only other people saying that they look exactly alike, but Kyo and Todo themselves saying that they are the same– they each refer to the other as “another version of myself:”

They are all referring to their facial structure, body, voice and even their handedness being exactly the same.

Which means that one or both of them dyes their hair (including eyebrows), as that is the only physical attribute that is different among them.

Someone’s drapes and carpets don’t match!

The only other thing is the rim of their irises, which are colored differently, but that seems to be a design choice to make Todo look more sinister.

I was surprised that they didn’t have the same voice actor do both characters, since their voices would sound identical. But then I thought about the fact that they grew up hundreds of years apart, and all of the language differences that would naturally be present.

Which brings us to something else we learn about them: Kyo is not a Shinomiya, but a Todo. They are Todo Heisuke and Todo X, as Kyo was not given a name by his parents when he was born

Also, the Todo twins were likely born in the late 1830s.

So Kyo calling you “senpai” is kind of weird– he’s almost 200 years older than you! 

The Shinsengumi was created in 1864, and you’re a college graduate with several years as an office worker under your belt. If Kyo and Todo were born in 1839, and you were born in 1990, they’re 151 years older than you.

We already know that the DtL universe is one in which magic, like time travel, exists. However, we also learn that some people also have special abilities, such as Sakamoto’s preternatural intuition.

But when we meet Todo for the first time, we learn that he not only can manipulate time at will, but that he is an empath, specializing in pathokinesis, or emotion manipulation:

By thinking something, or simply saying Kyo’s name, Todo can stop his brother in his tracks and cause him to instantly feel sick and in pain to the point of being incapacitated when he was just fine before. 

Because he only does this to Kyo, we don’t know if it is because they are identical twins or if he can do it to anyone and simply chooses not to.

We see Todo has manipulated time before, without anyone even realizing it:

We know from this that Kyo and Todo fought before, but Todo is the only one who remembers it. So we learn a lot of things from just this scene:

Todo can freely move backwards and forwards through time, as many times as he likes.

This scene has already occurred, since Todo is amused that Kyo thinks it is only the second time that they are fighting.

Todo can change the outcome of an event that has already happened, since he is here giving exposition and not fighting with Kyo. We don’t know how many times they’ve actually fought, since this scene has occurred before, but it is no fewer than three times, since this is not the second time.

It explains why Todo’s view of death is as detached and meaningless as it is, since he’s a time lord who can just go back before a person died.

It also explains why he is always so “bored” all the time. Not only has he already seen what has happened, we later learn that he has seen what will happen:

He already knows about the fall of the Shinsengumi and the Tokugawa shogunate. No wonder he defected!

We know that the Todo clan was quite wealthy from Haru’s route. When Haru talks about his childhood, we learn that he was taken away as a baby and raised in the Todo manor. 

Haru says this about himself:

We now know that the Todo clan was not only wealthy, but that they had a connection to assassins, as they trained even their servants to become them.

So Todo and Haru grew up together for at least a little bit. We also know that Todo used to be friends with Haru, and also Yamazaki (who was ordered to kill him), and that Okita never liked Todo:

We know that Todo can pull other people with him through time:

We know that Todo has been visiting Kyo in the present many times and also that Todo doesn’t fully understand his power:

He thought he was only dreaming, when he was actually traveling through time. It was only when something physically touched him that he realized it wasn’t a dream. 

So, by sheer luck, every time he would visit Kyo in the present time, no one ever bumped into Todo, or saw Todo standing there, and nothing ever fell on him. 

We also know that Todo is struggling with superstitions and identity. Long before the 1800s, twins were considered to be bad luck in Japan because it was thought that a demon was trying to take the place of the real baby by replicating its appearance:

This is why Todo calls Kyo a “shoddy imitation,” an “imposter,” and says that there was “only one” of them in the womb and that they were “split in two.” It reflects the ignorance of the times, wherever the Todo clan was situated.

Maybe if they spent more on education and less on butler assassins?  

We also learn that their parents left one of the babies, Kyo, to die. In real life around this time, this did happen, and there are stories of the spirit of the baby who died coming back as a vengeful ghost.

Because Todo was raised believing the same superstition, he sometimes thinks of Kyo as his twin, and sometimes thinks of Kyo as literally an extension of himself, to the point where Todo thinks that Kyo’s interests and possessions are his:

On one hand, he understands that they are two different people, and on the other, he knows it conflicts with what he believes to be true (the superstition).

We don’t know why their parents kept one of them over the other. It could be eenie meenie miny moe for all we know.

Since Kyo went to the present time by himself, we also know that he has at least some ability to travel through time on his own. 

However, it is in a much weaker capacity, since Kyo goes to the present and remains there until Todo pulls him back.

We know that Kyo and Todo “call to each other,” as Todo can also go to where Kyo is, regardless of time period. But you three are not the only ones who time travel.

There is also Saito, who was pulled through time as a child and remained in the Bakumatsu period.

It would seem that there needs to be some tertiary connection to Todo that pulls people through time:

Kyo is Todo’s identical twin, so he gets pulled

Both twins love you, and Todo misses his twin, so you get pulled

Saito loves you, so he gets pulled

Okita and Takasugi love you, so they get pulled to the present

Your letter is important to you, so it gets pulled

Saito has not been revealed to have any kind of powers, so he was probably dragged back through time accidentally, and Todo may not even know about it. Todo does know Saito, as Todo was one of the many Shinsengumi captains, but there’s nothing saying that they know each other outside of just work.

We learn that Kyo and Todo’s sword, Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, is the only item from their family that they have left:

So, of course, they break it while fighting with each other.

We also know that Todo left his sword with Yuki for safe-keeping, who in turn gave it to Kyo when he first met him.

Also, after the last time they fight, Kyo experiences a mysterious fever and collapses, going in and out of consciousness. Could this be Todo’s pathokinesis?

[asagitori-blog]

Kazusanosuke: H-H-Heisuke-kun is that really you!? ARE YOU REALLY BACK!?!?! 🥺

Heisuke: yeah...eheheh...

[shinsengumi-archives]

Swords of the Shinsengumi

Kondo's Swords

Katana - Nagasone Kotetsu (長曾称虎徹) - 2'3"5

Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿)

Katana - Osumi no Kami Hiromitsu (大隅守廣光) - 2'5"5

Hijikata's Swords

Katana - Izumi no Kami Kanesada (和泉守兼定) 11 gen. - 2'8"

Katana (last sword) - Izumi no Kami Kanesada (和泉守兼定) 12 gen. - 2'3"1

Wakizashi - Izumi no Kami Kanesada (和泉守兼定)

Wakizashi - Horikawa Kunihiro (堀川国広) - 1'11"5

Katana - Echizen Yasutsugu (越前康継) - 2′3″5

Katana -  Yamato no Kami Hidekuni (大和守源秀國) - 2′2″8

Okita's Swords

Katana - Kaga Kiyomitsu (加賀清光) - 2'4"4

Katana - Yamato no Kami Yasusada (大和守安定) - 2'4"6 ?

Katana (speculative) - Kikuichimonji Norimune (菊一文字則宗) - 2'4"2

Other Shinsengumi Swords

Shimada Kai's wakizashi: Osumi no Kami Hiromitsu (���隅守廣光) - 1'6

Yamanami's katana: Sekishin Okimitsu (赤心沖光) - 2'8"5

Nagakura Shinpachi's katana: Tegarayama Ujishige (手柄山氏繁)

Saito Hajime's katana: Kijinmaru Kunishige (鬼神丸国重)

Takeda Kanryusai's katana: Hitachi no Kami Kaneue (常陸守兼植)

Inoue Genzaburo's katana: Shirakawazumi Kanetsune (白川住兼常)

Todo Heisuke's katana: Kazusanosuke Kaneshige (上総介兼重)

Harada Sanosuke's katana: Kofuzumi Okitomo (江府住興友)

[famousxwakizashi-blog]

Hello, Kaity here again because I got dragged into this by @lefthandedsword. Also fueled by Hakuouki feels, I present to you Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, the sword belonging to the captain of the Shinsengumi’s eighth unit: Toudou Heisuke.

Please give this post a like or a reblog if you’d be interested in roleplaying with the personified sword that is said to be famous but doesn’t let the fame get to his head!