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↪ cerealia application.
Character's Name: Horikawa Kunihiro
Character's Canon: Touken Ranbu
Character's Age: 620~
Canon Point: Map 6-3
Personality:
Naturally, these aspects lead him to be a hard worker and someone who can easily be described as clingy. Even the most menial of tasks have value for him; however, rather than desperately attempting to complete a task that he finds demeaning or a pain to perform, Horikawa enjoys doing chores and helping others. This isn’t behaviour that comes alongside negativity and an outward expression of his lack of value; enjoying hard work and contributions to others are a positive manifestation of Horikawa’s desire to earn his place — positive, because they reflect in his demeanour through self-confidence and consistently high energy.
Horikawa’s concern over his value can show itself negatively, as well. What primarily causes this are rejections from those whom he has placed value on, and his own shortcomings that he acknowledges personally. Horikawa’s injured citadel quote reads: “No way, I knew it an assistant like me can’t be one for someone like Kane-san”. In this instance, he cements both the existence of his insecurities, with Kane-san being the one upon whom he’s balancing his perception of his self-worth, and how fragile his insecurities really can be when he’s taken out of a context where he can continue to be of assistance. He holds himself up to exceptionally high and, in many cases, self-imposed standards for the sake of doing his best. While not everything is enough to knock him down to a state in which his insecurities get the best of him, it does happen from time to time, and the acknowledgement from the people upon whom he depends on is invaluable. If those who provide that worth are reassuring and steady, then Horikawa views outside critique as only a means through which to improve himself. Additionally, even if something doesn’t come naturally to him — if it’s an ideal that he sees as admirable or necessary for him to become as valuable as possible, he’ll do his best to achieve it.
His partner, Izuminokami Kanesada, is the best example of someone upon whom he bases his value off of in this way. Kanesada is mentioned from the very moment that Horikawa introduces himself as the partner that defines him, the primary anchor of certainty that Horikawa identifies in relation to himself. In addition, Kanesada is continuously referenced throughout Horikawa’s dialogue. The best part of this, however, is how Kanesada naturally depends on Horikawa in return.
[Chore scene beginning]
Kanesada: Kunihirooo, could I leave it to you?
Horikawa: Got it, Kane-san!… or so I’d much like to say, but…
[Chore scene end]
Kanesada: Dammit, you betrayed me Kunihiro! You did nothing but look on!
Horikawa: My bad, Kane-san. Master told me to stand watch, though.
Kanesada’s behaviour could come off as bratty to others, as he has notably high expectations towards Horikawa. However, this sense of reliance is something that can be seen as positive for Horikawa. In his partner, Horikawa finds someone who benefits from his doting nature, and someone who constantly gives opportunities for him to reaffirm that his eagerness to help is, indeed, of value. Horikawa can proudly proclaim that he is Kane-san’s assistant, and in doing so, Kanesada fills an invaluable role to his partner: he gives him worth. What Horikawa can’t find in his own inherent nature as a sword with uncertain origins, he can find in Kanesada as the one who stands alongside him as a necessary presence.
Luckily, not everyone is put under the pressure of being an asset towards Horikawa’s self-worth. In most situations, he’s fine, regardless of mistakes that he makes that need to be corrected or the way that he interacts with others. He’s primarily friendly, in that sense; Horikawa comes off as someone who is cheerful and full of energy. His tone is generally pleasant, often filled with insistences that he’ll do his best, no matter what the task is. He uses good manners and carries himself well, and when it comes to other people, he keeps an amicable charm that most would find easy to get along with. Though, while he isn’t naive or unreasonable, neither is he infallible. Even in his best efforts, there are times where he slips, finding himself caught off-guard by some things. In the recollection of Hakodate, he shows this aspect when he makes a suggestion that contradicts their goal. Although the goal of the swords of Touken Ranbu is to prevent changing of the past, Horikawa still suggests that, “Perhaps he could somehow not die and live on instead,” when presented with an opportunity to save his previous master. He can be sentimental, and it isn’t necessarily a fault, but it does show that he isn’t perfect despite his steady nature.
A notable trait that Horikawa inherited is his insistence on being both elegant and practical. His previous master, Hijikata, was known for valuing both of these traits. As a result of this, along with Kanesada’s similar ideals, Horikawa puts a great deal of effort in making himself presentable. Still, whereas Kanesada seems to hold more pride in his good looks, Horikawa places more priority on apparent practicality. When assigning him new equipment and troops, he notes that, “Since you’re going through all the trouble, I wonder if a stylish looking equipment would be best”, which still prioritizes function over appearance — style is just an extra. This focus on being practical probably follows from the fact that Horikawa spends more time focusing on assisting Kanesada than himself. However, because this is a trait that has been adopted from their previous master, it’s worth mentioning that Horikawa’s definition of practicality extends beyond chores and skill in swordplay. While he never abandoned his beliefs, Hijikata was known to acknowledge the usefulness of the modern or unfamiliar concepts that were presented to him. For this reason, Horikawa would also do his best to be open to new concepts and changes in the old, adjusting accordingly.
His interaction with Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki also highlights some aspects of his personality, especially Horikawa’s practice in improving his skill and practicality.
[Spar scene beginning]
Horikawa: I'm looking forward to our sparring today.
Yoshiyuki: Oh. My pleasure, likewise.
[Spar scene end]
Horikawa: ... I see. If it's a real battle, I would've been shot by the gun should I get closer at this point.
Yoshiyuki: It's scary how he seems to calmly analyze it...!
The primary trait that this conversation brings to light is Horikawa’s observant nature. Alongside his practicality and tendency towards style, Horikawa inherited the "inborn knowledge of warfare” that his previous master possessed. He can apply his attentiveness to his surroundings (and is particularly good at doting on or nagging at others for it), and overall, it seems to be a strong skill of his. However, alongside this, there is also a comment made by Nagasone Kotetsu regarding Horikawa’s fighting style in one-on-one spars: “That’s some bad habit you got for always having a comrade next to you. Getting some help is fine, but there should be a limit”. He accepts this criticism by saying only that he’ll be more careful, so while he is presumably quite talented in theory, his battle style realistically appears to be quite dependent on fighting in partnership with Kanesada. Although Horikawa always seems to look forward to any opportunities to spar or otherwise improve himself, due to his acceptance of criticism and his astute nature, one of his strengths can be found in his recognition of his own limits and how he can make the best of them.
Finally, this bright eyed enthusiasm isn’t the only thing that Horikawa’s personality is limited to — he is, after all, a blade characterized by his time in the possession of the strict vice-commander of the Shinsengumi. It is not a stretch to believe from the way historians refer to this group as a "ruthless murder squad” that Horikawa, despite his firm beliefs and sunny mannerisms, is capable of showing very little concern for those on the other side of the conflict. He has a strong potential for empathy, but it’s limited to those who are allied with him or uninvolved entirely. Regarding the opposite side of the battlefield, the fact remains that he is a sword, and swords in his time were forged with the intent to kill. Even Hijikata had joked on one occasion about how “one of his swords had been ruined by all the blood from his many fights”. If that is what Horikawa was created to do, there is nothing particularly wrong with his actions in striking their enemies down.
In one of his hit quotes, he comments that, “I, too, can play foul just fine!“ He seems to take a sense of pride in this ability, and this suggestion is further shown when he lands a critical hit — “Attacking under the darkness, assassination, is my specialty!” His opportunistic and oftentimes underhanded method of confrontation is representative of how he was speculated to have been used by Hijikata, having been the weapon involved in the aforementioned assassinations of Serizawa and Sanou. Additionally, Horikawa has the potential for a rather harsh temper. His strong sense of self-discipline also shows upon taking damage, during which Horikawa can say anything from "Don’t get angry… don’t get angry…” to “I need to keep my composure…!” These lines show that his natural inclination would be to get swept away and retaliate even more extremely, were he not repeating to himself that he mustn’t do so. This can be drawn from the fact that Hijikata was supposed to have had a particularly hard-to-control temper, even though it was slow to set off, and that he maintained a mostly calm demeanour. For the most part, Horikawa is also perfectly capable of keeping this composure, but it’s something which he makes an active effort to keep under control.
Overall, Horikawa is an amicable person to have around. He has a bright and energetic "can-do” attitude and is always eager to help — he possesses a bit of a fixation on doing so, to be honest. He can come off as one mark away from obsessed when it comes to Kanesada, but his doting nature is well-intentioned, despite the insecurities that may arise from time to time. He takes after his former master from stylish tendencies to strategic talent. Even with his amiable disposition in general situations, the fact remains that he is a sword who was forged with the intent to be used as a weapon — to kill people. He has no qualms with this purpose nor with the methods through which he was used to achieve it, even possessing a sense of pride at the role that he filled.
Powers/Abilities:
When compared to the other swords, Horikawa's speed is exceptional as a wakizashi blade. However, his defences and health are low, so he doesn't take damage well and needs to be both equipped and cared for properly.
Sense: Touch
7 Character Traits:
- (+) Diligent
- (+) Energetic
- (+) Practical
- (+/-) Critical
- (-) Insecure
- (-) Dependent
- (-) Hot-tempered