Takasugi Shinsaku

A maverick and member of the Restoration Movement who appeared in the Choushu domain during the Bakumatsu period.

Along with Kusaka Genzui, Yoshida Toshimaro, and Irie Kuichi, he was called one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Shokasonjuku, an academy presided over by Yoshida Shouin. They were said to have a bright future.

He may appear to be a calm, gentle intellectual, but he has the uninhibited personality of a troublemaker willing to do anything so long as it amuses him. A true free spirit, he is a dictatorial CEO who makes decisions on the fly and on his own.

Height/Weight: 177cm, 63kg

Origin: History

Region: Japan

Alignment: Chaotic-Good

Sub-Attribute: Human

Gender: Male

"I, Takasugi Shinsaku, will lead you all to victory!"

He came from the prestigious Takasugi family which had served the Mouri clan since the Sengoku era. Initially, he studied at the domain school Meirinkan, but its policy of only permitting samurai and its stiff classes didn't sit well with him, so he enrolled in Shokasonjuku, which was inherited by Yoshida Shouin, a former head of Meirinkan. Shokasonjuku, or rather Shouin's lectures, were apparently extremely interesting to him and he rapidly made a name for himself under Shouin's tutelage. He continued his studies in Edo, but when Yoshida Shouin was arrested and executed during the Ansei Purge, Takasugi began to openly speak of overthrowing the shogunate.

Takasugi later joined the shogunate's delegation and traveled to Shanghai, where he witnessed firsthand the threat posed by Western powers. This deepened his concern for Japan's future and strengthened his resolve to overthrow the shogunate. After he returned to Japan, he was involved with political rallies where the popular phrase "sonno joui" (revere the emperor, expel the barbarians) was often chanted, interacting with other like-minded activists from various domains in Edo and Kyoto. Notably, he was known for his radical actions, including burning down the British legation.

The Choushu domain tried to put an end to Takasugi's reckless acts by offering him a position but Takasugi almost immediately quit. He did unbelievable things, like declaring he would just hang around for the next ten years. He also shaved his head... It was a mess. He said he was going away but was found playing the shamisen and reciting poems in his hometown.

When the Choushu were crushed after their attempt to bombard the Americans, French, and Dutch, which rocked the Choushu to its core, for some reason they entrusted Takasugi with protecting Shimonoseki. Thus he established the modernized volunteer militia, which was known as the Kiheitai and did not limit its membership to specific social classes. After trouble of some manner, Takasugi was soon dismissed as general of the Kiheitai. Those damned domain folk...always nitpicking the littlest things. Anyway, after the Kinmon Incident, the Choushu domain became the Emperor's primary enemy. They were pretty sure they were all dead when four Western naval forces fought to control Shimonoseki. Unbelievably, the Choushu domain sent over the imprisoned Takasugi to initiate peace negotiations (possibly on a whim). However, in an even more unexpected turn of events, Takasugi's peace negotiations were successful. In a turn from the impressive to the outright absurd, he even forced payment of reparations upon the shogunate. In yet another crazy move, there is a story of Takasugi reciting the "Kojiki" out loud during a conference, all so he could pretend not to hear during the negotiations for the lease of Hikoshima Island.

As those crazy things were going on, the first Choushu expedition began, causing the Choushu domain to consider submission to the shogunate's requests. Takasugi, furious, took his ragtag little band to Kozan Temple in Shimonoseki to raise an army. Takasugi's move seemed rash but the excited momentum of Takasugi and his men had reached its peak. They headed for Hagi and wiped out the pro-surrender faction. This unified Choshu in support of overthrowing the shogunate. The shogunate sensed a change in the tide, which led to the second Choushu expedition. Everyone thought the Choushu were goners but, having already sampled the sweet taste of victory, they placed Takasugi in charge of the navy. Takasugi managed a great victory against the shogunate's fleet, ultimately causing the shogunate to lose authority, triggering the Taisei Hokan (Restoration of power to the emperor.)

Unfortunately, Takasugi fell ill without ever seeing the nation restored to imperial rule. He died of tuberculosis.

"Damn. I had to kick the bucket when things were just about to get exciting."

Though he may have been slight of frame, he was actually a master of the Yagyu Shinkageryu. Surprised, eh? Then again, that was too boring to his taste, so he created a new, unconventional, and obscure sword style that combined Shinkageryu and specialized Molotov cocktails, which he tossed gleefully. In normal combat, he brandishes his homemade Molotov cocktail or his shamisen blade, and to make things even more bizarre, he liked to summon his small-scale experimental robot, which he called Prototype Arahabaki, demonstrating his preposterous fighting style. His approach to combat may better suit a Rider rather than an Arche. Then again, he was never one to get pigeonholed into a particular category, so don't read too much into it, okay?

And while all these strange attributes originated from the Singularity in Restoration City, SAITAMA, the peculiar characteristics of Takasugi's Noble Phantasm and a handful of twists of fate caused it to be engraved into Takasugi's Spirit Origin.

Extraordinary Prodigy: A

An unfinished masterpiece. A term coined by a certain person describing Takasugi, who shone bright as a glittering star at the waning days of the shogunate.

Innovation: B

Armament reform. The armaments for one's squad are transformed into the latest equipment of the time. This skill is derived from the Kiheitai, who overwhelmed the shogunate forces using the latest equipment and daring tactics.

The Yamato Spirit Lives On: A

A phrase from the death poem of Yoshida Shouin, Takasugi's mentor. It's a skill that makes it possible for one to tenaciously rise back up even in the face of terrible adversity. A somewhat unconventional skill, given it involves a sickly man activating Guts.

Weak Constitution: –

Typically, this skill would count as a demerit but the words and spirit of his mentor transform it into The Yamato Spirit listed above.

The hell? This Weak Constitution skill sounds like it's here to annoy me. A skill like that should've just stayed with whoever that was in the Shinsengumi.

『Super Restoration, Kiheitai』

Rank: B+

NP Type: Anti-Army

Range: 1 – 30 Maximum Targets: 300

Chokyu Ishin, Kiheitai.

Legends of the army Takasugi established sublimed and became a Noble Phantasm. It's an anti-army Noble Phantasm that strengthens allies by applying skills or equipment based on the battle situation. It's also difficult to handle, as it determines the enemy's weakness, selects equipment as needed, adjust skills, and other detailed operations. Essentially, it's a support Noble Phantasm. At the peak of its strength...or rather as a last resort, the strongest army Takasugi envisioned is summoned and is temporarily controlled.

With the effects mentioned earlier, numerous soldiers with the most appropriate equipment, skills, and abilities are summoned—or rather selected—and are operated and strengthened as a unit. However, unleashing it is incredibly taxing on Takasugi's Spirit Origin, making it a self-destructive Noble Phantasm that places a tremendous burden on him, making its operational period short with long gaps between activations.

By the way...all equipment and weapons which benefit from this Noble Phantasm are transformed into the most cutting edge technology of the time. So, if the weaponry is from the Stone Age, it becomes as powerful as a stone axe. Should the weaponry be of the modern world, it becomes as powerful as a bomber. Its fluctuating effects lead one to question whether it's weak or strong, making it an idealist Noble Phantasm.

Live interestingly in an uninteresting world.

I never once thought to act for the good of the nation, for the people... I never thought of anything so big. It's just that ever since I can remember, I just couldn't stand trivial things. Unless I found something interesting, I just couldn't get motivated and so wouldn't even lift a finger. To me, something that's not fun is evil in itself. Yep, if it's interesting, then it's just. I don't know if there's such thing as truth in this world, but this is MY truth, so I can't be wrong about it. Boring stuff's typically no good anyway.

It's simple, really. Oh, I'm not asking you to agree with me. I don't give a damn about what people say or if they think I'm crazy. The world is boring, which means this world is in the wrong. My job is to just beat the crap out of the mundane to make it interesting.

...Live interestingly in an uninteresting world.

Honestly, humans just have to live lives that make them roll around in laughter. It's not about what you do or don't do; it's about how you live.

Yep. Just live an amusing life. And be alive.