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We are Humans. We follow our own principles.

Shimazu Toyohisa (島津 豊久しまづ とよひさ?) is one of the three main protagonist of the manga Drifters, alongside Nasu Suketaka Yoichi and Oda Nobunaga.

Historically, he died in 1600. When he first arrived in the new world, he was critically injured, only to be brought to the hideout of Oda Nobunaga and Nasu Suketaka Yoichi by some young "Elves". Of the three Drifters in the group, Toyohisa is the most willing to help the elves, first by attacking the humans massacring them and then by convincing them to kill the leader of those humans.

Appearance[]

Toyohisa is a young man with short, messy, side part dark brown hair and light grey eyes. He has a pointed jaw, with standard shoulders and he's shown to be quite skinny, which made him agile, making him a perfect swordsman.

Toyohisashimazus

His Late Sengoku/Early Edo period armor consists of a red karuta sashinuki style kote with red lacquered steel han kote style forearm guards along with red lacquered steel suneate and haidate. Under the armor, he wears a black shitagi, yugake, and hakama tied with a white himo where he ties his swords.

He also wears a pair of cotton waraji over white tabi. He uses a nodachi and is seen carrying a wakizashi as well. He's also shown carrying a tanegashima, a Japanese matchlock, which he only uses when his swords are unusable.

Personality[]

Contrary to the impressions his hotheaded and belligerent exterior might create, Toyohisa is an intelligent and honorable man with little to no interest in power, a fact that often frustrates his conquest-loving comrade Oda Nobunaga.

He's also shown to be quite cocky and ruthless, which caused his defeat at the hands of Naomasa's men who impaled him with several spears. However, quite often that his cockiness is on purpose to give time for someone else, such as the case when he first fought Hijikata Toshizo.[1]

Toyohisa has stated that he never mess around while fighting Toshizo; because this is a battlefield, and that he'll do whatever he has to do in order to win. He never thought of himself as a "General" and he's just an "ambitious brat", so he can never be a warrior just like his uncle, or his father.[2] Toyohisa is also a loyal friend, going as far as risking his own life to mess around with Toshizo to buy some time for Nobunaga, this action caused the Drifters to win the war which they were initially losing due to underestimating their opponents.[3] His pride is also stated by himself, stating that, maybe he was transferred to this place, is to get a second chance; and that this time, he'll not die withdrawing, but instead - die in a glorious manner. Because of the fact that, since at the age of twelve; he stated that he's known nothing but battlefields, and describes himself as a "brat who strives for glory". [4]

Saint-Germi commented on Toyohisa's naivety after he claimed that he knows what had happened back when he was killed, saying that the Toyohisa must've won. Oda commented on Toyohisa's personality, telling Grigori Rasputin that his pride must've shattered after Toyohisa does everything except listening to him. He also commented on how Toyohisa does not read the situation that's going on, often barges in, then kills everything that stands in his way. However, it's not that he's completely incapable of doing it, it's just that he simply chose not to. Oda also said that, because of those actions, it's his strongest weapon, as well as his greatest weakness.[5]

  • In general, most people's thought about Toyo is that he's unpredictable, mainly due to his "careless-ness" nature in everything, including a battlefield and that he's just, "super scary".[6]

Toyohisa also dislikes any violence against women. Doing so will invoke his wrath enough to ignore his code of killing those without a weapon, as shown how he made an exception to kill the weaponless-soldiers without mercy as deserved punishment for abusing and making sex slaves out of the Elven women.[7] His code of conduct applies even to himself as he refused to kill Joan, even though she's a member of the Ends.[8]

Plot[]

Toyohisa is first seen at the battlefield at Sekigahara, where his uncle ordered his men to retreat, but Toyohisa refused and instead told his uncle that he will stay and die with the soldiers, giving him as much time as possible to retreat. After his uncle left, he rushed into the battle, killing as many soldiers as he could. Eventually, he faced Ii Naomasa and clashed swords with him. Naomasa's men quickly tried to protect him and surrounded Naosama, aiming their spears at Toyohisa.

To the surprise of Naomasa, Toyohisa jumped forward and ended up getting pierced by multiple spears. He then took out his gun and fatally shot Naomasa near the heart. Naomasa's men quickly took him and retreated, while Toyohisa was telling him to leave his head behind. Sustaining heavy injuries, Toyohisa was barely walking through the battlefield but suddenly found himself at a strange seemingly endless corridor with a strange man in the middle standing behind a desk.

He asked the unknown man about his current location and told the man to return him to Satsuma, but was instead sucked in by a black door that transferred him elsewhere. Barely conscious, he saw two elves and concluded that he must be in hell because to him, they looked like demons. The two elves realized he is a Drifter and brought him to Nasu Suketaka Yoichi and Oda Nobunaga.

When he awoke Toyohisa was skeptical of the other two warriors identities and believed himself to be dead. However, he obliged to tell Oda Nobunaga the state of affairs of Japan since his "death." However, after hearing their stories to how they ended up here the same way he did, he realizes that they're telling the truth. Later when the Orte soldiers led by Aram attacked the elven village, Toyohisa repaid the elves by slaughtering the soldiers that were abusing them. After dispatching Aram in a humiliating manner with his bare hands he convinced the elves to take their revenge on the human for his crimes.

When the trio captured Olminu, and interrogated her they learned the situation of the world which they found themselves in and the Ends. To gain allies Oda enlists the aid of the elves to help them takeover the country. Toyohisa acting as head of the group, inflames the elves souls about reclaiming their pride and dignity for their ancestors. He learned from Marsha and Mark of the lack of elven women in the villages and swears to save them after defeating the retaltaion forces sent by the local governor.

When the Orte soldiers camp out in the elven village, Toyohisa spearheads the attack, killing several soldiers. Getting their attention he goads them in following him to the village center where a makeshift fortress manned by Oda and the elves let loose a barrage of fire arrows, alighting the village, trapping the soldiers making it easy for the rebels to shoot them. Toyohisa breaks the soldiers morale by killing their commander forcing the survivors to scatter.

Toyohisa persuades the elves to attack the governor's fortress in order to reclaim their women. After successfully infiltrating the fortress using the uniforms of deceased Orte soldiers, Toyohisa leads the elves in subjugating the remaining soldiers. He stops an elf from killing a surrendering soldier, stating that it is dishonorable act. However upon breaking open the chamber containing the captive elven women, he witnesses the sheer debauchery and depravity the women suffered at the hands of the human soldiers. Casting out his mercy for the immoral soldiers, he orders all to be put to death.

Abilities and Skills[]

  • Swordsmanship: Toyohisa is a great swordsman, capable of defeating, slaughtering enemies in seconds. Whether they're fully armed, or not armed, Toyohisa's confident in his abilities and his excellent swordsmanship can defeat them. He's also effortlessly sliced a head while they were riding a horse, rushing at him, sliced three, fully armed people with a single swing and sliced one in half; all of that was done in a few seconds. He was also shown defeating Aram, who's a true knight, without bleeding and in seconds.
  • Superhuman Speed: Toyohisa, even as a human, is quite fast. Effortlessly slaughtering 3 armed people at once in seconds and killed people, who were riding a horse going full speed at him twice and visibly, didn't drop a single drop of sweat and sliced two people seemingly, who were once again, riding a horse at once.
  • Pain Suppression: With his strong will to live, Toyohisa was able to pull out his sidearm, and shoot Ii Naomasa's shoulder, which forced him to retreat while being impaled with multiple spears by his men in the air and also, laughed. After Naomasa and his men retreat, caused him to fall and bleed's pretty badly, he was able to live for a few more hours before finally passing away. During his first fight with Toshizo, after being slashed by multiple Shinsengumi members that Toshizo created, he was still standing up.
  • Master Tactician: Toyohisa, in battle, although he mostly just run towards an opponent carelessly without knowing who or what they're capable of, he some times thinks about what to do after knowing what they're capable off. This skill of Toyohisa is what caused Aram's defeat at the hands of him. Olminu also commented on the fact that he used a stone wall charm that was designed for defense and used it as a launch pad for his own attack.

Relationships[]

Allies[]

Oda Nobunaga[]

Main article: Oda Nobunaga

In his life in Japan, Oda mistakenly believed his son Oda Nobutada was conspiring against him; but in actuality, his son was loyal to him. Ashamed that he saw the enemy in his son, Oda sees Toyohisa as a way to make amends to the son who he failed. He sees Toyohisa as his son and wishes to make him king and believes the boy needs him to run things as he only knows how to fight.

Toyohisa also complimented him; he's different than his father or his uncle and that he'll do whatever it takes, even risking his own life so Nobunaga can turn the tide, he will definitely succeed. He'll do anything for that.

Oda also compliments Toyohisa's swordsmanship, calling him a natural born samurai. However, Oda stated that Toyohisa does not read the decision of the situation that's going on, often just doesn't listen what the enemy has to say and instead going around and will do anything to humiliate them. But, rather being that attitude being his personality, he suspects that this is his upbringing. However, he said that if he's not careful, he will die. Furthermore, deep inside, he cares about Toyo's well-being; telling Saint-Germi to never lose track of Toyo, because of his attitude and that, if they were to lose track of him; he might "kick the bucket". [9]

Count Saint-Germi[]

Main article: Count Saint-Germi

Nasu Suketaka Yoichi[]

Main article: Nasu Suketaka Yoichi

Olminu[]

Main article: Olminu

Olminu seems to have a fairly cooperative relationship with Shimazu Toyohisa, to the extent that they have no problems with working together in battle.

Enemies[]

Joan of Arc[]

Main article: Joan of Arc

Toyohisa originally thought Joan was a brash young man with little battle experience. Much to his surprise, and her anger, she was a woman. Due to his code of honor, he refused to kill her as it was unsuitable for a warrior to kill a woman, much to the latter's anger.

Hijikata Toshizo[]

Main article: Hijikata Toshizo

During the Tokugawa clan's 14th reign as shogun of Japan, turmoil erupts within as isolationist Japan were forced to open trade with the United States. The opposition forces included the Mori clan of the Chōshū and the Shimazu clan of Satsuma. It is not known whether he hated the Shimazu clan personally but as a vice commander of Shinsengumi in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period (late shogunate) fighting against the Reformist (Meiji Restoration), he might have crossed swords with Toyohisa's future clansmen during the era.

Toshizo stated that him being a Shimazu is more than enough reason to kill him. Toyohisa, in a mockable way, asked him what his descendant done to him to made him hate the Shimazu so much, which visibly angered Toshizo even more. Toyohisa's way of fighting when they first fought also pissed Toshizo. However, Toyo replied while smiling, "This is a war. There's no justification for taking the enemy's head," this sentence managed to anger Toshizo greatly, that he screamed his name so loudly. However, it seems that he respects him a little; calling him "the greatest fool among all the people I've seen from Satsuma."

After Toshizo was forced to retreat due to the orders of the Black King, Toyo expressed his disappointed towards him, saying that he thought he'll finally be able to fight a samurai from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Trivia[]

  • At one point during the battle for the Orte Empire's capital, Murasaki called Toyohisa the "Devil Shimazu." Historically, the nickname is attributed to his uncle, Shimazu Yoshihiro.
  • In Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Toyohisa's nodachi appeared as Great Sword instead of Long Sword.

Quotes[]

If I must die, it must be in Satsuma. But even if I die here today with all of our troops, as long as you return safely to Satsuma... this battle will still be a victory for the Shimazu clan.
Our enemy is Ii Naomasa, the greatest foe to which Tokugawa has given rise. A TRULY WORTHY ADVERSARY! The time for sacrificing ourselves... IS NOW!
Where is this... WHERE AM I?!

–Toyohisa's reaction when he sees Murasaki.

Kill him. Finish him off. YOU WON'T KILL HIM? YOU MUST KILL HIM! You must... END HIS LIFE! It doesn't matter where this is or who you are. You must kill him to take your revenge. This child is telling you TO TAKE RETRIBUTION!

–Toyo, telling an elf to kill the bastard that killed his child.

So this... is the true Oda Nobunaga? I can't tell if he's insane or a genius.

–Comments on Oda Nobunaga.

He threw down his sword. Never take the heads of those you've surrendered. You'd shame yourself! YOU'D SHAME YOURSELF!
I was mistaken... The men of this castle ARE PIECES OF SHIT! I will carve them up... every last one of them. I'll rip this disease out by its roots.
No matter how vile they are in life, they're nothing but souls in death.
What the hell??? You're a... WOMAN?! The hell's a woman doing wearing armor on the battlefield?! There's no honor in taking a woman's head... GO! Go home... and put on some make-up!

–Toyo's reaction after finding out that Joan is a woman.

Was it because of Kizakibaru? Or Mimikawa? Maybe... Okitanawate? Perhaps Hetzugigawa? Possibly... Sekigahara?! Or was it the invasion of Korea? I can think of so many possible reasons. Just by looking at you, I can tell that you're not from my era. I SEE! What have my descendants done to you???

–Questioning Toshizo's reasons for hating the Shimazu.

This is a war. There's no justification for taking the enemy's head. There's no excuse we can make to the enemy if we don't use - every trick at hand to hammer out a victory.
Nobu and Yoichi chose me as general, but I never thought of myself that way. After all... above all, I am just an ambitious brat. I can never be a warrior like my uncle or my father. However, he is different... Oda Nobunaga, former Minister of the Right, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, IS DIFFERENT! If I stake my life to buy time for Nobunaga to turn the tide, he will definitely succeed. I'll do anything for that to happen, messing around included.
Many Shimazu troops died at Sekigahara, but those death became foundations of our success. Even if we die, we don't die. Thus, we can accomplish anything. If I am to die here, even if it may take Nobunaga several ruthless steps, he will turn my death into the foundation of our success.
COME BACK DOWN! SO I CAN TAKE YOUR HEAD! I thought I would get to fight a "Samurai" from the Land of the Rising Sun...
Defeated but... victorious.

Gallery[]

Main article: Shimazu Toyohisa/Image Gallery

References[]

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