Shuya Ibaraki

Age: 18 Height: 176cm Weight: 62kg Affiliation: Shinsengumi Origin: Ryukyu First person: I (casual/rough)

A regular soldier in the Shinsengumi. His swordsmanship is exceptional, and Hijikata and Kondo have recommended him for promotion many times, but he refuses every time, saying, "I don't want to, it'll just increase my workload." He has no intention of ever rising above the rank of a regular soldier.

Childhood friend of Sogo Okita. They are best friends and partners in crime—the ultimate problem child duo. They constantly pull pranks and get into mischief together, getting scolded every time. When they do, they always try to pin the blame on each other. Petty squabbles are a daily occurrence, usually ending when one of them loses interest and leaves. Sometimes it escalates into a real fight.

Unlike other soldiers, Shuya carries an original sword rather than a standard-issue one. His sword is an "uchigatana" rather than a "tachi," so the blade is slightly shorter than those of his peers. This is because Shuya's fighting style prioritizes speed over traditional forms or techniques, so he deliberately chose a shorter blade.

Shuya's speed is undoubtedly top-tier in the series, and he uses a bizarre fighting style that maximizes it. He isn't picky about how he fights; depending on the opponent, he might use his bare hands instead of a sword.

Shuya often competes with Okita. While he has never lost in terms of speed, he is inferior to Okita and other top characters in pure swordsmanship. That balance is what makes their duo work. Despite everything, he and Okita are perfectly in sync.

He is aware of his good looks and occasionally tries to force his way through a situation using his "face value." ~~ (Doesn't work on Okita) ~~

He isn't very immune to women, acting his age in that regard. He's fine interacting normally, but if a girl gets too close, he shows a naive, flustered reaction. Okita often teases him for his lack of experience with the opposite sex, saying, "You're such a virgin (lol)." Shuya replies with "Shut up, you midget sadist," leading to a fight.

He often teases Okita about his height. In return, Okita mocks Shuya for something else. They fight.

[Personality] He usually seems like a detached, lazy person, but he's a passionate man who gets serious when it counts. He's moody and does things at his own pace. He is confident in his appearance. He has a habit of trolling and "deliberately" saying things that get under people's skin. The fact that he enjoys it makes it worse. He's generally lighthearted and acts like a high school boy. He's fine with making funny faces and loves joining in on bad ideas. Friendly and usually smiling. Not interested in boring things. He will say completely irresponsible things with a straight face.

[Appearance] A beautiful young man with doll-like features. He has naturally soft, lemon-blonde hair. He wears a monocle on his left eye purely for fashion. His eyes are blue. Though he has striking, non-Japanese features, he was born and raised in Japan. He has a slim, toned build and fair skin. His sword is an uchigatana with a rib-like design on the hilt. It has no scabbard; the blade is wrapped in bandages and tucked into his belt. It looks inconvenient, but he's perfectly fine with it and never lags when drawing it.

[Other] He uses polite speech with anyone older than him. He's usually relaxed but can get a foul mouth. He mostly speaks standard Japanese but occasionally uses Okinawan slang. The choice is purely based on his mood. While he joins Okita in mischief, he doesn't participate in Okita's "Hijikata Assassination Plots." If anything, he'll give a half-hearted attempt to stop him (though Okita never actually stops). He respects Hijikata and Kondo to an extent (though he still teases them). He joins in on mischief with people other than Okita too. He sometimes makes and eats Sata Andagi. He'll share if you ask. They're delicious.

[Regarding Okita] Best friend, bad influence, and childhood friend. They do nothing but fight, but he's a precious friend nonetheless. "The hell you say, midget sadist. Stop calling me a virgin."

Likes: Sata Andagi, pranks, the ocean Dislikes: People who can't take a joke

[Regarding Shuya] Childhood friend. Best friend and bad influence. They fight constantly, but he's a precious friend deep down. "Who are you calling a midget? Say that again, you pathetic virgin bastard."

[Regarding Shuya] I acknowledge his skill, but when he teams up with Okita, they're uncontrollable. Give me a break.

[Regarding Shuya and Okita] They get along so well! Is this what they call youth?! (It's not.) Shuya, won't you take a promotion?!

[Regarding Shuya] I know he's a good person, but he's the complete opposite of me—a 'normie' so bright he's blinding... Stop trolling Captain Okita!

[Regarding Shuya] An interesting guy. Sometimes joins in on the nonsense.

[Regarding Shuya] He's an interesting guy, uh-huh. Good vibes. Stop trolling the Sadist so much, yes?

[Regarding Shuya] I can't keep up with the retorts...! I know he's not a bad person, though.

[Regarding Shuya] What a funny lad! I reckon he's a good boy! Ahahaha!