Oshihito Katsuragi

Oshihito Katsuragi (葛城 忍人, Katsuragi Oshihito, literally "Oshihito of Katsuragi") is one of the main characters in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. He is technically the first Genbu of Earth (地の玄武, Chi no Genbu) of the series.

His memories are used to bestow a human trait into the Genbu of Earth dragon gem, thus influencing the Eight Guardians in later generations of the franchise. His particular trait is "Wish" (願い, negai).

In Otome Game of the Year 2008, he was ninth place in their favorite character category.

Background Story
Oshihito was born in Katsuragi, a place far west of Nakatsu Kuni's capital, Kashihara. His biological father died soon after his birth, and his mother was married to another man of high stature soon afterwards. Oshihito was raised to be an obedient child who did whatever chore and responsibility entrusted to him. Understanding the prestige of his house's stature from an early age, he hardly questioned their authority.

When he was eleven years old, he alone was sent to Kashihara to be taught by Iwanagahime. He first met Habarihiko, Hiiragi, and Kazahaya; he befriended them and Michiomi soon afterwards. Unlike his upperclassmen, the youth adhered to his studies with a fervent desire for improvement. Oshihito began his training using a single sword yet it didn't fit well with him. Iwanagahime noticed that her pupil rarely took a defensive stance during his sparring lessons and advised him to be a dual wielding sword fighter. He adapted to his mentor's suggested technique quickly and excelled in his training. He was soon recognized to be an indomitable warrior and was promoted to be a General of the Four Roads.

The general participated in Kashihara's final defenses when he was sixteen years old. Oshihito and his superior were ordered to be on standby along the castle's western gate until Eka reported of an enemy march in the nearby mountains. Leaving the gate in the elder general's care, Oshihito left with his regiment to investigate. He was soon betrayed by Eka and caught in a dangerous pincer, barely escaping from the enemy ambush alive. As his remaining forces tried to return to the capital, he learned the elder general at his post had deserted and the castle was overrun.

Nakatsu Kuni had fallen and the Kuna Clan defenders were the only survivors. Oshihito urged the survivors westward towards Takachiho. He knew Iwanagahime was currently stationed there and hoped to reunite their remaining forces. He fought countless enemy soldiers to ensure their safety and tried to leave no one behind, even stopping his sprint to rescue Ayuki from danger. During the long, grueling escape, Oshihito's swords lost their sharpness and he suffered a stray arrow wound. Exhaustion soon gave in and he collapsed while he guarded the rear.

On the brink of death, his spirit traveled to Yomi no Kuni where he met two mysterious figures in black cloaks. Oshihito's spirit was in a state of purgatory, yet the specters knew it was too soon for him to join the dead. They cryptically offer him the power to return to the living in exchange for his soul. Frustrated with the spirits' riddles, he declared his will to fight for Nakatsu Kuni's future until his death. Before they disappeared, they uttered a prophecy that he would die before the dancing image of a beautiful woman.

When he awoke from his trance, Oshihito's swords became Soul Destroyer. He was rejuvenated enough to board the ship which carried the survivors and arrived in Takachiho. The general privately realized the price for using his swords' destructive powers as he fought for years to defend the remaining Nakatsu Kuni loyalists. He relied on Soul Destroyer during the countless battles against the Tokoyo no Kuni army. Both friend and foe alike fear him as a ruthless leader whose golden swords outmatch the ferocity of a tiger and wolf combined.

Before the events of the main story, Oshihito and his Kuna Clan army left Takachiho for Shikoku. Their purpose for the trip was to search for any Nakatsu Kuni survivors to possibly add to their dwindling numbers.

Story Events
Chihiro's first meeting with Oshihito happens after her first failed attempt to overthrow Levanta's manor. No one had devised a plan for their second attempt due to its impenetrable fire barrier. Hoping to relieve her stress, Chihiro indulges herself with a morning bath in the nearby spring. Oshihito happened to be scouting nearby and decides to investigate the splashing water. When he finds Chihiro's bow abandoned near the spring, he scolds the nude Chihiro for carelessly leaving her weapon as it leaves her undefended from threats. Having said his piece, he abruptly leaves and she is left flabbergasted that he only cared to mention her bow.

Embarrassed upon her return to base, Chihiro hopes that she will never see him again until the soldiers formally announce Oshihito's return. He reports to Iwanagahime his findings: the Tokoyo no Kuni army have already taken the west and there are no allies at Shikoku. As he requests for new orders, the elderly woman promptly dumps all responsibilities as General onto Chihiro's shoulders. Oshihito questions his superior's judgment and is not amused to learn that he has to obey orders from a rookie and a Tsuchigumo sympathizer.

The princess and her companions successfully penetrate the defenses of Levanta's manor and raid its halls. As a large regiment of Tokoyo no Kuni soldiers attempts to bar their path, Oshihito unleashes the true power of his swords and instantaneously defeats them. Before he is asked to explain himself, the general directs his comrades' attention to freeing their imprisoned ally and villagers. He later voices his distrust for Hiiragi and Tooya, eventually trusting both of them once they prove their loyalty to Chihiro.

During the war in Izumo, Oshihito immediately leaves with his regiment to the west. His troops defend their army's escape route, and the flying ship is safe thanks to his army's efforts. Chihiro and her army regroup with his troops before their confrontation with Asvin. He remains Chihiro's skeptical military advisor throughout the various timelines.

In the final and canon timeline, he is alive and well. If the player chooses to use him, he can assist the final battle against the White Dragon. Oshihito continues serving as one of Chihiro's trusted generals within Kashihara. Since he has no memories of Kazahaya, he shares friendly banter with Hiiragi who he believes is his only friend currently beside him from his training days.

Personal Routes
Once they board the flying ship, Chihiro can share a private chat with Oshihito. He immediately chastises her naiveté for war and warns her to practice caution at all times. She is the lone surviving member of their kingdom's royalty and the symbol of hope for the army. Chihiro is surprised to hear him end his brief reprimands with a short compliment; he remarks he can trust her to an extent since her plan caused Levanta's defeat yet she is still too inexperienced to be considered a ruler for her people. Trying to become friendly with him, she happens to hear a ringing from Soul Destroyer and asks him about it. He diffuses the lively mood by curtly dismissing her fascination.

Although Chihiro is worried that she might have offended him, she soon learns that he is stringent with everyone. He pushes the troops hard in their daily training and berates slackers. When she asks him to explain his harsh methods to her, Oshihito tells her of Eka's treachery five years prior –omitting the details of the escape. He hasn't forgotten the many lives lost for their fallen kingdom and doesn't want the survivors to suffer the same fate. The princess realizes she has misjudged his character and sees him in a better light.

Izumo is holding a festival for the gods shortly after her chat with Oshihito. Chihiro hopes to become friendly with him and invites him to leave his patrol to celebrate. Patronizing her for once again ignoring her status as royalty, Oshihito doesn't want to leave her without a bodyguard and accepts. She happily samples the festival delicacies with him. Upon realizing her ignorance of the festival's purpose, he explains to her that it is being held to celebrate the annual reunion of a male and female constellation within the center heavens. Chihiro explains that the modern world has a similar festival, and they celebrate by writing their wishes on paper. He appears uncomfortable when she asks him his wish and excuses himself.

A few days later, the Raja's army marches into Izumo to capture Chihiro. Oshihito leaves without telling the princess his plans and splits his army to the west. He and his troop kill every Tokoyo no Kuni soldier who intercepts them in order to defend the flying ship. By the time Chihiro's forces are safe in the east, Oshihito is tired yet determined to keep fighting. At her behest, Tooya guides her through a forest path shared by spirits to quickly reinforce the general's formation. When the general dismisses her concerns to be trivial, Chihiro obstinately reminds him that she is the army's leader and needs to have everything reported to her. She refuses to leave anyone behind as a sacrifice, wishing to ensure their survival. Oshihito is surprised to hear her acknowledge the risks it has for him and the troops, realizing that he is the one who erred. He apologizes for his insubordination and asks for his punishment once the battle is over.

Pleased to see that she has awakened to her responsibilities as a leader for her people, Oshihito proclaims his formal loyalty to her. They both confess their dreams of a harmonious land to one another and begin to become closer. Simultaneously, however, Soul Destroyer's resonating increases and his body weakens dramatically. Oshihito is aware that his life is ebbing away yet tries to keep it a secret from his comrades. He doesn't tell Chihiro of Soul Destroyer's contract, but he becomes aware that she is the woman mentioned in the prophecy.

Their army is later threatened by Mudgala's forces within Kumano. Chihiro's strategy to split the troops in a pincer fails against the veteran's experience, and the Nakatsu Kuni army is forced to retreat. Mudgala predicted their movements and blocks their path. The magical barrier surrounding him makes him impervious to their attacks. Wanting to protect Chihiro at any cost, Oshihito unleashes Soul Destroyer's true powers to cut the barrier down by force. They defeat the general and his army scatter with fright. The swords' price catches up to Oshihito, and he collapses into a deep slumber.

Chihiro is worried by his condition, but Oshihito spends the following day acting as though everything is normal. She confronts him the following night to express her anxieties to him and asks for the truth. After he confesses that the swords suck his life away, Oshihito gently says he wants to keep fighting for her and their future. Chihiro is moved by his dreams and repeals her wish to nurse his health. Instead they promise one another to treasure what life he has left, and he swears to never use Soul Destroyer again. They make another promise to view the cherry blossoms at Mount Miwa in the spring, as a hopeful wish to live past the war together.

Nasatya is beaten in Kashihara and is too injured to continue opposing them. The prince is insulted that Oshihito held back his swords' power, yet he is spared when Eka teleports to his master's defense. Oshihito respects the Tsuchigumo's genuine display of loyalty and urges for the Black Dragon's defeat in Tokoyo no Kuni. Chihiro and company attack the Black Dragon immediately, but their weapons are no match for the deity's powers. Kazahaya insists for their retreat, but the couple would rather defeat the deity at once. When Soul Destroyer resonates for his remaining soul, Oshihito clings to his promises with Chihiro and fights the swords' will for destruction. His feelings to protect the princess unleashes Soul Destroyer's true pure form, Ikutachi. The general uses these swords to break the dragon's seal and wound it directly. It is swiftly defeated and both lands are restored to their rightful state.

It is spring for Chihiro's ascension ceremony and the cherry blossoms are in bloom. They agree to view them in private after the ceremony. After she leaves to begin preparations, Oshihito spies a group of disgruntled Tokoyo no Kuni ministers who conspire for the new Queen's assassination. The general immediately confronts them to protect Chihiro, yet Oshihito's body is frail from the constant fighting and Soul Destroyer's resonating causes him to stagger. His assailants take advantage of his moment of weakness and inflict several grievous wounds on him; Oshihito recovers long enough to kill the assassins. Collapsing from his injuries, he listens to Chihiro's cheerful speech to her countrymen. In his dying moments, he hallucinates that Chihiro is hovering over him and utters his love for her.

While he dies in this timeline, he may continue to feel strangely attached to Chihiro in another loop. The Nakatsu Kuni army have won their battles against Tokoyo no Kuni and are ready to retake Kashihara. The princess feels nervous the night before the final confrontation and talks to Oshihito to calm herself. Their conversation focuses on creating a land of serenity once the war is over. Once he affirms his confidence in her, he strangely remarks that it's as though they have had this chat once before long ago. Chihiro mysteriously shares the same déjà vu, but neither of them can remember what they had said to one another. He offers to talk to her about it after the final battle.

The war ends with both of them alive and Chihiro is made Queen. During a spring day, they have both finished their duties and meet in the courtyard. Since it's a peaceful day, Chihiro wants to see the blooming cherry blossoms. He responds he knows a place famed for the flowers and offers to be her escort. As they enjoy the scenery, Oshihito remarks that it feels like he had always thought of bringing her there, and Chihiro shares similar sentiments. In his thoughts, Oshihito swears to always be beside her so they can see the cherry blossoms every year. He hopes he will someday gain the courage to confess his intimate feelings to her.

Chihiro remarks a year has passed since her anointment in his Aizouban extra event. This scenario follows the ending in which Oshihito has died. Chihiro had spent countless days weeping in her room and would not even eat. To force herself to avoid dwelling in sorrow, she coldly attends to her duties and barely notices the changing seasons. During a winter day, a brisk breeze brushes past her, causing her mind to wander to a faraway memory she had on the flying ship.

During their leisure Chihiro wants Oshihito to be receptive to her presence. She believes she can do so by presenting him something he likes to break the ice and asks everyone who is familiar with him to help her. Kazahaya happens to find her and answers sword training. He chuckles at her tantrum before answering her seriously: Oshihito is not interested in anything beyond war. Before he can elaborate, a frustrated Oshihito finds them and debases her mannerisms to be irritating. Chihiro tears up at his remark and leaves the vicinity with an apology. Kazahaya and an intruding Hiiragi request for Oshihito to understand her feelings for him. Oshihito barks that it's unneeded.

The breeze picks up again and Chihiro's focus returns to the present. She wonders why she can never remember him smiling and ignores Sainokimi's concern for her. The queen is focused on her duties until she sees cherry blossoms within the palace garden in the spring. Oshihito's promise before her anointment returns to her. She cries uncontrollably when Sainokimi mentions a place famous for its cherry blossoms. Later that night, Sainokimi comes to her quarters and presents her a bamboo scroll she had found in Oshihito's quarters. Sainokimi kept it hidden as they needed Chihiro to become queen as soon as possible. She believed the young woman's experiences as ruler would fortify her spirit enough to overcome her grief. After watching her for a year, the elderly woman finds Chihiro is still depressed and sincerely apologizes for neglecting her queen's emotional stress. Chihiro thanks Sainokimi for her concern and for keeping her focus on their homeland.

Chihiro tentatively opens the scroll and reads it. It's a letter Oshihito addressed to her before the royal ceremony. He felt he could never properly express himself as he would like in person and wanted to convey his thoughts in ink. He remembered the gift incident and wanted to apologize for his coldness to her. He doubted her frank kindness and felt ashamed for his behavior. He hoped to give her the cherry blossoms as a sign of his renewed affections for her. He took pride in her strength which gave him the will to keep living, swearing to be by his queen for many days to come.

The queen gazes up at the cherry blossoms by her room with renewed faith. She wants to keep them blooming to honor the memory of her loved one. As she resolves to face the future, she feels Oshihito's spirit by her side thanking her.

Development
Keeping in touch with the Eight Guardians in past games, Oshihito was designed to contrast Tooya. Ruby Party members wanted to devise a conflicting tone between them and looked to mythology for help. There is a legend of Emperor Jinmu capturing and killing rogue vagabonds (Tsuchigumo) opposing the throne with utter decisiveness. He performed the deed at a place called Katsuragi. While it may not completely fit Oshihito's character, the developers decided to associate him with the place's name to represent his initial antagonistic stance towards Tsuchigumo.

Soul Destroyer are often called golden swords in the game's script, but the swords themselves are actually steel. They were originally tinged a grayish blue early within the development process. The development team thought they lacked a certain luster with Oshihito, so the golden tint was added to them. According to their commentary, Soul Destroyer only appears to look golden when he is using them.

Developers stated that he and Kazahaya were conceptualized to have two endings. Players are free to interpret either ending as his "true" ending.

Tohko Mizuno was surprised by how quickly his design was approved. She feels he is too simple looking compared to other characters. The stripes on his outfit and his sash were spontaneously added by her to make him "more unique".

Personality
Oshihito lives with abductive reasoning. If there is danger lying ahead, it's obvious to be prepared. If his superiors order him to attack, his job is to obey. Since he focuses on imagining the worse, Oshihito feels it's his responsibility to prevent it from becoming a reality. While he is abnormally strict and callous to even minor complaints from his troops, many don't realize that it's his form of tough love. He would rather sacrifice his own safety than abandon his countrymen, often volunteering to act as the rearguard whenever possible. As the most serious and lawful warrior amongst Iwanagahime's pupils, his prowess is respected as one of the strongest in Nakatsu Kuni. Ayuki and Futsuhiko admire his uncompromising concentration to his duties and aspire to someday be like him.

He speaks whatever criticism on his mind at present, often being harsh and authoritative. Oshihito believes in complete honesty and is rarely polite to those the same age as him. The only person who is unaffected by his apparent scorn is Iwanagahime, whom he respectfully calls "Master" (師君, shikun). Although he means well and harbors a kind heart, many people mistake him to be condescending or cruel. His words lack courtesy and are deafeningly blunt, making no attempts to hide his feelings. No one can mistake his displeasure, and no recruit can speak against his experience over them. Simultaneously, he rarely praises others unless he feels they deserve it. Innocently unaware of the negative opinions about him, Oshihito is surprised if he is accused of being insensitive. He genuinely cares for other people over himself, naturally accepting himself to be expendable for his country's restoration.

Despite his acrid behavior, Oshihito trusts his allies easily and believes in their reports without question. Due to Eka's betrayal in his youth, however, he has nothing less than resentment for traitors and trickery. Whoever crosses him will face his vengeful wrath and intolerance. His natural distrust for Tsuchigumo started as a result, feeling that his suspicion towards Tooya is obligatory. Oshihito similarly shares the same feelings for Hiiragi, who abandoned Nakatsu Kuni and worked for the enemy after its fall. Yet, even with his verbal death threats and doubtful glares, he will lift his prejudice once he feels that they have redeemed themselves. Even if he won't openly admit it, Oshihito can't dwell on past transgressions if his judgments are proven wrong.

Oshihito originally thought Chihiro to be nothing more than a normal girl with a flimsy volition to win. He often patronizes her during their early interactions with one another, stringently reminding her to act as royalty and to never drop her guard. He is frequently exasperated by her naivety. Once he becomes aware of her maturity, he finally accepts her as a worthy heir to the throne. He gladly entrusts her with his private dream to create a land of prosperity. His intimate feelings for her grows when he realizes they share the same vision. To avoid worrying her, he seeks to do whatever it takes within his power to aid her ascension. She is the first person to encourage him to live, questioning the brevity of his warrior lifestyle. He finds it ironic when and if she scolds him, yet he appreciates it as her way of caring for him. Since he struggles to openly voice his intimate feelings for her, Oshihito either keeps his thoughts to himself or is quietly timid when he compliments her.

Character Symbolism
Ikutachi is the name to a cherished sword mentioned in Japanese mythology. It was one of the three treasures stolen from Susanoonomikoto by his runaway daughter, Suseribime. Ikutachi was identified as one of her father's divine swords tied to or created by Susanoo's blood; the other artifacts she took was his divine bow (Ikuyumiya) and treasured harp (Amenonorigoto). She gave them to her lover, Oonamuji, whom Susanoo originally despised. Upon realizing that Oonamuji had them in his possession, Susanoo laughed and commanded for the youth to conquer the land with his weapons. Only then would he approve of his daughter's marriage to Oonamuji.

Oshihito's symbolic color is koiai, a traditional Japanese color with ancient origins. It is literally translated as "deep indigo", but its pigment is closer to a dark deep blue. The origins of the color's names are varied. Depending on the source it's argued to be a mistaken lighter blue, a shade named to resemble an black ink stain, or a color to represent the robes for law officers.

His symbolic flower is the thistle blossom. It symbolizes nobility within European countries and is heralded as the national flower of Scotland. In Greek mythology the flower was said to have blossomed near the river of Daphnis's death and represents loss or tragedy.

Within Japan the flower is supposedly named after its sharp, prickly thorns which are deemed dangerous weapons when touched. Its shape has been used as an analogy for women. Either it represents a beauty who looks appealing but hides a rotten attitude or a spiteful demeanor underneath her charms. Thus its meanings in this country's flower language is often reproachfulness, vengeance, or strictness. Alternatively the flower has been interpreted as one which is merely protecting itself from natural threats before blooming, instead symbolizing independence, harmonization, or satisfaction.

Quotes

 * "Don't stare at me with so much anticipation. We're still on duty, remember? White Day or whatever it is will be after this job is over. No need to rush. ...I'll be waiting for you."
 * "I won't die here."
 * "Leave the rear to me. Focus on the enemy before you."
 * "Can't choose who you'll fight in war. All I need to do is cut them down."
 * "Crush my soul as an offering to the onyx blade."
 * "Hark, the voice of my soul, O White Blade."
 * "You're taking too long. Move."
 * "Keep your guard up. They're aiming for you."
 * "Even if I told you no, would you have listened to me?"
 * "This is the only time I'll do this. Learn to protect yourself."
 * "I'll clear your future for you. Now and forever."
 * "What are you doing wandering around by yourself? Don't you realize how imperative you are to this country? We can't have you dying because of your carelessness."
 * "Don't lose face now. It will weaken the men's morale. Endure for them."
 * "I am a warrior for the Queen. You shall not pass me."
 * "Your tears makes it impossible for me to say what I was thinking."
 * "Just a little longer... I need to live to see her on the throne."
 * "Thank you. We knew each other for a short time, but I was happy to be with you. I met you and I wanted to live with you. I... wanted to always be by your side. Even if I can no longer tell you... that I loved you."
 * "It's strange. It feels like I always wanted to take you here. Like I fulfilled a promise I shared with you long ago. But that's ridiculous... It's just not logical."
 * "What's wrong?"
 * "I, uh... Um, Oshihito, you tend to call me "you", right?"
 * "Ah, now that you mention it, I do. And? Something wrong with that?"
 * "Nothing really. It's just... I was wondering if you could refer to me by name."
 * "Why?"
 * "I mean, you address Kazahaya by his name. So I was thinking maybe for me... But, if you don't want to..."
 * "... Chihiro. ... Was that good enough?"
 * "Y-Yes. (giggles) I finally got to hear you say it."
 * "Does me saying it really make you that happy?"
 * "Well, yeah. Oshihito, it doesn't have to be all the time. Whenever you feel like it, please say my name."
 * "... I'll keep that in mind."
 * Oshihito and Chihiro

Fighting Style
Oshihito is the fighter of the party. A majority of his special abilities are offensive, and he tends to deal critical hits to enemies. If he uses his Mirage ability, he also has one of the best Counter ratings. He has the strongest attack stat amongst the main cast, but his other stats suffer greatly as a compromise. His AI favors using Demon Sword, which is a powerful double edge sword strike in battle. It is effective against any opponent in the game (especially once it reaches higher levels of proficiency), but Oshihito may reduce his health to dangerously low levels if he uses it too often. Try to dedicate one party member to be his constant healer if he is used for long boss battles.

Oshihito can boost his vitality, defense, magic power, speed, and will power to Level 5 within the menu screen. Here are his optimized stats:


 * Attack - 95
 * Defense - 74
 * Magic - 75
 * Speed - 86

Special Abilities
The following lists other abilities Oshihito can learn by using the Five Elements the party gathers.

Magic
Here are the spells Oshihito can cast in the game.


 * Rekishin Geki (礫震撃) - Moderate Earth magic. Can only perform when Chihiro is not in the party.
 * Housa Soujin (崩砂双陣) - Stronger Earth magic. Requires Chihiro to be in the party.
 * Hagun Saiheki (覇軍砕壁) - Strong Earth magic on a single target. Build four star bonds with Chihiro.
 * Genbu Shoukan (玄武召喚) - Summons Genbu to hit all enemies. Usable after Chapter 6. Chihiro must have Tooya and Oshihito in the party with two stars of affection.
 * Gandan Ranbu (岩断嵐舞) - Earth magic which hits all enemies. Must have Chihiro, Hiiragi, and Kazahaya in the party. Chihiro must talk to Kazahaya in Chapter 4 and must have two stars of affection with these characters to unlock it.
 * Gouryu Gekiha (轟流撃波) - Strong Water magic which hits all enemies. Must have Chihiro and Futsuhiko in the party. Chihiro must talk to Oshihito in Chapter 4 and must have two stars of affection with these characters to unlock it.