Talk:Horikawa Kunihiro/@comment-186.124.20.22-20150911015056/@comment-26362344-20150920004207

It's exactly because Izuminokami Kanesada looks/talks like Hijikata Toshizou that Horikawa acts the way he does. For him, Kanesada is probably a second Hijikata -- of course, not the original, but it's something. And that already says a lot about how he sees his former master; he was the one to suggest how nice it would be if they could go back and save him, and even if Izumi is the one who cries and most are probably more touched by his tears and how much he's holding himself back because he, too, wants to go back to Hijikata, Horikawa was the one who suggested it in the first place. I assure you, if Kanesada had agreed with him and said something along the lines of "Horikawa, let's go save our master", they would've gone. That, again, says a lot about how Horikawa perceives Hijikata; he ADMIRES the man. Enough that he sees his fellow comrade as him, and serves Kanesada as if he were Hijikata, but if he had the opportunity to go back and save his master, he would. Which is funny when you think about it, because Horikawa is one of the most devoted and loyal swords to the Saniwa. In his and Kanesada's horse-keeping talk, even if Kanesada (his idol, his "second Hijikata") asks Horikawa to help him (aka do his work for him), Horikawa says "Yes!! Let me do it, Kane-san!! -- except I was told I can't", which is incredible, if you think abou it. He's almost like talking back to his idol, to the one man he admires. Most think Horikawa is Kanesada's puppy, like a servant and will never refuse him, but he's his own person too. And you know what's best? This:

Izuminokami Kanesada is a lot like Hijikata Toshizou: handsome, very long hair, responsible, does his work even when he doesn't want to, strong, skilled. He almost IS Hijikata (which he takes a lot of pride on), but then it makes you think: what part of Hijikata is Horikawa? He's the more responsible one. Izumi can be reckless (as seen in a few Ikedaya recollections), he lets his emotions take the best of him sometimes, and Hijikata wasn't like that. He was the vice-commander of the well known and feared Shinsengumi, he was the Devil Vice-Commander, he couldn't let his feelings be stronger than reason. And Horikawa is EXACTLY like that. If you pay attention to his lines whenever he's put to train with his fellow Shinsengumi members, you can see he's a very analytical and perceptive man. He has Hijikata's sharp eyes for enemies that Kanesada doesn't. He's used to fighting alongside someone (and not only Izumi, I bet. That likely includes the Okitagumi and Nagasone as well), which means he trusts the Shinsengumi members his LIFE. He's a selfless man, he does way too much for others, which technically Hijikata did too. Despite being a ruthless murder squad, the Shinsengumi were also seen as heroes, sometimes. They were conservative men, yes, but they wanted the best. They weren't evil, and they helped those who couldn't defend themselves when technically speaking they didn't NEED to. They are fighting against those who oppose them, they're fighting Sakamoto and others with him, they're fighting the Choshu domain, the pro-imperial nationalists, but they still help people -- just like Horikawa does. It's not his obligation, but he does anyway.

I can't change people's opinion on characters, but I hope that enormously long reply helped anyone see more depth in Horikawa's character! And by the way, a lot of other swords don't really mention their siblings. The Kanesada brothers don't even dream of doing that, and I'm not exactly sure even if the other two Kunihiros mention each other in their lines outside a recollection. Horikawa has more important people to him (the Shinsengumi, and ultimately Izumi), and it's really easy to see why he wouldn't mention his brothers that often.