Toshizō Hijikata, the Shinsengumi’s Vice-Commander and notorious “Demon Vice-Commander,” enforces order in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period through merciless discipline and unshakeable loyalty to leader Kondō Isami. Driven by fierce resolve to elevate Kondō’s samurai status despite their commoner origins, he embodies a duality of ruthless authority and selfless devotion to their shared vision. Born to a farming family, Hijikata claws his way into history through martial prowess and sheer will, co-founding the Shinsengumi after the Rōshigumi’s collapse. His leadership thrives on pragmatism, sacrificing moral clarity for survival—executing deserters, endorsing the lethal “Water of Life” to transform himself into a Rasetsu. This elixir grants superhuman strength but shortens his lifespan and unleashes bloodlust, a price he pays to shield his comrades. Initially distrustful of Chizuru Yukimura, whom he imprisons for her proximity to Shinsengumi affairs, Hijikata shifts into her protector, defending her against threats like Chikage Kazama’s demon faction. Their bond reveals his conflicted respect for women and tension between duty and personal attachment. Though outwardly stoic, he masks subtle care beneath practicality, permitting her to stay under the pretense of aiding her father’s search. As the Boshin War erodes the Shinsengumi’s strength, Hijikata inherits full command after Kondō’s execution, battling dwindling forces and his own Rasetsu-induced decline. His tactical brilliance surfaces in strategic retreats at Kōshū-Katsunuma and a climactic duel against Kazama in Ezo. Defiant to the end, he accepts Kazama’s bestowed demon name “Hakuoki,” embracing his hybrid existence and choosing to survive alongside Chizuru beyond the war’s ashes. Beneath his ironclad discipline, Hijikata’s vulnerabilities emerge—guilt over Kondō’s death, anxiety for the Shinsengumi’s legacy, and the toll of his sacrifices. His choice to consume the Water of Life epitomizes desperation and selflessness, bearing physical decay and moral compromise to prolong his comrades’ survival. Even in defeat, his unyielding loyalty etches him into legend: a tragic pillar of resolve, fractured yet unbroken.