Togame (とがめ) is the female protagonist of the series Katanagatari and a self-titled strategist working for the shogunate.
Personality
Togame has a strong will and a high intellect, but she is not immune to clumsiness or bad judgment. She calculates brutal schemes that surprise even Shichika Yasuri. Despite this, Togame is a cheery girl that still handles herself as royalty, as shown with her habit of wearing extravagant clothing. She also enjoys saying "Cheerio!" while striking Shichika, which she mistook as a foreign word for "Chest". After some embarrassment, she tries to pass this off as an intentional choice.
Togame is wary of trusting others as she has been betrayed before on her sword-collecting quest, and orders Shichika to fall in love with her as she believes love surpasses all other temptations.
Appearance
Togame is petite and often claims to be physically fragile. She was originally born with black hair and red eyes. Her appearance changed after she witnessed the murder of her father. Her hair turned white, and the eye that saw the act through the doorway gap takes on a purple snake-like appearance whenever she schemes. One of the Maniwani notes that it "shines with ambition". Later in the series, her long hair is chopped off by an attack from Nanami Yasuri.
Togame dresses in the flamboyant manner of a princess, with colors of deep purple and royal blue. She wears a one-sleeved kimono top emblazoned with symbol of a coiled golden snake. A piece of half-armor covers one shoulder. Her skirt has an intentionally torn appearance. She wears traditional geta.
History
Togame in her youth as a princess
Togame's real name is Princess Yōsha (容赦姫, Yōsha Hime). She is the only child of Takahito Hida, a feudal lord that led a major rebellion against the shogunate. As the shogun's army stormed the castle, her father hid her in a secret room. Togame peeked through a gap in the doorway as Mutsue Yasuri, father of Shichika Yasuri, decapitated her father. Togame discarded her original identity to avenge her father's murder and wishes to carry out his will at any cost.
Plot
Volume One
She travels to the island where Shichika resides to seek his help with finding the twelve Deviant Blades forged by Kiki Shikizaki. As she had been betrayed on the same mission before, she promptly asks him to fall in love with her as she feels that love surpasses all other temptations of the quest.
Volume Two
They begun their journey with Shichika to collect Shikizaki Kiki's perfected Deviant Blades. They first arrived at Kyoto (京) to prepare their upcoming journey, she teaches Shichika all about fashion and people, such as Hakuhei Sabi , she wanted Shichika to become a swordsman like him, and also talked about her favorite catchphrase, "Cheerio!". Meanwhile at Inaba (稲葉) desert, they found the corpse of Shirasagi Maniwa, one of the 12 heads of Maniwa corps lying across the desert, she assumed that he was slayed by Ginkaku Uneri which is holding onto the Shinizaki Kiki's perfected Deviant Blade, Zantō Namakura. They arrived inside the Gekoku Castle and encounter Uneri, who is discomforted with their arrival. When Togame negotiated with him, Uneri said it is rude to talk to a swordsman across the door and requested her to enter the room, which obviously a trap to lure into his attack range. Shichika quickly reacts and save Togame from Uneri Zerosen's, Ianuki, a supreme sword technique, they retreat to make a plan. They came out with nothing, but Shichika says he has a plan to counter his Zerosen, Togame trust his abilities and return back inside the castle and face Uneri, where she watches Shichika defeat Uneri without her help, and thus, they obtained their second Shikizaki Kiki's perfected Deviant Blades. After the battle, when Shichika admires Uneri's pride deeply, especially the final line, Togame told him it wasn't a catchphrase, it was a dying message, and told him not to think too hard about it, as she won't allow Shichika to die for her.
Volume Three
Togame and Shichika departs to Izumo (出雲), where they encounter Meisai Tsuruga, the Sanzu (三途) Shrine Head. She is willing to give over Sentō Tsurugi if they accept some minor conditions, which is for Togame to identify the first blade of Sentō Tsurugi without the help of Shichika. If Togame succeeds, Meisai Tsuruga will fight Shichika one-on-one, if he wins, she will hand it over, if he loses, they will give her Kanna and Namakura. Shichika thought it wasn't fair, but Togame explains that she wants to avoid killing this time round. When Togame was out inspecting the blades, Shichika helped the shrine maiden with chores but does not feel Shikizaki's poison aura. Later, Meisai invited Shichika for a drink as a thanks for helping up the shrine maidens, she explains that the temple is like a refugee camp, they are victims that mental health was destroyed from long-termed abuse by men, she wants to use the poison of Shikizaki's poison as medicine. After hearing that, Shichika still promised to fight to his utmost without doubt, they both shared how much people they had slew, he also told her he slain his father. Meisai then asks what on earth do he fight for, Shichika said, for Togame.
Later they realized they had been watched by one of the 12 heads by Maniwa corps, Kuizame Maniwa. Mesai Tsuruga then demonstrated Sentouryū on Maniwa Kuizame, killing him instantly. She then asks Shichika to take care of the corpse himself. Later he reunited with Togame, informing her that Maniwa corps attacked. Togame gave Mesai the blade that she assume that is the original since it has the oldest sheath, Mesai agreed with her thoughtlessly and commence duel the next day. During the duel, Shichika then realized the hunt for the original was just a excuse to bide time for Mesai to set-up Chikeikōka Sentō Meguri (地形効果・千刀巡り, Terrain Effect: Thousand Sword Circumference), he then escaped to a terrain that he knew she won't lay a trap, the place where Togame and him stayed. Despite that, Mesai still draw out a disposed sword from the ground, Shichika then identify that sword is the original, since it's the sword that chose the master. Shichika then defeats her with Kyotōryū, obtaining the original their third deviant blade. On the way back to Owari, Shichika then asks Togame if he had lost, would she have handed over Mesai Kanna, and Namakura. Togame replied that she never once thought he would lose.' Shichikia smiled upon hearing that.
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Reunites with her father's spirit.
Volume Eleven
Togame's death.
Volume Twelve
Togame in the Afterlife.
After eleven swords have been collected, Togame is fatally wounded by Emonzaemon Sōda. As she lays dying, Togame tells Shichika that everything was a means toward obtaining revenge, even the part of her that fell in love with him. She states that she'd intended to kill him once her sword collection was complete and is relieved to die because it means that she would not have to do it. The last order that she gives to him is to forget about her. With her final breath, she says that she is happy and asks Shichika if it is okay for her to fall for him.
Abilities
Keen Intellect: Though Togame is a princess without any born special attributes, her diligence and intellect help her analyze situations and devise strategies very well.
Trivia
- If the name Togame is spelled with the kanji, 十が目, her name can be read as "eye is a cross".
- Togame's real name, Yōsha, can mean "permit", the opposite of the meaning of Hitei's name, "deny".
Template:Yanari Shogunate