Chougorou ( 長五郎 ) is a thief who wears a fox-mask whom Kozenigata has been pursuing for 20 over years.
Appearance[]
Chogorou is an old man with a normal attire on his daily jobs but has he takes on his other persona kitsunebi no Chogorou he wears a white ninja outfit and a fox mask and a nodachi behind his back.
Background[]
Chogorou was in the past part of a 9-member ninja group of bandits, he has since left the group, after saving Kozenigata Heiji who was still a kid then, giving him a chest of money and burning down his bandit group's hideout to distract them.
Personality[]
His daytime persona is as a seemingly harmless elderly man selling food and drinks in a small outdoor kiosk, which Kozenigata frequents and to whom he typically pours out all his sorrows while downing glasses of sochu. Kozenigata also likes to address the kiosk operator as Master, the Japanese term for bar-tender in a higher class pub. He has another persona which is Kitsunebi no Chogorou when he takes on this persona he tends to steal from wealthy families and give it to the poor it was this way that he built his infamous reputation.
He also was quite crafty has he never told Kozenigata, his pursuer, his true identity even thou he frequented his kiosk every day.
Story[]
Chogorou gets stabbed
When Chougorou found about some impostors had been using his name to commit murder and other crimes that he had not done, he decided to take action and resurface to clear his name. He leaves a message to Kozenigata before he goes off for his final heist of the Golden Tofu at the Oedo Museum. In spite of Kozenigata's 10-year relentless pursuit, Chougorou has never harmed him to make him stop chasing. When the Yorozuya trio, Haji and Kozenigata got into trouble with the museum security guards, he appeared out of nowhere to save them. Later when they were trapped by the burning booby trap in the Golden Tofu hall, he extended his hand to help them but ended up being stabbed by one of the Ring Kyuubi members. Kozenigata then remembers the scene from his childhood when Chougorou saved him, and together he and Gintoki defeat the last Ring Kyuubi member. A wire attached to Chougorou drags him towards the fire, but Kozenigata grabs the wire; Chougorou reminisces about all the time Kozenigata spent at the "bar" without realizing the truth. The wire snaps and Chougorou falls into the flames. Later, when Gintoki and Kozenigata are thoroughly drunk and wandering the streets of Edo, they find the "bar". Chougorou is revealed to be alive, and while Gintoki is shocked, Kozenigata smiles.
Trivia[]
- They way that Chougorou used to steal from the wealthy and give to the poor is similar to the story of Robin Hood.