Background[]
Hijikata Toushirou was the son of a mistress and a rich farmer. His father was known to be a spoiled and irresponsible man. Toushirou was born after his father died. His identity as an illegitimate son was revealed after he lost his mother and home.
His older brother Hijikata Tamegorou welcomed Toushirou to the Hijikata home. Unlike his father, Tamegoro was known to be a responsible, good man and took care of him. Toushirou viewed Tamegoro as a fatherly figure and was very fond of him.
Toshirou feared by his siblings
When Toushirou was eleven, there was a large fire in the village, and some bandits used this opportunity to break in, attacking Toushirou in the process. In the attack, Tamegoro protected Toushirou from being killed by the bandits and ended up losing his eyes. Though unaware at the time, Toushirou was driven by uncontrollable rage and attacked the bandits in retaliation. When he came to his senses, he was holding a knife, and the bandits were strewn across the floor, each with injuries to their eyes (similar to the ones that they inflicted on Tamegoro). His other siblings saw what had happened, and they all stood glaring in fear at him in silence.
Toushiro was known as "Thorny Toshi" after this incident, and he could no longer be with his beloved brother. He left his home to become stronger and became a trouble-making ronin, seeking out fights in various dojos in Bushuu 武州.
Losing face, the members of other dojos that he had previously fought against decided to team up to take him out. Hijikata fought but didn't stand a chance against such numbers. Kondou Isao, who was watching, decided to pick him up and take him back with him to his dojo. At this dojo, Toshirou met the Okita siblings, Okita Sougo and Okita Mitsuba. Toshirou later became a student to the Dojo and an underclassman to Sougo, who disliked Toshirou due to his jealousy of the latter receiving an unfair amount of attention from Kondou and Mitsuba.
Toshirou's silent dinner with his brother
Before leaving to Edo with Kondou and Sougo, Okita Mitsuba confessed her love to Toushiro, but he rejected her, He went back to his brother's home for the first time in many years and had a final dinner with him. Toushirou refused to speak to him, but Tamegoro asked Toushirou to send him letters regularly.
In Edo, Toushirou would meet new friends and would continue to grow stronger as a member of the Roshigumi which would later become the Shinsengumi.
Story[]
The first appearance was when Katsura Kotarou tried to recruit Gintoki but the Shinsengumi followed them, Hijikata Toushirou witnessed Gintoki throwing an explosive bomb outside to save lives. This causes the Shinsengumi on high suspicion, especially Hijikata Toushirou who wonders what is the connection between Katsura and Gintoki.
When Shinsengumi appeared, Hijikata Toushirou was in Kondo Isao's place (he was stalking Shimura Tae at the time) and lead an attack against Joui Patriots. After learning that a silver hair samurai beat Kondo Isao at a duel, the whole Shinsengumi went seeking for Sakata Gintoki. In the end, Hijitaka lost against Gintoki, although Sougo wants to challenge but Kondo claimed better not to.
Gengai Arc[]
The Vice Commander organizes a crisis meeting to talk about the New Year and the presence of the Shogun. We see him later at the party, discussing with Kondo the "integrity" of Sougo. He says he sent Yamazaki to get him something to eat. During the attack, he and other officers fight against Gengai's robots.
Rengokukan Arc[]
at Yorozuya Hijikata tried to stop Gintoki from trying to enter the Rengokukan to get revenge for Kidoumaru but Gintoki explains his way of living as Hijikata thinks he is a real fool. Though when he sees that Sougo joins to put down the Rengokukana also as a similar fool to Gintoki he reluctantly joins also. Later on, Hijikata together with the Shinsengumi shows up at The Rengokukan to arrest the owners even though their interference would have cost them their heads.
Memory Loss Arc[]
The Shinsengumi officers surround the Justaway factory and fire at the cannon hitting the three prisoners. Banzo fires the cannon almost killing Gintoki, Kondo, and Yamazaki. When Banzo is about to fire again, Shinpachi and Kagura enter the yard and stand to protect Gin, followed by the Shinsengumi. Kondo loses his memory again much ot Hijikata's annoyance.
Umibozu Arc[]
Umibouzu visits the Shinsegumi and Hijikata speaks about the alien hunter's reputation. When the aline attacks the Terminal Hijikata flees the scene in a police car.
Inugami Arc[]
Inugami Sadaharu's ramped rampage ends up in city center and he starts being chased by Okita. Because they're no plausible way for Inugami Sadaharu to slow down, Okita proceeds to stop him with a rocket launcher. Before Okita could use it, Sadaharu destroys the police car Okita was driving and saves himself by clinging onto Inugami Sadaharu's fur. Taking advantage of the situation, Hijikata with a bunch of rocket launcher armed men fire at Inugami Sadaharu
Benizakura Arc[]
Toushirou would instruct Yamazaki Sagaru to spy on Gintoki to found out the connection between Katsura and Gintoki. But in the end, Yamasaki wrote a school-like essay with no crucial information.
Fuyo Arc[]
Yagyu Arc[]
Toushirou fights [[Kitaooji Itsuki]] and wins. He discovers that Kyuubei Yagyuu is actually a woman and loses agaisnt her.
Okita Mitsuba Arc[]
Okita Mitsuba, Okita Sougo's sister, came to Edo because of her fiance Kuraba Touma. She spends the afternoon with Sougo and Gintoki, who pretended to be his best friend. When arriving at her fiance's mansion, Sougo leaves first as Gintoki and Sougo talk for a bit. Toushirou arrives at the gate of the mansion with Yamazaki to see Kuraba regarding their investigation, when Mitsuba sees Toushirou, she faints due to her frail body. Sougo comes over to the mansion and tells Toushirou to stay away from her. Later in the dojo, Toushirou and Sougo have a kendo fight. Toushirou tells him that Kuraba has illegal dealings with the Joui extremists, that he is just using Mitsuba to get close to the Shinsengumi, but Sougo tells him to slow down the investigation if not stop it, since Mitsuba does not have much time left, he wants to give her a happy and normal life. But Toushirou just tells him that he does not care about Sougo, and that they are doing a trade tomorrow. When Mitsuba is then in a critical state, Kondo, Sougo, and Gintoki are in the hospital looking after her. That's when Yamazaki barges in and tells Kondo that Toushirou went off to finish off Kuraba on his own, because Sougo's title could be stripped if others find out that his sister is related to someone with the Joui. Sougo feels guilty from hearing this, Kondo tells him to stay by his sister as he gathers the Shinsengumi to help Toushirou. Sougo tells the "sleeping" Gintoki about their past, how he was angry that Toushirou did not respect him as his sempai to how Toushirou never accepted Mitsuba because he could die anytime. He runs to help Toushirou with Gintoki. Toushirou just got shot in the knee, just in time, Kondo and the Shinsengumi show up to help, but when Kondo turns to face Toushirou, he goes missing. He catches up with the car that Kuraba is escaping in, and destroys it with the help of Gintoki and Sougo. They all head back to the hospital, but the doctors could not do anything to help her, Sougo was by her side for her last moments as Toushirou was at the roof eating the spicy food that was meant for Mitsuba from Gintoki.
Owee Arc[]
The Shinsengumi competed against the Yorozuya and Katsuo (Katsura in a Mario costume) in an attempt to get the Owee. Hijikata was dragged along by Kondo, who was threatened by Tae to get the game console. The first two challenges were between Kondo and Katsuo, and Shinpachi and Yamazaki. The third challenge was a Dragon Quest like a virtual game in a tag-team format (Hijikata & Okita vs Gintoki & Kagura). The first team to defeat the northern bandits would win the Owee. Because of glitches in the game, Hijikata started with 3 hp, all of which he loses after stubbing his toe, in a similar position, Gintoki was poisoned. The two, Hijikata and Gintoki, are forced to team up after being abandoned by their partners. They work their way to the cave and eventually fight the bandits. But, the game is stopped short after Gintoki realizes that the four have been beating all the audience members due to lack of sight with their virtual glasses and gloves.
Shinsengumi Crisis Arc[]
Hijikata vs. Itou in Episode 104
Toushirou went to a blacksmith to repair his Katana and he grabs the cursed Muramasha sword as a replacement. Toshirou encounters a group of Joui Patriots and he was possessed by the cursed Muramasha sword as a cowardly Otaku called Tosshi. Itou Kamotarou saves Toushirou and returns to the Shinsengumi headquarters. Toushirou warns Isao that Kamotarou is seeking to take Isao out of his position. Gradually the cursed sword becomes stronger, affecting Toushirou to step down his role in Shinsengumi. When Toushirou takes back control from Tosshi, he asks the Yorozuya for help to protect Shinsengumi in spite of his pride, calling it his "first and last request" for them. Yorozuya decides to help him, and they steal a Shinsengumi police car while protecting Tosshi from Itou's faction. They then chased after the train which Kondou and Isao were on before they got to him, Sougo had already disconnected the trains, making the distance between Kondou and Itou as he is on the train with Itou and his group. Kondou finds out the reason why Toushirou was acting the way he was, he ends up regretting treating him the way he did and taking away his position. He tells the Yorozuya to take Toushirou away from the battle, as Toushirou has no intention of fighting the way he is, and tell the Shinsengumi that he himself died in action. Toushirou takes back control from Tosshi and tells the Shinsengumi that Kondou was saved and that they should keep fighting. Hijikata jumps to the train where Isao was located as they both engage each other in battle. Later on, the train that they were on was blown up on top of a bridge by Kawakami Bansai, who was working with Itou but had secretly made plans along with the Kiheitai. As the rest of the train is about to fall off the collapsed bridge, a Kiheitai helicopter comes in to kill the survivors of the wreckage. Itou uses himself as a shield against the bullets from the helicopter to save Hijikata and the others. At that point, he finally found out that he already found the "bond" he was searching for so long.
After Gintoki manages to break down the helicopter together with Bansai, Hijikata joins the Shinsengumi to fight the rest of the Kiheitai soldiers. Afterward, Toushiro decides to fight with Itou in his final battle so that he could die a respectable samurai. The duel ends with Hijikata's victory and Itou's death.
Ryugujo Arc[]
Otohime opened a snack house. Hijikata and Kondo become its regular costumers and Otohime gave advice to the drunk Kondo for every time he got dumped by a woman. Kondo asked to marry with Otohime, but she said that she already has someone, making Hijikata curious. A man came to the shop and called Otohime beautiful.
Monkey Hunter Arc[]
Toushirou and Sougo both participated in the Monkey Hunter game as they were both turned into screwdrivers. They later grouped up with the Yorozuya, Katsura, and Isao, and fought against the Amanto who turned them into screwdrivers.
Correspondence Arc[]
When the correspondence goes downhill, Hijikata's skill as a follow-up man is proven when he artistically writes a reply back to Shinpachi's correspondent.
Shinsengumi Death Game Arc[]
Sougo and Hijikata in Episode 147
Hijikata wakes up in a place with Sougo. They are both chained. Hijikata states that he doesn’t remember anything, so Sougo explains to him what happened during their night patrol. Suddenly, the tv opens and Jigsaw (parody of the movie ‘’Saw’’) appears. He explains the game and states that only the one with the key will live, and if they don’t play, in three days, the Shinsengumi station will blow up. Jigsaw’s mother calls him to a diner and he closes the tv. This surprises Hijikata. He thinks that this is the golden opportunity for Sougo, who always wanted to kill him. Sougo wants to take a piss, but Hijikata thinks that he is plotting something.
He plans to make Sougo play the traitor and wait until he makes his move, but Sougo doesn’t move at all. Hijikata tries to bait him by pretending to be asleep but Sougo doesn’t make a move and Hijikata figures out that Sougo is also using his tactic, trying to make him play the traitor.
When they tell Jigsaw that they won’t betray each other, a dog appears and attempts to eat the key. Hijikata dashes forward and catches the dog, but Sougo thinks that he is a traitor, so Hijikata throws the key out of the window.
Sougo's last words in Episode 149
They find a chuubert but can’t share it, so they try to break the pillar. Sougo finally gives up and apologizes to Hijikata and severs his head with a saw. Hijikata drinks the entire chuubert and breaks the pillar. He tries to save Sougo but the ground shackles. Hijikata manages to grab the lower flor and stops falling down. Sougo opens his eyes and thanks Hijikata for his good work. He opens his leash and throws it down, making Hijikata down in the process.
Otsu Arc[]
Hijikata vs. Shinpachi in Episode 163
Toushirou had been fighting with Tosshi all this time as he thought that over time, Tosshi would disappear, instead he persisted. There were times that Tosshi would take over his body, like when Toushirou just finished assembling a shelf, it would suddenly be filled up with otaku DVDs. So he decided to fulfill Tosshi's wish of being able to leave a mark on the world by becoming the captains of Otsu's official fan club. Hijikata enters the competition for Otsu's official fan club as he had already assembled over five thousand otakus on his team while the only opposing team was Shinpachi's Terakado Tsuu fan club in which a lot of members had gone over to Hijikata's team.
Character Poll Arc[]
Rokkaku Arc[]
Kabukicho Stray Cat Arc[]
When Gintoki and Katsura turned into cats and Kondo into a gorilla, they went to beg some food. Hijikata gave them mayonnaise in the belief they liked it as much as he did.
Timeskip Arc[]
First, he appeared to have drastically changed, allowing Yamazaki to hit and insult him while he just smiled. He eventually revealed to Shinpachi that he too hadn't changed at all. This was proven false when Shinpachi hit everyone with a paper fan to destroy an alien wart which caused people with ambition to change.
Vacation Arc[]
Host Club Arc[]
Hijikata and Sougo as Host in Episode 241
He was persuaded to become host along with Sougo.
Baragaki Arc[]
Shinsengumi finally out found out that Gintoki is the infamous Shiroyasha 白夜叉 Joui Patriot when he revealed it.
Toushirou knowing that Gintoki is Shiroyasha instructed Yamazaki to spy on Gintoki again, however, he is not interested in Gintoki's past but those around him mainly Katsura. By using Gintoki as bait, Yamazaki would patiently observe. However, Yamazaki at his limit changed his target to Tama who he has fallen for.
Courtesan of a Nation Arc[]
After the Yorozuya, along with Tsukuyo and Nobume, were imprisoned in Edo's castle, the Shinsengumi was asked to guard the castle instead of the Mimawarigumi, since the actions from both Nobume (with the Yorozuya and Tsukuyo) and Isaburo, two of the principal members of the Mimawarigumi, were considered as a betrayal to the Bakufu. Along with Kondo, Hijikata sided with the Yorozuya, set them free from prison, and helped them to get inside the castle.
After all, the ruckus ended and the former Shogun Tokugawa Sadasada finally died, both Kondo and Hijikata paid a visit to Isaburo, and here they find out about a complot from the Hitotsubashi faction towards the Tokugawa faction, and the purpose of the complot is to place Tokugawa Nobunobu as the Shogun instead of Shigeshige.
Beam Sword Style Arc[]
Frozen Time Arc[]
In Episode 267 Hijikata has the battery of the universal clock but his tight-gripped hand.
Dekoboko Arc[]
Hijikata transforms into a female version where he appeared to be overweight due to his obsession with eating mayonnaise that accumulated high calories where he came 'bursting out' as soon as he became a woman. His voice remained as deep while 2 plaits were added onto his hair, one on each side. The female Gin (Ginko) would constantly tease Hijikata and call him names like 'pig' and how he won't get a man. Competitive as ever, they would compete with one another to see who gets many men. Due to his looks, he was brutally rejected by all men (who were women). Though the female Sougo would try to get him to do 'diet' with the rest of the female Shinsengumi, which usually ends up Hijikata being tied up and literally grilled like pork, as teased like a pig. He was seen later then dressed in a kimono with pig patterns all over, together with the female Sougo and Ginko, trying to act feminine just as how the archbishops want. Later when they failed to return back to their original sexes, Hijikata was shown working in a club as a 'miniskirt police' where he was also turned down by most men. At the end, when everyone was back to their normal appearances, in the cinema, Hijikata spreads mayo on top of his popcorn.
Grim Reaper Arc[]
Confessional Arc[]
Hijikata goes to the confessional to investigate the Shogun's disappearance. He asks Gintoki questions, explaining that Yamazaki was found unconscious with a bloody message aimed at Katsura, which Katsura corrected to accuse Gintoki. Hijikata informs him of the matter and tells him to contact him if he hears anything about their investigation and walks out of the confessional saying "Amen."
Soul Switch Arc[]
Afro Arc[]
Feigned Illness Arc[]
Shogun Assassination Arc[]
Together with the Yorozuya and the Oniwabanshuu the Shinsengumi is hired by the Shogun to transport him outside the country and protect him from assassination. Hijikata and Kondo later fight together with the Yorozuya to protect the Shogun from countless Yato. Later on, while fleeing from the Yato, Hijikata and Kondo let the Yorozuya together with the Shogun cross a bridge as they both offer themselves to stay behind to hold back the Yato for them. Kondo and Hijikata then make their very first and last request to the Yorozuya to protect the Shogun to the very end. Later on, after being almost at the brink of death from fighting, Kondo and Hijikata are saved by reinforcements from the Shinsengumi.
Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc[]
Silver Soul Arc[]
The Shinsengumi's return.
Hijikata along with Kondou and Sougo, return to Edo to help out the Yorozuya after they were trapped by the Altana Liberation Army. After the hiatus the Shinsengumi had because of being disbanded for Tokugawa Shigeshige's passing, they came back to Edo with new "powers", since they all trained hard during their hiatus. While Kondo increased his physical strength and speed, and Sougo now is working on quit trying to kill Hijikata, Hijikata now is working on quit smoking.
Hijikata and the Shinsengumi developed some strategies to take down the huge amanto army that the Altana Liberation Army displayed on Edo, since this army was on numbers advantage. With these strategies and the cooperation with other groups, such as the Yoshiwara's Hyakka, the Imperial Oniwabanshuu, and the Yorozuya, they could successfully expel the amanto army from Kabukicho.
When the night came, the Shinsengumi and the other groups they fought with started discussing what would they do next, because everyone knew that they could not stand another attack from the Liberation Army. The Shinsengumi ended patrolling the city.
Eventually, Hijikata realized that Hiraga Gengai, the inventor who stopped all the machines and the communications, was abducted. He tried to inform everyone of this, but he bumped into a wild party where everyone was drunk and his chief was half-naked and hanging from a wall. As everyone was informed of what happened to Gengai, they all started to look out for him.
At the beginning they all followed a trace of poop on the ground, and Sougo thought it was Gengai's poop (since he was kidnapped while taking a dump behind a wrecked wall), and even made a bet with Hijikata, but it turned out to be Kondo's poop. Again, they all followed a trace of blood, and Hijikata thought that Gengai was seriously injured and followed the trace, but it turned out to be Hattori Zenzo's blood from his hemorrhoids.
When Kagura and Kamui's Seventh Division was fighting against the Yato who kidnapped Gengai, everyone else, including Hijikata and the Shinsengumi, were fighting against the immortal Naraku, and then the ground started to crumble and crack, and these cracks were actually small Dragon Holes, where Kondo was about to fall into.
After this, the Shinsengumi, the Yato sided with Kagura and Kamui and the Yorozuya started fighting against Utsuro's immortal Naraku and Utsuro himself. The Shinsengumi was diminished in members because of Utsuro's sword, and Hijikata and Sougo saw how Utsuro wounded Kondo and how he sliced Yamazaki's throat, nearly killing both of them. Hijikata and Sougo also were seriously wounded by Utsuro, but in the end they stood up.
Hijikata, Sougo, and Kondo fought alongside the Yorozuya and Umibozu and Kamui against Utsuro, who was now fearful of humans.
Two years after the war, Shinpachi realized that the top members of the Shinsengumi were dismissed from the police. While Kondo was commanded to resign from the Shinsengumi and marry Princess Bubbles (Gorilla princess) and Sougo was commanded to commit seppuku, Shimaru Saito, and Hijikata were commanded to leave Edo. Hijikata is now working as a police in a village where Yoshida Shouyo once set the Shouka Sonjuku school.
As Gintoki was captured by the police in that village, Hijikata tried to make him confess his motives to meet Takasugi Shinsuke, the criminal who formed the Kiheitai and caused terror in Edo. He couldn't get Gintoki to speak, but he tracked him (with the help of Yamazaki the Mob Cop) as he escaped in a ship with Takasugi to Edo. Hijikata still followed him in Edo's streets, but he ended in some awkward situations just to disguise himself and not let anyone else know of his presence there, not even to Gintoki.
After he accidentally revealed his identity to Shimura Tae, Sarutobi Ayame, Yagyuu Kyuubei and Tsukuyo, Hijikata said that they would never make him say nothing about the whereabouts of Gintoki (they knew he was in Edo, but didn't know exactly where), but with no efforts, they "tortured" him and he revealed that Gintoki was actually there a few minutes ago. After a bit more of time, Edo's Terminal is destroyed again.
Excalibur Arc[]
Hijikata and Kondo discuss the recent murders by Senbe, and are interrupted when Sougo comes by and tells Hijikata that he'll be "borrowing" his room; he pulls the sword out of Gintoki's ass.