Katanagatari Wiki
Register
Advertisement

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 also very clumsy and is not immune to bad judgment. She calculates brutal schemes that surprise even her partner and sword, Shichika Yasuri. Despite this, Togame is a cheery girl that handles herself as royalty, as is shown with her habit of wearing extravagant clothing and way of speaking. Her catchphrase is "Cheerio!", which she shouts while striking Shichika. Togame explains that this is a foreign word for "Chesuto!" (the Kagoshima dialect equivalent of "Ganbare!") only to discover later that this is incorrect. After some embarrassment, she tries to pass it off as an intentional choice.

Togame is wary of trusting others as she has been betrayed before on her sword-collecting quest. She orders Shichika to fall in love with her as she believes that only love surpasses all other temptations, including money or honor. Togame defines herself as a strategian, but emphasizes that what she concocts are not normal strategies or plans. She asserts that she instead makes schemes: haphazard plans made by the destitute and desperate to achieve success in the face of impossible odds. Her schemes focus on survival instead of complete victory, though she admits that sometimes, miracles can happen.

Appearance[]

Togame is petite and often claims to be physically fragile. As a child, she had black hair and dark pink eyes. After she witnessed the death of her father, her appearance changed. Her hair turned white from the shock and the eye that saw his murder through the doorway gap takes on a crucifix/cross-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 a brutal 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 the symbol of a coiled golden snake. A piece of half-armor covers one shoulder, referencing her samurai lineage. Her skirt has an intentionally torn appearance. She wears traditional geta. In the novels, Togame states that fashion is important and she dresses as she does to give herself a more imposing appearance.

Despite her youthful appearance and small stature, Togame is older than she looks, being at least twenty-four, while Kanara Azekura estimates she is about thirty-three.

History[]

28891

Togame in her youth as Princess Yousha

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, Shichika Yasuri's father, decapitated him. Togame discarded her original identity to avenge her father's murder and wishes to carry out his will by any means necessary. It is not until later in the quest that Togame remembers her father's last words to her—"I love you"—intended to encourage her to value her life and live peacefully. Togame instead uses this to reinforce her obsession that the swords must be obtained 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 sword collection quest.

Volume Two[]

Togame and Shichika have just begun their journey to collect Shikizaki Kiki's perfected Deviant Blades. They first arrive in Kyoto to purchase supplies and introduce Shichika, who has lived on an island his entire life, to civilization. Togame attempts to teach Shichika how to differentiate between people and the importance of fashion. She discusses Hakuhei Sabi, a legendary swordsman with a famous catchphrase, and also talks about her own catchphrase, "Cheerio!". After a long conversation about how his character must have a strong catchphrase to succeed, Shichika is annoyed and chooses a random one: "By that time, you'll already have been torn into pieces." They traverse the Inaba (稲葉) Desert and arrive at the ruins of Gekoku Castle, where they're greeted by the sight of the discarded corpse of Shirasagi Maniwa, one of the 12 heads of the Maniwa. Togame notes it seems as if he was just slain by Ginkaku Uneri, the castle's only inhabitant. Even after the kingdom was abandoned due to the desertification of the land, he still lives there alone, holding on to the 3rd Deviant Blade, Zantō Namakura. Inside Gekoku Castle's empty halls, they encounter Uneri. He sits alone in a darkened room and is obviously discomforted with their arrival. Togame negotiates for the sword. She promises that the Shogun will reward him for his cooperation. Uneri asks if the Shogun can promise to bring life back to the land. Togame says that reversing the desertification is outside of the Shogun's ability. Uneri responds with a yawn, saying it's rude to talk to a swordsman across the door, and asks her to enter the room. Togame agrees. As she steps across the threshold, Shichika quickly pulls her back: this only was a trap to get her into the swordsman's range. Togame is stunned as she realizes even with Shichika's rapid intervention, Uneri still managed a small cut on her torso. Shichika tells him that they're temporarily retreating to discuss a plan. After some discussion on strategies, Shichika tells Togame that he thinks he has an idea, inspired by Uneri's assertion that having things to protect make people stronger. Togame trusts in his abilities and they go back inside, ready to face Uneri. At the threshold of the room, Shichika asks Uneri why he lives the way he does. Uneri tells Shichika that he wants to protect something, but the Deviant Blade is the only thing he has left to protect. Shichika defeats Uneri by literally kicking Togame backwards as leverage to lunge upwards and out of range of the sword. He kills Uneri and they obtain their second Deviant Blade. After the battle, Shichika and Togame discuss Uneri's sense of pride and loyalty to a dead kingdom. He mentions that he thought Uneri's final words were especially admirable. Togame tells him that a person's final words are incredibly powerful, even more than a catchphrase, but that he shouldn't concern himself too much with them: she won't allow Shichika to die for her.

Volume Three[]

Togame and Shichika depart 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 give up the Deviant Blade. If he loses, they must give her Kanna and Namakura. Shichika thinks this is unfair as they're betting two blades for one, but Togame explains that it's worth attempting as she wants to avoid any killing this time. As Togame ventures out to find the first blade of Sento Tsurugi, Shichika helps the skittish shrine maidens with chores around the temple. He is surprised as he does not sense Shikizaki's poison aura anywhere. That evening, Meisai invites Shichika for a drink as gratitude for assisting the shrine maidens. She explains that the temple is a rehabilitation center for women that have endured long-term abuse at the hands of men, and by giving them each the responsibility of a blade, she wants to turn Shikizaki's poison into medicine. To Meisai's surprise, Shichika is undeterred by this, reaffirming that he will still fight her to take the Deviant Blade. Meisai asks what it is that he fights for with such intensity. He answers that he is a sword that's chosen Togame as his wielder, so he fights for her. The conversation darkens as Meisai talks about how many people she's slain in her lifetime. When she asks Shichika how many people he's killed, he answers 2, one for each Deviant Blade holder. After a moment, he pauses, and corrects it to 3: he forgot to include that he killed his father.

The conversation is interrupted by Kuizame Maniwa approaching the shrine to take the blade. Mesai Tsuruga demonstrates her fighting style, Sentouryū, and kills him effortlessly. She asks Shichika to take care of the corpse himself. Shichika reunites later with Togame, informing her that Maniwa corps attacked. Togame announces that she's found the original blade. She gives Meisai the specimen she found with the oldest damage to the sheath. Mesai agrees with her, not seeming to care about whether she is correct, and the duel commences the next morning. During the duel, Shichika then realized the hunt for the original was only to distract the two of them for enough time to setup Chikeikōka Sentō Meguri (地形効果・千刀巡り, Terrain Effect: Thousand Sword Circumference), a strategy wherein Meisai and the maidens have hidden a thousand swords for her to use around the shrine's terrain. Shichika escapes to the only place he knows she wouldn't have set a trap: the back house where he and Togame stayed. Mesai pursues, drawing out one more sword from the ground. Shichika immediately identifies it as the original Deviant Blade, sensing it is the sword that chose its master, and notes that it is the same as how he chose Togame as his wielder. Shichika defeats her with Kyotōryū. As Togame finally catches up to them, she is stunned at the sight of Meisai's bloodied corpse contrasted against Shichika's oblivious smile. He declares that he's won the Deviant Blade. Even though she wanted to avoid killing Mesai because of the shrine's altruistic purpose, the victory allows her to realize that Shichika doesn't understand the difference between killing or sparing an opponent. She congratulates him anyway. Togame makes arrangements with the Shogun to insure the continuation of Meisai's shrine and safety of its maidens. As they journey back to Owari, Shichika asks Togame if she truly would've given up their 2 Deviant Blades if he'd lost the fight with Meisai. Togame asserts that she never once thought he would lose. Upon hearing this, Shichika looks content.

Volume Four[]

Volume Five[]

Volume Six[]

Volume Seven[]

Volume Eight[]

Volume Nine[]

Volume Ten[]

Images

Reunites with her father's spirit.

Volume Eleven[]

24lucnn

Togame's death.

Volume Twelve[]

1446225799220

Togame in the afterlife.

After eleven swords have been collected, Togame is fatally wounded by Emonzaemon Sōda. As she bleeds out from the wounds, Togame tells Shichika that everything was a means toward obtaining revenge for her family's murder at the hands of the shogunate, 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 so. The last order that she gives to Shichika is to forget about her.

With her last breath, she says that she is finally happy and asks Shichika if she is allowed to fall for him.

Abilities[]

Keen Intellect: Though Togame is a princess born without any special attributes, her diligence and intellect help her analyze situations and devise strategies very well.

Willpower: Togame's willpower is so strong that she was able to escape the siege on her home and survive as an orphan, eventually working her way up to the position of General Strategian in the Shogun's cabinet. Even though she's been betrayed multiple times, she is still intent on acquiring the 12 Deviant Blades.

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".
  • Just as Shichika is often represented with a maple leaf motif, Togame is shown alongside a white snake in take's original novel art as well as critical scenes in the show itself.
Advertisement