Hijikata Toshizo

Hijikata Toshizō （土方歳三)　is the fukuchou, or vice-captain, of the Shinsengumi, serving as Kondo Isami's right-hand man. He is infamous among his subordinates for his harsh and strict discipline; his nickname, Oni Fukuchou (or Demon Vice-Captain), illustrates this. Toshi is known for being the brains behind the group's harsh troop regulations.

Early Life
Hijikata Toshizo is the fourth son in a wealthy family in Ishida village. As a young child, he lost both of his parents to tuberculosis and was raised by his siblings - four older brothers and two older sisters. One of his sisters and one of his brothers also eventually passed away from tuberculosis, and even Hijikata suffered from a light case before eventually getting better about six months later. He has on older sister that works in the Sato Dojo in Hino, which is where he and Kondo first met. While training, Toshi would work as a traveling medicine salesman, selling his family's secret medicine for bones and bruises.

Toshi first meets Okita Souji when the latter was 9 years old. They soon developed a sort of rivalry, with Toshi bullying him and interrupting his chores. Though timid and mostly a cry-baby, Soji eventually fights back and challenges Toshi to a mock fight (using a broom, no less) - Soji takes a beating, but Toshi later admits to Kondo that the child has skill. Toshi immediately assumes he is secretly training Soji, causing Soji to want to improve his skills to finally beat Toshi.

In the Shinsengumi
As previously stated, Toshi is known as the "demon vice-captain" and most of the members believe he cold-hearted and cruel. However, the reason he displays a tough and strict demeanor among the troop is to instill discipline, as the kind-hearted Kondo is too soft to do so. What most people don't know also is his passion for writing haiku, a form of Japanese poetry, under the penname Hogyoku.