002☂ ABOUT

[yatotribe]

learn about this asshole.

✖ BASICS:

NAME: Kamui
CANON: Gintama
CANON POINT: After allying with Takasugi.
GENDER: Male
AGE: 18
RACE: Amanto (aliens, pretty much). Of the Yato race.
BIRTHDATE/SIGN: Jun 1 | Gemini
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Asexual

✖ APPEARANCE:

HEIGHT: 170cm
WEIGHT: 59kg
EYES: Blue.
HAIR: Coral in colour, up to his lower back, usually tied in a braid.
BUILD: Atheletic!
CLOTHING: He'll usually be seen in a changshan, which is pretty much a traditional chinese robe for men. He has them in a few colours, and he seems to like black. Also, he may occasionally be seen wrapped from head to toe in bandages (as protection from the sun) or with a large cloak over his shoulders. He'll almost always be seen with an umbrella on his person.
OTHER DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Like with all Yato, his skin is unnaturally pale. It's because it isn't adapted to the sun.
PICTURE REFERENCE: Here.

✖ ABILITIES:

Kamui is part of the Yato Tribe, a warrior race of aliens renown for their ability to inflict carnage. There are some qualities unique to the Yato:

BRUTE STRENGTH: The Yato are, firstly, immensely strong. The extent of just how strong is uncertain, but Yato have been seen decimating large statues with a single punch. Kamui is no exception. A punch from him can easily shatter a regular person, and he has been seen destroying large ships single-handedly.

SPEED AND AGILITY: The Yato have an above average speed and agility. Kamui has been seen dodging attacks in a split-second.

HEALING: Accelerated healing is another unique quality to the Yato body. They also appear to have a limited regenerative ability (for smaller appendages like ears). Kamui, for example, appeared fully-healed a few days after being impaled in the back by arrows. Also, while it is unclear if this is a unique quality to him, substances like tranquilizers appear to have a delayed effect on Kamui. After being injected by elephant tranquilizers, he was still able wreak carnage, killing a dozen or so men before finally succumbing to the effects.

INTOLERANCE TO THE SUN: The planet that the Yato come from has been described as a dreary one that always rains. The Yato are, therefore, not adapted to living in the sun, as their pale skin shows. If not hiding under the shade or fully covered up, prolonged direct sunlight is likely to burn them. It seems that the more exposure they have to the sun, the better their tolerance to it - as shown by Kagura, who is regularly seen walking around without her umbrella. The less exposure they have to it, on the other hand, the worse their tolerance to it. If a Yato were to go years without going out into the sun, for example, their skin will dry out completely and they will die.

Even among the Yato, he is an exceptional fighter. He was able to go up against one of the strongest characters we've seen in Gintama and appeared evenly-matched (the fight was never resolved). Furthermore, what Kamui has is pure killing intent. He only strikes someone to kill, and he will never hold back. That, sadly, kind of gives him the advantage over those who are merciful.

TL;DR to get a gauge of Kamui's ability, just watch this clip.

✖ PERSONALITY:

in short.

‣ A fight-hungry killer who's constantly seeking stronger opponents to take down
‣ A sociopath who is completely ruthless
‣ A big eater
‣ An otherwise calm, cheerful and friendly guy

tl;dr version.

At first glance, there's nothing about Kamui that's menacing at all. He's a short, delicate-looking man, with bright vermilion-red hair and the palest skin. There's nothing in his everyday disposition that should raise many flags as well. Always in good cheer, he seems to wear a smile like one would wear clothes. In fact, he's more often seen carrying that pleasant smile with him than not, and the situations he's in rarely have the impact to change that. He's a polite man - seemingly again, of course - who addresses his superiors with due respect and plugs in honorifics where appropriate. He also appears to be a calm and casual man, taking most of the situations he's been in so far - many of them life-threatening - with the same curiosity and amusement. Indeed, on first meeting, not many would suspect that Kamui is what he is -- a cold-blooded, ruthless, killing machine.

But let's not jump to that so quick. There's still more that I have to say.

If one were to pay closer attention to the words coming out of the mouth of this pleasant-looking man, they might get a glimpse of the kind of person he is. Really, he makes no effort to hide it. He may give the impression of politeness at first, but his are only empty courtesies -- honorifics plugged in for the sake of it, respects given just because. There's little sincerity in the way he carries himself - that calm and pleasant disposition that he portrays. In truth, Kamui can be scathing in his remarks. He has less-than-favorable opinions of many people - particularly the ones he deems weak - and he will say it to their faces in the crudest way possible, all this while wearing that same unchanging smile. It's either that, or he'll insinuate to hell his meaning and throw in a few subtle insults. This is what he did to Housen. Kamui didn't approve of the way he had let himself go - particularly how fixated he was on his consort, Hinowa - and so, he slowly brought up the topic, offering his unflattering opinions and angering Housen bit by bit. Eventually, he decided to cut to the chase, calling Housen a "pathetic geezer" and earning a right hook that would have sent him smashing into the ceiling if he had not dodged (no, an innocent courtesan was lodged into the ceiling instead). He really has no filter, and that would be due to the fact that he simply can't be bothered with the feelings of others.

A selfish person to the core, Kamui rarely takes others into account when he makes his decisions. Whether or not he's inconveniencing people, hurting people, killing people, that's simply not a concern for him. Whether or not his decisions are actually sound, that's not a concern for him either -- as his long-suffering subordinate Abuto can attest. No, Kamui actually seems to chase his latest whim most of the time, and these whims change quickly with recent developments. His actions are confusing to those who don't understand the simple, often self-gratifying reasons for them, because he can say one thing then do a contradictory thing afterward. This is shown in the way Kamui had expressed his disappointment and disinterest in Housen - and he was being truthful in this - then proceeded to meddle with his affairs by reuniting Hinowa and the child that Housen was trying to keep away from her. Housen had asked him what he was planning, why his actions did not seem to match up, when the truth was actually something simple. He did have no interest in Housen or his affairs, but he was a little curious to see Hinowa - and most probably wanted to start shit, too. (It should be noted that to achieve this trivial little goal, he had to kill dozens of people to get to her.) Abuto has, in almost every scene they are in together, called him some variation of 'a complete blockhead', and Kamui is arguably deserving of this nickname. It isn't that he doesn't have the capability to think things through - he does appear to have a sharp head on his shoulders, having been seen reading people with a considerable ease or offering strategies to his superiors - but it's just that he follows his whims so often, his decisions aren't always sound. In fact, they have gotten him into a load of trouble in this past -- and yes, it was the life-threatening kind. For example: In his eagerness to fight Takasugi, he hadn't realised that Takasugi was being used as bait to lure him out. He cornered the other man one on one as everyone had predicted he would, but was promptly ambushed by an entire army. His impulsive, self-gratifying nature is precisely why he has a subordinate like Abuto around to negotiate, mitigate and pretty much clear up his messes for him.

If he's self-gratifying, then just what is it that gratifies him so much? Now, we're getting to the meat of this write-up.

As it might have been easy to guess by now, Kamui craves not for booze or women, but for battle -- he lives for it, even. He is, as Takasugi aptly put it, a 'beast who does not die even when killed'; one-part man, three or four-parts predator. Seated deep inside him is a thirst that's constantly there, and it has governed almost all of his known actions so far. Fighting is, right now, most likely the only thing motivating him. When opportunity arises and he comes face to face with a strong opponent, there seems to be an excitement that overcomes Kamui -- to the extent where he'll discard his calm disposition for that moment, and his face cracks into something more sinister. We have seen this many, many, many times. Honestly, he himself has described meeting opponents stronger than himself as something to be pleased about; and when he gets to spill their blood, "my soul cries out in ecstasy".

Not only does Kamui love to fight, but when he does, he fights to kill. You would expect a punch to only bruise, maybe break a bone at most, but Kamui's punches can completely shatter a regular human being, and that is exactly what he's gunning for. With his monstrous strength, he's been seen killing countless people with a single chop - his chops looking more like stabs considering how much blood they splay. The idea of holding back in a battle - fighting only to 'defeat', like his sister does - does not even occur to him, and he actually disdains the very thought of not fighting with your best. In a fight with Kamui, it's either you die or he does; he won't allow for middle ground. Truly, he is ruthless, and his ruthlessness is not extended to enemies alone. Kamui has killed allies - as seen with Ungyo, whom he impaled with his arm for simply standing in his way - and raised his hand against his only family - as seen with his father, whom he tried to kill in order to surpass.

Not to say it justifies his actions, but there's an explanation for his constant bloodlust. Kamui would be an exemplary member of his own race - the living definition of what it means to be Yato. The Yato tribe are a race of monstrous, battle-hungry aliens who look very human, with the exception of a few specific qualities: Their intolerance to the sun, heightened strength, healing and agility, innate ability to fight and - of course - their constant thirst for battle. They are a race who have, traditionally, wandered from planet to planet in search of new opponents to destroy and new battlefields to lay siege on, gaining strength with each person they take down. Inside every Yato - even the ones who no longer subscribe to the traditional ways - lies a beast, waiting to be awakened. This was very clear in Kagura's fight with Abuto, where she was pushed so far that she finally snapped and let her instincts take over. The normally gentle Kagura became a ruthless monster, tearing through Abuto for the rest of the fight. It's no surprise that a long history of infighting has left the Yato at the brink of extinction.

When your blood tells you to kill, there are two ways you can respond: Put up walls of inhibitions - as Kagura does - or cheerfully embrace it. The latter would describe what Kamui has done, and these two different approaches are the reason their paths have differed so much from when the both of them used to live together. He, as Abuto aptly puts it, 'follows his blood', doing whatever his instincts command of him, and most of the time, those instincts are roaring at him to fight and kill. Not only does Kamui follow his blood, but he also seems to take an immense pride in it. Though he acknowledges that there are many different forms of strength in the universe (a fact that delights him), it is clear that he holds his own race in high regard. This is evident in his comments about the Shinra tribe, whom he - after seeing the sorry state of Kujaku Hime Kada - remarked 'could not even hold a candle to one Yato'. It is also evident in the way he reprimands other Yato for living in a manner that disgraces their tribe.

Kamui would be what you would call a Yato purist, a person who practices the traditional ways, and if you put that into perspective, a lot of his actions fit in nicely. He seems to have a very passionate desire to live as Yato should -- hot-blooded, in constant war. His only goal in life at the moment is to seek strong opponents and take them out, strengthening himself in the process. In fact, when Kamui does manage to find an opponent he deems worthy, his eyes light up like it's the best thing in the world; friend or foe, no matter what the circumstances, he will move in for the kill. This was evident in the fact that he took on the 'boring' monitoring assignment of checking up on Housen. He actually had no interest in the mission itself, as he had little loyalty to give to his superiors, but he was willing to go for a chance to see the state of his old master and possibly start a fight. (Which he did, despite the fact that he knew it might have triggered an all-out war.) Also, when Kamui does lock in on an opponent that interests him - someone he calls his 'prey' - he appears to go to great lengths to protect them just so he can save them for himself. He actually ended up playing a part in bringing Yoshiwara peace for this reason -- which was a rather odd turn of events, considering the fact that he's a brutal killer. After the death of Housen, Kamui had taken full-credit, negotiating (or rather, having Abuto negotiate) his way into Housen's seat as the King of the Night and putting Yoshiwara under his own jurisdiction. This prevented Yoshiwara from falling into the hands of anyone else, and essentially maintained it at a state of peace (Kamui had no intention to enslave the women there like Housen did, after all). Make no mistake, he didn't do it out of any kind of concern for Yoshiwara's residents or any helping of kindness; he did it because he knew the higher-ups would go after Sakata Gintoki's head for defeating Housen, and Kamui had marked him as his own prey. If Kamui took credit and kept Gintoki a secret, he could keep him for himself.

So, just what is a 'strong' person to Kamui? He actually has very clear definitions of what he finds 'strong' and 'weak'. A strong person, to him, is not just someone with astounding fighting ability. Being Yato, he has met countless people with the strength of gods; simply having the ability to break boulders or the skill to take down armies isn't enough for him. This is made evident in the aftermath of his fight with Housen, probably one of the strongest characters in the series in terms of sheer power. Though Kamui was interested at first, his interest gradually dwindled when he saw the state that Housen was in - now an old man who spent his days drinking and laying women, who was too fixated on Hinowa for his own good. It dwindled so much that Kamui didn't actually finish the fight, leaving after expressing his disinterest. As shown, a 'strong' person, to Kamui, is one with a strong body and soul. A person who has kept every aspect of them sharpened. He actually appears to have a disdain for the common vices of men like sex and alcohol; he finds that they will 'dilute the pure Yato blood' and weaken him. He also takes a condescending tone to those who have let themselves get distracted by such pleasures, particularly if they're his clansmen. Throughout the series, Kamui appears to have developed an appreciation for resolve - a thing he now considers another form of strength. His admiration for Gintoki's resolve is the reason he is so interested in him. After seeing Gintoki go up against the far more powerful Housen, picking himself up over and over after each lethal blow and even managing to land a few blows of his own (despite being completely outmatched), Kamui has been fixated on him so far, marking him as 'prey'. This interest has extended to all samurai who vaguely remind him of Gintoki, which was why he had attacked Takasugi at all. He even calls Earth - among all the million other things unique to Earth - the 'Planet of the Samurai', and that should more than speak for how interested he is in samurai now.

Like with the strong, Kamui has an opinion on what he deems "weak". Those unable to fight or defend themselves are a given, of course, but that isn't the only definition of weakness that he has. Weakness, to Kamui, is compassion and mercy. He appears to feel very strongly about this, because he has been seen chiding his fellow Yato for showing those qualities countless times. The prime example is his sister, Kagura; the last thing that Kamui had said to her before abandoning her and their sick mother, and the first thing he said to her when they met again years after, was that she was nothing but a weakling. 'Weak' is not something most would call a girl like Kagura, who is very able to break walls and take down men twice her size. Kagura has a very distinct quality that sets her apart from Kamui, though: She is kind. She's that girl who cries over dead rabbits. She's that girl who plays with the other children in the neighbourhood. She's the one who saved Kamui's life when their father was about to kill him, and yet there's little gratitude on Kamui's part. Kagura, possessing all the traits that Kamui appears to look down on, is the definition of a 'weakling' to him.

Because of his disdain for things like compassion and kindness, he doesn't seem to possess any. All of Kamui's actions to date point to his apparent status as a sociopath. Even if he smiles often and is usually quite civil in his mannerisms, those are all empty gestures; Kamui doesn't seem to care for any of the people around him. His subordinates, for example, have always followed his orders obediently, and most likely aided him in achieving his position as Commander. Kamui killed Ungyo without so much as batting an eye, however, even treating himself to a taste of the dead man's blood right after. Kamui also cared little for the state of Abuto, who had lost an arm as a result of Kamui's reckless actions. Later on, he casually told Abuto to not get caught up with such 'little things', as if the fact that a man was dead and another had lost his arm was but a small hiccup in their plans. It is clear that his regard for their well-being is minimal to none. This nonchalant treatment of the people around him is extended to family as well. Kamui has repeatedly remarked that he cares little for Kagura, that she was 'no one' to him;, and judging from their interactions so far this appears to be true. Kamui also has nothing nice to say about his father, whom he finds 'weak' and 'soft' for choosing family over a life of battle. While it would be a stretch to say that Kamui can care for someone, he does appear to have developed a slight fondness for Abuto, however. He spared the other man's life despite the fact that he had lost in battle - an act so unprecedented that Abuto could only react in shock - and even helped support him out of the alley they were in. It's probably no coincidence that Abuto still poses much use to him, but the casual and almost friendly way they interact on a daily basis indicates some sort of familiarity. If anything, Kamui probably doesn't have the capability to show concern, but he can like someone, at least.

In Kamui's world, there is only the strong, the weak and the ones with potential. He has remarked that he dislikes killing children and women because the former may grow into strong fighters and the latter may birth some (that didn't stop him from massacring dozens of Housen's female guards, however). He also spared Gintoki's life because he acknowledged his potential, describing himself as a person who 'chooses to save their side dish for last'. He could see that Gintoki was too wounded at that moment to provide a satisfying fight, and he also wanted the other man to get stronger before Kamui tastes him for himself.

A lot of Kamui's background in shrouded in mystery, but there is evidence implying that he was not always the ruthless killer he is now. Umibouzu had mentioned this explicitly in his talk with Gintoki, remarking that Kagura wanted to 'save' Kamui and bring back the person he once was. The fact that he may have actually cared for someone once is also implied in Housen's comment to him -- that he must be wishing to reunite Hinowa and her son as 'penance' for abandoning his sick mother. While this was definitely not true, Kamui had to have shown some shard of care for his mother as a child for Housen to make a comment like that. How, exactly, Kamui was like back then, or what - if anything - had triggered his shift in personality remains unseen.

Before Housen passed away, he had given Kamui one last piece of advice. He could see himself in Kamui, he had said. They were both people who only knew how to fight, who would take everything they wanted by force. They were both people who would tear through battlefield after battlefield tirelessly with no understanding of what it was like to love or hate, what meaning it all had. Housen predicted that Kamui would turn out exactly the same way he did - a victor only in name, because he had destroyed everything he held dear in the crossfire. The strongest, with nothing left to show for it. It wasn't an assessment that Kamui disagreed with; he certainly believes that he has that fate in store for himself. However, Kamui is extremely resigned to it. He doesn't actually care about the future or past, after all. There are no things he has particular ties to, and no people he's locked in bonds with. He is a creature who only lives in the present, in the moment's pleasure, and he has described in his own words that 'I can't see what lies ahead. Everything blurs together into a new and everlasting battlefield, and there I feel most at home.'