Takechi Hanpeita

Takechi Hanpeita (, Takechi Hanpeita) is the main antagonist of Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin!. He is based on the real-life historical figure . He is the adoptive brother of the game's protagonist, Sakamoto Ryoma, and the founder of the Tosa Loyalist Party.
==Profile==
=== Appearance ===
In Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!, Takechi's appearance is based on his actor, Katsunori Takahashi, with some additions based on the real-life Sakamoto Ryoma. During the first part of the game in Tosa, he styles his hair in a in a traditional samurai topknot. Later on in his safehouse in Mukurogai, he has loose shoulder-length hair. When Ryoma finds him in Omiya, he is seen with long graying hair and darkened features, aging significantly. He is later seen exactly as he was in Tosa.
In Like a Dragon: Ishin!, Takechi's appearance is instead based on Hideo Nakano as Keiji Shibusawa. In Tosa, he retains his topknot hairstyle. In his safehouse in Mukurogai, he has a shaved head. When Ryoma finds him in Omiya, he is seen with shaved gray hair and darkened features. Takechi gains a buzzcut hairstyle in the final fight and as "Yamauchi Yodo" in the epilogue, with it being short in the top and shaved close to the sides.
=== Attire ===
Takechi is seen wearing several different outfits throughout the game. In the first and last chapter of the game, he wears a white nagajuban underneath a grayish blue kimono and a slate grey hakama, matching the color scheme of the standard Tosa Loyalist Party attire. When he meets with Sakamoto in the safehouse at Mukurogai, his clothes are shabby and faded, consisting of an army green kimono, a brown hakama, and a black nagajuban.
During his time posing as Sakamoto Ryoma, Takechi changes his attire to match the former's: a black Tosa kimono with a white hakama and nagajuban. When disguised as a komusō, he wears a tengai straw hat, a black kimono with a dark brown obi, an orange o-kuwara on his left shoulder, white tekou hand-and-forearm covers, white kyahan shin covers and tabi socks, and waraji sandals. Lastly, in the epilogue, he wears a navy blue nagagi with a dark brown obi around his waist, and is also barefoot.
=== Personality ===
Takechi is a calm, calculating man who almost never loses his temper. He is deeply motivated and politically ambitious, wishing to completely re-shape Japanese society in order to ready it for resisting Western colonialism. Given the massive amount of change Takechi considers necessary, he believes that radical, immediate action is the only viable way to save Japan, even if means resorting to violent and immoral methods, as it is all for the greater good. This commitment to change at all costs if such that Takechi is willing to orchestrate the assassination of his own foster father in order to take over leadership of the Tosa Loyalist Party and steer it towards the more radical action he is in favor of implementing.
== Background ==
Like Ryoma, he also grew up with the support of Yoshida Toyo, owing to him the advanced studies he took.
==Involvement==
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin!: 1866-1870 ===
Takechi is first seen in his dojo, training newly recruited Tosa Loyalists on using firearms when he finds Ryoma coming to visit him. The members leave, as he discusses with Ryoma about their upcoming invasion on Kochi Castle, before handing him a pistol. Takechi is seen later with Ryoma at said castle, and both go to see and talk with Toyo. The talk is interrupted when a mysterious ninja appears to mortally wound Toyo, putting Takechi in shock and forcing him and Ryoma to escape the castle. 
He is seen before the fight with the ninja, wounded and laying with the other Loyalist Party members. As Ryoma and Takechi leave the castle wounded and tired, Ryoma decides to hide the wounded Takechi inside a nearby shrine, making sure he is safe from the oncoming troops. He hides while Ryoma jumps off the hill, only to be seen one year later.
He is seen a year later in a safehouse in Mukurogai, seemingly healed and aged slightly. He tells Ryoma that he never escaped Tosa, but was sent to Kyoto by the Tosa Loyalist Party. According to him, he had now become a joshi, which was a much higher class than goshi. After an argument about Ryoma's decision on joining the Shinsengumi to find who killed their adoptive father, Takechi stays behind. 
He is seen later, though hidden, during a scene with Katsu Rintaro and Saigo Kichinosuke. Katsu claims that Takechi is Sakamoto Ryoma, and that he is willing to give more than enough weapons to the Satsuma Domain, in order to take down Edo castle. 
After this brief appearance, Ryoma is given the revelation that Takechi is dead, and before his death, had told Katsura Kogoro to help Ryoma out on finding out who the fake Ryoma is.
Takechi is seen later disguised as a monk, watching the body of Inoue Genzaburo float along the river in front of him, before he walks away. 
A while later, Ryoma and Okita Soji get a report that Sakamoto Ryoma is located at the Terada Inn on the 2nd floor. Once there, Ryoma confronts the komusō, as Tosa Loyalist members join him in the oncoming fight. Once they are beaten, Takechi is questioned on why he is taking Ryoma's name, before attacking Ryoma once more. Okita comes to defend Ryoma before slicing a piece of Takechi's clothes off, revealing his burn mark on his back. He flees out the window before the Kyoto Patrolling Group arrive.
Whilst at Omiya, Ryoma reaches the top floor, where he meets and kills a presumed soldier. Beside the soldier is an injured Nakaoka Shintaro, who tells Ryoma that their plan was used against them. Takechi appears once again, covered in shadow alongside Ito Kashitaro and Sasaki Tadasaburo. Ryoma angrily questions Takechi on why he used Ryoma's name and attempted to destroy his life. Takechi tells Ryoma before leaving that he will be waiting at Tosa, and that he "has one last job for [Ryoma] to do."
He is found at the end of the game, in the room where Yoshida Toyo was murdered. Takechi laments that he and Toyo had opposing views on Ryoma inheriting the Tosa Loyalist Party, and that in order to really change Japan, "blood has to be spilled" and he "must use every means possible" in order to make it happen. He also hands Ryoma the revelation that he had hired the ninja, revealed to be Serizawa Kamo, to assassinate Toyo and several other members. He had later used Ryoma's name in order to make the real Ryoma decide which Ryoma was the right one, or the more just one. During Ryoma's time as Saito Hajime, Takechi had been getting details of his every move from Oryo. He had also ordered Okada and Ito to light Kyoto ablaze, making the fire seem like it was ordered by Kondo Isami.
After Takechi reveals his ideology to Ryoma, the two begin their final duel, one that would take them to the higher floors of the castle. Takechi is beaten. He orders Ryoma to deal the finishing blow, but Ryoma refuses, stating that Sakamoto Ryoma had died back at Omiya, and that Yoshida Toyo and his brother are more important. Takechi, confused, soon realises that he never had the potential to change the country, stating that there was something someone needed to have instead of cold-heartedness; love. Instead of being the one to change the country, he had been used by the system he tried to destroy. He tells Ryoma about how he had always taken care of him during their youth, and even up till now. Takechi and Ryoma decide to share a view of the sun rising from the edge of the sky. With the sun in full view, Takechi tells Ryoma that he'll bring down Tosa, as it had become an injust weapon. He also reveals that he had been used by Yamauchi Yodo, alongside Katsu, to order weapons from England, more prominently from Thomas Glover, to hatch a civil war in Japan. This was so Japan would become available for England to colonize, and give Yodo the emperor's seat. Before Takechi can tell more about Yodo's plan, he spots Yodo aiming for Ryoma with a pistol, and covers him as he is shot in the shoulder. Yodo taunts at the brothers, and exclaims his plans of expanding Japan before firing more shots at Ryoma. Takechi watches from afar as Ryoma, alongside the recovered Okita Soji, Nagakura Shinpachi and Hijikata Toshizo, trap and execute the now cowardly Yodo for his crimes against his country, exclaiming that despite a person's mistakes, they must continue moving forward to see the sun rise in their country.
During the epilogue, which flashforwards two years later in Tokyo, it is revealed he started using Yodo's identity after a year of seclusion in order to fill in Yodo's place, presumably cutting ties with outside interactions to Japan.
== Fighting Style ==
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! ===
Takechi is fought twice in Ishin!: once in Teradaya whilst disguised as a komusō, and again at Yodo Yamauchi's palace as the final boss. He is quite the formidable opponent, possessing two fighting styles that are both counterparts to Sakamoto's Swordsman and Wild Dancer styles respectively. His aura in Heat Mode is pale purple with a white hue. 
==== Swordsman ====
Takechi's primary fighting style, which he uses in both his first fight and the first and third phases of his last. As a disciple of Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū, Takechi is an elegant and refined swordsman who mostly utilizes smooth, coordinated slash attacks. His moveset is listed as follows:
* a Rush Combo consisting of a leftward horizontal slash, an upward right diagonal slash, an upward left vertical slash, and a spinning leftward horizontal slash;
* a second combo consisting of an upward left diagonal slash, a rightward horizontal slash, a downward vertical slash, a spinning one-handed thrust, and a one-handed upward right diagonal slash (2nd fight only);
* a spinning leftward horizontal slash,
* quickstep attacks (2nd fight only), including:
** a downward left diagonal slash after a forward-stepping,
** a horizontal right/left slash after a right/left sidestep respectively (Heat Mode only), and
** an upward left diagonal slash after backstepping; and
* a charged, one-handed downward sword-thrust, which will down Sakamoto if he is impaled by it.
In the third phase of his final fight, he begins to fight much more aggressively, often dodge-cancelling his combos to perform other attacks.
==== Wild Dancer ====
Used by Takechi in the second phase of his final fight. In this style, he pulls out a Model 2 pistol and fights in a similar fashion to Sakamoto's own Wild Dancer style, but with a greater emphasis on sword attacks than shooting.
He has three different combos, including:
* a Rush Combo consisting of an underarm sword-thrust, a spinning rightward horizontal slash, a leftward horizontal slash, and a sword-thrust from behind his back;
* a second combo consisting of a leftward horizontal slash, a spinning leftward horizontal slash, and a downward left diagonal slash before spinning around and firing his pistol;
* a third combo consisting of a downward left diagonal slash, a downward right diagonal slash followed by three gunshots in the same direction, a leftward horizontal pirouette slash whilst simultaneously firing his pistol rapidly, and a spinning rightward horizontal low slash followed by a gunshot.
The rest of his attacks include:
* a lunging rightward horizontal slash,
* standing in-place while firing his pistol,
* running around in an arc while firing in two-round bursts, ending with a dive roll with three gunshots;
* quickstep attacks, including a spinning jump to the right/left while slashing left/right respectively; and
* a downed attack where he does a 360° spin into a leaping overhead downward thrust.
During this phase, a glitch may occur where he performs Sakamoto's Rain of Steel and Fire Heat Action.
Takechi will enter Heat Mode early into his second phase, and will remain in it for the rest of the fight.
=== Like a Dragon: Ishin! ===
In his Like a Dragon: Ishin! boss fights, Takechi's attack animations are sped up, making him faster than he was in the original. He also starts his last boss fight in Heat Mode. During his Wild Dancer phase, he will perform his dive-shot attack without running around, and does not have to stand still when shooting. He has two new attacks in said style: 
* an upward right diagonal slash, and
* holding his katana out in front of him, and rapidly flourishes it several times.
However, his downed attack has been removed from his moveset. Takechi can also use Sakamoto's Essence of Lightning's Spear ability in his Wild Dancer style, as well as his own version of Essence of Crimson Cuts during his last Swordsman phase.
Takechi is given multiple different auras. In his first boss fight, he has fiery orange attack trails, although he does not enter Heat Mode like in the first game. During his final fight, he emits a white aura in his first phase, a pale yellow aura in second, and a pinkish red aura with purple highlights in his third.
== Trivia ==
*During Chapter 13, Nakaoka shows the remaining Shinsengumi members a photograph of Takechi impersonating Sakamoto Ryoma. This photograph is based on a real historical photograph of Sakamoto Ryoma.
== Gallery ==
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! ===
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita.png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Dojo).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi at his dojo
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Mukurogai).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi in Mukurogai
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Sakamoto Ryoma).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi as "Sakamoto Ryoma"
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Komuso).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi as a when disguised as a komusō
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Omiya).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of "War-torn" Takechi
RGGI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Yamauchi Yodo).png|Full-body Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! render of Takechi as "Yamauchi Yodo"
RGGI - Texture - Takechi Hanpeita's Photograph.png|Photograph of Takechi posing as Sakamoto Ryoma.
Sakamotoryomairl.jpg|Real-life photograph of Sakamoto Ryoma, for comparison.
Ch2 kyodai.png
Masked ryoma.png|Disguised as a monk.
Rggihanpeitaasryomaphotograph.jpg
Rggitakechihanpeita.jpg|Takechi during Chapter 13.
Ch13 kyodai.png
Takechi.png|Takechi's crest
=== Like a Dragon: Ishin! ===
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita.png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Takechi
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Tosa).png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Takechi at Tosa
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Mukurogai).png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Takechi in Mukurogai
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Sakamoto Ryoma).png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Takechi as "Sakamoto Ryoma"
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Komuso).png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Takechi as a when disguised as a komusō
LADI! - Character Render - Takechi Hanpeita (Omiya).png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of "War-torn" Takechi
LADI - Texture - Takechi Hanpeita's Photograph.png|Photograph of Takechi posing as Sakamoto Ryoma.
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Online ===
RGGO - Card - SSR Takechi Hanpeita.png|SSR Takechi Hanpeita
RGGO - Card - SSR Takechi Hanpeita (Decisive Battle).png|SSR Takechi Hanpeita (Decisive Battle)
RGGO - Card - KSR Takechi Hanpeita (Ishin Kiwami).png|KSR Takechi Hanpeita (Ishin Kiwami)
Category:Historical Figures
Category:Tosa Loyalist Party
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Characters
Category:Like a Dragon: Ishin! Characters
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Antagonists
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Bosses
Category:Like a Dragon: Ishin! Bosses
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Final Bosses
Category:Ishin Shishi
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Online Characters