The Far Shore app

Player Information

Name: Shou

Contact: shoutarou 

Age: 20

Other Characters: -

Character Information

Name: Mikazuki Munechika

Canon: Touken Ranbu

Canon Point: Post World 6

Age: Approximately 1105+, time of creation is around the end of the 11th century. 

History: History links: Touken Ranbu wiki, Tokyo National Museum website, Detailed sword history
The setting of Touken Ranbu has the world of 2205 being threatened by dark forces known as the Retrograding Army who set out to reshape history by going back in time to change the outcome of various events. The player assumes the role of a saniwa sage who possesses the ability to give life to inanimate objects; mainly shown depicted as bringing to life tsukumogami (spirits of said inanimate objects) of famous Japanese swords to fight the Retrograding Army to protect the course of history. Mikazuki Munechika was created by Sanjou Munechika, a revered swordsmith in Kyoto during the Heian era who was also the creator of other well-known blades. His most prominent owner was the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, known as the blade shogun due to his collection of various treasured swords and his peerless swordsmanship. In 1565, daimyos known as the Matsunaga Hisahide and the Miyoshi triumvirate launched a coup to oust Yoshiteru, with Mikazuki being the sword he wielded last as he defended himself until he was killed. This was the only recorded incident of him being used in battle. Mikazuki Munechika was then taken by Miyoshi Masayasu, and eventually passed to Kodaiin (Nene), Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife. After her death, he was passed to the current shogun then, Tokugawa Hidetada, remaining with the clan until he finally rests at the Tokyo National Museum in the current day.

Personality: Appearance is everything, this what one may think when they set their eyes on Mikazuki Munechika. His handsome human form with his intricately-detailed robes and accessories reflect the form of his blade, a creation that reflects the Heian period when he was born in, said to be the time which had the greatest advancements in contemporary Japanese artistic culture. In a time when one's nature was determined by beauty, he does not fail to captivate.

 

He introduces himself as the sword said to be the most beautiful of the Tenka Goken, or the Five Swords Under Heaven, five blades said to be created with outstanding quality and symbolic of the nation. Despite his status which conveys transcendental beauty, his personality contrasts the former, with him being warm, honest and cheery, making him seem a lot more down-to-earth. While he knows of his appearance being what gives him his status as a treasure, he does not flaunt it, after all it is not himself but others who gave the consensus.

 

Mikazuki conveys the image of a noble gentleman well, being polite, never voicing discontent and charming with his words, some which can be seen as flirtatiously inviting (one of them being him calling out for the player to come closer). Mainly, it is influenced from his own time being kept as a treasure by the aristocratic clans, giving him much exposure into the courtly ways. He is not adverse to others being close and personal with him, in fact he explicitly says that it is completely fine to touch him. That with him joking that with him being a grandpa for being born near the end of the eleventh century, his amiable, good-humored nature makes getting along with him easier, dispelling any sort of image of him being the priceless blade above all.

 

Easygoing and straightforward, he seems to be accept whatever he is given with, and verbalizes his thoughts in a candid, simple way that gives the impression that he does not give much thought to them, due to his laid-back nature.

 

Being kept as a valued treasure also presents itself the downside of being isolated from common society, and this manifests itself in Mikazuki being spoiled in a sense that he is cut-off from various elements from mundane daily life, the most prominent being him being unable to dress himself, fashion being ironically an unfamiliar concept to him as he confesses that he is constantly in need of help when it comes to clothing. Stores are also an unexplored frontier for Mikazuki, with the samurai families which keep him being affluent and eliminating the need for him to know about the details of such a business. He blatantly admits to these faults of his, and does state that he enjoys being taken care of, especially when being fixed after battle. The whole joke about him being an old man does indeed have basis, with elements of helplessness and the need of him being looked after by someone else accompanying him, and in turn it is something he enjoys, especially when the saniwa is repairing his sword form.

 

Being the tsukumogami of a weapon, battle is an inevitable reality to the touken danshi (another term for the sword tsukumogamis, literally sword boys in English). Mikazuki’s tranquility carries over to even when he is to battle, be it sparring or participating in the war against the Retrogading Army. When sparring against his fellow touken danshi, he does not mind the results particularly, whether it be victory or defeat as compared to some of the other swords, who pride themselves as being weapons of power. Facing off against the dark forces of the Retrogading Army, he enters battle with the aura of a war veteran. He does not say much, nor does he show any fear or revel in battle, simply seeing it as another task to complete and enemies to cut down. As much as he does not mind being beaten, it is not something he would want to achieve either. When considerably injured, he merely laughs bitterly and mentions how it is no joking matter, and drop his jokes towards the saniwa taking care of his injuries. Although he does not belittle the task of having the battle and sees it through with efficiency, the realities of possible injury or death does not faze him. This perhaps is an allusion to his own status as a sword of the legendary kengo shogun, who could fend off ten at once with a single blade, his own attitude hinting at hidden strength.

 

Mikazuki’s own longevity lasting for about centuries to about a millennium, matched and exceeded by only a few, has him see the various rise and fall of eras and by extension, his own masters. He himself by far was lucky to be spared from calamities that would befall some of the other less fortunate swords, such as fires or premature deaths of their owners, save for the Eiroku Incident which was responsible for Yoshiteru’s death, after which the rest of his time was mainly spent in the position of a bystander. So far, he has seen the various periods from Heian, Kamakura, Sengoku to the present twenty-third century, without being directly involved in violence after the Eiroku Incident. Watching the cyclic nature of the changing of eras with advancing time, being passed from one prominent clan to another has conferred upon him the wisdom of how human societies and the world changes. He has accepted the fate of being lonely due to his longevity and luck, though he does not make it obvious, or let it hurt him too much. Instead, Mikazuki prefers to enjoy the small moments of happiness in his present, living along with the other swords and saniwa in the citadel.

 

How he is viewed also shapes him differently when it comes to master-sword relationships. Mikazuki is perceived as a symbol of affluence, a treasure amongst many owned by people of power. Looking at the other swords, most which are personal keepsakes and the much-used weapon of said owner, which results in the development of sentimentality of one’s master’s from the touken danshi. Swords such as those owned by the Shinsengumi, Shokudaikiri Mitsutada and Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki have their identity, beliefs and personality shaped by their most prominent master, some even emulating their master’s appearance and personality as a form of respect. Mikazuki Munechika however does not possess such a personal connection with any of his former owners, be it Ashikaga Yoshiteru or Nene, not that he does not care, but rather him being able to come to terms with the mortality of his owners fully.

 

Some of the touken danshi were also victims to fate, some not being lucky enough for their actual forms to remain intact till this day, be it through breakage or being burned. Mikazuki’s own friend Honebami Toushirou, another of the Ashikaga family’s prized heirloom blades was not as lucky as he was, with the Great Meireki Fire burning him badly. While he was reforged, the result of the fire had taken its toll through the erasure of his memories via amnesia. While Mikazuki greets him cheerfully and instead gets the cold shoulder along with the truth of Honebami’s memory loss, he merely acknowledges that ‘something bad has happened’ and reassures him. From his own words, they had known each other for a long time even. Even with what he knew and the memories he spent with the old Honebami were gone, it does not stop him from him wanting to ‘get along with him once again’. Mikazuki is understanding of the turbulence of the times that he lived in, and is able to embrace reality for what it is, preventing him from being a prisoner of fear or grief, which what mainly fuels the desire to rewrite history and darkness of the Retrograding Army, some of these desires which exist in the hearts of other touken danshi.

 

Even when he is broken, his last words being “Well, all things are doomed to perish one day. That day happens to be today - that is all there is to it.” is perhaps the most prominent example of his understanding of the truth of the transience of all things, a truth that defined the Heian nobles’ way of thinking. Even his life of a thousand years and more will eventually come to an end, Mikazuki showing no regret whatsoever. His past does not stop him from his own way of life in the present, or what he looks towards to in the future.

 

Appearance is not all that is to Mikazuki Munechika, though it is what defined what he is to people, while time was what shaped his wise, accepting self. The innate knowledge of life and how things are in turn has him be able to embrace what he has and does not have, letting him live in his trademark carefree manner. In a way, his own self-proclaimed status as a grandpa does account in various ways one would perceive him to be, though there is much more beneath his beautiful face and silken robes.
 

Abilities: Being the tsukumogami of the Mikazuki Munechika blade, swordsmanship allows him to be able to use his sword for combat. Stats-wise, he is of the tachi type, a well-rounded type of blade that is durable and hits hard. In-game, he is one of the tachis with the highest total stats, making him strong overall in terms of offense and defense. He also possesses leadership qualities enough to lead a small squad for combat. If he is moderately injured, he is able to go into an awakening state, which has his attacks critically strike for that period of time. If provided with sword equipment, he can have them manifest their true forms as small familiars that take the shape of soldiers. The sword he carries is his true form, if the blade breaks, his human form will perish as well. Charcoal, steel, coolant and whetstones can be used to repair the blade if necessary.

Strengths: Patience, amiability, calmness, wisdom, carefree

Weaknesses: Distant, obtuse, enigmatic, pampered, whimsical

God/Shinki: Shinki

Why?: Mikazuki is the tsukumogami of a weapon, and thus ultimately made to serve. Even when the tsukumogami are gods themselves, most devote themselves to their owners due to their nature as objects. He himself is aware of that. He would be obedient and efficient as a shinki in carrying out duties, but would prove to be too whimsical and enigmatic if he is to become a god. In addition, he warms up to new owners (even the saniwa) relatively quickly.

Cause Of Death: Mikazuki died after his true form was broken in the battle of Atsukashiyama, one of the areas with the strongest retrograding forces after sacrificing himself.

Vessel: His actual sword form, which is an old tachi blade.

Name Location: His lower back.

Power: The ability to manipulate moonlight to empower his combat skills, mainly projected through the glow of his blade. In addition, combat abilities with enhanced agility and strength.

Writing Sample

Sample:  Mikazuki at Seven Vices!

Other

Anything Else?: Would preferably be paired with the god Caelus (Otegine) please!