Yoshitsugu Ootani
Broad-minded Yoshitsugu is an analytical youth. In the blink of an eye, he can accurately pinpoint a person’s motivations and identify the logical advantages and fallacies of every strategy. He expects everything, rarely surprised by sudden betrayals or ambushes. He never questions the morality of death or the wars. For the majority of his life, Yoshitsugu favors the rational and never thought to challenge the inevitable, or “the flow” of events around him. During this time, he indulges his thoughtful meanderings with the like-minded Takatora. Yet the vigor people display in their futile fights against fate intrigues him to reconsider. Once he embraces his own change of heart, Yoshitsugu enjoys the paradox of following a path he knows dooms him.
While he may seem sober and staid, his heart can be swayed by compassion and sympathy. He feels Mitsunari is an irrational mess who is trying too hard to impress. The strategist makes no attempts to hide his criticisms for Mitsunari’s brash impulsiveness yet Yoshitsugu can’t bring himself to ignore the youth’s kindness and concern towards him. His friend’s devout exertions for the Toyotomi inspires the strategist to join him. Since they regard Mitsunari in a similar light, Yoshitsugu bonds with Sakon. Both men want to do their best to defend Mitsunari’s sentimentality.
Yoshitsugu can also be a straight-faced comedian, especially in his personal events. Every now and then, he will stoically fib to exploit Mitsunari’s unbridled trust in him. He takes jabs at Takatora’s snack obsession and tough front. He suckers the protagonist to believe he is in love with him/her by purposely rewording his/her affections for him. He is aware that he is slandered as “a ghost” due to his apparent listlessness and pale attire. Rather than deny or deride the accusation, Yoshitsugu plays the part with complete seriousness. The strategist is hearten when Masanori is naive enough to fall for the act and mangles Kiyomasa’s heavy-handed retorts to work for his role’s vengefulness. Despite his teasing, his jokes are not mean-spirited as he sincerely treasures his friendships.
