Kurosaki Hisoka (Yami no Matsuei)
Kurosaki Hisoka
Author: Brigdh
Spoilers: The Nagasaki Arc. Small ones for the rest of the series, up to the GenSouKai and Kamakura Arcs.
Email: brigdh at yahoo dot com
Personal Website: nextdooruniverse
Ahem. Well. Here we go.
This has an incredibly nerve-wracking essay to write. I want to do a good job, and not just to avoid controversy or keep from making a fool of myself in front of this entire community. I want to say something true and important, and poetic, and interesting, and make you go, "Oooo, I never saw it that way before!" Because this is my favorite character, and I want to do justice by him, to capture the reasons why I love him so, and why it is that he's inspired in me years-long devotion to the fandom and more fic than I once thought I could ever be capable of.
And converting a few new fans would be nice.
So. Kurosaki Hisoka: what's that all about?
Hisoka is not necessarily an easy character to like. He's short-tempered, blunt, and generally unconcerned about other people's feelings, and whether or not those traits appeal to you is obviously a matter of personal preference. In the fandom, he's got quite a reputation as the bitchy, typical uke who- depending on your choice of pairing- either always needs to be rescued or is constantly interrupting the 'good moments' between other characters. It's convenient to simplify his character that way, and it makes him a hell of a lot simpler to write. But Hisoka's more than that. He's very intelligent, snarky, with a will the strength of titanium and more issues than the complete backlog of National Geographic. Come on. You've got to like a character whose first appearance is chasing a vampire with a hand gun. Especially if he's as no-nonsense about the whole situation as Hisoka is.
Hisoka: I don't mess around with crucifixes and garlic. I'll play it straight and send a bullet into your heart.
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 1
The ABC's of YnM
Kurosaki Hisoka is one of the main characters of Yami no Matsuei, an anime/manga series written by Matsushita Yoko. Yami no Matsuei ("Descendants of Darkness") is, depending on how you look at it, shounen-ai, shoujo, action-adventure, urban fantasy or buddy-cop with a twist. It focuses on the shinigami ("gods of death") of Japan, supernatural creatures half-way between Grim Reapers and Ghost Busters.
Shinigami start out as normal humans. Then, like everyone else, they die. Unlike everyone else, they don't move on to heaven, hell, or reincarnation. An attachment to the living world- be it love, guilt, the desire for revenge, an unfulfilled goal or whatever else- keeps them tied here, unwilling to let go. In exchange for being allowed to stay, they serve EnmaDaiOh, the God of Hell, and make sure that the Court System of the Afterlife works the way it should.
Obviously shinigami are not the most stable people. They work in pairs, for their own protection and for everyone else's. Hisoka is the latest addition to the Office, newly dead and paired up with resident slacker Tsuzuki Asato at the beginning of the series.
Hisoka's Secrets
Hisoka was born on October 18th, 1980 (which, appropriately enough, makes today his birthday. Happy 24th!) in a small village near Kamakura City, in the Kanagawa Province. That puts him near Yokohama, if you're trying to place it in your mind. Had he lived, he would have been the seventeenth head of the Kurosakis, a noble family that stretches back centuries. The Kurosakis are wealthy, and Hisoka grew up in a huge house, surrounded by gardens and lands, with servants and the respect of the rest of the village. They are proud and old-fashioned, and this shows in the strict way he was raised. Hisoka was trained in the traditional skills of a bushido, such as kendo (the way of the sword), iai (the art of drawing a sword), aikido (a form of martial arts that emphasizes spirituality and morals), kyudo (Japanese archery), and naginata (a weapon like a spear with a curved blade on the end). In everything he did, he was expected to be faultless, to show no weaknesses, to always be the perfect heir of whom the family could be proud.
No one could have measured up such standards. And he failed in a singularly spectacular way. Hisoka is an empath, and willingly or not, he senses other people's emotions, sometimes so strongly that they overwhelm him. Because touch increases the strength, by the time the series starts Hisoka shows an extreme aversion to close contact with other people. When he began to manifest this talent as a child, his parents didn't take it well. To put it mildly.
Woman's voice: What a frightening child. He's kind of scary...
Man's voice: You monster!
Woman's voice: He's not my child!
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 2
To keep others from discovering this 'abnormal' trait, and to discourage Hisoka from using it, he was locked in a barren cell. The extent of this abuse is unclear- did he spend his entire life shut away from others, or was it more of a punishment that he was subjected to only on a few occasions? Either way, Hisoka obviously suffered a great deal, and the lasting effects from it can clearly be seen in his personality.
The Kurosaki family gives a whole new meaning to the term 'dysfunctional', and more of their problems are coming to light in the latest chapters of the manga. However, we don't know the impression these would have left on Hisoka, because we don't know if Hisoka was even aware of them. It is safe to say, I think, that Hisoka's relationship with his family is characterized by distance and coolness. He tried to win their love though material things, by being good enough or strong enough. Because this didn't work, he is left with feelings of inadequacy which he buries in layers of denial and defensiveness, lashing out at anyone who would imply he's worthless. He has a fierce need to prove himself. Hisoka never had the unconditional affection and caring that family should provide, and he is almost incapable of trusting anyone, since he seems to believe that opening up just provides people with a way to betray and hurt you.
Hisoka: I understand now. He resembles him... the father- whom I hate! Him and my father, I'll show them both... I'll show all of those people who snubbed and looked down on me!
-Volume 10, Chapter 4
You'd think that would be more than enough of an angsty background for any character, but there's more.
At 13, Hisoka leaves the house one night, unable to sleep and deciding to go for a walk. He comes across a woman and a man embracing under a blossoming cherry tree on his family grounds. Before he even has the chance to react, he's witness to a brutal murder, as the man- who we later come to know as the serial-killing doctor Muraki Kazutaka- stabs the woman. Hisoka tries to run, but it's already too late.
Muraki: That night, you saw something you shouldn't have seen...
Muraki (thoughts): Eyewitnesses must vanish- that is the rule.
Muraki: The face of a brutal murderer. Too bad. It would have been fine to have simply raped and killed you there, leaving it as the work of a pervert. But such an inelegant manner of death wouldn't have suited one as lovely as yourself, no?
-Volume 1, Chapter 4
Muraki rapes and tortures Hisoka, ultimately leaving him marked with an elaborate death curse carved into his back, chest and arms. It looks like an archaic or stylistic calligraphy-type style of writing, but is unreadable. After death, it takes the form of red, painful scars that seem to be visible only when Muraki is nearby or Hisoka is thinking of him. Once satisfied, Muraki erases Hisoka's memories of the night and abandons him, leaving the curse to do his work.
Muraki speaks of these events with a sense of amused accomplishment, but for Hisoka, it was hell. It took three years for the curse to completely kill him, each moment a little worse than the previous one. Gradually, it got harder for him to breath, his body temperature dropped, and it became more painful, until living was agony. But he didn't die until the curse had stretched out for as long as possible, prolonging the torment. Without the knowledge of what had happened to him, Hisoka and his family believed that he was simply sick, and he was passed from doctor to doctor, each unable to cure or even diagnosis his mysterious 'illness'.
It's not until he arrives in the Afterlife that Hisoka discovers he may not have died naturally. He wants to find out the truth and get revenge, and for these reasons he becomes a shinigami. The first step doesn't take long: he runs into Muraki and gets his memories back on his very first case. The revenge, though, is a bit of an ongoing process.
"Don’t touch me!": Hisoka's relationships
Hisoka has two main relationships in Yami no Matsuei. Which is not to say that he doesn't interact with anyone else or that the rest of the cast isn't important to him, because of course that isn't true. He looks up to and admires Tatsumi, whose cool strength and competence embodies what Hisoka would very much like to be. Tatsumi provides Hisoka with the respect he needs. They understand each other nicely, and share a similar professionalism, dry sense of humor, and concern for Tsuzuki. I imagine they get along extremely well. Watari becomes Hisoka's first normal friend (Tsuzuki and Hisoka can be read a lot of ways, platonic or otherwise, but 'normal' doesn't quite fit. They're too close, needy and intense). They're both intelligent, voracious readers, and Watari is bouncy and friendly enough to break through even Hisoka's walls. He's close with their other co-workers, particularly Wakaba, Terazuma, and the Gushoushin, and makes connections with several of the people he meets on cases, such as Hijiri and Tsubaki-hime. However, none of his other relationships have nearly the same influence and impact on him as do Tsuzuki and Muraki.
Muraki has played a large part in shaping Hisoka, much as Hisoka would hate to admit it. Many of the things Muraki did to him exaggerated problems Hisoka was already developing, further cementing them.
Because of his empathy, Hisoka was reluctant to be touched. Any rape victim may find him/herself with a subsequent fear of human contact, and Hisoka shares in this. After all, what did it do to his psyche to have felt the emotions of his rapist, the pleasure in his pain, the desire to see him broken and suffering? No wonder he flinches away even from friendly touches. This experience has undoubtedly influenced the way Hisoka expresses himself sexually, also. Unfortunately, we simply have no canon evidence for how he might have been affected, and there are as many interpretations as there are fans. Try reading some of the fics I rec'd at the end of the essay for some of the various thoughts on this issue.
Hisoka is a bone-deep cynic, who tends to believe the very worst of people. He likely would have turned out this way regardless, what with the touching concern his family showed him, but Muraki gave him an up-close and personal glimpse of the dregs of humanity, the depths of evil that we are capable of reaching. Hisoka meets people already expecting them to betray him. He's polite (usually), formal, and helpful, but he's closed-off. No one gets to come close, and they certainly shouldn't hope to actually get him to care for them. Especially at the beginning of the series, Hisoka seems to regard other people as jobs to be dealt with- efficiently, but without feeling.
Muraki, when he deigns to notice Hisoka's continued existence, sees him as a nuisance or used toy. He has yet to acknowledge Hisoka by name, which by now must have taken some effort. Instead he calls him things like "my puppet", "beautiful doll", "little one" and "brat", all of which reduce Hisoka to nothing more than former diversion and current bother. Given his hatred of being seen as a child, this treatment must drive him crazy. Muraki is Hisoka's professed reason for life, and revenge is the center of his actions and motivations. How unfair that Muraki couldn't care less if Hisoka were to suddenly vanish. Hisoka can barely manage to distract Muraki from his pursuit of Tsuzuki. It has to be frustrating to track down your rapist and murderer, only to realize that he nearly forgot you and has bigger goals now.
Hisoka's need for revenge is very similar to Muraki's own, and it's been suggested that Muraki killed Hisoka precisely because he recognized how alike they were. Hisoka is bitter and angry, and it might not take much to push him in the same direction that Muraki went. Muraki is aware of this, even referring to Hisoka as his "copy". I think it would be very interesting to explore what extents Hisoka might go to in pursuit of vengeance. Dark fic needs to be written on the topic.
However, they are not exactly the same, nor is Hisoka on the edge of turning into a murderer any day soon. Hisoka might not have made it through life with a wellspring of compassion for others, but he isn't deliberately cruel or hurtful, and he does not enjoy causing pain. He even fears the possibility that he might become like Muraki.
Hisoka: I... killed Tsubaki. With Muraki's gun... I shot her heart. Tsubaki's blood... it won't come off... my hands can't stop shaking. Can't stop... Will I someday become used to this...
Hisoka (thoughts): Because I'm a copy...
Hisoka: Like Muraki... become used to this... happily killing or something like that...
Hisoka (thoughts): Because I am Muraki's copy...
-Volume 3, Chapter 6
And in the end, when Oriya forces him to choose between destroying Muraki or saving Tsuzuki, Hisoka manages to let his anger go, even if it's only temporarily.
If Muraki brings out and encourages the worst in Hisoka, Tsuzuki does the opposite. In fact, watching Hisoka can often feel like the struggle between two forces, as he tries to balance the anger, hatred and hostility Muraki and his family left him with the consideration, mellowness and humanity Tsuzuki brings out. Though Hisoka's first reaction to any situation is usually a short-tempered insult, he increasingly begins to apologize or stop himself. He's more prone to little acts of kindness than dramatic gestures- buying a hung-over Tsuzuki medicine, or unexpectedly offering to bring him treats- and is embarrassed if any attention is drawn to them, but they're there.
Tsuzuki provides Hisoka with affection and gentleness, and a safe space where he doesn't have to be so strong or withdrawn. Hisoka has never been wanted or cared for, and the first time Tsuzuki risks his life to protect him, it comes as shock.
Hisoka: You idiot! Why did you come and rescue me?! This is a trap!
Tsuzuki: I can't abandon you just because of that.
Hisoka: Tsuzuki...
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 3
It's arguable, in fact, that that one action was enough to win Hisoka's loyalty (or at least engage his curiosity enough to want to stick around and figure it out). Although Hisoka says that his reason for existence is revenge on Muraki, his actions sometimes belie it:
Hisae: I've heard a lot about you, Hisoka-kun. You're very kind. Choosing not to quit and continue being a shinigami?
Hisoka: ...it wasn't anything... it was because I was asked. Who knows what will happen if you leave that guy alone. Whatever. Don't tell anyone about this!
-Volume 2, Chapter 1
He comes to trust Tsuzuki, and gradually manages to convince himself to open up and relax. Hisoka hates to be vulnerable, and shields his weakness, shuts them away. Doing that, though, closes him off from all possibility of friendship or love. In Tsuzuki, he finally sees why that might be a bad thing. Hisoka quickly becomes protective of Tsuzuki, which isn't a surprise, since to him Tsuzuki represents the idea that people might not completely suck.
Tsuzuki and Hisoka are very close. They often describe their feelings for each other in familial terms, brothers or father and son, but it's more than that. They are necessary for each other's sanity. Without Hisoka, Tsuzuki would be a pile of ashes in Kyoto (or possibly dead long before he got that far). Without Tsuzuki, Hisoka would be a great deal scarier, and far more like Muraki than we've ever seen him. Because of his unfamiliarity with relationships or love, Hisoka is fragile. He assumes the worst, which makes him easily hurt, but is just as shocked and overwhelmed when faced with genuine affection. He's been mistreated and broken so many times in his life, and Tsuzuki could easily shatter him, destroy him without any real effort at all (not that Tsuzuki would, but you know). If that happened, I don't know if he would ever recover. It took so long to get him to trust and hope once; he might not be able to do it again.
They are each the most important person in the other's life. You cannot deal with Hisoka without being aware of the effect that Tsuzuki has on him. No one else could come before that. And although I certainly believe that it's possible to write Hisoka in other relationships, if it comes down to one or the other, he'll choose Tsuzuki. Hisoka would rather die than lose him.
Hisoka (thoughts): So now, I won't be separated from you. I won't let go of your hand a second time. The world you are going to, I will go as well with you. Tsuzuki...
-Volume 8, Chapter 3
Hisoka still has a lot of issues about relationships. He fears coming to need or depend on Tsuzuki, because experience has taught him that relying on something only ensures it being taken away. This is why Hisoka tries to keep up at least the appearance of distance between them. He's in denial, a bit. He knows how close he is to Tsuzuki, but he can't quite admit it to himself, instead shoving Tsuzuki away or insulting him. Acknowledging Tsuzuki's importance would only make losing him that much more painful, and Hisoka is constantly on guard against being hurt.
However, this is the relationship that has likely had the greatest influence on Hisoka of them all. Even his obsession with power becomes a desire to protect Tsuzuki and become an equal partner to him.
Strengths, Weaknesses, and the Rest of that Characterization Thing
One of the things I like the most about Yami no Matsuei is that a character's strength and weakness are often the same trait. Tsuzuki's kindness, Tatsumi's rock-solid control... it's kind of like the tragic flaw in Shakespearian heroes. In those terms, Hisoka's strength and weakness is his need to prove himself.
Hisoka is always trying to be just a little stronger, a little braver, a little more powerful. And a lot of the time, this isn't a bad thing. It's good to push your boundaries, and Hisoka's competence throughout the series shows what this has made him capable of. It's just unfortunate that he doesn't seem to know where to stop. His drive to be good enough puts him in dangerous situations, makes him rush in where angels fear to tread. He takes warnings as challenges. He's measuring himself by impossible standards, and if he doesn't manage to calm down, he is going to get himself killed. In the latest chapters of the manga, he very nearly has.
It's understandable. He's the youngest member of a group filled with beings that command legendary power. He's been made a victim in the worst, most degrading way possible. He wasn't the heir his family wanted, and for that he never had their love. He never wants to be weak or helpless again. That's a commendable goal, in moderation. But Hisoka's made an obsession of it, and he needs to come to terms with it before he destroys himself.
Hisoka's also stubborn, head-strong, temperamental, cranky, quick to take offense, tactless, arrogant, and generally inconsiderate of others. He can be immature and sulky, and he often resorts to simplistic insults or a "shut up!" That's a pretty long list of weaknesses. Because of the isolation his family imposed on him, he simply isn't used to dealing with people. And often, even when he does know better, he's more worried about keeping them at a distance than he is with being kind. He's just not all that good with others, and I doubt he's ever going to be known for his interpersonal skills. It's Tsuzuki's job to make everyone he meets feel important and needed, because Tsuzuki wants desperately to be liked. Hisoka expects people to dislike him; it doesn't surprise him when they do. He's trained himself not to need validation. He's learning to allow a small circle of trusted friends past his prickly exterior, but he doesn't want more than that. He likes his independence and self-reliance.
Hisoka is honest to a fault. Either he doesn't know that most people consider it polite to lie occasionally, or his empathy makes him consider those nice little white lies offensive. He's not shy about telling people exactly what he thinks of them, and he doesn't hesitate to point out faults and call a spade a spade (or an idiot an idiot). He doesn't coddle anyone along. This, again, puts him in sharp contrast to Tsuzuki, who falls all over himself for others. It's another one of those strength/weakness things. Sure, Hisoka's behavior could stand to be kinder or more polite. But on the other hand, there's something to be said for bluntness. You know where he stands, you can trust him to do what he says, and if he tells you something, you can believe it utterly. Hisoka doesn't lie to make you feel better.
Hisoka is a person of action. He doesn't worry much about the past, and prefers to make up for mistakes instead of feeling guilty. He's not one to have a long discussion over feelings- if you can't tell what he feels through the way he acts, you're not going to get told. He doesn't dwell on the best thing to do; he makes a choice and follows through. He's passionate- much as he tries to be cool and mature- which means he's quick to anger, and that when he cares, he cares deeply. It also means that he lets himself get carried away, whether he's fighting a demon or bickering with Tsuzuki.
He's got good traits, too. He's determined, courageous, kick-ass, fierce, very smart, quick-witted, diligent, polite, has a wickedly dry, understated sense of humor, and, if you manage to convince him you're worth it, he's unfailingly loyal, protective and supporting. He'll still tell you you're being stupid, but he'll help you fix things, too. When it comes to the people he loves, Hisoka is quite compassionate, putting their feelings before his own pride, and risking his life to save them.
This Is Not the End
Why do I love Hisoka? I don't know. Maybe I identify with him- it's hard to convince people that you're tough when you look tiny and cute. And it's tempting sometimes to swear off the whole human race and curl up with a good book.
Maybe he appeals to me as a character. He just does stuff, instead of soliloquizing on the rightness of his actions (Hamlet annoyed me. Make a choice, dammit!). And I find him really funny, especially when he's at his most sarcastic and rude. Besides, angsty backstory, tragic love, a fierce and brutal strength of will- what's not to like?
But mostly, though, I think it's that I admire him. The boy's been through hell. He's had every bad thing in the book happen to him, plus a few more for fun. But he hasn't given up. I don't think the word 'surrender' is even in his vocabulary. He fights for what he wants, even when it's stupid and headstrong and dangerous and wrong. Hisoka has every excuse to be broken, to be weak, but he doesn't take them. He forces himself to keep going, to be capable and worthy and the best. I want to cheer him on, hear his stories and his trials, watch the way he tries so hard and does so much. And I want to imagine that I could be that strong.
Recs
Fic:
Here I Am by yasminm
Perfect by ciceqi
Palette by boniblithe
Final Destination by incandescens
The Long Home by Dorian Gray
What Price for Peace? by thedemonprist
Clean Kill by hth_the_first
The Other Side of Twilight (an ongoing series) by childofatlantis
Jin by shoiryu
Colour Me Blue by Breze
In the Grave by dcsolstice
Exorcism by guadior: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four.
Hisoka drabble by amet
Six feet by windschaser
Thirty Minutes by harukami
Touch by matsuei
Circles by eag
A Letter From Hisoka by Ika
Some different interpretations:
History by K. Huntsman
Portrait of the Empath as Involuntary Voyeur by p_zeitgeist
We Share This Humble Path Alone (sadly unfinished, but the first two chapters can be read without needing the rest) by daddiesadruggie
I haven't rec'd any drabbles, because then I would never stop. However, I recommend you hunt around fuda_100 for a while. The amount of good stuff to be found there is unbelievable.
Essays:
Unapologetic
Tatsumi/Tsuzuki/Hisoka ship essay
LJ Communties:
UnApologetic
Empathic Secrets
I also wrote a Tsuzuki/Hisoka essay for ship manifesto, which looks at that particular aspect of Hisoka's character and includes some more recs: Partners
Manga translations come from theria.net, minus excess line breaks. Quotes from episodes come from the official subtitles, done by Central Park Media. The line I used for a cut-tag is from 'The Queen of the Damned' by Anne Rice. It's always reminded me of Hisoka.
Author: Brigdh
Spoilers: The Nagasaki Arc. Small ones for the rest of the series, up to the GenSouKai and Kamakura Arcs.
Email: brigdh at yahoo dot com
Personal Website: nextdooruniverse
Ahem. Well. Here we go.
This has an incredibly nerve-wracking essay to write. I want to do a good job, and not just to avoid controversy or keep from making a fool of myself in front of this entire community. I want to say something true and important, and poetic, and interesting, and make you go, "Oooo, I never saw it that way before!" Because this is my favorite character, and I want to do justice by him, to capture the reasons why I love him so, and why it is that he's inspired in me years-long devotion to the fandom and more fic than I once thought I could ever be capable of.
And converting a few new fans would be nice.
So. Kurosaki Hisoka: what's that all about?
Hisoka is not necessarily an easy character to like. He's short-tempered, blunt, and generally unconcerned about other people's feelings, and whether or not those traits appeal to you is obviously a matter of personal preference. In the fandom, he's got quite a reputation as the bitchy, typical uke who- depending on your choice of pairing- either always needs to be rescued or is constantly interrupting the 'good moments' between other characters. It's convenient to simplify his character that way, and it makes him a hell of a lot simpler to write. But Hisoka's more than that. He's very intelligent, snarky, with a will the strength of titanium and more issues than the complete backlog of National Geographic. Come on. You've got to like a character whose first appearance is chasing a vampire with a hand gun. Especially if he's as no-nonsense about the whole situation as Hisoka is.
Hisoka: I don't mess around with crucifixes and garlic. I'll play it straight and send a bullet into your heart.
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 1
The ABC's of YnM
Kurosaki Hisoka is one of the main characters of Yami no Matsuei, an anime/manga series written by Matsushita Yoko. Yami no Matsuei ("Descendants of Darkness") is, depending on how you look at it, shounen-ai, shoujo, action-adventure, urban fantasy or buddy-cop with a twist. It focuses on the shinigami ("gods of death") of Japan, supernatural creatures half-way between Grim Reapers and Ghost Busters.
Shinigami start out as normal humans. Then, like everyone else, they die. Unlike everyone else, they don't move on to heaven, hell, or reincarnation. An attachment to the living world- be it love, guilt, the desire for revenge, an unfulfilled goal or whatever else- keeps them tied here, unwilling to let go. In exchange for being allowed to stay, they serve EnmaDaiOh, the God of Hell, and make sure that the Court System of the Afterlife works the way it should.
Obviously shinigami are not the most stable people. They work in pairs, for their own protection and for everyone else's. Hisoka is the latest addition to the Office, newly dead and paired up with resident slacker Tsuzuki Asato at the beginning of the series.
Hisoka's Secrets
Hisoka was born on October 18th, 1980 (which, appropriately enough, makes today his birthday. Happy 24th!) in a small village near Kamakura City, in the Kanagawa Province. That puts him near Yokohama, if you're trying to place it in your mind. Had he lived, he would have been the seventeenth head of the Kurosakis, a noble family that stretches back centuries. The Kurosakis are wealthy, and Hisoka grew up in a huge house, surrounded by gardens and lands, with servants and the respect of the rest of the village. They are proud and old-fashioned, and this shows in the strict way he was raised. Hisoka was trained in the traditional skills of a bushido, such as kendo (the way of the sword), iai (the art of drawing a sword), aikido (a form of martial arts that emphasizes spirituality and morals), kyudo (Japanese archery), and naginata (a weapon like a spear with a curved blade on the end). In everything he did, he was expected to be faultless, to show no weaknesses, to always be the perfect heir of whom the family could be proud.
No one could have measured up such standards. And he failed in a singularly spectacular way. Hisoka is an empath, and willingly or not, he senses other people's emotions, sometimes so strongly that they overwhelm him. Because touch increases the strength, by the time the series starts Hisoka shows an extreme aversion to close contact with other people. When he began to manifest this talent as a child, his parents didn't take it well. To put it mildly.
Woman's voice: What a frightening child. He's kind of scary...
Man's voice: You monster!
Woman's voice: He's not my child!
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 2
To keep others from discovering this 'abnormal' trait, and to discourage Hisoka from using it, he was locked in a barren cell. The extent of this abuse is unclear- did he spend his entire life shut away from others, or was it more of a punishment that he was subjected to only on a few occasions? Either way, Hisoka obviously suffered a great deal, and the lasting effects from it can clearly be seen in his personality.
The Kurosaki family gives a whole new meaning to the term 'dysfunctional', and more of their problems are coming to light in the latest chapters of the manga. However, we don't know the impression these would have left on Hisoka, because we don't know if Hisoka was even aware of them. It is safe to say, I think, that Hisoka's relationship with his family is characterized by distance and coolness. He tried to win their love though material things, by being good enough or strong enough. Because this didn't work, he is left with feelings of inadequacy which he buries in layers of denial and defensiveness, lashing out at anyone who would imply he's worthless. He has a fierce need to prove himself. Hisoka never had the unconditional affection and caring that family should provide, and he is almost incapable of trusting anyone, since he seems to believe that opening up just provides people with a way to betray and hurt you.
Hisoka: I understand now. He resembles him... the father- whom I hate! Him and my father, I'll show them both... I'll show all of those people who snubbed and looked down on me!
-Volume 10, Chapter 4
You'd think that would be more than enough of an angsty background for any character, but there's more.
At 13, Hisoka leaves the house one night, unable to sleep and deciding to go for a walk. He comes across a woman and a man embracing under a blossoming cherry tree on his family grounds. Before he even has the chance to react, he's witness to a brutal murder, as the man- who we later come to know as the serial-killing doctor Muraki Kazutaka- stabs the woman. Hisoka tries to run, but it's already too late.
Muraki: That night, you saw something you shouldn't have seen...
Muraki (thoughts): Eyewitnesses must vanish- that is the rule.
Muraki: The face of a brutal murderer. Too bad. It would have been fine to have simply raped and killed you there, leaving it as the work of a pervert. But such an inelegant manner of death wouldn't have suited one as lovely as yourself, no?
-Volume 1, Chapter 4
Muraki rapes and tortures Hisoka, ultimately leaving him marked with an elaborate death curse carved into his back, chest and arms. It looks like an archaic or stylistic calligraphy-type style of writing, but is unreadable. After death, it takes the form of red, painful scars that seem to be visible only when Muraki is nearby or Hisoka is thinking of him. Once satisfied, Muraki erases Hisoka's memories of the night and abandons him, leaving the curse to do his work.
Muraki speaks of these events with a sense of amused accomplishment, but for Hisoka, it was hell. It took three years for the curse to completely kill him, each moment a little worse than the previous one. Gradually, it got harder for him to breath, his body temperature dropped, and it became more painful, until living was agony. But he didn't die until the curse had stretched out for as long as possible, prolonging the torment. Without the knowledge of what had happened to him, Hisoka and his family believed that he was simply sick, and he was passed from doctor to doctor, each unable to cure or even diagnosis his mysterious 'illness'.
It's not until he arrives in the Afterlife that Hisoka discovers he may not have died naturally. He wants to find out the truth and get revenge, and for these reasons he becomes a shinigami. The first step doesn't take long: he runs into Muraki and gets his memories back on his very first case. The revenge, though, is a bit of an ongoing process.
"Don’t touch me!": Hisoka's relationships
Hisoka has two main relationships in Yami no Matsuei. Which is not to say that he doesn't interact with anyone else or that the rest of the cast isn't important to him, because of course that isn't true. He looks up to and admires Tatsumi, whose cool strength and competence embodies what Hisoka would very much like to be. Tatsumi provides Hisoka with the respect he needs. They understand each other nicely, and share a similar professionalism, dry sense of humor, and concern for Tsuzuki. I imagine they get along extremely well. Watari becomes Hisoka's first normal friend (Tsuzuki and Hisoka can be read a lot of ways, platonic or otherwise, but 'normal' doesn't quite fit. They're too close, needy and intense). They're both intelligent, voracious readers, and Watari is bouncy and friendly enough to break through even Hisoka's walls. He's close with their other co-workers, particularly Wakaba, Terazuma, and the Gushoushin, and makes connections with several of the people he meets on cases, such as Hijiri and Tsubaki-hime. However, none of his other relationships have nearly the same influence and impact on him as do Tsuzuki and Muraki.
Muraki has played a large part in shaping Hisoka, much as Hisoka would hate to admit it. Many of the things Muraki did to him exaggerated problems Hisoka was already developing, further cementing them.
Because of his empathy, Hisoka was reluctant to be touched. Any rape victim may find him/herself with a subsequent fear of human contact, and Hisoka shares in this. After all, what did it do to his psyche to have felt the emotions of his rapist, the pleasure in his pain, the desire to see him broken and suffering? No wonder he flinches away even from friendly touches. This experience has undoubtedly influenced the way Hisoka expresses himself sexually, also. Unfortunately, we simply have no canon evidence for how he might have been affected, and there are as many interpretations as there are fans. Try reading some of the fics I rec'd at the end of the essay for some of the various thoughts on this issue.
Hisoka is a bone-deep cynic, who tends to believe the very worst of people. He likely would have turned out this way regardless, what with the touching concern his family showed him, but Muraki gave him an up-close and personal glimpse of the dregs of humanity, the depths of evil that we are capable of reaching. Hisoka meets people already expecting them to betray him. He's polite (usually), formal, and helpful, but he's closed-off. No one gets to come close, and they certainly shouldn't hope to actually get him to care for them. Especially at the beginning of the series, Hisoka seems to regard other people as jobs to be dealt with- efficiently, but without feeling.
Muraki, when he deigns to notice Hisoka's continued existence, sees him as a nuisance or used toy. He has yet to acknowledge Hisoka by name, which by now must have taken some effort. Instead he calls him things like "my puppet", "beautiful doll", "little one" and "brat", all of which reduce Hisoka to nothing more than former diversion and current bother. Given his hatred of being seen as a child, this treatment must drive him crazy. Muraki is Hisoka's professed reason for life, and revenge is the center of his actions and motivations. How unfair that Muraki couldn't care less if Hisoka were to suddenly vanish. Hisoka can barely manage to distract Muraki from his pursuit of Tsuzuki. It has to be frustrating to track down your rapist and murderer, only to realize that he nearly forgot you and has bigger goals now.
Hisoka's need for revenge is very similar to Muraki's own, and it's been suggested that Muraki killed Hisoka precisely because he recognized how alike they were. Hisoka is bitter and angry, and it might not take much to push him in the same direction that Muraki went. Muraki is aware of this, even referring to Hisoka as his "copy". I think it would be very interesting to explore what extents Hisoka might go to in pursuit of vengeance. Dark fic needs to be written on the topic.
However, they are not exactly the same, nor is Hisoka on the edge of turning into a murderer any day soon. Hisoka might not have made it through life with a wellspring of compassion for others, but he isn't deliberately cruel or hurtful, and he does not enjoy causing pain. He even fears the possibility that he might become like Muraki.
Hisoka: I... killed Tsubaki. With Muraki's gun... I shot her heart. Tsubaki's blood... it won't come off... my hands can't stop shaking. Can't stop... Will I someday become used to this...
Hisoka (thoughts): Because I'm a copy...
Hisoka: Like Muraki... become used to this... happily killing or something like that...
Hisoka (thoughts): Because I am Muraki's copy...
-Volume 3, Chapter 6
And in the end, when Oriya forces him to choose between destroying Muraki or saving Tsuzuki, Hisoka manages to let his anger go, even if it's only temporarily.
If Muraki brings out and encourages the worst in Hisoka, Tsuzuki does the opposite. In fact, watching Hisoka can often feel like the struggle between two forces, as he tries to balance the anger, hatred and hostility Muraki and his family left him with the consideration, mellowness and humanity Tsuzuki brings out. Though Hisoka's first reaction to any situation is usually a short-tempered insult, he increasingly begins to apologize or stop himself. He's more prone to little acts of kindness than dramatic gestures- buying a hung-over Tsuzuki medicine, or unexpectedly offering to bring him treats- and is embarrassed if any attention is drawn to them, but they're there.
Tsuzuki provides Hisoka with affection and gentleness, and a safe space where he doesn't have to be so strong or withdrawn. Hisoka has never been wanted or cared for, and the first time Tsuzuki risks his life to protect him, it comes as shock.
Hisoka: You idiot! Why did you come and rescue me?! This is a trap!
Tsuzuki: I can't abandon you just because of that.
Hisoka: Tsuzuki...
-Yami no Matsuei, Episode 3
It's arguable, in fact, that that one action was enough to win Hisoka's loyalty (or at least engage his curiosity enough to want to stick around and figure it out). Although Hisoka says that his reason for existence is revenge on Muraki, his actions sometimes belie it:
Hisae: I've heard a lot about you, Hisoka-kun. You're very kind. Choosing not to quit and continue being a shinigami?
Hisoka: ...it wasn't anything... it was because I was asked. Who knows what will happen if you leave that guy alone. Whatever. Don't tell anyone about this!
-Volume 2, Chapter 1
He comes to trust Tsuzuki, and gradually manages to convince himself to open up and relax. Hisoka hates to be vulnerable, and shields his weakness, shuts them away. Doing that, though, closes him off from all possibility of friendship or love. In Tsuzuki, he finally sees why that might be a bad thing. Hisoka quickly becomes protective of Tsuzuki, which isn't a surprise, since to him Tsuzuki represents the idea that people might not completely suck.
Tsuzuki and Hisoka are very close. They often describe their feelings for each other in familial terms, brothers or father and son, but it's more than that. They are necessary for each other's sanity. Without Hisoka, Tsuzuki would be a pile of ashes in Kyoto (or possibly dead long before he got that far). Without Tsuzuki, Hisoka would be a great deal scarier, and far more like Muraki than we've ever seen him. Because of his unfamiliarity with relationships or love, Hisoka is fragile. He assumes the worst, which makes him easily hurt, but is just as shocked and overwhelmed when faced with genuine affection. He's been mistreated and broken so many times in his life, and Tsuzuki could easily shatter him, destroy him without any real effort at all (not that Tsuzuki would, but you know). If that happened, I don't know if he would ever recover. It took so long to get him to trust and hope once; he might not be able to do it again.
They are each the most important person in the other's life. You cannot deal with Hisoka without being aware of the effect that Tsuzuki has on him. No one else could come before that. And although I certainly believe that it's possible to write Hisoka in other relationships, if it comes down to one or the other, he'll choose Tsuzuki. Hisoka would rather die than lose him.
Hisoka (thoughts): So now, I won't be separated from you. I won't let go of your hand a second time. The world you are going to, I will go as well with you. Tsuzuki...
-Volume 8, Chapter 3
Hisoka still has a lot of issues about relationships. He fears coming to need or depend on Tsuzuki, because experience has taught him that relying on something only ensures it being taken away. This is why Hisoka tries to keep up at least the appearance of distance between them. He's in denial, a bit. He knows how close he is to Tsuzuki, but he can't quite admit it to himself, instead shoving Tsuzuki away or insulting him. Acknowledging Tsuzuki's importance would only make losing him that much more painful, and Hisoka is constantly on guard against being hurt.
However, this is the relationship that has likely had the greatest influence on Hisoka of them all. Even his obsession with power becomes a desire to protect Tsuzuki and become an equal partner to him.
Strengths, Weaknesses, and the Rest of that Characterization Thing
One of the things I like the most about Yami no Matsuei is that a character's strength and weakness are often the same trait. Tsuzuki's kindness, Tatsumi's rock-solid control... it's kind of like the tragic flaw in Shakespearian heroes. In those terms, Hisoka's strength and weakness is his need to prove himself.
Hisoka is always trying to be just a little stronger, a little braver, a little more powerful. And a lot of the time, this isn't a bad thing. It's good to push your boundaries, and Hisoka's competence throughout the series shows what this has made him capable of. It's just unfortunate that he doesn't seem to know where to stop. His drive to be good enough puts him in dangerous situations, makes him rush in where angels fear to tread. He takes warnings as challenges. He's measuring himself by impossible standards, and if he doesn't manage to calm down, he is going to get himself killed. In the latest chapters of the manga, he very nearly has.
It's understandable. He's the youngest member of a group filled with beings that command legendary power. He's been made a victim in the worst, most degrading way possible. He wasn't the heir his family wanted, and for that he never had their love. He never wants to be weak or helpless again. That's a commendable goal, in moderation. But Hisoka's made an obsession of it, and he needs to come to terms with it before he destroys himself.
Hisoka's also stubborn, head-strong, temperamental, cranky, quick to take offense, tactless, arrogant, and generally inconsiderate of others. He can be immature and sulky, and he often resorts to simplistic insults or a "shut up!" That's a pretty long list of weaknesses. Because of the isolation his family imposed on him, he simply isn't used to dealing with people. And often, even when he does know better, he's more worried about keeping them at a distance than he is with being kind. He's just not all that good with others, and I doubt he's ever going to be known for his interpersonal skills. It's Tsuzuki's job to make everyone he meets feel important and needed, because Tsuzuki wants desperately to be liked. Hisoka expects people to dislike him; it doesn't surprise him when they do. He's trained himself not to need validation. He's learning to allow a small circle of trusted friends past his prickly exterior, but he doesn't want more than that. He likes his independence and self-reliance.
Hisoka is honest to a fault. Either he doesn't know that most people consider it polite to lie occasionally, or his empathy makes him consider those nice little white lies offensive. He's not shy about telling people exactly what he thinks of them, and he doesn't hesitate to point out faults and call a spade a spade (or an idiot an idiot). He doesn't coddle anyone along. This, again, puts him in sharp contrast to Tsuzuki, who falls all over himself for others. It's another one of those strength/weakness things. Sure, Hisoka's behavior could stand to be kinder or more polite. But on the other hand, there's something to be said for bluntness. You know where he stands, you can trust him to do what he says, and if he tells you something, you can believe it utterly. Hisoka doesn't lie to make you feel better.
Hisoka is a person of action. He doesn't worry much about the past, and prefers to make up for mistakes instead of feeling guilty. He's not one to have a long discussion over feelings- if you can't tell what he feels through the way he acts, you're not going to get told. He doesn't dwell on the best thing to do; he makes a choice and follows through. He's passionate- much as he tries to be cool and mature- which means he's quick to anger, and that when he cares, he cares deeply. It also means that he lets himself get carried away, whether he's fighting a demon or bickering with Tsuzuki.
He's got good traits, too. He's determined, courageous, kick-ass, fierce, very smart, quick-witted, diligent, polite, has a wickedly dry, understated sense of humor, and, if you manage to convince him you're worth it, he's unfailingly loyal, protective and supporting. He'll still tell you you're being stupid, but he'll help you fix things, too. When it comes to the people he loves, Hisoka is quite compassionate, putting their feelings before his own pride, and risking his life to save them.
This Is Not the End
Why do I love Hisoka? I don't know. Maybe I identify with him- it's hard to convince people that you're tough when you look tiny and cute. And it's tempting sometimes to swear off the whole human race and curl up with a good book.
Maybe he appeals to me as a character. He just does stuff, instead of soliloquizing on the rightness of his actions (Hamlet annoyed me. Make a choice, dammit!). And I find him really funny, especially when he's at his most sarcastic and rude. Besides, angsty backstory, tragic love, a fierce and brutal strength of will- what's not to like?
But mostly, though, I think it's that I admire him. The boy's been through hell. He's had every bad thing in the book happen to him, plus a few more for fun. But he hasn't given up. I don't think the word 'surrender' is even in his vocabulary. He fights for what he wants, even when it's stupid and headstrong and dangerous and wrong. Hisoka has every excuse to be broken, to be weak, but he doesn't take them. He forces himself to keep going, to be capable and worthy and the best. I want to cheer him on, hear his stories and his trials, watch the way he tries so hard and does so much. And I want to imagine that I could be that strong.
Recs
Fic:
Here I Am by yasminm
Perfect by ciceqi
Palette by boniblithe
Final Destination by incandescens
The Long Home by Dorian Gray
What Price for Peace? by thedemonprist
Clean Kill by hth_the_first
The Other Side of Twilight (an ongoing series) by childofatlantis
Jin by shoiryu
Colour Me Blue by Breze
In the Grave by dcsolstice
Exorcism by guadior: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four.
Hisoka drabble by amet
Six feet by windschaser
Thirty Minutes by harukami
Touch by matsuei
Circles by eag
A Letter From Hisoka by Ika
Some different interpretations:
History by K. Huntsman
Portrait of the Empath as Involuntary Voyeur by p_zeitgeist
We Share This Humble Path Alone (sadly unfinished, but the first two chapters can be read without needing the rest) by daddiesadruggie
I haven't rec'd any drabbles, because then I would never stop. However, I recommend you hunt around fuda_100 for a while. The amount of good stuff to be found there is unbelievable.
Essays:
Unapologetic
Tatsumi/Tsuzuki/Hisoka ship essay
LJ Communties:
UnApologetic
Empathic Secrets
I also wrote a Tsuzuki/Hisoka essay for ship manifesto, which looks at that particular aspect of Hisoka's character and includes some more recs: Partners
Manga translations come from theria.net, minus excess line breaks. Quotes from episodes come from the official subtitles, done by Central Park Media. The line I used for a cut-tag is from 'The Queen of the Damned' by Anne Rice. It's always reminded me of Hisoka.