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Toji (刀使, lit., "sword-user") are shrine maidens, particularly those who are officially affiliated with the Special Sword Administration Bureau, who are given the duties of responding to the threats caused by Aradama. They are known mainly for using Japanese swords with supernatural power called okatana.

Military units and Toji, as a whole, comprise the Special Ritual Riot Squad, a military service that is organized to specialize in anti-Aradama combat.

Background[]

Aspiring Toji are female students of pre-adult age—between 13 and 18 years of age. Those who are successfully admitted receive training in both academics and swordsmanship in one of five middle and high schools that specialize in educating Toji. These are Minoseki Academy, Heijou Institute, Renpu Girls' School, Osafune Girls' Academy and Ayanokouji Martial Arts School. At this stage, students are already considered Toji in their own right, and are expected to answer to Aradama sightings, although depending on the threat level of such Aradama, they are taught to defer any action for until senior Toji have arrived.

Aspiring Toji are required to enter a screening process wherein applicants are tested for their suitability in using an okatana. The process is held within the campuses of the Five Traditions, and involves a staff member witnessing an applicant as it attempts to use Utsushi using an okatana provided to them. An applicant may be enrolled as a Toji if it has successfully demonstrated sufficient compatibility with okatana use. However, those who have failed this process may still enroll at a Five Traditions school, but only as a non-Toji student.

Uniform and Equipment[]

As students and government figures, Toji present themselves through the uniforms of the school they are affiliated with. This uniform, which varies among the five schools, bears the elements of military-style attire and both the characteristics of Western-style and Japanese-style school uniforms. And the most important, their service weapon, the okatana, which are the only weapon capable to defeat Aradama. Information on the Toji and the okatana registered to them is recorded in an identification booklet.

Toji are also given several additional tools to further aid them in responding to threats. The Spectrum Finder, which replaced the archaic Spectrum Meter, acts as a communication device and a sensor that detects nearby Aradama as well as its threat level. Also, in large-scale Aradama battles and high-risk situations, Toji can gain access to the S-Equipment, which gives a massive but temporary boost to the Toji's combat capabilities.

Combat Abilities[]

In order to defeat Aradama, Toji are trained with special training methods, allow them to perform superhuman feats by using the okatana as an intermediary. A Toji's mastery of each of these abilities are assessed and assigned a level (between 1 to 5 or unassigned) depending on specific factors; Utsushi serves as an exception to this rule as it is assessed according to the maximum number of times the Toji can use, how long and focus they can maintain the abilitiy.

  • Utsushi - Transforms the user's body into an energy-like state, allowing the user to take damage without direct bodily injury.
  • Jin'i - Allows the user to move at superhuman speeds by slowing down the flow of time.
  • Hachimanriki (八幡力) - Increases one's physical strength using divine power.
  • Myougan (明眼) - Gives the user's eyes the ability to visually detect heat signatures.
  • Toukaku (透覚) - Alters hearing to be able to audibly detect faint sounds.
  • Kongoushin (金剛身) - Coats the user's body in a gold-colored material that momentarily dampens and nullifies the impact of incoming weapons.

Meanwhile, a Toji's overall capabilities are graded using a ten-point system for each of the following parameters: Physical Strength (身体), Mental Strength (精神), Offense (攻勢) and Defense (守勢). Using these parameters, a Toji is classified under four types:

  • Type A: Offense and Physical Strength. Attacking specialists that can take on multiple opponents at once. Focuses on attacking faster than the opponent could. Sayaka Itomi is a Type A Toji.
  • Type B: Defense and Physical Strength. Defensive specialists that can receive and counter parried attacks. Mai Yanase and Ellen Kohagura are Type B Toji.
  • Type C: Offense and Mental Strength. Specialists in one-one-one combat. Related to the idea of hitotsu no tachi or the "one sword" technique. Hiyori Juujou, Kaoru Mashiko and Yukari Origami are all Type C Toji.
  • Type D: Defense and Mental Strength. Specialists in one-on-one combat where they control their opponents. Also capable of adding feints to their attacks. Kanami Etou is a Type D Toji.

There are also various kenjutsu school for Toji to pick and learn in order to increase their combat efficiency.

Some special Tojis like Yukari Origami and Hiyori Juujou can fuse with Great Aradama, massively boost their strength and speed and gain abilities from Great Aradama, notably like Dragon Eye allow for near future predict. But at the same time put a heavy toll on user body and mind. Need intense training to maximize the power boost and abilities while minimize the drawback. It is revealed in Toji no Miko OVA that Yukari Origami and Hiyori Juujou could sense the presence of a Great Aradama, it is unknown how they have this ability, but it is possibly this is the result of fusing with a Great Aradama once.

Retirement and Dismissal[]

Upon graduating from high school, Toji can officially enter a process of retirement. In this process, the Toji would return the okatana in their possession and are removed from the roster of active Toji. However, their records remain in the database of the Special Sword Administration Bureau, and can be accessed by the authorities in certain situations. The okatana returned by retired Toji can thus be registered to a new Toji. Meanwhile, retired Toji generally enter the workplace, at times employed in occupations related to the duties of Toji and the Special Sword Administration Bureau.

The powers of a Toji enter a gradual process of diminishing as soon as a Toji reaches adulthood. For this reason, it is recommended for Toji to retire upon attaining adult age. One exception to this is Yukari Origami who, for unexplained reasons, was able to retain her Toji powers despite being at around 30 years of age at the present time.

Even after the complete loss of one's powers, a former Toji may retain some of its physical abilities (like perception of fast objects due to experience with Jin'i) as well as susceptibility to phenomena related to Toji and the Netherworld.

History[]

Originally, Toji served dual roles. As wielders of okatana, they slayed and purified Aradama, and as shrine maidens, they retrieved any noro gathered from slain Aradama, separated them and enshrined them as part of the shintai in Japanese temples. This practice, however, started declining during the Meiji Era where the number of established shrines was diminished due to economic reasons, and noro from closed shrines were processed into Spectrum Meters or transformed into Aradama.[1]

Several years later, as Japan feared for a wartime scenario, the country sought to militarize both noro and the Toji system. As defensive technology based on noro were developed with the help of the United States, back in Japan, Toji slowly lost their purpose as shrine maidens and adopted their current roles in slaying Aradama and aiding the Origami Family in stockpiling Noro.[1]

List of Known Toji[]

Note: All Toji are the current owners of their specified Okatana unless otherwise specified.

Name School Okatana Status
Akane Maruyama Osafune Girls' Academy Enbun Kanemitsu Active
Akira Minoseki Academy Unknown Active
Akira Inago Minoseki Academy Yamanbagiri Kunihiro Active
Ayumu Uchizato Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Chie Setouchi Osafune Girls' Academy Sohayanotsurugi Active
Chinami Kamo Heijou Institute Mihara Masamune Active
Ellen Kohagura Osafune Girls' Academy Echizen Yasutsugu Active
Ema Hashima Renpu Girls' School Unknown Retired
Erina Matsunaga Heijou Institute Matsukoba Active
Futaba Nagae Minoseki Academy Unknown Active
Hana Suzumoto Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Sanjou Yoshiie Active
Hazuki Kiryuu Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Hikari Asakura Unknown Kashuu Kiyomitsu (former owner) Deceased
Hirona Nitta Osafune Girls' Academy Minaguchi Rapier Active
Hiyori Juujou Heijou Institute Kogarasumaru Active
Hokuto Asahina Heijou Institute Kijinmaru Kunishige Active
Hozumi Yamazaki Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Iroha Gojou Renpu Girls' School Unknown Retired
Ise Unknown[notes 1] Unknown Active
Jun Nakano Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Gojou Kuninaga Active
Kagari Juujou Renpu Girls' School Kogarasumaru (former owner) Deceased
Kanami Etou Minoseki Academy Chidori Active
Kaoru Mashiko Osafune Girls' Academy Nenekirimaru Active
Kazumi Watanuki Renpu Girls' School Yamatonokami Yasuyuki Active
Kiyoka Musumi Heijou Institute Renge Fudou Teruhiro Active
Kofuki Shichinosato Renpu Girls' School Chutan Nakiri and Niou Kiyotsuna Active
Maezaki Unknown[notes 1] Unknown Active
Mai Yanase Minoseki Academy Magoroku Kanemoto Active
Maki Shidou Heijou Institute Usumidori (Hoemaru) Elite Guard
Marie Tamaki Renpu Girls' School Soushuu Sadamune Active
Mayumi Hasui Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Taira Nagamori Active
Mihono Asakura Minoseki Academy Kashuu Kiyomitsu Active
Miki Naruse Heijou Institute Ichimonji Sukemune Active
Mimi Kagami Osafune Girls' Academy Ichimonji Yoshifusa Active
Minato Etou Renpu Girls' School Chidori (former owner) Deceased
Minaki Fujimaki Renpu Girls' School Kashakiri Hiromitsu Active
Mirja Kitora Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Jikkyuu Mitsutada Active
Miya Tanabe Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Nao Uraga Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Hasebe Kuninobu Active
Riko Minoseki Academy Unknown Active
Rui Onda Minoseki Academy Unknown Retired
Sakuma Heijou Institute Unknown Active
Sana Maniwa Renpu Girls' School Unknown Retired
Sanae Iwakura Heijou Institute Senjuin Rikiou Active
Satomi Ogawa Osafune Girls' Academy Unknown Active
Sawano Fukuda Minoseki Academy Izuminokami Kanesada Active
Sayaka Itomi Renpu Girls' School Myoho Muramasa Active
Shiho Himeno Heijou Institute Taima Kuniyuki Active
Sumi Nagasaki Renpu Girls' School Shintougo Kunimitsu Active
Suu Inami Renpu Girls' School Enju Kunimura Active
Suzuka Konohana Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Kujikanesada Elite Guard
Taeko Tanaka Minoseki Academy Unknown Retired
Takako Yonemura Osafune Girls' Academy Unknown Active
Tsugumi Ban Renpu Girls' School Bizen Saburou Kunimune Active
Waka Mizushina Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Wakako Naeba Renpu Girls' School Akita Ryoukai Active
Yomi Satsuki Renpu Girls' School Suijingiri Kanemitsu Elite Guard
Yui Yamashiro Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Hotarumaru Active
Yukari Origami Renpu Girls' School Okanehira and Dojigiri Yasutsuna Active
Yukina Takatsu Renpu Girls' School Myoho Muramasa (former owner) Retired
Yume Tsubakuro Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Nikkari Ao'e Elite Guard
Yuuki Minoseki Academy Unknown Active
Yuuki Toribane Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Unknown Active
Yuzuki Souraku Renpu Girls' School Unknown Retired

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Ise and Maezaki are the two remaining named but unspecified contestants of the National Swordsmanship Tournament. One of them is from Renpu, the other is from Ayanokouji.

List of Non-Toji Active Personnel[]

Not all students of the Five Traditions are Toji. Some students chose to pursue fields outside of suppressing Aradama, including okatana craftsmanship, research, combat support, and Shinto studies due to a variety of factors, including unsuitability to use an okatana and debilitating injury.

Name School Occupation Status
Akane Origami Renpu Girls' School Non-combatant Retired
Chika Shimoishii Osafune Girls' Academy Swordsmithing student Active
Emily Watanabe Osafune Girls' Academy Sword mounting researcher Active
Hina Aoto Renpu Girls' School Okatana polisher; shopkeep of Aoto-kan Active
Hoozuki Terashita Minoseki Academy Okatana lacquerer Active
Keiko Haji Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Engineering student Active
Kihiro Morishita Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Equipment researcher Active
Kinuka Mizushina Ayanokouji Martial Arts School Strategic staff officer Active
Kozue Nishi Osafune Girls' Academy Operator Active
Miyako Sasano Osafune Girls' Academy Engineering student Active
Momo Tatsunami Heijou Institute Engineering student Active
Rika Subara Minoseki Academy Shrine priestess-in-training Active
Saaya Koike Heijou Institute Student; pursuing office career (former owner of Renge Fudou Teruhiro) Retired
Sakura Hamazuka Renpu Girls' School Medical staff; Renpu classified research staff Active
Tsutomu Niwa Heijou Institute Okatana polisher; sword management specialist Active

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Toji no Miko Episode 09, "After the Festival".
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