Samurai X @ Animextent

Salutations

2005-11-02T23:00:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my Samurai X @ Animextent. Please, make yourselves at home. Feel free to browse my site. Plus, you'll be able to get to know your favorite Rurouni Kenshin characters.

Leaders

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Leaders

People Kenshin knows in high places.

Yamagata Aritomo

General Aritomo Yamagata, a former Choshu clansleader, is the commander-in-chief of the Japanese imperial army and the minister of war. Yamagata was a real person, and an important Meiji statesman; he was also the first Prime Minister under the Meiji constitution of 1889. With his modern army, he defeated the samurai uprising led by Saigo Takamori. He died in 1922. The general appears a few times in the series; the first was in episode three, when he sought Kenshin's skills in the new army. They also meet in the Samurai X movie during Takimi Shigure's uprising, and for the last time in Seihousen, in the immediate aftermath of the Nisshin (Sino-Japanese War) in 1895.

Okubo Toshimichi

Okubo was one of the five Ishin Shishi - Men of Spirit and the last of the three to have the highest honors in the government. He outlived Katsura and Saigo Takamori. He was a leader of the Satsuma clan, who supported the restoration of imperial power. He was responsible for the suppression of the Satsuma rebellion in 1877, led by Okubo's college friend, Saigo Takamori. In Rurouni Kenshin, Okubo appears to Kenshin for help in the Shishio crisis. In real life, Okubo was murdered by six discontented clansmen on his way to Tokyo on May 14, 1878. In the Kenshin series, it was Sojiro who murdered him; the clansmen merely took responsibility.

Detective Muraki

No profile yet.

Superintendent Kawaji (Kawaji Toshiyoshi)

No profile yet.

Ambassador Elsten

A good friend of Kenshin, he is the Ambassador of Holland, and tries to have the war against the christian's stopped, but fails. Later on he joins Shogo Amakusa and the christians to go to Holland?

Characters from the Samurai X: The Motion Picture

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Characters from the Samurai X: The Motion Picture

Characters Kenshin and his friends meet in Yokohama in the movie.

Takatsuki Toki

Toki was Gentatsu's sister whom Shigure took in after her brother's death. She is in love with Shigure.

Takatsuki Gentatsu

Gentatsu was Shigure's second-in-command, and possessed a keen sense of insight. After a disagreement involving an attack location, Gentatsu and Shigure split their army in two. Gentatsu was killed by Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi during the raid, just as Shigure arrived.

Takimi Shigure
Shigure led a rebel army made up of disgruntled samurai who fought on all sides during the Shogitai, Aizu, Hakodate and the Boshin wars. Shigure was from Aizu, and fought there, as the Oniwabanshu did, for the shogunate. During Bakumatsu, Shigure went around to the homes of the victims of these wars and gave them financial support. Shigure wanted to overthrow the Meiji government. He believed that the government was corrupt and did not distribute enough wealth among the population. In Tokyo, his band's first objective was to kill the British Guest of State during a parade to the embassy. Shigure was an idealistic and kind man, and a good orator as well as fighter. He is a master of the style Saiki Kanuma, a discipline most effective indoors, and in the dark.

Tamono Eibin

A captain in the Japanese army, Tamono aspires to replace General Yamagata as the Lord of the Imperial army. He is a ruthless man who is not afraid to shed a lot of blood. Tamono believes that nobility in battle is unsuited to modern times. The captain collaborates with Kajiki to destroy Takimi's rebellion and disgrace Yamagata so he can gain the position of army commander. However, thanks to Kenshin, he was arrested.

Musashino

Musashino is a young skilled swordsman who is part of Takimi's rebel group. He becomes friends with Yahiko after learning that both their fathers died together at the Battle of the Keneiji Temple during the Boshin War. Musashino teaches Yahiko some of his budo before he was killed at the battle at the British Embassy in Tokyo.

Kajiki Sadashiro

I don't know.

Characters from the Samurai X OVA

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Characters from the Samurai X OVA
People that haunt Kenshin's memories of the Bakufu.

Yukishiro Tomoe

Yukishiro Tomoe was employed by the Shogun spies to kill Kenshin for the murder of her fiance, Kiyosato Akira. Tomoe meets and befriends Kenshin, torn between her assignment to kill the Battosai, and her growing feelings for the young assassin. After the holocaust of Kyoto and the destruction of the Choshu clan, Katsura assigned Tomoe and Kenshin to live as husband and wife in hiding in the mountains. Over the coming months, Tomoe taught Kenshin the way of living as a civilian, but as the conflicts heated up, Tomoe went to the waiting Shogun assassins in order to save Kenshin. Realizing that her feelings for Kenshin were being used to the advantage of his assailants, she throws herself in front of Kenshin's opponent in order to disorient him, thus giving Kenshin the upper hand in the fight. But she dies as a result of the action she took. From that day forward, Kenshin was burdened with the lives of everyone in Japan - especially those he had taken.

Yukishiro Enishi

Yukishiro Enishi is Tomoe's little brother. He loves her very much, since he lost his mother and his father was ill. He loves her so much that he becomes consumed by his selfishness to bring her back to Tokyo, then Edo, so they could be together. At the age of thirteen or so, Enishi runs away from Edo, and is gone for seven months. He discovers the location of Tomoe through the Shogun agency, and works with the Shogun spies to kill Kenshin in revenge for butchering Tomoe's lover, Kiyosato. After witnessing Kenshin's accidental killing of Tomoe, Enishi swears Jinchu, or 'Man's Punishment,' to be brought down on Kenshin's head. He meets him again almost twenty years later, with four gifts: A technique to defeat Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, a Chinese war sword, a kidnapped Kaoru, and white hair, the result of years of stressful mourning for his sister.

Enishi is the main antagonist of the Jinchu arc of the manga, which Seisohen is roughly based on. His style is Watojutsu, a fusion of Chinese and Japanese technique. Watojutsu includes techniques that perfectly counter those of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, but within the context of the story this is coincidental. To many fans, Seisohen was a disappointment due to the omission of major details of the Jinchu arc, trying to smash it in one hour of time and adding in extra events.

Here are some of his best Watojutsu techniques.

Shugeki To Sei: Enishi kicks the flat side of the blade to increase speed and force of the strike.

Kaishi To Sei: This is a rapid thrust attack.

Sen Ran To Sei: An attack in which Enishi ducks like a tiger and strikes upwards

Katsura Kogoro

Katsura Kogoro was the leader of the Choshu clan. He worked hard to bring down the Shogunate. Katsura was an intelligent, wise and calculating man. He pitied Kenshin's emotional struggle between the old Shinta and the unrepentant Battousai. So, he saved his life by asking Tomoe to become his 'sheath'. He saved Kenshin again near the end of the war, by assigning the young assassin the task of being a fighter instead of a hitman. In turn, he was replaced by Shishio. He did not want Kenshin to suffer the latter hitokiri's fate of being executed for knowing too many secrets. Upon the accession of the Meiji government, Katsura became one of the three Ishin Sanketsu. He died close to the same time of Saigo's demise, in 1876.

Okita Soshi

A master swordsman of the Shinsengumi at the age of fifteen, Okita was capitain of Shinsen Gumi's First Troop. He often fought together with Saito against Kenshin. Okita was involved with the Ikedaya Affair and killed numerous Choshu clansmen in Kyoto. He succumbed to tuberculosis shortly after the fall of the Tokugawa regime.

Iizuka

Iizuka was the field examiner for the Choshu clan. He was responsible recording the group's kills. Laid back, a joker, and easy going, Iizuka was in fact a greedy double agent, working for the Tokugawa shogunate. He was a contributing factor in plotting the downfall of Hitokiri Battousai - Himura Kenshin. Iizuka attempted to skip country as soon as the trap was in place, but was murdered by Shishio Makoto in an alleyway.

Murakami

Nicknamed "Rensato", Murakami was the first Yaminobu (western-based ninja like the Oniwabanshu) Kenshin encountered. He ambushed Kenshin from the rooftops as he made his way back to the Choshu headquarters. Murakami possessed quick reflexes and was skilled with his chain, but ultimately, Kenshin made a rain of blood when he sliced the ninja in half as he sailed over the assassin's head.

Kiyosato Akira

Tomoe's dead fiance. He was a bodyguard for the Kyoto administrator, Shigekura Jubei. He and Tomoe were childhood sweethearts, and they planned to get married. This kind and caring man was butchered by Kenshin in a Kyoto street. It was all due to the tragedy of human folly; Akira only became a bodyguard so that Tomoe could look at him as a hero. Instead, she ended up seeing him deceased.

Sumita

Sumita was another Shogun ninja out for Kenshin during the plot to kill him in the forest. Kenshin had already lost his hearing, and was forced to fight Sumita and Mumyouni. Although Sumita fought well with his axe, he was run thorugh the chest. He stumbed away, pulled another mine, and Kenshin lost his eyesight due to the flash.

Yatsume Mumoyouni

A ninja who uses claws and returns in jinchuu just to be defeated by Saito. He is based on Venom from spiderman.

Tatsumi

A hulk of a man Tatsumi is the leader of the ninja clan kenshin fights when looking for Tomoe. In the OVA he is represented as a physically fit old man with a ninja outfit who gives Kenshin the beating of his life before Kenshin defeats him. In the manga he is depicted (much like many of kenshins other enemies) as someone twice (literally) his size his outfit more like a judo outfit than (similar to Basshin Inue) a ninja outfit and he lacks pupils.

Nakajo

He is Hisaya Nakajo.

Christians from Shimabara

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Christians from Shimabara

The leaders of the Christian movement of Shimabara.

Amakusa Shogo

Claimed to be the Son of God in order to protect the people of Shimabara. He is one of the few people that knows the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu other than Kenshin and Hiko Seijuro XIII. His uncle learned the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu from Hiko but failed to learn the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki against his master's Kuzu Ryu Sen which resulted in him being knocked into a waterfall. His uncle survived and later taught the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu to Shogo. He was the only person to add on a move to the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu; the Rai Ryu Sen, which is a technique that manipulates light reflected on his sword in order to blind his opponent. Both Kenshin (though temporarily) and Shogo's uncle was blinded by this attack. His parents were killed for being hidden Christians who at the time told Shogo to be strong like God and to protect people of Shimabara. He and his sister moved to Europe with his uncle after his parents were killed. It was there that he learned astrology and medicine and later used that knowledge in Shimabara to predict major events and cure diseases. Because of that knowledge, people believed that he was performing "miracles" which led to further "evidence" for him being the Son of God. His plans were to make Japan into the land of God where the people could live peacefully without fear of being persecuted but he was manipulated by Kaio.

Amakusa Sayo

Shogo's younger sister a.ka. Magdelia or Magdaria-sama (her Christian name). Her real name 'Sayo' is not revealed until later in the battle between Shogo and Kenshin. Sayo is a deeply religious Christian who cares and teaches children about the Christian faith. However, she dies from tuberculosis when she finally realizes and learns about the nature of life from Sagara Sanosuke.

Kaio

This weird, bald, caped batty geezer is a treacherous, manipulative guy who uses Shogo to push his secret plan of annexing Japan to the Netherlands.

Shozo Lorenz (Rorenzo)

A young man who was the personal guard of Amakusa Sayo. During his childhood, he was saved by her and her brother Shogo by bullies simply because he was a Christian. He was a user of a martial arts technique named Karyu, in which his blows were executed so fast that small vacuum waves cut the opponent even if the attacks themselves missed (this attack was later used against him in his second fight against Sagara Sanosuke).

He was almost killed by Kaio, but used a couple of bombs borrowed from Sanosuke to exact his revenge. Later he talks with Sano at Sayo's grave and reveals his desire to become a monk.

The Juppon Gatana

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The Juppon Gatana

The Juppongatana (Ten Swords) is the elite group of swordsmen organized by Hoji that are fighting beside Shishio against the Meiji government.

Shishio Makoto

The successor to Kenshin after he became a wanderer. Shishio handled assassinations after Katsura sent Kenshin and Tomoe into hiding, as man and wife, at Otsu. He was responsible for the murder of Izuka, the man who had sold Kenshin. He was very secretive about himself, even more so than Kenshin; not even did members of the Choshu or Satsuma clans know a great deal about him. He was extremely clever and ambitious, believing himself to be the future leader of Japan. After the revolution, the government attempted to silence him to prevent his activities from being used against it. Shishio was shot in the head and burned alive by the Meiji government, but he survived. Afterwards, he swore revenge and assembled a group of the best swordsmen in Japan, called the Juppongatana, to overthrow the new government, but Kenshin, Saito, Sanosuke, Kaoru, Yahiko and the Oniwabanshu rallied against his plan. Shishio envisioned a Japan ruled by him, enforcing the principles of natural selection. He also wanted to strengthen the economy with petroleum. He uses a sword with a serrated blade called Mugenjin which is soaked in the oils and body fat of the victims he had killed. Thus, he is able to execute fire-oriented techniques. He, like Kenshin, is able to register his opponent's techniques, and could then analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and then take advantage of them. His speed is good, but his strength is monstrous. His weakpoint, however, is his medical condition. Due to the intense burns he received, his sweat glands and pores were sealed shut. He, therefore, has an elevated body temperature due to his lack of sweat as a cooling mechanism. As a result, he could fight for no more than fifteen minutes, otherwise he would die - combust from the elevated body temperature igniting his body fat. Shishio fervently believes in natural selection - "the strong live, and the weak die", and moulded an ideological disciple out of Sojiro. He is also the lover of Komagata Yumi.

Here are some of his best techniques:

Homura Dama (Fire Ball or "Burning Soul"): His first secret attack. He draws his sword on the ground, igniting it. It's only a trick to distract the opponent from his upward swing.

Guren Kaina (Scarlet Lotus Arm): Shishio ignites his sword, draws it on his left glove, containing hidden gunpower. The resulting friction results in an explosion.

Kagutsuchi (Fire Cliff Spirit God): Shishio ignites the entire length of his sword by running its edge against the sheath, creating a massive vortex of flame around the sword. He then delivers a downwards cut meant to incinerate his opponent.

Seta Sojiro

Seta Sojiro is a teenage assassin, trained by the master mankiller Shishio Makoto. Sojiro is famous for his lack of battle aura, or, simply, emotion. He expresses no anger, cites no fear in his enemies, other than with his sword. His constant, sweet, smiling face and kind manners stem from his tragic past. The son of a prostitute, Sojiro's father left him in the care of his family, who badly mistreated him because he was the child of a whore. He was assigned tasks such as carrying rice to and from the family warehouse. Sojiro built a defense against their lashings at him; he put on an optimistic face, and became used to the torture. Then, they would leave him alone. One night, he met Shishio, who was on the run from the police. Shishio taught Sojiro that only the strong may live. With that mentality, Sojiro slaughtered his oppressors, who had tried to murder him for housing a branded killer. Although he's not particularly bright, Sojiro's apparent lack of emotion and his simple, insensitive mentality, "The strong will live and the weak shall die," and his skills make him a formidable foe to Kenshin. Sojiro wields the legendary swords Nagasone Kotetsu and Kikuichimonji Norimune, and is already master of the style Tenbu no Sai Niyoru Ken. The Shukuchi utilizes such powerful speed that, to an observer, it appears that the distance between the two fighters has shrunk (hence the name Shukuchi "reduced earth"). During his fight with Kenshin, Sojiro continually states he's only moving "three steps below Shukuchi" or "two steps below shukuchi." While moving at this speed, the only thing that could be seen was Soujirou's footsteps ripping through the tatami mat. While doing the true Shukuchi, Sojiro simply cannot be seen, even by Kenshin. He is also well versed in the Battojutsu style, like Kenshin. His ability has earned Sojiro the title of Tenken or Heavenly Sword (Ten meaning Heaven and Ken meaning Sword). Combining true Shukuchi with the Battojutsu he has created his only other named technique, Shun Ten Satsu (Instant Heaven Murder). It is named this because the speed behind the attack is so swift that "there isn't an instant even to feel the pain." The speed behind the Shun Ten Satsu completely equals to that of Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. In terms of power however, it is slightly weaker than the Hiten Mitsurugi ougi.

A variety of characters in the Kenshin series were based on real people. Watsuki has publically stated that the character design of Sojiro is cloosely based upon Okita Soshi, Captain of the 1st Squad of the Shinsengumi.

Komagata Yumi

At the fall of the Shogunate, Komagata Yumi was an oiran, an elite geisha, or courtesan, in Yoshiwara, formerly an akasen. Despite that, she is intelligent, dignified, well-cultured, and was brought up in a comfortable life. She was always interested in social issues and occurrences in Japan, and she reviled the lack of opinion amongst the Japanese people regarding the new rulership. She came to love Makoto Shishio with an utmost passion, which he returned. Thus, she joined Shishio's conspiracy to bring down the Meiji government. She is constantly concerned about Shishio's medical state. And, even though she loved the Meiji era's devil, Yumi is kind and feels justified. She also became Sojiro's best friend, and cares for him dearly.

Sawagejo Cho

Also known as 'The Sword Hunter', Cho possesses quite a collection of rare and unusual swords, including a long flexible sword he keeps hidden around his waist. He is only a mediocre opponent when not using this exotic weapon. He has a very calm and cool exterior, and normally keeps one eye closed when talking, and only opens both eyes when excited in the heat of battle. His fighting style is determined by the sword he uses, but he mainly uses the style Garyuorochi. The first is Orochi (Eight-Headed Hydra), in which Cho bounces his sword, Hakujin no Tachi (The Thin One) on the ground in waves. He uses Sakasa Kuchu Noto (Mid-air Sheathing) on Seiku's son Iori to locate the final sword of Shaku which was placed in a temple as a godsword.

Uonuma Usui

'The Blind Swordsman', Usui used to be an anti-hitokiri working for the government. However in a fight against Shishio Makoto, he was blinded. He possesses 'Eye of Heart', which actually is superhuman hearing that lets him hear another's heartbeat thus enabling him to sense people around him and detect the emotions of others. Although he seems to hate Shishio Makoto, he actually thanks him for enabling the use of his enhanced ability of the Eye of Heart. Usui and Shishio made a deal, that they would fight again. Saito points out that he won't win, and that Usui knows it deep down. The psychopath likes to kill people weaker than himself to boost his ego. His goal is to kill a thousand people. He fights using a short spear with a weighted end - the rochin, and a tortoise shell, timbei, as a shield. His fighting style is Ryuukyuu, and there are two techniques he uses in the fight against Saito. The first is Bouken Bougyoku Hyakka Ryouran (Treasure Sword, Treasure Sphere, Hundred Flower, Silver Chaos)- which is a series of rapid thrusts with the spear's point and ball, and, of couse, Shingan, the 'Eye of Heart'. He was killed by Saito's "Gatotsu Zero Stance".

Hariwa Hennya

Known as Hennya the Flight, he aided the attack of the Aoiya, the Kyoto secret headquarters of the Oniwabanshu, with four other Juppongatana members. He uses bombs to attack and also to lift him into flight. The power of flight is harnassed because Hennya starves himself; he is so light that the constant uplift from the explosions can easilly keep him in the air, and a cape allows him to control his movement. Yahiko defeated Hennya by attempting to use the Ryu Tsui Sen that he has often seen Kenshin use. Later on, he is used as a government spy because of his aviation abilities.

Sadojima Houji

Houji is Shishio's lapdog, and, aside from Yumi and Soujiro, he is closest to him. Houji, too, envisions Japan as a mighty power led by Shishio, ruling with the principles of basic animal survival. Houji is indeed unique; although he is not proficient in any fighting style, he is a cunning organizer and possesses frightening leadership qualities. Houji was 'baptized' by Shishio's intense body heat to kindle in him a belief in hell. Houji will follow Shishio anywhere, even to the depths of hell...

Yukyuzan Anji

Anji is a warrior-monk who fights along Shishio to destroy the Meiji government who did nothing to stop the anti-Buddhist purge which destroyed his home and loved ones. He has dedicated himself to total destruction of the current system, and is willing to side with evil to achieve this. He is the most merciful of the Juppongatana and has made a contract with Shishio that Anji decides whether someone lives or dies. He does not use a blade directly in combat, instead utilizing 'Futae no Kiwami' (Double Layer Limit or "Mastery of Two Layers") to strike the blade into the ground to attack from a distance, or more usually directly with his fists. He is enormously strong and has trained his entire body into a killing weapon. Upon meeting Sagara Sanosuke, he teaches him his secret technique, without realizing Sanosuke is allied with Kenshin. Normally when a person punches an object resistance is made caused by the object. To make sure that this leftover power isn't wasted, the person will hit with the knuckles then a second hit with the rest of the fist is made within 1/64th of a second causing the object to shatter. That is the power of the 'Futae no Kiwami'. He is defeated in a duel with Sanosuke, when Sanosuke upgrades the power of the Double Layer Limit into a Triple Layer Limit, striking with a fist, then the knuckles, then the tips of the fingers.

Honjo Kamatari

This character is a case of 'Miriam-ism' here. Although Kamatari appears to be a woman, she is not; she is in fact a man. And yet, Kamatari is so good at being a woman (hormone therapy did not exist in 1878). Kamatari uses a very heavy scythe-like weapon, a reaper, with a chain ball on the butt of the weapon; this is called Ogama. He/she was defeated by the combined efforts of Kaoru and Misao on the attack against the Aoiya. He/she practices Honjoryu, and three of his/her special techniques are seen in the series. Midare Benten (Chaotic Benten) is when the scythe is whipped over his/her head, and the chain forms a sphere.

He is in love with Makoto Shishio.

Iwanbo

Iwanbo is one of Shishio's Juppon Gatana. He is a fat oaf who uses his immense size, his strength, and his ability to entrap weapons in his flab. He is very stupid, and, apart from taking part in the battle of Aoiya against Kaoru, Yahiko, Misao, Jiya and the Oniwa Banshu as well as grinning like an utter idiot, he doesn't say anything, and he doesn't do anything. He was last seen on a cliff outside of Kyoto.

As revealed in the Jinchu, or "Revenge" (though it better translates to "Earthly Justice") arc of the manga, (which was sadly never animated in its true form), Iwanbo is in reality a mechanical puppet, a primitive mech, if you will, controlled by Gein, the puppetmaster. His only purpose in the Kyoto arc was to gather information about the Kenshingumi. Gein reappears in this arc as one of the six comrades in a more dangerous form of Iwanbo and plays a major role in Enishi's revenge.

She is in love with Makoto Shishio.

Saizuchi Rojin
A cunning small old man who manipulates Fuji. Later works for the Negotiations Department in the goverment for sticky situations.

Fuji

A giant. Considered a freak by everyone around him, the gentle Fuji became depressed, in an ideal state for Saizuchi to manipulate his emotions and turn him into an unbelievable fighter. He was defeated by Hiko Seijuro, who unlocked his true martial artist's soul and was the first to look at Fuji as someone other than a monster. Upon capture, the Meiji government assigned him to northern Hokkaido as the first line of defense against invasion.

Kenshin's Opponents

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Kenshin's opponents

Opponents Kenshin meets throughout the Rurouni series.

Saito Hajime (Fujita Goro)

A former leader of the Third Squad of the Shinsengumi, an extremely powerful loyalist faction in Kyoto during the time of the Bakumatsu war. Now a policeman working for the Meiji Government. Extremely strong and vicious, he has a long time rivalry with Kenshin. He was responsible for foiling the Choshu movement during Ikedaya, although he failed to prevent the Kyoto Holocaust, and, ultimately, the victory of the Ishin Shishi. He has no compassion or mercy for anyone. He lives by the Shinsengumi code "Aku Soku Zan"("Swift Death To Evil"/"Kill Evil Imediately"). He believes in peace and order, even in the society created by his enemies. Anyone he considers to be evil is a target for elimination. He is an agent of the destruction of corrupt political elements in Japan. This logic may be just an excuse to quench his thirst for blood. He considers Sanosuke to be a child with mild potential, due to Sanosuke's lack of insight.

Saito Hajime was an actual historic figure of this era, and a number of details presented on his character are based on fact. Saito is an excellent warrior, as he is an able observer and a quick analyst. Saito is a master of the standard Shinsengumi style, Migozuchi Haito-ryu. It consists of the techniques of Gatotsu - the Fang Stab. The four standard techniques are Ichiki - First Stance (standard level ground), Nishiki - Second Stance (attacking from the air toward the ground), Sanshiki - Third Stance (attacking from the ground toward the air), and his succession technique, Ougi/"Zeroshiki" - Zero Stance (attacking at point-blank range). He was married to Tokio Takagi, the daughter of a daimyo.

Udo Jin-e

Jin-e was also an assassin during the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. He is remarkably bloodthirsty, and serves his victims advance warning of their impending doom. He then kills them exactly on time no matter what preparations they have made in their defense. He possesses a technique, known as Shin no Ippo, where he immobilizes people with a glance. The mentalist can also use it to hypnotise himself and summon some extra inner strength. He longs to fight Kenshin to see who is stronger; he even kidnapped Karou to force Kenshin to revert back to his manslayer form. In the battle, Kenshin finally tries to kill Jin-e when he paralyzes Karou's heart. Kenshin uses the Double Batojutsu, and breaks Jin-e's right arm. Jin-e then commits sucide.

Takeda Kanryu

A cunning money-minded man who started the opium dealing business in Tokyo by forcing Takani Megumi to make the drug. His opium business is to generate profits to bring in modern Westernized weapons such as the Gatling gun. When Himura Kenshin shows up to save her, he finds himself demoted by Shinomori Aoshi. He resorts to using his Gatling gun to kill everyone in his home. He manages to kill four of the Oniwabanshu who died protecting Shinomori Aoshi.

Isurugi Raijuta

Leader of the 'Knights of Shinkoryu' faction, Raijuta aspires to take over Japan with a rebel group of Samurai, starting at Tsukuyama Yutaro's home in the province of Izu by using Yutaro's admiration of Raijuta to his advantage. Although he appears to be a tough fighter, proficient in the Shinkoryu Izuna style, the Izuna techniques are all show and no true power. Although he severed the nerves in Yutaro's right arm, he could only scratch Kenshin. Two of Raijuta's techniques are demonstrated in the series. The first is Matoi Izuna (Wrapping Around Rice Paper), which is a strike directed along the ground, similar to Kenshin's DoryuSen. The second is Tobi Izuna (Flying Rice Rope), in which the sword creates a vacuum in the air, and directed towards its target. It's largely ineffective, despite his claim that it's his 'ultimate killing technique'.

Oniwabanshu

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Oniwabanshu

The Oniwanbanshu were the protectors of Edo Castle during the Edo period. In Rurouni Kenshin, they are comprised of the following members: Shinomori Aoshi, Hannya, Shikijo, Hyottoko, Beshimi, Makimachi Misao, and Okina.

Makimachi Misao (also here)

Originally raised by Shinomori Aoshi (the leader of the group) as a daughter, she is not biologically related. She treats him as a father figure, as well as the other male characters (to some extent) in the Oniwabanshu. At some point in her childhood, Aoshi hands over custody of her to former Oniwabanshu member Okina (Kashiwazaki Nenji), in order to have a safe and normal childhood. Misao therefore has abandonment issues, and upon growing older (she is approximately 16 during the series) begins searching Japan for Aoshi and the other members of the Oniwabanshu. She idealizes them and does not realize that many others see them as murderers and criminals. She also has a romantic crush on Aoshi.

She is trained as a ninja and uses Kunai (throwing knives) as her weapon.

Upon meeting Himura Kenshin, she learns that he may know the whereabouts of the Oniwabanshu and becomes a member of his 'group' (Kenshin Gumi).

Nicknamed "Itachi musume", or "weasel girl" by Saito.

Kashiwazaki Nenji (Okina)

He is a strong fighter and a talented strategist. He is said to be the only one who can equal the former Oniwabanshu leader in a fight. Upon retiring, he gave up his fighting ways (although he was seen fighting Aoshi) and now lives peacefully in Kyoto at the Aoiya, the headquarters of the Oniwabanshu (which is now a hotel), where he raised Misao. Although old, he still possesses a quick mind and tends to like drinking games.

Shinomori Aoshi

Leader of the Oniwabanshu, it was Kashiwazaki Nenji (Okina) who suggested this.

Aoshi was very gifted as a young man, becoming the leader of the Oniwabanshu at the mere age of 15.

Aoshi, once kindhearted, even raising Makimachi Misao as his daughter, now seeks to prove that the Oniwabanshu were the strongest during the times of the Revolution, as they were unable to fight at a pivotal battle during The Battle of Toba Fushimi.

A dangerous opponent, he uses his speed together with a mix of sword and hand-to-hand combat moves called Kenpo. He joined with Kanryu as 'muscle' in his drug manufacturing operation, and then came face to face with Kenshin trying to rescue Takani Megumi. He was betrayed by Kanryu who killed the rest of the Oniwabanshu with a gatling gun.

After the defeat of the rest of the Oniwabanshu, Aoshi hides in the mountains where he has buried his friends' heads (in the manga at least) and there he stays until Shishio tests his strength. Afterwards, he then heads to Tokyo to find and kill Kenshin only to learn he has left to Kyoto. Once in Kyoto he joins with Shishio in hopes of fighting Kenshin and even fights his old friend to try and learn the location of him (but fails to get the location).

Towards the end of the Kyoto Arc, the most-anticipated battle arrives and Kenshin fights Aoshi. He is saved from his own madness by Kenshin, as he realizes that death is not the answer to his situation. To put an end to the feud and see who is truly the strongest, both decide to use their strongest attacks (their succession attacks, or "Ogi") and Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki defeats him.

He later appears to fight against Shishio to buy time for Kenshin (to recover). He later re-appears in the filler arcs, though he takes no major role.

In the Jinchu Arc (manga only), he joins Kenshin's side to fight Wu Heishin (a man who serves Enishi)'s group of bodyguards, known as the Sushin, so that Kenshin can rest and fight Enishi at full strength.

Aoshi uses the Kodachi Nitto Ryu style based around the Kodachi swords he uses to fight. The style mostly consists of attacks with a Kodachi in each hand. His techniques are:

Kodachi Nitto Ryu: Aoshi uses this cross-shaped slash when he is opposed by something he can't cut. He strikes with the first blade and then with the second blade perpendicular (hence the cross shape) to the first. This attack has been witnessed to cut Okina's metal tonfan (kempo attack stick, similar to a police baton) with ease.

Kaiten Kenbu: Aoshi claims to use this attack on "all who intruded upon Edo castle". It involves Aoshi rapidly spinning around three times to slash the opponent thrice across the chest. Aoshi usually uses this attack after disorienting the opponent with Ososugi de Ugoki.

Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren: This attack is Aoshi's ogi. The attack involves Aoshi switching the grip of one of his kodachi backward, then running forward to slash the opponent six times. It is basically Kaiten Kenbu but done with two kodachi.

Onmyou Hasshi: Aoshi throws both kodachi straight at the opponent, however, the second kodachi is hidden directly behind the first. So the opponent would only see one kodachi heading for him/her in their line of sight.

Ososugi de Ugoki: This is moving technique where Aoshi moves fast and silently. He does so in such a way that he confuses his opponent. He used this to attack Kenshin and tried to use it against Okina, but latter being a ninja, probably was familiarized with the attack. It looks as if many images of Aoshi started spinning around the opponent.

Han'nya

Han'nya is the second in command of the Oniwabanshu, being a direct pupil of Aoshi.

Han'nya is the master of disguise within the group, an ability he gained by cutting off all his prominent facial features (lips, nose, and eyelids), which is why he wears the demonic mask on his face.

As Aoshi was the only one to look past his gruesome appearance and train him without discrimination, he is very loyal to him, and would die for him, as was proven at the end of the Kanryu arc, giving his life to allow Kenshin enough time to retrieve his sakabato to defeat Kanryu and save Aoshi.

Han'nya's style of combat evolves primarily from his discipline from Aoshi. However, he adds his own bit to it by having painted his arms in vertical stripes, giving them the appearance of being shorter than they actually are, thus luring opponents into a false sense of security regarding distance of attacks. Kenshin defeats this tactic by using the sakabato in a manner to act as a ruler of sorts, allowing him to see through the optical illusion. Based on Wolverine from the X-men.

Hyottoko

Hyottoko is one of the Oniwabanshu members that decided to go with Aoshi when he left Okina caring for Misao. His massive belly makes him nearly impervious to direct physical attacks.

Hyottoko mainly breathes fire at his opponents, by means of a large oil bag he keeps stored in his stomach and a nozzle he keeps in his mouth. He lights the flames by using his front teeth, which he replaced with flint.

He died at Kanryu's hand, protecting Aoshi from the gatling gun.

Shikijo

One of the Oniwabanshu members. Shikijo was a soldier for the Satsuma faction until he was beaten by Aoshi, who gave him a chance to join up with the Oniwabanshu and gained strength using Oniwabanshu training methods. Has "steel" muscles. Based on the incredible Hulk.

Beshimi

The smallest of the Oniwabanshu, Beshimi uses his speed to compensate for his lack of strength. His favourite weapon are darts, with which he poisons Yahiko, and later on jams Kanryu's gatling gun. He was gunned down by Kanryu shortly afterward.

Allies of Himura Kenshin

2005-11-01T18:54:00.000+08:00

Tsukayama Yutaro

A rich son of a former samurai, who wants nothing more than to learn swordsmanship. In the manga, he wants to become stronger than his father once was, because he is ashamed that his father gave up his sword and became a sword merchant. He learns the basics of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu from Kamiya Kaoru and becomes a rival to Myojin Yahiko, but then returns to the person he believes to be his true sensei, Raijuta. After Raijuta injures him to the extent where he can't use his right hand, he goes to Germany where they have more advanced medicine.

Tsukioka Tsunan

Tsukioka Katsuhiro, later Tsukioka Tsunan, was a survivor of the Sekiho Army after it was disbanded by the government. Called Katsu by Sanosuke, Tsunan became an artist after the Restoration. He is an expert at explosive weapons and gunpowder, and intends to use them. Later in the series, Sano and Katsu try to embark on a terrorist campaign against the Meiji government, but are stopped by Kenshin. Since then, Katsu buried his bombs and became a journalist for an anti-government newsletter. Later on in the series, he becomes a valuable source of information for Kenshin and Sanosuke.

Hiko Seijuro XIII

The thirteenth successor to the sword art of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, Hiko Seijuro saved Shinta from marauding bandits who killed his caretakers. Hiko then took care of Shinta, and named him Kenshin ("Heart of Sword"). He became angry and disappointed with Kenshin, because he ran away to join the rebellion against the Tokugawa regime. Hiko knew the tragedy of not completing Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu; people with such power but without full understanding of it tend to get into things they shouldn't and from that blossoms tragedy; what happened to Kenshin had once happened to Hiko as well. That is why he shut himself away from the rest of the world; he lives as a potter close to the forest near Kyoto. He also realizes that the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu no longer seems relevant in the changing world, as he remarks to Yahiko: "The only thing that doesn't seem to change is the moon." Hiko is perhaps the strongest swordsman around; he is far superior even to Kenshin. Although the two are comparable in speed, Hiko possesses a superior sense of judgement in combat and the superhuman strength (hidden underneath his cloak) to wield Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu to its maximum. Hiko's favourite technique is Kuzu Ryu Sen. After thirteen years, master and student meet once more. It is then that Kenshin will complete his training, if Kenshin can survive Hiko's ego.

The name "Hiko Seijuro" is in fact a title granted to each succeeding master of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. Since Hiko Seijuro II, each new master has discarded his own name in favor of the name of the creator of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. As Kenshin declines to take the name "Hiko Seijuro XIV", his master is the last man ever to be known as Hiko Seijuro.

Himura Kenji

Kenshin and Kaoru's son. In the manga the reader only gets a glimpse of him. Kenji tends to take a liking to his mother more than his father and enjoys to pull on Kenshin's hair. In SeisoHen/Reflection he is a teenager. He despises his father for always leaving Kaoru's side and has left them to begin training with Hiko Seijuro XIII to learn Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. Kenji is initially mistaken regarding the true strength of his father. He wants to learn "his father's swordsmanship" in order to create his own legend. However, after a duel with Yahiko, Kenji feels the brunt weight of Kenshin's sakabatou and realizes that the true strength and legend of his father was not in his ability to slay people, but his devotion and self-sacrifice to those around him. In the end, he was given the sakabato as a late Genpuku present. Kenji settles down with Raikoji Chizuru, who originates from Watsuki's original short stories; this girl, bears a striking resemblance to his mother since she was the character who inspired him to create Kaoru.

Sagara Sozo

Based on the actual captain, Sagara Sozo was part of the Sekiho. Sanosuke looked up to him greatly; he was, to Sanosuke, the ideal role model. He was killed when the Meiji government purged the Sekiho, leading to Sanosuke's embitterment towards it. His head was placed on a platform and in a cage for all to see, it haunts Sano still to this very day.

Sekihara Tae

The manager of the hot beef pot restaurant, the Akabeko. She has a twin sister named Sae managing in a similar restaurant called the Shiroubeko in Kyoto. Sanosuke also owes her a seemingly large sum of money in which interest is accounted for. She has also tried to push the relationship between Kenshin and Kaoru since it seemed it to her that it wasn't going anywhere.

Sanjo Tsubame

Helps Tae at the restaurant, and is Yahiko's sweetheart. She was saved by him from the ronin her family worked for as Yahiko stopped them from robbing the Akabeko. In Seisohen/Reflection, the viewer see that they become a couple. She is very shy and softspoken.

Dr. Genzai

A venerable old doctor and friend of the Kamiya Dojo, he often offers treatment or advice early in the series. In the television show, he is the grandfather of two impossibly cute little girls (Genzai Ayame and Genzai Suzume) who also like hanging around the Dojo. After the group meets Takani Megumi, he offers her training and lets her take over his clinic when on vacation or out collecting herbs.

Genzai Ayame

Nonexistent in the manga. Ayame is the older of the two siblings.

Genzai Suzume
Nonexistent in the manga. The younger of the two.

Samurai X characters

2005-10-31T00:54:00.000+08:00

about Samurai X (Rurouni Kenshin)

2005-10-30T23:30:00.000+08:00

Rurouni Kenshin is about a man named Himura Kenshin who was once an assassin called "Battousai the Manslayer." He fought in the revolution and was believed to be the strongest imperialist. However, due to a horrible incident, he put away the sword that kills and decided he would never kill another human being, no matter what. He took up a reverse-blade sword. This way, even though he used the impressive Hiten Mitsurugi style, he could protect others without killing.

Ten years after he starts wandering, he meets a girl named Kamiya Kaoru who mistakes him for a man who calls himself "Battousai the Manslayer" and is killing people in the name of the Kamiya Kasshin style. Kaoru attacks Kenshin, thinking he is this person, since he carries a sword. However, she quickly learns that he is not the one she is looking for.

Later, she is fighting with the "real" Battousai, who injures her and is about to kill her when Kenshin jumps in the way and quickly carries Kaoru to safety. She lets him stay the night at her place, and he accepts. The next day, she is attacked again, when Kenshin appears. He defeats the man and tells him the Battousai doesn't use the Kamiya Kasshin style, but he uses the Hiten Mitsurugi style. Kaoru realizes that Kenshin really is Battousai, but she tells him she doesn't care about his past. Kenshin decides to stay at the Kamiya dojo. Later, a boy named Yahiko comes to live with them, and they also meet new people such as the lady doctor Megumi, the freeloader Sanosuke, the brooding Aoshi and high-spirited Misao, and the merciless Saitou.

Rurouni Kenshin focuses on how Kenshin affects other people's lives, and how they affect his. It also sends messages such as "no matter how many sins you commit, you can still repent". It deals with the problems Kenshin has with his "no kill" policy, and how he finds solutions to them.

I would rate this PG-13 for violence. There's also quite a bit of language and some very brief nudity in a couple of episodes, but it's not very detailed.

character: Megumi Takani

2005-10-30T23:21:00.000+08:00

Takani Megumi was said to have been born in December 1857 during the Bakumatsu period of Japan. That would make her 22 years old during the start of the anime. Hers was a family of doctors who are adept at renguku, a type of medical practice that combined elements of Western and Eastern medicine. The fact that Megumi bore the last name 'Takani' spoke of her family's higher class level as peasants during that time were forbidden to carry family names.

Megumi was portrayed both in the anime and in the manga as having long, dark hair and dark eyes. In the anime particularly, she usually wore a blue haori worn over a lavender kimono. Sometimes, Megumi appeared to have fox ears popping out of her head, an allusion to her nickname kitsune, which means "fox." Sanosuke especially liked to call her kitsune-onna, meaning Fox Lady, though Yahiko and Kaoru sometimes called her by this name.

The nickname actually has two meanings. 'Fox' to describe Megumi's wily ways and 'fox' like in a compliment - "foxy lady" or beautiful woman.

character: Misao Makimachi

2005-10-30T23:01:00.000+08:00

Misao Makimachi is rather annoying and spunky all the time. She is a member of the Oniwabanshu, and eventually made it to the status of leader. Although she is a bit young, she is still in love with Shinomori Aoshi.

It came as quite a surprise to the likes of Kenshin and Kaoru that Misao was part of the Oniwaban group, but once they heard the truth behind the group, they began to understand.

The Oniwaban Group originally was a band of warriors (apparently ninja) meant to be protectors. After the Meiji revolution, Aoshi found himself at a loss as to his purpose, so he and a number of Oniwaban warriors loyal to him splintered off, where they eventually came to Tokyo. The rest of the group found themselves a new purpose in protecting Kyoto, and this is where Misao entered the picture. Misao represents what the Oniwaban is trying to become. The Oniwaban Group of Kyoto already knew the approaching trouble of Makoto Shishio and the Juppongatana, and she was also working to try to stop it. (She's my favorite character, by the way)

Originally raised by Shinomori Aoshi (the leader of the group) as a daughter, she is not biologically related. She treats him as a father figure, as well as the other male characters (to some extent) in the Oniwabanshu. At some point in her childhood, Aoshi hands over custody of her to former Oniwabanshu member Okina (Kashiwazaki Nenji), in order to have a safe and normal childhood. Misao therefore has abandonment issues, and upon growing older (she is approximately 16 during the series) begins searching Japan for Aoshi and the other members of the Oniwabanshu. She idealizes them and does not realize that many others see them as murderers and criminals. She also has a romantic crush on Aoshi.

She is trained as a ninja and uses Kunai (throwing knives) as her weapon.

character: Yahiko Myoji

2005-10-30T22:57:00.000+08:00

Yahiko is the descendant of a samurai. Yahiko's father died during the Boshin War, slain at the Battle of the Keneiji Temple. His mother died of Syphilis in a brothel to put food on their table not long after giving birth to her son. Yahiko was originally forced to live as a thief for the local Yakuza, who tricked him into believing that he still had to pay off the money the gangsters gave to his mother to buy medicine. But with the help of Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru, he becomes an apprentice of the Kamiya Kasshin style.

Yahiko is a young boy who is Kaoru's first apprentice. He studies the Kamiya Kasshin style, but has also picked up a bit of the Hiten Mitsurugi style.

Yahiko can be a little rude sometimes. He calls Kaoru "ugly woman" on occasion and sometimes he calls Sano "rooster head". But he respects Kaoru a lot, as well as Sano.

Yahiko likes a girl named Tsubame, a waitress at the Akabeko. He freed her from a man named Mikio, who was using her to steal money from the Akabeko.

Myojin Yahiko, known in Western order (Yahiko Myojin) in the English anime, is a fictional character in the anime and manga Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X. In the Spanish-language version of the anime, he is known as Yoshi.

Yahiko is a hotheaded child. He is arrogant, a potty-mouth, and bad-mannered; and he already bestowed upon himself the title 'Tokyo Samurai'. But, as the years go by, Yahiko learns the principles of Kasshin Kamiya-Ryu, which coincides with Kenshin's ideals. Even though he overrates himself, Yahiko defeats several enemies - even one of Shishio's henchmen. In time Yahiko becomes a master swordsman, and trains Kenji, Kenshin's son. He has a sweetheart, Tsubame, who works at a local restaurant as a waitress.

YahikoThe Kamiya Kasshin Style translated from Japanese means roughly, "Revitalized Heart".

character: Sanosuke Sagara

2005-10-30T22:48:00.000+08:00

Sagara Sanosuke, known in Western order (Sanosuke Sagara) in the English anime, is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X.

Sanosuke, who has the alias "Zanza", is the last of the Sekihotai, who fought in the imperial alliance at the end of the Tokugawa regime. Sanosuke initially bore a hatred for all former Imperialists. The reason that he is the last of the Sekihotai is because his captain, Sagara, and his followers, were executed by the Meiji police for impersonating the imperial army and spreading false allegations about low rice prices. This setup was engineered by Shindo Tatewake, a former officer in the imperial alliance.

Sagara Sanosuke.Sanosuke, full of anger and bitterness, made a living as a fighter-for-hire who bore the nickname "Zanza" derived from his weapon, the zanbato. He was hired to kill Himura Kenshin, but after being defeated by the former assassin and learning of Kenshin's no-kill approach, Sanosuke becomes a valuable ally. He later adopts a boxing-like fighting skill.

During the Shishio crisis, Sanosuke learns 'Futae no Kiwami' (Double Level Limit) from a former monk, Anji no Myo'o. Futae no Kiwami is a special art, whereby the assailant uses two punches in quick succession; the first punch neutralizes the hardness of the target, then the second breaks the target before it recovers from the force of the first blow. Later, in a fight against Anji, Sanosuke's desperation leads to the discovery of a third level, in which he strikes using the Futae no Kiwami with each of his five fingers.

Sagara Sanosuke begins in the series as a moderately weak character, only capable of defeating the lower ranked foes such as Beshimi, Hyottoko, and Shikijo of the Oniwabanshu. He never really contributes to the major foes such as Aoshi and Udo Jin-E. During the Kyoto arc; however, he learns Anji's 'Futae no Kiwami' and is taken more seriously as a threat. Makoto Shishio comments how he is "no mere tag-along" and even Saito begins to acknowledge his skills (though he still considers him an idiot). At this point he may not stand a chance against the major villains (except Raijuta who is believed by some that Sanosuke could have defeated during the Tokyo arc), but he can defeat stronger minor villains.

The symbol on the back of Sanosuke's jacket is the Japanese kanji Aku, which means "evil". He bears this symbol as a mark of his loyalty towards his past in the Sehiko Army.

A popular pairing among Rurouni Kenshin fans was Sanosuke and Takani Megumi, but while there was definite chemistry between the characters, no romance ever materialized.

Sanosuke was said to have been based on Harada Sanosuke.

character: Kaoru Kamiya

2005-10-30T22:29:00.000+08:00

Kamiya Kaoru, known in Western-order (Kaoru Kamiya) in the English anime, is a fictional character in the anime and manga Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X. In the Spanish-language version of the anime, she is known as Kori.

Kaoru is a kind, caring (although short-tempered), pretty girl who cannot cook. She is the heroine of the series and teaches the Kamiya Kasshin style. Her friends are very important to her, since she has no family. Her dojo is pretty much the big hangout for most of the characters.

Kaoru cares a lot about Kenshin, and several times in the series, it suggests that she loves him. She gets jealous whenever Megumi flirts with him, and worries about him whenever he goes off to fight. Whenever he leaves, you can be sure that she'll follow him. Where he is, Kaoru is somewhere close by.

Kaoru is a very sweet girl and would do anything to protect those whom she cares about. She is a good friend to have.

She pretty much brings in the money by giving lessons at other places. In connection, the Kamiya Dojo is often in need of money. However, Kaoru is very optimistic, and doesn't let anything get her down.

character: Kenshin Himura

2005-10-30T21:34:00.000+08:00

Himura Kenshin, known in Western-order (Kenshin Himura) in the English anime, is a fictional character of the anime and manga series Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X.

The main character of the series, Kenshin was a former Imperialist assassin that went by the name "Hitokiri Battosai" (spelled with a macron in the Viz manga, and spelled as "Hitokiri Battousai" in the English anime releases). The nickname implies he is proficient in the use of Batto-jutsu (sword drawing technique, known in modern times as Iaido) and can draw his sword with lightning speed.

After the revolution, he traded in his katana and wakizashi (companion sword) for a reverse-bladed sword sakabato and assumed the life of a "rurouni" (made-up word, probably based on rounin, means wanderer). He becomes a technical master of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu fighting style after completing his previously abandoned training with his master, but declines the official mastership.

He has quite a distinctive appearance, slightly feminine (common in most anime/manga) with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. This was an intentional act on the creator, Nobuhiro Watsuki's, part - he was looking to create a character with a visage contrary to what a samurai brings to mind. Instead of a gruff man of comparable stature, he ended up with what he admitted was a woman, adding to scar in an attempt to add masculinity to the character. According to his official biography, Kenshin was born on June 20, 1849. He stands at 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) and weighs 48 kg (106 lb).

The contrast of Kenshin and his former Battousai persona are used as metaphors of change and renewal. Kenshin-san, the pleasant and humble wanderer of the Meiji Era, and the Battosai, the assassin he was during the feudal era during the reign of the Shogunate. Under dire circumstances, Kenshin can lapse into his old ways of the Battosai persona. However, this is usually due to great anger or offense in which his control slips.

Kenshin HimuraIn the original Japanese anime and manga, the form of "I" that Kenshin uses is "sessha" (humble first-person), which is extremely respectful and humble. Saying "sessha" is like saying "this one". Use of the word humbles oneself before the person he or she is talking to. The word is used to distinguish the two sides of Kenshin - for instance, the "hitokiri" side of Kenshin would instead refer to himself as "ore," the most confident, if not conceited, form of "I". Also, in the original Japanese anime and manga, "rurouni" uses the word "gozaru", which is a form of "to be", which the "hitokiri" side doesn't use. This is translated in the English dub into Kenshin saying "that it is" numerous times.

Kenshin is partially based on Kawakami Gensai, a real hitokiri and master swordsman who worked with the Imperialists during the Meiji revolution, but afterwords his personal beliefs clashed with that of the new government, a conflict that resulted in his execution. Like Kenshin, Kawakami was a small, thin man of almost feminine appearance, and an expert of his own unique school of swordsmanship.