A list of notable characters from the manga and anime series Rurouni Kenshin.Note: All name are in Eastern Order
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Main Characters / The Kenshingumi
Himura Kenshin (Birth Name: Himura Shinta)
Voiced by: Mayo Suzukaze (JP - Anime), Megumi Ogata (JP - Drama CD), Richard Cansino (EN - Anime), J. Shanon Weaver (EN - OVA)
"A sword is a weapon, and swordsmanship is learning how to kill. That is the truth. What Mistress Kaoru says is play-talk that only those that have never stained their hands can say. However, I prefer Mistress Kaoru's play-talk more than the truth. And I wish that in the world to come, her play talk shall become the truth."
The titular and main character of the series. He is a wanderer formerly known as the Hitokiri Battosai, a deadly man-slayer who slaughtered many men in the war before the Meiji era.Kenshin's fighting style is Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, now an ancient study. With this dangerous sword style, he uses his Sakabato (a sword with a reversed edge) to restrain himself from killing anyone ever again, and renounces the title Hitokiri.
Death Seeker: So powerful was his guilt for his past as a hitokiri that, until late into the plot, he believed his own life to be worthless, providing a weakness through which his Battousai persona can emerge through; this was the core obstacle in his path to learn Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's final secret technique.
Berserk Button: Admitting that you killed an innocent person For the Evulz, or threatening to harm an innocent person (or worse, one of his Nakama), will result in a very painful beat-down.
The backstory also contained a horrifying aversion to this trope. He couldn't see Tomoe jump in front of him thanks to be blinded earlier in the fight, so he wound up accidentally killing her.
Call to Agriculture: In the OVA. "For many years I ended the lives of evil men but I've only realized inner peace by brining life to this land and sharing its harvest with you." Its more of a cover story than a choice but he learns to love it.
Dueling Scar: He got half of his iconic scar in a "duel" to the death (it was really more of a Curb-Stomp Battle, but the man who gave him the scar had such a will to live that he managed to leave his mark).
Earn Your Happy Ending: Kenshin goes through trauma, death, tragedy and the potential for his own death many times over before he finally finds peace.
Jade-Colored Glasses: Earned his in the Revolution, when he realized that he had essentially been a hitokiri in a war against oppressors so that the victors might become oppressors instead. He also has no illusions that violence, whether it kills or not, begets anything other than violence.
Jerkass Façade: He tries to assume one of these during the Kyoto Arc. Key word "tries;" he isn't very good at it.
Meaningful Name/Meaningful Re Name: Both his adoptive and birth names. When Hiko Seijuro, his teacher and adoptive father considered Shinta, which means "Kindness" too meek a name for a swordsman, he renamed the boy "Kenshin" (Sword-Heart) so he may better travel down the road of the warrior.
Red-Headed Hero: Despite being Japanese and in a series that has realistic Hair Colors. According to fanon and/or some Epileptic Trees, he might have Dutch blood in his veins as the Dutch were pretty much the only foreigners allowed to stay in Japanese territory during the isolation years imposed by the Shogunate.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Except when in Battosai mode, he's the Red Oni to Saito's Blue Oni
What Do You Mean, It's Not Symbolic?: The cross-shaped scar (a mark) on a character who is Walking the Earth after committing murder brings to mind the Biblical story of Cain. Also, the cross is a symbol of redemption, and Kenshin is trying to make up for his checkered past. The fact that it is probably Kenshin's "cross to bear" is made more obvious in the Shimabara/Christian Revolt filler arc, as well as the accompanying ED "1/3 Junjou na Kanjou."
Voiced by: Miki Fujitani (JP - Anime), Tomo Sakurai (JP - Drama CD), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (EN - Anime), Katherine Catmull (EN - OVA)
A seventeen-year-old dojo instructor. Kaoru is a teacher of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu style, a swords style used to protect people, and not harm others. Since her father was killed in the war, responsibility for running the family dojo fell to young Kaoru. After defending Kaoru from the fake Battōsai and his allies, Kenshin is invited to live at the dojo. Kaoru quickly develops a crush on Kenshin, soon falling in love with him, although she tends to violently deny it.
Action Girl/Faux Action Girl: Depending on your viewpoint and on the story arc. She's more action-geared in the anime.
Bathing Beauty: More so in the anime than in the manga, though it's not done for Fanservice in particular. Nothing pleases Kaoru more than taking a nice bath in the furo after a long day of training at dojos, so Kenshin always makes sure to prepare it for her beforehand.)
Character Development: Kaoru transforms more over the series than any other character. At the beginning she is a clingy, snappy, naive and immature girl with a childish crush on Kenshin; by the end she is far more emotionally mature, being more even-tempered, holding ideals that are grounded in reality (without being cynical) and harboring a sincere love for Kenshin and desire to support him.
Informed Ability: Word Of God considers her very strong emotionally, but her Heroic BSOD when Kenshin went away to fight Shishio and her being little more than a Neutral Female in the Enishi arc speak otherwise...
Character Development: Actually, Kaoru transforms more over the series than any other character. At the beginning she is a clingy, snappy, naive and immature girl with a childish crush on Kenshin; by the end she is far more emotionally mature, being more even-tempered, holding ideals that are grounded in reality (without being cynical) and harboring a sincere love for Kenshin and desire to support him. Not punching a bitch every five seconds =/= being a weakling.
Lethal Chef: To the extent that Kenshin is the one wearing the apron in the family...
Plucky Girl: When in a good day. Specially seen in the Aoiya episodes.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Believes quite firmly in the Katsujinken, that is, the sword that gives life. She never quite loses this ideal, but she does adapt them to be more realistic.
Yamato Nadeshiko: A straight up example in Seishouhen. She has also grown into one after the manga's Grand Finale, but it's quite more subtle.
A street fighter who befriends Kenshin early in the series. As a youth, Sanosuke ran away from home to join the Sekiho Army, a group of farmers and merchants who fought for the Ishin Shishi during the Meiji Revolution. When the Sekiho were betrayed and executed by the other revolutionaries, Sanosuke escaped and becomes a fighter-for-hire to vent his anger. He is hired to attack Kenshin, a former Ishin Shishi, but when Sanosuke is defeated he becomes Kenshin's best friend and fighting partner.
Alliterative NameIf he's using his adoptive father's surname that is.
Big Brother Mentor: To Yahiko. Captain Sagara Souzo was one to him; Sanosuke would take his surname out of respect.
BFS: Sano wielded a massive zanbato as his trademark weapon when he made his first appearance. Deconstructed (literally) by Kenshin, who notes that the zanbato's size makes it impossible to wield effectively and limits its' usage to horizontal and overhead swings.
Chekhov's Gun: Sano's zanbato is broken in his debut battle with Kenshin and is never seen again... until the Jinchuu arc comes around and Sano breaks it out again to knock one of Kujiranami's cannon shells right back at him.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Mastery of the Two Layers becomes this after overusing it causes Sano to break his hand, and every subsequent usage re-breaks it. Subverted in that Sano eventually devises an alternate version that uses both hands to reduce the attack's backlash.
Generation Xerox: Just look at his dad... The biological one, Higashidane Kamishimoemon. Not the adoptive one, Sagara Souzou from the Sekihoutai.
Good Old Fisticuffs: Sano's choice of fighting technique after the zanbato breaks. Somewhat subverted in that certain really skilled characters can crush him with no problem, but if they aren't at Kenshin's or Saito's level, no amount of martial arts mastery or pressure point knowledge will do anything to put him down.
Made of Iron: The first character in the series to take one of Kenshin's attacks and stand up again; this was practically his trademark ability for the entire series. Also a source of several Crowning Moments Of Awesome, usually when a Villain of the Week hits him with their strongest attack only for Sano to nonchalantly brush it off; if they were particularly powerful Villains Of The Week, they might give him a bruise or two before Sano demolished them with Good Old Fisticuffs.
Sano: What's this? You thought you could kill things with this?
Megaton Punch: Mastery of the Two Layers is a rare serious use of this trope, as well as Sano's only named technique and his other trademark ability after he learned it from Anji.
Oral Fixation Fixation: Always seen chewing something (his namesake, Harada Sanosuke of The Shinsengumi, is portrayed the same way in the flashback chapter).
Spanner in the Works: During the Kyoto arc, Shishio watches Kenshin, Saitou, and Sano from the deck of his ironclad battleship, the Rengoku (that he had sunk fully 3/5ths of his finances into acquiring) and dismisses Sano as a mere tagalong. Sano then does him the favour of throwing a few bombs that his friend Katsu had given him right before leaving Kyoto at the Rengoku, which sinks pretty shortly afterwards.
He does it again during the raid on Shishio's base: Shishio was counting on Monk Anji, Seta Soujiro, and Aoshi Shinomori to weaken Kenshin, while Blind Sword Usui weakened Saito. Instead, Sanosuke was able to beat Monk Anji alone, keeping Kenshin from taking internal damage before his fight with Shishio.
The Worf Effect: While he's not defeated often, his utter loss to Saitou TWICE prompts him to train himself. Plus in the anime, Aoshi takes him out in a single blow as does Shishio in the manga and anime.
Worf Had The Flu: His loss to Shishio, while inevitable given who he was, makes a lot of sense considering the condition he was in. Nobody's ready to fight a master swordsman after trading hits with someone like Monk Anji.
A fact that was actually pointed out by Shishio himself— he kept Monk Anji as the first line specifically because, in his words, nobody could walk away from him unscathed. And given the way Monk Anji fought, it's very likely he would have crippled Kenshin or Saito, who are more skilled than Sanosuke but can't just stand there and tank hits.
A young boy at ten years old and the son of a samurai. When he was younger, both of his parents died, and he was taken in by the Yakuza, who forced him to live as a pickpocket. Once he meets up with Kenshin and Kaoru, he decides to stand up to the Yakuza, and escapes with Kenshin's help. He joins Kaoru's dojo to become a stronger swordsman, becoming the first graduate of Kamiya Kasshin-ryū. Over the course of the series, he becomes a strong warrior.
Author Avatar: Apparently based on Watsuki's own bratty boyhood self in the Junior High Kendo Team.
Bare-Handed Blade Block: His specialty. At the end of the manga, he becomes known as "The Man Who Caught A Thousand Blades".
Bare handed nothing, he does it with his knuckles!
The Big Guy: He may be tiny, but he can take one hell of a beating.
The Mario: He can't match up to Kenshin, Sanosuke, Saito, or Kaoru as a child, but he learns from all four and has a pretty well-rounded fighting style. Evolves to The Ace as an adult, utilizing Kenshin's attitude, taking Kaoru's sword style to a new level, and keeping just a hint of Sanosuke in his personality.
Single-Target Sexuality: Kaoru smugly notes in the series epilogue that he only has eyes for Tsubame.
Son of a Whore: His Missing Mom was an Ill Girl and a prostitute, widowed in the war. It should be noted that, unlike many examples of the trope, Yahiko actually cherishes his mom's memory and even takes pride on her doing what she could to raise him, using that to his favor when a bad guy tries giving him a Breaking Speech.
The manager of the beef hot pot restaurant, the Akabeko. She has a twin sister named Sae managing in a similar restaurant called the Shirobeko in Kyoto. Sagara Sanosuke also owes her a seemingly large sum of money in which interest is accounted for. In the anime, and a bit in the manga, she has also tried to push the relationship between Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru since it seemed it to her that it was not working.
Miss Exposition: Since her restaurant is a well-known reunion place, she more than once drops useful info to Kenshin and Kaoru; i.e., Tae tells them Yahiko's backstory as a Street Urchin under a gang's orders, which motivates them to go rescue him.
Parental Substitute: Pretty much adopts Tsubame after she's free from her abusive caretaker.
Shipper on Deck: Biggest Kenshin/Kaoru fangirl ever, aside of Kenshin's group.
Supreme Chef: Good enough to have her own restaurant, the Akebeko.
A waitress at Tae's restaurant and Myojin Yahiko's sweetheart. She was saved by him from the ronin her family worked for as Yahiko stopped them from robbing the Akabeko.
Meet Cute: Finds Yahiko training, watches him and then repairs his broken sandal. They meet up again as Kenshin's group goes to the Akebeko, where Tsubame is working part-time.
Rescue Romance: Yahiko has to defeat the Jerkass who took Tsubame in after her parents died and abused her both physically and emotionally.
Shrinking Violet: She even wears a purple kimono in her first episode.
Yamato Nadeshiko: One in training, thanks to her boss/adoptive mother Tae.
Takani Megumi
Voiced by: Mika Doi (JP - Anime), Mari Devon (EN - Anime), Rebeca Robinson (EN - OVA)
A woman who was originally forced to make opium for an industrialist. With Kenshin and Sanosuke's support and encouragement, she becomes a doctor to atone for her past misdeeds.
A kunoichi who was raised by the Oniwabanshū. She appears in the story after Himura Kenshin leaves Kamiya Kaoru and his friends and goes to Kyoto alone.
Voiced by: Koichi Kitamura (JP), Michael McConnohie (EN)
An elder member of the Oniwabanshu, and during the Bakumatsu, he operated at the Kyoto Investigator in order to analyze the movements in the city's political world. After the Restoration, he raised Misao, who was handed over by Aoshi.
Badass Boast: "Once they called me the most horrific of the Oniwabanshu. Only a fool resists me."
Disappeared Dad: Only in the anime. His father's still very much alive and present in the manga, but he feels that Yutaro despises him for giving up swordsmanship and his former samurai status to become a merchant.
Lovable Sex Maniac: Apparently comes back as a dangerous play boy in Yahiko's Sakabatou.
Put on a Bus: At the end of his story arc, Yutaro leaves Japan to go to Germany, where their advanced medicine may help him regain the use of his right arm, which was injured by Raijuta. The manga's epilogue reveals that he eventually returns to be an assistant instructor at the Kamiya dojo.
Heroic Neutral: Content to live a quiet life as a potter, but will come out of retirement to help his pupil.
Insufferable Genius: He loves bragging and calls himself a genius, but it doesn't change the fact that he really is the best swordsman in the series.
Jerkass Façade / Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's arrogant and condescending, but shows a surprising amount of warmth towards Kenshin when he thinks Kenshin's mortally wounded him and later talks and fights Fuji out of being a member of the villainous Juppongatana.
Knight In Sour Armour: With the emphasis on sour; He berates Kenshin that yes, the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu successor is meant to protect the innocent and uphold justice, but as a warrior unbound by political prejudices, not a political tool. He knows the age of the the swordsmen is over, and is quite bitter about it.
Lightning Bruiser: Faster, stronger, and more skilled than any other character in the series.
The Obi-Wan: Subverted twice. Firstly when Kenshin disobeys him and storms off before finishing his training, secondly when he survives Kenshin's ultimate attack.
Old Master: He saw in Himura Shinta's kindness the potential of a true warrior, and adopted him as Kenshin to create one... though the results were not exactly what he intended or liked... until much later.
Older than They Look: Reinforces the running gag of practitioners of the the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu being much older than they look. Yahoo and Misao have a minor freak out after hearing his age, wondering if the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu is some kind of fountain of youth.
Power Limiter: That cape does more than just look badass. In addition to being quite heavy, it's also outfitted with several springs that provide resistance in opposition to muscle movement to limit the wearer's strength. It's a testament to how strong Hiko is that he only takes the darn thing off once in the entire series. And that was just for his pupil's final exam.
Split-Second Blade Spam: As the 13th master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, he naturally is capable of using the same Kuzuryusen that he taught Kenshin just before he went off to face down Shishio and his Juppongatana at their HQ.
Story Breaker Power: In Watsuki's own words, he's the "Joker in the Card Deck" and Watsuki wrote himself into a corner with him, which is why he's reserved for use as a Deus ex Machina.
Leader of the first squad of the Shinsengumi during the revolution. He suffers from tuberculosis as seen when he fought Kenshin in a flashback, though he was still able to hold his own with the Battosai.
Kenshin's first love and Enishi's sister. She was the elder daughter of a samurai, a low-level bureaucrat who served the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo. Tomoe left home and joined the Yaminobu with the intention of killing Kenshin in order to avenge her fiancé's death, but ultimately fell in love with him... and sacrificed her life to save him.
Emotionless Girl: At the beginning. It brings her lots of heartbreak since she couldn't express her genuine love for Kiyosato as much as she wants to... which leads him to go to Kyoto and then die at Kenshin's hands.
The Ophelia: Has a fit of this because of her fiancé's death. The first time she meets Kenshin, she's drunk and her only reaction to getting splattered by the blood of someone Kenshin just eviscerated is to say that he made it rain blood. She then promptly faints.
Yamato Nadeshiko: Subversion: she looks and acts the part but her train of thoughts is very different. Tomoe wanted revenge for her fiancé's murder, and she also felt horribly guilty because he went to Kyoto to make a name for himself and got killed off.
The second son of a shōgun retainer, he was the childhood friend and fiancé of Yukishiro Tomoe. Fearing that his own meager position would not be enough to impress his betrothed, Akira postponed the wedding and left Edo for Kyoto to join the Mimawarigumi, where he became a bodyguard for the high-ranking samurai Shigekura Jūbei. But in the first year of Genji (1864), after a night of drinking with Shigekura and fellow bodyguard Ishiji, Akira came face-to-face with the infamous Ishin Shishi hitokiri Himura Battōsai and met his demise.
The Determinator: To the point that despite being hopelessly outclassed, he gave Kenshin the first half of his X-shaped scar before dying. Which Kenshin aknowledges.
Middle Child Syndrome: Implied more than anything. He's the second son of a samurai family, and to make his girlfriend Tomoe happier with their engagement, he sent off to Kyoto. It Got Worse for both of them.
Ill Boy: The real Takasugi died of tuberculosis when in his late 20's. His RK portrayal keeps up with this, and he's already fatally ill when he recruits Kenshin.
A hitokiri during the Revolution, and there is evidence he continued killing people well after the end of the Revolution. A master of the Nikaidō Heihō technique, attacked high-ranking Imperialist officials of the Meiji government (leading some to believe he fought for the Tokugawa shogunate during the war, since he did state that he was a member of the Shinsengumi, though his thirst for blood led him to killing members of his own squad), killing anyone who stood in his way.
Serial Killer: Specifically, of high-ranking government officials who fought on the side of the Meiji movement during the war, though really anybody was game for him. It's later revealed he was hired to commit those political killings by the same corrupt politician who hired Saito.
The genius young leader of the Oniwabanshū onmitsu. Known to his followers as the "Okashira", Aoshi's skills in combat, stealth and information gathering are without parallel, but having missed his chance to gain glory for the Oniwabanshū during the bakumatsu, he led a group of his men in serving as enforcers for the wealthy industrialist and opium dealer Takeda Kanryū in the hopes of finding a new battlefield in the Meiji era.When Kanryū made himself the enemy of the legendary Hitokiri Battōsai, Aoshi believed that his long-missed chance to prove the superiority of the Oniwabanshū had finally come. Unfortunately, Kanryū's wicked deception and greed cost Aoshi's men their lives and the shame of being defeated and then rescued by Battōsai drove the Okashira to a new vow: he would defeat Battōsai at any cost in order to gain the title of "the strongest" and offer that title at his comrades' graves.
A Father to His Men: Cares quite a bit about his Quirky Miniboss Squad, and desires to give them the chance to become great that they never got in the Revolution. He would die for any of them. When they die for him instead, he... doesn't take it well.
A cunning money-minded industrialist and opium dealer. He hired Shinomori Aoshi and his Oniwanbanshu, as well as numerous lesser warriors, as personal bodygaurds and hitmen.
Asskicking Equals Authority: Inverted—he's the Oniwabanshu's boss during the Kanryuu Arc, but he's a major weakling physically.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: He plays it utterly straight with his declaration that money is the greatest power in the world, and his having so much of it makes him stronger than Kenshin or Aoshi. Too bad his money can't save him from Kenshin's wrath.
Would Hit a Girl: He doesn't just hit Megumi, he batters her bloody after she returns to his mansion and makes an attempt on his life with a dagger that is nabbed away by Aoshi.
Isurugi Raijuta
Voiced by: Ryunosuke Obayashi (JP), Richard Epcar (EN)
The leader and founder of the Shinko-ryū "school" of kenjutsu - an organization whose purpose is to revitalize Japanese kenjutsu through force.
Anticlimax Boss: He's a big, muscular man who appears to be a genuine threat when he first appears, but as the story progresses he's eventually shown up for the weakling he really is compared to Kenshin. This is even more obvious in the manga; in the anime, he at least had an imposing force of samurai warriors to back him up.
Evil Gloating: He does this during his fight against Kenshin. It's more jarring in the manga than in the anime, as only it serves to prove just how weak he really is as a fighter.
Informed Ability: Claims his Izuna technique is the "ultimate killing technique." Kenshin proves him very, very wrong.
Manipulative Bastard: He utilizes Yutaro's hero-worship of him to his own advantage, pretending to be the boy's sword instructor while accessing Yutaro's family fortune for his own ends.
Straw Hypocrite: In the manga, Kenshin (correctly) guesses that despite Raijuta's ambition to restore the "killing sword" philosophy and his claims of Izuna being the "ultimate killing technique," Raijuta himself has never actually killed anybody. The fact that Raijuta celebrates at being able to nick Kenshin on the wrist with said technique, instead of expressing disappointment that the blow wasn't a fatal one, cements the point.
The former captain of the third unit of the Shinsengumi and currently a special agent for the Meiji Government's Department of Internal Affairs. Having a long-standing rivalry with Himura Kenshin since their days on opposite sides of the Bakumatsu, Saitō nevertheless holds a begrudging respect for the rurouni and has come to his aid on assignment more than once, acting as a ruthless ally and the voice of cynical reason in the Kenshin-gumi's major battles.
Addiction Displacement: Kind of implied. Unlike his historical counterpart who remained The Alcoholic, this Saito gave up drinking, but is a chain smoker.
Of course, there is also the possibility that he was lying about the drinking... he did say that it makes him want to kill, and he was sitting across from a guy he couldn't kill until Saito finished an undercover investigation of him...
The Rival: Was the only character to fight on even terms with Kenshin's battousai personality, and was one of Kenshin's main rivals during the Bakumatsu, along with Okita. However it mellows down to non existence.
The Smart Guy: When he teams up with the Kenshin-gumi, he pretty much takes this role.
When All You Have Is a Hammer: The only sword techniques he uses is Gatotsu, a powerful left-handed thrust, and variations of it to suit the occasion. Unlike most other examples, he's talented enough to learn other techniques. He simply doesn't bother because he doesn't need them.
The primary antagonist of the "Kyoto arc" in the Manga and the second season of the anime. Like Kenshin, Shishio was an assassin during the Revolution. He aspires to conquer all Japan by re-creating the chaos of the Revolution. He was known as the successor of the legendary Battōsai, replacing Kenshin after he retired. He possessed skills equal or even greater to Himura, but none of the conscience.
Arch-Enemy: Portrayed as Kenshin's complete opposite in terms of belief, fighting style, and stature.
Big Brother Mentor: Sadly enough, he is the closest thing Soujiro has to a father and a best friend.
Blood Knight: His love for battle is legendary, and lusts for a Worthy Opponent of his equal to test his prowess.
Card-Carrying Villain: Occassionally will call himself a demon from Hell, and fully expects to go there when he dies...and plans on taking it over as well. And once his story arc is finished, he starts making good on that threat.
Covered with Scars: Shishio's full-body scarring is from one incident, but having almost all of your skin be second- or third-degree burns can't be pleasant.
Curb-Stomp Battle: He takes out Kenshin, Saito, and Sanosuke early on in his final battle with Kenshin, but Aoshi manages to buy time for Kenshin to recover and get back in the fight.
Death by Irony: The entire arc kept coming back to how Kenshin, with his equivalent skill and opposite views, was the only one who could have stopped Shishio. But in the end, it wasn't Kenshin or Saito or Sanosuke that destroyed him... It was his own inhuman strength and endurance, his own passion for violence, that killed him.
Evil Counterpart: To Kenshin, serving as his replacement as the Battousai. Yahiko even points it out, stating that if things had been a little different Saito might have been asking Shishio to help him kill a rogue Kenshin.
Evil Mentor: To Soujirou. And even then, he was kinder to him than his evil family would ever be
Flaming Sword: A particularly disgusting one, considering that it's ignited from human fat.
Like a Badass out of Hell: After he finally dies, we get a scene of him in Hell, deciding to see if he can take over. Given who he is, Kenshin better hope he's good enough to get into Heaven.
Made of Iron: Survived getting shot in the head at point blank range and set on fire. The man is tough . His fight at the end of the Kyoto Arc after said injuries eptiomizes this.
Mad Love: Played for tragedy, with Yumi. They're both very aware of it, too.
Meaningful Name: Frighteningly enough, his name literally means "Idealistic-Hero of The-Truth." And this is a villain we are talking about, folks.
Mega Manning: If he sees a technique (or even hears about it) he'll be able to counter it immediately.
Playing with Fire: His sword has had so much human fat soak into it that it can be ignited as wanted; he can also use gunpowder in his gloves to set off explosions against enemies in his grasp.
Proud Warrior Race Guy: And he wishes Japan to be a nation comprised entirely of this, too.
Warrior Heaven: His idealized vision of Japan, wherein one must be a great warrior to survive, and hence will one day become a universally proud and strong nation in the global arena.
Seta Soujirou
Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka (JP), Tara Jayne (EN - Episodes 31-47), Melissa Fahn (EN - Episodes 54-56, 61)
A teenage boy who is Shishio's right-hand man. He is noted in the series for always smiling, and apparently displaying no emotions in battle. He met Shishio when he was a small boy. After his parents died in the war, he stayed with his abusive relatives that treated him as a slave. He witnessed Shishio killing police men, after carrying large amounts rice packages back and forth, Shishio was about to kill him but didn't because of his habit to smile when he is in danger. Shishio orders him to keep him in a safe house and to provide for him. Days pass and Soujirou tended to him and explained his situation with his relatives. Shishio then explained his creed of survival of the fittest and gives him his sword. When Soujirou is blamed for wasting rice his older relatives try to kill him thinking that they can pin it on Shishio. In the end, Soujirou killed his relatives and went of with Shishio to become his protégé.Soujirou's apparent lack of emotion, his simple, insensitive mentality that the strong will live and the weak shall die, and his skills make him a formidable foe for Kenshin. As a master swordsman of his own style, Sōjirō's abilities have earned him the nickname of "Heaven's Sword".
Evil Counterpart: He has a somewhat similar childhood to Kenshin's and employs a speedy sword style. Both have powerful mentors who influenced their beliefs. Both are relatively effeminate looking and kind, at least for their facade. Most of all, both had childhoods surrounded by violence.
Fragile Speedster: Justified since Kenshin hit him with his strongest attack.
An oiran, a courtesan in Yoshiwara, formerly an akasen. Because of that, she is beautiful, intelligent, dignified, well-cultured, and was brought up in a comfortable life. She was always interested in social issues and occurrences in Japan, and became reviled at the Japanese government's stance regarding prostitutes. She came to love Shishio Makoto 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.
Hidden Depths: She starts out as little more than an accessory to Shishio, but ends up with a remarkably developed personality and a genuinely tragic death scene.
The Resenter: She's revealed to have been this to the fighters of the Jupon Gatana, as they made her feel useless to Shishio, who always respected strength.
Villainous Sacrifice: Interposes herself between Kenshin and Shishio, allowing the latter to stab through her and wound Kenshin. It's screwed up, but damn, it's hard not to respect that girl's convictions.
A crossdresser. He loves Shishio Makoto deeply, but knows that he will never be loved like Komagata Yumi nor will he ever become as talented as Seta Soujirou, who serves as Shishio's right hand man.Kamatari uses a very heavy scythe-like weapon, a reaper, with a chain ball on the end of the weapon; this is called Ogama. He practices Honjou-ryu, his own style of martial arts with his scythe.
Sinister Scythe: His Weapon of Choice. Though notably he usually uses it not to cut, but rather to smash enemies, and the sheer weight of the weapon is actually used effectively in battle.
In one of the volumes, the author mentions that the character came about as a result of a Japanese pun suggested by one of his assistants. Kama is a word referring to a sickle or scythe, while okama is a slang term for transvestites. Reading between the lines, fans have come to the very reasonable conclusion that the assistant in question was none other than EiichiroOda.
Trans Equals Gay: Is both a crossdresser and in love with Shishio.
A giant, considered a freak by everyone around him; his real name is not stated in the series. One day he was attacked and almost killed but the old man Saizuchi found him and took him in. The gentle, depressed Fuji was in an ideal state for Saizuchi to manipulate his emotions and turn him into an unbelievable fighter. Saizuchi keeps telling Fuji that he owes him for saving his life and uses that to control him.
All of the Other Reindeer: His enormous height terrified everyone, and once he was shot to almost death by scared guards.
Anti-Villain: A lot more sympathetic than his allies.
Gentle Giant: One who towered over buildings), and despite his terrifying armor, he's actually the sweetest character in the series.
Manly Tears: When Hiko adresses and treats him as a human and not a tool or a monster, Fuji takes off his mask and helmet and cries in joy. Then, they duel properly, and Hiko wins.
Mighty Glacier: Averted, though he is huge, he's so fast that the gang at the Oniwabanshu place until after he had cut it down, but hey, Hiko makes everyone seem slow compared to him.
Shishio remarks that Soujiro is his strongest warrior under him, but it seems that Fuji has more raw power than all of his top men, even him. And is heavily implied that even Kenshin would lose to him, so Hiko the strongest character in the series had to face him.
Voiced by: Ikuo Nishikawa (JP), Paul St. Peter (EN)
A cunning small old man who manipulates Fuji and lays out the battle plans for him; his real name is not stated in the series. He believes that his old age makes him the one who is right since he has lived so long. Saizuchi's talents lie not in battle-abilities, but his proficient use of words.
Only the hands of men can save the world of men. But to do so they must surpass the gods.
A warrior fallen-monk who fights alongside Shishio to destroy the Meiji government who did nothing to stop the anti-Buddhist purge which resulted in the destruction of his home and the deaths of the five orphaned children he cared for in his temple, who came from families who opposed the Meiji restoration and were wiped away during the war.Anji is the third strongest and most merciful of the Ten Swords and has made an agreement with Shishio that Anji shall decide whether someone lives or dies. Despite being ranked as third most powerful, Uonuma Usui seems to fear him to some extent, having declined from Anji's challenge after the fallen monk protected Makimachi Misao from the Blind Murderer. 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.
Evil Counterpart: To Sanosuke again. They both became bitter after losing their loved ones and turned to violence. Sanosuke even mentions it during their fight, how Anji's just him in the past.
Expy: His physical frame and musculature is modelled on that of Colossus from X-Men.
Facial Markings: Painted with ashes to make himself look more imposing.
Faith Heel Turn: If God won't listen to the world's prayers, he reasons, then he'll damn well save the world by his own hands.
Good Eyes, Evil Eyes: Has huge wide eyes before being broken. Afterwards, they're much more narrow. Double the effect since he paints his eyelids black with ashes.
Knight Templar: He wants to destroy the world because he feels there are too many bad people in it, so he can save those who are worth saving afterwards.
Tearjerker: "Now do you see? Faith and prayers are but lies incapable of saving anything. I am going to save this world; this world so desperately beyond saving. Until those children have travelled the wheel of Kharma and be reborn, Anji the Shining-King will not fall!!"
Tragic Keepsake: A small prayer tablet with the names of his adoptive kids. It's the only thing that remains from his destroyed temple.
You Have 48 Hours: He told Sano "if you don't learn the Futae No Kiwami in a week, I'll kill you".
Sadoshima Houji
Voiced by: Hiroshi Takahashi (JP), David Mallow (EN)
Shishio's second in command. He used to be an official in the Meiji government but lost faith in it when he saw no one in the government worthy of controlling the country. He abandoned his position in the government and eventually met Shishio. Houji, too, envisions Japan as a mighty power led by Shishio, ruling with the principles of basic animal survival. Hōji is indeed unique; although he is not proficient in any fighting style, he is a cunning organizer and possesses formidable leadership qualities. His skills as a staff officer figure are quite amazing; he even manages to purchase Rengoku on the black market. Houji's plan with the Rengoku fails when Sanosuke blows up the Purgatory with bombs provided by his friend Katsu. Houji was "baptized" by Shishio's intense body heat to kindle in him a belief in hell.
Evil Genius: Shishio's logistician, organiser, and administrator. Very capable too; he arranges to smuggle a battleship into the country. Shishio got his money's worth when he hired this guy.
Famous Last Words: Writes them in blood on his cell wall before committing suicide.
This world is dead to me. I will follow my master to Hell.
Fingore: In the manga, Usui rips off one of his fingernails to determine if he's telling the truth about not being a traitor. Houji then bites off six more to "punish himself".
In the anime, Usui only breaks a finger, then Hoji stabs it. Still pretty unpleasant.
Like a Badass out of Hell: Happily joins Shishio in his plan to take the throne of Hell from King Enma. And if you think Kaguro from Kekkaishi is actually Shishio who managed to take it over and become a powerful demon/ayakkashi as a reward then yes, his master did succeed.
The "Blind Sword", used to be a swordsman working for the shogunate government. However, in a fight against Shishio Makoto, he was blinded and eventually left to die.He possesses the Shingan, 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. This ability is so advanced that it appears to be similar to the sonar of a dolphin or bat.
Disability Superpower: His hearing more or less functions as a sonar, allowing him to read people's emotions and movements. He is convinced that recieved this power due to his near-death experience at Shishio's hands.
Face Heel Turn: Before the story. He was a government assassin sent to kill Shishio. Now he works for him.
Famous Last Words: Which more or less sum up the wreckage of his life:
"To hold onto one's beliefs, without even the smallest fraction of doubt. It seems easy, but what a difficult thing it is. Just how long will you last, in this new world of the Meiji? Can you live by the sword, holding true to your precious, Aku, Zoku, Zan...?"
Handicapped Badass: A previous battle with Shishio left him completely blind.
Informed Ability: We're told he is the strongest of Shishio's men after Soujiro, yet his battle with Saito is one of the shortest in the series, especially when compared to any of Kenshin or Sano's fights. It's a bit of a letdown.
His opponent was Saito. What else WOULD you expect?
Kick the Dog: Frequently. He breaks Houji's finger, attempts to stab Misao from behind, and constantly belittles the other members of his team. Saito implies that this is the result of Usui needing an outlet for his own self-hatred.
Like a Badass out of Hell: Possibly. Yumi suggests finding and recruting him as she, Shishio and Houji plot to usurp control of Hell.
Luckily My Shield Will Protect Me: Uses a tortoise shell that is tough enough to withstand katanas. Until Saito uses Gatotsu Zeroshiki.
The Starscream: Joined Shishio's group under the condition that he be allowed to try and assasinate Shishio, whenever and as often as he wished. Subverted in that he has in fact, completely given up on taking over; he just keeps up his Starscream facade to save face.
Super Senses: His ears are sharp enough to compensate for his eyes, and allow him to easily read people's emotions.
Voiced by: Shinichi Fukumoto (JP), Derek Stephen Prince (EN)
Also known as "Sword Hunter", Chō possesses quite a collection of rare and unusual swords, including, his favorite, a long flexible sword he keeps hidden around his waist named urumi, and double bladed sword known as a renbatō. He is only a mediocre opponent when not using the former (despite using a master sheathing technique), but he will still begin battles with regular swords, preferring to toy with his opponents. Only if they prove a true challenge will he reveal his full ability. A native of Osaka, Chō 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.
Anime Hair: He says its "The hair of sacered fire". Everyone else says that it looks like "The hair of insane broom."
Evil Counterpart: As showcased in an amusing meeting between the two, he looks/dresses very similarly to Sanosuke and gives an idea of what he would be like absent morals (while Sano loves a good fight, Cho is a Blood Knight).
Eye Always Shut: And when he opens it, it means he's about to get serious.
Would Hurt a Child: During his introduction, he tries to pressure someone into supplying a sword by threatening the guy's infant son. It's kind of played for dark humor.
Known as Henya the Flighted, aids the attack on Aoi-Ya, the Kyoto secret headquarters of the Oniwabanshu, with four other Juppongatana members. His battle technique is called Hiku Happa, in which he uses dynamite to lift himself into flight and attack with from above. He can descend to attack the opponent with a blade on his arm and then blow himself back into the air. The power of flight is harnessed because Henya starves himself and is very emaciated; he is so light that the constant uplift from the explosions can easily keep him in the air, and a cape allows him to control his movement.
Anime Hair: His resembles a blade and is grown to a pointed tip.
Black Cloak: It opens out into a glider designed to look like bat-wings.
A fat oaf who uses his immense size, his strength, and his ability to entrap weapons in his flab. He is armed with small blades worn on his fingertips. He is very stupid, and, apart from taking part in the battle of Aoi-Ya as well as grinning like an utter idiot, he does not say anything, and he does not do anything.He is in reality a mechanical puppet, a primitive mech, controlled by Gein, the puppetmaster.
The brother of Yukishiro Tomoe and the primary antagonist of the Jinchu arc, the last major story arc of the manga. Enishi wants revenge against Kenshin since Kenshin killed Tomoe.
Big Bad: The last one of the series. Also a Bad Boss, showing no empathy whatsoever for his subordinates, and even ( trying to have his Dragon killed once he's served his purpose. He deserves it, but still...).
Even Evil Has Standards: Does not - or rather, cannot - kill young women, especially those who had the likeliness of Tomoe when she died. Near the end, he even went so far as to saving Kaoru's life when his former accomplice turned on him and almost shot Kaoru when she was trying to protect Kenshin.
Evil Counterpart: To Kenshin. For one thing, there's the Tiger Versus Dragon motif between them in terms of their fighting styles (Enishi as the tiger, Kenshin as the dragon), and also the fact that Enishi's Watou-Jutsu just so happens to perfectly counter the Hiten Mitsurugi style. Also, they both bear trauma-marks from Tomoe's death—Kenshin got the second part of his cross-scar, while Enishi's hair turned white from the shock—but whereas Kenshin became The Atoner, Enishi turned Ax Crazy and hell-bent on revenge.
Evil Orphan: Killed an entire family just because he hated seeing them happy.
Fiction 500: Remember Shishio Makoto's battleship The Rengoku? Yes, the one that's said to be able to blow Meiji Era Tokyo to ruins by itself? Enishi is an arms dealer so ludicrously wealthy and powerful he not only sold the evil warrior this ship, but owns a fleet of them.
Freudian Excuse: And it doesn't even come close to justifying his lunacy.
Mind Rape: Unleashes a non supernatural one on Kenshin as part of his plan, by kidnapping Kaoru and leaving a mutilated puppet in her place, which sends Kenshin dangerously close to the Despair Event Horizon.
Self-Made Orphan: He killed his rich Chinese adoptive family for the money and because he couldn't stand having a normal life after all that happened. More accurately, because he couldn't stand seeing such a happy family after his own happiness had been taken from him.
Selective Slaughter: Can't kill young women because of what happened to Tomoe.
The Syndicate: Was a major Chinese-based crime lord for a time, but retired as he became such mainly to fund his elaborate revenge scheme against Kenshin. He has promised his criminal empire to his Dragon once that is accomplished.
The last remaining descendant of a small group of people who mastered the art of mechanics in the Middle Ages. He creates puppet like suits out of corpses, most notably the Iwanbou series. He is actually an old man yet he is very strong due to controlling his heavy puppets for so long. The diamond edged steel wires he uses (Zankosen) to control his puppets can also be used as a weapon as they are sharp enough to cut flesh and break bone. Gein just wants to test out his creations and needs to be around men of battle to do it since according to him, the forefront of technology is always in battle.
Badass Grandpa: He's revealed to be quite old under his mask.
Blood Knight: Interesting variation, and one that proves how scary it can be when Blood Knight and Smart Guy/Evil Genius get together. He doesn't like war for it's own sake, but does see it as an opportunity to test his creations against appropriately strong opponents. And if he can make a buck doing it...
Crazy-Prepared:The various mechanisms he installs in Iwanbou 03,to prepare for fighting Kenshin
Kill It with Fire: He's burnt to a crisp by Aoshi. With his own oil.
Mad Artist: Listen to one of his rants about the functional beauty of his puppets. He even refers to himself as a "Mechanical Artist", thus combining this trope with Mad Scientist for a truly screwed-up time. Heck, when Aoshi kills him it's while he's trying to get back his Kaoru doll, which he regards as his greatest masterpiece, one that can "rival the creations of god." Complex much?
Mask Power: Spends most of the series wearing a concealing facemask that hides both his identity and age.
Marionette Master: Uses his puppets as his main weapons, fighting from inside of them. Made even worse by the fact that they're built from corpses.
Meaningful Name: Watsuki derived his name from American serial killer Edward Gein, who actually flayed his victims' corpses and made upholstery from them.
Psycho for Hire: A more subtle example than most. He's not in it for the sadism (although that's certainly a part of it). But he needs opportunities to test out the Iwanbou series and working for whack-jobs like Enishi provide plenty of them. If a normal Psycho for Hire sees the job as a way to get off, Gein sees it as a chance for intellectual masturbation. In a way, it's almost worse.
Razor Floss: When outside of his puppets, he uses their wires as offensive weaponry. He's good enough to slaughter a boatload full of thugs, and give Aoshi a run for his money.
The Six Comrades
Enishi's team, consisting of himself, Gein and four others: Kujiranami Hyogo, Inui Banjin, Otowa Hyoko, and Yatsume Mumyoi. All of them join with Enishi in order to exact revenge on Kenshin for past wrongs.
Arm Cannon: Kujirinami has an Armstrong cannon built into his missing arm. Later becomes a grenade launcher
Avenging the Villain: Averted with Banjin and Hyoko. They claim to want revenge for the deaths of a mentor (Tatsumi) and a friend (Nakajo) respectively (both were members of the group that tried to assassinate Kenshin during the flashbacks with Tomoe). Though it's later revealed that neither of them actually care about revenge and are only using it as an excuse to fight: Banjin to prove how strong he is and Hyoko for pleasure.
Berserk Button: Kenshin is Kujiranami's. Also, don't call Yatsume a freak.
Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: How Kenshin manages to beat Kujirinami by cutting off the arm cannon. This oddly enough snaps his sanity back to normal.
Honour Before Reason: Kujirinami's reason for wanting revenge: Kenshin severed his arm, leaving him incapable of continuing on as a samurai, but refused to kill him. Kujirinami considers himself shamed by this, and wants to take the price of his humiliation it out of Kenshin's hide. And he shows no reason whatsoever in doing it.
The Juggernaut: Kujirinami. He's damn near unstoppable, and bigger than Anji.
Kick the Dog: Otowa and especially Banjin, who makes a point of only fighting people weaker than himself.
Power Fist: Banjin. He wears a pair of tekkou (basically metal gauntlets) in order to beat his opponents to death with ease. They don't do so well against Sano's special move.
Villainous Breakdown: Otowa, who gets knocked out with a grin on his face in utter disbelief that Yahiko, a child not even half his age, managed to beat him.
Shougo Amakusa's younger sister. She serves as a holy mother to their crowd of followers and a teacher to the young children. She has suffered from consumption ever since she was a child (which she most likely obtained from her and Shougo's dead mother, who suffered the same illness). She is often seen accompanied by Shozo, a childhood friend whom she and her brother saved from persecution.
Break the Cutie: Was a happy-go-lucky Christian little girl from the countryside. Then, shit happened. LOTS of shit.
Broken Bird: Her hardships left her very embittered, until she befriended Sanosuke. She lampshades the trope as she thanks Sanosuke for emotionally helping her while she lays dying in his arms.
Florence Nightingale Effect: She took care of a young and injured Shouzo after Shougo took him in his Christian group, and he pretty much fell in love with her.
Plucky Girl: When Shouzo got trapped under a tremendous pile of rocks while trying to shield Sayo, she immediately started to try getting them off him. Considering that she's an Ill Girl and such an effort could make her collapse... whoa.
A Christian, and sought revenge for Christianity, and to make the Holy Land, after his parents were killed for their beliefs, when Christians were persecuted during the Shogunate. He mastered "God Speed" by the age of 14, and according to Kenshin, had surpassed even God Speed. His followers believe that he is the "Son of God". Some of his "miracles" were really just due to his education in Western Medicine, and other sciences.
A Chinese young man who was taken in by Shougo and Sayo's group after being bullied and beaten up by his Christian beliefs. Due to this he holds Undying Loyalty for both of them and acts as Magdaria's bodyguard, eventually seeing Sanosuke as his Worthy Opponent.
A young samurai whom we meet in the Ishinshishi e no Requiem movie. As a Posthumous Character, since Kenshin killed him in battle during the war, which drives a good part of the conflict.
Gentatsu's best friend, whom also befriends Kenshin. He witnessed the death of Gentatsu and swore revenge for it. After raising Gentatsu's sister Toki, he started brewing a plan to take down the Meiji government alongside a small group of ex-Samurais...
Birds of a Feather: Him and Yahiko could have been brothers, their similar backstories and all. Only that Yahiko is younger and far more Hot Blooded than the calm Musashino.
