History Characters / RurouniKenshinAnimeOnlyCharacters

* CanonForeigner: While Dr. Gensai did have a minor role in the original manga, he never had any granddaughters. Ayame and Suzume's were added in addition to his increased presence in the 1996 anime.

* HopeSpot: Though he would have to answer to the authorities, [[spoiler:it seemed like Shigure has finally made peace with Kenshin and recognized the pain he caused Toki. And then, Tamono comes in and has his men fire on the rebels with Shigure sacrificing his body to protect Toki. [[KickTheSonOfABitch No wonder Kenshin allowed the Battousai to take over to go after Tamono.]]]]

* HateSink: Every scene is meant to make him as despicable as possible between his manipulative and ambitious nature of sacrificing officers, a foreign diplomat, and Yamagata to advace himself to his aggressive treatment of the people around him [[spoiler:to the unauthorized slaughter of anyone inside Shigure's base to cover up his role in Shigure's rebellion. All of this gets him a well-deserved strike from a very angry Hitokiri Battousai.]]

* {{Irony}}: Part of Shigure's motivation for starting the rebellion is to avenge and honor Gentatsu's legacy. However, when Kenshin asks Shigure [[spoiler:if Gentatsu would let Toki weep]], he realizes that he's doing the complete opposite. [[spoiler:At one point, Gentatsu criticizes Shigure single-minded devotion to the cause of the Aizu Clan over the health of his father, reminding him that it s for the future over their loved ones that they're fighting in first place. Furthermore, he recognizes that with Kenshin's regrets about the lives he took and him trying to protect the people around him as a Rurouni, it is Kenshin, Gentatsu's murderer, who is living out Gentatsu's legacy, not himself. It is the realization that causes Shigure to finally stand down and admit defeat.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: He sees the Meiji government as hopelessly corrupt, so he raises an army to eventually overthrow it. Shigure also does whatever he can to make the Meiji government look incompetent by causing chaos, [[spoiler:such as attempting to murder a foreign dignitary,]] in the hope of encouraging others to rebel.

* WorthyOpponent: He respects Kenshin as a swordsman equal to him in skill and conduct, particularly during their duels.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Because Kenshin's duel with Gentatsu was burned in his mind, he has been able to figure out Kenshin's entire fighting style, especially Kenshin's tendency to pause to analyze the situation and emotions. Kenshin's Ryu Tsui Sen, the move that ended Gentatsu's life, is easily evaded and even other moves like the Ryu Shou Sen prove to be ineffective. Meanwhile, Shigure's style allows him to take advantage of Kenshin's pauses to get past his guard, allowing him dominate much of the fight.
* DualWielding: In his final duel against Kenshin, Shigure wields his katana alongside its iron sheath.

* PlotTriggeringDeath: [[spoiler:His death is what kickstarts the whole plot of TheMovie.]]

* {{Foil}}: To Kenshin. They were both feared as the strongest Hitokiri on their respective sides. However, much like Kenshin late into his Ishin Shishi career, Gentatsu recognized that even though he was fighting for a better future for Toki and his loved one, he recognizes that his enemies all had loved ones as well, which fills him with regret that he had to end their lives. [[spoiler:He even chews out Shigure for prioritizing the Aizu Clan's mission over his ailing father, telling his friend to cherish his father as that is the reason why they're fighting in the first place, echoing a similar sentiment Kenshin made to Yamagata early in the series. Shigure realizing this is what leads to him admitting defeat to Kenshin, realizing that it is actually Kenshin, not himself, who is living up to Gentatsu's legacy.]]

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: When Kenshin [[WhatTheHellHero confronts him over causing even more deaths for the sake of his selfish ideals and vengeance]], Shigure [[MelodramaticPause briefly considers Kenshin's words, only to give him a look of simple determination]]. While Shigure didn't enjoy the deaths caused by his personal war, he considers them to be [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans a necessary price for his ideal vision of Japan, which he truly believed was best for everyone]].

* ShooOutTheClowns: The sisters are generally only present during light-hearted scenes, especially the filler episodes. Once the plot starts getting, they're usually out of the picture.

* DirtyCoward: He quietly abandons the rebels when they are about to face arrest. It turns out to be a wise decision when Tamono and his men suddenly appear to KillEmAll.