The Real Rurouni Kenshin

Discussion in 'Rurouni Kenshin' started by Hitokiri_Gensai, Apr 28, 2005.

  1. Hitokiri_Gensai

    Hitokiri_Gensai Gunslinger Girl

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    Ive been posting information on real people in different places but today im going to compile everything into one thread. First im going to make a list of the characters in Rurouni Kenshin and then if they're not a real person a write up on the person that inspired them.

    Himura Kenshin.
    Based on Hitokiri Kawakami Gensai.

    Born under the name Komori Genjirou he would later change it to Kawakmi Gensai which he used for some time. He was born to the Komori family but would be adopted by the Kawakami family. He became a Buddhist Priest and because of his links with studying would learn Bushido from Miyabe Teizo and learn Kenjutsu from Todoroki Muhe. Its not clear whether he was resposible for the many assassinations that happened but his assassination of Sakuma Kyozan is famous. It was said he was a short man with a sharp jaw and was often mistaken for a girl. But he was cold unyielding man although some acocunts say dispite his killers nature was a very gentle person. He would change his name again about the time that the Meiji came to power, his new name was Takada Genbe. Finally, like Shishio Makoto, he became a bother for the new Government and was tried on false charges and beheaded sometime in the year 1871.

    Kamiya Kaoru.
    she doesnt have a historical counterpart.

    Sagara Sanosuke
    based on Harada Sanosuke 10th Unit Capitan of the Shinsengumi

    Harada Sanosuke was the captian of the 10th troop. his favorite weapon was the Yari but its not sure what school he studied at. He was said to be short tempered but because of his lowly beginings he sometimes had a weak spot for people that were in the position he once was in. After he left the Shinsengumi after the Boshin War, he joined the Shogitai (the same group Yahikos father joined). He was killed in the Ueno War although some sources say that he survived and ran away to become a bandit in China. An interesting fact was that he married the girl he would frequent at a brothel which was odd for a man in his position.

    Udoh Jineh
    No real character model but was based on all the twisted members of the Shinsengumi.

    Shinomori Aoshi and the Oniwabanshuu.
    the characters themselves arent real but the Oniwabanshuu was. Originally started as a group of men to protect the Shogun they would be considered to be "ninja" today. They protected Edo Castle during the Bakumatsu.

    Saitou Hajime
    Saitou Hajime is based on himself.

    Saitou is historically very famous throughout the Anime world through Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane plus his many appearance in different TV series in Japan about the Shinsengumi.

    He was born to a Shogunal retainer January 1st, 1844. His fathers name was Yuusuke and his family consisted of a brother and sisters whose names were Hiroaki and O-katsu respectively. His family was from Akashi but because his father was a low ranking Ashigaru he went to Edo to earn some money and sell stocks to support the family.

    On Ansei 5 he had his Gempuku ceremony (coming of age) and began studying Ittou Ryuu at the Aizu hans Dojo in Edo. There are many many different styles of Ittou Ryuu however Aizu practiced Mizuguchiha Ittou Ryuu so its a fair guess that he studied this as well.

    at 19 he accidentily killed a man and fled from Edo to Kyoto. Here he became a shihandai (assistant instructor) at Yoshida's Taishi Ryuu dojo. (this is assumed to be Yoshida Katsumi of Shotoku Taishi Ryuu school) Sometime after this he met up with one of his old friends, Kondo Isami who had recently arrived in Kyoto with the Roshitai. Soon after this he joined the Shinsengumi under the name Yamaguchi Jirou (Yamaguchi was his familes name he change his name from Hajime to Jirou).

    His life within the Shinsengumi is clouded but its assumed he did most of the internal spying as in the Itou Kashitarou case. After the breaking of the Shinsengumi he entered the Swordbeaing Police and lived under the name Fujita Gorou.

    He was said to be among the strongest swordsmen in the Shinsengumi on par with Okita Soushi himself. His favourite sword was the Setsu Juu Ikeda Kishinmaru Kunishige 2 Shaku 3 Sun 1 Bu. (approx. 2 feet 4 inches).

    Ookubo Toshimichi

    based on himself

    Ookubo in the Manga and series is portrayed as a nice elderly man but he is vastly different than that.

    He was frail in his youth not up to "the sweaty ordeal of swordplay" but he proved he had his fathers mind for numbers and orinization. His first job was as the Satsuma's hans archives where he obtained much secret information on the most important men in Japan. he was soon placed as a tax collector where he mastered the skills of fleecing his victims. He grew into a brilliant but ruthless man not above using extortion and intimidation to get his way. It was said that he was completely unpopular but that only made him more dangerous.

    thats a lot of people for now, ill post more soon.
     
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  2. Hiro

    Hiro Active Member

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    love the culmination of characters... it is always exhilirating to me to read about characters in animes that are related to real people....nice job on the research Gensai, it is trully astonishing what knowledge you posess. I would much enjoy hearing more about these characters, and thanks again for all of the information :anime:
     
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  3. Hitokiri_Gensai

    Hitokiri_Gensai Gunslinger Girl

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    Kawaji Toshiyoshi

    Kawaji Toshiyoshi is the Police Commisioner for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Theres very little information about him, but its said he was sent to Europe to study police forces there. He would be directly responsible for Fujita Gorou.
     
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