Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki (part 2)
The Himura Kenshin prototype, as created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, was based on the Kawakami Gensai reference, one of the four bakumatsu remarkable assassins(please refer to "The Rōnin" chapter for details). He was acquainted with Miyabe Teizō whom was killed by the Shinsengum in the Ikedaya Jiken on 5 June 1864.As Kawakami Gensai was on his way to Kyoto to seek revenge against the Shinsengumi, he was commissioned to assassinate Sakuma Shōzan before his action. In Kyoto's Kiyamachi, amidst the bustling streets, he swiftly cut down Sakuma Shōzan, who was dressed in Western attire and riding a horse, and disappeared into the crowd. It is believed that Nobuhiro Watsuki created the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, which emphasizes on swordplay and speed, based on the action posture of Kawakami Gensai leaping and slashing down the horse rider.
Both Kawakami Gensai and Miyabe Teizō were samurai of the Kumamoto-han, who later went to study and live in Chōshū. Miyabe Teizō was even educated at the private school of Yoshida Shōin, also known as Shōka Sonjuku. Yoshida Shōin was the spiritual leader and built a strong foundation of the development of Chōshū-han and the Meiji Restoration, and his ideas had a profound influence on the pro-Restoration faction. In an interview with Nobuhiro Watsuki in 1996, he revealed that Kenshin was attracted by the liberal atmosphere of the Chōshū-han and aspired to join forces with them in the movement for Restoration. The liberal atmosphere he referred to was probably the open-mindedness and global scope of view advocated by Yoshida Shōin.
Upon a better understanding of how great and talented Sakuma Shōzan was , Kawakami Gensai was confused if his assassination would be justifiable. This triggered his reflection on the rationality of killing and, similar to what Himura Kenshin was going through in his wandering days, he experienced a psychological struggle and vowed eventually not to kill.
Kenshin initially sought to overthrow the shogunate and create a new era through assassination of an important official, saving people from the turmoil of war to a place of peace and happiness. However, when he learnt that Yukishiro Tomoe, whom he loved, was actually the fiancée of the assassinated, he fell into self-blame and questioned whether his ideal of creating a new era through assassination was just wishful thinking. The reality was that those who were originally happy were down to helpless and agonized state due to the assassination. Himura Kenshin, just like Kawakami Gensai, was trapped in the dilemma of killing or not killing.
Excerpt from the manga of Rurouni Kenshin
In Rurouni Kenshin, Saito Hajime, formerly captain of the Shinsengumi's third unit, is now a police officer in the 11th year of Meiji, portrayed as both an ally and a rival. Historically, he did join the police force and even fought for the government army in the Satsuma Rebellion. The character remains very faithful to history: recognized as one of the Shinsengumi's three strongest swordsmen, Saito was known for his stoic and solitary demeanor. This trait caused Ito Kashitaro to misjudge him when he tried to use Saito as a spy in the later days of the Shinsengumi, unaware that he was actually Kondo Isami's planted agent. During the Bakumatsu, Saito was devoted to the Shogun and the Shinsengumi, staying to defend Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle to the very end in a last stand against the new government army. After the Meiji Restoration, the samurai class had no place in society, so Saito chose to continue serving as a police officer, using his skills for public order. Was this opportunism? Rather than call him pragmatic, it's more accurate to see Saito as someone who recognized his role as a soldier within an organization — loyal and dutiful wherever he was placed, fighting for his own sense of justice while setting aside grand ideologies or ambitions. This is also reflected in his depiction in the series. Saito is uninterested in the ideals of the Meiji government, his superiors in the police, or the ambitions of the villain Shishio — he operates solely according to his own philosophy: "Aku. Soku. Zan." ("Slay evil immediately"), remaining true to himself to the end.
As is typical in anime, characters have their signature finishing moves. Saito's is Gatotsu — a thrusting sword technique where the blade moves horizontally to stab forward. Watsuki explained in an interview with Shueisha that Gatotsu was inspired by Shinsengumi vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo's left-handed thrust technique. However, this technique isn't mentioned in historical texts. In contrast, the three-stage thrust (sandanzuki) of Okita Soji, captain of the first unit, is recorded in Shimozawa Kan's Shinsengumi Ibun. The move begins with a flat, forward-facing stance, stepping forward while thrusting horizontally, then quickly retracting and thrusting again — repeating this in quick succession. Though it appears as a single motion, it strikes three fatal points: the forehead, throat, and chest. Okita’s style involved channeling his full strength into the tip of the blade, becoming one with the sword — much like Saito’s Gatotsu, especially its Zero Stance (Zero Shiki). Thus, it’s likely that Gatotsu was more inspired by Okita’s sandanzuki than by Hijikata. For the Shinsengumi, who often fought in confined urban spaces, thrusting techniques were especially practical — allowing them to strike quickly and effectively without swinging wildly in cramped quarters. In the Kyoto arc of the manga, Saito uses Gatotsu Zero Stance to pierce the chest of the blind swordsman Uonuma Usui. For Saito, Gatotsu doesn’t merely pierce enemies — it cuts through all obstacles blocking his path to justice.
Excerpt from the manga of Rurouni Kenshin
Seta Sojiro is modeled after Okita Soji. His cheerful, carefree personality and light-hearted demeanor match the public’s romanticized image of Okita — always smiling, easygoing, and seemingly blessed by fate. However, both characters have tragic backgrounds. Their calmness and optimism may be coping mechanisms formed in adversity. Seta grew up under harsh family control and suffered long-term abuse, which forced him to develop strong self-preservation instincts. He came to believe that the weak must smile in the face of hardship. Similarly, Okita was born into a financially troubled samurai family from Shirakawa Domain in Mutsu Province. His older sister placed him in the Shieikan dojo, where he performed chores such as cleaning and chopping wood. Their fates changed due to swordsmanship: Sojiro was inspired by Shishio, while Okita was appreciated by Kondo Shusuke and trained alongside Kondo Isami and others, forming deep bonds. Both were undeniably gifted swordsmen — Sojiro was depicted as the top member of Shishio’s "Juppongatana" (Ten Swords), while Okita led the Shinsengumi’s first unit. Both had extraordinary confidence in their sword skills.
However, their swords differ. Okita’s was the Kaga Kiyomitsu, a 2.4 feet (~72.7 cm) long uchigatana, while Sojiro wields the legendary Kiku-ichimonji Norimune. The latter dates back over 800 years to the Kamakura period and bears the sixteen-petal chrysanthemum crest, a symbol of the Emperor. By the Edo period, the Kiku-ichimonji was already considered a national treasure — it would have been highly unlikely for a regional police group like the Shinsengumi to possess one, especially since it's a thin-bladed sword ill-suited for combat. Okita’s Kaga Kiyomitsu, on the other hand, originated in the Edo period. During the fierce Ikedaya Incident, its tip broke and could not be repaired, prompting Okita to seek a replacement sword — but unfortunately, no records detail what sword he used afterward. This lack of information inspired novelist Ryotaro Shiba to write the short story Kiku-ichimonji in his work Shinsengumi Keppuroku, to fill in the imaginative gap regarding Okita’s blade.
In Volume 7 of Rurouni Kenshin, when Kenshin reunites with Saito Hajime, Saito briefly mentions the fearsome nature of the Shinsengumi. The later Trust & Betrayal arc (Tsuioku-hen) also portrays the factional struggles during the Bakumatsu, deepening character backstories. Okita Soji and Saito Hajime even appear together, representing the Shinsengumi in opposition to Kenshin. However, in the end, Okita does not fight — he only witnesses Saito’s battle with Kenshin. In Volume 7, when Kenshin introduces the Shinsengumi, Kamiya Kaoru notes they were known for group ambushes, not the conduct of noble generals. Due to government propaganda in the Meiji era, the general public held a negative view of the Shinsengumi and other Tokugawa-era organizations — a perception deliberately cultivated to bolster the legitimacy of the new regime. Watsuki uses Kaoru to highlight this historical bias. From a tactical standpoint, the Shinsengumi did indeed specialize in overwhelming their targets with superior numbers, surrounding and cutting off escape routes to ensure arrest or assassination. Kenshin explains that their goal — protecting Kyoto — was more important than the tactics used. In other words, the Shinsengumi prioritized their mission over appearances, and their contributions deserve more nuanced recognition.
Excerpt from the manga of Rurouni Kenshin
Another compelling character in Rurouni Kenshin is Shinomori Aoshi, leader of the Oniwabanshū, who acts as both adversary and ally to Kenshin. The Oniwabanshū were a real organization composed of highly skilled ninja tasked with protecting the Tokugawa shoguns, conducting espionage, and operating covertly. Due to their secretive nature, they rarely appear in mainstream dramatizations. The Oniwabanshū were established in 1716 by Tokugawa Yoshimune, the 8th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Yoshimune, known for his frugality and prudence, came to power during a time when many court retainers were loyal to the previous regime. To avoid political infighting, he purged remnants of the old guard and entrusted his own safety to the Oniwabanshū. After more than a century of service, the organization dissolved alongside the fall of the Tokugawa government.
Although Shinomori Aoshi is a fictional character, his experiences reflect the deep frustration faced by real historical figures like the Shinsengumi and the Oniwabanshū — warriors who were determined to fight for the Tokugawa shogunate until the very end. Their sense of futility stemmed from Tokugawa Yoshinobu’s decision to agree to the peaceful surrender of Edo (Edo Muketsu Kaijō), which denied elite warriors like the Shinsengumi and the Oniwabanshū the chance to prove themselves through a last, desperate battle. They were left to exit the stage of history with bitter regret. The Shinsengumi officially became part of the shogunate’s forces in January 1868, engaging directly with the new government’s army in the Battle of Toba–Fushimi. However, due to the new government's superior use of modern weaponry, the shogunate’s troops began to collapse within just four days. The Shinsengumi were keenly aware of the disparity in arms but believed that with proper strategic adjustments, the shogunate's army was not necessarily doomed to defeat. Unfortunately, in February, when Shinsengumi commander Kondō Isami met with Tokugawa official Katsu Kaishū, he was advised to lead his men to Kōshū Castle — essentially a political maneuver to remove the highly motivated Shinsengumi from Edo. Katsu, meanwhile, was secretly negotiating with Satsuma leader Saigō Takamori to peacefully surrender the city, resulting in the the Edo Muketsu Kaijō. This effectively meant the shogun's capitulation and turned the tide of the civil conflict without a decisive battle. With no chance to fight for their cause, the Shinsengumi were forced to retreat to Aizu in disillusionment. In the manga, Shinomori Aoshi relentlessly pursues Kenshin in an effort to prove himself and his fallen comrades as the strongest — a symbolic act driven by the same historical resentment. The peaceful surrender of Edo robbed these loyalists of their final stand, forcing them to accept defeat without resistance.
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