It was announced this year that the "Rurouni Kenshin" series will be revived as an anime in 2023. What do you think is the appeal of this work? There are countless charms to this work, from the human drama of the many characters centered around Kenshin, to the detailed descriptions of numerous special moves, and memorable quotes from Kenshin and his friends. However, perhaps what makes this work stand out above all else is the presence of the many fascinating enemy characters that appear in this work. None of the enemy characters that appear in this work are simple villains, but rather characters who have suffered tragic fate during the transitional period known as the Meiji Restoration. As people's lives change dramatically in the name of civilization and enlightenment, the presence of these characters, who pursue carnage to the fullest, as if left behind by the Edo period, can sometimes be troublesome, but it is precisely because of these characters that the story is so powerful. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the characters, one of the charms of this work! The new anime series will likely only go as far as the Kyoto arc, so this time we'll introduce the enemy characters up to that point!
Introducing the Enemy Characters Appearing in the Tokyo Arc!
First, let's introduce the enemy characters who appeared in the opening "Tokyo Arc" of the story! While the "Tokyo Arc" focuses on Kenshin's encounters with key characters like Yahiko and Kaoru, the battle scenes with enemy characters are also quite exciting, so be sure to check them out!
Udo Jin'ei *Appears in the Black Umbrella Arc
Toei is the first formidable enemy character to appear in this work. In contrast to Kenshin, who professes a "non-killing" philosophy, Toei enjoys slaughter and continues to kill people for his own pleasure, even in the Meiji era. While he is a completely different character from Kenshin, they share the same trait: they are both assassins who once took the lives of many people.
Takeda Kanryu *Appears in the Megumi Arc
Kanryu is an enemy character who appears in the Megumi Arc. Kanryu himself is not a swordsman or anything like that, but a corrupt opium merchant. However, he is extremely wealthy, and he stands in Kenshin's way with the latest Gatling gun and powerful bodyguards at the time. Such a well-suited character with both intellect and financial resources is rare in this work.
Isurugi Raijuta *Appears in the Raijuta Arc
Raijuta is an enemy character who appeared in the Raijuta Arc. He founded the Shinko-ryu school of swordsmanship, a school of ancient swordsmanship, and has committed every cruel crime. However, after his confrontation with Kenshin, it was revealed that he had never killed a human being. When Kenshin warned him about the fearsomeness of the sword as a lethal weapon, he became intimidated by the sword's fierce rage.
Introducing the enemy characters who appeared in the Kyoto Arc!
Now, let's introduce the enemy characters that appeared in the Kyoto Arc, the most exciting part of the series. The Kyoto Arc features Kenshin's sworn enemy, Shishio Makoto, and many formidable enemy characters, so be sure to check it out.
Shishio Makoto
The antagonist appearing in the Kyoto Arc is, of course, Shishio Makoto. Like Kenshin, Makoto was a swordsman active during the late Edo period, and is a character with strong beliefs that "the strong survive and the weak perish."
The opposite of Kenshin
Kenshin believes that "the sword is there to protect someone important," and this character has a completely opposite way of thinking. His values are the most conflicting with Kenshin's, making him the ideal fit for the role.
Seta Sojiro (The Ten Swords)
The Ten Swords are the ten subordinates of Makoto, one of the most famous characters in the series. One of the Ten Swords, Seta Sojiro, is also known as "Heavenly Sword Sojiro," and possesses fighting prowess rivaling that of Kenshin. Furthermore, his personality, which contains all but joy of the three emotions, allows him to act without hesitation when it comes to killing, which could be said to be one of his strengths.
Yukyuzan Anji (The Ten Swords)
After Sojiro, Anji is the most well-known of the Ten Swords. While Anji is one of the Ten Swords, he also taught Sanosuke the double ultimate technique, making him a character who contributed greatly to Sanosuke's growth.
The Original Double Extreme
This character is renowned for his powerful fighting abilities, thanks in part to his mastery of the original Double Extreme.
Sadojima Houji (The Ten Swords)
Among the Ten Swords, Houji is particularly intelligent and serves Shinji as a staff officer. Houji was originally a bureaucrat in the Meiji government, and has extensive knowledge of diplomacy and domestic affairs.
The Unsung Hero
It could be said that his achievements were responsible for turning the Organization of Truth into a single, massive army. While his fighting ability wasn't particularly high, there's no doubt that he was one of the most formidable foes for Kenshin and his companions.
Uonuma Usui (The Ten Swords)
The blind swordsman Usui stands in Kenshin's way. Usui originally has roots in the Ryukyu Kingdom, making him a unique character who is adept at using Ryukyu-originated weapons such as the tinbei and rochin. His distinctive appearance makes him an enemy character who easily draws attention.
Sawashita Johari (The Ten Swords)
Johari, one of the Ten Swords, is not only a swordsman but also a sword collector. Johari enjoys collecting deadly swords made by Arai Sekisoku, the same maker of Kenshin's favorite reverse-blade swords, and is a character known for using a variety of tricky swords. His deadly swords are so specialized for murder that it's hard to believe they were made by the same person who made the reverse-blade swords. Together with his swords, he makes for a formidable character.
Honjo Kamatari (The Ten Swords)
Famously known for appearing female but actually being male, Honjo Kamatari is also one of the Ten Swords. Initially, she appears as a kind, older sister-like figure, but later on, she is portrayed as possessing a rather ruthless personality, such as killing her subordinates without hesitation. Furthermore, due to her complex about not being able to become a woman, she doesn't get along with other female characters, making her a rather eccentric character.
Kariwa Kaya (The Ten Swords)
Kaya, known as "Flying Kaya," toyed with Kenshin and his allies with aerial attacks. Kaya uses some pretty tricky tactics throughout the story and isn't a weak character. Unfortunately, he was defeated by the youngest member, Yahiko, and is perceived as a pushover, which is unfortunate.
The man who embodied the saying, "A samurai's worth is determined by his state of mind at the time of death."
I don't think he was weak by any means, but the saying, "A samurai's worth is determined by his state of mind at the time of death," is well-known.
Iwanbou (The Ten Swords)
I think Iwanbou is one of the Ten Swords who is particularly obscure. He stands out with his large, boulder-like body, but he doesn't really have a chance to shine and is quickly eliminated. However, Iwanbou himself appears in the Jinchu-hen arc, where his true identity is revealed. It's a pitiful character whose first half is overshadowed by his strong second half.
Saizuchi (The Ten Swords)
Saizuchi is the brains behind the Ten Swords. Like Houji, Saizuchi is a character who relies on his intellect rather than his strength, and he often works in tandem with Fuji, who wields immense power. While his character is somewhat similar to Houji's, he appears in a fair number of scenes, making him memorable for many.
Fuji (The Ten Swords)
Fuji, who fought alongside Saizuchi, was known for his super-heavy attacks, unleashed from his enormous body. Standing at approximately 8.4 meters tall, Fuji is a gigantic character, making him impossible for ordinary humans to defeat.
Fighting Hiko Seijuro and Reforming
He appears to have originally been a kind-hearted person, and in the story, after being persuaded by Hiko Seijuro, he regains his pride as a warrior and draws his Ten Swords.
Summary
Did you enjoy this? This article summarizes the enemy characters appearing up until the Kyoto Arc, which will likely be depicted in the new anime series. In particular, the latter half of the Kyoto Arc sees the Ten Swords, led by Shishio Makoto, play an active role, allowing for a wide variety of battle scenes to be enjoyed. Thanks to this, it's not just Kenshin who plays an active role; Yahiko and Sanosuke are also depicted in many scenes where they play an active role, so the appearance of such a wide variety of enemy characters is something that fans will be very happy about. I can't wait to see how these characters will be portrayed in the new anime series!
