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life and times
We're not going against the RK manga. Yes, we know Enishi was said to be a
leader of the Shanghai "mafia". But upon better understanding the
organizations and syndicates of the time, Firuze has come to the conclusion that
Enishi's organization is a member of the Triads.
We shall let Kamorgana explain further.
(SPOILER WARNING)
"I checked the Japanese manga (the only version I read..), and I came to
wonder if Watsuki had a clear idea about Enishi's organization.
"On the one hand, Enishi and Wu seem to be very independent, more than a usual
branch of an organized mafia. I'm more familiar with Japanese yakuza, but a
change at the head would have to be approved of, not depending only on Enishi's
will, as it seems to be (it could be a secret deal, but then Wu would have used
it against Enishi when they argued, am I wrong?). Wu and him never talk about
people they should report to, neither does Wu give news of the situation of the
"mother organization", which should be a given (if only out of
politeness/ritual) when he arrives on the island. I guess that their
organization being young (according to both Saitoh and Gein), it could explain
why it isn't integrated yet..
"The Japanese terms are very confusing. When he meets Kenshin on the bridge,
Enishi says he is one of the "Shangai Mafia bosses (toumoku, equivalent of
oyabun, the traditional denomination of yakuza bosses)", yet, the kana of
"mafia" doesn't correspond to the kanji reading, the correct one being:
yamishakai, society of darkness, ie underworld. If mafia, in Japan, is pointing
only to the Yakuza,
underworld has a larger meaning, including hitmen, professional thieves,
sweepers...so to speak, professional criminals, affiliated or not to a family.
That might be too much of a detail, but it is the one and only time that mafia
in its general meaning is mentioned.
"Afterwards, there is always a mention of the field of specialization. Even
during the fight at Kamiya Dojo, Enishi describes himself as a "weapon mafia" (bukki
mafia) member, and the precision is out of place there..He and Wu, like Saitoh
and Chou, only refer to the organization (with, again, no reference to another
boss, so in the context, it should be translated as "their" organization), or to
a
weapon traffic.
"On the other hand, realistically speaking, it is impossible that Enishi's group
was working alone. He says (on the bridge with Kenshin) that his organization
controls completely the illegal manufacture (traffic is implied only) of weapons
on the continent, and it is unlikely that the Hung let such a juicy market
escape them. Gein also points that the ruling pair Wu/Enishi is famous in
Shanghai. Their business being young can't be an argument anymore in assuring
their independence, then.
"There is an interesting hint in Watsuki's "secret talks" about the characters.
In the Wu talk, he says that he made a mafia boss out of Enishi only to provide
him the financial resources necessary to Jinchuu (to keep it realistic). Maybe
he didn't elaborate on this not to complicate more his plot?
"According to the Japanese version, nothing denies nor confirm any of the
possibilities. I think that you're [Firuze] right, and that at least, Enishi was
associated to the Triads. But an independent organization could also be
exploited in a fic."