| STATS | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sagara Sanosuke |
| AKA | Zanza |
| Age | 19 |
| DOB | February, 1860 |
| Height | 179cm (5' 10") |
| Weight | 71 kg |
| Blood Type | B |
|
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Sagara Sanosuke is an orphan who grew up with the Seikihoutai, a group that supported the Ishin Shishi during the Meiji Revolution. Sanosuke had great respect for the captain of the Seikihoutai, Captain Sagara. Sagara Souzou was a man who had a dream of a new Japan. He supported the Meiji Government because he had hoped it would bring justice and equality to the people.
However, the Meiji Government used the Seikihoutai and later killed all the members including Captain Sagara who died protecting Sano. After Captain Sagara died, Sano took the name of Sagara for himself and bore the mark of evil on his back in remembrance of his captain. He became a professional street fighter taking on assasination assignments for money. Because he carried a zanbatou, a horse-cutting sword, he became known as the Kenkaya Zanza.
One day, Himura Gohei goes to Sano and asks him to kill Kenshin. When Sano finds out that Kenshin used to be an Ishin Shishi, the fight becomes a personal one for him. He vows to kill Kenshin and avenge the death of his captain. But Kenshin's skills far exceed his, and his zanbatou is cut in two. Yet he refuses to give in and insists that the fight is only over when either of them dies. His refusal to lose to an Ishin Shishi keeps him standing even after he is badly wounded.
But Kenshin refuses to continue fighting Sano. Instead, he tells him that the Seikihoutai's goal was not to destroy the Ishin Shishi but to usher in the new era. Kenshin shows Sano that by using his sword to protect the weak, he can obtain peace for the many who died during the revolution. When Sano hears Kenshin's words, he realises that Kenshin's dream is the same as the dream of his beloved captain. He is in awe of Kenshin who is still fighting for this dream and readily surrenders to him. It is this realisation that makes them fast friends.
After Sano is nursed back to health by Dr. Genzai, he frequents the dojo very often and becomes great friends with Yahiko and Kaoru whom he likes to call Jo-chan. He and Yahiko often team up to tease Kaoru but end up getting large lumps on their heads. Sano is Kenshin's sidekick and accompanies him on most of his missions. Although his skill at the beginning of the show leaves much to be desired, he later acquires a new skill of fist-fighting and is of much help to Kenshin when he is in great need of it.