Click on their pictures below to find out more about them...
Note: Japanese convention is followed with respect to names. i.e. first name follows surname.
The main character.
A mild-mannered, soft-hearted, and generous man, he was once an assassin (known as Hitokiri Battousai) who caused great fear amongst people (during the Bakumatsu), and was well-known for his speed and great skills. He has since been wandering around Japan, having vowed never to kill again, regardless of the circumstances. As such, he now wields a reversed-edged sword (sakabatou) and uses it to help people to the best of his abilities, while remaining true to his vow.
However, because of the legend he left behind, many enemies from his past attempt to defeat him in order to become a legend themselves. Every now and again, the hitokiri (assassin) Kenshin tries so hard to suppress surfaces, especially in the middle of an intense sword fight. Kenshin usually speaks in a very polite manner, addressing everyone with the suffix "-dono", and usually ends his sentences with de gozaru yo or variations of it. When Hitokiri Battousai surfaces, all these disappear in his speech and his eyes usually turn from purple to a very cold yellow.
Unique characteristics:
Red hair and cross-marked scar on his left cheek.
Well-known phrases:
de gozaru yo
oro
Trivia: Kenshin's name means heart of sword.
A hot-tempered, yet generous lady widely-known for her not-so-great cooking.
Also orphaned years ago, Kaoru runs a dojo (Kamiya-Kasshin dojo) in Tokyo, and willingly teaches anyone who is willing to learn the sword technique once taught by her late father. She is the first of the "Kenshin-gumi" to meet Kenshin. (Note: gumi means "group". Kenshin-gumi was a name Yahiko came up with for Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and himself. This later extended to include Megumi.)
At the time, a man was killing people in Tokyo using the name "Battousai", and claiming to be from the Kamiya-Kasshin dojo. As such, this tainted the name of Kaoru's dojo and caused her to lose more students each day. In attempt to find the culprit, she initially mistook Kenshin for the fake "Battousai". Instead, she'd unwittingly found the real Battousai...
Trivia: Her name means lavender.
One of the few disciples under Kaoru's wing. He too was orphaned, and was bullied by several others into stealing money. It was thanks to fate that he met Kenshin, who saved him and encouraged the boy to learn some sword-fighting skills from Kaoru. However, the bad news was that Kaoru and Yahiko didn't really get along... (It didn't help that Yahiko kept insulting Kaoru... >.<)
Trivia: His name means full of virtue and ability
A strong-willed, free-loader who often gets into quarrels or fights with just about everyone but Kenshin. Sometimes known as Zanza, Sanosuke (Sano for short) enjoys fighting with his fists, and is very strong physically. While he mainly uses his bare hands to fight, his initial weapon was an extremely heavy, oversized sword named the zanbatou. However, this was broken by Kenshin in their very first match against each other. Despite this, the two became good friends, and as such Sano became an extension of the Kenshin-gumi.
When he was young, Sano was part of a group called the Seikihoutai, which was a small army for the Meiji government consisting mainly of farmers. However, when the government decided that it had no further use for such an army, they attempted to get rid of it quietly by killing its members. In doing so, the captain of the group whom Sano had always admired was shot when attempting to save Sano. Naturally, this sparked Sano's deep hatred for the Meiji government.
Trivia: His name means the queer/heretical helper
A talented and cunning lady doctor (to the extent of being often described as a fox) who initially tries to go between Kaoru and Kenshin. To the frustration of Kaoru... But the woman Kenshin chooses becomes apparent very early in the series.
She is last to join the Kenshin-gumi, and is first seen running from some men. She spots Kenshin with his sakabatou and asks him for help and protection. It is later revealed that she had excellent medical skills, and was therefore being forced to produce vast amounts of opium. The Kenshin-gumi (mainly meaning Kenshin) of course manages to save her from such a fate.
Sanosuke and Megumi don't get along on the surface, and often quarrel... But later in the series, you'll find out about Megumi's true feelings.
Trivia: Her name means kind favour
A lively, extremely quick-tempered girl of 16 years of age. (Sadly described as a girl with a figure of a 12-year-old... ^^;;;;;;;) She first meets Kenshin on her way home to Kyoto (he too was traveling on foot to Kyoto). She was robbing a gang when he interfered and forced her to return the money to its rightful owners.
It was then revealed that she'd been in Tokyo attempting to find Aoishi and the rest of the Oniwabanshu and had needed the money to get home. Noticing that Kenshin was familiar with Aoishi's name, she suspected that he knew what became of Aoishi and persisted in following him all the way to Kyoto in effort to find out more.
Misao is part of a well-known, and well-liked Oniwabanshu (who are a group of skilled spies) in Tokyo, which helps and protects the people living there.
A quietly beautiful lady with deep, sorrowful eyes. Kenshin first falls in love with Tomoe when she was just 18, and he 15. The two marry each other with neither knowing the other's background well at all. Unknown to Kenshin, Tomoe herself has quite a few skeletons in her closet...
Trivia: Her name means hope, or anxiously waiting
Tomoe's younger brother, well-known for his once raven-black hair, which had turned silvery-white later due to the stress of witnessing his own beloved sister's death, of which he blamed Kenshin. Ever since the death of Tomoe, he never forgave Kenshin for what he felt the latter had done, and hence harboured feelings of hatred and revenge... He went to China and returned 10 years later for his revenge on Kenshin, hitting the latter where it hurts-- his heart.
Trivia: Enishi's name actually means fate.
A tall, dark (handsome!!) and mysterious man who shows almost no emotion. He is part of the Oniwabanshu, of which he had been the leader (okashira) since he was 15 years of age. He was initially set on killing Kenshin in order to prove that he was the strongest fighter, thus proving that the Oniwabanshu was an extremely strong clan by implication. In attempting to achieve that one goal, he turned cruel and evil (which ironically caused his expulsion from the clan). It wasn't until much later that he came to his senses (courtesy of Kenshin), and thereafter re-joined Misao and the rest of the Oniwabanshu.
Another expressionless and cunning man. To the surprise and utter shock of Kenshin and Misao (and me!!), Saitou is a married man. Like Kenshin, he used to be a hitokiri (but he was in the Shinsengumi) during the Bakumatsu. However, unlike Kenshin, Saitou refused to give up killing with his katana and hence joined the police force where he is able to continue using it to create his own individual form of justice. (Aku Zoku Zan!!)
Thus far, Saitou and Kenshin have fought twice-- once during the Bakumatsu, and another time 10 years later. Refusing to let go of the past, he still looks forward to the day when he can fight with Kenshin (whom he insists on calling Battousai) again. Until then, he is somewhat forced to work alongside the latter (i.e. in defeating Shishio).
Kenshin's 40-year-old master (he doesn't look 40, btw... ^^;;;;; Well, then again, Kenshin doesn't look 28 either...). This is the man who taught Kenshin just about all the latter knew about the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu (sword technique).
Kenshin was orphaned at a young age, and was to be sold as a slave. The group he was traveling with were murdered midway through their journey. 3 of the slaves died attempting to protect Kenshin, but Kenshin himself was ultimately saved by Hiko Seijuro who was just passing by. The latter had killed all the murderers and went on his way, leaving Kenshin amongst the dead people.
When he returned the next day, expecting to find Kenshin (then named Shinta) dead, he was shocked to find that the boy had buried and made graves for every single person, murderer or not. He thereafter took the boy in and taught him the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, but not before changing the latter's name to Kenshin.
Although he refuses to admit it, Hiko Seijuro actually cares a great deal about Kenshin (despite always refering to Kenshin as his "idiot student").
Note though that "Hiko Seijuro" is not his real name. This name is passed on from generation to generation and he is the 13th Hiko Seijuro. Once a student has mastered the Hiten Mitsurugi, the student has to...
1. kill his master (in the process of mastering the final secret technique Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki)
2. receive and wear the white-and-red cloak (as seen in picture of Hiko Seijuro)
3. Adapt and use the name "Hiko Seijuro"
Tsubame first meets Yahiko when he was practicing with his shinai (wooden sword). The strap for his slipper fell apart, causing him to trip. She repaired it for him and went on her way. He later discovered that she worked at Akabeko, a restaurant the Kenshin-gumi frequented.
When Yahiko discovered that she was being forced into helping some gangsters break into Akabeko, he helped her out by fighting them. Since then, the two have become friends and a bit more...
The hitokiri who replaced Kenshin after the latter refused to kill any more. Unlike Kenshin, he'd stayed in the shadows. As such, few people knew of his existence. He knew many secrets, too many for his own good, really. In effort to silence him, the very people he worked for shot him several times and burned his body. Just when they thought he was dead, he came back for revenge. However, having your body shot at and burnt does have adverse effects... His body was so badly charred, he has to be perpetually wrapped up in bandages like an Egyptian mummy, and his body temperature exceeds that of a normal human being.
He is the leader of the Jupon Gatana, a group he put together which consists of 10 good fighters.
His motto:
The strong shall live, and the weak shall die. The weak is only the flesh upon which the strong live on.
Trivia: His name means great aspirations
Shishio's lover.
She is apparently the only person who truly understands and loves Shishio for who he is. Unfortunately, similar to Tomoe's fate, she dies to help Shishio. The only difference is that Shishio actually deliberately kills her just to wound his much-hated opponent, Kenshin.
One of the two best swordsmen of Jupon Gatana. Soujirou is Shishio's right-hand man. He wears a smile for a mask all the time to hide his true emotions, if any. He was an illegitimate child, and was thus ill-treated and abused by his so-called family members when he was young.
Soujirou accidentally chanced upon Shishio in the midst of murdering some policemen, and thereafter allowed Shishio to stay in his family's storage room meant for rice. When the rest of the family found out, they tried to kill him, intending to blame it on Shishio. Upon hearing their plans, something in Soujirou snapped, and he killed all of them with a blade Shishio had given him.
To the surprise and horror of Misao and Kaoru, Kamatari is a really a transvestite who is in love with Shishio (Even though Shishio only has eyes for Yumi). ^^;;;;; He is one of the members of the Jupon Gatana.
The other of the two best swordsmen of the Jupon Gatana. Having been blinded by Shishio several years ago, he uses his remaining senses to fight his opponents. He is extremely cruel and enjoys murdering people.
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