Shinomori Aoshi
| Shinomori Aoshi | |
|---|---|
| Rurouni Kenshin character | |
| File:Aoshi.JPG | |
| Created by | Nobuhiro Watsuki |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Okashira of the Oniwabanshu |
Shinomori Aoshi (四乃森 蒼紫), known in Western order as Aoshi Shinomori in the English version of the anime, is a fictional "Okashira", or leader, of the Oniwabanshu in the anime and manga series Rurouni Kenshin. He is 26 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) with black hair and ice-blue eyes. Stern, concise and cold, he is a genius spy. His seiyu is Yoshito Yasuhara, his English voice actor is Terrence Stone and his Spanish voice actor is Antonio Puentes (Latin America).
Life
History
Shinomori Aoshi was raised a ninja of the Oniwabanshū, who worked for the Shogunate government during the Edo period. He helped to raise Makimachi Misao from childhood as a member of the Oniwabanshū. At the suggestion of Kashiwazaki Nenji (better known as Okina), Shinomori was given the position of Okashira at the age of fifteen, in time for the Oniwabanshū to defend Edo Castle.
After the revolution, since a few members of the Oniwabanshū were unable to adapt to life in the Meiji era, Aoshi and these members worked for the corrupt, power-hungry business man, Takeda Kanryū instead. Aoshi's Subordinates included Beshimi, who specialised in darts and poison, Hyotoko, whose name literally means "Fire Man" and uses flint-and-steel teeth to breath fire. Also were Han'nya, a skilled martial artist and deft ninjutsu practitioner, and Shikijou, a "muscle man".
Tokyo Arc
While working with Kanryū as "muscle" in his opium manufacturing operation, Aoshi came face to face with Kenshin, who was trying to rescue Takani Megumi. During the confrontation with Kenshin, Aoshi revealed that he aims to kill Kenshin, who was formerly known as the famed Hitokiri Battōsai. Aoshi explained that Battōsai was always known as "the strongest" and by defeating Kenshin, he would be able to take that title and present it to the Oniwabanshū as a gift of honor to his team-mates. Their battle ends with Aoshi's defeat. Kanryū betrays Aoshi and kills his four subordinates, Beshimi, Hyotoko, Han'nya, and Shikijou, while they protected Aoshi. After the deaths of his friends and team-mates, Aoshi became even more determined to defeat Kenshin, obsessed even, stating that it is the only thing he can do for his fallen comrades now.
After the Tokyo arc, Aoshi hid in the mountains where he buried his friends' heads (in the manga, at least) and he stays there to train until he heads to Tokyo to find and kill Kenshin.
Kyoto Arc
Shortly after burying his comrades, Aoshi returns to Tokyo only to discover Kenshin has left for Kyoto. Determined to achieve his goal, Aoshi follows him and joins Shishio Makoto in hopes of fighting Kenshin. He lets no one stand in his way, going as far as fighting and severely injuring Okina (who describes Aoshi as "chaos incarnate") to try and learn of Kenshin's whereabouts (but fails to get the location).
Towards the end of the Kyoto Arc, the much-anticipated battle arrives and Kenshin fights Aoshi. Kenshin saves Aoshi from his own madness, as he realizes that death is not the answer to his situation. To put an end to the feud and see who is truly the strongest, both decide to use their strongest attacks (their succession attacks, or "Ōugi") and Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki defeats Aoshi's Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren.
He later appears to fight against Shishio to buy time for Kenshin and later stands at the sidelines, analytically commenting on the battle before him. In fact, Aoshi practically breaks down the steps of Kenshin's ougi, after being hit with it himself, and after seeing Kenshin use the second step on Shishio. After Shishio dies, Aoshi says some enlightening words about why Shishio lost, and how the events in the past that led up to this moment made Kenshin the victor.
Aoshi spends his time meditating in a temple at the end of the Kyoto Arc, needing time to sort through what he's done and been through. He seems to feel extremely guilty for betraying the Oniwabanshū through his actions. He speaks very little, and seems to avoid everyone by staying at the temple and then staying in his room altogether. Before Kenshin leaves Kyoto, he asks if Aoshi would like to share a drink (of sake) with him; Aoshi refuses the offer (saying that he does not drink), but goes on to say he would be willing to have tea with him when they meet again.
Fillers and OVA
Aoshi makes a relatively short appearance in one episode of the Shimabara Arc. He is shown meditating while a political official is behind him pleading Aoshi to help be his bodyguard after he received a "death letter". Aoshi refuses, saying he does not intend to pick up his sword for any reason at the moment, gets up, and leaves.
Misao decides to go and stop the murderer herself. Aoshi later realizes Misao's intentions and comes in time as Misao falls from the attack of the assassin. Aoshi decides to enlist Kenshin for help, and there is a conversation in which Aoshi believes that the assassin was even faster than Kenshin, much to Sanosuke's anger.
Aoshi shows up for one more episode much later in the anime, where he, Omasu and Ochika (Okon in the manga), come to bring Misao back to Kyoto, as she was helping Kenshin in Tokyo. This episode included Aoshi and Kenshin's promised tea, and was supposedly created for romance between Aoshi and Misao, which is ironic, because they spend nearly the whole day away from each other.
In the Memorial Special Episode, Aoshi is briefly mentioned in a conversation between Kenshin and Kaoru.
Aoshi, while not referred to by name, is briefly present in the second OVA, Seisohen (Reflection), in which he can be seen during a brief montage of scenes from the Kyoto arc.
Jinchū Arc
In the Jinchū Arc (manga only), Aoshi returns to Tokyo with Misao in order to deliver the diary of Yukishiro Tomoe to Kamiya Kaoru. They arrive to discover Kaoru is "dead", though Aoshi is quick to realize the circumstances surrounding her death are inconsistent. He soon solves the mystery and reveals that the body buried of Kaoru was actually a doll and defeats the puppet master, Gein, who created the doll in the first place. Subsequently, he joins Kenshin and his friends as they travel to Yukishiro Enishi's island to rescue Kaoru.
Aoshi defeats Suzaku, a master mimic who is one of the four Sushin bodyguards of Enishi's second in command before leaving Kenshin to fight Enishi. Following the battle, he and Misao return with the group to Tokyo, only for Aoshi to announce that he and Misao will return to Kyoto very soon. Before leaving, he honors Kenshin's request in Kyoto by having a (very brief) cup of tea with him, in which Kenshin thanks Aoshi for his help and ask him to try to not kill any opponents from then on (a request that Aoshi said he, "understood"). Kenshin, Kaoru, and Misao attempted to persuade Aoshi to stay in Tokyo just a bit longer, in which point he revealed that he and Misao should return to Kyoto as soon as possible because the seasons change earlier in the mountains (Kyoto) than in the plains (Tokyo). Aoshi explained that they need to bury the four fallen Oniwabanshū, "...somewhere sunny..." before the ground freezes.
In Kenshin Kaden, Aoshi and Misao show up to the picnic.
Personality
Shinomori Aoshi is a very quiet, intelligent individual. He never speaks when unnecessary and he always thinks before he acts. He seems to be unemotional most of the time, earning him the nickname of "that gloomy jerk" from Myojin Yahiko. Aoshi only smiles once in the manga (excluding the weird smirk when he sees Kenshin cut a lamp post in two) and around eight times in the anime. He doesn't show it, but he has a soft spot reserved for his friends and Makimachi Misao. Additionally, he reportedly has zero alcohol tolerance.
Aoshi appears to be very cool and level headed when we first see him, although we see glimpses of his obsession to defeat Kenshin in a few scenes. After Hannya, Shikijō, Beshimi, Hyottoko die, and during the time Aoshi escapes from Kanryū's mansion, he seems to be in a shock, and his eyes have a shaded look, a conventional manga portrayal of depression, possession, or daydreaming. His intelligence and analytical skills are also well-honed evidenced from his display of narrowing the location of a mine below the water to a tenth of a degree and meter.
Aoshi was based on Hijikata Toshizou, the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi. There are two ways Hijikata is portrayed in books and fiction; Aoshi grew out of the Hijikata who killed his gentler feelings and buried his human weakness.
Techniques
Aoshi's weapon of choice is a kodachi. He originally used only one of these short swords, but later used a two-sworded style, employing a pair of the swords. When in their saya, they appear to be part of a single sheathed sword, one blade appearing to be the hilt, while the second blade is stationed opposite the first and blends in with the saya itself, giving it the impression of being a nodachi. A dangerous opponent, he uses his speed together with a mix of sword and hand-to-hand combat moves called Kenpo.
- Gokō Jūji: (Shadow-Light Cross) Aoshi crosses the two kodachi and moves them outwards in a scissor-like cut.
- Jissen Kenbu: (Actual-Battle Sword-Dance) Combo attack using "Ryūsui no Ugoki" to flow around the enemy, confusing them. Aoshi will then strike from various points, slashing them with his kodachi, before deciding to end it with "Kaiten Kenbu". Before deciding to use a two kodachi style of fighting, this was Shinomori's final attack.
- Kaiten Kenbu: ("Spiral Sword Dance" or "The Dance Of The Wheeling Sword") Aoshi claims to have used this attack to defeat "all who intruded upon Edo castle". It involves Aoshi rapidly spinning around three times, while holding the kodachi backhand, to slash the opponent thrice in an instant. Aoshi usually uses this attack after disorienting the opponent with Ryūsui no Ugoki.
- Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren: ("Spinning-Heavenly Sword-Dance Six-Series" or "The Dance Of The Wheeling Sword Six Successions") This attack is Aoshi's ōugi. The attack involves Aoshi gripping his kodachi backhand, then slashing the opponent six times in rapid succession, from both sides (it relies on confusing the opponent on the direction from which each subsequent strike is going to come). It's basically Kaiten Kenbu but done with two kodachi. It's the move he used to defeat Okina and later in the Jinchū-manga arc cuts through a large tree while fighting Gein. Shishio was able to interrupt the technique after Aoshi executed it too slowly, a consequence of being stricken with Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki earlier.
- Onmyō Hasshi: (Dusk to Dawn Strike) Aoshi throws both kodachi at the opponent, hitting the end of the first one with the second one for an extra boost. The second kodachi is hidden directly behind the first. So the opponent would only see one kodachi heading for them in their line of sight.
- Onmyō Kōsa: (Yin-Yang Cross) Aoshi blocks an enemies striking weapon with one kodachi, then strikes it with the second kodachi, thrusting the first one through. This attack was used against Okina's metal tonfa, cutting through them.
- Ryūsui no Ugoki: (Flowing-Water Movement) This is moving technique where Aoshi moves around fast and silently. Confusing the opponent due to the fluid motion & continuously changing speed. He used this to attack Kenshin and also used it against Okina. (Being Aoshi's former teacher, Okina was familiar with the attack.) Aoshi also employs this technique in his battle with Shishio.
Trivia
The name "Aoshi" comes from a temple in Nagaoka city.