Beshimi (
Appearance[]
Beshimi is very short in stature, making characters such as Yahiko look tall when compared to him. He has dark brown hair styled into a fauxhawk. His eyes are large with slit-like pupils, making some characters refer to him as a "bug". He wears the standard shinobi outfit which is worn by typical Oniwabanshū members, with fingerless black gloves.
Personality[]
Beshimi is manipulative, as shown when talking to Megumi, and seems to underestimate his enemies. However, he cares for his comrades deeply as shown when he sacrificed himself to protect Shinomori Aoshi.
Relationships[]
- Shinomori Aoshi: The Oniwabanshū okashira and the person who gives commands to Beshimi. He highly respects Aoshi and arrived to protect him from Takeda Kanryū's Gatling Gun, sacrificing his life for Aoshi
- Tokyo Oniwabanshū : Han'nya, Shikijō and Hyottoko are his teammates under the command of Aoshi. Beshimi respect his teammates and they work together as Aoshi orders.
- Makimachi Misao: The grandaughter of the previous Oniwabanshū okashira. She loved Beshimi (alongside all the Tokyo Oniwabanshū), and cried a lot when they left the Aoiya to search for work as shinobi.
- Takeda Kanryū: The employer of the Tokyo Oniwabanshū, who grew dissatisfied by the way Shinomori Aoshi treated him and decided to kill him using a Gatling Gun. Beshimi sacrificed his life trying to protect Aoshi from the Gatling Gun.
Abilities[]
Beshimi is shown to have great precision when throwing darts, almost never missing a target, and even (though only in the anime) jamming a gatling gun with it.
History[]
At the end of the Bakumatsu Shinomori Aoshi and 4 of his followers (Beshimi included) decided to leave the Aoiya in Kyōto to work as shinobi by themselves, because they felt they couldn't get accustomed to the new era of peace where the Oniwabanshū Onmitsu where no longer neccesary. Eventually they ended up in Tokyo working for Takeda Kanryū.
Tokyo Arc[]
Beshimi is first seen in the gambling hall, where Sanosuke and Kenshin were spending free time, threatening Megumi and attacking two of Sanosuke's friends with darts. When he tries to attack Kenshin, however, the latter and Sanosuke punch Beshimi in the nose, breaking it and knocking him unconscious. The next day, Beshimi observes the deaths of two of Takeda Kanryū's men. While watching he notices Kenshin and Sanosuke and tries to attack them, only to be stopped by Kanryū who didn't want to cause a scene.
That night, when three Oniwabanshū members attack Kamiya Dōjō to try and take back Megumi Beshimi tries to assassinate Megumi by shooting a poisoned dart at her from atop a tree, but the dart is blocked by Myōjin Yahiko, who stepped in the way. His plan having failed, Beshimi attempts to retreat but is knocked out with a sword strike from Kenshin. Han'nya picks him up and takes him back to Kanryū's mansion.
Beshimi is not seen again until he is shown resting in a room in Kanryū's mansion when he hears sounds of gunfire. He arrives at the scene as Hyottoko is killed and jumps up and attempts to fire a dart at Kanryū, but is shot several times before he has the chance and falls dead to the ground. Afterwards, Aoshi cuts off his allies heads and run from the mansion when the police arrives. Aoshi then burries their heads in the mountains and plans to place flowers on their graves when he defeats Kenshin.
Development and Reception[]
To be added
Etymology[]
- Beshimi means "beshimi; noh mask with a slanted mouth, bulging eyes and large nostrils" (癋見).
Trivia[]
- There are differences in the graphical depiction of Beshimi in the different itterations of the story:
- Beshimi's depiction in the 1996 anime is closer to his original manga appearance.
- In the 2023 anime Beshimi is depicted with their graphical appearance as illustrated in the 22-volume kanzenban edition and 14-volume bunkoban edition of the manga covers (with a white saturated color in the skin, vertical pupils and slightly more ellaborated clothing than normally).
Gallery[]
