The Jūppongatana (
History[]
The Jūppongatana are the main antagonists of the Kyōto Arc, and are gathered for the first time (except for Sawagejō Chō, who is in prison) in episode 44 of the anime series. A group of extremely skilled fighters and warriors, they are considered as some of the most powerful in all of the nation of Japan in the era of the Meiji, and as the most powerful within the ranks of Shishio's militia. Despite the tendency to rank the fighters in groups like this, none of the Jūppongatana have an official rank, although they agree in some points: that Soujiro was the strongest and that Iwanbo was the weakest. Ultimately, the Jūppongatana weren't just enforcers and commanding elites, as it was revealed that their ranks were mainly a buffer for Shishio's crippling weakness of his disabled perspiration giving him an extreme form of hyperthermia should he see strenuous physical activity for more than 15 minutes.
Each one of the Jūppongatana has a different skill and fighting style, all of which is centered around the ideas of wielding a "sword" of some sort, either literally or metaphorically. Many within these elite ranks also hold different motivations for their allegiance, some with resentment against the Meiji government, some with admiration and respect for the goals of Shishio, others with nothing other than a burning grudge against Shishio, and some just there to show off their strengths for the thrill of it.
Members[]
The Jūppongatana has 10 members that are commanded by Shishio Makoto.
- Seta Sōjirō: Also known as 'The Tenken', Sōjirō wields a speed-based technique known as "Shukuchi' and his prodigal kenjutsu skills with unparalleled proficiency despite having never trained in the sword, it's as if he were granted these abilities from the heavens themselves.
- Sadojima Hōji: Also known as 'The Hundredfold Knowledge', Hōji is a skilled marksmanship but his truest weapon and greatest asset comes from his sharp and cunning mind.
- Uonuma Usui: Also known as 'The Blind Swordsman', Usui is a murderous and almost demonic blind killer claimed to have gained an incredible extrasensory ability (known as the "Heart's Eye") and wields a weight hafted Tinchin with a turtle shell Ronbe shield.
- Yūkyūzan Anji: Also known as 'The Destroying Bright King', Anji is a muscle-tempered and highly-trained fallen monk claiming the titles of the Wisdom Kings of Buddhist lore. He uses hand-to-hand martial arts, alongside kenpo and a powerful, destructive technique known as the "Mastery of the Two Layers".
- Sawagejō Chō: Also known as 'The Sword Hunter', Chō is a ruthless man who wields various blades and swords of unique rarity and design that he's collected over the years.
- Kariwa Henya: Also known as 'The Flighted', Henya uses a style of combat centered around flight; using his incredibly slim body with a pair of bat-like wings, he swoops down upon his opponents, attacking them either with his wrist-mounted blades or small yet powerful bombs.
- Honjō Kamatari: Also known as 'The Large Scythe', Kamatari is a crossdresser obsessed with Shishio and is a rival to both Yumi and Sōjirō for his attention. He wields a uniquely-shaped scythe linked to a heavy weigh by a length of chain, allowing him to slash and/or smash foes with wide-ranged attacks.
- Iwanbō: Also known as 'The Round Demon', Iwanbō is a large, routon man with an unpredictably and feral mindset. He fights using his agility (which is unnaturally high for someone of his particular body shape) in conjunction with small, claw-like blades attached to his fingers.
- Saizuchi: Also known as 'The Destroying Yin', Saizuchi is a part of the Destruction Army alongside Fuji. Being a small, manipulative and miserly old man, Saizuchi mainly uses his intelligence and trickery for combat, edging lies in his persuasion and speech.
- Fuji: Also known as 'The Destroying Yang', Fuji is a part of the Destruction Army alongside Saizuchi. He is a man of inhuman size, considered more monster than human, clad in fearsome and ominous-looking armor and brandishing a titanic sword.
Gallery[]
