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I became a major fan of Okita-sama in all of his incarnations, though I don't quite remember
what started it. (I was also rather obsessed with PMK for some time, mostly because of Okita. I even designed my very own
fansite for it (*slaps forehead* Yeah, just what I needed, *another* website!) http://thethingswehide.endless-winter.net
I also recently have discovered a brand spankin' new manga series, Kaze Hikaru, about a young girl
who dresses up as a boy to join the Shinsengumi, and in the process, falls in love with (you guessed it!)...Okita. ^_^ For
a Kaze Hikaru Okita bio, scroll down. I will post KH images in the gallery when I get a chance.
Peacemaker Kurogane Bio:
Seiyuu: Saiga Mitsuki
This version of Okita comes to us courtesy of Nanae Chrono.
Okita is, of course, the sweet, kind, caring and somewhat feminine swordsman of legend, Captain of the First Unit of Shinsengumi.
In the show, he seems to like to irritate Hijikata and the rest of the Shinsengumi by acting somewhat like a girl. He loves
children and has a sweet tooth, and he adores Kyoto candies. One of the youngest members of the Shinsengumi, he mastered all
the sword techniques of the Tennen-rishin ryu (the style of kenjutsu used by the Shinsengumi) in his teens and went on to
become a teacher in his twenties, as well as one of the best swordsmen of pre-Meiji Japan. He died at the age of 25 due to
a tuberculosis infection, just before the fall of the Shinsengumi.
Okita was called Soujiro as a child, and you'll
often hear children in the series calling him by that name. The reason he gives for allowing them to call him by such a nostalgic
name is that if he uses the name 'Okita Souji', no one will play with him... Yes, he is in his early twenties, but he still
plays with children all the same. He is one of the shorter characters of the series.
Hijikata, Okita's mentor (a purely
fictional relationship made specifically for PMK), made Okita choose whether or not he would take up the katana at the age
of nine. In episode 7, Okita accuses Hijikata of having made a mistake with him, by allowing him to hold a katana at an age
where he was not yet ready to choose (this subject seems to be particularly painful, since history is beginning to repeat
itself with the situation involving Tetsu).
Although he is a fantastic swordsman, he has one weak point. He can't adjust
his strength to accommodate the people around him, and as a result, no one wants to practice with him (since they always end
up with injuries, even when using bougu (armour) and shinai (bamboo sword).
***
Rurouni Kenshin/Historical Bio:
Okita Souji (or Soushi, it's an ongoing debate)was born
Okita Soujirou at the Shirakawa clan's mansion in Edo in 1842. He was an accomplished swordsman by age 15, having joined a
dojo at age 8 to train under the 3rd master of Tennen Rishin Ryuu, Kondou Shusuke, even beating a kenjutsu master in the Shirakawa
fief at age 12. In July of 1862, while teaching kenjustu in Edo, he contracted measles. Okita eventually became Captain of
the first troop of the Shinsengumi, and was said to possibly be the strongest of the bunch, able to wield a katana, bokken
and shinai equally well. It is said that his skill made him surpass even masters from other schools along with his own comrades.
He is best known for his 3 thrust technique, the Sandanzuki, which is a poke to the neck, then left shoulder, then right shoulder.
Some time after the formation of the Shinsengumi he contracted Tuberculosis, which was incurable at that point in time. After
especially strenuous physical exertion he would cough up blood, but attempted to hide his illness from the rest of the Shinsengumi.
There is a rumor that during the Ikeda-ya affair, Okita coughed up a great deal of blood and fainted, however, this is only
a rumor. The Ikeda-ya affair occurred too long before his death; TB kills in a shorter amount of time, too short for Okita
to have contracted it before Ikeda-ya.
Some time later Okita became obviously ill. It was agreed by Kondo and Hijikata that the prognosis of Okita's condition should
be kept under wraps. Okita was admitted to a hospital in Edo (modern day Tokyo) during the Boshin War. He died there on July
19, 1868, the first year of Meiji, and is buried in the Azabu/Roppongi area. Okita had two older sisters, Okita Mitsu and
Okita Kin, both of whom succeeded him in death.
Though he was generally feared, due to his ability and occupation, Okita was frequently seen playing with kids (no doubt
a note that Nanae Chrono picked up on and wrote into PMK), and was well known for his good humor and gentle nature. It is
said that he would much rather joke and laugh then to be serious.
On a side note, at one point during the second (I believe. Perhaps the first) OVA in the ADV dub, Okita
calls Saito "Master". This is incorrect- not only is it not true to the Japanese version (you'll see if you watch the subtitled
version), but it is also historically inaccurate. Okita Souji was the Captain of the First Troop and Saito Hajime was the
Captain of the Third Troop. They were of equal rank. Furthermore, Saito Hajime had nothing to do with any of Okita's training.
There is no reason that Okita should be calling Saito "Master".
****
Kaze Hikaru Bio
Name: Okita Souji
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Rank: Captain of the First Troop
Appearance: With long bangs that frame either side of his face, the rest of his wavy hair is pulled back into a pony tail.
His hair is more layered than straightly cut. His wide eyes and innocent face give Okita a childish appearance. Although he
appears to have a small frame, he still has a strength in his fighting style.
Personality: Although he has more than his share of childish moments, Okita has an equal number of times in which one might
depend on him. However, it's hard to tell which part of him is dominant - the serious or silly part. Either way, he has a
deep love and appreciation for things and people that would irritate most people. His loyalties, however strong they may be,
are based on the history he has with those people. His morals are based on a completely different scale than most people.
To him, "right" and "wrong" or "good" and "bad" do not have definite meanings; however, the differentiation of right and wrong
are not lost on him. Although he is mostly good-natured, he draws the line strictly whenever he draws it at all.
Past (Manga): Okita Soujirou was born into a normal family that gradually became poorer. His father died early in his life,
and his older sisters were married. The eldest was married to a samurai and remained at home; the younger was married to a
man in Edo. When Okita was about eight or nine years of age, his mother fell ill and his eldest sister became pregnant. Unable
to support the boy any longer, the family gave him to the care of Kondou's family at the Tennen Rishin Ryuu Kenjutsu Doujou.
There, he worked on chores and watched the kenjutsu from the sidelines. He soon met up with Hijikata, who insisted on bullying
the child. However, Okita slowly endeared himself to Hijikata and was soon admitted into the school. From there, he became
one of the best students that would soon join the Shinsengumi.
(this bio taken from 'Inside the Light' (link below) as I have not read the manga. But I hope to eventually!)
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