Juppongatana are an elite group of the best fighters. This group was formed and led by Shishio Makoto. They aim to overthrow the Meiji government. This organization acts as the main antagonist in the Kyoto arc.
In this article, I want to discuss about all members of Juppongatana as well as their strengths. Check this information below!
12. Fuji
Fuji is a member of Juppongatana who has a giant body. He actually has a good demeanor and is peace-loving. He didn't really like fighting, but he is a very strong fighter.
In the past, Fuji was discovered by a group of armed youths and thought he was strange so he was shot by local security officers. The injured Fuji was saved by Saizuchi. Fuji had destroyed an inn in Kyoto and fought Hiko Seijura, but he was easily defeated.
11. Saizuchi
Saizuchi is a member of Juppongatana who is often seen together with Fuji. He was an arrogant old man and considered himself at his superior age because he felt he had a lot of experience and relied on his intelligence.
Saizuchi was also the one who took care of Fuji, but he was only taking advantage of Fuji's power. He always gave orders to Fuji when he wanted to attack anyone. Without Fuji, Saizuchi is nothing when it comes to fighting.
10. Iwanbo
Throughout the story of Rurouni Kenshin, Iwanbo is the name of a doll created and controlled by a mysterious character named Gein. The first version of Iwanbo is a doll belonging to the Juppongatana group. Iwanbo has a fat body shape and large stature.
The only weapon Iwanbo has is a sharp, pointed sword tucked into his fingers. Its thick body was also difficult to injure. This is seen in the Kyoto arc when the attacks of the Oniwabanshu have no effect on his body.
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9. Uonuma Usui
Uonuma Usui is a member of Juppongatana who was once a hitokiri. He used to be a samurai who worked under the government. Once, he had a duel with Makoto Shisio which made him lose his sight and he was on the verge of death. However, he managed to escape by relying on his hearing.
After that, Usui realized that his hearing had developed far beyond the limits of human ability. He also joined as a member of Juppongatana with the intention of taking revenge on Makoto at any time. Although he used to use a sword, Usui changed his fighting style after fighting Shisio, namely with a spear called a rochin and a shield called a tinbe.
8. Sawagejo Cho
Sawagejo Cho is one of Makoto Shisio's subordinates who lives in the Kansai district. He has the nickname as the Sword Hunter because he is obsessed with using the various swords that exist in the world. One of his favorite swords is one made by Shakku Arai.
Cho has an arrogant and fighting demeanor. He was a bloodthirsty and stupid assassin, but he had great fighting skills. He is able to perform maneuvers and circus tricks in attacking his enemies. In addition, Cho uses a variety of weapons in combat, such as the nameless dual katana, the renbato sword created by Shakku, and the elongated sword to attack his enemies.
7. Sadojima Hoji
Sadojima Hoji is a member of Juppongatana who once worked as a diplomat for the Meiji government. He chose to leave the government because he felt that no one else could lead Japan. He also chose to join Shishio because he admired Shishio's idealism.
Although Hoji is not an expert in combat, he is an important figure in Juppongatana. Hoji is very smart and able to plan well and has amazing leadership qualities. He is also very loyal to Shishio and often provides information to Shishio, especially related to Kenshin.
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6. Yukyuzan Anji
The next member of Juppongatana is Yukyuzan Anji. He is a fighter who fights for the truth. Whatever he does aims to make the world a better place in his view. Unfortunately, to do so, he believes that change can only be made by demolition and rebuilding.
Anji is a member who fights with bare hands. He has a special technique called Futae no kiwami. With this technique, Anji is able to provide super-fast successive attacks that can destroy the object he attacks. He not only uses his fists, but also uses his head, elbows, and legs.
5. Komagata Yumi
Komagata Yumi is Shishio's loyal follower and lover. She is always seen near Shishio whenever she appears. Yumi is a beautiful woman with black hair and has a calm demeanor and she has a very deep love for Shishio.
Even though Yumi is completely clueless when it comes to swords, she has quite a bit of insight and can use some advanced modern tools. In addition, she also often takes care of Shishio and changes Shishio's bandages. Her abilities like that are more or less the same as women in the Tokugawa era in general.
4. Honjo Kawatari
Honjo Kamatari is a member of Juppongatana who has the nickname "Great Scythe". He is a man who wears clothes like a woman. In addition, he is also quite flirtatious and once teased Yahiko who he found cute. He always looks happy, especially in front of Shisio, but he can also be very serious when it comes to fighting.
Kamatari was very proud of his fighting skills. In battle, he uses a large scythe with chains called Ogama. He is also adept at using the martial arts he created himself, namely Honjo-Ryu. Kamatari is very loyal to Shisio. He was even willing to commit suicide after being defeated by his opponent because he was embarrassed to meet Shisio.
3. Kariwa Henya
The next member of Juppongatana is Kariwa Henya. He is a man who has a cold attitude and does not hesitate to sacrifice his men. He holds the principle of the game of chess that there must be pieces sacrificed to achieve a bigger goal. Moreover, he was also quite arrogant.
In fighting, Henya uses a technique called Hiku Happa. Due to his thin body, Henya can use dynamite or bombs to propel his body into the air. Henya also used the dynamite as an attack on the enemy. Henya is also equipped with a sword in her left hand.
2. Seta Sojiro
Seta Sojiro is Makoto Shisio's right-hand man and the fastest member of Juppongatana. He is always seen together with Shishio. If not, it means he's on a certain mission or is gathering the rest of the Juppongatana. Sojiro believes in the ideology brought by Shishio, namely who is strong he will survive.
In battle, Sojiro uses a technique called Shukuchi which allows him to move so fast that ordinary people cannot see it. In addition, he also has a deadly technique called Shuntensatsu which he uses to kill his enemies instantly and quickly so that his enemy's death does not feel painful.
1. Shishio Makoto
Shishio Makoto is the main enemy in the Kyoto arc as well as the leader of the Juppongatana group. Previously, he was a former hitokiri or samurai mercenary from the government. However, after the attempts of his friends in the government to assassinate him failed, Shishio decided to gather forces secretly and form the Juppongatana group to fight the government.
Shishio's strength can be said to be commensurate with Kenshin. Shishio has a legendary sword created by Arai Shakku, namely the Mugenjin sword. With that sword, Shishio can deliver a sword strike with a high degree of precision. In addition, he can also slash his enemies very quickly.
The most unique, Makoto's sword can issue a fire attack technique that can burn his opponent. In addition to swordsmanship, Shishio is also very strong when faced with hand-to-hand combat.
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