Shishio Makoto
Encyclopedia
, known in the anime in Western order as Makoto Shishio, is a fictional character from the manga
and anime
series Rurouni Kenshin
. He is the primary antagonist
of the series' Kyoto arc. Shishio was based roughly on the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi
, Serizawa Kamo
.
, Himura Kenshin
became a free wielding swordsman to protect members of the Ishin Shishi. Shishio Makoto became his successor as hitokiri (assassin
) and was responsible for the assassination
of I'izuka, the man who had betrayed the Choshu party. The future Meiji
government was more secretive about Shishio than Kenshin; many members of the Chōshū and Satsuma clans (the members of the future Meiji
government) had very little information on him.
Later, the new Meiji government believed it would be in their best interests to eliminate Shishio. While they had found Himura to be an idealistic servant of the Imperialist cause, Okubo and other Meiji officials correctly concluded that Shishio was an opportunistic sociopath
who would undoubtedly use his vast knowledge of government secrets to plunge the country into turmoil for his own personal gain. Thus, during the Boshin War
, Shishio was knocked out from a blow to the head from a gun, doused in oil and burned alive by the Ishin Shishi. He survived, sustaining severe damage to his entire body to the point that he must wear bandages day and night to cover his disfigured skin, giving him an appearance similar to a mummy
. It also limited the time he could fight. Any battle that surpassed fifteen minutes placed him in jeopardy of undergoing spontaneous combustion due to his lack of sweat glands and abnormal rising body temperatures.
Shishio, with the aid from a man named Sadojima Hōji, assembled a group of the best fighters in Japan, called the Ten Swords (Juppongatana), to overthrow the Meiji government. He envisioned a Japan ruled by him, enforcing the principles of Social Darwinism
. Using this belief, Shishio ran a campaign against the Meiji government, as he felt it was too weak to effectively lead the country. Using his motto
, he molded an ideological disciple out of Seta Sōjirō
, who served as his right-hand man, and the strongest of the Juppongatana. He planned to strengthen the economy with petroleum
once he took over the country. At some point, he met Komagata Yumi, whom he shared a romantic relationship with.
of the Shinsengumi
. The author of Rurouni Kenshin believes that some influence from Genjuro Kibagami of Samurai Shodown II
(ShinSamurai Spirits) appeared in Shishio. The visual model for Shishio is Aonuma Shizuma of Inugami Ke no Ichizoku ("The Inugami Family"); Watsuki saw this film as a child and took influences from it. When it was decided that Shishio would be burned on much of his body, Watsuki thought of a rubber mask similar to the one that Shizuma has. Watsuki decided against this idea since he felt it would be difficult to realistically convey rubber in black and white, because Watsuki felt he could not portray "the sheer agony" of Shishio's condition, and because it would be more difficult for Watsuki to draw Shishio's expressions. Ultimately Watsuki decided to have Shishio wear bandages. Since Watsuki felt having the character simply wrapped in bandages would not "be exciting," the bandages on Shishio's face became crisscrossed, making what Watsuki describes as "weird headgear," and otherwise "fancied" the design. Watsuki wanted Shishio to be "cool, like Kibagami," so Watsuki added a "sexy companion," a pipe, a folding screen, an umbrella. Shishio's "Homura Dama" technique is original to the series, while the "Guren Kaina" is, in Watsuki's words, "pretty much a rip of "Daibaku Satsu," a move by the "Shura" Kagetsu Kazama character in Samurai Shodown IV
(Samurai Spirits: Amakusa's Descent, TenSamu).
In Volume 17 Watsuki stated that he thought, in retrospect, that Shishio was his version of "the appeal of evil." Watsuki explained that Shishio will not compromise his beliefs under any circumstances, has no objections to "using others as a means to an end," and seeks "absolute power" "with ruthless abandon." Watsuki explained that Shishio "is his own kind of ideal" and that he is an "anti-hero." Watsuki enjoyed drawing Shishio in his final fight with Kenshin. Watsuki felt that he could not draw the scene of Shishio's death as it appeared in his mind. Watsuki believes, "with some confidence," that the scene of Shishio in hell walking across a pile of skeletons is "as good a dramatization of a villain in RuroKen that we're ever going to get." Watsuki said that he would never write in a character like Shishio in all of the series he writes, but he planned to create a similar character in another series.
In history police were forbidden from entering the Mount Hiei temple grounds, so criminals gathered there and claimed that they were there for "religious enlightenment." Because of this Watsuki located Shishio's hideout on Mount Hiei
in Rurouni Kenshin.
However, he is not completely heartless. In spite of his sinister nature, he seems genuinely in love with Yumi whom he professed understood him as thoroughly as he understood her. He also possesses a dark sense of humor, claiming initially to Kenshin that he had enslaved an entire town so he could bath in the hot springs with privacy. He was also able to form some bonds to a degree with Sōjirō and Hōji.
Shishio displays very high intelligence, in some ways giving him something of an evil genius
persona. He is extremely crafty, being able to hide from the Meiji government despite their efforts to find him, and his plans nearly succeed in bringing them down. He also learns from his mistakes; after his brush with death from being knocked out with a bullet to the head, he takes to wearing a hachigane (iron headband) to keep that weakness from being exploited.
edge flaked away in a regular pattern as it was used and it had become soaked in the flesh and body fat of the victims he had killed over the years. As a result he is able to execute fire-oriented techniques using the oils as fuel.
Shishio's monstrous strength, stamina, resistance to injury, and ability to read his opponent place him in at least the same league as Kenshin. (Shishio demonstrates the ability to stop Kenshin's Ryushosen using his fingers, dodge and counter Saito's Gatotsu Zeroshiki at point-blank, see through Aoshi's Jisen-Kenbu technique, and take Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami without any injuries or damages despite it making contact with his left cheek.) Though it was stated that Shishio's previous knowledge of their abilities decreased the effectiveness of these techniques. In addition, he has the unique ability of being able to neutralize any technique he has seen before. (This explains how he was able to stop Kenshin's Ryushosen in their battle; he saw the technique when Kenshin used it against Senkaku in the Shingetsu village; and how he taken Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami to the face; he saw him use it to deflect the bullet from the gattling guns on his battleship during Sanosuke, Kenshin and Saito's combined assault on his battleship.)
Shishio uses Mugenjin to execute techniques referred to by Hōji as "The Three Secret Swords":: This is the technique Shishio has used the most. Using friction to ignite the human fats that have soaked into his sword over time, this serves to distract the opponent from his swings. The result is being simultaneously burned and slashed, more than compensating for the weakness of his serrated sword not being able to cut as deep as a normal one.
For all of his power and skill, Shishio had a fatal weakness: Because he was set on fire, most of his sweat glands were burned. Therefore, once he engaged in battle, his body heat rose far above normal levels. Though Hōji believed Shishio's body heat contributed to his power in battle, it became his downfall, as he spontaneously combusted after 25 minutes in battle.
Meanwhile, Sojiro manages to convince Aoshi Shinomori to form an alliance with Shishio so the former could find Kenshin, while the latter could receive Aoshi's help to stop the Oniwabanshu
and dig out Kenshin's location. Soon after, Shishio succeeds in reuniting the Juppongatana (save for Cho) and begins to proceed with his master plan.
After defeating and arresting Chō, he revealed that Shishio had planned to have the Ten Swords burn down Kyoto
. However, Kenshin and Saitō find that the plan to burn down Kyoto was just a diversion, and the Shishio's real plan was to use a steel plated battleship
, Rengoku ("Purgatory") that Hōji had purchased for him to attack Tokyo
. Kenshin, Saitō, and Sagara Sanosuke
pursue and intercept Shishio in a harbor not far from his target; And using a set of explosives Sanosuke obtained from his long-time friend, Tsukioka Tsunan, destroys the Rengoku. However Shishio, Sōjirō, Hōji and Yumi, escape.
Although his plan was foiled, Shishio was still not beaten, and instead arranged a duel to the death at Mount Hiei
. Knowing that, Kenshin, Saitō, and Sanosuke travel there the next morning. While they were doing so, however, Shishio sent most of the Juppongantana out to kill Kenshin's friends at the Aoi-Ya, keeping only his strongest subordinates with him, and Shinomori Aoshi
who had allied himself to Shishio in order to get to Kenshin. The members of the Ten Swords sent to the Aoi-Ya, however, were all defeated.
After defeating Aoshi and Sōjirō, Kenshin faced Shishio himself. Kenshin had been worn out and injured from his consecutive fights with Aoshi and Sōjirō, and Shishio knocked him out fairly easily. Saitō entered and ambushed Shishio, attempting kill with a blow to the head. However, Shishio's hachigane (a headband containing a metal plate to cover the temple) stopped the attack, after which he easily blocked every move Saitō used against him and defeated him. Sanosuke also entered to fight Shishio, but could not even injure Shishio, despite landing a direct Futae no Kiwami to the face. Finally, Aoshi entered, and managed to stall Shishio long enough for Kenshin to regain consciousness.
The two continued their fight, during which Shishio's body started to overheat to dangerous levels, but kept fighting despite that. At one point, Yumi intervened, standing in the way of a blow from Kenshin. Taking advantage of his moment of vulnerability, Shishio ran his sword through Yumi in an attempt to hit Kenshin. Kenshin ridiculed Shishio for betraying his love, but Shishio remarked that he understood that he did what Yumi wanted of him, which was in fact the case. Eventually, Shishio's body heat rose to the point where his blood evaporated and the fat and oils in his body ignited. The end result was Shishio combusting, and continued to burn until all that became of him was ash. He is later seen in Hell
with Yumi and Hōji (who committed suicide in jail), commenting that they try and take it over.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin
, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
. He is the primary antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the series' Kyoto arc. Shishio was based roughly on the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
, Serizawa Kamo
Serizawa Kamo
Serizawa Kamo was a samurai known for being the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi. He trained in and received a licence in the Shindō Munen-ryū. "Kamo" means goose or duck in Japanese which was an odd name to call oneself at the time...
.
Background
After the death of Yukishiro TomoeYukishiro Tomoe
, known in Western order as Tomoe Yukishiro in the English anime OVAs, is a fictional character in Nobuhiro Watsuki's popular manga and anime series Rurouni Kenshin and is the first wife of the series' main protagonist Himura Kenshin.She plays a major role in the manga's final arc, the Jinchū arc...
, Himura Kenshin
Himura Kenshin
, known as Kenshin Himura in the English-language anime dubs, is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin universe created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. He is the main protagonist of the manga and anime series, as well as the related media in the franchise...
became a free wielding swordsman to protect members of the Ishin Shishi. Shishio Makoto became his successor as hitokiri (assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
) and was responsible for the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of I'izuka, the man who had betrayed the Choshu party. The future Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
government was more secretive about Shishio than Kenshin; many members of the Chōshū and Satsuma clans (the members of the future Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
government) had very little information on him.
Later, the new Meiji government believed it would be in their best interests to eliminate Shishio. While they had found Himura to be an idealistic servant of the Imperialist cause, Okubo and other Meiji officials correctly concluded that Shishio was an opportunistic sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
who would undoubtedly use his vast knowledge of government secrets to plunge the country into turmoil for his own personal gain. Thus, during the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
, Shishio was knocked out from a blow to the head from a gun, doused in oil and burned alive by the Ishin Shishi. He survived, sustaining severe damage to his entire body to the point that he must wear bandages day and night to cover his disfigured skin, giving him an appearance similar to a mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
. It also limited the time he could fight. Any battle that surpassed fifteen minutes placed him in jeopardy of undergoing spontaneous combustion due to his lack of sweat glands and abnormal rising body temperatures.
Shishio, with the aid from a man named Sadojima Hōji, assembled a group of the best fighters in Japan, called the Ten Swords (Juppongatana), to overthrow the Meiji government. He envisioned a Japan ruled by him, enforcing the principles of Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a term commonly used for theories of society that emerged in England and the United States in the 1870s, seeking to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to sociology and politics...
. Using this belief, Shishio ran a campaign against the Meiji government, as he felt it was too weak to effectively lead the country. Using his motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
, he molded an ideological disciple out of Seta Sōjirō
Seta Sojiro
, addressed as Sojiro Seta in the English-language dubs, is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin universe created by Nobuhiro Watsuki for the series and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, OVAs, movies, soundtracks, video games, and other...
, who served as his right-hand man, and the strongest of the Juppongatana. He planned to strengthen the economy with petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
once he took over the country. At some point, he met Komagata Yumi, whom he shared a romantic relationship with.
Development
Watsuki said that his editor wanted him to do "a big story," leading Watsuki to create Shishio. Therefore, according to Watsuki, Shishio had no model for his personality. Watsuki originally intended for Shishio to be motivated for revenge since it would make it easier for Watsuki to express Shishio's grief towards the government. However Watsuki believed that this would make the story "smaller in scale." Therefore Watsuki had Shishio motivated for revenge and a desire to conquer and therefore making him destructive in a manner similar to that of Serizawa KamoSerizawa Kamo
Serizawa Kamo was a samurai known for being the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi. He trained in and received a licence in the Shindō Munen-ryū. "Kamo" means goose or duck in Japanese which was an odd name to call oneself at the time...
of the Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
. The author of Rurouni Kenshin believes that some influence from Genjuro Kibagami of Samurai Shodown II
Samurai Shodown II
, is the second game in SNK's popular Samurai Shodown series of versus fighting games. This game has been released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on August 8, 2008 and in North America on August 25, 2008 at a cost of 900 Wii Points...
(ShinSamurai Spirits) appeared in Shishio. The visual model for Shishio is Aonuma Shizuma of Inugami Ke no Ichizoku ("The Inugami Family"); Watsuki saw this film as a child and took influences from it. When it was decided that Shishio would be burned on much of his body, Watsuki thought of a rubber mask similar to the one that Shizuma has. Watsuki decided against this idea since he felt it would be difficult to realistically convey rubber in black and white, because Watsuki felt he could not portray "the sheer agony" of Shishio's condition, and because it would be more difficult for Watsuki to draw Shishio's expressions. Ultimately Watsuki decided to have Shishio wear bandages. Since Watsuki felt having the character simply wrapped in bandages would not "be exciting," the bandages on Shishio's face became crisscrossed, making what Watsuki describes as "weird headgear," and otherwise "fancied" the design. Watsuki wanted Shishio to be "cool, like Kibagami," so Watsuki added a "sexy companion," a pipe, a folding screen, an umbrella. Shishio's "Homura Dama" technique is original to the series, while the "Guren Kaina" is, in Watsuki's words, "pretty much a rip of "Daibaku Satsu," a move by the "Shura" Kagetsu Kazama character in Samurai Shodown IV
Samurai Shodown IV
Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge, known as in Japan, is the fourth in SNK's flagship Samurai Shodown series of fighting games. Chronologically, is the second and final chapter of an interquel between Samurai Shodown and Samurai Shodown II, Samurai Shodown III being the first...
(Samurai Spirits: Amakusa's Descent, TenSamu).
In Volume 17 Watsuki stated that he thought, in retrospect, that Shishio was his version of "the appeal of evil." Watsuki explained that Shishio will not compromise his beliefs under any circumstances, has no objections to "using others as a means to an end," and seeks "absolute power" "with ruthless abandon." Watsuki explained that Shishio "is his own kind of ideal" and that he is an "anti-hero." Watsuki enjoyed drawing Shishio in his final fight with Kenshin. Watsuki felt that he could not draw the scene of Shishio's death as it appeared in his mind. Watsuki believes, "with some confidence," that the scene of Shishio in hell walking across a pile of skeletons is "as good a dramatization of a villain in RuroKen that we're ever going to get." Watsuki said that he would never write in a character like Shishio in all of the series he writes, but he planned to create a similar character in another series.
In history police were forbidden from entering the Mount Hiei temple grounds, so criminals gathered there and claimed that they were there for "religious enlightenment." Because of this Watsuki located Shishio's hideout on Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei
is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tiantai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Both Nichiren and Honen studied at the temple before...
in Rurouni Kenshin.
Personality
Shishio is extremely ruthless and coldblooded. He lives by the belief that weak only exist for the benefit of the strong and generally appears devoid of compassion or mercy throughout the series.However, he is not completely heartless. In spite of his sinister nature, he seems genuinely in love with Yumi whom he professed understood him as thoroughly as he understood her. He also possesses a dark sense of humor, claiming initially to Kenshin that he had enslaved an entire town so he could bath in the hot springs with privacy. He was also able to form some bonds to a degree with Sōjirō and Hōji.
Shishio displays very high intelligence, in some ways giving him something of an evil genius
Evil genius
The evil demon, sometimes referred to as the evil genius, is a concept in Cartesian philosophy. In his 1641 Meditations on First Philosophy, René Descartes hypothesises the existence of an evil demon, a personification who is "as clever and deceitful as he is powerful, who has directed his entire...
persona. He is extremely crafty, being able to hide from the Meiji government despite their efforts to find him, and his plans nearly succeed in bringing them down. He also learns from his mistakes; after his brush with death from being knocked out with a bullet to the head, he takes to wearing a hachigane (iron headband) to keep that weakness from being exploited.
Technique
Shishio's sword, like Kenshin's, is a work by master swordsmith Arai Shakku: a blade called ; its self-sharpening serratedSerrated blade
A serrated blade is a type of blade used on saws and on some knives or scissors. It is also known as a dentated, sawtooth, or toothed blade.A serrated blade has a cutting edge that has many small points of contact with the material being cut...
edge flaked away in a regular pattern as it was used and it had become soaked in the flesh and body fat of the victims he had killed over the years. As a result he is able to execute fire-oriented techniques using the oils as fuel.
Shishio's monstrous strength, stamina, resistance to injury, and ability to read his opponent place him in at least the same league as Kenshin. (Shishio demonstrates the ability to stop Kenshin's Ryushosen using his fingers, dodge and counter Saito's Gatotsu Zeroshiki at point-blank, see through Aoshi's Jisen-Kenbu technique, and take Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami without any injuries or damages despite it making contact with his left cheek.) Though it was stated that Shishio's previous knowledge of their abilities decreased the effectiveness of these techniques. In addition, he has the unique ability of being able to neutralize any technique he has seen before. (This explains how he was able to stop Kenshin's Ryushosen in their battle; he saw the technique when Kenshin used it against Senkaku in the Shingetsu village; and how he taken Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami to the face; he saw him use it to deflect the bullet from the gattling guns on his battleship during Sanosuke, Kenshin and Saito's combined assault on his battleship.)
Shishio uses Mugenjin to execute techniques referred to by Hōji as "The Three Secret Swords":: This is the technique Shishio has used the most. Using friction to ignite the human fats that have soaked into his sword over time, this serves to distract the opponent from his swings. The result is being simultaneously burned and slashed, more than compensating for the weakness of his serrated sword not being able to cut as deep as a normal one.
- Shishio fills his gauntlets with gunpowder, and ignites them with the sparks caused by the Mugenjin. Thus it results in an explosion. Guren Kaina yields a lot of force and is usually performed while his opponent (such as Kenshin or Saitō Hajime) is at close range, preferably in his grip. It can backfire, however.
- The Kaguzuchi is the ultimate technique in Shishio's arsenal. He activates it by scraping his blade from the base to the tip on the end of the scabbard, creating a miniature fire cyclone around the blade. The technique is not fully revealed, but it's believed that Shishio starts the fire and then slashes at the enemy, thus he can incinerate them entirely while still cutting them. Before Shishio could utilize the Kaguzuchi, he was countered by Kenshin's ultimate attack. The KaguzuchiKagu-tsuchi, also called , , or , is the kami of fire in Japanese mythology.-Mythology:Kagu-tsuchi's birth burned his mother Izanami, causing her death. His father Izanagi, in his grief, beheaded Kagu-tsuchi with his sword, Ame no Ohabari , and cut his body into eight pieces, which became eight volcanoes...
is the name of the ShintoShintoor Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
god of fire.-
- Note: In the Rurouni Kenshin: Enjou! Kyoto Rinne video game for the PlayStation 2, when Shishio makes contact with his Kaguzuchi, the flames rise upward and form a giant pillar or wall of flames, sending the opponent upward while severely burning him at the same time. Shishio then emerges from the flames as it dissipates. The opponent is seen falling behind him. In the game Jump Ultimate StarsJump Ultimate Starsis a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...
, Shishio can perform the Kaguzuchi and it is listed as one of his support attacks.
- Note: In the Rurouni Kenshin: Enjou! Kyoto Rinne video game for the PlayStation 2, when Shishio makes contact with his Kaguzuchi, the flames rise upward and form a giant pillar or wall of flames, sending the opponent upward while severely burning him at the same time. Shishio then emerges from the flames as it dissipates. The opponent is seen falling behind him. In the game Jump Ultimate Stars
-
For all of his power and skill, Shishio had a fatal weakness: Because he was set on fire, most of his sweat glands were burned. Therefore, once he engaged in battle, his body heat rose far above normal levels. Though Hōji believed Shishio's body heat contributed to his power in battle, it became his downfall, as he spontaneously combusted after 25 minutes in battle.
Plot overview
Kenshin and Saitō Hajime both spend a considerable amount of time looking for Shishio, meeting him once in Shingetsu Village. However, Shishio left soon after they found him. After the ordeal in Shingetsu village, Kenshin ventured onward to Kyoto where they would have their duel. Upon arriving in Kyoto, Kenshin searched for the swordsmith Arai Shakkū to forge a superior sakabatō. Shakkū died during the ten years that Kenshin had last seen him, and found his son Arai Seikū as head blacksmith instead. Kenshin instead sought after his former mentor Hiko Seijuro XIII, but discovered Seikū's predicament which involved one of the members of the Juppongatana (Ten Swords): Sawagejō Chō.Meanwhile, Sojiro manages to convince Aoshi Shinomori to form an alliance with Shishio so the former could find Kenshin, while the latter could receive Aoshi's help to stop the Oniwabanshu
Oniwabanshu
The was a group of onmitsu government-employed undercover agents established by the 8th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune . They are sometimes described as "ninja".- History :...
and dig out Kenshin's location. Soon after, Shishio succeeds in reuniting the Juppongatana (save for Cho) and begins to proceed with his master plan.
After defeating and arresting Chō, he revealed that Shishio had planned to have the Ten Swords burn down Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. However, Kenshin and Saitō find that the plan to burn down Kyoto was just a diversion, and the Shishio's real plan was to use a steel plated battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
, Rengoku ("Purgatory") that Hōji had purchased for him to attack Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Kenshin, Saitō, and Sagara Sanosuke
Sagara Sanosuke
is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin manga and anime series created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. He is known as Sanosuke Sagara in the English adaptation of the anime and is nicknamed Sano...
pursue and intercept Shishio in a harbor not far from his target; And using a set of explosives Sanosuke obtained from his long-time friend, Tsukioka Tsunan, destroys the Rengoku. However Shishio, Sōjirō, Hōji and Yumi, escape.
Although his plan was foiled, Shishio was still not beaten, and instead arranged a duel to the death at Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei
is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tiantai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Both Nichiren and Honen studied at the temple before...
. Knowing that, Kenshin, Saitō, and Sanosuke travel there the next morning. While they were doing so, however, Shishio sent most of the Juppongantana out to kill Kenshin's friends at the Aoi-Ya, keeping only his strongest subordinates with him, and Shinomori Aoshi
Shinomori Aoshi
, known in Western order as Aoshi Shinomori in the English version of the anime, is a fictional of the Oniwabanshū in the manga and anime series Rurouni Kenshin.-Design:...
who had allied himself to Shishio in order to get to Kenshin. The members of the Ten Swords sent to the Aoi-Ya, however, were all defeated.
After defeating Aoshi and Sōjirō, Kenshin faced Shishio himself. Kenshin had been worn out and injured from his consecutive fights with Aoshi and Sōjirō, and Shishio knocked him out fairly easily. Saitō entered and ambushed Shishio, attempting kill with a blow to the head. However, Shishio's hachigane (a headband containing a metal plate to cover the temple) stopped the attack, after which he easily blocked every move Saitō used against him and defeated him. Sanosuke also entered to fight Shishio, but could not even injure Shishio, despite landing a direct Futae no Kiwami to the face. Finally, Aoshi entered, and managed to stall Shishio long enough for Kenshin to regain consciousness.
The two continued their fight, during which Shishio's body started to overheat to dangerous levels, but kept fighting despite that. At one point, Yumi intervened, standing in the way of a blow from Kenshin. Taking advantage of his moment of vulnerability, Shishio ran his sword through Yumi in an attempt to hit Kenshin. Kenshin ridiculed Shishio for betraying his love, but Shishio remarked that he understood that he did what Yumi wanted of him, which was in fact the case. Eventually, Shishio's body heat rose to the point where his blood evaporated and the fat and oils in his body ignited. The end result was Shishio combusting, and continued to burn until all that became of him was ash. He is later seen in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
with Yumi and Hōji (who committed suicide in jail), commenting that they try and take it over.
Voice Actors
- Japanese Seiyuu: Masanori Ikeda
- English Voice Actor: Steven BlumSteven BlumSteven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
- Spanish Voice Actor: Hermes Camelo (Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
) - Tagalog Voice Actor: Alexx Agcaoili
- Brazilian Voice Actor: Paulo Wolf