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114-452: As a young boy during the pre- Meiji period in a fictional version of Japan, Enishi witnessed the (accidental) killing of his older sister, Yukishiro Tomoe , by her then-husband, Himura Kenshin . Filled with grief and anger, he swore to bring jinchū ( 人誅 , lit. "judgment from man") to the man who killed his only sister. Ten years later, during his introduction in the series, a now-adult Enishi encounters Kenshin once again, ready to complete

228-465: A kabuto-gane instead of a kashira . The aikuchi ( 合口 or 匕首 ) is a form of koshirae for small swords in which the hilt and the scabbard meet without a crossguard between them. The word literally means ai ("meeting") + kuchi ("mouth; opening"), in reference to the way the hilt fits directly against the scabbard. Originally used on the koshigatana (a precursor to the wakizashi ) to facilitate close wearing with armour, it became

342-508: A representative democracy . The samurai lost their status as the only class with military privileges. However, during the Meiji period, most leaders in Japanese society (politics, business and military) were ex-samurai or descendants of samurai. The 1889 Meiji Constitution made relatively small concessions to civil rights and parliamentary mechanisms. Party participation was recognized as part of

456-644: A "manic-type" "going higher and higher and higher," the Rurouni Kenshin author wished to paint Yukishiro Enishi as a "depressive type" "falling deeper and deeper and deeper." Watsuki added that Enishi became "sort of wishy-washy" as Shishio's influence remained. Watsuki said that he could see the "obsession" within Enishi; therefore it fits the " Terminator -like" character that Watsuki intended to depict. The author wrote that Enishi's admiration for his sister, obsession, and hatred for Kenshin reflects "Watsuki's dark side";

570-498: A Chōshū native who has been credited with the founding of the modern Japanese army and was to become the first constitutional Prime Minister . The Supreme War Council developed a German-style general staff system with a chief of staff who had direct access to the Emperor and who could operate independently of the army minister and civilian officials. The Constitution of the Empire of Japan

684-464: A cabinet composed mostly of genrō who wanted to establish a government party to control the House of Representatives. Although not fully realized, the trend toward party politics was well established. On its return, one of the first acts of the government was to establish new ranks for the nobility. Five hundred people from the old court nobility, former daimyo, and samurai who had provided valuable service to

798-456: A constitutional form of government since before 1874, and several proposals for constitutional guarantees had been drafted. While acknowledging the realities of political pressure, however, the oligarchy was determined to keep control. Thus, modest steps were taken. The Osaka Conference in 1875 resulted in the reorganization of government with an independent judiciary and an appointed Chamber of Elders (genrōin) tasked with reviewing proposals for

912-517: A fashionable upper-class mounting style for a tantō (literally, "small sword", nowadays regarded as a dagger ) from the Kamakura period onwards. The shikomizue ( 仕込み杖 , "prepared cane") or jotō ( 杖刀 , "staff sword") is a Japanese swordstick . It is most famous for its use by the fictional swordmaster Zatoichi . The sword blade was placed in a cane-like mounting ( tsue ) as concealment. These mountings are not to be confused with

1026-402: A final duel in which Enishi believes killing Kenshin will make Tomoe smile again. Enishi's rage awakens his "Frenzied Nerves" ( 狂経脈 , Kyōkeimyaku , "Nerves of Insanity") which causes his nerves throughout to bulge, imbuing him with greatly enhanced strength and speed while also causing him to be super sensitive to everything around him. However, Kenshin defeats Enishi by taking advantage of

1140-414: A future work. According to the author, Enishi's design model is "a slightly deviant, white-haired, pointy-haired, handsome young man, appearing in a fancy Kamijō Atsushi - sensei -like manga." In other words, Enishi had no specific design model. Watsuki said that, since he had "inadequate art skill," he could not portray what he intended to. The author added that some people mistakenly believed that Vash

1254-470: A highlight. Mackenyu thinks the audience can see another side of Enishi. When they exchanged conversations, and his actions around her might show the character's depths as he revives his trauma of losing Tomoe. In regards to Rurouni Kenshin villains, he also wanted Enishi to look more menacing than the previous antagonist, Shishio Makoto. Raised by his older sister, Tomoe , due to their mother passing away. When Tomoe became engaged to Kiyosato Akira, Kiyosato

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1368-413: A hole in the kurikata . The kojiri ( 鐺 ) is the end cap of the scabbard or the protective fitting at the end of the scabbard. Kogatana (小刀), a small utility knife that fits into a pocket on the scabbard, the kozuka is the decorative handle for the kogatana . The kōgai (笄) is a spike for hair arranging that fits into a pocket on the saya . The umabari ( 馬針 ) is a small knife that

1482-638: A legislature. The Emperor declared that "constitutional government shall be established in gradual stages" as he ordered the Council of Elders to draft a constitution. Three years later, the Conference of Prefectural Governors established elected prefectural assemblies. Although limited in their authority, these assemblies represented a move in the direction of representative government at the national level, and by 1880 assemblies also had been formed in villages and towns. In 1880 delegates from twenty-four prefectures held

1596-555: A national convention to establish the Kokkai Kisei Dōmei . Although the government was not opposed to parliamentary rule, confronted with the drive for "people's rights", it continued to try to control the political situation. New laws in 1875 prohibited press criticism of the government or discussion of national laws. The Public Assembly Law (1880) severely limited public gatherings by disallowing attendance by civil servants and requiring police permission for all meetings. Within

1710-505: A new ruling class appeared. Inasmuch as the Meiji Restoration had sought to return the Emperor to a preeminent position, efforts were made to establish a Shinto -oriented state much like it was 1,000 years earlier. Since Shinto and Buddhism had molded into a syncretic belief in the prior thousand years and Buddhism had been closely connected with the shogunate, this involved the separation of Shinto and Buddhism ( shinbutsu bunri ) and

1824-422: A new taxation system, and ordered new local administrative rules. The Meiji government assured the foreign powers that it would follow the old treaties negotiated by the bakufu and announced that it would act in accordance with international law. Mutsuhito, who was to reign until 1912, selected a new reign title— Meiji , or Enlightened Rule—to mark the beginning of a new era in Japanese history. To further dramatize

1938-465: A pocket like fold or in the sleeve for self-defense or for suicide by means of slashing the jugular veins and carotid artery in the left side of the neck. Saya ( 鞘 ) is the Japanese term for a scabbard , and specifically refers to the scabbard for a sword or knife. The saya of a koshirae (scabbards for practical use) are normally manufactured from very lightweight wood, with a coat of lacquer on

2052-744: A small but important move. Although the Office of Shinto Worship was demoted in 1872, by 1877 the Home Ministry controlled all Shinto shrines and certain Shinto sects were given state recognition. Shinto was released from Buddhist administration and its properties restored. Although Buddhism suffered from state sponsorship of Shinto, it had its own resurgence. Christianity also was legalized, and Confucianism remained an important ethical doctrine. Increasingly, however, Japanese thinkers identified with Western ideology and methods. A major proponent of representative government

2166-521: A torn worn-out cape. Enishi's shoes were replaced with boots. His weapon of choice was a shirasaya nihontō (a katana with a wooden sheath and hilt), which he carried by placing it next to his left hip. In his animated appearances, Enishi was voiced by Nozomu Sasaki . During shooting of the film Rurouni Kenshin: The Final , the battle between Kenshin and Enishi had to be remade several times because Satoh got exhausted of moving four times in total. Satoh praised Arata's work as Enishi as he made

2280-423: Is tōsō ( 刀装 ) , meaning sword-furniture, where tōsōgu ( 刀装具 ) are the parts of the mounting in general, and "kanagu" stands for those made of metal. Gaisō ( 外装 ) are the "outer" mountings, as opposed to tōshin ( 刀身 ) , the "body" of the sword. A koshirae should be presented with the tsuka ( hilt ) to the left, particularly in times of peace with the reason being that one cannot unsheathe

2394-404: Is a common sight in modern kendō . In modern Japanese, tsubazeriai (鍔迫り合い) has also come to mean "to be in fierce competition." The seppa (切羽) are washers used in front of and behind the tsuba to tighten the fittings. Seppa can be ornate or plain. The habaki ( 鎺 ) is a piece of metal encircling the base of the blade of a Japanese sword. It has the double purpose of locking

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2508-453: Is a debatable topic in koryu circles. The kaiken ( 懐剣 ) is an 8–10 inch long, single- or double-edged dagger without ornamental fittings housed in a plain mount, formerly carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense indoors where the long katana and intermediate wakizashi were inconvenient. Women carried them in their kimono either in

2622-411: Is a variation of the kogatana . It fits into a pocket on the saya . The tsuka ( 柄 ) is the hilt or handle of a Japanese sword. The tsuka is divided in the following parts: The menuki (目貫) are ornaments on the tsuka (generally under the tsuka-ito ); to fit into the palm for grip. Samegawa (鮫皮) is the ray skin used to cover or wrap the handle. Tsuka-ito (柄糸) is the wrapping of

2736-474: Is called the Battle of Tabaruzuka. During this eight-day-battle, Saigō's nearly ten thousand strong army battled hand-to-hand the equally matched national army. Both sides suffered nearly four thousand casualties during this engagement. Due to conscription, however, the Japanese army was able to reconstitute its forces, while Saigō's was not. Later, forces loyal to the emperor broke through rebel lines and managed to end

2850-550: Is determined by the tsuba and the curvature of the blade. The diameter of the average katana tsuba is 7.5–8 centimetres (3.0–3.1 in), wakizashi tsuba is 6.2–6.6 cm (2.4–2.6 in), and tantō tsuba is 4.5–6 cm (1.8–2.4 in). During the Muromachi period (1333–1573) and the Momoyama period (1573–1603) Tsuba were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During

2964-489: Is featured in various types of merchandising developed for the series, such as figurines and key-chains . Several anime and manga publications have commented on the character of Enishi. In the live action films Rurouni Kenshin: The Final and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning the character is portrayed by American–Japanese actor Mackenyu as an adult and Towa Araki as a child. Watsuki used "revenge" as Enishi's "model or concept." Since Watsuki created Shishio Makoto as

3078-518: Is killed by Hitokiri Battōsai ( Himura Kenshin ). Tomoe left her brother behind to seek revenge, working with the Yaminobu to do so. When he was about ten, he discovered the location of Tomoe through the Yaminobu and appeared before her, revealing that he was the contact sent to Tomoe. Enishi gains a deep hatred for Kenshin and swore vengeance against him for killing his sister. He disappears to China, where he

3192-477: Is one of his "better" designs. The author felt that Enishi was "too handsome" for a final villain and that Watsuki tired of drawing "handsome types." In the 21st volume of the Rurouni Kenshin kanzenban edition, Watsuki again redesigned Enishi's appearance in a draft version to show how he would appear at that time. In Enishi's redesigned version, his hair was longer and spikier than it was originally. His clothes were ragged and dirty and he also wore bandages and

3306-414: Is over serves to show Enishi's longlife trauma but at the same time Kenshin's compassion towards others. In regards to the animated adaption, Ridwan Khan from Animefringe found that Enishi and Shishio's antagonisms against Kenshin in the original video animations were overshadowed by Kenshin's disease due to the bigger impact it has on the narrative. Anime News Network found Enishi's fight against Kenshin in

3420-438: Is stored in when not being used. A shirasaya ( 白鞘 ) , "white scabbard", is a plain wooden Japanese sword saya ( scabbard ) and tsuka ( hilt ), traditionally made of nurizaya wood and used when a blade was not expected to see use for some time and needed to be stored. They were externally featureless save for the needed mekugi-ana to secure the nakago ( tang ), though sometimes sayagaki (blade information)

3534-462: The shikomizue . Also, many blades dating back to earlier Japanese history are today sold in such a format, along with modern-day reproductions; while most are purely decorative replicas, a few have functional blades. The word koshirae is derived from the verb koshiraeru ( 拵える ) , which is no longer used in current speech. More commonly "tsukuru" is used in its place with both words meaning to "make, create, manufacture." A more accurate word

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3648-417: The tachi , where the sword is suspended edge-down from two hangers ( ashi ) attached to the obi . The hilt often had a slightly stronger curvature than the blade , continuing the classic tachi increase in curvature going from the tip to the hilt. The hilt was usually secured with two pegs (mekugi) , as compared to one peg for shorter blades including katana . The tachi style koshirae preceded

3762-404: The tsuba (guard) in place, and to maintain the weapon in its saya (scabbard). The importance of the habaki is seen in drawing the katana from the scabbard. It is drawn by grasping the scabbard near the top and pressing the guard with the thumb to emerge the blade just enough to unwedge the habaki from inside the scabbard in a process called koiguchi no kirikata ( 鯉口の切り方 ) "cutting

3876-486: The Edo period (1603–1868) there was peace in Japan so tsuba became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold. Tsuba are usually finely decorated, and nowadays are collectors' items. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba . They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to

3990-547: The Rikken Kaishintō (Constitutional Progressive Party), which called for a British-style constitutional democracy. In response, government bureaucrats, local government officials, and other conservatives established the Rikken Teiseitō (Imperial Rule Party), a pro-government party, in 1882. Numerous political demonstrations followed, some of them violent, resulting in further government restrictions. The restrictions hindered

4104-455: The Shirasaya (白鞘, "white scabbard"), which were just plain wooden mountings with no decoration other than (sometimes) a short description of the contents. According to Hatsumi Masaaki, Some shikomi-zue also concealed metsubushi , chains, hooks, and many other things. Shikomi-zue could be carried in public without arousing suspicion, making them perfect tools for shinobi . However, this

4218-548: The Tosa Memorial  [ ja ] in 1874, criticizing the unbridled power of the oligarchy and calling for the immediate establishment of representative government. Between 1871 and 1873, a series of land and tax laws were enacted as the basis for modern fiscal policy. Private ownership was legalized, deeds were issued, and lands were assessed at fair market value with taxes paid in cash rather than in kind as in pre-Meiji days and at slightly lower rates. Dissatisfied with

4332-696: The United States Constitution as "too liberal", and the British system as too unwieldy, and having a parliament with too much control over the monarchy; the French and Spanish models were rejected as tending toward despotism. Ito was put in charge of the new Bureau for Investigation of Constitutional Systems in 1884, and the Council of State was replaced in 1885 with a cabinet headed by Ito as prime minister. The positions of chancellor (or chief-minister), minister of

4446-434: The jinchū . Enishi also forms "The Six Comrades" , a group of six men (himself included), to assist him in his revenge against Kenshin. Enishi, while not featuring in the anime television series , appears in both of the original video animation (OVA) series relating to the franchise . A popular character, he has been mostly well received by manga critics and readers, ranking highly in the popularity polls. His character

4560-434: The katana style koshirae . The katana (刀) style koshirae is the most commonly known koshirae and it is what is most associated with a samurai sword. Swords mounted in this manner are worn with the cutting edge up as opposed to the tachi mounting, in which the sword is worn with the cutting edge down. The han-dachi ( 半太刀 ) koshirae was worn katana -style but included some tachi related fittings such as

4674-424: The tsuka , traditionally silk but today more often cotton and sometimes, leather. Fuchi (縁), a cap type collar or ferrule which covers the opening in the tsuka of a Japanese sword. The tang of the sword goes into the tsuka through the opening in the fuchi . The kashira ( 頭 ) is the end cap (pommel) on the tsuka . The tsuba ( 鍔 , or 鐔 ) is usually a round (or occasionally squarish) guard at

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4788-550: The "civilized countries of the West", leaving behind the "hopelessly backward" Asian neighbors, namely Korea and China . This essay certainly encouraged the economic and technological rise of Japan in the Meiji era, but it also may have laid the intellectual foundations for later Japanese colonialism in the region. The Meiji era saw a flowering of public discourse on the direction of Japan. Works like Nakae Chōmin 's A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government debated how best to blend

4902-542: The 122nd emperor. This coincided with pressure on the ruling shogunate to modernize Japan, combining modern advances with traditional values. Mutsuhito was sympathetic to these ideas, leading to a call for the restoration of the governing power to the emperor. On November 9, 1867, then- shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu tendered his resignation to the Emperor, and "put his prerogatives at the Emperor’s disposal", formally stepping down ten days later. Imperial restoration occurred

5016-590: The Asian mainland and construction of railroads, shipyards, munitions factories, mines, textile manufacturing facilities, factories, and experimental agriculture stations. Greatly concerned about national security, the leaders made significant efforts at military modernization, which included establishing a small standing army, a large reserve system, and compulsory militia service for all men. Foreign military systems were studied, foreign advisers, especially French ones, were brought in, and Japanese cadets sent abroad to Europe and

5130-606: The Charter Oath was an end to exclusive political rule by the bakufu (a shōgun ' s direct administration including officers), and a move toward more democratic participation in government. To implement the Charter Oath, a rather short-lived constitution with eleven articles was drawn up in June 1868. Besides providing for a new Council of State , legislative bodies, and systems of ranks for nobles and officials, it limited office tenure to four years, allowed public balloting, provided for

5244-553: The Conscription Law of 1873, and all the reforms and progress, the new Japanese army was still untested. That all changed in 1877, when Saigō Takamori led the last rebellion of the samurai in Kyūshū. In February 1877, Saigō left Kagoshima with a small contingent of soldiers on a journey to Tokyo. Kumamoto castle was the site of the first major engagement when garrisoned forces fired on Saigō's army as they attempted to force their way into

5358-526: The Emperor were organized into a new peerage, the Kazoku , consisting of five ranks: prince, marquis , count , viscount , and baron . In the transition between the Edo period and the Meiji era, the Ee ja nai ka movement, a spontaneous outbreak of ecstatic behavior, took place. In 1885, noted public intellectual Yukichi Fukuzawa wrote the influential essay " Leaving Asia ", arguing that Japan should orient itself at

5472-591: The Frenzied Nerves's weak point as well as using his new will to fight which paralyses him. Shortly afterwards, he and Kaoru are attacked by Heishin. Enishi protects her by punching Heishin. Heishin is badly injured, resulting Kenshin to stop Enishi, reasoning that he does not want anymore death, and by doing that Enishi would 'lose Tomoe's smile forever'. Kenshin thanks Enishi for saving Kaoru which causes him to grief Tomoe's death again. Upon Enishi's being arrested, Kaoru hands him Tomoe's diary. He manages to escape along

5586-459: The Marvel Comics villains who team up to defeat the hero Spider-Man . In a popularity poll from the series' main site, Enishi took seventh place. In another poll involving Kenshin's rivals, Enishi took third place behind Saito Hajime and Seta Sojiro. In the book Critical Survey of Graphic Novels : Manga , Enishi's quest on his revenge on Kenshin is noted as negative, with Watsuki pointing out

5700-473: The Meiji era adapted many aspects of Victorian taste, as seen in the construction of Western-style pavilions and reception rooms called yōkan or yōma in their homes. These parts of Meiji homes were displayed in popular magazines of the time, such as Ladies' Graphic, which portrayed the often empty rooms of the homes of the aristocracy of all levels, including the imperial palaces. Integrating Western cultural forms with an assumed, untouched native Japanese spirit

5814-446: The OVAs as rushed due to the trimmed content of the revenge arc to the point the conclusion was also found different from the original version. Carl Kimlinger from the same site felt that Enishi's motivation for keeping Kamiya Kaoru alive was poorly executed as a result of how the OVAs trimmed the final arc of the manga. On the other hand, OPUSZINE felt that Enishi's reason to clash with Kenshin

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5928-502: The Stampede of Trigun and Basara from Macross 7 were design models for Enishi. Stating that "models are strictly models," Watsuki "converted" Enishi to his style. The creator gave Enishi glasses since Enishi appeared in the mafia , "shady Chinese clothing" since Enishi lived in China, and a "half-cape" originating from Gambit of X-Men Age of Apocalypse . Watsuki believed that this

6042-639: The United States and Europe, and hired more than 3,000 Westerners to teach modern science, mathematics, technology, and foreign languages in Japan (O-yatoi gaikokujin). In 1871, a group of Japanese politicians known as the Iwakura Mission toured Europe and the US to learn western ways. The result was a deliberate state-led industrialization policy to enable Japan to quickly catch up. Modern industry first appeared in textiles, including cotton and especially silk, which

6156-801: The United States to attend military and naval schools. In 1854, after US Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry forced the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa , Japanese elites took the position that they needed to modernize the state's military capacities, or risk further coercion from Western powers. In 1868, the Japanese government established the Tokyo Arsenal. The same year, Ōmura Masujirō established Japan's first military academy in Kyoto. Ōmura further proposed military billets be filled by all classes of people including farmers and merchants. The shōgun class, not happy with Ōmura's views on conscription, assassinated him

6270-418: The West. The Industrial Revolution in Japan occurred during the Meiji era. The industrial revolution began around 1870 as Meiji era leaders decided to catch up with the West. The government built railroads, improved roads, and inaugurated a land reform program to prepare the country for further development. It inaugurated a new Western-based education system for all young people, sent thousands of students to

6384-409: The antagonist terrifying to the point the comical Kenshin acts with more tension in response to his threats which made him drop the signature sound effect "Oro". Arata also praised Satoh's works as he carried the franchise across several years in the live-action films. Mackenyu, a fan of the Rurouni Kenshin installment, he could not hide his surprise when offered to play Enishi. Enishi is described as

6498-606: The associated destruction of various Buddhist temples and related violence ( haibutsu kishaku ). Furthermore, a new State Shinto had to be constructed for the purpose. In 1871, the Office of Shinto Worship ( ja:神祇省 ) was established, ranking even above the Council of State in importance. The kokutai ideas of the Mito school were embraced, and the divine ancestry of the Imperial House was emphasized. The government supported Shinto teachers,

6612-443: The attack on Kamiya Dojo, Enishi fights and defeats Kenshin shortly before delivering Jinchu. Enishi accomplishes his goal by leaving a life-size doll of Kamiya Kaoru , made by the corpse-artist Gein, to appear as though Enishi drove his sword through her heart, effectively driving Kenshin into despair. Enishi takes Kaoru back with him to an isolated island until Kenshin dies from his state of "living hell". He leaves his organization in

6726-691: The author added that he has no older sister and no people that he feels a need to take revenge on. Since Shishio has aspects within Watsuki that the author considers to be positive, Enishi has Watsuki aspects that the author feels are negative. During the series' climax, Watsuki kept listening to the song " Hurry Go Round " by the late musician hide which he felt suited the relationship between Enishi and Kenshin's darker Hitokiri Battōsai persona. Watsuki said that he "fell into bouts of self-disgust" while drawing Enishi. The author added that he felt attachment towards Enishi and that he would someday like to use Enishi in

6840-416: The battle against the protagonist. Anime News Network writer Zac Bertschy compared Enishi's revenge quest with the ones Millon Knives from Trigun on Vash the Stampede due to how he continuously gathers soldiers with ridiculous appearances who share hatred towards the protagonist. Nevertheless, Zac Bertschy found Enishi's arc to be less appealing than the Kyoto arc. Similarly, Manga News drew parallels to

6954-411: The castle. Rather than leave an enemy behind him, Saigō laid siege to the castle. Two days later, Saigō's rebels, while attempting to block a mountain pass, encountered advanced elements of the national army en route to reinforce Kumamoto castle. After a short battle, both sides withdrew to reconstitute their forces. A few weeks later the national army engaged Saigō's rebels in a frontal assault at what now

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7068-548: The changes to Japan were profound, and affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, military, and foreign relations. The period corresponded to the reign of Emperor Meiji . It was preceded by the Keiō era and was succeeded by the Taishō era , upon the accession of Emperor Taishō . The rapid modernization during the Meiji era was not without its opponents, as the rapid changes to society caused many disaffected traditionalists from

7182-445: The daimyo became governors, and the central government assumed their administrative expenses and paid samurai stipends. The han were replaced with prefectures in 1871, and authority continued to flow to the national government. Officials from the favored former han, such as Satsuma , Chōshū , Tosa , and Hizen staffed the new ministries. Formerly old court nobles , and lower-ranking samurai, replaced bakufu appointees and daimyo as

7296-405: The end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the katana and its variations, tachi , wakizashi , tantō , naginata etc. They contribute to the balance of the weapon and to the protection of the hand. The tsuba was mostly meant to be used to prevent the hand from sliding onto the blade during thrusts as opposed to protecting from an opponent's blade. The chudan no kamae guard

7410-556: The establishment of a national assembly in 1890 and dismissing Okuma. Rejecting the British model, Iwakura and other conservatives borrowed heavily from the Prussian constitutional system . One of the Meiji oligarchy, Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909), a Chōshū native long involved in government affairs, was charged with drafting Japan's constitution. He led a constitutional study mission abroad in 1882, spending most of his time in Germany. He rejected

7524-421: The exterior. Correct drawing and sheathing of the blade involves contacting the mune (the back of the blade) rather than ha (the edge) to the inside of the scabbard. The saya also has a horn knob ( 栗形 , kurigata ) on one side for attaching a braided cord ( sageo ), and may have a shitodome (mounting loop) to accent the kurigata as well as an end cap ( 小尻 , kojiri ) made from metal. Traditionally

7638-433: The final engagement with Imperial forces which resulted in the deaths of the remaining forty samurai including Saigō, who, having suffered a fatal bullet wound in the abdomen, was honorably beheaded by his retainer. The national army's victory validated the current course of the modernization of the Japanese army as well as ended the era of the samurai. Japanese sword mountings#Shirasaya Japanese sword mountings are

7752-580: The following year. In 1870, Japan expanded its military production base by opening another arsenal in Osaka. The Osaka Arsenal was responsible for the production of machine guns and ammunition. Also, four gunpowder facilities were opened at this site. Japan's production capacity gradually expanded. In 1872, Yamagata Aritomo and Saigō Jūdō , both new field marshals, founded the Corps of the Imperial Guards. Also, in

7866-542: The former samurai class to rebel against the Meiji government during the 1870s, most famously Saigō Takamori , who led the Satsuma Rebellion . However, there were also former samurai who remained loyal while serving in the Meiji government, such as Itō Hirobumi and Itagaki Taisuke . On February 3, 1867, the 14-year-old Prince Mutsuhito succeeded his father, Emperor Kōmei , to the Chrysanthemum Throne as

7980-412: The genrō made decisions reserved for the Emperor, and the genrō, not the Emperor, controlled the government politically. Throughout the period, however, political problems usually were solved through compromise, and political parties gradually increased their power over the government and held an ever-larger role in the political process as a result. Between 1891 and 1895, Ito served as Prime Minister with

8094-464: The government included the creation of a unified modern currency based on the yen, banking, commercial and tax laws, stock exchanges, and a communications network. Establishment of a modern institutional framework conductive to an advanced capitalist economy took time, but was completed by the 1890s, by which time the government had largely relinquished direct control of the modernization process, primarily for budgetary reasons. The Land Tax Reform of 1873

8208-410: The hands of his subordinate, Woo Heishin, a man who cares more about profits than anything. Enishi sees Tomoe again but is shocked to discover that his sister is no longer smiling at him. In a moment of madness, he attempts to strangle Kaoru, only to experience severe convulsions , which cause him to fall to the floor vomiting. After Kenshin recovers and arrives at Enishi's Island hideout, the two fight

8322-435: The koiguchi (the throat of the scabbard) and kojiri (the chape ) were made from buffalo horn. The Saya is divided in parts: A sageo ( 下緒 or 下げ緒 ) is a hanging cord made of silk, cotton or leather that is passed through the hole in the kurigata ( 栗形 ) of a Japanese sword 's saya . There are a number of different methods for wrapping and tying the sageo on the saya for display purposes. Other uses for

8436-444: The koiguchi" . The blade, being freed, can be drawn out very quickly. This is known as koiguchi o kiru ( 鯉口を切る ) , nukitsuke ( 抜き付け ) , or tanka o kiru ( 啖呵を切る ) "clearing the tanka " . The expression " tanka o kiru " is now widely used in Japan, in the sense of "getting ready to begin something", or "getting ready to speak", especially with an aggressive connotation. The habaki will cause normal wear and tear inside

8550-582: The left , and minister of the right , which had existed since the seventh century as advisory positions to the Emperor, were all abolished. In their place, the Privy Council was established in 1888 to evaluate the forthcoming constitution and to advise the Emperor. To further strengthen the authority of the State, the Supreme War Council was established under the leadership of Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922),

8664-486: The main character as well as their characterization. Antonio Gallardo found Enishi too different in comparison to his manga persona due to the different tone of revenge he aims to give Kenshin with the movie Enishi only wanting him to suffer in battle rather than mentally. Meiji period The Meiji era ( 明治時代 , Meiji jidai , [meꜜː(d)ʑi] ) was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era

8778-401: The new business environment. The industrial economy continued to expand rapidly, until about 1920, due to inputs of advanced Western technology and large private investments. By World War I, Japan had become a major industrial nation. Undeterred by opposition, the Meiji leaders continued to modernize the nation through government-sponsored telegraph cable links to all major Japanese cities and

8892-490: The new influences coming from the West with local Japanese culture. Grassroots movements like the Freedom and People's Rights Movement called for the establishment of a formal legislature, civil rights, and greater pluralism in the Japanese political system. Journalists, politicians, and writers actively participated in the movement, which attracted an array of interest groups, including women's rights activists. The elite class of

9006-495: The new order, the capital was relocated from Kyoto , where it had been situated since 794, to Tokyo (Eastern Capital), the new name for Edo . In a move critical for the consolidation of the new regime, most daimyōs voluntarily surrendered their land and census records to the Emperor in the abolition of the Han system , symbolizing that the land and people were under the Emperor's jurisdiction. Confirmed in their hereditary positions,

9120-604: The next year on January 3, 1868, with the formation of the new government . The fall of Edo in the summer of 1868 marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate , and a new era, Meiji , was proclaimed. The first reform was the promulgation of the Five Charter Oath in 1868, a general statement of the aims of the Meiji leaders to boost morale and win financial support for the new government . Its five provisions consisted of: Implicit in

9234-493: The next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba . Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudō . In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai ( 鍔迫り合い , lit. pushing tsuba against each other) . Tsubazeriai

9348-466: The pace of reform after having rejoined the Council of State in 1875, Itagaki organized his followers and other democratic proponents into the nationwide Aikokusha (Society of Patriots) to push for representative government in 1878. In 1881, in an action for which he is best known, Itagaki helped found the Jiyūtō (Liberal Party), which favored French political doctrines. In 1882, Ōkuma Shigenobu established

9462-536: The political parties and led to divisions within and among them. The Jiyūtō, which had opposed the Kaishinto, was disbanded in 1884 and Ōkuma resigned as Kaishintō president. Government leaders, long preoccupied with violent threats to stability and the serious leadership split over the Korean affair, generally agreed that constitutional government should someday be established. The Chōshū leader Kido Takayoshi had favored

9576-512: The political process. The Emperor shared his authority and gave rights and liberties to his subjects. It provided for the Imperial Diet (Teikoku Gikai), composed of a popularly elected House of Representatives with a very limited franchise of male citizens who were over twenty-five years of age and paid fifteen yen in national taxes (approximately 1% of the population). The House of Peers was composed of nobility and imperial appointees. A cabinet

9690-450: The rivalry as they represented the chaos from the Meiji era. Anime News Network liked the concept of Enishi's characterization due the new type of threat he brings to Kenshin not only due to his skills but whether or not the latter can bring him a solution to redeem himself for killing Tomoe during the events of Beginning . Due to the film not being able to cover the entire arc from the manga, Anime News Network lamented that Enishi's character

9804-463: The ruling circle, however, and despite the conservative approach of the leadership, Okuma continued as a lone advocate of British-style government, a government with political parties and a cabinet organized by the majority party, answerable to the national assembly. He called for elections to be held by 1882 and for a national assembly to be convened by 1883; in doing so, he precipitated a political crisis that ended with an 1881 imperial rescript declaring

9918-403: The sageo are tying the sword to the samurai and hojojutsu . The samurai felt the sageo formed a spiritual bond between them and the sword, and they were very particular about tying it correctly when the sword was not in use. The kurikata (栗形) is a knob that is attached to the scabbard of a Japanese sword. The sageo (cord) that secures the saya of the sword to the obi (belt) goes through

10032-508: The same design. Another trend in the Meiji era was for women's under-kimono made by combining pieces of different fabric, sometimes of radically different colors and designs. For men, the trend was for highly decorative under-kimono that would be covered by outer kimono that were plain or very simply designed. Even the clothing of infants and young children used bold colors, intricate designs, and materials common to adult fashions. Japanese exports led to kimono becoming an object of fascination in

10146-451: The same year, the hyobusho (war office) was replaced with a War Department and a Naval Department. The samurai class suffered great disappointment the following years, when in January the Conscription Law of 1873 was passed. This monumental law, signifying the beginning of the end for the samurai class, initially met resistance from both the peasant and warrior alike. The peasant class interpreted

10260-444: The series is also re-explored in the live-action film Rurouni Kenshin: The Final albeit with different actions and he ending in jail while reading Tomoe's diary. Critical response focused on Enishi's antagonist characterization with Manga News describing him as a psychopath due to how he wishes to torment Keshin for Tomoe's death in contrast to his initial calmer persona. Nevertheless, Manga News praised Enishi's swordskills shown in

10374-402: The series’ most feared enemy. To match his physique, Mackenyu worked out, but he focused on his mentality. As an actor he really happy that he was able to be part of a set where he can fully showcase his abilities. While performing the action scenes with Tanigaki and his team, sometimes he suggested his own ideas for Enishi's movements. Other than the scenes with Kenshin, the scenes with Kaoru are

10488-406: The siege on Kumamoto Castle after fifty-four days. Saigō's troops fled north and were pursued by the national army. The national army caught up with Saigō at Mt. Enodake . Saigō's army was outnumbered seven-to-one, prompting a mass surrender of many samurai. The remaining five hundred samurai loyal to Saigō escaped, travelling south to Kagoshima. The rebellion ended on September 24, 1877, following

10602-442: The speed of Japan's modernization: the employment of more than 3,000 foreign experts (called o-yatoi gaikokujin or 'hired foreigners') in a variety of specialist fields such as teaching foreign languages, science, engineering, the army and navy, among others; and the dispatch of many Japanese students overseas to Europe and America, based on the fifth and last article of the Charter Oath of 1868: 'Knowledge shall be sought throughout

10716-480: The strength and flexibility of the typical Chinese sword art used in conjunction with the Watō , a Chinese-made Japanese tachi . In addition, Enishi believes that Tomoe wants revenge as well and constantly sees the image of his sister smiling on him. The purpose of Enishi's Jinchū is not to kill Kenshin, but to plunge him into a living hell by taking away the person he cares for the most, just like Kenshin did to him. In

10830-457: The sword easily this way. During the Edo period, many formalized rules were put into place: in times of war the hilt should be presented to the right allowing the sword to be readily unsheathed. Koshirae were meant not only for functional but also for aesthetic purposes, often using a family mon ( crest ) for identification. The tachi (太刀) style koshirae is the primary style of mounting used for

10944-773: The term for military service, ketsu-eki (blood tax) literally, and attempted to avoid service by any means necessary. Avoidance methods included maiming, self-mutilation, and local uprisings. In conjunction with the new conscription law, the Japanese government began modeling their ground forces after the French military. Indeed, the new Japanese army used the same rank structure as the French. The enlisted corps ranks were: private, noncommissioned officers, and officers. The private classes were: jōtō-hei or upper soldier, ittō-sotsu or first-class soldier, and nitō-sotsu or second-class soldier. The noncommissioned officer class ranks were: gochō or corporal, gunsō or sergeant, sōchō or sergeant major, and tokumu-sōchō or special sergeant major. Despite

11058-473: The time Enishi starts having hallucinations of his late sister with a sad expression on her face rather than a smile. Carlo Santos from the same site, praised Enishi and Kenshin's final fight despite finding the ending predictably. Manga News enjoyed the final fight but felt that Enishi's strengthen senses might come across as ridiculous. While also liking their final showdown, Megan Lavey from Mania Entertainment felt that twist that happens shortly after battle

11172-410: The various housings and associated fittings ( tosogu ) that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. Koshirae ( 拵え ) refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword (e.g. katana ) used when the sword blade is being worn by its owner, whereas the shirasaya is a plain undecorated wooden mounting composed of a saya and tsuka that the sword blade

11286-482: The way, and ends up in the fallen village that Kenshin had been in during his depression, where he sees his father. His father tells Enishi that for the time being, he should simply rest. Enishi also appears OVAs of the series, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal from 1999 as a child and Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection as an adult. In the latter one, Kenshin offers his life to Enishi when defeating him but he stops when Kaoru reminds him of his sister. Enishi's role in

11400-443: The wealthy elite, could be owned by anyone. Faster and cheaper manufacture allowed more people to afford silk kimono, and enabled designers to create new patterns. The Emperor issued a proclamation promoting Western dress over the allegedly effeminate Japanese dress. Fukuzawa Yukichi 's descriptions of Western clothing and customs were influential. Western dress became popular in the public sphere: many men adopted Western dress in

11514-421: The workplace, although kimono were still the norm for men at home and for women. In the 1890s the kimono reasserted itself, with people wearing bolder and brighter styles. A new type called the hōmongi bridged the gap between formal dress and everyday dress. The technology of the time allowed for subtle color gradients rather than abrupt changes of color. Another trend was for outer and inner garments of

11628-706: The world so as to strengthen the foundations of Imperial rule.' The process of modernization was closely monitored and heavily subsidized by the Meiji government, enhancing the power of the great zaibatsu firms such as Mitsui and Mitsubishi . Hand in hand, the zaibatsu and government led Japan through the process of industrialization, borrowing technology and economic policy from the West. Japan gradually took control of much of Asia's market for manufactured goods, beginning with textiles. The economic structure became very mercantilistic , importing raw materials and exporting finished products—a reflection of Japan's relative poverty in raw materials. Other economic reforms passed by

11742-481: Was Itagaki Taisuke (1837–1919), a powerful Tosa leader who had resigned from the Council of State over the Korean affair in 1873. Itagaki sought peaceful, rather than rebellious, means to gain a voice in government. He started a school and a movement aimed at establishing a constitutional monarchy and a legislative assembly . Such movements were called The Freedom and People's Rights Movement . Itagaki and others wrote

11856-422: Was a major theme in the OVAs well performed as by taking Kaoru, he makes it reasonable how Kenshin has not earned happiness due to his previous crimes, most notably Tomoe's death. The Enishi from the live-action has been praised by Polygon as he claims that Arata "brings tangible charisma to his screen persona" and how contrasting is his chaotic personality to the caring and relaxed Kenshin, giving further depths to

11970-477: Was also present. The need for specialized storage is because prolonged koshirae mounting harmed the blade, owing to factors such as the lacquered wood retaining moisture and encouraging corrosion . Such mountings are not intended for actual combat, as the lack of a tsuba (guard) and proper handle wrappings were deleterious; as such they would likely never make their way onto a battlefield. However, there have been loosely similar "hidden" mountings, such as

12084-471: Was another significant fiscal reform by the Meiji government, establishing the right of private land ownership for the first time in Japan's history. Many of the former daimyo, whose pensions had been paid in a lump sum, benefited greatly through investments they made in emerging industries. Those who had been informally involved in foreign trade before the Meiji Restoration also flourished. Old bakufu -serving firms that clung to their traditional ways failed in

12198-450: Was based in home workshops in rural areas. Due to the importing of new textile manufacturing technology from Europe, between 1886 and 1897, Japan's total value of yarn output rose from 12 million to 176 million yen. In 1886, 62% of yarn in Japan was imported; by 1902, most yarn was produced locally. By 1913, Japan was producing 672 million pounds of yarn per year, becoming the world's fourth-largest exporter of cotton yarn. The first railway

12312-524: Was characteristic of Meiji society, especially at the top levels, and represented Japan's search for a place within a new world power system in which European colonial empires dominated. The production of kimono started to use Western technologies such as synthetic dye , and decoration was sometimes influenced by Western motifs. The textile industry modernized rapidly and silk from Tokyo's factories became Japan's principal export. Cheap synthetic dyes meant that bold purples and reds, previously restricted to

12426-534: Was enacted on November 29, 1890. It was a form of mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy . The Emperor of Japan was legally the supreme leader, and the Cabinet were his followers. The Prime Minister would be elected by a Privy Council . In reality, the Emperor was head of state but the Prime Minister was the actual head of government. Class distinctions were mostly eliminated during modernization to create

12540-408: Was not properly developed. Medium compared the threat provided to the Meiji era between Enishi and Shishio but felt that the latter was given a bigger threat to the peace in contrast to Enishi's schemes as it was more personal as a result of wanting revenge towards Kenshin. Kasumi Arimura and Mackenyu were also regarded by GamerFocus as the best actors in the movie due to how strong are their presence in

12654-524: Was opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872. The rail system was rapidly developed throughout Japan well into the twentieth century. The introduction of railway transportation led to more efficient production due to the decrease in transport costs, allowing manufacturing firms to move into more populated interior regions of Japan in search for labor input. The railway also enabled newfound access to raw materials that had previously been too difficult or too costly to transport. There were at least two reasons for

12768-630: Was responsible to the Emperor and independent of the legislature. The Diet could approve government legislation and initiate laws, make representations to the government, and submit petitions to the Emperor. The Meiji Constitution lasted as the fundamental law until 1947. In the early years of constitutional government, the strengths and weaknesses of the Meiji Constitution were revealed. A small clique of Satsuma and Chōshū elite continued to rule Japan, becoming institutionalized as an extra-constitutional body of genrō (elder statesmen). Collectively,

12882-485: Was taken in by a kind and wealthy family after suffering months of hardship in the wilderness. Enishi's hair was originally black but after witnessing Kenshin's accidental killing of his sister, Tomoe, his hair turned snow white from the stress and grief of losing her. In order to reach his goal, Enishi learns the Watōjutsu , a sword style that he taught himself. It is composed of the speed and slashing style of kenjutsu and

12996-472: Was the first half of the Empire of Japan , when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization by Western powers to the new paradigm of a modern, industrialized nation state and emergent great power , influenced by Western scientific, technological, philosophical, political, legal, and aesthetic ideas. As a result of such wholesale adoption of radically different ideas,

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