Okita Sōji

In thisJapanese name,thesurnameisOkita.

Okita Sōji(Trùng điền tổng tư,1842 or 1844 – July 19, 1868)was a Japanesesamuraiand the captain of the first unit of theShinsengumi,aspecial policeforce inKyotoduring thelate shogunate period.He was one of the best swordsmen of the Shinsengumi.

Okita Sōji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi
Native name	Trùng điền tổng tư đằng nguyên phòng lương
Birth name	Okita Sōjirō Fujiwara no Harumasa(Trùng điền tông thứ lang đằng nguyên xuân chính)
Born	1842/1844 Edo,Japan
Died	19 July 1868 (aged 24-26) Edo,Japan
Buried	Senshō-ji,Moto-Azabu,Azabu,Minato,Tokyo,Japan
Allegiance	Okita Family Tokugawa bakufu
Service/ branch	Rōshigumi(former) Mibu Rōshigumi(former) Shinsengumi
Years of service	1863–1868
Rank	Assistant to the vice commander of the Shinsengumi,Captain
Commands	Shinsengumifirst unit
Battles / wars	Ikedaya incident Kinmon incident Akebonotei incident Boshin War Battle of Toba–Fushimi
Relations	Okita Katsujiro (father) Okita Mitsu(sister) Okita Kin (sister) Okita Rintarō(adopted brother/in-law)
Other work	Kenjutsuinstructor

Background

He was bornOkita Sōjirō Fujiwara no Harumasa(Trùng điền tông thứ lang đằng nguyên xuân chính)in 1842 or 1844 from a samurai family in theShirakawa Domain'sEdomansion.His great-grandfather was Okita Kan'emon (d. 1819) and his grandfather was Okita Sanshiro (d. 1833.) His father, Okita Katsujiro, died in 1845; he had two older sisters,Okita Mitsu(1833–1907) and Okita Kin (1836–1908). In 1846, in order to marry the adopted son of the Okita family,Okita Rintarō(1826–1883), his oldest sister Okita Mitsu became an adopted daughter of Kondo Shusuke in name. Kondo Shusuke was the third master of theTennen Rishin-ryūand Okita started training at theShieikanwith him around the age of nine. By that time, Kondo Shusuke had already adopted Shimazaki Katsuta (the laterKondō Isami), butHijikata Toshizōhad not yet enrolled at the Tennen Rishin-ryū school. Okita proved to be aprodigy;he mastered all the techniques and attained theMenkyo Kaidenscroll (license of total transmission) in theryūat the age of eighteen or so.

In 1861, Okita became Head Coach (Jukutou) at the Shieikan. Even though he was often commented to be honest, polite, and good-natured by those around him, he was also known to be a strict and quick-tempered teacher to his students.

Shinsengumi period

Okita changed his name toOkita SōjiFujiwarano Kaneyoshisome time before his departure with theRōshigumito Kyoto on March 26, 1863. However, the Rōshigumi was disbanded upon their arrival there on April 10, 1863, while the rest returned to Edo. Okita and several other founding members remained behind inMibuto form theMibu Rōshigumi,which would later be renamed as theShinsengumion August 18, 1863. Okita was the second youngest among the Shieikan members, most likely withTōdō Heisukebeing the youngest. His brother-in-law Okita Rintarō, also a practitioner of the Tennen Rishin-ryū, became a commander of theShinchōgumi(the Shinsengumi's brother league in Edo.)

Okita Sōji soon became aFukuchō Jokin(vice-commander's assistant) of the Shinsengumi.He was one of the members involved in theSerizawa Kamo(one of the original commanders of the Shinsengumi) and the Uchiyama Hikojiro assassinations in 1863.

Mediocre with theshinai,a master of thebokken/bokutouand bo staff, a fascinating trendsetter of thekatana,his signature technique was named theHyakkidou-ri(which roughly translates as "no light blade" or "unenlightened blade" ) orSandanzuki(which translates as "Three Piece Thrust" ), a technique that could attack one's neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder with one strike. (The Mumyo-ken supposedly could hit all three points simultaneously, but this is an embellishment.)The Mumyo-ken was his own invention and may have been derived from an invention of Hijikata's, the Hirazuki.

It is a popular conception by the public that histuberculosiswas first discovered when he fainted during theIkedaya incident,mostly due to the depiction appearing in a famous work chronicling the Shinsengumi as well as a number of period dramas based upon it. Some sources on the other hand say that he contracted the disease after that. Both theories are fairly reasonable, as tuberculosis can kill quickly (in weeks), or very slowly (many years). However, one should note that people rarely survived the disease longer than a year once it progressed to the point that they would collapse, and Okita did not die until four years after the affair. Some researchers now believe he instead collapsed due to some other ailment, such asanemiaorheat stroke.While many of Shinsengumi fans believe that Yoshida Toshimaro was killed by Okita during the Ikedaya Affair (based onShimosawa KanandShiba Ryōtarō's fiction), it is a historical inaccuracy.

Based on Shiba Ryoutarou's fiction, many also believe that Okita and Hijikata were like brothers. In history,Yamanami Keisukewas the vice-commander Okita shared a brotherly relationship with. Yamanami'sseppuku(with Okita as his second) in 1865 was an extremely painful incident in Okita's short life.There is no record showing that Hijikata and Okita were close; it is debatable whether Okita even got along with Hijikata.

In 1865, Okita became the captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi and also served as a kenjutsu instructor;later that year, he was appointed by Kondo Isami to be the fifth master of the Tennen Rishin-ryu after him.

Although highly unlikely, it was rumored that he wielded a famous katana calledKiku-ichimonji.However, he surely owned a set ofKaga Kiyomitsu(a katana and a wakizashi) and his so-called "Kikuichimonji Norimune" was likely aYamashiro Kunikiyoinstead.

Death

During theBoshin War,after theBattle of Toba–Fushimiin the first month of the yearKeiō-4, Okita went intoMatsumoto Ryōjun's hospital in Edo.He then moved to a guesthouse with Okita Rintarou, Okita Mitsu, and their children. When the shogunate forces (including the Shinsengumi and the Shinchōgumi) retreated to theTōhoku region,Okita remained in Edo alone.He died from tuberculosis on July 19 (the 30th day of the fifth month, by thelunar calendar), 1868. Later that night, he was buried at Senshō-ji Temple inAzabu,Edo,under his birth name (with Okita Sōji listed in the death records). The claim that Okita died when he was 25 is based on the theory that he was born in 1844 and therefore was 25 byEast Asian age reckoningwhen he died in 1868.

The Senshō-ji Temple cemetery had been open to the public for years until the release ofNHK'sTaiga drama,Shinsengumi!,in 2004, which generated newfound interest in the Shinsengumi and Okita. Many visitors flocked to the temple to see his grave, resulting in the temple's cemetery becoming restricted to the public, except for one day each year in June.

Name

"Okita" ( trùng điền ) was hisfamily name;"Sōji" ( tổng tư ) was hisgiven name;"Fujiwara"( đằng nguyên ) was his familyclan(the surname of hisancestors); "Kaneyoshi" ( phòng lương ) was hisjitsumei,a formal given name (like a middle name for gentlemen equivalent). It is unclear whether Okita changed his name toOkita Sōji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshiin 1863 or in 1862 (or less likely, in 1861.) There is a theory that he changed his name to Sōji because some people around him called him "Sō-Ji" (short for Sōjirō.) Other than his full name, he could be referred asOkita SōjiorOkita Sōji Kaneyoshi.In writing, he was sometimes referred asFujiwara no Kaneyoshi(formal name used in writing) orOkita Kaneyoshi(like the "initials" for his full name.)

Stele of Okita Sōji's last place at Imado Shrine in Asakusa

This souvenir photo from theMeiji erawas often wrongly introduced as the photo of Okita Sōji through the modern times; the man in the photo is actually a different person. Currently, no existing photos of Okita Sōji have been discovered.

In popular culture

Like the other members of the Shinsengumi, fictionalized accounts of Okita's life and actions appear in novels, period dramas and anime/manga series. Although his given name is sometimes pronounced as "Soushi" in thefictional world,it is actually "Sōji".

• In the 2004Japanese dramaShinsengumi!,Okita was played byTatsuya Fujiwara.
• Okita is a main character in the anime/mangaPeacemaker Kurogane,which takes more liberties with history.
• He is the protagonist of the 2004 manga oneshotBecause Goodbyes are Coming Soonby Makoto Yukimura.
• Okita is mentioned in the anime and manga seriesRurouni Kenshin,which takes place during and after theMeiji Revolutionin Japan. He makes a major appearance in the OVA and is briefly shown during the Kyoto Arc (before the character based on the portrayal of Okita Sōji in the novelShinsengumi Keppūroku,Seta Sōjirō,makes his appearance); in the manga, Okita is also shown during the Jinchū Arc. However, some of the translations of the English dub are incorrect. In the OVA English dub, Okita is portrayed as a subordinate of Saito Hajime, when in fact he was his equal or superior in rank and kenjutsu skills. At the end of the OVA when he finally confronts Kenshin, another Shinsengumi member called Okita a lieutenant in the English dubbed track, when in fact he was the captain of the first troop. In the Japanese dub, the unknown Shinsengumi member correctly refers to him as: Tổ trường Kumichô. During his brief appearance in the anime, he is shown coughing and having pain in his chest, a reference to his death by tuberculosis.
• In the anime series,Intrigue in the Bakumatsu - Irohanihoheto,Okita is depicted as an old acquaintance of the protagonist, Akizuki Yōjirō.
• Okita is also one of the main playable characters in the Xbox video gameKengo: The Legend of the 9 Samurai.
• In an episode of the animeGhost Sweeper Mikami,ghost-hunter Mikami Reiko gets inside of a haunted movie about the Bakumatsu and meets Okita, who is depicted as a crazy guy who thinks only of killing people (obvious pun on his usual portrayal, which also is a foil to the show's rendition of Hijikata.) In the anime/manga seriesShura no Toki,Okita's (fictional) last battle before succumbing to his sickness is with Mutsu Izumi from theMutsu Enmei Ryuu,an unarmedmartial art.Their duel was a request from Okita himself from years before. Okita appears during aflashbackinKido Shinsengumi: Moeyo Ken(which features Okita's fictional daughter Kaoru as one of the three main characters of the series). He also appears in the short OVAHijikata Toshizou: Shiro no Kiseki,which attempts a proper portrayal of the Shinsengumi.
• Okita is the male protagonist in the mangaKaze Hikaru,a fictional story about the Shinsengumi during the late Tokugawa shogunate, in which Okita trains a young girl to be one of the Shinsengumi in order to avenge her father and older brother. He is also featured in the mangaGetsumei Seiki.
• He is depicted in the 1999 live-action filmGohatto(sometimes known asTaboo), the 2003 Japanese filmWhen the Last Sword Is Drawn,video game seriesShinsengumi Gunrou-den(as the protagonist), video game seriesFu-un Shinsengumi,video game seriesBakumatsu Renka Shinsengumi,and video gameChaos Wars.
• The popular Japanese conception of Okita is that his character and his swordsmanship were of the highest purity. In Shiba Ryotaro's novels, he joined the Shinsengumi not because of his political beliefs but rather out of his loyalty for Kondo Isami and his (fictional) friendship with Hijikata Toshizo.
• His anime, manga, and TV depictions tend to be as a handsome young man, sometimes abishōnen.The Latin American dub ofRurouni Kenshin,even mistook Okita for a woman. In fact, in a 1991 movie,Bakumatsu Jūnjōden( mạc mạt thuần tình vân ), he is portrayed as a boyish woman. In a 2003 theatrical production of the same name (which has been renewed every few years), (s)he's been portrayed over the years by actresses such asRyōko Hirosue,Satomi Ishihara,Mirei KiritaniandRena Matsui.
• Soushi Yukimi, from the anime seriesSoar High! Isamiis inspired and based on Okita Sōji.
• Okita appeared in the anime and manga seriesYaibaas a fictional grandnephew of the historical Shinsengumi member of the same name. And also inCase Closedas a Kendo Rival ofHeiji Hattori.
• Okita Sougo,from the anime/mangaGintama,is loosely based on Okita Sōji.
• Okita is loosely portrayed in the Japaneseotome game,Hakuouki( bạc anh quỷ ), along with other Shinsengumi members. They are samurais who develop vampiristic qualities as the game progresses. He is also portrayed in the anime adaptation of the game. In this franchise, Okita is a skilled warrior who develops a case of tuberculosis. He drinks the ochimizu, a potion which transforms him into arasetsu.
• In the Japanese video gameSengoku RancebyAlicesoft,a female version of Okita plays a minor role, Okita Nozomi. Okita Nozomi can be recruited from the Shinsengumi in the game as a commander, and is one of the best swordsmen in the game. She is also seen constantly coughing up blood and is later diagnosed with the "Cough-Cough Disease".
• The digital comicOkita and the Catdeals with the anecdotal last days of Okita Sōji. The former swordsman is depicted as a pleasant raconteur despite his disease, though he's secretly frustrated at his inability to stand by his comrades. The comic, by Josh Hechinger and mpMann, was released for Apple mobile devices in August 2010 through Arrow Publications.
• In the 2012 video game and animeInazuma Eleven GO 2: Chrono Stone,Okita appears during the late stages of his life, but is shown playing soccer againstSakamoto Ryōma,and fuses with Tsurugi Kyōsuke to create "a speedy striker as quick as lightning, who cuts up the field like a lightning bolt".
• Okita appears in the volume 13 ofHigh School DxDas a member of the Lucifer group, as the Devil Knight of Sirzechs Lucifer, stated to have been reincarnated as a Devil after his historical death from tubercluosis as a human.
• In the gag mangaFate/KOHA-ACE,a spin-off of theFatefranchise created byKinoko Nasu,the Saber-class servant, dubbed "Sakura Saber," is the spirit of Okita Souji. In this fictional incarnation, Okita is a woman. Sakura Saber also appears as a Servant in the mobile gameFate/Grand Order,and gets her own spinoffFate/Type Redline.
• In theerogefranchiseChuSinGura 46+1which depicts male historical figures as young girls, Okita is a cyan-haired, amber-eyed girl.
• In the animeTouken Ranbu,Okita is frequently shown in Yamatonokami Yasusada's flashbacks or dreams to be consumed by his disease during a raid relating to theIkeda Inn Incident.Okita is shown to have long, black hair and blue eyes.
• In theotome gameDestined to Love,Okita is shown as a character with brown hair and brown eyes, and barely take cares of himself. He has his own route in the game.
• Another otome game©2015 Spaceout Inc.features Isami Kondo, Hijikata Toshizo and Soji Okita as suitors for main character. It also has other side characters like Matsumoto Ryojun, Ryoma Sakamoto and Saito Hajime.
• In otome game Era of Samurai: Code of Love which developed by Voltage inc, Okita Soji along with Hijikata Toshizo, Harada Sanosuke, Saito Hajime, Kondo Isami and Shinsaku Takasugi were featured as a love interest for main character.
• In the 2014 spin-off game from theYakuzaseries, Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!, Okita Soji is visually based on series regularGoro Majimaand the two share a voice as well. The game takes place in the Bakumatsu period and has the protagonist, as Sakamoto Ryouma, joining the Shinsengumi, of which Okita is a division captain.
• In the animeBakumatsu(2018) and its sequel,Bakumatsu Crisis(2019), Okita Soji plays a key antagonist role as a member of the Shinsengumi under the command of Mugensai. Other key members of the Shinsengumi such as Isami Kondo, Yamazaki Susumu and Hijikata Toshizo are also featured, in addition to Takasugi Shinsaku.
• In the mangaShuumatsu no Valkyrie,Okita Soji is chosen to represent Humanity in a tournament against the gods of multiple pantheons to determine the fate of Humanity. It is shown that within the show, Okita's fighting style is on the basis of agility.
• The name of the main character Tokita Sōjin from the visual novel video gameSen no Hatou, Tsukisome no Kouki(2017) is a tribute to Okita Soji.
• He is portrayed byNijiro Murakamiin the 2021 movieRurouni Kenshin: The Beginning

See also

• Okita Rintarō
• Okita Mitsu

Further reading

• Stephane Lun luân thế hào.A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management.2021 Kindle Paperwhite version. Amazon.com
• Thổ phương tuế tam, trùng điền tổng tư toàn thư giản tập.Tân nhân vật vãng lai xã. 1995.ISBN978-4-404-02306-3.
• Kim xuyên đức tam (2004).Thật lục trùng điền tổng tư と tân tuyển tổ.PHP nghiên cứu sở.ISBN978-4-569-66121-6.
• Mộc thôn hạnh bỉ cổ (2002).Tân tuyển tổ と trùng điền tổng tư “Thành” とは kiếm を cực めることなり.PHP nghiên cứu sở.ISBN4-569-62573-8.
• Sâm mãn hỉ tử (1999).Trùng điền tổng tư ・おもかげ sao.Tân nhân vật vãng lai xã.ISBN978-4-404-02807-5.
• Đại lộ hòa tử (1989).Trùng điền tổng tư を bộ く.Tân nhân vật vãng lai xã.ISBN978-4-404-01621-8.

External links

• SHINSENGUMITân tuyển tổ Shinsengumi Website