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Synopsis[]
Past[]
Chihiro was born 18 years ago on the 11th of August, just over a month before the end of the Seitei War on the 30th of September the same year. He was taken to live in the mountains where several high-ranking Kamunabi members including his father Kunishige's old friends Shiba and Azami had found Kunishige a secluded place to live.
For much of his life, Chihiro lived with Kunishige. As Chihiro grew up, he began to train under Kunishige in the art of swordsmithing, wishing to become as talented as his father. Chihiro also helped perform most of the household chores given Kunishige's whimsical and slightly unreliable nature outside swordsmithing, and learned by experience how to take care of the two of them. On one occasion after coming back to the house from a nearby sword polisher's place, Kunishige revealed to his son that he had bought three goldfish as the shopkeeper said they were good luck. Chihiro was mildly dismayed as he would be the one to take care of the goldfish.[1]
Kunishige placed several photos of the sword bearers including Uruha and Seiichi Samura around his house, and would tell Chihiro about them at times, such as how Samura had the fastest swordsmanship he had ever seen.[2][3]
Shiba would often visit the Rokuhira household, telling Kunishige about the situation outside and often regaling Chihiro with stories from when Kunishige and Shiba were younger, though Kunishige would often hesitate to comment whenever Shiba told Chihiro of Kunishige's role in ending the Seitei War.[4] Kunishige also entrusted Shiba with letting Chihiro go on visits to the outside, wanting him to have some fun without being cooped up inside the house.[5]
On one such outing, when Chihiro was 14, Chihiro and Shiba by chance encountered Samura by some food stalls. As Samura grabbed Shiba's face greeted him warmly, Chihiro recalled what his father had told him about Samura. Samura quickly caught on that Shiba must have helped Kunishige disappear after the war and recognised that Chihiro was the son of Kunishige based on his scent. He added that he was thankful Kunishige hadn't been alone for the past decade. Chihiro remarked his father had told him time and time ago the sword bearers who had risked their lives to support his ideals on the battlefield were the true heroes, but Samura denied this, asking Chihiro to tell Kunishige that he was the hero. Samura understood why Chihiro and Kunishige were in hiding given the nature of some members of the Kamunabi before grabbing Chihiro's face to feel its structure, shocking a watching Shiba.[6]
Sometime afterwards, Samura invited Chihiro and Shiba to his house, and observed Chihiro practicing his swordsmanship. Samura offered to demonstrate his own swordsmanship to provide some advice, his skill greatly impressing Chihiro.[7][8] Chihiro then followed Samura's advice and delivered an improved slash of his own. Samura then felt Chihiro gazing at him in admiration and poked his eyes, rebuking him that cutting straw and cutting real people were two very different things, and that the Enchanted Blade bearers all had their fair share of blood on their hands.[9]
Samura revealed the first time he had killed someone he couldn't bear to see the severed flesh, being the other reason he had blinded himself, but he had felt himself becoming a monster at all the lives he had taken. Chihiro then brought up Samura had still ended up wielding Tobimune to save people, and Samura acknowledged it but told Chihiro not to aspire to become like him. Chihiro chose to respect him instead, which Samura was fine with, believing Chihiro to not be aiming to become a swordsman anyway.[10]
At one point after one of Shiba's visits, not long before Chihiro would turn 15, Kunishige decided to tell Chihiro about the more moral side of swordsmithing. He told Chihiro that no matter the lives they had saved, katana were still tools for killing people first and foremost, and as swordsmiths they were complicit in any deaths inflicted by them. Kunishige instructed Chihiro to keep in mind katana were meant to be wielded for the purpose of defeating the evil and protecting the weak, and as such they needed to have principles and accountability when they made and sold katana. After he asked Chihiro if the latter could carry that burden, Chihiro replied he didn't know but was willing to learn, a response that satisfied Kunishige.[11]
The Enchanted Blades
Sometime after, Kunishige showed the Enchanted Blades, stored in the basement, to Chihiro. Chihiro believed these to be the blades he should try to make, but Kunishige corrected him, saying that Chihiro should instead look at the world himself and decide for himself what kind of katana the world needed; something Kunishige had to keep in mind every day, and that now the two of them needed to consider.[12]
When explaining the Enchanted Blades' properties, Kunishige also introduced the True Realm to Chihiro, explaining that due to the Datenseki's unique nature, the limitations of the Enchanted Blades could change depending on their bearer. Kunishige explained his hypothesis that something was influencing the blade and materialising powers beyond its base; potentially a change in how the bearer used the sword, the fortification of their body, their willpower, a combination of the above or something else entirely.[13][14]
Kunishige's caution regarding Shinuchi
Chihiro at one point asked why Shinuchi's box was different from the rest, and Kunishige replied it was more powerful and also different from the other blades, hence a seal placed by the Kamunabi was present. Chihiro then asked why they didn't hand Shinuchi and the other blades over to the Kamunabi, as it would be safer. Kunishige declined, saying a lot had happened, before grimly responding the reason Shinuchi's box was so secure and why they hadn't given it to the Kamunabi were the same; Shinuchi was the one blade they could never let anyone use ever again.[15]
Over an unspecified period of time, Kunishige would teach Chihiro more about the Enchanted Blades. However, Kunishige refused to speak much whenever Shinuchi or its bearer the Master Swordsman was mentioned.[16][17][18]
Nearly 15 years after the Seitei War, Kunishige began the process of forging Enten and completed the blade with Chihiro's assistance. Unlike the other Enchanted Blades, weapons to be used in the Seitei War, Enten was envisioned as a counter to the blades; a path to a peaceful future that would resolve the past.[19]
Not long afterwards, three sorcerers of the Hishaku, being the Hishaku Sorcerer, Uran and Hokuto's puppet, attacked the Rokuhira residence, killed Kunishige and stole the Enchanted Blades. Chihiro had barely gotten a glimpse of the attackers before blacking out in the ruins of his house. After the barrier system around the Rokuhira residence was triggered, Shiba came merely 10 seconds later, but the Hishaku had already fled by then.[20]
Shiba found Chihiro in a devastated state, cradling his father's body while Enten lay in his hands. Kunishige's death deeply affected Chihiro, who wept and questioned the identities of those responsible for the destruction and theft of his father's katana. Chihiro was determined to confront and defeat the attackers, vowing to make them understand his father's beliefs and attachment to the blades.[21]
Shortly after Kunishige's death at the hands of the Hishaku, Azami met with Chihiro and Shiba. Azami stated that the Kamunabi couldn't allow the seventh Enchanted Blade to go unchecked just for Chihiro's revenge, but Chihiro told him rather than revenge, he just wanted to fight together with them for his father's ideals.[22] Sometime after that, Azami meticulously asked for the details behind the Hishaku's attack from Chihiro.[23]
Vs. Sojo Arc[]
Around three years later, on the 5th of October, Chihiro and Shiba attacked the Korogumi Yakuza organization, Chihiro using Enten to dispatch the Yakuza members. He then began interrogating their leader for information on the Hishaku, but the leader promptly exploded into a tree.[24]
That evening, Chihiro and Shiba would receive info on a sighting of an Enchanted Blade from Shiba's old friend, Hinao. The next day, on the 6th October, Hinao introduced them to the witness, a young girl living on the streets named Char, and while Chihiro and Shiba were initially suspicious of her refusal to give information Chihiro later coaxed out information from her over a hot meal of soba, including a description of a sword sounding suspiciously like Cloud Gouger. Norisaku Madoka's attack and brief capture of Char led Chihiro to fully trust Char, and he quickly saved the young girl and defeated Norisaku.[25]
Seeing Chihiro's weakness from exerting himself, Shiba offered to interrogate Norisaku while Chihiro escorted Char back to Cafe Haru Haru, which Chihiro agreed to. Seeing Char was still hungry when they got there, Chihiro drove Shiba's car to get her some food, Char sneaking on board as well. After Char ate, Shiba called Chihiro, informing him that Genichi Sojo, Norisaku's boss, was the one in possession of Cloud Gouger, and also the one aiming to capture Char. Shiba also voiced his suspicions that Sojo was connected to the Hishaku. Chihiro acknowledged this as the Clone Sorcerer's puppets prepared to engage him. [26]
The puppets dissolved into dirt and swamped the car, but Chihiro grabbed Char and slashed through, just as the Clone Sorcerer himself confronted Chihiro, revealing the bounty Sojo placed on the two. Chihiro tried to escape but the puppets surrounded him, and though he cut through them with Kuro the sorcerer simply reformed them. In the midst of the puppets the Trauma Sorcerer extended his hand to Chihiro's face, causing Chihiro to flash back to his trauma of his father's death. The sorcerer responsible gloated at Chihiro's weakness and mused over why Sojo would want Char, assuming it was due to her regenerative abilities. As he picked up Enten, Chihiro suddenly shot up and disarmed the Taruma Sorcerer using his wakizashi, before grabbing Enten and using Nishiki, effortlessly cleaving through both sorcerers and the puppets and rescuing Char. Through this clash, Char began to trust Chihiro fully.[27]
Chihiro carried Char and began running back to Hinao's cafe, but was ambushed by a group of sorcerers; however, they were taken out easily by Azami, who was in civilian attire. As the three returned, Azami discussed how Chihiro's actions were growing more public and harder to cover up, but Shiba rebutted him, stating the situation was different now that Chihiro was a capable combatant, Azami begrudgingly agreeing. Azami then told Chihiro of the Rakuzaichi held in a month's time, with Kunishige's Shinuchi on auction, submitted by Sojo. Azami ultimately told Chihiro to be ready for that time, as whatever the Hishaku had planned involving the Enchanted Blades could rock the nation.[28]
Shiba and Azami left to plan out their actions, telling Chihiro to rest. The next morning, on the 7th of October, Sojo entered Cafe Haru Haru with Cloud Gouger and immediately began engaging Chihiro, firing a Mei at him that Chihiro blocked with Aka. After discovering Sojo did not care for the principles his father and himself lived by, Chihiro declared Sojo had no business wielding Cloud Gouger, while Sojo was ecstatic to battle another Enchanted Blade.[29] Chihiro and Sojo quickly dashed out and began battling on the rooftops, Chihiro quickly discovering Sojo was much stronger than him.
Sojo revealed his admiration for Kunishige's works as weapons of mass destruction. After asking Chihiro why he wielded the sword and Chihiro responded it was to defeat evil and protect the weak, Sojo was dismayed, believing himself to be the only one who understood Kunishige's will in making the blades; for slaughter. Sojo jumped into the streets and charged Mei before unleashing it, but Chihiro leaped down and released the Mei he had absorbed, attracting the lightning to himself and preventing civilian casualties.[30] Chihiro then activated Nishiki and after inadvertently revealing his lineage by screaming for Sojo to stop talking about his father, engaged Sojo in battle with far greater speed and power than before.
After the two clashed blades for some time, Chihiro suddenly noticed a car speeding away, Char's leg visible inside. Chihiro immediately dashed after the car. Chihiro slashed all but one of the guards within but only found Char's severed leg. After interrogating the sole survivor, Chihiro found out it had been Sojo's plan to fool him, swaying on his feet from exhaustion. Shiba teleported to him and caught him, informing him that Sojo had gotten away after using Kou to mask his escape. Chihiro was resolute that he would cut Sojo down.[31]
Rakuzaichi Arc[]
Sword Bearer Assassination Arc[]
References[]
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 1 (Pages 1-11).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 50 (Page 2).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 51 (Page 3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 1 (Pages 12-17).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 50 (Pages 9-12).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 50 (Pages 9-12).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 51 (Pages 1-3).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 51 (Page 19).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 53 (Pages 4-5).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 53 (Pages 15-16).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 1 (Pages 18-23).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 2 (Pages 17-18).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 13 (Pages 18-19).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 14 (Page 2).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 24 (Pages 5-6).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 31 (Page 20).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 41 (Page 11).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 57 (Page 10).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 83 (Pages 14-17).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 2 (Pages 13, 15-16).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 2 (Pages 14, 19-21).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 101 (Page 17).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 79 (Page 15).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 1 (Pages 26-55).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapters 3-4.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 5.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 6.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 7.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 8 (Pages 1, 14-19).
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 9.
- ↑ Kagurabachi Manga: Chapter 10.