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“Katana should be wielded by those dedicated to vanquishing evil and protecting the weak.” Kunishige to Chihiro, explaining his philosophy on katana, and the responsibility swordsmiths have in upholding that philosophy.[source]

Kunishige Rokuhira ( (ろく) (ひら) (くに) (しげ) Rokuhira Kunishige) is a prominent character in the manga series Kagurabachi. He is Chihiro Rokuhira's late father and held a significant reputation as his country's most renowned swordsmith, having forged the extremely powerful katana known as the Enchanted Blades. He led a life deeply rooted in the craft of sword-making before his death.

His death at the hands of the Hishaku would drive Chihiro onto a path of revenge to confront the Hishaku and retrieve his father's blades.

Appearance[]

Kunishige Rokuhira Full Body

Kunishige's full appearance

Kunishige was a tall man with spiky black hair. His eyes were large with small irises, and he had thin eyebrows and a mild goatee on his chin. He possessed a muscular yet lean physique and maintained excellent posture, even in his back. On casual days, he often wore a friendly and jovial expression,[1] but when engrossed in crafting katanas he adopted a more serious demeanor.[2]

His casual attire typically consisted of various loose white t-shirts, typically featuring a variety of words or designs. One such shirt featured a large sun design in the center with the words "Yay! It's sunny!" in bold font.[3] He paired these shirts with loose black pants.

During his work in his workshop adjacent to his residence, Kunishige preferred traditional Japanese clothing such as "kko-gi" (甲着) or "hakui" (白衣). These garments were designed for practical protection and cleanliness during the sword forging process. He also adorned a black bandana as part of his work attire.

Personality[]

Kunishige possessed a multifaceted personality that reflected his role as a renowned swordsmith and a father. In the workshop, he was a dedicated and serious craftsman, fully committed to his work, crafting special katanas using his unique method. This seriousness in his craft stood in stark contrast to his usual self, which was more relaxed, approachable and at times clumsy. One whimsical habit of Kunishige's was talking to the three goldfish they kept.

Kunishige's relationship with his son Chihiro reflected this nature. While typically freely joking around with him, Kunishige was fully capable of being serious if the situation demanded it. He took on the responsibility of training Chihiro diligently in the art of swordsmithing, showcasing his dedication to passing on his knowledge and skills, but also urged Chihiro to not fixate too much on his legacy, wanting his son to shine in his own unique way.

Kunishige was deeply reflective, as evidenced by his discussion with Chihiro about the moral responsibility of swordsmiths. He understood the gravity of crafting katanas, knowing that they can be both tools for saving lives and instruments of death, and told Chihiro to consider the weight of producing and entrusting a katana to someone.

Kunishige has also shown signs of being regretful for several actions during the Seitei War. During one of Shiba's regular visits to the house where Shiba was retelling tales from the Seitei War, Kunishige initially tried to get Shiba to stop before giving up and staying silent, appearing unusually serious. When questioned on why they weren't letting the Kamunabi have Shinuchi by Chihiro, Kunishige grimly responded that Shinuchi in particular was the one blade that they couldn't let anyone use again, a dark expression on his face. These signs indicate the Enchanted Blades were involved in events which Kunishige deeply regretted, particularly Shinuchi.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Chihiro Rokuhira: Kunishige Rokuhira had a very close relationship with his son, Chihiro. Chihiro greatly admired his father's skill as a renowned swordsmith but found his whims and casual side somewhat odd and amusing. Chihiro often had to handle his father's whims and responsibilities, including many household chores. Likewise, Kunishige recognised Chihiro was capable of several things he was not, such as the aforementioned household chores.

Upon learning Chihiro's seriousness in wanting to continue his legacy, Kunishige began seriously instructing Chihiro on the ethical matters of swordsmithing, particularly the need for principles and accountability in creating katanas that could both save lives and take them. This discussion challenged Chihiro's aspiration to become a swordsmith, and Kunishige asked if he could shoulder the weight of entrusting a katana to someone, knowing its potential impact. Chihiro, though unsure, was committed to taking on this responsibility.

While happy that Chihiro was dedicated to following in his footsteps, Kunishige emphasised the importance of focusing on his own unique attributes, and not develop a single-minded focus on just his own legacy, telling him to keep calm and be flexible.[4]

However, Kunishige was not always open with his son; he was very reticient with almost anything involving the Seitei War[5] and refused to speak much whenever his Enchanted Blade Shinuchi was mentioned.[6]

Friends[]

Togo Shiba: Kunishige had a close friendship with Shiba, having known each other since they were joking around at 18 alongside Azami. Following the war, Shiba was a frequent visitor and friend who brought souvenirs and engaged in casual banter with Kunishige.

Azami: In the past, Kunishige, Shiba and Azami had all known each other when they were 18, joking around together. Following the Seitei War, Azami was one of the members of the Kamunabi who assisted Kunishige in finding a place to hide safely.


Plot[]

By the time he was 18, Kunishige had been friends with Shiba and Azami, and the three were very casual and overall not serious at the time.[7]

During the Seitei War, around the age of 22, Kunishige forged six Enchanted Blades and chose individuals to uphold his values and fight in the war. When approaching Yoji Uruha to entrust Kumeyuri to him, Uruha was awestruck by Kunishige's trust in him and developed a great respect for Kunishige.[8]

The six blades played a large role in helping Japan win the war, with the sixth, Magatsumi, having an especially notable contribution in turning the tide of battle.[9][10][11] Kunishige's feats and importance in winning the war earned him nationwide praise and a reputation as a hero.[12] Kunishige's son Chihiro was born on the 11th of August,[13] around a month before the war's end on the 30th of September.[14]

After the war's conclusion, Kunishige took the blades back and was assisted by several members of the Kamunabi in finding a place to hide, where he placed the blades in the basement.[15] The residence was protected by a barrier which was additionally set to alert Shiba to any interference.[16] Kunishige placed several photos of the wielders 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.[17][18]

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.[19]

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.[20] 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.[21]

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.[22]

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.[23]

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 wielder. Kunishige explained his hypothesis that something was influencing the blade and materialising powers beyond its base; potentially a change in how the wielder used the sword, the fortification of their body, their willpower, a combination of the above or something else entirely.[24][25]

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.[26]

Over an unspecified period of time, Kunishige would teach Chihiro more about the Enchanted Blades. However, Kunishige refused to speak much whenever Shinuchi was mentioned.[27]

38 months before the present, three Hishaku sorcerers, under orders from the Hishaku Leader, who was not present himself, attacked the Rokuhira residence. They destroyed the barrier system and house, killed Kunishige and stole the six Enchanted Blades, with a distraught Chihiro scarred physically and mentally. By the time Shiba arrived, the Hishaku sorcerers had already left and Chihiro was weeping near Kunishige's body, his father's seventh Enchanted Blade Enten clutched in his hands. Chihiro told Shiba how he had seen the Hishaku sorcerers attack and lost consciousness while seeing them approach his father, lying on the ground.

Chihiro wept and questioned the identities of those responsible for destroying his home, killing his father and stealing his father's katana. Chihiro was determined to confront the attackers and take back the Enchanted Blades, vowing to make them understand his father's beliefs and attachment to the blades.[28]

In the present, Chihiro continues to do his best to uphold his father's legacy, his determination to defeat evil and protect the weak fueling his motivation for wielding Enten. His mission remaining steadfast; defeat the Hishaku and take back the Enchanted Blades.

Abilities[]

Master Swordsmith: Kunishige was renowned as the most famous swordsmith in his country, specializing in crafting special katanas using his unique method. His skill in forging katanas were unparalleled. Kunishige's teaching ability in this regard is also sound, as he taught his son Chihiro in the art of swordsmithing, passing down his knowledge and skills to the next generation.

  • Enchanted Blade Crafting: During the Seitei War, Kunishige crafted six enchanted blades, each possessing unique abilities, which were extremely powerful and instrumental in winning the war. Following the war, Kunishige crafted a seventh, Enten. Kunishige crafted the Enchanted Blades out of Datenseki, a mineral with the unique properties of amplifying spirit energy, and rendered them safely operable, a feat unparalleled in history as typically, interacting with the Datenseki using spirit energy would cause the user's body to explode.

Combat Prowess[]

Proficient Swordsman: Kunishige was skilled in using katanas himself, as demonstrated when he cut through a bamboo stand with precision.

Etymology[]

The name Kunishige Rokuhira (六平国重 Rokuhira Kunishige) can be broken down as follows:

  • The surname 六平 (Rokuhira) combines the characters for six (六) and peace (平).
  • His given name, 国重 (Kunishige), uses the kanji for country (国) and important or esteem (重). His given name could be translated to mean "country of importance".

Trivia[]

References[]

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