OKITA Souji 沖田総司
(Affiliation: Tokugawa - Shinsengumi)
First appearance: Ep 9
Dying ex-subcaptain of the Shinsengumi.
Voiced by TAKEWAKA Takuma.
Okita Souji (1842/44 - 1868) was of course a real, existing person, most famous for being the skilled captain of an unit of the Shinsengumi, a famous sword-bearing police force that loyally worked for the Tokugawa government during around 1863-1868. I suggest you look them up online.
Before the Shinsengumi
Okita was said to be a prodigy, becoming a master of kenjutsu at the age of 18. He practised the Tennen Rishin Ryuu school of swordsmanship, which he learned at the Shieikan (試衛館), a dojo where many other future members of the Shinsengumi trained (most notably the commander Kondou Isami and vice-commander Hijikata Toshizou).
He became the head teacher at the Shieikan in 1861.
In the anime, Akizuki Youjirou first met him when as a kid, he had "outside training" (degeiko 出稽古) at the Satou dojo in Hino, Tama area (in present day Tokyo). Okita was probably giving lessons there since the real Satou dojo was affiliated to the Shieikan. This was probably around 1861 or 1862, making Akizuki about 10 or 11. The move we see him executing in episode 9 might have been the Sandanzuki, an technique created by him which hit the neck and shoulders in one strike.
Joining the Shinsengumi
In 1863, Okita went to Kyoto with Kondou and Hijikata, where eventually they formed the Shinsengumi with the intention of maintaining peace. They did a lot of things which I won't explain here, but they're most famous for foiling extremist plans to burn down Edo, in the 1864 Ikedaya Incident. Some also blame them for assassinating Sakamoto Ryouma, but in the anime Okita denies this.
It is around the time of the Ikedaya Incident that Okita is said to have been discovered to be suffering from tuberculosis, as he apparently fainted from lung problems during the raid. His condition kept worsening, and as the political tide turned towards the anti-Shogunate side, the Shinsengumi became scattered when the Shogunate finally fell in 1867-1868.
Okita's Last Days (historical)
Okita then moved back to Edo as the Boshin war broke out. Some say he entered a hospital, some say he stayed at a guesthouse of Uekiya Heigorou in Sendagaya (in present day Shibuya district, Tokyo); others say it was both.
Either way, he died of tuberculosis at the young age of 25 (or 27), on the 30th of May 1868 (July 19 in the Gregorian calendar).
He never found out about the beheading of his respected commander Kondou a month ago, and didn't take part in any battles. There is an oft-quoted story that during his last days, he used to keep seeing a black cat in the garden, and wanted to kill it as it was a bad omen, but died without doing so.
Okita's Last Days (Anime)
In the anime, however, while Okita is already quite sick when we first see him (in episode 9), he still is fine enough to be on the streets of Edo, where he is attacked by Imperial Army soldiers and finds out about Kondou's death. Akizuki helps him out of this and takes him back to the Uekiya residence, later asking him about whether he heard of the Conqueror's Head during his time in the Shinsengumi, to which Okita replies in the negative. The black cat makes its appearance as well.
Later, Akizuki has to stop Okita from staggering in vein to the ongoing Battle of Ueno out of guilt and feelings of uselessness. They have a last practise battle, and Akizuki manages to fend off the soldiers who were after Okita; but not long after, Okita passes away, leaving Akizuki with the request to tell Hijikata that he's going first and will be waiting for him with Kondou. (This is not a spoiler because everyone including Okita knows his time is up.)
The anime presumes Okita was born in 1842 by stating that he died at the age of 27.
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(Affiliation: Tokugawa - Shinsengumi)
First appearance: Ep 9
Dying ex-subcaptain of the Shinsengumi.
Voiced by TAKEWAKA Takuma.
Okita Souji (1842/44 - 1868) was of course a real, existing person, most famous for being the skilled captain of an unit of the Shinsengumi, a famous sword-bearing police force that loyally worked for the Tokugawa government during around 1863-1868. I suggest you look them up online.
Before the Shinsengumi
Okita was said to be a prodigy, becoming a master of kenjutsu at the age of 18. He practised the Tennen Rishin Ryuu school of swordsmanship, which he learned at the Shieikan (試衛館), a dojo where many other future members of the Shinsengumi trained (most notably the commander Kondou Isami and vice-commander Hijikata Toshizou).
He became the head teacher at the Shieikan in 1861.
In the anime, Akizuki Youjirou first met him when as a kid, he had "outside training" (degeiko 出稽古) at the Satou dojo in Hino, Tama area (in present day Tokyo). Okita was probably giving lessons there since the real Satou dojo was affiliated to the Shieikan. This was probably around 1861 or 1862, making Akizuki about 10 or 11. The move we see him executing in episode 9 might have been the Sandanzuki, an technique created by him which hit the neck and shoulders in one strike.
Joining the Shinsengumi
In 1863, Okita went to Kyoto with Kondou and Hijikata, where eventually they formed the Shinsengumi with the intention of maintaining peace. They did a lot of things which I won't explain here, but they're most famous for foiling extremist plans to burn down Edo, in the 1864 Ikedaya Incident. Some also blame them for assassinating Sakamoto Ryouma, but in the anime Okita denies this.
It is around the time of the Ikedaya Incident that Okita is said to have been discovered to be suffering from tuberculosis, as he apparently fainted from lung problems during the raid. His condition kept worsening, and as the political tide turned towards the anti-Shogunate side, the Shinsengumi became scattered when the Shogunate finally fell in 1867-1868.
Okita's Last Days (historical)
Okita then moved back to Edo as the Boshin war broke out. Some say he entered a hospital, some say he stayed at a guesthouse of Uekiya Heigorou in Sendagaya (in present day Shibuya district, Tokyo); others say it was both.
Either way, he died of tuberculosis at the young age of 25 (or 27), on the 30th of May 1868 (July 19 in the Gregorian calendar).
He never found out about the beheading of his respected commander Kondou a month ago, and didn't take part in any battles. There is an oft-quoted story that during his last days, he used to keep seeing a black cat in the garden, and wanted to kill it as it was a bad omen, but died without doing so.
Okita's Last Days (Anime)
In the anime, however, while Okita is already quite sick when we first see him (in episode 9), he still is fine enough to be on the streets of Edo, where he is attacked by Imperial Army soldiers and finds out about Kondou's death. Akizuki helps him out of this and takes him back to the Uekiya residence, later asking him about whether he heard of the Conqueror's Head during his time in the Shinsengumi, to which Okita replies in the negative. The black cat makes its appearance as well.
Later, Akizuki has to stop Okita from staggering in vein to the ongoing Battle of Ueno out of guilt and feelings of uselessness. They have a last practise battle, and Akizuki manages to fend off the soldiers who were after Okita; but not long after, Okita passes away, leaving Akizuki with the request to tell Hijikata that he's going first and will be waiting for him with Kondou. (This is not a spoiler because everyone including Okita knows his time is up.)
The anime presumes Okita was born in 1842 by stating that he died at the age of 27.
Return to Characters page
