Japan's History, Kenshin and PMK based on this

wow, copy & paste makes you look so smart...

NOT!

wouldn't it be easier to put a link in the PMK disscusion and end with it?
is it really worthy of it's own thread?

Why bother, true, copy, paste, but it seems that many people on this forum hardly understand historical animes such as kenshin, pmk etc... it's good to know what they are based on.. real events... i've meet pretty stupid folks in this forum.. it's good to read actually.

I just finished reading it and I must say its very interesting. I enjoy Japanese culture and history and that small post sums it up greatly. Kenshin is one of my fav animes for not only the anime but for the history behind it. Good work for finding it itachi_.


Dont read it if you dont like it, and I doubt that itachi_ was trying to "look smart". He was just conveying some information that he finds interesting. I dont know Itachi_, but from what I have read of his posts he clearly loves kenshin so there is nothing wrong with posting that to express it. Yes, it is worthy of its own thread.

You got to understand the history behind an anime like kenshin, you can't just watch it and type a comment, the bakumatsu and the crisis in the late 1860's was japan's biggest conflict, it's common sence man.

Check out Vagabond manga, i think its more historically acurate than Kenshin or PMK. It takes place after the battle of Sekigahara (splg?) and most of the people in it were real people.

Wish they would make an anime about it. I mean they already have a book, manga, and live action movie aleady. http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/emoticons/dry.gif

Indeed, it helps set kenshin apart from other animes. A greater understanding of the history made kenshin more enjoyable when I rewatched it, that long time ago.

Kenshin's first OVA, (Tsuiokuhen, Trust & Betrayal - whatever you wanna call it) is still one of my fav pieces of anime ever created, it was a work of art.

Japan has such a interesting history, especially if you compare it to where Iam from. Too bad they didnt teach us some japanese history for a change.

Canada..we had confederation...great......

... http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/emoticons/dry.gif

I have ordered one Katana from 1865, and a wakizashi a smaller sword, remember that it was only aloud for the "real" samurai to wear two swords at the same time. With that i've ordered a Haori, Kimono, and a hakama, with sandals, so from now on i will look like a shinsengumi-soldier from 1865 http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/emoticons/smile.gif

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Haku_san @ Feb 6 2004, 05:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Too bad they didnt teach us some japanese history for a change. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
actually, i&#39;m doing advanced history so this year we&#39;re learning japan&#39;s history... it&#39;s a bit hard but it&#39;s really intersting, too bad we&#39;re just doing the modren japen (late 19 centuary till today) and not the classic one, but still

&quot;Shinsengumi wa Shinsengumi
Okahmi wa Okahmi
Battusai wa Battusai
Hitokiri... wa hitokiri?&quot;

or in english
&quot;shinsengumi stays a shinsengumi
a wold stays a wolf
a battusai stays a battusai
a manslayer.. does he still stay a manslayer?&quot;

yep, saitou quotes rock, and here another one.

&quot;you tame a dog with food, tame a man with money, but you can&#39;t tame a mibu wolf&#33; AKU SUKO ZAN&#33;[evil-instant-slay]&quot;

i spend too much time with kenshin fans...


btw: Itachi_, the shinsengumi isn&#39;t only the sword, it&#39;s also the penguin walk and the shout of the &quot;we are the shinsengumi&#33;&quot;,upload a picture of you with all the stuff on&#33;

oh, YES&#33; i will

<u>Historical Notes</u>

The nation of Japan as we know it today, existed as a collection of 270 Han (provinces) each ruled by a leader known as daimyo. The ruling authority was the tokugawa bakufu (Tokugawa military regime) and was collected by the shogun, a military leader from the Tokugawa lineage who based his operations out of Edo, or modern day Tokyo. Japan existed like this from 1603-1867. Near the end of the Tokugawa dynasty, times became very chaotic, and there were many rebellions. The aristocratic class of samurai began fighting once again, among the various Han. This period of time is known as Bakumatsu. In 1867, in an unprecendented, in order to avoid further bloodshed the shogun relinquished his power to a young Emperor named Meiji, who’s authority was located in Kyoto. This ended the chaos in Japan that existed during Bakumatsu. This is the Meiji Restoration. In the bakumatsu, there were two predominant political groups, the Ishin Shishi, who fought to bring power to the Emperor, and the Shinsen Gumi, or the military force defending the Tokugawa Shogunate.

From the beginning of time, human beings have survived by working together and creating societies. Communities continued to grow in different parts of the world, creating dominions and Imperial systems to accompany them. Throughout history many Empires expanded and ruled, always fighting to stay alive and gain power to create their own “Great Empire”. Among these Great Empires developed Japan, a country which would establish itself as one of the most auspicious and prosperous nations in the world.

Japan is located in southwest Asia to the west of China. It is made up of 6,852 islands, the largest being: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The total land area is 377,727 sq km (145,841 sq mi), very infinitesimal compared to its other neighbors such as China and Mongolia. Like other islands, Japan was not a pre-existing country, but was formed by risen hard-lava after a volcano eruption in the sea. During these early migrations in 13000 BC the early Japan period continued towards 715. During the Jomon Period (13000 BC to 300 BC) Japan was populated by gatherers, fishers and hunters. In this period, these early inhabitants were not ruled by a high leader or specific government. Instead, they worked side by side in peace and harmony. During the Yayoi Period (300 BC and 300 AD) rice culture began to arrive and establish itself into Japan. Rice quickly transitioned itself as the most important cultivation crop and would continue to be so for the next 2000 years. In the Yayoi, social class evolution allowed unions between powerful land owners. The years passed until the late 300’s amidst the Kofun Period, in which a central power started to unfold around the Kinai Plain . By 400 A.D, Japan was united under the rule of the Tenno to form Yamato Japan. The Yamato led to great advancements, preferably the Chinese writing systems that ushered calligraphy and literature improvements. Religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism imbedded themselves in Japanese culture and expanded. In 645 Nakatomi no Kamatari gave birth to the next ruling era under the Fujiwara Clan which would regulate until the late 11th century.

The years 710- 1192 served to be the Nara and Heian Periods. In this epoch, the capital of Japan was moved to Nara, which was once again, modeled after China. However, because of strong Buddhist influence in the capital, it was moved to Nagaoka in 784, and finally to Heian (Kyoto) in 794, where it would remain for over one thousand years. Meanwhile, the Fujiwara Clan persisted to rule for many years by intermarriage with the imperial family. The Fujiwara clan gained political scene in Japan and reached their peak in 1016 under Fujiwara Michinaga. Later, under the Taika Reforms , the Fujiwara Clan began to decline and could not maintain order. Land owners began to hire samurai to protect their properties, increasing the military influence in Japan. Samurai were members of Japanese Warriors from the military class. They followed the principles of Bushido , their code of honor. It was amid this unrest that the military power grew throughout Japan. Furthermore, the period gave birth to the finalization of Japanese culture as a result of the gradual decline in government influence with China. The transcription of the Kana Syllables advanced the Japanese literature to a new level. Finally, The Fujiwara clan came to the end as the “new” Emperor, Go-Sanjo wished to be a sole ruler. In 1086 Go-Sanjo introduced his new government and entitled it the Insei government. Insei leaders exerted political power for a short age until Taira Kiyomori, the new leader of Japan, took over. As the 12th century neared forward, two military families began to gain power; the Minamato and Taira. After struggle for power between the two families (Heiji rising) in 1159, Taira Kiyomori was confronted with a man of power named Minamato and the increasing Buddhist monasteries that created disturbances in Japan. After Taira’s death, the clans of both Taira and Minamato fought for the right of supremacy through the Genpai War. At the end, Minamato Yoritomo succeeded in becoming the leader of Japan through eliminating all his potential and acute enemies, horrifically including close family members. He was appointed shogun , the highest military officer in Japan and established a new ruling in his hometown of Kamakura, thus ending the Nara and Heian Periods. The Kamakura Bakufu (1192-1333) began the reign of the Minamato Shogunate in a new Japan plagued by feudalism. Minamato’s new system of ruling was in discreet but worked much better with Japan’s circumstances. However, after his death quarrels once again began between Bakufu and Kamakura. The controversy in the Imperial court finally ended with the Jokyu Disturbance , which resulted in a redistribution of land. The disturbance left the emperor and all remaining government offices with almost no effective power. It was during this time that a new, very clever, class of warriors began to come about, the ninjas. Ninjas (as given by the Japanese emperor) were used to spy in the Kamakura Period. Since they trained under the arts of ninjetsu, they were exceptionally trained for assassinations, making this period the “golden age of ninjetsu”. Although there was some unrest, the Hoji regents, who gained access after the Jokyu, maintained several decades of peace and prosperity. On the contrary, problems once again arose as the Mongols (who had conquered China) sent threats on Kamakura but were ignored. Finally they attempted an invasion on the island of Kyushu which was unsuccessful due to terrible weather conditions. On the second attempt, The Japanese army was prepared and succeeded to defend for numerous weeks until bad weather hit again and the Mongols lost interest and left. However, the preparations also had a tragic flaw; the Kamakura government gained only expenditures and no profits, resulting in uprising of Japanese soldiers who wanted to be paid for their service. By 1333 the Kamakura power diminished and Emperor Go-Daigo overthrew the government and restored imperial power.

As the Kamakura Bakufu ended, no sooner had the Muromachi bakufu (1338-1573) begun. Go-Daigo successfully revived the old imperial offices in the Kemmu restoration, but, the old officers were incompetent and did not gain support of the wealthy landowners. Ashikaga Takauji, who was once fighting for Tenno , roused the imperial court and succeeded in capturing Kyoto and became shogun in 1336. In 1368, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the new shogun, took over and established new trade relations with China. During the Yoshimitsu Shogunate, domestic production increased and constituted several new towns and classes. The following 15th and 16th centuries deteriorated the government power in Kyoto. The Daimyo began achieving influence over different parts of Japan. They fought against each other for decades in the Sengoku jidai . In 1542 Japan was introduced to a new religion; Christianity. It was brought by the Portuguese traders and Jesuit Missionaries, but was strongly opposed by all except the Western warlords who were in trade oversees. By the middle of the 1500’s, warlords were competing all over Japan. One of them, Oda Nobunaga, and began to unify Japan by capturing the capital of Kyoto and dethroning the Muromachi Bakufu in 1568.

Oda Nobunaga had a keen sense of uniting Japan in his reign during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603). First, he succeeded in capturing the province of Owari, and then later captured Nagoya in 1568. After establishing himself in Kyoto, Nobunaga continued to eliminate people that he denoted as enemies. Among one of them were the military Buddhist sects, especially the Ikko sect that became increasingly powerful in many provinces. In 1571, he almost entirely destroyed the Enryakuji monastery around Kyoto. It wasn’t until 1580 that Nobunaga finally completed his fight with the Ikko sect. As Nobunaga continued, he flourished and became concerned with his two most dangerous adversaries in the East: Takeda Shingen and Uyesugi Kenshin. Unfortunately, both Shingen and Kenshin died before confronting Oda, even so, after Shingen’s death, Nobunaga defeated the Takeda clan in 1575 at the battle of Nagashino, making use of what is referred as “modern warfare”. In 1582 Nobunaga was murdered by general Akechi. Fortunately, a general working for Nobunaga, General Toyotomi Hideyoshi, avenged Nobunaga, and killed Akechi. He then continued onward as to eliminate Oda’s other remaining enemies and subdued He subdued the Northern provinces, Shikoku and Kyushu. In 1590, Hideyoshi defeated the Hojo family in Odawara and finally reunited Japan. After his take over he constructed many castles, such as Osaka . Next, Hideyoshi wished to conquer China. In 1592 Japan invaded China and captured Seoul only to be pushed back by Korea and China the following year. Hideyoshi finally retreated in 1598 and died the same year. Tokugawa Leyasu, who had been partners with the last leaders succeeded as the ruler in Japan. The Edo Period (1603 - 1867) proved to be the most important and decisive times in Japanese History. It was the peak of Japanese Feudalism and the end of it as well. Tokugawa Leyasu became powerful following Hideyoshi’s death. Like Hideyoshi, he was ambitious and would not accept Hideyori, Hideyoshi’s successor. In the battle of Sekigahara (1600), Tokugawa defeated loyalists and western rivals and formed his government in Edo (Tokyo). The Tokugawa Shogunate lasted for the next 300 years, through the descendents of Leyasu. Leyasu trapped the country and its people. The Daimyo were required to make a trip to Japan every second year in order to keep power to his home. Leyasu continued trade with the western nations, yet he suppressed and persecuted Christians. After Leyasu finally captured Osaka castle and destroyed their final opposition from the Toyotomi Clan, and peace spread throughout the dynasty. The samurai, no longer in need, started to once again train themselves in other subjects such as literature, arts, culture, and philosophy. However, the peace was short lived when in 1633 the shogun Lemitsu outlawed traveling and completely isolated Japan by reducing trade relations to only China and Netherlands in the port of Nagasaki. In addition to this, any foreign influence such as books were banned. Despite the Tokugawa’s tight grip, Japan prospered. New forms of art and philosophy such as Neo-Confucianism became popular. Finally in 1720 the ban on Western literature was cancelled and new ideas began forming in schools allover Japan. Although the Tokugawa Shogunate seemed stable, inner problems became hazardous. The financial situation in Japan began deteriorating and this led to higher taxes and riots within the peasants. The years that followed grew more troublesome with constant famines which rose even more riots and natural disasters. In the second half of the era corruption, incompetence and decline in the government doubled the problems. Internationally, Japan experienced external pressure from Russia and western companies with trade contracts. Ultimately, in 1853, Commander Perry and his “black ship” forced the Tokugawa to open the Japanese trade borders. This threw Japan into Chaos. Anti-Tokugawa feelings formed in result of the mixed reactions to the opening of Japan. Different lower class samurai began rising and formed parties to throw the Shogunate. The Bakamatsu , nicknamed the last years of the Edo period. The samurai fought amongst themselves and finally the Ishin party was victor. Soon they realized that the Western nations favored science and military and they choose to have Japan be open to the world. The Ishin forced the final shogun out of power and restored the Tenno Meiji to his throne.

In 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate finally found end in the Meiji Restoration. The Meiji Era was the beginning of Japanese reformed domestic and international relationships. Once again, the Emperor Meiji was only a symbol of spirituality, but the actual power did not go to the shogun, but to the small group of nobles and former samurai. Japan was forced to sign unequal treaties with the western countries. In order to become a successful and respectable country, Tenno Meiji chose to reform Japan. The group of people who lost in the restoration were the samurai who held most of the privileges. The government aimed towards democracy by establishing the freedom of religion, an educational system, and returning the lands to the emperor from the Daimyo. After decades of reformation in westernization, Japan caught up in technology, military, and became one of the most largest textile industries until WWII. In 1889, they finally formed an executive and ruling clique, in which the actual power was in the clique but the emperor was still sovereign. In the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese War , Japan reinforced its armament and became nationalistic. In 1912, Tenno Meiji died and the ruling clique came to an end.

Essentially, the Shinsengumi was a police troop, patrolling the streets of Kyoto and keeping the peace. They vowed to protect Kyoto with their swords. In the heat of the Ishin movements, Shishis flowed over to Kyoto to plot the downfall of the Shogunate. Add the radical actions of the Shishis, such as setting fires to the gaijin&#39;s abodes (this was done by Takasugi Shinsaku, Katsura Kogorou/Kido Koin. Takasugi is the guy who set up the Kiheitai, and in RK, the guy who first introduced Kenshin to Katsura.), and it made roshis other than Shinsengumi, especially those who&#39;d deserted their hans, very suspicious and dangerous persons in Kyoto. So if you cannot produce a satisfactory identity, i.e. your name and your han when questioned by the Shinsengumi members, chances are that you&#39;d be cut down at once. To quote Kenshin, in the Bakumatsu times, Kyoto was a hell where people died and blood flowed every single day. This made the Shinsengumi feared by many indeed, especially Hijikata, for he was strict and merciless, both when it comes to punishments and cutting down suspicious persons.
Their favourite combat style was many-against-one(or a few), and this became more evident as the size of the Shinsengumi increased. If the first layer of Shinsengumi members surrounding suspicious persons got cut down, further layers of members will converge on them, until they are totally exhausted and cut down. Quoting Kaoru and Kenshin, &quot;but isn&#39;t that a coward&#39;s way, to have many on one?&quot; Well, their main aim was to ensure the peace of Kyoto, so the method&#39;s not so important to them.&quot;