Seiran Shi
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| Seiran Shi | |
|---|---|
| (茈 静蘭) | |
 Shi Seiran |
|
| Debut | Manga Volume 1 Story 1 Anime Episode 1 |
| Seiyū | Hikaru Midorikawa |
| Profile | |
| Title(s) | Prince (exiled) Forest Army's Captain (former) Royal Guard's Captain (former) Exclusive Officer |
| Nickname(s) | "Flower" of the Royal Princes Little Whirlwind |
| Age | 26 at the start of the series (approximate) |
| Hair Color | Lavender Blue |
| Eye Color | Teal |
| Known relatives | Ryuuki Shi (younger brother) Senka (father, deceased) Four brothers (all deceased) Mother (deceased) Grandfather (deceased) |
Seiran Shi (茈 静蘭 Shi Seiran?) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Saiunkoku Monogatari.
Contents |
[edit] Personality
Seiran can be construed as an intelligent and gentle person. He often puts others' well-being before his own and can sometimes be considered as being over-protective. He usually keeps to himself and doesn't let anyone get too close to his mysterious past. Shuurei, his childhood friend, often goes to him when she feels concerned about something or just to have a relaxing conversation. Rather than being directly involved in their actions, Seiran prefers to support others by watching and helping from the shadows. Still, he is always ready for action when he feels that those he cares about are in danger. Even though he is often seen with an amiable disposition, he could be quite ruthless to those who put his loved ones in danger. He has no qualms in implementing any means necessary in order to protect the people he cares for.
[edit] Background
Seiran Shi was introduced as a low-ranking army officer and the sole remaining retainer in the Kou household. Thirteen years ago, Seiran was taken in by Shouka Kou and has made a vow to spend his life repaying that kindness. He helps the Kou family by protecting them at their home, performing repairs on the family estate, and taking small guard jobs to earn money. He is very skilled in both fighting and swordsmanship.
[edit] True Identity
Seiran was later revealed to be Prince Seien, the second oldest of the six royal brothers (all born to different mothers), making him Ryuuki's older brother. He was known as the "flower" of the royal princes due to his handsome looks, kind heart, and also his physical and intellectual superiority over his brothers. At the age of 12, he decided to participate in the Palace's Annual Fighting Tournament. After Seien won the tournament, the Emperor (his father) said that he, having distinguished himself in both the scholarly and the martial arts, was worthy enough to receive their family's esteemed twin swords, Kanshou and Bakuya. He gave one of the twin swords, Bakuya, to his little brother, Ryuuki. Out of all his other brothers, Seien was the only one who treated Ryuuki with kindness.
Due to Seien's potential abilities, his brothers and other royal families grew jealous of him. It did not take long for them to view him as a threat in the race for becoming heir to the Emperor's throne. Not wanting to be just another low-level official, his grandfather, along with his mother, conspired to make him Emperor. Due to a trap by the other royal families, who wanted to do away with Seien, their conspiracy was quickly discovered. Seien, who knew nothing of the plot, and his mother were exiled for treason, while his grandfather was executed. The other royal families, who saw this as a chance to completely annihilate him once and for all, sent assassins to kill him. He killed all the assassins and survived all the attempts on his life; however, his mother was killed by an assassin. (Like Ryuuki, Seien also had a mother who regretted giving birth to one of the Emperor's children. She was a sickly person who would often tell him that she would have had a better life if she had never gave birth to him, even with her very last breath. Though Seien was unsure of his love for his mother, he expressed that he did not hate her because he is grateful for the life she gave him.)
Some time later, a mysterious man found Seien laying on the ground unconscious. Unbeknownst to Seien, this man brought him into the Satsujinzoku, a murderous band of theives in Sa Province (Brown Province). During his time in the band (who knew nothing of Seien's past), he was given the nickname Shousenpuu (小旋风), or Little Whirlwind. He also encountered a young man, Ensei Rou, who also became part of the Satsujinzoku. The two soon discovered that they could no longer allow the existence of the contemptible band of thieves and proceeded to destroy the band themselves. Seien left Sa Province after the conflict with the Satsujinzoku. (According to Shuuei Ran, there were no traces of Seien's whereabouts after his exile. Although, because 'Seiran' was taken in by Shouka nearly a year after Seien's exile, it is believed that Seien spent a year in Sa Province, the place he was officially exiled to, before he wandered off.)
[edit] Kou Household
After travelling away from Sa Province, he soon found himself wandering alone. As he was about to give up, a married couple, and their daughter, found a debilitated Seien lying on the snow-covered ground. This group turned out to be members of the Kou household, one of the most powerful clans in all of Saiunkoku. Without knowing nor asking who he was, the married couple, Shouka and Shoukun, decided to take in Seien into their home, while their young, good-natured daughter, Shuurei, decided to take it upon herself to befriend Seien.
Since Seien did not speak at all during his initial stay in the Kou household, Shoukun gave him the name 'Seiran' (静蘭), which translates into Silent Orchid. The first time he spoke was when Shoukun blew up a medicinal soup she was concocting for Shuurei, in which Shoukun replied, "You...can speak?". He was also given the surname 'Shi' (茈), which is pronounced the same as the Emperor's family name, but has different kanji. During his stay in the Kou household, he undertook the position of retainer, doing many of the house chores himself.
Having went through many unpleasant events as 'Seien', he decided to wholly devote himself into being 'Seiran', the sole remaining retainer of the Kou household. Due to this and the fact that he wants to repay Shouka and his family, he did not reveal his true identity as Seien, a prince of Saiunkoku, to any member of the Kou household (Though it was later revealed that Shouka knew of his true identity beforehand, unbeknownst to Seiran).
[edit] Story
Prior to the start of the Saiunkoku Monogatari story, thirteen years have passed since he was taken into the Kou household.
[edit] Relationships
[edit] Shuurei Kou
- Having watched over Shuurei since childhood, Seiran has grown quite protective of her; he once threw a boy, who was constantly hitting on her, into a river, in the middle of winter. Shuurei grew up side-by-side with Seiran and often confides in him, telling him virtually everything. She also constantly worries about him because he always keeps to himself and doesn't express himself to her, while she often expresses her worries to him and sometimes even seeks his advice. Due to spending so much of their time with each other, many of the townspeople have mistook them for a couple on several occasions. Though they have a strong bond, neither side have shown any romantic feelings for the other. Seiran wants the best for Shuurei and acts more like an older, over-protective brother towards her.
- He has yet to reveal his past to her, making her unaware of the fact that he is Ryuuki's older brother, Seien.
[edit] Ensei Rou
- In many ways, Ensei Rou could be considered Seiran's closest friend. Having known Seiran since their days as part of the Satsujinzoku in Sa Province, Ensei knows more about Seiran than most. He can easily tell whether or not Seiran is agitated, angry, or concerned. He also knows of the painful experiences that Seiran has gone through and is aware that he is the former Prince Seien.
- Since they've gone through so much with each other, Seiran, when in the presence of Ensei, feels comfortable enough to act in a way that he doesn't with anyone else. He is often seen as being cruel towards Ensei and sometimes even makes fun of him. Also, rather than keeping to himself, Seiran usually speaks to Ensei in a direct manner.
- Although they're close friends, Seiran considers Ensei and himself complete opposites. He speaks of Ensei as a person who lives in the light and prefers to avoid darkness. On the other hand, Seiran is a person who would take advantage of the darkness, as long as he's able to protect those he cares for.
[edit] Ryuuki Shi
- Seiran's true identity makes him Ryuuki's older brother and, arguably, the true heir to the throne. However, Seiran has shown no interest in claiming the throne for himself, preferring to act behind the scenes and assist his younger brother. He states that he's happy for Ryuuki and is certain that he will be a great Emperor. Seiran had also said that back in his days as Seien, the one person who truly loved him, without hidden motive, was Ryuuki. He goes on to say that the only reason he stayed in the palace was because Ryuuki was there.
- Even after discovering Seiran's true identity, Ryuuki harbors some jealousy over the fact that Seiran spends more time with Shuurei and that she confides in him more. Though initially surprised at Ryuuki's advances towards Shuurei, Seiran later shows signs of supporting their supposed relationship. He wants nothing more than Ryuuki and Shuurei's happiness.
- Ryuuki had once described Seiran as, "Stubborn and unwavering, standing at the ready, and unflattered by power. He has a self-respect that runs close to arrogance, as well as an unshakeable self-confidence and belief, who would not bow his head unreasonably."
[edit] Trivia
- Seiran's surname 'Shi' (茈), is pronounced the same as the Emperor's family name, but has different kanji. During a conversation with Shouka, Yousei Shou comments on how the 'Shi' in Seiran's name means the flower of Zi Cao, which is connected to the royal family (due to its purplish color). He then goes on to say that Shouka gave him a fitting name.
[edit] Sources
- Various Saiunkoku Monogatari manga chapters, light novels, and anime episodes.
