Shinmeiryuu
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Shinmei-ryū (神鳴流 shinmei-ryū "Gods'-Cry School") is the name of a fictional style of kenjutsu used by several manga and anime characters created by Ken Akamatsu. It is also the name of the fictional organization of kenshi ("swordsmen", but the term also includes "swordswomen") who use the style. Most of the Shinmei-ryū's attacks are sword skills infused with ki.
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[edit] Known Users
In Ken Akamatsu’s second series Love Hina, Aoyama Motoko is the successor to the Shinmei-ryū school of swordsmanship. She became successor after her sister and fellow Shinmei-ryū swordswoman Aoyama Tsuruko married, leaving behind the responsibilities.
Sakurazaki Setsuna in Mahō Sensei Negima is a former member of the organization called the Kyoto Shinmei-ryū. She acts as a bodyguard, classmate, and close friend of the daughter of Konoe Eishun, who is also a Shinmei-ryū swordsman as well as the head of the Kansai Magic Association.
Tsukuyomi is a child currently in training with the Kyoto Shinmei-ryū, much as Setsuna was.
Kuzuha Touko is a mercenary hired by Konoe Konoemon from the Kyoto Shinmei-ryū. She taught Setsuna other aspects of the Shinmei-ryū style after her relocation to Mahora.
[edit] Differences
Motoko and her family, who are the only ones identified to use the Shinmei-ryū style in Love Hina, were portrayed as expert demon slayers and exorcists. The Kyoto Shinmei-ryū of Negima is very similar, but in addition to demon slaying, the swordsmen of Kyoto often act as aides or hired mercenaries to the Kansai Magic Association with whom they have long-standing ties. In the past, the partnership of the Shinmei-ryū's swordsmanship and Kansai's traditional magic was a formidable combination.
[edit] Same Universe, Parallel Stories, Different Characters
Many fans combine Ken Akamatsu's works A.I. Love You, Love Hina, and Mahō Sensei Negima into a single continuity called the "Akamatsu-verse." It is a fanon assumption that the orphaned Setsuna Sakurazaki was taken in by Motoko and Tsuruko's family, the Aoyama Clan, and was trained in their ways. Likewise, a fanon assumption is that Tsukuyomi was a student of the Shinmei-ryū who either went off the path of bushidō after completing or discontinuing her studies, or was thrown out of the school for her dishonorable mindset.
[edit] Weaponry
The Shinmei-ryū is a style primarily based on swords, katana in particular. However, all practitioners are expected to be adept at unarmed combat, and generally other weapons beside the sword as well.
Early on, Aoyama Motoko wields the Shisui ("Calm Water"), a katana without a tsuba that was given to her by her sister. Later, she uses an initially cursed katana called the Youto Hina as a replacement to her first sword.
Swordsmen of Kyoto Shinmei-ryū use a more diverse selection of weapons. Both Touko and Setsuna use the nodachi, the Japanese anti-cavalry war sword. Most normal swordsmen cannot wield the nodachi with dexterity due to its great length, but Shinmei-ryū swordsmen handle it with precision and speed due to their higher-than-average strength and speed. The nodachi is the most common weapon of the Kyoto Shinmei-ryū because they are effective against large opponents such as the monsters that Shinmei-ryū swordsmen subdued in the past. Setsuna's sword is named Yuunagi ("Evening Calm"); later on, she also wields a shorter artifact sword (possibly a kodachi or wakizashi) of which that she can summon multiple copies at once. Setsuna also displays great skill with as mundane a weapon as a deck brush.
Tsukuyomi’s choice of weaponry is a pair of kodachi. Her skill with the smaller blades and close-fighting style almost allowed her to defeat Setsuna's longer blade in their first encounter. She also has enough skill to use her swords to deflect bullets.
[edit] Skills
Along with formidable physical combat skills, Kyoto Shinmei-ryū warriors also learn onmyōdō magic (traditional Japanese yin-yang magic) and use shikigami (special constructs of limited intelligence made of paper and controlled by magic). Also unique to Kyoto Shinmei-ryū is the inclusion of grappling techniques, which supplement a warrior’s attacks whenever she is without a weapon. Shinmei-ryū warriors fight with whatever weaponry they have on hand, be they swords, knives, deck brushes, chopsticks, or their bare fists.
[edit] List of Attacks
The Shinmei-ryū style uses ki to increase the strength of attacks and produce different effects. They are generally elemental attacks (lightning, wind and earth are common elements) or normal empowered physical feats.
Note: Attacks are shown in romaji and in kanji form. Liberty has been taken on the translations. Some attacks are also shown with the possible chapters in Love Hina (for Motoko) and Negima (for Setsuna and Tsukuyomi) where they are first utilized.
Definitions:
Ougi 奥義 - Ultimate Secret Technique
Hiken 秘剣 - Hidden Sword Technique
Kessen Ougi 決戦 奥義 - Decisive Battle Ultimate Secret Technique (seems to be only applicable to Shin Raikouken, most probably denotes a powerful area-effect technique)
[edit] Ken 剣 - Sword Techniques
- Zanganken 斬岩剣 ("Stone-Cleaving-Sword")
- - Ougi, infuses ki into the sword to cut a boulder in half. First used by Motoko, Chapter 6, also used by Setsuna in Chapter 29 and by Tsukuyomi in Chapter 32.
- Zanganken Ni-no-Tachi 斬岩剣 弐の太刀 ("Stone-Cleaving-Sword Second-Cut")
- - Ougi, cuts an object behind a person without injuring the person. Used by Motoko in Chapter 70.
- Zanmaken 斬魔剣 ("Demon-Cleaving-Sword")
- - Ougi, disperses demonic spirits. Used by Setsuna, Chapter 74.
- Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi 斬魔剣 弐の太刀 ("Demon-Cleaving-Sword Second-Cut")
- - Ougi, cuts a demonic spirit behind a person without injuring the person. First used by Motoko in Chapter 40 and onwards.
- Raimeiken 雷鳴剣 ("Crying-Thunder-Sword")
- - Ougi, a slashing attack with lightning energy infused onto the sword. Used by Motoko, Chapter 74, also used afterwards by Setsuna and once by Touko (Chapter 140).
- Raimeiken Ni-no-Tachi 雷鳴剣 弐の太刀 ("Crying-Thunder-Sword Second-Cut")
- - Ougi, a lighting slashing attack that cuts possessive demon without injuring the person it possessed.
- Shin Raikouken 真・雷光剣 ("True Lightning-Sword")
- - Kessen Ougi, infuses lightning energy into the sword and causes an explosion that destroys an area.
- Aoyama Motoko-ryū Kokuhakuken 青山素子流「告白剣」 ("Aoyama-Motoko-Style Confession-Slash")
- Not necessarily a real Shinmei-ryū ougi; performed by Aoyama Motoko when she battled her older sister Tsuruko while confessing to Keitarō Urashima, Chapter 108.
[edit] Zan 斬 - Slashing Techniques
- Ryūhazan 竜破斬 ("Dragon-Breaking-Cleave")
- - Unknown, seems to work well against reptiles, one of the techniques used by Motoko when she went berserk against multiple turtles, Chapter 65.
- Samidarekiri 五月雨斬り ("Cleaver of Rain in May")
- - Hiken, instantly cuts into a falling object.
- Goutatsu Amakiri
- - Unknown, Motoko uses it to cut vegetables in mid-air for soup, Chapter 49.
- Hienbattoukasumikiri 飛燕抜刀霞斬り ("Flying-Sparrow-Mist-Sword-Draw")
- - Hiken, instantly cuts multiple objects with two swords. Motoko uses it to chop wood in Chapter 73.
- Hyakuretsuoukazan 百烈桜華斬 ("Raging-Hundred-Cherry-Blossom-Slash")
- - Ougi, draws a circle with the sword, and cuts multiple enemies at once. Used only by Setsuna, Chapter 30 and onwards.
[edit] Sen 閃 - Flash Techniques
- Zankūsen 斬空閃 ("Air-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Hiken, releases ki in a circular fashion to cut the enemy. First used by Motoko, Chapter 26, also used later on by Setsuna in Chapter 31 and onwards.
- Zankūsen Kai 斬空閃・改 ("Air-Cleaving-Flash Revised")
- - Hiken, unknown, a stronger version of Zankūsen, one of the techniques used by Motoko when she went berserk against a mob of turtles, Chapter 65.
- Zankūsen Ni-no-Tachi 斬空閃 弐の太刀 ("Air-Cleaving-Flash Second-Cut")
- - Cuts an enemy behind a person without injuring the person.
- Jakuzankūsen 弱斬空閃 ("Lesser Air-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Hiken, used to blow an object far away. Used by Motoko to send Keitarō flying in Chapter 84.
- Zantetsusen 斬鉄閃 ("Steel-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Releases ki in a spiral fashion to attack the enemy. First used by Motoko in Chapter 9.
- Zankōsen 斬光閃 ("Light-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Unknown, seems like a ki release technique.
- Kakusan Zankōsen 拡散斬光閃 ("Scattered-Light-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Releases ki in all directions.
- Messatsu Zankū Zanmasen 滅殺斬空斬魔閃 ("Annihilation-Air-and-Demon-Cleaving-Flash")
- - Ougi, releases a giant blast of ki from sword to destroy the enemy, Motoko's strongest technique.
- Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi Issen 斬魔剣 弐の太刀 一閃 ("Demon-Cleaver Second-Cut Flash")
- - concentrates the ki from Demon Slasher Second Tachi and releases it, except it can be performed bare-handed.
- Hyakkaryōran 百花繚乱 ("Hundred-Flower-Pandemonium")
- - Hiken, fires off ki and petals in a straight line to strike down an enemy. First used by Motoko in Chapter 25.
[edit] Shou 掌 - Palm Techniques
- Zankūshō 斬空掌 ("Air-Cleaving-Palm")
- - Ougi, releases ki like a bullet.
- Zankūshō San 斬空掌・散 ("Air-Cleaving-Palm Scatter")
- - Ougi, releases multiple ki projectiles like bullets. Used by Setsuna.
- Zanmashō Ni-no-Tachi 斬魔掌 弐の太刀 ("Demon-Cleaving-Palm Second-Cut")
- - Inner 78 Style, breaks clothes without injuring the body. Seems to be used by Motoko to subdue Kanako.
[edit] Ken 拳 - Fist Techniques
- Gurenken 紅蓮拳 ("Red-Lotus-Fist")
- - Fist strikes with infused ki. Used by Motoko.
[edit] Hi 飛 - Ranged Techniques
- Fūjinranbu 風塵乱舞 ("Mad-Dance-of-Wind-and-Dust")
- - Hiken, releases multiple projectiles from hand. Used by Motoko to strike down targets in a booth, Chapter 36.
[edit] Nagewaza 投げ技 - Grappling Techniques
- Ukigumo Tsumujiissen 浮雲・旋一閃 ("Floating-Clouds Twisting-Flash")
- - Shinmei-ryū tossing technique, grabs onto the opponent's shoulder and sweeping the feet forward, rotating in the air before knocking the opponent into the ground. Used only by Setsuna in her fight with Asuna.
- Ukigumo Sakurasanka 浮雲・桜散華 ("Floating-Clouds Immaculate-Scattering-Cherry-Blossoms")
- - Shinmei-ryū tossing technique, locks onto the opponent's head using both legs, and rotates in midair while flipping backwards before knocking the opponent into the ground. Used only by Setsuna on her semi-finals fight with Negi.
Note: List to be updated as more info is researched.
[edit] Other Info
- Due to the same name of sword styles, some fans of Ken Akamatsu have believed that he intended a crossover of Shinmei-ryū attacks in Love Hina and Negima.
- Another probable but not proven Shinmei-ryū swordsman is Eishun Konoe, the father of Konoka Konoe, and who also serves as the Chief of the Kansai Magic Association. He also fought beside "The Thousand Master" Nagi Springfield during a war 15 years ago. In one chapter, shown in a picture with Nagi and his comrades is a much younger Eishun with a katana, similar to that of Motoko’s. Interestingly enough for a Japanese swordsman, Eishun's name (詠春) is the Japanese pronounciation of the Chinese martial art wing chun, first popularized in the west by Bruce Lee.
- The word shinmei comes from the words shin "god, gods" and mei "cry (of birds, animals, etc.)"; shin can also be pronounced kami, and mei as na(ku). However, if the kanji are reversed, and na(ku) is pronounced na(ru), it becomes na(ru)-kami, an alternate form of kaminari "thunder". Therefore, the "cry of the gods" is "thunder".
