Chikuma Koshirou
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Chikuma Koshirō (Japanese: 筑摩 小四郎, hiragana: ちくま こしろう, rōmaji: Chikuma Koshirou) a major character featured in the Japanese anime Basilisk Kouga Ninpou Chou (known in English as Kouga Ninja Scrolls). Although his standing within the Iga's hierarchy was that of a mere gennin (a ninja footsoldier), Koshirou's prodigious talent was enough for his leader Ogen to include him among the ten elite warriors chosen to represent their clan of Iga Tsubagakure against the elite ten of the rival Kouga Manjidani clan.
Koshirou's technique enables him to create miniature tornadoes with his breath which suck his enemies in and then shreds them to pieces. He also wields a pair of kama hand scythes which Koshirou is able to use either in close combat or even throw like boomerangs. After being blinded by Kouga Gennosuke his other senses adapt to compensate although he's nowhere near as capable with his blindness as Muroga Hyouma.
Koshirou and Oboro grew up together and despite the difference in their stations she sees him almost as an older brother. Koshirou himself is completely devoted to Oboro and may even hold romantic feelings for her. On the other hand, as Yakushiji Tenzen's apprentice he's obligated to follow his sensei's orders regardless of how he personally feels. He's also the love interest of Oboro's bodyguard and confidant Akeginu although he's more or less oblivious to it otherwise. In the anime, Koushiro is an expert woodcarver and after being blinded, learns to carve with equal skill using his sense of touch alone.
In the Japanese original anime, he is voiced by Wataru Hatano.
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[edit] Battles
Koshirou VS Shogen (episode 3): Along with Azuki Rousai, Mino Nenki, and Hotarubi, Koshirou was sent by Tenzen to intercept Kazamachi Shogen and take the Koga's copy of the battle scroll. Early in the fight, Shogen shoots his glue onto Koshirou's mouth, preventing him from using his tornado power. Koshirou later finds himself caught in a net woven from Shogen's glue along with Rousai and Nenki. Fortunately for them, Hotarubi managed to escape being caught and distracts Shogen with her butterfly swarm, allowing Nenki to finish him off with one of Koshirou's scythes.
Koshirou VS Koga shinobi (episode 5): Following Tenzen's command, Koshirou was part of the Iga force that launched a sneak attack on Manjidani. After taking out the perimeter guards alongside Rousai, Koshirou and the others infiltrated the village where they found themselves surrounded by the Koga ninja. During the resulting battle, Koshirou found himself attacked by a member of Kazamachi Shogen's family. After using his scythes to amputate the spidery ninja's arms, Koushiro uses his tornado power to block his enemy's glue attack before using a second vortex to finish him off. When the Koga ten joined the fight, Koshirou retreated along with the other Iga.
Koshirou VS Gennosuke (episode 9): After the Iga ninjas failed to kill Gennosuke following his learning of the truce's cancellation, Tenzen decided that he had to be eliminated while the Iga still had the chance and sent Koshirou to slay Gennosuke as he attempted to leave Tsubagakure alongside Kasumi Gyoubu and Kisaragi Saemon. As Gennosuke's Dojutsu required his enemies to meet his gaze directly, Tenzen knew that his student had the best chance of victory as Koshirou's scythes and tornado power would keep him safely out of range. Rejecting Gennosuke's suggestion to withdraw his challenge, Koshirou hurled his scythes but missed when Gyoubu and Saemon knocked them aside. Koshirou then attempted to generate a vortex but was interrupted when Oboro suddenly broke away from Akeginu and placed herself between him and Gennosuke, begging him to stop. Despite Tenzen's claim that Gennosuke was now her enemy and that Oboro should use her Mystic Eyes on him, Oboro was torn by indecision and buried her face in her hands so she wouldn't have to watch either her friend or her lover die. But as Koshirou attempted to use his technique, Oboro's feelings for Gennosuke got the better of her and she hurled herself at Koshirou in an attempt to stop him. As her eyes neutralized Koshirou's technique, Oboro's impulsiveness unintentionally granted Gennosuke the opportunity to use his Dojutsu. Koshirou shoved Oboro out of the way but was too late to stop his tornado power from backfiring on him as it ripped apart his eyes and rendered him permanately blind. It was this that ultimately drove Oboro to seal her eyes with the Seven Days of Darkness potion for fear of doing the same to another of her clansmen should they ever meet Gennosuke in combat.
Ironically, Koushiro later admits that Oboro's interference actually saved his life as Gennosuke had used a weakened Dojutsu so as to only cripple Koshirou while leaving Oboro unharmed. He also confesses to Akeginu that being blind had its advantages as now he'll never have to see Oboro standing in the rain again (a reference to the look of despair she gave him as he attempted to kill Gennosuke).
Koshirou VS Hyouma (episode 17-18): Told by Tenzen that his actions on the boat were merely a ploy to lure out Kasumi Gyoubu, Koshirou reluctantly accompanied his master on a mission to ambush the Koga. With a hair wrap that once belonged to Lady Ogen, Koushirou was able to control Ogen's hawk enough to make it lead Kagerou and the disguised Kisaragi Saemon away from Hyouma and Gennosuke, but was forced to retreat after his enemies stumbled onto his hiding place. Seeking to regroup with Tenzen, Koushirou was unaware that Tenzen had been slain by Hyouma's Dojutsu and believed his sensei had abandoned him for his disobedience on the boat. Consumed with dread for Princess Oboro, Koushiro helplessly wandered through an empty field as he vowed that once the Koga were defeated he would take Oboro away from the violence and sorrow caused by the ninja war to a place where he could protect her forever. Suddenly, the sound of wings overhead alerted him to the presence of Ogen's hawk which he followed towards the road where his path crossed with Gennosuke, Hyouma, and Kagerou.
Blaming the Koga for all the suffering Oboro had experienced, Gennosuke in particular for turning his back on her, Koshirou threw himself into battle with unrelenting ferocity. After barely missing Kagerou with his tornado power, Koshirou threw his scythe after Hyouma as his enemies dove into the cover of the tall grass. With the hawk guiding him from overhead, Koshirou launched a vortex into the field and succeeded in flushing two of the Koga out. As he attempted to cut them down with his scythe, Hyouma leapt out and struck with his sword. Koshirou blocked with his weapon and countered with another vortex as Hyouma attempted to use his Dojutsu (which thanks to his blindness Koshirou was immune to) but Hyouma blocked the attack with his scabbard as his sword broke through the handle of Koshirou's scythe. Backing away, Koshirou reached for his second scythe as his ears searched for any noise that would give away Hyouma's position. When something struck the ground beside him, Koshirou hurled his scythe but was distracted when another object landed behind him. Hyouma had thrown his scabbard and travel pack to reveal Koshirou's own position and was moments from striking him down when the flying scythe returned and richoceted off Hyouma's sword, alerting him to Koshirou who immediately created a final vortex to deal Hyouma a mortal blow.
Koshirou VS Kagerou (episode 19): Following his victory over Hyouma, Koshirou was startled to hear someone approach him from behind. Koshirou ordered the person to identify themself and was relieved to hear Akeginu's voice call out to him but then asked why she wasn't with Oboro at the Inn. When Akeginu didn't answer, Koshirou demanded she tell him and Akeginu tearfully said the Koga had attacked the Inn and brutally slaughtered Oboro. The horror of the revelation was enough to make Koshirou fall to his knees as he screamed in rage and despair over his failure to protect his Princess. As he attempted to stand, Koshirou was shocked when Akeginu seductively pushed herself against him and said the only choice left for them was to join their comrades in the netherworld. Distraught by Oboro's death and surprised by a side of Akeginu he had never seen before, Koshirou returned her embrace and kissed her when Oboro's face flashed in his mind as if to warn him. Realizing too late that he had been tricked, Koshirou attempted to push her away as something entered his lungs and poisoned him. The person he thought was Akeginu was actually the Koga woman Kagerou while Kisaragi Saemon (who had returned to his comrades in the guise of Tenzen) had imitated Akeginu's voice to deceive him. As Koshirou fell to the ground, he whispered Oboro's name and Saemon claimed it was fitting for Koshirou to dream of being held by Akeginu as he died.
Moments later, the Hawk guided Oboro and the real Akeginu to where Koshirou's body lay. And after brutally stabbing the remains of Hyouma in her fury, Akeginu tearfully buried the man she loved by the side of the road
[edit] Manga
Of all the characters in Basilisk, Koshirou differs the most between the original manga and the anime. In the manga, Koshirou shares Tenzen's sheer ruthlessness and arrogance in combat while the anime depicts him as being more reluctant to fight any battle where his opponents would suffer an overwhelming disadvantage, prompting Tenzen to lecture him on how chivalry has no place in a war between ninja.
Additionally, Koshirou's manga self doesn't seem to have any apparent romantic feelings for Oboro. He still cares for her deeply (despite still trying to assassinate Gennosuke behind her back), yet those feelings are kept mostly as platonic friendship or lord/lady respect. Koshirou is also the centerpiece of several scenes in the anime that never occurred in the original manga, like his encounter with a little child whose father would be sacrificed by Tenzen during his fight with Kasumi Gyoubu.
[edit] Alternate Information
Koshirou was included in the live-action movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade although several changes were made to his character. The biggest was that Koshirou was part of the Kouga ninjas, had a beard and did not use either sickles or his kamaitachi technique. Instead he wields shuriken and a pair of kunai attached to chains. He eventually grows frustrated at Gennosuke's unwillingness to fight, and leaves the group to fight the Iga ninjas by himself.
Koshirou in the novel is more similar to the manga than the anime. His feelings for Akeginu is that of a younger brother, so he remains unaware of her more romantic sentiment. Like the anime and manga, he is Tenzen's student/servant (Tenzen having trained him ever since he was a child) but he still tries to stop Tenzen from raping Oboro. Like the manga and anime, he never gets quite used to being blind. Instead of two hand scythes, Koshirou in the novel wields one large two handed scythe that's far too heavy to be thrown but is much better suited for close range combat.
[edit] References
Fumitoro Kizaki (Director). Basilisk-Koga Ninpocho [TV-Series] GONZO/Kodansha/Japan Digital Concepts: Japan. 2005
Masaki Segawa (Manga-Ka). Basilisk-Koga Ninpocho [Manga] Kodansha: Japan. 2003-2004
Futaro Yamada (Author). Koga Ninpocho [novel] Japan. 1958
Ten Shimoyama (Director) Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (DVD) Japan. 2005
