Katsuichi
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| Katsuichi | |
 Katsuichi in the center in battle Cover of Usagi Yojimbo v1 #28, art by Stan Sakai |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Dark Horse Comics |
| Created by | Stan Sakai |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Katsuichi |
| Abilities | Expert samurai |
Katsuichi is a supporting character in the Usagi Yojimbo anthropomorphic comic book series. His name is said by Stan Sakai to be a combination of Katsu (to win) and ichi (one) or, "One who wins".
He is an anthropomorphic lion samurai sensei who rejected the orthodox fighting styles to create a distinctive new technique. However, he soon abandoned his school due to his dissatisfaction with the poor quality students available.
Becoming a hermit near Miyamoto Usagi's village, he later had a confrontation with an arrogant gang of students from the rival Dogora school, witnessed by Usagi and his rival Kenichi which ended with a short battle where Katsuichi easily slew his attackers. Usagi was so impressed that he appealed to the lion to take him as his student, a request that was immediately refused. Only after Usagi waited outside his home day and night long enough did he convince the teacher that the rabbit was serious enough for him to change his mind.
Taking the youth as his student, Katsuichi used unusual techniques to teach the boy. These included attacking Usagi at random times to encourage Usagi to be constantly vigilant to danger. Usagi excelled at this instruction and soon became a master warrior skilled enough for Katsuichi to compete in- and eventually win- a fencing tournament against the Dogora school. Although he does not make his opinion of students known to their faces, Katsuichi considers Usagi his finest pupil.
Shortly after Usagi graduated from Katsuichi's instruction, the rabbit discovered his teacher being attacked by the Dogora school in revenge for their defeat at the tournament. Although Usagi joined the battle, he was unable to save his master from being blinded in one eye and being thrown down a cliff to a river to his apparent death.
It turned out that Katsuichi survived the fall and was instead swept downriver. He was found by two boys who nursed him back to health and he repaid the favor by training them as warriors. Much later in the story "Circles", Usagi reunited with his teacher and later recommended his son, Jotaro, to seek him out to see if the lion would instruct the boy.
Katsuichi agreed to do so, eventually deducing his true parentage as well. Jotaro has excelled at his instruction and the kitten accompanied Katsuichi when he accepted a challenge to a duel with another master swordsman, Nakamura Koji. They met up with Usagi and Koji and saved a village being attacked by bandits, before heading of to Kitanoji temple for the duel. At that challenge, Katsuichi defeated Koji, who bequeathed his daisho to Jotaro to wield when he came of age. Afterwards, Katsuichi left Jotaro with Usagi for a while so the two could get reacquainted, meeting up with them later, and going back into the mountains to continue his training.
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