Kaze Hikaru

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shining Wind

Cover of Japanese volume 20
風光る
(Kaze Hikaru)
Genre Action, Historical
Manga
Author Taeko Watanabe
Publisher Flag of Japan Shogakukan
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Flowers
Original run 1997 – ongoing
Volumes 21

Kaze Hikaru (風光る? literally Shining Wind or The Wind Shines) is a Japanese manga series by Taeko Watanabe.

Kaze Hikaru is set in the bakumatsu. After her father and older brother are murdered, Tominaga Sei decides to pose as a boy named Kamiya Seizaburo (神谷清三郎?) so that she can join the Mibu-Roshigumi (later known as the Shinsengumi) and avenge their deaths. Trained by Okita Soji, she soon finds herself falling in love with him.

The series has been published in Japan by Shogakukan since 1997. It is published in the North America by VIZ Media and ran in VIZ media's Shojo Beat magazine from the magazine's start until its September 2006 issue, when it was replaced by Backstage Prince. In 2003, it won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo.[1]

Contents

[edit] Title

The title of this series is a reference to this haiku:

kaze hikaru
makoto no hata ni
hana goro mo

("Wind shines/around truth's flag/and the symphony of flowers as well")

[edit] Characters

Tominaga Sei (富永セイ?)
A fictional character created by Watanabe Taeko, she poses as a boy named Kamiya Seizaburo and joins the Miburōshi (which later renamed Shinsengumi) in order to avenge the death of her father and older brother at the hands of members of the Chōshū clan. She eventually decides to stay with the Miburo to stand by Okita's side and protect him.
Okita Sōji (沖田総司?)
The genius swordsman and officer of the Shinsengumi. He has a sunny disposition that sometimes borders on childishness, but displays frighteningly deadly skill in combat situations. He is first assigned as the assistant vice captain; later in the series, he gets assigned as the captain of the first squad. He is one of the few people in the story who are aware of Sei's true gender and he cares deeply about her well-being.
Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三?)
The Shinsengumi's vice-commander. He is known to many as cruel and strict taskmaster with a high standard of morals. Though that is simply facade because he simply had to learn to be the devils advocate due Kondou Isami's inability to put people in their place. Therefore, Higikata plays the 'bad guy' to maintain order, and it is a role he plays well. Hijikata's softer side is his love of poetry, evident in a book filled with his haiku that actually gave the name of this series. Though he does not show it often, he does care for the people around him.
Kondō Isami (近藤勇?)
The leader of all the Shinsengumi. He is a kind gentle man who cares about every single member of the Shinsengumi. He is a natural leader and really devoted to his cause.
Saitō Hajime (斎藤一?)
Although he does not know that Sei is a girl, Saito is quite fond of her. Saito is level headed and mature with combat skills rival that of Okita. Since he has an uncanny resemblance to Sei's deceased brother, she sometimes address him as aniue (translates to brother above). He is her silent protector - who is always there for consolation when something is upsetting her (usually something related to Okita). Saito's personality comes off to others as bland and very serious, but he does have a great sense of humor that comes out around Okita, then a hysterical side that comes out whenever he thinks Sei is being hit on.

[edit] References

  1. ^ 小学館漫画賞：歴代受賞者 (Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.

[edit] External links