Makoto Shishio
If you're strong you live, if you're weak you die....
These are the words which define Makoto Shishio 's very nature, his outlook on life and what he planned to bring to the nation of Japan under his rule.
A former Manslayer in the employ of the imperialists during the Meiji Revolution. Shishio replaced Kenshin Himura as the assassin in the shadows. At the time, Shishio's skills were said to be equal to the Battosai, but the Meiji government grew to fear Shishio for unlike his predesesor, he desired power, and the knowledge he had of their actions could bring them down if the public became aware. In 1868, during the Boshin War, they betrayed Shishio during his final mission and ambushed him, shooting him in the head and then setting him on fire. But Makoto Shishio did not die.
Taking the time to take care of his injuries, Shishio hid in the shadows, wrapping himself in bandages from head to toe. All his sweat glands were destroyed and as such he could no longer regulate his body temperature through sweating, leaving his body temperature extremely high. By the time Shishio was ready to move against the Meijis, the revolution was over and the Meijis were in power. Shishio loathed the Meijis, seeing them as weak since they couldn't succesfully kill him, and vowed to bring them down.
Shishio began travelling through Japan, planning his revenge. Along the way he recruited Soujiro Seta, and taught him his philosophy: If you're strong you live, if you're weak you die. Shishio's power was growing and he recruited Hoji Sadojima and through him was able to recruit a syndicate and his own assassination squad called the Juppongatana (The Ten Swords). He also gained the love of a beautiful, high ranking escort named Yumi Komagata.
After ten years, Shishio began small villages all over Japan, taking the city of Kyoto as his headquarters. He eventually learned that Prime Minister Okubo was charging Kenshin Himura to assassinate him. Looking forward to the attempt, Shishio embraced this and allowed Okubo another week of life before sending Soujiro to assassinate him. He also used the assassination as a warning to Himura of what to expect.
While visiting one of the villages he conquered, Shishio finally met Kenshin Himura and Saito Hajime, whereupon he unleashed Senkaku on Himura, merely to test and observe Himura's fighting skills; for if Shishio ever saw a move, it could not be used against him. Shishio retreated back to Kyoto and sent word to all the Juppongatana to gather there.
Shishio returned to Kyoto preparing his master plan to burn Kyoto to the ground, and then take a steel battleship (which Shishio dubbed Purgatory) he acquired and kept in the harbor of Osaka down to Tokyo. Once there, he would attack the Meiji government disguised as the infamous black ships that caused the revolution, as Shishio had a love for such ironies. With the nation in chaos, Shishio would hve taken control of Japan. His plot to burn Kyoto failed due to Kenshin, Saito and Sanosuke Sagara. Shishio had greatly underestimated them; unable to set the fires and with his ship destroyed, Shishio realized he needed to kill Himura, Saito and Sanosuke before taking control of Japan, and challenged them to a duel at his true headquarters at Mt. Hiel.
Shishio awaited the arrival of his enemies, allowing three of the Juppongatana to stay while he sent the rest to destroy the Oniwaban Group (who had previously interfered by preventing the arson of Kyoto), and allowed Yumi to act as Himura's guide and spy so that he could learn the secret of Himura's final attack. One by one, his top three warriors were defeated, and a shocked Shishio decided to await Himura in the arena which he called Inferno Room.
Upon making their way into the arena, Shishio embraced Yumi promising the fight would end in fifteen minutes, and battled with Kenshin, the fight going in his favor. He succeeded in knocking Kenshin out, beat Saito in one-on-one combat, and defeated Sanosuke and Aoshi as well. Kenshin rose up again and the battle between him and Shishio grew more desperate; fifteen minutes had passed and Shishio's body temperature was rising to dangerous levels. His blood began to literally boil and he doubled over in pain, vomiting. Yumi stepped in, begging Kenshin to stop so she could take care of Shishio. But Shishio stabbed through her with his sword, and Yumi was only too happy to die for her love. Shishio got on his feet and prepared to kill Kenshin, but his body temperature had risen so high that his blood began to evaporate and he burst into flames. Letting out a triumphant laugh, Shishio fell, his body turned to ash.
Makoto Shishio and Yumi reunited in Hell waiting for Hoji to arrive (as he killed himself in prison later). Allowing Hoji to rejoin him, Shishio set out to conquer Hell, feeling that the spirits feared him (Shishio), and that's why they allowed Kenshin to win in life. But in a place where only evil people existed, Shishio was confident that would not happen a second time, and victory would be his.
Shishio later appeared to Kenshin while he was injured mocking him for a failure. But it is unknown whether or not Kenshin was hallucinating or he was actually visited by the spirit of Makoto Shishio.
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Notes
- Shishio Makoto was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki where he featured in the setting of Rurouni Kensin.
- Fans of Rurouni Kenshin like to believe that Makoto Shishio succeeded in conquering Hell.
In other media
Video games
Appearances
- Rurouni Kenshin:
