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Myojin Yahiko
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, known as Yahiko Myojin in the English-language dub, is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin universe created by Nobuhiro Watsuki as a main protagonist for the series and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, Original video animations (OVAs), movies, soundtracks, video games, and other collectibles.
The fictional setting takes place during the pre-Meiji period of Japan. Yahiko is an orphan from a samurai family and was forced to work as a thief to repay the debt that he had supposedly owed due to his parents death before they could pay it back.
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Encyclopedia
, known as Yahiko Myojin in the English-language dub, is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin universe created by Nobuhiro Watsuki as a main protagonist for the series and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, Original video animations (OVAs), movies, soundtracks, video games, and other collectibles.
The fictional setting takes place during the pre-Meiji period of Japan. Yahiko is an orphan from a samurai family and was forced to work as a thief to repay the debt that he had supposedly owed due to his parents death before they could pay it back. When he is rescued by the main character of the story Himura Kenshin and decides that he would grow up to be just like Kenshin but due to his strong beliefs in not teaching anyone else the sword style he had obtained, he enlisted Yahiko to be trained by Kamiya Kaoru, the teacher of the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu. As the series progressess, Yahiko becomes skilled at the swordmanship and comes to face many opponents. Yahiko has also appeared in the featured movie of the series, as well as other media relating to the franchise, including a plethora of electronic games and an OVA series.
Creation and conception
Nobuhiro Watsuki, creator of Rurouni Kenshin says that he used no particular logic when drawing Yahiko except for the "defiant" eyes and "mussed" hair, as Watsuki describes the traits as "a must" in a shonen comic.
Watsuki created Yahiko from emotions originating from junior high school. Watsuki enjoyed practicing kendo "almost as much as drawing manga." Watsuki described himself as "weak" and "an embarrassment to my 183 centimeters of height." A member of the starting squad once because the school suspended another student originally intended to be a starter, Watsuki failed to achieve a win in a league tournament. Watsuki found frustration, a desire to improve his kendo skills, and "being awful" despite his desire to succeed. As an "outlet" for Watsuki's kendo emotions, Yahiko "knows a pain that hero-types like Kenshin and Sanosuke can never know." As Watsuki further developed the story, Yahiko became a comedic character. Watsuki desired to draw Yahiko in a manner that readers can envision him as being a "great" swordsman five to ten years later.
In the anime adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin, Watsuki's designs were combined with the voice talents of Miina Tominaga, a female seiyu. In producing the English dub version of the series, Media Blasters chose Elyse Floyd to voice Yahiko, noting her to have won easily her work. Clark Cheng, writer of the dub script, credits Elyse for helping him to write some of the dialogues of the characters.
Character outline
Personality
A hotheaded child, Yahiko is arrogant, cheeky, a user of profanity, and bad-mannered; and he already bestowed upon himself the title 'Tokyo Samurai' since his father was a samurai and died during the Battle of Ueno during the Boshin War, slain at the Keneiji Temple. As the years go by, Yahiko learns the principles of Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu, which coincides with Kenshin's ideals. Even though he overrates himself, Yahiko defeats several enemies - even one of the Ten Swords.
In time Yahiko becomes a master swordsman, whose skills are nearly equal to Kenshin's. He also becomes an assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu dojo, which prospers again. On the day of his fifteenth birthday, after battling Kenshin in a one-strike match, Kenshin gives him the Sakabato. By this time, he has grown into a level-headed, contemplative, and caring young man.
Yahiko has a friend/rival, Tsukayama Yutaro, who is a rich boy tricked into believing his sensei, Isurugi Raijuta, cared about him. Yutaro was a brief student of the Kamiya dojo after he revealed that he was never trained by Raijuta (in the anime, he was quickly defeated by Yahiko, while in the manga, the battle was halted as Yutaro could not hold his shinai properly).
Yutaro, however, was hit by Raijuta's Tobi Izuna (a huge gust of wind from an overhead swing that can kill someone) in his right arm and his nerves were damaged so he could never use a sword again. Yutaro moved with his uncle to Germany so that his uncle could seek treatment for his arm, thus allowing Yutaro to one day use that arm again. Before he left, Yahiko swung his bamboo sword at him and he blocked with his walking cane and said "Even without my other arm, I can still use a sword" and promised that he will return to Tokyo to challenge Yahiko. At the end of the series, Yutaro and Yahiko are the Acting Instructors of Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu.
He has a sweetheart, Sanjo Tsubame, who works at Akabeko (a restaurant where Yahiko also works) as a waitress.
Techniques
Yahiko is trained in the series in the swordsmanship style. During his six months of training his teacher, Kamiya Kaoru, recognizes him as the strongest child in Japan, though Yahiko commonly says that is not enough since he wants to be as strong as Himura Kenshin. After seeing several of his fights, Yahiko becomes adept in imitating some of Kenshin's techniques and combining them to perform many other powerful sword techniques.
During the Jinchu Arc, since Yahiko wants to become strong enough to protect his friends that he is taught the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu's two succession techniques. In the first one, , Yahiko crosses his arms over his head and catches the blade of the opponent with the back of their hands. This allows him to maintain their grip on their sword while catching the opponents blade at the same time. However, if properly used, it can be chained into Kamiya Kasshin-Ryus offensive succession technique. It is a counter-attack and can only be performed after a successful use of the Hadome technique. From the Hadome position, Yahiko twists his wrists, thus stripping the weapon of their attacker away from their wrists. He successfully learns both of this techniques and becomes so adept at using the Hadome, that Yahiko starts performing variations of the technique, even becoming famous when he is a teenager due to his title of " the man who has caught 1000 blades".
Plot overview
Yahiko first appears trying to rob Kenshin on a bridge. Kenshin stops him but lets him go. He returns to his yakuza bosses and reports he hasn't stolen anything. Just as they are about to beat him to death, Kenshin arrives to save him and take him to Kaoru's dojo to learn swordsmanship. He becomes a witness to many of Kenshin's later battles and even battles alone one time.
During the Kyoto Arc, he accompanies Kaoru to find Kenshin and aid him against Shishio Makoto. While Kenshin goes to fight him, he stays in Kyoto to defend the Aoi-ya from Shishio's forces. He also fights and defeats Henya of the Ten Swords.
During the Jinchu Arc, he sees the destruction of the Akabeko that is part of Enishi's revenge plot. Sensing his inability to help as he is, he trains even harder to learn more moves in Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu. He uses those moves against Hyoko Otowa and defeats him whle sustaining serious injuries. He has barely recovered from them when Hyojo Kujiranami escapes from jail and goes on a rampage. He stands up to the giant but is not strong enough on his own to defeat him. Kenshin saves him at the last moment, however. After he and Kenshin recover from the fight, they go to rescue Kaoru from Enishi. While on his island fortress, Yahiko defeats Genbu of the Four Stars and witnesses Kenshin's fight with Enishi. Later, he moves into Sanosuke's home to leave Kenshin and Kaoru alone.
Five years later, he is Acting Instructor at the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu dojo. One day, Kenshin calls him to test his skills; when he lands a hit on Kenshin, he gives Yahiko his reverse-blade sword as a sign of his becoming a true samurai.
Appearances in other media
In Rurouni, Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, he is known as and is the brother of Megumi and Kaoru. Yahiko also appears in all of the Rurouni Kenshin video games, including Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars.
Reception
Yahiko has been featured consistently in the Shonen Jump popularity polls of the series, commonly placing in the top ten characters and reaching 3rd place once.A plethora of merchandise have been released in Yahiko's likeness including, key-chains wall scrolls, and action figures in both of his child and teenager appearances. Elyse Floyd, the voice actor of Yahiko in the English dub commented that his first impression of Yahiko was to be a "hoot" character since the character wants to become a great warrior, to follow and honor the traditions presented him and his loyalty but at the same time he is very innocent and vulnerable making him an unpredictable character. Since most of Elyse's characters he has performed are considerably younger than Yahiko, he considers him as one of his most difficult ones remarking the fact he is always screaming, but however he considers his comedy scenes as his favourite part of his works in Rurouni Kenshin. In an interview with Miina Tominaga, who is the seiyu for the character, has commented that she was a bit afraid when performing the voice of Yahiko in the OVAs since the character was now an adult, but she ended very happy with her performance.
Watsuki described Takayama, the CD voice actor, as having "a lot of energy" and a great fit" for Yahiko. Various anime and manga publications have provided acclaim and criticism of Yahiko's character. AnimeOnDVD.com praised Yahiko's development as he becomes during the series a good fighter and his courage shows a remarkable potential. T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews criticized Yahiko to be a bit annoying during the start of the series but also has his enjoyable moments. His design in the OVA series has been praised for being one of the few to be well translated from his original manga design.
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