Characters >> Okubo Toshimichi
Name: Okubo Toshimichi Age: 48 (age obtained from an encyclopedia article)
Style: Governing
Other: Minister of Internal Affairs
Basics
In the middle of Saitou and Kenshin's fight in Volume 7, Chapter 54 (Episode 30), 10 years after their battle in the Bakumatsu, Okubo and Kawaji interrupt them. Saitou Hajime was basically fighting Kenshin to test his abilities for what Okubo is about to tell them. Okubo tells those at the Dojo about Shishio's plans. He is basically requesting Himura Kenshin to assassinate Shishio Makoto. No one in the Dojo wants him to go, so Okubo lets him have a week to decide since it is an important and tough decision. (Of course, although Okubo was a real person, none of this Shishio stuff existed.)
History
Okubo was Japan's minister of Internal Affairs, both in RK history and actual history. At this point in the series, he is the last of the great triumvirate of Ishin Shishi, the Ishin Sanketsu. The other two, Saigou Takamori and Katsuru Kogourou, have already died. (Katsura Kogorou was the man who employed Kenshin as a hitokiri by the way). Since those other two are dead, Okubo is the now the most powerful man in Japan. In the middle of Saitou and Kenshin's fight at the Kamiya Dojo, 10 years after their battle in the Bakumatsu, Okubo and Kawaji interrupt them. Saitou Hajime was basically fighting Kenshin to test his abilities for what Okubo is about to tell them. Okubo tells those at the Dojo about Shishio's plans. He is basically requesting Himura Kenshin to assassinate Shishio Makoto. No one in the Dojo wants him to go, so Okubo lets him have a week to decide since it is an important and tough decision. (Of course, although Okubo was a real person, none of this Shishio stuff existed.) Okubo was assassinated by Seta Soujiro on May 14, 1878, the day he was supposed to hear Kenshin's decision. Though Shishio and his faction didn't exist, Watsuki was smart and integrated this assassination with real japanese history, as the real culprits of the assassination were unknown. Supposedly, the assassins were men from Satsuma (or Ishikawa Samurai according to RK).
Watsuki's Character Notes
The following is quoted off of Shonen Jump's RK graphic novel translations of Watsuki:
"Another historical personage-one of the three greatest revolutionaries. As with other real-life characters, I drew him to suit my own needs.
Okubo is well-known as a good friend of Saigo Takamori, but possibly because of the bias Japanese people have toward Saigo, Okubo is thought to be a sly, cunning man…and Watsuki finds himself disappointed by this. It is true that, during the Bakumatsu, Okubo had been the strategist but, after the revolution, he was every ethical, never enriching himself personally through politics (Saigo was sent off to his death because of it). Okubo is a great example of what a politician should be, if you ask Watsuki.
After his assassination at Kioizaka, Okubo’s estate was audited and everyone was curious to know just how rich the richest man in Japan had been. As it turned out, he had only 500 yen in cash [in current terms, about $200,000] and, on top of that, was 6,000 yen in debt [about $2.4 million] because of loans taken out to cover government shortfalls. During a time when many politicians conspired with the wealthy to enrich their own personal fortunes, Okubo was probably the most honest of them all…and he was still dubbed “Saigo’s murderer” and was hated by the people of his home prefecture, who refused to allow his remains to be intered there. It wasn’t until the Heisei period that Okubo was even acknowledged by his people…that’s right, the man who gave up everything in order to help Japan flourish wasn’t allowed to go home for over 100 years. Okubo Toshimichi is definitely someone who deserves to be shown a little more love, if you ask me.
For a design, I’d originally wanted to look over his portrait photos, but was unable to find them. I drew him instead from the photo of a statue…but it turned out to be not similar at all. I notice when I look back now that he resembles President Lincoln (another man I like). That must have found its way in there, somehow…"
