Saito Hajime

Lore & Background

Saitō Hajime, known as the "Mibu no Okami" (Wolf of Mibu), is the former captain of the third squad of the Shinsengumi, a loyalist force of the Tokugawa shogunate. A powerful and ruthless swordsman, Saitō lives by the code "Aku Soku Zan" (Swift Death to Evil), and frequently fights using the Gatotsu, a special left-handed stab variant of the Hirazuki technique of the Shinsengumi, and its different stances. During his time in the Shinsengumi, he was a close associate of fellow Shinsengumi member and first squad captain Okita Sōji, and also developed a rivalry with the pro-Imperialist Himura Kenshin. Kenshin said that he and Saito, and Okita, and Shinpachi, had fought with each other 3 times, but none had ever finished. At the end of the Bakumatsu, the pro-shogunate forces were ultimately defeated and Saitō was forced to go into hiding. He later changed his name to Fujita Gorō and started working for the Meiji Government as a spy agent. Saitō is also married to a woman named Tokio, who appears in the manga's Jinchū arc and in some adaptations.

Reader's Guide

Saitō Hajime serves as a narrative bridge between the chaotic Bakumatsu period and the structured Meiji era, embodying the transition from revolutionary violence to state-sanctioned order. His character explores the philosophical tension between absolute pacifism and necessary force; while Kenshin seeks redemption by refusing to kill, Saitō accepts that some evils can only be stopped through lethal means. Nobuhiro Watsuki created Saitō as an anti-heroic foil to Himura Kenshin, the main character of the story, and planned for Saitō to be a "dirty" hero who maintains his "Swift Death to Evil" policy and does not become friendly with Kenshin's group, being rather aloof to them. Watsuki considers Saitō as the "curse" of the villains in the series since he defeats the enemies who consider themselves the strongest. Watsuki came up with the idea of the Gatotsu sword technique from the fact that the historical figure's favorite move was the "left single-handed thrust," or hirazuki. In the anime adaptation, Saitō was voiced by Hirotaka Suzuoki, who also voiced Saitō in the original video animations and Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture. Due to Suzuoki's death in 2006, he was replaced by Ken Narita as the new voice actor for Saitō in the two-part Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc movies.

Did You Know?

• Saitō was voiced by Hirotaka Suzuoki in the anime, OVAs, and the motion picture; after Suzuoki's death in 2006, Ken Narita took over for the New Kyoto Arc movies.
• In the Rurouni Kenshin popularity polls, Saitō ranked third in the last two Weekly Shōnen Jump character polls.
• Saitō's design initially received negative feedback from Shinsengumi fans who believed he should have a more handsome face.
• In the Hokkaido Arc, Saitō is severely wounded by Itekura Byakuya and calls for help from former Shinsengumi ally Nagakura Shinpachi.