saitou hajime

Hajime Saitou is loosely inspired by the historical third squad captain of the Shinsengumi. In the Meiji period, he assumed the identity of Gorou Fujita and worked as a police officer. Within the Rurouni Kenshin series, he emerges as Kenshin's longstanding rival and adversary from the Bakumatsu era. Characterized by his lack of compassion or mercy towards his enemies, Saitou adheres to the Shinsengumi's code "Aku Soku Zan," meaning "Slay Evil Immediately" or more poetically, "Swift Death To Evil." His distinctive fighting move is the Gatotsu, a left-handed thrust derived from the Hirazuki technique, which was developed by Toshizou Hijikata, the Shinsengumi's Vice Commander. While the Gatotsu is a fictional technique exclusive to the Rurouni Kenshin series, the Hirazuki was indeed utilized by many Shinsengumi members.