Ogami Itto appeared to live quite a luxurious life during Japan's Edo Era, as he held the position of the Shogun's official executioner (Kogi Kaishakunin). This role was immensely powerful, with "Second" indicating that Itto was second only to the Shogun in delivering death sentences to disloyal feudal lords across the 60 regions under Shogunate control. The Shogun's Hollyhock crest was a prominent part of Ogami's court attire, signifying his status as the Shogun's ultimate authority over his people. The Kogi Kaishakunin was the highest of three positions assigned to specific samurai clans under the Shogun, tasked with rooting out corruption among the feudal lords who answered to His Highness about the land. The second clan was the Yagyu, assassins for treasonous acts, and the third was the Kurokawa, ninja spies reporting on daimyos to the Shogunate.
Ogami secured his esteemed position by protecting His Highness during the contest to choose the Executioner. His opponent, Gunbei Yagyu, disarmed Itto but pointed his sword at the Shogun in victory, which Ogami saw as a direct threat. Stepping between the sword and the Shogun, Ogami won the role of Kogi Kaishakunin. This infuriated Lord Retsudo, patriarch of the Yagyu, who plotted against Itto, leading to events transforming the Shogun's executioner into the assassin known as Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub).
Returning home one evening, Itto found his pregnant wife Azami unusually fragile. She had been suffering from nightmares about the men Itto executed cursing their lineage. Comforting her, Ogami explained why he chose the name Daigoro if their child was a boy. Sadly, Azami's premonition came true; she was murdered the next day. A death tablet bearing the Hollyhock crest was placed in the shrine Ogami built for those he executed, further destroying him politically and personally.
Finding his wife dead and Daigoro cut from her womb, Itto was devastated. Chief Inspector Bizen revealed Itto was being tried for treason due to a blasphemous memorial tablet rumored to be in his shrine. Perplexed, Itto agreed to let Bizen investigate, discovering the tablet's existence. Expecting Itto to commit seppuku, Ogami realized the Ura Yagyu, led by Retsudo, orchestrated this plot. Refusing to kill himself and his son, Itto fought through the Yagyu guards, striking a deal with Retsudo: a quick battle deciding his fate. Vowing vengeance, Itto took his son into Meifumado (Hell), becoming an assassin and leaving his samurai life behind.
For 500 gold pieces and full disclosure on assassination motives, Itto, now Kozure Okami, brought his brand of justice to Japan, teaching Daigoro what it means to be a samurai. Pushing his son in a modified baby cart, their journey is a testament to their bond. Little autobiographical data exists on Itto: He claimed to be from Sakushu, served the Shogun for 27 years, and mastered "suemono giri" (cutting stationary objects). His name might translate to "sacred sword."
