Kohei Tsujikaze (
Appearance[]
Earlier in the series, Kohei has a young appearance and is seen wearing a bandana on his head. Before the Baiken arc, Kohei also wielded a sword rather than a sickle and chain.
By the time of the Baiken arc, Kohei has gained a large facial scar. He also has long hair to cover up the scar and a goatee. Overall, Kohei was much bigger and grown up. During the arc, Kohei wields a sickle and chain after learning it from Rindo.
Personality[]
Kohei has a nihilistic outlook on life. But is a caring guardian for Rindo and after losing to Takezo, he gives up fighting for good.
Biography[]
Born in 1580 in the Fuwa village and younger brother of Tenma Tsujikaze. His mom tried to kill him by pushing him off a waterfall the same way she did to Tenma Tsujikaze, however, Tenma kills her and takes Kōhei under his wing. Though Tenma showed him much kindness, Kōhei hardly displayed any affection. When the Tsujikaze Gang was formed and engaged in crimes ranging from robbery, rape, and extortion, Kōhei became its member at 12 and was considered most savage by others. At 12 Kōhei attempted to rape the wife of a villager he had slain, but Tenma, disgusted by the act, slew the woman to put her out of her misery and crushed Kōhei's testicles, rendering him (Kōhei) impotent.
Kōhei failed at killing Tenma and was imprisoned as punishment, during which time he came to adopt a nihilistic outlook on life. The Tsujikaze Gang failed to make a name for themselves and honor their employer, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in attempting to capture Tokugawa Ieyasu. At the age of 20 in the year 1600, serving 7 years of imprisonment, Kōhei was released by surviving Sekigahara soldiers and escaped to hunt his brother ever since.
Takezo Arc[]
Originally having desired to kill Tenma himself before Takezō got to him, Kōhei confronts Takezō only to have the battle postponed by Takezō’s captors who cuts the rope by which Takezō is suspended.
Post-Takezo Arc[]
Kohei goes to a brothel to sleep with one of the prostitutes. He gives the prostitute extra money so that he can come back and sleep with her the next night. However, the next night, Kojiro visits the said prostitute and Kohei finds them both in the room together. Angry and hurt that the prostitute was with another man, Kohei stabs the woman's eye much to Kojiro's shock.
Soon afterwards, Kohei and Kojiro duel with the latter slashing Kohei's arm, and immediatley after, his face which gives Kohei his disfiguring scar.[1] Kohei later states that Kojiro Sasaki smashed his pride by being further "along the path of death" than him.
Baiken Arc[]
Kōhei as a bandit came to be referred to as the 'God of Death' and killed Baiken Shishido, master of the kusarigama though revealed to be little more than the leader of a small band of thieves. Pretending to be Baiken, Kōhei lived with a little girl, Rindo, who also wielded the kusarigama and was actually his teacher in using it.
Later on, Musashi is looking for Baiken Shishido, and finds a hut. Once entering, he finds 'Baiken' whom he had previously met when he was still going by Kohei Tsujikaze. Baiken accepts Musashi's challenge and asks him to step outside. Musashi proceeds but Rindo ambushes him: he dodges her attack at the last second. Baiken tells Rindo to not interfere. It seems this surprise attack is how all the other challengers were defeated, as Rindō comments that Musashi is different. The fight starts with Musashi receiving blows, he soon realizes he didn't come mentalized for mortal combat. Baiken dominates the fight and almost kills Musashi wrapping him with the chain, but he frees, now mentalized for mortal combat. Musashi realizes he can't win in the present state of the fight. He remembers his father lessons and draws his short sword, intentionally wielding dual steel swords for the first time. Baiken snatches one of his swords but Musashi, instead of resisting like before, lets it go: he advances and defeats Baiken with his other sword. In the fight's aftermath, Rindō tries a surprise attack on Musashi, but it is blocked by a masked Matahachi, who was spying the duel. Musashi gets angry for this stranger's interference, and Matahachi escapes. Rindō opens a cut on herself to naively give blood to a seriously wounded Baiken. Baiken says he abandons the spiral of death, and asks Musashi to save him and Rindō.
Post-Baiken Arc[]
While Musashi was hallucinating, it's shown that after his and Kohei's duel he went back to Kohei's hut. Musashi sees Kohei lying on the ground with Rindo beside him holding a blade with a bloody nose. The panels seem to show that Kohei died after the duel and Rindo killed herself after Kohei died. However, since Musashi is hallucinating, this can be chalked up as a mere hallucination and not actual events that took place.[2]
Abilities[]
Kohei is able to wield the sword. He also is very talented with the sickle and chain. Rindo attempted multiple times to catch Kohei off guard, but she never could.
Gallery[]
