The Saddest Story
Soujiro’s Seta’s life is the most saddest and depressing story-line throughout Rurouni Kenshin. Before saying anything let me review the other sad stories: Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano, Megumi, and somewhat on Kaoru. It is evident that between all these cases that Kenshin’s is that saddest, as he was orphaned, and his guardians were killed protecting him. Yahiko is also an orphan, but he did not experience as much violence as Kenshin did and Sanosuke became a gangster after Sagara’s death, which, although violent, did not plague him by regrets or unnecessary deaths. Megumi, of course, only had some doctor connection with opium, while Kaoru had a dead father.
Now that I have touched upon those points, let’s get to Soujiro. Soujiro’s story-line is the most sad and depressing one of all. Firstly, Soujiro, unlike Kenshin, is an illegitimate orphan, meaning he was rejected from society in the very beginning. Kenshin was not repelled from society, he was sold off, but he made new friends, and had some respect. Kenshin also managed to have loving guardians (even if it was for a short while), while Soujiro grew up in an unhappy environment. Soujirou never found love EVER, he was both mentally and physically abused. Mentally because he could never show his true feelings, which can easily be compared to kenshin’s cross-shaped scar, teaching Kenshin to be quiet about his past. Kenshin’s scar, however, was a sign of hate and love both, showing that Kenshin, unlike Soujirou, was loved. In Soujirou’s case Shishio Makoto did not love him, he used him to fight and spread his message of “Blood of the weak and food for the strong.” Soujiro never found love in this as from the very beginning, Shishio did not help him but made him “become strong” on his own (ie. giving him the katana to fend on his own). Even though Kenshin’s protectors died, he met Hiko shortly afterwards, who taught him to love again, followed by Tomoe. Hiko gave Kenshin something to look up to and gave him an occupation, teaching Kenshin the basis of Samurai. Due to this, Kenshin was never confused in his ways, he knew he was killing, and justified it for the new era.
Soujirou, on the other hand, was confused between believing in his conscience or Shishio’s philosophy. He never showed his emotions, and by god, the kid laughed in the face of death but cried when he killed his relatives. Thus meaning that from the very beginning he didn’t know which path to follow. Soujirou, like Kenshin, had a past that was haunting him, except his past was a bit worse because unlike Kenshin, it was not clear to him. Kenshin knew his past and his reasons, while Soujirou did not, and could not understand reasoning. He always hid his feelings, and although Kenshin did this too, he was able to open up to his friends, while Soujirou could not open up to anyone because the very people around him were the ones he questioned. Kenshin also had a reason of keeping quiet about his past, but Soujirou’s past was based on a flimsy factor; that Shishio had “saved” him, when in fact, Shishio would have easily left Soujirou to die. Soujiro was left on his own to take care of his problems, while in Kenshin’s case, Hiko stepped in and took the burden off his hands. If Soujiro had not succeeded, Shishio would have left him to die, as he believed Soujiro was weak.
Soujiro’s lack of emotion was a very sad and scary aspect. Kenshin barely showed what was on his heart, but his Kenki and emotions always went along with his fights and talks. Although he acted very innocent most of the time, Kenshin could easily turn serious and give off Kenki in a battle. Soujirou looked the same throughout the whole series, no one could ever tell what he was thinking. Kenshin was the same way to an extent, but Soujiro was thoroughly hidden.
Kenshin’s most depressing story-line was that he accidentally killed his own wife, Tomoe. Although this is very emotional and sentimental, it cannot even compare to Soujirou. Soujirou never knew love, and this is what made it depressing. Although Kenshin had killed Tomoe, he did realize and make his promise to stop murdering after the war was over. Kenshin still had his memories of Tomoe and and although it was sad to loose her, it would have been sadder if he had not loved at all. He had a purpose to his being, to his life, and later on, this guided him to Kaoru. While, all the while, Soujirou had no purpose at all, he acted like a robot, had no one to talk to or share his feelings, and never had anyone since his birth. Though this would mean that Soujirou never knew the pain, I’m sure that Soujirou, if we looked at him longer, would feel an impenetrable pain later on for all of his murderous acts. Even if Soujirou never loved a person, that would be even worse, because pain without any reminder of love is not balanced, and only pain is left. Kenshin had that pain, but he eased it with Kaoru, with his wondering, and basically his whole time with his people. If Kenshin did not know what pain was, he would never realize happiness, and vice versa. Since Soujirou did not, or could not know any love, he will have a more difficult time adapting, and even so, it is evident that he realizes that love exists. This makes it worse because he knows what it is, and he feels the lack of it, this is what makes him question Kenshin’s battle. Soujirou is found saying “Why did you not save me?” meaning that he wanted to be loved, and the fact that he wasn’t, made him what he was and he had no emotional output to put all of those feelings.
To get to the point, the saddest story was of Soujiro. He had a story-line that was both unique and interesting, like Kenshin’s. Yet his went beyond the regular expectations. Kenshin himself was surprised, and he knew that something “really bad” happened to Soujiro, as he related to Sanosuke. Soujiro was also the most hard to beat enemy that Kenshin faced. I read it in a poll manga.
Kenshin’s is saddest because you can sympathize with it. The worst is Enishi. How’s seeing your sister be killed, shocked so much your hair turned white, and spend the rest of your life thinking about killing one man, and end up beating defeated by him. Besides, he never accomplishes the concept of “Tomoe’s smile”. In the end, Soujiro and Enishi have to live and find resolution. Kenshin finds resolution. Then again, Shishio outworked himself and burned up (ow?) and ended up in hell (but I guess he likes it there?). Both Soujiro and Enishi have their beliefs shattered. They were both faster than Kenshin. They were both defeated not by a sword hit. Thus, they’re the baddest villains. Thus, the worst lives.
I agree completely. I’ve always thought that Kenshin had the most depressing life until I met Soujiro. His past seemed all to brutal and killing his only guardians seemed to be the only way out for him. Then, to make it worse, Shishio bombarded his mind with ‘The strong will, the weak will die’ booshwash.
The most saddest story is Kenshin’s, because he killed the person he loved the most and with that his heart shattered vowing himself to never kill again after the war ended. While also traveling for ten years helping people. Though I do agree about Enishi, he was basically just like a little kid who loved his sister A LOT! Now since she’s dead he has no one to care and love anymore thus making him only end in rage and hatred for the one person who killed her.
Boo hoo 🙁 sou-chan’s life was so sad 🙁 🙁 🙁 and I agree that it was the saddest of all, I mean come on, Shishio probably took him in because he was strong and emotionless, if he was weak, he would be dead by now
I agree that Soujirou’s past is very depressing, however, I must agree with several others here that Kenshin’s is the worst. Although he may have had love, he had to watch his ‘sisters’ get brutally murdered – for his own life. Then he killed his own *wife* on accident, and no one else realizes that it was an accident. Everyone from his past seems to hate him and think of him only as a heartless murderer. How does it feel, to be chased after because you killed someone you loved and you are being accused of having tricked your loved one? It must be very heart-wrenching to be hated for something you did like that when you didn’t mean to do it at all, and you have to live with that painful memory forever whether you find new love or not.
I agree, Soujirou’s story is very sad, and not having love at all makes it harder to understand what’s going on around him, and he killed for no reason. Saitou said, “He doesn’t have any fighting-ki or killing-ki at all, not to mention sword-ki.” So, this shows that he has his emotions kept inside because he is not sure what to feel and because Shishio taught him to suppress his feeling. Shishio only made it worse, sure he did save him, but only to benefit from his confused self. He, Shishio, thought a little kid, with confused emotions and lots of potential. Soujirou never had real love, he just had his mind twisted by Shishio, to believe some nonsense like “The weak die, and the strong live”. Kenshin, on the other hand, had love but having killed his love with his own hands, makes it a lot more complicated. You see, when Kenshin experienced love, and then lost it (and very badly, I might add) he knew the feeling and to know something then kill it, he lost a lot more.. Soujirou, didn’t know what he was doing, Kenshin did… but still they both had very similar grievous pasts. I think it’s hard to say who’s past is worse, but I think, on this one I’d give Kenshin second place. Thank you.. 🙂
True… Soujiro’s story is VERY sad and moving but the other people DO have pasts which are also very sad. Nobody loved Soujiro which was sad but Kenshin, when he was a boy, had people who loved and cared about him. But the people he loved were killed. Isn’t that sad? As for Soujiro, nobody loved him and he killed them. But, if nobody loved him and those people abused him, why was Soujiro sad when he killed them?
First of all, I just want to say that Soujiro is NOT bipolar, and anyone who says so has no real idea what “bipolar” really is. Secondly, I don’t think necessarily that comparing Kenshin’s and Soujiro’s pasts is necessarily productive. You really can’t prove a story as being “sadder.” The emotional content is there for the reader to interpret. It depends on the person and what tugs at their heartstrings. Lastly, I liked your analysis of Soujiro’s past. The kid had a very messed up life. You pointed out something that I had never thought of before, that Soujiro smiled in the face of death and cried at a murder he committed. Anyway, it was a pretty great article all in all. That boy needs some lovin’.
All the characters in Rurouni Kenshin are pretty messed up but I think the saddest story of all would have to be Tomoe. She fell in love with the man who took away her happiness. She was torn between her love for Kenshin and her guilt for Akira. In the end she made the ultimate sacrifice to save Kenshin.