Kaoru Kamiya

Height: 155 cm, Weight: 41 kg. Born on October 10, 1862. From Chiba Prefecture. Blood type O, Cancer. First appeared at age 17 (actual age 15).

The heroine of this work. She refers to herself as "watashi." She is the assistant instructor of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu dojo (becomes the head instructor by the end of the story) and is known as the "Swordsmanship Belle" in Tokyo due to her beautiful appearance and sword skills. She has a lively and strong sense of justice, but this also makes her prone to anger. She has experienced life-threatening situations and is skilled in swordsmanship, but she is not good at household chores except for mending. She considers herself good at cooking, but her reputation is quite poor. Additionally, she has a very bad drinking habit, becoming so violent when drunk that even Kenshin and others cannot handle her.

Her family includes her father, Koshijiro, and a grandfather who was a swordsman and ink painter, both of whom are deceased. There is no mention of her mother in the original work (in the first anime, it is stated that her mother is deceased). The source of her living expenses is unclear, but she has made a living by selling her grandfather's ink paintings. In episode 24 of the first anime, she mentions making a living by giving lessons outside the dojo.

She meets Kenshin during an incident where the land of the Kamiya dojo was about to be taken away, and they deepen their bond afterward. Kenshin, who decided to return to being a wanderer, is the only one she bids farewell to. Initially, she feared that Kenshin would eventually return to being a wanderer.

Seeing Kenshin determined to "complete a life of battle," she wants to support him by his side. Ultimately, she marries Kenshin and they have a son (Kenji).

In "Ashitaro the Ex-Con (Another Story)," she welcomes Ashitaro and Aran to the Kamiya dojo along with Kenji. Her cooking skills have improved to the point where she can make delicious rice balls.

In the first anime, she has many combat scenes, showing her strong-willed nature, such as knocking out police officers. However, when forced to press her seal on the deed of the land and house by Gohei, she cried over her powerlessness. Upon learning that Yahiko was being used by the yakuza, she stormed in with a bamboo sword to fight them and also confronted Gaisuke. Although she did not storm into Kanryu's mansion in the original, she did in the first anime, fighting and defeating Kanryu's private army. She often plays a comedic role, thinking of Yahiko, who has a similar personality, as a little brother, and praising her own beauty, emphasizing her personality from the original. In the Feng Shui arc, she is on the brink of death after receiving the Curse of the Evil, but survives thanks to the efforts of Kenshin and Jinpu.

In the OVA "Seisouhen," she approaches Kenshin, who is afflicted with an incurable disease, with a positive desire to share his pain, and contracts the same symptoms as Kenshin.

Her character is modeled after Sakamoto Ryoma's lover, Chiba Sana.

In the complete edition volume 4, her design emphasizes her "Swordsmanship Belle" aspect. Her hair becomes straighter, changing her appearance. She carries a family heirloom dagger hidden in her sash.

In the Kinema version, the land of the Kamiya dojo is leased, and Kanryu, who bought the rights, forces her into gambling entertainment. Unlike the original, she is aware of her poor cooking skills. Her hairstyle is slightly different from the original.

In the live-action film version, the setting generally follows the original. She has few fighting scenes herself, but in the second film "Kyoto Inferno," she is depicted fighting with a naginata.

In "The Legend Ends," the reason for her poor cooking is that the live-in disciples used to cook, and she had never cooked until the disciples left.

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu

A life-preserving sword style founded by Kaoru's father, Kamiya Koshijiro. Its ultimate principle is to subdue rather than kill the opponent, using wooden swords or bamboo swords instead of lethal blades. It also includes techniques that deliver strikes with the hilt without using the blade, and its secret techniques also utilize the hilt. In the first act of the original, Gohei Hiruma ridicules the philosophy of "a sword that gives life" as "nonsense," but later Kenshin advises Yahiko with his interpretation: "If you are defeated, not only your fate but also the fate of those you tried to protect will end. Those who wield the 'life-preserving sword' must keep in mind that no defeat is permissible." In the first anime, it also became a style that includes jujutsu.

Here are the main techniques used by Kaoru. Although she has technically mastered the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu secret techniques "Blade Stop" and "Blade Crossing" mentioned in Yahiko's section, she has never used them in actual combat (as she has never succeeded).

In the original, the disciples left due to the fake Battousai incident, but in the Kinema version, it is set that the disciples left due to the Meiji Restoration, the sword prohibition order, and the civilization and enlightenment.

Hilt's Lower Stance: Knee Crush (Tsuka no Gedan: Hiza Hishigi)

A knee joint destruction technique using the hilt (can be used without a blade). From a lower stance charge, a strike is delivered to the opponent's knee with the hilt, crushing the enemy's knee. The force is so strong that the hilt of the wooden sword used for the strike shatters and breaks.

Used against the Ten Swords' "Great Scythe Kamatachi" in the Kyoto arc, rendering them unable to fight. In "Kenshin Kaden," it is written as "Knee Sit."

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu Jujutsu (Anime Original)

The following are Kamiya Kasshin-ryu jujutsu techniques that appeared in episode 66 of the first anime.

Leaf Return (Konoha Gaeshi)

Hell Wheel (Jigoku Guruma)

Double Throw of the Tomoe (Tomoe Nidan Nage)