Kojiroh’s Female!?

One of my favourite characters from any fighting game ever made is Kojiroh Sanada, the Shinsengumi captain who was tasked with taking down the crazed Shikyoh in The Last Blade. I mean, that guy just radiated cool in everything he did in that game and, as well as being a great all-round choice for the novice player, had enough depth in move-set to be useful at the high end too. Looking back, I think my allegiance to him paid off too, as when my friends and I used to play I normally ended up with a half-decent win ratio.

Kojiroh's nemesis Shikyoh, the crazed ex-member of the Shinsengumi.

I mean, seriously, why wouldn't you choose the lethal, expert swordsman who was trained in the most prestigious sword school of Japan? A guy who, legend has it, was based on Saitō Hajime, the real life Samurai warrior who rose to prominence during the numerous wars of Japan’s Bakumatsu period. A warrior who, in that most beautiful of SNK fighters, can finish you at anytime with a single sword strike. Exactly! You’d have to be pretty mental not to. As such, Kojiroh has always been my man in the series, with the nearly-as-awesome Setsuna my second.

Kojiroh is a great all-round fighter, balancing good offence and defence.

Therefore, upon seeing the same character in the awesome sequel The Last Blade 2 on Dreamcast a few years later, it was a no-brainer that I would simply graduate along with him. It didn’t take long either for me to fall back into the groove, wielding that razor-sharp katana with deadly precision. And there things remained for years.

Until about a week ago.

Every time I see The Last Blade 2 in action its animation seems even better.

That’s because a week ago I was abruptly informed by an associate that despite my man being named Kojiroh Sanada, looking like Kojiroh Sanada and sounding like Kojiroh Sanada in The Last Blade 2, that character ain't Kojiroh Sanada. No, apparently its his sister Kaori Sanada, dressed as Kojiroh who - by the time of the second game - has now died. When I first heard this I thought the guy was just plain wrong, however after consulting the almighty Internet, he was proved correct and years of my thinking was obliterated in one fell swoop.

What’s the point of this post? Nothing really, asides from the fact that, after some serious consideration, I now think Kojiroh Sanada is even cooler as a woman than a man.

Sorry Setsuna, you’ll always be second best.

I don't know who is scarier, Setsuna or his owl.

N.b. Seriously, have you seen Setsuna? Even if you did manage beat him somehow in real life then that devil owl of his would be sure to take your eyes out in no time.