A Man Devoted to Endless Battle

A man of few words and even fewer expressions, Aoshi Shinomori is the man I chose to speak of today. He isn't real, of course, but he seems it sometimes as I delve into his made-up persona. He is a truly powerful man, nearly equalling the man he swore to overcome as a member of his organization of the strongest ninjas. In short, he is determined to win at any costs, even nearly asphixiating himself to try to kill his nemesis, Kenshin Himura of Rurouni Kenshin.

After the deaths of his four closest friends, his goal in life was to be as strong as the man he had lost to before in order to kill him. This, in his complicated and powerful mind, was the only way he could allow his friends to rest in peace. He was convinced that this vengeful attitude wasn't helping his friends; it was only making them suffer. After this revelation, he fought again to defend his nemesis and now regards him as a friend.

His personality never changes drastically, always remaining stoic and unafraid of anyone, no matter how strong they may be. He became the leader of his group of ninjas at the age of 15, thus strengthening his confidence in his abilities. His first battle with his nemesis, the character Kenshin Himura, began with his incredible skills already apparent, but he still lost in the end. His retreat and vengeful attitude changed him to an even more coldhearted and emotionless person, not caring if he died, as long as he brought honor to his clan. This is admirable and after his revelation, he seems to have fully recovered his original persona of calm and modest confidence.