Takezo Kensei

Takezo Kensei
First appearance	How to Stop an Exploding Man
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Formal name	Takezō Kensei / Takezō Kensai
Gender
Date of birth	1584
Home	Japan
Occupation	Samurai swordsman
Significant other	A princess

At the Museum of Natural History, Hiro begins a quest to find a sword that belonged to Takezo Kensei (Takezō Kensei), a great Japanese swordsman who reportedly became a great leader when he obtained the sword.

About

Godsend

Hiro tells Ando about the sword Takezo used. He says that it focused his energy and made him a hero. People everywhere feared him.

The Fix

Hiro tells Ando that the sword focused Kensei's powers.

Distractions

Hiro tells his father that he is on a quest to find Takezo Kensei's sword. Mr. Nakamura regrets telling a youthful Hiro stories about the fabled samurai.

Parasite

Hiro types Kensei's name into the computer at Linderman's archives to retrieve the sword. When the curator asks Hiro if he knows to whom the sword belonged, Hiro says it belonged to Takezo Kensei. "He was a hero."

Landslide

During the sparring between Hiro and Kaito, Hiro recounts the story of "Kensei and the Dragon".

How to Stop an Exploding Man

After Hiro time travels to 1671 outside Kyoto, Japan, Takezo Kensei rides alone against a larger unit of Japanese soldiers before a solar eclipse occurs.

Heroes 360

Yamagato Fellowship has a page on Takezo Kensei that reads:

• A wild savage turned master swordsman whose heroics helped unify Japan.
• Takezo found a sword frozen in the snow that helped him focus all his strength and courage. Some say this sword, and Takezo’s power, were a Godsend.
• With war threatening to fracture Japan, he went to the Dragon of Kiso Mountain and asked him to teach him the secrets of the sword. The Dragon agreed to help in exchange for all of his love. Takezo loved a princess with all his heart but knew Japan would fall if he did not triumph, so he agreed. The Dragon taught him and he became Kensei (a sword saint).
• With his newfound knowledge, Kensei fought and won a great battle – thus saving his people. After the battle, the Dragon came to Kensei’s palace to collect on their deal. The Dragon demanded the life of the princess. Kensei refused and cut out his own heart, handed it to the dragon and said, “My love is in here. Take it.” And then he died. When the Dragon saw what Kensei was willing to sacrifice for his people (and his love) he was so moved that he replaced Kensei’s heart and breathed fire-life back into the swordsman.
• The Takezo dynasty went on to rule Japan with valour and love for a hundred years.

Memorable Quotes

"Takezo Kensai. My father used to tell me stories about him before bed. He was a wild savage with great power. All of Japan feared him. Until one day he found a sacred sword, frozen in the snow. From the moment Kensai held it, it focused all his strength. He said the sword let him control his power. And so he became a great leader. A hero."

- Hiro Nakamura (to Ando) (Godsend)

"My love is in here. Take it."

- Takezo Kensei (to the Dragon of Kiso Mountain) (yamagatofellowship.org)

Notes

• The Museum of Natural History lists the man's name as Kensei. When Hiro speaks about him, his name is spelled Kensai. Both are real, but rare, Japanese names.
• According to Michael Green, the fictional Takezo Kensei is based on various legends, including the real figure of Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645)[1]. He is believed to have been one of the most skilled swordsmen in history and is considered as the greatest samurai. Prior to adulthood was known simply as Shinmen Takezo. After his death, various legends began to appear. Most talk about his feats in kenjutsu and other martial arts, some describing how he was able to hurl men over 5 feet backwards, other about his speed and technique. Other legends tell of how Musashi killed giant lizards in Echizen, as well as Nues in various other prefectures. He gained the stature of Kensei, a "sword saint" for his mastery in swordsmanship. Some believed he could run at super-human speed, walk on air, water and even fly through the clouds. Musashi wrote Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings) in 1645. It is a treatise on sword fighting, martial arts, and military strategy.
• Future Hiro sports a similar look as Takezo Kensei's — they both wear a "soul patch" and a ponytail.
• Takezo Kensei's facial appearance in How to Stop an Exploding Man shares a striking resemblance to Kaito Nakamura's. Additionally, rollover text of an illustration of Takezo Kensei on the Yamagato Fellowship website displays "Kaito Nakamura".

Gallery

• 
  Takezo Kensei is depicted on a tapestry at the Museum of Natural History.
• 
  Hiro and Ando stumble upon Takezo Kensei's armor at the museum.
• 
  Takezo Kensei's sword has the Symbol on its hilt.
• 
  Hiro retards time at the Museum of Natural History to steal Takezo Kensei's sword.
• 
  Miyamoto Musashi, a fierce sword fighter, is possibly the basis for Takezo Kensei.
• 
  A tapestry...
• 
  ...shows a close-up of Takezo Kensei's face...
• 
  ...and Takezo in the middle of battle...
• 
  ...defending a princess whom he loved.
• 
  Panels from the tapestry hang in Linderman's gallery.
• 
  Hiro recalls that his father used to read the story...
• 
  ...of Kensei, the brave swordsman...
• 
  ...who faced a dragon...
• 
  ...and paid the ultimate sacrifice.
• 
  Takezo Kensei appears in 1671 Japan.

External Links

• Miyamoto Musashi at Wikipedia
• Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings) by Miyamoto Musashi - as translated by Victor Harris (Full text online)
• Miyamoto Musashi at Samurai Archives - a brief biography, with references.