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Okita Souji is usually established with an
image of a young and handsome swordsman. In film, TV and play he is always
casted for that role. But when we take the accounts back then and piece them
together, he seems not to be a handsome young men especially since there was no
picture left (well at least not back then we do have a probable picture now).
There is a portrait that is in Tachikawa city that is kept by a descendant of Okita's sister. It gives a name but I can't seem to understand, the name keeps translating to "Photon" but I doubt that's correct. According to Mori Makiko (name!?) in a manuscript of Okita Souji, the present head of the Okita household Okita Katsuyoshi (name!?) confesses to the author that the point model was his father (thus not really Okita). The grandchild (I assume Katsuyoshi's dad) was told that he looked similar to Souji and then used the hair style of a popular actor who impersonated Okita in the movie called "Swordsman Okita Souji". Now from what I know there's at least two movies by that name, I would think they are referencing the older one done in 1929. Case in point, the portrait is not Souji. 
Now there are two people who indeed had met Okita and left descriptions... Those are Yagi Tamesaburou and Satou Higokorou. Yagi Tamesaburou as we know is the son of Yagi Gennoujou who let the Shinsengumi stay in the estate in Mibu. Tamesaburou says that Okita was a dark man, with a high shoulder (tall and/or broad shouldered?) and was 20 years old was the youngest. The youngest statement, I guess is his impression only as we know Okita is not the youngest in the group. The account of the great grandchild of Satou Higokorou tells us a bit more. This account was done for NHK Educational television in March 1973. He mentions that it is said that Okita was a man who laughs cheerfully often. He was dark, the eyes thin (I would think this means narrow) and the face like a fish (I've heard that this "fish face" could mean that the face was "flat"). NOW... We do have a most "probable" photograph of Okita. It was used as the cover for "Geki Shinsengumi" that came out after the Hakodate war, amongst the personal effects (things) of Hijikata. Now this one I think has a much better chance of being the real Okita, however there is still a lot of doubt it is really him amongst Japanese Shinsengumi researchers... 
Well the legend of his being a genius swordsman is well-founded at least. ^__^ Aside from gaining the rank menkyo (I think this means he is a master of the sword style and is licensed to teach) in an early age for Tennen Rishin Ryu (Remember he became a teacher in the Shieikan gym and closely followed Kondou (it's said that Kondou was like an older brother to Okita and they were the "close" ones). There are many accounts that mention this (Okita's genius swordsmanship), including Nagakura's book. Okita is said to have faced more than one opponent at the same time, 5 even 6 at the same time. He also had some run-ins with Tosa people at the Shijo bridge whom he had stabbed. In the Ikedaya Raid however, this is where his story of "lack of breath" comes out for the first time. According to Nagakura he heard that Okita was put to a "table" with Todo (who was injured and could not continue to fight). Yagi Tamesaburou adds that Okita looked pale when they came back to Mibu. In the later events, he seemed to not be able to actively participate in the big events such as the incident in Sanjo bridge and in Aburanokouji. Perhaps his tuberculosis has really gotten worse by that time. |
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