Chou's Profile
Name: Sawagejou Chou
Nicknames: Katanagari no Chou, Broom Head
Weapons: Renbatou, Hakujin no Tachi
Techniques: Garyuorochi, Sakasa Kuchu Noutou, Orochi
First Appearance: Episode 39 in the TV series
Watsuki-sama's "The Making of the Characters" - Sawagejou Chou
I didn't really have any model besides his character, but if you pressed me, I'd have to say I used the common stereotype of Kansai people. My assistant and some of the people at work are from Kansai, and they're really great, and I think in my next life I'm coming back as someone from Kansai ... Real Kansai people aren't like Chou. Just so there's no misunderstanding ... While Chou was a bad guy, he was also pretty popular. (Although when a character speaks Osaka dialect, he automatically has a strong personality, so maybe that's why.)
I myself thought he was fun to draw and was kind of sad when it was time to finish him, so I'm going to reintroduce him at some point. But it would be weird to make him one of Kenshin's friends, so he'll have to be some kind of neutral character. As for the design, my assistant said it was Garufoodo and my readers said it was Benimaru from KOF. But they're completely wrong. Chou's design is actually one that I made when I was twenty, one I meant to be an alien. ( ... hey ...) In the end, while it was rejected, it was hard to throw away that long horse-face so I ended up using it here. At first I was going to give him dishevelled swept-back black hair, but to give him more impact as the first of the Ten Swords to appear, he ended up looking kind of like a punk rocker. Well, I can see why you'd call him Benimaru ...
By the way, the Kansai dialect that Chou uses was checked by my assistant from Kansai, but then I dared to destroy it so that it could be understood by people all over the country. It's not really true western Kansai dialect. I think my readers in Kansai will find it really annoying, but Ruroken is a manga aimed at the entire country, so please be forgiving.
His Story
Chou first appears in episode 39, where he is searching, just like Himura, for Arai Shakku's last sword. Just like Arai Shakku's son had declined Himura's request for it, he denied Chou the sword and ended up in a horrible situation. Chou took his small child as a hostage and coaxed out of him the location of the sword, but didn't return the child in case the man was lying.
Himura finds out about this and meets up with Chou before he can reach the place. They fight for the child's freedom, and since Himura's sakabatou was broken, he had to use the sheath to defend himself, a task which led to Chou getting over-confident. Arai Shakku's son had followed them, and when Himura is about to lose, he gives him his father's sword. Himura at first hesitates about using it, being afraid that Battousai will resurface if he uses a normal sword.
Chou begins another attack, which leaves Himura with no choice but to use it against him. He then finds out it isn't a normal sword, but another reverse-bladed one. Himura hands Chou over to the police and continues on the road to Kyoto.
But Chou's story doesn't end there... He is later interrogated at the police station by Saitou Hajime, who asks about Shishio's plans. Chou tells him everything about it, and more. When the Shishio saga ends, Chou is given freedom if he works for the police, and he accepts the offer. He later appears at the Aoiya before the Himura-gumi leaves and tells them the fate of the rest of the Juppon Gatana.
