Ikeda Asaemon

Ikeda Asaemon
Information
Japanese Name:	池田 朝右衛門
Romanized Name:	Ikeda Asaemon
Official English Name:	Asaemon Ikeda
Titles:	Shinigami (formerly) 17th Ikeda Yaemon 19th Ikeda Yaemon
Physical Features
Race:	Human
Gender:	Female
Eye Color:	Purple
Hair Color:	Grey
Status:	Alive
Professional Status
Affiliation(s):	Ikeda Clan
Occupation(s):	Executioner
First Appearances
Chapter:	Lesson 463
Volume:	52
Episode:	Episode 279
Voice Actors
Japanese VA:	Inoue Marina

Ikeda Asaemon (池田 朝右衛門, Ikeda Asaemon) is the 19^th Ikeda Yaemon of the Ikeda Clan. Beforehand, she was adopted into the clan and was given the title "17^th Ikeda Yaemon" by her adoptive father, the 16^th Ikeda Yaemon. After failing to execute him with Kimoarai, she left the Ikeda Clan as a traitor, with her adoptive brother being the successor of the title. Asaemon was then sold to the Hitotsubashi Faction by the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon, but she survived and received the title again after his death.

Biography

Early years

It is stated by Asaemon's biological father that her mother decided to have her before the Joui War. It is implied that she abandoned Asaemon and her father afterwards. Asaemon later claimed that she was also abused by her father while living with him.

Asaemon lived with her father until he tried to sell her to the Hitotsubashi Faction to save his life. Witnessing the scene, Sakata Gintoki then let himself be captured in her stead, resulting in her adoption into the Ikeda Clan by the 16^th Ikeda Yaemon, making her an adoptive sister of the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon.

Living in Ikeda Clan

During Gintoki's imprisonment, Asaemon made a promise with Gintoki to cut off his head when she became a great executioner, so he had to live until that time.

Sometime later, her adoptive brother went into a killing spree inside the cells to prove that he was worthy of the "Ikeda Yaemon" title. While the 16^th Yaemon tries to hit him as a punishment for his actions, Asaemon protected him. Due to the incident, Asaemon is chosen as the 17^th Ikeda Yaemon by her adoptive father.

When the Ikeda Clan discovered that the previous head was the one to let the prisoners escape, her brother planned to make Asaemon a traitor. She was then chosen as the executioner of of her father, yet she failed to use Kimoarai on him. After his death, she left the clan as a “traitor”, making her brother succeed her as the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon.

Shinigami Arc

While a drunken Gintoki was going home, Asaemon asked him to help her committing seppuku. However, due to the circumstance, he ended up beating Asaemon in the head with a rock and carry her home. Before he could split her body, she threw a knife at his head and claimed that she did not have qualifications to die.

The next day, Asaemon cut down a truck in half in order to protect a boy from its falling boxes. Meanwhile, she was accused by the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon to have murdered several passerbys. She was then rescued by the Yorozuya from the police at night, yet he chose to hand her over the Ikeda Clan, where Yaemon assured her innocence. While having dinner with the Yorozuya, the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon revealed that Asaemon had beheaded the 16^th Ikeda Yaemon and pretended to be a traitor. Nevertheless, she denied that and ran away.

In accordance to Yaemon's plan, Asaemon escaped in a corpse container, which would be transported on a ship back to the Ikeda Clan, and was escorted by the Yorozuya. On the way, she expressed her feeling of incompetence as an executioner and questioned Gintoki about her adoptive father, only to be assured that he was a good person like her.

When the Shinsengumi suddenly asked to check the corpses, Okita Sougo revealed that the tsujigiri victims were Joui ronins the 16^th Ikeda Yaemon released ten years ago, much to Asaemon's surprise. It was also revealed that Asaemon's and Gintoki's heads were sold to the Hitotsubashi Faction by her brother. While facing the retainers of the Hitotsubashi Faction, Gintoki convinced Asaemon to cut down the crimes before her, and she killed a dozen of them in a slash. They then opened her way to Yaemon in fear.

Upon confronting the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon, she was ready to die with him to save the name of the Ikeda Clan. Nevertheless, he stated that Gintoki killed her biological father and convinced her to execute Gintoki. However, as soon as she drew out her sword, Yaemon attempted to kill her, claiming that using Kimoarai there would kill both of them. In fact, it was Gintoki who drew Asaemon's sword and gave a blow to Yaemon. Seeing an injured Yaemon, the Hitotsubashi guards proceed to attack Asaemon and Gintoki. With the Shinsengumi's help, the Yorozuya managed to escape safely, whereas Yaemon sacrificed himself to save Asaemon.

Later, upon learning of her brother's death, Asaemon claimed to take full responsibility of the case and committed suicide, in which she killed "Ikeda Asaemon" to become the 19^th Ikeda Yaemon. She also acted as the executioner of the Yorozuya, cutting their handcuffs, her skull mask as well as Gintoki's left nipple in the process.

Appearance

Asaemon has short gray hair with purple eyes. She usually wears a short black dress with a yellow, flowery sash. In addition, she wears violet socks and gloves with different lengths.

Personality

Asaemon tends to be emotionless at most times. However, when being touched inappropriately (even just at her skull mask, which she believes to be a private part), she can get violent and may cut down the molester as much as how she is touched.

On another side, she really cares about the Ikeda Clan, which she considers to be her family. To protect the family's name, Asaemon chose to leave the clan as a traitor who killed the previous Yaemon.

After executing her former self of guilt and grief Asaemon became more of a cheerful girl.

Relationship

Family

• 16th Ikeda Yaemon: is the biological father of Asaemon, this adopted her after her biological father selling interest, gave him care and welcomed him to his clan.
• 18th Ikeda Yaemon: His is her adopted brother, when they were little she protected him from his father who was going to rebuke, to grow this became the leader of Clan Asaemon Ikeda and manipulated.

Friends and Allies

• Sakata Gintoki: Asaemon met Gintoki as a child, she saw him dying in prison and promised him that when she was a exellent executioner she would cut off his head. Gintoki then fought against the 18th Ikeda Yaemon for this not to Asaemon would control.

Enemies

• Hitotsubashi Nobu Nobu:

Trivia

• So far, Asaemon is the only female character mentioned in Gintoki's past.
• She became the only user of Kimoarai after the decapitation of the 18^th Ikeda Yaemon.
• Asaemon had become the head of the Ikeda Clan twice. Initially, she was the 17th Ikeda Yaemon before leaving the clan and became the 19th Yaemon after her brother's decapitation.
•  Like Kagura, as a child, Asaemon once stopped her father from punishing her adoptive brother, although it's unknown if he was actually going to kill him.