Okada Nizou (岡田 似蔵), also known as Nizou the Butcher or Manslayer Nizou (Hito Kiri Nizou), was a blind assassin and a master of the art of sword drawing, Iaijutsu. He was a member of the Kiheitai, an extremist Joui faction bent on causing world destruction, and would become fused with the bio-mechanical sword, Benizakura which eventually overtook his body and lead to his demise. He serves as the main antagonist of both the Infant Strife Arc and the Benizakura Arc.
Appearance[]
He had dark gray hair that was combed backwards, with sideburns. Being blind, he wore glasses with orange lenses and normally had his eyes closed. His usual attire consisted of a green kimono with dark green linings and dark green/black pants. When it came to weapons, he used a Shirasaya sword during the Baby Grandson Chapter, but would later wield the bright-shining purple Benizakura bio-mechanical sword, which would alter his appearance altogether, making him a great deal larger, with tubes and hoses extending from his arms and torso.
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Okada Nizou's Gallery  Nizou injured  Nizou consumed by the Benizakura sword |
Personality[]
Nizou was a ruthless murderer and criminal who killed others to see the "light" inside them shine. He claims that after living in darkness for so long, he begun to perceive this light with people, one too faint for normal human eyes to see. He doesn't recall when he learned of its existence, but says that it shines brightest just before one dies. Although, he states there are a few people whose lights shine just as bright when they're alive, Sakata Gintoki and Takasugi Shinsuke being two of them. Throughout his appearances, Nizou was demonstrated to be very proud of his fighting skills, even stating to Gintoki that he would've been the one standing by Takasugi's side during the Joui war instead of him if history had taken a different turn.
Strength & Abilities[]
Even though he was blind, Nizou's other senses were incredibly sharp to make up for his lack of sight. He often carried around a nose refresher with him, since he depended on his sense of smell.
When it came to weapons, Nizou originally used a Shirasaya sword during the Baby Grandson Chapter, although Gintoki eventually broke it.
Later on in the Benizakura Arc, Nizou would be implanted with the bio-mechanical sword, Benizakura. Due to the blades ability to change size and shape as well as learn as it's wielder fights, it greatly enhanced Nizou's fighting capabilities, but slowly begun to alter his body into a monstrous form and robbed him of his sanity.
Relationships[]
Story[]
Infant Strife Arc[]
Okada Nizou was first introduced in the Baby Grandson chapter, where he would cross swords with Sakata Gintoki, as the hired hand of Hashida Kahei to take back his baby grandson. However, Kahei's plan failed and Nizou was defeated by Gintoki. On the other hand, Kahei was still allowed to see his grandson by his daughter-in-law, who forgave him.
Benizakura Arc[]
Nizou would make a another, and much larger appearance in the Benizakura chapter, where he would wield the Benizakura bio-mechanical sword. With the Benizakura sword, he presumably killed Katsura Kotarou, who was later revealed to have survived their encounter. He also fought Sakata Gintoki for a second and a third time. The second time, he taunted Gintoki by making fun of Katsura's hair and claiming that he had killed him. Gintoki refused to believe this and engaged him in battle. He badly injured Gintoki, who was unaware of Benizakura's properties and abilities at the time.
Later on, Nizou destroyed two jouishishi air ships with his infused Benizakura while riding on an air bike. The third fight with Gintoki was their final and longest, which ended after the Benizakura had completely taken over Nizou's body, turning him into a rabid monster unable to distinguish between friend and foe. Gintoki put an end to it with a sword made by Murata Tetsuko, breaking both the Benizakura and his own sword. All of the tubes and hoses on Nizou's body disappeared and he caved in. However, it's uncertain if he only reverted to his old self, or if he passed away right there and then, as Yamazaki Sagaru later reported that Nizou's body was never found. He has not made any other appearances after the Benizakura story arc.
Silver Soul[]
He later appeared as a spirit during humanity's survival against the opposing Amanto army and Utsuro. His spirit aids Bansai on his noble sacrifice for Takasugi and the rest of surviving Kiheitai and Amanto's humanity alliance to escape from the ship's destruction and the opposing Amanto invaders.
Battles[]
| Fight | Outcome | Time it Occurred |
|---|---|---|
| Okada Nizou vs. Sakata Gintoki (First Fight) | Loss | Episode 51 |
| Okada Nizou vs. Katsura Kotarou | Win | Episode 59 (only mentioned) |
| Okada Nizou vs. Sakata Gintoki (Second Fight) | Win | Episode 58 |
| Okada Nizou vs. Kijima Matako | Win | Episode 61 |
| Okada Nizou vs. Sakata Gintoki (Final Fight) | Loss | Episode 61 |
Trivia[]
- Based on Okada Izo, who like Kawakami Gensai, was also known as one of the four assassins of the Bakumatsu period.
- In Kintama, a spoof of Gintama, Yorozuya Gin-chan became Yorozuya Shin-chan, headed by Takasugi Shinsuke with Takechi Henpeita and Kijima Matako as members. Nizou's photo was seen hanging on the wall next to what used to be Gintoki's table in a short scene which was briefly shown in the OP sequence of Episode 152 of the Gintama anime.
Nizou's image on the wall to the left in Episode 152
