This work tells the story of Hojo Tokiyuki, the sole surviving heir to the collapsed Kamakura shogunate, who uses his talent for “hiding” to throw himself into difficult trials and battles in order to retake Kamakura.
In this article, we will bring you all the information about Kazama Genba, a ninja from the “Touwakutō”! In addition to his strength, we will also explain his personality, character, and how he became Tokiyuki’s retainer.
*This article contains spoilers.
A ninja of the “Touwakatou”. He is skilled in espionage and infiltration, and can freely change his fox mask to disguise himself as someone else. In the past, he repeatedly used these techniques to commit thefts, and became infamous throughout Shinano. He believes in money more than anything else, and will relentlessly retaliate if the reward is not paid, charging exorbitant fees.
Genba was originally feared by adults as a thief. He is very light on his feet and can easily climb high walls and trees. Furthermore, he has countless illusion techniques, and his versatile fox mask is an extraordinary skill that allows him to disguise himself as anyone.
After joining the “Touwakutō”, the techniques he used in his crimes become his greatest weapons. He supports Tokiyuki by acting as a messenger with his quick movements, disguising himself as an enemy general to confuse the enemy soldiers, and creating an opportunity to escape when danger approaches with smoke screens and scattered diamonds. Although he does not have high combat ability, his techniques for deceiving the enemy are ones that the other retainers cannot imitate.
Genba’s belief is that he only trusts money. This belief was inherited from his father. Genba’s genjutsu techniques were originally his father’s. Although his father learned these techniques for his lord, he was criticized as “vile techniques useless to a samurai”, and was even suspected of stealing because he had learned those techniques, and was banished.
As a result, he came to only trust money, and just before he died, he told his son to inherit his principles and the name “Kazama Genba.” His mother is not depicted in the story, and it seems that after his father died, Genba lived as an orphan.
Genba is a good guy at heart, but he is twisted and has a vulgar side, but perhaps this is inevitable when you’ve been living alone as a thief since you were a teenager.
Recognizing the abilities of Genba, who was notorious as a thief even at Suwa Taisha Shrine, Suwa Yorishige advised Tokiyuki to add him to his retainers. The mission assigned to Tokiyuki was to use Genba’s power to steal the imperial edict (order) from the residence of Ogasawara Sadamune, who was trying to seize the Suwa territory, which stated the confiscation of the territory.
When Tokiyuki seeks out Genba and asks him to join his group, Genba offers an exorbitant amount of money. However, just when it seemed that Tokiyuki would be flustered, he calms Genba down with an unexpected reply: “You’re okay with money, not the country! How selfless of you!”
However, stealing the imperial edict is a life-threatening job, so Genba accepts the job on the condition that Tokiyuki accompanies him. Although he successfully sneaks into the storehouse using a variety of techniques, he is noticed by Ichikawa, who has supernatural ears, and is cornered.
Genba was in a difficult situation and tried to escape, leaving Tokiyuki behind, but he was found by Ichikawa and was about to be slashed, but Tokiyuki risked his life to save him. This left Tokiyuki with a large sword wound on his back. Genba, who had been left with a visible wound, disrupted his pursuers by himself in order to repay the debt.
At that moment, flames rose from the storehouse. Genba did not steal the imperial edict, but instead burned the entire storehouse. While the pursuers were distracted by the flames, Tokiyuki and Genba escaped and successfully completed their mission! Genba was influenced by Tokiyuki’s personality and decided to join his retainers.
Genba had been serving Tokiyuki as a retainer, but as the great war to retake Kamakura approached, he considered leaving the retainer to protect himself. However, at that moment, he encountered a member of the enemy Tengu-shu, a group of ninja under the direct control of the Ashikaga clan, on the grounds of Suwa Taisha Shrine.
Though they are both ninja, Tengu is clearly superior to Genba, and mocks the techniques that Genba shows off in his desperate efforts, saying, “They’re not techniques, they’re magic.” Genba’s life is somehow saved, but he is frustrated that none of his techniques worked.
This encounter with the tengu prompted Genba to begin researching his own techniques and developing tools, and he grew as a ninja.
Tokiyuki and Yorishige finally raised an army to retake Kamakura and began their march. As the three Tengu kept watch over the situation, Genba secretly began an information war. After disguising himself as an allied soldier and spreading false information, he and Yorishige’s son Tokitsugu succeeded in capturing the lone Tengu who remained at the scene.
天狗に仕返しができたことを嬉しく思う以上に、自分の技や開発した武器で敵を欺くことの面白さに胸を躍らせる玄蕃。この戦を機に、技や武器の研究により熱を入れるようになります。
風間玄蕃を演じるのは悠木碧さん。3月27日生まれ、千葉県出身。『魔法少女まどか☆マギカ』の鹿目まどか役をはじめ、『薬屋のひとりごと』の猫猫役など、数々の人気キャラクターを演じています。
密かに戦場を駆け回り、敵をかく乱する玄蕃。「逃若党」唯一無二の特技を持つ彼の暗躍は時行の鎌倉奪還の大きな力となります。また、天狗に出会ったことで過信気味であった自分の技を改めて見つめ直し、忍として成長していく姿もとても魅力的です。玄蕃の活躍と成長にぜひご注目ください！
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