Until Death Parts Us
Welcome to my shrine dedicated to the relationship between Tomoe Yukishiro and Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, known as TomoKen (TMKN or also called BattoTomoe)! Their relationship is very dear to me (one of my first tattoos was dedicated to them) and I adore their dynamic and what it provides to the themes of Rurouni Kenshin.
Biographies
- Name: Tomoe Yukishiro (雪代 巴)
Tomoe Yukishiro is the eldest daughter of the Yukishiro family, comprised of her father, a samurai, her mother, who would eventually pass after giving birth to her younger brother, Enishi Yukishiro. After her mother's passing, she would take on the roles of both sister and mother to Enishi, who likewise viewed her as such and revered her. Over time, she would grow to know Akira Kiyosato, who would soon become her fiancee. Even though she was an outwardly emotionless woman, she was happy to be loved by Akira. However, as tensions of the late Edo period swelled, Akira felt he needed to join the action in order to truly satisfy Tomoe. Unfortunately, he would be slain by the Ishin-shishi's shadow assassin, known as Hitokiri Battosai.
Upon receiving news of Akira's death, Tomoe felt at fault for his murder, and sought to seek revenge on his killer. She would join the Yaminobu and be sent out to locate and kill the infamous Hitokiri Battosai. After meeting him face-to-face after watching him slay another assassin, Tomoe would slip into the employment of Kohagi-ya, where many members of the Ishin-shishi resided. Over time, Tomoe lost sight of her mission and found herself falling in love with Battosai, whose name she would learn is Kenshin.
Shinta was born to parents who would die of cholera in his early youth, at which point he would find himself being the property of slave traders. After his troupe is attacked one night, he is barely saved by Hiko Seijiro XIII, the current master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style of swordsmanship. Hiko would take in Shinta and give him the name Kenshin. Afer training under Hiko for many years until his teens, Kenshin would feel he needed to act during the injustices of the Bakumatsu, leaving his training unfinished. Kenshin would end up in the Kihetai before being scouted by Katsura Kogoro to become a hitokiri. Kenshin would accept at the ripe age of only 14.
After slaying hundreds of men, Kenshin would face off against a man with more vigor and will to live than any other, leaving him with a single scar on his cheek, the first to ever harm him in a swordfight. Some days later, he would be seen by a woman while killing another assassin who had attacked him. After she had fainted, he would take her to his residence at Kohagi-ya, and due to their proximity (and maybe outside forces), would end up in a sort of budding relationship with her.
- Name: Kenshin Himura (緋村 剣心)
After the Ikedaya Incident, Kenshin and Tomoe would end up in an arrangement to live in a remote area of Otsu as farmers and medicine-sellers. The two would marry and enjoy months of this quiet life together. At some point, Tomoe's younger brother, Enishi, would make an appearance. He would reveal he had joined the Yaminobu in her footsteps to get revenge for Akira, who Enishi had seen as somewhat of an older brother, and call her to action. Tomoe begged Enishi to go back home, much to his chagrin, realizing his sister had fallen for the man who robbed her of her happiness. Shortly thereafter, Tomoe would leave Kenshin to settle things once and for all and free him from the fate she had resigned him to. Unbeknownst to her, she had been used to create a weakness for Kenshin so that he could be defeated. As Kenshin made his way through the forest to Tomoe, facing enemies that would weaken him along the way, he would face off against the leader of the Yaminobu. Just before fatal blows could be exchanged, Tomoe had come to her own decision that she would not let a man she loved die again. She would jump into the middle of the battle, attempting to slaughter the leader, but would fall victim to Kenshin's own blade instead. In her final moments, she would complete the cross shaped scar that became a symbol of a legend.
Why TomoKen?
I couldn't really tell you.
I repeat this all the time, but the most impactful reading of Rurouni Kenshin I completed was when I was about 12 and facing many, many different things in my life. The series became especially important to me during this time. The Remembrance and Jinchuu arcs (the TMKN arc and final arc of RK) became particularly engrained in my being, as I was probably finally old enough to grasp the themes of these stories (I had read and watched RK numerous times by this age, but the anime only went up to the end of the Kyoto Arc, and I probably had previously only skimmed over the latter two arcs).
"Doomed" is a word that gets tossed out a lot in regards to shipping, but TMKN is properly doomed. Tomoe's character legitimately haunts the narrative, as she is the reason behind Kenshin's cross shaped scar, which became an omen for samurai during the Bakumastu. Everything that happened while her fate was intertwined with Kenshin's is the cause for where he ends up 15 years later and meets and battles all the people he does. The story of RuroKen would not have taken place had she not gotten engaged to Akira, let alone been born. It's kind of rare for a woman to have played such a monumental role in a shonen from back in the 90s, and she's not exactly a perfect woman either; she has flaws: she's vengeful, hypocritical, emotionless, and largely to blame for Enishi's spoiled attitude.
I've been curating the TomoKen playlist for years. Here's some excerpts of the songs that exemplify their relationship. Click on any song title to listen to the song! Italicized words are translations from the original lyrics.
What is that quiet of snow in the night? The dark rings with white noise As you stand and drown Maybe it's all of these snowflakes, screaming A choir of mute as they brace for the ground Well, that's my ride Hope you had a good night You know you made me happy Here, shake my hand You make such a good man Never once did you know me I tried my hardest, for I'd never learned God's very simple and love doesn't burn And maybe you offered me all that I yearned for But I was still waiting for something to earn Silly me, waiting
明かりは 静かに 白く染め行く街の中 The light silently dyes the center of the city white 君が見た最後の季節色 The last seasonal color that you saw 涙を 落とした 現実とは残酷だね I shed tears Reality is a cruel thing, isn't it? 君が見た最後の季節色 The last seasonal color that you saw 四季と君の色やがて消えるだろう The four season's colors, as well as yours, will soon disappear, won't they? 雪は溶けて街角に花が咲き The snow will melt and in the street corners flowers will bloom 君が見た「色彩は」そっと溶けてゆく "The colors" that you saw are quietly melting away 今年最後の雪の日街角に一輪の花 The last day of snow this year One flower in the street corner 空を見上げれば最後の雪が掌に零れて When I look up at the sky, the last snow spills onto my palm
I cannot guess what we'll discover When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's And not one speck will remain I do believe it's true That there are roads left in both of our shoes But if the silence takes you Then I hope it takes me too So brown eyes, I hold you near 'Cause you're the only song I want to hear A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
A peach tree Wild women don't get the blues But I find that Lately, I've been crying like a tall child So please, hurry, leave me, I can't breathe Please don't say you love me 胸がはち切れそうで My chest is about to burst One word from you and I would Jump off of this ledge I'm on, baby Tell me "don't", so I can crawl back in And I was so young when I behaved 25 Yet now, I find I've grown into a tall child And I don't wanna go home Let me walk to the top of the big night sky
Steering on hostile waves of panic Like fighting a wheel that pulls to the right I don't deserve you, but I'm giving it my best Extol your sacrifice with fine caviars and aspics Your voice, in the night Sing me to sleep, soothe this insomnia Haunted dreams, stages of grief Repressed memories Anger and bargaining Your embrace, healing my wounds Teach me to breathe, teach me to move PTSD, anxiety, genetic disease Thanatophobia
Took a tour to see the stars But they weren't out tonight So I wished hard on a Chinese satellite I want to believe Instead I look at the sky and I feel nothing You know I hate to be alone I want to be wrong You were screaming at the Evangelicals They were screaming right back from what I remember When you said I will never be your vegetable Because I think when you're gone it's forever But you know I'd stand on the corner Embarrassed with a picket sign If it meant I would see you When I die
Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me I know I could have loved you But you would not let me Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me I know I could've loved you, but you would not let me I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you Give me just a chance You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you
I would rather not go Back to the old house I would rather not go Back to the old house There's too many bad memories Too many memories When you cycled by, here began all my dreams The saddest thing I've ever seen And you never knew How much I really liked you Because I never even told you Oh, and I meant to Are you still there? Or have you moved away? Or have you moved away? I would love to go Back to the old house But I never will I never will, I never will I never will
under construction!
under construction!
