T5W#5-Top 5 Favorite Swordsman in Anime

Even since before I got into Anime, I was always a fan of heroes who preferred the sword as their primary weapon.  From Robin Hood to Star Wars, the clash of steel (or energy) always had my attention and had me in total awe.  So it’s natural I’d get into Anime and find an army of gallant and bad ass swordsman, Samurai or Knight or Game Players, waiting for me to witness their glorious battles.  These five have stood out in my mind when I think of Best Swordsman.

#5-Kirito (Sword Art Online)

Kirito is an extremely overpowered bad ass since he’s been Beta testing the Sword Art Online game for months prior to it’s release.  That doesn’t mean he isn’t impessive to watch.  His speed and practical grace when dual wielding blades is nothing short of stellar.  His long black coated look makes me think that this is what Neo could have been in The Matrix if would actually pick up a sword for more than two seconds.

#4-Saber (Fate/Zero, Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works)

A particular king of legend was actually a girl?  Yeah I could roll with that.  Saber’s skill in battle matches her grace and beauty under pressure.  It’s no wonder she catches the eye of all of her opponents.  She’s polite and chivalrous to a fault but that doesn’t mean she’ll hold back on you.  And even handicapped Saber can take anyone on.  Add in an overpowered Excalibur like blade and you’ve got the best Holy Grail servant around (imho of course).

#3-Jin (Samurai Champloo)

Mugen may have been the one everyone focused on in Samurai Champloo because of his wild attitude and break dance style sword play, but Jin was always my favorite of the two.  To me, Jin was a picture example of a wandering Ronin of the stories I used to hear about.  He was calm, cool and deadly with a sword.  He’d cut you down in one impressive hit then go about his business without so much as a care.  He was a man of few words and great discipline and he sported glasses…strange but that added to the admiration.

#2-Byakuya Kuchiki (Bleach)

Bleach is littered with guys who know how to use a sword.  But Byakuya makes my list because he was my favorite captain who, ironically enough, I despised at first for being a villain.  But even then, the second he unleashed his Senbonsakura on his enemies, you knew he was a force to be reckoned with.  As the series went on, he outgrew that heartless villain role I first assumed of him and grew into a man I could respect.  He wasn’t just powerful, he’s the captain id aspire the most to be.

#1-Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin)

The king of the wandering samurai, the man who was one of my first Anime heroes, the one who gave me my now common use catch phrase “Oro?”  Kenshin was for me, the first of a certain kind of character with a dark past who hid it behind a gullible façade.  Many have tried to replicate that from Vash the Stampeded in Trigun to Nightroad in Trinity Blood but they were never as good as the tragic Kenshin.  And yet in spite of his blood soaked past, Kenshin still carries on, using non life threatening (when he wants it to) Sakabatou and his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu sword style, to protect as many as he can.  His past may not be exemplary but his way of life in the present is one we all should follow: peace…with a show of force when necessary.

Any slicers and dicers of men that are your favs?  Comments are open to all.