Childhood & Soujirou

Soujirou’s past is shown in volume 16, Providence. The specific chapters are:

Innocence of a Child

Soujirou grew up with the his father, a rice dealer. However, it was shown through the contempt of his family that he was born from an adulterous act with an unnamed woman. It is implied that his father cared enough for Soujirou to intend to leave him a share of the rice business after his death, however, the other members of the family planned something else.

For the first eight years of his life, Soujirou was made to be the slave of the family and kept away from the eyes of any outsiders.

Think of him as a gift, dad! You can work him to death and never have to pay him. [ch130]

He was forced to do hard labor such as carrying hundreds of rice sacks around warehouses for the business. He was laughed at, mocked and beaten for things that he did not do. As punishment for “his” mistakes, he was often forced to sleep outside with no food or shelter.

That Fateful Night

One night, as Soujirou was cleaning up his wounds, he heard a scream. Running to investigate, he becomes witness to Shishio Makoto’s murder of policemen who had been sent by the government. Shishio, seeing Soujirou, moves to kill him but instead spares his life in exchange for some bandages, food and shelter.

…Are you so happy to die, child? [Shishio, ch131]

The reason implied is that because even in the face of death, he was smiling. When Shishio asked him why he was smiling, Soujirou at first did not know what he meant. This was because it had developed into a habit that sometimes, he himself would not realize that he was smiling. It was his defense mechanism.

Back then, when I first got here… and they were mean to me… I’d get mad, or cry. But the more I got mad or cried… the harder they’d beat me, for being a brat. If I held it in, though, and smiled… they’d get tired of beating me and quit. No matter how much it hurt… or how ashamed I was… I had to keep smiling. [Soujirou, ch131]

Shishio taught Soujirou the motto that would rule his way of life for the next ten years: “The strong shall live, and the weak shall die.” As a gift, Shishio gave young Soujirou a wakizashi. A short while later, Soujirou decides to return the blade to Shishio thinking that being cut with a sword “must really hurt” and that he could never be as great a swordsman as Shishio.

Meanwhile, Soujirou’s family (after noticing all the stored bandages in the house were gone) realizes that Soujirou was housing the government fugitive. Running out, the family calls out to Soujirou with the intention of getting him to tell where the fugitive was hidden to claim a prize from the government. However, when Soujirou appears, their intention turns to murder.

Help!! Someone… anyone!! Help me!! [Soujirou, ch132]

Soujirou runs in terror, screaming for anyone to help him. He goes under the building where he had hidden Shishio’s gift – the wakizashi. One of his brothers follows him under. Upon seeing Soujirou clutching the sword, he reaches for it and unsheaths it.

The rest of the family is beside the building where Soujirou was hiding. Hearing a scream, they assume that Soujirou had been killed by the brother who had gone under. A decapitated head and in a flash of terror, they realize that it was not Soujirou at all. Soujirou climbs out, smiling. With the family moving to slaughter the boy, Soujirou lifts his head, and in the thunder and lightning, kills them all. It begins to rain and Shishio comes out of the nearby barn.

Shishio: You’re not… crying?

Soujirou: No. [ch132]

Shishio sees that a smile was once again on his face. As Shishio moves to leave, Soujirou accompanies him. When Soujirou asks if he could be strong, Shishio promises Soujirou that he will be the strongest, next to him.