| Koushou Shinogi | |
 | |
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Kanji Name | 鎬 昂昇 |
| Kana Name | しのぎ こうしょう |
| First Appearance | |
| Anime | OVA |
| Manga | Tokyo Dome's Underground Battleground!! |
| Information | |
| Origin | Japan |
| Age | About 25 |
| Hair Color | Brown/Red |
| Height | 177 cm (5'9") |
| Weight | 81 kg (178 lbs) |
| Fighting Style | Himokiri Karate & Shinogi-ryuu Karate |
| Original Dub | Kazuhiro Tanaka (2001) Kaneto Shiozawa (OVA) Takumi Yamazaki (2018) |
| English Dub | Christopher Sabat (2001) Stan Hart (OVA) Billy Kametz (2018) |
| Relations | Kureha Shinogi (Brother) Unnamed Master |
| “ | That's some splendid trash talk. It seems I'll have to sever your cords as well... | ” |
– Koushou to Baki Hanma. | ||
Koushou Shinogi (鎬 昂昇, Shinogi Kōshō) is a strong karate fighter that once fought Baki Hanma. The younger brother of Kureha Shinogi, and an expert in himokiri karate, a style where the attacks are not blunt blows, but slashes that cut the opponent. His special technique allows him to cut his opponents' nerves, blood vessels, and lymph ducts.
He is known as the "Cord-Cutting Shinogi" (紐切り鎬, Himokiri Shinogi).
Personality[]
At the beginning of the series, Koushou is shown to be strong but overconfident due to his cord cutting style making everyone fear him. Due to his first loss by the hands of Baki Hanma he starts to become more humble. Because of that; he and Baki became good friends and rivals. After their fight, Koushou even wished him never to lose to anyone.
It is shown in the match between him and his older brother Kureha Shinogi. Koushou feels overshadowed by his older brother for always watching over him making Koushou appear weak to others and always needing protection from his older sibling, during the match Koushou begins to have a nervous breakdown and reverts back to when he was a child and begins to cry and fear of his older brother opting Kureha to feel compassion for his younger brother and forfeits the match. Koushou loves and loathes his older brother Kureha for overshadowing him his entire life over time the brothers grew to share each other love for one another's as equals. Koushou treated the duel with his brother as a kind of decisive clash. He said that if he loses this fight, he will always be the "worse" brother. Eventually, he became the official winner, but only because Kureha himself nominated him as the victor, feeling moved and proud by the bravery of his younger brother, who hates being in the shadows forever. Nevertheless, fighting a family member somehow inhibits Koushou's abilities. He admitted that there are techniques he couldn't use on his own brother.
Koushou is a proud fighter with a strongly traditionalist approach to combat. He felt shafted about not being selected to fight the five death row convict and decides to go fight Hector Doyle. Shinogi is also a very strict person. The most important thing for him is his own honor and the way of martial arts. He is very determined and always tries to achieve what he wants. During the fight against Baki, he was ready to sacrifice his hand just to be able to win, claiming that his karate doesn't matter if he can't do it.
He is an intelligent person with an elegant manner. Koushou is usually calm, but sometimes he can be aggressive and ruthless. Even Mitsunari Tokugawa admitted there is a beast in Koushou. This can be seen for example in his duel with Baki, whom he wanted to destroy with all his might. During the fight with Doyle, Koushou was constantly striking his neck with raw rage. At the beginning of the series, Koushou was even able to provoke another opponent to fight him to only cruelly cut his optic nerves (this happened during his encounter with a professional wrestler, Kouhei Kuzumi).
Appearance[]
Shinogi Koushou is a lean slightly muscular man with average height. His exact age is unknown but appears to be in his early 20's. Like his brother, he has pale skin. In the anime he has long brown wavy hair with a purple tint. He sports a dark purple/violet colored Karate gi uniform with a black belt and the sleeves rolled up. In the Baki OVA special, Koushou's color scheme is completely different. Instead of brown hair, he sports bright red hair and karate gi.
In the Baki series, Koushou faces off against Doyle and is blasted by a bomb strapped to Doyle's chest severely burning Koushou's body only to be healed up by his older brother. This battle leaves visible scars on his face. Also, Koushou wears a blue tracksuit in this fight. Later, in Baki Rahen, Koushou ties his hair into a ponytail.
History[]
Baki the Grappler[]
Past[]
Koushou during his younger years.
In his childhood, Koushou was always supported by his older brother, Kureha Shinogi. His older brother often did his homework for him or helped him defeat some thugs who wanted to hurt Koushou. Probably already during this period of his life, Koushou began to build up a sense of being inferior to his own brother and a desire to surpass him some day. Later he started learning the Himokiri Karate under the supervision of a certain unnamed master. Shinogi Koushou was a very fierce student and wanted to gain strength no matter what. He's been training hard all the time. When he grew up, his master decided to retire and make him his successor. He gave his own two fingers as a gift (which are the symbol of the source of the Himokiri Karate power) to him. Koushou was very surprised, but he accepted the gift with pride and respect.
One day Koushou met with Mitsunari Tokugawa, owner of the Underground Arena in Tokyo Dome. This meeting took place during the Sanfermines Festival in Pamplona, Spain. That day Tokugawa saw that Koushou defeat some bull that was rushing at him. He killed that bull with his own hands, pulling his nerves out. Tokugawa asked him why he did it. Shinogi only replied that he was looking for an opponent to fight. That's when Tokugawa decided to establish a relationship with him.
Underground Arena Saga[]
Koushou fighting Baki Hanma.
Shinogi Koushou appears in the Tokyo Dome arena. He meets a professional wrestler, Kouhei Kuzumi, in the corridor leading to the locker-room. Shinogi deliberately provokes him, telling him that this is a corridor down which "the weak surrender to the strong". Kuzumi gets angry and tries to attack, but Koushou cuts his vision nerves, using his famous Cord-Cut technique, and goes away calmly. Then he goes to the arena to fight against Baki Hanma, who is his opponent that day. Koushou is excited that he will fight Baki because he believes that this match will quench his "thirst". Before the start of the duel, Baki tries to provoke him and tells Koushou that he has been preparing for this fight for a whole month, reading various books about karate. Shinogi feels disrespectful and angry. At the beginning of the match, Koushou cuts Baki's skin with his kicks, showing him that each of his attacks is like cutting with a blade. Later on, Baki gives him a few strong and accurate blows, but Koushou cuts his right-hand nerve. For a while, it seems that Shinogi can win this battle, but eventually, Baki starts to deal with him even without using his right hand. At some point, Koushou cuts his right eye nerve. Then he tries to do the same things with his left eye, but Baki stops his hand and throws him to the ground, using his Submission technique. He tells him to give up or else he will break his arm, but Shinogi refuses, claiming that his karate is meaningless if he can't win this match. Baki gets angry and knocks out lying on the ground Koushou with a powerful blow to the head, not wanting to break his arm. After the match is over, Baki comes to the Doctor of the Underground Arena and asks about Shinogi. Both fighters are talking in the Doctor's room. Koushou asks him why he didn't break his arm since he could do it so easily. Baki says that even if he did, Koushou would certainly not give up and fight with his legs, so this knockout was the best solution. Shinogi is surprised by his words and tells him to never lose his fights.
Koushou and his brother, Kureha.
Later on, Koushou appears once again when Baki's next fight in the Underground Arena is coming, and this time his opponent is going to be Kureha Shinogi, Koushou's brother. The "cord-cutter", who is still walking with an arm cast after his last fight, comes to the gym where his brother is training. Koushou warns his brother about Baki, telling him how dangerous the Underground Arena champion is. Kureha answers him that he is not doing this to avenge his brother, but for his own purposes. Vale, a professional wrestler, walks up to Kureha and starts provoking him, calling him an effeminate. Koushou gets angry and wants to defend his brother, but Kureha beats the wrestler himself without any problems. Koushou witnesses that short clash and is impressed by the strength his brother presents.
On the day of the fight, Koushou is waiting with Kureha in the locker-room, worried about what will happen in the upcoming duel. He's surprised by how intense the warm-up his brother doing. Later, Koushou comments the fight on the audience. The anime shows that he does it with Izou Motobe and Kiyosumi Katou. When the match ends and Kureha continues to scream in pain in the doctor's room after the technique that Baki beat him, Koushou meets with Baki in the corridor and talks to him. The young champion tells him that he deliberately hurt Kureha, who deserved such a fate by performing sick experiments on people in the past. Koushou tells him he understands, but at the same time, he is angry because of Baki's ruthlessness.
Maximum Tournament Saga[]
Koushou meets Baki in the locker-room of the Underground Arena just before the Maximum Tournament starts. He tells him that it's surely fun to be a champion since Baki brought his "girlfriend", Kozue Matsumoto, to the Underground Arena (in truth, she's not his girlfriend yet). Koushou informs him that he has improved his "cord-cutting" style and intends to meet with Baki during the tournament.
Koushou during his fight with Kureha.
Koushou's first opponent in the tournament is his brother, Kureha. The tournament commentator says it's an unbelievable act of fate, but Katou believes that Mitsunari Tokugawa has planned it. Koushou doesn't like this situation because he doesn't want to use all his strength against his own brother, but at the same time, he realizes that this fight is his chance to finally surpass Kureha. Then his older brother reveals he set up their match to talk him into quitting the tournament and Koushou is greatly upset because of that fact. At the beginning, Koushou starts attacking him with standard karate punches and kicks. But it doesn't work on Kureha, who's not hurt at all. Eventually, however, the "cord-cutter" gets mad and decides to use his specialty. With his technique, he takes away her brother's sight in both eyes, but Kureha performs surgery on herself during the duel and heals his optic nerves so he can see everything well again. Koushou starts to feel helpless and panics, going mentally back to childhood time. He starts crying and apologizing to his brother, kneeling in the arena year. Kureha bows down over him, smiles and says he forgives him. At the moment something is waking up again in Koushou, who unexpectedly gives him an aggressive kick in the face. The younger brother says he can't give up now because it's his only chance to get out of his own brother's shadow. Kureha gets angry and attacks him using his famous technique called Dashin. Koushou gets serious damage but doesn't fall, so Kureha attacks him with another Dashin, this time right in the face. The older brother is surprised by the tenacity of Koushou, who's still on his feet with a determined gaze. Kureha feels touched and changes his attitude. He hugs Koushou, calling him a great brother, and then gives him a victory in battle. So Koushou moves on to the next round.
When Yuujirou Hanma enters the middle of the arena and starts to make a fuss about the tournament during the second round, Koushou is one of the people who challenge him, wanting to stop the Ogre. At some point, Yuujirou tries to attack Kureha, and that's when Koushou comes in. Yuujirou tells him that Koushou's "pathetic karate" can't beat him, but the "cord-cutter" tells him that there are still techniques he hasn't used during the battle against his brother. Yuujirou says it sounds pretty interesting, but then Alexander Gallen and other second round winners appears, interrupting Koushou.
Koushou vs Gouki Shibukawa.
In the second round, Koushou fights Gouki Shibukawa, the old jujutsu master. In the beginning, he starts to move around Shibukawa, which for some reason stands still and does not make any moves. Koushou goes on the offensive, attacking him with different techniques, but the old master cleverly avoids every attack. Shibukawa tells him to finally start fighting seriously. The "cord-cutter" admits that he actually held back because of the old age of his opponent. Koushou tries to use the Cord-Cut technique, but Shibukawa easily blocks his attack by grabbing his fingers. Then karateka decides to attack with a completely different and brutal technique called Eyeground Crush. However, the technique has no effect, because it turns out that Shibukawa has a glass eye. After a while, the old master makes a powerful throw against Koushou and knocks him out, winning the fight.
Later in the tournament, Koushou observes the matches of other fighters. He is also surprised during Baki's final fight with Jack Hanma when Baki unexpectedly uses the Cord-Cut technique. At the same time, Koushou smiles, seeing it.
Baki[]
Most Evil Death Row Convicts Saga[]
After the Maximum Tournament, Koushou trains further, developing new techniques for his cord-cutting karate. He demonstrates his abilities in front of Katsumi Orochi and a class of other karate practitioners, slashing three basketballs open in midair, and cutting a piece of paper perfectly in half. Following his demonstration, Koushou learns about the death row inmates currently loose in Tokyo, and decides to join Katsumi in battling them.
Katsumi drives Koushou to the hotel where Hector Doyle is currently located. After Doyle demonstrates his surgically implanted weapons to Gerry Strydum, Koushou enters the hotel room and initiates a fight with the death row inmate. Koushou begins by kicking Doyle in the throat by using the toe kick technique, leaving Doyle flustered and crawling on the ground. Before Doyle is able to retaliate, Koushou elbows him in the neck. Koushou strikes Doyle's neck again with a nukite. Koushou mocks Doyle, but Doyle quickly retaliates and dislocates Koushou's jaw. Koushou quickly relocates his jaw and resumes fighting. Before striking Doyle again, Koushou realizes that it would be dangerous to attack Doyle's appendages, which all have various weapons on them. Koushou decides to strike Doyle in the heart, but before his hand connects, Doyle detonates the bomb planted in his chest, rendering Koushou unable to fight. Afterwards, Koushou is taken to the hospital, where he is treated by his brother.
Godlike Clash of the Kids Saga[]
Koushou hears that Baki had challenged his father to a fight, visiting his brother to tell him the news. Later, Koushou and Kureha are both in the stands of the Underground Arena, watching Baki train for his eventual fight with Yuujirou. They are both surprised when Baki creates an aura of Yuujirou that he will train with.
Hanma Baki[]
Wildman War - Pickle Wars Saga[]
After the news of Pickle spread, Koushou decides to investigate the military base which Pickle is being kept at in order to see the primitive warrior for himself. After infiltrating the building which houses Pickle, Koushou proceeds to take out the guards in the building. While searching one of the downed guards for the keys to Pickle's cell, Kaiou Retsu shows up. Both acknowledges their desire to see and fight Pickle, though Koushou claims first dibs, stating that he was the first to reach Pickle's cell. However, Doppo Orochi, Jack Hanma, and Gouki Shibukawa all unveil themselves, revealing they were all in the cell before either Koushou or Retsu. Katsumi Orochi and Kaiou Jaku also infiltrate right afterward, joining Koushou and the fighters.
After Pickle awakens from his tree, Yuujirou breaks into the building, and Koushou watches the short bout along with the other fighters gathered there. Koushou is shocked by Pickle's primal strength during the fight. Then, the US army surrounds the building in order to apprehend the trespassers. Koushou, along with the other fighters, are escorted out of the base safely, as Yujiro had made an arrangement with the army.
Abilities[]
Shinogi is a strong fighter who could fight Baki during the Underground Arena Saga. He fights using a technique called cord-cutting, which involves cutting his opponent's nerves so they can't move or use some senses. This way, he can pull the enemy's nerve out and cut it. He later improved the technique and learned to pull the nerve, cutting it simultaneously with one movement. Besides Baki, Koushou is the only person who can perform this technique in the series.
Koushou's strongest weapon are his fingers. After training, Shinogi's fingers were so strong he could easily tear flesh and break wood. His fingers are also so strong that he can use them to easily kill bulls who can weigh around 1100 to 2200 pounds with ease and destroy basketballs with them. Doppo Orochi compared fighting him barehanded to fighting a tiger. In addition, except his unusual skills, Koushou can also use standard karate techniques very well.
In Baki Rahen, Shinogi has vastly developed his cutting techniques, shown during his fight with Jack Hanma, cutting him all over his body without getting bitten once, at least at the beginning of their fight. Shinogi is also far more flexible, standing while his right leg is raised high in the air without showing any discomfort. Baki has stated that Shinogi is alot sharper then when they first fought.
Techniques[]
- Cord-Cut – his signature move; used against Kureha Shinogi, for example.
- Nukite – used against a punching bag or Hector Doyle.
- Seiken – used against Baki Hanma.
- Headbutt – used against Baki Hanma.
- Sokutou - used against Kureha Shinogi.
- New Cord-Cut - used against Kureha Shinogi for the first time.
- Eyeground Crush – used once against Gouki Shibukawa.
- Toe Kick – used against Hector Doyle.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- His appearance is probably based on visual kei rocker named Yoshiki.
- His fighting style and techniques may possibly be based on Uechi-Ryu Karate.
- His hair is red in the OVA just like his older brother Kureha yet in the TV and ONA anime his hair is brown.
- The English dub of the TV series mistakenly presents "Koushou" as his family name, and "Shinogi" as his first name. This also results in his brother being known as "Kureha Koushou".
- He is similar to Rei from Fist of the North Star. They have similar appearances and fighting techniques. Koushou was also voiced by Rei's voice actor in the OVA.