Aboshi Samojiro: One Fascinating Villain in Hakkenden

Some time ago, I said I don’t like “The Seven Secretary”, because the structure that “The top citizens are evil” and “The bottom citizens are good” is too obvious.

In Hakkenden, there are good lords such as Satomi clans and also evil persons in low social position.

Among them, Aboshi Samojiro has been very popular since Edo period despite a poverty ronin and a small villain.

 

 

・Aboshi Samojiro’s Character

 

 

He's a beautiful man specializing in singing and dancing.

He's an urbanized playboy, rare in Hakkenden.

But he's somehow clumsy.

He was an entourage of Ougigayatsu clan, Kanto Kanrei, but was expelled from it and became a poverty ronin and lived nearby Inuzuka Shino, a first hero in Hakkenden.

He was illicitly and one-directly loving to Hamaji, the fiancé of Shino.

To marry with Hamaji, he flattered to the greedy shouya(the village leader), the enemy of Shino, and stole Murasame Sword, Shino's Treasure.

However, he was immediately betrayed because of his lack of authority.

For his petting revenge, he robbed Hamaji and Murasame Sword and escaped from Shino's Village, but...

 

 

His personality does for real "those who resort to blandishments and fawning smiles are apt to lack compassion" in Analects.

He may be similar to Suneo in Doraemon or Gaston in Beauty and Beast.

 

 

At original work, his turn is very short.

But in NHK Puppet Show "Shin Hakkenden", he appears entirely and has position like Nezumi Otoko in Gegege No Kitaro.

And, in OVA "The Hakkenden", he is the biggest and strongest enemy.

 

 

He may be fascinating because he's not rewarded even if he tries to plays his cards successfully.

By the way, Koda Rohan, a writer in Meiji Era, pointed out,

"Kyokutei Bakin, the author of Hakkenden, portrayed the man like Samojiro as 'the thoughtless and malicious person', but Jippensha Ikku, the author of Toukai Douchu Hizakurige, portrayed the man like Samojiro as 'the stylish, intelligence and loved person'."