Taito Magatsu 凶戴斗

Among the Ittō-ryū's finest swordsmen. Of peasant origin, he became a swordsman to avenge his sister, who was killed as a child by a samurai. Taito is one of the few swordsmen who has fought Manji and survived. He has also fought by Manji's side as well. He can be considered a kenshi, a swordsman who is not from the samurai class. His lover of sorts, a prostitute named O-ren was killed by Shira. He quit the Ittō-ryū, although he is still friends with Anotsu. He ends up following Manji around due to the fact he knows Shira is after Manji. Although they argue a lot, Manji and Taito have a relatively friendly relationship. In the end Manji allows Taito to find Shira, and despite how much Shira wants to kill Manji, he lets Taito take him. Eventually Shira loses the one hand he had left to Taito and presumably falls to his death. Later concerned by something Shira said, Taito goes to meet up with Anotsu and eventually rejoins the Ittō-ryū. Taito's weapon is a gladius-like triple-sectioned sword named Grand Turk. The main blade is a gladius, the second is a smaller, shorter sword hidden in the handle, the last is a spear-head like dagger hidden within the second blade. The sword is curiously missing a sword guard. First appears in Conquest part 1, first named in Fanatic part 1.