OOC | [Application]
Name: Sagara Sanosuke
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Time Period: Right before the time skip at the end of chapter 254.
Wing Color: White with red tips
History: There is, unfortunately, no good history for Sanosuke that I can find. So, here's one I wrote!
Sanosuke was born to a family of daikon farmers in Shinsuu village, and was the oldest child of three, though at this point in time he doesn't know he has a little brother. He lived with them until he was nine, when he left home to join the Sekihoutai, a group of mostly farmers who fought for the Imperialists at the end of the Tokugawa regime. Sanosuke idolized the leader of the Sekihoutai, a man named Sagara Sozo, and would eventually take the man's surname. The Sekihoutai were eventually betrayed by the Imperialists, however, who used the group as a scapegoat to cover up the fact that they (the Imperialists) had been unable to keep their promise of reducing taxes for the farmers and villagers. Most of the members of the Sekihoutai were executed, and Sagara Sozo's decapitated head was put on display as a warning. Members of the Sekihoutai were also branded with the character for "bad" or "evil," which Sanosuke would proudly wear on the back of his shirt in the future.
Because of his grief and anger at his own weakness, Sanosuke became a fighter for hire, using a special type of sword called a zanbatou. The massive sword was able to slice through a horse and rider in a single stroke, and earned Sanosuke the nickname "Zanza." He took jobs for ten years as a fighter for hire, becoming noteworthy in the underworld for his strength and his practice of charging based on how much he enjoyed the fight. Eventually, he's hired by the Hiruma brothers to fight Himura Kenshin, who had thoroughly trounced the brothers once before. Despite the fact that he had met and liked Kenshin earlier that day, he takes the job, especially eager to fight once he learns that the man is the famous Hitokiri Battousai, a legendary Imperialist fighter. Entering the fight, Sanosuke is determined to defeat Kenshin out of pride as a member of the Sekihoutai, but stands little chance against the man. While he has incredible strength and endurance, in the end he is no match for Kenshin's skill. What ultimately decides the battle, however, are Kenshin's words, a reminder that the mission of the Sekihoutai was to complete the Meiji Revolution, which has yet to happen. Kenshin's desire to help ensure peace and happiness reminds Sano of Sagara Sozo, and in the end Sano accepts his loss. Kenshin and his friends Kaoru and Yahiko take Sanosuke to be treated, though the man's endurance has him up and about again much sooner than expected. The group is surprised to see him a mere day after the battle at the Akabeko restaurant, where Sano announces that he's no longer a fighter for hire. He also tells Kenshin, who is a vagabond, that he can't go off wandering again without Sano.
From then on, Sano becomes another of Kenshin's "weird friends," as the swordsman puts it, and spends a great deal of time with Kenshin. While there are humorous times, Sano also gets involved with Kenshin's various battles, aiding as he's able. One of the earliest battles starts with an innocent visit to a local gambling hall, where in the midst of the fun, Sanosuke learns one of his closest friends has died of an accidental opium overdose. Just before they can think over the details, however, a woman bursts in, asking Kenshin to save her from the men chasing her. The woman, Takani Megumi, turns out to be a medical chemist running from a mob boss named Takeda Kanryu. After fending off her pursuers and discovering opium on her, Sano and Kenshin take Megumi back to Kaoru's dojo.
Kanryu is not so willing to give up on Megumi, however, as it's revealed that she is the only one who knows how to make very potent and cheap opium. In his employ are an elite group of spies known as the Oniwabanshu, several of whom attack the dojo in order to kidnap Megumi. Sano and Kenshin fend them off, but in the process Yahiko is poisoned. Megumi uses her medical skill to save him, and all are thankful. While he is glad Yahiko doesn't die, however, Sano isn't as forgiving as the others in his anger over his friend's death, and Megumi's role in it.
Trying a different tactic, Megumi is threatened by the promise of the deaths of her new friends if she doesn't return to Kanryu. Giving in, Megumi heads back, leaving a note to try and fool Kenshin and the others so they don't pursue her. They don't fall for it, however, and Kenshin says he will go after her. Sanosuke originally refuses to help, but after some strong words from Kenshin about Megumi's true character, he agrees to go along. Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko raid the mansion, where they face not only the Oniwabanshu, but also Kanryu, who uses a Gatling Gun to attack both the Kenshin group, and the Oniwabanshu in order to prove his superior strength granted by money as opposed to skill. Four members of the Oniwabanshu end up dying in the process of trying to defeat the weapon and save their leader, Shinamori Aoshi. In the end, the effort causes the gun to run out of bullets, and Kenshin knocks out Kanryu before heading upstairs to save Megumi. She is thankful for their efforts, but under the belief that the only way she can atone for making opium is through her death, she attempts to commit suicide. Sanosuke intervenes, however, grabbing the blade of her dagger with his bare hand.
The ruckus at the mansion has attracted police attention, and Megumi goes to turn herself in, knowing that she will be punished by death for her crimes. She is stopped, however, by Kenshin and the others, who vouch for her to the police and prevent her from being arrested. The group then convinces Megumi that she can be forgiven (as Sano finally does), and that she should live on as a doctor. All seems well, except for the grief of a now crazed Aoshi, who vanishes with the heads of his fallen followers.
Life returns to the normal routine, sparked by the occasional minor villain. The next episode that Sanosuke plays a major role in is when he discovers that another member of the Sekihoutai, a man named Tsukioka Katsuhiro, is alive and in Tokyo. He goes to reminisce, and Katsuhiro (Katsu) reveals a plan to blow up the major departments of the Meiji Government in order to destroy it. Sano resists at first, but in the end decides to go along with Katsu, who he recognizes as being stuck in the past. He throws a party for Kenshin and the others, claiming it's to celebrate the reunion, but in reality means it as a thank you for all their help. Believing his friends to be passed out, Sano apologizes for the deceit, and bids farewell to Kenshin before leaving. Kenshin, however, is awake, and heads out to stop the pair from their plan. He's easily able to overpower Katsu, who nearly becomes suicidal in his efforts before being knocked out by Sano. Sano takes Katsu back to his home, where he explains about Kenshin, and points out that a philosophy of the ends justifying the means would give justification to the Meiji Government's actions against the Sekihoutai. Katsu sees the error of his ways, and reforms, publishing a newspaper to expose the truth.
Back to normality, but it never lasts for long. Finding Kaoru's dojo vacant, Sano is lamenting the lack of free food when a door-to-door pharmacist arrives to sell the owners some medicine. Sanosuke notices the man's hands are calloused from holding a sword, however, and demands to know the man's identity. Turns out that he's Saitou Haijime, the former leader of the Shinsengumi's third squad, and he's intending to fight Kenshin. Since the Battousai is out, however, Saitou decides to leave Kenshin a present: a bloodied, thoroughly beaten Sanosuke. Despite his strength, Sano is seriously injured in the battle, not waking up until several days later when Kenshin and Saitou are having their fight. Kenshin reverts to his former Battousai personality during the fight, nearly killing Saitou and dying himself, when they are stopped by the Chief of Police and Okubo Toshimichi, who at the time was the most powerful man in Japan. Okubo reveals that Kenshin's Hitokiri replacement, Shishio Makoto, is plotting to take over Japan, and implores Kenshin to return to Kyoto to stop him. All of Kenshin's friends, including Sanosuke, are against this. Okubo is assassinated by one of Shishio's men, prompting Kenshin to return to Kyoto, only saying farewell to Kaoru before departing.
This pisses Sanosuke off. Determined to follow Kenshin and give him a good punch to the face, he goes to Katsuhiro's for money (and gets a couple of bombs for his trouble), when Saitou confronts him again to ask what he's doing. An agent of the police also acting against Shishio, Saitou declares Sanosuke nothing more than a burden to Kenshin. He tries to beat the lesson into him to prevent Sano from going to Kyoto, but Sano is stubborn, and ends up going anyway.
Saitou advises Sanosuke to use the trip to improve his defense, but Sano refuses, knowing that a he isn't suited to use a defensive style of fighting. He has little success improving his strength until he randomly encounters a fallen monk named Anji. Sanosuke risks his life to learn a special technique called the Futae no Kiwami (Mastery of Two Layers) within a week from Anji, and very nearly does die, coming so close to death that he even has a hallucination of his former Commander, Sagara Sozo, telling him to rest and ask for more time. Sanosuke perseveres, however, and learns the technique by the end of the week as he said he would. He's thankful for the knowledge, and hopes to meet Anji again someday.
Deciding the best way to find Kenshin after he arrives in Kyoto is through Saitou, Sano gets himself arrested. The plan actually works, and Sano reunites with Kenshin and Saitou just in time to head out to Osaka to stop Shishio from launching a naval attack on Tokyo. Sano's primary role in the effort is to attack the ship's hull with the bombs he got from Katsu while Kenshin and Saitou board the ship to distract Shishio's forces. Shishio sees through their plan, however, and has his men fire a Gatling Gun at Sanosuke. Using the Futae no Kiwami, Sanosuke deflects the bullets with a shield of water, and throws the grenades at the hull. Despite Katsu's claim that the bombs are strictly for self defense, the explosion causes a massive amount of damage. By the time Sanosuke makes it onto the sinking boat, Shishio and his men have left, making arrangements to have a final duel with Kenshin, Saitou, and Sanosuke at their headquarters.
After a brief reunion with their allies in Kyoto (including Kaoru and Yahiko, who have come from Tokyo), Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Saitou head out as arranged. Shishio's lover Yumi greets them at the entrance, and informs them that all duels will be one-on-one fights with no interference. Kenshin agrees, but also stipulates that once there is a clear-cut winner, the duel will be ended without death. They proceed through an intricate maze until they reach the first room, where the third best of Shishio's men waits: the fallen monk Anji.
The battle is far from an easy one, with Anji being a true master of the Futae no Kiwami; while Sanosuke can only perform the technique with his right fist, Anji can utilize it with pretty much anything he can strike with: his head, elbows, fists, legs, etc. In addition, he can neutralize Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami with the Kiwami Hazushi (a Futae no Kiwami struck at the same moment as the first in the opposite direction). Sanosuke does eventually manage to strike what should be a winning blow, until it's revealed that Anji carries a memorial tablet in his shirt which absorbed most of the impact. Anji explains that the memorial is for innocent children who were killed in the name of greed thanks to the Meiji Government's anti-Buddhist stance ten years prior. It is this disregard for life that has led Anji to follow Shishio in a desire to recreate the world. Sanosuke, however, recognizes that Anji's efforts only go against what the children wished of him, and beats sense into him by creating a new attack Kenshin calls a Sanjuu no Kiwami (opening his closed fist to create an additional strike to the two of the Futae no Kiwami).
Anji loses the will to fight, and after treating his wounds, Sano proceeds with the others to the next room, but only after learning that most of Shishio's men have gone ahead to kill the allies Kenshin has left behind at the Aoiya in Kyoto. At Saitou's prompting, they leave the next duel to him, running ahead until Kenshin senses Aoshi in one of the rooms. Although he doesn't have to fight the man in order to get to Shishio, because of their unresolved conflict and his promises to Misao (Aoshi's most loyal follower) and Aoshi himself, Kenshin decides to anyway. Sano's role is that of witness, watching as Kenshin's efforts bring Aoshi to his senses, and as Kenshin unveils his full strength without becoming the murderous Battousai of the revolution.
Once the battle with Aoshi is done, Kenshin and Sano again proceed with Yumi to the next duels. After defeating Seta Soujirou, the group heads to where Shishio waits. As they go, Kenshin warns Sanosuke not to interfere in the fight. Though he says he understands, Sanosuke is aware of everyone who needs Kenshin, and decides that no matter what anyone thinks, he won't let Kenshin die. The fight begins shortly after, and initially goes very poorly for Kenshin, resulting in the swordsman being nearly killed. Saitou returns to attack Shishio while Kenshin is unconscious, but also falls. Sanosuke steps in next, but has no better luck. Even landing a Futae no Kiwami on Shishio's face doesn't help, as all it does is shatter the jarred bones in his hand. Sanosuke is beaten back, unconscious as the battle continues, now with Shishio fighting Aoshi. Though Aoshi is also overpowered, the efforts aren't in vain, as there is enough time gained for Kenshin and the others to revive. The battle takes a drastic turn, and in the end, Kenshin defeats Shishio when the man's abnormal body heat causes him to spontaneously combust and die.
Shishio's most loyal follower, Houji, is devastated by the loss and refuses to accept it. Losing his senses, he tries to kill the survivors by trapping them on the platform where they fought. Saitou uses his sword to break down the door, but the explosions caused by Houji's efforts separate him from the group. As Sano watches, Saitou vanishes into the flames of the explosions, and presumably dies.
Aoshi, Kenshin, and Sano return to the Aoiya, where their allies (all alive) wait. The group ends up staying in another restaurant as the Aoiya was destroyed in the battle, taking about a month to recover from their physical and emotional wounds. Sanosuke in particular revisits the site of the battle in order to come to a resolution to the unfinished fight between himself and Saitou: to become a better man.
Eventually, Kenshin and his friends return to Tokyo. Plans are already in motion for their next major conflict, however, even as they try and settle back into the routine. Yukishiro Enishi, the brother of Kenshin's dead wife, plans to plunge Kenshin into a living hell by taking what he holds most dear. Gathering a group of fighters for the purpose, he inflicts serious damage to even minor acquaintances. Sanosuke fights one of these warriors and severely injures his hand in the process without achieving victory. The ultimate fight happens ten days later at Kamiya dojo. The battle goes fairly well, as the group sustains serious injuries, but wins against their starting opponents. An old ally even returns, as Saitou reveals he is alive and joins the fight. When Enishi joins in, however, things take a drastic turn. After defeating even Kenshin's most powerful move, he goes after the person Kenshin cares for the most, Kaoru, presumably killing her and utterly breaking Kenshin's spirit. Kenshin retreats to Rakuninmura, where those who have thrown away life go. Despite the demands for everyone for Kenshin to seek vengeance, he simply claims he's tired and wishes to be left alone. In his anger, Sanosuke leaves Tokyo and Kenshin (after giving him a good punch to the face), though Yahiko declares that it isn't over, and that Sanosuke should return.
Sanosuke ends up in Shinsuu village, where to relieve his stress he agrees to fight for Fudousawa who wants to take over the town. The one obstacle is a stubborn fighter who turns out to be Sanosuke's dad. Their first fight ends in a draw, and Sano goes to his house for a day. In the end, Sano realizes that his former home is no longer his place, and takes up his father's role to protect the town to save his father from becoming an enemy of the Meiji Government and causing further division in his family. Creating a two-handed version of the Futae no Kiwami he can use even with his horribly damaged hands, Sanosuke thoroughly defeats over 200 men, finally finding relief for his stress. He says goodbye to his father and tells his younger brother to learn Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu when he's older, before starting to run back to Tokyo-after beating up Tani, the Meiji official who allowed Fudousawa to run amok.
Sanosuke gets back a day before Kenshin (who has regained his spirit) and the others are due to set out for Enishi's island headquarters by boat to rescue Kaoru, whose death had been faked. They make it there, and are confronted by the second in command of Enishi's weapons-dealing organization, Woo Heishin, and his four bodyguards, the Suu-Shin. Because Kenshin is still heavily injured from his prior fight, Sanosuke, Yahiko, Saitou, and Aoshi (who came from Kyoto earlier) take on one of the four each. Sanosuke fights Byakko, who uses numerous physical attacks-all of which ultimately fail. The other three win their fights as well, and shortly after, Enishi shows up with Kaoru in tow to fight Kenshin. The battle is harsh, but Kenshin finally wins, and at one point it looks like Kenshin will lose. Sanosuke, who had planned to stay out of the duel, decides to step in, but is stopped by Yahiko, who points out Kenshin still hasn't lost. And Yahiko is ultimately correct, as gains the upper hand and breaks Enishi's sword. Enishi is determined to keep fighting, but they are interrupted when Woo Heishin shoots Kenshin for humiliating him earlier. Kaoru moves to shield Kenshin from another shot, causing Enishi to step in to save Kaoru's life. Enishi tries to beat Woo Heishin to death, but is stopped by Kenshin, whose words finally break Enishi's resolve and end the battle.
Shortly thereafter, the group begins to go their separate ways. Aoshi and Misao return to Kyoto, Saitou gives up on beating Battousai (as Kenshin has completely moved on from that identity), and Megumi leaves for Aizu to become a doctor there and search for her family. On the day they say farewell to Megumi, a large police force starts to chase down Sanosuke. Tani has declared him a criminal for the incident in Shinsuu, and Sanosuke is forced to say goodbye to his friends and leave Japan. He sees it as a good opportunity to explore the world, and sets out after a powerful goodbye to his friends.
Personality: Sano is a very stubborn person, especially when it comes to people he doesn't like. He'll not only refuse to take no for an answer, but punch the person who told him no in the face for good measure. He tends to be rash, occasionally rushing into things without thinking, and is usually quick to pick a fight. He's also very blunt, saying what's on his mind without caring about making other people flail in either anger or embarrassment in response. He can be a little on the thick side sometimes, but not always, in some instances being fairly perceptive and clever. He can also hold grudges, at least until the person explains themselves or is repentant. If he loses to someone, however, he'll refuse to give up until he somehow beats them in the end. This doesn't necessarily mean by fighting, however; in the case of Saitou, Sanosuke's solution is to be a better man than Saitou was.
Unlike Kenshin, who has vowed never to kill again, or Yahiko, who practices the non-killing Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu, Sanosuke claims he is willing to kill. I think this is easier for him to say than to do, however, as he only ever suggests it in the series, and is usually because he's being rash or is particularly pissed (like when Kaoru dies). He respects Kenshin and Yahiko's roles, however, and will do what he can to prevent either from having to take a life. Likewise, he'll do whatever he can to prevent either from dying, though he's typically pretty good about staying out of fights that are private. The sole exception to this is Kenshin's fight against Shishio, but Sano only intervenes once Kenshin is unconscious and Saitou has fallen.
Sano has a deep hatred for the Meiji Government stemming from their betrayal of the Sekihoutai ten years prior. It's likely this hatred that fuels his disdain for people who harm the innocent, and such an abuse of power will get him to act quicker than anything else. Because of his past with the Sekihoutai (and his devotion to Commander Sagara), he won't hesitate to get involved against the Meiji, even when doing so leads to legal problems for him. He has a way of seeing the bigger picture because of his experience, which makes him more able to protect others from the corruption of many government officials. Even when it doesn't come to the government, however, he's typically willing to help out others.
Despite his rashness, Sanosuke can be fairly easy-going at times-maybe a bit too much. He has no qualms about skipping out on bills, freeloading, or demanding food from random strangers. Sano also tends to call others by nicknames based on their characteristics (Megumi is the Fox Lady, while his sister starts off as "Pointy Head" because of her hairstyle). He's not afraid of having a good time, however, enjoying a party or trip to the gambling hall. Sanosuke typically has the best interests of others in heart, and will do what he can to get his friends to be happy.
Even if that means kicking their asses so they stop being stupid.
Strengths: Sanosuke's physical strengths start with his endurance. Numerous times in the series, he gets the crap beat out of him, but he's still left standing afterward. This includes his first major fight, which was against Kenshin. Sanosuke took a ton of hits from Kenshin's sword, and still stayed on his feet, if only just barely. Later on in the series, Sanosuke takes out a mob of 200 men, then beats up a political official, then runs back to his hometown in so little time that Megumi says he's probably won the Japanese record for stupidity.
In addition, Sanosuke is one of the strongest characters in the series, and a well experienced street fighter; before he meets Kenshin, he makes his living as a fighter for hire. This is emphasized when he learns the Futae no Kiwami*, a move which allows him to pulverize boulders with ease. Even before this, however, Sanosuke is shown knocking out an opponent with a single flick of his finger. And of course there is his use of the zanbatou, a massive sword that Sanosuke manipulates without difficulty despite it's huge size and weight.
*Note: The Futae no Kiwami is noted in the series as the ultimate mastery of destruction, and is performed by striking a single point two times near instantaneously: first with the middle knuckles of the fingers, then the lower knuckles at the top of the fist. Sano has 2 versions of the Futae no Kiwami, the original one handed version, and a two handed version he creates. The one handed version is the most powerful but in turn does the most damage to the user, while the two handed version is less powerful and less stressful on Sano's hands. He also has a variation called the Sanjuu no Kiwami, which causes greater destruction because of an additional blow delivered by snapping out the fingers. However, the chances of Sano using this variation are rare, and likely won't happen except in the most desperate of measures.
In the series, the one handed version is able to disintegrate most wood and stone easily with a single punch. At the start, Sano uses the attack on stone specifically numerous times, seemingly without injury. He also uses it to escape a wooden prison cell, and to shatter wooden restraints. He also uses it on water to create a really big wall of water that manages to absorb the impact of bullets. Later on we see that the technique can also pulverize metal (steel gauntlets, specifically) as well, though not over as large of an area. And of course, it's pretty devastating to the human body; even if blocked, the impact of the waves can cause broken/cracked bones, shredded muscles, and internal bleeding. The weakness of the attack does come with repeated use, as it jars the bones of the hands, and can shatter them.
The two handed version that Sano creates later on, as said, does less damage, but also hurts his hands less. In addition, Sano can't use any sort of combination hit with this, since it does take both hands. Of course, less effective in this case means it's able to shatter a massive boulder, and break three or four of the ribs of the man pressed to the opposite side of said boulder. So, yeah...pretty powerful. Notably, his right hand has to be at least partially healed for this to work well at all.
Emotionally, Sanosuke is actually fairly normal in terms of strengths. He's loyal to the point of utter stupidity, and would do anything in his power to help the people he cares about. In that vein, he's also fairly compassionate, particularly towards those who qualify as “weak” or unable to defend themselves. He can handle watching battle without losing himself to nerves, and at least in terms of talk, he has the fortitude to kill someone. And he's willing to be happy, which, in this series, is a pretty big strength, considering all the guilt floating around.
Sanosuke's biggest mental strength is his sheer stubbornness. The man has a will that just won't be broken. What he can do physically is enabled by his will power; probably the biggest example is learning the Futae no Kiwami. The creator of the technique says that it'll take Sanosuke a month to learn, but Sano simply doesn't have that much time...so he'll do it in a week. And he succeeds, although he almost kills himself from exhaustion during his attempt.
Additionally, while he is far from being the smartest person in the series, Sanosuke can be perceptive about people, particularly so far as politics are concerned. This stems from seeing the destruction and defamation of the Sekihoutai army: the experience teaches him that those in power can twist truth in public perception, which isn't something everyone can see. He's also got his own brand of cleverness, like developing a two-handed version of the Futae no Kiwami in order to limit the damage inflicted on his hands.
Weaknesses: Sanosuke's physical weaknesses are due to the fact that he's the only fighter not to be specifically trained in any style, particularly in a series full of first class swordsmen like Kenshin. He's a street fighter, and he's so physically tough that his fighting style lacks defense, which allows Saitou to beat him in a fist fight. Sanosuke is aware of this, but he doesn't let that stop him. Moreover, he ultimately decides that defense just doesn't suit him, and refuses to learn it.
Emotionally, Sanosuke has a fairly bad temper. When Kaoru “dies,” he completely loses his head, ultimately abandoning Kenshin to his despair and temporarily returning to the fighter-for-hire profession he'd left behind. And when they first meet Megumi and Sanosuke learns she's responsible for making the opium that killed his friend, he is very willing to abandon her to her fate at the hands of a merciless drug dealer, until Kenshin insults his actions. When he gets pissed off, Sanosuke will readily get into a fight, seeing an all out brawl as the only way to let off steam. He can also be a bit lazy at times, and has no qualms about freeloading. He's also got a fear of the supernatural, which is to be expected from someone from that time period.
Mentally, well. Sanosuke doesn't always think things through like he should. By the time I'm taking him from, it's greatly improved, but his stubbornness and his temper both can be manipulated by others; Saitou does this when he uses Cho and Sano's bickering to get the information he wants from the previously defiant Cho. He also doesn't see the value in remembering little details like people's names or how long ago they met (saying that an encounter happened four years ago instead of six months).
Samples
First Person: All right, let me make sure I've got this straight. A bunch of guys calling themselves the Mal-whatevers decided to drag us here from our worlds, attach wings to our backs, and experiment on us whenever they please. And those guys are fighting another set of guys who just want to flat out kill us all, and we can be dragged into their war whenever?
I can't be the only one who thinks this is a bunch of bullshit. It's bad enough where I'm from, with the Meiji government trampling all over innocent people's lives. At least those people have their homes and their families. Here we've been dragged into-hell, I don't even know what to call it. Some messed world that makes it look like Buddha had a bad opium dream or something. Whatever it is, I don't like it at all. If I get into a fight on my own, that's fine. But like hell I want to be dragged into someone else's war.
Tch. But there's a lot of people around here who can't fight for themselves, right? And like it or not, I'm here, so it's not like I have a lot of choice. I'm not just the type of easy-going bastard who can stand by while innocent people are getting taken advantage of. Maybe it's wings now, but I can still feel the symbol of evil on my back, and that means I'm going to do whatever I can to help out. Just don't think I'm doing it cause the power-that-be want me to.
Third Person: Wings, huh? Laying on his back, there was no way Sanosuke couldn't notice the feathers in the corner of his vision, an undeniable reminder that no, this wasn't some sake-induced dream from an alcohol binge gone wrong. More than that, he could feel the pressure of pebbles pushed against the feathers, just the same as if he'd put his hand down on them. It should've been impossible, all of it, but damn if it somehow hadn't happened anyway.
Sanosuke didn't like it, not in the least. Skimming over the welcome guide (and who in their right mind did they expect to read that whole thing anyway?) had provided nothing resembling satisfactory answers: just a mess of disbelief and the urge to pull out one of his feathers, just as a test. It'd hurt like hell, too.
Sanosuke sighed around the point of the feather, clutched tightly between his teeth. So he was stuck here, wings and all, with no way of getting back to the world he'd known. Sano might have been ready to leave Japan, but China and wherever the fuck he was now were two completely different things. He had planned to go back home someday, to see Kenshin and Jo-chan's kids, and find out what Yahiko had done with his life. The Vixen too.
But laying in the grass regretting stuff like that didn't accomplish anything, and Sanosuke wasn't one to think that much anyway. He found it much more satisfying to act, so after a moment more staring up into the sky, he got to his feet. Maybe getting to the village he kept seeing signs about would give him the chance to find someone who could help him wrap his head around everything that he'd been told so far. Or maybe he'd get really lucky and find one of those Mal-whatever guys to punch in the face. Not that he expected it to actually do much, but Sanosuke knew he'd feel better for it.
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Time Period: Right before the time skip at the end of chapter 254.
Wing Color: White with red tips
History: There is, unfortunately, no good history for Sanosuke that I can find. So, here's one I wrote!
Sanosuke was born to a family of daikon farmers in Shinsuu village, and was the oldest child of three, though at this point in time he doesn't know he has a little brother. He lived with them until he was nine, when he left home to join the Sekihoutai, a group of mostly farmers who fought for the Imperialists at the end of the Tokugawa regime. Sanosuke idolized the leader of the Sekihoutai, a man named Sagara Sozo, and would eventually take the man's surname. The Sekihoutai were eventually betrayed by the Imperialists, however, who used the group as a scapegoat to cover up the fact that they (the Imperialists) had been unable to keep their promise of reducing taxes for the farmers and villagers. Most of the members of the Sekihoutai were executed, and Sagara Sozo's decapitated head was put on display as a warning. Members of the Sekihoutai were also branded with the character for "bad" or "evil," which Sanosuke would proudly wear on the back of his shirt in the future.
Because of his grief and anger at his own weakness, Sanosuke became a fighter for hire, using a special type of sword called a zanbatou. The massive sword was able to slice through a horse and rider in a single stroke, and earned Sanosuke the nickname "Zanza." He took jobs for ten years as a fighter for hire, becoming noteworthy in the underworld for his strength and his practice of charging based on how much he enjoyed the fight. Eventually, he's hired by the Hiruma brothers to fight Himura Kenshin, who had thoroughly trounced the brothers once before. Despite the fact that he had met and liked Kenshin earlier that day, he takes the job, especially eager to fight once he learns that the man is the famous Hitokiri Battousai, a legendary Imperialist fighter. Entering the fight, Sanosuke is determined to defeat Kenshin out of pride as a member of the Sekihoutai, but stands little chance against the man. While he has incredible strength and endurance, in the end he is no match for Kenshin's skill. What ultimately decides the battle, however, are Kenshin's words, a reminder that the mission of the Sekihoutai was to complete the Meiji Revolution, which has yet to happen. Kenshin's desire to help ensure peace and happiness reminds Sano of Sagara Sozo, and in the end Sano accepts his loss. Kenshin and his friends Kaoru and Yahiko take Sanosuke to be treated, though the man's endurance has him up and about again much sooner than expected. The group is surprised to see him a mere day after the battle at the Akabeko restaurant, where Sano announces that he's no longer a fighter for hire. He also tells Kenshin, who is a vagabond, that he can't go off wandering again without Sano.
From then on, Sano becomes another of Kenshin's "weird friends," as the swordsman puts it, and spends a great deal of time with Kenshin. While there are humorous times, Sano also gets involved with Kenshin's various battles, aiding as he's able. One of the earliest battles starts with an innocent visit to a local gambling hall, where in the midst of the fun, Sanosuke learns one of his closest friends has died of an accidental opium overdose. Just before they can think over the details, however, a woman bursts in, asking Kenshin to save her from the men chasing her. The woman, Takani Megumi, turns out to be a medical chemist running from a mob boss named Takeda Kanryu. After fending off her pursuers and discovering opium on her, Sano and Kenshin take Megumi back to Kaoru's dojo.
Kanryu is not so willing to give up on Megumi, however, as it's revealed that she is the only one who knows how to make very potent and cheap opium. In his employ are an elite group of spies known as the Oniwabanshu, several of whom attack the dojo in order to kidnap Megumi. Sano and Kenshin fend them off, but in the process Yahiko is poisoned. Megumi uses her medical skill to save him, and all are thankful. While he is glad Yahiko doesn't die, however, Sano isn't as forgiving as the others in his anger over his friend's death, and Megumi's role in it.
Trying a different tactic, Megumi is threatened by the promise of the deaths of her new friends if she doesn't return to Kanryu. Giving in, Megumi heads back, leaving a note to try and fool Kenshin and the others so they don't pursue her. They don't fall for it, however, and Kenshin says he will go after her. Sanosuke originally refuses to help, but after some strong words from Kenshin about Megumi's true character, he agrees to go along. Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko raid the mansion, where they face not only the Oniwabanshu, but also Kanryu, who uses a Gatling Gun to attack both the Kenshin group, and the Oniwabanshu in order to prove his superior strength granted by money as opposed to skill. Four members of the Oniwabanshu end up dying in the process of trying to defeat the weapon and save their leader, Shinamori Aoshi. In the end, the effort causes the gun to run out of bullets, and Kenshin knocks out Kanryu before heading upstairs to save Megumi. She is thankful for their efforts, but under the belief that the only way she can atone for making opium is through her death, she attempts to commit suicide. Sanosuke intervenes, however, grabbing the blade of her dagger with his bare hand.
The ruckus at the mansion has attracted police attention, and Megumi goes to turn herself in, knowing that she will be punished by death for her crimes. She is stopped, however, by Kenshin and the others, who vouch for her to the police and prevent her from being arrested. The group then convinces Megumi that she can be forgiven (as Sano finally does), and that she should live on as a doctor. All seems well, except for the grief of a now crazed Aoshi, who vanishes with the heads of his fallen followers.
Life returns to the normal routine, sparked by the occasional minor villain. The next episode that Sanosuke plays a major role in is when he discovers that another member of the Sekihoutai, a man named Tsukioka Katsuhiro, is alive and in Tokyo. He goes to reminisce, and Katsuhiro (Katsu) reveals a plan to blow up the major departments of the Meiji Government in order to destroy it. Sano resists at first, but in the end decides to go along with Katsu, who he recognizes as being stuck in the past. He throws a party for Kenshin and the others, claiming it's to celebrate the reunion, but in reality means it as a thank you for all their help. Believing his friends to be passed out, Sano apologizes for the deceit, and bids farewell to Kenshin before leaving. Kenshin, however, is awake, and heads out to stop the pair from their plan. He's easily able to overpower Katsu, who nearly becomes suicidal in his efforts before being knocked out by Sano. Sano takes Katsu back to his home, where he explains about Kenshin, and points out that a philosophy of the ends justifying the means would give justification to the Meiji Government's actions against the Sekihoutai. Katsu sees the error of his ways, and reforms, publishing a newspaper to expose the truth.
Back to normality, but it never lasts for long. Finding Kaoru's dojo vacant, Sano is lamenting the lack of free food when a door-to-door pharmacist arrives to sell the owners some medicine. Sanosuke notices the man's hands are calloused from holding a sword, however, and demands to know the man's identity. Turns out that he's Saitou Haijime, the former leader of the Shinsengumi's third squad, and he's intending to fight Kenshin. Since the Battousai is out, however, Saitou decides to leave Kenshin a present: a bloodied, thoroughly beaten Sanosuke. Despite his strength, Sano is seriously injured in the battle, not waking up until several days later when Kenshin and Saitou are having their fight. Kenshin reverts to his former Battousai personality during the fight, nearly killing Saitou and dying himself, when they are stopped by the Chief of Police and Okubo Toshimichi, who at the time was the most powerful man in Japan. Okubo reveals that Kenshin's Hitokiri replacement, Shishio Makoto, is plotting to take over Japan, and implores Kenshin to return to Kyoto to stop him. All of Kenshin's friends, including Sanosuke, are against this. Okubo is assassinated by one of Shishio's men, prompting Kenshin to return to Kyoto, only saying farewell to Kaoru before departing.
This pisses Sanosuke off. Determined to follow Kenshin and give him a good punch to the face, he goes to Katsuhiro's for money (and gets a couple of bombs for his trouble), when Saitou confronts him again to ask what he's doing. An agent of the police also acting against Shishio, Saitou declares Sanosuke nothing more than a burden to Kenshin. He tries to beat the lesson into him to prevent Sano from going to Kyoto, but Sano is stubborn, and ends up going anyway.
Saitou advises Sanosuke to use the trip to improve his defense, but Sano refuses, knowing that a he isn't suited to use a defensive style of fighting. He has little success improving his strength until he randomly encounters a fallen monk named Anji. Sanosuke risks his life to learn a special technique called the Futae no Kiwami (Mastery of Two Layers) within a week from Anji, and very nearly does die, coming so close to death that he even has a hallucination of his former Commander, Sagara Sozo, telling him to rest and ask for more time. Sanosuke perseveres, however, and learns the technique by the end of the week as he said he would. He's thankful for the knowledge, and hopes to meet Anji again someday.
Deciding the best way to find Kenshin after he arrives in Kyoto is through Saitou, Sano gets himself arrested. The plan actually works, and Sano reunites with Kenshin and Saitou just in time to head out to Osaka to stop Shishio from launching a naval attack on Tokyo. Sano's primary role in the effort is to attack the ship's hull with the bombs he got from Katsu while Kenshin and Saitou board the ship to distract Shishio's forces. Shishio sees through their plan, however, and has his men fire a Gatling Gun at Sanosuke. Using the Futae no Kiwami, Sanosuke deflects the bullets with a shield of water, and throws the grenades at the hull. Despite Katsu's claim that the bombs are strictly for self defense, the explosion causes a massive amount of damage. By the time Sanosuke makes it onto the sinking boat, Shishio and his men have left, making arrangements to have a final duel with Kenshin, Saitou, and Sanosuke at their headquarters.
After a brief reunion with their allies in Kyoto (including Kaoru and Yahiko, who have come from Tokyo), Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Saitou head out as arranged. Shishio's lover Yumi greets them at the entrance, and informs them that all duels will be one-on-one fights with no interference. Kenshin agrees, but also stipulates that once there is a clear-cut winner, the duel will be ended without death. They proceed through an intricate maze until they reach the first room, where the third best of Shishio's men waits: the fallen monk Anji.
The battle is far from an easy one, with Anji being a true master of the Futae no Kiwami; while Sanosuke can only perform the technique with his right fist, Anji can utilize it with pretty much anything he can strike with: his head, elbows, fists, legs, etc. In addition, he can neutralize Sanosuke's Futae no Kiwami with the Kiwami Hazushi (a Futae no Kiwami struck at the same moment as the first in the opposite direction). Sanosuke does eventually manage to strike what should be a winning blow, until it's revealed that Anji carries a memorial tablet in his shirt which absorbed most of the impact. Anji explains that the memorial is for innocent children who were killed in the name of greed thanks to the Meiji Government's anti-Buddhist stance ten years prior. It is this disregard for life that has led Anji to follow Shishio in a desire to recreate the world. Sanosuke, however, recognizes that Anji's efforts only go against what the children wished of him, and beats sense into him by creating a new attack Kenshin calls a Sanjuu no Kiwami (opening his closed fist to create an additional strike to the two of the Futae no Kiwami).
Anji loses the will to fight, and after treating his wounds, Sano proceeds with the others to the next room, but only after learning that most of Shishio's men have gone ahead to kill the allies Kenshin has left behind at the Aoiya in Kyoto. At Saitou's prompting, they leave the next duel to him, running ahead until Kenshin senses Aoshi in one of the rooms. Although he doesn't have to fight the man in order to get to Shishio, because of their unresolved conflict and his promises to Misao (Aoshi's most loyal follower) and Aoshi himself, Kenshin decides to anyway. Sano's role is that of witness, watching as Kenshin's efforts bring Aoshi to his senses, and as Kenshin unveils his full strength without becoming the murderous Battousai of the revolution.
Once the battle with Aoshi is done, Kenshin and Sano again proceed with Yumi to the next duels. After defeating Seta Soujirou, the group heads to where Shishio waits. As they go, Kenshin warns Sanosuke not to interfere in the fight. Though he says he understands, Sanosuke is aware of everyone who needs Kenshin, and decides that no matter what anyone thinks, he won't let Kenshin die. The fight begins shortly after, and initially goes very poorly for Kenshin, resulting in the swordsman being nearly killed. Saitou returns to attack Shishio while Kenshin is unconscious, but also falls. Sanosuke steps in next, but has no better luck. Even landing a Futae no Kiwami on Shishio's face doesn't help, as all it does is shatter the jarred bones in his hand. Sanosuke is beaten back, unconscious as the battle continues, now with Shishio fighting Aoshi. Though Aoshi is also overpowered, the efforts aren't in vain, as there is enough time gained for Kenshin and the others to revive. The battle takes a drastic turn, and in the end, Kenshin defeats Shishio when the man's abnormal body heat causes him to spontaneously combust and die.
Shishio's most loyal follower, Houji, is devastated by the loss and refuses to accept it. Losing his senses, he tries to kill the survivors by trapping them on the platform where they fought. Saitou uses his sword to break down the door, but the explosions caused by Houji's efforts separate him from the group. As Sano watches, Saitou vanishes into the flames of the explosions, and presumably dies.
Aoshi, Kenshin, and Sano return to the Aoiya, where their allies (all alive) wait. The group ends up staying in another restaurant as the Aoiya was destroyed in the battle, taking about a month to recover from their physical and emotional wounds. Sanosuke in particular revisits the site of the battle in order to come to a resolution to the unfinished fight between himself and Saitou: to become a better man.
Eventually, Kenshin and his friends return to Tokyo. Plans are already in motion for their next major conflict, however, even as they try and settle back into the routine. Yukishiro Enishi, the brother of Kenshin's dead wife, plans to plunge Kenshin into a living hell by taking what he holds most dear. Gathering a group of fighters for the purpose, he inflicts serious damage to even minor acquaintances. Sanosuke fights one of these warriors and severely injures his hand in the process without achieving victory. The ultimate fight happens ten days later at Kamiya dojo. The battle goes fairly well, as the group sustains serious injuries, but wins against their starting opponents. An old ally even returns, as Saitou reveals he is alive and joins the fight. When Enishi joins in, however, things take a drastic turn. After defeating even Kenshin's most powerful move, he goes after the person Kenshin cares for the most, Kaoru, presumably killing her and utterly breaking Kenshin's spirit. Kenshin retreats to Rakuninmura, where those who have thrown away life go. Despite the demands for everyone for Kenshin to seek vengeance, he simply claims he's tired and wishes to be left alone. In his anger, Sanosuke leaves Tokyo and Kenshin (after giving him a good punch to the face), though Yahiko declares that it isn't over, and that Sanosuke should return.
Sanosuke ends up in Shinsuu village, where to relieve his stress he agrees to fight for Fudousawa who wants to take over the town. The one obstacle is a stubborn fighter who turns out to be Sanosuke's dad. Their first fight ends in a draw, and Sano goes to his house for a day. In the end, Sano realizes that his former home is no longer his place, and takes up his father's role to protect the town to save his father from becoming an enemy of the Meiji Government and causing further division in his family. Creating a two-handed version of the Futae no Kiwami he can use even with his horribly damaged hands, Sanosuke thoroughly defeats over 200 men, finally finding relief for his stress. He says goodbye to his father and tells his younger brother to learn Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu when he's older, before starting to run back to Tokyo-after beating up Tani, the Meiji official who allowed Fudousawa to run amok.
Sanosuke gets back a day before Kenshin (who has regained his spirit) and the others are due to set out for Enishi's island headquarters by boat to rescue Kaoru, whose death had been faked. They make it there, and are confronted by the second in command of Enishi's weapons-dealing organization, Woo Heishin, and his four bodyguards, the Suu-Shin. Because Kenshin is still heavily injured from his prior fight, Sanosuke, Yahiko, Saitou, and Aoshi (who came from Kyoto earlier) take on one of the four each. Sanosuke fights Byakko, who uses numerous physical attacks-all of which ultimately fail. The other three win their fights as well, and shortly after, Enishi shows up with Kaoru in tow to fight Kenshin. The battle is harsh, but Kenshin finally wins, and at one point it looks like Kenshin will lose. Sanosuke, who had planned to stay out of the duel, decides to step in, but is stopped by Yahiko, who points out Kenshin still hasn't lost. And Yahiko is ultimately correct, as gains the upper hand and breaks Enishi's sword. Enishi is determined to keep fighting, but they are interrupted when Woo Heishin shoots Kenshin for humiliating him earlier. Kaoru moves to shield Kenshin from another shot, causing Enishi to step in to save Kaoru's life. Enishi tries to beat Woo Heishin to death, but is stopped by Kenshin, whose words finally break Enishi's resolve and end the battle.
Shortly thereafter, the group begins to go their separate ways. Aoshi and Misao return to Kyoto, Saitou gives up on beating Battousai (as Kenshin has completely moved on from that identity), and Megumi leaves for Aizu to become a doctor there and search for her family. On the day they say farewell to Megumi, a large police force starts to chase down Sanosuke. Tani has declared him a criminal for the incident in Shinsuu, and Sanosuke is forced to say goodbye to his friends and leave Japan. He sees it as a good opportunity to explore the world, and sets out after a powerful goodbye to his friends.
Personality: Sano is a very stubborn person, especially when it comes to people he doesn't like. He'll not only refuse to take no for an answer, but punch the person who told him no in the face for good measure. He tends to be rash, occasionally rushing into things without thinking, and is usually quick to pick a fight. He's also very blunt, saying what's on his mind without caring about making other people flail in either anger or embarrassment in response. He can be a little on the thick side sometimes, but not always, in some instances being fairly perceptive and clever. He can also hold grudges, at least until the person explains themselves or is repentant. If he loses to someone, however, he'll refuse to give up until he somehow beats them in the end. This doesn't necessarily mean by fighting, however; in the case of Saitou, Sanosuke's solution is to be a better man than Saitou was.
Unlike Kenshin, who has vowed never to kill again, or Yahiko, who practices the non-killing Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu, Sanosuke claims he is willing to kill. I think this is easier for him to say than to do, however, as he only ever suggests it in the series, and is usually because he's being rash or is particularly pissed (like when Kaoru dies). He respects Kenshin and Yahiko's roles, however, and will do what he can to prevent either from having to take a life. Likewise, he'll do whatever he can to prevent either from dying, though he's typically pretty good about staying out of fights that are private. The sole exception to this is Kenshin's fight against Shishio, but Sano only intervenes once Kenshin is unconscious and Saitou has fallen.
Sano has a deep hatred for the Meiji Government stemming from their betrayal of the Sekihoutai ten years prior. It's likely this hatred that fuels his disdain for people who harm the innocent, and such an abuse of power will get him to act quicker than anything else. Because of his past with the Sekihoutai (and his devotion to Commander Sagara), he won't hesitate to get involved against the Meiji, even when doing so leads to legal problems for him. He has a way of seeing the bigger picture because of his experience, which makes him more able to protect others from the corruption of many government officials. Even when it doesn't come to the government, however, he's typically willing to help out others.
Despite his rashness, Sanosuke can be fairly easy-going at times-maybe a bit too much. He has no qualms about skipping out on bills, freeloading, or demanding food from random strangers. Sano also tends to call others by nicknames based on their characteristics (Megumi is the Fox Lady, while his sister starts off as "Pointy Head" because of her hairstyle). He's not afraid of having a good time, however, enjoying a party or trip to the gambling hall. Sanosuke typically has the best interests of others in heart, and will do what he can to get his friends to be happy.
Even if that means kicking their asses so they stop being stupid.
Strengths: Sanosuke's physical strengths start with his endurance. Numerous times in the series, he gets the crap beat out of him, but he's still left standing afterward. This includes his first major fight, which was against Kenshin. Sanosuke took a ton of hits from Kenshin's sword, and still stayed on his feet, if only just barely. Later on in the series, Sanosuke takes out a mob of 200 men, then beats up a political official, then runs back to his hometown in so little time that Megumi says he's probably won the Japanese record for stupidity.
In addition, Sanosuke is one of the strongest characters in the series, and a well experienced street fighter; before he meets Kenshin, he makes his living as a fighter for hire. This is emphasized when he learns the Futae no Kiwami*, a move which allows him to pulverize boulders with ease. Even before this, however, Sanosuke is shown knocking out an opponent with a single flick of his finger. And of course there is his use of the zanbatou, a massive sword that Sanosuke manipulates without difficulty despite it's huge size and weight.
*Note: The Futae no Kiwami is noted in the series as the ultimate mastery of destruction, and is performed by striking a single point two times near instantaneously: first with the middle knuckles of the fingers, then the lower knuckles at the top of the fist. Sano has 2 versions of the Futae no Kiwami, the original one handed version, and a two handed version he creates. The one handed version is the most powerful but in turn does the most damage to the user, while the two handed version is less powerful and less stressful on Sano's hands. He also has a variation called the Sanjuu no Kiwami, which causes greater destruction because of an additional blow delivered by snapping out the fingers. However, the chances of Sano using this variation are rare, and likely won't happen except in the most desperate of measures.
In the series, the one handed version is able to disintegrate most wood and stone easily with a single punch. At the start, Sano uses the attack on stone specifically numerous times, seemingly without injury. He also uses it to escape a wooden prison cell, and to shatter wooden restraints. He also uses it on water to create a really big wall of water that manages to absorb the impact of bullets. Later on we see that the technique can also pulverize metal (steel gauntlets, specifically) as well, though not over as large of an area. And of course, it's pretty devastating to the human body; even if blocked, the impact of the waves can cause broken/cracked bones, shredded muscles, and internal bleeding. The weakness of the attack does come with repeated use, as it jars the bones of the hands, and can shatter them.
The two handed version that Sano creates later on, as said, does less damage, but also hurts his hands less. In addition, Sano can't use any sort of combination hit with this, since it does take both hands. Of course, less effective in this case means it's able to shatter a massive boulder, and break three or four of the ribs of the man pressed to the opposite side of said boulder. So, yeah...pretty powerful. Notably, his right hand has to be at least partially healed for this to work well at all.
Emotionally, Sanosuke is actually fairly normal in terms of strengths. He's loyal to the point of utter stupidity, and would do anything in his power to help the people he cares about. In that vein, he's also fairly compassionate, particularly towards those who qualify as “weak” or unable to defend themselves. He can handle watching battle without losing himself to nerves, and at least in terms of talk, he has the fortitude to kill someone. And he's willing to be happy, which, in this series, is a pretty big strength, considering all the guilt floating around.
Sanosuke's biggest mental strength is his sheer stubbornness. The man has a will that just won't be broken. What he can do physically is enabled by his will power; probably the biggest example is learning the Futae no Kiwami. The creator of the technique says that it'll take Sanosuke a month to learn, but Sano simply doesn't have that much time...so he'll do it in a week. And he succeeds, although he almost kills himself from exhaustion during his attempt.
Additionally, while he is far from being the smartest person in the series, Sanosuke can be perceptive about people, particularly so far as politics are concerned. This stems from seeing the destruction and defamation of the Sekihoutai army: the experience teaches him that those in power can twist truth in public perception, which isn't something everyone can see. He's also got his own brand of cleverness, like developing a two-handed version of the Futae no Kiwami in order to limit the damage inflicted on his hands.
Weaknesses: Sanosuke's physical weaknesses are due to the fact that he's the only fighter not to be specifically trained in any style, particularly in a series full of first class swordsmen like Kenshin. He's a street fighter, and he's so physically tough that his fighting style lacks defense, which allows Saitou to beat him in a fist fight. Sanosuke is aware of this, but he doesn't let that stop him. Moreover, he ultimately decides that defense just doesn't suit him, and refuses to learn it.
Emotionally, Sanosuke has a fairly bad temper. When Kaoru “dies,” he completely loses his head, ultimately abandoning Kenshin to his despair and temporarily returning to the fighter-for-hire profession he'd left behind. And when they first meet Megumi and Sanosuke learns she's responsible for making the opium that killed his friend, he is very willing to abandon her to her fate at the hands of a merciless drug dealer, until Kenshin insults his actions. When he gets pissed off, Sanosuke will readily get into a fight, seeing an all out brawl as the only way to let off steam. He can also be a bit lazy at times, and has no qualms about freeloading. He's also got a fear of the supernatural, which is to be expected from someone from that time period.
Mentally, well. Sanosuke doesn't always think things through like he should. By the time I'm taking him from, it's greatly improved, but his stubbornness and his temper both can be manipulated by others; Saitou does this when he uses Cho and Sano's bickering to get the information he wants from the previously defiant Cho. He also doesn't see the value in remembering little details like people's names or how long ago they met (saying that an encounter happened four years ago instead of six months).
Samples
First Person: All right, let me make sure I've got this straight. A bunch of guys calling themselves the Mal-whatevers decided to drag us here from our worlds, attach wings to our backs, and experiment on us whenever they please. And those guys are fighting another set of guys who just want to flat out kill us all, and we can be dragged into their war whenever?
I can't be the only one who thinks this is a bunch of bullshit. It's bad enough where I'm from, with the Meiji government trampling all over innocent people's lives. At least those people have their homes and their families. Here we've been dragged into-hell, I don't even know what to call it. Some messed world that makes it look like Buddha had a bad opium dream or something. Whatever it is, I don't like it at all. If I get into a fight on my own, that's fine. But like hell I want to be dragged into someone else's war.
Tch. But there's a lot of people around here who can't fight for themselves, right? And like it or not, I'm here, so it's not like I have a lot of choice. I'm not just the type of easy-going bastard who can stand by while innocent people are getting taken advantage of. Maybe it's wings now, but I can still feel the symbol of evil on my back, and that means I'm going to do whatever I can to help out. Just don't think I'm doing it cause the power-that-be want me to.
Third Person: Wings, huh? Laying on his back, there was no way Sanosuke couldn't notice the feathers in the corner of his vision, an undeniable reminder that no, this wasn't some sake-induced dream from an alcohol binge gone wrong. More than that, he could feel the pressure of pebbles pushed against the feathers, just the same as if he'd put his hand down on them. It should've been impossible, all of it, but damn if it somehow hadn't happened anyway.
Sanosuke didn't like it, not in the least. Skimming over the welcome guide (and who in their right mind did they expect to read that whole thing anyway?) had provided nothing resembling satisfactory answers: just a mess of disbelief and the urge to pull out one of his feathers, just as a test. It'd hurt like hell, too.
Sanosuke sighed around the point of the feather, clutched tightly between his teeth. So he was stuck here, wings and all, with no way of getting back to the world he'd known. Sano might have been ready to leave Japan, but China and wherever the fuck he was now were two completely different things. He had planned to go back home someday, to see Kenshin and Jo-chan's kids, and find out what Yahiko had done with his life. The Vixen too.
But laying in the grass regretting stuff like that didn't accomplish anything, and Sanosuke wasn't one to think that much anyway. He found it much more satisfying to act, so after a moment more staring up into the sky, he got to his feet. Maybe getting to the village he kept seeing signs about would give him the chance to find someone who could help him wrap his head around everything that he'd been told so far. Or maybe he'd get really lucky and find one of those Mal-whatever guys to punch in the face. Not that he expected it to actually do much, but Sanosuke knew he'd feel better for it.