Hajime Saito

Hajime Saito is a former Shinsengumi captain who appears in Meiji-era Japan as a government agent and skilled swordsman, serving as both an antagonist and uneasy ally to wandering swordsman Kenshin Himura throughout the series.

Hajime Saito steps onto the page of Rurouni Kenshin as one of the most compelling presences in Nobuhiro Watsuki and Kenichiro Yagi's celebrated manga series, making his catalog debut in issue #12 (2005) under Viz's banner. A Modern Age entry into a story steeped in the atmosphere of Meiji-era Japan, Saito shares his world with a memorable cast — Sanosuke Sagara, Aoshi Shinomori, Kaoru Kamiya, Enishi Yukishiro, and Megumi Takani among them — which speaks to just how richly populated this corner of comics truly is. With nine appearances across the run, he's not a background figure but a recurring force whose presence carries weight whenever he shows up. If you're exploring Rurouni Kenshin and haven't yet paid close attention to Saito, consider this your warm invitation to do exactly that.