Kenkaku Shōbai

Kenkaku Shōbai (剣客商売, Kenkaku Shōbai) is a series of popular historical novels written by Shōtarō Ikenami and one of the representative novels of Ikenami along with Onihei Hankachō and Shikakenin Fujieda Baian.^[1][2][3] The stories were originally serialized in the monthly magazine Shōsetsu Shinchō between 1972 and 1989.^[1] Sixteen full-length novels were published from Shinchosha between 1973 and 1989.^[4] Kenkaku Shōbai was also adapted into TV programs and manga series.^[1]

Kenkaku Shōbai

Author	Shōtarō Ikenami
Original title	剣客商売 (Kenkaku Shōbai)
Language	Japanese
Publisher	Shinchosha
Publication place	Japan

Characters

• Kohei Akiyama (秋山 小兵衛, Akiyama Kohei): Akiyama Kohei : The main character Akiyama Kohei is a master of Mugai ryu but he is spending retired life.^[1][5] Though Kohei is old, he is still a skilled swordsman.^[6]
• Daijirō Akiyama (秋山 大治郎, Akiyama Daijirō) : Kohei's son^[1] who manages school of swordplay.
• Oharu (おはる, Oharu): Kohei's wife. She is 40 years younger than Kohei.^[7]
• Mifuyu Sasaki (佐々木 三冬, Sasaki Mifuyu)
• Okitsugu Tanuma (田沼 意次, Tanuma Okitsugu)

Novels

• Kenkaku Shōbai (剣客商売) (1973)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Tsujigiri (剣客商売 辻斬り) (1973)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Kagero no Otoko (剣客商売 陽炎の男) (1973)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Tenma (剣客商売 天魔) (1974)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Shiroi Oni (剣客商売 白い鬼) (1975)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Niizuma (剣客商売 新妻) (1976)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Kakuremino (剣客商売 隠れ簑) (1976)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Kyōran (剣客商売 狂乱) (1977)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Machibuse (剣客商売 待ち伏せ) (1978)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Haru no Arashi (剣客商売 春の嵐) (1978)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Shōbu (剣客商売 勝負) (1979)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Jyubangiri (剣客商売 十番斬り) (1980)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Hamon (剣客商売 波紋) (1983)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Ansatsusha (剣客商売 暗殺者) (1985)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Nijyubangiri (剣客商売 二十番斬り) (1987)
• Kenkaku Shōbai Chinmoku (剣客商売 浮沈) (1989)

Manga

Adaptation

Television

• Kenkaku Shōbai (1973), a Fuji TV production, Isao Yamagata as Akiyama Kohei and Gō Katō as Akiyama Daijirō.^[8]
• Kenkaku Shōbai (1998–2010) a Fuji TV production, Makoto Fujita played the role of Akiyama Kohei^[7]
• Kenkaku Shōbai (2012), a Fuji TV production, Kin'ya Kitaōji played the role of Akiyama Kohei^[7]

Manga

• Professional Swordsmen of the Edo Era (1998–1999), Illustrated by Takao Saito^[9]
• Kenkaku Shōbai (2008–2021), Illustrated by Yasuichi Oshima^[2]

References

1. "デジタル大辞泉プラス「剣客商売」の解説" (in Japanese). kotobank. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. "累計180万部突破！池波正太郎作品を完全コミカライズ！『剣客商売 第30巻』" (in Japanese). SOCIALWIRE CO LTD. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
3. "１１日「剣客商売」主演・北大路欣也 小兵衛の「生きる視点に憧れる」" (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
4. "剣客商売" (in Japanese). goo. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
5. "比嘉愛未、初の女剣士役 北大路欣也『剣客商売』3年ぶり12・21放送" (in Japanese). Oricon News. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
6. "「剣客商売」で男装の女剣士に 北大路欣也主演で今夏SPドラマ化" (in Japanese). MANTAN WEB. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
7. "「剣客商売」が北大路欣也主演で2年半ぶり復活！杏、貫地谷しほり、斎藤工などキャスト一新！" (in Japanese). Cinematoday. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
8. "剣客商売 1973" (in Japanese). BS FUJI. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
9. "追悼さいとう・たかを 池波正太郎原作・原案の人情時代劇画『鬼平犯科帳" (in Japanese). 東京産業新聞社 Tokyo Keizai Shimbun. Retrieved 15 November 2021.