Personality: A former captain in the loyalist Shinsengumi, Saitō has had a long time rivalry with Himura Kenshin, a former manslayer of the Imperialist cause. As a result of his involvement in the Ikedaya Affair, he and his Shinsengumi comrades successfully prevented the burning of Kyoto by an extremist faction of the Ishin Shishi. Nevertheless, the pro-shogunate forces were ultimately defeated and he was forced to go into hiding. Saitō, known as the “Lone Wolf of Mibu,” has no compassion or mercy for his enemies. He lives by the Shinsengumi code “Swift Death to Evil” but more poetically rendered as “Swift Death To Evil”), though he never shows much regard for human life, at some points even letting on that he likes to kill. He is rather morbid and arrogant. Nevertheless, none of these character flaws prevent him from being a superb investigator and fighter. He believes in peace and order, even in the society created by his former enemies. Anyone he considers to be corrupt or despotic, he targets for elimination. During the Kyoto Arc, Saitō joins forces with Kenshin to fight against Shishio Makoto. However, he considers Kenshin to be more of an adversary rather than an ally. After acknowledging Kenshin’s vow to never kill again, Saitō decides to put an end to their rivalry. Saitō is an able observer and a quick analyst (working as a spy for the Meiji government). In addition to being a skilled swordsman, he is revealed to possess immense physical strength when he pummels the Herculean Sagara Sanosuke in a hand-to-hand fistfight. He considers Sanosuke to be a dimwitted amateur with mild potential, due mostly to Sano’s lack of insight. Saitō is married to a woman named Tokio, who does not appear in the story. He remarks at one point that he has a fondness for soba, a simple noodle dish. Saitō makes a point about his preference for the dish, known for its simplicity and connotations of humbleness.
Techniques: Saitō mastered several techniques of the “Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu.” The “Hirazuki” (left-handed stab) technique that Saitō’s Gatotsu resembles is based on the real fighting style of the Shinsengumi. Although the Gatotsu is the only technique that Saitō performs, he has been able to perform the same technique in different stances. The First Stance (Ishiki) is the standard, shoulder-level ground attack. The Second Stance (Nishiki) is a downward-striking attack. The direction of the Nishiki thrust is narrower, as well. The Third Stance (Sanshiki) is an upward-striking attack. Prepared identically to the Ishiki, he uses it to intercept an opponent assaulting him from above, directing his blade into the air instead of immediately forward. However, Saitō also possesses another stance: Gatotsu Zero Stance (Zeroshiki). Zeroshiki is an attack performed at point-blank range using all his upper body strength. Besides his overwhelming ability with a sword, Saitō is extremely well-versed in hand-to-hand combat. His fighting style most resembles Boxing as he possesses amazing footwork, defense, and tremendous speed and power. Besides his superior in-fighting skills, Saitō is also extremely analytical in battle, much like Hiko Seijūrō, and can exploit his opponent’s weaknesses quite easily, such as Kenshin’s reliance on his quick judgment, to which he replies by kicking him to the back rather than with the sword despite having taken his sword up.