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Genshu (ゲンシュウ, Genshuu) is a character in Suikoden II. Genshu is a wandering swordsman who lent his strength to the New Alliance Army.
Profile
Appearance
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Genshu is slender, almost delicate in build, his frame draped in a purple kosode with diamond patterns along the edges. The sleeves of the kosode are wide and flowing. He wears this over a white robe and loose-fitting hakama, which are loose-fitting.
His outfit is completed with a black sash tied around his waist, securing his katana as well as a wakizashi. On his feet, he wears simple straw sandals.
His face is pale and almost gaunt, but his sharp, disciplined features leave no doubt as to his intensity and skill. He has long, silver hair tied back into a high ponytail.
Personality
Genshu is a swordsman and master of Iaido, a martial art centered on the swift and precise drawing of the sword. Known for his unparalleled skill and stoic demeanor, Genshu’s adult life was marked by a profound internal struggle between his identity as a killer and his search for redemption. His journey took him from the depths of guilt and self-loathing to a renewed commitment to the sword as a path of honor and protection.
He considered himself someone who ceased to be human when fighting, a dark desire for obtaining strength and mastery compelling him to fight to the death any swordsman he found worthy. This feeling took on nearly addictive properties. When facing off against Liu Shao, he did not even remember the ultimate duel, waking up in a haze of remorse.
Genshu’s philosophy of the sword evolved significantly over his lifetime. Initially driven by a desire for strength and weighed down by his own self-loathing, he eventually embraced the philosophies of Liu Shao and Tesshu, seeing the sword as a tool for life rather than death. In Ling Hua Town, his knowledge, aura, and skill led him to being called Sensei by the town's citizens, who both respected and feared the foreigner.
By the time of the Dunan Unification War, Genshu had become a quite, retrospective man who who meditated often.
History
Foolish Sibling
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Genshu was born in a foreign land, where he trained rigorously in the art of Iaido under a harsh and demanding master. His early years were defined by an obsessive pursuit of strength, driven by a desire to surpass his younger brother, Tesshu, a natural prodigy.
Though Tesshu looked up to and adored his older brother, Genshu's self-loathing would eventually drive him to leave. He would continue to develop his skills by fighting in life-and-death duels against many warriors he came across.
With rumors of Genshu now spreading, Tesshu would pick up his sword in the hopes to stopping his brother. Genshu would defeat a masked Tesshu in a duel and would only discover what he had done when his brother revealed himself.
Listening to his brother's story, his death would haunt Genshu for the rest of his life. Teshuu’s final words—“For what purpose do you wield your sword?”—became a recurring question that Genshu struggled to answer.
Killer
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After Teshuu's death, a despondent and self-loathing Genshu left his homeland and became a killer-for-hire, taking on contracts to kill for money. During this period, he was hired through an intermediary to kill the legendary swordsman Liu Shao, though he was unaware of the client’s identity at the time.
The duel with Liu Shao left a lasting impression on Genshu, as Liu Shao’s noble philosophy of the sword as a tool for protection and life deeply contrasted with Genshu’s own path of destruction. Some time after this, he would reside in Ling Hua Town where he presented himself as a sword expert, though his true calling was still in assassinations.
Two years after his duel with Liu Shao, Genshu crossed paths with Liu Mei, Liu Shao’s daughter, who sought revenge for her father’s death. Initially reluctant to engage with her, Genshu eventually became a reluctant mentor to Liu Mei, teaching her the harsh realities of combat while also confronting his own guilt.
When Liu Mei discovered that Genshu was her father’s killer, she chose to spare his life, an act of forgiveness that profoundly impacted Genshu. This encounter marked a turning point in his life, as he began to seek redemption and a new purpose for his sword.
Wise Swordsman
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During the Dunan Unification War, Genshu encountered the leader of the New Alliance Army in Coronet Town. Impressed by the leader’s well-maintained weapon and shared ideals, Genshu resolved to follow the path of the sword once more and joined the New Alliance Army.
Though he had become a quiet and introspective man who meditated often, Genshu maintained his passion for swordsmanship. He developed a particular fondness for the Celestial Sword, a legendary weapon he came to revere, and enjoyed discussing famous swords with Shin, a fellow swordsman and ally.
Though he kept his sword sheathed, he maintained it meticulously, sharpening it as a symbol of his unyielding connection to the way of the sword. After the war, Genshu returned to his wandering life, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. Despite resuming the way of the sword, he vowed never to spill unnecessary blood again.
Gameplay
Recruitment
Battle bonds
| Good Will | |
|---|---|
| Protects | This character does not protect anyone |
| Protected By | This character is not protected by anyone |
| Unite Attack | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Swordman Attack w/ Shin |
Equipment
| Starting Equipment | |
|---|---|
| Head | Headgear |
| Body | Thunder God Garb |
| Shield | Can't equip |
| Other | Steamed Abalone 4 Shoulder Pads |
| Rune | No rune attached |
| Equipment Type | |
|---|---|
| Head | Cap |
| Body | Kenpo gi |
| Shield | -- |
| Other | -- |
Runes
| Elemental Affinities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Water | Earth |
| D | E | D |
| Lightning | Wind | Holy |
| D | D | D |
| Darkness | Gate | |
| D | E | |
| Rune Slots | |
|---|---|
| Head | Never available |
| Right Hand | Swallow Rune 
|
| Left Hand | Never available |
| Weapon | Never available |
Stats
War
| War Stats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK | DEF | ATK+ | DEF+ | Skill 1 | Skill 2 | ||
| 11 | 8 | -- | -- | Critical | -- | ||
Weapon
| Weapon | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| ATK | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 39 | 46 | 55 | 64 | 73 | 97 | 111 | 129 | 147 | 160 |
| Name | Denta | Odenta | Kamuy | |||||||||||||
| W Type | W Level | Range | ||||||||||||||
| Other | N/A | Short | ||||||||||||||
Genso Suikoden Card Stories TCG
| Card # | Name | Type | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | Genshu |  Free
|
Booster Pack Vol.1 |
| 364 | Genshu | Free
|
Premium Pack |
| CS2-210 | Genshu | Free
|
CS2 Booster Pack Vol.2 |
| CS2-525/R113 | Genshu | Free
|
Remake Booster |
Gallery
Artwork
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Suikoden II artwork by Ishikawa Fumi -
Genso Suikoden Short Story Collection 4 artwork by Miki Sato -
Genso Suikoden Short Story Collection 4 artwork by Miki Sato -
Genso Suikoden Card Stories TCG artwork by Ryuki Garyu
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In-Game
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Suikoden II Sony PlayStation portrait -
Suikoden II Windows 95 portrait -
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Suikoden II portrait
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Trivia
- Genshu comes from the same "certain country" as Hazuki.
References
- Genso Suikoden II 108 Stars Character Guide (ISBN 4-88317-769-6), page 125
- Genso Suikoden Encyclopaedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), pages 100-1
- Genso Suikoden Short Story Collection 4 (ISBN 4-8402-2106-5), pages 99-166
- Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia, pages 151, 184