TV-Series
Description
Born in Ani village, Akita prefecture's Tohoku region to the Matagi hunter community, Genjirou Tanigaki wore a minobocchi as a child while accompanying hunting runs. He formed a close friendship with Kenkichi Aoyama, one year his junior. Aoyama later married Tanigaki's sister, Fumi, but killed her and fled, leaving Tanigaki with consuming rage and a desire for revenge. While serving in the military, Tanigaki learned his mother died from grief over Fumi's death and his enlistment.
At Port Arthur, Tanigaki encountered a wounded soldier from the 1st Division. Offering kane mochi, Tanigaki revealed his Akita dialect. The soldier mentioned knowing another man from Ani, convincing Tanigaki he had found Aoyama. During the Battle of 203 Hill, Tanigaki witnessed Aoyama sacrifice himself to save comrades by tackling a grenade-strapped Russian soldier. Dragging the mortally wounded Aoyama to safety, Tanigaki prepared to kill him but hesitated when Aoyama called out Fumi's name. Aoyama expressed profound regret and guilt before recognizing Tanigaki through the kane mochi. Tanigaki fed him the mochi, and Aoyama died shortly after, leaving Tanigaki weeping over his body.
Tanigaki later fought in the 1905 Battle of Mukden. Struggling with purpose and ashamed to return home, he confided his past to First Lieutenant Tsurumi. Tsurumi offered direction by requesting kane mochi with walnuts, prompting Tanigaki to join his cause.
Initially with the 7th Division under Tsurumi, Tanigaki pursued Sugimoto and Asirpa. Tracking Asirpa in woods, he recognized her backtracking tactics and found her hiding in a tree. After she lied about Sugimoto's location in Ainu, a falling tattooed skin revealed her possession of it. Tanigaki aimed his rifle but was attacked by her wolf companion, Retar, who broke his leg. Asirpa intervened, preventing Retar from killing him, and left him unconscious in snow. Waking, he splinted his leg and became determined to hunt the "gorgeous wolf with silver-white fur," driven by his Matagi heritage.
This pursuit led him to partner with legendary bear hunter Tetsuzou Nihei. Tanigaki admired Nihei's skills, noting his single-shot Murata rifle, and identified him as the famed hunter from Hokkaido stories. Both aimed to hunt the last surviving Hokkaido wolf, Nihei seeking to test his cunning against it. Nihei imparted hunting knowledge, like identifying potential man-eater bears and preparing bear heart and blood sausages.
Severely injured later, Tanigaki was nursed back to health by Huci (Asirpa's grandmother) and Osoma in their Ainu village. This deepened his bond with the community. Feeling indebted for their care, he chose to stay and protect them, gradually distancing himself from the 7th Division. He developed loyalty to Huci and Osoma, reflecting his commitment to their safety.
Characterized by a strong sense of honor and duty, Tanigaki was initially stern and aloof due to traumatic losses. Experiences with Nihei and the Ainu softened his demeanor. He is reliable and protective, undertaking morally ambiguous actions for those he cares about, like briefly using Asirpa as a shield during their first confrontation. Standing 185 cm tall with a muscular build, he has dark brown eyes, short black hair, a thin beard, and thick eyebrows. After fighting Sugimoto, he bore a small scar on his right cheek. His attire evolved from standard military uniform to incorporating Ainu elements like a matanpushi headband and an attush robe once belonging to Asirpa's grandfather.
His skills include sharpshooting proficiency and expert wilderness survival, honed as a Matagi. He typically wielded an Arisaka Type 30 rifle and later inherited Nihei's Murata rifle. In his later life, he raised 14 sons and one daughter, mirroring Nihei's large family but with an inverse gender ratio.
At Port Arthur, Tanigaki encountered a wounded soldier from the 1st Division. Offering kane mochi, Tanigaki revealed his Akita dialect. The soldier mentioned knowing another man from Ani, convincing Tanigaki he had found Aoyama. During the Battle of 203 Hill, Tanigaki witnessed Aoyama sacrifice himself to save comrades by tackling a grenade-strapped Russian soldier. Dragging the mortally wounded Aoyama to safety, Tanigaki prepared to kill him but hesitated when Aoyama called out Fumi's name. Aoyama expressed profound regret and guilt before recognizing Tanigaki through the kane mochi. Tanigaki fed him the mochi, and Aoyama died shortly after, leaving Tanigaki weeping over his body.
Tanigaki later fought in the 1905 Battle of Mukden. Struggling with purpose and ashamed to return home, he confided his past to First Lieutenant Tsurumi. Tsurumi offered direction by requesting kane mochi with walnuts, prompting Tanigaki to join his cause.
Initially with the 7th Division under Tsurumi, Tanigaki pursued Sugimoto and Asirpa. Tracking Asirpa in woods, he recognized her backtracking tactics and found her hiding in a tree. After she lied about Sugimoto's location in Ainu, a falling tattooed skin revealed her possession of it. Tanigaki aimed his rifle but was attacked by her wolf companion, Retar, who broke his leg. Asirpa intervened, preventing Retar from killing him, and left him unconscious in snow. Waking, he splinted his leg and became determined to hunt the "gorgeous wolf with silver-white fur," driven by his Matagi heritage.
This pursuit led him to partner with legendary bear hunter Tetsuzou Nihei. Tanigaki admired Nihei's skills, noting his single-shot Murata rifle, and identified him as the famed hunter from Hokkaido stories. Both aimed to hunt the last surviving Hokkaido wolf, Nihei seeking to test his cunning against it. Nihei imparted hunting knowledge, like identifying potential man-eater bears and preparing bear heart and blood sausages.
Severely injured later, Tanigaki was nursed back to health by Huci (Asirpa's grandmother) and Osoma in their Ainu village. This deepened his bond with the community. Feeling indebted for their care, he chose to stay and protect them, gradually distancing himself from the 7th Division. He developed loyalty to Huci and Osoma, reflecting his commitment to their safety.
Characterized by a strong sense of honor and duty, Tanigaki was initially stern and aloof due to traumatic losses. Experiences with Nihei and the Ainu softened his demeanor. He is reliable and protective, undertaking morally ambiguous actions for those he cares about, like briefly using Asirpa as a shield during their first confrontation. Standing 185 cm tall with a muscular build, he has dark brown eyes, short black hair, a thin beard, and thick eyebrows. After fighting Sugimoto, he bore a small scar on his right cheek. His attire evolved from standard military uniform to incorporating Ainu elements like a matanpushi headband and an attush robe once belonging to Asirpa's grandfather.
His skills include sharpshooting proficiency and expert wilderness survival, honed as a Matagi. He typically wielded an Arisaka Type 30 rifle and later inherited Nihei's Murata rifle. In his later life, he raised 14 sons and one daughter, mirroring Nihei's large family but with an inverse gender ratio.