I'm procrastinating and bored, so I'll bite. :-D
>>1) Name/Nickname/Screen name whatever (+ anything you would like us to
know about you)<<
Go by philalexandros because of my longtime fascination with Alexander the Great (no, I have not seen the movie nor have any great need to), which quickly became shortened to "phil" when I started getting into circles dealing with Japanese history. For some reason, Greek was just too much for them to take in (while my mind still boggles at some Japanese names).
YIM keeps crashing my computer so I'm never on it (until I figure out the problem), but the sn is the same as my email -- spiritus_saitou. Usually on AIM, usually invisible, but you can give it a try --- sagara sozoko.
You don't want to know about me... trust me on this one. :-D I'm wacko. And right now, completely overwhelmed with researching Sagara (and things associated with him, like Mito) and not specifically the Shinsengumi. Once upon a time, I was a SaiSa fanfic writer... and I miss them very much.
>>2) How did you �discover� the Shinsengumi?<<
Rurouni Kenshin. It was those amber wolf's eyes of Saitou and the way he kept messing with darling Sanosuke's mind.
>>3) Do you have a favorite Shinsengumi member? Why?<<
Saitou... how do I love thee? I'm not about to count the ways. His portrayal in RK simply took me over and the fascination grew with each new portrayal I saw of him and the more I learned about the real person. I admire his strength and his ability to survive the emotional & physical turmoils he endured.
Itou Kashitarou is a recent fascination because of his politics and crossed paths with Sagara Souzou (and the fact I love his RPG incarnation and Tanihara from NHK is to die for).
Suzuki Mikisaburou because of his Sekihoutai connection and the fact he is very much ignored and maligned.
>>4) What Shinsengumi media have you read/seen?<<
Seen - RK, PMK, Sword of Doom, NHK Shinsengumi! (but so far only the Itou arc, of course), some of Shinsengumi Kepporoku (spelling? need to get back to that series), Gohatto, and Mibu gishi den (without benefit of subtitles). No doubt I'm forgetting something.
Read - really, only a scanlation of RK and some of PMK (whichever one started being scanlated). Have scanlations of several others and the novel Sec provided access to that Sword of Doom was based on. My reading has been elsewhere, but they're there for me when I'm ready. What I've read of the history of the Shinsengumi has come from an assortment of books referring to them or members, websites, and being on SHQ.
>>5) In terms of film/television portrayals what film (or series) do you
think captured your favorite member(s) the best and why?<<
I don't think anyone can really fully capture Saitou. I think, in terms of historical portrayal, NHK may come the closest to the man I've read about.. aloof but dedicated, ruthless but feeling. My *favorite* remains RK, probably because that was how I was introduced to him and he's really such a cool character to have juxtaposed against Kenshin and Sano. I admire RK Saitou's loyalty to the cause of overcoming evil regardless of any political faction.
It's going to be a long time before anyone comes close to outdoing NHK's Itou.
Poor Suzuki... like WHEN do I EVER get to see him? If you can find him in NHK, I think the actor is too young given Suzuki was only a couple years younger than his brother, Itou, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.
>>6) Do you have any questions that are nagging at you about any
particular Shinsengumi members or events?<<
Unless someone discovers that Kojima Masamitsu (Sagara) was hiding out in the ranks of the Shinsengumi at some point, I'm afraid I'm working with blinders on right now. :-D I have LOTS of questions about Itou & Suzuki, but I'm learning along with the rest of you. (I'll try to get the Suzuki info organized so we can get that up on the site... it's just rather difficult putting it all together...as usual. I spent a whole day going through contortions just to build what I have of his history up to the end of his time in the Shinsengumi for the RPG... his post-Shinsengumi history is scattered everywhere.)
phil
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