Japan Hitokiri?

[Kenshin Himura]

I belive there were hitokiri (assassin) before and during the Bakamatsu in Japan. Anybody know if they exist today?

[Will]

Actually, yes they do...but they're not very good because they're on tv all the time...you might have seen them, ever heard of such cartoons as "Rurouni Kenshin" and stuff..?

[ALI G]

Izint dare some Anime forumz dat youz can visitz?????? Maybez youz can daydreamz wid da odda cosplay & anime dorkz...

[Dan Shea]

Actually I heard they're recruiting in Connecticut right now...
You have to be willing to give up your normal everyday life and they will fly you to Japan and train you in the secret art of the reverse blade katana.

[LNGUYEN]

But the most important question they ask you is : have anyone seen your face yet?

[Kenshin Himura]

... wow you guys really enjoy mocking me, dont you? I read about Hitkoiris in a history book at school. -.-x is there a problem with liking the history of Japan? lol ^^x'

[nodachi]

Times change, so I doubt there is a place in today's society for assassins. I'm sure most people assume this. The only other name for an "assassin" today would be mafia guy or thug. I'm sure that's why your post is not being taken seriously.

[Shiro]

Hitokiri is just a word for assassin, there wasn't an assassin class or something. I think they were just samurai ordered to kill someone, nothing more.

And don't start talking about ninja, I have a bad feeling about it.....

[Khabbi]

Ninja ? I like the sound of that , lets get the thread going

[gUnDaL]

ninjas lose to samurais

[supernils]

Times change, so I doubt there is a place in today's society for assassins. I'm sure most people assume this. The only other name for an "assassin" today would be mafia guy or thug. I'm sure that's why your post is not being taken seriously.

I believe that organizations like the CIA, Mossad etc, runs that sort of "biznizz". The infamous swedish säpo probably would if they could only find their way out of eachothers bottoms first (maybe slighty unfair but... nah!)
Maybe they are not always as "stealthy" as you expect an assassin to be but that's just splitting hairs.

[Hyaku]

I belive there were hitokiri (assassin) before and during the Bakamatsu in Japan. Anybody know if they exist today?

Yep you got it right Baka-matsu

[Shiro]

Yep you got it right Baka-matsu

I didn't even notice that one

[JimB]

Every counrty that has a modern military has some form of 'assassin' whether they are defined as an arm of the state intelligence gathering agency or a specialized unit of that nations military. As Japan had limitations placed upon it's military by the Allied powers in WWII I doubt that they have such a thing now. (unless the US has turned a blind eye twoards it's formation) I have read that some yakuza gangs have specially trained members that specialize in killing rivial mob bosses but most information regarding the yakuza is questionable at best. From a military history perspective I would say you posed an interesting question Kenshin.

[watanabe2k]

Yep you got it right Baka-matsu

obviously referring to the Stupid Pine Tree