Makie Otono-Tachibana

==Summary==
Makie Otono-Tachibana (Jpn. 乙橘槇絵 - Otonotachibana Makie) is an on-off member of the Itto-ryu in Blade of the Immortal. Master swordswoman, in love with Anotsu, and the most skilled fighter in the manga, she is said to be Anotsu's match and saved his life with her deadly abilities when they were children.
Born into a samurai family, Makie and her mother Fuki (乙橘吹 Otono-Tachibana Fuki?) were disowned and cast away from the family by her father, Harukawa (春川義明 Harukawa Yoshiaki?). When Makie's older brother committed seppuku after Makie was revealed to have inherited the family's famed talent and he was unable to defeat her in combat. She initially chooses the path of the sword to avenge her mother's disgrace. Makie ended up becoming a geisha after Anotsu bought her freedom because she neither had the nerve to become a prostitute, like her mother nor commit to becoming a swordfighter, lacking the nerve to kill when her concentration in battle is broken. She defeats but does not kill Manji, apparently turning her back on Anotsu.
Later found living alone, having bound her hand in an attempt to disable her combat capability after her father's humiliating death. She reappears in Last Blood, having followed Anotsu since he left Shirakawa when she realized his body was weakening and killed nearly all men under Iriya who were pursuing Anotsu. After Iriya's death, she goes with Anotsu and Magatsu. She is later stricken with the same lung sickness her father died from while quietly residing with Anotsu and acting as his bodyguard. When he departs from Edo during Habaki's last effort to destroy the Itto-ryu, Anotsu leaves her behind to spare her from fighting again. However, she pursues him in spite of how her sickness is advancing until she encounters Habaki and the Rokki-dan, after which she is reunited with Anotsu and Manji and fights alongside them.
As said by Anotsu, she is the only one that can beat him other than Manji, and even Habaki immediately recognizes and fears her skill. Her weapon, a double-bladed three-section-staff, is named Haru-no-Okina (Old Man of Spring). She conceals her hardware in a hollowed-out shamisen, a mandolin-like instrument. She first appears in Dreamsong Part 1.
==Powers and Stats==
Tier: At least 
Name: Makie Otono-Tachibana
Origin: Blade of the Immortal
Age: Unknown, appears to be in her 20s-30s
Gender: Female
Classification: Human, Former Prostitute, Member of the Ittō-ryū
Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Expert Martial Artist, Expert Swordswoman, Pseudo-precognition (Can predict her opponent's actions based on her quick analysis) 
Attack Potency: At least Wall level (Anotsu stated that Makie is the strongest member in the Itto-ryu and also said that no matter how long he trained, he would never reach her level. Habaki was frightened when he was about to fight Makie, even though some formidable friends had accompanied him. Maki toppled Manji as well)
Speed: Supersonic (Far superior to Meguro)
Lifting Strength: Peak Human
Striking Strength: Wall level
Durability: Wall level
Stamina: Superhuman. Makie suffers from an illness, and it affects her endurance. However, she's still fully capable of fighting the likes of Manji, and she's fully capable of slaughtering small waves of shogunate soldiers in an instant as well as fighters sent by Habaki. She was also able to continue going after taking a barrage of bullets to the back.
Range: Extended Melee Range
Standard Equipment: Her Haru-no-Okina, which is a chain-like spear.
Intelligence: Genius in combat (Maki's ingenuity is unmatched in battle; she could easily read her opponents and efficiently change the situation in her favor)
Weaknesses: Suffers from an illness that affects stamina, but it can be subdued for a while by using medicine.
==Notable Matchups==
Victories:
Losses:
Inconclusive:
Category:Characters
Category:Manga Characters
Category:Anime Characters
Category:Blade of the Immortal
Category:Humans
Category:Spear Users
Category:Protagonists
Category:Antiheroes
Category:Good Characters
Category:Female Characters
Category:Sword Users
Category:Martial Artists
Category:Weapon Masters