Seki

*"You're free. My favorite dream, for Japan... is the one ruled, by you. I raised you, to... I, raised you."*

*- Seki's dying words to Akemi.*

**Seki** is a character in the Netflix series, *Blue Eye Samurai*, who is voiced by George Takei.

## Biography

Seki is the senior attendant in Daichi's household. He is the one bright spot for Akemi, and her favorite tutor since childhood. Like a favorite uncle to her, he is calm, cunning, and particular.

Seki wants only the best options for his charge, and as such smooths over her difficult relationship with Akemi's father- his lord- whenever he can. He attempts to give her what she wants as far as he is able, but also make it clear to her the limitations to her choices due to her being a woman- regardless of what he thinks on the subject.

Initially, Seki aides Akemi in manipulating her father to support her engagement to Taigen rather than the Shogun's second son in Edo. However, once Taigen is disgraced due to his defeat by the disguised Mizu and leaves to pursue her, Seki secretly summons the Shogun's advisor Chiba to see Akemi and gain approval for the Edo marriage. When Akemi asks for his help again when pleading with her father, he sadly says it is the best option for her now. When she subsequently attempts to run away, he catches her in the act, undeceived by her explanation; she in turn accuses him of betraying her by supporting her father's choice. Attempting to protect her from her father's wrath (should she run off on an ill-thought plan to find Taigen), he points out many women would gladly trade places with her to be married to the Shogun's son, but Akemi replies that those kind of nobles treat women like animals and are tyrants. When Seki humorously retorts, "What man isn't?" she surprises him with the response, "*You."* Touched by her words and unable to change her mind, he reluctantly accompanies her in the palanquin.

When their convoy is attacked on the road by brigands, Seki defends her, though their attendants run away, leaving them stranded in the cold. He manages to get them a ride (supposedly further south to Mihonoseki, where Taigen had heard Mizu was traveling) on a farmer's manure cart, but they are taken in the wrong direction and left outside an inn. While Seki is unfazed, Akemi, unused to being lost or such uncomfortable circumstances, is demoralized. When she blurts out that she wishes home, Seki (having predicted her reaction, and merely waited for it to happen) reveals he had money hidden, enough to pay their passage back to Kyoto. However, rather than being comforted, Akemi is furious that he manipulated her.

Seki bluntly states that she was never raised to survive outside the nobles' world, and that her previous gamble on Taigen turned out to be a losing one; he wants her to be able to flourish, but as a woman, she is only allowed to within the confines placed on her by society. Warning that her only choices are between an arranged marriage in a palace or a whorehouse, and that common-born girls are no more free than she is, he reveals that he summoned Chiba to arrange the Edo match for her, but this only serves to anger Akemi further. Seki warns her that many in the inn would sell her at the first chance they got, but this backfires when she uses it as a chance to manipulate said men into taking her to Mihonoseki (posing as a courtesan), still intending to find Taigen. Seki angrily tries to make her come with him, but she dismisses him, leaving him both exasperated and worried for her.