Why was Sojiro Shimada so overprotective of Genji?

Story Discussion
1

In Genji’s lore, it is said that Sojiro coddled Genji and let him do as he pleased. The main question I have to ask is: why?

The exact quotation from Genji’s biography to prove this is as follows:

"Many within the clan considered the carefree Genji to be a dangerous liability, and they resented his father for coddling and protecting him"

Why would Sojiro favor Genji so highly above Hanzo, letting him do whatever he wanted, and protecting him from the Clan Elders, while Hanzo is forced to train and become the next leader of the Shimada Empire?

While yes, you would just simply have one Scion that can already take over the Empire when Sojiro steps down, and not caring what your second Scion does would be reasonable, but why would Sojiro willingly protect Genji from the Clan’s request of training him to lead by Hanzo’s side, instead of just saying “I don’t really care what he does” and just letting the Clan try to influence him?

1 Like
2

possibly to use genji as a gift to gain power over another clan, through marriage.
It was a common practice between powerful families in old times, though usually was done with daughters, but given how popular genji was with the women, his father may had seen him as a way to gain power over other clans through a marriage…or two

4 Likes
3

Since when was Genji “popular” with women?

The lifestyle of a playboy can attribute to his desires to follow the path of luxury and his love of arcade games and ramen.

4

shrug idk im not a ladys man

3 Likes
5

My interpretation is that Sojiro, despite being the leader, still didn’t have complete and absolute freedom to do what he wanted. Which means, handing Hanzo over to the clan to be groomed and manipulated probably hurt on some level, but he could not say anything against that. Hanzo is the first born son, there is no possibility for him to escape the fate of being the next clan leader. No one, not even Sojiro could save him from that.

Perhaps Sojiro saw the opportunity, in Genji, to save at least one of his children from that fate. Genji is a second born son, he’s not vital. Sure, it would be nice if he helped the clan, but in the long run, as long as Hanzo behaves as he’s expected to behave, Genji’s life can be a bit more relaxed.

I’m sure the clan didn’t appreciate that which could be one of the reasons for Sojiro to be disposed of. I can’t see Sojiro dying of natural causes. The clan takes over completely and decides to finish their plan of having both brothers conform or Genji has to go.

8 Likes
6

Interesting interpretation.

It could be very well possible that Sojiro had more of a President-style leadership rather than a total dictatorship. But since it is a Yakuza Clan, it is lead by bloodline rather than democratic voting, and assassinations instead of impeachment.

1 Like
7

A playboy is a synonym for a womanizer, so it is likely that he was pretty popular with the ladies.

1 Like
8

but…wasn’t it by his father’s own orders that Hanzo was told to kill genji?

9

Their father was already dead when that happened.

2 Likes
10

Incorrect, Sojiro had already passed away [Assassinated?] at the time the battle occured.

It was the order of the Clan Elders, seeing as Hanzo was just settling in as new leader, and was pliable.

1 Like
11

This is my personal headcanon.

We never hear about Hanzo’s and Genji’s mother, so I decided to assume the worst and say she’s dead. She doesn’t have to be, but I like drama.

So Sojiro grieved a lot. Had a little shrine like the Japanese do, everything. And the reason he was so easy on Genji is because he resembled her a lot. Every time he looked at him, he’d see his late wife. Her eyes, her smile. So (maybe unconsciously) Genji became his favourite son. Perhaps Genji himself didn’t sense that, but Hanzo sure did.

12

he was probably protective of genji because genji would be considered the “soft” child. like hanzo was the pick to take over the clan…genji probably knew it so didn’t take things as serious because he figured he didn’t need to. hanzo was groomed to lead maybe because he was viewed as the tougher brother so genji was coddled as a result.

it’s a common theme in stories like this. either the brothers are fierce rivals or one is stronger and more driven and the other is more compassionate and less motivated for power.

2 Likes
13

Because Genji is Michael Chu favorite character :roll_eyes:

14

the Shimada seems to be a pretty traditional family, so…yeah

15

He would also have to be protective of Genji because Hanzo was protected by the clan while Genji would be seen as disposable.

They can’t just kill off Hanzo if he does something they don’t like. Their clans law would have them scold and groom him away from that.

If Genji does something wrong then they can just throw him away. Sojiro knows this and thus needs to be protective of him.

I can also assume Sojiro was protective of Hanzo to a point. After all, he couldn’t be manipulated until after Sojiro had died.

16

Most likely because he was the youngest born of the two and the youngest of the fam is usually always “babied” and “protected” hence why they saw him as a “liability” It shows since Genji later became a playboy and did what he wanted. He was a guy with no worries since he was cradled as he youngest and had no responsibilities to bare. Hanzo was to be leader of his clan so he needed to be hardened and trained mentally, physically and spiritually hence why he is so stern with Genji and possibly, jealous. Jealous of the life Genji got to lead as opposed to himself. I feel deep down, Hanzo is trying to “break free” from what he was, hence his total Reflections makeover. He is finally able to be who he is, like how Genji was free to be who he was.