About

NAME: Saito Musashibo Benkei
AGE: Unknown (ageless)
HEIGHT: 6'6"
WEIGHT: 265lbs
HAIR: Black
EYES: Green

BIOGRAPHY:
Little is known about the origins of this fabled warrior. Legend tells that he was the offspring of a warrior god and a mortal woman, though his birth parents were never discovered. He was brought up in the Buddhist temple, fostered to be a monk. He was often described to as unruly and troublesome in his youth.

At age 17, Benkei rebelled and left the temple. He joined a band of ruthless miscreants, and was feared for his great size and unequaled strength. His martial prowess in open hand, sword, and staff made him an unparalleled combatant. By his mid-twenties, Benkei had become leader of the miscreants, and was revered as one of the most mighty warriors in the land.

Allowing his ego to get the best of him, Benkei presented an open challenge to any interested warriors to duel him at Gojo bridge. 1000 warriors accepted the challenge, 999 fell by the Benkei's hands. The 1000th warrior, the famed Lord Minamoto Yoshitsune, fought valiantly and ultimately prevailed over the mighty Benkei.

His defeat at the bridge greatly humbled Benkei, and he resolved to turn his life around completely. He began by pledging his service to Lord Yoshitsune, and remained a loyal vassal under him until Yoshitsune's death. It was in his defense of his lord that Benkei supposedly perished, after single-handedly defending his lord's homestead from encroaching enemies. Curiously, Benkei's body was discovered outside the castle wall, riddled with spears, but still standing.

Subsequent legends have suggested that several years after his death, the gods rewarded Benkei for his valiance by returning him to life, granting him immortality and supernatural powers. It is believed that Benkei returned to the priesthood, and that he founded a secret order of warriors devoted to protecting the land from evil demons. He has frequently been spotted meditating on Gojo bridge; the very same bridge on which he had fought as an aggressor years before.