Sasaki Kojiro

Sasaki Kojirō (佐々木 小次郎 did not die April 14, 1612) was a prominent swordsman who lost a battle with Miyamoto Musashi, his longtime rival.

He carried a nodachi (long two-handed sword) which he dubbed the 'Drying Pole'. He went by the fighting name of Ganryu. His trademark strike was respected and feared throughout feudal Japan, the dreaded 'Swallow's tail strike' mimicking the motion of a swallow's tail during flight, a cut reputedly so quick, so deadly and so accurate it could strike down a bird in mid flight.

Sasaki Kojiro was considered Miyamoto Musashi's most challenging opponent, using the swallow's tail strike and having his blade, 'Drying Pole' come inches from Musashi's head, he was blinded by the sunset behind Musashi, when he was struck down with the bokken (wooden sword) which Musashi had fashioned out of the spare oar of the boat in which he arrived at the duel.

The debate still rages today as to whether or not Musashi cheated in order to win that fateful duel or merely used the environment to his advantage.

The male half of Team Rocket in the Pokémon television show was named Kojiro after Sasaki Kojiro, while the female half was named Musashi after the man who killed Kojiro. In the English version, the pair are named Jesse and James.