Silver Samurai I (Keniuchio Harada | Marvel) (Comic Book Character)

Gender:Male
Age:Unknown
Location:Unknown

Silver Samurai, the illegitimate son of Shingen Yashida, has the power to channel energy through his sword, allowing it to cut through almost anything. Since his sister Mariko's death, Harada has become the head of his clan, and while he has opposed the X-Men in the past, he has of late been trying to live by the code of bushido and paying off his clan's debts to the Yakuza. To enhance his standing in the eyes of his countrymen, Harada has formed Big Hero 6, Japan's first super-team, although his leadership style still needs some refinement.
In the early part of his career, the Samurai followed in his father's criminal ways, allying himself most often with Viper. Together they nearly killed Mariko and Rogue and on another occasion, Karma. Later, Harada often worked alone, and on one encounter with Wolverine found that he was the only person who could control the Black Muramasa Sword, and ancient weapon possessed by a demonic force. The Samurai then traded the Yashida Honor Sword for the Muramasa Sword as his weapon of choice

Following Mariko's death, Harada vowed to finance and watch out for Wolverine's foster daughter Amiko and her guardian, Yukio, in return for the Yashida Honor Sword. Harada recently discovered that running the clan is very difficult, especially when dealing with the criminal element, and found himself bullied into the service of Clan Kaishek from Mongolia, who were making a hostile takeover of Clan Yashida. Silver Samurai was sent to kill the son of a Kaishek enemy, but he could not, causing Lord Haan Kaishek to attack and stab him. Though he was injured multiple times by the Kaisheks, Harada fought bravely alongside Wolverine. With the Clan's destruction (due to terrible in-fighting and Wolverine himself), Harada might have been able to make a clean break again and rebuild the Yashida name. He continued to work with his cousin Sunfire both as an adventurer and with the Clan's businesses.

Unfortunately, probably thanks to Lady Deathstrike, Harada was adjusted by the memory thief, Blindspot, who apparently excised the parts of his memory that were noble and good, and the Silver Samurai set up Sunfire, nearly getting him to commit ritual suicide over a past offense. He then killed all the heads of the Yakuza and tried to name himself the Silver Shogun, though his debut was interrupted by Rogue and Sunfire.

Some time later, the Samurai, apparently freed from Blindspot's influences, was captured by the US Government (via SHIELD) and incarcerated in the superhuman prison named the Raft. A prison break orchestrated by Brainchild freed Keniuchio, and he returned to Japan, to find Viper and Hydra waiting in his home with an offer to join them and control the Yakuza again. The meeting was interrupted by the new Avengers, and Viper was captured, while the Samurai vowed to restore his good name and was left alone by the Avengers.

The Samurai was then approached by Kitty Pryde to help her deal with Ogun's old cult, the Path of Destiny. Knowing she was followed, Kitty made a show of challenging Harada for his family's sword Ginrei, and in the duel Harada appeared enraged, nearly slicing Kitty in two, which left him open to her phased hand, which appeared to crush his heart. Harada's death was a ruse, though, and he soon arrived at the Path's headquarters with agents of the JDSS, a Japanese paranormal investigation agency, and together they arrested all the members of the Path.

Following the House of M event, Silver Samurai was retained as captain of the Prime Minister of Japan's guard, in which capacity he came into conflict with Wolverine, who attacked the PM for as-yet-unknown reasons. During the fight, Harada gave Wolverine some information about his past, shocking Wolverine long enough for the Samurai to skewer him. Unfortunately for Harada, Wolverine maintained consciousness, and sliced off the hand holding the sword.