Nishiki Niimi (新見 錦, Niimi Nishiki) is a support character in Hakuouki: Reimeiroku (the third season of the anime) and Hakuouki: Reimeiroku (Game). He used to be one of the three commanders of the Rōshingumi along with Isami Kondou and Kamo Serizawa but was later de-ranked to Vice-Commander. He is an antagonist and part of Serizawa's faction.
Niimi is based on the historical Niimi Nishiki.
Personality
Niimi is very cunning and vile, he treats people with the same condescension and disrespect as Serizawa even though he does not have the same power or intelligence. He never objects to what Serizawa says even when having doubts or concerns, and he does everything he can to please Serizawa. Even though he is one of the three commanders of the Rōshigumi, he stays in the shade of his sensei and he is easily provoked by any unkind comments or rude behavior towards Serizawa.
Story
Niimi appears in the beginning of the prequel and he is shown to be overly loyal to his "Serizawa-sensei" running around him and following his orders. He always appears near Serizawa as his right hand, and it does not change even after Hijikata and Sannan come up with a restructuration plan for the Rōshigumi making Niimi the third commander (along with Serizawa and Kondou).
When the work with Koudou Yukimura becomes known to the high command of the Rōshigumi, Niimi is appointed to assist him in Ochimizu research and made to step down from his commander position. He deals with it in a sneaky way and conducts an experiment with Ochimizu behind everyone's back and without permission which leads to him getting a warning that the next time would result in seppuku.
Niimi continues to research Rasetsu and make notes with Koudou's assistance and after Koudou's clinic has burnt down, but shortly after it happens Niimi leaves taking all the research with him. He continues to conduct experiments which causes a lot of brutal murders in Kyoto. Around a month after his escape, Serizawa's connections allow him to locate Niimi due to him bragging about "an ace up his sleeve" to expel the foreigners and trying to sell Ochimizu to imperial nationalists under the name of "Tanaka Iori". By the time Hijikata, Okita and Saitou find him in Shimabara, Niimi has already taken Ochimizu himself and turned into a Rasetsu. He defeats them all easily but gets distracted by blood which gives Hijikata a chance to strike and kill Niimi. However, the Vice-Commander later asks Ryuunosuke to tell Serizawa that Niimi committed seppuku.
Musicals
Niimi is portrayed by Shinozaki Kouki in all his HakuMyu appearances.
Gallery
