--- Tim Williams <ffml_tim@yahoo.com> wrote:

Tsuruko and Motoko are among the strongest fighters in the

history of

the Shinmeiryuu, but they aren't by any means the only ones.

Remember

Motoko's dream just before she saw her sister. The clan wouldn't
disappear without them, though it would certainly be diminished

if

neither of their greatest fighters were teaching.

If I remember correctly, at least some of the other fighters in
that dream were clearly male.  

They're definitely female in appearance, with the exception of the
kneeling one who could be either. Still, Motoko addresses them as
sisters. However, I checked and it's never explicitly stated in the
manga (that I could find) that the Shinmeiryuu are entirely female. 

On the sword question, it is referred to separately as the Urashima
sword and as the Hina sword. So, it appears I was wrong in stating
that Keitarou gets his AT field and martial arts ability solely from
the Hina side of the family. The Urashimas apparently have made a
name for themselves, as well.

Brian Welch

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