part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7
I keep falling behind on reviewing manga >.<; during this quarantine, I keep reading ongoing series. so to make up for that, I’ve decided to review another one of the series that I own. it’s always faster for me to read something I can hold in my hands >.>; so, here we go!
Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.
summary:
Kyoto: The ancient capital of Japan. It was during the chaos of the Bakumatsu that this shining jewel of a city was plunged into violence and bloodshed. The Shinsengumi, an elite corps of deadly warriors, crossed swords with Kenshin more than once in those days, but what has become of their legacy in the new Meiji Era? An old foe, Saitou Hajime of the Shinsengumi, comes to pay a call at the Kamiya Dojo, but is his visit purely for revenge or a harbinger of much darker schemes to come?
Kyoto: The ancient capital of Japan. It was during the chaos of the Bakumatsu that this shining jewel of a city was plunged into violence and bloodshed. The Shinsengumi, an elite corps of deadly warriors, crossed swords with Kenshin more than once in those days, but what has become of their legacy in the new Meiji Era? An old foe, Saitou Hajime of the Shinsengumi, comes to pay a call at the Kamiya Dojo, but is his visit purely for revenge or a harbinger of much darker schemes to come?
Then, on May 14th in the 11th year of Meiji, tragedy strikes. Oukubo Toshimichi, chief of the Department of Internal Affairs and one of the most powerful men in Japan, is assassinated in broad daylight, but who could be behind such a fiendish plot? It appears that the ghosts of Meiji’s bloody past are threatening to wreak havoc on this new age of “culture and enlightenment” -personified by Shishio Makoto, the man who took Kenshin’s position when he ceased to be Hitokiri Battousai. Though Kenshin has foresworn the taking of lives, he heeds the call and departs for Kyoto, knowing all too well that Shishio anxiously awaits his arrival!
I am going to be doing shorthand as I read. These descriptions are really more of a reminder to myself about what all I have been able to read so far. Sorry if this bothers anyone! I will do a full description on the final review page of each series I read.
Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!
ch68: Soujirou leads Saitou and Kenshin to Shishio. while they talk, Misao decides to join Eiji on his path for revenge because she’d also want to revenge the Oniwabanshuu if anything happened to them (well, oops). Shishio took this village as a base to conquer the eastern shore -and for the onsen (hot springs). he finds the Meiji government weak; he has a survival of the fittest mentality. he wants to give Japan the “right” to be strong, but Kenshin points out that it’s not Shishio who’ll be fighting/dying/suffering for that “right”; it’s everyone who wants a peaceful life. Shishio sends out Senkaku to fight on behalf of the village, and Kenshin takes him on for Eiji’s sake
ch69: Senkaku’s fast but big. by moving too much for too long, his leg breaks without Kenshin even having to use his sword. Shishio threatens to kill Senkaku if he can’t get Kenshin to reveal even a single move, so Kenshin knocks Senkaku out with 1 move. Saitou comments that it may cost him his life later. also Misao and Eiji break into the base in time to see Senkaku defeated
ch70: Saitou outs Misao and Eiji’s hiding place but tells them to stay by him. Shishio leaves for Kyoto and tells Soujirou to fight Kenshin/show off his Tenken technique. Shishio says the Kenshin won’t be a match against him until he’s willing to kill (where have we heard that 1 before? *rolls eyes* *cough*Jin-e*cough* ). apparently Soujirou doesn’t give off any battle ki which makes him hard to fight; no one can read him. Kenshin and Soujirou use battoujutsu, but since they’re the same speed, it breaks both their swords. they call it a draw, and Soujirou follows after Shishio. now Kenshin needs a new sword
ch71: Eiji tries to kill Senkaku, but Saitou stops him; he needs Senkaku for questioning. Eiji feels his family can’t rest until he gets revenge with his own hands, but Kenshin says that those who pass on 1st want happiness for those left behind, not revenge. revenge won’t make anyone happy; it just dirties your hands. instead, grow to be a good adult, 1 not cruel like Senkaku and Shishio, and 1 not apathetic like the villagers; be like the older brother who fought to save his family and who wanted a better future for his younger brother (frak; that’s a good speech; well done, Kenshin; you almost made me cry! T~T). briefly over with Shishio, he tells Soujirou to gather the 10 Swords to Kyoto. back to Kenshin and co, Saitou will have his wife (Tokio) watch Eiji -HE’S MARRIED?! everyone is shocked xD Kenshin and Misao continue on to Tokyo where Kenshin’ll get a new sword. elsewhere, Sanosuke’s still lost.
quick side note: it kinda’ bugs me that Saitou’s wife’s name is Tokio -because that’s so close to Tokyo, but in Japanese, Tokyo is actually spelled Toukyou in romaji (I’ll try to link the kanji for Tokyo vs the hiragana for Tokio). so my English brain is annoyed that the mangaka would use such a similar spelling, but in Japanese, the spellings aren’t that similar
quick side note: it kinda’ bugs me that Saitou’s wife’s name is Tokio -because that’s so close to Tokyo, but in Japanese, Tokyo is actually spelled Toukyou in romaji (I’ll try to link the kanji for Tokyo vs the hiragana for Tokio). so my English brain is annoyed that the mangaka would use such a similar spelling, but in Japanese, the spellings aren’t that similar
btw, here’s Tokyo vs Tokio -> 東京/とうきょう vs ときお
ch72: Sanosuke drops his dinner because of someone’s training -he eats it anyway xD there’s a fallen Buddhist priest who’s training a 10-years-in-the-mastering technique. Sanosuke wants to learn it because he doesn’t want to use Saitou’s help xD fallen priest wants to save humanity but no longer believes it can be done through religion (which is why he’s fallen); he shows Sanosuke the basics of the technique and says it took him a month to get it; if Sanosuke can’t learn it by then, then he’ll die. Sanosuke says he can learn it in a week
ch73: by the night of day 6, Sanosuke’s not sure he’ll make it. he has a vision/dream of Captain Sagara who tells him that it’s okay to stop and rest, the priest may not kill him if he honestly admits defeat. if Sanosuke keeps pushing himself farther, he may die on his own. Sanosuke says he has to push himself so he never has to feel the weight of someone dying because he wasn’t strong enough again, and he doesn’t want anyone else to feel that. the next morning, the priest thinks that Sanosuke’s dead, but he was just napping. he figured out the technique. he asks for directions to Kyoto, and the fallen priest answers. turns out, these woods were familiar to him because this was the last stop of the Sekihou army 10 years ago. when Sanosuke leaves, Soujirou arrives to collect the fallen priest named Anji Yuukyuuzan, 1 of the 10 Swords/Juppongatana
ch74: more colored pages!! 2 in 1 omnibus; this’s amazing! it’s the whole chapter again ❤ Kenshin and Misao made it to Kyoto! Kenshin keeps having flashbacks to how it was during Bakumatsu, but Misao snaps his out of it and takes him to her home which’s an inn! the man who raised her (she calls “Gramps”) insists Kenshin come in; he knows Kenshin was Himura Battousai. elsewhere, Kaoru and Yahiko make it to Kyoto, and they spot Aoshi -but Kaoru doesn’t know him? they’re looking for Tae’s family’s home. back to Kenshin! while Misao settles in, Gramps and Kenshin chat. Gramps’ real name is Nenji Kashiwazaki, and during Bakumatsu, he was called Okina. When the US forced open Japan’s borders in the 3rd year of the Kaie Era, the okashira at the time told Nenji to create an information network in Kyoto because he knew it would be an important strategy point. Nenji made the Aoi-ya Inn, and that network continues into today (in the series). those who work at the inn are ex-Oniwabanshuu/onmitsu, so they can take care of themself; Kenshin doesn’t have to worry about defending them. Kenshin also tells Nenji about the others’ fates. Nenji agrees that they shouldn’t tell Misao yet. Kenshin asks Nenji to use their network to find Arai Shakkuu and Hiko Seijuurou.
ch75: everyone else is calling Nenji “Okina”, so I’ll call him that from now on; so Gramps is Okina. Okina wants to show Kenshin modern Kyoto, starting with a good restuarant (Shirobeko), but he gets info on 1 of the people Kenshin wanted them to find. apparently the guy died 8 years ago (he crafted Kenshin’s sakabato), but his son still lives. so, they go there and meet the new master’s toddler son and pretty wife. the guy (Seikuu) makes tools and kitchen knives now; no swords, but his skill still shows through. he wants peace, though, so Kenshin decides not to press the issue and to look elsewhere. the wife (Iori) asks why not give Kenshin the father’s final work, but Seikuu wants peace; he won’t pass on a weapon. also, it seems that Shishio has his own info network; they’ve spotted Kenshin in Kyoto. out of order, but Kaoru and Yahiko find Tae’s family’s place, the restaurant Shirobeko (dang it; they almost met!!). Tae has an identical twin named Sae xD
and that’s it for this time! thanks for reading with me, and to keep reading with me, then please click here. until next time!
Completed Manga Review 