thatmangachick

– not a manga –

I am sorry to do this, but I have to go on hiatus again. Work has been crazy, and I’ve been too stressed and burnt out to read any manga. I am reading as I find free time, but in the last 3 weeks, I only had 1 hour of free time to read. I will continue reading as I’m able, and once I get a backlog saved up, I’ll start posting on here again with the same schedule as before. Thank you for your patience. This is not the end of this blog. I will be back ❤

Rurouni Kenshin, part 12

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11

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!

Rurouni Kenshin

(image: https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&sxsrf=ALeKk02T9bUr4qQQapYHBb5_6xDxYalBHQ%3A1585973472454&source=hp&ei=4AiIXqL9GOXr_QbapJSoBg&q=Rurouni+Kenshin+manga&oq=Rurouni+Kenshin+manga&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BQgAEIMBOgUIABCRAkopCBcSJTBnNjNnNzhnNzVnNjJnNjBnNThnNTlnODRnNjBnNjJnNjVnNjNKHQgYEhkwZzFnMWcxZzFnMWcxZzFnMWcxZzVnNWcyUOADWJIcYNsdaAFwAHgAgAFPiAHmCZIBAjIxmAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwii7cjL883oAhXldd8KHVoSBWUQ4dUDCAg&uact=5 )

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

summary:
As Shishio Makoto’s Juppongatana warriors descend on Aoi-Ya and the Kyoto-based Oniwabanshuu, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Saitou Hajime take the fight right to Shishio’s front door: his mountain stronghold. Sano tests both his fists and his powerful “Master of Two Layers” against the immovable Yuukyuuzan Anji, the very person who taught him that technique. Saitou matches blades with the homicidal “Blind Sword” Usui, while Kenshin and Shinomori Aoshi resume their match, which was put on hold back in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Misao and her compatriots desperately try to turn the tide against a slew of Juppongatana fighters. With Yahiko and Kaoru getting in on the action, things begin to look slightly less insurmountable… and then the giant Fuji appears. Facing strength and skill that can literally reduce buildings into piles of kindling, Kenshin’s weary friends may lose all hope. Is there a swordsman alive who can stand up to Fuji’s horrific might?

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!

ch118: I really like the cover art for this chapter ❤ Aoshi doesn’t think Kenshin can fight at full power without turning his blade, but Sanosuke reminds him that as the challenger, he doesn’t get a choice. Kenshin and Aoshi have both trained with the threat of death, but Kenshin learned how to reach full power without relying on his hitokiri’s bloodshed. they fight to prove it, and thanks to the will to live, Kenshin’s better. he tells Aoshi this; good sword skills alone won’t win; you have to have a goal after that to push towards, a life. according to Kenshin, as Aoshi is, he’s just using the excuse of his comrads deaths as a way to be a murderer; he’s disrespecting their memory. and Aoshi is shook

ch119: Kenshin’s words finally get through -after Aoshi pummels him in anger. Aoshi’s been woken up. now they must finish their fight so they can continue their lives

ch120: Shishio, Houji, and Seta try to guess who will win, but Shishio says if Aoshi wins, then he’ll just beat him -he’s not bothered. Sanosuke discovers that Yumi’s sending messages and tells Kenshin not to use his secret technique, but it’s too late. it’s too fast for Yumi to see, though xD Houji’s mad, Seta’s laughing, and Shishio figures out half the technique just from that info (that it’s a godspeed technique). Aoshi’s defeated but not killed

ch121: volume 15. Sanosuke smashes the telegraph machine Yumi’s been using, and the group’s off again; Aoshi will join later when he can move. over to Aoi-ya! the 4nin are injured but not dead; they just need to keep stalling. however, the police are under attack by 2 more of the 10 Swords, now on their way to Aoi-ya. the scythe woman turns out to be a man -and flashes Misao. Misao’s so traumatized that Okina lets Kaoru join her fight, and Yahiko takes on bat guy (Henya) alone. Henya’s upset by having such a weak opponent; he wanted to fight Kenshin, but Yahiko says he’s been watching Kenshin this whole time; if Henya can’t beat him, then he’s def not worthy of Kenshin. now Henya’s willing to fight

ch122: Henya is scarily thin. he uses dynamite to make himself airborne, riding the blasts of wind with man-made wings, and kills his opponents slowly. Yahiko can’t reach him, but he’s not giving up. scythe man threatens Kaoru’s life if she tries leaving the battle again. when Henya drops a large charge of dynamite to finish Yahiko off, Yahiko uses a door to ride the draft and strikes Henya from above using an imitation of Kenshin’s move. it knows Henya out, and Kaoru’s impressed. Yahiko’s growing up and getting stronger ❤

ch123: Henya’s defeated, but Yahiko’s injured and collapses. Kaoru’s not worried and tells Misao to focus. she also says that as a warrior, when she wears her dougi and steps into battle, she sees herself as gender neutral which scythe guy (Kamatari) relates to. he’s still stronger though. his weapon is 78lbs (jeez!), and he uses the counter weight as an extension of the weapon which sends Misao flying and breaks her ribs. Han’nya from beyond the grave tells her that Aoshi’s coming back, and Misao’s motivated to do what she can from her current position. as Kaoru strikes, Misao throws kunai until 1 hits the scythe just before Kaoru’s strike, breaking the scythe’s handle

ch124: Kaoru offers an end to the match, but Kamatari refuses; he lives his life to please Shishio even if Shishio will never love him as a woman (because he has Yumi) or respect him as a man (because he has Soujirou -who I keep calling Seta). they both fight with the handles of their broken weapons, but Kaoru’s able to use hers to break his knee (/ouch!/ holy crap, Kaoru!). he tries to take his life for failing Shishio, but Misao knocks him out. the lackeys run away when they decide that Iwanbou’s too stupid to win (which seems really rude and unfair? why’s everyone so mean to Iwanbou?). Iwanbou runs off. as Aoi-ya starts to celebrate their victory, the other 2 Swords arrive

ch125: Elder Saizuchi and giant Fuji arrive. Saizuchi explains why they’ll lose; Yahiko disregards that because he believes in Kenshin; Fuji attacks Yahiko; Kaoru thinks he’s dead, but Seijirou arrives and protects him. there’s hope!

ch126: Seijirou addresses Fuji directly and compliments his swing but says his armor’s weighing him down. when Saizuchi tries to make Fuji listen only to him, Seijirou silences Saizuchi. Fuji’s never been addressed as a warrior before; he cries tears of joy before shedding his armor. now they can fight

ch127: they’re at a standoff because they both recognize their opponent’s attack zone (Misao doesn’t get it; someone teach this girl something). Yahiko has total faith in Seijirou though. Seijirou taunts Fuji into attacking, and the blow’s strong enough to create a crater, but it missed. in 1 hit, Seijirou wins, but Fuji’s body’s strong enough that he didn’t die, and Saizuchi’s only knocked out, too. at Shishio’s lair, Kenshin hears Kaoru’s voice and knows Aoi-ya’s ok (which is super sweet because he admits that just the thought of her comforts him; awww~!! ❤ ). Sanosuke and Yumi think he’s delirious though xD time to run ahead!

ch128: Houji finds out that they’ve been defeated at Aoi-ya, so now Soujirou must fight for all 10 Swords alone. Kenshin vs Soujirou! Soujirou lets them know that Aoi-ya’s safe, so now the pressure’s off Kenshin and co, but it’s added to Soujirou. when they strike, Soujirou’s sword gets cracked, but then he shows he can be even faster

ch129: he uses shukuchi, or something a couple steps slower than it; it’s faster than Kenshin’s fastest moves. rather than going at actual top speed, Soujirou keeps making it a single step faster each time; in this chapter he goes from 3 to 2 steps (Idk why he’s toying with Kenshin when time’s weighing on him). even Kenshin’s newest move isn’t fast enough, but despite getting hit, Kenshin’s still standing and alive; Soujirou’s surprised

and that’s actually the end of the volume! I don’t have the next 1 with me, so this’s where I’ll stop this time. to keep reading with me, please click <here>! thank you!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 11

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10

Rurouni Kenshin

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch103: we’re in omnibus #5, and we’re starting off with colored pages! ❤ the whole chapter is colored ❤ 41 police died in the attack, but no civilians, and many of the enemy were captured. only 7 houses were damaged, but none destroyed. Sanosuke and Kenshin wait at Aoi-ya for Saitou to finish with the clean up. everyone’s united! we learn that Misao survived Usui because Anji stopped him; they both have a deal with Shishio that they can do whatever they want with their victims, so Anji minimizes bloodshed. now Sanosuke knows who he needs to fight. also Misao calls Aoshi her enemy

ch104: Okina’s awake! he asks Kenshin to kill Aoshi, saying Aoshi has thrown away his humanity and can’t be saved. Kenshin says that Aoshi held back his final attack against Okina to spare his life; his soul is still human even if his mind is not, so Kenshin will bring Aoshi back to Aoi-ya. Misao cries in relief, and Okina hopes that Kenshin’s right. the police show up with a message from Saitou

ch105: no one at Aoi-ya knows Sanosuke x’D but Kenshin trusts him, so they accept him. also, this chapter has 1 of my favorite panels in the series; look at the details!! (sorry for the bad quality picture; I took it using my phone)
Rurouni Kenshin ch105

honestly, all the night scenes in this chapter are gorgeous. I won’t add more since there’ll be too many, but I highly recommend looking at this chapter for the pictures alone. Kenshin and Kaoru have a heart to heart which Yahiko interrupts by trying to encourage Kaoru to kiss Kenshin xD now everyone’s awake. Kenshin wants Yahiko to stay at Aoi-ya to help protect it; Sanosuke says Yahiko and Kaoru have to stay alive to pay off his debt to Akabeko for him xD the next morning, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Saitou head out, and Shishio and co know they’re coming. Houji has a plan

ch106: he wants 3 of the 10 Swords to fight Kenshin and co while the rest go to attack Aoi-ya. Shishio disagrees because of his honor as a swordsman, but Houji’s willing to stand against him to ensure victory. when the 10 Swords are assembled, Shishio throws Houji under the bus for the Kyoto fire debacle. Usui cuts off Houji’s thumb to get the truth, but Houji bites off 6(or 7?) fingers, 1 for each of the Swords left behind, and says it really was all his plan. Shishio’s so moved by Houji’s dedication that he announces Houji’s plan as his own. he then promises Houji will be by his side from here on out. Anji will fight Sanosuke. Kenshin and co arrive at the lair

ch107: Yumi’s full name is Yumi Komagata. Shishio asks her to guide Kenshin and co through the lair. they agree to 1on1 fights, but Kenshin won’t allow killing. Sanosuke chooses to fight Anji. Anji’s goal is to rid the world of corrupt people by killing them. Sanosuke doesn’t agree with it, and so the fight starts. Sanosuke learned the basics of the 2-layer fist, but Anji’s mastered it

ch108: Anji’s goal has him playing the part of Fudou Myou-ou from Buddhism (Idk Buddhism, so I’m quoting what’s in the manga: “With his power and anger he conquers the enemies of Buddha and punishes the ignorant – those who are unworthy of salvation.”). whoever hits 1st wins, and Sano’s lighter on his feet, but Anji blocked Sano’s hit with a counter on his own body, nullifying Sano’s strike. when Sano gets grazed, it’s still enough to make him spew (a lot of) blood O.o; neither of them like the Meiji government, but Sanosuke refuses to doom the people who’re living honestly and fighting hard for a better future, so he intends to stop Anji here. Anji’s willing to destroy whatever doesn’t meet his standards, even Shishio.

ch109: Sanosuke counters Anji’s hit like Anji countered him earlier then hits Anji. Anji’s defeated, but he wakes shortly after because the hit was negated by the memorial tablet he had with him. now we learn his story

ch110: history time (this one’s rough, y’all): the haibutsu kishaku started in the 4th year of Keiou (the 1st year of Meiji). it was an order from the government to separate Buddhism from Shintoism, but the populace took it a step farther and decided to erase Buddhism. temples/documents across the country were burned and priests killed. it continued into the 2nd year of Meiji where Anji’s flashback starts.
flashback: Anji was a Buddhist priest in Ezo (now Hokkaiko), and he helped care for orphaned children that the nearby village disregarded. their parents died in the Boshin war, and 1 girl (Tsubaki) was the daughter of the previous village chef who supported the shogun. the village had a meeting and told them all to leave, then decided to be greedy and got rid of them faster. while Anji was away praying for guidance for their journey ahead, the villagers set the temple on fire, killing all the children inside. when Anji ran back to try and save them, he was attacked from behind and left to die. he lived and vowed to avenge the pure souls of the kids who died, and 5 years later, he killed the village leaders who allowed it to happen.
recounting the story revives Anji’s anger in the present, and Sanosuke agrees to fight him again

ch111: it’s a back and forth fist fight with 2 layers; either could lose at any time. Anji uses his sword for long distance attacks, but Sanosuke dodges with a jump (advised by Kenshin!). their fists collide, and they have a silent talk as fighters do. Sanosuke adds a 3rd layer by opening his palm mid strike, and it sends Anji fighting. Sanosuke reminds Anji that the children wouldn’t want his mission; they wouldn’t like his wounds and bloodshed; they’d cry, and Anji remembers them and starts crying. Sanosuke won?

ch112: volume14. Sanosuke’s treated with the medicine Megumi sent, but his hand’s busted, so he can’t fight now. he tells Anji to use kindness and not anger to save the world; it’s slower and harder, but it was working before; Anji didn’t fail those kids. he tells them about the attack on Aoi-ya, but Yumi can’t lead them back out; they’d die in the lair’s traps, so they can only go forward. next is Usui, and Saitou decides to fight while the rest run ahead. Usui calls Saitou kind hearted for the action, but Saitou corrects him; it’s so Saitou can kill Usui without Kenshin around to stop him

ch113: Usui guesses that Saitou’s fighting him for revenge of the 50 policemen that Usui killed before, but Saitou corrects him; the police are like the Shinsengumi; they protect and uphold laws, and they know their job endangers their life. as long as the job is done, then the lives lost are worth it to Saitou. so he fights to finish the job. Saitou’s signature move is countered by Usui who then explains his ability: after being blinded, he got super hearing; that’s how he can fight still. Saitou’s strike does damage Usui’s weapon, though, so it wasn’t a total loss. Saitou explains his own ability which’s battle experience; he’s good at reading people. he says Usui’s a beaten man who uses a veiled deal with Shishio as cover to hide his own lack of battle spirit. they both start laughing until Usui yells at Saitou to stop xD now Usui’s mad

ch114: looks like we’ve got a colored chapter! ❤ Usui fights with turtle shell shield and lance. he deflects blows and blocks sight with the shield, then stabs at his opponents with the short lance. this works against Saitou, too, until Usui gets caught up in the fight and mentions that Saitou has to die because he found out Usui’s secret. Saitou riles him up by saying even Shishio’s guessed it. Usui gets in Saitou’s face, giving Saitou the perfect opportunity to use a sword technique to break the shell. it hits so hard it tears Usui’s body in half and pins him to the wall O.O holy crap, Saitou… they chat as Usui dies, and Saitou pledges to stand by his beliefs until death (still kinda’ admirable, but dude, you just tore a man in half with your upper body strength alone; I’m a bit afraid of you now, impressive conviction aside). elsewhere, Kenshin and co’re nearing the last room, but Kenshin senses “him” in Houji’s room which Yumi says is empty

ch115: Aoshi’s in the room; Kenshin has to decide to enter or not. at Aoi-ya, Okina makes a battle strategy, and the attack starts. 4 Aoi-ya ninja against Iwanbou, Kaoru and Yahiko against bat guy, and Misao against scythe 1. the nin weapons can’t cut him, and they get taken out. back to Kenshin! he decides to face Aoshi

ch116: Kenshin says Aoshi has become unrecognizable, so he must be defeated without using a sword to humiliate him back to humanity (or something like that). apparently, Houji’s room is a library; Kenshin uses the books and shelves to fight, but Aoshi finally makes him draw his sword. during the confrontation, Yumi’s able to send a message to Houji to let him know how the battles have gone. Shishio says Kenshin vs Aoshi will take a while because they’re both highly skilled

ch117: so a truly epic fight happens. Aoshi’s skilled, and he knocks Kenshin to the ground. he says defeating Kenshin like this is meaningless; he needs to defeat Himura Battousai so the world will recognize him as the strongest, then after the battle, he’ll die (I think he’s implying he’ll take his own life?). Kenshin gets mad and promises to fight for real, but not as battousai, just as himself.

that’s all I can read this time; this is getting so good!! to keep reading with me, please click <here>.

Rurouni Kenshin, part 10

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9

Rurouni Kenshin

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

summary:
Kenshin journeys to the home of Arai Shakkuu, the legendary swordsmith who forged his sakabatou, in the hope of procuring a replacement for the blade that was shattered in a fight with Seta Soujirou. Instead of Shakkuu, though, Kenshin finds his son, Seikuu, who has given up making instruments of death. But when word gets around that before he passed away Shakkuu forged a final blade, one of Shishio’s warriors also decides to pay a visit, and he doesn’t plan on leaving empty-handed. With the safety of Seikuu’s family at risk, Kenshin springs into action, even if it means fighting without a weapon at his side!

Kenshin realizes that if he is to defeat Shishio the time has come to complete his training in Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu. But first he will have to convince his incredibly stubborn master, Hiko Seijuurou, that he is indeed worthy of Hiten Mitsurugi’s greatest secrets and techniques. Then, with all of his Juppongatana “Ten Swords” fighters now in Kyoto, Shishio kicks into high gear with his scheme to radically alter the face of Meiji Era Japan. Can Kenshin, Saitou and Misao marshal their resources in time to prevent Shishio from burning Kyoto to the ground?!

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch85: Seijuurou has Kenshin get water for everyone then asks them about what Kenshin’s been doing for the last 10 years. also, turns out that Seijuurou’s 43, and Kenshin’s still 28 (I guess he’ll turn 29 later in the year if 15 years ago he was 14). after hearing that Kenshin’s been a rurouni/is using hitenmitsurugi as a free sword the way he should’ve from the start, Seijuurou decides to teach him. Kaoru asks if Kenshin’s mad at her for coming; he says he’s half mad and half relieved. she keeps hoping he’ll turn and smile at her like before, but so far, he hasn’t (I guess he really is mad). before the training starts, Seijuurou reminds Kenshin that learning all of hitenmitsurugi-ryu will not make him a god; skill alone won’t keep him alive (“be careful” goes unsaid I think). it’s Kenshin’s job to clean up the mess he made, so he must defeat Shishio himself. back at the house, Yahiko remembers that he was supposed to warn Kenshin about Aoshi, and Misao overhears; oh jeez…
side note: Misao and Yahiko really do seem like kindred spirits; they get along much better than Yahiko’s gotten along with anyone

ch86: Misao wants to hear about Aoshi, and Yahiko thinks she’s working for him. Kaoru defuses the situation and decides to tell Misao what she knows since Misao brought her to Kenshin. elsewhere, Okina receives a note from Aoshi, and they meet. Aoshi wants to find out where Kenshin is, but Okina says that killing Kenshin won’t avenge the Oniwanbanshuu. Aoshi feels that no one understands him, and Okina pledges to fight alongside Kenshin and take down Aoshi if he must. when Aoshi leaves, he runs into smiley-boy (what was his name? Seto?) and after some back and forth, Aoshi agrees to meet Shishio

ch87: Shishio’s base is on Mt. Hiei. Houji finds Shishio training; somehow when he cuts, the victim bursts into flames O.o Soujirou (I called him Seto before; oops xD; ) calls the technique “flaming soul”. at meeting, Shishio can tell that Aoshi won’t join, but he makes a deal to share info about Kenshin if Aoshi wants to go after him; they can work in parallel. Shishio doesn’t have any new info on Kenshin, but Soujirou mentions that the people of Aoi-ya probably do; is it ok if they torture a few of them for info? Aoshi agrees; he’s fully devoted himself to be a killer (jeez; how far you’ve fallen, dude…). Shishio provides Aoshi with a room to stay in while they plot how to attack Aoi-ya. also, we meet a couple more of the 10 Swords: Anji (we met before), Henya, and Iwanbou.

ch88: colored page!! Ooo, and this time there’s blues, greens, purples, browns, reds; every color! ❤ and the whole chapter’s colored <333 mostly in reds, though xD Kenshin and Seijuurou train. Kenshin’s rusty, but his eyes are still good. if he can land a hit, then Seijuurou will teach him the final move. elsewhere, Houji sends a special group of Shishio’s men after Aoi-ya called the Owl clan. Aoi-ya takes them all out, though, and Okina sends back a single man after torturing him (jeez though). on the man’s back is a message of challenge to Aoshi; Okina intends to take him down

ch89: Misao hears about the fate of the Oniwanbanshuu, but she doesn’t believe it, so she runs back to Aoi-ya. she figures out that something’s wrong and demands to know where Okina went with his shinobi gear. Okina and Aoshi fight. Okina’s steel tonfa work well against Aoshi’s dual-kodachi, but Aoshi has the resolve to cut through anything and anyone he needs to. for now, they’ve both taken damage, but Idk how long Okina can hold out

ch90: Misao runs off to stop them. back with Shishio, he tells Houji about what led to his decision to take over Japan. when he was burned alive, his sweat glands burned off, so his temperature doesn’t regulate anymore. he’s constantly burning too hot, like he’s in flames, even in his head. 1 day the flames turned to voices that said every man is a devil and the world is actually h***. so he decided that this world should be ruled by devils. Houji -who used to work for the government- is moved and fully declares himself to Shishio again, re-inspired to follow this great man (*rolls eyes* sorry, Houji’s too dramatic for me). elsewhere, Misao arrives just in time to see Okina fall before Aoshi. Aoshi leaves without saying a word. he’d mentioned before about going back to Aoi-ya to question/torture the others there if Okina didn’t tell him where Kenshin was. Okina refused to tell.

ch91: Okina survives, but he has 138 stitches and is unconscious. turns out, Aoshi did say something to Misao; he told her to never show her face to him again. everyone’s worried about Misao, but Yahiko’s the only 1 who believes she’s not crying right now -and she’s not. flashback: Aoshi came back to Aoi-ya before Misao returned, and no 1 knew what to do, but Yahiko stepped up (this kid is brave) and said Kenshin was training and would find Aoshi later. Kaoru agreed and told him to just wait until Kenshin finished training; she also said his sword was cursed; it only brings sorrow with each swing. Aoshi tells them to pass a message to Kenshin that he’ll be in Shishio’s lair. back to present: Misao reads the letter from Okina telling her to seek a normal life and forget the Oniwanbanshuu. she decides to declare herself Okashira instead and says they will lend their strength to Kenshin and will defeat any enemy, including Aoshi. elsewhere: Saitou’s arrived in Kyoto! on his way to question Chou, he’s informed of another inmate at the prison who’s made themselves comfortable. it’s Sanosuke xD

ch92: Sanosuke goes on this huge speech to Saitou, but when the chief asks if Saitou knows him, Saitou says he’s never seen Sanosuke before x’D Saitou says to just leave him in jail, but Sanosuke gets mad and breaks the door. Saitou dismisses the chief to take care of this guy, and now they can really talk xD Saitou asks about Sanosuke’s defense, but Sanosuke still has 0 defense; Saitou’s mad x’DDD they go to question Chou, but he doesn’t cooperate. Sanosuke says he’s scared of Shishio which starts a fight. Sanosuke breaks the shackles on Chou’s wrists at the expense of getting hit in the head by a weighted ball and chain. Chou’s annoyed for the help and agrees to answer questions just to end the fight. Saitou can now get answers -so he used them both xD

ch93: Saitou asks who in the 10 Swords could kill 50 men in Kobe in 2hrs. only Soujirou (who only does as Shishio says) or Usui the blind sword. Usui also kills 50 of Shishio’s men before trying to kill Shishio; it’s his deal with him since Shishio’s the 1 who blinded him. Saitou asks about Shishio’s grand plan. it’s the same as the Oniwanbanshuu: set Kyoto on fire, kill the government officials, and let the government collapse from the chaos (only the Oniwanbanshuu were going to do that in Tokyo). turns out, this also was tried in the past (June of 1864, the 1styr of Genji) at Ikeda-ya, only the Shinsengumi stopped it and the flames; it was 1 of their greatest victories as a group, so Saitou’s well aware of the concept. Sanosuke and Saitou agree they need to find Kenshin now

ch94: btw, we’re on volume 12 now. we get a flashback of how Kenshin met his master, Seijuurou. Seijuurou killed a group of rurouni acting as bandits; Kenshin was just a kid, but there was a dead women near him (I’m guessing the bandits attacked him and his mom, killed her, and then Seijuurou killed the bandits). somehow that led the Kenshin becoming his student? apparently, Kenshin also wet his bed until he was 11 xD also, Seijuurou’s the 13th master of hitenmitsurugi-ryu. after a week of fighting, Kenshin finally lands a hit on Seijuurou who agrees to teach him the final technique of hitenmitsurugi-ryu. it’s completely fatal and impossible to block

ch95: Kenshin learns things the hard way, by trial and error, not in steps. even though he does the technique right, his stength and stature can’t surpass how his master does the technique. also, turns out, it’s not the final technique; it’s the final test before learning the final technique xD Seijuurou gives Kenshin 1 night to figure out the essense of the technique, how to beat it, and what he’s lacking; since Kenshin’s pledged his life to mastering the technique, he’ll die tomorrow if he fails. we see the original flashback continue! Seijuurou arrives at the village a week after saving Kenshin’s life, but he didn’t go to the village; apparently, he’s been burying the bodies since. also, he didn’t lose his parents; he’s already an orphan; his parents died last year to cholera. he was traveling with slavers, and there were 3 other kids who’d been stolen for debts before the bandits killed everyone. also, his original name was Shinta, but Seijuurou renamed him before taking him as a pupil. that was 19 years ago. (so depending on the time of year, Kenshin was 6 or 7)

ch96: neither Kenshin or Seijuurou slept last night xD but Kenshin also didn’t figure out what he’s lacking. Siejuurou takes off his cloak (which applies 37.5kg to pressure points in his shoulders to forcibly reduce his strength; it’s also passed between masters of hitenmitsurugi-ryu along with the secret technique), and Kenshin’s hand starts to shake from nerves; he’s fighting his master at full force. as Seijuurou strikes, Kenshin flashes back on his friends and re-discovers his will to live -which is what he lacked. he strikes his master with a delayed force. this is how hitenmitsurugi-ryu is passed down; the student slays the master with the final technique; Seijuurou says it’s not Kenshin’s fault and that it goes beyond his vow as a rurouni

ch97: Kenshin carries Seijuurou home and gives him some medicine, hoping it’ll help. at Shishio’s lair, Soujirou returns after 3 days with local delicacies xD Yumi’s annoyed he’s been gone so long, but the 10 Swords are gathered now (minus Chou who’s in prison). they’ll attack at midnight tomorrow. also, the delicacy box held a message about an escape ship; only Shishio, Houji, and Soujirou know of it. next morning: Seijuurou wakes up! thanks to a bolt coming loose on Kenshin’s sakabatou, his life was spared. he tells Kenshin to return to his friends now and continue honing his skills so he doesn’t have to rely on a fluke not to kill people

ch98: Seijuurou tries to pass on the master’s cloak to Kenshin, but he refuses. 1). it’s way too big on him; it’d be (hilarious) ridiculous, and 2). Kenshin doesn’t intend to pass hitenmitsurugi-ryu onto anyone. Seijuurou calls him selfish but keeps the cloak. Kenshin asks him to protect those at Aoi-ya, and Seijuurou agrees, but they’re no longer master and student. Kenshin’s summoned to police hq by Saitou, and they try to figure out what’s really behind Shishio’s plan. Kenshin realizes that the turning point of the Bakumatsu was in Kyoto when Shougun Tokugawa Yoshinobu betrayed his men and sailed away on a ship for Tokyo. Shishio’s real target must also be Tokyo; he likes dramatic ironies. unfortunately, most police are in Kyoto now; Tokyo’s unprotected. when Kenshin tries to run out, Sanosuke shows up and punches him in the face (very hard, too!). the team’s getting back together!

ch99: Kenshin left a note for Aoi-ya to warn about the fire so they can help stop it. Misao’s thinking of buying a gatling gun since it’s the strongest weapon of the time, but Kaoru reminds her that 4 skilled Oniwabanshuu defeated it; a destructive weapon doesn’t count for skill (well said, Kaoru ❤ ). back with Kenshin and co, the threat of Shishio’s ship isn’t how destructive it is, but the trauma/memory an unknown ship brings. Tokyo will fall apart just like Edo did when Perry arrived -starting the Bakumatsu. Yumi’s included to the boat plan! it looks rickity on the outside, but it’s a disguise for a merchant ship, so no one will see it coming. she’s ready for the government to fall. 37 minutes until the attack

ch100: between the police and the Oniwabanshuu, the fires aren’t starting on time, so some of the 10 Swords decide to cause a distraction so the fire starters can do their job. not all the Swords want to, though, since the job was to actually kill government people, not police and civilians. the group splits, and people start dying. Misao’s efforts are discovered by Usui. elsewhere, Kenshin and co arrive to face Shishio

ch101: Shishio doesn’t know Sanosuke xD Shishio reveals his real ship which’s an “ironclad”; from Saitou’s reaction, that seems bad. Kenshin’s plan is to have him and Saitou distract Shishio and his men, then Sanosuke will blow the engine with the bombs his artist friend made. Shishio realizes, so he gets out the gatling gun instead and fires at Sanosuke who’s racing across the water on debris. Sanosuke uses his new punch to splash up water, and it stops the bullets. Shishio now knows Sanosuke’s a threat

ch102: so, the grenades are super effective O.o; the ship’s sinking, and Shishio has to retreat. I’m impressed; he actually acknowledges that it was him not taking them seriously as a threat that led to his downfall. he challenges them to come to his lair so this can be finished. Kenshin didn’t want to fight here because Shishio’s men were waiting, and Kenshin didn’t want any to die while they waited. Sanosuke gets on the ship after Shishio’s gone xD Saitou acknowledges that Sanosuke has uses but that he’s still an idiot (sounds like the start of a great bromance xD )

and that’s it for this time! next time, we’ll be starting on omnibus volume 5. click <here> to keep reading with me!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 9

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8

Rurouni Kenshin

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch76: this is mostly a Shishio chapter. they return to the main hideout and announce that once the 10 Swords gather, then they’ll take over Japan. Shishio tells Houji in private that the Swords will be used against Kenshin 1st. Houji’s against it because he realizes Kenshin could take them out, but Shishio’s not concerned. either they kill Kenshin or he will (he doesn’t seem worried about his men). 1 of the Swords (Chou) is already there, and he goes after the sword that Seikuu’s father left behind. btw, Shishio’s gf is named Yumi

ch77: Chou uses Iori (son of Seikuu; my bad) as a hostage to get the sword’s location. it’s a Godsword, meaning that it was donated to a shrine without ever being drawn; it’s the only sword that the father made that hasn’t been used as a weapon. Seikuu could tell from Chou’s eyes that once Chou has it, he’ll “test” it on Iori. Misao overhears and sends a message to Okina to warn him. Kenshin arrives just before Chou

ch78: Chou vs Kenshin! despite only having a scabbard and a broken sword, Kenshin defeats all of Chou’s blades while Misao and co arrive. final blade time! (I actually really like 2 of Chou’s swords that join together to form 1 sword called renbatou/Repeater. with the 2 blades, wounds can’t be easily sewn back up, so normally the wounded would die of infection. that’s a very vicious and effective weapon O.o; ). also, btw, Kenshin’s great with kids; it’s adorable ❤

ch79: final blade is thin and snake-like; it moves fast and unexpectedly, and Kenshin gets injured. Seikuu considers using Kenshin as bait so he can get Iori back, but Okina calls attention to why Kenshin’s fighting. perfect time for a monologue! Chou sees Iori as just an easy target, but Kenshin sees the future he fought so hard to bring during Bakumatsu; that’s why Kenshin’ll fight to save Iori. Seikuu’s moved and makes a run for the godsword; he trusts Kenshin with it and trusts that Kenshin’ll use it for good.

ch80: Kenshin goads Chou into an attack then elbows him to the face (ooo, so cool!). he’s downed temporarily, but he’s also calmed down and decided to attack Kenshin from a distance from now on. Seikuu throws Kenshin the godsword, but Kenshin won’t draw it because he’s sworn never to use a sword except a sakabatou. Misao finds out that Kenshin was Hitokiri Battousai specifically, and she seems shook. Chou threatens Iori, and Kenshin attacks, reverting.side note: I hate how we have 2 onmitsu on sight, but they’re just watching this kidnap situation and thinking “boy I sure wish someone would do something to save that kid”. and they both pull out weapons at the end of the fight, so they clearly could’ve been doing something this whole time other than just narrating

ch81: looks like Kenshin killed Chou… except the godsword was actually a sakabatou, and Chou’s alive! Chou reveals he’s part of Shishio’s 10 Swords and warns Kenshin that there’re at least 2 that’re stronger than Kenshin, so there’s no way Kenshin’ll be able to defeat Shishio. Kenshin decides to turn Chou over to the police so Saitou can get info from him (kinda’ evil of you, Kenshin xD ). the sakabatou’s wooden handle breaks and reveals a poem from Shakku the creator. he created swords to better the world for his grandson, despite not liking it himself and despite it making his son hate him. Kenshin has a flashback to when he received his previous sakabatou from Shakku; it was when he was quitting being battousai to become a rurouni. the sword Shakku gave him was actually the lesser version of the godsword (when a godsword is made, multiples are actually made and the best is named godsword), so this sword is better than his previous one. we get foreshadowing to the next day; cliffhanger!

ch82: Kenshin decides to leave Aoi-ya to try and protect them. Okina’s understanding about it and promises to send a signal fire when they find the last person Kenshin was looking for, but Misao’s upset. she decides to eat out to get her mind off things and goes to Shirobeko. Kaoru and Yahiko’re workng there now! they hung up a sign for Kenshin which Misao sees. Kaoru asks about Kenshin, and Misao realizes she must be the person that Kenshin left behind. elsewhere, Okina signals to Kenshin that the last person has been found.

ch83: Misao and Kaoru try to talk, but misunderstandings are happening about Misao’s and Kenshin’s “relationship” xD during that, Kenshin meets with Okina to get info on the last person, and while Kenshin leave, Okina reassures him that everyone at Aoi-ya is his ally. back at Shirobeko, Misao makes sure that Kaoru can handle what’s to come, and Kaoru assures her that she didn’t come this far just for a whim, so Misao promises to get her to Kenshin. meanwhile, Kenshin confronts the man he’s been looking for; apparently it’s his master (who uses an alias as a potter)

ch84: colored pages; yay! there’s a lot more orange/brown this time =O normally it’s mostly reds and blues. durn; it’s only a few pages, too… Kenshin asks his master (Seijuurou Hiko -all hitenmitsurugi masters use that name) to train him, but Seijuurou refuses; he agrees to listen to Kenshin’s story though. while they talk, Misao leads Kaoru and Yahiko to Aoi-ya and then to Seijuurou’s place (Misao and Yahiko react the same way to… really everything so far). we see a flashback of 15 years ago when Kenshin was just 14 and wanting to join the Bakumatsu. his master was against it, saying that hitenmitsurugi-ryu is too strong; it influences the world, so it must remain impartial. Kenshin disagreed and said it was supposed to be used to protect. they never reached a consensus, and Kenshin left without completing his training. because Kenshin was so headstrong and idealistic, his master says that Kenshin helped to create Shishio who embodies all the bad of the Bakumatsu and the Meiji government. this is why his master didn’t want Kenshin to join the fight, and at this point, he refuses to teach Kenshin the rest of hitenmitsurugi-ryu; in fact, he wishes he’d never taught Kenshin at all. Misao and Yahiko break in at that point, and Kenshin’s faced with Kaoru again

this seems like a good place to stop this time! to keep reading with me, then please click here!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 8

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

Rurouni Kenshin (image: https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&sxsrf=ALeKk02T9bUr4qQQapYHBb5_6xDxYalBHQ%3A1585973472454&source=hp&ei=4AiIXqL9GOXr_QbapJSoBg&q=Rurouni+Kenshin+manga&oq=Rurouni+Kenshin+manga&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BQgAEIMBOgUIABCRAkopCBcSJTBnNjNnNzhnNzVnNjJnNjBnNThnNTlnODRnNjBnNjJnNjVnNjNKHQgYEhkwZzFnMWcxZzFnMWcxZzFnMWcxZzVnNWcyUOADWJIcYNsdaAFwAHgAgAFPiAHmCZIBAjIxmAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwii7cjL883oAhXldd8KHVoSBWUQ4dUDCAg&uact=5 )

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?

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!

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

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!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 7

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch56: it’s been a week; it’s May 14th in Rurouni Kenshin. Kenshin’s acting normal, but he won’t tell anyone his decision. he goes to meet Oukubo instead of waiting for him to show up. while Oukubo is travelling, he’s assassinated by 1 of Shishio’s men at the same time that a group of angry ex-samurai attacked his carriage. the assassin’s gone, so the group claims his death; the attack goes down in history. Kenshin sees the aftermath, and the assassin tells him to leave Shishio alone if Kenshin wants to live longer (I guess we’ll never know what his original decision was now)

ch57: news travels quickly about Oukubo’s death. Kenshin meets with Saitou and the government guy from before; we also hear from the person Oukubo officially met with last. Oukubo believed that there were 3 stages to building a nation, and they were just entering the 2nd stage (creation, growth, and a maintenance). the final goal was to make Japan a true republic so the people could choose their own paths instead of having a leader force their path like in the past under an oligarchy. with Oukubo’s death, though, no one in the government is strong enough to lead them there; there will be growing unrest, and Saitou and Kenshin feel sure that Shishio will make sure things get worse. Kenshin returns to the dojo late at night; Yahiko’s asleep, Sanosuke’s walking Megumi home, so it’s just Kaoru. Kenshin thanks her for seeing him as just Kenshin but says that the rest of Japan only see Hitokiri Battousai; he can feel battousai still alive in his heart. he’s going to Kyoto either to stop, defeat, or kill Shishio as the situation demands; he’ll become a rurouni again and keep travelling. he hugs her and leaves as she cries in the street

ch58: Sanosuke’s ticked that Kenshin left him behind, and Kaoru’s depressed in bed. she hasn’t eaten in 2 days. Yahiko tries to talk her out of it, but fails. he asks the café girls to visit Kaoru to try and help her before rushing off to look for Sanosuke. he even asks Sanosuke to help snap Kaoru out of it (kid’s doing all he can). Saitou followed him. Sanosuke was at his artist/journalist friend’s house to get money to go to Kyoto; the friend also gives him some small bombs for protection. Saitou tells Sanosuke that Kenshin left alone because Sanosuke would be a liability in the fight; he then strikes at Sanosuke’s wounds and downs him, but Sanosuke gets up and says he’ll show Kenshin his strength so Kenshin won’t look down on him. Saitou says Sanosuke’s sealing Kenshin’s defeat then

side note: 1 thing I really like about Saitou is that he doesn’t get convinced by other characters’ talk; he’s a pessimistic realist from years of hardships and experiences. just ’cause everyone says “Kenshin can do it” or “I’ll make this impossible thing happen”, Saitou doesn’t believe them; he just keeps pointing out the flaws in plans and he stands by those flaws despite their talk. it’s weirdly refreshing

ch59: Saitou fights at Sanosuke’s level with only his fists, but Sanosuke’s toughness keeps him from losing. Sanosuke manages to stop Saitou’s attack, continuously saying that he’s going to Kyoto. during the fight, Sanosuke also makes a valid point about growing stronger with time, that skills take time to master, and that Kenshin and Saitou didn’t start at their current level; Sano’s not done growing. he may’ve also broken Saitou’s arm? Saitou says go ahead, get yourself killed and leaves (so much for not caving to people’s words xP ). he gives Sanosuke a tip about learning defense instead of focusing on toughness alone. Sanosuke’s got a lot to think about on his way to Kyoto.

ch60: Tsubame and Tae (that was her name, right?) try to cheer up Kaoru, but it doesn’t work. Megumi sees Yahiko running around and finds out that Kaoru’s still at the dojo, so Megumi goes there. Kaoru’s lashing out at everyone, and Megumi gives her perspective about how others feel, how she is honoring Kenshin by continuing to work despite wanting to see him, and that Kenshin said goodbye to only Kaoru because she was the hardest to leave behind. Kaoru agrees to take Megumi’s medicine to Kenshin, and Megumi promises to watch the dojo while they’re gone. Yahiko promises they’ll bring Kenshin back. when Megumi checks on the dojo later, Aoshi is there (well crap)

ch61: Aoshi wants to know where Kenshin is, but Megumi either can’t or won’t tell him. Saitou shows up and tells him, sparing Megumi’s life. she yells at him for it xD Shishio sends some men to meet Aoshi and test his strength, and Aoshi kills them when they attack (they also spit on 1 of his friends’ graves; that’s so rude and disrespectful! don’t do that! D< ). Aoshi now uses dual kodachi. Oukubo’s assassin (named Soujirou Seta) invites Aoshi to join them and mentions it’d be a shame for him to miss 2 historical events in a row (daaaaaang!!). Shishio’s nearby, and Soujirou comments that he’s enjoying this. now they’re off to meet Kenshin, and Aoshi’s off to Kyoto

ch62: colored pages!! the whole chapter is colored ❤ Saitou offered Kenshin passage on a ship, but Kenshin decides to take the East Sea Road instead since people don’t use it as much anymore -he’s trying to reduce casualties if Shishio attacked. the road’s nearly 500km, and it takes most people 10 days to walk it. Saitou thinks Kenshin can do it in 5. most people stay away from Kenshin, fearing his sword, but police still chase him xD he camps out to keep the inns safe. while camping, he hears a girl and some men and thinks she’s in trouble; turns out she’s robbing the men (she’s 16). she decides to take Kenshin’s sword, too.

ch63: she tries to take it, but Kenshin steals the money instead xD during the subsequent attempts, her cloak gets ruined, so Kenshin gives her the little money he has to repay the cloak, but he insists on returning the money to the inn it was stolen from. turns out the girl’s (we find out later her name’s Misao Makimachi) looking for 1 of the men who raised her. she’s from Kyoto, but while chasing rumors of him, she ran out of money. Kenshin tells her to use his money to send word to home so they can come fetch her -she didn’t think of that. they get attacked by the yakuza connections of the guys she robbed, and Kenshin fells the bridge to punish both sides xD Misao reveals that she’s looking for Aoshi and the Oniwabanshuu (oops…)

ch64: Misao keeps pestering Kenshin and calling him names, so he tells her his name but won’t tell her about Aoshi xD he decides to try losing her for her protection, but when she tries (and fails) to jump a cliff in pursuit, he saves her. he tells her that he’s on a dangerous mission and if she must follow, then it should be from a distance. she refuses to leave him alone until he tells her about Aoshi, but she’ll follow his guidelines

ch65: Misao keeps talking about Aoshi and the Oniwabanshuu while Kenshin’s thoughtful enough to push the plants/branches out of her way so it’s easier for her to walk. she decides to give him a piece of hardtack (food) for it. elsewhere, Sanosuke’s trying to figure out what training is, but he’s also lost xD Kaoru and Yahiko took the boat -Yahiko gets really sea sick. Megumi’s worried about them. back to Kenshin, they find a dying man in the woods who asks them to save his brother and village from Shishio

ch66: the older brother is buried… Kenshin offers aid in his stead. 2 years ago, Shishio killed all the police in the village and kept killing the new ones sent until no new police arrived. on the newest maps, the town wasn’t included anymore; the government gave up on them. it’s only about 20 people big, but Shishio stays there for a week twice a year for some reason. he left Senkaku in charge in the meantime. Senkaku’s rule says that outsiders will die and that those who flee will die. the boy wants to go save his parents, but when Kenshin arrives, they’ve already been killed and put on display as examples… Kenshin fights the guards who arrive. 1 tries to attack Misao and the boy, but Saitou shows up and kills him (may I say that Misao as a “onmitsu kinouchi” really annoys me? she can’t move silently, she can’t keep up with Kenshin without getting winded, she yells all the time, and she can’t tell when someone’s sneaking up on her until they’re literally within range and already attacking. maybe she’s skilled compared to normal people? but I haven’t seen evidence of it yet)

ch67: Kenshin defeats those around him. the village refuses to take down those that Senkaku killed because it would get them killed. Kenshin cuts them down anyway, and the villagers flee, calling him a murderer (jeez; it’s a bad situation…). Kenshin asks if this village was really abandoned, and Saitou confirms that it’s 1 of 10. Misao asks why the army doesn’t step in since the police failed, but Saitou says the Seinan war was only 6 months ago; they can’t use the army without showing instability to the rest of the world. if Japan is weak, other countries may strike or try to take over. also, politicians won’t sign off on it now that Oukubo’s been murdered; they won’t risk dying like he did. after all, if the “strongest man in Japan” can be killed, what hope does anyone else have against Shishio? it’s a bad situation all around… Saitou and Kenshin team up to get rid of Shishio in order to save Japan. Kenshin asks Misao to stay with the kid (Eiji). elsewhere, Shishio’s getting a medical bath -that’s why this area’s important. the spy he had following Kenshin lost him, but a guard of the village identifies him and Saitou. elsewhere, while Misao and Eiji bury his parents, Eiji plots revenge against Senkaku

that’s all I could read this time. to keep reading with me, please click here.

Rurouni Kenshin, part 6

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5

Oops; this one’s getting uploaded a day late; sorry about that!

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch48: we’re on omnibus 3 now, volume 7! and this chapter’s in color; so nice!! ❤ Kenshin dreams of the Shinsengumi while Kaoru and Yahiko practice at a neighboring dojo. on the way home, he tells them about it. the Shinsengumi (also called the Wolves of Mibu) was the largest/strongest group of organized swordsman in Japanese history. they were originally from the Edo Tama region and stayed in Kyoto. they rose up to support laws and keep the peace. Kenshin fought them several times but never fully defeated them. he respects the team leaders he couldn’t defeat -even though they were on opposite sides- but supposedly they’ve all died by now. he specifically mentions the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team leaders of the 10 units of the Shinsengumi. during his dream we learn the names Okita and Hajime Saitou. Kaoru comments that this is the most Kenshin’s ever talked about his past, and he wonders why he’s dreaming about the past now. back at the dojo, a traveling merchant stops by to sell medicinal powders, but Sanosuke tells him that the dojo owner isn’t in. turns out the guy’s a liar; he’s here to fight Kenshin. Sanosuke fights him instead. from his stance, it seems like he’s Saitou from the Shinsengumi. Sanosuke’s punch does nothing, and Sanosuke gets injured

ch49: Saitou’s sword breaks, so Sanosuke keeps fighting, but Saitou hits him in his wound before downing him (I guess he also knows martial arts?). elsewhere, Megumi runs into Kaoru and co and notices that Kenshin’s bothered. he tries to stave off his worry, but then he sees the damage at the dojo, and they find Sanosuke injured. elsewhere, Saitou’s meeting with his benefactor (Shibumi, the Secretary of the Senate) who also hired Jin-e. his companion, Akamatsu, doesn’t like Saitou who’s now going by Gorou Fujita and is a lieutenant with the sword police. Saitou doesn’t drink during the Meiji Era because it makes him want to kill. we learn Okita’s full name was Soushi Okita, and he was supposedly the strongest man in the Shinsengumi. at the dojo, Megumi’s treating Sanosuke, and Kenshin suspects that Saitou’s the 1 who attacked.

ch50: Megumi saves Sanosuke’s life, but after 3 days, he’s still unconscious. Megumi and Kaoru take turns watching over him. Akamatsu confronts Saitou -now Fujita-; he doesn’t like that Fujita was chosen to kill Kenshin. Fujita says they can team up because he’d rather have easy money than take a big risk. Akamatsu agrees, so Fujita writes a challenge letter to Kenshin. when Kenshin arrives at the battleground, he’s attacked by Akamatsu Arundo. Fujita arrives at the dojo in his police uniform, saying there’s a threat against Kenshin’s life and can he wait here? Kaoru lets him (I bet his plan is to ambush a weakened/injured Kenshin)

random: Fujita loves plain soba

ch51: Akamatsu’s not fast enough to defeat Kenshin, but when he fakes surrendering, he traps both of Kenshin’s hands with his concealed chains. he slings Kenshin around and decides to tell him that he and Saitou were hired by Jin-e’s employer who’s a politician. Kenshin’s still alive, and he draws his sword with his teeth (oof <3) and defeats Akamatsu off screen. he mentions that Saitou’s still “playing at” being an assassin; that’s interesting to me… Kaoru greets him at the dojo’s gate and questions why he has chain marks on him xD in the dojo, Saitou comments on how sloppy Kenshin’s gotten if Akamatsu was able to hurt him

ch52: it’s been 10 years since they fought last. Kenshin thinks time has corrupted Saitou who used to fight with honor but now seems to be using bait and hostages to attack indirectly. Saitou says it was to see how far Kenshin’s skills had fallen; he’s very disappointed. Kenshin says he doesn’t need to be as strong as he was before because a rurouni’s strength should be enough to protect people, but Saitou points out that harm keeps coming to people around Kenshin; clearly a rurouni’s strength isn’t enough. Kaoru realizes that Saitou’s been watching/researching Kenshin since he arrived. (it seems to me like Kenshin might be starting to doubt himself, but he still refuses to kill). before they fight, Kaoru worries that Kenshin won’t stay after this. Saitou’s able to hit Kenshin!

ch53: Kenshin manages to dodge the worst of the blow, but he still gets hurt. with each strike and exchange, he’s returning to his hitokiri skills, though. Kaoru tries to defend/shield Kenshin, but he ‘s still capable of fighting. Saitou was hired to evaluate Kenshin’s skills, but he decides to kill Kenshin instead. Kenshin manages to get a good hit on Saitou and says he’ll be sure to kill him first. Kaoru worries that Kenshin may revert and leave them -like what almost happened when he fought Jin-e. she quietly begs for someone to stop them

ch54: Kaoru keeps yelling for someone to stop them, but Sanosuke woke up! he says only someone who lived through the Bakumatsu could stop this; Kenshin and Saitou are reliving/continuing their battle from 10 years ago; they’re not in the present anymore. even with a broken sword, Saitou attacks, and Kenshin defends with his fist to prevent a sword counter from Saitou. Saitou uses the belt from his uniform to knock Kenshin’s sword out of his hand and uses his jacket to try and break Kenshin’s neck. everyone is shook to see how hard these men fight; they realize how dire each battle in the Bakumatsu was. a couple men from the Bakumatsu arrive to stop the fight (convenient) including the guy who hired Saitou, Oukubo Toshimichi -the chief of internal affairs. he was a warrior from the Satsuma prefecture back in the day

ch55: apparently he was 1 of the 3 greatest revolutionary warriors (the other 2 have died), and now, he’s the most powerful man in Japan (I figured that would’ve been the emperor?). Akamatsu overhears and runs off to his boss. Saitou leaves so Kenshin can talk with Oukubo. Kenshin has to punch himself in the face to get back to normal, and he wants the talk to happen in the dojo with all his friends. Oukubo agrees. Shishio Makoto’s in Kyoto, and they want Kenshin to stop him. apparently, he became the hitokiri after Kenshin retired (Kenshin never met him). he had Kenshin’s skills but also lots of ambition. he was “erased” (intentionally killed by the revolutionaries) to keep his assassinations -ordered by them- secret. despite whatever wound killed him, being doused in oil, and set on fire, Shishio lived, and by now, he has a small army -paid with his ground breaking secrets about past assassinations?- in Kyoto, ready to flip the world on its head. the government has sent many assassins to stop him, and they’ve all failed; now they want Kenshin to kill him. they offer Megumi’s record to be wiped as a bribe, but she says she’d rather be put to death than be a bargaining chip. everyone is against Kenshin going. Oukubo says he’ll be back in a week (on May 14th; it says “the Western May 14th”, so I wonder how dates and times used to be done before the US showed up) to hear Kenshin’s answer; it’s for the good of the government after all xP I’m worried Kenshin’ll do it… he did so much to get the government started; the possible collapse of that government would be huge incentive for Kenshin to do something…
elsewhere, Saitou gets into Shibumi’s room and kills him (presumably?) and Akamatsu. he has no qualms with killing xD;;; I actually really like Saitou’s monologue to Shibumi. he talks about how the defeated (the Shinsengumi) are also part of society; they didn’t vanish. and the reason Saitou now works for the government is so he can kill the government leaders who get too greedy and start bringing harm rather than good. he’s loyal to no one but his original goal to make Japan better. Shibumi tries to beg for his life by offering Saitou money, and I love Saitou’s line; I gotta quote it: “One may tame a dog with food… or tame a man with money… but taming a Wolf of Mibu… that, none may do.” I thought that was such a cool line ❤ he then mentions that a wolf is a wolf, the Shinsengumi are Shinsengumi, and hitokiri are hitokiri; implying that nothing changed. the next panel shows Kenshin, staring into the distance <=/

that’s as far as I’ve gotten this time. to keep reading with me, then please click here!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 5

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

Rurouni Kenshin

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

summary:
“Shinomori Aoshi was once the leader of Edo Castle’s elite guard, the Oniwabbanshuu. When the shougunate was overthrown, Aoshi and his men were deprived of both home and purpose. All that’s left to them now are their fighting skills, which they’ve put to service as a mercenary guard for the industrialist Takeda Kanryuu. However much sympathy Kenshin might feel for the Oniwanbanshuu, he’s sworn to stop Kanryuu’s corrupt plans. But in order to do so, he’ll have to defeat Aoshi, a shinobi prodigy and master of a deadly twin-sword style.

Later, Isurugi Raijuuta, a swordsman of incredible strength and ferocity, requests Kenshin’s aid in reforming Japan’s swordsmanship schools, to save them from their decline in the modern age. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijuuta’s ideals, he’s disturbed by his increasingly brutal methods. Sanosuke runs into some trouble of his own when he’s reunited with a member of the Sekihou Army -the doomed civilian-run unit that they both served in during the revolution- who’s determined to exact revenge from the Meiji government.”

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch37: Sanosuke didn’t meet Raijuuta xD Kenshin’s invited to meet Raijuuta somewhere, so the whole crew goes. it’s Yutarou’s father’s house -who sells Japanese swords. his carriage was attacked by bandits months ago, and Raijuuta saved them, so he’s been staying at the house and training Yutarou since. Kenshin goes to talk to Raijuuta while the others eavesdrop (they tied Yutarou up x’D ). Raijuuta wants a revival of swords and invites Kenshin to join his band of shinko-ryuu warriors who use any style as long as it’s strong enough. they intend to wipe out the senketsu-ryuu (peaceful) sword style and replace it with swords that can kill again. Kenshin won’t join. he doesn’t want real swordsman to vanish from Japan, but he’s against killing too much to allow more. Sanosuke gets where Raijuuta’s coming from and thinks swordsmanship might survive history -like kabuki has- if it’s only taught to the talented so it stays “pure”. looks like Kenshin and Raijuuta are going to fight

ch38: they fight, but the homeowner bringing them tea ruins the mood so they stop xD Sanosuke releases Yutarou, and Kenshin’s disapproving; Kaoru doesn’t take responsibility for letting them tie him up xD Yahiko challenges Yutarou who arrives early the next morning to fight. turns out, he hasn’t been trained at all, so Kaoru teaches him. Kenshin asks if it’s fun, and Yutarou says it’s just play, playing’s supposed to be fun (aww, I’m glad he’s enjoying it <3). Yahiko’s sulking about Yutarou getting positive attention xD Yutarou wants to learn the sword since his father -a former samurai- gave up his sword and became a merchant; Yutarou wants to prove what a swordsman spirit is supposed to be. he’s disappointed in his father. Kaoru invites him to become a student at her dojo. some swordsman arrive to attack Kenshin who was “acknowledged” by their sensei (so they’re with shinko-ryuu then…)

ch39: ooo, it starts with colored pages in the omnibus <333 it’s soooo pretty..!! ❤ I love it when it does this ❤ actually, the whole chapter was in color! so nice!! ❤ anyway, chapter time. Yutarou and Yahiko already have a good rivalry going xD before Yutarou can accept Kaoru’s offer, the dojo’s attacked by 4 men. Kenshin knocks out 2, defeats the 3rd, and the 4th runs. Sanosuke catches him by the face before Kenshin makes him release the guy. Kenshin tells the guy to tell Raijuuta to fight him himself. Yutarou’s impressed by Kenshin’s power

ch40: into volume 6 now! (still 2nd omnibus though). back to black and white xD Yutarou comes back to train every day for 10 days; Raijuuta still hasn’t shown up to fight Kenshin. Yutarou has potential as a swordsman, but when Kaoru invites him to join her dojo again, he refuses. he says he’s having fun and that she’s a good teacher, but he wants to learn the sword from Raijuuta. they walk him home that night, and he tells them the story of meeting Raijuuta. when robbers attacked him and his father, his father gave up without a fight; he didn’t show any samurai pride. Raijuuta scattered the robbers with a single swing. Yutarou asks Kenshin to face Raijuuta head on because that’s how two proper swordsman should fight, no tricks. Raijuuta attacks from behind right after he says that <=/

ch41: Raijuuta attacks in the dark from behind and later kicks up sand to try and blind Kenshin. 1 attack sends projectiles with enough force to cut. Kenshin barely dodges, but Yutarou’s hit in the arm. turns out Raijuuta staged the robbery in order to get to Yutarou’s father’s money; he was never going to teach Yutarou. Kenshin says their fight will be postponed for 1 hour so they can get Yutarou to a doctor, then he’ll come back to introduce Raijuuta to a living h***. Kenshin’s soooo ticked; Raijuuta’s even shaking some from his glare (good! D< ). Yutarou’s life isn’t in danger, but the nerves in his arm have been severed; he’ll never wield a sword again. Yahiko’s shook.

ch42: Kenshin’s figured out how Raijuuta’s technique works, but it was too late for Yutarou. the only saving grace is that the blow hit Kenshin 1st or else Yutarou might’ve lost his whole arm (it was cut to the bone, though). Sanosuke’s been with Raijuuta this whole time. they almost start fighting, but Yahiko shows up in time (btw, I like how Sanosuke eggs him on and snarks at him; it’s a joy to read <3). Kenshin says he’ll avenge Yutarou in Yahiko’s place -since they’re avenging the same person, might as well make it hurt as much as possible. Yahiko relents. Raijuuta uses his technique and finally manages a scratch on Kenshin’s arm; he’s delighted. and Kenshin mocks him for it. Raijuuta’s never killed a man, clearly, if just a little blood excites him. this is no victory. Kenshin says his sentence will match Yutarou’s; Raijuuta will never hold a sword again by the time Kenshin’s done with him (gosh, I like this Kenshin too much >///>; )

ch43: turns out, Kenshin’s right arm is still under the affects of anesthesia; he can only use his left, and he says that’s all he needs to defeat Raijuuta. Raijuuta’s insulted and ticked xD combining his 2 techniques, Raijuuta’s able to defend against Kenshin and attack from a distance, making him a decent opponent, but Kenshin launces his sword from its scabbard, hitting Raijuuta in the forehead with enough strength to knock him flat. he grabs Yahiko and threatens his life, but Yahiko’s not afraid. Yahiko, Sanosuke, and even Kenshin egg him on, but he doesn’t have the will to take a life. he’s not fit for satsujin-ken. his confidence shatters. he’ll never hold a sword again -according to Kenshin. elsewhere, Yutarou wakes up and realizes his sensei really did betray and use him.

ch44: Kaoru and co go to visit Yutarou, but he won’t see them. Kenshin talks to his father. as a low-ranked samurai, he became a swords merchant when the times changed, not because he lost his pride but to provide food and a home for his family. he wanted Yutarou to be strong and resilient because he hadn’t been able to. so, he let himself be blind to Raijuuta’s true nature, and his son paid the price for it… he’s fine with them all visiting, but next week, he’s moving to Germany because they have the best medics in the world (I wonder if that was true back then =O my world history knowledge sucks). he’s hoping that Yutarou will forget swords during his recovery. even at the station, no one knows what to say to Yutarou, but Yahiko attacks him flat out, challenging him. Yutarou’s able to defend with his left hand, and Yahiko’s challenge ignites his spirit. he swears to never give up the sword, to train with his left arm if he can’t use his right, and someday, he’ll come back and defeat Yahiko! Kaoru says he’ll always have a place at the dojo. a plaque is hung to hold his spot as a student ❤ Kenshin says he’s not worried about the future of swordsmanship when he sees their spirit ❤

ch45: extra/bonus chapter! background info on Sanosuke! he’s 19, 1st son of a farmer, born in Shinshuu in 1860 (Man’en era). he joined the Sekihou army when he was 9 and became the fight merchant Zanza after it fell (Idr when the Sekihou army fell; how old was Sanosuke when he became a fight merchant? O.o; ). now he’s a jobless freeloader xD Tae from the cafe asks him to buy a painting for her since it sells out too quickly for her to buy -she has to work. Yahiko’s still working at the cafe, too, so he can’t do it either. Tsubame also wants a painting.
history time! nishiki paintings (also called nishiki-e, edo-e, or edo paintings) became all the rage during the Meiji era. they’re colored, engraved prints that portray everyday life and important figures from government leaders to heroes to legends.
Sanosuke runs into Kaoru and Kenshin while he’s buying the paintings. he has to get Kaoru to pay for them xD but he sees a painting of Captain Sagara and realizes he knows the artist who used to also be in the Sekihou army. Kaoru and Kenshin follow him before deciding that this is just a reunion of old friends. Sanosuke tells his artist friend (Tsukioka Katsuhiro) that he’s happy now. turns out, Katsuhiro hasn’t been happy since the Sekihou army collapsed. he plans to overthrow the current government and bring about the future Captain Sagara fought for. he asks Sanosuke to join him

ch46: extra ch, cont! Katsu’s been making bombs slowly and stealthily for 10 years; he has a huge supply set up. he intends to attack the internal affairs office in Tokyo, and once it’s out of the way, he expects farmers, samurai, etc to revolt as well, bringing the rest of the government down like an avalanche. Sanosuke mentions several other revolts (the Seinan War, Saigou Takamori and his followers from Satsuma, the Jinpuu Union, and the revolt of Hagi-Akizuki) that all failed. Katsu plans to do this, alone if he has to. he doesn’t want to ruin Sanosuke’s happiness if he is truly happy. the attack will be tomorrow night, on a Sunday with a new moon; he won’t hold it against Sanosuke if he doesn’t show. the next day, Sanosuke asks to rent out the dojo for a party for his friend; he’ll cover the expense. Kaoru is floored, but the party happens. Tae and Tsubame are invited; they get portraits done by the artist they adore -they also provided the food so Sanosuke may not’ve actually paid for anything xD-; everyone drinks until they sleep. Sanosuke and Katsu didn’t really have fun, but it’s time for revolution; it’s all Katsu can focus on. Sanosuke apologizes to an “asleep” Kenshin before leaving; his bonds to the Sekihou army are just too strong to ignore. Kenshin’s awake. 3 hours later, Sanosuke and Katsu are standing at the internal affairs building, ready to strike

ch47: extra ch, cont! Sanosuke and Katsu clear the gate, but Kenshin’s waiting in the yard. Sanosuke reveals who he is, and Katsu’s all about fighting him since he’s an Ishin Shishi Patriot. but Kenshin cuts the wick of every grenade thrown. Sanosuke knocks Katsu out, thanking Kenshin for stopping them. when Katsu awakens back at his house, Sanosuke explains the situation. Kenshin took all the grenades and is burying them somewhere. he only stopped them so they wouldn’t dirty their own names. bad things were done in the past, but it was in a pursuit of equality, not for chaos. Kenshin doesn’t like the new government any more than they do because he helped build it. he’s changing things slowly, and Sanosuke encourages Katsu to do the same -Sanosuke intends to go slow to reach the future that Captain Sagara wanted. Katsu draws 1 more piece and leaves it for Sanosuke (it’s Captain Sagara smiling) before leaving to start a newspaper which calls out the government for any wrong they do. his fans aren’t happy, but he’s finally making a change for the future instead of holding on to the past.

the end of the omnibus is actually the mangaka’s debut piece (“Crescent Moon in the Warring States”), so I’ll review it as a stand alone like I did for the others before. it’ll be reviewed after this series is over -after the other 2-, so look forward to that!

next time, we’re starting omnibus 3, so to read that along with me, then please click here!

Rurouni Kenshin, part 4

part 1, part 2, part 3

Since I own this series, I will be reading the official English translation. I have the omnibus volumes.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

ch29: Yahiko and Sanosuke kick the door down; Megumi’s alive! but seeing Kenshin hurt, she decides to take her own life, feeling it’s the only way to repay the lives her opium took. Sanosuke stops her, saying it’d be a waste of her life since Kenshin and Yahiko almost died trying to save her (he doesn’t mention himself; I find that interesting). the police arrive, and she decides to turn herself in. Kenshin reminds her that the penalty for dealing opium is death; she goes anyway. when the police ask who she is, Kenshin stops her and answers that she’s the protégé of a skilled doctor who was forced to make the opium. Kanryuu tries to say otherwise, but Kenshin tells him to be quiet in the most satisfying glare <33 Yahiko and Sanosuke also speak up for her in their own ways, and the police chief decides to believe Kenshin because he knows him. Kenshin reveals to Megumi that he was the legendary hitokiri battousai, but he’s making up for the lives he took by saving lives now; she could do the same with her medical knowledge. it’ll save more than if she took her own life. Yahiko mentions that she may even find her family again, and she agrees to return to the dojo with them. Kenshin asks the police about Aoshi, but he’s gone, as are the heads of the Oniwabanshuu.
random side note: Megumi’s so much taller than Kenshin xD he’s such a little guy ❤

ch30: Aoshi escaped through the secret passage in the attic, and everyone follows. Sanosuke tries to tell him that the Oniwabanshuu gave their lives happily; it’s not his fault. Kenshin challenges him to another fight, and Aoshi accepts. now he has a reason to keep living. everyone goes home. Megumi gets a job with the doctor from before -who’s a bit of a perv, but she can take care of herself. she flirts with Kenshin -he doesn’t get it- and tells Sanosuke that if he can grow up a bit, she’ll flirt with him, too. (turns out she’s 22; now we know). she leaves, and elsewhere, Aoshi goes into a section of woods so dangerous that even locals, swordsmen, and martial artists avoid it.

ch31: bonus story! Yahiko keeps missing training, and the adults try to guess why. Sanosuke thinks a girl, Kaoru thinks food, and Kenshin thinks to train. they follow him, and he’s working at the Akabeko café. he’s trying to save up for something, but we don’t know what yet. there’s a girl named Tsubame there who started after Yahiko, and he takes over her work when she’s falling behind. he calls it training. turns out, she’s from a samurai family -like Yahiko-, and the family her family served is still trying to make her work for them despite it being Meiji. they want the restaurant owner’s house key so they can steal his money, or they threaten his life if she won’t pass on the mold of the key. Yahiko steps in

ch32: bonus story, cont.! Yahiko takes on the bad guys and defeats some, but then they gang up on him. Tsubame gives up the key mold to make them stop. Kenshin won’t let Kaoru or Sanosuke jump in to help since they aren’t supposed to know about the fight and Yahiko didn’t ask for help; it’s not their fight this time. the next day, Yahiko asks for advice on how to fight multiple opponents. Kenshin mentions a tactic used in the Bakumatsu; basically, you have to create a scenario where you only fight one on one. he asks if Yahiko’s in trouble, and Yahiko says no. Kenshin reminds him that he uses the katsujinken, a sword to protect, so it’s more than just Yahiko’s life on the line if he loses. Yahiko runs off that night to take on the robbers
random note: this chapter and the last one focus a lot on Yahiko-chan. “-chan” is generally used for a child’s name; that’s why Yahiko dislikes it so much. he accepts the name after his defeat because he feels like a child still. it can be derogatory to someone who’s not a child, though Tsubame isn’t trying to belittle him (Yahiko doesn’t see himself as a child even though he is still a minor)

ch33: bonus story, cont.! Yahiko steals the key from the boss and runs down an alley so they can only chase him 1 at a time. the boss figures it out and tells his remaining men to throw their wooden swords, but they say it’ll kill Yahiko? (how? O.o) Kenshin and Sanosuke appear on the roof and scare off the rest while Kaoru talks to Tsubame and tells her to strengthen her heart so this doesn’t happen again; the old rules don’t apply anymore; she doesn’t owe that family anything anymore just because her samurai family used to serve them. the boss uses a kougen ittou-ryuu (Idk; a sword with a real blade), but Yahiko defeats him. Sanosuke asks why Yahiko was saving money, and he admits it was because he wants to buy a sakabatou like Kenshin’s someday. Sanosuke and Kaoru find this hilarious

ch34: Kaoru and Yahiko head to Maekawa dojo for training, and Kaoru convinces Kenshin to come with. turns out the sensei’s been wanting to fight him (Kaoru wasn’t told), but he quickly realizes he doesn’t stand a chance, so Kenshin just watches everyone practice peacefully. most students show up just to fight Kaoru -but she doesn’t realize. kenjutsu’s becoming less common. a man comes to challenge the dojo master; he (Raijuuta Isurugi) still cares for the future of kenjutsu.

ch35: Raijuuta has an apprentice named Yutarou Tsukayama; he and Yahiko are already ready to fight xD Raijuuta doesn’t own a shinai, so he borrows 1 for the match. Kaoru’s the judge since she’s not from the dojo. it’s a 2/3 fight. Raijuuta gets 2 hard hits, the 1st breaking the sensei’s shoulder, but he keeps going anyway. when he loses, Raijuuta tries to kill him, but Kenshin stops the match. he says that real swords have only 1 round, and if you lose, you die; shinai are just toys and anyone who uses 1 is just playing. according to him, they don’t deserve a sword

ch36: Raijuuta challenges Kenshin to a match with real swords, but because of Kenshin’s sakabatou, they can’t. Raijuuta tells Yutarou to burn the dojo’s sign, but Kaoru challenges him to defend it. Kenshin steps in instead, and they agree to use shinai, 1 hit round, no judge. Kenshin dodges but doesn’t strike back; something’s weird about Raijuuta’s technique. Raijuuta breaks Kenshin’s shinai -and the floor- before saying the match is over. the dojo is safe. Raijuuta’s sweating when he leaves which surprises Yutarou -who has another arguement/showdown with Yahiko about whose role model better. Kenshin and Raijuuta wonder about each other; Raijuuta intends to use Kenshin for his shinko-ryuu (whatever that is; I’m guessing his sword style). supposedly (according to Kenshin), Raijuuta could’ve cut a diamond in half with his last sword strike if he’d been using a real blade

that’s all I could read this time, but to keep reading with me, then please click here!