Kenshin made Watsuki a ton of cash an many are eagerly awaiting his return to the weekly grind of producing manga soon, though recently once popular artits have suddenly been unable to produce stories that catch on (see: Toriyama, Akira). In the summer of 1996 Sony Pictures Entertainment decided to animate Kenshin and put the full force of their media empire behind it by having popular J-Po bands such as Judy & Mary, TM Revolution and bonnie Pink to provide songs for the show. Kenshin became an instant hit on TV and spawned one theatrical film ("Ishin Shishi No Requiem") not tomention 2 video games made for the Playstation by Studio Lightweight.

Kenshin returns manga to the old genre of historical fiction by tackling the Meiji period. Meiji began after the Boshin War which was fought to modernize Japan and acrtually restore some power to the Emperor. Rapid industrialization and western custom were adopted, forcing out the once dominant samurai caste leaving hundreds of once loyal soldiers without jobs. Kenshin tries to tell the tale of one such Samurai, an ex-Ishin Shishi (Th Ishin Shishi established the Meiji Government) who acted as their Hitokiri (Assasain) named Himura Kenshin. Kenshin was known as being so swift and deadly in the art of battoujutsu (Quick Draw dueling) that he earned the nickname "Hitokiri Battou-sai".

Kenshin quit the Ishin government after killing his own wife Tomoe. Swearing to never kill again he had a reverse bladed sword made and began wandering about Japan for 14 years. Finally arriving in Tokyo he befriends a female kendo teacher named Kamiya Kaoru, an anti-Ishin hit man named Sannosuke and an orphaned boy named Yaihko. Together they have tried to adopt to the Meiji era with some violent results.

Rurouni Kenshin: TV Episodes 6-9
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While playing dice with some of Sannosuke's friends, Kenshin and Sannosuke encounter a woman on the run named Megumi. Thinking that Kenshin is a simple fool at first she tells him she is fleeing from yakuza boss Kanryu. Vowing to prtect her Kenshin and Sannosuke both dispose of the agent sent after Megumi, a small man who uses poison darts as a weapon nmed Bashimi. Megumi informs Kenshin that Beshimi is part of Kanryu's personal bodygaurds, an ex-ninja clan known as the Oniwa Banshu. Kenshin is familiar with the Oniwa Banshu as they were n the losing side of tyhe Boshin War.

Returning to Kaoru's dojo with Megumi in tow, Kenshin has to explain to Kaoru who this strange woman is as well as deal with her jealousy as Megumi constantly flirts with her would be saviour. The Oniwa Banshu sends their fat guy, Hyttoko to get Megumi back for Kanryu. Hyttoko uses a trick to spit fire as a weapon but Sannosuke overcomes it and beats the fat blubberball. Everyone at the dojo is suspicious of Megumi since she flat out refuses to tell them why Kanryu is after her. Sannosuke discovers that Megumi is in fact Kanryu's chief manufacturer of heroin, not good since Sannosuke's best friend was killed by the same stuff. When confronted Megumi confess' that she made heroin for Kanryu because he threatened to kill her. Kenshin realizes that Megumi is the daughter of a famous doctor from Edo and tells her that she has to live her life day to day with the people she cares for. Megumi, moved by Kenshin's sappy speech, runs away from the dojo and is met by Hannya, the Oniwa Banshu's chief spy. He offers her a choice, return with him to Kanryu or watch the Kamiya an all the poeple there burn. Megumi feels struggle is hopeless but Sannosuke reminds her that they've been fighting fo her and to abandon Kenshin and the others now is a slap in the face. Together they are confronted by Shikijou, the muscle man of the Oniwa Banshu whose skin is as tough as armor. After a brutal fight which Sannosuke wins, Beshimi kidnaps Megumi as Kenshin and the others arrive. Together Kenshin, Sannosuke, Kaoru and Yaihko torm Kanryu's palace in order to rescue their new friend. Kanryu is pissed because the Oniwa Banshu that they've failed and starts screaming a Hannya when the leader of the group, the trenchcoat wearing Shinomori Aoshi shows up and tells Kanryu that he will personally kill the Hitokiri Battou-sai. Kenshin and co. fight their way through Kanryu mercenary infested home until they come face to face with Hannya. Kenshin meets Hannya's challenge but is baffled by the ken-po style his opponent uses. Getting his ass handed to him in 2 exchanges (Including a wicked Uraken) Kenshin determines he must use "Shin Ken" a pure defensive form. Hannya attacks and Kenshin is finally able to beat him. It seems that the lines tattoed on Hannya's arms were designed to make his arms look longer than they really were. Hannya mocks Kenshin, telling him that Aoshi will cruch him. Kenshin and co. make it to the ballroom and come face to face with Edo Castle's Captain of the Gaurd, Shinomori Aoshi. Aoshi fights with a kodachi (composite short sword), allowing him to block Kenshin's attacks faster than most people would. Kenshin thinks he has Aoshi and moves to strike but is countered when Aoshi unleashes a ken-po attack. It turns out Aoshi was the one who trained Hannya in ken-po. Aoshi decides that it is time that he takes the title of the strongest fighter from Kenshin and unleashes his finishing attack, Kaiten Kenhu. Kenshin seemingly takes the blow causing everyone to freak. No need to worry, Kenshin got his says (scabbard up) to defend, thus the force of the blow was lessened.

Kanryu has had enough of the drawn out fight and breaks out a gatling gun, shooting Aoshi through the leg. Kanryu reveals that drug peddling is his side project, he uses that money to sell military weapons on the blackmarket. The Oniwa Banshu all gather in the ballroom to face off with Kenshin and co. against Kanryu's gattling gun. Kanryu aims right at Aoshi which causes the ninja band to leap into action! One by one they all fall to the gun. Hannya comes up with a plan, he and Kenshin split up to circle Kanryu. Hannya gets cut down, angering Kenshin beyond measure. as he charges Kanryu (dodging a ton of gunfire) Knshin turns his sword over. Slicing the crank on the gun Kenshin caves in the side of Kanryu's face afterward. With Kanryu beaten and the Oniwa Banshu, save for Aoshi, dead Kenshin determines it is time to save Megumi. Aoshi warns Kenshin that if he doesn't kill him now that he will hunt Kenshin to the ends of hell. Kenshin agrees to this but makes Aoshi swear that if they do fight again that Aoshi must not involve anyone else in the fight.

Megumi meanwhile determines it is better to die than be a lave making heroin for Kanryu. She grabs her knife and is all set to do the deed when Sannosuke grabs the blade of the knife with his bare hands. Reminding Megumi that he has p[ut the wear behind him and he just wants to live his life day by day with his friends, Kenshin convinces Megumi not to kill herself. The arc ends with Megumi moving in with the neighborhood doctor to resume her studies in medicine.

Analysis
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These are the episodes that got me hooked on Kenshin. Damn what a great show. Axtion, drama and ninjas all in one neat package. The show ended in 99 after 94 TV episodes (plus 1 unaired Finale). This arc is important because Aoshi retunrs in season 2 during the 30+ episode "Kyoto Arc" and the rematch between he and Kenshin is even better than their first one. The show has been picked up for domestic release and the first 2 volumes of 4 episodes will be out July 28th from Media Blasters. AD Vision will also be realsing the Rurouni Kenshin prequel OVA's the same month. Well, what are you waiting for besides the months to pass? When this baby hits the shelves BUY IT!!