“One hundred and forty years ago, in the whirlpool of Kyoto violence
that began with Perry’s landing in Japan, there was a warrior called
Hitokiri Battousai. This man, who paved the way for the new Meiji era
with these bloody battles, disappeared at the conclusion of the
bloodshed. With the passage of time he became a legend, known simply as
"the strongest."
And so our story begins, in Tokyo, in the year 1878----”
-Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 1
Himura Kenshin was known as the Hitokiri Battousai. He was an assasin working to bring about a new era where people could live happily in peace. When the war was over he swore never to kill again and to attone for his sins by using a sakaba, or reverse blade, sword to protect the people he cared for and their happiness.
In his wanderings he meets Kamiya Kaoru who’s dojo was failing because a man claiming to be the Hitokiri Battousai of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was killing peole of Tokyo. When Kenshin heard this he decided to help her.
After defeating the bad guy (an ex-student of Kaoru’s father or a land hungry gambler, depending on whether you talk about the anime or the manga) Kaoru offers to let Kenshin stay at the Dojo with her.
Next to join the “family” is Myojin Yahiko. A pickpocket who is working for a gang of thugs to pay back his dead parents debt. One day he picks Kenshin’s pocket and is immediately caught by Kaoru. She yells at him but Kenshin gives Yahiko his money and Yahiko is offended by this and runs off. Later, Yahiko is beaten for not having any money to give to his boss. In comes Kaoru in the anime. She challenges the bad guys and will roll the dice for Yahiko's freedom. What she doesnt know is that the dice she is using are trick dice. Surprisingly, she wins. The thugs dont want to let either of them go. In comes Kenshin (in the manga he just shows up first). He beats up a few thugs and the boss says let them (Kaoru and Yahiko) go because Kenshin is “the real thing”. So Kenshin carries Yahiko back to the Dojo and tells him that the next morning he will begin training in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.
Sagara Sanosuke, othewise know as Zanza (and the cutest anime character alive ::swoon::) is hired by the first bad guys to kill Kenshin. Sano researches Kenshins past and discovers he is a former Ishin Shishi and the Hitokiri Battousai. When Sano was a child he was a member of the Sekihoutai, a group working for the government. When they nolonger needed the Sekihoutai, the government betrayed them and killed them. So Sano, understandably, hates the new Meji Government and therefore hates Kenshin their legendary hero/patriot. So they fight and though Sano has been badly beaten, he refuses to fall. Kenshin and he “talk” as they fight and Kenshin finally gets through to Sano and he falls. Later he is found hanging around the Dojo moching food from Kaoru.
This is a work in progress. More to come soon.