The entire Juppongatana has been defeated. Shishio cracks the wakizashi in his hands, saying that now it shows only he is strong enough to stand the test of time, and he must defeat Kenshin. I don't think he's entirely pleased that Sojiro chose to leave, even if Sojiro did provide the secret to Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki as a parting gift. Although in this way Sojiro ended up as Shishio's "food," he still broke with Shishio. I don't think Shishio felt as bad about it as Sojiro did, but he still was probably kind of pissed.
Back in Houji's room, Aoshi finally staggers to his feet. With his right arm clutched across his stomach--AKRNH probably hurts quite a bit--he tries to pick up one of his kodachi with his left arm, and fails. An amused noise comes from the doorway where stands Saitoh!
*Does the little "Yay Saitoh!" dance again*
Aoshi: Will you please stop that?
Sorry... ^.^' I got carried away again. I still love you too, Aoshi!
Aoshi looks at Saitoh, who comments that Kenshin seems to have hit him hard. Easy for Saitoh to say, he's never been whacked by the AKRNH. Regardless, Saitoh tosses Aoshi a map of the central area of the hideout, and says that his plan has worked. Everyone has been focusing on Battousai, thanks in part to Aoshi himself, so that Saitoh can move untrammelled. Sneaky bastard, isn't he? Aoshi asks what Saitoh will do about his unfinished duel with Battousai if Shishio kills him. Saitoh responds casually that the winner is then whomsoever is left alive.
Anyway, Yumi waits for Kenshin and Sano in Shishio's room. Sano's completely perplexed at how she got there before them, but then, he's slow, so that's to be expected. Yumi then leads them to the large mechanical doors that open into the Inferno Room. You know, thinking about it, Shishio's pretty obsessd with fire. Not that I blame him. Inferno Room, Kyoto Grand Inferno...and then there's that habit he has of smoking. Maybe it's just me, but if I were nearly burnt to a crisp I'd stay away from fire.
Shishio is awaiting Kenshin on top of a constructed platform several stories high. As they climb the stairs (Kenshin losing blood all the time) he wonders how exactly he got to this path. He thinks that it was when two hitokiri on the same path had different views of the upcoming regime and the promise of the future. Kenshin believes that the time of hitokiri ended when he took up the sakabatou that Arai Shakku gave to him.
At the top of the platform, Yumi goes across to Shishio and asks that he remember, somehow, in this battle, to take care of himself. Shishio kisses her--a moment which makes me sort of feel sorry for them both--and then goes on toward Kenshin. There's the usual impolite parlance. Shishio comments on Kenshin's wounds, which are extensive, to which Kenshin replies that if they're going by appearance, Shishio seems worse off. Zing! Yumi is holing a watch, and when the clock turns to 5 PM, Kenshin and Shishio attack.
Shishio shows the first of his secret swords, Homuradama. The tip of his blade is set on fire using the friction between his sword and Kenshin's. As Kenshin sagely deduces, the sword has an edge resembling a saw to prevent breakage, and what is actually burning is human oils from all the men Shishio has killed. Talk about ew. Sano's definitely grossed out by that news. Shishio admires Kenshin's powers of observation, and informs Kenshin that the sword is called Mugenjin, and was made by Arai Shakku...the swordsmith who created the sakabatou (and, I might add, Cho's Hakujin-no-tachi ^_^).
You remember Shishio's obssession with being strong? He feels that the weak are there as prey for the strong. And boy, does he ever act on that. He creates a spiral of fire, reaches through it, grabs Kenshin, and proceeds to BITE HIS SHOULDER. What the hell is up with that? Shishio's a crazy motherfucker but that just passes all bounds. I just don't get it. Why does he bite Kenshin? Beyond shock factor, insane lust for blood, feeling of a predator, etc...it's just so fucken weird.
A few more blows are exchanged before Shishio once again gains the upper hand. While discussing Sojiro, Kenshin is relieved to hear that Sojiro has apparently parted ways with Shishio. He's just so nice. But he has more to worry about too, I guess. Shishio grabs Kenshin again and uses his second secret sword, Guren Kaina . Guren Kaina combines the fire of Homuradama with gunpowder hidden in Shishio's gloves to literally explode the enemy. What I don't get is how the heck Shishio doesn't blow his own hand off. But then, he's burnt to a crisp already, so I guess it can't hurt him. With the explosion concentrated on Kenshin's chest, he goes down. The time is 9 minutes, 53 seconds.
Before Shishio has much time to bask in his victory, however, Saitoh explodes the door, coming back into everyone's memory, and bonks Shishio in the forehead with a powerful Gatotsu...which is impressive, since both his legs were wounded by Usui. But Shishio was prepared for such a thing. When he was burned by the Imperialists, he was unable to move because he'd been shot in the head (and the legs...and the arms...and the body...and EVERYWHERE), so he wore a emtal helmet, deflecting Saitoh's Gatotsu.
Saitoh: Che.
Saitoh attacks with his nishiki Gatotsu, which is defelcted, and with his sanshiki, which is also deflected. Shishio says that now Saitoh is out of options. Ha! Sucker! Saitoh replies that if Shishio says that, he is off guard, and turns to use his zeroshiki. There's a really cool overlay of a picture of a snarling wolf, and let me tell ya, Saitoh's not giving up. Unfortunately, Shishio blocks the zeroshiki gatotusu, and stabs his hand into Saitoh's shoulder. Not sure how. Most of the time, fingers aren't quite enough to pierce one's flesh, btu I guess Shishio's just that special. Then Shishio uses the Guren Kaina again, and Saitoh's down for the count.
And now we're left with...Sano. Don't get me wrong, I love the tori-atama, but he really is not a match for Shishio. He wasn't a match for Saitoh, and Saitoh's been taken out. But Sano's just stupid enough to attack Shishio anyway. Shishio tells him not to bother, because Battousai will not stand up, and typical Sano says "Joudan ja ne!" I love how you can always tell when it's Ueda Yuuji by the way he says "ja ne." After a few missed swings, Shishio breaks several of Sano's ribs, but Sano, of course, stands up again, determined to use the Futae no Kiwami. He smashes his fist into Shishio's face....breaking every bone in his hand. Not sure how. The skull is pretty hard, but the bones of the hand don't really do that. At least, I hope not. Shishio says something abotu Sano ought to have tried to bridge the obvious gap between their strengths before trying to fight him, then punches him in the forehead and sends him up against the wall. Sano's out.
Yumi begs Shishio to kill them off quickly, because they are more persistant than is humanly possible. Shishio wants to bask in the glory of his enemies' defeat, but a new voice intrudes, saying that it is too early to do anything. It's Aoshi! Weeeeela!
Shishio asks what a failure like Aoshi is doing there, and Houji adds some harsh words about Aoshi not being good enough for a fight of the strongest anywhere. I find that ironic, cause no way in hell Houji could fight anyone, but then again, apparently he doesn't mind that. Houji really annoys me sometimes. His obsession with Shishio is really unhealthy. Well, obviously, because it kills him in the end...
Shishio and Aoshi fight. Aoshi is still suffering from the AKRNH, so he's merely defending, but he's damn well able to do it. Yumi and Houji are asking why the hell Aoshi is doing this for Battousai, whom they think has bit the dust. And even though Aoshi's only defending, he is still fast enough not to get hit by Shishio, despite the big divot in his chest from Kenshin's ohgi...cause he's just that good, and that hardcore. And, well, now he's been inspired by Kenshin to find the will to live. He finally corners Shishio with Shishio's back to him. Shishio asks why he doesn't attack, then says he knows it's because Aoshi is still worn down from the AKRNH and can't do anything but defend.
So Aoshi prepares to do Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren, without much success, since Shishio catchs his blade. Shishio says that Kaiten Kenbu only works if the victim pauses to wonder which side the attack will come from. But Aoshi, being wounded, can't attack with full force. He knocks one of the kodachi out of Aoshi's hand, and says that he knows all Aoshi is doing is buying time. This stuns Yumi and Houji. Why is Aoshi buying time, if Kenshin is dead?
But in the background, Kenshin stands up. Yattaze, Aoshi!
*Does a little "Yattaze Aoshi" dance*
Aoshi: What is she doing? -_-'
Saitoh: Che. Dunno.
Ahem. The leaves are swirling around, responding to Kenshin's kenki. Houji says that it's okay, Shishio can still kill Kenshin before Kenshin regains full consciousness. But then Kenshin's eyes come back. And Aoshi says that no man here has yet been defeated. Kenshin begins to shout, and the leaves snap in half--and Saitoh and Sano look up, awake again.
Yeah Kenshin-tachi! I love watching this part of the fight, because Aoshi makes his announcement and everyone's eyes come back. Very cool. Sano reflects that Kenshin told him to stay out of the fight--and now because of his fantastically broken hand, he has to. I know I'm a sick twist, but seeing Sano all bloody from fighting Shishio, and the way he looks at his broken hand...mmm.
Now the second part of Kenshin's fight with Shishio starts. Yumi is frantically trying to persuade Houji to stop it because the fifteen minute time limit for Shishio has passed. Excuse the fake medical stuff here. Because he was burned entirely, Shishio's sweat glands were all ruined and he has no control over hsi body temperature. He can fight at full power for about fifteen minutes--after which time, no one knows what will happen. Well, we all know what will happen, but that's beside the point.
Shishio tries to blow up Kenshin again, but Kenshin recalls his parting with Kaoru, and pulls away, and Shishio's Guren Kaina explodes in front of his own chest. Then Kenshin uses a five-combo attack on Shishio, which has not much effect on him. Shishio falls back on Homuradama again, but Kenshin has a goal in mind, and ignores the pain. He uses Kuzu Ryu Sen, which launches Shishio back into the wall.
Of course Shishio is still alive. He emerges from the wall with bandages flying in the wind. The flames begin to dance, responding now to Shishio's kenki. Aoshi says it's just like when Battuosai woke up, but Saitoh scornfully says there's a big difference between flames and leaves. He's got a point. Now Shishio will use his final secret sword, Kagezuchi--which even Yumi didn't know about.
Back at the Aoiya, Hiko spares a few reassuring words for Kaoru, who's probably worried about Kenshin, as usual. He says that Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki has never been defeated. Even if one evades the fangs of the dragon (Ryu), the winds that gust about it will immobilize one and the claws will tear that person apart. Convenient, having two different weapons like that. But then, that's part of the Hiten Mitsuruugi Ryuu. In the background, Misao is using the kecho giri on Yahiko for saying disparaging things about Aoshi, and how can she be in love with such a gloomy guy?
Kenshin finally gets around to using Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki. However, because of Sojiro, Shishio is able to parry it! D'oh! Now he believes he has won. Of course, that's not true. While Kenshin continues turning from the draw, the air between him and Shishio begins to contract, pulling Shishio back towards him. Shishio then gets hit in the side with the second turn of the AKRNH--the dragon's claws that Hiko was talking about. Sneaky, ne? As Hiko explains, every attack of the HMR has this sort of back-up, just in case. Like Boy Scouts, they're always prepared.
But AKRNH isn't enough to keep Shishio down for long. Then Yumi drops the watch--it's a little after five thirty--and places herself between Kenshin and Shishio. She tells him of Shishio's limitation, and he lowers his sword. But Shishio takes advantage of Kenshin being off guard and stabs him, right through Yumi's chest. Kenshin accuses Shishio of betraying his loved one. Yumi, however, is finally happy. (Beethoven's Pathetique, 2nd movement, I believe, is playing in the background...very pretty music) She says that she was always jealous of Sojiro and Kamatari, because they helped Shishio in fights. She could only take care of the everyday things. And now, in Shishio's most important battle, she was able to be of help. Then she tells Shishio she'll be waiting for him in hell.
Now it is time for the end of the battle. Kenshin is dying, lying on the ground bleeding horribly from the wound in his side Shishio just gave him. He feels that he has done his best, and that future generations will be there to deal with Shishio. But of course, that can't be the end of Kenshin. Hearing Kaoru calling his name, he gets up again, this time for the final clash. Shishio's blood has begun to evaporate, and suddenly, Shishio spontaneously combusts. He begins dancing around like a little candle flame, and laughing somewhat gruesomely. Then he falls by Yumi, and the two bodies burn together in a funeral pyre. Now Houji goes psycho and runs off, knocking Kenshin oer into Sano's arms.
Sano, supporting an unconscious Kenshin, Aoshi, and Saitoh head down to the door that Yumi led them through. Houji, however, has closed it. Sano is frustrated because he can't blow it apart with his Futae no Kiwami--kind of hard when the only hand he mastered it on is broken. So Saitoh uses a Gatotsu, despite his legs, which begin to bleed again. Then an explosions rocks the Inferno Room, as Houji is destroying everything, and blows up the bridge behind the door. Of course, Sano, Kenshin, and Aoshi are on one side, and Saitoh is on the other edge of the gap. Btw, there's a shot where Aoshi looks a hella lot like a grown up Van Fanel. Watch for it when the explosion actually hits, and you'll see what I mean.
Saitoh ignores Sano shouting behind him, and walks back into the Inferno. He tells Aoshi to lead the boy with no sense of direction out. Then the flames break down the rest of the bridge, and Saitoh is...gone. Aoshi-tachi exit the hideout. We then see Houji lying on the grass as the mountain burns in the distance. Anji saved him, and is now going to turn himself into the police. Houji decides he, too, will go to the police, and when his trial comes up he will convince them that they need a strong leader. Sojiro, who is also with them, is sad that Shishio and Yumi are truly dead, but he will not be turning himself in. Instead, he is becoming a wander.
So-kun: Ikimasu, yo.
And off into the wilds of Japan in search of dango he goes. Kenshin is taken back to the Shirobeko, the restaurant owned by the family of the woman who runs the Akabeko in Tokyo. Megumi is brought to Kyoto to take care of his wounds, which are pretty severe. Finally, about a month later, Kenshin is pretty well cured. Besides, it's hard to stay in bed with a drunk Okina singing praises of the Oniwabanshuu downstairs, and Misao crying about Aoshi not being around. The Oniwabanshuu are also staying at the Shirobeko while the Aoiya is being repaired.
Aoshi, however, is spending his time meditating in the zen temple. He has a lot to get over, so he sits calmly in a drab kimono, away from the noise of everyone. I don't blame him. He has to come to grips with not only his comrades' deaths, but with his own actions. That might take a while...the boy holds onto things like crazy.
While at the Shirobeko (and Sano, breaking his chopsticks because he can't use them left handed, keep calling the waitress whose name is Sae Tae, because Tae owns the Akabeko and is Sae's twin), the Kenshingumi has a visitor: Katanagari Cho. However, he's not there to molest them. As it turns out, he was offered an underground deal by the Meiji government to become a police officer. Not only that, he ends up working for Saitoh. No, of course Saitoh's not dead! Duh. He's too kickass to die. Anyway, Cho comes to tell them what happened to the rest of the Juppongatana.
Many of the others were offered the same kind of deal that Cho was. Henya is now working as a scout for the army spying on the mainland; Saizuchi is working for the Interior department; Fuji is in the north helping to clear the land and acting as the first line of defense against...everything, pretty much. Anji escaped execution because they petitioned for him, and is now serving a 25 year sentence in Hokkaido. Kamatari is recovering slowly from his wounds--because he mourns Shishio-sama. Cho told Kamatari about the Juppongatana's other task: that if Shishio failed, they were to make sure the Meiji government didn't rewrite history and leave him out of it. That cheered Kamatari up slightly.
Of course, Cho was lying, and made that up so Kamatari wouldn't kill himself. Isn't Cho cool? Houji, however, killed himself in prison because the government wouldn't let him come to trial. They couldn't let out knowledge abuot Shishio, so...
Anyway, Cho also tells them that two of the members of the Juppongatana weren't caught. Iwanbo is basically harmless by himself, so there's no point in worrying about him. And as for Sojiro--there's no way he'll ever be caught. He'll just wander Japan like Kenshin for many years, learning what he wants to do by living his life. As he mentions to the old woman who made the dango, he's planning on wandering for ten years...because two men, once on the same path, took that long to reach different ideas of the world. And off he goes. Then Cho leaves, too--later we see him asking Saitoh why he didn't let them know he's alive. Saitoh says he still has to finish his battle with the Battousai, and that they had only joined forces temporarily...
Finally, the Aoiya is complete. However, the Kenshingumi wants to go back to Tokyo. Megumi has to get back to her practice with Gensai-sensei, and Kaoru wants to reopen her dojo. Okina and Misao want everyone to have a day of fun in Kyoto, but when Kaoru goes to wake Kenshin she finds that he and Sano are already gone, and Yahiko is leaving too. Thus she spends the day with Megumi, who tells her she needs to straighten out her feelings about Kenshin, because she is the only person who can bring Kenshin back from the brink of death.
Sano, meanwhile, went back to Mt. Hiei to put an end to his furstration at the lack of conclusion of his fight with Saitoh. Yahiko wanted to see the fight area because he felt like he'd been left out. Both of them come to believe that what they must do is go beyond to achieve strength and wisdom. Sano wants to go beyond the strength he has now, because in that way he will take the lessons he learned from Saitoh. Yahiko will do the same because he knows that the winner is not necessarily the person who is right--a lesson he learned from Kenshin. It's all very deep and kind of compelx, but you get the idea.
Kenshin has gone to visit a woman's grave. It's actually the grave of his deceased wife, Tomoe. Well, she's married to him in the manga, but in the OVAs I think they just pretend to be married. Anyway, Kenshin killed Tomoe's fiance, then she was supposed to kill him, but fell in love with him instead. He ended up killing her with his own hands when she stepped inbetween him and an enemy. Her fiance gave Kenshin the longer scar on his cheek, and she the shorter just before she died. Hiko comes up to Kenshin, who finally feels well enough about Kyoto to place flowers on Tomoe's grave. Then Hiko tells Kenshin to go, because there are people waiting for him.
The Kenshingumi finally returns to Tokyo on the train. Misao sees them off, yelling for them to take care. "Genki da na!" And poor Sano is huddled in the corner, desperately afraid of the giant moving teakettle. What a dork. It is cute, though.
After the end of the Kyoto Arc is the Meiji Arc, which was more filler episodes that are really pretty bad. Although the Son of God-Shimabara miniarc has its high points, which are Aoshi at the very beginning and Sano being stuck in a cave upsideown on a stalagmite trying to lift himself back upright...after that, Yuuki Hiro and Koyasu Takehito make appearances as Feng Shui masters near the end. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled before Watsuki-sensi could finish the Revenge Arc, which is about Tomoe's little brother Enishi grown up and desiring revenge against Kenshin for her death. he's a little obsessed with his dead neesan...almost to the point of incestuous desire... eek!
Then there are the OVAs. The first four, I believe, deal with Kenshin's history during the Bakumatsu. It tells the story of Kenshin's scar and his short time with Tomoe. There's a really good amv out there of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" with Kenshin OVA stuff. There's two more OVAs involving Enishi, I believe, but I haven't seen them so I can't really say. Then there's the Kenshin movie, which is sort of pointless. It has great seiyuu tho...Sasaki Nozomu (he does Enishi, btw), Koyasu Takehito, Inoue Kazuhiko, Miyamura Yuko, and Yamaguchi Kappei. Unfortunately, I saw the second half in English. That was bad...
So that's Rurouni Kenshin. As a small etymological note, "rurouni" isn't a real word. Watsuki-sensei made it up, based on "Ronin," or a masterless samurai. Also, there is a petition to have the Revenge Arc of Kenshin animated. Check out the Jin Chuu Petition .
Houji meets up with Yumi and Shishio in hell! Rock on.
