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Episode Summaries by Lynne (tougei@hotmail.com)
Note from Key 2 Anime: I got these summaries from the RK Archive
(http://rka.crosspaths.net/index.html). All these summaries are
done by Lynne. If you have any questions of would just like to
thank her for her wonderful efforts please email her at
tougei@hotmail.com
Episodes #39-42
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Episode #39 The Man Who Makes Sakaba... Arai Shatku's Masterpiece!
Kenshin and Misao arrive at the Aoiya restaurant in Kyoto.
Misao's Jiya (grandpa) greets Misao and invites "Himura Battousai"
into the Aoiya to talk. The old man is a Kishiwazaki ninja, Oniwabanshuu,
called Okina. Kenshin tells him the story of the Oniwabanshuu
at Kanryu's mansion. Okina agrees that it would be best not to tell
Misao. He knows about Shishio and tells Kenshin that he, Okina, will
be Kenshin's number one supporter, and that Kenshin must stay at the Aoiya
while is in Kyoto. Kenshin asks Okina to find two people for him:
Arai Shatku and Hiko Seijuro. The next morning Okina tells Kenshin that
the swordmaker Arai Shatku is dead, but his son, Arai Seikuu, is
still in the business and has supposedly inherited his father's skill.
Kenshin, Okina, and Misao pay the swordmaker a visit. They are greeted
by a small boy, Iori, and Iori's mother Asuza. Kenshin tests a kitchen knife
made by Arai Seikuu, and then asks Seikuu to make him a sword.
Seikuu refuses; he has a son and a wife and does not want to spend
his life making instruments intended for killing. Kenshin understands
and leaves. Meanwhile, at Shishio's headquarters, Shishio is checking in
with Hoji, the Hyaku Shiki. Shishio tells Hoji that he has called
together the Juppongatana and as soon as they all are gathered, they
will begin their kuni-tori (national domination). Shishio tells Hoji that in
celebration of kuni-tori, the Juppongatana will kill Himura Battousai.
Katanagari (sword-lover) Cho arrives while Hoji is telling Shishio about
Kenshin's visit to Arai Seikuu. Hoji tells Shishio that Arai Shatku's last
sword was not given to Kenshin. Cho gets excited when he hears that a
dead famous swordmaker has an unclaimed last sword, and goes to visit
Shatku's son. Cho arrives at the swordmakers house, and Seikuu asks
him what he wants. Cho says he want Arai Shatku's last sword. Seikuu
says he does not have the sword there. Cho picks up baby Iori with the
tip of his sword and throws him into the air, then catches him with the
sword tip. Seikuu's wife tells Cho that her father-in-law's last sword
was dedicated to the Haku-San Shinto Shrine. Cho goes to check it out,
taking Iori with him, swinging on the point of his sword. Misao
arrives on the scene, hears the story, and notifies Okina via carrier pigeon.
Kenshin is at the Aoiya when the pigeon arrives. He rushes out
of the restaurant to go to the Shrine. When Cho arrives at the Haku-San
Shinto Shrine, Iori over his shoulder, and finds Kenshin already waiting for
him...........
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Episode #40 Cold Blooded, Samurai! Battle with Juppongatana Cho!
Cho tosses Iori into a tree where he hangs from a branch, then
challenges Kenshin. They fight. Kenshin uses his sword stump, his
sheath, his wits, and wins each initial battle. After each battle,
Kenshin goes to where Iori is hanging from the branch, intending
to get him down, but Cho always recovers. Cho is getting pissed.
Misao, Okina, Seikuu and Asuza arrive on the scene. Okina, Misao,
and Asuza all try to talk Seikuu into giving Kenshin Shatku's
last sword. Seikuu continues to refuse until he overhears Kenshin
telling Cho that he, Kenshin has sworn to return Iori safely to
his parents. Seikuu makes a run for the temple, grabs his father's
sword, and tosses it to Kenshin. Kenshin catches the katana, but does
not draw it. Okina explains to Misao that Kenshin used to be
the Hitokiri Battousai. Cho is getting impatient. He aims his murder
sword (satsujinken) toward the baby hanging in the tree, and Kenshin goes
Hitokiri! Using the katana that Seikuu tossed him, he performs a
Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji. Cho does not have a chance. It is all over!
Kenshin stands with his Hitokiri face, Cho is lifeless on the ground,
Misao is in shock. Then Seikuu tells Kenshin to look at the blade of
the sword. It is a sakabatou! Cho groans and moves.
The last sword Arai Shatku made was a shinuchi, which is the better of
the two sakabatou Shatku made. Shatku made the first
sakabatou and gave it to Kenshin 10 years ago when Kenshin quit the
Ishin group. He told Kenshin that if, when he broke his sakabatou, he
was still the same dreamer, to come back to Kyoto. Seikuu offers the
sakabatou shinuchi to Kenshin, and Kenshin accepts.
Kaoru and Yahiko are sitting on steps in Kyoto wondering where to
look for Kenshin. Yahiko sees Aoshi walk by and gives chase.
Meanwhile, Okina gives Kenshin the address of Hiko Seijuro. Kenshin
then leaves the Aoiya, with Misao chasing after him. Misao runs past Aoshi and
does not see him, while Kaoru, chasing Yahiko, runs past Kenshin and does not
see him. Misao and Yahiko collide. Misao gets angry and yells out
Kenshin's name. Kaoru tackles Misao before she can get away, asking if
Misao is talking about Himura Kenshin...........
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Episode #41 A Hidden Technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Reunion with Master Hiko
Seijuro!
Kenshin has gone to see his master, Hiko Seijuro, the 13th
inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Meanwhile, Okina is meeting with
Aoshi. Aoshi asks for the location of Himura Battousai, but Okina
refuses to tell him. Aoshi then runs into Seta Soujiro, who tells
him that Shishio can help Aoshi find Battousai. Aoshi agrees to meet
with Shishio. Kenshin asks his master if he may inherit the succession
technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu as he was supposed to 15 years ago.
Hiko refuses. Kenshin pleads. He explains that he needs the succession
technique so he will not have to revert to the Hitokiri Battousai in
order to beat Shishio. Hiko tells Kenshin that Kenshin is torn between
pacifism and Hitokiri, and that Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu helped
create Shishio. At this point, Misao, Yahiko, and Kaoru arrive at Hiko's
studio. Misao and Yahiko overhear Hiko berating Kenshin, and kick down
the door. On learning that these strangers are friends of Kenshin's,
Hiko sends his student out to fetch water. While Kenshin is gone, Hiko
finds out about his "baka deshi" ("stupid pupil") from the people who
know best what he has been doing for the last 10 years. When Kenshin
comes back from drawing water, Hiko agrees to teach him the succession
technique. Misao, Yahiko and Kaoru are walking back to the Aoiya when
Yahiko remembers that he forgot to tell Kenshin that Aoshi is in town.
Misao gets excited and wants to know where Yahiko saw her "Aoshi-sama".
Yahiko leaps between Misao and Kaoru, calling Misao a "goddamn Oniwabanshuu".
Kaoru calms them both down and agrees to talk, but warns Misao she will not
like what she hears about the Oniwabanshuu..........
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Episode #42 Alliance Agreed! The Day When Shishio And Aoshi Unite!
Kaoru and Yahiko tell Misao what happened to the Oniwabanshuu at
Kanryu's mansion. Aoshi meets with Shishio. Shishio agrees to give
Aoshi all his information on the whereabouts of the Battousai. Hoji
reports that Okina knows where Kenshin is and sends the Fukuro (Owl Clawed
Soldiers) to the Aoiya. Hoji, however, underestimates Okina. Okina sends
the Fukuro back with a message for Aoshi, then takes his weapons, puts on
his ninja uniform, and leaves to meet Aoshi at a temple. Misao is running
to the temple, hoping to stop the fight between them. Okina feels that Aoshi
has become evil and must be killed. Aoshi plans to kill Okina because he will
not tell him the location of the Battousai. Misao reaches the temple just in
time to see Aoshi finish off Okina. As Aoshi leaves he tells Misao to tell
Battousai that he, Aoshi, will be waiting at Shishio's headquarters. Okina
is not dead, but he is unconscious and has received 103 stitches. Misao tells
everyone at the Aoiya that she is assuming the leadership of the Oniwabanshuu
in place of Shinomori Aoshi...........