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This arc doesn't really have a name, however most people call it the "Wandering Samurai" arc. It's basically an introduction to all the characters and shows how they all get along with each other, and eventually lead into a deeper plot. Anyway, it starts out with Kenshin and Kaoru. They meet in an odd way as Kaoru tries to kill him for thinking he's "Hitokiri Battousai," which he is, but not the one she knows. Anyway, after Kenshin helps her out with getting rid of the imposter and traitor of her dojo, she finds him to be the real Battousai and he agrees to stay with her in Tokyo. Although, we won't find how Kenshin really was as the Battousai until the next arc. In the next couple of episodes, Kenshin meets other new characters who were either in trouble, involved in gangs, or just wanting to fight. These characters are Yahiko Myojin,(a kid samurai), Sanosuke Sagara,(fighter for hire), and Megumi Takani,(doctor in training). These characters all had bad pasts and can all relate to Kenshin. After Kenshin helps them get out of trouble, they all agree to stay with Kenshin and Kaoru in the dojo. Now this seems like the simple story doesn't it? A team of good fighter people always fighting bad guys. Actually, there's more to it than that. Most of the bad guys have either heard of Kenshin as the Battousai, have fought him in the past, or just wanna fight him to get a name for him/herself. One of these enemies is Aoshi Shinomori, who Kenshin beats and that defeat for Aoshi will set the stage for a bigger plot in the second arc. There are many other enemies that Kenshin faces, but most of them don't even come close to matching up with Kenshin. (Note: The manga and anime are for the most part, VERY DIFFERENT!! But the concept is basically the same. Check out both to get a full experience!!). All in all, these sub-plots for Kenshin and the gang are very interesting and leave you wanting more...and that's exactly what the series gives by giving us the NEXT ARC!!!
Ah...the greatest arc in all of Rurouni Kenshin. Originally, this arc wasn't supposed to be made but Watsuki went on to make it anyway, and how proud we are of him for making it. Anyway, the first arc left us with Kenshin vs. Saito, probably the best fight in the whole series. Anyway, we find out that the fight between the 2 was to test if Kenshin is strong enough to take on Makoto Shishio, the OTHER battousai,(he took over Kenshin's job after Kenshin left as a wanderer), and his plot to take over Japan with the Juppon Gatana,(elite swordsman group). Okubo, the leader of the Meiji was the one who informs Kenshin of his plot as well as asks him if he's up for the job. Kenshin couldn't answer then, so Okubo left the Kamiya dojo and would return in a week for an answer. However, before that day, Okubo was killed by a swordsman named Seta Soujiro, the leader of the Juppon Gatana. Once Kenshin was informed that he was assassinated, he came to the decision of going to Kyoto, and only said goodbye to Kaoru. Soon after Kaoru broke over her sadness, she and Yahiko decide to follow Kenshin to Kyoto on boat and Sano by walking there. And another person that follows Kenshin is Saito!(he seems to be on Kenshin's side on this adventure since he's an officer now). Kenshin not only wanders to Kyoto, he also meets a girl named Misao, who seems to know the Oniwabanshu especially Aoshi, however, she doesn't know of their outcome yet. Kenshin, Misao, and Saito run into Shishio eventually after some wandering, and that is actually when Kenshin and Shisho first meet. Kenshin only ends up defeating one of Shisho's men, and has a quick fight with Seta Soujiro, but he breaks his sakabato,(reverse-blade sword), while fighting him. After that, Saito and Kenshin go their separate ways and Misao eventually leads Kenshin to Kyoto, where she lives as well as with the former leader of the Oniwabanshu, Okina. While Kenshin looks for a new sword, Sano, Yahiko, and Kaoru do a bit of training while on their way to Kyoto. While Sano wanders, he ends up meeting a former priest and now a member of the elite Juppon Gatana named Anji. It was this man who taught Sano the technique, Futae no Kiwami. Anyway, Kenshin gets a new sakabato and then he finds his master, Hiko Seijiro, to learn the final techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, specifically the Kuzu Ryu Sen and the Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki. At first, Hiko refused to teach him the techniques, but then he realized the situation once Kaoru and Yahiko showed up at his door. The training was to first teach Kenshin the Kuzu Ryu Sen, and then test Kenshin to use the Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki. The way Kenshin could pass as the 14th successor of Hiten Mitsurugi and learn the final attack was for Kenshin to cancel out Hiko's Kuzu Ryu Sen with an Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki, which is the only attack that can cancel out Kuzu Ryu Sen. If Kenshin wasn't able to counter it, then he would've either died by Hiko's attack, or by cutting off his own leg.