The main character of this anime series is Himura Kenshin. He was a Ishinshishi, one of the most known. But when the war was over, he became a rurouni (wanderer). Yet his name was never forgotten, he was known as the Hitokiri Battousai. His only distinctive part being his red hair and the cross scar on his left cheek. He wandered around helping the defenseless, having vowed to never kill anyone again. He keeps his sword turned backwards, so that even if he beat his opponent, he/she would not die.(known as a sakabatou.)

Kamiya Kaoru In the beginning of the anime, we meet Kamiya Kaoru. She is the owner of the Kamiya Dojo. Since her father died, she has been teaching all the students. Unfortunately, one by one, they have left to join another dojo. The owners of this dojo tried to take the dojo away from her, but this is not easy. After many, many attempts, even murdering her, they were still empty handed. This is where our hero, Kenshin, comes in. He saves her and also saves her dojo.

After arguing that Kenshin was a newcomer and he should treat everyone in the dojo to a meal, Kenshin gave in and was forced to go out to eat. During their walk across the bridge, Kenshin's money was suddenly stolen by a young 10 year old boy. Kenshin recognises him, he was the theif that tried to steal the money from an old man purchasing a toy for his grandson. The boy felt guilty and returned the money back to its rightful owner. Kenshin was going to let him go along with the money. The boy, Miyoujin Yahiko feeling ultimately embarrassed for failing, refused and aimed the money towards Kenshin's head. Being the person he is, Kenshin was alomst knocked out by the "great" impact.

After the incident with Kenshin, Yahiko returns to the mob boss. Once he finds out that he had no money, he gets beaten to pulp. When Kaoru finds out about yahiko's tragic life from Tae-san (the boss of the Akabeko), she rushes to save him.

After claiming that she has tremendous luck in gambling, the mob lets her into a deal. If she plays a game of evens and odds with a die with them and wins, Yahiko would be eligible to leave with her. If not, she would have to stay and be their lifelong slave. Unaware that the die was modified into making only even numbers, she agrees to play odds. Yahiko was alert of this and tried to help her win by switching the dices. Kaoru wins the game and was going to take Yahiko home with her until he jumped ahead of her and told the mob that he was going to stay if and only if they were going to let Kaoru go. Kaoru refuses and ended up in a sword fight with the mob boss. She was losing until Kenshin arrives just in time to save the Yahiko and Kaoru. When Yahiko sees how strong Kenshin is, he wants to be Kenshin's student. But instead, Kenshin tells Yahiko to learn the Kamiya Kasshinryu technique. So Yahiko becomes Kaoru's student (might I add, only student).

Sagara Sanosuke is one of the few remaining members of the Sekihoutai group. The Sekihoutai group were fake soldiers that helped the soon to be Meiji government. This group was unaware of that. But when the government no longer needed them, they decided to kill the Sekihoutai group off by shooting every single one of them. They killed almost all of them except for Sano, and his friend. Since Sanosuke found out that Kenshin was helping the government, he was tempted into fighting Kenshin.

But when they fight, Kenshin explains to him that he is no longer the Hitokiri Battousai. And also tells him that the Meiji government no longer does such things. And when Kenshin beats Sano, he realizes that Kenshin was only fighting for the good of all people. So Sano becomes Kenshin's friend.
We are now going to skip right to the Shishio Makoto Crisis.

Shishio Makoto was once a Hitokiri. But in the end, when the government decided that they no longer needed him, they killed him. Or so they thought, but in fact he lived, and secretly built up his resources to one day take over Japan. This time comes about 10 years after the Meiji Restoration. The government once again need Kenshin to save them, so they send Saitou Hajime to test out Kenshin's skill, hoping that his talent has not disappeared. They did not know that by sending Saitou, they would bring about a battle that would lead to either Kenshin or Saitou's death.

Luckily, an official comes in just before they could destroy each other. Saitou leaves implying that Kenshin has gotten weaker and has to regain his posture more like the legendary Hitokiri Battousai in order for the government to leave him important issues like this one. The official explains to the Kenshin-gumi that the government needs the Hitokiri Battousai once again. Kenshin sits there while everyone else says that he can't kill anyone. Not after all his time wandering.

In the end, Kenshin leaves. He disappears, without a good-bye to anyone. Except Kaoru. (the sad fireflies scene.) Kenshin tells her that he was very happy to of settled down for a while. He says that he came as a rurouni but now he has to continue wandering and finish his journey. Kaoru stands there not wanting him to leave. Hugging him close to herself. He lets her go and slings his bag over one shoulder. He walks away, while Kaoru falls to the ground, her legs too weak to support her. Tears stream down her cheeks, while the moon shines bright and the fireflies fly back and forth.

Kenshin travels toward Kyoto. His former home town. But he has no money and his clothes are torn. (sorry, can't finish the story now, if i do, you'll get bored because my wording is horrible.)