5=It just doesn't get much better than this! 4=Terrific! 3=Worth watching. 2=Just okay. 1=You won't miss anything if you skip it! 0=Destroy the master tape and all copies!

Episode #41 A Hidden Technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Reunion with Master Hiko Seijuro! (4)

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..........

Episode #42 Alliance Agreed! The Day When Shishio And Aoshi Unite! (3)

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...........  

Episode #43 Between Life & Death! Succession Technique, Mastered. Ama Kakeru Ryuu No Hirameki. (4)

Kenshin and Hiko are fighting (teacher/student stuff!), and Hiko is beating the crap out of Kenshin. He tells Kenshin that if Kenshin cannot even scratch him, then he will not teach Kenshin the succession technique. Kenshin tries so hard that he lands wrong and knocks himself out, but he scratches Hiko. Hiko begins by showing Kenshin the Kuzu Ryu Sen, what Hiko calls his "coolest move". Kenshin assumes it is the succession technique, but when Kenshin tries the move against Hiko, Kenshin's Kuzu Ryu Sen is not effective. Kenshin thinks he did something wrong, but Hiko tells him no; the only effective move that would cancel out the Kuzu Ryu Sen is the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu succession technique, Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki. Kenshin won't even try it. Hiko leaves in disgust, but tells Kenshin he will give him time to find what he has been blocking inside of himself that prevents him from performing the Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki. The next morning, Hiko confronts Kenshin. Since Kenshin still has not figured out what he is blocking, Hiko tells Kenshin that, as his master, it is Hiko's duty to put Kenshin out of his misery. Kenshin has the choice of dying or doing. Kenshin chooses doing and performs his ougi (succession technique). Hiko collapses, telling Kenshin not to worry, that Hiko also took his master's life back when he became 13th inheritor of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu succession technique..........

Note: Throughout this episode Hiko and Kenshin remember different parts of how they met each other. To summarize: as a boy, Kenshin was traveling with slave traders when the slave traders were attacked and killed by bandits. Three women who were kind to Kenshin, Kasumi-san, Akane-san, and Sakura-san, tried to protect him when the bandits came, and likewise, Kenshin tried to protect them. The women were killed. Just before Kenshin was killed, Hiko appeared and killed the bandits, saving Kenshin's life. Hiko told Kenshin to go to the nearest village. He returned later to check on Kenshin, but Kenshin was not at the village, so Hiko went to the site where he saved Kenshin from the bandits, and found that Kenshin had dug graves and put up crosses for everyone that was killed...........

Episode #44 Battle of Indignation, Gathering His Strongest, Juppongatana! (3)

Sano is in Saitou's jail waiting for Saitou. Saitou tells the jailer that he does not know Sanosuke and the jailer should keep him there. Sano uses his Futae No Kiwami on the cell door. Saitou is slightly impressed. The two go to a high security cell and talk to Katanagari Cho (remember him?). Saitou tells Cho that 50 people associated with either the police or the army were killed the previous evening in Kobe. Saitou wants to know if any of Shishio's men could have done this. Cho says it was probably Usui, master of the Shin Gun (mind's eye). Meanwhile, Usui arrives at Shishio's headquarters, kills Shishio's guards, and attacks Shishio, but is not successful. Saitou asks Cho about Operation: Holocaust of Kyoto. Cho tells Saitou that Shishio plans to burn down Kyoto to make the citizens of Japan lose all faith in the Meiji government. Back at Shishio's headquarters, Soujiro has arrived along with all the other members of the Juppongatana. Soujiro gives Shishio a secret message written on the underside of a snack box. "The ship is ready...." Shishio gives a pep talk to the Juppongatana and tells them it is time to begin their "kunitori" (national domination). Operation: Holocaust of Kyoto will begin the next night at 11:59.

Hiko has recovered, and Kenshin tells him that he does not want to inherit the name Hiko Seijuro the 14th; he only wants to inherit the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu discipline. Hiko calls him selfish. As Kenshin leaves, he asks Hiko to watch over his friends and protect the Aoiya while Kenshin is fighting Shishio. Kenshin arrives at the police station where Saitou is waiting........ 

Episode #45 Blown Away!!! The Battleship Rengoku, Stop Its Sails! (3)

Saitou tells Kenshin about the Holocaust of Kyoto. Kenshin believes there is a hidden agenda to Shishio's plan. He deduces that Shishio's real goal is to invade Tokyo by sea. The closest harbor is Osaka Harbor. Kenshin rushes out the door and into Sanosuke, who slugs him. Sano, Kenshin, and Saitou take a carriage to Osaka. Saitou tells Kenshin that he has posted 5000 policemen in Kyoto. Kenshin had Saitou send a letter to the Aoiya telling Misao and company about Shishio's plan. Misao rallies the Oniwabanshuu to assist the police. Kenshin tell Sanosuke that Shishio is not out to destroy Tokyo, but to discredit the Meiji government. If an unknown ship appeared in Tokyo harbor, the people who still remember the Black Ships that Perry arrived in back in Kaei 6 (1854) would panic, and there would be chaos! The Meiji government would fall. Kenshin and company cannot afford to let Shishio's ship leave Osaka harbor. Meanwhile, in Kyoto, the Juppongatana and Shishio's troops are getting ready to engage Saitou's police force. The Oniwabanshuu and the citizens of the town are assisting the police in preventing the fires from starting. On a ship in Osaka harbor, Shishio and company are discussing whether the Battousai will figure out Shishio's plan. One of Shishio's men spots a carriage coming very fast. Kenshin and company stand on the dock and look across the water at Shishio and his wooden ship. Sano pulls the pineapple bombs Katsu had given him, out of his pocket. Saitou ridicules Sano and his bombs. Then Shishio blows the wooden cover off of his ship, revealing the iron naval battleship Rengoku........

Episode #46 Burning "Rengoku!" Shishio Makoto's Fortune. (3)

Kenshin and company are speechless. From the battleship, Shishio aims an Armstrong cannon their way. Saitou and Kenshin jump into the water to swim to the ship. Sano is suppose to find a boat to row to the Rengoku and use his pineapple bombs when he gets there. There is no boat, so Sanosuke uses the broken pieces of wood left over from the ship's wooden shell as stepping stones and starts a run 'across the water' to the ship. Shishio pulls out his Gatling gun and aims it toward Sanosuke. Kenshin shouts a warning! Sano uses his Futae No Kiwami on the board he is standing on and puts up a wall of water, effectively halting the bullets from the gun. Sano tosses the pineapple bombs, and they blow a hole in the hull of the ship. The Rengoku is sinking--Shishio is pissed! He realizes he must eliminate Kenshin, Saitou, and Sano before he can begin his kunitori. He tells Kenshin and company to meet him at the small Shinto shrine with 6 archways near the NE side of Hiei Mountain. At that site, Kenshin and company will fight Shishio and the Juppongatana. Kenshin accepts the challenge. Saitou returns to Kyoto to write reports, and Sano and Kenshin go to the Aoiya. Misao tells Kenshin she is now the leader of the Oniwabanshuu. Okina awakens and asks Kenshin to kill Aoshi, but Kenshin refuses. He tells Okina that Aoshi is not all evil yet, and promises he will bring Aoshi back to the Aoiya. Misao cries. Sanosuke brings a message from Saitou: the three will journey to the shrine to fight Shishio in the morning. That night, Kenshin is sitting on the roof of the Aoiya, and Kaoru joins him. She asks about his training, tells him they all care about him, and gives him the medicine Megumi gave her for him (oops....did I forget to tell you about that?). The next morning, as Sano, Saitou, and Kenshin are walking away, Kaoru stops Kenshin and makes him promise that they will all go back to Tokyo together. He promises!

Episode #47 Crush! Futae No Kiwami. Pain of Sanosuke's Fist! (3)

Hoji convinces Shishio to accept his strategy in fighting Kenshin and company, which is that Usui, Anji and Soujiro will stay at Shishio's headquarters while the other six Juppongatana go to ambush the Aoiya. Kenshin and company arrive at the shrine and are greeted by Komagata Yumi. Yumi tells the three men that the complex is a maze and she will guide them through it. All fights will be one on one, and the other two cannot interfere during a fight. The three men agree to the terms. The first room that they are shown contains Anji the Myo-oh. Anji and Sano are surprised and disappointed to see each other, and the fight begins. Anji starts to get the advantage and then asks Sano to switch. Yumi gets pissed and tells Anji that he doesn't have the authority! Sano refuses. He tells Anji that he hates the Meji government as much as Anji does, but he will not let Anji destroy the country as long as people continue to build their lives with their families and have hope. Anji hits Sano, then starts praying over him. Sano is not dead and he punches Anji using the Futae No Kiwami. Everyone thinks the fight is over and that Sano has won. Anji, however, is down, but not out.............

Episode #48 The Focus of His Guze, Anji's New Reflection. (4)

Anji had a memorial tablet tucked under his clothes. Sano just happened to hit Anji on the memorial tablet, which took most of the impact. The tablet represents the souls of the children Anji could not save 10 years ago. At that time, Anji was a skinny priest in Tou Raku Temple who took care of some orphaned children. The children were his 'family'. They were the offspring of men and women who had opposed the Meiji government. The town leaders wanted the children gone, since then the town would receive funds from the Meiji government. The town leaders met with Anji, and Anji was planning to move with the children to Tokyo. However, before he could do so, the townpeople burned the temple with the children inside. Anji rushed to save them and got bashed on the head by one of the town thugs. Anji then became Myo-oh Anji. Five years later he came back to town a muscleman and killed the men involved in the burning of the temple. He has never forgiven himself for failing the children. Anji and Sano fight, using the Futae No Kiwami like ordinary punches! Sano is trying to get through to Anji that he, Sano, experienced that same sort of tragedy with the Meiji government and Sagara Souzou! Sano's words finally start to sink in ("Blood will never wash away their tears!") but Sano is down! Anji experiences a visitation from the dead children, then admits he was wrong in his Guze! Sano won the battle, but Sano cannot yet move. Anji tells Kenshin and Saitou about the Juppongatana's ambush on the Aoiya, and Kenshin and Saitou hurry on. The next room contains Usui.............

Episode #49 A Wolf Sees the Shin Gun. Explosive Zero Gatotsu! (4)

Anji has applied medicine to Sano's wounds and Sano has recovered. He leaves Anji to join Kenshin and Saitou at the entrance to the room where Usui is. Kenshin starts to draw his sword, but Saitou stops him, saying that he will fight Usui, and Kenshin and Sano are to go to the next room. Yumi says they cannot! Sano picks Yumi up and starts running. Saitou tells Usui that he told Kenshin to go on ahead so Kenshin's generous spirit would not stop him from killing Usui. Yumi tells Sano and Kenshin about Usui's Shin Gun and insists that Usui will kill Saitou. Usui brags to Saitou about the 50 cops he killed in Kobe. Saitou tells Usui that being a cop allows him to kill people legitimately, but revenge does not enter into his killing, only his own sense of justice. "Aku, Soku, Zan." Saitou attacks! Saitou is wounded! Usui tells Saitou that near the end of the Edo dynasty, Usui fought Shishio and was blinded. He had a near-death experience which woke his inner eye. To Usui, people are just masses of sounds, like the sound of blood flowing. Usui claims he wants revenge and is going to kill Shishio. Saitou calls Usui a liar, saying Usui doesn't really intend to fight Shishio again, because Usui knows that Shishio is even stronger now then he was the first time they fought. If Usui loses to Shishio now, his entire life would have been for nothing. Usui gets pissed and Saitou attacks again. Saitou's katana does not penetrate the turtle shell that Usui uses for a shield, and Saitou is wounded again! Saitou and Usui are almost nose to nose when Saitou does his succession technique, Zero Stance Gatotsu. Usui is impaled on the wall through the chest. Meanwhile, Misao, Kaoru, Yahiko and the Oniwabanshuu are getting ready to battle Kamatari, Hen-ya, and Iwanbo at the Aoiya. Kenshin, Sano, and Yumi are running down a hallway. Yumi is telling Kenshin that the next battle will be with Seta Soujiro, when suddenly Kenshin stops! He looks at a doorway and says Aoshi is in the room behind the door..........

Episode #50 Time To Keep A Promise. Kenshin And Aoshi Battle Once Again! (5)

Kenshin faces Aoshi, saying that this 'Aoshi' is not the Shinomori Aoshi he remembers, and is not the man he promised to fight. Kenshin says he did not promise to fight someone who choose to become evil. Aoshi charges, Kenshin throws books at him. Yumi finds a telegraph machine and starts sending messages back to Shishio. Aoshi forces Kenshin to draw his sword to defend himself. Kenshin is down and wounded. Meanwhile, back at the Aoiya, Misao is facing Kamatari, Kaoru and Yahiko are facing Han-ya, and the rest of the Oniwabanshuu are not doing very well against Iwanbo. Aoshi tries to talk Kenshin up! He tells Kenshin to turn over his sakabatou and fight Aoshi the right way. Kenshin asks if there will be anything left for Aoshi after the fight. He then says that he will fulfill his promise and fight Aoshi, because he understands how Aoshi felt about his men. But, Kenshin says, he will fight Aoshi as Himura Kenshin, not as the Hitokiri Battousai. They fight. Aoshi comes very close to slicing Kenshin's throat. Kenshin speaks harshly to Aoshi. He tells Aoshi that he had to choose between life and death when he mastered the succession technique, and he decided he will always choose life. Aoshi has chosen death. Even if he wins the fight with Kenshin, Aoshi plans to kill himself. Kenshin tells Aoshi that Aoshi's body has become strong with the evil, but his mind has become weak. Kenshin's words are getting through to Aoshi........