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 #61 Remaining Juppongatana... Choice of Life! (4)

Kenshin is unconscious, Saitou has broken down the door. There is a deep rumble, then an explosion. The section of the bridge between Saitou and where Sano, Aoshi and Kenshin are standing has been blown away. Sano is frantic. Saitou lights a cigarette. Another huge explosion! The rest of the bridge, Saitou, the entire place blows to hell! Aoshi and Sano (dragging Kenshin) start running. They are being chased by fire and falling debris. Meanwhile, Anji has saved Hoji. Soujiro is with the two of them on the side of a hill, watching Shishio's headquarters burn. Aoshi and Sano, carrying the unconscious Kenshin, rest on the other side of the hill, also watching the fire. Sano despairs over Saitou's death. Aoshi, Sano, and the unconscious Kenshin return to the destroyed Aoiya victorious, but Kenshin is seriously injured. Megumi comes from Tokyo to care for him. A month passes, and Kenshin starts to recover. Kenshin and company have been staying at the Shirobeko restaurant while the Aoiya is being rebuilt. One morning Katanagari Cho arrives. He has been recruited by the police and he comes to give the Kenshin-gumi a status report on what happened to the rest of the Juppongatana. It seems most of them took government deals. Anji did not and will be in jail for the next 25 years. Hoji, the Hyaku Shiki, killed himself. Iwanbo is too stupid to worry about, and Soujiro is out there somewhere and will probably never be caught.................

Episode #62 Kyoto... Engraved Memory... Starting With Fulfilled Feelings. (3)

End of Kyoto Chapter. Kaoru tells Okina and Misao that they are going to leave Kyoto and return home the next day. Megumi tells Kaoru that she wants to talk with her. Yahiko goes to find the place where Kenshin fought Shishio, Kenshin goes to a graveyard, and Aoshi goes to the temple. Yahiko discovers Sano at the cave where Shishio died. Yahiko tells Sano that this time he, Yahiko, felt left out; he never even got to see Shishio's face. Megumi and Kaoru are sitting under a bridge. Megumi tells Kaoru that Kenshin was hurt very badly in his fight with Shishio, and because of all the other times Kenshin has been physically injured, chances are good that he might not survive another fight. She also tells Kaoru that Kaoru better never lose her faith in Kenshin again. Megumi will not stand for it, and as long as Kaoru believes and waits and is there for Kenshin, chances are good that Kenshin will always return. Kenshin has brought flowers to a grave. It starts to rain. Misao rushes out to take an umbrella to Aoshi at the temple. Hiko shows up with an umbrella at the gravesite where Kenshin is praying. Sano is showing Yahiko what is left of the arena where Shishio and Kenshin fought (and also where Saitou supposedly died). The rain ends and a rainbow appears. Sano vows to surpass Saitou in ability. The Kenshin-gumi all meet by happy accident in town. The next morning they say goodbye to Aoshi, who promises to one day drink tea with them. They get on a train and return to Tokyo. Meanwhile, Cho is at the police station asking Saitou if he is sure he does not want to tell Kenshin that he, Saitou, is alive..........

Episode #63 Legend of The Wishing Fireflies. The Girl Who Waits For Her Sword Master. (1)

Kaoru puts everyone to work cleaning and fixing the dojo after the Kenshin-gumi's extended absence. Kenshin goes fishing with Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan. He meets a man down by the river who tells a sort of ghost story. The story is about a young man who goes in search of the perfect killing technique. A young woman loves this man and waits for him. For 21 years the man searches for the perfect killing technique. When he realizes what he has become, he goes crazy and ends up back where the woman had been waiting for him, but learns she died the year before he returned. Kenshin does not catch any fish, but he takes a flower back to Kaoru with a firefly sparkling on its leaf.

Episode #64 Prince Yahiko's Born? Debut on High Society. (2)

Kaoru and Kenshin are walking through town late in the evening when they come upon a carriage being attacked. Kenshin assists an old man who is actually holding his own in a sword fight, but is outnumbered. The old man is protecting a young boy who is the virtual twin of Yahiko. Kaoru thinks it is Yahiko and smacks him good. The boy turns out to be Prince Shin of the Jakarta Republic. The old man is Malkes Murakami. They both end up at the Kamiya dojo. The rest is fairly predictable. Some one is after the Prince. The Prince is too ill to go to an official function. Yahiko impersonates the Prince. There is an assassination attempt. The Kenshin-gumi defeat the bad guys. The artwork in this episode is not the best, but there are some very funny moments and I recommend it. I am not going to spoil it for you, just watch it.

Episode #65 Find Out Missing Treasure! Great Treasure Hunting Dog, Notaro. (1)

A politician is accosted on his way home by a group called the Kenwa. They are after a key the politician has possession of. The Kenwa beat the man but drop the key. A big brown chow (dog) steals the key. The Kenwa chase the dog. The dog jumps in the river and winds up at the shrine where Sano is praying for luck at the gambling tables. The dog likes Sano. Sano takes the dog to Megumi to be checked over. The dog eats everyone's lunch and then decides it likes Megumi too. Sano names the dog Notaro (because the dog is dopey and inanimate). Kenshin and company draw pictures of the dog and post them all over town in the hope of finding the dog's owner. In the meantime, Notaro trashes the Kamiya dojo and buries Kenshin's underwear, Yahiko's shinai, and the sakabatou. The police chief visits Kamiya dojo. He explains to Kenshin about Kenwa, the missing key, and the dog's connection. The Kenwa are also looking for the dog. They find Sano. Sano beats them all up. Kenshin tricks Notaro into leading Kenshin and the chief to the missing key (Notaro had buried it). Notaro's owners want him back. Megumi feeds Sano and Notaro their last meal together.

Episode #66 Happy Kaoru! Kenshin's Proposal! (0)

(This is the ring episode. I hated it. However, here is the summary for all you people who either did love it or would love it.)

Episode #67 Shining Legendary Sword! Mysterious Swordmaster, Amakusa Shougo. (2)

Shimabara Chapter. The Kenshin-gumi receives a letter from Misao. She reports on a murder mystery in Kyoto and a dead body with strange carvings on the flesh. Aoshi is approached by a man seeking protection from a written death threat. Aoshi refuses, but Misao sees the letter and takes it to Okina. Okina says the writing is either Portuguese or Dutch, and the symbol on the bottom of the letter was the same symbol carved into the body of the murdered man. Misao orders Okina to find out what the letter says. Okina goes to Aoshi with his findings, and Aoshi runs off to protect Misao. Too late. The man who asked Aoshi for protection is killed. Misao is struck with some sort of strange light and falls unconscious into Aoshi's arms. Shirojo shows up at the Kamiya dojo. He brings a message from Aoshi for Kenshin to come immediately to Kyoto. The Kenshin-gumi return to Kyoto. Misao is going to be okay, but Aoshi says her spirit was attacked. Kenshin recognizes the method as Shin No Ippou. Aoshi tells Kenshin that the attacker's style of fighting is Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Kenshin goes to visit Hiko, who was expecting him. Hiko tells Kenshin what he knows about Amakusa Shougo, a Christian swordmaster. Shougo is the nephew of a man called Hyoue, who failed to inherit the Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki and was thought to have died, but did not. Hyoue then taught Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu to his nephew, Amakusa Shougo, and Shougo mastered the succession technique. Back in town, Cho has his men at the residence of another man who received a written death threat. The afternoon dies............

Episode #68 A Medallion of Destiny. Sanosuke and Sayo Meet. (3)

An eclipse. Amakusa Shougo appears at the place Cho is protecting. He defeats Cho and then kills the man he came to kill. Cho tells Kenshin that Amakusa is better than Kenshin. Okina finds out that the three men Amakusa has killed were responsible for persecuting Christians during the Edo dynasty. Sano finds a cave full of Christians listening to the teachings of a woman named Magdaria. He follows Magdaria and her escort out of the cave when they leave, and then rescues her from harassment by the police. She does not appreciate the rescue and slaps him, calling him a barbarian. Sano calls her arrogant and gets into a fight with her escort, Shouzo. Sano ends up falling into the river holding Magdaria's medallion. Kenshin goes to visit Hyoue, the man who failed to inherit the succession technique. Hyoue tells Kenshin that Shougo is going to create a Holy Land in Shimabara and that many more people will die. He asks Kenshin to stop Shougo, then dies of illness. As Hyoue is being buried, Kenshin sees Shougo and Magdaria standing on the edge of the clearing. Shougo tells Kenshin he will be waiting in Shimabara.

Episode #69 The Place of Battle. Shimabara! Judgement Day of Who is the Chosen. (3)

In Shimabara, Yahiko almost gets run down by a carriage carrying the Ambassador of Holland, Elsten-dono. Kenshin and Elsten recognize each other, since Kenshin saved Elsten's life 10 years ago at the end of the Edo dynasty. The Kenshin-gumi go to the ambassador's residence for tea and crumpets. Magdaria and Shougo are traveling by carriage, then boat to Shimabara. Kaioh, one of the Christian leaders in Shimabara, is informed that Shougo will arrive soon. A tower bell is rung and the Christians gather on the shore to welcome Shougo. Kaioh appears holding a book. He tells the Christians that Shougo's miracles were predicted in a book written in the days of Tensho. Shougo and Magdaria are coming across the water in a small boat. Kaioh waves his hand, and a ring of fire surrounds the boat. Shougo later tells Kaioh that his Holy Land will not be built on deception and Kaioh will not set up any more tricks! While he is chastising Kaioh, Shougo receives word that Kenshin has arrived in Shimabara. Kaioh orders his men to kill Kenshin. Amakusa tells them to do as they like, no one can kill Kenshin.

The Kenshin-gumi are sitting on some rocks on the shore. Misao bounces off to get information from the local Oniwabanshuu, Sano and Kenshin go exploring, and Kaoru and Yahiko are being spied upon by some kids. When the kids make muffled noises, Kaoru and Yahiko go to investigate. One of the kids attacks Kaoru and another bites the heck out of Yahiko. Yahiko gets angry and gives chase. Kaoru finds a medallion and a cave entrance. When she investigates, she finds skulls. Lots and lots of skulls. She freaks out! Kenshin and Sano are in the cave searching for the Holy Chapel that the Christians have kept hidden. They are accosted by a round man with lots of mean dogs. The dogs attack Sanosuke and the "demon" Kenshin. Kenshin and Sano run and split up, Sano is grabbed and pulled down by the dogs........... Kenshin is brought up short by a cliff. The round man again calls Kenshin a demon, whips a chain out and pulls him down off the cliff for the dogs to kill...........Meanwhile, Kaoru is running in the dark through the caverns. She sees a light and discovers it is the Holy Chapel. Shougo is there vowing that he will kill Kenshin. Kaoru makes a noise, and Shougo turns...........

Episode #70 The Impact of the Rai Ryu Sen. Kenshin is Sentenced to the Dark! (3)

The round man has Kenshin down and surrounded by the dogs, but then he loses the whistle with which he controls them. Kenshin ends up saving himself and the round man from the dogs. The round man is confused, since Kaioh-sama told him that Kenshin is a demon and has to be killed, but Kenshin saved the round man's life. The round man chains Kenshin to a tree and goes for Magdaria to see what he should do with Kenshin. Meanwhile, Sano is running from the dogs. He drops Magdaria's medallion, goes after it, and falls a long way. Yahiko is on the beach and sees Santo, Elsten's assistant, in a ship coming to Shimabara. Kaoru is in the Holy Chapel. Shougo guesses that she is "Kenshin's Woman!" The two argue morality and history, and he decides to let her go. Magdaria walks into the Chapel, then the round man rushes in and tells Shougo and Magdaria that he has caught Himura Battousai and does not know what to do with him. Shougo, Magdaria, the round man, and Kaoru all walk out to where Kenshin is waiting by the tree. Kenshin tries to give Shougo Hyoue's will, but Shougo does not want it. They fight. Kenshin's Ryu Kan Sen loses against Shougo's Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji. It gets worse. Shougo wants Kenshin to use his ougi, but Kenshin will not. Shougo gets angry, raises his sword, draws the lightning and directs it towards Kenshin's eyes (the Rai Ryu Sen). Kenshin is suddenly blind.........