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るろうに剣心 [Rurōni Kenshin] #6
Rurouni Kenshin, Volume 06
Kenshin's battle with Raijûta to decide the fate of Meiji Era swordsmanship is coming to a head. One fact is quickly becoming apparent: Raijûta will stop at nothing to ensure the supremacy of his own school of sword-fighting! Reunited with a member of the former Sekihô Army--that doomed civilian unit--Sanosuke runs into trouble of his own. Old alliances are challenged when a plan to topple the current government by any means necessary is shared...and as his friend puts it, Sano's either "in," or "in the way." Plus a bonus installment containing the first story Nobuhiro Watsuki ever published!
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 1995
17 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Nobuhiro Watsuki
246 books425 followersWatsuki Nobuhiro (和月伸宏) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for his samurai-themed series Rurouni Kenshin. He once worked as an assistant for his favorite author Takeshi Obata.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
May 23, 2021
Zansa ♡
September 2, 2023
خب خوشحالم به سانوسکه هم پرداخته شد این ولوم. همهاش فقط کنشین نباشه.
August 20, 2025
This is where I will leave the series. after a few filler volumes and learning about Watsuki's child porn collection. I've decided to spend my time elsewhere
September 18, 2017
Volume 5 and 6 contains a weaker arc from the previous one. As the villain, Raijuta is neither compelling, nor of any interest to this reader.
In volume 6, Raijuta's schemes predictably came undone, but at a cost. Yutaro's injuries caused nerve damage and he may never learn the sword. This volume ended with a Sano-centric story that explored more of his past.
Overall, this series has a lot of anachronisms, but that more of a creative license for the mangaka. It's not a slavish depiction of the Meiji era, but it still feels like it. It's still close enough to feel genuine.
In volume 6, Raijuta's schemes predictably came undone, but at a cost. Yutaro's injuries caused nerve damage and he may never learn the sword. This volume ended with a Sano-centric story that explored more of his past.
Overall, this series has a lot of anachronisms, but that more of a creative license for the mangaka. It's not a slavish depiction of the Meiji era, but it still feels like it. It's still close enough to feel genuine.
August 6, 2015
La realidad es que no fueron 3 estrellas por que las historias extra lo levantaron mucho, pero el final de Raijuta me cayó mal (más cuando el mismo autor explica la razón por la que lo hizo!!). Sin embargo, Kenshin la rompe.
August 9, 2009
Pretty average stories, though it does introduce another, albeit brief, student to the school and has a nice side story for Sanosuke.
November 2, 2009
Feel like its starting to build to something now. Not sure what yet.
August 1, 2023
I think the Raijuta arc is my favorite so far—even though it’s simple and even short compared to the others it just highlights how close our core cast has become and just how deeply they care for each other and I love that.
Sano’s vigilante side story showed more into his character and how far he’s come yet while still being loyal to his past cause but not enough to not choose the out for him and his friend and do the right thing due to Kenshin’s influence. Nothing is ever simple with black and white solutions in this series and I appreciate that.
Also included in this volume is the mangaka’s first ever story “Crescent Moon in the Warring States” and I really liked it! It’s in a similar vein to Kenshin but its own separate tale of fighting for someone you love and I greatly enjoyed it.
‼️Content‼️
Language: hell
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (PG-13 to R); injuries and blood (PG-13 to R); bandits surround and attack a caravan; man licks a wound on his arm; grenades are thrown and go off; a man gets punched in the gut; piles of dead, bloody bodies (R)
Drug/Alcohol: characters drink and get a bit drunk; a kid drinks alcohol
Other: a boy pees his pants and leaves a visible puddle
Sano’s vigilante side story showed more into his character and how far he’s come yet while still being loyal to his past cause but not enough to not choose the out for him and his friend and do the right thing due to Kenshin’s influence. Nothing is ever simple with black and white solutions in this series and I appreciate that.
Also included in this volume is the mangaka’s first ever story “Crescent Moon in the Warring States” and I really liked it! It’s in a similar vein to Kenshin but its own separate tale of fighting for someone you love and I greatly enjoyed it.
‼️Content‼️
Language: hell
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (PG-13 to R); injuries and blood (PG-13 to R); bandits surround and attack a caravan; man licks a wound on his arm; grenades are thrown and go off; a man gets punched in the gut; piles of dead, bloody bodies (R)
Drug/Alcohol: characters drink and get a bit drunk; a kid drinks alcohol
Other: a boy pees his pants and leaves a visible puddle
May 17, 2018
Saya sedang dalam marathon menghabiskan siri manga Samurai ini. Dulu pernah disiarkan di tv3 (ke NTV7) sewaktu saya kecil.
Mujurlah bang Perewa membenarkan komik sebagai salah satu bacaan untuk Cabaran Bacaan 32 Buku. Banyak juga, ada dekat 28 naskhah yang menghimpunkan kesemua siri Rurouni Kenshin.
Mujurlah bang Perewa membenarkan komik sebagai salah satu bacaan untuk Cabaran Bacaan 32 Buku. Banyak juga, ada dekat 28 naskhah yang menghimpunkan kesemua siri Rurouni Kenshin.
June 14, 2023
Background stories are what make mangas so amazing 🤩🔋❤️🔥
February 11, 2018
very good book
September 12, 2014
It's at the climax for the battle between Raijuuta and Kenshin when Raijuuta is finally able to truly anger Kenshin. Even though Raijuuta had been rendered a pride-less samurai with the confidence of 0%, will his foolish actions cause the loss of the pride and dream of a young, aspiring, Tokyo samurai? Then, a man from the past enters Sanosuke's life and threatens to take him away from his friends and easy-going life by proposing a plan that will revive the Sekiho Army... But at what cost to the memory of Captain Sagara?
RAIJUUTA IS SUCH A JERK!! OHMYGOSH!! I would never have guessed he had never killed someone before though. He is nothing but a giant, filthy coward. Sano saw through that from almost the beginning, didn't he? That's why he kept making fun of him. I felt so sorry for Yutarou at first, but then the "no worries" just made me smile. I love youth. It's like a cell that keeps multiplying. Heh. Does that even make any sense? (No.) I really do hope we'll get to see Yutarou again. He is one of my favorites, and he's helped to boost Yahiko up the list too. BUT AS A SIDE NOTE, DANG, HIMURA KENSHIN IS ELEGANTLY SEXY WITH HIS HAIR DOWN!! Although his badass aura also added to that, I believe. If he was being his usual goofy self it wouldn't have made such an impact. Also, this volume took an unexpected turn. From volume one to volume five, RuroKen hadn't changed pace or atmosphere even a bit, but all of a sudden it's just like BAM! TOTALLY DIFFERENT TURN! IT TOOK IT LONG ENOUGH. But I'm glad I stuck with RuroKen to get to this, and hopefully even better volumes in the future.
Then, the extra chapters about Sanosuke and the Sekiho army started out so dark, even though we all still know of Sano's past. I was actually getting scared that Sano would leave forever, despite it being an "extra" chapter, rather than a whole part of the story. I mean, he did say that the "Sekiho Army is just too important" right? But it actually ended where everyone could be happy, and that made me smile. I hope that Captain Sozo Sagara could smile down on them as well, just as Tsukioka Katsuhiro and Sanosuke Sagara envisioned.
Lastly, about Nobuhiro Watsuki's one-shot at the end, I actually like it a lot better than RuroKen OR Busou Renkin. Crescent Moon in The Warring States reminds me a bit of Kaze Hikaru. Is that odd? It was in a different time, after all. Still, both took place before there was much contact with the Western world, and before the Meiji Restoration. Heheh, but Isshinta is so adorable. It's too bad we don't get to see him in anything else, and the Hiko Seijuro that we'll later on see in RuroKen is quite a bit different. :/ But I have to say that Crescent Moon in The Warring States is going to have to go down as one of my favorite one-shots! I just love stories with the atmosphere that one had! And things built up to the ending so well. Hehe. >w<
RAIJUUTA IS SUCH A JERK!! OHMYGOSH!! I would never have guessed he had never killed someone before though. He is nothing but a giant, filthy coward. Sano saw through that from almost the beginning, didn't he? That's why he kept making fun of him. I felt so sorry for Yutarou at first, but then the "no worries" just made me smile. I love youth. It's like a cell that keeps multiplying. Heh. Does that even make any sense? (No.) I really do hope we'll get to see Yutarou again. He is one of my favorites, and he's helped to boost Yahiko up the list too. BUT AS A SIDE NOTE, DANG, HIMURA KENSHIN IS ELEGANTLY SEXY WITH HIS HAIR DOWN!! Although his badass aura also added to that, I believe. If he was being his usual goofy self it wouldn't have made such an impact. Also, this volume took an unexpected turn. From volume one to volume five, RuroKen hadn't changed pace or atmosphere even a bit, but all of a sudden it's just like BAM! TOTALLY DIFFERENT TURN! IT TOOK IT LONG ENOUGH. But I'm glad I stuck with RuroKen to get to this, and hopefully even better volumes in the future.
Then, the extra chapters about Sanosuke and the Sekiho army started out so dark, even though we all still know of Sano's past. I was actually getting scared that Sano would leave forever, despite it being an "extra" chapter, rather than a whole part of the story. I mean, he did say that the "Sekiho Army is just too important" right? But it actually ended where everyone could be happy, and that made me smile. I hope that Captain Sozo Sagara could smile down on them as well, just as Tsukioka Katsuhiro and Sanosuke Sagara envisioned.
Lastly, about Nobuhiro Watsuki's one-shot at the end, I actually like it a lot better than RuroKen OR Busou Renkin. Crescent Moon in The Warring States reminds me a bit of Kaze Hikaru. Is that odd? It was in a different time, after all. Still, both took place before there was much contact with the Western world, and before the Meiji Restoration. Heheh, but Isshinta is so adorable. It's too bad we don't get to see him in anything else, and the Hiko Seijuro that we'll later on see in RuroKen is quite a bit different. :/ But I have to say that Crescent Moon in The Warring States is going to have to go down as one of my favorite one-shots! I just love stories with the atmosphere that one had! And things built up to the ending so well. Hehe. >w<
April 8, 2013
The fact that they added drugs into a book like this threw me for a loop. I actually didn't expect a book like this to go so far into drugs. I think that actually make this book even more Awesome. Not to much I'd rate this a 4 because it was a little harder too read than normally. I don't know if it's because the writers are going with a new approach or if this book is just a little off for me.
July 20, 2008
I like the character development for Yahiko and Yutaro here. Hee. And the side story with Sanosuke in it is great. I didn't bother reading the bonus story, though -- I read it ages ago and, eh, it didn't leave much impression on me.
July 2, 2010
i really enjoyed the sailor saturn reference. they even looked alike! it was super niffty! plus i've been enjoying seeing differences in how the anime reinterpreted different story developments (such as the rich kid and his evil sensei).
November 1, 2010
La famosa calma antes de la tormenta. Este tomo en su momento me gustó mucho pero no era nada comparado a lo que estaba por venir. Puntos extras por la historia "Luna creciente sobre un país en guerra".
March 14, 2017
I found the side stories and proto-tales in both volumes 5 and 6 more entertaining than the main Raijuta story they book-ended. The "Powerful guy seeks Kenshin out to test his power and is a dick about it" plot arc is starting to get old.
Read
October 5, 2008Rurouni Kenshin, Volume 6 (2004)
May 1, 2017
Buen tomo y toda la vaina, sí, sí, pero YA SE VIENE SAITO ah, por fin.
July 11, 2017
This is a guilty pleasure re-read of the series alongside my regular GR challenge. I've loved Rurouni Kenshin since I was a kid, and it makes me happy to dive back into this series.
March 1, 2021
Rurouni Kenshin, Vol. 6 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next eight chapters (40–47) of the on-going manga series with a special.
A few days after Tsukayama Yūtarō begins training in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryū, the dojo is attacked by Isurugi Raijūta, who wants to kill Himura Kenshin since he refused his offer. In the initial fight, Raijūta wounds Yūtarō, nearly severing his right arm. Seeing his indifference to his pupil's plight, Kenshin is angered and challenges him to another duel later. Although Kenshin's own right arm was injured in the previous fight, he defeats Raijūta, breaking the latter's will as a swordsman.
In order to heal Yūtarō, his father decides to take him to Germany, where medicine is more advanced. Yūtarō is severely depressed about the injury to his arm, believing he can never learn swordsmanship now, but Myōjin Yahiko attacks him and forces him to defend himself. He realizes he can still practice swordsmanship with his left arm and challenges Yahiko to a rematch in the future.
Sagara Sanosuke discovers another survivor from the Sekihō Army, his old friend Katsuhiro, now an artist going under the name Tsukioka Tsunan. Tsunan is still haunted by the past and hatred of the Meiji government and wants to bomb the headquarters of the Meiji Government. Seeing that this would not be what their captain wanted, Sanosuke stops him with Kenshin's help.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The first half of the tankōbon concludes the story arc with Himura Kenshin and Isurugi Raijūta. The end of the story arc has Tsukayama Yūtarō heading to Germany to heal his arm and Isurugi Raijūta will to be a swordsman killed. The second half of the tankōbon focuses on Tsukioka Tsunan – an old friend of Sagara Sanosuke from their days in Sekihō Army, who wishes to bomb the headquarters of the Meiji Government for what had happened to him.
All in all, Rurouni Kenshin, Vol. 6 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more.
A few days after Tsukayama Yūtarō begins training in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryū, the dojo is attacked by Isurugi Raijūta, who wants to kill Himura Kenshin since he refused his offer. In the initial fight, Raijūta wounds Yūtarō, nearly severing his right arm. Seeing his indifference to his pupil's plight, Kenshin is angered and challenges him to another duel later. Although Kenshin's own right arm was injured in the previous fight, he defeats Raijūta, breaking the latter's will as a swordsman.
In order to heal Yūtarō, his father decides to take him to Germany, where medicine is more advanced. Yūtarō is severely depressed about the injury to his arm, believing he can never learn swordsmanship now, but Myōjin Yahiko attacks him and forces him to defend himself. He realizes he can still practice swordsmanship with his left arm and challenges Yahiko to a rematch in the future.
Sagara Sanosuke discovers another survivor from the Sekihō Army, his old friend Katsuhiro, now an artist going under the name Tsukioka Tsunan. Tsunan is still haunted by the past and hatred of the Meiji government and wants to bomb the headquarters of the Meiji Government. Seeing that this would not be what their captain wanted, Sanosuke stops him with Kenshin's help.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The first half of the tankōbon concludes the story arc with Himura Kenshin and Isurugi Raijūta. The end of the story arc has Tsukayama Yūtarō heading to Germany to heal his arm and Isurugi Raijūta will to be a swordsman killed. The second half of the tankōbon focuses on Tsukioka Tsunan – an old friend of Sagara Sanosuke from their days in Sekihō Army, who wishes to bomb the headquarters of the Meiji Government for what had happened to him.
All in all, Rurouni Kenshin, Vol. 6 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more.
November 11, 2016
So Raijuuta finally attacks Kenshin, in the process wounding his own apprentice (who he wasn't really teaching anyway, leaving that to Kaoru, with her 'life-protecting' kenjutsu that he wanted to destroy). I liked how Yuutaro's relationship with Yahiko was a sort of rivalry but sort of friendship. Neither would admit to actually caring, so they had to word it all in terms of wanting to fight each other.
Once that story was wrapped up, it moved on to the second - Sano discovers that a talented artist in town is actually one of his old mates from the Sekihoutai, who immediately introduces him to a plot to blow up some government buildings as revenge for the betrayal of their commander (whose surname, Sagara, Sano took as his own). There's some tension as you don't know whether Sano's actually going to help him or if he's going to try to stop him. Kenshin doesn't know either, as he follows them to make sure the plans don't go through.
The book ends with a one-off story about the Warring States period, about a man named Hiko (not actually a blood relation of Kenshin's master, Hiko Seijuuro, but they do both use hiten mitsurugi ryuu) who has an army chasing him. He helps a deserter (a farmer forced to join the battle who just wants to go back home to his girlfriend, Natsu - who, coincidentally, has the same name as Hiko's girlfriend, who is a princess) escape before taking on an entire army himself. If this is what hiten mitsurugi ryuu looks like in use, then I can see how Kenshin became one of the hitokiri.
I sort of like the one-off stories in that they're good stories, but when I'm reading the entire book at once instead of chapter by chapter in Shonen Jump or something, it interrupts the flow of the story, so I still rather find myself hoping for fewer of them. At least they're well-placed, at the end of a story arc and they don't truly interrupt things when I am most wanting to know what happens next in the main storyline.
Once that story was wrapped up, it moved on to the second - Sano discovers that a talented artist in town is actually one of his old mates from the Sekihoutai, who immediately introduces him to a plot to blow up some government buildings as revenge for the betrayal of their commander (whose surname, Sagara, Sano took as his own). There's some tension as you don't know whether Sano's actually going to help him or if he's going to try to stop him. Kenshin doesn't know either, as he follows them to make sure the plans don't go through.
The book ends with a one-off story about the Warring States period, about a man named Hiko (not actually a blood relation of Kenshin's master, Hiko Seijuuro, but they do both use hiten mitsurugi ryuu) who has an army chasing him. He helps a deserter (a farmer forced to join the battle who just wants to go back home to his girlfriend, Natsu - who, coincidentally, has the same name as Hiko's girlfriend, who is a princess) escape before taking on an entire army himself. If this is what hiten mitsurugi ryuu looks like in use, then I can see how Kenshin became one of the hitokiri.
I sort of like the one-off stories in that they're good stories, but when I'm reading the entire book at once instead of chapter by chapter in Shonen Jump or something, it interrupts the flow of the story, so I still rather find myself hoping for fewer of them. At least they're well-placed, at the end of a story arc and they don't truly interrupt things when I am most wanting to know what happens next in the main storyline.
July 17, 2017
I was hoping after his introduction that Raijuta would prove a worthy long-term opponent along the lines of Aoshi from the Onibawanshu arc, but as Nobuhiro describes himself in the character note, Raijuta shrunk right before my eyes--from a great villain, to a tremendously strong fake. I was disappointed, but he definitely became a character that should be a one arc character.
Following the main story there's a three chapter Sanosuke story that does a great job of showing the man beneath all the posing and lazing about Sano does.
finally the last section of the volume contains a reprint of Nobuhiro's first work, a stand alone entitled "Crescent Moon in the Warring States." it's a neat little story, and deals with both the Kenshin style master swordsman protagonist, and a character who only comes into his own as the story develops. It makes a for a nice short stand alone. The beauty of the art is already there, although it's a slightly different, slicker feel than work in the Rurouni chapters proper.
Following the main story there's a three chapter Sanosuke story that does a great job of showing the man beneath all the posing and lazing about Sano does.
finally the last section of the volume contains a reprint of Nobuhiro's first work, a stand alone entitled "Crescent Moon in the Warring States." it's a neat little story, and deals with both the Kenshin style master swordsman protagonist, and a character who only comes into his own as the story develops. It makes a for a nice short stand alone. The beauty of the art is already there, although it's a slightly different, slicker feel than work in the Rurouni chapters proper.
July 30, 2024
Yutarô Tsukayama, le nouveau rival de Yahiko se revendique dare-dare disciple de Rajiûta Iusrufi encore + que de Kenshin. Rajiûta ayant sauvé Yutâro et sa famille d’un guet-apens de bandits d’un seul coup. Il se sent ainsi redevable en mettant sa vie à son service.
On remarque que les noms propres n’ont pas du tout été Francisés comme ce sera le cas de beaucoup de mangas plus tard.
« Attaque nocturne par surprise et par derrière. Il révèle à nouveau sa vraie nature. »
« Tu viens de provoquer la furie de l’homme… Le plus dangereux du monde. »
Le discours de Kenshin ridiculise Rajiûta.
Yahiko la grande gueule et…
J’essaye de pas tout vous spolier !
Comme toujours les « hors-série » occupent une place importante du Livre.
Il y a aussi le « bonus de fin de volume » bref j’aurais aimé que l’auteur se consacre à une unique trame narrative.
Phoenix
++
On remarque que les noms propres n’ont pas du tout été Francisés comme ce sera le cas de beaucoup de mangas plus tard.
« Attaque nocturne par surprise et par derrière. Il révèle à nouveau sa vraie nature. »
« Tu viens de provoquer la furie de l’homme… Le plus dangereux du monde. »
Le discours de Kenshin ridiculise Rajiûta.
Yahiko la grande gueule et…
J’essaye de pas tout vous spolier !
Comme toujours les « hors-série » occupent une place importante du Livre.
Il y a aussi le « bonus de fin de volume » bref j’aurais aimé que l’auteur se consacre à une unique trame narrative.
Phoenix
++
December 4, 2021
I planned on giving it 5 stars because the two Kenshin stories in this volume were really great, much deeper and much more... mature, I would say, than the previous stories where the bad guys were, let's face it, almost cartoonish and it was sometimes hard to take them seriously.
Unfortunately 1/5 of this volume was reserved for a standalone story that had nothing to do with the Rurouni Kenshin series. Either the author didn't have enough material for a full volume or he wanted to showcase his other works, I don't know. But I really didn't care about that filler. I buy the Rurouni Kenshin manga for Kenshin, after all.
Unfortunately 1/5 of this volume was reserved for a standalone story that had nothing to do with the Rurouni Kenshin series. Either the author didn't have enough material for a full volume or he wanted to showcase his other works, I don't know. But I really didn't care about that filler. I buy the Rurouni Kenshin manga for Kenshin, after all.
December 1, 2024
Seingatku ending dari cerita Raijuta dan Tsunan ini beda sama versi anime-nya. Di manga Raijuta tak melanjutkan pertarungan karena mentalnya ambruk gara-gara Kenshin tahu bahwa aliran pedang Shinko-nya bukan aliran pedang untuk membunuh.
Sedangkan di cerita Tsunan, Sano menghajar perut Tsunan. Dia sama sekali enggak berduel sama Kenshin. Jadi, alasannya ikut sama Tsunan memang buat mencegah temannya menghancurkan kantor kementerian.
Hmm....
Ada juga cerita one shot yang menceritakan soal Hiko Seijuro, tokoh yang kemudian di cerita Kenshin akan jadi gurunya. Totally rule of cool everywhere. Udah ditembak pake pistol beberapa kali tetap bisa bertarung. Halaaah xD
Sedangkan di cerita Tsunan, Sano menghajar perut Tsunan. Dia sama sekali enggak berduel sama Kenshin. Jadi, alasannya ikut sama Tsunan memang buat mencegah temannya menghancurkan kantor kementerian.
Hmm....
Ada juga cerita one shot yang menceritakan soal Hiko Seijuro, tokoh yang kemudian di cerita Kenshin akan jadi gurunya. Totally rule of cool everywhere. Udah ditembak pake pistol beberapa kali tetap bisa bertarung. Halaaah xD
May 30, 2020
Alright, so given that Manga is more of an ongoing story split into arcs that are in no way split up between volumes. I'm going to be reviewing story arc by story arc. This will then be copy and pasted throughout all of the 28 Volumes of the Manga. Also, let's get this out of the way. This is 1. A Reread and 2. Spoiler Warning I won't be directly recapping, but I will use points to describe my thoughts and feelings.
Tokyo Arc - Acts/Chapters 1-47 - Rating: 8/10
-A great start for a historical fiction. A bit on the nose, but I generally find with historical fictions you have to pretend that no one knows what time period you're talking about so it's nearly unavoidable.
-Great character work. Each Character introduced in Kenshin's gang are examples of how the war has hurt these people. This reflects on Kenshin as he was a key figure in the war that caused all these people that he growing to love, pain. Whether it's Yahiko who lost his parents to draft of war. Or Sanosuke who joined the rebellion and through political means lost his captain and the person he admired most. Or even Kaoru, who attempts to run a dojo in a time when Swords are forbidden by the government. All of these are monumental in Kenshin's redemption from the wrongs he has committed.
-My issue is moreso in how these conflicts come up. They seem very much villain of the week story. And most Shonens are when they initially start and I understand that. Some do it great. (Yu Yu hakusho) some do it terribly (Reborn) I think RuroKen does it OKAY. There are a lot of conveniences and Kenshin is the type of character who can nearly fix everything at any point because he's Kenshin and he outclasses the people they face.
-This arc is really split into 4 mini arcs. Beginning 6/10. Sanosuke Arc 9/10. Jin-E Arc 7/10. Oniwanbanshu arc 10/10
The Kyoto Arc - Acts/Chapters 48-151 - Rating: 9/10
-Phenomenal Arc. Kenshin must tackle with the concept of whether he can keep his oath against a man who is arguably his better. The man who replaced him as Hitokiri. Shishio Makota.
-The jupponganta, the villain group of this ark are all well designed and each one makes perfect sense why they would follow Shisho. Whether they love, respect or just want to kill him. Each one feels like a tough nit group. As for Shishio himself. He's one of those cool villains. I understand why he is and why he's so charismatic. But as far as being an actual villain. He doesn't do much. I think that's to his benefit. His whole concept is realistic in terms of, he has a time limit to how long he can fight. Which is why he created the jupponganta. But that doesn't make him still do so little in the story besides sit and wait for Kenshin to show up. My only real gripe.
-Kenshin conquers all of his fears and redeems himself completely towards the government by stopping the man that replaced him. Mastering Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and finally allowing his friends to help him. It's a profound and beautiful arc that makes Kenshins character shine.
Jinchu Arc - Acts/Chapters 152-255 - Rating: 7/10
-Where in the last arc we saw Kenshin redeem himself in the eyes of the government. This is the arc where we see Kenshin redeem himself in the eyes of himself. When his Brother in law returns from China and threatens his friends and everyone he's grown to care for over the last 151 chapters Kenshin struggles with the reality of what murdering his late wife has become of Enishi.
-To me, there are three chunks, but they all work towards the same goal. The beginning.(7/10) The Flashback. (9/10) The End (5/10)
-The flashback is the strongest part of this. It was the missing piece in Kenshin's character and it really helps us figure out how and why he became who he became. He smiles constantly because his late wife wanted him to smile more. It's so sweet and tragic.
-However, the actual arc collects a bunch of random riff raffs to challenge Kenshin and his group of friends that also kinda have "beef" with him. But this and the end were pretty much the weak parts of this arc to me. The one dudes whole problem was that he got his hand cut off....and Kenshin DIDN'T kill him so...he decided to lose his whale-like mind and join a terrorist group. Two of the others had people they loved died. Who weren't good dudes btw, they were villains. But still...revenge. The other guy had some kind of clan responsibility but when he was defeated Kenshin just told him to go back to his family so it really wasn't an issue. And the final guy...well he didn't even have a beef. He just wanted to test out his mega unrealistic puppets. I'm talking Naruto unrealistic for a historical fiction.
-But all of those dudes at least had reasons. The villains in the final part were all just throw away villains that even Watsuki reveals himself were just throwaways. They aren't too compelling and giving the characters we have grown to love a final fight may have been appreciated by me the initial go. (because I was 14) I just found myself not caring whatsoever about these fights that lasted a whole volume by themselves upon rereading.
Overall, Rurouni Kenshin is a fantastic historical fiction centered around fantastic real life historical individuals. It's ability to write honest, true characters of the time period makes me remember them and I truly found so much more good in this series with the reread. The biggest issues this series has is staying consistent and opting to expose it's lack of authenticity for grenade launchers. Overall 8/10
Tokyo Arc - Acts/Chapters 1-47 - Rating: 8/10
-A great start for a historical fiction. A bit on the nose, but I generally find with historical fictions you have to pretend that no one knows what time period you're talking about so it's nearly unavoidable.
-Great character work. Each Character introduced in Kenshin's gang are examples of how the war has hurt these people. This reflects on Kenshin as he was a key figure in the war that caused all these people that he growing to love, pain. Whether it's Yahiko who lost his parents to draft of war. Or Sanosuke who joined the rebellion and through political means lost his captain and the person he admired most. Or even Kaoru, who attempts to run a dojo in a time when Swords are forbidden by the government. All of these are monumental in Kenshin's redemption from the wrongs he has committed.
-My issue is moreso in how these conflicts come up. They seem very much villain of the week story. And most Shonens are when they initially start and I understand that. Some do it great. (Yu Yu hakusho) some do it terribly (Reborn) I think RuroKen does it OKAY. There are a lot of conveniences and Kenshin is the type of character who can nearly fix everything at any point because he's Kenshin and he outclasses the people they face.
-This arc is really split into 4 mini arcs. Beginning 6/10. Sanosuke Arc 9/10. Jin-E Arc 7/10. Oniwanbanshu arc 10/10
The Kyoto Arc - Acts/Chapters 48-151 - Rating: 9/10
-Phenomenal Arc. Kenshin must tackle with the concept of whether he can keep his oath against a man who is arguably his better. The man who replaced him as Hitokiri. Shishio Makota.
-The jupponganta, the villain group of this ark are all well designed and each one makes perfect sense why they would follow Shisho. Whether they love, respect or just want to kill him. Each one feels like a tough nit group. As for Shishio himself. He's one of those cool villains. I understand why he is and why he's so charismatic. But as far as being an actual villain. He doesn't do much. I think that's to his benefit. His whole concept is realistic in terms of, he has a time limit to how long he can fight. Which is why he created the jupponganta. But that doesn't make him still do so little in the story besides sit and wait for Kenshin to show up. My only real gripe.
-Kenshin conquers all of his fears and redeems himself completely towards the government by stopping the man that replaced him. Mastering Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and finally allowing his friends to help him. It's a profound and beautiful arc that makes Kenshins character shine.
Jinchu Arc - Acts/Chapters 152-255 - Rating: 7/10
-Where in the last arc we saw Kenshin redeem himself in the eyes of the government. This is the arc where we see Kenshin redeem himself in the eyes of himself. When his Brother in law returns from China and threatens his friends and everyone he's grown to care for over the last 151 chapters Kenshin struggles with the reality of what murdering his late wife has become of Enishi.
-To me, there are three chunks, but they all work towards the same goal. The beginning.(7/10) The Flashback. (9/10) The End (5/10)
-The flashback is the strongest part of this. It was the missing piece in Kenshin's character and it really helps us figure out how and why he became who he became. He smiles constantly because his late wife wanted him to smile more. It's so sweet and tragic.
-However, the actual arc collects a bunch of random riff raffs to challenge Kenshin and his group of friends that also kinda have "beef" with him. But this and the end were pretty much the weak parts of this arc to me. The one dudes whole problem was that he got his hand cut off....and Kenshin DIDN'T kill him so...he decided to lose his whale-like mind and join a terrorist group. Two of the others had people they loved died. Who weren't good dudes btw, they were villains. But still...revenge. The other guy had some kind of clan responsibility but when he was defeated Kenshin just told him to go back to his family so it really wasn't an issue. And the final guy...well he didn't even have a beef. He just wanted to test out his mega unrealistic puppets. I'm talking Naruto unrealistic for a historical fiction.
-But all of those dudes at least had reasons. The villains in the final part were all just throw away villains that even Watsuki reveals himself were just throwaways. They aren't too compelling and giving the characters we have grown to love a final fight may have been appreciated by me the initial go. (because I was 14) I just found myself not caring whatsoever about these fights that lasted a whole volume by themselves upon rereading.
Overall, Rurouni Kenshin is a fantastic historical fiction centered around fantastic real life historical individuals. It's ability to write honest, true characters of the time period makes me remember them and I truly found so much more good in this series with the reread. The biggest issues this series has is staying consistent and opting to expose it's lack of authenticity for grenade launchers. Overall 8/10
May 16, 2023
Nice! What a 180 from the last volume. In comparison to the anime I felt this version of the Yutarou/Raijuuta story was way better paced, and made for a more emotional and poetic conclusion. Same goes for Sanousuke's story reuniting with Tsukioka. Somehow when Watsuki finds that balance between genuine human tragedy, compassion, and optimism, a magical quality starts to resonate from the page. Some of the cheesier shades of the narrative begin to fade away behind the authenticity of his characters and their stories. THIS is what peak Kenshin feels like (at least to me anyway 😋)
Onto volume 7!
Onto volume 7!
February 5, 2025
Kenshin versus Raijuta comes to a satisfying conclusion in a pretty awesome battle. Also, Sano is left with one of the toughest choices to this point in the series, with his decision making very large consequences no matter what he decides. On top of this there is another healthy bonus piece of work by Nobuhiro Watsuki in the back! I say back but it starts at page 169! Another solid volume.
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