Rurouni Kenshin - some miscellaneous questions from the Kyoto Arc

[oranthal]

1) I know it was done for editing purposes but, do you know anyone who holds a "toothpick" the way that Saitou does?

2) In last episode of the Kyoto Arc, Satiou says he has a score to settle with Kenshin that goes back to the revolution. I really don't remember their conflict with one another during the revolution.

3) I really don't understand the different governments during the show. The current is the Meiji Era(?) which is good or bad? When Kenshin was the Battousai, what government was that?

4) The Hiten Mitsurugi's ultimate attack, "Amekekeru Ryu no Hiromeki". Did Kenshin use this technique twice against Shishio? The first time, Shishio blocked the attack, and then he was drawn towards Kenshin. Did Kenshin than use the ultimate attack again? When Kenshin used it on Shishio, Aoshi explained that it was the more powerful version than the one Kenshin used on him. He said with the first step, Kenshin spun with the sheath of the sword while the second step was ????? I don't quite understand his explanation of the attack.

5) Even after getting it with the attack, Shishio was relatively okay. He was not knocked out like Aoshi and Soujiro were. Was this because Kenshin wasn't at his top physical shape with the damage he took from fighitng Aoshi and Soujiro.

6) Is Soujiro even faster than Shishio?

[TnAdct1]

2) In last episode of the Kyoto Arc, Satiou says he has a score to settle with Kenshin that goes back to the revolution. I really don't remember their conflict with one another during the revolution.

There's a flashback of Kenshin and Saitou fighting each other 10 years ago in the first episode of the Kyoto arc, which gives you an idea of what Saitou was talking about.

[Sampo]

1) I know it was done for editing purposes but, do you know anyway who holds a "toothpick" the way that Saitou does?
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Yup, Genkai also picks up the Toothpick habbit when Yu Yu Hakusho aired on Toonami.


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3) I really don't understand the different governments during the show. The current is the Meiji Era(?) which is good or bad? When Kenshin was the Battousai, what government was that?


Gah, I can't remember what government Kenshin the Battousai was under (if there was even a government). As for the Meiji Era, it is a great time for peace but at the same time corrupt things were done to achieve this goal. One of them was the beheading of Sano's former army leader (doh, can't remember the name) when he was a child. The government promised tax cuts if people helped support the emerging government. When the government was in place they needed the taxes, so they blamed this small army for spreading false rumors and had them executed.


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4) The Hiten Mitsurugi's ultimate attack, "Amekekeru Ryu no Hiromeki". Did Kenshin use this technique twice against Shishio? The first time, Shishio blocked the attack, and then he was drawn towards Kenshin. Did Kenshin than use the ultimate attack again? When Kenshin used it on Shishio, Aoshi explained that it was the more powerful version than the one Kenshin used on him. He said with the first step, Kenshin spun with the sheath of the sword while the second step was ????? I don't quite understand his explanation of the attack.


Man, that's a good point. Sorry I can't comment on that.


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5) Even after getting it with the attack, Shishio was relatively okay. He was not knocked out like Aoshi and Soujiro were. Was this because Kenshin wasn't at his top physical shape with the damage he took from fighitng Aoshi and Soujiro.
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In my opinion, I would also agree with the above. Kenshin was really drained from these two fights.


6) Is Soujiro even faster than Shishio?

Yup I think so. Soujiro has speed. But Shishio has experience, is very powerful with his attacks, and very robust as he can take a number of Kenshin's sword attacks (like the 5 HIT COMBO!!!) and still move.

BTW, great questions!

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

1) 2) In last episode of the Kyoto Arc, Satiou says he has a score to settle with Kenshin that goes back to the revolution. I really don't remember their conflict with one another during the revolution.


http://www.miburo.com/info/shinsen.html

Basically, the reason Kenshin and Saitou were so much at odds was because of whom they worked for during the Akamatsu. Kenshin was an assassin for the Ishinshishi, whom the Shinsengumi violently opposed and clashed with various times. Kenshin admits that he crossed swords with various captains of the Shinsengumi, particulary Saitou and Okita, but the duels were never finished for various reasons. Saitou wants to end things with Kenshin so he can finally put the Akamatsu behind him completely. He eventually gives up and moves on, though.

[Mike JD Silva]

3) I really don't understand the different governments during the show. The current is the Meiji Era(?) which is good or bad? When Kenshin was the Battousai, what government was that?

During the show, the 'current' government was the Meiji. During the Revolution(or, the Bakumatsu no Doran) when Kenshin earned the name Battousai, it was the Tokugawa Shogunate, which had been in power when it brought Japan together(and out of the Warring States Period[Sengoku Jidai], in which Inuyasha takes place in) in the beginnings of the 17th century.

4) The Hiten Mitsurugi's ultimate attack, "Amekekeru Ryu no Hiromeki". Did Kenshin use this technique twice against Shishio? The first time, Shishio blocked the attack, and then he was drawn towards Kenshin. Did Kenshin than use the ultimate attack again? When Kenshin used it on Shishio, Aoshi explained that it was the more powerful version than the one Kenshin used on him. He said with the first step, Kenshin spun with the sheath of the sword while the second step was ????? I don't quite understand his explanation of the attack.

What happened was when Kenshin used the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki was when Shishio blocked it, the air around the blocked attack shattered, creating a momentary vacuum. That vacuum suck and pulled at both Shishio and Kenshin(what was worse for Shishio was that, unlike Kenshin, he had lost his balance when he was getting 'sucked in'). Kenshin, after completing the first attack went straight for another one, and the pull of that vacuum helped increase the power of the attack. So when that attack connected, it was far stronger than the first one.

5) Even after getting it with the attack, Shishio was relatively okay. He was not knocked out like Aoshi and Soujiro were. Was this because Kenshin wasn't at his top physical shape with the damage he took from fighitng Aoshi and Soujiro.

No, Shishio was hurt, but combined with his adreneline, and his condition(his body heat), they probably helped out more than it should have in that regard. Though the simpler reason is probably that Watsuki really wanted to show that Shishio was far stronger than the others.

6) Is Soujiro even faster than Shishio?

Most likely, yes.

[oranthal]

http://www.miburo.com/info/shinsen.html

Basically, the reason Kenshin and Saitou were so much at odds was because of whom they worked for during the Akamatsu. Kenshin was an assassin for the Ishinshishi, whom the Shinsengumi violently opposed and clashed with various times. Kenshin admits that he crossed swords with various captains of the Shinsengumi, particulary Saitou and Okita, but the duels were never finished for various reasons. Saitou wants to end things with Kenshin so he can finally put the Akamatsu behind him completely. He eventually gives up and moves on, though.

So Kenshin was kind of the bad guy, and Saitou was the good guy who wanted to protect Kyoto.

I remember hearing that they were kind of of the same side during the latter part of the Revolution. Was this true or did I remember wrong?

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

So Kenshin was kind of the bad guy, and Saitou was the good guy who wanted to protect Kyoto.

I remember hearing that they were kind of of the same side during the latter part of the Revolution. Was this true or did I remember wrong?

The plans of the Ishinshishi and the ideals of the Ishinshishi were very different. Their plans were despicable, yes, but their opinion that the government was corrupt and oppressive and should be destroyed was one held by many people in the country. Kenshin, however, had nothing to do with those particular plans. His job was simple, kill those he's told to kill. A message with the name of an enemy leader or official who could squash the rebellion would be delivered, and Kenshin would go take him out. It wasn't a matter of Kenshin being "evil", it was a matter of him following orders.

[Mike JD Silva]

The plans of the Ishinshishi and the ideals of the Ishinshishi were very different. Their plans were despicable, yes, but their opinion that the government was corrupt and oppressive and should be destroyed was one held by many people in the country. Kenshin, however, had nothing to do with those particular plans. His job was simple, kill those he's told to kill. A message with the name of an enemy leader or official who could squash the rebellion would be delivered, and Kenshin would go take him out. It wasn't a matter of Kenshin being "evil", it was a matter of him following orders.

There's also the matter of fighting for what they believed in. Kenshin also fought in hope for a new world so that all people could live equally(the prior system under the Shogunate was more or less a Caste System).