This is my very first manga review and my victim is "Rurouni Kenshin"
Rurouni Kenshin is a manga which ran from 1994-1999 so yeah, it's been a decade or so and back when it was licensed to be aired on TV, I was just an elementary student.
This manga is my favorite amongst all those I've read. I've read a lot of manga and this is so far, the only one that has exceeded my expectations. Others are good as well but since I love history, RurouKen took the number one spot.
For those who haven't read it or seen it then this is my own summary of the story.
Shinta was a son of a farmer. His family perished due to cholera and he was forced to be a slave. When the bandits killed all his fellow slaves, he was saved by Hiko Seijuru. On their second meeting, Seijuru named Shinta as Kenshin Himura or "the heart of sword." After a few years he trained and learned the secrets of the Hitten Mitsurugi Ryuu but before he graduated from this technique, he joined the Ishin Shishi and helped them abolished the Bakumatsu period while building a new era. Kenshin was hired as an assassin and from ages 14-19, he became known as Hitokiri Battosai. When he was tasked to kill a samurai from the other group, he was able to do so and from it he got his first scar on his left cheek. After a few months, Kenshin met Tomoe. During that time, Ishin shishi were losing and to save themselves, they parted ways temporarily. Kenshin was advised by his leader to come with Tomoe and so they got married when he was 15 and Tomoe was 17. They looked after each other for five months until Enishi, Tomo's brother, came and signaled her that it was time to leave Kenshin. On their last night together, Tomoe confessed that she was a spy from the enemy of Ishin Shishi and they were plotting to kill Battosai. Kenshin promised to protect Tomoe but on that night, Tomoe left. She was eventually captured by the enemy group and Kenshin rushed to save her. She found out that she was used as Battosai's weakness and to save Kenshin, she sacrificed herself. Her short sword fell and Kenshin was wounded thus making the cross-shaped scar on his face. Later on, he found out that the samurai he killed was the fiance of Tomoe.
He continued living but after succeeding in building the Meiji era, he left and became a legend. On the 11th year of the Meiji era, he went to Tokyo as a wanderer and met the assistant mentor of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu, Kaoru Kamiya. He saved her from those people who wished to forced her to sell her dojo. Eventually, everyone discovered that the rurouni is the Battosai feared during the Bakamatsu. When he was about to leave, Kaoru stopped her and asked him to stay.
He met Yahiko and Sanosuke as well as Megumi while he was staying in Kamiya's dojo. All of them were saved by him in different circumstances. They all became his friends who stood by him when he fought Jin'eh, Raijuuta, Aoshi, Saito, Soujiro, Shishio and lastly Enishi. At the conclusion of the series, Kenshin was seen with a short hair and somewhat faded scar. He became Kaoru's husband and they had a child named Kenji who hates him in a cute way.
Yahiko turned 15 and Kenshin gave the sakabatou to him. Megumi continued
being a doctor in Aizu. Sanosuke became vagabond in another country.
I also watched the OVA's of Rurouni Kenshin. The sad part on the conclusion
of the OVA was Kenshin being incapable of using Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. I was sad
for him and somewhat happy because it symbolizes peace within him. I think I
just got really affected by the RurouKen's OVAs. They were all depressing
especially on the part where Kenshin died due to a unknown disease. It made me
cry and that time I really wanted to throw away the laptop I'm using. I just
didn't because it's expensive and it's not mine. I know I'm a overly reacting
but if you're a fan just like me, you would understand the pain of watching the
one you admire the most die.
