You know I don't even remember anymore where I fell in love with Rurouni Kenshin. I don't think it was through fiction, because I'm still having problems finding really good yaoi RK fic. Nor did I see it on television because I already had the first 14 dvds by the time Cartoon Network aired them. Hmmm I really can't remember, it must have been conversations with my anime friends. Yanagi did you talk to me about RK? It wouldn't surprise me considering the number of animes you've introduced me to. LOL Or perhaps I saw pictures on websites, maybe even previews on other dvds. Ahhh in fact I think that just might be where I saw it the first time now that I think of it. Anyway whatever the reason I was drawn to the show it was more than worth it.

Our hero is Kenshin Himura, a swordsman who has actually been wandering the countryside of Japan for 10 years when our story opens. Now to me that is a long time to be wandering, enough time to traverse Japan twice probably. I bet there are a lot of stories he could tell. Kenshin is a legend from the Meiji Revolution, known Battousai the Manslayer or Hitokiri Battousai. He is also considered a hero by the Officials of the Government though there is some question at first when it comes to the countries Police force. They seem to be under the impression that he is wanted for desertion.

Kenshin has almost a split personality. He lends to this idea through his own words and actions. On the one hand he is the gentle wander - kind, brave, protective, helpful.... If it is at all good, that is Kenshin. On the other hand he is the manslayer - a killer, cold, remorseless, fighting without quarter and whose conscience rationalized the deaths to protect his heart. Kenshin's biggest fear is becoming the Battousai once more by taking a life. To prevent that he fights with sword whose blade is reversed, called The Reversed Blade Sword. In his guise as the wander he hides his true nature under one that is a touch innocent and a bit bumbling. When danger shows up though, he is a completely different person, strong, coordinated, intense. It's honestly hard to decide which Kenshin I like better.

One of the things that makes the show great is the richness of the cast. It's always growing as we meet people from Kenshin's past during the revolution and the new people that he is meeting for the first time. The characters in most cases are well developed and three dimensional with good and bad traits, emotions, pasts and dreams for the future. Many of the people that Kenshin meets fall within a rather gray area of good and bad so that you never know what they might do next to fulfill the quest at hand. In some cases even the bad guys are easy to like because their reasons for what they are doing are understandable and at times even honorable. Others though, all you can do is despise them, some you even pity because they are just rather stupid dupes.

In the first several episodes Kenshin develops and extended family when he protects the good name of Dojo and the sword technique it created. From there the family grows and aquaintances and enemies alike begin to fill the ranks. The immediate family though is comprised of Kaoru Kamia, Yuhiko Myoji, Sanosake Segara, Dr. Gensai and his Granddaughters and Megumi Takani. This picture shows Kenshin with the people who actually make up his extended family that we see the most of.

I will admit that as a yaoi fan both Kaoru and Megumi irritate me something fierce, but I still can't help but like them. To that end I feel compelled to place one token picture of Kenshin and Kaoru on the page. Technically in canon she is his love interest. But one is all you will ever have to see.   ^___^   Dr. Gensai's Granddaughters on the other hand are just too cute for words. I love watching Kenshin when he's with them. He'll make one hell of a Mommy one of these days! What I really love though, is Saitou's estimation of both women. In his mind Kaoru is a racoon and Megumi is a fox and knowing Saitou it doesn't refer to her beauty. LOL

Now on the other hand... the men of the show are too beautiful to be irritating. I could watch them for hours on end and never get tired of them. The three men in the picture are the ones that we see most often who influence Kenshin's life in some of the most extreme ways. Each of them starting out as rivals. Becoming friends even if reluctantly and in some cases on fragile footing as the struggles to be known as the best and to settle old scores stand between them. Now I've already stated that my favorite character, Okita Souji, is not even really in the series except for a few flashbacks. Even in the Samurai X OVAs we only see him sparingly. The others though, we do get to see quite often, some from Kenshin's past some newly met as his wandering came to an end.

Click on the animated gif of Hiko to read a small blurb on each of main friends and opponents in Kenshin's life.

       

The Sagaras, though I know they were never related, they might as well have been for all that Sano loved Souzo like an older brother.

By the way... the picture at the top of the page was found somewhere but I no longer remember where. It has also been altered, it had the word/s Emperialdirt on it. I honestly didn't think it was all that appropriate on a picture of Kenshin Himora or Battousai the manslayer.