RUROUNI KENSHIN EPISODES 76-80 BRIEF SUMMARIES

Bon Voyage

Not Completed

Himura Dojo in Shimonseki?

A boat to Tokyo doesn’t leave for three days. In the meantime, the Kenshin gang enjoy a meal at an excellent seafood restaurant. While eating, a confrontation erupts between the owner and a group of drunken men from the Tengu Party. Misao and Yahiko volunteer to help…Kenshin and Sano remain on the sidelines. When the angered men draw their swords, a large man claiming to be the Battousai (cross like scar on his left arm....left ARM?) threatens them. The men run in fear as the phony Battousai boasts of his great strength. Kaoru nudges Kenshin, but Himura thinks it's best to leave him alone since he isn't really doing anything wrong. Misao, however, is pissed and resolves to check this guy out.

After some investigating, Misao returns to tell Kenshin and the others how the fake Battousai is taking money from vendors and shop owners in exchange for his protection. Even though Kenshin only wants to find lodging for the evening, Misao drags everyone to a dojo. To Their surprise, it is named "Himura Dojo."

They call for the huge man, only to be bewildered when he assumes Kenshin came for a lesson in swordsmanship. Before anyone can tell this man otherwise, he is surrounded by several children.....all wanting something different. The fake Battousai offers them a place to sleep for the evening, and Kenshin accepts.

A while later, everyone is helping at the dojo when Misao returns with some information. Seems the men claiming to be from the Tengu Party and fighting for democracy are no more than a group of hooligans, but they calmed down when the phony Battousai showed up. When Kenshin adds that the children here lost their families during the revolution in Seinan and the Meiji restoration, everyone concedes this phony is a nice guy trying to raise the orphaned children.

The scene changes to the Tengu men drinking and discussing how to rid themselves of the Battousai. They are introduced to Sir Jurobei Anzai who offers to kill the Battousai for a price. At the same time, Kenshin and Sano have gone to town to purchase food and supplies.

Back at the dojo, Yahiko is working with the children under the watchful of our "nice Battousai fake." Suddenly, the Tengu men arrive drawing their swords. Yahiko and Kaoru help, but then Sir Anzai comes forward, and this man is not weak. Our phony cowers and admits he is not the real Battousai. Just before he is about to be sliced and diced, Kenshin arrives (Misao ran and fetched him). Using the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, he takes down Jurobei easily. The celebration is short lived when two of the members of the Tengu threaten two of the children with swords pressed tightly against the children's necks. Our friendly fake becomes outraged and knocks both men out with his bare hands.

Once everything has settled down, the man apologizes to Kenshin and explains who he really is.....Heizo Ogawa, a man who was unable to master swordsmanship and ended up selling toad oil. The children are still proud of him even if he is unable to use a sword.

At the docks prior to departure, Kenshin tells Ogawa he hasn't used that name in ten years. Everyone is surprised when Ogawa asks if he may continue to use the name.

After the Kenshin crew say their sayonara's and leave for home, Ogawa tells the children to call him "Sir Battousai."

Crush!

Misao had accompanied the Kenshin crew on their return home. Unfortunately, They had to leave the boat in Shimizu, because it broke down. Now they are traveling on foot. As luck would have it, Hakone, the famous hot springs town, is close by.

When it comes time to pay the bill, Kenshin discovers he had lost their traveling money. They all pledge to work for the Inn to pay off what is owed. While working, they run into a frustrated student artist (Ryuzaburo Higashiyama) who falls in love with Ms. Kaoru claiming she is the beauty he has been looking for. However, Sano must stop the young man from committing suicide after he learns Ms. Kaoru's affections lie with Kenshin. Afterwards, the sneaky Misao and Sano think of a plan, knowing it's one that Ryuzaburo will be unable to carry through. If he is able to defeat Kenshin with Yahiko's wooden sword, they will help him win over Ms. Kaoru.

Poor Ryuzaburo tries and fails over and over again, which makes for many hilarious scenes. Kenshin, on the other hand is oblivious to what's going on. Finally, Ms. Kaoru catches wind of the plan and becomes concerned for the student's safety. She tracks down Kenshin in the woods (gathering wild plants for dinner) just as Ryuzaburo is making his last attempt to strike down Kenshin. The youth's Tarzan-like attack lands him face-down in the brush. When a swarm of wasps are about to attack, Kenshin and Sano save the boy.

Afterwards Kaoru is wrapping Kenshin's arm while Ryuzaburo looks on. He realizes that the beauty in Ms. Kaoru's heart is her love for Kenshin. He is enlightened and able to paint with meaning.

Before Ryuzaburo says his final goodbyes, he presents Ms. Kaoru with a painting entitled "The Smile of a Goddess." While walking home, the others convince her to open the painting. OMG...they get a big laugh when they see this odd piece of modern art. Ms. Kaoru, however, is not laughing (^_~).

Kaishu Katsu and Kenshin

Kenshin and the others have returned to their dojo. Not long after, they encounter a studious young man (Daigoro Okuma) talking enthusiastically about mankind one day visiting the moon. Everyone laughs him off, but Kenshin. An elderly gentleman walks up and asks Daigoro to join him. When Yahiko and the others attempt to return books the boy had left behind, they find the two under attack. A fight takes place until a stagecoach pulls up. Out steps a well dressed young man (Tetsuma) drawing an unusual sword. The offenders flee.

Because Daigoro could do nothing but cower, the elderly man refuses to keep the boy as an apprentice and sends him off. Ms. Kaoru declares that she will train Daigoro at the Kamiya dojo. Back at the dojo, Kenshin is wondering why the old man, whom he remembers as Kaishu Katsu, would do such a thing.

The next morning the elderly gentleman's daughter (Itsuko) becomes angry when Daigoro doesn't return. She insists on going to the Kamiya dojo to fetch him. Kaishu says if she goes, don't bother coming home. As she is walking out, Tetsuma arrives and offers to take her to the Kamiya dojo. Once there, Tetsuma makes degrading remarks infuriating Ms. Kaoru. Kenshin steps in to break up their arguing.

That evening, after everyone enjoys the wonderful cooking of Itsuko, Kenshin steps out to see Kaishu Katsu privately. It appears the man wanted Daigoro and Itsuko out of his home for a reason. He is speaking as if his days are numbered, and Kenshin can sense this. On his way home, Kenshin is surrounded by the men who attacked Kaishu Katsu earlier. Just what are they up to?

The Unending Revolution

NOTE: This episode will be summed up briefly.

Picking up from the last episode, we learn that it is the Beni-Aoi group that have surrounded Kenshin. They learn that Kenshin is not working for Kaishu and leave him alone. This puzzling situation plagues Kenshin.

The next day, a storm looms appropriately as Daigoro discusses with Kenshin what he knows about Sir Katsu. Sir Katsu gave financial aid to the Saigo army during the Sei-Nan war. Takamori Saigo and Sir Katsu worked together to avoid bloodshed in the fall of the Edo Castle, and the Beni-Aoi hold a grudge over what happened there.

Later in the day, Daigoro spars with Yahiko, but injures his back in the process. Ms. Itsuko tries to make the young man feel better. Kenshin catches Ms. Kaoru and Yahiko eves dropping on the young couple (funny scene).

That evening Ms. Itsuko offers to teach Ms. Kaoru how to cook. When the subject of Daigoro comes up, Ms. Itsuko avoids it by running to fetch more daigon radishes. When she leaves the dojo, the Beni-Aoi group kidnap her.

Late in the evening, Sir Katsu sits in darkness reading the ominous letter left by the Beni-Aoi.