Sanosuke had a nice, heartwarming reunion with a childhood friend last week. They both served in the Sekiho Army back in the day. Sanosuke even threw a great party at the Kamiya Dojo with some of his friends’ funds. Katsuhiro got to know the members of Kenshingumi, but he seemed a bit hesitant with Kenshin himself. However, the day seemed to go fine. Except for the fact that Katsuhiro was planning to blow the Meiji Government to kingdom come with the ton of bombs he created himself. Now we wait to see how Sanosuke reconciles his past and present in this week’s episode of Rurouni Kenshin.
Episode 19 — Tsunan and Nishiki-e Paintings
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Party Hard
As one would expect, because the 1996 adaptation created an anime-only side-quest for Sanosuke and Katsuhiro to complete, these two episodes start out differently. The older episode began with Sanosuke throwing that party for his friends at the Kamiya Dojo. That version of the party was far better. Not only did it have Best Doctor Oguni Gensai, but we also got Ayame and Suzume. Guys, I don’t think they exist in this new adaptation. I don’t care if they were anime-only, they made the first adaptation great.
The 1996 party also had some good, old-fashioned shipping. Yahiko remarked that Sanosuke and Megumi argued so much that they would make a good couple. This earned him strikes from both of them. Later, Kaoru offered to pour Kenshin’s sake. Megumi stepped in and grabbed the bottle to pour it herself. The scenes showing Yahiko getting drunk and passing out, and Kaoru getting sad drunk and confessing her doubts, were also omitted.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Explosive Entrance
The 2023 adaptation started out with Sanosuke and Katsuhiro infiltrating the Home Ministry. They had their party, and it wasn’t as fun as it was back in 1996. The Home Ministry’s wall might’ve been a lot taller back then, too. Sanosuke had to take off his shirt to use as a rope so Katsuhiro could climb up. This time, he just reached down with his hand to pull the artist up.
As before, Kenshin is on the scene to stop their plans. The encounter in 1996 was the first time Katsuhiro saw Kenshin, so he needed an introduction. This time, since they met and spoke at the party, Katsuhiro needed to know what sort of former Imperialist Kenshin was. It’s a small difference, but it adds a layer of tension.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Kenshin vs. Sekiho Army Remnants
The iconic scene of Kenshin defusing Katsuhiro’s bombs simply looks better in 1996. Back then, Kenshin used one fluid cut to create a vacuum that starved the fuses. This time, he simply cut the fuses and didn’t even sheathe his blade in a single motion. The bombs also didn’t fall behind him. The scene here is just ruined.
Katsuhiro decided to take on Kenshin first in this new anime adaptation. He threw more bombs than before, and Kenshin got his own Sephiroth scene this time. It was admittedly epic. Score one point for 2023. Minus one point because Katsuhiro used a short-fuse bomb that exploded before Kenshin could cut it back in 1996. Minus another because 1996 had Sanosuke vs. Kenshin, round 2.
It’s not that Sanosuke vs. Kenshin is more epic than Katsuhiro vs. Kenshin. That Sephiroth scene was actually great. However, the fight between Kenshin and Sanosuke was longer and more brutal. There was more emotion in it. Kenshin also took all of Katsuhiro’s anger and resentment at the Meiji government with a smile. Sanosuke told his friend earlier that Kenshin is no fan of the government either.
Both versions see Kenshin letting Sanosuke and Katsuhiro go. In 2023, Kenshin deflected one of the bombs to blow a hole in the wall to let Sanosuke and an unconscious Katsuhiro make a hasty escape. 1996 saw Katsuhiro and an unconscious Sanosuke just run off with no clear exit shown.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — After the Battle
Things wrapped up more cleanly back in 1996. Katsuhiro brought Sanosuke somewhere to rest while he buried his own bombs. In 2023, Katsuhiro woke up after Sanosuke knocked him out and discovered that Kenshin took his bombs to bury them elsewhere. He then declared that he would commit seppuku before the Home Ministry to rouse the public into investigating his reasons.
Sanosuke gave chase after Katsuhiro used a smoke bomb to escape. The two collided and had a brief fistfight where Sanosuke convinced Katsuhiro to give up on his plans. This is where Sanosuke explained Kenshin’s past and his dislike of the Meiji government, a conversation that happened earlier in the 1996 episode.
The 2023 scenes where Sanosuke carries Katsuhiro home on his back are actually really good. Kenshin using Katsuhiro’s metal rings to set a spark and use a bomb as a firework is also really good. More points to 2023 for that. It also gets more points for the post-credit scene where government officials suspect, then Okubo dismisses, Shishio Makoto as the culprit for the explosions.
Regardless, Katsuhiro giving up nishiki-e to start an illustrated newspaper blowing the whistle on the Meiji government’s corruption remains the same in both adaptations.
Rurouni Kenshin Ep. 20: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, Act Zero, Part One
I have no idea what the next episode might be about. “Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story” is the full Japanese title of the series, though. “Act Zero” might be referring to a prequel story.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Do you prefer the 1996 or the 2023 fight scene at the government building? Will Katsuhiro’s newspaper have any real effect on the government? Let us know in the comments below.
Next up for our fantasy matches: rurouni vs. ancient witch. Echidna 1/7 Figure -Hanfu- from Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- is now available for pre-order.
