Rurouni Kenshin Episode 3, which acts as Part 2 of Episode 2, aired this week. We’ll finally see Kenshin and Kaoru take on the yakuza and save Yahiko.
Episode 3 — “Kasshin-Ryu・Reborn”
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Concluding Yahiko’s Yakuza Arc
As we discussed last week, the 2023 version of Rurouni Kenshin combined the events of Episodes 2 and 3 from the 1996 version. Episode 3 in 1996 starts with Kenshin, Ayame, and Suzume rolling rice balls. 2023’s version begins with Yahiko getting beaten with a stick by the Kanto Shuei Group yakuza. Yahiko haters will be happy. Because the events happened out of order, Yahiko never got to take on the Sword-Bearing Police from last week.
Kaoru and Kenshin first learn of Yahiko’s situation from Tae, a server at a restaurant in the 1996 iteration. However, Kaoru watches as a guy carries an unconscious Yahiko over his shoulder. No exposition from a cute girl, just an unconscious Yahiko.
Yahiko’s introduction to the Kamiya Dojo is the same in both adaptations: he argues with Kaoru and demands that Kenshin teach him instead. Kenshin, of course, declines and insists that he will not pass his style down to future generations.
Rurouni Kenshin: Past and Present — Hishimanji Guren Gang
The Hishimanji Guren Gang appears and uses a wooden cannon to breach defenses. But its reasons vary from anime to manga.
The Hishimanji Guren Gang appeared in Act 4 of the manga. Former Kamiya students ran to the dojo for help because they ran afoul of the Hishimanji Guren Gang. They got drunk and started a fight with the wrong people. We see Kaoru take on two guys like a champ, and that’s always good. Even Nobuhiro Watsuki has said that Kaoru is at the level of a national-level champion. That happened in the manga but was never adequately adapted to anime. In the 1996 anime, the Hishimanji Guren Gang appeared in Episode 14 as Megumi’s enemy.
Things wrap up as before, the Hishimanji Guren Gang is defeated, and the students express regret. Kaoru has also inspired Yahiko to learn at the Kamiya Dojo properly. There’s no sign of Raiko, the fake faith healer aligned with the gang, but he was an anime-only character for a filler episode.
Less Crouching Moron, More Hidden Badass
Rather, Kenshin doesn’t have time to hide anything. He’s too busy taking on the yakuza and other bad guys. Yahiko is about to be struck down when Kenshin kicks in the front door. He quickly defeats the yakuza‘s top enforcer in one move. He makes a joke of it to demoralize his opponents. Kenshin explains that he was late to finding Yahiko because he tore through numerous other groups in a deliberate process of elimination. That is this week’s top “hidden badass” moment.
Kenshin grabbed Yahiko and walked away. The yakuza enforcers were geared up to pursue him, but their boss called him off and correctly said, “You can’t have enough lives to go against” Kenshin. Being a badass isn’t just about demolishing entire groups: it’s about leaving behind a reputation so you don’t have to do it again to be convincing.
The fight against the Hishimanji Guren Gang really shows off Kenshin’s skill. He cuts a clay cannonball in half like it’s nothing. The gang then does the smart thing and flees for their lives.
Rurouni Kenshin Ep. 4: The Fighter for Hire・Sanosuke Sagara
The next episode will properly introduce Sanosuke, the brawler who wields a giant zanbato like it’s weightless. He was previously hired to fight Kenshin by the Hiruma brothers, so let’s see if that still holds next week.
Let’s keep the duels coming, as provided by J-List’s shop. The next opponent is Saber/Astolfo 1/7 Figure from the Fate series section. Given Astolfo’s cultured fans, I’d say even they would be rooting for Kenshin. Good money says they want to see Fembocchi in some state of loss for the cute appeal.
Did you enjoy this week’s episode? Were you surprised to see the Hishimanji Guren Gang as they originally appeared in the manga? Do you think this anime adaptation will incorporate further manga elements that the 1996 adaptation left out? Let us know in the comments below.
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