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Rurouni in the City is the second chapter of the Rurouni Kenshin manga.

Synopsis[]

After the incident at the Kamiya Dōjō was resolved, Himura Kenshin started living there alongside Kamiya Kaoru as she started running around trying to get her students back. However, not one of them came back, much to her dismay. As Kaoru goes shopping with Kenshin in the streets of Tokyo, she comes across a carriage containing Yamagata Aritomo who asks her directions to the police station, which she gives him. When she turns around, she finds out that Kenshin has been cornered by the police for bearing a katana and thus violating the Meiji Government era's sword abolishment edict.

The police are joined by a special unit of sword-bearing police, specially permitted to carry those weapons, who brutally take over the scene and proceed to threaten Kenshin, Kaoru and the populace, which leads the rurouni to draw his Sakabatō. Running to the scene of the ongoing fight, Yamagata sees Kenshin finishing off the sword-bearing police, ending with their leader, Ujiki. This incident over, Yamagata tries to convince Kenshin to rejoin the ranks of the Ishin Shishi once more, but Kenshin refuses. He says that his sword allows him to protect the people around him.

Summary[]

Even with the "Battōusai" case involving the Hiruma Brothers, Gohei and Kihei, closed, students are not returning to the Kamiya Dōjō. An angered Kaoru takes off to the marketplace with Kenshin to do some shopping. While shopping, however, Kaoru is asked by a man with a long mustache in a carriage the location of the nearest police station. Once the man is helped out, Kaoru looks around for Kenshin. He has disappeared from her side.

After searching around, Kaoru finds Kenshin cornered against a wall by the sword police, armed policemen that have the right to murder, or so they say. Kaoru heads closer to the scene, but she is stopped by other sword policemen. The head of the sword police, Ujiki, demands that Kenshin draw his sword, otherwise, both he and Kaoru will be killed before the public. The onlooking people all disagree in an uproar of negative comments towards the sword police. Without hesitation, Ujiki orders his men to silence the crowd with death. Kenshin is finally pushed over the line; he draws his sword and fights.

Easily, Kenshin takes out all the members of the sword police, leaving only Ujiki as the last one standing. He promises to be arrested by Ujiki on the charges of illegally carrying a weapon, but he wants the safety of the people to be guaranteed. Ujiki won't let the rurouni go so easily. With his sword raised at his side, Ujiki charges forward at Kenshin. Using his speed, Kenshin leaps over Ujiki and slashes his across the back with his Sakabatō. Instantly, Ujiki is knocked out.

The man bearing the mustache Kaoru gave directions to when he was in a carriage appears before both Kenshin and Kaoru as the crowd runs over to hug the rurouni as a sign of thanks and appreciation. The police disperses the crowd and takes the sword police into custody for their abuse of power. The man is none other than the Chief of the Meiji Government, Yamagata Aritomo. Once the crowd is cleared away, Kenshin greets Yamagata, but more importantly, Yamagata invites Kenshin to the position in the Meiji Government that is awaiting him. Graciously, Kenshin declines the position.

Even if he was one of the most important men that helped bring forth the Meiji Government, Kenshin does not accept such an offer. Government power has corrupted such individuals like Ujiki, for example, and Kenshin does not want to forget what all the fighting was for - a new era of happiness for the people of Japan. As Kenshin and Kaoru walk away from Yamagata, the man with the mustache asks Kenshin why he carries a sword when it's useless in the Meiji Era. Kenshin turns around and answers. Simply, it's to protect. The only thing that has actually changed is that Himura Kenshin has changed from a hitokiri to a rurouni. With that said, Kenshin and Kaoru depart. Through a basic trip to the marketplace, Kaoru has learned much of the man now living at her home.

Characters in Order of Appearance[]

Chapter Notes[]

This chapter has several differences with other portrayals of the initial events of the story in different itterations of the franchise:

Differences with the 1996 anime[]

  • In the anime, Kenshin's encounter with Yamagata happens after they meet Myōjin Yahiko.
  • The events of the anime episodes are switched, because Yamagata is introduced in episode three of the anime, and Yahiko is introduced in episode two.
  • In the manga, Kenshin goes to buy stuff with Kaoru, meanwhile in the anime Kenshin goes with Ayame and Suzume.
  • In the manga the Sword Bearing Police appears during the turmoil between Kenshin and the local police, and the Sword Bearing Police abuses were just knocking down a local police officer, cut Kaoru's ribbon y ordering to kill some citizens that were witnessing the fight. This is in contrast with the anime in which the Sword Bearing Police were committing abuses against the people before Kenshin even appeared.
  • In the manga Yamagata meets Kaoru casually in downtown Tokyo, and asks her where the Police Station is located. In the anime Yamagata goes directly to the Kamiya Dōjō looking for Battōsai, and he does not talk to Kaoru, but chief Uramura and other policemen ask for Battōsai while Yamagata stays at the carriage.
  • In the manga Yamagata does not insist much when Kenshin refuses to work for the government, and goes to a meditative state. This is in contrast with the anime in which he insists several times about Kenshin joining the government to work for him.

Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Origins[]

  • In the live action movie the Sword Bearing Police incident is omitted.
  • In the manga Kenshin meets Yamagata when he intervienes on the Sword Bearing Police incident. This is different from the live action movie, where after Kenshin is arrested, Saitō brings him to Yamagata.

Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration[]

To be added

Differences with the 2023 anime[]

  • In the anime the incident with the Sword Bearing Police takes place after Kenshin and Kaoru encounter Yahiko (who tries to steal Kenshin's wallet).
  • In the anime there is a scene of Yamagata and Uramura talking in the Police Station about the whereabouts of the Battōsai.
  • In the anime Yahiko is on the crowd who witness Kenshin fighting against the members of the Sword Bearing Police and ultimately Ujiki.

Trivia[]

  • This chapter is the first instance of an actual historical character appearing in the manga: Yamagata Aritomo was in fact a key figure of the Meiji Revolution, and the chief of the army in those years.
  • The Sword Bearing Police was also a real group of the era.

Gallery[]

To be added

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