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Kid Samurai: A Big Ordeal and a New Student is the second episode of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series.
Synopsis[]
After nearly being pick-pocketed by a young street burglar, Kenshin takes sympathy on the boy who declares himself to be from a samurai family. Yahiko Myōjin has been forced into working for the yakuza to pay off his deceased mother's debt. Kaoru goes to rescue the boy but finds herself in trouble. How will they be saved from the yakuza bandits? Is Yahiko Myōjin a worthy student for the Kamiya Dōjō?
Characters in order of appearance[]
- Himura Kenshin
- Oguni Suzume
- Oguni Ayame
- Kamiya Kaoru
- Oguni Gensai
- Myōjin Yahiko
- Gasuke
- Sekihara Tae
- Tanishi
Plot Overview[]
Yahiko returns the money.
After deciding to stay with Kamiya Kaoru, she and Himura Kenshin take a stroll around the area and on the way happen to come across Myōjin Yahiko, a 10 year old child, whom Kenshin notices stealing the wallet from an elderly man and afterwards putting it in the hand of the child he is with, after seeing the child excited at wanting to buy something he liked. Kenshin commends Yahiko and pats him on the head for his act and then he and Kaoru walk off. Taking insult to Kenshin's act, Yahiko barges into him and attempts to steal his wallet, but is stopped by Kaoru. Kenshin tells Kaoru to let it go and allows Yahiko to keep the money he stole, which insults Yahiko even further, to the point where he throws the wallet at Kenshin's head, telling him that he's a proud descendent of Tokyo Samurai and that "he hasn't sunk so low" to be "pitied by others". Kenshin apologizes to Yahiko and tells him that even though he's a child, his heart is mature like that of an adult.
It is then revealed that Yahiko works for a group of Yakuza who force him to steal money on their behalf, in order to pay back an alleged loan that his late parents owed them. After remembering Kenshin's words, however, he says that he no longer wishes to steal and intends to earn money through honest means in order to repay his bosses. The Yakuza then laugh at him, saying that there was never a loan to begin with and that they only said that to make him their slave.
Meanwhile, Kaoru and Kenshin are eating beef hotpot at the Akabeko, where Sekihara Tae tells them Yahiko's story, which influences Kaoru to go and rescue him, though Kenshin says they should not get involved.
Kaoru shields Yahiko.
Kaoru then pays a visit to the Yakuza and wager's her own freedom for Yahiko's in a game of dice. Yahiko, knowing that the game is rigged, switches the die quickly without the others noticing, resulting in Kaoru winning. Yahiko then tells them to let her go, since she won. Knowing that Yahiko switched the die, the thugs start beating him up, but Kaoru fights them back successfully, until a skilled swordsman among them, named Gasuke interferes and easily beats Kaoru. They take him to their boss, Tanishi and Yahiko openly tells him that he no longer wishes to steal. Tanishi's thugs then insult Yahiko's parents, which enrages him to the point where he starts attacking them. Tanishi then orders Gasuke to teach Yahiko a lesson and as he draws his sword, approaching the latter. Kaoru then shields Yahiko and begs Gasuke not to hurt him. Gasuke tells her to "shut up" and is about to kill her until out of nowhere, Kenshin breaks in.
Kenshin tells the Yakuza to release Kaoru and Yahiko immediately or suffer being beaten up by his hand. Gasuke then gets angered and tries to attack Kenshin, who responds by smashing the hilt of his Sakabatō on Gasuke's neck, causing his head to smash through the roof. Tanishi then recognizes that he is no position to deny Kenshin's request and agrees to return Kaoru and free Yahiko. Kenshin then thanks him. Yahiko then tells Kenshin that he can fight his own battles and doesn't need any help. Kenshin is impressed by Yahiko's pride and the three take off towards the Kamiya Dōjō, where Kenshin tells Yahiko to become a great swordsmanship, learning the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū under Kaoru's tutelage.
Anime Notes[]
There are several differences between the events of this episode and the manga:
- The order of events differs from the manga, where Yahiko is introduced after Kenshin's confrontation with the police swordsmen (which occurs in Episode 3).
- The original manga has an initial scene where Kenshin throws away some possible students for Kaoru's Dōjō. This is omitted from the anime.
- In the -manga Yahiko just steals Kenshin's wallet, but Kaoru stops him. This is different from the anime where Kaoru and Kenshin watch Yahiko steals the wallet of some old man, but later gives it back to him.
- In the manga, Kaoru watches as two people grab Yahiko and forcefully take him to the yakuza hideout. This is different from the anime where Tae tells Kenshin and Kaoru about Yahiko's situation while everyone were eating at the Akabeko.
- In the manga, only Kenshin goes to rescue Yahiko from the yakuza, in contrast with the events of this anime episode where Kaoru goes to rescue Yahiko, and Kenshin arrives later.
- In the manga, Gasuke is the one who insults Yahiko's parents. As result, Yahiko bites him in the groin. This is somewhat censored in the anime, where other thug insults Yahiko's mother, to which Yahiko responds by kicking him in the groin.
- In the manga, the yakuza boss intervenes after the first hits that Gasuke gives to Yahiko. That is different from the anime, where the boss appears after Kaoru destroys a door while fighting against Gasuke.
- In the manga, the yakuza boss is never given a name. In the anime he is named Tanishi.
- In the manga, when Kenshin enters to the yakuza headquarters he knocks the door off, trapping Gasuke behind it. In the anime Kenshin still knocks the door off, but Gasuke is not near it, and Kenshin defeats him with a hit of his Sakabatō's hilt.
Trivia[]
- The title card is a paint over of manga's Act 57 title artwork.
- Kenshin, Kaoru and everyone go to the Akabeko to eat Gyūnabe, which is a traditional japanese dish that consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside some vegetables and other minor ingredients, served in a shallow iron pot with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.
- Kaoru and the yakuza play a dice game in which they bet if two dice will roll odd ("Han") or even ("Chō"). That is a traditional japanese betting game from the era.
Gallery[]
