A Reason to Act is the twentieth chapter of the Rurouni Kenshin manga.
Synopsis[]
Yahiko makes a full recovery from the poisoning, so everyone in the Kamiya Dōjō celebrates by eating Ohagis prepared by Megumi. However, Sanosuke is still furious with Megumi, calling her the opium lady who killed her friend. During the afternoon, Megumi is visited by Han'nya and Kanryū, who tells her that if she does not return with her, he will burn the Kamiya Dōjō, so Megumi returns to Kanryū but not before leaving a letter in the Kamiya Dōjō specifying that she will return to Aizu. Kenshin realizes that the letter is a lie and prepares to go to Kanryū's mansion to rescue Megumi. Yahiko insists on going despite Kaoru's refusal, and Sanosuke, despite his initial opposition to helping the opium woman, finally decides to go. What are the risks the Kenshingumi will face at Kanryū's mansion?
Summary[]
Megumi prepares Ohagis for breakfast at the Kamiya Dōjō. Kenshin, Kaoru and a Yahiko already recovered from the poison eat them and find them delicious. A grateful Megumi says that anyone can prepare Ohagis, to which Kenshin tells her that it is not true, since Kaoru once tried it unsuccessfully, earning a blow from the latter, to which Megumi provokes her by flirting with Kenshin and passively insulting him. Sanosuke arrives at the Dōjō, confirming to everyone that the opium Megumi had was the new opium that was around the city, and when Ohagis invites him to breakfast, he contemptuously replies that he would rather eat Kaoru's food than the woman's opium and retires to sleep in a room in the Dōjō. Kenshin tells Megumi not to listen to Sanosuke, since he only feels anger knowing that she made the opium that killed her friend.
Later, Megumi is at the courtyard well washing dishes when a bookseller arrives offering her wares, only to quickly reveal himself as Han'nya, who traps her and threatens to pour mercury into the Dōjō's water well if she resists. Han'nya tells her that Kanryū just wants to talk to her.
In a forest near the Dōjō, Han'nya takes Megumi to Kanryū, who asks her to return to him, or else he will burn down the Kamiya Dōjō, and that it is a fact that she had killed many people with her opium, which would embarrass even his family if he ever found her. Kanryū leaves along with Han'nya, telling Megumi that she is destined to stay with him in the opium business and that the fire will occur that night if Megumi doesn't decide to return to him sooner.
Shinomori Aoshi was near the place and asks Kanryū if he thinks Megumi will return, to which Kanryū replies that since they already knew that the legendary Battōsai Himura was with them, it would be best to avoid resorting to force by inciting Megumi to leave on her own, so that way Battōsai would have no reason to fight them.
Megumi alone in the forest thinks that she has no escape and that she is doomed to be the opium woman under Kanryū's orders for the rest of her life.
Later, Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko find a letter from Megumi, in which she apologizes for leaving without saying anything, and since Kanryū stopped chasing her, she decided to return to Aizu, thanking them for the ten days they spent together. Kenshin quickly realizes that Kanryū probably threatened her, since there is no one waiting for Megumi in Aizu. Kenshin prepares to go looking for Megumi asking Sanosuke where Kanryū's mansion is. Sanosuke tells Kenshin to go alone, since he has no reason to help the opium woman who killed his friend. Kenshin tells her that he looked into Megumi's eyes and saw in them the look of someone looking for a home that warmly welcomes her, being that reason more than enough for Kenshin to go rescue her from her. Yahiko offers to go with Kenshin, to which Kaoru initially refuses since according to her she will only go in the way. Yahiko responds by telling her that if she is not going to risk her life for someone then it will be useless to have trained in the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū style that protects life. After this, Kaoru agrees, thinking that Yahiko would quickly become quite a swordsman. Sanosuke also decides to accompany Kenshin, asking Kaoru to have a bathtub and breakfast ready for five. Finally Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko set out to rescue Megumi.
Meanwhile, Megumi arrives at Kanryū's mansion, asking the guards to announce her arrival.
Characters in order of Appearance[]
- Himura Kenshin
- Kamiya Kaoru
- Myōjin Yahiko
- Sagara Sanosuke
- Takani Megumi
- Takeda Kanryū
- Shinomori Aoshi
- Han'nya
Chapter Notes[]
This chapter has several differences with other portrayals of the events of the story in different iterations of the franchise:
Differences with the 1996 anime[]
- In the manga Han'nya goes to talk to Megumi and presents himself like an old man (and then uncovers his true identity). This is in contrast with the anime where Han'nya contacts Megumi via a kunai with a message that tells her to meet them in the forest. Once she is in the forest Han'nya presents himself like an old man (and then uncovers his true identity).
- In the manga Han'nya threatens to pour mercury into the Dōjō's water well if she resists to come back to Kanryū's mansion. This is in contrast with the anime where Han'nya never threatens to poison the Dōjō's water well.
- In the manga Only Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko go to Kanryū's mansion to rescue Megumi (while Kaoru stays at the Dōjō). In the anime Kaoru also goes with them to Kanryū's mansion.
Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Origins[]
- In the manga Han'nya goes to talk to Megumi and threatens to pour mercury into the Dōjō's water well if she resists. In the live action film, people from Kanryū do poison the well, making lots of people sick.
- Also, in the manga Han'nya is the main person who talks to Megumi to try to convince her to return to Kanryū's mansion. In the live action film it is Gein (who works for Kanryū) the one who warns Megumi of coming dangers.
- In the manga Only Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko go to Kanryū's mansion to rescue Megumi (while Kaoru stays at the Dōjō). In the live action only Kenshin and Sanosuke go to Kanryū's mansion (while Kaoru and Yahiko stay at the Dōjō).
Differences with Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration[]
To be added
Differences with the 2023 anime[]
- There are basically no differences from the manga to the anime episode that covers them.
Trivia[]
- In this chapter Megumi prepares Ohagis for breakfast. Ohagis are steamed rice balls coated with red bean, soybean or sesame flour.
Gallery[]
To be added