A Collection of Volumes 1 - 3!One hundred and fifty years ago in Kyoto, amid the flames of revolution, there arose a warrior, an assassin of such ferocious power he was given the title Hitokiri: Manslayer. With his bloodstained blade, Hitokiri Battōsai helped close the turbulent Bakumatsu period and end the reign of the shoguns, slashing open the way toward the progressive Meiji Era.Then he vanished, and with the flow of years became legend.In the eleventh year of Meiji, in the middle of Tokyo, the tale begins. Himura Kenshin, a humble rurouni, or wandering swordsman, comes to the aid of Kamiya Kaoru, a young woman struggling to defend her father's school of swordsmanship against attacks by the infamous Hitokiri Battōsai. However, neither Kenshin nor Battōsai are quite what they seem...
One hundred and forty years ago in Kyoto, with he coming of the American "Black Ships," there arose a warrior who, felling men with his bloodstained blade, gained the name Hitokiri, manslayer! His killer blade helped close the turbulent Bakumatsu era and slashed open the progressive age known as Meiji. Then he vanished, and with the flow of years, became legend.
One hundred and forty years ago in Kyoto, with he coming of the American "Black Ships," there arose a warrior who, felling men with his bloodstained blade, gained the name Hitokiri, manslayer! His killer blade helped close the turbulent Bakumatsu era and slashed open the progressive age known as Meiji. Then he vanished, and with the flow of years, became legend.
Himura Battōsai was once an assassin of ferocious power during the violent upheaval of the Bakumatsu era. But as the Meiji Restoration heals the wounds of civil war, Battōsai takes up a new name and a new calling. As Himura Kenshin, he fights only to protect the honor of those in need.
When the chief of the Police Sword Corps himself comes asking for favors, things must be bad. Hitokiri Udô Jin-e--a black-hatted, crazy-eyed slayer who fells both targets and innocent bystanders alike--is steadily working his way through a list of former Ishin Shishi patriots now ensconced within position of power in the Meiji government. Can Kenshin withstand the hypnotic, paralyzing effect of Jin-e...?
Isurugi Raijūta, a truly old-school swordsman, comes to Kenshin and requests his aid in reforming the state of swordsmanship schools in Japan. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijūta’s ideals, Raijūta’s plan to weed out the schools he deems unfit is not in accordance with Kenshin’s deepest-held beliefs. But when Kenshin walks away from the offer, one fact quickly becomes apparent: Raijūta will stop at nothing to ensure the supremacy of his own school of sword fighting!
When the chief of the Police Sword Corps himself comes asking for favors, things must be bad. Hitokiri Udô Jin-e--a black-hatted, crazy-eyed slayer who fells both targets and innocent bystanders alike--is steadily working his way through a list of former Ishin Shishi patriots now ensconced within position of power in the Meiji government. Can Kenshin withstand the hypnotic, paralyzing effect of Jin-e...?
A Collection of Volumes 4 - 6!Shinomori Aoshi was once the leader of Edo Castle's elite guard, the Oniwanbanshū. When the shōgunate was overthrown, Aoshi and his men were deprived of both home and purpose. All that's left to them now are their fighting skills, which they've put to service as a mercenary guard for the industrialist Takeda Kanryū. However much sympathy Kenshin might feel for the Oniwanbanshū, he's sworn to stop Kanryū's corrupt plans. But in order to do so, he'll have to defeat Aoshi, a shinobi prodigy and master of a deadly twin-sword style.Later, Isurugi Raijūta, a swordsman of incredible strength and ferocity, requests Kenshin's aid in reforming Japan's swordsmanship schools, to save them from their decline in the modern age. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijūta's ideals, he's disturbed by his increasingly brutal methods. Sanosuke runs into some trouble of his own when he's reunited with a member of the Sekihō Army--the doomed civilian-run unit that they both served in during the revolution--who's determined to exact revenge from the Meiji government.
A Collection of Volumes 7 - 9!Kyoto: The ancient capital of Japan. It was during the chaos of the Bakumatsu that this shining jewel of a city was plunged into violence and bloodshed. The Shinsengumi, an elite corps of deadly warriors, crossed swords with Kenshin more than once in those days, but what has become of their legacy in the new Meiji Era? An old foe, Saitō-Hajime of the Shinsengumi, comes to pay a call at the Kamiya Dojo, but is his visit purely for revenge or a harbinger of much darker schemes to come?Then, on May 14th in the 11th year of Meiji, tragedy strikes. Ōkubo Toshimichi, chief of the Department of Internal Affairs and one of the most powerful men in Japan, is assassinated in broad daylight, but who could be behind such a fiendish plot? It appears that the ghosts of Meiji's bloody past are threatening to wreak havoc on this new age of "culture and enlightenment"--personified by Shishio Makoto, the man who took Kenshin's position when he ceased to be Hitokiri Battōsai. Though Kenshin has foresworn the taking of lives, he heeds the call and departs for Kyoto, knowing all too well that Shishio anxiously awaits his arrival!
"Spider's Web"...like ordinary opium, but better processed. Half the cost to produce, but twice the profits! To the people of Aizu, Takani Megumi was a daughter in a famous family of doctors, in which everyone--women and children alike--studied medicine. But to grasping industrialist Takeda Kanryû, she is the hen who lays the golden egg--the only one who knows the Spider's Web formula! To stay with Kanryû is to send even more to their deaths. But to stay with Kenshin and the others is to invite theirs...
"Spider's Web"...like ordinary opium, but better processed. Half the cost to produce, but twice the profits! To the people of Aizu, Takani Megumi was a daughter in a famous family of doctors, in which everyone--women and children alike--studied medicine. But to grasping industrialist Takeda Kanryû, she is the hen who lays the golden egg--the only one who knows the Spider's Web formula! To stay with Kanryû is to send even more to their deaths. But to stay with Kenshin and the others is to invite theirs...
When former Shinsengumi captain Saitō Hajime arrives on the steps of Kamiya dojo, he challenges Kenshin to a duel that will force a reawakening of Kenshin’s past. Then, Kenshin leaves for turbulent Kyoto, against the wishes of nearly everyone who knows him as the gentle rurouni. Is Kenshin headed to Kyoto for a duel…or for a death match?
With his sakabatō shattered, Kenshin seeks the only swordsmith who can forge him a new blade. Instead, he finds one of Shishio's elite assassins waiting to take his head! Not even Kenshin can win this battle unarmed. What's more, his training remains incomplete. At long last, Kenshin must return to the one person he never wanted to ask for help: his master.
Shinomori Aoshi was once the leader of Edo Castle's elite guard, the Oniwabanshû. But with the fighting at an end and the shôgunate overthrown, the brilliant Aoshi and his four most loyal onmitsu, or spies, find themselves without a home or a purpose. When fighting is your life, loyalty to those lost ideals (and to the man who most symbolized them) may be the one thing left. But Megumi's life is at stake, and however sympathetic Kenshin may feel, he will fight on, to the last man if necessary...
A Collection of Volumes 10 - 12!Kenshin journeys to the home of Arai Shakkû, the legendary swordsmith who forged his sakabatô, in the hope of procuring a replacement for the blade that was shattered in a fight with Seta Sôjirô. Instead of Shakkû, though, Kenshin finds his son Seikû, who has given up making instruments of death. But when word gets around that before he passed away Shakkû forged a final blade, one of Shishio's warriors also decides to pay a visit, and he doesn't plan on leaving empty-handed. With the safety of Seikû's family at risk, Kenshin springs into action, even if it means fighting without a weapon at his side!Kenshin realizes that if he is to defeat Shishio the time has come to complete his training in Hiten Mitsurugi-ryû. But first he will have to convince his incredibly stubborn master, Hiko Seijûrô, that he is indeed worthy of Hiten Mitsurugi's greatest secrets and techniques. Then, with all of his Juppongatana "Ten Swords" fighters now in Kyoto, Shishio kicks into high gear with his scheme to radically alter the face of Meiji Era Japan. Can Kenshin, Saitô and Misao marshal their resources in time to prevent Shishio from burning Kyoto to the ground?!
Shinomori Aoshi was once the leader of Edo Castle's elite guard, the Oniwabanshû. But with the fighting at an end and the shôgunate overthrown, the brilliant Aoshi and his four most loyal onmitsu, or spies, find themselves without a home or a purpose. When fighting is your life, loyalty to those lost ideals (and to the man who most symbolized them) may be the one thing left. But Megumi's life is at stake, and however sympathetic Kenshin may feel, he will fight on, to the last man if necessary...
With terrifying force, Shishio unleashes his army and his plot to conquer Japan. While Misao leads the ninja defense of Kyoto, Kenshin, Sanosuke and Saitō take the battle to Shishio’s lair. Facing their most powerful foes yet at the center of an all-out war, will Team Kenshin have the willpower to fight on?
Isurugi Raijûta, a truly old-school swordsman, comes to Kenshin and requests his aid in reforming the state of swordsmanship schools, or kenjutsu dojo, in Japan. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijûta's ideals (chiefly, that there is a need for a nation-wide, unifying school), Raijûta's plan to "weed out" the schools he deems unfit is not in accordance with Kenshin's deepest-held beliefs. Given the choice of either joining Raijûta's "Shinko-ryû" movement or dying, Kenshin walks away, choosing neither. But Raijûta isn't willing to let Kenshin off the hook so easily...
Isurugi Raijûta, a truly old-school swordsman, comes to Kenshin and requests his aid in reforming the state of swordsmanship schools, or kenjutsu dojo, in Japan. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijûta's ideals (chiefly, that there is a need for a nation-wide, unifying school), Raijûta's plan to "weed out" the schools he deems unfit is not in accordance with Kenshin's deepest-held beliefs. Given the choice of either joining Raijûta's "Shinko-ryû" movement or dying, Kenshin walks away, choosing neither. But Raijûta isn't willing to let Kenshin off the hook so easily...
A Collection of Volumes 13 - 15!As Shishio Makoto's Juppongatana warriors descend on Aoi-Ya and the Kyoto-based Oniwabanshū, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Saitō Hajime take the fight right to Shishio's front door: his mountain stronghold. Sano tests both his fists and his powerful "Mastery of Two Layers" against the immovable Yūkyūzan Anji, the very person who taught him that technique. Saitō matches blades with the homicidal "Blind Sword" Usui, while Kenshin and Shinomori Aoshi resume their match, which was put on hold back in Tokyo.Meanwhile, Misao and her compatriots desperately try to turn the tide against a slew of Juppongatana fighters. With Yahiko and Kaoru getting in on the action, things begin to look slightly less insurmountable…and then the giant Fuji appears. Facing strength and skill that can literally reduce buildings into piles of kindling, Kenshin's weary friends may lose all hope. Is there a swordsman alive who can stand up to Fuji's horrific might?
Kenshin's battle with Raijûta to decide the fate of Meiji Era swordsmanship is coming to a head. One fact is quickly becoming apparent: Raijûta will stop at nothing to ensure the supremacy of his own school of sword-fighting! Reunited with a member of the former Sekihô Army--that doomed civilian unit--Sanosuke runs into trouble of his own. Old alliances are challenged when a plan to topple the current government by any means necessary is shared...and as his friend puts it, Sano's either "in," or "in the way." Plus a bonus installment containing the first story Nobuhiro Watsuki ever published!
Kenshin's battle with Raijûta to decide the fate of Meiji Era swordsmanship is coming to a head. One fact is quickly becoming apparent: Raijûta will stop at nothing to ensure the supremacy of his own school of sword-fighting! Reunited with a member of the former Sekihô Army--that doomed civilian unit--Sanosuke runs into trouble of his own. Old alliances are challenged when a plan to topple the current government by any means necessary is shared...and as his friend puts it, Sano's either "in," or "in the way." Plus a bonus installment containing the first story Nobuhiro Watsuki ever published!
After a series of hard-won battles, Kenshin finally confronts Shishio, the twisted mastermind behind the plot to overthrow the government. The fate of Japan hangs in the balance as the two greatest swordsmen of the age face off. To survive, Kenshin must fight at full strength, which means breaking his vow never to kill again. If he wins Japan, he loses his soul…
A Collection of Volumes 16 - 18!Second only to Shishio Makoto when it comes to skill with a blade, the emotionless warrior Seta Sôjirô‘s speed and agility are pushing Kenshin to the breaking point. But how did a seemingly humble man such as Sôjirô decide to ally himself with the ruthless hitokiri Shishio? Mid-battle, Sôjirô pauses to reflect back on his fateful encounter with the man to whom he would one day pledge his loyalty. Has Sôjirô truly reconciled himself to his master's downright homicidal worldview?And finally, Kenshin's long-awaited duel with Shishio commences. With nothing less than the future of Japan hanging in the balance, Kenshin's resolution to never again take a life is about to be put to the ultimate test. Assistance also comes from Sanosuke, Saitô Hajime and Shinomori Aoshi, but to the power-hungry Shishio, men even of their caliber can be swatted down like so many flies. Will someone find Shishio's weakness before he annihilates the greatest swordsmen the Meiji Era has to offer? Furthermore, can Kenshin's dream for a new Japan be possible as long as Shishio still draws breath?
The Shinsengumi--fearsome and formidable protectors of the Shôgunate. Kenshin knows them well, having done battle with them during the final days of the Meiji Restoration. One man in particular--Saitô Hajime, captain of the third unit--lingers in Kenshin's mind. Now an officer of the law and known as "Fujita Gorô," Saitô arrives on the steps of the Kamiya Dojo, challenging Kenshin to a duel that will force a reawakening of Kenshin's own past. But the confrontation with Saitô is just the beginning of something much larger, something that will involve the future of the new Japan...