01x05 - And Then, Another

[bunniefuu]

He can do it!

He took Battosai's blow
like it was nothing…

Maybe he really will…

You really are a fool.

He hasn’t landed a single
blow with his Zanbatou.

Zanza has no chance of winning.

What!?

Then...

Don't worry, I do have a plan.

After all, it's going
exactly as I planned.

Mr. Battosai, are you sure
you're okay with that stance?




Your blow won't work on me!

No need to worry…

On the other hand, now is a good
time to settle your sword.

I've never seen a sheath
that can settle this sword.

Can't end a fight that
I already started.

Let's head on to round two!

Rurouni Kenshin

Episode 5
And So, Another One Joins

It's the distance.

Take this, Battosai!

Zanza, if a single blow can't hurt you...

Then…

Rapid strike!

Yeah!



So strong...

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu...

Ryusousen.

The Zanbatou is a huge heavy weapon,
so the options of attack are limited.

Either bringing the sword down
or cutting across.

It's easy to read.

He’s not just a little better...

…He’s on a completely different level.

Wasn't expecting his strength
to be this much!

I can’t beat him…

This isn’t the second round,
it’s the final round.

Let’s end this meaningless fight.

I don’t want to swing this sword
against you any further.

Please, accept your defeat.

Cap...

… Captain Sagara.

10 years ago Tosando

Who are they?

They're the Sekihoutai.

The advanced troop of
the government army.

What are they doing up North here?

They're spreading the word
of the Half Tax Reduction Order.

If the new government takes over,
our taxes will be reduced to half.

That will be great!

Sekihoutai is a group formed
from civilians in 1868,

directly after the battle of Tobafushimi.

They marched to Edo ahead
of the government army,

to investigate the allied provinces
on the way and gather support.

The first unit, led by Sagara Souzou,
marched to the North by the Tosando,

spreading the new government proclamation
that taxes will be cut in half.

We'll rest after passing this town.

Yes Sir.

Captain!

Food is almost ready!

What are you doing?

Look.

Smoke...

What about it?

That means they have firewood
to burn and food to eat.

Don't you think that's great?

Well, yeah...

I've seen towns where they
can't even put on a fire.

Remember this moment, Sanosuke.

The 300-year reign of the Tokugawa will
soon be over, and a new age will come.

The time where the weak have
to obey the strong is over.

No above or below will exist,
and everybody will be treated equally.

And we, the Sekihoutai,
will be the pioneers.

"It could take a year or ten,
depending on how hard we work."

Right?

You told me and Katsuhiro
a billion times already.

Is that so?

Then a bright future for
the Sekihoutai is certain.

Hey, Captain.

When the new age comes
and we are all equal,

then even a farmer's kid like
me can have a last name?

That’s right.

Then can I make my last name Sagara!?

"Sagara Sanosuke"...

Right!

I don't recommend it.

What a weird name.

It's not weird, it's awesome!

Well, if that's what you like,
then so be it.

Yes!

That’s ridiculous…

The Sekihoutai a false army!?

The commanding general sent an order

to suppress the “false army Sekihoutai”,
to every province and troop.

My unit at Usui-touge was destroyed...!

No way...

But why…

We’ve been abandoned…!

They are not cutting taxes after all!

What do you mean!?

They promised to cut taxes in half to win
the farmers of the provinces as allies,

but the finances of the new
government couldn’t handle that...

That's why they labeled the Sekihoutai
as liars so they can bury their promises…

Captain Sagara, what do we do!?

Captain…!!

We cannot oppose the
commanding general…

Let’s first go to the
headquarters in Shimosawa.

Sanosuke, Katsuhiro,
you guys wait here.

Why!?

You guys are still young.

I can't take you from this
point and beyond.

Captain.

Captain…

We'll be fine.

Don’t worry.

Take care of yourself while we're gone.

Captain Sagara...

Sanosuke!

What's wrong, Katsuhiro?

Captain is...

Move!

Let me through!

Captain...

Captain...!

Capt...!

Sagara Souzou, Captain of the first
unit of the false army Sekihoutai.

Decapitated for deceiving the people...

by spreading lies about an
impossible tax reduction.

I feel so stupid for
believing in his lies.

What scoundrels Sekihoutais are…!

He's starting to regain strength...?

I can’t lose…

I... can't... lose...!

Ohh...!

He's standing!

He's gained even more
strength than before...

Not to...

Not to an Ishin Shishi who
made Captain Sagara and

the Sekihoutai bear the Aku character...

and pretends to be a hero!

Sekihoutai…!

Kenshin!

Damn, that was a clean hit!

He's got this much strength
after taking Ryusousen...

What a man...

Yes, now!

Die, Battosai!

No!

Kenshin!

B... Brother!?

A plan must foresee the second
and third steps to succeed!

You thought I only had one g*n!

Kenshin!

He read the b*llet path...

And blocked it with
his sword guard…!?

But!

How about this!?

Gohei, make sure the
brats don’t get away!

But we don't have anything to…

Break their legs!

I see…

You b*stard!

Kaoru, don’t just stand there!

Get up and run!

I can’t…

My legs can’t move.

What!?

Shut up!

You should also run!

I'll take care of it here!

What can you do when
your legs can't move!?

Struggle, idiots!

I told you.

This is my fight.

I won’t let anyone interrupt!

Zan…

I will not lose!

I can’t lose!!

Kihei.

You are a man beyond saving.

Nonsense!

Eh?

I held back so you wouldn’t faint.

Experience hell for a while.

Agh!

The "Aku" character should be
worn by people like you...

No…

Perhaps it should be worn
by us, the Ishin Shishi.

Let’s finish this.

Mr. Strongest of the Ishin Shishi!

I understand.

Let's settle this.

Kenshin!

Rurouni Kenshin

Let’s finish this, Battosai!

What...

What’s he doing?

Centrifugal force!

With his monstrous strength and
the weight of the Zanbatou,

rotating will add even more
force to his attack!

From the moment...

the Sekihoutai was destroyed,
I was fighting day and night!

When I was fighting,
I could forget everything!

And in those 10 years,
I have gained strength!

And with that strength, I'm going to crush
the strongest of the Ishin Shishi!

With strength at that level,
you won't be able to crush me.

That's…!?

That’s how he defeated Hiruma…!

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu

Ryutsuisen!

What a hard head you've got.

You are the very first to
take Ryutsuisen and not fall.

But you are barely able to stand.

Wait here while I go
and get a doctor.

Not yet!

I’m not finished yet!

I haven’t fallen yet!

I haven't lost!

I swear in the name of
Sagara and the Sekihoutai,

I will die before I lose
to an Ishin Shishi!

Kenshin...

Are you going to...

That is it!

Come on!

Yeah, come on!

I'm waiting!

Come on!

Aren't you fighting
the wrong opponent?

Did the Sekihoutai teach
you to k*ll the Ishin Shishi,

or to bring about the new era?

Shut up!

Don’t preach to me!

You Ishin Shishi
spoke of equality,

but drowned in greed and
acted like you've accomplished it...

while lying about a new age!

You’re wrong!

Kenshin isn’t like that!

He never cared about glory or power.

He’s a Rurouni who uses
his sword to protect people!

You only know him as
the Hitokiri Battosai.

Don’t make wild accusations,
when it’s you who came to pick this fight!

That’s right!

If you want to fight even more,
I’ll be your opponent!

Zanza, the new era isn’t finished yet.

Certainly,

the shape of the new age did form
ten years ago and it is now the Meiji era.

But those who are truly
in need of happiness

still find themselves trapped in a world
where the weak are oppressed.

So in my own small way,

I swing this sword to offer
some aid to such people.

It may take a year or
it may take ten years.

Or maybe the new age
will never be finished...

I don’t know,

but this is my way of making amends
to the victims of the Meiji Revolution.

Amends to the people I
k*lled as a Hitokiri Battosai.

… He’s the same…

He's the same as Captain Sagara,

who dreamed of the real new age
and fought for it.

And he still continues to fight.

While I lost hope and gave up,

drowning myself in fighting
to try and forget it all...

I’m sorry, Captain Sagara.

But to this man,

I have lost completely.

I heard Zanza's wounds
were pretty severe.

With internal bleeding,
and anemia.

They said three months of
hospitalization is a must.

Zanza is on an entirely different level,
so I couldn’t go as easy on him.

I see...

What's wrong?

Man, stop feeling so down!

I'm...

I'm not…

Kenshin.

There is some truth to
what Zanza said yesterday,

but you're not that
kind of Ishin Shishi.

I'm pretty sure Zanza knows now
from yesterday's fight.

He is pretty stupid, but I'm
pretty sure he noticed it.

So stop worrying about it.

Thanks for cheering me up.

So, let’s change the mood a bit
and go eat some gyunabe.

Again?

Wha…!

Oro, it’s you guys again.

Man!

I don’t mind getting picked on for a
fight, but at least train a little first.

Zanza!

Hey, thanks for looking
after me yesterday.

You...

can already move?

My toughness is my selling point.

This is nothing.

My toughness is my selling point.

This is nothing.

Yep, he's in pain.

Zanza.

You're not going to take off the
"Aku" character on your back?

Yeah…

Sekihoutai is a past that I can't forget.

I can’t take it off.

Once you’re 19, it’s too late
to change your nature.

I'm also thinking, what you said
yesterday is easier said than done.

So…

To see if you really are different
from those Ishin Shishi

with their empty ideals,

I’m going to stick around and
check it with my own eyes.

And one more thing.

I’m not Zanza anymore.

The Zanbatou is broken, and my
street fighting days are over.

Now I’m just Sagara Sanosuke,
a fighting enthusiast.

Just like you’re not
Hitokiri Battosai anymore.

So don’t go off wandering without
my permission, Kenshin.

Oh well.

Another strange one
joined the group.

Ms. Tae?

Mr. Sanosuke left without
paying again…

Oro.

P-please,

I'll give you all the money I have.

So, please...

Don't k*ll me...

Did money make Mr. Ishin Shishi
go crazy as well?

Wha... What is this...

I can't move my body!

What's going on...!

Die.

Next Episode Kurogasa