02x09 - Drawing of the Forbidden

[bunniefuu]

One of Shakkū's later k*lling swords!

Watch out, Himura!

He still has a hidden sword!

Well...

Ready?

What do you think?

This is my favorite blade of all!

The k*lling sword, Hakujin no Tachi!

It's long!

And it's flexible too!

Himura!

That won't work!

Just dodging by a hair won't...

Rurouni Kenshin -Kyoto Disturbance-

Episode 33
Drawing of the Forbidden

Right on target.

Just see if you can still move around now.

The k*lling sword...

The Hakujin no Tachi.

It was forged to be as thin as possible

while maintaining the
strength of the blade.

It seemed like he was controlling the
movement of the blade.

The tip is weighted, so the slightest
flick of the wrist can direct it.

If you are wounded like that, and trying
to fight the Hakujin no Tachi...

I'm afraid...

Looks like we've attracted an
audience before I knew it.

I guess it's time we
get this show on the road.

My own Orochi style...

Take it!

You blocked well!

But you are still gonna die!

Himura!

It's no good.

He has no chance of winning.

If this goes on...

Dear?

I will give up my father's katana.

In any case, we need to save Iori and
get out of here as soon as possible!

The guy from Osaka
is focused on fighting Himura.

There may be a chance to save Iori...

You are using Himura as a decoy?

He can't fully fight
with a broken katana,

but he was still the first to get here!

I didn't ask him to.

He chose to fight.

Seikū...

As this girl's grandfather, I also
understand your present state of heart.

But...

Could you also try to understand
what Himura is fighting for?

Only this time.

I'll show you another special technique.

My style, Toguro!

My style, Dokuga!

Why don't you just give up and die?

You look miserable.

Those eyes are really
getting on my nerves.

Don't you understand what is going on?

That you're about to die?!

Just to protect a little brat,
you still won't draw your katana?

In the old days, to bring in the new era,
I k*lled a lot of people.

Oh,

now you're bragging?

Interesting.

How miserable you look by recounting
stories of your glorious past

when your life is about to end!

After many bloodshed and
death duels with no redemption,


since the new era began.

This is the first time the new era has
shown this aspect of peace to a child,

raised by a good family, who knows
nothing of duels or bloodshed.

To you, he is nothing but a brat,

but to me, he is a heaven-sent
child of the new era.

Even if it cost me my life, I will return
Iori to the Seikū family safe from harm.

I will distract him.

Hurry up and save Iori.

Dear?

So now you are the ally of justice?

That means you made me the bad guy.

Pisses me off even more.

That's it.

Your role is finished.

Soon, under Lord Shishio I'll make
a new era with the Hakujin no Tachi.

So die in peace.

Unfortunately, that's not possible
for a guy like you.

Swords cannot make a new era.

Only people can.

Dear!

So he is going to use Himura as a decoy!

No, wait!

Hang on, Iori!

You will be safe soon!

No matter what!

What is a spectator doing on the stage?

Watch out!

Now you really are getting on my nerves!

Seikū...

I will take a chance on him.

I will trust him with it!

He will protect this new era of peace!

He will use my father's katana as
it was meant to be used...

"The katanas I make will build a new era."

I never accepted the words
my father spoke long ago.

Now I finally understand why.

New eras don't come
about because of swords;

they're created by the
people who wield them.

And people are the only ones
who can protect that new era.

I will give my father's last sword to him,

who continues to fight in the shadows
to protect this peaceful world!

I'm not going to take this anymore!

I'm pissed off now!

See this head?

This is what they call "an angry hair
that strikes from heaven"!

You will have to try a little harder with
that worn-out broom head then.

Yes.

Broom, broom!

I will cram this in your
stupid serious face, you fool!

You god damn little...

He stopped it with what's
left of the sheath.

Crap!

I stepped into his zone!

He did it!

An iron elbow as a counterattack!

He provoked him and
made him come to a distance

where he can attack with one jump.

With no sword and a wounded right leg,
it could be Himura's final attack.

If it doesn't end now...

That was close.

It's not good to make too much fun of you.

It didn't work...

That attack made me angry,
but I'm calm again.

You won't fool me a second time.

I'll chop you into five pieces and put
them on display at the Shijō Gawara.

Now he has no chance of victory.

How are we going to get everyone out
of here without casualties...

If he only had a katana...

Himura!

This is my father's last katana!

Please use it!

Rurouni Kenshin -Kyoto Disturbance-

Himura!

I guess I was a little late.

Well, whatever.

I will destroy you and take the last work...

Two birds with one stone.

Draw it.

I have had enough, let's settle this.

We're both using a real sword now.

k*ll or get k*lled, it's simple.

Go, Himura!

Now you've got a katana, it will be easy!

It's no good.

Himura won't draw the sword.

What?

No, he probably can't.

He has sworn to himself to not k*ll.

It's forbidden for him to draw any
katana other than the Sakabatō.

But, that doesn't count at
a time like this!

If he doesn't k*ll, he'll get k*lled!

I don't know what kind of
a k*ller Himura was before,

but at least this time...

That one time is the problem.

When you set him against a strong enemy
like this man of Shishio's,

the scales become balanced.

Himura is teetering on the edge between

the Rurōni who does not k*ll
and Hitokiri Battōsai.

Hitokiri Battōsai...?

The legendary...

If he draws the katana now and kills,
his heart will break its bones.

He will slide down into the
violent nature of the Hitokiri.

He will never be a Rurōni again.

There would have been some hope
if that sheath wasn't plain wood

but made of steel...

You are the Hitokiri Battōsai, right?

And yet you hesitate to k*ll.

All right, if you have forgotten the joy
of k*lling, I will make you remember...

Based on a live performance.

Iori!

I'll destroy what you called
a heaven-sent child of peace!

You fell for it!

No!

That was a trap!

I'll pay you back for making a fool of me!

I've got you now!

The tip of the Hakujin no Tachi
is ever-changing!

I'll stab you from behind!

Where did that come from...

It's like he's an entirely different
person than before!

Hitenmitsurugi-ryū...

Ryūkansen Tsumuji!

Himura...

He's done it...

Did he k*ll him?

Himura...

I...

That katana...

It's a Sakabatō!

Wow!

Shakkū's last work was a Sakabatō,
like the one he gave Himura before!

No, this...

Feels better in my hand
than the old Sakabatō...

But, if it's a Sakabatō, then...

He is still alive, Himura!

You didn't break your vow!

Now I see...

Why Lord Shishio wants to fight you...

While he's trying to
take over the country.

But don't feel too good
about your win today.

There are still nine of the
Juppon Gatanas left.

Two of them are
definitely better than you.

Sōjirō whom you crossed
swords with before,

and Usui who's come to Kyoto from Ryūkyū.

You'll never get to Lord Shishio!

"Offerings"
Remember how weak you really are.

So sit back and watch as he
takes over this country!

Jīya...

Yes.

Just die, already!

What are we going to do with him?

Well, we can get
a lot of information out of him.

Let's take him back to the Aoiya.

No,

let's turn him over to the police.

I don't know if he's arrived or not,

but there's a man here who has complete
authority over the Shishio affair.

That's much safer.

You mean that guy...

If you say so.

A Sakabatō...

My father's last work was a...

I don't understand.

He was only making swords to k*ll.

Why?

The katana...

It's breaking!

Himura's technique was too much
for the wood to bear.

It's all right...

The blade itself is unharmed.

What...

This is...

"I have honed blades by putting
myself through pain for many years.

Even if my child resents me, it is for
my grandchildren's future."

He kept making katanas for so many
years hurting himself...

Even though his own son hated him, he
did it for the world of his grandchildren...

Shakkū probably carved this
as his death poem.

My father probably noticed as time passed,

how arrogant it was to think that a
katana could bring a new age.

But that was at the
height of the Bakumatsu.

He couldn't quit or stop to think and
suffered as the chaos reached its peak.

As a swordsmith living
during the Bakumatsu,

my father only had the option to
continue making katanas that k*ll...

In the hopes that the time of peace would
come another instant sooner...

He had to live a life that was
contradicting what he felt inside.

With deep regret and
a small prayer of hope,

my father left this holy katana,

this True Sakabatō...

True?

Yes.

When you forge a holy sword,
you don't make just one.

Two or sometimes many are usually made.

Of those, one which is well-made is called
"True" and offered to the gods.

The others are called "Shadows" and
are hoarded or given to other people.

I see...

So there were two Sakabatōs
from the beginning...

And this is the "True" one.

Sakabatō that surpasses the old one!

Please take it, Himura.

I think my father would have
wanted it that way.

So you are leaving the Shishi, Himura.

We've just won the
first battle at Toba Fushimi.

The battle has just begun.

Quite selfish when the new government is
busy bringing about a new era.

And you don't even have a sword.

Where and what are you planning to do?

I have Katsura's permission, Shakkū.

From now on,

I intend to search for a way to protect those
who live in the new age, without k*lling

If there really is such a way,
I'd like to try it myself.

You've taken so many lives.

Don't try to escape all of a sudden.

Live by the sword and die by the sword.

That is the only road you have!

A goodbye present.

It's not perfect, but it's probably
too much for you.

Try being a swordsman
with that at your waist.

You'll find out deeply
how stupid your beliefs are.

When that sword breaks and if you still
believe in that weak joke of yours...

Come and see me again in Kyoto.



Next Episode

Sakabato First Attack