=============================================================== Episode Summaries by Lynne (tougei@hotmail.com) Note from Key 2 Anime: I got these summaries from the RK Archive (http://rka.crosspaths.net/index.html). All these summaries are done by Lynne. If you have any questions of would just like to thank her for her wonderful efforts please email her at tougei@hotmail.com Episodes #35-38 =============================================================== Episode # 35 Occupied Village! Shishio's Evil Shadow, Ever Closer! Kenshin and Misao are still heading toward Kyoto. Kenshin hears a noise. He investigates and finds a dying man holding an unconscious young boy. The dying man asks Kenshin to take care of his younger brother and save his village from Shishio. Kenshin buries the man. The boy's name is Eiji. His village is called Shingetsu. Shishio took over Shingetsu 2 years ago. The police tried to save the village, but Shishio's men kept killing the police, so they gave up. Eiji's older brother came to the village to try and save his family, but he was killed by Senkaku, a slave master sent by Shishio to control the village. Kenshin tells Eiji that he will help him in place of his brother. Kenshin goes to the village to try and rescue Eiji's parents. He finds the village quiet. A man and a woman are dead, hanging by ropes in the center of the village. Eiji screams -- the man and woman are his parents. Eiji's scream brings Shishio's men. Kenshin asks Shishio's men if Eiji's parents were hung up as examples. An affirmative answer angers Kenshin and he takes out the whole group. One of Shishio's men goes after Eiji and Misao. Misao gets ready to defend Eiji but a sword appears and the goon is beheaded by a tall, slender, austere man in a policeman's uniform.........Saitou! Saitou had information that Shishio was in the area. He was also investigating the disappearance of one of his undercover agents, Eiji's older brother. Eiji approaches the bodies of his parents to cut them down, but before he is able, the townspeople come out and tell him not to, because if the bodies are cut down, Senkaku will punish the town. Kenshin cuts the bodies down regardless. Kenshin and company leave the town to bury the bodies, and Kenshin tells Eiji that he will avenge Eiji's loss. Since Saitou knows where Shishio is, he and Kenshin leave Misao and Eiji burying Eiji's parents and head toward Shishio's base in the village. Shishio has been informed that they are coming and he prepares........... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #36 After The End of The Dynasty. First Meeting of Kenshin and Shishio. Kenshin and Saitou are greeted by Seta Soujiro. Kenshin asks Shishio why he involved this particular village. Shishio tells Kenshin that the hot baths soothe his burned skin, which makes Kenshin furious. Shishio says he is kidding. He explains that 10 years ago he gave his life to the Ishin government as the inheritor of the Hitokiri Battousai. The government repaid him by trying to kill him. Shishio says he has no respect for the current government and believes they must be overturned. He wants to make Japan the strongest! Kenshin draws his sakabatou and tells Shishio that his plan will kill too many innocent people and he, Kenshin, will not allow it! Shishio tells Kenshin that if he wants to fight, he would rather fight in Kyoto. In the meantime Kenshin can fight Senkaku. Senkaku makes an entrance (^_^hehehehe......just a little understatement here !) Shishio watches every move Kenshin makes during his fight with Senkaku. Kenshin 'tricks' (not really but you would have to see it...) Senkaku into breaking a leg. Shishio tells Senkaku that if the fight ends without Senkaku making Kenshin reveal even one of his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu moves, Shishio will kill Senkaku himself. Senkaku pulls himself up and attacks Kenshin. Kenshin does a Ryu Sho Sen on the underside of Senkaku's jaw. Saitou ridicules Kenshin for not killing Senkaku. Kenshin tells Saitou that it is not necessary that he be serious with a 'kohai' (someone of junior rank). Then Kenshin looks at Shishio and tells him to draw his sword.............. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #37 Shock! Sakabatou Broken... Soujiro "The Heavenly Sword" versus Kenshin. Misao and Eiji are peering through the door. Saitou opens it and they tumble in. He tells them to be quiet. Shishio is saying to Kenshin that fighting him would be boring. As Shishio leaves he tells Kenshin that if Kenshin should becomes the Hitokiri again, Shishio will fight him in Kyoto. Then Shishio tosses a katana to Soujiro and tells Soujiro to 'play' with Kenshin for him. Kenshin notes that Soujiro is unlike any man he has every fought before. Normally, Kenshin 'feels' the emotion inside an opponent and uses that emotion to anticipate his opponent's next move. He feels absolutely no emotion emanating from Seta Soujiro. Soujiro mimics everything Kenshin does. When Kenshin prepares for a battou jutsu, so does Soujiro. They draw, they clash, and the top of Kenshin's sakabatou is cut off. Soujiro thinks he won, but Saitou points out that Soujiro's sword is cracked. The fight is a draw, and Soujiro leaves. Misao is upset that Kenshin's sakabatou is broken, and Saitou is upset that Shishio got away, but Kenshin is happy that they did what they planned to do, which was rid the village of Shishio and Senkaku. Speaking of Senkaku.......Eiji is looking down on the prone Senkaku and notes that he is still breathing. He raises his brother's sword and prepares to kill Senkaku. Saitou stops him. Eiji argues vehemently and goes to pick up the sword again. Kenshin stops him, asking him if his brothers sword was used for killing........Eiji acquiesces. Meanwhile, Soujiro is in the forest talking to Shishio, telling him about the fight. Shishio is upset and intrigued that Kenshin ruined his favorite katana. Shishio tells Soujiro to gather all his Juppongatana into Kyoto. Kenshin and company are on a hill looking down on Shingetsu. Misao and Kenshin are going to resume their journey to Kyoto. Saitou tells Kenshin that his wife will take care of Eiji. Saitou will meet Kenshin again in Kyoto, and he suggests that in the meantime Kenshin reincarnate the Hitokiri Battousai. He wishes the old Kenshin good luck............ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #38 Sanosuke, The Secret of Patience... Challenge the Hakai-Priest, Anji. Sano is lost in the forest preparing to eat the last of his food when a loud noise and a shaking of the ground makes him drop his meal on the ground. He goes to investigate and finds a Hakai-So priest. The priest is training; he can hit a rock and it disintegrates into dust. This rock-breaking ability impresses Sanosuke, who asks to be shown how he does it. The priest wants to know why Sanosuke wants the knowledge of Futae No Kiwami . Sanosuke tells the priest very briefly about Saitou beating him up, and how Sanosuke needs to be stronger. The priest initially refuses, but Sano keeps talking. Yuukyuzan Anji (the priest) asks Sano for his opinion of the Meiji government. Sano answers honestly, and Anji agrees to teach Sanosuke the Futae No Kiwami. He demonstrates his rock-breaking technique. The first hit reduces the rock's resistance; the second hit obliterates the rock. Anji tells Sanosuke he must master the technique in a month or Anji will kill him. Sano tells Anji that he does not have a month -- he'll master the technique in a week. Sano tries. He hits rocks and rocks and rocks. His right fist is bloody with his effort. On his last evening alive (if he does not learn the Futae No Kiwami) he has a vision of Sagara Souzou. Sagara tells Sano to give up, it's not worth it, he will die, but also that if Sano admits his mistake, Anji will not kill him. Sano tells Sagara (with all due respect) no! The next morning Anji finds Sano prone on a large boulder and thinks he is dead. Sano is not dead, and he did learn the Futae No Kiwami. Anji congratulates Sanosuke, and points him in the direction of Kyoto. Shortly thereafter, Seta Soujiro appears in the forest and tells Anji that Shishio is summoning the Juppongatana to Kyoto.