=============================================================== 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 #39-42 =============================================================== Episode #39 The Man Who Makes Sakaba... Arai Shatku's Masterpiece! Kenshin and Misao arrive at the Aoiya restaurant in Kyoto. Misao's Jiya (grandpa) greets Misao and invites "Himura Battousai" into the Aoiya to talk. The old man is a Kishiwazaki ninja, Oniwabanshuu, called Okina. Kenshin tells him the story of the Oniwabanshuu at Kanryu's mansion. Okina agrees that it would be best not to tell Misao. He knows about Shishio and tells Kenshin that he, Okina, will be Kenshin's number one supporter, and that Kenshin must stay at the Aoiya while is in Kyoto. Kenshin asks Okina to find two people for him: Arai Shatku and Hiko Seijuro. The next morning Okina tells Kenshin that the swordmaker Arai Shatku is dead, but his son, Arai Seikuu, is still in the business and has supposedly inherited his father's skill. Kenshin, Okina, and Misao pay the swordmaker a visit. They are greeted by a small boy, Iori, and Iori's mother Asuza. Kenshin tests a kitchen knife made by Arai Seikuu, and then asks Seikuu to make him a sword. Seikuu refuses; he has a son and a wife and does not want to spend his life making instruments intended for killing. Kenshin understands and leaves. Meanwhile, at Shishio's headquarters, Shishio is checking in with Hoji, the Hyaku Shiki. Shishio tells Hoji that he has called together the Juppongatana and as soon as they all are gathered, they will begin their kuni-tori (national domination). Shishio tells Hoji that in celebration of kuni-tori, the Juppongatana will kill Himura Battousai. Katanagari (sword-lover) Cho arrives while Hoji is telling Shishio about Kenshin's visit to Arai Seikuu. Hoji tells Shishio that Arai Shatku's last sword was not given to Kenshin. Cho gets excited when he hears that a dead famous swordmaker has an unclaimed last sword, and goes to visit Shatku's son. Cho arrives at the swordmakers house, and Seikuu asks him what he wants. Cho says he want Arai Shatku's last sword. Seikuu says he does not have the sword there. Cho picks up baby Iori with the tip of his sword and throws him into the air, then catches him with the sword tip. Seikuu's wife tells Cho that her father-in-law's last sword was dedicated to the Haku-San Shinto Shrine. Cho goes to check it out, taking Iori with him, swinging on the point of his sword. Misao arrives on the scene, hears the story, and notifies Okina via carrier pigeon. Kenshin is at the Aoiya when the pigeon arrives. He rushes out of the restaurant to go to the Shrine. When Cho arrives at the Haku-San Shinto Shrine, Iori over his shoulder, and finds Kenshin already waiting for him........... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #40 Cold Blooded, Samurai! Battle with Juppongatana Cho! Cho tosses Iori into a tree where he hangs from a branch, then challenges Kenshin. They fight. Kenshin uses his sword stump, his sheath, his wits, and wins each initial battle. After each battle, Kenshin goes to where Iori is hanging from the branch, intending to get him down, but Cho always recovers. Cho is getting pissed. Misao, Okina, Seikuu and Asuza arrive on the scene. Okina, Misao, and Asuza all try to talk Seikuu into giving Kenshin Shatku's last sword. Seikuu continues to refuse until he overhears Kenshin telling Cho that he, Kenshin has sworn to return Iori safely to his parents. Seikuu makes a run for the temple, grabs his father's sword, and tosses it to Kenshin. Kenshin catches the katana, but does not draw it. Okina explains to Misao that Kenshin used to be the Hitokiri Battousai. Cho is getting impatient. He aims his murder sword (satsujinken) toward the baby hanging in the tree, and Kenshin goes Hitokiri! Using the katana that Seikuu tossed him, he performs a Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji. Cho does not have a chance. It is all over! Kenshin stands with his Hitokiri face, Cho is lifeless on the ground, Misao is in shock. Then Seikuu tells Kenshin to look at the blade of the sword. It is a sakabatou! Cho groans and moves. The last sword Arai Shatku made was a shinuchi, which is the better of the two sakabatou Shatku made. Shatku made the first sakabatou and gave it to Kenshin 10 years ago when Kenshin quit the Ishin group. He told Kenshin that if, when he broke his sakabatou, he was still the same dreamer, to come back to Kyoto. Seikuu offers the sakabatou shinuchi to Kenshin, and Kenshin accepts. Kaoru and Yahiko are sitting on steps in Kyoto wondering where to look for Kenshin. Yahiko sees Aoshi walk by and gives chase. Meanwhile, Okina gives Kenshin the address of Hiko Seijuro. Kenshin then leaves the Aoiya, with Misao chasing after him. Misao runs past Aoshi and does not see him, while Kaoru, chasing Yahiko, runs past Kenshin and does not see him. Misao and Yahiko collide. Misao gets angry and yells out Kenshin's name. Kaoru tackles Misao before she can get away, asking if Misao is talking about Himura Kenshin........... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #41 A Hidden Technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Reunion with Master Hiko Seijuro! Kenshin has gone to see his master, Hiko Seijuro, the 13th inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Meanwhile, Okina is meeting with Aoshi. Aoshi asks for the location of Himura Battousai, but Okina refuses to tell him. Aoshi then runs into Seta Soujiro, who tells him that Shishio can help Aoshi find Battousai. Aoshi agrees to meet with Shishio. Kenshin asks his master if he may inherit the succession technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu as he was supposed to 15 years ago. Hiko refuses. Kenshin pleads. He explains that he needs the succession technique so he will not have to revert to the Hitokiri Battousai in order to beat Shishio. Hiko tells Kenshin that Kenshin is torn between pacifism and Hitokiri, and that Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu helped create Shishio. At this point, Misao, Yahiko, and Kaoru arrive at Hiko's studio. Misao and Yahiko overhear Hiko berating Kenshin, and kick down the door. On learning that these strangers are friends of Kenshin's, Hiko sends his student out to fetch water. While Kenshin is gone, Hiko finds out about his "baka deshi" ("stupid pupil") from the people who know best what he has been doing for the last 10 years. When Kenshin comes back from drawing water, Hiko agrees to teach him the succession technique. Misao, Yahiko and Kaoru are walking back to the Aoiya when Yahiko remembers that he forgot to tell Kenshin that Aoshi is in town. Misao gets excited and wants to know where Yahiko saw her "Aoshi-sama". Yahiko leaps between Misao and Kaoru, calling Misao a "goddamn Oniwabanshuu". Kaoru calms them both down and agrees to talk, but warns Misao she will not like what she hears about the Oniwabanshuu.......... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #42 Alliance Agreed! The Day When Shishio And Aoshi Unite! Kaoru and Yahiko tell Misao what happened to the Oniwabanshuu at Kanryu's mansion. Aoshi meets with Shishio. Shishio agrees to give Aoshi all his information on the whereabouts of the Battousai. Hoji reports that Okina knows where Kenshin is and sends the Fukuro (Owl Clawed Soldiers) to the Aoiya. Hoji, however, underestimates Okina. Okina sends the Fukuro back with a message for Aoshi, then takes his weapons, puts on his ninja uniform, and leaves to meet Aoshi at a temple. Misao is running to the temple, hoping to stop the fight between them. Okina feels that Aoshi has become evil and must be killed. Aoshi plans to kill Okina because he will not tell him the location of the Battousai. Misao reaches the temple just in time to see Aoshi finish off Okina. As Aoshi leaves he tells Misao to tell Battousai that he, Aoshi, will be waiting at Shishio's headquarters. Okina is not dead, but he is unconscious and has received 103 stitches. Misao tells everyone at the Aoiya that she is assuming the leadership of the Oniwabanshuu in place of Shinomori Aoshi...........