=============================================================== 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 #15-18 =============================================================== Episode #15 The Operation Starts! The Terrorist Group Jinpu Tai. Kenshin and company are sitting on the front porch of the Kamiya dojo when a sensei (teacher) friend of Sano's shows up with a child sick in his arms. The sensei is looking for Dr. Genzai. Dr. Genzai is not there, but Megumi is, and she treats the child. Sano tells the Kenshin-gumi that the sensei used to be a samurai, but now he is a teacher living like a beggar, teaching poor children to read and write. Kenshin thinks he might recognize the teacher, but he is not sure. Meanwhile, at a darkened house, a mouth talks with a member of the Jinpu Tai, plotting the recruitment of an assassin who is equal to the Hitokiri Battousai. Kenshin and Yahiko are on their way back from the market and they pass the sensei working in the field breaking rocks and soil. Suddenly a man appears and attacks the sensei. The sensei, however, has no problem defending himself. The man, Toma, is a member of the Jinpu Tai. Toma used to be a student of Sasaki Heihachiro (the sensei). Kenshin recognizes the budo technique, Hinoha Ittou Ryu. Kenshin fought Sasaki back at the end of the Edo dynasty. Later that evening, Sano is on his way to Sasaki's house when he spots Sasaki being escorted away by the Jinpu Tai. Sano follows. He overhears Sasaki refuse to join the Jinpu Tai, but the Jinpu Tai tell Sasaki that he will not be able to say 'no'. The Jinpu Tai threaten Sasaki's students, so Sasaki has no choice but to go with them. The Jinpu Tai make another assassination attempt, but Sano and Kenshin rescue Sasaki and stop the Jinpu Tai, this time............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #16 Take a Pledge! The Hidden Sword Technique, Shiden No Tachi! The mouth is talking to Toma and his men. Toma is given orders to kill Sasaki and Kenshin. Sano is protecting Sasaki's students. Sasaki tells Sano that Kenshin would lose if he fights Toma. Sano acts like he does not believe it, but then he and Sasaki go to check on Kenshin's physical wellbeing. Kenshin has disappeared from his place in front of the laundry wash tub; he is in the woods fighting and arguing philosophy with Toma. Just before the fighting gets serious, Toma's men come and collect Toma. The rest of the Kenshin-gumi rush up to Kenshin. Kenshin tells them that the Jinpu Tai have selected another target. Later that evening Kenshin disappears and the Jinpu Tai show up at the Kamiya dojo. At a party, Yamagata-san (remember him?) is leaving and Hashizume-san (the mouth) tells him to be careful on the highway. Sano, Yahiko, Kaoru and Sasaki kick butt. On the highway, the Jinpu Tai waylay Yamagata-san's carriage, but Yamagata-san is not in it--Kenshin is. Kenshin tries to tell Toma that the Jinpu Tai is being used for selfish reasons, not high political ideals. Toma will not listen. The rest of the Kenshin-gumi arrive. There is a fight scene, and the Kenshin- gumi triumph. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #17 Blast to Your Dream. The Adventure of Marimo the Flying Bullet. The Kenshin-gumi plus Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan are at Sumidagawa, where they go to see the Ebisu Circus. The main draw is Marimo, a young girl who shoots out of a cannon. Yahiko thinks Marimo is soooo kawaii. However, after she is shot out of the cannon, a man named Sumidaya-san disrupts the proceedings. Marimo and her father used to work for Sumidaya before setting up shop for themselves. One of Sumidaya's men empties his hot pipe on the straw and Yahiko rushes down to help Marimo put out the fire. They bump, he introduces himself, she calls him Yahiko-chan! Later that evening Sumidaya's men injure Marimo's father and start to hurt Marimo, but Yahiko comes to the rescue. He defeats Sumidaya's men and helps Marimo take her dad to Megumi-san. The next day the Kenshin-gumi help Marimo at her circus. Kaoru is ringmistress. Kenshin, introduced as Himura Somenosuke, shows the audience the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu succession techniques, i.e. the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Umbrella Sword Spin, Hiten Mitsurugi Lightning Umbrella, etc.....There are some funny moments in this one. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode #18 Run! Yahiko, Bring The Sakabato Back! Yahiko stops a man with a knife at the Akabeko restaurant. He gets a little arrogant after the experience and starts thinking he is too good for his shinai. He wants to use a real sword. Hiruma Gohei (remember him?) witnesses Yahiko's fight and starts plotting. (Gohei is really hung up on this revenge thing!!) Gohei hires the Tsuchikum Ryu's Onizaki brothers to kill Kenshin after he, Gohei, sets the stage. Gohei dares Yahiko to fight him with a real sword (when Kenshin and Kaoru are not around, of course). Yahiko falls for it. He borrows Kenshin's sakabatou and sneaks out of the dojo with it. Kenshin sees him sneak out with the sword, but doesn't worry about it. Yahiko goes to a Shinto shrine on the edge of town where Gohei said he would meet him. It's a trap. Yahiko is knocked out, tied up, and Gohei gloats that Kenshin will die because he will come to rescue Yahiko and not have the sakabatou to fight with. Gohei leans the sakabatou against the door of the shrine and leaves. Meanwhile, Kenshin gets a note that says he must come to Kikyo Hill before the sun sets if he wants to rescue Yahiko. Kenshin realizes that it is a trap, but he must go anyway to save Yahiko. Yahiko bloodies his wrists getting untied and rushes to Kikyo Hill with Kenshin's sakabatou. He is barely in time. Gohei intercepts Yahiko at the hill and Yahiko fights Gohei in order to get the sakabatou to Kenshin. Yahiko is victorious. Kenshin gets the sakabatou and kicks ass, and Yahiko learns a very valuable lesson.